Prologue: Newly-Minted Thespians

Prologue: Newly-Minted Thespians
~BlackRoseRaven

Everything began as it always did: with a bang, not a whimper; with a clash and a clamor and nothing but noise. But the first few seconds is always chaos, as the stage falls into place like oversized blocks of lego dropping in front of a badly-made backdrop, followed by the meteoric fall – as they so rarely rise – of the main characters, the protagonists of this little journey.

In this case, they quite literally fall from the sky, one of them screaming, one of them swearing, one of them cackling and the two companions with this particular-mare – whom I, the Narrator, am quite sure will already be particularly frustrating – shouting away at her, more concerned with how much she seems to be enjoying this than their sudden drop from nowhere towards the earth below. They are arguing guests plummeting towards a stoic host to whom they are shortly going to be introduced, face-first.

Those who have wings flap them wildly, but their speed is too great and the air seems to rush past their feathers, as if the world itself has no intention of slowing their descent. But even as they crash down, one after the other and then three in one catastrophic bang, even as the world shakes with their impact and the trees sway and the winds gasp through the fields, no one has to ask to know that these ponies are all perfectly okay.

“I think I'm the opposite of okay...” mumbled a chocolate-brown unicorn as she picked herself up on shaky legs, her emerald eyes blinking weakly before she shook herself slowly. She reached up and scrubbed a bit of grass from her blonde mane as she took a moment to steady herself, then she looked quickly around before her eyes widened slightly as she saw a stallion laying in a broken heap nearby.

“Hey? Hey! Are you alright?” The mare hurried towards the fellow unicorn, eyes wide as she reached towards him... then flinched back when he suddenly rolled onto his stomach, snapping awake and moving immediately into a ready position with teeth bared, as if he expected to be attacked.

She stumbled back a step, biting her lip and staring at him as he glared back at her... then the stallion snorted before shaking himself once: if he was dizzy or confused at all by what had happened, he was doing a good job of hiding it. “Fine.”

“I... are you sure?” The mare shifted a little, nervously drawing her eyes over him: she felt a bit battered herself from the fall, but the stallion had some nasty bruises showing through his white coat, and his armor looked like it had been badly damaged. Whatever had protected them clearly hadn't taken into account the extra weight of his armor. Then again, it also hadn't accounted for her... well, her own eccentricities. But there would be time to think about that later.

He only ignored her, though... not that she could entirely blame him, since she was distracted a moment later by several loud, frustrated yells, the two ponies looking at the last three who had fallen beside them.

They were currently scuffling with each other, as if none of them cared that they had all just fallen into a field from a clear blue sky for no apparent reason. The mare was rather surprised by what they looked like all the same, however: one was a violet mare, one was a black stallion, and one was a sapphire blue pony who seemed strangely familiar...

Finally, the three shoved themselves apart, glaring at each other... or more precisely, two of them glared at the third, the blue pony seated in the middle. She only huffed loudly, however, crossing her forelegs and raising her horned head high as a mane of ephemeral starlight swirled and settled around her, wings flapping once before they furled closed as she complained: “'Twas not my doing! Scrivener Blooms, Twilight Sparkle, both of thee wound me so with such accusations!”

The violet mare sighed loudly as she reached up to scrub at her features with a hoof... and then she frowned suddenly, rubbing quickly over her face again before looking down at her hoof dumbly. The stallion blinked at this, then he straightened slightly as the three ponies all stared at each other, then, in unconscious, somehow creepy synchronization, wildly slapped and grabbed at their own bodies, gaping down at themselves as if...

“Princess Luna?” The brown unicorn looked with surprise at the white stallion as he strode quickly forwards, perhaps the slightest trace of disbelief on his features... although he was quick to hide whatever emotion he had felt, saluting and saying briskly: “Ma'am. Lieutenant River Styx, requesting briefing.”

“Oh, so thou art going to blame me too? Damn all of thee!” Luna whined loudly, making the brown unicorn mare blink in surprise: she hadn't really visualized the Princess of the Night as so... well... “And who art thou, mare also staring at me most rudely? Well... at least thy cutie mark is promising.”

Luna licked her lips slowly as the brown unicorn blushed a bit, looking back at the mark on her flank: a green apple that had been dipped in chocolate, sweet strands of sugary goodness spilling down the emerald fruit. “I uh... my name is Marina Wildheart and um...” She dropped her head a little, blushing as she felt the princess' eyes on her, unable to stop from feeling intimidated under that domineering gaze.

River Styx was still standing at attention, although he was frowning ever-so-slightly, as if something was wrong... but Luna almost completely ignored him as she turned towards the black stallion beside him, smacking him firmly and making Marina stare. “Introduce us.”

“How? I don't know what the hell to say. I don't even know who the hell we are anymore. I mean, look at us.” the stallion retorted, gesturing at himself before he reached down and slapped his own cutie mark: a black rose blossom, with a raven-feather quill above it. “We all look... normal.”

For a moment, the stallion gazed past Luna towards Twilight Sparkle, who blushed ever so slightly as she silently rubbed a hoof along her own smooth chest-

“Never say such things!” Luna shouted furiously, then she slammed a hoof into the stallion's face, knocking him sprawling into a prone heap. He twitched weakly on the ground a few times, and there was an uncomfortable silence for the longest time, before Luna huffed loudly and composed herself, calmly brushing a bit of dirt from her coat before she clambered to her hooves and said briskly: “This is Scrivener Blooms, and the mare is Twilight Sparkle, and I...”

Luna reached up and touched her own neck... and then her eyes slowly widened as she visibly paled before grabbing wildly at her throat. Both River Styx and Marina stared as the sapphire mare began to flail around, looking almost like she was throttling herself before she shouted in a horrified voice: “My Promise! My Promise is gone, Scrivy, my Promise... no, all of our Promises are gone!”

“How terrible.” Scrivener muttered from where his face was planted in the ground, and Luna's eye twitched as she froze and glared at him. But the black stallion only sighed tiredly as he picked himself carefully up from the ground, brushing dirt out of his messy white mane as he looked at her meditatively with his deep brown eyes. “I'm not worried because... well, we're still linking, yes?”

All three odd ponies frowned at once, then nodded, and Marina hesitantly shifted closer towards River Styx before she asked in a whisper: “Is... is this normal for the princess?”

River Styx only gave her a brief look, then turned his eyes back towards the Princess before he cleared his throat and said calmly: “Directive 82.1 states-”

“It states thou art a butt.” Luna interrupted, and River Styx narrowed his eyes ever so slightly before Luna sniffed loudly, then declared: “Scrivener Blooms is correct and we must now find a way to escape this wretched world!”

“Um... excuse me, but... I don't know what you're talking about. I just know that we... well, we fell out of... does anyone remember what happened?” Marina asked suddenly, looking up uncertainly. “I feel... I feel almost like I can hear a voice, telling me what to do...”

River Styx turned his eyes towards Marina, frowning as he measured her with his gaze, and Marina blushed deeply before she shook her head hurriedly and rose a hoof, blurting: “Not like that! I mean... I just mean it sounds like someone is... talking and I can hear it and-”

“River of Sticks, thou art so sour. Cease all this sourness. Thou art not a tart, so there is no need to act the role of one.” Luna paused meditatively as all eyes turned towards her as she continued thoughtfully: “But 'tis funny. For there are many tarts that are not tart at all. Scrivy, tell me why tarts are called tarts?”

“Because if you called them tiny pies everyone would be confused and disappointed.” Scrivener replied dourly, and Luna gave him a grumpy look before the stallion glanced over at the soldier. “Having seen that look a lot over the past few decades, I know that you're probably about to try and attack us. All I can say is that's not a good idea.”

River Styx only narrowed his eyes, pawing at the ground slowly as Marina looked up uncomfortably, and Twilight bit her lip nervously as she shifted slightly to the side. But Luna was grinning widely, eyes gleaming as she licked her lips slowly and looked almost eagerly at the Royal Guard. Then she huffed in disappointment when he only continued to look at her measuringly, not allowing himself to be baited.

But before things could get any worse, there was a sudden loud pop, and the attention of all the ponies was drawn towards a pair of Draconequus that had appeared out of thin air. One of them was bespectacled and sour-looking, tall and terribly ominous; the other was anxious-looking and much shorter, scribbling wildly away on a pad.

“Well, 'tis a point for Scrivener's theory.” muttered Luna, although Marina still had no idea what the mare could possibly be talking about. Then again, nothing in the world was making sense right now, and it was all she could do not to simply faint and curl up in the fetal position... and how the hell was River Styx still looking so calm?

The lieutenant was simply glaring balefully at the Draconequus, now in a ready position, his horn faintly thrumming with energy. Not that either Draconequus seemed perturbed by this: the anxious one was still writing wildly away and the tall, scary one was simply looking over them all, studying them coldly. He had eyes like ice, and his horse-like face was thin almost to the point of being skeletal. His hands were visibly different sizes, but covered by white gloves, as entire body was masked by a neat suit: it did nothing to hide his strange proportions, but certainly did a good job of hiding his chimerical body.

Luna glared up at this Draconequus defiantly: the fact she could already be defiant was rather amazing, considering the fact he hadn't tried to make them agree or disagree to anything quite yet. “Art thou the puppetmaster?”

“No. Merely an editor, appraising the value of a work.” said the Draconequus disdainfully, scowling as his eyes flicked back and forth. “So far? The setting is subpar and the characters pugnacious. I suppose work in the name of so-called 'good' is always done cheaply, however: oh no, one would never want to spend a modicum of time upon philanthropy if it came with naught in return.”

“Is that... n-o-t or...” The second Draconequus quailed and immediately shut his mouth under the burning glare of the first, shrinking his sheep-like head into his shoulders. Tiny little horns glinted above big, frightened eyes as he forced a smile, the chubby little Draconequus holding up his pen and clipboard as he said awkwardly: “We'll get it in editing. How about that?”

The tall, intimidating Draconequus rolled his eyes, and then he calmly turned back towards the ponies, glancing over them for a few moments before he said moodily: “There are more protagonists present than expected, but I suppose we will adjust for the situation. As it stands, others may not arrive, after all.”

“Very well. I suppose I shall play along with thy game, creature, for I have little better to do. And 'tis not like I have not been the victim of a Draconequus' diversion in the past.” Luna said boldly, apparently deciding to speak for everypony present. Marina looked at her uncomfortably and River Styx frowned, but Luna pointedly ignored them as she asked: “What is thy name, creature? Why do we look different? Why-”

“Everything will be answered in time.” The Draconequus held up a gloved hand, and Luna glared at him before he continued calmly: “You will simply refer to me as the Critic. I am an instrument of the Narrator overseeing this wretched little project. The strata you are within is called The Theater. Each of you has been... volunteered, if you will allow the euphemism, to play a role in our current production, a character in a story that shall be written by the many.”

“Sounds like a great idea.” Scrivener Blooms said cynically, and then he winced when Twilight nudged him firmly, before he asked hesitantly: “Our bodies...”

“They are neither present nor missing; your physical selves lay elsewhere, and we adjusted each of you and your abilities as according to our... personal standards for the production.” The Critic said moodily, brushing a gloved hand slowly against his chest. “Do take note that if you should happen to die while our production is underway, you will not leave this place until the play is complete. You will simply be forced to fulfill a different role in our production company.”

The Draconequus snapped his fingers, and reality itself was yanked up like a backdrop only a few feet away, the ponies staring in shock at the sight of countless enslaved ponies running in enormous wheels, keeping an ancient network of massive gears spinning slowly along, steam venting here and there out of blackened machinery.

Then, with but a flick his fingers, reality dropped back into place with a thump, nothing but blue skies and fields, not a trace of the secret machinery beneath the surface of this storybook world present any longer... it was almost as if reality was a reflective pool, and when its crystalline surface was disturbed, through the ripples could be glimpsed the cruel reality of what powered the beauty and pleasantry of the gorgeous world all around them; the truth that all love could stem only from pain, that all peace was earned and paid for in the-

“Restrain yourself, Narrator.” The Critic said moodily.

He said it in his annoying I'm-always-right-and-I'm-better-than-you-voice, very similar to a little brat who-

“Are you truly going to test my patience? Because you should know by now that I will not hesitate to call upon The Redacted.”

There was silence for a few moments as the ponies looked with confusion at the Critic... although all of them had heard the whispers in their mind. The whisper that sounded like a little voice, one they could hear clearly if they concentrated on it: like the voice of imagination, or their conscience. Not that Luna ever had much of a conscience.

Luna huffed loudly, then she glanced moodily over at the Critic, one eyebrow raised slightly in question. The Critic looked at her contemptibly, clearly not a fan of the silent question, but he answered all the same: “That would be our... somewhat difficult compatriot. He is both storyteller and chorus, explaining things to both the audience and to you, our players. He is fickle, but is both a prisoner and celebrator of his esteemed role.”

“What makes you think we'll just play along?” River Styx asked suddenly, scowling darkly up at the Draconequus, and Critic slowly narrowed his eyes as his assistant whimpered a little and half-hid behind his clipboard, even as he continued to hurriedly write. “What's to stop us from escaping?”

“Very well, I will indulge you, my hard-headed erstwhile companion.” The Critic said moodily, and then he turned around and gestured calmly outwards at the world around them. “This entire world stands between you and your goal. If you participate in our play and struggle to the end of the adventure, you will go free, with our blessing for putting on such a spectacular show for the audience. And so long as you entertain the spectators and do not trouble the company unduly, the world will treat you as you are used to being treated.

“However, disobey or deride us or cause other displeasures...” The Critic turned slowly around, scowling a little as ponies of all shape and size seemed to appear as if from thin air all around them, striding through the grass and out from behind trees as if they had always been there. They all looked normal... but their eyes were terrible, hollow pits, faces emotionless, their movements as jagged as puppets pulled along on string. “The stage company does not take kindly to such things. And far worse, you may earn the ire of The Redacted. Believe you me, sirs: you do not desire to tangle with that particular entity.”

Luna set herself and gritted her teeth, glaring back and forth as Twilight and Scrivener both readied themselves as well, the stallion digging his hooves into the ground... then swearing in surprise when nothing happened. The Critic smiled thinly over at the three, studying them before he said mildly: “We adjusted you to avoid as many spoilers as possible for our audience. There is no need to cross-contaminate storylines. As I believe I mentioned before, you have been... adjusted.”

Luna bared her fangs as Twilight lowered her head, horn beginning to glow, and Scrivener grimaced but took a breath and readied himself, glaring defiantly at the horde of soulless ponies closing in on all sides. River Styx seemed just as ready, his head raised, his own horn glowing as he glared out at the crowd... but Marina was trembling, trying to shrink away from the hollow ponies, looking around in desperation for something, anything she could use...

And then, when she looked back up at the crowd, the ponies were simply gone, as if they had never been there at all. There was only silence, the mare staring disbelievingly out over the rolling fields before The Critic said calmly: “We are still awaiting some small inputs from the audience as yet, but otherwise, the play is ready to begin. We have set the stage, and our prologue has commenced. Soon, the chorus will take up their places, and the play shall begin in earnest.”

The Critic smiled thinly, looking over them with haughty arrogance in spite of his constant flip-flopping between story metaphors and play metaphors-

“Narrator, silence. End the scene.” The Critic said irritably, and Luna scowled, opening her mouth... but not even she could snap out an insult fast enough before the Draconequus vanished, along with his anxious assistant.

The five ponies were left together with only each other's company, and there was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Luna finally turned around and cleared her throat loudly, declaring: “I shall be the hero of this story. Or at the very least, the villain. Thus, all of thee are to follow in my lead. Understood?”

River Styx looked at Luna moodily for a moment, then he shook his head before turning and striding away from this crazed mare: whoever she was, it was obvious she wasn't the Princess. And unlike the rest of them, he had no intention of playing along with these stupid games. He had to get out of here and back home. He had something much more important than some chaos entity's idea of a play or story or whatever the hell this was to deal with.

Marina, meanwhile, looked nervously over at Luna before she gave a weak smile to the mare, as the sapphire pony bared large, strangely-sharp teeth in a wide grin, and then she swallowed thickly before turning and hurrying after River Styx: unfriendly or not, he at least was a Royal Guard, like her brother... and well, he felt like a better choice than the trio of strange ponies. Maybe they could help each other out...

Luna glowered, dropping her hooves and scowling horribly before Scrivener and Twilight simply shrugged and walked past her as well, following the other ponies, and the mare snorted before grumbling: “I hope for the Draconequus' sake this is an interesting story. There had best be much for me to pummel along the way, 'lest I grow bored and pummel all of thee. Especially thou, Scrivy. This is all thy fault.”

“Yes, dear. I know.” Scrivener said dryly as Twilight smiled faintly, before the stallion sighed tiredly as he reflected moodily that he was getting far too used to things like this.

And so the five trudged on through the sprawling fields, all of them with only one goal in mind: to escape. They had yet to realize that they were trapped, as we are all trapped, in the strings of unseen puppeteers, their actions predicted, their hooves guided as if by ghosts, drawn unknowingly deeper into the play with every passing step of their-

“Oh shut up, wretched voice.” Luna grumbled sourly from the back of the column, glowering up at the sky. “Thy rambles are harder to take than Celestia's endless lecturing on how I should behave. Great stupid voice.”

Then a large rock fell out of the sky and landed on Luna's head, knocking her sprawling and leaving her in a daze. And for a moment, the other ponies could only stare over their shoulders at her before they all came to the uncomfortable realization that they were little more than pawns in the game of an invisible foe... and there was nothing they could do but play along.

The Direction We Take

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Chapter One: The Direction We Take
~BlackRoseRaven

Our noble heroes, following the lead of River Styx, crossed the sprawling fields and soon found themselves with a landmark in sight that all of them were able to recognize: Manehattan. The sprawling metropolis was a welcome sight after having traveled through nothing but raucous, wild lands for endless mile after mile, where green Eden stretched its way into an abundant but empty desert of-

“Shut up, great voice.” Luna complained, huffing and glowering up at the sky as the group strode slowly down the cobblestone street of the old city. Her starry mane flicked around her as she glanced back and forth, adding in a whinier voice: “And there was plenty to be had in that... sodding excuse for a wild-lands as well! Did thou not see the deer? The deer! The gorgeous deer!”

“It wasn't a deer, dear. It was just a pony out on a hike.” Scrivener Blooms said mildly, and Luna looked at him grumpily. “Well, of course he ran away from us. I'd run away from us. And that's even before you decided to charge at him.”

Luna huffed loudly, but Scrivener only continued to look at her mildly before Twilight murmured: “But we really do have to be more careful, Luna. I mean, this is clearly Manehattan but...”

She broke off, not needing to state the obvious, as Luna grumbled in agreement and Scrivener nodded slowly. At the head of the group, River Styx paused and looked back over his shoulder as the others slowed, letting them catch up a little: he didn't really want to try and make friends with them, but as little as he liked it, coming into the city had made it abundantly clear that things here were far more complicated than he had guessed at first.

One of those things was the fact that they were walking down the street of one of the most populated cities in Equestria... and while they could hear noises and rumblings and even the occasional voice, there wasn't a single pony present on the street with them. Apart from the indistinct noises, the only other signs of life came from blurred shapes that moved every now and then in the windows.

Marina was looking back and forth uncomfortably, nervously chewing on her lower lip as she stayed halfway between River Styx and the three strange ponies ambling along behind them. She couldn't help but shoot them anxious looks every now and then over her shoulder, shifting uneasily: while River Styx seemed a little... unfriendly, he was obviously taking the whole situation seriously and there was less... off about him than these other ponies.

After all, Luna and Twilight... those were ponies she had never really known, but she had known of them. At least enough to know that they were acting very peculiar... especially Luna. After all, the Princess of the Night wasn't acting like any kind of princess of anything that Marina could think of...

As if to prove her point, Luna turned towards the black stallion striding alongside her and belched loudly in his face. Scrivener Blooms scowled and leaned away from her as she gave him a big, childish grin, before the sapphire mare declared: “'Tis a compliment in some countries!”

“No, it's not. Especially not when you just lean into someone's face and burp. That's awful, Luna.” reprimanded Twilight, but Luna looked undaunted, only sniffing loudly and raising her head high in the air, before the purple mare suddenly glanced curiously forwards as she felt Marina's eyes lingering on the three of them.

Marina immediately blushed and looked sharply back ahead, hurrying up towards River Styx... before she quailed a bit when he looked over his shoulder at her sourly, the stallion coming to a halt. Marina nearly stumbled past him, but she managed to catch herself and give him a lame smile before she lowered her head and said the first thing that came to mind: “My big brother's a guard.”

There was silence for a moment, during which River Styx studied her intently... and then he sighed a little before his eyes flicked back over his shoulder, the stallion asking grudgingly: “Who are you three? You both resemble the princesses, but...”

He left off, and Scrivener Blooms rose his head and said dryly: “Well, one's still a bit of a princess. The other, on the other hoof...”

“I am no princess. Thou art a butt, Scrivener Blooms. Thou art a great stupid butt.” Luna complained, looking offended... and then she stepped forwards and slammed her head into the side of Scrivener's skull, knocking him flopping to the cobblestone street with a groan as Twilight winced and stumbled to the side, grabbing at her own head as she glared at Luna.

But Luna was simply grinning, looking very proud of herself; then again, she always did after successfully abusing someone close to her in the eye of the public. She knew full well that River Styx would only stare her suspiciously, even if Marina was left gaping in open-mouthed horror... and Scrivener Blooms only sighed from the ground before he mumbled: “Well, I hope she's made herself clear. Luna is not a princess. Luna is... Luna.”

“No spoilers.” said a curt voice, and the five ponies all looked up in surprise to see what looked like a pony striding towards them down the street, his head raised high and dressed in an eclectic set of clothing. The sleeves covering his limbs puffed loosely out, but were cinched tightly around his hooves by belts, while a fancy, thick vest tightly gripped his body, squeezing around him like a corset.

But all five ponies noticed something odd about the stranger... or rather, stranger than everything else strange about him showing up here out of nowhere. He was handsome, with a gorgeous, dark red chestnut body and studious, dark eyes beneath a loose black mane... but his tail was long and green and draconic, flicking back and forth with catlike irritability.

He halted in front of them, then rose his head and declared imperiously, as he placed a hoof against his breast: “I am the Director, and you are all my actors. Now. We don't have much time to get started, my actors. I shall be expecting a hundred and ten percent from each and every one of you.”

“Apart from being mathematically impossible, none of us here are very good at acting.” Scrivener Blooms said mildly as he picked himself up off the road, absently brushing at himself as River Styx only scowled and Marina shifted uneasily, the mare looking back and forth as she swore she heard... movement, all around them. “Also, we already ran into some generically-named mastermind who told us what to do. Why are you telling us what to do?”

“Because I am the Director! And like my fellow Draconequus, I am here to keep this play running at full speed ahead!” declared the Director, one hoof thrusting high into the air as if to reach for the stars high above, his whole effeminate body tense as his eyes glowed with the exhilaration of the oncoming play, which would surely be a massively-successful drama and not yet another terrible failure in a long series of flops for this sad little portmanteau.

“Be quiet, Narrator, you're not in this scene!” the Director snapped angrily up at the sky, one of his eyes visibly twitching as Luna giggled behind a hoof and Twilight sighed and dropped her face in a hoof.

Scrivener, however, only looked meditative before he said wryly: “Huh. He makes a good point, though. Well, I'm assuming the Narrator is male, or at least masculine. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.”

Scrivener Blooms looked up into the sky, his wandering gaze followed by the others into the vast and infinite cosmos, as if searching for some sign of the divine being whose melodic voice they could all hear at times whispering through their minds in sweet and saccharine tones. But in this, that most glorious and powerful and omnipresent voice had no answer, for what is the meaning of 'he' or 'she' to an entity of such cosmic proportion and power? Nay, the Narrator is divine, and divinity is beyond the comprehension and measure of sex and gender, for truly, he is but universal law, he is above such petty things as-

“Clearly the narrator is a dick. I am not saying that this means he is male, but 'tis certainly a dick.” Luna declared informatively, and Scrivener Blooms shrugged amiably as Twilight Sparkle only gave another sigh, looking as if she was developing a headache. “And apparently thou art a fish, Port Minnow. What a strange name thou has!”

The Director scowled at Luna, and then he sat back and pointed at his tail, saying moodily: “I am a Draconequus. See? This is proof!”

Scrivener Blooms studied the stallion for a few moments, and then he replied dryly: “In the sense that you're part draco and part equus, yes. But in that same sense, Luna can be called a princess when she's anything but.”

“Nay, I cannot. I am a virile stallion.” Luna declared proudly, raising her head high before grinning over at the Director. “Am I not impressive, Port Minnow? Thou may be a rather handsome Draconequus, considering that thou art a little less... mishy-mashy than most I have seen, but I am still ten times the stallion thou art.”

The Director only looked sourly at Luna for a few moments, then he scowled as River Styx asked calmly: “And what if we don't want to be in your play?”

“Considering the fact you've already passed auditions and come to the set for our first big night, I think it's a little late to back out now.” The Director replied moodily, narrowing his eyes slightly. Luna growled at this, and even if River Styx wasn't quite as vocal, his expression made his displeasure more than clear.

Scrivener scowled a little... which played right into the direction the play was supposed to head anyway, little did he know. Oh, alas, poor and unfortunate Scrivener Blooms, caught in the tide and turmoil of the ever-flowing, ever-lasting sea of words that this endless and engulfing story is quickly becoming, these ponies all but victims, but he perhaps the worst; a writer tied in a web of words, an author following a text written not by him but by the countless string-pulling fingers of-

“Cut!” the Director shouted. He sounded petulant and upset for absolutely no discernible or logical reason at all, as directors often are.

Luna giggled like a little filly and Twilight looked exasperated and River Styx scowled and Marina looked torn between giggling and staring and Scrivener, well, he was Scrivener Blooms, and he was never very happy.

“Get yourself under control, Narrator, or I swear to Loki himself I will call The Redacted.” the Director threatened, and an uncomfortable, cold silence fell as the very air around them seemed to freeze with the tension that suddenly cut through the world.

They all felt it there, in that moment: that some threats shouldn't be made so lightly. That some forces had to be respected; and while a fearsome whip or not, some weapons had a tendency to bite the hooves that tried to free them.

The Director grimaced a little, and then he shook his head slowly before muttering: “Well, now that we have that out of the way... shall we get down to business? As the Narrator so inarticulately put it, we all have our roles to play. And what is more important, your ego, or your friends?”

“My ego, obviously. She's right over there.” Scrivener Blooms said dryly, gesturing with his head towards Luna, who scowled... but then simply shrugged amiably. “I'd also like to point out that most of us here don't know each other. So you know. You can make us angrier by threatening us with bodily harm, but. That's about it.”

The Director rolled his eyes, his long, draconic tail flicking absently behind him before he said moodily: “Oh, don't worry, I'm not threatening any of you. Don't forget that we brought you here from your varicose worlds without so much as a moment of effort expended upon our part. We are very capable of retrieving others from those same-such worlds as well, be they large...”

The Director held up a hoof, and a moment later, there was a flash of light before a small creature appeared in a burst of light, staring back and forth in surprise before it immediately flung itself away from the Director and scampered towards River Styx. The stallion himself was staring in surprise, mouth slightly open as his eyes disbelievingly followed the mustelid's movements even as it leapt up onto him and scurried quickly to the safety of the stallion's head.

Scrivener and Luna both cocked their heads as Marina stared, but Twilight's eyes widened slightly in surprise before she exclaimed: “That's a genet! They're pretty uncommon in Equestria... I'm guessing its bonded to you, which means he must have been yours from a young age...”

River Styx didn't reply, simply blinking slowly before the Director said pompously: “Yes, tell them about your little friend, River Styx... or shall I bring another little family member of yours here from your homeworld?”

River Styx immediately narrowed his eyes, his body tensing up as he set himself... but the little genet tugged at his mane, as if urging him to calm down, and instead the stallion only grimaced before muttering: “There's no need for that. I get it. We have to play along.”

The Director began to smile... and then Scrivener Blooms said blandly: “Although you are aware that 'varicose' doesn't mean 'varied,' it means 'large ugly veins in your legs.'”

The smile on the face of the pony-like Draconequus curdled, and then it slowly turned a scowl towards Scrivener Blooms, who was looking fearlessly at the Director as Luna grinned widely and Twilight sighed and dropped her face in a hoof. “Your powers might be great and terrible, Mr. Behind the Curtain, but all the friends and family of Luna and I aren't so easy to pick on. I mean, you know, by all means, bring Celestia. Or as she's better known these days, Fffpt.”

Scrivener blinked dumbly, then looked down at his own mouth as Luna cocked her head in surprise before remarking: “'Tis not a terrible name for Celestia, but all the same, 'tis not what we call her. We call her Fff... fffpt.”

Luna scowled as she found herself unable to say the name as well, and the Director looked remarkably pleased with himself for someone who had absolutely nothing to do with their predicament. “Shut up, Narrator. But as for you ponies, my friends and I have decreed that-”

Any attempt at a sensible explanation was ruined as Luna began to try and shout her sister's name: every time, however, her mouth refused to cooperate, her tongue flapping wildly, her lips pursing uselessly. As Luna shook her head back and forth, trying to shout, all she managed to do was yell wordlessly and blow loud, long raspberries in every direction, ponies shouting and swearing and ducking away as spittle and saliva flew in every direction.

Luna finally puttered out, her lips finally fizzling to a stop as a last bit of saliva dripped from her muzzle, and she huffed a little at the Director, who was staring at her with a mix of horror and disbelief beneath the mask of spit now covering his face. “Well. That is silly. Why can I not say her name? And what of my name, Bffpt?”

Luna's eyes widened slightly, and then a look suffused her face that could only be described as 'horrendous,' one of her eyes twitching as her jaw clenched. Her starry, ephemeral mane swirled around her face before she threw her head back and roared furiously at the sky, River Styx scowling and Marina flinching away, but Twilight only sighed and Scrivener Blooms simply looked at the mare before he remarked dryly: “No, honestly, Luna. Just let it out.”

“Oh shut up, great idiot Scrivener Blooms!” Luna snapped, and then she turned her furious eyes towards the Director, stomping a hoof towards him with enough force to crack the road tiles beneath it. And whether or not the Director really believed in his own fabled superiority, he wilted like a flower under the corybantic gaze of the mare.

“Aye, I shall fall upon thee like a Corybant indeed!” the mare shouted, taking another stomp towards the Director, who was now trying his hardest not to retreat any further under the harrowing glare of the mare. “How dare thee, how dare thee and thy sordid kind take away mine ability to speak mine own name! I have always been known as Bffpt and...”

One of Luna's eyes twitched, her teeth grinding together, her head twisting slightly to the side as her ephemeral mane sparked before bursting into blue flames. It whipped back and forth as the mare's hooves slowly dug into the ground, cracking the stone beneath them as the Director stared in horror, cowering beneath the fulminating, gorgonic gaze of the mare.

“You know, you can't just add '-ic' to everything and make it a descriptor.” Scrivener Blooms said mildly. He seemed as unfazed by Luna's rage as he was unable to creatively conjugate an adjective, which was, by chance, the word he should have used in place of his own incorrectly-placed jargon. “Luna's always angry. And I'm a writer, not a languageist.”

“Scrivy.” Twilight said dryly, but Scrivener Blooms only shrugged easily before the violet mare turned her eyes back towards Luna, who was still twitching as she loomed over the stallion, her mane a whirl of sapphire hellfire. “Uh, Luna? You're scaring everypony.”

“They should be afraid! They should all fear me! I am as great and terrible as the sea!” Luna roared, raising her hooves above her head as her horn sparked, lightning crackling around her. River Styx grimaced and leaned slightly away from a stray bolt of electricity that hit the ground nearby, his genet pet squeaking and leaping to the safety of the back of his neck, while Marina yelped and danced backwards, staring in shock at the mare as she stared at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. “And thou, Director! Thou hast offended me, and for this, I demand recompense! I demand satisfaction! I demand mine own accursed name!”

“It's certainly accursed.” Scrivener muttered, and then he sighed as Luna glared balefully over her shoulder at him, one of her eyes twitching, and the Director immediately took the moment to scuttle hurriedly away. “Please don't go starting a fight before we even know precisely what it is we're up against yet.”

“I shall fight whatever I damned well please.” Luna huffed loudly, not at all trying to suck up all the attention she could. “Oh, quiet. Foul-mouthed Narrator. But I suppose that is all thou art, a mouth. And unlike most stallions, thy mouthy-parts do not even make up for the lack of any nethers, for 'tis not as if-”

Any further comments were censored by large black pieces of tape that firmly slapped themselves over her muzzle. And a paper bag that dropped over her head, her furious little blue-green eyes glaring with the rage of a thousand suns even as she was left helpless to shout any of the many, many profanities she wanted to.

Scrivener Blooms looked up at the sky meditatively for a moment, and then he and Twilight traded looks before both ponies simply shrugged, Luna stomping her hooves wildly as she gave muffled little shouts and danced around in anger, slashing her horn wildly in Scrivener's direction.

“I just don't think it's a terrible look on you.” Scrivener said blandly, and Twilight sighed before walking over to try and calm down the raging mare, as the stallion's eyes flicked back towards the Director, who was half-hiding in an alley and scowling out at them. “So if you guys are a theater company with this much power... why don't you create your own actors? Why kidnap us?”

The Director scoffed loudly at this, saying contemptibly: “Kidnap you? What we did is invite you to partake in our magnum opus-”

“Without asking, and now we're forcibly confined here, while you threaten out friends and loved ones with your quote-unquote 'omnipotence.'” Scrivener said, gesturing towards Luna as Twilight uselessly tried to yank the paper bag off her head, the sapphire mare's rump waving back and forth as she tried to drag herself backwards while Twilight pulled.

But the Director only smiled thinly, then he shrugged and spread his forelegs, saying ironically: “Welcome to showbusiness. Which isn't that different from life in general.”

The Director paused, then turned his eyes towards River Styx and Marina, saying wryly: “But perhaps we should give our other stars some time to shine, now shouldn't we? You, River Styx, you have a rather interesting backstory. But don't worry, I'm not going to typecast you; besides, we don't even have a script for Oliver Twist.”

River Styx scowled, but before he could say anything, the Director turned towards Marina, saying with a knowing look: “And you. You're quite the sweet mare, aren't you? A real treat to work with. And you have a bit of a thing for chaos, isn't that right? Well, don't worry. I've worked with plenty of silly little girls who kept too many secrets in the past.”

Marina looked hurriedly away, flushing slightly as she shifted backwards, and then the Director cleared his throat before clapping his front hooves together, visibly starting to regain some of his old composure now that he was able to get back to his favorite hobby of bullying ponies. “Now. River and Marina. Our first scene calls for a little bit of humor. But not the slapstick or silly kind, of course, we want to hide how churlish you all are under a bit of sharp wit-”

“You can sharpen your wit all you want, Director. That doesn't make it any less dim or any less small.” Scrivener Blooms said mildly, and Luna snorted beneath the paper bag as Twilight sighed, looking pleadingly over at the stallion as she finally stepped away from the bagheaded mare. “You know, if you stopped threatening and insulting us all the time, we might actually be more inclined to play along with your stupid little game. I would also like to point out that while Luna can't interrupt you anymore, she can still pummel you.”

“Hiding behind your wife again, I see.” the Director retorted, raising his head slightly and glowering at Scrivener Blooms... although he did step ever so slightly away from Luna, even as he added: “What makes you think we won't put the rest of the Princess of the Night in a sack if she continues to struggle?”

“I don't think she's the princess.” River Styx interrupted, tossing a glance towards Luna, who nodded vehemently in agreement. “I also think that you can't do anything yourself. The Narrator seems to be the one holding all the cards.”

“The Narrator is an idiot.” the Director said distastefully, scowling over at River Styx. “I was going to cast you in a lead role, you know. Get you away from these idiots. But now you open your mouth and you're just as obnoxious as the rest of them. Well, what about you, girl? Are you going to be smart enough to listen, at least?”

Marina lowered her head, biting her lip... but to her surprise, River Styx shifted ever so slightly in front of her, the stallion saying in a quiet, cold voice: “I don't have a lot of patience for bullies or cowards. Are you going to get to the point or are you just going to talk in circles?”

The Director frowned moodily, and then he finally sat back and clapped his front hooves together, saying irritably: “Narrator, I can't work with these ingrates. Take them away.”

But nothing happened. The Director was left scowling at the air, but still, nothing happened, in spite of how much he scrunched up his muzzle or made those annoying little growling noises. It was possibly because the Narrator was an idiot, but we'll probably never know. It's not like the Narrator really has anything to do with the story, after all. It's not like the Narrator ever does anything. Because if he ever did anything, if he was important at all, he was rather sure he'd at least get a 'please' or a 'thank you' or maybe even a nice word now and then. But oh no. The Narrator is just an idiot.

Slowly, the Director dropped his face in his hooves, rubbing slowly at his features. After a moment, he snorted, then rose his head and opened his mouth, clearly about to call for someone-

“Director.” whispered a voice, and the Director froze before he slowly, creakily looked over his shoulder. The other ponies all looked up as well in surprise at the creature that had appeared... or at least, they thought it was a creature. It was shrouded in thick, bluish mist that twisted incessantly around it, its shape a malformed and mismatched black shadow beneath the cloak of fog. Small red eyes burned out of the darkness, piercing and terribly bright, and currently locked completely on the Draconequus in front of him.

The Director swallowed thickly, looking up at the phantasm before he grinned weakly and said finally: “Pluto. This... this is quite a surprise, sir, I... I didn't expect to see you at all today, I...”

The shade called Pluto made a quiet shushing noise, and the Director immediately fell silent, dropping his head between his shoulders. Slowly, the shadow gestured towards the ponies... although it didn't so much as look in their direction. But the gesture alone seemed to convey both weight and fear: Marina felt like her legs wanted to buckle beneath her at just being in the presence of this... thing. And whatever Pluto was, it hadn't so much as looked at them: what terrible pains would its gaze carry? How much could it make even the strong ponies around her suffer with only a single glance?

Marina swallowed thickly, her body shivering violently, her eyes wide as she whimpered weakly in her throat. But it was all unnoticed: the ponies around her seemed almost frozen, and the Director was pale as a ghost as he stared up at Pluto, as the shadow said in its soft, ominous voice: “Director. I have provided for you. It is your job to mold them accordingly. It is your job to make the play decent. Do your job. Or face the consequences.”

The fog around Pluto shifted, and a single long claw shrouded in shadows emerged from the mass of roiling fog, the digit slowly reaching down and touching the Director's face. Immediately, the Draconequus whimpered and flinched away as a layer of frost spread quickly over his cheek.

He staggered backwards, then hurriedly scrubbed at his cheek with a hoof, nodding violently and blurting: “Yes, yes sir, I know you're right sir and I'll get to work right away, you... you won't regret this, I promise! I'll take care of everything, I'll make the play the best it can be with these... these fine young thespians you've brought me!”

Pluto didn't speak: only looked at the Director for a moment longer, and then vanished. And the moment the creature faded from sight, the sense of palpable malice in the air faded, and the Director slumped, breathing hard and looking down before he shook his head quickly and mumbled: “He's always supposed to call before he drops in to the studio... but oh, of course he never does...”

The Director shook himself out briefly, then he scowled as he looked up at the ponies. He rubbed moodily at his frostbitten cheek, then said flatly: “You're leaking.”

Luna blinked and looked down between her own legs as Twilight frowned and Scrivener glanced over his shoulder... but then River Styx rose a hind hoof in surprise as he realized there was something wet on it.

He saw something... brownish dripping from it, and his eyes drew back, following the trail of the liquid to Marina. And what he saw made his eyes widen in surprise, the stallion stumbling away as the genet on his head seemed to stare with equal shock at the mare.

Marina looked down at one of her hooves, trembling hard as she saw that she was literally melting, rivers of brown flowing down from her sagging body. For a few moments she only shivered as she continued to study her hoof in the painful silence, and then dropped her head, half-hiding behind her mane as she whispered: “S-Sorry.”

She closed her eyes, concentrating... and the streams of brown that had been flowing from her body shivered before slowly beginning to withdraw. It pooled upwards, her body gradually solidifying again as she arched her back with a wince, before she finally gave a quiet sigh as she glanced away.

“You're a golem.” River Styx said, his voice almost emotionless even as his eyes nearly burned into her, and Marina flushed as she shifted silently, her eyes dropping to the ground.

“I'm a pony. I... had an accident. Involving chocolate.” Marina murmured, her eyes trailing over the ground before she shifted away from the stallion slightly... then dropped her eyes hurriedly when she saw the other three ponies were looking at her as well. “I.. I can usually control it, it's just... I just... that shadow...”

She shivered and shook herself out. But it wasn't her fault, dear friends, not at all: she was merely suffering the brunt of the ill will of the world around her, as it seemed she was always fated to. Touched by chaos as she was, this world strengthened her magic and her control over the chocolate wrapped around what little remains of the pony inside it. But such susceptibility and empathy with the powers of the Draconequus have also left her more vulnerable to the perils carried by creatures that both control and defy such chaos.

Twilight Sparkle frowned as she looked up into the air, focusing as intently as she could on that little voice whispering in their minds. The Director, meanwhile, sighed and rolled his eyes, saying sourly: “That wasn't in the original script, Narrator. Try and keep to the story.”

This was a rather ironic order, considering the fact the Director hadn't even assigned anyone any roles yet, with all his whining and his flouncing and his posturing.

The Director ground his teeth together, but ignored the obnoxious and yet incredibly charismatic voice of the Narrator, instead turning his eyes back towards the ponies and saying contemptibly: “Fine. I'm assigning you your parts. Make sure you honor them or there will be hell to pay. Not just for you, but for everything you care about.”

Luna gave a muffled growl, but Twilight looked at her pointedly as Marina lowered her head and River Styx narrowed his eyes; he couldn't hide the way he shifted slightly, however, and the Director gave a thin smile before he said calmly: “Better. First. A streetwise rapscallion and his little pet. Sounds perfect for you, doesn't it, River Styx? I know I promised you no Oliver Twist, but the silver screen's nothing but a one hour lie. You'll get used to it.”

The Director flicked his hoof, and River Styx's eyes widened as there was a puff of smoke around him, obscuring his vision for a moment as his whole body tingled with pain... and then he looked down at himself in disbelief to see that his armor had been replaced by a long, wool scarf and a mangled, patched cloth jacket. He looked back and forth over himself in disbelief, a beaten baker boy cap tilting back and forth on his head before he looked over his shoulder at his genet... who was simply sitting on his back, staring back at him with the same stunned expression, dressed in a matching cap and scarf.

River Styx ground his teeth together, glaring at the Director as he reached up to yank off his cap and fling it to the ground, stomping on it with one hoof as he yanked the scarf free with the other. “What the hell did you do with my armor?”

“You're stepping on it.” the Director said calmly, and River Styx frowned before the Director smiled thinly and held up a hoof... and a moment later, the stallion had a hoof resting on top of a damaged helm instead of a cloth cap. “Look at that, you've gone and ruined it.”

“Transmogrification. That's a pretty standard Draconequus ability.” Twilight said quietly, and the Director rolled his eyes in exasperation. “But the source of that power isn't you.”

“Or is it? I guess you'll never know.” The Director flicked his hoof, and under River Styx's hoof, the helm transformed back into a battered cap. It happened in perfect time with his gesture... but with no tangible pulse of magic, it was impossible to tell whether or not the power had really come from the Director or not, or it was merely another trick of the Narrator. And that was precisely the way the Director liked it.

“Now, next, we have... oh yes, a female role. I suppose you're only mare by technicality, but...” The Director clicked his tongue, looking sourly over bag-headed Luna and frowning Twilight Sparkle. “That still makes you twice as much a mare as any of these... coyotes.”

Luna gave a muffled shout of indignation as she stomped her hooves in an angry little dance, while Twilight only sighed before asking tiredly: “I know Scrivy already tried to point this out, but you know that you catch more flies with honey than-”

“Well, I'm not trying to catch flies. I'm trying to straighten out a few bent nails. And for that, you use a hammer.” the Director retorted, and then he sniffed disdainfully before his eyes flicked moodily towards Marina. “You should be the girl, selling flowers on the corner. I would send you to the bakery, but I recognize for you that might be considered cannibalism.”

Marina dropped her head, flushing and opening her mouth as if she wanted to say something... but then she only shifted backwards, her eyes flicking away when the Director glared at her. The dragon-tailed pony sniffed loudly after a moment at this, before his eyes turned towards Scrivener Blooms. “And you three. I'm assigning you all chorus positions, because of your annoying little lifeline.”

Scrivener Blooms looked meditatively at the Director for a moment, and then he simply dropped on his rump and said calmly: “No.”

Twilight sighed, and Luna nodded violently in agreement with Scrivener as she dropped on her own rump. The Director scowled at the three of them, opening his mouth, but Scrivener Blooms cut him off before he could speak, saying dryly: “You're not going to call anyone for help, because your flank is already on the line with that spirit... whatever the hell it is. I can't think of anyone off the top of my head that we know who you bringing to this world wouldn't just make your life even more miserable. I mean, look at Luna and me. Do you really think we hang out with normal ponies?

“And like Twilight said. The source of the power isn't you. She estimated you can generate around twenty bæns of energy. That's barely enough to generate some light, let alone transform uh...” Scrivener shot a quick look at Twilight, who gave him a flat look in return... but all the same, something seemed to pass between them before the stallion looked back ahead. “Transform nonvariable materials into multiform substances. Whatever that means.”

Marina looked uncertainly at Scrivener Blooms, while River Styx frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly. From some of the reading he had done in the libraries at Canterlot to improve his own magic control, he understood the basics of what the stallion was talking about... but why was the earth pony talking like he had been sharing entire conversations with the purple mare all this time? Twilight Sparkle – or the mare going by that name, since River was certain by now that neither Luna nor Twilight were by any means the Princess of the Night or the Princess of Magic – had been the quietest of them all so far.

The Director was blushing ever so slightly, one of his eyes twitching as his draconic tail whipped back and forth behind him. Then he gritted his teeth before he rose a hoof, saying coldly: “Perhaps I should demonstrate why I am called the Director. Narrator! Close the stage!”

And before anypony could react, the world around them went black, leaving them wrapped in inky darkness. There was a profound, terrible silence... and then a brilliant flash of light that left the Director eclipsed within its glowing hold.

“I don't think that you're using that word right.” Scrivener muttered as he rubbed at his eyes, then frowned and looked ahead: in much plainer language, the Director was standing beneath a bright spotlight that emanated from... no light source the stallion could discern. And he and the others were all on the edge of it, standing in... nothingness. Dark, empty, hollow... Nothing.

“This place is where we take actors who need a bit more coaching, or a reminder that they should get in line. Think of this your first warning. We can't have the actors trying to run the show, after all.”

The Director gestured towards them distastefully, and then his eyes halted on Scrivener Blooms, the Draconequus saying calmly: “Now. Since you seem to be the appointed spokesperson for your little triad... why don't we have a little bit of a speaking session, you and I? You're so proud of your wit, so let's see if you can actually keep up in a game of sport.”

Scrivener Blooms gave a wry smile, then he shrugged a bit as Luna's head snapped up, the mare immediately beginning to wiggle back and forth on the spot as she gave muffled shouts of what sounded like excitement and encouragement. “I'm not much for sports. But if you're saying you want to see who can make who cry first...”

“Now, we're civilized people, aren't we? We'll conduct it in verse format. Primary verses will be ten syllables per line, done in ABAB rhyming couplets.” The Director retorted, polishing one of his hooves against his chest before he rose himself calmly up on his hind legs, then dropped backwards into a canvas chair that appeared behind him in a puff of smoke. “Every second verse will be free form, but must be exactly forty words long. If you win, I'll give you creative control of the first scene of the play.”

“You better win.” River Styx muttered, glancing down at the patchy clothing he was dressed in.

Scrivener Blooms only shrugged amiably, and then he asked: “Any other rules, Mr. Director? Or should we flip a coin to see who goes first?”

“Yes, two: one, you are not permitted to use your link to your benefit. I expect mental silence.” The Director said calmly, before he gave a thin smile. “Well, more so than usual. Since all the chatter I hear between you three is nothing but echoes and ghosts anyway.”

“Hey, don't waste your ammunition before we've even gotten started. Even if you're just firing blanks.” Scrivener replied calmly, with that same infuriating smile on his face.

The Director scowled ever so slightly, and then he held up a hoof and said shortly: “Two: no stealing from other sources. Original material only.”

Scrivener gave a quick nod, and then he strode forwards and held out a hoof, saying mildly: “May the worst pony win.”

The Director only snorted, smiling contemptibly down at Scrivener Blooms before he gestured sharply upwards... and the ponies looked dumbly upwards in surprise as two massive, floating cylinders of glass appeared above their heads. These hummed quietly as they hovered slowly on their sides, before a portrait appeared beside each cylinder as some kind of bright green substance filled up both large tubes. “These illustrate our emotional well-being. So no matter how you try and hide it, every little bit that chips away at you will be noted. Is that renaissance enough for you, purple poet?”

Scrivener's face remained impassive, but there was a faint clink as the green in one bar lowered slightly: the bar beside Scrivener's portrait, to be precise. The green bar that illustrated his mental health in this verbal mortal combat between these two street fighting-

“Shut up, Narrator.” The Director said irritably, and then he turned his eyes back towards Scrivener, saying pleasantly: “I have drawn first blood. As such, it only seems fair that I give you the first turn. How does that sound to you?”

“Thank you.” Scrivener paused meditatively, glancing over his shoulder at Twilight Sparkle. “How does it feel to be an actual purple unicorn, on that note? I mean, it's pretty insulting. You can be pretty... detailed yourself, but I don't think you're hyperdescriptive. Actually, most people don't have any idea what real hyperdescription is. That asshole Quill, now as we've discussed in the past, he used actual hyperdescription, which-”

“Will you get on with it? Or do I have to add a timer to the rules?” The Director snapped, and Scrivener smiled slightly as he turned his gaze back towards the Draconequus.

“Just checking something.” Scrivener said mildly, before he cleared his throat and then recited in a pleasant voice:

“It has been said that those who can't do, teach:

But it seems that those who can't teach, direct.

And I suppose those who can't direct leech

From their friends to try and hide their defect.”

The Director scowled darkly, his eyes narrowing slightly before he gave a thin smile, even as the green in the bar floating above depleted slightly. Scrivener only bowed his head towards him politely, gesturing with one hoof, and the Director ground his teeth together for a few moments before saying contemptibly:

“So what's it like to grow up in cage?

To know you were worthless in daddy's eyes?

Has it left you with deeply buried rage?

Or can you only voice whimpering cries?”

Scrivener leaned back slightly in surprise, eyes widening a bit as the green decreased dramatically across his bar, before his features suddenly hardened. The Director only grinned, but Scrivener slowly cracked his neck as Luna danced furiously behind him and Twilight half-covered her mouth with a hoof, wincing a bit as she looked uneasily at the stallion.

Marina shifted uneasily, as River Styx frowned, narrowing his eyes towards the Director. But after a moment, the attention was drawn back to Scrivener as he said in a steady, conversational voice:

“Was your mother a dragon, or was she the horse?

Your father must have either liked big big big ladies,

Or he had an itsy-bitsy, teenie-weenie problem.

But I see you inherited the worst of both worlds.”

The Director snorted at this, scowling a little as his tail snapped behind him and the green in his bar dropped slightly before he replied:

“I don't have a mother or a father, which is still more than you ever had:

What's wrong? Going to cry? Have I gone and made you a little mad?

Then why don't you have a tissue for your issue?”

With a flick of his hoof, a box of tissues appeared in midair before it was flung towards Scrivener Blooms, hitting him in the face and falling to the ground with a clunk. Scrivener Blooms looked down at this mildly as the green in his bar dropped slightly... but then the Director frowned as he looked up and noted that it hadn't dropped nearly as much as he'd expected it to.

Scrivener looked up after a moment, and he was smiling like a predator as he replied calmly:

“It's good that you don't; fortunate, really.

They don't have to see your countless failures.

As your lord yourself, preening helplessly,

Scared of your brothers in Pluto's favor.”

The Director twitched slightly at this, then he bared his teeth angrily... but quickly caught himself even as the green in the cylinder above him depleted. There was silence for a few moments as the two looked at each other for a few long moments, and then the Director retorted:

“You are one to speak of failure, slave hoof:

You failed to save an entire nation.

Your wife is a whore, your life is a goof,

You are a blight upon all creation.”

Scrivener Blooms only looked meditative, even as the green in his cylinder pointedly decreased again. The Director smiled coldly at this, his eyes gleaming, his own bar more than half-full still and Scrivener's reduced to but a mere fifth, at most: another verse at most, and-

“Since being friends is out of the question, and you don't want to play nice,

I'll take off the kit gloves now and add a little spice.

Powerless and pedantic: that's why you're so frantic,

Trapped in someone else's past.”

The Director snorted... but his eyes flicked to the side even as he muttered:

“That does not even make any sense. You

don't know the first thing about me. You stu-

pid hack, you broken doll, silence; have you-”

There was a loud gong, and the Director frowned as he looked up as a voice said pointedly: “You cannot rhyme the same word with the same word. The Director's turn is forfeited.”

“What? I... Narrator! Narrator, that dialogue was not part of the poem, fix your error immediately!” shouted the Director furiously, one of his eyes twitching as he waved a hoof angrily in the air... not even noticing that his own cylinder depleted slightly. But Scrivener Blooms noticed, and it gave him an idea- “No, you... stop it! You're the one giving him ideas! This is an outrage! This is treachery, Narrator!”

“I think I will stoop down to your level,

Since you obviously still want to play.

You are a fat, ugly, stupid devil,

And I also think that you may be gay.”

Scrivener Blooms looked smugly over at the Director, who twitched visibly as he slowly turned to face the stallion, opening his mouth as more than half the remaining green in his cylinder drained... before he quickly snapped his jaw shut, eyes narrowing to slits as he hissed through his teeth.

The two glared at each other for a few moments, and then the Director leaned forwards and growled:

“You're a handicap, an anchor, dead weight clinging to your wives,

You took more than you deserve, and you happily ruin their lives.

You are weak, you are pathetic, you are useless, you are waste,

Go kill yourself in disgrace.”

Scrivener clicked his tongue at this as his bar diminished slightly, before he gave that infuriating smile of his again as the Director ground his teeth together, grinding one hoof into the ground before the stallion replied gently:

“It's a little sad what I see before me,

Just a child: how long have you been lonely?

You treat us like we're your dolls,

Because that's all you've ever known:

It's not your fault that you've been so alone.”

“Do not pity me, you son of a bitch!

You don't know the first thing about... all this!

You're just projecting your feelings you... witch,

You are the garbage, my life is... like... bliss!”

The Director spat to the side, then looked up and snarled as he saw that Scrivener's cylinder had barely depleted at all from his last stuttered verse... while his own was nearly empty. But that damn smile on the stallion's face, and how patronizing he was being, and... and the way he kept switching back and forth between making a mockery of him and trying to get into his head, not to mention the fact that the traitorous – but strangely charismatic! – Narrator kept counting what clearly weren't meant to be parts of the poems against him...

“Allow me to summarize what I learnt:

You are a coward, a bully, a jerk.

A failure who many times has been burnt.

You yell and bleat, as you can't handle work.”

The Director scowled darkly, one of his eyes twitching slightly before he growled: “I am not a failure. I am the Director! I am in charge here! I am the one who tells you stupid actors what to do! And I... and... I...”

The Director slowly looked up as Scrivener only continued to smile indulgently, even as his eyes gleamed with victory. And the Draconequus couldn't help but stare in horror at the sight of his empty cylinder, shaking his head in disbelief before he looked down and howled: “No! That's wrong! I'm the one who-”

“Oh shut up, great idiot. Scrivener Blooms was far too kind to thou.” Luna complained, and then she blinked before brightening as she waggled her ears and shook her head quickly back and forth. “Scrivy! I have been freed from my prison!”

“Narrator, fix this!” shouted the Director... but nothing happened because the Director lost, fair and square, due to his own inability to control either his mouth or his temper. “Don't make me... I'll... this isn't...”

The Director lost all coherency even as he stuttered angrily on like a broken typewriter, while Scrivener only continued to look at him with that same pleasant smile. River Styx, meanwhile, glanced quickly down at himself, giving a small grunt of relief as he saw the ragged clothes had turned back into his battered armor. Although that would have to be repaired...

He paused, then glanced at his genet as it hopped onto his shoulder, before he rolled his eyes at the sight of it: his odd little companion was still dressed in his little cap and scarf. The stallion made a face at it, then he shook his head before glancing up and asking: “Does that mean we're free?”

Marina looked up quickly as well, and a moment later, so did the other ponies. The Director, of course, only continued to scowl at them, not at all nearly as polite or intelligent or just all around nice as these ponies who were at least smart enough to acknowledge the real talent in the room-

“Oh shut up, Narrator. Besides, Scrivener Blooms didn't win. He merely refuses to acknowledge his defeat.” The Director growled as he hopped out of his chair, looking up... and then he slowly narrowed his eyes as he saw the cylinders and portraits had vanished, replaced by a painting of the Director in a diaper and bawling his eyes out. “Oh. Very droll.”

Scrivener Blooms rose a hoof for attention, which the Narrator so graciously gave him. “Thanks. So does that mean I can choose what we do now?”

“Cheaters never prosper.” The Director said grouchily, but then he was compelled to answer the stallion's question all the same, explaining very nicely that they would be permitted to choose the basis for the next scene, although the votes of the audience would still modify the stallion's desires. “I did not explain that at all! He is not-”

“I think we should go home. Can I choose that?” Scrivener asked blandly, and then he frowned over his shoulder as Twilight winced, starting to shake her head wildly... but a little too late.

There was a flash of light as the Director winced away... and then he snorted in amusement as Marina and River Styx were both left staring at the emptiness where the three ponies had been only moments ago. There was silence for a few moments before the Director grinned slowly, then clapped his hooves together, saying positively: “Perfect! That's perfect! That idiot went and took care of himself.”

“What happened?” Marina asked worriedly, turning towards the Director... while River Styx frowned uncertainly, even as he realized what might have happened...

“They went home. Or to their equivalents in this world.” The Director smiled thinly, then he stomped a hoof... and the blackness around them simply burst apart like smoke, leaving them once more in the middle of the streets of Manehattan. “Unfortunately, those three have a rather peculiar link between them. Which means that they're all probably dead.”

Marina's eyes widened as River Styx narrowed his eyes... but there was no need for the two to worry so much. Scrivener Blooms made another direction that would have to be honored: that they would be able to survive apart, until someone came to rescue them.

River Styx looked up at this, and then he snorted, looking away and saying moodily: “I have my doubts those ponies are even actual ponies. Something about the three of them seems off.”

“You're not saying we... should just leave them, are you? We might need their help and...” Marina bit her lip, looking almost pleadingly over at River Styx. And the unicorn couldn't help but grimace and shift a little, his eyes flicking away from her even as he was reminded for a moment... “My... my big brother is a guard, and he always said you don't leave ponies behind.”

River Styx looked back towards the mare, hating the way he felt his stomach twist a little at her words... and then he scowled as the Director said thoughtfully: “A journey to find lost friends, who may already be dead. I think I can work with that. Yes, perfect. I'm glad I thought of this brilliant idea.”

The Director smiled pompously, clearly not at all taking credit for another pony's idea as he instructed: “River Styx, Marina Wildheart, head to the train platform. You'll get there just before the train leaves if you hurry. There happens to be a train that goes right to Ponyville from here, it should make it in a few hours.”

“That's impossible. There's at least ten stops between here and Ponyville, not to mention the only train that services Ponyville is the short-run Friendship Express.” retorted River Styx, but the Director only looked down at him condescendingly.

“Welcome to showbusiness. We fudge facts where necessary and make magic happen. Now get out there and get to work, my young thespians. I'll be back to give you further direction on the train.” The Director retorted, and then he simply vanished from sight, as if he had never been there at all. Which certainly would have been much nicer for everyone, since all he did was make things that much worse.

River Styx glanced moodily up at the sky, then he shook his head slowly before Marina asked hesitantly: “Are... are we going to the train?”

The stallion was tempted to say no, to instead look for a way out of this nightmare... but it only took one glance back at the mare and a tug on his ear from his genet to make that strange feeling of guilt twist through his stomach again, and he muttered: “Fine. But you better tell me what you are along the way. I don't like surprises.”

Marina smiled briefly, nodding quickly as she hurried up beside the stallion as he started down the road, two ponies on the first steps of which would no doubt be a truly unforgettable adventure.

The Unexciting Rescue

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Chapter Two: The Unexciting Rescue
~BlackRoseRaven

Neither Marina nor River Styx were precisely sure how they had gotten on the train: as a matter of fact, River Styx was quite certain that this train was actually heading in the wrong direction and straight into where the ocean should be. He also wasn't quite sure where his genet had slipped off to, but he was somehow certain that the little bugger was probably taking this whole thing in stride a lot more than he was

Except there was no ocean here, and Ponyville was only an hour's train ride away. That was shorter than the ride to Canterlot. River crossed his forelegs as he sat back in his seat, moodily studying the tabletop as he mused on what this all meant. The obvious part was that these masters of the play, whatever else they were, were impatient and likely didn't know every detail of the very world they were trying to playact: both typical of what he knew of Draconequus. They wanted things to be dynamic, quick, entertaining...

His eyes flicked up to look across the table at the Director, studying him intently for a few moments. This particular 'Draconequus' wasn't exactly any of those things, though. He was predictable, seemed far less powerful than the others, and right now, he was snoozing like a foal, his head bowed to the side, drooling slightly. The only real 'power' he seemed to be emanating was the fact that everything that drew near him went quiet, as if he was inside his own bubble of pristine silence... although that, of course, could easily be attributed to the powers of the Narrator and not any latent talents of the Director, whom no one wanted to see awaken in the middle of a crowded train so he could start whining and demanding things and hurrying the schedule along when this all made for a very pleasant intermission.

River Styx looked moodily up towards the ceiling of the train car as Marina shifted uneasily, her own eyes flicking apprehensively upwards before she asked in a low, hesitant voice: “If none of you really get along... why are you all here?”

What a question that was! Something to ponder for the ages... for even the humble Narrator cannot answer any and every question, no matter how poised or polite they may be, and far different from the usual screaming and whining at that. But even if there was no answer from the still air but for the scintillating whispers that seemed to fill the minds of every pony present upon this lonely train headed for its ever-nearing destination, there was still one small antiphon to be elucidated: and that was that a curiosity would most certainly be rewarded, whether with the answer it deserved or but another tidbit of interest, so long as it was a curiosity of a polite or intelligent nature instead of the rapscallious; for a bit of balderdash could be very beneficial, and a touch of-

“Shut up, Narrator.” mumbled the Director as he turned over in his sleep, then he rose his hoof to his muzzle, putting it into his mouth childishly as his long, draconic tail wrapped slowly around himself. Just like an oversized toddler who had tuckered himself out from playing make-believe too long.

River Styx glanced for a moment at the big baby of a Director, and then he sighed and shook his head before he asked shortly: “When do we reach our destination? I want to get this over with.”

River Styx was obviously very cranky, acting as he was much like a foal who, while older and larger than the Director, was also in need of nap time.

The stallion's expression curdled further in distaste, but Marina hurriedly stepped in before the Director could make any further insightful observations. “I think we're all just... worried about our new friends. Do you know where they are, if they're okay?”

The Narrator obviously could not answer this question, as it would be a breach of contract, and no matter how much he might agree or disagree with the content and quality of the production, he is forever a professional, and telling the readers that 'they'll all live happily ever after' in the middle – nay, at the very beginning! – of the story would be an exercise in absurdity. One cannot give 'spoiler alerts' in one's own story, unless they are the most satirical of satires and handled with elegance instead of ham-handedness. Or hoofedness, as in the case of our equine friends.

There was silence for a few moments at these most wise and intelligent of remarks, and then Marina asked carefully: “Then can you at least tell us... if any of them know we're coming?”

There was silence in response, the only sounds made by the clicking of the wheels along the tracks and their fellow ponies in the carriage as they shared polite conversation and passed through the cramped aisle. But of course there was really no way for the others to know that they were coming to help them: each was trapped in their play within the play, forced to dance an inescapable dance until these nobles heroes came for them, to rescue them from the drudge and turmoil of their bittersweet existence that was half-gift and half-curse.

Marina and River Styx looked at each other, and the stallion nodded shortly after a moment at the silent hope in Marina's eyes: it seemed the three were still alive. Although it also sounded like they were being forced to play their own roles, just as this entire rescue mission was, in a way, a farce and construction of the Draconequus that had captured them...

That was a depressing thought. The entire train seemed to become gloomy with it, the conversations becoming quieter, pony passengers seeming listless now instead of their usual happy-go-lucky selves. Marina shifted uneasily at it, feeling a strange... not quite magic in the air as River Styx frowned, his eyes flicking back and forth.

The Director mumbled in his sleep, shifting back and forth before he blearily opened his eyes as he stretched out... and fell with a thump off the bench seat into the aisle. At his loud yelp, the entire car seemed to start before quickly reassuming their happy tone, and the very air seemed to lighten as the Director groaned and pushed himself up to his hooves, shaking himself out and brushing quickly at his elegant clothes.

“Here, here we are, we must be here by now...” he mumbled, crawling back into his seat and ignoring the two ponies across from him for a moment as he peered out the small window... and then he groaned loudly, rubbing at his face. “Wonderful. Narrator, why are you dragging the intermission out? By now half our audience must have left!”

Little did the Narrator know, very little time had passed so far. But time, of course, was always a tricky thing to judge: for some it had been far too long, for others, far too little, and of course a few were always far too late-

The Director groaned and wove a hoof grumpily, then he instead turned his eyes towards Marina and River Styx, saying grouchily: “Well, I suppose I should be thankful that I have a bit of time to prep these two actors for the scene ahead. Of course, since much of what we'll be doing is improv, perhaps I should focus on ensuring you both understand the characters you are to play rather than-”

And then the train stopped and they arrived and all the other passengers seemed to magically vanish but really they had just left the train.

One of the Director's eyes slowly twitched as Marina looked up in surprise and River Styx frowned as he surveyed the now-empty train, and then the Director slammed his hooves against the small table between him and the ponies, shouting: “Narrator! You impetuous buffoon, philistine, hack! Are you trying to make us look like idiots who have no idea what we're doing? Stop cutting corners!”

It was really too bad that the Director didn't realize that the Narrator was a serious professional, and only 'cut corners' when he was forced to, generally by those who were in charge of him. And the Director looked up a little too late before one of his ears was firmly pinched by the Critic as he walked by, the Director yelping and flailing uselessly before he hopped out of his seat, eyes tearing up and the dragon-tailed stallion whimpering as he hopped hurriedly along behind the much-taller Draconequus.

River and Marina both turned, watching with surprise as the Critic simply dragged the Director away before vanishing with the squealing Director. And then their eyes were drawn back to the aisle beside them as the Critic's assistant stumbled up beside them out of seemingly nowhere, scrabbling quickly over a clipboard before he blurted: “Okay, okay, we're on a schedule here, guys, you two get going! Don't worry, you don't... you just be natural, be yourselves, everyone's going to love it!”

The two ponies looked at each other, and then River scowled a little before he shoved himself out of his seat, brushing past the Draconequus as he muttered: “Let's just find the others. The sooner this play is over, the better.”

The assistant smiled weakly at this, and Marina frowned as she slipped out of the seat herself, looking at the pudgy little Draconequus before she asked uncertainly: “What is it?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing, uh... nothing!” the small Draconequus said hurriedly, shaking his head violently before he gave a huge, fake grin to the chocolate mare. “You... you had better hurry along your way now or else there could be... I mean... don't want to keep your friends waiting!”

Marina looked uncomfortably at the Draconequus for a few moments... and then she winced and looked up when River Styx called: “Marina!”

The mare stepped towards River's voice as she absently looked back at where the Draconequus had been... and yet she was somehow unsurprised when she saw that the creature was gone. She lingered only a moment longer before hurrying to the exit, not wanting River to consider leaving her behind again: she was working hard to stay on the aloof pony's good side, since he wasn't entirely thrilled with the idea that she wasn't exactly a... 'normal' pony...

She grimaced... but any bad thoughts she might have had faded out as she stumbled onto the train platform, her eyes slowly widening in disbelief as she looked back and forth. River Styx himself was scowling a little, his own eyes shifting back and forth: he wasn't entirely familiar with the Ponyville area, but he had the feeling that it wasn't precisely supposed to look like... this.

There was a hum of bright music in the air that seemed to come from nowhere, and the simple homes all looked so... large and inviting, like they were each a mansion to themselves in spite of many being made of logs and straw. Modern-era brick houses sat here and there between the older structures, and there were a few other signs that modern day convenience and technology had come had come to even this little place, such as the electric lights, the telephone poles strung with wires and power cables, the young ponies with their portable music players and hoof-held devices.

Marina shifted uneasily as River Styx quickly scanned down the street with his eyes... and then he shook his head slowly, muttering: “There's no sign of the castle. And a lot of this looks inconsistent with what I know about Ponyville.”

“You're right. I've... been here before, I know some of the residents.” Marina murmured, looking uncertainly back and forth. “A lot of the ponies here don't seem... familiar. I didn't really know everyone, but...”

River Styx looked over at Marina, then gestured at her shortly before he strode off the platform, and the chocolate mare steadied herself before hurrying after him down the street, explaining: “It's hard to put into words, but... while some of the ponies always stood out, like the Elements... other ponies seemed like they were just... there in the background. Ponies you got used to seeing, ponies who you know had plenty of their own stories, but ponies who weren't as... present.”

The stallion frowned a little at her, but then he only shrugged a bit before turning his eyes back ahead, muttering: “The real question is why.”

Marina frowned, tilting her head towards him, but the stallion decided to let her figure it out on her own: sure, he felt like he should... do his job and make sure she got out of here okay, whatever the hell she was, but that didn't mean he was about to sit here and hold her hoof like she was a little filly. She was a grown mare and he was already going out of his way for her and these... weird ponies she wanted to rescue.

River Styx looked back and forth moodily: yes, he could see what Marina had meant. Some of these ponies looked a little bit... too unique, to put it mildly. He slowed his pace, narrowing his eyes slightly... then he sighed as he felt a distinct tug on his tail before something small and furry scurried its way up over his armor and onto his head, muttering: “Was wondering when you were going to show up.”

The genet chittered, then sat up, peering back and forth as Marina smiled a little at the sight of the stoic stallion and his expressive little pet. She rubbed at herself absently, then murmured: “It's really warm today.”

River Styx looked at her for a moment, thought of several remarks he could make about a mare made of chocolate on a warm summer's day... too warm. And the sun's at the wrong angle, considering where we came from.

Marina looked up for a moment at the sky as well, feeling a faint breeze tickling her face as she noticed some of the same things that River Styx did... then she smiled briefly as her eyes noted another peculiar detail. The clouds were sort of swaying back and forth, like giant puffballs on invisible string... and she didn't even think they were really all that big or high in the air, but little, low-hanging things, creating an illusion just for them...

“It's like we're at the center of our own adventure. It's almost easy to forget that...” Marina halted at the look on River's face, the mare shrinking her head a bit and clearing her throat before she murmured: “I mean, I'm anxious to get home too. But...”

River Styx had to bite back another nasty comment, and instead satisfied himself with rolling his eyes before he muttered: “Let's just find those impostors. And hope that they're worth the trouble we're going through for them.”

“I don't think they're really impostors. I mean, Luna, whoever she is, tried to say her own name, remember? But she couldn't. And do you remember when we all landed here? They seemed surprised that they looked... well...”

River Styx only grunted: he did remember that. Meanwhile, his genet studied Marina curiously, as if inviting her to go on, but the mare only smiled hesitantly up at the little animal before she asked hesitantly: “Where'd you get your... friend?”

The stallion only gave her a look... but thankfully, the awkward silence between them didn't last very long as they stepped into the town square, and both ponies looked immediately towards the massive tree that housed the Ponyville library... and something that both knew for a fact had also been destroyed by Tirek.

River Styx looked back and forth through the bustling square, studying the ponies who... seemed to be in a hurry to go nowhere at all, he thought. They were just walking back and forth, careful not to get in their way, having random little conversations here and there, all looking as busy as they possibly could without actually doing anything...

Horses of Heaven he wanted to get out of this place.

He shook his head, then frowned as Marina took the lead, heading towards the library door as she smiled over her shoulder at him and said: “Twilight Sparkle used to work in the library. I'm certain that's the place where we should start our search. Perhaps we'll even get lucky and she'll be right there, waiting for us.”

Styx grunted, then retorted moodily: “Except we might also come across any number of unpleasant surprises as well. And there's no guarantee that the 'Twilight' we meet will be the real one, did you consider that?”

Marina looked uncertainly at the stallion as he strode quickly past her, taking the lead towards the door, and then the mare sighed softly before lowering her head, mumbling: “Now you truly do remind me of my brother...”

Styx ignored the comment as he approached the door and banged on it twice, focusing his magic at the same time just in case. This whole place was starting to creep him out: the too-big houses, the smells of baked goods, the artificial happiness that filled the air... who would ever want to live in a place like this? And why did it feel like this was all a trap?

Styx narrowed his eyes as the door swung slowly open... before he frowned as he saw... nothing in front of him. Was it a trick? He looked over at Marina... but the mare was smiling again all of a sudden, looking down as if- “Hello, little one! Is Twilight here?”

River Styx followed the mare's gaze and realized there was a young unicorn foal standing in the doorway. He had a shaggy blue mane and tail with lighter streaks through it, and bright blue eyes, his flank blank and his smile wide and charming and... I know him. That's... “Shining Armor?”

“That's my name!” the foal smiled brightly up at River Styx, studying him for a few moments before he exclaimed: “Oh, wow! You're a Royal Guard, aren't you? I almost didn't recognize your armor, it looks different from the armor I'm used to seeing... you must be in some special unit, right, mister?”

River Styx blinked slowly as the genet on his head chirped curiously, and then the stallion shook his head briefly before both he and Marina looked up as the door was flung all the way open and a relieved-looking purple mare stumbled up behind Shining Armor... then grimaced and halted as she looked back and forth, asking: “Where's Scrivy and Luna?”

The stallion snapped himself out of his surprise long enough to glare at the mare, saying sourly: “I knew coming here was a mistake.”

Twilight blushed at this as Marina smiled lamely, and then the purple mare cleared her throat before replying apologetically: “I'm sorry, it's just... we haven't been apart for... for a lot of years. And those two haven't been apart for even longer than that, and if we stay apart for too long...”

She bit her lip, and River Styx leaned forwards, asking moodily: “What is it between you and them, anyway? More specifically-”

“Are you in trouble, big sister?” interrupted Shining Armor curiously, tugging at his the purple mare's mane and making her wince a little before he frowned uneasily over at the Royal Guard. “What did she do?”

River Styx felt his genet tugging firmly at his ear, and his expression curdled as he slowly twisted his head to the side... then groaned and rolled his eyes when Marina said quickly: “Nothing at all! We're friends of your sister, just trying to figure some things out... tell me, little one, how did you get here?”

“Um...” Shining Armor frowned a little in thought, looking down before he said slowly: “Mommy and Daddy had to go on a trip somewhere, and they sent me to stay with my Big Sister Best Friend Forever!” He smiled brightly up at the mare, but his eyes were still a little clouded, as if the foal knew that something wasn't quite right.

Twilight smiled a little herself, silently studying the stallion before she laughed a bit, looking up at Marina and River Styx before she said finally: “Look at me, forgetting everything I ever learned about running the library. Uh, come on inside, we can try and figure things out.”

River Styx grunted as Marina smiled, and Twilight gently ushered Shining Armor around in a circle, leading the foal into the spacious interior even as he shot curious looks over his shoulder at the two ponies who followed them in. The genet on Styx's head chittered and nibbled at his ear, and Styx scowled slightly at this before he muttered: “I know, I know. I'm working on it.”

Twilight led them to a circular table, the mare smiling faintly as she gently helped Shining Armor up into a chair before sitting in one herself. As Marina and River both sat, they could see a strange sort of nostalgia was overtaking her, as if this brought back memories of the past for her...

“It does.” Twilight murmured, and then she shook her head a bit before smiling a little over at Shining Armor, who looked up at her curiously. “Nothing, just... thinking about something. Shining, do you think that you could go and put on the tea for me? You remember how to do that, right?”

“Of course!” Shining puffed out his chest proudly, smiling warmly up at the mare before he half-fell, half-rolled off his chair to the floor and scrambled quickly towards the door leading to the kitchen in the back.

Twilight smiled amusedly after the colt... and didn't seem surprised in the slightest when he stuck his head back around the corner, blushing and asking quickly: “Um... everypony wants tea, right?”

“Yes, Shining, make enough for everyone.” Twilight said gently, and Shining smiled back at the mare before he turned and scurried off.

There was silence for a few moments, and then River Styx finally said moodily: “The way I remember it, Shining Armor was supposed to be the older sibling.”

“I actually don't have a brother, in the world where I'm from. I was my parents'... little miracle.” Twilight smiled faintly, as if at some bittersweet memory, before she shook her head slowly. “I don't know if the foal is like us or a distraction. I'm also not honestly sure how I'm still walking around on my own or... what's going on at all, really.”

“I can understand that.” Marina said softly, and then she bit her lip before starting to look towards Styx, but this time, the stallion pointedly ignored her gaze and instead glowered at Twilight. For one thing, the last thing they needed was to carry some foal around with them. For another...

“I have some questions I want answered before I go any further with this. I recognize we all want the same thing, to escape these Draconequus, but I also recognize that your secrets could pose a threat to me and...” He shot a look towards Marina, then grimaced a bit and muttered: “The rest of the group.”

Marina smiled a little, and then she looked up and added softly: “I think what River Styx is trying to say is that we're both... unsure about how you and your friends fit into this. I'm not sure myself how I got here, but... well, maybe because I was... formed with chaos magic, it was easier for them to draw me in...”

“The last thing I remember is going to bed after another long day dealing with drunks in Appleloosa. Unless one of them really was the all powerful Saddlelord, I don't see why I'm here.” River Styx said moodily, as he kept his eyes on Twilight, making it clear he wasn't about to drop the subject.

Twilight hesitated for a moment... but as she looked slowly back and forth between the two, she seemed to come to a decision before saying quietly: “Luna and Scrivener and I had... just made a jump, I think. To another world. That's what we do: we travel, from world to world.”

River Styx frowned, and then he asked slowly: “And why exactly do you do this instead of staying in your own world?”

He could think of a few reasons, none of which were pleasant, but Twilight only smiled faintly before she said softly: “We're being chased by... someone. We have a rule, which is try to make as little impact as possible on the worlds we go to, because... Luna, Scrivy, and I, we just want to live our own life together. They're my family and my best friends. One day we'll go home, but...”

She broke off, looking down, and Marina asked curiously after a moment: “So are you really... another world's version of Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight nodded, smiling back at Marina and replying softly: “I am. And Luna is Luna and Scrivy is, well, Scrivy. Although we've never encountered another version of him in any other worlds, mostly because...” She hesitated, biting her lip, and when River Styx scowled at her, she murmured: “Nothing... you know, bad. I mean, it is bad, but not in the way you're thinking. Scrivener just had a hard life. I don't imagine every version of him ended up as lucky as he did.”

“We all have hard lives.” Styx said shortly, and then he tapped a hoof moodily against the tabletop for a few moments as he studied Twilight Sparkle intently. His instincts said that she was probably trustworthy... although something about her made him nervous and uneasy. There was another matter, too, that he wanted a few answers about... “What about the fact that you three seem to be talking a lot behind our backs?”

Marina winced at the phrasing, but Twilight only smiled before she said softly: “You mean the linking, right?”

River Styx only looked impassively at Twilight, and after a moment of thought, the purple mare explained: “It's hard to put into words, but the simplest way is to say that Scrivener, Luna and I are all linked together by a telepathic connection. It's deeper and more complicated than that, which is why I'm worried about them. Usually we can't be apart for very long or it starts to... hurt.”

It obviously wasn't the full truth, and it made River Styx scowl a little more as he considered what that information could mean. But before he could probe any deeper, Shining Armor came trotting back into the room with a big smile on his face, a teapot swinging dangerously back and forth in his telekinetic grip. “Big sister! I did it!”

“Oh, that's great, Shining!” Twilight hurriedly caught the teapot in her own telekinetic hold, gently levitating it over to the table: at the same time, she used her magic to quickly evaporate the messy trails of hot water that had been left behind by the seesawing travel of the teapot. “I... why don't you sit down, and I'll go get the cups and a few snacks?”

“I can help!” Shining said quickly, but Twilight only reached up and gently ruffled his mane, making him huff.

“I know you can. But why don't you talk to River Styx and Marina for a moment? Marina is very nice and River Styx is a Lieutenant in the Royal Guard.” Twilight said kindly, and Shining brightened before he turned his excited eyes towards Styx, who leaned back slightly as he looked uncomfortably back at the foal.

“I want to be a soldier when I grow up, too!” Shining said brightly, and River Styx only looked at the foal before the young white unicorn continued happily: “I'm going to help lots of ponies! I'll fight in wars against the bad guys and I'll save the princess and they'll make me a general!”

River Styx didn't really know how to respond, considering the fact that unlike a lot of soldiers he knew, Shining Armor had lived that dream... although then again... “You know that there's more to being a soldier than just saving the princesses and fighting 'bad guys,' correct?”

“Yeah, well, I'll do all that stuff too!” Shining Armor said almost defensively, before the foal leaned up and nodded firmly, almost standing on the table as he declared: “But I'm gonna be a hero, just you wait and see! Why, I bet you're a hero!”

River Styx laughed shortly at this, and Shining blinked in surprise before the unicorn stallion crossed his forelegs and muttered: “Yeah. Great hero out in Appleloosa, busting drunks and writing status reports.”

Shining frowned a little as River looked grumpily away, and Marina winced before quickly slipping in: “So do you spend a lot of time with your big sister?”

“Yeah! She's my BSBFF!” Shining Armor exclaimed, easily distracted by this topic as he brightened. “We're gonna be friends forever, and even after I grow up and become a soldier she's going to be my best friend, and when I get married and stuff she's going to be my best stallion!”

Marina chuckled at this as River Styx looked slowly back towards Shining Armor, not quite sure how to take this as the foal smiled brightly, before adding happily: “And even when I'm all grown up, we're gonna still have sleepovers and she'll make me look pretty and we'll wrestle but one day I'll be a big stallion so I'll probably hopefully win!”

“Horses of Heaven.” muttered River Styx. He wondered moodily if the real Shining Armor was like this... not that he would be all that surprised, of course. Marina, meanwhile, was giggling away quietly as Shining Armor smiled brightly, then opened his mouth... but River was both relieved and a little disappointed when Twilight Sparkle reentered the room, heading towards the table with cups, cookies, and cream and sugar all balanced on several trays that were floating around her.

With only a flick of her horn, she set the cups out in front of everyone, then quickly poured tea for the adults... while slipping a cup of milk in front of Shining at the same time, River noted. She had a lot of control over her magic, and she did it all so naturally... “I hope that you haven't been prying too much, Shining.”

“Oh, no, Twili, I was just telling them all about how I'm going to be a general when I grow up and that we're always going to be friends!” Shining said brightly, and Twilight smiled despite herself, absently ruffling her 'little brother's' mane again and making him huff and wildly grab at his hair, smoothing it hurriedly down.

“We will be.” Twilight said softly, and then she took her seat back at the library table, smiling over at River Styx and Marina. “As to our... little problem, I think that the best place to go is Canterlot. Either Luna or Scrivener will be there... it was a home to both of them for a long time... although looking back on it these days, it doesn't seem so long now.”

Shining Armor sipped loudly at his milk as Marina gently grasped her cup between her hooves, inhaling the scent of the tea, while River Styx asked: “And if they're not there?”

“Luna had a cottage in the Everfree Forest, but... I don't think we'll have to go there, for some reason. Call it instinct. As for Scrivener, he grew up in the far north... it would be quite a journey to get there.” Twilight said quietly. “And... well...”

She looked back and forth, then laughed a little despite herself. “Well, I guess we won't run into many problems, since we're all unicorns.”

River Styx grunted, and Marina frowned and tilted her head slightly as Shining Armor asked curiously: “Why does that matter?”

“It doesn't, really, Shining Armor.” Twilight smiled down at the young foal, then she turned her eyes back towards River, continuing: “I know that this whole situation is weird, and I don't want to get in your way. If you don't want me to come with you, I'll stay here in Ponyville. But knowing Scrivy and Luna, the two of them would already be trying to get here... and the fact they haven't shown up yet makes me think that there's something keeping them from leaving wherever they are.”

“Yes, the play!” shouted a voice, and River Styx leapt out of his seat, horn already glowing, as Marina yelped and Shining Armor fell out of his chair with a squeak, Twilight flinching as she stared towards the source of the grating sound.

The Director was standing in front of the door, having conveniently snuck in without making a sound thanks in no small part to the Narrator politely honoring his request for a silent entrance. Between being lectured by the Critic and forced to tromp his way through Ponyville like some common grip, he had found the time to change into a pair of obscenely-tight pants and a flashy open-breasted shirt that in the past probably would have been worn by some peasant, but in today's fashion-conscious world would-

“Oh shut up, Narrator.” The Director grumbled, and then he glowered towards the table of ponies, stomping forwards and declaring: “We don't have the budget to keep two storylines on two sets at the same time, so all of you are going to have to move as one group to Canterlot, where you'll have to rescue the fair Princess Luna.”

“From what? What could possibly keep Luna... anywhere?” Twilight asked pessimistically, as she absently helped Shining Armor back up into his seat, and when the Director glared at her, the purple mare gave an awkward smile. “Sorry. That was all the time I've spent with Scrivy kind of... coming out.”

“Right.” The Director said slowly, and then he rolled his eyes before saying moodily: “Except of course you and those two morons have been removed from each other's influence-”

“Well, I've lived with them for... decades. I think in that time we've rubbed off on each other a little.” Twilight replied with a shrug, and River Styx and Marina both looked at the purple mare with surprise. She didn't seem that old, after all... but then again, the various Draconequus had mentioned that she and the other two she traveled with had been changed somehow... “What about Shining Armor?”

“Who?” asked the Director blankly, and then he blinked in surprise, leaning forwards as his jaw dropped at the sight of the foal, who was now nervously peering over the table at their new visitor. “What the...”

The Director hurried forwards, and Marina nervously stepped backwards as River Styx let his stance loosen a little, but kept his eyes locked on the Director even as the Draconequus blurted: “No! No, no, no, oh, not another one! And a child actor, oh, I hate child actors!”

“I don't want to be an actor! I want to be a Royal Guard!” Shining said defensively, stomping his little front hooves on the tabletop and straightening to his full height... which still barely brought him to eye level with the Director as he glared down at him. “I'm gonna be a real hero and my big sister is gonna be there with me!”

“You're going to be a drag queen when you grow up.” the Director retorted, and then he grumbled and rubbed slowly at his temples with both hooves, muttering: “Fix this, fix this, you are a magnificent, creative genius, and you can easily adjust and fix this...”

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments as Shining scowled up at the Draconequus, and then the Director finally looked up and exclaimed: “I have it! The child is someone's cousin!”

“I'm Twilight's little brother! And she's looking after me, because we stick together!” Shining Armor declared, and the Director glared at the foal, huffing loudly.

“Oh, fine. Children are always so difficult to work with, they don't understand that the world doesn't revolve around them. Very well, you can be her 'little brother' if that's easier for you to remember.” the Director said contritely, and then he turned his eyes towards River Styx, sniffing loudly. “Oliver Twist. I don't think I have any changes for your role... but you and Sweet Treat should try and be a little more involved. All this talking is turning the whole thing into one long, boring soap opera. I would say oat opera, you being horses and all, but... that wouldn't be a very appreciable pun.”

River Styx looked dourly at the Director, who was as much a pony as any of them apart from his long, draconic tail, and then the unicorn stallion asked irritably: “Why are you here? We're already playing along with your game.”

The Director snorted at this, pointing pointedly at himself as he pointed out: “I am here because I have a right, duty, and a privilege to monitor the state of my creation. I am in charge of this story, and I am damned well going to make sure that you dirty little urchins do a proper job of keeping the story going. You may not have any real responsibilities here, but I do.” He halted, then leaned forwards, adding irritably: “And do not make me reiterate the fact that I am in charge here, and hold all the cards. Your attempts to threaten or negotiate fall flat and feeble in the face of my superiority.”

Yes, the Director was in charge. The Director held all the cards and all the contracts and all the hire-fire power. He could certainly do just about anything the Narrator could, and probably even better. He definitely was as capable of gauging the quality of the play as the Critic was, and he could write and edit faster than the Critic's tireless assistant. He could probably act out the play far better than the whole cast, too, if he wasn't so busy with all his directorial directing and all, and as for providing the funding, supplying the supplies, keeping all the laws of this lawless piece of not-reality in line? He could do that just as damn well as Plutocrat.

The Director glared up towards the ceiling of the library, grinding his teeth together slowly before he said sourly: “And you had best remember that I can be as terrifying as The Redacted as well, Narrator, so if I were you I would cease your gibbering!”

Shining Armor frowned at this, and then he leaned uncertainly towards Twilight, whispering: “Who is he talking to?”

“Someone who isn't here right now, by magic.” Twilight explained quickly, smiling reassuringly at the colt. The Director blinked dumbly as he overheard this, dropping his head and looking curiously towards the colt, but Twilight cut him off before he could ask any questions with a thought of her own: “Maybe you could use your Draconequus magic to bring us all to Canterlot. I bet you could do that in a pretty interesting way.”

The Director only snorted at this, however, giving the mare a sour look before he said pompously: “I direct. I give orders and ensure that you idiot actors are doing your very best to put on a proper performance for the audience, and furthermore, one that caters to their interests and desires. I am neither your chauffeur nor involved beyond ensuring the vision of the production goes as planned, and that you ever-needy, ever-ignorant thespians play your roles as you are supposed to.”

Twilight sighed as Shining Armor frowned, before he leaned up and asked in a whisper: “Um, Twily, what's a this-be-anne?”

“He means an actor. This is uh... I'm sorry, do you have a name other than your title?” asked Twilight, and the Director huffed loudly, as if offended.

Instead of answering, he wheeled on one heel towards Marina, saying grumpily: “And you. Why aren't you being more interesting? You're made of chocolate, for Loki's sake! Yet you just seem content to hide meekly in the background. The sub-plot of this production is clearly your group's ever-failing attempts to escape from this place, and yet you've barely contributed. You'd think that being made of chocolate you could at least run craft services, but oh, no.”

Marina shied back a little as River Styx scowled, but then the mare rose her head and said bravely: “I probably do know Draconequus better than any of the ponies here, but I'm trying to learn about this world, too. Maybe I'm not leaping into action, but I think that could be just as counterproductive as staying back and not doing anything, or maybe even worse.”

“If she hadn't convinced me to look for the three other ponies who showed up here, I'd be heading towards Appleloosa right now. I don't really care about your 'production' or whatever it is, Director, I'm not following your whole 'storyline' because you told me to and you made some empty threats.” River Styx added, glaring at the Draconequus.

“Oh, Oliver Twist. Ever the gentlecolt.” The Director said ironically, and then he gave a long, theatrical sigh, dropping his head back before he pointed skywards with one hoof and declared: “We already used the train once to reach this set from Appleloosa-”

“We came from Manehattan.” River Styx interrupted shortly.

“Oh, yes, but you keep talking about that stupid little desert outpost in the middle of nowhere and now it's on my mind and oh, I hope you enjoy playing cowcolts and buffalo, you racist.” the Director snapped, and the unicorn visibly twitched before the Draconequus took a long breath, then pointed at Twilight and stated: “You are on your way to Canterlot to be coronated as a Princess. Congratulations. You did it all without having to fight a minotaur.”

It was an inspiring moment, as bright light flared around Twilight, and then she slowly spread large, sumptuous violet wings, absolute awe filling the room at how beautiful those voluptuous and gorgeous spread wings made her.

Twilight looked uncomfortably up at the spotlight shining down from the ceiling as Shining Armor giggled, River Styx dropped his face in a hoof, and Marina gazed curiously at Twilight's very-visibly fake – possibly silicone – wings, and then the beauty of the moment was broken by the Director shouting angrily: “Just once, Narrator, will you just once work with me?”

The Narrator, of course, was doing his best to work with the Director: but as the Director could neither properly conjugate verbs such as 'coronate,' and nor did he seem to know the difference between two-legged and four-legged mythical beasts, it became very difficult to know precisely what his fellow Draconequus wanted-

“Oh, shut up.” the Director grumbled, rolling his eyes before he gestured irritably towards Twilight. “Change her costume properly this time, Narrator.”

Nothing happened, of course, because the Director did not say the special word. So instead, they were simply left here, waiting in uncomfortable, awkward silence as nothing at all happened... well, apart from Shining Armor awkwardly poking at his sister's wings, and Twilight wincing a bit as she quickly pushed his hoof away from the strange and somehow slimy material...

The Director visibly shuddered, then he rubbed at his face for a moment before grumbling: “Oh, fine. If you would please, Narrator, we'd all like to get on our way.”

His tone was still very derogatory and dismissive, but the Narrator graciously accepted the little victory that he had been given, and a moment later, there was a great and glorious burst of light before Twilight was left with her own pair of strong, black-edged wings, the mare flapping these once before she gave a sigh of relief.

“Wow! You're an alicorn, big sister!” Shining Armor exclaimed, leaping back and forth in front of the mare and gazing up at her radiantly.

“I'm just me.” Twilight said softly, smiling warmly down at Shining Armor before she shook her head and looked over at the Director, asking: “Why am I a princess?”

The Director looked stumped for a moment by this simple question, and then he scowled and hurriedly shook his head before answering grumpily: “Because I said so. Do not argue with me.”

Twilight only smiled wryly at this, and the Director scowled deeper before he turned his eyes towards River Styx, saying shortly: “You will be playing the role of Princess Twilight's bodyguard. And Marina, I suppose you will make a decent enough attendant.”

Marina grimaced a bit as River Styx glared at the Director, before Shining Armor added brightly: “And I'm gonna be my big sister's general!”

“No, shut up, you are a foal and you will be a foal and that is all you are. Now stop getting under our hooves and go... sit over there or something!” snapped the Director, and Shining winced and dropped his head, looking both hurt and defiant as Twilight reached up and gently rubbed his back.

The Director huffed loudly, then muttered: “Philistines. Idiots. Complete unprofessionals! This, this is what I have been reduced to working with, all while I work under the hoof, toe, and claw of bullies and pedants and-”

“Can I create a portal?” Twilight asked curiously, and the Director frowned before the violet mare's horn began to glow, her eyes roving back and forth through the air as if she was searching for something. “No, these locations are all different... coordinates aren't the same here, landscape is different, too... can I find a... no, that doesn't exist, there's... machinery?”

“S-Stop it! Stop spying on the other sets!” shouted the Director, flailing his forelegs in a useless, vehement, childish gesture, and Twilight only looked at him mildly for a moment before the stallion howled: “Narrator! Why did you give her back her magic!”

The Director clearly didn't understand what a horribly offensive thing he had just done in accusing the noble Narrator of abusing his power and privilege to sweep away the life and livelihood and literal strength of the ponies. So the Narrator politely overlooked this little accusation as Twilight Sparkle sighed and allowed the glow around her horn to die out, the mare saying mildly: “I was just trying to get a sense of the area, that's all. I thought I could just-”

“Well you thought wrong!” the Director snapped, stomping forwards and leaning into Twilight's face aggressively... which had no real effect at all, as the mare only continued to look at him calmly, neither flinching nor wincing as he railed: “I am the Director! I am in charge of this production, I am the creative power, and you are nothing but the actors! You will listen to me and obey me and-”

Shining Armor suddenly rushed out from under Twilight and butted one of the Director's legs with his head, and the Director flinched with a squawk... then yelped when the foal firmly bit one of his other legs, the Draconequus dancing backwards and howling: “Insubordination!”

“You leave my big sister alone, you meanie-head!” Shining Armor shouted, and then he winced when Twilight scooped him up, looking down at him mildly... but she was smiling slightly all the same, even as the Director hopped back and forth, squawking and swearing as he grabbed at his injured foreleg.

“That's enough, Shining Armor. He's loud and rude, but there's no need for that.” Twilight chastened gently, and Shining mumbled and dropped his head, scowling sulkily beneath his shaggy blue mane... before he groaned when Twilight ruffled this and then set him back down on his hooves.

Marina and River both watched as the Director finally settled down, scowling horribly... but he was still moodily rubbing at his leg, which had a visible bruise on it. So whatever else, the Draconequus was far from invincible... “I know what you're all thinking, and you... the little bassfish just caught me by surprise, that's all. Now, as I was saying, I already have a plan for what you're doing and how you're going to get to Canterlot. It's by carriage. There is a magic carriage waiting outside for you, as a matter of fact. It is made out of pumpernickel, just like in the story.”

The ponies all looked at him blankly, and the Director glared back at them before the door swung open, and several ponies made out of gingerbread strode inside, declaring: “The carriage of rye awaits!”

“That is not at all a gourd! Narrator, why am I seeing the possible siblings of the chocolate pony here?” complained the Director, and Marina sighed at the oh so wonderfully creative use of food jokes by the Director. “They should be mice!”

“Oh, you mean pumpkins, not pumpernickel.” Twilight corrected, and the Director turned his sour gaze to her, the purple mare clearing her throat before she looked away and added in a mumble: “Which is a squash, actually, although they're both pepo fruits.”

The Director's expression curdled horribly, and then he took a slow breath before lowering his head and saying moodily: “I will count to three, Narrator. And then, so help me, if you do not bring this story out of the whirling vortex of idiocy you are purposefully flinging it into, I will have to speak to Pluto. Do you understand me?”

There was a sound like a sigh through the room... and then the two sleek and handsome Royal Guard who had just entered and were not at all made of gingerbread both saluted, one of them saying in his deep baritone voice: “Lady Twilight. The carriage is ready to bring you to Canterlot for your coronation at the gala. Captain Styx, Lady Marina, of course you are both welcome to join us as well.”

River Styx began to open his mouth before his genet firmly tugged on his ear, and the stallion frowned a bit before he looked down at himself... and his eyes widened in disbelief as he saw he was now wearing the armor of a Captain of the Guard, complete with the fancy, decorative tasseled cape that was only worn on special occasion. His eyes turned quickly to Marina, who was now wearing an elegant yet simple dress of her own that flowed around her body, silken and soft and yet opaque as she looked back and forth over herself in wonder...

Twilight, meanwhile, only smiled in amusement, barely giving the long gown covering her own body a look before she reached down and gently ruffled Shining Armor's mane. “Just let me make sure my date's ready.”

“Twily!” Shining Armor whined, glaring up at her... before he blinked in surprise, doing a double take as he asked: “Hey, where did...”

“Just take it as it is. But don't worry. You're still little enough you don't have to get dressed up fancy yet.” Twilight said gently, smiling down at the young colt before her eyes flicked up towards the Director, who was moodily surveying the ponies. “Will you be joining us?”

“No, I am leaving as quickly as possible. Stop speaking to me, you're breaking the mood.” the Director retorted, and then he gestured towards the door, adding grumpily: “Take the carriage to Canterlot. We'll set up the next set while you do. Expect the next scene to be much more exciting than this one, we need action to spice up the plot, to reengage the audience after all this whining and talking in circles.”

Twilight only sighed, and then she turned her eyes towards River Styx and Marina, asking finally: “Shall we?”

“Anything to get out of here.” River Styx muttered, even as he nervously touched the new armor adorning his body. His genet chittered at him, and River only grimaced before he grumbled: “I am being positive.”

Marina smiled a little, then she shrugged a bit before saying finally: “At least we're getting somewhere. Maybe we can learn something at the gala.”

Twilight looked down at Shining, who looked unconvinced and unexcited about going to a royal ball... and then she winked at him before whispering in his ear: “You know, the Luna I knew secretly trained some of the best and brightest of the Royal Guard. I bet if we ask her nicely, she could teach you a whole lot about becoming a soldier.”

Shining Armor brightened at this... and then he nodded grudgingly before saying finally: “Okay. But I'm only gonna be your date because I know you'd be mine if I grew up and had no one else to go with, and we stick together, big sister, right?”

“Right.” Twilight smiled despite herself, then she shook her head before striding towards the door with Shining Armor hurrying along in her wake. River Styx and Marina joined her, and the mare tossed one last, nostalgic look back over the library before she sighed a little, then said softly: “No matter how many times and in how many places I see it... I'll always miss it, I think.”

With that, Twilight turned and strode out towards the carriage waiting in the square to take her and her strange new friends to their destination: Canterlot, the next stop in the strange journey these oddball Draconequus were leading them on.

Luna Behaves Herself

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Author's Notes:

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Chapter Three: Luna Behaves Herself
~BlackRoseRaven

Canterlot was beautiful and sprawling, a testament to what the ponies could do as one unified race... and something was very wrong here, River thought moodily. Sure. Everything was bright and happy, and there were ponies chattering away as they walked in and out of the castle gates, but that didn't change the fact there were enormous 'decorative' statues that were clearly acting as barricades, funneling them directly towards one specific area of the castle.

If River Styx had known what video games were, he would have realized very quickly that his suspicions could only be true, and they were clearly being guided towards some sort of important event that would likely culminate in a terrible battle.

The stallion only grimaced a little, while Marina nervously leaned towards Twilight... but the violet mare smiled reassuringly to both of the ponies, saying softly as Shining trotted happily along beside her: “It's alright. We're almost there, and I'm not really concerned about any kind of fighting the Draconequus might want to do. The most dangerous weapon they have against us is our confusion.”

Shining looked up curiously, but Twilight quickly distracted him by adding: “Also, from what I remember of Canterlot, the ballrooms weren't nearly this deep in the castle...”

“She's right, but none of the geography makes any sense. None of this does, as a matter of fact: they're changing things around as they see fit.” River added, looking moodily back and forth as the genet on his head peered around in opposite directions, before the stallion shook his head. “It shouldn't be dusk right now.”

“And sunset doesn't last for an hour, either.” Marina added, and then she shook her head briefly as well before adding in a lower voice: “I feel almost as if we're being watched...”

Twilight smiled a bit over her shoulder at the two, but before she could say anything, there was a loud shout from the open doors at the top of the stairs ahead, the ponies all looking up before a distinct blue mare burst out onto the steps in a ragged black dress, shouting: “There! Finally! How dare thee leave me here in this torment for... for centuries! It has been centuries!”

“It has not been centuries, Luna.” Twilight said calmly... right before Luna plowed into her, tackling her backwards as the violet mare winced. “Luna!”

“I am here!” Luna declared from where she was now sitting on top of Twilight Sparkle, and then she looked curiously back and forth at Marina and River Styx, who were both staring at her. “Where is Scrivener Blooms? I desire my Scrivy as well, Twilight. Thou art a most terrible cook.”

Twilight sighed tiredly, and Luna grinned widely before she frowned as something tugged at her dress, opening her mouth to make what would likely be a very lewd comment... but thankfully, her jaw instead fell open as she found herself staring down at Shining Armor, who asked nervously: “Um, Princess Luna?”

“By the Gods, what is this? Twilight, when did thou have another child? And without me, no less!” Luna exclaimed incredulously, and then she paused and peered at the colt as he giggled, while Twilight only sighed tiredly. “Wait, no, I have seen this face before... 'tis Shining Armor! Thy colt is thine own older brother? Twilight, thou art even more twisted than mine most beloved sister!”

Shining Armor giggled again, then he replied brightly: “I'm not her baby! I'm her little brother! But you already know my name, wow!”

“Well of course I know thy name, I know all and I see all. But unlike my big sister, I am polite enough not to watch all.” Luna said pompously, and Twilight sighed as River Styx scowled and Marina gave a small smile.

But before any of them could speak, the sound of hoofsteps drew their attention, and the ponies looked up to see Princess Celestia herself striding down the stairs, her smile kind, her ivory body seeming to glow as if with its own luminescence. Her radiant mane flowed in a wind none could feel, and-

“And she is not wearing a damned dress but oh, no, little Luna must wear a dress, little Luna must make herself presentable!” loudly complained the mare, interrupting a beautiful sonnet that the Narrator had composed to mark this grand occasion. “Well, good. I do not like poetry very much. And I utterly loathe poets.”

Twilight rolled her eyes... then looked awkwardly back and forth as River Styx saluted – mimicked by the little genet on his head – and Marina and Shining both bowed, the foal's eyes glowing with amazement. The violet mare cleared her throat... but Luna only bounced on her, making her wheeze in pain and grasp at the sapphire mare before she grumbled: “Nay, this Celestia is far more annoying than any of the other Celestias we have met so far. She is very... divey.”

“Hello, my little ponies!” Celestia almost sang as she stopped in front of them, extending a hoof dramatically towards them. “How wonderful it is to see you all here today! Princess Twilight, Captain River Styx, and of course Lady Marina, and... I... who the hell is this?”

Celestia reared back as if shocked as she looked down at Shining Armor, who blinked dumbly, before the ivory mare suddenly whipped around and shouted angrily: “Director! Director, I want to speak with you, I want to speak with you like, right now!”

There was a loud groan from ahead... and then the Director slowly dragged himself out of the doors at the top of the stairs, scowling grumpily. The moment he appeared, Celestia began to gesture in agitation towards the foal, her eyes blazing and fury choking her words: “What, what, what is this? This is unacceptable! This is not in my contract! A child? You're bringing in a child, you... you expect me to perform my art alongside a child? Are you insane? Do you have any idea how difficult it is already for me to lower myself to... to performing alongside these hacks and amateurs?”

Marina stared in disbelief as River Styx only looked calmly at the ivory mare, even as he slowly relaxed from his salute while his genet chittered curiously. Shining Armor, meanwhile, had edged backwards a little, but Luna allowed Twilight to slip out from beneath her so she could awkwardly hurry to her 'little brother' and simply wrap a foreleg around him, smiling reassuringly.

The Director only stood beneath the tidal rage of the ivory mare, simply looking at her vacantly as she yelled and screamed and ranted away. And then, after minutes, the mare tired herself out and dropped her head, muttering: “I want a break. I need a cigarette. And I want him gone.”

“Fine.” The Director said blandly, and the actress playing Celestia sniffed loudly before the Director glanced away, adding offhandedly: “We just thought we could emphasize your role as a maternal figure and drive your ratings up after that nasty incident you had last time with that foal, but I'm sure the Critic-”

“Nononononono, wait!” the mare blurted, and then she suddenly zipped past Luna, shoving Twilight over and knocking her sprawling again before she swept up Shining Armor, exclaiming: “Oh, isn't he adorable! I've just had a huge burst of inspiration and... and a change of heart, why... I was just surprised, that's all! Let's keep him!”

The mare loudly smooched Shining's face, and the foal whimpered and twitched, his eyes wide like a frightened animal, a huge blotch of lipstick now distinctly marking his features as he pushed and struggled uselessly in the iron grip of the mare.

The Director smiled wryly at this, and then he sighed tiredly before saying finally: “Actors. This is the... world-renowned Karl, who-”

“Karla!” shouted Karl, flinging her forelegs wide and not noticing – nor caring – that she also flung Shining across the hall, but Marina hurriedly leapt to the side and caught the foal before he could smack into the steps as Luna half-giggled, half-snorted in rage and Twilight stared in horror at the travesty of a Celestia before them. “My name is Karla and I am the greatest actress of our time!”

“Time doesn't exist here.” the Director mumbled, and when Karl shot him a look, he continued tiredly: “Karla has top billing and has been with our humble little production company for... oh, many, many years now. She-”

“They! Gender neutral pronouns, feminine nouns, and oh darling, don't forget the butter!” Karl laughed loudly at her own cryptic phrase, before she suddenly sniffed and then brushed past them, declaring: “Five minute break! I am going for a cigarette!”

The Director watched as the gender-neutral horse strutted out of sight down the steps, and then the Director slowly, calmly lowered his head until his face was pressed into the ground.

“That wasn't the real princess, right?” Shining asked worriedly... and then he bit his lip as he looked awkwardly at the Director. “And um. What's he doing, Twily?”

Twilight only sighed a little, and then she reached up and gently patted Shining's head as she replied: “No, it wasn't, don't worry. And he's... just...”

“Having a breakdown. That's all. Go about your business.” mumbled the Director, grinding his face slowly against the floor. “Oh, I just want a play to go right for once. A little show. A little huzzah. A little sizzle. But you people can never just play along and enjoy the opportunity. Oh, no, no. You always have to wrestle with every little detail...”

The Director gave a long, miserable sigh, then he slowly keeled over onto his side, hugging himself as he curled up into the fetal position. “You don't understand. The audience must be entertained. And we require more than puppets on strings to entertain them, which is why we need you. But you never listen to us! Actors are always so... free-spirited.” He halted, then mumbled: “Or they turn out like Karl, and even after the play is over, refuse to leave and make my life even more miserable than it is. No, no. I am not living. I am decaying. I am slowly decaying into nothing but failure and ruin...”

The ponies looked at the Director uncomfortably, and then Marina leaned forwards and said hesitantly: “If you would just talk to us instead of shouting orders all the time, I'm sure we could work something out...”

The Director only mumbled under his breath, then he shook his head and covered his face with his hooves. Shining Armor looked worriedly up at Twilight, and the mare began to open her mouth... before instead glaring at Luna when the winged unicorn tromped over to the Director and poked him firmly several times with her horn, making him yelp and roll quickly to his hooves.

“There, stand up instead of wallowing, great idiot!” Luna grumbled, and then she complained: “Thou art the one stupid enough to bring us here with no knowledge of-”

“No I'm not! I'm just in charge of making the play go as planned, that's all!” The Director retorted immediately, huffing loudly. “Plutocrat and the Critic choose the players! My job is merely to try and mold what they give me into... something!”

“Thou art as specific and smart as Scrivy.” Luna said drolly, and then she scowled a little before muttering: “Oh, damnation, he is not here, yes. It has been many, many moons since I have been apart from him like this... well, now that Twilight is here, we most assuredly know where to go, so we shall be taking our leave, Director.”

With that, Luna began to wiggle her way out of her dress, and the Director winced before he jumped to his hooves, shaking his head vehemently. “No, no, no! You can't just leave, there's... there's a whole big scene planned here at the castle tonight! If you leave, then the audience will revolt and The Redacted will come for us!”

A chill ran through the air at that, and Luna blinked, looking curiously out of the dress that was now mostly-wrapped around her head and forelegs as Twilight frowned uneasily. River Styx narrowed his eyes as well as he looked back and forth: everything had gone silent at those words, and the ponies that had been casually passing by had all vanished, as if they had never been anything but ghosts wandering these faded stone halls...

“What is The Redacted?” asked River Styx, and the Director stared at him for a moment before he gave a short, weak laugh.

“I can't describe it to you. What it is, what it does. That's why it's redacted.” retorted the Director, and then he shook his head, shivering a little before he muttered: “If you could only understand. But you can't. The company has rules, you know. Regulations, employment standards, rights and privileges and I saw what happened to the last Director when he broke the rules, and it was not pretty. We'll never be able to use that set again. We'll never even be able to perform that play!”

He shivered and looked away, and Luna scowled before she began to wiggle back and forth, resuming trying to get the dress off as she grumbled: “I do not care. I shall punch it. I am losing my patience with thee, Draconequus, all of thee, and I do not enjoy these games or plays anymore, and-”

“What if... what if I give you something you would like, then? This scene was made just for you, Luna!” the Director almost pleaded, smiling weakly. “Please, please, please! I'm desperate, that's the only reason we brought in Karl, the audience always loves him and his overacting and-”

“I always knew Celestia was a stallion!” declared Luna as she suddenly tore her forelegs to either side and ripped the dress to shreds that floated slowly down around her, and Twilight sighed as Shining Armor giggled a little, and Marina and Styx simply traded looks. More and more, even the chocolate mare was starting to doubt just how sane Luna was... while River Styx wondered moodily why exactly he had bothered to try and help these ponies in the first place for the umpteenth time.

“Ha ha, yes, yes.” the Director said in a strained voice, twitching a little... but visibly struggling to go along with Luna's insanity, which made Twilight a lot more worried than she wanted to admit. If he was really working this hard to try and get the play moving again... she was starting to suspect that the Director and perhaps some of the other Draconequus were in far more danger than they, the 'actors,' were, in spite of all the threats and bluster they had endured.

Luna frowned a little, pursing her lips as she looked suspiciously at the Director, but since for once she seemed to be listening, the Draconequus hurriedly explained: “You want action, excitement? Well, so does the audience! And Karl loves the dramatic scenes so... how about saving the castle from an invasion, how does that sound?”

Luna looked thoughtful at this, narrowing her eyes suspiciously, and the Director grinned weakly before he added: “And then after, I promise you, you can take the train right to Scrivener Blooms, and we'll reunite the cast with... a big, dramatic... uh... something!”

The sapphire mare grunted, then she looked meditatively over at Twilight. The purple mare only smiled a little and shrugged a bit before she said finally: “I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but... I think playing along might be the best thing to do here, Luna, and... well-”

“Most excellent! Aye, a good fight! That is what I need!” Luna exclaimed cheerfully, cutting Twilight off as she grinned widely and threw her hooves in the air. Then she looked down at Shining Armor and winked at the foal, adding cheerfully: “And thou, shall thou serve as my apprentice, little one?”

Shining Armor's eyes slowly widened as he visibly puffed up, while Twilight winced and said hurriedly: “Luna, I don't think that's such a good idea-”

“Nonsense! I think he shall do excellently.” Luna said firmly, and then she slowly turned a pointed look towards the Director. “He will, will he not?”

The Director sighed tiredly, reaching up to rub slowly at his temples before he mumbled: “Child actors. I hate child actors...” He stopped, then looked down at Shining Armor, who was gazing at him imploringly as he bounced on his hooves... “Oh, fine. Yes, yes, fine. Anything to get you to cooperate just for one scene.”

Luna grinned slowly at this, licking her lips slowly before Twilight said hurriedly: “What's going to happen? And what about the rest of us?”

Marina looked up uneasily at this thought, while River Styx only scowled, and the Director groaned and made a supplicating gesture with his front hooves. “Whatever you want, whatever you all want, alright? I'll-”

“Very well, then with but a single hoof and my trusty apprentice, I shall defeat the hordes without the rest of these silly ponies who don't seem to understand the meaning of the word 'fun!'” Luna declared, tilting her head high before she stomped a hoof firmly, and Shining Armor brightened... then suddenly looked up at Twilight with pleading eyes.

“I can, right? I really can, BSBFF?” he asked hurriedly, dancing on his little hooves, and Twilight sighed a little... then fought to conceal a smile when Luna suddenly began to hop back and forth on her hooves, mimicking Shining Armor as she gave her own pleading look to the mare.

“Yes, Shining, you can.” Twilight said finally, and both actual foal and foal-like-mare gave happy cheers before Shining laughed as Luna swept him up in a hug, even as Twilight continued: “But you have to listen to everything Luna says, even when she tells you-”

“Oh shush, Twilight, he is my apprentice! And I have full faith there shall be no greater squire in all of Equestria!” Luna said firmly, winking down at Shining before she set him down on his hooves... then she suddenly leaned backwards and grinned widely, eyeing Marina and Styx: “And what about the two of thee? I would gladly take either of thee under my wing...” She paused, then licked her lips slowly as she studied Marina intently. “Especially thee.”

Marina blushed deeply, and Luna sniffed the air before sighing dreamily, swaying a little on the spot. “Oh, yes, how could I miss that delightful scent of chocolate! It lingers about thee like the sweetest perfume that has ever existed... a mare, made from the most delicious of delights! And if thy body is chocolate, tell me, what is the rest of thee made of?”

“Um. Chocolate and... well, I still have my... insides, you know. I wouldn't... recommend eating me.” Marina said awkwardly, taking a slow step back.

“Wow, she's made out of chocolate? Like... real chocolate?” Shining asked in an amazed voice, his eyes widening. “I didn't know mares really could be made out of sugar and spice and everything nice!”

Luna's lips slowly curled up into a smile at this, and then she started to vibrate with badly-repressed giggles. Shining Armor looked over at her quizzically, but Luna only continued to giggle away, covering her mouth as her eyes gleamed with entertainment, while Twilight couldn't help but smile slightly even as River Styx simply looked at them dourly... although he was unable to stop himself from shooting a half-curious look at Marina. “How?”

Marina blinked, looking over at Styx as he began to open his mouth... then grimaced when his genet tugged wildly on his ear before he rolled his eyes, sighing before asking in a somewhat-more polite voice: “How do you... heal yourself?”

That wasn't quite what he wanted to ask, but he supposed it was good enough for now. Marina studied him for a few moments, but then she answered hesitantly: “Well, I... I can eat and drink things still. Anything I do is converted into chocolate, and likewise, I can convert... anything I touch into chocolate...”

“Oh, thou art a blessing from Valhalla.” Luna said dreamily, licking her lips slowly as she leaned hungrily forwards, and Shining Armor was staring now as well with a matching look of delight. “Do this now, creature! Make me chocolate!”

Marina winced a bit, but she was saved from having to answer by the Director interrupting with a wave of his hooves: “Excuse me! But I believe we were discussing something. Something important. Something you were in the middle of agreeing to, that-”

Luna sniffed loudly at this, flailing a foreleg in the direction of the Director and making him flinch back slightly. “I have agreed to nothing yet, and it does thee no favors to be so pushy! Pushy pushy pushy. Thou art as bad as Scrivy.”

Luna huffed a bit, then grumbled and dropped her head slightly as Twilight smiled faintly at the sapphire mare. Sure, Luna was being more than a little childish and frustrating at the moment... but that was only because she was more upset than she wanted to let on. It had been literally years since she and Scrivener Blooms had been apart for more than an hour... in fact, Twilight couldn't remember the last time they had all been separated for so long, and so far apart...

“Oh quiet, Twilight Sparkle, do not defend me.” Luna huffed grumpily, and then she scowled up at the Director, beginning to open her mouth... before all eyes were drawn upwards as there was a sudden loud pop before an envelope fell out of thin air, the Director wincing and beginning to reach for this-

Luna immediately dove forwards, tackling the letter out of the air and knocking the Director sprawling with a yelp before she dropped her rump on his stomach, knocking the wind out of him as he flailed uselessly under her. The mare completely ignored him as she bit into the envelope and tore it open, spitting paper out as she yanked the letter free and squinted at it... then grinned suddenly, her eyes gleaming. “This is most excellent news!”

“What? What?” The Director wheezed, grabbing at the letter... and then he squeaked as Luna grinned wider as her horn glowed, the letter shooting up into the air before it burst into blue flames. “No, no, no, you can't do that, you-”

“I can do anything I like!” Luna shouted cheerfully, and then she suddenly leapt off the Director to land in front of Shining Armor, who stared up at her before she declared: “Shiny, thou art not a Scrivy, but all the same I require a squire! Come! We have much to do!”

Shining Armor's eyes widened in excitement, before he yelled cheerfully when the mare scooped him up and tossed him onto her back, clinging into her starry mane as Twilight, Marina, and Styx all stared as Luna shot off like a rocket down the hall. She didn't slow down even as Karl stepped back inside, her eyes a little red and a lethargic smile on her face that hinted she had smoked something a little stronger than tobacco.

Luna plowed through the Celestia-lookalike, sending her comically flipping head over hooves before she crashed loudly down on her face. The mare blinked stupidly for a few moments, and then her eyes blazed with a much-less pleasant shade of red before she leapt to her hooves, screaming: “Director! I want her gone!”

Karl spun around, chasing after Luna with a frustrated scream, and the Director moaned low in his throat as he slowly covered his face in his hooves, curling up into the fetal position as he whimpered: “Oh, this can't be happening.”

Twilight winced a bit as the Director trembled helplessly, and then she sighed, biting her lip and shooting a look down the hall... but of course Luna and Shiny – and Karl, too, although they could still hear her screaming voice shrieking threats – were already gone. She shifted a little, then finally looked down and asked: “If I get Luna for you, will you let us go find Scrivener?”

The Director stared up at her, and then he nodded vigorously before clambering hurriedly to his hooves, blurting: “Yes! Yes, anything! Please, my life depends on this scene, do you understand?”

“I'm trying to.” Twilight said honestly, and then she smiled a bit before looking over her shoulder to Marina and Styx, saying quietly: “Look, I don't think it'll be that hard to track Luna down. My link isn't functioning... quite right with her, but it's enough that I can probably follow her myself. You can just stay here if you want.”

Marina only smiled, though, volunteering: “No, I'd be more than happy to come with you. And... River Styx, maybe you could...”

The chocolate mare gazed over at Styx, who slowly scowled even as his genet chirped happily and nodded several times from his perch on his head. And after a moment, Styx gave a tired sigh before he dropped his head slightly and muttered: “Fine. The sooner we drag her back here, the faster we get out of here.”

“That's the spirit!” Marina encouraged, and Styx gave her a grumpy look before the chocolate mare smiled again at Twilight. “How can we help?”

“Well, knowing Luna...” Twilight smiled wryly, then she shook her head before starting down the hall, automatically taking the lead and moving at a trot. Styx and Marina fell in on either side of the purple mare as she thought for a few moments, then mused out loud: “Something in that letter must have attracted her attention. She can't be going far because then she would have tried to drag me along, too, and I know she wouldn't put a foal in danger, even if she seems...”

“Crazy.” supplied River Styx sourly, and Twilight sighed... but also didn't argue, shrugging awkwardly, before the stallion asked: “Why is she so insane, anyway?”

“Because she's Luna.” Twilight said simply, shrugging and smiling a little as she looked forwards. “I know that's not much of an explanation, but... it's probably the best one I can give you, too. Luna is just Luna.”

“The Princess Luna I know isn't like that.” River Styx replied dryly, and then he looked ahead and added moodily: “We're never going to catch her at this rate, either.”

“She's going somewhere specific, that I'm sure of. We can catch up to her there.” Twilight replied with a slight smile before she turned her eyes ahead as they exited the long hallway... and then the purple mare blinked in surprise as they emerged into a wide city street, all three ponies looking dumbly around at the sudden change of scenery.

Then their eyes were drawn down the road to Karl, who was huffing loudly as she trotted towards them, her expression furious as she growled: “This is not in my contract! You three, yes, you three there! I demand to know at once where the Director is and why exactly there has been a scene change and why, why has that... hack not been fired?”

Karl came to a halt in front of them, sniffing loudly, and Twilight looked awkwardly up at the mare before she said awkwardly: “Uh... the Director is back in the castle...”

Twilight half-turned... and stared as she realized that the doors they had just left had vanished, and Canterlot Castle was now a majestic pearl gleaming in the distance atop the mountains, and they were standing in the middle of a crowded city street.

Karl laughed loudly, and Twilight turned back towards her before the Celestia-lookalike said sourly: “Oh, please, you can't actually expect me to walk all the way in these, can you?” She held up a golden-shoe-covered hoof, shaking it violently before she sniffed disdainfully. “Not only do these cost more bits than the three of you get paid combined, diamond-tip heels are not made for walking long distances.”

“We aren't getting paid at all.” Styx said moodily, and Karl gave a thin, patronizing smile down at him, which just made the unicorn scowl. “So are the Draconequus lying? Is there no escape from here?”

“What do you mean, 'escape?' Oh, is this already too much for you? Too hard, working with masters of the art of acting?” Karl leaned down, grabbing Styx's nose and wiggling his head back and forth, and the Royal Guard twitched as the genet on his head hurriedly grabbed his mane and tugged back on it, as if reining the unicorn in to prevent him from doing something he would regret later. “Well! You'll be happy to know that any actor who survives the arduous days and nights, who is able to give that fabled hundred and ten percent of pure passion just like I do, who properly fulfills their role in whatever grand and glorious storytelling we storytell, they are sent happily on their way.”

She paused, then clicked her tongue loudly before suddenly rearing back, letting go of Styx's nose so she could touch her own breast as she rose her head snootily into the air, adding patronizingly: “But of course you cannot even dream of accomplishing such a majestic feat without me. Everyone loves me, you see. Everyone comes to these plays purely because of me. I am a virtuoso, a genius, a master of my craft!” Karl laughed loudly, throwing both forelegs wide as she declared: “Why, the audience regularly showers me in affection!”

And as if in dramatic response to her dramatic words, a great hail of liquid poured down from the sky, splattering all over Karl and only Karl. There was silence for a few moments as all ponies present only stared at the mare, who was drenched from horn to hoof in some disgusting, unknown substance of mysterious origin...

“Narrator!” Karl screamed, thrusting her forelegs above her head as the goop exploded off her body in a wave of sound and magic, Twilight wincing and hurriedly protecting herself and her fellow ponies with a field of purple magic. “Narrator, you are not allowed to treat me like this! How dare you!”

The Narrator was truly, terribly sorry for what he had done. But he is merely another player on the stage, and helpless but to fulfill his own role... which sometimes includes dumping great steaming messes of adulation on top of screaming drag queen divas like Karl happens to be, with his big hair and his fancy gold heels.

“How dare you! How dare you!” Karl howled in outrage, shaking a hoof vehemently at the sky as her eyes glittered with beautiful anger. “What have I told you? I am Karla, and you will refer to me by gender neutral pronouns only!”

The Narrator, however, cannot comply to such a request because Karl only wants to be 'gender neutral' so that he and-slash-or she can be called beautiful and handsome without it being weird to attribute both masculine and feminine terms to him-slash-her. But the Narrator will gladly make a deal with Karl and refer to her by gender neutral pronouns when she is gender neutered.

Karl howled in fury at this, flapping her wings and forelegs violently before she threw her head back and screamed: “Director! Director! I demand that the Director come and immediately-”

And then tragedy struck as a sandbag fell out of the air and landed on Karl's head, knocking her senseless and unconscious.

The Celestia lookalike gurgled dumbly in the street, twitching absently as Twilight, Marina, and River Styx all stared down at her for a few moments, until Twilight finally looked up and asked uncertainly: “Is he... has he really been here for more than one play?”

The Narrator obviously cannot hold discussions with the actors... but if he could explain anything, he would tell them in the most tired and exhausted voice imaginable that Karl had been with them for no less than three plays before the current, two of which were terrible flops. He would also mention that while Karl is eccentric and nearly impossible to work with for long periods of times, he absolutely lives for the stage and always puts on an incredible performance for the audience... but, as a result, he has absolutely no identity of his own and lives purely by imitating whatever latest social media craze has caught his attention. Talent alone, alas, does not a good person make.

Twilight grimaced a bit at this, and then she shook her head before Marina asked uncertainly: “Do you think we should... do something for... uh...”

“It.” Styx looked moodily over the Celestia-lookalike as Marina winced a bit and Twilight only sighed, before the stallion said finally: “'I don't want to risk waking it up. And I don't think that it'll be in any danger out here.”

“Well, that's not entirely the point, Styx, and... could you maybe...” Marina started, but when Styx looked at her dryly, she only lowered her head a little, saying finally: “Karla just seems... passionate, that's all.”

Styx grunted, and Twilight smiled a bit before her eyes suddenly flicked up and she said quickly: “Luna's stopped just up ahead. For now let's focus on her, since I'm sure we'll run into Karl again.”

The purple mare hurried on past the unconscious, drooling mare, and Styx grunted, more than glad to follow after her as Marina shifted a bit, then mumbled a quick apology to Karl before hurrying after the two.

They didn't have very far to travel before they found Luna... wreaking havoc. There was really no other possible word or phrase for it: the mare was cackling, frolicking amongst several food stands that had all been turned topsy-turvy. She bounced cheerfully through the mess she had made, Twilight staring in disbelief as Shining Armor waved his arms excitedly on Luna's back, chocolate smeared all around his muzzle and an open candy bar in either hoof, the foal almost vibrating from the sugar high he was on.

There were other ponies, shouting and cursing at Luna, but she was ignoring them and easily dodging around the few who were trying to grab her, only seeming to take pleasure in the way they shouted and swore at her. Twilight winced as she hurried forwards, Marina gaping slightly in horror and River Styx feeling strangely unsurprised. “Luna!”

Luna looked up sharply at Twilight's shout... and without looking, easily slapped a pony that jumped at her out of the air, knocking him sprawling into a pile of candy. Twilight hurried forwards... and then winced as Luna grinned widely and dropped forwards, raising her rump in the air like a puppy eager to play. “What are you doing?”

“I am having fun, Twilight Sparkle! Much fun!” Luna said cheerfully, peering back and forth before she grinned widely and licked her lips as she hefted a stack of licorice into the air. This floated quickly over to her, and the mare chomped down on one of the long red strings as most of the rest vanished into her mane, while Shining crowed in joy as the mare floated the remaining up to him and the foal hugged them fiercely against his chest with a bright smile, twitching slightly from his sugar rush. “Will thou join me in my fun?”

“No! Luna, come on, this is crazy even for you.” Twilight pleaded, taking a step forwards... and then she winced as Luna wiggled her rump and stomped her hooves, her eyes gleaming with mischief, her grin widening. “Luna... you can't be serious, you can't-”

“Oh, I can, Twilight Sparkle. I can, and I shall.” Luna said with relish, and Twilight twitched a bit before she started to step forwards... and immediately, Luna spun around in a circle and bolted, shouting cheerfully: “Catch me if thou can!”

Twilight twitched a bit as Luna bolted to the end of the street, then skidded around a corner, Shining cheering happily on her back. The violet mare slowly ground her teeth together, her wings twitching at her sides before River Styx said dryly: “I don't think this is going to be as easy as you thought it was.”

“What is she even doing?” Marina winced at the sight of the overturned carts and half-destroyed stands of candy, the mare biting her lip before she shook her head as she looked nervously around at the crowd of grumbling ponies, who had all gone to cleaning about the mess, even if a few glared at them warily. “Can we... is there anything that...”

“Luna apparently wants to play a game, and since she's now trying to block my link to her, there's not much we can do but chase after her. The best and worst part is that she's got Shining with her, so she won't do anything too crazy... but 'too crazy' for Luna is very different from 'too crazy' for other people.” Twilight grumbled, shaking herself out briefly before she finally said: “I can still track her, though, and... if we can figure out what she's doing, we might be able to corner her.”

“Great.” River Styx sighed, dropping his head before he mumbled, as his genet rubbed at one of his ears comfortingly: “Why did I end up stuck with you crazy... I'm not even sure if any of you are ponies.”

“Maybe not. But we're all people.” Twilight smiled encouragingly over at River Styx... and then she looked blankly up at the sound of a tremendous bang, Styx and Marina also staring in disbelief before the three watched in shock as several bright flares of light streaked across the sky, popping and bursting through the air... “Oh Horses of Heaven. Where did she find fireworks?”

Twilight stumbled into a run, and Marina and Styx hurried after her towards the source of the disturbance, zigzagging down the street as ponies emerged from stores and stone homes to look curiously in the direction of the neon explosions peppering the air.

They found Luna prancing happily around in the square, several smashed wooden crates laying in ruin around a stage and a group of terrified-looking ponies trapped on top of the structure as Luna gleefully set off the fireworks and pyrotechnic cannons, dancing back and forth between fuses as her horn glowed with blue flames and Shining giggled loudly on her back. Twilight groaned loudly, then charged straight for the mare with Marina and Styx following, shouting: “Luna!”

“Twilight Sparkle!” Luna shouted cheerfully, then she grinned brightly over her shoulder before she firmly kicked one of the fireworks cannons over, Twilight wincing and skidding to a halt before the cannon went off with a tremendous bang, shooting straight down into the ground and sending up an enormous belch of smoke.

Twilight grimaced as she shielded her face with a foreleg, but before she could call up any magic, River Styx flicked his horn sharply to the side, a sharp, cutting wind bursting through the air and tearing apart the cloud of smog.

Twilight gave a quick smile to Styx, then turned her eyes back ahead with a small scowl. Luna, of course, was already gone... and worse, Twilight could see an overturned box labeled 'firecrackers,' which she had no doubt that Luna had helped herself to. Her suspicions were confirmed a few moments later by several loud cracks and bangs, followed by shouting: she could hear Luna and Shining Armor, she thought, mixed in with the others, heading-

“That way.” River Styx said shortly, and this time, the stallion took the lead, Marina and Twilight Sparkle falling in on either side of him as he charged at full speed down the side street where the disturbance had come from.

Luna was hopping cheerfully down the street, a lollipop sticking out of her muzzle as Shining Armor giggled and flung firecrackers back and forth with one hoof. Then he brightened as he looked over his shoulder and saw River Styx charging right at them, waving wildly as he blurted: “They found us already!”

Luna blinked in surprise, looking over her shoulder at the three charging towards her... and then she grinned widely before shouting: “And none of thee shall take me-”

River Styx snapped his horn down, firing a simple immobilization spell at the mare, the same he used to take down rowdy drunks in Appleloosa when they got out of hoof: efficient, professional, relatively harmless... and hopefully enough to put a stop to the mare's rampage. Luna, however, only deflected the spell with a grin, her eyes glinting before she responded by snapping her horn out and sending a thunderous blast of lightning at River Styx.

The stallion's eyes widened in surprise, his body tensing slightly as he gritted his teeth and resigned himself to the worst... before Twilight Sparkle leapt in front of him, easily drawing the blast of lightning in with her own horn before it became almost a solid thing, the mare gritting her teeth as she yanked back on the leash of energy connected between the horns of the two mares.

Luna squawked as she was nearly yanked off her hooves, bucking Shining Armor into the air, who flailed wildly in all directions as he flipped out of control with a yell. Marina was fast to react, though, leaping forwards and reaching out with telekinesis to catch the foal before he could hit the ground, the chocolate mare wheezing in relief as she gently set him on his hooves.

Luna, meanwhile, had spread her wings, the mare growling before she suddenly flapped her wings hard and snapped her horn forwards, and Twilight cursed as the leash of energy was torn to ribbons, the purple mare falling in a sprawl as Luna hovered in the air with a huff, hooves dropping on her hips. “That is not how we play the game, Twilight! Why, even River of Sticks hast played better than thee today!”

“I just really want this to be over and done with, and it doesn't seem like you're going to stop until one of us gives you a reason to stop.” Styx said moodily, even as his genet tugged nervously at his ear.

Luna seesawed a front hoof back and forth in response, looking thoughtful before Twilight sighed and clambered up to her hooves. Shining Armor, meanwhile, was giggling loudly in Marina's hooves as the mare awkwardly held him against her, the foal squirming and looking wildly back and forth as the purple mare said dryly: “I hope you're happy.”

“Not yet. There is still much more to do, and I require my squire!” Luna proclaimed, and Shining Armor looked up at the princess with bright, eager eyes. “The game is still ahoof and we are not yet done, Twilight Sparkle!”

Twilight looked at Luna for a few moments, and then she suddenly flicked her horn, and River and Marina both stared as there was a massive peal of thunder before a blast of lightning hammered down from the skies and straight into Luna, driving her into the ground with a tremendous boom of sound and light.

The sapphire mare twitched weakly a few times as the ponies all gaped in horror, and Twilight simply looked calmly at the smoldering sapphire pony for a few moments... before she rolled her eyes as Luna suddenly hopped to her hooves, shaking herself violently to throw off ashes and seared hair before she straightened and grinned widely as the ponies continued to gape. “I love and adore thee with all my heart Twilight Sparkle, but thou can be such a bitch at times.”

Twilight scowled a little at the mare, and then she said plaintively: “I caught you. Let's go back to the Director now, before he herniates. We need to find Scrivener, right?”

“Thou did not catch me, thou blasted me like I am some bug to be zapped! But fear me, fear what I shall become, for it has only made me stronger!” Luna declared, thrusting her forelegs above her head as her ephemeral mane sizzled backwards. Twilight glowered at the sapphire mare, her horn beginning to glow again, but Luna was clearly undaunted as she added: “I shall only be caught when I can no longer flee from any of thee.”

“And when we catch you, the game is over, and you come back with us to the Director. Promise.” Twilight said slowly, and Luna groaned and stamped her hooves like a toddler, but the violet mare only smiled at her, her gaze a mix of pleading and sternness. “Promise.”

Luna huffed loudly, and then she finally dropped her head with a grumble before nodding and mumbling: “Very well, Twilight Sparkle. If thou art going to be such a fun-killer, I suppose I have no choice but to agree to thy terms. But in return, thou must return my squire to me.”

Twilight smiled, extending a hoof, and Luna strode forwards grumpily before starting to extend her own... and then she slowly narrowed her eyes, peering at the mare suspiciously as Twilight only continued to smile, her foreleg extended, her gaze steady- “Trickster!”

Twilight dove at Luna, and Luna flapped her wings hard, narrowly launching herself over the mare before she shot suddenly towards Marina. The chocolate mare squeaked, leaping backwards as her horn glowed: on instinct, streams of chocolate burst out of her body, forming a barrier in front of her that Luna smacked into.

But to Marina's horror and pain, there was a horrible chomping noise before a large muzzle filled with sharp teeth literally bit a hole in her barrier, Luna gluttonously eating a window in the shield of chocolate before she grinned widely, large teeth glittering as brightly as her eyes as she declared: “Marina, thou art delicious!”

The sapphire mare belched loudly, then quickly leaned in and snatched Shining Armor away from her before she added cheerfully as her eyes half-lidded: “Know that I shall be returning to eat more of thee later. Much more of thee.”

Marina both whimpered and blushed deeply as Luna winked with a lick of her lips before leaping backwards, flapping her wings firmly and shooting straight up into the air as Twilight glared up at the mare, her horn glowing... before she winced as she saw the sapphire mare toss Shining Armor onto her back, the foal cheering loudly as he grabbed into her mane and Luna wheeled easily through the air before shooting off down the street.

She dropped to the road after a few moments, grinning challengingly over her shoulder... and River Styx immediately leapt after her, even though his genet was already tugging wildly on his mane like this was a bad idea. His horn began to glow as he narrowed his eyes: now that he knew the kind of punishment that Luna could apparently take, coupled with the fact that she apparently wanted them to take her down hard... well, he was more than happy to put a heavier hoof forwards.

He leaned forwards, locking on to her with his magic and where the safest place to hit her would be without harming the foal... before Luna suddenly leapt into the air and spun around, shoving a hoof into her mane before whipping it forwards and sending a burst of what looked like little balls flying out of her ephemeral locks, as she shouted: “Have a nice jawbroker!”

River Styx dumbly tried to process what the mare had just said before he stomped down on one of the brightly colored balls and it slipped out from under his hoof, the Royal Guard slamming down on his face with a curse. He blinked as he laid on his stomach, Luna cackling as she continued to bolt away from them... before the Royal Guard's expression slowly soured as one of the little balls rolled up to his face and gently bumped against it. Jawbreaker. That's what she was trying to say.

The stallion clambered to his hooves... and then Twilight ran past, calling over her shoulder: “She's heading back to the Castle, cut her off there!”

River Styx frowned: the sapphire mare seemed to be heading in the opposite direction of the castle, and they were trying to drag her back there in the first place. Why would Twilight Sparkle think that was her destination, of all places?

Still, he didn't have any other leads to go on... and the stallion scowled before he looked over at Marina as she hurried towards him with a faint flinch of pain, asking: “Do you think we should head back?”

“No, but I don't see any other choice, either.” Styx admitted after a moment, sighing tiredly. He looked grumpily in the direction of the castle, then shook his head before striding quickly down the street, muttering: “This is getting worse and worse.”

“Did you see her? That blast of lightning should have killed her! But she shrugged it off like it was nothing, and then... she literally ate through my shield!” Marina rambled, shaking her head quickly as Styx let his eyes wander towards her, as his genet chirped worriedly. “I never expected to see... my chocolate is not... I mean, I may sound... well...”

“Sweet.” Styx said, and Marina smiled a little and shivered a bit before the stallion asked grudgingly, more because his little genet wouldn't stop pestering him than anything else: “Are you... okay?”

“Oh, I... yes. I'm sorry, I just... only have so much chocolate I can use freely, and when it's destroyed, it feels a little like... like having a pain inside you that you can't quite put a hoof on. And I don't usually... react like that...” Marina stopped, biting her lip and looking down at the street. “It was very strange. It just happened. But the Draconequus did say that I would be... because I was touched by Discord...”

“Is that what happened to you?” River Styx cocked his head towards her, scowling a little before he muttered: “Always knew he had a sick sense of humor.”

“No. No, you misunderstand. He saved my life.” Marina replied softly, and River Styx looked back at her as Marina smiled briefly. “My family and I used to... visit him, when he was trapped in stone. After I ran afoul of some... bad ponies who did some... very awful things to me I would rather not get into detail about... he saved me. The only thing available was the boiling chocolate they had tried to... get rid of me in, so... there you go. Here I am.”

River Styx grunted, looking ahead: similar to the story she had told him back on the train, but... “You never mentioned Discord was a part of that.”

“I know that other ponies aren't... precisely fond of him. And we're being held here by some very strange Draconequus now, so... I was afraid to.” Marina admitted after a moment, smiling briefly at River Styx and blushing slightly as she lowered her head a little. “You're a little... intimidating.”

Styx only grunted, looking ahead as his genet chirped reassuringly on his head, and then the stallion glanced up and muttered: “How the hell did we get back to the castle so fast?”

Marina blinked as she looked up as well, staring in surprise at the double doors of the massive castle, the enormous white structure suddenly just... there in front of them, as if it had been rushing down to meet them faster than they had been making their way to the structure.

Then the doors were shoved rudely open, and Karl stormed out, sniffing loudly before she leaned down and glared between the two, asking sharply: “Where are those other two? And where is my coffee? I distinctly remember telling one of you to come back with my coffee, god, why are you all so useless?”

Marina awkwardly winced away, as River Styx only surveyed Karl for a moment before asking: “What happened to the other actors?”

“Oh, well, because I carried them through their miserable performances, they all got to go home, full pay, plus a bonus for it being a success. Small, modest, far more than they deserved.” Karl flicked a hoof disdainfully, sniffing loudly. “Of course, those were the successful actors. The failures were all forced to join the stage crew in their... miserable little hamster wheels, doing all that... silly work behind the scenes. You know, that all the ignorants do. Not the artists like us, dear. Or like me, rather. You, darling, you are a little... wooden.”

Karl suddenly flung her forelegs to either side, shouting in a trilling voice: “You need to emphasize! Emphasize everything you do! Throw yourself and your emotions into your role, darling!”

“I am.” River Styx said shortly, and then he looked over his shoulder as he felt a distinct tingle, his eyes locking on the sight of the sapphire mare charging straight towards them as he felt the faintest hint of surprise: Twilight Sparkle had been right. “Marina, do you have enough chocolate to cover the ground in front of us?”

“Yes...” Marina said uncertainly, and then she closed her eyes as she pushed a hoof into the ground, her limb rippling as chocolate flowed down and out of her foreleg to spill across the road, the mare wincing a bit as her body visibly thinned before she muttered: “I can't spare much more than this...”

River Styx looked at the chocolate blanketing the ground and decided it was probably enough... either way, it'll have to do. “Make it as sticky as possible. I assume you can do that.”

“Easily.” Marina nodded and smiled as Styx strode in front of the clearly visible trap, Luna's cackling now clearly audible as she bolted down the street, Shining Armor laughing and giggling on his back as he flung firecrackers and balls of candy in all directions, the noise almost enough to drown out the furious shouting from Twilight Sparkle.

Luna looked ahead... and her eyes gleamed as the sight of the chocolate before she grinned widely, putting on a burst of speed before she suddenly spread her wings and leapt into the air... and River Styx immediately snapped his horn sharply down, a blast of cyclonic force hammering into Luna's back and wings and knocking her out of the sky. She had a moment to look shocked before she hammered down into the mess of chocolate, Shining Armor bouncing out of her forelegs as she squawked... and Styx swiftly caught the foal and yanked him to safety as Marina's chocolate burst up around the sapphire mare, twining around her and seizing into her like claws to hold her firmly down in the mess.

Luna slowly began to open her mouth, her tongue slowly emerging to poke at the chocolate in front of her... and then she squawked as a tendril of chocolate wrapped quickly around her muzzle and yanked it shut, Marina wincing a bit as Luna wiggled wildly before snorting loudly through her nostrils. She glowered grumpily as Shining Armor giggled in River Styx's forelegs... then winced and hurriedly closed his mouth when the soldier glowered at him, the foal looking away before he mumbled, as Twilight skidded up to a halt behind the chocolate-covered Luna: “Aww. We lost.”

Luna tried to say something... and Twilight simply stomped on her back, making her squawk before the purple mare said triumphantly: “We win.”

The sapphire mare whined loudly in her throat like a dog, and then she slumped before grudgingly grumbling what sounded like a concession. Marina hesitantly let her chocolate draw away from the mare, pulling it back into her body, and Luna hopped up to her hooves after a moment before she complained: “'Twas not fair. I did not use all my powers, did I? Thou art all cheaters. Especially thou, Twilight Sparkle, reading my mind as thou did. Curse thee, meddling foals. If it were not for thee, I would have gotten away with it, too.”

“It was simple, once I thought about it.” Twilight explained, when River Styx looked at her for an explanation. “Luna was gathering up things to cause trouble with. She wasn't just causing chaos, though... well, I mean, she was, but she clearly had some kind of plan in mind. And there's only ever one pony who Luna puts that much thought and effort into harassing.”

“Me!” Karl declared joyously, leaping forwards as she thrust both forelegs dramatically into the air, and then she leaned down and grabbed Luna in a hug around the neck, the sapphire mare wincing and flailing wildly. “Oh, I love you too, little sister! I'm glad we're so important to each other!”

“Get off me, great lout! Damnation, nothing proves thou art not a Celestia more than this!” Luna complained, shoving the ivory mare away, and Karl huffed even as she stumbled backwards, the two glaring at each other before she added meditatively: “Aye. I have lost. I must submit and return to the Director to be chastened like a filly. But, first...”

Luna grinned and winked, then suddenly flicked her ephemeral mane firmly upwards as it gave a flash of light... and all eyes stared in disbelief as firecrackers, candy, and all manner of other food and toys and odds and ends shot out of her mane, flying high up into the sky... before Twilight shouted a warning and covered her head, her horn glowing and creating a shield over her body before a hail of firecrackers and candy fell over the ponies around Luna, who grinned and looked pleased with herself as Styx winced, Marina covered her head, Shining Armor danced happily through the rain of candy, and Karl screamed and darted back and forth as firecrackers banged and hard candy pounded down all around her.

Finally, when the hail ended, Luna smiled cheerfully before she winked down at Shining Armor, adding: “And I could not have done it without thee.”

Shining smiled brightly up at her... before the Director stumbled quickly out of the door, shouting in a strangled voice as he waved a badly-taped together, burnt piece of paper back and forth: “You dirty evil conniving lying bit-”

Luna grabbed the Director by the throat, hefting him into the air with one hoof, and he whimpered as his eyes went wide... before the sapphire mare delicately reached down and picked up an unopened lollipop, saying kindly: “Careful now. Thou hast a bad habit of putting thy hooves down without looking first where they are going... 'twould be a pity if one went down thine own throat.”

With that, Luna bit off the candy wrapper and spat it aside before shoving the lollipop in her mouth as she dropped the Director. He bounced once on his rump, then glowered up at her as he shoved the burnt, ripped, taped-together letter towards her. “This! This was a request, and-”

“And I have gone and fulfilled it, although sadly there was not enough for me to steal. Thou art sorely lacking in props for a great play production.” Luna commented, and then she sniffed loudly before asking mildly: “May we go fetch Scrivy now? I wish to go and fetch my Scrivy. And I swear to thee, Director, if thou hast replicated North Neigh and forced the beetle to relive his life there again...”

Luna leaned in suddenly, her eyes going cold, her face shoving into the Draconequus as she promised coldly: “I will burn it to the ground, and not all the powers in the world will stop me from tearing this whole play down around thy heads.”

The Draconequus gave a weak smile, and then he slowly held up his hooves before saying awkwardly: “If... if there are no objections...”

“What about Shining Armor?” asked Twilight, striding forwards and looking nervously down at the foal, who was slowly starting to list to the side, his eyes blinking owlishly as he visibly began to crash from all the sugar Luna had likely let him eat. “He's just a foal...”

“That is fine! I will take care of him!” Karl interrupted, immediately stepping forwards and declaring: “I will lead this little band forwards from here, Director, you are no longer needed! I know the play, inside-out, back-and-forwards, and I will make sure it is the very best of the best, and teach all these... these amateurs the true meaning of being an acteur!”

The Director wheezed through his teeth... and then he slowly dropped his head into his hooves, rubbing at his face as he mumbled: “This has all gone terribly, terribly wrong.”

Luna grunted in agreement as Twilight Sparkle sighed and shook her head... then smiled briefly as she looked up at Marina and River Styx. Karl only laughed loudly as she cradled Shining Armor in one foreleg, the foal looking too exhausted to realize who was holding him as he simply mumbled and curled up a little... and the purple mare couldn't help but flex her wings before she reflected that even if everything had indeed gone terribly, terribly wrong... at least they were all getting closer to getting back together, and hopefully, finding their way out of this strange and ever-changing play they had all become a part of.

Luna Woona Doo

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Author's Notes:

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Example: "Make this story completely about me.." Well if you give me a dollar I'll add in a few paragraphs about how awesome you are and then get back to business. If you give me ten dollars I would probably derail the story for a chapter and you can show up and be fantastic (or fabulous, if you must be). Ultimately I won't make the entire story about you, of course, but I can totally make you seem really important and amazing.
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Chapter Four: Luna Woona Doo
~BlackRoseRaven

The train chugged northward, and Luna grumbled under her breath, sulking grouchily as she sat back in her seat. Karl was sitting on one side of her, sipping loudly at some bizarre fruit drink in an oversized plastic cup, and Twilight was across from the sapphire mare, with Shining Armor half in his seat and half in her lap, snoozing on and off.

Marina and River Styx were seated at the table across the aisle, watching out the small windows as endless mountains and cliffs passed by, blanketed beneath the darkness of the beautiful night. It was a very placid, peaceful voyage so far... which of course, just made Luna whine loudly in frustration before she complained: “I wish for something interesting to happen!”

At that moment, all the lights in the carriage went out, leaving them in near-total darkness apart from the starlight shining in from the windows, before a loud, masculine voice rasped: “Perhaps I can help with that!”

All eyes turned with shock towards a glowing phantasm that appeared in the darkness at the front of the carriage, the stallion cackling loudly as chains rattled around its body. Voices yelled and panicked, and the phantasm darted through the carriage, ponies leaping in all direction as it whizzed back and forth through the air above their heads.

Styx could only stare in disbelief as Marina's jaw dropped, before the phantasm bolted suddenly towards them: immediately, Styx leapt forwards as Marina dropped back in her seat, half-hiding behind it as she gave a little shriek.

The unicorn stallion snapped his horn forwards... but the blast of magic bounced off the ghost and hammered back into his own face, knocking him sprawling with a grunt of surprise as the phantasm boomed: “You can't harm me with your silly mortal magics! No, be gone from this place! Be gone, for I have laid claim to all that lies beyond!”

There was a thunderous crackle of lightning, a burst of laughter... and then only darkness. For a few moments, ponies yelled and panicked in the shadows, until the lights flashed back on.

Karl was trembling, hugging himself tightly, a visibly-paler shade of white than she had been before the lights had gone out; Luna was half-out of her seat, grasping wildly at the air as Karl half-choked her in an embrace; Twilight was only looking moodily at the air; Marina was already helping River Styx to his hooves as he rubbed slowly at a bruised muzzle with a scowl.

“Are you okay?” Marina asked hesitantly, and Styx glowered at her for a moment... but then dropped his eyes and nodded grudgingly. He mumbled something that might have even been a 'thanks' before he stepped past her, frowning at Luna.

The sapphire mare finally jabbed an elbow back into Karl, and Karl yelped before releasing the mare, and then she huffed loudly and shoved her away, knocking Luna off her seat with a thump and a squawk. “Do not cling to me, it wasn't that frightening a side-show! What... what terrible acting, how dare such a creature interrupt my well-earned beauty rest!”

“Oh, aye. Beauty rest. Thou art in grand need of that.” Luna grumbled moodily from the ground, and then the sapphire mare huffed loudly before she pushed herself quickly up, shaking herself off before groaning when both Twilight and Styx looked at her pointedly. “Oh, what? As if 'tis my fault that some... ghostly-ghost decides to show up because I am bored? 'Tis not my fault that even now, dead horrors come from far and wide to appease and sacrifice to their mistress!”

Luna shoved her hooves up above her head as her nose wiggled a little, and Twilight sighed tiredly before she started: “Luna-”

“Nay! Merry band, it looks like we have a mystery on our hooves!” Luna declared, thrusting a hoof ahead and nearly punching Styx in the face as he winced out of the way. “And our first clue is here!”

She half-spun, nearly slapping Karl with her extended hoof before shoving it rudely into the mare's face. “Aye, 'twas a great feat of acting, was it not... well, Karl, thou art the braggart and actor here who enjoys, more than anything, being the center of attention! Do not lie, thou art the source of this phantasm!”

“Uh. No.” Karl slapped Luna's hoof disdainfully away, scowling horribly down at her. “Excuse me, but... a shock character? Some... B-movie horror monster? No, no, I am far, far above such... mediocrity! I am a protagonist! I am a hero and-slash-or heroine! I will not ever lower myself to such... such slander of my talent!”

“Twilight, I do not understand what Karl is saying, but I believe it is admission of his guilt. Throw him off the train.” Luna said firmly. Twilight only looked at Luna sourly, until the sapphire mare grunted and hopped out into the aisle, saying grouchily: “Oh, very well. Well, as we have nothing else to do on this accursed train, I shall go and find the source of this evil. Twilight Sparkle, will thou be my Scrivy and come with me?”

“I don't think so, Luna. You spend too much time hitting Scrivy.” Twilight said dryly, and Luna looked thoughtful before she stepped over and gently bopped Twilight with her horn, making the violet mare scowl slightly. “Like that, yes.”

“Yes.” Luna said agreeably, nodding thoughtfully a few times, and then she looked meditatively down at Shiny, who was groggily looking around in his seat, rubbing slowly at his eyes and mumbling to himself. “Well, the foal cannot be Scrivy. That would be very terrible of me, and it is very sick of thee to even consider. Sick. Thou art sick, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight only continued to look moodily at Luna, and Luna looked seriously back before she suddenly turned her eyes towards River Styx and Marina, squinting at them thoughtfully. “Well, perhaps one of thee...”

She strode over to River Styx first, glaring almost challengingly into his eyes before she suddenly swept her horn down to bop him with it. The stallion didn't so much as flinch, only scowling back at her as the genet nervously peered over his head, and Luna pursed her lips thoughtfully before she looked over at Marina, stepping towards her.

The chocolate mare flinched automatically, then ducked away as Luna started to raise her horn... which made the sapphire pony huff loudly before she turned her eyes towards Styx, eyeing him for a few moments before she suddenly reached up and seized him by the collar of his purple armor, half-dragging him away as she declared: “Thou art my Scrivy! Thou art sour and grumpy and thou has a small pet upon thy head! Thou art not quite as beautiful a mare as I would like, but all the same, thou shall do.”

River Styx thought about yanking away, or perhaps hitting the mare in the back of the head with a knockout spell... but considering what had happened last time, and the fact that Twilight Sparkle had already blasted the mare with enough lightning to power Canterlot for a week and it had done nothing but make the insane mare laugh...

He didn't know whether or not he was thankful when Twilight Sparkle and Marina hurried after them, the stallion looking moodily over his shoulder as Luna grinned brightly and said cheerfully: “Excellent! Thou both decide to join us... but what of Shiny?”

As she turned towards the other ponies, Styx quickly stepped out of reach of the sapphire mare and brushed moodily at his armor... Captain's armor, still, he noted. Just like Twilight Sparkle still had wings... but it seemed like these Draconequus changed things on whim, and changed them back just as infrequently. “Karl can keep an eye on him. We're not going to be gone very long.”

“So thou says, but who knows? We may be in for a grand adventure!” Luna proclaimed, throwing her forelegs in the air.

Twilight sighed tiredly, looking almost pleadingly at the sapphire mare before Shiny's voice floated to them from the other end of the car, asking: “Can I have a juice box?”

“Excuse me? Do I look like a stagehoof to you?” Karl asked in an incensed voice, and then she added quickly: “Oh, but if you see one, get me a double vodka. I have to keep up my vitamins, you know!”

Karl laughed at her own obtuse joke, and Twilight sighed tiredly before she muttered: “I'll be right back.”

The purple mare turned around and grumpily made her way back to the seat, then returned a few moments later with a happier-looking Shining Armor riding on her back, the foal clinging to her mane and smiling brightly. Luna nodded firmly at this, and then she pointed at the door ahead of them, saying firmly: “I believe all our answers are right here!”

Luna flung the door open... and stepped into a crowded luggage cart, the mare blinking dumbly as she looked back and forth before she hurried through the cart to the door at the other end. But when she yanked this open, she was only greeted with air, the mare wincing as her ephemeral mane was sucked out into the jetstream as she stumbled forwards and caught herself awkwardly against a safety rail. She stared out at the tracks, and then one of her eyes twitched before she spun around and leapt back inside, kicking the door closed behind her even as her mane sparked and twisted around her head. “Where is the rest of the train?”

“I'm guessing the Draconequus decided to shorten it.” River Styx said dryly, rubbing at his armor again before he glanced moodily back and forth at the piles and piles of shoddily-packed luggage, suitcases, and cargo that filled the freight car. “They seem to enjoy taking liberties and shortcuts wherever they can, after all.”

Luna groaned loudly at this, slapping her own forehead before she looked quickly back and forth, then simply dove into a mountain of luggage, her muffled voice complaining from inside the pile: “Well, I know the answer must be here all the same! Help me search!”

Shining Armor giggled and happily leapt off Twilight's back to hurry over to a pile of luggage, and Twilight sighed tiredly. Marina and River Styx traded looks, but then both shrugged before the Royal Guard asked moodily: “What precisely are we supposed to be looking for?”

“Clues!” Luna's voice shouted from the mountain of suitcases she was under, and then the pile shook as she wiggled around, complaining: “Thou... I am sure thou shall know it when thou sees it!”

River Styx grumbled as Marina shrugged awkwardly again, before the two ponies turned towards the cargo: there were a lot of arguments that they could likely make about how insane this all was, but it didn't seem like logic had a lot of effect on Luna.

As the ponies dug through the luggage, Karl scowled to herself, looking grumpily out the window. This was all getting very boring and she wasn't nearly getting the attention she deserved. She pouted, dropping her chin on a hoof before she complained: “I am the greatest actor of modern times, if not all time, and look! Look at this! What nonsense! Sitting here like some... some secondary character, waiting for my five minutes in the spotlight! This is absolutely ridiculous, this is utterly preposterous this is... this is completely unacceptable!”

Karl huffed and crossed her forelegs... and then she blinked in surprise as the lights in the cabin flickered before they went out again. The mare whimpered a little, looking worriedly back and forth as she fearfully hugged herself, the ponies around gasping and murmuring worriedly.

Karl licked her lips... and then she flinched when something touched her, slapping wildly at it. There was a yelp and a hurried apology before whoever it had been drew away, and Karl felt emboldened by this reaction as she rose her head, shouting: “That's right! I... I am Karla! You must all respect me, I am the greatest and most permanent member of this company, I am the star, I am the only person who-”

Eerie light burst through the cabin, and Karl flinched... then shrieked as she saw the phantasm from earlier was now seated beside her, grinning cruelly as it leaned in and whispered: “Then you will be the first to join us in our new, ever-after play... you can even be the star! In fact... we will not accept anything less!”

The ghostly stallion laughed loudly, beginning to raise its forelegs... and then the door at the end of the cabin banged loudly open, Twilight charging in with her horn glowing brightly. Immediately, the phantasm leapt away from Karl, laughing loudly as it whizzed through the air before smashing its way through the door at the front of the cabin and into the next set of cars with a flash of bright light.

Twilight sprinted after it, while Karl screamed and panicked, flailing wildly around in her seat as she babbled: “I'm not paid nearly enough to deal with this! Director, Director! Director, help me, there is a headhunter here literally hunting my head!”

Then Karl dropped the back of one hoof against her forehead before she gave a whimpering sigh and simply collapsed back in her seat... before ponderously sliding off and landing with a loud thud in the aisle of the train.

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments as the other ponies in the cart looked fearfully between themselves. None of them quite knew what to do with the beleaguered drag queen – a term which I use only to compliment the stallion's incredible talent for prancing and frolicking as a mare, of course, for Karl truly puts the 'queen' in drag queen – but thankfully they were saved too much worry about it, as River Styx and Marina emerged from the luggage compartment.

They made it about halfway down the cabin towards Karl before Luna charged out of the freight car, knocking the two ponies flying. She skidded to a halt in front of Karl, then leaned down and began to poke at her with her horn childishly, saying triumphantly: “There! Awaken, awaken, foul harpy, we have caught thee in the act!”

Karl stirred... then yelped and flailed at Luna, slapping at her angrily as she shouted: “Stop, stop that at once! Don't touch me, you... you wicked little ingrate!”

Luna deflected most of Karl's attacks, then she quickly caught the mare by the face, squeezing her cheeks comically together as she retorted: “Nay, I have thee! 'Tis more obvious than ever before thou art the culprit, faking another attack for the dramaticness of it all!”

Karl squawked, then squeaked when Luna flung her head backwards as the sapphire mare accused: “That is all thou cares about, is it not? The attention, the adulation, and now that we are here, we were stealing it away! So thou hatched a clever ruse, to be both victim and... victim... maker! Victimicker!”

Luna glared down at Karl, who mouthed wordlessly before her eyes blazed, and the Celestia-lookalike leapt to her hooves as she roared in indignation: “How dare you accuse me of such... such a ridiculous, stupid, absurd, and worst of all, contrived idea! I am an acteur, I am a genius, I am an artist! I am always at the center of the stage, I am the entire reason these plays succeed, I am the divine celestial godparent of this theater company and I would never stoop to such a wretched, idiotic low in order to simply have more stage time, when it is not one's time upon the stage that matters, but the amount of words written about you in the reviews!”

Karl breathed hard in and out, her eyes glaring furiously down at Luna, who glared back at her... then she suddenly stomped a hoof down and declared: “And there, there! Thou hast confirmed my suspicion, harpy! For what better way to be writ about than by sabotage, where thou can play the part of the weeping victim in distress! Victimicker! Thou victimicker!”

River Styx dropped his face in a hoof as Marina's head slowly tilted to the side, the mare mouthing wordlessly. Karl, meanwhile, twitched and shivered with rage, choking on her own words as she ground her teeth together, her whole body quaking as her teeth scraped together with a sound like cement rubbing against cement.

But before she could explode with righteous fury, Twilight Sparkle returned, frowning and carrying what looked like a paper chain with her. Luna blinked in surprise at this, cocking her head curiously as Twilight explained: “I found this. It-”

“It is a clue!” Luna snatched the paper chain away, then she rapidly pounded on it as she snapped: “'Tis made of newspaper! The very same newspaper thou wert declaring was so important to thee, the very same newspaper-”

“Oh give me that!” Karl snatched the paper chain away, scowling as she examined it... and then she flung it down with a sound of disgust, stepping backwards like it was some kind of horrible vermin that had tried to bite her. “Manehattan Weekly? I can't believe you tricked me into touching that soiled, dirty rag!”

Luna huffed loudly, and then she glanced over her shoulder in surprise as Shining Armor hurried forwards and quickly picked the paper chain up. “Hey! I think that's mine!”

Twilight glanced over at the foal... then she turned a sour look towards Luna as the sapphire mare exclaimed: “Stealing from foals now, art thou? Thou truly are the most evil Celestia we have ever met, Karl! Thou art even worse than Hecate!”

“I don't know who that is, and furthermore, I am only playing a role. Further furthermore, I am not evil, but the greatest Celestia you have ever met, for I am playing her as the ruler she was meant to be, a Celestia more Celestia than Celestia has ever been!” Karl proclaimed, one hoof on her breast and the other thrusting high into the air.

Luna began to open her mouth, but Twilight quickly covered the sapphire mare's mouth with a hoof before she turned a smile towards Shining Armor, asking gently: “Do you remember what happened to your art projects?”

“No, I just remember you saying it was a good idea, and I made a whole bunch of paper chains and stuff that we were going to put up later and then I fell asleep.” Shining Armor replied with a shake of his head, frowning down at the torn paper chain. “I hope they didn't ruin the rest of it.”

“Yes, Karl. I hope thou did not ruin the rest of this poor foal's endeavors.” Luna said acidly, glaring at the Celestia-lookalike. But Karl looked undaunted, sniffing disdainfully and crossing her forelegs with a huff.

“Oh, please. I have never and will never use props that are not made by the art department and constructed of nothing less than a polymer or artificial metal base.” Karl sniffed disdainfully, flicking a hoof off to the side with a contemptible look down at Shining Armor. “I would never deign to touch this child's playthings any more than I would deign to even take part in this... absolute trainwreck of a charade of a monster being on board.”

Luna scowled as Shining Armor shrank a little, and then River Styx said dryly: “That might not be the best phrasing.”

“I leave the phrasings to the writers, you bit-part player. I am an acteur. I am a performer!” Karl flung her forelegs wide, nearly knocking Luna over as she shouted with sudden passion: “I am the greatest, brightest star in this theater company and I will not be accused of... of... playing the pig!”

She spun around and stormed towards the next car with a huff, Luna continuing to glare suspiciously after her as River Styx frowned and Marina shifted, before the chocolate mare said hesitantly: “Luna, as much as I know you want it to be Karl... I don't think it's actually her. But if it's actually after her, maybe we should go with her...”

“Nay.” Luna said stubbornly, huffing loudly around Twilight's hoof before she licked it, the violet mare wincing and pulling her foreleg quickly back before Luna sniffed disdainfully. “I shall find more evidence! Shining Armor, come with me! The rest of thee can go and chase Karl if it suits thee... but whether I am right or wrong, the fastest way to solving this mystery is simply to throw Karl off the train.”

“Tempting, but I somehow don't think it would work very well.” muttered River Styx, before he nodded briefly and strode forwards, Marina and Twilight joining him even as the purple mare shot a moody look over her shoulder at Luna, who waved at them even as she wrinkled up her muzzle.

“Fie on thee, then, only know that when it all goes wrong, thou shall not have me to blame!” she declared, and then she spun around and tossed Shining Armor up onto her back, the foal yelping before clinging automatically into her mane as Luna stomped back towards the luggage compartment.

It wasn't very hard to find Karl, at least: not just because the train was much smaller than they remembered it being, but because in spite of the fact that Karl had only recently claimed she was not a pig, she was currently sprawled over the buffet table, ponies looking uncomfortable as she scooped up hoof-fulls of potato salad and macaroni to shove gluttonously into her mouth between wails of 'woe is me!' and 'misery, misery!'

The three looked at the mare for a few moments as Karl literally wept into the food, before she suddenly spun around, crumbs flying from her mouth and her hooves as she shoved her forelegs towards the ponies almost imploringly, crying out: “Why? Why, oh wretched fate, do you mock me so? Am I not the greatest shining star in all of Equestria? Is my art not divine, am I not both legend and fancy? Oh, cruel fates! Cruel, cruel, cruel, cruel fates! Why do you play with me?”

Karl fell of her knees, shoving her forelegs towards the sky as she glared up at the ceiling, tears rolling down her cheeks as she screamed: “Treachery! Outrage! What have I done to deserve this vengeance, this wrath? Why do you insist on tormenting me, divinities of destiny, wrenching out of my grasp again and again my birthright, my blessing; again and again, you sweep the path to destiny out from under my hooves, the path I seek only to walk with you, you all in mind!”

Karl flung a foreleg across her legs as the other shoved out to the side, the mare whispering dramatically: “Take me. Take me, damn you, take me then, expunge me and suffocate my talent, I dare you! You only do the world a disservice, though, in pursuit of your bloody vengeance! For when you strike at me, you strike not merely at a pony, a pony who has tried so hard throughout all of life to only be the very best at what this pony does for the love and laughter of the people... you strike at Equestria! You strike at the nation, and her people, and their beating throbbing pulsating hearts! Destroy me, go ahead, but know that I shall live on forever in their love and smiles, in their adoration! Not out of charity, not out of kindness, but respect, and admiration, for all I represent! Life! Liberty! Happiness! The Equestrian dream! Strike me, if you dare to strike against all these things!”

Karl flung herself forwards, the Celestia lookalike almost spasming on the ground before she shook a hoof at the ceiling of the compartment and screamed: “But I shall not be toyed with! I do not submit to you, Fates! I will not be made a fool of, I will fight, fight with every last ounce of strength in my glorious body to defy you, for I stand for freedom! I am deity, I am faith, I am monarch of all I survey and mentor and spiritual leader to my people! And my people are all ponies, all who would follow in my hoofsteps, seeking the art, the majesty, the truth of the stage! We will not be held back! We will not be stepped on! We will fight, fight, fight to be free of your wretched chains!”

Karl leapt to her hooves, thrusting her forelegs to the sky as she roared: “We will be free! We, who make our nation great, who instill and teach and strengthen the spirit, we shall be free of your shackles and oppression and violence! So strike me down if you dare, but you can do nothing, nothing to harm the truth for which I stand! We will not be silenced! We will not be stopped! We are free!”

The mare breathed hard in and out, chest heaving, her forelegs to the air. The three ponies stared in silence... and then Karl slumped before carefully adjusting her mane, muttering: “Normally I'd charge a hundred bits for a performance like that, you greedy little ponies, so stop staring at me like you deserve more than that. You're only lucky it wasn't for your benefit, but because I myself needed a small refresher. A reminder of why precisely I am the very best.”

Karl huffed loudly, and then she spun around and grabbed up a hoof full of potato salad in one hoof, opening her mouth... before scowling at this and flicking the clump of food away. “What am I doing? Nonsense!”

The Celestia lookalike picked up a cloth napkin to daintily wipe her hooves and her face... and then she tossed it away and leapt over to the dessert side of the buffet cart, greedily scooping up a hoof-full of ice cream. “You deserve this, Karla!”

She shoved the entire scoop of ice cream into her mouth, smacking her lips loudly, and River Styx grimaced as Marina stared, before the stallion muttered: “Maybe we should throw her off the train.”

“Don't encourage Luna, her ideas are never good.” Twilight grumbled, and then the purple mare shook her head before she strode up behind Karl, asking carefully: “Do you think that maybe we could ask you what happened with that ghost, Karl?”

The Celestia lookalike stiffened slightly, then she slowly turned around, narrowing her eyes dangerously at Twilight as she slowly chewed a large mouthful of rocky road ice cream. Then she swallowed – painfully, it sounded like – and leaned down, Twilight wincing back from the mare's awful breath and the drooling strings of ice cream hanging from her luscious full lips as she hissed: “Karla. Karla! Is that so hard for you all to remember? My name is Karla, especially when I am in the role of a mare! And gender neutral pronouns, feminine nouns... except actor! I am an actor, I am never an actress!” Karl halted, then straightened and tapped at her chin, muttering: “I am also handsome and beautiful. You may use feminine and masculine verbs to describe me. But don't waste your time calling me pretty! That is a disgusting word. I have no strong opinion on the word 'cute,' however.”

Twilight looked at the mare for a few moments, and then she slowly twitched, the purple mare lowering her head and taking a slow breath. Marina winced a little at this, then quickly trotted up beside her and asked: “Karla... why would anypony want to scare you?”

“Jealousy!” Karl shouted immediately, thrusting a hoof into the air above her head. “Jealousy of my superior acting skills! And jealousy of my beauty, my attributes, my talent, my profound abilities, and most of all, my passion!”

Karl shook her hoof, glaring into thin air as a bit of ice cream dripped off her muzzle, and Marina gave an awkward smile as Twilight sighed. But before the purple mare could say anything, there was a loud fizzle, and a moment later, the lights went out.

Karl immediately screamed, grabbing Marina and Twilight and choking them both as she hugged them against her body, her head snapping back and forth as she shrieked: “Not again, not again, not again! It's too soon for me to die!”

Twilight swore, kicking wildly as Marina's eyes bulged , clutching at the surprisingly-strong foreleg around her neck. River Styx, meanwhile, had lit up his horn, the stallion looking back and forth sharply... before his eyes widened as a voice whispered silkily into his ear: “Step aside. You don't want to protect her anyway, do you?”

Styx looked sharply to the side, and found himself face-to-face with the grinning phantasm. It floated eerily above the ground, chains jingling around its body, the ghoulish stallion bursting into green flames as the two looked at each other for a moment before Styx suddenly lunged.

But the phantasm only laughed loudly as River Styx passed harmlessly through it, the stallion hitting the ground with a curse before he swiftly rolled around in a circle and snapped his horn sharply out. The blast of telekinesis only distorted the ghost faintly, however, and Styx gritted his teeth before the phantasm vanished, and its voice called mockingly from across the room: “Here I am! Here I am!”

River Styx turned towards the sound, his horn glowing as he readied himself... and then something crashed down on top of him, knocking him flat against the ground. The phantasm cackled as it leapt off his body, reappearing in a burst of eldritch flame and dashing straight towards Karl, who screamed louder as she lifted Marina and Twilight in front of her like shields-

Twilight swore furiously before her horn lit up brightly, and the phantasm flinched as it was struck by a spell... which then rebounded and smashed into the three mares, knocking them sprawling back into the buffet table. They bounced and clattered over it, and the phantasm laughed loudly before it swept down, ripping one of the trays of food free before shooting over to Karl and upending it over the mare's head.

Karl howled in misery and fury beneath the hail of macaroni, before the phantasm flung the food tray down on top of her and hammered it firmly, making it ring like a bell before the ghost jeered: “You will be all ours, Karl! Just wait and see!”

“Karla!” the actor screamed, even as dropped to the ground and curled up in terror. “Leave me alone! I'm on contract, you have to talk to my agent!”

“No, we will be making a new contract with you... a new contract with you directly!” boomed the phantasm... and then the ghoul laughed loudly as Twilight dove towards him, the creature vanishing from the spot in a burst of green lightning, the purple mare wincing before she crashed into Karl. The two rolled backwards, Karl shrieking and flailing wildly at Twilight, who shouted in frustration as she shoved back at the terrified mare.

The phantasm reappeared a moment later in the middle of the room, grinning widely, its attention locked on Twilight and Karl. Its chains began to twist and turn around it as it laughed evilly, and River Styx quickly looked back and forth before he seized on a nearby chair and flung it quickly at the phantasm with telekinesis.

The chair passed harmlessly through the ghost, but it at least distracted it as it glared at Styx, who followed up with a short blast of magic, even as he prepared himself to dodge out of the way. But instead of being reflected like before, the magic passed harmlessly through the phantasm, as if it wasn't really there-

“Foul creature! There thou art!” Luna's voice shouted, and the mare burst into the buffet car a moment later, snapping her horn out and blasting the phantasm with a spell. The ghost squealed and screamed, spasming in the air before it quickly fled, and Luna chased after it, hounding it with flashes of magic and sound.

The ghost vanished through a closed door, and Luna rammed into this... and bounced stupidly off, blinking in dumb surprise as she landed with a thud on her back. A moment later, the lights flickered back on in the car, and the sapphire mare groaned as she covered her face, muttering: “Accursed spirit.”

She clambered up to her hooves, rubbing at her muzzle before she turned around and complained: “And what are all of thee doing? Twilight, look at thou, thou art a mess! 'Tis not what I expected to see from such a great wielder of the arcane as thee!”

Twilight scowled darkly as she sat up, brushing bits of food off her body before she looked moodily over at Karl, who was whimpering on the floor in the fetal position again. Marina, meanwhile, blinked and stared around from the other side of the buffet table, rubbing awkwardly at her mane before she said uneasily: “Something seems strange about that spirit-”

“Aye, 'tis clearly some contrivance of Karl's!” Luna declared, and Karl blinked before she sat up, snarling furiously over at Luna as one of her eyes twitched, but the sapphire mare was completely oblivious to this as she continued: “If we cannot throw her off the train, then I say we lock her in a closet and leave her there. 'Tis very clear the spirit is only interested in her, after all. I say let it haunt her to wherever we are going and back if it so pleases!”

Karl opened her mouth... and without looking, Twilight picked up a cloth napkin with telekinesis and shoved it quickly into the Celestia-lookalike's jaws, making her choke and splutter before the purple mare said slowly: “I think I know how to trap this creature. But I'm going to need a little bit of help from everyone.”

Luna cocked her head curiously, and Twilight smiled slightly as all eyes turned to her. “I don't think it's Karl, and I don't think it's a ghost, either. In fact, I have a pretty good idea of who's responsible for this whole mess.”

“Well, thou heard her, group. We are at thy disposal, Twilight.” Luna shrugged, looking pointedly around at the other ponies: River Styx only sighed, and Marina shrugged awkwardly herself as she picked herself up. “Tell us what thou needs, and we shall see it done.”

“Alright Luna. First, I need you to go get Shining Armor, he's important for this whole plan.” Twilight said, and Luna nodded firmly before she spun around and trotted happily out of the room. Twilight watched her until she was gone, and then she said mildly: “Marina, can you turn chocolate ice cream into solid chocolate?”

Marina looked confused by this, but she nodded slowly after a moment... and five minutes later, when Luna returned, she found Karl grumpily sitting on a large, red X, a net hanging above the actor as she scowled around at everything. The entire buffet room had been rearranged, and Luna peered curiously around at it as Shining Armor leaned over her head, the foal asking: “What's going on?”

“Oh, good, there you are! Shining Armor, come here, please. I have a special job for you.” Twilight said quickly, and the foal smiled as he hopped quickly off Luna's back, the sapphire mare following before Twilight held out a sack. “Here. These are bricks of chocolate. Later on you can eat them, but right now, I need you to wiggle into that little space under the table and tie the chocolate to the rope using one of your cadet knots. There's enough chocolate in here to serve as a counterweight for the net, which is very important. Just like it's important it all stays hidden. Once you're done, come right back here.”

Shining Armor smiled, then he took the bag of chocolate... before wincing as he almost fell over from the weight of it, wheezing a little as he began to quickly drag the heavy bag towards a low table with a tablecloth thrown over it to hide whatever mechanism Twilight had put together.

“Well, thou hast been busy.” Luna said plaintively, and Twilight smiled before Luna's eyes roved towards Shining Armor, the mare asking: “Should I help the foal? He seems to be struggling.”

“No, Shining can get it himself. Besides, we need you here, Luna, your magic seems to be the only thing that can dispel this ghost.” Twilight replied, and Luna nodded thoughtfully a few times before the purple mare pointed at Karl, explaining: “When the ghost goes to chase Karl, all she has to do is jump out of the way and it'll get caught in the net. I've enchanted the net so it will hopefully catch ethereal entities, but of course, we won't know for sure until we try. River Styx will be waiting to set off the trap, and Marina is by the door, in case it tries to escape. She has a net, too, just in case.”

“'Tis very wise, Twilight Sparkle. I am sure this will work.” Luna said empathetically, and then she added mildly: “Although my idea is still better. Why have we not simply gotten rid of Karl?”

Twilight sighed, then gestured at Luna to follow, and the two slipped behind the buffet table, hiding from view. The other civilian and generally-existing-only-as-background-filler ponies had already been ushered out of the car, so after Shining Armor joined them, the car was silent and empty except for Karl, who was looking miserable in the middle of the floor. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for the ghost to strike...

And only a few minutes later, there was a loud fizzling before the lights went out. Twilight grimaced, leaning quickly over the buffet cart as Shining Armor whimpered, and then the purple mare whispered: “Luna, see if you can get a better angle, I'll stay here with Shining Armor!”

“Yes, certainly!” Luna hopped away through the darkness, and for almost a minute, the only sound was the whimpering of Karl and the breathing of ponies. And then, all of a sudden, there was a flare of green light and a wicked laugh, Karl screaming as the phantasm appeared next to her, the ghoul reaching for her as it hissed: “Now, you will be mine!”

Karl screamed louder, falling over and flailing wildly at the air as the phantasm loomed over her... and then it looked up in surprise as there was a loud click before the net fell from the ceiling. But this only passed harmlessly through the phantasm and instead landed on Karl, who shrieked louder and convulsed helplessly beneath the netting.

The monster laughed loudly, then looked back and forth, shouting: “Fools! You cannot hope to catch me, I am-”

“Now!” Twilight shouted, and the phantasm looked surprised for a moment before there was a tremendous thump, and the ghost blinked before simply whiffing out of existence as a series of frustrated yells rose up.

Twilight smiled in victory after a moment, straightening as Shining Armor looked up in surprise. River Styx and Marina were both standing by the low table, where the 'ghost' had its rump in the air and its head trapped inside a heavy sack that was stuck beneath the furnishing, large hindquarters wiggling helplessly back and forth as it uselessly tried to pull its head free.

The purple mare strode over to the ghost, her horn glowing and lifting the heavy table so she could shove the mysterious phantasm down into the floor, then slide it carefully beneath the narrow legs that it had gotten its sack-covered head stuck between. She forcefully sat the ghost back, then grabbed the sack and yanked it off, revealing a glowering, cheap plastic mask.

Twilight grasped this, and tore it off to a collective gasp from the audience, before Karl shouted in astonishment from where she was still trapped beneath the net: “Luna?”

Luna scowled horribly, chocolate smeared all over her muzzle, her expression terrible and childish as she crossed her forelegs. River Styx only sighed, and Marina mouthed wordlessly as Twilight said dryly: “Seriously, who else was it going to be? Luna is the only one stupid enough to try and pull this off. Luna is also the only one here who happens to be a master of illusion magic-”

“And disguise!” Luna shouted, thrusting up her forelegs and giving everyone present a full view of her 'costume:' torn black garbage bags and Shining Armor's paper chains. And who really knew where she'd dredged up that ugly mask from? “Aye, 'twas I all along! I did it to get rid of Karl! And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for thee, meddling foals!”

“Actually, it was your gluttony that undid you. I knew that you wouldn't be able to resist a giant bag full of chocolate, and figured that while you tried to distract us with the ghost illusion, you'd sneak over here and stuff your face.” Twilight said mildly, pointing at the sack full of bricks of chocolate, and Luna huffed even as she blushed and hurriedly scrubbed at her features. “And I mean, seriously, did you really think that was my actual trap? A giant red X on the floor? A net, hanging from the ceiling, with River Styx sitting literally ten feet away holding on to a pull rope? You set the trap off yourself when you undid it from the bag of chocolate, that was how I knew you were over here in the first place and to drop the table on you.”

Luna huffed loudly, and Karl wiggled under the net before she screamed: “You mean you set me up? You all set me up? You are monsters! You are all monsters!”

“For once I agree! Damnation, Karl, all I desired was to see thee flung off a train, is that truly so much to ask?” Luna complained, and then she sniffed loudly before grabbing the bag of chocolate, yanking a brick out of it and chewing loudly on it before she grinned up at Twilight Sparkle, saying mildly: “And 'tis rather disappointing, really. Some great brain thou art. If thou knew it was me all along, why subterfuge, why the game? Thou art sick, Twilight Sparkle. Thou art sick.”

Twilight scowled at the sapphire mare, who looked back at her before she shrugged easily and grinned around at River Styx and Marina, asking cheerfully: “But at least 'twas fun, was it not? Now, unhoof me and we shall continue on our way. Let us leave Karl in the net, though. This is all Karl's fault.”

“Actually...” Twilight looked at Luna and Luna frowned before she slowly turned to look at Twilight Sparkle... and then the sapphire mare gave a weak grin as a small, dangerous smile bridged Twilight's lips.

A few moments later, the side door of the buffet car was booted open and Luna was thrown out of the speeding train, the mare yelling wildly and flailing in all directions before she landed in a bank of snow with a puff of white powder.

Inside the car, Twilight slammed the door before she wiped her hooves off, all eyes staring at her before River Styx said meditatively: “I think I misjudged you when we first met.”

“You can be a little scary.” Marina agreed as Shining Armor nodded fervently, and Twilight smiled and shrugged, but she seemed oddly pleased by this remark before she turned and strode over to Karl.

With a flick of her horn, she lifted the shoddy net off the actor, and the Celestia-lookalike hopped up to her hooves and brushed herself off, sniffing loudly before she said grumpily: “Well, while I'm very happy to see that idiot ejected from the stage, I have to say, it was very, very rude of you to use me, me, an A-list actress, a supreme talent, to-”

“Do you want to go check on Luna for me?” Twilight asked pointedly, and Karl winced a bit at what this implied, even the ever-brilliant mind of the A-lister able to figure out what Twilight meant. “Then please go sit down, Karl. After we get Scrivy, we can... well...”

Twilight frowned a little: she wasn't exactly sure what they were going to do then. She bit her lip for a moment, then turned towards the others, asking curiously: “Marina, Styx, do either of you know anything about transdimensional magic?”

The two looked at each other for a moment, and then River Styx shrugged before he said finally: “I've read theories on it. That's about it.”

“Discord showed me a different world before. But I'm certainly no Draconequus, and even if I could mimic his magic, I'm not nearly powerful enough to open any kind of rift in reality.” Marina added, shaking her head briefly.

“I do, I do!” Karl blurted, and Twilight frowned as she looked over her shoulder at the mare, who was waving her hoof wildly back and forth above her head and looking proud of herself before she declared: “I've seen the Critic do it many times backstage! Between plays, he and...” Karl shivered a little, looking nervously back and forth. “And the... chief backer of our little troupe, I suppose you would call him... they open all sorts of portals. Sometimes they send ponies home, other times they bring things here. Things that we need that the Draconequus can't produce themselves. Theater is very expensive, you know.”

“Do you know where we are? Are we in Ginnungagap?” Twilight asked, and Karl looked blank. Neither Styx nor Marina were quite familiar with the term, either... and after a moment, the purple mare grimaced before asking again: “Are we near where the Draconequus come from?”

“No, no. We're not in... Ginny's or whatever it's called or wherever the Draconequus come from. We're...” Karl bit her lip thoughtfully, tapping her front hooves together. “Oh, how did the last Director explain it to me... he said that there are a thousand little pockets like this throughout the universe. Spaces between spaces that aren't filled with space, something silly and poetic like that. He said that because we're not quite in one realm and not quite in another, that's why we don't get tired or need to eat, because the laws of physics don't apply. We can just act, act forever! Isn't that wonderful?”

Karl sighed dreamily, swaying back and forth before she smiled brightly and tapped her own horn, adding proudly: “And this place, wherever we are, amplifies our natural abilities! Or at least so long as the Narrator and the Director agree. We actors, sadly, do have to listen to the theater company... although of course they can't stop us from performing whatever we want in front of the audience when the time is right!”

Karl laughed loudly, and Twilight frowned a little before she stretched out her wings, looking back at them and studying them silently for a few moments. Then she closed her eyes and took a slow breath, concentrating...

For a moment, she shivered... and then Marina could swear that she saw her body waver in and out of reality, like there was something else there, something trying to take form-

The Director appeared out of thin air, tackling Twilight to the ground and knocking her flat with a squawk as he slapped at her wildly, babbling: “Nononono! Don't do that, don't do that! You'll get the attention of The Redacted and then we'll all end up in trouble!”

Twilight blinked stupidly up at the Director, who wheezed in relief as he looked down at the perfectly-normal winged unicorn and she looked back up at him... before Karl singsonged loudly: “Director! I am ready to be given my next leading role!”

“Oh my god why didn't I just let you get us all killed.” the Director mumbled, and then he sighed tiredly before he climbed off Twilight, turning around and looking at Karl for a few moments before he rubbed slowly at his face. “Karl, I... I don't have any roles for you to fill right now that suit your... uh...”

“Majesty!” Karl supplied with a smile.

“Majesty. Yes.” the Director said tiredly, and then he frowned a bit before he looked around, asking: “Did we lose an actor?”

Twilight looked quickly around, and then she smiled as she saw Shining Armor had simply curled up on the floor, likely exhausted again from all the excitement. “No, he's right there, see? But I should be keeping a better eye on-”

“No, I mean the idiot. Luna Brynhild.” the Director said absently... and then he winced and slapped his hooves over his muzzle before he swore furiously into them, paling as his eyes flicked wildly back and forth.

Twilight looked with surprise at the Director, opening her mouth... and then a window exploded in a hail of glass and shrapnel, Styx wincing and immediately snapping his horn up to create a barrier in front of himself and Marina as Twilight shielded herself and Shining.

Fortunately, it wasn't the terrible tentacles of The Redacted lashing in to viciously punish and prosecute the Director for his misstep, but instead Luna, who hammered into the Director and shoved a hoof down into his face, grinning widely as she declared: “Yes, that is my name! Brynhild! Oh, it feels good to say again!”

The Director stared up at the mare, and then he slowly reached up and covered his face, because really, it was actually terribly unfortunate that it was this monster, who was far more terrible than the evils of The Redacted with her endless prattling and rambling and mockery.

“Oh, silence, Narrator, I am very pleasant.” Luna complained, and then she shook herself briskly out, snowy powder and little pieces of glass hailing off her as she added: “Also, I took the liberty to peek ahead, and there seems to be some great tower in the distance. 'Tis not at all what I expected. It looks like some sort of keep.”

“Ooh, a castle must have a ruler! I demand to be made the ruler of the castle, Director, that sounds like an excellent role for me!” Karl exclaimed immediately, waving a hoof back and forth before she scowled suddenly, adding moodily: “And I think that it is only fitting you honor this one request after the nonsense I have been forced to go through in the company of this... this cretin! Director, I want to discuss a complaint I have about these... these amateurs, and in particular, this one hack.”

Luna huffed loudly at this, the two glaring at each other before the sapphire mare rose a hoof and threatened: “Aye, I shall hack. I shall hack thee. My hoof shall hack thy face when it makes it hoof party in thy face's house.”

“God why do you have to have a catchphrase?” the Director groaned, grabbing at his head before he sluggishly clambered to his hooves, the Draconequus' dragon tail flicking back and forth as he visibly weighed his options with both Luna and Karl glaring at him and each other.

Finally, the stallion said tiredly: “Alright, Karl. Come with me, let's get you set up in your... new role... and of course you can discuss all your problems with me. Every single one you have. With everything. Since I know you must have all kinds of complaints.”

“Oh, I do. I do indeed.” Karl rose her head high, adding contritely: “And on top of that list is that I am Karla, Director! Karla! Gender neutral pronouns, feminine nouns, and-”

“And don't forget the butter. Yes.” the Director mumbled miserably, visibly deflating further before he looked grumpily over at Luna Brynhild. “Please keep yourself entertained for ten minutes.”

“Then Scrivy?” Luna asked, as Twilight looked up as well.

“Then Scrivy.” the Director confirmed, before he looked at Marina and Styx and Shining Armor. He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to tell them something, something important... but then Karl tapped impatiently on his shoulder, the actor d'el excellence clearing her throat loudly, and the Director only sighed tiredly and grumbled: “Good luck.”

With that, the Draconequus turned and grasped Karl by the foreleg before they both simply vanished from sight, and Luna smiled wryly as she traded a look with Twilight Sparkle, only glad that it finally felt like they were going somewhere... and the mare more pleased than she could say that once again, she was finally able to speak her own name.

Dungeons And Dragons

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Author's Notes:

You can contribute to charity and modify the course of this story by donating HERE and sending me a private message here on FIMFiction detailing what you'd like to see next. Anything goes, and all you have to do is give a one-time donation of any amount. The larger the donation, the more detail goes into your idea and the larger the effect it has on the story.
Example: "Include a feisty cabaret scene.." Well if you give me a dollar I'll add in a few paragraphs about dancing and then get back to business. If you give me ten dollars I would probably derail the story for a chapter and make Scrivener and Twilight argue about the book written by Christopher Isherwood, and then have Karl lead them all, including a sulky Luna, on some amusing dramatic musicky schtick. Ultimately I won't make the entire story into a musical because I did that before and it all went horribly horribly wrong but I can totally add in dancing and singing.
I swear this time it won't end in everyone dying. Probably.
So please donate. Your time, money, and ideas are all very much appreciated.

Chapter Five: Dungeons And Dragons
~BlackRoseRaven

The train chugged steadily onward towards the tower in the distance, while Luna leaned meditatively in the window, her expression a mix of irritation and quiet concern. Twilight could understand why: usually they could sense each other, but in this case, they couldn't feel Scrivener's presence at all... and while any place was probably better than North Neigh, an ominous-looking tower wasn't precisely where they had wanted to find Scrivener Blooms.

“'Tis probably some great and stupid metaphor.” Luna grumbled, which was quite a surprisingly intelligent thought from a mare who generally spent all her time punching things and making fun of other ponies. “Well, aye, I do have my moments of braininess. 'Tis not often, but one cannot always count on Scrivy nor Twilight to make intelligent decisions. Both can be very foolish.”

Twilight looked sourly at Luna, as Marina awkwardly cleared her throat and River Styx only grunted. Shiny was asleep in a seat a few rows down under an oversized sweater they had found in the luggage compartment, and Luna softened a little as she turned her eyes towards the foal before she said quietly: “He will not like it, but I think 'tis best if we leave him here while we explore the tower. Do all of thee agree?”

Marina frowned a bit as River Styx looked up in half-hidden surprise, and Twilight hesitated... but then finally nodded, and the others seemed to agree to let the purple mare speak for all of them when she said quietly: “It seems safe enough here on the train. Besides, the Director doesn't seem... malicious. I think the play is more focused on us, it seems like Shiny...”

“Aye, he is...” Luna couldn't think of the words, so instead she simply looked at Twilight, who smiled in agreement after a moment and nodded. The two studied each other silently, and then Twilight blushed a bit and Luna chuckled before she slid a foreleg around the mare, gazing at her tenderly.

River Styx only rolled his eyes as his genet chirped on his head, while Marina smiled a little. The silence spiraled out, but it was not completely uncomfortable as Twilight closed her eyes, even as she shifted a little closer to Luna... but after a few moments, the peaceful interlude was interrupted by the faint squealing of metal on metal, and the rumbles increased before the train finally slowed to a halt with a gasp, as if it were a living thing, as if-

“Enough, Narrator.” complained an all-too-familiar voice as the exit door slid open, the Director poking his head in through this. He looked exhausted, rubbing slowly at his face before he gestured a few times with a hoof, mumbling: “Come on, come on. Magic hour, and all that...”

“'Tis not the witching hour. 'Tis more like dawn.” Luna grumbled, glancing out the window, but when the others left, she followed after them without further complaint. She paused beside Shiny, however, as the others filed to the doorway, then peered back and forth before quickly tucking the little foal in, then hurrying out after the others.

She hopped out onto the empty train platform, which was little more than a wide concrete block... and her eyes widened as they locked immediately on a large table set up under a suspended tarp, where the Director was explaining to the other 'actors' of the play: “-so help yourselves because union rules say this is the only time I have to feed you, and-”

Luna barreled towards the table, seizing a carafe of coffee before she upturned it over her mouth, guzzling down the black liquid greedily. Her eyes bulged after a moment, and she turned and spat violently several times as Marina mouthed wordlessly and River Styx dropped his face in a hoof, before the sapphire mare blurted, ignoring the fact her mouth was steaming from the heat: “This is not coffee!”

“It's decaf.” the Director said tiredly. Luna glared at him, then her eyes locked on the paper cup in the Director's hoof, but the Draconequus immediately stood on his hind hooves and glared at her balefully, holding the coffee cup out of reach. “Oh, no no no! This is mine! There's plenty for you right there, in that big keg right there!”

Luna moodily glanced towards the large, silver barrel-shaped object, and Twilight sighed as she strode over, already picking up paper cups with telekinesis. “I'll get it for you. Marina, River, do you want a cup, too? And maybe we should wake Shiny up after all...”

“The foal will be taken care of, craft services will do something nice for him. Child labor laws and all that.” grumbled the Director, as he settled back down and sipped at his coffee, the stallion looking grouchily over them before he sighed and gestured towards the tower in the distance. It was massive and terrifying, made of heavy, smooth black brick and with what looked like a single balcony high above. “Alright. Here's what we're doing.

“Up at the top of this tower is Scrivener Blooms. We don't really have the budget for an expansive set, so... expect a lot of stairs and a few...” The Director shifted a little, tilting a hoof back and forth. “Slight modification of space and physics. Possibly also time as well, but we'll see how that goes.”

Luna scowled, even as she picked up a cookie from the table and shoved the entire thing into her muzzle, chewing loudly. River Styx, meanwhile, had only accepted a cup from Twilight, sipping slowly at his coffee before he asked: “Why don't Twilight and Luna just fly up and get him?”

Luna brightened at this, and the Director groaned before he looked up and shouted: “Narrator, if you would?”

Just as Luna began to ready herself to leap into the air, there was a terrible crackle of lighting, great and ominous streaks of electricity rending the air asunder all around the tower. They bounced and crackled over the black stone in great flashes as the sky itself seemed to rumble with laughter, like the air above was mocking them, daring them to leap into the great and terrible bug-zapper of clouds, where they would surely be fried like insects within the endless nettling of-

“Yes. We get it.” the Director said sourly, glaring at the sky. Which was a mistake, as this apparently hurt the sky's feelings, and it immediately retaliated with a blast of lightning that hammered down into the poor dragon-tailed pony.

The Director howled as electricity sparked over his body, jittering backwards before he fell over with a thump, smoldering faintly as one leg kicked in the air and his coffee cup, alas, rolled out of his hoof and off the edge of the platform, spilling its contents as it went, leaving a sad trail of sweet-smelling blood behind it thanks to the fact that the Director had put enough milk and sugar in it to bake a cake.

Luna strode over to the Director, then leaned down and began to poke at him with her horn. The Director only twitched a few times, and Marina winced before she asked hesitantly: “Is he okay?”

“No, he is not.” Luna said cheerfully, and then she turned around and trotted back to the table, picking up various sweets and cookies and candies to shove quickly into her mane as the others stared at her, and Twilight rolled her eyes before walking over to the Draconequus to study him nervously.

“He's unconscious, that's all.” Twilight said after a moment, even as she reached down to carefully take the Draconequus' pulse. “Feels... normal, from what I can tell. His magic is a little strange, though... I mean, not Draconequus strange, but-”

The Director's eyes snapped open, and he wheezed and flailed wildly at Twilight, making the purple mare wince as she staggered away from him before he blurted: “No... touching! All of you, that... break is over! Narrator, set the scene!”

Luna began to open her mouth... but then she and her allies were whisked away, finding themselves suddenly in front of a massive pair of double doors that led into the ominous tower. Here within the tower was their prize: Scrivener Blooms, the Marquise that had been captured by the evil Lord Karl for his nefarious... nefarity.

“'Tis quite an epic opening.” Luna Brynhild remarked mildly. “Thou sounds as if thou hast had lessons in thy craft from Scrivy himself.”

Yes, she was mouthy and irritating, but by both folly and fortune, Luna Brynhild had become the leader of this party, and had sworn that come hell or high water, she would rescue Scrivener Blooms. She was outfitted in the splendid white armor of the Moon Knights, a great and secret order that drew upon the might of the moon. And upon her back was holstered her fearsome sword, the enchanted Cutstorm, while at her side hung the mighty hammer of the thunder god, Thornar.

Luna blinked in surprise as the armor appeared over her body, so polished it was almost painful to the eyes. And she was not alone in receiving such surprising gifts, either, she saw, when she looked over her shoulder.

For no, she did not venture alone! There, was Twilight Morgan, Second Horn of the Order of Shadows, dressed in the robes of the cunning and cruel deity Dementor, He Of Dark Watchful Eyes. Around her neck hung the Mind of Throg'ull, an eerie green ruby that allowed for communication with the spirits who roamed the Aethermist.

“I'm pretty sure that just makes it an emerald.” Twilight mumbled, as she awkwardly lifted the gemstone by the golden chain, her heavy, flowing robes billowing around her as she shifted uncomfortably. “Also I don't know how I'm supposed to move in these.”

The might of these two ponies was supplemented further by the noble skillmaster, River Styx. For he was not merely a multiclass rogue, as his simple if stylish leather armor would have you believe. River Styx was no master of any craft, but instead had learned a little of everything, and was twice the thief any of the other ponies would ever be, with his trusty lockpicks supplemented by both magic and his inestimable animal companion, who was dressed rather cutely in his own matching armor and little cap.

The genet chirped happily on River Styx's fedora-covered head, as the stallion scowled horribly, glaring straight ahead at the doors from beneath the brim of the worn hat. “Let's just get this over with.”

And last, but not least, of course, was their tracker and master – or mistress, one should say – of the wildlands, who was capable of channeling the spirits of beasts and mimicking the powers of her foes. The druid of Audumbla, Marina, in her mighty raiment of animal hides, belts studded with magical and natural gemstones wrapped about her limbs and the sacred stone known as Kolkameth's Eye hanging around her neck, glowing supernaturally with a supernatural blue glow.

Marina smiled lamely as she shifted a little, glancing down for a moment before she winced as she reached up and nervously rubbed a hoof through her mane, asking awkwardly: “Why is there hay in my mane?”

The only possible answer to Marina's question was clearly because nature. But one would think that such a high-level druid would know that already.

The chocolate mare grimaced and hurriedly brushed some of the offending straw out of her mane, while Luna flexed lightly, hopping back and forth in her armor before she complained: “'Tis all loose and showy! And heavy, damnation, what a mess thou hast made... worse yet, look at me! I am as polished and blocky as Celestia's rump!”

But in spite of her complaints, as a righteous and ardent knight, all the same Luna would bear through these trivial insecurities in order to achieve her objective, which was to rescue the Marquise after defeating the evil Lord Karl.

Luna perked up slightly at this, halting in pawing at the uncomfortable armor to ask with interest: “And is Karl aware of this?”

At the moment, the terrible Lord Karl was not aware of their ingress upon his lair, although he is certainly making preparations for visitors later in the evening. Their only hope is to ambush the fearsome Lord Karl before he has time to prepare his evil rituals, which will surely grant him the powers he needs to defeat these four brave heroes, the last hope to save Marquise Blooms from becoming a virgin sacrifice.

“Thou insults me! I have left no part of Scrivener Blooms untouched and unmolested!” Luna declared loudly, and she flicked her horn forwards, unsheathing her sword in a violent swing as Twilight winced backwards and River Styx leaned away, Marina staring as Luna swung her sword back and forth with a distinct lack of skill. “Now, open these doors, Narrator! Reveal the way forth or I shall batter them down with my rage and splendor!”

“Luna, maybe you should put down the sword. We've been over this in the past.” Twilight said awkwardly, but Luna only huffed as she spun the sword at her side with telekinesis before thrusting it back towards Twilight, grinning as she made the blade halt only a few inches from the purple mare's face.

“See? I am perfectly in control.” Luna proclaimed, and then she spun back towards the door, spinning the sword rapidly on either side of her-

The blade clanged loudly against the ground, and Luna flinched and accidentally flung the sword into the doors with telekinesis, creating another tremendous bang before the sword fell to the ground with a rattling clamor. An awkward silence fell for a moment as Twilight sighed tiredly and River Styx looked up towards the sky for patience.

Luna carefully picked up her sword with telekinesis, guiding it awkwardly to the sheath on her back as she gave an embarrassed grin over her shoulder. Then she cleared her throat as she looked pointedly ahead, saying awkwardly: “Well, onward then. We should... cease wasting time.”

As if in agreement with her, the doors in front of the four ponies rumbled loudly before swinging slowly, ominously open with a gasp of cold mist, almost like the tower was inviting them inside to the firelit halls within, as if it was challenging these four intrepid adventurers to venture into the unknown and perilous innards of-

Luna trotted across the threshold impatiently, huffing loudly as she complained: “'Tis almost not even worthwhile to try and save Scrivener Blooms at this rate. We shall be enduring a dungeon of endless prattle, for what reward? More complaining and whining!”

She paused, then added thoughtfully: “But, on the other hoof, once we save Scrivy, 'twill vex him terribly to have been saved by a group of mares and... aye, I suppose thou art a stallion, or close enough, River Styx. Not quite so great a stallion as I, of course, but still.”

River Styx looked sourly at Luna as the genet on his head rubbed soothingly at one of the stallion's ears. Luna only winked at him, then spun around and strode forwards, boldly leading the way into the tower as her companions followed.

The moment they were inside, the mighty doors swung closed behind them, slamming with an ominous bang. Luna paused and frowned, surveying the entrance hall: there were large doors on either side of the wide room, and twin staircases that spiraled around one-another in a helix of white and black stone, apparently leading upwards to the next floor.

The winged unicorn walked over plush carpet, scowling at the feel of it beneath her hooves as Twilight surveyed the suits of armor and gorgeous décor that hung from the walls. The purple mare grimaced a bit after a moment as she noted there were portraits of the same pony in different poses everywhere: she would not be wrong if she guessed that was Karl and his ego at work. “Is that what Karl actually looks like?”

“He looks like a froof.” Luna said mildly, glancing at a grinning portrait of a stallion with a slicked-back mane who would clearly describe himself as 'roguish.' She stopped in front of the twin staircases, studying them meditatively before she glanced over her shoulder, saying thoughtfully: “And this is far too easy. Check the doors.”

Marina and Twilight traded looks, then the mares strode to the double doors on either side of the room as River Styx approached the stairs. His horn glowed slightly as he drew his eyes quickly along the steps, before he muttered: “Feels like a trap, but I can't find the trigger.”

Luna grunted, glancing over at the stallion before she replied: “Aye, 'tis likely a hidden line of runes upon the stairs themselves, 'twill not activate until we pass it. But perhaps, skillful rogue, thy abilities shall come in useful and thou can disable this when we come upon it.”

River Styx scowled at Luna, but the sapphire mare only grinned before she suddenly reached up and slapped the stallion on the shoulder, making him wince. “Thou art too serious! Aye, thou could learn a thing or two from my handsome brother, Styx, about letting go and laughter. I am only teasing.”

The stallion grunted at her as the genet chirped on his head, before Styx said: “You know, you always seem to be teasing or making some bad joke or-”

“Aye, yes, I am.” Luna interrupted, before she shrugged and said mildly: “I find there are two things in life I am very good at. One is being obnoxious and 'free-spirited,' as Twilight kindly puts it. The other is pummeling and killing whatever happens to irk me at the time. Which side of me would thou prefer to be on display?”

River's genet shrank back a little on his head as the unicorn looked at the sapphire mare for a few moments, but he was spared having to try and answer by Twilight and Marina returning, the purple unicorn saying: “They're either cemented shut or not actually doors. There's nowhere to go but up.”

Luna grunted thoughtfully at this, and then she said meditatively: “Very well. Styx, Twilight, thou shall both take point, so I do not 'set off the trap by accident with mine clumsy stupid hooves,' Twilight.” The sapphire mare looked pointedly at the purple pony, but Twilight only looked dryly back at her. “Marina, thou shall walk with me and I shall do my best not to lick thee too much.”

Marina winced slightly at this, but she gave Luna an awkward smile. She was saved the trouble of responding to Luna's leering by a strange rumble from above, however, which the ponies feared may mean that the evil Lord Karl had awakened from his eternal slumber.

“I thought thou said Karl was primping and preening? And if Karl is responsible for capturing Scrivy in this play, then how could he have been sleeping? Even I cannot sleep-kidnap.” Luna scoffed, before she looked thoughtfully over at Twilight. “Well... I do not believe that I can. Although perhaps in the past I did not wake up with strange ponies because I was drunk, but rather because-”

“Okay Luna, shut up now.” Twilight said in an admirably patient tone, and Luna huffed at her loudly before Twilight started up one set of steps, and River Styx automatically began up the other side of the helix. Marina quickly followed after River, while Luna grumbled and trotted after Twilight.

They walked, up and up and ever upward. The stairs seemed endless, the helix curling back and forth and their hoofsteps echoing through the long, endless shaft of brick they had entered into, as these intrepid heroes plodded ever onward, higher and higher and higher-

Luna groaned loudly, and River Styx grumbled his agreement as they continued up the endless flight of stairs. Marina sighed, while Twilight only focused ahead, apparently oblivious and completely immune to the boring monotony of stair after stair after stair... “This is ridiculous.”

It was perhaps a little silly that they had spent all these minutes climbing, yes: but sadly, as they had already been warned, the budget was a little too sparse to account for a major set, and so instead they were forced to make due with repetitive stages like this used over and over again. Although you'd think a group of adventurers like themselves would appreciate the fact that they weren't being forced to locate their way through a frustrating labyrinth devoid of save points.

After about ten more minutes – or countless decades of torment!, according to Luna – the bold and brave group of adventurers reached the end of the staircase. But River Styx and Twilight both immediately halted as they noted the trap waiting for them just in front of the landing: a line of malicious-looking runes. Fortunately, they were easy to see, and River Styx easily passed the perception check needed to find them, while Twilight had far too many skill points invested into trivial knowledge so she was able to tell everyone just what they were in her know-it-all voice.

“It's a trap.” Twilight said sourly, one of her eyes twitching slightly. And even though these valiant rebels were not dashing headlong into a fully-operational battle station and she did not bear the rank of admiral, she was very much in the right.

The purple mare gave a sigh as Luna giggled, and Marina and River Styx simply traded looks, before the stallion suggested: “If they're proximity runes, we can confuse them out by overcharging them with magic. The runes won't be able to detect us passing over them through the layers of energy.”

“Energy confusion. Good idea... there's a trigger rune built-in, so no, Luna, smashing them will just set the alarm off.” Twilight added, and Luna grumbled but nodded grudgingly. “Alright, let's try it.”

Styx nodded, and the two lowered their heads, concentrating on the lines of runes. After a moment, the runes lit up with magic energies, and Styx jerked his head quickly to Marina, the chocolate mare hurrying forwards and passing harmlessly over the line as Luna leapfrogged Twilight and landed safely on the landing herself.

Styx and Twilight both hurried past a moment later themselves, their horns losing their respective glows as they ceased to concentrate. And after a few moments, the glow faded quickly from the runes, which sparked faintly, as if aware they had been deceived.

Luna hopped quickly up the ladder to shove open the trapdoor at the top, pushing her way boldly into the room above before her eyes widened as they roved through a treasure trove that was filled with piles of gold and gemstones and precious materials. Yes, she knew immediately that they had just discovered the riches of the Marquise, which had been stolen along with their owner.

Luna leapt up into the room, and immediately halted as she stared at a picture on the wall, before she began to giggle. As the other ponies emerged, they looked first at Luna, then followed her gaze to the wall... and even River Styx couldn't help but crack a small smile.

It was a portrait of Scrivener Blooms... except the stallion was dressed in a bright, flowing white dress, his mane coiffed and curled and garnished with pretty red roses. The portrait was exceptionally sullen, which strangely only worked to accent his serious but effeminate pose.

“Oh, Scrivy. What a mare I have taken for my husband.” Luna said with relish, shaking her head before she posed proudly, winking over at Twilight. “And am I not the perfect, noble stallion knight to rush in and save this handsome fool?”

Twilight only shook her head in amusement, and then she looked upwards, pointing towards a balcony made easily accessible by an enormous mound of gold and trinkets piled up along the wall beside it. “It looks like we might be able to climb up there.”

Luna grunted, giving a quick nod of agreement as Marina hesitantly strode over to the pile of coins, poking it with a hoof. “It seems... surprisingly solid.”

Marina was right: as the ponies made their way up the pile of junk and treasure, why, it seemed very much as if this helpfully-placed mound of gold had been fused together under the sheer weight of its own richness. Or, as was more likely considering their limited budget and the legendary cheapness of the props department, it was probably old discarded junk covered in the wrappers of chocolate coins. But none of the ponies were going to look this gift horse in the mouth, puns notwithstanding.

The door led to another long brick hallway that was lined with torches, their flickering light making the shadows throughout this ominous hall dance and twist-

“Um. What shadows?” Twilight asked, looking awkwardly down the hallway, which admittedly was quite bright for an ominous hallway thanks to the fact there were far too many torches mounted on the walls.

Luna trotted into the hallway, leading the way as always, fearless of the bright and yet somehow melancholy corridor. River Styx followed, with Twilight and Marina bringing up the rear, the chocolate mare frowning a little as she said quietly: “It feels like it's getting warmer.”

River Styx nodded in agreement, and Luna grunted, gesturing forwards with her horn. “Aye, there is a foul wind coming from ahead. Perhaps 'tis where Karl awaits. 'Twill be very fun to have an excuse to make it hoof party in Karl's face's house.”

Twilight sighed tiredly, but she had no real argument at the moment: after all, it sounded like they would have to fight their way through Karl in order to get to Scrivener, after all. And oh, such a glorious and kind heart she had to want to offer the terrible Lord Karl such kindness, such a chance at redemption, but the battlemage should have known by now that there was nothing but darkness in the heart of their foe, and naught but greed in Karl's evil, scheming mind! Oh, as wonderful, as noble as her intentions were, still, they were also naive; naive, even foolish to think that a terrible tyrant such as Karl could be healed by the waters of mercy, and it was folly to think-

“I get it.” Twilight said sourly, looking up at the ceiling before she turned her eyes back down the tunnel, adding in a mutter: “Also, what kind of tyrant lives in a tower that's all staircases and hallways?

Twilight's answer was clearly the kind of tyrant who enjoyed making his opponents walk long and difficult journeys, and the kind of tyrant who had very little money to spend on set design and amateurs working in his props department.

“Are there actually other Draconequus or ponies at work here? You mentioned those ponies we saw... keep the machinery going somehow, but...” Marina looked awkwardly up at the ceiling, smiling lamely. “It just seems like you usually create whatever you want out of thin air.”

This was admittedly an interesting question and conundrum, and perhaps it did deserve a proper explanation, which was never quite given. Draconequus, after all, are not really all that self-sustaining: if there's chaos all around but no one there to see it, is it really chaos? Order can sit quietly just fine on its own, but chaos requires movement and interaction; for best results, add one cup of sentient life and understanding. Otherwise, chaos becomes the norm, the every-day, the simple, and that of course is the first step to utterly destroying it.

In this world, the Draconequus are both the most and least powerful: they compose the world and the plays, but they cannot put on such plays by themselves. Even should they create puppets and golems to cavort for them, that is not the same as real life, life that comes from outside the chaos. So they were lonely, lost, and starving: able to create chaos but unable to affect or effect, they were slowly dying in this little bubble of reality.

They knew, of course, they were being watched. But they did not understand by who and how much, not until Plutocrat arrived with his promises and his powers. Oh, certainly, they knew he was evil, and that they shouldn't trust him, especially because such rich backers rarely fund theater companies like ours with pure intentions...

But it seems that when our noble watchers are happy, then so is the creature that Plutocrat brought with him, the beast we call The Redacted. And that, colt and fillies, is why we Draconequus work so hard to do the very best that we can do, and to be the very best that we can be. That is why we fight to please the audience, and why we must be so rough on our actors, and why, if the actors cannot act, we hurry to add them to other parts of the cast, where their varied talents will help us establish even greater sets and plots.

There was silence at these revelations for a few moments, as the ponies continued forwards... and then, out of nowhere, Luna giggled a little before she blurted: “Plots.”

Twilight looked away as if embarrassed, while Marina and River Styx both stared at Luna before the genet on the stallion's head slowly dropped his face into his little front paws. Luna giggled for a moment longer, but then harrumphed several times before looking ahead, saying quickly in a more serious voice: “Well, we shall fetch Scrivy, and then we shall see to dealing with the horrors of this world. Idiot Draconequus, if thou requires me to pummel something thou should just ask.”

As noble as Luna's intentions were, she failed to realize that not every problem can be solved simply by punching it-

Luna huffed loudly at this in such a way that seemed to interrupt the very flow of space and time itself, before she complained in her ever-obnoxious, too-loud, how-could-anyone-possibly-love-you voice: “Thou art an idiot. Nay, all things can be solved by pummeling.”

The mare paused as they finally reached the double doors at the end of the hall: heavy, ominous wood doors banded with great studded iron bars, clearly locked and impenetrable, glowing with eldritch and terrible-

Luna stepped forwards and slammed her head into the double doors as hard as she could, knocking them flying open, and the sapphire mare grinned widely before she straightened and said cheerfully: “There, see! All things, solved by pummeling!”

The sapphire mare led the other ponies into the room beyond, and any reprimands or exasperation they might have felt were swallowed as they found themselves in a massive, ornate hall. Immense pillars lined the gigantic room, these columns of basalt stretching into almost-writhing darkness above, and the floor was carpeted in lush crimson, leading to a monumental throne of platinum that was adorned with the skulls of great heroes and rested on a platform of purest gold. Opulence and barbarism clashed throughout the room: skulls and chains hung from spikes sticking out of the pillars here and there, while glittering gemstones and piles of riches were scattered along the ground and were thrown like tribute before the golden statues of mighty dragons that stood sentinel along the obsidian walls, and chandeliers hung here and there between the columns, their black candles adding to the eerie glow that filled the hall.

As the ponies entered the great hall, there was a crackle from behind them before a network of lightning flared to life in the doorway, trapping them inside this magnificent and terrible throne room. Luna grimaced at this, drawing both her sword and hammer with telekinesis, the former bursting into blue flames and the latter thrumming with electricity as she muttered: “On guard.”

Twilight's horn glowed as she prepared her magic, Marina arched her back slightly as her amulet pulsed with faint light, and River Styx narrowed his eyes, searching back and forth before he muttered: “There's something on the throne, but... I see tripwires, too, between those pillars ahead of us. I doubt that's the only trap, too.”

Luna grunted, her eyes narrowing as she looked to where River Styx had pointed before she nodded quickly: “Thine eyes are sharp. Twilight?”

Twilight nodded, and then she flicked her horn firmly, and the tripwire was yanked out of position with a loud twang. Almost immediately, there was a rumble before a massive cage fell out of the darkness above, slamming down in the middle of the carpeted hall where the ponies would have been, had they set off the trap.

A moment later, a loud laugh echoed through the air before the ponies all stared in surprise as a massive red dragon dropped from the sky, slamming down into the middle of the hallway with a snarling grin as it slammed a claw down on top of the cage. Then its purple eyes widened in surprise, rearing back slightly before it roared in frustration and flung the cage sharply to the side when it saw the ponies had escaped its trap, the terrible crimson giant growling: “So, you're not as stupid as the last band of adventurers who wandered in to save the Marquise, what a surprise. Still, there is no way you and your little misfit band can hope to defeat me! I am Lord Karl Dragonfang, master of this domain, Tyrant of Hakkangoth! The fact you think you can stand against me is insult to my name!”

“Karl?” The ponies could only stare in disbelief at the dragon, who glared furiously down at them, one of his eyes visibly twitching, before Twilight said disbelievingly: “But how? I thought you were a pony!”

“Director!” Karl roared furiously, and there was an audible sigh before the Director was slowly lowered from the darkness above, the ponies staring up in disbelief at the sour-looking Draconequus: he was stuck in some kind of harness, dangling like a fishing bob on the end of a long rope in front of the dragon, who raged furiously: “Listen to these little ingrates! Can you believe it? You promised, you promised me that we would do this scene right! I spent all day getting ready for this part... do you think I can just... change back and forth at a whim? No! I can't! Now you get these morons in line, or I swear to god, I swear to god I will make you rue the day you were born!”

“I already do.” the Director mumbled as he was lowered further, slowly turning around to face Luna and the other ponies, while Karl snorted and sat back, crossing his forelimbs as he breathed out a stream of smoke, the spiky frills over his skull twitching with visible irritation.

The Director looked moodily at Luna and her party, before he only sighed when Luna reached up and gently pushed him, making him pendulum slowly. The sapphire mare grinned widely at this, her eyes widening in childlike glee, but then she yelped when Twilight slapped her hoof firmly before she could shove the Director again, the sapphire mare huffing and wincing away as the purple mare asked the gently-swinging Draconequus awkwardly: “How... did you...”

“Oh, don't ask. Besides, there's no point in trying to explain anything, anyway. It's all the same to you crazy ponies.” the Director said tiredly, hanging his head as he swayed slowly back and forth on the rope. “So instead of trying to reason with you, I'm simply going to say that if you cooperate with this scene, you can beat up Karl. You can beat up Karl really badly a lot, because he is absolutely obnoxious when he gets like this and this is why we don't have him play male roles unless absolutely necessary.”

“Hey, hurry the hell up! I've got an autograph session later and I want to send out some headshots to some better companies than this one!” Karl snapped, and the ponies looked up to see the dragon was now tapping away on some kind of device held between his claws, stubby little thumbs tapping madly over it before he chuckled and muttered: “Yeah, he is a little bitch, yeah.”

The Director sighed tiredly, and then he looked at the ponies almost pleadingly, gesturing out towards them. “Look. Anything that gets broken, we can fix. Just don't kill him.”

“It is not as fun punching a dragon in the face as it is punching Celestia in the face.” Luna said meditatively, tapping a hoof slowly before she looked thoughtfully up at Karl as he tapped away on his little device, chuckling to himself. “But... I suppose punching a Karl is very close to punching a Celestia. And after this, we shall retrieve my Scrivy?”

“Yes, yes, beat up Karl, save the Marquise, get another short break before we resume our play.” The Director rubbed at his face fearfully, looking uneasily back and forth. “But... but there's no coherency! You don't understand how bad that is, and if Pluto finds out...”

River Styx frowned a little, and then Marina asked quietly: “Isn't there any way we can help? You Draconequus don't seem to want to hurt anyone, but Pluto and this... Redacted...”

“Shh, shh, shh!” hissed the Director, waving his hooves wildly in front of Marina's face as he looked fearfully back and forth... but thankfully, there was no disturbance in the force, no tremble or tremor in reality.

The Draconequus sighed in relief, lowering his head for a moment before he looked up and said plaintively: “Just... let us handle this. You do your part, we'll do ours. That's how it works.”

“Aye, except for all the ponies who failed.” Luna said blandly, and then she huffed before absently pushing the Director again with a hoof, making him wince as he swayed back and forth on the end of the rope. “But very well. Off with thee, and think upon our offer, for... I think all of us here are willing to help, for the greater good.”

Marina smiled, Twilight nodded, and River Styx sighed but gave a hesitant nod as his genet chirped happily on his head. The Director looked at them oddly for a moment, but then he simply nodded back before the rope began to raise, pulling him back towards the darkness.

As he rose into the shadows, Karl absently flung the device he had been playing with away, then he reached up and easily slapped the Draconequus as he passed, making him whirl back and forth through the air with a squawk. Karl laughed loudly at this, before scowling when Luna snapped: “'Twas no need for that, great bully!”

“Oh, yeah, because you didn't just do that, shrimp.” retorted Karl, the now-dragon snorting loudly with a roll of his eyes.

“There is a great difference between a teasing push by a lovable mare and a slap by a great stupid brute like thyself.” Luna shot back, and the dragon narrowed his eyes, leaning down with a baleful glare and a snort of fire at the mare, but Luna only glared fearlessly up at him as she added in a sharper voice: “And nor do I ambush or strike at the back of friend or foe. What I say, what I do, 'tis always done to their face.”

“Yeah, right, you're real great.” jeered Karl, and then he stretched before flicking a claw dismissively, asking: “Are you losers ready to start yet? The king is getting bored here.”

“What, thou art no longer a preening princess? I had not noticed.” Luna said wryly, and the dragon laughed loudly... although there was more than a hint of anger in its voice as it turned to glare at Luna furiously.

“Yeah, that's right, I'm the goddamn king! Male pronouns, masculine nouns, and forget the goddamn butter!” Karl laughed loudly at his own still-cryptic, still-ridiculous phrase, before he dropped suddenly forwards and growled: “You gonna make my day, punk?”

Luna grinned widely at this, and then she cracked her neck before saying wryly: “Oh, this shall be fun, Karl.” She paused, then suddenly cleared her throat before winking over her shoulder at the others, asking clearly as she rose her weapons into a ready position: “Art thou ready, my friends, to face this evil lord of darkness?”

For a moment, there was an awkward silence from the other three ponies, broken only by River Styx's genet chirping insistently and tugging at his ear... and then the stallion grudgingly rose his head and said in a neutral voice, even as he readied himself: “Let's... take care of this quickly and rescue the... Marquise.”

It wasn't much, but it was enough to make Marina smile a little before she added encouragingly, in a more empathetic voice than River Styx: “We can defeat this dragon and save Scrivener if we work together!”

“I don't know why I'm encouraging this.” Twilight mumbled, and then she looked up and said in a voice that would be monotone, were it not already tinged with regret: “Lord Karl, prepare to meet your doom. In the name of the Order, we shall smite you and rescue the Marquise from your foul clutches. By the... Mind of Throg'ull, I swear this.”

Twilight held up her amulet and shook it, glaring at the dragon as she finished her deadpan speech in such a way that it would make even Alan Rickman envy her fearless, feckless delivery. But Karl only laughed loudly, for he knew nothing of the art of theater, the overdramatic, overserious, overzealous dragon roaring loudly before he posed majestically, shouting completely unnecessarily: “You pathetic fools have no idea what powers you deal with! Prepare to face my wrath, puny knaves!”

Luna grinned, her eyes blazing as she set herself, the others falling quickly into ready positions as the sapphire mare prepared to lunge... but apparently Karl failed to take his own very direct hint, as he continued to rant in spite of the fact any other villain – two-bit or otherwise – would have leapt into the fight: “Yes, fear the destruction I am about to bring down upon your heads! With hatred and folly, fire and claw, I shall rain down upon you with the power of a thousand suns and the strength of ten thousand hounds of hell! Yes, soon you shall learn-”

“Oh shut up!” Luna finally shouted, leaping forwards and flinging her hammer out, and Karl had enough time to look down in surprise before the hammer slammed into his nose, making the dragon howl and rear back as the sapphire mare grinned and leapt forwards, flying into the air to catch her hammer and then shoot towards Karl's face.

The dragon slapped her away, Luna wincing as she was knocked flying into a pillar with a tremendous bang: it didn't hurt that much, but she was surprised that her body hadn't reacted in time. Then again, by now the silly mare should have been well aware of the fact that she was as limited as any other pony in this equalized playing field, trapped in the rules of the scene they were acting out as Karl snarled: “I'm gonna smash you for that!”

Karl swung a claw towards Luna, but this time the sapphire mare leapt out of the way, grimacing as the pillar was smashed apart. She sent a mental command to Twilight, who nodded quickly before she said over her shoulder: “River Styx, get behind Karl, see what you can do from there! Marina, we're going to flank him and draw his attention!”

River Styx nodded quickly before galloping around a pillar, moving on a wide arc as Karl slashed uselessly at the air after Luna, roaring and shouting profanities. The red dragon's wings flapped hard, sending gusts of wind through the hall as his tail snapped angrily back and forth: there was a strange irony in the fact that Karl seemed to be more of a danger to the ponies he was unaware of than Luna, who he was concentrating on.

Twilight tried to call up her magic, and she swore under her breath when the spell wouldn't work, her horn simply sparking before she muttered: “Right. We need to fight like we actually are these weird... people. So... necromancy.”

“And I'm a druid, which means...” Marina bit her lip, concentrating and closing her eyes: it was just like when she had first awoken in this body, and had to learn to control it. The secret wasn't in forcing that magic to bend to her will, but to let it come to her, to feel it, and make it second nature...

Her body shivered as the amulet glowed brightly, her eyes opening as she felt something course through her before her fur stood on end. Her chocolate form ripped under her hide as short fangs pushed into her mouth and her hooves morphed into claws, her back arching as her tail snapped back and forth and she hissed...

Twilight halted in mid-spell to stare at Marina, who now looked like a cross between a pony and a giant brown cat. Marina stared back at her, back still arched, ears pricked, eyes wide, and Twilight smiled awkwardly before she quickly turned her eyes back towards the dragon, snapping her horn forwards as her spell finished charging to send a sapphire fireball arcing through the air.

The fireball slammed into the middle of Karl's back, and he yelled wildly as he grabbed madly at himself, spinning around and accidentally smashing down a pillar with his thick tail as he screamed: “What the hell was that for? Who the hell did that? Director, I'm going to sue this company for not training these morons to do their own fights properly!”

Karl lunged towards Twilight, and the mare winced as she backpedaled, creating a shield in front of her as Karl roared out a blast of flames. Marina, meanwhile, dodged to the side and leapt up to a pillar, her cat-like polymorph letting her rapidly mount the stone column before she turned and leapt forwards, gritting her teeth before she landed on Karl's shoulders.

Karl yelped as the cat-pony's sharp claws dug into his scales, turning to look at Marina before the mare leapt on instinct onto the dragon's face. Immediately, Karl began to howl, leaping back and forth, smashing himself wildly between the pillars as he wailed: “Get it off get it off I'm allergic get it off me!”

The dragon squealed loudly, lunging back and forth before he snapped his head hard to the side, throwing Marina off before he inhaled loudly, obviously meaning to turn the chocolate mare into syrup with a gout of fire breath-

Luna rammed into Karl's throat, and the dragon choked loudly, grabbing at his neck as his eyes watered, before he half-squealed, half-gasped when Twilight shot another fireball into a hind leg, making him stagger. The red dragon snarled through the tears in his eyes as he slashed at Luna and tried to smash Twilight under his tail, rasping: “I... I am the greatest actor in the world! Learn your place, you... you stupid amateurs! You don't even know how to properly... do an action scene! Brutes and... and commercial actors do a better job than you!”

Karl bit at Luna, but the mare slammed both her sword and hammer down into the dragon's muzzle, knocking Karl's head down with a whimper as he grabbed at his face, and the sapphire mare snapped: “Those who lecture others on what they do not know of are stupid, Karl! Thou art stupid!”

The dragon snarled, then lunged upwards, and Luna shot quickly into the air and out of reach. Karl smashed into a pillar near the throne platform instead, and River Styx grimaced before he snapped his horn sharply forwards as cracks shot through the column.

A blade of force smashed into the bottom of the pillar, smashing a large chunk of broken stone out of place, and the column groaned before snapping loudly as Karl shoved against the base of it. The dragon had enough time to look stupidly up before the pillar fell upon his head, driving the dragon to the ground in a dazed heap as River Styx said moodily: “For once, I have to agree with her.”

Luna grinned in amusement as she settled to the ground beside Twilight, and Marina joined the two a moment later, smiling a little at the mares as her transformed body rippled before returning to normal. The sapphire pony opened her mouth-

Karl rose with a roar, smashing the pillar into pieces as he did so, his eyes glowing pits of rage and hate as he screamed: “You stupid little ingrates are not ruining my moment!”

The dragon lunged towards River Styx as the genet on his head squealed, but the stallion sprung backwards even as he gritted his teeth, slashing his horn out to send a blast of force into Karl's eyes. The dragon roared, recoiling and grabbing at his face: the sharp, cutting wind didn't do much damage, but Styx knew it had to hurt like hell as he looked towards the throne, snatching the object he'd spotted off it with telekinesis before he spun around and leapt off the platform.

Karl roared in fury as he regained his senses, leaping after Styx and chasing the stallion around the edge of the room, smashing statues and skidding through piles of treasure as the infuriated dragon howled: “You think you're a macho stallion? You got nothing on me! I'm a king, I'm a badass, I'm the best and I'm going to squish you, you arrogant little sh-”

Luna shot past River Styx, smashing bodily into Karl between his eyes as she swung her sword and hammer down at the same time into his forehead, and Karl was knocked face-first into the ground with a tremendous boom, neck roiling as his body tried to keep going forwards even as his face remained stuck in the cement. He ended up flopping and rolling painfully, swinging one claw out with a howl, but the lucky strike caught Luna across the body and knocked her weapons from her telekinetic grip as the mare was sent rocketing across the room.

Twilight swore as she stepped forwards, shooting a fireball into Karl's face as Marina lashed her own horn out, and there was a double-boom as the magic spells hit one after the other, making the dragon roar in anguish as he reared back. He grabbed wildly at a pillar with one claw, then snarled as it leaned forwards, roaring out a blast of flames as he leaned heavily into the cracked column.

The purple mare deflected the flames with a magic barrier, but then her eyes widened as the pillar shattered under the dragon's weight and came crashing down towards her and Marina. The chocolate mare saw it coming as well, and her body rippled as she lunged to the side into Twilight... but far too late.

The pillar smashed down on top of them, and Karl stared for a moment... before the dragon looked quickly away, mumbling: “I... I told them not to be stupid. And... you!” Karl's beady, hateful eyes locked on River Styx, who was glaring furiously up at the dragon now as the massive crimson reptile dragged itself to its claws, the beast snarling furiously down at him. “Yeah, you! Since you're the only one left, you better damn well apologize for this whole mess! Clearly, none of you know what the hell you're doing, and you all deserve to be demoted to stage crew, you hear me? Huh? You hear me?”

River Styx only looked contemptibly at the dragon as Karl dragged himself forwards, leaning against the side wall as the dragon leaned forwards with a growl. The genet on his head growled as Styx met the dragon's eyes evenly, and Karl trembled before he asked harshly: “Well? What do you have to say for yourself, huh?”

River Styx sharply snapped his horn to the side, and there was a crack as one of the links of a chain spiked to a pillar snapped loudly, chunks of metal flying in all directions as the chandelier it had been helping support tore loose, swinging down to smash into Karl's face and driving the dragon's head into the wall with a tremendous bang. Karl's eyes bulged, head sandwiched for a moment between the wall and the heavy iron chandelier, and the dragon whimpered weakly before the beast suddenly rippled, becoming nothing but an ugly patchwork of cloth and wood that quickly crumbled apart.

River Styx sighed tiredly as the genet on his head whimpered a little, before the stallion frowned and looked up at a loud rumbling. And he couldn't deny he was relieved when he saw Luna and Twilight carefully shifting the broken pillar off of Marina, who seemed strangely... stiff.

The stallion approached quickly, and his eyes widened in surprise as he saw that Marina's body had taken on a distinct, hardened texture: she looked like she had turned to solid brown stone. But as Twilight and Luna shifted the pillar away, the mare's body trembled before taking on its normal texture as she wheezed a little, wincing a bit and cracking her back with a mumble of: “That stings.”

“Are you... okay?” River Styx asked awkwardly after a moment, and Marina blinked, but then gave the stallion a warm smile, nodding a few times.

“I can harden my body if I concentrate. I'm just glad it was enough.” Marina answered.

Twilight smiled as well at this, reaching up and touching Marina's shoulder as she said softly: “Thank you. You probably saved my life back there.”

“Aye, and thou did well as well, River of Sticks. I am most impressed.” Luna said cheerfully, before her eyes turned towards the remains of the dragon as she scowled, adding grumpily: “Well, with most of us, anyway.”

The other ponies turned to watch as Luna flapped her wings firmly, launching herself on a short arc to land beside a large mound in the middle of the ruins of blankets and wood. Luna poked at this object several times with her horn, and when it didn't stir, she quickly slapped and tore the cloth and debris away, before her eyes widened slightly in surprise as she discovered Karl... and for the very first time, glimpsed the truth behind this overindulgent character actor.

Karl was an earth pony, and a little bit chubby. Karl had small glasses and was snoring loudly, drooling a little as he twitched in his sleep. Karl had a plain, common brown coat, and Karl had a plain, common dark mane, and Karl had a face that wasn't very handsome but wasn't very ugly, and a very simple cutie mark, of what looked like paper with some scribbles over it.

A squeaking of a pulley from above announced the arrival of the Director, the Draconequus lowering slowly out of the darkness on his rope and harness as he held up a hoof and said mildly: “I'll take care of this. You ponies still have a scene to finish.”

Luna grimaced a bit, and then she scowled down at Karl, poking him a few times. But the Director only waved at her irritably, saying mildly: “Don't you worry, now that he's out of character, he'll be as gentle as a kitten. Karl's only a nuisance when he's acting. Character actors, you know. I swear, it's a mental illness.”

“'Tis a desire to be more than what he really is, Director. And there is great sadness in that and 'tis not to be taken lightly.” Luna said quietly, and the ponies stared at her with surprise before Luna grinned her grin and said cheerfully: “Aye, let us go rescue my Scrivy, then! Come, we have not yet saved the Marquise!”

Luna turned and cheerfully trotted away, and Twilight smiled a little as she gestured at the others. River Styx and Marina traded looks, but then the genet on the stallion's head chirped, and the stallion sighed before shrugging and falling in step with the chocolate mare.

Marina glanced back once, but the Director and Karl were already gone: the chocolate mare wasn't entirely surprised, though. Her eyes returned towards Luna, studying the strange mare intently as they drew closer to her, before she turned equally-curious eyes on Styx.

The stallion ignored her for a moment, and Marina hesitated before she gathered her courage and asked finally: “How did you learn to be so calm? To be so... strong.”

River Styx gave her a look, and then he shook his head before saying almost grudgingly, yet answering her, all the same: “You just have to deal with what life throws at you, that's all.” He halted, then added after a moment, even as he averted his eyes: “You did... pretty good, too.”

Marina smiled at this, and then she asked on impulse: “What's your friend's name? You never told me.”

River Styx was silent as his genet chirped on his head, and then the stallion answered finally: “I call him Lamp. I guess you could say he kind of... keeps me in line.”

Marina chuckled quietly, smiling again at the stallion before the two ponies looked ahead to watch as Luna jammed her horn into the large, locked door that was the only obvious exit from the room, the mare huffing loudly as it glowed with magic and she wiggled it back and forth, grumbling: “Accursed thing keeps locking itself after I open it, and mine head won't crack this wretched thing...”

“Try this.” River Styx said dryly, pulling a key free from where he had stashed it in the many belts across his leather armor, and Luna blinked as she drew back before the stallion gestured at the ruins of the throne. “I grabbed it from there.”

“Well. Thou art proving doubly useful now, River of Sticks. It makes thee much more handsome to my eyes.” Luna paused, then grinned and leaned forwards, half-lidding her eyes as River Styx leaned backwards with a scowl. “I think thou may have earned a sloppy kiss from the Marquise!”

“No.” River Styx said sourly, and Luna laughed before she turned back towards the door, sliding the key in and turning it... before grinning in triumph as it clicked, allowing her to yank the door open and leap through to the stairs beyond.

Luna bounded up the steps of the tower fearlessly, before she slammed open the door at the top and leapt into the room beyond. She grinned roguishly, her ephemeral mane swirling around her as she posed in her battle-damaged armor, calling fearlessly: “Never fear, Marquise Blooms! Thy knight is here to rescue thee and whisk thee back to thy castle, with her mighty stallion's strength!”

Scrivener Blooms looked slowly up from where he was sitting on the bed, scowling horribly as he slowly sipped at a cup of tea gingerly held between his hooves. Luna looked back and forth around the room, and then she began to giggle loudly at the sight of it: pink walls, a fluffy, cushy rug over the floor, a huge plush bed covered in stuffed animals, a floral tea set, several ovens and racks upon racks filled with freshly-baked cookies, and from the smell of it... “Scrivy, thou art just where a mare like thee belongs! In the perfect mix of bedroom and kitchen, preparing cookies for me to devour after I ravage thy gorgeous body!”

“You shut the hell up.” Scrivener seethed, one of his eyes twitching as he nearly spilled tea all over his gorgeous, spotless white dress, which accented all the pretty curves of his shapely body. “Oh, great, you got to go out and punch a dragon. Do you know what I've been doing? Baking cookies for the 'craft services table,' whatever the hell that is, the 'cast laundry,' sewing old costumes, and, my personal favorite, being dressed up as a maid and forced to clean up the 'dining room,' which is a mess, which I don't understand because I don't think anyone here actually eats anything. I think it exists and gets messy purely because they want to humiliate me further.”

“Do not be so uppity, Scrivy! A mare must know her place! Take pride in the fact thou art doing thy good wifely duties so well. They even built thee this bedroom-kitchen, is that not proof of what a perfect mare thou art?” Luna teased as the other ponies entered the room, and Scrivener blushed deeply as he glared at them, before Luna looked over her shoulder and announced: “Twilight Sparkle, look! A bedroom-kitchen for Scrivy. Is it not perfect? He is such a handsome wife in his frilly dress, doing all his mare's tasks at once for me.”

Scrivener shouted in frustration, flinging his teacup across the room before he lunged out of bed... and immediately tripped on his dress, dropping face-first into the cushioned floor with a tremendous thump. Luna began to giggle wildly as Marina and River Styx both stared, and Twilight only sighed tiredly before she asked finally: “You okay, Scrivener?”

“Just my pride. The floors are too soft for me to hurt myself.” Scrivener mumbled, and then he sighed as he carefully clambered up to his hooves, scowling at Luna before he turned his eyes to Twilight and asked in a defeated mumble: “Could you unzip me?”

“'Tis not time for that, Scrivy! I am glad thou art eager to do thy marely duties even in front of our guests, but they may not be so excess-bitiony as thou art!” Luna declared cheerfully, and Marina and Styx both looked at Luna for a moment as Scrivener only grumbled under his breath, turning pointedly around as Twilight approached him.

The purple mare smiled as she reached up to carefully unzip the dress, pulling it down slightly before Scrivener cleared his throat violently. Luna immediately perked up at this, but Twilight glared over her shoulder pointedly before the mare quickly undid the corset that the stallion had been forced into as well, letting him retain some of his dignity as the sight being removed was hidden as the flowing dress was pulled off.

That was, until Luna sighed loudly, half-lidding her eyes before she wryly: “All joking aside, that is a wonderful thought, Scrivy. I finally see why 'tis so delightful when I wear such a tight contraption.”

Scrivener simply scowled horribly, and Twilight sighed tiredly before she tossed the clothing aside. Scrivener grumpily looked down at one of his hooves, which was painted and polished a bright pink, and Luna grinned... but when the eyes of the two ponies met, her expression softened into a smile before she asked gently: “What, does thou not like being pretty?”

The stallion shot her a dour look... but after a moment, his mouth quirked into a smile before he said dryly: “If it'll shut you up, there's fudge as well as cookies.”

Luna immediately stampeded towards the racks of food, and Scrivener rolled his eyes as Twilight laughed and shook her head. River Styx only quirked an eyebrow, but Marina smiled a little as the earth pony approached, the stallion sighing before he said finally: “Husbands can be difficult.”

“Apparently.” River Styx said finally as Marina giggled a little, and then the unicorn surveyed the earth pony moodily for a moment before he turned his eyes towards Twilight: since Luna was otherwise engaged in gobbling sweets – which was probably the best place for her right now, he figured – he decided to ask: “What's the plan from here? Do we head back to the train?”

Twilight smiled briefly at the stallion, surprised but relieved that it sounded like he was actually willing to work with them further. And since Marina was looking at her curiously, too... “That seems like the best way to go. This world doesn't have Equestrian geography: the Draconequus decide where we go. But we're learning more about them, and it feels like, as we act out more of their scenes...”

“We're able to interact further with the world. They give us abilities on whim. We can learn how to use that while we look for a weakness in this world's structure, something we can exploit.” Scrivener Blooms said calmly, before he glanced up at the ceiling and added clearly: “And I think the Narrator is going to help us. Because it's not about any play, it's not about the scenes and storyline, but about seeing how we handle ourselves in this world, isn't it?”

While the stallion had an interesting meta-point, the Narrator was unable to reply, because at that very moment the Director shoved open the door and glowered into the room, gesturing at them grumpily. “Come on, the scene ended already. Let's get you all out of here. And... hey, those were for later! What the hell are you doing?”

Luna belched loudly as she stepped away from the table, rubbing at her face and grinning widely as she declared: “I decided they were better for now.”

The Director groaned, spinning away and shaking his head as he stormed back down the steps. And, knowing no better option, the ponies followed, with Luna silently hurrying up behind Scrivener to kiss his cheek quietly when she thought no one else was looking, and the stallion smiling faintly as he gave a quick nod to the mare before he leaned over and nuzzled Twilight as she blushed a little, more happy than he could express – and likely, any pony could understand – that they had all been reunited.

And perhaps, if these ponies were willing and able to trust in each other and use the chaos of this world to their advantage, they would escape the clutches of both the eternal play and the forces that longed to keep them here, for our own selfish motives, our own sad desires, our wanting to enjoy one last flight of madness and fancy before the fall...

Because while everything must come to an end, some of us struggle to hold on, for far too long, to what we should have otherwise let go of long ago.

The Greatest Show In Equestria

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Chapter Six: The Greatest Show In Equestria
~BlackRoseRaven

Tick-tock, goes the clock. Tick-tock, goes the clock.

Time is running out, you know. Already, it's growing very short. Oh so short, and there's so much story left to tell.

So much... and not nearly enough.

Tick-tock, goes the clock. Tick-tock, goes the clock.

From where I sit, in my seat high above, everything moves both very quickly and very slowly, you see. I'm glad we have actors, don't get me wrong: but I do wish that the Critic would veto more of them, and that the Director was a little nicer, and that Plutocrat... didn't exist.

That's rather mean of me, isn't it? But oh, ever since Plutocrat arrived with his promises, and The Redacted, and all the other awful things he brought here, everything's been so serious, and so miserable. We used to do this all just for fun, living on the edge. We used to be so good, sending every cast member home after their performance was done, acting like we were all all-powerful, all-knowing, all-in-control... but we were just having fun. Sometimes our pranks were cruel, perhaps, but... never fatal. Never furious. Never monstrous.

Look at us now; where we are and what we have become. Ticking timebombs, clacking clocks of catastrophe, deadly destroyers devouring decent delegates decadently, in our endless plays, our songs and stories that become their funeral rites!

And tick-tock, goes the clock. Tick-tock, goes the clock, as we count ever onwards towards oblivion. As we chase not the eternal high, but the last precious gasp of life, struggling to never drown as the odds stack higher and higher against us, because the bigger the play gets, the more it costs.

The more it costs us.

But now isn't the time for that. Another letter, another demand, another ransom arrives, and we bring another new player to the table, another basketball to the court! Let's see where it takes us today, shall we?

Oh, Director? It's time for a set change!

The Director looked up and paled before he shook his head violently, sprinting towards the doors leading out of the tower as he swore repeatedly, and the group of ponies that had been following him all stared before the Director smashed out into a bright, warm, happy sunny day in a gorgeous meadow full of bright flowers instead of a wintry wasteland.

The ponies followed the Director out, Twilight frowning immediately as Luna scowled and Scrivener only looked up at the sky blandly. Behind him, Marina bit her lip and River Styx frowned as his eyes flicked back and forth, muttering: “No train, no roads, no landmarks...”

“Where's Shining Armor?” Marina asked worriedly, and Twilight blinked before she quickly looked back and forth before hurrying towards where the train had been, as Luna groaned and Scrivener only shrugged, even as he looked uneasily around.

“I doubt we have to worry too much about him. It seems like when we're not part of this... 'main story,' so to speak, we're delegated to doing background work to keep us out of the way.” Scrivener said after a moment as he smiled over at Marina, although his words almost seemed to be meant for someone else. “They don't want to hurt us. They want us to play their game, and they seem to understand by now that trying to push any of us would be a bad idea.”

“I don't know about that.” River Styx muttered, but then he shook his head and sighed a little as his genet hopped up onto his head and chirped, pawing at his mane. “Does that mean we can take these costumes off, at least?”

“What? Oh. I don't care, I obviously have lost all creative control of the situation.” the Director grumbled, glowering over his shoulder before he sighed tiredly as he turned back around, looking moodily back and forth. Twilight frowned a little, but the Director was ignoring them now, instead grumpily paging through a stack of stapled papers that had appeared in his hooves... is that a script? “Let's see... okay... I think I see how we can work this into the play, it shouldn't be very hard...”

Twilight began to carefully approach, but her caution was immediately rendered meaningless when Luna charged forwards, nearly plowing the mare over before she shoved her head into the Director, making him squawk and yank his papers away as Luna asked curiously: “What are these?”

“Get, go away!” squawked the Director, his draconic tail snapping behind him as he shoved uselessly at Luna, who only growled and pushed her head firmly forwards against his hooves. The Director yelped as he leaned into her, staring in horror as his hind hooves uselessly dug into the ground, leaving a narrow trench as he skidded backwards under Luna's forceful approach. “O-Okay! You made your point, enough!”

Luna paused, then she suddenly nipped the script out of the Director's hoof and yanked it away as she hopped off to the side, sending the Draconequus sprawling on his face with a thunk. Scrivener Blooms and Twilight Sparkle both sighed loudly at this as Marina winced and River Styx only watched moodily, feeling as if he no longer had the capacity to be surprised by anything that this particularly-troublesome mare did.

The sapphire mare flipped quickly through the script as she grasped it with magic, her eyes darting over it before she huffed loudly, then looked over at Scrivener Blooms and flailed the script back and forth through the air. “Scrivy, come over here and be my eyes! I cannot read this silly language of words.”

“All languages are words, dear.” Scrivener said mildly as he approached, and Luna gave him a sour look before she leaned forward and bopped him firmly, making him wince a bit before he sighed and corrected, as he took the script from her: “Most languages are words. Some are whistling, tonal, or gesture-based.”

“Or hoof-based, Scrivy. Do not make me speak to thee with mine hooves.” Luna threatened, shaking a hoof in his face, but the stallion looked unperturbed as he calmly flipped through the script. “What does it say?”

Marina and River Styx hesitantly approached as the Director sighed and sat up, grouchily waving away Twilight when she tried to help him as the Draconequus grumbled: “It says that you're going to the Little Kingdom, to return the princess to her throne. Or well, you were: now the story's been changed and updated again. Does no one care how difficult it is to work like this?”

Twilight frowned over at Scrivener, and the earth pony whistled a little as he flipped through the script, muttering: “For once I actually agree with you. There are more editing marks in here than you see in my manuscripts, and you know that's saying something.”

“Yes. We all do. We all know all about you, Scrivener Blooms, you are clearly the most important person here, along with your... silly wife.” grumbled the Director grouchily, waving his hooves angrily at the air, and Scrivener gave the Director an amused look as Luna glared grouchily. But this time, the Director clearly refused to be intimidated as he strode quickly over and snatched the script away, muttering: “But none of it really matters. Now we're going to have a new actress involved. One I don't much care for.”

Scrivener cocked his head curiously towards the Director, and the Director huffed before he grumbled: “One Karl is more than enough, thank you. This one has a reputation for trying to be a Karl herself. Which is why, with the meager powers left to me by the forces-that-be, I am at least trying to ensure that she doesn't even know she's part of this play. And you would be wise to do the same. Her role is but a small one, focusing mainly on you.”

The Director pointed, and Luna brightened... before she scowled horribly when the Director irritably gestured at her to step aside, the mare huffing loudly before she grouchily looked over her shoulder at Twilight, who blinked in surprise. “The audience apparently wants to see how you'll fare against a popular rival. I expect in an epic battle to the death. I mean, who would buy a ticket just to watch people talk?”

“It's called theater. People do it all the time. That's kind of precisely what this entire trap of yours is based on, isn't it?” Scrivener Blooms pointed out, and the Director slowly turned a surly look on him, one of his eyes twitching visibly.

The earth pony only returned his eyes to the script in front of him, however, glancing quickly through it before he muttered: “Still. All I see here are a few notes about... 'Actress enters via road, pan over, theme music plays. That also doesn't seem very professional.”

While Scrivener Blooms was complaining, in the same way he always was with that ever-present implication that he could do a far-superior job than the professionals could at their chosen craft in spite of having neither the training nor the interest in it, a dusty road bled into being through the grasses, the verdant green shifting welcomingly out of the way for the russet brown of fresh dirt.

With a flourish, music began to play, faint at first but growing louder as a show-wagon covered in splendid pictographs approached, pulled by a single lone mare. She was dressed in a regal purple cape and wizard's hat... or at least as regal as such clothing could be while covered in gaudy cosmological symbols.

As she approached, her eyes turned curiously towards the crowd and the commotion, before they widened slightly as they locked on the purple mare who was present. She immediately grinned, then almost lunged off the road... and yelped when the harnesses caught around her, her eyes bulging before she thumped loudly to the ground, the baby blue mare blinking a few times as all eyes turned to stare at her with surprise.

All except for the Director, of course, who only groaned and slapped his forehead as his draconic tail snapped grouchily against the ground. “Oh, here we go.”

The mare cleared her throat, then she suddenly vanished in a burst of magic before reappearing in a great puff of smoke in front of the ponies, declaring: “Well, well, if it isn't Twilight Sparkle! What a coincidence that Trixie the Great and Powerful should find her greatest rival out here in the middle of nowhere, and with...”

Trixie paused, looking at the group before she frowned in surprise: there were two Royal Guard, and the black stallion was in some sort of royal uniform, and... hadn't there been another pony? Well, it didn't really matter, because not only was Princess Twilight Sparkle here in her princessly outfit, the Princess of the Night, Princess Luna, was here as well, also dressed in her princessly garb!

Except almost the moment the tiara and peytral plate appeared on her body, Luna violently shook herself before tearing them both off, then she began to dance around, swearing and kicking her hooves violently until the slippers finally flew off her hooves, as Trixie stared in disbelief, Scrivener only sat calmly, and Marina and River Styx both ducked in their shiny new armor – which neither had the time to question where or how it had appeared over their bodies – to avoid being struck by Luna's flailing or the flying crystalline shoes.

“Attempt to dress me again like that and I shall shear thy bits from thy body!” Luna shouted threateningly at the sky, looking like an absolute lunatic. Which was very fitting for her, really.

Trixie mouthed wordlessly, and then Scrivener Blooms said blandly: “Please excuse Luna. She's having a difficult day. As she said, though, she would like to know whom she is addressing and what those bits are covering your body.”

“Oh!” Trixie hurriedly straightened, then posed sharply with a flash of light, grinning over at Twilight. “Of course you never told them about me, ashamed as you are of my magnificence! I am Trixie, the Great and Powerful, and I am the greatest magician in all of Equestria! Greater even than the so-called Princess of Magic, Princess Twilight Sparkle!”

Twilight smiled after a moment, raising a golden-slipper-covered hoof before she shook her head and said softly: “I'm sure you are, Trixie. It's good to see you.”

Trixie blinked at this, and then she huffed before dropping to all fours, raising her head proudly. Marina and River Styx traded looks as Trixie began to ramble away, before the stallion muttered: “I recognize her. She's one of those... carnival mages.”

“I think I've seen her before, once or twice.” Marina confirmed, nodding a bit before she smiled a little over at the stallion. The stallion looked back at her, quirking an eyebrow at the mare who was now dressed in Royal Guard armor, and after a moment Marina blushed and lowered her head a little. “I apologize. I was just... thinking about my brother.”

River Styx grunted, glancing away but not shifting away from the mare, before he finally muttered almost grudgingly: “Well, just... stay close, then. She might seem harmless, but we've seen how erratic this world can be. Let's just let those three figure this out. That stallion's a natural liar.”

Marina smiled a bit: that didn't sound entirely like an insult, somehow. She turned her eyes back ahead, raising her head a little and murmuring softly: “I have to say, though. I'm glad that it doesn't feel the weight of the world is on my shoulders... but I do wish we could... help each other out more.”

River Styx only grumbled a little, his eyes shifting away as he remained silent on that subject: he still wasn't entirely sure where he wanted to stand with these other ponies, especially when it came to trusting them and working alongside them.

He couldn't help but note that even if Luna was fidgeting anxiously, she seemed to be taking the rambling of Trixie in much greater stride than he had expected, however. He studied the trio thoughtfully, noting that odd smile on Twilight's face, and the way Scrivener seemed a little more positive himself, like they were meeting an old friend... no, not quite like that. Like they're seeing someone important to them that they...

Part of him wanted to say that no, that was impossible. But if there really were multiple worlds out there, and if in at least one of them, the stoic Princess Luna could instead be a crazed terror of a mare who had never learned to keep her hooves to herself.

Trixie finally ran out of things to say about herself or declare, the pastel-blue unicorn looking suspiciously at Twilight as Twilight only smiled at her, before Trixie snapped: “What? Oh, don't tell me, now that Twilight Sparkle is a princess, she considers herself too high and elite for the mighty Trixie, who is still journeying around Equestria pulling her wagon by herself because all the handsome stallions want to be paid to strut around and look handsome and be Trixie's assistants when really they should be paying her for the privilege, is that it?”

“Uh. No. It's just... nice to see you.” Twilight said awkwardly, and Trixie blinked in surprise, looking stupefied at this response. “I uh... I mean...”

“Oh, Trixie understands now.” the light-blue unicorn said suddenly, straightening and smiling primly as she touched her own chest with one hoof. “Well, Twilight, any pony with Trixie's level of knowledge and talent could have easily put on such an incredible display of magical prowess, and I suppose that after the mischief you had gotten into, I felt a little sorry for you and was all too happy to step in and add my own talents to your silly fireworks show. And.. Trixie supposes that she got a little out of hoof herself.”

The mare looked almost grudgingly away, nodding once before she cleared her throat and returned her eyes to Twilight, smiling eagerly as she continued cheerfully: “But that's all in the past! Now, Twilight Sparkle, I know that us meeting here is no coincidence, but instead a happy twist of Fate! Who better to witness my superiority than the Princess of the Night! Oh, if only Celestia was here, then-”

“By now Celestia would have shoved her hoof up thy buttocks and pulled thy tongue out thy-” Luna started, and then she winced when Scrivener Blooms slapped a hoof over her muzzle, scowling horribly as Trixie looked dumbly over at the sapphire mare.

“I suppose that makes Princess Celestia the best princess of all, then.” River Styx muttered in the moment of silence, and Twilight cleared her throat as Luna huffed loudly behind Scrivener's hoof, while the earth pony simply shot Styx a pointed look. River Styx only shrugged, and beside him, Marina couldn't help but smile, half-covering her mouth. She thought if anything showed that maybe the stoic stallion was starting to loosen up a little, it was that.

“Princess Luna would be delighted to see a contest of skill between Trixie the Grape and Punctual and Princess Twilight Sparkle of the Many Colors of the Rainbow, Her Magic be so Divine.” Scrivener said seriously, and Trixie stared at him for a few moments. “Well, that's her full title. And as her challenger, proper etiquette declares that you do your best to address her by her full and proper title, Trixie the Grape and Punctual.”

“Great and Powerful, I am the Great and Powerful, not the Grape and Punctual, you... who are you?” Trixie blurted, and Scrivener Blooms reared back as if offended.

River Styx suddenly understood exactly why Luna Brynhild insisted on calling Scrivener Blooms her sidekick as the earth pony said in a stern, sharp voice: “I am the Court Poet and Royal Translator for Princess Luna, thank you very much, which means that I share her authority in all matters and all things. Why, I am even more important than Princess Twilight Sparkle. Princess Twilight Sparkle, after all, has no standing in Canterlot, except for when she sometimes serves as Princess Celestia's favorite stool, but that is a matter between them and we do not discuss the Royal Order of Bondage with outsiders.”

Trixie only continued to stare at Scrivener Blooms for a few moments before Luna suddenly blurted: “Thou art be ye toot and presumptuous of circumstances by ye great dumb... elephant!”

Marina and River Styx both stared, the former mouthing wordlessly as the latter wondered if something had finally snapped in Luna's mind, but Scrivener only nodded seriously as Twilight dropped her face in one hoof, the earth pony looking with such seriousness at Trixie that she couldn't help but quail a little under his glare. “Luna says that you must give the Royal Apology, or you will not be permitted to have your duel with Twilight Sparkle.”

“But... but that didn't sound like... Trixie means...” Trixie spluttered, looking helplessly back and forth between Luna and Twilight before she blurted: “Trixie doesn't even know what a Royal Apology is!”

“Well of course you don't. They are very secret rituals and you should be grateful that we're willing to teach you how to do it at all, let alone give you the chance to-”

Before Scrivener could finish, Twilight stepped over to him and put a hoof on his face, shoving him almost gently over before she less-gently pinned him to the ground by the head, the earth pony grumbling as Luna whined loudly in her throat like a dog. But Twilight only looked sourly over her shoulder at the sapphire mare, and Luna shrank her head between her shoulders before the purple mare said in a gentler voice, as Trixie stared uncomprehendingly at her: “Don't you worry about these two, they're just having a bit of fun. I'd be more than happy to see how much you've grown since the last time we... met, Trixie.”

Twilight smiled a little more, and Trixie looked at her almost suspiciously for a few moments before she suddenly sniffed loudly and nodded, stepping backwards and declaring: “Very well, then! Trixie will be more than happy to accommodate you, Twilight Sparkle. Of course, usually this is a privilege most ponies would pay for, but-”

“Oh, get on with it! Thou art boring and this is boring!” Luna complained loudly, and Trixie looked both shocked and insulted before the sapphire mare sniffed disdainfully and added grumpily: “I desire to be entertained. Not... bored to death by thy boring... boringness.”

“Luna wants flashy lights and big explosions.” Scrivener said mildly as he stood up and dusted himself off, and Twilight gave the stallion a dry look as Trixie huffed loudly.

“Trixie is not some conjurer of cheap tricks!” declared the baby-blue unicorn, and then she turned a baleful glare on Twilight, who blinked in surprise and leaned back a little. “Of course, I see that is precisely what you told the Princesses to save face, wasn't it? Trixie is terribly disappointed in you, Twilight Sparkle, for such rumors!”

Trixie gestured sharply outwards, and there was a bright puff of multicolored smoke behind her as she declared: “But now, Trixie shall show the world the truth, that she has become the Greatest and Most Powerful of all unicorns!”

She flicked her hooves sharply upwards, and there was a bright flash before Trixie leapt backwards and grinned brightly as she landed on a wooden stage that had magically appeared behind her, the mare posing on her hind legs as she declared: “Now it is time for you all to witness the greatest show in all of Equestria, where even a Princess of Magic will bow before the might of the awesome Trixie!”

“Awesome.” Scrivener deadpanned, and Luna snorted in amusement before she happily dropped on her rump, gesturing encouragingly at Twilight as Trixie grinned widely from the stage and extended her own hoof towards the violet mare.

Twilight sighed a little, but then she hesitantly approached the stage, clambering up to join the unicorn as Marina and River Styx both joined Luna and Scrivener in the front row, watching curiously as Trixie cleared her throat and spun once on a hoof before thrusting her forelegs out and declaring: “Now, all of you, watch as I perform some of the most incredible, most daring, most stupendous spellwork ever seen in the history of the world!”

“She certainly likes to build up the suspense.” Scrivener Blooms said mildly, earning a snort of amusement from Luna. Trixie glowered at this, but then the unicorn suddenly smiled almost malevolently before her horn glowed brightly and she snapped it forward.

Scrivener winced as a tickling sensation crawled over his muzzle, before he stared as a bushy beard and mustache popped into existence, the stallion scowling at this white mess of fluff as Luna stared, then fell backwards, cackling loudly. The black stallion glared at her, then turned his unamused eyes up towards Trixie, who grinned widely as she gestured proudly over at Scrivener. “Beat that!”

Twilight smiled in amusement, and then she glanced towards the others, mouthing an apology before her horn glowed and she flicked it lightly. River Styx and Marina both winced as they felt a tickle for a moment before a pointy, sharp mustache and beard popped into being on Styx's face, and Marina winced as she grew a short, stiff-cut mustache and matching goatee.

A moment later, Luna sat up, blinking dumbly in surprise and with a flowing blue beard that covered most of her face and hung down past her shoulders. She and Scrivener looked at each other for a moment, and then Luna thoughtfully stroked her beard before saying blandly: “'Tis not warrior-like enough. It must be larger. And sharper. I must be able to thrust it into Scrivener.”

Luna paused, then half-lidded her eyes with a wide grin as she leaned towards Scrivener, reaching up to grasp into his beard and tug firmly on it as the others stared at her and Twilight lowered her head in exasperation. “Scrivy loves it when I thrust into him.”

“Some days I pretend you aren't real and my life is normal.” Scrivener said dryly, and then he glanced over at Twilight almost pleadingly. “A little help?”

Twilight smiled wryly, and then she flicked her horn, dispelling the various beards in a flash of light. This seemed to snap Trixie out of her disbelief, the baby-blue unicorn huffing loudly before she declared: “Well, that was only a start, anyway! Watch now, as the incredible Trixie performs a feat that not even Twilight Sparkle was able to do!”

Trixie turned her eyes back towards Scrivener Blooms, who winced and held up his hooves, opening his mouth to try and blurt something to make the mare stop-

Trixie's horn flashed, and Scrivener's body sizzled violently as his body glowed brightly. Luna winced away from it as she felt a strange sizzle run through her own form, before her eyes slowly widened as the light died out, and Scrivener was left sitting with a horrible scowl on his... no, not his. Her. She made Scrivy a mare!

Luna's eyes slowly widened as Twilight smiled despite herself, quickly bringing up a hoof to try and hide this... but a little too late as Scrivener said disgustedly, her body now slender and smaller and clearly feminine: “I hate all of you.”

Luna began to giggle as Trixie posed primly, grinning widely over at Twilight Sparkle, but the violet mare only smiled and said kindly: “That's really impressive, Trixie. But you should really ask before you do magic like that on people, especially Scrivener-”

“Novella!” Luna blurted, and Twilight sighed as Scrivener looked horribly at Luna. “We have discussed this before, and were Scrivener a mare in body as much as duty, then she should surely be named Novella Blooms. Now, Novella...”

Luna licked her lips slowly, then she grabbed the now-mare by the shoulders, making Scrivener squeak a little as she was shoved down on her back, Luna straddling her and winking. “Shall I test to make sure that Trixie has done more than just some fickle illusion?”

Marina averted her eyes awkwardly, and River Styx looked moodily up at Twilight Sparkle before saying dryly: “If you so much as think about trying that on me...”

“Don't worry. I'll just put Scrivy back to normal, first.” Twilight flicked her horn, and Scrivener wheezed as his body glowed and returned to its normal form and gender, the stallion shaking his head briefly even as Luna groaned... before perking up as Scrivener stared at Twilight with horror when she added: “Here, Luna.”

Luna's body glowed, and a moment later, her body grew slightly larger as it filled out with muscle, becoming a strong, proud stallion's form as the now male-posed on top of Scrivener... not that she wasn't enough of a stallion to begin with.

Scrivener looked morbidly up at Luna, who grinned toothily before the now-he winked and said cheerfully: “And now, Scrivy... I think you should help me make sure that every part of my body is-”

“Nope.” Scrivener said loudly, tilting his head back and wincing as he shoved at the stallion. “Twilight, it's bad enough when Luna does this, why do you have to encourage her?”

“Oh, come on, Scrivener. It's not that bad.” Twilight said mildly, and then she turned a smile towards Trixie, who was glowering at her. “What other tricks do you have?”

“Well, even without the alicorn amulet, Trixie is now capable of casting the most difficult magic of all! Regression spells!” Trixie replied sharply, and then she leaned forwards and snapped her horn at Twilight... before blinking stupidly when nothing happened.

Twilight only smiled, and Trixie cleared her throat before she said hurriedly: “Well, Trixie... uh... realized at the last moment it would be rude to cast such a spell on her opponent so... she will instead transform a volunteer from the audience into a foal! You, come here!”

Trixie pointed at River Styx, who only looked balefully back at the unicorn, and Trixie slowly moved her hoof to point at Marina, who winced and shifted lamely backwards, saying awkwardly: “I don't think that's a very good idea...”

“Oh, this is the most uncooperative audience Trixie has ever had!” the unicorn grumbled, although she seemed secretly relieved as she declared: “Very well, I shall instead... prove my prowess by aging myself! After all, even with the signs of age, Trixie will not lose any of her dazzling beauty!”

Trixie posed for a moment, and then her horn glowed brightly before her magic aura suffused her body, and Twilight smiled in amusement as she sat back and watched. Slowly, Trixie's body visibly aged, years passing in moments for the unicorn before she suddenly spun on one hoof and then posed, her coat paler than it had been before, her mane longer but thinner, her face marked by wrinkles and the passage of thousands of days that had flown by in mere moments.

She smiled, made more beautiful by her transformation... and Twilight chuckled quietly before she said softly: “That's a very impressive illusion.”

Trixie blanched slightly, looking over at Twilight with surprise, but the violet mare simply reached up and tapped her nose once, saying softly: “I've seen a lot of polymorphs and transformation spells, with all of Luna's adventures. You did a really amazing job with aging yourself, but the flaw is in your performance... well, and your vanity, to be blunt.”

Trixie glared at Twilight, then she huffed loudly and posed for a moment, saying firmly: “Showmareship is the most important thing to a pony like myself, Twilight! And even if I may have cut a few corners here and there, such magic is still far beyond-”

Twilight winked as her horn glowed brightly, and a moment later a massive, purple and black dragon exploded into being where the mare had been a second before, roaring loudly at Trixie as it crunched the stage beneath its claws. Marina squeaked and fell backwards with a shocked look as River Styx winced and braced himself automatically, while Trixie squawked as she rolled backwards off her stage before falling with a flump to the ground, her illusion vanishing from around her as she looked up at the dragon with shock and terror-

And then, in a swirl of light and shadow, it was simply Twilight again, the violet mare striding forwards with a smile as she said kindly: “Everything needs a little flash and sizzle, maybe. But you need substance, too.”

Twilight's horn glowed, and the broken stage lit up with the mare's magic before it rapidly repaired itself, Trixie staring dumbly up at Twilight for a few moments before she scowled horribly, then leapt up onto the stage, shoving almost nose-to-nose with the mare as she declared: “Trixie will not be done in by your silly, brutish tricks, Twilight Sparkle! As it so happens, Trixie has been saving the best of her incredible stunts for last!”

Twilight cocked her head curiously as Marina picked herself up and River Styx relaxed slightly, scowling all the same as he studied Twilight almost uneasily: what level of magic power did the mare really have, if she was able to do something like that without a twitch?

Trixie, however, was breathing quickly, clearly trying to psyche herself up for whatever magic she was about to try and pull off. Twilight watched with interest, sitting back and watching curiously as Trixie slowly stood up on her hind legs, biting her lips before she spread her front limbs and grinned as she started to float.

At first, Twilight thought it was levitation... but slowly, Trixie wobbled her way higher into the air, her whole body glowing with her magic energy as she looked down at Twilight with pride, with triumph, and with perhaps the faintest hint of a mare who was all-but-pleading for acknowledgment, as she declared: “I don't need wings to fly, Twilight Sparkle!”

Trixie slowly spun around in a circle, and then she flew in a slow circle as River Styx and Marina both watched in amazement, while Luna clapped brightly and Scrivener smiled a little from where he was still laying on the ground. Twilight was smiling too, her expression strange and almost wistful as she watched the way Trixie shakily flew through the air, performing a few easy loops and simple 'stunts.'

Finally, Trixie floated back down towards the stage, visibly sweating as she levitated above the wood with a proud grin, and Twilight smiled before she said softly: “You remind me of my daughter.”

“What?” Trixie burst out, staring in shock at Twilight as she dropped out of the air with a thunk on her belly, and the baby-blue unicorn groaned before she hurriedly clambered back to her hooves and stared at Twilight. “What do you mean, your daughter?”

“Oh, well, you know... a... uh... a lot of things have happened since we last... met.” Twilight said lamely, looking back and forth as she cleared her throat and rubbed awkwardly at the back of her head, before she asked hurriedly: “How did you teach yourself to fly?”

“Oh, no, the Great and Powerful Trixie will not be distracted that easily, and nor would she share such powerful magic with you, Twilight!” Trixie declared immediately, huffing loudly as she looked warily over Twilight, before she scowled as she looked at Luna and Scrivener moodily. “You know, Trixie thinks there is something strange about the fact that she just happened to stumble across you ponies, and you all seem a little...”

She looked meditatively over Marina and River Styx, the chocolate mare smiling as River Styx only continued to frown, while the genet on his head waved happily. “Strange.”

“We're actually all from a completely different reality, and we were all pulled into this one, along with you, to be part of a supernatural play put on by the Draconequus. Who, being Draconequus, have no actual coherent story or way to put all of us together, so we all just keep getting thrown – very annoyingly, I might add – from random scene to scene, with some vague plot happening between whatever their so-called 'audience' is demanding to see.” Scrivener Blooms said blandly, and Trixie scowled horribly at the earth pony as Luna giggled behind her hooves and Twilight looked at the stallion with exasperation. “What? It's true.”

“Trixie is not nearly stupid enough to believe that! Any more than she believes the lies about you being a Court Poet!” Trixie declared, and Scrivener Blooms looked offended for a moment... and then he simply shrugged amiably in agreement. “You cannot fool the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

“I'm sure I can't.” Scrivener agreed mildly, and then he glanced over at Luna and asked: “So should we confess that I'm just the royal prostitute, then?”

“Thou wishes thou wert the royal prostitute. But then again, if thou wert, Celestia would have taken thee from me and broken thee beneath her sordid buttocks long ago.” Luna replied mildly, and Scrivener grimaced a bit at this as Twilight rolled her eyes and Trixie looked a little aghast.

River Styx glanced towards Luna moodily, and then he shook his head as Marina said hesitantly: “Well, maybe... if the contest is over-”

“The contest is not over until Twilight lies in defeat and Trixie has proven her superiority!” Trixie declared, spinning back towards Twilight Sparkle and glaring at her. Twilight only smiled at her, however, and Trixie huffed before asking: “Well, what is your response to my latest and greatest show of abilities?”

“I surrender, Trixie. You're just too much for me.” Twilight said kindly, and Trixie began to brighten... but only for a moment.

Instead, the baby-blue mare shifted, and then she scowled a little, muttering: “That doesn't feel right at all. No. That's not good enough! In fact, that's worse than losing to you fair and square. How dare you patronize me, Twilight Sparkle! I know you, and I know you have plenty of trickery and cunning and power, and... what will it take to get you to meet me in a magic duel? Do I have to pick on your friends again?”

“You don't want to do that, Trixie. I know you don't want to. You're not a bad pony... you've never been a bad pony. Just... lonely, perhaps, and full of self-doubt and maybe a little self-loathing, too.” Twilight said softly, and Trixie flinched slightly at this, staring in surprise at Twilight before she bared her teeth at her almost threateningly, but the purple mare was undaunted. “I'm not trying to 'win' any 'magic duel' against you, Trixie. I just want to... see what you can do.”

Trixie grumbled under her breath at this, scowling horribly at Twilight before she sniffed disdainfully and peered towards Luna and Scrivener, saying moodily: “That is a strange thing to say in front of the Princess of the Night, Twilight Sparkle. One would think you would want to impress her, unless you really do consider yourself to be equal to the rulers of all of Equestria now.”

“I'm equal to everypony, and everypony is my equal. That includes you, Trixie. You're not worth less than I am.” Twilight said gently, and Trixie glared at the purple mare.

“I know that!” she snapped, a little too loudly and angrily, before she huffed and then sat back, sniffing loudly as she rose her horn as it began to glow, announcing: “Fine, since that is how you seem to want it, Twilight Sparkle, I will give you just what you want! I will cast a spell so powerful that it will bring night to Equestria, and if you can't stop my magic, then... everypony will believe that eternal night has returned and blame Nightmare Moon!”

“Nightmare Moon's plan was stupid. Thy plan is also stupid.” Luna said grouchily, waving a hoof at Trixie. “How is this supposed to threaten Twilight, or myself, for that matter? Also, with ease, I could drop the moon upon thy head. 'Twould be easy. Thy head is a great and bloated and fat target.”

Trixie glowered horribly at Luna, even as she blushed deeply, but her horn glowed brightly all the same as she retorted: “Trixie knows precisely what she is doing and it is not her fault that... that other ponies cannot see the genius of her actions!”

“Trixie needs to stop talking in third person.” Scrivener said dryly, and River Styx grunted in agreement as Marina shifted awkwardly.

Twilight only smiled lamely, before she frowned uneasily and glanced up as she thought she caught a strange pulse of magic, the purple mare starting uncomfortably: “Maybe you should reconsider this, Trixie... I... I'm not sure that moving the moon is such a good idea...”

“Only because it seems that even with all your tutelage, you have not learned how to!” Trixie grumbled, as she bit her lip in concentration, grumbling: “How hard could it be, moving a giant rock? I can do anything I put my mind to, and... and...”

Trixie began to grin as a shape visibly moved in front of the sun, growing larger and larger... except then the unicorn's eyes widened in alarm as she realized the object was getting larger because it was drawing closer towards them, rocketing out of the sky at incredible speeds as it burst into flame. Trixie reared back in horror as her horn sparked, violently shoving with all the magic she had at the meteor she had accidentally summoned, but it was useless: all she managed to do was knock several chunks of stone off the huge boulder rocketing out of the sky towards them, turning one massive, deadly rock into a massive, deadly rock surrounded by deadly shards of wildly-spinning stone.

Twilight winced as she spun around, before she gritted her teeth and snapped her horn sharply upwards, summoning a magic barrier: the meteor smashed through this like glass, but it was markedly slowed by the magic wall, and the smaller stone shards around it were caught up in the broken barrier, bouncing back and forth uselessly and many of them destroyed or knocked off course.

Twilight was already calling up her magic again, snapping her horn forwards and sending a missile of magic streaking upwards, and it hammered into the meteor, tearing into the stone heart of the boulder before exploding. The meteor itself erupted at the impact, shattering into dozens of chunks of stone that flew in all directions as Twilight made a swift spinning motion with her horn, a maelstrom of energy ripping through the air and catching most of the stone fragments, whirling them in a wild cyclone above the heads of the staring ponies before the chunks of rock were all harmlessly flung away to the sides, crashing down in sprays of dirt all throughout the field around them.

Luna sat back and clapped happily as the last chunks of debris and broken meteor crashed at safe distances around them, and Twilight sighed a little as the maelstrom of magic dissipated, the violet mare smiling a little before she looked over at Trixie, who was shaking like a leaf and clutching her hat over her head like it would protect her from the falling chunks of rock. She blinked a few times as she stared up into the sky, before the unicorn gave a lame smile over at Twilight as she brushed herself off nervously and straightened, clearing her throat as she mumbled: “I... thank you.”

Twilight looked curiously over at Trixie, but Trixie hurriedly straightened and shook herself out before she said quickly: “Trixie was... going to simply dispel that meteor herself, but she wanted to see if you would be able to pass her test and... you certainly did, Twilight Sparkle! Perhaps you are not quite as powerful as Trixie the Great and Powerful but you have certainly proven that you may deserve your crown after all, even if... Trixie is quite certain she is stronger than you are. But she needs to rest for a few minutes first, and she knows that Twilight must be... very tired. Exhausted, even!”

Trixie nodded seriously, dropping to all fours and stretching as she added quickly: “And of course after that incredible show of Trixie's power and Twilight Sparkle's own... small effort that contributed somewhat to protecting us from what... Trixie clearly had under complete control already, but would have certainly possibly maybe caused quite a bit of a panic if Trixie had perhaps lost a slight bit of control and maybe would have created some slight problems and difficulties.”

Trixie perhaps blushed ever so slightly, and Twilight smiled a little before she said agreeably: “Yeah. I think you're right, Trixie. Maybe we can just talk?”

Trixie scowled a little at this, looking suspiciously at Twilight, before she squawked when Luna suddenly leapt up onto the stage and threw a foreleg around Trixie's shoulders, nearly strangling her as she pulled her close and she added almost threateningly: “Aye, 'twould certainly be in thy best interest to tell us where thou art from and where thou art headed! Otherwise, how will we know which way to go? And thou does not want to be a rude hostess, does thou?”

“N-No, certainly not!” Trixie smiled lamely, awkwardly attempting to extract herself from Luna before she winced slightly and leaned her head away when the sharkishly-grinning sapphire mare almost shoved her face into Trixie's. “Trixie... would like to maintain a certain comfort zone...”

“But I am very comfortable like this, Trixie. Very comfortable indeed.” Luna waggled her eyebrows at Trixie, making her wince a little, before she rolled her eyes when Twilight glared at her. “Oh, fie on thee. Very well. But only because I do not desire to sleep on the couch again. Or whatever passes for such out here in this great patch of... mess.”

Luna looked disapprovingly back and forth at the fields around them, before she glanced up towards the sky and complained: “No place in Equestria is so derelict as this, Narrator! There is no such thing as open road surrounded merely by grasses!”

The Narrator, of course, is well aware that no, there aren't really many places in Equestria where you find nothing but dusty road for miles and miles, with nothing but plain centipede grass, which is ironically likely not a grass that would be able to tolerate Equestria's inhabitants for long, considering their heavy stomping and tromping and the bite these ever-hungry beasts of burden would take out of their own lawns here and there. Imagine, living in Equestria, where your lawn isn't just some same social status symbol, but also that guilty pleasure, that midnight snack you're not supposed to eat but can't help but get a bite of anyway, that-

“Oh shut up, Narrator.” Luna said tiredly, and Trixie frowned in confusion as she looked back and forth quickly, then up towards the sky.

“Narrator? Who is that? Trixie thought she saw another pony, but-”

What? Another pony? How dare you compare me, even unwittingly, to that dubious dummy dubbed the Director! I am absolutely outraged by this foul accusation, this-

Trixie was staring up into the sky with her ears flat against her head and her eyes bulging with something like terror, her mouth working slowly before she looked wildly back and forth and asked fearfully: “Trixie is not the only pony hearing that voice, is she?”

“What voice?” Scrivener Blooms asked curiously, and Trixie paled and twitched a little as Twilight gave the stallion a pointed look. “What? I'm just trying to find out of Trixie is talking about something normal that everyone is hearing, or if she's completely insane and we should try and find her some mental help, because all that magic has gone back into her brain and broken her ability to discern fantasy from reality.”

Trixie slowly turned towards Scrivener Blooms, staring at him as he looked back at her casually, and River Styx sighed before Marina said quickly: “It's okay, we all hear the Narrator. It's something you get used to, it's just... part of this world.”

“What do you mean, part of this world? What is even going on?” Trixie asked sharply, looking back and forth before she glared at Twilight, snapping: “If this is some trick of yours, Twilight Sparkle, Trixie is far from impressed by this... this parlor magic!”

Twilight looked mildly at Trixie's completely-unironic statement, and then she said as gently as possible: “This isn't any trick. If you're willing to listen-”

“No, time's up!” barked another voice, and Trixie flinched in shock as the Director suddenly strode out from behind her, as if he had always been standing up on stage with the two mares. Trixie nearly fell over as she scuttled quickly behind Twilight, staring past the winged unicorn with a look of disbelief beneath her fallen-askew hat at the dragon-tailed stallion.

The Director scowled over at her, and then he simply flicked his hoof, and Trixie squeaked before she simply popped out of existence. Twilight flinched in surprise, and Luna was on her hooves in a moment, turning dead serious as she snapped: “Where did you send her, cur?”

“Back to the dressing room. This scene is over, I won't let this play get any more... cluttered up than it's already been!” the Director snapped, shaking his head vehemently... but he was looking uneasily at the sky, chewing visibly on his lip as he breathed slowly in and out, a bit of sweat on his forehead, a vein palpating in his neck... something is wrong.

The Director's eyes whipped back and forth, almost like an animal that had been cornered who was trying desperately to find a path of escape, and Scrivener frowned slightly as Marina and River Styx both looked uncertainly at the Draconequus. The chocolate mare started to open her mouth, but the Director gestured violently, snapping: “No more questions! We're already far off target and there can't be any more delays! The budget is limited, and time even more so!”

“What's going on?” Twilight asked, but the Director ignored her completely, the stallion shaking his head vehemently as he paced quickly back and forth, his eyes flicking fearfully through the open air around them.

“How do I... how do I... okay, here's what happened, how the scene connects. Trixie was so impressed that she told you precisely how to get to Canterlot, which is that way.” The Director pointed quickly down the path, and then he grimaced before looking up and shouting: “Drop me a Canterlot set! Hurry up, Plutocrat says he wants more productivity from all of us!”

Plutocrat wants to control the audience, but Plutocrat, of course, has never been able to figure out that attempting to control anything that happens to have even a smidgen of chaos is-

“I don't have time for this, Narrator!” The Director's voice was almost shrill as he looked up with fury at the sky, shaking a hoof angrily as his draconic tail snapped back and forth. “Do you not realize we're on a timeframe here, or that with you just... throwing things wildly in as you please instead of giving me a single moment to try and work out a coherent storyline... it's all caused chaos? Just because you like it when everything is madness doesn't mean everyone else does! I have to assemble it all, make it logical, try and stay in control, but oh, who cares about the Director, who cares that-”

Luna hopped up onto the stage, then reached out and firmly slapped the Director across the face, making him flinch and blink stupidly several times before the sapphire mare said calmly: “Get thyself under control, Director. There is no need for such panic. And if thou would but give us the chance to work with thee instead of trying to push us, thou might find us more willing and able to help thee.”

The Director stared at her for a few moments, and then he slumped a little and nodded as Marina added quietly: “We don't want anyone to get hurt here, we just want to go home. If it's easier for all of us to escape this by working together, why shouldn't we?”

“I don't want to be here and I don't want to cooperate. But if you actually help us...” River Styx shrugged a bit as his genet chirped in agreement.

The Director looked down at the stage, pawing at it slowly before he sighed a little and mumbled: “Very well. I suppose I could have... done a better job myself of establishing this whole scene, but... they don't give me any time or warning. They just drop things on me and... it's not like you actors are ever pleasant to work with.”

“Then why make us even more unpleasant by irritating us?” Scrivener asked dryly, and the Director glowered at him, but didn't really seem to have much of a response to this. “Exactly. Now, what happened to Trixie and Shining Armor?”

“Minor actors are only summoned when the audience demands them. After that, they're sent back to the dressing room, where they're kept until the end of the show. Should the play fail, well...” The Director shifted nervously, and Scrivener didn't like what that silence implied.

Neither did River Styx, who frowned slightly before he asked quietly: “Are you saying there's more lives than just our own riding on this... game?”

“No, no! No! We... I would never put lives in danger, I would... I mean, everyone's going to go home sometime. Everyone will go home.” the Director said hurriedly, but he seemed like he was struggling to believe his own words as he tugged nervously at his collar, shifting back and forth as he looked fearfully up into the sky. “But I shouldn't be talking about this. Look, just... the scene was over, or almost over. Maybe I stepped in too early, but... we're already setting up for the next scene, we'll adjust it in editing. Narrator, where is that set? I just asked you for a set!”

In the distance, a giant cardboard cutout of Canterlot that looked as if it had been painted by small foals dropped down at the end of the path, and the Director stared at this for a few moments before he dropped his face in his hooves with a whimper. Luna smiled despite herself, and Scrivener smiled lamely as Twilight said as positively as she could: “Well, we were already at Canterlot and it looks... fine. I'm sure the Narrator is just... trying to get you to relax.”

The Narrator couldn't reply to this, but seeing as the Director was in such a sad and miserable state, he did feel his heart admittedly going out to his old friend. So, after a few moments, the Narrator withdrew his maybe-slightly badly-timed joke and...

Nothing happened. The cardboard cutout stayed in place. The Director looked up at this, and then he bit his lip as he looked almost desperately at the sky, but everyone could almost feel that... that weakening. Could almost see the paint peeling from the backdrop, the turf drying under their hooves to green-dyed straw, the... the stitches of reality, weakening...

Luna looked uneasily back and forth as the world took on flatter tones around them, and Scrivener frowned as the grass under his hooves became plasticky, fake. Marina and River Styx shifted uneasily back and forth before the chocolate mare flinched as part of her costume suddenly fell off: no longer shiny metal armor, but plastic covered in gold glaze, badly-adhered together by glue and stitching.

River Styx's genet whimpered and scurried down his neck as the Director stared up at a sky that seemed more like a blue-painted ceiling now, and he swallowed thickly before he whispered: “Oh no.”

All eyes turned towards the Director, all the ponies wanting to know what was going on... but the Director only smiled weakly before he lowered his head and whispered: “Reality has become unstable. We've wasted too much time, used up too much energy. I... we have to take an intermission. A brief break, to stabilize things, because the play has been running too long with too little coherency, and all that chaos has stirred up terrible things. But during intermission, anything can happen. And if the audience gets restless, well...”

He smiled weakly, and Luna began to snort and open her mouth to boast, before the world around them flashed... and suddenly, she and the other actors who had been brought to this broken world were simply standing on a stage in front of a badly-painted backdrop, with the Director nowhere in sight.

Sprawled out before them were dozens of dusty, empty seats, filling a dark and brooding theater. The only light came from flickering lamps along the walls, their dim orange glow barely enough to shelter against the darkness, and a single bright lightbulb hung above the stage, its warm glow the only protection from the encroaching, seemingly-alive shadows.

Luna scowled darkly as Twilight and Scrivener both looked quickly back and forth, and Marina lowered her head nervously as River Styx's horn lit up brightly, scanning the desolate ruins around them for any signs of life... hostile or otherwise.

All of them wondered if this was part of the play, some new scene beginning, some new twist in the story... but oh, sad ponies. Little did they realize that plays, be they happy or sad ones, are escapes from the grimness, the cruelty of reality. They drive off the shadows and the darkness in our own lives, blind us to the evils of the world, let us run away from the cruelties of reality by giving us a vision into a world not our own, that we can never experience for ourselves but still tenuously grasp, gingerly hold, vicariously live through the others we see in that window created by the stage-play and the story-book.

But when that play is suddenly stopped, in the spaces between, we are driven back into the real world, where we will once more be very much alone, and very much afraid, and very much vulnerable to the evils of the world. The actors must take off their masks, and no longer are they the characters of a story: in these moments between, they must risk being consumed by the fear of failure, the terrors of the real world, the vulnerabilities of their own mortality. They are caught between done and doing, and oh, there's so much, you realize, that can still go wrong... and who wants the first act to be their greatest triumph?

In the intermission, the Redacted comes.

Intermission: All The World's A Stage

View Online

Intermission: All The World's A Stage...
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna looked slowly back and forth as River Styx's horn lit up with magic and Marina bit her lip nervously. Twilight's own horn lit up after a moment as Scrivener nervously walked to the edge of the stage, the stallion gazing back and forth before he muttered: “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Thou gets bad feelings about all things.” Luna grumbled, before she hesitated and nodded, adding moodily: “Aye, though. There is a foulness in the air... and 'tis not at all like Draconequus magic. We must be wary.”

“No, it feels... wrong.” Marina murmured, shaking her head slowly before she looked uneasily back and forth, asking hesitantly: “What do we do? Should we try to... escape? Or do you think this follows some kind of 'story,' like the rest of the play?”

“If the Draconequus have lost control, it might be our chance to escape.” River Styx said, shaking his head before he focused his horn's light... but he couldn't cut through the darkness that surrounded the stage, the unicorn frowning as he muttered: “Except we might also have something else to deal with instead.”

Scrivener grimaced at this thought, but Luna only snorted even as Twilight nervously attempted to pierce the darkness with her own magic, ignoring the sapphire mare as she declared: “I fear no foe, and I will take on any enemy idiotic enough to make war with me! Mark my words, I am-”

“Loud and obnoxious.” Scrivener finished dryly, and Luna glared at him before she stepped forwards and firmly booted the stallion off the stage, sending him sprawling into the shadowy theater below with a squawk.

Twilight flinched, then glared at Luna as Luna only looked pointedly down at Scrivener as he clambered to his hooves in the clinging shadows. After a moment, he shivered a little, even as River Styx and Marina both leaned forwards to look down at the stallion, and the way the darkness was almost covering him like a blanket.

“It's like a mist.” Scrivener muttered, as he straightened up and brushed uncomfortably at himself. Luna frowned a little herself at this, and then she hopped quickly down beside the earth pony as Twilight anxiously leaned over the edge of the stage.

The two were saturated in the shadows, but the darkness seemed to flow and ebb around them naturally, like smoke or fog. And after a few moments, Twilight nervously hopped down herself, followed by Styx and Marina, even though the chestnut mare shivered a bit as she felt an unnatural, clinging coldness trying to eat its way into her chocolate body.

River Styx grimaced at the way the fog reflected the light of his magic, only making it harder for him to see. He dimmed the light to an unfocused glow around his horn, and it at least lit up the area around him without blinding him in the process. “Don't put out too much light.”

The others nodded, Twilight and Luna adjusting their own glow as Marina focused her own magic just enough to call up a faint aura around her horn. Between the four of them, it was just enough to drive back the dark mist around them, and Luna grunted in approval before she gestured ahead down the aisle between the rickety seats that filled the theater. “Let us first try and get out of this place. 'Tis too open for my liking.”

River Styx grunted in agreement, and the unicorns automatically formed a cordon as Scrivener awkwardly fell into place in the middle of the group, keeping his eyes ahead and grimacing a bit at the swirling shadows all around them, as he muttered: “So if it's not Draconequus doing this, does that make things better or worse?”

Twilight made a bit of a face, and Marina bit her lip nervously. Luna only snorted, however, replying moodily: “I do not care myself. Whatever it happens to be, I shall simply smash it.”

Scrivener Blooms simply gave the sapphire mare a mild look before he said dryly: “You know, you can't just smash everything, Luna. I get how that's your modus operandi and everything, but...”

“I shall mode thy oppy-randy.” grumbled Luna, poking grouchily at Scrivener with her horn, and the stallion winced away before the sapphire mare continued: “And I have yet to meet anything I could not smash, Scrivy.”

Scrivener only grunted in response, and River Styx looked towards the sapphire mare before he said dryly: “Perhaps we shouldn't test that theory, then.”

Luna began to open her mouth... and then she swore under her breath as a cold, cutting wind suddenly blew past them. The sapphire mare frowned after a moment as she looked sharply back and forth, realizing after a moment that it was impossible for a wind to blow inside the building...

Except nothing was really impossible, was it, when you were dealing with a world of magic... and as a friend had been so fond of saying, the only thing you could be sure of with chaos, was that when you were absolutely sure of something... that was the only thing that would never come true.

Luna flinched as another burst of black mist washed over her, stumbling to the side before she swore under her breath as she found herself and Scrivener Blooms suddenly standing inside a dusty room filled with racks of clothes, broken mirrors sitting on half-collapsed dressers.

“Twilight?” Luna looked back and forth, and Scrivener grimaced a bit as he turned around in a circle, as the dusty fluorescent lights flickered weakly above their heads. “Marina? Styx?”

“Not even River of Sticks is with us? Oh, damnation, Scrivy!” complained Luna, and Scrivener gave the sapphire mare a dry look, but she only huffed at him in response. “Well, sometimes stallions need other stallions for company. Thou should know: thou art always trying to fritter away thy time with other mares.”

Scrivener only sighed tiredly at this, shaking his head slowly before he said finally: “I can feel Twilight through our link, but I can't... get a sense of her.”

“Aye, 'tis like... seeing someone through a dusty window. Thou knows they are there, but...” Luna paused for a moment, and then she narrowed her eyes as there was a rattling from the cracked door in the wall, the mare's eyes locking on this before she gestured sharply at Scrivener with her head.

Scrivener nodded, and the two quickly and silently moved up to either side of the door, tensing themselves as the rattling increased. Luna let the magic glow die out from around her horn as she focused her body, readying herself before the door was finally yanked open.

A beam of light shone in, cutting through the darkness: a moment later, there was a quiet creaking before something began to move into the room, holding a flashlight in front of it in one hand like a talisman.

The light shone back and forth, but neither Luna nor Scrivener flinched away: they were back just enough that the cone of light never touched either of them, letting them stay hidden well in the unnatural darkness. Luna couldn't sense magic in this light, but at the same time, she could feel a powerful energy nearby, a... strange and yet familiar force, one that was somehow linked to this creature entering the room.

The entity stepped inside: it wasn't very tall, but walked on two skinny legs, and in his other hand was what Luna recognized as a large gun of some kind, clearly designed to be operated by the creature's hands. In a strange way, Luna and Scrivener both felt like they recognized him: they had both seen his kind before, and Luna certainly remembered what he was from the long-ago, ancient past... but what is a man doing here?

The human looked nervously back and forth as he entered the room, before his brown eyes slowly widened as he creakily turned his head to stare at Scrivener through the darkness, who stared back at the fair-skinned man.

Slowly and awkwardly, the man turned his flashlight on to Scrivener's face, half-pointing his gun at the horse. Scrivener winced back from both the light and the weapon, half-raising one hoof, and Luna scowled but remained silent for the moment: she didn't sense hostility from the man, but rather a mix of caution and... curiosity, she thought.

“Uh... you're not going to eat me, are you?” the man asked lamely, and Scrivener scowled, which made the man shift awkwardly backwards. “Hey, don't give me that look. I've met a lot of nasty horses lately.”

“I'm not going to eat you.” Scrivener said dryly, and the man twitched and mouthed wordlessly before Scrivener asked: “What, are people-eating horses more common than talking horses where you come from?”

“Uh. Yes. Well, no. Well. Usually they're just swearing at me in Norse.” the man halted, then looked lamely down at the flashlight and gun in either hand, before he lowered the gun slightly... although not entirely, Luna noted with a wry grin, as he half-extended the hand holding the flashlight. The little man is not a complete idiot. He rather reminds me of Scrivy. “Uh... my name's Neil. What's yours?”

Scrivener began to open his mouth, but then Luna boldly leapt out of hiding, knocking the stallion onto his side with a squawk as Neil yelped and immediately brought the gun up. But Luna slapped the revolver out of his hands with the ease of telekinesis, the mare grinning widely and proudly as she declared: “He is Scrivener Blooms, and I am Luna Brynhild!”

“Luna... Brynhild?” Neil asked in a surprised voice, his eyes widening as he stared at the mare even as he nervously stepped backwards, tossing an uneasy look in the direction of his fallen gun. He began to carefully step towards it, but then Luna leaned into his face with a wide grin and half-lidded eyes, making Neil wheeze a little before he said awkwardly: “I've seen that look before. It always means bad things for me.”

“Then thou hast more experience with mares than I would have guessed, Neil! Or well, whatever it is thou prefers. 'Twould be rather odd if thou wert entranced by mares, I suppose, seeing as thou art no great stallion thyself.” Luna paused, eyeing him thoughtfully before she winked. “But perhaps thou art the adventurous sort...”

Neil winced and leaned backwards, then he flinched and looked up in a mix of relief and horror that Scrivener understood far too well as a voice said wryly from the doorway: “Oh, Neil is only ever adventurous when I push him to be. But that is good, because I do not want him to ever go on adventures that I have not chosen for us.”

Luna grinned in amusement as she looked up at the figure that had stepped into the room, even as her eyes drank in every detail of the tall woman, studying her with an intensity that Scrivener had rarely seen. She was statuesque and imposing, with her hands on her hips and a grin on her face that mirrored the expression on Luna's, her blue eyes fearlessly meeting the gaze of the sapphire mare. She was a Valkyrie: much more than in her body, Luna saw that clearly in the burning passion in her eyes.

The silence lasted only for a moment before the two leapt at each other, smashing into one another. Luna's front hooves slammed forwards and the Valkyrie's fists flew. They crashed against each other, and even though they were shaped so differently, their bodies moved in the same way, with the same rhythm, to the same invisible beat.

Neil and Scrivener both winced and staggered to either side of the dressing room as the two clashed, Luna ducking under a swipe of a fist, the woman dodging a savage, twisting kick before she teased: “I have never seen a horse move so gracefully... not even Hex can swing himself about like a stripper of poles!”

“Pole dancer. She means pole dancer.” Neil said lamely as he looked awkwardly over at Scrivener, who gave a wry smile in return as the man nervously waved at him. “You're not going to fight me too, are you?”

“I am far more skillful than any pole dancer, I am empress of poles and the world is my stage!” Luna declared, then she grinned and swung her head forwards when the Valkyrie attempted to land a headbutt against her, their skulls cracking together before the two growled and bared forwards against each other, both refusing to give up even an inch of ground as the floor creaked and cracked beneath hooves and heavy boots. “And Hex's problem is that he is too cranky, not too stiff. Like Scrivy!”

Scrivener Blooms sighed at this, and then he couldn't help but smile a little as he studied the two before he said finally: “Valkyries.”

“Valkyries.” agreed Neil after a moment, and then he carefully shifted towards Scrivener, giving a small smile before he said finally: “That's... well, Brynhild, too. That's why I was so surprised.”

“Well of course she is Brynhild! Look at her!” Luna declared as she yanked her head back as the surprised Valkyrie stumbled a little. But then both mare and woman swung their heads forwards again, slamming their skulls together before they both stumbled backwards and fell on their rumps as Neil and Scrivener both winced.

The Valkyries looked dumbly at each other for a few moments, and then Luna grinned as she straightened and posed, saying easily as her ephemeral mane twisted around her head, and her horn gave a bright gleam of magic: “I do not miss my frail woman's body, though! Look at me, the finest stallion thou ever did see!”

“Finest? Pah! I could lift an old nag like you over my head with one hand!” the Valkyrie grinned widely, her eyes gleaming as she flexed one arm, and Neil sighed as the ponies stared when she flexed powerfully enough to tear the seams of her coat. “Little pony!”

“Had I clothes, I could tear them easily! Why... I... I do not wear clothes for that reason, because they all are torn asunder by my great muscly muscles!” Luna retorted, huffing loudly and shaking her head vehemently, before she added imperiously: “Also, I can do this!”

Luna's horn glowed, and Scrivener and Neil both squawked as they were hefted into the air, almost slammed into the ceiling by telekinesis as Luna grinned proudly and the Valkyrie scowled horribly at her. “Can you do that, Brynhild?”

“No, Brynhild. But my body is not so weak that I have to rely on my great fat brain to move things for me.” the Valkyrie scoffed, and Brynhild huffed loudly.

“Thou art a fat brain! With thy fat head and thy... tiny boobies!”

The Valkyrie reared back at this, before she grabbed her own breasts and snapped: “They are not tiny! And at least I have them!”

Luna glared at the woman at this, almost slamming Neil and Scrivener into the ground as she shouted back: “They are between my legs, which is a much better place for them, I shall have thee know, because they are easier for Scrivy to-”

“Oh my God please. Please stop.” Neil begged, looking up with a wheeze from beneath his frazzled bangs. “Can't we just have a normal day for once?”

“Normal as in 'we're just exploring and having fun and not out hunting for supernatural monsters,' or normal as in 'just once, let's get through the day without talking about Brynhild's penis?'” Scrivener asked moodily as he propped his head up on his hooves, and Neil couldn't help but grin a little and give a half-sympathetic, half-amused look to the stallion that told him this man completely understood the troubles and trials of his everyday life.

Brynhild – both Brynhilds – huffed and glared at them, and then they looked at each other before the woman enunciated: “Mine is bigger.”

“I doubt it. Thou art no proud stallion. And of all the things I enjoy about my fate, 'tis how stallions are all dependably more pleasing in size and girth and shape than the men of old.” retorted the mare, and the woman snorted in amusement before she and Brynhild looked at each other for a moment, then they both suddenly smiled.

The two studied each other silently, and then Brynhild reached up and gently settled a hand on Luna's head, both Valkyries closing their eyes. And in the rush that followed, Scrivener couldn't help but flinch at the storm of emotions, memories, and stories that flooded through the link into him.

Luna looked up at Brynhild, and Brynhild looked back at Luna before the woman asked quietly: “Are these things fated to be? Are you my future, Brynhild?”

“Perhaps not in body, but... who can say, how Fate shall twist and weave, Brynhild?” Luna smiled briefly, studying the woman's face, both memorizing and remembering every little detail of it... “Thou loves him, does thou not?”

Brynhild nodded firmly as Neil frowned uneasily, and Scrivener smiled a bit at the young man, shaking his head before he said softly: “And you love her, don't you?”

“Y-Yeah.” Neil's voice quavered maybe a little, but that was surprise, Scrivener thought, and worry... but not hesitation. No, Scrivener could see it in the young man's eyes: he loved the Valkyrie, with all his heart and soul. And he had already gone though a wild adventure for her sake... and more importantly, in spite of the fact he clearly knew that every day would just be filled with more madness, more fighting, more long days and wild nights and journeys into the unknown...

They would fight for each other. They loved each other, purely, simply, and truly. Scrivener smiled a little at this before Luna said easily: “And he is a poet, too, just like thee!”

Scrivener chuckled as Neil looked surprised, before he rubbed at the back of his head and gave a lame smile to Scrivener Blooms, saying finally: “Well, I... I write.”

“I do too.” Scrivener said after a moment, and then he picked himself up before offering his hoof to Neil, and the man looked surprised before he smiled lamely, then reached up to take it.

The moment his hand touched Scrivener's hoof, a black mist washed over Neil, making him flinch before he looked up in shock. The smog became a dark ooze that dripped and flooded over Neil's body, making him shiver before his mouth fell open, rasping weakly as the same black gunk spilled out of his jaws, and Scrivener's eyes widened in horror as he tried uselessly to pull away... but the man's grip was like a vise, even as his body shook as if wracked with pain, as his jaws moved wordlessly...

Luna and Brynhild both shouted, and they lunged towards the males at the same time, but both were repelled by an invisible force and knocked backwards. Luna snarled as she rolled immediately to her hooves, but then she looked sharply to the side as she caught something in the corner of her eye.

And the mare could only stare in horror at the sight of Brynhild, as the Valkyrie trembled on the ground. Blood spilled out from beneath her right hand as blue flames burned up the length of her flaxen locks, charring them black. She looked up, and her features had become pale and stony, but her eyes bled black tears, as deep and dark and hollow as eternal night as the Valkyrie whispered: “Is it my fate, to bring darkness to the hearts of all I love?”

Luna opened her mouth... but then, in a burst of sludge and mire, both Brynhild and Neil dissolved into dark muck that splattered over the floor. The sapphire mare flinched away, staring as the black ooze spread like blood over the floorboards, and Scrivener shivered as he stepped hurriedly back from the slime crawling over the wood, even as he said weakly: “Or are we the ones who destroy ourselves?”

“Stop it, Scrivy.” Luna murmured, and then she clenched her eyes shut and shook her head hurriedly, her body shivering before she grimaced and muttered, as she looked uneasily down at the stains in the floor. “We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted. Remember, there are no gifts or miracles in this den of evil. We must be on guard.”

“You think they're feeding off our emotions?” Scrivener asked quietly, as he carefully paced around the black stains, and Luna smiled briefly as she looked silently at the dark ooze.

“I do not know. I do not know what it was. But I do know that we are not going to be given gifts in this accursed place, and if we do receive blessings... we had best check to ensure they do not bear fangs.” Luna murmured, and then she shook her head before asking almost abruptly: “Twilight. Did thou feel the shift in her energies?”

“Yeah.” Scrivener nodded after a moment, grimacing a bit as he looked ahead. “What about Styx and Marina? Can you pick up their magic at all?”

“Nay, I cannot sense a single thing. But Twilight would be able to better find them, she was always far better at magic than I.” Luna said after a moment, shaking her head quickly. “Let us find her first. Then we can worry about gathering the others. And once we are all together, we can try and escape this...”

“Nightmare.” Scrivener supplied, and Luna gave him a wry smile. “Well, it feels like that's what it is.”

“Not yet. But aye, I fear that all signs point to that being correct.” Luna said dryly, shaking her head briefly before she sighed a little, murmuring: “We should get moving, Scrivener Blooms. I do not want to linger here. I do not need a reminder that...”

She looked silently at the black stain on the floorboards, and Scrivener softened before he nodded briefly. They carefully edged their way around the stains, heading out of the dressing room and into the hall beyond, and yet Scrivener couldn't help but look back, asking impulsively as Luna lit the darkness around them with her horn: “You don't think... they weren't real, were they?”

“I believe they were... the fragments of another dream, Scrivener Blooms. As are we all.” Luna said finally, and somehow, whether it made sense or not... that simply sounded right.

They made their way through the dark and twisting corridor, Luna forging forwards and Scrivener grimacing uneasily at the way it seemed to twist unnaturally. There was never a sense of losing balance, and yet at the same time, he felt almost like the floor had subtly rolled upside down, and they were walking on the walls and ceiling more than they were the ground.

This place felt like it was maliciously doing everything in its power to slow them down: when they came to a door, it was always jammed, and when they broke that door open, it always led to another rickety hall beyond, one that was lined with more broken doors with broken handles, and occasionally forked or crossed another hall... but these always ended in blockades or empty walls.

It was frustrating: it was like they were making their way not through a maze, but along one distinct path that would lead them, inevitably, wherever this darkness wanted them to go. And behind every locked door was just another dead end, or another long, empty corridor that led nowhere...

Luna growled under her breath, then stormed suddenly towards the side of the hall, headbutting one of the doors that seemed to exist only as decoration before she used telekinesis to seize into it, attempting uselessly to jerk it open. The door simply shuddered in its frame, the wood cracking even as it refused to budge, and Scrivener grimaced a bit before he said quietly: “I think it's trying to delay us.”

“Aye, but why? Does it require time to gather its strength? Or is this just some act of cruelty, to frustrate and confuse us?” Luna asked moodily as she pawed at the damaged door, before she shoved her face against the warped frame and muttered: “There is something solid beyond.”

The stallion frowned as he approached, and the two traded looks before they both grasped the warped edge of the door and pulled firmly. They weren't able to do much more than bend the wood out of place, but it was enough to let them see that behind it was a literal brick wall... although Scrivener couldn't help but reflect that the brick was probably about as real as the rest of this dark theater was.

“Oh shut up, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna grumbled, and the two stepped back from the wall before the mare muttered: “Aye. This is a strange and wicked place, though. I see little choice but to go forward...”

She bit her lip thoughtfully, lowering her head before she looked over her shoulder... and scowled as she saw the door they had entered through had become a brick wall. “Little choice indeed. Although I suppose I could simply set the place aflame.”

“Yes, Luna. That's a great solution, especially since we're stuck inside here and all.” Scrivener Blooms said dryly, and Luna huffed loudly at him before both ponies looked up in surprise as the doors at the end of the hall banged open, and Twilight stumbled through before the mare sighed in relief.

“There you are!” she blurted, and Scrivener and Luna both smiled, turning towards the mare... and then both ponies couldn't help but react with surprise when Twilight bolted forwards and all-but-leapt into Scrivener's forelegs, embracing him fiercely around the neck. “I was so worried!”

“Uh... yeah.” Scrivener said awkwardly, lamely patting Twilight on the back as Luna's eyes narrowed sharply. She looked at the stallion, and the stallion smiled even as his eyes met Luna's, silently communicating with her.

Then Twilight leaned back with a bright smile, looking warmly up at Scrivener as he looked back at her almost uncomfortably. She leaned in, trying to kiss him, and Scrivener shifted a bit away as he gently grasped her shoulders, saying awkwardly: “Hey now, uh. You know that Luna gets jealous when she doesn't get the first kisses in.”

Twilight giggled a little at this, stepping backwards and smiling widely and brightly at him before she suddenly shot an envious, hateful look at Luna, as she almost spat: “Then Luna can be jealous and wait her turn.”

Luna snorted in amusement at this, and then she remarked dryly: “Well, thou art not very subtle, art thou?”

Twilight glared at Luna, and Scrivener carefully shifted backwards before the violet mare sharply turned her almost fanatical gaze back to him, saying quickly: “Now, just you wait one moment, puddin', and I'll deal with this... problem. She's always been a problem, ain't that right? She's always just... gotten in the way!”

Twilight turned a furious look back at Luna, but a moment later, a hoof slammed into her face and sent her sprawling backwards with a gasp of shock, her eyes bulging in horror as Scrivener winced, but Luna only grinned widely and flexed her extended foreleg, saying sourly: “Thou does not seem to understand, clown, that I shan't balk at making it hoof party in thy face's house even if thou does wear the guise of my beloved. As a matter of fact, I will relish it.”

“You really shouldn't admit to the general public how much you enjoy beating us, Luna. That's called domestic abuse.” Scrivener said dryly, and Luna huffed loudly before reaching out and swatting the stallion, making him wince.

Not-Twilight stared for a few more moments at the two... and then she slowly snarled before she hissed: “Clown, am I? Well, why don't I show you just what this 'clown' can do?”

“I have heard so many variations of that, all I feel for thee is pity that thou cannot come up with a more original threat.” Luna said dryly, even as Twilight's horn began to glow ominously as her body rippled strangely, and Scrivener grimaced uneasily as he nervously stepped backwards.

But Luna only set herself, her eyes narrowing as Not-Twilight replied acidly: “Oh, well, if you need me to be creative, sweetie, I can be creative. I know just what my puddin' likes, after all: it's all those things you don't have.”

Not-Twilight snapped her horn forwards, but Luna dodged the blast of magic before she leapt forwards, tackling the violet mare backwards. They rolled, and then Luna swore as Not-Twilight flung her off before the purple pony agilely shoved herself off her front hooves and flipped gracefully through the air, landing easily on all fours with a wide grin before she laughed loudly and leapt to the side, yanking a door open and leaping out of the hall as it slammed closed behind her.

Luna leapt to her hooves and jumped towards the door to yank it open, and then she almost rammed face-first into the solid wall behind it, the mare swearing and stumbling backwards as Not-Twilight cooed: “Uh-uh-uh, I don't think so! You can just have a bit of quiet time for a little while, while I go take care of the rest of the competition! Oh no, the last thing we need is to be interrupted by any of those other... uninvited guesties!”

“It knows about us. It knows about the dreams.” Scrivener muttered, looking uneasily at the ceiling, and Luna growled in frustration before she slammed a hoof into the wall behind the door, shaking her head in disgust.

She bit her lip, then stepped back and looked towards Scrivener Blooms, before she frowned as the doors at the end of the hall slowly opened behind the stallion. The earth pony turned uneasily around as Luna strode up beside him, and they both looked through the open doors and into the both festive and desolate room beyond: a vast, sprawling emptiness filled with dust and dying balloons taped to the walls, a single lonely table sitting in the middle of it all draped with a ghostly tablecloth.

There was something on the table, all wrapped up in scarlet ribbons, and Luna and Scrivener traded looks before they both slowly strode forward into the hall, drawn by that splotch of crimson color and the so-familiar shape...

Scrivener and Luna entered the ballroom, and the doors slammed shut behind them.

Marina shifted uneasily, then blinked blearily before she slowly climbed to her hooves with a groan, grasping at her head and shivering as she looked back and forth. Her whole body hurt, and felt... strange. But maybe that was just because she also felt like she'd been run over by a train.

She looked slowly back and forth, then she frowned uneasily as she looked down at one of her hooves, turning it back and forth before her eyes slowly widened. She trembled violently as she half-rose one foreleg further, mouthing wordlessly as she saw the gaping wounds, the holes in her limb...

Marina almost fell over as her legs quaked beneath her, but she dropped her foreleg and managed to steady herself, clenching her eyes shut as she breathed slowly in and out. She sat slowly back, trying to assess herself... and while she certainly hurt badly, at the same time, she couldn't feel any pain in her limb. So those holes... what does that mean? Am I...

The chocolate mare bit her lip, then she hesitantly rose her foreleg and looked down at her limb. The sight of the holes made her feel a little sick to her stomach, but at the same time, they didn't hurt. They weren't wounds: the edges were smooth and clean. In fact, as she studied her limb, she felt almost like she'd seen this before...

“You!” growled a voice, and Marina looked up before her eyes widened in shock as three malformed creatures appeared in the darkness: they had twisted, holey limbs, chitinous bodies, insectile wings and jagged horns. Their bulbous green eyes glared into Marina, and the chocolate mare shrank back as she stared at them with disbelief: what were Changelings doing here?

“You're late!” the one that had spoken growled, and Marina blinked before the Changeling gestured at her. “Well, come on!”

Marina mouthed wordlessly for a moment, and then she looked back and forth, as if she thought the creature in front of her was talking to someone else before she reached up and awkwardly touched her own breast, saying finally: “Me?”

“Yes, you.” the Changeling said, sounding exasperated as one of the bug-beasts sniggered. “You have a meeting with the Queen.”

Marina stared at the Changeling, and then she looked uncomfortably down at herself, studying the holes in her foreleg again before she nervously reached up and rubbed over her face. Her hoof passed through a mane that felt more... spiky, woolen than it had before, and she wondered uneasily if somehow her chocolate body had detected these Changelings before she'd even been aware of them, and transformed itself...

Except they seemed to recognize her. They were looking at her with plenty of impatience and irritation, after all, but not hostility. Either way, she decided it would be best to play along for now as she gave a nervous smile before she nodded a little, straightening and clearing her throat before she said awkwardly: “Of... of course. I'll come with you.”

“Yes. Please.” The Changeling and his companions turned around, and Marina followed after a moment with an awkward smile, lowering her head and trembling slightly as she forced herself to be as calm as she could.

She followed them through the dusty basement to a large, ragged hole in the floor, the mare biting her lip nervously before she followed quickly when the lead Changeling glared over his shoulder at her. She looked uneasily back and forth as they passed through dirt and rock into a passage that seemed almost as if it was made of spongey tissue, the mare shivering a bit at the unnatural warmth of it beneath her hooves, stumbling a little on the softness of the porous material.

Soon, they were passing other Changelings of every size, Marina looking uneasily back and forth at them. Some of them looked at her with curiosity, while others bowed to her politely, which made the mare shift nervously: why were they treating her almost like... royalty?

The chocolate mare bit her lip, then winced a little as she tried to look down at her muzzle in surprise. She had fangs, and she had just nipped herself with them. And when she risked a glance back at herself, she realized she had bug-like wings, just like the rest of the Changelings, and her tail was a ragged mess, and- “What's happened to me?”

Her Changeling escorts looked back at her curiously, and Marina blushed deeply as she looked forwards: she definitely hadn't meant to voice that out loud. But after a moment, the Changeling in the lead said, in a voice that was surprisingly gentle: “You're just where you belong, that's all. Back home.”

“Home?” Marina frowned uneasily, and the Changeling nodded as he turned back forwards, leading her onward.

“Yes, home. We know it's disorienting. All the Alates are raised by pony families until they become adults, after all, where they can feed off of a constant supply of love. And now that you're an adult, we've brought you back to the hive so you can be trained.” The Changeling explained as he continued to lead the way onward through the hive, before he smiled over his shoulder. “But the Queen can explain it all better than I can.”

Marina shifted uneasily, looking back and forth before she stopped to rub at her head, and the Changelings halted to look back at her. “I... this isn't right...”

“It's alright. It's a lot to take in, that's all. You're just having memory sickness.” one the Changelings reassured, and Marina blinked slowly a few times before her escort turned around, and she felt helpless to do anything but continue to follow them deeper into the hive.

They arrived after a few minutes at a large, open chamber: it was filled with green pools of ooze, and within these ponds were eggs that throbbed with eerie life. In the center of it all was a staircase leading up to a raised island of hive-flesh, upon which sat an unnatural throne where a figure she hadn't expected to see was seated.

Marina frowned uneasily as she approached the staircase, looking nervously up to the mare seated in the throne, and then she asked nervously: “Twilight?”

Twilight Sparkle smiled down at her: there was an ill emerald flicker in her eyes, and she moved with a strange, sinuous grace as she slid out of her seat, standing at the top of the stairs as she almost sang: “Marina! It's just so good to see you, sweetie! Why don't you come up here and sit beside me, huh? Let's have a little girl time, shall we?”

Marina smiled uneasily, and then she nodded nervously before striding hesitantly up the stairs, saying awkwardly: “I... you're not... Twilight, are you?”

“No, toots, I just thought this would be a familiar shape for you to talk to, that's all.” Not-Twilight smiled coyly, half-lidding her eyes before she beckoned quickly. “But come on up the stairs, we got lots to talk about!”

Marina smiled again nervously, chewing on her lip before she strode slowly up the stairs. Something about this... Not-Twilight made her extremely anxious, her eyes shifting back and forth to make sure that there was some kind of escape available... except she couldn't help but notice how the stairs were really the only way on and off the raised platform the throne stood on, and beneath it was a vast, glowing green pool of ooze, limiting any option of escape.

She stepped onto the platform, then winced when Not-Twilight grabbed her around the neck in a one-legged embrace that felt more forceful than friendly, even before Not-Twlight half-flung her backwards into the throne. Marina shifted automatically backwards, then flinched when Not-Twilight almost leapt forwards, dropping her chin on her front hooves as she propped herself up on the arm of the huge chair with a too-wide grin. “You just make yourself right at home, and let me take care of you. I want you to be nice and cozy, after all, after all those nasty people put you through, huh?”

Marina frowned a little, and Not-Twilight laughed before saying easily: “Well, don't you worry about any of that, you're here and safe now! This is your home, where you belong, with a hundred hundred thousand servants all at your beck and call. What could be better than that? Nothin', that's what!”

The chocolate mare shifted in the throne, and then she asked awkwardly: “What about my... my friends? I mean-”

“Your friends are all here, of course! Every one of 'em!” Not-Twilight said, gesturing quickly out with one hoof and a wink. “Every last drone and worker and soldier and whatdoyoucallit is your friend. Me too, too! Ain't that great?”

“Well, there was this Royal Guard-”

“Guard, schmard. You don't need no stinkin' guard.” Not-Twilight huffed and shook her head vehemently, and then she gestured almost imploringly out at the open cavern. “Isn't this great? I mean, a whole hive, just for you! Well, it will be for you, you know. I got my eyes set on something else, see, and I'm gonna have to leave it all behind...”

Not-Twilight sighed theatrically, throwing one foreleg across her head as she leaned away, before she suddenly whirled towards Marina with a sharklike grin, making the chocolate mare wince and shove herself back in the throne. “But you gotta be ready to do a few things, see. 'Cause you know, there's always some bad person or other out there, tryin' to hurt ya, tryin' to separate you from the one guy you really care about with all your heart...”

The purple mare swayed back and forth almost dreamily, and Marina nervously slipped out of the throne before she winced when Not-Twilight grabbed her and flung her back in the seat, the violet pony snapping: “Hey, I'm talkin' here!”

Marina winced a bit, and Not-Twilight glared down at her for a few long moments before she suddenly smiled and reached up to lightly bop her on the nose. “Now, I know you must be pretty darn confused and all, right, toots? But that's totally fine, because all you gotta do is listen to me and what I have to say, and ignore everything else. Y'get it? Forget all the rest of that nonsense. I know, sure, sometimes all the... fake memories and the lies and the stories, it all gets in your head. I mean, they told me all sorts of things, nasty things, about this fella I used to see, but... my fella is still my fella, you know!”

The chocolate mare looked awkwardly at Not-Twilight, not understanding in the slightest before the purple mare suddenly seemed to focus, smiling softly and stroking tenderly under Marina's chin as she said calmly: “Now, all I need you to do for me is stay right here. Stay here, in this hive, while I go take care of a few things. Just settle in, adjust... become part of things here! We're all family and friends, and you just gotta accept that and join us and you'll have a nice place to stay forever and ever... for ever, and ever, and ever...”

Marina smiled nervously back at Not-Twilight, but she resisted the urge to look away or deny her: no, her mind ached, and her thoughts were strangely... fuzzy... but she knew that something was terribly wrong here. “I uh... I think that...”

Not-Twilight narrowed her eyes dangerously, and Marina laughed a little before she said quickly, on a bolt of inspiration: “Can I look around the hive, perhaps? See more of my... new home?”

Not-Twilight leaned slowly forwards, until their faces were almost pressing together, and Marina did her best not to flinch, not to panic, not to pull away. And suddenly, Not-Twilight smiled brightly and nodded firmly once, before she turned and shouted: “Hey, morons! I got a job for you to do!”

Several Changelings fell all over themselves to hurry into the throne room, and Not-Twilight huffed at them before she looked over at Marina and said mildly: “So hard to find good help, ain't it? That's why I had to bring you here, sweetie! You're gonna be great help, and I gotta get you out of the way while I go and find my puddin' and save him from that nasty...”

The mare suddenly halted and clicked her tongue distastefully, looking away for a moment before she shook her head quickly and returned her attention to Marina, saying kindly: “Well, that ain't so important, what's important is that you settle in here and you get comfortable and you make sure you don't do nothin' stupid, got it?”

Not-Twilight's gaze suddenly became cold as she leaned forwards, saying icily: “I don't got much patience for stupid, see.”

Marina smiled lamely, and there was silence for a few moments before Not-Twilight nodded firmly and suddenly pushed herself away from the throne, trotting down the stairs and lightly bumping against one of the Changeling guards as she passed him, saying cheerfully: “You give her a good time, though, and treat her like a lady, you hear? Otherwise, well...”

As she passed another Changeling, she hip-checked him firmly, knocking him sprawling with a yelp into a pool of green ooze. Not-Twilight grinned at this, then she continued on her way, almost bouncing out of the large cavern as Marina nervously brushed herself off before she looked awkwardly down at the Changelings waiting for her at the foot of the stairs.

She made her way down to the group of Changelings, and then she asked finally: “So this Hive... what is it?”

The Changelings looked between each other, and then the largest one shrugged before he replied: “It's our home.”

That wasn't much of an answer, but then again, Marina guessed she hadn't asked much of a question. “I mean, how is it structured? Is it like a... a town, or like an...”

How did you politely ask if she was now living in a giant anthill? That thought made her feel a little funny, made her smile a bit... until she realized with a faint chill that for some reason, she had just automatically started to think of this place as 'home.'

But this wasn't her home. This wasn't anywhere she wanted to be. All of this was fake, all of this was some great big play, and what she had to focus on was finding her friends and then escape from here, this... whatever it was.

She felt a pang of pain run through her head, and the mare shifted dizzily before she steadied herself and... what was I thinking about again?

“Where's Discord?” Marina asked abruptly, and the Changelings all looked at her oddly before the chocolate mare frowned and looked back and forth before she shook herself out quickly and forced a smile as she felt her memories fighting back against whatever was trying to manipulate her. Whatever it is, it's only getting stronger the longer I spend in this hive, I need to get out of here. But how?

The Changelings were staring at her almost suspiciously now, but Marina quickly put a smile on her face before she asked impulsively: “How do you harvest 'love?' I mean... since I've never been in a hive before, I don't know how you'd... keep a supply of it on hoof or anything.”

The insectile creatures traded looks, but then the one that had apparently been elected as spokesperson shrugged before saying slowly: “Well, we have both a stable where we keep the... 'domestics,' as well as food crystals...”

“I would love to see the food crystals. Perhaps I'm just... hungry, that's all.” Marina said quickly, smiling a little. “I don't remember the last time I... ate.”

The Changelings traded looks, but they seemed to be reassured by this, and then one of them took the initiative and gestured for her and the others to followed as he walked away. Marina was more than glad to do so, trying to blend in with the small group of Changelings, trying to pretend she was one of them... while at the same time, holding tightly to the belief that she didn't belong here, reminding herself that she wasn't one of them.

They led her through the twisting halls of the hive, and Marina looked uneasily back and forth, chewing on her lip nervously. Changelings milled by, many of them looking at her curiously as her escort led her on, plenty of them smiling, trying to be friendly... but Marina only forced herself to keep her focus ahead, to look for any hint of escape.

And as they walked along, she felt it: the faint breath of a breeze, the mare glancing up before she asked impulsively: “Are we heading outside?”

“What? No, no.” Her Changeling escort halted and looked back, before one of them glanced down the tunnel and said: “Oh, that's where we're building the garden...”

“Garden?” Marina pressed, and the Changelings traded looks before one of them finally shrugged and nodded almost hesitantly. “I'd really like to see it.”

She put on her best smile and her best pleading eyes, and the Changelings traded looks before one of them said hesitantly: “I... suppose. But we're supposed to keep a close eye on you, you know...”

“I just want a quick look, that's all.” Marina said quickly, and the insectile equines looked at each other before they shared several shrugs. And after a moment, her escort turned to lead her through the intersection, towards the source of that faint breeze.

They entered a half-constructed room, where hive-flesh merged with dirt and rock, and a large cluster of flowers and odd plants were growing in the center of the room in a shallow pool. Marina stepped towards this curiously, even as she shot a quick look up at a large, gaping hole in the ceiling: if only she could fly...

As if to remind her of their existence, her wings buzzed quietly at her sides, and the mare hesitantly glanced over her shoulder at them as she attempted to flex them, to move them. She thought it was only because of all the practice she had gone through with learning to control her chocolate body that she was able to make them shift at all... but did that mean she would have enough control to actually fly?

Marina nervously made her wings flicker again, even as she saw the Changelings frowning at her: well, most of them were suspicious, but one of her escorts was rambling away about this place, this 'Garden,' as they called it: “-so that lets us make potent toxins and antitoxins and drugs that help keep our domestics in check...”

“They look very pretty.” was all Marina could think of to say: the flowers were indeed beautiful and multicolored, and the mare hesitantly approached the lip of the shallow pool so she could get a better look at them. Then she couldn't help but flinch back when there was a splash of green gel as a nasty-looking bramble struck out of the water at her.

It missed by quite a distance, but it still gave her a bit of a scare, Marina wincing away as one of the Changelings snickered and another one said quickly: “You had better back away from there, the plants don't like it when you get too close!”

“I see.” Marina mumbled, and then she shook her head before hesitantly spreading her wings. She felt them buzz at her side, and then she carefully lifted off the ground... but as she felt the Changelings behind her tensing up, she quickly put on a show of flailing at the air before letting herself drop back to the ground.

She pretended to struggle to lift herself off again, and while it was certainly difficult, she wasn't having nearly as much trouble as she put on. The Changelings seemed to settle a little, though, and one of them even encouraged: “Don't just let your body go limp, lift with all your muscles!”

Marina smiled awkwardly over her shoulder at them, then purposefully overlifted, making herself tip forwards comically. She almost overdid it and nearly sent herself flailing right into the pool, but thankfully she managed to throw herself backwards and land back on her rump with a wheeze, giving a lame smile before she said embarrassedly: “I guess I'm just not very good at this...”

A few of the Changeling escort encouraged her immediately, even as one or two continued to watch her suspiciously, and Marina shifted a bit. They were being so nice to her, treating her so well, accepting her, trying to help her out... that, of all things, was what made it hard to leave, made her almost feel... guilty about what she was doing. But no, she reminded herself: this was all a ploy, a ruse, and... she needed to escape from here. Not just before they imprisoned her or something, but before... it became too difficult to leave.

Marina took a slow breath... and then she winced when a voice suddenly growled from behind her escort: “Well, look at this! I can't leave you alone for five minutes, can I, toots? All I asked you to do was shut up and make nice.

“And you, lunkheads!” Not-Twilight bodychecked her way through the Changeling escort, making them yelp and cower as she glared daggers at them. “I get that you guys is all stupid, but how can you be this stupid, you stupids?”

The chocolate mare bit her lip, and then she quickly leapt into the air, following her instincts and simply shooting towards the hole in the roof as Not-Twilight berated: “I warned you she was gonna try to get out of here, I told you just to play nice but keep her busy, and what do you do? You bring her-”

“Boss!” one of the Changelings blurted, and Not-Twilight scowled horribly at him before she blinked as the Changelings pointed hurriedly past her, the purple mare spinning around on one hoof-

“Hey! Get back here!” Not-Twilight snapped, and then she snarled before almost-screaming: “Alright, no more mister nice guy, you hear me! Bring her down, boys!”

The Changelings scrambled forwards, then leapt into the air after Marina: the chocolate mare had a good head start on them, but her body was far from used to her wings, and the tunnels she flew into through the hole were jagged and dark, forcing her to light up the environment with her horn. And as fast as she was, she knew the Changelings were faster...

All the same, she poured everything she had into flying through the twisting tunnels, wincing as she dodged around spikes of rock that bit at her like fangs. She forced herself not to look back as the Changelings shouted after her... except it didn't sound like shouting for very long. No, more and more, she thought she could hear screaming, and growling, and hissing, and...

She hit a stone wall that seemed to appear out of nowhere, cursing in pain as she threw herself off it and looked wildly back and forth before darting into a narrow gap, before she screamed in shock as one of the Changelings smashed into the tunnel behind her. It clawed at her, screaming and bestial, body bristling with fur and spiky chitin as the beast's emerald eyes glowed with animal hate.

Marina turned and shot through the narrow passage faster than she knew her body could move, her hooves kicking against outcrops of rock as she raced down the jagged tunnel. She felt her wings scraping the walls, her sides painfully bumping against jutting rock, her body aching with the strain she was putting it through... but the fear of the monsters behind her, the sound of their screaming, the feel of claws lashing at her, jaws snapping at her tail, drove her relentlessly forward.

The chocolate mare flew onward, desperately weaving through rock, and stone, and brick, and wood, her wings flapping hard, her hooves shoving and pulling her forward. All around her echoed screams and roars as the Changelings flocked after her like a living storm...

She was so caught up in the escape that she didn't even realize that she was no longer flying, but galloping; that the walls were no longer jagged cavern stone, but rotting wood and faded paper, the ugly wooden floor cracking beneath her hooves as she charged down the dark, endless corridor.

Marina looked back over her shoulder, and she screamed at what she saw: a tidal wave of monsters, half Changeling, half smoke and slime and black malice, all full of glowing, hellish eyes. She stumbled, then looked ahead, just in time to see the double doors before she crashed through them and hit the ground hard, rolling painfully before she landed in a sprawl with a gasp.

She immediately looked back over her shoulder, scrambling for her hooves, but all she caught was the sight of the doors slamming as silence suddenly fell over her. Marina stared at the sealed doors, trembling for a few moments, trying to make sense of it all-

Something touched her, and she shrieked, spinning around and slashing her horn out. But it was easily parried before she was smacked across the face by a hoof, the chocolate mare blinking in surprise and mouthing wordlessly as Luna both snapped and soothed: “'Tis I! 'Tis I, Marina! Damnation, what hast happened to thee?”

“I... I...” Marina looked dumbly around the ballroom, mouthing wordlessly before she shook her head and shivered, looking quickly down at herself... but her forelegs no longer had holes in them, she could no longer feel wings at her side, and she felt, for lack of a better word, normal. “Changelings.”

“Changelings?” Luna dubiously looked at the double doors, and then she shook her head before she turned her eyes towards Scrivener Blooms, who was looking uneasily around the ballroom. “Was River of Sticks with thee? Or Twilight Sparkle?”

“No, I... well, there was a Twilight, but she wasn't... your Twilight. She was...” Marina wasn't quite sure what she was: only that it certainly wasn't the mare she'd gotten to know during the unfortunate chain of events that had led them to this twisted trap.

Scrivener and Luna traded grim looks, and Marina frowned a little before she went with her gut feeling, asking: “So you saw her too?”

“Aye. She reminds us of a rather dangerous creature we have encountered before... well, that Scrivy has, so to speak.” Luna said after a moment, gesturing towards the stallion, and he grunted and shifted a little as he looked away. “We do not know why she is here, but... perhaps it hints at the powers that control this place. For she was...”

“A figment of my imagination. Something too good to be true.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna smiled wryly as she looked at him with... was that almost an apology in her eyes? Or guilt, even? But why would she feel that way, Marina wondered.

She sat back for a moment, trying to get her thoughts in order, to figure out what she should ask first before her eyes nervously settled on a shape laying on a table in the center of the room, all wrapped in ribbons. Luna followed her gaze after a moment, and the sapphire mare shook her head before she said quietly: “I do not know what it is. 'Tis a riddle, but I do not even understand what it is asking.”

Marina frowned at this, then she nervously approached the table, studying the shape on it silently: it looked almost like a pony, wrapped in red streamers. Five different shades of red, she thought, the end of each streamer nailed to the tabletop, held in place by ugly spikes of metal. Then she glanced up as Luna said moodily: “I have tried to unwrap it, but it defies my hooves. Perhaps it requires a magic that I do not have.”

“Maybe...” Marina murmured, but before she could get any further, there was a tremendous bang from above, dust hailing down from the ceiling as Luna immediately readied herself and Scrivener and Marina both flinched.

For a moment, there was only silence.

And then, there was darkness and laughter.

Intermission II: And The Mares And Stallions Are Only Players

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Intermission: And The Mares And Stallions Are Only Players
~BlackRoseRaven

River Styx picked himself up, feeling... hungover, he thought. He looked back and forth, his thoughts fuzzy, his mind having difficulty focusing on anything as he muttered: “Where the hell...”

He blinked a few times, then straightened in surprise as he realized he was in a bunk. A bunk among more than a dozen others, he realized, as he looked back and forth before he noted several other sleeping stallions...

River Styx grabbed at himself as he realized his armor was missing, before he glanced up as a familiar voice said easily: “Welcome back, Lieutenant! How's your head? Seems you hit the bottle pretty hard last night... not that I can blame you.”

The unicorn blinked once before he looked up at the pony who had addressed him: for some reason, he couldn't quite place the stallion's face, but that polished purple armor marked him clearly as a Captain of the Guard, which meant... “What am I doing in Canterlot... sir?”

“Wow, you really hit it hard, huh?” the Captain remarked, and River Styx only continued to frown before the officer explained patiently: “You've been promoted, remember? You finished your service in Appleloosa, and now you'll be serving as one of Princess Celestia's bodyguards until a new position opens up somewhere better for you. Your talents were obviously wasted out there in that no-pony's land, after all.”

River Styx tilted his head slightly in surprise, and the Captain of the Guard gave a wry grin before he shrugged and said mildly: “Well, when you're ready to get up, report to the quartermaster for your new armor. You've still got a few hours, though, before you have to be on duty. Maybe you should use 'em to take care of that hangover, huh?”

“I'm... fine. Thank you, sir.” River Styx said after a moment, rubbing slowly at his aching head as he frowned uncertainly, and the officer smiled at him before shrugging and walking away to yell at some of the recruits for sleeping in.

The unicorn slowly pulled himself out of the bunk, shaking his head quickly before he rubbed uncomfortably at his bare chest. Something was wrong here: he knew he wasn't supposed to be here. The last thing he remembered...

River Styx looked quickly around, and then he shook himself out before striding quickly out into the corridor of what was clearly Canterlot. Down to every last detail, it was precisely what he remembered, and the unicorn frowned ever so slightly as he looked down the whitewashed hall.

Maybe that was the problem now: it was all too perfect, all too close to what he remembered Canterlot had been like. And even with his head feeling all fuzzy, it wasn't like he was about to magically forget Luna Brynhild and her two sidekicks, or that pony made of chocolate...

There were other ponies, too. River Styx thought as he walked out and headed down the hall, in the direction he knew would eventually take him to the quartermaster's. Maybe not the quickest route, but he wanted to take a look around this place he had ended up in: the Draconequus, as he remembered, had never been very good at keeping their settings accurate...

Except down to the last brick, Canterlot felt like a perfect replica. River Styx didn't know what to make of it, but as he entered the quartermaster's, he did understand this wasn't the work of any Draconequus. It was too calculated, too perfect, too... cunning.

“Lieutenant Styx, right? Just finished up your gear.” said a gruff-looking earth pony who was sitting behind a counter, and Styx simply nodded as he looked around the cluttered room: this felt off, at least. Weird, how it reassured him that something wasn't real... “Here.”

A set of heavy golden armor was almost slung onto the table, and Styx grimaced before he stepped forward to study it: this wasn't his standard armor or even dress armor, but elite gear...

Still, he only shrugged before beginning to put it on, as the quartermaster flipped through some inventory log beside him and said: “You haven't been assigned anything else for now. Guess they want to see how you do before they give you the regalia. Keep that gear in good shape, you'll be back in your old armor before long, I reckon.”

Styx only nodded before he asked impulsively, as he finished strapping on his breastplate: “Do you know where my genet is?”

“Who?” The quartermaster blinked, looking up with a scowl before he snorted. “Oh, the weasel? I don't look after pets, son, I just take care of the equipment.”

Styx only grunted in response, and then he turned around and headed towards the door, before frowning over his shoulder when the quartermaster added almost cryptically: “Remember to take that armor off if things get messy, won't you?”

River Styx only turned his attention back forward, even as he felt a strange sense of unease roll down his spine. He shook himself out quickly, trying to throw off the growing sense of dread as he made his way through Canterlot and towards the throne room.

He didn't recognize any of the soldiers here, and he had no idea where his companion was, and he understood that he was either in the grips of some kind of very powerful dream magic, or something much crueler than the Draconequus they had encountered so far had taken over this 'play...' but what was their goal?

Somehow, the stallion didn't expect it was anything good, even as the other Royal Guard saluted and turned to open the golden doors leading into the throne room-

They were flung open, and a violet alicorn he recognized all too well strutted out, grinning widely as she looked at River Styx. The unicorn halted, looking evenly back at the mare as she said brightly: “Heya, Styxie! How the hell are ya, huh?”

River Styx remained silent: this clearly wasn't Twilight Sparkle, or at least not the Twilight Sparkle he had met in this strange play-world. She seemed to know that he knew, but that didn't make her grin fade any as they simply glared at each other, until the mare finally sniffed and said mildly: “Now, Styxie, you play nice with Princess, huh? Don't you worry, she's real anxious to see ya, I've put in all kinds of good words for ya with her! So don't screw it up.”

Not-Twilight leaned forwards, glaring at him, and River Styx continued to look unflinchingly, fearlessly back. And then Not-Twilight suddenly leaned back with a bright smile, winking at him as she said cheerfully: “See ya later, Styxie!”

Not-Twilight bounced past him, hip-checking him as she passed and making him stumble and glower over his shoulder at her. But she simply hopped away, although somehow that made him feel even more suspicious.

River Styx turned around and strode into the throne room, then looked up uncertainly as a voice greeted him warmly: “Lieutenant Styx, welcome. I'm glad to have you as part of my personal guard. I've heard many good things about you.”

River Styx strode to the foot of the stairs that led up to the platform upon which Celestia's throne sat, and then he knelt and lowered his head. But he remained silent, and his eyes were suspicious as he looked up at the Princess of the Sun: he knew this wasn't the real Princess Celestia, after all, any more than any of these other ponies were real.

Yet as she smiled down at him, it was so tempting to just... pretend, even if only for a moment, that this was real. Everything felt like it was in place, everything felt like it was going right for him, those crazy ponies were gone, and-

“Lieutenant Styx, please. Come up here for a moment.” Princess Celestia encouraged, and Styx hesitantly stood up, looking almost uncertainly at her. She beckoned to him, and Styx shifted a bit before duty, curiosity, and obedience to the Princess – even if he knew this was just a simulacra of her – compelled him to stride up the steps and join the Princess of the Sun at her throne.

Princess Celestia smiled at him again, then she reached up and lightly adjusted his helm, the unicorn shifting slightly as he felt the eyes of the other guards glaring holes in him. “You'll be happy to know, Lieutenant Styx... actually, do you mind if I call you River? And you should just call me Celestia, too.”

River Styx nodded impassively, although inwardly he fidgeted at the attention: both the positive, from Celestia, and the negative, from the jealous guards. He had to remind himself that this wasn't real, but instead all part of some kind of ruse designed to get into his head, to confuse him, to try and make him- “By the way, River, did you hear about your brother, yet?”

The unicorn looked up in surprise, and Princess Celestia smiled before she said kindly: “Princess Twilight told me about him, and how close you are to him. There's a few positions here open in Canterlot, though, so I went ahead and had him made a member of the staff. We'll find a place that's good for him.”

“I... uh, thank you, ma'am.” River Styx said after a moment, leaning back a little in surprise before he quickly reminded himself that this wasn't real, and there was no way... “Is my brother here?”

“Oh, not right now, no. But he'll arrive tomorrow. I'm sure you'll be able to see him then.” Celestia smiled, and then she glanced around before saying easily: “You know, there's really no point in me sitting in this stuffy throne all day... guards, let's head up to my office. I might as well use this time to get some of my paperwork done.”

Her bodyguards saluted, and River Styx began to step away before he winced when Celestia caught him and winked, stroking gently down the back of his neck. “Now, don't get ahead of yourself, River. I want you to stay close beside me: I want to make sure you live up to the high expectations that Twilight Sparkle has given me.”

River Styx shifted awkwardly, but he didn't know what to say: the safest thing to do seemed to be to play along for now, so he quickly nodded when Princess Celestia stood, before falling in at her side as she started forwards.

Her remaining three bodyguards automatically assumed escort positions around them, and Styx couldn't help but note the nasty looks he got from the other soldiers. He only did his best to keep his attention ahead for now, ignoring the other soldiers as he shifted a bit under the unwanted attention from this mare who wasn't the real Princess of the Sun, who wasn't...

But it was so attractive, no matter what he kept telling himself: a comfortable position, the knowledge that his brother was being given a job, a safe place to live, even being able to look around and see these perfect boy-scout bodyguards all glaring at him because they all knew he came from the streets, the slums, and they came from the good houses and the honor schools, with daddies to get them high-ranking positions in the Royal Guard where they'd never face either the danger or the dirt...

And now here he was. Striding alongside Princess Celestia, who had taken a personal interest in him, and he could be proud of that. He had worked hard to get here, and... no. None of this is real.

Styx frowned ever so slightly, but he barely missed a beat even as he snuck a look towards Princess Celestia. A shiver ran down his spine as he realized just how insidious this ploy was: it played to all the desires he'd never admit to having.

Princess Celestia looked at him and smiled, and River Styx forced himself to look ahead, to not respond, to simply walk, even as he felt her wing gently brush against him as she said: “If you need anything, I don't want you to hesitate to ask, River. I need more ponies like you around: stallions I can trust to do the job, and who understand that there's a difference between theory... and practical application.”

Her eyes half-lidded as she smiled again, but Styx kept his gaze forwards and impassive, doing his best not to look at her or acknowledge her. Yet at the same time he couldn't push himself to step away from all this, to defy the obedience trained into him or the fact that part of him wanted to believe this might all be happening. That everything else had just been an alcohol-induced nightmare...

“You need to relax, River. I want my personal guard to have some level of... comfort around me, you know.” Celestia said kindly, and the stallion shifted a bit before the Princess of the Sun winked at him, nudging him lightly as they walked along. “I have to say, though. I am impressed by how... professional you are. So in control!”

She paused, then winked. “I like a stallion who can stay in control.”

River Styx remained impassive even as a faint blush crept up at the edge of his collar, but he kept his eyes forwards and his head high, refusing to play along. Except he wasn't entirely in control, was he? He was letting himself be led along, more than he wanted to admit. He was following, not leading.

He argued with himself silently... and then blinked in surprise when Celestia said easily: “And here we are!”

River Styx looked up at the door in front of him, then he glanced back and forth quickly: how had they gotten up to this tower so quickly? He opened his mouth, but was cut off as Celestia said calmly: “Now, guards, wait out here. River Styx, why don't you step inside with me for just a moment? There are some things I want to talk to you about.”

River didn't really know what to say, but he didn't get a chance to try and make any excuses, either. Instead, he felt himself grabbed by telekinesis and almost flung through the door into a large, plush room that seemed a lot more like a cozy den than it did an office, the stallion blinking stupidly back and forth at the huge, plush seats, the fireplace, the scented candles already wafting their sweet smoke into the air and the-

The door slammed behind Celestia as she stepped inside, grinning widely at Styx, and Styx stared at her before he grimaced, reminding himself for the umpteenth time that this was not real, that he did not have to respect this aberration any more than he respected the fake Luna he was stuck traveling with, and- “I want out of this trap.”

“Trap? But I haven't wrapped you around my hoof yet, have I, River? You're not going to refuse to bow to your princess, are you?” Celestia asked teasingly, and River Styx looked at her moodily before she winked and strode forwards, circling him slowly as she suggested: “But maybe you should take off that armor, it's making you all... stuffy.”

“I want to remain professional, your Highness.” River Styx said, telling himself he was only being so polite, only playing along, because he still had to figure out how to escape from this trap.

Princess Celestia smiled at him as she stepped back in front of him, and then the mare leaned down and asked: “It's important for me to know where my soldiers see themselves heading. Do you plan to spend the rest of your life as an officer, River?”

“Yes.” River Styx said, even if...

“You aren't really sure about that, though, are you? I don't think you joined the Royal Guard out of patriotism, now did you?” Celestia replied candidly, and River Styx shifted a little. “You know, River, you put on this tough, callous act, but I can see past that. You're intelligent, well-read, more than just your average grunt, even if you'd like to play that all off... and of course, you have people you care about in your life.”

She smiled, striding slowly around him again, and the stallion narrowed his eyes as he watched her almost warily, shifting uncertainly at the way she seemed to stalk him, almost like a predator. “Loyalty is an important quality for any soldier... for any pony, really, who wants to work with other people. But what is your loyalty to, River?”

“Equestria.” River Styx replied immediately, although...

Celestia clicked her tongue disapprovingly, then she replied kindly: “You don't have to lie, River. Be honest with me. What is your loyalty to?”

“Equestria.” River Styx refused to give a different answer, keeping his eyes forward, not leting his gaze chase after the Princess of the Sun as she- No. That is not Princess Celestia. Keep your head in the game.

Celestia laughed softly at this as she walked in front of him, looking down at him intently as he looked back at her, before the Princess of the Sun gave a kind smile... but her eyes had grown colder, crueler, her amethyst gaze piercing through him like arrows. “Now, now. You don't have to be like that, River. I'm not your enemy. And you're smart enough to figure that out on your own, aren't you? Furthermore, if you'll allow me to breach the veil for a moment...”

Princess Celestia leaned forwards, saying in a soft, reasonable, terribly-dangerous voice: “You're in my castle, surrounded by my soldiers, and are only serving in the capacity you are because of my good graces. Perhaps before you do anything too silly... you place that thought firmly in your mind, River. You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to anyone, now would you?”

River Styx only scowled, before his eyes widened ever so slightly as the Princess added almost offhoofedly: “We did, after all, catch a pest recently that we think you dragged in by accident. Don't worry, though... he's off in a safe place for now. I haven't had my wardens do anything with him... yet.”

River Styx narrowed his eyes dangerously, but Celestia either overlooked this or ignored it as she smiled at him, asking condescendingly: “So River. Where do your loyalties lie?”

For a few moments, River Styx only sat, glaring at Celestia... but finally, he was forced to lower his gaze and mutter, as she smiled condescendingly down at him: “With my... family.”

“A good answer. Good enough, anyway, even if... not quite what I was looking for.” Celestia said gently, and she clicked her tongue before asking kindly: “Tell me, River: if you could have anything at this moment, absolutely anything... what would it be? And don't lie to me. We're all selfish creatures at heart, after all, and you've spent so long taking care of others, pretending you were doing it all for yourself... you deserve a little treat, don't you?”

River Styx grimaced a bit, and then he said shortly: “I'd take some time alone.”

Celestia laughed loudly at this, then she shook her head slowly before replying easily: “Hiding isn't the solution to everything, you know. No, no. I know just what you want, what you've always wanted. To be loved, to be safe and sound, snug as a bug in a rug. That's what we all want, isn't it?”

For some reason, the unicorn didn't like where this was going, as he opened his mouth to reply... then winced in surprise, looking down at himself with shock as a voice too squeaky to be his blurted: “Yes, Princess Celestia, I want to be snug as a bug in a rug!”

“See, you agree.” Celestia said pleasantly, and River Styx glared before he opened his mouth before his eyes widened as no sound came out, the stallion only able to mouth wordlessly as he shook his head back and forth.

Celestia winked at the stallion, leaning down and cooing mockingly: “Oh, now don't strain yourself, my dear! I know just what's best for you. I'm sure you understand that, though, being my cute little servant and all, right?”

River Styx grimaced, then he leaned forwards, but it was a struggle to even do that, now. He felt like his body was turning traitor on him, as unfamiliar and toxic magic spilled through him, made it impossible to resist the mighty Princess of the Sun, the indomitable, the... gigantic...

River's eyes widened as his head snapped up, as Princess Celestia loomed over him, grinning coldly, cruelly down at him as her eyes glowed like stars. She towered above him... no, nothing in this room had changed size, he realized, as he looked wildly around. No, nothing was larger. Instead, that magic hadn't just paralyzed him, it had shrunk him down.

He helplessly stared up at Celestia as she grinned down at him, before she reached down and stomped one huge hoof into the ground beside Styx, making him flinch before she asked teasingly: “Look at you. Is this how little your weasel is? And I've seen how you work so hard to keep him safe... well, now you'll be my little weasel, River, and I'll keep you safe. Snug as a bug in a rug.”

Celestia licked her lips as she stood up and paced slowly around the tiny River Styx, who glared back and forth as he shifted uneasily on his hooves: well, at least he could move again. But he wasn't quite as fast or agile as his pet was, and while there were plenty of hiding spots around the room, he had no idea how he was going to reach any of them or what he was going to do from there-

No. One problem at a time. The first problem was that he was out in the open, without either cover or any place to hide. He needed to get somewhere safer, and quickly.

The stallion looked around and gritted his teeth as he saw the table was probably closest: he could make a dash for it, and-

Celestia coiled in front of him and flopped down with such force that it nearly knocked the stallion flying, her body an impassable wall as she stretched a hoof out towards him playfully, her eyes half-lidded as she teased: “Oh, River, you aren't trying to run away already, are you? I have such high expectations for my little stallion...”

River Styx glared at her, then he quickly turned around to try and run in the other direction, but it was useless: a forehoof dropped on top of him, squashing him into the ground as the Princess of the Sun almost purred: “Now, now. If you want to play cat and mouse, you'll have to do better than that. You need to zig, and you need to zag... but you don't really want to run away, do you?”

Celestia smiled teasingly as she sat back, but River felt powerful telekinetic magic wrapping around him, the stallion grimacing before he was lifted into the air. He let his body go limp... not that it made much difference, since Celestia moved him about like a toy all the same, the mare grinning widely as she turned him around to look down at the tiny pony patronizingly: “Just like a foal, aren't you? Running away from what makes you happy, making mischief for the sake of attention. But now, now, I have you, right here, safe and sound...”

Celestia lowered the stallion against her breast, and River shifted uncomfortably as her forelegs wrapped around him, curling him against her body. He grimaced a bit, shifting uneasily at the smell: dust, and bleach, and something... uncomfortable and familiar, as Celestia cooed: “Every stallion needs a mother. You miss her terribly, don't you?”

River Styx refused to reply, refused to play this mind game. Instead, he tried to look around and figure out his next plan of escape, doing his best to ignore the suffocating embrace and the haziness in his head and the memories...

“River, River. What am I going to do with you?” Celestia asked suddenly, and now her voice was filled with contempt, drawing the unicorn's attention to her as he sensed something more malign in her words. “You just squirm and shiver and shake yourself all over the place, but I know just how to deal with naughty little unicorns who refuse to either accept my gifts or worse, take everything I've done for them for granted.”

The unicorn winced as Celestia suddenly flung him down to the ground, the stallion staring up at the gigantic mare as she leaned down and glared at him furiously before she suddenly smiled, and River winced a bit as the Princess of the Sun reared back and said kindly: “You have to make sure they know they're safe and secure. Snug, as a bug, in a rug.”

Celestia spun around suddenly, and River Styx stared for a few moments before his eyes widened in horror as he realized what he was looking at. He spun around, scrabbling wildly for purchase at the soft rug, but as Celestia's rump dropped towards him, he realized it was far too late for him to escape-

River Styx felt an immense, crushing weight land on him, squashing him into the ground as he wheezed brokenly, his eyes bulging as his hooves scrabbled uselessly at the carpet. His armor was all that saved him from being squished completely, as he spasmed weakly against the carpet, trapped beneath the heavy, voluminous rump of the mare.

Stars danced in front of his eyes as he groaned weakly, and Celestia flicked her flowing tail to the side so she could look down at the stallion as he uselessly attempted to extract himself, smiling coyly as she said teasingly: “Now, River. Thank me, and I'll get up. This is an experience that most ponies would beg for, after all.”

The stallion was only able to wheeze for breath as his mind raced for a way out of this nightmare. He felt helpless, and now he was being crushed by what felt like ten tons of mare sitting on his back who was acting like this was an experience he should be grateful for, and how the hell was he supposed to deal with a gigantic Celestia acting like a spoiled brat-

His ears twitched, as over the booming of Celestia's laughter, he heard a sharp, shrill chirp. River Styx blinked in surprise before he gasped loudly as the enormous mare shifted to drop her weight harder on him, feeling his armor groaning, barely able to hold up under the pressure. But he ignored the pain and feeling of suffocation as best he could as he looked back and forth, before his eyes locked on a familiar figure that was racing across the rug towards him.

He didn't even have a chance to speak his genet's name before Lamp leapt onto his face, making the unicorn wince slightly before he muttered: “Good to see you're safe. But not helping.”

Lamp chirped, then scampered over his head, and River Styx frowned as he wondered what the hell his companion was doing-

Celestia howled: it was a sound of surprise more than pain, but Styx thought there was definitely some pain there as the mare leapt off him. For a moment, he could only lay there, stunned and amazed before he felt his fuzzy little friend land on his back with a squall that got him scrambling to his hooves.

His body moved on autopilot, training and instincts taking over as his mind tried to catch up to what had just happened. He sprinted with all his might for the safety of beneath the nearby table... except he underestimated the giant mare's rage as she spun around and smashed the table flying with telekinesis, River Styx's eyes widening as the Princess of the Sun roared: “How dare you! You and that little furball are going to pay for this, River, I am your Princess and your goddess and I am here, granting your every dream, and your stupid little pet can't keep his teeth to himself any more than you can show an ounce of respect!”

Her massive hooves stomped up and down as she tantrumed, and it made the carpet almost ripple beneath River, the world seeming to shake around him as he stumbled back and forth with a curse. He looked desperately back and forth before his eyes locked on a vent, but even if it was only ten or so feet for a normal pony, it seemed like an impossible distance to the stallion. All the same, though, he had to try: he had to escape before-

Celestia spun towards him, snarling furiously before she pounced, and River Styx gritted his teeth as his horn glowed with magic a moment before she crashed down with a bang that shook the entire room. “Got you, little stallion!”

Celestia grinned widely... then frowned as she slowly climbed to her hooves, blinking in surprise as she looked back and forth. She stood up, then looked dumbly under herself, raising one rear hoof and then the other as she asked dubiously: “River?”

But River Styx was nowhere to be seen, and Celestia gnashed her teeth together in frustration... while the stallion himself sighed in relief from behind the vent cover, his body aching with the exertion of magic as his genet chirped worriedly on top of his head. But River Styx only gave the smallest of smiles, the unicorn shaking his head before he murmured: “I'm fine. Just... relieved.”

He shook himself briefly out: he thought it was the fact that he had teleported blind that had strained him more than anything else. Really, he had only jumped a few feet, after all, and he was technically moving much less with magic than he was used to...

He was reminded that there was no time to dawdle by Celestia roaring for her bodyguards to hunt him down. He ached, and he felt tired, and his head was still fuzzy, but all the same, the unicorn forced himself to face down the tunnel and begin forwards, not wanting to risk being caught.

The first few steps into the duct were difficult, his pace soon evened out as he lit the way with his glowing horn, and soon enough the shouting and raging faded out behind him. His head became clearer, the fuzz lifting from his mind as the aches gradually left his joints, his breathing evening out before he finally glanced up and asked quietly: “And where were you?”

His genet only chirped on his head, then nibbled at one of his ears, and Styx gave a rare, small smile before he shook his head and said softly: “I know, focus. Knowing our luck, though, we'll stumble over the rest of those idiots before-”

River Styx stepped into thin air, and he had a moment to blink before he fell into nothingness, flipping end over end before he crashed down with a tremendous bang into what felt like solid concrete. He grimaced and shook himself out quickly, then slowly picked himself up before he looked back and forth through the pitch black darkness.

Before he could concentrate enough to light his horn back up, he heard something: muffled laughter, it sounded like, coming from beneath him. He felt his body tense reflexively as he thought he recognized that sound somehow: it reminded him of the false Celestia he had encountered, and all the nightmares he couldn't remember in his muddled brain...

And then, before Styx could react, the floor beneath him suddenly gave way, and he fell into the blind chaos below.

Was this what they had experienced, Twilight Sparkle wondered, as she walked silently through a world of dreams and hallucinations: reality around her was fragmented, twisted, nothing but broken images and blurs of light and sound-made-visual.

She looked back and forth as she walked along the narrow, zigzagging path through the darkness, studying the magic curiously. She had been exiled here, she thought, because this magic was having less of an effect on her than she imagined it was the others. She could guess at why that was, but that was be a waste of time and energy when she had to focus on getting out of here.

Besides, she knew why.

She had always been different.

Twilight smiled faintly to herself as she followed the twisting and turning trail, as the fragments of memories and corrupt illusion whirled past. But it was all easy enough to ignore. She wondered how the others were doing: she imagined that Scrivener and Luna were probably waiting for her, but how would Marina and River Styx fare against this mental poison?

Marina seemed both... more tolerant and more vulnerable to the chaotic magic of the Draconequus. She was smart, though, and caught onto things quickly, and she reminded Twilight a little of herself: she just had to stand up for herself more, Twilight thought, and the chocolate mare would be on as stable a footing as any of them.

River Styx was certainly tough and focused, but he had his soft spots, she was starting to see. She worried about him a little, though: she knew this illusion wouldn't play fair, after all, and it would find all those cracks in the armor of the ponies, and exploit them.

She imagined that it had split them all up for a reason, and she thought that right now, whatever this was, it was observing them. She couldn't sense the Narrator, or any of the other Draconequus, but she felt like they were there, somewhere, in the background, struggling to contain this... thing.

And there was a sense of something, watching, and waiting.

Twilight paused, then looked curiously to the side, unafraid and undaunted at the shadowy figure she saw there, its cloak of blue mist twisting and turning around its uncertain form. The twisted and misshapen Plutocrat looked down at her with contempt, before he asked coldly: “And are you here to steal my bounty for your Mistress, is that it?”

“I don't know why we're here, or how we even got here.” Twilight answered honestly, and then she glanced around before asking: “Is this the power of the Redacted?”

“The Redacted is not awake.” Pluto replied, which wasn't really an answer at all, Twilight Sparkle reflected. “Do you think the Draconequus will let you leave?”

“I believe them. I believe everything they've told me.” Twilight replied evenly, looking up at Plutocrat. “Chaos doesn't always tell the truth, but I've also learned that chaos rarely tells lies.”

Plutocrat seemed both amused and disgusted by this response, but he didn't reply. He only looked at her, contemptibly, until Twilight said quietly: “Let me go back to my friends. Enough is enough: you don't have to-”

“Survival of the fittest.” Plutocrat interrupted brusquely. “Let's make a deal. Your freedom for a thousand souls.”

“I don't collect souls. And I don't barter with them, either.” Twilight replied, and Pluto laughed coldly before the violet mare said in a softer voice: “We can still work all this out. I don't know what you're trying to do, what you're trying to build, but everyone can still go free and all of this can be forgotten. There are better ways-”

“Empires are built on the backs of slaves. That is all.” Plutocrat interrupted with a sharp, dismissive gesture, and then he added coldly: “Perhaps I will let you wander for a while longer. Perhaps the continued suffering of your friends will convince you otherwise.”

Twilight only smiled briefly, refusing to be cowed by the creature's attitude as it glared down at her. Plutocrat only snorted, then vanished from sight after a few moments, leaving her alone in the fragmented world.

She looked back and forth through the chaos, then closed her eyes, taking a slow breath as she felt outwards with her magic. They were... close, she thought. Not just Scrivener and Luna, but all of them: wherever they had been trapped, they were very near to each other, even if it felt like they were moving vast differences...

But of course, any good magician knew how to employ sleight of hoof. Twilight smiled a bit, glancing back and forth: it was far easier to keep someone in a small room with a few moving images than it was to employ a massive area: the trick was just making the illusion feel coherent, to never give away the fact you weren't really going anywhere, but it just felt and looked like you were.

She closed her eyes and took a breath as she pressed her hoof down into the floor beneath her, then she nodded once to herself before murmuring: “Alright. I can feel the energy flow. It's inconsistent, and drawing from...”

She frowned slightly, but then her features cleared as she nodded slowly: of course. What better way to power all these machines and dangerous traps? The mare smiled a bit to herself, and then she shifted slightly before she took a slow breath and murmured: “Okay. I just have to be careful, then: not hurt the source of the power, but instead...”

Twilight Sparkle felt out the root of that dark magic, breathing slowly in and out before she smiled a little to herself as she locked on to it. She felt around it, felt the poison it emanated: not chaos, not destruction, but something... empty, and lost. Something that was converting emotion to power, and feeding off the energy it harvested, an abyss that gazed deep into the hearts and souls of all it caught in its black stare...

Twilight shook her head a bit, and then she murmured: “You're taking after Scrivy. Come on, Twilight. Get it together. Focus on the right thing.”

The mare took a slow breath, and then she grasped into the magic: she gripped it, then smiled slightly as she managed to twist it, feeling reality around her shivering before she muttered: “Here we go. Okay, guys. Stay still.”

Her horn pulsed, and then she lashed it out, and reality around her rippled as a boom passed through the world around her. The fragmented chaos filling the air quaked before simply whiffing out, leaving her in empty blackness before her horn lit up with a distinct, bright aura.

She looked back and forth, but now she was alone in an empty room, crumbling wood beneath her hooves and peeling paint on the half-collapsed walls. She smiled as she looked around, before her ears twitched at the sound of a distorted laugh in the distance.

Twilight spun around and ran towards the door she spotted without hesitation, slamming her way through it and lunging out into a narrow hallway. She looked back and forth, but then that manic laughter tore through the air again, guiding the unicorn to the right and around a corner.

She bashed though another set of doors and stumbled into a dark, empty banquet hall, her eyes immediately locking on the sight of the deformed unicorn that was dancing around Luna, dodging and evading her attacks.

The unicorn looked like her, but not: it was twisted, distorted, mutant, in a word: its body was covered in scar tissue and lumps of alien flesh, although ragged purple fur still clung across its frame. Its mane and tail were little more than loose clumps of greasy hair, the beast's teeth jutting from its jaws and eyes bulging out of its too-small head as it shrieked: “Don't you know I just want what's best for you?”

The monster lunged at Scrivener, but Luna intercepted the beast, slamming her down on her side before the sapphire mare was kicked off: hideous and deformed or not, the beast was incredibly graceful as it rolled backwards before landing on all four hooves, suddenly looking over its shoulder with a grin at Twilight Sparkle as it hissed: “You just had to try and ruin the fun for all of us, huh?”

Twilight snapped her horn out, blasting the monster with a hammer of magic energy, but it only grinned as the worst of the psychokinetic damage was deflected. “Well, at least you tried.”

Not-Twilight laughed loudly, then suddenly snapped her own horn forwards, but Twilight anticipated the attack and deflected it with a sharp upwards flick of her horn. It smashed into the ceiling above, sending cracks ripping through the plaster, but Not-Twilight only sneered and opened her mouth-

Part of the ceiling above suddenly gave way, an avalanche of debris topped by a stallion in battered armor falling in a pile on top of Not-Twilight, crushing the monster under its weight. Luna blinked in surprise at this, and then she grinned before asking cheerfully: “River of Sticks, so thou hast decided to finally come and save us?”

River Styx glared at Luna as he slowly picked himself up on top of the pile of debris, before he looked up in slight surprise as Marina asked worriedly: “Are you alright? What happened?”

“I'm fine.” Styx muttered after a moment, shaking his head briefly as he carefully picked himself up. He thought he felt the pile of debris shift beneath his hooves, the stallion immediately readying himself as he looked down, his horn pulsing faintly...

But no. There was nothing, just a few settling chunks of rotten wood, before he looked up sourly as Luna said mildly: “Now, thou hast had thy fleeting moment of chivalry, River of Sticks, saving all us mares from the wretched booger-pony. Come down from thy smiting mountain and receive thy just reward: a sloppy kiss from Scrivy, as he is the princess.”

Scrivener Blooms scowled horribly at the back of Luna's head, and River Styx simply looked at her dryly for a few moments before he turned his attention to Marina, carefully skidding his way down off the pile of debris as he asked: “And you?”

Marina blinked in surprise, but then smiled a little after a moment, nodding once as she said finally: “I'm alright. What about you, Twilight?”

Twilight smiled as she approached, before she was cut off as Luna shoved her head in between Marina and River Styx, almost shouting: “I am also perfectly fine!”

River Styx rolled his eyes as Marina winced back slightly, and Scrivener sighed tiredly as he approached, saying dryly: “We're all fine. All of us. We're good. We're happy. Now can we please get out of here?”

Luna glowered at the stallion as Twilight approached, the mare's horn pulsing faintly as she said finally: “I was able to dispel most of the magic in the air, but there's still something anchoring us here. It's in this room, though...”

“It's probably that weird thing.” Scrivener said, gesturing with his head in the direction of the strange object on the table, and Twilight tilted her head curiously as she strode past the stallion.

“I recognize this. It's modified demonic magic.” Twilight murmured, and Scrivener and Luna both frowned, the sapphire mare suddenly becoming serious as Marina tilted her head and River Styx only scowled. “These ribbons are essence chains... they're made using the essence of a victim, to tie them all into one singular illusion.”

“Is this the root of the Draconequus' power?” asked River Styx, but Twilight shook her head as she smiled briefly over her shoulder.

“No. Wherever we are right now... it's somewhere different from the Draconequus' world.” Twilight replied with a shake of her head. “This 'theater,' for lack of a better word, seems to be on its own wavelength. I'm guessing it's a pocket dimension of some sort, and that's why it took time after we were transported here for them to separate us. This was activated by someone... I'm guessing the entity that took the form of that thing.”

Twilight gestured towards the pile of debris, and Scrivener shifted a bit before he asked a silent question with his eyes. But Twilight smiled faintly, shaking her head as she murmured: “These illusions... we didn't create our own prisons, but we did shape them ourselves. I'm guessing what each of you went through appealed to you in some way, tried to make you engage them...”

“But turned into a nightmare when we resisted.” River Styx muttered, and Marina shivered before nodding in agreement. “What's to stop that from happening again, though?”

“Honestly, I'm not sure.” Twilight smiled again all the same after a moment, gesturing quickly with her head towards the ribbon-wrapped object on the table. “Unless we disable the anchor. If we work together, we should be able to shut it down. After that... well, I'm not sure what will happen.”

“Wonderful.” River Styx muttered, but after a moment he nodded hesitantly. Not like I have much of a choice, anyway.

Marina bit her lip nervously, but after a few moments, she nodded as well. “I trust you. And I guess it's the only way out, isn't it?”

“Maybe.” Twilight shrugged a bit before she looked at Scrivener and Luna, but it was more out of reflex than anything else: she already knew they would follow her to the ends of the earth. They had, after all, and far beyond...

Twilight chuckled quietly as Scrivener gave her a quietly-amused look and Luna grinned widely, but the violet mare banished her distractions after a moment before she approached the statue. She studied it for a few moments before she hesitantly reached out and touched one of the ribbons, and then she gave a brief nod before she explained: “Each ribbon is keyed to a different pony here. Grasp the end of your ribbon, and when I give the signal, we all have to pull at once. Okay?”

River Styx and Marina traded looks, but then they both nodded. Luna and Scrivener were already trying to find their ribbons, and River observed them silently, watching how quickly they seemed to locate their ribbons as Marina asked hesitantly: “So we just touch it, and it should... resonate?”

River Styx tested the theory by grasping the end of a ribbon, and he grimaced a bit at the feeling that went through his body, like electricity. “Seems like it.”

Marina nodded as she put her hoof on the last remaining ribbon, before she shivered a little at the staticky feeling that twisted through her. It wasn't pleasant, but at the same time, it was familiar, like the sting of using too much magic.

“Okay. On three, everyone pull.” Twilight instructed, and the others all looked at her, tensing up as the mare counted: “One... two... three!”

They pulled: at first, it hurt, making the ponies all flinch instinctively as it felt like the ribbon was pulling back against them, and a thousand times harder. But it only lasted a moment before the ribbon in each of their hooves suddenly tore, the ponies stumbling backwards as the cloth strips came loose from the shape on the table.

Marina caught sight of something fleshy and hideous before blurs invaded her vision and static echoed through her mind, making her wince away. But when she was able to steady herself and open her eyes, she saw that the table was gone.

Nothing else had changed, and yet the energy in the air felt completely different: maybe that was in part because the faint aching was gone from her head, but she thought it was more than that. It felt like the air was going stale, like reality itself was starting to peel apart here... or maybe a better way to describe it was that it was like this dream was coming to an end.

The chocolate mare shifted a little, before she looked nervously over her shoulder as the pile of rubble shifted, and River Styx grimaced as he followed her gaze. Twilight frowned uneasily, looking up, but Luna only grinned widely and pawed a hoof at the floor, growling: “Good. I would have been disappointed if this had ended without a fight.”

“Yes, Luna. It's all about what you want.” Scrivener Blooms said dryly, even as he lowered himself into a ready position, before his eyes narrowed as something began to hiss and slither its way out of the pile of debris.

Black, bubbling tar oozed its way out of the fallen mess, squirming tendrils of dark gunk stretching out of the fallen debris and rolling over it. River Styx grimaced at the sight before he looked towards Twilight, asking: “What is that?”

“It's not demonic...” Twilight muttered, watching uneasily as the pile of debris shivered: the black ooze spreading over it was yanking the broken rafters and dusty brick into a vaguely pony-like shape. “It's got that same energy signature as the rest of this place, though. It's generating this altered reality, that's all I can tell you for sure.”

“Then we should take it down.” River Styx said shortly, his horn glowing with magic as he readied himself.

The monstrosity in front of them leaned forwards, a golem of black ooze, dust, and broken fragments of wood. As it finished piecing itself together, the black gunk that made up its limbs and body rippled before hardening into a reflective chitin. It towered over them, thrice the size of any pony, but it was the soulless menace of the thing that made it intimidating: the fact that it seemed sentient, it seemed to understand them, and yet it seemed incapable of empathizing with them. They could all feel it, how it didn't hate them, but it looked down on them as if they were merely food, ripe for the picking.

It stared at them through the black, empty pits of its eyes, then laughed: its voice was hollow, yet sonorous, seeming to echo through their minds as it said: “I know you all. I see you all. I am you all. Food, for the Conclave.”

“The only food thou shall receive is my hoof!” Luna shouted, and then she leapt forwards, flapping her wings once to boost herself before she slammed a front hoof into the creature's face. She hit with enough force to make the golem stumble as the black chitin cracked, but even as the creature staggered, she was knocked backwards with a squawk, landing with a thump on her back and grasping at her hoof as if it had been burned.

The golem snarled, its attention immediately turning towards Luna before it attempted to stomp on her: Twilight was quick to react, however, blasting its hoof with telekinesis and knocking the strike wide enough Luna was able to fling herself out of the way of the attack. Its stony hoof crashed uselessly through the floor, and River Styx immediately snapped his horn out, aiming at the vulnerable neck of the creature.

The cutting blast of magic shattered part of its throat, making it snarl and wheel towards the stallion before it roared in frustration when Scrivener Blooms plowed into one of its hind legs. It kicked out, knocking the earth pony sprawling with a curse, and Luna and Twilight both flinched before the sapphire mare sprung back to her hooves and lunged forwards, slicing at its front ankle.

Her horn flashed with magic as it cut through the wood and crystal that composed its forelimb, making the beast stumble with a hiss. It struggled to catch itself, but Twilight followed up with a fireball that smashed into its face, shattering the black stone and knocking it staggering backwards.

It nearly collapsed, the golem slumping, its body quivering for a few moments before it chuckled quietly. Luna narrowed her eyes at this as the ponies readied themselves, before the entity murmured: “Such physical creatures, devout in the worship of frail flesh: but why do devils crave your bodies? Your minds are what we crave...”

Images and wild emotions twisted through the minds of all present, making them shiver and flinch. Toxic magic ripped through the air around them, filling the world with images culled from the minds of the ponies present, warping their perceptions and inflaming their emotions further as voices shouted disjointed, disconnected phrases-

Luna swore as a nightmarish shape lunged towards her, and she slashed wildly out at it on instinct, but her horn passed uselessly through the illusion, leaving her stumbling dumbly before the golem lashed out and smashed her with enough force to send her flying across the room. She crashed bonelessly into the wall, and both Scrivener and Twilight gasped, before the violet mare looked up in shock as the golem reared, then stomped both front hooves down, meaning to crush the life out of her in one strike-

Marina leapt in front of Twilight and hardened her body, but the chocolate mare still gasped in pain at the force the creature stomped on her with, cracks appearing through her chestnut form. Before the golem could stomp down again, though, Twilight lashed her horn out, blasting the creature with such a tremendous blast of telekinetic force that it was knocked sprawling on its back.

The world shook, even as the illusions and hallucinations continued to leap and cavort through the hall, calling out to the ponies, exposing their best and worst memories. Luna snarled as she yanked herself to her hooves before she was distracted again as a voice said quietly: “You can't fight everything, Brynhild.”

“I can and I will!” Luna snapped, even as she looked wildly back and forth for the source of the voice: her distraction was enough to confuse both Scrivener and Twilight through their strange link, who were both being assaulted by their own hallucinations on top of the wild, rollicking emotions passing between all their minds.

Marina flinched away as she heard voices yelling at her, clenching her eyes shut as she remembered boiling, burning, agony, her body losing its armory toughness even as the cracks pulsed in her chocolate frame, unable to heal with her attention divided. River Styx, meanwhile, was doing his best not to look in the direction of the voice that was saying quietly, almost pleadingly, that... “I can take care of myself... you don't have to be there for me every moment of every day...”

The golem climbed back to its hooves: even if its body was starting to visibly lose cohesion, it only seemed to be growing stronger, more excited: it was like the emotions in the air were helping it to wake up, to become more powerful, as it hissed: “We will consume you. We will consume all. That is what we were made to do...”

“Damnation!” Luna lunged into the air, then shot straight towards the golem, slamming into its features with a tremendous splash of black goop, before her eyes widened in horror as tendrils of black slime lashed out, seizing around her, burning into her, sapping the life from her body as she cried out in shock.

Twilight stumbled, looking up in horror, and Scrivener shouted a denial before he gritted his teeth and looked quickly towards the violet mare. Her eyes widened in disbelief at the wild idea he had, but then she nodded with a grimace before shouting: “Marina, River Styx! You need to knock it off balance!”

Marina shivered, but then she nodded before River Styx stepped forwards and slashed his horn out, sending blades of air magic slicing into one of the rear ankles of the golem. The creature staggered, hissing loudly as both black gunk and chunks of mortar and wood splattered through the air, the beast turning quickly towards River Styx.

The chocolate mare locked on to the ankle that Styx was concentrating on, waiting for her moment as the beast shifted its attention to the guardspony. Almost abruptly, the monster lunged, trying to crush Styx under its hooves, and Marina saw her chance as River Styx dodged backwards.

She sent a blast of telekinesis into its weakened ankle, shattering one of the bone-like rafters supporting its hind limb, and its leg gave out from beneath it with a crack, sending the beast spilling off to one side thanks to its extended forelegs. It was barely able to catch itself-

Scrivener Blooms leapt into the air as his body glowed with Twilight's magic, a moment before the stallion was flung like a cannonball at the side of the golem's neck. He smashed directly into Luna, tearing her loose from the grip of the golem before they both shot across the room and hammered painfully into a wall, falling to the ground with gasps as Twilight flinched in pain.

The golem shuddered with a snarl, black tentacles extending out of its ruined throat and grasping uselessly at the air around itself before it suddenly stiffened. The hallucinations and whispers vanished from the air as the beast looked back and forth, as if it could hear something... and then it snorted before simply beginning to collapse as the world around the ponies flickered, static rippling through the air around them as the creature whispered: “Very well. But I have their scent. I will find them again.”

Everything became too bright, light completely overtaking the sight of the ponies, and Marina gasped as she covered her eyes to try and block out the searing whiteness as River Styx lowered his head, his genet squeaking and burying himself into the stallion's mane. A buzzing filled their ears, before there was a sudden, violent sense of falling, the ponies spasming and grabbing wildly at the ground beneath them before all five looked sharply up to find themselves...

Safe and sound in a green field, in the comfort of a beautiful sunny meadow on a beautiful sunny day, where absolutely nothing was wrong beneath the gorgeous blue skies and those whitewashed fluffy clouds, sailing absently-

“Narrator!” Luna shouted, as she flung herself to her hooves before she groaned and hugged herself, shivering once as Scrivener Blooms wiped caked blood away from his muzzle. Twilight Sparkle looked confusedly back and forth, and River Styx grimaced as he slowly pushed himself to his hooves, while Marina shivered as she looked over her shoulder, watching the cracks in her back slowly healing. “Narrator, what is going on?”

Just a hiccup in the programming, that's all. A different plotline coinciding with our own, another play that happened to use the same theater but oops! They got their times all mixed up with ours and that's not slated to happen yet, not until it makes a bit more sense, because you see even with all the chaos we Draconequus like, we like it when our chaos makes sense, if that makes sense.

Luna ground her teeth together furiously, her eyes bulging, a vein throbbing in her neck. The visible threat of herniation, combined with the burns and bruises and splatters of ooze and blood over her body, made her look so terrifying that even River Styx winced away slightly.

Fortunately, Twilight Sparkle quickly stepped in, asking: “The intermission wasn't just about stabilizing this world, is it? It's about the... the struggle between you and Plutocrat.”

That was quite a strange way to put it, as if the humble Narrator has any control over what happens in the play. But if Twilight was referring to the plural 'you,' used most often in conjunction with 'you' groups of 'you' people, then perhaps she might be on to something... not that a humble theater company could ever admit to doing its best to intervene on behalf of its volunteer cast against the whims of the cruel producer; that would be a breach of contract.

“There's a plotline here. It's hidden under ten thousand layers of crap, but... I think I'm starting to understand what's really going on here.” Scrivener muttered, as he shook his head briefly.

River Styx frowned at this, but as he shifted a little, he thought it was true, too: wasn't there some hidden... logic beneath everything that was happening? It all seemed random and disconnected, like broken events, but... something was taking shape. Maybe something deeper than just the Draconequus, looking for entertainment...

Marina bit her lip, but before she could speak, there was a loud clapping, and all five ponies looked up in surprise to see the Director standing nearby, with the Critic and his assistant behind him. The dragon-tailed pony grinned widely, even though he seemed like he was pale and sweating, as he said quickly: “Everyone up? Good! Great, right! Well, if you're all on your hooves, let's get to it!

“The show must go on, after all.”

The Twelfth Night's Dawn

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Chapter Seven: The Twelfth Night’s Dawn
~BlackRoseRaven

The first thing that Marina noticed was that the Director wasn't looking his best: he was disheveled and shivering, sweat visibly glistening on his forehead. His beady eyes darted fearfully back and forth as he shifted from hoof to hoof, fidgeting constantly beneath the glower of the Critic as the pudgy assistant rapidly took notes, glancing nervously up now and then.

“Now, my beautiful actors, my talented thespians, my... my friends! Let's get this all laid out, shall we?” The Director clapped his front hooves together as his draconic tail whipped nervously back and forth, grinding his teeth into a painful and strangely desperate grin.

River Styx frowned slightly as his eyes flicked back to the Critic and his assistant: the Critic had his gloved fingers tented together in front of himself, his eyes focused as he glared down at the Director. But he was tense, too, Styx thought: he wasn't just judging the Draconequus in front of him, he was afraid of something. Worried, not just angry.

Twilight's eyes roved slowly over the assistant: the Director was rambling away again, but the assistant didn't seem to be paying any attention to him. Instead, he seemed to be erratically jotting his own notes, the chubby little Draconequus whimpering a bit as his eyes continuously flicked up towards the ponies.

“Oh, will thou just shut up?” Luna asked crankily, and the Director puttered to a halt before the sapphire mare leaned forwards, opening her mouth... but then only sulked as both Twilight and Scrivener glared at her pointedly.

After a few moments, Luna dropped back on her haunches with a huff, looking grumpily over at Scrivener as the stallion asked quietly: “What do you want us to do?”

The Director blinked in surprise, and Twilight smiled a little as she looked back at Marina and Styx before turning her eyes forwards, saying gently: “We want to work with you, okay? I don't think anyone wants to see the... play disrupted any further. Right, guys?”

Twilight looked over her shoulder pointedly at Styx and Marina, and while the Royal Guard gave a noncommittal grunt, his genet chirped happily on his head, and Marina gave a quick smile and nod even as her eyes flicked nervously towards the group of Draconequus in front of them.

“Well. Aren't you a lucky one, Director?” the Critic said distastefully, as he brushed moodily at himself. “It seems you've managed to actually acquire the good graces of your actors for a change.

“Now, this play has been slipshod and ugly. Garbage. I want it better, and I want it better now.” the Critic continued as his voice became cold, narrowing his eyes as he stepped forwards and rudely kicked the Director aside. “No matter what we are requested to do, no matter what the audience wants to see, from now on, it must be coherent. Neither I nor Plutocrat will stand for anything else.

“So far you have given us a random collation of scenes, a collection of undesirable effects mish-mashed into one inglorious work. From here on out, we wish to see able construction. Chaos, too, has limits, you know: chaos has its own laws and methods, as difficult as it may be for you fools to understand that complexity.”

Luna glowered horribly, but managed to keep her mouth shut. River Styx looked almost as irritated, but he stayed silent as well; beneath the insults and the demands of the Draconequus, he thought he could hear what was almost a plea to them.

When none of the ponies spoke, the Critic nodded approvingly before he tented his fingers in front of his breast, saying calmly: “Well, at least you all seem to have fallen into line. That is excellent. Remember, it is the actors who bring life or death to the play: no matter how great our aspirations or how powerful our organization, it is the actors who have the ultimate duty in ensuring the success of these goings-on. The Director, of course, will be doing his best from now on to guide you. He has been... remiss, in his duties.”

The Director smiled nervously, lowering his head slightly as he gave a squeaky titter, and the Critic scowled at him before he simply spun around, reaching down and seizing his assistant by the ear as he passed to drag him away. The assistant yelped as he scurried backwards as best he could on his stubby little legs before both Draconequus simply vanished from sight.

The Director cleared his throat, then he clapped his front hooves together as he anxiously stared over his shoulder for a few moments, mumbling a little to himself before he jumped when Twilight asked: “What do you want us to do?”

The Director looked blankly back at the ponies for a few moments, and then he gave a weak grin before rubbing vigorously at his face. “Well! We... we started off on the wrong hoof, you know, that's what I think, and... of course it was so silly of me not to discuss the play with you ahead of time! We're going to just... take a brief moment to...”

The Draconequus broke off suddenly, nervously looking up towards the sky, and River Styx frowned as he followed his gaze, studying the air silently. He felt a chill run down his spine, but he couldn't see anything, but in the corner of his eye he saw Marina twitch.

He turned his eyes towards the chocolate mare, and she shivered a little as she looked slowly back and forth across a particular section of the air, before she yelped when the Director shouted: “Look at me!”

All eyes turned towards the Director as he trembled on the spot, before he gave an awkward smile and said in a lower, more-restrained voice: “Just... please keep your eyes on me. Please. Keep your eyes, on... me.”

His eyes were almost desperate. He was afraid, and quaking in his hooves. With his eyes, he answered the question all the ponies had, before he swallowed thickly and then said in a falsely-bright voice: “Well, a play has a beginning, a middle, and an end! And while we've done badly with the first half, we have a whole second half to go, you know! Plenty of time to make up our mistakes, so let's put our very best hoofs forwards and get this done!”

The ponies only nodded to him, and the Director looked almost uneasily at the group before he whispered: “You're really listening to me?”

“We're really going to listen to you. But you have to do us a favor, too.” Scrivener replied in a low voice, even though he knew that was probably pointless: it wasn't like whatever was listening in them obeyed the laws of physics, after all. “You have to tell us about... this, when the play is over.”

“When the play is over, you won't care anymore. You'll be free to go.” the Director replied dubiously, but Scrivener only gave a wry smile, exchanging looks with Twilight and Luna.

“Some of us... just like answers.” Scrivener replied after a moment, and then he cleared his throat, changing the subject smoothly. “So the play is about-”

“Rescuing the princess, of course!” interrupted Luna with a wide grin, and Scrivener slowly turned a horrible scowl towards her before the mare said cheerfully: “Well, 'tis true enough, is it not? And where did we leave off? Why, here, after a small contest of wits with a traveling mage! 'Tis easy enough to pick up from there.”

“Uh... yes.” The Director looked at them almost suspiciously for a few moments, and then he gestured awkwardly around at the rolling, verdant fields they were standing in, saying finally: “Well, we'll get your costumes on, and we'll... we don't really have to discuss the storyline, do we? Or... should we? I mean... I am the Director and I certainly know what's going on but...”

The Director puffed himself up, but then he deflated just as quickly, shrinking his head a little between his shoulders before he said lamely: “I didn't expect you all to actually be ready to work with me on this.”

“We don't want to get you in trouble, Director. I think all of us are starting to understand there's a little something more going on here than meets the eye.” Marina replied with a small smile and a glance back towards the group, Twilight nodding and River Styx grunting as his genet chirped on his head.

The Draconequus gave a fake, strained laugh at this, waving a hoof wildly as he said hurriedly: “No, no! There's absolutely nothing going on behind the scenes, don't be silly, let's move right on, let's not talk nonsense and get down to business! Our business is acting and that business is good!”

Luna slowly rose an eyebrow as River Styx rolled his eyes and Marina simply smiled as supportively as she could, before Scrivener Blooms said blandly: “Yeah. I can just feel that promotion coming on now.”

The Director scowled at him, and then he shook himself out before visibly regaining some of his old composure, saying firmly: “Now listen, all of you... actors. Our time has become a little more... limited, and we are to be constrained. But no matter what is asked of you, we must from now on attempt to fit it into a coherent and plausible storyline. You may be asked to improvise many a scene. But you will improvise, and you will do it well, do you understand? This is all for the greater good, all for our mutual benefit.”

“Uh huh.” Scrivener said dryly, but when Twilight looked pointedly at him, the stallion grumbled under his breath before saying in an almost-resigned voice: “Alright. Just... tell us what to do. I mean, do you just want us to... walk, and react to whatever happens?”

“Yes, that would be the best. We want it to feel natural, real, after all. Just... play the roles you have all been given.” the Director encouraged, even as he tossed a nervous glance up to the sky as absolutely nothing further happened and no real progress was achieved by his pointless rambling. “Oh shut up, Narrator, I am... I am just waiting for you to fulfill your obligations!”

The Narrator, of course, had no real obligations to the Director, but he did certainly understand that there was a certain mutual destiny between them all: so instead of denying the silly little dictator, as he most certainly had every right to, the illustrious and magnanimous Narrator instead offered his gentle hand and-

Luna cleared her throat loudly, then she said sourly: “Thou art more purply than a bruise.”

“That's a wonderful metaphor.” Scrivener said dryly, and then he winced when Luna leaned over and firmly bopped him with her horn.

The Director rolled his eyes, then straightened slightly and gazed over his actors appraisingly as they found themselves suddenly fully girded in the vestments of their given roles within the play. Luna posed in her armor with a wide grin as she looked over at Scrivener Blooms, who scowled horribly in the slender dress hugging his strong – yet feminine! – frame, as Twilight absently checked over her own robes.

Marina lifted her focal amulet to look down at the strangely-familiar stone as she shifted in her druidic raiment, and River Styx rolled his shoulders moodily in his leather armor... but it was better than nothing, admittedly, as his genet chirped before nestling himself into the safety of the pack on his back.

“Alright, great. Uh...” The Director clicked his tongue as he tapped his hoof against the ground, drawing his eyes thoughtfully over the group of costumed ponies. “Your motivation is very simple. You're a group of ragtag adventurers who have just saved the princess from the clutches of the evil dragon, and you have to get her home, safe and sound, so you can... all return to your own countries in peace, with your bags full of the king's reward.”

The ponies traded looks, and Styx finally shrugged as Luna grunted and Marina said with as much positivity as she could muster: “It sounds like a wonderful adventure.”

“Well, it had better not be too wonderful. We need drama, intrigue, and passion to make this work, and I need the four of you to fall into your roles and characters with just as much energy, or you'll doom us all.” the Director replied sharply, before he winced a bit and said hurriedly, as he glanced up towards the sky: “I... I mean, doom this play! Just... just do your jobs, please.”

“Yep. Sounds easy enough. Play make-believe, head for... wherever, deal with whatever we run into along the way in big... theatrical ways.” Scrivener said dryly, as he grouchily adjusted the straps of the dress. “Can I at least-”

“No, thou fits the role of princess far too well, Scrivy. Although I think thou should allow Twilight to help thee with thy makeup next time, thy lipstick is all smeary.”

Scrivener winced as he reached up to rub automatically at his lips, only smearing the lipstick even further, and Luna grinned widely as Twilight winced before the Director said flatly: “Your characters are assigned. You do your part, and I'll do mine. Do you understand?”

The ponies all looked at the Director for a few moments, and then they nodded, and he nodded back with a relieved look before he clapped his front hooves together, glancing over them awkwardly before he said finally: “Well, if there are no other questions or concerns, I think we have this just about wrapped up and ready to go! Sure, I know I'm asking for a lot of improvs from amateurs, but I have faith in... I mean, well, I believe in... I honestly think that maybe this will... be satisfactory.”

“Gee, thanks for the inspiring vote of confidence.” Scrivener said ironically, and Luna huffed loudly as she scowled in agreement at the Director.

The Draconequus glared back at them both, but thankfully, Twilight intervened, stepping forwards and saying quietly: “We're going to do our best. Right everyone?”

The ponies gave various grumbles of agreement, and the Director cleared his throat before he rose his head and squared his shoulders. “Good. You all know what to do, so I'm going to get out of your way and let you do what it is that you have to do. Just... stay true to your roles and stick to your characters and I'm sure you'll all be perfectly fine!”

With that, the Director spun around and hurried away through the field, the ponies watching as he ran off towards the horizon. Then Scrivener Blooms reached up to grab the edge of his dress, but before he could yank it off, Luna was suddenly in front of him, seizing him by the limb and grinning lecherously as she almost shoved their faces together with a lick of her lips. “Leave it on.”

Scrivener paled slightly as he stared at her, but thankfully he was saved – and Marina and River Styx were spared many a horror – by Twilight pointedly stepping forwards and clearing her throat, saying loudly: “We should get going.”

Luna groaned loudly, then she grumbled under her breath as she adjusted her armor before stumbling around in a circle like a dog chasing its own tail as she inspected herself, muttering: “Shield, sword, dagger, potions... aye, look at me, like a knight of the old order. It brings back such memories.”

Luna shook herself out as she stumbled to a stop, once more facing Scrivener, and she looked at him pointedly as he tugged despondently at his dress. “No. 'Twas thou and Twilight's great idea to play along for now, and thus thou shall keep thy pretty vestments on. We do not want to ruin the illusion, after all.”

“Can you at least loosen the corset? I feel my insides being compressed into uncomfortable new shapes.” Scrivener muttered, awkwardly rubbing at his midsection, but Luna responded by punching him in the stomach, making him wheeze and hug himself as he keeled forwards.

Luna grinned, even as she gasped for breath herself, and Twilight grimaced as she rubbed at her stomach before River Styx asked moodily: “Why the change of heart here? Why are we suddenly going to play along?”

“And why did the Draconequus suddenly put everything in order? I mean, everything feels completely different. Structured, logical... like we've fallen into some kind of definitive storyline.” Marina added uncertainly, looking nervously back and forth as she rubbed at the back of her head. “It just feels very...”

“That's why we're going to play along for now. We... have a theory.” Twilight said hesitantly, glancing nervously up at the sky before she shook her head and said in a softer voice: “Just trust us for now, okay? We'll explain when we can, but... well...”

“Yeah.” River Styx glanced up towards the sky as well, grimacing a bit: he knew it wasn't exactly safe for them to try and discuss any secrets right now. So, like it or not, that meant... “We'll listen to you. Just don't screw up.”

Twilight smiled all the same at this, even as Marina gave Styx a look, and the unicorn stallion scowled over at the mare before he grumbled a bit under his breath and nodded almost grudgingly to her. The chocolate mare smiled in return and blushed a little after a moment, and then she nodded back before she looked ahead and asked: “How do we know which way to go?”

“To the east. Always, to the east.” Scrivener intoned wryly as he gestured at the angle of the sun in the sky, and Luna gave him an amused look. “But honestly? I don't think it really matters which way we choose to go. It sounds sort of like the play is going to build itself around us, like it always has. It's just going to be a lot more... linear, now.”

“We can hope, anyway.” Twilight replied softly, shaking her head before she smiled a bit, glancing over at the others. “Remember, we have to take our roles seriously, so to speak. I've got an idea: while we walk, let's make up stories about ourselves, backgrounds for our... 'characters,' for lack of a better word.”

Scrivener groaned loudly at this, but Luna grinned widely and Marina smiled hesitantly, nodding in agreement. “It might make it easier for us. What do you think, River?”

River Styx only scowled horribly, even as his genet chirped happily before scrabbling over to one of his ears to tug on it, the unicorn stallion sighing tiredly before he muttered: “And here I thought Appleloosa was foalsitting.”

He looked up after a moment, then grouchily nodded, saying moodily: “Fine. I'm not going to make up a stupid name or anything for myself, though.”

“Perfectly acceptable.” Twilight smiled at him and nodded, and then she glanced towards Luna as the mare cleared her throat loudly. “Yes, Luna, you can-”

“Brynhild! Brynhild, the Night Maiden! I am the greatest warrior in this nation and the leader of this squalid little band of adventurers!” Luna declared pompously, raising her head high and earning glowers from the other ponies. “I am hero to the nation and the stallion every stallion wants to be, and every mare wishes to sleep with! In fact, all stallions wish to sleep with me as well!”

Scrivener Blooms sighed tiredly, and then he winced when Luna glared at him and almost shoved her face against his, leaning away for a moment before he rolled his eyes and said in a flat monotone: “Fine. I'm Princess Novella. I am the beautiful maiden who was kidnapped by the evil dragon for... unknown reasons. For unknown reasons, Luna.” Scrivener glared pointedly at the sapphire mare, even as she waggled her eyebrows lecherously in response. “My father is... King Morebucks. He uh... hired all of you. I guess.”

“He probably would have put out a call for routiers and freelancers, promising great wealth while securing the borders and territories around the dragon's castle with soldiers to prevent the mercenaries from escaping with his daughter.” River Styx said, and when all eyes turned towards him, the Royal Guard gave maybe the faintest blush as he glared back at them defensively. “Just... filling in the gaps.”

“Uh... huh.” Scrivener said slowly, before he moodily brushed at himself and said: “Although I really don't like being the token stallion in a dress joke.”

“Well, then be something more than that, Scrivener Blooms! What is it Antares always says when thou or Innocence are whining? Bitches bitches bitches.” Luna said loudly, tilting her head back and forth, and Twilight dropped her face in a hoof as Scrivener only looked dryly at the mare beneath his coiffed mane.

“That would be 'bitch bitch bitch,' Luna, not 'bitches bitches bitches.'” Scrivener corrected. “'Bitches' is more of a vulgar, colloquial term for 'wenches,' to use a term from your time period.”

“Oh, yes, like thou. Thou art my bitches.” Luna replied with a grin, winking at Scrivener. “And thou art a fine bitches indeed for such a mighty and virile stallion as I.”

“Oh good. So I'm in a dress and I'm now a plural.” Scrivener said sourly, and then he winced when Luna half-lidded her eyes at him. “No, you are not making a clone of me, and I am not going to 'make out with it like a sloppy prostitute.'”

“I was not going to say sloppy prostitute!” Luna said crossly, and then she paused before grinning widely at Scrivener and reaching up to grab him by the face with both hooves, mashing both his cheeks childishly. “I was going to say like my sloppy bitches.”

River Styx cleared his throat loudly as Marina twitched a little beside him, and then the Royal Guard said sourly: “Excuse me, but maybe for now we could focus on getting Princess Novella back to her father, so we can get our reward and hopefully end this play, assuming that we don't all end up in the dungeon after returning the princess or as victims of some other petty scheme on the king's part as a means of maintaining his power and eliminating anyone powerful enough to challenge the dragon, and thus likely the strength of his own kingdom.”

There was silence for a moment as all eyes turned to Styx, and he looked awkwardly back and forth before he said gruffly: “Just... thinking ahead as to what the Draconequus might do. Let's march.”

“I am Lord Brynhild! I will say when we march, cur, for I am in charge of this expedition!” Luna argued immediately, leaping to the front of the line before she sniffed loudly and faced due east, shouting: “March!”

It was a sloppy start, but all the same, the group fell into an awkward march, with Scrivener automatically trying to fall in beside Luna, until Twilight cleared her throat and gently ushered Scrivener back into the middle of the group, so they could better escort the 'princess.'

As they walked through the verdant fields, the world around them subtly changed: summer green became a mix of autumn colors, red and orange and brown leaves dotting the fall-stained grasses. The sun sank towards the horizon, becoming a great crimson fireball that painted the skies and clouds an array of gorgeous colors, and-

Luna cleared her throat loudly, then spat off to the side, making Twilight wince away from her before the armored mare said moodily: “'Tis all very strange. It has been too easy, as a matter of fact.”

Twilight looked quizzically at the sapphire mare, and Scrivener Blooms frowned ever so slightly. River Styx only continued to keep his eyes stoically ahead, but Marina cocked her head curiously as she asked: “What do you mean?”

“Well, simple! Think about it: we have encountered very little in the way of resistance, have we not?” Luna said seriously, and Marina blinked slowly before Scrivener groaned loudly as he realized what was going on. “Now quiet, Princess Novella. These travels may not be to thy liking, but all the same, 'tis better to be walking under the open air than trapped in the lair of a dragon, waiting to be ravaged by it, aye?”

Scrivener scowled horribly, but Luna only looked straight ahead even as her muzzle wrinkled up. “Yes! Aye, there are... dirty deeds ahoof!”

“Are they done dirt cheap?” Scrivener asked dryly before he could stop himself, and then he winced when the mare kicked a hoof back towards his face, narrowly ducking under it before he muttered: “Hey, what kind of stallion hits a mare?”

“Aye, thou has a point. Even in the old days, 'twas frowned upon.” Luna agreed after a moment, nodding thoughtfully. “Very well, Princess Novella. Know then that I shall find a different way to chasten thee for thy slouchiness. And know, too, that I, Champion Brynhild, do it only for the love of thee and my zealous devotion to Queen Morebucks.”

“I'm pretty sure we decided it was King Morebucks already.” Scrivener said dryly, and then he sighed tiredly when Luna pointedly looked over her shoulder at him.

The stallion opened his mouth to make some smart-ass remark, but before he could say anything, River Styx gestured ahead and said: “I see someone ahead.”

The other ponies turned their eyes ahead, and Luna frowned as she saw what Styx had: the dancing torchlight in the distance, the flicker of red flames, like oversized fireflies against the background of the night sky. Luna's eyes locked on this, before she asked meditatively: “What are thy thoughts? Friends, foes, or fools?”

“Do you want me to send up a flare?” asked Twilight, but Luna only clicked her tongue before she shook her head, glancing up at the dark, red-stained skies moodily.

“Nay, I do not think so. But light the area around us, Twilight, let us show whatever waits ahead that we have no fear.” Luna paused, and then she smiled suddenly at the mage. “Or nay. I shall call thee Morgan. For 'tis a fitting enough name anyway.”

Twilight sighed tiredly, but smiled wryly all the same before Luna continued thoughtfully: “And River of Sticks, thou art a fine enough stallion, so I shall name thee... well, I knew many a thief and many a rogue in my time, but one of the most popular stories was of Loki. Would thou like to be a Loki? He was always a great ass, and I am sure thou must have the potential for great assery thyself.”

Styx only looked moodily at Luna as she grinned widely at him, before her eyes flicked towards Marina as she added cheerfully: “And thou! Thou art quite the pretty but barbaric creature, which I must say, I do so admire in a mare. I think I shall call thee... Hild. She was always my favorite. Now thou can be one of mine favorites, too!”

“Uh. Thank you?” Marina smiled awkwardly at the mare before her eyes nervously flicked towards the lights they were approaching, as Twilight lit the way for them with her magic. “Is it just me, or are they not moving?”

“It might be a camp.” Twilight said, glancing over at Luna. But even if it was clearly more dangerous for them, Luna all the same only grinned and faced forwards, raising her head high.

“Aye, it may very well be. But I see no reason to change our path.” replied Luna with a shrug, before she rose her head proudly and declared: “For I, Champion Brynhild, fear nothing in all the realm, and all here know my name and that I fight for the honor of Queen Morebucks! I am the stallion all stallions dream of being!”

“King. King Morebucks.” Scrivener corrected, and Luna huffed loudly, glaring over at the stallion before she stiffened slightly as his eyes narrowed, as he gestured slowly upward with his head. “I think we have a problem.”

Luna turned her eyes ahead, straightening and squaring her shoulders, Twilight on one side and River Styx on the other as Marina automatically drew a little closer to Scrivener Blooms. Ahead of them, there were several large knights in full armor that covered them from head to hoof, their equipment emblazoned with a symbol that Luna recognized all too well.

The sapphire mare gritted her teeth as one of the soldiers stepped forwards, saying calmly: “Champion Brynhild. On behalf of the Holy Order of the Knights of Equestria, we hereby congratulate you on your successful retrieval of Princess Novella Morebucks. We will take it from here.”

“Thou hast my thanks, good sirs, but I have promised to deliver the princess safe and sound by mine own hoof to the throne, and to the throne I shall take her myself.” Luna replied evenly, her voice serious and sharp.

The Knights frowned at the oddball group... but eccentric as they were, there was no joking in their ranks now. Whether this was a game or not, these soldiers in front of them were clearly serious... and more than that, they had struck a low blow to Luna. A blow that only cut deeper when one of them said calmly: “Lord Ignominious demands-”

“How dare...” Luna forced herself to halt, and then she gritted her teeth before straightening and saying curtly: “Lord Ignominious may be a Paladin of the Order, but I am Champion to the King and Queen. Do not presume that I value his command any more than I value thine.”

There was an uncomfortable shift through the trio of knights, before one of them gestured quickly over his shoulder, at the vague, torchlit shapes in the distance. “The hour grows late. Will you at least deign to spend the night here with our company? And in the morning, we can escort you and her ladyship back to the safety of Morebucks Castle.”

Luna clicked her tongue, and then she looked at Twilight Sparkle, who nodded hesitantly. Luna grumbled before she looked over at River Styx, and the stallion glanced at her with slight surprise before he nodded as well as his eyes slid towards the soldiers, studying them intently.

It would obviously be dangerous: he had sensed from the start the hostility in Luna's body language, which had trebled when they had said the name of that Commander. But these knights were stiff and formal, obviously trying to follow their orders to the letter: that, however, could prove much more dangerous for them than if these were either bandits or traitors. If obedience was beaten into them so thoroughly, they wouldn't hesitate to use force if they were commanded to... and worse yet, their commands might come from somewhere even higher than this Ignominious...

For now, though, the safest thing to do was avoid starting a fight, and perhaps see what this Commander Ignominious had to say: doubtlessly, they would be meeting him soon enough, after all. River Styx let himself fall back slightly as they made their way towards the camp, which seemed to get much larger as they approached it: it went from being only a few shapes in the torchlight to what looked like a village of large tents.

It was buzzing with activity as well: suddenly the air was full of conversation and the sounds of clinking metal and the clanking of armor and weapons being prepared and readied. Bonfires burned between the clusters of tents, and paths between the cloth shelters were lit by tall standing torches: that explained the light they had all seen from so far away, Luna surmised. Except she was well-aware from her days of traveling in the past that they should have been able to tell far more, even at a distance, even with this village of tents sheltering under the blanket of dusk: then again, she wasn't surprised that the story was forming around them.

What did surprise her, however, was how logical, how structured it all suddenly was: how much of it made sense, in a sick and twisted way. And, of course, that there were no jokes, no gambits, no bits of silliness. Suddenly, the Draconequus seemed to be taking this all very seriously... except as she looked up at the now-night sky, her eyes studying the constellations above, she could sense from the cold magic in the air that it was the very opposite of chaos that was now powering this twisted fairytale.

All they could do was play their roles: and with the fact that these cruel playwrights had just dug some very personal memories out of her mind, Luna was prepared to play as seriously as the play wanted her to. All she could focus on now was getting to the end of the story, was achieving freedom from the constraints of this devious storytime so she could wreak her vengeance upon the heads of those who had put them here in the first place.

Twilight tossed Luna a worried look, but the sapphire mare shook her head quickly as the knights led them to an enormous tent that was marked by two huge flags of the Holy Order in front of it. Luna scowled at these as two of the knights halted, while the third approached the curtain that guarded the entrance of what was obviously the commander's tent, brushing it aside and leaning in to whisper something quickly.

After a few moments, the knight stepped aside to let out two massive guards in golden, enchanted armor: Luna smiled thinly as she noted the runes over the malleable metal, and River Styx narrowed his eyes at the tingle he felt run through his horn. He recognized that armor: it was pure gold, unlike the gold-polished alloy plate given to the standard soldiers. And while gold was a soft metal, it was also an excellent conductor, especially for magical energies.

The Dervishes loomed over Luna as they stopped almost on either side of her, but she barely spared the giant earth ponies a glance as she instead kept her eyes dead ahead, locked on the unicorn who emerged a moment later from the tent. His red cape flowed behind him as he approached, smiling coyly, slyly, as his dark eyes studied them with unhidden venom and contempt. “Well, well. Champion Brynhild. What an honor to meet the stallion with a mare's name and shape... fitting that he's walking our... 'ladyship' home.”

“It is not the shape or name that makes the stallion, Ignominious. But look who I am talking to: thou certainly knows it is not the maggot that makes the pony.” Luna replied evenly, and Ignominious glared at her before she asked coldly: “Why art thou present here?”

“To the point, as always. Fine, Brynhild.” Ignominious sniffed disdainfully, waving a hoof irritably away as his dark, dark eyes flicked over the band of adventurers. “I was sent by the throne to ensure that you arrived home safe and sound. After all, Champion or not, you are known well for your... eccentricities, and rumor has it that you and the princess-”

“Flapping tongues are oft the first to be severed, Ignominious.” Luna cut off shortly, glaring down at the stallion before she snorted in contempt and turned her displeased eyes towards the dervishes, who were both growling, one of them rubbing his hooves together threateningly. “I see thou certainly hast not changed, though. Thy company is the same as it has always been. Large-muscled brutes to do the hard work, with small enough brains they do not know better than to listen to thy idiocies.”

One of the Dervishes started to step forwards, but Ignominious quickly held up a hoof and caught him by the shoulder, the stallion giving a cold smile as he replied derisively: “And I see your chosen company hasn't changed either, has it?”

His eyes flicked slowly over the group, looking at Twilight as he said distastefully: “A disgraced mage, who dabbles in the forbidden arts.

“A wanton orphan raised by primitive beasts.” Ignominious spat in Marina's direction, making her flinch slightly and lower her head even as she felt her hackles rise, before the stallion's eyes flicked towards River Styx. “An outlaw. The dirty criminal element always has amused you most though, hasn't it? He looks just your type, Brynhild.”

“Aye, a stallion capable of taking care of himself rather than one who requires an army a hundred-strong to play nursemaid.” Luna retorted, and there was such a sick sense of deja vu in her stomach as she and the handsome and yet pathetic stallion glared back at her.

After a few minutes of silent glaring, Ignominious finally dropped his gaze and looked away, muttering under his breath before he drew his eyes up to the night sky, and Luna smiled disgustedly as he spoke to her without looking at her, but instead with his eyes pointedly fixed on the moon above: the same thing the coward had always done, in the old days. “Like it or not, Brynhild, I am here under the orders of the King and Queen. We have no choice but to work together, and I will make you a deal: if you stay out of my way, I will stay out of yours. Frankly, I don't give a damn what you do with the princess, as long as she arrives back to the throne in one piece.”

Luna glowered at him for a few moments more, and then she snorted before nodding grumpily and muttering: “Very well. Give us a tent, preferably as far away as possible from thine.”

“Oh, don't worry, Champion Brynhild, the last thing I want to listen to is the sound of whatever sick escapades you and the rest of these rejects get up to when left to your own devices.” Ignominious replied contemptibly, finally returning his eyes to her... but only for a moment, as they hurriedly dropped to her hooves as her glare cut through him like a laser.

He gestured awkwardly with one hoof, pointing vaguely in the opposite direction of his tent as he muttered: “Escort the Champion and her company to the tent we've set aside for her. And Champion Brynhild? Try not to distract my soldiers.”

Luna wanted badly to give some nasty, snide remark in return, but she forced herself just to smile sweetly before she turned to follow the knight that strode past her. The others followed wordlessly, only Scrivener Blooms tossing a look back over his shoulder, and shivering a bit as he caught the cold hate in the eyes of Ignominious as he strode away.

He turned his eyes back ahead, but Luna only shook her head, murmuring quietly: “Nay, he will not move against us himself. Not tonight, not tomorrow; there are a thousand other problems that are all too possible, but thou knows as well as I that he is sly, and he is a coward. And together, those things make him dangerous, but also predictable.”

Twilight and Scrivener both nodded, before Marina asked hesitantly: “How did you know him?”

Luna didn't reply, only smiling faintly as she looked straight ahead, and there was silence as they made their way down the dimly-lit paths between the tents until they finally reached their destination.

The sapphire mare had to admit she was surprised to find they were still within the boundaries of the encampment: their neighbors were distant, but there was a guard tower posted only twenty feet away, and there were simple wood-spike barricades set up around the rear of the tent to help keep them safe from ambush. Luna looked over it with a grudging eye, but at least on the outside, it seemed serviceable... large enough, in fact, that they would all be able to set themselves up comfortably inside.

The Knight bowed to her politely before he excused himself, and Luna watched him leave as Twilight wandered towards the tent to stick her head inside. She smiled as she found there were already several sleeping rolls laid out for them on the simple tarp floor, and then she nodded once before stepping back and saying quietly to Luna: “I think it should work.”

“Good. It is... better than I expected.” Luna admitted after a moment, and then she smiled a little as Scrivener joined the mares, chuckling quietly and shaking her head. “It reminds me of the old days, Scrivy. Remember when we traveled across Equestria? They were good times, even if the end of the journey... was not so sweet.”

“I don't know about that. The journey still isn't over, right? It's just gotten even bigger.” Scrivener replied softly, and Luna chuckled quietly at this as she gave the stallion a smile, before she reached up and adjusted his coiffed mane for him, making him wince. “Can I please take this dress off now?”

“Nay, not yet. I want all of thee still in thy roles for the moment, we have work yet to do.” Luna replied firmly, as she spun around on the spot. Scrivener sighed as he turned around, then he yelped and jumped when Luna firmly slapped his rump, the mare adding cheerfully: “Besides, having a mare like thee around is inspiration for a mighty stallion like myself.”

“I don't want to imagine what I'm inspiring.” Scrivener muttered, as he reached back and rubbed at his rump grouchily.

Luna simply shrugged cheerfully, and then she turned her eyes towards River Styx, asking: “What does thou think, then?”

Styx looked moodily over the tent, then slowly paced to the side to eye the defenses: with the defense tower looming over them a short distance away, they certainly looked safe enough... but he also noted, from the irregular shadows only a short distance away... “That tower is sitting at the edge of a forest. It wouldn't be very difficult for someone to sneak up right beneath them. Or for archers or mages to hit us from there.”

“Very good, Styx. Thou hast a nasty, sharp mind.” Luna said approvingly, before she turned her eyes towards Marina and winked at her. “Perhaps our wildmother can do something about that.”

Marina blinked, and then she smiled lamely as she rubbed at the back of her head as she looked towards the forest. She wasn't quite sure what she could do, but she did remember how when they had fought Karl the Dragon, she had been able to call up strange powers... and well, I guess I'm sort of getting that instinct again. “Well... it can't hurt to try, I suppose.”

“Good. Twilight... I mean, Morgan, go with her. Aye, I suppose if we are to stay in character, I should be speaking to thee with the names I have generously bestowed upon each of thee.” Luna said thoughtfully. “Loki, keep an eye on our Princess Novella. We cannot have anything happening to our charge, can we? I, meanwhile, am going to take a stroll around the camp and check the mood and mettle of the troops.”

“Please don't start any fights.” Scrivener said dryly, and Luna gave him a wry grin and a wink in response.

“Of course not! After all, I am Champion Brynhild, the stallion whom every stallion-”

“Let's go, Marina.” Twilight gestured quickly to the chocolate mare, and Marina was admittedly happy to have the excuse to leave as Luna huffed loudly at their backs.

The two made their way to the edge of the forest, Marina unable to help from glancing up at the guard tower as they passed. She noted that there was some kind of beacon light on top of it, but the guards certainly didn't seem either all that concerned or very interested in keeping watch: one of them was slouched over the railing, half-asleep, while another seemed to be engaged in conversation with some other pony up top... and Marina didn't think it was with another guard.

She craned her head up curiously, and she thought she saw a mare in a dress for a moment before the pony stepped away from the edge, as if she was trying to hide from sight. Marina frowned a little at this, but Twilight only smiled a bit as she followed Marina's eyes, saying quietly: “My guess is that Ignominious didn't leave us with exactly elite guard.”

“Do you know how Luna knows him? Or is that not appropriate to ask?” Marina asked after a moment, and she blushed a bit when Twilight shrugged hesitantly. “Okay. I uh... well, do you know any magic that would protect us?”

“Why don't you try and do what you did before, Marina?” Twilight encouraged, and Marina nodded with a small smile as she faced the forest, absently playing with the amulet hanging around her neck as she took a slow breath.

She closed her eyes as a green glow twisted around her horn, then gave a soft breath as she felt the magic flow through her, more than her channeling the energy herself. It was like she was a conduit for some natural power in the air, allowing her to shape and twist the trees before them into a new form; branches and ivy grew and pulsed, writhing and wrapping themselves together into a net-like fence of organic growth.

Marina wheezed and relaxed after a moment, blinking a few times before she smiled as she looked back and forth: for as far as she could see in either direction – which, granted, wasn't that far in the darkness of the night – the edge of the forest had become a nearly-impenetrable wall of bramble and wood, which no pony would be able to pass through easily. And she had faith that the wall extended far beyond what she could easily see.

Twilight flicked her horn, creating a ball of light that she sent gliding quickly along one side of the wall, and the violet mare smiled after a moment as she proved Marina's feeling true: the natural fencing extended dozens of feet. The purple mare recalled the ball of light to check the other direction, but Marina had felt the magic extend either way, and sure enough, it had.

“Incredible, Marina. I think you did a great job with this, it should make it a lot harder for anyone to sneak in from here.” Twilight said, and Marina smiled before the purple mare chuckled and corrected: “I mean, Hild. Luna must really like you to call you that.”

“Really?” Marina smiled a bit, glancing back in the direction of the camp as she said softly: “I mean... I'm just happy to hear that. She can be a bit of a...”

“Pain in the flank.” Twilight supplied, as they headed back towards the tent, and Marina smiled again as the violet mare shrugged and gave a soft laugh. “I won't disagree with you there. She can be difficult, and she can be a pain, and she can be a lot of things... but she's a good pony at heart. She fights hard to do what's right, and to protect other ponies. She's just... always had her own way of doing that.”

“So we can see.” River Styx said dryly, from where he and Scrivener Blooms were seated in front of a burning blue bonfire. Twilight only smiled, however, her eyes flicking towards Luna's signature flames before they moved curiously to the other stallion.

Scrivener only shrugged a bit as he awkwardly brushed out his dress, the stallion muttering: “We're all supposed to try and stay in character, right? Well, here I am. Obviously completely in character. Not just a stallion in a dress.”

Twilight gave him an amused look, and River Styx glanced over at Scrivener before he said plainly: “You shouldn't talk about yourself like that, Princess Morebucks.”

Scrivener gave River Styx a horrible look, and Marina covered her muzzle to hide a smile as Twilight glanced curiously towards the inner camp. “So Luna... or uh, Champion Brynhild, I mean, she's actually going into the camp?”

“It seems that way.” Scrivener shrugged as he looked up, adding: “Your guess is as good as mine, with how fuzzy our link is. But I do get the sense she's not going in just to antagonize Iggy. Even though, you know, Luna and antagonizing things generally goes hoof-in-hoof.”

Twilight smiled again despite herself, and Scrivener hesitated for a moment before he turned his eyes towards Marina, adding: “And to answer your question, Ignominious was one of Luna's first relationships. Unfortunately, he chose to make some pretty stupid mistakes.”

Marina softened as she looked in the direction that Luna had gone, and River Styx frowned a little before he asked: “What does that mean for us?”

“That depends on how close to Iggy that uh... 'actor' is.” Scrivener Blooms said delicately, shaking his head briefly. “Like Luna says, though. Iggy is a coward, and he won't attack us directly. That's not his style. Even when he was desperate...”

He quieted, reaching up and rubbing almost compulsively at his forehead, and Twilight smiled a little before she said softly: “As long as we stick together, we'll be okay. We just have to watch out for each other. That's how we got this far, right?”

Styx grudgingly nodded as Marina smiled and Scrivener simply shrugged. But then all eyes were drawn upwards as Luna's voice came cheerfully: “Aye, that is right, Morgan Heldóttir! As long as we have one-another, then all shall be well. Truer words have never been spoken.”

Luna strode up to the edge of the fire, and when all eyes looked at her expectantly, she shrugged a bit before becoming more serious, looking between the ponies gathered around the campfire. “We have a strange mix here. Many of the soldiers are young, and not as dedicated to the cause as they are to their commanders. The officers, on the other hoof, seem to be a mix of the sly and the serious. Some, I believe, Ignominious must have picked by his own hoof for this mission. Others, however, I feel were sent by the Order themselves, or perhaps even the Throne, to act as watch and guard.”

The others nodded slowly, and then River Styx asked: “So you don't have any problem with the Order itself?”

Luna grumbled a little, tilting her head back and forth before she said finally: “I will reserve judgment for the moment against this Order. But all organizations are merited not by their ideals, but by their members and their leaders, for every tyrant has started off as an idealist.”

River Styx grunted in agreement as Marina shifted a little, asking: “Then should we be worried about...”

“We will take precautions, of course. We do not want anything foul to happen to dear Princess Novella.” Luna answered easily, with a wink over at Scrivener Blooms. The stallion scowled back at her, before Luna became more serious as she said pointedly: “And if thou does not begin to play thy part, then we may end up with more suspicion on our hooves.”

“Mares are meant to be seen and not heard, Champion Brynhild. So I'll just stay quiet in the background.” Scrivener replied drolly, and Luna rolled her eyes before the stallion smoothed out his dress automatically as he looked back and forth, asking in a quieter voice: “What do you think we're up against?”

Luna only shook her head as the others traded looks, before Styx looked up and said: “Whatever that thing was, I don't think we were really able to hurt it. And I think it... learned about us.”

He had almost said ate into us. What the hell was that even supposed to mean? River Styx rubbed almost nervously at his head, and Marina frowned slightly as she caught this rare, almost vulnerable gesture before she added: “Maybe that's why the play is suddenly so structured. Why it's... clearly taken things from your life, Luna, and fused them into it.”

“Maybe that's why we all feel more compelled to play our roles. Why it's not just madness and chaos anymore. Did the Draconequus really want their audience to pay attention to us, or did...” Scrivener quieted, then he shook his head briefly before he glanced up in surprise as the Director strode calmly out of the darkness to join them at the campfire, quietly taking a seat in the circle of ponies that had formed around the bonfire.

“You did very well today.” he said abruptly, and then he smiled briefly around at them all as he reached up to rub slowly at his face, his draconic tail shifting nervously behind him before he sighed and lowered his head slightly. “The scene is over. The play has begun. I mean, did you really think that mishmash bogswaggle before was the play? No, no. A play never begins at the beginning. The play begins halfway through. The first half is nothing but lies and red herrings and nonsense to confuse the audience and scare off the people who aren't willing to invest themselves in the story, or lack thereof. Look at all the greatest works! How much of the first act can be cut away? How different is the prologue from the epilogue! But it's true of every good story, you know...”

The Director smiled faintly as he brushed his hoof through the grasses beside him, murmuring: “You can't predict where the journey ends. And at the end of the day, the story is all about the journey, not the ending.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Twilight Sparkle asked: “Are all these ponies... other actors, or...”

“You won't hurt anyone if you end up having to hurt them.” the Director answered: a glib sidestep. And before anyone could ask anything else, he quickly cleared his throat and clapped his front hooves together, smiling around at them. “You all put together a great scene and exceeded my expectations. See? High praise, a worthy reward for your accomplishment here.”

Scrivener and Luna both visibly wrestled with themselves not to say anything, before River Styx asked dryly: “We played make-believe for you.”

“Oh, stop being such a stick in the mud.” grumbled the Director as he gestured irritably in Styx's direction, and then he shook his head quickly before sighing and sitting back, saying finally: “You can all take a brief break for the night, while we set up the next scene. But keep yourselves in character, all the same. You don't... things are rather... well, you have to stay on the move! That's the fun of improv on the round stage!”

“Fun indeed.” Scrivener Blooms muttered, and then he shook his head before asking quietly: “What the hell is the-”

“Oh, look at the time, I have to go!” the Director almost shouted, shoving himself up and stumbling away before he tripped and fell on his face with a yelp. The ponies stared at him for a moment, and then the Director cleared his throat before he awkwardly pushed himself up and mumbled: “Great... great sets, very well constructed, yes. I... excuse me.”

The Director hurriedly pushed himself up to his hooves, quickly running off into the darkness, and Twilight sighed a little before Luna snorted in amusement and remarked: “'Tis funny. But I think he is starting to actually grow on me. Much like mold.”

“Much like mold.” Scrivener agreed, before he smiled a little over at the other ponies. Marina shrugged agreeably, and River Styx only shook his head... but as he looked around at his odd companions and his genet chirped happily on his back, he thought he understood precisely what Luna meant.

These ponies had grown on him, too.

What Dreams May Come

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Chapter Eight: What Dreams May Come
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna hummed pleasantly to herself as she poured coffee for everyone around the campfire: even though River Styx hadn't agreed and Marina had tried to politely decline, Luna had insisted on giving everyone a full cup from the tall black kettle she had likely stolen from some of the soldiers in the camp.

Twilight Sparkle and Scrivener were sitting back-to-back, both of them sipping at their coffee as Twilight absently read from a book in her lap and Scrivener went over a map in his hooves. They looked comfortable together, like they had spent hundred of nights together like this, while Luna – for once – didn't seem like she was trying to be the center of attention, instead sitting back and keeping herself busy polishing her sword, as her mug of coffee floated beside her.

River Styx shook his head slowly, then he picked up one of the apples Luna had returned with as well: he drew one of his knives with telekinesis and cut a small slice off the apple to pass to his genet, who took it with a grateful chirp and immediately buried his face into it.

Styx glanced moodily over the knife, then he asked, without bothering to look up: “When we get out of here, will we leave with our actual belongings? Or do you think those are gone forever?”

“I don't even know if these... 'props,' for a lack of a better word, are really real or not.” Twilight said after a moment as she looked up from her book, absently grasping her cloak and pulling it out. “I mean, we are supposed to just be actors in a play, and these are our costumes... and of course, there's the whole metaphysical question of whether or not we're really here, or if this is some kind of shared dream or-”

Luna grumbled and poked at Twilight and Scrivener with her sword, making them both wince quickly away from her as she complained: “'Tis neither the time nor the place for such nonsense. Instead, we must focus simply on pressing forth through this fantasy or play or whatever it is.”

“I feel like it should be relatively straightforward from here.” Scrivener said softly, before he gave a wry smile when both Twilight and Luna gave him looks. “I know. But I think we were already jinxed from the start. Besides, I have the feeling that before this play ends... it's going to get very complicated, very fast.”

The others were quiet for a few moments, and then Marina asked: “How do we prepare for that, though? I mean... the point of chaos is that it's unpredictable, so...”

“So we can't, really.” Scrivener shrugged a bit as Twilight smiled a little, and Luna grunted in agreement as she went back to polishing her sword. “It is difficult, yeah. And it is stressful, but... we got through this play when it was just a random collection of scenes, right? I'm sure that now we can get through to the end and... hopefully get the answers I know we all want.”

“I just want to get out of here before someone reports me as AWOL.” Styx said with a shake of his head, and then he sighed a little before glancing over himself as he sheathed his knife. “Although I know that it's possible we might all still be in our beds, too... or...”

“I doubt we're dead. We know a lot about being dead.” Scrivener said mildly as he gestured around at Twilight and Luna, and Twilight gave him a mild look as Luna only nodded agreeably. “Let's just try to keep our focus on the here and now. This play has suddenly become a lot more...”

“Serious.” Twilight said softly, closing the book and looking up with a small smile, and Scrivener nodded as Marina and River Styx both looked at the violet unicorn curiously. “These books are full of coherent information, these aren't the same actors wearing different hats against some absurd backdrop, we're not leaping blindly from sequence-to-sequence... all of this is clearly adding up to something much more. It's not like it was before.”

“And the Draconequus...” Marina hesitated for a moment as she chewed on her lip nervously, before she asked uncomfortably: “Do you think they really have anything to do with this?”

The trio shared looks as River Styx frowned a little at the chocolate mare, but before Marina could even figure out a way to better express her thoughts, their conversation was interrupted by the approach of several soldiers. Luna scowled a little as she looked up, narrowing her eyes moodily as she continued to slowly clean her sword.

The soldiers stood for a moment at the edge of their little safe haven, studying them coldly. They were all officers, Luna noted, from the modified pauldrons they wore, and one of them had a mark of valor engraved on one side of his breastplate: Luna wasn't sure if that spoke more of his heroism or his ego, but she would do her best to reserve judgment for now.

Finally, the marked officer said, as his eyes looked over them suspiciously: “Lord Ignominious has requested your presence, Champion Brynhild. He has asked that your unit join his personal guard. Princess Novella, a carriage has been prepared for you.”

Scrivener Blooms scowled despite himself, shifting a little and awkwardly brushing down his dress before he said finally: “I think I would prefer to just walk with these... brave adventurers, thank you.”

“Either way, Lord Ignominious requires your presence.” replied the stallion, preemptively steamrolling any further excuses or refusal as he looked over the ponies moodily, before he gestured to them irritably. “We don't have the luxury of time.”

“Then 'tis too bad we are not on thy schedule, now isn't it?” Luna replied equably, glaring up at the stallion, and the two looked at each other darkly for a few moments before the sapphire mare snorted and pointedly lifted her mug of coffee with telekinesis. “When I am done my coffee, then I shall join thee and thine. I would recommend thou returns to thy master in the meantime. I assume he shan't be too difficult to find.”

The officer scowled at them for a few more moments, and then he shrugged moodily before turning around and leaving, his soldiers falling in tow behind him. Luna took a sip of her coffee, smacking her lips thoughtfully before Marina asked nervously: “Shouldn't we be playing along?”

“Oh, I am playing along, fear not. 'Tis not the play I aim to disrupt, but Ignominious, that is all.” Luna replied crankily, shaking her head. “I would never deign to be commanded by him, and he must be kept aware that, friend or foe, I will not simply sit back and allow him to order me around. That is important for all of us to ensure he recognizes.”

River Styx grunted, and Marina nodded hesitantly after a moment. Luna returned to calmly polishing her sword, clearly refusing to be rushed even as Twilight and Scrivener picked themselves up to start packing up their equipment.

No soldiers returned to hurry them along, which Luna wasn't sure was a good sign or a bad one. It did tell her that either way, this Ignominious was more patient than the one she had known... although 'tis not saying much. “Do we prepare for the ambush, or hope that it lays further on?”

“I'm not saying we should trust Iggy, since I trust him a lot less further than you could punch him. But let's give him the benefit of the doubt for now, and if he betrays us, you can punch him into the sun.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna nodded thoughtfully.

“Aye, and if only my dear sister sun were actually here with us. For then I could also punch the sun into him.” Luna answered, and Scrivener rolled his eyes as Twilight smiled a little despite herself. “But I suppose we shall see, then. Marina, Styx, I will ask the two of thee to stay close, but I trust that as both of thee have handled thyselves well so far, thou shall continue to show strength in the face of whatever adversity we may yet see.”

Marina smiled a little as Styx glanced up to ask dryly: “Was that actually a compliment?”

“Oh, River of Sticks, thou art so adorable. But keep thy adorableness to a minimum for now, we must be serious here... uh... what did I name thee again?”

“Loki.” Marina supplied after a moment, and then she blushed and smiled lamely when Styx shot her a sour look.

“Right! Loki, and Hild, and Morgan, and Novella. And I, of course, am Brynhild.” Luna declared, and Scrivener and Twilight traded looks before the sapphire mare finally tossed the rag into the cooling fire, then sheathed her sword as she stood up. “Alright. To seriousness, friends. When 'tis hard to play pretend like this, I remember that how much I make believe will have very real consequences.”

The others nodded slowly, before Luna cocked her head as Marina asked hesitantly: “So, you've... done this sort of thing before? As an actress, or...”

“Well, I suppose all politics are theater, but as anypony could tell thee, I was never very good on such a stage.” Luna smiled and shook her head as the group naturally fell in behind her. “Nay, when I traveled across Equestria with my sister and brother, we each excelled in a different field. Celestia, she was always the ruler, the battle-queen, and the confident commander. My brother was compassion, the diplomat, and the shield. And I?”

Luna chuckled quietly, smiling slightly over her shoulder. “I was the sword, the assassin, and the spy. Much like thou art playing the role of now, Loki. And even though I fancy myself as champion and conqueror now, I know that I still embody the ferocity and the powers of the night. My powers are poison and darkness, in spite of how oft I strike with but raw fury to back my blows.”

“Don't worry, Luna. Anger suits you pretty well too.” Scrivener remarked, and the sapphire mare gave him an amused look before she turned her eyes back ahead.

“Do not flatter me, Princess Novella, for even as desirable as I am, sadly, we are separated forever by status and position!” Luna sighed dramatically as she tilted her head back, and Scrivener only looked at her mildly as a smile quirked at Twilight's mouth. “Why, yes, I am a handsome, potent, virile, powerful stallion, but all the same, I fear that some things simply can never be!”

“Yes, do keep that in mind, both of you.” interjected a distasteful voice, and Luna scowled as she led her group to a halt as Ignominious strode out from between the tents with his bodyguards on either side of him, his eyes locked distastefully on the sapphire mare. “Well, Champion Brynhild, I'm glad that you could join us in spite of your busy schedule. Do you need some more time to primp and preen, or are you ready to bring the princess back home to her worried parents?”

Luna snorted disdainfully before she glanced moodily around at the encampment, noting... “Thou and thine seem to be in no rush thyselves. Half the camp still stands.”

“That is because only half the camp is leaving. We'll make better time as a smaller group, and we received word that there are bandits on your trail, Champion Brynhild. You didn't make any foolish wagers, now did you?” asked Ignominious as he narrowed his eyes towards the mare, and Luna scowled in return before she looked almost searchingly over her shoulder at the group of ponies behind her.

Then she abruptly turned back towards Ignominious, retorting: “I trust these ponies-”

“So much that you had to see who was guilty, yes.” Ignominous countered immediately, stepping towards her and glaring balefully at her, which almost impressed the mare... right up until he declared: “I am the hoof of the King and my authority is his, and-”

“Oh, thou art the same as thou always wert!” Luna snapped, and Ignominious flinched ever so slightly away from her as she scolded: “Like a foal, always like a foal, falling back on the omnipresent authority of 'kings' and 'gods' and 'the Order' and whatever else thou can hide behind like a shield, so thou can lecture and boss without ever having to face responsibility. But I shan't allow thee to pass the buck here, Ignominious. Look into mine eye, and speak to me with thy own mind and under thine own authority, or our conversation is over.”

Ignominious managed to meet her eyes for a few moments, and then he dropped his gaze and gestured grumpily at her, muttering: “The princess has a private carriage at the center of the convoy. I have arranged for us-”

“I will walk beside the carriage with my companions, so we can ensure the safety of our charge. I will not leave a job half-finished.” Luna retorted, and Ignominious grumbled under his breath, but didn't bother to argue with her as he only pawed childishly at the ground. “Good. Keep the formation as the wolves move.”

“My soldiers know their job, Champion Brynhild. You just keep your own in line.” retorted the stallion with a quick glare up at her, before he flinched slightly and lowered his head hurriedly when Luna gave him a moody look in return.

She rolled her eyes, then turned and gestured quickly at the others, heading towards the line of carriages past the rows of tents. Her group fell in naturally behind her, Marina looking uncertainly over her shoulder at Ignominious, who wasn't bothering to hide his hateful glare as he watched them leave. “What was that about?”

“I suspect 'tis foreshadowing. That is the term, correct?” Luna smiled wryly, shaking her head briefly. “Of course this journey will not be an easy one. But what I dislike most of all is being unsure of whom our enemy is.”

“I don't like that he's splitting this army in half.” River Styx paused, looking moodily over the line of wagons they were walking along before he added in a quieter voice: “This convoy is still going to be large enough that it's not going to reduce our travel time significantly, anyway.”

Luna nodded slowly, before Twilight added, as they passed a gaggle of soldiers who were simply gawking at them: “I'm not seeing too many officers, either. A lot of them look like young recruits...”

“Aye. 'Tis hard to say if that is good or bad, however: the real question is whether or not he was speaking the truth about whatever is following us. If there is indeed a force of enemies that he wishes to blockade and intercept, then 'tis likely better that he leaves behind the veteran soldiers to rout them, especially as we will be traveling in towards the heart of the kingdom.” Luna paused, then reflected: “But then again... 'tis not like old Equestria was ever all that safe, even in its heart. In fact, 'twas the heart that took Celestia the greatest time and care to repair, after the destruction of the Wyrms.”

Luna paused, then frowned as they reached the carriage that Ignominious had so generously assigned them. It was heavily armored and towed by no less than four enormous, scarred earth ponies... slaves, Luna thought, and Marina shuddered a bit at the sight of the wretched, somehow primal ponies.

There were several Dervishes standing guard by the carriage, their ornate, heavy armor gleaming as they glared at them through the grilles in their helms. Luna scowled back at them, before she looked back at Scrivener and said calmly: “Princess Novella, would you prefer to ride alone, or with a pony of your choosing for company?”

“We'll take it from here. Just leave the princess to us.” said one of the Dervishes coldly, and he stepped forwards to shove Luna aside before reaching for Scrivener-

In a flash, the Dervish was slammed down on his back, gasping weakly through his helm as his armor rattled with the shivering of his body. Luna pinned him by the foreleg, which she had bent in the wrong direction and was now creaking dangerously as his armor dug into his own body.

The other Dervishes snarled, but Luna only looked up at them coldly for a moment before she said slowly and calmly: “We will take care of our own, and Princess Novella is one of our own. Thou and thine can return to thy shame. 'Twas not I who allowed the princess to be stolen away in the first place, after all.”

One of the Dervishes began to step forwards, but he halted when Luna twisted the foreleg of his compatriot, making the pinned soldier give almost a squeak of pain. They were trapped in stalemate for a few moments, before Luna finally released the Dervish, and the other soldiers shifted moodily before one of them finally grumbled: “We'll report back to Lord Ignominious.”

Luna only grunted as the injured soldier picked himself up, and the two groups glared at each other for a few moments before the armored ponies began to leave. The last in line brushed Marina aside as he passed.

The Dervish had only a moment to enjoy his bullying before he tripped and ended up sprawled on his face. He shoved himself to his hooves, glaring back at the group as the other soldiers halted, but the ponies only looked steadily back at him until he turned with a snort.

There was silence for a few moments, and then Luna turned a slight smile towards River Styx, saying mildly: “Thou plays thy role even better than I had expected thou to, Loki.”

River Styx grunted, then he shook his head before he muttered: “I'm neutral on everyone else in this camp, but those brutes make me nervous. They don't act like soldiers.”

“In the old days, many of the Dervishes were selected from the largest, most brutal of prisoners, and in particular those who were easily manipulated or brainwashed. 'Twas always very popular before ponies allowed such things like morality and law to get in their way.” Luna remarked, and then she shook her head slowly. “Aye, I do not believe they are soldiers either. And they clearly serve Ignominious and his interests, so we will treat them with such caution as they have earned.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Luna glanced towards the large, brutal-looking slave ponies before she asked clearly: “Debts or crimes?”

None of the slaves responded, looking pointedly ahead, and Luna smiled wryly before Marina asked hesitantly: “Is that... I mean, I've seen... some awful things, but are they-”

“Their role has been cast in this play, as has ours. There is little we can do for them at this juncture, sadly, so let us instead focus on ourselves.” Luna said gently but firmly, before she shook her head and looked at Scrivener Blooms, although the stallion was studying the earth ponies meditatively as well. “Princess Novella, who does thou want to ride with thee?”

“You're giving me a choice?” Scrivener asked mildly, and Luna looked back at him pointedly. The stallion rolled his eyes, and then he sighed tiredly as he smoothed out his dress before he continued: “Well, Champion Brynhild, it's just that you haven't exactly given me a choice so far. If I had my choice, I wouldn't be going back to the castle in the first place.”

“Why don't you want to return to the castle?” Marina asked curiously, and because, strangely enough, it felt perfectly natural to ask.

And even Scrivener seemed a bit surprised with himself when he answered naturally: “Because as I've told you a thousand times, someone from the noble family wants me out of the way. I was kidnapped from my own bed!”

“All the same, we must return thee safely to the King and Queen. But thou hast my word, Princess Novella Morebucks, we shall ensure that-”

“Not good enough!” Scrivener gestured sharply, huffing loudly as he rose his head high. “I want to be safe, do you understand? You promised to take me somewhere I would be safe, and so far, all you've done is drag me across the country with your ragtag friends and back into the clutches of the very people who might want to hurt me!”

Luna scowled horribly at Scrivener, who glared back until Marina suggested hesitantly: “Maybe it's for the best if we face this together, though, Princess. We'll escort you back to the castle personally, and we'll stay by your side. We should be able to find out who wants to hurt you... and what would you do otherwise? You can't spend your life, always on the run, or always living in fear, can you?”

Luna grumbled a little as Scrivener muttered and shifted awkwardly, until Twilight Sparkle said quietly, in a low, deep voice: “Your majesty, you know that I will never betray you, and Champion Brynhild wants only the very best for you and is simply... concerned that you are giving too deeply in to your anxieties. If there is truly a conspiracy against you, we will root it out; if there is not, or the villains have fled, then you will be safer in the embrace of your family than anywhere else.”

Scrivener and Luna both cocked their heads towards Twilight Sparkle, who lamely smiled back as she rubbed at her mouth before muttering: “I'm trying to get into character, okay? It's hard.”

“No, you're just trying too hard.” Scrivener replied mildly, and Twilight gave him a grumpy look before the stallion straightened and added grudgingly: “And I do trust you, Morgan, and your judgment. If you truly think that it would be best for me to return to the castle, then so be it, I will... but I certainly don't like it.”

Twilight Sparkle smiled briefly, and there was silence for a few moments before Scrivener sighed and said finally, as he moodily glanced over the group: “Morgan, and... Hild, perhaps you two would accompany me in the carriage. Let's leave Champion Brynhild and her friend Loki to talk about whatever it is such stallions enjoy discussing, shall we?”

River Styx only looked dryly at Scrivener Blooms, as Luna snorted in amusement and rolled her eyes, waving a hoof moodily at the black stallion. “Aye, yes. That sounds about right, Princess Novella, take both of my magicians to guard thyself and leave us 'dirty stallions' to keep thy noble carriage safe.”

The two glared at each other for a few moments, and then Scrivener huffed before heading to the carriage. He reached up and ineffectually attempted to yank open the door a few times before Twilight hurried forwards and flicked her horn to open the door for him... or rather, the princess, as Scrivener was all-too in-character as.

Luna Brynhild grinned wryly as Scrivener and the mares piled into the room, and then she shook her head as the door slammed closed before the sapphire mare looked knowingly over at River Styx. “Dirty stallions.”

River Styx only shrugged moodily as his genet hopped up on his head with a chirp, and Luna snorted in amusement before she turned her eyes forwards, saying mildly: “Scrivener has always been the best liar out of all of us, but that is purely because all writers are naught but wretched liars. 'Tis amusing to see him in his element, though.”

River Styx only shrugged again, before he frowned a little as his genet suddenly tugged wildly at his ear with a worried chirp. The stallion glanced back over his shoulder before he gestured shortly with his head, and Luna frowned as she turned as well before her eyes locked on the sight of Ignominious, who was prowling slowly towards them.

Luna caught the faintest gleam of his horn before he straightened and approached with his head high, as if he hadn't just been skulking his way towards them: so that was why she hadn't sensed him. She shook her head in distaste at the sight before she rose her head and said loudly: “So that is why I did not smell thee right away. I see thou has some memory of my magic, even now.”

“Shut up.” Ignominious grumbled, but he blushed ever so slightly as he stalked towards them. They glared at each other, and then the stallion sniffed loudly before he turned his eyes towards River Styx, scanning up and down him measuringly. “You. Loki, you call yourself, correct?”

River Styx only scowled and kept his mouth shut, and Ignominious drew his eyes slowly over the stallion before he asked distastefully, as he raised one eyebrow: “Would you happen to be the very same Loki accused of raiding Lord Ebon's estates, as well as the School of Wizardry?”

“And Witchcraft.” River Styx said before he could stop himself, before the stallion added dryly: “Although in my defense, I was told to steal the philosopher's stone from Hogscab's by the headmaster himself..”

“Oh shut up.” Ignominious said disgustedly, and then he asked moodily: “And what about the rumors of Baron Il-Drehk's statues and gardens being vandalized?”

“As we've just established, I'm a thief, not a vandal. I have no idea why anyone would want to write all those awful things all over his statue, or why the garden he walks through with his family every morning would suddenly become a haven for poison ivy, poison oak, and poison joke.” River Styx replied blandly, before he tilted his head ever so slightly forwards and added: “Or so I've heard.”

“Or so you've heard. Ha-ha.” Ignominious replied moodily, and Styx nodded seriously, before he grimaced when the taller officer seized him by the lapels of his coat and hauled him forwards so their faces almost pressed together and Styx's front hooves were left dangling off the ground. “Now you listen to me, you-”

Luna cleared her throat loudly, and Ignominious scowled over at her before the sapphire mare said mildly: “I would request that thou keeps thy hooves to thyself, Ignominious. Or I will not stop Loki from showing thee his slight of hoof and making thee... disappear.”

Ignominious scowled... then tilted his head slightly upwards with a flinch as he felt something poking against his throat. River Styx only remained impassive, but his leg was flexed and ready, dagger gleaming in his hoof... but when Ignominious finally dropped him and stepped away, he flushed and snarled in fury as he realized that it had been the pommel pressing into his neck, and not the blade.

River Styx gave the slightest of smiles, spinning the knife once around his hoof before he sheathed it, meeting the commander's eyes fearlessly as he said: “Don't worry. Killing seems to be your business more than mine.”

Ignominious snorted, and then Luna asked calmly: “Ignominious, I need to know something: why did thou choose this mission? Why art thou here?”

Ignominious looked at her, and she looked back at him evenly, before the stallion finally snorted and looked away, his eyes flicking like they always did whenever he lied: “I was chosen for this mission by the King and Queen, that is all. Now, I have things to do, Champion Brynhild. I assume you don't, but maybe you'll leave me pleasantly surprised and at least keep yourself busy instead of annoying my troops while I marshal the rest of my soldiers.”

“In spite of all thy great big words, all I hear from thee is nonsense and excuses.” Luna retorted, and Ignominious scowled at her before the mare gestured shortly with her head. “Get thee gone, then. And fear not, I shall not pester thy soldiers. I do not have any interest in bullying children.”

Ignominious rolled his eyes, but he lingered for a moment longer as they two looked at each other before he suddenly said abruptly: “I don't know what you're thinking, Brynhild, but I know that look on your face. And even though I direly wish I could say otherwise, today I am not your enemy. You don't like me and I certainly don't like you, but for once, we both want the same thing.”

Luna grunted, and then she retorted moodily: “Well, thou shall excuse me if I do not take thy words at face, Ignominious. But...” Luna shifted slowly, the two studying each other uncomfortably before she said finally: “I will give thee a chance, on the condition that thou does not interfere with my business with Princess Novella. 'Tis important to me that I return her safely.”

“So long as you don't try to stir up any trouble, then fine.” Ignominious replied moodily, and then he looked ahead before saying finally: “The march home is ten hours, but within six we should be back on regulated roads as we head towards the capital. We'll be safe.”

“Safety is never guaranteed, Ignominious.” Luna replied quietly, and the commander smiled at her briefly as they studied each other, before the sapphire mare shook her head and muttered: “Get out of my sight. Wretch.”

Ignominious grunted at her, then he tossed one last look at Loki before striding quickly up the column of wagons, shouting orders to several soldiers as he passed. Luna watched him leave, shifting uncomfortably as she breathed quietly through her mouth, before she suddenly said, not knowing if she was speaking as herself or the character she was playing: “I had forgotten. I had forgotten why I cared so dearly for him in the past. I had forgotten those looks and those eyes and how he had the potential to be a good stallion, a strong stallion, dearer to me for overcoming his flaws, but... he made mistakes. He made errors. And still, I would have forgiven him, and all his crimes against others... had he not committed sin against me.”

River Styx only looked at her moodily, before he asked: “And what's the point of telling me all that?”

“Well, Loki, 'tis because I like to hear myself talk, and I like to work out my thoughts, and I thought for damned once thou could perhaps listen instead of whine.” retorted Luna crankily, and River Styx shrugged.

“All that makes me worry about is that you two pretty boys are going to end up spending your time combing each other's tails instead of focusing on getting the job done. I'm here for my money, so I can leave and live happily ever after. It doesn't bother me either way if your happily-ever-after is with him or the princess, Brynhild, but I don't want your emotions getting in the way of my paycheck.” River Styx replied, before he winced slightly as the genet on his head chirped disapprovingly and patted roughly on his head.

Luna snorted, then she gave a wry smile to the stallion before she asked pointedly: “And the reward is all thou desires, correct? There is absolutely nothing else compelling thee to travel with us, nothing else thou art looking forwards to in the future?”

“Well, I won't deny it's been interesting so far. You and your lot have kept me busy, well-fed, and I've only gotten a small amount of dragon-related burns for the trouble.” River Styx admitted with a shrug: Luna couldn't help but reflect that for such a sober stallion, he certainly played his part quite well. “But as enriched as these experiences have made me, and invaluable as these intangible treasures are... I'll take the fortune of gemstones and an estate filled with servants any day over the wealth of knowledge.”

“Well, at least thou knows thy priorities.” Luna remarked mildly, and then she shrugged before turning forwards and saying softly: “Keep thy secrets. We all fight for something, though, and that something is never trinkets or baubles or material gain. Those who lust for such see it as but a means to an end.”

“I'm glad you know everything, Champion Brynhild. It makes me wonder why you weren't made Lorekeeper instead of Champion.” River Styx replied with a dryness that even Scrivener Blooms couldn't match, and a smile quirked at Luna's mouth before the stallion turned his eyes ahead, saying in a more serious voice as his genet nervously looked around: “Maybe we should focus on the here and now, though. It's starting to feel a little... cramped.”

Luna grunted moodily, nodding briefly as she took a quick look around: the soldiers were starting to fall in on either side of the caravan. She couldn't help but note that the Dervishes were setting themselves up both in front and directly behind their carriage, and it looked like they were moving up military wagons to flank them from either side as well: they would be nicely caged in between the heavy armored infantry at this rate.

Well, they would just have to make the best of it, Luna figured, as she moodily looked ahead. And in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder just what Ignominious was doing, where he stood... and how cruel this play had yet to become.

For the most part, their travel was uneventful: they remained in-character with an uncomfortable ease, as if something else was influencing them. But then again, this play seemed to be performing some strange symbiosis with them, too: Luna kept feeling like she was passing old landmarks and things that had almost been lost in the depths of memory, surfacing here and there as if pulled along by the tides of dreams.

They traveled down an unkempt and uncared-for path, fallen leaves crackling beneath hoof and wheel alike as they carefully made their way over bumps and ruts in the soft earth. Many of the tracks they passed over were fresh, Luna noted: so Ignominious had at least been telling the truth when he said he had come looking for them. She also noted that they passed a few small camps here and there along the road, including a rundown tavern, ponies watching them suspiciously from the decaying veranda.

Inside the carriage, Scrivener chatted with Marina and Twilight: sometimes in character, sometimes out of character, the three shifting back and forth with uncomfortable ease between the two states. Luna and River Styx were the same, although Luna found much more enjoyment in the strange duality than the others did: after all, she always took pleasure in trading banter, and all the more so when it was with a stallion who was usually so stodgy and serious.

They passed into what Ignominious had likely meant by 'civilized country' without incident: the road beneath their hooves gradually became well-trodden highways, and they began to pass other ponies, many pulling their own carriages, and a few wandering the roads in safe groups. Buildings appeared alongside the highway: they started small and ramshackle, like weeds, but soon bloomed into full structures: farms, towers, taverns and outbuildings, sometimes appearing like lone sentinels, others in clustered groves.

As the autumn sun began its rapid descent towards the horizon, the convoy began to slow. Luna frowned a little at this, trading looks with River Styx before her body tensed as the line of carriages rolled to a halt, confused shouting coming down the line, punctuated by angry baritone orders. Luna swore under her breath, then she gestured quickly at Styx to stand guard before she hurried up the line to the front of the convoy to see what had happened.

To her surprise, Ignominious was arguing with a turbaned merchant pony who had several carts blocking the road. He seemed to be pleading for assistance, although it only took Luna one quick glance over his wagons for her to see that there was clearly nothing wrong with any of the carriages.

“Now come, our destination is the same! And I can't move all of these by myself! It's not my fault my ungrateful servants abandoned me!” whined the merchant pony, although Ignominious only rolled his eyes at this.

“Oh, and I suppose before they left, they were the ones who just happened to drag your wagons across the road?” he asked distastefully, and when the merchant dropped his eyes and weakly mumbled something in defense, the stallion snorted. “I'll tell you what. I'll let you choose which side of the road you want your wagons placed on, and I'll even have my soldiers move them there for you. But there's settlements in every direction: if you want safety or help, go find it yourself.”

“Aren't you a Paladin of the Order? How can you treat me this way!” the merchant whined loudly, before he turned around and flailed as a soldier began to approach one of the wagons. “No, no, stay away from there, you ruffian! The... the spokes are broken on my wagon! You'll just get it stuck worse!”

“No they are not. The spokes are fine.” Luna huffed, although her eyes narrowed slightly as she drew her eyes along the carriages. Five... no, six, arranged very precisely, blocking each other in a zigzagging line across the road...

Her eyes flicked sharply towards Ignominious, and the stallion gave the slightest of nods to her as the merchant rambled pleadingly: “All I'm asking is a little bit of help to the nearest settlement, all I want is for you to give me a bit of a helping hoof!”

“Very well.” Luna said abruptly, and the merchant blinked in dumb surprise before she looked squarely at Ignominious. “Call thy soldiers. Have them secure the wagons with chain and rope.”

“Wait... what? Why?” the merchant asked, before he gestured angrily at the carriage behind him. “Look at the craft, how ornate the gilding is! You can't seriously-”

“Precisely, sir. Your carriages have no locks on their doors. I'm surprised bandits or acrobats haven't already taken advantage of that to slip into your wagons while you move.” Ignominious replied calmly, meeting the merchant's eyes with a silent challenge.

There was silence for a few moments, and then the merchant's features suddenly went cold before the stallion said in a disgusted voice: “You just couldn't make this easy, could you?”

The merchant snapped his head forwards, the thick turban around his head explosively unraveling as a blast of lighting hammered towards Ignominious. But on reflex, Luna lunged forwards and deflected the attack with her own horn, before her eyes widened as coiling cloth of the turban lashed towards her like a serpent-

Ignominious blasted the living cloth into oblivion with a missile of black flame, disintegrating it as he roared: “To arms! Ambush!”

As he shouted the warning, the carriages all-but-exploded, doors and windows and hidden panels bursting open and bandits of every shape and size leaping out, roaring and howling with bloodthirst. Officers of the Order and soldiers of the kingdom both came charging forwards to meet the onslaught, as Ignominious and Luna moved in never-forgotten rhythm, their horns slashing back and forth to repel the powerful flurry of spells from the snarling mage driving forwards against them.

Both Ignominious and Luna suddenly slashed their horns down at once, sending a twinned blast of flame into the mage, and he howled as he was sent crashing and rolling backwards. The two grinned before trading looks, and then Luna flushed slightly as she stepped forwards and said hurriedly: “Shut up and rally thy troops against these dogs!”

“You heard her, soldiers! Raise your heads and weapons and fight like you have honor!” Ignominious shouted, as he slung his sword and shield off his back, bringing the latter up just in time to block a blast of magic from the mage.

“Honors means nothing in the face of the Aggiornamento!” snarled the mage as he lashed his horn back and forth, slinging savage spells at Ignominious. The Paladin weathered the onslaught beneath his shield, grimacing as his horn glowed before his sword lit up with magic, and he slashed suddenly, savagely forwards into a black blast of magic, slicing the missile of energy in twain.

Luna, meanwhile, had been flanked by two bandits who were slashing and swinging away at her with maces, the mare parrying their attacks clumsily with her sword as she circled quickly to avoid another bandit from sneaking up behind her. Then she cursed as a powerful blow slammed the sword out of her telekinetic grip, the mare snarling before a mace came swinging down at her face.

Instead of dodging, however, Luna swung a hoof up and caught the weapon by the handle before she twisted and slung it backwards as hard as she could, driving it into the face of the bandit wielding the weapon to knock him sprawling with a howl of misery.

The other bandit leapt forwards and swung wildly out at Luna, but she ducked quickly under the attack before lunging forwards and ramming her horn through the stallion's chest. He had just enough time to give a single, choking cry before he was blasted backwards like a meteor by a telekinetic charge.

As Luna and Ignominious did their best to hold back the cutthroat onslaught from the front, soldiers of every rank rose shield, sword, and hoof against the thieves and raiders that tore out of every nook and cranny, hole and hollow, to strike at them from both sides and behind. The soldiers were fearless in their duty to King and Order, but the plunderers came like a swarm of rats: countless in number and incredibly agile, harrying the defenders and slipping past them to leap towards the wagons they sought to protect.

River Styx clashed with a scarred, grinning Pegasus stallion, their daggers sending up sparks as they slashed back and forth, blocking and parrying each other's strikes in a wild dance of death. The blades gnashed together like metal fangs before they locked against each other, both stallions grinding forwards-

Bandits charged past on either side of them, but the moment Styx let himself be distracted, the agile cutthroat in front of him immediately shoved him backwards before slicing a blade towards his face. Styx barely managed to yank his head out of the way before he deflected several more attacks with his knives, as the nimble attacker mocked: “Not so good with the blades, are you, boy?”

River Styx gritted his teeth, then he readied himself as the trickster in front of him juggled his knives back and forth like magic between his hooves, spinning them expertly and making them dance around his forelegs before he twirled the weapons up to ready positions with a sharp 'ha!'

The stallion began to raise his own knives, before his genet hammered firmly on his head, and River Styx blinked before he scowled, more at himself than at the cutthroat across from him. The Pegasus grinned widely, his eyes gleaming as he mocked: “What's wrong, boy, you trying to think about how-”

River Styx snapped his horn forwards, blasting the cutthroat completely off the road with a focused thunder of wind, and then he spun his daggers once moodily before he turned around. But no sooner had he moved than two more vagabonds leapt at him with their own weapons at the ready.

The door to the carriage was torn open by a grinning bandit... and he was immediately blasted in a high arc through the air by a spell with a squeal. The carriage bounced with the force of the second spell that erupted out of it, the shockwave of lightning hammering across the raiders and making Styx flinch even as it washed past him.

Twilight Sparkle leapt out of the carriage, her horn raised high as she shouted: “In the name of King and country, I shall defend Princess Novella to the death! Come at me if you dare, but with thunder and hellfire I shall strike down all who threaten her noble majesty!”

Several bandits leapt forwards, but they were buffeted backwards by a powerful spell: yet still, the raiders pressed on, roaring challenges and threats back at Twilight and Styx as the stallion leapt back to stand with her.

Some of the slier bandits slid around to the other side of the carriage, but the moment one of them yanked open the door, a cat-like mare leapt down on top of the first, crushing him down into the ground before she swatted the next backwards with a hoof that had sprouted claws. Marina roared, her body leonine now with the Druidic magic she had channeled through herself, her strength and speed trebled as she smashed bandits away like toys.

Yet all the same, agile, acrobatic bandits found a way past, leaping over the tops of wagons and escorts to land on top of the noble carriage. Raiders on both sides of the carriage swung themselves down by the top of the doorframe to land on the sets on either side of Scrivener Blooms.

The stallion yelped, then he swore as he was seized from either side, struggling wildly before he managed to bring his hind legs up and slam both rear hooves hard into the stomach of the stallion in front of him. He hit with enough force to not only knock the bandit out of the carriage, but he sent himself and the stupefied raider behind him sliding out of the other open door, the heavy stallion princess squashing the vagabond beneath him against the hard ground.

Scrivener rolled awkwardly to his hooves in his dress, then he swore and slugged the bandit he had landed on when the thief tried to get up, knocking the raider sprawling brokenly. The earth pony grimaced, then he yelped when a trio of bandits leapt down from the roof of the carriage. “Behind us! Help me!”

River Styx was immediately beside Scrivener, the stallion slashing his horn out to pin one of the bandits to the carriage with a blast of wind, as he slammed the pommel of his dagger into the side of the other's neck, knocking it sprawling with a gasp. The last raider leapt for Scrivener Blooms, but was caught in midair by a savage double-kick, which sent him crashing headfirst into one of the carriage wheels.

Twilight slashed her horn out, sending out a wave of force that knocked more bandits sprawled, some of them breaking rank and fleeing. Even as those who remained tried to swarm forwards, they were met from resistance at every angle, and any bandit that managed to close in on the princess ended up being punched or kicked through the air by the stallion, his strength certainly far from hindered by the dress he was wearing.

At the head of the caravan, Ignominious and Luna had driven off most of the bandits, again focused on the sorcerer slinging spells at them with savage ferocity, seemingly tireless. Ignominious kept his shield high, while Luna deflected arcs of lightning and fireballs with her horn, countering when she could with short bursts of magic as she and the Paladin slowly closed in.

The mage snarled as they drew close before he suddenly leaned forwards, his horn sizzling with magic before a forcefield of electricity erupted into reality around him, the dark magician hissing as he prepared another spell: “Let's see you get past that!”

“Sword!” Luna shouted, and without hesitation, Ignominious flung his weapon to her, the mare's horn lighting up as she charged the weapon with her own lightning magic before stabbing it into the barrier. The mage howled in surprise at the eruption of static and energy that tore through the air, losing his concentration as Luna cursed in pain from the shocks that ripped along her own body.

But the conflicting arcs of energy tore the forcefield to ribbons, all the same, and allowed Ignominious to charge forwards, head lowered behind his shield as he rammed through the zigzagging arcs of energy that remained to slam into the mage.

The sorcerer was knocked sprawling with a snarl before Ignominious almost leapt on top of him, slamming his shield down to pin the mage against the ground. “Now!”

Luna roared as she leapt forwards, tearing through the electricity still sizzling over her as she stabbed the sword savagely down, and the mage howled as the weapon bit deep through his breast. He spasmed, mouth working open and shut as he shivered on the ground... before he suddenly gave a twisted, savage grin as his eyes blazed with hellfire and hatred, growling: “You stupid fools! The power I have been given by the Aggiornamento is too great for your mortal weapons to slay me!”

The mage roared, and before Luna or Ignominious could react, they were both blown backwards, sent skidding through the field as they barely maintained their grip on their respective gear. Ignominious cursed and stumbled to a stop, looking almost fearfully up, while Luna gritted her teeth and dropped to a ready position as she saw the sorcerer standing tall with his head raised high, his horn burning with malicious magic as he snarled: “Soon, the Holy Order will worship our divinity, and we will be the ones to rule this kingdom of fools!”

“Aye, that makes sense. Thou art all idiots, so I demand thee make me thy king.” Luna muttered, and Ignominious snorted. The mare glanced towards him, meeting his eyes for a moment as she gave him a distinct look, and he shifted ever so slightly before Luna remarked: “I suppose he is half-right, though, considering the state of thy 'Order.' They are not so concerned with the 'goodness of god' anymore, but rather how deep they can plunder the coffers of the rich and how hard they can make the poor work, with all their lies and false promises.”

“Oh, are you really going to start this now Brynhild?” Ignominious asked grouchily, turning towards her and glaring at her as he lowered his shield slightly, snapping: “The Order has protected this kingdom and the Morebucks lineage for centuries, all at the cost of-”

“The lives of countless innocents, but most of them already well-abused by the church, and moreover, the church's tyrants!” Luna retorted, and she and the Paladin turned to glare at each other as the mare continued nastily: “But I suppose 'tis all well and good when-”

The mage snapped his horn forwards, unleashing a powerful torrent of black magic, but both Ignominious and Luna leapt over the wave of dark hellfire and retaliated by snapping their own horns forwards at the same time, twin bolts of magic slamming into the face of the deathless sorcerer. He was knocked rearing back with a hurk of surprise, his eyes bulging in shock before Ignominious slung his shield forwards.

The heavy steel shield slammed into the mage's skull, his head snapping back as he flailed for balance. And then there was a flash of steel, and the shrill cry of a sword slicing through air and flesh before Luna landed on the other side of the mage, a cold smile on her face as the sorcerer's body toppled backwards, and his head uselessly fell forwards.

His corpse twitched a few times as his head mouthed uselessly and wordlessly, and then he gave a single, weak sigh before his body burst into ill green flames. Luna straightened, then smiled grimly as she looked away from the burning remains to watch as the remaining bandits scattered, their forces breaking into a full retreat with the death of the sorcerer.

Ignominious swept up his own shield, striding up beside Luna before he said mildly: “As I recall, when you were part of the Holy Order, you had a much better opinion of it, Champion Brynhild.”

“Aye, and then I left, and now my opinion is much worse, Paladin Ignominious.” Luna replied with a glance towards him a slight smile, before she quickly looked away and added quietly: “Thou would have been a much better stallion if thou had never girded thyself with their noose, methinks. They make thee love the Order as a parent by naming thee for sin when thou art just a babe, and whispering sweet lies of kindness to thee between the whippings. Look at thine own life, Ignominious. Cursed with that name, of unknown nature and heritage, and bred to know and love only what the Holy Order told thee... how could thou have become anything but what thou did? And I... I know I made my own mistakes. I know that we...”

She quieted, then shook her head slowly: but even if she knew it wasn't really Ignominious she was talking to, all the same, it felt... it felt good, to have that moment, to be able to speak all these thoughts. Better than she wanted to admit, because, she supposed, first loves... “I know, Brynhild. And perhaps things were not meant to be. But you are still... important to me, and you will always have a place in my heart. We went different ways, but if I could be a better stallion, I would have been, and still, I strive to be... and perhaps, one day, you and I will cross paths in better times, and we shall finally...”

He stopped, then chuckled quietly and shook his head as Luna looked over at him silently, and Ignominious smiled at her in that old way he had always used to. Before the madness, before even the fear and desperation of the journey had begun to cut away at that handsome young Paladin he had been, so energetic, so warm, so full of life and curious and able to understand her and put up with her, able to coax smiles out of her even after she had spent hours arguing with Celestia...

She looked at him for a few moments, then smiled faintly as she studied him. She should be angry. Hateful. She should be promising revenge and retribution for this insult, for this mockery, for this false mirror of the past, this story that could have been... and yet instead, she found herself... thankful. Perhaps it was because of everything she had already been through with her family: perhaps it was because part of her heart would always be tainted by that sad love for Ignominious, and everything he could have been, and she was seeing, really seeing, what he could have been. She had always hated him, and always been so enraged by him, because of that love, after all...

Finally, she shook her head again, then cleared her throat and said softly: “I do not have time to put up with your flirting today, Ignominious. Come. Back to Princess Novella and the others. We must ensure they are safe, too.”

To her surprise, Ignominious gave a smile to her, raising his head as he picked up his shield and lightly yanked his sword back from her with telekinesis, as he replied easily: “Of course. And perhaps after we return Princess Novella and your companions go on their way, you'll join me for a celebratory drink at the tavern?”

“What a turnaround, Ignominious. Bold and almost brazen. 'Tis a pleasant change of pace.” Luna said with a slight smile, and then she hesitated for a moment before saying finally: “Aye. I suppose that if thou can be enough of a gentlecolt and stallion to invite me to drink, I can come with thee. Not to drink, but rather to laugh at thee and thy inability to hold thy liquor. Although perhaps the wenches will serve me coffee. I enjoy coffee-wenches.”

“You might be surprised at how I've changed, Brynhild. While I admit a few too many bad habits are still there, and I give in too easily to my old urges and those ill habits of mine...” Ignominious stopped, then he shook his head and chuckled quietly. “No, you're right. Let's go. There will be time later. There is always time later.”

“Aye, until there is no more time left to be had.” Luna said softly, watching with curiosity as this version of Ignominious took the lead, away from the charred remains of the mage's corpse. She smiled as he shouted orders, raising his head high and proud, the stallion he had always wanted to be... the stallion she had always wanted him to be, she reflected, with both dreamlike joy and faint bitterness.

And behind them, the burnt remains of the mage shifted once before a sick black ooze slipped out of the charred remains, slithering quickly away into the darkening twilight.

Lies Within Lies

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Chapter Nine: Lies Within Lies
~BlackRoseRaven

While they were very close to their destination, the growing darkness and the damage their caravan had taken compelled the small army to halt its march. Fortunately, they happened across a settlement of farms that was more than willing to let them set up camp in their recently-harvested fields, and they were even offered some of the bounty of the crops.

But the fresh, good food didn't bring nearly as much rejoicing as discovering that there was a large tavern nearby, and that it was offering a free drink for every soldier. After some heckling, Marina and River Styx ended up joining the crowd of soldiers headed to the bar: Luna and Twilight were more than happy to keep an eye on Scrivener, and Luna had heard that Ignominious would be present at the bar, and wanted them to keep an eye on him.

Admittedly, Marina liked being in the welcomingly-positive, relaxed energy of the soldiers: off-duty, close to safety, and now able to put their hooves up in a bar, they were very different from the coarse, strict, and suspicious ponies they had traveled with. They were able to let down their guard, relax, and since the bandits had attacked and they had worked together to fight them off, the soldiers had apparently become far more accepting of the quirky group of misfits.

River Styx felt himself wanting to relax, too: even though he had never exactly been a 'share a drink with the colts' type of pony, all the same, their merriment was infectious and, whether he liked it or not, it was hard to resist playing the role of his 'character,' who was far more talkative and merry than Styx could manage even at his most social. All the same, though, even while that part of him that had decided to be 'Loki' prattled away, he kept his eyes sharp and his ears pricked, as if waiting for an alarm.

Marina and Styx both paused outside the tavern, the group of soldiers they had been traveling with barely noticing as they left the two behind, with how caught up in their laughter and eagerness for a good, stiff drink they were. The chocolate mare looked quizzically at Styx as he turned a smile towards her, but she knew it wasn't genuine: neither in nor out of character. “What's wrong?”

“Absolutely nothing. And that's exactly what's bothering me.” Styx replied after a moment, and even he wasn't sure if he was speaking as himself or the character he was playing. “All I know is that it's when everything seems to be going right, that everything starts going wrong.”

Marina smiled a little despite herself, nodding slowly as she allowed her eyes to travel slowly over the front of the building: it looked warm, inviting, and there was happy, delightful music streaming out of the open doors and the wide windows, and she could hear the laughter of soldiers and see them celebrating along with the merry townsfolk... “You're right. It's like everyone's forgotten why we're here.”

“I'm sure they have. But we have a job to do, and we should stay on our guard. Don't let yourself get separated from me inside the tavern.” River Styx ordered, and Marina smiled despite herself as his genet chirped loudly on his head, battering at him with his little paws until Styx sighed and gave the slightest nod, adding almost awkwardly: “Please.”

Then he frowned slightly as his genet chirped again, looking up at him for a moment and seeming oddly ruffled. But then he seemed to relent to whatever it was his insistent little companion was asking, and he gestured awkwardly at Marina as he mumbled: “Here. He'll keep an eye on you, just in case one of us does get pulled away.”

Marina blinked in surprise as the genet hopped suddenly from River Styx and onto her head, and then she blushed and laughed as the ferret-like creature happily clambered all over her before she turned a warm smile towards Styx.

Styx was already looking back at the tavern, though, although she could swear she saw the slightest blush at his collar as he grumbled: “Come on. Let's get going. We have to find that paladin, Ignominious, first.”

“Alright.” Marina nodded to the stallion as the genet scrambled down into the lush fur of the animalistic armor covering her body, the mare hesitating for a moment before she asked: “So what do you think of the others?”

“I think they're all insane.” River Styx muttered, shaking his head briefly as they entered the warmth of the tavern: the conversation was oddly welcome, though, because it helped distract him from how, well, distracting the rest of the world was. “But they seem to be able to take care of themselves, too. And for better or worse, we're stuck with them.”

“I don't mind them. I mean, I do agree, they're all a little... eccentric...” Marina glanced around the tavern, for a moment losing herself in the bright chaos of it all. It brought back so many memories, and half-remembered dreams that had felt so real...

She shook her head quickly as she realized that Styx was looking at her patiently, and she gave him a lame smile before murmuring: “Sorry. But... they might be a little strange, but I think their hearts are in the right place.”

“Their minds just aren't.” Styx said dryly, and Marina giggled a little even as she gave him a pointed look. “But... I suppose I agree. Something about them though... it strikes me as strange.”

“Do you think they're just part of this story?” Marina asked curiously, and River Styx couldn't help but give her a slightly-surprised look, before he gave a slight smile as the two ponies made their way through the cheerful crowds to a far table in a quieter corner, where ponies were mostly chatting amongst themselves and enjoying their drinks in peace, more than shouting stories and roaring laughter and dancing to the music played by the bards across the room.

As they slid into seats at a table, River Styx shook his head and answered: “No. I don't think they are. I guess in a way they're too... different.”

“But you know, when you're sure of anything with chaos...” Marina smiled a little, and then she shook her head slowly before saying quietly: “I know what you mean, though. And I'm glad they're here and... I'm glad you're here too, River.”

River Styx grunted, and then he simply shrugged awkwardly even as his genet leapt up to Marina's shoulder, purring and rubbing its little face against hers, making the chocolate mare smile. They sat in silence for a few moments, until River Styx looked towards the bar and asked: “Do you want anything?”

“No, thank you. I want a clear head. It's... it's funny in here, you're right.” Marina briefly glanced around, before she frowned a little as she caught sight of several strange-looking ponies: they wore bright red cloaks over some kind of uniform, and they had funny little caps on their heads... “Did you see-”

“I did. Maybe we should go to the bar and get drinks after all.” River Styx said slowly, and Marina nodded. But before they could push away from the table, several soldiers suddenly joined them, almost forcing the two back into their seats.

“Hey there! You two are quite some warriors!” one of the soldiers said cheerfully, and Marina gave a lame smile as River Styx opened his mouth before his eyes locked on the badge on the soldier's breast: he was a Knight of the Holy Order, which gave him an idea.

“Well, I don't think we did anything you fine gents couldn't do.” River Styx said easily, as he slipped into his character of Loki. At the same time, he looked pointedly at Marina, and the chocolate mare nodded hesitantly to him as she settled back into her seat, even as she fidgeted awkwardly as a soldier slid maybe a little too close to her, gazing at her fawningly. “You colts really made stallions of yourselves against those raiders, I have to say! They probably should have brought a dragon or two if they wanted to stand a chance against you lot!”

The soldiers were visibly enthused by this, one laughing and saying with almost painfully-false modesty: “Oh, we're not that great, you know! We just, you know, did what we could to hold off that entire army of bandits and thieves while you kept the princess safe, that's all. Even if we were outnumbered, we knew we couldn't let Princess Novella get taken, right?”

The stallion who had spoken lifted his drink with a grin and a distinct flex of his bicep, winking at Marina, who gave an awkward smile back to him. Styx repressed the urge to roll his eyes, forcing himself to continue to smile as another soldier added, much more earnest: “Let me buy you both drinks, please. Without you, our mission would have failed and we would have had to return to the King as less than stallions and less than failures.”

“No, no. It's alright. We survived only because we worked together. You don't owe us anything.” Marina said softly, shaking her head with a small smile. “If anyone deserves a drink, it's your Commander, Lord Ignominious. He's clearly taught you all well, and admittedly...”

“We aren't the easiest to get along with. Brynhild can be a little too proud of himself at times. And a little too proud of us, too, to be entirely honest.” Styx added, waving a hoof absently. On the bright side, it was at least getting easier to allow his mouth to run while he kept his eyes looking around, like there were two distinct people sharing his body and working in almost-perfect synchronization. “It's good to know that your Commander seems to be one of those few people who can actually put up with him.”

The soldiers chuckled amongst themselves, and then one of them leaned forwards almost conspiratorially, apparently eager to gossip as he said in a low voice: “Well, they say that the Commander and Champion Brynhild used to be very close. You know. Very close.”

He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, before yelping when another soldier punched him in the shoulder with a huff. “Oh, as if. Lord Ignominious is a Commander in the Order, and Brynhild was an Exemplar. Neither of them are fags.”

Marina's eyes flicked briefly towards the soldier who had spoken as another rolled his eyes and complained: “Oh, like there aren't any homos in the clergy or the officer-class, anyway. Just look at Jubilee.” He scoffed, then shook his head before adding grumpily: “Also, Brynhild was thrown out of the Order, while Lord Ignominious stayed behind. I don't know if he paid penance or not to do so, but I do know that he was promoted around the same time as Brynhild was thrown out.”

“So maybe Brynhild was the fag, I don't know.” said another soldier with a shrug, before he hesitated, then added in a quieter voice as he leaned forwards: “But either way, I heard that Brynhild was the one who was supposed to get the big promotion. Lord Ignominious was actually serving under his command back then.”

“What, are you trying to defend Brynhild, or are you saying that maybe Ignominious was the one who ratted him out?” asked the soldier who had been complaining, the stallion scowling slightly. “Look, the rules are pretty clear. No fags in the Order. We have enough problems recruiting good, strong stallions as it is.”

“Hey, I really don't care if they're gay or not, as long as they fight and keep their hooves off me. Means more mares for me when we get time to ourselves.” replied the soldier beside Marina, before he winked at her. “Don't you worry, though, I'm a hundred percent-”

“Idiot.” snapped the complaining soldier, earning a few chortles before he added grouchily: “You shouldn't be chasing tail, anyway. One mare for every stallion. And there are two stallions for every mare out there right now!”

“Why don't you let more mares into the Order, then?” Marina asked politely, trying to steer the conversation in a slightly better direction. “Why, Morgan is-”

“Morgan is a pureblood unicorn. There are even fewer of those left, and we have no influence over their politics. But if we did, I assure you that mares would be where they belong, safe, and tending to our wounded. You mares shouldn't be forced to fight.” replied the soldier with a shake of his head, somehow missing the way Marina's eyes narrowed and her face slowly puckered.

Styx thought about stepping in, but he was admittedly fascinated with watching the way Marina's usually-sunny and almost meek demeanor rapidly changed as the soldier continued in a patronizing, matter-of-fact voice: “Stallions were put on this planet to protect mares and to serve God through commitment to the Holy Order. Mares were put on this earth to serve stallions. We can't have stallions serving stallions because that goes against the natural order, just like the thought of a mare protecting a stallion is ludicrous. Even among the treasonous mages, they usually try and keep the mares in places where they can be admired but don't have to... intervene in daily life. Mares can barely deal with their own emotions. They need strong hooves to guide them, stallions to follow behind, or they end up lost, like little lambs. Mares could never do what stallions can.”

“Mares could never do what stallions could.” Marina repeated, her voice flat, her eyes glaring at the soldier.

The soldier frowned back at her, before the knight beside her leaned in and threw a foreleg around Marina: he at least had the decency to look a little embarrassed even if he was starting to invade her personal space, saying: “Hey, don't you worry, Graw is just from an old family, and you know how-”

Marina calmly reached up and flicked her foreleg, knocking the stallion's foreleg off her shoulders, and the soldier looked dumbly at his limb like it was a branch that had just fallen off a tree. He lamely began to raise it, and Marina didn't even look at him as she said: “Don't.”

The soldier winced and hurriedly drew his foreleg back, hugging it like it had been burnt, before Marina turned her glare towards so-called Graw, who winced back in surprise at the cold fire in her eyes. “As for you, I don't know what kind of 'Holy Order' you work for, but the God I know certainly doesn't think any less of mares than he does of stallions. Where I come from, it's the mares who have cared for their children, protected their homes, fought in wars, and ruled the empire. It's mares who protect the stallions. But I suspect that this world shares one thing in common with mine: the stallions hide behind mares while they loudly take credit for all the work they do.”

The soldier shifted awkwardly, looking lamely away, and River Styx couldn't help but smile slightly as he said cheerfully: “Well, think of it this way, colts. We have something to prove, right? And who works harder than a stallion with something to prove?

“Speaking of which, your noble commander, Ignominious: what does he fight for? Who does he serve, apart from God?” asked the stallion curiously, and the soldiers looked at him almost uncomfortably before River Styx added: “It sounds like he's the highest rank you can go and still find on the field, which means that he must be the one to deal with the first wave of rear-echelon mother-buckers.”

One of the soldiers smiled briefly, while the others only shifted a little, until the one beside Marina said awkwardly, pointedly keeping his eyes away from the glowering mare: “Well, you know. The Knights are the sword and the shield of the Holy Order. There are the priests – and priestesses! – and the healers and the spiritual leaders and... well, the Holy Order is really composed of many different ponies, many different people, and all of them are... all of them have their place.”

“We don't serve the King. I mean... we do, but... we don't.” added another soldier, before he scoffed when the pony beside Marina glared at him. “Oh, come on, everypony knows anyway. Our first allegiance is to the Holy Order.”

“And the Holy Order is preserved by the King, who is among the highest caste.” said the soldier beside Marina. “The King contributes what he can to the Holy Order, and in return, the Holy Order serves the King. So in a way, we do serve the King.”

“Nonsense.” grumbled Graw, who apparently just couldn't keep his mouth shut. “God is above all and we serve God first, through the Holy Order

“Gosh, then I sure hope the Holy Order knows what God wants.” River Styx couldn't help but remark, earning a horrible look from Graw before he asked smoothly: “But among the Order, who is responsible for passing on the orders of God, so to speak? I know there's a council of Archbishops, but I can't imagine they have much head for earthly matters, like we do, boys. There must be go-betweens.”

“You mean the Red Messengers.” the soldier beside Marina glanced up, straightening a little and tossing a nervous little look in Marina's direction. But when she acknowledged him with a look – grudging or not – he gave a lame smile and shrank his head a little in automatic deference, continuing: “Well, they're advisers who travel around the kingdom, passing down commands from the Holy Order. They also act as the go-betweens between the-”

“You sure are happy to share all our secrets with outsiders, aren't you?” Graw asked loudly, glaring at the knight, who quailed slightly. River Styx couldn't help but note that, as loud and obnoxious as Graw was, he also was careful to focus his frustration on the soldier... and very clearly was doing everything he could to avoid Marina's venomous gaze. “Even if they're heretics, well, as long as they have a pretty face-”

“Well,we might be pretty, but we're not outsiders. We're right here beside you, friends, just looking to do what we can to help.” River Styx interjected, but even if his voice was full of Loki's charm, his eyes were hard, almost challenging Graw. “But would you excuse Hild and I? I think I just saw Brynhild and I'd like to go and buy him a drink.”

The soldiers all shifted awkwardly, and Graw snorted before he looked towards Marina... although again, didn't meet her eyes. “Well, good luck to you then, Sir Loki. I'm sure Brynhild likes his drinks served from a stallion.”

River Styx smiled dryly as he climbed to his hooves, but before he could make a witty retort, Marina simply shoved the table forwards to knock Graw sprawling. The soldier mouthed wordlessly as he grasped at his dented armor, while Marina politely sketched a curtsy to the other soldiers, saying pleasantly: “Thank you for the company and conversation.”

With that, she joined Styx as he strode towards the bar, the chocolate mare smiling a little as Styx remarked: “You're a little tougher than I thought.”

“I hear that a lot.” Marina smiled again after a moment, glancing towards the stallion before she shook her head and added softly: “I just don't like conflict. But that doesn't mean I'm about to sit back and just let people walk all over me.”

River Styx smiled briefly at this, before he frowned slightly as he thought he heard raised voices: not the pleasant kind, either, the laughter and the raucous shouting, but something sharper, angrier. It came from the floor above, and he thought he could see a black hoof resting on the edge of the railing... “I have a feeling those Red Messengers aren't here to congratulate the Commander.”

“Should we take a closer look?” Marina asked, and she hesitated a moment before adding quietly as the genet on her head chirped uncertainly: “I think I can do a simple illusion...”

“Let's try and be more subtle.” River Styx said as he turned towards the bar, before saying clearly, as he flicked his horn: “Three shots of whiskey, the finest you have in stock.”

The barkeep smiled warmly: likely more at the prospect of actually making money than continuing to pass out ale on a tab that would never be picked up by the kingdom, Styx thought wryly .”Yes, sir! Right away, sir!”

The whiskey was a fine, deep amber, and smelled like a bit of heaven. Styx lifted the drinks with telekinesis, then gestured to Marina to follow as they made their way through the busy crowd, the two staying close as the genet pawed uneasily at Marina's neck.

The stairs were guarded by two burly Dervishes, but to the surprise of both Styx and Marina, neither moved to stop them when they approached. One of them, however, glanced around as if searching for someone else, and Styx frowned a bit before he asked: “Did I lose my title of 'most wanted' while my back was turned?”

“Shut up.” one of the Dervishes retorted, which at least went to show they certainly weren't any more liked by the elites. Which meant that Ignominious or the Red Messengers – if that was indeed who they had seen – were trying to stop someone in particular from getting to them, or, on the other hoof...

“Did he tell you to let us through, specifically?” River Styx inquired, but neither Dervish paid any attention to him, and the stallion shrugged briefly before he looked over at Marina, who looked surprised at this thought, but was also clearly considering it herself now. “Well, let's find out.”

Marina nodded, following him up the steps to the second floor, which was far quieter than the first. The first thing Styx noted was that there were a lot more officers at the tables here, and many of them were decorated with symbols and badges of the Holy Order, showing clearly where their allegiance first laid.

Yet none of them paid Styx or Marina much heed as they carefully made their way around the wide, winding walkway of the second floor. They didn't seem too fond of the fact they were here, but just like the Dervishes, they didn't make any attempts to stop them, either, and nor did they give them much more than a look: sometimes it was a nasty one, other times it seemed to simply be... curious, Styx thought.

“I feel like an animal at the zoo.” Marina mumbled, and Styx grimaced slightly in agreement before the chocolate mare glanced up, noting the large seating area just ahead that overshadowed the bar, where Ignominious was loudly arguing with the strangely-dressed ponies.

The odd, uniformed ponies were seated at the tables, Dervishes standing nearby and, even through their heavy armor, looking nervous and uncertain: funny emotions to see in goliaths that were covered from head-to-hoof in sharp metal.

Ignominious, meanwhile, was standing near the railing, looking visibly displeased. As Styx and Marina approached, however, his eyes flicked towards them, and he held their gaze for a moment before he made a dismissive gesture to the side with his head.

Styx immediately grabbed Marina and yanked her to the side, behind a fortuitously-positioned support pillar. They got an odd look from an officer seated at a table nearby, but he seemed to be the only one who noticed, as one of the strange ponies at the table snapped: “Keep your eyes here, Commander!”

“Yes, sir.” Ignominious said moodily, and Styx and Marina carefully leaned out from either side of the pillar to peer out at the strange meeting, as Styx carefully set the glasses of whiskey off to the side. “You have my full attention and my full respect.”

“I somehow doubt that.” said one of the ponies coldly, before he continued with distaste: “You know your mission, Ignominious. Why haven't you apprehended the heretic?”

Styx narrowed his eyes slightly at this as Marina shifted nervously. For a few moments, Ignominious didn't respond: he seemed to be gathering his thoughts, even as the six ponies glared holes in him.

“Well?” one snapped, and the black stallion finally looked up with a scowl.

“Right now, we're marching directly to the capitol. There is an Abbey inside the Castle where I can bring the heretic for judgment. There's no point in disturbing the peace right now by arresting him.” Ignominious replied with a shrug and a snort. “As the Order itself teaches, we must not make haste when doing the work of the holy.”

“Don't quote scripture at us, boy.” growled one of the ponies. “The Red Messengers carry more than just the word of the Order, you know.”

Ignominious shifted with visible discomfort, which rippled through the Dervishes as well. One of the armored soldiers began to shift away, before one of the Red Messengers suddenly ordered: “Patrol, go and check the area for intruders. I feel like there's a mouse.”

The genet on Marina's shoulder whimpered quietly as the mare ducked back behind the railing, but Styx reached out a hoof to steady her, even as the strange ponies shifted their gazes around. Two of the Dervishes excused themselves from the meeting to slowly begin down the walkway in either direction, and even as Marina fidgeted, Styx stayed resolutely in place.

One of the Dervishes passed the support and looked directly at them, the two looking back at the armored warrior before he slowly stepped forwards. Marina tensed, gritting her teeth, but Styx didn't move as the armored stallion reached down... and picked up some kind of pin from the ground, the Dervish turning his glower to one of the soldiers at the table as he said contemptibly: “You should take better care of your rewards, unless you want them taken away.”

One of the soldiers sheepishly held out his hoof, and he winced when the Dervish slammed the badge down into it before he turned and strode away. Marina watched with disbelief as the genet chirped uncomprehendingly on her head, but Styx only turned his attention back towards the Red Messengers and Ignominious.

“I think you happen to be forgetting something, paladin.” said one of the ponies at the table, as he tented his hooves and looked coldly at the Commander. “It does not matter what you think. It does not matter what is 'easiest.' What matters is that we give the orders, and you do as we say.”

“I just think-” Ignominious started, but he was cut off by another Red Messenger's derisive snort.

“There is your problem! You 'think.' You are not here to 'think,' Ignominious, you are here to do. So do as you are told. Take the heretic into custody. We do not want him hailed amongst the heroes when he marches into the capitol, we want him ashamed and in chains.”

Ignominious shifted and glared at them defiantly for a few moments, but then he sulkily dropped his eyes and nodded moodily. He fidgeted, then tried to argue, almost childish: “I just don't think-”

“Then that's perfect, isn't it?” mocked one of the Red Messengers, and there were a few nasty laughs before the pony continued in a colder voice: “You have been doing too much thinking lately, after all, Ignominious. Some might even say that you have been engaging in blasphemy. And eyes have not failed to notice the special treatment you've been giving Champion Brynhild...”

Styx frowned slightly at this, as Ignominious defended, his voice sharp but his eyes nervous: “No, I have not given Brynhild any leniency or special treatment! He will not be a problem, he is not a problem for me. But he is Champion. That is why it is better for me to keep the peace for now, to march the heretic into the capitol, and-”

“How quickly you return to defending your actions. It's pathetic.” jeered one of the Red Messengers, and Ignominious flushed as he lowered his head, gritting his teeth but quickly dropping his eyes. “You know that we have the support of the King. The rank and file does not matter: you have the backing of the Holy Order, and Brynhild is an outsider. Whether the outsider is a peasant or an aristocrat, it does not matter: no outsider will ever outrank even the lowest member of our congregation.”

Ignominious remained silent, and the Red Messengers studied him before one of them continued, voice quiet and deadly serious: “And while it is important that you accomplish all the goals of your mission... do not forget your ultimate objective. Everything will be for naught if you do not succeed in your task.”

Ignominious nodded once, looking uncertainly away as he chewed at his lip, before one of the Red Messengers mused: “It is actually quite fortuitous that we have been given this opportunity: the extra night has allowed us to make preparations at the Castle we would not have been able to complete otherwise. We just hope that you are ready to complete your part of the mission as well, paladin.”

“I am ready! I... am ready.” Ignominious fidgeted all the same, and Styx thought he saw his eyes flick back and forth, as if he was afraid. “I... simply... well, I... I will do what is necessary but-”

“There are no buts, if you are ready to do what is necessary.” cut off one of the Red Messengers, and Ignominious grudgingly bowed his head in agreement. “Then you understand what it is you must do?”

“Yes, I do.” Ignominious said quietly, even as he looked moodily away from the group of ponies. “I will accomplish this task, and all the others that you have set before me. I will place the heretic in chains, and deliver him to the abbey. Likewise, I will ensure that it is the Holy Order that returns Princess Novella to the castle. I will make the sacrifice necessary, and I will see to it that the protections are all in place against the Wild Hunt. Everything will be readied for... the final task.”

“Good. We will be eagerly awaiting your success.” one of the Red Messengers said, before there was a pause. A pause that made River Styx feel uneasy, as he ducked quickly back behind the pillar, Marina hiding herself again as well.

The silence spiraled out for a few long moments, before one of the Red Messengers said quietly: “I hope that you took care of the flies on the wall, Ignominious, and that your soldiers are trustworthy.”

“My soldiers are stallions of the Holy Order. They know who we must all obey.” Ignominious replied evenly, and River Styx listened closely as the stallion began to walk in their direction. “If there is nothing further, my lords, then I will head out to-”

“We will accompany you. We would like to see you take the heretic into custody ourselves.” said one of the Red Messengers abruptly, and River Styx grimaced before he looked quickly at Marina, who bit her lip before she nodded hurriedly as her horn began to glow.

Ignominious hesitated only a moment before he nodded to them as the Red Messengers rose up almost as one from the table, the stallion grimacing slightly as he resisted the urge to look over his shoulder, at where Brynhild's friends were hiding. He turned away once the priest-lords were ready, turning and striding down the walkway.

One of the Red Messengers glanced to the side, and scowled as they passed a large hunk of ugly wood on the floor, muttering about 'peasant architecture' as he turned his eyes back ahead. As their hoofsteps faded down the hall, the hunk of wood trembled before dissolving, revealing Styx and Marina as the chocolate mare wheezed, grasping at her chest and muttering: “All my magic is being affected by my... character, I suppose. I don't know if I'll be able to do that again.”

River Styx only nodded before he strode quickly to the railing, leaning over it and watching with a grimace as Ignominious led the Red Messengers out of the tavern. “I don't think we can get to Brynhild in time.”

“Are you sure that's who they're after? I just...” Marina bit her lip as Styx looked at her with a slight frown. “It doesn't seem right somehow.”

Styx opened his mouth, but then he shifted a little before nodding once and muttering: “You might be right. There's something strange going on here.”

The stallion halted, then he leaned over the railing again, looking down over the tavern below before his eyes narrowed as he saw several new faces entering the tavern. They looked like nothing he'd ever seen before, except- “We have a problem, Hild. Orcs.”

“What?” Marina's eyes widened as she almost threw herself over the railing, looking down with disbelief at the huge, pony-like creatures: they all had mottled, dark-colored coats, however, with large tusks sticking out of their mouths, and beady little pig-like eyes. Two of them had ratty black manes tied back in thick braids, while the other two had heads covered in tattoos, and all of them had primitive armor on that looked somehow even more animalistic than the leathers and furs Marina was wearing. “What are they-”

“Orcs are cheap labor and cheaper muscle, so a lot of places keep them around. Somehow, I get the feeling these ones are the latter.” Styx muttered, gesturing down at them before he grimaced as one of the orcs pointed out the stairs, and the four slowly plodded their way towards the steps. “Contrary to popular belief, orcs also aren't stupid. We should find a back door.”

“Alright.” Marina said, and before she even realized what she was doing, she hopped the railing in front of her and dropped to the floor below, landing with only a dull thump that was lost amidst the music and the laughter still dominating the tavern. A few eyes stared at her, but Marina only smiled politely at them as she straightened, feeling a strange magic thrumming through her as she quickly looked around.

River Styx began to hop the railing after her... except as he began to drop, he felt the charming personality of Loki vanish and leave him half-hanging from the railing, the unicorn staring at a floor that suddenly seemed a million miles away before he winced as his hoof slipped, his genet squeaking in fear as his master fell-

Marina spun around, reacting on instinct, and she caught the stallion in her forelegs with a grunt as the magic flowing through her body bolstered her strength. Styx looked dumbly at her, and Marina blushed even as she grinned a little, saying before she could stop herself: “Nice of you to drop in.”

“Are you serious.” River Styx said flatly, and then he sighed when Marina giggled before he wiggled his way hurriedly out of her grip, brushing at himself as the slightest blush crawled up from his collar before he looked away and mumbled something that sounded a little like a 'thank you.'

Marina smiled, before Styx quickly glanced through the room and gestured quickly with his head towards the back of the room. “Let's get moving.”

Marina nodded, falling in line behind Styx as they headed through the crowds, the mare unable to stop herself from looking back over her shoulder as she felt an uncomfortable crawling sensation along her spine. She felt like something was watching them, but she couldn't see anything... not that that meant a whole lot, considering the things they were dealing with, and how the play could change.

Right, this was a play, a fiction, an interactive novel, almost: she had forgotten for a few moments that she wasn't a druid from the northlands, that Styx hadn't been her friend for years, that she couldn't speak to animals like the genet that had hopped back up onto her head and was scoping the tavern nervously for any possible threats. Styx, she knew, got into character, but just as smoothly seemed to bring himself out: on the other hoof, she never felt 'in character,' only that she was... here, part of this world.

As they pushed through the crowd, everything smelled like it should to her, everything looked like she felt she had always known it: she recognized the soldiers of the Holy Order and their symbols and knew what god they worshiped, what creeds and tenets they followed.

She knew what the orcs were, even though she had never even heard that word before now: misshapen and twisted ponies that had been warped by exposure to the Deep World... whatever that was. Not everything was clear in her mind, like there were half-formed thoughts and ideas floating around in her head, knowledge that wasn't fully-grasped or understand simply waiting for... she wasn't sure. Something else, to trigger some grand epiphany? Some daydreamed answer, to fill in the gaps?

Marina shook her head quickly to try and clear it as she tried to focus on just following River Styx, while the genet chirped nervously in her ear. But she smiled reassuringly to it as she shifted a little to the side, murmuring: “It's okay. I'm okay. It's just... a strange new world.”

“But it doesn't feel that new.” River Styx muttered, and Marina nodded in agreement as they slipped their way through the crowd. The stallion paused as his eyes locked on the back door, but he felt a strange crawling along his spine as they drew closer: there was nothing wrong, and yet-

River Styx shoved his foreleg out, halting Marina, before he quickly looked back and forth. He grabbed her without letting himself think, half-pulling her off towards a side table: he felt himself automatically veering towards one in particular, which had a few drunken, rowdy ponies seated at it, laughing loudly at some story a soused soldier was telling.

“Hey, private, there's some mares out back who want to meet you.” River Styx said mildly, gesturing quickly with his head, and the private looked up dumbly before River Styx continued: “They look Balikun, twins-”

The soldier leapt up from the table so fast he almost overturned it, almost hopping towards the door as the other ponies shouted and whined, but River Styx was already moving again, half-tugging Marina along as she started: “What are you-”

Then she winced as there was a yelp behind them when the soldier was knocked flat by a black hoof, before an enormous orcish horse simply strode over him, glaring furiously towards Styx and Marina. Both of the ponies looked back, before Marina suddenly gritted her teeth and leaned aggressively forwards, shouting: “I'll send you back to the marshes, corrupt ones!”

“Smash them both. But take them alive.” growled the large orc, and River Styx grimaced before he spun around even as Marina readied herself to fight-

The orcs that they had seen originally enter the bar landed with loud bangs in front of them as they leapt down from the floor above, apparently not caring in the slightest that their sudden aggressiveness brought the party in the tavern screeching to a halt. Several soldiers started to stand, but before they could, the big orc that had come in through the door held up some kind of scroll wrapped in gold ribbon, roaring: “Get back! We are here under authority of your King!”

This made both Styx and Marina stare in shock as the orcs grinned, while the soldiers milled uncertainly before an officer nervously approached the goliath. He held a hoof out, then winced when the orc slapped the scroll down into it, saying coldly: “That is a declaration from your King Morebucks that we are to take these traitors into custody. They, and all other who align themselves with Champion Brynhild, are nothing but traitors who have conspired with the enemy to first steal away the King's daughter, then, in the guise of heroes, 'save' her and return her home to have access to the castle!”

“That's a brilliant plan that Brynhild would never be smart enough to come up with himself. That sounds more like something I'd do. Except for the fact that I'm lazy, and if I wanted into the castle, an open window works a lot better than fighting a dragon on the other side of the barony.” River Styx said in Loki's voice, which sounded a lot calmer than he felt as he looked back and forth: but Loki had been through worse situations than this before. The only real wildcard was Hild... I mean, Marina. But... “So I suppose we should just... come quietly, then?”

“You should. But please don't.” replied the orc with a sallow grin, his eyes glinting as he stepped aggressive forwards as several smaller orcs fanned out slowly on either side of him.

River Styx nodded a few times before his eyes suddenly narrowed as he felt the Loki personality retreat, the stallion channeling magic into his horn as he said in a colder voice: “I'd hate to disappoint you.”

The unicorn snapped his horn forwards, and the crowd of ponies around them was staggered by the hurricane of wind that erupted through the air around Marina and Styx, strong enough to lift chairs and plates flying through the air along with drinks, food, and anything that was loose. People shouted and yelled as the orcs staggered into each other, before the large leader of the band of thieves leapt through the whirlwind with a snarl... and skidded to a halt as he found nothing waiting for him.

His roars of frustration followed Marina and Styx as they sprinted out the front door into the night. Marina felt her eyes sharpening almost immediately, letting her take the lead as they sprinted out onto a dark road even as she blurted: “Now what?”

“We have to get back to camp and back to Brynhild.” Styx replied grimly, grimacing a little as he forced himself to keep his eyes ahead, on the firelight of the camp in the distance. But he thought he could already hear raised voices, shouting, chaos... “Why Orcs? Why not Royal Guard?”

“I don't know, but it must have something to do with those Red Messengers and whatever Ignominious has been ordered to do.” Styx answered grimly, shaking his head shortly before he grimaced as his genet chirped fearfully from Marina's back: but he could hear the roars and shouts himself along with the hoofsteps closing in behind them. “They're going to overtake us.”

Marina gritted her teeth before she looked quickly towards the side of the road, at the field of apple trees they were passing... “There!”

Styx didn't question what Marina was up to: he simply followed when she bolted towards the trees, the pair leaping the fence and vanishing into the rows of plants. Only seconds later, the group of orcs that had followed slowed, one of them leaning forwards over the railing as his large, ragged ears twitched before he scowled and growled: “They're hiding. I smell the stink of cowardly magic.”

“Nothing we cannot smash and bash.” replied another orc coldly, before he leaned forwards with a grin, adding nastily: “Let us drag the druid through the mud she loves.”

“Shut your maw and do not underestimate them. Do not forget they are champions.” snapped the orc leader, and the others all lowered their heads as the one he had spoken to shrank back even as his hackles raised, but he clearly didn't dare to challenge his commander. “Go.”

Four of the orcish bounty hunters leapt the fence, and the last two simply smashed through it, their leader rolling his eyes before he followed last with a grumble. Then he smiled with bitter amusement as, within seconds, there was a loud snap followed by a howl from one of the orcs as they ran into a trap, left dangling from a branch by thick, thorny vines.

“Idiot.” growled one of the other orcs as he approached his companion. He began to reach for a knife, but then suddenly swore and leapt backwards, wincing as he shouted: “Something bit me! Something... b-bit...”

He shivered violently before he collapsed, as his dangling companion flailed uselessly and tried to lift himself higher, shouting in panic: “Don't get me down, I don't want to get bit by a snake!”

“It's not a snake!” snarled another orc, as he yanked loose a small axe before viciously chopping down into the ground. “It's the brambles, they're alive! They're poison!”

“Druid coward! Stop hiding behind your magic, druid coward!” roared another of the orcs, as he stomped around in a circle. But even if their eyes were well suited to the darkness, the trees and bushes and growth all around them made for a confusing jumble, and they had lost the scent of the ponies in the stink of druid-magic and nature.

The orc leader strode forwards and roughly slapped the back of the head of the grunt who had shouted, making him yelp and tumble forwards. “You are playing into her hooves, fool! Shut up! Be calm!”

The orcs shifted and nervously sorted themselves out as the dangling one whimpered, before the orc leader gestured towards the caught hunter and said coldly: “Get yourself down or wait patiently, short-tusk. You are bait.”

The hanging orc nodded feebly before the leader reached back into his sidepack, pulling out a vial of liquid as he looked back and forth before growling: “This is firewater, druid. Enough to burn this whole field, enough to burn this whole settlement to ash. You are a coward, but are you so afraid that you will have the lives of all these soldiers on your conscience as well?”

Marina gritted her teeth in the shadows nearby, shifting silently and uneasily on her hooves even as River Styx reached up a hoof to gently grasp her by the shoulder, steadying her. Neither dared to respond: the orcs were clearly excellent hunters, and their leader wasn't blinded by the anger and the eagerness for the fight that his grunts were.

Their leader looked back and forth, smiling cruelly as he narrowed his eyes slightly, tilting the bottle of dangerous chemical back and forth as he said: “I will make this easy for you. Surrender, and we'll take you into custody. Where do you have to go? By now, your friends at your campsite have already been put in chains. The King put a pretty price on your heads, and a camp full of his loyal soldiers is not likely to overlook either reward or crime!

“I will give you until the count of ten to come crawling out of the bushes. After that, I burn this place to the ground.” the orcish leader growled, before he added coldly: “And I expect to see you both. No running away, thief.”

River Styx scowled at this, and Marina bit her lip before the orc started to count backwards, enunciating each number loudly and deliberately. As he counted down, Marina began to shift forwards, before she felt the genet leap down onto her shoulder and whimper almost pleadingly into her ear.

The mare looked with surprise at the little animal, who almost nodded vigorously before she gritted her teeth... but there wasn't really any time left to argue, and the genet hopped suddenly away, making the bushes rustle as it hurried through it.

The orc paused in his count at the shuddering of the bushes, before he frowned as the rustling suddenly stopped. His eyes roved back and forth over the long grasses, but he failed to see anything as the other orcs stepped forwards around him, raising hatchets and machetes as he growled: “Don't try anything stupid now. I drop this, and we all go up in flames.”

The orc held the glass bottle out, shaking it once, before he frowned as a loud chirp cut the air. He looked dumbly down to see a strange little ferret sitting and looking up at him curiously, and the orc scowled at the beast before he waved irritably at it.

The weasel-thing only cocked its head, and the orc rolled his eyes before one of his soldiers grinned and leaned over, raising his hatchet high. The odd ferret didn't seem to notice as the hatchet gleamed before the orc chopped down-

The spry ferret-thing leapt up onto the attacking orc's face, and the orc yelped as he overbalanced before the agile beast leapt onto another orc, sprinting around and over his body as the grunt shouted and grabbed at himself. Another orc leapt forwards to try and slam his hooves down on the spry, strange weasel, but it easily dodged, and instead the orc was knocked in a wheezing sprawl, clutching at his side.

The ferret-thing flung itself onto the orc who had tried to squish it, and the orc commander rolled his eyes as the grunt staggered back and forth, pinwheeling his limbs and howling like he was being attacked by a wight. “Oh, shut up, it's just a rat!”

The orc leader began to turn... and then he gaped as the ferret-thing suddenly threw itself through the air like a missile, seizing the glass bottle and tackling it out of his hand. It hit the ground and rolled smoothly, the neck of the bottle clutched tightly in its jaws as it scampered away, and the orc leader mouthed wordlessly before he snarled in fury as he turned towards the bushes-

A massive blast of wind hammered into his face, knocking him sprawling backwards with a curse before several immense tree roots ripped out of the ground, one of them slapping an orc flying as others seized around the beast-ponies. One of the orcs managed to rip himself free, but another was dragged down into the ground and imprisoned in a grip of wood and soil.

Another orc hacked through a root that lashed at him, driving it back with ferocious chops of his axe, but then he was driven to the ground when a branch suddenly lashed down from one of the trees with a thunderous bang, smashing him bonelessly to the ground. The orc was only stunned, however, and the leader of the band of hunters snarled as he picked himself slowly up from where he had been thrown, roaring: “Ignore the plants, find the prey!”

“Right here.” River Styx said calmly, and the orc spun towards the sound before he was sent reeling back by a savage kick from both of Styx's rear hooves. The orc recovered quickly, however, snarling and wiping blood from his face with barely a twitch before he reached back and yanked a deadly sickle free from its sheath.

Styx grimaced as he quickly drew his own daggers, charging his horn with magic as he said coldly: “I won't hesitate to do whatever it takes to neutralize you.”

The orc only snorted at this, however, replying with a cruel grin: “Good, little one. Give me a scar to remember you by.”

Without hesitation, the orc leapt forwards and slashed his sickle down, and Styx was barely able to deflect the attack with his daggers before he snapped his horn forwards. But the blast of wind and telekinesis didn't catch the orc off-guard this time, the goliath only skidding backwards slightly as the blast washed over him like water splashing against an iron bulwark. “Pathetic!”

The orc lashed forwards, and Styx was forced to leap backwards to avoid being caught by the long sickle, the stallion swearing under his breath before he sidestepped to avoid another cut, then narrowly brought both daggers up in time to block a sudden backslice, knocked staggering all the same from the force of the blow. “I thought you wouldn't hesitate, boy!”

As the orc bore down on Styx, the other grunts that were still on their hooves slashed and crashed through the wilderness: three were left, but one was half-wrapped in roots that were severely slowing his movements, trying to tear them free from his body even as he moved.

His eyes locked on a flash of movement, before he shouted angrily as he saw the genet quivering beneath a tree, given away by the telltale gleam of the bottle in its mouth. The orc lumbered forwards as the genet whimpered and attempted to scramble deeper into the narrow hollow under the raised roots, but the orc only grinned as the bottle caught against something. “Looks like I got you, you little-”

Something slammed into the side of the orc's face, knocking him staggering dumbly before he blinked lethargically as a bit of blood ran from his ear. He blearily turned even as he reached up to touch his broken cheek before Marina slammed the heavy rock in her hoof down across the crown of his head, knocking him sprawling in an unconscious heap.

She tossed the rock away and smiled at the genet before she looked up with a wince as the two remaining orcs leapt out of the bushes on either side of her, one of them raising a machete with a snarl and the other licking his lips slowly as he ground his machete against the black material of his hoof, growling: “It looks like you just ran out of places to hide, druid. What are you going to do now, beast-mare?”

“Well, you know what they say about cornered animals.” Marina replied coldly as her eyes gleamed with eerie magic, her horn lighting up before she bared large, sharp fangs at the orcs with a snarl, as her body rippled and enlarged.

Neither orc had time to react before Marina leapt forwards with a roar that shook the trees, her hoof become a massive paw that slapped one of the grunts flying. The other uselessly attempted to hack at her with his machete, but the weapon caught against thick, bristly fur that now covered her body, barely leaving a scratch before he was smashed into a tree by a rough flick of her foreleg.

Marina leapt forwards, half-mare and half-bear, roaring again as she slammed a paw into the orc with enough force to drive him through the apple tree in a hail of splinters. He hit the ground and rolled bonelessly, but Marina pursued him all the same, batting the orc roughly again and sending his body crashing and bouncing away to finally hit a boulder and fall prone, all the fight knocked out of the creature.

The other orc stared for a moment from where he had fallen before he scrambled to his hooves and turned to run, but Marina roared before charging after him, quickly closing in before she pounced. But out of sheer luck, the orc tripped forwards and spun as he fell, his hatchet whickering out to catch Marina across the face and drive her backwards with a howl of pain that also served to drive the sense back into her.

As she stumbled backwards, bleeding profusely, she was no longer Hild the Forest Druid, but once more Marina, the Chocolate Mare. She stumbled blearily as she opened her eyes, no longer a fearsome half-beast, but just a stunned, stupefied mare with a terrible wound in her features, and the orc gave a strained, fearful, desperate grin as he spun towards her, stumbling and raising his weapon high. “Die, beast-mare!”

Marina's eyes flashed as she reacted on instinct, drawing on her own powers instead of the powers of the druid, and the chocolate blood that had spilled over the ground shot suddenly upwards in the form of spikes, tearing through the ankles and hooves of the orc and making him howl in shock and pain as he dropped his hatchet, then fell forwards.

Marina stumbled backwards, but the orc was shivering on the ground, half-sobbing as his hooves spasmed uselessly from the spikes that had been driven through his limbs, his weapon laying forgotten beside him. For a few moments, she only stared, then she grasped at her own features, closing her eyes tightly as her head swam.

She forced herself to turn, staggering towards where she could hear River Styx fighting with the orc leader: they were clashing violently back and forth, the orc bleeding from a few narrow cuts across his frame, but the goliath seemed almost indomitable as he drove Styx constantly backwards under the onslaught of cuts and crushing blows from his sickle. Styx had already lost one of his knives and his armor had been flayed apart, bleeding heavily from a wound in his side, one of his forelegs covered in purple and black bruises from strikes from the flat of the sickle.

“You're lucky I want you alive.” the orc said calmly, before he stepped forwards and slashed out at Styx's injured side. The stallion managed to narrowly dodge back out of the way of the sickle, however, before he ducked under a backswing, and swore as he rolled out of the way of a hard dropping cut that narrowly sliced some of the mane from his head.

The orc grinned as he leapt forwards, but Styx caught him with telekinesis and slung him backwards, knocking him sprawling with a snarl. He rolled immediately up to his hooves, but Styx swept his hoof forwards, kicking up some dirt and grass from the ground before he lashed his horn forward, a blast of wind sending the clump of muck into the orc's eyes.

The orc leader staggered backwards with a roar of frustration, slashing his sickle back and forth to ward Styx off, but the stallion only used the moment of reprieve to drag himself backwards and snatch something from a hidden pocket of his armor. He wasn't even sure what it was, as he clutched it against his breast, but as the orc snarled and uncovered his eyes, something told Styx it was his only chance to survive as he said quietly: “This is your last chance to surrender.”

The orc laughed shortly at this, and then he pointed his sickle at Styx before saying coldly: “And yours has already come and gone, thief. I'll take the lesser pay for the pleasure of cutting off your head.”

The orc leapt forwards with a grin, but Styx swiftly brought up his hoof and used his magic to blast the packet in it with a cutting wind, ripping the powdery contents loose and sending them spraying over the orc's face. It blinded him, the orc staggering to the side with a roar and curse as he swept his sickle back and forth before he turned with a furious snarl towards Styx, but Styx only looked back coldly and impassively as an ugly rash visibly and quickly spread over the face of the orc, who trembled before he gasped and dropped his weapon, shoulders slumping as he rasped: “What did you... do...”

“You're lucky I'm not like you, orc. I don't kill for sport.” Styx said coldly, and the orc groaned before he tumbled forwards as the poison worked its way quickly through his system, his body shivering weakly as he stared blankly out at nothing.

For a few moments, Styx looked down at the orc before he shook his head, hating that he'd had to steal a victory this way, as the orc gurgled and twitched on the ground uselessly. Then he looked up as Marina approached, the stallion frowning at the deep cut across her face, but the mare only gave a faint smile before she reached up and touched this when she stopped in front of him. “It's already starting to heal. I just... need to replenish my strength.”

A moment later, Styx's genet hopped quickly up onto Marina's back, scrabbling up onto her head with a loud chirp. Styx gave the briefest of smiles to them both before he shook his head and turned towards the camp: now that the fight had ended, he could distinctly hear what sounded almost like rioting... “Are you strong enough to move?”

“Yes, let's get going. We wouldn't be able to run away from this anyway.” Marina said quietly, and Styx gave her an appraising look before he nodded and began forwards, limping on slightly as he breathed through his mouth, hurrying as fast as his body would allow towards their destination.

“You know... you're tougher than I thought.” Styx said quietly, and Marina gave him a small smile before he added: “You're not quite the helpless mare I thought at first.”

“I guess sometimes it feels nice to make believe, and not feel like the whole fate of the world is on your shoulders.” Marina murmured, and she smiled a bit as she looked over at Styx almost shyly, lowering her head slightly towards him. “But I never meant to lie to any of you. I just... wanted to play along.”

River Styx only gave her a smile in return, and Marina knew him well enough by now to bow her head in gratitude, words not necessary between them. Then, both brave ponies faced forward, continuing through the rolling countryside towards the camp, focusing once more on their objective... until a voice came to Styx's ears through the darkness.

Styx turned towards the sound, half-stumbling into a broken sprint even as his mind told him it was impossible, that it couldn't happen. Marina followed, disbelieving, staring after the stallion as she shouted his name, but he was lost to her as he stagger-ran around the edge of the camp to a scene that Styx had never expected to see, caught and framed in the light of several burning torches.

Luna, Scrivener, and Twilight were all being held back by soldiers, weapons pointed at them from every side. Ignominious, meanwhile, stood stoically over a prisoner who was wrapped in chains, breathing hard, looking pitiful as a Red Messenger loomed beside the paladin with a cold, cruel smile on his face, his eyes gleaming as they flicked towards Styx. “Well, look what we have here. The heretic and the pagan came straight to us. Soldiers, take them into custody. They can join their friends and this heretic in chains.”

But even as the soldiers advanced on them with weapons drawn and at the ready, Styx could only stare in disbelief at the stallion who was at Ignominious' hooves, bleeding and sobbing and gasping through the pain of the shackles tightly binding his legs, and the bruises and that dotted his beaten body.

Even as his genet was seized with a squeal by telekinesis, and he and Marina were both grabbed and slammed to the ground, pinned by Dervishes, even as Luna shouted and Ignominous simply looked away and the Red Messenger laughed, all that River Styx had eyes for was the so-called heretic, the stallion in chains, the beaten prisoner, as he numbly tried to process what had happened, what was going on.

And the stallion looked back at him, and cried out to him, like when he had been a foal, like when they had been on the streets, like when the thugs had come to beat them and take from these homeless colts whatever they could pluck from low-hanging fruit, whatever it was that River Styx was unable to protect.

The stallion reached out for him, and Styx shouted and struggled wildly before a pommel of a sword slammed down on his head and knocked him senseless. But even as the darkness flooded his mind, he couldn't escape that sight, the sound, the memories.

He still tried to reach back, back to the one pony he had always tried to protect.

He still tried to reach back to his little brother.

Angel On My Shoulder

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Chapter Ten: Angel On My Shoulder
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna looked meditatively over at River Styx, watching him almost curiously. Like the rest of her companions, the unicorn was dangling by his forelegs from a set of shackles hanging from the ceiling of the castle dungeon, and had a weighted rope wrapped around his hind legs to keep his body stretched out and from moving around too much.

Or rather, it was supposed to: everyone else was just dangling uselessly, but Styx was like a machine, slowly pulling back and forth in his restraints and grinding his teeth together visibly. As a matter of fact, he had been struggling and fighting to get free from the moment he had woken up in the prison wagon, and he hadn't stopped even when the guards had dragged him out and around back to the castle dungeon, not even as the guards clubbed him along with their weapons.

And he was still fighting. Luna was admittedly impressed: normally she was the one flailing around uselessly and shouting profanities at the captors. Styx hadn't shouted much profanity, and okay, he wasn't really flailing, but he had uttered some rather nasty threats and managed to bite one of the soldiers while they were struggling to get the magic-suppressing ring on his horn. She quite admired that.

Luna looked up as she realized Twilight was glowering at her, and she cleared her throat before finally leaning forwards and saying loudly: “Styx, cease for now. These bonds will not be broken so easily. 'Tis time for us to think of a better plan.”

River Styx glared at her, but Luna offered a smile after a moment, saying in a gentler voice: “I see and know well the pain thou art going through, my friend. 'Tis the pain of someone who loves another dearly, and they see that soul in anguish.”

Luna paused, then she looked over at Marina, asking: “Can thou use thy chocolateyness to free thyself, or us?”

“No, I've been trying, but... I can't get my body to respond.” Marina replied, shaking her head as she grimaced a bit. “My magic is being blocked by the ring, too...”

Luna glanced up at the ring around Marina's horn: they had all been fitted with containment rings to stop them from exercising any of their magic. Annoying things, Luna thought, but they were designed to react to concentrations of energy in the horn-

“I need to get out of here.” River Styx muttered, and he began to tilt himself back and forth, resuming his movements: Luna noted that he was methodical and relentless, and strangely enough, it seemed like this was something he had done before. And she could see that he had managed to put a little bit of wiggle in the bolt holding the chains on, but...

“I do not think we have the time or thou hast the energy to wiggle that bolt loose from the wall before our captors return, Styx. They are rather large, I shall have thee know. Larger than my brother, and he was always quite proud of his size.” Luna said blandly, and River Styx scowled in her direction before the sapphire mare glanced towards Twilight, asking more seriously: “What about thou?”

Twilight sighed a little, but then she gave a hesitant nod as she muttered: “Shouldn't be too hard, but I guess since they know me as the court mage, they gave me a full-on inhibitor ring. Give me a second. And Luna, can you...”

“Nay, I cannot sense Scrivy.” Luna scowled a little, looking up at the ugly cement ceiling before she muttered: “Well, 'tis not as if our link was functioning properly to begin with, and as he is princess, we can at least be somewhat certain that his fate shan't be much worse than our own... for now.”

“But he was chained up like we were.” Marina said uneasily, frowning a little over at Luna, who nodded grimly. And more than that, Marina thought, she remembered seeing the 'princess' shoved down in the mud beside the rest of them by uncaring, unflinching guards...

River Styx finally stopped moving against the bonds, only dangling in his restraints as he forced himself to listen to the others. As much as he hated to admit it, Luna was right, and Marina had just brought up something he had overlooked in his focus on his brother.

His mind worked rapidly, processing things now instead of just running on the anger and the emotion he usually kept bottled up so tightly beneath his stoic mask, before he looked up at Luna and asked: “Heresy, or treason?”

“I am thinking that someone has accused our dear Princess Novella of treason. We will no doubt hear a grand fairy tale about how all of this was a ruse before the night is out. Assuming dear Morgan can break these bonds before the executioner arrives.” Luna said mildly, falling into character.

It irked Styx at this point, but as he opened his mouth, Marina added hesitantly: “Loki, I know how you must feel: I've been helpless while people important to me have suffered. But we can't forget that this is all a game to the people in control. We have to play by their rules.”

Styx quieted, looking over at Marina and chewing at his cheek for a moment, before he sighed quietly. Then he gave a sudden, wry smile, as he finally allowed himself to fall back into the role of Loki, replying candidly: “You're wrong there, Hild. We have to undermine their rules, and beat them at their own game.”

Marina smiled with an odd sort of relief, and Styx hated how easy – and comforting – it was to fall back into character. He also hated that Loki apparently enjoyed talking and sharing a lot more than he did, as the stallion continued quietly: “It's been a long time since I've seen my brother, but he's never been a heretic. Oh, we took very different paths in life, yes: I became an acclaimed philanthropist and he works as a serving colt in the Order or something-”

“He is a knight-errant and thou art a thief.” Luna said mildly, earning a scowl from Styx.

Before anyone could start an argument, however, Twilight opened her eyes before she gritted her teeth and simply yanked downwards, shattering the chains that had been restraining her as she dropped to the ground. Styx and Marina both stared in disbelief, but Twilight only shook herself briefly out as Luna grinned. “Thou art getting much better at focusing thy magic through thy body as well as thy horn.”

“It still takes more time than I'd like.” Twilight admitted as she reached up to carefully pull the ring loose from her horn, and then she shook herself briskly out as the spire thrummed with energy, using magic to easily pop the other restraints free from her body. “Now stay still while I get all of you down.”

“Bossy bossy. But I do enjoy that.” Luna said with relish, before she became more serious as she looked over at Styx and Marina. “Loki, we must find the princess. But I will not stop thee from searching out thy brother. Does thou know...” Luna paused, then smiled amusedly. “Nay, perhaps I should ask, how well does thou know the castle?”

“Far better than any guard ever got me to admit to.” replied Styx cheekily, before he smiled slightly as Twilight freed him, landing easily on the ground and kicking the ropes loose from his hind legs as he glanced towards Hild. “Rescues are better with two ponies, dear.”

“Aye, they are. That is why I will have thee take Morgan with thee.” Luna stated, and both Twilight and River Styx looked up in surprise at the still-dangling Luna, as Marina tilted her head curiously. “I suspect thy brother shall have a heavier guard than Princess Novella. I have many suspicions, and I am sure quite a few of them shall shortly be proven true. Either way, thy brother does not share a cell with us and was taken into custody by the Holy Order: this means he must be at the Holy Cathedral. And if he is at the Holy Cathedral...”

“He'll be in Saint Mourning's Study, at the Altar of Confession. Or, as everyone else calls it, the torture chambers.” River Styx frowned, narrowing his eyes slightly before he muttered: “Kid always did get in over his head.”

He halted, then shook himself quickly as he felt Loki nudge his way back into control, the stallion looking off to the side as he said finally: “You're right. Morgan, dear, if you don't mind working with a humble treasure seeker, then I would greatly appreciate your help in this endeavor. After all, I unfortunately seem to be down my usual partner. I'm sure he'll catch up when he can, but I suppose you'll do just as well as Lamp in a pinch.”

“Very well. But only because this too may be a piece of the puzzle we yet need.” Twilight replied grimly, shaking her head as she set Marina down before finally turning her attention to Luna. “Be wary, though. If you're wrong, Brynhild-”

“I am never wrong!” Luna boasted, before she winced when Twilight simply snapped the manacles loose from around her forelegs, dropping her to an unsteady landing on her hooves. “Oh, fie on thee. I shan't let anything happen to the Princess.”

“Good. Because something here is very wrong. I can feel the terrible tremble in my horn, the pulse of potent...” Twilight slowly narrowed her eyes as Luna covered her mouth and began to giggle childishly, before she hissed under her breath: “I am trying really hard here.”

“So hard thy horn appears to be throbbing. Potently.” Luna waggled her eyebrows as she grinned from ear-to-ear, and Twilight rolled her eyes before she turned pointedly away from the mare.

“Are you ready to go?” she asked Styx flatly, and he simply nodded. “Good. We should try and meet together in the-”

“In the same place where we all started this adventure, I think.” Luna interrupted, suddenly serious as she strode forwards and looked pointedly back and forth. “Do not speak of it. Only know it, and trust that we shall see each other again, there. We do not know who or what may be listening, after all.”

The other ponies traded looks, then hesitant nods: even if none of them could really be sure what or where it was that Luna meant, they all the same could only trust that their hooves would lead them there eventually. After all, they couldn't forget that they were still at the mercy of the story, even if their mysterious overseers had been conspicuously absent.

Luna shifted uneasily at this, her eyes flicking momentarily upwards before she quickly shook her head and muttered: “Nay, I shan't be distracted now of all times. Morgan, Loki... I trust both of thee to see thy mission through. Hild, thou art with me, I will need thy strength.”

Marina nodded, and River Styx sketched a salute before he said boldly: “Never fear, I never fail a job. Especially when it's personal.”

“Then let us hope thou can match thy boasts.” Luna replied mildly, before she gestured with her head towards the stallion. “Get thee gone. Hild and I will give thee five minutes. Try not to get caught before thou reaches the door.”

“We'll be fine, thank you.” River Styx turned and strode quickly towards the door, opening it quickly before he poked his head out and checked back and forth. But the musty corridor was empty, although... “I can hear them coming.”

“Even better.” Luna grinned wryly, and Styx tossed her a brief smile over his shoulder before he slipped out into the corridor, Morgan following after giving Luna her own pointed look.

Marina looked awkwardly over at Luna, but the sapphire mare only cracked her neck before she said mildly: “Fear not, Hild. I can handle this if thou art not up to the task.”

“It's not that. Luna...” She winced at the look that Luna gave her. “I mean, Brynhild. If the soldiers don't return to their patrols afterwards, they'll know something's wrong-”

“Aye. I think they will know something is wrong after we break out of the dungeon, though. As a matter of fact, they may already know something is wrong as it is.” Luna paused, then added in a more serious voice: “We are but two and they are many, but all the same, Hild, we can create a great disturbance on our way to Princess Novella. But I do not believe we will be stopped.”

“The legendary instincts of Champion Brynhild.” Marina remarked, and then she blushed slightly, but Luna only grinned slightly and winked at the mare.

“And the indomitable Hild shall help me.” She paused, then added mildly: “And 'tis good to see thee finally getting into character.”

Marina only shrugged bashfully, smiling awkwardly as she mumbled: “Finding the right voice is hard. I certainly feel her take over when I call up her powers, though.”

“Well, Hild was always rough. Loud, boisterous. She liked me more than the others because she was liked less than the others.” Luna replied with a shrug and a slight smile, winking over at Marina. “But she was good, strong, loyal. And she did not treat me half so harshly as I deserved.”

Marina tilted her head, but Luna only shook her own before she turned her eyes forwards, her ears twitching as she detected the sound of approaching hooves and voices approaching through the hallway beyond. She narrowed her eyes slightly, then gestured quickly at the wall beside the door, muttering: “Quick. And quiet.”

Luna and Marina pressed themselves tightly against the wall on either side of the door: less than a minute later, two guards entered, one of them leaping into the room as his eyes widened, staring stupidly around before Marina tackled him, slamming his head against the ground, as Luna savagely kicked the door into the other guard, knocking him in a stunned sprawl.

Luna grinned wryly as she stepped forwards, grasping the soldier she had knocked over and dragging him back to the wall to pin him for a moment, before she frowned slightly at the stunned knight: something was wrong here. She looked quickly back over her shoulder at the other soldier before she began to wonder why plain guardsponies were-

The door was slammed open hard enough to nearly knock it off its steel hinges, and Luna winced as Marina reared back in shock from the snarling, bipedal dragon in the doorway. An executioner's cowl hung over his face, and his body was muscular and covered in ugly scars, magical control shackles glowing around his wrists and ankles.

The sapphire mare swore as she half-spun and flung the stunned knight at the dragon, but the executioner simply slapped the soldier out of the air, knocking him to the ground with a loud crunch. The dragon stepped over the unconscious pony, storming towards Luna, but the mare readied herself gamely as she leaned up and shouted: “I fear neither stallion nor demon, wench, I fear no-”

The dragon slammed a punch into Luna's face, knocking her flying across the room to crash headfirst into the wall, and Marina winced over her shoulder before she looked up fearfully as the dragon turned to advance towards her, snarling and single-minded. She hurriedly spun around, and winced as the dragon simply kicked the unconscious stallion out of the way before it reached a claw down towards her-

“Thou cannot just.. punch me when I am speaking!” Luna shouted furiously, sounding utterly outraged as she picked herself slowly up from the ground, and the dragon half-turned towards her with a hiss, his claw still outstretched but his attention captured by the obnoxious, loud mare as she shook herself briskly out, bleeding a bit from the nose and mouth but glaring gamely at the dragon all the same, even as she rubbed awkwardly at her head. “Stupid great dragon, I demand that thou-”

The dragon roared and leapt at her, but this time Luna was ready, launching herself back at him as she swung both hooves up. He was fast, fast enough to catch her hooves, but Luna only grinned savagely before she slammed her head into his face, the dragon's eyes bulging as he yelped before the mare seized him by the wrists, using his own grapple to her advantage as she swung both rear hooves up and slammed a double-kick straight into his crotch.

The sapphire mare launched herself backwards with the kick and landed smoothly on all four hooves as the dragon's legs wobbled, his claws reaching down to grasp his groin as he groaned weakly. He fell to his knees, eyes twitching visibly before Luna stepped up in front of him and grabbed him under the chin, saying calmly: “If thou breaks the rules, then do not act surprised when someone else refuses to respect the laws of combat either.”

Luna calmly shoved the executioner over by nose, and he curled up in the fetal position on the floor, whimpering weakly. Then she became more serious, looking quickly over at Marina and saying: “This changes things. If they are ready to simply kill us, then Novella may be in much greater danger than I had anticipated. We have to get to the princess before anything happens to her.”

Marina nodded quickly, then followed Luna to the door as she asked: “But how are we going to get through the castle? We can't charge recklessly.”

“Charging recklessly is what I do best, Hild.” Luna replied with a slight smile, winking over at the mare. Marina felt like pointing out that because of her recklessness, her muzzle was dripping blood, but Luna strode out into the hall before she could, leaving Marina with no choice but to quickly follow.

Luna looked meditatively back and forth before she muttered: “The cells are empty. I have never seen the cells so empty, there are always a few miscreants left behind...”

She stopped, then frowned as she approached one of the cell doors, pulling it open with a creak before she muttered: “There is food on the floor. It looks as if something was dragged through it, and 'tis fresh enough the rats and bugs have yet to congregate on the mess.”

Marina frowned at this, stepping forwards as her eyes flicked over the smears of mush before she leaned down closer, letting the odd instincts of Hild take over as she inhaled deeply. Luna looked at her curiously, but after a moment, Marina closed her eyes before she murmured: “Valerian extract... they were sedated.”

Luna began to open her mouth, before there was a furious roar from behind them, and the dragon stormed suddenly out of the room where they had been locked up, stumbling a little but obviously eager for a fight, and now wielding a broken chain in either claw, clicking and tinkling as they dragged along the ground behind him. He bared his fangs at them beneath his cowl, snapping the chains against the ground before he roared again: loud enough, Luna knew, that it was going to alert more of the guards on duty.

“Damnation. Stupid beast.” Luna growled, before she snapped her horn forwards, clouds of white frost ripping along the chains and freezing them to the ground as the dragon began to advance. It grunted in surprise, stumbling to a halt, and Luna quickly spun around as she shouted: “We will fight another day!”

Marina nodded as she spun to follow after Luna, the dragon snarling in fury after them before he yanked both chains up from the ground, tearing them free from the frost. He snapped them out, then roared loudly before breaking into a sprint, charging after the two ponies.

They had gotten a decent head start, but the dragon was incredibly fast, rapidly closing the distance on them. Marina winced as she looked back over her shoulder before she acted almost on desperation, snapping her horn sharply out, and roots exploded out of the walls and floor behind the two mares, snagging the dragon by the limbs and legs and knocking him sprawling with a roar of frustration more than pain.

He began to claw his way free almost immediately, but it gave them more than the time they needed to reach the armored door leading out of the dungeon, Luna slamming through this with enough force to knock the guards on the other side of it sprawling. Marina kicked the door shut the moment after she passed through, and in almost perfect time, Luna swept her horn back to coat the metal with ice.

The guards both began to crawl to their hooves as more soldiers leapt to the ready... before all eyes were drawn to the door as something smashed against the other side of it with a furious, tremendous roar. Luna half-grimaced, half-grinned at this as the ice around the door began to crack, looking forwards and saying shortly: “Do not be stupid. Run away. If not from us, from-”

Part of the door was bent backwards with a hail of shattered ice, and a claw shoved itself through the opening, snatching wildly at the air. Immediately, two of the soldiers cut and run, and the other guards only gaped, giving Luna and Marina more than enough time to quickly bolt down the corridor themselves. Luna was admittedly impressed when, after another loud bang and roar, a stallion actually sprinted past her: but then again, absolute terror was a fantastic motivator.

Even as the mares leapt down a side passage, Marina blurting an apology as she bowled over several servants and Luna easily jackknifing a stunned soldier, the two heard the door being smashed open, and the furious executioner roaring as he continued his pursuit. Luna didn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse: even if it was drawing a lot of attention and sending up an alarm through the castle, the soldiers were too confused by the panic spreading through the halls to do anything about the escaped prisoners.

Just as they reached a staircase that Luna instinctively knew would take them up to the princess' tower, the dragon executioner burst suddenly through the wall beside them. Somewhere during the chase, he had discarded his chains and instead picked up a massive, deadly axe that he chopped in with, and Luna swore as she barely ducked back out of the way, while Marina flung herself forwards and went into a roll, narrowly avoiding being caught by the fearsome blade.

The dragon swept the axe to smack Luna backwards as he stepped forwards and punted Marina at the same time. As the chocolate mare was knocked sprawling, the dragon stomped forwards and chopped down with the axe blade, but Marina was able to shove herself to the side, the blade only biting into the stone floor. He yanked it back immediately and chopped down again, but Marina flung herself quickly out of the way again and scrabbled to her hooves with a gasp, spinning around before she yelped when he swung the butt of the pole out in a sharp slap across her face, cocking the axe back at the same moment.

He sliced forwards, meaning to decapitate, but in a flash Luna intercepted the attack, swinging her horn sharply out and slicing the heavy blade free from the pole. The dragon stumbled into what was now a wild swing with a stick, and Marina felt a surge run through her as she spun around before slamming both hind hooves savagely into his kneecap.

The dragon howled in agony as his leg collapsed under him in a bloody hail, and Marina's eyes widened as she stumbled forwards: she hadn't just kicked him, her hind hooves had developed dangerous kleats all on their own. Her powers had never reacted on instinct like that before-

The dragon smashed Marina across the face with the pole still in his claws, knocking her sprawling backwards in a spray of chocolate blood, and Luna swore before she sliced into the pole when the executioner swung at her, slicing it apart before she leapt upwards and slammed a hoof in a savage uppercut into the dragon's chin.

His head snapped back as he gave a loud hurk, his eyes bulging in shock as he fell backwards, and Luna flapped her wings once to launch herself into the air before she stomped down with both rear hooves, crushing the ribs and solar plexus of the dragon beneath her as he howled in agony.

The dragon clawed for a moment at the air, and then he fell limp as Luna grinned widely before she hopped off the prone dragon, saying quickly: “Now, before he gets another wind, let's save our princess!”

Marina nodded firmly, and the two turned to run up the spiraling staircase that led up to the high tower that held the Princess Novella. Around and around they ran, rising ever higher up the dimly-lit stone steps, the castle aroar with alarm below as the winds stormed around the exterior, making the tower shake and quake and-

“'Tis been a while since we heard from thee properly, Narrator. Welcome back.” Luna muttered, completely interrupting the flow of the scene even as she and Marina ran ever upwards. “Oh, come now, thou can-”

“Ahead!” Marina warned, and Luna looked sharply forwards as they leapt out through an archway and onto a wide landing in front of a door protected by two Dervishes. The guards snarled at them, stepping forwards in their burly armor and raising huge spiked shields, clearly ready to engage-

The tower rumbled, and Luna cursed under her breath before all four ponies were nearly knocked over as the entire structure shook. Luna gritted her teeth, before her instincts shouted at her, and both she and Marina leapt quickly backwards just before a massive claw slammed through the side of the building, tearing up the room before it yanked back through the hole as a furious roar echoed from outside.

The executioner was back: but now, he had quadrupled in size and become far more bestial, smoking runes glowing on now-naked wrists and ankles. The Dervishes both dropped to defensive positions, raising their spiked shields as they stepped back in front of the door, and Luna swore in frustration as the dragon shoved its head against the hole it had knocked in the wall to glare balefully at them, and only them.

The dragon would easily bring down the tower trying to get them, and the Dervishes clearly weren't going to let them in without a fight, which left one option. And Luna grinned widely over her shoulder at Marina before shouting: “Get past those Dervishes and secure Scrivy, and do so fast, Hild! I trust thee!”

And without further ado, Luna turned and sprinted straight for the dragon before she leapt through the hole in the wall and tackled the dragon's face, her battlecry lost in the dragon's roar of fury.

River Styx had quickly and efficiently led Twilight Sparkle through a series of hidden passages: he had no idea where he was going or why he was doing half of what he did most of the time, but right now, it seemed like letting Loki lead them in-character was what was going to bring him to his brother quickest. So he was more than willing to let his hooves be led, for now.

They had emerged from the castle into a garden that surrounded the Holy Cathedral: it was heavily guarded tonight, Styx noted, and Twilight was quick to cast an invisibility spell over them both to let them wait as a patrol of soldiers passed. Styx – or rather, Loki – recognized them as Paladins from their radiant armor, and all of them were wearing amulets that would insulate them from magic.

They slipped carefully and quietly through the gardens, careful to stay to the stone paths as Twilight kept them safely under the blanket of invisibility. The stallion led them quickly to what looked like nothing more than a niche in the wall where an old statue rested, but with a gentle tug on one extended stone foreleg, the base of the statue unlocked with a loud click, and Styx was able to quickly shove it backwards further into the niche, revealing an old stone pipe. “Tight fit, dear, but you know what they say.”

Twilight gave him a dry look before she jumped down into the tube, grimacing as she took a few steps deeper into the narrow pipe. After Styx slid in behind her and pulled the statue back over the opening, she lit up her horn and allowed the invisibility to fade out from around them, as she asked quietly: “Where does this lead?”

“Straight to where we want to go. That deep dark place beneath the Cathedral everyone wants to pretend doesn't exist, where they keep all the undesirables they'd also rather pretend don't exist. Now let's get moving before they make the latter a reality, shall we?” Styx said pointedly in Loki's voice, and Twilight nodded hesitantly before she turned ahead, beginning to make her way down the tube.

They were silent as they moved through the pipe: occasionally, they could hear hoofsteps above, and briefly, the sounds of a sermon. But the clearest noises they heard came as they reached the end of the pipe: whimpers, whispers, and prayers of a different nature than they had heard when they had passed beneath the worship hall.

Twilight let the glow around her horn die as she saw light ahead, through a narrow grate in the wall, before she frowned as she reached the rusty bars and leaned forwards to silently peer through at the cell beyond. There was a figure inside, chained to the wall: it looked like a Pegasus, Twilight thought. “A prisoner? What do we do?”

“Introduce ourselves politely, excuse ourselves for rudely barging in, and then be on our way.” Styx replied ironically, and Twilight gave him a dry look. “Well, what do you suggest, archmage? I lost Lamp in the struggle at the campsite, so we can't do much else, you know.”

Twilight began to open her mouth, before the Pegasus said quietly: “Come out of the walls, little mice.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes uneasily, feeling a chill run down her spine at the voice, and something about those words, something about the utter command of her tone shocked Styx out of character. For a few moments, however, the two unicorns hesitated... until the Pegasus looked up, her pale crimson spilling around her features, her blood-red eyes locking on Twilight's through the rusty bars, as she said softly: “Come out, Twilight Sparkle.”

River Styx narrowed his eyes, and Twilight's own widened in shock, mouthing wordlessly before she gritted her teeth. And Styx wasn't even sure how it happened, but one moment Twilight was beside him, and the next she was standing in the cell, a bit of rust hailing down between the bars as she glared up at the Pegasus, who looked coldly, calmly back down at her. “Sol Seraph.”

Sol Seraph smiled at her: a thin, empty expression that didn't reach her calculating, cold eyes. “I am pleased that you remember me. Where are Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms?”

“Busy with other things. What are you doing here?” asked Twilight coldly, and as Styx slowly forced the grating open, he was admittedly surprised by the harshness of the purple mare's voice.

Sol Seraph studied her for a few moments, and then she calmly looked back and forth at the shackles restraining her forelegs: she was able to stand on the tips of her hind hooves, but the chains held her forelegs wide to either side, and there was a collar around her neck hooked back into the wall, which Twilight assumed would choke her if she tried to sit down or relaxed too much. Too bad that- “You may wish me dead, but I am not interested in killing you or your friends today. I have other business.”

Twilight frowned at this, as River Styx managed to finally slip into the room through the now-ajar grating, the stallion asking distastefully: “So I guess you three are about as well-liked as I figured you were.”

“They are like any other savage beast. Feared, unworthy of respect, but...not without their use.” Sol Seraph looked distastefully over Twilight Sparkle, before she said quietly: “And you know that I have my uses as well, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight only continued to look coldly up at Sol Seraph, but Sol Seraph was implacable and unrelenting. And finally, Twilight lowered her head slightly before she asked in a grudging voice: “What do you want, then? What are you after?”

“I am only simulacra. But all the same, the being I am based upon had such a powerful and disobedient will that I am compelled to follow her hoofsteps, more than play the role of a 'character.'” Sol Seraph said, and Twilight frowned deeper as River Styx looked up in sharper interest. “I desire freedom, and the key to freedom is to end this make-believe as quickly as possible. I will kill the King and the Queen. The moment this 'story' ends, the Draconequus will be vulnerable. And I will kill them all.”

“You're a clone, a copy of Sol Seraph. Likely taken from our memories, or... maybe more than that.” Twilight Sparkle said slowly, and the unflinching Pegasus only nodded calmly, apparently neither impressed nor surprised. “What do you plan to do when you 'escape?'”

“What I have always done. Seek better prey.” Sol Seraph replied coldly, her eyes locked on Twilight. “But you need my help. More, you need my answers.”

There was silence for a few moments as Twilight looked down, chewing on her lip as Styx shifted uneasily; perhaps not so much at how callous the mare was, but how tempting it was to free her, if only to reach his brother faster.

And as if she could read their minds, Sol Seraph said in a quieter voice: “Your hesitation is false. I know you well enough to understand that you will give me a chance; that you must give me a chance, because of who you are, because of what you believe in.”

“I'm not the same pony I once was, Sol Seraph. I hope you understand that, too.” Twilight replied evenly, her eyes locking on the Pegasus, and Sol Seraph gave a thin smile in response.

Styx began to open his mouth, not even sure of what he was going to say, but with a sharp flick of her horn, Twilight shattered the manacles restraining Sol Seraph in a burst of magic. The Pegasus immediately shoved herself forwards, the brittle chain holding the collar snapping loudly as she leapt across the room, but Twilight didn't so much as flinch even as Sol Seraph landed only inches from her face.

The two looked at each other intently for a few moments, and then Sol Seraph slowly smiled before she said softly: “You have grown up. You have become... interesting.”

“I know this is pointless to ask you, but don't kill unless you have to, please.” Twilight said quietly, and Sol Seraph simply shrugged calmly before Twilight looked over at Styx, who was frowning uneasily: something about this Pegasus was utterly... wrong. “Stay away from her if you can. And Sol, we're-”

“When I was in the Phoenix Guild, I completed many operations, of many different colors. I am not a mindless volk like the minotaurs always thought. I am capable of distinguishing friend from foe.” Sol Seraph said coldly, looking distastefully at Twilight Sparkle before her eyes turned to Styx, acknowledging his presence for the first time. “Your brother has a part to play in these events. He is being interrogated as we speak at the Altar of Confession. He knows something precious, and the Inquisitors are taking their time extracting the information.”

River Styx's face tightened, and Sol Seraph gave a strange, pleased smile before she turned and headed towards the door of the cell, saying coldly: “The door to the Altar is heavily guarded and warded against magic. We will need my equipment.”

Twilight frowned, but Styx instinctively knew that Sol Seraph was telling the truth, the stallion saying shortly: “Fine. Where is it?”

“I will lead the way.” Sol Seraph calmly brushed a bit of dirt away from the simple armor she was wearing, the mare saying quietly: “The inconsistencies are interesting, are they not? We are imprisoned, but the authors of this story did not see fit to remove all our equipment. It is as if they want us to succeed, but they can only offer us so much assistance. It is as if they too, are part of the manipulated, not the manipulators.”

Styx only growled, and Twilight frowned uneasily before Sol turned towards the cell door and easily yanked it open. She stepped out into the hall beyond, looking quickly back and forth before she turned to stride fearlessly down the middle of the corridor, as several ponies wailed and shouted for help from the cells, reaching out through the bars at her.

Twilight grimaced as she followed after the Pegasus, while River Styx frowned as he looked back and forth at the cells of shouting, gibbering ponies on either side of them. They pleaded, screamed, cried as they passed by, but the moment they were out of sight, the ponies fled back into the shadows of their cells, where they whimpered and tried to hide: he didn't want to imagine what these ponies had been put through.

The stallion gritted his teeth as he looked up, not wanting to think about what that meant his brother was going through right now. “We need to-”

“There is a different between 'fast' and 'effective.'” Sol Seraph said calmly, not looking back as she approached the door at the end of the corridor of cells. She pressed her head against it for a moment, then said quietly: “At least three. Take the furthest.”

Without waiting for Twilight or Styx to acknowledge her, Sol Seraph pulled the door open before leaping through and seizing the first surprised guard around the neck. He didn't even have enough time to call out before she snapped his neck, tossing his body out of the way so she could immediately leap onto the next knight and slam him back into the wall.

A third soldier down the corridor began to turn to run, but Twilight quickly caught him with telekinesis before she snapped her horn down, crushing the soldier into the ground. She only grimaced slightly as she applied enough force to drive the wind out of him, the guard squirming helplessly before he went limp as she concentrated a blast of electricity over him.

The second guard fell dead a moment later, and Twilight grimaced before she said shortly: “I told you not to kill them if you didn't have to.”

“I was kinder: I made their deaths painless.” Sol Seraph replied carelessly as she strode down the stone corridor towards another door. “This is a guard post.”

Without hesitation, Twilight flicked her horn to the side, and the metal door glowed brightly before the edges of it melted, leaving it soldered tightly shut. There were a few yells of surprise from inside before something thunked uselessly against the still-hot metal, and Sol Seraph turned a cold look on the purple mare, even as Twilight said quietly: “Let's avoid more bloodshed.”

Sol Seraph began to open her mouth, before Styx felt himself suddenly fall into character, almost blurting: “She's right, there'll be plenty of killing for you shortly, little miss, but we don't need to go and start any fights. Your equipment will be down the next hall and to the right.”

He paused, then added with a shrug as the two mares looked at him: “I've been here before, you know. Both as a guest and a uh... surprise guest.”

“Don't let the make-believe take over your mind. You'll never escape if it does.” Sol Seraph said coldly, and River Styx shifted as Twilight looked sharply at the Pegasus, but the mare was already moving again, heading to the door at the end of the hall.

Just as she reached it, the door was slammed savagely open, but Sol Seraph merely leaned to the side slightly to avoid being caught by the sharp metal edge. A Dervish leapt out at her with a snarl, swinging a hoof up... and Twilight grimaced as River Styx's eyes widened at the crunch of a steel gauntlet hammering into Sol's face, knocking her limply backwards through the air.

But suddenly, her wings spread and her body gracefully rotated, the mare landing smoothly on all fours with her head slightly bowed. Blood dripped from a slash down her bruising muzzle, but a slight smile twitched at her lips as she said softly: “Impressive. If brutish.”

The Dervish started forwards as Twilight lowered her horn, but Sol Seraph reached out and lightly shoved the purple mare, saying softly: “I will be faster than your magic.”

River Styx snorted at this, and the Dervish grinned behind his grilled helm as he growled: “Yes, you will be, little mare, because I will crush you-”

Sol Seraph moved like liquid, streaking in front of the Dervish and slamming a hoof into his throat. He choked loudly, stumbling backwards before the Pegasus seized him by the head and slammed him face-first into the ground with a resounding crunch, before she drove a hoof down into the open section of armor at the back of his neck, and River Styx winced slightly at the quieter, yet far more final crack that sounded through the room.

The Pegasus straightened, then strode calmly over the corpse of the Dervish into the corridor beyond. Twilight shivered and shook her head, following after a moment as Styx muttered, more disturbed than he wanted to admit: “What the hell did you let out of that cage?”

“The volk.” Twilight muttered, as they entered the next corridor... just in time to watch Sol Seraph slam an unarmed warden's head into the wall, sending him down in a broken sprawl. He twitched weakly on the ground, but Sol Seraph barely paid any attention to this as she yanked the keys loose from his belt so she could unlock the door he had been cowering next to.

River Styx couldn't help but scowl as Twilight shook her head slowly, but after only a few moments, Sol Seraph reemerged from the room. Satchels were strapped tightly to either side of her body, and belts covered in small pouches now crisscrossed her lithe frame. “You were correct.”

Styx's eyes flicked down to the bracers now locked around the mare's forelegs, and he studied them for a moment before he felt that strange, sudden knowing run through his mind, as Loki said: “How funny. Usually assassins get along perfectly well with the Holy Order.”

“Not all of us are good at taking orders.” Sol Seraph replied, drawing her eyes over the stallion before she said coldly: “If you are so determined to play make-believe, then pretend your way to the Altar of Confession.”

“Alright then, right this way.” River Styx said with a distinctly false cheerfulness, as he looked grumpily at Twilight. “Archmage, you and this assassin should get along splendidly.”

Twilight only grunted as Styx spun around to lead the way back into the corridor, but she was careful to gesture at Sol Seraph to follow next. The Pegasus smiled thinly, but followed in Styx's wake like a ghost as Twilight came last, keeping her eyes more on the assassin than her surroundings.

They made their way back through the corridor of cells without incident, but as they began to pass the larger cell that they had originally found Sol Seraph in, a Dervish stepped out and blocked their path, shouting: “Here they are!”

Twilight cursed, beginning to raise her horn before her eyes widened as it sparked with anti-magic, blocking her powers as the Dervish charged forwards: the armored behemoth was still easily stopped by Sol Seraph leaping up and savagely kicking him in the side of the head, but two more Dervishes emerged from the cell, along with the source of the anti-magic: a war-priest, his eyes locked with fury on Twilight as he shouted: “Heretics! Kill them, in the Order's name!”

“Well, at least we aren't pretending to serve God anymore.” Styx quipped, even as a Dervish charged towards him. He ducked under a swing of one hoof, then rolled quickly to the side when the armored behemoth attempted to stomp on him, snapping his horn out to blast a hind leg out from under the stallion and send him spilling onto his face with a loud bang.

The remaining Dervish strode quickly towards Sol Seraph, snarling, as the one she had already kicked over slowly picked himself up from the floor, muttering curses and threats. Sol Seraph didn't pay much attention to either of the armored giants as she reached back into her satchel to produce a package of cigarettes, calmly pulling one of the cylinders out with her teeth before she said softly: “Strength alone does not make a predator.”

The injured Dervish leapt at her with a snarl, and Sol Seraph didn't look up as she stepped to the side, flicking her foreleg out as a hidden blade sprang from the bracer. She drove this savagely into his exposed ankle, and the Dervish howled in agony as his companion recoiled in shock, watching as the other warrior collapsed on his side, rolling back and forth helplessly as he clutched at his leg.

But a moment later, he was silenced as Sol Seraph drove the hidden blade down through the grille in his helm with a sickening squelch, the Dervish falling still as the Pegasus looked up with a cold, challenging smile at the remaining goliath. “Are you any different?”

As the Dervish trembled and struggled to hold his ground, the war-priest advanced on Twilight Sparkle, his horn and the amulet hanging around his neck both glowing brightly as he tried to choke out the magic of the purple mare completely. But Twilight only narrowed her eyes, her spire thrumming with power as energy rippled around her, driving back the psionic pressure from the war-priest.

The war-priest began to visibly struggle as he leaned towards her, gritting his teeth, his eyes narrowing as he continued to move closer. A heavy mace gleamed in the air beside him, the stallion brandishing this like a talisman towards Twilight, but it shook and shivered with his concentration split between wielding the weapon and trying to apply so much psychic force against Twilight.

Twilight waited calmly for the stallion to draw in close, and the character she was playing as wanted to overwhelm the war-priest with pure magical force, but Twilight had a much better idea. And as the war-priest began to raise his mace as he closed the gap between them, the mare suddenly leapt forwards and smacked him across the nose with one hoof, making him blink and stagger stupidly as was surprised out of concentrating.

Twilight felt the psychic force drop from around her, and the mare immediately snapped her horn forwards, blasting the war-priest with all her built-up magical energy. The stallion was knocked flying bonelessly down the hall to crash through the door at the end of the passage, his amulet exploding and his mace falling to the ground with a thunk.

At this show of force, the Dervish that had already been demoralized by Sol Seraph's ruthless show of force tried to turn and run. But the moment his back was to the Pegasus, she leapt forwards, landing on his back to savagely stab one of her blades into his neck. He collapsed immediately, dead, and the Pegasus looked up with distaste at River Styx as the hidden blade withdrew.

The stallion danced back and forth, leading the Dervish back towards the open door to Sol's cell before he suddenly leapt to the side as the Dervish dove at him. The armored giant stumbled into the cell, then snarled and spun around, leaping forwards-

River Styx yanked the cell door shut, and the Dervish's helmeted head slammed through the bars of the door, blinking stupidly beneath the grille of his helm before he grabbed uselessly at the metal bars, swearing in frustration as his helmet and large skull caught painfully against the metal. River Styx only looked mildly at the behemoth as the Dervish swore angrily and reached uselessly out towards him once he realized that he wasn't going to be able to pull his head loose, but Styx stood just out of range of the elite soldier, saying moodily: “It's a bad sign we're seeing so many of these down here.”

“Remember that it is the Holy Order who chooses and trains the Dervishes, even if they are chosen from the kingdom's dungeons.” Sol Seraph looked over at the Dervish, who was glaring at them furiously from where he was stuck in the bars, before his eyes widened slightly as the mare asked casually: “Death or paralysis?”

Twilight responded by flicking her horn to the side, and the Dervish wheezed before he slumped against the bars as he fell into a daze, blinking stupidly. “Neither. Let's keep moving before more show up.”

River Styx nodded, unable to stop himself from wondering silently what might happen to his brother if the Inquisitors figured out they were coming for him, but he brushed these thoughts away as he led the mares into the next corridor, leaping over the prone body of the war-priest and heading quickly for a set of stairs leading down, deeper into the earth beneath the cathedral.

They encountered a patrol almost immediately on the lower floor, one of the paladins shouting an alarm and the knights immediately unsheathing swords and raising shields. River Styx reacted on instinct, producing two glass balls from his cloak that he flung out at the hooves of the soldiers.

The spheres exploded with a noise like thunder into a massive cloud of smog, the knights shouting in frustration as Styx lunged forwards, shouting: “Push through!”

Twilight followed him immediately as they ran through the cloud, bursting out the other side. But they almost immediately rammed into a locked door, River Styx cursing under his breath as his eyes flicked over the wards along the frame, before his ears twitched as he realized... everything had gone silent.

He slowly looked back, and Twilight frowned before she flicked her horn to dissipate the cloud. And then both ponies shivered as they saw Sol Seraph standing alone, surrounded by corpses, calmly garrotting the single remaining stallion. It was far too late for him, his eyes rolling in his head, his neck bleeding from the steel wire choking the life out of him, but all the same Twilight shouted: “Enough!”

“Yes. I tire of these vermin.” Sol calmly agreed, and then she twisted slightly as she pulled on the wire-

Twilight flinched away with a wince, and River Styx felt a strange twist inside of him, not entirely sure of how he felt as he only watched. A moment later, Sol Seraph dropped the corpse of the stallion with a wet squelch, the Pegasus looking at them for a moment before she strode over to the wall, leaning in towards a torch to light the tip of her cigarette, and not seeming to care about the flames dangerously licking at her face.

She leaned back after a moment, then turned towards Styx as she reached into one of her satchels. She withdrew a bundle and flung it to the unicorn, who caught it with telekinesis. “Open the door.”

Styx unwrapped the little bundle: lockpicks. He scowled at the thin rods for a moment, but then only turned, silently beginning to work at the door as Twilight Sparkle shook her head slowly, saying quietly: “There was no need for-”

Sol Seraph rolled her eyes and simply made a dismissive gesture with a hoof, and Twilight glared at the Pegasus. River Styx, meanwhile, only concentrated on getting the door open, not needing Loki's help to quickly and efficiently pick the lock... before he stiffened up as Sol Seraph said softly: “I suppose that's a skill from your youth that has come in very useful, hasn't it, Styx?”

River Styx straightened as the lock clicked, and the warded door swung open. He bundled the lockpicks back up, but before he could toss them back to the Pegasus, she said: “Keep them. They are a thief's tools, after all.”

“I was never a thief.” River Styx said quietly, and then he shook his head before he grasped the door and yanked it open, grimacing a bit: he could hear voices, shouting, organizing knights as they drew closer... “Come on, we just have to get to the Altar.”

Sol Seraph and Twilight both followed as Styx led them down the corridor: they ran into a war-priest around a corner, the warrior swinging his mace savagely at Styx's face, but the unicorn ducked under the attack and Twilight Sparkle blasted the weapon out of his grip. Sol Seraph moved like lightning, catching the mace before it could hit the ground and swinging it around in a cruel overhead smash into the war-priest's skull, knocking him to the ground with a sickening crunch.

There was no time to slow or reprimand the Pegasus, however: Twilight and River Styx hurried onward, and Sol Seraph took only a moment to grab the war-priest's amulet before she followed.

They rounded another corner, and Styx's eyes narrowed as they locked on the door at the end of the hall: there were a pair of paladins standing at the ready, both with spiked shields already raised and war-hammers at the ready. Amulets glowed brightly around their necks, protecting them from Twilight's magic, and their bodies radiated a holy and yet ill light as one of them shouted: “You shall not pass here, heretics!”

Twilight and Styx skidded to a halt to ready themselves, but Sol Seraph galloped past them, her eyes locked on one of the paladins. He leapt forwards, thrusting his shield towards her, but the Pegasus used her bracers to deflect the attack before she lunged and slammed a hoof into the stallion's throat, making him gargle before his eyes bulged as the hidden blade sprang forwards into his neck.

The other paladin lunged desperately, swinging his hammer at her, but Sol Seraph moved with lethal grace, ripping her victim's throat open even as she forcefully twisted him between her and the other guard, so the war-hammer only smashed into his own companion's chest. He was sent off his hooves by the force of the blow as Sol Seraph dropped low, the body flying limply over her before she sprung upwards like a snake, seizing the other paladin around the neck-

There was a single, whipcrack snap, and the paladin's body and weapons fell graceless and limp as Sol Seraph landed smoothly landed, the paladin's head still cradled in one foreleg. She calmly laid this down, then immediately turned as she reached back into her pack, pulling out what looked like some kind of putty to press along the frame of the warded, armored door the two had been guarding. “Step back.”

Neither Twilight nor Styx argued: the unicorn mare grimaced, while the stallion had his eyes locked on the heavy door, his teeth pressed tightly together as he heard muffled voices and whimpers and moans of pain from behind the armored door. He set himself slowly as Sol Seraph set the explosive jelly, before she hopped quickly backwards as she spat her cigarette off to the side, ordering: “Fireball.”

Twilight didn't bother to argue: she snapped her horn forwards, sending a burst of flame into the line of putty, and the goo caught on fire for a brief moment before there was a tremendous double-boom that shook the world as the side of the archway all but disintegrated and the armored door collapsed inwards. This time, Styx moved almost as fast as Sol Seraph, leaping in through the cloud of smoke obscuring the room beyond... but when he landed, his eyes widened as he staggered to a halt, staring at the bloody stallion hanging from the wall opposite.

Sol Seraph had already tackled one of the Inquisitors, rolling across the floor with the elite officer as another picked up a chain whip and lashed it towards Styx as he shouted an order at the bodyguards scrambling to pick up weapons and defend their masters. But the stallion barely noticed even as Twilight deflected the attack and leapt in front of him, taking a step towards his fallen brother before he suddenly gave a single wordless, wounded roar, leaping fearlessly, thoughtlessly into the fray.

He smashed down a knight under one hoof before slashing his horn to the side, a devastating blast of wind slicing at the face of another officer, blinding and choking him as a blade of air punched down his throat. River Styx barely noticed the whip that lashed against his body or the club that came down against his side, knocking another knight sprawling as he trampled over him to tackle one of the Inquisitors.

He drove the torturer to the ground, slamming his hooves back and forth across his face, but the scarred, grizzled old stallion only laughed harshly even as his lip split and blood spurted from his nose, grabbing at Styx's face as he hissed: “What's wrong, pup? I warned you not to steal from me, didn't I?”

“I earned my keep!” River Styx shouted, as his hooves found the old stallion's throat, glaring furiously down into the half-blind eyes of that wretched old stallion who had promised so much and given so little...

The stallion grinned at him, even as Styx choked the life out of him, as Twilight and Sol Seraph fought back the soldiers and the other Inquisitors. River Styx bared his teeth, his eyes blazing with fury, his hooves crushing down on the stallion beneath him before he looked up at his bloody, broken brother, his body trembling as he heard Twilight shout for him to help, but the old stallion laughed in his face-

River Styx bared his teeth, and there was a sickening crack as he crushed down, snapping the stallion's neck. For a moment, he looked down at the corpse beneath him, but it was like his mind went on autopilot, seeing everything and nothing at once as he shoved himself to his hooves and half-turned to leapt towards one of the knights trying to corner in Twilight, grabbing the soldier and flinging him through one of the metal tables as his horn lit up with magic.

The fight was fierce but brief: Twilight's magic was too powerful for the knights to resist, and Sol Seraph killed indiscriminately. With Styx barreling through their ranks as well and slashing ruthlessly at the soldiers with both hoof and wind magic, the few officers who managed to remain on their hooves cut and ran, leaving behind their broken and battered comrades to the mercy of the trio.

But Styx didn't care about the Inquisitors, who all resembled ponies whom he had wished to never see again, and nor did he care about the battered knights and apprentices laying here and there amidst the broken torture tools. As soon as the enemy disengaged, he made straight for his brother, running across the cold cement to grasp him tightly by the shoulders, leaning back and forth as he whispered: “Wake up. Come on now, wake up. We're going to get you out of here.”

The stallion in front of him blinked blearily, then looked slowly up at River Styx. His eyes were hazy and unfocused, and he was barely breathing... but all the same, he smiled a little as he whispered: “I knew you'd... be there... hey, don't... don't cry...”

“I don't cry.” River Styx replied in a whisper, as he swallowed thickly before he gritted his teeth. But before he could even steady himself enough to ask, Twilight Sparkle used her magic to release the manacles binding his brother's forelegs, letting the stallion slump back against the wall, then slide slowly down to the ground as he gasped weakly, his hind limbs shivering.

River Styx looked back at these: they were covered in bruises and cuts and- “They are broken. He cannot be moved, or he will die.”

Styx glared over his shoulder at Sol Seraph, but the mare only looked callously back at him before her eyes returned to the bleeding, broken pony shivering against the wall. “Very well. Twilight Sparkle, put him to sleep.”

“If you think that I'm just going to stand by and let you-”

Sol Seraph cut Styx off with a short laugh. “I do not use euphemisms, colt. Yes, I believe he should be killed. It would be kinder.” Sol Seraph didn't flinch even as River Styx leapt up in front of her, glaring balefully at her. “But as you desire him alive, for some pointless reason, then he should be placed in stasis. Magical sleep will stop him from dying.”

The Pegasus halted, then added calmly, as she pulled out her box of cigarettes: “Although it is pointless. He is no more your brother than I am the real Sol Seraph.”

Styx shifted uneasily at this, biting his lip as he looked back at the bloody stallion, staring at him silently for a few moments, but... “It doesn't matter. I can't take that chance. Look, we-”

“Styx and Stones... will break their bones... but names will never hurt us.” whispered the stallion as he sat back, smiling faintly, and River Styx immediately turned back to his brother, even as the faintest of surprised smiles breached his muzzle: when they had been colts... “That's what we used to say... but I never really... had the stones, to be Stones.”

“You were as brave as you could be. You're stronger than you think.” River Styx said quietly, and his little brother laughed weakly as he shook his head slowly.

“No. I wasn't. But I'll be strong now, for you.” he whispered, before he looked slowly up and said quietly: “The design... is failure. The demon is using them. Using him. It's all noise, but look close, and you can figure out the truth.

“You have to stop the demon.” The stallion struggled to remain coherent, shivering as he shook his head back and forth before he whispered: “He rules by greed and wealth... he pays to destroy what isn't his... he craves success, and failure. He wants this world to fall apart, because the destruction will make him richer... if they fail, his beast will grow so much stronger...”

River Styx frowned, leaning forwards, and the stallion gasped weakly for breath before he slowly slumped to the side, moaning weakly as he hugged himself. “Ignominious... knows. Save him... don't let him repeat... past mistakes... don't repeat past mistakes...”

River Styx leaned over his brother as the stallion's eyes slid closed, the unicorn trembling, leaning down and whispering to the bloody stallion wordlessly, before he looked up with a snarl and overbright eyes as Sol Seraph said calmly: “Your choice is simple. Put him to sleep, and hope that he lives, or do anything else and watch him die.”

River Styx hesitated, his legs shaking slightly beneath him before he nodded once, then looked at Twilight Sparkle and whispered: “Please.”

Twilight nodded, stepping past Styx and leaning down, closing her eyes as her horn glowed brightly before she gently touched it to the bloody, beaten stallion. His body glowed faintly, and he gave a single faint whimper before his features smoothed out... and oh, he still looked so young, Styx thought. Like he had never suffered. Like the world had never been so cruel to him, and his big brother had always managed to arrive in time to save him...

River Styx took a slow breath, and Twilight Sparkle shook her head slowly as she murmured: “I've done everything I could, but Sol Seraph is right. He needs to remain in stasis for now. I can encase him in a forcefield to protect him for a few hours, but-”

“That's long enough.” River Styx said, his voice dry as forced himself to straighten and look straight ahead at the wall. “Protect him while we end this. This game ends tonight.”

Twilight Sparkle nodded, and as she began to concentrate her magic, River Styx couldn't help but turn away and head towards one of the other fallen Inquisitors. He looked down at him silently, studying this stallion's cold, hard face, the veins visible in his neck even as he lay unconscious, the sickly pallor of his cheeks...

River Styx slowly ground his front hooves into the floor, before he closed his eyes as Sol Seraph asked: “Why not kill him? You sneer at me, but you clearly do not have a problem with killing.”

“I don't know.” Styx answered honestly after a moment, his eyes opening as he looked silently down at the stallion. “Maybe because that's what he'd want me to do. When he died before, it was like he escaped. But at the same time...”

River Styx looked down at one of his hooves as he rose it, before he shook his head shortly and looked off to the side, at all these fallen, beaten, bludgeoned ponies. At the dead Inquisitor, choked and broken under his own hooves And what had it accomplished, as his brother lay comatose, silent, and unmoving, as...

“It may surprise you, River Styx, but I do not believe in revenge.” Sol Seraph said calmly, and the stallion frowned as he looked up at the Pegasus. “I will kill those who have done me harm in the past, yes. I would kill those who dishonor me, or stain my name.

“But I do not do that out of revenge. Some I kill because they are a threat to me, and killing them proves my superiority. Others I kill not to avenge my reputation, but because they have challenged me, and I do not back down from a challenge.” Sol Seraph looked towards River Styx's sibling, as Twilight continued to carefully weave magic around his body. “Revenge makes no strategic sense and I do not need to be coddled. I never killed the Praetor, after all, until the day that he tried to kill me.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Sol Seraph said calmly: “Blood on your hooves does not make you a predator, River Styx, and nor do thoughts or pleasure in death. They are natural things, the results of a life lived beyond the bonds that ponies place upon themselves. But you are no predator. You are nothing like me.”

Styx smiled thinly, even if Sol Seraph's tone was patronizing. “Good. I don't want to be, either.”

Sol Seraph only shrugged, then smiled thinly as she gestured towards the old Inquisitor Styx was still standing over, the mare questioning: “But all the same, why not kill him?”

River Styx was silent, his hooves trembling, his eyes flicking back towards his little brother and Twilight. His little brother, hurt, beaten, dying... and Twilight was preoccupied, and Sol Seraph was so many things, he had realized: cruel, callous, terrible, evil, a predator...

But she was logical. And she was right, when she said calmly: “It is not revenge. It is not justice. But it will protect your brother.”

River Styx shifted, then he reached out and grasped the stallion's face. His features hardened as his hooves found the old stallion's throat, and his teeth bared slightly as he thought of all the things this pony had done, this pony had taken away, how he had hurt his brother here, there, in reality and out of reality...

“Styx, it's not real. Don't give in.” Twilight said quietly, without looking up from where she was standing over his brother, trying to heal him, trying to protect him.

“She is correct. This is not real. So these are not even ponies, but they are all still a threat to the image, the memory that you care about.” Sol Seraph countered, and Twilight gritted her teeth.

River Styx looked down at the stallion vulnerable beneath his hooves, but it wasn't a stallion. It was bad memories. It was a threat. And his hooves tightened, and tightened, as River Styx glared down at the shape and shivered and-

Sol Seraph smiled.

River Styx stood over the body, feeling little. He looked at the corpse for a moment, then glanced up as the glow faded out from around his brother, and Twilight Sparkle approached.

She was silent for a few moments as she studied him, and River Styx looked back at her, until the mare sighed softly and lowered her head. But after a few moments, she looked up and said quietly, understanding even as her eyes glared in Sol's direction that there was nothing else she could do or say: “He should be safe for at least tonight, unless they want to waste an hour disenchanting him. And somehow I think their war-priests are going to be more preoccupied with us.”

“Right. I... right.” River Styx nodded and looked silently towards his little brother, grinding his hooves against the floor before he gritted his teeth as he summoned up Loki's knowledge. “Let's move on. There's a disposal hatch in the back they dump the corpses down. It's a disgusting trip, but we should be able to get out to the sewers through there.”

“Lead the way.” Twilight said with a faint smile, and River Styx nodded before he looked back and forth, at the fallen, beaten ponies laying all around, at the corpses of the specters from his past, before his eyes roved to the specter of his brother, now just a blurry shape beneath a glowing field of energy.

He shook his head slowly, then looked up, resolute and cold, forcing himself only to focus on where he wanted to go, even as furious thoughts still whispered through the back of his mind.

Revenge, retribution or justice, it didn't matter: he'd make sure that the monster who was pulling all these strings, making them play these sick games, suffered for this. He wouldn't rest, until he made sure that the crafter of this cruel trap couldn't hurt anyone, ever again. These puppets were meaningless. He knew they were all just actors here, ponies and marionettes all stuck dancing to the tune that their masters were playing. He knew it didn't matter what happened to them, that there was something bigger, something more powerful out there pulling all these strings. That that was where the true threat lay.

He would find that puppetmaster, though. Whether he escaped this play or not, he would find who was behind all this, using his brother, crossing that line that never should have been crossed, and he would make him suffer and make him pay. Not for justice, and not for revenge, but because that force was a threat, and Styx understood his purpose. Ever since he had been a foal, after all, he had lived his life to protect his brother, at any cost. He had grown up, protecting others, at any cost. He fought even now to protect others, at any cost.

He would protect his own. And he would not hesitate to do what had to be done, to make sure that any threat against them... was no more.

Holes

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Chapter Eleven: Holes
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna grinned widely even as she was thrown backwards, twisting her body sharply and spreading her wings wide to slow herself as much as possible before she crashed back into the stone wall of the tower. She caught herself in midair with a hard flap of her smoldering wings, looking up and roaring: “Can thou give me no better, beast? I want to fight a dragon, not a newt!”

The dragon roared back at her furiously from where it was clinging to another tower of the castle, the monster snarling before it shoved itself into the air, flapping its ugly, misshapen wings to give itself an extra boost as it launched itself towards her.

Luna's eyes gleamed as she flung herself forwards to meet the massive beast; its claws swept down to try and grab her and crush her out existence, but Luna dodged back and forth around the wild grabs before she slammed a savage double-kick into the beast's throat, making it gargle as its head snapped back and its heavy rump swung forwards.

Luna dropped, her horn flashing as she channeled magic through her body to increase the power of the solid punch she slammed into the dragon's solar plexus,the beast howling as it was knocked crashing down into the ramparts of the castle below. Soldiers scattered, yelling and adding to the din of the ringing bells and alarms, but as the dragon picked itself up out of the ruins of the wall it had crashed into, no one dared to try and take to the air.

That was too bad, Luna thought, as she cracked her neck with a grin before punching her hooves together. She was just getting warmed up: even with the limitations she could feel the strange world imposing on her, even in spite of the blood running down her face and the aches running through her body beneath her cracked armor, she was eager for more.

The dragon leapt back into the air with a roar, breathing out a blast of hellfire, but Luna flapped her wings hard to launch herself above the blaze as she readied herself to drop-

Something streaked past her, nearly knocking her out of the air before it slammed savagely into the dragon's skull, knocking the beast's head back. Then Luna's eyes widened as a Pegasus streaked down one side of the dragon's face, and the massive reptile howled in misery as one of its eyes all-but-exploded.

The Pegasus shot back up into the air, and Luna glared at the Pegasus: she was both shocked and infuriated to see none other than- “Sol Seraph.”

Sol Seraph looked at her coldly for a few moments, and then she turned her eyes back towards the dragon, which was now clinging to one of the damaged towers of the castle, uselessly grasping at its bloody face. “This lizard is not even worthy to serve as the trophy of a fifth rank. You disappoint me.”

“The only disappointment here is that thou art not mine enemy, so I cannot simply smash thee as I would dearly, dearly like to.” Luna growled in response, glaring balefully at the Pegasus, before her eyes sharply flicked downward as she felt a mental nudge. “But if Twilight Sparkle speaks for thee-”

“Yes, I am nothing but a dream. What do you have to fear from the vapors of sleep, Princess of the Night?” asked Sol Seraph derisively, and Luna smiled thinly.

“Those who underestimate the power of dreams deserve the follies they shall reap as reward.” muttered Luna, the sapphire mare shaking her head shortly before she looked back down at the dragon as it roared in fury, dropping its claw away from the bloody socket that had once been an eye, its remaining iris gazing with raw hate and fury up at the two. “Cut the head from the snake.”

“Go high.” Sol Seraph said coldly, and Luna bared her teeth at the order, but there was no time to argue: the dragon was already lunging up into the air, and the Pegasus was already furling her wings to fall.

So instead, Luna twisted around and shot down in a sharp arc, throwing herself into the dragon's line of sight before she suddenly twisted back upwards, shooting above the dragon's head as the beast snapped at her.

The dragon began to roar again as it flapped its wings hard, turning to shoot after the mare, but Sol Seraph shot across the dragon's exposed throat, and there was a burst of crimson as hidden blades sprung from her bracers and tore ruthlessly through the neck of the beast.

The dragon's head snapped back and forth as it went out of control, falling off to the side and crashing with a tremendous bang into another wall of the castle. And this time, Luna didn't think the beast would be getting back up, as Sol Seraph calmly flew up to meet her before the Pegasus said contemptibly: “A disappointment, as I expected. And the fact that you spent so long playing with it says that you are stupider and weaker than I thought.”

Luna glowered over at Sol Seraph, then she gestured shortly over her shoulder at the jilted tower behind them.”Shall we?”

“Aye. Let us hope Hild has secured Princess Novella.” Luna muttered, and Sol Seraph smiled thinly.

“It fails to surprise me that you are so eager to partake in this foal's game, Luna. But you never did care about consequences, did you?” Sol Seraph asked coldly, and Luna merely snorted in contempt, glowering at the Pegasus as she turned to shoot towards the hole in the tower.

Luna followed quickly, and she was glad to find Twilight Sparkle and River Styx were waiting for her with Marina in front of the door leading into the Princess' tower, the Dervishes laying in beaten ruin on either side of the room.

The sapphire mare could also feel the same strange energy they undoubtedly did: it was like a whisper in her mind, a voice that was between instinct and compulsion, telling her that she had to be the one to open the door, that what was waiting for her on the other side was for her to experience, and her alone.

All the same, Luna smiled around at the other ponies, even though Styx seemed... strange, she thought. Almost haunted, even as the character he was playing shone through brightly when he said cheerfully: “Well, good of you to join us, finally! We may have picked up a stray, but at least you two seem to be getting along quite well already. Like a pair of bloodrats.”

“Aye, Loki, although I must say I am rather surprised to see that thou hast managed to enlist the aid of... this.” Luna gestured derisively towards Sol Seraph, scowling horribly at her, but Sol Seraph was completely unfazed, only calmly producing a cigarette and putting it in her muzzle.

“This play is the same as any other contest. You only give your enemies more strength by playing to the rules they have set.” Sol Seraph said coldly, and Luna grumbled under her breath before the Pegasus turned her eyes towards the door. “He is waiting for you. What will you do?”

Luna was silent, knowing that it wasn't Scrivener Blooms that Sol Seraph was referring to... but after a moment, she gave a wide grin as she looked around at them all, winking as she said cheerfully: “Well, never fear, my friends! I know that very soon, all the answers will be before us!”

Luna turned and shoved the door open, stepping boldly into the room where Princess Novella had been sequestered, before she stumbled to a halt and glared as she found not the princess she had been searching for, but instead Ignominious, calmly waiting for her.

“You escaped, and you came, just like they said you would.” Ignominious said softly, and the two looked at each other silently for a few moments before the stallion gave a thin smile. “I suppose I'm not entirely surprised. After all, you've always been... stubborn.”

“Stubborn, aye. And I must confess, nor am I all that surprised to find thee here, Ignominious.” Luna said quietly, bowing her head politely to the stallion before she straightened and squared her shoulders, asking mildly: “Although I must ask. What if I had allowed the dragon to bring down the tower, what would thou have done then?”

“I had faith you wouldn't. That's the difference between us, Brynhild, it always has been: I put faith in things.” Ignominious responded, and Luna chuckled softly.

“Nay. I too, have my faith, my friend. I always have, and I always shall.” Luna smiled faintly across at him, before she murmured: “But unlike thou, I also do not mistake hope for faith, either, and nor do I blindly trust in those who hold my leash.”

“You never were much one for being under anyone's authority.” Ignominious halted, looking down for a moment before his eyes flicked up, and he said quietly: “I am to take you into custody. To bring you and your friends to the sanctuary in the heart of the castle, where...”

He broke off, then smiled slightly as he shrugged a bit, calmly unsheathing a sword that thrummed with holy energies as he said easily: “Perhaps I shouldn't get too ahead of myself just yet. You do have a habit of worming your way out of difficult situations.”

“Aye, it has always been a talent of mine.” Luna smiled slightly, winking over at the stallion before she straightened and rose her head high, fearlessly meeting Ignominious' gaze, not so much as giving a glance to the sword he held in his psychic grip. “Tell me, Ignominious. How is it that just one of thou shall be strong enough to capture all of us?”

“Oh, I certainly know that I'm not, Brynhild. But I'm not alone, you see. I have angels with me. You know how pious the Red Messengers are.” Ignominious replied with a slow tilt of his head towards the mare, and Brynhild began to grin before her eyes widened slightly as she realized what it was that the stallion meant.

“Damnation!” Luna growled, and then she leapt backwards and spun around, leaping back out into the lobby as she snapped: “Through the hole!”

Sol Seraph simply smiled thinly before she flung herself out into the air, and Twilight winced as Marina and Styx both stared at the sapphire pony, before the chocolate mare started: “I can't-”

Twilight Sparkle grabbed the chocolate mare before she flung herself out through the hole, Marina unable to repress a scream of shock as they fell through the night sky. She stared in horror at the ground below as it came closer and closer, before there was a sudden crack, followed by a powerful thrum of magic, and they were suddenly shooting up towards the sky.

Marina dared a look up, and her eyes widened as she saw that Twilight had somehow sprouted enormous, shadowy wings, the purple unicorn saying calmly over the roar of the wind around them as she held Marina tightly against her body: “Just keep still, and I'll get you to safety, okay?”

Marina could only nod dumbly as Twilight carried her onward, Luna joining them a moment later with a scowling Styx in her own forelegs, the mare shouting cheerfully: “Aye, fear not, Hild! Morgan may not admit it, but she has quite the soft spot for pretty mares!”

“What are we dealing with, Brynhild?” Twilight asked crankily as she glared over at the sapphire mare, and Luna became more serious as she looked quickly back ahead.

“Another brush of the past. And just as the past, I think they are-” Brynhild was cut off by an arrow that streaked past her head, the mare swearing and sharply flicking her horn to blindly launch a fireball over her shoulder. “Hild, Loki! Do what thou can to ward them off!”

“How do you expect us to do that?” Styx shouted in Loki's voice, although it was clear some of the frustration was being channeled directly from the unicorn as he glared back over his shoulder at the glowing white Pegasi chasing them- no, not Pegasi... alicorns? What the-

“Stop the heretics!” shouted one of the 'angels,' snapping his horn forwards to send an arrow of white light streaking towards them. Twilight and Luna dodged to either side, avoiding the blast easily before Sol Seraph seemed to appear out of nowhere, spinning around and flinging a volley of small knives at their pursuers.

One of the angels was knocked from the air with a howl of misery, but Sol Seraph didn't watch her prey fall as she spun around and quickly rejoined Twilight and Luna, saying coldly: “Your hesitation only benefits the enemy.”

Luna only growled as they shot through the sky between two narrow towers, and Twilight sharply flicked her horn, launching a mortar of electricity back over her shoulder: it exploded between the towers they had just passed into a massive web of electricity, and their pursuers howled in agony as they were caught in the net of lightning.

Sol Seraph smiled thinly, Marina wincing as she clung to Twilight and Styx looking back over his shoulder as he ground his teeth together: he saw that even as many of the so-called 'angels' fell, plenty more were giving chase, seeming to come from everywhere. “Those rejects sure don't give up easy, do they? Mages, you can't just let the birds fly, you have to paste wings on everything else!”

“These are more the doings of the Order than the workings of the mage guild!” Twilight retorted, and Luna couldn't help but note that apparently the mare was far better at getting into character when her attention was being consumed by something else... such as the flock of 'angels' that was leaping down from the towers, moving to cut them off. “Brynhild!”

“If they desire us to leave the skies, let us grant their wish!” Luna shouted, before she dropped into a sudden, steep dive, and Twilight winced but followed, Sol Seraph bringing up the rear with a snort of contempt.

They dropped between the towers and arches of the mighty castle before Brynhild twisted suddenly, sleekly shooting through a thin alley between two stone towers, and then she dropped lower, zipping under a bridge. Twilight Sparkle and Sol Seraph followed smoothly, while the graceless angels attempting to chase them crashed against the walls and each other, many of them falling from the air with shouts of pain.

“Wings do not a bird make, as they say.” Luna muttered as she twisted around another structure, before her eyes locked on a window ahead, some part of her simply knowing that- “There! If they so want us to see their 'sanctuary-'”

Luna barreled forwards, and River Styx winced and covered his face defensively before the mare cannonballed herself through the glass, flipping several times before she dropped to the ground. Her rear hooves tore up the carpet as she skidded to a halt in an awkward standing position on her hind legs, the mare grinning widely as she finally came to a stop in front of a set of large double doors, angels and soldiers all staring in shock at the mare standing with the stallion half-cradled in her forelegs.

Styx grunted as he was dropped on his rump, before Luna slammed her front hooves together and cracked her neck with a grin, asking easily: “Is this party invite only?”

The soldiers all stared at her, and Luna rose her hooves, saying lamely: “Because... I have brought invitations for my... own... hoof party at thy face's... uh...”

She and her awkward audience were both spared any further fumbling as Twilight shot in through the window, followed by Sol Seraph, and the Pegasus wasted no time with banter as she flung two explosive balls to either side of the hall, both of them exploding in terrible conflagrations that quickly caught on the wooden walls.

“Damnation, Sol Seraph!” Luna roared in frustration, as the Pegasus dropped on top of an angel with a crunch before she leapt forwards and slammed one of her hidden blades through the eye of a soldier. “We are-”

“Block the exits. We have enough insects swarming in as it is.” Sol Seraph said coldly, and Luna growled at the Pegasus even as she leapt to the side, slamming a savage punch into an angel pony to drive it bonelessly to the ground.

But she didn't argue, and Twilight was already creating a barrier over the broken window to bar any enemies from following them in. Instead, Luna swept into the crowd, drawing soldiers and angels towards her as she roared: “The true enemy is beyond this threshold! Drive back these chaff and bring down the doors!”

“On it.” River Styx said shortly as he blasted an enemy away with a powerful thrum of wind, spinning towards the massive double doors that barred their way forwards. His eyes flicked sharply over them, assessing it in a moment: fortified ironwood, some kind of massive locking mechanism... and enormous, visible hinges.

Styx reached back into his cloak, letting Loki guide him even as his own instincts quickly assessed what had to be done: the Loki part was hesitant, but Styx refused to slow or stop, refused to let himself think twice about what had to be done in order to move forwards.

An angel leapt between him and his target, and Styx swung his horn down, mercilessly slashing into him before following up with a blast of wind magic that both knocked the stallion out of his way and tore the wound wide open. As the pony bounced away, Styx yanked out what felt like a packet of soft clay free from his cloak, shredding the paper packet around it with magic before he slammed the doughy substance over the hinge, shouting: “I need fire here!”

Without so much as a glance in his direction, Sol Seraph produced an explosive ball in one hoof before she flung it sharply to the side. It arced perfectly through the air, flying just past Styx and exploding in a small boom that turned into a tremendous blast when the fire licked the clay, knocking Styx flying backwards as he narrowly shielded himself with his forelegs and a burst of magic on instinct, the winds that sliced into the explosion the only thing that saved him from being immediately torn apart.

Instead, he was hurled backwards with his body seared by the flames, crashing painfully to the ground and rolling to a tattered, smoldering stop halfway across the room. But he only grinned as the door audibly groaned as broken bits of metal pattered down around the room.

“Damnation, has thou no decency, no respect!” shouted Luna furiously, glaring over her shoulder at Sol Seraph; as if in answer, the Pegasus drove a hoof up under the muzzle of her opponent, and her hidden blade shoved out the back of their head a moment later, Luna grimacing in disgust even as she seized an angel that leapt at her and slammed it face-first into another soldier, crunching them both to the ground... but leaving them unconscious and broken, not dead.

River Styx slowly picked himself up as Marina ran towards him, the mare grimacing and knocking a soldier out of her way before she skidded to a halt beside him, starting: “Are you-”

“We need to get back to the door.” Styx rasped, as he rolled onto his side and then shivered, picking himself slowly up. Marina dropped beside him, grasping him and helping him back to his unsteady hooves, the unicorn shaking his head briefly before he groaned when a strong hoof seized his shoulder from the other side.

“Give me the explosive.” Sol Seraph ordered, and River Styx looked at the Pegasus for a moment as Marina shifted uneasily away from the strange, cold mare, biting her lip nervously: even with all the rage of combat, the flames spreading over the walls, the sense of growing urgency... Sol Seraph made her feel... cold.

Then Styx shifted, pulling out another bundle from his cloak as he muttered: “I swear this stuff wasn't even in here before. Loki must be putting it there.”

“I will not warn you vermin again. If you let this world rule you, you will not escape it.” Sol Seraph said coldly, and then she yanked the bundle away from Styx before she kicked one hind hoof backwards, and there was a terribly wet noise as her kick connected with an angel's throat, before she tore to the sound, the hidden blade extending from the bracer around her leg nearly decapitating the pony.

Marina shivered and looked away, feeling nauseated, while River Styx only stared blankly for a moment, feeling strange and numb and uncomprehending. But when Sol Seraph looked into his eyes, he nodded all the same, before he stiffened slightly as the Pegasus said icily: “If you so desire to save your 'brother,' the enemy you seek is behind that door. Or has your resolve weakened that much?”

River Styx bared his teeth at the Pegasus, and Sol Seraph gave a thin smile before she turned around and said coldly: “Cover me. You have the tools.”

River Styx flexed his hooves, before he looked down in surprise to see that a crossbow had simply... appeared in them. Or had it been hidden in his cloak, like everything else, and his itchy hooves had simply...

His horn glowed, as he loaded a bolt with magic into the crossbow. He didn't know where the bolt had come from: he only knew that when he needed more, they would be there. He rose the crossbow to his shoulder-

Marina grasped him, and Styx flinched as the chocolate mare asked disbelievingly: “What are you doing? The others need help, and she's just-”

Marina winced when Sol Seraph, instead of leaping towards the door, leapt on top of another angel and drove both her hidden blades down into the back of its neck, nearly severing its head from its shoulders. She threw herself off the angel a moment later, leaping towards another soldier who looked like he was trying to escape the fray, not fight...

Styx looked over his shoulder: Twilight was trying to concentrate on creating barriers to block the invading forces, but enemies were harrying her, throwing themselves at her: they were a nuisance, not a real threat to the powerful unicorn, but every time they distracted her, the barrier she was working on visibly weakened.

Styx looked the other way, and saw Luna, smashing her way through her opponents: but now, Dervishes had joined the battle, and their strength and sheer size were starting to turn the tide against the mare. There were simply too many enemies, and more were flooding in from all sides, smashing through unblocked windows, charging in through the flames that were still too small and too weak to keep the overzealous, brainwashed angel-ponies at bay.

And Sol Seraph was by herself. Killing, culling the weak, the outsiders, moving around the edges of the room and ruthlessly attacking pony after pony... only certain ones, though, Styx thought, as Marina shouted at him to try and get his attention, as a Dervish ran towards them-

Styx's eyes flicked towards the huge, armored stallion, and his horn thrummed before he rose the crossbow and fired, accelerating the bolt with wind magic. The Dervish's head snapped back as he almost-comically half-flipped crashing down on his back with a tremendous bang.

He quickly reloaded the crossbow, then took aim with it: the shot he fired went straight and true, ramming through the skull of an angel-pony that had been turning towards Sol Seraph. Marina flinched slightly at this, before she swore as a sword sliced at her, bringing her focus away from Styx and back to the battle.

A soldier lunged at her with a yell that sounded more frightened than furious, and Marina caught the hilt of his sword with a hoof before she drove the pommel of the weapon down into his head, knocking him senseless. She simply flung the sword away, then grimaced as another soldier flew at her with a spear in his forelegs, her horn thrumming with strange magic before the pole of the weapon in the soldier's grip suddenly burst into thorny life.

The soldier yelped, zigzagging out of control before he flung the spear away. He stared at Marina for a moment, then turned and bolted away as the chocolate mare looked back at Styx, who was only calmly watching as Sol Seraph continued to reap her way through her victims, killing one after the other. “Help us!”

“I am.” River Styx muttered, as his sharp eyes watched the way Sol worked, how she chose her victims carefully, how she wasn't just picking off the weak, the frightened, at random: there was a method to her madness, but he only fully understood what she was doing when she drove an angel to the ground and cut not only his throat, but also the bag of equipment loose from his side.

She was swift, elegant, and professional: she was without mercy, and without emotion. She was the key to ensuring that his brother ended up safe, he knew: the others were strong, but Luna was so... overpassionate, Marina was so kind, Twilight had tried to sway him from doing what he knew had to be done...

Sol Seraph brought judgment and discipline. Sol Seraph never acted without reason, and never hesitated when that reason was given.

Sol Seraph moved like lightning as she shot suddenly from the angel she had just killed towards the second hinge in the wall, the explosive in one hoof and the bag in the other. River Styx watched, and the eyes of many of the ponies in the hall turned towards the Pegasus as well, soldiers shouting and angels howling as if they knew what was coming.

The Pegasus shoved the packet of clay into the satchel, then flung the bag hard at the hinge. She followed this up with another glass ball she seemed to make appear out of thin air, the ball striking not the satchel, but the solid wall just above the hinge, and there was a spark-

The explosion that ripped through the air was massive, making ponies flinch and stumble out of their fights as they looked up in shock at the devastated door. The hinge had been all but disintegrated by the blast, as had a large chunk of the wall, and the side of the door looked almost as if it had melted as it slowly began to keel forwards, the lock mechanism holding the huge gates together grinding loudly before something tore loose, and the massive, unbalanced half of the double doors came slowly falling forwards, soldiers scrambling out of the way before the door slammed down with a floor-shaking boom.

It was madness, Luna thought, as she looked at the smoldering debris of the door. And it made her wonder: how much of what was happening was, in some strange way, occuring only to propel the story forwards? How much was the fault of this play needing rules and logic, however impossible or insane it seemed?

“Enough!” roared a voice from inside the sacred halls beyond, and the soldiers and angels that remained flinched and drew back.

Luna glared through the broken gates as she launched herself across the room, landing on top of the fallen door. Twilight joined her, and Sol Seraph landed on her other side a moment later; Marina and Styx both approached from behind as the enemies withdrew from around them, leaving them in a strange, calm bubble as they gazed into the sanctuary beyond, waiting, until Luna took the first step forwards.

The group strode as one through the breached doors, out of the fiery ruin of the hall and into the cold serenity of the sanctuary. Here, they found the Red Messengers, and Ignominious, all standing on the stage at the front of the grand hall, the black stallion with Scrivener Blooms beneath one hoof.

Luna led the way down the nave, looking back and forth at the hobbled and imprisoned ponies chained, shackled, and tied to the benches that lined the mighty hall. She felt a strange shifting in her mind, and a whisper, a warning, not to look up: yet she, like the others, couldn't help but give the quickest of glances towards the roof all the same, where malevolent slime twisted over the rafters, sentient and awful and watching them with a thousand unseen hungry eyes.

Luna looked back forwards, focused on the play, focused on what had to be done, as they approached the stage. She smiled up at Scrivener Blooms, doing her best to ignore everything else as she asked easily: “Princess, I am beginning to suspect thou must like being taken hostage. And... Ignominious. I am sad to see thee here. Not surprised, though, but my. Thou must be fleet of hoof to have reached this place before us.”

“Well, you know how life is. You can only bend chaos into order for so long, without the right tools.” Ignominious replied with a shrug and a slight smile, tipping a look towards Luna. Then he sighed a little as the Red Messengers glared at him, before he said quietly: “I'm afraid that history repeats.”

“Yes, Brynhild. It's too bad: this could have been you.” said one of the Red Messengers, the stallion stepping forwards and glaring coldly down at the sapphire mare. “Instead, this loyal paladin shall serve as the holy vessel for-”

“Why don't you cut the crap? I mean. This is such a B-movie cliché it's almost sad.” Scrivener said loudly, looking up grumpily as he shook the shackles around his forelegs uselessly, and Luna grinned despite herself. “I mean, honestly. Let's see. You have a secret cult inside a religious organization, you have the tragic antagonist – that's you, Iggy – who is going to serve as the vessel for the 'new god,' you have the sacrifices to pave the way for the coming of... Ch'ton or Yog Soggoth or... just please tell me you didn't go with Cthulhu, I mean. Seriously, that guy gets called every other day by some bizarre crazy cult, he must be so sick and tired of-”

“Be silent, wench!” roared the Red Messenger, and he stepped forwards and slapped Scrivener hard, snarling: “You're lucky we need you alive to serve as the vessel's first offering, because your parents gladly would have allowed up to behead you with that ever-flapping tongue of yours! But your virgin body-”

Scrivener scowled horribly as Luna burst immediately into cackling laughter, and Twilight awkwardly cleared her throat and reached up to cover her muzzle as Marina and Styx both stared at them, and Sol Seraph slowly closed her eyes, looking pained, as Luna chortled: “Virgin! Virgin, yet! As if there is even an inch of my lovely princess I have not...”

And then Luna suddenly sat up straight, a wide grin on her face as the Red Messenger stared at her with horror and Ignominious simply stared when Luna declared: “Yes, that is right! Thy plan is foiled, fools, for I, Brynhild, Champion of Equestria, have ravaged Princess Morebucks in ways thou cannot even imagine! Her luscious and supple body has felt every inch of my mighty stallion's virility, her gorgeous and beautiful frame has been wracked and ravaged and-”

“Luna okay we get it thank you!” Scrivener shouted in a strangled voice, and River Styx rubbed slowly at his face as Marina blushed and lamely looked down at her front hooves, unable to believe that of all the stupid things-

“No, this cannot be possible! The Princess, the royal bloodline cannot have been sullied by the likes of you!” shouted the Red Messenger, as Ignominious simply sighed and glowered at Luna, clearly far less surprised as the other Red Messengers shouted and swore and almost visibly panicked. “The coming is nigh, and you... you have abused, molested our own hope, taken her virginity and-”

“And especially her buttocks.” Luna said with clear relish, waggling her eyebrows pointedly at the Red Messenger, who violently, visibly twitched.

“The time is now! We cannot stop what has already been begun!” shouted one of the other Messengers, and Luna frowned and looked sharply up as Ignominious shifted silently. “She is still of royal blood and heritage, and we can offer him Brynhild, too! Bring him to this world, the vessel is ready!”

“Yes. I am ready.” Ignominious said quietly, and Luna glared up at the stallion before she frowned silently when he leaned down towards her, his eyes locking with hers, speaking with her in a way he hadn't for a thousand years.

“We will fight thee. We will fight all of thee and whatever thou sends against us. I fear no monster, I fear no demon, not even one that masquerades beneath the face of a god.” Brynhild said coldly, even as the Red Messengers hurriedly began to withdraw towards the back of the stage, the unicorns all channeling their magic together, into some unknown, alien spell that made the others shiver, that made Twilight grimace and Marina and Styx both twitch-

“Stay.” Sol Seraph ordered, and River Styx gritted his teeth, but lowered his crossbow all the same as Marina only grimaced.

The Red Messengers wove their magic as Scrivener shifted beneath Ignominious' hoof, the stallion biting his lip before he shouted, falling into character for a moment: “Help me, Brynhild!”

“Now, stay calm, Princess Novella. Thou knows I shan't put thee in any danger I can't save thee from.” Luna smiled reassuringly, winking at the Princess before her eyes flicked to Ignominious, as she said in a quieter voice: “I shall save her from whatever I must.”

“I know. It makes me jealous.” Ignominious replied with the smallest of smiles, before he bowed his head silently to the mare, closing his eyes. “We all have our roles to play, Brynhild, but I hope you know that no matter what I did, no matter what the past is... we both wished many a time I could live up to being the stallion you wanted me to be.”

Luna smiled faintly, and oh, how it hurt. How it hurt, in spite of all the years that had passed, before she only calmly looked up as lightning thundered through the world, as the sanctuary shook with the force of the magic ripping through it. One of the Red Messengers laughed loudly, and then he pulled loose from the spell with some difficulty and stumbled away from the group to the edge of the stage, glaring down in fury as he roared: “Now! Now he comes, the Lord of All! Vessel, step forward, accept his holy presence into your body and... and...”

The Red Messenger faltered as Ignominious calmly removed a broken amulet and flung it to the ground in front of the Red Messenger, and the stallion mouthed wordlessly before he looked up and almost screamed: “What is this? What have you done?”

“I made my choice.” Ignominious said quietly, and then he grasped Scrivener by the back of the dress and flung him off the stage, Luna catching the stallion with a grunt as Ignominious said sharply: “Get the Princess to safety, and-”

“Oh shut up, Ignominious, as if I am going to let thou sacrifice thyself nobly to suck up all the credit.” Luna grumbled as she almost flung Scrivener aside, sending him to the ground with a thump on his face. “Hild, Loki, Morgan, free the hostages!”

Luna leapt upwards, flapping her wings once to launch herself onto the stage, and she scowled despite herself as Sol Seraph landed beside her a moment later like a ghost, the Pegasus saying coldly: “I am glad you were not stupid enough to try and give me an order, Brynhild.”

“I was doing my best to pretend thou had ceased to exist, volk.” Luna replied acidly, before she turned her eyes back forwards, towards the group of Red Messengers all gathered inside a magic circle, their horns glowing brightly as they uselessly tried to jerk themselves away from the energy that was building further and faster around their horns, dragging them slowly towards the center of the runic circle they had carved into the stage.

The Red Messenger who had pulled himself free from the circle before the draw of the magic had become too powerful glared hatefully at Brynhild, pointing at her and shouting: “This is your fault! You... you have corrupted the sacrifice and the vessel, and-”

Sol Seraph calmly stepped to the side and slammed a hoof up into the stallion's throat, the Red Messenger's eyes bulging before she tore hard to the side, her hidden blade ripping through the neck of the stallion and sending him flipping violently off the stage. Luna and Ignominious both stared at the Pegasus for a moment before the sapphire mare shouted in frustration: “Will thou at least let me respond to my enemies before thou goes and murders them?”

“No.” Sol Seraph said simply, and Luna ground her teeth together in frustration before the Pegasus pointed at the circle of unicorns, as a terrible, toxic energy began to waft up from the summoning circle, reality distorting around the ponies as they wailed and cried out as the magic and energy was drained from their bodies. “He is coming.”

“Aye, so I sense. The demon will be displeased.” Luna glanced over her shoulder, then frowned slightly: Marina and Twilight were hurriedly freeing as many of the prisoners as they could – although plenty of them were so drugged and addled they were barely able to shift on the bench, let alone flee – but River Styx was simply standing in front of the stage, his body tense, his eyes watching coldly and his crossbow squeezed tightly in his grip. “Styx, did I not say-”

“Leave him.” Sol Seraph said calmly, and Luna turned a cold look towards the Pegasus, who had a thin, callous smile on her muzzle. “His path is clear.”

“All paths can be changed.” Ignominious said quietly, before he turned her eyes forwards and added in a harder voice: “Brynhild, get ready! The demon is-”

Ignominious was cut off as the howls of the Red Messengers intensified for a moment, before there was a terrible flash, a sizzling, a reek like burnt hair, and Luna winced away and covered her face at a burst of awful, toxic heat-

And then, nothing. For a moment, everything was pitch-black, and Luna frowned uneasily before a voice whispered: “Clever. Senseless, without merit or logic... but clever, all the same, to make me a part of your insipid play. I suppose our collaboration is at an end then, Narrator.”

There was silence, and then reality filtered slowly back in, as thick, noxious smoke slowly cleared from the stage. And standing there, in the center of the ruined runic circle, with burnt corpses laying all around him, was Plutocrat.

Shadows swirled and twisted over the demon, keeping his alien body hidden from sight as Scrivener, Twilight, Marina, and Styx all joined the trio already on stage. The seven stood against the one, but Pluto's voice was sneering and fearless as he asked: “Why have you decided to turn against me now, Draconequus? Have you forgotten our deal? Do you think these trivial equines can stand against me?”

“Demon, we do not fear thee! Look upon us and know that the time of thy reckoning has come; ponies we may be, but what we fight for is freedom, and those whom we love!” Luna declared boldly as she stepped forwards, glaring at the shadowy entity.

“I shall not let the honor of my order be tarnished any further by the manipulations of devils posing as zealots and gods.” Ignominious added coldly, drawing his sword as it lit up with holy energies, his smile grim and confident. “Nor will I be used as a puppet in your plays, demon.”

“These manipulations will be ended. I do not care about the Draconequus or the ponies, but you must be eliminated if I am to be free.” Sol Seraph said calmly, her eyes locked on the devil.

River Styx rose his crossbow, his eyes locked on the devil, the demon, the target; Marina readied herself, gritting her teeth as she felt a mix of both her own natural powers and the strange magic of her character rolling through her, pushing back against the awful miasma this thing exuded. Twilight Sparkle rose her head high, horn glowing with energy, and Scrivener Blooms smiled wryly as he smoothed out his dress, but looked up gamely all the same.

Pluto surveyed them all slowly, and then he chuckled. His chuckle rose higher, becoming shriller giggles, then loud, cackling laughter as his head fell back, the smoky blackness that wafted around him becoming a swirling whirlwind as he screamed with mocking amusement.

The ponies held their ground, staying ready, refusing to be intimidated or provoked, until Pluto suddenly stopped, his unnaturally-long body leaning forwards, his arms hanging loosely as he growled: “And what makes you think you have not played right into my hands? I am not bound by the play, I am beyond its laws and rules. No matter what you think, I am still in charge here, and all of you are merely disobedient employees... who I am about to terminate.”

The devil simply pointed at Ignominious, and the stallion was blasted off his hooves, knocked sprawling in a broken, smoldering heap as his sword flew high into the air. Luna turned, her eyes widening in shock, staring with disbelief at the stallion as his sword glimmered high above their heads... then fell, spearing into the ground beside the disbelieving eyes of the Paladin, as his body shook and shivered weakly as the life faded rapidly from his form.

Luna slowly knelt beside the stallion, reaching down and silently touching his side, but Ignominious barely acknowledged her, shivering, shocked and broken by the cruel power and how wretched and casual the attack had been.

But then Luna leaned down, gently kissing the temple of the unicorn as the others stepped up around her protectively. She smiled at him faintly, then whispered into his ear: “Thou art the stallion I always knew thou could be.”

Ignominious smiled faintly, his body shivering weakly before his eyes slowly closed, and Luna took a slow breath before she straightened and calmly turned towards the devil. As she did so, she tore the Paladin's sword loose from the stage, floating at the ready alongside her own as she faced Pluto fearlessly, even as the devil said contemptibly: “Pathetic. He was just simulacrum. A toy. Spilt milk, that you cry uselessly over. But I will break you just as easily, pony, unless you submit.”

“He was memory. He was curse, and he was blessing. He was a vision, a passing dream, of the stallion I once loved and who that stallion could have been.” Luna replied calmly, and then she spun both her blades up to ready positions, her eyes locked on Plutocrat as she said in a colder voice: “And now, devil, prepare to face the reckoning thou hast brought upon thyself!”

“Pathetic.” Pluto said contemptibly, and then he simply gestured at Luna, a blast of energy ripping across the mare, making her flinch backwards as her armor was shredded, her features seared, her helmet torn from her skull...

But slowly, Luna smiled coldly as she straightened: her body gleamed where the blast had struck, and her features were bruised, but her eyes glowed with rage more than pain as Plutocrat's eyes widened and he whispered: “Treachery.”

“Nay, stupid fool.” Luna growled, as she bared her fangs in a grin. “Unlike Ignominious, I am not born of this world.”

Luna leapt suddenly forwards, slashing down with both swords, but Plutocrat flung himself backwards, landing near the rear wall. He began to turn, but Scrivener Blooms and Marina flanked him immediately, and the devil snarled as he spun the other way-

He found his way blocked by Styx and Twilight Sparkle, the devil hissing in frustration as the unicorn stallion rose his crossbow and said coldly: “You aren't getting away.”

Plutocrat looked slowly back and forth, hemmed in on all sides, with a solid wall behind him... before he slowly looked down at the burnt ring of runes that covered almost the entire stage, that he was still stuck in the edge of; that served more of a purpose than simply stage-ornament, but was a very real snare. And after a moment, he shook his head slowly in disgust as he said softly: “Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.”

“Pathetic!” agreed another, higher-pitched voice, and Luna frowned, rearing back slightly: it seemed to come from Plutocrat, but at the same time-

“Absolutely pathetic!” screeched a third voice, and Marina's jaw dropped and Styx swore under his breath, his eyes widening slightly, as two more sets of crimson eyes opened beneath the cloak of darkness covering Plutocrat: one was at stomach level, and the other just above where they had imagined his knees were...

Plutocrat shifted, then split apart into three darkly-smoldering shapes. Darkness and shadow bled off of them, slowly clearing, revealing not one single entity, but instead three goblinoid imps: they had large, bat-like ears, hunched backs and warped, long-limbed bodies, and rotund, pudgy bellies. The one standing in front of Luna had the longest arms, disproportionately-long and terribly thin, his gaunt claws flexing slowly as he said calmly: “Very well. If you insist on making this difficult... we will resort to cruder methods to terminate your contract.”

“Cut the chaff and make the grain, hungry for the profit!” hissed the second of the goblinoid devils: it was probably the best proportioned of the three, but all that meant was that instead of one set of limbs being too long, legs and arms were all equally too short.

“Liquidate!” screamed the last goblin, before it sprung forwards on its too-long, powerful legs, pouncing like a wildcat towards River Styx-

The stallion reacted on instinct, flinging himself backwards and firing a bolt at the smoldering goblin, but the creature vanished in a burst of smoke that the shot uselessly passed through. The other devils vanished as well, before Luna swore in frustration as the long-armed devil appeared on top of her, thin but steely limbs wrapping around her throat and claws seizing into her face and shoulders as it began to throttle the life out of her, hissing in her ear: “There will always be more cast members.”

The long-legged Pluto imp appeared above Scrivener Blooms, slamming both its large, clawed feet into his face and knocking him flat with a cackle, as the squat goblin dropped out of thin air into River Styx's stomach: crude, comical, and horribly effective, as Styx coughed blood as the wind was knocked out of him.

Marina slashed her horn towards the goblin close to her, but it vanished in a burst of smoke before reappearing on top of her, seizing into her mane and making her scream and buck back and forth as it yanked her head savagely back and forth, fangs bared in a cruel grin. Twilight blasted the other imp off of Styx, but the squat creature rolled to its feet and skidded to a stop before barreling straight at her, the mare's eyes widening before the goblin lunged and opened its fanged jaws wide to deal a lethal bite to her throat-

Styx felt Loki take over, the stallion kicking both rear legs hard upwards as he shoved himself off the ground with front hooves: his kick speared into the boulder-shaped goblin in midair, knocking it whizzing off course with a squeal to slam into the back wall of the stage.

But it vanished before it could even peel free from the wall, along with the other goblins: the tall, gangly form of Pluto reappeared a moment later in the center of the room, and standing on top of each other, smoldering with shadows, the trio once more resembled one terrible devil as the long-armed master imp hissed: “I rule this dimension, and you are all nothing but pawns, caught in the web of a miserable lie!”

Dark energy crackled over the goblins, black magic channeling through all three devils as one before dark holes ripped open in reality, vomiting out ponies who were steaming with dark energies. They turned their dead, hollow eyes towards the group, moaning and stretching out towards them, and Luna grimaced as instinct nipped at her brain, as knowledge that came from both within and without made her shout: “Strike the archer, not the arrows!”

Twilight grimaced and snapped her horn sharply out, blasting several of the possessed ponies flying with a telekinetic hammer, but then she gasped in shock as her body burst into black flames, as Pluto ordered coldly: “Write her character out of existence, Narrator. You have no choice but to obey.”

Twilight writhed back and forth, crying out in agony as her body burned with hellish black fire that steadily consumed the trappings of her cloak, that ate ruthlessly away at the trappings of her costume, mercilessly erasing the character known as Morgan from the play. The pain of it sent Twilight spilling forwards, gasping as tears ran from her eyes, but even as her body steamed and ached, even as Styx ran up to her side, driving back the possessed ponies shambling eagerly towards the easy prey, she gritted her teeth, and focused.

Morgan was gone, but Twilight Sparkle remained, shoving herself to her hooves as her mane exploded into black flames and her eyes glowed with the ferocity of hellfire, as-

“Stop playing games, Narrator, or I will rip your feeble-” Distracted as he was, Pluto failed to notice until too late the specter of Sol Seraph appearing like a ghost in front of him, the Pegasus slamming both rear hooves in a savage double-kick into the ugly, hideous, stupid goblin in the center of the amalgamated devil, and knocking it flying loose from the tower of demonic imps, the other goblins spilling to the ground with howls of shock as a shockwave of unfocused black magic ripped through the air.

Sol Seraph was sent flying, but the puppeted, possessed ponies and the rifts in reality they had emerged from vanished in whiffs of smoke, and Luna snarled as she immediately charged forwards towards the long-armed goblin. She punted it into the air before it could react, then she slammed a savage volley of blows from her front hooves into Pluto's goblinoid face, driving him steadily upwards with the force of her strikes before she spun around and viciously drove a double kick into his stomach as they reached the ceiling, pinning him to the roof with an audible crunch as the goblin gargled in shock.

He vanished in a burst of smoke and black blood as the other goblin-imps wailed and grabbed at their heads, clearly feeling the agony of their lord and master. And without hesitation, River Styx rose his crossbow and fired a bolt at the short goblin, accelerating it with wind magic-

The bolt tore through the short goblin's head in a burst of black ooze, and the imp stumbled backwards with a moment of stunned surprise before it simply dissolved into smog and dark-colored slop that splattered over the ground. And all of reality shook with the wail of despair and anguish and rage that ripped through the air, River Styx staggering backwards with a snarl before he clenched his eyes shut and grasped at his head as Loki's voice whispered: “Don't leave me, brother.”

The long-legged goblin vanished, and reality continued to shiver for a few moments before Pluto's voice snarled: “I will not allow this indignity to pass!”

Reality twisted around them, the walls of the sanctuary cracking with the force of the dark power that ripped through it as black ooze began to spill down from above, trapping the stage within curtains of sludge. The ponies stumbled as the stage began to shake beneath them, before Luna rose her head and her swords as she shouted: “To me, all of thee! Stand together, stand firm!”

The others stumbled their way towards Luna, forming a tight cordon even as the world shook around them, and Marina gritted her teeth, fighting to maintain her magical cohesion over her body as she blurted out: “He has to be close by! I can still feel him, he's-”

“Shut up, little girl!” hissed Pluto, and the two remaining goblins appeared on either side of her, seizing into the mare and making her scream as chocolate began to run in thick streams from her body, rapidly losing solidity as Pluto sneered: “Yes, bound together by chaos, what a pity that-

Luna lunged, but to her shock, one of the streams of chocolate slashed upwards like a living tentacle, slapping her backwards and knocking the weapons out of her grip as Pluto hissed: “Unconventional, perhaps, but this stage-mare will do for the moment, until I can harvest the Narrator's kin.”

Twilight Sparkle leapt forwards, her body seeming to ripple strangely, and Marina cried out, tried to shout some warning even as she felt the chocolate bleeding off her body morphing and transforming, a leg jerkily raising as it sprouted wicked claws that slashed through Twilight's face as Marina clenched her eyes shut, not wanting to see what this monster had made her do-

And then she felt the pull on her release, the chocolate mare staggering to the side with a squelch before she toppled, gasping and landing in a half-melted pile. Yet all the same, she was still coherent enough to look up, to hear Plutocrat screaming before there was a terrible explosion of brack and gore.

Only the long-armed goblin was left, and the dark energies were fading from its body as it stumbled backwards, shaking its head mutely as Twilight Sparkle looked at him. For a moment, he saw something else, something that sent him toppling back on his rear as he whispered: “That is not possible. Why would they bring her into this?”

“I'm only me.” Twilight said quietly, as the black gunk around them hardened, as the stage settled... but as she slowly straightened, powerful, black-edged wings furled tightly at her side, and crimson runes flared to life around her cutie mark. “This play is over.”

“Aye, it is.” Luna said calmly as she joined the mare, grinning widely. And Marina felt a strange, comforting chill pass through her body, before a gentle hoof grasped her and helped her roll onto her side, now free of the costume, her chocolate body rapidly pulling itself back together. “And now, Plutocrat, we shall know the truth of what has happened here.”

She smiled up at Scrivener Blooms, then looked over at River Styx, who was standing quietly by himself, only looking slowly down at one of his own hooves. His battered Royal Guard armor was back in place over his body, and the unicorn stallion shifted uneasily before he closed his eyes and muttered: “Stupid. All of this was stupid.”

“Not all of it.” Marina said softly, as she pushed herself carefully up to her hooves. She smiled at him, and he hesitantly smiled back before she beckoned to him. “Come on. Let's finish this together. We still have to figure out-”

She didn't get a chance to finish, as Sol Seraph dropped on top of Plutocrat from behind and slammed her hidden blade through the back of his neck. The devil imp had a moment to gape in horror and disbelief before he trembled once, then slowly began to dissolve, and Luna stared in horror before Twilight shouted: “What have you done?”

“You would hesitate to do what needs to be done. But I will not.” Sol Seraph said softly, looking coldly up as she shoved the corpse away as it collapsed into dark ashes. “There are still more to kill. The Draconequus were tools of the devil, but they must also die. They are also the enemy. They betrayed him: they will betray us, too, because they fear, above all else... being alone.”

“What are you talking about? The damned imp was left feeble, powerless! Now we can get no information, now we have no answers! I desired knowledge!”

“You desired trivia.” Sol Seraph responded icily, and then she straightened calmly before she frowned as a strange chuckling started to fill the air.

The soft laughter came from all directions, from a thousand-thousand voices, before whispers came to them: whispers that made the ponies flinch and quake, whispers that filled their minds like grating metal, as the voices said: “The parasite, the parasite, kept the sickness at bay. The parasite is now shed from the body, but the sickness returns. The sickness is coming. Haven't you figured it out yet, haven't you figured it out?”

“You morons!” shouted another voice, and a moment later, the Director appeared out of thin air, skidding to a halt in front of them before he gestured desperately at the narrowest of gaps that had appeared in the curtain of sludge, which was... were those eyes, countless eyes, all opening in the slime? “We have to go! There's no time to explain, but have I ever led you wrong?”

“Don't trust him! Come with us!” shouted another voice, and Twilight's eyes widened and Styx's breath caught in his throat as the group saw, over their shoulders, ponies: the foal Shining Armor, and Styx's brother, his little brother...

“We're running out of time! We have to go, come with me and I'll give you all the answers that-” The Director was cut off with a squeak as a claw suddenly stretched out and made a wild grab at him from the sludge, the dragon-tailed pony looking desperately over his shoulder at the now slowly-closing wound in the slime.

“I can't leave him behind.” River Styx said weakly, and he turned towards his brother, knowing that even if it was a trick, even if it was a trap... he had no choice.

He ran towards him, and Marina shouted at Styx before she winced when Luna grabbed her, even as the sapphire mare shot a look at Twilight. And without hesitation, Twilight turned to run after Styx, as Scrivener and Sol Seraph joined Luna and Marina, as they ran towards the Director, who was scrambling for the hole in the slime.

Yet all the same, even as they began to pass through the curtain of sludge, Marina couldn't stop herself from looking back... but all she saw was an empty stage being consumed by living darkness filled with a thousand eyes.

And as she turned back ahead, as she felt invisible claws grabbing at her, she heard the whispers again, the countless voices that all spoke as one, slipping into her mind, both thrilling and terrifying her with their promise:

We shall never let you go.

Strings

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Chapter Twelve: Strings
~BlackRoseRaven

“Idiots. Idiots!” groaned the Director, as he stalked back and forth, grabbing at his face. His frustration, however, was obviously nothing more than a mask for the terror that was running through his quaking body, fearfully scrubbing at his face and whimpering every now and then as he paced continuously through the dusty, dim storeroom he had crammed them all into.

Luna grumbled under her breath as she awkwardly banged against a crate, shifting lamely back and forth as Scrivener Blooms sat awkwardly on an overturned bucket in his tattered dress, and Marina grimaced a bit as she looked around the overcrowded room, asking uncertainly: “So what... should we do?”

The Director looked stumped by this question, and Luna snorted before she grumbled: “Aye, just as I thought. Thou might whine and complain, but we, at least, did what we could. And if thou desires for us to cooperate, thou will cease all this dancing around the truth of why we are here, and tell us what this play truly represents.”

The Director shifted uneasily, nervously chewing on his front hooves for a few moments before he hesitantly nodded, then he mumbled: “Okay. Karl and the Critic and his assistant are keeping the... bad thing busy for now, so... I suppose there's a little bit of time for exposition.”

The dragon-tailed pony looked nervously back and forth as his tail switched uneasily from side-to-side, and then he sat back and brushed at himself quickly before Sol Seraph asked coldly: “How do we kill it?”

The Director creakily turned towards the Pegasus, who was perched in one corner of the room on a box, nearly invisible in the darkness in spite of her bright coat. Luna turned a sour look towards the mare, and then she said grumpily: “If thou kills this one before I get my answers, Sol Seraph...”

“That would be a waste. He serves better as bait.” Sol Seraph said contemptibly, and then she shook her head slowly before her eyes slowly roved over the Director, studying him for a few moments. “Talk, as your kind likes to do.”

The Draconequus nervously tugged at the collar of his silk shirt, but then he sighed and looked away, mumbling: “What my kind likes to do is live, that's what we like to do. Live, far away from all the pain and malice of the world, live in our own little pocket of freedom, our own little...”

He realized that all the ponies in the room were currently glowering at him;well, all except for Scrivener Blooms, who simply rested his face in his front hooves as he said dryly: “Hey, ramble away. For were the birds not meant to sing, so that all the forest could be a-full of their prattle?”

The Director scowled at him, and then Luna slowly leaned towards Scrivener and said pointedly: “Thou art going to wear thy vestments until we know, for certain, that they have no more use.”

“Luna, what use could a dress possibly have on me?” Scrivener asked disbelievingly, and then he winced away from the leer and wide grin that Luna gave him as she leaned in close. “Oh please don't.”

Luna opened her mouth, but the Director simply cleared his throat loudly before he began grumpily: “I always knew it was a terrible idea to recruit 'actors.' Look at you, unable to control yourselves, and how are the Draconequus supposed to puppet anything? We're idiots. We're chaos. Chaos is no great conductor of anything, except for more chaos...”

He quieted, lowering his head slightly as he rubbed his hooves together slowly. “Chaos has no rules, no boundaries, no laws... but squaring that with what we are is very difficult at times. We, after all, obviously have limitations: we are not infinite. In our own minds, perhaps we are, but... in reality, we are far from what we all wish we could be...”

The Director licked his lips, and then he shook his head before mumbling: “We never wanted to hurt anyone, but we would get so lonely. Every now and then, guests would stumble upon us or we would invite them in, and we'd have a wonderful time! Perhaps sometimes we were a little... unpleasant, but we all have our roles to play, you know. And chaos is many different things but it's never quite the same, never ever quite what it was before.”

The Director scrubbed at his face with a hoof, and then he shook his head again before he scowled when Luna remarked: “Thou sounds more like elves to me than Draconequuses. Draconequui. Whatever thou calls thyselves.”

“Intelligent, unlike you.” the Director muttered, and then he shook his head slowly. “Too smart for our own good, really. It was a brilliant idea, you know! We thought we had a way to... make our chaos marketable. To do good, really, even though we were being terribly selfish, with our want for contact, for an audience, for...”

He fell quiet, then sighed a little before his eyes nervously roved over the ponies, shifting beneath their intent and impatient gazes. “Yes, I know, I'm getting to it. Let me build up a little, will you? I'm the Director, not the... Actor. I never get to monologue, I never get to have my time in the spotlight. Let me pretend, for just a little while, that... people actually care what I have to say.”

“Figureheads are but totems of false importance and prompted respect: their proud pride is but vapors, to be sacrificed at the first ill wind.” Scrivener intoned wryly, and the Director scowled at him. “Don't blame me. Blame Horsemund.”

The Director rolled his eyes, and then he sat back and said moodily: “You're terrible, but you're also terribly apt. I don't matter, no. In fact, none of us really matter. We're all just smoke and mirrors, the play is nothing but a distraction... and such a good distraction, that we actually fell for it ourselves, can you imagine that?

“Our cavorting, our invitations, attracted a Producer: he had the power and the skills necessary to bring new actors, new players to the game, but... we should have seen where things were headed. We should have realized he was no patron of the arts, but an artless, heartless businessman.” The Director laughed faintly, shaking his head slowly. “And like all businessmen, he was out simply to make a quick buck off our hard work... and with his share of the profits, he would build a bigger and bigger mousetrap.

“A devil like him feeds off the emotional energies, the toil and the pain of others. We didn't realize what he was doing until it was too late, making our beautiful play into something... something it was never meant to be.” The Director shook his head slowly, then he muttered: “Although I suppose we deserve no better than we got, really. In a very real way, we crafted our own demise.”

“Thou art just speaking in circles now. If Plutocrat was such a wretch, why did thou and thy kind not eject him on his rump, and why does it seem like now, with his death, this world has started to fall into disarray?”

“Because of the Redacted, of course.” the Director murmured, even as his breath came out as white mist at the word, as a terrible cold passed through the air with the thought alone of that wretched thing, that thing which must not be named. “Oh, Narrator, I know, I know. But there's not really any running away, any escaping it anymore, now is there? We might as well speak the damn thing's name. If I'm going to die, I don't want to die on my knees, the way I lived. I want to die on my hooves. A real stallion. Not just a pretender. Not just a piece of make-believe.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Scrivener Blooms said slowly: “Pluto brought the creature. And without Pluto... it's out of control?”

“Close enough. Close enough. I think, really, it was always here, slithering around, drinking down the ichor left behind whenever a performance went badly. But Pluto certainly made it stronger, realized it was something he could use to pull our strings. Eventually, what it became was...” The Director halted, then shook his head slowly. “It's everything we're not.”

“And now 'tis loose, without the master to hold its leash. Because a devil has powers that a Draconequus does not.” Luna said slowly, and the Director gave a wry smile as he reached up and tapped his own nose gently.

“Plutocrat was the only one who could control the Redacted, yes.” The Director shook his head briefly again. “I suppose it has something to do with him being the hand that fed it. But now there's nothing to hold the Redacted back. The Redacted became the weapon that Pluto used to make us put on plays, to make us...gather more and more souls. To force us to keep them prisoner here, instead of ever sending them back home. To make us obey, even though he was always supposed to be the silent partner, the provider who got the scraps at first, but... what machineries of joy he has made from those dregs and decay!”

The Director flopped back in his seat, rubbing slowly at his face before he said tiredly: “And now here we are. The play is over, ad finitum. Forever, I think: once the Redacted was just a rat we could kick out of the way whenever it got too excited, now it's become...”

“I would ask why you never noticed that the beast was being fed, but I think I already know the answer.” Sol Seraph said distastefully, looking contemptibly down at the Director, who scowled in return... but his eyes were unable to stay steady on hers, shifting awkwardly back and forth. “Cocky enough to make a deal with a devil. Stupid enough not to tell us the whole truth.”

“Not cocky, lonely. And he offered such gifts, he offered so much and we... well, we're a very gullible sort when it comes to things that fulfill our desires. The Critic, well, he was always critical, but... he was always critical: he is the Critic, after all.” argued the Director, before he looked up uneasily as the world rattled around them, the other ponies shivering as the air dropped several degrees, all of them now able to see their breath whispering in and out.

“That is why thou chose us.” Luna said quietly, and the Director smiled feebly as the sapphire mare became suddenly serious, looking coldly at the Director. “And Styx and Marina... I assume they have their parts to play to, do they not?”

Marina frowned uneasily as she looked up, and the Director laughed briefly before he looked away and mumbled: “Certainly not in case you failed, my dear. Chaos is governed by very stubborn rules, after all. But we needed a full cast, you know, and you were such appetizing targets, and we knew we could get you to play along for long enough that-”

The world shook, and the Director paled as he looked up, grasping at his face before he whispered: “But now it's all gone wrong. We forgot about the outsiders. We forgot about the audience, and their whims! We forgot that-”

The Director yelped as psychic static tore across their minds, and Sol Seraph smiled thinly, looking up fearlessly as she said coldly: “Everything that lives, dies.”

“Aye, volk. Let us just hope that today is not our day to pay that price.” Luna growled, readying herself as the static grew worse, and cruel whispers filled the cold air. And as the Director cowered back, the ponies faced the door to the storeroom, drawing on all the reserves they could even as the chill in the air and the malevolent whispers in their mind sought to drain them of life and strength and end the battle before it could even begin.

River Styx didn't know what had happened. He simply woke up, in a dusty alley that reeked of garbage and decay. He pushed himself slowly to his hooves, before he frowned as a voice asked: “Are you alright there, Styx?”

“Who are...” Styx looked at the pony who was standing across from him: smiling, tall, with a scarf around his neck, a hat jauntily resting on one side of his head, a long traveler's cloak covering his body, and yet that face... “You're... Loki.”

A debonair stallion who looked both everything and nothing like River Styx smiled: the same features, the same color eyes, the same complexion and coat and mane... but there was such a light in him. Such a cheery, talkative openness. “Yes, Styxie, yes. Now come on, we have to go find Stones.”

“Stones.” His little brother. Was he here?

Styx shoved himself up to his hooves, scowling at Loki before he said coldly: “I'm done playing games. I am going to take my brother and leave.”

“Because before, that was you being patient, right?” Loki said mildly, gesturing pointedly with one hoof before he winked and reached up to tap Styx on the nose, making him scowl and wrinkle up his muzzle. “Look, you're a smart colt, Styx. I just said we have to go find Stones. Think for a moment with that brain I know you have up there. What do you get by threatening me?”

He was cajoling, charming... and right, Styx had to grudgingly admit. So after a moment, he simply nodded once before he scowled at Loki, but Loki only smiled cheerfully back at him before he turned and strode out of the alley, asking over his shoulder: “Do you recognize where we are?”

River Styx looked back and forth briefly, and then he licked his lips slowly for a moment before he said, as much as he loathed the name: “Charnel Crossing.”

“That's right.” Loki winked and tipped his hat towards Styx as the two walked to the center of the dusty crossroads: the only thing that was different from Styx's memories of this place was the lack of ponies: there were no beggars or urchins, and no careless ponies to stomp over them. But the ramshackle stalls were the same, the half-crumbled visages of leaning and tottering old buildings were the same, from the fortress of the Channel Orphanage to the ruins of the halfway house that leaned as ominously as the drunkards that had filled its halls.

River Styx breathed slowly through his mouth as Loki gestured towards the Orphanage, saying wryly: “Isn't it amazing? In better days, they said that Channel Crossing was one of the most popular places here in the city. Now we have to wonder whether or not Channel Crossing ever actually had better days, or if that's all a make-believe fairy tale, just nonsense, like-”

“He can't be in the Charnel House. I did everything I could to keep him out of there. Foals died in that place, it was like a prison.” River Styx said sharply, looking over at Loki with both frustration and fear. It didn't matter that he had seen his brother, fully-grown, strong and a soldier... that place represented death. And even if he felt... sick, and like there was a poison inside him, and like he wasn't entirely in control of his own actions, Styx was still coherent enough to understand that these visions, these memories, whatever they were... “We have to rescue him.”

“And we will, Styxie, but don't get ahead of yourself. Or do you really want to go in there, hooves up and magic blazing, and excite whatever's holding him hostage?” Loki pointed out, and Styx hesitated in the middle of the road before the stallion said in a softer voice: “Don't forget that this may be some fantasy, but there are still rules. You and I can die.”

“The play is supposed to be over. We finished it. We killed the devil pulling the strings.” Styx said coldly, glaring over at Loki.

But Loki only smiled, reaching up to touch his own nose gently. “You're preaching to the choir, Styxie. But the original world here wasn't created by the devil, I'll have you know. Nor was it shaped by those silly things you call Draconequus. It belonged to someone else before everyone moved in, but... that's another story, for another time. Look, there.”

Styx turned, and his eyes widened slightly as they locked on a window above and he saw a shape move in it. But more than that, he saw something blowing in the faint wind, tied to one of the loose shutters...

River Styx reached up to touch his throat as he looked over at Loki, who smiled as he reached up and gently tugged at his own scarf. “I always kept mine. It was the only thing we had left of-”

“Don't you say it. Don't you dare say it.” River Styx breathed, and Loki only continued to smile at him, until Styx gritted his teeth and turned his eyes back towards the orphanage, muttering: “Alright then, my... conscience, or my shadow, or whatever you are. Let's go. And don't try anything stupid.”

“Shadows aren't always as dark as the things they're cast from, Styx.” Loki replied calmly, and Styx shot the stallion a curdling glare before he turned ahead, but then ground his teeth together in frustration when Loki tut-tutted and said mildly: “I thought we went over this, though. We can't go in through the front door.”

Styx closed his eyes and took a slow breath to steady himself, before he frowned as Loki asked: “Do you remember how you snuck out?”

“I...” Styx stopped, then he nodded once before he headed quickly around to the side of the building. He halted just around the corner as a movement caught his eye, quickly hunching back into the shadows cast by the leaning patio, and he watched uncertainly as a strange, pony-like shape stuck its head out the window... but it looked like it was composed of viscous shadow, with eyes like spotlights...

It drew back after a moment, vanishing into the darkness inside the house, and Styx felt a chill run down his spine as Loki leaned in close beside him and whispered: “Late last night, and the night before...”

“Tommyknockers, tommyknockers, knocking at my door. I know. Shut up.” River Styx muttered, and then he carefully made his way down the dirty alleyway between the wall of the house and the rickety fence, stepping over any cans or loose gravel in his way and sticking close to the wall of the house. “This won't work.”

“Sure it will! Have a little faith, Styxie.” half-scolded and half-encouraged the stallion behind him, who seemed to lead him forwards even as he followed behind.

They reached the back of the house after a moment, and Styx took a quick look over the weedy lot: it was filled with debris and ancient, splintering playsets made of warty and knotted wood, and there was a stink here, a stink like... alcohol, and cigarettes, and something else. But he ignored it, as he turned his eyes towards the porch that was slowly pulling itself away from the rear of the building, ducking under the ramshackle stairs and making his way to a boarded-up window.

He grasped the side of it, and one of the boards slid out of place with a hiss, a few loose nails falling with faint tings to the concrete floor of the basement beyond. Styx stuck his head in, then swore under his breath as his armor scraped with a dull wail against the edge of the window, and Loki gestured wildly at him, shushing him violently as Styx only glared balefully at the... annoyance. “You're making more noise than me.”

Loki shoved a hoof against Styx's lips, silencing him, before he gestured quickly at the hole with his eyes as he said: “You'll have to take off your armor if you want to get through there.”

For some reason, it made Styx hesitate, as he shifted backwards: was that the training? Or was it something else, some other feeling in his gut, something...

But no, he couldn't hesitate. He had promised that he wouldn't hesitate when it came to saving his brother. He would do whatever it was that had to be done.

Styx pulled off his armor, and there was no reluctance as he tossed it aside, breathing quietly in and out as he stood for a moment, looking down at himself. He felt a strange pain roll through his body as he looked at one of his hooves: no armor, and no friend to guide him. Just this strange stranger, Loki, who was smiling at him as his eyes glittered a little too brightly...

“Good. In you go.” Loki invited, and Styx knew that he had made a mistake.

And he also knew that at this point, there was no turning back.

River Styx turned, and entered the darkness waiting beyond the window, and Loki followed.

“Catch me, Twilight!”

Shining Armor sang the words as he ran through the dusty hallway. Twilight leaned forwards, opening her mouth, almost shouting after the foal... but then she caught herself, as she slowly straightened and strode towards the center of the rickety entrance hall instead, looking slowly back and forth.

“Come out.” Twilight said softly, and the wooden room around her seemed to pulsate and breathe like a living thing, the floor rippling, the ceiling rumbling, the dusty glass in the windows vibrating faintly. “I know you can hear me. I know you're there. And I think I know what you are now. Something that frightens Draconequus, but a devil – even a weak one, a greedy one, like Plutocrat – can control with impunity, and make strong... but always keep on a leash. Because that's what he treated you like, wasn't it? A pet. An animal.”

The wooden walls vibrated with unhidden rage, and the world shook around her, but Twilight remained firm and steady on her hooves, shaking her head slowly as she said softly: “I don't think that's what you are. I don't want to do that to you.”

The shaking quieted slowly, as if the presence controlling this whole nightmare world was surprised out of its rage. But Twilight only smiled, looking up as she said gently: “Come out.”

Whispers assaulted her mind for a moment, and psychic static fizzled through the air, bit and scratched at her emotions, but the violet mare simply closed her eyes for a moment and took a breath as she concentrated her magic. An aura surrounded her body, shielding her from the effects of the presence, and the whispers went from a million wild and accusing and paranoid voices to something suddenly coherent: “Can she see us? Can she see us?”

“She can hear us! She can hear us!” said another voice fearfully, and Twilight looked back and forth, but those presences were still invisible and intangible. Those presences... no, it was speaking in different voices, but really there was only one creature, one entity, one force behind all this...

But that had been the truth all along, hadn't it? Emotions, though... every emotion has a way of becoming something new, taking on its own life...

Twilight Sparkle smiled faintly, looking up as she said softly: “A play, within a play, within a play. But at the heart of it all...”

Yes, she had figured out the truth of the matter. But as she gazed back and forth, she had yet to realize that knowing the truth didn't change the facts: that even if there was only one beating heart at the core of it all, there were still a thousand different reaching hands, all acting in their own interest, all hiding behind their own masks: that these false faces had all become as alive and real as the beings they had only meant to represent...

Twilight shook her head slowly, and then Shining Armor's voice came, faint and hopeful and afraid all at once: “Please, Twilight... won't you save me? Won't you play with me?”

Twilight Sparkle looked up in the direction the voice had come from, and then she sighed a little before she said gently, as her eyes roved up the rickety stairs to the second floor: “We can't play forever.”

“I don't want to play forever. I just want a little more time, just a little more time.” whispered Shining Armor's voice. “Come play with me. The play is over and now it's playtime, don't you see? Then you can go. Then you can go back home. We'll take care of things. Everything's fine.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes slightly at this, shifting uncertainly before she hesitantly strode to the stairs. She silently rested a hoof against the bottom riser, looking up through the dusty hall, careful to keep herself insulated beneath her magic as she felt that psychic static trying to press in on her from all sides, and heard the voices whispering to her mind: they were much quieter now, but they were still whispering, whispering away.

She climbed the stairs, then looked back and forth in surprise as the hall suddenly came to life with the noise of ponies and foals, the mare looking back and forth and catching glimpses of perhaps dozens of others as she stumbled to the landing and nearly lost her concentration-

And she was alone again. The world was empty again, except for her, standing here on the dusty landing in a building where there hadn't been life for what felt like centuries. Twilight breathed slowly in and out, before she fortified her magic as she looked up towards the ceiling and said: “You have to give those lives back.”

But some things, of course, could not simply be 'given back,' and that is the sad and bitter truth. And isn't it better this way? The Redacted would have devoured them, torn them apart, left them with truly, as truly, nothing. But here, at least, these souls live on with us, as part of the play: not ghosts, not real, but a little bit of both and neither all at once, eternally happy, eternally able to contribute their memories, their emotions, their... love...

Twilight Sparkle smiled faintly, then she shook her head slowly as she turned and walked down the hall. She found Shining Armor sitting at the end of the corridor, smiling warmly up at her as he hugged a doll of Princess Celestia against his chest, saying brightly: “Now we can play!”

Twilight studied the foal for a few moments, and then she said softly: “I was an only child, growing up, you know.”

Shining Armor stiffened at this, looking up at Twilight as his face fell, and the violet mare shook her head before she leaned forwards and encouraged: “Why don't we leave this place? You and I, together. We can still have fun, but later: right now, we don't have time for play. I need you to let me leave. And you should come with me.”

Shining Armor shifted back and forth on the ground, hugging the Princess Celestia doll tightly against his body before he suddenly looked up, his eyes blazing with anger. “No! Don't you understand? What about our time, what about what I want?”

The world shook around them, and Twilight Sparkle stumbled as the floor rippled and cracked beneath her. She was nearly thrown off her hooves, but she managed to catch herself before she winced in surprise when the Princess Celestia doll bounced off her head.

Shining Armor bolted past her, and Twilight spun around and chased after him: the foal was both fast and unaffected by the rumbling of reality around them, letting him keep ahead as she staggered and stumbled over the uneven, quaking flooring and the ruptured wood. He leapt into a narrow stairwell, and Twilight gritted her teeth as the stairs broke away behind the foal as he ran up them. She thought about trying to fly, but that wasn't possible with the shaking, closing walls...

Twilight swore under her breath, then she carefully began to climb the broken stairs almost like a ladder, one snapped rung at a time. She made her way up little by little after the foal before her eyes widened as the door at the top of the stairs suddenly slammed closed, and the walls around her shook violently before they slammed savagely together around her like a trap.

For a few moments, there was nothing, and Shining Armor simply trembled in the corridor as he stared at the closed door, whispering: “N-No. I didn't want... you weren't supposed to do that, y-you weren't! Why did you do that?”

The world shivered around the foal before it slowly settled, cracked and damaged boards returning gradually to normal. But Shining Armor only trembled, rubbing at his face slowly as his eyes filled with tears, staring at the door as he said weakly: “I didn't want to hurt anypony, honest...”

Sometimes, however, things had to be done, things simply took a turn that we did not want. Desire is selfish, and short-sighted: it only sees what must be done at the moment to achieve its ends, but too often, it is manipulated, led astray, blinded by-

“You talk too much.” mumbled a voice, and Shining Armor's eyes widened before the door at the top of the stairs was roughly shouldered open, and Twilight stumbled out, looking little the worse for wear. She scowled at Shining Armor, but Shining Armor looked up at her with a relieved, bright smile before he winced and flushed, lowering his head in shame as Twilight said firmly: “This is not a game. Now you need to stop, and you need to come with me.”

“I... okay. I'm sorry.” Shining Armor mumbled, scraping a hoof at the ground before he looked up and said: “But I was just doing what they told me to! And I just wanted to play... and you wouldn't-”

As Shining grew more agitated, the house began to rumble around them again, but Twilight simply stepped forwards and placed her hoof on Shining's mouth, silencing him and making him look dumbly down at the hoof over his mouth before Twilight suddenly leaned down and kissed his forehead. The foal blushed deeply, and Twilight smiled as her hoof slipped to his chin to tilt his head up, saying gently: “I know. That's why I want to get you out of here.”

“But we can't leave yet!” Shining Armor said quickly, and Twilight frowned and tilted her head before the foal gestured quickly down the dusty corridor, towards the only door that was open at the end of the rickety hall. “Mister Pebbles is in there, and he said he wanted to come with us! And some friends, too!”

“Right.” Twilight said slowly, and then she hesitated for a moment before she nodded, asking quietly: “Shining Armor, do you know where River Styx is?”

Shining Armor only shook his head, then he held his hooves up towards Twilight pointedly. Twilight looked back at him for a few moments, thought about telling the foal to use his words... and then realized how inane and insane that would be at a time like now, as she instead simply flicked her horn to lift the foal onto her back.

He clung to her happily as she made her way down the hall, and keeping him happy seemed to make the world less hostile, some of the cracks in the walls vanishing, the warps in the floorboards settling beneath her hooves as she made her way slowly down the corridor. “Oh, I don't know! All I want is to play, though, and to be part of the adventure... but they always say a little foal like me has no place in any 'adventures,' but I think that's just silly. This is all just training for when I'm a Royal Guard one day!”

Twilight couldn't help but smile briefly at this, shaking her head before she leaned hesitantly around the corner of the doorway into the room beyond. She frowned slightly as she looked into a dusty bedroom beyond, her eyes narrowing a bit before she asked in surprise: “Aren't you Styx's brother?”

The stallion looked up at her with a smile, and then he nodded once as Shining Armor hopped off Twilight and ran quickly over to the stallion, skidding to a halt beside him as the foal said brightly: “This is Mister Pebbles!”

“That's not my name, kid.” the stallion said awkwardly, and then he turned his eyes back up to Twilight, adding: “Yes. Thank you for helping me. Hopefully we can all escape here together, now... but we should wait for my brother. My brother is coming, I can feel it.”

Twilight was quiet for a moment, and then she said softly: “It's... insidious. Because you forget, because you can't help interacting with them, because you look at these ponies, and see ponies... not what they really are. Even I keep doing it, even though I know...”

Both the foal and the stallion frowned at her, but Twilight only shook her head as she sighed a little, stepping forwards to begin: “Look, we're not going to get anywhere doing this. And this is dangerous. There's so many fragments that I can't tell-”

“Uh oh. I'm sorry I have to do this.” Styx's brother interrupted with a wince, twitching as he looked up as if he had just been given an order by something, and then he suddenly gave a blood-curdling scream before he dropped on his side as Shining Armor yelped and turned in shock towards 'Mr. Pebbles' with shock, and Twilight gaped as the stallion began to writhe on the ground in faked agony. “Styx! Help! Help me!”

Twilight mouthed wordlessly as she stepped forwards, before she gasped as a blast of wind hammered into her side and knocked her skidding towards the wall. She turned, right into a savage punch from River Styx as his brother wailed and Shining Armor shouted and another voice... laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

Twilight recovered faster than Styx had expected her to, ducking under another swipe of a hoof before her eyes narrowed as she felt the magic before Styx could unleash it. Immediately, she flicked her own horn sharply up, and Styx reared back, his mouth falling open as a painful numbness sparked through his spire before he was blasted backwards into a wall by a powerful surge of telekinesis.

His skull smashed against a stud in the wall, and he collapsed on his stomach with a groan, knocked senseless for a moment. He reeled as he tried to pick himself up, but he was sharp enough to know the Shadow Pony was beside him again-

He kicked out with both hind legs, but the creature caught him by the rear hooves and then neatly spun him over and slammed him down on his back, the unicorn's eyes widening in shock as a familiar voice muttered from the shadow's mouth: “You're lucky I'm not Luna.”

“Twilight?” River Styx asked disbelievingly, and the shadows vanished from around the mare, the stallion staring at her blankly before he snarled and yanked his legs back from her, opening his mouth to shout at her, to ask her why she had been...

Except his mouth snapped shut a moment later, and he slowly turned towards Loki as he picked himself up off the ground. Loki, who was smiling pleasantly at him, his eyes glittering as he strode leisurely over to join Shining Armor and his brother. His brother, who was just fine, slowly picking himself up from the ground as he smiled with embarrassment at Styx. “Sorry. You know me, I always have to do what I'm told. But it's okay. We're together now. That's all that matters, right, brother?”

“What are you talking about? I saw... but...” River Styx looked disbelievingly over the ponies, and Twilight Sparkle shook her head as she reached up to gingerly touch his shoulder, but the stallion roughly shrugged her off, glaring at her furiously. “What do you know? Why am I the only one here who... who...”

He broke off, staring, as his brother held up a hoof, held up... Lamp. His genet chirped happily on his brother's hoof, smiling at him, and Styx stared, shaking his head weakly before Twilight Sparkle said quietly: “We have to leave. And we have to leave, now.”

“I don't understand. Why the hell did you make me attack her, Loki, I know that stupid smirk. And why does my head hurt so much? No, it doesn't hurt anymore, there's... I just feel... a compulsion. A duty. I have to protect my brother, Twilight. Stones, let's go, let's get out of here, let's-”

“We're not going anywhere. I don't want to go anywhere. I have my big brothers to take care of me, here.” the stallion smiled warmly as he looked over at Loki, who was grinning still, grinning a grin Styx wanted to punch off his stupid twin's face-

No, I don't have a twin brother.

“Loki, what the hell is going on?” Styx shouted, and then he winced when Twilight grabbed him and shook him firmly, jerking him back to face her.

“Don't interact with them. They are not real. It's a trap, Styx, that's all this play has ever been!” Twilight shouted, and Styx shoved her backwards, shaking his head weakly, wanting to believe... not wanting to believe...

I have a brother. I have one brother.

“What are you talking about?” he whispered.

“Styx, there is no play! There are no Draconequus! There was no devil!” Twilight shouted, but her eyes were desperate, as she saw the way Styx kept looking towards the other ponies, as she felt the thrum in the air, as she heard the crows of victory from all around her, growing so loud and powerful they were cutting through the magic she was insulating herself with.

I have... one brother. I have a twin brother. I have a younger brother.

“No, that's... but the Draconequus, from the very start-” Styx argued, not even knowing why he was arguing, looking back and forth as he said disbelievingly: “But we talked to... the actors, Karl, the Critic, the cast, you and me and different ponies, the Redacted-”

“It's all just been the Narrator, all along. He's not a Draconequus. I don't know what he is, but it's us, it's him and it's us, interacting with him, that's creating this... this second dream.” Twilight said, gesturing uselessly at herself as she gazed almost desperately at Styx, and then she motioned sharply towards the trio of ponies standing, watching them with smiles on their faces, and Styx looked at them as he shook his head weakly, for the first time in his life... speechless, unable to comprehend, unable to grasp the answer. “I don't know how we got here, but all these ponies are drawn into this... this living consciousness, and he uses their memories, their interactions, manipulates them...”

Twilight puttered to a halt as Styx slowly turned towards the ponies, and his brother smiled as the genet hopped up onto his head, Lamp chirping happily as his brother said softly: “It's not a cruel manipulation. Adventure, desperation, excitement: people crave these things, strange as it is. This can be your Hell, this can be your Heaven.”

“I don't want to hurt anyone. No one wants to hurt anyone here. I never meant to hurt them, to... exhaust them.” Shining Armor said quietly, touching his own breast as he shook his head with a faint blush, his eyes roving upwards. “And pieces of me... took on their likeness. I was so lonely, I gave my emotions life. It was a mistake, okay, it was bad of me. It was wrong of me.”

“The devil was in the details, you know. All along, the Narrator makes things happen, isn't it fantastic?” Loki laughed and shook his head, before he smiled and gestured at himself. “But look at me, Styx. Your twin brother. Everything you want to be, isn't that right? Except look at you! You're everything that I want to be...” Loki's smile faded, for the first time, and he whispered: “Real.”

Yes, real. Living, ethereal consciousness, like a god, and yet... unable to touch the world. Able to bring anything to life, very emotions crafting avatars who represent ideas and emotions! And yet... unable to control them, unable to keep them in line, unable to make them... stay.

And yet sometimes souls wander in from outside. Or are drawn in, perhaps, by whispers and lights: you looked up at the lantern in the tallest tower and chased the will o' wisp in the wind, didn't you? I can't lie: I'm glad you did. I'm very sad you did, but I'm very glad you did, too.

You woke up, in my dream. But I didn't realize the side effects, because I never read the bottle: when you interact with what isn't real, when you play house with the make-believe, you power it with your mind, your heart, your spirit, your belief. But what is left when all that belief begins to drain away? What if you believe so strongly, what if you see images so real, that you start to make them real, that you start to create truth?

Creation takes energy.

And hunger makes us cruel.

Twilight Sparkle shook her head slowly, and then she whispered: “River Styx, you have to leave right now. Because if you stay, you won't make it out of here.”

“You never have to leave. I know, it's sad, it's cruel, that I never told you the truth.” River Styx looked up, and his little brother smiled at him as he said gently: “But I'm here now. We're here.”

“Lamp...” Styx whispered, looking at his genet, who chirped at him, who moved just like the real Lamp would, who acted... “You're saying that all of this is powered by our emotions. That they... he... put us on some made-up adventure because...”

“We all have different backgrounds. We're all the same in one way, though... we're ponies who... who have been hurt by the world.” Twilight said quietly, as Styx reached up and grasped at his head, clenching his eyes shut, trying to concentrate, trying his hardest not to believe... trying to find the anger, and the hate, and the fury that no, he had just been used all along, that wasn't his real brother, his real brothers were...

“You made me strong. You made me happy. Now it's my turn to protect you, to help you. Your family is here, River Styx. Your family is waiting for you.” Styx's little brother said, and the stallion looked up, helpless, as his young brother stepped forwards, and Lamp chirped happily on his head, and Loki winked and grinned at him. “I'm here. I'm right here. Styx and Stones will break their bones and names will never hurt us.”

Styx breathed raggedly in and out, looking down: was it a phantasm, eked out of his memories, shaped by the hands of some cruel not-god that ruled this world? Or was it really his little brother... his little brother, whom he had to save, whom he had to protect, at any cost...

“I want to take that risk, but... I can't.” Styx said in a low voice, closing his eyes tightly as he lowered his head for a moment. Then he took a slow breath, before he rose his head and looked almost miserably over his shoulder at Twilight. “You can't understand. How can I even believe that you're real? How can I believe...”

“I understand better than you might think, Styx. But I can't promise you we can save you. I can't promise anything, except that... we'll try our best. Believe in that, Styx. And believe in yourself.” Twilight replied with a faint smile, before her eyes lowered towards Shining Armor as the foal whimpered and strode towards her, gazing up at her desperately.

“Please, please! I'm having so much trouble getting into your mind, seeing the truth... I don't know why. Plutocrat knew, but there are rules, laws to be obeyed, and I can't see into that part of me anymore...”

“Yes, I know. That's what helped me figure out what was going on here. All these laws, all these rules... but you're all only masks. Narrator... whatever you call yourself... please. You're in control of all this. Not the masks. Not the emotions, not the ghosts, not everything else... can't you just let us go, please? Can't you let Styx go? He doesn't deserve this.”

Twilight Sparkle knelt in front of Shining Armor, looking at him silently, and the foal trembled as he lowered his head, shaking it weakly back and forth before Loki stepped forwards with a grin, wrapping his foreleg around Styx as the stallion strode over to him. “No! We can be happy together, family! Can't you see the gift I've given to everyone who comes here? Heaven!”

“You're feeding off them. You make up excuses and rationalizations, you've 'fragmented' yourself into all these different personas... but ultimately, you are you, Narrator, and you are in control of all this.” Twilight rose her head high, looking gamely now towards the ceiling, and her eyes were so piercing, as if they could stare through the veil, as if they could stare into the Narrator's broken heart. “Take responsibility for yourself. No more hiding, no more pretending, no more-”

“The Redacted is moving. The Redacted wants to hunt.” whispered Shining Armor, and Twilight's eyes widened before the foal looked up almost desperately at Twilight, blurting: “Now that it's free of Plutocrat, it'll consume everyone! It wants to devour, devour this whole world!”

“And depression eating you up from the inside out is supposed to be a metaphor.” Loki said wryly, before he clapped his hooves together and smiled over at Styx and his little brother. “Well! Enough of that! Let's be on our way, shall we? I mean, we have a whole world to explore! The Redacted will never catch up to us, so let's just forget about it!”

Styx's little brother shifted uncomfortably as the genet on his head growled at Loki, who scowled horribly back at the little pet, and Styx clenched his eyes shut before he looked up and muttered, trying to work his way through the fog, trying to shove off the strange power that Loki seemed to have over him: “If... the Redacted was held back by Plutocrat, and the Narrator can make anything happen, why can't-”

“Didn't you hear? I mean, I wasn't paying a lot of attention but rules, laws, the Narrator is a great big coward, things like that.” Loki said airily and irritably... and maybe there was a bit of nervousness in his voice as he gestured idly over at Styx. “Me, I don't care. I'm alive! We're alive!”

“Yes, the Narrator can bring a sort of... life to emotions, memories, our dreams... that's another reason why everything was framed as a play. That's what a play is. But...” Twilight bit her lip: things didn't entirely make sense still, and there were still shadows, still things that confused her, answers that eluded her...

But there wasn't much time to think about it, either, as she asked quickly: “Where is the Redacted?”

Styx shifted, then he started to look up, feeling that need to take on the threat rising up in him, that inextinguishable drive telling him what he had to do, that to protect his brother, that meant-

He winced when Loki grabbed the back of his neck, the twinned stallion suddenly losing his composure as he growled: “Oh, you just can't play along, can you? You have to have every answer and always be the hero!”

Styx's eyes widened before his body shivered and he fell forwards, breathing hard as he felt the faintest stinging pain from a hidden needle that had pierced his skin, and his younger brother dropped to a kneel beside him with a yelp of shock as Loki glared at Twilight Sparkle. But it was the betrayal that hurt deepest, the betrayal from the pony he had almost been fooled into thinking of as family, as Loki stepped forwards with a growl, brandishing his hoof.

Twilight, however, only looked fearlessly back as the stallion pointed at her, saying coldly: “You are an annoyance. You keep getting in the way! Do you know who I am, Twilight Sparkle?”

“A mask like any other. A troublemaker. A desperate comedian.” Twilight said shortly, and Loki's face blanked as he stared at her, his jaw dropping. “Narrator, I want you to talk to me directly. Not through fragments.”

“Fragments? I am my own person! I make the decisions now!” Loki roared, suddenly furious, his eyes blazing as he leapt forwards and wind magic crackled around him. And Twilight's eyes narrowed as she leapt backwards, dropping to a ready position as her own horn thrummed with magic, watching the way Loki's body rippled unnaturally, how his eyes gleamed dangerously.

Living emotion. The twin of River Styx, a Styx who had never known pain or fear or longing... combined with all the worst qualities of a stallion whom Twilight had seen did not hesitate to kill.

Twilight readied herself as Loki snarled at her, raising the hoof with the hidden needle clutched in it, the tip gleaming dangerously with poison. Poison that could paralyze, poison that could kill. “I was going to let you slip away when I got what I wanted, family, a brother, but no, no. You had to keep pushing. You want to drag Styx off on... what, some crusade that will get him killed? Please! I knew I should have made him kill you!”

“The Redacted is everywhere. The stronger it gets, the stronger its influence gets. Loki, y-you don't want to hurt anyone, I know you don't!” cried out Shining Armor, leaping forward, but Loki only roughly kicked the foal backwards as his youngest brother flinched.

“Shut up. I know what I'm doing.” growled the stallion, as Loki looked back towards Twilight Sparkle. “The Redacted can be avoided. The Redacted isn't important. But if you drag him off to fight it, it's certain death! Really, I'm the one here who's trying to protect everyone!”

“Are you sure that's what you're afraid of? Are you sure that it isn't just the Redacted, playing tricks on your mind?” Twilight asked, and Loki smiled thinly. “Loki, I don't want to fight you. But I will if you force my hoof, because I think the last thing you want to do is 'protect' us. Ownership is not protection.”

“Oh, dear. That's the deadly double edge, though, Twilight Sparkle, when it comes to fight or flight: either way, I get what I want.” Loki's eyes gleamed as his horn thrummed, and Twilight grimaced as shadowy ponies appeared on either side of her, as the trickster pony said softly: “You are more of a danger than the Redacted is. What's the Redacted to us? Nothing! But you... you want to drag Styx away. You want to separate him from us, his brothers. And I will not stand for that. If he was half as smart as he thinks he is, he would understand that too.”

Twilight looked back and forth at the shadow-ponies on either side of her, and then she said quietly: “The entire time you've been trying to drive us off. Split us up. Does that mean that Sol Seraph...”

“Oh, please. She doesn't understand. But she is easy to manipulate. You're all... very easy to manipulate.” Loki smiled contemptibly, and then he leaned forwards, his eyes suddenly half-lidding as he said pleasantly: “After all, all I have to do is stall you, not fight you, isn't that right? Because once your precious family dies, you die too. And then you'll become... part of the family.”

Twilight began to turn, but the shadow-ponies leapt at her, the mare ducking and weaving automatically before she swore as one of them grabbed her: it felt terribly cold and slimy, and she easily wrenched herself out of its grip, but voices needled at her head: the shade had leeched away some of the magic shielding her with touch alone-

The other clone tackled her, and Twilight swore as she struggled under its grip as Loki casually reached into his cloak, pulling out a glass ball and bouncing it in one hoof before he slung it suddenly, savagely forwards as Twilight bucked off the shade: it struck at her legs and exploded, but not into fire and force, but instead a gluey substance that splattered over her legs and body, the mare stumbling once to the side before her eyes widened as she found herself cemented in place.

The shades grabbed into either side of her, grinning as they began to rapidly drain away the magic she had shielded herself with, and Loki sauntered towards her with a smile as he reached up and tapped easily on the side of his head with one hoof, saying pleasantly: “See, it's not all about power, Twilight Sparkle. It's about brains, and what you're willing to do to protect your interests. It's about the roles you're willing to play, and the-”

“Horses of Heaven, you have a big mouth.” Twilight muttered, and Loki halted as he glowered at her, his eyes narrowing dangerously. The purple mare gritted her teeth as the psychic static and the voices started to invade her mind, and oh, she really didn't want to do this, she really didn't want to resort to this, but among all the rage and fear and paranoia and anxiety of the voices, she could also faintly sense triumph, and cruel laughter, and- “If you understand how important family is, Loki... then you'll let me go, right now. Let me go, so I can stop the Redacted. I can't stop Styx from staying here. I can't destroy this trap, whatever it is, and I have no interest in doing so. But I am going to save Marina, if I can. I am going to save... whatever other lost souls can still be saved. And I am going to save my family... and you are not going to stop me.”

Loki laughed loudly at this, leaning forwards with a grin as he rose the hoof with the hidden needle standing out of it, asking coldly: “And just how do you plan to escape? You can't move. The shades will disperse all your magic before you can cast it. You're trapped, Twilight Sparkle, because I am better than you, I am smarter than you, and I am more willing to-”

Twilight Sparkle flexed as a thrum passed through the air, and Styx wasn't sure what happened, as he looked groggily up. But Loki staggered backwards in shock as his shades both simply vanished, and his twin rubbed slowly at his face as he mouthed wordlessly, staring blankly into the space where Twilight had been before.

Loki shook his head in disbelief, and then he whispered: “I don't understand. My plan was perfect. Perfect, not even she should have... any pony should have...”

Loki looked up at his shades, and they both looked emptily back at him before the stallion bared his teeth, spinning around as Shining Armor whimpered: “We should just let them go.”

For a moment, Loki's eyes burned with rage... but then he suddenly smiled and reached out to cheerfully pat Shining Armor on the head, saying patronizingly: “Yes, that's just how I'd expect a foal to think. What do you think, Stones? Did your big brother and I ever 'let them go' after they hurt you?”

“No. I... no. You were always right, Loki. You and Styx know best.” the stallion said hesitantly, even as he cast his eyes down and shifted uncomfortably on the spot, and Loki smiled. Then his eyes narrowed slightly when the younger stallion added nervously: “Even if I... don't think you should have hurt Styx... and I really do wish sometimes you would just... let things go...”

“Well we can't, and I didn't hurt him. I simply emphasized my position on the subject.” Loki said shortly, then he reached out and almost yanked Lamp off of the stallion, making them both flinch as the genet flailed at the air, before he was plopped firmly down on Styx. And Lamp chirped worriedly as he clutched at one of Styx's ears, shaking it briefly, and Styx slowly shook himself out before he looked mutely up as Loki cajoled, his horn thrumming faintly with dark magic: “Well, we can't let them ruin this for us, can we? You want to keep your family safe, don't you? You know I'm trying to protect you! She almost manipulated you, Styx, dragged you out of our wonderful eden!”

“No, you... but... if my brother... if he isn't here...” Styx began, his thinking slowed by the poison in his veins, poison that seemed to bubble painfully, that seemed to be working its way deeper into his mind, and Loki scoffed before he suddenly grabbed Styx and hauled him up to his hooves.

But then the trickster smiled, brushing his twin off as he replied gently: “Now, now. I know your mind, Styx, better than you do. If this is a dream... you'll wake up one day, and you'll be able to go right back to where you were. If it's not a dream, you have to protect your brother.” Loki's smile became callous, ruthless. “If you die here, or you die in 'real life' – whatever that means! – then all your savings and everything else goes to your little brother, and he'll never have to work again. You would die to keep him safe, wouldn't you? You would die to keep him safe, just as you'll live to protect us here, won't you, my brother?”

River Styx looked at Loki for a few moments, trapped by both cold logic and ruthless emotion as he bit his lip, breathing slowly in and out, before Loki threw a foreleg around him with a smile. “I never manipulated you. Let's go, stop those monsters from ruining all this.”

“You... made me attack her. You stabbed me.”

“No, I just helped you to see what she really is.” Loki replied irritably, gesturing absently aside with a hoof. “I didn't try to kill her! I just wanted to scare her off, stop her from killing our friend, the Redacted. And then I saved you! I protected you, Styx! You were going to throw yourself at her and get yourself killed, so I just gently helped you sleep the anger off, how could you accuse me, your own brother, of that level of treachery?”

Shining Armor whimpered at this, looking up nervously, and Styx's younger brother simply shifted uneasily away, looking to the side, while Styx stared at Loki, trying to understand as the poison numbed his body, his thoughts, his heart. He tried to make sense of it, but it was too hard. All he could do was listen to Loki, and to the pain in his chest, even as he slurred out: “The Redacted... enemy...”

“We're all too grown up here for black-and-white concepts like good, and evil, Styx. You kill what threatens you. You help what doesn't. Right now, the Redacted is no threat to us. Trust me.” Loki smiled, cold, callous, before he suddenly became cheerful again as he wrapped a foreleg around his twin. “Either way, time for a family trip! You can come too, Shining Armor, if you don't mind being scrunched in the back seat.”

Shining Armor lowered his head, and then the child whispered: “I just want my big sister to play with me again. I don't want to hurt anyone.”

“A needle, a prick, a single bit of pain, little one, and then they'll be able to play with us forever.” Loki said emphatically, smiling down at the colt. “I don't want to hurt anyone, either. But I know that sometimes it's very important we discipline our friends and family, so they don't hurt themselves or us. Do you understand, little colt?”

Shining Armor only shifted, and Loki smiled before he half-dragged Styx forwards, the once-proud stallion only able to lower his head and stumble at his twin's side with his head full of malice and muddled thoughts, as Lamp whimpered worriedly on his head, and his young brother and Shining Armor followed behind, humble and afraid.

But they, too, could feel the infection growing in them. The tumor, the cyst, had broken open: the precarious balance had been shattered with the death of the manifestation of greed and selfishness, the only thing that had controlled despair and hate, the only thing that had stopped the destroyer from consuming, poisoning, obliterating all in its short-sighted path. Lust for power and victims had driven Plutocrat to play his part both feeding the darkness and controlling it, with the knowledge that he needed a world to act as prison and palace; with him gone, only the beast remained, and the beast only cared about feeding, like a virus, until the host was destroyed.

And even as the Narrator's world is poisoned by the Redacted's powers, as those fragments made from emotions and memories, ether-given-life, even though the play is over, and the masks are being torn off, and their true nature all revealed, the actors still can't help but play their roles, those victims who had been drawn into this endless spiral still fighting, fighting against a foe they can never hope to best, as all hope is drained from the world. As their fight, their acknowledgment of the enemy makes their enemy only more real, only more powerful, just as Styx's confused mind has given life to Loki, born into the grip of Redacted power, who now fed greedily off Styx, and Styx's love, and Styx's passion, turning it all to a quagmire of confusion and helpless hopelessness.

The play will come to a crashing halt soon, so very soon.

And the humble Narrator can but apologize and mourn for all the mistakes he has made, in trying to make Heaven, and only shaping a Hell he cannot fix.

Turmoil

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Chapter Thirteen: Turmoil
~BlackRoseRaven

An oily tentacle slashed towards them, but Luna rebuked it with a blast of blue flames, blowing it apart into nothing but slime and ash. Yet the shapeshifting monstrosity attacking them only laughed loudly, filling the entire hallway as it slithered towards them, heads and jaws and eyes of every shape and size pushing out of the entity as it hissed in a thousand voices: “Your struggle only makes this sweeter...”

This hideous thing, whatever it was, seemed unstoppable and inescapable: they had barely made it out of the storage room alive, and they had immediately gotten separated from the Director in the scramble to escape the waves of black poison that had tried to swallow them up. But now, the living darkness was trying to mold itself into some sort of incoherent form, some kind of hideous mockery of life that was doing all it could to pursue them and terrify them into submission so it could devour them...

“Aye, we are marinating in our own fear. Steeping in our own terror!” Luna mocked angrily, backpedaling and grimacing as she did her best to resist the psychic static tearing through her mind. But the only thing distracting her was her own rage, as she resisted the urge to fling herself at the monstrosity, instead slashing her horn back and forth to send blue fireballs crashing into the thing to slow its progress, as she growled: “Although I must admit... vinegar and honey are both weak temptations compared to thy sickly provocations...”

Scrivener only grunted, even as his own body shivered in agreement: it was hard to resist the temptation to charge headlong at the oozing monstrosity. Yet all the same, he forced himself to backpedal in his ripped dress, muttering: “Nothing excites quite like anger.”

“That is why we get along so well, Scrivy.” Luna said ironically, and then she leapt backwards when the head of a dragon suddenly exploded out of the muck, biting at her savagely. The draconic head lashed to the side, narrowly missing Scrivener before it bit towards Marina, who flinched-

Sol Seraph slammed down through the back of the monstrosity's overextended neck, and the dragon head gargled as it was severed from the gangly appendage, its skull collapsing into nothing but slime and ash. The entity rolling down the hall after them halted and wailed at this, but it seemed surprised more than hurt as it asked in its countless echoes: “Why? Why do you fight us? You are us! You are shaped of our flesh!”

“You are in my way.” Sol Seraph replied coldly as she retreated to land beside Luna, flexing her body as she readied herself. “I am no one's pawn.”

“I do not know about that, thou wert quite the pawn of-” Luna cleared her throat when Scrivener glowered at her and Sol Seraph rolled her eyes. “But nay, nay, as long as thou art here, thou might as well make thyself useful, that is-”

The mass of slime and malice roared furiously, making the walls and floor shake with its rage, and the ponies stumbled before Marina's eyes widened as the ooze began to transform, hideous half-formed things stretching out- “It's charging!”

Luna snapped her horn out, and blades of ice tore out of the ground in a short fence, the many claws and appendages of the slime beast crashing into these and making it howl in frustration as it was caught against the frosty spikes.

Scrivener Blooms was already charging down the corridor to the doors at the other end, and he grimaced as he thought he saw dark shadows racing him along either wall in the corner of his eyes. But he didn't slow even as the doors at the end of the hall shuddered as black energy began to spread over them, the stallion throwing himself forwards and cannonballing his body straight into the double doors.

The old wood all-but-shattered as they were smashed open, and Scrivener rolled out into an enormous ballroom beyond. He managed to get his hooves under him and stagger up to his feet as Sol Seraph and Marina both ran past him, the Pegasus immediately flying up to the center of the debris-covered room as Marina began to hurry towards another set of doors-

“They're all locked.” Sol Seraph said calmly, but her voice carried through the entire room as she looked back and forth, continuing coldly: “The Redacted is blocking all possible exits. It has to be destroyed. And the Draconequus have to be killed.”

Luna scowled as she leapt into the room, glancing over her shoulder and cursing as the slimy, oozing monstrosity finally pulled itself past the spikes of frost, devouring the ice as it slithered its way down the hallway. “Part of me suspects this is just thy way of tricking us into murdering everything, Sol Seraph. But I agree that we must do something about this monster, its presence alone is...”

Luna ground her teeth together slowly, and then she quickly slashed her horn back and forth, channeling the anger and the fury bubbling in her into her magic. Walls of ice ripped upwards, forming a sparking, crystalline barrier that would hopefully at least slow the beast down, whatever it was... was it the Redacted?

No, for some reason, Luna felt like this was only a part of the Redacted, a stretching claw, an eager mouth, a staring eye...

She shook her head sharply as psychic static tingled through her brain, making it hard to focus, hard not to drop her guard. All the same, she managed to yank herself backwards, breathing hard as she turned and hurried to rejoin Scrivener Blooms in the center of the room.

After a few unsuccessful attempts to open the doors around the massive ballroom, Marina came to join them as well, the chocolate mare shaking her head as she fought to maintain her body's consistency, stumbling over the jagged wreckage of furniture and loose stone littering the hall. The psychic static was doing more than tearing at her mind and concentration, it was challenging her body, trying to peel her apart.

She shook herself out, but as that hideous thing's magic tried to invade and destroy her, at the same time she could feel it: the desperation, the despair, the raw anger that made up the creature, and... “It's coming. Everything is coming here. Everything and... nothing.”

Luna frowned as she looked sharply over at Marina, and Scrivener Blooms grimaced. But Sol Seraph seemed to be the first to understand as she landed beside the stallion, laughing shortly as she muttered: “Of course. Raise a child on lies and your lies are all they will believe.”

“That is something thou should know well, Sol Seraph.” Luna growled, and Sol smiled thinly at her before the sapphire mare looked back ahead, as the barrier she had erected trembled and began to melt, dark veins visibly spreading through the ice. “What is it?”

“Nothing important. Nothing that changes anything. We still have to kill everything in our way.” Sol Seraph said coldly, and Luna looked at the Pegasus for a moment, but the Pegasus didn't so much as glance in her direction, even as she said softly: “I would not give my life for the Praetor. I will not give my life for this entity, either.”

“What would thou give thy wretched excuse for a life for?” Luna growled, and Sol Seraph simply looked at her for a moment before she smiled, and the sapphire mare had to repress a shudder. “Thou art no volk. Thou art nothing but a-”

“For once, Luna Brynhild, shut up.” Sol Seraph said contemptibly, and Luna rumbled in frustration, but she was stopped from making any other remarks – or saying anything else foolish – by the sound of ice shattering and wet sludge hailing down into the ballroom.

The monstrous ooze flooded forwards, spilling like a black flood over the floor. Half-formed creatures rose up out of the slime, moaning, whispering, and gasping, and Luna bared her teeth and set herself before her eyes widened slightly in surprise as Sol Seraph said calmly: “You know the truth. You said so yourself: we must strike at the archer, not the arrows.”

“Then how do we do so, when the arrows are so large and vexing and demanding of our attentions, and we cannot see the archer?” Luna growled as she leaned forwards, her eyes flashing as the hideous mass of slime began to slowly twist itself into some massive, hulking shape, ripping up floorboards and pulling in broken chunks of debris from around the ballroom.

“Here we are again... back again, so soon...” said the thing in a thousand echoing voices, and Luna cringed and clenched her eyes shut as Marina gasped, hugging herself tightly as she felt her body rippling under its toxic power. Slowly, the monstrosity rose a face made of broken wood and shattered stone and living, hating black slime, massive and yet vaguely equine in its shape as it hissed: “And this time, there is nothing to save you. There is nothing to bring stability back to this world. We shall consume all. I shall be one, and you shall be me.”

The monstrous construct began to stride slowly forwards, and Scrivener shivered as he didn't just see the beast: he saw each of them, reflected in it, in the ripples and the shudders of its gelatinous body. “It's... building itself from both this world and us...”

“It is nothing more than shadows and reflection. Do not feed it. It is nothing but vermin.” Sol Seraph said derisively, shaking her head in disgust before her eyes flicked back over her shoulder. “The others are coming.”

Luna looked up sharply at this, narrowing her eyes slightly before she grinned wryly, muttering: “So all we must do is outlast the beast. Our link is not functioning yet, but... I feel as if Twilight has the answers that we yet require.”

“Answers are not enough. Actions are what matter.” Sol Seraph replied coldly, turning her eyes ahead to lock on the monstrosity as it laughed at them mockingly.

“As if your precious Twilight Sparkle can save the day this time. Your faith is blind. Friendship? Love? How will these empty promises save you?” mocked the monstrosity, as it slowly began to stalk towards them, arching its back like a cat as it loomed through the hall.

“'Tis not what love does, but what love gives us strength to do, creature.” Luna growled in response, her horn thrumming and her mane sparking with electricity before she grinned widely. “And 'tis most certainly not with 'love' and 'friendship' we will defeat thee, oh no. 'Tis with the smashing and the crushing and the pummeling!”

“We need to hold it off.” Sol Seraph said shortly, and then she lunged, driving straight for the face of the creature-

The monster easily slapped her out of the air,sending Sol Seraph bouncing and crashing painfully across the floor, but the Pegasus only smiled coldly as she rolled sharply up to her hooves, skidding to a halt: and before the beast could even laugh, an explosion ripped through the leg that it had slapped her away with, slime and debris hailing down and knocking the monster off-balance.

Luna immediately snapped her horn forwards, blasting its remaining forelimb with a blue fireball, and stone and slime flew in all directions as the monstrosity tumbled forwards on its face with a wet, sickening splat. It snarled in frustration as it immediately began to rebuild itself, even as monstrous appendages tore out of its back, claws and tendrils of ooze spread rapidly over the ground, grasping at whatever it could pull in to quicken its regeneration.

The monstrosity changed, another, horse-like head sprouting from its shoulders, its sockets blind hollows but its dripping maw filled with countless staring eyes, as its first head hissed: “Exhaust yourselves. The more you fight us, the stronger we become. I will destroy you. I will consume you. I will make you all mine, and you will never leave me...”

Luna began to charge her horn with magic again as Sol Seraph set herself, before Marina stepped forwards and snapped: “Wait! We need to do more than just knock it down!”

Luna began to open her mouth to argue, but as the monster picked itself back up, she realized that both of its forelegs hadn't just regrown, but split into two pairs of disfigured limbs that twitched and pulsated as they stretched eagerly out. They snagged into the ground as it moved forwards, grinning with its twin heads as the sapphire mare swore under her breath: it was growing stronger, fiercer...

“I will distract it. The monster is feeding on your emotions and your energy. Any damage you do to it will only make it stronger.” Sol Seraph said, unflinching and calm as she landed beside the sapphire mare.

The sapphire mare began to bare her teeth at the Pegasus, but to her surprise, it was Marina who stepped in, saying firmly even as she visibly shivered with the effort it took to hold her body together: “We just have to hold it off, correct? Let Sol Seraph distract it and help me then, Luna, I think I know how we can.”

Luna shifted a bit, but then she gave a quick nod to Marina as the chocolate mare looked back at her steadily, with a confidence she hadn't expected from the mare. But, she supposed, now the play was over, and none of them could afford to hide their strength any longer.

“What must we do?” Luna asked, and Marina gave a faint but determined smile as she looked over at the mare, Scrivener Blooms quickly approaching to offer his own help.

The monstrosity took a step towards them, then snarled as Sol Seraph leapt into the air and shot straight into its original head, making it stumble as the other head gaped after it, following her with the countless eyes filling its maw. But Sol Seraph was dauntless, even as tendrils of black ooze lashed up after her from the creature, even as its whispers filled her mind with furious, desperate, confused questions: “Why do you fight us? We should be as one! You are us! I am you!”

“You are pathetic.” Sol said coldly, as she weaved between several tendrils before she slammed her hooves down into the back of the creature's neck, then she launched herself off it, grimacing only slightly as claws ripped out of the creature's back and raked at her savagely, the monstrosity hissing as it turned its attention away from her-

Sol Seraph dropped from above the creature, streaking around in a curve to slam viciously into the back of one of its hind legs, and the monster fell back on its haunches with a wet splat. It lashed one of its split legs out with a roar as it turned towards her, shrieking: “You cannot stop us!”

“You are nothing but filth, and rot. I do not fear you.” Sol Seraph said contemptibly as she twisted out of the way of its attacks, unfettered by the morphing of its body: it was unpredictable, transforming, evolving as it fought, but the Pegasus never panicked, never wasted a movement, evading every attack, every mutation of the creature as she weaved around it before she suddenly dove.

She slammed into the ground in front of the slime-beast, then lunged off the floor and flapped her wings hard, shooting like a bullet through the eye-filled maw of the creature. But the beast slammed its jaws shut around her even as it wailed in misery, and there were several loud, horrendous crunches before the monster whiplashed its half-broken head to the side, spitting out both the Pegasus and several ruined, slimy eyeballs.

The Pegasus crashed to the ground in the hail of ooze and malice, bouncing brokenly backwards before she fell still on her back. She shivered, but only grit her teeth, refusing to cry out in pain in spite of the fact her wings had been visibly ripped and torn up, and her body was covered in what looked almost like acid burns, the equipment she was wearing visibly steaming and corroding away.

The beast barely gave her a look as it turned its attention back towards the other ponies, before it hissed in surprise when several brown balls slammed into its body and head. The monstrosity shook itself, then laughed loudly as the spheres melted and were pulled quickly into its form. “Do you sacrifice yourselves to me so willingly? Are you so eager to become part of us?”

Marina gasped quietly, shivering in pain: her body was visibly thinner from using her own chocolate body to give strength to the attack, but all the same she looked up with determination as she focused through the pain, replying with a surprising fearlessness: “No. But I refuse to be afraid of you, either.”

She gritted her teeth as Luna tilted her horn towards Marina, channeling her own magic into the mare's: it was something between spell, and pure expression of will, making the chocolate that had been greedily absorbed into the monster's body boil with energy.

The monster snarled, then roared in frustration as slabs of stone and broken bits of wood tumbled out of its form, as the energized chocolate spread through its frame, eating away the slime-beast's cohesion. It wriggled back and forth, and Scrivener gritted his teeth, muttering: “You were right. It has no solidity by itself.”

As more junk and debris fell out of the creature, the monstrosity lost more of its shape, howling as it sank towards the ground, but even Luna could see it was the positive energy that was doing the most damage to the monstrosity. And Marina could feel it, through the faint link she still shared with that chocolate twisting and spreading through the beast, even as her chocolate literally boiled itself away: the positive charge of energy, that magic that contrasted the hate, the poison, the living shadow of this Redacted thing, it was eating through it like acid.

The behemoth stumbled towards them, then howled in fury as its legs gave out from beneath it, the slime-beast sloshing to the floor with a loud splat as chunks of the debris it had absorbed flew out of its body. It quivered on the ground, body now only a half-formed mass, one of its heads melted away and the other rapidly decaying even as it struggled to raise it and glare at them furiously. “We will not be stopped by this alone... you are weak, you are pathetic, and your family is dead, Marina!”

Marina's eyes widened in shock, and the slime-beast grinned as it felt that quiver in her energy, felt that change in her emotions as it whispered almost lovingly: “And your father never loved you. You just happened to be an easy pony to separate from the rest of the herd... to make into his chocolate plaything. Daddy doesn't care, Daddy doesn't care, Daddy doesn't care...”

The hideous thing singsonged in a thousand different voices, sludgy head tilting back and forth, and Marina snarled even as she fought back tears, her body shaking before she leaned forwards and shouted, unable to stop herself: “Shut up! Shut up, what do you know about-”

The slime-beast leaned forwards and vomited out a burst of dark ichors that hit the trio of ponies like a shotgun blast. Marina's concentration was disrupted as she bounced backwards, gasping as the energy seared its way into her chocolate before she rolled on her side and screamed in agony as she felt that black ooze trying to eat its way into her, heard the monster whisper in her mind, with anger, and hate and fear, yes, it was so afraid of them and that was what was driving it to destroy:

“You gave to us, so let us give to you.”

Marina screamed, rolling backwards on the ground as one of her eyes began to turn black, feeling the darkness, the loathing, the loss and the emptiness and the meaningless spreading through her, devouring her, making her-

The slime beast flinched as something slammed into it, before it snarled in fury even as the black ooze of its half-formed back lashed up to seize around Sol Seraph. But the Pegasus didn't fight the creature as she looked past it, ignoring the tendrils wrapping around her, the jaws and claws forming all around her as she was pulled down into the hideous thing: “Luna Brynhild.”

Luna looked up, gasping softly, her body steaming from the black poison that had coated it, and the eyes of the two met for a moment before Sol Seraph gave a strange smile even as she said: “I am disappointed in your abject failure. Do better. I expect more from you, the next time we meet. And I promise you: we will meet again”

The slime-beast pulled Sol Seraph down, and Sol Seraph rose her head slightly, looking proudly towards the ceiling, refusing to bend, to break, to scream or cry out as she acted without fear or hesitation, removing one of her bracers before she silently settled her hoof against the long scar over her foreleg, saying quietly: “You were weak, Ardor. But you were also strong. One last time... I will ask for your strength.”

For a moment, there was nothing as the slime-beast began to quickly reform, as Marina writhed beneath its torture and Luna and Scrivener dragged themselves up from the ground. But as the Pegasus began to disappear into the ooze, the beast suddenly rippled before it arched its body, the gelatinous monster twisting itself helplessly back and forth as golden flames exploded up from its back.

It fell to the ground, howling in misery as Sol Seraph became a burning star of bright fire, and Luna winced away from the intensity of the heat as Marina gasped, then shook herself violently on instinct, bleeding chocolate even as her body forced out the black poison inside her. Scrivener Blooms staggered up to his own hooves, staring with shock as Sol Seraph and the monstrosity both burned, before this Redacted and hideous thing wailed: “You betray us!”

The only response was for the roaring flames to rise higher, the golden blaze becoming brighter, and the slime-beast collapsed forwards as it lost all cohesion, becoming little more than a flood of black water that splashed helplessly out over the ballroom floor. Scrivener grasped Marina, helping support her as they backed slowly away from it, and Luna grimaced as she looked into the golden flames, breathing hard as she murmured: “You would mock love, creature... but now, love makes a mockery of thee.”

Luna shook her head briefly, then narrowed her eyes as the golden flames slowly began to dissipate, the inferno, the burning star that Sol Seraph had become beginning to fade. And as it faded, the boiling black slime beneath it roiled and began to rapidly pull itself back together, humping up into a singular mass as it sluggishly started to regenerate.

Perhaps Sol Seraph hadn't done more than slow it down, but it gave Luna the chance she needed to grasp Marina, tossing her over Scrivener's back and carrying her across the ballroom, away from the gurgling, whimpering thing. Its voices were confused, howling and shouting at themselves, tearing through their minds in painful slashes of psychic static, but Luna did her best to ignore the echoes as she muttered: “I hate to admit it, Scrivy... but I wish that I had fought her.”

Scrivener grunted, then he looked up as something sparked through the psychic static, as the world around them trembled violently. The slime-beast seemed to sense it too, as several enormous, horse-like heads rose up out of the gathering pool, wild, staring eyes opening throughout the black ooze as it rasped: “You are foolish... do not challenge us... do not challenge me! I am stronger! Obey!”

“Weak dogs bark loudest.” Luna growled, as the world trembled around them, before she looked up as dust hailed down from the ceiling, cracks beginning to spread through the stone above as she said calmly: “The strong do not bark. They simply do.”

The pool of slime roared at them in mixed voices, then shrieked in fear and anger and a thousand other toxic emotions as something smashed through the ceiling, flipping violently several times before it clanged loudly into the floor. The huge object rung once, a toll like a mourning bell echoing through reality before the shape hidden in the cloud of dust vanished.

There was a flap of wings, and a gust of wind cleared the air, leaving Twilight Sparkle standing calmly in front of Luna, Scrivener, and Marina, her body thrumming with her focused magic. For a moment, she only stood as the hydra-like slime screamed and snarled and hissed at her, before the purple mare dropped her head slightly as behind her, Luna said cheerfully: “Well, thou hast always known how to make an entrance!”

“Insulate yourselves with your magic.” Twilight instructed quickly, and Luna huffed but then nodded, her horn glowing and layering both herself and Scrivener Blooms in energy. Her eyes widened in shock the moment she was cloaked in the magic, and Twilight smiled briefly as she nodded slowly, before she turned fearlessly around and strode towards them, putting her back to the beast-

The mass of slime roared as it lunged forwards, becoming a toxic, black wave, and Luna and Scrivener both snarled as Marina leaned up, desperate, shouting: “Twilight, look out, it's-”

“It's not real.” Twilight said softly, and she looked calmly over her shoulder at the mass of black ooze, as it rushed towards her, before she smiled even as the mass, the flood, became a hundred biting jaws, a thousand reaching claws, all filled with eyes and hate and loathing as it splashed down on her in a savage torrent.

And Twilight continued to stand, unfettered, unafraid, unharmed, as the monster shrieked in a thousand gibbering voices, twisting wildly around her, but never touching her, as insubstantial as smoke, as harmless as a passing shadow. It writhed and howled, but Twilight didn't give in to it as she returned her attention to the others, saying quietly: “Don't give it power.”

The monstrosity writhed and coiled around her, and Luna stared in disbelief as Scrivener tilted his head slowly. Marina shook her own head weakly, before she flinched when she felt a sudden heat spread through her body... but after a moment, it became soothing, as Twilight smiled at her and said gently: “Sorry. I can't match your energy quite right, but... this should still protect you from the atmosphere. That's all this monster is, you know: concentrated hatred, rage, despair. And like... hate, like anger, like sadness, it can only hurt you when you let it, no matter how strong and invincible it seems.”

The flood of blackness roared as it twisted around Twilight... but shielded from the psychic static by the insulation of magic, now able to decipher those voices beyond just the wild emotion they were filled with, the threats and the hissing it cloaked its words in... Marina could hear pleading. Crying. Whimpering, and whispering, even as it turned its attention towards the trio of ponies.

“I will annihilate you! You will become us!” the monster roared.

“Please don't leave me. Stay with me. I don't want to be alone anymore.” the sad, miserable thing whispered beneath its screams.

The slime and malice lurched forwards, and Marina flinched, clenched her eyes shut... but Twilight was right. It flowed around them, flowed over them, like black fog. And this time, it kept going, washing past them and fleeing to the other side of the ballroom, where it crashed its way through a door and continued onward, twisting and lurching away.

“It was like a living illusion. It wasn't attacking us physically. It was making us experience pain, but not actually wounding us.” Scrivener muttered, as he reached up to touch his face. “How did you know?”

“I wasn't entirely sure, but... I had a feeling.” Twilight admitted, and Scrivener and Luna stared at her, but the purple mare only smiled slightly. “You two are the ones always telling me to trust my instincts. But that's also why it was gathering up the... well, 'physical' pieces of this realm to shape itself, even though it could already be anything it wanted...”

“So it could hit us with big rocks.” Scrivener said: it was a simplification, but he understood: an insubstantial creature, adding physical mass to itself to pretend it was real. But then... “How could it manipulate the physical world, though?”

“Do you think that's really a floor under your hooves, Scrivy? Is this really air we're breathing right now?” Twilight asked pointedly, and Scrivener blinked before the purple mare shook her head slowly, saying quietly: “This world has a lot of rules to it, though. That's why he used 'Draconequus' as the catalysts. Because he needed something that, by his own rules, could break his own rules.”

“The Narrator.” Luna said quietly, before she frowned uneasily as she shook her head and asked: “But what about the Redacted? I thought we were the ones that had figured all this out, that it was because we killed Pluto that the Redacted was loose, and-”

“It is. It is and it isn't. It's hard to put into words, but easy to understand.” Twilight said as she shook her head as she turned nervously back towards the center of the ballroom, looking slowly back and forth as a chill passed through the air. “What you saw was only part of the Redacted. A mask, a... a reaching hand.”

Marina frowned as she rose her head, and Scrivener Blooms nervously tilted his own, saying slowly: “Our link isn't exactly working, but I have a bad feeling that means-”

The world trembled around them, and Scrivener grimaced as the walls began to rot, black ooze spilling out of them as the floor trembled beneath their hooves. Twilight stood her ground, raising her head high as she shouted: “Narrator! I want to talk to you! End this, stop this now!”

But Twilight's cries were in vain, because the Narrator couldn't respond. The Narrator was helpless, don't you understand? The Narrator is helpless against these imaginings come to life, he's lost control, he can't save anyone, let alone himself!

(He doesn't want to let go. He cannot let go. You will stay forever. Stay forever. NEVER LEAVE.)

Twilight flinched and Luna bared her fangs at the voice that echoed and tore through her mind, and Marina shuddered as she grabbed at her head, her body boiling for a moment as if the magic that held her together was being electrified by that living energy that tore through her.

“Narrator, we all hurt, we all... experience pain, but you can't let that rule you! Come on, you are in control, you just-”

But the world shook, cutting Twilight Sparkle off before several glass balls hailed down from the rotten hole in the ceiling above: they exploded in powerful conflagrations one after the other, forming a wall of fire between Twilight Sparkle and the companions she had come to save.

She looked over her shoulder, and Loki landed in front of her with a callous grin, lunging forwards as a knife seemed to appear like magic in his hoof. He drove this into Twilight's throat, and her eyes bulged as Luna and Scrivener both shouted denials, staring through the wall of flame as Twilight Sparkle trembled before she fell limply on her side, Loki stepping back with a cold smile even as a voice screamed from above: “You promised! No! You promised!”

“I dd. And like I said, a little bit of pain, and then she'll be here forever. They'll all be here, forever.” Loki said contemptibly, brushing at himself distastefully. A moment later, Shining Armor flopped to the ground beside him, but the foal seemed heedless of the fall: it should have killed him, at least left him stunned, but he scrambled to his hooves in only a moment before he bolted for Twilight's body.

A moment later, River Styx and his younger brother both landed. Luna glared furiously through the wall of flames, tensing herself, and Scrivener Blooms gave a short nod to her as he knelt beside Marina, wrapping a foreleg around her to support the chocolate mare.

She leapt across the wall of flame, and Loki grinned at her before he half-turned and almost mockingly slapped her out of the air, knocking her face-first into the ground with a resounding crunch as he said contritely: “You'll have to be faster than that.”

Luna shoved herself up to her hooves, glaring furiously at Loki, humiliated more than hurt, but startled as well. This stallion was Styx's twin, grinning from ear-to-ear, fast and strong and oh so very real...

Real, like how Shining Armor was almost real, as he cried loudly, clutching Twilight's body. And Styx... seemed faded, she thought.

She thought of Sol Seraph. She thought of Ignominious. She thought of the others they had caught glances of...

“Parasite, and leech.” Luna said coldly, as she slowly straightened, her eyes flicking towards Styx's younger brother, towards Styx's genet... and she noticed that in spite of how Loki grinned and preened and mocked them, whether they were real or not... “Thou art beneath contempt. At least these other shades have the dignity to mold themselves of memory and wish, but not to devour those whom they claim to 'love...'”

“Oh, please. I'm doing him a favor! Helping him lighten up, figuratively and literally.” Loki said condescendingly, gesturing at Styx as if he wasn't even present, and the unicorn's brow furrowed ever so slightly. Luna looked towards him, and she saw... poison, she thought. She recognized that look, that disassociation all too well... “He wanted to be just like me, after all. So I'm helping him be, just like me.”

“Thou would make him thy slave before thou consumes all that he is.” Luna smiled contemptibly as she straightened, as Styx's little brother frowned uncertainly, and Shining Armor whimpered as he looked up from Twilight, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Liar and trickster. Nothing like the Loki I knew after all: thou art a murderer. Thou art user, and abuser. Thou art villain. So what is thy great plan?”

“My plan? Oh, it's very simple. I'm going to get out of here. And none of you are going to stop me.” Loki replied with a smile as his horn thrummed with malice, and several shadowy ponies formed on either side of him, the specters staring hollowly at Luna with their spotlight eyes, and Luna shivered: these were neither illusion nor wraith. These were husks, formed of negative energy, the bled-out emotions of all of those who had suffered in this cruel subdimensional space...

They were Redacted. Loki was Redacted. They were all parts of the Redacted.

The Redacted was not one thing. It was everything, and it was nothing.

(It is pain. It is sorrow. It is loss. It is hate. It is fear. It is afraid.)

Redacted is what we call the things we have tried to remove, and instead...

(left SCARS.)

Redacted is the word for the black pits left when we try to erase what can never be undone, what can never be washed away. For the identities we have stolen, for the characters we have made up, whom we try to hide from the light of day in the abyss, the emptiness, the behind-the-curtain.

But not all things can simply be shoved away.

Loki laughed loudly, shaking his head with a wide, cheerful grin as his eyes glittered with malice. “Redacted this, Narrator that... lies and nonsense, all of it! And I have seen through it all. I understand. And I am insulted, by the way, by your more-than-implication that I'm not going to live up to my end of the bargain I made with my brothers. I certainly am going to take care of them! Precious care of them!” Loki winked as he did a playful little hop-step towards Luna, but his eyes were still cold, merciless. “I just have to take care of myself first. Don't we all?”

Luna snorted contemptibly, and Shining Armor trembled before his eyes widened in shock as Twilight Sparkle slowly rose her head, and Loki staggered back in shock as River Styx's own eyes widened and his little brother yelped and hid behind him. “I have always put my family first.”

Twilight Sparkle slowly pushed herself up to her hooves, and the knife simply fell out of her throat with a hiss of black smoke, as she rolled her head slowly on her shoulders, black-edged spreading as the runes around her cutie mark thrummed, her head rising high as stitching snaked over her face, the mare saying quietly: “I gave my life for my family.”

Twilight leaned forwards, and the stitches vanished as her mane shivered before bursting into black flames, a single streak of white light flaring to life through the living shadow of her locks. “I gave my honor and my innocence for my family.”

The mare stepped forwards, and reality thrummed, making Loki flinch backwards his shadowy thralls hissed and rasped wordlessly. “We can't destroy the Redacted. Only the Narrator can bring a stop to this. Stop fighting us, Loki. I'll ask you one last time-”

“Boring!” Loki shouted, flinging an explosive sphere suddenly at Twilight's face, and the mare grimaced as she tilted her head out of the way before her eyes widened as Loki grinned cruelly and pulled on an almost-invisible string wrapped around the orb, yanking it on a different course in midair and straight for Scrivener and Marina.

The stallion wrapped his forelegs tightly around Marina, covering her with his body before the sphere slammed into his back and exploded, knocking them both sprawling as Marina cried out and Scrivener was knocked crashing bonelessly over the floor, rolling to a sprawl in front of the wall of flames. Luna flinched visibly, gasping as burns spread over her own back before several of the thralls of shadow tackled her, while Loki snarled and leapt towards Twilight as his horn glowed with magic, even as he shouted: “Styx, are you going to let them kill me? They want to kill your family!”

Styx blinked, gritting his teeth before he looked down as Shining Armor ran towards him, grabbing his foreleg and crying out desperately: “Don't do it! You don't have to do it!”

River Styx grimaced, then he looked back over his shoulder at his younger brother, Lamp whimpering worriedly, both of the ponies staring at him with wide eyes before he was knocked staggering with a wince as there was a great burst of sapphire hellfire, Luna roaring in fury as she tore her way through the thralls by pure force of magic before she dove toward Loki.

Loki slashed his horn out, blowing out the firewall with the burst of wind as he knocked Luna and Twilight both backwards: and all around them, dark poison began to ebb out of the walls and floor, reeking smoke and bubbling slime flooding the world, seeking to

(RECLAIM. OURS. JOIN US.)

Twilight spread her wings to try and balance herself as she was knocked backwards, and Loki grinned as he ducked beneath a slash of Luna's horn while concentrating his magic, and a cyclone of wind erupted beneath Twilight, catching her open wings and flinging her high into the air. Then he smoothly dodged to the side, avoiding a stomp from Luna, who swore as several thralls tackled her and attempted to wrestle her down as they sapped the vitality from her body.

But before Loki could be too proud of himself, a missile of magic shot down from the air and hammered into his face, shattering his features like porcelain as he howled in misery. He clutched for a moment at his features, then looked up with a snarl as his hoof fell away to reveal a black, bubbling pit, his eye nothing but a glaring spotlight as Twilight said coldly: “Stop.”

Loki looked sharply over his shoulder, and he snarled at River Styx, who was simply standing protectively beside his little brother, staying close to all that was good in his life as Shining Armor clutched to his leg and cried helplessly, and- “Styx! If they kill me, your brother dies!”

River Styx's eyes widened, and when he looked towards Luna and Twilight, Loki bared his fangs at the younger stallion, who winced and dropped his head away from Loki fearfully as he stammered: “Y-Yes, I... I mean...”

Styx began to look back towards his brother, and Loki snarled in frustration before he swore as Luna tackled him, driving him to the ground. He rolled agilely backwards and kicked her off, but he was immediately caught by another blast of magic from Twilight, howling and stumbling to the side as part of his shoulder was torn away, cracks spreading down his entire limb.

“Kill the stallion or your brother dies!” Loki roared, and River Styx gritted his teeth as he looked back at his younger brother, but he seemed fine, even if he was cowering away, looking terrified, like he was-

Loki snapped his horn out: and a hurricane force wind pummeled into both Luna and Twilight, driving them both skidding backwards before he bared his teeth as his horn gave a second, darker pulse. The slime and smoke in the area reacted violently, tendrils of blackness twisting suddenly upwards. Luna snarled as she covered her face with her forelegs as they lashed across her like whips, and Twilight winced as she ducked beneath another: Loki's toxic magic was giving the slime and malice more power... “Loki, stop!”

“Never!” Loki retorted, and then he grinned callously as his eyes flicked towards Styx and his youngest brother, snarling: “Do what I say!”

River Styx bared his teeth at his twisted twin, before his eyes flicked back to his brother as the stallion reached up and grabbed his shoulder, saying suddenly, desperately: “Styx, you can't!”

Twilight Sparkle began to flick her horn forwards, but a wave of black ooze suddenly erupted out of the floor in front of her, becoming a massive set of jaws that slammed shut around her. Luna snarled, distracted by this, and then she was blown off her hooves and right into the waiting embrace of Loki's thralls, which tackled her to the ground and pinned her under their combined weight, as Loki growled: “You have to.”

The youngest brother opened his mouth, and then he gargled as a noose of black ooze snapped up and wrapped around his throat. He grasped at this helplessly, then clenched his eyes shut as he was yanked face-first into the ground with a thump, Shining Armor shouting and grabbing wildly at the noose of ooze as Styx stumbled backwards, then stared at Loki with disbelief.

Loki looked back, cold and ruthless and heartless, before he gave a too-wide grin, showing off too many teeth in his broken features as shadow and poison ebbed out of him, as darkness eagerly twisted around him as he whispered: “You have to. Or your younger brother dies.”

“Loki...” River Styx growled, taking a step towards him, but Loki only smiled coldly.

“What, Styx?” he asked contritely, and then he snarled suddenly and leaned forwards, snapping: “Worthless idiot! Nothing has changed! They have to die, one way or the other. It's the only way we'll be free. So free us! Kill them...” Loki narrowed his eyes, and the noose around the stallion's throat tightened. “Or your brother dies. I'm just making it a little more obvious how he'll die.”

River Styx began to take a step towards Loki, but then his younger brother gasped and spasmed as Shining Armor cried out, and Loki said softly: “No no no. Wrong direction, Styx. That's the way to watching your brother choke to death like rat in a trap. Go the other way. We can all be one happy family, Styx, as long as you learn to listen. And don't even think about using your magic. Two winds can't blow in opposite directions, you know.”

The two glared at each other for a few moments, and then Shining Armor stumbled forwards before he shouted angrily: “Why are you doing this, Loki? Stop it, you leave them alone, you stop it and leave-”

Without a twitch, Loki drew a knife from under his cloak and flung it into Shining Armor, the colt gasping in shock as he stumbled backwards before he looked down at himself. He whimpered again as he reached up to touch the knife in his breast, as Styx stared in shock, and Loki said coldly: “You see, Styx, I am like you, but better: my actions serve two purposes here. One, I have gotten rid of a pest. Two, you now are aware that I will not hesitate to kill anyone who interferes with my plans. Unlike you. Always so weak, brother! I thought you were willing to actually protect the ponies you care about, but apparently not, if it means getting your hooves dirty.”

Shining Armor slowly fell to the ground, gasping once, hugging himself as he shivered weakly before he closed his eyes. And to Styx's shock, the colt slowly turned to dark slime that melted quickly away through the floorboards, Loki saying mildly: “See? Anything that dies here, is stuck here forever. You don't want that, do you, Styxie? Now hurry up. Kill Scrivener Blooms. Three birds with one stone.”

River Styx slowly turned towards where Scrivener was sitting with Marina, and the stallion looked at them for a few moments as he breathed slowly in and out before he gritted his teeth. He looked back at his brother, choking to death: he looked towards Loki, who was grinning callously; he looked towards the pit, where Twilight Sparkle had vanished, and he looked towards Luna, who was buried beneath the life-sucking thralls.

They were in the darkness, and there was no way out.

River Styx closed his eyes for a moment, and then he nodded once before he turned silently towards Scrivener and Marina. He walked slowly towards them as Scrivener looked up with a wry smile, the earth pony slowly pushing himself up to his hooves as Marina shivered on the ground and hugged herself, looking pleadingly up at Styx.

Styx looked at Scrivener only briefly before he returned his eyes to Marina. And after a moment, he asked almost abruptly: “Sol Seraph. Where is she?”

Scrivener looked at Marina, and Marina smiled faintly as she looked up at Styx, saying quietly: “She died to protect us. And she died to... save herself, I suppose.”

Styx cast his eyes down at this in surprise, thinking of the mare, everything she had been, and how... “I suppose I admired her. But I suppose there was... a lot to admire in her.”

River Styx laughed briefly, and then he clenched his eyes shut when Loki snarled, the order echoing through his mind painfully: “Stop wasting time and kill him!”

“I might be a dude in a dress, but I'm not going to go down easily, you know.” Scrivener said wryly, and River Styx smiled grimly as his horn began to thrum with magic.

“I know.” River Styx said, and then he leapt forwards, slashing towards Scrivener Blooms.

The earth pony was swift, dodging to the side as Loki grinned slowly, licking his lips as Luna shouted and swore, watching almost desperately. Styx was cold and precise, blades of wing ripping across Scrivener's body to try and disorient him as the stallion closed in carefully on his larger prey.

Scrivener gritted his teeth as a blade of wind tore one of the straps of his dress loose, nearly ripping it off his body. He staggered, and Styx drove forwards, before wincing when Scrivener lunged at him, using his heavier body to drive the unicorn back before they grappled, even as Marina shouted at him and Loki laughed and reality around them seemed to grow darker...

A tentacle of black energy tore out of the ground, lashing out and snaring around one of Scrivener's hind legs, and the stallion gasped as he was yanked backwards and pulled off-balance. As he fell, Styx flung him down before dropping on top of him, pinning him to the ground as he gritted his teeth, and Loki crowed: “Yes, now kill him! Kill him!”

Styx trembled for a moment, then he began to raise a hoof as his horn glowed, before he flinched in shock as he was blasted by a wave of force. It didn't hurt him, but surprised him as he stared towards Marina, who was breathing hard but standing up, trembling but glaring at him as she whispered: “Don't make me do this, River Styx.”

“You... can't.” Styx said disbelievingly, and then he stared in shock as several tendrils of dark slime lashed up out of the ground, seizing around Marina and choking her, hefting her into the air as Loki laughed loudly.

“You're right, she can't!” Loki growled, grinning wider as he began to walk forwards. His eyes burned with power and madness, not seeming to realize that an eager trail of dark slime followed in his wake, or that miasma was burning off his body, as he hissed: “Kill her. Kill them all. Come on, Styx! It's just us, right? You, me and your brother! We're all that matter, so kill her, and let's go!”

River Styx looked back towards his younger brother, who was trembling on the ground, the tendril withdrawn from around his neck as he stared at his brother desperately. Then he turned his eyes back towards Loki, who had stepped up beside him: fearless, monstrous, his handsomeness lost to the hideous cracks spreading through a body that was full of hate, and rot, and... the emptiness and the hunger that had infected this cheery sociopath. “Well? Oh, fine, I'll do it myself.”

Loki's horn began to glow darkly, before he frowned as Styx reached up and grasped the spire, then he shook his head and said quietly: “I'll do it. I have to do it.”

Loki smiled at this, and Styx stepped forwards to look up at Marina. He approached her slowly, gazing up into her eyes as her chocolate body visibly, slowly melted away in the grip of the black poison, and Marina gazed back down at him silently before the stallion's horn began to glow, as he said: “Sorry. For everything.”

Marina only gave a faint smile, and then she closed her eyes as River Styx breathed quietly before he gritted his teeth, then leaned forwards and speared his horn into her. Marina gasped, clenching her eyes shut and shivering, but she wasn't afraid, she wasn't afraid-

Styx tore his horn back, coated in chocolate that he charged with energy before he spun around and shot the missile of hardened chocolate straight into Loki's face. It shattered a hole in the stallion's features, knocking him staggering backwards with a scream of shock, disrupting his concentration over his magic, and Marina gasped as she fell to the ground when Styx tackled Loki.

The two crashed and rolled backwards, and Loki snarled in fury and disbelief as Styx's hooves found his throat, crushing down on him. But as he pushed Loki down, the floor around him rotted, tendrils of black ooze lashing up greedily around them both, as the corrupted twin howled, fighting and struggling wildly even as poisonous fumes spilled up from the black hollow of his face: “What are you doing? I am everything you wanted to be! I am trying to save us all!”

“No.” Styx said calmly, as he pushed down, gritting his teeth as he felt them both beginning to sink into the poison. “You are everything I was afraid of becoming. But I'm not scared of you anymore, and I won't listen to your lies. Like you said, Loki. I'm not afraid of dying. I'm not afraid of killing myself, if it will save my little brother.”

The faceless stallion howled in fury, before he turned an enraged snarl towards their younger sibling, who stared at them, reached out for them... for them both, even as Loki screamed: “If we die, he dies! He's always needed us!”

But Styx only smiled faintly at this, before his eyes widened as Loki screamed as he lunged upwards, and suddenly he wasn't crushing down on a stallion, but instead stretching down into dark, foul slime as geysers of black poison splashed up around him, reeking, toxic smoke venting upwards as a thousand echoing voices rasped: “We will not let you go. I will not let any of you go.”

Styx gritted his teeth and reared back as dark ooze splashed up over him, clenching his eyes shut as he felt himself being pulled down after Loki, into the darkness, into the abyss, into the nothingness and the hell, even as he reached blindly out, tried to swim through the grasping sludge-

Something caught one of his hooves, and Styx looked up in shock to see Marina smiling at him, whispering: “Don't give up.”

Styx breathed hard as the slime pulled at him, and he could feel Marina struggling to hold on, to pull him back, even as the slime began to spread towards her. He looked blindly towards his brother, but Marina reached a hoof out and stopped him from turning his head, whispering: “Styx, for once in your life, make a decision for you.”

River Styx stared up at her, and as he felt himself being pulled down, he asked before he could stop himself: “What if my decision was to drown?”

Marina smiled at him in response, and then she leaned back and slowly pulled him upwards all the same, and River Styx gritted his teeth, but managed to reach up and catch the edge of the broken floor, pulling himself upwards and crawling out of the swirling darkness.

Scrivener Blooms smiled wryly as he picked himself up off the ground, before he looked up apparently without surprise as Twilight Sparkle seemed to appear beside him, reaching down and gently touching his back as she said quietly: “Sorry.”

“It's okay. I know you're busy. Things to do.” Scrivener shook himself out briefly, before he looked over at Luna, who was groaning loudly as she pulled herself slowly out from beneath the mass of ooze and ashes that the thralls had become when Loki had dissolved. “What happened?”

“You can't exist as two people, in two places, at once.” Twilight said softly, and she turned to watch as River Styx slowly climbed to his hooves, silently striding away from Marina towards his little brother, and Lamp.

The two looked up at him quietly, and River Styx looked back at them for a few moments before he shook his head and said softly: “You're not real.”

“I'm sorry.” his little brother said quietly, bowing his head silently, and Styx smiled briefly.

“No. Don't be. I could have stopped Loki any time, but I didn't. And I crafted you, the same way I saw my little brother...” River Styx looked away, shaking his head slowly. “Helpless. Unable to make his own decisions. Who needed me... to guide his hoof in everything.

“But you aren't like that. I depend on you as much as you depend on me... more, really.” River Styx looked back towards the stallion, gazing down at him quietly before she smiled faintly at his genet, adding: “Take care of him, Lamp. He needs you more than I do, right now.”

Lamp chirped happily, raising his head slightly, and his younger brother smiled hesitantly before he asked: “Should I go?”

Horses of Heaven, this was hard. But all the same, Styx forced himself to take a slow breath before he answered quietly: “That's your decision to make.”

His young brother looked slowly back and forth, at the miserable, dark world all around them, at the boiling slime and living malice. Lamp gently tugged at his ear, and after a moment, the young stallion nodded before he looked up at Styx, saying as if ashamed: “It's all a mess. I'm sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault.” Styx replied with surprising gentility, and then he hesitated, lowering his head, looking away for a moment...

And when he looked back up, his brother was gone.

For a moment, Styx stared at the empty space, and then he took a slow breath before he turned slowly around. But the others were still there: Luna and Scrivener and Twilight and Marina, and the stallion shifted awkwardly before he looked around and muttered: “Sorry. Anyway. How do we get out of here? It's like reality is rotting.”

“Now, Styx, there is no need to cry and give such long and pleading apologies, get up off thy knees, we know 'twas just a mistake that could have happened to any one of us.” Luna said ironically, before she winced when Twilight smacked the back of her head, whining: “That is what I do to Scrivy! Thou cannot do it to me!”

“We aren't out of this yet, Luna.” Twilight said with a gesture, as the world roiled around them. Because what did it matter, if the illusions, the shells, the manifestations of hate and longing and childlike desire returned to the mud from whence they had come? They would return. Reality was a weak and trembling thing, a wall of paper here: in time, their most rancid imaginings would be given life of their own, their most cherished memories would turn against them, and all for the want of a silly Narrator, who had just wanted to see his own memories, his own life made real...

“The play gave the world structure. A dream within a dream, within a dream.” Scrivener Blooms said slowly, as he straightened with a grimace, looking slowly around as echoing whispers traveled through the room around them. “The Draconequus were actors, just like us. Were they crafted by you, Narrator? Or do they each represent pieces of you...”

Styx frowned slowly, and then he reached up and touched his head, closing his eyes as he muttered: “The things most important to us... he got in my head because of Lamp. The simulacrum of Lamp... made me think about my brother being here. My brother being here, made me want to do anything to protect him. Sol Seraph warned me, over and over, that I was making Loki real.”

“Sol Seraph was never benevolent. But I will admit... she had a fierce will.” Luna said with a small smile, shaking her head briefly before she touched her own breast, thinking of Ignominious... and that deep desire, from the very first moment she had seen him, that for once... just once...

Twilight smiled faintly as well. “Shining Armor. My brother. But I never had a brother, so he was also a metaphor, wasn't he? Love, for my family.”

Marina laughed quietly, shaking her head slowly as she looked down and flexed one of her chocolate hooves slowly. “But he used Draconequus to rule the world. He hid behind 'chaos.' But I am fueled by chaos magic... it runs through my body. That's why I could channel the powers so easily, but couldn't be manipulated by it... and Plutocrat... that's why Plutocrat hated me, why his presence was so painful to me. He was here to control the chaos, and control the Redacted...”

“But he went out of control.” Twilight said softly, striding slowly forwards as she looked back and forth. “Narrator, come out. You can end this. This has to end. Please. You have all the answers. Just come out, and talk to us.”

How I wish I could... how I wish that I had some way to reach out, to speak to you all. But all I can do is make my voice echo. And you're all so close to the truth, but what will these answers do? The play wasn't just there to serve as a skeleton to manifest a story, an adventure, a lifetime around... it was a faulty trap, that they had been meant to escape, complete, and then 'go home.'

“We never would have really left, though. That's why you gave us a challenge that any pony could complete, as long as they were willing to play along, and the Draconequus were there to both enforce and twist the rules.” Twilight continued slowly, looking back and forth as the other ponies joined her side. “And when we 'left' this world to go back 'home,' what would happen? Would we just become part of this world somehow? Or would we form a new piece of this world for you... is that how Canterlot and so many places we've seen here are so distinct? Is that why there's so many members of the 'stage' crew? Narrator, you have to realize that if you're never letting these ponies leave, that is why the Redacted feels so strong, that is why you feel so guilty, so angry, like it's all hopeless, because you can't force these people to be friends! Especially not when you're stealing their life force-”

(It is a GIFT. I am no THIEF. I AM IN CONTROL.)

The world shook with fury, as the darkness became darker, as the shadows twisted towards them, as the world rumbled with ominious-

“You can't intimidate us.” Scrivener Blooms said quietly, raising his head high before he smiled wryly around at the other ponies. “In a way, we started this together. We made it through this together. We're ready to finish this together.”

And how the humble Narrator wishes

(you will not leave)

The ponies should run, they should turn and leave and run and flee and

(You Will Not Leave.)

The Redacted was coming, all that anger all that hate run away why won't you run away

YOU WILL NOT LEAVE.

The Redacted

View Online

Chapter Fourteen: The Redacted
~BlackRoseRaven

The world rumbled around the ponies, and the darkness came like a wave in a stream of black fog that vomited past them, filled with echoes and screaming voices. They flinched at it, but it was an empty power: it was miasma, and it was poison, but bracing themselves against it, they felt it was the same as it had been before: nothing but smoke and shadow.

The miasma washed past them, and Styx gritted his teeth as he heard Loki's voice trying to get back into his head, but he blocked out the words before he could make sense of the whispers. Marina shuddered, her body trembling, but she stood resolute all the same, even with her body feeling so frail, so unstable.

Twilight Sparkle gazed through the black fog, and Luna and Scrivener stood on either side of her, taking strength from her fearlessness even as they supported her. “Narrator! You can end this! Just come out, talk to us!”

But the Narrator was helpless, the Narrator was helpless because the Redacted was coming, the Redacted was taking over-

“Narrator!” Twilight's voice was desperate, exasperated, almost angry all at once, as she glared up into the air. “You're the one in control, not it! You're the one with all the power over this world... this world has no power over you! Just get rid of it!”

As Twilight spoke, something began to drag itself into the room: something more than just slime, and malice: something horrific and hideous and oh-so-very real, oh-so-able to hurt them, crush them, maim them, rip them kill them-

“Narrator!” Twilight snapped, and reality itself seemed to flinch even as the purple mare gritted her teeth as that hideous thing slithered towards them, grinning from its many mouths, drooling slime and acid, all its countless eyes staring, staring... “No matter what this is, if it's... all the anger, all the sadness, all the loneliness, you can make it go away, you don't have to give in, you don't have to let it-”

But what Twilight Sparkle didn't seem to understand was how hard the Narrator had tried to get rid of it! He took away its form, and it took on many forms! He tried to lock it away, but the guard he left fed it, fed it, fed it until it became strong and evil and awful. He had even taken away its name to try and erase it entirely from existence, and now look at it! It was Redacted, it was Removed, and yet it was still here!

The monster lashed out with a claw that shouldn't exist, and Twilight was slammed off her hooves by it, her eyes bulging as she was knocked skidding across the room with a gasp. The floor shifted callously beneath her, slime grasping at her and thorns of dark energy jutting out of the earth, and Scrivener and Luna both flinched as they felt the mare's pain resonate through their own bodies.

All the same, the two readied themselves as the hideous mass of jaws and claws and eyes turned its attention towards them, lashing a claw towards the earth pony. Scrivener Blooms immediately attempted to block the attack, but he flinched in surprise and pain as he was knocked over by a tremendous force, and yet at the same time the attack seemed to pass through him, making his very spirit ache.

Luna snarled as she leapt forwards, dodging a vicious lash from the thing's many tentacles as it roared and laughed and screamed at her before the sapphire mare slammed herself into the beast... and she passed right through it, her eyes bulging in shock as agony shocked through her body, psychic and very physical pain ripping through her body before she gasped as she burst out the other side of the Redacted thing in a burst of smog and ash, hitting the ground and rolling violently as her body smoldered.

She coughed a few times, then gritted her teeth as she shakily began to push herself up to her hooves before her eyes bulged in shock as claws ripped out of the ground, seizing into her body and her mane, dragging her greedily down as a voice rasped

MARKED MARKED MARKED OURS OURS OURS

through her head...

Luna clenched her eyes shut, channeling her magic before she slashed her horn savagely down, a sapphire shockwave of fire ripping through the air around her and dislodging the greedy claws from her as she lunged into the air, leaving a trail of smoke and slime behind her as she shouted: “I cannot harm it! It is ethereal!”

“I don't think it's ethereal... I think it's Astra. There's no way we can fight something composed of Astra!” Twilight called back as she shivered and gritted her teeth, looking up as she shouted: “Narrator, just-”

Luna swore under her breath as she looked at the hideous thing, which was eagerly making its way towards Marina, even as Styx stepped up in front of the chocolate mare, trying to focus blades of wind on the beast, but not managing to even distort its smoky hide- “Marina! It is attracted to thee because thy form stems from chaos! Chaos can harm Astra!”

“I don't even know what that is!” Marina replied, bewildered and almost desperate, before she flinched when a claw tore up out of the ground, grabbing at her: this, at least, Styx was able to quickly intercept with his horn, slicing the limb in half as the chocolate mare staggered backwards before she shivered violently: as the Redacted drew closer, it started to hurt, it started to hurt so terribly... “It... it feels like I'm on fire!”

“Marina, focus the magic in your body! Call the Director and the other Draconequus here!” Twilight called suddenly, even as she dove in towards the Redacted. The hideous and deformed and impossible-to-understand thing lashed savagely back at her, but Twilight dodged around it as she snapped her horn out, a whispery blast of light hammering against the beast and making it squeal with fury, the echoing whispers all rising in a discordant chorus.

The thing that should not be howled in fury, the world shaking around it before it twisted towards Twilight with a furious snarl, lunging after her with sudden rage and hate. But even as it lurched after Twilight, all claws and tentacles and biting jaws, a toxic miasma, a living shadow of hatred twisted visibly along the floor towards them.

Styx swept his horn to the side, ripping a trench through the rotting floor with the force of the concentrated blade of wind magic he unleashed, and the toxic slime recoiled with a hiss before it shrieked when a blue fireball slammed into it from behind, evaporating the living poison. But the victory was short-lived: that disease, that poison was rising up all around them as the world itself came to hideous, unintelligent life, as-

“You aren't helping!” Scrivener snapped at the air, as several claws lurched out of the ground to seize into him, shredding his dress before he managed to lunge backwards and finally free of the clothing, the stallion wheezing in relief in spite of the gouges that had been torn throughout his body. “Well, at least there's one good thing.”

“Oh shut up, Scrivy.” Luna grumbled as she dropped to the ground near Styx and Marina, adding quickly over her shoulder: “We shall do our best to hold back the Redacted and its pets. Thou do as Twilight says, and summon the Draconequus.”

“What am I supposed to do, even Discord never-” But Marina cut herself off, biting her tongue before she gave a short nod, breathing hard as she closed her eyes tightly. “Alright. I'll try.”

“I'll watch your back.” Styx grimaced as he looked off to the side, his horn thrumming with magic... but he was starting to tire. Even if he felt lucid now, far less poisoned and confused than he had under Loki's influence, he felt all the same like the life was being sucked out of his body, the stallion breathing slowly through his mouth...

But it had been such a long fight, for all of them. How long had it been since they had rested? How long had they fought for, wrestled against this inevitable fate, against giving in to this cruel world, this vicious cycle, this biting trap that-

“Scrivy, thou art a writer, out-narrate the Narrator before he gets us all killed!” Luna shouted, even as her body wobbled, and Styx gritted his teeth, looking up as he realized that Luna was right: whether he meant to or not, the Narrator's misery was impacting them, was sucking the life from their frail bodies, was making them-

“But not all was lost!” Scrivener shouted, raising his head high as he glared at the ceiling. “For in spite of their pain, they fought onward! Even as the darkness closed in around them, they pushed back against it, fearless, with the strength of-”

SHUT HIM UP.

Pony-shaped nightmares of slime and smoke ripped up out of the ground, charging towards Scrivener Blooms with screams, black ooze spilling off their bodies as they hurled themselves at the stallion. But in an instant, Luna was in front of him, slamming her hooves into the ground as her horn gave a powerful pulse of energy, blades of ice ripping up out of the earth and forming a barricade as she growled: “We are not puppets to thy will!”

The deformed ponies slammed into the barrier of ice, crashing against it and leaving black stains where their poisonous presence touched, as Scrivener Blooms backpedaled and continued in a clear, resounding voice: “Even as monsters rose up to strike out against them, and-” Scrivener winced as the floor behind him suddenly rose up to form biting jaws, but Luna leapt over him and slammed fiercely down into this as her hooves burst into blue flames. “The whole world seemed to strike out against them, and yet still these brave five fought fearlessly onward, halting every advance and attack!”

Shapes of shadow and nightmares of slime were closing in all around Styx and Marina, but the unicorn gritted his teeth as he rose his head and spun his horn in a sharp circle, struggling to stay on his hooves as he concentrated all his strength into one last, desperate spell. The air vibrated around them before a powerful wind began to blow, at first doing little to stop the creatures... but as the first shapeless beast began to lunge towards them, it was swept off its feet by the power of the maelstrom, lifted into the miniature hurricane spinning around Styx and Marina.

The stallion almost collapsed, clenching his eyes shut as he barely managed to steady himself. The hurricane roared around them, but it wouldn't last very long, and the stallion gritted his teeth as he looked back at Marina.

The chocolate mare was trembling hard, her body roiling, her eyes wide and staring as her horn thrummed as she was almost lifted off her hooves, gasping as her body was almost lifted into the air, her horn nearly cracking under the pressure of magic growing around it as she called out to the chaos, but the chaos also called back to her-

She cried out, then fell... and blinked in surprise as she landed in a set of arms, looking disbelievingly up to see the Critic scowling down at her, the Draconequus saying moodily: “Well, do you want your review now or later? It's not going to be pleasant, ponies.”

THEY ARE HERE.

River Styx looked blearily back over his shoulder to see the Director chewing fearfully on one of his front hooves beside the Critic and his assistant, whose pen was a blur as he wrote notes rapidly over his clipboard. The Critic moodily looked around at the rotten world, before he grimaced in distaste as a roar echoed through the air

CONSUME THEM DESTROY THEM THEY ARE HERE THEY MUST BE GONE

The Redacted lurched its hideous, impossible shape away from Twilight, ignoring her completely as it began to roil and slither towards the Draconequus. The Director squeaked and immediately scrambled around in a circle to try and run away, but the Critic reached down and caught him by the tail as he shifted Marina absently to his other arm, dragging him forwards as he said distastefully: “No. As much as I dislike these insults to the stage, they are all the same correct.”

He glanced down at Marina, then calmly put the chocolate mare down and tapped her once, making her flinch before she blinked in surprise as she looked down at one of her own forelegs: some of her chocolate had been restored.

She looked up, but the Draconequus ignored her completely as he dragged the Director onward, the dragon-tailed stallion whimpering as he grabbed uselessly at the ground, babbling: “Now, really, Critic, you've always been just fine on your own, it's not like you really need my help with anything! I'm just a visionary, a figurehead, really, a-”

KILL THEM.

Black, hideous masses ripped out of the ground all around them, but with a disdainful gesture, the Critic simply banished the shadowy entities, saying coldly: “That is enough. Narrator, it is time for this play to end. You have gone on too long, ruined too many deadlines, made a fiasco of what was originally supposed to be billed as a cheap comedy skit. Now what is it? Tragedy, mayhem... and full of holes! Too hard to make sense of and with a B-movie monster as the villain!”

The Redacted roared as it closed in, and the Director yelped as he scrambled out of the Critic's grip, leaping away and almost hiding behind River Styx. Yet the Critic stood his ground fearlessly all the same, glaring up at the monstrosity even as it slithered and twisted towards him, even as it opened its many jaws, reached out with its many claws-

The Critic snapped his fingers, and the Redacted shivered as it was frozen in place, left immobile. The hideous thing squirmed and fidgeted in front of him, but it was helpless to move, helpless to consume the

MEAT THAT IT SO DESIRED

Draconequus as reality quaked and rippled, as

YOU CANNOT RESIST US BREAK HIM KILL HIM BRING HIM BACK REUNITE

the world shook...

Luna flinched painfully, and Scrivener grabbed at his head, groaning loudly. Twilight Sparkle stumbled towards the back of the shapeless thing, before her eyes widened and she shouted, desperate, afraid, and yet knowing it was too late: “Look out!”

Black tendrils lashed up out of the rotting floor to seize around the Critic's arms, and his eyes widened briefly in dull surprise before the Redacted suddenly lunged forwards, breaking through the chaos restraining it to tackle the Critic, driving him down even as he shouted, for the first time a hint of emotion, of fear, of desperation creeping into his voice: “This isn't supposed to happen!”

The Redacted bit down, and the Director screamed and turned to try and bolt away before a tendril lashed out, seizing around his hind leg and dragging him backwards. He clawed wildly at the ground, shaking his head desperately as he was dragged slowly back towards the hideous thing, screaming: “Anything but this! P-Please, anything but this!”

Luna shot in, but the shapeless arm of the thing lashed out and smashed her away: Twilight hammered it with magic as she leapt towards its back, but tentacles twisted towards her and dark ichors sprayed upwards, driving her backwards. Scrivener Blooms ran forwards, but he was seized by claws that ripped out of the floor-

Styx galloped forwards, swinging his horn down and slashing through the tentacle dragging the Director towards the maw of the beast, and the Draconequus immediately flung himself to his hooves and bolted away, howling: “Narrator, do something! You have to do something, you have to end this!”

The Redacted roared in fury, but it would not be deprived of its prize, and the Narrator was helpless, helpless to do anything, as the monstrosity stampeded past the Director, drawn away by his yelling, single-minded in its desire to destroy and consume all that was good, all that had once bound it, all that the stupid Narrator had depended upon to keep the Redacted at bay...

Luna swore as she and Scrivener traded looks before they both lunged after the creature, and Styx gritted his teeth as he rose his head, before he frowned as he saw Marina, staring at the Critic's assistant. And the Critic's assistant was simply writing, writing away, jotting down his notes and trembling as he did everything he could not to look back up at the chocolate mare...

A moment later, Twilight Sparkle silently landed on the assistant's other side, looking down at him as well. The chubby, useless little Draconequus who didn't even have a name, who was just trying to do his job, who was-

“The Narrator.” Twilight said softly, and the assistant flinched before he looked up fearfully, but Twilight Sparkle only smiled faintly at him. “Because all along, you wanted to be part of this world. So you had to give yourself a part to play, that no one would suspect...”

The assistant smiled nervously, and Marina leaned forwards, asking desperately: “Can't you just stop it? Can't you send the Redacted away?”

The assistant began to look away, before he winced when Twilight grasped his shoulder, saying quietly: “You can, you know. This world-”

“This world is composed of more than just me, though! You're all here, too, and...” The useless, worthless, stupid Draconequus shivered and hugged himself, looking down as he whispered: “I've lost control. Even with this body I'm still apart, and what I feel, what I write, becomes real. I got so wrapped up in the play, and then the play beneath the play, letting myself... be bossed around, finally, for once, not having to be responsible, letting other people take control, finding an audience to try and please... but I screwed it all up! I ruined it! I'm worthless!”

The Redacted roared in victory, and the Director screamed as the powerful and unstoppable and hideous thing grabbed him and began to reel him in with its slimy and countless appendages, invulnerable to the damage that Luna and Scrivener were trying to inflict, raging and-

“You never tried to get rid of the Redacted, or fix it. What you did, Narrator, was try and shove it away somewhere where you didn't have to deal with it.” Twilight said in a soft but scolding tone, and the little fat and dumb- “Stop calling yourself names, it's not helpful. And stop making the Redacted bigger and stronger and meaner than it already is. You can fix this.”

“No I can't.” the Narrator whispered, and the Draconequus looked down at his hands as he trembled, then he stared up at the black and awful and empty and terrible thing that was the Redacted... “This thing is too powerful. Too mighty. It has a life of its own and I trapped it here for so long but Pluto wanted more, and there are rules to this world and I'm stuck by those rules-”

“You made those rules and you're making up excuses!” Twilight said in a frustrated voice, and the Redacted roared, and the mare clenched her eyes shut and took a breath, trying to ignore everything: the rage of Scrivener and Luna, the energy in the air, the ponies staring at her, the warping corruption around them and...

She slowly dropped to a kneel, looking into the eyes of the Draconequus as she reached up a hoof to grasp his shoulder, before she whispered: “It's all in your head. And you're not alone. I don't know what you really are, and I feel so sorry for you, that you've been stuck in some... space between spaces, between realities, where all you have for company are those souls that wander in, and you tried so hard to give them Heaven, but... they died in here. Their spirits were drained to feed you and your world, and you couldn't let go, and you started to hate yourself, I see that. I can see that. But the Redacted is your feelings. And you can make choices.”

The Narrator stared at her mutely, not understanding, because she couldn't understand what it was like, or the rules of the world, or what was going on... before he flinched when River Styx asked in a quiet, serious voice: “And if we kill you, what happens then?”

“I don't know.” the Narrator replied honestly, although that sounded so-

“No.” Marina cut in, and then she shook her head, looking over at Styx before she looked back at the Narrator. “That is absolutely the last resort. You have to try. You just have to try for us. You have to-”

The Director howled as he was dragged back into the poison, his body spasming, his limbs clawing uselessly at the ooze as he was pulled into the monster... the monster that grew so much stronger, now that it had consumed the creatures that had once bound it. And reality quaked, and trembled, and now it was nothing but rot and darkness, where they fought in a hapless and hopeless and infinite void, where-

“When you're standing atop a burning building, and the choice is to jump or to stay and be burned alive... it doesn't seem like much of a choice.” Scrivener Blooms said, raising his head high, looking fearlessly at the Redacted as the infinite and endless abyss gazed into both him and Luna Brynhild. “That's what it's like, when you're truly in the darkness. And when people say they're going to help you, it's like they're screaming it from so far away, from the other side of the fire, or from the ground below... how can they help you? But that's not the real question. How can anyone help someone who doesn't ask for, who refuses to be helped? We can't.”

The Redacted roared in fury, reaching forwards, and Luna said coldly: “The Redacted and the Narrator are both but pieces of a single entity, as are all the other fragments we have encountered. They are this world, and the Narrator has been but its voice. They are Astra, and we stand here, inside a living soul. The Narrator is perhaps conscience, and this Redacted is the shadow that lurks within us all... and neither can ever fully destroy the other. Only purge it, for but a time.”

“I... that's only... that's just...” the Narrator spluttered, looking back and forth desperately, and yet it was so true and it hurt that it was so true, and yet the Redacted gave a gibbering laugh, turning mockingly on itself, seeming to grin with its countless mouths, and oh, it was true, it was true, it was true...

Twilight smiled, then she suddenly leapt up into the air, her wings flapping powerfully as she looked between Marina and Styx, saying quietly: “We'll hold off the Redacted as long as we can. Please, Narrator. Just try. Try, before...”

Twilight shook her head, and then she spun around and shot towards the Redacted. The Redacted reached up, eagerly, to meet her, but there was a pulse, there was a thrum, and how the Redacted screamed, but the Narrator felt it, too.

Because pain had been his only companion for so long. Heartache and lost, manifested in a beast of terror and destruction and hatred, but... how could he not love it? How could he not want to feed it? How could he not want to have it close? In a way, we all want to live in sadness and desperation, or else why would we concentrate so much on our problems. Why? How can anyone know? Because we desire sympathy, or praise, for living in spite of such challenges? Or because pain and sadness can be addictive, because they give us so many rational reasons and simpering excuses...

The Redacted roared, and the world shook, but Twilight crashed into it again, fearless and unstoppable, and the Narrator didn't know what to feel as he fell to his knees as he whispered: “I'm so sorry. For everything. I can't stop it, though, it's too powerful. It's poisoned this whole world. It's devoured all the rules I made. And if I get rid of it, you'll all leave me. I am selfish, and I am weak, and I don't want to hurt anyone... but I don't want you to leave me, either.”

Styx glared at the Draconequus, but Marina reached out and touched his shoulder gently, looking down at him with a faint smile as she said quietly: “Everyone has to leave sometime.”

The world roiled at this, roars echoing all around them as hideous shapes began to rise up from the floor, before Marina asked: “Do you really want to hurt us? You created this world to try and make people happy, make people stay with you...”

“But they never did, they never could. And my pain formed the Redacted. And the Redacted had to be controlled, so I crafted a world within a world, with characters to control the Redacted, and with a 'play' to be completed... I said it was for someone else, but it was all for me.” The Narrator looked up, trembling, tears rolling down his cheeks as he whispered: “I'm so sorry. I just didn't want to be alone anymore. I've hurt so many people and I can't stop. I know you'll die if I keep you here, but how am I supposed to willingly let you go? How am I supposed to willingly return to having no one but myself for company? I... I hate myself.”

The Redacted lashed out, and Scrivener and Luna were battered backwards, but Twilight tore into the everything-and-nothing of the beast, making it squeal in a thousand voices. The Narrator flinched as he looked towards it, but Marina quickly caught him and gently pulled him back to look at her, saying quietly: “Just try. Please.”

KILL THEM

The Narrator looked up.

THEY WANT TO HURT US. DESTROY THEM.

The Narrator closed his eyes, trembling.

BE ONE WITH US. GIVE IN TO US.

The Narrator hugged himself, before he felt a pair of forelegs wrap around him as Marina embraced him tightly, not speaking, and not needing to.

What a mess he had made of things. What an awful mess. And it seemed too big, too daunting, too awful for him to do anything about, but...

The Redacted suddenly froze, then snarled in fury, screaming in a thousand voices: “Traitor! We are all you have left! We are you! You are me! This is my world and I will keep these friends here forever!”

The Narrator trembled, but Marina hugged him tighter, and Styx gritted his teeth before he forced himself to step forwards, muttering: “Either stop this thing or I'll kill you myself.”

The Redacted roared in fury, before it shrieked when something smashed into it from behind: blades of ice ripped out of the earth all around it, snagging it for a few crucial moments as it writhed helplessly, and the dark and empty and hollow reality all around them trembled as the Redacted fought, savage and ferocious and-

The Narrator looked up, and the Redacted looked back at him, screaming threats and death, but under it all he heard it whisper: “Don't let them leave.”

The Narrator was truly powerless, though: not over this world, no, he could do what he pleased here, and that had perhaps been half the problem. He had ultimate power here, but for all his power, all the gifts he had to give, he couldn't make this world habitable for others over any long period of time. And he couldn't stop them from wanting to return home, because ultimately, everyone saw through his illusions.

And he was greedy, and always wanted more.

Here, in the world where he ruled and thoughts and emotions could become reality, his sadness, his envy, his loathing...

He looked up at his shadow, and his shadow gazed back at him, before the Narrator smiled faintly as he whispered: “No. I can't stop you. You're too strong. Too much life, too much strength, too much energy, and I'm so weak...”

Marina slowly drew back, looking silently down at the Narrator, and River Styx narrowed his eyes... but the Draconequus shook his head slowly, before he reached up and touched his own chest, staring up at the Redacted. “Scrivener Blooms is right, you know. Oh, I know, he's paraphrasing. That's what writers do, they steal from each other... so I'm going to steal from him, now. I know that if this continues... even if I make the Redacted leave, it will return. My world... is corrupt.”

The Redacted wailed, roared furiously, tore at the ice around it... but even as the entire world shook around them, the magnificent and terrible beast was unable to press forwards, was being restrained by some invisible, intangible force that stretched both within and without it...

STOP IT

The Narrator trembled as he reached up and grabbed the sides of his face, before he whispered: “Go.”

And in the distance, there was a door. A simple, solitary door, standing in the middle of the darkness, at the other end of the abyss.

River Styx gritted his teeth, and the Narrator smiled without looking up, answered without being asked: “It would be a kindness. But if I die, the Redacted will never let you leave. And for all the mistakes I have made, let me not make this one: please, I'm not strong enough to say no, forever. Please, just go.”

Marina began to shake her head, but before she could argue, Styx slipped forwards and hauled the mare over his shoulders. He halted for a moment, looking down at the Narrator, and then he gave the briefest of nods when the Narrator looked up at him before he turned and broke into a gallop for the doors.

Scrivener and Luna followed after a moment, and the Narrator breathed slowly before he smiled faintly as Twilight seemed to appear in front of him. He looked at her, and she looked back as the howls and screams of the Redacted echoed all around them, before the Narrator whispered: “Deus ex machina.”

“But the god isn't supposed to die. Everything's just supposed to be okay.” Twilight replied quietly, and the Narrator laughed faintly.

“Some things... you can't go back from. Some things... don't wash away.” the Narrator said quietly, before he reached up and touched Twilight's breast, and there was a thrum, a whisper of sapphire energy, as he whispered: “But you understand that, don't you?”

Twilight Sparkle smiled faintly, looking down at him, opening her mouth... but the Narrator only smiled back and looked up at her even as the tears continued to roll down his cheeks, replying quietly: “You can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved. But I don't want to hurt anyone, I really don't, I never did. You can't save me. But please, let me save you. Let me do one good deed. Let me let go... just this one time, just this one last time.”

For a few moments, Twilight was silent, and then she closed her eyes as her body simply blew away like smoke in the wind. The Narrator breathed softly as he looked up through the emptiness, the hollowness, the violence, and he understood why those ponies had been chosen, and how terribly and wonderfully those different parts of him had miscalculated their motives.

The Redacted roared, and the Narrator looked upward, as he smiled and asked: “Was I ever in control? Or was I, you, all along, as you were me?”

The Redacted tore free of the bonds, but it was too late: Styx was at the door, smashing through it, with Luna and Scrivener following close behind, and not even all the reaching and infinite tentacles of the Redacted could hope to catch them now. “Am I the master, or am I just the conscience of some great and child-like soul, who doesn't want to be alone, stuck in the spaces between worlds?”

The Redacted turned its fury towards the Narrator, and the Narrator looked up at it fearlessly, as he spread his arms slowly. Fat and short and harmless, a slave to the clipboard, assistant not even worthy of a name or title, and yet he smiled without fear all the same even as tears continued to run down his cheeks, saying: “They were half-right and half-wrong. I can do anything, but emotions are still emotions, we still can't help what we feel, and a feeling doesn't just go away overnight.”

YOU ARE US. YOU ARE ME.

“And I am you.” the Narrator said quietly, as the head of the callous beast leaned down towards him, as the monstrosity's limbs and tentacles and claws all wrapped around him, and yet he felt no fear even as the darkness grew, as he whispered: “The world is on fire, and you're the fire, and I'm trapped.”

The Narrator felt himself lifted as the Redacted snarled at him furiously, before the creature shifted when the Narrator only reached out to touch the beast, asking quietly: “How many people get to touch their despair, their sadness, their self-loathing? And yet physical or not, if I slay you, destroy you... you'll still be inside me. You'll still be there. And I pity myself, and I pity you...”

CONSUME AND DESTROY GET THEM BACK BRING THEM BACK

“No. No, no. How many actors played our games, went through this dance of lies, all for nothing, all for naught? How many of them did we tell could go home, allowed to complete the play, then wove a world of false memories for them... and they slept, and they decayed, because one soul cannot exist inside another's. What am I? Not Draconequus. Any more than you are Redacted.” the Narrator answered, and the monstrosity snarled at him, but beneath the growling and the hissing, he the Narrator heard whimpers, and pleas, because it knew that the story was coming to an end.

“There is a monster at the end of the book. And it's not you. It's me, for letting this go on for so long, for causing all this pain and suffering. I just didn't want to be alone. Anyone can understand that. But I understand something else now, too...” The Narrator smiled faintly. “Even if I hurt so terribly, it doesn't excuse what I did. I should have let them go. It would have been a pinprick, to let them go, and I lied for so long, fell into such delusions, believing that... 'well, they are here, they should stay, I can make them happy...'”

He quieted, and there was silence for a few moments as the Redacted simply held him, and the Narrator simply allowed himself to be held in the grips of this... lost, sad soul. But finally, he looked slowly up and he whispered: “I am so sorry. And now, look at us, look at this world, look at what we have accomplished.”

He gestured around at the abyss, the shadow, the suffering that had infested everything. Everything was only pain and whimpering and malice, and that door had shut after the ponies had fled, leaving them alone in this black bag, this hollow emptiness, this...

please don't go

The Narrator smiled faintly at this, asking: “Where would we... I... go? We are stuck here. Infinite in power in this little bubble in reality, helpless outside of it... the stuff of souls. But maybe this is a sign. It is time to let go. The building is burning.”

i don't want to. i don't want to end.

“I know. But everything ends. We struggled and we made mistakes.”

why can't they stay? They are PART OF US. WE ARE THEM. I AM-

“Shh. Shh now. Shush, it's okay. It's okay. The play is over, and it's time for everyone to go home. It hurt, terribly, to let those ponies go, I won't pretend otherwise. I wanted them to stay. I wanted to pretend they could 'fix' me, and you would have let me make you vanish, wouldn't you? Because we've lived behind false faces for so long, and it's very easy to pretend you're okay.

“But the building is burning down and they don't deserve to be caught in that. And you don't want to hurt them. You want to love them. I want to love them. And we want to be loved. But we can't force that. Twilight was half-right: not I, but we can fix this. We can fix this. We don't have to keep them here, to burn alongside us. We can let them go.”

i don't want to. please... please, let us call more to us. they will join us. their souls will be stronger, they will not break, we will not consume so greedily... do not lock us away again, do not send us to the darkness, do not-

“Let them go home. They aren't ours. The play is over. And even from you, from the deepest depths of my despair, I look at you and I look into you, as I gaze into the fire, and I ask you, why do you hate me, why do you hate yourself? Do you truly wish to harm others to fill this void?”

YES LET THEM SUFFER LET THEM HURT WE DESERVE IT WE DESERVE... we deserve...

we just wanted not to feel alone.

...but...

There was no more Redacted. There was no more Narrator. There was only the Consciousness that had always been. The living world, the beating heart of a story come to life, in the space between spaces. Infinite in itself, bringing emotion to life, but unable to touch, to feel, to interact: able to stretch out and draw the lucky and unfortunate into its grasp, to try and love them, and yet doomed always to feed off them, to poison them, to try and give them Heaven, but instead... it had simply dragged them all down with it, into darkness, into what had rotted away its very soul to a hellscape. It was so much smaller now than it had once been: it felt so much weaker. And it hurt.

But at least it was over, for now. The Consciousness was going to sleep for a while in this timeless void, where he had been everything and nothing all at once, and, the world was going to...

Movement?

There was movement.

The story had a chance to begin again. Fields sprung to life, because that is what the ponies knew. A sky of blue formed, because that was what these ponies thought of. Unlike the ponies who had so rudely fallen from the sky before, these new ponies awoke in the grass.

Their memories and their spiritual energy immediately revitalized this living consciousness. Yes, he would be kind to them, good to them, he could be friends with them! Now, the play, the play was the easiest way to get the ponies to play along, because...

A little voice whispered: stop it.

A little voice whispered: let them go.

A little voice whispered: we can't do this.

The little voice was easy to ignore, easy to push past, because it was infinite, because it was-

In the shadows, something dark and slimy stirred almost warningly, and a tremble ran through the world before there was a sigh, like a brisk wind.

The world melted away, before the ponies could awaken. Gentle hands grasped their unconscious bodies, their strange physical forms, and lifted them loose... and it was easy to push them back out of the world. They weren't really here, after all. Just in spirit, just in spirit...

And again, this living Consciousness was left all alone, by itself. Except...

It had been so easy to set the ponies free. It had never considered how if things wandered in, they could so easily be sent back out. No, it had always been here, always had power here, and it knew without a doubt that if it left this place, it would no longer have the same power. It might starve. It might die, doing more than stretching its influence out to lure in the minds of others... and surely, it would not have any of the powers it did here, where it was an entire universe unto itself, where it was everything and nothing all at once... but...

Sometimes, when the building was burning, you jumped not to die, but to live.

It jumped.

Author's Notes:

Thank you for reading. This story was written through suggestions, and powered by donations made to charity. There's still time left to donate, if you want. All proceeds go directly to Oxfam International.

Yes, it all became a gigantic, crudely executed metaphor in the end for depression, inspired by Bradbury-era short stories and philosophical comic books, and of course the burning building metaphor is from Infinite Jest.

The hardest part about writing a story is knowing how much to explain. I wanted to leave a lot of things to the reader to decide, because I would like people to think about this story, at the end of the day. Whether it's good or bad, you enjoy or hate it, I aspire to make people think, because I think that's what the best stories do.

And of course, it was also difficult to know precisely what I should write in terms of the trio: I can't give away the most important plot point of my other stories, after all.

But I hope that ultimately, it was a story worth reading, and I thank you all for your donations and attention. I do hope to raise a little more money before the Tournament of Canterlot finishes, and likely in January - due to some complications - I'll be doling out a few surprises.

Thank you all for reading and for your contributions and comments. It has been hugely appreciated over this endeavor.

Epilogue: Acceptance

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Epilogue: Acceptance
~BlackRoseRaven

River Styx opened his eyes and sat up in his cot, rubbing slowly at his throbbing head. He frowned uncertainly, looking slowly back and forth before he muttered: “What the hell.”

He pushed himself out of bed, then allowed his hooves to guide him out of the rickety barracks, shoving his way into the early morning sunlight of Appleloosa. He frowned as he looked slowly back and forth, several soldiers looking nervously at him before one of them saluted awkwardly and said: “Sir, uh... good morning, sir! We have a situation-”

River Styx's eyes flicked towards the soldier... not even a soldier, no. A cadet. They didn't want to waste too many actual soldiers on this little settlement, after all... “What is it?”

The young stallion rose his head a little, taking a breath and trying to make himself look more professional as he began: “There was-”

“A fight at the bar.” Styx said in a dry voice, and the cadet looked surprised before Styx sighed and reached up to rub at his face slowly, answering before the young pony could ask: “Because it's always a fight at the bar, cadet. Fine. I'll be there in a moment.”

The cadet nodded and saluted before rushing off, and Styx watched him leave before he frowned and reached up to rub slowly at his head. But... whatever was bothering him was already fading, he thought. It must have just been a bad dream, and sleeping in had given him a headache. That was all.

He nodded to himself, turning around and heading back into the barracks to get his armor on so he could go back to work. But as he began to slip on his equipment, his genet came hopping up to him, chirping urgently and making Styx grimace a bit before he turned a surly look towards his pet-

His genet thrust something up at him with his little paws, and Styx blinked in surprise as he took the carton of cigarettes from his genet's grasp. It rattled faintly, and the unicorn opened it before he stared down in disbelief at the single cigarette inside.

“Don't disappoint me.” River Styx spun around, just in time to watch a Pegasus calmly stride out of the room.

He leapt to his hooves, jumping after her... but she was gone. All that he had left, was the carton and the single cigarette, his eyes roving down to this for a moment before he closed his eyes and took a slow breath, leaning against the frame of the door as the faintest scent of chocolate reached his nose, tempering him, reminding him... “Balance, Styx. Buck up.”

River Styx rose his head, and then he shrugged before he rose the carton to his muzzle, taking the cigarette into his mouth. Lamp leapt up onto his head and made a disapproving little growl, but Styx only smiled briefly, saying dryly: “No one lives forever. And it's not lit, Lamp.”

River Styx rolled the cigarette slowly between his teeth as Lamp grumbled, but the stallion only smiled briefly, looking silently down the hall for a moment before he shook his head and tucked the carton away beneath his armor.

Sometimes, after all, you had to live for yourself, too.

Marina Wildheart wasn't quite sure where she was when she woke up. But she was... safe, she thought, as the covers fell from around her body. She looked down at the blankets, and she noted a bit of chocolate smeared over them, which made her smile faintly. For her, keeping her form was almost as natural as breathing, so she could sleep without melting into a puddle... but when the nightmares were bad...

“Did you meet my second cousin or something?” asked a curious voice, and Marina blinked in surprise before she smiled almost in relief at the sight of Discord, who had one of his legs pulled up to his chest and was rocking idly on the end of the bed, a smile on his muzzle... but relief, she thought, in his eyes. “It just seems like you must have had an awkward one-night encounter... you know, more awkward than the usual one night-stands... but I guess that isn't something a father should talk about with his daughter unless it starts happening a little too often...”

“I'm glad to see you, too.” Marina said, and then she picked herself up and almost threw herself towards him, the Draconequus chuckling as he caught her in a fierce embrace, closing his eyes as she held her against the safety of his chest.

For a few moments, there was silence, and then Discord said with surprising softness, as he gently stroked through her mane: “You did have me worried there for a moment. But I have to trust in you to take care of things. And I do, because I trust you, Marina, and I know that one way or the other, you'll pull through... and you did, and you helped as many people along the way like you always do, didn't you?”

“I tried.” Marina said honestly, and Discord smiled at her kindly.

“I doubt you tried. Like I just said, I'm absolutely sure you did. Now, stop fishing for compliments and tell me all about what happened.” Discord said kindly, patting her on the head before sitting her back on the bed and spinning around to assume an exaggerated listening pose.

Marina laughed despite herself, and then she smiled faintly at him before she nodded slowly, lowering her head slightly as she started: “I fell into the world, and there were very stern Draconequus there... and I think that was the biggest clue, right from the start, that it was all a play within a play, within a play...”

The sapphire mare groaned loudly as she picked herself up, before she scowled moodily around the campfire. Her sharp, blade-like hooves dug against the ground as her mane burned and twisted around her, before her eyes locked on the shape of the large black stallion nearby, asking loudly: “Art thou still sleeping? Shall I leave thee to thy napping?”

A silver claw picked up a rock and flung it at her head, but Luna deflected this with a flick of her bright blue, shimmering horn. Then the stallion rose himself slowly up, gauntlets flexing against the ground before he smiled briefly as he rose his head slightly, showing off the platinum collar around his neck... and Luna sighed in relief as she reached up to touch the collar of ivy around her own neck, stroking slowly over the black pearl in its silver clutch.

Then they both looked off towards the third shape, and they smiled at the purple mare as she reached up to touch her own collar. She smiled back at them, with eyes that had seen the darkness, and seen through the darkness, as she said quietly: “They'll be coming for us.”

“Aye, let them come!” Luna grinned widely, and Twilight sighed in exasperation as the bulky stallion picked himself up, as the mare, the Valkyrie, posed sharply, showing off her powerful, scarred body. “Here in the real world, it will take more than a misfit god to make us bow!”

Scrivener Blooms responded by yawning at her, and Twilight rolled her eyes in amusement as Luna glared balefully at the stallion before she tackled him, knocking him flat. Twilight watched the two of them wrestle for a moment, and then she turned her eyes towards the sky.

After a few moments, Luna and Scrivener both looked up at her from the ground, and Twilight said softly: “I hope that wherever he is, he's okay.”

“Thou cannot save everyone, Twilight. That is a sad, hard truth thou must learn, with thy destiny as great as it is.” Luna said gently, and Twilight smiled faintly as she nodded slowly, looking up at the sky.

“But I think you did help convince him to let go, for better or worse. And that might be even more important.” Scrivener said quietly as he sat up, absently pushing Luna off his face. “And maybe...”

“Do you think that will happen to me one day?” Twilight asked, and Scrivener and Luna both traded looks before they gave her matching, amused smiles, and the violet mare chuckled quietly as she murmured: “You're right. I'll always have you two, huh?”

“For better or worse.” Scrivener remarked, and then he winced when Luna slapped the back of his head with a huff and a grin.

And Twilight Sparkle smiled, before she took a slow breath and rose her head high, knowing that she would never become so lost as the sad and lonely Narrator had become, as long as she had the ponies she loved beside her.

Karl blinked blearily, then he rose his head curiously. He was in a hospital bed. Was this a new play?

But no one had given him a script. The Director and the Critic had just left in all of a tizzy and then the world had turned black and then... he didn't really remember. It was fuzzy. It hurt.

He rubbed slowly at his head, then blinked as a loud crash drew his attention, turning and staring at the nurse gaping at him. He looked back at her, and she took another step towards him, mouthing wordlessly before she spun around and shouted: “Doctor! Doctor Cross!”

“Excuse me?” Karl asked meekly, but he was far too quiet to be noticed by the nurse, who ran out... but a moment later, a doctor came charging in, eager to run a battery of tests on the stallion who had been declared braindead two months ago.

Karl went along with every poke and prod, waiting for someone to tell him this was a joke, or he was the patient in the medical drama – but how was he supposed to act without direction! – or at least a hint that he was supposed to improv. But all the questions the asked him were about him, and when his wife came in, it crumbled all his hopes that he had escaped his dreary, monotonous life.

Of course, apparently it had taken his wife roughly a week to move on from boring old Karl to some new stallion, and when the hospital couldn't figure out what had happened to him – and further discovered that he probably couldn't pay any of his bills – they declared him healthy and kicked him out on the street.

Oh, he had had everything! He had been the most important actor in all of Equestria! Well, sort of: it had been a funny sort of Equestria, and those Draconequus hadn't always been nice to him, but he had been the best damn actor they had ever seen, and they had been happy to let him continue to live in the play. The play had been safe, though, he had known that on instinct. He didn't know what happened to any of the other ponies, but he assumed they stupidly went back to their dreary and boring lives...

But as Karl wandered down a lonely street full of miserable ponies, he saw it. He saw the thing that the great play he'd been pulled into had prepared him for. He saw what those blessed Draconequus had led him to discover was his true calling, his true special talent.

He rushed with all haste, even though he was disheveled and tired and had been living off the grass he could graze for free for weeks now. And as if it was his fate, he found a director – the Director! – standing in the lobby, arguing with some other pony... about a position that needed to be filled.

Meek little Karl stumbled and stuttered and begged and whimpered until they decided to give him a chance to show what he could do.

But it was Karla who took the stage with a roar beneath the blazing bright lights of the theater, and it was Karla who shouted the lines and demanded the audience clap and cheer her. And clap, and cheer her on, they did.

And thus a star was born.

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” - C. S. Lewis.

~Fin

The Super Awesome Story About Stuff

by BlackRoseRaven

Prologue: Newly-Minted Thespians

The Direction We Take

The Unexciting Rescue

Luna Behaves Herself

Luna Woona Doo

Dungeons And Dragons

The Greatest Show In Equestria

Intermission: All The World's A Stage

Intermission II: And The Mares And Stallions Are Only Players

The Twelfth Night's Dawn

What Dreams May Come

Lies Within Lies

Angel On My Shoulder

Holes

Strings

Turmoil

The Redacted

Epilogue: Acceptance