BPT: The Coup of Avarice

by Wolven5

First published 3rd of March, 2019

Change is inevitable, the only question is which changes are the right ones

After centuries of service to the crown, the Aristocratic Council is about to be abolished and reformed into one comprised of councilors chosen by democratic vote. But not everypony is thrilled with this change...

As more changes unfold, a conspiracy to overthrow the alicorns is underway and a new hope must rise up to save Equestria before it's too late!

Prologue

The room was dark and the air cold, but the thugs in expensive suits didn't much care for his discomfort as Dr. Caballeron was shoved in, carrying the briefcase that contained the price of his freedom. A while back, after he and his henchponies were confronted by Prince Midnight Blaze and his friends, Dr. Caballeron had awoken to find himself behind bars, courtesy of Midnight's arrangements.

He'd languished in prison for months on end, cursing Midnight, cursing Daring Do, cursing himself for letting his guard down around that insufferable alicorn!

But then, out of the blue... something he never could have seen coming happened, as one late morning, while eating his breakfast in the prison cafeteria, the place had been broken into by griffons, diamond dogs, and unicorns, and they'd taken Caballeron with them. The guards never had a chance.

They'd ignored all of Caballeron's questions, until he was brought to a secret location where he met the one who'd arranged his liberation. This pony and Caballeron, they'd talked for a long time, and his benefactor soon made it clear that in exchange for the expenses he'd made in getting Caballeron out of jail that the archaeologist was going to pay him back. At first, Caballeron thought his benefactor wanted his private collection of ill-gotten artifacts and treasures he'd painstakingly gathered over the years but the pony had something else in mind.

To help him in his mission, Caballeron had been given notes, research, books, henchponies, connections, anything necessary to help Caballeron to search for a mysterious artifact his benefactor wanted, and he'd been given a deadline. Emphasis on 'dead'.

Not caring to remember the gory details, Caballeron got the picture and dove into his research like a mad pony to find this artifact as quickly as possible. The first few leads had turned out to be dead ends, and with each passing day Caballeron feared more and more that unless he repaid his debt before his deadline he would wish he'd been allowed to rot in prison. Finally, his research paid off. He'd led an expedition to an especially desolate corner of the Badlands where one of the most bloodiest battles in pony history had taken place thousands of years ago, a battlefield that was supposedly cursed after it was left to serve as a graveyard of all the warriors who'd perished there. While Caballeron's line of work had taught him to take such ominous legends seriously, the threat to his life in the possibility of his failure had motivated him. Now the artifact his benefactor wanted was safely in the briefcase he carried, and now he was facing his benefactor in this dark cold room, and the smell of a lit cigar offended his nostrils.

"Dr. Caballeron..." said the voice of his benefactor.

It was a voice as smooth and rich as fine wine, the kind of which carried an exquisite taste that hid the poison.

"I am very happy to see you, and am excited to hear that you have succeeded in repaying your debt to me. Of course, I'll need to see it to believe it..."

"Why certainly, Lord of Lords," Caballeron set the brief case onto the table and eased it forward, "let it never be said I fail to satisfy my clients."

"Especially after you are... properly motivated," A hoof reached out of the darkness to pull the briefcase closer, turn it around, and undo the fasteners. The lid was lifted open, revealing an ominous glow from within, "Ah, at last..."

"Though I won't deny, good sir," Caballeron admitted, "this one turned out to be one of my more... difficult acquisitions. Honestly, I'm surprised you'd want this relic, considering its history."

"There are all kinds of creatures in htis world, Dr. Caballeron. In this particular moment, two come to mind - Those who recognize an opportunity and take advantage and those who lack the spine... In any case, with your connections to the black market trade of antiques, Doctor," the voice chuckled darkly, "who else could I have turned to in order to find this miraculous treasure? Certainly not that insipid explorer, Daring Do."

"Daring Do is an accomplished archaeologist, I cannot deny that... But there are means and methods I am willing to use that she is not. In any case, sir..." Caballeron cleared his throat, "I take it that you are satisfied?"

"I am, Doctor," the voice responded before closing the briefcase, "Consider our account settled. You are free to go, though I shouldn't have to remind you that the nature of our transaction is not to be repeated. To anyone..."

"Of course, Sir, however..." Caballeron knew this question was thin ice, but still he couldn't help but ask, "I confess myself most curious... Just what is it you need this artifact for?"

"Do you play chess, Doctor Caballeron?"

"I enjoy a game every once in a while, I suppose."

"A game of strategy, it was once a requirement of squires in the ancient days to play chess daily, to teach these young ones the concept of strategy. To hone their foresight, their cunning, to think on their hooves when finding themselves in unexpected situations. To sharpen their minds. To make a plan. And every plan, my good doctor... needs a Plan B."

"And I most certainly agree," Caballeron stood up and gave a respectful bow, "Again, I thank you for breaking me out of prison, even if it came with a price, and I thank you for the opportunities your venture has presented to me in the course of this deal."

"Happy treasure hunting. Caballeron," the pony chuckled in an almost condescending way.

And with that, Dr. Caballeron nodded and walked out, hoping that he'd never cross paths with this pony again. Once the door shut, the figure removed his hood, revealing the face of Buck Cheap, the Duke of Commerce and Business. He smirked and looked down at the artifact in the briefcase.

"I can say, checkmate," he chuckled. "Count your days numbered, royals."

Chapter 1. The Calm Before the Storm

Night had long fallen and all was well under the gentle watch of the moon. Everypony adrift in sweet slumber as their home of Ponyville was bathed in the dazzling starlight. But while everypony else enjoyed sweet dreams, six stallions in particular found their own dreams to be taking an unexpected turn...

Stepping out of the fog, they very quickly noticed each other and the familiar map in the center of... wherever they were.

Guys...? Wha' th' hay's goin' on here? Whoa, this is probably the fifth or sixth most weirdest dream I've ever had! I don't even want to know... Dudes, are we really all here? Like... when Princess Luna connected our dreams into one big dream? Looks like it. The real question, though... is why are we having the same dream?

Midnight approached the map table, but noticed something wasn't right, Hey guys... is it just me, or are we missing too many thrones here?

The rest of them finally took notice and gasped altogether, You're right! And it appears only our thrones are present, even Spike's throne isn't here.

What could this mean? You got me, any ideas, big guy? Nnope.

Say, you think maybe it has something to do with that?

All eyes turned to the distance and gasped to see storm clouds coming their way, moving unnaturally strange, like a roll of shadowy fabric unrolling.

Okay, is it just me or is Cheese Sandwich making sense? Eeyup.

The storm clouds surged and rankled, rumbling ominously as they began to swirl overhead, taking the likeness of a tropical hurricane as crackles of electricity began to dance about in flashes enthralling yet intimidating. The six stallions watched in awe, the thought of taking cover never crossing their minds. Instead, there was an excitement slowly but surely spreading to every fiber of their beings! Something amazing was about to happen! Or something terrible.

Then, they saw Him!

Soaring through the storm clouds, as majestic as an eagle, lightning instantly reaching out in all directions with every beat of his wings, his flight path lined in his wake, trailing behind him like tail of tornado winds laced with electricity. He flew higher and higher until he was barely an electrical blip high up in the eye of the storm.... before he came crashing down in a thunderous THUD, arcs of electricity bursting out like splashes of water, the six stallions all yelping and falling back onto their own butts as they beheled this mighty figure.

He was an alicorn, taller than any they'd ever seen, even taller than Sombra. He was bulging in powerful muscles, his coat the soft blue color the clear morning sky while his mane, tail, mustache, and beard were stormy black, streaked with electrical blue and cloud gray, wild and flowing. His eyes were a similar electrical blue as they gave off electrical pulses every time he blinked, his horn was like a spearhead of lightning, electric yellow spiraling up its length and crackling with power, the feathering around his massive black hooves resembled cirrus clouds, and his cutie-mark was a mighty lightning bolt cleaving a storm cloud in two, surrounded by hurricane winds.

Finally, he folded his wings, the sparks and crackles of his electrical power going out, as he gazed upon these six young stallions and finally spoke in a voice that rumbled like a distant thundercloud.
"Be welcome, friends. I have long awaited to meet with you, though I apologize for not doing so face-to-face."

The Six Stallions were in awe of this mighty alicorn, that instinct spurred them to bow before his majestic might with the respect shown to one worshiped like a hero, yet they still didn't know who he was.

"There is no need for that. Rise, my champions, for I come with dire tidings."

They gazed up at him, looking concerned and a little nervous, and it was Midnight who finally dared to speak, Who... who are you?

"I am known by many names, in this modern age and in an age long forgotten," the alicorn responded regally, "though I wager you would know me as the Lord of the Storms."

The Six all gasped, The Champion of Faust! The Death Bringer from Above! The Thunder Belcher!

Midnight was equally in awe. He knew the Pony of Death existed, so why not the Lord of the Storms?
What are these... dire tidings you're here to warn us about?

"A great change is soon to transpire in the Seat of Equestrian Power," spoke the Lord of the Storms, "but as the old is preparing to make way for the new, an evil that has long festered in Equestria's heart like a parasite is seething with greed and hate, plotting to undermine truth and justice rather than lose the chokehold it had held over many for generations.

"You six must stand ready. Be vigilant, for when this evil finally steps into the light it will wield a dangerous power in effort to subjugate the citizens of this nation."

The six friends shared troubled looks that quickly dashed away, becoming bold and determined, The Guardians of Harmony will be ready, Lord of the Storms!

"I am honored by your dedication to your duty," nodded the Lord of the Storms in respect before he smirked, "But as Equestria must undergo this pivotal change, so too must you all change, for no more are you mere Guardians. From this moment on, I name you the Knights of Harmony!"

The Six felt a power course through them as six familiar crystals appeared in front of them, becoming their faithful swords as they became clad in their Harmonic Armor!

"Take heart, my brave young knights! Stand strong, stand together, and above all stand for Equestria!"

The Six Stallions all woke up, back in their homes, still in their beds, their hearts beating strong with fervor in their chests, as they all had the same thought, That was no dream!

Meanwhile, there were others having an eventful night in Canterlot, but for very different reasons. In the office of Brass Scales, Duke of Law & Order, he was meeting with his longtime friend and colleague, Pipe Glass, the Duke of Magic and Mysteries. The two were enjoying sandwiches and coffee, despite the late hour of 1 am.

“So your agents have found something out about Buck Cheap, eh?” the judge gathered.

“They did,” the detective replied wearily. “But it's the breaking Dr. Caballeron out of prison with hired mercenaries, like griffons and diamond dogs, that I first found alarming.”

Brass Scales nodded. “I take it you suspect he's planning something?"

“I do. Don't forget, before the end of this week the aristocratic council will be abolished and then reformed into one where the ponies who comprise it are chosen via democratic vote, and that is something Cheap will not taking lying down...” Pipe Glass elaborated. “He'll make a play to keep the aristocracy in power. House Avarice has for too long enjoyed the political clout of their membership, using that power to maintain their hold over the organized crime of Equestria's underworld. Even without his seat on the council, Cheap's unethical business dealings have kept a steady trickle of money flowing into his pockets straight from the Equestrian economy."

Brass nodded, feeling more and more troubled with what Pipe Glass was sharing.
"So where does Caballeron fit into all of this? Why take such a risky endeavor as to break a known criminal out of jail? Last I heard, the investigation is ongoing but there was some dubious evidence uncovered pointing towards the criminal known as... the Lord of Lords."

"We've never been able to confirm it, but a fair number among various law enforcement throughout Equestria suspect that to be Cheap's alias in the underworld," Pipe Glass responded.
“My best bet is he wants Caballeron to find something for him, some kind of artifact of formidable power."

"There are many magical artifacts of renown," Brass Scales considered, "many of them have been found and recovered over the years. The more dangerous relics are locked away under lock and key whereas some are on display in certain museums. The question is, if he wants Caballeron to find him an object of power, is it one that has yet to be found... or one yet to be discovered?"

"I am afraid that it's likely not any magic relics that are currently known," Pipe Glass debated, "otherwise he could just have hired mercenaries to rob the museums or strongholds that are protecting the known and recovered artifacts that bear some kind of magical power.

"No... Caballeron, black market-dealing scum that he is, he is a certified archaeologist. You don't enlist the help of an archaeologist to steal an artifact that's already been found..."

"You enlist his services to find one that has yet to be discovered," Brass Scales nodded in agreement, before sighing in a troubled way, "Shit... If Cheap truly is conspiring against the Royal Sisters and the War Chief, he must be after an object of truly dangerous power, and we have no idea what it could be!"

“Keep your chin up, buddy. My agents are following Cheap as closely as they can... with the help of a certain group that shall not be named in this conversation between two dukes of the council,” Pipe Glass assured.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Brass Scales smirked while giving Pipe Glass a wink. “However, as much as I value Honesty, under these circumstances, I feel that we should keep this under the hat.”

“Agreed. The Royal Sisters, the War Chief, and the other princes and princesses, what with this reformation of the government soon to take place and Princess Cadance expecting, they have enough to deal with as it is," Pipe Glass nodded, "However, if things should escalate..."

“We will inform them on everything, or at least whatever they don't yet already know," agreed Brass Scales before yawning, "and I think it's time we finally got some sleep, given this ungoddessly hour."

The two shook hooves and stepped out of Brass Scales' office. As they did, Brass looked around at his empty law firm.
“Different when nopony's around. A tad spooky even."

“Yeah. But it's better this way,” Pipe Glass said. “Less ears around means less chances of the secrets being spilled and Buck Cheap getting wind of it.”

“I agree,” Brass said. “Have a good night, and have your agents keep on their hooves, especially around Cheap. If one of them should turn up something, call my secretary and tell her that 'Midnight will Chime Four'.”

“I will, I promise,” Pipe Glass said and the two walked out of the law firm and went their separate ways.

Brass knew he could count on the detective and his inner circle to keep this under wraps. It would take a court order to get a crowbar to break it out of them.

That morning, the Six Stallions met at Pepper Pony's. Auntie Spice and Doughnut Joe had yet to come back from eloping, but Cheese was more than happy to make them a breakfast pizza, a delicious pizza pie made up of scrambled eggs, melted cheese, and pieces of hay-bacon, and glasses of chilled apple juice.

As they sat around the table, nibbling at their slices, taking swigs of their juice, the silence was painfully awkward...

"So you guys all had the same dream or vision or whatever from the Lord of Storms too, right?" Cheese asked, finally breaking the ice.

"Oh thank Faust it wasn't just me..." Blueblood sighed heavily.

"So we really did have the same dream. Or vision, whichever you wanna call it," Soarin commented, everypony nodding in confirmation.

"Yeah, but what does it mean?" Thunderlane asked.

"No idea, but seems like somethin' bad's a'comin'," Big Mac noted, "he talked about some kind o' evil, din't he?"

"And then he dubbed us... the Knights of Harmony," Midnight added before he brought out his crystal, the one he'd gotten from his throne in the map room.

Recalling the crystals they'd received after the Map had revealed itself to them for the first time, one by one each stallion raised his hoof and summoned a fierce and regal sword, reflecting a mystical sheen. Again they fell silent for a long moment before Midnight said, "These swords... We thought they were just gifts or something from the Chest of Harmony after the Castle of Friendship and the map room came to be. But apparently, they're so much more than that..."

"Mine definitely is," Thunderlane spoke up before he explained how the map sent him and his sword on a mission to Vanhoover, where he prevented an innocent Dog from being framed by a crime boss and stopped this crime boss after his sword transformed.
"It became a bow, without a string or arrows, and somehow, I knew to call it by a name I never gave it... Skystrike."

"Mah mission from th' map was kinda like tha' too," Big Mac brought up, explaining how he was sent to San Clydesdale and prevented an innocent traveling troupe of performers from being framed by a disgruntled sheriff and an outlaw.
"Mah sword just turned into a new sword but Ah also got a shield t' go with it. Called it Stone Edge."

"Aw, our swords haven't become cool new weapons," Cheese whined like a pouty colt.

"Mine neither, not even when the map sent me on a mission," Midnight realized as he gazed at his sword. "But then again, the problem I went to help with, it didn't really need a sword to resolve it."

"So then, are we going to do this?" Blueblood asked, "Are we going to be... a knighthood?"

"I'm in," Thunderlane quickly volunteered.
"Me too!" Soarin chimed in.
"Sir Cheese Sandwich, ready to protect and serve," Cheese declared in a corny dramatic flair.

Midnight shared looks with Blueblood and Macintosh before saying, "This is serious. I mean, we basically got a dream from a legendary alicorn warrior who tells us that we have to form a knighthood to protect Equestria from some kind of evil that's about to rise up or something."

"Perhaps we should consult with my aunts and uncle about this?" Blueblood suggested.

"No, the summit for the reformation of the council is coming up in just a few days," Midnight shook his head, "They don't need us adding more concerns to...!"

They noticed the way Midnight's face lit up with realization, "The council...! The Lord of the Storms! He-he said that this evil has something to do with the Seat of Equestria's Power!"

"So then... whatever the threat is," Thunderlane theorized, "it's probably gonna strike during the summit."

"I agree that this threat may have something to do with the summit," Blueblood interjected, "but this is still speculation. Midnight, don't forget! At noon, we're unveiling the project we've finally finished after months of experimentation and construction."

"And let's not forget," Soarin brought up, "that after you and Blueblood do your thing, we're finally introducing our new flight squad. Didn't you say they all arrived like... two days ago?"

"Yes..." Midnight was beginning to feel swamped, "and lemme tell you, those flight suit uniforms were not cheap. But I've taken care of the preparations, and Blueblood, have Time Turner and Techorse run a few last-minute diagnostics, just to be sure there's nothing we haven't missed since declaring the project complete.

"Soar, Thunder, go see the others and tell them that the introduction ceremony will follow the unveiling."

"Hey Midnight, would ya like for me, Pinkie, and Party to set up a celebratory something-something?" Cheese asked, "I mean... you haven't exactly told me what this big unveiling or introducing thing is, but-"

"Uh.... sure, Cheese," Midnight nodded, "let's have a quick word once we're done here."

"Welp, sounds like y'all got yer things covered," Big Mac stood up from the table, "but Ah gotta go home an' check on muh `Shy. She's been getting nauseous more an' more lately, an' Ah'm gonna try an' get her t' go see Doctor Stable again. Ah tell ya, she's been gettin' mighty stubborn lately, Ah'd swear she was an earth pony wit' wings."

As Big Macintosh ambled on home, the guys shared a knowing smirk before Thunderlane proposed, "Anypony wanna raise the stakes he doesn't figure it out on his own before somepony tells him?"

They all shared chuckles and chorused, "You're on!"

Author's Notes:

In case you forget, Midnight had Caballeron sent to jail a while back, and for his future appearances I needed to explain how he got out of jail, and this explanation of him getting busted out by a crime lord fit the bill

The Stallion Six had a dream where they are visited by Stormbreaker, the Lord of the Storms, Champion of Faust, yadda-yadda-yadda, who warns them of a coming change brings with it great peril, and so charges them to rise up as Knights of Harmony to defend Equestria

Oh, and the end there? Hint-hint...

Chapter 2. Taking to the Sky

"Good afternoon, Equestria, I'm Novel Scene of SHM News," the reporter mare spoke confidently into the lens of her camerapony, "and we're here, in front of Prince Blueblood's personal workshop, located in Ponyville, where he along with Prince Midnight Blaze are soon to unveil, what they promise to be, the next big leap into the future of the airship industry.

"As you can see, the locals are quite ecstatic to see just what it is the resident princes have in store, not only for them but for all of Equestria, and perhaps even the world at large."

Twilight was glad she'd used an aversion ward to avoid being interviewed by the reporters, and in all honesty she wondered if the paparazzi was really necessary.

"You okay, Twi?"

She looked to see Thunderlane was standing beside her, wearing a pair of flight goggles on his forehead.

"Oh I'm alright, Thunderlane, it's just..." Twilight noticed not only most of Ponyville's citizens were present, but also a lot out visitors from out of town. "What exactly is this airship project Midnight and Blueblood have been working? It's gone on for months and then all of a sudden they're about to reveal it. I'm just wondering it's really as big a deal as all of this is making it out to be.

"Midnight wouldn't even let me help with the project aside from consulting me on specific applications of enchantments and wards. I never even got to see this airship in production."

"Perhaps he's merely seeking to make his own mark in your nation's history, Princess Twilight," said a familiar voice and Twilight gasped to see feathery face she remembered walk up and tower beside her.

"Doran!" Twilight smiled in a greeting way, "It's so nice to see you, but... what are you doing here? It can't just be for my husband's new airship."

"You are correct, milady," Doran responded in a gentlecoltly (birdly?) manner as he gently took Twilight's hoof and pressed the top part of his beak tip to it, trying to mimic kissing it. "This is one of the instances I wish I had lips. It always fascinates me in such a simple way, you ponies and other creatures with your squishy expression-able faces."

Twilight regarded the griffon prince, one of the larger specimens of his kind and still not one of the biggest. His lion body was pelted brownish-red with a golden sheen while his eagle head and wings were gleaming gold with feathery pointed ears, and his eyes a sky blue. He wasn't as tall as his father, King Godric, but he was certainly almost as muscular, big enough to match Bulk Biceps in, well, bulk. Strangely enough, he was wearing the same kind of flight goggles as Thunderlane, the lenses set above his eyes.

Looking around, it was a tad difficult to spot them but here and there Twilight could see pegasi wearing flight goggles, as well as a few griffons and unless she was mistaken there were even a few lunar pegasi amongst them.

"Doran, Thunder..." Twilight gave them curious looks, "Is there any reason in particular you and several other winged individuals here are wearing flight goggles?"

Thunderlane and Doran shared a not-so-discrete look and forced a smile (especially on Doran's part), as Thunderlane tried, "Getting into the spirit of the occasion?"

"Fine, don't tell me," Twilight mock-harrumphed, "I'm fairly certain whatever you're all scheming will be made clear soon enough."

Thunderlane and Doran both sighed in relief, Thunderlane saying, "Well, Twi... let's just say, Midnight's new airship isn't the only thing that's gonna be presented to everypony today."

"Hmm," Twilight had to admit, this day was looking to be an increasingly interesting one, especially when a burst of applause sounded and they looked to see the warehouse doors open just a little.

Out stepped Midnight, also wearing flight goggles above his eyes, followed by Blueblood, Doctor Time Turner Whooves, Techorse, and a unicorn mare Twilight didn't recognize. Her coat was the soft and light gray of a marble statue, her mane was a soft orange tipped blonde, pulled back into a high ponytail, her light blue eyes sparkled with excitement and perhaps a tad nervous from seeing the turnout, and her cutie-mark was a colorful pen leaving a trail on a clipboard.
As a matter of fact, she had a pen tucked behind her ear and carried a clipboard in her telekinetic aura, her eyes going back and forth betwixt the crowd, the ponies she was standing beside, and whatever notes she had on the clipboard. Techorse gave her a teasing nudge, whispered something to her, and she seemed to calm down as she finally gave the crowd her attention.

The newsponies had forced their way to the front of the crowd, only a few security ponies keeping them back, but that didn't stop them from throwing question after question in effort to be the first to get the scoop.Finally, Midnight spread his wings, beckoning silence and once all had calmed down, he cleared his throat and began.

"Fillies and gentlecolts, friends, neighbors, family, visitors! Today marks a glorious leap into the future! In just a few short minutes, my team and I shall unveil to you what we promise to be... the most advanced and innovated airship yet! The first of its kind, a mystechnological marvel, a testament to ingenuity, innovation, and imagination! This airship symbolizes more than mere advancement and improving of today's technology, however. It represents hard work, teamwork, compromise, the kind of accomplishment that is achieved when bright, creative minds come together, each with something to offer, pieces to form a greater whole!

"That is why, I thank each and every pony who had a part in making this incredible feat of mystech engineering a reality. I don't speak only of the ponies who stand beside me up here, but also the diligent and amazing workers that helped in the overall construction and design. For without them, none of this would be possible."

Dozens and dozens of ponies among the crowd, who Twilight and several others recognized were Blueblood's employees in the warehouse, cheered in response to Midnight's kind words.

"Prince Midnight, Prince Midnight!" Novel Scene finally got in edgewise as she held her microphone towards the prince, "Novel Scene, SHM News. Your Majesty, from what you're saying, this new airship of yours is supposed to be possibly the most advanced vessel to be created in many-many years since airships in general were first invented. Tell us, what is the purpose of this new airship, and how did you come to get started in even planning it?"

"I'll take that question," Blueblood stepped forward, making sure his bowtie and dress collar were straight and clearing his throat, "Novel, as I'm sure most ponies know, at least those in the scientific community, it was my father, Blueskies, who designed and made with his own hooves, horn, and intelligence the very first prototype for a working airship and presented it to Princess Celestia over thirty years ago.

"The Princess saw something worthwhile and granted my father the resources and funds to improve his designs, and through his trials and errors he constructed the first workable airship that not only became a vessel for transporting cargo but also to give earth ponies and unicorns a semblance of that connection pegasi share with the skies above them, so that all ponies may know the thrill of what it is to soar among the clouds. By these successes, my father founded New Heights Avionics and airships have since then improved and helped to make Equestria reach higher for new possibilities.

"My good friend and colleague, Prince Midnight, approached me with the proposition of not simply commissioning an airship from my workshop, but to be a part of something new. Which is where our friends, Dr. Whooves, Techorse, and Miss Stencil Guide all come in."

Blueblood gestured to the three ponies, smiling with respect and gratitude, "It is because of their contributions and brilliant minds that this new airship not only got off the ground but will pave the way for faster, safer, and greater vessels to take flight and inspire all to reach higher in life!"

There was a murmur of excitement from the crowd before Techorse stepped forward.

"With this ship, we hope to bring Equestria into a new age of technological advances," he said. "Our technology was good, but never great. It never reached it's full potential... until now."

"And so, without further ado..." Midnight lit up his horn, causing the warehouse doors to slowly open, "We are proud to present, the first of the next generation of airships, the first of her class, or as we like to call her... The Break of Dawn!!"

Everyone in the crowd almost held their breath as they watched a massive shape come forth into the light, and they saw her. She was being brought out on a large wheeled platform, with wedges on either side to keep her upright. The vessel was three stables tall, at little over two-hundred hooves long, and it sported a paint job of black, the orange of a sunrise, and detailed lining of pale blue and golden-pink.

It was built with an elongated hull, flat at the back end but pointed at the front like a sleek clutter, the bow featuring four iron doors that would open up to reveal four launching tubes. The sides of the ship had four casemates whose guns currently laid flush to the hull, able to swing out in 180 degree arcs for strafing. On the main deck and on the underbelly of the vessel were two pairs of ten inch thunder cannons mounted to rounded turrets painted black with orange stripes, long barrels pointed forward. Towards the back of the ship sat the bridge, a trapezoidal area with enchanted glass window panes that could absorb all but the hardest blows from enemy fire, and fins the same color as the hull stuck out behind these in a shape resembling a shark's dorsal fin. Six individual sonic cannons with distinctive cone-shaped nozzles on their barrels lined the areas to the sides of the bridge, swiveling on turret mounts to provide 360 degree coverage, stowing upwards like a set of feathers when not in use.

Behind it, four arcane thrusters the thickness of tree trunks were arranged in a diamond shape to provide raw power. Supplying the mighty engine that fed these thrusters were a trio of triangular solar sails which unfurled from twin masts mounted in front of and behind the first main turret.

The crowd went wild at the sails being deployed, with a pair of smaller sails deploying starboard and port just to the sides of the bridge. Its engine had not yet been ignited, but the sight of a brand new warships brought patriotic thoughts to the onlookers, the prominent weapons systems especially contributing!

After permitting his subjects their moment to ogle over the vessel, Midnight declared, “Now, to help explain what this vessel can do through some Q and A, is two of the talented minds who helped to make this ship a reality. Ladies and gentlecolts, Techorse and Stencil Guide!”

More applause followed as the green stallion, clad in his usual goggles and robotic saddle, approached the podium with Stencil Guide behind. Techorse dropped himself right in front of the microphone attached to the stand, and prepared to speak. All eyes were on him, but no pony was coming forward to ask anything about the vessel. Novel Scene, seeing her opportunity, pushed forward to make her demands.

“Mr. Techorse, we are here to talk after your opening statement, if you please!”

“Uh-oh, last time a bunch of ponies wanted to talk to me, it was an intervention!” joked Techorse, getting a healthy round of laughter out of the crowd.

Stencil smiled and casually brushed the microphone with her hoof before adding, “We'd love to answer your questions about this fine ship. Do you have any personally on behalf of the media?”

“Yes, of course,” Novel nodded, “I'm not an engineer, but I can clearly see as can all the folks at home that there is no balloon on this vessel. Isn't it an airship?”

“Uh-oh, guys, did we leave the balloon at home?” Stencil asked with feigned panic, turning to Techorse.

Another joke, and another good laugh.

Stencil took back the attention of the crowd, “Well, you see... when we drew up the plans for this vessel, we didn't include a balloon. This ship is fully capable of flying under its own power without needing a bag for lighter-than-air gas like helium or hydrogen.”

“Amazing! So how can it fly?” continued the reporter.

With a knowing look, the metal doors on the side of Techorse's saddle opened up, and a robotic arm emerged carrying a small disk. He activated the device, which turned out to be a holographic projector he and Midnight had developed earlier. A large blue wire frame diagram of the ElectroStorm Engine appeared above the heads of those present, “oooh!” resonating from the crowd.

“Without a gas bag, the airship requires a ton of thrust to stay in the air,” Techorse explained, pointing at the rotating model, “but to give the ship's thrusters enough energy to accomplish that, we need to convert a lot of energy into electricity quickly. This machine is called the ElectroStorm Engine, a device that contains a storm system within a chamber of reinforced bonded crystal glass. Using proven pegasus technologies, the storms within the primary reacting chamber produce lightning that strike the converter at the bottom, powering the vessel's systems continuously.”

“But storms evaporate into rainwater eventually,” a pegasus mare up front said, confused, “they stop being storm clouds really fast unless you make more.”

“That's correct, we need to re-heat the water condensation that forms to continuously feed the stormcloud,” Stencil agreed, pointing to the rotating arms within the containment unit, “The water is not heated up from the bottom, but instead pumped out of the chamber and back up to these things that look like showerheads. Using enchanted equipment and circuitry, we reheat and re-energize the water and spin it into more storm cloud!”

“But that's a lot of power!” the mare complained, “How do you get that to feed the storm?”

“The sails,” Techorse answered, pointing with the free robotic hand and its pointer finger up at the imposing triangular units, “these 'solar sails', as we call them, funnel the sun's energy into the engine room into five storage machines that convert it into the arcane energy necessary to generate more stormclouds out of the rainwater. When the sun is out and the ship is in no danger, we can deploy the sails to charge the solar energy storage or run the engine continuously.”

“Amazing! With that kind of power, the ship could fly forever just by putting out its own sails,” Novel commented, “a truly extraordinary craft!”

“...And we're not done yet,” Stencil gloated, batting her eyebrows, “there are a lot of unique challenges in navigating Equestria's atmosphere, and that's why we'd like to bring Dr. Time Turner Whooves up here to go over how our work tackles them!”

The doctor adjusted his tie confidently and replaced the pair at the microphone, maintaining a pleasant expression. It was one thing to go over a speech in one's head, and a very different animal to actually give it! Techorse dismissed his hologram and withdrew with Stencil so that all attention would be given to the doctor.

“Good afternoon, everypony!” he said, “As my friends Techorse and Stencil said, our planet is very much subject to the hard facts of science! Facts that might like to doom even a wonderful ship such as the Break of Dawn.”

Noticing a tiny bit of boredom from the audience, he took out a pen from his clothing and let the writing implement fall onto the ground.

Having enjoyed watching their eyes all track the falling tool, he continued, “For example, gravity! Pens, ponies, and even ships are all subject to it. To counter this extreme force brought on by our planet's weight, we've installed a number of energem units in the hull, each enchanted with lightweight charms. By supplying or cutting power to these mystical stones, we can counteract the force of gravity itself and make the ship hover.”

“Sounds like a good way to land, at least,” chuckled a stallion up front.

“Indeed,” he answered, “it's our new method of liftoff and landing, all without having to fiddle with flames or heated air, a hazard on older vessels.”

“Yeah well, another huge hazard is lightning,” a pegasus mare interjected, “and I don't see any lightning rods on that thing!”

“That's because the sail masts are lightning rods,” answered Dr. Whooves, pointing at the sharpened tips on each deployed sail, “the telescoping poles actually have power lines running through them that collect the lightning and disperse it safely, keeping a part for the engine's power supply as well!”

Impressed, the mare replied, “Well... guess you won't be needing rescuing, at least!”

The Doctor winked at her before continuing in his posh manner, “We certainly hope not! If there's anything all these devices can't handle, we also have the ship equipped with two state-of-the-art shield cores, which project magical barriers or line the hull with reinforcing energy. If one collapses, we can redirect power to the other to keep the shield facing danger as high as possible. Even hail can't harm our sails with it up!"

"Wow, so many new things in one ship," commented another random unicorn pony, taking notes on a fresh pad of paper.

"Indeed! Now, I've got time for one more question if anypony has one!"

The Doctor received a single hoof in the air, from a stallion who looked concerned, "What about those weapons you have installed on it? Is this ship supposed to be for warfare?"

That question certainly made for a tense atmosphere, and Doctor Whooves gulped a little, unsure of how to respond.

"I'll take that question," Midnight stepped forward, giving the Doctor a thankful pat on his shoulder, as the brown earth pony stepped back. "This ship is meant to be for transport, for leisure, and if necessary, for delivering cargo. The weapons installed are meant for precaution in the possible event the ship and its crew were to encounter hostiles.

"While the shield cores can offer protection, there are so many systems on this ship that it would be necessary to reroute power to specific systems, depending on the situation, and there's the possibility the shield cores could fail or short out. Therefore, the weapons are the ship's last resort to defend her and those aboard her. As fortune favors the prepared, I would prefer those aboard this ship to have these weapons but not need them instead of need them and not have them."

Several in the crowd shared some debating murmurs, although some nodded in agreement of Midnight's words.

"Moving on, The Break of Dawn shall make her maiden voyage in just a few days following the conclusion of the Royal Summit, which shall reform the Aristocratic Council into what shall be thence known as the Council of Equestria, a governing body comprised of councilors chosen by democratic vote. The Dawn will disembark from Canterlot on a tour to the hometowns and cities of every new councilor, so that all of Equestria will get to meet and greet the individuals who will help to lead our nation into a promising future!"

The crowd erupted into cheers and whoops before Midnight raised his wings, beckoning for silence.
"And speaking of the future, I have two more additional announcements to make. In recognition of his crucial role in the making of this amazing ship, his integrity, his ability to inspire through his innovations, I nominate Techorse with my recommendation to be elected for a seat on the Council of Equestria as the Councilor of Science and Innovation!"

"Me?!" Techorse was flabbergasted by the positive response from the crowd as Midnight stepped over to his friend.

"Techorse, I understand this is... kind of unexpected. But after our little adventure in Fillydelphia, the way you handled yourself, the character you displayed despite the negativity and adversity you faced, along with your ability to invent such incredible things all in the endeavor to improve the lives of those around you, I can think of nopony better to lead Equestria's Department of Science and Innovation.

"Now, there will be no hard feelings if you decline. But in the words of somepony I care for and respect, 'those best suited for power are those who do not seek it'. You don't seek personal gain, you seek to help those around you with what you make with your own hooves, and that is something I can't help but admire about you. Don't give your answer now. Consider my recommendation and attend the Royal Summit in Canterlot. Your name will be added to the candidacy, and whether or not you win the election it will still be your choice. Think about it, and whatever you decide your decision will be respected."

Midnight held his hoof to the green pony, who hesitated for a long moment. He looked at the crowd, feeling put on the spot, when he felt a gentle nudge and looked to see Stencil giving him a look of encouragement before she whispered, "If you don't, I will!"

He couldn't hep but chuckle, "Well, you'd be pretty darn good at it."

"Eh, I'm not a ponies' pony, but..." Stencil shrugged, "It's still quite an opportunity!"

Techorse gave it a thought. Ever since he'd gotten his research grant, his business back in Fillydelphia had really taken off. Not only did he have more customers interested in his products, he'd been able to invent more appliances and make progress on some projects he'd never had time or money for. To run for Councilor of Science and Innovation? That would be an amazing opportunity, but it also came with great responsibility and becoming embroiled in Equestria's politics.

"...I'll consider it, Midnight," Tech finally answered.

"That's all I ask," Midnight nodded before adding, "But Tech? Make sure your decision is the right one. For you, and for Equestria."

Techorse gulped a little before nodding, and Midnight stepped forward to face the crowd again.
"Now, this leads me to my second announcement. Fillies and gentlecolts, I am proud to announce this inaugural show, in addition to The Break of Dawn. I present to you, for the very first time..."

Midnight raised his hoof to his goggles and winked, and Twilight noticed Thunderlane and Doran, and several other ponies, griffons, and the few lunar ponies among the crowd, doing the same as Midnight then lowered his goggles over his eyes, and they all did the same. The crowd gasped and awed as Midnight, and all these fliers who'd donned their goggles were each engulfed in a silvery blazing light! When those lights dimmed, Midnight, Thunderlane, Doran, and all these fliers were now garbed in flight suits very similar to the uniforms worn by the Wonderbolts. The only difference was the colors and style.

While the Wonderbolt uniforms were blue and yellow with an electric pattern, these uniforms were a proud gleaming silver and blazing blue with flame-shaped patterns! Midnight spread his wings, all the other flight suit garbed fliers doing the same... and took flight, stormcloud-like trails in their wakes as they zoomed straight up! Everypony watched in amazement as these fliers soared high into the sky above, before coming together in V-formation, Midnight in the lead with Soarin and Thunderlane at his sides!

The formation dove downwards towards the crowd and several onlookers cried out and ducked in alarm as they were nearly dive-bombed, only for these fliers to suddenly pull up and fly upwards again, only in an ascending spiral formation. This continued for a bit until Midnight curved outwards, the rest of his fliers following as they then formed a flying circle, the stormcloud trails enshrouding them and crackling with electricity. The halo-shaped stormcloud began to thunder, and everypony below watched in nervous anticipation before there was a mighty CRACK as the fliers within zoomed out and inwards, passing each other by in the eye of the storm, before flying back in and then out the exterior of the stormcloud, and then they began flying in a circle again, only in reverse, creating a vacuum that pulled the ring-shaped stormcloud along before they again began flying in a spiral formation, only this time they were descending.

The stormcloud was pulled along this spiral formation, turning it into a crackling tornado, into which Midnight alone flew into, coming out the bottom end, the tornado trailing along in his wake as his fliers flew a circle around its mouth on the other side, keeping it under control. Midnight ascended, the tornado following him, until he decided he was high enough and flew back into it, turning the tornado inside out, as Midnight's fliers zoomed up and downwards, the inside-out mouth of the tornado being pulled apart into a bursting explosion of crackling sparks and embers of energy that rained down before fizzing out, as everypony gasped in amazement, as Midnight and his fliers finally landed before them all.

Midnight stepped forward and pulled down the hood/mask part of his uniform so everypony would clearly see his face as he proudly declared, "THE SILVERBOLTS!!!"

Author's Notes:

I just couldn't resist opening with a reporter; for the record, SHM News gets its name from the phrase "Straight from the Horse's Mouth"

Techorse and Stencil Guide are on loan from Spirals95 and I thank him for his help in designing and describing The Break of Dawn

The aerial team Midnight has been working on is called the Silverbolts, in honor of Midnight's favorite Wonderbolt and mentor, Silver Lining.

Chapter 3. Are You Fast Enough, Dash?

The crowd was in awe of what they'd just heard. Especially the reporters.
"Prince Midnight, Prince Midnight! How long has this new squad of yours been in the works before you made their debut?" "Are you directly challenging the Wonderbolts with the making of this group?" "Are you planning any aerial shows with your Silverbolts in the near-future?" "Do the Silverbolts have any part to play in the coming summit?" "Are you making some kind of statement by including griffons and lunar pegasi?"

"Please, please, on at a time!" Midnight raised his wings, then nodded to his team, and they lowered their mask-hoods to reveal their faces as well. "It has been my ambition for some time to found this new team, the Silverbolts, not merely to entertain with aerial shows but also to provide additional security to Equestria, as well as give the Wonderbolts a direct rival for some friendly and healthy competition.

"Beside me are my good friends, Soarin, Thunderlane, Prince Doran, and Hazel Blight, who will serve collectively as my seconds-in-command as I lead the Silverbolts as its Marshal. For the time being, the Silverbolts are split into three squads, with myself the captain of A-Squad. Steel Edge and Amethyst Tides will be captains of B-Squad and C-Squad respectively."

The named ponies stepped forward. Steel Edge was a mighty lunar pegasus stallion with a coat metallic gray and a mane jet black. His leathery bat wings were cobalt blue and his eyes the typical yellow of lunar ponies, along with the narrow slit pupils and the tufts of hair on the tips of his ears. His cutie-mark was a blue shield with various weapons poking out from behind it, such as a sword, a hammer, a scythe, and spear.

Amethyst Tides a graceful pegasus mare. Her mane was three shades of soft pale blue while her coat was a gentle pink. Her eyes were bright opal and her cutie-mark was a sparkling pinkish amethyst, and she wore a flower in her mane, just above her left ear.

"In time, the Silverbolts will recruit more fliers to add to our ranks, necessitating more squads," Midnight went on, "and each squad's captain will be immediately answerable to one of my co-commanders. Steel Edge to Soarin, Amethyst Tides to Hazel Blight. And yes, as I recall someone asking, the fact that the Silverbolts include griffons and lunar pegasi is making a statement.

"Unlike the Wonderbolts, the Silverbolts will test any flier who is skilled enough, brave enough, and trustworthy enough to serve alongside us in our goals, to be the best fliers we can be, to defend Equestria in times of need, to serve as examples, and more. That is why any creature capable of flight will be given their fair chance to join us once things are settled and the proper preparations are made. It matters not whether these fliers are pegasi, lunar pegasi, griffons, or any creature that can fly. What matters if how far they are willing to go in order to take flight!"

The crowd applauded yet again, cameras flashing to record this historical moment-

"NOW WAIT JUST A FLYING BUCK IN THE FACE!!!"

All eyes and ears turned to see the outburst rise up from the crowd as Rainbow Dash gave Midnight such a stink eye, "How come I'm not part of this new aerial squad?! You make this new squad but don't even mention it to me? The Fastest Flyer in all of Equestria?!"

"Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash..." Midnight responded in a slightly condescending way, "I thought you wanted to join the Wonderbolts. So why would I bother you with the knowledge of a new aerial squad I was making when you've already got a lifelong goal to join the Wonderbolts, of whom you're already a Reserve member?"

"Well..." Rainbow Dash hesitated, seeing Midnight had a good point there, "I... That is... It would have been cool of you to at least give me the option! So why didn't you - !!! Wait... You don't want me to join your new team, do you?!"

"No, I do not," Midnight deadpanned, causing several ponies in the crowd to gasp.

"WHAT?!" Rainbow Dash zoomed up into Midnight's face, growling before huffing and backing off, "Well... Your loss! I don't care about your ragtag group of noobs, because soon enough I'll be an official Wonderbolt, and you'll come to regret not inviting the Fastest Flyer in all of Equestria to join your stinkin' team."

Midnight threw his head back in barking laughter, to everyone's confusion, especially Rainbow Dash's, although she was grinding her teeth before she demanded, "What's so funny?!"

"You?! The Fastest Flyer in all of Equestria?!" Midnight laughed while wiping away a tear as he caught his breath, "Oh Dash... Hehehehoo! You're so adorkably funny."

"What're you saying...?" Rainbow Dash demanded in a low tone of warning.

Midnight's expression of humorous mirth quickly vanished, becoming stony serious as he stated, "Rainbow Dash, you're driven to succeed, confident in your skills, whatever the challenge you give it your all. Admirable qualities, to be sure. However...

"Your ego is so sky-high it's just barely balanced out by your loyalty, and I do mean 'barely'."

"Okay, so... I've got a high opinion of myself," Rainbow Dash debated, "Big deal! I'm more than capable of backing up my skills!"

"That you are," Midnight conceded before he added, "But your ego has led you to make stupid, selfish, petty, and just plain reckless decisions in the past."

"Name one!" Rainbow demanded.

"The ruckus you caused with Ponyville General just because you couldn't admit how you'd come to love reading," Midnight raised his primary feathers, listing each and every transgression, "how you used your wings to cheat against Applejack during your Iron Pony competition, the poor sportsmanship you displayed during the Running of the Leaves, how you endangered yourself in the Ghastly Gorge while making animals race to decide which would be your pet, the time you were boasting and showing off until the girls knocked you down a peg with their Mare Do Well persona, how pushy and insensitive you were for Tornado Day, that time you snuck a bite from the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness, how you neglected your team during the Equestria Games tryouts at Rainbow Falls in favor of flying with the Wonderbolts, how you nearly traded Fluttershy into indentured servitude for a book, and let's not forget how recently you tried to stop Winter from coming to Ponyville."

"I said name one, jeez!" Rainbow Dash cringed in response.

"My point is, Rainbow Dash, that you are a skilled and dedicated flier, but while you are my friend, I'm afraid you're not the kind of flyer I want on my team," Midnight pointed out, "and frankly, your egotistical opinion that you're the Fastest Flyer in all of Equestria is just another tally mark for making my point."

"Oh, so you want me to prove it? Fine!" Rainbow Dash stamped her hoof while flaring her wings, "Let's settle it, a race! If I win, you admit that I'm the Fastest Flyer in all of Equestria!"

Several gasps and murmurs sounded through the crowd of onlooker as all eyes turned to Midnight, who smirked, "Very Well, Dash. But I don't need to race you to test your claim of being the fastest."

"Scared I'll whoop you?" Rainbow Dash challenged.

"Hardly," Midnight scoffed, "I just have another kind of challenge in mind, so how `bout this? If you can beat my challenge within one hour I will not only declare you the Fastest Flyer in all of Equestria, on live television no less, I will make you an official Wonderbolt on the spot."

There were more gasps, especially from Rainbow Dash, "You can do that?!"

"I am a prince," Midnight nodded with a shrug, "It'd stick in Spitfire's craw, but I can give you the official status as a member of the Wonderbolts. But let's not forget what happens if you lose..."

"Ha! I don't care what it is, because I'm not going to lose!" Rainbow Dash snorted, "And an hour to beat your challenge? Don't make me laugh, cuz I'll beat whatever you've got in ten seconds flat!"

"So confident," Midnight chuckled, "but let's not set ourselves up for unattainable goals, Rainbow Dash. Since you seem so sure of yourself, I'll shorten my original time of one hour to ten minutes. Beat my challenge within ten minutes, and everlasting glory and a shoe-into the Wonderbolts is yours."

"You're on!" Rainbow Dash was itching to get her wings pumping, "So name your challenge, Midnight! I can beat whatever you've got!"

"My challenge to you, Rainbow Dash is..." Midnight paused for dramatic effect, everyone leaning forward in anticipation as he raised a hoof... and pointed to his cheek as he smirked, "Punch me in the face."

"What?!" Rainbow Dash gaped at Midnight like he'd just farted.

"You heard me..." Midnight narrowed his eyes and smirked in a provoking kind of way, "Punch me in the face before ten minutes pass and you win."

"How's that supposed to prove I'm the Fastest Flyer in all of Equestria?!" Rainbow Dash demanded, sounding insulted, "You want me to be a jerk and punch you on live television and in front of all our friends and neighbors?!"

"I'm challenging you to punch me to see if you can back up your bragging," Midnight corrected before shrugging, "But I guess you're too much of a wuss to see how you measure up against a Wonderbolt-trained flyer."

"Say that again..." Rainbow Dash warned.

"I'll say it as many times as I want, you're a wuss," Midnight responded coolly, "But you're welcome to prove me wrong. Are you fast enough, Dash...?"

"Rrgh... Who's got a stopwatch?!" Rainbow called out.

"I do!" Rumble came forward, holding a stopwatch with his wing, "Just tell me when and I'll start the time, Ten minutes, right?"

"You got it, Rumble," Midnight nodded to the colt before giving a smarmy look to Rainbow, "Are you ready to get schooled, Dashie?"

"Pegasi don't school, they flock!" Rainbow Dash corrected before she flipped him the bird, raising her middle primary feather at him while keeping the rest curled, "So flock off!"

There were a few gasps in the crowd, a couple mares covering their foals' eyes at the rude gesture, but it only made Midnight chuckle.
"And just to make things fair, I promise, for the duration of this challenge, that I won't cast any spells or teleport. Just good ol' fashioned wingpower and body strength."

"Oh how generous of you!" Rainbow Dash snapped in response, getting ready as she stretched her wings and legs. "I'll hold you to that."

"Of course you will," Midnight shrugged as he did some stretches of his own, "Faust forbid you would call me out on taking such an unfair advantage as using magic."

Rainbow Dash frowned at those barbed words, but they stung all the more because deep down she knew he was right. Rumble stepped forward, holding he stopwatch as he asked, "Are you both ready?"

"Hold on!" Midnight lit up his horn and conjured a bottled drink, "Just need a quick swig."

As he drank, Rainbow Dash said, "Hey! You said no magic!"

"During the competition, which hasn't started just yet," Midnight corrected before taking another drink and then letting out a hearty BELCH "Besides, I figured I may as well drink to my... inevitable victory."

"Rrrrggghhhh....!!!" Rainbow was starting to get redder than Big Macintosh before she barked at Rumble, "Start the time!"

"Okay, Rainbow, Midnight!" Rumble held up the stopwatch, "In 3. 2... 1...! GO!!!"

He pressed the button on the stopwatch and almost instantly Rainbow Dash launched herself forward with a mighty flap of her wings! In the split second before she reached Midnight however, her hoof poised to knock that smug look off his face, Midnight simply sidestepped, his wing fanning out and he twirled around Rainbow Dash, his wing brushing over her face, causing her to be distracted as she missed and sped him by!

"Whoa-whoa-WHOOOAAAAOAOAA!!!" Rainbow Dash almost lost control but righted herself as she turned around, snorting like a bull as she launched herself at Midnight again.

This time, however, Midnight didn't dodge. Seeing Rainbow's hoof coming his way, he held up his own, and blocked it, stopping Rainbow Dash like a dam stopping a tidal wave, the air of Rainbow's acceleration rushing past them both in a mighty gale, yet Midnight was as unmovable as a mountain. Stunned for only a second, Rainbow Dash whirled about, trying to kick Midnight in the head, but he easily dodged her attack while maneuvering her just so as he whipped out his tail and tripped her up, making her fall flat on her back.

Growling, Rainbow Dash whirled her body about before hopping back onto her hooves while glaring at Midnight, who had just jumped and flapped to put some distance between them, before raising his hoof, gesturing Rainbow Dash to come get him. As much as he was annoying her, Rainbow Dash took a moment to chill.

He's just trying to get under my coat... she thought, because deep down, he knows he's not as fast as me!

"That's ten seconds, Rainbow Dash," Midnight called out, "and you haven't even come close."

Growling again, Rainbow Dash just barely kept her cool, before taking a deep breath and then began to think, He's got good reaction time, and clearly he's done some martial arts training, so how to get him...! That's it!

Rainbow Dash flapped up into the air and started zipping back and forth, in random direction, up and down, left and right, forward and back, that she became a rainbow-colored streak zipping about so fast it was dizzying trying to follow her movements. Midnight smirked, already having an idea of what Rainbow Dash was trying to do.

Twilight was getting concerned with the direction this was going. Granted, Rainbow Dash could be somewhat of an egomaniac once in a while, but she was still a loyal and reliable friend. She noticed Soarin and Thunderlane watching the challenge closely and went over to them.
"Are you guys okay with what's going on?"

"You mean Midnight teaching Dash a thing or two?" Thunderlane responded with a slightly amused smirk. "I'd be lying if I said otherwise."

"Well, Twi, I love my Dashie, and I want for her to succeed," Soarin said with a hesitant shrug, "some of the things Midnight said about her are true. She's sometimes kinda full of herself, and that's not gonna help her if and when she makes it into the Wonderbolts for real. She's so used to being a solo act that she forgets that the Wonderbolts are a team."

"But she's always worked together so well with us," Twilight pointed out, "she always has our backs and we have hers!"

"That's true, Twilight," Thunderlane nodded, "but you know how she is, always trying to look cool, showing off, boasting, even in times where it's inappropriate."

"Sometimes, Twilight," Soarin hated himself a little for saying it, "you gotta show those you care about some tough love."

Rainbow Dash was still doing her zip-a-dee-doo-dah routine, hoping that Midnight would get confused or dizzy trying to follow her movements, wondering when and where she was gonna strike. But the time was now! She finally stopped zipping about in random directions and flew in a curve, seeing Midnight's eyes were closed and his wings raised as she came at him from behind!

Gotcha!!

Her hoof thrust forward, aiming for the side of Midnight's face-

*WHIPLASH*

-only to find her hoof ensnared by something, stopping her in her tracks yet again!
"What the?!"

She double-taked to see that her hoof was being held by Midngiht's long leonine tail, and he smirked at her from the corner of his eyes, "Hello there!"

"How did you-?!" Rainbow Dash flabbergasted.

"Know you were trying to get me from my blindspot?" Midnight asked while gesturing his wings outward, "I felt the currents in the air as you flew towards me, and that let me know when and where you were coming."

"No way! You couldn't have known just from feeling the air!" Rainbow argued.

"It's true, Dash," Midnight shrugged, "It's actually a special technique for spatial awareness, learning to feel the air around you with your wings to sense the movements of your opponents or your surroundings. It's taught in the Wonderbolts. You don't know about it because you're only a Reserve. I learned it from Silver Lining when he and Hellfire trained me. Now, whattya say we take this... to the sky!!!"

Midnight whirled about, his tail still holding onto Rainbow, who cried out in alarm as Midnight whipped upwards, sending her hurtling into the sky, and he quickly followed after her with a powerful flap of his wings, though he momentarily lost her as she flew into a cloud. Zooming through it, Midnight looked around, wondering where she was.

She has been trained to handle spin-outs, Midngith thought before scoffing to himself. Maybe she's off sulking.

Just then, he saw a cloud float passed him, in a sporadic motion.

“What the...?” he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

Just then, he felt a brush of wind and looked to his right and saw Dash, coming at him at breakneck speeds, her hoof raised. The misdirection had worked to a point, but he was still able to air-roll to the left, dodging her punch.

“You dirty little....” Dash growled.

She turned and tried again, only to have him dodge to the right. It was now turning into a record player of spinning, dodging and spinning again. Dash was starting to feel queezy, and so was Midnight. Pegasi could handle high speeds and fast spins, but only up to a certain point. They were still susceptible to dizziness and even, in some cases, motion sickness while riding on a cloud.

If this is her plan, it's a good one!, Midnight thought, as he fought to keep his lunch in.

Rainbow Dash finally paused and landed on a nearby cloud, holding her head to calm her spinny eyes, while Midnight did the same. Once their heads were no longer woozy, Rainbow Dash glared at him from her own cloud, snapping, "Hold still, why don'cha?!"

"'Hold still', Dash?" Midnight echoed with a chuckle, "I thought you appreciated a challenge! But, if you're not feeling quite up to it, I'll give you the chance to bow out. Just say 'uncle' at anytime before the ten minutes are up and I'll graciously accept your throwing in the towel."

"You know me better than that, Blaze!" Rainbow Dash flared her wings and snorted, "I never quit, because no matter what I'm in it to win it!"

*KACHOOM*

Rainbow Dash once again tried the direct approach in a superfast launch towards Midnight, who simply ducked down through the cloud he'd been sitting on, easily dodging Rainbow Dash's hoof. She quickly changed direction and flew after him, but this time Midnight led her on an epic aerial chase!

Everypony down below watched in awe of cheered Rainbow Dash and Midnight on, seeing them only as a black and blue blazing blur pursued by a rainbow-colored blur. He led her up, down, left, right, spiraling, curving, crisscrossing, loop de' looping, until finally Midnight led Rainbow down towards Ponyville. He flew up and over or around buildings, giving Rainbow Dash a more difficult challenge in trying to catch him without crashing into anything.

Twilight was honestly amazed by her husband's flying skills before she looked over to Rumble, "How much time is left?"

"6 minutes and 14 seconds," Rumble answered after checking his stopwatch.

"Let me know when the time runs out and I'll alert them," Twilight instructed, Rumble nodding.

At that moment, Midnight had pulled up back into the sky, and now was zooming fast around Ponyville's airspace, keeping well ahead of Rainbow Dash despite her trying to catch up. As his brain hatched an idea, Midnight smirked and fanned his wings out, causing the wind to push him back and Rainbow Dash "WHOA"d to avoid crashing into Midnight as he breezed past her.

Turning around, she saw he was now about ten pony-lengths away, flapping in place while taking a stance... he pulled his right hoof to the side of his face and held his left hoof outwards. Before he gestured with his left hoof at Rainbow Dash in that challenging gesture that universally meant 'Come and get it'. Narrowing her eyes, Rainbow Dash took her own stance, crossing her forelegs before holding them out while angling her side towards Midnight, her left hoof up and behind her, her right hoof low and bent in front of her.

For a few flapping seconds, they stared each other down, and just when Rainbow Dash was about to make the first move-

*WHOOSH*

"HUH?!" Rainbow Dash never thought Midnight would go first as he zipped up in front of her while making a mighty loud CLAP of his hooves in front of her face, causing her to flinch!

Taking of Rainbow Dash's dazed state, Midnight gave a mighty FLAP of his wings, sending her hurtling back in an aerial somersault, from which she barely managed to regain her balance as she shook off the effects of Midnight's fakeout. Growling but still keeping her cool, she threw another punch, but Midnight blocked it. She threw another, he blocked it again.

Everyone below watched as Rainbow threw rapid punches at Midnight, but he blocked or countered them all in quick succession.

"Wow! Rainbow Dash is a blackbelt karate master," Thunderlane commented, "but Midnight's got serious skills! None of her attacks are getting through his defenses!"

"C'MON RAINBOW DASH!!" Scootaloo hollered, "SHOW HIM WHAT'CHOO GOT!!!!!"

But at that moment, Rainbow Dash got just a little distracted as her next punch was off, and Midnight seized it, grabbing her and giving her an over-the-shoulder throw back towards the ground, Rainbow yelling, "WHOAAAAA!!!"

She just barely managed to right herself and use a strong flap to lessen the impact as she landed on all fours not far from the crowd, and everyone gasped as the tension rose while Midnight landed on the ground too, standing about five pony-lengths away from his ornery opponent. Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth while giving Midnight such a stink eye.

"Oh, don't gimme that look, Rainbow," Midnight chuckled, "it's good to have fans, but better to keep your concentration on the task at hoof rather than split it listening to them just to satisfy your ego."

"Rrrgh, shut up!" Rainbow Dash snapped while concentrating her pegasus magic. She raised her wings and then her left hoof, pointing straight at Midnight.

"And just what are you gonna do from all the way over there?" Midnight smirked, "Not that I'm counting the seconds, but I'm fairly certain you can't afford to waste any more time."

"He's right, Rainbow!" Rumble called out, "There's only four and a half minutes left before the time's up!"

"See? So what's stalling you, Dash?" Midnight egged, "I thought you were supposed to be the Fastest Flyer in all of Equestria, but thus far I've been flying circles around you."

"Rrgh, so you can use your wings to feel changes in the air and sense when I'm coming, big deal!" Rainbow Dash remarked, as her feathers began to give off a faint discharge of colorful electricity.
"I may not be an official Wonderbolt yet, but they do teach even us Reserves some pretty rad techniques! You're fast, I'll admit it. But let's see you dodge my own version of the Lightning Bolt Strike I learned under Lightning Streak!"

The electrical aura surrounding Rainbow Dash's wings crackled as it was all concentrated towards Rainbow's hoof, creating a colorful electric pulse surging to be released!
"I'm gonna zap that smirk right off your face, Blaze!"

"Then take your best shot," Midnight challenged as he folded his wings to his barrel, "I promise I won't fly away this time."

"You're gonna regret that! So I hope you're ready to take my Rainbolt Strike, Blaze, cuz it's gonna sting!"

*SHHHZAAAAAP*

Everyone watched in morbid anticipation as a rainbow-colored bolt of lightning launched from Rainbow Dash's hoof, zooming straight and true towards Midnight! For a fleeting moment, Twilight, afraid for her husband, almost lit up her horn to to cast a shield spell on him... only for Midnight to rear up, and spin to his left, effortlessly dodging the Rainbolt Strike, and then kicking off, launching himself straight at Rainbow, who was too stunned in disbelief to dodge Midnight's hoof to her gut!

Groaning in pain but refusing to cry out in it, Rainbow Dash gasped, as the wind had just been knocked out of her, and fell to her hooves, clutching her stomach as Midnight stepped back, his expression like a stone statue.

"RAINBOW DASH!!" Scootaloo, Soarin, Rumble, and some more of her friends cried out, but before any of them could come to her aid they saw Rainbow Dash hold her wing out in a halt gesture.

They saw her look their way, her right eye clenched shut in pain but shaking her head no, she didn't want them to interfere. She then gazed up at Midnight, steadying her breath as she forced herself to stand and look him in the eye.
"You're good, Midnight, much better than I thought you were gonna be."

"I know I'm being hard on you, Rainbow Dash," Midnight responded with a stony demeanor, "but it's the only way you'll learn."

"Learn what?" Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes.

"That no matter how good you are, or anyone is, at something, "Midnight explained, "that there's always gonna be someone out there who's better. You think Spitfire's tough on you? Her training is foals' daycare compared to what her grandfather Hellfire put me through for three months straight! I'll spare you the gory details, given how you're pressed for time, and put it simple. You're fast, you're skilled, you're determined. But you'll never be fast enough to punch me in the mug!"

"You want fast...?! I'll give you Sonic Rainboom Fast!!!"Rainbow Dash seethed as she launched skyward.

Midnight hunkered down before he too launched skyward, and flew away from Rainbow as she pursued him. This time however, she was preparing. Though she'd long mastered her ultimate flying technique, she still had to build up enough speed and magic before breaking the sound barrier.

"She's gonna do it!" Scootaloo smiled in excitement, "No way Midnight can get away from her this time!"

"The Sonic Rainboom..." Thunderlane nodded. "But that technique does have one glaring weakness."

His friends and brother turned to pay him attention as he explained, "The first milestone in mastering the Rainboom is actually pulling it off at will. The next is controlling it, which is easier said than done. Rainbow is moving at supersonic speed after she breaks the sound barrier, and moving so incredibly fast is hard enough, much less changing direction while flying at that speed.

"Once Rainbow Dash does the Rainboom, she'd better be absolutely precise on her aim and her timing. `Cuz if she misses, she won't get another chance."

"There's only a minute and twelve seconds left," Rumble brought up.

"Then this is it," Soarin responded with a tense look, "The grand finale."

Indeed. Rainbow Dash steadily built up her speed along with her pegasus magic. Midnight sensed it and picked up his own speed in response, getting further and further ahead.

You're not getting away this time! Rainbow Dash thought as she felt her power increase along with her velocity. Sure, Midnight was managing to stay ahead, but in mere moments... Wait! What was that?!

She didn't stop her focus, but she couldn't help but feel a similar build-up of power... coming from her target!
Whatever you're up to, Midnight Blaze, it's not gonna save your smug mug from my hoof!

"ALRIGHT!!!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she began to charge through the sound barrier "HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

*SHABOOM/SHABOOM*

Everyone gasped in shocked marvel as Rainbow Dash performed her Sonic Rainboom... and immediately after, Midnight did one too! The sky was filled with cascading ripples of colors, first the colors of Rainbow Dash's Rainboom, and then Midnight's, Black, Dark Blue, Sapphire Blue, Blazing Blue, Electric Indigo, and then a Silver-White! The skyward colors rippled out across the horizon until they vanished in the distance, and the sky was again as clear as morning.

"Am I seeing things or did Prince Midnight just do a Rainboom too?!" "Extraordinary!!" "That was awesome!" "You saw it here, viewers, on SHM News!"

The crowd was going wild when Rumble tapped Twilight on the shoulder and showed her the stopwatch. Nodding, she concentrated a spell and launched a magenta flare of mana skyward that exploded, revealing giant transparent letters that read 'TIME'S UP'.

*FLASH*

All eyes turned to see Midnight Blaze, looking stoic, and Rainbow Dash, looking stunned. For a long moment, she looked upon Midnight, and he returned the disbelief in her eyes with the unflinching resolution in his own.

"...how?" Rainbow Dash finally uttered, her feathers shaking, her tail drooping, "How can you do a Sonic Rainboom?! That's... that's supposed to be my signature move!"

"Not necessarily," Midnight responded plainly, "The Sonic Rainboom was legend long before you were ever born, Rainbow Dash. The pegasi who achieved the technique before us have been few and far between across the centuries. As a matter of fact, even during the time of the Pegasus Empire, only one was ever skilled enough to perform the technique, and like you did as a filly it was only a fluke.

"The technique is not yours alone, Rainbow Dash, despite your name. My version of the technique is called the Lunar Rainboom. No one ever saw me do it because I trained to master it only at night when all was dark and everyone asleep."

The gears turned in Rainbow Dash's head as she realized Midnight was right about the Rainboom being around long before she was, and she sighed deeply, looking crestfallen.
"...You won, Midnight. Whatever you want, I'll do it. Fair's fair..."

"Very well. Rainbow Dash..." Midnight declared, "I wish for you... to learn from this defeat."

"What?!" Rainbow Dash gazed up at Midnight, surprised, "I- I don't understand!"

"Like I already said, Rainbow," Midnight explained kindly, "no matter how skilled one is in something there's always gonna be someone out there who's better. Masters and experts in their arts and disciplines come and go, but the efforts they make to become experts and masters, the journeys they take, their triumphs, their failures? All of that is what truly makes them winners.

"It's good to succeed and to aim to win, but victory isn't always what we need in order to learn, grow, and improve. When the chips are down and you give it your all, only to come up short and fail? Well, he kicked my ass six ways from Sunday, but there is one lesson Hellfire taught me that I truly appreciate - That it is in Failure, not Success, where we truly learn what matters. The mistakes we make, the limits we have? If you give it maximum effort, even if you fail, that's where you find out what you're really made of, and figure out where to go from there so that you can improve and be better than you were before! In other words, the greatest teacher we can possibly ask for is Failure."

There were some murmurs of agreement and nods of approval among the crowd, and though the bitter sting of defeat irked her, Rainbow Dash knew when she was beaten. Midnight had won fair and square and there was nothing else to it, and his words actually resonated with her.

"That's really it? You just want me to learn from losing and remember what you wanted to teach me?" Rainbow Dash asked, and when Midnight gave her a kind nod and smile, she couldn't help but smile back, just a little before she sighed.
"i gotta admit, Midnight. You're all kinds of awesome, and I guess that's why you're the Fastest Flyer in all of Equestria."

In response, Midnight chuckled before saying with a cheeky smile, "No I'm not."

"HUH?!" Rainbow Dash and the whole crowd reacted in shock to Midnight's words.

But before Rainbow Dash could ask Midnight anything else, Spike ran in between them holding a scroll and calling out, "SUMMONS FROM CANTERLOT!! MIDNIGHT, TWILIGHT, WE GOT A- WHOA!!"

Unfortunately, a rock had been in Spike's way, causing him to stumble and fall in a rolling motion, and Twilight quickly levitated Spike and the scroll up, the little dragon rubbing a little bump in a sore area as he said, "Thanks, Twilight!"

"No problem, Spike. Now let's see..." Twilight gave the scroll a read and gasped! "Midnight, Rainbow Dash! Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Prince Sombra are requesting us and the rest of the Council of Friendship to come to Canterlot immediately!"

Author's Notes:

The characters comprising the Silverbolts, aside from Midnight, Soarin, Thunderlane, Doran, and the OC Hazel Blight (whom I made up) include (but are not limited to):

*Night Mist, donated by Night--Mist

*Bloody Mane, donated by SageBrony07

*Skyjoy, donated by Gargon94

*Signal Flare, donated by DrakeSlayer

*Amethyst Tides, donated by Violet Shores

*Steel Edge, donated by ihatehaters1994

*Mix-Up, donated by Mix-up

*Adeler, donated by Southern Wing

*Shadow Breeze, donted by ShadowBreeze

Each and every one of them were donated by their creators, to whom I credit and thank for volunteering them

As for the face-off between Rainbow Dash and Midnight, I've planned that for a long while

Chapter 4. The Dance of Politics

The Friendship Express arrived in Canterlot as the afternoon was making way for the evening, Celestia already beginning the sunset. Upon disembarking the train, the Council of Friendship, and Spike, found themselves meeting with the Triarchs of Canterlot, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Prince Sombra, accompanied by a platoon of Royal Guardsponies.

"Council of Friendship, we bid you welcome," Celestia said in regal formality, leading her sister and husband to give a welcoming bow to their visitors, the thirteen friends bowing back.

"Princess Celestia, it is good to see you," Midnight responded kindly.
"We are here to assist in any way we can, Your Majesties," Twilight added.

"Thank you all for coming, my little ponies," Celestia gestured them to follow her through the train station, Luna and Sombra sticking closely to her sides. "As you are all surely aware, the Royal Summit for the Reformation of the Aristocratic Council is only days away, and there is yet... debate among the council members, as well as the rest of the Canterlot Nobility, regarding this imminent change in our government."

"Apart from the Houses affiliated with the Council, the Nobility of Canterlot has no voice in our government's affairs," Sombra reminded his wife while making sure the twelve ponies and dragon heard him, "Not that that stops them from bellyaching."

"If you need help organizing the events to come, I am at your disposal," Twilight volunteered as they were all led to three extravagant carriages on the street just outside the front of the trai nstation, "as are the rest of us. Whether the Nobles of Canterlot agree or not, I am of the opinion this reformation of our government will lead to a more free and just Equestria. I assure you, not all the leaders of Equestria have only their own interests in mind."

"The interests of Equestria is exactly the point of this reformation," Luna pointed out as she, Celestia, Sombra, Midnight, Twilight, and Spike were led to the first carriage while the rest of the Harmonic Twelve piled into the other two carriages.
"It is long past time this council was comprised new blood, new minds, and new ideas for a better and more prosperous Equestria."

"Well, this Reformation will be the first major step in that goal," Midnight commented, "but I wager it will be quite the doozy of a step."

"Forgive us, my young friends," Celestia spoke as he signaled the guards pulling the carriages to get moving towards a tunnel, "We did not ask you all here to discuss politics. At least, not yet. Rather, we had hoped to show you the beginnings of a New Canterlot."

Soon they were all swallowed by the tunnel, electric lights providing illumination through the chilly echoing passage.

"Not the typical Canterlot welcome," Twilight hoped, "Fancy Pants sent word to us, that you would have a royal court awaiting our arrival."

"We just wanted to greet you ourselves," Celestia replied with her usual impish smile as they heard a sound at the end of the tunnel growing louder as they neared the exit, "Before the others..."

As they rode out of the tunnel, they were momentarily blinded and deafened before they saw the streets were crowded with ponies, flashing confetti raining down upon them all as the applause swelled along with an orchestra in triumphant welcome to the Council of Friendship from the City of Unicorns! The Harmonic Twelve were in awe, even Fluttershy found herself amazed rather than overwhelmed, as before long they were smiling and waving as they passed everypony by, Spike especially as he began to blow kisses and waved harder than anypony else in the carriages.

"Now this is a Canterlot welcome," Twilight commented with a smile.

"We are a city of tradition," Celestia remarked with a playful wink.

Meanwhile, out In the Unicorn Range, near Van Hoover, a large shipment of crates arrived at the Galloping Grains Agriculture Society grain farm, the largest crop of grain and wheat owned by House Buckwheat. One of the ponies, a dark brown unicorn stallion with a sheave of wheat cutie mark looked at the nearest crate. He felt like something was off, but on top of the crate he saw a large folder with the Official Seal of Agriculture and Nutrition Approval stamped on it. After examining the contents, he furrowed his brows, irked by what he'd read and then looked over at his farmcolts and saw one coming up, looking uncertain.

“Who placed an order without my permission?” he asked tersely, the colt nervously approaching to move the crates. “I wasn't expecting crates of vitamins, but a crate of new harvesting tools.”

“Dunno, sir,” the colt gulped, not understanding either. “All I know is that the courier who went out to pick up the deliveries came back with a message from the harbor master, saying we were to get a delivery sent to us. The next delivery should be the tools.”

The stallion looked at his staff. He knew he should check them out, but he knew they were all already on a tight schedule. He knew that the deliveries had to go out within the hour, and if he had any chance of getting these deliveries out today, he had to make a call.

Sighing he ordered, “Get these crates back and get these vitamins loaded into the food shipments. And make sure that you save the shipping papers! If my ass is going to be reamed, you're also going to take heat!”

“Yes, boss!” replied the farmcolts as they all scrambled to move things along.

The forestallion continued to watch. He hoped to the stars and clouds above this hurrying and slapdashery didn't come back to bite him in the ass.

"This can't be right," Duchess Breadbasket muttered to herself.

The Duchess of Agriculture and Nutrition and Head of House Buckwheat was waiting in the Grand Council room, along with her fellow Dukes and Duchesses, for the alicorns and their guests, for an initial discussion of the imminent reformation of the council. During that time, Breadbasket had received a notice from her personal assistant that her shipments of grains had been added with some kind of vitamin, which she hadn't authorized.

But though she knew she was going to have to look into this, this meeting and what it was about had an ironclad grip on her attention, so she sighed and closed the folder, setting it down as she regarded her colleagues.

"I've already discussed it with Their Majesties," said Duke Firestorm of Defense and Security to Duke Lightning Wing of Weather, "but they all believe there is enough security for the Summit."
"Well, they did mention they're inviting somepony to help," responded Lightning Wing.

"So whattya think, Pipe Glass?" asked Duchess Showstopper of Media and Entertainment. "Wouldn't a showcase to celebrate the new council kickstart things off on a positive note?"
"Hmm, I suppose," considered Duke Pipe Glass of Magic and Mysteries, "it would certainly make a good impression with the citizens, surely."

"The Department of Research and Development will suffer for this, I tell you," grumbled Duchess Mareston Burner of Science and Innovation. "Without government approved funds, our scientific progress will stagnate from lack of the finest equipment! On this surely we must be in agreement, Cure! After all, discovery requires experimentation."
"Discovery is among the most noble of aspirations, I can agree with that, Burner," responded Duchess Miracle Cure of Health and Welfare, "but there must ever be a political yardstick to measure the extents to which we reach. Don't forget the story of the pegasus colt who tried to touch the sun."

"I'm still not on board with this government reformation business, Ink," Cobalt Banks, the Duke of Energy and Resources, furrowed his brows, "haven't the royals ever heard of the phrase 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'?"
"Now, Banks, this wouldn't have to do with how your House Stonebreaker has a stake in almost every mining op, lumber distribution, and power plant in the country, would it?" asked Treaty Ink, the Duchess of Foreign Affairs.

All the dukes and duchesses, except for Breadbasket, were discussing the pros and cons of this meeting and the imminent Royal Summit. But then Breadbasket's gaze was drawn towards Buck Cheap, the Duke of Commerce and Business, as he confidently strode towards Brass Scales, the Duke of Law and Order.

"Looks to be the start of a very interesting meeting, wouldn't ya say, Scales?" Cheap commented in a very casual way.

"Interesting indeed, Cheap..." Brass eyed the businesspony with blatant distrust, "but let us hope that the most interesting thing to happen will be some hot debate."

"Now, now, Scales, what's this anti-social vibe I'm getting from you?" Cheap chuckled, "we've known each other for a long time, worked together! We're friends, aren't we?"

"For the moment, we are colleagues, Cheap, and I use the term lightly," Brass narrowed his scrutiny, "besides, I don't really think you've ever had a friend in your life."

"Now that's not nice, Scales," Cheap responded in mock-offense, "through my work in making Equestria the most prosperous nation on Earth, I have made-"

"Business partners," Brass interrupted, "Or more like customers. After all, to call someone 'partner' implies they are your equal, and you would find the idea of anyone your equal to be laughable."

"Careful, Scales,a pony sound of mind does not let paranoia overcome his better judgment," Cheap smirked haughtily, "You'll start seeing enemies everywhere!"

Brass glared reproachfully at Cheap when the doors to the council room opened and in walked Fancy Pants, the council's spokespony, "Esteemed Dukes and Duchesses of the Council, announcing Their Majesties, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Prince Sombra, Prince Midnight Blaze, and Princess Twilight Sparkle, and accompanying them as their guests and observers of this meeting, the Council of Friendship."

The dukes and duchesses all sat straight and calmly in their places as the alicorns and the Harmonic Twelve, plus Spike, entered the council room, Celestia settling in over at the throne at the other side of the room, allowing her to keep an eye on every council member, while Luna and Sombra stood at her right, Twilight and Midnight at her left. The rest of the Harmonic Twelve and Spike stood along the walls, having been instructed to stand by and listen as observers, but they could not participate in the discussions that were sure to follow.

"Ladies and gentlecolts of the Aristocratic Council, welcome," bade the Princess of the Sun, "I have called you here to discuss with you the Royal Summit that will take place in this room in the next few days. As has been previously discussed and debated, the eleven of you, the Heads of your respective Houses, will formally surrender your titles, your political powers, and your claims to the government-owned interests of Equestria that you each represent to the Crown so that this council can be reformed.

"When I founded this council so long ago, I had faith in the families who stepped forward to help carry the burdens of leadership, duty, and self-sacrifice to protect the citizens and the interests of Equestria, and for a time my faith was rewarded. Alas, as generations came and went, members of this council did not always have the interests of our people in mind but rather the opportunities they could take advantage of from their affiliation with this ruling body.

"This can no longer be allowed to continue. The time has come for this council to be remade, to have representatives of the people chosen by the people, to entrust the burdens of leadership, duty, and self-sacrifice to individuals who have earned the trust and respect of the people, not bought or inherited it. It is time for our little ponies to step up and prove their mettle, their integrity, their-"

"Incompetence?"

All eyes turned towards Buck Cheap, as he leaned back in his suit, a brow raised with skepticism.

"I take it you have something to say, Duke Cheap?" Celestia assumed dryly.

"As a matter of fact, Your Highness, I do," Cheap stood up and walked into the middle of the council room, the floor was his, and he was going to make his point, "Nothing lasts forever, everything changes, that is the one constant in life. But in the words of the great explorer, Sir Prancis Drake, 'There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields the true glory'.

"I say, this council, what it stands for, and the noble lineages that have served it for the good of all Equestria for generations, is a rock. A fulcrum. A foundation upon which our society stands strong and stable. This call for reformation of this ruling body is a danger to that stability, a threat to the security and welfare of our nation and our citizens. You are asking- Nay, you are demanding that the noble Houses of this council surrender the power and responsibility we have dutifully carried for centuries, so that you can place it, along with the well-beings of everypony in Equestria, in the hooves of amateurs and neophytes whose own agendas you cannot completely be certain of!

"I cannot speak for every generation of Dukes and Duchesses that have served in this council, but can we truly afford to place so much faith and responsibility into civilians who have not prepared their entire lives for the responsibility of serving their fellow pony in this political capacity? Can we truly trust a system so blind and precarious as voting for candidates who may or may not have the right skills, backbone, or state of mind to oversee the interests of this nation?"

Cheap steered his gaze towards the Harmonic Twelve standing along the walls, and snubbed, "I rather doubt it."

...

...

...

The room fell into complete silence. The words spoken by Cheap seemed to have come out of nowhere, and yet he strangely seemed to make a good point when after a long an tense moment Cobalt Banks stood up and cleared his throat.

"Your Majesties, as you know, I often work closely alongside Duke Cheap as our duties tend to intersect, what with my work in overseeing out nation's energy and resources and his in managing our economy. Granted, I don't particularly like him, but Cheap raises a valid concern regarding the possible candidates that would run for seats on this council. We cannot entrust the welfare of our nation and citizens to the hooves of those who are not only ill-prepared to shoulder such responsibilities, we must also consider a more troubling concern...

"Permitting the citizens to vote shines a spotlight upon them from the rich and the wealthy. Those whose own fortunes or influences that could sway voters, or even worse the newly-elected! Bribery and blackmail are an ever-present concern regarding those in positions of power and influence, and the wrong sorts who are voted into office could find themselves politically targeted and coerced to exploit their political positions to enforce unjust laws that benefit the rich and exploit the citizenry."

"He means, back pocket dealings, so that their "friends" get better deals," Thunderlane whispered to his friends as they observed.

"Exactly, young stallion," Cobalt Banks said loudly while looking towards Thunderlane, letting him know he'd heard what he'd said.

"Duke Banks, your concerns are indeed valid," Princess Celestia responded, "but in the course of governing a nation, there are no solutions without risk, no fool-proof plans, as no system is without flaw. Mistakes will be made, yet what matters is not the mistakes themselves but what we do with those mistakes so that we can improve the system.

"Can this work? I believe it can, and I know there are those among you who agree. I am grateful for your support in this endeavor, but I encourage you all, and always in a respectful manner, to voice your concerns. If you feel a course of action we are considering is not the wisest, tell me so. Regardless, our nation must be allowed to grow, and to cling to antiquated methods purely because of their familiarity and the illusion of stability and security it displays means to stand in the way of our nation's progress."

"And who's to say that none of us cannot continue to serve our nation in a political capacity?" brought up Brass Scales, "As I recall from prior meetings, the members of this council, even after we formally relinquish our titles and positions, will have the options of running for office in the new council after its reformation.

"And on a side-note, I know there are some among us who would honestly be relieved to leave the political arena to focus on new avenues in our respective professions."

"While we understand your feelings, you must understand that nothing is absolute," Sombra spoke up. "Even those in the legal profession will tell you that laws change over time."

"And you'd know all about being absolute, being a tyrant," Cheap commented not-so-softly.

"Come again...?" Sombra responded, coldly.

Smooth, Treaty Ink thought.

"I said... that you would know all about absolute, being a tyrant," Cheap repeated in atone casual yet brazen.

Everyone stared at Cheap, stunned by his audacity. He was definitely making a play, so Sombra merely smiled, "Allow me to ask a rhetorical question to you.

"Is the staff at your favorite restaurant absolute? Do they stay the same every time you go there?"

"What's that got to do with... whatever this nonsense you're talking about is?" Cheap shot back.

"I see your stubborn, like your predecessors," Sombra remarked.

"Sounds like somepony's been brushing up on his politcal history," Cheap harrumphed, "but I suppose it makes sense. Know thy enemy after all, for knowledge is a tyrant's bread and butter."

"Duke Cheap, your conduct is becoming less and less charming," Luna glared at him, "I would advise against displaying such blatant disrespect towards the crown."

"My apologies, Princess Luna," Cheap smirked, clearly insincere, "After all, we wouldn't want to have to banish you back to the moon simply because you were snubbed the respect you thought you were entitled, now would we...?"

Luna furrowed her brows and almost stepped forward, only to be barred by her sister, as Celestia stood, "I would measure your next words, carefully, Duke Cheap..."

"I think I've made my point already, Princess Celestia," Cheap narrowed his eyes, "which is why I have no inclination to entertain this farce a second longer."

He started making for the door while arrogantly adding, "Feel free to call on me when you've all reconsidered the balance of Equestria's power."

Once Cheap disappeared through the doors, Soarin commented, "Now that pony's a real piece of work."

"You can say that again," chuckled Duke Firestorm, spurring some more laughs among all the ponies present. Then Firestorm looked to the alicorns, "Please accept our apologies, Your Majesties."

"For what, Duke Firestorm?" asked Twilight, "You needn't feel any blame for Duke Cheap's words or actions."

Brass Scales and Pipe Glass shared a look and both were thinking the same thing, He's definitely up to something...

And unfortunately, Cheap's words had just the effect he'd intended, as Banks, Breadbasket, and Mareston Burner shared a look and not-so-subtly gazed towards the alicorns with perhaps a smidgen of contempt, before they all stood up and Banks said, "Forgive us, Your Highnesses... but we feel that this meeting should take break, as should we all. Given all that's been discussed thus far, I think we could all do with a little R & R."

"Indeed, Duke Banks," Celestia nodded, "I call this meeting adjourned. We shall resume session tomorrow at noon. Dukes and Duchesses, feel free to make yourselves comfortable while I have a word with my guests, the Council of Friendship."

They agreed and headed back. Brass and Pipe headed off to a private office while the others went to their old chambers.

Meanwhile, Celestia and the others were in a private meeting hall to discuss the recent..."developments" with Cheap and his tune. However, had they been paying attention, they would have picked up on a subtle hint that he had placed there. Something told them he intended to make a play. A dirty play.

The alicorns, along with the Harmonic Twelve, Spike, and even Fancy Pants settled in the Royals' private dining room, where they were all treated to quite a spread. After the first course, Twilight spoke up.
"It seems to me that some of the dukes and duchesses aren't so keen on relinquishing their positions, Princess Celestia."

"You needn't worry, Princess Twilight, all will be well," Celestia assured, "All manner of precautions are being taken to insure this Royal Summit goes on without a hitch."

"That is why we've asked all of you to be here," Luna added, "With the Council of Friendship here to lend a hoof, I have no doubts that all will be well."

"We're ready to do our part to make sure the Reformation of the Council goes well," Midnight vowed, and the rest of the Harmonic Twelve chimed in, agreeing and adding their own words of assurance.
"Speaking of the council, I actually have a pony nominated to run for office! i think he would do well as being in charge of Science and Innovation."

"That's good to hear, Midnight," Sombra responded with a smile, "for one of my own advisors has suggested I nominate this young stallion with a particular knack for business."

"Heh, wouldn't that stick in Buck Cheap's craw?" cracked Cheese Sandwich, spurring some chuckles all around.

"Ahem, if I may, everypony," Fancy Pants spoke up, "I suggest we put a pause on discussing politics, for I have a most wonderful announcement! Just days ago, my beloved wife, Fleur, successfully gave birth to our new baby daughter!"

The news was met with happy cheers and congratulations, especially from Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie.

"A new baby?!" Pinkie popped upwards, exploding with confetti and glitter as she smiled, "Can I throw your baby her first birthday?"

"I wouldn't mind making a baby blanket for her," Fluttershy offered as she blushed, "I've... been practicing."

"Oh Fancy Pants, this is absolutely delightful news!" Rarity stood up and went over to give Fancy Pants a hug, followed by Blueblood who shook the older stallion's hoof.

"Congratulations, my friend," Blueblood offered, "You're going to be such fine parents for your child. If I may ask, what is your new filly's name?"

"Her name is Gold Orchid, and there's something more," Fancy Pants replied before giving Blueblood and Rarity each a warm lock, "Blueblood? Rarity? Fleur and I already have spoken on the matter, and we would be thrilled if the two of you would become our daughter's godparents!"

"Us?" Blueblood was surprised.
"Oh my, Fancy Pants!" Rarity gushed before giving him another hug, "What an honor!"

"Oh darn it all," Sombra said in mock-annoyance while smiling at Celestia, who began to beam so warmly. "Now we're gonna feel second best by our announcement."

All eyes turned to him and his wife as they held each other's hooves... and then placed them over Celestia's barrel as she joyfully stated, "I am with foal!"

There were more gasps and big smiles as Twilight hurried forward, hugging Princess Celestia as she said, "That's wonderful!"

"Congratulations, my master, my Lady," Midnight shook Sombra's hoof, "An heir to the throne, at last!"

Then, Midnight realized what he'd just said and looked hesitantly at Luna, who was smiling but... there was conflict in her eyes.

"Princess Luna, I- Forgive me, I only meant-" Midnight tried to say, only for Luna to raise her hoof.

"Come now, Midnight, this is a happy day!" Luna waved it off as she looked lovingly at the expecting alicorns, "Apart from my sister and my brother, none could be more thrilled by this news than I!"

"Thank you, little sister," Sombra smiled before looking at everypony, "Thank you all, for your kind words."

He then shared a deep and loving kiss with his wife, as Celestia couldn't help but shed a tear.

As everypony murmured in excitement and joy for the prince and princess, Rainbow Dash however found her mind wandering, and her hooves wandered with it as she quietly slipped away from the dining table. She'd nearly escaped notice but before she left the dining room, Fluttershy spotted her and made sure to nudge Soarin so he'd see too.

Not really caring where she went, Rainbow Dash somehow found herself wandering through the halls until she came out a balcony, and gazed out to Canterlot. It was bright and pristine, even during the evening hours, the twinkling stars arriving along with the moon keeping a gentle watch. It had been a busy day.

Midnight, Blueblood, and their friends had unveiled a new and advanced airship, Midnight had introduced his own squadron of fliers, and then she'd gotten her rainbow-marked plot handed to her after Midnight proved himself faster, in flight and in quick-thinking, and he'd taught her a lesson that failure wasn't such a bad thing, so long as you learned from it. Then there was all this political business with the dukes and duchesses, Rarity and Blueblood were apparently now godparents, and Princess Celestia of all ponies was now with foal!

After this long day, full of ups and downs, Rainbow suddenly found herself feeling... lost.

You with the sad eyes

Rainbow Dash perked up, and slowly turned around to see Soarin standing in the doorway as he stepped out onto the balcony, his warm eyes staying on hers.

Don't be discouraged

He approached her and saw his Dashie needed some cheering up, and wrapped his wing around her shoulders, neither of them realizing their friends were watching from behind the curtains of the balcony doors.

Oh I realize...

It's hard to take courage in a world full of people

You can loose sight of it all

The darkness inside you can make you feel so small

He then took Rainbow's hoof and gently guided her up to stand.

Show me a smile then

Don't be unhappy, can't remember when

I lost saw you laughing

This world makes you crazy
(Soarin tried making a silly face which helped Rainbow Dash crack a smirk)

And you've taken all you can bear

Just call me up `cuz I will always be there

And I see your true colors shining through
(He pointed to Rainbow's cutie-mark and she softly gasped as ripples of color spread out across her body, as she slowly began to resemble herself in Rainbow Power)

I see your true colors, and that's why I love you
(Rainbow Dash lit up and gazed back into the eyes of this stallion she loved and smiled as she held out her wing to him)

So don't be afraid... to let them show
(Soarin took his Rainbow's wing into his own, as his own cutie-mark rippled with color too as his own colors spread out across his form in a similar way)

Your true colors

True colors are beautiful...!

Everyone marveled in swooning awe to see Soarin and Rainbow Dash bright and colorful as Soarin took his Dashie's hooves and guided her up into the air, leading her in a romantic aerial dance.

I see your true colors shining through (True colors)

I see your true colors

That's why I love you

So don't be afraid to let them show

Your true colors (True colors...) are beautiful

Like a rainbow

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, like a rainbow

Cheese Sandwich stepped out onto the balcony, his accordion in hoof as he played a gentle tune to accompany the beautiful atmosphere, and the two pegasi smiled to see all their friends come out onto the balcony, gazing up at them with love and wonder. As the two lovers floated gently down, their colors returned to normal as they gave each other a deep and loving hug and then nuzzled noses.

Author's Notes:

The political business is growing increasingly tangled and I was so happy to announce the wonderful news

TBH, I actually meant for Fancy Pants to announce the birth of his and Fleur's daughter a while back in an earlier arc but forgot to add it, and it felt like it would have been shoehorning it in after the fact (what would have happened was Rarity would have returned from a trip to Canterlot to tell Blueblood the good news and that they had been made the godparents of Fancy Pants's daughter... and Blueblood would have fainted)

I also felt it appropriate to finally announce that Celestia and Sombra are expecting parents too

I always meant to have Soarin sing "True Colors" to Rainbow Dash, it was just the question of the right time and place; also I make no claims to the following pictures but I needed a visual example of how they looked during the song

Chapter 5. Poisonous Politics

"Hmm," Buck Cheap scrutinized the report his agent had left on his desk that evening, nodding in satisfaction to learn that the package had been delivered.

Things were off to a good start for his plan. The pieces were in place, he'd planted seeds of doubt and indecision into the minds of some of his fellow dukes and duchesses, now all he needed was to wait for things to unfold and once the situation was right he would make his next ploy. Those alicorn freaks would be forced to step down as the rulers of Equestria, the throne would be abolished, and then Buck Cheap would propose the Aristocratic Council assume sovereignty over the nation.

With myself as Chairpony, of course, Cheap thought with a devious chuckle when he heard his buzzer ring.

"Mr. Cheap, sir, you have a visitor," came the voice of his secretary through the intercom.

Sighing, he answered, "I'm not expecting anyone, Check Mark."

"Uh- Yes, I know, sir, um," the secretary stuttered before clearing her throat through the device, "It's an applicant from Manehatten University. He was recommended by the dean, and-"

"Whatever, just let him in," Buck Cheap sighed while leaning back into his chair, waiting as the door opened and in walked the applicant, carrying a folder.

He was an earth pony, lanky in build and with a coltish face. His coat was red like ketchup, and his dark brown mane was combed and slicked back, aside from a stubborn curl hanging above his face. He wore a brown suit with a green tie, glasses perched on his muzzle, he carried a folder, and his cutie-mark looked like a tomato or... was it a bag of money? He was young, probably fresh out of business school, but he carried himself with a stoic manner.

"Sit," Buck Cheap instructed, pointing to a hoofstool set before his antique wood desk, and once the applicant was sitting down (which forced him to gaze around the office supplies on Cheap's desk and up at the Duke, Buck sat up straight and held out his hoof.
"Folder."

The applicant didn't bat an eye as he held out the folder and Cheap examined its contents

Tomato Sandwich. Graduated with honors from Manehatten University in business transaction and economics. Recommended by Dean Whinnychester. Wait... Tomato Sandwich?

Buck Cheap gave the applicant another but more careful look and realized, He's the spittin' image of...!

"Hmm," Cheap said aloud, before closing the folder, "So Tomato Sandwich... Your credentials look good, your grades speak for themselves, your dean's recommendation appears to be justified... But tell me, why should I, Buck Cheap, Head and Scion of House Avarice and the Duke of Business and Commerce, hire you?"

"Well, Mr. Cheap, I..." Tomato cleared his throat before stating, "I am a driven and ambitious pony, looking to make a name for myself in the business world. And who better to than you to prove my capabilities?"

"Hmm," Buck Cheap thought a moment before nodding, "Very well, I think there's room for you in this operation. We'll start you off with an internship, and provided you have the drive and ambition you say you have, we shall see where you go from there."

Buck Cheap held out his hoof, smirking, "What do you say?"

Tomato almost lifted his hoof to accept Cheap's offer, when he felt a jolt at the base of his spine, feeling his cutie-marks shudder as that jolt traveled up his back and caused him to flinch.

This again?! What is it this time? he wondered, annoyed when... he took another look at Buck Cheap and saw something in those eyes of his.

Something that was none too friendly, despite that welcoming smile the duke was giving.

"Um... may I... take some time to consider your offer, sir?" Tomato asked hesitantly, "After all, a good business pony considers all avenues before making a big decision!"

"Mm, that is true," Cheap shrugged while leaning back in his chair, "but so you know, this offer expires by the end of the day. Either come back before then, or don't come back at all."

"Y-yes, sir, thank you sir," Tomato replied, backing away from Cheap's desk before making his way towards the door.

"Tomato Sandwich..."

Tomato froze as he'd been reaching for the door handle, and cautiously looked back at the duke as he asked, "By any chance, do you have a relative by the name of Cheese Sandwich?"

"Huh, you know, sir, you're like... the third or fourth pony to ask me that," Tomato replied before shaking his head, "but no, I don't think so."

Cheap narrowed his eyes but Tomato appeared to be honest, "Never mind. Close the door on your way out."

"Thank you, sir," Tomato nodded and did just that, sighing inward as he left the building.

Maybe I shouldn't work for Duke Cheap... he thought, that weird sensation happened again! Just like it did when I had a bad feeling about that mare Bluejinx talked to...

He recalled that particular occasion when he'd stopped his friend from spending time with a unicorn mare, who'd turned out to be some crazy enchantress who turned stallions into plants!

Maybe working for the Duke isn't a good idea after all, Tomato Sandwich thought, Perhaps I should accept that opportunity from the royal court.

With morning came hope and optimism, making for a positively bright atmosphere around the dining table at breakfast. Not everypony was up yet, but the breakfast platters Princess Celestia had made were just too good to wait patiently, as everypony gorged themselves!

"Mmm-MM! These pancakes ya made are dee-lish, Princess Celestia," Applejack complimented.

"Even better than Applejack's," Thunderlane added, then felt the heat as he noticed AJ raise her brow out the corner of his eye. "What?! It's true, you can taste it!"

"Mmmyeah," Applejack caved before shouldering the dark gray pegasus with a flirty chuckle, making him smile sheepishly.

"I'm glad everypony is enjoying themselves," Celestia smiled, "Although my kitchen staff always makes such delicious meals, cooking is one of my favorite hobbies, especially when I can share what I cook with my friends and family."

"And I look forward to when it's one pony bigger," Sombra smiled lovingly at his wife as they both placed their hooves on her middle.

Big Mac smiled at them when he noticed that Fluttershy had just added more pancakes to her platter, "Uh, darlin'? Ya sure you can handle tha' many flapjacks?"

"Oh, um I'm fine, Mackie," Fluttershy replied with a sheepish look, "I'm... just feeling extra hungry this morning."

"Uh, okay, if'n yer sure," Big Mac shrugged, not noticing the knowing smiles his friends shared, when Rarity and Blueblood came in.

"Ah, a divine morning, and apparently a divine breakfast to go with it," Rarity eyed the food eagerly as Blueblood help her to her seat, until Rarity noticed the drinks available, "Oh my, these won't do. Good sir?"

The butler nearby approached, eloquently asking, "Yes, ma'am, you called?"

"Be a dear and bring me a glass of wheatgrass tea, if you would, darling," Rarity requested and the butler set off to bring the beverage.

"Wheatgrass tea? Yuck!" Cheese Sandwich stuck his tongue out.

"Well, we can't all live on sweets and party punch, Cheese, dear," Rarity turned her nose up, "and you really should try it. It's good for the body."

"Speaking of body," Midnight spoke up, looking towards Celestia and Sombra, "is there anything else we should talk about, concerning the council?"

"The meeting from yesterday will resume this afternoon," Celestia explained, "Regardless of his less-than-flattering remarks towards us, Duke Cheap's obvious plans to prevent this reformation will not succeed. Our nation needs this change in our government, for the citizens to have the chance for a louder and clearer voice."

"Honestly, Princess Celestia, there are times I wonder if crowns and thrones are holding Equestria back," Twilight spoke up, sounding solemn, "Take Bargos, for example. The Dogs are ruled by a meritocracy, where each Dog proves their merit, pulls their weight, and earns their keep."

"That meritocracy the Dogs have isn't so pure as you might think, Twilight," Sombra responded, "the Dogs' society is based on a pack hierarchy, divided into a caste system, with Alpha-level citizens on top, and Omega-level citizens serving as menial servants and cheap labor, and those Omegas are very often abused and mistreated by all the pack levels above them.

"Even in their capitol of Sirius you will find the most reputable among them to be cruel and vicious towards those who are beneath them in accordance to their society."

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," Midnight sighed, "There are times I wish I could put down my crown and focus on simply being a protector of our nation. To not have to deal with all the redtape."

"And the politics as well, I imagine," Celestia pointed out, and Midnight nodded. "The contamination of greed can be far-reaching in any society. Corporations, trade guilds, too many officials and leaders putting their interests before the people they are meant to represent and protect. That's not to say that I don't believe in our citizens."

"I agree, Princess," Twilight nodded, "There are those who work to root out corruption and stand by their principles in the face of temptation."

"Enough of this dreary talk," Celestia said, "A new hospital has opened here in Canterlot, and once we have finished our meal, we shall go to visit, see real good at work."

Everypony nodded and smiled as they then murmured among themselves, Rarity smiling at Blueblood when she heard somepony clear their throat. She looked and saw the butler carrying a silver tray with her requested beverage.

"Your wheatgrass tea, madam."

"Thank you very much, good sir," Rarity accepted it while giving him a grateful smile before taking a delicious sip.

The carriage ride to the hospital was uneventful (not counting Canterlot ponies waving at the royals and the cheering for the Harmonic Twelve), but traffic seemed to pick up the closer they got the hospital. By the time they finally stopped, they all gasped in abject horror to see the new hospital was overrun with ponies, all looking sick to their stomachs! Some were coughing and wheezing, some were clearly in pain, clutching their barrels or even holding their heads, and hospital staff ponies were doing their best to keep up with the influx of patients but they just kept coming.

Celestia, Sombra, Midnight, Twilight, and Spike led the others as they approached the hospital, Celestia speaking to a pony who was pulling a gurney that carried a young mare who was obviously suffering.

"Orderly, what's going on here?"

"I'm not sure, Princess," the orderly responded in an urgent tone as he was in a hurry to get the patient medical attention, "Doctor Miracle Cure is overseeing the outbreak, she's inside!"

"Outbreak?!" Twilight whispered in shock, looking to Midnight who was as concerned as she was as they all went inside.

The lobby itself was full of patients with nurses and doctors all trying their best to treat them but there was just too many. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity teared up to see a filly crying in her father's embrace as a nurse tried to calm her down to treat her. And she was not the only foal here. There were more foals than there were adults, and they were all suffering, some had clearly fainted from whatever was ailing them, and the staff scrambled to care for them all.

After a quick word with the receptionist at the front desk, they were guided to the hospital's west wing, where the more critical patients were located. In there, they found Doctor Miracle Cure, the Duchess of Health and Welfare and Head of House Serenity. She was looking at a patient while levitating a clipboard with notes on it.

"Duchess!" Miracle Cure turned to see the royals and Harmonic Twelve coming her way, as Celestia urgently asked, "What is happening here?"

"Princess! My apologies nopony has spoken to you, but as you can see... Well, straight to the point," Miracle Cure explained with a heavy heart. "These ponies have been poisoned."

"Poisoned?! How could this happen?" Celestia asked in horror as they watched upset Fluttershy hurry over to the bedside of a crying colt on the verge of passing out.

"We are uncertain, and I'm afraid this is not isolated to Canterlot," Miracle Cure went on, "we've already received reports via magical correspondence: All the major cities and towns across Equestria have ponies and other creatures rushing to their hospitals with the same symptoms."

"Have you identified a cause?" Sombra asked.

"The investigation is already underway," Miracle Cure replied, "but so far we can't seem to determine where exactly these patients might have encountered whatever it is that poisoned them. However, most of the foals here attend the same schools, and the adults all stated they ate out for breakfast before coming down with their symptoms.

"We're testing the food of every place the patients might have eaten out, and if we find something we can synthesize an antidote. But it will take time..."

"Which they may not have," Celestia concluded with a heavy heart, when...

"Uh, excuse me? Might I have a glass of water, please?"

All eyes turned to Rarity and Blueblood gasped to see his beloved breaking out into a sweat and beginning to cough into her hoof as she uttered, "I- I'm... feeling..."

Everypony gasped as Rarity began to topple over, Blueblood rushing to catch her.
"Rarity! Rarity, what's wrong?!"

He looked to his friends and family, before yelling, "Get help! Doctor!!"

Miracle Cure hurried over and ran a quick diagnosis spell before nodding, "She's been poisoned too. I need a gurney!"

Soon, another orderly came hurrying up with a gurney, onto which Miracle Cure gently levitated Rarity before instructing, "Take her to ICU, STAT!"

As they watched the orderly take Rarity away, Celestia looked to see her Blueblood a total wreck and the others worried.

She reached over to her beloved nephew's withers and said to him, "Blueblood, stay with Rarity. I promise, I shall do everything in my power to cure her and all of our citizens. Everypony else, follow me!"

Blueblood stayed behind as they all left, but Fluttershy and Twilight stayed a moment to give their good friend a comforting hug.
"Be strong for her, Blueblood."
"We'll do everything we can."

Wiping his teary eyes, Blueblood nodded and they left as Blueblood requested a nurse take him to Rarity.

Returning to the castle, they walked through the halls as Celestia stated, "We must assist in the investigation into how everyone has been poisoned, especially Rarity. For that matter, we should have you all checked by the medical staff here in the castle."

"But how was Rarity poisoned?!" Spike was tearing up, "She was just fine this morning!"

"She was!" Midnight realized, "But then later she showed similar symptoms as the other patients in the hospital!"

"Um, Princess?" Fluttershy spoke up respectfully, "Would it be alright if I went back to the hospital? I don't know how much help I'd be in trying to find out how everypony's been poisoned, but I do know I can help at the hospital."

"That's fine, Fluttershy, but you should take your husband with you," Celestia looked to Big Macintosh, "Stay close to your wife. For all we know, someone could be targeting the rest of you as well."

"Eeyup," Big Mac nodded before following Fluttershy back to the castle doors.

"Wait! We're coming too!" Pinkie followed after them.

Cheese looked to everypony else, saying, "We might not be doctors, but Pinkie and I will do our best to keep the patients' spirits up. With some laughs and jokes, we can help keep their minds off worrying and reduce their stress."

"That's a fine idea, Cheese Sandwich," Sombra approved. "But take care of yourself and Miss Pinkie Pie too."

"Good luck, Cheese!" Soarin and Rainbow Dash added, and the orange party pony hurried to catch up with Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Big Mac.

"Midnight," Celestia turned to him, "I need you to assemble any available members of the Brotherhood of the Evening Hoods, Code Eclipse!"

"Understood," Midnight wing-saluted before his horn glowed and his shadow rose up, enveloping him before it fell away, leaving him garbed in his dark hooded cloak. He went over to Twilight, giving her a warm hug and kiss, "Stay close to Celestia and Sombra, don't eat or drink anything before testing it for poison, and do what you do best."

"Organize?" Twilight smiled at her stallion with a troubled smile.

"Organize," Midnight smiled with a nod. "I'll see you all soon!"

Then Midnight fell back, collapsing into his own shadow, which became smoky vaporous shadowstuff that slithered away, vanishing around a corner.

"Now, Twilight, we must inform Luna of this crisis and get started on-" Celestia began only for Fancy Pants to hurry towards them.

"Your Majesties! I have some... troubling news!"

"We are already aware of the outbreak, Fancy Pants," Celestia responded, "As a matter of fact, we're just about to-"

"No, Your Highness, that's not what i'm talking about!" Fancy Pants interrupted, "You see... the Council... is in session."

"What do you mean? The council is not scheduled to reconvene until noon," Celestia raised a brow. "Who called this meeting?"

"It was... Duke Buck Cheap, my Lady," Fancy Pants answered.

Everypony suddenly felt an uncomfortable rise of heat and flinched to see heat waves radiating from Celestia's mane and tail as her eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Sombra, Twilight, Spike, come with me. The rest of you wait here."

"Esteemed colleagues, my fellow dukes and duchesses," Buck Cheap laid it on thick, as he addressed several members of the council, "a nationwide crisis has occurred, under the so-called careful watch of the alicorns, I might add, and now hundreds, perhaps thousands, of our citizens have been poisoned!

"The alicorns are supposed to be our rulers, our protectors! But how can we possibly entrust to them the leadership and security of Equestria if they can't prevent such a heinous crime as mass-poisoning?!"

"Cheap!" Firestorm stood up from his seat, "Nopony could possibly have foreseen such a disaster! Blaming Their Majesties is unfair and doesn't help anyone in this dire situation. We should be discussing what to do in response to this attack on our citizens!"

"The safety of our citizens is priority, Firestorm," Banks spoke up, "but Cheap isn't entirely wrong about the princes and princesses. Let's not forget about the energem mine that was taken over by the changelings and the second changeling invasion-"

"THAT resulted from the coerced betrayal of a former member of this council," Pipe Glass interrupted, looking cross, "which only proves the point that reformation of this ruling body must take place."
"I agree! Boreala brought that tragedy upon us, not the alicorns!" Treaty Ink added.

"But is this really the best time for reformation of our government?" Marestone Burner brought up, "The security of our nation and her citizens take priority."

"Indeed, which is why I am proposing we postpone the Royal Summit for Reformation of the Council until further notice," Buck Cheap declared.

"So that's what this is about..."

All eyes turned towards the doors and there they saw Princess Celestia, stoked with subtle fury.

Treaty Ink, Pipe Glass and Firestorm said anything, but Celestia knew they were trustworthy and must have a reason for participating in this meeting. She directed her infuriated gaze towards the others, all who looked just a tad nervous, except for Cheap, who returned Celestia's gaze with one more brazen than from the last meeting.

"Duke Cheap, I was unaware the council was in session, so tell me..." she 'asked' with an edge in her voice. "Why was not I, my sister, my husband, or even Prince Midnight or Princess Twilight informed of this meeting, much less invited to convene with you all?"

"We... felt it best to take matters into our own hooves, Your Highness," Cobalt Banks spoke up. "What with this outbreak, and your mind preoccupied-"

"I was not asking you, Duke Banks..." Celestia interrupted with a cold warning.

"Your Grace, it is simply a matter of urgency," Buck Cheap spoke up as then he said, "I mean, you were off gallivanting to bask in the adulation of your subjects when this terrible crisis was brought to our attention, we simply couldn't wait for everypony to attend, with lives at stake!"

"I can tolerate having an emergency meeting if I am unavailable, Duke Cheap," Celestia warned as her mane lit up like the fires of the sun, "But I will not stand for anypony questioning my love and concern for the well-beings of my little ponies!"

"Be that as it may, Princess," Duke Cheap huffed as he turned to the remaining councilors, "My proposition still stands. We must postpone the Royal Summit until further notice. Unless... the state of our government matters more than the health of our citizens..."

Banks, Burner, and Breadbasket all shared a nervous look, while Firestorm, Treaty Ink, and Pipe Glass looked conflicted before Firestorm stood up and spoke, "Your Majesty, I am ever your devoted servant, sworn to protect our nation, but I'm afraid... I must agree with Duke Cheap. The outbreak demands our full and undivided attention, and until the danger is past we must devote our focus and our efforts to finding the means to cure our citizens of whatever poison is making them suffer."

Celestia felt her heart sink a little, though she knew Firestorm spoke without ulterior motive, and that was comforting, at least.

"To those in agreement of postponing the summit, say 'aye'!" Cheap called out.

"Aye," Banks said first.
"Aye," seconded Mareston Burner.

The rest of the councilors present voted 'aye' as well, and even Celestia sighed and softly said, "Aye..."

"The ayes have it," Cheap declared smirking with victory, "Until the outbreak has been resolved, the Royal Summit is postponed."

Author's Notes:

Tomato Sandwich belongs to Sketcha-Holic

Chapter 6. Investigation

In the throne room, Celestia, with Twilight and Spike at her sides, faced Midnight and over a dozen Hoods he'd gathered. She'd asked Sombra to oversee public order and do all he could to prevent a panic. Applejack and Thunderlane volunteered to help him while Soarin and Rainbow Dash helped air-lift patients over the city.

"Thank you all for coming," Celestia welcome them, "It should be no surprise as to why I've initiated Code Eclipse - Our nation is under siege from an unidentified enemy, and as my covert operatives you are all the only ones I can trust to investigate this matter. There is no time to waste, which is why we need your help. Twilight?"

Twilight nodded then signaled Spike to step forward as he carried a tray with sealed envelopes and several familiar disc-shaped devices.
"Each of you will be given a special communication device called a Communecho, or Echoms for short. They are a means of direct communication. In addition, the envelopes contain lists of locations and possible suspects you should investigate."

"This must be a closed-loop affair," Celestia instructed as Spike handed out the Echoms and envelops to each Hood, "Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of our citizens across the nation have been poisoned. Our friends, our neighbors, our families, and our foals! They need our help, and we must determine who would dare to poison innocent people and see them brought to justice! Thank you, let's get to work."

The Hoods all nodded solemnly as they took their Echoms and their envelopes before departing, although one stayed, standing beside Midnight, who lowered his hood.

"Where shall we begin?" he asked.

"I want for you, Twilight, and Spike to investigate the schools," Celestia instructed, "The number of foals poisoned in comparison to adults suggests that the foals are at greater risk. I must remain here. Though I've agreed to postpone the Summit, I cannot trust Cheap not to stir up any more trouble."

"We understand, Princess," Midnight gave another wing-salute, "but in the meantime, I'm leaving my second-in-command with you."

He looked to the Hood standing behind him and nodded. The Hood stepped forward and lowered his hood, revealing himself to be a unicorn pony. He had a gray coat that had a very faint blue sheen, his mane was so black it looked blue aside from an orchid purple highlight, and his eyes were a pale emerald green.

"Twilight, I would like to introduce you to the second-in-command of the Brotherhood, Shadow Lock," Midnight introduced, "My cousin."

"A pleasure to meet you at last, Princess Twilight," Shadow Lock gave a respectful nod and demure smile. "Though I wish it were under better circumstances."

"The pleasure is mine," Twilight smiled kindly though she looked confused, "But... I didn't know Midnight had any more relatives besides his parents, brother, and Prince Sombra."

"We are only distantly related," Shadow Lock clarified, "though we do share a common ancestor, just not Prince Sombra. I am at your service, Your Majesties."

"Shadow Lock will be in direct communication with the other Hoods," Midnight explained, "and he will be close by to aid you, Princess Celestia."

"Very good, but please," Celestia gave Midnight and Twilight a warm and worried look, "Be quick, and be careful."

"Don't worry, Princess," Twilight promised, "we won't let you down. C'mon, boys!"

Twilight hurried out of the throne room, Midnight and Spike following, and Celestia watched them go as never before had she felt the weight of the crown.

Recalling the names of some of the foals at the hospital, looking up their school was easy, and the principal was happy to welcome them. To be thorough in their investigation, they'd asked Doctor Steady Hoof to accompany them.

"Thank you for allowing us to inspect the school, Principal Weather Bee," thanked Twilight as she, Midnight, Spike, and the principal walked into the school's cafeteria.

"My pleasure, Princess," responded the portly balding pegasus stallion, "It is deeply disturbing that so many of our students have fallen ill. I've already sent the rest of the student body home until further notice. I just can't imagine how this happened! The afflicted students seemed fine this morning, but then, it wasn't long before colts and fillies in different classes were suddenly coming down with ailments; coughing, headaches, stomach pains, or even fainting on the spot!"

"And I know why."

They looked to see Steady Hoof come their way as the yellow unicorn levitated a slice of bread.
"This bread is tainted with some kind of foreign substance."

"What?!" Principal Weather Bee was aghast. "Impossible! This school has ordered that brand of bread for years, and nothing like this has ever happened."

"It's not just the bread," Steady Hoof elaborated, "all of the food on the school's menu that contains wheat has been contaminated with the same substance. I cannot identify it however."

"What?" Midnight echoed as something in his mind clicked... and he realized, "Rarity drank wheatgrass tea before we went to the hospital and suddenly became sick!"

Gasping, Twilight replied, "You're right! She was the only one of us at breakfast who drank it!"

"And maybe if we figure out where the wheat foods came from, we can find out more," Spike suggested.

"The school office keeps all records of imported food," Principal Weather Bee stated, "Follow me."

"In the meantime, I shall have this tainted food sent to Doctor Miracle Cure," Steady Hoof said, "Perhaps she can analyze what the contaminant is and create an antidote."

Mareston Burner grumbled irritably as she examined the contaminated food Steady Hoof had sent to Miracle Cure, and the good doctor had... asked Burner for her help. Now, the old scientist was doing the word of a research aide, but at least Cure had complimented her skills in chemical analysis.

After painstakingly dividing the foodstuff from the poison, Mareston Burner was finally examining the substance through her microscope... and it wasn't long before a look of horrified realization spread across her face as she whispered, "That's... that's impossible!"

What she was seeing could not be possible, but it was there.

Miracle Cure continued to direct nurses and other doctors in the hospital. They were still overwhelmed with patients, but it appeared that the number of them coming in was decreasing. Either that was really good or really bad. To her deepest gratitude, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich were doing all they could to entertain the sick foals, which greatly reduced their stress, Fluttershy, bless her kind heart, had the makings of a great nurse.

She also seems to have a very certain glow, Miracle Cure thought with a smile as she wondered if her husband knew. Maybe I should ask her, give her a proper examination.

"Doctor Cure."

Miracle Cure turned around and saw Mareston Burner coming her way, carrying a folder and a promising look on her face.
"Doctor Burner, I take it your examination provided some answers?"

"Indeed. I isolated the foreign substance in the poisoned food," Burner explained while giving Cure the folder, "It's not a known poison. If I had to hazard a guess... I would some somepony concocted it."

"That's disturbing," Miracle sighed fretfully, "what else did you determine?"

"The ailments we've seen are consistent with the chemical make-up of this poison," Burner elaborated, "I believe I can synthesize an antidote, but I'll need to work fast. The properties of the poison suggest that though treatments will slow it down there will come a point of no return and..."

"I see," Cure now knew for certain, they were running out of time, "I'll have as many pharmacists as I can spare assist you in creating the antidote. Work fast, Doctor!"

"I will," Burner replied, "Have them meet me in the pharmaceutical lab! I'll be getting things started!"

As the two doctors split up and hurried off, Miracle Cure missed the look of tearful regret in Mareston Burner's eyes.

Back at the school, Principal Weather Bee was looking through a filing cabinet while Midnight, Twilight, and Spike waited. Twilight began to hang her head, which her husband and assistant both noticed and shared a worried look as Twilight stepped away.

"How could this have happened...?" she asked softly, to nopony in particular.

Midnight raised his wing over his Twily's withers, "Nopony could have predicted this. What matters is how we deal with the problem and fix it. We'll get through this!"

"I appreciate that, Midnight," Twilight smiled at him but still looked troubled, "Even so, for an outbreak this serious, I'm starting to fear where this investigation will take us."

"That's strange..." They looked to see Principal Weather Bee as he gazed up at them, "The import log in the school records isn't here!"

"Who keeps track of the records?" asked Spike.

"That would be my secretary, Miss Read, a moment," the Principal went to his desk and pressed a button on an intercom, "Miss Read, I'd like a word with you in my office, please."

They waited for just a few moments before a unicorn mare stepped into Weather Bee's office, and she was stunned to see two alicorns in there as well.

"Miss Read, I've just gone over the school's import log," Weather Bee held up the papers, "and everything seems to be in order. Everything except... the record for this week's recent shipment of food for the students' lunch periods seems to be missing. I assume you can answer this little conundrum?"

Midnight gave Weather Bee a look, A little on the nose...

"I... I'm not sure, Principal Weather Bee," Miss Read replied, though she peered out the corner of her eyes towards the door behind her, "I'm certain I placed it in the log book. I-I know I did, just a few minutes after the order came in."

Midnight, Twilight, and Spike all picked up on how tense Miss Read seemed to be feeling, as Twilight asked, "Miss Read, is everything alright?"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, it's... I have to go!" Miss Read turned for the door.

"Miss Read, we are not done here," Principal Weather Bee said with a warning edge in his voice.

"I'm actually on my way to the hospital, my best friend's daughter is ill," Miss Read quickly said as she opened the door, "I have to go!"

"After her!" Midnight yelled as they pursued.

They followed Miss Read out the school as she had begun running. Midnight noticed some guards on patrol and called out, "Stop that mare!"

Hearing his order, the guards quickly intercepted Miss Read and she was quickly cornered as she nervously turned around to see Midnight, Twilight, and Spike approach.

"Explain your actions or we continue this conversation with you behind bars!" Midnight threatened.

"Midnight!" Twilight admonished as she put her hoof on her husband's shoulder.

"Twilight, please," Midnight gestured Twilight to let him handle this before glaring at Miss Read, "Where did you get the wheat?"

Sighing, Miss Read began to tear up, "Please, I never meant for anypony to be harmed, I- You see... I needed to cut costs. The school's budget was too low!"

"The schools receive ample government funding," Twilight corrected, seeing through that little lie.

"Look, they offered me a great deal," Miss Read finally came clean, "I could even keep a little of the money for myself, and all I had to do was destroy the import record. But I swear, I had no idea the food was poisoned!"

"So it's not just you destroyed school records, you're also greedy!" Spike accused.

"I'm not the only one who benefited from this! Th-the importer who contacted me, I'll give you his name!" Miss Read offered, "Just... please."

She sighed, her guilt and sorrow finally catching up as she began to tear up, "I-I didn't mean for any of this to happen!"

"So long as your intel is good, I'll consider showing you leniency," Midnight warned, "The importer's name and his location! Now..."

The intel from Miss Read led them to the Canterlot Institution of Trade, where they spoke with the importer, a stallion named Breakwater Quay.

"Sure, I bribed the school secretary," Quay admitted rather casually while leaning back in his office chair, "I don't see what the big deal is."

"What you've done is illegal!" Twilight admonished, "And not only that, it's resulted in hundreds of ponies being poisoned, most of them foals!"

"As long as I get goods and merchandise to and fro, most folks don't care what I do," Quay waved it off.

"We are not 'most folks', Quay!" Midnight snapped.

"My corporate contracts protect me, Your Royal-ness, but I'll play your little game," Breakwater wasn't cowed, "Look, I'm sorry there're sick kids, truly I am. But I'm just a middle-pony. I didn't know that food was poisoned any more than that secretary did."

"Where did the wheat come from?" Midnight demanded.

"From Vanhoover, specifically from the Unicorn Range, where you'll find the biggest wheat farm owned by the Galloping Grains Agricultural Society," Quay answered as he brought out a ledger, "Here, I've nothing to hide."

He opened the ledger, turned to some recent pages and pointed, "It's all there, black n' white, clear as crystal."

"Galloping Grains... Where have I heard that before?" Twilight wondered aloud.

"It's a collaborative group of farmers led by Breadbasket, the Duchess of Agriculture and Nutrition," Midnight answered, "but she can't be involved in this. She's a modern Chancellor Puddinghead when it comes to politics, but there's nothing she values more than her heirloom crops and providing quality food. Quay, does a customs official report these shipments to the government?"

"As far as I know," Quay shrugged, "but you might find it interesting that another shipment from them is coming in tonight. I can even tell you which dock."

Midnight, Twilight, and Spike shared a determined look as Midnight declared, "It's time for a sting operation.

As the sun was setting, Blueblood watched, alongside Sweetie Belle and her parents Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles, as Steady Hoof a syringe into Rarity's IV. Shortly after Rarity had been settled into a hospital room, Blueblood had sent word to her sister and parents, and they'd come straight away. They'd been so upset, but were so thankful to Blueblood for staying by Rarity's bedside.

"The antidote should kick in soon, but she needs to sleep through it," Steady Hoof informed them. "I know that you are all worried, but you should all head home and get same rest. We'll call on you if there's any change."

"Thanks, Doc," Hondo shook Steady's hoof, "we'll head back to our hotel room and... Well, you will call if anything happens, right?"

"I give you my word," Steady assured.

"Alright, let's go, everypony," Hondo said to hsi wife and daughter while also giving Blueblood a friendly look.

"If it's all the same, I... I would like to stay here a while longer," Blueblood responded.

Hondo and Cookie shared a look and nodded, "We understand, son. Come when you're ready."

"Wait!" Sweetie Belle hopped up onto Blueblood's lap and threw her hooves around his neck, surprising him. She whispered, "I'm so happy Rarity found somepony like you... big brother."

Blueblood felt so touched as he hugged Sweetie Belle back and then let her go. She followed her parents and Steady Hoof out the door while giving him one more loving look. The door closed, and Blueblood was alone with Rarity, who remained unconscious, as her IV drip worked to send the antidote into her system. It had seemed touch and go, but even though it seemed Rarity was going to be alright, Blueblood had come to realize how he'd been in real danger of losing her. He'd been planning to propose, but never found the right time. Or perhaps... he wasn't making the right time.

Sighing, he cast a summoning spell, and a velvet box appeared in his hoof, which he opened, revealing the elegant engagement ring he'd bought for Rarity some time ago. He'd considered buying a larger diamond, but none of the larger gems looked right. Finally, he'd settled on a smaller gem with a more pristine design. The ring was made of the purest white gold with a diamond as clear as ice. More than once he had fantasized putting it on his beloved Rarity's horn, and now he realized the time to finally pop the question was nigh.

Looking upon his resting muse, he remembered a song that somehow seemed to fit this moment and he took a deep breath.

Never told you
But I meant to
Before I could begin

Even then
I loved you even then

See my heart is
Scared of places
That it's never been

But even then
I loved you even then

If my voice should
Start to tremble
If I am shaking
I love you now
Like I loved you even then

As she followed her parents to the hotel room, a song seemed to fill Sweetie Belle's heart and mind.

Even if it's uphill now
(See my heart is scared of places)
Even when I can't say how
(That it's never been)

Even when

My heart won't stop pounding
Even then

Even then

I'll keep on even then

I loved you even then

Even if it's uphill now
Even when there are no words how
When my heart pounds this loud
Even then

If I left you
(Blueblood gasped to hear her voice as his beloved Rarity's eyes fluttered open... and then gazed up at him with a soft warm relief)
I never meant to
And I won't pretend
Even then
(She reached to him with her hoof, which he gladly took into his own)

I loved you even then

If I just knew how to show you
Let me try again
I love you even now
Like I loved you even then
Even then

Even then

Blueblood leaned forward, placing a warm and tender kiss upon Rarity's forehead... before he held up his velvet box for her to see, and then opened it!

The sight of the simple yet elegant engagement ring drove Rarity to tears of joy.

Author's Notes:

Shadow Lock is a character from the MLP comics, and a descendant of Stygian; this makes him a distant relative to Midnight

Principal Weather Bee is a nod to the Archie comics character, and Miss Read to the "Captain Underpants" books

I do not own "Even Then"

Chapter 7. Beginning of the End: Clues

Night had fallen, and though Canterlot stayed moderately busy even into the late hours, a team of ponies and one little dragon were focused on the task at hoof, as they moved through the maze of crates full of cargo that were to be shipped out or had recently arrived, along the docks at the aeroport . As they approached the dock Quay had told them about, they found a good hiding spot with a perfect view.

Midnight wore his hooded cloak, and had given one to Twilight and Spike each. They were accompanied by two royal guards, along with one Hood.

"Heh, this sort of reminds me of the games we used to play as foals," Twilight whispered, trying to make light of the situation, "You know, where one of us would pretend to be the monster and the other had to sneak around to rescue the princess."

"I think I made a very pretty princess," Midnight responded while fluttering his eyes, "You and Cadance made sure of that after I lost the coin toss."

"Wait, you were dressed as a princess for a game?" Spike stifled a chuckle as he was already imagining the thought.

"Let's... focus on the here and now," Midnight immediately changed the subject.

"Your Majesties, an airship is arriving on the dock," whispered one of the guards and they looked to see the airship descend, the deck itself holding strapped-down cargo.

"And look!" Twilight pointed to a pegasus pony holding a clipboard as he flapped towards the ship, "A customs official."

"You're right, Twily!" Midnight whispered before quietly casting a spell, "Let's listen in..."

They all shushed up and listened as they heard the customs official meet with the captain of the airship.
"Evening, gentlecolts, I am here for my... inspection."

"But of course, sir," said the captain as he signaled one of his crew, "We wouldn't have it any other way..."

The crew member approached the official, holding a small but heft bag of bits... only to stall, which raised the official's brow.

"Provided... you have the necessary paperwork," the captain added with a slight edge.

"Not to worry," the official held out the clipboard and showed some form on it, "It's all right here, official seal an' all. So you can drop off your cargo, I can confirm my 'inspection' and we can all turn in for a good night's sleep."

"Didja hear that?!" Spike whispered urgently, "He's obviously accepting a bribe!"

"Hold on, we have to wait for him to actually receive it..." Midnight held his hoof up.

They watched as the captain nodded in satisfaction and nodded to his crew member, and the pony hoofed over the bag of bits to the official-

"MOVE IN!!"

They all jolted and cried out in alarm as multiple blinding lights were shined upon them.

"SCATTER!!" the captain shouted, but in all the confusion, most of the crew bumped into each other and were swiftly detained.

The customs official tried to make a break for it, only for the guards to catch him mid-flight and force him to the ground. The captain was simultaneously captured by the Hood, and Midnight easily subdued the rest of the crew with his shadow magic. Twilight and Spike picked up the papers the official and the captain had been looking at and gasped!

"Midnight! This form has the Official Seal of the Council stamped onto it!" Twilight showed it to him, and Midnight narrowed his eyes at the customs official and the captain.

"I hope for all your sake that you have a very good explanation for importing poisoned food and this form with a privileged seal stamped upon it," he said with a warning edge in his voice.

"I got it from a runner from the office of Breadbasket," the captain confessed. "That's all."

"I doubt that," one of the guards commented. "There's no way in stormy seas she'd ever poison her own food."

"It's the truth, I tells ya!" the captain yelped. "Them papers came from her office!"

After ordering the guards and Hood to turn the customs officlal, the captain, and his crew over to the police, Midnight, Twilight, and Spike headed to the law firm of Brass Scales, taking the form stamped with the official seal with them. Upon arriving, the receptionist buzzed Brass about his visitors and nodded after getting an answer.
"The judge will see you, Your Majesties."

She gave them directions to Brass's office, and upon arriving, they were surprised to see Brass already meeting with two other ponies, both earth pony stallions. One was strong yet husky in build, similar to Big Mac, muscular but with a noticeable pudge, his coat was bluish-gray, he had an ashy brown mane, his cutie-mark was a file folder with papers spilling out, and his royal blue eyes were furrowed. Beside him was a tall and lanky earth pony with a coat red like ketchup, a dark brown mane combed back apart from a stubborn curl hanging over his face, green eyes behind a pair of glasses, he wore a brown suit, and his cutie-mark looked like a tomato and a bag of money put together. But most interesting, apart from the different colored coat, manestyle, cutie-mark, and glasses, he was the spittin' image of...

"Cheese Sandwich?!" Spike uttered in surprise.

"Why does everypony keep bringing that guy up when they see me?" asked the lanky red stallion, "My name is Tomato Sandwich, thank you very much."

Midnight and Twilight shared a look but they knew this wasn't the time.

"Your Highnesses, you wanted to speak with me?" asked Brass Scales from behind his desk.

"Yes, Duke," Midnight quickly explained the sting operation, along with the trail that had led them to it, "...and after we arrested them, we confiscated this! Take a look."

Midnight levitated the form to Brass, and once he saw the seal stamped onto it, he was aghast, "This is an Official Seal that only the members of the Council can use! Are you saying Duchess Breadbasket is behind this outbreak?"

"We don't think so," Twilight shook her head, "but somepony is definitely poisoning the food her wheat farms are shipping out across Equestria. Whoever they are, they have a stamp of the Council's Seal, which is why nopony questioned the shipments."

"That alone is disturbing-" Brass responded, only for the dark blue earth pony to not-so-subtly clear his throat. "My apologies. Your Majesties, allow me to introduce the other participants of this meeting. Tomato Sandwich has already introduced himself, and joining us also is Detective Hard Case of the Vanhoover Police Department."

"Hard Case? You're the detective Thunderlane told us about!" Spike got wide-eyed.

"Heh, no surprise he'd mention me," Hard Case smirked but then got serious, "I'm here because I've managed to compile a buttload of evidence from different police departments across Equestria. Everything that I could get my hooves on that involves a crime lord known as the Lord of Lords. I'll give you three guesses who I believe this guy's identity is!"

"Buck Cheap of House Avarice, Duke of Commerce and Business," Tomato Sandwich spoke up as he pulled out an envelope from his jacket. "I almost went to work for that guy, but... let's just say, I got a bad vibe from him. On my way out of his office building, some mare followed me out and gave me this envelope, saying I should take it to Duke Brass Scales.

"When I asked for her name, she told me to call her Whistle Blower."

"I know that mare!" Hard Case pointed to Tomato, "From some old friends who helped me. They say several ponies, all going by the name of Whistle Blower, have been mailing out folders and packages to detectives and reputable precincts that contain evidence connectingmultiple incidents of organized crime from different cities across the nation. After one of my buddies found out that I was digging into this, he sent me what he had, and told me to make sure that this bastard sinks!"

"Why would Cheap's employees be turning on him now?" Brass asked.

"Take a guess," Hard Case invited.

Everyone looked around and at each other, wondering if anypony could figure it out. Nothing else made sense. There was no other alley to get information. No back door, no alternate path. Nothing seemed to come to light. Hard Case took that as his cue to speak.

"They suspect the same thing as we do, that Cheap is behind this mass-poisoning! Not only that, several of them, all using the alias Whistle Blower, have come to the offices of my friends, with evidence of blackmail, bribery, extortion and just about every other crime you can think of."

"This is starting to sound like a regular Hearth's Warming gift-giving session," Twilight commented.

"That and I'm willing to bet, as my friends are, that the bastard has plans to go after those,who had even the slightest role in instigating the reformation of government to abolish the Aristocratic Council," Hard Case continued. "We need to act fast and get search warrants before Cheap catches on. Otherwise, he'll start cleaning up house and doing whatever he has to do to make sure the witnesses don't talk."

Ulp! Spike was starting to get a little nervous, and then he realized, "If Cheap really wants to get back at anyone who had a part in getting the council abolished, he might go after Thorax!"

"We need some kind of die-hard evidence to get him now, that way we can take him into custody to get hm out of the way," Brass stated.

"That's going to be difficult," Midnight said, "he's presently one of the most powerful ponies in the government, and he has close connections to the Canterlot Elite. Unless we can absolutely prove his complicity in the outbreak the nobles of Canterlot will support him no matter what we say."

"Maybe this envelope has something in it that can help," Tomato offered as he opened it, and everyone waited as he read the contents. "Um... I'm not quite sure what this is, but it comes from the... Department of Research and Development? It mentions a deposit made to a lab assistant that works there, and there's some kind of formula here."

"Let me see," asked Twilight, and Tomato held it out to her. Reading it, Twilight gasped, "This is a chemical formula, and the ingredients listed are all toxic!"

Brass, Midnight, and even Hard Case looked at the papers. After five minutes of examination, Hard Case's face pulled back into a grin as he looked to Tomato.
"Kid, you've just given us a Faustsend gift."

"Indeed, if this chemical formula is the same as what was used to contaminate the food," Brass conjectured, "then our suspect is all but confirmed.

"Then I'll take the formula to Doctor Miracle Cure," Midnight volunteered, "If it matches the poison's chemical makeup, I'll need for you to acquire a warrant, Duke Brass. To investigate Duke Buck Cheap for evidence of crime and conspiracy."

"In the meantime, I'll take the form with the official seal stamped onto it to Princess Celestia," Twilight volunteered, "maybe she can determine which member of the council used it to guarantee the shipment of the poisoned food."

"...What should I do?" Tomato raised a hesitant hoof.

"You'll come with me," Twilight said, "At the moment, there's a chance you could be targeted. You'll be safer in the castle."

"Alright, ponies!" Hard Case slammed his hooves together, looking ready for a reckoning, "Let's get to work!"

Morning rose by the will of Celestia, and Midnight emerged from the shadows in the alleyways across the street from the hospital. The streets were clearer and the masses of poisoned victims were almost gone.

That is either really good or really bad... Midnight thought as he made his way in.

After getting direction from the receptionist, he found Miracle Cure going over some forms in a private office.

"Doctor."

She looked up, "Prince Midnight. What brings you here?"

"The patients, are they... well?" Midnight hoped.

"Doing better with each passing hour," Miracle Cure smiled, relief suddenly filling the room. "Your friend Rarity will be fine as well."

"You found a cure?" Midnight brightened up.

"Not me, Doctor Mareston Burner," Miracle Cure explained, "She examined the tainted food and managed to analyze the poison's composition, and from that she synthesized an antidote. The pharmaceutical lab is working around the clock to make more."

"That's wonderful news, but I'm afraid I've come to confirm something," Midnight reached into his cloak and pulled out the paper he'd gotten from Tomato Sandwich, "In the course of my investigation, I uncovered this, a chemical formula. I came here to see if you can confirm whether or not it's the same poison."

Miracle Cure read the formula to the last letter and nodded, "It is... This is the very formula for the poison! Such a relief that Doctor Burner was able to create the cure as quickly as she did."

Something clicked in his mind as Midnight began to put two and two together, "Yes... isn't it... Uh- Doctor Cure, what about the other cities and towns that have been afflicted by the poison?"

"We've sent the formula for the antidote to every city or town that reported mass-poisoning," Miracle Cure responded, "but, it will take time for those messengers to get the formulas to each place affected."

"Then there's no time to waste," Midnight decided, "Have any stashes of the antidote you can spare delivered to the castle. I have an airship that can deliver the cure to every place affected in record time."

"Are you certain, Midnight?" Miracle Cure raised a brow.

"Absolutely, my ship is the fastest vessel in Equestria," Midnight smirked, "I know because I trust every brilliant mind that helped me build it!"

"Very well, I'll have crates of the antidote delivered to the castle within the hour," Miracle Cure replied.

Midnight nodded and turned to leave-

"Sire."

He paused and looked back to see Miracle Cure regard him hopefully, "Good luck."

Midnight nodded and smiled to her before leaving, making sure she didn't see the dark look in his eyes as he thought of a certain member of the council...

As Midnight entered the castle's entry hall, he saw Spike hurrying towards him, the young drake looking both pensive and relieved.

"Midnight, thank goodness I found you," he panted as he rested is hands onto his knees while catching his breath.

"What is it, Spike?" Midnight asked.

"You're wanted at Brass's office, like twenty minutes ago! He's got, to quote him, 'something hot that can't wait'," Spike reported.

"Well, this..." Midnight tried to say.

"Look, I can take a message to Princess Celestia. But you gotta get moving, now!" Spike urged.

"Alright," Midnight conjured a parchment and pencil and wrote something down before giving it to Spike, "Make sure Celestia gets this message."

"I'm on it, seeya!" Spike hurried off and Midnight took the stairs towards the apartments where the council members slept whenever they visited the castle, quickly finding Brass Scale's apartment.

Opening the doors, Midnight found a rather pleased Brass Scales going over some papers, who noticed his visitor and put them down, "Ah, Prince Midnight. So very glad to see you."

"I take it you have the warrant?" asked Midnight as he approached.

"I do, a warrant that allows a formal investigation into Buck Cheap's private residence and to confiscate anything deemed evidence of foul play," Brass beamed as he held the warrant.

"That's good, because I confirmed our suspicion with Miracle Cure," Midnight reported, "The chemical formula is the same poison that was used to taint the shipments of food from the Galloping Grains Agricultural Society farm."

"Perfect, and the timing couldn't be better," Brass elaborated, "Buck Cheap actually left Canterlot yesterday shortly after the meeting. He's due back in a few hours."

"That gives up plenty of time," Midnight agreed with a bright look of mischief.

"Then what're you waiting for?" Brass smirked as he hooved over the warrant, and Midnight got the idea.

He wasted no time and flew out the castle and towards the wealthiest district in Canterlot, where every house on the block was at the very least a three-story manor built over a hundred years ago. Reaching Buck Cheap's address, he found Hard Case waiting at the front gate, accompanied by several police officers.

"You got it?" Hard Case asked, already knowing the answer, but boy did it do his heart good to see Midnight hold up the warrant. "Perfect! Orders from Duke Scales is that any information relating to Cheap's crimes are to be turned over to you immediately. So make good use of it. That bastard's got it coming."

Midnight couldn't help but smirk deviously as he gazed up at the literal House of Avarice. Now they were talking the same lingo.

"And... that's the last of it!"

Celestia was glad that things were moving along smoothly, as Techorse has just announced the last crate of the antidote had been loaded onto The Break of Dawn. The airship was truly a masterpiece of mystechnological marvels! The Solar Sails alone were absolutely amazing to the Sun Princess.

"Thank you, Techorse," she spoke to him warmly, "But are you certain this ship can get the cure to all the afflicted cities in time?"

"Your Majesty, I daresay The Dawn is the fastest airship ever designed," Techorse responded, "Even so, this'll be her maiden voyage and there's no telling what could happen. But I promise you, me and the crew will do our very best to get the cure to every city that needs it."

"And as a show of support..." They looked to see Sombra approaching, "I'll be coming along. I believe it would do our little ponies some good to see an alicorn helping to bring relief and aid."

Though Celestia didn't want her husband to leave, she understood his reasons and gave him a tender kiss, "You've come a long way."

Sombra smiled as he placed his hoof under Celestia's barrel, rubbing her belly softly, "We both have, love."

He parted from his wife and boarded The Dawn. Gazing over the railing beside Techorse, Sombra promised, "I'll see you soon, and make sure you keep your guards close."

"Cast off!" Techorse called out, and pony at the helm started up the ElectroStorm Engine while the masts rose up and unfurled the Solar Sails. The Arcane Thrusters ignited while limited power was fed to the network along the ship's body that held energems imbued with featherweight charms, causing the ship to become lighter and everypony on the dock watched in awe as The Break of Dawn took flight!

The Dawn was soon soaring east, to its first stop in Manehatten, and at that moment, another airship was soaring towards Canterlot from the north. At the helm, Buck Cheap peered through his spyglass, seeing The Dawn fly away.
"An airship that flies without a gasbag?! Hmm, I'm going to have to look into that after my meeting with the council..."

Chapter 8. Beginning of the End: Accusation

"The time has come for us to realize that our so-called leaders have lost their ability- Nay, their rights to lead!" Buck Cheap snapped as he sweeped his gaze over all of his colleagues.

Yet again, he'd brazenly called another meeting of the council without the permission or knowledge of the alicorns, and this time the council was fully in attendance.

"The past few days have only proven their incompetence and their shortcomings," Cheap continued, "They style themselves our leaders and our protectors when they misguide us towards depending on them so that we cannot grow as a society, and leaving us woefully unprepared for when disaster strikes!

"What gives them the goddess-given right to rule us in the first place? The fact they have horns and wings? It's that sort of tribalistic narrow-minded shortsightedness that drove a schism between the three tribes so long ago!"

The rest of the council was only becoming more and more annoyed by Cheap's words.

"Yet again, the same baseless drivel," Treaty Ink groaned "You honestly believe they are incapable? Tell me, who are the ones that are actually taking the initiative to resolve this outbreak?"

"If I recall, Duchess Ink," Cheap glared at her, "was it not Duchess Cure and Duchess Burner who found the cure for the outbreak? All the alicorns have done is take credit and garner praise and adulation from the citizens!"

"Says the pony who proposes we abolish the crown and take over, and yet has no experience leading a nation!" Breadbasket remarked. "Honestly, I might have agreed with you on certain things before, but now? Now I'm starting to see you for who you are."

"Indeed, Duke Cheap," Firestorm leaned forward while narrowing his eyes, "the deepest, darkest cells of Tartarus are reserved for traitors..."

"I am not the one you should be demonizing," Cheap responded in an almost self-victimizing way, "the alicorns are the problem we face! Let us not forget that Luna and Sombra were each once villains who threatened ponykind! Who's to say they won't revert back to being Nightmare Moon or the tyrant King Sombra, and destroy all that we hold dear?"

"They were villains, but they have long since paid for their past misdeeds," Brass stated firmly.

"Amusing... Cheap snorted while giving Brass a derisive look, "a prosecutor defending the guilty."

"Because I know a guilty party when I see one," Brass responded evenly, "After all, evidence is key."

"Well it is evident that the alicorns will lead us to ruin and poverty!" Cheap snapped, "If the rest of you would stop looking upon them through rose-tinted glasses you'd see as clearly as I do."

"Then enlighten us, Duke Cheap," Pipe invited, smirking, "Show us evidence to back up your claims."

Buck Cheap suddenly didn't like the direction this was going.

"I agree. After all..." Firestorm chimed in, taking his cue. "Without evidence, we can't possibly consider turning against them."

Those words, those looks, Cheap grounded his teeth in growing ire as he suddenly roared,"I HAVE EVIDENCE! Evidence that they....."

The doors to the council room eased open and the dukes and duchesses all turned to see the arrivals of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Twilight, Prince Midnight, Spike, and the rest of the Harmonic Twelve. Celestia's eyes of thinly-veiled disgust and disapproval fell upon Cheap, who gathered himself with a dark chuckle.
"We were just talking about you."

"That's refreshing, Cheap," Midnight remarked with a slight smirk, "Usually you're screaming about us."

Cheap frowned as the dukes and duchesses all laughed a little at Midnight's words, when Brass Scales stood up.
"Ladies and gentlecolts of the council, I believe Their Majesties, along with their entourage, have something very interesting to share with us. Would you be so kind, Prince Midnight?"

"With pleasure," Midnight stepped forward, taking the floor from Cheap, who glared as he backed up but didn't leave the middle of the room. "Dukes and Duchesses of the Aristocratic Council, the outbreak is being quelled even as we speak, thanks to the efforts of Doctor Miracle Cure and Doctor Mareston Burner. However, in the course of the investigation into this mass-poisoning a conspiracy has been brought to our attention. We have a traitor in our midst, and that traitor..."

Midnight pointed the accusing hoof straight at the culprit, "...is Duke Buck Cheap of House Avarice!"

"LIES! I will not stand for such slander!" Cheap yelled, his green-coated face becoming nearly as red as his wine-red mane.

"Not slander, truth," Midnight responded coldly, "Buck Cheap planned this whole outbreak in an attempt to discredit the crown so that he could sway the council to agree upon demanding the alicorns step down as the rulers of Equestria and the council would assume rule instead.

"He paid off a lab assistant from the Department of Research and Development to acquire the chemical formula for a dangerous poison, which he mass-produced to contaminate the shipments of wheat-based foods from the Galloping Grains Agricultural Society's biggest wheat farm in the Unicorn Range."

"He did WHAT?!" Breadbasket shrieked in utter outrage.

"Not only that, he used his stamp of the Aristocratic Council's Official Seal to make sure the contaminated food would be shipped out to various cities across Equestria," Midnight continued, "A risky move at first glance, but he probably thought that even if someone looked into the Official Seal then Duchess Breadbasket would be blamed instead of him.

"What he didn't know however is that each council member's stamp, while they share the same seal, they each also have individual and very subtle differences that can identify whose stamp was used for each seal. Princess Celestia examined a form that had such a seal stamped onto it, and confirmed that it came from Cheap's stamp!"

"No, this is just another one of your tricks!" Cheap snarled, raising his wings, "Just because you alicorns say the seals are different doesn't automatically make it true!"

"But it is true, Cheap..."

Cheap turned to Treaty Ink who gave him a condemning look, "After Princess Celestia identified the seal came from your stamp, she informed the rest of us about our stamps. We were never informed about the stamps for the seal for security purposes, in case our stamps were stolen... or if we misused them."

"Not only that," Lightning Wing spoke up, "but more evidence against you has been brought to our attention thanks to the true-blue police officers of Equestria, and the ponies under your employ who share the alias 'Whistle Blower'. Not only you but your whole House Avarice is guilty of centuries of crime!!"

"The list of crimes is longer than the entirety of Canterlot!" added Firestorm.

"Which is why we won't waste any more time, and list the crimes of the now..." Midnight said solemnly, as he gave Cheap a cold unreadable look. "You stand accused of terrorism. You stand accused of treason. How do you answer these charges, Son of Avarice?"

Cheap's heart was pumping as he tried to weave a lie, something to claim plausible deniability. But as he looked around at all these condemning stares, whose eyes his family had spent generations pulling the wool over, bribing and blackmailing to look the other way, something inside him... snapped.

He began to laugh. At first, it was soft and arrogant. But then his laughter grew louder, harder, barking mad!!

He threw his head back, his eyes glazed with mania, as everypony looked on, disturbed, glaring, before finally, Cheap stopped and glared straight at Celestia.
"How do I answer? I'll tell you... Because it is my RIGHT!!!!!!"

Where once there was fear and madness, now there was anger and hate, "How do you fools think Equestria has become the most prosperous nation on Earth? With harmony? With compassion? NO!! My family, House Avarice, for generation after generation, we bled, we sweat, WE bore the burden of building this country up from the cesspool of crime and social decay that resulted from the betrayal of that creature" - He pointed to Luna - "and her pathetic sister's BLEEDING HEART!!

"My ancestor, Duke Fine Print. He realized a truth that none of you ever understood, or rather what you wouldn't accept; you can't stop crime! You can only control it! Oh sure, send your police officers, your investigators, your royal guards, your 'enforcers of the law'. It doesn't matter how many drug rings you bust, how many burglaries you prevent, or how many victims you save! Sooner or later? Somepony gets greedy enough, desperate enough! And they'd rather take shortcuts for ample gratuity instead of the long road for chump change!

"That's why my family was willing to get down and dirty with the scum of the earth! We moved in and took over all of Equestria's organized crime to minimize the damage! Lower the body count. Did we exploit others to get what we want? Of course we did! Because we're entitled to it! We're what keeps this nation from coming apart at the seams, and our seat on this council was the lynch pin holding it all together! But no...! Now you want to throw all of that away, and for WHAT?!"

"A new path, a new journey for the ponies of this nation to learn and grow," answered Midnight.

"The ponies of this nation...?" Cheap snorted derisively, "They are lost little lambs in desperate need of a mark on their asses just to give them a semblance of identity! To validate their own pathetic, empty existences! And you would entrust the stability and security of our country to them?!"

"You never had a chance, did you...?"

All eyes turned to Twilight, who stepped forward while giving Cheap a look. But unlike everyone else's looks, which were condemning or disgusted, Twilight looked upon Cheap with both compassion and pity.

"And what's that supposed to mean, little princess?" Cheap narrowed his eyes at her.

"To have been born into a family that raised you to place value in all of the wrong things," Twilight answered, "never realizing that there was a better way, a happier way."

"Oh-ho-ho-ho... you mean, the 'Magic of Friendship'?" Cheap mocked, "Friendship is nothing more than a relationship of convenience for the weak! To leave yourself vulnerable to betrayal and exploitation!"

"Is that what you really think, Duke Cheap? Or is it what your family taught you?" Twilight replied, "You've never had a true friend, have you? All you've ever had were business associates, clients, customers, and employees. Never had the comfort of someone you could trust to watch your back, to help you get back up when you were down, or just enjoy sharing each other's company."

"Well whoopty-doo for you, Twilight Sparkle!" Cheap snarled, "Because who would want to be friends with me?! After all I've done? Not that it matters, because I didn't become the Lord of Lords without having the foresight to plan ahead!"

He reached into his lapel collar and pulled out a tiny gemstone, which he then immediately crushed under his hoof!

There was a ripple of light that spread throughout the room before it vanished, and everypony was immediately alarmed and confused.

"You felt that?!" Cheap sneered, "That was my signal to all my agents throughout Canterlot! By now, they're all in place, and my signal has given them the go-ahead!"

"What have you done?!" Celestia demanded, "What are your agents going to do?!"

"Just you wait and see, because now... Now, it's time for the House of Avarice to assume its rightful place as the RULING POWER OF EQUESTRIA!!!" Cheap tore away his lapel and everyone saw, around his neck, a medallion.

It was archaic yet pristine, old yet gleaming. Like polished silver with a golden sheen, with the image of an alicorn surrounding a stone as red as blood that radiated with raw power! Then... it burned with light, as scarlet shimmering vapors of energy flowed from the stone and then enshrouded Buck Cheap. His entire body was hidden in that strange cloud of vapor, his form a silhouette barely perceivable. Then, they heard the clanking of metal, metallic chinks, the sound of pieces coming together as the vapor faded away... and there stood Duke Buck Cheap.

His entire form was clad in a suit of armor awesome yet ominous. It was composed of a dark silver metal, with burning red light glowing out from between every chink and piece, covering every inch of Cheap's body. His hooves bore metal hoof-boots armed with frightening claws, his head was completely encased within a twin horned helm that bore a visor over his face, his wings spread, showing they too were concealed, with blade-like feathers and larger blades protruding from each wingtip, like the legendary Wingblayd weapons of the ancient Pegasus Empire.

And on his chest, the medallion remained, burning with the fire of war.

Everypony in the room looked on as primordial fear began to spread to every fiber of their beings, instinct on red alert, warning them that were in mortal danger and to flee for their lives!

Celestia and Luna were both utterly shocked at the sight of Cheap's form as the moon princess managed to utter out, "It can't be...!"

"What?!" Twilight looked to the Royal Sisters, "What is that?!"

"A weapon... one we've seen only once long ago," whispered Celestia in abject horror as she watched Cheap get a feel for his new shiny toy. "There was a battle over a thousand years ago, early into our reign. A corrupt lord who had refused to recognize Luna and I as the new rulers of Equestria, he tried to claim a territory of the country for himself, to dominate the ponies living there to his tyranny.

"My sister and I led a division of ten thousand soldiers to remove him from power and save the ponies under his dictatorship. When we confronted him, he wore this same suit of armor. When the battle was over... only my sister and I, along with eleven soldiers were the only ones to survive. The lord died, but somehow the armor was lost, and we'd thought perhaps it had been destroyed!"

"It wasn't..." answered Cheap, whose voice reverberated within his helm, giving it a foreboding dissonant tone, almost like two voices speaking just slightly out of synchronization.
"The medallion was not destroyed, merely lost amongst the battledfield-turned-graveyard, where it had since laid rest along with all the bones of the ponies you led to their deaths! This ancient weapon I wear... it has a name, you know. A name that struck fear into the hearts of even the mightiest warriors in ages long past. I knew with this terrible power at my command, I would be ready to rise up and rule this country no matter what direction my plans took.

"First, I am going to kill every single pony here, especially you and your fellow alicorn freaks, Celestia! Then, my agents will round up every citizen in Canterlot so they can gaze up and behold their new king, clad in the only armament worthy of my greatness, and once they hear how I triumphed over the villains that tried to cull the population they will bow to me. For I wear... the Aegis Armor!!!"

"Shit- GET EVERYPONY OUT OF HERE!!" Firestorm yelled, and immediately, the skirmish began.

As the dukes and duchesses fled towards the doors while Celestia, Luna, and Twilight ushered their friends out, Cheap lunged forward, his clawed hooves ready to tear the nearest body apart.

Showstopper tripped as she'd been getting up from her seat and cried out in terror as the claws came for her throat-

*KLZZZANG*

Only for a barrier of turquoise mana to shield her as Midnight helped her up, "Run, get out of here!"

Showstopper uttered a thank you as she fled, and just in time as Cheap reared up and smashed Midnight's barrier to pieces, much to his shock. He reached for Midnight's throat, only for Midnight's physical form to disperse into vaporous shadow and slither away.

"COME BACK HERE, YOU!!!" Cheap roared as he continued to try and attack Midnight.

The sapphire blue alicorn merely continued to disperse and reform, but Cheap was moving so fast he couldn't retaliate and attack.

"Midnight, to my side, now!" Luna called, and Midnight hurried over while Celestia cast another mana shield to halt Cheap, even for a moment. Once Midnight reformed by Luna, she said to him, "Together! Tia, lower the shield!"

Celestia did as she asked, and before Cheap could attack them again, Luna and Midnight both took a deep breath... and SCREAMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheap was nearly blown off his hooves, but the claws on them, allowed him to hold himself in place even as the powerful sonic screams devastated the council room, toppling the pillars, shattering the domed glass ceiling, and blew away the chairs and tables. Then... Cheap slowly but surely began approaching, clawing at the floor to maintain purchase, as even through his visored face, his eyes, filled with murderous fury, lit with the intensity of burning molten gold.

Before long, though, Luna and Midnight stopped, and gasped for breath, having screamed too long and hard while Cheap stood up straight and chuckled behind that helm.

"Interesting. Tell me, moon witch, how would you like your sister to die?"

"EERRRAUGH!!" Luna leapt forward, lighting up her horn to summon her armor and sword, and her blade met Cheap's claws in a spray of sparks from metal scraping against metal.

They traded more blows, but very quickly Luna felt the power behind Cheap's strikes outmatches her own. Her sword then became locked in Cheap's claws, their faces only inches apart as Cheap mocked, "Banishment was too good for you, freak... For your crimes against the life of this planet, I sentence you to DEATH!!!"

"SILENCE YOU CUR!!!"

Luna quickly teleported out of the way as a beam of burning light blasted Cheap with such power that he was blown through the throne at the back of the room, through the walls, and to the castle gardens outside.

With only a moment's respite, Celetisa summoned the armor and halberd she had not worn in centuries, having hoped that she would never again have to.

"Princess Celestia!"

She looked to see Twilight, and the rest of her friends, standing in the doorway, looking at her, Luna, and Midnight with growing fear.
"Twilight, lead your friends out to the city, find any guards you can, and protect the citizens from Cheap's agents!"

"What?! But what about you?"

"My sister and I will deal with Cheap."

"What?!" Midnight gaped at Celestia, "No, Princess, I-"

"Midnight, I need for you, your friends, and any available Hoods to protect the people, and the councilors," Celestia instructed. "It is your duty, Arbiter..."

Midnight was silent for a moment before looking to Twilight, and then back at the sun princess.
"But you're pregnant...!"

"I will act with caution," Celestia promised before stating, "But in this moment, the protection of our subjects matters most."

"Then at the very least... Luna, Twilight, with me," Midnight called, as they approached Celestia and each placed their hooves on her barrel, and lit up their horns.

Midnight's turquoise mana, Luna's cobalt, and Twilight's magenta intermingled, becoming a warm and shimmering security blanket of loving protective magic, that wrapped itself snug and tight around Celestia's barrel, offering protection to the the little life inside.

"Those are the strongest blessings and protective wards we can offer right now," Midnight said with deep concern as he looked into Celestia's pale magenta eyes.
"Regardless, please... Take no unnecessary risks."

"We know he has to be stopped, but it shouldn't mean putting your foal in danger," Twilight worried.

"Worry not, my dear young friends," Luna promised, "I will fight Cheap directly, Celestia will back me up. I'll do everything in my power to protect her."

Midnight and Twilight shared another look before regarding the Royal Sisters with deepest concern... when Celestia and Luna pulled the four of them into a big group hug, and stayed like that for but a moment... before letting go as Celestia and Luna both smiled to their younger colleagues, and Celestia said, "Protect our little ponies."

Twilight and Midnight found comfort in Celestia's voice, before they furrowed their brows and nodded with determination, and hurried off after their friends. The Royal Sisters took a deep breath, gave each other a similar look, before hoisting up their sword and halberd and following after Cheap through the holes in the walls Celestia had blown him through.

They arrived in the gardens, where already they saw him.

He was flying aloft in the air, tempestuous winds laced with electricity swirling around him, creating a menacing atmosphere. He gazed down at them and spoke, "Any last words? I'm sure you'd like to give your husband one last message before you die..."

Pointing their weapons at the traitor, Celestia and Luna both responded, "HAVE AT THEE!!!"

Chapter 9. Beginning of the End: Spilled Blood

As he and Twilight ran through the halls to catch up with their friends and the councilors, Midnight conjured his Echom and tuned it before speaking into it, "Shadow Lock! Come in!"

"Sir!" came a response from the device, "Some of the Royal Guards are going out and corralling citizens in the streets. Some of them have even used force!"

"Damn it, those probably aren't real guards, Shadow!" Midnight replied, "The meeting went sideways, Cheap is in possession of a powerful weapon and is fighting the Royal Sisters! He sent an alert to agents he said had moved into position! He tried to assassinate the council, and now civillians are in danger!"

"What should we do, sir?" asked Shadow Lock.

"Arrest the guards that are acting outside their authority or out of the ordinary," Midnight instructed, "Instruct the Hoods to protect the citizens and get them indoors, assist any guards who turn out to be legitimate and incapacitate any imposters!"

"Roger!" Shadow responded before signing out.

As they rounded a corner, Twilight suddenly realized something was wrong with this picture.
"Wait... Where are the guards?! They should be positioned at various points throughout the castle!"

"Cheap said his thugs were in position," Midnight surmised, "he must have replaced some of the guards on duty or had them incapacitated."

"So they're already inside?!" Twilight was suddenly fearful of their friends, "We need to find the others, fast!"

"Don't worry, even if there are some imposters in the castle," Midnight assured, "some of my Hoods are stationed in here too. If they see a guard acting out of the ordinary, they'll know to act."

"HELP!!"

That shout they heard was followed by a commotion in the distant halls, and they shared an alarmed look before they kept running. They soon came to the entry hall of the castle, where they found their friends and the councilors surrounded by ponies in guard armor and uniform, none of them looking friendly.

"What are they- !! Are they imposters?!" Twilight gasped in fear.

"Most certainly," Midnight responded as he tried to think up a means to resolve this situation without anypony getting hurt... when he felt an assuring presence and smiled.
"But don't worry, Twily. Everything's under control."

"what?!" Twilight gaped at her husband and whinnied as he started stepping down the stairs, approaching the fake guards, "Midnight, what are you doing?!"

The imposters all quickly noticed Midnight's approach, and one of them stepped forward, boldly threatening, "Not another step there, princey! Or your little friends and the councilors get it!"

"I command you all to stand down and surrender," Midnight responded, acting like he hadn't heard the threat, "Oblige, and you will be shown leniency."

"I think you oughta get yer eyes checked, freak!" the imposter mocked, "We got youse surrounded, and yer outnumbered!"

"Am I...?" Midnight raised a cocky brow... and all of a sudden, several shadowy figures jumped out of nowhere, most of them behind the imposters, which caught them completely off guard!
"Guys! Now!"

Taking Midnight's word for it, Big Mac, Thunderlane, Blueblood, Cheese Sandwich, and Soarin, along with Firestorm, Lightning Wing, and Brass Scales jumped the imposters, who'd been distracted by the arrival of the Hoods, and in a matter of seconds the fakes were all stripped of the armor they'd stolen and tied up.

"You lot will have plenty of time to reconsider your lives... in jail!" Firestorm snapped as he made sure the ropes were secure.

"Thank you all for the quick rescue," Treaty Ink thanked not only the Harmonic Twelve but also the Hoods, "But where are the Royal Sisters and Cheap?"

"As you've just seen, Duchess," Midnight gestured to the imposters, "some of our guards have been replaced by Cheap's cronies. He also mentioned he has more agents in the city rounding up the citizens."

"Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are facing Cheap as we speak," Twilight added, "That armor of his, I've heard mentions of the Aegis Armor in various myths and lore but I thought they were just stories!"

"How powerful can that tin can actually make him?" asked Cobalt Banks.

"Enough that it scares the Royal Sisters to their cores," Midnight responded heavily, "We need to rally the Royal Guards that haven't been replaced and protect the citizens of Canterlot!"

"I'll take care of that," Firestorm volunteered, "I'm no stranger to leading ponies into battle, after all."

"We shall help provide order," added Miracle Cure. "Though it might help to have some of you aiding that effort, being national heroes an' all."

"Let's go kick some tail!" Rainbow Dash pumped her hoof into the air.

Stallions, mares, and foals were being led through the streets by dozens of armed guards, who'd gone door to door, ordering the residents to vacate their homes and report to the courtyard of Canterlot castle. Though most did as they were told, several, particularly among the Canterlot Elite, had tried to refuse, only to be dealt with by the guards using force and threat.

Instead of feeling safe and trusting of their honored Royal Guardsponies, the citizens of Canterlot couldn't help but feel that something was very wrong.

"Um, excuse me, sir?" a mare approached one of the guards, nervously shying from the narrow look out the corner of his eyes he gave her, "Would you mind, maybe... telling us what's going on?"

"You'll find out, soon enough," the guard responded curtly, "Now keep moving! And no more questions!"

The growing mass of ponies shut their pie-holes, as fear began to spread among them. The courtyard wasn't far ahead, but then, the guards found the way barred by more guards, along with several Hoods, the Harmonic Twelve, and Duke Firestorm, who called out, "Stand down, criminals, and back away from the citizens!"

The "guards" suddenly tensed up, realizing their ruse was in danger of blowing up in their faces.

"Uh- Duke Firestorm!" said one of the "guards", stepping forward from his place leading the civilians. "We... thought you were indisposed, we're... just escorting the fine citizens of Canterlot to the safety of the courtyard, just like the princesses ordered us!"

"Uh, sir?" whispered Spearhead to Firestorm, "How're we gonna get those imposters to surrender without endangering the civvies?"

Firestorm growled, having been wondering that very conundrum... when Twilight stepped forward, "Allow me, General."

"What're you going to do, Your Highness?" he whispered to her.

"Just watch and keep trying to talk them down," Twilight instructed as she very softly lit up her horn to prepare a spell.

Deciding to trust her, Firestorm raised his voice to the imposters and called out, "Well, the Princesses ordered me to take command here. Lower your weapons, soldiers!"

"Uh... we were ordered to take the citizens to the courtyard straightaway, sir," responded the fake guard from earlier. "Please step aside before- !!!"

The imposters all went slack-jawed and buggy-eyed, some of them gasping in abject horror, made evident as one fake guard wet himself, and the lead imposter suddenly shouted, "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!"

"AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!" the imposters all dropped their weapons and shoved their ways through the long group of citizens to run away while the pegasi among them simply took to the air.

Once he saw the citizens were safe, Firestorm yelled to his guards, "ARREST THEM!! DON'T LET ANY OF THOSE SCUM IN OUR ARMOR ESCAPE!!!"

The Royal Guards (the real Royal Guards, mind you) all roared in excitement and charge, the citizens quickly moving to the sides of the street to give the guards a clear path. As his men charged off to do their duty, Firestorm looked to Twilight, who was looking rather pleased with herself.

"What did you do?" Firestorm gaped at her in wonder, "Those fakes looked scared shitless!"

"Well, considering the Hallucination Spell I cast upon them, that's no wonder," Twilight explained, "It only affected those within my line of sight who were pretending to be somepony else with ill-intent. That's why none of the citizens were affected."

"That's brilliant...!" Firestorm was in awe.

"That brilliant mind is just one of the many reasons I married her," Midnight smiled proudly while giving his Twily a kiss.

In a matter of minutes, the imposters were all subdued, rounded up, and escorted to the nearest holding cells by the real Royal Guards and several Hoods. The councilors sans Firestorm spoke with several of the civilians to assure them that the situation was under control while Firestorm spoke with the Harmonic Twelve in the Courtyard.

"The imposters were just thugs," Firestorm stated, "no real training, used to using fear and violence to cow victims into submission. Once we took away their boldness, they were easy-pickings for my soldiers."

"The Hoods are already looking for any of Cheap's goons who might have escaped notice," Midnight added when they all heard a loud explosion and looked to the castle, seeing a blast of light quickly dissipate.
"Let's hope the Sisters are doing fine against Cheap and his armor."

"Not to worry, Nighty ol' pal," Pinkie piped in, hugging Midnight and Firestorm in a foreleg each, "The bad guys have been taken care of, everypony's okay, the princesses will beat that nasty Cheap- I think for the first time today, things are really looking up!"

*KAFWOOOOOMSSSSHHHHH....*

This time, they looked to the castle and saw a mushroom cloud of crackling smoke, and then two smoldering figures zoom out of the smoke, and arch through the air before falling their way. The two figures pummeled into the courtyard like meteors, leaving trails of wrecked cobblestones as one of them hit a wall, toppling the structure it was built into, and the other hit the majestic fountain in the middle of the courtyard, toppling the statue of Celestia holding hooves with a foal, and creating a glistening cascade from the broken plumbing.

As the dust settled, everypony looked and then gasped in utter shock and horror to see... these two figures who'd just experienced some rather nasty crash landings were the Royal Sisters!

"PRINCESS CELESTIA!!!" Twilight, Blueblood, Rarity, and Applejack hurried to Celestia, who was the one who'd crashed into the fountain, while Fluttershy, Big Mac, Thunderlane, and Cheese Sandwich hurried to check on Luna.

Both princesses were in bad shape.

They both had bruises, bleeding cuts, Luna had a bad gash on the side of her head, both had lost some feathers which were singed, their manes and tails were ragged, and Celestia had a broken wing.

"Move aside, lemme through!" Midnight hurried to Celestia, stunned to see her in such critical condition, before he took a deep breath and remembered his training.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, his horn radiating, as did Celestia and Luna's bodies, and everypony paused and watched in worry, hoping for good news. After a few long moments, Midnight sighed, "They're both in bad shape, but they'll recover. Celestia's baby is fine as well, but we need to get them medical attention and fast!"

"What's the hurry...?"

Everypony's blood ran cold from the sound of that voice, and the one after, a chilly whisper of wind crackling with sinister electricity, and they gazed up to see Cheap, still clad in the Aegis Armor, descending from the air, his bladed wings barely flapping a beat, and his helm, faceless yet mirror-like, reflecting their expressions of horror.

Cheap relished their horror, drank it up, chuckling wickedly, before he asked, "So... who dies next?!"

Chapter 10. Beginning of the End: A Knightly Oath

The Harmonic Twelve, including Spike and Firestorm, looked on in bone-chilling terror. Celestia and Luna both laid bloodied and battered on the ground, and Cheap floated menacingly in the air as he looked down upon them all.

"Your precious princesses are broken and with their downfall comes the end of alicorn rule," Cheap declared, his arrogance oozing with every reverberating word he spoke in his horned helm.
"I know earlier that I stated my intent to kill you all, but for this fleeting moment, I feel oddly generous... so I will give you this one chance - Bow to me, or die."

"Midnight... what do we do?!" Twilight whispered, her hooves shaking, looking to her husband for even the smallest reassurance.

Midnight glared hatefully up at Cheap, but even he could not hide his own fear. He was having a hard time just keeping it together and even harder to try and think on what to do in this most dire of situations.
What do we do... what do we do?! Celestia and Luna both got their plots hooved to them, and Cheap's armor doesn't even have a scratch on it!

"Midnight..."

Midnight looked and saw Celestia, her left eye swollen shut while the other had a cut on its side as the fallen sun princess groaned in pain.

"Princess!" Twilight checked on her old mentor, "Don't move, don't try to talk!"

"Midnight...!" Celestia's voice was weak yet urgent, and Midnight knew she had something she needed to say to him.

He stepped over and lowered his ear to her so she could speak softer, "He circles... before he attacks, uhh..."

She finally fainted and Midnight knew that was the only help they were going to get.
"Twilight, Firestorm, take Spike, the girls, and get the Princesses medical attention as quickly as possible."

"What?! Midnight what're you-" Twilight tried to object, only for Midnight to gently shush her before pressing his snoot to hers, allowing them to look directly into each other's eyes.

For but a blessed moment, there was only the two of them. All else was ignored. But in those eyes, her amethyst purples and his turqouise blues, there was faith.

"I'm waaaaaaaaiiiiiittttiiiiinnnnnnngggg....!" Cheap droned, beginning to get sick to hsi stomach at the sight of this saccharine nonsense.

They parted, Twilight whispering, "Be careful."

"Always," he whispered back before looking to his friends and the stallions understood.

Macintosh, Thunderlane, Blueblood, Cheese Sandwich, and Soarin all hurried to stand side by side with Midnight, as they gazed up defiantly at the madpony while Twilight led her the girls, as well as Spike and Firestorm, in getting the Royal Sisters to safety.

"...Did I say you could leave?!" Cheap snarled as he concentrated a pulsing surge of red, gold, and green electricity to his visor and glared menacingly towards the fleeing ponies and dragon carrying the critically conditioned princesses.

"STOP!!"

Cheap paused, the energy in his visor calming yet softly continued to surge, and looked back at the six stallions, snorting derisively at their pathetic display of bravado when he could see their fear as clear as day.
"'Stop'? I wield the most powerful weapon known to ponykind and you tell me to stop?! I have broken the spirit of this nation, toppled your precious princesses, and now stand on the verge of ushering in a new era.

"With all the power and riches at my command, how can you possibly hope to stop me?"

Midnight could sense his friends' worries, their doubts, their anxieties, and though his instincts were screaming at him to run away, it was only his sense of duty, his determination to protect those he cared about, that kept his hooves rooted to the ground. Yet fear and doubt writhed in the pit of his stomach like a bunch of squirming snakes, and he felt his heart pumping so hard he feared it would burst out of his chest!

...when all of a sudden, there was silence, a stillness in his mind, as some familiar words echoed into his thoughts.

Stand strong, stand together, and above all... stand for Equestria.

Losing his patience, Cheap snarled in a harsh yet soft tone, "Give my regards to the Pale One...!"

He unleashed a concentrated energy surge straight from the visor, which struck the ground right in front of the stallions-

*KRABWOOMSH*

Cobblestones flew, smoke and dirt and debris filled the air, and the six stallions were sent flying like rag-dolls. They could feel pain coursing through their bodies from the sheer force of the attack, which had knocked the wind out of them even as they hurtled through the air.

There was but a single thought in their minds, and somehow they knew the rest were thinking the same thing, We are royally screwed.

But then came a thought that all of them could hear, from somepony they'd met in their dreams.

Not just yet...

The Six Stallions found themselves in a familiar place, surrounded by a familiar fog.

"Guys?" "Oh, goddess, here again?!" "Well, better here than dead, I would say." "Yeah, that'd be a real party-pooper." "Now hold on, y'all, Ah reckon this is a good thing." "He's right, look!"

They looked into the dark sky above, where again they saw a hurricane-like formation of clouds, as electricity crackled around the eye, before it all surged to its middle, and down came a mighty BOLT that exploded upon the ground around which they stood, and yet again they found themselves in the presence of the Champion of Faust.

"Stallions, I sense turmoil within each of you," Stormbreaker spoke, every word like the rumbling of dreary thundercloud overhead, "Where is that stalwart dedication I saw when last we spoke? Where before I saw the unhesitating courage to strike down evil, now I see frightened colts who want to hide in their beds.

"I thought you were supposed to become the Knights of Harmony..."

Every word Stormbreaker spoke was like a cold stab from a needle to each stallion, whose heads hung in shame yet they just couldn't shake off the fear Cheap had struck into their very cores.

"...He's too powerful!" "Yeah, I mean- He beat the Royal Sisters!" "We don' stand a chance..." "There's nothing we can do." "We're not strong enough!"

Hearing his friends voice their doubts, their fears, their despair, something in Midnight began to build. The turmoil, as Stormbreaker had pointed out, was a conflict warring within him. There was a desire to fight, to protect his friends, his family, his country, and yet he'd barely glimpsed the power of the Aegis Armor, which had obviously been enough to defeat two tried and tested alicorn princesses.

Could they really do this? When the best among them had failed? His common sense and survival instinct screamed no, but somewhere in his heart and in his gut, Midnight knew. He had to believe otherwise. He, of all ponies! He was the Element of Faith, he was the light that never went out no matter how dark and dire the world became in these times of crisis.

If he... if they didn't make a stand here and now, then Cheap would win. And all of Equestria would be subject to his despotic whims.

"We should give up." "There's no hope..." "He's unstoppable!"

"THAT IS ENOUGH!!!"

Everypony except Stormbreaker flinched as their eyes turned towards the sapphire alicorn, who now stood tall and ready for a fight.

"...Do you even hear yourselves?!" Midnight snapped at the, disgust lacing his words as he continued in a harsher tone, "Each stallion here has proven his mettle, each has shown what he's made of and pulled through in the moment he was needed. Except, right now...

"I don't see those stallions."

He swept his gaze over them, each one starting to look ashamed, look away in doubt, looking angry himself.

"No, what I see here right now are crying colts whining over scraped knees after being pushed by a COMMON PLAYGROUND BULLY!" Midnight ranted on, "Well guess what?! I used to be just like that, a colt who whined went things got tough, cried when he fell down, and just wanted mommy to come over and give him a hug. But I didn't have time to be that crying little colt...

"I had to grow up. I had to learn and to train, to prepare for a future where so much depended upon me. I sacrificed a great deal of my childhood to be the silent and unseen protector of this nation and no one ever thanked me for it. But you know what spurred me through all that training? Through all the blood, sweat, and tears? My father, Ignitus Enflame."

The stallions listened, for none of them could remember Midnight ever talking about his father.

"My father was a great pony, the Captain of the Royal Guard in his time, perhaps the greatest Fire Wizard Equestria has ever known. The day I gained my wings, he no longer saw me, his son, as his little colt, but rather a young stallion who had come into his own, and he swore then and there to make me the greatest protector Equestria had ever seen! But you know what? There were times when he made me hate him...! Resent him for hoisting so much, expecting so much, from a ten year old foal. A part of me truly does hate him, to this day.

"But even to this day, I still can't help but miss him, admire him for the example he displayed. He was a protector. A warrior! ...A hero. But he didn't start out that way. None of them do. Heroes like my father, like Shining Armor, like Hurricane, Flash Magnus, Rockhoof, Star Swirl the Bearded, even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna! They all started just like us! Ordinary ponies who found themselves in extraordinary situations!"

Midnight's voice grew less harsh, and more... uplifting as he walked before his friends, giving them the look of a leader.
"We remember them as giants, because they stood tall! Because they stood side by side as friends and as comrades. Your lineage doesn't matter, where you came from doesn't matter, who believed in you and who didn't! We are more than heroes to Equestria. More than guardians chosen by Harmony or even Stormbreaker. Even more than friends!

"We are brothers!! Brothers in arms, brothers in heart! And now, we are the last line of defense for Equestria! This is our time, this is our chance... to show a self-entitled bastard what we're made of and who we are! So now I ask you, not as a prince, not as a leader, but simply as a pony who wants to protect all he holds dear...

"Will you stand with me?"

Even Stormbreaker couldn't help but get a chill from that rousing speech, and as silence fell, the other stallions shared looks. At first, they were doubtful, scared. But then they found assurance, in the ponies they stood with, the looks in their eyes shedding the fear and doubt to make room for resolve and bravery. One by one, they stepped forward.

"Ah will." Big Mac declared, "Just as Ah always have, lil' brother."

"I will," Thunderlane stepped up, "We've always had each other's backs, and we're not gonna stop now!"

"And I," Blueblood vowed, "It is an honor and a privilege to count myself among a group of such amazing ponies."

"Me too!" Cheese smiled just a little cocky, "No way I'm missing this party!"

"We've got this, guys!" Soarin pounded his hooves together, "So let's do it!"

Midnight smiled, in pride and in gratitude as he stepped forward, the guys parting for him as they all turned to face Stormbreaker, as the young alicorn said to the great warrior, "I don't know if we're worthy to be called knights, but frankly? I don't care. All that matters right now, is that our nation, our people, our friends and our family need us. So either help us out or stay out of our way."

...

...

...

Stormbreaker's shoulders shook, and for a split second the guys feared Midnight might have pissed off the alicorn warrior, only for him to throw his head back in booming hearty laughter before he finally calmed himself down and chuckled out the giggles he still had and took a deep breath.
"That insolent boldness of yours reminds me of my son, Hurricane! Be that as it may, I am proud of you all though I must warn you of the opponent you're about to face. I don't speak of the Son of Avarice specifically, but rather the Aegis Armor."

"You know about it?" asked Midnight.

"It is a powerful magical artifact and weapon, one of thirteen known as the Alicorn Treasures," Stormbreaker explained, "throughout the course of this world's history, there have been thirteen objects of great power. Some helped civilizations rise to greatness, others, like the Aegis Armor, led to death and destruction. The Son of Avarice really isn't much of a warrior, to tell you the truth."

"But then how'd he beat the Royal Sisters?" asked Soarin, "He seems plenty strong, considering he beat two powerful alicorn princesses."

"The Royal Sisters did not fight the Son of Avarice with the full of their power," answered Stormbreaker, "The Sun Princess is with foal and could not fully bring herself to fight the enemy directly or risk over-expending herself for fear to her unborn child. The Moon Princess was likewise distracted by her concern to protect her sister and the foal. The Son of Avarice took advantage of that and was able to overwhelm them.

"The Aegis Armor bestows its wearer with supreme strength, speed, stamina, skill, and strategy, and it enhances the wearer's abilities beyond their natural limits and grants them a suitable weapon to wield in battle. What it cannot give its wearer however is experience. In addition, it protects the wearer from all but the most powerful attacks, whether they be physical or magical. Had the Royal Sisters been able to give it their all, they would have overwhelmed him instead of the other way around."

"So what do we do?" asked Thunderlane. "Even if Cheap isn't an experienced fighter, it still sounds like we're hosed."

"The Aegis Armor makes the wearer into basically the perfect warrior," Stormbreaker stated, "but it does not make them invincible. Tell me, my young champions, what weakness does every armor have in common?"

"Chinks in the armor?" Soarin asked. "Like...exposed parts in the plating?"

"Indeed, though the Aegis Armor grants near-perfect protection, like any suit of armor," Stormbreaker answered, "it cannot protect every single inch of the wearer's body. There is but one chink in the Aegis Armor that you must exploit in order to bring down the Son of Avarice. Just below beneath the red stone in the chestplate is a tiny hole.

"If you can exploit that singular opening, you will have a chance."

The six of them shared another look and nodded at their objective before Stormbreaker went on.

"However, that alone cannot be your only means of victory," he looked to Midnight, Big Macintosh, and Thunderlane, "In the past, the three of you stood together in the face of adversity, as you did against Discord and Sombra when before he had been a tyrant king. You three wielded a power together you could not alone.

"With the six you, that power will be even stronger but you must not use it until the opportune moment. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir!" The Six Stallions all saluted, and Stormbreaker smiled with fervor.

"Excellent, though I send you to do battle, it won't be unprepared..."

Stormbreaker's horn lit up with crackling electrical mana that launched a bolt skyward before it arched over and descended, splitting into six bolts that each struck the stallions in the heart... and they gasped as they felt every fiber of their beings surge with power.

A power that came from standing together, side by side, helping each other up whenever one was knocked down. A power that came from the determination to protect those dear to their hearts, to protect those who could not protect themselves.

The power to defend Harmony!

Dust and ash filled the air, and behind his visored helm, Cheap pulled a cocky smirk and turned to walk away, stating, "That takes care of that. Now... where are the rest of those fools?"

But then... Cheap felt it! Six explosions of power and he turned back towards the debris-filled air, seeing six pillars of light behind it. One sapphire blue with flickering turquoise, one ruby red with leafy green, one electrical yellow and surging with stormcloud black, one pale indigo and white gold, one a bright and warm orange and a silly green, the last blue like the clear sky and laced with prismatic electricity! These pillars reached skyward, exuding strength unyielding, before suddenly they went out like candlelight, seemingly retreating downwards to their sources... and that's when he saw them!

As the dust finally began to settle, there stood six figures, imperceptible through the dusty air, but that didn't stop him from hearing them as the dust began to settle, revealing them to be clad in their Harmonic Armor! Each suit of armor was gleaming silver with gold accents, along with different colors matching the stallion that wore it, but their helms featured metal wings that flared up, protecting their wearer's ears, and a colored plume flaring up on top.

"For Harmony, we stand united..." Soarin drew his sword, blue like the sky yet shimmered like a rainbow.

"For Harmony, we inspire!" Cheese Sandwich drew his sword, orange like melted cheese yet bright like a party.

"For Harmony, we will be true." Blueblood drew his sword, white like a diamond, regal as gold.

"For Harmony, we believe in each other!" Thunderlane drew his sword, dark gray like a thundercloud yet glimmered like a flash of lightning.

"For Harmony, we never give up." Big Macintosh drew his sword, red as a shiny apple while gleaming like a crystal clear pond.

"For Harmony, we vanquish evil!" Midnight Blaze drew his sword, black as night yet glowing like the silvery blue of a full moon.

They raised their swords high above their heads and declared, "So we swear, as the Knights of Harmony!!!"

"Rrrrrrrggggghhhhhh!!!! So now you all have some fancy armor of your own!" Cheap snarled, "Big deal! I wear the most powerful weapon ever to cleave its way through history! I'll crush you all even easier than I did Celestia and Luna!!"

"No... You will not," Midnight replied, the look he gave Cheap as cold as stone. "Because you are fighting for a lost cause."

"Ha! A lost cause," mocked Cheap as he held up his left hoof and the stone set in the chest plate burned with life, as it sent a concentration of energy to that hoof, and conjured a fearsome halberd.
"I fight for no 'cause'. I fight for myself! I fight to elevate the House of Avarice to its rightful place, above everypony and eveything!"

"And that's exactly why we are going to defeat you, Buck Cheap," Midnight responded, "because you fight only for yourself. Whereas we fight for each other, for our friends and family, for Equestria! For Harmony. Before, you asked us how we were going to stop you - The answer is simple."

He looked to his brothers, and they looked back at him, smiling confidently, with faith in him to lead them, with courage.

"Together."

Author's Notes:

And so, the Knights of Harmony are born!

Their oath was inspired by the Old Code, a knightly vow from one of my most favorite fantasy movies ever, "Dragonheart" starring Dennis Quaid

A knight is sworn to valor
His heart knows only virtue.
His blade defends the helpless.
His might upholds the weak.
His word speaks only truth.
His wrath undoes the wicked.

Chapter 11. Beginning of the End: Fury

The standoff grew ever intense with each passing moment, as the newly-formed Knights of Harmony bared their swords at the blade of the fallen Duke Buck Cheap of House Avarice, the Lord of Lords.

"We will give you one last chance, Duke Cheap," Midnight called out to him, "Stand down. Remove that armor now, and you will be shown some leniency."

"Surrender? When I stand on the precipice of absolute rule?!" Cheap scoffed as he held his halberd menacingly. "I think not..."

"So be it!" Midnight responded, "But when this is over, remember that we gave you a chance. In the words of the great Equestrian Knight, Sir Grand Hoof, who was my grandfather... Count up your sins!"

"AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!!" Cheap roared as he launched himself forward, halberd raised, with a burst of thunder!

"SCATTER!!!" Midnight shouted and he and his friends split up, avoiding Cheap's assault as he impaled the ground where Midnight had been standing.

This didn't escape the knights' notice as they all realized, He's targeting Midnight/me!

Cheap immediately turned his gaze towards Midnight, as a familiar surge of power concentrated to the visor of his helm and unleashed a concentrated energy burst at him. Midnight shadow-dove, collapsing into shadowstuff, easily avoiding the attack, and disappearing for the moment. Growling in annoyance, Cheap turned his eyes to the others knights and moved in to attack Big Mac.

"Stand tall, Stone Edge!!" Big Mac called out, raising his sword with his hoof, and everypony gasped to see it flash with light as it became a somewhat heavier sword, its blade shimmering red, the crossguard gold, and an ornament on the pommel shaped like the green apple of his cutie-mark, and a round golden shield, about the width of a chariot wheel, emblazoned with Mac's cutie-mark, a green apple sliced in half surrounded by twinkles. Sword and shield floated in Big Mac's empowered magical green aura, the shield rushing forward to block off Cheap's halberd before the sword arced overhead towards Cheap's face.

The duke made no attempt to defend himself and everypony cringed to see Mac's sword bounce off Cheap's helm with a spray of sparks of metal clashing with metal.

"Pierce the heavens, Skystrike!"

Everypony looked towards Thunderlane as his sword burst with electricity as it became a bow, its length encircled with a lightning pattern while each end was shaped like a feathered wing, though it lacked a bowstring. This didn't matter as Thunderlane took flight, his bow in hoof while he positioned his free hoof just so, and everypony watched in awe as electrical energy sparked and gathered around Thunderlane before it all concentrated as Thunderlane pulled his hoof back, the energy forming a line of crackling energy along with an arrow of lightning!

"Mac, out of the way!" Thunderlane warned as he took aim.

He looked to the red stone pulsing on the chest plate just below Cheap's neck, and there it was - The one tiny little chink in the Aegis Armor, a hole no wider than a coin slot on an arcade game.

"Ergh, I wish I'd practiced more... but here goes!" Thunderlane took aim, the lightning arrow crackling excitably... before he released!

Big Mac jumped away and Cheap saw the arrow coming! Scoffing he raised his halberd... and struck the arrow away, causing it to dissipate and vanish like static!

"En garde!" Blueblood rushed forward and made a thrust, only for Cheap to knock his sword away and lash out with his halberd again, which Soarin had already zoomed in to block the attack, protecting Blueblood. Cheese Sandwich bounced on his own tail (don't ask how) and hurtled through the air, somersaulting with his sword, making him into a spinny orange disc of hurt coming Cheap's way!

Chuckling, Cheap simply sidestepped out of the way, causing Cheese to crash while Midnight leapt out of a shadow and raised his wings, manifesting tendrils of solid shadow to lash out and ensnare the duke. Cheap growled as Midnight's shadow tendrils held him in place... for the first couple of seconds, before Cheap started stepping back, and Midnight was stunned by how easily Cheap was now dragging him along!

"Damn... uh, guys? A little help!" Midnight strained as he struggled to keep his shadow tendrils solid.

Taking aim again, readying another lightning arrow, Thunderlane concentrated, praying his arrow would hit its mark this time, with Cheap occupied with Midnight.

"C'mon...!" He released!

But Cheap noticed, raised his bladed wings, and gave a gale of a flap, the force of wind breaking Midnight's concentration, which caused his tendrils of shadows to disperse like smoke while the arrow was embedded into the ground where Cheap had been. Hefting his halberd, Cheap flew at Thunderlane, who raised his bow to protect himself, only for Soarin to come in and meet Cheap's blade with his own.

"You're a persistent one," Cheap chuckled condescendingly as he traded more blows with Soarin, who was shocked by the force of each strike that he barely held his sword against them.
"Too bad you're fighting a losing battle!"

"Funny, I was just gonna say the same to you!" Soarin started flying literal circles around Cheap, creating a tornado, "Midnight, Blueblood!"

"Right!" Midnight and Blueblood concentrated and launched as many Magic Arrow spells as they could straight in rapid succession into the tornado as soon as Soarin got out of harm's way.

However, even within the spiraling dizzying turbulence of the tornado, the Magic Arrow spells pinged harmlessly off Cheap as he struggled to regain his composure.After a short while, Cheap dropped out of the tornado, moaning and loopy as he forced himself to stand still and let the dizziness wear out.

"GET HIM!!!"

All six Knights roared as they lunged forward and brought down their weapons upon Cheap, who buckled from the combined force along with his still-disoriented condition. Growling as he finally focused his mind, he snarled, "Get... OFF!!!!"

He lunged up, spread his wings, and lashed out his halberd, sending the knights flying in all directions before falling all around the courtyard. Seizing his chance, Cheap lunged upwards and span around, his wings extended, and feather-shaped blades shot out in all directions.

"TAKE COVER!!" Midnight shouted as he raised his wings, cloaking them with solid shadow to shield himself. Macintosh hurried over to Blueblood, raising his own shield to protect them, while Soarin and Thunderlane managed to sweep Cheese Sandwich up and out of harm's way. Every feather-blade struck with considerable force. To Big Mac, it felt like being on the receiving end of his own apple-bucking, when all of a sudden it stopped.

Midnight made the mistake of lowering his wings to see what was going on-

*ZACHOOOM*

-only to be blasted by the energy beam from Cheap's helm, which blew him through a nearby wall in the courtyard. Although his armor took the brunt of the blast, Midnight knew this was going to bruise, as he slowly pulled himself out of the rubble, groaning in pain with every move.

He heard hoofsteps and looked to see Cheap coming his way, his halberd held menacingly, "You seem in distress, young prince... As an act of mercy, I shall do you the favor of putting you out of your misery!"

Cheap raised the halberd up to deliver the killing blow, only for Midnight to taker a deep breath... and SCREAM!!!

From the hospital, Twilight could hear her husband's sonic scream as she gazed out the window of Princess Celestia's hospital room, which gave her a fine view of Canterlot but not a clear perspective of the castle courtyard. Though it worried her, that sounded like a scream of defiance, not of desperation. She turned to look at her old mentor, who was resting. After she, her friends, and Firestorm had rushed the Royal Sisters to the hospital, the staff, led by Doctor Miracle Cure, immediately got to work in stabilizing the sisters.

To everypony's relief, after a medical scan spell, Doctor Cure assured them that Celestia's foal was fine, though she was badly beaten up and her wing would have to be held in a sling for some time. Luna would be fine, as well, and after the medical staff had done all they could, they had taken the Sisters to their hospital rooms for them to rest.

Though she wanted to go out there and help her husband and the rest of the boys, Twilight felt she was needed here, in case something else went wrong. Sighing, she decided to go see the girls and as she stepped out of the hospital room-

"Oof!/Ow!"

Twilight stumbled and looked up to see a Royal Guard with a soft orange coat, his mane and tail were two tones of sapphire blue, and his eyes were cornflower blue.
"Oh, excuse me, Your Highness! I didn't see you."

He held out his hoof, and Twilight accepted it, allowing him to help her to her hooves, "It's alright, I really shouldn't have been hurrying out without checking to see if someone was coming."

"If I may ask, Princess, you look a little worried," the guard pointed out with a concerned smile.

"It's... My husband and friends are out there fighting a maniac!" Twilight fretted, "A maniac wearing a magical suit of armor that practically makes him invincible!"

"Heh-heh, you don't need to worry about Midnight, Princess," the guard assured, "He's the Element of Faith after all. If you believe in him, there's nothing he can't do."

"Do you... know Midnight?" Twilight asked the guard.

"Let's just say... him and me? We go way back, and we're still pretty close," the guard shrugged, "But my point is, Midnight is all kinds of amazing, but there are times he can make decisions that are just stupid. That's why he needs his friends to stand by him, to believe in him, to make sure he doesn't lose his way. Kinda like how he keeps you close to his heart."

Twilight was a little speechless at this guard's words and was about to ask his name-

"Well, gotta go," the guard walked on down the hall, "still go patrols to do. Hope I helped, Princess!"

Twilight watched him a moment before smiling and heading down the other way, whispering, "You really did."

Had she watched the guard for but a moment longer, she'd have seen him turn pale and fade away like a wisp of mist.

"EEERRRRRAAAAAAAAAUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!" Cheap roared as he raised his halberd, calling a storm overhead, and the knights looked on in horror as the storm lashed out lightning bolts that struck randomly throughout Canterlot, causing destruction as well as terror, given the distant screams of panic.

"He's gonna destroy Canterlot!" Cheese pointed with his hoof.

"We have to stop him!" Midnight looked to his friends, "Surround him and when I give the signal, we attack together!"

They all nodded and rushed forward, taking up positions to surround Cheap, who was too busy concentrating to summon his storm. Their eyes all quietly turned towards Midnight, who held up three of his primary feathers, counting down 3 - 2 - 1...

He signaled, and they all charged, roaring as they raised their blades, only for Cheap to easily notice as he began spinning his halberd above his head, creating a powerful gust that caused the knights to all skid to a halt, wary of whatever Cheap was up to next. Unfortunately, this created just the opening Cheap needed as he pulled his halberd back...

*WHISSSSHLASH*

The sound of metal striking metal and then a splatter of liquid struck terror into their hearts as they looked again and were stunned to see Cheap had struck Midnight in the chest with his halberd!

It had been an upwards strike, first hitting the lower left side of Midnight's barrel, and then slashing up across his chest towards his right shoulder. His blood still flew through the air before it splished upon the pavement, his sword clanging upon the ground, and Midnight was sent tumbling across the courtyard, leaving a haphazard trail of blood... until finally he came to a stop, lying prone on his side, his blood beginning to pool around him.

"Too easy..." Cheap snorted in satisfaction.

"MIDNIGHT!!!!!" they screamed, standing in utter shock to see their leader, their friend, their brother, so easily struck down. Turning their gazes back to Cheap, they prepared to charge again, their swords poised...

He laid there, every breath searing his barrel with agony, feeling the warmth of his life slipping away, struggling to keep his eyes open. Was this it? All he'd been through, all he'd suffered, all he'd lost, everything he'd sacrificed, every step on the journey that was his life, it was all to die here? At the hooves of a megalomaniac? To fail his nation? His people? His friends? His family?

...My Twily! he thought in heartbreak as his world started to go black, No... no! It can't... it won't end like this!!

But then he felt a soothing breeze blow across his body, and when he blinked, he saw he was no longer in the courtyard... but in Whitetail Woods!

"What the...?" Midnight uttered when he realized he was no longer in pain!

He looked down at his chest and was disturbed to see the wound was still there, still bleeding. Okay, this is getting freaky- Wait... My armor! My sword, my helmet!

Midnight was completely naked of his armor and his sword was gone. Seeing as he no longer felt in any pain, he slowly tried to move, and when he felt no pain as a result, he dared to stand up, and nearly stumbled, feeling pins and needles in his fetlocks. Groaning in annoyance, he stamped his hooves to regain sensation, which made the numbness go away, but strangely, he didn't feel his limbs as he normally did. It wasn't a sensation of numbness, more like... his sense of touch had been dulled.

Looking around, Midnight saw that though this looked like Whitetail Woods, he had a feeling it really wasn't. The sky above was cloudy and dismal, there was a chill in the air, and he finally realized he could see his breath every time he exhaled.

"This place feels...!" he whispered before stopping himself from finishing that sentence, suddenly having an idea of where he was. "No... no!! This can't be- I can't be...!"

Before he could fully freak out, his sharp ears picked up a sound, a sound that made him freeze in growing terror. The sound of hoofsteps!

Midnight began to shake, was it the Pony of Death? Was he here to drag him kicking and screaming into the Spirit World?!

"Hey there, buddy."

...

...

...

That voice! Midnight froze in utter disbelief, unable to bring himself to look over his shoulder. It can't be...!

"Aw c'mon, Blaze, ya gonna say hi back or am I gonna have to come over there and give you a noogie?"

It absolutely sounded like him, and the feeling in his heart was unmistakable, that finally Midnight could bear it no longer. Slowly, he turned around, and there he was.

A pegasus stallion, orange like the sunrise, his mane in two tones of sapphire blue, his eyes blue like a cornflower... and his cutie-mark! A two-toned blue shield with a yellow lightning bolt, and finally, that cocky smirk on his face.

"...Flash?" Midnight managed to utter out.

"Hey, Midnight. Long time no see," Flash Sentry smiled warmly.

Author's Notes:

The phrase 'Count up your sins' and the mentioned character Grand Hoof were borrowed by Banshee531

Chapter 12. Beginning of the End: The Rise of the End

The two old friends stared at each other for a long while before Flash suggested, "Why don't we take a seat and catch up, huh?"

"Take a seat?" echoed Midnight, when Flash gestured to the left and Midnight was a little surprised to see a park bench waiting just waiting there. Where'd that come from?

But Flash was already sitting, and so... Midnight sat down as well.

...

...

...

The awkward silence was just painful, so Flash broke the ice, "I suppose you're wondering, 'if Flash is here, does that mean I'm dead?' Well, lucky you, Blaze! You're not dead... Well, at least not yet."

"So then... this isn't the Spirit World?" Midnight looked around.

"Think of it as... the space between the Mortal World and the Spirit World," Flash clarified, "but don't ask me what the Spirit World's like, that's against the rules."

"There are rules?" Midnight gave him a weirded-out look.

"No more questions about death!" Flash snapped in a sort of exaggerated way, that Midnight couldn't help but crack a smile. "There we go, laughs always help to... lighten up the situation, huh?"

"Ha-ha-ha, a few friends of mine would definitely agree with you there," Midnight replied, still feeling a tad on edge, before he gave Flash another look and realized something. "Wait... You're a grown stallion!"

"I'm quite a stud, aren't I?" Flash bobbed his brows in a cocky 'come hither' sort of way. "But that's not what's confusing you, isn't it?"

"It's just... when..." Midnight couldn't bring himself to say it-

"When I died, I was only 15," Flash nodded, "so you're thinking, 'shouldn't he look the age he was when his life came to an end?'."

"Flash, I- ...I am so sorry!" Midnight whispered, the tears welling up before he could stop them. "I wasn't... strong enough! I should've protected you-"

"Stop that."

Midnight whimpered a bit at those words, when he felt a gentle nudge to his shoulder and looked up at his old friend. In Flash's eyes, he didn't see what he expected to see. No blame, no resentment, no bitterness. There was only warmth, concern, along with the joy of seeing an old friend again. Flash reached over, laying his foreleg around Midnight's shoulders.
"What happened was not your fault. We were kids, training to be something more. No one could have prepared us for what happened."

"It's just not fair!" Midnight began to sob, "It should've been me, not you! She only killed you to make me suffer... and it worked. Ever since the day I lost you, I just- I don't know. A part of me tried to forget it, to move on, but it was always there. Like a thorn I could never pull out."

"And that's why you couldn't feel our connection."

Midnight looked at Flash again, confused by his words, when the orange pegasus held up his right hoof, and there, right in the middle of his frog (the V-shaped fleshy underside of the hoof) was a scar. Remembering, Midnight held up his left hoof to show a similar scar on his own frog, and the two connected hooves, just as they did a long time ago.

"You remember that night?" Flash asked, smiling at the memory. "You were angry, frustrated, pissed off at your dad and your other teachers. Laying so much pressure on you, expecting way too much. Shining Armor thought you needed some alone time, but I couldn't help but feel you needed an ear to complain to."

"My father, Hellfire, Godric, and all the others, especially Celestia..." sighed Midnight, the memories like an unwelcome ray of sunshine disturbing one's sleep. "Everyday, late into every night, it was always 'work harder, do better, this is unacceptable, one mistake could lead to disaster' ...Maybe they were right."

"I don't think they went about teaching and training you in the best of ways," Flash shrugged, "but at least me and the guys were there to help you carry the workload. Then that night, when you got into an argument with Ignitus, he told you to go cool off, I had a feeling you needed somepony to listen to you.

"I listened, I helped you calm down, and after we were done talking I made that little suggestion."

"Our blood oath," Midnight smiled at that bittersweet memory, recalling how much the knife hurt when he cut his own frog and then Flash stifled a whimper after he cut his before they exchanged blood.
"When we became blood-brothers..."

"You asked me why I'm a stallion when I didn't get the chance to grow up," Flash explained, "it's because a part of me grew up with you."

Midnight looked into Flash's eyes, completely bewildered, and the orange pegasus smiled more.
"We didn't just exchange blood that night, Midnight. We gave each other a... well, a little piece of ourselves."

Midnight couldn't help but gasp lightly as Flash went on.
"A piece of my soul went into you, and vice-versa. It's why you hurt so much when I was killed, because a part of you literally died with me. Even so, the part of me that was inside you has always been there, I've always been here, Midnight."

Flash placed his hoof onto Midnight's chest, ignoring the still-bleeding wound, which honestly still disturbed Midnight even if he didn't feel any pain.
"But... you were so filled with grief, guilt, and darkness that you couldn't feel it. Especially after you turned the others away."

"I... I just couldn't let that happen again," Midnight lowered his eyes in shame. "I couldn't allow for them to come to harm just because they were near me."

"I know. Stellar Flare, Trouble Shoes, and the rest," Flash replied, "but then your mom got cursed, your dad ran out on you and your brother, who you had to give up for a while, and you got yourself mixed up in a lot of cloak and dagger stuff. Not that being a shadowy spy isn't cool an' all, it's... Well, while you did do a lot of good leading the Brotherhood of the Evening Hoods, Midnight, doing that sort of stuff, even for the right reasons... it takes a toll, and it can lead you down a path so dark you can forget which direction to take is the right one.

"I'm just glad you found your way back to the light. To Twilight."

Midnight perked up a bit from the mention of his wife, when Flash ribbed him in a teasing sort of way, "Met the missus, by the way. She's good for you, and... Now, don't get saddle-sore at me or nothing, but... I think if things had been different, maybe she and I could've..."

Flash trailed off, his eyes turning distant, the warmth of his smile fading a bit, and Midnight became sullen as he considered the idea. "You and Twilight would have been good for each other. If things had been different."

"Eh, forget about it, although..." Flash gave Midnight a funny look, "Since I technically am you, I guess, in a way, I'm with Twilight too!"

"Heh, same old Flash..." Midnight teared up again, but this time he was smiling, "You always knew how to make weird sound funny."

"It's why you fell for me, remember? Our first kiss?" Flash bobbed his brows, and Midnight blushed, remembering.

"Yeah..." Midnight sighed, "I was at such a low point, you were the only one who gave me hope. Sure, my mom was supportive, Shining Armor helped me through the training, but you were the only one who truly gave me the will to keep moving forward. Honestly, that moment we had? It just came... out of nowhere."

"Hey, lots of ponies turn out to be bi," Flash shrugged, "and I wasn't upset when you decided our making out was a one-time thing. Though, if I'm being honest here..."

Flash gave Midnight a tender smile, "I wonder if we could've formed a herd. You, me, Twilight, and maybe another mare to keep the gender ratio even."

Midnight couldn't help but chuckle warmly, finding the idea... appealing. More tears trailed down his face as he realized what he could've had. Would never have, with Flash.
"We would have been a great family."

"We are," Flash pulled Midnight into a wing-hug, "I'm part of you, just as you're still part of me. Once we were strangers, then we became friends, then blood-brothers... and now, I'm proud of the stallion we are today."

"I couldn't have become this stallion without you," Midnight smiled as he returned Flash's hug, and then felt Flash pull back and give Midnight a kiss on the forehead, and met Midnight in the eye, giving him a cocky smile.

"Go get him!"

That look, that smile, this excitement building up inside him... Midnight found himself reinvigorated!

He then realized the wound on his chest was no longer bleeding. In fact, it looked healed... though he knew, he would carry this scar for the rest of his life, and he knew that was going to be a very long life. As he felt the emotions inside him ignite, his body began to glow, and he was surrounded by streaks of light that resembled shooting stars. One by one, each of these "stars" suddenly veered out and then back to Midnight, and wherever they touched him a piece of his Harmonic Armor burst into existence. It wasn't long before he was completely clad in his Harmonic Armor, his Helm fitting itself onto his helmet, when he saw there was one more star, floating in front of him.

He reached towards it, when he noticed Flash in front of him, the star between them, mirroring his actions. He paused, and they held each other's gaze for a moment, and then reflected each other's smile. Flash was gone in body, but now, after so many years of missing him, Midnight now knew that Flash was always here as Flash's form seemed to fade into mist that flowed into Midnight and he felt what had always been there since that night they exchanged blood. They had become one, one pony, one spirit.

One Hero!

At long last whole with his other self, Midnight took hold of the star, and it became a sword!

The knights all groaned, Blueblood trying to support Cheese, Soarin knocked out, Thunderlane bleeding from a wound on his shoulder, and Big Mac the only one still truly standing despite being beaten black and blue and bloody. He glared reproachfully at the betrayer as Duke Buck Cheap smirked behind the visor of his helmet while holding his halberd.

"Just how much longer are you going to resist the inevitable?" Cheap mocked, "Even the six of you in your own armor couldn't stop me, and I've already slain your leader... Step aside, and I'll spare you. My true quarrel is with the alicorns and the rest of those weakling dukes and duchesses. They have no place in my new kingdom!"

"You ain't got a kingdom!" Macintosh snorted while stamping the ground, willing his sword and shield, Stone Edge, to his left and right. "An' it don' matter if'n ya did beat us! Th' ponies of Equestria will never submit t' you. You'll spend th' rest o' yor life fearin' th' ponies you hurt! Because every tyrant lives in fear o' th' people they oppress."

"Fear is what will keep the masses in line..." Cheap responded coldly, "After I hang the heads every alicorn, as well as the councilors, for all of Equestria to see they will bend the knee and I will rule!"

Then Cheap looked towards Midnight's prone body, lying there in his own blood.

"And I think I'll start with that one!!" he snarled viciously as he took flight and raised his halberd to-

*FWOOOOOMMMMMMM.....*

A supernatural wind and light startled Cheap, as Midnight's body lit up like a lighthouse, and everypony shielded their eyes... except for Mac, and then Thunderlane, Blueblood, Cheese Sandwich, and even Soarin found himself stirring and managing to look up. The light was radiant yet it didn't hurt their eyes. It was beautiful, like the moonlight reflecting off the surface of the sea, and then they saw a figure... before the light went out, and there he stood.

The scar on his chest was healed, but likely it would never go away. His armor was already magically repairing itself, when he drew his sword, holding it vertically in front of him as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Find the Light... Nightfall!!!"

The sword shined with a shimmering darkness that gave off a silvery-blue light before it split divided and reformed onto Midnight's hooves. As the light dimmed, the sword had become a pair of armored hoof gauntlets of obsidian black and cobalt blue, each bearing a set of gleaming silver crescent-shaped claws, three in the front, one in the back, and moved like grasping digits, and each gauntlet bore an emblem matching Midnight's cutie-mark.

The knights looked on in awe as they felt their spirits rise up with hope, and they smiled to see that Midnight was more than alright. He was still standing, still willing to fight in order to protect Equestria.

Cheap growled in vexation, "It doesn't matter how many times you get back up! I'LL CUT YOU DOWN UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO CUT!!!!"

Midnight pointed the left gauntlet of Nightfall at Cheap before saying, "Let's continue this elsewhere..."

"Hmph! Elsewhere? And what makes you-!!!"

Cheap found himself suddenly pummeled in the face. Though his helm protect him, he still felt the force behind that blow, as Midnight dragged the duke skyward and zoomed off into the distance! The wind whistled in their ears as they soared through the sky... before finally Midnight suddenly span Cheap around and hurtled him towards the ground below-

*CRASH*

-and Cheap was all but buried into the ground, leaving a long deep trench from the force of the impact. Midnight landed at the start of the trench and called out, "Get out here, Cheap! I know that little crash-landing didn't kill you."

"RRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" A thunderous explosion blew away the rubble and dirt as Cheap forced himself up, using his halberd like a crutch. The Aegis Armor had protected him but his ego had take quite a bruising.

"YOU ALICORNS ARE A PLAGUE UPON THIS WORLD!!! FOR OVER A THOUSAND YEARS, YOU'VE HELD US BACK. CLAIMED YOUR RIGHT TO RULE US SIMPLY BECAUSE OF YOUR HORNS AND WINGS, DRANK UP OUR GULLIBLE ADULATION WHILE DICTATING US UNDER THE PRETENSE OF GUIDANCE!!!"

"I'll be the first to admit it, the alicorns are not perfect," Midnight responded with his brows furrowed, "Yes, we have horns, we have wings, but in the end we're still just ponies. We make mistakes, and either we learn from them and strive to do better or we ignore our flaws and continue to make things worse. Both the Royal Sisters made mistakes, Luna out of jealousy, Celestia out of pride. I know I've made my share of mistakes, as have the rest of the princes and princesses.

"Because when it comes down to it, we're still just ponies in the same way that everyone is a pony. Even you."

"Oh... spare me..." Cheap spat. "I'm done kowtowing to the likes of you! It's time I took what is owed to me, and I want you to know that after I'm through with you, your pretty little wife is next!"

Midnight's horn lit up with a blistering mana as he glared at Cheap and spoke, "She offered you compassion and you threw it in her face. Even before she became an alicorn princess, she was better than you in every way that matters. So for her, I'm not going to kill you, Cheap... but I am going to make you regret those words!! No one threatens my Twily..."

Midnight launched himself at Cheap in a burst of power, and their weapons met in a clash so powerful it was felt all the way back in Canterlot!

Cheap roared as he pushed Midnight off and swung his halberd out and around towards Midnight, who held his gauntlets in front of him just so, deflecting the attack. They traded more blows, sparks flying, but then Cheap used a powerful flap to put some distance between them before concentrating to the bladed feathers and launching them yet again, straight for Midnight.

Midnight crossed his gauntlets again and focused, the gauntlets glowing as a silvery-blue bubble of mana that sparkled like stars surrounded him and Cheap's feather-blades bounced off, Midnight completely unharmed. Once Cheap's attack let up, Midnight raised his forelegs outwards, focusing and the crescent-shaped claws gave off a silver radiance before Midnight span around and swiped both gauntlets in Cheap's direction. In doing so, he flung crescent-shaped energy blades colored black yet outlined silver-blue, and they hurtled straight for the megalomaniac.

Cheap quickly tried to take flight, but he didn't react quickly enough. Although most of the crescent-shaped energy blades missed or didn't strike his armor hard enough to do any damage, one of them hit his wings, causing him to falter and nearly drop before he righted himself.

While Cheap was distracted, Midnight raised his gauntlets together up to his horn, where he allowed a vast flow of his mana to concentrate into the claws, before he brought them down, felt his mana meld with the power these gauntlets vaunted, and unleashed it in a vast river of power! It was like a flash-flood of energy colored silver, black, and blue, as it washed over Cheap. But then... a blast of wind blew the flames apart, and Midnight saw Cheap had used his halberd to direct the wind to cleave the flood of power in two.

"The Royal Sisters together couldn't stop me! You along with your worthless friends couldn't stop me!" Cheap growled as the blood red stone on his chest plate burned with power.
"And now... you're all alone. You have no hope against me by yourself!!"

"That's the thing, Duke Cheap," Midnight replied coolly, as he felt that bond inside, connecting him to his friends. To all of them. "I used to think I was alone. For a long time after I failed my friend. Even after I reunited with all of my friends and family. But all of my friends, past and present, have always been with me. They give me a strength you've never known, because they have faith in me..."

Midnight's armor and gauntlets glowed with turquoise light that also gave off a peculiar golden-orange radiance, and he felt his old friend, right there inside of him.

Let's kick his ass.

"Let's..." Midnight responded before talking aloud for Cheap to hear him. "And it's because of that faith that I won't let them down!"

Midnight raised his claws up high, concentrating his power into Nightfall, a magical reaction swirling around the gauntlets, creating a pulsing pure white light!

Having heard enough, Cheap focused his power and concentrated it to his visor, intending to blast Midnight to smithereens, while Midnight lowered his gauntlets to aim directly at Cheap and then... they fired! Both blasts struck each other mid-way, creating a struggling pulse of power as both sides gave it their all. The power built up, surging with energy pulses that lashed out in tendrils of power, burning, freezing, and shocking the land around them all at once.

The power he was fighting. It was overwhelming! The destruction to the land around them was a mere implication, he'd seen firsthoof just a few of its capabilities, and knew that no matter what, he had to stop Cheap! This kind of power in the wrong hooves would only lead Equestria into despair and poverty. Feeling the enormity of it, Midnight faltered, taking one step back, and felt the weight of it even greater, that he began to fear he wasn't going to stop it!

...when he felt a hoof on his shoulder. Though he didn't look, he knew who it was, and his presence was comforting.

You can do this, Midnight. Because even though you're by yourself, you're not alone. You have your friends. You have your family. You have the pony you love, and of course, you've always had me. Him? He's alone. He always has been. He is to be pitied, but he's made his choices... So reach inside, feel my strength adding to yours, and let's take him down!

Together as one!!!

Midnight felt it, an inner strength he'd never known was there, buried under his guilt, his grief, the emotions he'd tried to bury. No more. He felt it rise up, spread to every corner of his being, and embraced it! He felt their combined strength ignite, and he pushed forward! He willed the energy to surge, to flow around the opposition, and probe his foe.

There!

He concentrated, envisioned his power surging through tat one chink in the Aegis Armor... and sensed Cheap's panic!

He continued his advance as Cheap lost his momentum, too confused and alarmed by this foreign power intruding upon his armor-encased person, and felt as though he were about to suffocate as the energy began to fill the armor up. Finally losing concentration, Cheap stopped firing the energy beam from his visor and tried to get away, only to feel the power holding him in place.
"No! NO!!! Stop- This can't be!! It can't-"

*KRAFLOOOM*

An explosion of energy burst the Aegis Armor off of Cheap's body, the armor pieces flying all around, and dinging on the ground before dissipating into red glimmers of energy and completely vanishing. Cheap fell to his knees, his entire body feeling the pins & needles of numbness, his mind stunned and blown. He didn't even acknowledge Midnight's approach, until he glared up reproachfully at the sapphire alicorn... and for a moment, he thought he saw somepony else standing next to Midnight, but his eyes suddenly felt twitchy, that he blinked and saw no one there but Midnight, who gazed down at Cheap with a stony look.

Then, Midnight's armor gave off a bright glow, before it turned into transparent energy, while Nightfall flashed, reverting from gauntlets back into a single sword again, and the energy was sucked up into Midnight's sword, which he absorbed and declared, "Duke Buck Cheap, Son of Avarice, you are under arrest for high treason."

That look on the prince's face, his tone, it grated on him, rekindled his fury, and the moment Cheap screamed in outrage and forced himself to stand and raise his hoof to throw a punch-

*APPLE-BUCK*

Those hooves to his face caused Cheap to groan in pain as he slumped to the ground, unconscious with quite a shiner.

Even though they hadn't seen the battle's conclusion, the guys knew everything was okay. Their armor disappeared into their swords which were absorbed into their bodies until they were needed again, and no longer could they feel the weight of the situation filling the air. Then they saw him, and he was bringing Cheap with him, the duke contained in an energy bubble. As he landed, Midnight's friends all rushed over to see him, when they paused and noticed something different about Midnight.

"Midnight...? Are you okay?" asked Soarin.

"I'm fine, guys, what about you?" asked Midnight.

"Uh, we're good, Midnight, it's just..." Cheese pointed to Midnight's mane, and the sapphire alicorn was confused.

"What, did some of my mane get burned off or something?"

"Uh, no, Midnight's it's... Well, take a look," Blueblood cast a summoning spell to conjure up his favorite hoofheld mirror and showed Midnight.

He was a little surprised to see that his mane, black with a dark blue highlight, now had a streak of a familiar golden-orange, and then he felt a certain amusement within and smirked, "Eh, at least it's not magenta."

"What about Cheap?" Thunderlane pointed to the bubble of turquoise mana that contained the traitorous duke, who laid within it, sporting a new black eye.

"He's alive," Midnight responded with furrowed brows, "and he's going to answer for everything he's done..."

Author's Notes:

To tell you the truth, I kinda wanted to explore the friendship Midnight had with Flash but the idea of them being crushes just popped out of nowhere. Midnight's first few years as an alicorn were not happy, and he was under a lot of pressure and held to high expectations from Celestia, his father, and from the teachers they brought in to train Midnight.

To help him cope, he was given a group of peers to help him learn leadership, which included Flash Sentry, Shining Armor, Trouble Shoes, Stellar Flare, and a few others (can't name them just yet, spoilers). The idea of a blood-oath making them blood brothers and exchanging a small part of their own... souls? Life energies? Spirits? Not entirely certain what to call it, but the result was indeed a bit of them was exchanged besides just their blood. Their "crushes" resulted only in Midnight's first kiss and one make-out, nothing more. But next to Shining Armor, Flash was Midnight's closest and dearest friend during his alicorn training. The exchange of blood and a part of themselves was what made Flash's death so much more devastating to Midnight - Because a literal part of him died with Flash when Flash was murdered in cold blood. But the part of Flash that's still in Midnight has always been there, but Midnight unknowingly buried it out of grief and guilt and trying to put that painful part of his past behind him. Now that he's managed to reconcile that past with Flash, they are truly (and literally) united as one, symbolized by how Midnight's mane now has a streak in it the same color as Flash's coat

Chapter 13. Beginning of the End: Dawn of a New Era

The following days were busy. Sombra returned, having made sure the cure had reached all the afflicted cities and towns but was sad to report that for some, the cure had come too late. He was absolutely FURIOUS to hear how Cheap almost killed his wife and Luna, but was assured his unborn child was all right, and that the Royal Sisters would be as well. Things got rather intense when it was somehow leaked to the public that Cheap had been the one behind the mass-poisoning, and the public outcry called for his head, even from the other nobles of the Canterlot Elite.

The Brotherhood of the Evening Hoods worked triple-time to take down as much of Cheap's criminal empire as they could, making arrests left and right at nearly all levels of authority. Many dirty secrets from some of even the most well-respected individuals in Equestria were dug up, and Brass Scales knew the courts were going to be busy for quite a while, prosecuting all these arrests. Firestorm helped maintain public order, with the help of Showstopper and Miracle Cure, and once the Royal Sisters were back on their hooves, Celestia declared the time was long past.

The Aristocratic Council was called to order sans its disgraced members, and every duke and duchess formally surrendered their titles and political powers and the government-owned assets they oversaw to the crown, and Celestia declared the Aristocracy was no more. The council would be reformed and elections would be held as soon as the particulars were decided upon.

To Midnight's regret, he reported that despite his and the Hoods' best efforts, the Aegis Armor medallion had disappeared without a trace. He came to the conclusion that someone might have taken it after his battle with Cheap, and that thought was not a comforting one.

To everypony's surprise, Cheese Sandwich somehow encountered Tomato Sandwich in the castle and... one thing led to another, and it was confirmed that the two were indeed related after word was sent to the orphanage they'd both come from in Manehatten and the matron informed them that they were twin brothers. Naturally, Cheese was over the moon with joy, whereas Tomato found himself fearing for his sanity.

But then, as things were finally beginning to slow down, it was time...

The onlookers shouted and cursed and booed and jeered as the disgraced former Duke of Business and Commerce was escorted by four armed Royal Guards to the middle of the courtyard, wearing chains on his legs and a band around his barrel to keep his wings pinned. He was unresponsive to all the hate and shouts and threats and trash thrown his way, his mane was disheveled, and he carried himself with a hollow demeanor.

The guards halted him once they reached the designated spot, and secured his chains to keep him in place before they joined the rest of the guards who were keeping the onlookers back, until a loud and somnolent bell rang, and almost immediately the fury of the crowd quieted and calmed down, and all eyes turned to the balcony as the doors opened... and out walked Celestia, with Luna and Sombra at her right, Twilight and Midnight on her left. Their friends and Spike stood with the crowd below. Despite the bandages and her wing in a sling, she betrayed no discomfort and walked with stone-cold dignity. Once she reached the railing, she took a deep breath.

She spoke, her voice calm and even yet the undertone was tense and condemning, and her words reached everypony's ear as she spoke using the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"You stand accused of murder. You stand accused of treason. How do you answer these charges, Buck Cheap?"

All eyes turned back to Cheap. who just stood there, a glazed look in his eyes, everything about him drooping, as though all zeal and defiance in him had withered away.

"You masterminded a conspiracy to discredit the throne by poisoning shipments of food to create an outbreak across Equestria, do you deny it?"

Cheap said nothing.

"You undermined the authority of the crown in effort to sway the council to demand the abolishing of the throne so that the council would assume rule over Equestria, do you deny it?"

Cheap said nothing.

"You bribed a research assistant in the Department of Science and Innovation to give you the chemical formula of the poison you used to contaminate the food shipments sent out by the Galloping Grains Agricultural Society's wheat farms, do you deny it?"

Still, Cheap said nothing.

"And when you were discovered to be behind this entire conspiracy you used a magical artifact in an attempt to assassinate everypony in the council room, myself included, while you signaled your agents to subjugate the citizens of Canterlot! Do - You - Deny it?!"

Even then, as Celestia raised her voice, lacing it with contempt, Cheap said nothing.

"Wow, talk about stonewalling the royals," Thunderlane whispered to the others.

Celestia was losing her patience but she maintained her poise.

"Have you anything to say in your defense, Buck Cheap?"

Finally, Cheap slowly gazed up at the Princess of the Sun and she saw a pony who had nothing left as he spoke in weary disrespect, "Just get on with it..."

"If he wishes a speedy trial, shall we facilitate that wish?" Sombra whispered to his wife though Celestia gave no reaction before she took another deep breath.

"So be it... House Avarice will be dismantled, every ill-gotten Bit your family has acquired will be seized and donated to charities across Equestria. And as for you... You crimes are unforgivable. Your motives despicable. Buck Cheap! There is but one punishment I can pass, and thus... I sentence you to death!!"

There were cheers of approval from the crowd, but Twilight and most of her friends were aghast by Celestia's words. Twilight whispered to her old mentor, "Princess Celestia, please! Please reconsider, this sentence is-"

"Silence, Twilight Sparkle..." Celestia responded to her coldly in a tone she'd never taken with her old student. "This is the only way..."

Twilight looked upon her old teacher in horror as Celestia took another breath.

"There will be no delay. No leniency. No chance for you to wriggle your way out of this. Arbiter!"

Midnight stepped forward, a dark look on his face as Celestia lit up her horn, conjuring a golden bow with a single arrow, with fletchings of flaming orange feathers. She levitated them to him, and he accepted them, to Twilight's horror.

"Midnight, no! Please don't do this!"

"I must, Twilight," Midnight responded in a voice devoid of emotion. "It is my duty."

Twilight struggled before leaving a note and storming out, ashamed of what everything had come to. She felt her own trust misplaced after all this time. Midnight and the other royals ignored that to carry out this duty, and as she left, she was followed by Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Cheese Sandwich, who all likewise could not stand to witness what was about to transpire. A wave of happiness washed over Buck. At last, this torture would come to an end. No need for any crazy spells that resurrect the dead or remove the criminal, just honest, plain death.

He welcomed it. For all his life, he had been raised with one hoof in the light, the other in darkness. He had been forced by his father to witness ponies die. On his thirteenth birthday, his father had forced him to murder a snitch in cold blood. He'd lived his life in fear of his own father, forced to learn and partake in the true legacy of House Avarice. Crime. Murder. Extortion. When his father had died, he'd been elated, naively hoping he could redeem his family name, change it for the better.

How foolish he'd been.

Princess Twilight was right, he thought as he awaited his executioner, I never had a chance.

He heard hoofsteps and gazed up to see Midnight approaching, the bow and arrow held under his wing. There was no pity in Midnight's eyes nor enmity. It was almost as though he were a moving statue, only performing actions designated by an enchanter. Midnight gazed up at Celestia, who nodded, and so he readied his arrow and took aim.

"Let it be known that this is more than a simple execution of a traitor to this nation and her children. What happens now... is a warning. A demonstration of what awaits those who would dare to threaten my little ponies' lives and happiness. Take a moment. Breathe it in. To all enemies of Equestria, this is the fate that will await you!!!"

Taking those words as the signal, Midnight released the arrow-

*Shunk*

-and it buried itself into Cheap's stomach, causing him to gasp in utter agony!

He looked down at the arrow sticking into his gut, and realized, this was not going to be a merciful death. He was to be denied the sudden release into the embrace of the Pale One. No... he was to suffer.

Then! The entry point where the arrow had entered him, it ignited! He gasped in abject horror as the lick of fire blazed into a roaring flame, quickly spreading across his body as he let out an ear-piercing scream!!!! Everyone watched in shock as Cheap struggled even as the flames engulfed him completely, his screams barely heard over the roar and crackle of the fire!

...and then the screams stopped, and the flames quickly died down.

Cheap was gone. All that remained was a pile of ashes.

Silence befell the courtyard. Nopony spoke a word as they looked on in mortification at the ashes of the villain that had hurt so many of them, some of the mares actually felt pity while the stallions found themselves strangely empty, finding no satisfaction in Cheap's death... when everyone noticed the ashes suddenly shift and there was a strange cry. They looked closer and gasped to see... a foal!

A baby foal, coughing and sneezing, struggling out of the ashes and beginning to cry. It was a pegasus colt, with a wine red coat, a golden mane, and though no one was close enough to see, his eyes were glass bottle green. Sending the bow away, Midnight approached the crying colt and gently levitated him into his wing as Celestia spoke.

"Buck Cheap is dead. House Avarice is dead. This foal is a ward of the state and it is my deepest wish that he will be taken in by a family that will love him and raise him to be a pony who loves and respects his fellow pony. This trial is over... go home."

And with that, Celestia turned back to go inside, followed by Sombra and Luna. The crowd began to disperse while Midnight, followed by his friends who'd stayed to watch, went back into the castle, cradling the colt in his wing, gently shushing him to calm his fussing.

Midnight took the colt to the hospital wing, where a nurse gladly took the foal into her care and the baby was calmed with a bottle of warm milk. Midnight looked upon that little colt, as he happily drank his bottle, when he felt his friends watching.

"Weren't expecting this, were you?" he smiled before looking at them.

"Ah gotta say, Midnight," Applejack spoke up while quietly approaching the foal, "Ah don' think any of us saw this comin'."

"Nnope," Big Mac agreed.

"So... is that colt really Cheap?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Buck Cheap is dead, Rainbow," Midnight said firmly, "and this foal will have a better chance than Cheap did, to be loved and raised right."

There was a tense silence for a few long moments before they all came in and looked at the foal, and Soarin asked, "What's gonna happen to him? Will he... remember anything?"

"No. Cheap's life is over, and this foal will hopefully be taken in by a family that will love him," Midnight answered before taking a deep breath. "I got to go find Twilight."

"Good luck."

They all turned to the door and saw Cheese, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rarity, as the orange party pony said, "She doesn't wanna see anypony right now."

"Coochie-coochie-coo!" Pinkie whispered softly as she gently tickled the foal's belly, making him giggle before he suddenly looked upset and began fussing.

"Uh-oh, somepony needs a little attention," Fluttershy gently picked the foal up... and patted his back-

*BURP*

-and the fussing quickly stopped, evident by the foal's relieved sigh.

"There we go, all better," Fluttershy put the foal back into the crib and the way she just seemed to glow... Big Macintosh finally put it together. And fainted.

While Fluttershy, Applejack, and Thunderlane worried over the big red pony, Midnight slipped out to find his wife.

Midnight found his Twily in her old tower but hesitated to enter. To be fair, he knew it had been upsetting to her. Just because she hadn't stayed to witness it, the knowledge that her mentor had condemned a pony to execution and had her husband carry it out... Midnight sighed, hoping that the truth behind the execution would make it less... dark, but ultimately decided to let Twilight have her time alone.

Returning to the castle, he wandered the halls, uncertain of what to, who to talk to... when he noticed Blueblood coming his way.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Well, Big Macintosh is fine," Blueblood assured before chuckling, "It's just he finally managed to figure out he's going to be a father too, and I suppose the revelation caught him off guard."

"Heh, it's about time, I guess," replied Midnight and the two shared a good chuckle before another silence befell them.

The moment stretched a while before finally Midnight sighed, "I don't know what to say to her... Even if I explain what happened, even if she sees that baby, I don't think..."

"Twilight was always a little too pure," Blueblood shrugged, "I knew her since our days in my aunt's school, and though we partnered a few times for assignments, you know she was always more interested in books than friends back then. But there was always a brightness in her eyes, a love of learning and a belief in something... special.

"Now, she is a dear friend to me, and I love her in a very similar way as I love my sister, Cadance. Still, even as a grown mare and a princess, she retains this... rose-tinted view of the world, and something like this, it just conflicts with her on a personal level."

"And to witness the mentor she's always seen as the paragon of goodness challenge that perspective..." Midnight understood.

"...Midnight? Let's go talk with my aunt and then our friends," Blueblood suggested, "I have an idea, and I have a feeling it's going to be rather... sudden."

Author's Notes:

The arrow that was used to execute Buck Cheap was fletched with phoenix feathers - Cheap's crimes were too heinous for life imprisonment or banishment, at least to me, so that left execution; but even so, even if the crimes were that bad I don't feel Celestia would sentence someone to death so coldly. I considered it for a while before I finally realized the perfect solution and felt 'this can work'

So, Celestia came up with this alternative form of execution - Execute the criminal and give them a chance to start over; the phoenix arrow burns the victim to ashes and the victim is reborn from those ashes, just like a phoenix

Chapter 14. A Cheerful Day in White

As the minute hand passed the number twelve, the grandfather clock in Rarity's room began to chime the noon hour. After the execution and subsequent rebirth of Buck Cheap, Rarity had decided to retire to her room for a nap. The chiming of the clock stirred her from her sleep, but it was the knock at the door that truly ended her rest.

Groaning, she sat up in bed, calling, "A moment, if you please!"

She levitated a mirror, brush, and comb, took care of her bed mane and used a simple charm to turn her mane into its usual style, maintaining that exquisite curl she often sported. Then she applied a little light mascara and brushed her coat to get rid of any mussing, and once that was done, she gave herself another look and nodded. She got out of bed, and called, "Enter."

The door opened and in came Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, and they had brought with them some kind of garment.

"Get yer caboose movin', Rares," Applejack urged, "th' Princesses an' Prince Sombra `re expectin' us fer lunch."

"Uh-huh! They also want us to dress up nice!" Pinkie Pie added, looking a little too bouncy and giddy for a lunch with the royals.

"We have your dress ready for you," Fluttershy held it out to Rarity, and the unicorn levitated it up for her to see.

It was... simple, just a tad plain, but there was something about it that Rarity couldn't help but consider... beautiful. The fabric was as white as fresh fallen snow yet gave off a faint shimmer similar to mother-of-pearl, it came with a necklace of baby blue sapphires, a candlelight yellow ribbon, and it breathed like Somnambulan cotton. Trying it on, Rarity regarded herself in the mirror, and softly uttered, "Oh my..."

Looking upon herself in the looking glass garbed in this dress, the concept 'simple yet elegant' came to mind yet it just didn't seem to give the look justice. Then she saw noticed her friends all looking rather smiley and happy, and asked, "What is it, darlings? Am I missing something here?"

"Not at all, sugarcube," Applejack replied with such a warm smile.
"You look perfect," Fluttershy added.
"C'mon-c'mon-c'mon-c'mon-c'mon!! We don't wanna be late!" Pinkie bounced eagerly.

What are these dears up to...? Rarity wondered as she watched them get dressed to.

Like her, their dresses were simple in design but each was colored and accented and accessorized in just the perfect way that they complemented her friends' looks.

"Let's go!" they all said and led Rarity out.

But as they walked through the hallways, Rarity noticed something, "Um, girls? Isn't the way to the dining room in another direction?"

"Oh we ain't gonna eat in th' dinin' room, Rares," Applejack replied with a cheeky look. "Let's jus' say... the occasion calls fer someplace more... special."

This confused Rarity, but she kept following her friends and the direction they took, something in the back of her mind began to ring with recollection but she just couldn't put her horn on it. Before long, they arrived at a pair of large doors, and Pinkie said, "Rarity! This is for you!"

It was only when the doors began to open that Rarity remembered this place... and gasped at what she saw inside!

The set-up wasn't quite so extravagant as it had been for Shining Armor and Cadance. But it was wonderful all the same. Lavender hung from wall sconces, royal blue and pure white ribbons hung between the pillars, the aisle was covered with white rose petals, leading up to the altar, where he stood, wearing only the same lapel and blue bowtie he'd worn that night they met at the Gala. He stood there, smiling a little nervously and yet there was a hopeful look in his eyes.

Looking around, she saw her friends were in attendance. Shining Armor and Cadance too! The girls on one side, the boys on the other, and she felt her heart swell to see her parents and little sister were here too, all of them looking so darn happy. Luna and Sombra were there as well, but appeared to just be there to watch while Celestia stood at the altar, to officiate the ceremony.

Then... the sound of a piano began, playing the Wedding music, and Rarity stood there, completely caught off guard, something holding her back. Everypony began to look worried when Blueblood raised his hoof and told whoever was playing to cut the music.

Where was this coming from? Why had they put this all together so suddenly, without even discussing it with her? Why hadn't her Blueblood spoken with her? Why hadn't her Blueblood spoken with her? She stood there, trying to make sense of this, a part of her upset, a part of her a little angry, but mostly she was confused.

"Rarity?"

His voice made her look up to him, and in his eyes, she saw love and concern. Nothing more, nothing less. Then... it slowly began to dawn on her!

This private ceremony, with only their friends and family? These simple preparations? This... This was the wedding she was supposed to have, with her Blueblood. A pony who'd sought genuine and sincere love, had been heartbroken almost to the point where he'd just about given up, and then that night they met, something (or perhaps someone) had helped them realize their preconceptions of love were mistaken and misplaced.

Looking back, Rarity knew what a silly and foalish notion it was, to think she'd go to the Gala, believing that once their eyes met it would be love at first sight, and she'd marry him and live happily ever after. Then life belted her on the side of the head, and though they hit it off after casting aside their doubts and preconceived notions of romance, they'd come a long way.

She understood now, this simple ceremony, where only her friends and family were in attendance. It was perfect.

It was all she needed, because when it was over, Blueblood would be hers, forever and always.

Taking a deep breath, she returned Blueblood's look with a nodding smile, and he felt relieved before signalling the music to start up again. Rarity began to walk down the aisle when a bouquet of flowers was levitated to her and she looked to see it was Sweetie Belle, who looked so proud and happy for her big sister and Rarity resisted the urge to give her dear little sister a hug before accepting the bouquet and winking to her in gratitude. She saw her parents, Cookie Crumbles filming the whole thing while Hondo Flanks was struggling to keep it together as tears of joy flowed like an unattended faucet left on after bedtime.

She looked over to Luna and Sombra, both of whom smiled and nodded to her, and then to her friends. The boys stood to her right and the girls her left, each of them standing across from their special somepony. Twilight Sparkle and Midnight Blaze, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, Fluttershy and Big Macintosh, Applejack and Thunderlane, Rainbow Dash and Soarin, and Cadance and Shining Armor. Wait, there was somepony missing from this picture... and then she noticed her little Spiky-Wikey was the one playing the piano, and he peered over his shoulder to give her a smiling wink, so she blew him a grateful kiss.

Finally, she reached the altar and gazed up at her stallion and he returned her warm look with one of blessed and subtle joy. The music came to an end, and Celestia spread her wings.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, in the presence of Faust, to unite these two amazing ponies in holy matrimony."

Everypony looked on warmly as Celestia continued.
"It fills my heart with deepest joy, to see this young pony, my nephew, who I watched grow from a bright little colt into a stallion truly noble in heart, has found the special somepony he has always deserved to give that heart to, and to Rarity, the very embodiment of Generosity, I am eternally grateful for the happiness you have brought not only to Blueblood but to everyone else around you whose lives have been blessed by your unending generous heart.

"Do you, Blueblood and Rarity, join us here of your own free will to acknowledge the eternal bond the both of you share?"

"I do," answered Blueblood, feeling his spirit soaring sky high.
"I do!" answered Rarity, hoping her tears wouldn't ruin her mascara.

"You may face each other and join hooves," Celestia instructed, and once they did , she added, "Blueblood, you may recite your vows."

Looking into those pools of azure blue, pausing to wipe his beloved's tears away as he smiled at her and took a deep breath.
"Rarity... that night we met at the Gala, I had long been in a bad place. Before we met, I'd sought romance but looked in the wrong places, tried with the wrong mares. From me, they sought riches, luxury, fame, or false notions of romance that would ultimately have ended only in heartbreak. I had all but given up on finding a special somepony... until I met you. it still pains me, how I initially acted towards you and looking back I would not blame you had you refused to give me another chance after I had an epiphany - If I gave up on romance I would never find it, and spend perhaps the rest of my life in bitter loneliness. True love is worth the risk, and I cannot begin to say how happy I am that I gave it another chance and that it was with you.

"These past few years with you have been the happiest I've had in a long time, and so I now hope we can carry on together, no longer simply boyfriend and girlfriend, but as husband and wife. Your love, your inspiration, your generosity, your brilliance, every single thing about you is worth all the gems in the world to me and more. I vow, for as long as we both shall live, to love you, to protect you, to spend every moment we are together making you happy, to be a good husband who loves you, who respects you, who is true to you."

Rarity could no longer stop the tears from flowing now, oh her mascara was going to be ruined for certain! But... she found herself not caring in the slightest. Oh, what was love doing to her, she thought with a smile.

"Rarity, you may recite your vows," invited Celestia.

Taking a moment to get herself together, Rarity cleared her throat and took a breath before she began.
"Blueblood, I must confess... before we met, I had such silly notions of meeting you and expecting some ridiculous fairytale romance, and- Well, suffice it to say, I so foolishly judged a book by its cover. I forgot that you are so much more than a prince. You are a stallion of true worth, a pony with real feelings. Looking back to that night, I cannot fault you for how you behaved at first, as much as it hurt, for it helped me realize the illusions I'd fooled myself with, and break through them to see you for the pony you are. A stallion of true integrity, a mind that looks to the future and to reach new heights and knows the direction in life he is taking, a soul as sincere and beautiful as a diamond without flaw.

"I am so blessed to have found somepony as special as you, and thus I vow to love you, to believe in you, to be there for you whenever you are feeling lost or at a low, to be a wife that supports you, stands by you, to return any and all happiness you give me and more, and it is my sincere hope that one day, when we are ready, we will have a family of our own to cherish as much as I cherish you."

The attendees were tearing up and on the verge of applauding when Celestia declared, "Then by the power invested in me, I sanction this union in the name of Faust and declare these two souls as husband and wife! May we have the rings?"

Spike hurried over and pulled the rings out of his pocket and held them out. Celestia levitated them, placing the simple ring of white gold onto Blueblood's horn, and the ring with a diamond as clear as ice onto Rarity's horn before adding, "You may kiss the bride."

Throwing decorum out the window, Rarity threw her bouquet and lunged upon her husband, their lips meeting with tender passion (while the bouquet fell into the grasp of Rainbow Dash) and everypony present cheered and called out congratulations!

The wedding reception was warm, bright, and happy. By her marriage to Blueblood, Rarity was given the noble title of Lady, and Blueblood was welcomed eagerly by his new in-laws, Cookie and Hondo both insisting he call them mom and dad (Hondo insisting that sometime they go out to a hoofball game, which he'd always wanted to do with a son) and Sweetie Belle was so happy her big brother was now officially a part of the family.

A toast was proposed by Cadance to honor the newlyweds, and once things began to slow down...

"Twilight?"

She turned to look at her husband, who looked at her somewhat guiltily and asked, "Can we speak?"

Although she'd said or done nothing to make waves, as she hadn't wanted to ruin Rarity and Blueblood's big day, Twilight had spoken barely a word to Midnight throughout the whole thing. Knowing she couldn't avoid this talk forever, she sighed and nodded. Getting up, they quietly slipped away into the halls, where Celestia was waiting for them. Celestia easily sensed how reserved Twilight was towards her and Midnight, who knew that Twilight didn't want to be here.

For a moment, no one said anything. Until...

"Twilight... I am so sorry, for the way I spoke to you."

"That's why you're sorry?" Twilight responded softly. "You condemned somepony to death, you ordered my husband to carry out the sentence, and Midnight, you obeyed without hesitation or emotion."

Twilight took a deep shuddery breath as she whispered, "I- I just... can't wrap my head around this!"

Celestia and Midnght shared a remorseful look, and as much as either of them wished to hug Twilight they had a feeling it would not be welcomed.

"Twilight, what Buck Cheap did was beyond forgiveness," Celestia answered, her tone firm yet edged with emotion, "In the court of public opinion, he was already guilty. I passed down the sentence that had to be passed, in order to give everypony closure. His actions resulted in the deaths of dozens of victims, and his motives were in no way sympathetic.

"But you don't understand the truth behind my decision for his execution."

Twilight gaped at Celestia, looking almost disgusted until Midnight gestured down the hall and Twilight looked to see a nurse pony approaching, carrying a wrapped bundle.

"When I sentence someone to be executed, Twilight," Celestia explained as she levitated the bundle into her uninjured wing, "I have the executioner carry out the sentence with something I call a Phoenix Arrow. It's an arrow fletched with the feathers of a phoenix, enchanted to use the same regenerative flames to kill the condemned in fire and allow for them to be reborn from their own ashes."

Twilight's eyes widened as Celestia gently pulled part of the blanket away, revealing the baby colt Twilight hadn't seen earlier. Though the colors were switched around, somehow, Twilight knew.

"That's... Buck Cheap?" she whispered in awe.

"Yes... and no," Celestia replied, "the pony who was Buck Cheap is dead, and this colt is all that remains. It was as you said, Twilight Sparkle; he never had a chance. He was born into a family whose legacy was of corruption and vice. Now, he will have the chance everyone deserves - To be raised with love and joy, to grow into a good pony who can decide his own destiny."

For a moment, Twilight was speechless. She wasn't sure what to make of it. On one hoof, it was still cold and ruthless, but on the other, the reason behind it was... not so bad as she thought. Granted, learning about Celestia and Midnight and the Brotherhood a while back had shaken her, it had been something else entirely to see it with her own eyes - Celestia giving the order and Midnight carrying it out.

Sighing, she finally spoke, "I... I can understand the reasons, and I'm glad that Cheap is... But I need time to come to terms with this."

Celestia and Midnight shared a sad look and the sapphire alicorn morosely responded, "We understand. When you are ready to talk, we're both here to listen."

They turned to leave, Celestia holding the baby, when Twilight said, "Midnight?"

He paused mid-step and looked back at his wife, who stepped over to him and caressed his cheek, "Today I saw a side of you that I honestly don't like... But that doesn't mean I'll ever stop loving you."

His heart swelled as he reached up to hold his Twily's hoof, and they held each other's gaze in tender silence while Celestia smiled to herself and whispered to the baby, "I think they need some alone time," and quietly slipped away, leaving her old students to themselves.

Author's Notes:

Somehow, the idea of wedding Blueblood and Rarity in this just came to me and felt right; a happy occasion to lift the spirits in light of all that had happened.

Epilogue

A cloaked figure tread carefully through the foggy mountainside, her destination in sight. Remembering the security wards, she cast the right spells, allowing her safe passage into the narrow passageway that led to her mistress's lair within the tight space of two mountain peaks. While the outside wasn't much to look at, the interior was far more appealing, especially since she had finally left the cold out there and lowered her hood, revealing the face of Sunset Shimmer.

Gazing at the hall before her, it was an underground hall with red carpeting, wall-mounted orbs of soft light, giving it an oddly pleasant atmosphere, and there was even the sound of lounge music echoing off the stony walls. If it weren't for the faint smell of her mistress's habit, it would be almost homey. As she made her way down the hall, she heard a sinister chuckle and looked to the hallway that she was about to pass, seeing Tirek skulking in the shadows.

"Pleasant trip?" he asked with a growling smirk.

"Hmph," Sunset never spared a word to that monster if she could help it. Why Catrina decided to recruit that brute, she had no earthly idea.

She came to the end of the hallway she was taking and saw the armored unicorn standing vigil at the door.
"Lady Catrina is expecting me."

The armored unicorn nodded his permission and Sunset opened the door, stepping in to see Catrina was not alone. It was a spacious lounge with luxurious furniture, furnishings, and even a fully-stocked bar, where that insipid comic book character, the Phony Pharaoh (or Pharaoh Phetlock, as he insisted) was polishing a glass, Queen Chrysalis (or rather one of Chrysalis's proxies) barely regarded Sunset's arrival whereas Catrina, stretched comfortably upon a fainting couch while holding a cigar-holder that held a wrapped up joint of witch weed in her paw-like hand, exhaling a green mist before her eyes lit up at the sight of Sunset.

"Ah, Sunset, my dear, you're back sooner than expected. I trust everything went smoothly?"

"Yes, and I have it, just as you requested, my Lady," Sunset levitated something out from her cloak and laid it upon the coffee table in the middle of the room, revealing it to be the Aegis Armor medallion!

Catrina purred with satisfaction as she twirled her finger, her poisonous green magic levitating the relic to her clawed hand so she could examine it, "You have done purrrfectly, my loyal apprentice."

"That crazy duke did quite a number on the alicorns and Canterlot," Sunset reported. "Honestly, I find it a miracle that Midnight Blaze was able to defeat him."

"Tsk-tsk-tsk, even the strongest armor can't protect the weakest of creatures," the proxy Chrysalis sneered, serving as the mouthpiece and extension of her mother-queen.

"In the possession of one who knows how to bring out the Aegis Armor's true potential, this artifact can make one the greatest warrior alive," Catrina clarified, nodding in satisfaction that it was the real thing.
"The strength of an entire army embodied in the wearer of this relic... I take it that foolish duke is no more?"

"Celestia sentenced him to death," Sunset answered, "and Midnight carried out the deed."

"Well, at least they are more ruthless than I give them credit for, which makes for a more interesting opposition," Catrina purred before giving Sunset mysterious smile, "Well done, Sunset. Everything is going according to plan..."

"But... what about Starlight Glimmer?" Sunset brought up. "She escaped, and who knows what-"

"Put that worthless conformist out of your head, my dear," Catrina waved off the concern, "she knows nothing that could inconvenience us, and though I was unable to master her cutie-mark removal spell... I am fairly certain I've discovered a new avenue of its power."

"What do you mean?" asked Sunset, becoming more and more disturbed.

"Patience, Sunset," Catrina returned to relaxing, "all will be made clear soon enough... You are dismissed, take some time to relax."

Sunset gave a respectful bow and turned to leave, her uncertainty slowly but surely convincing her that whatever Catrina was planning, it was more than she bargained for.

Much more...