Chapter 1
The song was almost finished, she decided. Both "Rainbow Dash" and "Fluttershy", or whatever their real names were, joined their voices as the music grew to a crescendo. She risked a peek outside the chicken coop where she had been scouting for the last few days, happy for finally witnessing this display.
"I knew it! The primates are moving on with their animal mind control plan!" the cross eyed mare thought as she impotently watched the creatures standing with a look of pure adoration on their eyes. Only after the two agents had been long gone did she dare leave the coop, eager to report to her allies.
She understood now, more than ever before, that they were the last chance of Equestria.
Quiet as shadows two mares stalked the dark streets of Ponyville. Their steps were measured, their eyes darting like pinballs looking for enemies on the gloom, and breaths measured to be mistaken for the night breeze. They finally reached the meeting place, an average house near the center of the village. Forgoing knocking, they opened the door and headed towards the basement. Inside, a group of ponies watched with apprehension the newcomers.
"Lyra! I am glad you could come. Here, seat down. And I see you finally convinced your friend. Why don't you introduce yourself? We were about to get started." Derpy motioned to the two empty seats next to her.
The newcomer mare took in the scene of the cramped room. Nine ponies stood around a circular table full of pictures and documents. She recognized them all, passing acquaintances in this small town, but at the head was Derpy Hooves, her eyes focused for once, flanked by a familiar purple dragon wearing a fedora.
"The librarian cohort! What is he doing here?"
Spike answered promptly in a gruff voice. "Oh my dear Bon-bon, can’t you see? My work at the library is but a disguise! You are looking at a genuine spy, bringing news from the frontlines. After Derpy opened my eyes to the truth I decided I couldn’t stand the schemes anymore, and I am in the perfect position to interfere."
Bon-Bon nodded briefly, amazed that the baby dragon would risk himself so, but still slightly distrustful of this development. If a fraction of the things Lyra told her were true, the Chef Conspirator’s mind control magic was almost inescapable. Setting these thoughts aside to stir in her brain, the mare proceeded with a short introduction.
“Hello everypony, my name is Bon-Bon. You might have seen me around Ponyville before. Currently I live with-“
“Stop!” Derpy said, hitting the table. “The less we know about each other, the safer it is if one of us is caught, so try to limit all information to the essentials. Just tell us how you came across our little… organization.”
“Yes, you are right. Ok, my good… friend, Lyra, has been trying to convince me about these issues for months. At the beginning I didn’t believe. It all seemed to fit, but it seemed too big to be true. But then, for the first time in my life, I had an encounter!”
The room grew with an unsettling stillness, all presents leaning a little closer as Bon-Bon drew courage to talk about the incident.
“It happened on the market. I was going to buy some carrots when I saw her. Her mane, her coloration, heck, even her Cutie Mark were the same as mine. The wildest theories came to mind, from mirrors to a Pinkie Pie prank, until it happened: She spoke! Like an abomination, my beautiful voice replaced by something out of a nightmare, like a colt enacting a stupid imitation.”
“Did she see you?” asked Derpy, great concern oozing from her voice.
“Thank Celestia no. I ran away from the Thing as fast as I could. Then I realized: if the Doppelgangers are indeed real… what other theories may not also be real?” She barely noticed as sweat dripped from her face from the sheer terror of remembering the experience.
“I am glad you are safe. Even more, I am glad you saw the truth. We have theorized Doppelgangers for years, but that was the closest of such encounters we have notice. Of course, we all have thought to see someone like we in larger groups, but to single yourself out, and to finally hear the Warped Voice of the Creature… that is amazing. With what I learnt today on my spy mission, and the addition of a new pet to their arsenal, I guess I can finally unveil… the ultimate theory!”
Gasps could be heard all around the room. All members of the Club had been discussing the theory fruitlessly for months. Finally, it was time. Derpy activated a switch on the wall. The lights went dark, with the exception of one, focused on a picture she had pinned to the wall.
“My friends, for years I have been telling you about the great conspiracy that runs under Equestria. The clues have always been clear for those who seek to understand, but it is so prevalent, so powerful, that most ponies would rather believe it to be false, than accept the terrible truth: They are part of it, even if unknowingly. However, how could they, as the old adage would impede, fool all ponies all the time?” She looked at the newcomer, watching as her mind tried to piece all this information together.
“Sounds impossible, I know. Some lesser pony would assert that as proof this whole thing is false. However, today each of you will understand not only how it is done – but how it was created.
“At the root of everything are the Illumimare. This ancient organization has been around since the very creation of Equestria. They are in the government, they are in your schools, and they control the weather and your food too. At the head of the organization is, of course, the most powerful mare in existence, Princess Celestia. Their symbol is a triangle with an eye in the middle, representing the three races of pony kind and how they watch, control and unite them all-”
“Derpy, that is farfetched! You have no proof of that”, said Bon-bon with a confused look on her face.
She knew the reaction well, and without speaking a word, tore down the picture, revealing another one beneath it.
“You were saying?” she said, enjoying her detractor stunned look.
“This picture dates from the time of Ponyville foundation, when the first settlers asked the Princess for permission to establish a town here. Such symbols can be found in many places, always tied to some new part of their plans. This proves that our very city existence is due to the Illumimare! They have always planned for us to be here, as a forewarning against the dangers of the Everfree Forest and the Gates of Tartarus. In a way, we protect the ponies of Equestria. And this is important: as devious as they are, they are still ponies, and as so they care about ponies… so far as their own interests are catered to.
“Most of you indeed work for the Illumimare. The mail I deliver is how they know your thoughts, music like Lyra’s is how they keep the population under control. And of course, their leader moves the sun and the moon. It is unnerving, but they have been in power for so long, that we were not in any immediate danger… until the primates came!”
“Primates?” asked the assorted ponies. They all knew about the Illumimare, but this new danger had never been discussed before.
“Yes, primates! Horrible creatures which stand on two legs. No one knows where they come from. Some say they are from another dimension. Others, that they came from the stars to conquer our planet. Some even say they are the original inhabitants of our world. What we know however is that they are extremely clever and cunning, and see us ponies as inferior creatures to be exploited!” She paused, leaving a suspenseful atmosphere on her listeners.
“And they are among us!” she said dramatically while revealing the next paper on the wall.
“Fluttershy! Rainbow Dash! Rarity! Applejack! Pinkie Pie! Twilight Sparkle! You have talked with them, bought their wares, confided in them. You most likely consider them saviors of our little town. All of that a farce, a way for us to confide in them so their plans could proceed without our knowledge. Lyra was the one who brought this to my attention, so I will let her explain all this.”
Bon-Bon facehoofed, tired about all the primate obsession she had to deal with on a daily basis. However, after the Illumimare revelations, she grudgingly admitted there might be some truth to this. Lyra took Derpy’s place and started her speech.
“Hello everypony! I have been studying the primates way for some time. They are able to move and sit in ways that are very unnatural for normal ponies. Look at that second picture! Derpy managed to capture that during one of their secret meetings. After sitting like a primate for weeks I can assure you that a pony spine was not made to stay like that. This is a sure indicator of the fact they are not real ponies, but primates.
“Also, you many notice that their faces look off in that first picture. It is because of their magic that allows them to disguise as other ponies. It is very powerful, but if you manage to look at them straight on for a while, it is clear they are not normal ponies. No pony would have such a nose, for instance.”
“Thank you Lyra. I guess it should be clear now that they are not ponies, but primates. However, why would they come here to Ponyville? And why defeat Nightmare Moon? You must not forget that Twilight Sparkle appeared in Ponyville on the same day of her release. Coincidence? No! The truth is clear now.”
She ripped the previous image with a flourish.
“Nightmare Moon was an inside job!”
There was a collective gasp, the truth now evident for her audience.
“Yes! Twilight Sparkle was under direct orders from the Princess to join with the other Primates in Ponyville. They would use Nightmare Moon as a way to gain the public confidence. And the best way to do so would be to pose as heroes! Everyone knows the legend of Nightmare Moon – so why not use it? This picture was taken accidentally by Spike on the day before her attack. For months he tried to understand what such a Primordial Evil was doing in Twilight Sparkle’s hourglass. Now it is clear – they have been scheming to control Equestria for a long time! But that is not even the worst part of it. The truth is much, much worse.”
She made the current paper fall with a kick to the wall.
“Luna being sent to the moon was staged! Indeed, there never was a Luna or Nightmare Moon, it was Princess Celestia all along. Why do you think she never came to fight her? Indeed, we never saw them at the same time - only on that parade, where suddenly Nightmare Moon was not only a different color, but a filly! She has always been the only Alicorn. How could we have been so blind to think she was a fairy tale come alive? Besides, the only ones that witnessed her dismissal were precisely the ones in the conspiracy. Why else would she run away to the middle of the Everfree forest, if not to hide the fact that it was all fake? And of course the sun didn’t rise – Celestia is the one who controls it.
“But then think: she never had transfiguration powers. But you know who can do that? The Primates! It is clear that she, as the head of the Illumimare, has allied herself with the Primates!”
She stopped to catch her breath. All over the room the ponies had shocked faces.
“You wish that was the truth. But it goes oh so much deeper, and it dates back to when Celestia took Twilight Sparkle as her student. Spike has told me the story – the young filly was trying to enter the school for unicorns, when suddenly a Sonic Rainboom made her magic go out of control. She, contrary to years of tradition, was accepted as her first personal student in the history of Equestria. Don’t you think that strange? There is a simple explanation, of course, that explains also how they could fool us for so long.”
She revealed the last paper of the stack.
The room fell silent, the realization downing on them all.
“That is right! The so called ‘Sonic Rainboom’ is just a way for them to control your mind! That is how they can hide their disguises, and fool all of Equestria! I believe that Celestia has been brainwashed, together with many other ponies, and are now slaves to their will! This means that the Primates have control over the most powerful organization in the world: The Illumimare!”
“The horror, the horror!” cried some of her audience members.
“Yes, it is terrible. And they are progressing quickly with their plans too. You saw the Sonic Rainboom over Cloudsdale the other day. I was at the site, but was unaffected. Maybe it was just how I keep my eyes protecting me… but I believe that was just a test for something bigger, to see if they are able to deliver it at will. Twilight Sparkle also tried some kind of mind control magic, disguised as making everypony fall in love with her doll. If you need any more proof, just remember that all but her closest friends and Celestia were unaffected. I shudder to think what would happen if she were to combine it with the Sonic Rainboom.
"And then there are the songs. Staged musical performances at will? Of course not! Those are just their mind control powers projecting images on our brains. At first I thought only Pinkie Pie had such powers, but after witnessing today's display, looks like even the others are able to force their will into lesser minds.”
“But what is their final objective?” asked Bon-Bon, now completely sold on the whole idea.
“I wish I knew. Spike has been spying Twilight and her friends’ correspondence. As of lately all of them have been sending letters to the Princess. However they clearly talk in code, hiding their true intentions behind messages about friendship lessons. He will try to send a similar one to see if he can crack the code or get some reaction, but so far he couldn’t find a suitable excuse.
“However, I can be sure they are planning something big. I believe that Discord breaking free has delayed their plans, but I am sure they will try to take control of the Canterlot nobility next. Not all of them are in the Illumimare, and even those inside its ranks must be feeling the effects of their plans. It would probably try to portrait her friends as heroes again, distracting their targets while Dash does her work. I also still haven't understood how these Doppelgangers work into the scheme, but I hope to find an answer soon.
“Friends, we must stay strong, and get ready for the worse. I will need your help in information gathering, but we must stop whatever they are planning. Together we can defeat them. For the future. For Equestria!”
The cheering from the basement echoed loudly in its soundproof walls.
The meeting was over, and Derpy sat alone in her roof. She was thinking about the dangers, about what she would still need to sacrifice. She had to act stupid as a disguise, leading to many problems and much teasing from less friendly ponies. Dinky was unaware of her research, but what if she was found out? The thought of her daughter in the aim of those monsters made her stomach churl. Not to mention how even her most personal symbol, her Cutie Mark, that showed how far her mind could fly, was now taken as a sign of a bubbly personality.
But how could she rest with Equestria in danger? Her daughter was so young! She had to stop the plans set in motion by the conspiracy, whatever the cost, so that her filly would be able to live in a world free of Primates, to grow as something other than a slave to an alien race.
“I know the truth is out there”, she whispered looking at the stars, her confidence renewed by her new discoveries. “I want to believe!”