Nightingale: A prologue.

The story, you've heard it before surely. Long ago there were two Alicorn Princesses who ruled the lands of Equestria.

One presided over the day, and the over bore vigilance for the night. They were wise and humble, and they loved everypony very much. But, love and tolerance could not stop the uprising. Ponies, as foolish as they are believed they could govern themselves, that they, dispite their fallible nature, could provide fair, just, and harmonious treatment of their peers.

The Princesses knew otherwise. They knew, better than anypony, that power corrupts. And, unlike themselves the ponies of their lands were prone to corruption, easily persuaded by fear and greed, that should the ponies govern themselves they would, in time, bring war, death, amd unending hardship upon themselves.
The two agreed that it would be best for everypony, all future ponies, to fight this rebellion.

If it weren't for Supreme Commander Sombra, the war would have been extremely one sided. He knew magics that rivaled the old gods, though dark as it was, it was the only choice.

The ponies were victorious, the princesses fled and Sombra became king. He elected councils to divide his power across the budding "republic".

It was a lie. Sombra's courts and councils bow to his will, the public none the wiser, but this is not important. What is important is his beautiful daughter Nightingale, trained in magic from birth, skilled in magic far beyond her years. He hopes she will take the throne if he passes.

What he doesn't know, is that for 19 years, the Princess of the night has walked with her in her dreams, shown her the beauty of the old world, and the nightmares of the new.

She will do as the Princess has told her. She will restore harmony and balance to her world...

Through friendship...

Tonight, she leaves the confines of Castle Shadow Scar, to seek a new life for herself, and prepare a new life for her people.

Chapter 1: Nightingale

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"Princess Gale, Ohhh Princess Gale! Your father is waiting for you!"

The voice belonged to the steward of the castle, my pseudo nany and surrogate mother Mrs. Cake. A sweet, portly mare. Which was rather amusing to me as her husband, the royal baker Mr.Cake was a lanky man, thin as a nail. They had children, the young squire Pound Cake, and Pumpkin Cake seemed to have found work assisting my father, High King Sombra Umbrae. I am Nightingale Umbrae, his first and only child. I lead a privileged life to say the least, I my dresses are sewn from the finest silks, studded with enough gems to make the fabric heavy. My days are spent leisurely stalking the halls of my lavish, if not disquieting home. When I'm not sleeping I'm studyin, which isn't very hard as my special talent is magic, which happens to be the focus of my studies.

I have suitors from lands even my father hasn't seen, groveling for my attention, showering me in lovely poetry and jewls, displays of idolatry that literally move mountains.

I even have a ward, who is a dragon no less. Thorne has been my servant for as long as I've been alive. His family is indentured to mine ever since my father saved his mother from a wild windigo stampede. Of course, I hardly treat him as my father does his dragons. I have been chastised for not punishing Thorne when perhaps I should have, but I just believe that punishing an someone doesn't correct the error.

I suppose my point is, I have the least amount to complain about. I want for nothing, if I want it, I will have it. They will give it to me freely, or I will take it, and none will challenge me.

Ponies would kill to be me, if only for an hour.

And yet... I'm not happy.

My life is empty, no meaning.

I have power, wealth, beauty, prestige, talent...

And I don't know happiness...

Or I didn't, until a few nights ago.

You see, for as long as I can remember, I've had a dream guardian, a mare who protected me against nightmares when I was a filly...

I got to meet her last night, and she took me out, beyond my castle home, guised as peasants we walked the streets, sang songs with the rabble, danced with the drunks. We saw a movie, we sat on the grass outside a little hamlet and gazed up at a sky untouched by pollution, or civilization...

It was a wonderful night. I felt... well... happy!

We talked, and talked and talked and talked.

We talked about my father...

I learned what Sequestria was like before it was called Sequestria...

Some called Equestria...

Most just called it home.

It was then I realized that my lack of happiness was shared throughout a country, perhaps a continent and I knew what I had to do.

I would walk in my father's hoofsteps, and start a revolution.

"Miss Nightingale! Your father grows impatient! Are you aware you have company?"

But, there was this. My fathers' galas. He invites the most pretentious ponies to have a meal with him, and to try to pawn me off on some noble brat...

Perhaps I'm too harsh but, well... The Blue Bloods have been with my father since the begining , Mr.Blue Blood is a titan of a colt, and genuinely charming in his rustic fashion...

But his son...

Oh by the moon is his son annoying! He fancies himself a prince and insists we're made for eachother

`your beautiful and quiet, I'm devilish and brilliant. And the best part, you know that your place is in the bedroom.`

I thought about teleporting his genitals into his throat, but that's a waste of energy...

Instead I just kicked them there. But, I've digreessed.

"Nightingale vas Umbrae. I am coming up."

The strong, distinguished, authoritative voice of my father echoed to my chambers, where I was currently preparing an escape hatch...

And by hatch I mean a lot of bed sheets tied to eachother.

When my father teleported into my room, the expulsion of shadow reminded me that I too had a teleportation spell.

"Nightingale, my darling child. What in the world is taking you so long?"

My father... Tall,terrifying, with eyes like vipers that look through you, see your true worth and snuff it out like a candle in the wind...

Was speaking gingerly and sweetly, eyes half lidded as he embraced me. He was called the shadow king of the north by his enemies because he was as cold as winter snow...

But none of those ponies ever called him dad.

"Darling, you know I have company. What are you doing up here? You aren't even remotely ready. Is something troubling you, something's troubling you."

He drew me over to my bed and we sat down, he ran a brush through my mane, half because it soothes me like nothing else, and half because I needed to brush my mane to at least look half presentable.

"Night, tell me what's wrong. You've been acting strangely for some time. Is everything all right?"

"... Dad... Tell me again about the princesses..."

"What?"

"What did you do to them."

"I banished one to the moon, and exiled the other."

"Were they bad?"

"In a sense. They weren't cruel, but they were stubborn and foolish. And tyranny-"

"Must never go unpunished..."

"Exactly... Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering."

"Well be careful who you wonder to darling, those two are a very touchy subject for many ponies still. Pay them no mind."

He continued brushing my mane and I didn't fight him, how could I? He was my dad... I was leaving tonight, I was...

... But I'd at least let him know.

Chapter 2: Trixella

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I accompanied my father down stairs. He was escorting me to our 'grand galla' entrance, like he always did. Upon reaching the balcony the usher would announce our us, and we would enter.

"Presenting His royal majesty, King Sombra vas Umbrae and the princess, Nightinggale vas Umbrae!"

I looked around the ball room, lit up by colored lanterns the place glowed with a cascade of lights and the smiling faces of ponies from the diamond district of Crystal City, stomping their hooves in appreciation. Revering us. Cherishing their lives and honoring my father for letting them keep them.

All but a lone pony, a navy blue stallion in the back. He was wearing a white vest and black tie, his mane was a dark green, with splashes of black...

And it looked and awful lot like cotton candy.

He stared at me from back there in his shadowy corner, and I stared back. ponies were talking around me but I couldn't hear them, I tuned them out. He mouth moved, forming a word I couldn't hear.

I think he called me beautiful.

Before I could react, he was gone. A few ponies moved by and I lost him in the crowd.

"Gale, Gale come with me. I want you to meet someone."

my father had begun to lead me towards a group of ponies, the ponies I had come to know as the Lunamoons.

"Gale, this is Prestidigitation Lunamoon, and his daughter, Trixella."

"Somby, why can't you call me Presto? Everypony else does."

My father and this stallion embrace, and the mare whom I was just introduced stared at the ground for the most part. Her silver hair in a bun, in a dress of purple and silver, the colors of her family. I do the only polite thing and curtsy in my own dress of red and black... Or was it black and red? I could never remember.

"I am-"

"Oh I know exactly who you are! You're the magnificent Nightingale! I've seen alll of your duels! I'm a huge fan!"

As I looked her over, it donned on me that I had seen this mare before. When the annual magic tourney my father sponsored was held, I was allowed to participate occasionally, and on those occasions, this mare was sitting as close to the arena as the warding spell would let her.

"Oh yes. How could I have forgotten..."

"Yup, Tixie never shuts up about how she wants you to teach her."

The blue mare hissed at her father, much like I would in her position.

"I-I don't ever shut up- I mean I don't talk about you that much- I mean... Oh gosh I'm befuddled... Uhmm... Hi, my name is Trixella ve Lunamoon. Would you please teach me magic?"

She was bowing, her head low. She was... Well, I would have been the same if I were meeting my idol. It felt strange, I had suitors, I had servants, I had heard every request in the world made of me. Until now.

"Gale, the Lunamoons are our wards. Prestidigitation here was my magistrum commandrae when I first joined the revolution. Teach her a few things, I'm sure you'll learn something from her too."

At this, 'Trixie' bolted up, blushing and waving her hooves dismissively in front of her face.

"Oh no,no,no,no! I would never presume to teach your daughter! I'm sure she knows everything I know already! I-I-I just know a few cantrips, b-b-b-"

"Trixie, come on. I don't feel like staying here much longer anyhow. Father, I will in the grove if you need me."

He smiled and nodded. I had seen that smile and nod so many times. So many, many times. His enemies, when they saw his smile, they saw a sadistic tyrant, I see my dad telling me I can go show my new friend how to blow things up.

But... But I knew he was only as kind as he was with these allies of his. Outside... once as a filly, I saw him tear a colts sight away. An old coot of a colt who told him my fortune. I never got to hear my fortune. But it upset my father so much he tore the sense of sight from the stallion's eyes...

I can do the same thing, but... But I don't think I ever could...
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I had brought Trixie to the grove. It was always beautiful by moonlight, the cherry blossom trees turned the light a faint pink when the moon's gaze fell upon them. The pond at the center lay completely still, and the moon's reflection shone brilliantly upon it.

"So. What would you like to learn?"

I turned on the mare, she was hiding her face, shyly tucking it behind her leg.

"Y-You really d-don't have to me anything your highness, just being here with you is like a dream come true."

I looked at her and nodded to the pond.

"Very well. Want to just sit with me?"

She followed behind me timidly. Sitting next to me, looking into the pond.

"Your highne-"

"Please, you can call me Gale. Trixie, why do you keep hiding your face from me? I mean, is the ground really that much more interesting than my face?"

I had just decided I was going to do something immature, foolish, scandalous, and downright embarrassing.

I was going to totally make out with this mare.

"I mean, am I THAT hideous?"

Her head bolted up from its position looking at me distraught and befuddled. She shook it violently left and right to dismiss my accusations.

"Nonononono! You're beautiful! Stunning! I don't think I've seen a prettier mare in my life! Eep!"

Her head shot down in embarrassment, I could see her hot blush in her reflection on the water. She was very cute, had I had the chance to meet her before tonight I may have included her on my escape plan. She fit me perfectly, I found out a long time ago I liked the shy type. We connected. My royal, romantically dominant upbringing had an affect on shy ponies that made my inner sadist squeal in delight.

"Well I have..."

My magic gently wafted below her muzzle, turning it towards me so I could look her in the eyes.

"I'm looking at her right now."

Her face...

Priceless. I didn't label myself a sadist but, I did say I had a sadistic part of me, part of being an Umbrae I guess. I did find sick enjoyment from playing with ponies emotions.

It was one of the few forms of entertainment I had.

"P-P-P-P-P"

"Trix, your mane is all bundled up. Just like you. I hate these galas, the dresses are always so tight, restrictive. Like castle walls."

I pulled the pin out of her hair, slowly tugging at the strings on her dress. Her mane was a luscious silver that sparkled in the light of the moon.

"You're such a beautiful girl Trixie. You've seen me, now let me see you."

Effortlessly the dress came off, Trixie covered herself instinctively with her hooves.

"Now. How about you do me, and we'll get a good look at each other. If you don't like what you see, or don't like me staring, we'll stop, okay?"

Trixie, a feverish blush on her face slowly removed her hooves, using her magic to nervously untie my dress.

"Your really meant to be seen by moonlight, your body just has this.... Glow to it. It's enthralling."

"Y-y-you're emb-b-baressing m-m-me p-p-princess-"

I leaned in closer as I slid my now untied dress off my body, very close to my new entertainment.

"It's Gale. Remember?"

I swear she looked like she had turned into a red pony. Her blush was absolutely shameless. I didn't know she had such strong feelings for me, my number one fan wanted to...

Well I guess that shouldn't be too surprising actually.

My hoof slid down her chest and she shuttered, exhaling heavily.

"G-Gale, w-we really shouldn't..."

"Shouldn't what?"

I leaned in closer, inches from her lips.

"We're not doing anything."

She felt my breath on her, I know she could because I could definitely feel hers on me.

"I-I-I uhmmm...."

"Two lovely mares close like this by moonlight. Both enchanted by the presence of the other..."

I giggled and pushed her mane from her face with my hoof.

"Absolutely nothing could happen."

I think I might have broken her, as her mouth was slightly open and she looked at me, her eyes half lidded and dreamy.

I pressed our lips together gently, gently falling on her on the grass.

Chapter3a: Sombra, pt1

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"Presenting His royal majesty, King Sombra vas Umbrae and the princess, Nightinggale vas Umbrae!"

I am Sombra, Shadow King of the North.

Chapter3b: Bebop.

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I stared at Trixie's unconscious, sweat covered, shameless little body. It seemed this had been her first time. I was happy to have it be me, but thought on what exactly it meant that I still planned on leaving.

I had just taken an innocent fan, now turned groupie, and layed her on the grass and... Indulged her until she couldn't take it any more. She was enamored with me, more than once she mumbled in her cute little love intoxicated state that she loved me but my plans hadn't changed.

I don't even think I cared.

Was that bad? I thought so... But... But it was fun, seeing her melt in my hooves, getting my way...

Getting my way was maybe the one thing I'd miss from my life. I did like being right, I did like getting what I wanted. A side-effect of being an Umbrae I suppose. My dark indulgence was sociopathic manipulation...

Not bad considering. But I was not under the delusion I was a saint. Some mares had hobbies, mine was getting ponies to do what I want. Which, now that I think about it... Was no different than my father, perhaps I didn't have his sadistic tendencies but... But why was I planning to start a revolution?

Because I wanted to bring happiness back to Sequestria...

Equestria...

That's what I kept telling myself, but... But was it really that benign? I can't see anyone else on the new throne besides myself. No one else is fit. If I succeeded I would have disposed my father. Usurpation...

I hardly thought of all this till now, and I shouldn't start thinking about it so much now on the night of my escape. The best thing to do is put these thoughts aside, and carry on.

I used Trixie's dress to cover her up, making a makeshift blanket to cover her up and tuck her under. She stirred but once, murring my name lucidly.

"Goodnight, goodbye."
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I had dressed myself, and returned to the party. My father was nowhere to be seen and that was about as assuring as it was unnerving. I scanned the room, making sure he wasn't watching from some painting or balcony. My plan was to slink back into my room, gather my things, get Throne, and escape during the party. But if my father saw me leaving for my room, there would be hell to pay.

"Introducing the Dukes; Flim and Flam!"

Oh gods no!
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I could feel their eyes on me and my body shook. The Flimflams were my fathers leading arcane science company and threw technology ahead almost thirty years in only about ten. They were a wealthy, affluent family and their twin sons had a huge crush on me, but worse yet-

They were very persistent stalkers.

"Hey there princess!"
"How are you doing?"
"Fine we hope!"
"We most certainly hope."
"You look-"
"Sexy!"
"Fantastic!"
"Alluring."
"Sensational!"
"Sensual."
"Cometasti-"

"Boys! Thank you... I'm in the middle of something. We can talk-"

"Well let us help!"
"Yes, we're all too eager to please!"
"That is to say a problem is solved faster with three sets of hooves-"
"Three brains-"
"Three horns-"
"Threesome."
"Flim!"
"Sorry brother of mine it was a slip of the tongue."
"I bet! I say brother was that innuendo too?"
"Only if your minds going were mine already is chum."
"Well if you keep talking like that I think I just might need to take an express train to catch up!"
"Well then you best by your ticket, I'd recommend a two way ride."

By the old ones were these two obnoxious...

"Wooooah there Flim, you're insinuating an awful lot here. Maybe the princess doesn't have a thing for stallions."

But they gave me the best Ideas.

"Yes I'm a-"

"She's with me."

The voice came from behind me, it was that navy pony from before, with the cotton candy mane. He trotted over and layed a hoof over my back and pulled me to his side.

"Sorry babe, didn't mean to take so long."

He kissed my horn tip-

He kissed my horn tip!

Now, I don't consider myself a racist, but the day an Earth pony kisses my horn is the day...

Well it's the day I disown my father...

"ohh it's alright sweet heart, sorry boys, I meant to tell you I'm seeing someone."

"Name's Bepop."

"You... Don't have a title do you?"
"I never heard of any family with a pony named Bepop."
"I've never heard of an Earth pony aristocratic family."
"Does your father know you're dating a commoner?"
"A common earth pony commoner?"
"Not to sound racist, it's just-"
"Her father's a purist."
"You seem alright."
"You got through the gate."
"They let you in."
"They let you pass."
"But our point is-"

They both inhaled deeply, their run on about to conclude in the way they enjoyed so much.

At the same time.

"She's just out of your league."

He was. But he was getting me out of this so I couldn't complain... Too much.

"Well... I uhmm... Yeah..."

"No offense."
"Not to offend you."

"Well uhm, thanks... Now uhmm, if you'll excuse us, I have to go sleep with the girl you have wet dreams about-"

Oh snap!

"Because I'm not good enough. Catch ya guys later."

With that he took me and led me toward the common, slapping my ass as we left.
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Bepop was clutching his eye, I had punched him as hard as I could. I hit him so hard his puffy mane deflated.

"What the hell was that-"

"Kissing my horn, slapping my ass, and now everypony in that room thinks I'm sleeping with a commoner!"

"Wow, I had no idea you were an elitist bitch, last time I save you from anything."

"I'm not an elitist! And I only dabble in the mystic arts of bitch... Thank you, but if you ever so much as look at my plot again I will personal see to it that you spend the rest of your life, relearning the definition of pain... Are we clear?"

He took a moment to make sure his eye wasn't out of his skull, or bleeding before coming to his hooves to look me in the eye worriedly

"Crystal. Name's Be-"

"So you said."

"And you are?'

"Are you in the habit of sexually harassing mares you don't know?"

"Just wanted to know if you could introduce yourself."

"I don't need to. I have people for that."

I was being... Well I was being a brat, but I think he got the joke.

"So... Haveyouhadweirddreamsaboutstartingarevolutionandoverthrowingyouroldmantobringpeaceandhappinessbacktoequestria?"

"..."

"Sorry I just-"

"How did you know..."

Chapter 4: Last dance.

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I looked at Bebop. I looked at him hard.

From what I've come to understand, my father has a certain stare he uses. It's a stare that is said to look through a soul and lay bare the sins of gods.

Of course, these were exaggerations. But it should give you an idea of how hard I was staring at this earth pony.

"Answer me. How. Did you. Know?"

Bebop backed up, his head darted left and right nervously as I matched him step for step.

"I uhh, I'm not to sure. Ya see I'm not exactly allowed to say. I mean it's not really important is it?"

I wheeled on him. I took a decisive step forward, challenging this ponies knowledge of my dreams, and the plans there created by.

"It does. Talk."

"Well uhmm... A... Well..."

He stammered and stuttered as I backed him into a corner of the common room floor. I could feel a certain urge in my horn to split his skull with a focused shadow blast but I fought that back. It was neither ladylike nor friendly. Two things I tried to be as often as possible... Hopefully yelling and being threatening were friendly and ladylike.

"Tell me!"

"The dream princess visited my dreams last night and told me! I am a member of the resistance! Goodness... Y-You're... Y-you're really scary..."

I since had turned my back to him. The dream princess? Did he mean my dream guardian? I suppose earth ponies had a different name for things. I had to admit, I suspected I wasn't the only pony she visited. She knew too much to only have visiting my dreams. To ask some pony to help me though? I had a plan! It would work! Didn't she trust me? Didn't she believe in my capabilities?

"A-Are you-?"

"Silence! I'm thinking... If... If you're here to help me... How did you plan to do that?"

He looked at me oddly, at least... At least I was sure it was oddly. He seemed to honestly have no clue how he was-

"I have no clue. I figured I'd meet you first, then see if you had a plan."

...

"You're an idiot."

He just shrugged.

"Yeah most likely."

I sighed and began to pace. My father definitely knew he was here, he talked about the resistance allll the time. To think he didn't know Bebop was here was foolish.

I was not a fool.

"I... I think I know how you can help... How fast can you run?"

Bebop looked at me excitedly, then his expression slowly drooped as I told him of my plan, and his role within it.
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We returned to the party separately, I wouldn't risk my father seeing me with this revolutionary. I knew my father was watching me, he had to be. He always did. During these events he had someway of keeping his eyes on me. I needed to make it back to my-

"Nightingale, my dear daughter. Where is your friend? You took the young Ms. Lunamoon to the grove didn't you? I would think you would return with her?"

My father, in his dark splendor had stalked up on me. For a stallion of his stature, he was quite the successful sneak. His eyes were... Deeper, they were hiding something that I'm sure he would reveal to me dramatically; As was his way. I noticed that I was more or less in the center of the room, I had trotted myself into the center of the main hall in my hasty attempt to return to my room.

The only thing that gave this away to me is that everypony had backed away. Giving me and my father the room as the music changed.

Soon we were standing close. And we began to dance.
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I was a good dancer. I had been instructed by the ponies who taught my father, and those ponies were instructed by those who were instructed by the princesses of the old regime. This was always the song we danced to. It was dreadfully long. But it was my father's wish, and nopony would dare tell my father no.

He was a war hero.

He was King.

He was...

Terrifying.
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My hooves followed his as he led me in our dance around the room, the aristocracy falling in behind us. As the crowd joined the dance my father pulled me a little closer, and lay his head against my neck

"Gale... What have I done to deserve your ire?"

His voice was quiet. Hushed. Not that anypony could hear him above the music but something was lingering in his voice... I sensed... Hurt.
"What do you-"

"A commoner steals my daughter away from my gala? From two of the most talkative, sycophantic individuals to exist and you don't think I'd hear every detail?... I saw him when he entered. I saw how he watched you all night. I wouldn't react unti lI knew what he was up to... And in my temperance... I discovered instead, you are the one with the plan..."

I felt my face reel in shock or horror, I can hardly separate the feelings. My body moves to the music as it has since I was a filly, but I am now considerably less comfortable.

"I... I don't..."

"You don't need to say a word... You explained everything, when you thought I wasn't watching... You... You're very foolish, as my daughter you should know I never take my eyes off you... So you know then?"

I gulp and swallow the shock and fear in my throat and muster whatever courage I have. He wouldn't kill me... But... But Bebop... He could very well lead my father to every resistance member, and my father could and would do unspeakable things to them.

The tempo picks up, we've been dancing almost eight minutes and this is my favorite part.

"I know. You couldn't hide this from me forever."

I feel my father smile.

"My dear girl, I had no intention of ever hiding it from you... I was waiting for you to discover it yourself."

As our waltz increases in speed along with the tempo he adds flourishes that our new to me. He spins me around and around. I look up to stop myself from having to see the colors of the walls around me. As I do though, I begin to really look at the ceiling. As I spin I see that the dots on the black ceiling swirl with me, what I had always thought were just stars in fact told a story. The stars shifted an morphed into two princesses and a unicorn, telling a story in motion.

The story told was one where he tried to take their throne and failed, and in his sorrow turned to a dark power. With it, he would lead a war against them, using fear and greed to overwhelm them...

My father didn't just want to tell me the whole story.

He wanted me to watch.

So I did. I watched as my father fell in love with the princess of the moon. I watched him try to woo her, I watched as the stars spun to show me how those events had unfold.

She was uninterested, aloof, indifferent. Characteristics of the moon, things she couldn't change but he still blamed her for.

The stars whirl around and skip ahead; showing me the war.
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Bebop bounced from roof to roof, cursing his luck. It would be his luck that he had to help the psycho princess.

"Go to the castle she said! Help the princess she said! It'll be fun she said! Pfft... I'm just a crazy bitch magnet... I should learn how to say no to a crazy bitch."

Two guards drop silently, their bodies falling onto the ground far below.

"I don't wanna know why. Why is it I can't say no to a crazy bitch? It's gotta be something wrong with me. None of my dude friends deal with crazy bitches, it's just me. I mean... Crazy bitches are cool, I can only imagine what that prince-ass could do with a little lube and allllot of-"

"Hey you! What are you doing- AGH!"

Bebop had tossed a small knife into the guards neck. He too fell off the ramparts.

Bebop is like Rarity... But a ninja...

He continued bouncing and tumbling, making his way to Nightingale's room.

"The tallest room, on the top of the tallest tower... I heard that somewhere before..."

Her room wasn't hard to spot. The tallest tower was easy to see. But farther than Bebop had anticipated. He would need to climb the sheer face of the tower...

"Oh f**k that..."
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I returned to my father's embrace. I was trembling my mind shaken at what I had just witnessed.

Not a single pony here knew.

Not a one knew what he was...

I looked into the eyes of my father. Those cold eyes. The eyes belonging to a snake...

"You see Gale, you needed to find out yourself. You needed to find out on your own because you would never have believed me other wise... And everything you saw there... Is inside you as well."

My skin crawled. I knew he was right. But... But I could never do what he did... That... That cruelty...

"I... I don't... I won't ever be like you."

My words were venom. I kept it quiet, between us. He just chuckled.

"My darling girl... You're more like me than you'll ever know..."

Chapter 5: Piece of Cake

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The night was cold and dark. A certain foreboding shroud of gloom hung over the castle, dispite the reverie going on inside. It was inside these jovial halls filled with music and ponies enjoying the classy festivities one could find a distraught Princess Nightingale moving swiftly away from this gala. She maintained a calm expression, even though her pace seemed hurried and could be described as a rushed trot. As her hoofsteps were muffled slightly be the deep red carpets that had been laid out, she was able to surprise a young squire attempting to carry several dishes. The young pegasus gave a yelp as his concentration was broken and the dishes fell from his hooves and crashed onto the floor, shattering into pieces. The pegasus, too young to be a colt but far to old to be called a foal looked at the plate-bits in horror and began running his hooves over the mess.

"Ahhhh no! No-No-No! I knew this was gonna happen! It would be just my luck! Sombra damnit!"

The young pony hovered above the debris, collectiing the larger pieces up without looking at who had accidentally surprised him, and the princess being not of the most sound of mind, was not doing much to alleviate the problem.

"Awww darn... You should really watch you're going! I mean I'm sorry but, I mean I get you're most likely some hoity toity noble who's in a rush to go to the bathroom but I mean seriou-"

The pegasus had finished collecting the remains that could be seen with the naked eye and turned his gaze on the only pony who was standing where a guilty party might stand. His jaw went slack, his creamy pale cheeks grew a hot blush and he realised that he was shivering . He bowed his head almost immediately and hoped the divine beauty infront of him didn't see fit to tear out his tongue for his outburst. He'd never met the Princess but he'd seen her duel and he knew the harsh practices of her father. If she shared them, he feared the kind of scars his children would inherit.

"I-Im so sorry princess! I-I didn't know it w-was you! I'm terribly sorry for the outburst! Please don't cut out my tongue!"

Nightingale was set to leave and ignore the squire. She was busy. She had an escape to make, a revolution to start, and a tyrant to kill and none of that could get done until she got to her room and retrieved her servant, her luggage and her new ally... Who was admittedly just really going to be another servant.

A girl needed priorities.

But the princess paused to look at the young boy, a mix of misunderstanding and disbelief in her gaze.

"Tear out... Your tongue? What would possess me to do that? Or you to think I would do that?"

The squire kept bowing. Equal parts from fear and he may or may not (most definitely may) have been admiring her legs.

"I heard your father doesn't take failures well and I've seen you fight M'lady... I just uhmm... ya know..."

"Assumed that I shared my father's... Intolerance?"

The squire nodded and lifted his head up slightly, watching the princess sigh and place a hoof to her temple and slowly move her head to either side. Her formal gown was very fetching on her and even this mundane expression of annoyance seemed to bring a certain draw to her.

"Listen, squire?"

The way she said squire~

"Pound Cake, your majesty."

"Pound Cake. You should know that-"

Pound Cake watched in a dreamy daze as Nightingale explained... Something about something. He wasn't listening. He was too busy thinking about knighthood. Knights got to be around the princess a lot. Save her from danger and stuff. They always got a kiss as a reward in the stories. Could he get a kiss from her?

Yeah she was a little older but how often did that matter? It was like... He couldn't really find the words right now.

Did he mention the princess was really pretty?

'Cause she kinda was.

"- And that's why you need to understand that you just can't assume everypony is going to act in a certain way because of their upbringing, Pound Cake, it's just silly."

The squire stared at the princess from behind his wavy mane which hung over his eyes, head slightly bowed. He could feel the blush on his face and was trying his best to hide it. Nightingale, intimately familiar with the gesture from her prior encounters with young stallions, sighed as she realized her entire speech had fallen on deaf ears. She straightened up slightly, and took a deep breath as she rolled her eyes to herself and leaned forward, brushing the curtain of mane from the colt's face and look him directly in the eye.

"Pound Cake, a knight must always be vigilant, loyal, honorable, kind and understanding. He can't be bumping into passersby, understand?"

Nightingale kept her voice tender and as sincere and calm as she could manage. For some reason this misunderstanding disturbed her to end and she was ready to postpone her planes by a few moments to make it very clear she was not like her father... Even if she had to beat the concept into the colt.

With a face as red as wine and a heart beating so fast it felt like it was going to give out the colt looked at the princess dumb founded. He blubbered and stammered, unable to make any words at all.

She was really-

"Pound Cake!"

The weak call came from a tall, boney pony of an off banna-ish color. His uniform desginated him as a cook and the flour on said uniform meant he was either very messy or very good at what he did. The stallion approached the duo quickly, a slight twinge of worry and anger clearly on his face.

"Pound Cake! They need to back in the- Oh my gosh!"

The stallion nearly lept out of his skin when he saw the princess. He bowed his head to the floor, keeping it down as he hastily approached the young colt.

"I'm so sorry your highness! I hope Pound Cake hasn't bothered you! I'll accept any responsib-"

Nightingale chuckled and released Pound Cake from her gaze. She smiled and with a brisk trot toward the flour covered stallion she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"You are far too serious Mr. Cake. I was simply telling this squire that he needs to make sure he keeps his eyes open. He'll make a fine knight one day..."

Nightingale's voice trailed off as she looked out a stained glass window running along the side of the hallway. She looked beyond the walls toward the sprawling city beyond it's walls. It hit her now that she may not see either of these two again.

"I think... He will make a good knight. Once he learns where he should keep his eyes... Farewel- Goodbye Mr.Cake."

Nightingale wraped her hooves around the stunned chef who could only look between his son and the young girl his wife had raised like their own. He felt a hoof go to her mane and he blinked a few times, trying to find the reason why he felt like he was saying goodbye to an old friend dispite the fact he had spared very few monents with the mare of the mansion.

"G-Goodbye Princess... I uhmm..."

Cake's face brightened up as he worked something out, his eyes quickly going to the mare he held in his arms.

"Where's your father? Aren't you supposed to be-"

Nightingale was no fool. She had long overstayed her welcome. With little more than a word and a smile, she broke the embrace and took off toward her tower. She planned to cut through the kitchen and the servants housing to reach the nanny's room which was at the foot of the staircase that led to her own room. That was how she was going to get to her room to meet up with Bebop and Thorn and from their she was going to run away and start a revolution and bring harmony back to her lands...

Which would also most likely mean having to kill her father, usurp his thrown and instal her own government...

Which is exactly what her father had-

Ya know what?

It'll all work out.

Chapter 6: Runaway pt-1

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Bebop coughed a little as he tried his best to scale the tower wall.

It was hard.

That is perhaps the wrong word. It wasn't hard as in it was difficult, he was fully capable of scaling the wall with the two inch metal spike horseshoes he used for task such as this.

It was however a long "climb" and his legs were getting tired. He could see the window and a shadow moving along the adjacent wall inside. He could hear the distinct sounds of tearing fabric which made him hesitate. It would be a lot better if he could just wait in that room without any angry guard or adventurous admirer going through the princess's stuff.

He was still having a hard time believing that this princess was the genuine article. She was... Well she was mean and honestly she had the same venomous look in her eyes her pappy did when he got mad, but he really couldn't afford to be doubting this girl. If the dream pony had taught him anything it was to trust in her judgment, so that's what he would do.
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The hauntingly beautiful tune of some magnificent string instrument carried throughout the main hall. An off vanilla coated mare with hair like sapphire sat on her haunches playing the beautiful music. She was fairly young, perhaps barely 19 and she felt the lightning in her veins as she played her strange piano-like violin. The quiet of the crowd was total, all attention was wrapped on the young mare and her talent. As the song came to a close the stomping of the hooves of the guests was almost enough to cause a heart attack. The mare didn't look up once, rather she kept her head bowed until a gentle hoof lifted her chin.

The crowd had parted like a sea for the lord of the castle, and he now looked dotingly upon the mare. not a single pony had finished cheering.

"Soul bending... Simply rapturous."

He turned with a flush of his cloak and looked upon the crowd; With a quick raise of his hoof the crowd slowly brought their applause to a halt.

"Ladies and gentlecolts. This mare is the product of a lonely, gutter in one of the more unfortunate districts beyond or beautiful city. These gatherings often find themselves as a celebration for the affluent and privileged and I feel as though it is all too easy to grow complacent..."

He surveyed the crowd as his free hoof gently ran through the mare's velvet soft mane, admiring the enthralled audience.

"I felt the need to remind us that as we proceed into the future we mustn’t forget these most beautiful of arts, only remembered by the less fortunate... This mare was brought to my attention during a visit to my old home in the slums of Manehattan. I was told that her home, her... Tenement... Was to be demolished due to our ongoing push towards a better tomorrow. It never occurred to me that what we may have been losing in those slums as we uplifted them... Ladies, gentlecolts... Guests. I know you will agree with me when I say we must not let this kind of talent die. That is why I swear, I will do everything in my power to preserve the areas where these special talents develop in our ever stretching shadow..."

The crowd stomped lightly before the shadow king put a quick halt to it, as he wasn't finished. he looked to the young mare, face softer than a dove wrapped in moonlight.

"My dear, what is your name?"

The mare sighed lightly as a pink blush crossed her cheeks. She went to open her mouth, but thought better of it and crooked her head sideways as if her shyness shamed her. Her wings unfolded timidly from her dress and began to form glyphs of sorts. The crowd watched in quiet confusion before a well-dressed pegasus stallion emerged from the crowd.

"Uhm... If I may your highness? She is using a form of sign language common to under privileged children I have tutored in the past... She says-ahem-"

"M'lord, my name is Harmony. I am afraid I can neither speak nor see. I am sorry."

Sombra was stoic as the crowd let out a conjoined sigh of pity. The dark lord simply closed his eyes and bowed his head in appreciation of the mare's words... Of course the mare neglected to mention that these handicaps were brought about by the ruthless magical dumping in and around her home, but she enjoyed hearing too much to be so rude.

"Apology well accepted my dear. I did not know so we shall let it pass... Now back to the festivities!"
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I can't stand hesitation. It is a pet peeve of mine I've never ever out grown. I think it's one of those hereditary things, much like my gift for entropy, or the sick pleasure I get in manipulating ponies to get my way. It's just one of those things I suppose I get from my father, a very decisive stallion if there ever was one.

Which is to say, one must imagine how all these revelations regarding just what I'll be sacrificing when I leave tonight. I mean, it seems foalish but I very much want to stuff the cakes in my luggage and escape with them, or tell them! Or, or... I don't know! The cakes, some of the guards, the ones who are good ponies who happen to desire a better life for their families, my old magic mentor... I just. I don't know. I thought I didn't care about all the luxuries I would be leaving behind.

I won't have a big bed.

I won't have any delicious Cake-made culinary wonders.

And I really can't imagine myself having a very low profile if I don't cut down on my frivolous flirting!

I... I don't even... I mean, I know he's evil. But I think I will miss my father. I toyed with the idea of trying to get ponies to see the real him but honestly, the face he hadn't ever shown me was his true face.

Goddess, I'm facing more questions tonight than I ever felt I'd have to. What am I to him? Am I just.. A-A means to carry on his legacy? Does he just see me as a way to live on? What about Sequest- Equestria? What is that?! I mean... Arrrgh! This is so frustrating! At least I know I have a conscience, I don't think I would be caring so much if I didn't...

The worker's quarters are extremely unsatisfactory. They are dingy, they are dark, and they wreak of waste and shame. I had only been down here a sparing few times in my life for obvious reasons and to this day I cannot imagine what goes on in here. If anything nice could be said about it, it would be that it is very large. Each room is as large as my own, though it seems that several families, if not strangers as well, share these rooms. Fortunately the only ponies here are the sick or crippled. They hear hooves no doubt, I am not making any attempt to quiet my steps but unless the sound of dignity can be carried via hoofstep I do not believe they suspect it is me.

"By Sombra's black heart, it's tha princess!"

Nope. Nope nope nope nope.

An elderly stallion approaches me from his little squalor. He wreaks of sickness and age and I have to fight every instinct to vomit in his disgusting, wrinkled face. I feel a shiver move up my spine as I put on a light smile and give the pony a short bow with my head. I doubt he is able to show me the proper respect and hide his face from my sight until I've given him permission, most likely because he is either senile or stupid.

"I think you have me mistaken, sir. I am not the-"

"Ohhhh nonsense! Ah know that yer tha princess! Too clean to be anypony else! Plus, ya got ya daddy's eyes!"

Oh goddess stop it. Stop it, stop it, stop it. Talk talking with your raspy voice, stop breathing out of your fat, feeble throat. Just. Stop. Existing.

"Ohh my? Was I that obvious? I am sorry if I woke you, I'll just be going now-"

"Ohh nooo it's fine, it's fiiine! Please stay! Ah haven't got much to do givin mah legs ain't what they used ta be. Top it all off Ah ain't really gots good eyes anymoa."

Stop speaking at me with that horrid drawl you pathetic animal!

" I mean it I really need to go-"

"Oh, well dat's fine den... Well watcha doin'?"

"Fetching something for my father which he would be very displeased if he got later than expected."

The old pony's soggy eyes blinked individually a few times before it seemed the hint reached whatever remained of his brain cells. I was doing something for daddy, so he'd better shut up, and get out of my way.

"Oh oh oh! Of course, yeah, yeah. G-Get allong now. Tell yer pa ya didn't see me alight? Please?"

I didn't gratify him with an answer. I simply took my leave of the waste of space and trudged through the squalor. I can't begin to describe my distaste with the ponies who think they are worth my time when they really aren't worth the air they breathe... It's beyond words really.

When it is up to me, they won't bother anypony for much longer.
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Bebop peered through the window into the princess' quarters. A little red dragon was tearing sheets and tying them together. He chuckled to himself unsure if the princess realized how tall her tallest tower was. He imagined her shimmying down the torn bedding and realizing very soon that she'd need much more but by that point she'd be dangling there and flailing her legs and screaming in anger and calling for her daddy! it would be hilarious if like, some guard was looking up and saw up that pretty slutty dress!

By now his mind had painted the scenario vividly and he was rolling haphazardly on the edge of the outer windowsill laughing somewhat hysterically, prompting the little red dragon to slam his claws on the window and drag them down, making a stomach churning, ear shredding noise as his talons tore at the glass. Bebop responded by bolting upright, his mane becoming spiked from the surprise and his ears flattening to try and stop the horrid sound from entering his head. The dragon glared daggers at the bouncy ninja who smiled a little off kilter. The dragon smirked, as he drummed on the handle of the window. If he opened it, Bebop would have a long fall ahead of him.

"Nononononono! Pleeeease Mr. Dragon guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm helping out the princess! Please don't, ya know, murder we with a wind-"

Thorn rolled his eyes and pushed the window open. Bebop barely had enough time to grip the swinging window to hang from it. He had never been one who was afraid of heights but he was very afraid of dying.

"No! No! No, no no! I said don't do that! You don't even get it! I am not a fall damage friendly pony!"

"Well maybe you'll think better of spying on people you filthy liar!"

"I'm not a liar!"

Bebop bit his lip a moment and thought about it for a few seconds.

"Well not usually! Definitely not now!"

Thorn scoffed and pulled back on the window and pushed it out once more trying to shake the pony, now clinging to it for dear life, free.

"C'mon dude! Knock it off?!"

"That's what I'm trying to do!"
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Now, I've never exactly been inside my Nanny's room. It had never been a pace I had been allowed to play in.

I can now see why.

The room was barely better than the servant squalor I had just left. It was smaller obviously, it only needed to accommodate a single pony. The bed seemed nicer and I suspect that Mrs. Cake kept the room as clean as possible. But it hadn't helped much. I suspect this room was older than she was and looking at some of the iron fastenings on the walls, this may have been a torture room in years past. There was an off rust color to the walls that made me suspect that my original idea had some validation.

I ran my hoof over the uncomfortable bedding, barely more than a thin layer of hay layered between two sheep skins... She had woken up here only a few hours ago.

The woman who had basically replaced my mother... Lived in a hovel...

I would have to fix that one day.

I wasted no more time loitering, I didn't want to be caught once more. I opened the heavy looking door and hung a right. As I ascended the staircase I could hear Thorn yelling and a high pitched wailing of somepony from beyond my door. My head shook itself as I completely forgotten I had sent Bebop ahead of me, without so much as warning Thorn. I didn't bother opening the door, instead I simply teleported to the other side.

I had to laugh, watching bebop hang from my window while Thorn tried to shake him free. Bebop's hind legs were dangling and flailing as he tried to scamper... Well I suppose through the window. I was surprised he even made it up here but honestly. He hardly seemed capable.

"Mistress! I was just dispatching of this-"

"Ally? Thorn, how ungracious of you."

I lay my hoof on Thorn’s shoulder as he bowed. We had this thing, you know? I would never do this with him if it were just the two of us but we had company. So we liked messing with them.

"Bebop, just... Come in whenever you're ready. I've bags for you to carry."

He gave me a strange look from the window as I went about making sure everything was ready for my departure. I took a breath of air from my room, reveling silently in the fact it was fresh, and didn't wreak of urine or blood. Bebop managed to get in, I heard the window close and I just made the assumption he got in... The lack of a death cry and the sound of my bed giving way to weight more than mine was a telltale sign that Bebop had indeed made it inside rather than falling to his death.

Good for him.

"Bebop... My father knows you're here, and he knows I want to leave..."

I waited for some sort of reaction. Receiving none I just went on with what I had to say.

"I don't know what that means for my plan. I... I know he knew that one day I would want to take the throne from him... But... I don't think he knows how I want to do it... I... I don't know any more Bebop. I can't imagine my original plan will work..."

I fought back the panic, the last thing we needed was me losing my head. I love it when well laid plans come together, mostly because I can't accept failure.

Which was exactly what was about to happen.

"I mean, I think if we-"

"Princess! Calm down!"

I felt Bebop grip my shoulders, he was looking at me with this worried glance and Thorn was staring at me. I was clam though. Wasn't I? Of course I was. I felt my eyes go wide as a bead of sweat was wiped from my face.

Bebop's fur was surprisingly soft. Very absorbent. He also had nice yes and a very tender smile. I think he might have made a good prince... if it weren't for his common upbringing, the lack of any special skills besides climbing that I knew of...

Maybe he was good in bed?

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain spread across my face. I shook my head instinctively, and felt some clarity return to me. I didn't even know things had been blurry.

Thorn spoke up as I looked around, not sure what had happened.

"Princess... You were uhmm... Are you alright? You were talking some nonsense?"

No... I Said...

"I said that all out loud, didn't I?"

The duo nodded and I blushed.

Wonderful.

"Princess, you needa calm down. I mean, I can't imagine why you think I'd come alone."

Bebop seemed to laugh at my mental break down, which only served to make me angry, but what he had said caught my attention.

"You... Didn't come alone?"

The pony scoffed and flung his hoof out with a smile.

"Of course not. I brought a friend. I told her 'panic, if I'm not outta there in half an hour, give me a realllly solid distraction'. So she..."

The stallion's smile drooped into a deadpan of realizaion as I sensed he hadn't kept track of the time. Not only that but the name he said, Panic... It sounded oddly familiar to me.

"What? Who's Panic? How long ago did you tell her-"

Bebop shoved his hoof in my mouth as his eyes went wide. I saw a bead of sweat fall from his brow and he looked to Thorn.

"Get the most important bag. Take it. We need to leave. Like... Heh heh... Right now."

He laughed nervously which made me nervous, the name kept ringing some de-ja-vu in my mind. I had heard it before somewhere... I wracked my brain over and over until the night outside my window lit up and that light was quickly followed by the sound of an explosion and the guard tower furthest from my window erupted into oblivion.

I remembered the name, and bit down on Bebop's hoof as rage welled up in me.

"Panic?! Your backup. Is. Panic?!"

Bebop recoild and shook his hoof as he through his head from one side to the other. He wasn't sure who to more affraid of I'm sure. I felt like tearing his tail off and using it as a garrote to strangle him!

Which, I guess was what Panic would do too from the stories I've heard.

Before either of us could speak another explosion, encrouching on the main hall (and the party) tore through the night, followed by the maniacal laughter of a mare who sounded like she vomitted rainbows. Faintly I could hear in the distance a chanting of sorts, more like hallowed shouting that could just barely reach my window.

"TIME TO PAAAAAAAAANNNNNNN-IIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCC~!

Chapter 6a: Panic -or- Bombs, Bullets, and Bedlam; A Portrait of Fun.

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<Hehehaha! Bebop's hair looks like cotton candy! mmmm pony mane... I could go for some hair... Noooo I need to watch my figure, right Boomy? You always say I'm fat.>

...

<Boomy! Lannn-guuu-age~! People are listening!>

...

...

...

The Pale mare kept nodding her head, not even remotely listening to Bebop as he dressed for the party.

"Panic, I need you to wait around here for me all right?"

"You can't come in..."

"I need to help the..."

<Omg! Stfu u n00bz~!>

"Thirty minutes... Come and..."

"Do you understand?"

The pale mare looked at the navy blueish green pony. She blinked a few times and looked left, then right, then back at him.

"Nope. But don't s'plain it again. You're boring. Cut to the chase! Lieeeek... Like a rabbit! Just, cut into it after you chase it!"

Bebop blinked and sighed. Rubbing his hoof against his forehead, he bit his lip and nodded before reaching out to hold the mare's head while she giggled and struggled a bit. He thought about how exactly he could put this in a way she could understand.

"Panic! Gimme a half hour! Like, a t.v show alright? A cartoon. Wait a cartoon here for me? If I'm not back before-"

"The commercial break?"

"No! Too soon! The next show. If I'm not back by the next show, call you're provider. Ok?"

The mare brightened up and nodded furiously, messing up her brilliant turquoise mane which popped back into place almost immediately. Bebop backed up slowly, keeping his eyes on the mare as she watched him go, her head turned constantly to the left.

...

Without a word the mare reached into her saddle bags and removed a small box, a reflective glass screen lodged in front of it. Using her wings she manipulated a tiny crank and just as tiny antenna while the screen flickered to life. Her eyes widened eagerly as the teeny tele came to life, small toots of steam emanating from a small pipe.

In other news, it seems the rebel group calling themselves "The Midnight Riders" has once again struck at our peace of mind.

"Look! Boomy! We're on the tele again! Just like Mixed-Matched said!"

The mare was now looking at a collection of assorted junk in a large, opened present.

"We're on our way! Soon we'll be in cartoons and we'll have toys and we'll have fanfiction that ship us! Even though we are nothing alike!"

Panic smiled and fell flat on her back as she cranked the crank that powered the small light box. No one but her seeing anything within the glorified lamp.

Her eyes split apart as she lost track of her thoughts and they drifted for a moment, to her fillyhood. She twisted her head again, trying to remember something. Her eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed as she realized not a thing was coming to her.

A local guard on duty looked across the yard, seeing the admittedly attractive mare rolling on the ground. The prevailing thought on his mind was if she were in pain, how could he help? He was not allowed to leave his post, so he could not go to her, and being a simple watch tower, there would be nopony to tell about her. He thought about calling to her, but he was not supposed to talk unless it was a dire emergency. So, he decided to watch. If she were in serious trouble, then it would become and emergency and he could do something... Or so he justified to himself. For the next twenty-nine minutes, the guard was blissfully unaware that the cute, albiet, strange mare who was rolling around barely fourteen yards away was the most wanted criminal in the empire.
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<That guard is staring at us. I can feel his brain spanking me!>

...

<No... Not like that... The other kind of brain spanking...>

...

...

<Wow! Gosh you're right Boomy! If he's creepin... Then he might explode!>

...

It had been eight minutes and the guard was well assured that the mare was not in pain. She just seemed to have thought something was funny, or simply enjoyed rolling around on the ground. He'd watched her walk around in circles (backwards) and fly upside down. She was... Entertaining to say the least. She seemed light hearted enough, when it came to switch shifts, he'd excort her off the grounds himself so she didn't get in trouble. He thought of a way to contact her. He couldn't speak, and he couldn't go to her... Could she read? If she could read then...
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<Boomy! Look! An airplane!>

...

Panic stared at the paper airplane. It had landed quite nicely next to her, the pilot was clearly the top of his gun... Class...

Whatever.

<Boomy... I think... The paper is telling me something...>

Panic slowly sniffed the paper and scrunched up her face, trying to decipher the message of the paper.

...

...

<Boomy, you know I'm not liiiiiike thaaaaat~! I've only got eyes for... Well... You know… Uber blush-gasm!>

Panic took a small canister of oil and dipped a pin of sorts into it and used the tiny metal thing to write a response. She also modified the paper airplane's design, reducing drag by adding lift and applying some careful whoopdanginomics to the bow to offset the stern which was always soooo laaaaaame~

Ya know... So it could make it back up to the guard.

It got him in the eye.

Hey there Mr. Guard! My friends call me Cinap! How are you?
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Around twenty minutes had passed. By the now the duo were trading jokes, snacks, and the occasional cat face. Foreword Guard would make a new paper airplane, folding it meticulously like his father had shown him how. Each design was unique and complex but Foreword’s special talent was aligned with this sort of work. Not too many guards could throw anything quite like he could. Be it shields, swords, shoes or paper airplanes he was gifted with the manual dexterity and seamless skill to get it where he wanted, regardless of how the actual plane should function.

And yet, every time the plane would return, looking completely different. At first he had suspected that she was making her own, but it soon occurred to him she had never taken out a scrap of paper. She had simply been... Reengineering all of his own to get them back to him. He took a guess that Cinap was short for Synapse, meaning she was most likely just an eccentric genius type. He was enjoying her company to say the least.

<Boomy it's almost time! I'm shivering! Can you feel it?! Mmmhmmhmmmhmm~>
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Twenty-seven minutes in and Foreword was falling for the strange mare out his window. He had three minutes till his shift was over and he planned on walking her home, no matter where she lived. She seemed very cool, as far as strange ponies who were technically trespassing go. She had been assembling something, but he gave it no mind. She was working out of a present so he couldn't see what she was working on, but part of him hoped she knew it was also his birthday.

He chuckled to himself as he thought about that... A pony with birthday senses.

The idea was so absurd.

He looked at the next papper, simply rolled up in a ball, and given paper wings.

Do you like surprises?

He smiled as he crafted a heart shaped plane and sent it back.

I love surprises.
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Foreword Guard sighed as the mare finally seemed finished with whatever she was building and had found the time to get to his paper. She looked at the heart like she seemed puzzled, then looked to her box as if a noise came from it and giggled. It was the first time he'd heard her and her giggle was quite cute, a little snort falling in there as she began to scribble on the heart. Then she looked up at him with a broad smile and tossed it with a great deal of vigor.

Too much in fact.

This one also hit him in the eye, blinding him a moment. Foreword blinked as his sense of sight quickly retruned and he retrieved the paper from the ground, never hearing the mare take flight. On the heart were scribbles of explosions, poorly drawn stick figures dying, and a large dinosaur like creature labeled "Gummy, the destroyer of worlds" with the only words legible being "Panic" written all over it and the single word on the back, stylized so that every letter looked like a weapon or an explosion.

SURPRISE!

Foreword Guard had no time to react, before he could yell, or sound an alarm, Panic was grinning madly at him from the window or his post. He stammered as he thought back on the name of his pen pal...

Cinap...

Panic...

He swallowed heavily before he found any words. Staring into her increbily friendly smile.

"H-H-Hi P-Panic."

"Buh bye Mr. Guard!"

And with the fury of hell, the guard tower furthest from the Princess’ bed room exploded into a column of fire as Panic flew around, appearing quite tipsy as she screamed and cackled with delight. She fired Boomy, her saddle mounted missile launcher, indiscriminately; what others might call “stray shots” Panic called “late arrivals”. She flew slightly off kilter given the weight of the weapon at her side.

"Aehehehehe! Next up on the Snuff Channel; Cooking with Chef Boomy! He swears a lot!”

Several guards poured from their various barracks and stood no chance. Panic was not armed with simply a lop-sided missile launcher. Her eyes rolled back as an intense blush slowly came to her face, her hind legs bending a bit as she bit her now quivering lip.

“Ohhhhhhhhhh wooooooow~! Moremoremoremoremoremore, More, more!”

She adjusted her wings to allow a large mini-gun, decorated in poorly drawn peace signs, vicious looking smiley faces and explosions were suitable words carved into the weapon, as if to remind the wielder the sound a gun makes. Panic flipped her unruly mane out of her eyes and held it back, giving any who were watching a good view of her neck, looking at them through one eye, only because the other still managed to be covered by her bangs. She hadn't even remotely noticed the bullets being fired at her, either by gun or by apt unicorn. Everything just faded as she began to pant, her body heaving not from strain but from lust.

<Boomy! Boomy! Ohhh wow! So much! There’s so much! I feel light headed~>

...

<Let’s make them lead headed!>

"Ahehehehehehe!"

It only took a few moments to warm up, the bullets flying out of the barrels and tearing out the barrel, sending the guards either cowering away or running for cover as the recoiled pushed her backwards mid-flight, her moans of ecstasy barely audible over the sound of the one mare warmachine. Her late arrivals found their marks shortly, blowing more guard towers into oblivion. She looked around from the sky, her fervor fading as she realized the signs of life were fading.

“W-Where did everypony go?”

Panic’s face drooped as her fun was quickly coming to a close, the towers burning and the servants running in fear of their lives barely seemed to register with the somewhat sickly pale mare. She felt her eyes water and thoughts of sadness quickly entered her mind.

<What… What am I doing?>
…

The mare looked around, first slowly then rapidly appearing to search for something as the ponies below her made their way for the exits.

<Who’s there?!>

...

< Shut up!>

...

...

< Stop!>

...

< This isn’t fun anymore!>

Her body shook as the unease took over and she pointed her gun at the shadows cast by ever flame and opened fire, laying waste to the outer castle complex. Her eyes grew wide as she looked around, the mixture of pleasure and paranoia creating a strange mix of euphoria for her. Her eyes fell on the main hall, a building full of life and music and chatter.

…

…

…

<Well… I mean… If we explained we had to…>

…

…

<That’s right Boomy! It would be hard to speak with a mouth full of lead!>

Maniacal laughter erupted from the mare as she sped towards the halls, unleashing a barrage of bullets and missiles along her way.

“TIIIIIIIIIIIMMMEEEEE TOOOOOOOO PAANNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIICCCC~~~~~~~!!!!!!”

Chapter 6b: Sombra vs. Panic -or- That one time at band camp...

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The main hall seemed to be unaware of the violence outside, or chalked it up to testing the fireworks that would be used later that night. This was extremely convenient for Sombra, as panicked pastel ponies potentially posed preposterous problems. He slipped out of the main hall through the shadows a technique he'd perfected throughout the years. He had little doubt that the disturbance outside was brought about by that pony who was bound to court his heir. First he'd deal with this disturbance, then with him. This night had gone on long enough.

As Sombra's form materialized, congealing from the shadows like some filly's nightmare, Panic had gone into a somewhat literal dive-bomb. Her cackling carried throughout the night, the guard towers like bonfires casting flickering shadows across the flame-lit courtyard.

"Excuse me young miss! You are intruding on a private party, not only that but if I am not mistaken, you have destroyed my lovely property."

Panic stopped mid-dive, using a single wing as if her body was a boat, paddling it to one side or the other to turn herself. She scanned the devastation for the voice but couldn't see beyond her own bangs.

"What? Taking private parts? Hehehehe! Can you even do that?! Ahehehe! Sounds like fun Mr. Voice!"

Panic bared her unusually pointed teeth and opened fire in a random direction, blowing absolutely nothing but concrete into absolute nothingness.

"Let's start with yours!"

Sombra simply shook his head and laughed as he recognized the little mare from the wanted posters he'd seen.

"Hahaha... Panic, was it? Haha... You really have no idea who you're dealing with... Do you?"

With barely another word claws tore from the dark, tearing into the mare's back sending streams of crimson onto the ground below her. Her scream was downed by the revelry going on inside the main hall.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with, you little brat! Do you even know who I am?!"

The King drifted from his hiding place, his face a mask of fury with his vermillion eyes glowing like fire as the telltale violet aura of his dark arts cascaded off them. Panic panted in the air and watched him rise to the dilapidated roof of a building that once looked like a guest house.

"Y-You're t-that mean king... Heh, heh... Boomy doesn't like you... Hehehehe... Not. One. B-Auhhhhh!!"

Another shadowy pair of claws raked out from the dark, rending into her sides as more red poured from her body.

<Boomy! B-Boomy... I can't see him... I-I mean I can.. But when he licks me it hurts! It hurts and I can't it!>

Panic to her credit remained airborne, though she was descending slowly due to the weight of her weapons and the fleeting strength in her wings. Sombra ignored the blaze that clung to the building he was standing on and neared the edge of it, gaining on the mare.

"I want you to understand the position you've put me in you little psychopath! Can you see the damage you've done?! This will take me days to have fully repaired! Days! Though... In retrospect..."

Panic's wings were seized by an inky blackness and pulled closer to the armored stallion as he brought his face to hers, brushing the bangs from her face.

"You'll be long dead by then... Or... At least wish you were."

Panic's chest heaved, she was losing blood. Her wounds were deep and it seems like they just kept opening, like tiny bugs were knawing at the edges of the wounds. Her eyes glazed over for a moment as she tried to get her tongue back from the cat. Her eyes rested down on the flickering flames near her hoof.

So pretty.

"S-So much h-hurt-"

"Oh? Does it hurt? Then let my make it all be-"

"Sharing is caring!"

With one swift motion, Panic brought her hind leg up and kicked some of the blaze into the King's face and unleashed a torrent of violence in his general direction. Needless to say the remainder of the building exploded into rubble, and Panic fell to the ground. She wanted to land on her hooves but they didn't feel very stable to her and when she touched ground they gave in and her body collapsed on the floor. Every muscle in her body demanded she move, but the puddle of blood she was lying in was rather warm and she felt her eyes flitter a bit, her vision blurring more so than before.

<Can't... Can't sleep! N-Not yet! N-Not without...>

"N-Not without him..."

Panic was arguably insane, but she was no fool. If all it took to kill Sombra was some liberal application of excessive force than he'd had been dead long ago. She could hear him in every shadow, see him in every charred remains of whatever (or whoever) was lying about. Her eyes, when not shutting on their own darted to every shadow in search of him. She could hear him grunting and spitting. Well, she was certain it was him. It could be Boomy choking on her blood... Or it may have been her. She bit her lip and smiled through the pain and found some strength to lift herself up onto her feet, trying not to slip in her own blood. She reached for her saddlebags with a trembling wing and withdrew a health potion. She twitched somewhat as she simply bit the glass above the ichor and poured the content down her throat. It would at least stop the bleeding long enough to crash a party. At least, that's what she thought as she stumbled toward the lights and sounds of the Gala.

Sombra clutched the right side of his face, the embers clinging to his fur and sending the smell of burning hair right into his nose, he could feel pressure against his entire body. He severely underestimated the amount of ammunition that mares mini-gun could unleash and he pondered where she kept it all. His armor was more than enough to keep him alive but they had punched many tiny indents into the suit and that was making it hard to focus. He couldn't help but feel the irony that this posh aversion was actually hindering him and swore he'd return to a more stricter regiment as soon as the maniac's head was mounted on his wall. He shook his head and regained his vision, if not slightly fuzzier than when he'd left the party, however it didn't take clear vision and a history of detective work to know where Panic was headed. Her blood was a handy trail and it wasn't hard to follow it, despite the fact that that too seemed to be fading as Sombra stumbled after her, his head still a buzz from the concussive force of the explosions.
-------------------------

Harmony smiled and thanked the gathering of ponies who continually congratulated her for her ascension from gutter rat to prodigy. She didn't want to point out that one was a prodigy long before they gained success, but she really felt that may put a damper on the party spirit. She smiled and signed and played and then repeated the process. She didn’t want to call it lying because she honestly felt like thanking them... Just didn't really care for their somewhat... Ignorant statements. Suddenly she bolted upright, keeping her smile despite the tail brushing her plot. She had noticed it before but had chalked it up to a pony passing by, but it seemed more like this pony was giving her a... A spanking? The tail repeatedly slapped against her flank discretely, or if anypony saw it they most certainly didn't talk it up to anything. Which did bother her somewhat. She didn't want to be rude but it at least seemed like a common courtesy to uhm... Brush her back end like this.

Before she could ask the pony who was making her feel rather uncomfortable to stop, the doors to the main hall shot open. The bustling party grew quiet and Harmony could smell somepony had peed themself. Then a weak cackle and a series of explosion drowned out the growing screams of frantic ponies. Harmony found a melody in the explosions she enjoyed and the fact she couldn't see convinced her that her best bet may be to sit still. It seemed like the sound of silenced ponies matched up with an explosion so she reasoned it was the panic that was getting ponies killed. She remained still and it seemed like everything was fine, minus the odd laughter from the gunman...mare from the cadence of her laugh... Or perhaps this colt simply had a very girly laugh, but Harmony was certain whoever was shooting and laughing had to be a mare...

Probably.
-------------------------

Panic had found some vigor in the massacre, if there was one thing that could brighten her spirits it would be a healthy overdose of ultra-violence. The only thing she noticed was out of place was that one pony didn't move an inch. Well that was no good because all the spread from her rather rapid fire made certain Panic needed pointblank range to hit anything that wasn't running for its life. The tonic seemed to be taking full effect as her weak smirk had broadened into a vicious, toothy grin, and her labored chuckle was slowly becoming a manic cackle. She was feeling less of the entire recoil as her legs were firmly planted where they were and she smiled when she realized her vision was no long fuzzy, but the blur was simply from the red mist. Her eyes still rested on the pony who hadn't moved an inch.

<Broke, blind, deaf and dumb! Boomy! She's not moving and she isn’t dead! It bothers me! It bother,bother,bothers me! My little taxidermist! hehehehe!>

Simple stoic stooge sits stunningly stupefied strangely! I want some sugar with my tea! Three lumps Threeee lumps!"

Harmony could definitely hear the mare now, she was yelling nonsense that she had a strange feeling was actually aimed at nopony in particular. Harmony didn't exactly know what to do. She was frightened beyond words which she found a little ironic. She wanted to move and get away, or maybe talk this pony out of her psychotic rampage but it was all too likely this mare wouldn't understand sign language... Not her sign anyway, she supposed that anything said by a body, such as loss of life, was technically sing language.

Then she had a brilliant idea. A very brilliant idea.
---------------------------------

Sombra knew he was too late when he realized the reason why the blood trail was fading was most likely owed to a healthy dose of a health poultice. He spat on the ground as he saw a guest narrowly leave the main hall, only to be gibed in an instant by an oddly happy looking missile. He wasn't sure if he should be spiteful or thankful, she was saving him the trouble of having to explain all this away to his guests.

He approached the doors to find the mare fully recovered, happily murdering his dwindling guest list. The only pony untouched was the orphan girl. She was either petrified or smart... Maybe both. He cracked his neck and coughed to get Panic's attention.

"I'm going to tear you apart, then feed you to your loved ones you raging lunatic!"

"I wanted to say that!"

Panic wheeled around, raising her front legs up and pivoting on her hind pair, stomping down to face Sombra. Her guns never stopped shooting and her arc blew open holes in the roof, sending shingles through the hole. Sombra quickly leapt to the side of the wall of the main hall, galloping along a trail of darkness with a procession of Panic's pay-load in his tracks. Sombra noted two things in that moment. This mare had fired too many projectiles to be using a conventional weapon design, and whatever the actual design was it was far too heavy and/or slow for her to lead her shots. He began to analyze every move she made and scrutinize every move she didn’t. He began dissecting her strategy as he simply kept ahead of her, surprisingly nimble in his armor. The walls exploded, giving views of the carnage that had just happened outside all the while Panic angrily fired onto Sombra.

Panic was suddenly flung out of a hall she had blown in the wall, a pain in her chest. A pool or inky darkness fell from where she had been standing, a large spear like protrusion slowly receding. Sombra laughed as he watched the mare forced out, bleeding from her chest, the spear having gone completely through her. He was prepared to give chase but Panic returned quickly, catching herself with her wings. She giggled as she dived toward the hole, spinning as she shot at the dark lord.

"Doabarrelrolldoabarrelrolldoabarrelrolldoabarrelrolldoabarrelrolldoabarrelrolldoabarrelrolldoabarrelrolldoabarrelrolldoabarrelrolldoabarrelroll DO! A! BARREL! ROLLLLLLLLL~!"

The main hall rocked as Panic returned in explosively. Her she hadn't even remotely hit Sombra but she had torn apart the ground and when she impacted that ground with her high speed landing it sent cracks traveling along the floor.

"Brinin' down da' house!"

Panic lifted her fraternal twin guns to blast the supports columns of the hall, sending Sombra into a full on sprint, throwing an inky clouds up in front of whichever one she aimed up, stopping the missiles and most of the bullets...

But not enough or them.

The room began to shake as the weak floor gave and the supports were turned into stone splinters. Panic smiled wide, mouth agape with a quick laugh. She looked around at the destroyed entertainment hall with the same wonderment a filly would have if they saw it before Panic had gotten to it. The failing structural integrity did not go unnoticed by Harmony who finally found the heart to panic. She looked around rapidly and took to her wings. She heard tiny pieces of rubble falling from the ceiling. Sombra recoiled after a barrage of missiles broke his pseudo shadow shield, shattering his magical focus just as Panic realized that the little forceful poke from before had actually gone through her entire chest. She didn't pay it any more attention. Before Sombra could recover, Panic had taken to her wings, floating up slowly. She was giggling as her guns stopped shooting finally, the white hot barrels giving off a hissing sound as they cooled.

"Hehehehehehe~! Best. Party. Everrr~! It was a real -wait for it-!"

There was a pause as the building lost another section of roof.

"Blast! Ahehehehehehehehahahahehe- snort- Ahehehehe!"

The roof fires were catching, and the sparks of those fires were now jumping to the tapestries of the hall that hadn't been outright destroyed. The flaming ceiling came crashing down in sections, tumbling chunks of fire, wood, and metal that crashed against the floor as the sparks brought fire to the rest of the hall.

Harmony took a large step back, flinching from a fire that had spread near her just as Sombra began drawing up more darkness to aid him. All the while Panic giggled mid-air, more than satisfied with her handiwork.

"This. Ends. Now."

Panic kept laughing but corrected her trajectory so that way she could face Sombra, covering her lips with a hoof to stifle her laughter.

"Hahaha, I-If you say so Mr. Shadow Puppets. I-I really need to catch up on my -hahahah- soaps."

The two glared at each other in their own way, Sombra with a very real glare and Panic with a light hearted smirk, broken by the occasional giggle, Harmony had her instrument tucked closely by her side as she tried to avoid the heat around her as the fire began to spread around the room, the debris from the roof causing smoke to begin to fill the room and raise into the empty night.
________________________________

The main hall was all smoke and fire, whoever had been inside was surely either dead or dying, caught between the crossfire of my father and that maniac. I tried avoiding the fires of the rooftops I ran along that Panic had undoubtedly destroyed on her way in, the only things I had planned to take with me begin what I managed to fit into the saddle bags of Bebop and myself, and whatever Thorn could carry. Mostly books and clothing between us, with a few mystic bobbles I couldn't afford to leave behind. I found myself staring at the flickering flames of the hall.

I wonder if anypony would walk away from the wreckage... I wonder if I'll even be my father's priority with all this chaos to explain... I suppose he could tell the truth though couldn't he? Or most of it anyway...

I looked to Bebop, catching him doing the same as me. Well, perhaps not exactly the same but both of us had our vision locked on the Gala, now burning to the ground.

"Some party..."

"The Grand Galloping Gala; The guests are all on fire..."

Bebop turned to me at my remark with a surprised look on his face, which confused me. He then smiled and shook his head as if he had to suppress a laugh and nodded toward the destroyed front gate, and we got going.

He may have thought I was joking.

Chapter 7: Runaway pt-2

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The dark night air was crisp and somewhat purifying after the events I witnessed from my window. I hadn't planned for such an explosive exit... I had hoped that I could leave with no altercations.

That went out the window when Bebop brought the raging psychopath solely known as Panic to my father's gala.

I wasn't close enough to see everything she did, but it was clear that if there were any survivors tonight, they would not be eager to return to Castle Shadow Scar. I can still see the flames flickering in the back of my mind as Thorne, Bebop and I made our way out of the castle grounds, and into the streets of the Diamond District. The stunning mansions were familiar to me, having visited many of them for some political party or upon request of some suitor my father encouraged me to give a chance. We slunk in the shadows, the three of us, and I was surprised how fluidly Bebop moved through the dark, like a mouse in an alley.

Thorne had never been stealthy, so I allowed him to ride atop of Bebop, which may have been hindering the scrawny earth pony. I had to stop myself from passing him in these dark back streets. I suppose I may have inherited a gift from slipping around in the dark from my father, or maybe it was just something I picked up from exploring my large home as a filly, avoiding the supervision I hated so much. I could smell meals from the kitchens of these well to do ponies and I swallowed the saliva these aromas brought on. I had forgotten I hadn't eaten since supper.

Errr... Lunch? I think that's the peasant pony term.

"Bebop, do you know where you are going? The exit from this district is nowhere close to us. Are we trying to-"

"Princess, Lemme tell you something... Your lovely home is now little more than lovely rubble. Those pearly gates that keep out the real ponies are more than likely on red alert. The first thing you need to learn is that we peasants like breaking the rules, and we've gotten smarter about it over the years."

I paused and looked at the cotton candy maned stallion. I giggled a bit and shook my head, holding my hoof to my chest as I straightened my dress with a subtle application of telekinesis.

"We peasants? No, no, no. You are a peasant. I am the princess. It's why I'm in charge of this rebellion."

There was a long pause while Bebop stared blankly at me. He blinked and so did I. I felt like there was something I was missing.

"Pfffaaaaahhhh ahahahahaha! Wahahahahahehehahaha!"

I knew there was something I was missing. I guess I just didn't get the joke. I certainly suspected he was laughing at me though...

Which would be very,

very,

very,

Bad.

"Bebop... I'll tear out your eyes if you can't find the gall to tell me what exactly you find so funny."

I bit my lip as he fell slowly to the ground, rolling on the floor and sending Thorne on a very swift trip to the Netherbrick streets... He was also squishing my linens that were in his saddle bags. I'd kill him for this later, but for now I needed him.
But I had to remain calm. That's what separates ponies like me from ponies like him. I took slow breaths,exhaling out smoke as my hot breath was caught in the dropping temperature of the night.

"Tell me what, exactly! Is so funny."

I furrowed my brow and took a threatening step towards him, I felt something tugging at my heart... Actually that's not truly accurate, the feeling was more of a coming eclipse of my heart. I felt like choking him.

I didn't obviously.

But I really, very much wanted to.

"S-Sorry 'your high graciousness' but ahaha, I just think that's really cute."

"Oh do you? Well by all means, laugh. Please don't let me disturb you... Thorne? Could you please go alert the guards? I've been kidnapped by a lecherous earth pony peasant who belongs to the resistance... I’d like to see him publicly flayed."

Thorne, to my moderate surprise actually began walking out of the alley after recovering from the spill he took when Bebop had the brilliant idea to roll around on his sides with a baby dragon sitting atop him. Much less surprisingly, Bebop's chuckle slowly came to a stop as I smiled smugly at his quickly widening gaze.

He didn't know I was lying, I'd never go back there of course... Well... Not soon anyhow, but Bebop still needed to learn that he's the one in trouble here. I'm certain my father would forgive me, even if it meant being under house arrest for the rest of my life.

"Woah, woah, woah! I'm too pretty for what your daddy does to his prisioners... I think you should think about the bigger picture here for a second... Has it ever occured to you to wonder how it is a relatively stable stallion with a solid sense of style, met the craziest girl to want to fight your dad since... Well... you, I guess."

There was a moment of pause as I thought about what Bebop had said. He was right for once... It felt awkward that Bebop, a clever, welldressed pony, especially by earth pony standards had come to know Sequestria's most wanted on such a personal level that she would risk her life for him...

And me by association...

"Princess, you have to understand. The resistance has been going strong for-"

Objection!

"Going strong? Is that what you call countless public executions, private executions, imprisionments~"

"Na, na, na, na. That's the point. Even after all that nasty stuff we still operate just fine."

I felt a bratty scoff coming on. I hated ponies trying to sell me their version of success when they truly needed help. I saw it too often with spoiled nobles who wanted my father's help repairing their catastrophic failures, while passing off their career case of criminal stupidity as "minor setbacks". I guess in short excuses bore me.

By the old, I'm bratty.

"When we get to Apple Junction, I'm sure Gallopy will be happy to explain who's in charge. She usually in wonderful moods and not at all a crazy mare with anger issues. Now,"

Bebop went over to a bulkhead and kicked it open, bowing his head, very poorly I might add.

"Get in the damn basement."

---------------------------------------

It was dark, it was damp, it was musty and entirely unpleasant. I felt the cold mix of dirt and concrete beneath my hooves and I wished I had brought some boots. Regardless, it was somewhat blissful in this darkness. I blinked once and my eyes were adjusted as if it was a bright sunny day. Now, I hardly had experience with too many basements that were not largely made out of the dungeon but I never suspected they could be so big. One could easily fit two dozen ponies down here comfortably, perhaps a half dozen more uncomfortably. I stayed close to Bebop as he trotted to wall where two lanterns hung, burning what I assumed was ever burning fuel by the look of the brilliant emerald flames held within the glass. I heard the bulkhead close behind me and my head shot round to watch as Thorne stepped down here with us. I had forgotten he'd been gone. I looked to Bebop who may have been frightened by the noise or something.

He seemed calm now, but not the usual calm one has when they have been calm for a sufficent amount of time. Whatever had made him pause had lost its grip on him and he came to the wall, me joining him by his side.

"If you are to tell me that this wall actually leads to some secret, underground network of tunnels that some plucky smugglers and daring rogues use to escape my father's gaze... I will call you a cliche."

I heard Bebop chuckle as his hoof tapped against the lantern on the left, sending it spinning to the side as the wall shook before my eyes.

"Then I won't say a word about this secret underground tunnel that plucky smugglers and daring rogues use to escape your father's gaze... Because that would make me terribly cliche wouldn't it?"

He chuckled some more, amused with himself surely, but oddly enough, whether in response to the building anxiety I was trying to hide or perhaps I was the excitement I was trying to suppress but... But I found myself smiling.
---------------

As it seemed these were a vast tunnel system, we were only following one particularly well lit path but I made note of every intersection we came across. I would have to explore these in my own time some day soon and get a feel for them. They may just offer more assistance than travel. Thorne was now riding on my back, sleeping. I often forget that even now he is just a baby as far as dragons comes. I used my magic as we walked to access my saddle bags and retrieve my good luck blanket, wrapping it around him as best I could.

It was admittedly cold down here.

"Bebop," My voice was a whisper, trying not to wake my life long companion, "How much further?"

"Not to-"

"Shhh! He's sleeping!"

"Sorry... Not too far now. See those markings on the wall? The red paint? That's only marking the route to Apple Junction. The Green leads back to the Diamond District, the yellow heads out to Appleoosa and the blue leads to uhm... Well I don't know where the blue leads honestly..."

I looked at the walls more closely now, seeing what I originally thought was graffiti. The blue obviously was the one to catch my eye, the current enigma that it was. I couldn't place the design, but I had seen it before. Keep in mind of these paints the blue was the most faded. it was barely there at all it seemed. You needed to be looking at it to really see it, if that makes any kind of sense.

"We're here. Just uhm... Let me do the talking... I uhmm... I don't think anypony really doesn't know you're coming."

I giggled a bit and flipped my main from my eyes with an air of practiced grace.

"Please, Bebop. I'm a diplomat. if there's one thing I can do it's introduce myself when entirely unsuspected."

His only response was a heavy sigh and what I suspected was a secret knock on a wall.

There was a long pause where Bebop shifted his weight around uncomfortably. He coughed a bit before knocking again, this time a little harder. Fortunately for the uneasy stallion the wall began to shake, just as the one before this one had.

Before I could react, I felt a swift blow to my temple. Bebop recoled and soon found himself arguing with a figure who swiftly faded as I fell into the darkness of sleep...

Or a coma. I am currently unsure of which.
__________________________________________

The world around me was untamed and wild. The star ridden sky a glorious deep violet with a moon so brilliant and hot one could only imagine they were in a dream.

Which I was. This, I knew, was my Dreamscape, having been a lucid dreamer since before I could cast a spell... I was casting before any unicorn in recorded history...

The princesses kept very fine records.

I never shared this with my father... As a filly it was the only secret I could keep from him... It was my special, secret place...

I remember the summer days when the Flams invited my father and I to see their latest innovations in their patented heximagical technologies. I would sit there and day drift to sleep, all the while my father and his constituents talked about whatever it is totalitarian puppeteers talked about.

As a filly I remember how bright it was here. I kept the sun high, I had a little village named Townsville. My father was a wacky scientist and I was his lab assistant. We had fun... Childish fun. The kind that instills this feeling of melancholy as you remember what it was like to be so carefree, unburdened by the pressures of expectations...

It changed though, just as I did. The happy hamlet of Townsville would be replaced by Moonhaven, a place I played a finicky rogue who fought an oppressive government, all the while being a posh barroness by the day, attending lovely events with the very same people I would rob by night...

I was angsty then, looking for something in my dreams that I was missing in real life... Excitement... Romance... Attention, silly things a young girl wants from anyone besides the ones she had it from already.

I kept it simple now. An island. An island villa. I'm largely alone here, but I like it that way. I use this place to contemplate the why of things... I just use this place to think, or remember.

Just a place for me to be with myself.

Chapter 8a: Bebop and Gallopy have words

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"Gallopy! What the hell?!"

The tall, slender frame of my crazy boss strolled leisurely out of our little fortified bunker, surrounded by a flank of guys who've I'm come to gather are her bodyguards... I mean, they aren't in any uniform or anything but I haven’t seen them do anything but stick around her sooo...

"Bebop... Why did you bring her here?! Are you losing your mind?! I knew pairing you with Panic was going to be a problem! Whatever possessed you to kidnap the-!"

"I didn't kidnap her! She wanted to go! Gallopy, listen-"

"She wanted to go?"

"Listen it's a long-"

She sighed like she always does, laying her hoof on her temple, giving me a look from under her closed eyes as she shook her head slowly left and right... Kinda like a mom or teacher that just really is disappointed in your performance.

She was always disappointed in me.

"It's always a long story Bebop. I swear we've gotten to the point where sometimes I forget we're at war, and just think this is some story, events drafted in succession with every keystroke..."

"Gallopy I-"

"No. Bebop, just... No. I'm tired of being your editor here. No more long stories, no more secrets, no more 'there's no time to explain, just trust me'... If It's a long story, give me the sparkle notes. I want to know everything... Now."

She still hadn't opened her eyes fully. Mostly just squinting at me somewhat. I knew she was tired, she was always tired, and she gets grumpy when she's tired soooo you can see where the issues arise. I felt myself begin to pace, mostly because I wasn't entirely sure she'd believe me.

"It's... It's not that simp-"

"No! No, no ,no! I don't care if it 'isn't that simple'! I'm sick and tired of all your damned excuses!"

"No really! It isn't as simple as you think! I know I'm a fuck up sometimes but seriously... I... I'll tell you in private... Ok? In private, just the two of us."

She sighed again... You need to understand that sighing is 80% of her vocabulary. The other 20% is yelling.

"Fine... Fine, fine."

She looked to her battalion of bullies and nodded towards them, sending them on their way with the little pony princess dragged behind them.

See, I know that with my luck, that little she-devil is going to wake up with a nasty headache, and blame me for it.

The sexy she-devil who could peel my skin off like a banana...

Fun, fun...
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"So let me get this straight,"

Sanctum, the little lair we call H.Q, is situated under Apple Junction. It's mostly colored by rust and moldy copper pipes. The lighting is delivered (rather poorly) by Magetech (the only viable competitor to the Flimflam's Hextech) lanterns. Soft glows that produce a little hum that irritates you.

No sorry, I mean Irradiates you. Magetech isn't exactly the best stuff. Their products have a long life to them by recycling the magical drop off of the low light spell bound to the lantern. Magical drop off is the result of continued casting of a spell, bound to an object. It isn't healthy for ponies to be exposed to directly, but I figure nopony really cares because as far as I know, starting rebellions to overthrow totalitarian puppeteer dictators, who may or may not have killed a god or two, isn't very healthy either...

"You... Had a dream... And in that dream... A pony-Neigh! The long-lost, goddess of the night... Told you, that the princess, who has never wanted a day in her life... Wants to help us and that you should go get her?"

There was an entirely not, not awkward pause as I brushed the ground under me with my hoof.

"Y-"

"Oh! And bring Panic along too! Yes! That will help!"

She was raising her voice. That's always a good sign. Whenever she was yelling she got this eye thing going, and her eye thing either meant she was having a stroke, or actually thinking about something... She got the eye thing when she was thinking too, but I only notice it when she's yelling.

"I-"

"Don't start! Just... Don't. Start..."

She sighed deeply as I contemplated making a quip about how stress would add to her grey hairs but I thought better of it.. I'd save it for when I didn't need to prove I'm not crazy.

"So do y-"

"Yes. Yes, Bebop, yes... I believe you... Only because there isn't any possible way you could think of anything quite as imaginative as an apparently alive, but missing deity... I... Ok so even if we both agree that what you said happened... How do we know it isn't a trick, or a trap of some kind?"

"It isn't a-"

She threw her hooves on her desk, her typical stone cold, angry expression had melted, somewhere between the beginning of the lecture and now, into one of concern, weakness and... I think sympathy? No... Sadness? No...

Helpless pleading. It looks like she was helplessly pleading, what do you call that-Wait, nope, just got it.

Hopelessness, it was an expression of tired hopelessness...

Oh damn, wait a tick.

"Gallopy, listen I know... I know we haven't really been catching many breaks lately... But maybe... Maybe she's the good luck charm we need, secret weapon type stuff. Ya know?"

"An albatross..."

Gallopy's voice was a whisper and I barely caught what she said, but I did. I figured we reached an understanding and I made for the draping torn up sheet she used for a door.

"Gallopy... Aren't Albatrosses bad luck?"

"Only if you spurn them... Go. I want you to be with her until she gets up, then I want to talk to both of you about all this."

I gave a quick salute without really looking to her, more like i was saluting her flag-door-thing, but I she knew where it was meant to go. I took to a brisk trot, nodding to the guards outside her office as I made for our infirmary.