Esquestria: The House of the Sun - A pony cultist experience

[OurLadyOfWires]

You are Selene…

…

…

… and you are not proud of it.

It is night. It is night, and it is also cold.

You feel cold. You can't sleep. And you hate this. You hate all of this.

But the thing about this hate is that… it's not the fiery kind of hate. It's not a short-tempered kind of anger that you can yell about, or that you can stomp on the ground to make you feel better. You don't feel the kind of anger that makes you want to break something.

In fact, this isn't even the kind of anger that your friends can notice, or that you can talk about… or that you even know how to put into words.

This… this thing that you are feeling… you don't even know what it is.

And maybe that is the worst part. You don't feel angry. You hate this, and you don't want this anymore, and you feel cold and miserable. But somehow, you don't feel angry.

Or at least, you don't feel angry at anypony else.

…

The whole world feels cold. For a while now, everyday has somehow been colder than the last, even when there were no clouds in the sky and you stood in the sun. These last few days, you felt as if a block of ice had been put inside of you. And it only grew larger and larger with each passing day.

It kept growing until it reached the underside of your coat. It kept growing until you could feel crisps of ice breaking inside your leg whenever you moved. It grew until you felt a painful chill in your lungs every time you breathed, and until you felt frost being pumped through your veins in time with your heartbeat.

Until tonight, that is.

Because tonight, something happened.

Something happened, and this… this thing inside of you? It broke out. As if a dam had broken somewhere in your body, this miserable frost that you have in you flooded out of your body as if you were a broken glass.

And somehow, this is far worse.

You thought it was bad when you could only feel it inside of you. You thought it was bad when it was only giving you shivers, or making you feel cold, or giving you the impression that you were sick.

But now, it is way worse.

Because now you can feel it all around you.

And you hate it.

You hate it because you don't have the energy to do anything about it.

You don't even have the energy to shiver.



It is just too cold.



You are lying on your bed. Huddled under the crocheted blankets that you like so much, and then also under however many blankets you could find.

But none of those seem to be working.

The crocheted blanked that usually feels like somepony is hugging you is… it feels like it is scraping at you. As if the slightly worn threads on its surface have turned into splinters, that scratch and bite at you even though you are lying perfectly still.

The pillows that you have around you, as well as the bed itself, feel hard. As if you are lying on cold stone or on a block of ice or maybe on a grave.

And even though you know it is the middle of the night, you also have the impression that the sun just won't rise anymore. Or maybe that it just won't matter if it does. After all, not even the sun will be able to thaw this thing inside of you.

Still, you can't take this anymore. You can't take being here anymore. This bed… your body… your life, it is just too cold. And you feel that if you stay here like this, nothing will ever move again. Your body, your mind, the hands of the nearby clock, you feel like they will all stay frozen and still if you don't move.

So, you get out of bed.



Each movement is a journey.



This is not your home.

That certainty hits you, dragging at your hoofs like a metal ball cuffed to a chain, the moment you leave your room.

This is not your home.

This is not the place you are meant to be.

This is not the life you are meant to be living.

Nothing around you feels real. Everything feels imagined. As if you are sleep-walking while dreaming, or perhaps reliving a memory.

Even if that memory… doesn't belong to you. Or at least, not in a way that you can explain.

However, you can also tell that this isn't something good. Or rather, you can immediately tell that this is bad.

Because the chill that you had inside of you, you can almost see it. You can almost see how it flowed towards the entire house. Coating the walls with half-forgotten colors. Blurring the very air like a mirage.

And as soon as you leave your room, as soon as you step hoof in the corridor, the first thing you feel is…

Regret.

You regret it.

You regret leaving your bed.

You regret leaving your room.

You regret being here.

It surrounds you like a cloak. It weights you down like an anchor.

Although you realize that… that you have no idea why. You regret something, that is for sure. Something deep, that you had inside you all along. Something that flooded out of you together with other, harsher things that you can't remember.

You can't remember what you regret.

But you regret it all the same.

However, you also feel like… for some reason, you also feel that you deserve it?

Because… because you did something wrong. You did something wrong, and you are to blame. You know it is your fault. But it also feels like somepony else did something wrong, and you are taking the blame for her. Somepony else did something wrong, you are being blamed for it, and for some reason you still deserve it.

For some reason, laying the blame on you still feels right.

And maybe that is why… that is why you feel so miserable.

Because even though you can't remember what you did, you still remember this… feeling.

This weight you have on your back.

This cold, harsh bitterness, that is as much of a part of you as the fur on your coat.

You regret leaving your room.

But you also couldn't stand being in your room either.

So, you take another step down the corridor.



…



You remember this place.

You have been walking down this corridor for a very long time. In fact, you know that you have been walking down this corridor for what must have been hours.

You are sure of it. Even though the sun has not yet risen to account for that. Even though you have not taken more than five steps.

You are sure of it.

And thanks to that, you had more than enough time to think.

You had more than enough time to remember.

And you remember this place.

This corridor, this mansion, this… castle? You live here, you know this.

Even though this is not your home, you live here.

Or perhaps, you lived here in the past, but you live somewhere else nowadays.

Because even though you remember, this is still so… confusing. Everywhere you look around you, every though you feel, it's just so… strange.

The things that flowed out of you, they blur your vision too much. They twist your very thoughts.

Are you in a mansion? Are you in a castle?

You can't tell. You really can't be sure.

Because this corridor is too large for you to be able to tell. The ceiling is too high, and the walls are too wide, for you to be sure.

Is everything around you so big because you are a foal, walking inside a mansion?

Is everything around you so big because you are something much larger, walking inside a castle?

You don't know.

But with each step you take, you don't feel more confused.

You just feel more miserable.

Because the place you are in right now?

You don't deserve to be here.

But why?

Why?

Because you don't deserve a happy life? You don't deserve this new home, surrounded by ponies that love you?

Because you failed to protect this place? You don't deserve to walk in this castle, or even in a memory of it, because it is your fault that it is no more?

You don't know.

The only thing you know is that this is your fault. And that your pace is growing even slower. And that you are losing strength.

You can't do this anymore.

You want to stop.

You need to stop.

It is too cold.

And too miserable.

And you don't even know why yet, but it can't be for a good reason.

And moving on will be even more painful than this.

But still, you take the next step.



…



You pass by a door.

Is this door real or imagined? Is this a dream or reality?

You don't know anymore.

But you know there is a pegasus behind that door.

A brave pegasus, who is one of your best friends.

Is she a filly?

Is he a hero?

You can't tell.

You know Scootalooo is right behind that door, sleeping peacefully in the guest room.

So why… why is it that aren't really thinking about her? Why is it that you also remember somepony else? A pegasus of brilliant amber coat with a crested helmet?

A pegasus who was once your friend, and who you also forgot?

And why…

… why…

… why?

Why do you feel like…. Like one day you will also forget Scootaloo as well?

Why do you feel like, one day, she will also be gone? Like the other, heroic pegasus that you were so close to?

Why do you feel like she will be gone, the same way he is gone right now, and that you will stay?

Why do you feel like that will keep happening, to everypony around you, until you are alone?

And as you ask yourself that, you can't help but feel betrayed.

Because why did he have to leave? Why does she have to leave?

But most of all, why do you have to stay?

…

You don't know. Or at least, you don't know why.

All that you know is that it will happen.

…

You don't want to be near this door anymore.

So, you take another slow, ice-frozen step.



…



You pass by another door.

This door, you know, is real. As real as the floor you are standing on, at least. As real as everything else that has ever happened inside your head.

This door is also terribly familiar, and that somehow makes it worse.

Because behind this door… is your sister.

Your sister, who loves you so much despite your differences.

Your sister, with whom you made a promise that you would always take care of each other.

Your sister, who has wings upon her back, as well as…

As well as…

…

The pony behind this door…

She is not your sister.

You don't deserve to call her sister.

You don't deserve to call anypony sister.

Ever again.

And how could you?

How could you possibly deserve to have a sister? How could you possibly deserve to be loved?

Because as you look at the door… as you look at the wide, sun-crested door of the royal chamber, you remember it.

You remember how you abandoned your sister. How you left her all alone to suffer for so long.

And given how you already abandoned one sister, how could you possibly deserve another?

How can the filly sleeping behind this door be anything, but yet another pony you will one day betray?

Your promise you made to each other doesn't matter. The idea that you two are one doesn't matter.

Because one day, she will die… or you will leave her.

One way or the other, you will end up all alone.

…

You turn around and walk away, making your way further down the corridor.

You can't stand this anymore. You can't stand this feeling anymore.

You can't stand this… this utter certainty that… that somehow... you will always be alone.

You walk away from that door, even if it means you are walking away from your own sister again.



…



You make your way down the stairs, and the steps don't creak under your weight. Instead, the thin ice on their surface snaps.

You walk by the several pictures that line the walls, of a smiling family of smiling ponies. Some of those pictures also live as memories inside your mind, vividly remembered moments of happiness in a life you don't deserve.

But you can't feel any joy from them.

Because one day, those pictures will be all that you have to remember them by.

You can't even stand to look at them as you walk down the stairs.



…



You finally arrive at the entrance hall.

You almost can't see. Everything around you, everywhere you look, is pitch dark.

And for all that you can tell that the main doors are wide open, you still can't see anything outside.

There are no stars in the night sky. There is no moonlight, shining in through the open door.

So, you can only see the vague silhouette of the pony who is waiting for you.

You can only see the faintest shape… of the unicorn that is standing in the middle of the entrance hall.

But even though it is so dark, you recognize that pony. You immediately know who that unicorn is.

Guide.

Caretaker.

Mentor.

The well-dressed mare who has always acted as if she was your mother. The noble who took you in when you had nopony else.

The bearded stallion who always acted as if he was your father. The greatest wizard in an entire Era, who taught you when you knew nothing.

You look up at Star Swirl the Bearded.

And Lady Velvet Covers looks down at you.

…

……

………

And you can't take this anymore.

You just can't.

Because this feeling that you have… this cold, heavy misery that is weighting you down.

You realize now that…

That you have been feeling it the whole time.

Throughout all these months, ever since you woke up in that abandoned house. This mixture of bitterness and regret has always been with you.

The only difference was that you didn't pay attention to it before. But now, for some reason, it is at the forefront of your mind. Something happened, and it grew so much that it spilled out of you.

However, now that you can see it properly… now that you can feel it so clearly, you also realize that…

That you have been carrying it on your back and...

No, not just that. You realize that you are choosing to carry it on your back.

These images that you can't recognize, but that are madly familiar.

These names that you don't remember, but somehow almost roll out of your tongue.

This life that feels both like yesterday and like it happened a thousand years ago.

You know there is something wrong with you. You know there is something more about you. Although you also know you can't remember it. Not in a way that you can put into words, at least.

It is as if you have this… this luggage that you are carrying on your back. This large and heavy saddle that you have strapped on your back. That you have been carrying this whole time, but that for some reason you never noticed.

This thing that you are carrying… it is locked. It is locked, and it has all the memories you can't remember.

But most importantly, you can tell that it is almost crushing you. Because even though you can't remember anything, the feelings that surround these memories have been dragging you down this whole time.

They still drag you down even now. Heavy and bitter and sad, overflowing with all the things that you lost.

Like your home.

And your friends.

And your sister.

As well as everything else that you will never have back. Because they only exist in your past now. They only exist in these memories that you can't even remember.

And even though you have a home, and friends, and a sister, you still feel like every day of your life a part of you has been crying over their graves. Because this unnamable part of you knows that already lost all of those things before.

Even though you have no idea why.

But you can't live with this pain anymore. You can't stand it.

You know that feeling sad is normal. Feeling sad is important, even.

But so is…

… so is moving on.

And you know that unless you move on, your life will always be… like this.

This place will never be the home you remember.

Your friends will always dead.

And you will always have abandoned your sister.

But you have to move on.

So, as you look up at the unicorn in front of you, your eyes are drawn to the wide-open doors behind her.

And you understand what you have to do.

You have no idea why.

You have no idea how.

But this cold misery that you are carrying inside of you… this heavy weight that you have been carrying all along…

It might be stronger than ever, tonight.

It might be radiating out of you like a cold sun.

It might be painting everything around you with the colors of bitterness and regret.

But it is contained within this house.

It stretched out of you like a winter breeze, and it created roots in the very walls. It shaped itself like a prison of your own memory.

But it is contained within this house, somehow.

And the unicorn is keeping the doors behind her wide open.

You know what you have to do.

You just have to leave.

You just have to move on.

Even if it feels like a betrayal. Even if it feels like you are leaving them behind one last time. Even if it feels like you are walking away from a pain that you deserve.

You just have to walk out through those doors.

Because your feelings are manifesting themselves so vividly around you… this house and this body and this whole night are so coated with the ghosts that you have been suppressing for so long, that if you just leave…

… they won't be able to follow you.

But…

But you…

You don't want to do it alone.

You can't.

It is too scary.

Too hard.

Too painful.

Because if you leave this guilt behind, then what do you have? If you let go of this, who are you? After all, if you have nothing but regrets, then leaving your regrets behind also means leaving everything behind.

Your home. Your friends. Your sister. It hurts because you still love them.

So, if you leave this pain behind, will you also stop loving them as well?

You don't know.

And that thought terrifies you.

But most of all you just… you just don't want to be alone.

So, even though the words almost shatter the careful silence that allowed this night to happen, you still ask... you still beg for the one thing you need the most right now.



"Can… can you come with me… please?"



You ask her. Even though it almost ruins everything. Even though by listening to your own voice you almost, almost remember… that you are a filly and that it is night and that none of the memories you had make sense.

Your voice almost shatters this delicate night.

But the night holds.

And the unicorn gives you the only possible answer.



No.



The answer comes not in the form of words, but as the slow shake of a head.

Because the unicorn has to stay here.

The unicorn has to close the door behind you, or else the cold will follow your hoofsteps.

And you have to leave your mentor behind.

…

You have never felt so lonely in your entire life.

As you step hoof out through the door, you realize it is raining. The clouds, you realize, are the reason you can see neither stars not the moon.

You have never felt so lonely, so cold, so abandoned in your entire life. You have never felt so lost, or so horribly empty.

But, as the rain begins to soak your shivering body, you also realize you feel empty. As you walk forward, further and further away from the house, you realize the stinging bitterness and the heavy regret that had been with you for so long… you realize they stayed behind you.

And the raindrops themselves feel… warm. The rain feels warm. Even the soaked grass under your hoofs feels warm. In fact, this might be the first bit of warmth you have felt against your coat in a long, long while.

You think your tears would also have felt warm, as they streamed down your cheeks. But you couldn't really feel them with everything else.





Selene has learned to move on.
Selene also has a cold now. Because why in the TARTARUS did she sleep outside in the rain?!
Selene has reached Level 3 of WINTER.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

You are Velvet Covers.

And right now, you are at peace.

In fact, part of you knows that you might just fall asleep if you stay like this for too long. Yet again, even that would be welcome.

Because when was the last time you felt like this? When was the last time you thought things ended up fine?

Of course, things are not perfect. It's not like everything miraculously fell into place and everypony is smiling from ear to ear. Far from that, even. Ponies got hurt, and some ponies got hurt a lot more than others.

You still think Twilight Sparkle hates you, and you know that she is in a very dark place right now. After all, not only did she lose her young… well, her young brother, but she also lost her horn. And considering how practicing magic was her life, you have no idea how badly that must be affecting her. Heavens, you never made it into the School for Gifted Unicorns when you were young, but she did. Her whole life revolved around practicing magic, and being the best at it to the point that she became the Princess' own pupil.

And then there was Shining Armor. Because for all that he took his own harm a lot better than Twilight, the fact remains that he is also a unicorn. Losing a horn is quite literally the same as losing a limb. And for all that there is some cruel irony in how his wound mirrors his sister's, he also had a brush with death.

Finally, you also got hurt. You feel gaunt and weak, and for all that your body is technically unhurt in the sense that you don't have any visible wounds on your coat, you are still gaunt. You look thinner, you have a constant headache as if you were permanently dehydrated, you are sure that you only have half a pony's worth of blood in your veins… and even though you don't have any physical wounds, you can still feel the punctures on the side of your body where that monster's teeth sunk into you. Even if it was just in a dream.

And yet…



And yet, despite all that, nopony died. And you genuinely feel good about things right now.



Because the Cult practically dissolved, for starters. You haven't had the time or energy to check on that yet, but you know that the Cult's presence in Ponyville at least is practically nonexistent now. Its leadership all but fractured. You know for a fact that at least four of the original six Inner Circle members are in no position to give orders. And most importantly, this is all happening in way that almost feels natural. Explainable, even.

After all, for several long weeks you had dreaded that leaving the Cult would mean making an enemy out of it. Or that the Cult might even retaliate against you, most likely in a deadly fashion.

But with the Master gone, for whatever reason, and everything else in disarray that seems entirely unlikely. At best, the Cult will just forget about you, and at worst they might just think you are continuing your own designs in private. Which, even though technically accurate, doesn't feel like you are painting a target on your back.

So, in short, everything is… fine.

Your daughters are home.

Stormchaser is back from work.

You are in your tearoom.

And you are having a pleasant time with your friends.

A scenario like this seemed like an impossibility maybe two weeks ago. And yet, here you are, almost falling asleep as you sip down on a sweet drink.

"Velvet, darling, far from me to critique your looks, but… are you sure you are alright?"

Rarity's words, spoken through an expression of honest concern, push your sleepiness away just slightly.

"I'm fine, Rarity. Like I said, I had an… accident, during my dreams. But I'm here, and I'm fine, and that's all that matters."

The white unicorn gives you a slow, slightly uncomfortable nod. But you know she is feeling concern more than anything else.

Jade, on the other hoof, seems a lot calmer. Granted, the mare always seems calm and neutral and… well, and bored, given her expression. But still, she shares her agreement as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Stuff gets messier the higher you rise," she says, with her usual nonchalant tone. "That's why I stick to the Woods."

You raise an eyebrow at her statement. And you are sure the mare notices it, given how observant you know her to be. Still, she doesn't elaborate any further, and you don't have a chance to say anything before Rarity speaks up once again.

"You say that so easily, but I can't even get to the Woods half the times I try!" she says, her words at the same time frustrated and confused.

In fact, she is speaking with a tone that is almost familiar to you. The same tone that you used to speak with, months and years ago, when you and so many other ponies were also stuck on the Crossroads, back when the Cult was younger and had less members.

"I mean, just having the Dream is already a problem to begin with. Because I can't just paint the walls of my room white like you suggested, Jade," she says, looking at Jade. "What would Sweetie think? And I absolutely will not sacrifice any more locks of my beautiful mane," she finishes, throwing you a slightly disappointed glare, already anticipating what you were going to say.

Because yes, you are sure her complaints are valid. But still, those are the Lantern and Moth aligned ways of having the Dream that you and Jade taught her.

So, you can understand why she has the most basic logistical problem of even reaching the Mansus to begin with… but still.

"Well, it does sound hard to have the Dream when you are trying so hard not to have it, Rarity," you say, with a tiny hint of mockery on your tone. "But pray tell, how are you even dreaming of the Mansus then?"

"It should be obvious, shouldn't it darling? Of course I just get drunk," she answers easily, puffing her chest slightly. Until she realizes what she just said, and quickly backtracks on her words. "I mean, I don't get drunk. I just have a bit of wine! I'm not setting a bad example or anything to Sweetie Belle, and I definitely don't want it to impact my work. I-I mean, I think I only try to have the Dream once a week at most!"

You let out a small laughter as the mare trips over herself, and you deliberately don't press the issue any further. Because it would be so easy to tease her more about this.

But Rarity is your friend, and you still feel particularly tired from your wounds.

So, you just wave her a placating hoof before she gets any more worked up.

"Relax, relax, nopony here thinks you are irresponsible," you say, to which Rarity finally settles down.

And you are sure that there is a joke you could have made there, about "rescuing" Sweetie Belle from her alcoholic older sister and having her live here with you. But again, even from this little conversation you already feel parched and dry, so you just float your teacup towards you and take another sip from the sweet tea.

You could really use more days like this.

"So," you say, after maybe a full minute of comfortable silence, "I'll most likely be absent this month. I told you all earlier about the new job that I accepted, but I honestly have no idea how demanding it will be. So, I can't do anything but plan around me being away."

You watch Jade narrow her eyes slightly, a sign that you have learned can indicate many things, but that undoubtedly means she feels something about what you just said.

But the mare stays quiet, like she always does, and instead Rarity opens her mouth to say something.



But she is interrupted by the sound of your teacup hitting the ground because Comet Feet is coming and you are in danger and everypony in your house is at risk of dying.



"Velvet?! What happ-" Jade says.

"Get me the Daughter get me the Daughter getmetheDaughter-of-Axesrightnow!"

But you interrupt her. Before she can even finish her phrase, you have already jumped out of your sofa, the words coming out of your mouth before you can even think about them.

Your tearoom is a flurry of activity the next moment.

Rarity runs out of the room, compelled to do what you just asked out of reflex. Jade keeps looking at you wide-eyed, unsure of what is going on.

And you? You only realize what you are doing halfway through it. Your own posture is tense, and you are standing up, but the entirety of your focus is concentrated on your nose.

You are taking stock of your situation.

You track everything down like a panicked hound.

You feel Silky, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle in your daughter's room, all sitting around something as they play. You sense Selene in the next room over, on her bed and sleeping her fever away. You smell your husband in his study room. And you… you can't find Soft. She is probably out of your range, and that is bad and you are worried and you hate this.

But most importantly, you feel Comet Feet.

He is currently at the very edge of your radius. Outside your estate. Flying high up in the air.

And to your absolute surprise he is…

He is not moving?

"Velvet! I-I… The Daughter-of-Axes, I went to her room and-" Rarity says, tripping over her own words as she runs back into the tearoom.

"Well? Where is the blasted Name-mare?!" you say, as you turn to Rarity and see a distinct absence of a snakemare following her.

"W-well… she told us to… to shove it and not annoy her?" Rarity answers, her tone equal parts embarrassed and fearful.

To which you let out a groan. Because for all that you care this is an emergency, and you might not even survive long enough to give the Name an earful given the situation.

However, again, you sniff the air with urgency. And once again you confirm that Comet is…

He is just there?

"Velvet, please, what is going on?!" Jade's voice, heavy with uncharacteristic panic, finally reaches you.

And you look at the two mares to realize how utterly frightened they are.

Which makes sense. After all, they don't know what you know. They can't feel what you feel.

From their point of view, you just panicked out of the blue, and they responded in the only way they could. By doing everything you told them and just waiting. And since you only asked them to try and get hold of Axe, only to find out that will be most likely impossible, well…

"I…" you say, sniffing the air once again just to triple-check. "I… am not sure? No, I mean. There is somepony out there and…"

You say that, hesitating, as you look at jade and Rarity in the eye one at a time.

Still, what can you do? Not telling them is not an option, and they know as much as you do so…

"Actually, Comet Feet is out there. And I have no idea why."

"You mean the Enforcer?!" Rarity gasps.

Jade only reacts with an expression of undisguised fear. Which coming from the mare means a lot.

"Yeah, but he is just…" you trail off, checking again just to be darned sure. "He is just standing there? Or rather, he is just flying there? He's… at the very edge of my senses, but he's not coming any closer?"

You say that, but you are not sure of what else you should add. Because you haven't told Rarity that you think Comet Feet attacked Shining Armor. You shared that theory with Jade, and she agrees, but you haven't told Rarity yet. But still, Rarity knows more than enough to understand Comet's ties with the cult.

Hay, you all know what Comet's role in the Cult was. And for all that the Cult might have been thrown into a disorganized chaos, having its greatest sword suddenly appear over your heads is not reassuring.

"W-what do you mean just flying there? Darling, give us details!" Rarity says that, and Jade mutely nods by her side. Both of them looking at you with bated breath.

"There's no details to give Rarity, he's just there!" you say, as exasperated as your two friends.

Because his presence here can only mean one thing. His coming scent can only mean violence.

And yet, you would expect a "visit" from him to involve the stallion zipping through your range like an arrow. Breaking into your home through a window, or maybe even a wall, with all the meteoric violence his name implies.

But he is… he is just not?

Or maybe he is just taunting you? Maybe he knows enough about your skill to know its nebulous range? Maybe he is just waiting there as an implied threat?

Oh heavens… oh hay. You have no idea what this means.

Your thoughts jump into a gallop as you try to make sense of what is going on. As you try to figure out what to do next. Because maybe you should get your family and run? Maybe you have enough time to break down Axe's door and slap some sense into her?

Maybe he has Softy, and that is why you can't feel her anywhere?

You think all of that, but your thoughts are interrupted by a chill that covers your whole body, as you undoubtedly sense that…

"He is coming," you say, the words coming out of your mouth almost in a whisper.

But there is nothing you can do, really. You just don't have enough time.

Because with the slow pace of a mocking executioner, you can feel his sharp presence getting closer and closer.

You can sense him landing on your garden, and you immediately make your way down to the entrance hall.

There is nothing else you can do. There is no time to get your daughters and run. No time even to warn your husband. Trying to do any of that would only mean they are close to you, and consequently close to a potential fight. Telling them to run away will just make them exposed targets.

No, there really is nothing you can do… but head down to the entrance hall and face whatever is coming your way.

Because the way he is doing this… the way he waited at the edge of your senses, and then came to your front door of all places in a… relatively slow speed. You can only hope that this means he doesn't want to fight.

At least, not immediately.

You can only hope that he is here to… talk. Be it to negotiate, or to threaten you, or maybe just to give you a message in behalf of the Cult.

And sure, you know he said he would leave the Cult, but who knows what happened during these last few days? Loyalties can shift, new occurrences might take place, and for all that you know the Master might have already returned and pressed the stallion into service again.

Still, you walk down to the entrance hall, Rarity and Jade walking right behind you.

And you stand before the large double doors, its thick wooden frame feeling awfully thin when you know who is standing right behind it.



Knock...

... knock...

... knock.



A trio of sharp knocks reach your ears, each of them enough to make the heavy doors tremble.

You feel you throat dry as you light up your horn. Twisting the doorknob and opening this last barrier between you and that sharp knife of violence.

You open the door just a tiny little bit. Just enough for you to open a sliver, allowing you to look at the stallion outside.

And just like you expected, you see-

"Fluttershy?" the name comes out of you in a surprised rush.

-scrap that, you did not expect this. You did not expect this at all.

"Fluttershy?!" Rarity mimics the same thing behind you, the half-shouted half-surprised tone present in her voice as well.

Even Jade lets out a large gasp.

But sure enough, as you open the door, you see…

You see Fluttershy. You see the pink-maned yellow pegasus staring back at you.

"Oh, hi there Velvet, I hope I am not disturbing you," she says, her tone calm and low as always.

But for some reason, she also looks unusually spirited. Or at least unusually energetic.

Because every time you spoke to the mare, in the past, she seemed… well, she seemed several things. At times you thought she was intimidated by you. Other days you thought she was just being sheepish to the point of becoming mute. And of course, the last few times you spoke to her she just had a lot going on.

But right now? Her posture is still slightly curled up, and she is still looking at you from behind the bangs of her mane. But she also looks… motivated?

As if she is here for a purpose that she is… dare you say excited about?

Or as excited as she is able to show, that is.

You know she can be focused when she is interested in something, like that one time you visited her house to… "check on" an animal she was nursing. And right now, you think you can feel some of that energy.

"N-not at all, Fluttershy? But… but why in the heavens are you here?" you ask, fully aware that you aren't really choosing your words well, but also fully aware that you are too shocked to care.

"Oh, you see, I am here because…" she begins to say, but then she stops.

She stops talking, as if she just had a better idea about something. And then she places a hoof on the door, pushing it a little bit so it is slightly more open.

Revealing a very disgruntled Comet Feet, who is standing by your side. The large stallion being previously blocked from your sight given how little you had opened the door before.

And even though… even though you knew he was there. No, even though you knew he was there, you can't help but feel shocked.

Because the sight before your eyes couldn't be more contrasting.

Right in front of you are two pegasi.

One of them is small, thin and delicate. Beautiful in a way that is hard to put into words, and somehow giving the impression that she is equally pure. She has a small smile on her face, and her expression all but tells you that she is as innocent and harmless as a small animal.

The other one, standing right next to her, is large. He is large, and he is strong, and he is angry. His fur is coarse and messy in some places, in line-like patterns that tells you he has scars on his coat. And you can very much see that he is still hurt, given the bandages on his sides. Bandages, you can already tell, that are too clean and too well-kept for him to have applied on his own.

They look like the definition of predator and prey, if those two words were to be turned into ponies.

And somehow, they are standing side by side.

No, even worse than that.

You can tell by their expressions that, somehow, one of them has been forced to come here. Or at least is here against their will.

And you feel your jaw drop open as you realize that Fluttershy is not the one who is here against her will.

"Come on… you know you want to say it…" the small, meek, delicate mare says those words. Her voice is no louder than a whisper, and yet you watch as Comet's frown turns into a scowl at that.

You have no words to describe your shock as Comet proceeds to… growl out the next words.

"I. Am. Here… To. Visit… Your husband." He says.

"I knew you could do it! I am really proud of you," the mare says.

And even though her words could have been perceived as mocking, if it was anypony else saying it, Fluttershy's tone somehow made it clear that she really meant it.

The stallion then lets out a short, disgruntled neigh.

And before anypony else can say anything, he just marches into your house.

Leaving the three of you… frozen in shock.

…

That is, until you realize that violence just stepped hoof on the central stairway of your home, and that he is that much closer to the rest of your family.

"W-wait! Hold on!" you say in a panic, as you run behind the stallion.



- - -



Your conversation with Comet Feet, if you could even call it that, was… short.

It was short, and it was enlightening.

Because you chased after him, of course. You ran after him as he just made his way into your home.

He had casually (even if reluctantly) said he was here to visit "your husband," which caused all sorts of questions to appear in your mind. But even those questions had to get in line when compared to everything else you had to ask him.

But first of all, you had to stop him.

"Comet Feet, wait!"

You finally stopped him, as he was about to reach the top of the stairs. And once you made sure there was nopony eavesdropping, you finally managed to have something approaching a conversation with him.

Although, again, it was rather… short.



"What?"
"Comet, I… first of all, what in the hay are you doing here?!"
"Already said it. Here to visit your husband. Now leave me alone."
"W-what? Is that… is that really just it? You're just here to talk to Stormchaser?"
"I won't cause problems if you don't cause me problems. Now let go of my tail."
"I can't do that just yet… A-are you… I have to know. Are you really done with the Cult?"
"Are we going to have a problem?"
"Did… did you hurt Shining Armor?"
"Are we going to have a problem?"



You let him go right after that. And sure enough, he unerringly made his way to your husband's study room. You heard Stormchaser let out a surprised yelp right after that, but other than that… nothing else really happened?

You could sense both of them there. Still alive, and most importantly not fighting. But still, he really didn't… do anything? You think they started to talk, but you didn't really stay there to eavesdrop.

More importantly, you could sense that Rarity and Jade went back to your tearoom, and that Fluttershy was with them now.

So, you made your way back there, because you had no idea of what was going on and what they hay else could you do?

As you reach the tearoom, you enter through the door just in time to pick up the tail end of a conversation.



"Fluttershy, darling, you simply must tell me… who was Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome back there? I mean… prrrr…"

"What? Who…? You mean Comet Feet?"

"Wait, that's Comet Feet?!"

"I guess? I mean, yes that is Comet Feet. But the way you said it… well, I guess he really is kind of tall."

"More than just tall, darling…"

"And I guess his fur is kind of dark."

"Go on…"

"And I guess he really is kind of hands-… I mean."



You enter the tearoom just in time to see a blushing Fluttershy hiding behind her teacup, her eyes firmly blocked by the long bangs of her mane.

And sitting opposite to her, you see Rarity with a smile on her face. The expression of a savvy gossiper who had just lured an innocent pony into the oldest of traps.

Fluttershy is sitting next to Jade, in a spot you think you will refer to as the Quiet Couch form now on. And with a long, confused sigh, you sit next to Rarity.

"So… Fluttershy…" you say, still half-dazed at everything that just happened. "It is really, really lovely to see you here. But can I just ask… why?"

"Oh, I am really sorry if I am interrupting anything," she says demurely, "but it's just that… well Comet has mentioned your husband a few times. And I could tell he really wanted to pay him a visit, so…"

You hear what she says, and even though you take every last word out of her mouth with several grains of salt, you are still left with more questions than you had before.

Because you can understand a pony like Fluttershy being able to "read" Comet Feet. Heavens, Rarity told you the mare can talk to animals, so you assume that when she says the stallion "mentioned" something she actually means she caught on to hints that are far more subtle.

But still, again, that leaves you with a whole swathe of questions.

"…and I encouraged him to visit. But I could tell he wasn't feeling confident enough to come by himself. So, here I am," she says with that same small, lovely smile of hers.

As if she hadn't just said a bunch of things that are unbelievable for their own separate reasons.

However…

However…

Well, the mare is here now?

The mare is here, Comet Feet is here, and apparently you need to reevaluate your relationship with both of them?

And now seems to be a good time as any, given how Fluttershy is not only here, but also seems to be willing to speak words.

Now seems to be a good time as any to introduce her to Jade, you suppose…





Fluttershy… apparently is a Confidante now?

(A reminder that Velvet's list of contacts is based on her own perception. And since she could not read Fluttershy for the life of her, so far she thought they were only Acquaintances. Fluttershy's status has been updated).

But Comet Feet hates you. You are sure of it.

(QMs promise: Comet Feet hates you. Velvet knows it, and she felt it with a certainty that is unrelated to her usual self-depreciation. Keep that in mind as you move forward.)

More to follow.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Two stallions sat opposite to each other in a medium-sized room.

All around them, in the study-turned-hobby room, there were several small mechanical objects, with varying degrees of quality and complexity. Simple metal fans with the crude purpose of measuring the direction and speed of the wind. Complicated decanters designed to read the precise humidity of the air. There were several such objects, some of them dismantled and others carefully polished. And all of them, from the simplest to the most arcane, had in common the fact that they were used for weather engineering.

Between the two stallions, on the table, were several bottles of wine. Several of them open. Some of them already empty.

And the two stallions, of course, were inebriated.

Like the instruments around them, they also shared a commonality. That commonality being that both of them were pegasi.

But that was where the traits they shared in common ended.

"The thing is…" the larger, and younger, pegasus said. His words only slightly sluggish, "that I just don't know what she wants. Half the time she is just quiet, and the other half I just feel like I messed something up. I managed to make her smile precisely one time, and so far I am too scared to keep this trial and error to find out what the fuck I did."

The smaller, and older, pegasus nodded sagely at that.

"Comet my man, let me tell you something," he said, ignoring the younger pegasus' annoyed neigh at how he was being called. "The thing is… that's how mares are like. And you're gonna hate hearing this, but you just gotta keep trying. And even though you have no idea of what you are doing, you gotta figure out how to get more of those smiles out of her. But more importantly, you gotta learn how her smiles look like."

The younger stallion raised an eyebrow at that, and the older just took a long swing from his glass before answering his unspoken question.

"I mean, from what you tell me she is… quiet? So what if, and try to follow me here… what if she doesn't just smile with her face?" the older stallion said that, and then he quickly waved his hoof to stop the younger pegasus from interrupting him. "No, no, no. Listen to me. She's the quiet kind. I get it. I married one, I know how that's like. And the thing about the quiet ones is that they have their own, weird ways of showing they're happy with stuff. Might be she hums a song. Might be she goes for a walk more often. Fuck it, might be that she opens the blinders as soon as she wakes up instead of staying in bed. The thing is that yeah, you saw her smile just once. But maybe you're already getting stuff right and you just can't see it."

The younger pegasus narrowed his eyes as he listened to that, but for a long moment he actually stayed quiet.

That is, until he frowned again.

"I see her smile all the time though. When she's taking care of her animals and such. And I know she's happy when she's doing that," he said, his tone only betraying the slightest hint of... perhaps a bit of envy.

"Sure, sure, she smiles when she's with her animals and whatnot, and she's happy then," the older pegasus retorted almost immediately. "But you're not an animal, are you?"

He asked that, and then he went back to savoring his drink.

That is, until he realized the younger pegasus' expression was suddenly filled with… uncertainty.

"Fuck… By Celestia, I… alright, let me rephrase that. Not as a question this time. Let me be abundantly clear here: You are not an animal. And also, she doesn't want you to be an animal, you hear me? Because if she wanted another animal, she would just have picked up another one from that… forest, you say she lives near," he trailed off, not really remembering the name of the very dangerous Everfree Forest. "But anyhow. Comet my man, you gotta keep in mind that you are different. Tartarus, judging from what you told me this entire thing is as new to her as it is to you. So the way she smiles at you will also be different. You just gotta figure out what that is."

He said that, and he watched as the younger pegasus' expression changed from uncertainty to grudging acceptance.

Followed by a harsh grumble.

"This is so much work…"

To which the older pegasus couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh you have no idea… No, really, you don't. And trust me when I tell you that this will be the most tiring thing you will ever do in your entire life. And it gets even worse when you realize you'll also be doing it for the rest of your life."

He says that, and he receives a glare for his words. After all, what he said was as good as a threat in the eyes of the larger pegasus.

But still, he couldn't help but laugh. Even at the sharp glare he received.

"But let me tell you something… it'll also be the most rewarding thing you ever do…"

His words… his very tone… they had the very obvious weight of experience behind them. That mixture of memory and… and certainty that…

That the younger pegasus couldn't help but frown at. Because for all that he was disgruntled by the older pegasus' words, he also realized he couldn't refute them. He also realized, somehow, that the other pegasus was telling the truth.

"In fact, let me tell you a story. You see, we have a daughter, right? The wife's as protective as she can be, but you can't really contain a filly with wings. So of course, every now and then the girl causes trouble in a way nopony could really have expected."

He said all of that with a calm tone, pausing here and there to chuckle as he remembered some sort of detail he didn't really think he should share.

Still, he told his story, refilling both their glasses with wine as he did.

"And one day, she comes home from school and asks for an allowance. A few bits of pocket money, for her to be able to buy whatever she wants. Probably because she wanted to burn it all on sweets or toys or whatever else she saw in town while on her way to school."

He emptied the bottle, only to realize one of the glasses ended up half-filled.

So, of course, he uncorked yet another one and carried on.

"Pocket money. That's all she asked for. And I… I don't really know how to explain this to you, Comet. But Velvet… she flipped. She lost her mind. Practically had a panic attack as soon as she filly was out of earshot. Hoofs trembling and all."

"She… wait, she did what?"

"You heard me. She fucking flipped, plain and simple."

"But… but why?"

"Because that's how she's like. And don't look at me like that, I really mean it. There's no single explanation to it, Comet. She is a mare. And she is emotional. And she is an overthinker. And most of all she is extremely protective of our daughter," he said with a familiar smile. "So when our daughter asked for an allowance, my wife didn't think it was just a filly asking for money. She immediately wondered why our daughter wanted money. Which in turn made her think that whatever we were giving her was not enough for her to be happy. Which then meant that we were bad parents who were making our daughter miserable."

He said that, and then he watched as the younger pegasus just… looked at him with confusion.

"I… but why… how? Your daughter just asked for bits, and I-… No, really. I refuse to believe this story of yours."

"Refuse all you want, but it's the truth. Velvet is the mother of my daughter. She is the single most interesting mare I have ever met in my life. And I love her to death. But still, she is her own pony, the same way you and I are our own ponies. And getting to know her is both the most tiring and the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. Which also means that, every now and then, I stumble upon situations like that."

He punctuated those words by taking his glass to Comet's, and hitting them together in a small toast.

"So, welcome to the rest of your life… as long as you want it, of course. And as long as it makes you happy." He said with an honest smile. "I really, really hope it does."

The larger stallion rolled his eyes at that.

And yet, he didn't pull his glass away as the older stallion brought his for the small toast.

Furthermore, he took a small sip from it, after the toast, together with the older pegasus.

Even if his expression was anything but accepting.

Still, after that, a silence of sorts descended upon the room. The two pegasi quietly drinking from their respective glasses. One of them with a satisfied expression, and the other clearly lost in thought.

That is, until the larger stallion let out a short growl, as if he had decided on something.

"Well then. Now that we got that out of the way… Are you going to tell me what is going on? Or do I need to hurt you to get an answer?"

He said that, his words cutting through the air as he looked at the smaller pony.

But still, the smaller pegasus did nothing but raise an eyebrow. And despite the very real and legitimate threat, his posture continued relaxed.

Not that he was taunting the other stallion, of course. He knew better than that. If nothing else, his relaxed expression was only more proof that he had been caught, and that he had nothing to hide.

"What gave me away?" he asked.

To which the younger pegasus replied by glancing at the older pony's cutie mark.

"You didn't have a Brand when I got here. That, and I can smell the hawthorn in the wine. No idea what it's for, but I only smelled it one other time, and it was not when I was awake."

The older pegasus let out a satisfied ahh at that. Nodding to himself as he inspected his own cutie mark.

"Right, right. I always forget I didn't always have this," he said towards his flank, before turning back to the other pegasus. "And it's even harder to tell when I'll end up. Still, I'm just glad you didn't immediately react to it. I quite appreciated our talk."

"Who are you?" the pegasus said, almost cutting him off. Clearly not enjoying the idle chatter as much as the older pegasus was.

"I am Stormchaser, of course. Or rather, I will be Stormchaser one day? Or maybe I was Stormchaser at some point. I mean, the grammar involved becomes kind of unhelpful when you want to express this kind of idea."

The larger pegasus glared at him for those words, but the older stallion could do nothing but shrug at that.

"Well, you can see the flavor of my Brand, no? So, I assume you already understand at least part of what is going on. But more importantly, I really mean it when I say that… that I am just here to talk."

"Talk about what. And why?"

The larger stallion asked that, his tone cautious and almost accusing.

But he couldn't help but feel slightly surprised as the older pony's expression became… conflicted? Hesitant?

Perhaps even sad?

"I will tell you… what I am not here to do, Comet Feet." He said, taking another long gulp of his drink. "I am not here… to warn you. Because I know that's not how it works. And I wouldn't try to warn you even if it did work like that."

"Will you just get to the point alr-"

"You died, Comet Feet," the older stallion said, interrupting the younger one. And for once, his tone was not pleasant and content as it had been so far. "You never made it a secret that you hated my wife, but for a while things went well. That is, until they didn't. And then we all picked sides, as we knew we would. And then your side lost. Plain and simple."

The larger pegasus quieted down at that. His expression a mixture of grim determination and, surprisingly, tension.

"But again, not a warning. This is not how the Histories work. And for all I know this might be one of the Histories where you win, and I either die with my wife or live on to raise my daughter as a widower. But again, even though I would very much rather you two don't fight at all, I really am not here for any of that."

He said that, and as he finished his glass he finally just picked up a bottle and began to drink straight from it. His expression slowly becoming less severe as he drank from the wine.

Still, the two pegasi stayed in silence for… a while.

Until the younger stallion finally spoke, his words coming out from pursed lips.

"But if it doesn't work like that… and if you are not here to… warn me. Then why?" he asked.

To which the older pegasus replied with a very simple, very honest smile.

"Because you were my best friend, and I just miss talking to you from time to time." He said that, and then he slightly waved the bottle of wine he was holding, nodding towards it as he spoke. "And ever since good Baldomare taught me my Sacrament, I just give you a visit whenever I can."

He said that as a joke, but his tone also betrayed how… deeply he meant that.

Something about his voice, or maybe his choice of words, or perhaps the lines of age on his face, just told how… affected, he really felt by that.

Still, he said those words through a smile. So, the younger pegasus didn't really know how to respond.

"So, again, not a warning. Not even a prophesy or anything. The Histories are weird like that, so for all I know this one might be one of those weird offshoots where… well, better not talk about those." The older pegasus said that, as he turned the bottle on his mouth, quickly emptying the contents of the last hawthorn-laced bottle. "Still, if I can just make a small request... Be nice to me, if you will it. Things would have been a lot easier if I didn't spend so many months terrified of your visits. It's what I tell you every time I visit, at least. You can ignore me if you want. But yet again, you only left me a Scar to remember you by, so I've learned not to leave things unsaid that I might regret."

And with the bottle finally empty, he once again brought it towards Comet's own glass. Clinking the bottle and the glass in a final toast.

"But whatever you do, I look forward to becoming old friends with you."

He took one last look at his old friend.

And by the time he blinked again, Stormchaser was once again alone in his study room. With nothing but the smell of alcohol and the pains of his aged body to keep him company.





- - -

- - -

- - -





The hangovers almost didn't make those trips worth it.

Almost.

He understood why Baldomare favored that method. She had other ways to do it, of course. But the characteristics of her body meant that she didn't have to worry about things such as alcohol poisoning or liver problems. Not that he had any of those issues yet, of course. But the peculiarities of his mortality meant that he had to apply a "yet" to that phrase.

Still, the wine tasted so damn good.

"Dad? Are you in here?"

Stormchaser was snapped out of his thoughts by a familiar voice, and he made an effort to tune out his drunk thoughts as he turned towards the door. A short figure walking in just as he blinked his dizziness away.

But of course, he already knew who it was.

"Ah, anything I can do for you buddy?"

Stormchaser said those words as he looked down to face his… as he looked down to face his son.

As he looked down at the Scar that Comet Feet had left him, to remember him by.

"Mom asked me to tell you dinner is ready and… wait, have you been drinking again?"

Healed Scar was an earth pony. A yellow-coated earth pony who had been entrusted to him by Fluttershy, eight months after Comet Feet died, and one day before the mare herself followed.

She had Healed Scar all for herself for precisely nine days. Enough time for her to choose his name, cherish his company, and say her goodbyes. He tried to convince her not to do it, of course. He tried to convince her to stay, and raise her own son. But she insisted, saying that she trusted him, and that she had only been allowed nine days after he had been born.

Stormchaser heard she was found laying on top of Comet's grave, on the following morning, and that she was buried next to him. But he wouldn't know for sure. Because despite all the years that passed, he still hadn't mustered the courage to visit his grave.

But of course, Healed Scar didn't know anything of that.

"Who? Me? Drinking? Of course not, buddy. I was just talking to your dad, that's all," he said, with a practiced smile, using the same tone he always used whenever he told a dad joke.

To which Scar answered by… scrunching his nose. No doubt feeling the smell of whine on the pegasus' breath.

"Dad, you have been talking to… yourself? You have definitely been drinking. And I already told you that's not good for your health!"

The young colt said that, his young voice suddenly becoming serious as he took Stormchaser by the hoof and began dragging him out of the study room.

And Stormchaser gladly allowed himself to be dragged, of course. Hearing the colt's long winded and adorable scolding about the dangers of alcohol.

Because true to his name, Healed Scar had already decided he was going to be a doctor.

In fact, despite his age, he already had his cutie mark. He had been the first in his class to get his, by several months even.

It was the image of a heart, with a diagonal scar-like cut that was already sutured and closed, crossed by a scalpel. Of course, everypony could tell at a glance that was the cutie mark of a future doctor, and probably of a future surgeon. And Healed Scar himself was already determined to follow that path himself.

But in the privacy of his thoughts, Stormchaser couldn't help but think that... that it never ceased to amuse him, the tiny details that only he could see on his cutie mark. He always chuckle when he realize that the scalpel, so prominent on Scar's flank, was a cutting instrument that is used to heal. He always smiled fondly when he saw that at the bottom of the scalpel, so small that it was barely noticeable, there was the stylized drawing of a butterfly.

Stormchaser always wanted a son. And he could honestly say that he loved Scar like a son, and that he was raising him exactly like that.

Still, he missed his old friend. And even though he knew things couldn't have happened differently, he still wouldn't have minded if… well, if he had been Scar's uncle, rather than just his father.

But that is not how things played out. At least, not in this History.

He wondered when his next batch of hawthorn would bloom.

He wondered if things would turn out better, to the old friend he just spoke to.

He hoped that it did.

He sincerely hope it does.





"There's not a word yet, for old friends who've just met."
-Jim Henson

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Last turn's shopping list
(These are the items that you had the option to purchase last turn. They must be bought with the resources you had available then, but if bought will be immediately available for use or study at this turn.)
Last turn's available bits: 136
-NONE
(Books not bought will be lost, other items will be available through the following turns, but have a chance of being sold to somepony else every turn)



- - -



This turn's available bits: 296 (minus items you decided to buy)

Monthly revenue: 120 bits/month (this is the last turn you will receive this quantity from your father)

Rarity's dividends for this turn: 40

Stormchaser is AT HOME this month. (You will automatically "bodyguard" him, as you do the rest of your family.)

This turn, the travel cost for Velvet Covers or her servants to perform actions in Canterlot is waived (but you must still pay for another character to travel there).



- - -



-[X] You have accepted a place at the Lunar Bureau, and you have no idea how much of your time that endeavor will consume. Your entire month will revolve around that.

You have THREE personal actions this turn and ONE servant action.


-[] You are under attack!

Spoiler: Incoming!

An unknown party will cast "The End is Beautiful" against Velvet Covers during this month. (You must pick one, does not cost an action.)
--[] Deny it. (Will destroy a Wrong Key)
--[] Divert it. (You do not know how)
--[] Accept it. (Velvet Covers will attempt to resist it)

-[] You are wounded!
(You currently have 1 wound. You must pick one of each option.)

Spoiler: Wounds

-For every single dice you roll, a success will only heal a single wound.
-All rolls are against a DC 70.
-You currently have an Artifact in your possession. It shall grant you a +30 bonus for your roll.
-Your current Heart application bonus is +15 (since this is a long-term process, you cannot apply Attention of the Laws to it).

Rest, and time, are the only true remedies for a sick body. (You must pick one)
--[] You don't have time for this. (Costs 0 actions. You will only roll ONE healing dice.)
--[] Take a few breaks, every now and then. (Costs 1 action. Rolls TWO dice. 0/-15)
--[] You only have one body. Better take the time to care for it… (Costs 2 actions. Rolls THREE dice. 0/-15/-30)
--[] Your wounds are deep and numerous. You can't play around while you are like this. (Costs 3 actions. Rolls FOUR dice. 0/-15/-30/-45)
--[] You are almost broken. So, you will act accordingly. You need only your mind to plan vengeance. (Costs 4 actions. Rolls FIVE dice. 0/-15/-30/-45/-60)

The body will do its part. But science, and magic, may also provide. As long as you provide the proper "encouragement", of course. (The dices that auto-succeed will always be the ones that have the greatest penalty, and NOT the dices who roll the lowest results.) (You must pick one)
--[] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care. Either way, your body will have to mend itself on its own terms. (Costs nothing.)
--[] The medicine's taste is worse than its appearance. But it is exactly what you need, if they are to be believed… (Costs 30 bits. One dice will auto-succeed)
--[] There is no holy grail for healing magic, no miraculous wound-closing spell. But vigor-enhancing spells, and other small boosts, are a thing. The crystals where they are stored for sale are expensive, though… (Costs 60 bits. Two dice will auto-succeed)
--[] It costs extra to have a nurse follow you back from the hospital. But everything is a service, and everything is for sale, if you have the bits for it. (Costs 90 bits. Three dice will auto-succeed)
--[] These are not illegal, they are just extremely hard to find. The fact that they are so hard to find that no regulation agency cared to declare them illegal, on the other hoof, is just a small detail. (Costs 120 bits. Four dice will auto-succeed)
--[] Most of the bits are to pay for his silence. His skills, however, are not to be disregarded. The doctor is so quiet that you sometimes forget he is even there, but he is never more than ten hoofsteps away from you. (Costs 150 bits. Five dice will auto-succeed)

-[] Do something about your foes

Spoiler: Foes

You currently do not have any known, overt foes.

-[] The delights of subservience (Leash currently targeting: SHINING ARMOR)
--[] Change Leash to another target. (Write-in who)
--[] Un-Leash the current target.


Confidants and Summons

Spoiler: Options of Focus

-The ponies and creatures listed below can be given a "focus" for this turn. Be wary, also, to the "expiration date" of summons.
-The ponies and creatures listed below may be safely taken for a single one-turn (five days) Expedition without hampering their "focus". Taking them for a two-turn (6+ days) or greater Expedition will cause them to not execute their selected "focus".

Spoiler: Rarity

Rarity (currently an Initiate, GRAIL Level 1, FORGE Level 0):

Current Health: 3

Special considerations: She will always dedicate her time to her career, but performing actions for you inevitably require her focus. She will warn you if she thinks that her career is in danger of taking a hit.
Rarity will be treated as a Minion if (1) your Grail level is superior to her, OR (2) you are currently under the effects of An Incarnadescence. (She will be a Minion if either is true).

-[] [RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
-[] [RARITY] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick TWO of Velvet's personal actions for her to aid you in)
-[] [RARITY] Act as your emissary. (Pick an action from Velvet's list.)
-[] [RARITY] The Secret Library has enough knowledge for her to learn on her own. Tell her to focus on her studies, so she may turn into a Disciple. SECRET LIBRARY INSUFFICIENTLY LEVELED
-[] [RARITY] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] [RARITY] Something else (WRITE IN a suggested action)

Spoiler: Jade Whistle

Jade Whistle (currently a Disciple, LANTERN Level 3, HEART Level 1):

Current Health: 3

Special considerations: Jade Whistle might react badly if she fails an action, or if she feels she is not being useful.

-[] [JADE] "You do you." Let her do whatever she wants for once. It might do her some good, both mentally and personally.
-[] [JADE] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick TWO of Velvet's personal actions for her to aid you in)
-[] [JADE] Act as your emissary. (Pick an action from Velvet's list.)
-[] [JADE] The Secret Library has enough knowledge for her to learn on her own. Tell her to focus on her studies, so she may turn into an Seeker. (This will level her up, at the expense of her own focus action instead of an action of your own) SECRET LIBRARY INSUFFICIENTLY LEVELED
-[] [JADE] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] [JADE] Jade Whistle thinks she saw something in Selene, and would like to investigate that further. (Research "A Memory of Light")
-[] [JADE] Jade mentioned she has a... feeling, about Selene. She'd like to investigate it, if that's alright. Require Selene's Knock level 3
-[] [JADE] Something else (WRITE IN a suggested action)

(The Daughter-of-Axes will expire at the end of turn 17)

Spoiler: Daughter-of-Axes

Daughter-of-Axes (KNOCK Level 6, EDGE Level 3):

Current Health: 2/5 (as a non-permanent summons, she will not heal herself passively)

-[] [AXE] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick TWO of Velvet's personal actions for her to aid you in)
-[] [AXE] Act as your emissary. (Pick an action from Velvet's list.)
-[] [AXE] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] [AXE] Ask for a Lesson of Knock. (Grants you one scrap of Knock Lore)
-[] [AXE] Channel an Influence. (During this turn, instead of the usual two months, she will gift you the highest order of Influence of Knock]
-[] [AXE] Craft Wrong Keys. (She will give you three Wrong Keys, which will expire five turns after their creation, starting this turn. May only be picked ONCE per summoning)
-[] [AXE] Something else (WRITE IN a suggested action)

Spoiler: Fluttershy

Fluttershy (currently an Enlightened, WINTER Level 0, UNKNOWN nonexistent)

Current Health: 3/3

Special considerations: She is, probably, especially unsuited for social actions. And then there is Comet Feet...

-[] [FLUTTERSHY] Ask for a favor, from you... mutual friend. (WRITE IN a favor, that you will ask her to ask Comet Feet to do)
-[] [FLUTTERSHY] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick TWO of Velvet's personal actions for her to aid you in)
-[] [FLUTTERSHY] Act as your emissary. (Pick an action from Velvet's list.)
-[] [FLUTTERSHY] The Secret Library has enough knowledge for her to learn on her own. Tell her to focus on her studies, so she may turn into an Initiate.
-[] [FLUTTERSHY] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] [FLUTTERSHY] Something else (WRITE IN a suggested action)

Spoiler: Selene

Selene (MOTH 3; WINTER 3; EDGE 2; KNOCK 2):

As an alicorn, Selene has TWO actions.

-[X] Go play. (Selene will live a normal and happy life. This option costs one of her actions, it will always be picked, and there is nothing you can do to stop it.)
-[-] "And this feeling of wrongness shall be with her, until the day she wakes." (There is nothing more you can teach her about MOTH)
-[-] "She will always be alone, in the end..." (There is nothing more you can teach her about WINTER)
-[] She cannot shy away anymore. Not from this. (Teach Selene the final lesson of EDGE)
-[] She learned of the key. She learned of the lock. Now, she must learn about opening. (Teach Selene the final lesson of KNOCK)

-[] Before this month starts, you will perform a ritual to draw the attention of [SPECIFY LORE] (This is a free action to summon "The Attention of the Laws")


-[] Before this month starts, you will write uncle Steppes! [WRITE IN]
(Pick an action and ask if he can help. He may not be able to help, depending on the context, but there is no way of knowing beforehand. Do not pick this option if you don't want to ask his help this month.)


-[] No more running, no more hesitation. If you don't do this, somepony else will, and that thought sometimes terrifies you.

Spoiler: The Dreams come, whether you like it or not

You must pick a single action. You will suffer a malus if there are no new locations to explore (but reaching a Door will give you a "grace" period of a few turns)
--[] The Woods
---[] There has to be somewhere in or around the Woods you have not yet seem. Looking for them will help you understand this place better.

--[] The Blank Plains (Blank Plains fully explored)

--[] The Shattered Stairways
---[] A labyrinth of stairs. A monument of a gone age. A sprawling ruin. See where the many paths might lead you.

--[] The Ruined Church
---[] Explore the depths of the Ruined Church (Mansus Expedition)

--[] The Only Way Up
---[] Explore what lies beyond The Ruined Church (Mareinette blocks your path)

-[] These are the skills that allow you to climb the Mansus. (Actions towards your possible Sacraments)

Spoiler: Sacramentum means a Solemn Oath

--[] Towards that cold Winter that awaits us all
---[] Investigating the End (Costs 30 bits. May be done multiple times per turn. Somepony, somewhere, will die.)
---[] Beg for knowledge of the End, so that you may learn of its necessity. (Will also provide you with an Edge Sacrament) [THIS IS A REGRETTABLE ACTION]
---[] Invitation? No Winter Names summoned

--[] Knock, and ye shall open
---[] Study the manners in which the skin of the world might be cut. (Research action, full requirements unknown.)
---[] Offer to go beyond the foggy mirror, to perform an errant for the Daughter-of-Axes Requires Knock 4/4

--[] Attempt, even if foolishly, to untangle the webs of the Secret Histories
---[] Investigate your current skills. To try to understand them, if nothing else. (Current progress 0/3) (THIS IS A DANGEROUS ACTION)
---[] Follow Baldomare, towards a place Beyond the Map's Edge (This is an Expedition action) (this costs TWO actions, and 80 bits) Baldomare not currently summoned, requires Secret Histories 4/4

--[] Take that terrifying leap, into the abyss we call change
---[] Don't the mask, shear your mane, pick the only pony who will notice it. Snip snip snip (WRITE IN a CONFIDANT to be permanently lost) Requires Moth 4/4
---[] Invitation? No Moth Names available

-[] A fleeting opportunity (rumor mills spin, opportunities come and go. These actions might never be available again)

Spoiler: Another moment, and they will be gone

--[] Check on Twilight Sparkle. Even if she hates you, you still owe it to her.

--[] Mayor Mare, of all ponies, sent you a letter. Discussing certain things in regards to Ponyville. She wanted your opinion in certain matters, if nothing else, but you feel that you might reap a lot more if you answer her in person.

--[] The Wildhoof Club has been dissolved. Or, at least, it has fallen in chaos and disarray as far as you can tell. But its headquarters was in Ponyville, and you might learn a lot of how the chips will fall if you investigate it during this crucial month.

-[] On the treasures that bits may buy (actions where you search for things to purchase)

Spoiler: Bits and Buyings

--[] There are books that could be of use. You should start looking for them.
---[] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (no extra cost) (HEART, FORGE)
---[] In the great libraries of Canterlot… the ones that are open to public access, that is (20 bits in transportation) (applies "Royal Favor") (LANTERN, GRAIL, SECRET HISTORIES)
---[] In the many small bookshops that dot the side streets of Manehattan (35 bits in transportation) (MOTH, EDGE, KNOCK)
(Due to SECRET HISTORIES 3, now you have a better idea of what you are more likely to find in each city)

--[] Although you are personally judicious about such habits, you are still a noble. Searching for "peculiar items" to "add to your collection" is certainly not out of place… right? (Search for an artifact to buy)

--[] You have ingrained yourself with the merchants of Ponyville. Tap into your sources and procure an artifact. (Specify LORE and LEVEL, up to Level 3. It will be added to your available list, but will be more expensive than normal)

--[] You haven't forgotten about it, you just put it on hold until a more convenient time. (Purchases done here will arrive/be completed at the end of this turn.) (Does NOT cost an action)
---[] NO ARTIFACTS AVAILABLE

-[] On furthering your influence

Spoiler: In Ponyville

--[] In Ponyville
---[] You now have a better grasp of the merchants in Ponyville, having had several letters of introduction sent around in your name. But what would you like to do next?
----[] Meet a few of them, and ingrain them to your cause.
----[] They are bit handlers, and that means they are a source of income. Try to discuss with them about alternative sources of (legal) income.
----[] Something else. (WRITE IN)

---[] Ponyville's local guard was under the Cult's sway, to a certain extent. But still, it wouldn't hurt to try and ingrain yourself with them.

---[] Ponyville has an underworld, small as it might be, and their eyes and ears could be useful. Attempt to contact them.

---[] Jade's house awaits, near the outskirts of Ponyville. Empty and abandoned. You will need to clean it up before it can be put to use. (Progress 0/2 actions)

Spoiler: In Manehattan

--[] In Manehattan (all options cost 35 bits in transportation)

---[] You know for a fact that there is, or was, a Cult cell in Manehattan. Take a look around, and see if you can find out something about it.

---[] Manehattan has a guard. A local guard, a constabulary, a police center, or whatever they call it. Get to know them, that is always the first step.

---[] Manehattan most certainly has an underworld. Crime is much easier to commit in a place like that, you see. Go there and see what you make of it.

Spoiler: In Canterlot

--[] In Canterlot (all options cost 20 bits in transportation, unless stated otherwise)

---[] Reach out to your family, at least the ones you go along well with.
----[] Reach out to your mother, as much as it might be… complicated.
----[] Attempt to locate your older brother, Velvet Wings, as much as it might be difficult. (No cost)
----[] Go there yourself and try to talk to your younger brother, Velvet Pride, although getting caught will probably be bad. (Involves invading your family's own mansion)

---[] Reach out to other minor nobles of Canterlot.

---[] Reach out to other higher nobles of Canterlot, although that might be more complicated.

-[] On planning an Expedition.

Spoiler: Out into the World

--[] Equestria is full of undiscovered places. You must learn their secrets. (All options involve a test, and can fail)
---[] Search for a place that is recent in its ruin, whose History is decided. Mundane as it might be, it might still bear treasures. (Search for an "easy" expedition)
---[] Search for a place that is old in its History. Where the influence of the Mansus is but an echo, but that can still be heard in the wind. (Search for an intermediary expedition)
---[] Search for a place that should be better left forgotten. According to the powers of this Era, at least. Finding it will be hard, though, and uncovering its secrets even harder. (Search for a very hard expedition)

--[] "Beneath the Royal Castle, pt. 2"
---[] Scout out the place so you can have a better grasp of what lies ahead of you. (costs 20 bits in transportation)
---[] You know enough, and there is not much time. Gather your followers and head out. (Costs TWO actions, as specified)

-[] On furthering knowledge. Yours, or somepony else's.

Spoiler: The allures of Power

--[] Write a Manifest. It will not benefit you directly, but it will certainly benefit anypony else with whoever you allow into your library. (WRITE IN Lore)
--[] Teach Rarity, and make her a Disciple.
--[] Teach Jade, and make her a Seeker (Insufficient personal knowledge)
--[] Teach Fluttershy, and make her an Initiate.
--[] Teach your family the Lores. (Requires "all Lores" to be Level 3 or higher, affects your entire family)

(You may study three books, OR two artifacts, OR one book and one artifact)
(You may study the same item several times, if you believe you will fail the test or if it is an item that requires decyphering)

--[] There is something about this… thing, and you must learn what it is
---[] KNOCK Level 2 artifact

--[] It doesn't have to be just during a leisure weekend evening, you can fit a few minutes of reading even when walking between rooms if you really get into it!
---[] BOOK, HEART Level 1. "A small book that covers a particular kind of elegant dancing".
---[] BOOK, FORGE Level 1. "A small handbook on camping, explaining the basics of how to build a tent and start a small fire".
---[] BOOK FORGE Level 3. "A real guide to beginner's level blacksmithing. The bookstore owner almost seemed excited in having this reach your hoofs via your servants."
---[] BOOK FORGE Level 3. The book is simply titled 'Chemistry', and your servants reluctantly admitted that was the only word they understood in it. Of course you know they were being dramatic, but that also means that the contents of the book must be way, way beyond what they teach at schools."
---[] BOOK, KNOCK Level 2. "A fairly recent, and short, book about dream interpretation. You know it is recent because it was dedicated to Princess Luna's return".
---[] BOOK EDGE Level 1. "The title is self-explanatory: 'Four self-defense spells every unicorn should know'. You doubt they are anything more than different variations of concentrated telekinesis."
---[] BOOK LANTERN Level 6. "An ancient, and enormous, hardcover tome written in an unknown language. You are not even sure what its title is, if it even has one, but the symbol laid on its front was enough for you to understand what it is about. On its cover you can clearly see the icon of a Sun, Divided." (DECIPHERED, will grant +one Lantern Lore if studied, small risk of FASCINATION.)
---[] BOOK UNKNOWN LORE. "An old book, hoof-written and bound with rusty metal pins. Found in the cavernous undergrounds of the Royal Castle. The language written in it is strange, but the alphabet itself is not. This is clearly from this age." (REQUIRES DECIPHERING, unknown if it will grant Lore-knowledge. From Current Era: "-20" malus while deciphering. Current Progress 0/50)
---[] Some other book (select a book you have bought this turn)

-[] On scaling the Mansus (Pick TWO options for every action spent)

Spoiler: The House without walls

--[] The Woods
---[] Wander around the Woods, and hear its many whispers.
---[] Visit the Dry Well, with its many scents.
---[] There are other places connected to the Woods, but that are not in the Mansus proper. Look for them. (Search for a new area)

--[] The Blank Door
---[] Explore the Blank Plains, the first afterlife of ponykind.
---[] Visit the Lodge of the Sage Pony. You may not be able to talk to Baldomare, but you surely can listen very well.
---[] Visit the Garden of Mirrors, where the Mares attend the glassy flowers.
---[] Explore what lies beyond the Garden of Mirrors, behind that pale veil of fog Requires a Winter Sacrament
---[] Reach for The Tower, at the impossible edge of the Blank Plains, and meditate on what you are lacking. (Gain one scrap of Secret Histories Lore) This option will not net you any gain.

--[] The Shattered Stairways
---[] Wander through the maze of broken stairs. Perhaps you will stumble upon something.
---[] Reach for the Valley of Keys, where the snakemare of the Mansus toils for her freedom.
---[] Seek audience with the Wolf-Divided (you will be given a useful gift. Gifts will always be increasingly more precious and useful. There is no risk of receiving any maluses or wounds) [This is a Regrettable Action]
---[] There are other markings to be followed within this maddening labyrinth of stairs. Follow them. (Search for a new area)

--[] The Ruined Church
---[] Explore the depths of the Ruined Church (Mansus Expedition)

--[] The Only Way Up
---[] Explore what lies beyond The Ruined Church (Mareinette blocks your path)

-[] On more personal matters

Spoiler: Home and heart

--[] Of course you love your family very much, but you could always spend a bit more time with them.
---[] Just another pleasant day that you will spend with them. Perfect for cooling your head off.
---[] WRITE IN (other ways to spend time with your family, or anything else)

--[] You really shouldn't, but needs must. Every single ledger from the farms east of Ponyville pass through you, it would be a simple matter to have some "administrative mistakes" make some bits disappear from the coffers and appear in your pockets.
---[] Have a servant do it, having an actual scapegoat is ideal if things go wrong.
---[] Do it yourself, it's better this way.
---[] Wait, right, the Wildhoof Club. Get in touch with Windy Flakes, and see how serious he was when he mentioned the whole "laundering bits" thing.
(Unavailable, until your figure out your relationship with your previous job and your father)

--[] Go into town and try to meet somepony interesting.

--[] Much to your own satisfaction, you now have a personal life outside of your maids, immediate family and business related meetings. You could choose to spend some time with…
---[] Twilight Sparkle, who leads the bearers of the Elements of Harmony
---[] Cheerilee, your daughter's schoolteacher
---[] Mayor Mare, the de-facto ruler of Ponyville
---[] Filthy Rich, a well-to-do and wealthy bussinespony
---[] Applejack, daughter of the Apple Clan and older sister to your daughter's friend
---[] WRITE IN (arrange to take your daughter to meet some of your younger acquaintances, or plan something else entirely)

-[] On invoking the Lores (see RITUALS for more information, as well as CD and cost. SPECIFY if you will offer SACRIFICE)

Spoiler: The old ways

Your own reagents, and other possible sacrifices:
-All of your Artifacts
-HEART, Level 1
-HEART, Level 4
-GRAIL, Level 4
-1x Wrong Key (KNOCK reagent, level 3)


--[] It's actually a lot simpler than it sounds, now that you know what you are doing (produce a reagent, write in which Lore/combination of Lores.
(You cannot produce a reagent with a Lore level superior to your own.) (Producing a single reagent is a FREE ACTION, producing 3 costs 1 action, 5 costs 2 actions, so on.)
---[] Level 1 reagent (5 bits)
---[] Level 2 reagent (20 bits)
---[] Level 3 reagent (45 bits)

--[] It's grim work, but needs must.
---[] Acquire a dead body from the local cemetery.
---[] Acquire a live pony. (You have no place to keep live prisoners)

--[] "The proper things, in the proper manner, in the proper order. God help us all." (Perform a Ritual)
---[] "The Attention of the Laws" (specify Aspect)
---[] "The Rite of Childhood's End"
---[] "The Forge's Redemption"
---[] "The Incision of the Heart"
---[] "The Path Through Nightmares" (specify target)
---[] "The End is Beautiful" (specify target)
---[] "The calling of Influence" (specify Aspect)
---[] "The Reflection of the Tapestry" (specify subject)
---[] Invoke a Risen (SPECIFY dead body used as source. ONE Risen is a FREE ACTION)
---[] Invoke a Mare-in-the-Light
---[] Invoke Baldomare Unavailable until the beginning of Turn 18
---[] Invoke the Daugher-of-Axes Already summoned
---[] Invoke Mareinette, Our Lady of Wires

---[] To be performed at your own home, where you will... hopefully not leave many trail
---[] To be performed in Rarity's boutique (only up to Two-Circle rituals)
---[] To be performed on another location (you do not yet know or own any such location)

-[] Something else? (WRITE IN. Anything, but I will have to consider it, and it might make the voting period a bit longer)





Remember that write-ins for anything may be suggested. I'll do my best to answer if they are reasonable in a timely manner.

There will be at least 48 hours of voting, and TWELVE hours of moratorium.

Many of your actions were tweaked, to adequate for you both leaving the Cult and moving towards a job under the Crown. Let me know if there are any inconsistencies I may have missed.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning plan

[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores

The entrance hall of the Velvet estate is easily the largest room within the central building. In fact, the wide, large, double-storied room is for all intents and purposes a ballroom.

Of course, if this was a Canterlotian mansion then the existence of a ballroom would be a great symbol of wealth and stature. After all, real estate in Canterlot (especially in the noble-filled districts surrounding the Royal District) is prohibitively expensive. So, having something as lavish, showy and physically large as a ballroom is a sign of prosperity.

Or of very poor financial decisions.

However, this is not the capital. And given how the Velvets conduct farming operations in Ponyville, it is a given that they have a lot of land, and could in turn build an estate that is larger than usual.

Which also means, naturally, that the noble estate in Ponyville is not nearly as lavish as its counterparts in the capital. It is wide and rustic, displaying its wealth through size, whereas the manors of Canterlot are tall and elegant, jostling against its neighboring mansions through displays of concentrated wealth. With windows made out of crystal instead of glass, and small gardens filled with exotic menageries instead of larger arrays of common flowers.

But then again, this is the Ponyville estate, not the Velvet mansion in Canterlot. It is a large and solid rather than tall and fanciful. And since there are no other nobles living in Ponyville, and consequently no need to impress anypony else, it can be the way it is. Wide, low (with "only" two stories), and relatively unimpressive when compared to what might be seen in Canterlot.

Although "relatively" is the key word here.

Still, again, the entrance hall is easily the largest room in the main building.

Consequently, it requires a lot of maintenance and care. And even though it has not seen a formal ball or a noble party ever since the inauguration that celebrated its construction, it is still zealously kept by its staff.



In fact, something like that is happening at this very moment.



"Sweeps, can you pass me the… third wipe to the left? The red one? The one that's only kind of smooth but not really."

"The one that's only kinda smooth…? Well, there's only one red cloth so I guess this is it."

Two mares, dressed in maid uniforms, are several meters up in the air. Near the great crystal chandelier that dominates the ceiling of the entrance hall. The two of them are idly chatting as they go about their business, but one of them is clearly more focused on her work than the other.

The one who is focusing is, of course, Tip Top. An earth pony who, despite having to borrow one of the tallest ladders in the estate, is the only one who the head maid trusts with cleaning the chandelier. Which is what the maid is doing right now, cleaning each of the diamond-shaped crystals one at a time as she talks to her friend.

The other maid is Soft Sweeps, who is floating next to her. Keeping the flap of her wings slow and steady so as not to interrupt Tip Top's work, but still staying close enough to help however she can.

"Here," she says, placing a red silken cloth on the mare's waiting hoof. Tip Top accepts it without looking back, her eyes still focused on one particular crystal. Which she then proceeds to… veeery carefully stroke with the red cloth, apparently cleaning a stain that Soft couldn't even see was there.

And Soft Sweeps just watches on, silently, waiting until the mare gives herself a satisfied nod.

"Thanks, Soft… if you could put it back," she says, turning her gaze to the next crystal. "And again, I appreciate the help."

"I don't really feel like I am really helping you that much. But sure," Soft says, picking up the red cloth and putting it away.

"Well, I appreciate the company at least," she says, squinting at the next crystal. "But you mentioned you wanted to ask me something?"

"Oh, right. You, uhm, you know how I don't really keep myself… appraised of what goes on in the mansion?" Soft asks, not entirely sure how to phrase her real question.

"Yeah, I know you don't gossip. You're a maid that somehow doesn't gossip. Everypony knows that," Tip Top says, without even looking back at her, causing Soft to cringe slightly at her words.

Because sure, she is right, but does she really have to phrase it like there is something wrong with Soft for being like that?

"But since you also get curious like everypony else, you are coming to good old me because of something you want to know," she finishes, finally turning to face Soft and giving her a small wink. Which, as always, leaves Soft unsure of how to respond. "But anyways, what do you want to know?"

Soft Sweeps crosses her forelegs, hesitating for a few moments. After all, she is Tip Top's friend, and she trusts the other mare. But still, every time she asks about something they have this little exchange. And friendly as that exchange might be, isn't this also a nudge of sorts? Shouldn't Soft try to learn how to gather information on her own already…?

Oh, who is she kidding. Soft knows she is terrible at that. She should just be thankful Tip is her friend and get on with it.

"Right, right… So, the thing I wanted to ask is… I heard there were some punishments being thrown around? What exactly happened? And why did it happen? Is there something I should know?" Soft asks, and she can't really keep a tinge of worry from creeping into her voice.

Because she knows how bad punishments can be. She already had plenty of those applied to her, back when she worked in Canterlot. Payment cuts, changes in shifts… even the ever-present threat of being fired. But she never heard of anypony being punished here in Ponyville.

Did something happen? Is she at risk of being punished?

Still, much to her surprise, Tip Top actually lets out a low chortle before answering.

"Well, of course there were punishments. Don't you remember how Ponpon told everypony not to…" Tip top begins to answer, but stops for a few moments. Turning back to face Soft after thinking for a few more seconds. "Oooohhh, right! I always forget you don't participate in the morning gatherings. Fillies' schedule and all that."

Soft Sweeps nods at her, relaxing a little bit with how at ease Tip Top seems to be about the subject. However, she can't really relax that much. After all, there were maids being punished and she still didn't know why!

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about it. Lady Velvet signed a few slap-slips, but they had it coming. In fact, considering what I heard…" a particularly sly smile appears on Tip's face. "Well, they got off easy, considering what they managed to get in return."

The maid laughs at herself for some reason, but Soft is entirely lost as to why that might be.

"I… guess…? But still, why?" Soft Sweeps asks.

And the innocence in her voice gives Tip Top some pause.

"Uhh… because of Princess Cadance? I mean, didn't you see what was going on around us? She was here almost for a whole week."

"W-wait? Did somepony offend the Princess?!"

"What? No! Soft, what the hay? I'm talking about who came with the Princess…"

"You mean those… soldiers?"

"Sold…- Soldiers?! Soft, what are you talking about? That was the Royal Guard strutting about the mansion! How can you-?"

The two mares keep exchanging words, the chandelier all but forgotten as Tip Top becomes more and more flustered at… well, at Soft Sweeps' confusion!

Because in Tip Top's eyes… well in every sensible maid's eyes, how can Soft be this dismissive? How can she talk about the last few days as if nothing had happened? Or worse, as if the presence of the Royal Guard had been a nuisance?!

"Soft Sweeps, what is wrong with you? I mean, the whole mansion was abuzz the entire time. It was literally The Guard in Yellow in real life!" Tip Top says, as if stating the obvious.

But if Tip Top is distressed at Soft's denseness, Soft Sweeps is just as lost. And once the maid brings in the name of the book, Soft can't help but…

… tilt her head in confusion?

"The… The Guard in… Yellow? Wait, I think I remember that book… but what does that have to do with anything?"

Soft Sweeps casually asks that.

And Tip Top is so shocked that she has to hold on to the stairs, to stop herself from slipping backwards and towards the distant.

"Wha… What? What do you mean what it has to do? Soft, did you… did you not read it? Don't you remember? Did you hit your head or something?!" Tip Top is almost out of breath as she asks those questions. Her incredulity slowly turning into concern as Soft Sweeps so easily dismisses one of the core tenets of what it means to be a maid.

Because Tip Top knows, like everypony else in that mansion knows, that maids are supposed to do three things: clean, gossip, and fawn at the Royal Guard. And she doesn't really mind that Soft is abjectly bad at the second, but for her to be entirely dismissive about the third?

"Well, I did read that book," Soft says. "But I think it was a while ago?"

"By Celestia, Sweeps, you had me scared for a moment…" Tip Top says, letting out a long sigh of relief. "But come on, it can't have been that long ag-"



"No, really. I think I read it when I was ten? I just remember that it was full of weird scenes I didn't really get."



But the words die inside Tip's mouth as she hears what Soft Sweeps said next.

"You…" Tip Top stares at her, wide eyed, as Soft Sweeps casually scratches her chin as if trying to remember something. "You were how old?"

"Soft Sweeps! A minute of your time please?" but both mares are interrupted by the unmistakable voice of the head maid, calling Soft Sweeps from the top of the stairs.

"On my way Ponpon!" to which Soft Sweeps replies immediately, putting the bucket she was carrying to help Tip Top's cleaning on one of the stairs of the steps, and flying towards the head maid right after.

Leaving Tip Top alone.

Wide-eyed.

Unsure of what she just heard.

"You were… you were how old?"





- - -

- - -

- - -





You are Velvet Covers.

And as usual, you have a lot to do, but not a lot of time to get it done.

However, your current concerns are very different from what you are used to. Because unlike these last few months, or perhaps years, you aren't worried about the usual things. It is not your job (ex-job?) administering the estate that is about to consume most of your time. And you are not worried about meeting some demand set by the Cult.

Instead, and in a jarring shift from what you are used to, you are concerned about things that will require you to be absent from your home.

And not just partially absent. Not just "busy". You are not thinking about a short trip to another city, or maybe an uncomfortable (albeit necessary) foray into some distant part of the wilderness.

No. You will actually be away. Consistently and routinely.

You are actually about to start working away from your home.

Which means that you have a lot of things to prepare.

After all you can't just make sure things will run smoothly during your absence. No. You have to make sure things are able to resolve themselves during your absence. Because you won't have the usual windows of opportunity to deal with some sudden concern. You won't be at home, able to tackle some problem as soon as you finish your daily dose of farm paperwork. You won't be able to decide that you want to visit Rarity at the drop of a horseshoe, and simply push your remaining work for the next day.

Of course, the thing that worries you the most is your family. Particularly your daughters. It feels strange to even think that you won't be here when they return from school. It already feels wrong that you will spend the whole week away from them, missing out on every breakfast, lunch and dinner, not knowing how their days went. And a chill runs down your spine every time you realize this will probably be your new routine.

But still, Stormchaser will be home… this month, at least. So you can compartmentalize those particular concerns for the time being.

However, the fact remains that you have to tie as many loose ends as possible before you leave. Not only because they will remain untied if you leave without addressing them, but also because you just don't know how long this first trip to Canterlot will take.



"Lets see… I already talked to Stormy about how much more authority Ponpon will have, while neither of us are home… and then there is the matter of all the… Of course, I also have to decide what can stay there. Cadance mentioned I'd have accommodations so…"



You mumble to yourself, as you try once more to run through the several lists of concerns you have inside your head. From making sure somepony will be able to check Silky's sweet tooth, to wondering whether you will overstay your "first week" in Canterlot due to unexpected (but very predictable) obligations you might have to accumulate.

And of course, you think all of that at the same time your eyes glaze over the several open bags around you. The several bags, trunks and pieces of luggage you have been slowly packing as you prepare for your coming trip.

That is, until your thoughts burst like a bubble, as somepony knocks at your door.

"Excuse me? Mrs. Velvet? May I come in?" and the familiar voice of Soft Sweeps comes through the door right after.

You let out a short sigh, feeling a swathe of conflicting emotions wash over you.

In fact, it is almost paradoxical. Because a part of you relaxes slightly as you hear her voice, at the same time some parts of you tense up for the exact same reason.

After all, part of you is glad, maybe even relieved, because it is finally time to address a particularly important trouble that you have been carrying for a while. But at the same time, you are also nervous because you have no idea of how this conversation will turn out.

Still, even though you have been fearing this moment, you have been waiting for it a lot more intensely. So, with a wave of your horn, you close all the bags and luggage around you, floating them to a corner of the room moments later.

And as soon as all the heavy trunks are back on the ground, you turn towards the door.

"Come in, Soft," you say out loud.

And Soft Sweeps enters the room right after.

The young pegasus is, like always, dressed up in her maid uniform. The black and white dress clashing against the color of her fur. The long skirt covering her cutie mark and tail, all the way to the her hindhoofs. A few frills here and there, and a ponytail that is only slightly less practical than a bun, are all the exceptions she seems to make for formality. But still, she looks perfectly normal.

At least, when it comes to her… appearance.

But as she enters the room and closes the door behind her, you can see… well, you can see a few more details.

A small part of you thinks that you are making this up. Part of you thinks this is just you worrying too much. But still, whenever you look at Soft Sweeps, you can't help but notice those details.

Because she looks normal, sure… but that's the thing. She looks too normal.

Way too normal.

She looks like the maid she presents herself as. But that maid is so evident that you feel like you are having trouble recognizing Softy herself.

Because her movements are too… practiced? No, that's not it. You think her movements look too practical. She doesn't seem tense as much as she seems focused. Concentrating on the here and now. Keeping her eyes on what is right in front of her so she won't have to think about everything else that is around her.

So she won't have to think about anything else that isn't the present. So she doesn't have to think about the future, and certainly not about the past.

But that feels… wrong. At least to your eyes that looks wrong.

Because her movements feel a bit too forceful.

Because she looks too much like a string that is a bit too taut.

So for all that the mare looks normal, at first glance, that by itself already strikes you as… well, at least worrying.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Mrs. Velvet?" she asks.

And even that causes you to let out a small sigh.

Because the Soft Sweeps you are used to would have been slightly hesitant. It would have taken her a few moments of nervousness, to realize that she isn't "entering a noble's presence" and that she is instead just "in a room with you".

Granted, you don't like seeing Softy nervous at all, but that is still a quirk she has. That is still a part of her, so to speak.

So seeing her act so… naturally? No. Seeing her act so mechanically makes you feel slightly off center.

And that is exactly what you want to address to day. That and… several other things.

"Yes, there is something I'd like you to do," you answer. "Actually, there is something I want to talk about, if you don't mind."

It is still morning, and the fillies are at school, so you know her schedule is somewhat free right now. Or at least that she isn't as busy as she normally is, whenever Silky and Selene are home.

And as you tell her there is something you want to talk to her about, you immediately notice the shift in her expression. That slight hint of nervousness in her eyes. The slow rubbing of a hoof against her other foreleg. The telltale signs that her mind is clearly making up some absurd scenario, that you called her to scold her over some imagined wrong.

You hate to admit it, but seeing that expression actually makes you smile a little bit. If only because it is something that you are familiar with, in her.

Yes, this is still your Softy.

"Don't worry, Soft Sweeps. It's nothing work related," you say. "Although it still is something I think is important."

You decide to sit on your bed, waving a hoof at one of the recliners close to the window.

"Take a seat?" you say, nodding at the cushioned seat.

The mare furrows her brow at that, but she sits without any protest.

And after a few more moments, during which you are not sure if you are hesitating or just thinking, you finally ask the question that has been in your mind all along. You ask her the question that you have been meaning to ask her for well over a month.

"Soft, what I want to talk about is… I want to ask you… how do you feel?"

And the young pegasus answers by… furrowing her brow a bit further. And you can see a few signs of confusion in her expression.

But much more importantly, you see hesitation in her eyes.

And you already know what she is doing… you already know what she is suppressing, before she even opens her mouth. You can already tell what she is thinking, even if the mare herself doesn't realize it.

"I feel… fine? I mean, I'm well rested, Mrs. Velvet. I've been eating well, and the fillies haven't been giving me much work."

You narrow your eyes at that, and you watch as the mare curls up ever so slightly under your scrutiny.

She isn't comfortable with this. Of course she isn't comfortable. But you don't know yet if she knows what you are really asking, of if this is her subconscious deflecting your questions.

And although you hate doing this, you force yourself to push forward.

"Soft, that… that's good to know," you say, stopping yourself from pursing your lips. "But that's not what I really meant."

You take a few more moments to pick your words, watching as her eyes fidget ever so slightly while you think.

"Well, you just mentioned work, right? So let me ask you this. Where do you see yourself working in a few years?" you ask.

But for some reason, the mare's eyes go wide at that.

"I-Is this about the punishments? Oh, no… did I do something wrong? A-are you going to f-?"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Soft," you raise a hoof, immediately interrupting her. "And if it depends on me and Stormchaser we would happily have you working with us for the rest of your life. But that's what I want to ask you, Soft. Is this what you want?"

You don't ask that question in an accusatory tone. You don't say it in a way that feels like you are pressing her into a corner. In fact, you words were surprisingly gentle as you asked that question.

Still, you can immediately tell from the mare's expression that your question pierced her nonetheless.

You can see it, the way her eyes go slightly wider. The way her posture becomes slightly more tense. The way her wings stop fidgeting… or at least the way they stop fidgeting unconsciously.

You can see that the mare finally understands what you mean. Or that you were finally so direct that she can't ignore it anymore.

"I'm asking you this… because I… because I care about you, Soft. I…" you say those words, but then you hesitate.

You hesitate because you realize how utterly quiet the young mare is, as she listens to you. You hesitate because you can see how much attention she is paying to your words, now. Heavens, you can even see how her eyes are slightly watery, now.

But you continue speaking regardless. Because you can't really hide this from her. You don't want to hide this from her.

"… I care about you, and I am worried about you. Because you have been through… a lot. No, you have been through too much already. But still, I want you to know that…"

You trail off.

Because you want her to know that… what?

You are at a loss for words, even if just for a moment.

After all, there is so much you want to tell her… and yet, none of it really feels right.

You want her to know that you are here for her, of course. But that feels selfish. That feels like you want to assure yourself that you are doing all that you can. That you are doing your best to not fail a pony that you care so much for, but only because failing her would also hurt you.

You also want her to know that… that life goes on. And that there are more things to come. But is it really fair for you to say that? Do you have the right to say that? After all, you know that you wouldn't be able to shoulder half the pain she has been through. You know that this… this absent-minded, work-focused state is already something you would never be able to achieve, if you were going through what she is right now.

Heavens, you even want to tell her that you want what is best for her. That you just want her to be happy. But even that feels wrong, because…

… because well, do you really?

No. Your words trail off. And you realize that, for all that you prepared for this conversation, you don't really know what to say. Deep down, you don't really know what you want to tell her.

And that is simply because there is nothing you can tell her that will be enough. There is nothing you can tell her that will make a difference, or that will make her feel better.

In fact, her being here is already a result of your selfishness. Soft Sweeps being here, sitting inside your room and listening to you, is already only possible because you… because you did something. Something that you don't regret, but also something that you know will affect her far more than it will ever affect you.

And you can't help but feel a small smile coming to your lips. A small, self-depreciating smile, as you finally realize that the only thing you really want to tell her is…

"I just want you to know that I love you," you say, with a small sigh.

And you can see how the young mare stops breathing as you say that. Her eyes wide as she looks at you, although you can tell she is neither surprised nor shocked. But also that there is something else running loops inside her mind.

Because the way you said it… you know she understand what you meant with that.

You didn't say those words in a romantic tone. You aren't really confessing some passion that you have.

You also didn't mean that in an obsessive way either. You aren't desperate for her to answer you. In fact, you can already tell that she understands that… that she doesn't even need to reciprocate it. You don't want her to reciprocate it.

You really meant it in the simplest way possible. Perhaps even in the most egotistical way possible.

You just want her to be happy. You just want her to be alright.

"I just want you to know that… what happened to you was horrible, Softy," you say. Looking down at the ground, as you can't really bear to keep her wide-eyed, unblinking gaze. "What you are going through is horrible. And I don't know how or why I started to think of you this way. I don't know when it was, but at some point I really started to mean it, when I said you were like an older sister to my daughter. And maybe you think there is something wrong with this… maybe you think there is something wrong with me, and I will understand if you do. But still, I want you to know that… I would do anything to make you feel better. But I also know that there is nothing that I can do."

You say that, and you feel a little bit of energy leaving your body. You feel at the same time exposed and powerless. Because that's it. That's what you are. A selfish, self-centered mare who will put her own happiness above anything else. It just so happens that your happiness is the happiness of a very few select ponies.

And now that one of those ponies is in pain, you can't help but realize how… how useless you are. How powerless and hollow you feel.

But as you look up at Soft Sweeps, you finally realize that she is also looking down towards the ground.

And that at some point, a single tear came down from one of her eyes, leaving a wet trail on her cheek.

Although you… don't know what that means.

It could mean anything. But at the same time, strangely, it also doesn't really matter to you.

Is Soft Sweeps angry at you? It doesn't matter, because you wouldn't mind it even if she hated you. You would still love her anyways.

Does Soft Sweep think you are weird? Did you just destroy what little respect she had for you? Again, it wouldn't matter. Not to you.

Is she sad? Is she perhaps sad because you just reminded her of the terrible things that happened to her? Well, that does matter to you. But that is the whole crux of the situation. After all, there is nothing you can do to remedy that sadness.

Because no matter how much you love her, you are also powerless to make her feel any better.

So, you watch as she slowly begins to cry. One tear becoming two tears becoming five and ten.

The mare cries without making a sound.

However… much to your surprise, she doesn't really look… sad?

She looks…

You feel something burning against your eyes, and you slowly brush away the tears you didn't know were on your own face.

But as you look at the mare, you finally realize that she actually looks confused.

"I… I didn't know… I didn't think there was anypony else who would ever tell me that," she says in a whisper, her words strained as she chokes back the wetness in her voice.

You hear her say that, but you don't do anything else.

You don't move. You don't want to move. You don't even want to go there and hug her, but only because you know that won't make any difference.

Not to her, at least. Not right now.

"A-A… a few days ago," she continues to speak, "Silky called me sis. I-it was a spur of the moment thing. She s-said it out of habit, I think… She real-lized it on the spot, b-but I just pretended I d-didn't hear it."

You give her a slow, understanding nod.

However, you also feel a slow… weight forming inside your chest.

Because her voice… Softy's voice… it isn't really breaking down. She isn't really becoming more and more sad, as she tells you those things. She isn't really crumbling down in misery, progressively crying more and more tears until she finally becomes incoherent.

No, you feel a pall of… something, growing inside of you.

Because in Soft's voice, you can hear sadness of course. But more than that, you also feel…

Fear.

"B-but I… I didn't really mind?" she says, her tone at the same time a question and an affirmation. "I m-mean, I felt something, but it w-wasn't sadness?"

You feel a horribly familiar… thing inside of you, as the mare raises her hoofs and looks at them. Looking at herself even as she cries, as if wondering if she was even a pony at all.

"A-and… and is this n-normal? I-is it normal that I d-don't know what to think? That I d-don't know how to feel?"

Her words grow faster, and you can see her hoofs are trembling slightly.

"I-I feel more scared t-than anything. I'm scared. B-because… because I remember them. M-my family… I remember them, b-but I also don't. I remember their names, and their faces, but they also feel like a blur. I'm scared because I feel like there is something wrong with me."

The mare then finally looks up at you, meeting your gaze with her own.

And you don't see despair in her expression as much as you see desperation.

"T-the only thing I know is that it hurts. It hurts, and it feels like it will never stop hurting."

And as the young pegasus looks into your eyes, you feel like you are gazing at two different things.

One of them is Soft Sweeps. Confused, lonely, and devastated. A young pony who was forced to grow up too quickly, but because of that didn't have enough time to do it properly. An orphan who feels like listening to your words is a betrayal to her departed loved ones, but who also can't bear to feel alone anymore.

And the other thing you see is... something that is at the same time terrifying and familiar.

But as you meet Soft Sweeps' eyes, as you realize you are finally looking at her and that she is finally looking at you, you get up from your bed and go towards her, bringing her into a hug.

And she hugs you back. Her grip on you is weak, at first, but it slowly gets stronger. It gets stronger and stronger as she realizes how desperate she is, and how she doesn't want you to leave her, and how conflicted she is at this, and how much she hates you for trying to take their place…

But still, she hugs you nonetheless. And you keep her between your forelegs. You keep hugging her because you love her. And you will keep loving her even if she never loves you back.

And you don't know if what you did was right or wrong. You don't know if you were selfish or altruistic. You don't even really know if you care.

But deep down, you know that…

You don't regret this.



- - -



You and Soft Sweeps stayed like that… for a while.

And the two of you talked, eventually.

Even if your conversation didn't really go anything.

Because Soft Sweeps told you that she… she just didn't know. She didn't know about any of the things you asked her.

But she promised you she would think about it.

And she the whole time, she didn't let go of you. So, you also didn't let go of her.


"C-can… can I keep working here…? It's all I know how to do… i-it's all that I'm good for and…"
"Of course you can. You can keep working here for as long as you want."


She never thought about her past. She never made any plans for the future. Her life really was a story about a family that was crawling its way up from rock bottom.

Except that story was cut short, so now she feels her whole life was meaningless.


"Can I… d-do you mind if I ask you about… stuff? W-whatever I don't know or…?"
"Of course you can. You can ask me whatever you want, no matter what it is."


And she doesn't want you to… fill in for anypony else. She doesn't want you to be anything else. She doesn't want you to be her family, because she doesn't want to forget her own family. She doesn't want Silky to be her sister, because she already had brothers and sisters.

But she doesn't want to lose any of you either. She doesn't really have anypony else either.

So, step by step, question by question, she slowly asks you if… if certain things are alright.

She asks if it's alright for her to ask for your help. Or if she can tell other ponies that she lives with you, if they ask. Or if she can follow you and your family, if you ever decide to travel. Or if she can admit to you that she did something wrong without you getting mad at her.


"Did… do you really mean i-it…? When you s-said that…"
"Yes. Yes I did. And I know I can never take anypony's place, but… Well, for me, nopony can ever take your place either."


She asks you a lot of things, and you say yes to every last one of them.

And slowly, you can feel that she begins to understand.

Soft Sweeps begins to understand that even though she lost her family, you are still here for her. And even though she is not your daughter, there is nothing you aren't willing to do for her.

And you can tell that even though accepting this might be… painful for her.

Well, she still hasn't let go of you. Even though her tears have already dried, and her voice is only slightly strained.

"Can… Can I…"

"Of course you can…"



Can I call you mother?



You shake your head, and you realize that at some point the two of you dozed off.

And the sensation of Soft Sweeps hugging you, even like this, is… strange. Especially given how much larger she is when compared to Silky or Selene.

But it is also somehow relaxing.

And even though it feels slightly awkward to do it, you gently stroke her mane as she sleeps.

Because she might not call herself your daughter, and she might not think of you as her mother.

But then again, neither does Selene.

Still, you can tell that just like Selene… Soft seems to think of you as something just as good.

…

The next day, Soft Sweeps awkwardly walked up to you, and asked if she could take some time off during her weekly routine. You said there was no problem, of course, but when you asked her why she embarrassedly produced a small flier from one of her pockets.

A local brochure, from Ponyville, for a support group meant to help ponies go through the recent tough times together.

She said she thought going there might help her think about… what to do next, like she promised you she would.

You gave her your blessings to go.

And the mare actually smiled as she turned around to leave.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning plan

[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores

The train finally begins to slow down.

Ears perk up.​

With purpose, this time. It begins to slow down intentionally. Not because it is losing speed thanks to its upward path. Not because the spiraling incline of the mountain is causing its own weight to drag against it. No.

Nostrils flare.​

The train is finally slowing down because you are about to arrive in Canterlot.

Eyes shine from the dark.​

And as you look out through the window of your cabin, you can't help but feel… pensative.

She is here.​

The very last conversation you had with Stormchaser comes to mind. And you feel something dry in your throat as you recall it.

She is here!​

"I… Stormy, I really don't think this is a good idea anymore."

A wide mouth drools with anticipation.​

"What? Why?"

A long tongue, gifted, scrapes against the ground.​

"I just don't. And you know why. I don't think I… I really should just…"

Fur bristles in excitement.​

"Sweetheart, just listen to yourself. You know you are talking nonsense. You know you can do this."

It quiets down its voice.​

"But this is not just about me, Stormy. I'm worried about the fillies. What… what if… I'm just worried that I won't be here anymore."

It flees into the shadows.​

"Velvet, Velvet… sweetheart… calm down. You are just going to be away for a few days. That doesn't make you a bad parent."

It watches.​

"But doesn't it make me an absent mother?"

But most of all, it quietly waits.​

"My job keeps me away for almost an entire month at a time. Am I an absent father?"

Because she is here.​

"What? No! Of course not. You're the best daddy they could ever have an-"

She is here, so it is no longer needed.​

"And that's my point, sweetheart."

She is here, so it will bide its time.​

"… I… I walked straight into that one, didn't I…"

It will hide.​

"Heh. Maybe you did."

And wait.​

"…"

And listen.​

"But more than that. Velvet, we had this exact same conversation maybe a year ago, when we first took Silky to school, remember?"

And LEARN.​

"… yeah…"

Because its actions are not required where she treads.​

"I even remember that back and forth. I said Silky wasn't a foal anymore, you said she wasn't a mare yet either, I said she is slowly becoming one…"

For the progenitor's actions will always eclipse that of the progeny.​

"She still isn't a mare, though…"

Still, there is something more now.​

"Of course not. But she also isn't afraid of the dark or of sleeping alone anymore. Besides, she has Selene. And we both know that it's not like we are leaving them alone in the house like-"

Something else.​

"I still can't believe we haven't heard from Scootaloo's parents…"

Something new.​

"Exactly. But back to my first point. We had this same conversation a year ago, but we decided to let Silky go to school, right? And how did that turn out?"

A blank space, previously untouched.​

"… it was the best thing we ever did for her…"

Her territory. Her home. Her den.​

"Exactly! So, I know you get nervous when it comes to our daughters. I do too. But you have to trust them that they will be alright. And you have to trust us that we did good enough so far."

There is another one, there.​

"I guess…"

The oldest. The last. The least hated.​

"You get used to it, love. Trust me. And your train is set to leave tomorrow, so why don't we go spend some time with them?"

It has not yet met her.​

"Okay…"

Time for a visit.​

A loud whistle rings from outside the train. Steam blossoms from a metal chimney. The slight shake of brakes bring you out of your reverie.

You bite down your hesitation. Stormchaser was right. Stormchaser is right. Your daughters will be alright, and you are here to do something important. Something that's for their safety, even.

With that in mind, you get up from your seat as the train comes to a complete stop.

Time to find out what this is all about.



- - -



Canterlot has… changed.

Yes, it has definitely changed.

Although, strangely, it is hard to tell exactly how.

In fact, you think you can only tell because you have already been here before. Because you have, maybe a few months ago, walked these exact same streets that lead from the train station to the castle.

But the few things you notice are… only very subtle.

The Catastrophe, as it has been called, happened about two months ago. Information about it has been sparse, and the fact that you live in Ponyville meant that you heard even less about it. Not a lot of information really "trickles down" to Ponyville. Not a lot of ponies really travel there, spreading word of mouth, when compared to the other much larger cities.

And the few ponies that did go to Canterlot close to the Catastrophe (or even during it, like Soft) weren't really that talkative about the tragedy itself.

Of course, you have also been here yourself maybe a month ago. But you were brought in a flying carriage the last time you visited, and you were taken straight into the Royal Castle. So you didn't really have the opportunity to see… any of this.

Because you can already spot several small things that are slightly out of place.

There seems to be… less buildings around, for starters. The streets seem to be a little bit wider, and you swear that the silhouette and profile of the houses you are walking by don't really match with your memory.

On top of that, you can understand why the capital feels less lively, but you also think that it feels a bit empty. There are still ponies walking around the streets, there is still commerce and busybodies going around. But still, you… it feels like…

Well, everypony seems to be doing something. Nopony really seems to be there just for the sake of being there. You pass by shops that are full, but also by parks that are entirely empty. And given how this is the capital of Equestria, given how this is where the Princesses live, that emptiness honestly feels out of place.

Canterlot feels strange. That is the only way you can describe it. Whether if it is because of the serious, purposeful way everypony seems to act… whether if it is because everything feels slightly displaced, as if every building had been razed and rebuilt from the ground up… whether if it is something else. You don't really know.

But you feel your own legs walking slightly faster, as if this tense atmosphere has also begun to cover you.

Because if you had nothing but your eyes, you wouldn't be able to tell that this place was struck the hardest by the Catastrophe. You wouldn't be able to believe that this entire city had been in flames very recently, and that the fires were so intense that you could see them from Ponyville. Going just by what your eyes can see, you can't really find any evidence about that event at all.

But when it comes to what you can feel…

You purse your lips. Because you think you understand why Cadance has been so tense, every time you saw her.



- - -



The closer you got to the Royal District, the more familiar things became.

And for a moment, you thought you had that… impression, just because of familiarity.

You thought the noble boroughs felt less changed just because you used to live here. You thought everything looked normal just because you could recognize them more easily, so you could confirm that nothing really changed.

But that thought didn't really last long.

Because unlike most of Equestria… unlike even the ponies who live here in Canterlot, you know what really happened during the Catastrophe.

You know the nature of the "monsters" that attacked Canterlot.

So, that thought of familiarity didn't last long at all. And you quickly understood why the noble districts felt unchanged.

It felt unchanged because it was unchanged.

It felt unchanged because the emotion-eating, love sucking monsters that attacked this place realized that… that they wouldn't find much nourishment here.

So of course the noble district felt untouched. It felt untouched because it was left untouched.

It did not suffer nearly as much as the entire city around it did.

The more you walked through those familiar streets, the more that thought came to your mind.



However, that familiarity immediately ended once you reached the Royal Castle.



The Royal Castle had also… changed.

Starting with the fact that the surrounding Royal District was heavily guarded. To the point that you were sure that you could always look around and see at least one guard if you really tried to look for them.

After that, your entry to the Royal Castle was entirely barred, even if only while they checked for your name on a list, and cast a few spells on you that you were not entirely sure what they were meant for.

Still, the greatest change was far more… blatant, than just the added security.

Because unlike the nebulous changes in the city, you definitely remembered the Royal Castle well enough to be sure that some of those towers were not there before. You were sure that the top of the enormous structure had definitely changed.

But much more than that, on the massive courtyard at the front of the castle itself, there was now something new.

It looked like a brazier. A massive silver-and-gold brazier, shaped like a bowl and placed over an enormous altar of dark stone. The brazier wasn't lit, but the contents of the brazier itself made it very clear that… that at some point it had been lit.

Because on the enormous brazier, there were ashes. A small mountain of fine, pitch-black ash, that seemed to be at least three ponies tall.

And you can tell that this thing is not just… ornamental. You can see the burn-marks and the char-stains that make it very clear that this brazier had actually been used. And that it was used again, and again, and again. In fact, you can even tell that those ashes are not just… symbolic.

You had heard morbid whispers that Princess Celestia herself would cremate the dead ponies that were recovered during the aftermath of the Catastrophe, everyday at the strike of midday. You weren't entirely sure if those rumors were true.

But as you look at the monument that now dominates the courtyard, you think that… well, you think that the family members who did survive the Catastrophe never really got the ashes of their cremated loved ones.

No plaque or sign identifies the enormous brazier. In fact, you don't even think anypony can really approach it. You sense the telltale of a magical barrier surrounding it, as you walk around it. So you can't help but think it has been left there, undisturbed by cleaners or even the wind, ever since it was last used.

The guard that was assigned to accompany you doesn't say anything as you make your way through the courtyard. And you don't really have it in you to ask.



- - -



"Lady Velvet! It is so good to see you."

Those are the first words that come out of Shining Armor's mouth. Right before he cordially takes one of your hoofs and kisses it.

"Ah, it is also very good to see you too, Captain. And I am glad that you are… well?"

And you answer him, of course. But your own answer is partially delayed. In fact, it even takes you a few moments to realize that you are probably being rude for staring so much.

But how can you not stare? How can you not be slightly shocked, even?

Because the first thing you notice, as soon as you are taken to Shining Armor, is that there is a horn on his forehead. A complete, healthy horn, that is.

"Well, the doctors told me not to do any heavy activity for a few more weeks. But according to them I am making a bit of a speedy recovery," he says with a smile, "even though my sides just decide to start aching every now and then."

You nod at Shining Armor's words, and you practically will yourself to stop looking at his forehead. Because true to his words, he really looks a lot better than he did just ten days ago. And for all that he looks tired, and that you can tell he is putting up a bit of a tough front, you can also see just how sturdy the unicorn is.

But still… well… hello? Unicorn? Horn?

You have to bite down the question, just as it forms in your mouth. Because he hasn't mentioned it yet, so shouldn't you stay quiet as well? Is that the polite thing to do?!

"Although it's not captain anymore," he says with a small sigh, causing you to raise a questioning eyebrow.

Which he immediately notices, of course. Or, you can tell from his expression, he had been meaning to complain about it all along, and just takes the opportunity as soon as it presents itself.

"You see, Princess Cadance saw fit to retire me after my recent wounds," he says with a harsh, clearly bitter tone. His voice so grave that it even surprises you. "Because apparently, my recent wounds have made me unfit for duty and…"

He says that, until he finally can't take it anymore, and suddenly starts smirking. His harsh voice turning into a chuckle of sorts for a few moments.

"I'm just joking, I'm just joking. None of that really happened," he says, the fake-bitterness completely gone. "Well, most of it didn't happen at least."

He says that as he looks up at his forehead.

"This is a fake, for starters. And as much as I hate to admit it, I can't really go around doing dangerous things if I can't do magic anymore. So unfortunately, I really am not captain anymore."

You feel a mixture of relief, as he finally says that. Well, you definitely don't feel relieved over the fact he is still wounded, or that he was basically fired from his job. But you are partially glad that you are not going insane, and you are actually relieved that the stallion still seems to be in high spirits despite everything.

"Oh, Shining, I am… well, I'm sorry about the Royal Guard. But still," you say, not being able to hide your curiosity any longer. "Is it really a fake? I… I honestly can't even tell."

"I sometimes can't tell either, and I only remember when I actually try to use magic," he says, with an unexpectedly good-humored smile. "But yes, it is. Cadance had it done for me, and although I actually didn't want to accept it at first… Well, it was a gift from her, so I wear it for her."

You give him a slow nod, and you begin to follow after him as the stallion turns and begins to walk deeper into the castle.

"But much more importantly, I'm not in the Royal Guard, but I am not going to sit idly either. Not while everypony, Cadance most of all, is working their hinds off!"

"Oh? Well, I am sure the Princess will be glad to have you advise her more closely," you say. And despite everything you know, you really say those words without wryness or malice.

Because you really mean it. You understand how Cadance would want Shining to stay closer to her, after what happened. And now that he can't go soldiering anymore, having him help her in her royal duties actually makes sense.

You think that, and you can tell from Shining's expression that you know what you are thinking.

Which only makes you tilt your head when he gives you a knowing smile.

"Actually, I won't be working with Princess Cadance. Not directly, at least."

He says that as the two of you begin walking down a long set of stairs. Wide, alicorn-sized, but clearly not as fancy as the places that see more of the Princesses' presence. And you immediately realize you are making your way into the underground tunnels beneath the Royal Castle, that you have heard crisscross and connect the entirety of the Royal District around it.

"But as the Deputy of the soon-to-be founded Lunar Bureau, please allow me to give out chief her first tour through the building."



- - -



Deputy Shining Armor, for all that you will take some time to get used to calling him that, takes you to the place that will become the headquarters of the Lunar Bureau.

Although, to be entirely honest, saying that it is still under construction would be doing it a disservice.

Like most of the important buildings in the Royal District, the Lunar Bureau's headquarters is connected to the Royal Castle through large underground passageways. You had already heard about such passages, given how their existence isn't really a secret, but you had never really visited them either. Still, they are large enough for Celestia and an entourage of hanger-ons to navigate comfortably, and even though they are not lavishly kept with pieces of arts and don't boast a red carpeted floor, they are still well-made and elegant.

They are also, of course, apparently secure. And even though you don't see guards patrolling it, every passage that leads to another government building seems to be either tightly sealed, or actively guarded by at least two members of the Royal Guard.

Still, soon enough the two of you finally enter the Lunar Bureau itself.

The place is… unassuming, to say the least. It is larger than you thought it would be, but it is also far emptier than you expected. Shining Armor walks you through a respectable maze of offices, briefing rooms and other things besides, but at first glance everything he shows you seems to be the bones of an administrative center.

Which makes sense, of course. You understand that the Lunar Bureau will be… investigative, in nature.

But still, you can tell that there is bound to be more about it.

And Shining Armor fulfills those expectations of yours once he takes you to a rather out-of-the-way part of the building. Leading you to a particularly heavy and locked door.

Which reveals more stairs that will take you down.



"And finally, these are the… well, the more secure areas."



As you make your way downstairs, you don't really sense a shift in atmosphere. It is not as if the air is becoming cold and damp, or the rooms and corridors are less illuminated. But still, you can tell that you are going down.

You can tell that this part of the Bureau is carved into the mountain itself, rather than built over it. You can tell that the walls around you aren't really walls, but instead the face of the mountain over which Canterlot is built.

And in this underground section, you find…

"Is this place a prison?"

Well, it was to be expected. But you find barred and secure cells.

They are all empty, of course. And just like the previous offices you visited were unstaffed, you can tell this place is also not operational.

Still, you watch as Shining Armor purses his lips as he answers you.

"Cadance said that Princess Celestia called this place a jail. Or rather, she said Princess Celestia explained the Bureau needed a jail, for… temporary confinement."

Shining Armor says that, but you can already tell how much doubt he is putting on the word "temporary".

And honestly? A part of you shares his concerns.

"But well, there are a lot of cells here… A lot of cells, and down the other corridor we also have a secure storage. And not for us to store our things. We have a small armory, and other storage places upstairs. Instead, this is to store whatever we find, and whatever you think needs to be kept here."

He says that, and you can't help but feel a small shiver on your back.

Because although Shining Armor is giving you a tour, you had not really thought that he was giving you a tour on a place you are going to take charge of. It might sound silly in hindsight, but you actually felt like a tourist as he showed you around.

That is, until he reminded you that…

Well, that these are your cells, inside your jail. And that your actions might very well result in ponies being thrown here.

But as you think about that, as you think about the fact that you are looking at what amounts to an underground prison, you can't help but remember that…

"Wait… wait a minute…" you say as you look around.

And you don't really look at the corridors and prison cells around you. In fact, you look back at the direction you came from.

Because you can tell that you are underground. You can tell that you are indeed inside the mountain itself.

But strangely enough, you just realized that…

"Hold on… Shining, we entered the Bureau through that underground passage, right?"

You ask that, and you see a small smirk appear on Shining's face. Which doubles your suspicions that you are finally catching up to something.

"But after you began showing me around… I don't remember us ever taking a stair that went up."

And with that, Shining only answers you with a smirk. He then begins to walk deeper into this jail complex, and waves a hoof for you to follow.

"You are correct, Lady Boss," he says.

And after walking down a few more corridors and turning a few corners, he finally takes you to a rather large hall.

It is not really a tall room, and you understand why, but it is still large enough to be called a hall anyways. Lining up the walls, you see sleek dark-and-purple carriages waiting to be used, their wheels carved with faintly glowing feather sigils that make it clear they are the flying kind.

But much more importantly, you can see that the farthest wall of the hall is… Well, it isn't.

It is fake. And you can sense the illusion spell, coupled with a safety barrier, even from this far away.

"We do have a section that is aboveground," he says, as it finally dawns upon you what all of this means. "But Princess Celestia gave us the unique position of being perched on the very tip of Canterlot. Our carriages and ponies will leave through here whenever we need them to, and we can bring in whatever we find without any eyes in the capital being able to spot us."

You slowly nod as he says those words.

Because sure enough, Canterlot is perched on a tall mountain, but by sheer necessity the city grows by carving into the mountain itself. So only the oldest districts, such as the Royal District itself, is anywhere near the edges of the mountain. But the rest of the city has expanded in the opposite direction, and is built upon solid stone rather than creating an entire platform of clouds.

Which means that somehow, the Lunar Bureau was built in the most discreet and central place in all of Canterlot. It is at the same time out of the way and unseen, while being in a place that is technically more prestigious than the Royal Castle itself.

And even though building the Bureau on an unmarked site in the middle of nowhere would have added to its secrecy… well, that just wouldn't make sense. After all, the Lunar Bureau must also be within walking distance of the throne.

Because this place was built for Princess Luna.

"Ah…" you say, as the reality of the situation sinks in.

And Shining Armor does give you a few moments.

"Well, would you like to visit your office? It's on the aboveground section, together with a few other things."

You can only nod as you walk after him. Your eyes lingering on the large illusory wall at the face of the mountain for just a few moments longer.



- - -



The aboveground section is… sufficiently large. Or at least, it is large enough to not call too much attention, given its position in the Royal District.

It is not as big as most governmental buildings that surround the Royal Castle. But it is still mansion-sized. In fact, it even looks a little bit like a mansion.

But most importantly, or perhaps most glaringly, you can immediately tell the place was made with the size of an alicorn in mind.

Large halls, wide doors, tall corridors. The presence of an especially large (and especially rich) seat in every room that has seats. Always in a central position, always in the most important spot. This place is meant to be have regular ponies working in it, you can tell, but it is also clearly meant to see the presence of an alicorn.

And on the second floor, you find the place where this is most obvious.

The office that Shining Armor takes you to is at the end of a long corridor. Its open doors made of the richest wood, its interior lined with empty bookshelves, large sofas for privy meetings, a map of Equestria that dominates one of the walls, and an office desk that seems to have been made to put all other desks to shame. Its central window is as large as the wingspan of four pegasi, and it has the unique view of an unobstructed Equestria from the edge of Canterlot. A view that you know almost nopony has ever seen. A view that even the lower towers of the Royal Castle don't have access to.

And you can tell at a glance that… this is not your office. This place was not made to be your office.

"I hope it doesn't feel nearly as strange to you as it felt for me, when I was named Deputy. But well. Commissioner Velvet Covers, allow me to show you the Director's Office."

He says that as the two of you look into the room through the open doors.

You can sense that, despite his words, Shining Armor actually seems hesitant to enter the place.

And as you read the golden plaque placed over the door, with the words "Director Luna" carved on them, you think you understand why.

You can tell that everything in this room was put there with… passion. You can feel that passion lingering even now.

To the point that a part of your mind insists that the correct word to use would be "obsession," rather than just passion.

Still, you think it's best… not to enter this place without a reason. As if even stepping hoof into it, if you are not there to clean or perhaps pay your respects, might somehow be offensive to somepony else.

"And right to our left, we have the Commissioner's Office itself. This is where you will be giving us orders from."

He says that as he opens the door to your left, leading you to a… well, to a very fancy office, you must admit, but one that is a lot more tame and grounded when compared to what you just saw.

"Back in the Guard we would refer to you as an Executive Officer, but I know that probably won't mean anything to you. Still, until we have a director, you will be our top pony as the Commissioner. My door is right in front of yours, so I figure you will be able to yell at me if you need anything."

You nod at his words. And you can already see what he means by that. In fact, you even think you understand what this place's architect had in mind.

Because at the end of a long corridor, you have the double doors leading to the Director herself. And flanking her office, by the corridor's walls, are the doors to the Commissioner, as well as…"

"So you are telling me your room is the one that has Secretariat written on top of it? Shining, are you sure your rank here is… was it Deputy? Shouldn't I call you Secretary Shining Armor instead?" you say, with a small smile on your face.

And you watch as the stallion scowls slightly at that, as if you had just mentioned something that… well, that everypony else seems to also have caught on to almost immediately.

"Lady Velvet, if I can please ask you not to let that spread among staff as well. I mean, I am officially Deputy, and…" he says, trailing off.

But from his tone of voice, you can already tell that at least one other pony must have said the same thing. No, that at least one other pony has already made fun of him over this as well.

"Oh my, from Captain to Secretary? Tsk, tsk, tsk, Cadance must be so disappointed in you," you say, watching the poor stallion let out a sigh.

"Anyways, there's still some other things I have to show you," he says, trying his best to ignore your snickering.

And you follow after him, trying your best to wipe the smug smile off your face.



- - -



In the end, you had… a lot to go over.

It is already night, and you would be lying if you didn't say you are tired.

You have been given a room in the Royal Castle, in a section that you already know is meant for guests. However, given how… well, given how you heard that nobles aren't really allowed to strut around the place anymore, this part of the castle is a lot emptier than you remember.

Not that you mind that. In fact, it's even better this way. The castle still has a small legion of serfs and servants working on it, but you think it's also empty enough for you to be able to come and go without anypony making too much of a fuss about it.

And given how you will probably make this room something like a home away from home, you are somewhat glad you don't have any "neighbors" living in the adjacent rooms.

Still, you are tired, and you are about ready to go to sleep. You went over a lot of things with Shining Armor. But despite a whole day's worth of walking and talking with him, you realize you have only really seen the physical parts of the Bureau. Matters about staff, capabilities, and most importantly responsibilities are still matters that you will cover in the near future.

In fact, you will be told about several important things tomorrow.

You know that because, near the end of the day, a runner informed you and Shining that you have been summoned for an audience with Princess Celestia tomorrow.

And you can't help but feel… slightly nervous at that.

However, your thoughts about privacy and exhaustion are suddenly broken, as somepony knocks on your door.

"Velvet Covers? May I come in?"

Although, unexpectedly, they are replaced by a happy feeling as you hear it is Cadance's voice.

"Cadance? Please, come on in!" you say, lighting up your horn and unlocking the door.

And sure enough, Princess Cadance enters the room right after.

You are happy to see her, of course. But you are also surprised. Any mention of her to Shining was met with a very understandable mention of how busy she is, spoken with a worried voice. So, to think that you would be able to see her today… in fact, to think that she came to see you.

Well, it just makes you feel glad. Honored, for sure, given how she is a Princess. But mostly glad that you are seeing another familiar face.

"Velvet, I just spoke to Shining. I didn't know you were arriving today!" she says, closing the door behind her and turning to face you. "I'm so glad that you are here and…"

But as soon as she looks at you, the mare freezes.

The pink mare freezes, her eyes going wide, and she practically gawks at you for a few seconds.

"… and? Cadance, is everything alright?" you ask, feeling slightly worried as the seconds go by.

And your worry only grows as you realize her expression is… at first shocked, but then concerned, until finally it just becomes devastated.

"Oh no… o-oh… no, no, no, nononono..." Cadance says, practically in a whimper. Although you can tell she didn't even mean to say that. The words just come out of her mouth.

But before you can even react, the mare walks towards you.

And then she hugs you.

"Cad-?"

"No, no, no… Velvet, I am so... so sorry…!"

Cadance doesn't just bring you into a hug, she practically embraces you. Her forelegs and even her wings coming around you, as she all but pulls you into her chest.

And more than just worried, you are also confused. Because you don't even have time to react before you realize she is also crying.

"I-I… y-you… didn't e-even have to c-come here… not after…!" she tries to say, her words being choked out by a sudden torrent of tears.

And you don't know what to do?

You don't even know why this is happening?!

Until it strikes you.

Because you don't feel tired. You don't need to feel tired unless you want to. But you are sure you look the part.

And maybe Shining Armor didn't realize it because he is putting on a strong face himself. But other ponies did. Other ponies who know you better and are a little more observant, such as Stormchaser and Ponpon, certainly realized it.

They realized that you look weak. That you look slightly thinner, and the white in your eyes is slightly strained.

Perhaps as if you had too little blood in your body.

And Cadance noticed it.

But much, much more than that, you realize Cadance probably noticed you also lost something else. Because you know she has some… additional senses, given how she is an alicorn. The only problem is that…

Well, you thought you convinced her that she was wrong, the last time you two met.

But apparently, you didn't. And Cadance still thinks that you are… that you were expecting.

And given how you lost your Grail Influence since the last time you two met, and that you look weak and tired…

Oh dear…



[] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.

-Will reveal your "Scarred" trait to Cadance.


[] Go with the lie.

-Your "Scarred" trait will go completely unnoticed for (at least) until the end of Turn 17.
-Cadance will be very, very sad.





Both options will have additional narrative effects.

No moratorium required.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning plan

[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.

-Will reveal your "Scarred" trait to Cadance.

"-still, I am so sorry! I should have known better and-"

"Cadance…"

"-should just have been less nosy, or at least I-"

"… Cadance…"

"-not made a-any assumptions or-"

"Cadance!"

Somehow, you finally interrupt the mare. And she gives you maybe a full second of silence as she stares at you with that same mixture of regret, shock and honest relief.

You are glad you didn't have to shake her, like you were about to. But still, you know even this window won't last you long. So, you take this opportunity.

"Like I said, it's fine! I promise," you repeat yourself. This time making sure the mare is actually listening, and not having your words go into one of her ears and out through the other as she cries. "I've been like this my whole life. And because of that, sometimes I just get sick or feel under the weather. I know it doesn't look good, but I promise you it's normal for me."

You try to say that as naturally as possible. Or at least in a way that makes you sound confident.

And you can tell that she finally, finally is listening to you. And also that she believes you.

However, exactly because she believes you, you can see how her expression turns even more worried.

"But… I…" she begins to say, her voice still wet and crestfallen. "You shouldn't have come here, a-and… I didn't know, but-"

"Hush, shush, don't give me any of that," you say, patting her on the back from where you are sitting next to her. "You didn't know it, but I did. And I decided to accept your offer anyways, because I want to help you."

You say that in a gentle, patient voice, hearing the mare hold back her sniffs as you continue to side-hug her.

"And I'm telling you now because I trust you. So, I don't mind you knowing this."

You watch as Cadance shakes her head, still covering her eyes with her hoofs. Her expression is clearly apologetic, and you can tell why. After all she is shaking her head because she disagrees with you.

The mare clearly thinks you only told her that because she was inconsolable just a few minutes ago. And she wouldn't have believed you otherwise.

Well, that might be true. But it is only part of the truth.

You really do trust Cadance. Heavens, if you can't trust her and Shining here in Canterlot, who can you trust?

"Cadance, you're crying again," you say, seeing her eyes pool up with tears for what must be the third time tonight. But you don't say that in a judging tone. Instead, you just pull her a little tighter into your side-hug.

Because this is definitely… not just about you. You are pretty sure that seeing you, and the conclusion she reached, was what made her cup overflow. But still, you can tell she was carrying a whole mountain's worth of stress on her back.

After all, you have no idea of how busy her schedule is. And yet, she came to visit you on the very first night following your arrival in Canterlot. Yes, you are sure of it. Cadance came to you in the hopes of alleviating some of that stress, even if it was just by having a normal conversation with somepony, and it backfired spectacularly the moments she laid her eyes on you.

Or rather… it almost backfired spectacularly.

"There, there…" you say, "let it all out…"

Because sometimes, a shoulder to cry on is just what a pony needs.

You are only slightly worried as to why she isn't doing this with Shining Armor, but you push those concerns to a distant corner of your mind. That doesn't really matter right now. What matters is that you will help Cadance feel better.

"I know that… I'm a Princess, and I shouldn't cry and…" she begins to say. But you don't even let her finish that sentence.

"What? No! Not in here you aren't, missy. You can be as honest as you want when you're with me," you say. "Of course, I would feel a lot better if you weren't crying because of me. But I'd rather you be truthful with me than letting you just keep all of that inside of you."

You say those words, and you feel a small wave of relief as the mare finally gives you… a small nod.

And you slowly manage to move the conversation uphill from there.



- - -



In the end, you stayed up for a lot longer than you intended.

Not because of Cadance. Or at least not directly. Because the mare wasn't really in a good mindset to just chat her sorrows away. So you kept her company, yes, and you accepted whatever apologies she gave you, and you stopped her whenever you felt she was starting to denigrate herself too much. Still, as soon as you got her to smile a little bit, you convinced her that the best thing she could do was get a good night's sleep and put that whole matter behind her.

And so she left, relatively early. Just a few minutes after midnight. And you sincerely hope she followed your advice and slept.

You, on the other hoof… didn't quite fall asleep that quickly.

Because you had a lot to think about. You had a lot to worry about.

After all, now Cadance knows about… your predicament.

And thanks to that, any hopes of quietly getting rid of it are now gone. Your circumstances are clearly the kind of thing that no natural (or even naturally magical) means can cure. So, if they were to disappear in the future, at least one pony would realize something very strange happened. Combine that with the fact that you know the Bureau will clash with the Cult and the Lores soon enough and…

Well…

You definitely don't want to be bunched in the same group as "the ponies who attacked Luna". And evidence that would suggest you knew about the Lores before the Bureau discovers them is definitely not something you want to create.

However, this also means that you are still stuck with this unhealthy condition of yours. Even though a known solution is right there, and you can get it fixed with a few days of preparations, a few alchemical solutions, and a damned hammer.

That thought kept you awake… for a while.

But eventually, you slept. You slept, and you dreamed, and you found yourself in the Mansus once again. That is, until you woke up.



And now you are here.



You ignore the light exhaustion you feel in your body, and you concentrate on the here and now.

It is late in the afternoon. A few hours away from sundown, but still late enough for the sun to be closer to the horizon than not.

You spent the entire day with Shining Armor so far. A few hours of the morning were dedicated to finishing your tour in the Lunar Bureau, taking a closer look at the materials that will be at your disposal.

Naturally, you didn't understand the first thing about the "gear" (as he called it) that your investigators and, well, soldiers will be using. And for that, you are thankful that Cadance sent Shining Armor your way. Because he was being honest when he said you have a small armory, but once he started showing you the pieces of armor, equipment and other gadgets besides, you definitely felt like you were grasping at straws just to keep up with his words.

On the other hoof, the closer inspection you two made on the upper levels, on the offices and other administrative parts of the building, you were back in your element. And you can confidently say that no expenses were spared in stocking the Lunar Bureau.

Which is a given, of course, given the… care that Celestia seems to have with the place.

But much more importantly, the rest of your morning, and most of your afternoon, was spent basically talking to Shining Armor. Because even though the institution you are going to head is clearly well funded, you still had to decide on a factor that was much more important that "mere" funds and equipment.

And that factor, of course, relates to the ponies who will be using said funds and materials.

Because as it stands, the Lunar Bureau has a staff of… maybe six or seven ponies. Namely, the only ponies who are currently in the Lunar Bureau are you, Shining Armor, and the skeleton crew that aided in designing its initial configuration: a pair of ponies from the Royal Guard, a consultant from Canterlot's own constabulary, and two administrators trusted by the Crown.

To put it simply, you do not have a staff. So, you and Shining were discussing what your next step would be.

Well, it is obvious that your next step will be a recruitment drive. But you two were discussing how to go about said recruitment drive. Where you would draw from, what skills you will be looking for, what your standards will be, and even what roles you will want to fulfill.

Although your discussion with him was interrupted by the clock, as the moment for your audience with Celestia was finally approaching.

So, here you are right now. In the throne room. Surrounded by an unexpected group of ponies…

Waiting for Princess Celestia.

…

Your growing nervousness is suddenly broken as you realize something very dangerous is approaching. Followed by a sudden rise in temperature.

And before you can even react, the wide doors at the back of the throne room swing open.



"Hear ye! The Princess of the Sun presides over this audience!"



The rising temperature suddenly turns into a wave of heat, and everypony in the room bows down without a second thought. Yourself included.



- - -



"I have gathered you all here today to pass down a decree."

It is hot.

You are still bowing down, facing the floor.

There is something very dangerous right in front of you. Its threat eclipsing that of the Royal Guard standing in attention nearby. Its lethality greater than even the other alicorn that is waiting next to her.

Heavens. Her very presence seems to make the air around you heavier.

It is hot.

"Today, I will create a new institution that will be charged with policing and safeguarding Equestria. It will be guided by my sister upon her return, but it will begin its activities immediately so it will be worthy of her attention once she takes its reins."

You have not even looked at her yet. None of the gathered ponies have. But still, you can all feel her.

The room doesn't seem any brighter than it was before. But still, she is… she is quite literally radiating heat.

You feel as if you are inside a sauna, that is very slowly being heated.

You feel like you are under the midday sun, even though you are inside the shaded and covered throne room.

You feel as if you have… you are remembered of when you were younger, and you fell and scraped a leg. You remember how it felt to not have any fur covering a part of your body. How it felt when you had a scraped coat that wasn't exactly cut and bleeding, but that was still noticeably thinner. You remember how even the casual heat of the sun almost felt painful to your sensitive wound.

That is how you feel. Except that you feel that on every part of your body that is currently facing the Princess.

But most of all, you can tell that Princess Celestia is obscenely angry. And the only thing that surprises you more than the size of her anger is the fact that she is somehow keeping it in check.

Still, she feels like a nocked bow, with its arrow aimed straight at you. And that even the slightest nudge will cause the arrow to be let loose.

"You may raise your heads."

The Princess utters those words, and you all obey.

Princess Celestia looks utterly normal. Her expression is strict, her white fur is spotless, and her golden regalia is polished to a reflective sheen.

She looks exactly like you remember her, the last time you met. Except that she looks a lot healthier.

However, the way she feels to you is completely different.

In fact, she feels so different that even your body reacts. You feel your pupils trying to contract, as if you are looking at something brilliant. You feel how your eyes want to water, as if you were gazing at the sun.

And you have to hold yourself so you won't shiver, even though it is getting hotter and hotter.

"Look around you," she commands, waving a hoof, and you all obey. "Some of you might already recognize each other, but some of you might not. Still, I have gathered you all here because you are all the governors of the most important cities in Equestria."

You look around you, and sure enough you… well, you definitely don't recognize any of the ponies around you. Still, the small crowd that is currently in audience together with you is indeed a very well-dressed crowd. And you can definitely picture all the ponies around you as being an important mare or stallion.

Naturally, you don't see a pony like Mayor Mare here. But judging by the number of ponies here, and their bearings, you can see that everypony present is a leader, mayor, or whatever governing title they use in the large cities that dot Equestria.

Well. All of them except for you, of course.

"So hear me, all of you, as I say this. From this day onwards, the Lunar Bureau is now officially in existence. It will have broad discretion to investigate any and all criminal activity in all of Equestria. It will not be restrained by any single local rule of law from any city, and it will have overall authority to perform any action it deems necessary to fulfill its duty."

She says that, and once she finishes speaking, you swear that the throne room is somehow even quieter than before.

In fact, you almost think everypony is holding their breath.

And when the Princess leans forward on her throne, you can sense how everypony collectively stop themselves from taking a step back.

"Velvet Covers, step forward."

She says that while looking straight into your eyes. You hesitate for less than a second, but even that feels like an eternity while under her scrutiny.

Still, you step out of the small crowd.

And you almost feel thankful when, with a wave of her hoof, she motions for you to turn your back to her, facing towards the crowd of governors.

"Velvet Covers is to be the Commissioner of the Lunar Bureau. You will all communicate any matter of importance directly to her, and you will all cooperate with her with anything she requires. She will answer to my sister first, myself second, and to nopony else."

You feel a chill run down your spine, as you hear her precise words.

After all, Cadance is standing right next to her.

However, any concern you have about her particular wording evaporates in the wind, as you practically feel the Princess…

… as you quite literally feel the Princess…

… slowly becoming irate.

You have your back turned to her, so you can't exactly tell what is going on. But you can feel sweat forming under your clothes.

And you can very clearly see how all the governors, gathering in front of you, are slowly becoming wide-eyed. One of them even shuddering.

As the Princess speaks her next few words.

"And any affront against the Lunar Bureau will not be an offense against me…"

And even though you have your back turned to her, you swear she is speaking those words through gritted teeth.

"… but an offense against my sister."

She says that, the temperature around her so hot that you might as well be standing next to a bonfire.

And you understand the threat. Everypony understands the threat.

But more than that, everypony understands precisely how little patience Princess Celestia seems to be fostering right now. And how she no longer has any patience at all if the subject is her sister.

Still, the temperature slowly begins to lower once again. It is utterly beyond you how much willpower would be needed to rein in that much anger, but you are once again reminded just how old Princess Celestia is. As well as how beyond she is from mere ponies.

After less than ten seconds, the boiling heat coming from behind you is nothing but a distant memory, and you are left with nothing but the uncomfortable sensation of sweat on your fur.

"Princess Cadenza and Deputy Shining Armor will inform you of what other expectations we have of you."

Princess Celestia says those words. And all the governors bow down at the sound of the Princess getting up from her throne, as she begins to make her way out of the room itself.

You are about to step back into the safety of the crowd, or at least turn around and bow yourself, when she says a final trio of words.

"Velvet Covers, follow."

You give Cadance one last, desperate glance, which she answers with just as much confusion, before you follow after the Princess of the Sun.



- - -



You follow after Princess Celestia.

You don't really dare to say a single word, as you do. But still, you follow after her. And together, the two of you leave the throne room behind, and you go in the general direction of the royal quarters. Or at least that is what you remember of the castle's layout, from your last visit here.

You did invade those same royal quarters with Twilight, after all.

However, before you reach the royal residence proper, she suddenly takes you down a set of stairs. Past heavy metal doors patrolled by Royal Guards, and down into a less elegant-looking portion of the castle.

"What did Princess Cadance tell you about your duties?" she asks, as the two of you go deeper into a place that… that you have no idea what is for.

"She was… she explained to me I would be a director of sorts, my Princess," you answer. Unsure if Cadance perhaps told you something you shouldn't know yet, but also uncomfortable with saying something that Princess Celestia might think is a lie. "Of an organization charged with guarding Equestria against dangers. She made a particular mention about the monsters that caused the… Catastrophe."

You say that last word hesitantly. But to your relief, Princess Celestia only nods.

By now, you think you understand where you are.

The place looks… not exactly recently built, but definitely recently furbished. It gives you the same new-yet-dedicated feeling that you had while touring the Lunar Bureau.

Except that this place's purpose is definitely… different. You pass by doors that are tightly shut, some even locked with chains, and the one door you pass by that is half-open seems to be a mixture of a laboratory and a magical workshop.

Still, this place seems to be as empty and non-functional as the Bureau itself.

"I am not surprised that Princess Cadance told you of the monsters' true nature. You have her trust," she says. And you detect only the slightest hesitation from her before she continues speaking, "as well as mine."

Of course, it also doesn't escape you that you didn't really mention that Cadance told you the truth about the "monsters". You remember Cadance telling you that she shouldn't reveal that to you, and you are quite sure that you didn't say that to Celestia right now.

And yet, you can also tell that she didn't know that you know, until now. You can tell that, somehow, she just read you like an open book.

You suppress the urge to swallow the dry lump you have in your throat. But maybe even that discomfort from you is already a tell that she can read.

Still, the two of you walk on. Until you stop on a particular, chain-locked door. This door in particular doesn't seem any different from the others, but Celestia seems to be sure this is where she wants to be.

"So, this is something you need to see."

She says that, and with a flick of her horn, a complicated set of locks comes undone. But more than just locks and chains, you also sense the faint hum of magical spells being powered down.

This door, you can tell, would be hard even for you to open before she undid its seals. But now, it is finally nothing but an unlocked door.

But you bite down your urge to gasp in surprise. Because as soon as she unlocks the seals, even before she opens the door itself, you immediately sense something else.

You immediately sense LIGHT.

"Follow," she says, and the two of you enter the room.

The interior of the room is… empty. It is a large, circular room. Its walls clearly reinforced and sturdy. However, the room is almost completely empty.

With two exceptions.

The first is a tall, thin object in the middle of the room. Covered by a black cloth.

But you can already tell that… no, you can already feel. Even thought it is covered by that cloth. Even though it is several meters away from you and inert. You can tell that object has power. You can tell that it bleeds the very LIGHT of the Mansus itself.

More power than even you have. Perhaps as much power as Baldomare herself had while in the wake.

Thick with the glow of Lantern. Heavy with the brightness of Glory.

You are so taken aback by this… by this thing, that you almost don't notice the second thing in this empty room.

But notice it you do, and soon enough your eyes are drawn to the… well, to the equally shocking and unexpected sight of a pony.

Bound and chained on a chair.

Crying in fear as you and Celestia enter the room.

Without a word, Celestia walks to the middle of the room, and pulls down the cloth that is covering the object. And several things happen all at once.



All of them leave you speechless.



The first thing that happens is that LIGHT SHINES. The black cloth falls to the ground to reveal a mirror. A pony-tall, oval mirror that seems completely normal to the naked eye, except that it is very much not.

Because as soon as it is uncovered, as soon as it begins to reflect the place it is aimed at, it does it with such clarity that you swear it might even be cutting. It shines out so much Lantern that you wouldn't even dare stand before the mirror itself.

The second thing that happens is that… well…

The mirror, now uncovered, has its backside to you. The mirror, now uncovered, is intentionally aimed at the other end of the empty room.

And the only thing it is reflecting is the chained and bound pony.

The pony screams. It screams as if he is being stabbed. It screams as if his soul is being stabbed. It screams out into the room and the sound is amplified by the mirror and reaches into your very mind.

The pony also, even if very painfully, is suddenly engulfed by a green flame. It licks through him, or is perhaps expunged away from him, as if he is being skinned alive. With his throes making it clear the process is just as painful as it looks.

And once the flames are gone, there is no longer a pony.

There is only a black-carapaced, insect-looking copy of a pony. A quietly sobbing and clearly exhausted changeling.

You are shaken by what you see. For several reasons.

But Princess Celestia is not. And thankfully, you think your reaction is sufficiently expected for her not to be surprised at your open-mouthed shock.

You are only glad that she doesn't realize the… the several other reasons as to why you are shocked.

"These are the monsters that attacked Equestria. They are shapeshifters, and I know for a fact they still walk among us. We have no ways of identifying them as of yet, this magical mirror being the one exception so far."

She says those words, and casually nods at the… at the "magical" mirror behind her.

And you immediately understand that she… that she has no idea of… she has no idea of the power that she is so casually standing next to. You don't know how or why, but you can immediately tell from her words, that mixture of casual dismissiveness coupled with her statement that she doesn't know of "any other ways", that she has no idea of…

… that she has no idea at all about the Lores.

"So hear me now, Velvet Covers. The purpose of the Bureau is to protect ponykind. Fight back against the shadows. Oppose the greatest offenders who have made a habit out of crime. Sniff out future threats before they can make another Catastrophe."

She says that, but once again you feel her ire rising.

You feel her political tone become once again weighted by anger as she continues to speak.

"But these monsters? The changelings, and the ponies who aided them? Those you will persecute. Any pony you suspect of being a changeling is to be sent to me. Any pony found to have colluded is to be brought directly to my attention. No exceptions."

You nod to her. You vigorously nod your head at her words. Not only because you think that your words might betray you, if you say something, but also because you think that even if you say "yes my Princess" you will somehow just anger her more.

However, you can't take your eyes away from the mirror behind her.

And even though you want to ask for it. Even though you dearly want to ask for… just for access to it, you hold your tongue.

Even though you have all the excuses in the world. Even though it makes sense that giving that mirror to you… to the Lunar Bureau, will aid in finding more changelings.

But still, you can tell that… asking her for anything right now would be very unwise.

However, more than that, you also realize something else.

You realize that… well, if Celestia wanted you to have that mirror as a tool, it would already be waiting for you in the underground jails of the Lunar Bureau.

But that mirror is not there. No. Instead, it is here. In a recently-dug complex right under her own royal quarters. Guarded by more guards and magical wards than even the Lunar Bureau itself.

Locked behind rows upon rows of heavy doors, all marked with the stylized sign of an eclipse.

"Come, I will explain to you your first priority. You will begin in Canterlot. One of the great noble families has… overstepped. For decades now, even. You will begin from there, both as a test run, and to make an example out of them."

The Princess moves to leave the room without further ado, and you follow after her.

And as she explains to you what will be your first assignment, you can only nod and agree to everything she says. Offering her nothing but your deepest bow when you two finally part ways.



- - -



You sit down with Shining Armor in your office.

It still feels strange to call it "your" office, but you suppose that sensation will fade away with time.

Besides, you can still feel the slightest hint of dread from your recent conversation with Princess Celestia. Even if it was a very one-sided conversation. So, whatever hesitation you might have from doing an unfamiliar job is very quickly quashed by the knowledge that she is watching.

"So, how did you conversation with her go?" Shining Armor asks.

To which you answer with a…. complicated expression.

And given how he nods in response, you know he understands.

"Well, on my end, me and Cadance went over the most important bits with the governors. The Bureau will basically be beyond their oversight, so there wasn't much to explain there except that they shouldn't interfere with it," he says, leaning back on a chair. "But we also gave them a few scrolls with information, and some badge identifiers."

He says that naturally, but you raise a questioning eyebrow at that. And he realizes that, again, you have no idea of what he is talking about.

"Oh, right. Sorry. The badges we will use are magical, to avoid counterfeits. So we gave each governor some identifiers to… I mean, we gave them these little tools that confirms a badge is legitimate. They should have enough for themselves, their chief of police, and two more important ponies in their staff. Not a lot, but these kinds of things aren't really meant to go around easily."

You nod at that, letting out a low "ahh…" at his words.

Right. Hoofsoldier gear…

You really need to catch up to speed about that sort of thing.

"Well, while I was away with Princess Celestia, she basically gave us our first… well, target?"

"That's quite the ruthless way to put it, Commissioner," he says with a chuckle.

"Well, I can't help it if it's the truth. She pointed us at one of the great families, nonetheless… And she did say she wanted it to be an… example."

Shining's expression becomes a bit more complicated when you say that.

"I bet they all have dirt on them, one way or the other. But still…" he says.

"Yes, still we will have to find that dirt," you say, to which the stallion nods.

And the wordless agreement once again floats between the two of you. That in order to do that, you will need ponies.

"Right then. What do you say we begin to fill this bureau with hoofs?" he says, giving you a shrug which clearly told that there was no helping it.

And you can't help but agree.



[LUNAR BUREAU MECHANICS:]

Spoiler: Initial explanation

You and Shining Armor decide that the Lunar Bureau will focus on three main activities:

-Investigation: Your main concern. Discovering enemy parties, tracking down their trail, and collecting evidence on their activities. This activity must be done by ponies specialized in investigation and police work, and you will recruit them from those niches.

-Assault: A secondary, but also crucial concern. Cracking down gatherings, arresting members, assaulting their headquarters more quietly and efficiently than the regular Guard. This activity must be done by ponies who are effectively soldiers, but who are beholden to much higher standards.

-Support: The bones keeping the Bureau up. Keeping the cogs oiled, the paperwork flowing, and providing logistical support to investigative teams and assault squads. This activity can be done by "any" paper pusher, but you must find ponies who are also discreet.

The number of squads you can field at any given time will depend (and be capped) on your administrative capabilities.

Finally, every now and then you will find ponies who are particularly effective or trustworthy. These "heroes" will come with specific bonuses (and maluses) that will provide more advantages to your squads. (Shining Armor, for example, will be a "hero")

You will recruit several ponies and distribute them into "squads". Each squad will be given an assignment (one action) per month, and will be managed as needed. More squads will mean more actions.

Throughout the rest of the month, you and Shining will focus solely on recruitment. Poring over all viable candidates from all cities. A quick letter with your signature on it, and the Bureau's stamp, cutting through any red tape. Even if you are recruiting from a governor's own prized staff.

However, when it comes to how much care you exercise while selecting candidates, you decide to…


[] Apply the greatest scrutiny. You will interview all candidates personally, and veto ponies that display even the slightest stain in their records.

-You will begin with the minimal number of squads.
-You will begin with two "heroes" besides Shining Armor.


[] Go for an intermediate approach. You will personally go over all the files and dossiers, but you follow Shining Armor's advice and allow for some flexibility here and there.

-You will begin with an intermediate number of squads.
-You will begin with one "hero" beside Shining Armor.


[] Offload recruitment to Shining Armor. Naturally, you will accompany the process, but you will be helping him more than the other way around. His standards are high, but his priorities are also different.

-You will begin with a large number of squads.
-You will only have Shining Armor as a starting "hero".





A short explanation on the Lunar Bureau's mechanics:

Spoiler: Actions, squads and heroes

The Lunar Bureau will be able to perform one "action" per squad every turn.

The precise action that each squad can do is not relevant for this vote right now. But a squad can be either an investigative squad, an assault squad, or a support squad. Naturally, investigative squads will be the most important, and consequently more numerous (since more investigative actions will be required per turn to rat out criminal parties).

However, heroes will provide greater bonuses to squads they are attached to, and will provide more flexibility or other lateral buffs. However, heroes might come with inconvenient maluses. A hero will never be "bad" at his job, but their bonuses and maluses will set them apart from a mere stamp you give to a squad to make it work better.

Despite the voting options mentioning "low" or "high" scrutiny, there is no risk of the Lunar Bureau being infiltrated by changelings. However, there are no promises about other (pony) parties.

Whatever ponies you recruit will automatically be set to fulfill Celestia's present orders, and investigate one particular noble house. Velvet will gain more autonomy later on, once everything is established.

Despite the coloring, Velvet did not feel that Princess Celestia "exuded" Edge. She merely felt so much anger that Velvet's own Edge-senses were flaring in alarm. To the best of your knowledge, Princess Celestia is completely ignorant of the Lores.

Eight hours moratorium.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning plan

[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores

Spoiler: Winning vote

[X] Apply the greatest scrutiny. You will interview all candidates personally, and veto ponies that display even the slightest stain in their records.

"Welcome back, Roach. Glad to see everything went alright today."

Those are the first words that greet you as soon as you close the front door behind you, and they feel as familiar as the sound of the old entrance bell jingling as the doors slightly tap them.

You hear those words almost every day, spoken through that same smile. And you know you are not the only one. After all, he says those same words every single day, to everypony who returns from patrol. So, you know you are not special.

Still, there is warmth in his words. You can feel them the same way you can feel the heated air in the lobby room. Which, by the way, is a great contrast to the downpour you just came from. Damn weather department deciding to put an entire week's worth of rain in a single night…

"Can I getcha cup of coffee Roach? I'm all out of doughnuts, but I'm sure I can nab something from the back if you're feeling hungry."

However, even though you can feel all of it… even though you can feel the warmth in his voice, and in the air, and coming from the carafe he has on his reception desk, you still feel…

Cold.

"Nah. Just give me my papers to sign, Bolt," you say, water still dripping from your uniform as you make your way through the empty lobby.

Thankfully, he complies, and soon enough you are staring down at the small pile of papers you have to fill before calling it a day. Reports, notes, sightings, the usual. Nothing you can't get done in twenty minutes before you can finally head back home.



Yet another day serving in Vanhoover's Constable.



"Y'know Roach, I can fill up your papers if you want. You can just sign at the end, and I'll have them all filled up," the receptionist, Loose Bolt, says with his usual slow yet honest tone. "I mean, you didn't come in draggin' anypony, so I figure you had a slow night like everypony else."

You are already shaking your head before he even finishes his offer, taking out your uniform raincoat so you don't wet the papers. And for all that you try, you can't really stop a frown from appearing on your face at his words.

Although you are not frowning because he just offered to fill in your papers. Or at least that isn't the biggest reason.

"Slow nights are bad, Bolt," you say under your breath as you pick up the papers and stuff them in a dry pocket of your undercoat. "Crooks are still out there. I can feel it in my cutie mark. And if we had a slow night, it just means we didn't catch any of them."

Loose Bolt gives you a familiar slow nod, conceding the point. But he doesn't say anything else.

And honestly, you appreciate him deciding to stay quiet. The two of you have been in the Constable for many years now, more than most other ponies. Hay, you two even went out to drink on occasion. So, you can say that you two already have each other's measure, and you are quietly thankful that he sees you are not in a good mood.

Because you meant it when you said it.

This… thing you are feeling, it is definitely not good.

It's been several weeks since the Catastrophe. And for al that the panic following the first few days was quickly replaced by a more long-lasting dread, even that dread is already beginning to thaw. Streets are beginning to fill up again, even in the late hours. Businesses are opening their doors once again, even if a lot of them now have new "Now Hiring" posters on their windows. And of course, crime is picking up once more.

But that's the problem. You feel like… no, you know there is something out there, but you can't put a hoof on what it is. You have been going up and down these streets for years, you know every corner and alley there is, and you have already seen more than one ugly gang war. And yet, this feeling you have is… it's just different.

As if something else is roaming the shadowy corners of your city. Something smarter than the gangs, more focused than the swindlers… hay, you dare say it's even more dangerous than the freaks that rampaged during the Catastrophe.

And yet.

And yet…

"I'll be at my desk if you need anything, Bolt. Won't take too long to fill these up," you say, passing through the staff-only door that leads out of the reception and into the Constable proper.

The old stallion gives you a slow nod.



- - -



You really meant it when you said you wouldn't take long.

It grates at you, but you really don't have anything to report.

"Arrests… none. Encounters… none. Notes regarding ongoing cases…"

You take a look at the far wall of the communal office space, glancing at the several posters of missing ponies your department placed there. The vast majority were set up immediately after the Catastrophe, and so far, none of them have been found.

But still, you can't help but look. Hoping against hope that you might realize you saw one of those ponies during your patrol.

"… none," you eventually give up, crossing out that section of your report with a practiced frown.

And soon enough, you are done. You sign the papers where they need to be signed and you get up from your chair to head towards Administration to file those in. It is late in the night, or perhaps early in the morning, so you will just put it in the "in" docket of the paper-pushers so they can get to it when they arrive.

Or at least that's what you thought you were going to do.

Because much to your surprise, as soon as you leave the detective's office area and step into Administration, you are greeted by a pony who almost jumps out of his chair.

"Roach! Freaking Tartarus, you're finally back!"

A thin, bespectacled pegasus in uniform practically trips over his legs as he makes his way towards you. His voice as urgent as his expression.

And you are surprised, of course, but you don't really react to it. You know the pony, after all, even if you barely speak to him.

"Mousetrap? The hay you doing here this early in the morning? This is beat-hour, and admin only opens at eight," you say, walking around the pegasus and placing your report where it is meant to go.

"What am I doing here? I'm waiting for you, that's what," he says, in a tone that you can only describe as panicked. "You're the only damn detective that takes ten hours to do an eight-hour route so we had no freaking choice but to wait!"

You raise an eyebrow at that. Because not only what he is saying doesn't really add up to the way he is acting, but also because…

"You said we had to wait?" you ask, stressing that particular word as you look around at the otherwise empty room. "Who's we?"

You feel your body tensing up for a moment at the sheer strangeness of that whole situation, your recent gut feelings and the suddenness of this situation creating worrying scenarios in your head, until the pegasus finally answers your question.

"The Chief, of course. He's waiting for you on his office upstairs, and it's urgent!"

You let out a small "huh" at that, giving the stallion a nod before turning your back to him. Pretending you can't listen to his grumbling about how he lost some sort of lottery and had to stay here after-hours to wait for you or something.

Perhaps this night won't be so slow after all.

…

"What can I do for you, Chief?"

You enter the slightly large room after knocking on the door, the familiar sight of the Chief Constable's office coming into view. The stallion himself is sitting behind his desk, cap casually tossed over a pile of files, and you can immediately smell the tobacco you know he is chewing on.

"Ah, Roach. You're finally back. Take a seat," he says.

And you can immediately tell he is… well, you can tell this won't be a usual meeting or debrief.

Or rather, you can already tell that whatever this is about will not be pleasant.

Still, you oblige him. Taking a seat on one of the heavy wooden chairs he has in front of his desk.

"Did you hear the news already?" he asks, and you are not sure if he really wants to hear your answer or if he is just trying to ease you into whatever bad news he has in store.

"Can't say I have, Chief. Mousetrap seemed to be on edge downstairs, but he didn't tell me much. Besides, I'm not sure it would've been possible for me to hear about… whatever this is," you say, easing yourself into the chair. Wondering how wet your uniform is while you are at it.

And you watch as the Chief Constable raises an eyebrow at your words.

"Really? And why do you figure that?"

"Well, because you have access to my schedule, so if this was really urgent you'd have sent a runner after me. So I figure that whatever happened, happened just a few hours ago. After the time it was better to wait for me here than to send somepony to look for me in my patrol route," you say, shrugging slightly as you talk. "Besides, Mousetrap was waiting for me in Administration like this was urgent, but Loose Bolt didn't mention anything when I arrived at the lobby. Which either means everypony is finally admitting Bolt has a bad memory… or that this is need-to-know only, and I wouldn't have been able to hear this news from anywhere else."

The Chief Constable gives you a slow, frowning nod.

You take the time to casually glance at his desk while he is looking down.

"I suppose it makes sense when you put it that way," he says, chewing at the tobacco inside his mouth for a few more moments before letting out a dry grunt. "I'll cut to the chase, then. We got word from up high asking for you, and I have no choice but to let you go."

He says that, and you don't even bother to keep the scowl from forming on your face.

"Wait, what? This again? Sun-damnit boss, you can't be serious!"

"Roach, you have to understand tha-" he begins to say, but you interrupt him before you even realize it.

"No, this is bullshit and you know it Chief! The bigwigs from uptown are asking for another investigation are you're simply gonna fold? I don't care if it's good press, you can't send me to waste time uptown just because somepony snatched a tophat's pocketbook."

You almost stand up from the chair, feeling your pent-up tension finally coming to the fore.

Because it's always something like this. This kind of shit has been going on for years now. Ever since you tracked down that bit-counterfeiter and had your name plastered on the newspapers as if you were some sort of hero. The tophats from uptown think you're some sort of private hound they can call on, and every now and then they try to bully the Chief into assigning you some petty case that affected some rich pony.

But to think the Chief is going to cave in? That he's going to take you out of the beat now? Weeks after the Catastrophe, and while there are real crimes being committed out there?!

"I don't care how slow it has been, Chief. We both know the crooks are about to pick it up again, and I'll be damned if I'm not in the streets when-"

"Roach will you listen to me for one damn moment?!"

But this time, it's the Chief who interrupts you, and something about his tone actually gives you pause.

Because you can see now, clear as day, that you are actually… wrong?

"This is not another request from uptown, Roach. I didn't say that," he says, letting out a heavy sigh, "this is a request from up. And this isn't just a temporary assignment to make some deep-pocket happy… this is a bit more permanent than that."

He says that, but you don't really… understand. You feel your pulse quicken slightly at that, realizing all the gaps in information that you are working with. Because what did he mean by up? And what the hay does he mean by permanent?

Vanhoover is your city. You were born and raised here, and taking care of these streets is your life. So what in Celestia's good name does he mean by all that?

Your questions are all plastered on your face, and you know it. You don't even try to hide it. And you know the Chief can see them as if you had spoken them out loud.

But instead of answering your questions, he simply picks up a letter from a drawer, and throws it towards you.

You take it on your hoofs, noticing the… several little details, strange and unusual both, that dot the letter.

Like the fact that the envelope is purple and black, instead of the usual paper stuff it should have been made of.

And the fact it was hoofwritten instead of typed.

But most of all the fact it has a symbol on it, that you have never before seen in your life.

The letter, of course, was also sealed. Or rather, it was sealed at some point, but it has already been open at least once. And judging by the Chief's actions, you figure you are also authorized to see… whatever this is about.

And you can't help but feel surprised as you read the front of the envelope.



To: The Office of Vanhoover's Governor

Subject: Detective "Beyond Reproach" (Downtown Constabulary)

From: The Lunar Bureau



"Before you ask, Roach, I have no idea of what this is about. Or rather, I have some idea, but at this point I think he only told me what I need to know."

"And when you say he," you say, hesitantly, "you actually mean…"

"Yeap, the Governor. It's his name on the letter, after all. But let me tell you what's not on the letter. Let me tell you about what… well, about what I think is going on."

You listen to him as you slowly open the letter and begin to read from it.

"The Governor is fucking scared, Roach. There's no beating around the bush. That letter arrived by courier on the town four hours ago, and it reached the Governor while he was having dinner in his own damn house. And you know what he did? He didn't even ask a pony to come here and summon me, no. He got out of his own damn house after hours and came here himself."

You feel your breath get caught inside your lungs. That damned Governor? Scared? Doing stuff with his own hoofs?!

That doesn't make any sense. In fact it makes even less sense as you finish reading the letter and see that it is just a… a summons? For a simple interview?

"And uh, I hope you keep this just between you and me Roach. But the Governor actually said he wanted you fired. No, hang on, calm down. Not because you did anything wrong. But, and these are his words, because he didn't want even the smallest impression that we were trying to keep you here."

"Wait… he said what?"

"You heard me. Governor himself said he wanted you in a train towards Canterlot yesterday, and that he would raise Tartarus if it even looked like we weren't complying with that letter."

"That doesn't make any sense, Chief. Why? And what the hay is this Bureau thing?"

"No clue, Roach. All I know is that it's best for everypony if you take that letter and head to the capital, and that the Governor himself won't sleep tonight until I knock on his house and tell him you are on your way," the Chief says, and his tone is… the furthest away from sarcasm as it can possibly be.

You can really tell he is serious. You can really tell Vanhoover's own Governor is wide awake right now, waiting for his Chief Constable to go tell him that… that you were delivered a damned letter.

You honestly have no idea of what is going on.

"So, Beyond Reproach, my best damn detective," he says, his tone finally hardening up to that professional voice he always uses during briefings and official gatherings. "As of right now, you are officially on paid leave from Vanhoover's Constable. And your only assignment as a law enforcement officer is to follow the instructions tendered to you in that letter. Is that clear?"

You take a few long seconds to process what you just learned, trying to make sense of what the hay is going on. But by the life of you, you simply can't put it together. Too many blank spots, too many pieces of the puzzle missing.

Your cutie mark itches on your flank. But for the first time in several weeks you don't feel like it is for a bad reason.

"Yes sir," you say, giving him the only answer that is possible.

And after a quick trip to your home to get some things in order, you are on your way to Canterlot.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning plan

[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores

You are Lady Velvet Covers.

La-… Lady? Is that right? Well, you are technically still a member of a noble family. After all, it's not like they were abolished. There will simply be… no successors, from this point onwards. But the title-holder of your family is not dead yet, so you think you are still a Lady?

Oh, who are you kidding, that's not what's on your mind at all. That's not the real reason why you are beating around this particular bush. The real reason is that… well… uhm…

You are just not used to your latest title yet?

You are…

You are Commissioner Velvet Covers.

And you are still trying to get used to that.

Still, you have more important things to worry about right now.

"So, what did you think about that last one?" he asks.

And you purse your lips for a few more moments, as you look at your notes once again, before you turn to face Captain Shi- ack. You mean… before you turn to face Deputy Shining Armor.

Heavens, this will take some getting used to. Because your title is already strange enough, but his? It's so much… lesser than his previous one. So less dashing. So less adventurous. So devoid of all the qualities his previous title had.

Calling him that almost feels like a crime!

Still, you focus on the task at hoof, blinking away your intrusive thoughts. It's probably the exhaustion talking in your head, you think.

The two of you have been at this for a while now, after all.

"That last one… Detective Reproach? He was good," you say, thinking back to the stallion that just left the room a few minutes ago. "Quick, sharp, his files definitely didn't lie. He even noticed your horn was fake."

"Wait, he did what?" Shining Armor asks, his eyes going slightly wide. Looking at you, and then towards the door the stallion just left through, as if he didn't believe you. "What do you mean he noticed it?"

You tilt your head slightly at his surprise, until you realize that…

Oh. Dear heavens, he didn't notice.

"When we were talking and he dropped his letter? Fell down near your chair and you picked it up? I'm pretty sure that was a check of sorts. I saw him looking at your horn as you bent down to pick the letter up, and besides…"

"What sort of unicorn wouldn't use magic to pick it up," he says, all but finishing your though process and prompting you to give him a nod. "Oh wow."

You watch as the stallion's expression becomes thoughtful, as he no doubt thinks back on the interview the two of you just did. Trying to see if he missed anything else that might be relevant.

You are sure he did. And you don't mean it in a negative way, because you are sure that you also missed a few things. To be honest, you feel like you have just been through the mental equivalent of a gymnastic session.

The interview with that pony was… interesting. After all, of all the candidates you two interviewed so far, that stallion was the only one who…

"And then there is the matter that it didn't look like he wanted the job," Shining Armor says, to which you can't help but agree. Eyeing the very last note you took during the interview, which says the exact same thing. "The other ones so far seem eager, almost relieved. Remember that mare from Los Pegasus? The analyst? She almost looked like she was going to cry, when we told her the Bureau was being made to do something about the Catastrophe. Didn't even let us finish our spiel before saying she was in."

"Yeap, I remember her. And I definitely agree with you," you say, echoing Shining's thoughtful tone, "because Reproach definitely didn't look like…"

You light up your horn, sifting over the small stack of files you have next to you. Levitating away the interviews you did today, pushing the ones that are still due to another stack, until you finally reach the detective's file.

"There has to be a reason. There has to be something here that tells us why," you mumble to yourself, even though you don't really believe it. Because if that pony didn't straight up tell you what was on his mind, you have the impression that you won't really find an easy answer for it. "I mean, what else do you think? What else do you have on your notes?"

You open his file, reading from it even as you listen to Shining talk. You can tell that you are at the same time intrigued and frustrated. Well, you are also tired, but that is beyond the point. More importantly, you are frustrated because the last few days have been a grinding slog of sending letters, going through files and doing investigative vetting. But you are also intrigued because you can see it is working, and that the pony you two just spoke to is a catch.

So you want to… no, you need to understand why this is happening. You have to poach that stallion, no matter what it takes.

"I mean, there wasn't much else? I was surprised by how small he was, especially for an earth pony, but I could tell he knew his way around a hooffight. And when you take that into account, that doesn't mean he is small, it just means he knows how to be unassuming."

You nod at his words, because you agree with them. The stallion was as unremarkable as it seemed to be possible, at least physically, but that probably helped wonders in detective work. But still… still…

"I also thought he was… what's the word for it. Driven? Dedicated?" Shining continues to talk, "but that's what makes it so weird. We have candidates who lost somepony in the Catastrophe, and you could tell those ones wanted in to make a difference. But for that guy it almost seemed… the opposite?"

You narrow your eyes at Shining's words, and you feel as if something clicks inside your head.

"We did mention we can make… accommodations, if necessary," you say. Which is the truth, after all you can't recruit ponies from all over the country if you can't offer them something as basic as housing wherever you will need them to be. "But he… brushed it off? Wait, am I remembering this right? He didn't ask anything about it, did he?"

"No, I don't think he did. And that is a bit weird, now that you mention it. Everypony else asked us what we meant by that. Well, they also asked about payment and whatnot, but the whole thing of being based in Canterlot and traveling a lot was a big point in the other sessions."

Shining Armor realizes you are on to something. Or at least that you think you are on to something. And you can see him stooping slightly in your direction to look at the file you are reding from.

"And if he didn't ask about it, then it's because either he doesn't care, which is unlikely… or he thinks that, whatever he would really need, is beyond our power to give."

You then finally reach the part of his file you had been looking for all along, placing it down on the table so Shining can read from it as well.



Subject File

Page: 12/15
Marital status: Unmarried
Foals: none
Extended family:
-Father: deceased
-Mother: deceased
-Siblings: one (sister)



You wanted to tap your hoof on the open file, you wanted to proudly exclaim that this points in the direction of your hunch. But in all honesty, you can't help but frown at what you are reading. You can't help but feel a small twinge in your chest at the picture that those words were painting.

And you also notice Shining's reaction is… similar. Looking at the intimate details of the life of a pony whose only surviving family is his sister.

Or at least, you hope she is what remains of his family.

"The files we have are all pre-Catastrophe, right?" you ask, to which he nods.

"As far as we know, yes. Personnel files aren't updated regularly to begin with, and it hasn't been that long since it happened. I think the information we are working on is… maybe a year old?"

"That makes sense. And… well, like you said, some candidates were in for a feeling of vengeance. But that wasn't his case, which can only mean that…"

"His sister isn't dead. She's one of the missing ponies," Shining says, a heavy tone of familiarity weighting down his words, "and he won't take a job in another town until she is found."

You wait a few moments before you say anything, very pointedly pretending not to notice how the stallion takes a long breath, his eyes going unfocused and his brow furrowing for a few seconds.

"Well, that makes a lot of sense," he finally says, after shaking his head, "even if it's a hunch. Still, it's something we can work with."

"Right. We can start digging into this and figure something out. Maybe you can check in with the Guard and see if Vanhoover's outskirts were already searched? Or perhaps we can go there ourselves an-"

"Wait wait wait, waaaait," Shining Armor suddenly waves a hoof at you, interrupting you on the spot as he gives you an inquisitive look. "That feels like putting a certain cart in front of the pony. Velvet, do you know what time it is?"

You open your mouth for a few seconds, before closing it and thinking for a few more moments.

Because what exactly does he mean by this?

"It's… a bit late into the afternoon?"

"Wrong, it's almost evening."

"And…? What, you think it's too late to go bother the Guard?" you ask, looking at him with honest confusion. "Well, if you think that then we can just go talk to them tomorrow, sure. There's still plenty of letters to send that we can get to-"

"You're missing my point, Velvet. What I mean to say is that today is the last day of the week."

"And…?" you try again, truly not understanding what he is trying to get to.

"And tomorrow is the first day of the weekend?"

"… Shining, I need you to help me out here. Where the hay are you going with this?"

You ask that, and the stallion legitimately groans, rolling his eyes and all, before answering your question.

"And you should go home, Velvet. By Celestia, do I need to spell it out to you? You need to go home, to your family, and rest up for next week."

"Wha-… I… What do you mean by that? Of course I miss my family, but we have work to do here Shining!"

"Yes, and that work will still be here when you come back. But more importantly, Velvet, this is going to be your new routine," he says, his voice somehow calm and frustrated at the same time. "You can't work yourself to exhaustion on your first week. In fact, you can't create the bad habit of working yourself to the bone, period. We are in this for the long haul."

"But… but this is the first week! We are doing something as crucial as recruitment! I get your point, but this period is an exception. We can't afford to slack now and-"

"Actually, this is precisely the moment we can slack," he says. And you can't help but notice that… well, that he is being sincere. He isn't just contradicting you to try and win the argument. "The recruits we interviewed aren't going anywhere. In fact, it's even better to let a bit of time pass so they can get their stuff in order and start trickling in. But more than that, we don't have anypony working for us right now. We don't have an ongoing investigation, we don't have time-sensitive stuff waiting to happen… by Equestria, we don't even know which of the noble families we will be investigating first."

You let out a low, but definitely undignified neigh at his words. Because even though he is wrong, you have to admit that… well, that he has a point.

Curse this stallion. You have to remember he is also smart. You can't be Twilight's brother and not be a smart cookie. Because his argument definitely makes some sense.

Besides, you do want to see your husband and daughters soon and…

You can feel yourself slowly giving up, and your expression turning into a defeated one, as you begin to concede to his point.

"Also… well, I didn't want to tell you this, but uh…" you watch as he makes a complicated expression, as if he is slightly embarrassed of what he is about to say. "Well, Cadance said she will pull out the hair of my tail if I don't make you go home."

You let out a short laughter, watching the unicorn blush slightly at your reaction. Because you can definitely see Cadance saying something like that. Granted, it feels at the same time good and bad to know she is worried about you, given how overburdened the mare is herself. But still.

"Fine, fine, point taken…" you say, letting out another chortle as Shining lets out a legitimate sigh of relief, "I think I can still get the evening train to Ponyville if I get going soon."

"That would be great, Lady Velvet," he says, giving you a short but elegant bow, with that charming smile of his.

You suppress a sigh, trying not to look too much at how his blue mane ever so slightly waves around his horn as he does that.

Heaven knows the one mare who can outdo everypony else already called dibs on that… Leash or not.

"And you go be with Cadance…" you say, watching the stallion give you yet another complicated blush. The joys of a blossoming relationship, you suppose. "Well, have a nice weekend Shining Armor, I will see you in a few days."

You light up your horn, floating all the files into a trio of neat piles, and then you make your way towards the door.



- - -



Is this how Stormchaser feels, you wonder, every time he returns home?

The view he has is certainly different, you suppose. Given how he comes down from the clouds after so many hours flying. But still, you think you understand the… emotions, involved.

Because you can't help but smile as you finally reach the gates of your estate, and as you see your home right beyond it.

It is early in the morning. Trains to a small town like Ponyville aren't exactly in high supply, and you personally balked at the idea of asking for something as expensive as a flying chariot to bring you here. Fancy government title or no. So, the train you took left late in the evening, and you arrived in Ponyville just a few minutes before sunrise.

And yet, you can't help but smile. You can't help but think of how curiously beautiful the sunrise is, as it hits the trees in your garden at an angle you don't think you have ever seen before.

It is strange, you think, how little you used to leave your home not so long ago. How your husband would worry that you weren't taken by carriage to a place as close as Ponville's town hall, thanks to your leg. It is strange to think about all that, and realize that you just made an overnight trip, after a week working away from home, and just walked all the way from the train station here.

You think about all that, and a lot more, as you idly stroll towards the front door of your estate. Not even thinking twice before tapping the door open and strolling into the entrance hall.

And then, of course, you finally take it all in. Taking in a deep breath as you are all but embraced by the things you can feel. You close the door behind you in an afterthought, humming a tune as you make your way to the stairs. Feeling a tension you didn't know you were carrying die down as you count one husband, three daughters, and one Scootaloo all in their respective rooms, fast asleep. You absent-mindedly register the presence of a snake, as well as three maids, also in their respective quarters, but you don't really give them more than the equivalent of a glance with your nose.

It is almost curious how you don't want to wake anypony up. You thought the best reception possible would be for everypony to be waiting for you, merry and happy, at the entrance hall. But for some reason, arriving home and knowing they are all warm, happy and sleeping away is even better. Better in a way you had never considered before.

So, you make sure to be especially quiet as you go to your room. Your hoofsteps as good as forgotten whispers as you make your way past your daughters' rooms and towards the master bedroom.

And you think you are going to do just that. Your plan is to just sneak into your room, Moth your way into your husband's warm embrace, and doze off until the two of you wake up in maybe an hour, ready to start another day together.

That is, in all honesty, the only thing you really have inside your happy, content mind.

…

Until you finally enter your room, and close the door behind you.

"Huh."

And you see him there.

Sleeping…

Just… sleeping.

"Huh…" you say to yourself, as you look at the charming figure of your dear husband, lying all by himself in that all-too-large bed, without a care in the world.

"So this is how he feels when he gets home," you hear yourself saying.

And you don't really think about anything else before you reach the bed.

Nothing rational, at least.



- - -



A weekend, you are beginning to learn, can be paradoxically both long and short.

Because on one hoof, you are pretty sure you will be able to keep your affairs in order as long as you plan ahead. For example, you were able to schedule a meeting with Mayor Mare for tomorrow, which is wonderful given how you want to discuss the last letter she sent you in person.

But on the other hoof, well, it's still not a lot of time! To think you will only have two breakfasts, lunches and dinners with your family every week… that's just too little! You really think you should invent more meals in a day, or perhaps more minutes in a hour.

In fact, isn't there a ritual that can perhaps help you with that?

Well, putting aside the very casual notion of breaking time, as well as cause-and-effect, so you can stay with your family more, you actually have something important that you need to focus on right now.

"So, you are telling me that… everypony is good at some of them? Like a cutie mark thing or something?"

Stormchaser asks you a question that is at the same time valid, and… well, completely beyond you.

Because you have lost count of how many times you asked that yourself.

"Well, yes, but not quite? Ponies only get one cutie mark, and they keep it throughout their life. But I'm pretty sure a pony's affinity can change? Baldomare mentioned something about that."

"Right, right. But you also said that you can't tell what the fillies are good at? So maybe this is something that only makes sense as you get older?"

"It could be, sure. Part of it is talent, or maybe understanding, or both. But part of it is also like chemistry or physics. Because Silky would still be able to fly a kite even if she wasn't born a pegasus, wouldn't she?"

Your husband slowly nods as the two of you continue your back and forth.

Right now, the two of you are… well, you are not entirely sure how to call this. The two of you are making a plan? The two of you are studying? You two are deciding your daughter's future? You feel like the answer is a mix of all those three, but again you are not sure.

Because you are currently having a conversation with Stormchaser about the Lores.

The two of you are currently in his study room, with the door closed shut, and you are making sure nopony is eavesdropping on you. And the conversation you are having with him is at the same time a frank exposition of what you know, as well as a careful discussion about the dangers involved as well as what you two are willing to expose your daughter to.

Because you two have agreed that you will not teach Silky anything that is dangerous, of course. But you two also agree, even if with some reticence, that you need to teach her something. After all… well… it would simply be irresponsible of you to not teach her.

The world is simply getting more dangerous, the two of you feel. And given the existence of the Cult, the Lores are a genie that has already left the bottle. So it could be tomorrow, or it could be ten years down the line, but you get the feeling she will be exposed to it sooner or later.

However, for all that you would like to teach her something that is at the same time practical, simple, and safe, everything that you have suggested or thought about so far seems to only involve two out of those three categories.

"Sweetheart, I understand how partial you feel to this Bug principle-"

"It's Moth."

"-right, Moth. I know how confident you are, but… I don't know. Teaching Silky how to hide that way? Besides, again, we don't even know what she will be able to pick up. You said it yourself. What if foals just don't have any affinity at all?"

You purse your lips at his words, both because you agree with him and because you wish they didn't make so much sense.

Still, you think as you look down at the scribbled paper you have been working on, there simply has to be something that-



…



Your thoughts grind to a screeching halt, and every last fur on your body stands on its end, as you suddenly feel something you very dearly wished you would never feel.

"Sweetheart? What is… is something wrong?"

Because this can't be right, can it? This can't possibly be happening… You simply have to be wrong.

In fact, you have to be wrong. You have to be wrong because you never used it. You have never used it, you have never felt it, and your knowledge about it is purely academic. So you can't possibly have this much familiarity with it. This feeling… this hunch you are having, it can only be a hunch. You can't possibly be right.

"Velvet? Velvet what is happening? Sweetheart, I need you to talk to me."

You double check. You triple check it. The proper configuration coming to mind immediately even though you haven't thought about it in so long. The pattern being drawn in your head almost as if it was falling into place naturally. Like a river running its course or the sun breaking in two.

"Velvet-?!"

You snap out of your thoughts to the sight of your husband's face right in front of yours, his hoofs on your shoulders as if he was about to shake you.

He looks scared, but you can't blame him. You are scared too. The two of you are supposed to be scared.

It doesn't even matter if it is for entirely different reasons. It doesn't even matter if you have no idea of how many minutes have passed since you stopped talking, or how deathly cold you feel to his touch.

The only thing that matters is that there is a cold wind coming your way.

And you know exactly what that means, even if you have never felt it before.

"Stormy I…" you begin to say, your voice lower than a whisper, a small part of your mind telling you that words will only make it arrive more quickly.

And of course, you immediately trust that part of your mind.

"Take me to the roof."

That is all you say, as you get up from your seat and make your way towards the closest window.

Thankfully, Stormchaser complies. And you are on his back, making your way to the roof of the estate, moments later.



…



You don't know what expression you have right now. You really don't.

You think it is something very strange. You think it is the ugly mixture of a scowl, as if you were looking at something ugly, together with a mournful look, as if you were passing by a cemetery.

It is hard to explain. It is hard for your to explain what you are feeling, or how you look like.

But then again, it is also hard to explain what you are looking at right now.

It is already night. The moon is slowly making its way towards the top of the sky, and the cold wind blows past you without pause. The two of you are standing next to each other, looking up at the starry sky, with the hard rooftiles under your hoofs.

Stormchaser is quiet, thankfully. But he still looks deathly worried.

But you are… you are too busy looking at it to care.

It doesn't have a form. Not one that you can describe, at least. It doesn't have mass, or substance, or even a color. In fact, you swear to the heavens that you are "looking" at it, but you somehow you would still be able to see it even if you were blind.

It looks like a promise, that is about to be fulfilled. It looks like the very end of a book, that you are about to reach as soon as you flip that last page. It smells like sunset, and it tastes like the shape that hoofs leave on fresh snow.

And for all that you are scowling, and mourning, and scared, you can also tell that it is so very beautiful.

Stormchaser can't see it. Not yet. It is still too far away, and it is yet too subtle. You know he will be able to see it once it gets closer, but you have no intention of letting that happen.

Because as beautiful as it is, you also feel like you are staring at the eyes of your own death. As if every nightmare you ever had, every ugly thought about some accident or illness forcing you to leave your family behind, had taken shape and was staring back at you. You feel like you have already died, and you somehow just didn't realize it yet.

And that is definitely not something you want anypony else in your house to feel.

With that in mind, you very carefully, very slowly, move your mouth towards your necklace. And you slowly grab hold of the small, crudely forged key you had been carrying with you this whole time.

You then very carefully aim it towards that one particular cloud that is so charged with anticipation and regret, and then you-

-CRACK-​

The Wrong Key shatters between your teeth, and you feel as if the world just came crashing down on you.

Everything happens at the same time. Your hindlegs buckle with the sound of breaking icicles, and you feel your hindquarters hitting the roof hard. A hundred sounds hit you at the same time, and that makes you realize how the entire world was silent until a few moments ago. You feel dizzy as you realize the wind is blowing, and the leaves are rustling, and your heart is beating, and that apparently your husband is still calling your name.

"Sweetheart? Can you hear me? Please say something, anything!"

You blink, twice, three times, realizing how dry and cold your eyes are. But then, you finally manage to focus on your husband. And you can't imagine how cold you must feel to him, given how warm his embrace is right now.

Still, he lets out a sigh of relief as he realizes you are finally back.

"Stormy dear, I…" you say, stopping to cough for a few seconds given how your throat is bone-dry for some reason. "I think somepony just tried to kill us."

"I-Is that right…?" he asks, letting out a tense, nervous chuckle. Not because he doesn't believe you. Quite on the contrary, in fact.

You realize that you have… well, you have a lot to explain him now. But that can wait. At least for a few minutes. For now, the only thing you really want is to stay like this, between his forelegs, and allow yourself to warm up a little bit.

However, you can't help but feel that you are a little bit more willing to teach Silky Stream about the Lores.



- - -



You knock at her door, calling out her name, for what must be the tenth time.

But still, you will not be dissuaded. In fact, you are actually being polite. This is your house after all, so it is well within your rights to just barge in and tell her what you want.

However, you also realize that would probably… not have the desired effect.

On top of that, you also can't forget that, unreasonable and immature as she might be, she is still a Name.

So, you keep knocking at her door.

Firmly.

Insistingly.

Annoyingly.

Until finally, you get an answer.

"I know you're there Axe, I need to talk to you!"

"Ae'm not 'ere. Ae'm asleep. Go look fer me 'n tha fokken Mansus or somethin'"

"You are talking to me right now for heaven's sake!" you say, holding yourself back from knocking her door open. "And this is serious! I need to talk to you, please!"

Your tone is very far from pleading. In fact, the way you are talking very vividly implies you would be pulling her ear right now if you could.

But finally, finally, you sense, and then hear, the mare make her way towards the door.

And you swear you hear her say something very uncouth under her breath before the door to her room finally opens.



"Wot?!"



You are not surprised at how she almost barks that one word at you. Naturally, it takes you a good amount of sheer willpower to not snap back at her. But you really have something important to talk about with her.

So, you take a deep breath before you…

"Good morning Axe," you say, forcing your irate heartrate back down to manageable levels. "And I am sorry to disturb you. But I really, really need to ask you something."

"An' it canny wait till fokken Glory-rise. Cos of cors et fokken canny. Et's not enoff tha' yer stooped fiel'trip took a chunk offa me, an et's not enoff tha' aem bleedin' 'ere every fokken day cos o' ye. Cos of cors wot evah ye need es more importan'."

You strangle back the… several things that are in your mind right now, and you bite down your tongue so you don't tell her what you really want to tell you.

Like the fact that "Glory-rise" was several hours ago, and she just overslept as always.

Or the fact that she is being dramatic, because you know for a fact her wounds are as good as closed.

Or the fact that yes what you need to ask her really is more important than any of that.

"Be that as it may, Axe. I truly need your help," you say, getting on with it before she decides to slam the door in your face. "I used the Wrong Key you gave me when we first met, and I really need a few more."

You can feel your body tense in anger as the mare reacts by simply rolling her eyes at you, as if you weren't anything but polite to her, and as if you aren't asking her for something that will literally keep you and your family safe from literal death.

Besides, the blasted snakemare is a damned Name, isn't she? Now that you think about it, you are sure she knows about everything you are telling her. In fact, you think she felt the Beautiful End coming for your home way before you did!

But still, you march on despite her blatant, silly, immature disrespect.

"So please, I still remember your terms. I need those three keys you said you could give me, and in exchange I won't ask you for anything else this month."

And after more time than she really needed, the snakemare finally lets out an annoyed sigh.

"Foine, I'll get ye yer kaes. Daft as ye might be, a deal's a deal ae guess…"

"Great! That will be great… So, when exactly can you get them done by? And do you need anything?" you begin to ask, the events from a few hours ago, on the roof with Stormchaser, still fresh in your memory. "Do you need any tools to do them in the Wake? Or, or maybe materials? I know a bit of chemistry, so I can get you some reagents if you need, even if it costs a bit."

You say all of that, trying to see how you might be able to aid the mare, if at all. After all, you have no idea what kind of sorcery she does to produce the Wrong Keys, or if they will be harder to procure given that she is technically not in the Mansus.

But still, the snakemare seems to make a point of ignoring you, instead reaching for somewhere inside her cloak.

And the words you were speaking die inside your mouth when you finally see what she pulled out from within her clothing.

A thick, large, ring-like keychain comes into your view, as heavy as it is old. The thing is so encumbered with keys that you actually thought she had brought out a flail for a few moments.

But that wasn't the reason why you are surprised, no.

The reason why you are… shocked, is because the keys… the hundreds of keys she just took out of her literal pocket… they are all Wrong Keys.

And you can only look in… surprise… and fear… and growing anger as the mare very miserly slides three of those keys out of the ring, and casually tosses them in your direction.

"Now dinnae fokken bother me, aye? Snake needs 'er beauty sleep."

And before you can say anything else, she slams the door on your face.

"What… Did she just… How freaking MANY does she…?"

It takes everything you have not to unsummon her, then and there, out of sheer spite.





You, or somepony in your family, was targeted by an enemy ritual of "The End is Beautiful". You have successfully warded it off by using a Wrong Key.

At your request, the Daughter-of-Axes has given you three Wrong Keys. They will expire at the END of turn 20.

More to follow. This was not the "teaching your family" action. At least not all of it.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning plan

[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores

You are Velvet Covers, and you are currently reviewing your previous statements.

Nay, more than that, you are currently scrutinizing your entire life. Your very ideals, even, that led you to what is happening today. You are rethinking just how foolish you are as a pony.

Because just yesterday you had the innocence, the gall, to think that… that a weekend can be sufficiently long.

How foolish you were… how utterly naive!

But you know better now. Today, without a shadow of doubt, your eyes have been opened to your mistakes. After all, right now you can confidently say that…



"I don't want to gooooo…"



Those words leave your mouth almost in a moan, as if you are in pain or exhausted, as you continue to refuse to get up from your seat at the table. And to be honest, the only reason you are not lightly banging your head against the dinner table is because you have a horn. That, and also because your daughters are watching you right now.

You can even hear Silky stifling a giggle as Ponpon continues with her heroic efforts.

"Ma'am, the meeting won't take more than two hours, and you are the one who set the date to begin with. Besides, need I remind you that we are talking about the mayor?"

"But I don't wanna…" you mumble, still keeping your head down as if not looking at Ponpon will magically make her go away. "Everypony else is going cloud-chasing. Everypony else is going to have fun. I want to stay and have fun with my family and…"

"Ma'am," Ponpon says with a sigh, "you don't have wings. Stormchaser is taking the girls out this afternoon to do something you literally can't do."

You let out a long, drawn-out groan. Because to Tartarus with Ponpon and her blasted logic. You don't need wings to follow your family on a fun outing. Your husband can carry you on his back just fine!

The only consolation that you have is that Silky finally gave up on holding back her laughter, and both Selene and Scootaloo joined in at giggling at the show you are putting on. Small mercies, you suppose.

"Sweetheart, I promise we won't have too much fun without you," Stormchaser chimes in, and you can tell he is talking through a smile.

"Yeah, and we can bring some fluffy clouds for you to hang in the garden when you're back!" Silky chimes in.

You let out another half-hearted groan. But still, you know you can't keep at this forever. In fact, you know Stormchaser is taking the fillies out today precisely because you scheduled that you wouldn't be home. But still, for all that you are being overly dramatic, it does weigh you down a little bit to realize just how little time you will be spending with them.

Regardless, duty calls you suppose.

"Fiiiine," you say, your voice at the same time theatrical and honest. And with heavy hoofsteps, you get up from the table to make your way out.

Although, of course, you take the long way out. You make a full circle around the table, planting a light kiss on everypony's head, before you finally head to the door.

And you will neither confirm nor deny that "everypony" also included Soft Sweeps, who has been eating together with you all, and Scootaloo. But you did make sure to tell your former-maid-slash-daughter to also have fun. She is a pegasus, after all, and she is going together with your husband and the fillies.

She answered you with a small blush. But you also saw the slightest hint of her nodding her head with a smile.

"Alright everypony, have fun. I'll see you all later," you say, leaving the dining hall as several hoofs are waved at you.

With that, you are finally off to Ponyville.



- - -



To be quite honest, you are a bit surprised that, of all the things you could be doing today, you are meeting Mayor Mare.

You don't have anything against the mare, of course. In fact, you find her quite agreeable. It also goes without saying that she is both competent and dedicated, and that her position as the leader of Ponyville feels at the same time earned and natural.

In fact, you were even able to see her leadership skills in person, not long ago. On the aftermath of the several disappearances that happened in Ponyville, a few days before the Catastrophe. You vividly remember just how panicked everypony was, and how hard she worked to make sure everything was under control, calming down an entire town that was on the verge of a crisis. And you can feel how Ponyville only grew closer thanks to it.

However, it is precisely because you know how competent she is that you are surprised at today's meeting with her. Because, to put it in very few words, it seems that Mayor Mare basically wants your opinion on certain things.

But why she wants your opinion, when she already seems to be so on top of things, sincerely eludes you.

Because granted, you are not so innocent to forget your station. You do realize you are the town's only noble, and so forth. But still, the fact remains that you practically didn't interact with Ponyville at all for almost as long as you have been living here.

Still, regardless of what you think, she sent you a letter asking this and that. And you did feel so intrigued that, instead of answering with a letter of your own, you asked her if you could talk face to face.



Which is why you are here right now.



"Ah, Lady Velvet Covers. Thank you so much for your time. Please, have a seat."

Ponyville's town hall looks pretty much the same as the last time you were here. The sole exception, of course, being the young assistant who was waiting for you at the entrance.

You had never seen that mare before, and you can't help but wonder how Starry Dancer is doing right now. But still, those thoughts only cross your mind for a moment.

"Thank you for having me, Mayor Mare," you say, taking up her offer and sitting down on one of the sofas inside her office. "I'm sure you are a very busy pony, so I really appreciate you making the time for me in such short notice."

Of course, you are also doubly thankful that she agreed to meet you during the weekend. You are not entirely sure how much of this is a social call, and how much of it is related to her work. But still, you appreciate how she was able to accommodate your less flexible schedule.

"I should be the one saying that, Lady Velvet. I'm sure you are a much busier pony than I am, nowadays."

You give her a curious glance at that. Particularly because something about her tone makes you feel that she really means it. Or to be more specific, her tone makes you think that she heard about something, and that she is talking based on that information.

And you are curious about what she might have heard. After all, it isn't really a secret that… well, a lot of things have happened. It isn't really a secret that you are involved with the Crown, and that you are working on Canterlot, but you haven't gone out of your way to spread those news either. Of course, you also know that ponies talk, but you can't help but wonder how much of it has reached out-of-the-way Ponyville.

And more importantly, you can't help but wonder how much embellished were the news that did arrive here.

But you bite down your curiosity. This isn't about you, and you are here to talk to Mayor Mare about her letter.

"Well, I suppose we are both glad today is working out then. So, you mentioned in your letter that you wanted to hear my thoughts about Ponyville, but I honestly don't think I understood what you wanted to know," you say, easing into the sofa as the mayor casually adjusts her glasses. "Or rather, I realized I missed your point when I was half a page into saying how much I love this place. Because as heartwarming as that might have been to read, I don't think it would have helped you in whatever you are trying to figure out."

Mayor Mare lets out a short laugher, shaking her head for a few moments. But still, her expression becomes slightly clouded a few moments later.

"I suppose the letter I sent you was a little vague, Lady Velvet. But I think that is the problem. This issue… well, I don't even know if it is an issue? Still, this thing I have been thinking about, it's a little hard to put into words."

The mare stops talking for a few moments, one hoof lightly going to her chin as she mulls over something in her mind. You patiently wait for her to continue, of course, even if it takes a while. Her assistant coming into the room in the interim and placing two cups of water in the low table that is between you two.

"You see, Lady Velvet, I speak with a lot of ponies," she begins to say. "Ponyville is quite large, but we are by no means the size of a town. So, I can still do my job by keeping in touch with everypony in a more… let's say in a more grounded way."

You nod to her, telling her to go on.

"And I don't say this as if I am bragging or anything. I really think this is one of the differences between a small town and a larger city. But still, I think I have a good feeling of how Ponyville is going simply because it is small enough that I can talk to most of our citizens. I can learn about problems as they arise, speak to the ponies involved instead of hearing about it later. Hay, I can even mediate a few problems on the spot without having to do anything in my capacity as mayor."

"And I think you do an excellent job at that," you remark briefly, but honestly. Motioning at her to continue right after.

"Well, thank you," she says with a small smile. "But here is the thing. Ever since the disappearances, and ever since that dreadful catastrophe that followed, everypony in town has slowly begun to talk about…"

She mumbles to herself for a few moments, almost as if citing a list under her breath. Until she finally just shrugs, as if giving up, and simply continues to speak.

"Well, they have been talking about everything, Lady Velvet. It's a hundred little things, coming from a hundred different ponies, and I won't really waste your time talking about any single one of them. You don't have to worry about it. But still, I feel like all those requests… all these opinions, and problems, and even suggestions… as the days go by, I can't help but notice that they are following a trend of sorts."

You raise an eyebrow, feeling yourself incline slightly closer to her as she speaks, ears perked up in attention at what she is telling you.

"And the thing that is in everypony's mind, Lady Velvet… or at least, what I think is in everypony's mind, is that they are all wondering what comes next. But not in a disastrous way. Not because they are afraid the disappearances might happen again," she stops talking for a few moments, thinking back on her words. "Well, everypony is afraid that something dreadful might happen, of course. But that's not what is really going on here. Everypony wants to know what happens next to Ponyville as a whole. Everypony is asking themselves what awaits us in the future as a community."

You are intrigued by what she is saying, and you can't help but interrupt her for a few moments just to ask what precisely she has been hearing. And the mare seems almost relieved to comply, as if having somepony else to discuss those issues is somehow alleviating the weight she has been carrying.

So, she tells you about the several small requests, and suggestions, and just idle chatter that have been reaching her from all sides these last two months. About how the woodcutters have been saying they were thinking about expanding their operations. About how several ponies were discussing rerouting the river to make more space to the town's south. Ponies talking about mining the nearby hills, or expanding the train tracks so Ponyville isn't an out-of-the-way place anymore, or even about trying to do something about the Everfree Forest.

And as she tells you about those several anecdotes, about all the little pieces she has been gathering throughout the weeks as she constantly takes Ponyville's temperature while doing her mayoring duties, you think you understand where she is going with it.

You think you can also see it, how everypony just seems to be thinking about the future. Or, to be more precise, about making the future happen with their own hoofs, rather than just allowing it to come to them.

Maybe because the disappearances, and then the Catastrophe, made everypony realize that "tomorrow" might not be as kind as they were expecting. Maybe this is the result of your peaceful farming town being shocked out of its idyllic state of being.

Or who knows, maybe this is something else entirely.

Still, you listen to Mayor Mare as she eventually reaches the point that, in her opinion, is the most telling.

"And then there are the newcomers, or the talk about newcomers. You see, every other day I hear about… a pony, or a family, or even a business asking about us. Every other day I talk to somepony, and they tell me how, recently, somepony asked them about how it is like to live here, or if there are houses for sale, or something like that."

Mayor Mare stops for a few moments, picking up her glass and drinking some water, and you can tell from her expression just how much this has been occupying her mind.

"And I… I think I understand the reason for this. Or the reasons, plural, because I think there is more than one. But word spreads between cities, even if it takes a bit longer. And ponies have been talking about how Ponyville was less affected during the Catastrophe, and about how much free land we have, and… well, there's even idle gossip that ponies just feel safer here. More than they do in the larger towns, at least."

You slowly nod at Mayor Mare's words, keeping your expression polite and neutral.

"So the bottom line is that Ponyville is growing. Or it is about to start growing. That's the feeling I get when I talk to ponies nowadays. And as slow as things might move when they have to board a train, I think that idea has slowly been reaching ponies in other places as well."

Mayor Mare takes a deep breath, and you feel like she has finally finished speaking. You purse your lips as you think back on everything she just told you. Because now that she mentions it, this situation does make sense.

After all, tragic as it might have been, Ponyville was "only" struck by disappearances. Nothing nearly as horrible or traumatic as a changeling attack took place, contrary to what happened to the larger cities during the Catastrophe.

Additionally, biased as you might be, you legitimately think Ponyville is a good place to live in. It might be a bit old fashioned from a social perspective, being an earth pony farming community that grew over time, but you think that is a positive rather than a negative. And from an economic perspective? The Everfree Forest might be large and dangerous, but Ponyville is still a huge and untapped stretch of land that is a stone throw's away from the capital itself.

And finally, there are also… other reasons. Reasons that perhaps only you know about, but that you know are valid nonetheless.

Because Mayor Mare may only have brushed over it, or maybe even dismissed it as gossip. But you do know that… well, that ponies feel less safe when living in other cities.

You forcefully blink your eyes, pushing away the thoughts that are welling up inside your head.

"Everything you just said is… very interesting, for starters," you begin to say, slowly putting your thoughts in order. "And it all makes sense, of course. And I don't just mean economically. I can definitely see why families would want to move here after… well, after what happened in so many other towns. I heard my whole life that larger towns were supposed to be safer, but now that everypony has been shocked out of that notion, well…"

This time Mayor Mare is the one nodding back at you, and you can see in her expression that you are just confirming the things she was already thinking about.

"But still, and I apologize if it should be clear by now, but what exactly would you like my opinion on?"

"Well, if you don't mind sharing your thoughts, Lady Velvet, I really want to know what you think about all of this. After all-"

Mayor Mare starts talking, but then suddenly stops. And you watch as she narrows her eyes for a few moments, looking at you as if she had just realized something.

"Hold on a minute… Lady Velvet I-… No, let me word this properly. It has been a bit over two months since the disappearances happened. But Lady Velvet, if you don't mind me asking, have you been around town much since then?"

You tilt your head slightly at her question, but still you think back on the last two months.

And now that you think about it, you can't really say you have been that engaged with Ponyville.

Of course, you have been in town every now and then, but given how far your estate is you usually only come to town when you have a particular purpose in mind. And these last two months? You can only think about… well, you visited Fluttershy, but she doesn't really live in town. And maybe you visited Rarity or Jade?

To be honest, you remember being whisked away to Canterlot more vividly than you remember being in Ponyville proper. That, and you feel like most of your time was consumed planning and going to Manehattan to rescue poor Twilight.

"Now that you mention it, Mayor… I am not sure I have?"

"Ah, that explains it. Lady Velvet, I don't know how to tell you this, but… Well, everypony in town has been… looking up to you?" she says, almost hesitantly. As if unsure of how you might take her words.

"Looking up to me? I beg your pardon?" you answer almost immediately, honestly surprised.

And Mayor Mare's expression tells you that you have both confirmed a suspicion she had, and that she is not entirely sure on how to move forward.

"I… Well… Lady Velvet, I really don't know how to explain this to you, but… Do you remember the morning after the disappearances? When we practically ran around town rallying everypony, and making sure everything was under control, and basically stopping the panic from settling in?"

"Of course I do. I don't think I'll ever forget that dreadful day. I also remember how you ran yourself ragged, and I think things would have been much worse if you weren't there."

You say that, and you really mean it. You vividly remember the sorry state that so many ponies were in, the fear that everypony had as they began to understand what had just happened. The dawning realization of families that realized they had just been broken.

It took every last trick you knew to keep things from spiraling out of control, but even then, you realize you were able to help Mayor Mare a tiny little bit.

So you can't help but feel slightly confused, as you look at her expression and realize she looks… slightly conflicted?

If you didn't know any better, you would actually think that she wants to say something like I'm the one who is supposed to be saying that.

But of course, you realize that is just ridiculous.

"Lady Velvet, you were right there with me," she says, waving a hoof at you as if stating the obvious. "You were there, Lady Velvet, and well… you made an impact on the townsponies."

"You can't be serious," you say, waving a hoof at her. "I was barely able to follow after you as we went from place to place. You were the one who knew everypony by name, you were the one who knew where to check next or what to say. I was just helping."

You stop yourself from laughing, realizing that Mayor Mare is probably just being polite with you. Because of course she is.

Although, much to your surprise, your reaction just seems to make her speak with an even more serious tone.

"No, that's the thing. You didn't just help. I really mean this. You actually made an impression on basically everypony. And please, Lady Velvet, it wasn't just that. You are the only noble in our town, and you know that makes a difference. There is even talk that you are doing something important in the Capital!" she says, her tone for some reason becoming slightly exasperated. "But most of all, are you telling me you don't know the effects of what happened two weeks ago?"

You open your mouth to answer her, to dismiss her silly claims. Because yes, you may have helped here or there, but you really don't think it rises to the level that she is telling you.

However, the words get stuck in your mouth when you realize you don't really know the answer to her last question.

"Wait, two weeks ago…?" you say, narrowing your eyes slightly. Trying to think about what the hay she is referring to.

But ultimately… nothing really comes to mind?

"Two weeks ago, two weeks ago… Apologies, Mayor Mare, but what exactly happened two weeks ag-?"

"Lady Velvet Covers, are you really telling me you don't think much about the fact you hosted a Princess in Ponyville?"

Mayor Mare interrupts you. She truly and suddenly interrupts you, and her polite expression finally crumbles, being replaced by one of honest disbelief.

And you… don't really have an answer to what she just said.

Because it dawns on you that yes, you really forgot about the fact that… well, that you hosted… Cadance…

"Ah, right, that happened," the words escape your mouth before you can stop them.

To which the mayor simply freezes for a few moments, eyes wide open as she just stares at you.

Several long, awkward seconds pass until the mare moves once again. Slowly moving a hoof to pick up her glass of water, downing the entire thing in one gulp.

"The thing is, Lady Velvet," she says. Slowly. Calmly. As if she is measuring her every word. "The ponies of Ponyville want to know what your opinion is. Whenever I ask around, maybe one out of three ponies outright asks me what you think about it. And… well, to be honest I want to know as well."

You try your best to keep your expression from turning apologetic, because you can't believe you just made the mayor go into a state of shock, short as it may have been.

Still, you are relieved that she is finally talking to you again.

"And this isn't really a problem. Ponyville growing is something almost inevitable, because stopping other ponies from coming here just doesn't make sense. We are ponies, we won't turn down more neighbors. But one thing that I can do is, well, speed it up."

You give her a slow, thoughtful nod as you understand where she is going.

You try your best to focus on the matter at hoof, as she finally reaches the point she wanted to make all along.

Because Ponyville is growing, but it can grow even more quickly. And if there is anypony who can speed up that process it's Mayor Mare. She can turn the plans of miners and loggers into reality, she can make it easier for new families to move in, and she can tap into the wealth and influence of your local businessponies to encourage the economy to grow. Or perhaps even to create new industry.

More names, more faces, more opportunities. And of course, more ponies in Ponyville means less ponies living in places affected by… other things.

But still, that is a choice. That is the choice she is facing. And the two of you realize that she can also choose to do nothing, and let growth run its course. It will make things slower, of course, and Ponyville will remain smaller and more tightly knit for maybe a little longer. But still, this growth seems to be inevitable, according to the mayor, and doing nothing will just mean that the direction things go will be left to chance.

And ultimately, that is what she wants your thoughts on.

Or, if she is to be believed, that is what everypony wants to hear your opinion about.

Because apparently, and much to your surprise, it seems your words carry weight in Ponyville.



You think about everything she told you for several long minutes. And when the two of you finally begin to talk again, you already know what direction you will be taking that conversation.



[] Earth ponies do not rush things. They do not make plants grow faster, but instead they care for it until it decides to flourish on its own. Ponyville is cared for, and it is flourishing at its own pace. There is no need to change anything or hasten it. (Ponyville will begin to grow, but it will do so slowly. Mayor Mare and the local community will not take any steps to accelerate it.)

[] Earth ponies built Equestria. They invented the farming communities that colonized the land. And then they invented concrete when they decided they needed the proper soil in which they could plant buildings. Ponyville will always be an earth pony town, but it is time for it to embrace its future form. (Ponyville will begin to grow quickly, and many more ponies will benefit from it.)



- - -



Ponpon was wrong. Your conversation with Mayor Mare took more than two hours.

The sun is already close to the horizon as you return to your estate. It is not yet night, not technically, but still it's getting closer and closer to the time that everypony realizes is the end of the day.

Which makes your hoofsteps both quick and heavy as you make your way across the garden. Because you are supposed to leave your home once again tomorrow, and your time here just seems to be passing way too quickly.

Thankfully, those thoughts melt away as soon as you reach the front door, and the scent of your family reaches your nose.

However, much to your surprise, you also sense something… not strange, and not worrying, but unusual?

You don't really know how to describe it. It isn't even something weird. But still, it definitely feels "out of place" enough for you to raise an eyebrow.

Because you can feel that the fillies are in Silky's room, huddled around something. Probably playing a game or reading a book. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

But as you looked for Stormchaser and Softy, you realized they are… in Stormchaser's study room?

Again, there is nothing wrong with it, but you don't think you have ever seen Soft Sweeps approach your husband before. Not because they have anything against each other (although Softy always had a bit of fear of nobles, you know), but because since her sole job is to foalsit she always had more contact with you than him. In short, she never had the opportunity to warm up to him, you think. So, sensing that the two of them are in his study/hobby room is just… unusual?

Feeling curious, you enter your home and make a beeline towards them, going up the stairs on the main hall and making your way down the long corridor by the guest rooms.

"Stormy? Are you in there?" you ask innocently, knocking at the door as soon as you reach your husband's study.

And you swear that you heard them, as you were getting closer. In fact, you almost think they were discussing something in hushed whispers. Almost as if they were… nervous about something?

But whatever they were talking about dies down as soon as they hear your voice. And your suspicions become certainties when you hear a panicked set of hoofs all but running towards the door.

"Mrs. Velvet! Thank Celestia you are here," Soft Sweeps say, as she almost throws the door open to greet you.

She doesn't even give you time to react. In fact, the young mare barely looks behind you, to see if there is anypony else in the corridor, before she takes one of your forelegs and yanks you into the room.

And as she closes the door behind you, and you are greeted to the sight of both Stormchaser and Soft Sweeps wide-eyed and scared, you really don't have time to do anything but feel surprised and worried.



"Sweetheart, we-… The thing is that-… I-I mean, we don't know what the hay we did wrong but-"

"I-he-… is this a bad thing? I-is something going wrong? Should I go get the fillies o-or?!"



The two of them immediately begin to talk over each other. Hay, they even begin to talk over themselves, and the only thing you can understand is that something happened. Something happened, and they are at the same time startled and frightened.

You feel your heartrate quicken, several mental checklists running through your head as you take stock of the situation. Because two ponies you care about are pale and frightened, yes, and that is bad and you need to do something about it. But the calmer part of your mind also can't help but notice that they are unhurt. They are unhurt, and all your fillies are accounted for, and that… well, you can't even feel anything dangerous anywhere in the house.

So you can't really do anything about this until you-

"Stormy, Softy, I need you both to calm down and take a deep breath," you say, keeping your heartrate in check. Raising your hoofs as you try to placate the two ponies. "And I need you to explain to me what happened, but I need you to do it slowly."

You watch as Stormchaser calms down first, listening to you and immediately taking a long, calming breath. Softy takes a little longer to calm down, and even then you can see how she is still pacing in place every now and then.

But still, eventually, they begin to talk more cohesively. At least a little bit.

"The thing is, sweetheart, that… you remember the stallion that visited us a few days back? Big, strong pegasus? The one that you swear talked to me for hours, but I can't remember anything?" Stormchaser begins to say.

"The one that smelled like knives and murder, but in a wrong way," Soft Sweeps volunteers, clearly blurting out the words because of how scared she still is.

You, uh… well, you set aside what Softy just said for later. But still, you think you know what Stormchaser is talking about.

"You mean Comet Feet?" you ask.

"Yes! That one. He, uh, came by a few minutes ago. Maybe just half an hour before you arrived?"

You feel a small wave of relief as the two ponies in front of you nod. Because now everything makes more sense, even if just a little bit. If nothing else, Comet Feet is a known quantity, and you hope being in Fluttershy's good graces means he won't be a problem.

However, for all that the stallion is intimidating, you still don't understand why they are this scared.

"He knocked on the front door, Mrs. Velvet. It felt dangerous so I went to see who was knocking," Softy begins to say. But the young mare is clearly shook, so the words get stuck in her mouth every now and then. "B-but he… he gave me something a-and… s-so I went and gave it to Mr. Stormchaser because I didn't know what to do a-and…!"

"And he just left it here, Velvet," your husband continues, seeing that poor Soft Sweeps can't even manage to talk anymore. The terror in both of their voices quickly rising once again. "He just gave it to her, and then he left!"

Saying that, your husband beckons you to the far end of the study room, pointing towards an object that was carefully set on top of one of the larger tables.

"H-he said you will know what this means and… sweetheart, what the hay does this mean? I-Is, is this a threat? Is he… is he going to hurt us? Did something happen?!"

Your eyes follow in the direction that he is pointing, your thoughts beginning to race once again as you try to piece together what in the heavens is going on.

And when you finally spot the item they are talking about, you finally understand what happened. You immediately understand that the item Comet Feet delivered to Soft Sweeps, together with the message that "she will know what this means," is…



… a noose. A battered noose, tied from an old and dusty rope.



You facehoof so quickly that you actually hurt yourself a little bit.





At your request, Fluttershy has successfully cleaned and cleared Jade Whistle's old house. It can now be repurposed for a new use with further actions, and it is no longer a suspicious location.

You have acquired a Winter Level 1 artifact "Twice-used Noose". This artifact does not have any special properties and does not need to be studied.

You have also acquired the knowledge that… Comet Feet is a terrible messenger, and that you should probably talk to Fluttershy about it.

More to follow. Six hours moratorium on Ponyville's vote. Another update will probably be posted while that vote is still open, but only because this already feels long enough for a single post.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning plan

[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[X] Earth ponies built Equestria. They invented the farming communities that colonized the land. And then they invented concrete when they decided they needed the proper soil in which they could plant buildings. Ponyville will always be an earth pony town, but it is time for it to embrace its future form. (Ponyville will begin to grow quickly, and many more ponies will benefit from it.)

You are Lady Velvet Covers, and once again you have arrived in Canterlot.

The central train station, you realize, is becoming slightly familiar now. To the point that you no longer need to stop and look around, after leaving the train, to reorient yourself. And for all that you still glance at the signs pointing towards the exit, directing you to the main street you want to take, you can tell that you are doing it more out of habit than actual necessity.

You also feel like the hustle and bustle of the station is becoming less loud to you. Everything around you is still noisy, of course, with the crowd of hoofsteps and the noise of machinery and the piercing whistles of the stationmasters filling the air at every given moment. However, you are definitely less affected by it than you were before.

Although it definitely helps that the station feels less packed than it did before the Catastrophe. Which you can't help but feel is somewhat curious. Because the trains are still full as ever, and the station doesn't fill less crowded because there are less ponies in here. No. Instead, you feel this is happening because everypony is just… giving each other slightly more space.

Not by much. Not enough that you can actually see through the mass of ponies or anything. But still enough for you to notice you are not rubbing sides with anypony as you move, and that your saddle bag is not getting tangled up with somepony else's luggage every few minutes.

Regardless, you make your way through the central station without much thought.

You walk down the arched passes that lead to the main street, making your way through the central avenues with a light trot, but you don't immediately head to the Royal District. Well, you are technically going in the direction of the Royal District, but your first order of business for today isn't at the Royal Castle or the Lunar Bureau.

Because even though you don't want to, today is the day that… you will go speak with your father.

You need to speak with him for several reasons. First of all there is the matter of noble etiquette. You live in another town, so you are expected to pay your respects whenever you arrive at the city where the family head lives. It's just how things are in noble society. But secondly, and much more important, there is the matter of the duties you were assigned by your family.

More precisely, there is the matter that you stopped performing the duties you were assigned by him. Namely, the administration of the Velvet holdings on Ponyville.

You knew you would have to speak to him the moment you accepted your job at the Lunar Bureau, and you have been exchanging letters with the family mansion ever since Cadance left your home. And finally, you received notice that you are expected at the mansion today, so that is what you are doing right now.

Thankfully, this means you will be able to get this business sorted out before you even start your week. And hopefully, this matter will be entirely settled before you ever step hoof on the Royal Castle.

Although, knowing your father, you fear that things… might not be so simple.

You shake your head, realizing what direction your thoughts are going and quickly closing that door before you cross it.

Yes, you can't let your fears get the best of you. What is done is done, and whatever happens will happen. Besides, you are not going to the family mansion because you did something wrong. You were not summoned because you messed something up, and need to be somehow reprimanded. You are meeting your father because you are working for the Crown, and because accepting a very important job means that the task of filling some ledgers in a farmhouse must now be done by somepony else.

You are Commissioner Velvet Covers, and the only pony in Canterlot you answer to is Princess Celestia herself!

Or at least, that is what you keep telling yourself as you walk down the streets of Canterlot…

Still, there is nothing you can do but keep walking. You are expected in the mansion in maybe two hours, and you definitely don't want to get there early and be forced to wait, so you decide to take a more scenic route.

You take the longest way you can find, casually trotting your way through great Canterlot and taking in the sights as you pass them. You pass by the traditional mountain-sculpted homes, carved from the face of the mountain itself as Canterlot grew, as well as the brick-and-wood buildings that were added much later. You stop and look at the businesses and shops, and you take a detour every now and then to take a look at a small park or fountain as you find them.

And as the minutes go by, the straight line that would have taken you to your childhood home slowly becomes a zigzag of stops and starts. All so you can arrive at the mansion gates as close as possible to the time you are supposed to get there.



Of course, you also do that because somepony has been following you ever since you left the train station.



It is a strange sensation, to be followed like this. It is a smell that you can't really relate to anything else. It is not sharp, or acid, or metallic, or even sweet or pleasant. It is not like the smell of everypony else around you in the streets, neither does it have the particular feeling of "this is how you reach them" that you sense whenever it's somepony of your family.

It actually feels like a latch, or a weight, or a rope that is tied to one of your legs. Something that drags behind you as you move. Not the idea that this is the way to the one you seek, but instead this is the trail being followed by one who seeks you.

Although you use the word "seek", when your nose undeniably prefers the term "hunt".

Still, this is a strange sensation. And it is one you have been feeling for a while now. You weren't exactly sure of what this meant, at first, but as the minutes dragged on, and as you kept being followed despite your detours and tourist-like double-backs, you finally understood what is happening.

So, naturally, you didn't do anything about it. You allowed yourself to be followed, because that was the best thing you could possibly do.

Because if you tried to shake them off, the only thing that would happen is the other side would learn you can shake pursuers off. You wouldn't gain anything, and you would just give away information for free.

But if you let them follow you? Well, in that case you can learn oh so much. You can check for how long they follow you, or in what part of Canterlot they decide to stop tracking you. You can test how good they are at it, fading into a crowd for a few moments just to see how patient and skilled they are. You can see if they get closer to you whenever you reach an emptier place, maybe to try to hurt you, or if they keep their distance even when you appear to be vulnerable.

But most importantly, you can also do this.

You make a sudden turn as you walk through a busy street, walking into a bookstore as if something just caught your fancy. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing that Lady Velvet Covers wouldn't do whenever she has time to spare.

Except that the small bell on the door doesn't ring as you open it, and none of the store assistants even look at you as you enter.

You make your way deeper into the store without breaking stride, tracking your follower as he finally realizes you are gone. The prey-drag attached to you wavers for a moment, begins to fade, until your follower notices the bookstore, making his way to the other side of the street where he can keep eyes on the exit without calling attention.

You nod to yourself at that. You would feel awfully silly if your tracker decided to give up right when you are about to do this. Still, you head to the second floor of the bookstore.

You ask the manager where the employee-only area is, she answers you because there is nothing strange in doing that.

You click your way through the locked door, and a mare on her break waves at you without even looking in your direction. You wave back, because not doing so would be rude.

A sudden gust of wind surges into the room, and the mare curses as she gets up to close the window. For some reason, she apologizes as if that was her fault. You accept her apology, thanking her for closing the window, which you opened, only after you were out.

And of course, there isn't a mare climbing out through the second floor window. Nopony would ever believe it if they saw it, so nopony bothers to see it.

You flit-flit-fly from one lamppost to the other, crossing the street at the eye level of a flying pegasus.



And a soft breeze cushions your fall as you land right next to your follower.



You take a good look at him (and you are now sure it's a him) looking for anything that might help you.

Is it one of the Bureau candidates, following you to make sure of something?

Do you sense a whiff of the Mansus in them, maybe marking them as a member of the Cult?

Is it a changeling?

You silently get closer and closer to him, seeing the horn on his forehead, and then the color of his fur, and then the suit he is wearing under his coat. Until you finally get a good look on his face and realize that…

"Oh, is that you Vellum? How have you been?"

"SWEET MOTHER OF THE SUN!"

The stallion pivots on the spot, legs opening to a wider posture and horn aimed at you as if he is ready for a fight. His face pale and eyes wide open as he yells at you.

Dear heavens, can't he see he startled the other passersby?

"W-wait… Lady Covers?" he asks, although you can see he is talking to himself more than you. "But you were just… h-how in Equestria did you…?!"

You give him a few seconds to calm down, taking a hoof to your mouth and letting out a disarming giggle. Although you do that more for the benefit of the nearby ponies than anything else. Seeing a mare laugh at something usually makes ponies think that nothing wrong just happened.

"I-I mean, I apologize, Lady Covers. It is, ah, a very pleasant coincidence to see you here."

"I agree, it is always nice to bump into you. How have you been?" you say, nodding at the young unicorn. And you can see how the unicorn relaxes slightly as you tell him you "believe" that this is a "coincidence".

Which is exactly what you hope he is thinking. No need for him to know that you know, and no need to make him nervous. He works for your uncle, after all, so you know you can trust him.

Although you still can't help but feel curious as to why…

"I'm beneath your kindness, my Lady, but thank you so much for asking. I've been fine, really. Running errands for Lord Steppes and staying out of trouble," he says, with a surprisingly honest tone.

You consider pressing him a little more for answers, but you decide not to. If the colt doesn't feel like telling you, then it would be rude to try and find out. Besides, you know Uncle Steppes enough to realize how protective he is, so you can't help but think that Vellum was following you around just to make sure you are safe.

You are still a mare, after all, and Canterlot is still a big city. The idea that your uncle is watching out for you even now puts a smile on your face, and that is enough for you.

Especially considering that he knows you will be going to the mansion today. You did write him a few letters, short as they may have been, as you were trying to schedule a meeting with your father.

"That is good to hear, Vellum. Is there any chance that your errands are taking you to the Velvet mansion? I just happen to be going there, and I could use the company."

You watch as the stallion hesitates only slightly before answering you, and you can practically see how there are several factors flashing before his eyes as he tries to figure out how to answer.

He is definitely not nearly as smooth as he needs to be. But you can't help but find that endearing.

"I'm afraid… not, Lady Covers. I have do some things to do for Lord Steppes in another part of town," he says, he lies, but you answer him with a smile nonetheless.

And you are about to say your goodbyes before the stallion continues to speak.

"But it really is fortunate we met, Lady Covers. In fact, I was hoping we would meet today, as it so happens," he says, and you watch him hesitate only for a fraction of a second before he continues to speak. "Lord Steppes mentioned something, not long ago, and I don't think he had the opportunity to talk to you about it yet. And since he is not in town today, I figure I should let you know."

Oh? So he was meant to follow you and deliver a message? You wonder how he originally intended to do it. Was he going to follow you until you were close to the mansion and pretend he was passing by right as you were approaching the front gate?

"So Uncle Steppes isn't here? How unfortunate. I was hoping he would be at the mansion," you say, both out of honesty as well as to encourage him to continue talking.

"I'm afraid he isn't, my Lady. But I think he would like you to know that…" he slows down, fractionally, as he very carefully chooses his words before saying them. "He has been in contact with Lord Hill. And he has been working hard to… ensure the family affairs are running smoothly. So he hopes that, whatever happens, you trust him that it is for the best."

You raise an eyebrow at his words, keeping his gaze even after the stallion goes quite. Of course, young Vellum isn't about to walk away before you let him go, but he realizes there is nothing else for him to say either. So, the seconds slowly stretch on as you keep your eyes on him. The unicorn becoming progressively less and less comfortable as he wonders if he did something wrong.

But you, on the other hoof, take those few moments to think. You wrote your uncle saying that you hoped he would be here today, of course, but it seems he is unavailable. And yet, he made sure to send you a message through Vellum.

And that message is that he... has been around? That he already did something? That you should trust whatever is about to happen?

You trust Uncle Steppes. Of course you do. But you can't help but feel both curious, and nervous, at what all of this might mean and…

"I see," you say, nodding to the unicorn and finally breaking eye contact. You think you hear him sigh in relief, but you are already giving him an elegant wave and turning away. "Thank you so much for this message, Vellum, and I am sorry we won't be heading the same way. I hope you stay well, and until we meet again."

You listen to the unicorn give you a short bow, but you are already walking away before he gets back up.

And less than a minute later, you once again feel the scent that you are being followed. The sensation following you until you reach the Velvet mansion gates.

You silently thank your uncle for that. Because for all that he can't be here today, you figure this is his way of showing you that he cares.

And of course, just as you are about to cross the mansion gates, and moments before the follow-scent finally breaks, you turn around and give a short wave to the direction you know Vellum is watching from.

No need to be rude to the young unicorn. He is a good colt, after all.



- - -



You do not feel cold.

Your father's office is large. Large and opulent, with gleaming cabinets of polished, expensive wood and great chairs of soft and rich cushions. It is a center of work as much as it is of intrigue, lined with large tomes and tallies containing journals, records, and who knows what else. It is the quiet, beating heart of one of the several trade factions that dot Equestria, pumping blood that was made blue by the sheer amount of bits it hoarded and exchanged.

And at its center is sitting its lord. A pony who does not look small, despite the riches and opulence that surrounds him. In fact, he is a pony whose very presence makes everything around him look fleeting and irrelevant instead. After all, everything you see belongs to him. Everything around you was, if not built by him, then enhanced and expanded under his rule.

You sit before Velvet Hill. The pony that you loved, and then feared, and then hated throughout your life.

You stare at your father, as you sit down in front of his large desk, and he stares at you back.

But much to your surprise, you are not shivering. You are not scared, or tense, or even nervous. You do not feel anything.

You do not feel cold.

It takes a particular kind of finesse to be this focused. Too much of it and you would be numb, cloud-eyed, or perhaps even inattentive. Too little of it and you might show something, perhaps a thought or an emotion, that you don't want to show.

Because you don't want to show weakness. You don't want him to look down on you. Hay, you don't even want this to last any longer than it absolutely has to.

But you also… you also don't want to show defiance either. You don't want to show him how much you hate him. You don't even want to show him that you care.

Because you know that showing him anything at all, good or bad, is giving him some sort of advantage. So, the best thing you can do… is to be indifferent.

"Covers," he says, his expression schooled and neutral. Even if he has a slight frown.

"Hill," you answer.

And after that, a few seconds pass by without a word being exchanged.

You can feel the tension rising, somewhere deep inside of you. You can feel it the same way you can tell when a glass is being slowly filled with water. But still, this glass is far from full, and you know you can still manage it.

However, you cannot stop yourself from wondering what he is thinking.

Because your father, cautious as he might be, is not afraid of showing a sharp tongue. In the past, he wouldn't hesitate to criticize you for any mistakes you have made, real or perceived. And you know that, by now, he would usually already have made some kind of comment about some aspect of your life. Maybe he would point out some mistake you made when managing the farmlands, maybe he would very sharply ask whether you were planning on having another foal already, this time making it a unicorn.

Regardless of what it was, he would say something, and you would have no choice but to give him a meek answer or just stay quiet.

However, he has not said anything yet. And as the seconds stretch by, you get the impression he won't say anything at all.

And for some reason, you can't help but think that is… somehow worse.

After all, you whole life you have been beneath your father. You have always been the disappointing daughter, and he has always been the disappointed patriarch.

But if he is not going to treat you like a daughter, then does that mean he will treat you like…?

"I have heard the Crown has appointed you Commissioner, and that you were given wide discretion to pursue the Princesses' will."

He says that as if he is stating the obvious, but you can sense the implied question. You understand that the fact he is talking about this means he has decided not to talk about something else.

That he has decided to go straight into business.

Your tension rises. The glass fills a little more. You wonder what his behavior means.

"That is correct."

You want to think your father is treating you like an equal. That maybe this even implies he respects you, or at least the position you have. But you can't help but think that is not the case.

Or rather, you already know that is not how he thinks. He cannot possibly treat you like an equal, because he doesn't believe in equals.

You remember, or at least you think you remember, that he once told you that… a pony only ever has superiors and inferiors. That in life, things are always like that. The same way a pony can only be either a unicorn or something else. And among those superiors, they are either your enemies… or they are so larger than you that you can only work to stay beneath their notice.

So if your father is not treating you like an inferior… then which other option is it?

"Princess Celestia's decree cannot be questioned, of course," he says, still holding your gaze. And you feel like his eyes are boring into your soul even though he hasn't even blinked. "But the fact remains that our Ponyville assets are not serving their purpose. As it is, they are currently being wasted."

And finally, you see the barb in his otherwise mundane words.

Because even though his tone is completely neutral, and even though he is speaking to you as if he is talking about the weather, you know he is saying this for a reason. And you think you understand what the reason is.

After all, in his eyes, the Ponyville estate is not your home. It is not the place where you moved with your husband and raised a family, no. To him, the Ponyville estate is just a base of operations. An address to which he sends instructions and receives bits.

And if his Ponyville assets aren't doing precisely that, then are being wasted. Which in turn means there is no reason for you to be allowed to stay there, if you won't be doing anything about it.

You remember how he treated Wings. He never really disowned your older brother, and he didn't kick him out to the streets. But he didn't give anything to your brother either. He was allowed to live in the mansion, to keep appearances, but that was it.

And it is no secret that you are… attached, to your Ponyville home.

"That is also correct," you say.

But what is he going to do about it? What can he do about it? Well, he can kick you out of Ponyville, for starters. Or he can threaten to do that, even if he doesn't actually plan to follow through.

However, no matter how hard you think, you can't think of a reason as to why he would do that.

Because here is the thing. Here is an ugly truth that you eventually realized after years of living away from this mansion. Here is something you understood only after spending oh so long dealing with your feelings:

You might hate your father, but he does not hate you back. He simply does not care.

So, for all that you dislike him… for all that you hate him, even that is only a one way street. He doesn't care for you any more than he cares for a failed investment. He raised you, you failed him, and then he sold you away to a family of cloud merchants. That you eventually turned around and finally found a measure of happiness was neither intentional nor relevant to him.

Which in turn means that… he won't threaten you. He won't kick you out. Or, at least, he won't do it out of spite.

He won't do it unless there is something in it for him.

And the only, the only thing you can think of is… well, the obvious answer. He wants to leverage your position in the Lunar Bureau for… whatever he has in mind for the future.

But, from a purely logical, cold, and objective perspective, you also realize the one token he has is very small indeed.

Because he might not be emotional, but you both know that you are. And if he follows through? If he asks you to do something, some kind of favor, and you refuse, and he decides to kick you out of Ponyville?

Well, the only thing he will be left with is no leverage, and a very emotional Commissioner who suddenly has a reason to hate him.

And he can't be planning to do that. He is not a fool, you know.

So why… why did he bring this up? Why dangle this token in front of your eyes, if it doesn't make sense for him to use it?

What in the heavens is he planning to do?

"I cannot let my outskirts assets go to waste like this. Especially given the current situation of Equestria, and the Princess' decision regarding nobles. I can't let anypony else lay claim to what belongs to the Velvets."

And you already know what he is going to say before the words even leave his mouth.

"So, a new administrator will be assigned to the farmlands. He will take over authority on the family matters in Ponyville."

The true meaning behind his words immediately clicks, the moment you hear them.

This is his plan. This is what he has in mind. And he even seems to be doing you the courtesy of telling you.

Because you know he has eyes in your home. You know some of the servants report to him, even if you don't know how regularly. But you also know that he doesn't have enough eyes to follow your every move.

Or at least, he didn't have enough eyes, until now.

It all makes sense now. He won't kick you out of his home. In fact, he doesn't want you anywhere out of his reach, he wants the opposite. He will fill the estate with servants that answer only to him.

More than that, you can already tell he is going to capitalize on your name. Because if an administrator begins to use the Velvet name like a bludgeon, in Ponyville, then what will everypony think? How much of that administrator's decisions will look like they came from your own mouth? How much leeway will he have, to imply that whatever he is doing is approved by Velvet Covers… by Commissioner Velvet Covers?

Your ice-frozen neck stops your head from making a small, understanding nod, and your snow-covered eyes stop you from squinting at him. Your expression remains utterly neutral and polite as he says that.

But still, you understand…

"I will make sure the administrative transition runs smoothly," you say.

And after that short exchange of shots, you think you are finally going to be dismissed.

However, much to your surprise, he raises a hoof to signal he is not done talking.

"There is no need for that," he says, and you will yourself not to tilt your head. "Velvet Pride will be taking over the farmlands. And he is more than enough prepared to do it without your input."

He says that, and for all that you remain utterly still you actually feel shocked.

Because he is sending Velvet Pride… he is sending your younger brother to Ponyville? The same younger brother he all but forbade you from even contacting? That he has probably raised and groomed more closely and strictly than he did you?

But… but why? Is he that shortstaffed of ponies he can trust? No, that can't be it. Does he think your younger brother can keep tags on your better than a more experienced pony? He is too young, so that doesn't make sense. Did Velvet Pride perhaps disappoint him as well, and this is just another son that he is getting rid of? That… probably makes more sense.

Those thoughts flash through your mind one after the other, until finally your father finishes what he was saying.

"The farmlands made something out of you. So this seems to be a reasonable test for him. That will be all, you are dismissed."

You get up from your chair without hesitation, giving him a short curtsy before making to leave the room.

And as you mull over his last words in your head, you think you finally get it. Because that last remark of his, that last tidbit of opinion he shared with you, you can't help but think those words were strangely… uncharacteristic of him.

To the point that he reminded you of somepony else, even if just for a moment.

And almost as if to confirm your suspicion, you feel the trace smell of a sweet cigar as soon as you step hoof outside of his office. Almost as if somepony who smokes spent a long time here, these last few days, doing this and that.

Your father does not smoke, you know.

But your uncle does.

You have no idea what your father's decision might entail. But you decide that… you are going to trust in your uncle's words.

You are going to trust that this is for the best. Or, if nothing else, that this is the best option out of several worse alternatives.





- - -
- - -
- - -





Your work at the Lunar Bureau consumes most of your waking hours as the days go by. Your lack of experience and knowledge about so many things mean that the only way for you to keep up is by waking up early and going to bed late. And you are sincerely giving your all to learn about the workings of the guard, and the laws of Equestria, and the techniques behind an investigation, and all the other myriad things you will need in order to effectively run the Bureau.

Most of the times, as you finally reach your guestroom in the Royal Castle, you just want to sleep. Most of the times, you really don't have the energy to do anything else.

But you also have other things you must do. And sometimes, a certain restlessness simply gets the best of you, and you eschew a dreamless sleep in favor of something else.

Because not even all the responsibilities and duties in the world can make you forget the light of Glory.



…



The Woods surround you on all sides, dark trees of dry leaves circling around you like statues. The black dust from the soil shifting whenever you are not paying attention, as if a faint breeze is constantly rearranging it. But only when you are not looking.

You have never been here before. You have never been to this part of the Woods before. And for all that you know that is always the case, you somehow feel that today is different. You are confident that you have never been in the same place in the Woods twice, but for some reason you also feel that this particular spot is…

Is what? Less elusive? More intriguing? Special?

You shake your head, giving up on trying to understand what you are feeling and simply accepting it for what it is. Because it doesn't really matter. It might be the echo of an ancient yearning, that never really received a proper name. Or it might be your own confusion finally getting the best of you, and signaling that you are about to be lost for the rest of the night. But regardless of what it is, it really does not matter.

Not here. Not in the Woods.

You walk without direction between the trees, letting the roots trip you whenever they feel like, and crushing the flittering things under your hoofs whenever you step on them. Not caring whether it is a leaf or a wing or a forgotten patch of dry skin. You continue to walk in the absolute darkness, listening to the buzzing drone of insects and the constant shearing of scissors.

That is, until you realize that these things you can hear… the wind and the leaves and the sound your hoof makes when it hits the black soil… you realize that it has a beat to it, of sorts.

You realize that it is… constant. Constant, and timed, and undeniably rhythmic.

You shake your head, realizing that there is definitely something unusual going on. Realizing that everything around you is still the Woods, yes, but also something more. Realizing that, as you walk this and that way, this sensation grows and wanes as if it had a source.

So, naturally, you follow the source. You track these highs and lows of rhythm until you figure out where it is coming from.

And it becomes much, much easier when you realize you can use the beating of your own heart as a compass of sorts. Because you swear that it almost sings, in a way that is all too familiar, whenever you face the proper direction.



Soon enough, you see the faint traces of Glory shining down, and the hungry trunks of the trees make give way to the light as you step out into an enormous clearing.



You know of this place. You have never been here before, but you remember hearing about it. You think Starry Dancer mentioned it, months ago, during one of your conversations.

It is a structure, or at least it is made to look like a structure. Although it is not made of the blue-ish Mansus stone that you see in the paths and on the stairs. Instead, it is made of something older. Something that looks like uncarved wood, or perhaps like a tree that was somehow grown into a specific shape.

And you say it has a "shape" to it because it really does. You can see there is some sort of design to it. Made out of curves and spirals and other shapes that, even though your eyes can follow, don't really seem to end. Circular things, that don't really loop into each other but also never really untangle from each other either.

This temple, and you know it is a temple, is composed first and foremost of a central structure. It looks like it is placed at the top of a hill, but the hill itself is also made out of the same wooden material. It has no pillars, and no steps, but instead things that look like roots that grew out of its very walls. And these root constructs are what connect the ground to the ceiling, forming its walls, and they also expand above and beyond the temple itself.

Part of you feels like the entire thing is designed like a giant, crude heart, and every last one of those "roots" is a vein, that loops around the place and connects back to itself.

Yet another part of you feels like this place is a giant wheel. As if the "roots" would finally connect and form one enormous wheel if they were given the chance to grow just a little more. That if the temple was alive, and had just a little more time, it would somehow connect all the spirals and close all the circles, and things would finally make sense once again.

And a third, smaller part of you, for some reason feels that… both those explanations are correct.

And that they are both also wrong. Or, at least, that they are wrong now, even if they were right at some point in the past.

Regardless, you know this is a place of importance.

Stepping up through the root-made "hill" towards the central structure is harder than you anticipated. But not because the path is smooth to the touch. Instead, you constantly think that the ground you are stepping on is about to spin under your hoofs. You feel as if the entire thing will pivot around some unseen axis if you are not careful.

In fact, that happens more than once, even if the same place refuses to spin once again after you try to test it.

Still, despite those small difficulties, you eventually reach the summit and approach the larger structure.

You finally reach that giant heart, shaped like a wheel, built out of wooden veins.

You finally get to that giant wheel, shaped like a heart, made out of wooden roots.

And you can see… no, you can sense… that this place is still occupied.

You can hear the rhythm coming from inside of it, of something that yet lingers.

You can sense it in your legs, as they begin to tap on the floor whenever you are not paying attention.

But most of all you can see this place can still be entered because the main entrance, right before your eyes, is still thrumming with the echo of the beats that come from down below.

…

You must Wake quickly, lest you forget the path that brings here.

But still, you will make sure to return later.





Velvet Pride, your father's youngest son, will relocate to Ponyville in order to assume stewardship of the farmlands. You have never met him in your life, and you have no idea of how he is like. But given how carefully your father raised him you are not sure this is a good thing.

You have located located located the Temple of the Wheel, that great and old place that even the passage of eras cannot seem to touch. For that, you have gained one scrap of Heart.

The temple of the Wheel is old. It is old, and it is forgotten, and it clearly belongs to a bygone era. But it is not abandoned, for the powers that dwelled here are of the nature to always remain. Consequently, you may yet explore its interior.
-You have witnessed its main entrance, as it thrived and twirled with the solidity of a door and the fluidity of a dancer. It is a gate, as solid and immobile as stone, but it is still a Heart-gate, and it will open if you join in its dance. [You may freely enter the Temple of the Wheel if you achieve Heart Level 5]
-You have witnessed its main entrance, as it held and endured with the solidity of a wall and the perseverance of a singer. It is a gate, as solid and immobile as stone, but it is also an exposed, beating heart. You need only jaws wide enough to bite it. [You may freely enter the Temple of the Wheel if you decide to violate it. This is a Regrettable Action.]
-You have witnessed the lesser entrances, for the temple has as many portals as a heart has veins and arteries. And you know it is possible to reach its interior through one of them, but the journey will be perilous. [You have discovered the Mansus-Expedition of the Temple of the Wheel]

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning plan

[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores

You are Stormchaser, and right now you are in the large living room of your house, concentrating on something important.

And you are not alone.

"Give it to me straight, Ponpon. What exactly does this entail?"

The head maid answers you by furrowing her brow, pursing her lips as she re-reads the letter you gave her a few minutes ago.

And frankly, her expression is already enough of an answer to your question.

Less than an hour ago, you received a letter from your wife. And that by itself was already a little bit odd.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with Velvet writing home, she even said she might do it every now and then just to get the fillies into the habit of writing her back. But still, this is just her second week at work, and she left for Canterlot just yesterday. Her writing a letter so soon is strange, and the fact that it arrived so quickly is even stranger.

It arrived quickly because it came by pegasus courier. And for all that such a quicker (and more expensive) method of communication isn't unusual, it is also widely understood that ponies don't use it unless it is really necessary.

Although, as soon as you read the letter you immediately understood why she was in a hurry to write home. And you immediately called the head maid to figure out what you should do next.

"Well, sir, I know this sounds obvious, but what this letter means is that…" she narrows her eyes, almost as if she is talking to herself. Slowly folding up the letter and giving it back to you when she is done. "There will be some changes around here."

You nod at her, seeing that the head maid is still clearly trying to put her thoughts in order. So, you patiently wait.

And you can't blame her for needing a few moments to think. You also needed a few minutes to yourself after reading the letter. And crucially, you are acutely aware of how little you understand about this to begin with. So, for the head maid who has an entire life's worth of context and knowledge regarding this matter, your wife's letter is obviously a lot more impactful.

After all, the courier-delivered letter, hastily written by your wife, just informed the two of you that…

That the estate is about to receive an unexpected guest very soon. No, not a guest, a new resident. And to your honest disbelief, that new resident is nopony less than your wife's own brother.

The younger one, mind you. The one you know isn't a pegasus, and that your wife never talks about by sheer virtue of never having met the pony in her entire life.

"First of all, sir, let me preface by saying that I don't know why this is happening. Or rather, why it will be him of all ponies. Because Velvet Pride… No, I misspoke. Because Lord Velvet Pride is Lord Hill's own son," she begins to explain. And you give her your full attention. "If the Velvets were a larger family, with branches and lesser houses, I maybe would have expected a distant cousin to be given this task. But here? I was hoping for a paid administrator at most. So learning that Lord Hill is sending his own son is just… well, it's a bit of a shock."

You nod at Ponpon, still keeping your silence as the maid speaks her part. Although she can easily tell by your expression what you want to ask her next.

Why?

Why is this strange?

What would normally happen instead?

Why is this worrying?

"Because Lord Pride is the next in line. Or rather, he is the officially recognized next in line. Crown-granted nobility only applies to a single pony, so for all that the rest of their families are lords and ladies, such as Lady Velvet, they really are just orbiting the real title-holder of the family," she explains. And you think you vaguely remember what she is talking about, from a conversation you had with your wife so many years ago. "However, the next in line is a big deal, so to speak. Because if a title-holder is what gives the rest of their family their status, then the next in line naturally carries more importance because he will be the source of that authority. Even if it only after he formally inherits the title."

You listen to her, and you think you begin to understand why she is so disturbed. After all, even though Princess Celestia all but ended the future of the noble families, the things Ponpon is explaining to you have been in practice for the last several centuries.

So, even though this pony will not really inherit a noble title, the entirety of noble society and culture has treated him his entire life as if he would. The entire system in which you live, even, is still operating under these ironclad traditions that Ponpon is explaining to you.

After all, from what you gather, Princess Celestia's decision was intentionally made to avoid a shock, so to speak. Its delayed effect means it will still be several years before the first noble family truly loses its title. So, it is no exaggeration to say that most of the noble world is still acting as if nothing had happened.

Hay, you suspect that some nobles even hope the Princess will go back in her decision at some point. After all, nopony knows what the future holds.

Consequently, you think you understand why this Pride stallion is such a big deal, and why Ponpon is reacting the way she is.

"I think I get it… but him being the next in line, what difference does it make besides status?" you ask.

And you watch as Ponpon's expression sours slightly before she begins to answer.

"For starters, sir, he technically outranks the Lady." She says that, and the pang of concern you have inside of you immediately grows heavier. "Because even though she is his older sister, and even though she has lived here for so many years… well, those are things that a pony would only consider out of common courtesy."

She says that, and then she lets out a humorless chuckle as she remembers something.

"Or rather, those are things that would matter under commoner's courtesy, and noble courtesy is an entirely different world."

She speaks with a tone that makes it very clear she is repeating a bad joke. Perhaps something that she heard more times than she wanted to in other places.

You do know she already served in Canterlot, after all.

"But by outranking you mean… what, that he can order her around?" you ask, realizing just how out of your depth you are. "Can he, I don't know, decide to hire or fire somepony who works with us? Do you think he can cause some trouble when it comes to the fillies?"

Your tone slowly becomes heavier and heavier as your imagination begins to run wild. Because you know your father-in-law, Velvet's father, is a… you know he is a very unpleasant pony. Your wife hates him, and that is more than enough to put you squarely against him. But the main problem is that your father-in-law also has power over your wife.

After all, no matter how much she hated him, she still did what he told her to do. Any letter he sent was almost always obeyed, with the sole exception being when he said something about Silky. And a single word from him was enough for her to go all the way to Canterlot, be it because he wanted to reprimand her or for anything else.

So to hear that this Pride pony outranks your wife? Well, you always understood that nobility is like a lifelong job, so to speak. A job that you are born into, since noble titles are technically a vote-of-confidence from the Princess that your family can do something. So, when Ponpon says "outrank," the only analogy you can fall back to is a literal employment scenario, and that this Pride pony is quite literally a supervisor of sorts.

And you don't like to think that.

"Well, that's the problem sir. That's where it gets messy. Because since he outranks her, he can technically do anything that he can get away with. And if a problem arises, the only way to solve it is, well… going to the pony who has a final say on the matter."

"And that would be Velvet Hill himself," you say, understanding what she means.

"Precisely. The problem is that there isn't a black and white rule about any of this. Noble families run on tradition and understandings as much as they run of ego and feuds. And the only thing that is certain is that the title-holder has the last say. And when a pony becomes the next in line, he realizes both that he has the title-holder's favor, as well as that he will be the one calling the shots when the time comes."

Which ultimately means that Ponpon can't answer your question.

She can't answer your question because there is no answer. She can't tell you how this Velvet Pride might act, and what he can or can't do, because there are no clear or well-defined lines.

And what is more, given Ponpon's expression you can see she has experience with this kind of thing… her frown getting so heavy that she can't help but put it into words.

"So when the next in line is an idiot? Or an entitle brat? Or when he holds too much sway over the current family head? That's when things get ugly. And I've already heard about more than one spoiled mare who thought she was a Princess, or a young stallion who thought he could do whatever he pleased, just because he was daddy's favorite."

She lets out a sigh, and you begin to wonder what you should do next.

Because you realize you have no idea of what any of this means. You only have your common sense to go by, and the knowledge that your house is about to receive a relative that might very well hate your wife. But, as Ponpon pointed out, that is the limit of your knowledge. Your common sense is very much commoner's sense under these circumstances.

You don't know what else might happen. You don't even know how this battle might be fought, if they do decide to go against each other. You don't know what dangers might await you, and that in turn means you don't know how to keep your family safe.

"Good grief, Ponpon. Everything you are telling me really is…" you feel your wings flutter slightly as your thoughts begin to run off on their own. "I can't help but remember something my wife told me, a few months ago. Remember when she took her friend Rarity to Canterlot? When the search for Princess Luna was still going on? She mentioned to me, after she came back, that she spent several hours teaching Rarity about noble etiquette and whatnot. And even then it was barely enough for her friend not to commit some sort of gaffe or mistake."

"It really is a… whole different world, sir," she says, her voice obviously sympathetic.

"I realize that. It's just that I never hoped I would have to dive into it like this."

And then, of course, there is the matter of your daughters. After all, your wife is a born and raised noble, who was groomed and educated into nobility from birth. But Silky Stream? The fact that you live in Ponyville means that she grew up detached from that world. And the fact that your wife hated her upbringing meant that she barely passed anything down to your daughter at all. The few tutors that came from Canterlot, years ago, were hounded by your wife whenever they were teaching your daughter. Plus, what little education she was giving Silky on that matter all but stopped in the year you two decided she would start studying in Ponyville.

So, Silky Stream might technically be a Lady herself, but you and your wife both know that she really isn't one in practice. By Equestria, the two of you intentionally raised her so she wouldn't have to suffer through that.

But now that you are faced with the prospect of a miniature Velvet Hill quite literally living under the same roof as your daughter…

"And then there is also Selene…" you mumble to yourself, pressing a hoof against your temple. "And also their little friend that has been sleeping here and…"

You feel something cold growing inside of you, as the seconds go by. A mixture of nervousness, and dread, and perhaps even anger at the things you are thinking about.

Because you don't mind receiving guests. You don't mind receiving your wife's family, like when her uncle came over, or other "ponies" such as Baldomare and Axe. Your wife is a noble, your home is as large as a hotel and staffed with maids to boot, so you understand that is what nobles do. In fact, you even enjoy it when they are good company, as they mostly are.

But this Velvet Pride? You can't think of him as family. You can't even think of him as a guest. And the more Ponpon tells you about the ugly side of nobility, and the more you remember everything your wife has been through, you can only think that…

That a strange, bastard of a stallion is about to invade your home. And that this damn culture of blue blood being better than red might give him the impression, or perhaps even the legitimacy, to start making your family's life worse.

Inside your own home. In the place where they are supposed to be happy.

"I'm afraid so, sir," Ponpon says, her tone also dry and distasteful. "I always told the maids here that this estate is nothing like the places in Canterlot..."

You take a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds to try and calm yourself down. You then exhale, slowly, thinking back to the very last line of the letter.

"But Velvet did write that we shouldn't worry, didn't she?" You say, although you immediately double back to correct yourself. "No, that wasn't it. She told us to have trust that things will turn out alright."

You open the letter once again, reading that last line and realizing how particularly she worded it. And as you read those words once more, you can't help but think that she really means it. Or rather, you have the impression that she knows about something that she decided not to write you about, and not that she is just being optimistic for its own sake.

"Still," you say, putting the letter away for good "better safe than sorry. So, what happens next Ponpon? I realize there are a lot of noble politics involved. But what about the practicals? What do we do now?"

"Well, sir. The first thing that will happen is that servants from Canterlot will come to prepare for Lord Pride's arrival. His personal butler will probably be in that group as well, and that will be the first temperature check we will get. Because if he arrives and demands the Lady to vacate the master bedroom, then we will know there will be problems and…"

The maid trails off for a few moments, and you are surprised by the sudden aggressivity in her tone.

And she notices your gaze, clearing her throat and calming down a few moments later.

"But leave that to me, sir. This is maid business. And I also must prepare the estate for their arrival to begin with. I expect the moving party to arrive in two days or so, at the latest."

"I see… By the way, thank you Ponpon. And I really mean it. This is a side of Velvet's life that she avoids, so this whole situation really is something I don't know anything about," you say, and Ponpon's expression finally softens up a little at that. "But if you don't mind me asking. Is there anything I can do? Anything at all that could help Velvet?"

Something about your tone makes her smile, but you don't have time to think about it before the head maid gives you her answer.

"Definitely, sir. If you could talk to the fillies and explain them what is going on… Better yet, if you could talk to them and let them know the best thing they can do is avoid the newcomers, at least for the time being. I think that would cover a lot of our bases."

You thank her for her advice, and the two of you immediately go your separate ways. With Ponpon taking out a small bell from her dress, ringing it to round up all the maids in the estate, and you going to search for the fillies so you can talk to them.

And with that new storm coming up on the horizon, the week goes by in a flash.





- - -
- - -
- - -





You are Lady Velvet Covers, and right now you are having a very important meeting at your home.

Yes, yes, your week at the Lunar Bureau came and went, and the number of ponies you have on staff is ever so slowly increasing. Shining Armor finally has his own assistant at the Secretary, and the two of you finally narrowed down the ponies who would have the know-how to maintain the equipment you have on the underlevels. But that really isn't important right now.

Right now, you have family matters to take care of.

Right now, you, Stormchaser and Ponpon, as well as a select few ponies of your estate's staff, are gathered in your office. Putting you up to speed about what happened throughout the week.

"The transfer team arrived in the middle of the week, ma'am," Ponpon says, practically speaking for everypony else present. "But considering none of them live in Ponyville, having the servant's quarters be filled with ponies overnight will be our new norm."

You narrow your eyes slightly at that. A few small concerns about convenience and privacy appearing in your head, only to be crushed by a thought train that takes far more precedence in your mind: one of your daughters has been sleeping at the servant's quarters, despite your gentle suggestions that she can move up to one of the guest rooms at any time.

You will have to keep a close eye on that.

"Furthermore, Lord Pride himself is scheduled to arrive this Monday, two days from now."

"Monday?" you ask, raising an eyebrow. The implications of your question obvious.

Because everypony knows you will be gone by Monday. You are sure that everypony who needs to know, which includes your father, knows you are only at home during the weekends from now on.

"That is another thing I wanted to mention to you, ma'am," Ponpon continues, her tone becoming ever so slightly curious as she speaks. "As I was discussing accommodations with Lord Pride's butler, he was also very quick to settle on housing the Lord on one of the annex buildings."

You let out a curious "oh?" at that, nodding for your head maid to continue.

"In fact, most of our efforts this week were spent refurbishing the place. The estate carpenters even took down a few interior walls and changed a few things to make it more suitable for the Lord. And I won't be surprised if a more thorough renovation is ordered in the coming months."

Ponpon pauses for a few moments, as if wondering how to put what she has her mind into words.

And when she finally speaks, you can't help but think her tone is oh so close to what she sounds like when she is gossiping.

"I even overheard one of the accompanying servants let slip that… that the Lord might go back home during the weekends himself."

Ponpon gives you a meaningful look as she says that, and you immediately understand the implications of what she is saying.

"If I didn't know any better," you say, "I would also think he is avoiding me. Or that he has been instructed to avoid me…"

Your trusty head maid gives you an exaggerated, almost theatrical shrug.

"Us servants can only guess, ma'am," she says, to which you let out a short laughter.

After that, she presents to you other matters and concerns that appeared throughout the week. Some of which had already been resolved, and that she was informing you just for the sake of it, and others that are still very much in the air.

"But this butler of his," you ask at one point, "did he give you anything accurate regarding authority? Is Velvet Pride coming here exclusively to administer the farmlands, or does he intend to do more? You mentioned renovations and whatnot, but what about our ponies," you ask as you look at the other members of the staff, "will he be able to reach them? Can he, say, fire somepony if he feels like, just because?"

"Unfortunately, that will have to be cleared out by the two of you, ma'am," is the only answer Ponpon can give you.

All in all, this meeting you are having goes on for a long while. It began as soon as you arrived at the estate in the morning, and it perhaps went all the way to midday.

But finally, it eventually comes to an end.

"Aright everypony, I think I understand what is going on," you say, after the last order of business was settled. "That being said, is there anypony who wants to say anything else?"

You then begin to look at everypony who is in your office, one by one.

"Stormy, do you want to make any comments?" you ask, to which your husband shakes his head after a few moments of thought. "Ponpon? Tip-Tip? Anypony else in our staff?"

You continue asking them, one by one, until you are finally ready to declare this meeting done.

"I see. That being said I would like to thank everypony for your hard work. I won't say that everything is about to change, or that we have a storm ahead of us, because at the end of the day it is… just my brother who is moving in. This is just a noble moving from one place to another. And even though we have… experiences on what might happen, there isn't really much we can do about it but live one day at a time."

You say that, both for their benefit as well as your own. Because who knows, maybe this is the last weekend you will have as their effective boss and employer. Maybe you are about to experience the unpleasant realities of noble intrigue, living in a home where an influential pony is very eager to make your life worse as subtly as possible.

Or maybe, just maybe, things will turn out for the best. Even if it takes time, or perhaps a bit of effort.

"But what I will say is that I am thankful. For all of you," you say, addressing the part of your staff who is present, as well as your husband. "You are the reason why I can think of this place as a home. You are the ponies that, day in and day out, make sure everything is not just good, but also… welcoming. Pleasant. Maybe even cheerful. So, whether there are changes waiting for us or not, I just want to say that I appreciate you all."

You see a few nods here and there, slight smiles appearing on the faces of some ponies, while others simply don't know how to react. After all, most household servants are taught that the lack of criticism is a compliment in itself. So, being directly thanked like this can be only strange to them.

Strange, perhaps, but you sincerely hope it isn't bad.

"That being said, whether there are some changes on their way or not, they still aren't here, and we still have two more days before anything happens. So…" you say, talking to Ponpon and then turning to face Stormchaser. "Stormy dear, I had a bit of time to think over the week, and I was thinking we should throw a little party tomorrow."

"I… hold on. A party? What do you mean?" he asks, clearly confused at the sudden change in subject.

"You know. A party. Smack in the middle of the garden, using the entrance hall and whatnot. I mean, I was thinking about how big the estate is, but how few ponies in Ponyville have ever even seen it, given how far it is from town," you recline back into your seat, your tone becoming almost casual as you do. "So why not? I'm sure Silky's schoolfriends will be thrilled to explore it, at the very least. It would also be lovely to have the staff bring their families, and the farmhoofs as well. What the hay, why not just invite as many ponies as we can? Make it a town event of sorts and empty the pantry?"

You say that last part almost as an afterthought, but you immediately realize you actually wouldn't mind doing that.

And if nothing else, you casually glance towards the cook and see that his eyes are positively shining with that small comment of yours.

The joys of having a cutie mark based on cooking, you suppose.

You say all of that, and then you look at Stormchaser, expecting him to say something. But much to your surprise… or perhaps, to none of your surprise, your husband is actually thinking about it. His expression becoming more and more accepting as the seconds stretch by.

You then look at Ponpon. But for all that you thought she would at least try to present some kind of counterargument, even if just for the sake of playing Nightmare Moon's advocate, she actually doesn't say anything at all.

More than that, she even nods at you.

"Then it's decided," you say with a smile.

Because you weren't lying when you said you thought about it. You really did. You even discussed it with Cadance during one night after work. And for all that you initially mentioned it with her in order to get her opinion, for the sake of her political savviness and how that might be seen by your coming brother, the two of you inevitably started talking about how nice it would be for the sake of its own fun.

I think it would be wonderful, you recall her saying with an honest smile. Even if this thing with your brother wasn't happening at all, I still think you should do it. Everypony deserves a break, especially in these times.

"Can somepony call for Silky?" you ask, looking at the general direction of the gathered staff. "I realize this is sudden, so we definitely have to figure out how to spread the word. And I really meant it when I said I at least want to invite her school."

Tip-Top immediately gets up and leaves with a short bow.

And just as you are about to dismiss everypony, an excited voice comes from one of them.

"Excuse me, my Lady," you hear, turning to face an extremely excited cook, "were you being serious when you talked about emptying the pantry?"

Your casual nod is enough to get everypony, the cook first of all, out of their seats and off to work.



- - -



The preparations for this impromptu event were as sudden as they were successful.

In fact, you are only slightly befuddled by the fact that, apart from giving permission for this and that, you almost weren't involved in them at all. It makes sense in hindsight, of course, given how several ponies on your staff have already worked in Canterlot, so they already had experience in preparing events and whatnot.

And given how less demanding both you and the intended guests are, the fact that they were a few years out of practice did not impact them in the slightest.

You are only vaguely aware of the fact that, so far, you have not spoken to anypony in your brother's reception staff. Least of all the butler that Ponpon mentioned a few times. Still, their aid was neither requested nor required, according to Ponpon.



And to put it in as few words as possible, you don't really care about them right now.



You have never seen this many ponies in your house before. In fact, you are not sure your estate has ever received this many ponies, period. You are vaguely aware that there was a celebratory ball of sorts when the estate was built, several years before you even moved in, in what must have been the one and only time the main hall was ever used for its intended purpose. But you are sure that ball did not have even half as many ponies as you see right now.

The usually placid central garden, that stretches from the entrance gates to the main building, is filled with life. With dozens of chairs and tables that were placed on the grass being occupied by just as many ponies. There is an ever-present hum of conversation coming from all directions, punctuated by laughter, all under the constant din of music.

Although to be honest, you also realize some of the things you are seeing just occurred independently. Because sure, the chairs and tables are from your estate, and the constant stream of ponies bringing food from the kitchen is thanks to a few rotating hoofs of your staff. But the music? That really came out of the blue. A few ponies from town just up and appeared with instruments, and before you realized it the small stage that had been prepared on the side had a respectable line of volunteers waiting for their turn to perform.

And then there is also the fact that, despite your cook's passion and fervor, you can also see that not all the food is yours. You saw one of your daughter's friends arrive riding a literal cart filled with apples, and at least four other families had similar ideas, even if they did not bring nearly as much as the Apple clan.

That, and a lot more, makes you think that even though that was just a vague comment of yours, this really did turn into a town event of sorts. And even though only twenty-four hours have passed since you made the decision to host this, word of mouth spread like wildfire. Because apparently (and thankfully) even half single day is more than enough time for a small town like Ponyville to get excited for something.

And that genuinely brings a smile to your face. It reminds you that when ponies come together, things simply work out. And that for all that you are too a part of it, it still makes you glad to see how well you all can function as a community.

But of course, that doesn't mean you are just standing in a corner feeling content at everything around you. Far from that.

After all, you are still the host of this event!

"SPIN!"
"SPIN!"
"SPIN!"
"SPIN!"​

To anypony else, the small crowd of foals yelling at the top of their lungs, the full population of Silky's school, would have been intimidating.

But to you? Oh, seeing something like this makes you feel alive.

"SPIN! SPIN! SPIN! SPIN!"​

"Alright alright! Fillies and gentlecolts!" you excitedly yell over the crowd, catching the attention of almost everypony nearby. "You know the rules! You know what to do!"

You shout those words, and then you look up to the direction where all the foals are screaming at.

You look up to the figure of your poor, dear husband. Who is currently sitting on top of a cloud, blindfolded, as the cloud is spun by a pair of pegasi who are perhaps having too much fun.

"SPIN-SPIN-SPIN-SPIN-SPIN-SPIN-SPIN-SPIN!"​

"For our hide-and-seek competition, Mr. Stormchaser here will have one hour to look for everypony! Make sure you have your ribbons on you! If he yells the color of your ribbon, you have to give it to him. But if at the end of one hour you still have it, then you win!"

The roaring, raucous crowd of foals, each of them with a colorful ribbon tied to somewhere on their bodies, yells in delight. Some of them confirming that they understand the rules, others just not being able to control their excitement.

"Any part of the garden is fair game! Any building is fair game, but only the ground floors! Anywhere within the walls is also fair game, but if you leave for the farmland at large you will be disqualified! AAARE THERE AAANY QUEEESTIONS?!"

You wouldn't be able to hear any questions even if you tried, over the noise. But still, you are pretty sure everypony is set.

"Then on your marks! GET SET! GO!"

You fire up a small magical flare, and the crowd of foals immediately dissolves in every possible direction.

At the same time, the cloud where your husband was being spun comes to a slow halt. But still, it takes your poor, beautiful husband almost a full minute before he can even reach for the blindfold. Let alone stand.

"Are you alright Stormy?"

"I-ah… m'alright an'… time to search thos'foals an…"

Still, he heroically takes off his blindfold, and begins his task.

"That's my stallion," you say with a smile. "And don't forget what I told you!"

He gives you a crooked, slightly disoriented nod.

But when he sets off, you already get the slightest hint that he knows exactly where he is going.

He still isn't ready to do it while still wearing the blindfolds, you can tell.

But for today's purpose? He seems to have caught on to more than enough.

And of course, just like the two of you agreed beforehoof, he is not the only one who will take a step forward today.



- - -



Finding your daughter before your husband does is trivial, and she is only surprised for half a second as you scoop her up and place her on your back.

Then, while your husband is flying around the party and searching the rooms of the building, you get into the game yourself. And as your daughter holds on tightly to your neck, holding back her giggles, you begin to teach her all the best hiding spots. Both the ones that ponies forget to check, as well as the ones that ponies simply don't know how to look for.

Enough for a filly to at least stand a chance, if she ever finds herself in danger. Enough for your daughter not to suspect she is doing anything but having fun, during the short hour that the hide-and-seek goes on.

And when your husband finally finds sneaky Selene, the second-to-last filly that still hadn't been located, you finally allow the two of you to be discovered.

None of the foals still had their ribbons on when the hour is finally done. But that just means you have to announce that the prize, a very large cake, would have to be shared by everypony. Naturally, none of the foals seem to mind.

After that, the merry day goes on.



- - -



You realize that you could do something a little… directed, during today. You realize that, since you have such a large parcel of town right here, you could also try to pursue one or another goal.

Hay, you even have experience in doing that. And you vividly recall how the last party you have been to, back in Canterlot, turned out to be a goldmine of influence for Rarity, as you and your uncle went around searching for a suitable investor.

So, you know you could do something like that here. Maybe you could put yourself into an even better light. Maybe you could make sure that some ponies… understand, that a new noble will be coming to town, and that his words are not necessarily your own.

Maybe you could even poison the well of Velvet Pride's influence before he ever gets the chance to drink for it. Or perhaps you could do something else entirely.

However…

You won't. Because you simply don't want to.

Not here. Not right now. Not in a party you threw for your daughter's schoolfriends, so she can have a few more days of fun before tomorrow arrives. Because even though there might be a storm coming, you don't really feel like preparing for it.

After all, if you obsess too much about preparing, you just might lose sight of why you are doing it to begin with. If you spend all your time building a wall, you might just forget that you are building it to protect your family.

So, just for today, you will enjoy yourself.

And after you are done having an unusually cheerful conversation with Jade Whistle, with the mare actually wearing a smile on her face as she watches the many foals play around, you then decide to…



[] Go meet some new ponies. There are a few faces in the crowd you have not met before. Most of them are related to or accompanying your daughter's school friends, but a small number of them are not. (Make at least one new random acquaintance)

[] Go talk to ponies you already know. After all, just because you haven't been in touch, it doesn't mean you aren't interested in how they are doing. (Raise your social bond with a single random pony you already know)

[] Just soak in the atmosphere. The laughter, the music, the hoofsteps of ponies as they dance. You really could get used to this. (Gain one scrap of Heart Lore)



- - -



Eventually, the day comes to an end. As does your weekend.

And maybe this is a cultural thing, typical from an earth pony farming town, or maybe it's just because your estate is a bit far from the city. But as soon as the sun touches the horizon, everypony starts to say their goodbyes. And maybe after ten minutes of waving hoofs and listening to honest thank yous, your estate is almost entirely empty.

A few of your servants stayed behind, starting to clean up everything quickly and efficiently, but even they were done and gone within the hour.

And so, you prepare to call it a day yourself, and you head back to the main building with a vague plan of reading something before you head to bed.



That is, until you realize you are being followed.



But you know you are not in danger. In fact, you immediately know who it is. Although it is curious, now that you know the smell of a pursuit, to feel that familiar scent with the additional hint of a follower.

Still, you halt on your tracks almost immediately, and you turn to face the pony you already know will be a few paces behind you.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Soft Sweeps?"

You are somewhat surprised to see that she is wearing her maid uniform. Because she wasn't wearing it during the party, but it seems that she decided to put it on as soon as it was over.

She never told you, but you think she feels comfortable in it. And you can't help but think that she wears it the same way a foal might drag around a stuffed toy or a blanket they particularly like. Of course, you are not judging her. It is good that she has things that can help her ground herself.

Besides, you think she looks cute in it.

"I, uhm… actually yes, Mrs. Velvet," she says, clearly hesitant. Mulling over her words as if unsure if she should really say them or not. So you give her a calm, encouraging smile to soothe her concerns. "You know when… do you remember a few weeks ago when we… talked? When you said it was alright for me to stay here, if I wanted?"

"Of course, dear. What about it?"

"You also said that I could… ask for help if I needed? That I could, uh, ask you about stuff if I didn't know what to do?"

You give her another nod, and you realize the mare is blushing slightly as she continues to speak.

"About that, t-there… there is something I would like to ask you. I-It's something silly, really, not really important. B-but if you have the time, maybe you could…?"

You don't even let her finish that sentence, waving for her to follow after you as head back into the main building.

"Of course I can, Softy. Anything you need. Come on now, let's find someplace we can talk."

You see a small, cautious smile appear on her face as she follows after you. And the two of you are in the empty living room a few moments later.

…

The large fireplace is not lit, but there is more than enough moonlight coming in through the windows for the two of you. It also isn't cold at all, and in fact the night is even a bit warm. So, between your dresses, and the fur on your bodies, you two are more than enough comfortable to just sit on the sofas and talk to each other.

"I, uh… it really isn't a big deal, so I'm sorry for taking up your time but…" she says, more to herself than to you, but you decide not to speak up. Because hiccups or not, she is still taking to you.

And that is more than enough for you.

"But do you remember how I told you that… that there is this group in Ponyville? Of ponies who, um… need somepony to talk to?"

You notice how she very carefully avoids the term "support group". Or perhaps even "mourning group". But you definitely don't blame her for not being ready to call it what it is.

"Yes, you did mention it to me," you say.

"So, the thing that we do is, well… we talk. We sit in this big circle, and we just take turns talking about, uh, a-about whatever we need. A-and you don't need to talk if you don't want to, of course. But still, we encourage each other to try."

You give her a slow nod, encouraging her to go on. Because you had already read about those kinds of groups… about that kind of group therapy, that is. So, you understand how it works, even if only in theory.

And given how this is indeed a kind of therapy, you also understand Soft's hesitation to even talk about it. Because there must be several conflicting feelings inside of her, right now. And admitting that you need help, or even that you are already seeking it, is not really an easy task. After all, talking about what you are trying to do will almost always invite you to think of how much you haven't achieved yet, even if you have already done so much.

So, you patiently wait for her to continue.

"And I think it's really hard, to… to talk, whenever it's my turn. Because everypony talks about what they managed to do that day, o-or how they are going… or about… and it's still a bit hard, to talk about my family, you know? So I, uh… I haven't really talked much. I mostly just listen and stuff…"

"That's still very good to hear, Softy," you speak up, realizing how she is slowly talking less and less. Trying to cheer her up even if just a little bit. "Besides, it's just natural for a pony to listen before they try to speak up. Listening to other ponies helps us put our mind in orders, don't you think? It helps us figure out the words we might want to use ourselves."

You watch as Soft's slight frown turns into a small smile, and you see her nod to herself as if agreeing with you.

"Right, right… you are right, Mrs. Velvet. That makes sense… and I think it makes even more sense, because," you watch as she gulps down, as if embarrassed of what she is about to say. "Last session? The last time we met this week? I-I finally volunteered to talk, when it was my turn."

Your ears perk up at that, and you don't even need to try to get a smile on your face, because you are already beaming before you realize it.

"That is wonderful Softy! I am so glad you did it," you say, with genuine honesty.

"I, uh… thank you, Mrs. Velvet," she says, still embarrassed. "But here is the thing I wanted to ask you about… if you don't mind?"

She doesn't even have to ask if you mind or not! You give her a hearty nod to go on as you incline yourself forward to hear her better.

"Here's the thing, Mrs. Velvet. It was hard, to start talking. I was scared, at first, to share the stuff that everypony talks about. But when I started talking, it actually… it actually became easier? Because everypony there… even me, Mrs. Velvet. Everypony there is really in a lot of pain. A-and I can tell that they are putting up a strong front when it's their turn to talk, but they really aren't alright."

You listen to her speak, and you can tell that as she talks about it, she slowly becomes more and more energetic.

"But as I was talking, I just felt that I should address that? So I started talking about, my fa-… uhm… I started talking about stuff. B-but I didn't try to pretend it didn't hurt. Because it did. And I knew they all felt the same. And as I talked more and more about that they just… they all just listened? They actually looked like they were paying attention?"

Her embarrassment decreases, and you can tell the smile she has on her face is timidly growing.

Maybe it's because she is talking about something that, deep down, she feels a bit proud of? Maybe she realizes that she took a good step forward? That she is making progress and that, as hard as it may have been, this is actually good?

You don't know. Or at least you don't know for sure. But still, seeing Soft Sweeps talking with more energy makes you glad.

"But it wasn't just that. As I was talking, one of the ponies raised his hoof. We, uh, we don't encourage ponies to interrupt somepony who is speaking. But he raised his hoof anyways. And the pony said he agreed with me? That the stuff I was saying made sense?"

She probably doesn't realize it, but you can see she is puffing with pride a little bit. Not in an arrogant or self-centered way. But still, you can tell she is remembering that event with a tone of joy.

"A-and even after we were done. After we were done for the night and heading out, a few ponies… actually, more than half of our group. They came up to me and asked if I could speak again next time? Mrs. Velvet, t-they even thanked me?"

That small blush returns to her face, and you can't help but laugh a little bit. Thankfully, your laughter diffuses some of her embarrassment, and the young mare joins in with you, chuckling for a few moments.

"S-so the thing I wanted to ask, Mrs. Velvet… i-if you don't mind, is… well, what do I do? Or rather, what should I say next? B-because starting to talk is already hard, but I'm also afraid that… What if I mess up? W-what if I don't know what to say, or just say something boring? B-because what if they don't feel that same connection next time? What if that was just, I don't know, beginners' luck? I-Is that even a thing?"

She begins to talk faster and faster, her own nervousness finally taking the best of her. So you raise a placating hoof, and the young pegasus immediately falls quiet.

Still, you can understand what she wants your help with. More than that, you can tell that she wants to succeed on the next time. And of course, since you can tell how much she wants it, and how much that will boost her own confidence, you are more than eager to help her.

Especially when she looks at you with those honest, earnest, expecting eyes. Because you can tell, from those eyes of her, that she trusts you. That she trusts you to see this vulnerable, hesitant side of her, without judging her. That she hopes… that she needs you to be there for her. To make good on the promise you made her.

So, you are honestly glad that she is asking you this. That she is finally taking this small leap of faith, and trusting you to be there for her.

Because you will always be there for her.

You will always love her like a daughter.



And so, to help her you will…



[] Tell her a small secret of Lantern, to help her shine the light.

[Blindness]​

[] Give her a pep talk of Grail, to encourage her further.

[Blood]​

[] Teach her the patience of Winter, so she learns how to pace herself.

[Ice]​

[] Tell her that she should follow her heart, and speak about whatever comes to mind. You believe in her, so you are sure that whatever she feels inspired to do will be better than anything you suggest.

[???]​

You have successfully taught your family about the Lores.

Stormchaser is now a "Disciple", having attained Secret Histories Level 3 and Knock Level 1.

Stormchaser is now "reasonably competent" in identifying the occult. This will keep him safer when he is away from home, but by no means is a guarantee.

Your other daughters have also benefited, but not in a way you can easily quantify.

Further lessons, that will benefit everypony at the same time, will require all your Lores to be at level 4.

Vote options are unrelated. Vote by approval, not plan. Six hours moratorium.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

You are Lord Velvet Pride, and right now you are deep in thought.

The interior of the first-class train cabin, which is honestly crude and shabby by your standards, shudders slightly. And not for the first time. After all, Equestria's south is far less populated (and perhaps even civilized) than the east and west, so it is only natural that the older trains get relegated to the non-arterial lines of the country.

But again, this is not the first time this happens, and throughout the several hours of your journey you have already learned to ignore it.

To be honest, it wasn't really that hard to zone everything out. You do have… a lot on your mind.

Do not hesitate.

Always think ahead.

Never show weakness.

​

Your father's voice, the several lessons he has taught you throughout the years, echo inside your head. And not without reason. After all, you are inside this old train, heading away from fair Canterlot, because you have finally been given your first real assignment.

Your first mission. Your first real responsibility. Your first test.

And no matter how hard you tell yourself otherwise, no matter how much you have been taught otherwise, you realize that… you are scared.

Maybe because this is your first time? Maybe because you don't feel like you are truly prepared? Maybe because of what your father told you, during that last conversation, before you finally went on your way?

It could be all of that, you know. In fact, it probably is a little bit of everything. Or maybe a lot of everything. But whatever it is, it was enough for you not to be able to sleep, even during the overnight train trip. It was enough that you weren't able to do anything but look out through the window towards the west, and watch as the moon slowly made its way towards the horizon.

Although, at least you have some encouragement to think back to. After all, your uncle insisted on taking you to the station in his carriage. And if nothing else, the words he spoke to you, the advices he gave you, are something you can relate to right now.

"Don't worry, kiddo. You'll get butterflies on your stomach, but everypony does."

​

You let out a soft laughter as you remember that carriage ride. Because sure, he gave you some pieces of advice here and there. Or rather, he reminded you of a few things you had already been taught, which you figure will be especially important. But most of the time he just kept telling you a few funny stories he knew, weaving in a joke here and there as the carriage made its way to the train station.

He was just trying to make you feel more at ease, you realize. And even though it isn't stopping you from feeling nervous right now, you can tell that it helped. Even if only a little bit.

The train shudders once again, and the lurching motion is stronger than it was before. It pops you out of your thoughts almost instantly, and you realize that the train is beginning to slow down.

That cold pit that is weighing down your stomach grows a little heavier, but you do your best to push the sensation back.

As you look out through the window, you take in a sight that is completely different from what you are used to. Your cabin is facing the west side, so you can't see the rising sun itself, but you can still see how its light is shining on a world that is alive. Alive, and vast, and most of all feral.

The grassy plain that is right before your eyes seems to stretch on forever, in total opposition to the secluded and organized plateaus that were carved from the face of the mountain in your birth city. The dark-green forests, that you can see in the distance, seem haphazard and untamed, its disorganized nature a sharp contrast to the manicured gardens of the Capital.

Even the faraway hills you can barely see, jutting out of the greenery here and there, feel strange when compared to the tall mountain on which Canterlot is perched.

You feel yourself frowning at all of that. You feel the tension rising inside of you, as the only thing you can really recognize when you look at that window is… your own reflection, that is staring back at you. Dim as it might be against the backdrop of a waking world.

You can still tell that your coat is the Velvet light-brown your family had for generations, and that you thankfully inherited from your father.

You can see that the rich justaucorps you are wearing is still impeccably clean, even if it is a little… bent here and there, from the several hours you just spent inside this train.

And as you light up your horn to start fixing those little mistakes, you can see the glow of your magic reflecting against the golden-yellow of your mane. As lustrous as your mother's.

Still, you can't help but notice that, even though your reflection is frowning… you still resemble your mother more than you do your father. Despite everything you learned from him, and your honest best efforts, you still look more like her than you ever did him. Your frown looks tense, thoughtful, almost uncertain, but not at all like the cautious and judging expression your father would have.

So, as you carefully wave and weave your magic over the rich cloth, straightening it out, you can't help but wonder if you really are up to this task… if you really will be able to-

"Excuse me? Lord Pride?"

A short knock, followed by a faint blue glow around the doorknob, announces the entrance of one of your maids. You can see her reflection, as she enters and gives you a short bow, before she waits for you to address her.

Probably here to see if you are already awake.

"Yes, Cantrip, go ahead," you say to the unicorn mare, turning around to face her.

"We should be arriving at our destination shortly. Would you like some refreshments before we get there?" she asks with a smile.

"No, there will be no need. Than-… I mean, that will be all," you say, to which the maid replies by giving you another short bow and leaving.

And you finally realize how nervous you really are. After all, just now, you almost slipped up and said something you should't. You almost thanked her.

You have a station. A place in the world. Act the part.

​

As always, your father's teaching echoes inside your head.

Even though, you can't help but also think that…

"But it doesn't hurt to be nice every now and then, you know? You can do things your own way now."

​

You shake your head, pushing those thoughts, both your father's and your uncle's, away. You don't have time for this.

A loud, muffled vapor-whistle comes from somewhere outside the train, and the slowing-down finally becomes noticeable. You swallow something dry as you realize that.

It is finally time for you to prove yourself.



- - -



The train station is… small. To the point you barely think it should be called a station at all.

But then again, you already know that thought process will apply to almost everything things in this place. Because for all that ponies can do great things when properly directed, this place is still just an earth pony town.

So, you are sure there will be enough for ponies to survive. But enough for a pony to live?

Well, you won't be holding your breath.



"Lord Pride, you privilege this place with your presence."



As soon as you step hoof out of the train, you are greeted by familiar company. Subtle Glare, your butler since you were a colt, is already waiting for you there, together with several other servants who have already collected your luggage. Cantrip steps out of the train right after you, and quietly makes her way to the butler, patiently waiting just one step behind the older stallion.

"Good morning to you too, Subtle," you say, looking around with a practiced neutral expression.

You can see a few other ponies, passersby and onlookers, watching your exchange from a distance. Looking at your clothes, and your busy servants, and whispering to each other with curious voices.

And already you wonder what you should do to address that. Should you look around with disapproval, and make a show that you are already unimpressed by the place? That would begin to cement your position as a noble in this small town, but you were also taught you shouldn't antagonize too much of the commoners. Should you instead give yourself a small nod? Try to pass an image of benevolence?

You can already tell that you don't know. A large part of your mind is asking itself what your father would do, but much to your disconcert the answer simply doesn't come to you.

And just like that, you realize the moment has passed. The commoners are still looking, and less than a second has passed. But the fact that you couldn't come to a decision instantly already tells you that…

Well, that you didn't.

The cold in your stomach spreads.

"My carriage?" you ask, to which the butler answers by waving for you to follow him.

"Right this way, young Lord."

You give him a nod, once again making an effort to push your doubts away.

Following Subtle, with Cantrip a few hoofsteps behind you two, you pass through the open doors that lead out of the station. "Station," again, being a generous word, as you had to hide your surprise over the fact that the exit doors were… right by the boarding platform itself.

But still, you are greeted by the sight of a… road. Or of a path you think is a road. After all, it is a long straight stretch of ground, and your carriage is waiting for you there. So, you think it is a road.

Even though it is basically… cobblestone and beaten earth.

"The Ponyville estate has a carriage that was here since the estate's construction. But our wheelwright quickly concluded it was beneath you," he says, as he opens the door of your carriage so you can enter. "So naturally, your Lord father had this shipped from Canterlot a few days ago. It will be your personal ride while you are here."

You nod at him, climbing the short stairs and entering the familiar cushioned interior.

The gleaming carriage of polished, black wood is a usual sight to you. This carriage, you can tell, is the standard that the ponies in your family ride back in Canterlot, with the modern sleek design and the Velvet symbol prominently displayed on its side.

And as you sit down, with Subtle and Cantrip filing in right after, you are also struck with the thought that it must be quite the eye-catcher in a place like this.

So, when you take into consideration how important first impressions are… maybe it wouldn't hurt to take the scenic route throughout the town. Give yourself an option to take a look at it, as well as giving the commoners the opportunity to see you like this.

Yes, this would be a good first step. And you feel a small wave of excitement over the fact that you finally had an idea that might be good.

You open your mouth to tell Subtle that you should take the long way. For him to warn the carriage pullers that they should take their time, or perhaps even take you to the town hall first so you can take a first look at it. After all, you hope you will be making a lot of business there.

But before you ever have the chance to speak your mind-

"Young Lord, now that we are here there is something I must inform you," your butler says as soon Cantrip closes the door. "Your Lady sister is still in town. In fact, she carved out her schedule so she could receive you in person."

-your heart immediately sinks as he says that.

"Wait, what do you mean she is still here?" you ask, feeling your breath shake for a fraction of a moment. "Is she not needed at the Capital? Father himself said so, that she has an appointment from the Princess. How is it even possible she is neglecting something like that?"

Your thoughts go back to the several instructions your father gave you. As well as the many more hints and messages that you know he implied. Because your father didn't instruct you on what to do in regards to your… older sister, but he did tell you to be cautious.

After all, the mare had interactions… several interactions with the Crown already. First through rumors that she was favored by Princess Cadance, then as an almost-official reprimand by Princess Luna.

That is, until Princess Luna was revealed to be an impostor, and your sister was then singled out into authority by Princess Celestia herself. Almost in the same breath as the alicorn all but banished the nobility from her grace.

You asked your father what you should do. In fact, you would have begged him for instructions, if you didn't know any better. Because you wouldn't know how to deal with such a pony even if you were just assigned to work with her, so what in the Princess' name are you supposed to do as you live under the same roof?

However, the only thing your father told you was to… be cautious.

This is yet another test, you know. But one that you were hoping you would not have to face this early. In fact, you had planned not to meet her for as long as possible. At least until you got your hoofs under your you, and your place in this town properly entrenched.

"I'm afraid we do not know, Lord Pride," Subtle says, failing to answer your question. "Until last night, word was that she would be departing in the last train as always. In fact, we only learned that she was still here earlier this morning."

You feel your pulse quicken at that.

Because here you were hoping that she would just be a distant threat. A shadow that you would have to avoid stepping into, as it loomed over the estate, but still nothing more than a shadow. Here you were, hoping that she would at best ignore you, or at worst have painted a picture of you with the commoners before you arrived.

But this? You can see this action for what it is. Misdirecting your servants, giving out false information, catching you by surprise.

This is guile. This is intrigue. And even though this is something as "small" and "inconsequential" as a personal meeting, this is also a first move.

And a first move tells you that there is a board. That there is a board, and there are pieces, and that she is committed to be standing on the other side of the table. This, all of this, tells you that the game is on.

And even though you are terrified of your opponent, you have no choice but to play it.

After all, this is what being a noble is all about. The choice to abstain was already taken from you the moment you were born.

"Well, take us to the estate," you say, noticing how dry your throat is.

Subtle Glare nods, and the carriage begins moving shortly after.



- - -



The Velvet estate is large. Not nearly as tall as the Canterlot mansion, but still wide and expansive in a way that is almost intimidating.

You have read about this place. Studied it, even. You spent a good deal of time going over the ledgers and reports and other papers that came from here, but you also made a point of learning about its history.

By Celestia, you even pulled up the blueprints of this place, even if only to get a mental picture of how it was like.

But as it usually goes, none of that theory prepared you to see it in practice.

Not that it is a bad sight to take in, of course. But still, seeing the brick walls grow larger as your carriage comes closer is a different experience altogether. As is the sight of the large garden, and its adjoining annex buildings, as well as the main building itself, which is maybe twice as wide as the mansion you grew up in.

And you can see the smaller details too. The signs of rooftiles that are frequently changed, thanks to the scheduled rains aimed at the farms. The wear and tear of the garden's paved paths, from years and years of servants coming and going. Even a few scratches and dents in some of the higher walls, probably from birds that nestled in one corner or another a long time ago.

However, none of those sights can shake away what is at the forefront of your mind.

Specifically, the fact that the carriage is finally stopping, and that Subtle and Cantrip just got up to open the door for you.

Close your face and swallow your feelings. Nopony will need to speak to you if they can read you like a book.


"Deep breaths, nephew. It will all be fine."

​

You get up from your seat, the central building dominating the entirety of your view as soon as you leave the carriage.

The entrance doors are large. Wood-wrought and well-maintained, the double door is several ponies tall, and goes as high as the adjacent windows.

They are also wide open, of course. Putting the two-storied entrance hall, which is big enough to host a small ball, in full view.

And there she is.

Lady Velvet Covers, your estranged older sister, stands at the opposite end of the hall, at the steps of a long set of stairs. You had already seen a painting of her, so you knew what she looked like. You already knew she was older than you, and maybe a bit taller, as well as the fact that her mane is a flowing long silver. She is elegantly dressed, with a long skirt going all the way to the floor, and for all that her clothing is clearly less fancy than yours, her appearance as a whole still more than makes up for it.

However, as you look at her, you can't help but hesitate. You freeze, or at least a part of you freezes, even if only for a moment.

Because yes, your sister looks like all of that. That is her appearance. And her clothes and her mane and everything else.

But her face? Her expression? Her stare?

You suppress a gulp. You force your legs to move underneath you.

Because the moment you lay your eyes on her, you are also immediately reminded of your father.

In fact, despite your best efforts to focus, you can even feel something click inside your head. And as you remember every time somepony compared you to your mother, and you tried to point out how much you look like your Lord father Hill, you now understand why they immediately changed the subject. You now understand why they would then frame it as a compliment, saying your mane is just eye-catching, or that you also have your mother's eyes.

They would say that, because they were comparing you... not to your mother, but to her.

Because, as you look at her, you immediately realize you are the second son.

And that she is the first daughter.

"Lord Velvet Pride," her voice reaches you just as you cross the entrance door. The tone clear as a bell despite the distance. Not echoing, but instead sharp in a way you can't describe. "The Velvet estate of Ponyville gives you its warmest welcomes."

She says those words almost as if they are a formality. And for all that you are indeed being given a reception, for all that there is indeed a long corridor of maids that goes from the door to the stairs, you still feel like…

You still feel like she means anything but that.

In fact, you feel nothing but a weight on your back.

Because here is the first pony your father truly taught. Your older brother, who you never even hear about, was barely given any education. Velvet Wings, who was cursed on birth with his namesake feathers, was barely raised as a Velvet at all.

But Covers? This judging, deeply unimpressed mare that seems to tower above you even from across the hall?

You can tell now, more than you did in your entire life, that she is the real deal.

And you? You were just the substitute.

But still, one hoofstep after the other, you make your way towards her.

Never let them know what you are thinking.

​

As you are about to reach her, you finally notice the other ponies. You finally notice she has company.

A pegasus stallion, her husband, stands at her side, maybe half a step behind her. Together with two fillies, your niece and the adopted one you heard about, who are standing next to him as well. All of them well-enough dressed, even though it is strange to see the adoptee as well dressed as a blood relative. Even if said blood relative is a pegasus herself.

Curiously, there is also a maid next to the fillies, who seems to be making a point of looking towards the ground. Probably a nanny, you think. Although it is still strange that she is not further away with the other servants. Even if she is still self-conscious enough to look uncomfortable there.

The maid, you can tell, is perhaps as old as you are. Which in turn makes you realize how much of a gap exists between you and the mare before you.

"Lady Velvet Covers," you say, trying your best not to flounder or trip over your words. Trying not to show even a hint of weakness as you stare her in the eye. "By our Lord father's decision, I have come to take over as the head of the Velvet's holdings in this place."

You say that, as you look into the mare's eyes, and you have to will yourself not to cut your own words short.

Because the way she is looking at you, the way she is measuring you, is all too familiar. To the point that you almost expect her to open her mouth, and somehow your father's voice coming out of her. Pointing out some mistake you made, or shedding light on some glaring flaw that you committed.

But none of that comes.

Instead, much to your surprise… much to your shock-

"You honor us with your presence."

-she givens you a small bow. The smallest, most formal curtsy, even.

But still, a showing of respect nonetheless.

Even if only a formal, almost ceremonial one.

And if you do everything right, ponies will respect you.

​

You feel the slightest hint of hope forming in your chest, that maybe this will somehow work out, as the older mare raises her head.

After all, for all that she is an intimidating unknown, you are not a pony who should be overlooked yourself.

And who knows, between your appearance and mannerism, as well as the fact that she probably knows very little about you, maybe she realizes that caution is warranted. Maybe, just maybe, this first move of hers to greet you is just a scouting effort, of sorts. Or perhaps even a net gain for you, given how she is showing to all the servants in the house that you still have precedence over her.

Because in a noble household, hierarchy is very important. And a place where the servants don't know who to obey, or who comes first, is bound to fall into chaos and disorder.

So maybe this is an olive branch of sorts? Maybe this is her negotiating, or even settling, how your relationship will be like? Her working in faraway Canterlot, and leaving Ponyville to you, as long as you don't get in each other's way?

"And this is my family," she says, as she waves a hoof to her right. "My husband Stormchaser, and my daughters. Silky Stream, Selene and their caretaker Soft Sweeps."

The three mares give you a short bow, with varying degrees of hesitation. The husband, you immediately notice, does not.

And for all that Lady Covers' actions relay you an interesting message, her family's reaction to you also speak volumes. After all, they also show you what has been spoken about you even when away from prying ears.

"It is a pleasure to meet them, Lady Velvet Covers," you say. In fact, for all that you want this meeting over as soon as possible, you even decide to go on a small stretch. "And it is also a pleasure to meet you, my… sister. And that you found time to greet even though you have such important obligations."

You mentally kick yourself for calling her sister. Especially given how much you hesitated before doing it.

Because this mare, you know, does not love you. You barely know if she even thinks of you as family at all, or if you are just a noble who is above her in the line of succession.

But what is done is done. You can't let that mistake lead you into committing more of them.

"There is nothing to thank me for, my brother," she says, a small, easy smile appearing on her face that, only for a moment, almost disarms you. "I just wanted to make sure that I was the one introducing you to my beloved family. They do mean the world to me, after all."

She says that. But something about her… something about her tone gives you pause. If only for a moment.

But that moment is more than enough for her to once again take the initiative.

And you immediately realize that even that, even these small exchanges, is yet another play from her. You immediately realize that you let your guard down, and that she has already made two moves before you made even a single one.

Because when you hesitate, she does not. And she already begins to move before you can even understand what is going on.

"They mean the world to me, and I hope you will be as content in this house as they have been so far," she says.

Much to your surprise, walking towards you.

No, walking past you, and making her way towards the entrance doors.

"But as you said, my little brother, I am indeed also committed to a few… how did you put it? Obligations, yes."

She reaches the entrance door, and with a flowing motion she aims her forehead towards the outside skies.

And with the whizzing, whistling sound of a firework, a magical flare erupts from the tip of her horn. Quickly disappearing towards the skies.

Then, she turns her back to the door, and once again faces you from across the entrance hall.

"So I hope you find Ponyville warm and welcoming, Lord Velvet Pride, just like I did. And just like I still do, even when I am away…"

A sudden, overpowering gust of wind comes from behind her, flowing into the entrance hall through the wide open doors, and spreading in all directions with the speed of a gale. Manes tremble in the sudden wind, the dresses of the maids flutter and shake, and some of the servants closer to the door even curl up slightly so they are not pushed by the winds.

But throughout all of it your older sister continues to stare at you. Her expression soft and polite, and still completely unphased despite everything that is happening.

However, you can't look back at her. You can't find it in you to meet her stare.

Because behind your sister, the source of the rushing winds finally comes into view. And right before the entrance doors, in the place your carriage had stopped when you arrived, another carriage takes its place.

A pink-and-gold carriage, topped with laurels and hearts. A large, lavish carriage, flanked by a cutie mark carved out of crystals that every last pony in Equestria would immediately recognize. A flying, magical carriage, its wheels still spinning with light and magic as they produce enough wind for the entire construct to gently land.

The carriage lands in the gardens, right behind the mare, with the weight of a feather. A heavily armed pegasus guard quickly unclipping himself from the front, and almost marching towards the door before opening it.

"… and of course. I sincerely hope no problems arise, while you are here," she finishes saying.

And she enters the carriage, with the door being closed shut behind her, before you can say anything else.

The only thing you can really think of, is how dry your mouth is, and how the cold that was in your stomach seems to have spread to every last part of your body.

That, and the last few words your uncle said to you before dropping you off at the train station.

"Oh, and try not to make too many enemies, alright?"​

- - -



Your stay at the estate so far has been… uneventful.

Well, not exactly uneventful. A lot of important things have happened these last few days. But still, none of them were as impactful as that very first encounter with your sister.

Your days have been spent touring the property, seeing the plantations with your own eyes, and meeting the key ponies that make everything work in practice. Farming team leaders, accountants, the ponies in charge of safekeeping and transporting the produce, those kinds of ponies.

And you also have a lot of things ahead of you, both in your near future as well as in your long-term planning. You have to meet your suppliers in person, so they know things are under new administration. You have to make sure the period that the farms were not working, right after the Catastrophe, did not create any rippling problems. You have to decide what happens next, because your Lord father provided a large amount of bits for investment purposes, and most of that still lies unspent and waiting.

However, for all that you have a lot of work to do, you also realize that…

That you have no idea of what you should really be doing.

Because this? All of this? This is a test. Your assignment here is a test from your father and you know it.

So, it is not enough that you merely succeed, you must also overperform. And even though nopony ever said that to you, not your father nor anypony else, you also know that to be the truth.

After all, she did it. Your older sister, who you spent all your life either hearing nothing about, or who was spoken about in a negative light, suddenly turned out to… well, to be the opposite.

Your older sister, who was ostracized, married away, and then all but exiled to this backwater town, is now one of the only ponies in Equestria who has the ears of the Princesses. Or maybe even more than that.

And she did it all from here. She did all of that from a humble, small, slightly hot office in the central building. In this very property that you have now taken on.

So, you know that "just" making sure the farmlands run will not be enough. You even know merely expanding them will not be enough.

You must overperform. You must reach your father's expectations, and then utterly surpass them.

Otherwise, you… otherwise, you know that he…

"There has to be something I can do," you say to yourself, shaking your head and focusing once again. "There must be some angle… something that a unicorn would figure out, that…"

You say that as you flip through the several tomes in front of you. The several active contracts, related to the farmlands, that are still in place. The hard copies of the multitudes of obligations, payments and expectations that the Velvets have both taken on and created throughout the years in this town.

You go over each of them in turn. Employment, pacts, promises-of-sales, promises-of-purchase, writs of exclusivity, transportation… you comb over the legal lifeblood of the farmlands, until your eyes fall on a particular scroll.

Something about it speaks to you. Maybe its size, maybe how new it looks, but still, you open it and read it more carefully.

Moments later, your horn lights up, and you ring the small bell you have on your desk.

"Yes, my Lord?" Cantrip enters without knocking a second later, heeding your call. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Call for the accountant. I have him working on something else next door, but tell him this is unrelated. I have a question for him."

The unicorn maid gives you a short bow, leaving right after.

And before long, the bespectacled accountant enters your office with the maid in tow.

"My Lord? Anything the matter?"

"Yes, I have a question…" you say, still reading from the scroll. "This contract I have with me, what do you know about it?"

The stallion approaches you, respectfully giving you a short bow before going around your desk and standing at your side. Pushing his glasses up with a hoof before reading from the parchment you are holding up with your magic.

"Ah, it is the contract Lady Covers signed with the Needles, sir. For the couturier she has contacted."

You immediately remember what he is talking about, the moment he explains that to you. Yes, you remember this. You read the reports as you were preparing for this task.

But much more than that, hearing the accountant say those words also gives you an idea.

"This contract, are its terms fixed? Is there anything about it that can be changed? Maybe prices, or deadline, or even quantities?"

You give the contract to the stallion so he can read through it more easily. Your mind now running at full speed.

Because you don't really have a specific idea in relation to this particular contract. Sure, you will try to make it better. Make it more advantageous, lucrative, or maybe something else. But still, that is not your main point.

No, your point is that… that maybe this is what she did? Maybe this is the trick? Perhaps, instead of mud, you should think of this place as a coal mine? And that the secret is in finding its diamonds?

After all, the fact that his place is an earth pony town also means that… well, that the ponies here aren't sophisticated, yes. But also that they were never challenged. That they were never given the opportunity to be more. And maybe, just maybe, this town's smallness might actually be an advantage.

Because this means you can be the first to discover its riches, the first to explore its true potential.

And you can start it with this particular contract that you just f-

"About that, my Lord. The terms are variable. But unfortunately… yes, I'm afraid it's an agency contract as well. And Lady Velvet Covers is the one named as the agent for some of the key terms."

You stop yourself from letting a low, frustrated groan. Instead opting to merely close your eyes for a few moments. Hoping that neither Cantrip nor the accountant will notice it.

Still, you center yourself a few moments later. And instead of backing down, you actually feel more motivated to make this work. Because you can't just back down at the first challenge, or else you will never get anything done!

"I… see…" you say, the cogs inside your mind whirling as you try to think of an alternative. "But isn't there anything that can be done?"

"Well, my Lord, the agent can always be replaced. That's how these contracts are built. But the only ponies who can do that are Lady Covers herself, or the couturier she is representing."

You feel a spark appearing in your eyes. Because this is it. This is your solution. After all, that frightening mare is already two moves ahead of you, but that doesn't mean you should just lay down and accept it. No.

On the contrary, you will make a move of your own instead. You will meet this couturier of hers, you will win her over, and then you will make this contract with the Needles even more successful. By Celestia, you can even use this positive with the Needles as leverage to make a new contract with an even more influential family!

"Thank you," you say to the accountant, taking the contract back with a sliver of magic, "that will be all."

And after a few more short bows, both him and Cantrip leave your office.

With that, you begin to make your plans. Reading over the contract again, you discover the couturier's name is "Rarity". But, rather unhelpfully, you realize her address is listed as the estate itself. Which makes sense, you suppose, since you recall the fashionista desired to stay relatively anonymous and undisturbed as she worked.

Still, this is now just a matter of locating her and securing a meeting with her… without your sister catching wind of it.

As you think about how you might do that, you idly stare out through your office's window, looking at the gardens of the estate…

…

You feel your thoughts coming into focus, even as you look at the trees swaying in the wind and the servants going this and that way. The slow, ordered operation of the house, or at least the parts of it you can see from here, helping you make your own plans.

Although something happens, which suddenly takes a small part of your attention. Something comes into view, and your idly moving eyes immediately focus on it, as if curious.

You suddenly see a mare, walking past the gates and into the garden.

You don't really pay much attention to her, at first. In fact, you only notice her at all because she is walking through the main path of the garden, as she makes her way to the central building.

However, as the seconds stretch by, you notice that more and more of your attention… more and more of your thoughts, even, are focusing on the sight before you.

Because that mare is…

Well, first of all, her movements are unusually graceful.

She is just walking down a garden. However, the way she is doing it makes it look like she is doing… more?

There is a certain elegance to how she walks. A strange fluidity that you can't really name. Almost as if… almost as if she is a model. Almost as if she is walking down a runway, even, and the flowers that flank her are her admirers. The white roses near her like the flash of cameras, the yellow flowers like stallions tipping their hats as she passes them by.

It also helps that, unlike most ponies, she is also dressed. You can't make out the details from a distance, but you can clearly tell she is actually wearing a dress. Refined and stylish, unlike anything you have seen before. By Celestia, you daresay that what she is wearing is better than most of the things you have seen in Canterlot itself!

You don't even realize you aren't thinking about your plans anymore. And to be honest, you really don't care.

Your sole attention is now focused… enraptured, even, by the mare.

Because you might not be able to see her body, but her mane? You can see it, even from here. How that lock of royal purple flows down through the side of her face. Blowing softly with the wind, flitting beautifully up and down every time she takes a step.

You are on the edge of your seat, now. Even if you don't realize it. But who cares? How can you care about anything else right now?

How can you even care about breathing? You can't, that is the answer. You can barely tell your breath has completely escaped from your lungs, but you don't think you would care even if you were to fall unconscious right now.

And as you look at her, your mind… it completely… and also your heart… let alone your breathing that is…!

Something is happening to you. Something is happening, but you don't know what it is. And you don't know what it is because you can't even think straight.

The only thing you can really do, and which you do with every fiber of your being, is accompany the mare with your eyes as she trots between the flowers.

Because her face… her everything. Everything about her is elegant. Everything about her is… is beautiful.

The way her mane, colored like royal purple, flows with the wind as she walks. The way her clothes… her stylish clothes, of which you had never seen the likes before, sway here and there as she makes her way through the garden.

You feel something strange every time the hem of her clothes reveals a hint of her hoofs, and you realize moments later that it is your heart fluttering.

You have never felt this before. Never in your entire life have you felt like this.

But you immediately know the name of this feeling.

Eventually, and way, way too soon, the mare reaches the entrance of the central building. Going through its doors and disappearing from your sight. And just like that, the world feels empty and devoid of grace.

You are on your hoofs less than a heartbeat later. Unthinkable as it might be, you almost run down the stairways, as you head out of the annex building where you are living and into the garden.

With a swift, focused trot that is as fast as you can go without being uncouth, you make a beeline towards the central building. Ignoring the tiled walkways of the gardens and even stepping on a few patches of manicured grass so that your path is the shortest possible.

Your heart is beating in your chest as you approach the doors of the central building, a mixture of nervousness at what you are doing, coupled with dread at the thought she might not be there anymore once you open them. Because you must see her again, even if it's just a hint of her tail!

You don't even break stride as your horn lights up and opens the door, your trot finally breaking into the shortest gallop as you rush into the entrance hall. Eyes turning here and there as you desperately look for her and-

-and there she is!

In the middle of the hall, clearly making her way towards the stairs. But a glimpse of the back of her dress is more than enough for you to remember the beauty of her face.

The words slip out of your mouth before you can even think about them.

"Excuse me! Fair maiden!" you say, already making your way towards her. And for all that your fear and tension is growing with every step you take towards her, so too does your certainty.

The mare hears you. You can see her ears perk up, the movement at the same time innocent and dignified.

She then turns around to face you.

And your mind freezes as you are finally face to face. Your thoughts suddenly covered in an utter fog.

Because somehow, the mare is even more beautiful up close, her flowing purple mane almost covering one of her eyes even as she looks back at you.

Still, for all that you are enraptured, something jolts inside of you. Your heart waking up your brain with the message that you are wasting time.

After all, first impressions matter.

"I apologize," you say, giving her a low, best-mannered bow before taking a few more steps towards her. "I am Lord Velvet Pride, next in line of the Velvet family and current head of this household."

You call back to every last etiquette lesson you ever had. You think about every single advice, comment or class you had about how to be educated. About how to be perfect.

And you channel all that experience into this one, singular moment. Into this one greeting that you absolutely cannot screw up.

And with a delicate, almost hesitant gesture, you slowly move to take the beautiful mare's hoof.

Her slender, gorgeous foreleg is soft to the touch. And your own hoof almost feels clumsy and out of place as you hold on to it, even if only for a moment.

"However, I am also new to this place. Everything here is still novel and strange. But I can say without a doubt that meeting you, my lady, is a surprise that I will cherish. So please, may I ask your name?"

You say that, and then you move to kiss her hoof. Hoping against hope that this highest form of appreciation will convey even a sliver of what you are feeling right now.

Because without a doubt, the moment you looked at this mare your heart was-



"Tha fok es wrong with ye?!"



You lose your balance, almost spinning, as the mare slaps your hoof away with unexpected strength. To think that such a delicate foreleg could hold such power!

"Tha fok es wrong with this E'ra? Tha' a foken nopony, barely a hatchlin', con jos' come up an… an do this? Wo'eva tha fok this is?!"

She takes a step back, and then another, and you desperately try to get your bearing to follow after her.

"W-wait! I apologize if this-"

"An' ae dinnae give a fok! Piss off ye wyrd, rude git! Ae dinnae care who ye are. Ye fokken try tae bite me again, an ae'll fokken bite ye back ye 'ear me?!"

But the mare, the beautiful mare with the piercing eyes and exotic clothes, doesn't listen to you. She doesn't even give you the time of the day.

And for all that her voice is beautiful, it aches your heart to realize that… that you can't even understand her!

Because what can you do… how can you make her understand what you feel, if you can't even know what she is saying?!

And before you can recover, the mare is already storming her way up the stairs. Saying something in that strange, alluring language that you can only guess what she means.

"Es this another cors'? Es this somethin' tha' crazy sumna es doing now? Makin' horse-shaped dogs tha' just up and try tae bite ye? This has to be part of me fokken cors. Snek canny even hav a moment o' peace an' quiet an'…"

She trails off, not stopping to talk for a second even as she reaches the second level of the mansion and her voice fades away.

But you were so entranced by it, by the sight of her steps and the sound of her voice, that you only realize you haven't done anything after she is well and truly gone.

"Wait! A-at least tell me your n…!"

You try to say something, to yell after her, but you know it's for naught.

You just stand there, heartbroken, at the bottom of the stairs. Looking up as… as the love of your life just walked away from you.

However…

However.

To your absolute surprise, you also feel a sudden rush of energy coming to you.

Because this is not over… no, this hasn't even begun!

After all, what else could she be doing in here? Why else would she have walked up into the mansion so easily? As your mind slowly regains its bearings, you immediately connect the dots and realize that she must be a guest here. She certainly was not dressed as a servant, and the second floor of the mansion is reserved for your sister's family and guests.

So you know that… you know that there is still something to be done. No, there is much to be done!

Because who is that mare? Where did she come from? What language is she even speaking?!

And much more importantly, what is her schedule? What is she doing here? She wouldn't be a guest here if she already lived in this town (and besides, you doubt this dingy town could ever produce a mare of such beauty anyways) so… so how long will she be staying?!

You will find that out. You will find out all of those things, and more.

And you will move the sun and moon themselves if that's what it takes to talk to her again. Only this time, you will be better prepared, and with a bouquet of flowers to boot if needed!

"But first… I have to find out her name… Need to find out somepony who knows about her and…"

You mumble to yourself as you turn around and make to leave the central building. Your mind focused as a knife, and unerring as a well-woven spell.

In fact, you are so focused that you completely miss the fact that…

… that the entrance hall was full of maids. Who immediately stopped their work the moment you burst into the hall, and who saw everything that happened almost with a gleam in their eyes.

Because right now, you can't hear your father's voice inside your head. In fact, you don't even remember what is your assignment in this town to begin with.

The only thing you can think of is one of the advices your uncle gave you, as you two rode in that carriage, which at first you thought was a joke.

You thought it was a joke, back then, and you even laughed at it.

But now…? Now you know better.

"And while you are there, why don't you try getting yourself a wife? It worked out for your sister, didn't it?"




​

"I see what you mean now, uncle Steppes," you say to yourself.

And you vow not to fail your mission in Ponyville!

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning plan

[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[X] Go talk to ponies you already know. After all, just because you haven't been in touch, it doesn't mean you aren't interested in how they are doing. (Raise your social bond with a single random pony you already know)

[X] Tell her that she should follow her heart, and speak about whatever comes to mind. You believe in her, so you are sure that whatever she feels inspired to do will be better than anything you suggest.

You are Commissioner Velvet Covers, and right now you are on your way to Canterlot to begin yet another week of work.

Although, very unusually, you are currently inside a flying carriage. A "capital C" carriage, mind you, given how the thing is quite literally meant to transport royalty. And even though you are alone inside of it, it is still hard not to feel self-conscious.

Still, you can only be grateful that Princess Cadance agreed to lend it to you at such short notice. It would have been dreadful if you missed an entire day of work just because you had to take the train!

Furthermore, the carriage definitely had… other uses.

But that is neither here nor there. Because for all that you are worried about your family, you also trust them to be able to handle themselves. And you will not be able to focus on your job if you don't drag your mind out of Ponyville and back into your head.

Besides, your husband is still in Ponyville. Stormy is there, and Soft Sweeps is there, and you have the utmost faith in Ponpon. So, you know everything will be alright.

… or at least, you have faith that everything will be alright.

Letting out a small sigh, you try instead to focus on more positive thoughts.

The flying carriage does not shudder. In fact, it barely moves at all. And the only hint you have that you are even in transit is that, whenever you open the shades on a window, you can see the clouds zipping by, and the endless green of the faraway ground below you.

However, precisely for that reason, you make a point of keeping the shades closed. Because you do not have wings, and you have flown (either in a balloon or on somepony's back) precious few times. So, the view you have when you realize you are several hundred meters away from the ground is not one your stomach can keep for long.

Not without assistance, at least.

Still, given how you don't really feel like napping during this short trip, you decide to focus on more positive thoughts.

You think back to the party you hosted yesterday, and how everypony seemed to be happy and excited. You idly wonder how your brother will react, once his servants tell him about that, but you shoo those thoughts away just as quickly. Instead, you focus on what happened. The guests who visited, the ponies you spoke to, and the several little things that made the day brighter.

You laugh a little bit as you recall how disoriented your husband was, after he was spun before the hide-and-seek competition with the foals. You also recall how pleasantly strange it was, to hear a new kind of music being played, whenever a new group of ponies started their turn on the makeshift stage.

However, you suddenly find yourself focused on a particular conversation you had with a mare, maybe halfway through the party.

She was… what was her name again? It was definitely something like her little sister's and… Ah, Applejack. She came to ask you whether she could have access the kitchen for one thing or another, and you obviously answered yes. However, you couldn't resist asking her how much work it was to host the competition they have on their farm every year, and the conversation practically carried itself from that point onwards.

You thanked her for having your daughter over at her farm so often, she thanked you for the several sleepovers her little sister had at your house, and the two of you soon were discussing (or perhaps, even commiserating on) the intricacies and hard work involved in running a farm.

However, pleasant as it was, you also remember how your conversation was suddenly cut short by a loud explosion, followed by an unexpected downpour of confetti. You were immediately worried, of course, but for some reason nopony else in the entire party was even surprised. Applejack herself only reacted by letting out a sight and fixing her hat, claiming she would "take care of it" before walking away.

You offered to help her with… whatever that was, but she said she was alright. And the mare was surprisingly honest. So, you believed her.

You probably didn't miss out on anything significant, anyways.

But still, as you think back on all of that, you also realize that mare was… a surprisingly practical pony. As you remember the things you talked about, and the way she framed and referred to things, you can tell that she is hardworking and dedicated. Or perhaps the right word might even be industrial.

Although, something you didn't realize back then, and that you are piecing together in hindsight, is that those characteristics probably mean something in particular.

You will have to wait and see. And you sincerely hope to speak to her again. After all, on top of all that, she was also a very nice pony.



"Excuse me? Commissioner Velvet?"



However, your thoughts are cut short by a sudden knock on the carriage's door, which is followed shortly after by said door being open by a pair of Cadance's guards.

Which makes you realize that, somehow, you have already landed. You have landed, you are already in Canterlot, and you didn't feel a thing.

"We have reached our destination, ma'am. Is there anything else we can do for you?" one of them asks.

You blink, trying to hide your surprise. Because either you were unusually focused on your thoughts, or this trip was way shorter than you had expected.

It is probably the latter, you realize. And you just aren't used to this kind of transportation.

And it strikes you a little bit, to think that it is very much within your power to add a "… yet" to that last thought.

"No, thank you very much. I will be on my way. Thank you two for bringing me here. And again, please thank Princess Cadance for her kindness."

The stallions give you a short bow as you exit the carriage.

And with only the slightest hint of vertigo, as it hits you that you have already reached the Capital, you make your way to the Lunar Bureau.

As ever, there is much to be done.



- - -



Day in and day out, the Lunar Bureau slowly begins to take shape.

It is a little strange, you think, to see the process evolve one step at a time. It is a little odd to realize that, just a few days ago, you and Shining Armor were getting used to do something, only for said task to be taken over by a pony you finally hire. Granted, that usually frees the two of you to focus on something else, but it still feels odd.

Although you also think you are the only one who feels this way. The few times you mentioned it with Shining he simply shrugged it off, and you didn't talk about it with anypony else. But you think you understand why you feel like this.

After all, throughout your life, most of your experiences centered around organizing things. Your work in the farmlands was usually focused on making sure the processes were running smoothly, and maybe every now and then make a few small changes so things would be a little better. When you volunteered on the search for Princess Luna, also, most of your efforts centered on organizing an already existing Guard (as well as the volunteer parties) into something resembling order.

But this feeling of being presented with an empty canvas, and slowly filling it by yourself, is certainly novel. In fact, you still feel a twinge of surprise whenever Shining Armor asks you what you think you should do next, or how you think something should be decided. And for all that you ask the stallion's opinion on almost everything, he still makes a point of firmly reminding you the final decision is yours.

He mentions something about you being the "commanding officer", whenever that happens. But even though you are getting used to his Guard jargon, you still think those words mean a lot more to him than they do to you.

Regardless, day in and day out, the Lunar Bureau slowly grow. Empty rooms gain new denizens, deserted corridors echo with the sound of hoofsteps, and every now and then Shining Armor goes to the underlevels to oversee an instruction class on how to use some piece of equipment.

And for all that you want to follow him, and see what the new recruits are being taught regarding the tools they will have at their disposal, the inevitable weight of paperwork still keeps you shackled to your office.

But that is a familiar burden.

Besides, even if it feels strange, you can still tell that you are making good progress.

"Boss, I have good news."

Shining Armor says that as he enters your office, walking in through the open door after a casual knock.

You always make a point of keeping your door open, but you have noticed nine out of ten times it is Shining who comes to speak to you about one thing or another.

"Please don't call me that," you say, repeating the same words as always, without bothering to look up from the scroll you are reading. "And go ahead, I'm listening."

You hear the stallion take a piece of paper out of his saddle, and you are vaguely aware that he is standing in front of your desk. Which is a small detail you have caught on to, these last few weeks. Ponies who came from the Guard usually stand in front of your desk, and wait for you to tell them they can speak. Ponies of other backgrounds, from the academics to the detectives, usually take a seat after you offer them the chance to sit down.

Still, you give that piece of trivia very little attention as it floats through your mind.

"It's about that candidate from a while back. The one who caught our eye. Beyond Reproach, do you remember him?"

You finally put down the scroll you are reading, raising an eyebrow as you give Shining Armor more of your attention.

Because yes, of course you remember him. You also remember how you weren't able to communicate with him ever since his interview. The stallion simply did not answer any of your further letters, and you realized that issuing a summons would only damage your chances, so you didn't.

But did Shining just say he has good news?

"Go on."

"Yes, ma'am," he says, and as you look at his face you realize he is smiling. Perhaps even excited. "So, last week I went to a few towns to follow some of the headhunting leads our recruits have been giving us, right? Well, I also managed to squeeze in a few hours at Vanhoover. The train schedules were lining up well, so I figured it was worth it even if the place is so far away."

You put your hooves together, slowly nodding at the stallion as he talks.

"At first, I just wanted to ask around for Reproach. I didn't even plan on saying I was from the Bureau, I really just wanted to see if I could learn something more of his situation," he continues. "But one thing led to another, and eventually I ended up visiting his home."

"You did what?"

You can't really keep a tone of surprise out of your voice. In fact, you don't even know how you feel about what he is telling you.

Because on the one hoof, you admire the stallion's dedication. After all, Vanhoover is far, and as the days went by without an answer you were beginning to fear you would never hear from the detective again.

But on the other hoof, what he did was clearly a risk. You certainly wouldn't want a pony who you had been purposefully ignoring to just come knocking on your door. However, more than that, what Shining did also feels like… well, not crossing the line, but still some level of harassment?

It feels intrusive, at the very least. Like a salespony that is trying too hard to sell you something. Almost shoving their wares on your face, despite the clear signs that you are just not interested.

Still, you ultimately feel that you need to trust Shining Armor. And even though he is a Guard pony at his core, you still know he has a level head on his shoulders. So, if he is telling you he did it, you also will assume this wasn't a spur of the moment thing.

Or rather, you will assume that when he says that "one thing led to another", he really had a good reason to feel that was the best course of action.

He is your Deputy, after all. You have to trust him to make important decisions on the spot, when it comes down to it.

"I heard a few things from some of the other constables," he says, "and after our last conversation about him… Given the suspicions we had, I had a feeling that some things just didn't make sense. So, I went to the address he had on his file."

Shining Armor continues to explain to you what happened. How he went to the detective's home, in an apartment near the outskirts of Vanhoover, and how he ultimately came face to face with the stallion once again.

"It was a long day. I actually missed the train I had planned to take back. But it was because… well, I managed to have a longer conversation with him."

"So, were we right about his sister?" you ask.

"Partly right, Lady Velvet. Partly right. His sister is not missing."

You purse your lips, already knowing what Shining is about to tell you next.

However, to your honest surprise, he actually tells you the opposite.

"She never went missing at all. She wasn't one of the ponies that disappeared during the attack. On the contrary, she was actually…"

He trails off, looking to his side and towards the open door. There are not many ponies in the Bureau yet, but your office is still right in from of the Secretary, and that place is already relatively well staffed.

With a flick of magic, you close the door shut. And Shining Armor gives you a small nod before continuing.

"She is still alive. Alive and living with him. But that's the thing, she is… not doing well." The stallion stops for half a second, apparently remembering something that he isn't sure he should talk about or not. Still, eventually he continues to talk. "She was living with her fiancée, when the Catastrophe struck. But her partner turned out to be one of the monsters. And Reproach mentioned something about their father teaching them how to take care of themselves and… well, the bottom line is that she survived."

And as he tells you what he learned, you finally understand the detective's circumstances.

Because his sister survived the encounter unharmed. Physically unharmed, at least. But after that dreadful night, and after her brother finally found her, she was practically in shock.

Beyond Reproach took her in after that, of course. He took her in, and from what Shining tells you, the mare barely even leaves her room at all. She still speaks to him, and from what he tells you she even seems to be coherent and aware.

But ultimately the picture he painted was of a mare who was deathly afraid of being near anypony else. Even her own brother. And the two of you surmise that she is quite literally traumatized by the idea that anypony might simply turn out to be a changeling once again.

"And that is why he wouldn't take the job with us. Vanhoover is too far away for a commute, and well… he just has to be there for her sister. Even if she only eats when he is out of the house, and even if they only speak through a closed door. She is still… all that he has…"

Shining says that, and for a short moment you can see how his gaze becomes unfocused.

More than just that, you can also tell that… you can also feel certain thoughts running through his mind. The idea that his words should mean something else to him personally. The impression that the story he is telling is… not only relatable, but also familiar. Coupled with the impression that he, too, should be doing… something about it. Just like the detective is.

But just before he can reach a conclusion, just before those disparate thoughts come together with his mind in a way that makes sense-

-you also feel the tug of the Leash he has in his mind. Stopping from taking that final step.​

And just like that, Shining Armor is looking at you once again. His expression focused and attentive as if nothing just happened.

You feel slightly dirty, as you are once again reminded of what you did.

"But anyhow. That is also why he wouldn't accept our accommodations. Being able to give our recruits a house in Canterlot helped us hire a lot of ponies, but that was actually a negative factor for Detective Reproach."

"Because Canterlot was hit the worst by the Catastrophe," you say, to which Shining nods. "Yes, that makes sense. I don't know if he would even be able to get his sister to move to another place, but she definitely would not want to move here."

"Exactly. I thought of the same thing when I was talking to him."

"And yet you told me you have good news?"

Shining Armor gives you an excited nod, giving you the papers he was holding on his hoofs.

"I very much did. Because I had the idea of telling him about Ponyville."

You read over the papers he just gave you. And you immediately recognize it for what it is. It is the same document you have been producing these last few weeks, the official culmination of all the efforts you make to scout, interview, and then convince the precious few ponies you have agreed are up to the task.

An employment agreement, signed by one Beyond Reproach.

"After all, Cadance says it is a good place to live. You live there. Hay, even statistically, it was one of the places that was least affected by the Catastrophe. And it's right there, a hop away from the Capital. On top of that, I also remembered what you told me a few days back. That conversation you had with the Mayor? If your town is already expecting to have an influx of ponies, that will only make things easier."

You give him an honest, impressed nod. Floating a nearby pen to sign your own name on the agreement, making it official.

"I see… and even though we have a budget to bring ponies to Canterlot…" you think out loud, "well, funds are still funds. In fact, moving ponies to Ponyville might actually be cheaper, if they don't feel like coming to Canterlot… Shining, you are a genius!"

The words come out of your mouth before you even think about them. But what the hay, you really mean it anyways. And for all that maybe only a minority of ponies will prefer this arrangement, it is still always good to have alternatives.

You say that, and Shining Armor puffs his chest with pride as he collects the signed document.

"And this agreement just came in with the mail. So, I figure he took the time to check some things out himself. But this is definitely the copy I left with him, before I left Vanhoover, so I think everything is in order," he finishes, with no small amount of self-satisfaction.

And you give him that. You give him that period of joy. After all, you can't call yourself a good superior if you don't allow your subordinates these kinds of moments.

"Very good indeed Shining. Great job!" you say, opening the door with a flick of your horn. "Now… go do it again."

You say that, and then you wave at him to go away. Picking up a scroll once again and focusing on your previous task.

And the stallion's ears drop as if you had just thrown a bucket of cold water on him.

Good, you think. Because you also have to keep him on his toes!



- - -



"Good heavens… how long has it been?"

You say those words as you ease yourself into the sofa. Holding a cup of tea on your hoofs, and enjoying its warmth, rather than just floating it with your horn.

And you can finally feel yourself… relaxing.

"Twenty-two days, four hours and… well, it doesn't matter," Jade answers, softly blowing at her own tea before taking a gulp. "I missed you two."

You and Rarity, who as usual are sitting next to each other, exchange a short glance. Because even though Jade's expression is bored and monotonous as always, you two understand that she really means it.

"I missed you too, Jade. It's been hard to get used to my new schedule, and it's still strange not to be in Ponyville all the time."

"And even then, darling, you know you can visit me anytime you want, right?"

You and Rarity answer her almost at the same time, but still the mare only answer the two of you with a low mumble. Something about not wanting to be a bother, although you don't catch the precise words.

Still, you think it's better to just move along. You are all here now, and that's what matters.

"But for all that it has been a while, that just means we have a lot of catching up to do!" you say with an upbeat tone. "So, how have you two been? Tell me everything!"

And Rarity is about to begin speaking, when you two are surprised Jade's voice.

"About that. I want to tell you two about something. If you don't mind."

You look at Rarity as she freezes in surprise for maybe half a second, a partially spoken word almost dangling from her mouth as she stops herself from speaking.

But still, the two of you immediately turn to face the earth pony mare.

"By all means, darling. Do tell," Rarity says.

And after a few seconds, Jade Whistle begins to talk about…



[A Memory of Light, cd 80]

[Roll: 78 + 10 (Learning) + 15 (LANTERN bonus) = 103]

[Success]



Jade Whistle, you know, is a mare of few words.

But not because she is shy or softspoken. Quite on the contrary. She isn't hesitant because of some fear or trepidation, like Soft Sweeps was for the longest time when she thought of you as a noble. She isn't timid and recluse like Fluttershy, who you… well, who you maybe forgot to invite over today.

In fact, you know Jade can be outspoken and precise, almost piercingly so, whenever she wants.

So it is curious, or perhaps even worrying, to see that she wants to tell you two something, but that she is somehow at a loss for words.

Because she has been trying, for the past several minutes, to explain something to you and Rarity.

But it is becoming clearer and clearer that she can't even explain it to herself.

"… because two equals one. But three also equals two, and that is important." The mare is talking in circles, repeating herself over and over again as she tries to say… something.

But try as she might, you can tell that she isn't making any sense. Event to herself.

"But here is the thing. Three does not equal one. It can't."

And not for the first time, Rarity looks at you. She looks at you, and there is nothing you can do but shake your head. Your expression as confused as hers for these past few minutes.

However, the worst part is that… well, you can tell that Jade herself is getting frustrated. Her self-consciousness bleeding over in the smallest ways. But still, you know that it is those small things that really matter, when it comes to understanding the mare.

"I… because it… can I please have some paper? I think it might help…"

You make a short trip to your now defunct office, coming back with a few pieces of paper and a pen. Floating them towards Jade without delay.

And the mare tries. She really does.

But still, no matter how many pages she goes over, none of the things she is saying make any sense.

First she tries scribbling numbers. Writing down rows upon rows of ones, twos and threes. But those drafts are quickly thrown away.

Then she tries to draw shapes. Triangles, rectangles, lines. She looks at them for the longest time, and even tries to arrange them in specific positions. But those papers also eventually end crumpled up.

Until finally, much to your growing concern, she lets out a low, sad groan. Her expression finally becoming readable (and undoubtedly sad) as she looks at the small pile of papers that has accumulated on the coffee table.

And she is halfway through shaking her head when Rarity speaks up.

"Jade, darling", Rarity says, her expression still slightly lost. But still, you can tell that she is focused on the latest scribble Jade has in front of her. "I realize I don't know much about this… or that I don't know anything about this at all. But are you trying to draw one of those circles you two taught me about?"

You raise an eyebrow at that. And to be honest, the fact that you have been increasingly worried at Jade's mood means you haven't really been trying to decipher what she had been working on. However, as you look down at the inked paper, you think you can see…

Well, you think you can see something? You two have taught Rarity about the ritual circles, but you know she has very little experience with any of it beyond what is needed for the Attention of the Laws. However, maybe it is precisely because she lacks experience that she can see… something?

"Wait, hold on… I think Rarity is right. I think she is on to something," you say out loud, only partly talking to them, as you eye the paper more carefully.

Because for all that the current variation of Jade's scribbles are still nearly incomprehensible, a collective of ones, twos and threes, connected by haphazard lines and surrounded by odd triangles, you also think you can see something in it. As you stop focusing on the numbers themselves, or perhaps as you try to view it from a distance, you think you can see a spiral, or perhaps a shape of sorts.

In fact, as you think back to her previous attempts, you think you can see a pattern of sorts. You even float up the last few pages that were added to the discarded pile, uncrumpling them with your magic, and you think you can see… maybe a pattern? An evolution? As if the mare was slowly piecing something together through trial and error, but that was still ponderously taking shape?

Yes, it definitely looks like… something. Maybe a formula, or a configuration.

Or, who knows, even a trio of circles.

"I… I don't know… In fact, forget I said anything," she says with a dejected tone, moving a hoof to crumple the latest piece of paper she had been working on. Perhaps for the last time. "This is just nonsense and…"

"No, no, wait. Hold on, Jade," you say, stopping the mare by placing a hoof on her foreleg. "Rarity is right. I don't know what this is, but I cant tell that it is clearly something."

The mare stares at you with a neutral… no, with a clearly dejected expression. Yes, you are pretty sure that is what she is feeling right now. Because nopony crumples half a notebook's worth of pages if they are not frustrated.

And you know Jade well enough to… well, you know her.

"You… you really think so?" she asks.

"Of course I do," you answer immediately. "You are good at noticing things, even if they are subtle. You even saw through Selene the moment you laid eyes on her, remember? So, if you caught on to this, it can't be nothing. Your eyes are too good for that!"

"I agree, darling," Rarity chimes in with an encouraging tone. "And if you are confused by this… whatever it is, then it can only mean you stumbled into something that's especially complex!"

The two of you continue with that small, localized pep talk aimed at Jade. And eventually, the mare straightens up a little bit, her eyes seeming to be more pensative than downtrodden. Even if only marginally.

"Now, why don't you run us through it again? From the beginning," you say, once again sliding her another piece of paper. "But not just the numbers, or the shapes, or anything like that. Why don't we try to figure out… maybe what they mean, to begin with?"

Jade gives you a slow, cautious nod, although she does that without looking at you.

Her eyes are, once again, focused on the paper before her.

"I… I'll try…" she says, dipping pen into ink and cautiously pressing it against the white surface. "So… two… equals one… I began having these dreams after I saw Selene, right? So I think… this is really just a guess, but I think it has to do with her. Or Princess Luna. And assuming it has to do with Princess Luna, then I assume the number two refers to the two sisters, Princesses Luna and Celestia… which means that one could be…"

The three of you go slowly, one step at a time, as Jade cautiously begins to write down her ideas. Most of it is guesswork, and a lot of it simply doesn't make sense. But you and Rarity encourage her to voice her guesses and hunches, and slowly the three of you pen down a map of sorts. An enigmatic pathway that, somehow, seems to form a full circle.

Definitely not enough for any of you to understand what this means. But still enough for a pony to be able to investigate it further, later on.



- - -



"Well, I'm assuming you haven't heard the news, darling," Rarity eventually says, just as the chime of a clock reminds you three of how late it is.

"News? What news?" you ask.

"Oh, right…" Jade mumbles to herself, which only peaks your curiosity further.

"Well, remember how I told you I would fuss around what became of the Cult?" Rarity hesitates, almost as if feeling guilty for what she is about to say. "Well, the place burned down."

"It did what?"

"Knowing what we know, Velvet, I am pretty sure it was arson. A coverup, even. But that is what happened. Just earlier this week the place went up in flames, and everypony had their hoofs full to make sure it wouldn't spread."

She then to tell you that nopony was hurt, thankfully. But also that, more importantly, she tried to dig up as many details as possible. Talking to ponies she knew were members of the cult, searching for clues, and even trying to help with the investigation the police opened.

"And what I found out was that…"



[Investigating the fire, breakpoints 50/85/120]

[Roll: 2 + 12 (Intrigue) + 5 (GRAIL bonus) = 19]

[Failure]



"… that nopony knows about anything. So either nopony in town was involved, or nopony who is still in Ponyville is willing to talk," she says with a dejected expression.

To which you can do nothing but purse your lips.

But the unicorn continues to speak before you have the chance to say anything.

"But of course, I wouldn't let that stop me. After all, even though nopony would talk, there was still the remains of the Club itself," she shudders a little bit as she talks, as if remembering something particularly unpleasant. "It wasn't my finest moment, darling, sifting through the rubbles in the middle of the night. But still, I had to do it while nopony was watching."



[Investigating the remains, breakpoints 50/80]

[Roll: 63 + 9 (Martial) = 72]

[First breakpoint achieved]



"Thankfully, the rubble wasn't too heavy that I couldn't levitate it… even if I had to push here and there. Despite all that dreadful ash… But anyhow. If there is one thing I learned for sure is that the entrance to the underground tunnels were collapsed. I can't tell if they did the full job and collapsed everything down there, but I can confidently say nopony in town has access to the Cult infrastructure anymore."

You nod at her, your eyes absently aimed at your tea as you think of the implications of what she discovered.

Because the Cult, you know, spent considerable time and effort building its base here in Ponyville. In fact, you even remember the quality of the facilities you had, right under the Wildhoof Club, this entire time. That secret, discreet, and most importantly guarded place where you could readily access even the largest summoning circle.

You also recall how the place had a convenient supply of lesser circles, of all the nine smaller configurations that would allow every member of the Cult to summon the Attention of the Laws whenever they needed. Something that you know for a fact was prolifically used by the lower members.

It pains you to think you don't have access to those facilities anymore… even if you have already worked a bit on a substitute.

However, knowing that nopony in Ponyville has access to any of that anymore is precious information on its own. And for all that the cult members can probably produce single-circle configurations at their own homes, you also realize it is very unlikely anypony will be casting anything more complex than that. At least for the near future.

"I see… well, that is good news to have, Rarity. Thank you."

"Be that as it may, darling, I am a bit… disappointed, that I found out so little."

You give her a small, understanding smile. Because sure, you would love to have learned more, but…

"We can't win them all, Rarity. And knowing nopony can summon anything in Ponyville is more than enough good news in my books."

You say that, and after a few more exchanges of words, your two friends get ready to leave.



- - -



At some point, one of your servants presents you with a scroll. Not your regular mail, you realize, but still a communication nonetheless.

A message from a local merchant. An offer that they believe will be satisfactory to your particular request.

EDGE Level 3 Artifact - "Meteoric fragment"

Cost: 250 bits (200 bits of appraised cost, 50 bits of handling fees)

"A piece of metal, whetted by the heavens themselves. Too small to be shaped into a blade, but you have other ideas."

Special properties: UNKNOWN (must be studied)​

You thank the runner who brought you the scroll, and you tuck it away to think about it later.





You are now Friends with Applejack, following the time you spent together at your party in Ponyville. Additionally, you have sensed she has a potential for the Lore of Forge, but you cannot yet guess at what other affinity she has, if any.

Jade Whistle successfully investigated a Memory of Light. She has concluded, and you agree, that she has stumbled upon the bare bones of a ritual.

With the information you acquired, you may now research "Unknown Ritual (Memory of Light) – Step One". Any character may invest actions into its progress, and it is influenced by Learning and Lantern.

The current progress for "Unknown Ritual (Memory of Light) – Step One" is 0/100. Although you cannot be sure of how many steps the entirety of the research will require.

Finally, your servants have contacted the local merchants at your behest. An artifact is available for purchase. The option to purchase it will be presented on the planning of the next turn, but if you purchase it you will be allowed to immediately study it (as if you had purchased it in this very update).

Spoiler: Rarity Breakpoints

"Investigating the fire"

50 – Learning about the events before the arrival of Princess Cadance.

80 – Learning about the events up to the night of the fire.

120 – "Caught --- on the train station, right before they skipped town."



"Investigating the remains"

50 – The lower levels collapsed. Ponyville no longer has any known esoteric infrastructure… save your own.

80 - ???

More to follow.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning plan

[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores

You are Velvet Covers, and right now you are carrying a burden. A weight of sorts.

And this load, you think, is one that is particularly hard to carry. Because it is not one that you have upon your back. It is not one that you can rest from by sleeping, or sharing it with somepony else, nor is it one that you can set aside.

Because this thing that has been pushing you down is… knowledge, so to speak. It is the awareness that something is happening. It is the heavy conscience of knowing that somepony you care for is hurting, and that there is nothing you can do about it.

Or, at least, there is nothing you can do to help them.

Of course, you are thinking about your friend Twilight Sparkle.

Because you worry about her. You really do. However, there are two things that you realize stop you from actually being able to help her.

The first thing is that, to be blunt, some of her problems simply cannot be fixed. Because the mare is grieving. She lost her parents, and her dear little dragon, and perhaps even the trust she had in her beloved teacher. She is grieving, and neither you nor anypony else can take back the cause of her grief.

Because neither you, nor anypony else, can bring the dead back to life. Not anymore, at least. For a very, very long time now.

And the second thing is… well, your own guilt.

After all, you know what you did. You played a part in all of this, large and small. You might not know some details, and you might not know what consequences exactly were caused by some of your actions. Still, you are keenly aware that, if it wasn't for you, Twilight Sparkle would be… at least less sad right now.

Maybe her little dragon would still be alive. Maybe her parents would.

Or maybe… she would at least have the company of her brother.

You don't know. You are not sure. You try not to think about it too much. And even if that is a cruel mercy towards you, the fact that Shining Armor doesn't remember her at all also helps you to forget.

But still, you worry about her.

And even though you remember what she said to you. Even though you know that she remembers what happened… you still can't stop yourself from wanting to check in on her.

The two of you have barely met ever since you rescued her. In fact, you think the only time you saw her was when you met at Ponyville's clinic, after her brother got hurt. And even then you two didn't speak at all. So, you don't know what is going on in her mind. You don't know what she knows, or what she believes in, or what conclusions she has reached during the time she spent ever since then.

All you know is that, well… you owe it to her. Guilty as you may feel, you at least owe it to her to check in on her.

You still care about her.

With that in mind, you make the long trek towards Ponyville. Walking down the familiar streets, even if you see a few unfamiliar faces, before finally reaching the Golden Oak Library.

The door, you can tell, is locked.

The young mare, you can sense, is right there.

And your heart aches slightly as you remember the last time you were here.

You don't welcome this ache, but you can't push it away either.

So, you force your hoof to knock at the door, and you patiently wait as you sense the mare's reaction inside.

And as the seconds stretch by, the young unicorn slowly makes her way towards the door.

She does so silently. You wouldn't have any idea that she is there if you couldn't feel it through other means.

But still, you can tell that she is… right there. Right behind this door. Staring at the locked door as if she could see through it.

Although you also realize that… well, she has no idea that you are the one waiting outside. Which in turn means that this is how she would have acted… that this is how she has been acting, towards any pony who tries to visit her.

The ache in your heart grows sharper.

"Twilight?" you say out loud. Yelling a bit louder than you have to. Pretending you don't know she is right there, and that you think the library-house might as well be empty.

Giving her the option to simply not answer, if that is what she really wants to do.

"Twilight Sparkle it's me, Velvet Covers. Are you in there…?" you say, feeling your voice tremble slightly.

Even this much is already being harder than you thought it would be.

However, much to your surprise, the mare slowly… begins to move. But she doesn't move away from the door. On the contrary. You hear the noise of metal being shifted, the slick sound of a deadbolt sliding, followed by a lock being turned.

You honestly didn't expect her to answer you. You were hoping she would at best talk to you through a closed door, if at all.

Still, you don't know how to feel as you and the young unicorn finally come face to face.

You don't know how to feel, and you also don't know what to say.

Because the words get stuck in your mouth, as soon as you look at her.

And that is because the mare is… Twilight Sparkle is…

You… you don't know?

You expected worse. You thought, even dreaded, that she would be… maybe too thin. You thought that she would be ill, or exhausted, or at the very least unwell. All this time, you have been worrying that she might not be eating, or sleeping, or even taking care of herself. You thought she would be a wreck of a mare, a dreadful sight you had already seen more than once much to your regret.

But she is not any of that?

She is not any of that… but at the same time, she seems to be even less than that.

Her eyes are not hollow. Neither are they red, or puffy, or showing any signs that she has been crying or losing sleep. And yet they are still slightly unfocused. As if she is not looking at you, but instead through you.

And you don't sense any presence of the Lores either. She is not dream-glazed, or Woods-lost, or even soul-dry. She doesn't look like Jade, who ran into her dreams to escape her misery, nor does she look like a mare who gave up on reality and started to live in her books.

She just seems to be… empty.

Still thinking, still acting, perhaps still living one day at a time. Only just… empty.

Still sharp, still smart, still dreadfully intelligent. Only just… not using any of those tools, that she has been blessed with.

And you are so taken aback, that the mare begins to speak before you ever have a chance to.

"My parents… my parents are gone," she says, her voice dry and low, but still clear.

In fact, you don't know if you are imagining it or not, but you swear she almost sounds accusing.

"My parents, gone. My… Spike, is gone… my brother doesn't… believe in me…"

She says that, and maybe for the very first time you sense some level of emotion in her voice.

And that emotion, that mixture of grief and loss and sharpness is enough to…



[Grieving, neglected, angry. Breakpoints, 50/70/100/120/150]

[Roll: 24 + 14 (Diplomacy, Grail doubled) + 30 (GRAIL bonus, doubled) + 20 ("An Urgency of Appetite") = 88]

[Second threshold reached]



… it is enough to make you flinch. No, it is almost enough to make you flinch.

You almost flinch. You almost take a step back, or curl up, or even furrow your brow slightly. This guilt that you are feeling, as you remember the things she is telling you… as you remember your involvement in the things she is speaking of, almost seeps into your face and bleeds into your expression.

And for a moment, for the tiniest and most crucial moment, you almost make a disastrous mistake.

You almost, almost show on your face what you are really feeling. What you are really thinking. What you really know.

And you realize that, had you made that mistake, it would have been a disaster.

Because Twilight Sparkle is not an ignorant mare. She might lack certain skills, and even certain experiences, but her intelligence is still second to none.

And even though you have no evidence of it… even though this is only a hunch, an inkling, a small part of your mind tells you that if you had flinched at that moment, if you had showed even the smallest sign of guilt or shame…

You realize the mare would have made connections. That her dazed, numb, unmotivated mind would have sparked back into life. That a particular train of thought would have ignited, and an idea would have spread like wildfire inside her brain. That she would have finally understood, here and now, everything that happened. Even if she had no evidence to back it up. Even if it was just a hunch backed only by her peerless intellect.

But still, you did not flinch. Even if only barely.

And so, the mare finishes her part.

"And ever since I moved here… ever since I met you, my life only got worse… it got worse… and worse… and worse… and now I have nothing left."

Her tone feels like she is talking to herself, but you can tell that is not the case. You know that is not the case. She is definitely talking to you because there is nopony else here.

She simply cannot be talking to herself, because there is no "her" anymore.

Or at least, that is the only thing you can think of, as you look at her unfocused eyes. As you look at her unkept mane, flowing around the rough edges of her broken horn. As you look at her and feel that… you might as well still be looking at a closed door.

Because you simply don't feel like you have met Twilight Sparkle yet.

"So please… please," she says, and your heart sinks as she slowly begins to close the door. "Just never come speak to me again."

She closes the door. And you think you hear the smallest telltale of a magic being cast, towards the door, followed by a dry gasp of pain. After that, you can hear the sound of metal sliding back into place, and you are suddenly staring at a door that is once again locked.

And you… feel... you don't know how you feel, actually.

Regretful?

Hollow?

Cold?

You do not know. But the world feels slightly emptier, as you stare up at the oak-shaped library.

Because you realize there is nopony left inside this place. Nopony that you know, at least. No more studiously excited mare, no more helpful growing dragon.

No more happiness, no more laughter, or learning, or curiosity.

Only the empty husk of a tree, housing an empty husk of a life. Because a pony, you have already learned, needs not be dead to be gone.

Your walk back to your estate is a very long one indeed.





Velvet Covers has respectfully, even if with a heavy heart, reconsidered her relationship with Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight Sparkle is now an "Acquaintance", and Velvet Covers does not believe she will ever be any more than that.

Spoiler: Twilight Sparkle breakpoints

<50: Disastrously bad.

50: You "only" made things worse.

70: She came, and then she spoke, and that was it.

100: An impossible suggestion.

120: ???

150: ???

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

You are Selene.

And right now, just like everypony else, you are about to call it a day and go to bed.

You feel particularly tired, in all honesty. After all, once tomorrow arrives, everything will start all over again. Once you wake up tomorrow morning, you will have to go to school once more. And even though school isn't particularly hard, that doesn't mean time passes any faster when you are in class.

Still, you know things aren't exactly easier for anypony either. Or rather, you realize that everypony else also has it tough, in their own specific ways. After all, everypony has a job to do. And you know that everyday, whenever you walk to school, there is a whole crowd of workers going in the opposite way to work at the farms. And it's not just them, of course. The farmworkers have to come to the estate, the shop-owners have to open their places, and everypony else in Ponyville has to go do something, one way or the other.

Hay, even Miss Cheerilee has to get busy. After all, she needs to arrive at the classroom before anypony else. And you don't figure nobles are safe either, given how Mrs. Velvet will probably be leaving in a few hours to catch the midnight train, and her brother also moved in to Ponyville just to work.

So, tired or not, you know this is just how things are. You have to go to bed, you have to get up tomorrow, and you have to go to school yet again. And even when the day comes that you don't have to go to school anymore, you know there will be something else waiting for you.

In the end, you can only hope that whatever you have to do in the future is more exciting than learning fractions.

Knock, knock, knock.​

Your sleepy thoughts are interrupted just as you are about to climb up to your bed. And you turn around just in time to see Soft Sweeps opening the door a bit, glancing in to look at you.

"You need anything else, Selene?" she asks, looking around your room to check if you need any help with something.

"No, no, I'm fine. Thank you very much," you reply. To which the mare nods before making her leave once again.

"Alrighty then. Good night."

She closes the door right after saying that, the movement so silent you can barely hear the doorknob being twisted shut.

And so, without any further ado, you jump onto your bed and begin covering yourself with your blankets.

You idly wonder why Soft Sweeps came to check in on you. Not because there is anything wrong or strange with her doing that, but because… well, she doesn't really have to do it? You appreciate her doing it, of course. The same way you appreciate how she still walks you all to and from school, and how she takes care of you and everything else.

However, you also asked Mr. Stormchaser a while ago about Soft Sweeps, and the only solid answer he gave you was that she isn't really your nanny anymore. Not officially, at least. And when you asked him what that meant, he just told you not to worry about it.

Part of you wants to believe Mr. Stormchaser, that whatever happened was settled between the grownups and you don't have to worry about it. But in all honesty, another part of you thinks that he doesn't really know the answer to your question either.

But deep down, you know that none of that really matters. Whether she is still a maid or not, whether she is still doing this out of habit or not, she still cares for you all regardless.

Besides, you can also tell that you are thinking all of this because… well, because you are just that tired. And that you are think-rambling the same way Silky mumbles to herself whenever she is so sleepy that she can't keep her eyes open anymore.

Thankfully, you can already feel those thoughts slowly drifting away as you close your eyes. Your hoofs going over your nightly ritual almost automatically, pulling up your crocheted blankets towards you first, and then dragging the heavier covers towards you before-

-KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK-​

-before you nearly jump out of your skin as somepony knocks at your door once again.

No, not knocks. As somepony punches your door or something. Because that noise was so loud and sudden, you swear the door even shook a little bit. In fact, if it hadn't been three knocks, you would have sworn that Sweeps had just tripped over something and hit your door with her head.

And of course, now you are wide-eyed and awake. Because how in Equestria would you not be? The thumping was so loud, so… almost threatening, even, that it actually scared you for a bit! You even shake your head for a few moments, as you sit upright on your bed, before looking back towards the door.

Still, as the seconds go by, you keep looking at the door only to realize that… nothing is happening?

You can still feel your heartbeat, from the fright you had just now. But even that begins to slowly calm down as you keep waiting for… nothing, apparently.

"Y-you… you can come in," you say out loud, even if your voice is only half-confident.

Because Soft Sweeps would have just come in after knocking. And the other girls wouldn't have knocked at all, so… maybe this is Mr. Stormchaser? He always knocks before coming into your room. But if that's him, why would he want to talk to you this late at night?

Maybe something happened? You think he walks Mrs. Velvet to the train station, so maybe it's something related to that?

Although, as the seconds turn into a full minute, you can't help but wonder if…

"Is anypony there?" you ask the question out loud, the sinking impression that there is nopony behind the door growing stronger and stronger.

But just as you are about to get out of bed, just as you are about to push your covers away and go check who is behind the door-

-KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK-​

-that noise comes from the door once more. Only this time it scares you. And instead of getting up, you find yourself pulling your blanket even tighter around you.

This time, for sure, you can tell that somepony is doing that on purpose. This time you could see the door shuddering, even bending slightly, as somepony hit it at its dead center.

And for some reason, that scares the life out of you.

"T-that's not funny!" you yell towards the door, feeling your heart hammering inside your chest as you do. You don't have the mind right now to wonder why you are scared to begin with, you can't even think about why this is scary at all. The only thing you know is that you are frightened and that you don't like this.

"Scoots, I-I know it's you!" you say, as your thoughts home in on the one pony who could possibly be doing this. "I know it's you and this is not funny!"

Because the only pony you know who could possibly think of this kind of prank is her. In fact, the one pony who could possibly think this is even funny at all is her. You know that. It has to be her. Because every now and then she comes up with a plan that inevitably gets the three of you in trouble, so this has to be her idea of a prank.

But you don't like this. You don't like this and you are scared and there is something about the noise that… a-about the sheer violence of it tha-

-KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK-​

"Itoldyoutostopit!" you shout, feeling yourself begin to shudder even as you completely pull your blankets over you. Your eyes growing hotter even though you are keeping them tightly shut now.

And you just stay there. You stay under your blanket, where it's warm and safe and quiet. You press your shaking hoofs tightly against your ears, until you can't even hear yourself breathing.

You just stay there, curled up into a ball, until the knocking goes away. You hold on tightly to yourself, determined not to move until the sun comes up tomorrow morning.

And as the minutes stretch by, you finally realize that…

…

… that maybe it's finally over?

You open your eyes, even though there is nothing to see under the darkness of your blankets. Feeling a few more tears run down your cheeks as you try to calm down. Your breathing is still fast, just like the thumping inside your chest. However, as you slowly take your hoofs off your ears, you realize that… these are the only noises you can hear.

You stifle a sniff, telling yourself that it's finally over and that maybe you can go to sleep now. You think Scootaloo finally got her laugh and left, after she heard you yelling. And you hope she won't come back anymore.

But still, you are just thankful tha-

-KNOCK-​

You freeze.

Your thoughts freeze. Your whole body freeze.

"N-no… please d-" you try to say-

-KNOCK KNOCK-​

-but the knocking interrupts you.

And that is when you realize that… that is intentional.

Because it can hear you.

And not only does it not care that you are afraid, you think it might actually be relishing it.

"-please d-don't… I-I'm scared o-of it, a-and…" you say in a low, shivering whimper.

Still, for a moment, it is quiet again. For a moment, it is just you. For a brief moment you are just a filly, crying under her blankets, inside her room. The low sound of your ragged breathing almost drowned out by the hammering of your heart.

That is, until-

-KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK-

-KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK-

-KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK-​

The sound of a hoof banging against your door becomes louder, and faster, and stronger, until you swear that it is also coming from the ceiling and the walls and from right underneath the mattress of your bed.

You feel like the wall is shaking. You feel as if the air itself is shaking. You feel like the banging is coming from inside your head, and like they are scraping against your bones and they will crawl into your ears the moment you stop covering them with your hoofs.

You hear screaming. You want to run away. You can't take this anymore, and you think about jumping from your window or hitting your head against the wall until you pass out but you already know it won't work because theyarealreadywaitingforyououtsidethewindowandthiswontendevenifyousplityouheadopenandbleedeverydropofbloodinyourbodyan-



-and suddenly, the screaming stops.



You are shivering. Your whole body is shivering, even though you don't feel cold.

There are tears flowing down from your eyes, and you are only slightly aware of how the fur on your neck and chest are already damp from how much you are crying.

You also feel dizzy. Your breathing is short and fast, almost wheezing, and your throat hurts.

But the pain in your throat is what finally makes you realize that you were the one that was screaming. And also that you have finally stopped screaming yourself, at the same time the thundering knocks stopped.

And that is because… you are up on your hoofs.

You are on your hoofs, you are out of your bed, and you are quite literally on the other side of the room from where you were supposed to be.

Because you are right in front of the door. You are in front of the door, and it is wide open, with one of your hoofs still holding on to the doorknob.

The door is open because you opened it, which is why you are now staring down at the dark and empty corridor that is right outside your room.

It takes you several long seconds… maybe a full minute, even, to understand what just happened. It takes your mind a long time to first get out of its panicked state, so that you can finally think about it. Even if just a little bit.

But you think… you think you understand it now.

You think you get it. That all those things… all those horrifying images that you were seeing, in your head and behind your eyes and in your memory, finally ended… because you opened the door.

And you don't know why you are thinking this. You don't know why this makes sense. But for some reason, your numb, still-shuddering mind comes to a conclusion of sorts.

You conclude that… it will be worse, or it would have been worse, if you hadn't opened the door.

Because if you didn't do anything about it, if you let things go on the way they were going, then eventually the door would have been broken down.

And that would have been far, far worse.

Even if you don't know why.

You stare down the empty hallway, feeling your shaking limbs slowly calm down, and the warmth of your tears slowly become cold. And you think that… you finally get it.

You let go of the door, drying your eyes with a foreleg, and you can tell that your mind is slowly coming back to normal. You can feel that your thoughts are finally coming back to you in a way that makes sense.

After all, you are finally beginning to ask yourself a few questions.

Like… what the hay just happened? And are you going insane? And what… what were those things that you saw… no, that you remembered?

Because you could hear the knocking. Of that you are absolutely sure. You saw the door bending as if it was being punched from the outside, and you would swear to the Princesses themselves that your mattress was being kicked up while you were on your bed.

But… but the things you saw? The stuff that came to your mind almost like a wave of dirty ideas?

Those were something else… those did not come from you. Not exactly at least. Not in the sense that you chose to imagine them, at least. Instead, they came from you in the sense that they came from somewhere inside of you. A part of your mind you had never noticed before, and that you didn't even know was there. Like a hidden chest, buried under the ground, or maybe a secret door.

And… and you…

… and are you going insane?

Is this… you already read about this. Several months ago, you asked Miss Cheerilee about this. You asked Miss Cheerilee, and Mrs. Velvet, and you even asked for a few books about the subject. You asked them why you couldn't remember stuff, and they told you about amnesia. And after that, as you read more and more, you began to learn that some ponies simply don't have minds that work right. That some ponies, like yourself, were simply born a bit wrong in the head.

So it this what's happening to you? Are these things halo-… halluk-… are you seeing stuff that isn't there? Are you going crazy?

And… and are you a danger to anypony else? Are you a danger to your sister?!

Those thoughts race through your mind, your doubts and fears becoming more and more grounded in reality as the previous wave of dread leaves your body.

However, before you can decide what you are going to do next-

-knock knock knock-​

-you hear it. You hear it and you freeze. You hear it, and every last rational worry you just had disappears from your mind almost immediately.

Because you can hear it. Coming from downstairs.

The sound of somepony… of something, knocking at the doors of the entrance hall. Almost as if there is a pony outside, asking to be let in.

You feel your breath getting stuck in your throat. You feel your eyes beginning to tingle once again. You feel the things inside your head wiggle and crawl as they try to wrangle themselves from behind that secret place you just realized you have inside your mind.

But most urgently, you feel your legs running. Galloping through the hallway, jumping down the stairs three steps at a time, and zipping through the large entrance hall.

Because above all else, you know it will be worse if you don't open the door.

You know what will happen, if you let the banging grow louder and fiercer and faster, until it is finally strong enough to break down the doors and drag you back into the dark.



- - -



You are exhausted.

You were already tired to begin with. You are still carrying an entire day on your back, and you would already have fallen asleep the moment you hit your bed if none of this had happened.

But despite all of that, you still had to run yourself ragged.

Because you ran down to the entrance hall and you opened the doors as fast as you could, yes. You even did it during the middle of yet another trio of knockings, even though you once again saw nopony behind the doors as soon as they were open.

However, you did not have even a full minute of relief before you heard it again.

Knock knock knock.

You couldn't even catch your breath before you heard that sound once more. Coming from somewhere in the distance, being carried by the night wind. So low that you had to strain your ears to even hear it.

But still, you heard it nonetheless. You heard it, and you immediately ran into the garden to look for it. Trying to find what door it was coming from. Desperate to find it, and open it, before the banging became even stronger.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

And then, you had to do it all over again.

So, you are exhausted. Your lungs ache, your forelegs hurt, and you barely have enough strength to stand up as it is.

Because at first, finding the door was the hardest part. But after a while, it became easy. Almost trivial.

After a time, opening the door became much, much harder.

You desperately searched the garden for where the knocking was coming from. And the pounding was almost deafening when you finally located it, realizing that it was coming from the backdoor of one of the smaller annex buildings.

However, you actually had to force that door open. It was a bit stuck, you soon realized, with rusty hinges that resisted you as you tried to pull it open.

But still, you eventually managed it. Even as the door began to shake and bend as if a pony with a thousand hoofs was trying to kick it open.

You then heard the next set of knockings almost instantly, coming from a door that was just a bit deeper into the room you had just opened.

And if the previous door was a bit stuck, then that next one was positively jammed. And you were crying and yelling and begging the noises to stop when you finally managed to force it open.

And then… you had to do it again.

Again, and again, and again. Down through the strangely tight corridor, and within the cramped storage, and into the cellar and up to the attic and through twists and paths that you didn't even have time to think made no sense.

Until you finally arrived… here.

Your hindlegs give out, and you sit down on the floor with a thud. You think you have already opened every last door in this annex building, thanks to the several times you realized the knocking was coming from behind you and you were forced to double back. Your forelegs hurt, your hoofs are sore, and you can feel several splinters digging into your coat from the times you desperately tried to just run into one of the heavier doors.

But still, you can't hear any knocking anymore. You think this is finally… over.

Although, there is one last door in front of you.

You are inside a carpentry, you think. A workshop of sorts where things are made out of wood. Or at least that is the only description your exhausted mind can give, after seeing the saws and tools and half-worked planks that surround you in the dark.

However, most importantly, you also see a door.

It is not connected to the wall by any hinges. In fact, you can see that it is only leaning against the wall, close to a window.

The kind of wood that it is made of, also, is somewhat dark. Or at least darker than the floor and the ceiling, and certainly darker than any other door you have opened tonight. You also think there is some kind of symbol painted on it, but you are too tired to care for it, and it is too dark for you to see properly.

In fact, you don't even know why this is the last door. You don't even know why you thought of that, a few seconds ago. You just know it.

You only worry right now is to catch your breath, feeling all your tiredness crashing down on you to the point that you almost think you are going to fall unconscious. To be honest, you can already tell that your vision is getting darker, and you think that you might just fall asleep on the floor right here and now.

However, despite the fact that it somehow doesn't surprise you, you still hear that-

Knock.

Knock.

Knock​

-that somepony is knocking from the other side of the door.

Not something. And definitely not something. Just… somepony. And somehow, you also know they will not knock at the door anymore, for the rest of the night.

You have no idea how or why, but you just know that… that if you decide to leave right now, that will be it. If you decide to ignore this last door, you can just drag yourself back to bed and go to sleep, without any of the loud banging hounding you. And that you will wake up tomorrow as if nothing happened, with only your tiredness and the stinging splinters to remind you that you ever left your room at all.

You know that. You know you have done your part, and that you can leave now… that you are entitled to leave, even. And that nopony can force you to do anything.

However…

You also know that…

… that things will be worse, if you don't open this door.

But not because the knocking will get louder, or because you will feel more and more scared, or because the images will start flashing in your mind again. No.

You know that it will be worse if you don't open this door because… well, if you don't open the door, then you will always stay here. You will always stay here, and you will never get there. And tomorrow will always be just another day where you wake up and go do… whatever it is other ponies think you should be doing. Be it going to school, or going to work, or doing whatever else ponies tell you to.

And for some reason, that thought is scarier than the idea of the banging growing so loud you can't even hear yourself screaming. For some reason, that future seems more constricted than even the tightest room. It tastes like a disappointment that hasn't happened yet, and it feels as sad as the news that a pony has died, even though you never met her.

So, in order to avoid that future, you get up on your hoofs, and you gingerly reach for the doorknob.

And then you open it.

And the moment you do that, your breath is completely taken away from you.



- - -



You know this place.

No, more than just that. You know this place. Even though you have never been here before, you absolutely know it.

You know it like you know the other side of a coin is also round. You recognize it the same way you recognize your face, whenever you look at the mirror.

The rich, carpeted bridges that seem to hang in the air.

The rows upon rows upon rows of doors, emblazoned with cutie marks. The names of their owners rolling off from your tongue even though you never met them.

The endless, pulsating light that seems to come from somewhere below, against the endless backdrop of nothingness above.

The Dreamlands, your home away from home. Your charge, territory and responsibility.

You are finally here.

And you are finally back.

However, a pony stands in front of you. Right outside your door.

You recognize her instantly, even though her name takes the longest time to come back to you.

But still, the warmth of her smile and the pride in her face makes you feel safe. As if she is an island of normalcy, when everything around you is a sea of confusion.

And before you realize it, you have already crossed the door. Stepping hoof onto the ethereal pathway, feeling the weight of your exhaustion drain from you as if it never happened.

Still, for all that you feel suddenly well and rested, your mind is still disoriented. Or rather, it almost feels like your exhaustion and turmoil didn't leave your body, but instead concentrated in your mind. You feel like there is a raging storm inside your head, that is about to make you lose your balance and fall even though you stopped walking. As if everything you breathe in, you also think about so much, or perhaps remember so much, that most of it simply overflows and falls out of your brain.

You are confused. You are beyond confused. So, you hold on to the one normal that you can see right now. You grab onto the one pony that you know, when everything else around her feels as confusing as it feels familiar.

You need help making sense of this. You need her help, to understand all of this. To understand any of this.

So, as your vision blurs and twists and curves like a river of too many memories, you realize you began speaking to her only after the words are already out of your mouth.

"This… this ish a dream, right? A nigchmare?" you say, your words so twisted that they come out slurred. "I-I… I just fell ashleep right after Soft left, a-and this is all in my head… r-right?" you ask the mare in front of you.

You ask Mrs. Velvet.

And to be honest, you are not at all surprised when she answers you by slowly shaking her head.



"No."



All she did was speak a single word. She barely said anything at all, and yet you feel like you were just slapped on the face.

Because…

Because…!

Because you remember!

You remember!

And you remember!

A-and… and you also remember!

And you know… you know where you are! And you know what symbols… what shapes, and doors, and cutie marks you will see, if you look around. And you know where to go, and what to do, and you remember what happened.

But much more than that, you also feel like you are pulling on a thread. You feel like your memories are a long string, and that as you pull more and more of it, you also remember more and more of the past… of your past.

Your… your duties, and your life, and your name.

And above all else, you also recognize where you are standing right now… You realize that the door behind you, it belongs to… it means that… that never before have you been this close to…!



And you realize that if you turn around right now, you will not see the annex building. You will not see the room you were in, just a few moments ago. Instead, you realize that if you turn around and look through that door, you will find a dark and empty place, with a pony sleeping against a balcony in peace. A pony that you were meant to find all along. A pony that you never really met, but whose side you never quite left.



So, you turn around to face the mare. You turn around to look at that last, most desperate retreat of the mind. You turn around, to look at the visage of a sleeping Princess.



You look around, so you can finally see yourse-



"That's enough, dear," but a voice stops you, together with a hoof that delicately holds your chin. You freeze, in surprise, and it takes you a few seconds before you think of looking down at the hoof. Still, you look down at the hoof, your eyes following her forelegs until you stare at your face. And you realize it is Mrs. Velvet who just stopped you.

You had almost forgotten that she was even here.

But now that you are looking into her eyes, you realize that you… that you don't really… remember, what you were about to do? In fact, you can't really remember anything at all. You just stare back at her.

You don't even think that this is… strange. In fact, it is not strange at all.

You just… look at her. You just wait.

"This is more than enough, Selene. You did great. And I am really proud of you."

She says that, even as she continues to hold your gaze. She says that and you believe her.

Although you do feel a bit of… frustration? It doesn't make any sense, but you feel as if a small part of your mind is trying to tell you something. Like a voice inside your head is trying to tell you to stop looking into her eyes, and turn around, and remember who you are supposed to be.

But that voice is so small that you can barely hear it. To be honest, you don't even know if you heard it at all, or if you just imagined it.

It was probably just your imagination.

"Now, there is one last thing we have to do tonight. I just need you to walk backwards. Keep looking at me, dear, but just… go back."

She says that, and you give her a nod. Or rather, you feel yourself giving her a nod. Your field of vision bobs up and down, but your mind is so empty that you barely understand what that means.

And when she lets go of your chin, you just… take a step back. And then another. And then another, and another. Until you once again pass through the door and find yourself back in the annex building. And despite the strange, fantastical, almost endless vista that you can still see through the open door, you are once again in a place that is... mundane. Utterly normal, even.

Even though you knew that the door you just crossed should have taken you somewhere else.

Because if you had looked behind you, if you saw the things you were supposed to see, then the door would have taken you to the correct place. If you had just looked around, and shattered the illusion, then your door would certainly have led you there. It would have taken you to a dark (but not scary) place, where a mare (but not a pony) was sleeping. If you had but turned around and walked straight through the door, it would have taken you where it was meant to take you.

However, since you just… walked backwards… since you did what Mrs. Velvet told you… since you kept the illusion, then you only went back to the place you came from.

And you remained the filly you were at the beginning of the night.

"Good night, Selene," she says, taking a few steps towards you, but only so she can grab the doorknob from the outside. "Good night, and I love you."

She says that, and then she closes the door.

And you wake up with a start.



- - -



You wake up inside your room, on your bed, with your blankets and covers thrown at the floor as if you had just tossed and turned too much in your sleep.

The air feels cold around you, and you body feels strangely light. Because the sensation of your tears against your fur and the exhaustion you were feeling… they were so real that their sudden absence is giving you vertigo.

But you don't care about any of that. You don't care about how your body is feeling, or that your favorite blanket is on the floor, or that for some reason the window next to your bed is open. No.

You only care about your thoughts. Or rather, you only care about your memories. You only care about the things you just saw, and you desperately repeat them inside your head again and again and again.

Because you… because you remember.

Everything you just saw. Everything you just felt, you remember it clearly.

But that's the thing. That is why you are so focused. That is why you are so… concentrated, in trying to picture everything in your mind.

Because just like a cruel joke, you only remember how you felt.

You remember the fact that you remembered. You remember that it all made sense. You remember the shock, and the relief, and even the understanding that you finally had all of the puzzle pieces on your hoofs.

However, you also remember how… with every step you took back, how it was also taken away from you.

As if you had been split in two, the moment you walked backwards into that door. As if Selene had somehow walked backwards into that annex building, while your memories made their way into the place that door is supposed to go.

And just like that, you lost it again. Not because you have amnesia, but because it was taken from you.

...

No...

Not because it was "taken" from you. But because she took it away from you.

You slowly realize it. As you recall everything that just happened, it all starts to make sense. You slowly begin to understand that everything finally made sense, but that she took it away from you before you could look at the entire picture. No, worse than that, she took your memories away from you after you looked at the entire picture.

And you… and that… and she…

And you feel so frustrated. So angry, and indignant, and resentful and… and irate.

To the point that, as you remember the last few things she said before closing that door, you can feel nothing but rage.

"Not yet, Selene. You are not ready yet. Good night."​

How dare she? How dare she keep away from you what is rightfully yours? How can she say that she loves you, when she is keeping you away from… from whatever that was?! After all, even though you might not remember what it was, you haven't forgotten how you felt.

Because you felt like everything finally made sense! You felt like you finally got it. Because every single day of your life you feel as if there is something wrong with you, but for that singular moment you could tell that it all made sense. And she took it from you!

And you hate Mrs. Velvet for that! You hate her, and you don't know if you will ever stop hating her for this.

But you absolutely will not let her get away with it. Oh no. You are going to do something about it. In fact, maybe for the first time in your life you actually know what to do. After all, you already know exactly where your memories are. It is just a matter of reaching them again.

With that in mind, you go back to sleep. Angry and frustrated as you might be, you still try your best to sleep once again. Next to the open window, and under the light of the moon.

You will keep on trying. You will not go into anypony else's dreams but your own, until you find that last door once again. And you will find those memories once again.

Even if it takes every last night of the rest of your life.





For a precious moment, Selene has remembered all that she needed to remember. But those memories were not hers to keep, so they took the correct path back to their rightful owner.

However, it would have been impossible for Selene to have reached them in the first place, if she had not learned the skills to do so

Selene has reached Level 3 of KNOCK.

And she is very, very angry at you.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Vote

Voting was opened on a (new unmarked) temporary threadmark.
[X] Attempt to Summon Mareinette (will use your Grail 4 and Heart 4 reagents, and costs bits)

You are Velvet Covers, and right now you are focusing on something very important.

Or at least you are trying to focus. You are doing your very best to concentrate on what you are doing.

However, try as you might, you can't help but worry about other concerns.

Naturally, it also doesn't help that those concerns are entirely related to your current task.

It is night. It is night, and today is the last day of the working week. By all accounts, you should arrive at your home maybe a few hours from now, during late night or early morning of the weekend. However, you are already home.

Although saying that you are already home is a very careful technicality. After all, your hoofs are already on Velvet property. But you have not really crossed the front gates that surround the mansion itself.

One of the perks of being able to write your own schedule, you suppose. Telling your assistants that you will be leaving a little early, and your family that you will be arriving a little late, does wonders to give you free time for this kind of thing.

And by "this kind of thing" you mean, of course, the large summoning circle that you have in front of you right now.

You have been planning this for maybe two whole weeks, by now.

Unsurprisingly, the large black boar that is currently tied and bound in the middle of the circle was the hardest thing to acquire. Because sure, Canterlot is full of merchants who specialize in procuring exotic wares for bored nobles. And they even have the means to do it quickly and discreetly. However, they are also used to charging prohibitively expensive prices, which simply would not fit your budget.

So, after several anonymous forays into Canterlot's mercantile district late in the night, you were almost ready to give up when you finally caught a glimpse of a solution. And for all that it led you down a rabbit hole, you eventually got in touch with a small market of animal sellers based in western Fillydelphia, who apparently sell their wares to some foreign kingdom beyond the seas.

You tried not to think too much about how they referred to their animals as "livestock", and how you know that species beyond the sea can eat flesh. Although, to be fair, also realize that judging them for it wouldn't be right either, given how you didn't buy the boar to raise it as a pet yourself.

And of course, transporting it was another issue entirely.

For starters because you had to pay them a small extra for them to ship it to your specifications, on a cargo train that was set to arrive on Ponyville late at night. But you also had to be at the station, and unload a large cage carrying a wild animal, without being seen.

Thank the Mansus for the Lore of Moth, you suppose.

Finally, there was the less complicated, but still ungraceful, affair of carrying the thing back to the estate. And for all that you managed to be subtle at the train station, you definitely wouldn't be able to repeat the feat on the streets of a small town. So, you found yourself floating the heavy thing through the outskirts of town, making a small circle around Ponyville behind the tree line, avoiding the lights of civilization.

And yet, despite all that… the boar is still not the cause of your current concerns.

Oh no, quite on the contrary.

Because the moment you checked the boar, and saw that it was indeed spotlessly black, that was it. You had one of the key ingredients for the ritual.

But key ingredient or not, that is still only a piece of it. The thing that you are actually worried about is all the other little factors that surround it. The ones you can control and, more worryingly, the ones you can't.

After all, to date, every single ritual you performed had the presence of a supporting cadre. Trained ponies who were sufficiently versed on the Lores to aid you, rather than just stand around and watch. And those ponies didn't just help on the day of the ritual itself, but also during the several steps that led up to it. Taking part in the drawing of the triple-circle itself, checking and re-checking each other's work to make sure there were no flaws or oversights.

And of course, it definitely helped that the cadre was also working in a secure and discreet place.

But here? Right now? You were forced to draw the large summoning circle by hoof, dragging your horseshoes on the dirt ground and using your magic where more precision was required. It also doesn't help that you are doing this in a barn, on a farm that you no longer control. Which means that if you mess up the following cleanup, there might be ramifications you will not be able to put a gag on.

And then there are the time constraints. Because you don't even have the luxury to stop for a full day and look everything over with fresh eyes tomorrow. Not without taking an absurd number of risks, that is.

Well, you suppose you were ready to take on these burdens, when you decided to abandon the cult. There is no other way around it.

Time to begin.



- - -



The ritual was a bloody mess. And that was by design as much as it was by sheer esoteric conflict.

Because every aspect of the ritual, down to the very drawings of the circle, seemed to contradict itself. The three Lores you had to call upon seeming to fight against each other rather than compound upon themselves. The demands of one Lore imposing difficulties, even limitations upon the rest.

After all, for starters, the boar was not supposed to die during the ritual. Or rather, you were not the one who was supposed to kill it. And yet, in order to invoke the terrible intensity of Knock required, you also had to stab it. To create openings upon its body with a knife, at the same time you bled it enough for its blood to pool and fill the drawings of the innermost Grail-circle.

However, the dreadful weight of Heart you had to invoke also required repetition. And there was precious little you could repeat in the ritual other than to stab the boar again and again. But you also had to keep in mind that you could not stab it more than six times. After all a seventh wound would end up calling too much Knock, and the precarious balance you were meant to keep between the three Lores would inevitably crumble and consume itself. And of course, there was also the matter that stabbing it too many times would also kill it, which was still very much against the specifications of the ritual.

Luckily, you had… help. Lots, and lots of help.

The two vials of liquid you acquired, one from the underground of the Royal Castle, and the other from the Ruined Church itself, played an almost crucial role in your efforts. In a better Era, you probably would have imbibed them yourself, letting their rhythm and their heat suffuse your body and empower your words. But you are not nearly crazy (or desperate) enough to drink the unknown contents of a pair of esoteric vials you know almost nothing about. So, you force-fed them to the boar.

And that definitely turned out to be the correct choice. You could quite literally see its results, even. The insistence of the Heart-concoction kept the boar alive, even after the blood on your hoofs caused you to slip once and dig a knife a lot deeper than you originally intended to. The Grail-liquid, also, definitely made its blood flow more easily, to the point that the red flow from its coat came out fluid and slick rather than heavy and sticky.

Finally, you also remembered what the… what the thing you are trying to summon told you, in its cryptid and dream-like words. And even though you did not feel any change, when you prickled at your leg with a knife and let a single drop of your blood fall on the boar's tongue, you still know that helped.

However, none of those things changed the very mundane detail that… well, that the boar was, to put it lightly, "taking exception to your activities". And very loudly so.

Very, very loudly.

More than once, you swore that somepony was going to hear all of that, even though the barn is so far away from the mansion. But still, you were sure that somepony, maybe one of your brother's servants or perhaps even the unicorn himself, was about to open the barn doors. And that your house of cards was finally going to crash down as somepony walked in on that scene.

But that moment never came.

Which leads you to the scene you are witnessing right now.

The ritual finally comes to a conclusion. You feel it immediately, and you almost jump out of the summoning circle as a result.

Something inside the boar buckles, even twists, and the slithering presence of Knock collapses upon itself. For a fraction of a moment your brain tells you that you are falling, or that you are standing very close to a gaping hole even though there is nothing but solid dirt under your hoofs.

Less than a second after that, almost as if on cue, the presence of Heart is the next one to go. Although you only realize it was there to begin with as you notice its fading absence. The beating of your heart, you finally notice, no longer sounds like a drum. Your eardrums slowly stop to shiver in time with your thoughts, and your legs no longer feel like stepping in place even when you are trying to stand still.

And finally, the presence of Grail… it slowly…

… it very slowly…

… does nothing?

You wait, several steps away from the circle, as the presence of Grail gently… stays. Like an invisible fog of sorts, sweet smelling and only slightly damp, that seems to hang in the very air. Like a gown, or a dress, or perhaps even a set of decorations, that seem to be floating just a hair's breadth away from your fur.

Still, you cautiously wait. Your patience turning into tension as the seconds become minutes. First of all, because as time passes, the confident glee of Heart and the obsessive fascination of Grail slowly begin to lose their grip on you. And you no longer feel like a ritualist summoning the unknown any more than you feel like a mare whose hoofs are still dirty with boar blood. But secondly, because…

Well, what if you got something wrong? What if the ritual fail, but not in a way that would obviously fizzle? Or what if the things you just felt were the ritual fizzling, but you are simply too inexperienced to realize it?

Because who knows? Maybe the drainage of Knock, then Heart, was a cascade caused by too much Grail. Maybe this heavy, almost cloying presence of the red Lore is the aftereffect of a botched summoning.

You think all of that, the cogs of your mind spinning faster and faster as the grip of the Lores fade away, trying to understand what might have gone wrong. Trying to think of what you should do instead.

All of that while keeping your gaze focused on the boar. Because the thing is somehow still alive, even if totally still. Almost as if in bliss. However, alive or not, you keep your eyes on it because you are almost convinced the thing might start moving again any second now.

After all, the image of the Daughter-of-Axes' summoning is still fresh in your mind. And you can definitely see a monster like Mareinette bursting out of the boar, in an even more grizzly show than the snakemare put on when she crawled out of the changeling's mouth.

However…

However…

No matter how long you wait, that moment simply… never… arrives…

…



Until you remember that not every summon appears at the end of the ritual itself.

And that Baldomare, pleasant as she might be, still seemed entirely able to circumvent you and reach your home before you on the day you summoned her.

And that your blood, which the monster very clearly declared an interest in, doesn't exist exclusively inside your body.



The realization hits you like a cannonball to the chest. Your eyes going wide as you remember the gruesome knowledge about the monster that was practically shoved into your head, when you met her in the Church.

And before you even finish your thoughts, you are already running out of the barn. Galloping towards your estate as fast as your legs can carry you. Not caring about, not even thinking about, the gruesome scene you left behind you. Leaving behind bloody marks on the growing produce as you shove your way through them, as you take the shortest, straightest shortcut that passes through one of the farming fields.

Still, you don't care about any of that. Those little details don't even register as a concern. The only thing you have in your mind is the single-purposed necessity of reaching your home before even another minute passes.

Because the monster called Mareinette, you know, has shown an interest in two things: Your blood, and foals.

And it just so happens, you realize all too late, that there is one pony who carries both of those characteristics at the same time, right inside your home.

So why did you ever think the monster would come to you first, the moment she arrived at the Wake?



- - -



You are staring down at the scene of a nightmare.

In fact, you felt this scene before you saw it. You felt it the moment your mansion entered the reach of your Edge-sense, and you felt it as you galloped your way through the front doors, and up the stairways, until you reached this dreadful scene.

It is still night.

You are inside Silky Stream's room.

And your daughter is peacefully sleeping away on her bed.

But much to your horror, there is a monster standing between you and your daughter.

If there was a list of the situations you wish you would never have to live through, this scenario right now would definitely be near the very top of that list. It is the very definition of helplessness, the very picture of powerlessness, to be standing so close to somepony you love, and yet know that there is something dangerous even closer to that pony. A literal monster, who is looking down at your daughter's sleeping face with that dry, empty skull of a face. Thinking thoughts that are as alien and incomprehensible as they are monstrous and so very thirsty.

Although, much to your shock, that monster isn't just staring down at one of your daughters. No. She is staring down at two of them. And you would honestly feel surprised, if you weren't at the same time so razor-focused and filled with horror.

Mareinette, Our Lady of Wires, is right in front of you. Her bulk so large that her head is almost touching the ceiling. Her cloak so lustrous that you can see its rich embroidered patterns through the darkness of your open eyes.

And like a monster from a cautionary tale, she is right inside your daughter's room. Standing to the side, near one of the corners, like a terrible bogeymonster. Near your daughter's closet as if she had just crawled out of it, like a skinless skull dragging itself out of a foal's nightmare.

However, she is also standing utterly still. So quiet that you can't even listen to her breathing, if she even needs to breathe at all. No, she is just… standing there.

She is just standing there, staring at your two daughters.

Silky Stream is on her bed. Thankfully, her back is turned to you, so she won't immediately see anything if she opens her eyes. But from the slow movement of her covers as she breathes, you can tell that she is still sleeping.

And standing right next to her bed, facing Mareinette and trembling as if she was looking up at death itself, is your other daughter.

"Soft Sweeps… I need you to listen to me very carefully…" you saw in a low tone, almost a whisper, to the young mare.

Soft Sweeps is, quite literally, pressing her back against Silky's bed. Her wings are open and outstretched, as if she is trying to block the filly from sight as much as she possibly can, and she even has a raised hoof as if she wants to do… something.

However, despite her posture, her expression is anything but brave.

The young mare, you can tell, is crying. A constant stream of heavy, terrified tears coming from her eyes, while she keeps her eyes fixed at Mareinette as if her gaze is somehow stopping the monster. Her face is frozen in horror, her mouth wide open as if letting out a mute scream. Her breathing shallow, fast and above all else panicked.

And yet, even though her entire body is trembling, she is still standing her ground.

"Softy, I'm here now. I'm here, and I need you to leave, do you hear me?" you say, as you slowly, very carefully step hoof into the room. Circling around the corner where the monster is standing. Giving her as wide a berth as possible, without taking your eyes from her even for a second.

Cautious that she might decide to move at any moment. Feeling your heart hammer inside your chest at the thought that she might finally elect to do… something.

However, despite your words, Soft doesn't answer you. She almost doesn't respond at all. The only thing she does is shake her head, letting out a low, pained gasp as if even making that movement is somehow terrifying. As if she is afraid that, by answering you, she is somehow taunting the monster to pounce at her.

But still, she refuses to move.

She doesn't move, even as you slowly make your way towards her.

She remains still, even after you place yourself between Mareinette and your two daughters.

Although, despite your fears and your dread, the monster remains utterly still. Until you finally look up at her.

Only then, perhaps as a courtesy, or perhaps as an answer, does she finally look down at you. Only then does that bony visage turn away from your younger daughter, and looks down to stare at you.

And you feel a wave of revulsion, both from her unnaturalness and from the smell of rotten blood that comes from her, as she slowly opens her mouth.



"[Grail]…"



And the first thing she does is to… compliment you. She compliments you, for the fruits of your body and the taste of your blood, as she looks down at you.

She says that, in words that both you and Soft Sweeps can understand. In words that anypony can understand.

Even if you wouldn't rightly be able to… repeat what she said, word for word, if you were to try.

But you don't care about that. You don't care about any of that. Not about niceties, or courtesy, or even the fact that you just summoned the creature before you. Your mind is still entirely focused on making one thing happen.

"Leave." Is all you say.

To which Mareinette, towering Mareinette with her rich cloak and her bony limbs and her endless depthless thirst, only answers by… slightly tilting her head.



"[Lantern]."



And once again, you would feel surprised if you weren't so utterly focused.

Because, unexpectedly, she reveals to you that… she meant no offence. Or rather, that she did not mean to act at all. Even if the idea behind the word "act" seems to be the same as "drink" given the way she spoke it.

She simply says that the Wake, this Wake, is still novel to her. And that she got… sidetracked as she moved to heed your summons.

In fact, she almost sounds placating. Diplomatic, even. Or perhaps even subservient.

But you do not care. Not here. Not when your daughters are involved.

"Leave," you say again.



"[Winter]…"



The monster gives a step back, further retreating towards the corner of the room. A sign of peace, an offer of trust. She then begins to say that she will leave, in but a moment, if you will just let her-

"I said leave."

-but you interrupt her, not even letting her finish the idea. Tugging at the chains you know she has bound herself with, as a price for stepping into the Wake. Pulling at the bindings that you know run deep, and far, and perhaps even painfully inside of her.

And that finally gives the monster pause.

The two of you stare at each other for a long moment, her ancient, lifeless and empty eyes gazing down at you with an intensity that is somehow so much larger than her size. Her bony, bulky body standing unnaturally still, as if she is a puppeteer's trick whose performer is still deciding on what to do next.

That is, until…

Clack clack clack clack clack clack clack.

The skull she has for a face begins to slowly clack-clack-clack as it opens and closes its mouth. Like a mockery of a laughter, but perhaps the closest thing the monster has to express honest mirth.

But before you can do anything else, Mareinette inevitably moves, and begins to make her way towards the door.

And right as she is about to leave, towards the hallway and then out of your home, she turns to face you once again.



"[Moth]!"



She tells you she knows how to be a gracious guest, and that she will await you outside.

She tells you she was also a mother, when she was still alive, and that she understands what you are thinking.

And cryptically, almost with a smile on her face, she also says that… she looks forward to teaching you.

Because a daughter, she says, belongs first to her mother.

After that, Mareinette is gone. Like a night wind or a bad dream. And even though you know she is still in your estate, even though you know she is right now looking for a place to settle and take up residence, you also know that…

You also know that she will not step another hoof into the central building. Not without your permission. Not without your invitation.

And the mare-thing seems to be thrilled at the challenge of gaining your invitation.

Still, none of that changes that this is over… for now, at least. At least for tonight, or at least until the sun rises in a few hours.

You turn around, finally realizing how cold and stiff you are, from the Edge-still situation you were in just now. But still, you turn around to face a terrified Soft Sweeps, who finally crumpled towards the floor with a low, sobbing cry.

You take her out of the room, wrapped in a hug, before the growing sound of her sobs can wake up Silky.

"Shh, shh, it's okay Softy. Everything is fine now. You're safe, your sister is safe, shh…" you say, as the young mare hugs you back with so much strength it almost hurts you. Trembling so much that she can barely walk.

And you try your best to calm her down. You really do.

But still, you have much to do. Check on the other fillies, make sure your husband is also fine, make sure nothing else happened inside your house… clean up the barn.

And then, sit down with the monster called Mareinette, and make absolute sure you two understand the terms under which she will be living while she is bound to you.





You have summoned Mareinette, Our Lady of Wires. The Eras-old monster that, much to your disgust, seems to have taken a liking of you. Of you, or of your blood, or perhaps there is no appreciable difference for a thing like her.

Mareinette has taken residence on one of the smaller annex buildings, on the cellar where your estate keeps its stock of wine. And despite everything that is strange about that, nopony can seem to point out a single thing that is wrong with it.

Your family has been strictly instructed not to approach her, and Mareinette herself will neither invite them nor seek them out, as long as she remains bound.

And after a short conversation, rank with the smell of blood and the clacking of a skull, you think you understand what she is capable of a little better. Even if some of the things you learn cause you alarm.

Mareinette's status has been updated.

Spoiler: Summoning Rolls

[Heart Roll]

[Roll: 16 + 13 (Magic) + 30 (HEART, Level 3) + 40 (HEART Reagent, Level 4) + 20 ("Interest") = 119]

[Success]


[Knock Roll]

[Roll: 45 + 13 (Magic) + 40 (KNOCK, Level 4) + 20 ("Interest") = 118]

[Success]


[Grail Roll]

[Roll: 79 + 13 (Magic) + 30 (GRAIL, Level 3) + 40 (GRAIL Reagent, Level 4) + 20 ("Interest") = 182]

[Success]


[All three rolls successful]

[Ritual successful]

You have consumed a Heart 4 Reagent, a Grail 4 Reagent, and 100 bits. They have been deducted from your coffers.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Despite the ups and downs, you feel a lot better now. (Velvet Covers succeeded in her roll to heal 1 wound. Current health 2/2)

Additionally, all transportation costs within the country for personal actions (but not expeditions) have been waived.

- - -

You are Velvet Covers.

And you are…

Entranced.

Every time you scale the Mansus, the path seems to get longer and longer. Every time you look down, the Woods seem to be ever more distance. And that is when you can even see them at all, and when they are not blocked by some upper level or an errant mesa of Mansus-stone.

And yet, you cannot help but climb.

In fact, you don't even need to encourage yourself. You don't even need to tell yourself that each climb is getting longer, more treacherous, because you continue to make progress. No.

You don't even need that lowly, basic, mortal pep-talk.

Because the prize is… the prize is so…

Because every time you climb, your eyes are solely focused on Glory.

It is right there. So close you can almost touch it. Resplendent in its cutting magnificence, nearly blinding in its shining light. It hurts, to look at it. It really does. Especially when you are this close.

But it hurts even more to look away.

You feel like you are hypnotized. You can't even be bothered to think. You don't even care about how sticky the ground of the Ruined Church is, and you can barely feel the wafting aroma of Grail that, under any other circumstance, would probably be overpowering.

No.

As you sit on the central nave of the Ruined Church, looking towards the wide-open entrance door, you can only see… you can only focus on, care about, even think about the Glory that is right before your eyes.

You thought it had been a stroke of luck, at first. Or perhaps a mere coincidence. But you realized how silly that notion was, after a few seconds of thought. Coincidences don't exist, after all.

But still, you can only applaud the powers that be which made this decision.

After all, the Ruined Church fell down. This you can see clearly. It belonged to some higher, holier part of the House, but it fell down when everything was shattered. And its landing was not graceful at all.

However, as you sit on the central nave of the Church, you can't help but notice that… that this place, the most important place of the Ruined Church, is perfectly aligned to Glory. To the point that… whatever presided over the ceremonies here, had an unobstructed view of it, as it preached from the altar.

And this, you realize, was by design. It couldn't have been any other way. You can see it clearly, as you sit here. In fact, you not only understand, but you also agree that it should be so. Because not even the shattering of the Mansus could stand between the owner of this Church and this most resplendent o-



"Ma'am?"



Your thoughts pop like a bubble, as you hear Ponpon's voice. And you realize that…

… that…

… what were you thinking about just now?

You are not… entirely sure.

You blink, looking around and realizing you are in your tea room, which is currently empty, and that Ponpon is looking expectantly at you from the door.

Right, your tea party, your guests. Heavens, you really were out of it for a moment. You straighten yourself and look at your head maid.

"Right, I… did you say anything, Ponpon?"

"There are two ponies at the door, saying you invited them. A pegasus couple? Shall I let them in?" she asks, her tone so neutral that you can't quite be sure if this is the first time she is asking you this, or if she is calmly repeating herself.

"Oh, by all means let them in," you say, to which she answers with a nod. "The stallion should be here for Stormchaser. Ah, and before I forget, don't… call them a couple? Actually, I'm not sure what we should call them at all, but I'd rather we err to the side of caution?"

Ponpon gives you a short bow, her expression telling you that she understands you perfectly, and she leaves the tea room a right after that.

Leaving you alone.

Wondering what… just happened.



Velvet Covers may now explore beyond the Ruined Church.



- - -



Last turn's shopping list
(These are the items that you had the option to purchase last turn. They must be bought with the resources you had available then, but if bought will be immediately available for use or study at this turn.)
Last turn's available bits: 296

EDGE Level 3 Artifact - "Meteoric fragment"
-Cost: 250 bits (200 bits of appraised cost, 50 bits of handling fees)
-"A piece of metal, whetted by the heavens themselves. Too small to be shaped into a blade, but you have other ideas."
-Special properties: UNKNOWN (must be studied)

-[] Buy the "Meteoric Fragment"
-[] Let it be for now

(Books not bought will be lost, other items will be available through the following turns, but have a chance of being sold to somepony else every turn)



- - -



This turn's available bits: 395 (minus items you decided to buy)

Monthly revenue: 160 bits/month (-100 bits from Mareinette's summoning)

Rarity's dividends for this turn: 39

Stormchaser is AWAY this month. (You will NOT automatically "bodyguard" him, as you do the rest of your family.)



- - -



The Lunar Bureau demands your focus, and will probably call upon you to make decisions throughout the turn. You have THREE personal actions this turn and ONE servant action. (Four personal actions, minus one already used to summon Mareinette)


-[] You are under attack!

Spoiler: Incoming!

An unknown party will cast "The End is Beautiful" of terrible intensity against somepony close to you during this month. (You must pick one, does not cost an action.)
--[] Deny it. (Will destroy a Wrong Key)
--[] Divert it. (You do not know how)
--[] Accept it. (The target will attempt to resist it)

-[] Do something about your opponents

Spoiler: Opponents

"They might not be your enemies, but they are definitely not your friends."
(Knowing, or at least suspecting, an opponent's location is vital for a non-ritual action to succeed. Otherwise, the pony sent will spend their action investigating the opponent's whereabouts)

Copper Secateur (possible location suspected)
--[] [COPPER] Send somepony to attack this opponent (WRITE IN who)
--[] [COPPER] Send somepony to locate, or spy on, this opponent (WRITE IN who)
--[] [COPPER] Perform a ritual aimed at this opponent (WRITE IN which)
--[] [COPPER] Attempt to contact this opponent (WRITE IN who to send, and what to discuss if successful)

Windy Flakes (possible location unknown)
--[] [WINDY] Send somepony to attack this opponent (WRITE IN who)
--[] [WINDY] Send somepony to locate, or spy on, this opponent (WRITE IN who)
--[] [WINDY] Perform a ritual aimed at this opponent (WRITE IN which)
--[] [WINDY] Attempt to contact this opponent (WRITE IN who to send, and what to discuss if successful)

Starry Dancer (possible location unknown)
--[] [STARRY] Send somepony to attack this opponent (WRITE IN who)
--[] [STARRY] Send somepony to locate, or spy on, this opponent (WRITE IN who)
--[] [STARRY] Perform a ritual aimed at this opponent (WRITE IN which)
--[] [STARRY] Attempt to contact this opponent (WRITE IN who to send, and what to discuss if successful)

The Master (possible location unknown)
--[] [MASTER] Send somepony to attack this opponent (WRITE IN who)
--[] [MASTER] Send somepony to locate, or spy on, this opponent (WRITE IN who)
--[] [MASTER] Perform a ritual aimed at this opponent (WRITE IN which)
--[] [MASTER] Attempt to contact this opponent (WRITE IN who to send, and what to discuss if successful)

-[] The delights of subservience (Leash currently targeting: SHINING ARMOR)
--[] Change Leash to another target. (Write-in who)
--[] Un-Leash the current target.


Confidants and Summons

Spoiler: Options of Focus

-The characters below have their own lives and objectives, but are willing to perform one (or more, if listed) action on your behalf per turn.
-They can also accompany you for an expedition, as long as it is a "short" expedition. Longer expeditions (or if failure on a short expedition delays it) will overwrite the order you gave them.

Spoiler: Rarity

Rarity (currently an Initiate, GRAIL Level 1, FORGE Level 0):

Current Health: 3

Special considerations: She will always dedicate her time to her career, but performing actions for you inevitably require her focus. She will warn you if she thinks that her career is in danger of taking a hit.
Rarity will be treated as a Minion if (1) your Grail level is superior to her, OR (2) you are currently under the effects of An Incarnadescence. (She will be a Minion if either is true).

-[] [RARITY] Focus on her work. (Guarantees she will "succeed" on her career roll)
-[] [RARITY] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick TWO of Velvet's personal actions for her to aid you in)
-[] [RARITY] Act as your emissary. (Pick an action from Velvet's list.)
-[] [RARITY] The Secret Library has enough knowledge for her to learn on her own. Tell her to focus on her studies, so she may turn into a Disciple. SECRET LIBRARY INSUFFICIENTLY LEVELED
-[] [RARITY] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] [RARITY] Something else (WRITE IN a suggested action)

Spoiler: Jade Whistle

Jade Whistle (currently a Disciple, LANTERN Level 3, HEART Level 1):

Current Health: 3

Special considerations: Jade Whistle might react badly if she fails an action, or if she feels she is not being useful.

-[] [JADE] "You do you." Let her do whatever she wants for once. It might do her some good, both mentally and personally.
-[] [JADE] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick TWO of Velvet's personal actions for her to aid you in)
-[] [JADE] Act as your emissary. (Pick an action from Velvet's list.)
-[] [JADE] The Secret Library has enough knowledge for her to learn on her own. Tell her to focus on her studies, so she may turn into an Seeker. (This will level her up, at the expense of her own focus action instead of an action of your own) SECRET LIBRARY INSUFFICIENTLY LEVELED
-[] [JADE] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] [JADE] Jade mentioned she has a... feeling, about Selene. She'd like to investigate it, if that's alright.
-[] [JADE] Something else (WRITE IN a suggested action)

(The Daughter-of-Axes will expire at the end of turn 17)

Spoiler: Daughter-of-Axes

Daughter-of-Axes (KNOCK Level 6, EDGE Level 3):

Current Health: 2/5 (as a non-permanent summons, she will not heal herself passively)

-[] [AXE] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick TWO of Velvet's personal actions for her to aid you in)
-[] [AXE] Act as your emissary. (Pick an action from Velvet's list.)
-[] [AXE] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] [AXE] Ask for a Lesson of Knock. (Grants you one scrap of Knock Lore)
-[] [AXE] Channel an Influence. (During this turn, instead of the usual two months, she will gift you the highest order of Influence of Knock]
-[] [AXE] Craft Wrong Keys. (She will give you three Wrong Keys, which will expire five turns after their creation, starting this turn. May only be picked ONCE per summoning)
-[] [AXE] Something else (WRITE IN a suggested action)

Spoiler: Fluttershy/Comet Feet

Fluttershy (currently an Enlightened, WINTER Level 0, UNKNOWN nonexistent)

Current Health: 3/3

Special considerations: She is, probably, especially unsuited for social actions. And then there is Comet Feet...

-[] [FLUTTERSHY] Ask for a favor, from you... mutual friend. (WRITE IN a favor, that you will ask her to ask Comet Feet to do)
-[] [FLUTTERSHY] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick TWO of Velvet's personal actions for her to aid you in)
-[] [FLUTTERSHY] Act as your emissary. (Pick an action from Velvet's list.)
-[] [FLUTTERSHY] The Secret Library has enough knowledge for her to learn on her own. Tell her to focus on her studies, so she may turn into an Initiate.
-[] [FLUTTERSHY] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] [FLUTTERSHY] Something else (WRITE IN a suggested action)

(Mareinette's current bindings will expire at the end of Turn 19)

Spoiler: Mareinette

Mareinette, Our Lady of Wires (GRAIL Level 6, HEART Level 6):

Current Health: ??/??

-[] [MAREINETTE] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick TWO of Velvet's personal actions for her to aid you in)
-[] [MAREINETTE] Act as your emissary. (Pick an action from Velvet's list. INCLUDING social actions private to Velvet)
-[] [MAREINETTE] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] [MAREINETTE] Ask for a Lesson of Grail. (Grants you one scrap of Grail Lore)
-[] [MAREINETTE] Ask for a Lesson of Heart. (Grants you one scrap of Heart Lore)
-[] [MAREINETTE] Channel a Grail/Heart Influence. (During this turn, instead of the usual two months, she will gift you the highest order of either Grail or Heart Influence]
-[] [MAREINETTE] Something else (WRITE IN a suggested action)

Spoiler: Selene

Selene (MOTH 3; WINTER 3; EDGE 2; KNOCK 3):

As an alicorn, Selene has TWO actions.

-[X] Go play. (Selene will live a normal and happy life. This option costs one of her actions, it will always be picked, and there is nothing you can do to stop it.)
-[-] "And this feeling of wrongness shall be with her, until the day she wakes." (There is nothing more you can teach her about MOTH)
-[-] "She will always be alone, in the end..." (There is nothing more you can teach her about WINTER)
-[X] She cannot shy away anymore. Not from this. (Teach Selene the final lesson of EDGE)
-[-] "The only thing she remembers, is how much she forgot." (There is nothing more you can teach her about KNOCK)

-[] Before this month starts, you will perform a ritual to draw the attention of [SPECIFY LORE] (This is a free action to summon "The Attention of the Laws")


-[] Before this month starts, you will write uncle Steppes! [WRITE IN]
(Pick an action and ask if he can help. He may not be able to help, depending on the context, but there is no way of knowing beforehand. Do not pick this option if you don't want to ask his help this month.)


No more running, no more hesitation. If you don't do this, somepony else will, and that thought sometimes terrifies you.

Spoiler: The Dreams come, whether you like it or not

You must pick a single action. You will suffer a malus if there are no new locations to explore (but reaching a Door will give you a "grace" period of a few turns)
-[] [KNOCK] The Woods
--[] [KNOCK] Explore the Temple of the Wheel (Mansus Expedition)
--[] [KNOCK] There has to be somewhere in or around the Woods you have not yet seem. Looking for them will help you understand this place better.

--[] The Blank Plains (Blank Plains fully explored)

-[] [KNOCK] The Shattered Stairways
--[] [KNOCK] A labyrinth of stairs. A monument of a gone age. A sprawling ruin. See where the many paths might lead you.

-[] [KNOCK] The Ruined Church
--[] [KNOCK] Explore the depths of the Ruined Church (Mansus Expedition)

-[] [KNOCK] The Only Way Up
--[] [KNOCK] Explore what lies beyond The Ruined Church

-[] These are the skills that allow you to climb the Mansus. (Actions towards your possible Sacraments)

Spoiler: Sacramentum means a Solemn Oath

--[] Towards that cold Winter that awaits us all
---[] Investigating the End (Costs 30 bits. May be done multiple times per turn. Somepony, somewhere, will die.)
---[] Beg for knowledge of the End, so that you may learn of its necessity. (Will also provide you with an Edge Sacrament) [THIS IS A REGRETTABLE ACTION]
---[] Invitation? No Winter Names summoned

--[] Knock, and ye shall open
---[] Study the manners in which the skin of the world might be cut. (Research action, full requirements unknown.)
---[] Offer to go beyond the foggy mirror, to perform an errant for the Daughter-of-Axes Requires Knock 4/4

--[] Attempt, even if foolishly, to untangle the webs of the Secret Histories
---[] Investigate your current skills. To try to understand them, if nothing else. (Current progress 0/3) (THIS IS A DANGEROUS ACTION)
---[] Follow Baldomare, towards a place Beyond the Map's Edge (This is an Expedition action) (this costs TWO actions, and 80 bits) Baldomare not currently summoned, requires Secret Histories 4/4

--[] Take that terrifying leap, into the abyss we call change
---[] Don't the mask, shear your mane, pick the only pony who will notice it. Snip snip snip (WRITE IN a CONFIDANT to be permanently lost) Requires Moth 4/4
---[] Invitation? No Moth Names available

-[] A fleeting opportunity (rumor mills spin, opportunities come and go. These actions might never be available again)

Spoiler: Another moment, and they will be gone

--[] Velvet Pride, your younger brother, has been living in your house for a few weeks now. You should try to… improve, your relationship with him.

--[] Velvet Pride, your upstart younger brother, is slowly getting his balance and growing his roots. You should make his life harder.

--[] Cadance has been acting in an unusually strange manner these last few days. You should take the time to go talk to her.

-[] On the treasures that bits may buy (actions where you search for things to purchase)

Spoiler: Bits and Buyings

(Velvet Covers is immune to transportation costs)
--[] There are books that could be of use. You should start looking for them.
---[] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (HEART, FORGE)
---[] In the great libraries of Canterlot… the ones that are open to public access, that is (LANTERN, GRAIL, SECRET HISTORIES)
---[] In the many small bookshops that dot the side streets of Manehattan (MOTH, EDGE, KNOCK)
(Due to SECRET HISTORIES 3, now you have a better idea of what you are more likely to find in each city)

--[] Although you are personally judicious about such habits, you are still a noble. Searching for "peculiar items" to "add to your collection" is certainly not out of place… right? (Search for an artifact to buy)

--[] You have ingrained yourself with the merchants of Ponyville. Tap into your sources and procure an artifact. (Specify LORE and LEVEL, up to Level 3. It will be added to your available list, but will be more expensive than normal)

--[] You haven't forgotten about it, you just put it on hold until a more convenient time. (Purchases done here will arrive/be completed at the end of this turn.) (Does NOT cost an action)
---[] NO ARTIFACTS AVAILABLE

On furthering your interests

Spoiler: In Ponyville

-[] Jade's house is now adequately clean. Or at least sufficiently presentable for ponies to work on it. You should… (Forge-aligned ponies are better suited at attempting these tasks)
--[] You need a place where you can reliably, and discretely, practice occultism. Use the ground level of her house for it. (Her house can accommodate up to 2-circle rituals.)
--[] You need a place where you can safely, and discreetly, store items. Use the upper level of her house for it.
--[] You might need a place to… "store" your enemies. Alive. Dig a small prison under her house.

On planning an Expedition.

Spoiler: Out into the World

(All options involve a test, and can fail, Secret-Histories aligned ponies are better suited at attempting these tasks)
-[] [EXPEDITION] Equestria is full of undiscovered places. You must learn their secrets…
--[] [EXPEDITION] Search for a place that is recent in its ruin, whose History is decided. Mundane as it might be, it might still bear treasures. (Search for an "easy" expedition)
--[] [EXPEDITION] Search for a place that is old in its History. Where the influence of the Mansus is but an echo, but that can still be heard in the wind. (Search for an intermediary expedition)
--[] [EXPEDITION] Search for a place that should be better left forgotten. According to the powers of this Era, at least. Finding it will be hard, though, and uncovering its secrets even harder. (Search for a very hard expedition)

-[] [EXPEDITION] "Beneath the Royal Castle, pt. 2"
--[] [EXPEDITION] Scout out the place so you can have a better grasp of what lies ahead of you.
--[] [EXPEDITION] You know enough, and there is not much time. Gather your followers and head out. (Costs TWO actions, as specified)

On furthering knowledge. Yours, or somepony else's.

Spoiler: The allures of Power

-[] [TEACH] Write a Manifest. It will not benefit you directly, but it will certainly benefit anypony else with whoever you allow into your library. (WRITE IN Lore)
-[] [TEACH] Teach Rarity, and make her a Disciple.
-[] [TEACH] Teach Jade, and make her a Seeker (Insufficient personal knowledge)
-[] [TEACH] Teach Fluttershy, and make her an Initiate.
-[] [TEACH] Teach your family the Lores. (Requires "all Lores" to be Level 4 or higher, affects your entire family)

(You may study three books, OR two artifacts, OR one book and one artifact. Studying/developing a ritual costs an entire action.)

-[] [LEARN] There is something about this… thing, and you must learn what it is
--[] KNOCK Level 2 artifact
--[] EDGE Level 3 artifact (must be purchased on this turn)

-[] [LEARN] It doesn't have to be just during a leisure weekend evening, you can fit a few minutes of reading even when walking between rooms if you really get into it!
--[] [LEARN] BOOK, HEART Level 1. "A small book that covers a particular kind of elegant dancing".
--[] [LEARN] BOOK, FORGE Level 1. "A small handbook on camping, explaining the basics of how to build a tent and start a small fire".
--[] [LEARN] BOOK FORGE Level 3. "A real guide to beginner's level blacksmithing. The bookstore owner almost seemed excited in having this reach your hoofs via your servants."
--[] [LEARN] BOOK FORGE Level 3. The book is simply titled 'Chemistry', and your servants reluctantly admitted that was the only word they understood in it. Of course you know they were being dramatic, but that also means that the contents of the book must be way, way beyond what they teach at schools."
--[] [LEARN] BOOK, KNOCK Level 2. "A fairly recent, and short, book about dream interpretation. You know it is recent because it was dedicated to Princess Luna's return".
--[] [LEARN] BOOK EDGE Level 1. "The title is self-explanatory: 'Four self-defense spells every unicorn should know'. You doubt they are anything more than different variations of concentrated telekinesis."
--[] [LEARN] BOOK LANTERN Level 6. "An ancient, and enormous, hardcover tome written in an unknown language. You are not even sure what its title is, if it even has one, but the symbol laid on its front was enough for you to understand what it is about. On its cover you can clearly see the icon of a Sun, Divided." (DECIPHERED, will grant +one Lantern Lore if studied, small risk of FASCINATION.)
--[] [LEARN] BOOK UNKNOWN LORE. "An old book, hoof-written and bound with rusty metal pins. Found in the cavernous undergrounds of the Royal Castle. The language written in it is strange, but the alphabet itself is not. This is clearly from this age." (REQUIRES DECIPHERING, unknown if it will grant Lore-knowledge. From Current Era: "-20" malus while deciphering. Current Progress 0/50)

-[] [LEARN] It all fits together, somehow… or so you hope.
--[] [LEARN] "Unknown Ritual – A Memory of Light" Step one (Progress 0/100, uses Learning and LANTERN)

On scaling the Mansus (Pick TWO options for every action spent)

Spoiler: The House without walls

-[] [MANSUS] The Woods
--[] [MANSUS] Wander around the Woods, and hear its many whispers.
--[] [MANSUS] Visit the Dry Well, with its many scents.
--[] [MANSUS] There are other places connected to the Woods, but that are not in the Mansus proper. Look for them. (Search for a new area)

-[] [MANSUS] The Blank Door
--[] [MANSUS] Explore the Blank Plains, the first afterlife of ponykind.
--[] [MANSUS] Visit the Lodge of the Sage Pony. You may not be able to talk to Baldomare, but you surely can listen very well.
--[] [MANSUS] Visit the Garden of Mirrors, where the Mares attend the glassy flowers.
--[] [MANSUS] Explore what lies beyond the Garden of Mirrors, behind that pale veil of fog Requires a Winter Sacrament
--[] [MANSUS] Reach for The Tower, at the impossible edge of the Blank Plains, and meditate on what you are lacking. (Gain one scrap of Secret Histories Lore) This option will not net you any gain.

-[] [MANSUS] The Shattered Stairways
--[] [MANSUS] Wander through the maze of broken stairs. Perhaps you will stumble upon something.
--[] [MANSUS] Reach for the Valley of Keys, where the snakemare of the Mansus toils for her freedom.
--[] [MANSUS] Seek audience with the Wolf-Divided (you will be given a useful gift. Gifts will always be increasingly more precious and useful. There is no risk of receiving any maluses or wounds) [This is a Regrettable Action]
--[] [MANSUS] There are other markings to be followed within this maddening labyrinth of stairs. Follow them. (Search for a new area)

-[] [MANSUS] The Ruined Church
--[] [MANSUS] Explore the depths of the Ruined Church (Mansus Expedition)

-[] [MANSUS] The Only Way Up
--[] [MANSUS] Explore what lies beyond The Ruined Church

On more personal matters

Spoiler: Home and heart

-[] Of course you love your family very much, but you could always spend a bit more time with them.
--[] Just another pleasant day that you will spend with them. Perfect for cooling your head off.
--[] WRITE IN (other ways to spend time with your family, or anything else)

-[] Go into town and try to meet somepony interesting.

-[] Much to your own satisfaction, you now have a personal life outside of your maids, immediate family and business related meetings. You could choose to spend some time with…
--[] Cheerilee, your daughter's schoolteacher
--[] Mayor Mare, the de-facto ruler of Ponyville
--[] Filthy Rich, a well-to-do and wealthy bussinespony
--[] Applejack, daughter of the Apple Clan and older sister to your daughter's friend
--[] WRITE IN (arrange to take your daughter to meet some of your younger acquaintances, or plan something else entirely)

On invoking the Lores (see RITUALS for more information, as well as CD and cost. SPECIFY if you will offer SACRIFICE)

Spoiler: The old ways

Your own reagents, and other possible sacrifices:
-All of your Artifacts
-HEART, Level 1
-3x Wrong Key (KNOCK reagent, level 3)


-[] [FORGE] It's actually a lot simpler than it sounds, now that you know what you are doing (produce a reagent, write in which Lore/combination of Lores.
(You cannot produce a reagent with a Lore level superior to your own.) (Producing a single reagent is a FREE ACTION, producing 3 costs 1 action, 5 costs 2 actions, so on.)
--[] [FORGE] Level 1 reagent (5 bits)
--[] [FORGE Level 2 reagent (20 bits)
--[] [FORGE] Level 3 reagent (45 bits)

-[] It's grim work, but needs must.
--[] Acquire a dead body from the local cemetery.
--[] Acquire a live pony. (You have no place to keep live prisoners)

-[] "The proper things, in the proper manner, in the proper order. God help us all." (Perform a Ritual)
--[] "The Attention of the Laws" (specify Aspect)
--[] "The Rite of Childhood's End"
--[] "The Forge's Redemption"
--[] "The Incision of the Heart"
--[] "The Path Through Nightmares" (specify target)
--[] "The End is Beautiful" (specify target)
--[] "The calling of Influence" (specify Aspect)
--[] "The Reflection of the Tapestry" (specify subject)
--[] Invoke a Risen (SPECIFY dead body used as source. ONE Risen is a FREE ACTION)
--[] Invoke a Mare-in-the-Light
--[] Invoke Baldomare Unavailable until the beginning of Turn 18
--[] Invoke the Daugher-of-Axes Already summoned
--[] Invoke Mareinette, Our Lady of Wires

--[] To be performed at your own home, where you will... hopefully not leave many trail
--[] To be performed in Rarity's boutique (only up to Two-Circle rituals)
--[] To be performed on another location (you do not yet know or own any such location)

-[] Something else? (WRITE IN. Anything, but I will have to consider it, and it might make the voting period a bit longer)





Remember that write-ins for anything may be suggested. I'll do my best to answer if they are reasonable in a timely manner.

There will be at least 48 hours of voting, and TWELVE hours of moratorium.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

There is a monster living in the Velvet estate.



These past few days, that rumor… no, that idea, has been spreading among the servants. Slowly, gently, but at a steady pace nonetheless.

But this is not something that is spreading through word of mouth. Not exactly, at least. It is not being talked about at the wildfire-pace of gossip, no. This is not some sort of scandalous tale that almost begs to be shared, like a rumor about forbidden love or a story of intrigue.

In fact, this is not something that the servants want to talk about at all. There are no maids pausing their work, warily watching out for the Head Maid's presence, so they can come together for a quick chat or three. There are no carriers, or farmhoofs, or any sort of worker delaying their routes so they can walk side by side and talk about this.

Quite on the contrary, even.

This is a rumor that is being spread hesitantly. Almost reluctantly. Through hushed whispers spoken by pursed lips. Through tense, hesitant nods here and there. Through uncomfortable, fearful stares of ponies that don't really want to go their separate ways, after they realize they will be alone if they do so.

In fact, as the days go by, the servants slowly came to realize that… that this is no gossip at all. This is not some unfortunate rumor, that some younger maid started during a night shift. This is not some longer, more elaborate prank, pulled by some of the more mischievous servants or maybe even the Lady's daughters. Oh, no. As the days go by, the servants slowly realize that…

… that it was as if they all started having that impression at the same time. That they all noticed it, even, almost as one. And that the rumor wasn't "spreading" so much as the servants were all slowly confirming that everypony else felt the same way.



There is a monster living in the Velvet estate.



Nopony has really seen it, of course. This idea… this knowledge, is not really something that anypony has confirmed with their own eyes. But still, everypony can feel it, one way or the other. Even if it is in slightly different ways.

And the stories vary, of course, as stories are wont to do.

Some claim they can hear things. Some say they hear things, whenever they are working late at night. Or even during the day, when their tasks take them to the more isolated parts of an annex building. But still, they say they can hear things. A sigh. The dry sound of something clack-clack-clacking open and shut. Or even hoofsteps that are too heavy, too spaced out, and too strange to belong to a normal pony.

Others whisper that they feel like they are being watched. That they feel like they are not alone, even when they know they are. As if somepony... or something is right there with them, even when they are in an empty room and facing the only exit. And on top of that, those stories always claim that the eyes watching them… that the presence, even, always seem to be looking at them from an angle that is more than just uncomfortable. As if whatever is watching them is doing so from a place that is too high, looking down at them from a height that make them feel like foals.

But of course, there is never anypony (or anything) there, whenever they turn around to check.

Still, there are no confirmed sightings of this so-called monster. Nopony has seen it. And nopony dares to claim to have seen it either. Not even as a lie. Not even just for the sake of telling a story. Nopony does that… because they fear that the story might come true, if they tell it.

After all, it is easy for a pony to lie when they know there will be no repercussions. It is commonplace, almost a tradition, to inflate the ghost stories that abound in every noble house. To scare the younger servants, and make sure they don't wander off the servant quarter's during the late hours when they should be resting for their job. After all, it is all too tempting for a new servant to want to lounge around on a noble estate, when they are still new to the household career.

However, again, nopony lied about this. Nopony claims to have seen it. Nopony really wants to see it. And some ponies don't even want to acknowledge the rumors at all.

But still, regardless of how they feel... whether they look over their shoulders in fear or pretend nothing is happening, everypony knows that…



There is a monster living in the Velvet estate.



…

Or at least, that is what they think.

But she knows better.

She knows… that it isn't just one.



- - -



The interior of her room is almost entirely pitch dark. She picked a room that had small windows to begin with, or at least whose windows were comparatively small in relation to the others available. But even then, the already small windows of her room also have their blinders closed shut, and are further barricaded by cloths and bedcovers and even a stray chair that is propped against them.

Of course, she isn't afraid of the light. And if anyone asks, she will say that she isn't afraid of anything. Still, she thinks the light is… slightly inconvenient. She just doesn't like it. So, she avoids it whenever possible.

It's just that the light makes it harder for her to smell. That really is all there is to it.

Her room, or the room she is currently occupying, is a small mess by pony standards. And it is certainly a large mess by the standards of a noble's guest room. Old dishes of sweets, smuggled from the kitchen several nights before, lay in a pile on one of the corners. Almost every available surface, like the counters and bedstands, are cluttered with all kinds of things, such as leaves, rocks, unfinished keys and even travel-worn horseshoes.

The only place that appears to be organized (or rather, not disorganized) is the bed itself. If anyone asks, she will say that it is because she just never bothers to use the sheets whenever she sleeps on it. However, a rag doll of a pony, gifted by one of the hatchlings, sits in a conspicuously comfortable position, on one of the larger pillows on the bed.

Still, despite how dark and cluttered the room is, the place is by no means quiet.

Its sole occupant, a cloaked mare, is grumbling and mumbling to herself. She is mumbling to herself, or perhaps to the rag doll sitting next to her, while she performs a familiar motion.

"Et's all mess'd up, ae tell ye," she says out loud. "Ye think things are foine, but then ye find out et's not foine. Tha' th'world es round, an' th'air shakes, an' they dinnae share dreams aneemor…"

And her low grumbles are drowned out by the rhythmic noise of stone grinding against metal.

Which of course, comes from the large, antler-topped axe she is currently holding. The one she is carefully whetting with a rough looking grindstone.

"Nevah really care'd fer th' Edge… but ae nevr' hav' a fokken choice do ae…?"

Still, despite her own protests, she continues her task of sharpening the great double-bladed axe. Moaning about how tunnels and wounds are better than cuts, and how poison is just objectively superior at getting things done.

That is, until she is interrupted by the sudden sound of a knock on her door.

The grinding of the axe stops, a practiced scowl appearing on her face. She quickly exchanges glances with the rag doll, before looking towards the door. A forked tongue flicking out of her mouth for a moment, tasting the air as she thinks.

Still, she already knows who it is. Or at least she has a very good idea of who it might be.

It's not one of the workers. They already learned not to bother her.

It's definitely not her summoner. Her knocks are a lot more charged, and she would already be knocking again by now, the impatient mare.

Which only leaves…

"Miss Axe? Are you in there? Can I talk to you for a bit if you are…?"

The familiar voice of one of the hatchlings comes through the closed door. The door is not locked, but only because she didn't try to open it. Still, she can't help but raise an eyebrow as the door considers locking itself.

Because that means the hatchling is thinking about opening it. Which is, to put it lightly, very unusual.

The hatchlings are usually very considerate. They never come into her room without being invited. So, the impatience she is feeling is…

"Aye, aye, ae'm here. Gimme one secon'…"

The door's trepidation dies down. The hatchling is apparently placated by her answer, even if only temporarily.

Still, Velvet Axe lets out a low sigh, carefully hiding her axe within her robe as she jumps out of the bed.

She also makes a point of throwing a blanket over the rag doll, hiding it from sight, before she makes her way to the door.

"The fok ye wont?"

The door opens as she reaches three hoofsteps from it, and her little visitor finally comes into her view.

It's the freak-one, she sees almost immediately. Not the nice one or the cripple. It's the one that tastes like stardust, and that looks like a puzzle box that is just two twists away from being unlocked. They all look and sound the same, most of the time, but she can still make out the differences when she really pays attention.

Although this one, the freak-one, always sticks out like a sore scale.

"I…" the hatchling stammers, hesitates, and Velvet Axe cautiously looks down the hallway to see if there are any eavesdroppers nearby. She softens her glare slightly when she confirms there are none.

And that helps the hatchling speak a little better. Maybe. Probably.

"I need your help," she finally says.

To which Axe can't help but narrow her eyes.

"Me 'elp? Why dontcha run to yer ma?" she asks.

And the hatchling doesn't even try to hide her anger as Velvet Axe says those words. The little horse almost bristles, even. Although she doesn't explain why she reacts that way, and Axe makes a point of not prying.

"I don't want her help!" she yells, but almost forces her mouth shut right after. Taking several deep breaths before she tries again. "I need your help. So I want to ask you something… please."

Axe thinks for a few moments, rolling a tongue by one of her fangs inside her closed mouth.

The other hatchlings, she can't help but notice, are absent.

The crippled one usually comes up with their ideas. The nice one usually does the talking. And the little freak almost always just stays on the back, either being dragged along or sometimes trying to keep them out of trouble.

However, again, the other ones are absent.

Which is more than just unusual…

"An' ye need me 'elp with wot…?"

She asks that, and the hatchling answers by looking her in the eyes.

There is defiance there. Defiance, and so many other things. The cold breeze of a closed door, the stretch marks of a growing shape, the empty space once occupied by locked memories.

Rather fittingly (or perhaps counter-intuitively) the hatchling's eyes remind her of an egg. An egg that is just about ready to crack.

But still, not entirely ready.

Not yet, at least.

"I need help with finding a door," she says.

And the way she says it… Velvet Axe immediately understands what she is asking of her. Not only that, she also understands why she is asking for that, as well as the implications that her help would have. Of course, she also realizes that she knows how to help the hatchling.

Still, Velvet Axe answers by immediately clicking her tongue.

"Nae."

She says that, and then she turns around to go back into her room.

"Wait, what?!" the hatchling says, yells really, entirely surprised. "B-but you didn't even think about it! And I really need your help, so why not?"

The little freak follows her into her room, but Axe doesn't mind. Her little fri-… the doll is covered and hidden, and the hatchling probably can't see well in the darkness anyways.

And more importantly, the hatchling won't stay for long.

"Ae won't do et, because there's nothin' in it for me."

Because the matter really is that simple. There is nothing in it for her, so she won't do it. Or rather, there is nothing in it for her that would make it worth her effort, so she won't do it.

After all, the "door" that the hatchling needs help finding is…

Besides this particular hatchling can't really give her anything. She doesn't have anything to give. Making a deal with her is quite literally like making a deal with an eggshell. Two more twists of this puzzle box and, for all that she knows, she will be gone forever.

Which is a very sad thing to think about, so Axe will not think about it.

"What, so, you, I mean… You want to get paid? Is that it? I-I…" the little one's exasperation shows. Velvet Axe can taste her frustration, the faint smell of adrenaline on her coat, together with the trace salt of sweat. "B-but I don't… I don't have anyt-…"

The little freak knows better than to try and push it with Axe, which is good.

However, she definitely doesn't like what happens next. And the sudden taste that reaches her forked tongue, of cold sweat and of a drying throat, feel particularly sour and sad.

She rolls her eyes, her gaze falling on the blanket-covered doll. Why can't these Mansus-damned hatchlings just…?

"There has to be something… I-I… I don't have anything b-but…"

More salt. Too much to be sweat.

"I-I really need help and… because it's not fair that she…"

Humidity, forming up on her nose. The sound of something dry being swallowed. Temperature shifts that she can taste in the air, around her face and her neck and other places besides.

"I-Isn't there anything I can… anything at all?"

Velvet Axe lets out a low, annoyed groan. That shuts up the hatchling, thankfully, but the scents and the tastes are still there. And she knows there is only one way to change that. Which Axe doesn't want to do because...

... well, maybe there is something the hatchling can give her in return? It won't be proportionate. Mansus's walls, it won't even be fair. A token payment at best, in exchange for something she already knows will be time consuming and complicated.

But still, there is something she can ask the little freak...

And, well… eggshell or not, she will still be around for a while more. So, she might as well.

"Aye, aye, ae s'ppose there's somethin' ye can give me…"

As expected, the little freak's eyes go wide open at that, the ugly taste of sadness changing into the telltale of surprise and attention.

"I-I'll do it! Whatever you want. I really need your help!"

She waves a hoof for the small horse to shut up. Her voice is still too charged with the signs of hoarseness and disappointment. It will take days for the smell to go away if she continues to talk.

Besides, doesn't the little freak know she shouldn't agree to stuff before knowing what it is?!

"Ae need ye to make me a promis'. But I need ye to pay attentin', because this is importan'. Can ye do tha'?"

The hatchling nods. Tiny particles of almost-tear spraying all around her, their taste barely perceptible but still there, like a background noise that lingers.

Velvet Axe already regrets this. Still, she has no choice.

Much like this little freak, she doesn't have anyone else to turn to, for this…

And that is because…



- - -

Spoiler: Earlier that day

She walked down the stairs that led to the cellar, the air becoming hot and damp with every step she took. The darkness was broken only by the weak light of scented candles, but she knew that neither of them needed light to see.

Her forked tongue briefly slashed the air, although she immediately regretted it. The smell of old sweat and new blood clinging to her tongue, reaching far deeper than it ever would had she only inhaled it.

Still, that told her everything she needed to know. That the barrels of wine had been sampled, out of curiosity, but not drained. That the place was filled with small piles and hoards, gifts of bits and silks and precious items and other things besides. Given by the servants who did not realize the intriguing visitor they had been worshipping, and the elusive creature that they feared, were one and the same.

And most of all, it told her that the monster was right here. Looking at her from the darkness. Lounging on a makeshift bed of cushions and pillows, who she knew had been eagerly gifted by the parents of their previous owners. Licking… no, scraping at something that a very short time ago belonged to -had been part of- a living creature, with her dry and sharp teeth.

The creature disgusted her, and Velvet Axe made no attempt to hide it. The handle of her namesake tool jutting out of her cloak, hovering near her mouth and ready to be drawn at a moment's notice.

But of course, none of that escaped the creature's hollow eyes.

There is a monster living in the Velvet estate.

And it was right there in front of her eyes.



"[Edge]?"



The creature asked the obvious question, their eyes meeting even in the near-total darkness.

For a moment, the two of them just stared at each other, the cloying atmosphere of the cellar chilling into a bitter air. And as the seconds went by, the tension only grew more and more charged. Heavy, heavier, almost palpable, as two ancient creatures, larger than the cloth around their bodies could ever suggest, glared at each other.

Because the two of them knew what could happen next. The two of them knew that, at the drop of a horseshoe, they could leap at each other. A mass of scales topped by dripping fangs clashing against the thing she knew lurked underneath that royal red-and-black cloak.

In fact, the two of them wanted that to happen. For different reasons, of course. For hate and vengeance on one side, and for nostalgia and amusement on the other. But still, they actually wanted to charge at each other. To reignite the ancient clash they repeated time and again. Of hunter against monster, servant against Criminal.

But the moment never came. Neither of them ever leapt, and no shape or form exploded out of garbs that were too small to contain them.

And so, the mare only spat at the ground in disgust, to clean the foul taste that was in her mouth.

"Ae'm not 'ere to cleave ye. Fokken wish ae was. But ae'm just 'ere to tell ye somthin'," she said.



"[Secret Histories]."



To which the monster, the ancient creature, casually answered by saying that it didn't need to be like that. That a long time had passed, and that old things could, and maybe should, be left behind.

Besides, the monster said, she wouldn't be able to "cleave" it even if she wanted. She already tried before, the monster pointed out, and she failed. They all failed.

So, why not try and be civil with each other?

Velvet Axe spat on the floor again. But that time she did so intentionally, and not because she needed to clean her mouth.

Still, she wouldn't let herself be goaded by the monster. One way or the other.

"Lissen' 'ere ye fokken monster. Ae dinnae give a fok aboot how much time's pas'd. An' ae'm not 'ere tae fok aroun' with ye."

She said that, but as the words came out of her mouth, they clearly began to slow down. The usual fast-paced anger in her voice giving way to a much more serious tone.

Although, subtle or not, her voice was not the only thing that shifted as she continued to speak.

Because her horse-shaped coat slowly began to show more prominent scales, as she talked.

And her horse-like teeth subtly, but surely, started to show the signs of long and sharp fangs in their midst, as her words slithered through them.

And the pinprick of poison silently began to drip down through her mouth, as if it was her voice given shape. A caustic drop making a hole where it touched the wooden floor.


"But if ye touch any one of the hatchlin's, we're gonna have fokken problems ye hear me?"


And the Daughter-of-Axes, Mansus-old and royalty-blooded, did not utter a threat so much as she made a venom-coated promise. The wounding-weight of her words so heavy that, all around her, the wine caskets popped open and started to leak. Corks sliding out of bottles and wooden faucets twisting up despite the protest of gravity.

Still, despite the eardrum-piercing blade in her words, the monster lounging on the soft cushions did not react at all.

No… she did react. Though it took a moment for Velvet Axe to realize it, the monster did react.

It was like a shift in temperature, like a subtle gust of wind. A change that, quite literally, could not be picked up by eyes, or nose, or any other mundane sense.

Because the monster reacted by… smiling. And since its face was a bony skull, and not a hint of skin covered her form, it was impossible to tell that she was smiling.

Although, the more obvious sign of the monster's amusement came right after.



Clack-clack-clack-clack-clack-clack-clack-clack-clack.



The skull clack-clack-clacked in a mockery of laughter, the monster's posture curving slightly forward as if she was almost having trouble breathing.

Velvet Axe saw that for the insult that it was, of course. But much more than that, the monster's reaction disgusted her. The scent of gurgled blood wafting out of the thing's mouth every time it forcibly opened and shuts its bony jaw.

Still, there was nothing else for her to do there. Or rather, she didn't go there to do anything else. So, as much as she would love to dig her axe into the creature's body, she turned around to leave.

But the monster's voice reached her just as she stepped hoof on the stairs.



"[Grail]!"



And as soon as she heard that, something happened that she didn't think would be possible.

Because when she heard the monster's words, the deep-seated disgust she was feeling inside of her more than doubled.

After all, what the monster told her was that… the thing she realized was that…

- - -



"Promise et. I really mean et. Swear to me tha' ye'll not let tha' happen!"

"I swear it!" the hatchling answers, even if she is taken aback by the older mare's sudden intensity. "I won't let Silky go near her."

The little freak says those words, half-stammering them, but that only causes Axe to glare at her harder.

"I won't let my sister anywhere near her, not even if Mrs. Velvet or Mr. Stormchaser tries to take us to her. I promise!"

Velvet Axe holds her gaze for several seconds, trying to see if she really is taking this seriously. Still, she can see nothing in her eyes but mazes of dreams and partially-connected fragments. So, she gives up. Giving a disgruntled nod as if she somehow saw what she was looking for.

"Tha'll have tae do… Aye then, sod off. Ae'll reach out tae ye when ae'm ready tae help ye," she says, to which the hatchling complies.

And once again, she is alone in her room. The minute taste of the little freak's sadness, then of her surprise, still wafting in the air and against her forked tongue.

Still, despite her newfound solitude, the only thing she can really think about it…

"Et's all mess'd up…" she says to herself.

Just like always, the room now feels awfully empty. So, she pulls out the blankets that were resting next to her, fixing the rag doll into a more comfortable position as she talks.

"Et's like a fokken cors'. No choice. No escape. Lik'a chain to th'leg tha' keeps yankin' ye back…"

She says that. But, despite her habit of grumbling, she really means it this time.

Because when she saw the state of the world, she thought… she thought the changes had been for the better. Confusing, maybe. Nonsensical, even. But still, she thought that the bad things of old had been buried away and forgotten, or maybe even cut off from the world entirely.

That is… until she realized what her summoner was doing… or rather, what her summoner is doing.

What she is doing to the ones she loves, or to the ones she claims to love.

Because the freak-hatchling was already… worrying. She did not know, and she didn't bother to ask, how exactly she got into that state. But still, her summoner's intentions were clear, and the end result seems to be as painfully obvious as it is depressing. Two more turns of the key, and the hatchling will be gone. And that is…

Anyhow. Would it be that it was just that.

After all, the second one is also… worrying. The second one, the larger one, that her summoner also treats like a daughter. The one that smells like a wound, but in all the wrong ways. The one that has poison inside of her, but not the right kind of poison. The one that shares something with her summoner, in a way that is at the same time painfully deep and deeply abhorrent.

But of course, those two things are already bad enough individually. But it becomes much, much worse when taken together. After all, it doesn't take a genius to add two and two together to realize what is going on.

One is by chance, two is a warning.

However, the very worse part is… well, what she just discovered. Or rather, what she just realized.

Because her summoner always doted on the three of them. And until now, Velvet Axe sincerely thought that the third one, the nice one, was an exception.

But not anymore, no. Now she knows better.

One is chance, two is a warning… and three is a pattern.

And the things that the monster told her, as she clack-clack-clacked with laughter, opened Velvet Axe's eyes to a terrible realization.

Because she said, with the certainty that only the very old can have, that she would not touch any of the hatchlings… That SHE would not be the one who would touch the hatchlings.​

Which made Velvet Axe realize that… the third one, the nice one, the kind one, wasn't an exception. She wasn't a preferred daughter or a lucky spare. She wasn't beyond her mother's... experimentations. No.

It just so happened that her purpose could not be realized… maybe even invested in, until now.

But now that her summoner called upon that… that monster…

Velvet Axe cannot help but look at that one hatchling, and think that she is being raised as nothing more than a bottle of wine that will be savored when the time is right.

…

There is a monster living in the Velvet estate.

That is what the servants have been saying, in hushed whispers and worried tones.

But Velvet Axe knows better.

Because as she thinks of her summoner on the same breath she thinks about that creature, she realizes that… it isn't just one monster.

It is two.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan Nightmare's Revenge (Forma Social Awareness)
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[X] (Shopping) Purchase Edge 3 artifact
-[X] Deny it. (Will destroy a Wrong Key)
-[X] (Other) Give Stormchaser a Wrong Key to use while he's away, just in case.
-[X] (Servants) Work on the ground level of Jade's old house.
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[X] (Fluttershy) Train
-[X] (Jade) Investigate Selene
-[X] (DoA) Knock Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Grail lesson
-[X] (Selene) Edge
-[X] (AotL) Lantern: Edge Artifact
-[X] (Forge) Moth 3
-[X] (Knock) Explore beyond the Ruined Church
-[X] Study: Edge 3 artifact, Lantern 6 book
-[X] [COPPER] Perform The Path Through Nightmares aimed at this opponent
--[x] Sacrifice Moth 3 reagent
--[X] At Jade's House. (if this is somehow not available use the Rarity's House)
-[X] Fleeting Opportunity: Cadance

You are Lady Velvet Covers.

And right now, you are entertaining your guests.

Well, not guests. Guest. Singular. Because to your surprise, Fluttershy is the first to arrive.

Which means that, despite your best efforts to start a conversation, your tearoom is still rather quiet.

"Fancy seeing you this early, Fluttershy. I didn't expect anypony to arrive for another half-hour, maybe," you say.

Which is mostly true. You never really set a specific time for these little gatherings you host, apart from a vague "come by after lunch" that everypony seems to agree on. Still, Jade Whistle is usually the first to arrive, and the mare usually reaches your estate at around two in the afternoon.

Rarity, of course, makes a point of being "fashionably late" as she puts it.

But neither of those mares, you realize almost in an afterthought, have wings. Yes, it makes sense that Fluttershy's trip to your home is a lot quicker than theirs.

"Oh, am I early? I hope it's not a problem," the mare says, in her usual, slightly-low tone of voice. "Comet seemed to be excited to come, so I didn't want to keep him waiting."

You try not to raise an eyebrow at that, wondering how in Equestria Comet Feet could be excited about anything. Or rather, how the pegasus mare could possibly look at him and discern what is going on inside the stallion's head.

Because even though you haven't seen him today, and only felt him making his way to Stormchaser's hobby room, his presence is still sharp as ever. So you are sure that his expression is still as closed off and disgruntled as always.

Still, you nod at the mare's words.

And then, once again… the tearoom descends into silence.

Although you realize that this is not because of Fluttershy. Well, it is because of her, but you can't really say it is her fault. Not exactly.

The problem, you think, is yourself.

After all, as much as it pains you to admit it, you don't really know what to say. You don't really know what you can say.

There really is no sugarcoating it: you simply don't know Fluttershy well enough to know how to act around her. You almost don't know her at all.

Because here is the thing. Fluttershy… despite what her name might imply, you don't really think she is shy at all. Not in the usual sense, at least. She is not timid, or embarrassed, or overly conscious about how quiet she is. She is not like an immature foal, who doesn't know how to act around other ponies and instead hides away in fear.

You thought she was all of those things, at first. You thought she was a victim of some limitation, or maybe a trauma that she carried on her back.

However, the more you interacted with her, the more you realized that… well, maybe she has some problems, but she isn't exactly being dragged down by them. No.

You have already seen her be intense. You have already seen her angry. And most of all, you have already seen the determination she can muster when she truly wants something.

So, you can tell that she is not shy. Instead, she is reserved. Fluttershy, you realize, is a mare who knows, understands, and accepts what she likes and dislikes. And the few times you have seen her engaged and talkative, it was when the subject involved something that she was truly interested in.

Fluttershy, you can tell, is a mare who knows what she wants. And who simply does not give any of her time to the things she dislikes.

Even if those things are...

"Ponies are… ponies are mean… they are mean, and loud, and they don't respect you, and they… they don't care about you, and…!"

"… and they don't care about you. So I don't care about them! That's not what I do. I care about animals, and they care about me, and that has been more than enough for me my whole life!"​

...even if those things are other ponies, you think. As you remember what she said, on the one time you ever heard her raise her voice.

However, none of that changes the fact that you still don't know her. Or at least you don't know her enough. You might know about her. You might have already seen what she is capable of, and have an educated guess of how she thinks. But still, you just don't feel… what is the word for it? Personal? Familiar? Intimate?

Because you know she loves her animals, for example. But is it because she is fascinated by them like a scholar? Is it pure empathy? Is it something else?

You also know she loves Comet Feet, or at least you think you she does. But is the feeling romantic? Or does she love him like a brother, perhaps due to something in her past? Does she bring him here because she genuinely thinks Comet wants to talk to your husband, or does she think of these visits like taking her dog for a walk?

Would she laugh if you made a joke about it? Would she become flustered? Would she grow angry and leave? Or would she just talk about her... private affairs as if it was something natural?

And most importantly, what does she think about you? You think she is thankful, for when you took her to Comet Feet, but she never thanked you with words. And yet, Rarity told you that the pegasus coming here to visit you was something she didn't think was possible, claiming that Fluttershy was as good as a hermit most of the time.

So…

"Is something on your mind, Velvet?" Fluttershy asks.

And you are legitimately surprised when you hear the mare's voice.

Because on one hoof, her question opens a floodgate of concerns inside your mind. After all, why is she asking this? Did you do something wrong? Are you somehow messing this up? You don't know her at all, so is this a test? Is she trying to manipulate you? A rush of increasingly concerned thoughts run behind your eyes, as the one mare who seems to have sway over the Enforcer asks you a question that could mean a thousand things all at once.

But on the other hoof, as you look into Fluttershy's eyes, you can also tell that…

That her question is sincere. That she genuinely cares. And not because she is uncomfortable with the silence, or because she feels hesitant around you or anything. No.

She is asking you because she thinks you are her friend, and she can tell that there is something on your mind.

And as you look at her disarmingly kind expression, the only thing you can really think of is…

"… actually, there is," you say, letting out a sigh. To which the mare answers by giving you a small nod, telling you to go on. "It's just that a lot has been going on, Fluttershy."

You say that, and the mare's caring expression actually turns into one of concern.

But not the harsh type of concern. Not the judging, creased-brow expression of a pony who thinks you have failed. Not the urgent and tense face a pony would have as they tried to understand what went wrong. None of that.

Instead, her eyes have nothing but the honest concern of a pony who hopes you are doing alright.

"Would you like to talk about it?" she asks, almost hesitantly. And you can hear a small conflict in her voice. However, you can only tell that her conflict comes from the fact that she wants to help you, at the same time she doesn't want to intrude if she is not welcome to.

And there is something that is just so sincere about her question, that before you realize it-

"Actually, I would."

-you have already answered.

Fluttershy gives you a small nod, and you just begin to talk. She doesn't have an ear for Ponyville's gossip, so you begin to tell her about everything that has been happening. Almost venting to her. The last time you saw Fluttershy was, quite literally, almost a full month ago, and you don't talk to her nearly as much as you do Jade and Rarity. So, you fill her in on the details she probably missed, you tell her about your first month at the Bureau, and your concerns, and all the little things you wish had gone differently.

And she patiently listens. She doesn't try to cheer you up, like Rarity would. She doesn't give you a worryingly logical (and maybe sad) insight like Jade would. Instead, she just listens.

And by the time Jade arrives, you honestly feel a little better.

You feel a little better, about the things you told Fluttershy, but also about the things you thought of Fluttershy before you started talking.

Because sure, you might not know much about her… you might not understand her very well. But ponies aren't like machines, or books, that need to be understood for you to be able to like them. And more importantly, you at least know about the parts of her that really matter. Those deeper, more personal parts that she purposefully hides from almost everypony else. After all, she invited you into her house already, and she let you see that other side of her, and you know that matters.

And the rest… the rest you can learn about her in time. As you would with any other friend.

You have a small smile on your face, when Jade finally arrives and sits next to Fluttershy on the place you have been calling the Quiet Couch. And you have all but forgotten about your concerns when Rarity strides into the tearoom shortly after.



"Alright everypony, thank you all for coming," you say, as Rarity greets everypony and sits down next to you. "Our first order of business today is… well, you all know by now that my younger brother has moved into the estate, right? Well, Ponpon told me, after the very first week he arrived here nonetheless... that he seems to have the hots for Velvet Axe."



Your first declaration is met with a pleasantly diverse array of reactions.

And with that, you begin yet another afternoon with your friends.



- - -



It was a pleasant day, all things considered.

You gossiped and chatted with your friends, and caught up with how everypony is doing. You all shared your concerns and troubles, giving each other advice where it was warranted and commiserating when nothing else could be done. And all in all you had a good time.

Rarity spoke at length about how the coming change of seasons will affect her work, and how she has her hoofs full planning her next set of designs. Her work focusing on a mixture of making something that might uplift a pony's mood, given everything that has happened, while also remaining discreet and respectful.

Jade talked a little about how she has been reading and researching, and also about how she has been seeing several new faces in town. She also talked about how the Wildhoof Club burning down shocked everypony, particularly one of her musician roommates who used to work there at night.

And Fluttershy talked about… well, she didn't talk about it as much as she had the information coaxed out of her by a much-braver-than-you Rarity. Still, she said a few things about how her routine has changed now that she is living with somepony.

Although, even the few words she said was enough to confirm several of the suspicions you and Rarity had been whispering to each other these last few weeks. (*Cough-cough*) not that either of you let it show on your faces, of course. Oh no, you and Rarity are refined ladies after all.

And of course, you all talked about the Mansus. Or rather, you talked about the Mansus. Giving Rarity a few frustratingly vague tips on how to traverse the Woods, which she still has not succeeded in crossing. Discussing some points of Jade's research that she wanted to talk about. And even answering some of Fluttershy's questions about Edge, or at least clarifying some of the things that she realized Comet was doing and that she noticed, even if the stallion didn't realize it.

In fact, you even gave Fluttershy some of your manuscripts, after she showed interest in learning a little more. She hasn't had the Dream yet, but you don't see a problem in giving her an encouraging push in that direction.

At least Comet hasn't given you any signs that he doesn't approve of it… right?

The memory of a noose being "delivered" to your house flashes through your mind, but you quickly push it away.

Still, pleasant day aside, you have work to do. And rather unusually, you also have a free evening ahead of you to get it done.

Stormchaser is drunk, following Comet's visit. Your younger daughters are away at a friend's house, and your older daughter is doing… something. You are not sure what, but you are sure it is fine.

Which means that you have both the time and the means to finish a task that you have been putting off for far too long.



[No roll required to read a deciphered book]

[Rolling to resist FASCINATION…]

[Success]



You keep the old and large tome inside a locked cabinet. And even though you know the simple lock would not be able to deter a thief, it at least keeps the unusually thick book away from prying eyes. After all, the tome would stick out like a sore hoof if you were to display it next to its more modern exemplars.

And now that you have it in your hoofs, you are also reminded that the thing probably wouldn't fit on the regular bookshelves either.

Still, it is finally time for you to… read this. Or at least for you to do the closest thing you can to reading it.

The old tome is full of stray papers, written in your own hoofwriting. Dozens of notes that jut out from in between the closed pages, making the book slightly thicker than it already is. Each of those notes an attempted translation, or a comment, or even a stray idea that came to you as you tried to decipher the damn thing.

However, despite all the effort you went through to write those notes, you don't bother to pick them up. You don't parse through your notes, one by one, as you try to piece together the great puzzle that is this ancient book. You don't use them as guideposts to remember what insights you gleamed all those months ago, when you pored your efforts into translating this tome.

In fact, you won't even read your notes.

Not with your eyes, at least.

Instead, you take out one of your plain metal horseshoes, and you place a hoof over the book's ancient cover.

And you allow the knowledge to flow into you.

It is not easy. In fact, most of it doesn't even make sense. But as the seconds go by, you finally understand enough to form a picture in your mind. Because if this unknown, dead language that you are trying to read is like a path made of sharp spikes, then your notes are like planks of wood on which you can walk without being hurt. It is unsteady footing, and the experience is almost dangerous, but you can still make it.

In fact, even the position of your notes is important, as well as intentional. And as the message of the old tome becomes more convoluted and confusing, your sparse notes placed next to the more cryptic passages act like oases and safe havens on which you can rest and put your mind in order.

You are almost surprised when the stream of knowledge suddenly ends, and you realize you have finished reading the book.

But more than that, you are shocked when you put think back at what you just read, and notice that you actually understood it.





… when the Sun was divided, the world became less. The sky lost its colors. And the stars stopped moving. And the paints wept as they lost their luster. But the mirrors, those touched by true light, remembered. And those old reflections of the times before were as coveted as they were hunted. The trade of mirror-keeping, oft shunned, finally rose into prominence, lest those lights be lost…

Velvet Covers has gained one scrap of LANTERN Lore. Velvet Covers' LANTERN is now Level 4.

Velvet Covers has gained the trait "Mirror Keeping Techniques".



- - -



[Rolling for Edge Artifact study…]

[Success]



Later in the night, after all the servants have gone to bed and your husband is sleeping his wine away, you sneak out of the main building.

But not because you don't want to be seen. Instead, you are doing things at this hour because you don't want to be disturbed.

After all, you understand that the workshops the servants use during the day, to perform the countless small repairs for the estate's maintenance, is a busy place. And you would not like to disturb the craftsponies with your presence.

Still, you need a particular piece of equipment for what you are going to do next.

The small piece of metal you are carrying with you was almost prohibitively expensive for its size. Barely enough to be melted down into a few nails, and definitely not enough to be shaped into a tool. However, you are more than satisfied by the fact that, true to the merchant's words, the thing is the real deal.

Astrology is a… curious science. After all, you know the stars are real, but you also know that the alicorns can shape the night sky at their whims. Or at least Princess Celestia can, and Princess Luna was long reputed to being able to do so.

The moon and the sun, also, are there for all to see.

But what exactly does it mean when a pony sees a shooting star? Where do the comets that cross the sky, in decades-long intervals, come from?

And what does it mean when a meteor falls down to the ground?

You do not know the answer to those questions. Perhaps nopony does.

However, the small piece of metal you have with you undoubtedly originates from the night sky. It cut through the dome of your world's heavens, perhaps even invaded your planet in a sense, and was in turn cut back by the forces that tried to bar its entry.

It is, you know, nothing but a small clump of metal… and yet it is also so much more.

A piece of meteoric iron, perhaps worth little more than a lump of mundane metal at the hoofs of a blacksmith.

A fragment of the outside, whetted by the fierce barrier that divides Equestria from everything else.

You wish you had enough of it to make a knife out of it, but that would probably be too on the nose. You would have shaped it into an earring, or a chain in your necklace, if you were as adept with metalworking as you are with fluids and alchemy, but you are not.

Still, you have an idea of what to do with this.



Velvet Covers has gained one scrap of EDGE Lore. Velvet Covers' EDGE is now Level 4.

Your Edge Artifact has been successfully purchased and studied. 250 bits have been deduced from your coffers for its purchase.

Velvet's knowledge of her own Sacrament requirements, for both Lantern and Edge, has increased.

Additionally, throughout the month, Fluttershy will read a few pieces you have borrowed her. Fluttershy's WINTER is now Level 1. You have not been able to piece together what other affinity she has, if she even has a secondary affinity at all.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan Nightmare's Revenge (Forma Social Awareness)
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[X] (Shopping) Purchase Edge 3 artifact
-[X] Deny it. (Will destroy a Wrong Key)
-[X] (Other) Give Stormchaser a Wrong Key to use while he's away, just in case.
-[X] (Servants) Work on the ground level of Jade's old house.
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[X] (Fluttershy) Train
-[X] (Jade) Investigate Selene
-[X] (DoA) Knock Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Grail lesson
-[X] (Selene) Edge
-[X] (AotL) Lantern: Edge Artifact
-[X] (Forge) Moth 3
-[X] (Knock) Explore beyond the Ruined Church
-[X] Study: Edge 3 artifact, Lantern 6 book
-[X] [COPPER] Perform The Path Through Nightmares aimed at this opponent
--[x] Sacrifice Moth 3 reagent
--[X] At Jade's House. (if this is somehow not available use the Rarity's House)
-[X] Fleeting Opportunity: Cadance

You are Commissioner Velvet Covers.

And just a few moments ago you heard something that, to put it simply, surprised you a little bit.

"I am sorry, could you repeat that?" you ask, your tone calm and neutral.

Causing the stallion to shiver slightly.

Right now, you are at the Lunar Bureau. It is the first day of the week and you are (or rather, you were) in the middle of a meeting. Together with you in your office you have Shining Armor and a select group of ponies who have been picked to perform critical roles within the Bureau. Ponies assigned to be leaders within their squadrons and investigation groups, figureheads of the Bureau's departments, and other ponies besides.

These weekly meetings, that you are still getting used to, were Shining's suggestion. A weekly "staff brief", as he called it, that according to him is commonplace in the Guard. Still, for all that you never had to do this sort of thing back when you were managing the farmlands, the Bureau is an entirely different creature. And you can certainly understand why these meetings, where you can gather everypony and set out the Bureau's… or rather, your expectations, are so useful.

Still, the fact remains that this little brief of yours has just been interrupted.

And the stallion responsible for it is, of all things, practically stammering in front of you.

"I-I said, Lady Commissioner… t-that I am not at liberty to discuss that."

Standing in the middle of the room is a thin-looking, bespectacled earth pony stallion. He is wearing a cloak, of all things. But given how expensive the thing looks, and how wrong it looks on him, you can tell that it is more of a uniform than anything else. A way to conceal his cutie mark, probably. The locked saddle-bag he has on his back also follows the same design, but you can tell from his build and mannerism that he is not simply a courier.

"So you cannot tell me where you are from," you repeat what he just said to you, slowly. Raising an unimpressed eyebrow which, you can tell, causes the stallion's legs to tremble slightly. "And you also can't tell me why you are here either? Then what in Equestria are you doing here?"

The earth pony tries to answer you, but all he can manage to do is stammer and choke on his own words. His body freezing as he stares back at you, even though you aren't even glaring at him. His eyes darting from you to the small crowd that is gathered around him, the several investigators, former guards and constables eyeing him with expressions that go from mild interest to outright suspicion.

You think he manages to say something about "following orders" and "Crown's business", but at this point the stallion is less useful than a shy colt.

And not in a way you find endearing.

You let out a sigh, looking away from the interloper and towards one of your agents who is waiting by the door. The one who brought the earth pony here.

"Do you have any idea of what the hay this is about?" you ask, your impatience slowly bleeding into your voice.

But unfortunately, the uniformed mare shakes her head. Her eyes telling you that she probably went through the same thing you are experiencing right now.

"No, Commissioner. He arrived through the underground tunnels, escorted by Royal Guard nonetheless, and his paperwork was legit. I wouldn't have brought him here and interrupted the brief if it wasn't the case."

She says that, but unfortunately that doesn't really tell you anything you don't already know.

Because, even if you are not used to it yet, the only ponies who can come into your office uninvited are the Princesses themselves. Or somepony acting on their orders, of course, which is the case of the earth pony standing… shaking in front of you.

You also saw the "paperwork" your agent mentioned. And you wouldn't have believed the thing was real if you hadn't checked it for counterfeiting yourself. After all, a scroll giving somepony the authority to "access any areas in the Royal District" is as broad as it is vague. And you are sure this pony would have been detained for questioning long before he ever reached you, if not for the fact the scroll had been written with magical ink and has Celestia's own signature on it.

So, you know that the stallion in front of you is somepony important. You can tell, from inference and context, that he has been chosen by Princess Celestia herself, and that maybe his situation is not so different from your own.

However…

However, you realized all of that by means of reason and deduction.

Because why in Equestria is the pony in front of you acting like he is a third of his age?!

You are all adults, he clearly has a job that is important, and whatever he is doing is for the sake of the Crown.

So why… doesn't he just…?

"Alright, alright," you say, letting out a long, frustrated sigh. "Everypony out. Now," you say that, clicking your metal horseshoes against each other in a loud noise.

Almost instantly several sets of chairs are pulled back, a small crowd heading for the door as Shining Armor silently ushers your ponies away.

"Not you, for Tartarus' sake," you say, the earth pony almost jumping up in surprise. The sudden relief he had in his face immediately vanishing as he realizes that you are emptying your office so you can talk to him.

Goodness gracious, what is wrong with him?



…



"So, are you at liberty to talk to me now?" you ask, and the earth pony winces slightly at the annoyed inflection you have in your tone.

You are not going out of your way to be rude to him, but to be honest you don't really blame yourself for being slightly irritated.

After all, there is a bright line that separates a pony's personal life from their professional life. And what is understandable timidness on one side of that line is nothing short of incompetence on the other. And you have little patience for incompetence.

"Yes, Lady Commissioner. And I, well, thank you", he says, sitting down on one of the chairs you have in front of your desk.

"Just Commissioner is fine. Or better yet, call me Velvet Covers. Now, how can I help you Mister…?" you say, letting the question for his name hang for a few moments.

"Please, call me Midday Dew, Commissioner," he says, although it took him a bit longer to realize what you were asking him than you expected.

"Right. Midday Dew," you say, storing the information in your brain. "So, you were brought here by Royal Guards, and the document you showed me says you have a very broad authority. And I am sure you are not here for a leisure tour of our facilities. So, how may I serve the Princesses?"

The stallion looks at you for a few moments. And you can see, the way his eyes slowly go wide, that he is probably overthinking about everything you just said. His lips turning into a thin line as he wonders how much you know, and several other fears visibly running on the back of his head.

And for a few seconds, you begin to dread that you might be here for a while. Your first few interactions with Fluttershy coming to mind, as the pony once again closes his mouth shut for too long.

That is, until he takes a long, deep breath. Then another. Then another, in a way that seems practiced, and maybe even ritualistic. Which makes you sigh in relief as you realize that this stallion, at the very least, is used to his own antics, and apparently has already learned how to navigate through them.

Because even if it takes him almost half a minute, he eventually settles down from his little breathing exercise, and finally speaks to you like a normal pony.

"Yes, the Princess' orders… that. I am here to deliver you something very important, Lady Commissioner," he says, talking to you as much as he is talking to himself.

He then unstraps the saddle-bag he is wearing, carefully placing it on your desk. He then reaches for a key inside one of his pockets, and slowly unlocks it.

You keep your expression neutral, even though you finally notice that his saddle-bag was locked in a way you wouldn't be able to open. Not without effort, at least. The thing, you can tell, is magical. And you have never seen a saddle-bag that required this level of protection before.

"Princess Celestia has tasked me with delivering you our lates-… I-I mean, with delivering you this."

He then slowly, almost fearfully, pulls out a small pouch from within the saddle-bag. A small cloth bag, maybe the size of your hoof, that is tied with a knot. He places it in front of you, and carefully unties it with his mouth.

"I will please ask you not to manipulate this with your horn, Lady Commissioner."

The untied pouch opens up, finally revealing… a small pile of crystallized dust. Maybe a hoof's worth of transparent fine powder, that reminds you of grinded glass.

However, you also immediately realize there is something else about this dust. Something that…

You look at the crystal particles more carefully, inching forward on your chair as you try to confirm if it is really…

Oh.

Oh dear.

Yes, you are sure of it.

It is so faint, so subtle, that you almost couldn't feel it at first. So weak that it is barely there.

But this little mound of dust, or at least parts of it is undoubtedly charged with the slightest hint of Lantern.

The earth pony clears his throat, and you turn your attention to him once again.

"At the Princess' request, this is the solution that we-… I mean, this is a solution that was found to deal with the… with the threat, that we are both aware of."

You already know what this is. You already know what this is for.

And the method used… the implications of it, even, makes your heart begin to beat more quickly. Is this a good thing? Is this a bad thing? You wanted something like this to happen, of course, but should you be worried?

Several thoughts run through your mind, but you don't let any of them reach your expression.

Not that you think Midday Dew would be able to notice it, of course.

Still, you make sure to pretend you don't know. Just in case.

"And by threat, you mean… what exactly?" you ask.

"The, well… the shapeshifters, Lady Commissioner." He says that, and then he points at the small pile of pulverized crystal. "We call it Candle Dust. A portable way of identifying and uncovering the shapeshifters. Contact with Candle Dust forces a shapeshifter to return back to normal… most of the time."

You light up your horn to bring the pouch closer to you, only to remember he asked you not to manipulate it with magic. Still, you pull it towards you and eye it more carefully.

And several thoughts come to your mind, as you look at the Candle Dust.

For starters, Midday Dew is… well, he is clearly somepony. Somepony important, that is. At least as important as you. And as you think back on some of the conversations you had with Cadance, you realize that she was looking for several ponies in her efforts to stabilize the government. Ponies who would be vetted by Princess Celestia herself, you think, for very important tasks.

You were one of them. And even though you are still getting used to your position, it has already dawned on you just how important your seat at the Lunar Bureau is.

And this Midday Dew fellow seems to be another one. He wouldn't have a "do whatever you want" document signed by Princess Celestia herself if he wasn't.

But what is his remit? What is his task, exactly? It is obviously linked with research, but what kind of research?

You remember, of course, the facilities you saw in passing as Princess Celestia took you to see the changeling she has in captivity. The one she was keeping in a room with that Lantern mirror that was so strong you actually think is dangerous.

However, that doesn't answer the critical question of… how much does he know, exactly?

Because sure, if he is connected to (or perhaps in charge of) those facilities marked with the eclipse symbol, that means he has access to that Lantern mirror. But even if he has access to it, and even if he just presented you this "Candle Dust" of his… that doesn't mean he know what he is doing.

This could be a coincidence. Or a stroke of luck. Or just a fluke. Or maybe he has an entire library of Lore knowledge that you would sell a hindleg to be allowed to enter.

The only thing you know for sure, is that you don't know.

"You said this can uncover them most of the time," you say, pushing the questions inside your mind away for now. "How reliable is this?"

You push your internal concerns away, and instead focus on the things that really matter for your job.

Because even though Midday Dew has not said it with all the words, you can clearly see he is presenting this for Bureau usage. At the Princess' order, nonetheless. So, you need to know what you are dealing with.

And you don't really feel inspired with confidence as you watch the stallion fidget again.

"Maybe… one in three times, Lady Commissioner."

You narrow your eyes at that. The earth pony whimpers slightly, as if it is his fault.

Well, maybe it is his fault, technically speaking. But if he has no idea of what he is doing, then you can hardly blame him for doing something so unreliable. Still, this gives you yet another glimpse of who you are dealing with. And Midday Dew, if he is even purposefully researching the Lores at all, is probably still in the stage of stumbling in the dark.

Although you actually think he isn't even doing that much. He probably isn't even aware that the Lores exist to begin with, and the Candle Dust before your eyes is probably the result of more mundane scientific methods, trying desperately to mimic what the Lantern mirror can do.

But still, you wouldn't want to give your agents a mere one-in-three chance of figuring out if somepony is a changeling or not. Unless, of course, this is the best you can give them.

You can already feel the alternatives and fail-safes coming to your mind… but that is neither here nor there.

"I understand. Thank you for your time, Midday Dew," you say, closing the pouch and pushing it back towards him so he can tuck it away once again. "I take it that we will be in touch from now on? If nothing else, I at least need to know who I can speak to in order to get a supply of this thing. Say, are you working on that section underneath the Royal Quarters? The one with the eclipse symbols on the doors?"

You ask that, and the stallion once again freezes, his eyes going wide open for several long moments before he stammers out a practiced-

"I a-am not at liberty t-to discuss that!"

-which, of course, tells you everything you need to know.

And you are about to ask Midday Dew if there is anything else, when he picks up yet another item from his saddle-bag.

"More importantly, Lady Commissioner. Princess Celestia asked me to deliver you this."

He says that as he delivers you a sealed letter.

And that gives you pause. After all, you have not spoken or seen Princess Celestia ever since her last decree, on the day she named you Commissioner and took you to see the imprisoned changeling.

Ever since that day, you have been busy setting up the Lunar Bureau. But you have also been waiting to hear one particular thing from her…

You light up your horn, undoing the wax seal on the letter and quickly reading its contents.

And you immediately realize that the letter, written by the Princess herself, contains the one piece of information you had been waiting for this whole time.

You nod to yourself, slowly, taking in a deep breath as you prepare for what you are about to do. You can see Midday Dew open his mouth to say something, probably his goodbyes, but before he has the chance to do that-

"Deputy!"​

-your whiplash-like shout makes the earth pony jump up from his seat. Not that you particularly care, of course. You have more important things to worry about right now.

And to nopony's surprise, Shining Armor immediately opens the door to your office. The stallion, you know, had been waiting right outside this whole time. Together with your entire staff.

Well, perhaps Midday Dew is slightly surprised at that. But again, you have neither the time nor the patience to care, and if he was going to tell you something that was actually secret he should have told you so upfront.

Besides, everything he told you can, and must, be spread to the rest of your agents as quickly as possible anyways.

"Yes, Commissioner?" Shining asks, his tone formal and straight to the point.

"Gather everypony. I need to address the Bureau as a whole."

The stallion nods. Several hoofsteps echo down the corridor as the rest of your staff begins to move at a wave of Shining's hoof.

"We don't have a brief room big enough for everypony. Is the hangar good?"

"Yes, yes, sure. That sounds like a place we can use to muster everypony. Now go, I will be there in fifteen."

He gives you a short salute, more out of habit than anything else, and closes the door right after. Leaving you alone with Midday Dew.

You eye the thin stallion for a few more moments, wondering if he will just up and leave or if he has anything else to say.

Well, he doesn't have anything else he needs to tell you. But if he won't take the initiative to excuse himself, then you don't see a reason why you can't ask him a few more questions.

"So," you ask, leaning back on your chair to try and sound a little more informal. It doesn't work on him, given how tense he is, but it was worth a shot. "Can you at least tell me your station? Or the name of the place you are in charge of? I think I will just call it Eclipse, if you don't want to tell me how it's called."

The stallion purses his lips, looking around as his expression becomes more and more nervous.

You already know what he is going to answer you, of course. You can practically see the words forming in his mouth.

Still, it doesn't hurt you to at least try and get something more out of him.



- - -



The underground parts of the Lunar Bureau are large. Much larger than its aboveground, Mansion-like front building suggests.

It is connected to the underground passages that crisscross the Royal District, of course, but the Bureau runs a lot deeper than that hidden entry point. With several levels of rooms, storages, and even cells digging into the mountain where Canterlot is perched.

But none of those places is larger than the one you are standing in right now.

The cavernous hall that pierces the mountain's side, nicknamed the "hangar" by your agents for obvious reasons, stretches out before you. And it is the singular place where you can gather the entirety of the Lunar Bureau all at once.

Not that you have that many ponies working for you to begin with. Granted, you number more than a hundred, but that is when you include your support staff and administrative personnel. Your agents, neatly divided into investigation groups and squads, comprise less than half of the total number.

Still, you can confidently say that each and every one of them is competent. Competent, and most importantly trustworthy. Every last one of them were hoof-picked by you and Shining Armor, and you know they are more than capable of getting the job done.

They have to. You have to. Because if even this select group of ponies turns out not to be enough, well…

You forcefully push those grim thoughts away.

You are standing on top of one of the midnight-black flying carriages you have at your disposal. Shining mentioned he could have a podium or a lectern brought down, but you waved him away. Everypony can see and hear you, so this is more than enough for you.

And most importantly, everypony here is cleared to listen to what you are about to say.

"Good morning everypony. I called you all here today because I have three important things to tell you all. Every last one of you has already spoken to me, one way or another, and everypony here knows the importance of our job. So, I only say this as a formality when I remind you all that none of this can leave this hall."

Most of the ponies in front of you simply look up at you expectantly. A few of them nod, mostly the ones who came from the Guard, while the ones from a more academic background purse their lips slightly.

To some of them, this is just another day, just another mission. Even if it is an incredibly important one. To others, this might be the first time it dawns on them how serious and real the situation is.

"The Catastrophe, as you all know, was caused by simultaneous attacks on several pony cities. They were intentional, orchestrated, and above all else planned in advance. Everypony knows this, and perhaps everypony in Equestria has their suspicions about the smaller details… But what very few ponies know, but I can confirm to you all here and now, is the nature of those monsters. They were, and are, shapeshifters, capable of taking the form of anypony, and perhaps even other creatures besides."

This crucial detail, of the nature of the changelings, is met with a swathe of different reactions. After all, the shapeshifting nature of the monsters had not been revealed to the public, so as to avoid panic from spreading. However, you know that several ponies already knew, or at least suspected, about that.

Because the Catastrophe happened everywhere, all at once. So, it is obvious that several survivors witnessed how their loved ones transformed into monsters. So even if the information was never confirmed by the Crown, and even if it only spread in the form of rumors that could be dismissed as paranoia, you realize some ponies already knew.

You can even see it in front of you. Most of the detectives and former guards look unsurprised, even if grim. A sharp contrast to the administrators and technicians who are even now looking around them with fear and apprehension.

"That was the first thing I wanted to tell you. This piece of information, this secret that is kept by the Crown, and now by us, is the nature of the monsters this very Bureau was founded to uncover. The second important announcement that I have, is that we now know how to fight back."

You then explain to them about the Candle Dust.

Of course, you are also fully frank about its reliability. The "one in three times" Midday Dew told you is not really enough to dissuade anypony's fears. However, you make it very clear that this new piece of equipment is a tool.

But the official procedure, and your orders, are made very clear. Any pony who is suspected of being a changeling, regardless of the Candle Dust's responsiveness or not, is to be jailed on the spot. You tell them that there is a better, more accurate way of determining if a pony is a changeling or not, but that method can only be performed within Canterlot.

And finally…

"Finally, we have received our first order from Princess Celestia."

You say that as you take the open letter from one of your pockets, floating it in front of you.

And you read from it once again in silence. Twice. Three times. Just to make sure you are not about to say the wrong name, and that you are not about to make a mistake that will all but condemn the wrong ponies to what is about to happen.

Everypony patiently waits as you do that. The resolve in your agents' eyes almost palpable. The concentration in your administrators' posture plain for all to see.

"Princess Celestia has ordered the Lunar Bureau to conduct a full and broad investigation… of the Blueblood family. For any and all crimes that might be uncovered, up to and including their possible cooperation with the changeling threat that caused the Catastrophe."

You read those words out loud, and then you float down the letter. Looking down to face the gathered crowd before you, you see several different expressions.

You see surprise in some eyes, as you openly proclaim that their very first mission… that their very first target is the oldest and most powerful noble family in Equestria.

You can also see determination in several faces, or perhaps even a sense of trust and relief, as they realize the Lunar Bureau will indeed be employed to combat evil and crime wherever it may be hiding.

And you think you can even spot vindication in some ponies. After all, even though everypony understands that following the Princesses is correct, not all ponies agree with the nobility that governs under them.

Still, none of that matters. Not right now, at least.

Instead, you focus on making sure everypony understands what must be done. That everypony understands how it must be done. And most importantly, you make sure everypony hears it from your own mouth, so there are no questions about it later.

You tell them that no place is off limits. In fact, given how recent the Bureau is, and how nopony really had time to prepare, you actually expect your agents to start from their home towns. Go back to their turfs, tap into their already-existing informants and sources. Almost nopony here was born and raised in Canterlot, but they have been working as constables and detectives almost everywhere else. And the Blueblood's influence reaches far, so they might just find something if they start from the outskirts and work their way back towards the Capital.

You also tell them that no authority is above them. Save, of course, for the Princesses themselves. They were all hoof-picked for their impeccable backgrounds, so you trust none of them will abuse their power. However, if they detect any attempt that somepony might be trying to hinder them, through red tape or otherwise, you want to be the first to know.

And finally, you remind them of the purpose of the Lunar Bureau. You are all here to protect ponykind from dangers, not to create new ones. So, none of them are to do anything they wouldn't be ready to explain to you, and none of them are to do anything that you wouldn't be able to explain to Princess Celestia.

And as you dismiss everypony, you realize that there are still a lot of things that are still out in the open. There is still a lot of things, crucial things, that must still be decided. Procedures, methods, and most importantly limits that your agents must adhere to. You still have an entire manual's worth of things to decide, so your agents know what they can do on their own, and in what scenarios they should stop everything and send you a courier letter asking for your decision.

In fact, you even realize that you don't know what questions you even need to ask. You realize you don't have the experience, or the foresight, to even guess at what dangers, traps and unexpected situations might await you.

But that is why you have your staff. That is why you have surrounded yourself with ponies who do know those things, and who do have the necessary experience. You just need to sit down and sort through everything, even if the task ahead of you looks like a tall and forbidding mountain.

"Deputy," you snap out, as you climb down from the carriage and make your way to the exit. "Gather the group leaders in my office in one hour. I want our carriages flying out of here by the end of the week at the latest, so I need to know what we need to get our ponies out there."

"Yes ma'am!" you hear him answer from somewhere behind you. The entire hall waiting for you to leave before they finally step out of their ranks.

There is a lot to be done, and the Crown expects you to deliver a noble family on a silver platter in… well, Princess Celestia did not specify a deadline.

But from what you remember, the Princess of the Sun is most likely not in a patient mood as of late.





You have met Midday Dew. An anxious earth pony stallion who, somehow, seems to have gained Princess Celestia's trust. Or at least her respect for his competency. He has been added to your contacts list but, for now, may not be socialized with or contacted outside of professional settings.

"Eclipse", as you have come to call whatever research group Midday Dew is leading, has developed "Candle Dust". Single-use Lantern artifacts of Level 0. Worthless for your purposes, but the absolute best they can do considering they are still stumbling in the dark. The Lunar Bureau will be supplied with Candle Dust for its investigations.

Velvet Covers has discovered that ponies at the Crown's service have stumbled upon the Lores. She does NOT know how formal, deep or organized this knowledge is, if at all. She only knows for sure that they have access to at least one powerful artifact, and that they can produce Candle Dust. Future decisions that are offered, to either spread or suppress the Lores towards the Lunar Bureau, will be based on that knowledge.

The hounds have been set loose. The Blueblood Family's days are numbered.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

...

...

...

Something very bad is about to happen to you.



- - -
- - -
- - -

What is the very last thing ponies feel before they die? What is the very last sensation that their bodies perceive, before there is nothing else?

Is it a sound? Is it the sound of their own screams, as they cry out in pain? Or perhaps the thunderous pulse of their very last heartbeat, before the furnace in their chests falls silent forever?

Is it a sight? Could it be that the very last thing they see is somehow burned into their retinas? Like a picture of sorts, that is meant to keep them company as their brains shut down? Or perhaps, who knows, maybe the tales of one's life flashing before their eyes are actually true?

Or is it their thoughts? Perhaps the truth is that, as a pony's senses bleed out and die, the very last moments of a pony are spent inside their own heads. It might be that everypony, right before they die, is condemned to spending those last few moments alone, in the cold cage of their own skulls. With nothing but their own fading thoughts to keep them company, as their nerves finally collapse and become incapable of receiving any external input.

Who knows…

Maybe there is no single answer. Maybe, and just maybe, the circumstance of a pony's death is what determines their experience. Or maybe it is something else entirely. Maybe their very souls, or something older and larger, is the one who decides it, and everypony carries that decision throughout their lives like the marks upon their flanks.

Still, whatever the answer might be, you do not know it. You cannot know it. And you definitely cannot speak for anypony else.

However, you still know that an answer exists. If not for anypony else, then at least for you.

In fact, you even know what answer applies to you. You even know, without a doubt, what is the very last thing you will feel before you die. That is for sure.

You know it… because you just felt it.

You just heard it.



For you, the very last thing you will hear before you die is the sound of somepony knocking at your doo-



You wake up. Your eyes blinking in confusion as a feeling of vertigo washes over you.

It is… you are… wait, what? Your thoughts are a mess. Ideas and sensations flash through your mind, only to disappear right after, like bubbles on the surface of boiling water. And several long, confusing seconds pass by before anything starts to make sense.

Still, everything eventually comes back to you. Slowly. At a snail's pace, even. But eventually, you get a bearing of your surroundings.

You are… in your room, of course. Lying on your bed. Stormchaser left for work, and will be away for several weeks, so you are alone in your room.

It is… afternoon? No, later than that. Almost evening. You can see the red color of a setting sun coming from the window. And seeing that, you finally remember you decided to take a nap after lunch.

You definitely overslept.

But the strangest thing is… you just had a dream? Is that right? Do you even dream anymore?

You can't remember. You think you recall these strange ideas, but you can't really put them into words.

And all of those thoughts get brushed away, as you remember the reason you just woke up.

Of course, how could you be so silly? How can you still be lying on your bed, half-dazed and about to fall asleep once again, when you have somepony knocking at your door?

Yes, you are sure of it. You get up from your bed, shaking your head as you try to get rid of your drowsiness.

It does not work.

Still, you walk out of your room and head downstairs towards the entrance hall.

Never mind that you could not possibly have heard a knock all the way from the entrance to the estate.

And it certainly does not matter that you do not pass by a single maid or servant as you head there.

You cross the entrance hall without a second thought, using your hoofs rather than your horn to open the large double doors.

And there she is.

An elderly mare stands before you, right outside your door. Her coat is grey from age, with patches of colors here and there. And the skin on her face wrinkled and drooping. Her mane is tied behind her head in a bun, and she has the expression of a kind grandmother.

The elderly mare gives you a short bow, and you return her one of your own.

Her presence here, even if unexpected, is more than welcome.

You open the door a little further and step out of her way so that she may enter.

And she does so, of course.

The elderly mare, you know, is not the one that truly matters. She is the messenger. The carrier. The one who gets things done. Still, you appreciate her presence nonetheless.

She looks around the entrance hall, complimenting you for how beautiful your life is. And then she finds the perfect place to put it.

And you thank her for her compliment…

… or at least you try. But your mouth won't move. It is too cold, you realize. The muscles of your jaw are frozen shut. You wouldn't be able to speak a single word even if you wanted to.

Not that it matters. The elderly mare understands your appreciation. And more importantly, she has a commission to fulfill.

You watch as she climbs up the stairs. Because there, right there, is the perfect place to put it. Right on top of the long stairs, on the wall that can be seen from the entirety of the entrance hall.

That is the perfect spot for her to place her charge.

You want to walk with her, as she goes to that spot. You want to help her, even. But you can't. Your legs will not move. They are frozen to the ground the same way your neck is stuck on its current position. To the point that you cannot turn your face to look at the mare as she walks. In fact, you can barely move your eyes as they are.

Not that it matters, of course. It will all be over soon.

The elderly mare is carrying something on her back. A large, thin, and perhaps heavy, rectangular shape that is covered in snow-blue cloth.

It is a painting, of course. The painting that she is meant to place here. The painting you wouldn't be able to stop her from placing there even if you wanted to.

After all, how could anypony stop the inevitable?

She reaches the top of the stairs, placing the painting on the ground next to her and slowly, carefully, taking off its covers.

You feel excitement, perhaps even expectation, as she goes about her work. But most of all, you feel calm. Still, you can't really see her anymore. Your vision is beginning to fog for some reason.

Not that it matters, of course. It will all be over soon.

The elderly mare takes out a small hammer and a nail. Crude, if necessary, tools for what she is about to do next. She places a nail against the wall and strikes it with a hammer. Not a single sound comes from her actions. Not a single sound reaches you at all.

Which is only right, you know. After all, no sounds are allowed in here. Not anymore.

And besides, you have already heard the last sound you will ever hear. It was the sound of the elderly mare knocking at your door. After that, nothing else will ever reach you.

She hammers the nail twice, thrice, nine times. Every movement slow and deliberate. Every motion a journey. Until the nail is finally in place. Steady. Stable. Unmovable.

The elderly mare then. Carefully. Respectfully. Picks up the. Painting.

Black coated. Mare. Mane like. Ivory. Eyes. The color of. Snow.

She raises. It. Towards. The wall.

Fixes it. Against. The nail.

Your vision. Turns. White.

As white. As. Calm. Snow.

And finally. You.

Are.

Gone-

CRACK​

You wake up with an urgent start, your entire body shaking in panic as your lungs fill with air.

Every last member of your body is still. You feel as if you haven't moved in ages. As if you haven't breathed in ages. The sensation that you are drowning, and suffocating, and being buried alive all slam against you at the same time.

You hear the sound of something breaking every time you move, but your mind is still too panicked for you to realize where any of those noises are coming from.

It takes you almost a full minute for your confusion to begin to settle down. Your heaving breath filling your ears as your shaking muscles begin to ache from the effort.

Until you finally realize where you are, and who you are, and your thoughts begin to line up in a sequence that resemble rationality.

You are… in your room. This is your room. Your house. The place where you keep your family.

And you are… no, you were lying on your bed. You are standing up right now. You are standing up on your bed, your covers and pillows strewn all around you as if you just fought against them as you tried to get up.

And… and…

And everything around you is frozen solid.

No, not frozen. You are cold, and your muscles are shivering, and your breath is visible every time you breathe out. But still, you are not in an ice-made mockery of your room.

However, everything around you, your bed most of all, is undoubtedly covered by the thinnest layer of ice. And the air is totally dry, as if somehow the temperature dropped and the humidity in your room settled around you in a frozen sheet.

You feel your panic rising as the meaning… as the implication of everything comes to you.

And you immediately let out a long, calming sigh. The growing hurricane that you have inside of you slowing down to a cold breeze.

You breathe in, and then you breathe out, and then you breathe in once again.

...

And suddenly, the cold no longer bothers you. And neither does the pain you feel in your muscles, or the fact that you almost died.

Instead, you once again begin to access your situation… but this time, you do it calmly.

You are in your room. Check.

Everything around you is covered in ice. Check.

As you pay more attention, you finally notice the thick pall of Winter that surrounds you. In fact, its presence is so heavy and oppressive that you almost didn't notice it. Or rather, you almost didn't notice it because there was nothing else to contrast it with, its presence surrounding you like the very air you are breathing.

Still, this weight… this intensity can only mean one thing.

That something powerful, more powerful than any mortal has the right to be, just tried to kill you.

And yet… they failed. You wonder why. Your eyes looking around for clues, until you inevitably find them.

All around you, on the bed and on the walls and even on the ceiling, you see the spiderweb-like signs that the icy sheet has been broken. And violently so, as if somepony has kicked those places. It also does not take much time for you to realize that you are at the very center of those breaking-marks.

Upon closer inspection, you can see that there is something… embedded, entrenched, on those places. Small fragments of twisted metal, each of them in a tiny crater of their own making, surrounded by the signs of broken ice.

Your horn comes to light, and you pick up one of those fragments. You bring it closer to you, and you examine it with the patience that only the very calm, or perhaps the dead, can have.

The metal fragment is cold to the touch. However, its coloring is… familiar.

You look down at your chest, eyeing the necklace you wear at all times. Your locket, with a picture of your family, dangles next to a single misshapen key. The metal of which the key is made, you can see, is the same color as the fragment you are holding.

But more importantly, you can see there is only one key dangling from your necklace. The second, you know is with your other half, your dear husband. The third…

You remember how the first key you used, to deflect a killing ritual just a few weeks ago, broke on your grip as you used it.

It seems that whatever just happened, one of your keys did nothing less than explode from the effort.

Ah…

Yes. Everything makes sense now.

You calmly step out of your bed, opening the windows to let the warmth come in. But you will not stay here for long. You had plans for today, and for the rest of the weekend, but it seems your hoof has been forced.

Because you realize who… or what must have done it. You remember, as you think back to your last meeting with your former Master, that there is… or rather, that there must be a creature capable of performing… what you just witnessed.

…

On the following day, while reading the newspaper, you discover that there was an accidental snowfall on Manehattan less than a week ago. A mishap from the weather department, probably, even though nopony saw any clouds. A local mystery, barely worth more than a few lines of an article.

But that tells you everything you need to know.

And you are nothing but thankful when Ponpon reports you that your servants have finished the assignment you gave them.

It seems you will be using Jade Whistle's house far, far sooner than you expected.





You have used one of your Wrong Keys. Two remain.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan Nightmare's Revenge (Forma Social Awareness)
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[X] (Shopping) Purchase Edge 3 artifact
-[X] Deny it. (Will destroy a Wrong Key)
-[X] (Other) Give Stormchaser a Wrong Key to use while he's away, just in case.
-[X] (Servants) Work on the ground level of Jade's old house.
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[X] (Fluttershy) Train
-[X] (Jade) Investigate Selene
-[X] (DoA) Knock Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Grail lesson
-[X] (Selene) Edge
-[X] (AotL) Lantern: Edge Artifact
-[X] (Forge) Moth 3
-[X] (Knock) Explore beyond the Ruined Church
-[X] Study: Edge 3 artifact, Lantern 6 book
-[X] [COPPER] Perform The Path Through Nightmares aimed at this opponent
--[x] Sacrifice Moth 3 reagent
--[X] At Jade's House. (if this is somehow not available use the Rarity's House)
-[X] Fleeting Opportunity: Cadance

You are Velvet Covers.

And right now, you are staring at the… consequences, of your actions.

You are inside Jade Whistle's house. Although, to be honest, you can barely recognize this place as such. After all, the place is organized, its air is ventilated and no longer stagnant, and everywhere you look is spotlessly clean. The scenario around you is a sharp contrast to the memories you have of this place, and you can very much tell that the hoofwork of a professional cleaning crew was involved.

However, you don't really care about any of that right now. You really are focused on… something else.

Like everywhere else in Jade's former home, the living room was more than suitable for habitation. The large sofas have been washed, the furniture has been cleaned, and several logs of dry wood are resting inside the fireplace.

But her living room also happens to be the largest room in the house. So, you levitated and shoved all those items to the farthest corner you could reach, leaning the sofas against the window to make sure the closed curtains would not budge, and you set to work.

And the result of your own efforts is right before your eyes.

The large, twice-ringed ritual circle dominates the floor of the living room. Its configuration so wide that you almost did not have enough space to write it. The outer symbols of the larger circle almost scraping against the walls of the room.

You drew it with silk, and the bones of small critters, and the expensive pure purple that is decanted from rainbows. You drew it with chalk, and coal, and dry leaves that you pulverized into dust. And you crowned its center with the syrupy concoction you made with alcohol and tree sap and other things besides.

And then, you spoke the words that would make the symbols shine.



- - -



The ritual circle is still glowing faintly, with a pulsating light that somehow casts faint shadows at the walls.

However, your attention is focused at the… at the thing at its center.

It has no form, you can tell. It has no substance. In fact, every sense you have is telling you that you are staring at nothing, that your eyes are focusing on the transparent air.

However, you can still see it. Maybe with a third eye that you opened while exploring the Mansus. Or perhaps you can feel it with the part of your brain that is responsible for crafting dreams.

It is shaped like an insect. Or rather, it is shaped like the fright a pony feels, whenever they suddenly find an insect on their bed.

The thing has long, jointed legs. Legs that are made for skittering out of sight, or perhaps for leaping at your face when you least expect it. Although, try as you might, you cannot count exactly how many legs it has.

The thing, if it even is a thing at all, also has too many eyes. Too many eyes, and too many teeth, and too many everything. And you know those many members are there, even though you cannot focus on a single part of its body.

This creature, this shadow, is the precise thing that a pony sees on the corner of his vision, when he think he is alone. It is the lingering sensation of being watched, of being followed, even in the places you are meant to be safe.

It is, you know, the very stuff that nightmares are made of. Except that you are looking at it, and you are in the Wake, and this should not be possible.

The creature… the small, dream-sized monster, suddenly lurches. It folds into itself. And before your brain can scream in surprise, it is gone.

Leaving you alone.

…

And you just stand there, for several minutes. You just stand there, staring at the inert ritual circle, as you realize what you have done.

This ritual, you know, was definitely not your best work. You have already performed better, you know. In fact, you have already witnessed better attempts. And even though you realize that comparing yourself with your former Master is the height of folly, you also realize that… well, that there are heights that can be reached, and that you didn't exactly reach them.

However, even though the voices in your head that criticize you are usually loud, right now they are… tame. They are low, almost like a whisper, compared to what you are really thinking about.

After all, you just tried to kill… no, you just gave your best efforts, investing your time and your bits and your expertise, to kill Copper Secateur.

You have already taken a life before. You sent soldiers of the Royal Guard to their deaths, and you helped (ordered, even) the Daugher-of-Axes to kill several ponies, and you even murdered a pair of changelings with your own hoofs during the Name's summoning ritual.

Your fur has already been covered with blood, yours and other ponies', and you are acutely aware that your actions have already ruined… several lives.

But still, for some reason, you feel… different. This, right now, feels different.

Is it because Copper Secateur is, or was, your friend? Is it because, unlike in the previous times, you are instead responding to an attack rather than striking out first?

No, it's not any of those. Not exactly. Those ideas linger in your head, of course. Their implications still weigh you down. But you can tell that they are not the true reason.

So, you think, and you ponder, and you mull over your thoughts.

Until it finally hits you.

You recall something that Baldomare said to you, several months ago. You remember something she told you, as you pestered her with questions about the Lores and the Mansus.

You think back to how she expressed her surprise, or maybe her shock, at how you and your fellow ponies have been "acting in this Era" as she put it.

And you can almost hear her voice, as you remember how surprised she was… that you were not murdering each other, as you race for Glory.

As that old memory comes to the fore of your mind, you finally understand it. It finally clicks, the reason why this feels different. You understand why this feels so wrong, or so intimate, or maybe so momentous.

Because you feel like you just set a wheel in motion. A very old wheel, mind you. One that was covered in cobwebs and dust, and that was lying in some forgotten depths of the world. A wheel that had not moved in millennia.

You feel like you just… reignited an old spark. Rekindled a dead flame. Reminded the world, or perhaps the Mansus, of something that was commonplace so long ago, and that maybe should have been left forgotten.

However, the worst part of this sensation is that…

You do not feel bad about what you have just done.

Spoiler: Ritual rolls

[The Path Through Nightmares, CD 60 / Variable]



[Knock]

[Roll: 26 + 13 (Magic) + 40 (KNOCK Level 4) = 79]

[Success]


[Moth, invoking a re-roll]

[Roll: 16 8 + 13 (Magic) + 40 (MOTH Level 4) + 30 (MOTH Reagent, Level 3) = 99]


[Ritual successful]

You have started, or perhaps simply reignited, an occult war. This lingering dread will persevere until all your opponents are no more, or until you are defeated.

From now on, ponies and summons can be ordered to "Guard" your home. Characters asked to "Guard" your home will be guaranteed to participate in any attacks against your estate. For the effects of this Quest, only your home must be guarded, since Velvet herself is sufficiently competent to detect and evade any attacks when she is alone (unless she is the one initiating it, such as in an expedition, or unless she decides by herself to participate, such as to protect other characters). Stormchaser must be "Guarded" separately on the months he is AWAY.

You have produced, and consumed, a Level 3 Moth reagent. 45 bits have been deducted from your coffers.

You have performed a ritual. 50 bits have been deducted from your coffers.

It is impossible to know the effects of your ritual, unless you check it yourself, save for the fact it certainly reached its target.



- - -



Somepony tried to kill you. Twice. Somepony tried to kill you from the other side of the country, using nothing but a drawing made of fresh snow and polished mirrors.

Somepony tried to kill you, and you just tried to kill them back. And even though they failed in their attempts, you have no guarantee that you succeeded either. And most importantly, you have no guarantee that they… that she, or some of her followers, will not try again.

So, you can't afford to waste time. You can't afford not to invest in your own power and means.

Even if you don't like the methods involved in doing so.

…

You had other plans, for the precious short time you have at your home. You had other things in your mind, when you hugged your daughters yesterday and asked them how their week had been. But waking up covered in ice does things to a mare. So, right now, you are going to a place you had hoped you would never step hoof on.

Right now, you are inside one of the annex buildings of your estate. And you are lighting up your horn to open the trapdoor that leads to the underground cellar.

A faint, fog-like darkness surrounds you, as you make your way down the wooden stairs. Thick with the scent of perfume and sweet with the taste of something familiar, but that you can't quite name.

She is here. Mareinette, the monster that you invited into your life, is somewhere in here. This, you know, is the place she has chosen as her abode. And this is the place that your servants, from what you have heard, have been visiting with both dread and anticipation.

Nothing has happened, so far. Or at least, no news of an accident, or any kind of strange occurrence, has reached your ears yet. But still, you know that there have been… changes in your estate. Slight alterations in shifts and routes, reprioritizations of errands, squabbles of seniority when trying to decide who gets to do what.

Ponpon mentioned to you, in passing, that the estate's sommelier has been looking a lot younger these last few days. Soft Sweeps told you, in a nervous tone, that she had seen a few farmhoofs sneaking into the annex building late in the afternoon, even though they had no business being there.

And of course, you know the reason why all of that has been happening. The same way you also realize that a lot more things, things that don't reach your ears, have been happening. Things that the ponies involved would never dare to speak of. Things that would explain why, just now, you are sure that you just smelled a whiff of blood.

Still, you understand that those kinds of things are inevitable… when you host a creature such as her.



"[Secret Histories]?"



Her voice reaches you, from the far darkness of the cellar. Asking you how you have been, wondering what you desire from her. Pleasantries and formalities that tickle your ears, like a silk-soft knocking at your door from a guest that begs you to lower your guard.

You cannot see her. The dim light from the scented candles is too weak for you to see anything more than her contour. Still, even with just that you can see enough. You can tell how large she is, sitting atop a throne of gifts and offerings, flanked by the largest wine barrels. You can tell how her silhouette almost scratches the ceiling, with a horse-shaped face that is too thin and has no ears.

You cannot see her, and you also don't want to see her. And you resist the urge to close your eyes and pierce the darkness the same way you would avoid breathing while close to something disgusting.

Still, you are here for a purpose. And like it or not, you know the monster can help you.

"I need… a few pointers. A lesson about Grail. Because I know that I am close to realizing something, but I am still missing a piece of it."

You say that, and you feel in your coat how the monster's attention is piqued. A shuffle of cloth tells you that she is tilting her head as she looks at you. The sound of something falling on the floor, perhaps bits or gifts or toys that belonged to a foal, tells you that she is shifting on her makeshift seat.

The crawling on your fur tells you that she is looking at you with an intensity that is almost invasive.

But still, despite what you were expecting, the monster… Mareinette actually acquiesces. She gives you a slow, measured nod of her head, and calmly settles down in her shadowy corner.

You thought she would do something else, perhaps laugh at you or make some insinuation or another. You assumed she would get up from her seat and approach you, maybe to give you some kind of "physical" lesson like your former Master did so long ago. Reaching into your boundaries even though she knows how uncomfortable you are with her presence.

However, she does nothing of that.

Instead, she just opens the bony jaw of her face and begins to talk.



"[Winter]…"



She says that she understands why you are here. That she felt what happened yesterday. And that she quite disapproves of what was leveled at you, even if she is not exactly surprised.

You almost think she offers you her condolences. But you know, and she can tell, that you would not welcome that coming from her.

Not yet, she hopes.

Still, she says that she understands. And that she will help you, because of course she will.



"[Grail]."



And then, she tells you a story.

A story that is about nopony in particular, but at the same time is also about everypony.

It begins with blood, she tells you, not birth. Because to your surprise, she explains to you that blood is an enticement, and that birth is actually a torment. But it is blood that begets yearning, and then desire, and then greed. It is blood, and not birth, that begets a pony's entrance into the world.

Blood of the parents, blood of the womb. The pulsing blood of those who help, and the spilt blood of those who would hinder. Because that crude word, she says, is more than just the ruby fluid that runs through your veins. After all, if blood was just a liquid, then it would never be accepted as sacrifice, and it would never be used to measure lives.

After all, is the fur of your body not a part of you? Is it not the case that your bones, too, are inside of you? And your eyes, and your tongue, and the crude acids of your stomach? Yes they are, she says, they are as much a part of you as the river that flows out of your veins when they are cut.

And yet, blood has primacy before all others. And it compels you to move more than your muscles ever will, and it drives your thoughts more than your brain will ever be capable of.

With cryptic words and vague allegories, she tells you a story. About a pony whose existence is dreamt, then desired, then needed by her parents. A pony whose first actions in the world is to let out a scream, after being subjected to the torment of birth. And who eventually grows to yearn and want and lust after the things she desired.

No matter how hard you try, you cannot think of a pony who might not be the protagonist of the story she tells you. Given the words she uses to describe things, she could be talking about you, and perhaps she could even be talking about herself.

Still, you understand the lesson she is trying to tell you.

And when she is done speaking, you cannot help but give her a short bow of your head before you leave the cellar.



"[Heart]!"



And you don't really feel disturbed, as you hear her say that she looks forward to your next visit.



- - -



As much as you hate to admit it, your second order of business ends up being a lot more unpleasant.

Because monstrous or not, at least Mareinette understands etiquette. She understands etiquette, and good manners, and she knows how to not act like a spoiled foal.

"Ae already told ye ae'm busy! Wot's so foken 'ard aboot et? Do ae hav' tae spell it out for ye? Sod. Off. Me. Room!"

"Would you please just help me with it?!" you yell back at her. You have no choice but to yell back at her. Because the mare is already shouting at you, and this is the best you can do to avoid groaning at her. "Please? We have a deal, and the sooner you do this for me, the sooner I will get off your fur."

You really mean it. You don't want to be here any more than Velvet Axe does. However, you at least have the maturity to understand that the sooner you get this done, the sooner you can both go your separate ways.

"Foine, foine! Mother's scales yer foke annoyen'…" she says, letting out a low groan.

And you have to hold yourself back to not bristle at the mare's antics.

"Le's go to yer room," she says, walking past you and heading down the corridor, "dinnae want to do this 'ere."

Still, you feel slightly thankful that she agreed to do this. With that in mind, you follow after the cloaked mare.

Her instructions are… strange, to say the least. She asks you to lie down on your bed, and then to close your eyes, and then she tells you to count down from ten.

For a moment, you almost think she is about to pull a prank on you. You almost think you are about to hear her leave your room and close the door behind her, yelling at you to go to sleep and not bother her anymore or something. However, as you follow her instructions, you undoubtedly feel that…

… that something is happening.

Velvet Axe is standing right beside your bed. Staring at your back and out of your sight. Still, as unreasonable as she might be, you can immediately tell that she is doing what you asked her to do. You can feel it.

You can hear it, the way she takes a deep breath and it sounds like a gust of wind entering a cavern. You can sense it, in the way that the animalistic part of your brain tells you that you are sharing the room with a large and long and deadly predator.

But of course, you know there is nothing but a cloaked mare behind you. You know that, if you look behind you, you will see nothing but the mare's disgruntled frown.

Still, it is on moments like these that you are also reminded that Velvet Axe… that the Daughter-of-Axes is… more. More than you. More than a pony. More than a mortal.

And her voice is unusually serious, almost business-like, when she finally speaks up.

"Aye. Start countin'."

You take a deep breath. The anger you were feeling at her but a few moments ago completely forgotten. You are no longer talking to a spoiled, bratty, teenager of a mare.

Right now, you are being instructed by a Name of the Mansus.

"Ten… nine… eight… seven… six…"

You hear something behind you. You hear something that sounds like snapping, together with the odd sensation of your ears popping. A sliding sound comes from somewhere else in the room. And you are not sure if it is the sound of a long snake tail slithering through the floor, or if it is the lock of your door pushing itself open.

"… five… four… thre-ACK!"

But your counting is interrupted by red, searing PAIN.

And your choked scream barely has the time to escape your throat before everything goes dark.



- - -



You wake up… slowly…

Your body is heavy, your muscles are sluggish.

And the only thing you are sure of is that it hurts.

Every last vein in your body aches. And the pain is so acute, so sharp, that you can almost map out the anatomy of your blood vessels just from the pain. It hammers inside of you like a thousand needles every time your heart beats, and it spreads all the way from the bottom of your hoofs and the tip of your nose.

It hurts. It hurts. And you hate this so much.

But more than anything else, you can feel… you can tell that…

"That gods-damned… Mansus-blasted… fucking snakemare bit me!"

More than anything else, you can tell that this pain is coming from your back. Because right there, right where your neck meets your torso, you can feel the very distinct sensation of four fang-shaped holes.

And despite all this pain, despite the fact that you can feel there is literal poison flowing through your veins, the strongest feeling inside you right now is the anger you are feeling towards that mare.

"Oh, I am going to get her back for this. And I am going to do that right now!"

You say that out loud, and you practically will yourself to get up on your hoofs.

The pain you are feeling is not searing. It is not debilitating. And you can definitely tell that the mare did not try to hurt you. She has fangs, after all, and you were lying on your back. If she really wanted to hurt you, you would not be alive right now.

This, you know, was how she fulfilled your wish.

However, you are also sure that… you also know that…

That she chose to do it this way. Because why in the Mansus would a blasted NAME not have better, less painful ways of doing this?!

You march down the corridor, almost trotting towards her door.

You stamp into her room the light shining down at the sleeping offending mare.

And you quite literally yell at her, causing her to jump awake in surprise.

"What in TARTARUS is wrong with you?!"

"A-aew? W-what the f-?!"

She thrashes under her sheets for several moments, wide-eyed in surprise once she finally looks up at your glare.

And you are sure that you can see more than one pony's worth of volume, as she rolls under her covers. But you don't really care about it right now. You are too angry to pay attention to any of that. In fact, you don't even notice that she seemed to be cuddling something, something that she quickly hides under her pillow as soon as she realizes you are there.

The only thing you are feeling right now is anger. Anger, and the slight satisfaction at seeing that the mare is actually afraid.

"O-oi! T-tha's not sumthin yer supposed tae do! Ye c-canny jus' barge in-"

She tries to say something. She tries to put on that practiced scowl, and put on a front of bravado.

But you won't let her. Ooooh no you won't. No you won't missy. She has something coming for her, and you are going to give it to her!

"Are you out of your mind? Do you have something against me?! I try, I really try to treat you like a guest, and with all the hospitality I can. I don't even think much about how we have a deal, or how I am letting you do whatever you want in the Wake. But is THIS how you even come close to THANKING ME?!"

Her attempted scowl immediately crumbles, and the only thing she does is pull up her sheets to hide herself a little more.

Is she stammering? Is she shaking? You don't care.

You don't care at all. This is a scolding that has been long in the making.

"And to think that I sometimes consider helping you find that key of yours. To think that I even give you a room, or let you speak to my daughters, or even let you inside my house! Do you want me to treat you like a summons? Do you want me to treat you like a snake?! I could have you living in the fields on some burrow you would be forced to dig. I could even never summon you ever again!"

The snakemare, you can tell, is literally cowed. She is huddled up under her covers, looking at you from behind shaking hoofs, and you can tell that she is trying to say something.

No, it is more than just that. You know that expression. You can clearly tell that she is trying to say that she is sorry.

And the only, only reason you stop there, is because she is reminding you just a tiny bit of how Silky used to look like, whenever you scolded her.

So, you just glare at her. You stop yelling at the mare and just glare at her. Impatiently tapping your hoof on the ground until…

"… -aem… a-aem sorre…?"

… until she swallows something dry, and whispers out the words you have been waiting to hear.

Which you answer with a sudden and loud neigh, that causes her to jump up once more. And before she can say anything else, or before you get the urge to say anything more, you turn around to leave.

And you are still so angry, that you almost don't realize that, as you are making your way back to your room, you almost trip on your dress.

"Wait, what?"

The furious tempest of thoughts inside your mind crashes to a halt. Because you are walking down the corridor, making your way back towards your room, but sure enough you almost tripped on your dress.

To be more precise, the dress that you are… no, that you were wearing, is on the floor right in front of you.

And as you look back at your body, you finally realize that you are not wearing any clothes.

"W-what?! How did this…?"

There is nothing wrong with a pony not wearing clothes, of course. Although you immediately feel exposed, given how your right hindleg is now in the open. You immediately float up your dress and run back to your room, but by now your mind is solely focused on trying to understand how in Equestria this happened.

But when you reach your room, you realize that… that everything -all the cabinet doors, and all the drawers, and all the windows- everything is open.

You also realize that your door is refusing to close behind you. The handle keeps sliding open, and the door keeps pushing itself as if there is a wind forcing it. You have to float a chair towards it to keep it shut.

More than that, you also remember that… well, that you just entered Velvet Axe's room. And that never happened before. No, more than that, you remember that her door all but burst open as you marched towards it, and that her windows flung themselves open as soon as you yelled at the mare.

And finally, as you inspect your dress, you realize that… that all its buttons were undone. All the buttons, and knots, and everything else that you put in place when you wear it, they are all completely undone. To the point that you can almost tell that it happened while you made your way towards Axe's room, and that the dress practically slid off of your body as all the harnesses came undone.

…

You look around your room, suddenly feeling the faint impression that even the nails on the floor are trying to jump out of place.

You stare down at the locket you are wearing, seeing how even that is open. The picture of your family as exposed as your naked hindleg.

And finally, you understand what just happened.

"Oh dear…" you whisper to yourself.

You hope you learn how to dose this by the end of the day. You have a train to catch at midnight.





Velvet Covers has gained one scrap of GRAIL Lore. Her GRAIL is now Level 4.

Velvet Covers is now under the effect of "Wrong Door", until the end of this turn.

Velvet Covers has gained two scraps of KNOCK Lore, from having been subjected to that greatest of Influences. She will no longer receive scraps of KNOCK Lore from similar experiences.

A/N: All relevant threadmarks, including available bits and Lore levels, will be updated later.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

You are Lady Fair Trial, and right now you are… anxious.

More than just nervous. More than merely on edge. What you are feeling right now is not just a shiver that is running down your spine, or the sensation that your stomach is empty and cold. Because even though you are feeling all those things, this is also so much more.

To the point that keeping yourself together is already taking most of your efforts.

Because every now and then you can't help but feel lightheaded. And every time that happens, you finally realize that you have been breathing in short, panicked breaths for maybe a full minute. Which in turn means that you have to constantly check your breathing, to avoid letting anything worse happen.

You also feel hot. You are wearing a formal business dress, a suit top with a plain skirt that covers half of your hindlegs. Your dress suit also happens to be very light. But despite that, whenever you remember the situation you are currently in, a literal wave of heat covers your body from tail to snout. And the heat crashes against the cloth of your clothes only to bounce back and forth between your dress and your fur. To the point where you feel like you are being cooked alive.

And most glaring of all, no matter how hard you try your damn legs won't stop shaking.

So, again, keeping yourself together is taking most of your efforts. Hay, stopping yourself from panicking is already taking up most of your willpower.

Even though you are still inside the carriage. Even though, despite everything that happened so far, you still have not met her yet.

But how could you not be nervous? How could you not be tense? You have heard the news. Everypony has heard them, by now. Be it through gossip or packages carrying copies of the official decrees. How could you hear all of those things, and not feel… perhaps even afraid?

And for all that you know that being afraid of a Princess is the height of nonsense, given the great benevolence they displayed throughout the literal entire history of ponykind… Well, let's just say that the current situation also reminds you of how powerful they are. Of how much greater they are, when compared to you and everypony else. Of how great… she is. To the point that not a single sunrise or nightfall happens if not for her grace.

And surely, the fact that you are inside her carriage, and on your way to attend her summons, definitely helps strike all of those points home.

Still, despite everything that is going on inside your mind, the carriage continues to be pulled. The scenery continues to run past you, through the polished window, and you continue to be drawn inexorably towards what awaits you.

Towards your audience with Princess Celestia.

And much, much sooner than you hoped, you watch as the carriage eventually begins to slow down.

You can barely feel a tremor, even as the carriage comes to a halt. The only thing you can really feel is your own heart, that decided to settle into a frantic beat inside your chest as you watch one a Royal Guard make his way towards the door.



"Lady Fair Trial, the Princess is waiting for you inside."



The guard says that, and it takes you several moments to realize that you are frozen solid. You can't answer him. You can't even move. The only thing you can do is stare at him, your expression petrified with muted dread.

You stare at his armor, looking at the contours of the shiny golden metal he is wearing. You stare at the crest of his helmet, the sky-blue of its threads shaking slightly with the faint wind. You even look him in the eye, realizing that his own expression is one of patient understanding.

However, you absolutely do not look at the symbol carved into his chest plate.

You only manage to move when the Royal Guard respectfully, perhaps even sympathetically, offers you his hoof.

"Lady Trial?" he says, his tone almost gentle.

And only then do you accept his hoof and step out of the carriage.

However, the courteous Guard can only take you to the door.

After you step through them, you are once again alone.



- - -



In hindsight, you can see how this is a day that has been several months in the making.

It began a few weeks after the Catastrophe, when a letter reached you while you were lodged in the distant village of Hollow River. As a circuit judge, you travel all around Equestria mediating disputes in the less-accessible communities. So, thankfully, you were very far away from Canterlot when that dreadful night happened.

Still, this all happened when a letter, dispatched by courier nonetheless, reached you at the small inn where you were spending the night.

It was a questionnaire, of sorts. You really can't describe it any other way. A series of requests for clarifications about your career, coupled with some pointed questions about your personal life. It even went as far as asking your opinion about a particular subject, telling you to answer in essay form nonetheless. Still, the letter had been sent by Canterlot's judicial committee, so you simply answered as you were told and went about your business.

That is, until another letter reached you a few weeks later.

Although that second letter was delivered by a Royal courier, and had the pink seal of Princess Cadance herself.

That second letter was a lot shorter. Almost conversational. And much to your confusion, it was written in the Princess' own hoofwriting, rather than having been transcribed by a servant. Or rather, the signature at the end was in the same hoofwriting as the letter itself. And in that letter, she asked basically asked you about your life. About your life, your aspirations, and even about your opinion about her.

At the end of the letter, almost as if in passing, she asked you about your circuit. About the schedule you were under, and what villages and small towns you would visit in the coming weeks.

The next time you heard about Princess Cadance was when you found her, waiting for you, on the next town you were assigned to visit.

And then, she made you a proposition.

She needed help, or so she told you. Princess Celestia had plans for Equestria, to help everypony recover after the Catastrophe, and the way Princess Cadance put it they were basically short on ponies who they could count on. She told you, in no uncertain terms, that you were still just a candidate, and that she was throwing her net as far and wide as she could.

But still, she wanted to meet you face to face. She wanted you to know that, even though you were a candidate, you were not "just" a candidate. And to your honest shock, she even took out her crown, looked you in the eyes, and said that she would only keep you in her list if you were interested in it.

No pressure, she said. But who could ever say no to a Princess?

And that is why… several weeks later, and after dozens of letters received and sent, you are here.

That is why, right now, you are standing in the Royal District, achingly close to the heart of Equestria.

The very last letter you received was from Princess Celestia herself. Well, not from the alicorn, but instead from her office. A short missive summoning you to Canterlot, packed with a first-class ticket that would deliver you to the central train station.

It did not surprise you to see that a royal carriage was waiting for you at the station, once you arrived at the designated time. It did not surprise you, but it certainly added to your nervousness.

However, you are surprised by the fact that the royal carriage did not take you to the Castle. Thanks to your job, you visit Canterlot sparingly. But even then, you could see that you were being taken to the Royal District.

But still, rather than making its way to the Castle itself, the carriage stopped a few streets short, and opened its doors right where you are standing.

And right now, you are standing before the tall doors of the Solar Court. The highest and last court in all of Equestria, which is presided by the Princess of the Sun herself.

"Princess Celestia is waiting for you inside, Lady Trial," the Guard says, giving you a short bow as he stops before crossing the door.

You swear you saw him mouth something just now. Perhaps an encouragement, or a wish of good luck.

Still, you enter the hallowed halls of the Solar Court alone.

You have only ever visited this building once, when you were sworn in as a judge. You have only been here once, but you still remember how to navigate it. Although, to be honest, you think you would know where to go even if you had never stepped hoof here in your entire life.

Everything around you is alicorn-sized. The lobby is wide and aired, the hallways are wide and tall, and of course everything is suitably regal for the presence of a Princess. But still, even though the place is not small, it is still straightforward. Only the most important of cases, involving the most important of ponies, ever reach these halls, and there is only one courtroom. So, from the entrance lobby to the waiting rooms to the final supplicant's corridor, the path you take is intimidating, but ultimately straightforward.

And finally, you reach her presence.

Although, even though you are trying not to think about it, a corner of your mind points out that you felt her before you ever saw her.



"Lady Fair Trial. I have been expecting you."



But still, you are finally in the presence of Princess Celestia.

"Princess Celestia, I am honored beyond words to be in your presence."

You say that almost immediately, as soon as you confirm that she is done addressing you and that you would not accidentally talk over her. You say that, and you drop down to your lowest bow, the tip of your horn almost touching the red carpet of the floor.

You say that, and you can only be happy that you did not stutter or hesitate. Your voice coming out in the perfectly level tone of a Lady and a judge.

But still, you cannot feel relief. If nothing else, you only tense up more.

"Rise. And come closer. There is something I wish to discuss."

You obey her immediately, rising from your bow and slowly making your way towards her.

The Princess has her back to you. You can see her beyond the open doors at the end of the hallway, and you can tell that she is standing in the middle of the great courtroom of the Solar Court. However, she has her back turned to you, to the point that she has not yet looked at you even once.

But to be honest, you feel neither offended nor slighted by that. If anything, knowing that her attention is not focused on you even helps you calm your nerves.

If only a little.

"Of course, my Princess."

And one step at a time, you make your way towards the Princess of the Sun.

This is the fourth time in your entire life where you have been in the Princess' presence. The first time was when you were sworn in as a judge. It happened on this very same courtroom and, as is custom, the ceremony was presided by Princess Celestia herself. You remember feeling nervous on that day. Nervous, but ultimately glad. It was a momentous day in your life, and you recall the pride you felt as you spoke your oath before the entirety of the Solar Court.

The second time was… under less happy circumstances. It was a few months after you father died, and you stepped up to become the bearer of your family's noble title. And you once again found yourself in the Princess' presence during the yearly ceremony where the Patents of Nobility were updated.

And finally, the third time was a grim affair, to say the least. Your work life never really gave you the opportunity to grow attached to your title as a noble. Living away from your family's home, traveling all around Equestria, always made you feel like being a noble was just a convenience. A prerequisite, even, that allowed you to be a judge first and foremost. But still, watching Princess Celestia burn all the Patents of Nobility was...

Well. You have only ever been in the presence of Princess Celestia three times before. You remember her proud and satisfied smile, during your oath ceremony. You remember the solemn, respectful expression she wore, as she recognized each of the newly minted nobleponies in turn.

However, as you look at the Princess' back while you make her way towards her, the only thing that comes to mind is the third time you ever laid eyes upon her. And even though you have not yet looked at her expression, you can already tell that her mood is somber. Somber, at the very least, and most likely something even worse.

You stop walking just as you enter the courtroom itself. You stand a few paces behind her, and patiently wait, as soon as you get close enough to think you are not disrespecting her.

And you try to control your breathing as the seconds begin to stretch by.

You try not to think of how hot this place is. You try not to think of how hotter you felt, with every step you took towards her.

You try not to think about how you practically felt she was about to speak, even before she opened her mouth, due to the sheer weight that suddenly appeared on your shoulders.

"Lady Fair Trial… Unicorn mare, unmarried, current head of the Trial family after the passing of Lord Speedy Trial. Circuit judge, appointed to the outer schedule and the country path. Formerly appointed to the Trial Court of Los Pegasus, but only during the first three months of your career."

The Princess says those words, mapping out your life almost with a clinical tone, as if she is reading them from an open book. Still, even that is more than enough for you to tense up. After all, even a small recitation of your life, when coming from her, already feels like a judgment.

And that pressure, that unreserved scrutiny only increases when the alicorn finally turns around to face you.

You have to force yourself to look up at her. You have to hold your forelegs to stop them from bowing down once again, as the mare twice your height looks down at you.

"I know of you, Fair Trial. In fact, I know more about you than these simple points of data that could have been taken out of a dossier."

You nod. There is nothing you can do but nod. You don't dare to do anything but nod.

The Princess' expression is neutral. Perhaps even polite. And you are nothing but thankful for that. Because if she had a scowl on her face, or even something as small as a frown as she said those words, you are not sure you would have been able to keep your nerves in check.

"But what about you? Do you know what I have in mind? Do you know why you are here?"

She asks that question.

And the air feels very dry as you breathe in to answer her.

"Princess Cadance called for me, my Princess," you say slowly, measuring every word before you even dare to speak them. "She told me that she was selecting a group of judges and lawmakers. That you requested for ponies who could aid you in the judiciary, and that I was one of the ponies she chose."

She narrows her eyes slightly at your words. And even though her expression is not aimed at you, you still need to suppress a small whimper.

Because even though her expression is neutral, you cannot see even the smallest sign of patience on her face. There is nothing kind about her expression at all. Not a hint of understanding or tolerance.

She asked you a question, and the only possible outcome was for you to answer it. And now, you are not permitted to do anything but wait as your monarch considers her thoughts.

"I see… Allow me to dissuade you of a misunderstanding, Fair Trial. I will tell you, here and now, that there is no group of ponies. It is true that Cadance presented me with a list, yes, but that was the extent of her assignment. You are here today because I chose you, and nopony else."

She says those words casually. Her tone indicating that she is explaining you something that is almost an afterthought. Or rather, she says that as casually as her regal tone allows for casualness.

Still, she says that to you with a measured, almost disinterested tone, as if she hasn't just placed a metaphorical pile of bricks on your back.

You freeze up. If you were not anxious enough before, then you definitely are now. After all, the thought that you have been picked by Princess Cadance, only to be singled out by Princess Celestia herself, does not fill you with pride as much as it fills you with apprehension.

Because if she chose you, then that means she has expectations of you. And if she has expectations of you, then you are doomed to disappoint her.

You cannot even stand in her presence without freezing up like a filly. So how could you ever perform… whatever task she is going to ask of you?!

"Do you know why I chose you…?"

Her words tightens your neck like a strangling horseshoe.

You cannot bring yourself to speak. So, you answer her by shaking your head.

And thankfully, thankfully, Princess Celestia once again turns around to face the courtroom at large.

"This might come as a surprise, Fair Trial, but I actually followed your career. Your path up, and then down, of your career in the judiciary was something that I watched with… a mixture of interest and satisfaction, if you will."

She turns away from you, and she begins to pace around the large, royal courtroom of the Solar Court. Her eyes jumping from one fixture to the next almost as if she was remembering something as she spoke to you.

"I became interested in your career all the way back when you were in Los Pegasus. Your decision to apply the maximum penalty to that baron, following that scandal, was already a sign that you had not been cast from the usual mold. Especially considering how that had only been your eleventh case."

She says that as she walks the circular breadth of the courtroom. Passing by the highest stand, meant for herself, and then walking by the four lower stands meant for the great Noble Families who held court with her.

The Solar Court, you know, is presided by Princess Celestia herself. However, almost every trial in recorded history also saw the presence of the current heads of the four Great Families. In theory, they are there to aid the Princess in her decision-making because they are meant to represent Ponykind as a whole. A voice from the people, through the mouth of their noble peers, to reach the Princess' ears in this highest of Courts.

In practice, however…

"Of course, your decision was immediately reversed in appeal by your superiors. And you were quickly, and quietly… shifted into the role of a Circuit Judge. Still, word of your initial decision reached far and wide. It even reached me. And I remember how the Great Families mentioned how the… upstart judge who made that scandalous error had been… properly dealt with."

Not for the first time, you feel your breath getting stuck in your throat, as the Princess recounts that part of your life.

You are not ashamed of what you did. You never will be. But the humiliation that followed, and the change in lifestyle you were forced to accept, did sting for a very long time.

You are not ashamed of what you did. But some days, you almost regret it.

However, none of those old thoughts can really reach you right now. Not as the air grows hotter around you. Not as you realize, with a growing dread that approaches honest fear, that the Princess before you actually sounds angry.

"I remember how I had the chance to remedy that. In fact, I even remember the laughing tone of their voices, as they recounted to me what happened over our daily breakfast. I remember thinking how that did not sound exactly right… the same way that I remember how I should just let it be. After all, the actions of that distant judge only served to prove that there were still good ponies out there. And that, even after all this time, everypony around me still retained some of the good characteristics that I saw in their ancestors long ago."

The Princess stops, if only for a moment. She stops talking, and she stops walking. Pausing before one of the four stands meant for one of the Great Families.

She raises a hoof, slowly touching her golden horseshoes on the insignia that lies before the stand.

That symbol, and that stand, belongs to the Blueblood noble family. And several seconds pass in silence before the Princess brings her hoof down.

"I was wrong."

Her tone is dry and short. To the point that you almost can't hear her.

You almost think that she is not talking to you anymore, and that instead she is talking to herself.

"And I spent so many years focusing on the positive details, so many generations seeing the little similarities that they shared with their parents, that I failed to see how everything else about them was slowly getting twisted. No, I didn't fail to see it… I chose to turn a blind eye to it. Because there are still good ponies out there, so why did it matter if I saw a vice here and there? The foundations were still strong, and I was still at the helm, so what did it matter if the trunk was rotting?"

You feel like you should say something.

No, wait, you don't feel that. You definitely don't feel that. Instead, you feel like something should be said. To placate the Princess. To soothe the clear, hot anger that is practically radiating from her.

You feel that something should be said, but you also know that there is nopony alive who could say it. Nopony who would be welcome to say it, and who would not be met by the Princess' displeasure.

So, you stay quiet. You stay rooted in place, until she takes a long breath and the heat radiating from her immaculate white fur dies down.

"But still, like I said, I followed your career. I read what little there was to be read about you, even if it was only published in the local newspaper of a small town. I kept my ears up for gossips and whispers, even though I never really heard anything. And most of all, I always made sure to read your opinions when you issued them, whenever you thought one of the local trials warranted a more detail explanation of your thoughts. It was a guilty pleasure of mine, of sorts. But still, I actually looked forward to them."

You feel slightly lightheaded from what she just told you. Because she… well, she is not lying. You are sure she is not lying. Not because you trust your ability to tell when a pony is lying, but because a pony as powerful as her has no need to lie. No inclination to do it, even.

If you had failed her, she would have just informed you that you failed her. And if she wanted to punish you, you wouldn't even be standing here right now.

Still, you can't help but feel surprised as Princess Celestia tells you all of that.

And you are almost shocked as, when the Princess turns to face you once again, you can see the slightest of smiles on her lips.

"Because the laws of Equestria are the will of the Princess, and it is the will of the Princess that her ponies be happy. So, there is no harm in reinterpreting her laws, if that means the outcome will be aligned to Her will… do you know who spoke those words, Fair Trial?"

Her eyes, as she stare down at you, are almost patient.

She even looks satisfied, as you slowly recompose yourself so you can speak. Swallowing the dry lump that is inside your throat so you don't cough your words out.

"It… it was I, my Princess. I said that, in one of my decisions."

You say that, and Princess Celestia gives you a satisfied nod.

You do not mention the fact that the opinion where you wrote that is, at the very least, ten years old. You forcibly clench your jaw, so it won't hang open, as you realize just how deep is the intelligence that is speaking to you right now.

Because you didn't even remember saying that until the Princess spoke your words back at you. That line she just read back to you is just one among the countless opinions you wrote throughout your career.

You didn't remember it, but she did… she still does.

"So, when I saw your name on Cadance's list, the choice was obvious. But still, that only covers the reason as to why you were picked. And from what you told me, it seems Cadance could not guess what task, exactly, I have for you."

As she says that, Princess Celestia suddenly opens her wings. The movement is not aggressive, but it is still powerful. After all, her wings are maybe twice as large as you are, and the magic they command can no doubt put an entire group of pegasi to shame.

She flaps her wings with a single, powerful motion, softly pushing against the ground with her hindlegs.

And apparently, the localized gust of wind that just blew through the courtroom is her idea of taking a short leap. Because a few moments later, the Princess lands behind the highest stand.

She lands behind her stand, and she sits down upon the large chair that awaits you. Staring down at you from the same position she held whenever she decided to act as the highest judge.

The smile she had before, even if just for a moment, is now gone. And from your perspective, the mare who is staring down at you is the very definition of a severe and judging pony.

She looks down at you, you look up at her, and you cannot help but tremble. It takes everything you have not to cower under her gaze. Your legs can't help but shake underneath you as the oldest mind in all of Equestria, carried by the highest authority known to Ponykind, stares down at you from the most important of judicial seats.

And to be honest, you cannot fathom how other ponies manage to do it. Because you are here as a mere visitor, you are here because she commanded you to be here. But how in Equestria could a pony possibly stand where you are standing as an accused?

After all, despite everything that is happening, and the seat from which she is looking down at you, she is still not judging you. You are merely under her scrutiny and attention right now. And even then you cannot imagine how it would be to have Princess Celestia presiding in a case against you as a true judge.

"Lady Fair Trial, I have a question for you. Do you believe that Ponykind is capable of governing itself? You, who spent your entire life amidst nobles and rulers. You, who navigated the laws and saw the ugly reality of how it is put into practice. Do you think that if ponies… that if I were not here to hold the reins and guide you, do you think you would be able to rule yourselves? Do you believe that if the right pony is put in the right place, Equestria will be able to survive? To prosper?"

Her words, her questions, make you feel as if an entire mountain is pressing down against your back. As if somehow, Princess Celestia is sharing with you a tiny fraction of the colossal, almost impossible weight she carries on her back every day.

Because this question, you immediately understand, is not a rhetorical one. She is not asking for an opinion, or a point of view, or even a show of courage. No.

She is asking if you, after all you saw and experienced, truly believe in the answer you are about to give. She is asking if a pony who lived your life, and who sees things from your perspective, truly believe if you have a chance as a civilization… no, as a species.

Because she does not. And Princess Celestia, looking down at you all from the perspective of the sun, has found you all wanting.

However…

However.

In her wisdom, if not in her mercy, she is still aware that her point of view is skewered. She is still aware that the problem could be one that only exists from her perspective. After all, she can only see the leaves of the trees, and not their roots. She can only see the spires of the mansions, and not the ones who work underneath them.

So, she is asking you what you see, when you look around you.

And she will brook no answer but the truth.

"I…" you say, hesitating as you feel her gaze cutting into you. You start, and pause again, until you finally say your answer. "I do, my Princess. From my years traveling around the settlements and small cities. From the time I spent with my friends and peers… even if away from my home in Canterlot. I truly believe there is still good in us. That there is more than enough good in us, for us to move forward together. Even if we have… disappointed you, my liege."

You say that, and halfway through your words you can't help but bow down. But still, you answer truthfully. This is what you really believe in, deep down in your heart.

However, as you look up at her once again…

!!!

Princess Celestia is now glaring at you. Her soft and polite expression has suddenly turned into a scowl, and her brow is twisted in anger.

And you… you don't know what you did wrong. You don't know what you should do next!

Did you somehow displease her? Does she think you are telling her a lie? Yet another attempt to try and placate her, from a hypocrite of a noblemare who couldn't possibly know what she is talking about?

Your thoughts race inside your head. You consider speaking up again, to rectify your words or maybe beg for mercy. You consider fleeing.

But the scorching intensity of her glare does not allow you to do any of those things. You have said your piece, and your Princess has not commanded you to do anything else, so you will be still and you will be silent.

Even if that is the last thing you ever do.

Even if your entire body is trembling, as the Princess' horn lights up. Enough magic to move the very heavens concentrating at the tip of her crowned forehead.

However, much to your surprise…

"Then prove it."​

Princess Celestia does nothing but the smallest of levitation spells. She reaches out to something that is lying on her stand, and she floats it into the air.

And then, she tosses it towards you.

A gleaming, gold-and-silver seal arches through the air, landing in the carpeted floor right before your hoofs. It is a thing of beauty. Beauty, and magic. Encrusted with precious gems and glowing softly with spells crafted by the alicorn herself.

You immediately recognize what this is. Any judge, nay any noble in Equestria, would recognize it at a glance.

It is the Solar Seal. The physical embodiment of Princess Celestia's words. The last and final symbol that brands the highest of decisions. The only mark that is allowed to break out old laws, and write down new ones, and against which there is no appeal.

Princess Celestia's own sign, which she uses when she presides over the Solar Court.

"Prove it to me, Fair Trial. Show me that the right pony, in the right place, can still make a difference. Show me that your ancestors did not die when I buried them, and that their foals, their betters, still share the land with me."

She says that, and her words almost cut you down where you stand.

Because all at once, you understand everything. You understand the implications of what she is doing here. You understand exactly what she thinks about Ponykind. And you understand what her orders are, and for what reason she commanded you to come here today.

But most of all, you understand her anger. You understand why she is glaring down at you as she says those words.

Because Princess Celestia… for millennia she was your guide and ruler. For as long as ponies can remember, she has been there to raise the sun and lower the moon, and to teach you right from wrong.

For the longest time, she was your leader. Your lady, your elder, the confident hoof on your shoulder and the Princess upon your throne.

She was all of that for so long… but not anymore.

Now, as she glares down at you from that seat of highest authority, she is doing so as a judge.

And she is no longer guiding or nourishing Ponykind. No. Now, she is judging you. She is judging the entirety of your species, for wrongs that have been perpetrated for several centuries now. For errors that have been committed since before your grandfather was born.

She is judging you. All of you.

However, she is glaring down at you in particular, with those furious eyes and that twisted visage, because…

Because even though she is judging Ponykind, Ponykind itself is not standing at trial before her. Quite on the contrary. In fact, your species has not even sent proper representation on its behalf. Oh no. They have not sent their best and their brightest, their paragons and exemplars, to stand before your Princess of the Sun.

The champions of Ponykind are not here today. They are not here to show your monarch, through words and examples, through mettle and acts, that you are still worthy of her attention. That you are all still worthy of her love, and her sun, and that you have not squandered the last thousand years weighting down on her back and taking her for granted.

No. Those ponies who could convince her, if they even exist at all, are not here today.

And Princess Celestia is glaring down at you because…



… because in its stead, as sole representative and advocate, Ponykind has sent only you.



And even as she leaps off from the stand and walks away. Even as she leaves the Solar Court, to return to her castle, you still do not feel like you are alone.

Because you know that, from now on, everything you do will be watched. Watched, and scrutinized, and weighted, and judged. You know that, from now on, you will never be truly alone.

She will be watching you.

Her patience with everypony else is already spent. Her faith in your fellow ponies has already faded away. And you are the last pony she will ever pay attention to.

You are the last proof of concept. The final test, after a string of failures. The aggressive shakedown of centuries of tradition, all for the sake of putting her right pony on the spot she deems to be the right place.

And if you fail…

You pick up the Solar Seal with a shaking hoof.

And it takes everything you have to not throw it away and flee in terror.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan Nightmare's Revenge (Forma Social Awareness)
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[X] (Shopping) Purchase Edge 3 artifact
-[X] Deny it. (Will destroy a Wrong Key)
-[X] (Other) Give Stormchaser a Wrong Key to use while he's away, just in case.
-[X] (Servants) Work on the ground level of Jade's old house.
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[X] (Fluttershy) Train
-[X] (Jade) Investigate Selene
-[X] (DoA) Knock Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Grail lesson
-[X] (Selene) Edge
-[X] (AotL) Lantern: Edge Artifact
-[X] (Forge) Moth 3
-[X] (Knock) Explore beyond the Ruined Church
-[X] Study: Edge 3 artifact, Lantern 6 book
-[X] [COPPER] Perform The Path Through Nightmares aimed at this opponent
--[x] Sacrifice Moth 3 reagent
--[X] At Jade's House. (if this is somehow not available use the Rarity's House)
-[X] Fleeting Opportunity: Cadance

You are Commissioner Velvet Covers.

And right now, you are busy.

Despite everything that is happening, and the several unsuccessful attempts from your maintenance staff to fix the "broken" door of your office, the world still spins. Ponies still wake up everyday to go about their business, and the Wake still yells its demands.

Which is a very long and convoluted way of saying that you have been busy. And that the Lunar Bureau has been consuming every last drop of your attention.

Your dreams of creating a field manual for your agents is… well, not dead and buried, but definitely consigned to the world of unattainable goals. An aspiration for what you should strive to achieve, if you will, but not something that can be done in a reasonable time period.

And not because you just gave up on it. You tried to get it done. You really, really did. You tried to create a manual, and then you downgraded to a draft of a manual, and then to a booklet, and then at least to a leaflet that your agents could refer to while on the field. But eventually, you had to settle for… well, for a list of hypotheticals, that you thoroughly discussed with your team leaders and staff, which were memorialized in writing.

Better than nothing, you suppose. And given your vague deadline (which you set to the end of this month) you know this is the best you can do. Anything more than a few days' worth of meetings and discussions would delay your agents from actually getting out there. But still, you are glad that you gave them something a little more legitimate than an "I trust you all not to overstep your authority".

But of course, even though most of your agents have spread out to all corners of Equestria, you still have plenty to do at the Bureau itself. You have groundwork to prepare for the immediate future. A constant stream of "first times" that require your attention. And of course, given how the Bureau is the nerve center of your entire operation, you also have to receive, study, and compile the constant stream of reports that is now coming in. Because even though you have a competent staff, the Bureau itself is still the place where the several disparate "dots" of evidence and suspicion must be compiled and connected. Otherwise, the several little pieces your agents are discovering will never be combined into a puzzle.

Never an idle moment, you suppose. On top of all that, you and Shining Armor are still constantly on the lookout for more ponies to recruit.

Speaking of which… you two are still trying to bolster your ranks, of course, but you already have a reasonable number of ponies in your team.



And now that you think about it, you couldn't help but notice that…



[] [BUREAU] Most of your recruits, the agents, guards and even administrative staff, accepted your offer of housing in Ponyville.

-This option is only available due to your encouragement, towards Mayor Mare, to let Ponyville grow. There will be no administrative or social problems to speak of.
-Ponyville will become an informal "dormitory" to the Lunar Bureau.
-Ponyville will become safer, and your estate will slightly benefit from it as well. However, suspicious actions performed in Ponyville (narrative or mechanical) will be under heightened scrutiny.
-Velvet Covers will REFUSE to procure dead bodies in Ponyville, or order actions that involve criminal activity.


[] [BUREAU] Most of your recruits preferred to be housed in Canterlot.

-Nothing will change.



- - -



As the days rush by, you slowly fall into a routine of sorts. You wake up early, have breakfast at your office in the Bureau, ignore Shining Armor's surprised look at how early you arrived, and then you proceed to work until your Deputy forces you to leave. He usually says something about "the secretaries not being allowed to leave before you do" and "they have families and foals waiting for them". Which you think is ridiculous, because you repeatedly tell him that they can leave before you do, and that Shining Armor himself is to blame for those stupid rules.

Still, the stallion won't budge. Blasted discipline he picked up in the Royal Guard. He doesn't budge, so you are usually forced to leave just as the sun begins to set on the horizon.

You never said it was a healthy routine.

Regardless. The days rush by, and as the end of the week fast approaches you can't help but notice that something is… missing.

No, not something. Somepony.

And even though you would never be so crass as to "demand" to "complain" that a Princess has not been visiting you, you will definitely allow yourself to be concerned over the fact that you have not yet seen one of your friends this entire month.

Even if said friend happens to be a Princess.

"You may come in, Lady Velvet."

With that in mind, you give the maid your thanks, and gently push the door open into Cadance's apartment.

Now that you think about it, you have never been here before. Well, you have already broken into the royal quarters before, under less-than-reputable circumstances, but you have never really entered an alicorn's home. Or at least the part of the Royal Castle that they consider their home.

And to your surprise the place is quite… normal.

You have no idea how their bodies work. You don't even know if Cadance has any expectations of what might happen to her, in the coming decades. However, she is still "only" as large as an earth pony stallion, and is nowhere near Princess Celestia's size. So, you are thankful, if unsurprised, at the fact that everything around you is in a relatable size.

However, you are still surprised at how… you don't even know how to describe it. At how homely the place is? At how cozy this place feels? The glasses are still made of crystal, and the furniture is still polished to a shine, but the place still feels normal?

If not normal, at least your surroundings don't feel overbearing. To the point that you can even feel yourself relaxing. Your thoughts being that you have entered Cadance's home first, and that you are in a Princess' apartment second.

And of course, your attention is immediately focused on the mare herself, as she stands up from a sofa to greet you.

"Velvet Covers? Good evening, it is great to see you. How have you been?"

However, despite the comfortable surroundings, you immediately feel a pang of tension as you look at Cadance herself.

The way she is speaking, as if she is forcing herself to smile. The way she avoids looking at your eyes. Even the slight drag in her tone of voice. You are already used to seeing Cadance tired and stressed, unfortunately, but that never stopped the mare from visiting you. If nothing else, she always claimed that talking to you, being able to talk to somepony normally, was something that helped her.

But as you look at her, you realize that something is weighting her down… that something is worrying her so much that she didn't even have the energy to do that.

And not having the energy to do something you like is always the first step on the road that goes down.

So, the first thing you do is walk towards her. You pretend you don't notice the hesitant half-step she takes back, and you ignore the fake expression she tries to put on when she realizes that you noticed it.

And the very first thing you do is put a hoof on her shoulder, getting so close to her as you look her in the eyes that the tip of your horns almost touch.

"Caddy, dear. Do you want to talk?"

Her reaction is instantaneous. The fake bravado turning into a frown, and her wings drooping slightly thanks to the gentle, but firm, tone of your voice.

You are glad you made the time to come visit her.

…

You are both very busy mares. Granted, Cadance is orders of magnitude busier than you are, but the two of you can still relate.

You are both very busy mares, and the two of you should be using your scarce free time to sleep and rest.

You and Cadance should not be awake. You should not be talking to each other into the morning hours. And you definitely should not have convinced her to order something to drink.

And yet, here you are. Two in the morning, with a half-empty bottle next to you, talking to a slightly disgruntled, partially drunk alicorn.

Still, the things you hear are definitely… enlightening.


"Velvet, do you think I'm good enough?"
"If I think you're good enough? Good enough for what?"
"Not for what. For whom. And of course I'm talking about Shining."
"Pff, you're worried about that? Caddy, love, you're a Princess. You have him eating out of the horseshoe on your hoof."


You say that but you immediately realize you struck a nerve. Cadance's frown becomes even heavier, and she empties her glass in one swing.


"What… you don't think you're enough for him?"
"No. I don't. I really don't. Because that's the thing, isn't it? I'm a Princess. So of course a Princess is good enough for… everypony, and everything."
"I… I didn't meant to-"
"But is Cadance enough? Would I ever be enough if I weren't a Princess? If I was still some pegasus living at the hind-end of nowhere, with nothing but a herb garden and a love for making potions, would I be enough for him? Would I have even MET him?!"
"Caddy, I…"


Her wings drop down to her sides. The wine bottle, that she had been so hesitant to touch at first, quickly floats towards her glass. And she forgets it there for so long that her glass even overflows a little.

But she doesn't care, and you definitely aren't about to point it out.

The dark-red wine stains her pink fur as she carelessly drinks from it. It is not a pretty sight.

But even uglier than that is the sad, depressed expression she has on her face.


"I'm sorry Velvet, I didn't mean to yell…"
"No, it's fine. It's all fine, Cadance… but… did something happen? Why are you suddenly thinking about this? I mean, you're great, Cadance. I could spend the whole night talking about why you deserve to be a Princess, and why you wear the title rather than the other way around. But you're much more than that. You're more than that and you know it."
"Yeah, yeah… the thing is… I've had this idea for a while now. These last few… I don't know, days? Weeks? Years? For a while now, I've been thinking about… promise you won't laugh?"
"Laugh? Throw me out of that window if I even snicker, girl."
"Pff… you know I would never. Still, I've been thinking about… I've been fantasizing even, about marrying Shining Armor."


She says that, and you finally recognize her expression.

It should have been obvious from the start. You should have realized it the moment you laid your eyes on her.

Cadance, you realize, is wearing the expression of a mare who is painfully in love. So much so, that her love has twisted back into itself and turned into doubt.

You never thought the Alicorn of Love, of all ponies, would have a problem like this.

But this is Cadance you are talking to. And, like you said, you really do believe that she wears the title, and not the other way around. She is a mare first, and a Princess second. And she is entitled to have these kinds of problems just like anypony else.

And Princess or not, she is also your friend, and you will be damned if you are not here for her.


"Everywhere I look, every time I think about it, it just makes sense. A royal wedding to raise the spirits of everypony in Equestria. A real, honest reason for me to spend more time with him. And most importantly, a chance for me to finally show him just how much I love him!"
"…"
"I want to marry him, Velvet. I really, really want to. And not just for a party, or a ceremony, or a ritual, or whatever else that means. I just want to finally be able to look him in the eyes, and promise him that I will be with him forever. And… and I want him to finally do the same to me as well. Not because I want to do it in front of the whole world, but because I want us to do it from the bottom of our hearts. No more secret relationships, no more pushing back… no more hesitating."
"There, there… go on dear…"
"But every time I think about it, I also… it's not that I get scared? I trust him, I love him, but I still think that… that if I do it, it will be wrong?"
"What do you mean wrong, Cadance? What could possibly be wrong about two ponies who love each other getting married?"
"Because I am a Princess, Velvet. And… and I know it probably sounds silly, or dumb, or even stupid. But I think that… If I propose to Shining, will he accept it because he loves me? Or because I am a Princess, and a proposal from me is as good as an order form an alicorn?"


Cadance says that with a shaking voice, once again turning to her drink as soon as she stops talking.

And you think that you… understand her problem. You think you understand why she is so conflicted about it.

Because the mare loves Shining Armor. Nothing could be clearer than that. She loves him, and you know he loves her back very much. And under normal circumstances, that would be more than enough for the two of them to get married.

However, Cadance also happens to be a Princess. She also happens to be the Princess of Love, nonetheless. And to nopony's surprise, there is absolutely no record of a Princess every marrying anypony in all of history.

And even though Cadance has been a Princess for more than a decade, she already told you how her circumstances still weight down on her. Her horn is familiar to her, now, but she admitted to you that it still feels out of place sometimes. She no longer hesitates to use her authority, but she still wonders if she is doing the right thing when she gives an order. That, and the constant, ever present, almost fanatical expectations that everypony has of her at all times. After all, a Princess is never wrong, and an alicorn always knows what to do.

So sure, she can marry Shining Armor if she wants to. She could marry anypony in Equestria, if she wanted to.

But that is the problem, isn't it?

She doesn't want Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, the Alicorn of Love, to marry Shining Armor.

She wants Cadance, the kind and lovable pegasus, to marry Shining Armor.

She wants to be a smitten mare who somehow got together with an unicorn who is way out of her league.

But she is terrified that, instead, her marriage might be an arranged affair ordered by the Crown.

However, since she is both Cadance and a Princess, there is no way to separate those two things. And she is terrified that, should she marry him, that creeping doubt will slowly worm its way into her head as the years go by. Does he love me? Yes. Did he marry me? Of course. Did he have a choice?

That is her problem.

And then, of course, there is also the unspoken question. The loophole that would have made this entire problem moot to begin with. Why hasn't Shining Armor proposed to her yet? If that happened, then there would be no problem. If he did that, suddenly the story shifts. It would be the smitten stallion going against all societal norms, challenging the Crown itself, to marry the mare he loved. It would be Shining Armor locking horns with the authority of a Princess, for the sake of marrying Cadance.

She would no longer be haunted by that uncertainty. She would not be terrified by the idea that the stallion she loved never had the option to say "no".

And besides, what mare doesn't want to be proposed to by the stallion of her dreams?

Still, the explanation for that is also obvious.

Because what stallion would ever dare to propose to a Princess?

Her situation is… unique. And even though she tried to hide it, you did pick up on her undertones that also related to you. After all, you have been pushed into an arranged marriage. And regardless of how happy you are, you never really had the option to say no.

And Cadance… doesn't want that for herself.

Maybe a Princess would have acted differently. Maybe the ruler that everypony expects her to be would not be plagued by these concerns.

But you don't care about any of that.

You just want your friend Cadance to be happy.



So, you tell her that…



[][CADANCE] Have hope, and have faith. Have faith in Shining, if not in yourself. Your stallion loves you, and he will not keep you waiting. (Because you will tug at his Leash)

-You will tug at Shining Armor's Leash, and "suggest" him to get a move on and propose to Cadance.
-Cadance will not feel any of it, and will not suspect your actions.
-Cadance will be incredibly happy.
-Free will? What's that?


[] [CADANCE] Just do it! You should propose to him tomorrow. No, right now! Love will win the day, and these concerns of yours will be forgotten by tomorrow!

-Cadance, at your encouragement, will propose to Shining Armor.
-But will her doubts ever truly go away?


[] [CADANCE] Maybe all this cold hoof is a sign that… you shouldn't?

-You will discourage Cadance from marrying Shining Armor.
-Your honesty will be appreciated, and this will not hamper your friendship.
-Still, good luck with that.



After that, the two of you continue drinking late into the night, and early into the morning.

And you will neither confirm nor deny that you woke up on the following day in her bed. The only certainty you had was that your damned hangover would accompany you for the rest of the day.



- - -



It is not everypony who can simply barge into your office and demand an audience with you. The Princesses are among the few who can, followed by your daughters. You also have to admit, even if grudgingly, that ponies like Midday Dew also have that privilege. For the sake of professional courtesy if nothing else, given his (supposed) co-equal status when compared to you.

However, even if a pony is not barging into your office, the same criteria also applies to ponies who follow the more sensible and formal channels. Your Secretary acts as a first filter, and you have given Shining Armor ample authority to stonewall anypony who might try to waste your time. To the point that he doesn't even mention anymore when a request, invitation or proposition directed at you arrives in the mail. And that is regardless of who, be them noble or wealthy, has signed said letter.

Still, every rule has an exception, and your Secretary staff still zealously checks all your correspondence to make sure they are not filtering out something that should arrive at your desk.

And one such exception, one such anomaly, is sitting in front of you right now.

Her letter, or rather a letter from her office, arrived at the Bureau just yesterday. And her situation was such that, when she asked to speak to you, you immediately found the time to meet her.

After all, everypony took notice of the Royal Decree that was made just a few days ago. In which Princess Celestia commanded yet another momentous and far-reaching change in the Crown's government.

And that is why you are right now receiving in your office the latest, and only, Justice of the Solar Court.

"Commissioner Velvet Covers," she says, as she sits down on the cushioned seat before your desk. "I deeply appreciate this opportunity to confer with you. Especially in such short notice."

"Justice Fair Trial, the pleasure is all mine. You honor the Lunar Bureau with your presence."

The unicorn mare in front of you is, to put it mildly, humble-looking and unassuming. Her coat is grey like a rainy cloud, and her mane is a dull brown. She is by no means ugly or unsightly, and you can clearly see that she has the subtle good looks of a well-bred noblemare. However, she definitely doesn't go out of her way to keep appearances.

The business dress she is wearing is not dissimilar to the ones being used by the mares in your Secretary. And even though her mane is not unkempt, it definitely lacks the luster of a mare who takes care of her looks. Heavens, she even has the… ever so slight bulk of a pony who is used to traveling a lot. You can see it, in the way her legs don't really look as delicate as yours, or how her frame seems to be as healthy as an earth pony's rather than that of a unicorn.

But of course, you also know why that is the case. You work at the Lunar Bureau, after all, and you would be damned if an entire dossier was not dropped at your desk less than an hour after you received her letter.

You know who she is. You know of her career. And you have a very educated guess as to why Princess Celestia chose her for her job.

The one thing you don't know, however, is why she is here.

"By all means, call me Fair Trial. I hope you will be patient with me, but the title of Justice is still… new to me."

"In that case, please call me Velvet! I too have been sitting in this chair for only a month now. But that being said, how can I help you, Fair Trial?"

You say that, and the mare gives you a thankful nod.

However, despite her appearance… you immediately realize that the mare is also sharp.

And she wastes no time going straight to business.

"Velvet Covers, I am here on behalf of the Solar Court to… no, I am here on behalf of all the judiciary system. Of all of Equestria, even. Because I would like to discuss something that I think is of great importance."

But there is more than just sharpness in her voice. Although you can't really tell what else you are hearing in her tone.

Still, you can tell that she is not attacking you. Not exactly. She hopes you will agree with her, of course. She hopes that you two can reach an understanding.

However, there is still something else about her tone that you just… can't quite place a hoof on.

"Princess Celestia's Decree leaves no room for doubt. You and your Bureau answer to Princess Luna first, to Princess Celestia second, and to nopony else. However, I would like to hear what your opinion is in regards to… Princess Celestia's words. I would like to know how you interpret that Decree, and your orders, when it comes to the laws that the Princess has put into place."

Your conversation moves on from there. And even though the two of you aren't really dueling against each other with your words, it also happens that neither of you are willing to lower your guards.

Not for the first few minutes, at least.

You ask a few peculiar, pointed questions, and the mare immediately understands what you are probing for. She answers you in a similarly peculiar way, and the two of you reveal to each other that you know about the changelings.

She then asks you how many liberties you plan to take with your appointed powers, and you decide to be honest and show her your cards. You tell her that your first concern is being to not abuse the power you have been given, and that you are trying your best to set guidelines and protocols from day zero. So that Equestria understands that the Lunar Bureau exists to protect them, and not just sow a different kind of terror.

And for all that the two of you began this conversation with your guards up, the two of you slowly find a common ground of sorts.

Which is when Fair Trial finally tells you why she is really here.

"I will get to the point, Velvet Covers. Legally speaking, you are outside the Solar Court's jurisdiction. Princess Celestia no longer presides over it. So, you answer to the Princesses directly, and the Solar Court is no longer an extension of that direct link. But I would like to ask you… no, it isn't just that. Velvet Covers, I need you to submit to the jurisdiction of the Solar Court. And I don't say this as a political ploy, or a power play, or anything like that. No. This is much, much more important than that."

And as Fair Trial says those words, you finally recognize that… that thing you have been hearing in her tone all along. You finally identify what it is that is driving her. That is making her ask, almost implore, for you to see things her way.

You do not say this in a sadistic sense. You are not thinking this so as to berate or demean Fair Trial.

However, the fact remains that… she sounds desperate.

She is hiding it well, deep inside of her. And who knows, maybe the mare herself doesn't realize it.

But still, something happened to her. Something happened, and now she is scared. Terrified, even.

And for some reason, she needs you to agree with her. She needs you to work with her. Because somehow, that will address the source of her fears.

"I understand the Lunar Bureau has a noble purpose. I might not know of the details, but I also understand the dangers we still face. That the Bureau will have to face, under you. However, please believe me when I say that this isn't just about the Bureau. This is about…"

She hesitates, and she narrows her eyes slightly. And just for a moment, you can tell that she is somewhere else.

And you can all but tell that the memories of whatever terrified her are now flashing before her eyes.

Even if only for a moment.

"… this is about Ponykind, all of us, showing that we can work together. We have to show th-… we have to show each other that, if given the chance, we can make a system that works. That we will not use power or influence to just subjugate each other. That we won't merely follow our orders without thinking about the bigger picture. So please."

She takes a deep breath, as if dreading what might come next. As if for some personal reason, you disagreeing with her and denying her request would amount to much more than the two of you simply going your separate ways.

"Please, when you finish your investigations. Whenever you find the ponies you are meant to find… please submit them to us. Please submit them to me. I will make sure the process is quick. But please, let everypony have the right to an honest judgment, before a neutral magistrate. Please, help me build a system that Equestria can trust. Where our evildoers are brought to the light and judged by our laws, and not one where the disappear into a dark cell never to be seen again. This… this might give us all more work, but the P-… the public will notice. Everypony will notice. And if we do this right, then we will show everypony that we can make it right!"

She says all of that, the words rushing out of her mouth in a sharp contrast to her previous caution.

And for all that you can see that she is being honest, you also realize she is hiding something. That the energy she is speaking with comes from more than just her belief of what is right and wrong. After all, for all that you understand the good that might come from agreeing with her, you also notice a… pointed absence, in her words, of what bad consequences might arise if you decide not to work with her.

Still, there is a choice to be made. And Fair Trial's point is not without merit.

Because soon, the Lunar Bureau will be doing what it is meant to do. And your agents will be kicking down doors, apprehending evidence, and cutting through red tape and influence alike with the quiet fury of Celestia's vengeance. To the point that your very first target, you know, was doubtlessly picked due to their notoriety, as much as it was for whatever misdeeds they might be hiding.

Princess Celestia wants everypony to know that she is coming for them. For everypony who has wronged her, and Equestria, one way or the other.

However, you would be fooling yourself if you didn't agree with Fair Trial's point that… well, the Lunar Bureau might very well become a source of fear and apprehension. And not just for the criminal and the corrupt, but for honest ponies as well.

After all, if it is entirely within your remit to lock up anypony for any reason, then what is stopping you from going after innocent ponies? Everypony will think that, and the only thing stopping them from voicing that would be fear.

And do you want to participate in a system that enforces silence through fear?

Submitting yourself to the Equestrian judiciary, you know, would go a very, very long way towards addressing that. And the knowledge that anypony that the Lunar Bureau apprehends will be immediately placed before the gaze of the Solar Court itself, in a public and official manner, will only give your institution more trust.

However… if you do that, you will definitely lose certain… liberties.



Ultimately, you decide that…



[] [FAIR TRIAL] The Lunar Bureau will work closely together with the Solar Court. Both institutions exist, first and foremost, to serve the Princesses and Equestria.

-Fair Trial will be thankful, and will proceed to work together with you in the future.
-The Lunar Bureau's investigations will submit their findings to the justice system. And apprehended ponies will be given their day in court. All ponies will breathe a sigh of relief that power is being handled in a sensible manner.
-She understands, and agrees with, that certain exception are out of your power to make. Apprehended changelings, and other special cases, will be excluded from this decision.
-You will NOT be capable of tampering with evidence following your investigations. Meaning you will NOT be able to launder Lore knowledge through the Lunar Bureau's actions. You will only be able to find Lore knowledge by attacking occultist targets.
-"Playing by the rules is an open invitation for those willing to abuse them!"


[] [FAIR TRIAL] The Lunar Bureau answers only to the Princesses.

-Fair Trial will be disappointed in you, but there is nothing else she can do for now.
-Upon the Bureau's debut, everypony will be greeted by an agency that operates above the laws, and without restrictions. Be that fair or unfair, fear and apprehension will surely follow.
-You WILL be able to tamper with evidence, following the Bureau's investigations, in order to launder Lore knowledge into the Lunar Bureau. You cannot know what step you will take next, but this crucial piece of that puzzle will be a lot easier to fit.
-"Putting the 'i' in 'Police State'!"





You have met Justice (or Lady) Fair Trial. The current, and only, Justice presiding upon the Solar Court by the will and word of Princess Celestia. Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!

All votes are approval votes. No need for plans, and the most picked in each category will win.

12 hours moratorium.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan Nightmare's Revenge (Forma Social Awareness)
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[X] (Shopping) Purchase Edge 3 artifact
-[X] Deny it. (Will destroy a Wrong Key)
-[X] (Other) Give Stormchaser a Wrong Key to use while he's away, just in case.
-[X] (Servants) Work on the ground level of Jade's old house.
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[X] (Fluttershy) Train
-[X] (Jade) Investigate Selene
-[X] (DoA) Knock Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Grail lesson
-[X] (Selene) Edge
-[X] (AotL) Lantern: Edge Artifact
-[X] (Forge) Moth 3
-[X] (Knock) Explore beyond the Ruined Church
-[X] Study: Edge 3 artifact, Lantern 6 book
-[X] [COPPER] Perform The Path Through Nightmares aimed at this opponent
--[x] Sacrifice Moth 3 reagent
--[X] At Jade's House. (if this is somehow not available use the Rarity's House)
-[X] Fleeting Opportunity: Cadance

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[BUREAU] Most of your recruits preferred to be housed in Canterlot.
[CADANCE] Have hope, and have faith. Have faith in Shining, if not in yourself. Your stallion loves you, and he will not keep you waiting. (Because you will tug at his Leash)
[FAIR TRIAL] The Lunar Bureau will work closely together with the Solar Court. Both institutions exist, first and foremost, to serve the Princesses and Equestria.

You are Commissioner Velvet Covers.

And even though the day just ended, you… don't really look forward to tomorrow.

You close the door behind you, lighting up your horn to lock it with a flick of magic. Then, you look around you and gaze at the now familiar sight of your guest room in the Royal Castle.

The bed is impeccably made, the furniture is spotlessly clean, and everything around you has a vague scent of perfumes and flowers. You just returned from your weekend at home, so you know the castle servants had several days to clean the place up. However, as cozy and inviting as this might be, you still can't find it in you to feel at ease.

Because you already know this week will be especially long. You already know that everything started with two left hoofs, and that you are bound to trip and fall sooner rather than later.

One of the reasons for that is because Shining Armor will be somewhat absent this week. The first thing he did this morning was ask your permission to be more "flexible" with his hours for the next few days. Naturally, the stallion was unusually hesitant while talking to you, and stated that he needed some time off for "personal reasons".

You did not press him for answers, obviously, and you told him to take as much time as he needed. The stallion tried to assure you that you wouldn't even notice his absence, but you shooed him away with a wave of your hoof. Because it was already hard enough to keep a nonchalant expression as he spoke to you, so you definitely wanted him to leave your office before your real feelings appeared on your face.

And your real feelings are… complicated. It is a strange, curious, almost paradoxical mixture of happiness and apprehension.

After all, you know why he suddenly wants this "time off". You know what thoughts, what urges, have tugged at him since last week. You know exactly what kind of feeling has pulled his tail for the whole weekend, until he finally caved in and decided to act.

You know what he is going to do with his off time. You might not know the details, but he is definitely going to plan and prepare something, and that Cadance will be beyond herself with happiness in maybe a few days.

So, you are happy. You are happy because it worked.

And you are feeling apprehension… also because it worked.

Or maybe rather than apprehension, you are actually feeling guilty.

Because you feel that you did the right thing. After all, this will make Cadance happy. So how could it possibly be bad for you to want to help a friend? You might not be as personally close to Shining as you are to Cadance, but even then you are confident on this despite only knowing half the story. Cadance is in love. No, she is almost lovesick. And you can only imagine what that means considering the mare is also the Princess of Love.

So, you trust her words. You trust what she is telling you, and most importantly what you know she is feeling. Cadance and Shining are meant for each other, and helping them get together can only be the right thing to do.

However...

However.

Well, like you said, you aren't really that close to Shining. You respect him, of course. You respect him, and you trust him, and you have been working closely with him for more than a month now. Heavens, you have already worked with him several months ago as well, during the search for Princess Luna.

But still, no matter how you try to frame it, you can't really say that working closely with somepony equates to being close to that pony.

You never invited him to your home for purely social reasons. You never really sat down with him to talk about something without the looming shadow of some kind of duty hanging over both of you. Even the period he stayed in your house, you only saw him during breakfast and late in the evening, and only for the few days before he was beaten half to death by Comet Feet.

So sure, you might know a few things about Shining Armor, but you can't really claim to be close to him. To the point that you know more about him by proxy than from the stallion's own mouth. You know more about Shining Armor thanks to your conversations with Cadance, and maybe Twilight, than because of your own efforts to know him better. And the closest you ever got to a personal conversation with him were… well, the few times the two of you stayed in the Bureau after hours, when you two let one thing or another slip because you were both too tired to keep a professional decorum.

Which is why you feel… conflicted.

In a sense, you even feel like you have taken Cadance's doubts from her back and placed them on your own.

Because now? When, and not "if", Shining Armor follows through? Well, Cadance will not suspect a thing. And she will be happy beyond words to see that her doubts were unfounded. After all, if Shining proposes to her, then of course he really wants it. Why else would he have done it?

Or at least that is what Cadance will think.

You, on the other hoof, will probably spend the rest of your life asking yourself… did Shining Armor really want to do it?

He might not be marrying Cadance due to an order of the crown.

But still, he did not have a choice.

You sit down on the ground as you let out a sigh, your hind hitting against the soft carpet of the guest room. And not for the first time you wish you could close your eyes and see nothing. Odd as it might be, you really miss the sensation of being in a dark room, that false impression that there is nothing around you and that you don't need to worry about anything.

But you can't. Not anymore. Closing your eyes just means the world around you turns bright and crystal clear, or at least that the shadows become as familiar to you as your own name.

So, there is no easy way to push these thoughts away. There is no simple way to make all these… things in your head quiet down.

Especially considering that Shining Armor is not the greatest of your concerns.

After all, your weekend was less than pleasant. It is bad enough that Stormchaser isn't there, but several little things happened that, when added up, make you feel more tired than you were before going home.

You had to make arrangements for Scootaloo to go back to her home, for starters. After all, you have just set things in motion that can't be taken back, so your own house is now a target. So, you can't keep a filly who is not in your family in your home, if that will put her in harm's way. Because like it or not, if push came to shove… well, you would not prioritize Scootaloo's safety over your own, unlike you would with your daughters.

So, you had a very long conversation with several ponies, you sent a strongly worded letter to her parents, and you make sure the filly's caretaker knew you would be watching. But still, the whole thing was a little sad for your daughters. You could tell it was, even if they didn't tell you.

And then, of course, there is Selene herself. She has been… difficult to deal with. Not being with her every day of the week means your methods, the little nudges you gave her here and there, had to be revised. They are a lot more concentrated, and a lot less subtle. And even though you realize you are in the last stretch, that also means you wish you could be more delicate about it.

But you can't. You have neither the time nor the means to do it. So, Selene is… bearing the brunt of it. And you are not proud of it.

You never… you never had a shouting match with a foal before. Or at least, that never happened with Silky. But seeing Selene's anger flare, boil, and then overflow from her that way was… haunting, to say the least.

Having your own daughter yell that she hates you is quite a stab at your heart. Knowing that Silky heard it, as well, only makes it worse. And even though you don't care that some of the servants were within earshot, you still know that gossip can only make the atmosphere in your home heavier.

So yeah, all in all you did not have a very pleasant weekend.

Nopony said it would be easy. But you still wish tomorrow was not just a few hours away.

…

Well, you are not sure if you are thankful for this or not, but at least you know where you can go to take your mind off all this. Even if only for a while.



- - -



Throughout the entire month, you have dedicated every Dream, and almost every night, to mapping the Ruined Church.

Your progress was slow. First and foremost cautious. And you understand that you used the word "mapping" just now with a great deal of liberty.

After all, your efforts did not crystallize into any usable product. You cannot say that you know the interior of the Church any better than a newcomer, and not even in your wildest dreams would you claim to be comfortable within its walls.

However, you did find a path, of sorts. The lower reaches of the Church, with its raucous cries and pulsating echoes, still elude you. But still, night after night, you slowly discovered a path that you can consider partially safe, which allows you to traverse to the higher exit of the Church. A long, winding, and most importantly deserted sequence of corridors in which, to date, you have not seen any signs of company.

You feel as if this path takes you from one ear of the Church to the other, without having to pass through the inside of its mouth. Although you avoid thinking about this description too much, given how uncomfortably accurate it sounds.

Regardless, at long last you have reached this place once again. At long last, you are back in the central hall of the Ruined Church. Surrounded by the bony pews and shattered mosaics. Looking at the broken altar upon which you saw Mareinette for the first time, almost two months ago.

It scares you, deep down, to realize how dry and empty this place is. You feel the slightest bit of vertigo, at the thought that this place once hosted Long and Names and was perhaps presided upon by an Hour. And yet, this place is now shriveled and abandoned.

You can still sense the gravitas of this place. And yet, it is only enough for you to realize how much it has changed.

Well, you suppose you could also say that about the Mansus as a whole. The higher you rise, the more you realize how much was but no longer is.

Except, of course, for Glory.

You turn your back to the altar, walking down the nave and making your way towards its grand entrance. Long ago, pilgrim-adepts fought tooth and nail to go in the opposite direction you are heading. But things have changed.

You step out of the Ruined Church, leaving it behind you, and you gaze at Glory.

It is very close now. Closer than it has ever been.

A long, crumbling path stretches before you, onward and upward. It is perhaps one and a half ponies wide, and something tells you it will only get narrower.

You resist the urge to look down, and you begin the long walk.



- - -



Whatever calamity struck the Mansus, it definitely struck this place the hardest. You are sure of it.

Whenever you look up, you can see a crisscross of levels and paths, rooms and floors, barely held together by the shape of stony bridges. Whenever you look down, you can see the lower levels, the labyrinthic curves of the Shattered Stairways, and the blurry distant treetops of the Woods.

You don't see the Blank Plains from here, but you don't really dwell on that. The geometry of the Mansus is something best ignored, except when trying to differentiate up from down.

Still, you can tell that the floor above you is… still there. Or, at least, you can see the underside of another level, whenever you look up. Floating mesas of Mansus-stone, hiding the upper secrets of the house without walls.

But this floor, in sharp contrast, is empty. A bottomless pit, from horizon to horizon, with only a single path available as the way up. It is enormous in its void, deafening in its silence, and a monument made of negative space, reminding the surrounding Mansus of everything that was destroyed.

And yet, you think you see something in the distance.

…

No, you are sure of it. There is something over there, so far away that you can barely make it out against the backdrop of nothingness. Something that is not the same Mansus-path you have been walking on this whole time.

Something that, perhaps, might even reach higher.

…

The Ruined Church is so far away that you can barely see it. Whenever you look back, the path you have been walking this whole time stretches so far that it becomes thinner than a hair of your mane against the distant horizon.

However, as you keep walking, you eventually become convinced that you truly are going somewhere. And you breathe a sigh of relief as you realize you have not done something wrong, or that perhaps you have been walking in a circle so great that it looked like a straight line from your perspective.

The thing you see in the distance looks… almost transparent. It looks like a statue, at first, and then like a castle.

And as you get closer and closer to it, you finally realize it is an upside-down mountain. That really is the only way you can describe it. It is an upside-down mountain, made of sharp glass and transparent rubble. Or perhaps the upper side of an hourglass. Regardless, you can see that the "tip" of that construct is at the very end of the narrow path you are on.

Still, you can see that you have walked so much that Glory is now right on top of you. It is right on top of you, like a midday sun, even though you recall it was right before your eyes and close to the horizon, when you left the Ruined Church.

But thankfully, you do not get tired in the Mansus. Or rather, you do not grow tired from physical labor. Not from your dream body, at least. And your legs pick up the pace, into a curious trot and then an excited gallop, as you approach the inverted construct.

And the moment you reach it, you finally understand why this part of the Mansus is so empty. You understand why it was so utterly destroyed that nothing remains, and that the fall down is so great that you would never reach the Shattered Stairways even if you were to jump off from the narrow path.

Because this entire floor… no, this particular place, this thing you are looking at…



It was the very center of the Mansus, once.



The upside-down mountain stretches up, all the way to the upper level. And now that you are close to it, you can see what it was. Or at least, you can see what the pieces of rubble that form it looked like, long ago.

Its sides are impossibly long bridges made out of glass, littered with doors of snow and wood and metals you cannot name. All of them bleached into a mirror sheen by the ever-present light of Glory. Its surface is twisted in ways that hurt to look at, and even though your body is not real you still feel a mix of vertigo and displacement and perhaps even nausea.

And its purpose is… apparent. No, that is not quite right. Its purpose was apparent. Each and every last piece of rubble, from the bridges and the doors and the trinkets dropped by pilgrims, served a very specific purpose before all those pieces meshed into this current configuration.

Because this was the center of the Mansus. The chamber that connected to all chambers. The walkway of Hours, where they could walk and watch and confer with anything they desired to reach. This entire floor was the heart of the Mansus, a nexus of glass and bridges from which the glare of Glory could spread in all directions. A kaleidoscope of directions and passages, that connected everywhere to the Mansus, and the Mansus to everywhere.

That is, until destruction came, and the Mansus cracked.

It only makes sense, you suppose, that this place was hit the hardest. Because even though the destruction came from above, you can see how this place was hit again and again by whatever ruin befell the Mansus. Either because the calamity reverberated in here as if it were in an echo chamber, or because this place was struck as many times as there were Histories in that Era.

Still, everything here just broke. More than the damage that occurred in the Shattered Stairways, more than the upheaval that struck down the Ruined Church from its place above. Everything in this part of the Mansus simply broke until nothing remained.

And all those broken pieces gathered in the upside-down mountain in front of you. Connected in an interlocked mosaic that defies both gravity and sense.

You are almost scared that it will come crumbling down, should you even touch it. You are almost scared that the apparently delicate thing in front of you will just slide off, like a cascade or maybe an avalanche, if you even dare to approach it.

But you know that will not happen. It cannot happen.

After all, there must always be a way up.

So, you do not dwell on the mysteries behind this thing. You do not wonder whether this thing "collapsed" into itself. Or if, when the Mansus was crippled, all the glass-pieces in this floor "fell" upwards towards Glory, forming the colossal hill before your eyes.

Because who knows, the explanation behind this thing might be something else entirely. Maybe some of its jagged bits are lying against places that don't quite exist anymore. After all, throughout all the Histories there is only one Mansus. But if there is one way all those Histories would be connected, it would definitely be here. So maybe the thing before you is not upside-down at all, and is just leaning against walls you cannot see, shaped like a funnel.

Still, you do not care. You don't have time to care about it.

The only thing that really matters is that you must climb it.

And right before your eyes, on the very end of the path you were walking and at the very "peak" of the inverted mountain, you see the entrance of a cave.

Thankfully, you do not feel like you are being pulled up as you step into it. Gravity does not invert the moment you step hoof inside the reverse mountain, swallowing you deeper into its guts.

However, that means you will have to climb up into this narrow cavern.

And the passages you find are many, and the ground here is very sharp.

Up you go.



[The Crumbled Concursum, cd 100]

[Roll: 80 + 9 (Martial) + 40 (EDGE, Level 4) = 129]

[Success]



Up and up and up you go, following the light of Glory through the transparent maze, and avoiding the places where its reflected glare becomes too sharp.

Your body bleeds from the places where the glass, sharp and nearly invisible, cuts into your dream-self. But it is not enough to make you turn back.

And soon enough, amidst the twisting paths and mirror-mocking dead-ends, you find an exit.



- - -



The Blank Plains lay upon a mesa of Mansus-stone. Or at least you think it does. Still, even though it is built upon stable ground, the only thing you see when you look down is the dew-covered grass meant to host the dead.

The Shattered Stairways, too, is made out of Mansus-stone. But its passages and bridges and corridors are all broken, as befits the name of that place.

But as you jump out from a cave entrance, exiting the upturned mountain of glass and mirrors, you are greeted by the rare sight of spotless, unblemished Mansus-stone. Dark-blue and solid like the very Doors you have crossed.

Looking back, you realize you are perhaps halfway up the inverse mountain. The upper underside of the upper floor is terribly close now, and the light of Glory is so close that you can almost see the silhouette of something leading up to it. Perhaps the final set of stairs that lead to that highest of places, perhaps the last Door any entity will ever need to cross.

Still, close as you might be, you are not yet there.

And right now, you must learn what is this place you have just encountered.

The first thing that you realize is, again, how undamaged this place is. There is not a single crack on the ground beneath your hoofs, not a single trail of web-like flaws that you could follow back to the source of an impact.

No, there is nothing here. To the point that you almost think this place is not connected to the Mansus at all, if that even makes sense.

The second thing you notice is how empty this place is. You are standing on a mesa, yes, but that seems to be it. There is not a single structure or landmark in sight. Not a single building, like Baldomare's lodge, that catches your attention. Nothing but the perfectly flat dark-blue of the stone beneath your hoofs.

And finally, you also realize how small this place is. The mesa of Mansus-stone you are standing on is large, of course, and measuring distances in this place is a fool's errand to begin with. However, the fact remains that even from here you can already see its limits.

This place, you immediately notice, is not nearly as large as a floor. It is not even a section of a floor. You recall how the place you met the Daughter-of-Axes was so large you could see a distant horizon, and the place you… well, other places you have been to were also expansive.

Ah, but of course. Silly as it might be, you also remember you are in a dream. So, you allow yourself to entertain more avenues of thoughts, and think of ideas you would not even consider if you were in the Wake.

Maybe the size of this place indicates… that it can be "grasped" by your senses? No, that doesn't feel right.

Maybe this place is limited because it is "contained" in a sense?

Who knows…

You hope to gather more clues as you explore it. And thankfully, this place being empty means that you can more easily look around you. To the point that you are marginally confident you will notice anything, and any danger, before it approaches you.

Putting one hoof in front of the other, you begin to explore the place.

And it doesn't take long for you to notice something.

There is… something? On the other side of the mesa? You slow down, squinting your eyes as you try to discern what it might be. After all, if you can see it, then it can definitely see you as well, given how the lack of obstruction works both ways.

Still, as you cautiously make your way towards it, you begin to make out more and more details of what it might be.

Yes, there is definitely something on the far edge of the mesa. To be more precise, it is at the very edge of this part of the Mansus. And it looks… vaguely pony shaped. Bulky, and oddly-detailed, but definitely looking down and away from this place.

No, scrap that. It is not pony-shaped. It is a pony.

That thing, at the far edge of this mesa, is definitely a pony.

The moment you realize that, you also realize that this place stretch of Mansus-stone is shaped like a square.

No, not a square. It is shaped like an arena. Without walls or obstructions behind which a pony could hide.

And that pony, that pony standing at the far edge of this place, also noticed you.

He noticed you the moment you stepped hoof on his charge. He noticed you even before you started crawling inside the wrong-facing mountain. He noticed you, and he is the single most dangerous pony you have ever met.

You freeze. Your body freezes, your mind freezes, and even your essence is locked in place. The only part of you that is still barely functional are your instincts, and they are yelling at you to run back to the maze of broken glass. Or better yet, to run to the nearest edge of this mesa and jump off from it. Because even the endless fall that awaits you would give you better chances of survival.

Even though you realize you would be dead before you could take a single step.

Still, you do not move. You do not move even a single inch. You just stare, in wide-eyed terror, at the distant silhouette who you know could kill you despite all the distance between you.

You stay where you are, the heart of your dream-body hammering inside your chest.

Until you realize that… nothing is happening.

The pony is still there, on the distant edge of the mesa. You are still here, somehow still alive. And…

And the pony still has his back turned to you.

He knows you are here.

You have trespassed upon his charge.

And he could kill you where you stand.

But he just does not care.

Or maybe, you just have not offended him enough for him to care about you… yet.

You realize your life is on the line. You realize that even standing where you are is dangerous and that you should leave.

However, your fears also work both ways. Because one, the fact that he hasn't killed yet means that he might not kill you, even if you get closer.

And two…

... you simply don't want to turn your back to him. Even if only for the few seconds it would take for you to turn to the cave entrance you came from, so you could jump towards it.

So, you slowly… carefully… respectfully make your way towards the pony. One step at a time.

Until his distant silhouette turns into a proper shape.

Until you can see that his weird contour was actually a coat. A long and heavy garb that looks like the mixture of a cloak and an overcoat. Old and battered, in a way that makes the previously rough material look soft. With a cap upon his head, that makes you think his attire is, or was, a uniform of sorts.

Until you get close enough to see that the pony is a stallion. And aged stallion, with a long beard and with a sagged and wrinkled face. You can see the shape of a few items under his clothes, but you cannot see anything else.

Until you take a better look at his face, the one part of his body that is actually exposed, and realize that-



Cutter, opener, exsanguinator. The blade that was meant for precision. For the artery that lies beneath the armor. For the skin that has not yet scarred into a lesson. Blood can be replenished. Time cannot.



"That is close enough, young one."

Your hoofs stop under your body, precisely seven steps away from the old stallion.

No, from the Name.

His voice is soft, but harsh. It reaches your ears like a faint breeze, which you know could very quickly turn into the snap of a whip.

Still, you give him a slow, respectful nod. He has his back turned to you, you know, but you still realize he can see you.

It just so happens that he is concentrated on something in particular. Something that demands his full, constant attention.

Something that is right besides this part of the Mansus. You cannot see it. Not yet, at least. You can tell the Name is looking downwards, from the edge of this place, so it is still out of your line of sight. Blocked from your eyes by the very ground beneath your hoofs.

Still, he can see you, even though he is focused on something else.

So, you patiently wait, trying to keep your breathing under control as that Edge-lethal Name thinks to himself.

"Come. Approach the edge. You must see."

His tone is polite, but still commanding. The voice of a creature who will brook no disobedience. No undiscipline.

Which means you have no choice but to obey. A small part of your mind is thankful, that he will allow you to sate your curiosity. After all, you can tell that this creature has been in this place, standing guard here, for… a very long time. And you very much would like to know why, or what is it that has been taking his attention. Because it did not escape you that this entire place, this arena, is also his "charge". His responsibility. And that cannot be for nothing.

However, another part of your mind wishes he had not. Another part of your mind just wants to leave, as soon as possible.

Still, you do as the stallion commands. You give him a wide berth, walking a circular path around him, until you finally reach the edge of the mesa yourself.

You stare downwards, in the direction the Name is looking at.

And you immediately see it.

It would have been impossible to miss it. After all, it is the sole construction against the backdrop of nothing that is this floor.

Still, despite everything you have seen in the Mansus, the sight before you causes a chill to run through your spine.

The structure, the thing, is floating in the air. It is a solemn, if bulky, building of marble-like columns and thick walls. Its geometry is haphazard, but not in a way that makes your head hurt, to the point that you could accurately describe it as a twelve-sided dice with some "sharp" modifications. Its top side, you can see, is shaped like a pyramid, and several of its "faces" are extended like pentagonal corridors.

But much more than that, the terrible purpose of that place is imparted unto you, almost seared into your mind, the moment you look at it. It is the dreadful combination of a prison and a museum. A terrible, horrible solution that was adopted by sheer virtue of there being no better alternatives.

It is a place that is infested by Worms. And even though they are chained and jailed and crushed and dead, their very presence within the Mansus fills you with both horror and urgency.

Although, looking at it, you finally understand why this particular block of the Mansus is undamaged. That place, you know, is both within the Mansus (for security) and without (for safety). So, it stands to reason that this mesa was untouched by its destruction. It is the only connection to that dreaded structure, linked to it by a single set of floating steps that lead towards it like a phantasmagorical stairway.

And the creature right besides you, this Name from a time long past, is standing right at the end of those floating stairs. Watching. Waiting.

Standing guard.

Because even though the Mansus is empty and abandoned, this place cannot be left unguarded.

His Lord would brook no exception.

"Now you know. Like the adepts before you, and like the ones who will come after. Entry is no longer permitted, but this sight will be enough."

You feel a cold breeze flow through the coat of your dream body, and you swear it is coming from the darkness of that place, blowing from the open door that leads to that most contentious decision of the Hours.

"Now, leave," he says.

You give him a short bow, as it would befit a student towards a master, and you silently make your way back to where you came from.

The Name says nothing else.

But still, you know he is no fool. You know he is cunning, as only the very old can be.

You know he understand the implications of your presence there.

And when you finally Wake, his name is the first word out of your lips. Together with the oaths that may call upon him.





You have met Biedde, the Last Soldier of the Colonel. Still standing guard, as per his final orders, before the most dreadful place in the Mansus.

You have gained one scrap of EDGE Lore.

You have nearly reached the next floor of the Mansus. You must continue upwards.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

This is a dream.

That is the first thought you have, the moment you regain consciousness.

It is night. You are in your room. And you went to bed less than two hours ago.

You should be asleep right now. You know that. You have a full day ahead of you tomorrow, and you have no business doing anything other than trying to rest.

And yet, you just woke up. Your eyes open, as if you have just received a shock, and you almost gasp for air while you fight a sudden wave of vertigo. You have no business being awake, and yet you already know you will not be able to sleep again even if you try.

Because your heart is just beating too quickly right now. The rhythmic, frenetic, almost panicked thumps coming from inside your chest fill your ears, to the point where you can barely hear yourself breathing.

Your mind, also, is too turned around for you to calm down. You feel nervous, and tense, and almost scared all at the same time. Even though you have no idea why. Your entire body is acting up, almost as if it is trying to fight you. And as the seconds drag on, even your soft bed begins to feel uncomfortable, and then hard, and then almost itchy in a way that you can't stand it anymore.

But still, despite all that, you still know that…



This is a dream.



You jump out of your bed. Because even though that is one of the most comfortable places in the world, the thought of being there even for a moment longer is simply unbearable right now. You jump out of bed, and this itching, panicked, grasping discomfort in your mind decreases a tiny little bit.

And somehow, that slight drop in your discomfort makes you realize what you have to do next.

This idea that you just had, this sudden understanding of what you are supposed to do, doesn't make any sense. You know it doesn't make any sense. It can't make any sense.

But thankfully, it doesn't need to make any sense either.

Because this is a dream.

So, you let your legs move underneath you. You let your hoofs guide you, to where you are supposed to go, and you take over once you realize where exactly you are going.

And with each step you take, this sting you are feeling in your head gets a little smaller. Not small enough for you to calm down, but at least you feel a little better.

You consciously avoid making any sound, as you make your way out of your room. Because even though this is a dream, you also know you aren't supposed to be here.

Still, you leave your room, and you walk down the long hallway, and you silently make your way to the top of the stairways that lead down to the entrance hall.

And then you stop. You hide, just behind that last corner. You are just shy of reaching the topmost step of the stairway. And if you peek around the corner, you will be able to see the entirety of the entrance hall while staying out of sight.

And that is exactly what you are going to do.

Because you aren't supposed to be here.

You are only supposed to see, but you can't be seen.

So, you crouch down on the floor. You bend your legs until your belly touches the floor. And then, you very slowly peek around the corner. Looking down the stairs and towards the entrance hall.

As you do that, the itching, heart-pounding tension you are feeling, it… well, it doesn't begin to fade. Not exactly. But it definitely changes into something else. And slowly, very slowly, that agonizing compulsion that told you to "come to this spot and stay quiet" turns into…

Into what? Concern? Alertness? Focus?

You hold your breath, focusing your eyes on the very center of the entrance hall.



Because there she is.



Velvet Axe is near the center of the entrance hall.

However, you can already tell that the mare looks different.

Her cloak looks more lustrous, its hems embroidered and shiny, completely different from the rags she insists on wearing. Her hood, also, is covering all of her face, to the point that you can barely see the tip of her snout.

But most alarming of all, you can see that the mare is tense. She is pacing back and forth, walking in a tight circle. Looking around her, shooting urgent glances at the corners of the hall, as if looking for something you can't see.

You can tell, even from this far, that her body language is frantic. And even though you can't see even a single patch of her coat, you can tell that she is not alright.

The alertness inside of you turns into a sudden wave of worry. The notion that you should go down there and help her, or at least ask what is going on, flashes through your mind for a moment.

But just as quickly, the idea is drowned down by the imperative that you can't.

Because this is a dream.

And you are not supposed to be here.

And you can't be seen.

So, you stay put.

And as your ears get used to the silence, you realize that Axe is also mumbling to herself.

Eventually, you begin to make out the words.



"Knew et would foken happen. Knew et'd come fer me. Foken knew et… canny have a foken moment o' peace. Canny even be happy for a damn' second befor' this foken…"



Velvet Axe's voice is…

There is no other way to put it. Her voice is shaking. Velvet Axe's voice is shaking.

The realization catches you by surprise. And you strain your ears for a few moments, because you simply can't believe this is happening. But sure enough, Velvet Axe is…. she is trembling, and her breath is short, and if you didn't know any better you would even say she is nervous.

Still, no matter how you look at it, the haughty, arrogant, self-important mare you have come to know is nowhere to be seen. And in her place is a mare who is… scared.

Mumbling to herself, nervously glancing all around her as if the shadows had eyes.

Talking to herself through gritted teeth.

That is, until she freezes. Out of nowhere, Velvet Axe stops moving. The stops walking, and talking, and maybe even breathing. She isn't even trembling anymore.

Instead, she is focusing the entirety of her attention on one of the side doors of the entrance hall. The one that leads to the dining room.

She focuses all of her attention in that direction, and even though her face is entirely covered by her hood, you can tell that she is glaring right now.

You have no idea what is happening, until-



!!!



-something lunges out of the shadows. The doors to the dining room literally burst open as something rushes towards Axe. A thin, arrow-like blur, that speeds towards the mare in a gale so quickly it causes a gale.

And at the same time, Velvet Axe turns into a blur herself. Her movement so quick it almost looks like she twisted in the air.

The deafening, cannonball-like sound of metal striking metal echoes in the entrance hall. Your eyes couldn't follow what just happened, but less than a moment later you can see the end result.



"Ye'll FOKKEN hav to do BE'AH than tha'!"



Velvet Axe shouts, her voice loud and angry.

The thing that lunged at her is now under her hoof. And you can finally take a better look at it.

It is a chain. A long, barbed chain made out of metal and rust. A great, tight shackle on its tip, like the jaws of a hungry predator.

Still, the long, vicious chain is being firmly stamped down by her hoof. Five of its links shattered against the floor. The rest of the chain is sprawled on the floor, its length trailing back to the dinning hall and away from your sight, like a dead animal.

Your heart almost jumps to your throat as you realize what just happened. As you realize that the chain was not only alive, but that it just hurled itself towards Axe. And that somehow, the mare reacted just as quickly.

However, you don't even have time to process your surprise.



!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Because all around Velvet Axe, coming from every door, and every window, and every shadow of the great entrance hall, you can hear the rattling of chains. The growing, almost deafening noise of chains upon chains upon chains trembling against each other. All of them moving, going into position, as they surround Velvet Axe from all sides.

You hear a low, piercing sound coming from Axe. One that you swear sounds too much like a hiss.

But before you can prepare yourself for what is about to happen, everything starts to move all at once.

An entire circle of chains, blur-quick and barbed, charge at the mare. All of them coming from a different direction. Some of them breaking through the glass of windows in a rain of shards, others bursting through wooden doors or out of the carpeted floor.

For a moment, you think the mare will be drowned by the chains. For a moment, you think the shackles are going to dig into every last part of the mare's body, and that they will all try to painfully drag her away in different directions.

But that moment never comes.

Instead, the mare lashes out. Her neck twists in a way that should not be possible, and before the first chain can reach even the halfway point towards her, the mare pulls out a great metal axe from her robes.

The thing is so large that the movement should have cut her, or her robes, as she pulled it out. But none of that happens.

Instead, the axe, firmly gripped in her mouth, makes a long circular motion through the air.

And for a moment, the entrance hall is filled with light.

A small, localized hurricane of sparks flares around Velvet Axe. She spins around so quickly, and the movement of her axe is so precise, that she immediately decapitates the first wave of shackles that lunged towards her. The barbed instruments of rusted metal cracking and breaking with sparks the moment her edge kisses their links.

And then comes the second wave. And then the third, and the fourth. Forcing Axe to leap and twirl to avoid them, punch and kick when her weapon is too busy elsewhere.

Until there are no chains left. None that are capable of moving, at least. And Velvet Axe is alone in the entrance hall, surrounded by leg-high piles of broken chains.

The mare, you can see, is heaving with exertion. Velvet Axe is exhausted, her cloak battered and stained with rust. Gleaming spots covering her fabric here and there, from where a chain struck her so hard that her coat bruised and bled under her clothing.

She lets go of her axe, the sharp edge burying itself on the floor. And she takes long, painful breaths with an expression that appears to be half-dazed.

Still, a few moments later she gets her bearings once again. Spitting on the floor before shaking her head.

"Es… Es tha' all ye fokken got…?"

She grits her teeth, that same hissing sound from before escaping her lips as she blinks her sweat away.

"ES THA' FOKKEN ET?"

She yells that, and then she turns towards the entrance door.

The same doors that, despite the previous rush of chains, have remained closed shut. The one part of the entrance hall that, in sharp contrast to the previous violence, still remains unblemished and undisturbed.

The same doors from which you can hear… a rumbling, growing, almost cacophonous rattle of chains.

As if, right behind the entrance doors, there is a sea of chains preparing to charge. Enough chains, barbed and rusted and topped with vicious shackles, to make the previous attacks look like a drop in the ocean.

Still, the mare glares at the door, taking in a few more tense, barely-not-panicked breaths as she yells her defiance.



"AE WAS AN AXE-BEAR'A, A SLITHERIN' SIS'ER, NAME O' ORDER AN' HUNTER OF MONSTERS! AE'M THA FOKKEN DO'AH O' AXES, AN AE'M NOT FOKKEN AFRAID OF YE FOKKEN CORS!"



Her words echo through the entrance hall, washing over you and reverberating through the rest of the estate.

And almost as if in answer, the entrance door shakes. It shakes, and then it buckles, and then it bends as a river's worth of chains presses against it.

In response, the lonely mare picks up her antler-topped axe.

She doesn't have time to do anything else before the door bursts open.



!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



The things that flow in through the door are not chains. They are not chains, nor a hydra made out of chains, and not even a battering ram made out of links and barbs. No.

The thing that bursts in through the entrance door, and hits Velvet Axe dead center, is a force of nature. An imperative of binding and joining that washes over her. It strikes her with the force of a hurricane, or maybe a stampede, and it carries so much momentum that it just keeps going. Even after it surrounds and envelops and completely covers the mare, it keeps going. Rushing towards the stairs, and flowing out to the rest of the hall, and filling every last part of the lower floor like water coming out of a broken dam.

You can't see Velvet Axe. Not anymore. But you can hear her struggle. You know she is somewhere down there, drowning in that sea of barbed chains. But even then, you can still hear her fighting.

Even though you can already tell that… that her efforts will all be for nothing.

Her struggles eventually die down. And slowly, like a retreating wave, the sea of chains retracts back towards the entrance doors.

And for a moment, your heart sinks. Your heart sinks because you think that, once the chains finish retracting, Velvet Axe will simply be gone. You think that once the chains are all gone, there will be nothing left but an empty and damaged entrance hall.

However, as the chains slowly crawl away, you notice a mass of resistance. You notice a blob of chains, at the bottom of the stairs, that are trying to pull themselves back. However, despite their supernatural efforts, you can see that those chains are only succeeding in stretching themselves taut.

And when the other chains are gone, you can finally see why that is happening.

Velvet Axe is at the bottom of the stairs. Holding on to her namesake weapon for dear life. The blade of her axe sunk deep into the ground, stuck on the stairs and stopping her from being dragged away.

And the mare herself… your heart aches when you finally get a better look at her.

Because Velvet Axe is hurt. She is hurt, and she is bleeding, and her previously beautiful cloak is now in tatters. Covered in sticky blood, ragged and pierced from hood to hem.

She is also completely chained and bound. Her four legs tightly clasped by spiky shackles, her chest and neck surrounded by painfully tight chains.

But the worst part is definitely her expression.

It actually hurts for you to look at her. But Velvet Axe is… she is simply broken.

Her expression is pained. It is pained, and sorrowful, and miserable. You have never seen her cry before, you didn't even think that was possible. But sure enough, the mare is crying. She is weeping, and sobbing, and shivering as much as the taut chains allow her to.

And for the first time in this entire night, Velvet Axe finally looks up at you. She looks up from where she is, chained and bound. Looking you in the eyes as if she knew you were there all along.

And when she speaks, her voice comes out in broken, stuttering sobs.



"A-ae… ae dinnae wan'… ae dinnae want to be alone ageen…"



And the last thing you hear is her scream, as her grip on her axe falters and she is dragged away into the darkness. Her desperate, grasping hoofs clawing at the floor to no avail.

…

Leaving you alone.



- - -



You wake up.

You wake up, and for some reason you know that your home is a little emptier than it was before.

Your legs move before you can even think about it. Your legs move, and moments later you are out of your bed, and then out of your room, and then you are walking down the hallway towards the guest rooms.

The door to Velvet Axe's room is already half-open when you reach it. Which is already enough to make you swallow something dry. Because in all these months, you have never seen her door like this.

You want to hesitate. You want to stop, right here and right now, and go back to your room. You want to tell yourself that you should give Axe her privacy, and that you should just go back to sleep.

But the recent and vivid memory, of her crying and lonely expression, won't let you.

So, your forelegs are already pushing the door further open. And you are walking into her room, even though you realize the mare will yell at you the moment she realizes you are there.

Still, you do it anyways. Because you want her to yell at you. You need her to yell at you, and to prove to you that you just had a silly nightmare, and that she is still here to grumble and scowl and complain about everything you do.

However, when you step into her room…

…

… you see nothing but darkness.

Your breath gets stuck in your throat.

"Axe…?" you ask, your voice low and hesitant.

You take another step into her room. Then another. Then another. Looking all around you, hoping one of the dark silhouettes in the room will turn out to be the hooded mare.

But you don't see her. You can't find her anywhere. And before you realize it, you have already reached her bed.

The covers are messy and strewn around, as if she had just slept here, tossing in her sleep. Everywhere you look, you see everything but the silhouette of a mare.

That is, until you see another shape on her bed. A peculiarly placed something, nestled on top of a soft pillow in a way that looks particularly careful.

You cautiously make your way towards it, but it doesn't take long for you to realize what it is.

"…"

A soft, stifled sniff comes out of your mouth. And you don't even try to stop the next few from following.

You slowly, delicately reach out to grab the… the little rag doll shaped like a pony. You bring it towards you, cradling it in your forelegs. Noticing how strangely smooth parts of it are, as if it has been hugged for too long by something that has scales instead of fur.

Still, you realize a part of the rag doll is strangely coarse. And as you turn it around, you notice there is something written on its underside. As if something corrosive had been used to very carefully write a few letters on the rag doll's belly.

You almost can't read it. You almost can't read it, because it is still too dark, and the setting moon is barely bright enough for you to be able to see. But also because, you just realized, there are tears coming out of her eyes because she said it was a silly gift and she scoffed when you said she should give it a name even though you knew she appreciated it an-



"Silky? Is that… Silky, what happened? Is everything alright?"



You can't really stop yourself anymore. You don't even care when you hear Soft's voice coming from somewhere behind you. You just cry. You cry as you remember Axe's expression, as she was dragged away in your nightmare. You cry at how lonely she looked. And you cry because, even though you know it doesn't make any sense, you know Axe is gone.

Worse than that, you know she didn't just leave. You know she didn't want to leave. Something, something that you saw in that nightmare, took her away. It took her away, and now she is alone.

"Shh, shh, it's alright Silky. It's alright, shh… But please, what happened? A-are you hurt? Did Axe say something mean again?"

You can feel Soft Sweeps hugging you, but you can't answer her. You can barely bring yourself to shake your head, to at least try to tell her she is wrong.

But still, you can't even do that properly.

The only thing you can do is hug the rag doll, the one you gave Axe all those months ago. The one that she named, even though she said that she wouldn't. The one where she carefully, almost delicately, wrote the word Pasharka. And even though you have no idea what that means, you know that word is a name, and you know that it must mean something very dear to Axe.

Still, you can't do anything but cry.

Because every time you close your eyes, the only thing you can see is her devastated expression.

And the only thing you can think of is that, wherever she is, she is alone now. Alone, and without her Pasharka.

…

It takes almost a full hour for your older sister to calm you down. And even then, you don't really feel happy for a long time.





The Daughter-of-Axes has been unsummoned. She will only be available for summoning again at the beginning of turn 19.

The Level 4 Influence "Wrong Door" has expired.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Plan

[X] Plan Nightmare's Revenge (Forma Social Awareness)
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[X] (Shopping) Purchase Edge 3 artifact
-[X] Deny it. (Will destroy a Wrong Key)
-[X] (Other) Give Stormchaser a Wrong Key to use while he's away, just in case.
-[X] (Servants) Work on the ground level of Jade's old house.
-[X] (Rarity) Focus on her work
-[X] (Fluttershy) Train
-[X] (Jade) Investigate Selene
-[X] (DoA) Knock Influence
-[X] (Mareinette) Grail lesson
-[X] (Selene) Edge
-[X] (AotL) Lantern: Edge Artifact
-[X] (Forge) Moth 3
-[X] (Knock) Explore beyond the Ruined Church
-[X] Study: Edge 3 artifact, Lantern 6 book
-[X] [COPPER] Perform The Path Through Nightmares aimed at this opponent
--[x] Sacrifice Moth 3 reagent
--[X] At Jade's House. (if this is somehow not available use the Rarity's House)
-[X] Fleeting Opportunity: Cadance

You are Velvet Covers.

And you will not sugarcoat it. You had a very bad month.

Well, the month is still ongoing. So technically, it is not that you "had" a bad month. You are very much having a bad month.

You try to be thankful. You really do. You realize you are not the most positive mare in Equestria, but you still try your best to look at the positive things that have happened to you. Even if you don't feel that you deserved them most of the time.

You have a crippled hindleg? Well, at least you were born a noble, so you never had to perform physical labor to survive that would need four good legs. You were sold into an arranged marriage? Well, you were lucky enough to meet the love of your life. You nearly died during labor? Well, if you hadn't gone through that you would never have that little light in your life called Silky Stream.

However, this month has been really challenging when it comes to finding the positive side of things.

And the reason for that, the reminders for how you feel that way, reach you as soon as you arrive at the front gate of your family's property.

The ride from Canterlot to Ponyville was, thankfully, uneventful. You even managed to sleep a little bit. The walk from the train station to the estate, also, was quiet. The sun has not yet risen on the horizon, and your slow pace through the empty streets of Ponyville almost made you feel like you were having a moonlit stroll.

However, the moment you reach the gates of the property, those bad things hit you again. All at once.

It hits you in the form of a memory, as you remember what you started. It hits you like a sudden wave of nervousness, as you second-guess yourself wondering if you… if the "help" you gave Cadance was really the right thing to do.

And most of all, those bad feelings come to you the moment you feel the sweet mist of Grail that wafts out of one of the annex buildings, while you walk through the garden. As well as when you feel that tiny ball of anger inside your home, coming from Selene's room, once you approach the front door.

In short, trying to tell yourself this is all for the best has been really hard. To say the very least.

Still, you will keep trying. You have to keep trying. You already spent years of your life not trying, and the only thing you got out of that was several years locked inside your estate as your daughter slowly grew up. And you don't really want to live like that again.

So, you will keep trying. Even if that means dragging yourself through this morass. Even if you have to cheat a little bit. Beg, borrow, or barter, you will find the energy to keep your head raised!

With that in mind, you take a deep breath, massage your temple, and tap the front door open.



- - -



It is still night. The clock might say it is a bit past six in the morning. And some ponies might already be getting out of their beds to begin the day, even though it is the weekend. However, technically, and most importantly legally, it is still night.

At least, as far as ponykind is concerned.

Because the moon is still in the sky, which means Princess Celestia has not yet deigned to let the day begin. So, even if the moon is so close to the horizon that it is almost touching it, it is still night.

And if other species in their barbarous faraway kingdoms want to think otherwise, that is entirely their problem. You don't see their Princesses raising the sun. Oh no.

Idle thoughts like that, and others besides, swim through your head as you lie on your bed. You don't really take any of those thoughts seriously. But still, this is the closest you can get to shutting your brain down without going to sleep. The comfortable, semi-numb sensation of doing nothing at all washes over you for the longest time.

That is, until you feel that somepony is already out and about in your house.

Your thoughts slowly come back into focus, as a particular part of your brain shakes you into a higher state of attention. The same way your stomach would start rumbling if you smelled food, so too does your mind starts acting up.

After all, the pony you can feel is important to you. It is not just one of your maids, or one of the several unknown servants who came with your brother.

Quite on the contrary, the pony you can feel is one of your daughters!

A nearby clock tells you it is almost seven in the morning. Meaning that, apparently, the sunrise snuck by you and you didn't even notice it. However, it is still too soon for anypony to be properly awake. Especially given today is a Saturday.

With that in mind, you jump out of your bed and head downstairs.

And once you enter the living room, tracking the familiar scent, you find Soft Sweeps sitting on the sofa that faces the fireplace.

You don't particularly try to be silent. In fact, you want her to notice you. And as you walk into the large living room, you watch as the young mare's ears perk up. Her expression becomes guarded for half a second, as she hears hoofsteps behind her. But as soon as she turns around to face you a smile immediately appears on her face.

And there it is. Despite everything that has been happening, watching Softy's expression turn happy as soon as she sees you makes a wave of warmth flare inside your chest. And not just because you know this is good for her. Not just because you recall everything that happened to her, and seeing her smile is a wonderful sign of progress. It is more than that, and at the same time it is a lot simpler.

It is simple. You feel a wave of warmth inside of you because you care about her, and seeing her smile makes you feel that you are doing something right.

"Mrs. Velvet! Good morning to you!" She says, standing up from the sofa and walking towards you.

Her smile is all happiness and innocence, and the way she is walking towards you immediately tells you that she isn't even thinking about it. As if what she is doing is the most natural thing in the world, and there is nothing wrong with it.

But ohoh, you know better! The mother inside of you, that part of your brain that holds the greatest sway over you, immediately realizes what is going on.

So, you stay put. You stay where you are, you stay silent, and you do your absolute best not to interrupt this.

"I didn't expect to see you before breakfast," she continues to say, her tone excited and fluid like the filly she is.

And step by step, she walks closer and closer to you. And your mind raises more and more flags as it confirms your suspicions. A wide smile appearing on your face even as you try to keep your mouth shut.

Because the way she is acting so innocently, without thinking. The way she is coming towards you as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Oh, she is going to hug you. She is so walking towards you to give you a hug. Soft Sweeps is about to hug you, and this might actually the first time she initiates it while she is happy.

"But still, I'm glad you are already home!"

She is totally going to hug you, and she hasn't even realized it. She isn't even thinking about it at all. Her own words are distracting her from what is about to happen. And as for you-

-don't move, don't talk, don't even breathe. Be completely still. Don't make a sudden movement that might snap her out of it. Don't make any movement at all!

"Speaking of which, is there anything you want for breakfast? The cook hasn't arrived yet, but I can make sure to tell him if there is something you wan-"

That is, until the young mare freezes. She freezes, and her eyes go wide open in surprise. Because she finally realized it.

Soft Sweeps is so close to you that your noses are almost touching. She is so close to you that she has reached the point where a normal pony would raise their forelegs to wrap them around you. However, the moment she reaches that crucial point she finally realizes what she was about to do.

Which causes the mare to freeze. Her entire body petrifying in a sudden wave of panic. A violent blush appearing on her face as her words die inside her throat.

And internally, you curse. Oh, how you curse! Your mind stomp its hoofs against the ground in anger, at just how close you were to greatness only for you to be denied your just reward. Your mind curses, and yells, and grit its teeth within the confines of your brain.

However, on the outside, you remain the picture of calmness.

No, more than that. You also pretend you didn't notice anything. Because to do otherwise would make your daughter distressed and embarrassed, and that just would not do.

Still, you bask on Softy's frozen, beet red expression for a few more seconds.

"A-ah, I-…!" she tries to say something, although she fails to do anything more than stammer.

And you take that as a sign that now is the time to walk past her. Pretending like nothing happened, and heading towards one of the sofas as if that had been your plan all along.

"That is wonderful to hear, Soft," you say, sitting down next to her spot on the sofa. Spotting a small, closed notebook and a pen, which you think she was writing on. "And no, nothing comes to mind. I'll have whatever for breakfast, as long as I have company."

You hold back a chuckle as you hear the mare take several long, quiet breaths behind you.

Still, you make a point of giving her the time that she needs.

"Right, right, uhm, company yes…" you hear her mumble.

And then you hear her… do something?

She couldn't possibly have just slapped herself. Right…?

Good heavens, you can appreciate how confusing these last few months have been for her. But it is still slightly worrying to see her get this flustered.

"Still, the fillies probably won't wake up for another hour," she says, sitting next to you after a few more deep breaths. "So, how was your week, Mo-ahem-Mrs. Covers?"

Your ears perk up at her near faux pas, and you resist the urge to do several different things.

Instead, you focus on answering what she just asked you.

"Same thing as always. Work, work, work… It feels like running the farmlands, a little bit. At least the paperwork," you feel a small knot forming inside your chest, cooling down the fuzzy warmth that was there until now. So, you force your tone to become a little more upbeat. "But! There's definitely more plates to spin, so that's exciting."

You say that with a smile, even though you don't really want to talk about it that much.

And you are about to change the subject, you are about to ask about the little notebook Soft is now holding, when something in her expression gives you pause.

Because you notice that Soft Sweep's head is… slightly tilted?

No, that's not it. Not exactly. Her expression is still normal, but for some reason it feels unusually serious. She is not furrowing her brow, or doing anything you can properly see. But still, you get that feeling from her.

The way she is looking at you is… one that you are not used to. And it's definitely not something you have ever seen on her before.

In fact, you swear that her nose twitched just now. Almost as if she just sniffed something.

"Mrs. Velvet, is… is everything alright?"

You raise an eyebrow at her question. Because you can tell that she isn't just asking that for the sake of asking. In fact, she isn't even asking that question to try to probe you for an answer.

No, she asked that question… but somehow, she already knows the answer?

"Why do you ask that, Soft?" you say. And you feel curious, the same way that you feel worried that she is being able to see through your perfectly schooled expression.

You ask that question, and then you wait. You wait, because you can see that the mare is conflicted on how to answer.

But not because she doesn't know what to say. Instead, she is conflicted because she is wondering whether she should say it.

Almost as if she is wondering if she should hide something or not.

"I-I… I don't mean this in a strange way, Mrs. Velvet. And of course, you're a busy mare! You are busy, and you are important, and you definitely don't need to tell me if you don't want to." She says that, and then she takes a few seconds to muster her courage. "But do you… would you like to talk about it?"

She says that, and the moment she speaks those words you feel something curious.

Because you admit that you were worried. You were worried that she was seeing through you. Worried that you just did something, some slip-up you didn't notice, that made one of your daughters concerned. You were disturbed by the idea that you messed up, and that there is some crack in your behavior that might let them see something they shouldn't.

However, the way she said those words… it actually calms you down.

And you can see what she is doing. You can see how that question, maybe even those exact words, is something she has been asking other ponies for several weeks now. You can even tell that the tone she used just now, while speaking to you, is the same tone she probably uses in her… well, in her support group sessions.

But something about it just works. And for a moment, you don't feel like you are talking to a daughter you must protect at all costs. Instead, for some reason, you simply feel like you are talking to somepony who wants to help you.

Even if the only thing she can do is to hear you out.

And something about that is strangely comforting. Because you worry about her so much that it is almost strange, in a good way, to see her worry about you in a reciprocal way.

You don't know what to make of this. Not yet, at least. But it definitely doesn't feel bad. In fact, it feels very good. To the point that the knot that was forming in your chest quickly dissipates.

"Actually, Softy, I would like to talk about it… Do you mind sitting here with me for a while?"

She answers you with a surprised, but encouraging smile. Giving you a warm nod as she gives you her full attention.

Well, maybe you should come to terms that, daughter or not, she is several years older than what you are used to from Silky.

She already lost ponies who are dear to her. She already worked herself to the bone. She already had bad things happen to her, and still she is already pulling herself together like this. And on top of that, you trust her of course.

So maybe, you should rely on her a little more than you were before.



- - -



Your conversation with Soft Sweeps is cut short when Silky Stream wakes up.

Make no mistake, you told her several things, and you feel a lot better. But you definitely have more things worrying you than a single hour of conversation would be able to cover.

Still, your first daughter wakes up, Selene grudgingly follows after her for breakfast, and your day officially begins in a surprisingly pleasant fashion.

That is, until your breakfast is interrupted by a maid, informing you that you have a visitor at your door.

Well, it is one of your maids who informs you of that. So, she knows who it is. Furthermore, you also realize who it is the moment you check.

Which also tells you that the only reason the maid didn't let her is was because, well, it is way too early for a social visit.

Still, you excuse yourself from the table, and tell the maid you will take care of it yourself.

And then, you go to the front door to greet Jade Whistle.

"Hello, Velvet Covers," she says. Her tone neutral, and perhaps slightly sleepy, but otherwise as normal as Jade can ever be.

Well, no wonder her tone sounds sleepy. The first thing you notice about her is the worrying amount of dark circles under her eyes. And you don't know if you should address that, or if you should ask why she is here at this hour to begin with.

You can't decide, so you end up doing both.

"Jade, good morning and… is everything alright?"

You don't even try to keep your worry from creeping into your voice. Although, admittedly, it is not too much worry. You care for Jade, of course, but you have already seen her worse. So, seeing her like this might just be… her usual aloofness?

"Yes. Everything is alright. May I come in?"

You hesitate for half a second. Because if she says she is alright, you will believe her. This could just be a bout of insomnia she is going through, or something like that. After all, she already mentioned that happening before.

But more than that, you believe her because her tone sounds strangely focused. No, wait, her tone doesn't sound like anything. It is her timing that makes you feel she is focused. Because she didn't look around, like she usually would. She didn't wait in silence, waiting for you to invite her in.

No, she asked you if she can come in. She wants to come in, and is asking you out of politeness.

So, you pull the door a bit more, and you step aside so she can come in.

"Thank you," she says, walking past you and going to the center of the entrance hall.

And you follow after her, more curious than anything else. Watching as she stands in the middle of the hall and looks around.

Although, you realize she is already familiar to your house. You can tell that, instead, she is looking around.

"Would you like to join us for breakfast?" you ask, even as you curiously watch her go about her actions.

The mare doesn't even answer you. She looks up the stairs towards the second floor, and then she looks in the direction of the dining hall where your daughters are. Until her eyes finally settle on the living room.

Which is the direction she goes in, without another word.

"Jade? Is there anything going on?" you ask once again. But this time because you are intrigued.

After all, Jade Whistle seems to be intently inspecting your living room. Closely eyeing your sofas, of all things, before going towards the fireplace.

But this time, she answers you with her usual demeanor. Which means she doesn't answer you at all. Instead, she slowly walks around the room, squinting her eyes here and there at some detail only she can see.

Until finally, she sits down on one of the sofas. Her expression is strangely confused, or perhaps frustrated, but even that seems to be little more than a shadow behind her eyes.

And when she looks up at you, it almost feels like she just remembered you are there.

"Do you mind if I stay here for a while?" she asks.

Although, once again, you think this is more of a formality than anything else.

She wants to do… whatever she is doing. And it is so rare for Jade to want things that you would be hard pressed to deny her even if you wanted to.

"For as long as you need, Jade," you say, accepting that you won't be getting anything else out of her. At least for now. So, you make your way out of the living room and back to the dining hall. "And my offer for breakfast is still open," you say towards her, even as you walk away.

And you pretend that the thing you just heard coming from her was a mumbled "thank you".



- - -



Jade stays in your house. She quite literally stays in your house for the rest of the day.

You check on her, every now and then, although you spend most of your time with Silky and Soft. You check on her, asking if she wants to join you for lunch, and then tea, and then dinner. And even though she refuses all your offers, you make sure that somepony takes her some snacks every now and then.

You also make sure to keep track of her with your nose. But other than a few times she went here and there, she really does spend the entire day on that very same sofa.

Still, you have no idea of what she is doing. Or even of what she is trying to do. And the only word you manage to coax out of her is that she is doing "research". But you consider that more than enough to understand you ought to leave her to it.

And Jade doesn't really do anything, throughout the entire day.

That is, until it is late at night.

…

It is almost midnight. You are just about to go to sleep, and everything inside your home is calm and quiet. Your daughters are in their rooms, the servants have already retreated to their quarters, and Jade… well, Jade is still in the living room. But she is a grown mare, and you trust her, so you will let her do what she thinks is best.

You undo the belt strap of your sleeping robe with a flick of your horn, to give you a little more comfort, and you gingerly climb onto your bed to-



-to gain the higher ground because there is somepony running towards your room and you need the tactical advantage-



-and you practically jump up in surprise, as your nose flares up with a spike of Edge. The aggressive scent-message running through your body and raising every last fur on your body.

It takes you half a second to realize it is jade, and three more seconds to push back the notion that you are in danger. Because even though you realized it was her, your senses still insisted you should prepare for a fight.

Another deep breath, and those feelings die down. Right on time for you to hear a soft, but unusually fast, knocking on your door.

You re-tie the holds of your robe, lighting up your horn to open the door even as you walk towards it.

Only to find a tense, nervous Jade looking back at you. With pursed lips and wide-open eyes.

And to your surprise, the mare actually speaks up before you can.

"What did you just do?" she asks. Her tone far from her usual slowness. Her words making it clear that she needs to know the answer.

To which you can only answer with… surprise? Confusion?

Because you have no idea of what she is even asking.

"I… beg your pardon? What do you mean what just happened? I was just going to sleep?"

The mare shakes her head, looking past you and into your room. Searching for something with a literal glint in her eyes.

And you can only respond with… more uncertainty?

In fact, your uncertainty turns into honest concern as Jade makes an expression that is very clearly distressed. She shakes her head, looking at your room, and then at you, and then down towards the hallway she just came from. A long and drawn out groan escaping her lips.

"Not here… wrong place…" she mumbles to herself.

Only to begin walking away from you.

But this time, you can't contain your own confusion anymore.

"Wait, hold on Jade," you say, following after the mare. "What is this all about? What are you even looking for?"

You ask that because, as you follow after the mare, a few more pieces begin to click together. And you realize that Jade hasn't been sleeping because of this, whatever this is.

"Something just happened," she answers, although you can tell she is talking to herself as much as she is talking to you. "Something happened, and it was important. But I'm not in the right place anymore, so I can't tell why it's important and…"

"What do you mean by right place? Goodness, Jade, what did you even feel to begin with?"

You continue following after her until the two of you are, once again, back in the living room. The mare pacing around the place as you try to understand what is going on. Or rather, as you try to get her to say something that might help you understand. Something that might at least make sense.

"Not the right place… upstairs is special, but this is the right place and… no, this is the best place because… it looks the way it should?"

But Jade Whistle is too absorbed by her own thoughts to answer any of your questions. To be honest, you are not even sure that she can hear you in the first place.

Which makes you realize you have to do something more, if you are to get this mare to talk to you.

"Jade. Stop. JADE!" you grab the mare by the shoulders. Rude as it might sound, you even shake her a little bit. "Jade, please! If you don't know how to explain whatever this is, at least tell me what is going on. But please, snap out of it. I at least want to try and help you!"

You yell that. You take care not to be too loud, so as to not alert anypony else this late at night. But still, you do the closest thing to a shout that you can.

And then you shake her again, for good measure. You consider being gentle, but then you remember you are a unicorn and she is an earth pony. You probably wouldn't hurt her even if you slapped her in the face.

But thankfully, your actions seem to have some effect. Because Jade finally stops mumbling, and she looks you in the eyes with that glinting gaze of hers.

A second passes in silence. And then another. And another. Until the mare finally opens her mouth and begins to say something very slowly. Almost as if the idea is forming inside her head at the same time she is expressing it.

"Velvet Covers you… you are an unicorn… and…" you are about to interrupt her, worrying that she is going to start saying confusing things again. But she says something reasonable before you actually do that. "Velvet Covers, can you help me with something? I need to test something."

You let go of her, and you give her a worried, cautious nod.

Still, the mare actually follows through with her request, and begins to ask you to do something that you can understand.

Well, you still don't know why she is asking you to do it. But at least she is asking you to do something. And like she said, you hope she is testing some hypothesis about… whatever this is.

"Sit down," she says, pointing towards the sofa. The one that is facing sideways to the fireplace. "No, no there. To your left."

You do as she asks. But still, the only reaction she has is to once again frown. That very particular, un-Jade-like frown that tells you the mare is incredibly frustrated.

She asks you to move to another place on the sofa. Then to another seat. Then she asks you to follow her to the dinner room, only to groan in frustration the moment you two leave the living room. Almost galloping back to where she was before grumbling about "right places" and "something else".

You ask her to explain what is going on, to which she complies. Or rather, she tries to comply. She really does. But after several minutes of frustrated half-words and botched analogies, you come to realize that Jade herself has no idea either.

All she knows is that the living room feels right, and that you being here feels less wrong. She tells you that she has been chasing this feeling for almost the entire month now, and that she tracked it out of her house and throughout Ponyville, until she ended at the doorsteps of your home.

So, she can tell you without a shadow of doubt that it's supposed to be your living room. But she is as confused as you are about what any of this is about.

And you have no idea of how to help her. You just stay there, sitting on the sofa, as the mare paces from one side of the room to the other. Looking at you, and then the fireplace, and then towards the entrance hall as if trying to piece a puzzle together.

That is, until the mare appears to give up, and she sits down next to you on the sofa-

!!!​

-and you let out a sharp, surprised gasp. A cannonball of emotions hitting you dead center in the middle of the chest.

Out of nowhere, a wave of feelings and thoughts and memories quite literally floods you. As soon as Jade sits next to you. To the point that you can barely breathe.

And you immediately realize that… you immediately understand that…

You recognize this!

You recognize what just happened. You recognize what this means. And you immediately understand what you have to do next.

Because this is where he was sitting. The stage is set. The stage is set, even if it is wrong. Even if it can never be truly right.

You are sitting where he was sitting. You are in the correct position in the wrong place that is still the best you can possibly do. You are in the correct position and you are a unicorn and that is the best that can possibly be done even though you are not the father.

Selene too is in the correct position. And the "thing" Jade felt not long ago was the fact that Selene finally fell asleep. Because the daughter must be asleep for the daughter to be woken up.

And Jade is sitting where she was sitting. And it is good that she is an earth pony and it is bad that she is not the mother and even now her mind is filling with memories that are not hers and she knows what she must do next. And the next step is for her to lean towards you and tell you to go wake your daughter up and to remind you of how groggy your daughter can be when she sleeps for too long and that it is what must be done even though it means you will never see her ag-​

The flow of memories is suddenly severed, and you feel as if you have just received a shock. You breathe in heaves, as flashes of memories from that place and that house and those two ponies rush through your head. Those memories that are not yours, but that are still so strong that they hurt, hammering at your brain with an intensity that is almost frightening.

You are breathing in heaves. Your eyes are filled with tears. And no matter what you do, you cannot shake the feeling that you just tripped on something that shouldn't even be possible.

No… you didn't trip on this. Jade did, you realize.

That thought reminds you that the mare is still here with you. And when you turn to face her, you realize Jade is no longer sitting next to you.

On the contrary. She was hit far, far worse than you. Because she is not the mother nor the father and has no place in this affair.

You shake those thoughts away, jumping out of the sofa and rushing towards the mare. Your first priority being to make sure she is not hurt, and your second being to somehow help her.

Because Jade Whistle is now on the floor. This connection, whatever it was, began when she sat next to you, and only ended because the mare hurled herself away from the sofa. She is down on the floor, curled into a ball, and clutching her head with her hoofs.

And she is weeping. A low, soft, and constant moan coming out of her as if she is in pain. Tears streaming out of her eyes even as she chokes and coughs through her own breath.

"Jade! Jade, can you hear me?!" you bring her towards you, trying to get a hold of her, but the mare doesn't even seem to be listening to you.

But you understand what just happened. Even if your friend has no idea of what is going on, what just happened is painfully evident to you.

Because those memories… those flooding emotions of care, and love, and loss, were the same that you fell almost a year ago. It was the same thing you experienced, when you met the ponies that you believe were Princess Luna's parents.

It all fits together. How you spoke to them in their living room, which was a little bit like yours. How they were sitting, a unicorn and an earth pony, side by side in a sofa, just like you and Jade were just now.

How they were filled with warmth and concern for their daughter, who was asleep upstairs. And how they were being crushed by the separation that was about to happen.

Because the next thing that must happen is that the father shall go upstairs, to wake up the sleeping daughter.

And after that, they know they will never see her again.​

And the blatant, obvious, almost fated similarities are all there. You realize, now, that you know what happened and… and that you know what to do next.

You know how to repeat it.

"Calm down, Jade. It's alright. Everything is alright. I figured it out. It made sense to me. You don't have to worry about it anymore."

But still, you push those thoughts for another time. Because right now, Jade needs your help.

You do not know if Jade was struck harder because she is not a "part" of this. Who knows, maybe those two ponies made it so that only… only Selene's parents could be involved. So maybe, Jade was hit by a grievous backlash because she stumbled upon something she shouldn't have.

Or maybe, she was simply devastated by the nature of the memories themselves. Because they struck you as suddenly as they did it violently. The entire history of that safe, loving, and warm childhood home hitting you in the span of a single second. Closed off by the realization that the story ends with the parents leaving their daughter behind.

The kind of story that definitely would leave Jade like this…

Still, you push those thoughts aside.

Even if, now, you know what to do.





Jade Whistle has successfully researched Selene's level 3 Knock.

You have learned the Rite of the Mother and the Father.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Clouded River never really appreciated being helped by other ponies.

But not because he was arrogant. Not exactly. He didn't reject help from other ponies because he thought he was better than them. In fact, he was even willing to listen to advice, if it came from somepony he trusted.

However, he would always reject any kind of direct, physical help. Help carrying something. Help with a work project. He even refused loans from his friends, at the time he found himself in a financially bad situation. Still, regardless of what shape or form it took, he was always adamant in refusing help.

And nopony really knew why that was the case. Not even Clouded's own, oldest friends. Some of them thought it was because he had a rough childhood. That tragic mixture of poverty and sickness that, even though he managed to surpass when he grew up, clearly left a mark on him. Others said that he became like that after his wife passed away, leaving him to raise their only son alone.

Still, nopony could say for sure what made him like that. Who knows, maybe Clouded River himself didn't know either.

The only thing everypony knew was that, whenever they asked why he was refusing this or that, he simply answered that he "didn't want to get used to something he couldn't rely on."

Clouded River was not really an antisocial pony. Still, he was not exactly friendly by pony standards either. After all, there were just too many small social conventions that relied on giving and taking. And since Clouded River was adamant in not taking, it also felt awkward for other ponies to ask him to give.

But still, despite that strange quirk of his, Clouded River was still pleasant enough to be with. He still led a normal life, with normal friends. And even though he was a widower, he was still a good father to his son.



And then the Catastrophe happened.



There was no single, cohesive story of what happened that day. Everypony knew the general points. But if you asked ten ponies what exactly happened, you would inevitably receive ten slightly different stories. Some of those stories would focus on the fires. Others, on the monsters. And some ponies would simply state they couldn't remember anything, and then they would change the subject.

And if you asked any of Clouded River's friends how the Catastrophe affected him, you would get the same result. Some of his friends said he and his son survived, but promptly moved away. Others would claim both the stallion and his colt sadly passed away. And again, others would simply refuse to talk about it at all.

In the end, as is often the case, the truth was a mixture of all those stories. Clouded River lost his son. The pony himself died a little inside after that day. And before the dust was settled, the pegasus stallion took off never to return. And the few friends he left behind had nothing to go by, except the fact that after the fires were put out both the stallion and the colt had disappeared.

Clouded River's story was not exactly common, but it wasn't unique either. After all, pegasi are uniquely gifted with the ability to relocate all across Equestria, faster than the trains can carry them. And the Catastrophe created several pegasi who suddenly lost their roots, and had every incentive to leave a place that was so full of bad memories.

However, Clouded's story was slightly different, because he was one of the few ponies who, after flying for who knows how long, decided to land on the then-small town of Ponyville.



- - -



When Clouded River "moved" to Ponyville, he didn't do what ponies would call "starting a new life". To be honest, he didn't want to leave his old life behind to begin with. The problem was that he didn't have a choice. He didn't want to leave, but he wanted to stay at his old home even less.

So, he did not start a new life. He just ended his old one.

That being said, he landed in Ponyville with literally nothing. Not even with a saddle on his back. He had nothing but the feathers on his wings and the fur on his body, as well as an overwhelming desire to be alone.

And given his circumstances, Clouded had no choice but to accept the help of others. Thankfully, the spreading awareness of what had just happened all over Equestria, added to the welcoming nature of the small town, meant that there was no shortage of ponies willing to help him. He spent less than a day on the street, before one pony or another offered him a place to stay, no questions asked.

In fact, a few more ponies like him eventually trickled into Ponyville, as the days went by. To the point that the Mayor herself got involved, to talk about what would be of the newcomers. Turning them away was unthinkable, of course. Especially given what had happened to them, and how everypony was hurting. After all, even Ponyville was struck by the Catastrophe, even if the timing was a little off.

But still, suggestions became ideas, and ideas matured into an understanding of sorts. So, the small community came together to help the mourning newcomers with all sorts of things. An old house was refurbished and gifted to the newcomers, for them all to share and live in. Small gifts were given here and there. And as the displaced ponies slowly got back on their hoofs, jobs and a place in the community were offered.

And just like everypony else, Clouded River would not have survived if he had not accepted that aid. Even if he didn't like it. Even if, every time he received something from somepony, he felt like that was another blow against his pride. One more thing to weigh him down, one more reminder that he wasn't enough, together with the memories of the son he could not protect and the life he could not keep.

However, again, he would not have survived if not for the aid of other ponies.

So, to try and make it as bearable as possible, he learned how to numb himself to it. Because every time somepony helped him, he could feel nothing but a growing shame over the fact that he would never be able to repay them. So, he at least learned how to ignore the shame. He quietly taught himself how to shoulder that growing humiliation, and he slowly figured out how to simply go with the motions.

After all, he had not been a good enough husband, so his wife passed away. He had not been a good enough father, so he lost his colt. And regardless of what everypony said about how it was not his fault, he knew they were wrong.

So, if he was going to be a nopony, at least he should learn how to be a quiet nopony.

And with that dead-eyed mindset, he slowly began to live through one day at a time. He accepted the job he was offered. He worked hard to be as small a burden as he possibly could. He volunteered his time whenever the opportunity arose. And he gave away his bits almost as quickly as he received them, except for a small parcel that was barely enough to afford him enough food for the week.

It came to the point that Clouded River was not exactly sure of when was the last time he ever said "no" to anypony.

So, when a pair of ponies knocked at his door and gave him a flier, something about a support group, he didn't have it in him to refuse their invitation. After all, a worthless pony such as himself had no right to make other ponies around him uncomfortable, by refusing their offer. Also, he had nothing but time.

Still, his visits to the nightly gatherings were… uneventful. He barely listened as they all sat down in a circle and volunteered their words here and there. And he didn't even notice when it was his turn to talk. He only really noticed he missed his turn when the pony on his left began to talk, after the long silence after the pony to his right was finished.

Just like everything else he did, his time there barely even registered.

That is, until…



"Alright everypony, thank you all for sharing. We are done with our official meeting, and if anypony wants to leave, please do. However, after our… repeated requests, she has finally agreed to speak a few more words to us. So, without further ado, those who want to stay please lend your ears to…"



For some reason, those words brought him to focus. It was a strange, half-dazed sensation. As if he had his eyes closed for weeks, or maybe months, and he was opening them for the first time.

Everything around him was blurred. The ponies around him were nothing more than vague shapes of mixed colors.

However, for the first time in so long, his mind was actually trying to understand what was going on.

And it was all thanks to…

"I-I… uhm, well… I would like to thank everypony for your time. A-and to congratulate you all! I mean, congratulate all of us for what we did tonight. I see a few new faces here and there, which is great. And some of you were even willing to share today, which is even better! B-but of course, those of you who are not ready yet, it's no problem at all! Please take as long as you need…"

That voice.

There was something about that voice that… that was just strange. As if those words were somehow poking a part of his brain that he couldn't quite name.

It hurt. It actually, legitimately hurt. But he had no choice but to listen. Almost as if every other part of his brain was either asleep, or too weighted down to fight back. And that voice was trying to wake up something inside of him that he had buried too deep to even know how to defend.

"But I, uhm. I guess nopony is here to hear me talk about that… Hay, even I don't want to hear me talk about that, s-so I apologize. Still… I feel like I should. Or rather, I think it would be wrong if I didn't address it. Because all of you who are here for the first time, I get it. I get that you don't want to be here. I didn't want to come here either. And it only makes sense, right? It's a bit embarrassing, and a bit humiliating, and deep down it hurts. Forcing yourself to come here hurts. Admitting you need help, and that you lost somepony… it just hurts."

He could practically feel the blood being pumped towards his eyes. Forcing his sight into a bright, edge-sharp focus. His ears, too, perked up without conscious prompt. And the scenery around him was practically forced into his mind one bit at a time, the incoming knowledge as painful as it was curious.

Because… weren't they supposed to be in a circle? No, he was sure of it. They were supposed to be in a circle. For the last several weeks he came here, they were always sitting down in a circle as they talked.

And yet, they weren't. Not anymore. The entire group was arrayed in rows and columns, all facing the same way, as if they were in an auditorium or something. On top of that, he could tell that they had been like that for the entire night. Apparently, he was so out of it that he didn't even realize that night's configuration has been completely switched.

And they were all sitting down on their chairs, facing the same direction, looking towards…

"It just… hurts. And just like you, just like all of you, I hated that pain. It took me almost an entire month to share for the first time, because even talking about them was another reminder that they were gone."

They were all looking towards a mare. A pegasus mare, that was awkwardly speaking from behind a raised lectern.

She looked young. And most of all, she looked nervous. The mare was very much not a good speaker, stopping herself every now and then as she second-guessed her own words. Her tone dying down to a mumble every now and then, to the point that he could barely hear sometimes.

And yet, somehow, her words just… reached him. He felt this strange, murky part of his mind heating up as she spoke.

No, not just heating up. Every now and then Clouded River actually had to flinch from the pain. Because sometimes, the mare would say something that felt like a branding rod being pressed against him.

But he could not stop listening to her. Nor could he look away. And just like everypony else, he kept listening to her with a degree of attention that was almost rapt.

"I used to hate that pain. Hate that they left me behind, or hate that I was alone. But more than that, I hated the thought that it would only stop hurting if… if I let them go. That is, until I realized that… that maybe that wasn't it?"

He felt his body inching a little bit forward, slightly leaning in the mare's direction so he could hear her better. There wasn't a single sound in that room that wasn't coming from her. The wind was still, and at times Clouded thought that he wasn't even breathing. Just so he could hear her better.

And for all that the cattle-prod pain was still there, in his mind, he also realized he was paying attention to her words. More than just listening to her, he was thinking. Pondering.

Internalizing.

"Because this pain, this bleeding that I feel inside my chest. It hurts, yes. But isn't it also a proof that they were alive? That I loved them? That they were so important to me, that when they passed away… that when they died, they took a part of me with them? And if that is the case, doesn't that mean that the day it stops hurting they will be completely gone?"

Clouded River felt his thoughts going hazy. The heavy, aching memories of his family coming back to him as the mare spoke.

He remembered the fire. He remembered arriving home to a dead son. He remember feeling so shocked that he almost didn't escape his house on time.

He remembered the sheer disgust he felt of himself, at letting his wife and son die before he did. He remembered the agony of flying through Equestria for almost two days straight. And how he considered just dropping himself in a lake, to drown and die, when his wings were ready to give up.

But most of all, the mare's words also made him…

"So maybe… maybe this hurt that I am feeling, maybe it's their final gift to me? Their final gift for us? I think that's the case. Or at least, that's the only conclusion I can reach nowadays. So, truth be told… I don't want it to stop hurting. I don't want it to scar, or to heal. I don't want to grow stronger, or to do any of those things other ponies tell me to do. Because if I do any of that, then the pain will stop. If I do that, then they will be gone for good!"

He felt a strange pain in his neck. A weird sensation in the back of his mind.

And it took him the longest moment to realize that the pain was his body nodding his head. And that the sensation was his mind, his very thoughts… agreeing with the mare.

His eyes, also, began to burn. And it hurt him to keep the tears at bay.

"A few ponies told me, a while ago, that time heals everything. That I should let time run its course, and that it will get better. But I don't believe in that anymore. I don't want to believe in that. Time won't heal this… b-because… Because I won't let it!"

He felt something twist inside his chest. A strange, painful twinge that he had not felt in a very long time. A gasp, sobbing sniff that was as involuntary as the burning in his eyes.

Clouded felt a hoof on his back. A sudden pat on the back that was at the same time gentle and understanding. And at any other point in his life, he would have moved away from the hoof, sending the message that he did not want any of that pity.

But he didn't do any of that. He couldn't.

He could not stop paying attention to the mare.

"I won't let it. I… I think I want it to keep hurting. No. I think I need it to hurt. Because as long as it hurts, I know I still love them. As long as it burns, I know they are still here. And I… well, I won't let it stop hurting, and I think none of you should let it either."

The mare finished her piece, and a short but thunderous round of applause followed. With hoofs stomping against the ground with such intensity that it surprised even the mare. She clearly had no idea why they were all so moved by her words. In fact, she couldn't even tell that they were moved at all.

It completely escaped her that, somehow, her words had ignited this… flame, inside of them. And she merely thought they were being warm and encouraging at her poor attempt of a speech.

But that couldn't be farther from the truth. They all stomped their hoofs against the ground in applause, and Clouded River had joined them before he even realized it.

After that, the mare left, and they slowly began to disperse.

However, Clouded River did something he had not done in the longest time. For the first time ever since the Catastrophe, he tried to speak to one of the ponies who were there.

He turned around to speak to the pony who had patted his back. An older stallion, whose eyes were as hollow as Clouded's, but who also has this flame in his stare that the pegasus very much envied.

"She… I…" he coughed. He had not spoken in so long that it even felt wrong to do it. "That mare… who was she?"

"That would be Miss Sweeps. She's a veteran in the group. Joined since the beginning, or at least she's been here for longer than me. And I don't know about you, but I always thought she talked sense, even if she refused to talk to anypony if it wasn't a one-on-one. We've been trying to get her to speak up to everypony for a while now, and boy am I glad somepony finally managed."

"… she's been in the group for a while? But I… I don't remember her talking before and…"

"Oh no, she's been sharing for a while now. But whenever she shares, it's the same as everypony else. So I'm sure you wouldn't have noticed. It's only when she speaks her mind like that it really clicks."

"I see… but she…" Clouded shook his head. He knew he was about to say something that made no sense, but he had to get it off his chest anyways. It burned too much to just keep it inside. "She… that mare… she reminded me of my wife…"

He said that. But to his surprise, the older stallion chuckled.

"And she reminds me of my daughter. And if you ask around, you will realize she reminds everypony of somepony. I can't explain it either, but she's just special like that, eh? And maybe that's the point of what she is trying to tell us."

The older stallion waved for Clouded to follow him, making his way out of the city hall where they had their meetings.

"By the way, glad you're finally awake. I saw the gaze you had, before. Had it meself for the longest time. We all did. Glad we have Sweeps to put some fire behind our eyes. Because even if it hurts… well, maybe I want it to hurt. Anyhow, mind walking an old stallion home?"

Clouded River watched the stallion walk away. And despite his hesitation, he did yet another thing he never thought he would be able to do.

He followed him.

And they talked, and then chatted, and then laughed together as they walked into the night. Idly commenting about how they hoped Miss Sweeps would agree to talk again in the next session.

They felt like she knew how they were supposed to feel.

They felt like, if she told them, then they would finally know what to do next.

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[X] She should follow her heart.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

You are Selene.

And regardless of what anypony might say, you really don't feel hungry right now.

"Selene? Are you here? Mom is calling us for dinner and…"

You knew it was Silky who was entering your room even before she spoke up. She is the only one who enters your room without knocking. Plus, you could tell from the slow, hesitant way the door was open.

Silky's last few visits into your room have been… less than pleasant. And you can tell how, for several days now, she has been more cautious when coming here.

"… and are you asleep already?" she asks, her tone going down almost to a whisper.

Because sure, she might be here to call you for dinner, but you can tell how conflicted she is about waking you up.

Still, you aren't really asleep. You are on your bed, under your covers, with your back turned to the door. You are also trying to be alone for even a few blasted minutes. But, apparently, you can't really have anything your way, can you?

"Not hungry." You say, loud enough for her to hear you. And even though your words were barely a grumble, you know she understood you.

More than that, you can almost feel her eyes on your back, as she ponders what to do next.

"C'mon sis… you haven't eaten all day," you hear her say, as she slowly walks towards your bed. "You can't stay locked in your room like this… please?"

She is standing right next to you now. You can hear how close her voice is. The same way you can tell how doubtful, maybe even worried, she is. Because she either is doing a very poor job at hiding it, or she isn't trying at all.

But that won't work on you. You won't let it work on you. You're too angry for that.

Silky might have a way with words most of the time, but you won't let her get to you that easily.

"No. Go away," is all you say, as you pull your blankets closer towards you.

Although your words only seem to have the opposite effect. You hear a soft, muffled sound, which is maybe Silky tapping a hoof against the floor. And her tone is a lot more determined when she speaks again.

"It's just dinner, Selene. Maybe it'll just be thirty minutes? You don't even have to talk to anypony… although maybe you should? You know that you avoiding mom is making her sad."

"And I don't care, Silky. I don't care how your mom feels. And I don't care about dinner."

You hear a short, disgruntled neigh. And you are sure that, if she wasn't frowning before, then Selene definitely has a frown on her face now.

"Selene, you're really not being nice right now. Come on, we gotta figure this out. You haven't even told me yet why you are angry at mom to begin with. But we have to find a way to get past this!"

Silky then starts to do… something. You're not sure what it is, but she is making some weird noises right now.

"I don't want to. And I don't have to. And leave my room."

Still, regardless of what she is doing, you decide to ignore her. You will ignore her until she goes away. It has already worked before, so you are sure it will work this time.

Or that's what you think at first. Until you feel your mattress shift slightly under you, as if more weight is being added to your bed. Which finally makes you realize that the weird noises Silky just made were the sound of her climbing onto your bed.

"I won't. Because I can't let you mope here all by yourself. And I'm gonna help you even if you don't want me to! So…!"

She says that, and then she immediately tries to pull away your blankets.

"He-… hey!"

She tries to drag your blankets away. Maybe even drag you out of your bed. And you try to stop her. And before you realize it, the two of you are locked in a localized struggle.



"Stoppit! Leave me alone!

"No. You're either being silly or you're being dumb. And I'm not gonna let you be either!"

"Silky, I'm serious. Stop doing this!"

"You stop fighting back, and just come downstairs with me!"

"Like I said. I. Don't. Want. To!"

"It's for your own good!"



She manages to uncover your face just as she says those words.

And at that exact moment, something clicks inside your head.

Because the way she is trying to force you to do something. And the way she just said it's for your own good. And the way her brown fur reminds you that she is Mrs. Velvet's daughter and that she is trying to force you to do something and that she is convinced that it is for YOUR own good even though you don't want it makes you-



"GET AWAY FROM ME!"



You don't just push Silky away. You kick her. You are lying belly when it happens, so your four legs lash out against her. You hit her at the center of her chest with all your strength.

And for a full second, all that you feel is angry at her. Angry that she barged into your room. And angry that she wouldn't listen to what you want. And angry because they all keep saying they know what is best for you.

But all those red-hot feelings inside of you, all that rage that is boiling up in your mind, dies down the moment you realize what just happened.

Or rather, it all dies down the moment you hear the choking, half-gasped sound Silky makes when she hits the floor.

"Ack-!"

That is when you realize you just shoved her. No. That you just hurt her. You let your anger get the best of you, and all that you are left with is the sight of your sister sprawled on the ground.

Everything inside of you turns cold. You try to say something, and apologize, and jump out of your bed to help her all at the same time. But for some reason, you can't do any of that. For some reason, you feel frozen by what you just did.

And all you can do is watch, as Silky gets up on her hoofs. Her legs shivering slightly as she does so. You watch as she gets up, looks at you, and then runs out of your room.

But the way she looked at you… a chill runs down your spine, because she looked scared. She was scared of you… Silky Stream, your own sister, was scared of you. You are also sure you heard a stifled sob. And of course she must be moments away from crying, because you just hurt her.

"W-wait! Silky!" you yell after her, but it's already too late. She already ran off.

So, you jump off from your bed and go after her.

You exit your room, running through the hallway and jumping down the central stairway two steps at a time.

However, you skid to a halt the moment you reach the entrance hall. Or rather, you are forced to stop, because there is somepony blocking your way.

"What… did you do?"

Your heart is still racing inside your chest. You are still terrified, that you might have just hurt Silky. You need to find her as soon as possible to apologize.

But still, even that crushing guilt you are feeling is being… not replaced, but definitely contrasted, by another rising wave of anger.

Because she is the one who is blocking your way. She is the one who, almost dramatically, is waiting for you in the middle of the entrance hall.

And her eyes tell you that, regardless of what she says, right now she is very angry at you as well.

"I asked you a question young miss. What did you do?"

Mrs. Velvet, that tall, brown-coated, hag of a mare is standing in front of you. Her brow furrowed, and her expression stern and scowling.

But you… you are not afraid of her. If anything, looking at her self-righteous face only makes your own expression mirror hers. Because she is so sure that she is always in the right, you can't help but hate her.

"That's not your business. And I'm looking for Silky. This is between me and her, so leave me alone."

You say that, stomping a hoof for good measure, and then you start walking once again. You walk around Mrs. Velvet, keeping your distance from her even as you make your way towards the dinner hall. You are sure Silky went that way, so that's where you are going to-

"Oh no you're not, young filly."

-but your thoughts are interrupted by the gripping sensation of magic. Your whole body glowing the same color as her horn. And without moving a muscle, she quite literally picks you up in the air, and places you down where you were before you started walking.

And you can feel your whole body bristle at that. Every last fur on your coat raising with how furious that makes you.

To the point that, even if only for a moment, you forget about why you are here to begin with. You forget about Silky, and what you just did.

"I asked you a question, and you are going to answer me," she says, her tone cold and sharp. The so-called mother trying to discipline you.

But you don't even feel scared of her. Not anymore. The only thing you feel is angry. And it is so strong that your head is starting to hurt. Any more of this, and you might actually start shaking.

"I said… this is between me and Silky," you say. You are not sure what part of you is holding back your urge to yell at her. But still, you say those words through gritted teeth. Your jaw clenched so tight that it is beginning to ache. "And it is none of your business."

"Selene, I really do not appreciate how you are talking to me. You are going to tell me what just happened between you and your sister. And you are going to tell me now."

Her harsh, scolding, cold, arrogant and sanctimonious tone finally gets to you. Something inside of you finally cracks.

It cracks, and it bends, and it breaks, and before you realize it your anger is coming out of you in the form of words. Words that you wouldn't be able to contain even if you wanted to. Not anymore.

"And what are you going to do?! Huh?! What in Equestria are you going to do?!"

You take a step forward. But not away from her, and not towards the dinner hall. No. You take a sudden, irate step towards her.

"Are you going to lock me in a room that is not mine? Shove me into a body that isn't me?! KEEP ME STUCK IN A LIFE I DON'T WANT TO LIVE?!"

Another step, and then another. You don't even register how the mare is looking at you wide-eyed. You don't even notice how she has to make an effort to stand her ground. Her legs almost taking a half-step back at how surprised she is.

You don't notice any of that.

You just keep yelling. Loud enough for the whole estate to hear. Loud enough for the whole world to hear, even.

"WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO TO ME THAT YOU AREN'T ALREADY DOING?!"

However, regardless of how angry you are, you are still just a filly.

And even if it takes her half a second, Mrs. Velvet centers herself even before you are done gasping for air after your outburst.

"That's it, Selene. You're grounded. Do you want to stay up in your room? Fine! You can stay in your room as long as you want."

She says that, and before you can do anything her horn is once again glowing. The shining grip of her magic surrounds your entire body before you have the chance to move. Floating you away from the ground as if you were light as a feather.

You can see that she will follow through with her words. You can tell that she is about to march up to your room, throw you in there, and maybe even lock the door as she leaves. The only logical conclusion to a fighting match between a filly and her guardian.

But that is so demeaning, so ridiculous, so unfair to you that you-



"NO!"



-you do something. You yell something. And her magic snaps around you. The glowing, levitating spell being snuffed out like a candle's flame in the wind.

You fall towards the ground, barely landing on your hoofs.

And when you look up, you can see Mrs. Velvet is surprised. No, more than just surprised. She doesn't know what to do next.

Maybe she even looks scared.

But you are still too angry to care. Your heart is still beating too quickly, and the headache in your head is still too strong for you to pay attention to those little details.

All that matters to you is that she was trying to tell you what to do. And that she can't anymore.

"You are not going to boss me around anymore!" you yell at her.

You yell at her, and you take a step forward.

And Mrs. Velvet takes a step back.

"You are not going to act like you own me anymore!"

Another step forwards. Then another. Then another.

And the mare keeps retreating.

"Selene, I-I…" she tries to say something. She is half-interrupted when her hind finally hits the closed door behind her, but she continues trying to speak nonetheless. "Selene, I am your mother. I-I… I'm doing all of this for you. Everything I do i-is because… I know what is best for you and-"



"NO. YOU. DON'T!"



You stomp a hoof on the ground. And finally, the mare shuts up.

She shuts up. Your thoughts shut up. The whole world shuts up.

And as you open your mouth to say something else-

-!!!-​

-you realize you just heard the sound of glass breaking.

Mrs. Velvet looks around, also confused, but she can't keep her eyes away from you for too long. You too look around, wondering what just happened.

But still, everything around you looks normal. And the sound came from so close that it couldn't have been one of the windows or…

You look around for a few moments, until you finally realize that, when you move slightly, the sound of cracked glass comes again. It is coming from underneath your hoof.

You are stepping on it.

The large entrance hall is carpeted. However, as you look down, you realize you are stepping on broken glass. No, that's not it. What happened is that the place you just stomped your hoof on broke like glass. And even though you are stepping on a soft carpet, you can see the spiderweb-like marks of broken glass spreading all around you.

"Wha… what?"

You look up in confusion, but Mrs. Velvet is not there anymore.

You look around you. But everywhere you look there is… well, there is nothing. No walls, no stairs, no doors.

No house.

You are standing on solid ground, even though there is nothing underneath you when you look down.

Nothing but the growing cracks of broken glass.

And before you can finish another thought, the glass breaks.



- - -



You wake up.

It is night. The moon is shining down on you from the open window. And you are wide awake.

You are wide awake, and yet your mind is completely empty.

Your anger? It is gone. That slow-burning, constant hatred you felt is nowhere to be seen. You can barely remember you had it inside you to begin with.

Your anger is gone, and the inside of your head feels hollow. Your mind feels like a… like a carved-out toy, or maybe a vase. Too full of air. Too empty of memories.

No, it's more than just your head. Your whole body feels hollow. But hollow in a way that has a shape to it. As if your insides have been perfectly molded to fit… something. And the emptiness inside of you is so deliberate that you feel… less, without it. You are now acutely aware that there is something missing from you, and without it you feel incomplete.



There is something very wrong with you.



But now… now you finally know why.

You drag yourself out of your bed, and make your way towards the door.

You move, but you barely register the familiar scenery around you. You mind, your memories, are completely focused on what just happened. On what you just saw.

Because after the glass broke? After you fell, and fell, and fell?

You landed on a… not quite on an empty place. But you landed somewhere. It doesn't matter where that place was. All that matters was what you saw there.

Because you saw… a door.

Not just a door. A Door. Your Door. Your Door, with your cutie mark on it.

You saw your Door. You found your Door. And for the first time since you woke up as Selene, you finally felt like you were ready. You finally felt like you were right.



Because your mind was finally ready for it.

And your body was once again in its correct form.

And you remembered the knowledge needed to open it.

And, at long last, you had the strength to do what had to be done.



So, you opened your Door.

You opened it, and you saw.

And now that you are awake, the only thing in your mind is the revelation of who you are…

No, not of who you are. Of who you were.

Because right now, you are still just… Selene.

You walk out of your room, making your way down the hallway towards the master bedroom.

You walk, and you limp, and you nearly trip several times. Even though you have four legs under you. But how could you not trip? Your legs… they are too thin, and too short, and too weak. To the point that you feel like you are dragging yourself through the ground rather than truly walking.

Not that it matters. Not that you even care. Your eyes are wide-open, and your thoughts are totally focused inwards. As names and faces and memories and knowledge and skill flows through you like the nightly breeze. Shackled by the fact your filly brain is too undeveloped to process all of it. Chained by the fact you lack the body to perform a tenth of what it should be able to.

Still, you eventually reach the door to their room.

Maybe it is unlocked. Maybe you unlocked it. It doesn't matter.

You don't even notice how the two ponies are dazed, barely awake, when they finally notice you. Nor do you realize how surprised, even panicked they are, when they finally see you.

And you don't really ignore their questions, asking if you are alright or if you are hurt or if something happened. You don't really ignore them, because you can barely hear them.

The only thing you know is that they finally fall silent when you look up at them, and ask…



"Mrs. Velvet… Mr. Stormchaser… please."





Selene has reached Level 3 of EDGE.

She is ready.