Flying through the air was all Princess Luna could do to maintain her calm. Every part of the royal castle she flew past showed signs of destructive attack, and in pained her to pass by so many of her ponies without being able to stop and assure them that the fighting would soon be over. Her own armor had taken its fair share of damage in what fighting she had participated in, but the stress of battle more than anything else was taking its toll on her stamina.

From the strange communication device given to her she could hear a faint voice of one of the humans saying, “. . . that. . . safe. . . room. . . throne . . .”

“Where in Tartarus is it safe!?” Luna yelled to herself in frustration. She only had a vague idea where the two humans could have gone, and all of the normal magical signal beams in the castle had been turned off because of the changeling attack. It wasn’t as if Luna could leisurely fly around the skies of the castle in open sight looking for them. Not when there was still so much to be done!

Scout and Heavy, for their parts, were fighting more marauding changelings that hadn’t gotten the general orders to retreat. It was risky for them to attract more attention since Chrysalis has probably warned the swarm about them, but neither mercenary cared.

Three times the barrel of Scout’s twelve gauge baby face’s blaster flared. Only two changelings went down in a bloody mess, but at least he didn’t end up hitting a friendly guardspony. Raising his scattergun so he could work the lever action easier, Scout turned and looked around at his surroundings. Beside the two dead changelings in front of him, the rest of the castle was becoming eerily silent. A hollow emptiness floated around the air, and it reminded him of the abandoned bases back in Teufort. Looking up to the heavens and tracing the stars with his eyes, he pointed to Luna flying above them and signalled for Heavy to try and get her attention.

Heavy tried to query her by speaking into the large clunky cellular phone Scout had pulled out from his gym bag.

"Is there more to fight? Do tiny cowards run away!? What happen to changeling queen?”

He knew that it was a dumb question, but couldn’t think of anything better to ask. The idea that the strongest fighters were all going to be talking when there was fighting to be done did not sit well with him, but there wasn’t anything he could do alone. He knew from past experiences that when Spy had a plan, it was best to not speak out but listen.

“. . . to . . . throne . . . go . . .” was all the radio said.

“Did I hear that right?” Scout asked, and Heavy shook the phone in his hand frustratedly. “Throne room? I don’t live here! Where ‘da hell is ‘dat supposed to be!?”

Scout turned to see Heavy listening in on the blocky phone with his ears glued to the receiver. He looked at the device doubtfully, and threw it back to Scout for him to catch.

“Princess says she will lead us. Throne is near very top of castle.”

“Great. She gets to fly around up there while we do all ‘da fightin’,” Scout snorted indignantly. “Whelp, let’s get to it then. Whatever Spy’s got cookin’ up better be worth all ‘dis hassle.”

“Da’, Heavy agrees. But we must hurry. We should not waste time that we could spend fighting.”

Anxious to keep moving, both Scout and Heavy continued onward doing their best to follow Luna in the sky from the ground. Both hoped the night would soon be over, but neither had any way of knowing and without a voice booming overhead and telling them how much longer the enemy team would continue their attacks. Neither mercenary would admit it to the other, but the nonstop fighting had started to take an exhausted toll on them without the constant rejuvenation of their Medic’s healing beams.

Behind them Twilight Sparkle continued to follow both humans from the shadows.

♪~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~♪

Luna tucked her wings in as she landed, her hooves connecting with the floor with a light tap. With the main halls of the castle mostly cleared of changelings, the pathway to the throne room had been simpler to navigate once she had managed to lead Scout and Heavy out of the living quarters wing they had been in.

With a silent nod of agreement, all three opened the large double doors to walk inside.  

“We see you are quite busy,” Luna commented as she walked toward the large table displaying a marked map of the castle in front of her throne. Around her members of both the Day and Night Guard were running about occupied in their business. Some of the guard saluted as she had entered, but returning formalities was the last thing on her mind.

“Indeed.” Spy remarked neutrally. Taking a long drag of his cigarette, he pointed to the empty throne. “Come and sit down your majesty. It is important that you refresh yourself on what is happening around the castle.”

Gazing at the empty seat she normally took for granted, she noted the symbolic purpose of his request. From the way in which everything had been arranged it was clear that whoever sat in the throne would be the center of information incoming and outgoing. Next to her Spy would be able to tell her about what information he had gathered, all while recognizing her authority despite having done most of the work prior to her arrival.

“What news do you have for us, mister Spy?” Luna asked. Gracefully she took to the air, turning herself around mid flight and gently landing on her throne.

“Chrysalis is in retreat to see if she can rally her remaining forces.” Spy’s statement was delivered with such conviction that she felt compelled to ask how he knew. “Earlier, I was unable to stop her from running away. For that, you have my apologies.”

“No, ‘tis we who should be thanking you,” Luna said. “You have done us a boon for taking on the changeling queen by yourself. But we must ask, why did you insist on doing so in the first place?”

“It was a matter of pride, your majesty,” he confessed. Out of embarrassment he turned away as he continued. “I underestimated her magic powers. Talents such as those are very powerful against my own techniques. I hope you can forgive me for acting in haste.”

“Very well. But we ask that you please keep in mind that many of us have powers as well,” Luna said, speaking bluntly. “If you had not been so eager to fight alone, we could have captured Chrysalis together.”

“Yes. Again, my apologies your majesty,” Spy bowed. “I won’t be so hasty in ‘ze future.”

Scout and Heavy exchanged glances briefly, both doubting the sincerity of the dashing rogue’s words. As if the start of their conversation were a signal, the soldiers around them in the makeshift command room returned to their assignments. But before Luna had time to follow up with her own questions to the other two humans, a line had formed for new information about questions, requests, and protests from ponies all throughout the castle. There weren’t enough bandages to treat the wounded. Where were the injured being sent to? There wasn’t enough room in castle’s guest rooms which had been turned into makeshift hospitals. When was the counterattack going to be launched for the inner chambers? The sudden barrage of information was more than she could handle, and she looked around helplessly.

“Let castle commissars make decisions,” Heavy advised, speaking up after a moment. “You must plan for bigger picture. Do not be bothered by tiny things.”

“Yeah, but make sure ‘dat you aren’t losin’ ground in other areas,” Scout chimed in as well. He hunched himself over the table, taking note of which areas of the map were marked with red and blue flags. “If those freaks are really on the run, double check first so you don’t let your guard down on areas you think are clear.”

“And last, we should confirm ‘ze whereabouts of Chrysalis,” Spy said, the last to throw his advice in on purpose. “It is of ‘ze utmost importance ‘zat you understand what she is thinking of doing next.”

“We believe there are more important matters to attend to, Mister Spy,” Luna pushed aside the reports all on the table in front of her. Scanning the map with a critical eye, she was pleased to find that the changeling invaders were being pushed back on all fronts. “She is only one changeling, regardless of her position in the swarm. We have the injured to tend to, as well as damage done to the castle to fix.

Spy shook his head in disagreement before crossing his arms over his chest. “My fears are ‘zat she will live up to her reputation of being the unquestioned leader of ‘ze swarm,” he explained, “because her plan has not yet been foiled. She is also an impressive tactician, your majesty. By attacking so many places across ‘ze castle at once, it seems to me ‘zat she wasn’t trying to capture it. More than likely she intended to kidnap you and your sister in ‘ze chaos, and gather information for a future attack while Canterlot remained leaderless.”

As Spy spoke, it dawned on him that even if Chrysalis had been caught off guard, her decision to about-face had been too sudden. He had assumed that her determination to fight had simply been broken, but what if the changeling queen’s plan was more layered than simple territory control?

“Despite her failures, you feel she was too in control?” pushed Luna.

“Hmm... Perhaps, ” Spy said, hedging. “It just seems odd, no? Even in retreat, ‘zey are slipping through ‘ze fingers of your forces.”

Suddenly a white pegasus guard walked into the throne room with several written papers in his saddlebags. Cloud Skipper saluted as he walked up to Luna, eyeing the humans at her sides uneasily before announcing something that gave her even more concern.

“Ma’am,” he said with urgency, “I’ve got a report from the wings of the castle. If we continue on our current courses, we won’t be able to stop most of the changelings from retreating into the crystal caverns.”

The Princess of the Night had no way of measuring how much the changeling queen’s plan had been forced to change. Because many of her officers in the Night Guard were scattered in fights both inside and outside of the castle, she had no way of knowing what the fighting strength of her own forces was either. If the reports she had been receiving before heading to her older sister’s bedroom to confront Chrysalis again had been true, then the most logical choice would be for the defending guard to continue fighting until the invaders were defeated.

But the unexpected presence of the human mercenaries of the RED team had changed the situation, and now there was an opportunity for the Royal Guard to launch a counterattack against the invading changelings.

“Hmm,” Luna said, pondering for a minute. “We fear we may yet be lead into another trap by Chrysalis. Can we spare soldiers for an attack when we have so many wounded and injured to take care of?”

“Speaking frankly your majesty, you cannot. Your forces are too divided and exhausted from fighting a battle ‘zey were not prepared for. But we,” Spy pointed to himself and the other two mercenaries of RED, “are not. We will go finish our jobs, while you will attend your forces from here.”

Luna frowned visibly, not bothering to hide her suspicions in her voice. “We cannot say we approve of sending our guests to do so much in our place. Are you opposed to our fighting alongside you?”

“Yes,” Spy replied flatly, his tone missing all of the formalities he had been using. “There is too much to lose if something should happen to you, your majesty. Chrysalis could turn her defeat into a partial victory should she get lucky. Or...are you more worried about becoming indebted to us?” he taunted, enjoying the mildly offended look on the alicorn’s face. “Either way, it does not matter. What matters now is what state you and your sister will be in by ‘ze end of ‘zis. You have a reputation to preserve, and we don’t want any other villains getting any ideas in their heads now do we?”

Luna didn’t answer immediately, instead staying silent to think. She couldn’t argue with his reasoning. After all, come the morning every newspaper in Equestria would be wanting as much information they could print on the events of the night. Wild speculation over details of the attack would only fuel fires of fear and paranoia, as she had learnt the hard way from the aftermath of the royal wedding incident.

For weeks after Chrysalis’ first attack a mood of paranoia had swept the nation, with fear and distrust surmounting harmony in the minds of her subjects. Eventually the fervor of the imaginary changeling threat had calmed down, but not after an extensive information campaign by Celestia to assure everypony that a swarm of changelings were not about to show up to try and conquer another city.

But what of her unexpected allies? What was their angle on events of the night? Luna was torn over figuring out why Spy had so suddenly isolated himself and Chrysalis in Celestia’s bedroom. His failure to apprehend (or kill) the changeling queen only added to her suspicions, and she had to wonder if the masked human had made some sort of secret deal while he was out of anypony’s sight. If she remembered correctly, the contract of the RED mercenaries would only last a year. She had no illusions that the humans could and would spend part of their year planning for the years to come after it.

Still, she had use for their talents. Their experience in fighting had their main selling point as guards, after all. It would be redundant to try and keep constant surveillance on the humans since the same ponies spying could have been used to protect the element bearers in the first place.  It was now her job to think past the events of the night. At the rate everything was going, she would be spending her hours writing up a statement for the Equestrian media to release tomorrow.

Her older sister had been right: humans were not as plain as their appearances...

“Very well,” Luna replied simply. “We shall defer to your experience on this matter. We shall stay here to continue organizing the relief effort.”

“Thank you for your cooperation your majesty,” Spy replied, bowing once more. “I promise ‘zat we will hold up our end of your plan. Now, if you will excuse us.”

Signalling for his two comrades to follow him, Spy swiftly exited the throne room with Scout and Heavy behind him. Luna watched them go, unable to shake the feeling that, despite her new responsibilities, she was still being used in some manner. As soon as they cleared the entrance way and were out of earshot, the runner ran up to him and put his arm over his shoulder.

“So what’s up? Why’d you leave us back there? We gonna’ go show ‘dat ugly bug who's boss?”

“Calm yourself, boy.” Spy removed Scout’s arm and reached into his pocket. “She will get what she has coming, all in good time. Take ‘ze map I had made, and go with Heavy into the cavern entrance to meet up with Demoman.”

“Wait, what? Demo’s here too?” Scout scratched his head, taking the folded piece of paper Spy handed him from the inside of his spytron 3000 disguise kit. “You gonna’ tell us what’s going on?”

"Does it really matter?” Spy asked, a little irritation in his voice. “I don’t remember you asking so many questions back in Teufort. Just jog around doing your job, yes?”

“Alright, alright!” Scout blew a raspberry, throwing his arms into the air and rolling his eyes. “God, even a million miles from home you still have a French stick up your ass.”

Heavy gave a simple nod in return, and began to run after Scout who had taken off already. Spy watched his comrades go, allowing himself a small smile of satisfaction. Piece by piece everything was coming together, and the events of the night would soon be over for everyone involved. There had been a few unexpected problems, but nothing he couldn’t work out in one way or another. And speaking of loose ends...

“You can come out now,” Spy called out. He turned around looking at a large tapestry hanging from a wall that had a distinctive lump behind it. “Princess Luna will remain on her throne for the rest of the night. You have nothing to worry about.”

Slowly trotting out from her hiding spot the shadows of the hall, Twilight Sparkle looked at Spy questioningly. The human smiled back at her pleasantly, pushing the cigarette in his mouth from side to side. “I trust ‘zat you had a safe trip here?” he asked.

“...Did you know I was there the whole time?”

“Yes. Part of my profession is being very good at hiding and finding others ‘zat are doing ‘ze same,” Spy explained regarding her carefully. “I hope you aren’t angry at me for before.”

“Not quite,” Twilight frowned, remembering quite clearly what had happened before her unexpected nap. She reluctantly moved out from her hiding spot and trotted over to him. “But if you do it again, I hope you won’t be angry at me if I take that sleeping dart and stick it back in your neck.”

Spy chuckled despite himself. “Thank you ‘zen. I ask ‘zat you take my word for it that I won’t be doing ‘zat twice. Now come closer,” he motioned for her to come over to him. “I have something for you and you alone.”

“What is this about?” Twilight asked. She watched him slowly take a square object out from his inner suit pocket. “Is it about that thing?”

“Correct,” he nodded. “Miss Sparkle, it is my personal belief ‘zat trust is one of ‘ze hardest things to attain between living creatures.” Spy extended the folding antenna on the Engineer’s remote detonator, and watched the electronic display show the number of Demoman’s scottish resistance sticky bombs active in its range. “I know ‘zat tonight has been very tiresome for you, but I ask ‘zat you give me your full attention for what I am going to be asking. Take what time you must, but please be sure of yourself when you answer.”

“...Okay?” she said, taken a little off guard by how serious he was becoming.

He looked down at her, his eyes narrowing. “I mean it, Miss Sparkle.”

“Fine,” she said, frowning. “But a fair warning, I reserve the right to not answer any questions I was tricked into.”

“...Oh? Ah, hahaha.” His mood broke from her answer, and he laughed lightly into hand. “Fine. Yes. Forgive me for not showing you ‘ze respect you deserve. I will cut to ‘ze chase.”

Crouching down to match her height, he lowered himself down onto one knee and held the remote detonator in front of her. “‘Zis device will set off an explosive trap my companions have set for ‘ze retreating changelings. If ‘ze trap is sprung, it will bring down ze’ rock walls of ‘ze caverns on top of ‘zem. But since we are outsiders to ‘ze politics of ‘zis world, I want you to have ‘ze honors of activating it.”

Twilight looked at the device in his hands, noting how its simplicity betrayed its true purpose. She looked up at Spy who was waiting for her response. “I refuse,” she said firmly.

“‘Zat is what I figured you would say,” he said. “Now let me ask: do I have your permission for me to press ‘zis button?”

“No you do not,” she said, just as firmly as before. She stomped her hoof down on the ground as she spoke. “I made up my mind earlier tonight. I don’t want any more deaths this night for anypony.”

“Hmm... ‘Zen, would you object to Princess Luna pressing it?” he offered.

“I would, but Princess Luna is a princess by her own right. I would do everything I could to convince her not to press it.”

“I see. ‘Zat is your final decision?”

“Yes.”

“You will spare their lives? Those who have hurt and killed some of your own kind?”

“Yes.”

“And what if other ponies ridicule your decision? Would you choose the same choice again? ”

“Yes.”

“...And if ‘ze changelings should attack again, would you regret sparing their lives tonight?”

“No,” she said. She stared up at him with honest eyes and spoke with a firm resolve. “Is that all you had to ask?”

“Yes,” he answered. He stood back up, folding the antenna on the detonator back down as he did. “You are someone with as much of a firm moral character as I was lead to believe. If ‘zis were a novel, you would make for an excellent tragic heroine.”

“Tragic?” she asked suspiciously, unsure of whether or not his remark was a compliment. “Why would you say that?”

“It is in my experience ‘zat most well intentioned plans are doomed to fail from complications. For instance, what would you say if someone close to you were killed in a future changeling attack? What if their family blamed you for not stopping ‘zem on ‘zis night?”

“I would still defend my decision,” she argued. “The world isn’t as simple as trading an eye for an eye. Princess Celestia has always told me to treat others as I would want to be treated. I also believe that anypony is to be treated innocent before guilty.”

“Innocent? Are ‘zey not guilty of attacking your kingdom twice now?” he retorted, with eyebrows raised. “Would you be able to explain that to a grieving family? Or the family of those who were kidnapped and never found? Would you be able to accept ‘zem blaming you for ‘ze separation of their family for ‘ze rest of their lives?”

“I would have to, wouldn’t I? I’m not naive enough to think that doing the right thing doesn’t carry any responsibility, Mister Spy.”

“But do you not think ‘zat selfish of you? Keeping your own moral palette clean at 'ze price of other pony’s lives?”

“...”

Seeing the unconvinced stare she was giving him, he simply gave her a casual shrug in return. “My apologies. Perhaps ‘zis world is different, but in ‘ze world I am from, having ‘ze moral high ground rarely saves lives. I want you to be aware of ‘zis before you let something very serious pass you by.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I have made up my mind on the matter,” Twilight said. She continued to look up on him with an expression that showed that she was thinking deeply. “Now, may I ask some questions?”

He gave her a silent nod in a return, the straightest answer she had received so far.

“Would it be wrong of me to think that you aren’t just diplomats from a foreign land?”

“I suppose I can answer some questions since you were nice enough to humor me,” he said. “So to start; yes, you are correct. Being ambassadors from a foreign land is a cover story by ‘ze Princess for our presence here.”

“Then...” she began hesitantly. Had Chrysalis been telling the truth before? Had Luna been the one who lied to her, for the sake of protecting her older sister’s image? “Is it true that you’re...?”

“What Chrysalis said? Hired killers, you mean?” he gave her a wry grin, remembering the accusatory ramblings of the changeling queen. “Not quite. Unfortunate for her majesty, by some fateful coincidence she choose to attack Canterlot coinciding with our arrival. We simply choose to throw our weight in with you, since our business in ‘zis world involves your kind already.”

“And what is your ‘business’?” she asked persistently. “Why are you here in Equestria?”

“My compatriots and I are employed by a company in my world called Team Fortress Industries. Your Princess Celestia made a deal with my employers in regards to our unique services, for reasons that are unknown to me.”

Mulling over his answers, Twilight wondered about the truthfulness of his words. The other two humans seemed very upfront about their thoughts, but the suited Spy clearly specialized in things like subterfuge and deception. Was it possible that he was feeding her false information, in hopes of getting her to ask more questions that could reveal new information to him by proxy? But even if that were the case, Princess Luna seemed to have put her trust in them. And since Celestia was still sleeping from the sedative Chrysalis had used on her, she could only assume that the Princess did as well.

“One last question. Will you answer me honestly?” she said, suddenly wishing that she had Fluttershy’s stare on her side.

“I can only speak for myself Miss Sparkle. ‘Zat is ‘ze only truth 'zat never changes.”

“...Why are you telling me all of this?”

“A misplaced sense of pity,” Spy took a deep drag of his cigarette as he spoke. “I feel ‘zat you have a right to know ‘zat your little world is about to get much bigger. Bigger than ‘ze responsibilities Celestia has tested you with so far. But ‘zat can wait for a later time, since we are preparing for ze’ final curtain. Will you be joining us?”

“You’re going to confront Chrysalis? How do you know she’ll be there?”

“I just know,” he muttered, “because she is ‘ze kind of being who needs to get ‘ze final word in anything. Even when she is running with her tail between her legs.”

“Then are you going to kill her? If we do find her, like you think we will?”

“We will have to see Miss Twilight. Living creatures are like dice; we throw ourselves into the direction of our own choosing.”

♪~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~♪