Chapter 8

“Three’s Company”

    “Thank you for coming.”

    Two ponies and a gryphon bowed low before the sister Princesses, whom were each settled on comfortable cushions behind a large wooden table, their eyes washing over the trio appraisingly. Only Flourish stole a glance back to the door through which they had just traversed, noticing one of the armoured guards pulling them shut. Palace security had increased dramatically since they had departed, and they had required an escort while traversing the palace, something that never happened to them before even in the midst of the Nightmare’s invasion. Given the nervous looks that Filigree kept garnering when they had made the long walk to this meeting room, the mare had a good guess to the reason.

    “Please rise,” Celestia said in a surprisingly tired voice and waved to the cushions at the other side of the table. She paused to allow the trio sit before continuing, “I don’t think I need to tell you three how the failed diplomatic mission has changed the tone here in Canterlot. While I understand you only returned just a few short hours ago, it is imperative that we get your first hoof accounts of what occurred in the Clan Territories.”

    “We’d have seen you sooner,” Luna added with a sigh, “but with all the details of coordinating our defenses and... let’s just say we’ve been extremely busy.”

    “I understand fully, Princess,” Filigree stated. “I will abide by any judgement you would levy against me for my failure in my mission.”

    The Princesses faces twisted with shock and surprise at the slavish response. Celestia sighed and shook her head sadly, while Luna looked downright angry for several moments.

    “What did they do to you?” the Lunar Princess demanded.

    “They beat the crap out of her,” Flourish answered, cutting Filigree off. “Seriously, after a few days of healing she still looks like hell. Just look at her! She’s covered in bruises, has a shiner that’s only barely healed, and I am pretty sure that tendency to favor her front left leg is the result of magic improperly healing a break.”

    The Princesses, and even Spectrum, looked shocked at the brash little unicorn. Their eyes then slid to the gryphoness, appraising the very injuries that had been pointed out. Luna seethed, her breath coming in hisses forced through clenched teeth.

    “Have you seen a healer?” Celestia asked worriedly.

    “Not yet, Princess,” Filigree answered.

    “Why not?”

    “My duty is to report everything that happened while I was in the clan territories,” Filigree stated simply. “This was more important.”

    “Horsefeathers!” Luna all but shouted as she leapt to her hooves, her expression fierce and her body trembling with barely contained rage.

    “Sister…” Celestia said soothingly.

    “But--!”

    “Getting angry at Filigree will achieve nothing,” the elder sister counseled. “No amount of yelling at the gryphoness will change the evils the king has visited upon her. Your anger may be righteous, but it is aimed at the wrong gryphon.”

    “I… I…” Luna stammered, and then took a slow breath. “I’m sorry, Filigree. However, you should have sought out medical attention immediately! Your safety is paramount in all this. You are one of our ponies, regardless of where you were born, and your health is of utmost concern.”

    Filigree blinked widely, before dipping her head, “I will do as you say in the future, Princess.”

    “You do not understand, Filigree” Celestia said sadly, and met the gryphoness’ eyes. “I understand that you consider your duty of paramount importance, especially in a situation such as this, but to ignore your own health is a failure of not only to yourself, but of your duty to the rest of Equestria. You bear one of the Elements of Harmony, and that requires seeing after yourself as well as others. Even were that not the case, I would not allow any one of my little ponies to suffer, and I will never force you to suffer. Once we have concluded here I will have the palace physician summoned to examine your injuries and, if necessary, you will transferred to the hospital.”

    “Hey, we tried to get her to see a healer,” Flourish grumped, “but little miss stubborn there wasn’t having it.”

    “Filigree, how much of what Flourish said of your injuries are true?” Luna asked, then cut the gryphoness off when she opened her beak with a stomp of her hoof. “I want the whole truth, Filigree. Do not hold anything back.”

    “I was seen to by gryphon healers,” the gryphoness answered after a moment’s consideration. “I believe that, in the least, I suffered from a broken leg, several fractured ribs, a cracked beak, a number of internal injuries I could not even begin to guess at, more bruises than I could count, and one of my eyes was swollen completely shut when I first woke.”

    Luna listened to each injury, her body trembling with impotent rage. In response to her anger, magic coalesced into a near physical presence about her, darkening the younger Princess to a shadow in the brightly lit room. Only a touch from her sister caused the younger Princess’ focus to shatter, the magic dissipating suddenly in a rush from the room as if a giant dragon had exhaled, blowing doors and windows wide open. The ponies were forced to brace against the sudden hurricane; only the Princesses remained impassive at the center of the fierce but mercifully brief maelstrom. Luna took several deep and unsteady breaths before nodding to her sister.

    “Princess!!” a guard pony cried, the Commander rushing in with a squad of well armed and trained guardponies, weapons held at the ready for an attack.

    “At ease, Commander, we are fine,” Celestia told the guard. “It was merely the release of some improperly gathered magic.”

    “Are you sure, Princess?” the Commander asked, unconvinced.

    “Yes, Commander Brighthorn,” Celestia said serenely, “you and your men may return to your posts.”

    “As you command, Princess,” the stallion bowed and turned to leave. He was followed by the guard, and closed the doors behind him. Celestia reached out with her magic and gently tugged the windows shut again, leaving Luna to calm herself after her outburst.

    “I… apologize,” Luna finally said after a number of long minutes. “That display was unseemly for a Princess.”

    “Do not apologize,” Celestia offered soothingly, “Your anger is completely justifiable, but you must not let it consume you so.” Luna gave a slow nod, and all attention turned back to the gryphoness. “Tell me, Filigree,” Celestia queried, “what could cause such harm to you? I did not believe even King Goldtalon’s most elite guard could even hope to hurt you so severely.”

    “Were his guard comprised of normal gryphons, they couldn’t have,” Filigree agreed. “However, Goldtalon has been cherry-picking champions from the gladiatorial pits.”

    Luna frowned for a moment. “Don’t the gryphons often send many of their specials to fight in the slave pits as gladiators?”

    “That is correct, Princess,” Filigree said softly. “He was attended by ten of these gladiators, nine as of now, each of whom was a champion in the arena. He pitted his most celebrated champion against me in an attempt to beat me into submission, and I handed that Champion his first and last defeat. The king eliminated him for that failure. Unfortunately, the remainder of his guard opted to avenge their fallen comrade, and proceeded to attack me until I could no longer remain conscious.”

    “Why did you not surrender when you realized the odds were against you?” Celestia asked softly, dreading the answer.

    “The king’s own words were that he would accept my surrender… but only after his guard had beaten it from me,” the gryphon said.

    “He said WHAT!?” Luna cried, stamping the floor hard enough to crack stone. Celestia shuddered visibly and looked away, unable to bring herself to chide her sister for an outburst she barely prevented herself from. Flourish glowered angrily, and Spectrum looked green momentarily before moving forward to brace the larger gryphon from the side. Filigree may not have needed the support, but leaned slightly on her friend, a grateful smile touching her beak.

    “I think we can be sure of the nature of our opponent,” Celestia stated in an attempt to bleed away some of the brittle tension that filled the room. “King Goldbeak was an honorable, if stubborn, gryphon. We may not have seen eye to eye, but he always negotiated fairly and knew the definition of mercy. His son, King Goldtalon, apparently does not share those traits.”

    “I still want to know what happened to his elder sister,” Luna growled. “I rather liked her. Goldshrike was a shrewd negotiator, and I could respect that.”

    “If I understood the king properly,” Filigree interjected, “he arranged for an ‘accident’ during her combat training that cost the use of her wings. She was married off to a prominent trading family to put her out of the way, which placed him in the direct line of ascension. I do not know what happened to his younger sibling, but I would not be surprised if a ‘terrible accident’ has likewise befallen her.”

    “This is a truly reprehensible individual,” Celestia replied tersely. “Tell me, what were his words regarding my ponies?”

    “He stated, in no uncertain terms, that you are the enemy,” Filigree said, drawing a soft gasp from Spectrum by her. “The Lieutenant Commander you sent with me demanded to know when the ponies became the enemy, a question I echoed shortly thereafter. The King stated you and yours were always the enemy, and said outright that those gryphons who failed to see this were fools.”

    “I see.”

    “There is one additional thing, Princess,” the gryphon interrupted. “King Goldtalon’s final goal is the death of you and your sister.”

    “This is hardly a surprise,” Celestia stated flatly.

    “He believes he has found a weapon capable of doing it.”

    Luna scoffed, “What sort of magical contraption would stand up to us?”

    “She has been named ‘Godkiller’,” Filigree said softly. “She is, if King Goldtalon’s words are to be believed, a cursed gryphon whom is completely immune to all forms of magic, including divine magicks.”

    “He knows this how?” Celestia asked softly, ignoring the shocked expression of her sister.

    “He has tested her against relics you and your sister ensorcelled for the clans in the past,” Filigree answered.

    “I see,” Celestia sighed, “and what were his designs for you?”

    “He said there were reasons he would not reveal, but I was able to draw three from him,” Filigree said, and held up a claw to tick the reasons off on her talons, “first, to prevent the use of the Elements of Harmony as a weapon. He fears this is the only magic that ‘Godkiller’ would be vulnerable to.”

    Luna chuckled wryly, “Your suspicion was accurate, sister.” Celestia nodded, but showed no satisfaction in being proven correct.

    “Two,” Filigree continued, “to use me as an example of gryphon superiority.”

    “I’m afraid I don’t understand that reason,” Luna interrupted.

    “I do,” Celestia answered softly. “If it were to be announced to the clans that Filigree had abandoned the ponies for the clans, even after earning accolades from us, then it would give credibility to a belief that gryphon society is superior to the ways we have nurtured amongst out little ponies.”

    “That is correct, Princess,” Filigree said before ticking off her final talon. “The last reason was more personal. He had a gryphon he wished to mate me to, as you had guessed, Princess Celestia. My promise, my mating, to this gryphon was the price of his acquiescence as a spy.”

    “Wait, you didn’t mention this spy thing before…” Flourish said, sitting upright.

    “No, I did not,” Filigree answered, “I wished to spare his family as much of the humiliation as possible, and my family is not known for their… discretion.”

    “Oh no… Please don’t tell me…” Spectrum whispered, her eyes widening in horror.

    “I’m sorry, Rainbow Star,” Filigree said softly, curling a wing gently over her friend. “The spy in question was Alto. In an attempt to win my affection from Chase, his brother, he sought out my family in search of my promise.”

    “One moment, Filigree,” Luna interrupted. “What is this ‘promise’?”

    “A promise of marriage,” Spectrum answered shakily. “Gryphons used arranged marriages in the past. Parents of the male would seek the ‘promise’ of the daughter from another family, usually as a way to improve the caste of their family. Much of that has been abandoned, but it is still tradition for a male gryphon who wishes to be wed to seek the ‘promise’ of his beloved from her family. Traditionally, a promise is considered binding, so strong that even the King himself could not countermand it.”

    “Which explains the timing,” Celestia added sourly, “he needed to ensure you were not promised before he could do so himself.”

    “Then this Alto sought out Filigree’s family in search of this promise?” Luna asked.

    “Correct,” Filigree said solemnly. “My parents, of course, directed him to the Arch-duke, who technically owned me last. The Duke, who was under scrutiny from the King due to my sale to you, informed the King. The King made an arrangement with Alto; my promise in exchange for his services as a naturalized pony and spy.”

    Rainbow Star growled softly and clenched her eyes shut. “I am going to buck his flank into next week…” she hissed.

    “There is no need,” Filigree answered, “he has sunk himself. He was a special, a ‘screamer’. When I made my escape he attempted to stop me with his power, in full view of the guards. He will not be welcome amongst the gryphon clans again.”

    “Nor will he be welcome in the Ponylands,” Celestia stated darkly. “I will alert the guard to arrest him on sight.”

    “What about his family?” Luna asked. “I know it is unkind to those gryphons Spectrum and Filigree have befriended, but should we not at least place them into custody until their motives are known?”

    “I believe that would overstep the trust placed in us,” Celestia answered, much to Spectrum’s obvious relief.

    “It may behoove you to place them in some sort of protective custody, however,” Filigree said evenly. “We do not know if Alto would come to take revenge on his brother or family.”

    “I can’t see him hurting them--” Rainbow Star started.

    “I could, unfortunately,” Filigree cut in, drawing a worried frown from the pegasus. “Alto’s primary influence in trying to mate me was to beat out his brother, who he sees as a gryphon that has always won and is favored by their parents. Part of his argument, in reference to forcing me to mate him, was to beat out his brother and ‘win’. He is consumed by anger towards his sibling, and should Chase not be present when Alto comes for revenge, I can easily see him taking it out on his parents or family. He is that blinded by rage.”

    Celestia nodded slowly. “I believe this s all the information we need for now. I agree to your suggestion for protective custody, but we do not have the pony power to act on it. Spectrum, I would ask you, instead, to extend an invitation to them to relocate temporarily to Canterlot for the duration of this crisis. Let me know if they accept, and I will prepare a place for them to stay until their son can be found. You will need to leave right after we are finished here to give them as much time as possible to make their decision.”

    Spectrum nodded. “Yes, Princess.”

    “As for you, Filigree, should we have any additional questions one of us will contact you. For now, it’s time to call for that healer,” Luna said simply.

    “Flourish, would you please ask one of the guards by the door to fetch my personal physician?” Celestia requested.

    “Sure thing, Princess.”

    “G’mornin’!”

    “Good morning,” the white mare answered, her blank eyes scanning the cozy little kitchen, interrupted only by the boarded over window behind the cooking mare. The elder mare at the stove was hard at work, building a large stack of pancakes on a nearby serving plate.

    “Sleep well?” Apple Bloom asked with a smile, pausing to add a few more flapjacks to the pile. “Ya’ll got in purdy late last night…”

    “Yes and no,” the blind mare admitted softly as she circled the kitchen table, pausing only to eye a few unfamiliar bottles of syrup and honey.

    “Lemme guess,” the elder mare said with a chuckle, and gripped the nearby pitcher in her mouth to pour more batter onto her griddle. “It’s about Clockwork, ain’t it?”

    Galaxi nodded. “I’m worried about her,” she answered and took the plate full of pancakes with her telekinesis and placed them on the table.

    “Is there somethin’ my mate an’ I c’n help ya with?” Apple Bloom asked. “I mean, she’s my frien’ too.”

    “I’m not sure how much I should say,” Galaxi admitted. “I don’t want to reveal something private….”

    “I c’n respect that,” Apple Bloom said as she poured more batter onto the griddle, starting work on a second stack. Galaxi moved closer and settled down on the floor.

    “Has she been--?”

    “Actin’ weird?” Apple Bloom interrupted, finishing the mare’s thought, and Galaxi nodded sheepishly. “Ayup, couple a’ times now. If’n I keep her distracted an’ busy, she seems fine. But th’ moment she gets a chance to sit an’ think, or somethin’ big happens, she gets a little funny.”

    Galaxi sighed, “Anything specific, or just in general?”

    “Mostly in general,” Apple Bloom said, “but there was a few times… like when we got inta that there scrap with them thugs. She up and whooped their flanks, but then went way ova’ the top, pummelin’ one mare until her face was…”

    Galaxi winced. “She’s badly overreacting then?”

    “Oh that ain’t the half of it,” Apple Bloom sighed. “I finally got her ta’ talk about what happened, an’ she up an’ said that they done turned into imps right before her eyes. They didn’, by the by, it was jus’ in ‘er head. Worse, she was in a right state aftahwards, tryin’ to wash the blood offa her hooves f’r somethin’ like twenny minutes.”

    “I see,” Galaxi said softly as she looked away, hovering over a new plate for Apple Bloom to stack pancakes on.

    “Also, an’ I dunno if this is important,” the elder mare continued, “but she got some sorta scroll yesterday.”

    “A scroll?”

    “Yup, said it was from stallion back home in Cannerlot,” Apple Bloom continued, missing the pained expression that washed across Galaxi’s features before the younger filly could will it away. “Normally I wouldn’ think much o’ it, she’s a bright an’ pretty young filly after all, I’d be surprised if she ain’t got dozens o’ stallions sniffin’ after her tail.”

    “Tome keeps trying to set her up with eligible stallions,” Galaxi said in a carefully neutral voice, “but Clockwork somehow manages to chase them all away.”

    “None o’ my business, I reckon’. But she was downright frantic about readin’ that scroll, an’ afterwards she said that there stallion what wrote her had some sorta problem adjustin’ after his family died in th’ war,” Apple Bloom said, her voice dipping slightly. “I couldn’ help but think that sounded jes’ like her. I seem ta’ recall that she done lost her brother…”

    “You’re thinking she is suffering the same way he was?”

    Apple Bloom nodded. “Ayup, that’s what I reckon.”

    “And I think you’re reading too much into it,” Twist said from the doorway as she ambled in. She paused to give Apple Bloom a kiss before wandering to the fridge to pour herself some juice.

    “No,” Galaxi said softly, “I don’t think she is.”

    “I don’t know… Galaxi was it? Apple Bloom may be perceptive, but she tends to jump to conclusions,” Twist said with a teasing smile as she settled at the table, juice in hoof.

    “Yer still mad at me fer yesterday,” Apple Bloom snorted.

    “Just pointing out your flaws to the newcomer, dear,” Twist answered smoothly.

    “Breakfast smells wonderful!” the cyan unicorn cried as she made her way into the kitchen. “Trixie must thank you for putting us up on such short notice.”

    Twist waved a hoof. “Don’t sweat it. So long as you girls don’t mind sharing the room there...”

    “It’s as good excuse as any for… er…” Trixie stammered, catching herself.

    “Is there somethin’ wrong?” Apple Bloom asked, quirking an eyebrow.

    “W-where is Clockwork Key, anyway?” Trixie asked quickly.

    “She left before I got up,” Galaxi said softly, “she hasn’t been back yet. I think she took her armour, but I don’t know… I can’t tell from that sled thing if it’s been deployed or not.”

    The unicorn sighed, “I suppose it’s for the best. We can sort out how to approach our little Clockwork Key together, before she comes back.”

    “Looks like you win this time,” Twist called back to her mate.

    “I done toldja she was actin’ a lil’ off,” Apple Bloom answered, limping to the table and setting down a second plate of pancakes before taking a seat.

    The cyan unicorn looked at each figure seated about the table and frowned, “Trixie supposes she will have to trust each of you with a secret.”

    “Trixie…” Galaxi started, but the unicorn held up a hoof.

    “Trixie has been given permission, by Princess Celestia herself, to reveal something that is top secret in order to help our little Clockwork Key,” Trixie said, her expression severe.

    “Well, that done got my attention,” Apple Bloom said, and Twist nodded in agreement.

    “There has been a spread of certain psychological ‘conditions’ related to the war, specifically ‘aftershock’ and ‘acclimation’ disorders, and that has many in the Palace believing that they may have been intentionally caused by the Nightmare,” Trixie said softly as she sat down. “In short, it is believed that this is a final ‘revenge’ of the Nightmare… a curse, if you will.”

    “You mean what we read in the book…?” Galaxi asked in an uncertain voice.

    Trixie nodded. “Correct. There’s no sign of a pattern, yet, but predominantly those ponies who fought on the front lines seem to have been afflicted. It alters their perceptions after the war, making it difficult for them to detach themselves from it mentally and rejoin society. This can cause many problems, such as an overreaction to stresses, envisioning attacks from overpowering enemies when the threat is actually minimal, a certain level of discomfort in public settings, and in general an inability to relax properly.”

    “The same sort of things that are eating Clockwork Key,” Twist said softly.

    “Well shoot, I never done figgered it mighta been some sorta spell!” Apple Bloom added.

    “That’s the diabolical part,” Trixie continued, tapping her hoof on the kitchen table, “there is no certainty that it is a spell. No pony is certain of how this has been spread, or how it affected so many ponies in so many different areas. The only factor seems to be that the end of the war was the trigger for it to begin.”

    “Well, ain’t that ominous…” Apple Bloom sighed.

    “It gets worse, I fear,” Trixie said to a chorus of groans. Using her magic, she summoned forth a scroll, letting it unfurl before her. “This is from the horn of Princess Celestia herself. Miss Twist, would you be so kind to read it?”

    Twist carefully took the scroll in her hooves from the unicorn’s magic, and began to read aloud, “To my Insightful Pupil, Trixie Lulamoon…”

    “Yer last name is Lulamoon?!” Apple Bloom cried, and laughed so hard she fell off her chair. Twist rolled her eyes and raised her voice to continue.

    “I fear the news is far more dire than I first predicted,” Twist read. “Far more of my little ponies have been suffering from this condition than was anticipated, making it more wide-spread than I would have ever suspected. This belies the idea that this is simply a psychological condition, as I had surmised, and makes it far more likely that it is a spell or curse. A curse the likes of which I have not witnessed since the Lunar War, which makes the similarities all the more troubling.

    “The timing of this curse is unfortunate, given the situation growing with the gryphon clans, but we have taken to calling it the ‘Nightmare’s Revenge’ for now. At this time, the curse is to be considered a state secret, so only pass this information to those you absolutely must and who you deem trustworthy. However, with so many ponies suffering from it, a solution must be found quickly. Do not forget what you have learned thus far, and remember that the magic of friendship is far more powerful than any curse. The love you and your friends have for each other will see you through this darkness, and allow you to help Clockwork Key through her struggle.

    “You are encouraged to experiment as you attempt to find a solution. I do not delude myself into thinking there will be a cure-all for this, but there should be a method to at least control this curse. However, please remember that time is critical. Furthermore, you must not spend any more time in the Northern Reaches than you have to; my sister and I would have you mares close should events spiral out of our control. I am proud that you‘re taking a leading hoof in the attempt to resolve this issue, and hope to see you home soon.

    “I eagerly await your updates.

    “Princess Celestia.”

    “Whoah, now that there’s some ominous stuff,” Apple Bloom said softly, having recovered her composure and her chair. Twist passed the scroll back to Trixie, who whisked it away with her magic.

    “There is one final detail, one which must remain an absolute secret,” Trixie said softly, “one which I tell you only because I wish to confide in Clockwork Key, and you may hear it from her.”

    “You’re just full of good news today, aren’t you?” Twist sighed.

    “Please, you all must swear to me you will keep this absolutely confidential!” Trixie insisted, and looked each mare in the eyes, each one nodding in a sort of shocked surprise. Only Galaxi looked mildly suspicious of what Trixie might claim next, this was all getting too much for her to believe.

    “No pony outside this room must know what I am about to say,” Trixie hissed and leaned closer to the ponies sitting at the table, as if still suspicious somepony still might overhear. “The reason there is so much concern about this ‘curse’ is because a very prominent pony is affected as well. She was one of the last ponies to face off against the Nightmare…”

    “Ya’ll don’t mean…?” Apple Bloom gasped.

    “I do. Princess Celestia herself has been afflicted, and is doing her best to stave off the symptoms as remedies are sought for,” Trixie said solemnly. “A solution must be found, and quickly, else the Princess herself could fall victim to it.”

    “Well don’ that just beat all,” Apple Bloom fussed, pulling her hat off to twist the brim nervously.

    “You’ll have to talk to Clockwork when she returns,” Twist said. “She needs to know as soon as possible.”

    “That is what Trixie planned to do,” the unicorn agreed, “but Clockwork has been here for the past few days, and Trixie… and I am uncertain how to broach this subject with her. It seems an even greater hurdle due the fact that Clockwork has been distancing herself from myself and Galaxi since our time in Canterlot.”

    “I say jus’ take the bull by th’ horns and tell ‘er straight away,” Apple Bloom said simply with a shrug.

    “Wait, didn’t the letter say something about Gryphons?” Twist asked. “What’s going on there?”

    “The gryphons are on the verge of declaring war against the ponylands,” Galaxi answered, drawing a gasp from the elder mares. “Filigree, the gryphon from our team, went on a diplomatic mission into the Clan’s territories, and the new gryphon king slapped her in chains. We didn’t hear the full story, we left before our teammates returned from the rescue mission. I only know that the gryphons are taking an aggressive stance towards us ponies.”

    “Today jus’ gets worse an’ worse, don’ it?” Apple Bloom sighed. “Are th’ gryphons still claimin’ we’re squattin’ on their land?”

    “That was one of the concerns the Princesses had,” Galaxi answered. “There’s also a belief that they may move on the colonies if they find out any of us Elements Bearers are here. The gryphon King, for the moment, seems to focused on what damage the Elements of Harmony could do to his plans.”

    “I bet the council still has its head in the sand,” Twist stated, shaking her head. “Or worse, they hope that by distancing themselves from Celestia that the gryphons will ignore them.”

    “That seems highly unlikely to work,” Galaxi answered softly.

    “Maybe, but I wouldn’ put it past some of the council ponies… like Marmalade,” Apple Bloom stated, then seemed to think on what she just said. “Wait, I wonder… what iffn’ that’s why she was tryin’ to stop us Crusader’s makin’ noise about re-joinin’ Celestia an’ th’ Ponylands?”

    “I don’t know, but it sounds too noble for her,” Twist considered.

    “Princess Celestia has already admitted she doesn’t have the pony power to protect the colonies,” Galaxi said softly.

    “Not that th’ council would accept it anyway,” Apple Bloom snorted.

    “Clockwork’s back,” Galaxi said suddenly, her blank eyes flashing. A clomp of hooves followed her revelation, and a series of mechanical sounds from one of the back bedrooms. The ponies waited in silence as they heard Clockwork trot off to bathroom, and then down the hall towards them.

    “Showtime,” Trixie whispered as she turned to face the doorway.

    “Did you find anything, my friend?”

    The sandy colored stallion looked up from his book, “Actually, yes. It’s nothing definitive, but in perusing some of these books Princess Celestia had sealed away, I stumbled across an interesting one from only a generation or two ago.”

    The zebra raised an eyebrow and looked away from his careful watch of the orbs, “And what, pray tell, did you find?”

    Professor Relic smiled broadly and used a hoof to point at an etched picture in the book he hovered before him. “Are you familiar with Queen Chrysalis, Quagga?”

    “The shape-shifting queen,” the zebra answered, “she who feeds from the emotions of her victims, and guides her horde of changelings to devour all love and leave behind only emotionless husks to rot and become new changelings under her rule.”

    “That’s the one,” the unicorn said with a broad smile. “I ran across the story of her expulsion from Canterlot.”

    “I presume that would have happened many more generations in the past than you referenced,” Quagga stated matter-of-factly.

    “Given that I’ve found no less than five entries in these books where Chrysalis and Celestia have crossed horns before, I don’t doubt that,” the professor chuckled. “But this instance was after Luna’s return, and it was not either Princess who drove her off.”

    “Given that time frame…” the zebra considered, pacing as he thought, “…that would put it in the lifetimes of The Six; possibly after the time the Elements chose them to be the first Specials.”

    “This account was from before they became Specials, actually. It seems that Chrysalis impersonated an alicorn named Cadance, and infiltrated the Palace that way. There was to be a wedding between Cadance and one of the captains of the guard, named here as Shining Armor, and the Six were invited to take part in it. It seems only Twilight Sparkle suspected there was anything wrong, but her attempts to reveal the false Princess fell on deaf ears. It wasn’t until she discovered the real Princess Cadance that she was successful in exposing the fraud.”

    “I fail to see how this story relates to anything,” Quagga snorted. “If anything, it sounds rather… dull.”

    Professor Relic grinned broadly. “When Queen Chrysalis was exposed, she used her control over Shining Armor to lower the shield about Canterlot, and her changelings invaded. The Six were actually prevented from reaching the Elements in time to stop her and were captured.”

    “I suppose that Princess Celestia stopped her then,” Quagga noted.

    “No, she defeated me,” Celestia answered, startling the stallions, who recovered quickly and bowed. “You may rise. However I am curious what that story has to do with your current project, or are you just getting a chuckle out of one of my more… ignominious defeats?” she asked teasingly.

    “Actually, Princess,” Relic said as he recovered, “I think I have a partial solution to the trigger of your elements, thanks to this story.”

    Celestia raised a surprised eyebrow, and levitated a bright blue cushion over to settle her flank on, “By all means then, please continue.”

    Relic smiled and waved a hoof towards Celestia, “The Princess was defeated, but it’s the words of Queen Chrysalis stood out to me, as they are written here. To paraphrase, she fed on the love Shining Armor had for Cadance and used it to amplify her powers, allowing her to overpower the Princess. To further this analogy, Twilight Sparkle was able to free Cadance, who in turn was able to free Shining Armor from the Changeling Queen’s control. She used love, pure and simple love, to amplify his power and activate the Canterlot shield with such power it flung the Queen and her minions from Canterlot.”

    “Love is an incredibly potent magic,” Princess Celestia confirmed. “It is one that, if properly harnessed, even I cannot stand against.”

    “That’s just it, Princess, that’s the key we’ve been looking for,” the Professor stated, snapping the book closed with his magic. “Love is the key. Friendship, which triggers the Elements of Harmony, is a type of love. It’s the love for a friend, and one of its many MANY forms. Love of family, love of friends, love of a mare or stallion, etcetera.”

    Quagga shook his head before speaking, “But that would not explain the reaction in the elements when the guard reported to the Princess.”

    The Professor’s smile widened. “I think it does. There are types of love that fit the criteria. Love for your ruler, your Princess. Love of your state, your homeland. The list is endless…”

    A smile split Celestia’s face. “I must commend you, Professor. That is a most astute observation.”

    “The work isn’t finished, Princess,” the stallion said, holding up a hoof, “but we have our starting point. I may yet be wrong, and this is just a theory, but…”

    “But it is a credible one,” Quagga finished.

    The Princess beamed with pride and made her way to her hooves. “I knew you would be able to puzzle it out, Professor Relic. Tell me what you need, and I will allow you to begin testing.”

    “Once I have some things narrowed down, Princess, I will,” Relic answered.

    “Very good, Professor.”

    Clockwork sat alone.

    Her green eyes were fixed into the distance, staring at the loose smattering of clouds highlighted by the evening sun. The air was still relatively chill, with an occasional gust of wind to send her short indigo mane fluttering before she straightened it with a stroke of her hoof. A threadbare cushion protected her flank from the gnarled floor beneath her. The Library was encased within the naturally grown, and still living, tree that had formed a symbiotic relationship with the quantity of intelligence stored within. Many of its balconies were decorated with telescopes and other paraphernalia to further one’s self education, and scattered with cushions and nooks to encourage one to settle in and read the day away. Clockwork had chosen her perch on the highest balcony, seeking nothing more than privacy with her thoughts and to allow the rustling noise of wind through the leaves to calm her frayed nerves, not that it was working. Her mind was a confused maelstrom of conflicting thoughts, none of which were willing to come into focus long enough to consider closely.

    “So this is where you ran off to,” came a soft voice from behind her, and the short mare bristled.

    “Go away, Galaxi,” the khaki mare responded tersely.

    The blind mare ignored the instruction and settled her flank down on a nearby cushion, shifting a little to get comfortable before speaking again, “Why did you run away from us?”

    “What was I supposed to do?” Clockwork snapped bitterly. “I’ve been struggling with this for months now, then Trixie rolls in with some sort of edict from Celestia and I’m just supposed to fall in line like a toy soldier? It just doesn’t add up…”

    “You think she was lying to you?” Galaxi asked softly.

    “She has to be!” Clockwork yelled, her expression an almost unreadable mix of emotions warring for prominence. The mare turned away, hiding her face behind her mane before continuing, “Her ‘explanation’ really doesn’t explain much at all. It doesn’t explain Bottle Rocket. It doesn’t explain why it took months before it showed in me. It doesn’t explain how Celestia could have gotten it…”

    “Trixie isn’t here,” Galaxi answered evenly, “so I don’t know what Celestia may have told her. But I know that whatever this is, it’s eating you from the inside. You keep pushing me… us away every time we try to find out what’s wrong. I know you found somepony to talk to about it, but I’ve never even met this Bottle Rocket, so the only information I have is what you and Trixie have told me about him.”

    The khaki mare snorted softly and looked away. “I shouldn’t have yelled at Trixie at the park,” Clockwork said a few moments later, “she was only teasing me. But I couldn’t see past what she was saying, and it made me so… so angry. I couldn’t… I can’t stop it.  I keep losing my temper, losing control over my emotions, loosing parts of myself to this emotional… thing! I feel like I’m cracking, that every time I lose it a new crack appears, and it’s threatening to rip me apart. I don’t like what I’m becoming… it scares me. But I don’t know how to stop it, and I don’t want to hurt anypony when it does happen. It’s better… it’s safer… if you all just left me alone… you won’t get hurt that way.”

    “Is that how you think you’re embodying your element?” Galaxi asked pointedly. The other mare didn’t answer, and the blind mare sighed softly and shook her head. “I can answer one of your earlier accusations about Trixie with a question. What were you doing right after the Nightmare was defeated and the war ended?”

    “We had an awards ceremony.”

    “And after that?” Galaxi pressed.

    Clockwork frowned, but still refused to look at the other pony, her head lowering for a moment in thought. “We cleaned up the leftover Imp forces. I also worked hoof in hoof with the guard in an attempt to track down Ultrapony,” she answered finally.

    Galaxi nodded. “You worked most days analyzing data and occasionally visiting suspect locations. A majority of the time you were in the palace. Do you remember what you were doing there?”

    “Galaxi, what does this have to do with--?” Clockwork demanded irritably.

    “Try to remember,” Galaxi pleaded, “please.”

    Clockwork frowned and looked back up into the sky, green eyes following a wispy cloud for several minutes. Galaxi was just about to give up when the mare responded, “It’s a blur for me, mostly. I remember feeling… safe. Is that odd? Like a warm blanket or a heavy comforter on a cold rainy day, listening to the pattering against the window, a hot cocoa in one hoof and a good book in the other. Curled up lazily with… with friends…”

    “Do you remember Trixie’s nightmares?” Galaxi asked softly, daring to approach the other mare.

    Clockwork nodded. “I remember them. I never forgot about them, but… it all seemed so much less important lately. I…” she finished in a whimper.

    “That’s why this ‘curse’ took so long to occur in you,” Galaxi answered, her voice gentle. “You had support, even if you yourself didn’t realize it. You were leaning on Trixie, on me, even as you and I were there to support Trixie. Do you remember how worried you would get when our lessons ran over? You’d keep pestering the guards to check on us…”

    Clockwork stifled a chortle. “I bothered the one stallion so badly he threatened to throw me into the dungeon to ‘cool off’. And that poor maid, I ran her ragged those first few weeks making sure everything was exactly how you and Trixie liked it, especially the snacks and tea…”

    “Do you remember that stain you left on her carpet?”

    Clockwork winced. “I was a wreck when that happened,” the short mare admitted, to Galaxi’s surprise. “I had that poor maid kept running back and forth with cleaners and brushes for me, and I was mixing them together haphazardly and scrubbing my hooves raw, so desperate to get that stain out. I think the maid finally took pity on me, and got me away from it and calmed down. Didn’t help I’d mixed a few cleaners together I shouldn’t have, and nearly gassed myself. If I’d been paying attention, that wouldn’t have happened. All because I had to be there, but that repair needed to be done for the Guard as soon as possible.”

    Galaxi frowned, that was an early sign that she and Trixie had never seen, and the guard and maid would never have realized was out of character for the short mare. “Shortly after that, the search for Rainbow Star’s father, Ultrapony, was called off, and you were sent up here to the Northern Reaches,” Galaxi said softly. “You were sent away from us, and you lost the ponies you were leaning on.”

    Clockwork frowned, continuing to look into the sky as the first streamers of orange touched the clouds, sunset slowly approaching. She took in a slow breath, “That’s… when I remember first noticing it. That weird feeling, like I wasn’t all there. When I was around Echo and her grandson, or the rest of the Crusaders, it would fade, but it never went away.”

    “And then you came home for the winter,” Galaxi said gently, reaching a hoof to touch Clockwork’s shoulder. The smaller mare flinched, but didn’t draw away. “You became so distant. You stopped coming around the Palace, you hid in your lab where nopony would see you for days. Everypony could see something was wrong, but none of us knew how to approach you. Skillet kept trying to talk to you, asking you to do things to get out of the house, but it wasn’t helping. You kept chasing me out of your lab, despite the fact I could tell something was wrong…”

    Clockwork snorted, “Read my mind?”

    “Not exactly,” Galaxi answered softly, “the music wasn’t… isn’t right.”

    The small mare looked at Galaxi confused for a moment, her eyes red and bloodshot as she met the blind mare’s gaze. Galaxi couldn’t help but smile slightly, Clockwork was the only pony who didn’t care that she was blind, and was always willing to look her in the eyes. Galaxi paused for a moment, the comfortable familiarity of the simple gesture warming her, before she explained. “You remember the music, don’t you? When your mind would go full creative and you’d start working on ideas or on new inventions, your thoughts would ‘sing’ to me. Ever since you returned for the winter, your mind is singing, but not the right way. It’s sour and off key. It’s like your mind is spinning in place and going nowhere, or the way you always described how you heard the broken pieces of gear.”

    “The discordant tone,” Clockwork said softly, her gaze flicking about almost nervously. “My mind has been caught in a loop trying to sort this problem out. I… I didn’t know it was audible.”

    “Only to me, I would wager,” Galaxi said softly. “It’s made your mind impenetrable to me. You’re literally immune to any attempts to any of my attempts to link psychically with you. I can’t even send telepathic messages to you.”

    Clockwork frowned. “That sounds… serious.”

    “Regardless of anything that Trixie has in that letter, I know from speaking to Princess Luna that the elder goddess is berating herself for not noticing that you were struggling,” she said softly. “There was an old book she gave Trixie to show us from the Lunar War, where they went over a pair of disorders caused by the war itself, one of which sounded identical to how you’ve been behaving.”

    “I’m almost afraid to ask,” Clockwork asked in a small voice, “but did it say if there is a fix?”

    “No,” Galaxi answered softly, and the other mare’s ears wilted, “this cannot be ‘cured’, as such. It can be mitigated and one can learn to cope with it, but like Trixie’s nightmares, you will never wake up one day to find it gone.”

    “Then if Trixie is telling the truth…” Clockwork considered aloud, “…the Princess would be looking to ponies like us to come up with methods for that coping, so that she might incorporate it into her own life.”

    Galaxi blinked, but quickly hid her surprise as a piece of the puzzle clicked into place. She carefully filed it away; she would have time to speak with Trixie about it later. Clockwork was her concern right now. “I would personally suggest that the best place to start is where we ended before.”

    Clockwork frowned. “I don’t remember…”

    Galaxi moved to sit by Clockwork, their sides touching as she looked up at the sunset, even though she was unable to enjoy it in the same way those born gifted with “normal” sight could. “I do,” she told the pony next to her, “it means being here for you, and not leaving you alone to stew and fret and stress. You’re our friend, Clockwork, and you can’t just push us away without expecting us to wonder what’s wrong. You didn’t abandon us when we needed you… and you didn’t abandon me when things were at their worst. We are not going to abandon you… I am not going to abandon you.”

    Clockwork lowered her head, her face hidden in her mane as she leaned against the blind mare. A slight shudder rolled through her body for several moments before Galaxi realized she was crying. The psychic mare gently reached out and hugged the smaller mare close, letting her get it out of her system. It wasn’t a cure, no, but Galaxi was encouraged none the less.

    It was, after all, a step in the right direction.

    “Boy, do I feel outta place.”

    The gryphon who vocalized that sentiment looked about uncomfortably, traveling with a varied band of gryphons ranging from very young to middle aged, as they received a guarded tour of the Canterlot Palace. There were suspicious glances thrown their way, but their own gawking balanced it out somehow as they were led through the marbled halls.

    “Relax,” a sleek gryphoness soothed, her fire red crest and reddish-brown of her fur standing out even in the dimming light. “Little Star said it would be alright, and that this was for our protection. We’ll just have to trust her…”

    “I’m not so sure, Auntie Scarlett,” a large gryphon answered, his rust red crest standing out in contrast to his nearly black fur, “there’s been some strange rumors going around…”

    “We’ll find out soon enough, son,” the first gryphon said, smoothing back the feathers of his white crest, “I think we’re here.”

    The soldiers escorting the group paused before a duo of unicorn guards flanking a large wooden double door. The unicorns magically gripped the door and tugged it open, and the escorting pegasus stepped aside, motioning with a wing for the gryphons to enter. The gryphons looked nervously amongst themselves for a moment, only to notice the youngest pair of the group, barely old enough to walk, quite happily bumbled their way in. This sent their mother chasing after, followed by the rest of the ensemble.

    The dark furred gryphoness easily found her cubs on the other side of the door and quickly scooped them up, only pausing to look in the direction their little awed faces were turned when she had them fully in claw. A gasp slipped from her throat and her blue eyes widened as she looked upon the resplendent form of the Princess of the Sun, whose coat seemed to shimmer with light even in the growing darkness of the land. The lamps seemed almost needless in the face of the Solar Matron, and the mother’s eyes locked in place, staring in awe at the alicorn before her. The remainder of the group followed, running into each other in an almost comical manner as each took in the form in front of them. Princess Celestia, in turn, graced the group with a serene smile.

    “Welcome to Canterlot,” she told them, and wandered away from the window to settle herself on a comfortable cushion. The room was one of the larger meeting rooms, having taken into account the size of the visiting group. There were chairs and cushions scattered about, but the tables had been cleared out, giving the room an oddly open feel that felt more formal and empty than the Princess had intended or desired.

    “You win, they didn’t even notice us,” a nearby pegasus chuckled, tossing her rainbow mane as she looked in askance to her gryphon friend.

    Filigree smiled. “The Princess had the same effect upon me when we first met, Rainbow Star,” she chuckled. The gryphoness was wrapped in a number of bandages, and a sling for her left foreleg, but she was obviously feeling much better since the doctor had seen her earlier.

    The new voices broke the gryphon’s overawed trance. “Filigree? Little Star?” asked a jumble of voices, and all protocol was immediately forgotten as the pair were swarmed by the group of gryphons. Young cubs looped around the pair impatiently for attention while the older gryphons closed in for various forms of hugs. The large rust crested gryphon practically hovered protectively by Filigree, his eyes widening in concern at the multitude of bandages she wore. It was several minutes before the groups parted and some semblance of calm was restored.

    Celestia couldn’t help but watch with a light smile on her face, sipping from a cup of tea she wisely procured before these proceedings. When things finally calmed down, the Princess raised her voice, “I apologize for disturbing your day, but I wished to meet and explain the situation before anything happened. I do not know how much Rainbow Star told you, but I would ask for your cooperation in this most serious of situations. But before that… it is a pleasure to meet all of you. I have not had cause to come to your small plot of land, but I have heard you have done well supplementing my pegasi weather teams and selling your woodcraft furniture to the nearby towns. Gristle, Ferris, it is a pleasure to finally meet you and your families.”

    The two paternal figures within the grouping paused, looking surprised at the Princess’ acknowledgement not only of their trade, but her knowledge of their names. Before they could respond, however, the red crested gryphoness stepped forward.

    “My apologies, Princess, but as much as my husband may be overawed by the fact you know his name, I do wish to know why you felt it important to pull us out of our home,” she stated.

    Celestia couldn’t help but smile, impressed by the gryphoness’ spirit. “Scarlett, if I recall correctly?” Celestia asked, pausing to allow the gryphon to affirm her name. “Unfortunately, what will be revealed here today will be difficult for you to hear, and is one of the reasons I asked Rainbow Star and Filigree to attend as well. Rainbow Star because of her relationship with your family, Filigree because she bore witness to these unfortunate events. Normally, I would have only asked the family of Ferris and Bracket to come, but given that you share a household between brother and sister, Gristle and Bracket, I would rather err on the side of caution.”

    “I can appreciate that,” the dark furred gryphoness stated, trying hard to prevent the pair of cubs from wriggling free. As mothers often are, she was unsuccessful, and the pair managed to escape and crawl their way towards the Princess. Their little eyes upturned in awe, drinking in her visage even as their mother attempted to wrangle them again. “Sorry, Princess, they’re a little--”

    “Children of that age, regardless of their species, are a hoof-full,” she answered with a smile, and leaned down close to the children. She whispered something only the cubs could hear, and their eyes brightened and they each nodded enthusiastically, crawling back to their mother with occasional glances back to the Princess. “Now then, Bracket, was it not? You are the mother of Alto and Chase, correct?” she asked, motioning to the gryphon hovering near Filigree with the latter name.

    The rust-red crested gryphon by Filigree stood straighter at the mention of his name as his mother nodded quickly, “Yes. They were Ferris’ and my first. Then Glint and Alda…” and she motioned to a pair of teenaged gryphon boys trying hard to look bored, “and of course these rambunctious little ones, our first girls.” She added with a smile… a smile that faded at the serious expression of the Princess. “Oh no… something happened to Alto, didn’t it?”

    “In a sense,” Celestia hedged slightly, before a claw touched her shoulder. The Princess nodded to the gryphoness, Filigree, as she limped forward on her three good legs. Chase shadowed Filigree, but hung back several steps, unsure what she was about to reveal.

    “Alto lives, but has turned against the ponies,” Filigree said evenly. “What I can tell you is that I was sent to the clans to attempt to negotiate peace, and instead found myself placed in irons by King Goldtalon himself. One of the reasons he did this was so he could give my ‘promise’ to a gryphon in repayment for their work as a spy for him. The next day I met who this spy was to be.”

    “Alto?” Ferris asked in a small voice, clutching the shoulders of his mate. Both looked small, eyes wide as Filigree nodded slowly.

    “Why? Why would my brother do such a thing?!” Chase demanded from behind Filigree. His voice had an edge to it that set Spectrum’s teeth on edge, and he approached the gryphoness imposingly…

    “Because of you,” Filigree said softly, “and because of us.”

    Chase stopped, his wings halfway spread, and his anger drained into horror. Filigree used the moment of silence to move closer to him, and her voice dipping with uncharacteristic emotion, “Your brother felt he was trapped in your shadow and that your parents were favoring you over him. This is hard to hear, I know, but these are the things he told me himself.”

    “H-he…?” the gryphon squeaked, eyes wide as he met Filigree’s gaze. The gryphoness, who was usually so hard and fierce, tentatively placed her good claw on his foreleg apologetically.

    “I’m sorry,” she said softly, “but you all need to know this. You also need to know that Alto is a Special, like myself. He has the ability to project his voice in a destructive manner, or as the Agency has come to label them, a ‘screamer’.”

    “You’re worried he’s going to take revenge, aren’t you?” Scarlett asked, placing a claw on the shoulder of her sister-in-law.

    “That is correct,” Celestia answered, glancing at Filigree. The gryphoness looked oddly lost and small in this gathering. She was always so brave and stalwart, a steadfast powerhouse against even the most powerful of enemies. Right now, she looked so vulnerable, her claw resting hopefully on the foreleg of the gryphon whose own brother she had to accuse… an accusation that she knew full well might cost her the love of that same gryphon. Celestia barely prevented herself from groaning when Chase pushed away from Filigree and staggered to his parents, who enfolded him in their wings. Filigree’s head drooped, and she quickly turned her head so no one, gryphon or pony, would see her watery eyes.

    “That explains a lot,” Scarlett said softly, and took a deep breath. Her mate placed a claw on her shoulder and she patted it lightly before turning to the Princess, her voice gaining an undercurrent of strength, “Right then, what’s the plan?”

    “The first step is to place your families into the protective custody of my guard here in Canterlot,” Celestia answered, watching Rainbow Star brace her gryphoness friend out of the corner of her eye. “The next step is, for now, to observe. We hope to be able to catch him with a small force and a handful of teams, special and otherwise, on standby in the vicinity.” Celestia paused to meet the worried eyes of his parents. “We will bring him in alive if at all possible, of this I swear.” The parents only answered with a short nod, otherwise huddling together in a miserable little grouping of feathers and claws that grew with the addition of their children.

    “Y’know, I gotta question,” one of a trio of silent gryphons spoke up from where they were sitting to the side. It was difficult at a glance to tell the trio of gryphonesses apart, and one might mistake them for triplets with their matching white crests and tawny fur, with only their eye colors differentiating them from one another. “You told us what Alto did, but it was also mentioned that the King slapped Filigree into chains. Further, the King made the deal with Cousin Alto to be a spy. Why?”

    “Because King Goldtalon wishes to invade the ponylands,” Celestia answered softly, her eyes washing over the group as they reacted. The parents gasped while the younger children just seemed confused. Only Chase seemed unaffected by the news, disconsolate over the news of his brother.

    “Yeah, we sorta thought that might be it,” another of the trio said. “So… are you plannin’ on rounding up ALL the gryphons out there?”

    Celestia sighed at the question and shook her head sadly. She expected this question eventually, but not from ones so young. “Those gryphons who live in the ponylands are outcasts who have fled from the clans. I see no reason to round them up and put them in some sort of internment camp; it would be pointless and alienate those who have sought my protection. I will not round you or your sisters up, Syndle.”

    The trio actually seemed to relax with the news, and Celestia returned her attention to the group as a whole, “I have arranged for you all to stay here at the Palace for the next day or so. Once we have a suitable apartment in the city for you to stay in, we will move you there for the duration. Your expenses will be covered during this time, so long as you don’t go overboard. Filigree and Rainbow Star will be assigned to assist you in settling in, as well as Flourish, who is not present at the moment. For now, I must beg your forgiveness, other duties require my attention.”

    Celestia slowly made it to her hooves, waving a wing to dismiss any bowing. Given the news the family had just been given, their grief and worry was perfectly understandable, and they should focus on consoling those who needed it. Instead she wandered close to Filigree and leaned down to whisper to her.

    “He is not lost to you,” she told the gryphoness, “but he will need time to come to terms with what you have told him. Have hope.”

    Filigree gave a barely seen nod as the Princess departed.

    “I know you’re awake.”

    Trixie smiled at the psychic statement. The cyan unicorn was long used to telepathic communications from Galaxi, but instead of answering immediately, she yawned. Really, things had worked out surprisingly well once Galaxi had found and collected Clockwork Key. She was still a touch fragile, but whatever Galaxi had said convinced the little mare to at least try to accept their attempts to help. The end result was a rather comfortable pile of ponies and pillows on the bed in Apple Bloom’s guest bedroom. Clockwork was sandwiched between herself and Galaxi, her head resting on Trixie’s back, and Galaxi resting her head on Clockwork’s side.

    “Shush now, we don’t want to wake Clockwork,” Trixie whispered in response.

    “Then think your replies to me,” Galaxi instructed telepathically, her eyes closed in the dark, “but I want to know why you lied.”

    Trixie sighed mentally, “Really, Galaxi? Why would I lie?”

    “Because then you could use Clockwork’s loyalty as leverage against her,” Galaxi sent back.

    “Trixie did not lie,” the former showpony answered, then grinned slyly, “but she will confess to exaggerating the truth just a little bit.”

    Galaxi frowned. “Did you forge that letter from Celestia…?”

    Trixie shook her head and sent back, “Trixie did not, and nor did she have to. She discussed her plan with Princess Celestia before we left, and thus the Princess penned it herself.”

    “Celestia knows?!” Galaxi almost cried out, and tasted the bitter tang of disappointment. The thought of Trixie doing this herself was bad enough, but the Princess had condoned it?!

    “Yes, Galaxi, the Princess gave her blessing to attempt my solution and even offered to assist,” Trixie thought proudly, misreading Galaxi’s shock. “Trixie does wonder where she slipped and tipped her hoof…”

    “I recognized the mental ‘feel’ from when you tell your stories,” Galaxi answered carefully, “from when you would fall into your old show-pony ways. Also, when Clockwork complained about how she thought you were lying, I listened to her reasons. It clicked that you had to have concocted the story about the Princess to push her buttons, her loyalty, to get her working with us.”

    “Trixie must remember to be a little less obvious about it in the future,” the unicorn thought as she sighed slightly. “You are mostly correct, however. Princess Celestia and I felt this would be the most likely way to convince our little Clockwork to come around.”

    Galaxi shook her head and mentally shot back, “I don’t like it, and I’m disappointed in both you and the Princess. This is underhanded and cheap. Worse, if she figures all this out, she’ll be hurt far worse than if we approached her without a fancy plan.”

    “Then Trixie will take the blame,” Trixie answered, pain bubbling along the length of the thought. “If Clockwork can be healed, then Trixie will be happy. Trixie will take the blame for any failure…”

    “That’s a rather twisted take on your element.”

    Trixie smiled ruefully as she answered smoothly, “Perhaps, but Trixie will still take the fall if it is necessary. Clockwork’s happiness is more important. Trixie is immortal… she can find other friends if she must, but Clockwork only has this one lifetime.”

    “You’re taking an awful risk, one you shouldn’t need to take…” Galaxi answered, “…and worse, you should not risk your friendship for something that could backfire so easily.”

    “I already have, dear…” Trixie answered softly, and rubbed a hoof over her nose to wipe at her watery eyes. This wasn’t about her, this was about Clockwork, she reminded herself. Trixie started slightly when she felt the hoof on her shoulder, and smiled weakly to the psychic mare.

    “I’ll catch her if it fails,” Galaxi answered softly.

    “Sometimes I think it would be easier to just have you crack her head open and find out exactly what is wrong and fix it while she sleep,” Trixie sighed.

    “I couldn’t do that! That violates every--“

    “Oh shush you,” Trixie teased, “I know you’ve thought about this as well. Sure, it’s not ethical, and I know you wouldn’t do it, but the temptation is still there.”

    “Well… I… Maybe?” Galaxi squeaked, squirming until Clockwork grumbled something tiredly and snuggled in tighter, snoring lightly again after a few moments.

    “Trixie knows,” the unicorn answered smugly, before her tone softened, “If only it were that easy.”

    “Life is never that easy,” Galaxi sighed softly.

    “Trixie knows that too.”