"Achoo!" I squeak out a sneeze as sit in the shower under the hot running water. Spending that much time in the rain has done a number on me. I'm pretty sure I'll be out for a week or so. At least that's what I'm told Mom and Dad...

Dad. When I woke up I knew I had to go find him. No matter what Star Gazer said. He at least didn't try to fight me on that. He figured I wasn't going to listen anyway. So he helped. For a stranger... it was really kind of him.

Dad carried me home and went straight to his room. I waited for him to start his own shower before I went to my own. I've... never seen him so scared before. I know he's feared the Unf- Kroth, for a long time. I just... I never thought my father could be so scared of something. Not him.

I didn't know what to do. What could I have said? I hope he doesn't think less of me for just cuddling. It really freaked me out to see him like that. I don't know if I should bring it up again. I'm sure he's embarrassed about it. Even though he doesn't have to be. I have my fear of spiders for... similar reasons.

Maybe not so similar. I've never lost loved ones to war before. Nor as many before. And I doubt I'd forgive him so easily. I know he's feeling ashamed, but how do I tell him that he doesn't need to? How do I tell him that I get what he's going through while also understanding that I might not understand everything?

CLICK

"... Dad?" I ask aloud. Somepony just walked in. I'm a little confused because my father has never done this before. I wait and listen for him, but he doesn't say anything.

SHING

I give a small yelp as the curtain is thrown aside and Star Gazer stands there. I go red in the face and try to cover myself, getting him to tilt his head.

"You know most ponies don't wear clothes, right?" He tells me as he sets his bag on the toilet. I stare at him as he starts to rummage through the satchel.

"... get out!" I hiss at him as I slide the curtain back. "And it's the principle of the matter!"

"Never really got that though. Why don't we wear clothes? I mean, a tail can cover a lot. But not everything." He mumbles as he sorts through some glass objects. I try to think about what he's saying before I shake my head.

"Get ou- a-a-achoo!" I nearly fall over from that powerful sneeze.

"Oof. Sounds like I might be too late." He mentions with something in his mouth. A moment later he sticks his hoof into the shower and offers me a potion. I stare at the golden liquid for a moment before I push his hoof out.

"Why are you even here!?"

"Trust me, you're going to want to take this. You'll feel like a new mare in the morning." He tells me as he pops the cork off and offers it again. "Take the potion and I'll tell you why I'm really here. And trust me, you're going to want to hear this."

I grumble to as I take the potion. If it'll get him out, then I'll just take it and pour it down the drain. There's no way I'm dumb enough to drink a random potion... As I pour the contents out it mixes with the water and starts to steam up. I take a breath as feel a warm energy travel down into my lungs.

"Oh, you knew to mix it with hot water. Good." I smack my face in disbelief. "Now, the reason I was in Mooseden was-"

"To steal some kabobs?" I ask as I sit with my back to the water. I can't believe I'm having a conversation like this. If my dad walks in, it's his funeral.

"No, but that was an added bonus." He laughs at himself. I just roll my eyes and let him continue. "I have some intel on Diamond Tiara."

"Why do you have intel on her?" I ask, bewildered.

"I told you I was going to help, remember?" I think back and vaguely recall a conversation like that happening.

"Right... what did you learn?"

"Well, it would seem our little mud mucker has a secret to her trade." He tells me as he takes a seat on the toilet. "From what I could gather, she's having a meeting with some big shots in the armorers guild tonight."

"... okay?" I don't follow what he's getting at.

"Okay, let me put it this way then. This meeting is happening at a Canterlot hotel with just the two of them." I stay quiet as I try to garner what he's getting at. But... I mean, I don't know what's going on. "Okay... wow. Aren't you dating Rumble? Shouldn't this... ya'know. Get the imagination moving?"

"I mean... we've been dating for less than a week. And he's spent most of that time in Cloudsdale."

"... she going to have sex with them-"

"WHAT!?" I nearly fall over from that. She's still in high school! He's the leader of a guild! There must be a twenty... thirty year difference!

... AND THE HIPROCRACY!

That lying little slut is going around telling ponies that I'm sleeping around when she's the one lifting her tail to sway business dealings! Who in their right mind would do such a thing!?

"Yeah, figured you'd like to know about that." I start to get dizzy with how mad I am. Does she really have no morals? "Anyway, I've made a few strike plans. If you're interested."

"... Strike plans?" His offer catches me off guard. He's made... strike plans?

"I'm so glad you asked! So I have three plans. They're all pretty good, but I think there's a clear choice in the group. Plan number one is pretty simple. We go, take a few pictures, and blast them all over the newspapers. A pretty straight forward plan really. Not much to it."

"And the next plan?" I figure that was a plan. I can't really think of anything else I'd do to her. Which is why I'm interested in the other options.

"Well, option two is to run interference. Stop them from slapping nasties-"

"Please don't call it that." I tell him, not wanting to think about it. "Okay, plan one is to broadcast it to the world. Plan two is to-"

"Cockblock, yes." I shutter from the thought. I don't know if I want to chance catching Diamond in the middle of the act. "And lastly, my masterpiece! If I do say so myself. I call it, Operation Breaking Diamond!"

"... you're having too much fun with this." I tell him, not impressed with his enthusiasm.

"Only a little bit! Honest!" I shake my head again. His dorkiness is starting to get to me. "So this plan involves a lot of espionage. But the simplest breakdown is that we go in, wait for them to get started, and counter spell any contraceptives they use."

I balk when he says that. Counter spell her contraceptives!? That's... that's taking it way too far! That is far more evil than anything I'd be willing to do!

Or is it. I did say I wanted to ruin her life the way she went after mine. And she's already showed she's willing to play as dirty as she needs to. But am I willing to lower myself to her level in such a... abhorrent manner? Would she deserve it? Absolutely. But this isn't about her right now. Right now it's about me.

I know I can't beat her at her own game. I've figured that much out so far. Doing this would lower me beneath her. No, I'm not doing that. We'll do the first plan, and that's all we'll do. I will not win by being Diamond Tiara. I am going to win by being Shadow Knight.

"I really appreciate you're help in all of this." I tell him as I start to shut off the water. But then I remember that my Dad is across the hall and decide against it. "But we will not be doing Operation Diamond Breaker."

"You sure?" He asks, sounding as if he's leaning in to make sure.

"I'm sure of it. I'm going to win on my win accord. Not by doing something that she would. But I still appreciate the help-"

"Oh, don't thank me yet." He tells me as he starts flipping through some papers. "Truth be told, I was more testing you. Seeing if you would go as low as her and all. Figured you wouldn't, but just wanted to make sure."

"Oh... okay." I... can't believe he was testing me. I mean, I guess trust goes both ways. But... still.

"Also, you'll need to get Rumbles permission for any of the other plans."

"Uh... why?" I ask, suddenly confused.

"Well, the plan is to sneak in and not get caught. If everything goes according to plan then it won't really matter. But, if we do get caught, it's a couples retreat theme at the hotel. So we may need to play off that we're a young couple getting into trouble. Otherwise we'll probably get thrown in jail."

Okay, I get the inflection that time. But I don't know if that'll work. I can't talk to Rumble right now. He's all the way in Cloudsdale! If I hadn't blown all that energy into that light spell against Corpus then maybe I could get it done. But there's no way I'm casting any more spells tonight. I might not even be able to for that matter!

"I can't do that. He's all the way in Cloudsdale. And there's no way I'm teleporting all there and back."

"I could do it."

"Are you sure?" I ask, genuinely surprised. The teleport is probably one of the most useful spells ever made. At least, according to my father that is. But not everypony can do it. Let alone do it with that level of finesse.

"Yeah, I mean it'll put a toll on me. But I can manage. I've done the Canterlot run before. Shouldn't be that different." He says that, but I hear a bit of doubt in his voice.

If we're going to do this, then I need him on his A game. I'm already haggard and sickly. We can't do this if we're both like that.

What am I saying? We? I can't go to Canterlot with him! I don't know him! I don't even know what time it is! For all we know they've already done it! No. It's would have been a good plan any other night. But there's no way it'll happen tonight.

"Star, there's no way we're going to be able to do this tonight-"

"I thought you'd say that." He tells me, going back into his bag. A moment later he flings the curtain open and presents me a notebook. I fumble over myself in embarrassment as I try to cover myself again. "Take a look at this. If we head there now they should still be at the dinner party."

I turn myself to try and be modest. He... doesn't even seem to care really.

... It's the principal of the matter!

I take a peek and see that he's taken a pamphlet from the venue and glued it to the pages. All around the itinerary are notes and time frames. He really planned this out. To an almost scary degree.

"The event at the hotel is going to wrap up in less than an hour. So we don't have a lot of time to get into position. And this is the last time we'll get an opportunity like this. I've seen her calendar and there are no other events like this. If we're going to hit her at all, this is going to be the hardest chance we get."

I stare at the notes and try to think objectively. He's not wrong about the opportunity we have. How he knows her schedule, I don't want to know. But, there just isn't going to be a chance like this. But is the risk worth the reward? What even are the risk?

We get caught by security and spend the night in jail? She catches us and tries to lie that we were there to do what she was doing? Though I know those are bad, they aren't that risky. Dad gets a bad call or the newspapers say even more terrible rumors; nothing we aren't willing to deal with.

But the chance to get Diamond in the middle of a scandal. The chance to catch her and put her whole personal life on display. To tell everypony that will ever meet her that this is how she gets deals done, have a fun ride... the thought is far too tempting to let slide.

Knock knock knock

"Hey Shadow?" Dad calls from the other side of the door. Star and I look at each other for a moment before I shove a hoof into his mouth.

"Yeah Dad?" I ask, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"... I, I uh... I'd like to talk. About earlier, if that's okay with you." I forgot he takes the worlds shortest showers. Of course he'd hear me still in here. And, true to him, he'd want to clear the air as soon as possible.

I try to think of what to do or say, but everything comes up blank. Star watches me panic for a moment before pulling my hoof out of his mouth. I watch in horror as he reaches in and shuts off the water. Without telling me anything he pulls me out, throws a towel on me, and steps into the shower. Using his magic he closes the curtain and opens the door.

I stare up at Dad and begin to panic. If he steps in here and finds him there's no way we're going to Canterlot tonight.

Dad, for his part, just looks uncomfortable. I can tell he's rehearsed what he wants to say. But he's faltering in getting it out. He tries to start a few times, but after the third I save him.

"Where are Tempestive and Mama Luna?" My questions gets him on track and he finally faces me to speak.

"I called Luna, they're in Canterlot tonight. She... wanted to make sure things would be safe in Mooseden before coming back here." That makes sense. I didn't get the chance to talk with her when this all happened. I didn't even know she was aware of this to be honest.

"Right... and the Spartans?"

"On their way back now. All of them were still in the Glass Desert waiting to see if I would come back. So... it's just the two of us tonight."

He runs a hand through his hair and rubs the back of his neck. This isn't what he wanted to say. I think over to Star and his plans for revenge... but this is more important.

I wrap the towel around myself and start to walk out. Dad steps out of the way and shuts the door behind me. I go to the vanity and start to brush the water out of my mane. I'm already going to be sick, but there's no reason to make it worse. Dad walks over to my bed and sits on it. He hangs his head deep in thought. I'll wait for him to start this time.

"You know..." he starts, pausing as he looks back up and out the door to the hallway. "Heh... You know... I never thought I'd see Unfamiliar civ-"

"Kroth Dad." I tell him, staring at him through the mirror. "They're called the Kroth."

"Right... the Kroth... I just never imagined I'd see civilian... Kroth."

I stay quiet. I don't want to interrupt his line of thinking. I can see him tightening his grip on the bed as he thinks.

"When I saw them, standing there, waiting for me to... to do... something! It reminded me of when the gates of Topaz were breached. That whole day played back in my mind... and I had a moment of weakness."

I pause my brushing when he says that. Seeing my father, the leader of the Spartans and Captain of bravado, admitting he was weak... I didn't know I had put him on such a pedestal before. Of course he'd still be able to become scared. He's only human after all. He says that phrase all the time. But... I guess I never thought I'd see him as only human. He's always been so much more to me.

"Has that night always been... with you?" I ask quietly. He looks away from me for a moment before making eye contact with me. He gives a single nod back. I set the brush down as I look back at him. "... there are still nights where... where I remember Lantern. When she would... return-"

"Corculum," he says and he moves to kneel beside me. He sets a hand on my back but I shake my head.

"It's okay. It's okay, because I've finally seen you scared." I tell him, tearing up as I avoid his gaze. He just rubs my back, waiting for me to finish. "You're my dad. The idea of you being scared of something... I just, never thought you could. Now I get it. All that power, but... you're still only human."

"Shadow." He stops rubbing my back and pulls my cheek to look at him. I try to wipe the tears way, but it's too late. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't curse myself for not getting there sooner."

"Don't!" I grab his hand and hold it tightly. "Don't do that! Please! There are a thousand things I wish I could have done differently that day! But it doesn't matter! We can't change what happened. But... but at least with that... I got you as a father."

We share a glance before we move in to hug one another. With all of the stress of the day and everything going on, I don't care anymore about Diamond. I just want to be here with my father and forget the world.

CLICK

"So... we doing this or not?" My heart stops and my eyes go wide when Star Gazer steps out of the bathroom and asks that. I feel the same happen to Dad as he stares at him from over my shoulder. There's a moment of silence where neither of us knows what to do. Aside from possibly kill Star, that is.

Dad pulls slowly away from me and once again I feel like a small child. He's trying to find something to say, but there's nothing coming out. He's caught between wanting strangle Star and berate me for hiding a boy in the house. I go to blurt something out. Anything! Hopefully something that will set the record straight.

"I'VE NEVER HAD SEX!" Once the words left my mouth I felt my face immediately go red. So red in fact that I felt it on my ears, neck, even down my spine. Clearly, not the best thing to shout out to the world. Dad just looks... confused. So I try to say something else to clear the space. "I-I mean, we we're doing anything! Nothing bad! Just making plans to pretend to be a couple in Canterlot to get into a couples retreat!"

"... fucking what?" I try to make myself as small as possible. Nothing tonight is going my way.

"Sorry! Nothing bad was going on, promise!" I tell him as he rises it tower over the two of us. Star takes a seat next to me and motions for me to continue. I glance between him and Dad before taking a deep breath in. Although my nerves are still shot, he needs to know. Maybe if he had stayed in the bathroom we could have stayed here forever. But that was clearly not going to happen.

I go and explain Star's plan to him. Where we need to go. What we're going to do when we get there. But most importantly, I tell him why I want to do it. I tell him why this is no longer his fight to be a part of. He may have told me to go after her. But I'm the one who is going to finish. How I want to be the one to beat her.

He... just listens to me. He's still giving Star the stink eye, but he deserves that much. But he's not reacting to anything I'm saying. He's... just listening. I try to glean any of his intentions, but he's just standing there... stoic. Maybe he's more fried than I am and can't really process what's going on. Or maybe he's just trying to think of the perfect punishment. I can't tell what's going through his mind.

When I finish I wait for him to say something. But... he's just staring at the two of us. I glance to Star, but he just shrugs back to me. I try to wait for him to respond, but there's nothing. As the silence grows I feel myself shrinking in his gaze. It's as if he's rethinking everything we just talked about. Regretting everything about me...

Without a word he turns and leaves the room. I look to Star before chasing after him. It can't end like this. It can't!

"Dad... I'm... I'm sorry!" I tell him as we walk into his room. He starts digging into his drawers as he looks for something. "Look, it was a stupid plan. I know! But... I don't know. I have to do something! She can't just keep... getting away with this! Someone has to stand up to her! Please! Just... just look at me!"

He turns back with what looks like a small spiked mace. With a flick of the wrist he flings it onto the ground. It sticks with a loud thud with the handle pointing up at a slight angle. It sits for a moment before something within it whirs to life. The handle moves to point straight up before opening up four ways. A hologram projects from the inside. It comes out in quick waves and shows a rough outline of the house as well as the neighbors here in Mooseden. In our house there are three blue dots, obviously showing our locations.

"This is called an echo map. It's exactly what it sounds like." Dad tells me as he squats down by the map. "The harder you slam, the bigger the map will be. It'll show most people as well. Unless they're in the air that is."

"Huh..." I mumble as I stare at the map. "W-what's this for?"

He takes the echo map out of the ground and it immediately folds back up. He offers it to me so I take it. But he doesn't let go of it. He looks down at me with a new look of determination. A fierce look that catches me off guard.

"Don't you dare ever think you're unworthy again, Shadow Knight of Mooseden." My heart flutters when he says that as a new sense of purpose begins to swell in me.

"I-I won't Dad... I-I'll make you proud. I promise." I mumble as I take the map from his grasp. He just smirks to me as he turns back to his dresser. I look to Star standing in the doorway and give him a nod. We're doing this. There's no going back now.

"I've got some more goodies for you as well." He tells me as he starts to pull more items out of his drawer. "I've always figured something like this would happen... well, maybe not like this. But, when you got your cutie mark I knew you'd need these kind of tools."

"You've been planning this for that long?" I ask as I set the map on the bed. I walk up to him and look over the various tools he's been hording.

"Eeyup! Though, I always thought it would be for some kind of attack on the town. I guess this'll have to do." The last thing he pulls out catches my attention the most.

It looks like a diving suit. It's all black with several points where there are small gems poking out. It also looks as if it's a size too small for me. And instead of having swimming goggles it has a single visor that has several circular lenses raised on it. I can't see a way for me to look out of that without tripping over myself.

"Alright... let's get this bitch."

Next Chapter: Chapter 269 The Daughter of the Queen and the Captain Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 53 Minutes