The midday funeral for Cherilee was lengthy.  The murdered pony had been identified by local police, and a funeral for her was quickly organized.  Everypony certainly had a memory of Cherilee to share, from discovering their cutie marks with her, to growing up with her as a filly.  Even Pinkie had a story to share.  The whole funeral was filled with so many touching moments, and Twilight was brought to tears on several occasions.  Even though she barely knew Cherilee, she knew how important she was to Ponyville.  She really had influenced nearly everypony, one way or another.

Leaving the funeral with her friends, Twilight spoke up.

"I can't believe she was killed.  Who would have done this?  Why?  Everypony liked her!" Twilight had gotten nowhere on her own investigation, and neither had the police.  The dead ends had begun to frustrate her, and Cherliee's body would soon be locked away, 6 feet below the ground, shutting out the investigation permanently.

"Twilight," Applejack said, "Ya need to stop getting your head wrapped up in all this.  All that stress'll do ya no good."

"Besides, you have much better things to do." Rarity added.  "Like figuring out what happened to me!"

"Rarity, I told you that I have no idea.  You had a spell cast on you by somepony at the schoolhouse.  We never got in to have a look!"

"You're right my dear.  I'm sorry."  Rarity continued to walk with the group.  Twilight turned to Pinkie Pie.  Pinkie had a tear left on her face from the funeral.

"Pinkie, how are you feeling?"

"I'll be fine.  I'm just going to miss her." Applejack's comforting hoof was put on her shoulder.

"I will too, sugarcube.  We'll all miss her." Applejack said.

The ponies idly chatted as they made their way home.  Reaching the main crossroads, they each went their separate ways, saying goodbyes, and exchanging hugs.  It had been a sad day for everypony, and now was a chance to get away from it all, and just relax.  A chance to forget about Cherilee’s death.  However, other ponies had no intentions of forgetting Cherilee at all.

==================

Eclipse rested at home, pulling more of Cherilee's old notes onto her desk.  With Trixie, she was discovering the full details of Cherilee's master plan.  She had already looked over 3 pages of the incredibly detailed plan.  It was clear that Cherilee was very methodical, and precise when it came to things like this.  She had listed every spell she, and everypony else, needed.  There were also notes on the exact day, and weather conditions, the plan was to be executed under.  The plan’s intentions hadn't been revealed yet though.  Everything up to this point had been about preparing for the execution of the plan.  Eclipse was tiring of this.  She wanted to know what the point was.  She knew that everyone had been assigned their own spells and tasks for it, but she had no idea what Cherilee planned to do with all of them.  As she turned another page, she spotted a drawing.  A drawing of Celestia.

“Trixie!” Eclipse shouted, “Come take a look at this!” Trixie, who had been relaxing on Eclipse’s bed, reluctantly began to move.  She came to the desk.

“Found something, I presume?”

“Yep.  Take a look at this drawing.”  Trixie had a look at it.  It looked like Celestia, but had been colored in slightly purple, and her eyes were blood red.  Underneath it all, the words “What is to be achieved” were written.

“What do you think it means?”

“I think it means that the final stage of the plan would result in Cherilee transforming into Celestia somehow.”  Judging by the fact that she had Palm and Footnote learn a brainwashing spell, her plan was already starting to take shape.  To be certain, she turned another page.  This one was labeled “Operation Dragon’s Claw”.  Now they were getting somewhere.  As the two ponies read down the page, the full details began to emerge.  It was to begin at sunset, when the guards would begin to change posts.  Footnote would kick off the operation, by entering the castle.  He could slip past the front gate’s two guards easily.  They were always the last guards to shift posts, so this was the tricky bit.  From there, he was to cast a spell to knock the guards out cold, everypony else to slip through the gate, and into the castle.  From there, the tower guards would be changing shifts, allowing the Shades to sneak past, and enter the castle itself.  The page was turned again.  The plan just continued.

After the Shades were in the castle, Cherilee was to cast her cloaking spell, turning everypony effectively invisible.  From there, they would split up, Cherilee going to the throne room, Eclipse going to the guard barracks, Footnote going to the Archives, and Palm acting as a standby for anypony who needed him.  From there, the notes became sparse in detail, save for Cherilee’s part.  This was written in perfect detail, just like the rest of the plan.  She was going to enter the throne room, quickly casting a spell to remove any lights in the room.  Another one would be used to remove any guards, leaving Celestia and her alone in the room.  Her final spell would be used to merge herself with Celestia, assuming control of the powerful alicorn.

‘I was right.’ Eclipse thought. ‘She was going to merge her own powers with Celestia’s.’

“Wow.” Trixie said.  “This is certainly more detailed then I could have anticipated.  Not even the Great and Powerful Trixie plans this far ahead.” Both ponies were certainly in awe of Cherilee’s plan.

“I think we should call a meeting.” Eclipse suggested,  “Tonight.  We need to establish a new leader, and finally go over this big plan of Cherilee’s.  It just means we need to get Palm involved somehow.”

“It also means you’ll have to explain what happened to Cherilee.”

“Yep.  I’m not looking forward to that.  At all.” Eclipse sighed.  “But it’s going to have to be done.  The truth would come out eventually, and it already has to some extent.” She turned towards Trixie, taking her focus off the plan for a moment.

“Will you help me write the letters?”

“If you insist, I guess I will.”  It seemed the two ponies were starting to get along a little better.  A fragile bond, but a bond nonetheless.  Or maybe they had just begun to tolerate each other.

================

Twilight was digging into her notes on Malicious Magics again.  It was all she had left of the book.  She cursed the fact she left a lot of page references, and almost no actual spells.  The few she had bothered to write down were among the more complex spells in the book.  It was unfortunate, but having some spells was better than none.  These ones would just take a long time for her to master, let alone use.  She pored over her notes, looking for spells to control other ponies.  She wanted definitive proof that Rarity and Sweetie Belle had been controlled by someone.  She looked through, once, twice, and a third time for any notes on a spell like this.  Just as she was about to give up, a loose note caught her eye.  She moved several pages until she reached the note.  Beginning to read, she quickly realized that it wasn’t the spell she was looking for.  But, it was a spell that was used to wipe out memories.  Twilight suspected this was used right after the control spell.  

‘Whoever did this certainly knew their magic.’ Twilight thought.  ‘Could Cherilee have...no, she was an earth pony.  Earth ponies can’t use magic.’ Their last memories before waking up on the road were connected to Cherilee though.  And, not to mention, the spell was cast during such a time that only Cherilee would have been in the school.

“But, that’s impossible…” She thought aloud.

“What’s impossible?” Spike asked, coming down the stairs.

“I’m trying to figure out who cast a spell on Rarity.” Twilight said. “A few days ago, she went to the school to pick up Sweetie Belle, took longer than normal, and seemed odd to Pinkie.  After a while, they both collapsed on the street, and were very confused.” Twilight paused.  “I think that she was under the influence of a spell.  I’m trying to figure out who cast the spell, and so far, the only remotely logical conclusion I’ve been to come to is Cherilee, which is impossible, because earth ponies like her can’t use magic.” Spike stood still.  He blinked a couple of times.

“I’m sorry, I spaced out there.  What were you saying?”

“Never mind!” Twilight shouted.

“Alright! Sheesh, calm down.” Spike went back upstairs, leaving Twilight to ponder if the mysterious spell had been cast by a pony who was now buried 6 feet under.

=============

Eclipse paced in her room, going between the desk in the corner and her bed's footboard. After she had sent the letters to Palm Branch and Footnote, she had asked Trixie to leave her alone to think.  That was a couple of hours ago now. She still needed to figure out how to best go about telling everypony about Cherilee.  And they needed to discuss the master plan as well.  She just couldn't find the best way to do it.

'Maybe I should get some fresh air.'  Eclipse thought. 'That ought to inspire me a little.' She walked out of her room and down the stairs.  "I'm going outside for a while." She said to Trixie.

"For once, stay out of trouble. Trixie can’t afford to have her cover blown." Trixie said bluntly.  Eclipse rolled her eyes, and stepped outside; a small gust of wind traveled through her mane, waving it ever so slightly. As she looked upon the orange sky, she knew that the meeting would be shortly.  She closed the door to her home, and began walking towards Sugarcube Corner.  It was one of her favorite places to go as a filly; she just hadn't been there lately.  As a filly, her parents would take her into Sugarcube Corner at the end of a long week. When they walked through the doors, Eclipse's nose would be instantly filled with sickly sweet aromas of the store.  When they bought their treats, she always got one of the Cake family's famous chocolate cupcakes, and her parents ordered a caramel apple each.  They would always take a seat outside, and eat their sweets in relative silence, staring at the sunset over Ponyville.

Eclipse entered the shop for the first time since her parents died, and ordered a chocolate cupcake.  She payed 5 bits, and went outside to sit at a table and watch the sunset, just like old times.  She began to tear up as the memories flooded back.  How she longed to see her parents again, to hug them one last time, to say "I love you."  She slowly ate her cupcake as the breeze gently shifted her mane.  Pinkie Pie emerged from the store, and noticed the grey unicorn eating by her lonesome.  She pulled up a seat beside Eclipse, and broke the silence that surrounded her.

"Hey!" Eclipse ignored the pink pony.  "You look kinda familiar, but I don't think I've seen you before!  I'm Pinkie Pie!" She had in fact seen Eclipse before, but in a slightly different form.  Eclipse took another bite from her cupcake, crumbs falling off her chin. "Hey, I'm taking to you!" Eclipse was not in the mood to talk.  She needed to think about tonight, not talk to random ponies.

"I'm not in the mood to talk."

"Why not?  Talking is so much fun!" Pinkie almost lept out of her seat.  Eclipse knew that the opposite was true of tonight.  Talking would be no fun whatsoever.

"I need some time to think."

"About?" Pinkie inquired. Eclipse cursed this ponies presence, scheming a way to get rid of her.

"Look, I just wanna be left alone."

"Alone?  That's no fun! Oh well, maybe some other time!" Pinkie happily skipped back into Sugarcube Corner, leaving Eclipse by her lonesome again.

'Finally.' Eclipse thought, 'I thought she would never leave.' Eclipse looked back at the sun as it's final rays of the day fell upon Equestria.  Only an hour left until the meeting, and she was not ready for it, at all.

===============

Night had fallen upon Equestria again.  Eclipse was at home, and Trixie was there with her.  Eclipse had run over the meeting a thousand times in her head now, still trying to figure out how to break the news to Palm and Footnote.  The news that she had killed Cherilee.  She still had no idea how it was all going to play out though.  The two ponies silently donned their cloaks.  Eclipse grabbed Cherilee's old saddlebags, and as she went to load them up, she found a letter.  Tossing it to the side, she swept the notes and binder off her desk, and packed it all somewhat neatly into the bags.

"Eclipse, hurry it up!" Trixie shouted from downstairs,  "Trixie is getting tired of waiting here!"

"Just a second!" She shouted in reply.  Eclipse quickly closed the saddlebags, carefully placing them on her back.  She ran back down the stairs, meeting Trixie at the base.

"Finally. Are you ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."  The two ponies left the house, and Eclipse locked the door behind them.  They silently walked through the streets of Ponyville, making their way to the schoolhouse.

"So, did you figure out what you're going to say?" Trixie asked.

"Not entirely." Eclipse sighed.  "Honestly, I just want the whole thing to disappear, but I know that's not going to happen. I'm just going to have to deal with this, one step at a time."

"You'll do fine. The Great and Powerful Trixie knows you will."

"Thanks Trix."  They made a last turn, and walked up to the schoolhouse.  Using Cherilee's old set of keys, they unlocked the building and quietly entered.  "Would you mind using a little magic to light up the room?" Eclipse asked. With that, the candles scattered throughout the schoolhouse lit up, throwing orange glows across the main room and hallway.  "Thank you!"

"Not a problem at all for the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

"Of course not.  How could I have forgotten that?"  Eclipse walked into the main classroom, unloading her saddlebags on the former teachers desk.  It felt foreign to her, being at this desk.  She had never, ever been in a position like this before; her nervousness was driving her up the wall, and she had only been there 20 seconds.  Trixie trotted into the room as well, only to be interrupted by a knocking on the door.  She quickly walked back to answer, and was greeted by the face Palm Branch.

"Hello, Trixie." He snidely remarked as he entered the door.  

"Why so mad, Palm?" Just as she was about to close the door, Footnote rounded the corner and came into view.  He sprinted for the door, and entered into the schoolhouse at full speed, nearly crashing into desks and chairs in the classroom.  "Everyone's here now Eclipse!" Trixie shouted as she closed the door. Footnote spoke up.

"Not quite," he said, looking around the room, "we're still missing one member.  When is Cherilee expected to arrive?" Eclipse sighed.

"I forgot, the news probably hasn't reached you yet.  Why don't we all take a seat, and this meeting will come to order."

================

"So, what you're saying is this whole thing is your fault?" Palm Branch asked.

"No." Eclipse replied.  "Well, yes, but no.  It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't taken the book in the first place."

"And you were attacked by Cherilee because of this?"

"Correct."

"So, what the hay are we supposed to do now?" Footnote asked. "We have no leader, and the chance to execute Cherilee's master plan is coming soon."  Trixie spoke up.

"Exactly.  We need to elect new leadership for this group, or go our separate ways." Palm added.

"And additionally, we need to discuss the plan in depth." Eclipse said. "Me and Trixie have reviewed the majority of it already, but the two of you need to be brought up to speed on what's happening."

"You got the plans too?  Did Cherilee have them on her person or something?"

"Nope.  But I did retrieve them from her cellar in the Everfree."

"Alright then." Footnote said. "So, we take a vote and decide on the new leader." Everypony in the room nodded in agreement.  "How should we go about doing this?"

"Let's just say who we want to vote for." Trixie suggested.  "Does Trixie's vote still count as three, as I stated earlier?" She asked Eclipse.

"Yep, and you still can't vote for yourself." Eclipse smiled.

"Ugh, fine!" Trixie replied. Palm chuckled.

"I'll go first then." Palm Branch said.  "My vote is for Eclipse." Eclipse was shocked at this proposition.  She didn't feel like she was ready to be a leader; leadership might have chosen her too early though. Just as she was about to voice her opinion to Palm, Footnote spoke up.

"My vote is for Palm Branch." Eclipse's turn to vote.

"Mine as well."

"Well," Footnote started, "two votes for Palm, and one for Eclipse. Trixie, the final vote is yours." Trixie looked concerned.  An internal conflict raged inside of her; she knew both would be great leaders, but Eclipse killed Cherilee.

"Can we come back to this in a few minutes?" She asked  "I need some time to think."

"Trixie," Palm said,  "you need to vote now, or your voice will not matter here." Trixie looked frustrated, face almost turning red with anger.  After a few more seconds, she spoke up again.

"Eclipse." Eclipse's eyed widened in shock.

"Wait wait, are you serious?"

"Over the past few days, you have shown that you are more fit to be our leader than anypony else here." She stated. "You were transparent, and honest about the whole Cherilee incident.  You worked efficiently, and made sure that everything has gone smoothly this entire meeting."

"I'm...flattered." Eclipse was on the verge of shaking from the sheer shock and excitement.  "Well then, for my first act as leader of the Shades, I shall reveal Cherilee's master plan to you all!" Palm spoke up.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Next Chapter: Chapter 7 - Resisting Arrest Estimated time remaining: 52 Minutes