"I think I know how to find the door and the key."

Sombra's head whipped around at Luna's sudden announcement. The two had been watching The Rise And Fall Of Avalon, and the play had just reached its spectacular conclusion. Luna had remained quiet throughout the performance (Although she had expressed disbelief at the fact that Sombra had wept openly during the final confrontation between Arthur and his illegitimate son, Morded. Well, he couldn't help it: That scene had always made him cry, even when he was a colt). It was clear that she had been deep in thought, puzzling over the riddle before them.

An eyebrow raised, Sombra asked, "Oh really? Do tell."

A smile playing on her currently youthful features, Luna said, "Well, think on it: We're currently inside of a theatre, one with a full audience and staff. Every member of the audience and the cast on stage is in incredible detail, as is every object here. I imagine that, if you went backstage, you would see that every rope, every mechanism, is likewise perfect."

Sombra nodded in agreement: Whatever else he may be, Pandinus Imperator loved this theatre, to the point that he had memorized every single detail, and used them all in the construction of his mental defense. The former tyrant was certain that there was a story behind all of this...

"I follow you so far," Sombra said, then made a gesture, indicating, 'go on'.

"And just a short time ago, I had a conversation with the griffin at the ticket booth," Luna said, her expression now neutral, "and I would have sworn that the individual I was speaking with was as real as you or I." Something implied that she was hiding something there. Sombra couldn't imagine what it might be, however...

With a chuckle, Sombra admitted, "That's not unheard of: Dream constructs, if enough detail is given to one, can be quite talkative. They can have personality quirks, nervous tics, and even a detailed backstory."

"So," Luna said, raising an eyebrow, "shouldn't the staff know where the door would be? And the key?"

Sombra's jaw dropped when he realized that she may be right. The idea of just flagging down a member of the staff and asking had simply not occurred to him: Having spent his life alone, doing things himself if he wanted anything done at all, and unwilling to trust anypony, had blinded the tyrant to the simplest option possible... Asking for help. "You may be on to something, princess," he admitted.

Flagging down an usher, Luna spoke to the construct, saying, "Good sir, my name is Luna, and I am a princess of Equestria. I was wondering if I might, perhaps, speak with the proprietor of this fine establishment, so that I could pay my respects for such a fine performance?"

The usher, a griffin like all the others, bowed deeply, and said, "Your majesty, I would be happy to. In fact, the proprietor has been expecting you. If you will please come this way?"

Luna turned back to look at Sombra, a smirk on her face. Chuckling, the former tyrant said, "Yes, yes, you solved the riddle, when I could not. Good for you. Go on, get things taken care of. I'll stay here and watch the next performance."

Nodding in understanding, Luna turned and followed the usher. With a sigh, Sombra felt himself relax a little. In truth, he'd reached the limits of his ability, just in having reached the second level. If he'd been within the Crystal Empire, he could have risked traveling into the changeling's third level, but with such tremendous distance between him and the subject, it was all he could do to maintain this solid a connection. If there'd been any resistance, he'd have been stuck at the entrance, looking rather embarrassed. Instead, he'd have to sit here, waiting to see if Luna could fix things here... or if her presence might make things worse...
-------------------------

Dream Charmer smiled, then said, "These are the names of the twenty ponies who took part in the attack." Unrolling a scroll upon the table she and the two younger ponies sat around, she continued, "Each of them is not quite old enough to be considered a full adult, and is of a family that, while considered of common birth, can be considered leaders of the community. Merchants, guild masters, high ranking members of the guard, and more."

Looking over the list with an increasingly horrified expression, Gold Coin gulped loudly. Shimmering Radiance couldn't understand why. After all, what did it really matter who their parents were? "What's the big deal?"

Gold Coin, looking up at her, said, "Each of these ponies took part in an act of sedition against the crown. Whether the target was the emperor or not, it makes little difference: A stray arrow could easily have struck him, putting his life in danger. That kind of crime has only one punishment: Execution."

Dream Charmer, her expression stern, said, "And if twenty young ponies like these were executed, you can imagine that their parents would be extremely upset, and quite understandably so. They'd likely be so upset that they might work, either together or independently, to end the emperor's reign. Worse, the blood on his hooves would sour the common pony's view of him. Where there was once a single cell working sedition against the crown, there would suddenly be many. Worse, each time one of those cells is destroyed, more will appear in response. It's a classic cascade effect. By this time next year, the entire city could be in open revolt against the emperor."

Looking at the list, Shimmering Radiance immediately was struck by something. A suspicion filled her mind as she asked, "Which one is the leader?"

The former royal admitted, "We don't know who the leader is, but we do know he isn't on the list. Whoever he is, he's been very careful to avoid having been seen coming and going: We have no idea who he is, where he lives, or what he does when he's not preaching sedition to his little cabal. I only became aware of his group yesterday, and we'd had no idea they'd strike so quickly."

Looking at the list with a half-smile forming on her face, the filly said, "I thought so. Whoever the leader is, I imagine that he's probably just a cat's paw, too." At the confused looks from the other two ponies, 'Urchin' said, "I grew up on the streets, where you either have to be strong to survive, or very sneaky. Just because I wasn't taught how to read or write, or know how to perform a court curtsy well, doesn't mean I don't know how to think: Isn't it awfully convenient that every member of this merry little band is from a well-to-do family? That each of their parents could make things very difficult for the emprah in response for their sprats getting the axe? Whoever came up with this wants them to be caught: These ponies were selected specifically because whoever is behind this wants an open revolt against the emprah." It made a terrible sort of sense: Even a pony like Shimmering Radiance, who knew nothing about combat, could see that the majority of the archers were ridiculously bad. Why? Because they weren't supposed to succeed, they just needed to commit the crime and get caught...

Gold Coin, his eyes widening in horror, asked, "What kind of pony would do that?"

"The kind," Dream Charmer said, her expression turning hard, "who would do anything to take the crown, even if it meant drowning this city in the blood of the innocent to do so."

"Exactly," Shimmering Radiance said, her expression grim. An idea was beginning to form in her head. After a moment, she smiled, then asked, "How hard would it be to get a list of their parents?"

Dream Charmer, a single, perfect eyebrow raised, said, "I could have it written up for you within half an hour. Why?"

Grinning, the filly said, "The emprah talked about King's Evidence the other night. That means that if they own up to what they did and point out who the leader is, the emprah can say no to having to nix them, right?"

After a moment, Dream Charmer nodded, then said, "True. However, these young ponies are at a point in their lives when they might feel that dying for their ideals might be a noble thing..."

Raising an eyebrow, Shimmering Radiance asked, "Do you think their parents will feel the same way?" With a chuckle, she added, "Just get the list ready. I've got an idea. As soon as the emprah wakes up, and he's heard my idea, we'll get everypony together, and have a little sit-down."

Looking over at the filly, Gold Coin said, "It's pronounced 'Em-Per-Or', not 'Em-Prah', by the way."

Looking mortified, Shimmering Radiance held a hoof to her mouth and blushed.

Chuckling, Dream Charmer said, "I think I understand what you have in mind. It might work." Her expression a little more serious, the mare added, "Now, we'll discuss what this information is going to cost the two of you."
----------------------------------

The proprietor was a griffin, naturally, this one a lady wearing a mask with a frown. Rather than seeming angry, it looked... sad. The fact that teardrops were drawn on the corners of the eyes confirmed that this mask was one meant to depict a sorrowful expression. While it was difficult to say for certain, the odd garb that the griffin wore seemed to be expensive: The material looked quite fine, and it was of excellent quality.

The two were sitting in a rather unremarkable office. While the details were as fine as the rest of the building, something was visibly off: There were no personal effects here. This was a place where someone worked, but whoever did so, didn't visit this office often enough to give it that 'personal' touch. Luna felt her suspicions were now thoroughly confirmed...

Clearing her throat, the griffin asked, "So, what can I do for you, your majesty?"

An eyebrow raised, Luna asked, "How about we dispense with the subterfuge, Tragedy? I might not have immediately recognized Comedy at the front gate, but as soon as I realized that Pan was a fan of Gryphon theatre, I put two and two together. Seeing you here confirmed it for me."

Comedy and Tragedy are among the few beings in the company of immortals who are not considered true powers, normally. Their sphere of influence is confined primarily to the stage: Actors, plays, performances, scripts, all of this and more fell under their purview. They were not evil, but like Kokkuri, they could be mischievous at times, but were little more than a petty annoyance at worst. Finding the two of them here, nestled in the mind of a changeling, was surprising, however: Why would they have any interest in him?

The door opened, and Comedy strode in, chuckling. With a shrug, he said, "It has never been in our nature to be hidden, your highness. We are what we are: The stage is a place for drama, not secrecy."

Tragedy, her voice sorrowful, said, "And in all honesty, that is what has brought us to be here: Theatre will evolve, in the time between now and the time my brother and I came from... and we simply cannot keep up with it anymore."

With a sigh, Comedy said, "Stupid flocking screenplays. The ability for a play to be recorded once, then played a thousand times in a thousand different places, whenever anypony wants to see them? It is far beyond the ability of somebirdy like the two of us, who were born in an age where there might be two dozen true theatres in the entire world, and maybe two hundred actors, to keep up with. I've had the concept explained to me a dozen times, and I still can't wrap my head around it."

Luna, raising an eyebrow, asked, "So you chose an heir?" It wasn't unheard of: Immortality can be a burden, and for some spheres of influence, change can be sudden, dramatic, and difficult to follow, and if you can't keep up, you either have to find somepony who will... lest the power leave you against your will, which can be a potentially fatal experience. Luna and Celestia had the Moon and Sun, which were constant, so the two sisters didn't have to worry about such matters. King Ferdinand of Minotauria had Strength, which had many forms and definitions, but was not too difficult to comprehend and keep up with. Kokkuri's sphere was mischief, which was ever-changing, but the kitsune was a born natural at that, and was intelligent enough to keep up with his chosen calling. But for something like theatre...

Well, from the sound of it, things were going to be changing, and changing in a big way... and the two griffins were not dynamic enough to keep up with it.

Tragedy, surprisingly, chuckled, and said, "Yes, your highness. In the time to come, or would have come, this young fellow's father brought him to a theatre in the Griffin Kingdoms, in order to learn about playing a role to perfection. As an infiltrator, he was expected to be able to pass himself as whatever was needed. Besides, there is always an element of drama, of the theatre, in politics of any sort: As the future head of Scorpion House, he'd need to be able to hide his true thoughts and feelings at will, putting on a false face so that he could perform the various schemes necessary to keep his house in ascendence.

With a sorrowful sigh, she continued, "Pandinus Imperator fell in love with the magic, both metaphorical and literal, of the theatre. Put under the apprenticeship of a professional of note, and proving to be an attentive and enthusiastic student, within a year he became so skillful that he naturally drew our attention. Changeling or not, we know quality when we saw it, and the two of us agreed that he would be perfect for the role as our successor. We offered him the opportunity to become our inheritor, but he had to refuse, citing the obligations of his bloodline. As the heir to his father's house, he could not abandon that responsibility, even with younger siblings who could take on the role in his stead." With a sniff, she added, "We respected his decision, but we both could see into his heart, and knew that he was seriously tempted, being able to give up the ties that bound him, both as a changeling and as a member of a noble house, in order to pursue what we all knew to be his true calling. We told him that the offer would still stand if he changed his mind."

Comedy, sounding sorrowful, said, "Had we but known what would have transpired, we would never have let him return to the changeling swarm: Misfortune after misfortune struck him like the blows of an angry mob. It was discovered that, unlike both his parents, Pan could not use magic, casting serious doubts on the legitimacy of his birth. He would glow whenever love energy was given to him, shattering any disguise he put upon himself, so he could never be an effective infiltrator. Those two facts, put together, made it impossible to be the heir to his father's house, and had a third tragedy not struck, he would have taken up our offer without conditions within a year. But then, Winter, father of all windigoes, killed his younger brother. Pan, grief-stricken, and now marked for death upon his twenty-first birthday unless Winter was defeated, sought the two of us out, and made us an offer: He would take up the role of our heir, but in exchange, he wanted us to help him in avenging his brother."

Shuddering, Tragedy said, almost as a wail, "But what could we do? Winter is powerful, very powerful, and his realm is vast. Our sphere of influence is not one meant for battle, and is severely limited. In truth, we are amongst the weakest of the immortals out there... or so we thought. While we are powerful within a theatre, we sincerely doubted that Winter would willingly confront Pan in that arena."

Chuckling, Comedy said, "We brought all of that to his attention, and asked how he expected us to help. His answer was one that we never considered before, one that demonstrates, in its totality, his superiority to his future role in comparison to the two of us." After a look to his sister, the two of them, as one, said a single sentence.

"All the world's a stage, and all those who live upon it, merely players."

Chuckling again, Comedy said, "My sister and I are what some will come to call 'Old School': We are bound by certain trains of thought, and look at things in a certain way. We are... inflexible."

With a sigh, Tragedy said, "But he is young, brilliant, and has a new perspective that the two of us cannot help but to envy. We naturally agreed to his terms, and gave him the greatest gift my brother and I can give any creature who catches our eye: The ability to step perfectly into any role, at any time he needed to. The skills, knowledge, even the memories, of the character he plays are at his disposal, the better to let him play that part. Normally, it would be bound to a stage performance, but because of his unique perspective..."

"He can do it anywhere, anytime..." Luna said, her expression one of shock. There were any number of characters available in the world of theatre, both heroes and villains. Even if he could not cast spells, it meant that any ability, any piece of knowledge, that was attributed to a character in a play, could be called upon at will. The mechanical genius of the Clockwork Sage, the political acumen of the Grey Lord, the strategic brilliance of Ruggiero the Victorious... all of that, and more, would be at his disposal, any time he needed them...

And if he came fully into his role as the inheritor of the two immortals before her, he could become a power that would rival either Celestia or Luna...

Nodding, Comedy said, "Exactly. How else can you explain how anyone, even a trained infiltrator who grew up knowing how the game of politics was played, could so masterfully step into the role of emperor, and immediately begin making the nobility dance to his tune? To him, acting is as natural as breathing, and our gift gives him the ability to fulfill any role he needs to, even the role of 'Ruler'."

Luna, becoming angry, asked, "So it's all a lie? A deception?"

Tragedy, quickly shaking her head and waving a clawed digit, said, "No, no, no, not at all. At least, not in the way you are assuming. Yes, he is acting, Luna, but do not assume that acting immediately means that he is doing so with the intent of doing evil to his subjects at some point in the future, or that it immediately means that all that he says and does is fabrication. He may be playing a part, but his reasons for doing so are not born out of malice. Instead, it's out of love."

"The crystal ponies cast him in the role of emperor," Comedy said with a guffaw, laughing at his own puns. "They accepted him without hesitation, and poured their love upon him without question or condition. For someone who was ostracized by his own kind, due to his abnormalities and his lineage, and who is of a species normally not accepted anywhere, that is a gift beyond price. And so, since his subjects insist that he play the role of a good, no, a great king, he has decided to do so to the absolute best of his ability in gratitude... and thanks to our gifts, he will certainly do so." With a sigh, he added, "Well, he could, if he would snap out of this stupor he's currently in."
---------------------------

Tender Loving Care looked down at the sleeping individual she would be treating for the next three days. While much of his body was covered, both with blankets on his body and bandages on his face, there was still plenty to study, especially with a quick peek under the covers.

It was rare to see a spotted crystal pony: They tended to be monochromatic in the coloration of their coats. Still, taking in his overall build, his muscle tone, and his face (She'd honestly not expected him to have such a striking profile), she supposed he wasn't bad looking...

The pony's unbandaged eye snapped open, startling her. Were it not for her training, she might have flinched. Instead, she stood still as a statue and waited, a reflex that had saved her life a number of times in the past. After a few seconds, something happened that she honestly would never have expected...

He began weeping.

"Roundelay," he whispered, tears running down his cheek, "I cannot believe it. Am I dead, or dreaming?" He reached up a hoof to touch her cheek tenderly. "Either way, I cannot express my joy at seeing you again."

"Neither," she said, keeping her voice calm. "And I'm not whoever you think I am." Pulling his hoof from her face gently, she said, "My name is Tender Loving Care. You've been terribly injured, sir. I've been asked to look after you while you recover."

The stallion's breath caught in his throat, then after a moment, said, "I apologize. I... it seems that my eyesight is suffering somewhat. Everything looks a bit blurry. For a moment, I thought..."

Picking up a cup of water, and a small bottle of medication, Tender said, "It's quite alright. No harm done. You've had a very terrible day, and your eyes have suffered from your injury." With a chuckle, she said, "Since you're awake, it's time for your medication. I won't lie to you: It will be bitter."

The stallion, Pen Stroke if she recalled his name correctly, nodded, then said, "Of course. It wouldn't be medicine if it was not."

A few moments later, with the medication choked down, followed by a glass of water, Pen Stroke asked, "Have you seen my son? His name is Gold Coin, and..."

Picking up a note left on the bedside table, Tender Loving Care said, "He's not here, but I noticed that he left a message. Somepony named Shimmering Radiance told him that she believed that there was a pony who might be able to disclose the identities of your attackers, and he went with her to ensure that she returned safely." Having seen the reaction about to occur in the past, she knew exactly what she would have to do. Immediately putting a hoof on the stallion's chest, she said, "Oh no you don't, big boy. You're not going anywhere right now." Stallions can be so predictable...

Pen Stroke, feebly struggling against Tender's hoof, said, "But..."

"No 'buts'," she stated, firmly. "You don't have the strength right now to resist a gentle hoof on your chest. I sincerely doubt you could take three steps without falling flat on your face tonight, and I doubt you could defend yourself against an angry kitten, let alone any danger your son might potentially face out there. He specifically says in the note you're not to worry, and that he'll be back as soon as he can. If he's not back here by sunrise, then you'll have my permission to worry then, and I'll ask the guards to start searching for him. Until then, have a little faith: If either he or this 'Shimmering Radiance' thought they'd be in any real danger, they'd have asked for a guard to escort them."

After a moment, Pen Stroke sighed, then admitted, "You're right. It's just... with his mother gone, he's all I have left..."

So that must have been who that 'Roundelay' character was. Tragic: He seemed much too young to be a widower. He hardly looked to be any older than she was, honestly.

"Well," Tender Loving Care, the Widowmaker, said, "for now, just get some sleep. I'll wake you up as soon as he gets back."

Pen Stroke began nodding off before she'd finished the word 'sleep', and was snoring gently by the time she said 'back'.

Rubbing her cheek, where Pen Stroke's hoof had touched her, she wondered to herself how long it had been since anypony had touched her like that. The last time she could honestly remember was in happier days, before... well, no use dwelling on it. Still, it had felt rather nice...
----------------------------------

"It's right through here," Comedy said, gesturing to the door that he had entered through.

Luna raised an eyebrow in surprise: The door in question was literally the door she had used to enter the office. This was the 'secret' door to the third level?

Tragedy, pulling out a simple-looking key from a desk drawer, said, "It's only the 'door' to the third layer of his mind when the key is placed in the lock. Otherwise, it's just an ordinary door to an ordinary office."

With a guffaw, Comedy asked, "Clever, isn't it? Who'd think that the secret, locked door would be disguised as an ordinary, unlocked door? Even if someone steals the key, they could walk right out and try every locked door in the building, without realizing that they had passed through the door they needed without any manner of impediment."

She had to admit, it was rather clever, put that way.

Slipping the key inside, then turning it, Tragedy said, "Once you're inside, you're on your own. Part of our agreement with him is that, while we inhabit his mind, we can venture no further in. I cannot tell you what to expect, save that it will be his essence, without masks, deceptions, or illusions. It is where he is both weakest and strongest. Be ready for anything." With a sniff, Tragedy said, "Try not to judge him too harshly: He has not lived an easy life."

Steeling herself, Luna nodded, then said, "Very well. Thank you both. If all goes well, when might I see you again?"

Chuckling, Comedy said, "Once he's completed his goal of defeating Winter, and stepped fully into his new role, we'll be able to leave this place. Until then, go with our best wishes, your highness: Our boy has a long road to walk, but we're glad that he's not walking it alone."

Letting out a long sigh, Luna said, "Right." And with no further ceremony, she stepped through the door into the deepest part of Pan's mind...