She insisted so fiercely. It was almost unlike her.

To be fair, it was probably because Fluttershy was going to depart with the rest of the girls tomorrow, finally heading back to their normal lives in Ponyville. Twilight blamed Fluttershy’s nerves. Her very sensitive, almost monomolecular nerves. She must have been itching with anxiousness and worry that everything would turn sour in the last possible moment.

Now why would she ever think that?

Twilight mused that she was turning into a bitter, cold, sarcastic cynic about twenty years too early. At least.

She had real trouble nailing Fluttershy as either an optimist or a pessimist even after all this time. She chuckled inwardly. Raegdan would probably call her a realist.

She might mention it to him later on, when they finally found him. In between helping Mint and her little brother settle, and assisting Princess Celestia’s old majordomo to get the members of the Lunar Guard to their temporary rooms, then being asked a hundred questions about them and their health, as well as being worried over in general by the old stallion, they kinda… lost track of a few important details.

Namely, where Princess Luna, Raegdan, Solid Charge, and Leaf Stream were. No biggie. They had to be around the castle somewhere. What was the worst that could happen?

Twilight fervently wished she hadn’t thought of these specific words in that specific order. Damnit, she was supposed to be smart!

Cadance walked along with Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash, telling stories as they wandered around the castle. Rainbow Dash was already infatuated with the charming Alicorn’s tales, if that madmare grin was anything to judge by.

“Then, after we made sure he was sound asleep we hid out of sight in the forest. Aunt Celestia then made this amazing combination of spells that allowed her to mirror Twilight’s image and voice at the location of her choice,” Cadance said, setting up the scene.

Rainbow’s grin grew two sizes hearing that sentence. “The pranks I could set up with that! What did you do then?”

“Set up a prank,” Cadance chortled. “There was this very tall tree with branches so thin they couldn’t even hope to support a filly’s weight. Aunt Celestia projected the mirror image right up on the top.” Cadance’s hoof pointed at the tip of an imaginary tree, and Rainbow’s eyes followed the movement.

“And then?”

“Then Twilight started screaming her head off to wake him up,” Cadance laughed.

“Oh gosh!”

“Oh Celestia, I had completely forgotten that.” Twilight didn’t know whether to grin or hide her face in shame.

“It was amazing!” Cadance kept interrupting herself as she tried to keep her giggling in check long enough to tell the story. “We couldn’t see him because we kept away so he wouldn’t notice us, but we could hear him very clearly. He made sure of that. First, he kept calling for aunt Celestia and me, and when we didn’t appear we heard him shouting colorful words about pegasi and everypony featherly inclined.”

“I didn’t hear any of that,” Twilight said as she craned her head to look down a passage. “You covered my ears with your hooves.”

“It was very colorful. A double rainbow of epithets.” Cadance grinned unapologetically. “A few moments later we no longer heard him shout. Instead, we hear breaking branches followed by a heavy landing. And then more branches breaking. Another painful landing. And again. And again…”

Fluttershy was frowning at Cadance’s and Rainbow’s nonstop giggling. “That sounds like a mean prank.”

Cadance brushed her watery eyes. “He likes mean. You don’t get much of a response out of him otherwise, and trust me, there were times he did much, much worse.” Some of the mirth left Cadance as she reminisced about those few but special occasions.

“Does that have anything to do with those rumors I heard that the wails of the haunting banshee was in reality you screaming?” Twilight casually asked.

“I admit to nothing,” Cadance declared. Rainbow Dash burst into another row of laughter.

“What happened then? Did you tell him he was being pranked? What did he do?” Rainbow Dash asked impatiently.

“We were going to,” Cadance admitted. They turned left, heading to the center of the castle where the throne room and many administrative functions were located. “We wasted too much time laughing though. Our bad. Aunt Celestia was about to end the spell when we saw Raegdan impossibly emerge over the treeline, climbing up the tree. He had wrapped his shirt around the tree trunk and made some weird jumping motions to climb even higher, holding himself up by pulling at the shirt. The tree was starting to bend by his weight and the shirt finally ripped, but not before he managed to hold on and almost reach fake Twilight.”

“Oh no,” Fluttershy breathed out, distressed even by the old story. Angel Bunny, nesting in her mane, seemed to find it funny instead. This bunny was way smarter than it had any right to be, and possessed a surprisingly mean streak.

“Now, at this point we could only watch as we realized how much we goofed. He made it all the way up to the top, reached out for Twilight… and poof!” Cadance’s wings popped out startlingly fast. “He stood there, staring at where the image was for all of two seconds before I had to cover Twilight’s ears again.”

“How did you get him down?” Rainbow Dash asked after her laughter subsided. “I mean, you can’t magic him down, you can’t carry him down without crashing yourself—”

“We had to gather up a lot of leaves,” Twilight informed her.

“And when he got down, and could stand up again, he pleasantly asked who came up with the idea. He had a gift to give.”

Rainbow Dash’s brows went up. “He didn’t hit you, did he? It was just a prank.”

“Please, Raegdan never hit me, Twilight, or Spike. He did slap Shining Armor a few times, but those were mostly playful, for stallions at least. Besides, it was aunt Celestia’s idea.”

“Yeah, he gave his ‘gift’ to her,” Twilight added.

“Which… was?”

“A second cutie mark,” Twilight said.

Cadance chortled. “A big, bright red imprint of his palm right next to her sun.”

They kept wandering, checking rooms in random, when their search was interrupted by the loud clanging of metal. They all turned as one at the direction of the sound.

“Ten bits says that’s—”

Twilight sighed wearily. “No bet, Rainbow.”

They found two out of four. They were in a waiting hall that had been furnished with many chairs and couches for the convenience of those that awaited outside the doors that lead into one of Princess Celestia’s most favored conference rooms. Two Solar guards were standing on the sides of the double doors, almost statuesque in their rigidity of their perfect, text-book definition guarding position.

The two Lunar guards that waited outside were instead giving their all into being as crass as possible. Raegdan was sprawled on a couch, one hand holding the small, brown satchel. An opened folder was laid across his chest. His gaze was locked on a small wooden box he held on the other hand.

Leaf Stream had been the source of the noise. Even as they watched she was trying to spin Raegdan’s shield like a top. It briefly made a few spins around itself before it got snagged on one of the many carpets and fell down with another loud metal crash. One of the Solars was glaring at her reproachfully, but the mare stared back tauntingly as she gave it another try and let the ruckus echo around them with no sign of attempting to stop it.

“Are you trying to start a fight?” Rainbow asked, having the time of her life so far today.

“I would say ‘no’,” Leaf Stream responded, “but subtlety is too… subtle for the likes of these dumbos. Heck yeah, I mean you. Especially you!” She pointed her hoof at the Solar guard on the right of the door, and fakely whispered at Rainbow while making her voice pierce through every eardrum in range.

“I used to have a thing going with that guy. Greatest waste of my life, let me tell you. Seriously, who gets an invitation for coffee and brings his own coffee? Who even thinks coffee is actually involved in any shape or form?” The Solar guard in question was standing firm and resolute, seemingly paying no attention to Leaf Stream’s rant as he kept partially turning into a lobster. “All that trouble, and you know what I got in the end? Here’s a tip; Cute doesn’t mean crap, and I don’t simply say that because he’s an idiot. He has the smallest, tiniest—”

Nope. Not registering the rest of that. Twilight followed Fluttershy’s example and gave all her attention to Raegdan. Rainbow Dash’s cackling helped. It covered most of what Leaf Stream was saying, letting only the most innocuous words make it through.

Belts and cucumbers sounded safe enough. She could live with knowing only that much.

Twilight pointed at the small box with some consideration. It reminded her too much of others she had seen. “Can you tell us what’s in that?”

Raegdan’s eyes could barely be seen through the helmet’s slit. “Yes.”

Twilight waited. Cadance giggled after a few moments. “Will you?”

Twilight brought her hoof against her face. Raegdan sat up properly and opened the box. He tilted it so Twilight, Cadance, and Fluttershy could look.

Inside was a lock of white hair, held together by a dark blue ribbon.

“Is that…” Twilight’s mouth went dry.

“I thought it would be nice to have something to put in a monument of some kind. Pressed between two panes of glass with an inscription maybe. Deeply carved. Luna liked the idea.”

“Morbid,” Rainbow Dash said as she walked over. Leaf Stream placed the shield on the couch and then sat down on the same couch, keeping the round piece of metal between her and Raegdan.

“I think it’s a delightful foreshadowing,” Leaf Stream said, after making herself comfortable. “First thing that has been planned for our headquarters here isn’t where we will bunk or eat or keep our armory. No, the first thing we have planned is our freaking graveyard. I’m so excited for what’s to come! I’m going to save me a nice spot, right in the middle.”

Cadance blinked in fascination. “I’m sorry, I don’t think we have been introduced…”

Twilight pointed at Cadance. “Leaf Stream, this is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Prefers to go by Cadance. She’s an Alicorn, and the Princess of Love. Cadance, this is Leaf Stream, member of the Lunar Guard. She’s a jerk.”

“Excuse you,” Leaf Stream snarled. “I’m a jerk captain of the Lunar Guard.”

“Is… everypony like this?” Cadance covertly whispered.

“They are all… characters,” was the best that Twilight could come up with.

Cadance’s eyes glimmered. “This is going to be fun!”

“Speaking of which, where is the commander and the princess?” Rainbow asked.

Raegdan pointed with his thumb at the guarded doors.

“Is something going on?” Twilight asked, worried.

“Nah. Celestia wants to go over some things with Luna. Mostly budget concerns, plans for the future, new rules, that kind of bore. Solid Charge is in there with her since most of it involves the Lunar Guard. I think Celestia is going about this so formally because she is trying to get Luna introduced in politics and administration. ”

As if waiting for this exact prompt, Luna’s voice thundered from inside, barely muted by the doors at her massive volume.

“I have less than ten guards at the moment! Why all these papers and math? What is this madness that you have wrought upon the realm and ourselves, sister?”

“Best of luck to both of them,” Raegdan said, putting a hand over the helmet as if to cover himself.

“How come you’re not in there?” Rainbow Dash asked, peering towards the closed doors as if she could see through them.

“Yes,” Leaf Stream said with the grin of a hungry wolf. “How come you’re not in there?”

Raegdan huffed, removed his helmet, and placed the box back into the satchel. The black material hid it very well, but Twilight spotted some glistening on a part of the cloth mask he wore. Was it caused by sweat or the ‘oozing’ he had mentioned?

“Because technically I don’t hold any actual rank -yes, you outrank me, grow up-, and besides that, Luna needs to start making her own decisions, without me.”

“Aw, is that graveyard talk?” Leaf Stream cooed.

“Not necessarily. I’m considering a vacation away from you specifically. Frankly, you smell. I think your stubs have started to rot, much like your humor. Why are you of all people sticking around me? Shouldn’t you have stayed with the others?”

“I was wondering that myself,” Twilight said.

Leaf Stream lifted her chin higher. “OK, Mister common guard, first point; Princess Luna needs to have guards—notice the plural—following her. I came along so that the prestige of my rank would offset your plebeianism, not because we are bff’s.”

“Uh-huh. And the real reason?” Raegdan asked.

“I’ve done that part before.” Leaf Stream pointed at Twilight. “I bet the others are breaking their backs moving bunks from one end of the castle to another, right?”

“Well, she’s not wrong,” Twilight admitted with a shrug.

“Yeah, I bet they even have to take them up stairs too. Super surprising how that always happens. Too bad I’m so busy guarding our princess to help. Oh how I long to help my fellows, but alas. Duty.”

Raegdan picked up the folder that had fallen off him and slipped to the side, and threw it at Leaf Stream, making pages float everywhere as the paper cover smacked the pegasus’ muzzle. “At least go through some of these instead of lazing around, miss captain.”

Twilight helped Leaf Stream gather everything up again. She used her magic to bring it all together, and with an instinct forged out of a lifetime doing so, she pulled everything in front of her to make sure they were stacked neatly. A name jumped out at her as she did so, and she read the first paragraph instead of giving up the pages to the expecting pegasus.

She put the pages down. “Sharp Chisel is dead?”

Leaf Stream bit on the reports quick as lighting and pulled them away from her. “I really don’t think you’re supposed to be reading these.”

“But… he died. How? Why?” Her eyes turned to Raegdan out of their own accord. “Did you…”

“Twilight!” Cadance yelled forbiddingly, and then turned disappointed. “This is sad news indeed. I visited an exhibit of his a few months back. It was…” Cadance sighed, shaking her head at the loss. One of her closed eyes peeked open at Raegdan. “I really wish you hadn’t broken his last work. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive you for that.”

“For a stupid statue? Really?” Raegdan sounded shocked.

“No, for a work of art. No matter how he turned in the end, Sharp Chisel’s work was to be admired. Why did you have to break it?” Cadance lamented. “It was a piece of Aunt Luna as well. I wish I was as lucky as her.”

“Why are you getting so hung up about it? It was a carved piece of stone.”

“It was art, Raegdan. Art. Does your kind hate it? Do you gather all together and burn paintings and books on holidays maybe?” Cadance said sarcastically.

Raegdan looked offended. “No, of course not! Come on, what do you take my kind for? The only ones who did that were—” He stopped abruptly, his finger hovering in midair in front of Cadance. He slowly lowered it, looking chastened and thoughtful.

“Can we get back to the point, please?” Twilight requested pretty tamely considering she was bubbling with anxiety on the inside.

“Meh. No need to get all twisted up for no reason,” Leaf Stream answered her. She was still scanning over the document, unperturbed. “According to this he had a heart attack while he was being brought here. Not that surprising, the guy was old, and paranoid enough that he had refused to sleep for days. What did he expect?”

“Then it’s—”

“My problem,” Raegdan emphasized absent-mindedly. His thoughts were obviously still elsewhere. He pulled the page out of Leaf Stream’s weak hold and ripped it in shreds. He balled them up and started throwing them at the Solar Guards who tried to endure it stoically.

“Stop that,” one of them barked after the third one hit him straight in the eye.

“Come here and make me, sunny boy.”

“Our problem,” Leaf Stream corrected him after a few moments chuckling, and a couple of throws herself. She turned to Twilight. “Listen, I can see where you’re coming from and that you’re concerned, but let us worry about this particular angle instead, alright? That’s what our job is supposed to be. We might not know who has the bombs, the griffins might not be talking, and we have no idea who is hiding behind the scenes, but...”

Leaf Stream stalled. Her hoof beckoned for Raegdan to jump in. “But, uh… some help here?”

“I don’t know. No one’s dead yet?” Raegdan shrugged.

“Not directly at least. There appear to be some leads in here,” Leaf Stream quickly pointed out before Twilight could say anything, quickly poring through the folder. “Wow, Princess Celestia hasn’t been sitting around. Lots of names here. Seems the apple shaking actually worked. We can take a look and see what pops up. Heck, Princess Luna can try her dream magic too. Nothing about the griffins though. All they do is claim that they decided to try and kill Princess Luna on their own.”

“Could that be true?” Twilight asked. Was this really it? A few individuals who chose to act on their own or some ponies like Sharp Chisel who were hooked or paid by an unknown pony?

“Aunt Celestia doubts that,” Cadance said. “All their equipment was brand new and very expensive. They were financed by somepony at the very least.”

“Yeah, all these pointy arrows add up fast,” Leaf Stream chuckled.

“Worst comes to worst, I could interrogate the griffins myself,” Raegdan offered.

“I, uh, don’t think that idea will fly well with Princess Celestia,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Solid Charge is saying no as well, and I’ve got to agree with him,” Leaf Stream added, frowning in disapproval.

Raegdan let the couch support his back once more. There was a small ripping sound as he moved his leg and one of the sharp edges snagged on the cloth. He shook his head in disappointment. “You all drive me up the wall sometimes. A few hours, that’s all I need. Is that so hard?”

Twilight answered quickly. “No. That’s the problem. Don’t go near them, Raegdan. Let Solid Charge deal with them. If he wants your ‘help’ he will ask for it.” If it was up to Twilight, Solid Charge never would do so. She heavily doubted the minotaur would ever allow it either.

“Honestly, why shouldn’t Raegdan try to ask them? Who knows, he might be able to trick them into talking to him somehow,” Cadance asked innocently. “You guys make it sound like he’s going to torture them.”

Her jesting smile faded as everypony looked away. Raegdan chuckled at the lack of support.

“I was kidding! Raegdan? You’re- You’re not actually going to do something like this, are you?” Cadance’s voice trembled.

“Apparently not,” Raegdan answered. “I hope they’re doing something better than just keeping them in a cell. Starvation and keeping them awake at all times works well enough sometimes. Isolation too. That would break them.”

Cadance put a hoof in front of her mouth and burped. She wavered a little as she stood. “That’s definitely not allowed by aunt Celestia either, not after seeing for herself what it did to you. She knew it was bad, but she didn’t expect that much. She would never forgive herself if you hadn’t made it out ok in the end. You will have to take it up with her. I don’t believe you will be able to convince her.”

“Eh, I kinda gave her wrong assurances at the time. It wasn’t her fault. Anyway, the griffins are not that important at the moment. I’ll get to it in a day or two. We’re going to try and take advantage of the current climate and get some more people to join.”

Rainbow Dash leaped in the air, suddenly excited. “Oh, that reminds me! There are a few ponies I’ve been talking to that want to join. Some of them were interested even before the Baltimare thingy.”

“It’s really nice to see that killing a Leviathan has been demoted to ‘thingy’ now. Any unicorns?” Raegdan asked, pleased.

“One or two. Smoke Ring for instance. He tried to join the Solar Guard, but they turned him down because he didn’t have proper combat talents. That’s what they said at least. I promised you’d give him a chance anyway.”

Raegdan’s finger tapped at his chin. “Smoke Ring? Smoke Ring, Smoke Ring… Wait, is that a guy who has an actual smoke ring on his ass?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Raegdan, it’s called a cutie mark.” It was like he was determined to never call cutie marks by their proper name.

“Yeah.” Rainbow Dash nodded fervently. “You’ve met him?”

“My foot has. I think I made a joke about low visibility at the time, or was it a fart joke? I don’t think he appreciated it either way. So he doesn’t hold a grudge, huh?”

Cadance huffed, amused once more. “Your feet have met almost every guard in the castle.”

“Not my fault. Celestia refuses to give me a complete list so I’ve missed some. They never liked me anyway, and I didn’t like them back. I don’t do well with guards of any kind.” He looked up at Rainbow who was hovering over him. “Hold on a second. You mentioned that before. In that… letter, you sent.”

“Oh yeah. I forgot about that.”

“I think I never really will. You also said there was a rumor going on about me eating ponies and that you took care of it.”

“Of course I did,” Rainbow Dash said in her usual cocky way, doing a somersault around herself. “I said I would, didn’t I?”

“What did you do?”

“It’s simple!” Rainbow Dash explained slowly, as if talking to a group of learning-deficient foals. “Everypony half-believes rumors because they think there might be a nugget of truth in them, right? So, if I wanted ponies not to believe that one I had to make sure it was too stupid to believe. That’s why I blew it up a tad.”

“How?” Twilight asked. She hadn’t known about this either.

“According to current rumors you prefer Alicorn meat.” Rainbow Dash smirked devilishly. “Get it? As in, you took a bite out of Princess Celestia? How stupid does that sound? Who’s going to believe that?”

Raegdan hid his face in his palms, letting out a small groan. Twilight rested her hoof on her own forehead for a second, determined not to say anything.

“What? Too cool?”

“And then aunt Luna walked into the castle with a big chunk missing from her side,” Cadance chortled.

“Oops. I’m so sorry! In my defense, how was I supposed to know this was going to happen? I couldn’t know!” Rainbow Dash hovered in front of Raegdan, begging with her hooves for forgiveness.

“It’s fine,” Raegdan said, sounding amused himself. “As you said, only the idiots will believe that. Hopefully. No real damage done.”

“Umm, has everything been okay then? Nothing else happened while we were gone?” Fluttershy asked Raegdan.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, you know, nothing. Just in… general.” Fluttershy turned her head away, hiding behind her long mane, but revealing something stirring inside it at the same time.

Raegdan reached out with his hand. “You’ve got something in ther— hey, it tried to bite me!” He shook his gloved hand and stared at Fluttershy suspiciously, saying a strange word. “Meedhusha?”

Angel Bunny popped out of Fluttershy’s mane and hopped on the crown of her head, gesturing wildly at the biped before it, and hissed like a snake.

“Angel Bunny, please be nice,” Fluttershy pleaded softly.

“That’s your pet?” Raegdan sounded amazed.

“Yes. Umm… He didn’t mean it. He’s very nice when you get to know him.”

“Look! He’s shaking his fist at me.”

Fluttershy quickly grabbed Angel Bunny and cradled him against her cheek, trying to keep him out of Raegdan’s sight. The biped wouldn’t have it though. He got up, and bending at the waist, kept following Fluttershy around, watching the little bunny.

“Raegdan, he’s just a little rude. Don’t hurt him,” Twilight said.

“I’m not going to hurt him,” Raegdan reached tentatively for the small pet. “Does he know any other gestures like that?”

Fluttershy and Angel Bunny looked at each other in surprise. “Well…” Fluttershy said quietly before depositing her pet on the couch. Angel Bunny seemed a little put out before it finally hit him that the spotlight was on him. He coughed theatrically and bowed.

Then he jumped around himself, slapped his tail, and started wiggling his bottom while pointing at it with both arms, right towards Raegdan’s covered face. Fluttershy winced and covered her eyes with her hooves, fearful over Raegdan’s response.

Cadance whispered in Twilight’s ear, highly amused. “Aaand… he just fell in love with it.”

Raegdan was laughing with delight at Angel Bunny’s ‘antics’. His reaction was stirring Fluttershy’s pet to greater heights, showing off his complete repertoire, from blowing his tongue, to imitating the slitting of a throat.

“I swear, if I thought I’d have the time to take care of him I would offer to buy him from you.” Raegdan’s laughing proposal urged Angel Bunny to look anxiously at his owner.

“H- He’s not for sale. He’s mine…” Fluttershy weakly said.

“You don’t mind if I…” Raegdan asked, making a vague gesture towards the bunny.

“Oh, no. Please, go ahead.” Fluttershy smiled, much more at ease with where the conversation was heading. “You can pet him as much as—”

Raegdan picked up the bunny and placed him higher on the back of the couch, and stood up himself. “Ok, little guy. I noticed you were missing some good ones. Know how to do the groin thrust?”

Twilight lied down on the floor and covered her face with her front legs. Fluttershy bit her lips and became ripe. Cadance and Rainbow Dash giggled with anticipation. Leaf Stream simply said “Nope,” and turned one hundred and eighty degrees around her axis.

Twilight peeked. She couldn’t help herself and her damned curiosity that damned her every single day.

Okay, yeah, alien and bunny had synchronized their thrusts, switching from left to right as one. That was a thing now. She went back under her forelegs and pretended it was a warm, cozy grave. The two guards behind them were staring. Why did Raegdan have to be like that out in public? Her mother was exactly the same! She wondered who gave this habit to whom.

“Right, this next one is pretty simple but effective. First, you grab your b—”

“No!” Fluttershy shouted. Every eye turned on her and she squatted down. “I- I meant to say that you can’t teach them too many tricks at once. He has to rest now.” Angel Bunny squeaked questioningly, placing a paw against his chest.

Raegdan shrugged, though Twilight could tell by the silent sigh that he was a little disappointed that his fun got interrupted. He picked up Angel Bunny and placed him back on Fluttershy’s head. A white paw lifted up in the air, and when Raegdan disbelievingly placed his open palm near him the bunny slapped his paw against his palm with excitement.

“This little guy is amazing! Luna has to meet him. Has little flame seen him?”

Rainbow almost choked. “Oh, they’ve met, don’t worry.”

“I guess I’ll show you some new moves when I see you again, little guy,” Raegdan said, sitting back on the couch.

Angel Bunny saluted back, and then started thrusting with gusto towards a heavily irritated Leaf Stream from his place atop Fluttershy’s head.

“Oh my. I’ll have to keep you in the house for a few days, Angel Bunny.”

Raegdan leaned forward, staring down the corridors. “Now that I mentioned it, has any of you seen little flame? He wasn’t at the station so I thought he’d meet us here. I’ve been looking for him.”

Right. Twilight had dreaded this moment, but it was a decision she had made after careful thinking, weighing the pros and cons, and being brutally honest with herself all the time. It was time to rip that band aid.

“Spike is not here. Raegdan, there is something we need to talk about. The two of us, alone if you don’t mind.”

Raegdan faced her with suspicion. He didn’t refuse however. He picked up his shield and helmet from his side, and rose up again, wearing the helmet once more rather than carrying it.

“I should probably go and check the tower anyway before Luna comes out and insists on helping. We can talk on the way. You’re not coming in though, just to be clear, not until I finish up.”

“Wait, you’re seriously going to leave me alone? With those guys?” Leaf Stream asked loudly, her hoof pointing behind her at the Solar Guards. “What if they try to take advantage of my supple body? Do you understand the disappointment I’m in for?”

Cadance tittered behind her hoof, evidently enjoying Leaf Stream’s banter. “I’ll stay with you while Rainbow Dash goes to get one of your fellows to join you. It will give us some time to talk.”

Rainbow Dash puffed up, ready to show off. “Ha. Not as much time as you’d want to. I’ll be back in ten seconds flat.” And with that she zoomed off in the wrong direction.

Leaf Stream smirked at Cadance and turned her back to Raegdan and Twilight, heading back to one of the couches with her. “Princess of Love, huh? That must be fun. Does this extend to both stallions and mares or do you swing one way only?”

Cadance hummed, doubtful of her poor choice.

“Have fun, Cadance,” Raegdan yelled behind him as he left. Twilight trotted to catch up with him.

Fluttershy ran along behind them, reddening when Twilight glanced back at her. “Um, can I come along, please? I’ll stay behind and won’t bother you. I’ll let you talk.”

Twilight nodded, allowing this courtesy to her friend and Raegdan not caring at all. She walked side by side with Raegdan, following a twisting path that would take them to the inner entrance of Luna’s tower.

It felt like old times in a way. At least as long as she let herself forget how Raegdan was currently dressed. The two of them walking in the corridors of the castle, ponies smiling at her and greeting her while nervously glancing at the protector next to her who chuckled in dark amusement. It was like she was a filly again.

Much of it was due to how the last couple of days had been. After taking down those ponies in Manehattan Raegdan seemed to relax, to the point that today it actually felt as if she had the old Raegdan back. The one who would crack jokes every now and then, and would be mostly antagonistic rather than properly hostile.

The old her, the one from less than a month back, would see that as a sign of progress. The new and experienced Twilight 2.0 knew otherwise. He hadn’t gotten better and neither would he ever, not in so little of time. He was weighed down by too much to even consider—what a fool she had been—that he would be fine after a few weeks. Princess Celestia had the right idea, being immensely patient and taking her time. She simply had to continue like that, watching him as much as she could and keeping him from sliding back.

What an easy thing to do with current events being what they were~

The tilde at the end of a sentence means sarcasm.

Little steps, where she would have to make sure nopony innocent got hurt while making them, that was the ticket. Including those who could be hurt by other than his bouts of violence. Which was what she needed to get her flank moving and start doing.

“Where is little flame if he’s not here, then?” Raegdan finally asked, tired of waiting.

“Home. With my parents,” Twilight specified.

“Huh. Why didn’t Velvet bring him along at the station then?”

“She didn’t because you weren’t the only one who sent a letter a few days ago.”

Raegdan chuckled, but Twilight could feel he was starting to become tense. “Are you going to make me pull it out of you word by word, littl—Twilight?”

Twilight shook her head, both to tell him no, but to also clear her head. Rip that band aid, Twilight. Rip it. “A few years ago, a few months before I went to Ponyville actually, Princess Celestia had her role as Spike’s guardian transferred to me. As far as the law is concerned I am responsible for him like a parent would be.”

“You’re a little too young to have this thrust upon you, aren’t you? Celestia should have asked me instead. Little flame would have liked that.”

“Princess Celestia didn’t have me appointed as Spike’s guardian because she minded the responsibility or anything like that. She did it because as the adult pony who kept Spike under her supervision almost constantly I was the most appropriate one to make decisions for his welfare. She asked me, and I accepted.”

They walked in silence for a little while. A small part of Twilight hoped he would understand, that he wouldn’t push, but of course he would. Even if he didn’t she would have to explain further anyway.

“Twilight, what are you trying to say to me?” Raegdan spoke very carefully, keeping his voice painfully level.

Twilight sighed. “I told mom to keep Spike away from you until we had this discussion. You are no longer allowed in Spike’s presence unless I’m also there or someone else that I have appointed, like mom or Princess Celestia. You will—”

Raegdan stopped in place. There was a barely audible gasp from Fluttershy behind them, but true to her word she stayed otherwise silent. Twilight kept an eye on his hands. The fingers were completely still, suspiciously so. “Little flame is like… You can’t do this!”

“I can, and I have.” She spoke gently, and placed a placating hoof on his leg. “This doesn’t mean that you’re forbidden from seeing him or spending time with him at all. It just means that there are some rules in place for Spike’s protection.”

“Protection from what?” Raegdan shouted. Twilight pulled back, frowning pointedly, and he took a deep breath, the faintest whistle coming from the air holes in his helmet.

“From you.” She continued quickly, to explain herself before he could interrupt her. “Raegdan, Spike sees you as his dad, but the problem is that you… you simply can’t be one right now. I don’t mean that just because of the problems you have, but they are a significant factor. You held a knife to his neck, remember?”

“That wasn’t my—”

“Maybe it wasn’t, and I neither believe it was nor do I blame you, but you did. Even if that hadn’t happened, I still would have made the same decision.” There was a window to the right. She hopped on her hind legs and looked outside, away from him and the hurt she was inflicting.

“You simply can’t be what Spike wants from you, especially now. When Night Lilly died I… I was hurt. I needed somepony to sit with me, to help me through what I saw happen, not just to her but Rarity and... My friends did so for me, even though they were hurting themselves. I stayed up half the night trying not to cry and failing, and where were you? You had stalked off to find a pony to hurt, somepony who was so scared that he didn’t realize what he had done. You didn’t even think twice. That was your priority. How then can I entrust you alone with Spike? He believes in you so much. I simply don’t want to—”

“Burst his bubble?” Raegdan almost growled.

“Let him lose that faith in you. If something similar happens, and recent events lead me to believe it is very possible, then I can’t in good conscience allow you to be alone with Spike when I can’t be certain that his safety, physical or emotional, won’t be your primary concern. This is for the best of both of you, and it will only be for as long as I think it’s necessary. I promise.”

“This isn’t fair, Twilight.”

“No it isn’t!” Twilight snapped. She was doing her best out of an impossible task and he dared to whine like a petulant colt? “It is not fair to me that I have to make such decisions, because you know what? I am too young, but here I am. It is not fair to Spike because all he wants is a parent that will focus on him, and he can’t have that! But you? Think of everything you’ve done, Raegdan, and then tell me. Would you of all people entrust Spike to somepony like you? As far as you are concerned, this is extremely lenient. You have no grounds to complain. I’ve been bending over for you!”

Twilight twisted around to finally look at him. His fingers were trembling: wanting to make a fist but forcing not to, and she noticed he retreated a couple steps from her. His helmet she had started to abhor was aimed straight at her. Twilight glared back, equally fuming. He had no possible retort, and no action he could take against her. Her decision would stand.

He never got to agree because they were interrupted. Four large minotaurs appeared, each of them dressed in armor and wielding a gigantic, two headed axe. Two of them approached from behind them, Fluttershy backing away from them until her behind smacked into Twilight, the other two in front, boxing them in. Raegdan surreptitiously moved in front of the ponies, lightly pushing them towards the window.

Twilight had the very sudden notion that if the minotaurs got too close he would throw them out the window.

“Can we help you?” Twilight asked pleasantly, though a little haltingly.

The minotaurs kept a respectable distance from them, but didn’t leave them any space to go through. One of them spoke up. “King Crucible, ruler of Minos, demands this Lunar Guard’s presence.”

“Well, you can tell old Crucy that he can demand on one hand and shi—”

“Raegdan!” Twilight stopped him, horrified. “Forgive us. We will be glad to accept his invitation,”

“King Crucible has not asked for your presence,” the same minotaur stated.

“He is getting us as a freebie, then,” Twilight flared, tired of all the dancing around. Celestia, was everything connected with the castle and royalty so frustrating? No wonder Princess Celestia kept reiterating how much she loved her letters from Ponyville. They must have been like a breath of fresh air.

Twilight and Fluttershy stood next to Raegdan. “Shall we, then?”

Rarity wasn’t sure. Not yet.

She walked to the entrance and stared down the long room from the threshold. She humphed, annoyed to find herself right, and walked to the end of the room, trying to get a better sense of the space. She didn’t have to, the voice inside her head was screaming at her, roaring to be heard, demanding that the wrong be made right. She ignored it for as long as she could. She needed a complete view first.

She was sure now. This was wrong. Completely, utterly, irrevocably, thoroughly, and unconditionally wrong.

“I’m sorry, darlings, but we must move the beds perpendicular to this wall. Hup-hup, now. Here are some good lads. Cradle Song, please, there is no need for such crude displays. All you’re accomplishing is staining the wall. I’ll have you clean all of it if you don’t stop.”

Cradle Song stopped beating his forehead against the wall, and stumbled in defeat back to the bunk beds, ready to drag them to a new position once more.

“Since we’re making changes,” Broken Gust grunted, “is it ok if I put a sheet around my bed?” Her dark blue mane was plastered on her head, filled with sweat.

“Why?” Cradle Song asked innocently.

Broken Gust was already flustered from the tiring work, so it was hard to gauge if she blushed or not. “For, uh… privacy. So you don’t hear me. I mean, I snore. A lot.”

“Is that what they call it now?” Eventide was sitting comfortably on a chair, excused from the backbreaking labor and lording over them like a spider queen while her nefarious vizier set them all to work on pointless tasks, designed to simply drain them so they could feast on them.

At least that’s how Applejack put it. With three of their small number vanished, and then losing Drum Beat when Rainbow Dash came and told them he had guard duty to do, the strong earth pony was conscripted for her talents as was Rarity for her own.

So, they pushed and Rarity told them where.

“Anyone have some wax I can borrow for my ears tonight?” Cast Iron asked with a grimace of understanding.

Cradle Song gagged, his face full of disgust and awkwardness. “I’ll go into town and buy earplugs. I’ll get a set for you too.”

“Really classy, you guys. Is this really what you think of me?” Broken Gust moaned, breathing heavily.

“Does that mean I don’t have to buy earplugs then?” Cradle Song asked. Sweat was dripping by the end of his red beard, and he attempted to lay on the bed he just positioned before Rarity stopped him with an authoritative click of her tongue.

“You know what? Screw you guys. Spread the word and buy earplugs for everypony. I’ve got a lot of stress, and if I want to deal with it by rubbing my—”

Rarity frowned. “Broken Gust, please. Your behavior doesn’t befit a lady. No more of this crass talk.”

“You’re lucky you have a sweet flank,” Broken Gust grumbled beneath her breath, pushing again.

“I’m sorry?”

“Sweet, I’m almost done. Here, right?”

Rarity took a few steps back, and measured everything with a critical eye. “Not bad. Oh, but the floor,” she lamented. “We need carpets. Some drapes too. I’m going to ask Paisley Leaf if—”

“Okay, that does it!” Applejack yelled. She wasn’t as sweaty or tired as the others were, but that wasn’t because she had worked any less hard than the rest of them. “First of all, this is a dormitory. A temporary one for guards. They don’t need carpets, and even if they did we already put the bunk beds in place. Second, there are no windows to put drapes on.”

“Applejack, a homely place to rest will be good for the state of their morale.”

“You’ve already broken my morale,” Broken Gust mumbled.

“Pardon?”

“My morale is unbroken. Turn back around.”

“Point is, ah’m tired and ah’m hungry, and if ah have to change everything again because your ‘muse’ tells you to ah’m gonna have a stroke. We’ve been at this for hours.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. Leave it to Applejack to be overly dramatic over nothing at all. Making a mountain out of a molehill like a small, spoiled foal. “I suppose we can take a small break if you are going to be so difficult. I could nibble something myself. You should eat something hearty too, Applejack. Your stamina is sorely lacking today.”

Applejack’s jaw trembled, and her right eyelid spasmed a couple of times. She took a deep breath, held it for a second, and deflated like a balloon. “Why, thank ya kindly for being so thoughtful and considerate, Rarity. Ah’d like that.”

Was that sarcasm?

“It is no problem,” Rarity said charitably, leading her friend out. “Would you like to have a bath first? You look like… There is an aroma… You don’t portray your possible best at the moment.”

“Chow first,” Applejack insisted.

“Of course.” Rarity switched directions. She had been intending to dine at one of the fine establishments in Canterlot, but due to her current predicament—vis a vis a stubborn, sweaty, earth pony mare—it would have to be the castle’s mess hall instead. Maybe even the actual kitchens if she could manage it.

“Where’s Pinkie Pie? Still exploring the castle with Stormdrain?”

“Most possibly. I prefer not to know lest I have to share in the responsibility of her shenanigans myself.”

They chanced on a lot of ponies as they walked, and all of them were talking in low voices, most of them whispering to each other. Feeling particularly self aware Rarity was trying to stand a little further from her farmer friend. Applejack, of course, simply altered her course to walk right next to her again.

“I mean, I don’t even like him, but I would never wish that to happen to him.”

“Rarity, hold on. Did ya hear that?” Applejack said, putting a hoof on her, and staring back at two Royal guards conversing.

Rarity quickly wiped her coat before the suspicious moisture had time to stain her. “Applejack, dear, it’s not proper to eavesdrop.”

“Shhh! Listen,” Applejack ordered.

“Is he going to live?”

“Which one? That was a lot of damage. I mean, just the eye alone…” The guard shivered.

“What did he think he was doing picking a fight?”

The other guard sighed. “I don’t know. I hope Princess Celestia can deal with her sister. She’ll go on the warpath when she finds out, I bet. Best we can hope for is that everypony makes it out alive.”

Rarity and Applejack turned to each other, their thoughts reaching the same conclusion at the same time, and running together as one. They had to find Twilight!

Twilight had been in this room before.

It wasn’t like this last time. It was a drawing room for ponies to sit and enjoy the garden view through the open balcony in spring, summer, or even warm autumn days. The room now lay almost barren of all furniture. All that remained was a small round table over a blue carpet, where a bowl of oranges was laid on, and two simple chairs. One of them was empty. On the other sat a king.

King Crucible was wearing full armor. Gold and brushed steel hugged his body, practical in form, and surprisingly plain with only gold accents decorating it. He wore an open faced helm with spikes rising upwards in lieu of a crown. It reminded Twilight of Raegdan’s own helm. An axe lay at his side, one handed and small compared to the ones his bodyguards held, but still large and heavy for a pony.

His bodyguards entered behind Twilight and Raegdan, and took places by the door and the balcony, saying nothing at all. The king of Minos was currently focused on peeling an orange. He didn’t even look up as they entered.

The bodyguards bowed their heads and left with a single, silent gesture by the king, leaving the three of them alone with him.

Raegdan motioned for Twilight and Fluttershy to wait by the wall. Twilight decided not to push it, and did as he asked. It was obvious that King Crucible only meant to speak to one of them, and that wasn’t her or Fluttershy. Better to stay aside in here than be forced outside. She made sure to take a bow first, even if King Crucible pretended not to pay attention to them.

Raegdan picked up the chair and turned it sideways before he sat down so he would have to turn his head to speak to the minotaur king. Raegdan’s back was now turned against the wall rather than the door. King Crucible choked a single bark of laughter when he did that.

“Here I am,” Raegdan announced, rude as you please against royalty.

“Here you are,” King Crucible agreed, nodding slowly. He offered the naked orange in his hand. “Would you like a slice?”

“I’m good,” Raegdan refused.

The king huffed, amused. “I believe a lot of ponies would disagree.” He grabbed two oranges and threw them towards Twilight and Fluttershy. Twilight caught the gently thrown fruits in her magic easily.

“Thank you,” she called out, passing one to Fluttershy.

“Why am I here?” Raegdan asked.

“A question that all of us ask at one point in our lives,” King Crucible joked.

“Ah. You’re going to be cute.”

The armored minotaur started peeling another orange. “I’ve got questions. You’ve got answers.” All signs of joviality left him as he scrutinized Raegdan’s armor, his mouth becoming a thin line at every crescent moon. “I never would have expected you to wear her sigils,” he said darkly, popping a piece of fruit in his mouth.

“So this is what it’s all about. You don’t like Princess Luna.”

The king shrugged, carefully separating the juicy pieces one by one. “I don’t know her. For all I know I might like her... as a pony. What I don’t like is her past and the chance for another Nightmare Moon incident.”

Raegdan huffed. “Dear heavens. Get a few thousands killed and they never let you live it down.”

“Outrageous, right? Do you know what a king does, Raegdan?”

“Sit on a throne?”

“You’re going to be cute yourself, I see. He protects his people. Looks after them, and their welfare. This is what I am trying to do. The Night Bringer actually looked for, found, and then allowed a demon to take her over. This is not the kind of pony I trust with any kind of power that can potentially harm my subjects. So no, I don’t like her. ”

Raegdan stayed silent. His head swivelled, pausing at every corner of the empty room for a second before returning to the king. “I hope you’re not getting any ideas.”

“About killing her you mean?” King Crucible leaned his body back. “I had this very discussion with Celestia. This option is currently… off the table,” he rubbed his eyes. “I could push the issue perhaps. I have some very good leverage now, especially with the mess in Baltimare, or I could even marshall my armies, but I won’t. For Celestia’s sake mostly. In the chance she’s right to hope. She knows what she’s doing more often than not. I will trust her on this if she’s so firm in her belief.”

Raegdan stood. “I have work to do. I’m glad that’s settled—”

“Sit back down!” King Crucible ordered harshly, his hands steepled beneath his chin. “We are not done.”

Raegdan stayed standing. “I like you, but if you think you can order me around you have another thing coming,” he warned.

“Leave then, and I’ll take any following actions under the consideration that you and your new master are hostile,” King Crucible threatened.

Raegdan sat down slowly, chuckling. “And here I thought that we were friends.”

King Crucible’s guffaw shook the room. “I always did like your style. So unlike Celestia, it made me wonder how she put up with you. At least you didn’t flinch from doing what needed to be done.” King Crucible put a hand against his chest. “You’ll always have my approval for saving Twilight Sparkle as you did.”

“Thanks.”

“But I can’t help but wonder, why did you flinch on the Night Bringer?”

Raegdan crossed his arms and put one foot over the other. “I don’t know anyone by that name.”

“Fine. Princess Luna then. I kept expecting to hear that you killed her or tried to.”

The steel helmet shook left and right in disappointment. “Why does everyone always expect this to be my go to reaction for everything?”

“Not that important, I guess,” King Crucible said, abandoning this line of questioning. He gathered up the orange peels, reaching to the floor to gather one or two that fell off, and threw them back into the bowl. “Maybe you can tell me a thing or two about the Leviathan then?”

Raegdan’s head moved slyly towards the king. “I suppose you’re going to humbly ask us to take care of yours?”

King Crucible laughed again. “Ah, I already know how that will go. A promise that you will, only to be delayed over and over. Please, you’d never actually go against the Mountain, not when you could dangle the promise of its death like a carrot in front of my face forever. You’re no Celestia, Raegdan, and neither is the princess you serve.”

Raegdan’s thumbs circled each other on his lap. Twilight almost denied the accusation, but held her tongue at the last possible moment, in no small part thanks to Fluttershy’s hoof on her shoulder. She kept silent.

King Crucible had always been a level, pragmatic, and reasonable figure. If he held a grudge against Luna then it was better to do as Raegdan did. Let him vent, say what he wanted to say, and say as little as possible in return, making sure not to give him anything that he could take as validation to what he thought or misconstrued.

She just hoped that Raegdan was up to the task.

“But the one in Baltimare, that is the one I’m interested in,” the heavily armored minotaur king continued, his hand stroking his jaw. “Especially the massive explosion. What exactly did you do?”

“I farted,” Raegdan deadpanned. Twilight choked on the orange. It obviously had been the wrong time to try and swallow. “I was a bomb loaded with beans.”

The king chuckled. “Funny, but no. Did… Princess Luna do something? I would like to hear the truth.”

“Fine, you got me,” Raegdan raised his hands in surrender. “It was Luna. She farted. I was just there to light the match. Way to be an ass and call out a lady like that.”

King Crucible leaned back on his seat. His right hand was under his chin, lightly scratching it, while the left one tapped rhythmically on the table. His gaze was locked on Raegdan who withstood it with no apparent complaint at all.

Twilight felt like squirming under that penetrating stare, and it wasn’t even directed at her. It wasn’t a vacant stare or simply a watchful eye. King Crucible’s glare was like a physical presence, an immense weight beyond anything she had ever witnessed, somehow similar yet radically different to Princess Celestia’s.

Raegdan stared back, unmoved.

A wolfish grin, revealing large, flat teeth, spread over King Crucible’s face. “You can’t do it again. Whatever it was, however you did it, you can’t. I don’t know if it was a fluke, random chance, or a one-use spell or weapon, and I don’t care. You can’t.” The king stood up, slowly. The room was filled with his presence. He was so large, tall as Raegdan, but wider, more massive.

“That only leaves me one final question.”

“I’m all ears. The sooner we’re done, the bett—”

They both moved as one. Raegdan kicked the table towards King Crucible and fell sideways, rolling away immediately, even as the axe swished past where his head was a moment before.

Solid Charge tried to keep notes. He didn’t see any particular reason to do so, he wasn’t even sure what everything he wrote down was or how important it was, but he thought it was better to be safe than sorry. It also kept him busy, letting him pretend that he was able to ignore what was happening.

“Luna, if you could please pay attention rather than keep destroying the curtains, I’d be much obliged,” Princess Celestia pleaded. Solid Charge was immensely impressed. The ancient princess had more patience than a mountain.

“Your words wound me, sister. I am not demolishing thy drapes. I am simply dismantling them so they may be of use.” Luna rubbed her chest over her heart. “I think something I ate gave me heartburn…”

“You are making nooses!” Princess Celestia pointed out. “Luna, please. We need to go over jurisdiction rules after we sign off on this quarter’s equipment budget.” Solid Charge perked up. At least this next part was something he actually needed to pay attention to and would come of use.

“All the more reason to hurry up. Worry not, sister, I am making one for you too. We shall find release from this torment together.” Princess Luna stopped tying knots for a moment. “My commander, would you like a noose of your own?”

“Erm, no. Thank you nonetheless, Princess.” At times he felt as if he had put one around his neck on a certain night in a certain alley anyway.

“You have been spending too much time with Raegdan!” Princess Celestia accused her sister with a hoof pointing straight at her. She gave Solid Charge a thankful smile. “Thank you for not encouraging her.”

Princess Celestia’s hoof reached forward to grasp one of the dozens of pages spread on the table. Instead it booped Twilight Sparkle’s nose who appeared in a flash.

“Twilight? Is something wrong?” Princess Celestia immediately asked. Princess Luna abandoned her hoofwork to the floor and paid close attention to the young mare.

The purple unicorn was breathing hard, and for a few seconds she seemed unsure of where she was. Solid Charge managed to get a glimpse of her eyes, and he didn’t like what he saw. The pupils were contracted so much that her irises were almost the new pupils, filled with fear.

“Raegdan! West Rose View in the castle grounds! Won’t stop! It was the filly, and he got hit, and then he was down, and he hit me, he’s got him and he won’t stop, he doesn’t listen—”

“Twilight, calm down! I’m going there right now, follow me.” It took Twilight Sparkle, normally one of the smartest persons he had known, a second or two to register what the princess said to her. She nodded fervently, and the two vanished in the flash of magic.

Princess Luna’s eyes went wide, and she jumped towards them, just as they teleported. “Wait! Where is—”

Solid Charge doubted they ever heard her.

The Alicorn he now served was turning in place like a lost child, trying to find its bearings. “West Rose View? Which place is that supposed to be? Where is it? Where is it?”

“I don’t know,” Solid Charge said. “Don’t you? It’s your home, princess.”

“This castle is not my home!” Princess Luna shouted. She bit her bottom lip, ferociously. A drop of blood welled out and dripped down her chin. “The tower. He’ll go to my tower. He’ll be fine. He won’t leave me alone. He’ll go to the tower!”

“Princess Luna, wait—”

“Find him, and get him to the tower if he isn’t there already! I’ll go there now!”

“Wait, we—” Too late. The princess teleported away, too lost in her anxiety and personal fears.

“—can ask the guards,” Solid Charge finished saying to no one. He looked around him. No time to worry about papers. He had to find where exactly west rose view was.

Twilight could never get the hang of fighting. True, most— alright, all physical activities eluded her grasp, but nothing more than martial activity, unless she relied heavily on her magic. It required something more than thought, no matter how fast your mind was. In fact, thinking could be a downside.

It was more about actions and reactions. A balance of will and motion, and actual balance of course. The ability to move and shift while retaining a proper stance, and yet still be able to dodge or block, without ever losing the ability to attack and counterattack. You had to know everything your body was doing without paying attention to it, and at the same time pay close attention to everything your opponent’s body was doing.

One tip that always stayed with her, that Twilight was certain almost everypony had heard of, was to watch your opponent’s eyes. She scoffed inwardly. Like that was a nugget of wisdom that could change the outcome of a fight. It wasn’t. You could watch your opponent’s eyes all you wanted, but it meant nothing if you couldn’t understand what you were seeing, and that took experience, time, and learning your current foe. That meant you had to survive until you could get a read on him.

The other thing was that the other side of the fight might know that little, very-well-known tip too. At best it meant that the opponent would try to read you too. Worse, he might try to trick you.

The worst option was that he could do what King Crucible did: Give away nothing at all.

Raegdan’s hammer swung from the right, in a low curve. The minotaur king blocked it with his own weapon, looking terribly at ease as he did so, as he did every time he blocked so far. The hammer’s haft met the axe’s. King Crucible rotated his grip and savagely pulled it back. The hammer’s haft slipped under the axe’s heel of the head, and got trapped in its grip like a hooked fish. The handle escaped Raegdan’s grasp and his weapon flew up and away from him. Raegdan swore heavily, in a mix of his own language and Equestrian.

King Crucible took two steps back and caught it deftly in his left hand.

Twilight had seen Raegdan fight. She knew he was good, and she had been assured so as well by others who were more experienced than her.

How many times had he fought like this though, with his metal shield and a war hammer? Once in the arena, once against the griffins, once in Manehattan… He had practiced, obviously. But practice was one thing, fighting was another.

King Crucible had been fighting for years, at the forefront of any battle he could find, seeking out monsters on his own as a hobby if he could find no opponents. Nopony ever said that King Crucible was good. They all agreed that he was the best. Unbeatable.

The king stepped forward, wary of Raegdan’s legs. He had already tried to kick him once, but the minotaur managed to step away from his attempt, and now he was prepared for it. Every trick that Raegdan attempted wouldn’t work if he tried it a second time.

The axe cut through the air first. The king followed the pull of his arm and performed a move that looked unique to bipeds, pirouetting around his hoof in a stunning display of balance almost unheard of from a minotaur. The hammer’s head followed quickly in succession.

Raegdan’s shield blocked the axe strike, and was able to retreat from the following hammer blow. There was a tiny amount of space and time, and he took advantage to try another thing the king had never seen before. He rushed forward and punched with the shield, the curved edge at point. His whole body coordinated in the strike. Legs pushed against the floor, the waist turned and shoulder and arm moved as one. The shield’s edge struck the minotaur cleanly on the chest.

King Crucible was pushed back by the blow, but he regained his balance at once, the weapons ready in front of him before Raegdan could push his momentary advantage. The hit had been hard, driven by all of Raegdan’s strength, but his opponent was tougher, as well as armored. It probably gave nothing more than a slight bruise.

Twilight’s former guard didn’t try to attack again. He rapidly retreated. There was a snapping noise, and a leather strap was thrown away. Raegdan was now holding the shield with both hands. She knew that the shield had two anchors. A grip at the edge of his shield, and a half hook for his forearm where he could wear it by strapping it on. He was now using both of these as handheld grips.

King Crucible attacked, an avalanche of blows, seemingly without stop, coming from all directions. Raegdan’s shield blocked them all. He was able to easily twist and turn towards each hit. When the attacks ceased he tried to counterattack.

The shield pushed forward like a battering ram. King Crucible stepped back, but Raegdan followed along and copied King Crucible’s previous attack. He rotated around his heel, gaining ground and momentum. His shield’s edge rushed from the side, causing the king to dodge awkwardly, breaking his serenity for the first time.

“Nice one,” King Crucible acknowledged, sounding genuinely impressed.

“Thanks. It’s all in the hips,” Raegdan spat back as caustically as possible.

He tried to follow with another rushing attack, but the king sidestepped. Then, in the fraction of a second, the axe was left to fall to the ground. King Crucible’s strong hand gripped the shield and ripped it away from Raegdan, throwing it behind him with no concern.

Raegdan carried daggers on his belt. He unsheathed one of them, the blade hissing a steel whisper as it left its scabbard. King Crucible scoffed, and approached, now wielding only Raegdan’s hammer. Raegdan knelt to the ground. He grabbed the carpet and pulled.

It didn’t budge much, not with its size and the weight it bore, but it was enough. King Crucible stumbled, and Raegdan rushed to use the opportunity.

It might have worked if it hadn’t been a ruse.

Suddenly stable again, Crucible whipped the hammer down. Raegdan’s left forearm rose. There was a grunt of pain, and Twilight saw the thick vambrace fold, painfully pressing the flesh beneath.

The king chuckled. He gave Raegdan a moment’s rest before he swung again. Raegdan moved back, but he was considerably slower this time. Much slower. What was a blow meant to make him retreat struck his thigh.

There was a long, dark purple cloth that hung down from Raegdan’s belt all the way to his knees, containing a peculiar weaving of metal rings she had never seen before, but very flexible. It was meant to add some extra protection to the joints, as well as hide their vulnerability from view. Raegdan’s arm went behind it, cradling his thigh as he backed off half-crouching from the advancing minotaur. Crucible smiled victoriously.

Twilight had let this go on long enough. She finally obeyed the quiet, rapid urgings of Fluttershy to stop what was happening.

She teleported right between them, just as King Crucible was raising the hammer. She stared up at him and followed the example of one of her mentors.

She coughed, disapprovingly, just like her mom did, staring right into the king’s eyes. Then swivelled her head around, and repeated the same at Raegdan.

Both combatants stopped in their tracks, lowering their heads like unruly foals.

“Are you done?” she asked forbiddingly, injecting as much of her mother’s patented ‘I’m at the end of my patience’ tone in her voice. It worked. No idea how it kept working, but there you have it.

Twilight made a mental note to make a study on the connection between violence seeking individuals and their upbringing, mainly their mothers. She had a good starting point so far, she felt.

King Crucible threw the hammer next to Raegdan. “I suppose,” he said. He passed next to her and offered Raegdan a hand. He waited for a few seconds until it was obvious his offer would not be accepted, but Raegdan thrust his arm up and caught it.

He rose up with the king’s help, still clutching his thigh under the armored cloth. King Crucible in the meantime went around the room, picking up his own axe and Raegdan’s shield, surrendering the large piece of metal to Raegdan.

“I have what I wanted anyway,” the king continued. “I am done here.”

“That attack was completely unprovoked!” Twilight shouted, bristling with outrage.

The minotaur king grunted, deeply amused. “Not entirely, young miss Sparkle. I know that you and your friends have the capacity to take down Nightmare Moon. I know that Princess Celestia will try to contain her. I know that there are armies ready to stand against her if she tries anything, mine foremost of all.” He pointed at Raegdan. “What I didn’t know is him. He was the only unknown left that worried me, especially since he joined her.”

“What is that supposed to mean? You started a fight and now it’s over?” Twilight demanded to know.

“Indeed.” He smiled widely. “I can take him in a fair fight easy enough. Intimidation can take you only so far,” he said to Raegdan, chuckling. “There always comes a time when you need to back your claims. He’s just a guard after all. I worried over nothing.”

King Crucible took his axe in hand, and briefly lowered his head respectfully at Twilight. She couldn’t help but feel bashful at the gesture. “Miss Twilight, I once again thank you for all your contributions. I wish I could spend some time conversing with you, but I need to make preparations to get back to my own home. Goodbye.”

“Careful not to trip, break your legs, smash your head open, and get your crotch infected on your way to shit country!” Raegdan shouted at his back as the king left, roaring with laughter, leaving the three of them alone.

“Raegdan, are you okay? Do you need medical assistance?” Twilight asked, trotting to his side.

“I don’t know. Is there anyone who can mend a broken pride?” He stood up, groaning slightly. “He fucking destroyed me and he wasn’t even serious.”

Fluttershy was trembling all over as she ran to them. A long strand of her pink mane had become a thick, salivated mess, as she had been chewing on it in her distress. “Oh, thank goodness you’re alright. I was worried that he was going to really hurt you or cripple you. I thought it was going to be awful!”

“What?” Raegdan said loudly. “Really? What gave you that idea? The axe going for my neck?”

“You don’t have to be sarcastic,” Twilight reprimanded him. “Fluttershy is worried about you.”

Raegdan lifted up his arms in surrender. “Sorry, sorry. I’m sorry, Fluttershy. I’m fine, no need to worry. Just have to take this off.” He shook his right arm, grunting.

The armor protecting his forearm was completely ruined. He undid the straps, and after quite some pull, he managed to take it off. The padding within had been excavated too, straps of it dragged away along with the metal, and the skin beneath had been scratched deeply and bled.

“Do you need to get this looked at?”

“It’s nothing but a scratch, Twilight. Not even worth mentioning.”

Fluttershy let out a relieved breath, sagging in place so much that Twilight feared for a moment that she was going to faint. “I’m so glad that… I’m, um, I’m going to go. I need to lie down for a bit now that nothing happened.”

“Day’s not over yet,” Raegdan said, finding his humor again.

“Oh, please don’t say that. Twilight, I’ll see you all later.”

“It’s fine, Fluttershy, go rest.” She waited for the yellow pegasus to leave. Raegdan was standing up just as she turned back to him. “Can you walk?”

Raegdan seemed to be taken aback by the question. “Uh, yeah. I’m not tired, it didn’t last long anyway.”

“I mean your leg!” Twilight reminded him, worried. Oh Celestia, did he hit his head again? Did the short memory lapses return?

“My… oh. Oh!” He exclaimed, his palm striking the metal forehead. His hand went back behind the armored cloth and came back out holding a cylindrical piece of metal, his fingers firmly on the protruding stick along the length of it. There were holes covering its surface.

She had seen a few like it weeks ago in the secret workshop that he and Luna had. Rarity had described the exact same one. Her mouth went dry at once.

“You are hiding explosives under your dress?”

“It’s... a combat skirt at worst. And no, this isn’t an explosive one. I’m not keeping one of them near my junk, no matter how sure I am they won’t go off. This one only does a loud bang and flashes light.”

He weighed it in his hand. He took a few steps towards the balcony and opened the glass door. “Too bad I pulled the safety pin already. I only have this one on me.” He threw it out, high up, the stick popping off and clinking on the floor as it left his hand, and closed the door.

Five seconds later there was a brief flash, almost blinding even though it wasn’t in view, and an extraordinary loud noise that rattled the glass. She caught a glimpse of two pegasi Royal guards falling from their flight, holding their eyes.

“You’re not hurt then? You were pretending?”

Raegdan gathered up his shield and hammer. He tried to get the strap back in place but gave up after a couple of tries. “It was either that or pretend to really need to scratch if I wanted to get a hold of it without letting him know.” The eyes behind the helmet’s slit turned sideways to look at her, glinting impishly. “As he said, I can’t take him in a fair fight.”

“You could win?”

He shrugged. “Maybe? Depends on too many things. Not fighting him like this mostly. I probably would have jumped off the balcony after he was blinded. I don’t like battles I can’t win, and he would never hurt you.” He bend down to gather a couple of oranges. “Gotta go check the tower.”

Twilight stepped along, naturally moving back by his side. “You know, Princess Celestia has had Shining Armor make sure nopony even approached it. You do trust Shining Armor, don’t you?”

“Still gonna check.” He looked both ways with care after crossing the door, waiting for a few seconds before getting back on the path to Luna’s tower. Twilight tried to follow but he stopped. “I’m going to be busy for a while. Go back to your friends or go rest or something.”

“I… wanted us to talk a little more about Spike,”

“No need. We will do as you said. I’ll see you both before you leave if you let me.” He headed off, not waiting for a reply. He left her alone in the middle of the corridor, running back to something familiar that whispered a promise she couldn’t give.

Author's Notes:

This is actually half of a chapter that was meant as whole. The next part (plus a very small Interlude) is going to be published as soon as it is edited. And I draw some art(hah!) of course. Thank you all for your understanding and patience.