Chapter 9: Reinforcements from Ponyville.

The morning dawns over Canterlot, its golden rays breaking upon the smoldering ruins like a welcomed old friend. All over the city, ponies dig through the burnt out ruins, their eyes focused upon the task of finding their friends and family members, their prayers silently begging Celestia and Luna that they will be found with breath yet still within them.

For every one found alive, another two are found long past hope.

As the morning progresses, a keening wail starts to echo through the city, the mournful sound sending shivers down the spines of all who hear it drifting on the wind. Many who are digging through the rubble and ashes pray that their own voices are not soon added to it, but many fear deep in their hearts that they shall soon join the unearthly chorus.

From her perch upon the throne in Canterlot Castle, Twilight does her best to keep her head held high and tears from forming in her eyes. The throne room had been cleaned up in the hours since the battle -- which many had started to call Blueblood’s Rebellion -- had ended with the capture of the Archduke, yet for all the cleaning that had been done Twilight cannot help but feel hollow as her eyes drift to the jagged edges of the ruined stained glass windows and the ragged and torn banners that hang from the ceiling.

And then there is the place she is sitting, the throne she had so often looked up at with her mentor sitting in it. Celestia had always made it look so comfortable, as if to sit upon the gilded throne of Equestria was like sitting on the softest cloud. Oh, how wrong that assumption was, for Twilight would rather be sitting anywhere than upon the soft down pillow that cushions the throne’s seat. Perhaps it is the feeling all eyes being upon her, or the weight of the circlet upon her brow, or even the fact that deep down she feels she could never be as amazing a ruler as Celestia.

Putting a hoof against her chest, Twilight takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, then releases the breath and extends her hoof as a small smile creeps onto her face. Opening her eyes she looks to the secretary standing at the base of the dias the throne sits on.

“Okay, open the doors, I think I’m ready for this,” Twilight’s voice betrays her unease, but is still strong.

“If I might be so bold, Your Highness,” the secretary says with a smile as she motions for the guards to open the doors. “Nopony is ever ready for this, but I think you will do fine.”

Nodding in thanks, Twilight pulls herself up to her full height as her wings flutter nervously at her sides as she puts on the same mask she had seen Celestia wear a thousand times before when she held court. The first pony that strides through the doors, though, nearly causes the mask to break at how different they look as they stride up to stand before the throne and bow deeply.

“Your Highness,” Shiro greets, his voice soft yet loud enough to travel the distance between them. “It makes my heart glad to see you upon the throne, if only as a sign that Blueblood’s plot failed.”

“If only your nieces sat here, and not I, Lord Shiro,” Twilight replies to the greeting, her tone friendly. “Then perhaps none of this would have happened.”

“We cannot be sure of that, I fear,” Shiro sighs as he looks around slowly. “My fellow Archduke may yet have tried to stage a takeover no matter who sits upon that throne.”

“You’re fellow Archduke, huh?” Twilight chuckles, raising an eyebrow. “When did you get that title?”

“Not by choice, I assure you, Your Highness,” Shiro sighs heavily as he look up at Twilight again. “My granddaughter, Duchess Star, informed me that as the head of House Star I was of equal rank with Blueblood.” He then shakes his head and looks out one of the windows as if to glimpse something distant and elusive.

“Does something bother you, Archduke? Or have you come to see me first out of some sense of duty?” Twilight asks, concern ringing in her voice.

“A bit of both, Your Highness,” Shiro says, his voice distant. “The past night was troubling for me, we lost many a good pony to the senseless violence. Many of them were but foals in my eyes, and more than I wish to count were not soldiers.”

Sighing, Twilight’s mask cracks then falls away as she lowers her head. “Last night troubles me as well, Shiro,” Twilight whispers, looking down and away from the other alicorn. “So much death… and many died under my command…” She looks up slightly, looking at Shiro through the tops of her eyes. “Does… it ever become easier?”

“No,” Shiro says bluntly, turning back to look at Twilight. “It never does.” Looking at Twilight’s expression and the way she is holding herself, Shiro takes a step forward before pausing. “May I approach the throne?”

Nodding, Twilight sighs. “You may, Shiro.” She waits for the larger alicorn to come up and sit beside her on the throne, a spot Twilight recalls Luna often occupying, before she speaks again. “How do you deal with it? Losing ponies to violence?”

“Death is an old friend,” Shiro sighs, looking down at Twilight with a small frown. “A friend I do my best to shield others from, for while he is not unkind, he is not a friend I wish to see as often as I saw last night.”

“You speak as if death is a physical thing, a pony that one could meet,” Twilight says skeptically, an uneasy chuckle accompanying her words.

“He is,” Shiro answers, a smirk forming on his lips. “And I have known him for as long as I have been an alicorn.”

“I-I see,” Twilight says slowly, blinking a few times. “You didn’t answer my question, though, Shiro. How do you deal with it? You’ve been alive for thousands of years, and must have seen countless ponies die under your command… How do you just shrug it off?”

“You don’t,” Shiro says in a serious tone, fixing Twilight with a look that makes her feel more the foal in the room. “I remember how every single soldier I lost under my command looked, their names, their ages. I mourn for each and every one of them in my own way, but I mourn for them as is proper.” He then makes a sweeping gesture with a wing, pointing towards the windows and the city beyond. "But if ever the time comes when the death of a single individual fails to move us, we are no longer worthy of the precious gifts the Cosmos has given us.”

“You sound like Celestia,” Twilight chuckles. “She used to say things like that when I was her student.”

“I am glad my lessons to my niece were passed onto a pupil worthy of them,” Shiro states with no small amount of pride. “And that I should sit here beside her, truly Yearling’s finding me and convincing me to re-enter the wider world was destiny.” He then stands and stretches a little with a sigh. “But, I have taken enough of your time, Your Highness, I should return to becoming familiar with my new station.” As he starts forward he is stopped by Twilight’s voice.

“Shiro, wait,” Twilight’s voice is nearly a whisper, loud enough for him to hear, but none of the guards or the nobles that wait beyond the doors on the other end of the room. “I could use somepony I trust by my side, and even though we haven’t known each other long, you seem an honorable and trustworthy pony. I’ve never held court like this before, and I could use somepony to advise me.”

Turning back around Shiro smiles warmly, and Twilight is reminded that the ancient alicorn was more than just a warrior, but also a father and a grandfather. “I would be honored to advise you, young princess.” He settles back down beside her and pulls himself up to his full height, causing him to tower over all in the room save for Twilight herself.

Smiling, Twilight likewise sits straight, head held high once more, and calls down to the guards at the door. “Send in the next pony, please.”

The doors open again, and in strides a dark brown unicorn with a pale champagne tail and mane. He walks with the air of somepony who knows they’re worth, and is currently wearing a very fine looking suit and tie free of any dust or other marks of the recent unrest.

Stopping before the throne his eyes widen slightly at seeing Shiro sitting in a position of prestige, but otherwise shows no other signs of surprise as he bows deeply to Twilight.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle, it is good to see you unharmed after last night’s unfortunate events,” the stallion says in a measured tone.

“Thank you, Earl Grey,” Twilight replies in a benevolent tone, a smile she does not quite feel on her face. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence.”

“A request, Princess,” Grey says with a smile that makes Twilight resist the urge to shiver. “I wished to know what is to become of Blueblood. Shall he be put to trial?”

“He will be put to trial, Earl Grey,” Twilight replies with a small nod. “Though, many in the guard, as well as the Military, are calling for his execution.”

“I am glad you are as benevolent as your teacher, Your Highness,” Grey inclines his head. “Then I request to represent His Grace's defense, your highness. I imagine that not many would be willing to serve in such capacity, and none should be left without proper counsel in such situations."

Blinking and leaning back a little, Twilight looks to Shiro who likewise looks to Twilight out of the corner of one eye. He nods slightly to her, and Twilight looks to Earl Grey again. “That is an interesting request. In fact, I am surprised any noble who was not involved in last night’s events would wish to represent him, after what he has done.”

“While it is true, your highness, that he has done some horrible things,” Grey agrees, his smile never slipping, “he is still the Archduke of this city. His methods, while abhorrent, were brought about for possibly good reasons, and I will not have him walk to the gallows before his side of the story has been told.”

“I see,” Twilight says slowly, shifting a little upon the throne. “By all means, if you wish to represent him during his trial, then I shall not stand in your way.”

“Then we have nothing more to discuss, Princess,” Grey states simply before bowing. “By your leave, Your Highness?”

“You have my leave, Earl Grey,” Twilight consents, inclining her head. “Be safe, and I shall see you at the trial.”

Earl Grey turns and departs without further words, head held high and a smirk on his face. As soon as he is beyond the doors, Twilight shivers and looks over to Shiro who frowns deeply. She opens her mouth to say something, but is beaten to it by Shiro speaking.

“That pony troubles me deeply,” Shiro rumbles, his eyes fixated on the doors the Earl had just passed through. “Perhaps more so than Blueblood. War, I understand, but I shall never truly grasp the twisted schemes and hidden daggers of those who play the political games of nobility.”

“That makes two of us, Shiro.” Twilight whispers as she follows his gaze to the door. “I’m afraid we’ve not seen the end of the nobility troubling this wounded city, not by a long shot.”

---

“I cannot believe the nerve of that insufferable old horse!” Fine shouts, pounding a hoof against the table she is sitting at. “Defending Blueblood! Acting as if all this bloodshed was for a good, nay a justifiable reason, as if it made it alright because the Archduke is the Archduke!”

“Well, at least your father is only defending a murderer, Fine,” Noire grumbles around the mug of black coffee clutched between her hooves. “Mine is a murderer! Or at least he would have been if his plan had worked!”

“Oh… Yeah… I forgot to mention that my father, in his inestimable wisdom, is defending all of Blueblood’s merry band of lunatics,” Fine adds scowling as she looks over at Noire.

“OH! That slimy bastard!” Noire shouts, slamming her own hoof against the table causing the items on it to bounce.

“Your entire family is crazy, Fine…” Distant mutters as she wipes her drink from her face. “Honestly, you sure you two don’t want to just come back to Saddle Arabia with me? I mean, Noire can sit in the lobby and tell tall tales about being a sea captain, and you can make us all rich by making your tea!”

“I told you to not tempt me, Distant,” Fine replies in a half-growl. “Believe me… There are days when I would love to follow my brother’s example and give my family a rude gesture on my way out the door.”

“Dear, tempting ponies is my calling!” Distant chuckles as she pours herself more tea. “That or discovering hidden things, but I’ve always considered the two the same thing.”

“You sound like my brother-in-law,” Fine mutters, taking a sip of her own tea.

“Oh Brewsky!” A voice comes from the entrance, causing Noire and Distant to turn, and Fine to sigh and put her face in her hooves. “You called?”

“Hello, Rain,” Fine says without looking at the stallion. “Is my brother with you, or are you here because you sensed I needed a stiff drink.”

“Oh, come now, my dear,” Rain, a sapphire blue pegasus save for a red diamond on his forehead with grape colored mane, tail, and facial hair sighs dramatically as he walks in and puts an arm around Fine. “You know I don’t go anywhere without your brother! He is my favorite bed-warmer, after all. In fact, he was so good that I married him!”

“A stallion after my own heart, I see.” Distant smiles. “I take it you’re Fine’s brother-in-law?”

“Guilty as charged,” Rain says, inclining his head. “My husband and I are here as a part of the relief effort that Princess Twilight put together last night as she was loading troops. She is a very organized mare, I swear she plotted out every detail, right down to the time we’d arrive!” He looks to Fine. “Reminds me of a certain niece of mine, who I am very hopeful to see while I am here, as I fear I missed her when she was in Ponyville.”

“Witch isn’t here, Rain…” Noire speaks up, her tone serious. “Fine didn’t really give us all the details but… she was in the Wonderbolts’ Compound when… well, when it vanished.”

“What do you mean, it vanished?” Rain asks slowly, his smile slipping and concern entering his voice. “Has something happened to them?” He looks between Fine and Noire. “Sis, tell me Witchy is alright!”

“She’s fine, Rain,” Fine sighs, slowly extracting herself from under Rain’s arm. “I got a letter from her not long before the riot. She couldn’t tell me much, but she is alright.” She then smirks and looks up at the pegasus. “And, you really must be worried about her, you never call me sis or really anything other than ‘Brewsky’!”

“Well, Witch is my favorite niece; I have a right to be worried about her,” Rain pouts, crossing his arms.

“She’s your only niece,” Fine chuckles.

“Right you are, Brewsky,” Rain agrees, his smile returning. “Oh! I should go tell Mugsy that Witch is alright!” He turns and heads to the door, calling out to his husband. “Mugsy! Stop haggling with that nice young stallion and get your pretty little flank over here! Don’t give me that look, mister! If you’re not in here in ten seconds, I’m inviting him in with you and you’ll have to put up with me flirting with him too!”

“You wouldn’t dare!” comes the response.

“Don’t tempt me! He’s a real looker! Yes, I know he is right there. I couldn’t not notice him if I tried!” Rain laughs, waving a hoof presumably at the ponies outside. After a few moments grumbling can be heard, and Rain steps back with a wide grin on his head as another stallion, this one a light brown unicorn with a handlebar mustache and a neatly combed black mane. Rain smiles at him, leans over and kisses him on the cheek as he runs a hoof over the tuxedo vest the stallion is wearing. “You always come running so fast when I threaten to flirt with younger stallions. It’s like you don’t believe I’m madly in love with you.”

Blushing deeply, Mug clears his throat. “Well, I can’t help it, you’re just so open about flirting with everypony! It worries me sometimes.”

“You wouldn’t love me if I was any other way,” Rain giggles with a smile. “Now, your dear sister just informed me that Witch is with the Wonderbolts Celestia-knows-where, but is safe.”

“Oh, well tha... “ Mug starts, before pausing his eyes going wide. “What do you mean she isn’t here!?” He crosses the space between him and his sister so quickly Fine almost could believe he teleported. “WHERE IS MY NIECE!?” he shouts as he grabs Fine and shakes her.

“I don’t know!” Fine shouts back. “AND STOP SHAKING ME!”

“Only if you tell me where she is! What if she’s hurt?!” Mug growls.

“Her letter said she was fine,” Fine barks. “Noire has it, so you can go shake her.”

“Whoa now,” Noire chuckles, pulling the letter out of a uniform pocket. “Here, no shakedown required from my cousin.” She smirks and puts it on the table. “A hug would be nice, though.”

“Aww, I always have time to hug you, Miss Coffee!” Rain laughs, going over to hug Noire. Before he can, though, another voice cuts into the conversation, causing everypony to stop dead in their tracks.

“I would be rather interested in knowing what has become of my granddaughter as well,” the voice is calm, collected, and has the accent of an upper-class unicorn. “However, that will have to wait, I need to speak to you, Fine.”

“You need to talk to ME!?” Fine growls as she turns around, ears back against her head. “About what? Huh? About the lunacy Father - No the stallion who I happen to be related to - is getting into!?”

“I did come to talk to you about your father,” the mare replies, standing her ground and leveling a cool gaze at her daughter. “In times like these, we should stand unit-”

“Stand united?” Fine cuts her mother off. “United behind what? Blueblood and his soldiers killed hundreds of ponies! Innocent civilians who had done nothing wrong!” She takes a step forward, doing her best not to grind her teeth in her rage. “And your brother in law, my so called uncle, tried to KILL ME, MY SON, AND MY GRANDSON!”

As Fine advances on her mother, Rain, Mug, Noire, and Distant all cluster around the far side of the table as they instinctively shy away from the enraged tea-maker.

“I’ve never seen her so mad,” Mug remarks. “She’s never yelled at our mother before… ever!”

“I know,” Noire agrees as she reaches into her saddlebags and pulls out bags of popcorn and a few thermoses. “Popcorn? Coffee?”

“Yes please,” Rain smiles, taking one of the bags of popcorn. “Honestly, I am surprised it didn’t happen sooner, Sweet Tea has been slowly chipping away at Brewsky’s last shred of patience for years.”

“Well, your son wouldn’t have been too terrible of a loss,” Sweet Tea remarks casually, almost as though she were commenting on the weather. “Though, he might still be able to produce a unicorn, in case Witching Hour never settles down.” She then sighs and shakes her head. “And while I know you have grown attached to him, it’s not like that little foal your daughter seems to have taken in is related by blood! I honestly don’t see why you are so worked up over him being threatened.”

Fine roars loudly and makes to jump at her mother, but is quickly caught as both Distant and Noire spring around the table and grab her.

“Fine, she’s not worth it!” Noire grunts as she holds back her enraged cousin.

“I agree with the Captain,” Distant grumbles. “Even if I should let you ring her bell for that remark about Leaf.”

“You always were too free spirited, like your brother,” Sweet Tea sighs, her eyes drifting to her son and his husband who are both eating popcorn and silently watching. “Perhaps it was a mistake allowing you as much freedom as we have.” She then gestures towards Noire, who is still doing her best to keep her cousin from leaping on her aunt. “White Tie had the right idea, sending his daughter into the military, surely she will support her father in these dark times.”

“With all due respect, Sweet,” Noire speaks up, the sharp edge to her voice causing Fine to stop her struggling and look over at her cousin. “My father is an enemy of the state, and an attempted murderer. Even were I not bound by my oath to the Equestrian Navy to see him brought to justice, what he did to Fine? What he attempted to do at any rate, leaves a sour taste in my mouth and I will not defend him.”

“I see you’ve corrupted even your cousin,” Tea breaths, narrowing her eyes. “And it is clear I shall find no help here. But don’t come crawling to me when your father gets them acquitted and you find yourself on the wrong side of the ponies you need to sell your wares to to survive.”

“I think you will find public opinion isn’t what you think it is,” Fine retorts, narrowing her own eyes. “And I think I will do just fine, more so without you meddling in my life!”

“Then I have nothing more to say to you,” Tea sighs as she shakes her head. Turning, she heads to the door, pausing only long enough to say one last thing. “Despite what you might think, your father and I do love you, Fine, and we shall welcome you back when you realize the error of your ways.” The Countess then walks out the door, and vanishes into the crowded streets beyond.

Sighing, Fine sags heavily in the grip of her cousin and friend, hanging her head.

“You alright, Brewsky?” Rain asks from where he is sitting at the table.

“Yeah,” Fine replies softly. “It feels good to finally tell her off.”

“Good to hear! Was the proudest day of my life when Mugsy stood up to her, and now you have too!” Rain chuckles, putting an arm around his husband. “And we’ll be here for you, like I know Noire and your friend here will be! So, if there is anything we can do, you just ask!”

Turning and gently shrugging the two mares who had been holding her back off, Fine goes over to the table and looks her brother and his husband in the eyes. “There is something you can do for me.”

“What is it?” Mug asks, frowning.

“I need a stiff drink…” Fine grumbles.

----

“I can’t believe they’re letting you all stay in the Castle!” Scootaloo exclaims in wonder as she walks beside Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, the three of them trailing behind Trick Step as they walk through a mostly repaired castle corridor. “And how did you get them to let you wear that uniform?”

“It’s mine. My mom gave it to me!” Tricks replies with a happy laugh. “And they evacuated a lot of foals to the Castle, but a lot of us made our way here when the coast was clear. Hay, our ranks swelled when we started doing messenger runs for the guards before the riots!”

“And how many do you have now?” Sweetie asks slowly. “I mean, I thought it was just you and your two friends, and perhaps a few others from your school.”

“Oh, it started out like that,” Tricks chuckles nervously, stopping and looking over his shoulder. “But… well, you’ll see.” Start forward again he starts towards the doors to next to the gardens. Stopping at the doors, he smiles to the three fillies with him. “Welcome to the Canterlot CMC’s temporary headquarters.”

Opening the door, Tricks goes in and instantly a foal sitting next to the door -- a colt wearing a caped reservist uniform -- snaps to attention and loudly announces them “Officers on deck!” The sound of foals going to attention echoes through the suddenly quiet air as Tricks steps to one side, a proud smile on his face, to allow the three who started it all to come inside and see the Canterlot branch of their club.

The three stand silently, mouths slightly open at the thirty-six foals all standing at attention around the room. Tricks stands beside them, his proud smile growing as he looks over all the other foals, before he looks over at the three and gestures to the gathered foals. “Well? What do you think?”

“How are there so many!?” Sweetie asks, breathless.

“And how’d ya get them all t’ stand at attention like this?” Applebloom adds in awe.

“Well, they just started showing up, really!” Tricks says proudly. “Once word got out that we were helping the guard and doing our best to help keep the city together, foals without cutie marks from all over the city came in to join us!” He then looks between the three and the CMC standing at attention. “But, I think we can talk about that in a moment, if they stand at attention any longer, we’ll have to go ask my aunt and uncle to take us all out to ice cream…”

“Can I do it?” Scootaloo asks excitedly, causing Tricks to smile.

“Of course!” Tricks answers, gesturing with one hoof.

Stepping forward and drawing herself up to her full height, Scootaloo smiles and raises her voice. “Cutie Mark Crusaders, at ease!” As one, the Canterlot CMC goes to ease, many of them smiling warmly and coming over to meet the three fillies that had been escorted in by one of their leaders.

Tricks introduces them all, his proud smile remaining as each of his Crusaders meet the founders of the CMC. As the line comes to the end, a grey-blue filly comes to stand in front of the three, a neutral expression on her face. She is wearing a set of light leather armor, her CMC cape and a tabard with a white star on it over the armor. After a few seconds she smiles slightly and inclines her head to the three.

“With the way Tricks talks about you three, I almost expected you all to be alicorns,” the filly chuckles before extending a hoof. “My name is Shadow Star, I’m the one who keeps this entire thing running smoothly so Tricks and the other two can focus on important stuff.”

“Pleasure t’ meet ya, Shadow!” Applebloom says happily as she shakes the other filly’s hoof as the other two echo the greeting.

Lowering her hoof, Shadow turns to Tricks and the other leaders of the Canterlot CMC, her smile slipping. “So, is social hour over? Or are we going to cancel the meeting?”

“No, we’re still going to hold the meeting, Shadow,” Tricks sighs, shaking his head. “We’ve got some important things to cover, and I can’t just put it off.”

“Darn right you can’t put it off,” Shadow grumbles. “My dad’s breathing down my neck about getting reports out of the Crusader’s Guard contingent.”

“Why hasn’t Gust been…?” Tricks asks, looking at Gust who starts blushing.

“Too busy with hero worship,” Shadow replies flatly, sighing as she levels a narrow-eyed glance at Gust.

“Reminds me of somepony I know,” Sweetie chuckles, looking to Scootaloo.

“What?” Scootaloo asks, raising an eyebrow. “Who does it remind you of?”

“Nothing, Scoots,” Applebloom laughs as she looks to Tricks and his friends. “So, shall we get the meeting underway? Yer friend Shadow looks about ready to explode.”

“Am not…” Shadow mutters blushing.

“Alright, let’s get going,” Gust laughs. “Tricks is the one who usually starts the meetings, so you three, Spark, and I can go sit over near the front of the room.”

“Uhm, where should we sit?” a hesitant voice comes from nearby. Tricks looks over and smiles as he spots the caped unicorn filly with a younger pegasus colt standing next to her, his eyes wide.

“Oh, I remember you two!” Tricks says warmly, turning completely around to face them. “Moonshadow and Midnight Gold, right?”

“Yes, Un…” Midnight Gold starts, but his sister puts a hoof to his mouth and speaks quickly.

“That’s us!” Moonshadow chuckles nervously as she adjusts her glasses. “You’re Trick Step, right?”

“Yup, that’s me,” Tricks shrugs, looking to two over with a raised eyebrow. “My friends call me Tricks, though.” He looks around, then gestures his head towards a purple and pink filly sitting at a table off to one side. “You two can go sit with Magenta Phase over there, I’m sure she’d love to meet you!”

“Doctor P…” Midnight starts again, only to have his mouth closed by a hoof and magic.

“Yeah, she wants to be a doctor!” Tricks agrees, nodding. “You must have already met her! Makes this easier.”

“Wait a moment,” Scoots speaks up from behind Tricks. “You’re wearing a Crusader cape, but what are all those patches on it?”

“Oh… yeah, I’m… uhm, from the Crystal Empire,” Moonshadow says slowly, smiling uneasily. “My brother and I arrived in the city to visit family just before it was locked down, we’ve… unfortunately not found any of them yet!”

“Except our uncle!” Midnight says proudly. “We found him!”

“Oh? Where is he?” Tricks asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, he is really busy!” Moonshadow says quickly, dragging her brother towards Magenta’s table. “He works with the nobles, and this whole riot has his entire office turned upside down!” She then rushes off, dragging her brother by his tail with her magic as his hooves slide across the floor.

“Huh, I didn’t know there were Crusaders in the Crystal Empire,” Sweetie Belle says slowly.

“Same here, but Moonshadow showed up wearing a cape, and I wasn’t about to tell her she couldn’t be around,” Tricks says with a smile. “Besides, I’ve not met many ponies from the Crystal Empire!” He chuckles as he starts walking towards the front of the room. “I mean, they both looked so scared, and a little angry, when I ran into them last night! Moonshadow was all but trying to hide under the dirty old cape she was wearing, and Midnight was hiding behind her like every single pony they passed was going to tell them they were in trouble.”

“That was real kind of ya, Tricks,” Applebloom offers with a smile.

“Thank you,” Tricks says bowing his head. “It was the least I could do after all the things that have happened in this city to foals my age.” He sighs and mounts the short steps to the raised platform and turns. “But, I can tell you more later. Let’s call this meeting to order!”

-----

The late afternoon sunlight filtering through the closed drapes of his room, Prose cannot help but feel like he didn’t help secure a major victory last night. For one thing, he is sore beyond belief, every inch of his body feeling like he had been tossed through a tumble dryer, and then had a very large stallion sit on him. But then, with all the fighting he had done last night, he likely wouldn’t have even noticed if Tank had sat on him…

Turning his gaze away from the windows, Prose looks over towards the chair where his armored flight suit, goggles, headband, and blades currently rest. They had been dumped there without ceremony last night when he had been brought in here after the medics had patched him up. Twilight had insisted he be given one of the limited rooms in the Castle after leading the raid that had captured Blueblood. He would have been happy to just have a bed in the medical ward, or even in Evening and Perfect’s house. But those beds were reserved for more critically wounded than him, and he was happy to have a place to lay his head while he contemplated what to say to his wife now that she knew.

Looking up at the ceiling, he wonders just what he’ll say. Sorry, obviously, but she won’t just take an apology for all the years he had hidden this from her. Perhaps he can get Daring to go get him some flowers? Roses from the royal garden? Celestia and Luna won’t miss a few roses...

“I don’t care if he helped save the city! He still lied to me!” The voice of an angry mare comes through the door, the intensity of it making the stallion’s ears fold back as his eyes slowly open. “Ten years. TEN YEARS, we’ve been married, and he hasn’t thought it important to tell me that he moonlights as some sort of… of assassin? Spy? Thief?! What is he, Daring? Is he even really my husband?”

“Foxfire, now you’re just being stupid on top of hysterical,” Daring replies, her tone calm and weary. “He kept this hidden from me too, and I’ve known him almost as long!”

Forget the roses, he’ll need to have Daring go and get his wife some sort of ancient and rare flower that only blooms under the moonlight once every twenty years or something if Foxfire’s voice is any indication. Or perhaps a non-cursed giant gem? The last one Daring found ended up being tossed into Roan to protect Equestria… but there were rumors of a few others that don’t cause world-ending jealousy…

“Now, you’re going to get out of my way, and you’re going to let me see him!” Foxfire’s enraged shout once more breaks Prose from his thoughts, making him sigh and roll painfully onto his side.

“Look, Foxfire, I can’t let you in there right now,” Daring counters. “You’re not yourself. You’re angry, and he needs to rest! Hay, you saw the wound Blueblood gave him! The doctors said if it was any deeper…”

“He’d be dead? Is that what you’re going to say!?” Foxfire yells, and as Prose slowly eases himself out of the silken sheets he swears he can see the glass of water next to the bed ripple. “That’s the point, Daring! HE COULD HAVE DIED!”

“But he didn’t!” Daring counters, her own voice raising. “Your husband is a hero! He helped end the battle before it could get worse! You should be proud!”

“I don’t want a hero!” Foxfire screams, and Prose’s heart nearly stops as he can hear the barely restrained tears. “I want my husband! The boring, happy stallion who falls asleep at his desk while editing your books! The stallion who picks his foals up from school, and gently chides them when they’ve gotten in trouble!” The sound of a plot hitting the floor comes through the door as Prose reaches it. “I want the stallion who asks me to stop blowing up the kitchen appliances when I tinker with them, but I keep doing it because it gets him out of his study….”

Opening the door slowly, Prose looks out to find Daring hugging Foxfire as she sobs. Daring looks up at Prose, a frown on her face as gestures with a wing for Prose to come closer. Sighing, Prose moves forward slowly, grimacing as the bandages over his wound pull taunt with each step.

As he comes to stand beside the two mares, Foxfire turns her face away from him and continues to sob. Looking to Daring, Prose surprises her by lifting his wings and arms, and signing to her in passable sign language.

‘I am sorry you have to deal with this,’ his movements are unsure, though show practice.

Blinking a few times, Daring removes one hoof from Foxfire, and gestures with her wings and her free hoof, ‘It is okay. You should not have kept this from her.’

‘I know,’ Prose answers, looking down at the floor. ‘I wanted to protect her. You understand?’

‘I do,’ Daring signs as she looks to Foxfire who is shaking against her but isn’t sobbing anymore. ‘It does not make it right, though.’

“Can you two stop talking about me over my head,” Foxfire mutters between sniffles. “You pegasi and talking with your wings.”

“I’m sorry,” Prose says softly, lowering his wings and hooves. “I… didn’t know if you wanted to hear my voice right now.”

“Not really, no,” Foxfire whispers. “But I don’t get much choice in the matter, do I?”

“No, no you don’t,” Daring answers before Prose can. “And I think you two really should talk, so long as you promise not to wound your husband anymore than he already is.”

“No promises,” Foxfire mutters.

“I’ll be fine, Daring,” Prose offers. “I’ve lived with her for ten years now, I think I’ll survive her wrath right now.”

“Heh, if you say so,” Daring chuckles as she slowly releases Foxfire and steps away. “But, honestly, I’d rather face the JSS again than face Foxfire’s anger.”

“Don’t you have a certain red stallion’s plot to be staring at, Daring?” Prose states with a smirk. “I’ll deal with my marital problems, you go back to Leaf before Distant tracks me down and tries to contract me to tie you both up and shove you in a closet.”

“She would do that, wouldn’t she?” Daring shakes her head and chuckles as she walks to the door, stopping as she opens it to look back one last time. “I’m just down the hall, if you need anything.”

“I need to be alone with my wife, Daring,” Prose says sternly, gesturing with a wing to the hallway. “That’s all I need right now, Daring.”

“Alright, alright,” Daring nods, quickly leaving the room.

As the door clicks closed, quiet descends into the room like a thick blanket. Prose simply sits down off to one side so as to not block the door, but close enough to his wife to be near for when she is ready to talk. Eventually, though, Foxfire stops sniffling, and sighs as she lifts her head to look out a nearby window.

“Why?” Her voice is worn from the crying, but full of determination. “Why did you hide this from me?”

“I didn’t want to scare you,” Prose’s answer is soft, almost a whisper. “I was afraid that you’d be angry, or leave because you were scared of me.”

“More than you already have?” Foxfire demands, turning to look at him with tear-stained eyes. “How many times have you said you were going on business trips for your publishing firm, and yet you were really out… killing ponies or doing Celestia knows what!?”

“Not as many as you think,” Prose admits, looking away from his wife. “But I never killed unless I absolutely had to. I hate killing.”

“Daring said you killed a lot of ponies last night,” Foxfire states. “If you hate killing, then why does she say you killed so easily?”

“To protect others!” Prose snaps, taking a step towards his wife causing her to recoil slightly. Sighing, he sits down again. “I’m sorry… Last night was horrible, and I’m still trying to… come to terms with everything I saw.” Turning to look to one side, he continues in a softer voice. “I’ve never seen death on that scale before. In all my years as a Shadowbolt I’ve never seen the likes of last night. Hay, we often fought to prevent nights like this…”

“I find that hard to believe,” Foxfire mutters darkly.

“Believe what you want,” Prose sighs, looking back at his wife. “But you’ve met quite a few of my… coworkers, and you’ve never had a problem with them. You’ve even invited quite a few over for dinner!”

“Wait, I let a bunch of killers into my house!?” Foxfire gasps before glaring daggers at her husband. “YOU LET KILLERS CLOSE TO OUR FOALS!?”

“Yes. I let a bunch of horrible, dangerous, bloodthirsty, killers near our foals,” Prose deadpans, crossing his arms. “In fact, if I recall correctly you called them the most well behaved dinner guests you’ve had the pleasure of entertaining.”

“No…” Foxfire says slowly, her eyes growing wide. “You mean to tell me?”

“Yes, four months ago, that group of ponies that I was so happy to see? Those were all Shadowbolts, and some of my most trusted friends.” Prose smiles softly at his wife. “I would trust each and every one of them with my life, and with the lives of my family. They would never hurt you or my foals, and I am sure at least Gentle Guardian, who is actually named Tank, would die before he let foals come to harm.”

“The one who was playing with the the twins?” Foxfire asks quietly. “Bu… he can’t be a killer, he was so gentle and… and he made them laugh! How can he be a killer!?”

“He is actually a JSS experiment,” Prose says calmly. “He didn’t have a foalhood, and while he is the most gentle being in the entire world normally? Well, let's just say when we need a room cleared, or a door broken in? Tank is our pony.”

“An… experiment?” Foxfire says softly, narrowing her eyes.

“Yes, I’ve never asked the details, and honestly I’ve never truly wished to.” Prose sighs, shaking his head. “What JSS does to young foals is beyond reprehensible, and is yet another reason I’ve never shared this part of my life with you. Knowing is hardly a shield for what is out there, and at times is exactly the opposite.”

“Normally I… I’d argue with that,” Foxfire mutters. “But after what I’ve seen here in Canterlot, as brief as it has been, I won’t argue the cruelty of those mercs.” She then sighs and looks to her husband. “What about the others, I’d like to know who they are.”

“Well, that nice stallion who fussed over that burn you’d try to bandage yourself?” Prose starts, raising an eyebrow.

“Healing Light?” Foxfire answers slowly, her shoulders slumping. “What’s his real name?”

“Arclight,” Prose supplies. “I’ve not asked his background, but he is as he seems. A trained medic and healer, often the one who fusses over his fellow Shadowbolts when they get themselves injured.” He coughs, scuffing a hoof against the carpet beneath him. “I’ve been on the receiving end of his lectures, as well as the his healing touch more times than I truthfully wish to admit.”

Giving her husband a knowing smirk, Foxfire gestures with a hoof. “Okay, so Hea… Arclight acts the same way, who's next.”

“Broad Cloth and Clean Cut,” Prose shrugs, scratching at his bandages. “The brother and sister. As I recall, you let Clean Cut help carve up the roast we were having for dinner the night they visited.”

“I was quite impressed with how she wielded the knives,” Foxfire admits, blushing a little. “I take it she is an expert knife fighter?”

“Expert would be an understatement,” Prose chuckles weakly. “You’ve doubtlessly seen the blades I use? Well, hers are faster, and sharper. I’ve seen her pin a pegasus’ wings at thirty yards.” Running a hoof over the clean cut on his face, he looks towards the window. “She is very aloof, cold… sometimes heartless.” He pauses for a moment, then smirks. “Except to Arclight, actually. They’ve been a couple for a few years.”

“Do you know why?” Foxfire asks, ears perked forward.

“I do,” Prose sighs. “But it’s her and her brother’s to tell, not mine. They’re names, by the way, are Cloak and Dagger. Cloak is the brother, and-”

“Dagger is the sister,” Foxfire finishes with a smirk. “I gathered from her use of knives.” She then frowns. “What about the young stallion they all seemed really happy to see? The one that all of them, you included, were showing all the respect to.”

“Eagle Eye,” Prose responds softly, a fond smile spreading over his face. “Or, Rat, as he is actually known. He is the leader of the small band we had at our dinner table.”

“Rat? Really?” Foxfire asks, leaning her head to one side. “That’s his name? I rather like Eagle Eye better.”

“He’s rather fond of his name,” Prose chuckles. “He was a thief, a street rat, in Saddle Arabia before the Shadowbolts more or less saved him. Or rather, he saved a group of us.”

“So, he’s what, the captain of that squad?” Foxfire inquires, gesturing with one hoof. “Or is it called something else in the Shadowbolts?”

“There is only one Captain in the Shadowbolts,” Prose says in a serious tone. “It’s the strongest of all of us. Rat, simply, earned the trust of all the ponies he led, and many of us deferred to him when it came to getting into tricky places.” He chuckles and shrugs. “He’s young, but he has a gifted mind.”

“They seemed nice, rather unlike the rumors I’ve been hearing from the Reservists,” Foxfire says slowly. “Daring told me about the battles.”

“That would be the fault of our… of the Captain who took over after the last,” Prose states sadly. “Nightshade is… strong in many ways, but she fell to the allure of power provided to her by a client that even us who gathered information on contracts don’t know the true name of.” He stands up and walks unsteadily in a circle, his unease clear. “Suffice to say, I did not take part in the first battle, in fact I’ve not actively been on a mission since Nightshade started offering crystals to us.” His wings flutter slightly, ears back against his head. “I made the excuse of going deeper into an ongoing assignment I had, cut off as many ties as I could. I had hoped, prayed, that Nightshade would see the error of her ways, but when I heard the Cirrus… fell, I was heartbroken.” He looks to Foxfire, whose eyes widen slightly at the sad look in her husband’s eyes. “My home will always be with you, with our foals, but the Cirrus? It was the home of so many of my friends, of ponies I had fought beside. When it fell, I feared they had all perished.”

“But they didn’t,” Foxfire says, smiling despite herself

“Yes, they lived,” Prose agrees, his smile growing. “In fact, a few visited me at my publishing agency. Descent, Rat’s mentor, came to me and attempted to personally recruit me back into the fold.” He pauses, his smile slipping. “I… refused him. Saying I-I had a family to look after.” He looks to his wife. “I… I had to protect you and the twins.” He shakes his head, sitting back down with a grunt. “Descent was understanding, more so than I expected, and told me that if I changed my mind, I would be welcome with him and his Renegades.”

“From the fact you’re wearing the uniform, you eventually did join up?” Foxfire probes, her own smile turning into a frown.

“My hoof was forced,” Prose states sadly. “It was actually shortly after Rat and the others visited. Rat left a headband and goggles with me, as well as a warning.” He looks at his wife again, worry clear on his features. “Descent and his forces were not the only Shadowbolts to make it clear of the wreck of our fortress, it wasn’t clear at the time how many, but along with the crystals they had it was more than enough.”

“Did they come after you?” Foxfire asks in a worried tone.

“They came after us,” Prose corrects. “Remember how I suggested you go visit your mother here in Canterlot for a week?” When his wife nods he continues. “Well, a day after you left, a group of armed ponies came in the middle of the night. I count myself lucky that the pony who is responsible for most of the intelligence gathering is on our side, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to handle the situation as well as I did..”

“So, the red stain on the carpet…?” Foxfire ventures, her voice shocked.

“One of them fought back, and I couldn’t… get rid of them as I had the others,” Prose confirms. “I spilled some wine over the stain after the fact, to hide the scent and make it believable that I really had just had a quiet weekend.” He sighs heavily, wincing as his bandages stretch. “After that, I found Descent and told him what happened, and that if he needed me I was his so long as my family was safe.” He lowers his gaze to the floor between his hooves. “I’ve been keeping an eye on Canterlot’s underground, my ears open…”

Sighing, Foxfire stares at her husband, allowing the silence at the end of his little confession to stretch on. After the longest, and tensest moments Prose has ever experienced short of asking his wife’s father for her hoof in marriage, Foxfire shakes her head and looks away.

“This is a lot to take in,” she states calmly. “And… it’s going to be a while before I can even start to forgive you for lying to me for so long. But…”

“But?” Prose echoes.

“But, I won’t hold it against you. I can tell you’re being sincere, and… well that’s all that matters,” Foxfire sighs, her shoulders slumping. “I need to think it all over, though.”

“Then, I think I will go crawl back into bed,” Prose agrees as he slowly stands, his eyes still focused on the floor. “I am sure whatever doctor patched me up will have a fit if I open my side again.” Limping towards the door, he pauses a moment to look back at his wife, a small smile once more on his face. “While you think over what I told you, remember no matter what, I do love you. That is real, no matter what lies I told, that was never a lie.” When his wife doesn’t reply, he opens the door and goes back into his room, quickly climbing into his bed.

---

The streets of Canterlot are aglow with lanterns and the few restored streetlights that the magical engineering team have been able to bring back into operation. Overall, the city is still reeling from the recent rioting and the fire that resulted from it. Even now, the triage centers and hospital are still full of ponies from the edges of the Middle Class district who had been caught in the blaze, and yet more ponies are without homes.

And in the center of it all, the now burnt and devastated High Class district sits like a scar upon the hearts and minds of the entire city, the actions of Archduke Blueblood having cast shame upon his fellow nobles, and upon the city itself.

But even with the most recent violence fresh in everypony’s mind, many eyes are still turned towards the crater where the Wonderbolts’ compound had sat not more than a week earlier. A small memorial had been put up even, with family members of the Wonderbolts, and even by extension the auxiliaries that had been with them, to go and visit. And on this cold and mournful night, a single unicorn foal is sitting in front of the memorial, his cape pulled tightly around himself.

In his magic is a picture of a grey unicorn and the foal, both smiling excitedly. Sniffling, the colt levitates the picture to a prominent spot on the memorial.

“Witch Doctor... “ the colt starts, pausing for a moment and sighing. “Mom, I hope you’re alright. Uncle Leaf and Auntie Yearling both tell me that you’re going to be fine, that you’re strong and that the Shadowbolts are likely fleeing in terror of you.” He chuckles a little, and shakes his head, tears forming again. “Uncle Leaf says if you were any more powerful, you’d be an alicorn Princess! He laughed when he said it, saying that it’d never happen in a million years! But, I think it’d be awesome if you came back as an alicorn! That means I’d be the son of a Princess! Wouldn’t that be awesome… We could live in a big castle… and… no one would ever make fun of me again… or yell at me…” he sniffles again and lays down. “Come home soon, Mom… I… I’m scared…”

He sighs and gets back up, and turns to leave. He gets a few steps away from the memorial before there is a bright flash of light and a loud peal of thunder. Turning around, the colt is amazed to find an entire TOWER like off of the Castle falling from the sky. He watches for a few seconds, amazed as only foals can be when something like this happens, before it dawns on him that he really shouldn’t be standing this close to it when it hits the ground. Turning once more, the colt takes off like a stone from a sling, rushing behind some rubble so he can continue to watch in safety.

The tower continues to fall, and right before it hits the ground, there is a bright flash and a loud popping sound. The sound and flash are then repeated a few yards away from the colt, who turns to look right as the tower impacts and a huge cloud of dust erupts from the crater. Putting an arm in front of his face, the colt coughs as he comes out from behind the rubble. He had sworn he had seen a pony standing nearby before the dust had overtaken him.

“Hello?” the colt calls, coughing a couple more times. “Is anypony there? Are you alright?”

The sound of hooves coming closer, along with what the colt swears is the sound of bells, causes him to stop in his tracks. After a few moments of standing there, the dust starts to settle, and the pony walking towards him comes into sharp focus.

It’s an elderly grey unicorn with a long curly beard and mane. He wears a wide-brimmed pointed hat with bells on it, as well as a cape that nearly drags along the ground that also has bells on it. The strange unicorn stops a little ways away from the colt and blinks a few times, then narrows his eyes and stares.

“Uhm… h-hello?” the colt says slowly.

“Ah, so you are not an illusion brought upon by magical fatigue and… well the loss of my glasses…” the unicorn states quickly. “Now, if only I could find my glasses… then I could get a good look at you!” The unicorn removes his hat, the jingle of bells causing the colt to laugh a little, and scratches his head. As he does so, his hoof taps against none other than his glasses. “Oh! There they are!” He quickly puts them on and blinks a few times. “Ah, that’s better, now there…” He looks at the colt as he replaces his hat on his head. “Good eve there, young one. I hope I did not startle you by crashing my tower into…” He looks around and frowns, “wherever this is.”

“This is Canterlot,” the colt replies before putting a hoof against his chest. “And I’m Trick Step, I’m a Cutie Mark Crusader and one of the ponies helping to defend the city!”

“Well met, Trick Step,” the unicorn chuckles as he pulls off his hat and bows. “I am Star Swirl the Bearded! Mage and advisor to their highnesses Celestia and Luna of Equestria!” He looks up at Tricks as he starts chuckling. “Have I said something funny?”

Author's Notes:

So, yeah! Here is the first part of the second arc of Canterlot in Flames! Hope you enjoy it!

For those of you who did not read the last two chapters due to the violence, I've posted a helpful summary (or at least I hope it is) of the last two chapters so that you don't have to read them if you are uncomfortable with the content.

It can be found here

Other than that, I've got the next two chapters written, and shall start work on the 3rd today. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, because it was fun to write, and that you look forward to the next chapter! Because, you know, Star Swirl is in the next chapter!