With a loud crash, the false Muletese Falcon impacted against a large rock and shattered into dozens of shards, which spread out across the forest floor.

"They made a fool out of me!" Scarlet Letter screeched, pacing in a circle in the forests of the Canterlot mountain. "They made fools out of all of us!"

"Madame, you need to calm down," Laurier de Montagne attempted to reassure her, tightening her magical grip on her weapon as she looked around the dark woods, casting her magical light about in search of any sign of a possible threat.

"Laurier, our reputation is in tatters!" Scarlet snapped back, whirling on her maid. "The whole world is laughing at the Scarlets right now...laughing at me...all because of those two ponies!" She snarled through her teeth. "I'm going to get back at those ponies if it's the last thing I do!"

"And we will have that chance," Laurier said, placing a hoof on her mistress' shoulder. "But first, we need to makes sure that you are safe."

Scarlet let out a slow breath, her tension leaving her body. "Thank you, Laurier," she whispered. "For...for everything."

"It is my pleasure, madame," Laurier smiled as she bowed briefly.

Scarlet smiled back and patted her maid on her shoulder. The tender moment passed, and she turned away with a frustrated sigh. "Where's our ride? He's going to be late."

"Ma'am! Over here!" a voice called out.

Both mares turned around to see a pale green pegasus with windswept black hair emerging from behind a tree, beckoning them towards him. Both of them hurried over.

"Are either of you hurt?" he asked, his eyes wide in concern as he scanned his mistress and her servant.

"No, thank you, Moon Wing," Scarlet smiled in relief. "Is the chariot ready?"

"Yes, ma'am." The trusted pilot guided them over to a small clearing in the woods. A small sky chariot, built for speed and agility and painted dark blue for camouflage against the night sky, sat in the midst of the clearing. Moon Wing began to reattach himself to the harness as Scarlet and Laurier pulled themselves into the small, but comfortable carriage seats.

"To the Smokey Mountain hideout," Scarlet ordered. "From there, we can plan our counterattack."

"Yes, ma'am!" Moon Wing replied, spreading his wings to take flight.

"Wait!" a voice called out. Turning, the trio saw a unicorn rushing through the trees towards them, his dark suit rumpled by the branches and leaves. He clutched a small bundle wrapped in a white sheet to his chest in an aura of pale gold magic.

"Zugzwang?" Scarlet said in puzzlement, dismounting the carriage. "What is it?"

"Scarlet," Zugzwang panted, pausing in front of her. "I'm so glad I found you in time. You can't go to the hideout."

"Why not?" Laurier demanded.

"Because the Guard got there first," Zugzwang replied, lowering his eyes. "Your men put up a brave resistance, but I'm afraid...I'm afraid that all of them were killed or captured."

Scarlet's jaw dropped in horror. "No...no!" she cried out, staggering. "It's not true! H-how could they...?" She gasped in shock, a sudden realization flashing in her eyes. "Crimson Prince! He was there!"

"Calm yourself, mein Geliebte," Zugzwang cooed, lifting up the bundle in his magic and giving it to her. "Our son is safe."

The bundle shifted, a small yawn emerging from the shape within. Pulling back the sheets with her scarlet magic, Scarlet Letter beheld the face of a unicorn colt with a light brown coat and an unkempt dark red mane, blinking up at her with wide black eyes. The infant let out a small whine and reached up to her muzzle.

"Shh, shh," Scarlet whispered, hugging the infant to her chest and gently rocking him in her magic. "There, there, don't cry, mommy's here."

"He was hidden in the secret passageway, sound asleep," Zugzwang explained. "I managed to sneak him out and teleported here, hoping to head you off."

"It's a good thing that you did," Scarlet smiled up at Zugzwang.

"Monsieur, if I may," Laurier interrupted, glaring suspiciously at Zugzwang. "The plan to steal the Falcon...it did not work."

"My plans are foolproof," Zugzwang replied through his teeth, coldly fixing his abyss-like gaze on Laurier. "But, unfortunately, not idiot-proof; even I cannot predict the actions of two love-struck party ponies, this I admit." He turned back to Scarlet. "But we still remain, mein Geliebte, and we must strike back. We must make them pay for this insult!"

"They hurt our family," Scarlet hissed, her eyes flashing anger as she hugged her sleeping son to her barrel. "They killed my brothers and sisters. I want my revenge; on Phillip Finder, on Pinkie Pie, and on all their friends!"

"And you shall have it," Zugzwang promised. Turning to Moon Wing, who had watched this in silence, Zugzwang extracted a small, folded map from his breast pocket and levitated it over to the pegasus. "Do you know this area?"

Moon Wing unfolded the map and studied it carefully. "Yes. I can get us there."

"Gut. Take them there, and quickly." Turning back to Scarlet, he took her hoof in both of his, slowly rubbing it for warmth. She gripped his hooves firmly. Her emerald green eyes met his black, the starlight reflecting in the orbs.

"You will be safe there, mein Geliebte; you can continue to lead the Scarlets from there. I will help you; I will provide you everything you need. And together, we will not just have our revenge: we will build a kingdom that our son will inherit."

Scarlet leaned forward and kissed Zugzwang sweetly on the lips. "Thank you, my dove. For everything." Climbing onto the carriage, she nodded once more to Zugzwang. The infant fussed in her grip, but she gently cradled him, hushing him gently. Laurier continued to focus her narrowed gaze on Zugzwang, but he had eyes only for Scarlet.

"I will rejoin you soon, mein Geliebte," he called as the chariot began to take flight, carried into the night sky by the pilot. "I have other business to take care of."

"Take care! We will be waiting for you!" Scarlet called out, waving goodbye as the carriage lifted up above the trees. Zugzwang waved as well, watching as the enchanted camouflaged vehicle flew higher and higher into the sky until it disappeared amongst the distant stars and clouds of the night.

"I told you I didn't require your services, doctor," he finally said, turning to face the figure that had been hiding behind a tree during the entire exchange. "The child was enough to ensure her cooperation."

The cloaked pony stepped into the moonlight, his face hidden by his black hood. His bony wings, which were a pale sickly yellow color, were clutched tight to his sides. Upon the pony's shoulder rode a midnight black raven whose sharpened claws glinted in the darkness. The bird let out a hoarse screech, as if in displeasure.

"Patience, Lenore," the cloaked pony said in a raspy voice, reaching up a skeleton-like hoof to stroke the raven across its back. "You will have your chance."

"On Pinkie Pie and her friends, I hope," Zugzwang replied, pulling out a packet of cigarettes from his suit pocket and levitating one over to the cloaked pony. "Their interference has put me into a very awkward position; I need to keep the Scarlets under my control, and because of them, I almost lost their trust."

"Without a doubt," Nevermore replied, accepting the cigarette and placing it into his mouth. "But we cannot afford to make too grand a gesture this soon. Not after we have suffered such a loss. I'd rather not have to move my laboratory again."

Zugzwang let out a snarl of hesitant agreement and levitated over a silver lighter and flicked it open. The small flame briefly illuminated the doctor's crimson eyes as he lit the cigarette. He sucked briefly on the cigarette, then blew a small cloud of smoke out of his nostrils.

"But what of you?" the doctor asked.

Zugzwang frowned. With his magic, he reached beneath his suit and pulled out a small satchel wrapped around his neck and tucked beneath his clothing.

"We may have a new opportunity," he said, staring at the satchel with a hungry expression. "But I need more time to prepare myself. Time that Phillip Finder might use as an opportunity to interrupt me." He looked up at the cloaked pony, teeth gritted. "I need a distraction. Something to keep him busy."

"I have just the thing," the doctor grinned. "Two experiments I've been dying to try for ages." He removed the cigarette from his mouth and dropped it onto the ground, where he crushed it beneath his hoof with a slow, deliberate grinding.

"One is already underway. If the second experiment works—if my hypothesis is correct—then I will know how to break Phillip Finder. I will bring you his soul, so that you may crush it."

Zugzwang smiled, a wide, mirthless smile. "You have yet to disappoint, doctor," he said. "You will have whatever support you need." He lit up his horn, and in a flash of golden light, the two ponies teleported away, leaving behind no trace of their presence save a crushed goldleaf cigarette sitting in a small pile of ashes.

Author's Notes:

Oh, yes...Doctor Nevermore is back.

I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I liked writing it! Any comments, criticisms, likes and faves that you'd care to give are more than welcome.

The saga continues in Trifle Not With Monsters, coming soon!

This chapter underwent a significant rewrite 3/7/17