“Now, I know what you’re thinking,” Doug says placatingly, palms facing the Princesses. He focuses primarily on Cadance with her marked scowl, hoping to forestall her evident wrath, though he grimaces as Twilight’s smug smile fades as she realizes the crown peeking out of his duffel bag might not be meant for her. He does his best to keep his voice chipper and unwavering. “And I can explain.”

The clustered mares do not take his reassurance well. Each Princess fixes him with a harsh, implacable glare, the scorned and double-crossed mares waiting for the slightest provocation to unleash her rage.

“You promised to help Twilight win the Helm,” Trixie cuts in from across the room. She uses Doug’s appearance to slip out from Spike’s grasp, staring down her stallion like that might make his arms move. She joins Twilight’s side while Spike hovers above Cadance. “So hurry up and give it to her!”

“That’s what you said to me!” Shining Armor loudly claims, though he quails as his wife’s wrathful gaze pivots to him. “W-wait! I didn’t know you asked him too!”

“Thy pledge to us was that thou wouldst not reveal thy intentions.” Luna fixes Doug with a cold stare. “How couldst thou agree to assist these plebeians, knowing thy efforts were already spoken for? Surely we did not come to you first!”

“Wait,” Shining Armor says, whirling on Luna. “You were going to keep the Helm for yourself?”

“Thy request was for us to retrieve the Helm from Emperor Spike’s clutches,” Luna claims, affronted. “Just as it was yours to Doug. T’was thou who failed to specify what t’would happen after the fact.”

“By all the…” Shining Armor spits out, visibly angered by the alicorn’s deception. Likewise, Celestia regards her Sister with no small amount of shock.

“He told me he would keep our arrangement a secret as well,” Cadance confirms, the target of her fury switching from Shining Armor back to Doug. “You were to protect the Helm, not betray it!”

“In my defense,” Doug says slowly, still holding his hands up and making no move toward the paper helm at his side. His worry is less that any of the aggravated mares will take some aggressive action against him and more that they might turn on each other. “I never let on to anypony that my help had already been requested. Correct?” Doug checks each for confirmation, getting grudging nods in return. He mutters, though loudly enough for all to hear, “You’d think I like working myself to the bone to have enough time to go on excursions like this. And you would have suspected if I declined to help, right?”

“Fine.” Cadance huffs loudest of all of them. “You said you would help Spike keep the Helm. How do you propose to do that, and still uphold your promise to Twilight?” She smirks, half-jesting, “Will you claim the Helm for yourself, to be passed around like mares sharing their stallion?”

“Tempting,” Doug glibly answers, shooting the pink alicorn a flirtatious wink, though neither she nor her husband show any sign of softening their stony expressions.

“I would not be content with one fifth of the Helm,” Twilight states. The other four nod their heads in agreement. “That was the arrangement when we were foals, trading it back and forth; this was to be the final contest, determining who remains Sibling Supreme forever.”

“Forever,” Shining Armor repeats with the same awe and eyes full of sparkles. Celestia and Luna share a similar shine, and even Spike shimmers with desire.

“So,” Doug says, gulping as beads of sweat form along his brow, hoping to keep his (and thus the alicorn’s) cool. “Each of you is only content if you take the Helm home?”

“T’would prove we art the superior Sister,” Luna confirms. Celestia snorts, earning an angry glare from her Sister.

“But you didn’t do anything!” Emperor Spike points at the empty cage and the sole guard standing next to it; she looks stricken because she allowed the Helm to be taken. “At least Twilight made an attempt to beat one of the defenders! All you did was stand and watch.”

Luna manages a look of complete bewilderment. “Is that not how it is done?” She gives a long look at her Sister. “Our apologies. We must be following the wrong model.”

“I have always believed in my students, and seen their failures or successes as my own.” Celestia sighs, though she regards Doug with a wistful smile. “Unless you believe the crown should be mine?”

“You know what?” Doug laughs, to himself since his cheer is shared by none of the mares. He pulls the silvery crown out of the bag. “You’ve convinced me.” Surprised, Celestia nonetheless tips her head so Doug can neatly drop the unfolded Helm of the Sibling Supreme around her long horn.

The dumbfounded alicorn brushes the green bangs of her flowing mane to the side, the eight-pointed silver star on the front of the Helm replacing her golden crown as the most prominent piece of adornment. “Thank you,” Celestia says, halfway between a question and a refusal at being recognized above the others.

“Hey!” Luna objects, frowning first at her Sister before rounding on Doug. Only Celestia does not follow her furious lead. “Thy dares-”

“It turns out,” Doug states with a certain command, forestalling Luna’s rant by placing a single finger on her snout. Her eyes cross to stare at the offending appendage, and Doug is glad she doesn’t have teeth like Spike, since she’s doing a marvelous job baring them. “Somepony else wasn’t happy about not being asked to participate in your little game.”

Cadance sharply draws in a breath. “Chrysalis.”

Doug nods, then points at the lone guard standing at attention next to the empty cage. “She could be her.” He places his hand on his chest. “She could be me!” He calmly points a finger at You. Yes, You. “She could even be-”

“Hey!” Pinkie Pie interjects. “That’s my joke!”

Doug looks puzzled for a second, then shrugs to himself. “I went to Canterlot and talked to Twilight Velvet and Night Light.”

“Y-you did?” Twilight coughs, hiding her bashful frown, probably because it’s been a while since she’s seen them and their last interaction with Doug started off with a bit of a hot patch. “And, um, how are my parents?”

“They wish you well, especially with your two little adventures.” Doug pauses, debating how much to reveal; he decides to go with full disclosure. “They’re debating how much help you’ll need, and if they should move to Ponyville.”

Twilight’s smile draws tighter to the point where she can barely keep it in place. Her anger from Doug’s earlier actions certainly doesn’t help; some seeps through. “Really.”

“I told them,” Doug continues, “we have a number of experienced mares in the herd, all of whom are willing to chip in as required.” Applejack tips her hat, Rarity giving a short nod. “And, if you would like them to be involved more than the occasional visit, you would tell them.”

It takes Twilight a second to parse his response. Her anger fades, rewarding her stallion for his faith in her with a quick kiss that promises considerably more. “Thank you,” she gushes, grinning from ear to ear.

“But,” Doug says, pulling away and addressing the crowd of mares before he can get too distracted, “The main reason was to learn what materials they used. And you know what? It turns out changelings are really good at duplication.”

Doug opens the duffel bag at his side, revealing dozens of silver paper crowns, each a perfect replica of the Helm of the Sibling Supreme.

“And, since I promised to help each of you win one?” Doug pulls out a Helm and places it on Twilight head. He continues down the line, Shining Armor and Cadance and Spike and Luna each getting one. But he doesn’t stop there; he walks to the double line of mares and stallions, and each of them - even the ones that aren’t technically siblings - finds a five-pointed crown resting on their manes.

“Now,” Doug concludes with a certain finality, “you can all be the Sibling Supreme.”

He waits with a certain smugness, though it fades as none of them acknowledge his brilliant resolution. Instead they frown to themselves, exchanging uneasy glances with each other.

“But,” Luna stammers with a certain befuddlement, first to break the awkward silence, “how art we all declared Sibling Supreme? The very word means ‘above all others’!”

“Well,” Doug starts before being cut off by Rainbow Dash.

“The contest wasn’t even over!” Rainbow Dash motions to herself and Soarin. “We weren’t caught yet! We could have still gotten the Helm!”

“You could have tried,” Raikou interjects, crossing his meaty hands across his chest. “But you wouldn't make it.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie! made it!” The azure unicorn sticks her nose up with no small amount of self-righteousness. “She deserves the Helm the most of anypony!”

“Technically,” Doug corrects, Trixie deflating, “I’m the one who reached through the bars after they stopped your hoof. And the guards let you through because you claimed you were tailing me on Spike’s orders.”

Trixie gives a loud sniff. “The cunning and resourceful Trixie makes no apologies for her methods. And she could have picked that lock just as quickly as you reached your hand in!”

“Oh yeah?” Pinkie Pie loudly claims, “My party is what got everypony this far in the first place!”

The Storm King snorts. “Then spontaneous parties should be treated with suspicion.”

“No!” Pinkie Pie pleads, dropping to her knees to beg. “You can’t! Parties are supposed to be sacred! A time for anypony to gather and make merry, not enmity!”

“Then perhaps,” Celestia rebukes, “the sanctity of parties should not be sacrificed for brief gain.”

Pinkie Pie’s head droops, her hair straightening as tears weep from clenched eyes, that her actions spread distrust and doubt.

“Not how I wanted to win this,” Spike solemnly states. He mournfully slides the back of a claw along the silver paper adorning his green frills. “Apparently this is the ending we all deserve.”

Doug sighs heavily, sitting down. Only Applejack sticks close to him, and she looks more like she’s doing her duty as lead mare rather than because she believes in him. “I thought it would be a fun reward for everypony, since you were all putting so much effort into this.”

Applejack nuzzles Doug, looking forlorn. “Ah’ve won mah share of ribbons, but gettin’ one just fer tryin’?”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Rainbow Dash sputters, ripping the silver crown off her head to stare at it. “You mean this is a participation trophy?!”

Doug reaches for the Helm. “Well, if you don’t want it…” Rainbow Dash snatches her Helm away, aghast that he would even think of such a thing. Doug sighs, rubbing at his temples as more and more grumbles permeate the throne room.

“No, no, everypony,” Twilight says, suddenly chipper. Everypony quiets down. “Don’t you see? Doug didn’t do this to show how we all equally failed at our task.” Most of the ponies stare at the floor, ears drooping. “He wanted us to realize that we are focusing on the wrong thing. King Sombra isn’t going to break into this castle and steal a simple trinket.” She places her hoof on her brother’s chest, and he looks at it, confused. “He’s going to try to get into our hearts and corrupt us.” She reaches up to gently tap Spike’s head, giving her longtime ward a fond smile. “He’s going to try to get into our heads and separate us. That is what we cannot allow.” A single flap of her wings brings her to Doug. “And we have you to thank for that.” She reaches down to peck at his lips, blushing as she realizes this is the second time she’s stolen a kiss.

“Uh, sure.” Doug scratches at his scalp. “Not exactly what I was going for, but I’ll take it.”

“Now, aren’t you forgetting something?” Twilight grins as she grabs a Helm of the Sibling Supreme from Doug’s bag, standing two-legged to place it on his head. “There.”

Doug leaves the crown slightly askew, matching her grin as he wraps her whole body in a hug. It doesn’t take long for the rest of the ponies to join him in one giant ball. “Thanks.”

Next Chapter: Ch. 152 - Brawn, Part One Estimated time remaining: 7 Hours, 60 Minutes