Author's Notes:

Pre-reading credit for this chapter goes to Jinzou.

“Wake up Withers; we’re moving!”

The missive thundered into Withers’ head. The second he realized who spoke it, he scrambled to his feet. “Viscera!” he yelped. ‘It’s the middle of the night-”

“-and all’s fucked!” Viscera finished loudly. “The statue we got was a trap, Strawberry Shortsight told us all about it!”

“How so?”

“Apparently, those friends of Moon Dancer’s from her last visit - they got stuffed into the statue!” Rappid yelled. “Twilight’s using them to get to us, and now it's heading to the one last bastion of safety from her, the Crystal Empire! Do you know what this means?!”

“Besides it being the first time Twilight used a Trojan to screw somepony?” Viscera added.

“No!-well, yes, but no!” Rappid shot back. “They’re dead mares walking - and I have to know where she put the rest of them!”

“How do you know-”

“The statue, even if it was a molecule-thick shell, cannot be enough to hold three full-grown mares!” Rappid Fires‘s face reddened in fury. “And I will not let their fate be the same as Cloudkicker’s!”

Wither gave her an odd look. “Well, I did hear that Twilight was spitting her shit from that house the Princess has in the clouds, maybe yo-”

“Call Viscera’s client, he owes us for the bands! We’re leaving the second I get back!” And with that, Rappid flew out of the tavern.

“Where are you going?” That came from Berryshine, the fuschia mare finally peeking out from the cellar opening at Viscera. Were any look emblematic of ‘take-me-back-to bed’, the one reflected in her eyes would be it.

Which made Viscera’s next words all the harder to say. “Nothing, Berry. We… I just need to make sure everyone’s safe. Think you can nip over to Roseluck’s, Berry; make sure Colada and Puff are ok?”

“Right! You can’t be too careful, who knows what can slip between your hooves while you’re off having adventures!” Berryshine bounded up the steps, stopping only to give Viscera a brusque kiss. “You’re the best, Vis. Keep that mug of Cranapple Cider up for me when I get back!”

“Y-yeah…” Viscera had never been more grateful for a coat that was already crimson, as the heat rose in her cheeks. “You too, luv.”

The cheeky grin as Berryshine slipped out the side entrance of her own terrace finally put Viscera’s heart at ease. “Got it bad, don’t you?” asked Withers as the door finally slammed shut.

“You saw her tongue in action, you’d be making yours sharp enough to take my place.” Viscera airily pointed out.

Withers let out a cackle. “I meant in the way you haven’t been since Grissle in the Caba-”

Viscera’s expression darkneed at that point. “Stop. I’ve done enough of it for two lifetimes. I’d rather not one of them get shortened.”

“Huh.” Wither’s face dropped. “Really act a lot like Grissle too. Never did get to tell me what happened with you ‘n her in the Towe-”

A resounding BANG heralded Rappid’s return. Her face was twisted, but in what, neither Viscera nor Withers could tell. The sort of giving expression and brow hand never been a part of a live pony… for long. Yet, a minute passed, and there it still was. “Heads.”

“Fine, and tails, I’ll tell Vis about the Caballeron Prank of last year.” A light chuckle brought up the white pony’s chest. “Lime gelatin, indeed. The Doc loved that stuff. It was far better than that!”

“Withers! Can you focus?” Rappid yelled.

Withers’ ran a hoof back under his mane. “Sorry, it's just…. Apparently, the whole statue I went to a whole length to steal is about to… well…”

“Never mind this; we’re gone!” Rappid Fires made her way for the door.

“Think of what we’ll use to get the statue away from there?” Viscera asked.

“Well… I may have one thing.” Rappid’s smile went into a wicked crescent that’d put the one in the night sky to shame.

This time, it was Rappid leading the party to the Crystal Empire. Despite the two pegasi helping her pull the chariot this time, sweat-soaked out from under her pinstriped black shirt. Thankfully, they were both courtesies of Spoiled Rich’s satisfaction over the wedding-band theft (only slightly perturbed with being woken up over it in the middle of the night). The golden throne-bed towed in her wake only held Withers and Viscera.

“Hope you’re - huf! -comfortable back there!” Rappid quipped to the passenger ponies

Withers was at the forefront of the “S’fine, Mayor! As long as the trip’s short!”

“We’ve got four hours left, then,” huffed one of the pegasi to Rappid’s right. “Right, Sunny Day?”

“How did either of you know that?” Viscera’s eyes widened, though her beaked mask did a good job of hiding it.

Sunny Day replied back, voice garbled around her reins. “Because Turnip told me as much when Derpy was sent on that overnight trip!”

Before either the current or former Caball henchpony could ask Sunny what trip she meant, the arrival of a giant silver truck loomed from the skyline. And the pony pulling it was just as grey-coated as that very van. “H-hello, all!” she called, her walled golden eyes scouting around them.

“Sweetness, Derpy! You managed to get you out of the bathrooms!” Sunny chirped. “How long's it take you to get to the Empire?”

They were now within a quarter-mile from passing each other. “S-six hours!“ Only Viscera could see Derpy’s eyes narrow and her hooves clasp closer to her bosom. “Why d’ya want to know?”

“We’re goin’ your way, Derps!!” said Sunny. “Unless you’ve been someplace earlier, mate!”

“N...nope!” Goodness, how did exhaustion strike the pegasus so much? Even the van floated, from the cloud-stacked wheel jambs! Viscera’s mind bent over this, but she was certain they couldn’t talk, considering their trip. “Ooh…. well, I left at eight o’clock, so…”

A tenth of a mile of air separated them now. “Oh no, it’s seven hours!” wailed Snow. “I don’t think we’ll…”

“Calm down!” Viscera bellowed. “We can… I can…” but her look on their situation was getting as bleak as the expression on Derpy’s face. Then a thought struck Viscera. “Derpy! Were you the one delivering the statue?”

“Oh, o-of course!”

“Oh no - she’ll money-shot and glass-lot in the spot the Empire is with that much of a head start!” Rappid turned to Viscera, orange-on-white mane whipping in the wind. “We’ve only got one thing that can beat her to that spot!”

Viscera dreaded the response. She knew the answer too.

Rpapid’s teeth gritted. “Whatever you think you did to spirit us from Canterlot, we need you to do it now! You’ve been to Crystal Empire before, right?”

“Is this because I’m a thief?” Viscera hoped the wryness in her tone would irritate Rappid enough. At least, to not make her port back to whatever literal chamber of horrors her last ‘reality twist’ brought her through. It didn’t.

“Do not mess with me, Vis! I’ve been there, Cori’s been there! No way that you don’t have a Caball base there when you do in every other northern city!” Viscera did not bother asking how the Cloudsdale mayor knew of this. Curse it, why does everyone have a copy of the Almanac, the whole point of the book was that it was supposed to be on the down-low!

“Fine, I’ll try. But… I don’t think we ever got closer than the borders. Doc… never could chance Sombra swallowing up the place.” And now another Shadow Pony risked doing the same.

Because of me.

Viscera’s resolve was steeled. She had to make up for this fuck-up. One way or another. “Fine. Hold on, everypony.”

And her eyes closed. That tap to the amygdala, and a bubble of space twisted around the caravan. One second later, Derpy’s head turned back to face nothingness, besides, air rushing back to a pocket that a golden be-throne was once pulled through. Her grey hooves turned back to the one last scrap of yellow she'd had on her during the return trip…

...a golden curved seashell-like stone, its outward edge shaped like a maneless horse’s head.

~~~

The spiral of twisted space deposited the trio of ponies just outside the upper limits of the Crystal Empire. Several glittering buildings flew around them. All but Viscera marveled at the architectural delta. Viscera herself felt like she’d run a marathon after day-drinking, slumping down in exhaustion instead.

“Whoa, hold on. Set us down there, we don’t want to alert anypony!” If only Viscera shared Rappid’s concern of that list only being restricted to those snoozing below them. If only it wasn’t first oriented to the ponies about to invade it.

Damn it, Viscera thought, why the fuck did I have to be loud enough for Daring to find me in that fucking cottage?

The entourage found itself rushing past several buildings, nearly crashing into a particularly large one nearby the Crystal Prep Academy building before tumbling down into an alley. Several shimmering spires twinkled in the night sky from Viscera’s vantage point.

Considering it was upside down from the sudden landing, it was… literally a sight for sore eyes. “Okay, never doing this again, luves.” Viscera moaned.

“Damn right - this bed weighs a ton, who the hell else was this thing meant to be pulled by?” hissed Rappid, unmooring herself from the reigns bound around her body.

Snow Violet was next, pulling up the woozy Sunny Day. “Well, we can wait here until we see you leave the Palace, then? We’re paid for a round trip!”

“Yeah- just follow the sound of changelings and screaming.” Withers said. “We’ll have our ponies call your ponies. Speaking of which, Rappid, who are our ponies again?”

“The same pony who arranged for the statue to be moved here: Filthy Rich.” Viscera was off the carriage before she’d even mentioned his name. “Well, let me know when - sorry, can I help you?”

Rappid looked at the blue mare next to Viscera - and her eyes shot to the size of dinner plates. “And we’re going to the palace now!” With Viscera under one hoof and Withers in the other, apparently.

“I’m sorry, we heard a crash and I thought -” The pony next to Rappid blinked, dichromatic eyes and blue coat clashing heavily against the pegasus. “You’re Rappid! Didn’t think we’d be meeting here again!”

“Well, I’m sure Sunny can clue you in on what you missed with me gottagobye!” Rappid, with Viscera and Withers under her arms, flew off.

Viseras suddenly regretted the tightness of the barding, as Rappid had a good grip on her. “Mind telling me what this is about?”

“Tell you when you’re older; we’re saving the Princess.”

“Positive I’ve got a year on both of you.” Withers hissed. “Combined.”

“One, wow, do I need your moisturizer; two, we’re saving the Princess!”

~~~

“Yes, we’d like to see Cadance.”

The Crystal Guard was a bit wary upon seeing the golden Thestral in front of him. “We’re still to clear everypony that has to meet her. Unless the Princess already succeeded with the procedure?”

“She should be about wrapping up. After all, the Ambassador Cori is here; and what is the purpose of her being here if shit wasn’t about to be done swiftly?” The Crystal Guard looked securely at Withers. Careful contemplating ensured, their eyes staring into each other in a grueling battle of wits. Never before had an Equestrian born witness to such a scintillating, all-purpose, example of communication between the deceiver and the protecto-

“Well then, Miss Goldilock, we’ll see you to the Princess.” The Crystal Guard motioned to the door. “You were let in by the ones at the gate; we’ll accompany you two to the Princess.“

Into the main building they went, and Viscera watched them go down the main staircase - from the ceiling perch she’d gotten in during their entire conversation. “Can’t believe that worked,” she uttered.

Viscere did not know much of the layout of the Crystal Empire, though; she had to wait for them to relocate upstairs. “Check on the Prince! He’s been antsy since Sentry’s move to Canterlot, but never late!” Wall-crawling and chandelier leaping took her down several hallways ater the concerned Crystal Guard.

Finally, however, they arrived at two ornate doors within the back-end of the floor they were on. The Crystal Guard tried to work at the front door of one of them. Viscera, hoping the rooms were connected, went for the other door after he turned to ask for a key.

One of the crimson pony’s fake claws fractured slightly in the lock. She ground her teeth and tried again, finally succeeding in picking it. Slipping in just as the Crystal Guard turned back to his work, Viscera studied the room she was in.

The opulence of Cadance and Shining’s bedchambers hit Viscera like a splash of fine wine. Glittering red-and-blue sheets draped over and upon the giant bed taking up most of the room. Viscera could have whistled at this, but she had to move fast - She hand Rappid-well, Goldilock now-had to know what they were walking inot. And why they hadn’t been invited.

Would it really be a surprise Cori avoided telling you? Back came that inner pony of Viscera’s, a little snider now. You always keep to yourself around everypony; now you’re mad that a Crystal Pony’s doing the same?

No. Viscera was only made Cori hadn’t done her due diligence on the thing she took!

Like you did with the Equilixirs? And the judge ponies? And that phoenix?

Viscera was starting to hate hearing that voice as she looked throuwd the top of the dresser. Cadance was quite the heavy accessorizer as of late. Her table had several bottles of eye polish, mascara and Wing preening rods littering it.

But as a Princess of the Crystal Empire, her work mixed with pleasure too. The treatises and letters scattered on that dresser and the surrounding stables with her stamp on them showed that. Visceras eyes couldn't help but drift over the general alerts, hoping to find out how much Cadance knew of the Caball. But only warnings about the Queen greeted her eyes - some streaked with dark splotches Viscera knew were tears.

After several minutes, Viscera found one that actually did strike her fancy: a recent letter. It had clearly been a rough draft, from the wording at the top that said Stuck proper ton: Make 4 copies. Send to Good Elements. splayed across the top.

Below those block letters, however, the cursive could only make VIscera’s eyebrows raise.

Elements -

Your ‘Party Fouls’ seem to be feasible options, but there may yet be a way your efforts can be coordinated further. You’ll be the first to know of developments, my little ponies (erase. Will remind them too much of Celestia) my sisters-in-arms. We must be fast.

Viscera… could see where Cadance may have gotten the idea of improperly invoking Celestia. Even now, her heart thumped over the notice she’d shown to Luna in her talking of their plans. Once again, the crimson pony’s face sunk over realizing what she - and all Equestria - had lost.

So, let’s talk of your plans, updated as you’ve made them.

Pinkie:
Your… party arrangements seem quite exciting. I am concerned about how close-proximity it requires you to be with the Queen. Perhaps you could try out your plan in a more controlled environment, see how it could be improved? Regardless, I am optimistic about its success - we’ll just need to work over details with Las Pegasus for the final pieces of it.

Applejack:
I’ve been there to help you with the plan, Applejack; I know how much you protested me moving it to the bottom of the queue. Let me be clear; it is not for a lack of confidence. The opposite, in fact; your plan is the most solid and thought-out one we have. Right now, keep alive our representatives for that plan - the ones me, Spike, Trixie and Thorax brought to our last meeting.

In addition, I… do not know if the amulet-manipulation of Queen Twilight’s body can be reversed. Insane as she’s become. Make sure your battlesuit does what you say it does; you represent our best hope to stop the Queen, besides these Thestrels. Which is why if all else fails, I count on yours to succeed.

Rarity:
I… Thank you for notifying me of your reconsideration. Effective, fast, and safe as your original plan was, the method required to fuel such a anti-alicorn weapon would be… unbearably barbaric. Let me know how your progress goes.

Also, Rarity? I only hope you consider just who you’re having act as the vanguards for this plan, especially the D.S.C. I cannot keep this secret from Applejack forever.

Do.. say hello to Spike for me. And stay safe: your stress is starting to consume you.

Fluttershy:
Your plan seems the easiest to get started, but we have to be quick. The facility in Manehattan is a public area - it is only a matter of time before the corral is found.

Do not worry about the potential for use to capture different creatures - S.M.I.L.E. is long-gone, the Caball’s benign hunted en masse by Queen Twilight after the fiasco during Princess Dash’s visit, and… I will make sure no others abuse it.

The Carnation movement will be started in several weeks. Much as I detest using charity money to help fast-track it, I must take charge in the efforts against the Queen as soon as possible. Until then, Fluttershy, hold strong.

We will talk further later. Stay vigilant and safe - there is no telling what the Queen will do next.

With love,

Princess Cadance

Viscera wasn’t so sure she wanted to know what Rarity had done. The search of the cabinets, however, found her a small locked box with that very unicorn’s name upon it. Viscera pocketed it, just for research. Definitely not to help counter Cadance if she protested her presence here.

Definitely not, mumbled her inner pony. Viscera ignored it this time.

Taking it and the rough draft of the letter, Viscera’s last glance turned to the other room- which the Crystal Guard had finally gotten into while she was busy reading. Clutching to the space above the door, Viscera listed for approaching hoofsteps. Luckly, The Crystal Guard that came into the bedroom wasn’t into checking sealings. And the helmet obstructed enough of his peripheral vision for Viscera to sneak past.

Vaulting into the next room by the top of the doorframe, Viscera only barely missed the guard’s crest. She definitely missed the Guard’s call of “Shining! Come forth, my lord!” as he slammed the door shut behind him.

What she didn’t miss - or rather, what had nearly caused her to topple off her perch on the thresh’s lip with the punch it gave to her nerves - was the sight of the room she was in. Viscera’s eyes scanned over it, and came to two quick conclusions.

One; it was Shining Armor’s study, for sure. It looked almost like his office that Shining occupied.

Second, she hoped he’d fought off whatever bloodthirsty beast that invaded, because it was covered in torn books and large bloodstains. Several trails of red led outside the smashed window, moonlight tinkling in just like the shards of class from the rent frame it reflected around.

And in the center of it was his helmet, polished to a golden sheen despite the dents in it. He had apparently been taken unaware, but had gotten some hits of his own in. Several craters lined the walls nearest the window, too small to be his if the fallen mannequin next to them were any indication.

Viscer touched down on the ground, keeping an eye on both closed doors as she studied the room. One particular notice was a book, face-down on the ground. Looking through it showed a contrast: despite the colorful visage of Shining on the cover, only half of the pages were filled. Yet the title, Shining on a Hill, reminded Viscera of something one of her friends had mentioned. She knew it was Cori, but…

Well, the book would provide an icebreaker. Perhaps Shining was working on it when he was attacked; she would have to find out from them.

Snatching up the book and giving one last look over the room, Viscera turned for the window. She was planning to use the balconies to sneak back out into the halls, but as her hoof brushed against the helmet, it hit a small diamond embedded in its peak. And for Viscera, the scene shifted. The last dregs of the memory-lost mind going NO! I have to get out of-

<~~~>

“-you don’t have to wear that all the time, Shining!”

Viscera was back in the jamb between both rooms. Shining was in the study, Cadance several feet beyond them. Shining was clearly pacing the room, finally moving back to be with his wife. And between them all, Viscera was robotically letting Shining pass, still incensed over the inadvertent past memory she triggered.

Damn me being a Thestrel! Damn me for being curious! And damn me, Viscera screamed to herself, for being so unaware of my surroundings I stumbled into this while a Crystal Guard’s in the room across from me!

Neither pony before her took notice.

“I wasn’t this guarded before.” came the quiet response from Shining. “But seeing what it brought me… brought us.”

“This time?” Cadance’s eyes widened beneath her slipping crown. “Shining, if you’re blaming yourself for Twilight-!”

“No, honey,” Shining was at his wife’s side within a second, calmly nursing her disheveled locks into position as he held her. “It’s about what Twilight might do to you. Especially now.”

“I’m not gonna let her take away what we've built, Shining.” Cadance brushed one of her horseshoe-covered limbs onto his chest. Viscera could feel a warm blossom of joy swell at the sight. “What we and Rhythmus do should be supported by everypony sick of her madness.”

She’d almost forgotten what it was like for family to share such tender moments.

“I might not be strong enough to keep her away this time, Cady. Please… promise me you won’t do anything rash.” Shining Armor fought back a wad of saliva in his throat. “She’s my sister, but I have training as a Guard to retreat behind in cases like this.” His worried eyes billowed as he pulled back, fully taking in Cadance. “But she’s the foal you raised, Cadance. And I worry for you.”

Cadance turned away, but from Viscera’s angle, she could see it wasn't to reject Shining’s advice. It was to keep him from noticing the tear rolling down the cheek turned away from him. How effective it was didn’t register in Shining’s face. “Well, stop, Shining. I can handle myself. And I can handle~”

Shining's forehoof, the one caressing her un-dampened cheek, shifted to her barrel, rubbing over her stomach in short strokes. Cadance stiffened but made no further move to reject. “We can, Cady. We’re a team.”

“R-right. I forgot that.” Cadance sighed. “I seem to miss a lot of things lately.”

“You’re not alone.” Shining’s dulcet tones even seemed to take Viscera’s worries away, unseen as it was. “If there’s any of us who should have been there for Twilight during that sham Blueblood murder trial, it’s the former leader of the Royal Guard.”

Viscera’s heart throbbed painfully over seeing Shining suck in his bottom lip. And now Shining, for all his concern, might be gone, alone with his guilt.

“Well then, we’ll work twice as hard from now on to see the other ponies are safe.” Cadance finally let a grin appear on her face. “I’ll make sure Cori and Gympis are seen through quickly tonight.”

“And I’ll be there to see you through.”

“Such a knight, even now.” A giggle shook Cadance’s frame as she finally removed her crown, tossing it to the dresser. It swung around one of the drawer knobs, then stayed still. “Then take me to bed, pretty boy,” titted the alicorn.

Shining matched her coy smile. Taking off his helmet at last, he threw it into the study. It sharply ricocheted off the wall and to the ground. The stallion underneath it, however, was too busy scooping up Cadance and carrying her to the bed to care. “Yes, damsel,” he heartily replied.

“-the castle one last time! I’m not sure if the creature Shining encountered isn’t limping around!”

Viscera snapped back to reality, as realization of her bearings hit like a train. Quickly, she scaled a bookcase and leaped to the nearest wall, her fake claws to the wall again. Thankfully, the conversation was still in the other room. Apparently, the Crystal Guard there was joined by another.

“Yes sir. But we assure you, sir, Prince Shining is moving to the hall to meet Cadance - we just saw him!”

“And did one of you accompany him?” said the first guard.

“Yes, sir! Raphinite is a capable veteran, and-”

“Look into his study, then tell me of how any one Crystal Pony could have helped him escape it!”

Seeing the Crystal Guard-well, make that Guards, there were two - entering the study right under her hooves put Viscera’s mind in a tilt. Should they turn around from where they were surveying the room, she’d likely be found. Should she swing back into the room, the Crystal Guard still in the bedroom might see her. How to make them all collect in one room without drawing eyes on her...

“Goodness, Commander! Unless it’s a pony that attacked him, there’s only one type of blood here!”

The guards in the room were soon joined by the third, his indignation spiking. “Quit with the investigative sense and look at the amount of blood!” Sharp clinks of his glittering armor field the room as the others kept searching the room. “The prince won’t even let you check him, was that your previous point back there!?”

Of course, some problems could solve themselves. Viscera swung back into the room, and left the bedroom entirely, slipping open the door. Goodness, Shining Armor might be out on his feet and none of the ponies in the throne room would know!

This time, Viscera charged through the halls, all thought of concealment shed. The lit purple arches of the walkways flicked before her eyes, her pace increasing as she tried to remember where that door leading to them was.

Then the voices accompanied her trek to the throne room.

“Princess, my apologies for speaking out of turn. But I only left Ponyville so early because I thought this would be quick!”

“And it will be, Ambassador, Cori!” Princess Cadance’s voice was butter-smooth, even late in the night. “You can stop rearing holds in the rug now, my friend.”

“I shall hope that this process will be painless, myself.” The chittering drawl of Gympis was a sound for sore ears, in Viscera’s case. Then her brain hooked on a key phrase. Wait. What process?

Viscera’s ears perked up, even through her hood. So Cori wasn’t doing this as some dodge. There was apparently something going down here. A possible alliance? An extension of their power?

Cadance would soon answer them, though. “Yes, Miss Gympis. With you as a princess, and your experience with the Equilixir stone fused with your body, you’ll be our guide on how they work. And if we can extract it from you as my notes suggested, we might be able to put them in the bodies of ponies that can use them to their fullest!”

Viscera almost choked on their own saliva! Wa-They were going to rip their Thestrel powers from them?! It was the only way they’d stay alive to this point! It was how they finished the tasks ponies gave them on her behalf! What was the Queen thinking?! And did Cori know this?!

Or maybe they caught wind of the latest building you brought down and decided somepony made to knock down walls were better fits for the job!

Viscera could have howled at her inner pony. Ever since the teleportation trick in Canterlot, it’d gotten snider and darker. She needed to stay alive! For Puff, and Berry, and… and the pony still in Hooves’ vault. Viscera had already gone through this with Daring two nights ago!

Two nights ago you didn’t have a way out of benign a Thestrel. Now you do. It’s being a target on you now.

Viscera galloped faster, finally reaching a dead-end. It was framed by a double-door smaller than the main throne room doors, but that led to the same place. A quick look at the crack beyond it showed that it led to a balcony overlooking the throne room. Goldilock’s short grunting tricked out from that door’s crack.

And what’s more, your power’s so appealing the Queen’s tagging her own statues to get hooves on you. Viscera’s inner pony would not stop mentally because her outer one had physically. Yet you’re still holding on to the fantasy that it’s not grinding your life to a-

“Halt! Who goes there!” Viscera froze, turning around. A guard had noticed her. He closed in, his horn igniting.

“I can explain sir.” Viscera’s voice came out in a far calmer tone than she felt. “I’m with the party in the throne room, they-.!”

SCHWIK!

VIscera closed her eyes, preparing to feel the spear the Guard was looking in his sorcerous grasp pierce her chest. When no such pain ensued, she cracked open an eye - just enough to watch her raised hooves drain of color at the being between them. For behind the falling Guard, his head so neatly severed that it rolled off from his canting neck before his knees hit the floor...

… was the madly-grinning Queen Twilight.

Blowing out a wisp of smoke from her activated horn, she took several menacing steps toward Viscera. “Pretty neat trick, appearing somewhere else when you’re cornered,” she said. Words, shooting like daggers into Viscera’s mind. “Always wondered how it was possible for a normal pony to do that.”

“But you’re not a normal pony are you? You’re a wedding crasher. You’re a Thestrel. You’re annoyingly more intact than the last cunt I met.” Twilight’s rearlegs slid tigers as he stepped onto the Guard, more blood-pumping from his neckhole with the pressure. “Well, second-last, now.”

“But most important…” And Twilight’s tongue swiveled over her lips as she stepped over the guard. Only ten feet separated them now. Viscera didn’t move - and now, she was starting to feel like Queen Twilight had more to do with it than just her star. “You’re mine, you stupid crimson fucker.”

And then she heard that faint noise from the castle’s interior, just as Twilight’s muscles tensed to launch her at Viscera.

“Ah! We’ve found Shining, Princess!”

“Then let us begin!”

And without another work, a wall of light materialized between Viscera and Twilight. Well, in the latter case, the wall materialized around her - specifically her horn. Her entire forward card was stopped in the most comical of ways, her barrel bending to smack flank-first into the wall and slide to the floor. The motion reminded Viscera of one of those springs she used to see roll down stairs in her youth.

Twilight’s eyes, however, showed only heartless fury. She reared back, trying to charge a spell through her ignition horn - and recoiled from the blowback. The spell failed with her horn in the energy barrier it was in, shocking her and sending her body into a painful twitch. she slumped to the floor to fast for Viscera to see the effect it had down below on the Queen. But the smile she had as she struggled to her feet was not entirely just to save face.

It took but a minute for Viscera to realize what Twilight's current case was. But when she did, she nearly dropped the papers she was carrying in shock when she did.

Viscera almost died of laughter. This was the Twilight Sparkle. Element of Magic, Router of the Two Sisters. Mastermind of the Ponyville Massacre. She’d heard stories both fanciful and horrible about this being before her, and their last encounter required the mother of all Thestral tricks to evade.

And now she was struggling over a barrier of pink light separating them, horn spurting sorcerous sparks as her legs windmilled.

After a minute, Queen Twilight stopped struggling, and Viscera’s eyes focused on her twitching form. Her mind had been fried before between the realization of Twilight's twisted plan, the rush to the Empire, the pouring over of the Princess’s notes in her bathroom. But this? This was spiraling her mind into areas of insanity. This was in a once-in several-lifetime chance to see the malevolent monarch.

Didn’t even have to use the element of surprise this time, as she did at her wedding.

Viscera would consider this move suicidal the next she thought of it, but right now, all that was in her mind was the power she’d exerted over the tyrant Twilight. That she still could.

So, despite the utter insanity, her hoofalls took her closer and closer to the shimmering wall, and the horn piercing it. Despite how her nerves screaming at her that every inch she closed between them was another dollop of ink on her suicide pact, she crossed that distance. Despite how her heart strained to leave her, the furry crimson pelt of her hood and barding rolled with each step.

Finally, she was in front of Twilight, and Viscera’s words fell like bricks. “Was this what you expected when you killed Celestia, Queen?”

Another step. She could smell the burnt ozone in the hair from her half-ignited horn.

“What did you want when you met me?”

Another and her lips traveled closer and closer to that sparking tip of Twilight's horn.

“This was how it began wasn’t it? ‘Oooh, I’m the Queen and I can fuck up whoever I want’.” Her bobbing maw approached the horntip like it was a mic. “Then fuck me up, Sunslayer.” And in the ultimate moment of daring that’d leave a certain amber-coated adventurer gaping, her lips closed over that horn.

Twilight’s face twisted in impotent rage. The struggles had stopped, the wall’s glow intensifying. The room’s air itself seemed to tense as the fuchsia barrier rippled, preparing to launch her into the Frozen North as it once launched another Queen into the badlands…

… and then the Queen smiled. “Good and hard, then.” Not a single twinge or twitch accompanied Queen Twilight Sparkle at this point, as her horn flashed up violently.

Viscera’s jade eyes widened. This wasn’t supposed to happen! But yet, Queen Twilight’s smile grew as the barrier grew brighter. Viscera’s transformation snapped up immediately, her muzzle and neck turning into the Thestrel’s golden pallor and covering over her silver mask. Just as the first of the black spots on her forelegs began popping up, the “Oh shi-” fell from her lips.

Then obliterating plasma the same color as the barrier leaked from Twilight's horn and filled out the rest of her mouth and visi-

“-the next one should be Goldilock. Balancing this new superpower and her current duties may prove overwhelming.” Cadance’s eyes swept back to the statue. “And from what Roseluck told me of her sleeping habit, it makes me question how she’ll take breaking news.”

“You can count on me to help her.” Cori quickly nodded. “Not, let’s see if Ambassador Sapphire Joy’s find was worth it.”

Cadance nodded, her horn aglow as she approached the statue of Queen Twilight. Between them, Princess Gympis stood at attention, the ebbing waves of her Thestrelization standing out amongst her chitin. The statue’s eyes glowed, and that very golden pallor slowly stretched off the changeling’s frame - almost as slowly as the grin spreading on Shining Armor’s face.

And then the doors to the throne room burst open. The spiraling figure of a crimson pony soon flew the length of the room, coming to a plasma-splattering halt in front of Goldilock.

Cori screamed. Gympis was first to recognize the splintered pelt and wings that her form had crushed underhoof as it slowly stirred.

“Viscera, what are you doing here?!”

“Wait, how did Vis get here so-and how did she even get past the barrier!?” And the Princess Cadance’s view along Viscera’s flight trajectory led her outside of the room -and to a very familiar alicorn, still struggling on the edge of her erected barrier.

“Queen Twilight?! How’d you get this clo-.”

The only thing that kept the ensuing scene from being a complete tragedy was the fact that Princess Cadance’s neck craned out at the sight of Queen Twilight slowly retracing her horn from her sorcerous veil. As it was, Gympis, Goldilock, and Cori would only be haunted by the betrayal playing out before their eyes.

Before even the Ambassador could respond, Shining Armor turned to face Cadance. Leveling his horn, a thin beam of sickly green light struck her in the side of her neck. The impact sent her sprawling to the ground. Had her head not craned forward to look at Viscera, the grisly attack would have decapitated instead of heavily wounded her.

Cori was too shocked by the sight of her idol mutilating his wife to react. Goldilock held no such reservation, and leapt to strike. His horn lit up to shield the flying barrage of golden claws from the winged Thestrel, but it left him open to Gympis‘ charge into his flanks from his blind angle. Skidding along the hallway’s glittering floor, Shining’s horn ignited dangerously.

The two nearest Crystal Guards were separated from two of their armor-plated limbs and a large portion of their barrels, bought between the intensified shields he threw up. The others stood back and fired lasers at the shield. Several grimaced as their comrades dissected halves squashed red stains into the floor behind Shining’s bubble.

The shield of mystic energy didn't give; unlike the visage of the murderous unicorn, his white coat fading away to chitin and the wicked face of Prince Toxic Haze. “Really have to switch up our agents, piss-ponies,” he cruelly leered at them. Behind the changeling prince, a reverberating cackle invaded the room, before several cracks showed up in the fuchsia forcefield a door’s length away.

“Gympis, the Empire’s been compromised! Grab Vis and run!” Goldilock shouted. Cadance’s barrier was flickering out at the same pace the spurts of blood from her neck wound were. With Prince Toxic rearing back for another attack, the pegasus-turned-Thestrel had to act quickly. Gympis grabbed Cadance and saddled her on her back. At the same time, Goldilock’s gale-force wing flap at the changeling prince made Toxic’s next shot go wide. The green beam shattering the windows behind the throne.

Gympis quickly locked horn-beams with Toxic, Cori finally snapping back into focus enough to provide the tiebreaker. Namely, by enlarging the chandelier above Toxic so much it snapped off its mooring - the construct of glass and iron smashed against his shield long enough to stun him. Cracks spiderwebbed into it as the Guards poured on the pressure against the Changeling prince.

With the partially transformed and wholly injured Viscera still leaking plasma onto the red rug, Gympis was quick to take Thestral form and hoist her onto her back. She and Cori leaped over the wreckage of the chandelier and the shimmering bubble it was wrapped around. Thankfully all four ponies and Cadance were airborne at the same time. Seconds later, several blackened tendrils soon pierced the floor, and two of the remaining five Crystal Guards.

Goldilock recoiled at the bisected head and hoof of one Crystal Guard hit her, nearly dislodging Cadance from her back. The rest of that poor Guard was lashed at them as Prince Shroud finally revealed himself from the widening cavity in the throne room’s floor. Narrowing his eyes, the Shadow Pony lunged right at Cori.

“Gympis, heads up!” yelled Goldilock. The changeling princess was quick to respond, levying out a spear she’d had clutched in her maw and launching it at the cadaver. Pinning it to the wall, the group turned and broke for the door - only to see another frightening maze of cracks opening up on the glowing wall three meters between them and the barrier-busting Queen Twilight.

“Aww, leaving so soon? And we just had the new renovation plans to share too!” she haughtily chortled.

“Sorry, decided to go with anypony else thank yoooou!” Cori’s words came out in a rush as they turned to the other corridor and raced down its length. By the time they were halfway down, it was filled with green laser fire as Prince Toxic gave chase.

Galloping to check up on Viscera - whose hole in the maw was closing up slowly - Goldilock turned to Gympis. “Don’t suppose Princesshood gave you a talent that can heal Vis faster?”

“I’m a princess, not a doctor.” Gympis panted. Another stray beam neatly burned a hole in her outstretched prismatic wing. She hissed and fired some more bolts back. Something in the distance shattered, luminescent shards sticking into the throne room door.

“Then we have to get to Withers and bail! The Crystal Empire’s gonna be a warzone soon!“ Cori huffed.

Another stray spark from her horn brought an entire array of armor fixtures crazing down to obstruct the path of the princes. Shrapnel burst forth as Shroud took a direct path through them. By that time, however, they’d broke another left and cleared the banister, allowing them another floor’s drop to get to the living quarters.

Within minutes, they were in front of Wither’s room, and Godlilock tore the door off its hinges. A rusting of covers later and Withers scrambled to his feet in the bed. Another Crystal Pony was soon to pop up beside the stallion, both of them sweat-drenched. “There was a knocker, y’know!” Withers yelled.

Cori, after a moment of gaping at the entwined equines, remembered why they were here. “Save it for after the Queen stops trying to knock this palace down!”

“The Queen’s-!?”

CREEEEAK! The entire room shifted a dangerous angle to the right. Through the small window, Cori could see the outside Empire’s alert bells ringing, and the center quickly filled with evacuating ponies. She also saw the spires of the Ambassador’s Crystal Prep Academy, only several dozen meters away.

“Come on, let’s move to the arbor!” Back out of the room they went on Cori’s order, Withers following them after grabbing his hat.

“Wait, we’re not flying outside now?!” Gympis yelled. ”This place is being brought down on us!”

Cori was quick to point out the issue with this. “We go out the window, we’ll be in the middle of an evacuation! And Twilight’s not gonna - whoa!”

Speak of the debauched duchess and she shall appear, a phrase that soon turned terribly true when Queen Twilight burst from the ceiling of the canting hallway. Almost immediately, she snapped up a blazing purple barrier. Goldilock pumped her wings and flew underneath, creating a trail of flames in her wake that slowed the Queen’s descent as she shielded her eyes.

By the time the stars from them cleared, the three ponies were past her and further into the crew quarters. Several rooms' number plates flew by as Withers took the lead.

Unfortunately, Twilight wasn’t alone, as Prince Shroud burst from another guest room, tentacles lashing out for prey. Two tendrils hit home on Goldilock’s legs, buckling them and causing her to stumble on the rugs. A third knocked Cadance’s crown off her playing head as she tumbled off of Goldilock’s back.

Cori threw out a cushion and enlarged it enough with her magic to catch the bleeding alicorn. “Withers, grab the end of that and pull!” she yelled. Withers quickly complied as he caught up to the fallen princess, his teeth catching a mouthful of cord and pulling the princess along-as well as narrowly missing being skewered by a half-dozen more tentacles.

Gympis’s wings flared out again, slightly messing up her flight as her injured wing wavered. Still, she managed to hover, re-righting Viscera on her back as she passed Shroud. The bubbling plasma from Viscera’s wound was far more precise, however, splashing into his face as they passed.

It caused him to howl in pain, a strange occurrence to the passing Cori due to her far less harmful encounters with the Thestrel’s life-fluid.

The wound around the Thestrel thief was closing faster, though, enough for Viscera’s eyes to creep open. Another right nearly caused her to slip off Gympis’ back, her claws weakly hanging on to her chitinous barrel. “She is awoken - let us redub our aft ports!” came the yell from her carrier.

“‘Redouble... our efforts’, Gympis! Don’t make us... have to correct you in... the middle of a chase!” cried out Cori.

“Thank the Sun!” yelled back Goldilock, her speed picking up along with the news. Again, contrails of fire snaked around her form. That, combined with her harder Thestrel hide, made her a harder target. The beam shot from Queen Twilight ended up glancing off her form this time, impacting in the ceiling instead. An avalanche of crystal and plaster filled out the cracks and bought them another moment of separation.

“Where is this arbor anyways Cori?!” yelled Withers around a mouthful of cord as their next right put them on the edge of the Crystal Palace’s exterior again. Windows and rooms whistled past them, the continuing warping of the palace’s form causing some of them to shatter and spray glass into their path..

“Right in the - gah! - end of this hallway!” Cori’s hoof tread on one of the glass pieces mid-speech. Despite the pain and the beads of blood staining the rug each time her left forehoof struck the ground, her pace didn’t slow.

Skidding on the incline of the floor this time, Cori and Withers took the next corner, arriving at the harvest. Gympis and Rappid were a bit more controlled in their turn, and they entered the arboretum of the Crystal Palace together.

The room would have looked majestic if most of the potted plants around its corners hadn’t spread their loamy payload onto the sparkling floor. Various beds of petunias and carnations filled the ceiling, in glass trays and curving frames. Beyond, the large door to the balcony was open. Viscera and company broke for it, ignoring the shelves around them crashing to the floor.

And then, Prince Toxic floated down from above just past the balcony, blocking their entrance to freedom. “Candy-coated Crystal cunts don’t get past this point. Sorry.”

Toxic’s horn lit up. Goldilock lunged to try and intercept, knowing Cori’s magic would be too weak and Gympis’s too late.

Thankfully, another pegasus would stop the changeling prince’s - at least, the one attached to the bed that she and Snow Violet catapulted into Toxic’s haunches. “Followed the sounds of purple lasers and changelings, did you miss us?”

“Like ice after a Spectra bath!” Goldilock gratefully responded, helping WIthers lift Cadance into the throne-bed.

Grabbing the third of the regions on the floating bed, Goldilock helped Sunny Day and Snow Violet turn the carriage around to a new heading. Cori, Viscera, and Gympis were in it within seconds as their escape attempt took to the crisp Crystal Empire skyline.

From here, they could also see the havoc Twilight was wreaking on the Palace in her attempts to bring it down. Two of its supporting legs were turning white with the cracking stress of its near forty-five-degree list; The snaps of compressed windows and crumbling floors brought a dip to the front of the structure as it bent in on itself The towers were coming dangerously close to following altogether, though the plaza was thankfully emptying.

“No…” Cori finally choked out, sinking to her haunches next to the sweating Withers as they witnessed the carnage occurring upon the capital.

Beside them, Gympis was trying to soak up Cadance’s wound, but the bedsheets she was tying around it were doing little to stop the flow of blood. “We need supplies” she informed Cori.

“R-right.! There are bandage kits at the Academy! We’ll cut through there, patch her up and port out!”

“What of the others in this here capital?” Withers shouted.

“They should be able to escape, I saw the extortion shield hold; that means that Shining’s….” And then Cori’s thoughts returned to the facsimile of that pony that had gotten so close to them.

“We cannot go back for him! we don’t even know where he is!” Goldilock proclaimed. “We’ll search for him late~!”

Yet again, the air around them was this with burning ozone, as Twilight and Toxic tried to snipe them out of the air Four. purple blasts and a green bolt hit the bud, nearly roasting Wither’s tail, and actually roasting the rich purple sheets and drapes. Coir shrank the flames to nothingness in short sorcerous horn bursts, purple eyes bugging out of her skull at the closeness of the cinders.

However, Sunny Day would fare less so on Toxic’s beams vaporizing one of her wings into a whorl of yellow mist, With the falling of the mailpony below the makeshift carriage, it tilted dangerously to the left and started falling toward the academy. Cori caught onto Wither’s tail before he could fall out, snout wrinkling horribly at the smell of burnt hair. Viscera and Cadance were being held by Gympis as her wing beat against the tilt.

“BRACE! BRACE!” yellow Snow Violet, pulling up on her reins as Goldilock tried to gather up Sunny Day. The bed-throne creaked right as Goldilock pulled up to join her.

Its trajectory didn’t.

CRRRRRRASH!

The bed skidded to a stop after falling through one of the windows in the Crystal Academy, several sizable dents and bumps at its front end now. To be fair, the window itself had been significantly widened by another gleaming Queen Twilight beam. As the gang turned to look upon it, Viscera was again flung unceremoniously into the pool this room held. Then another beam flashed from the opposite directions to further bury that area with the contents of the floor directly above it.

Turning to face what they thought was likely Queen Twilight, their eyes beheld a different unicorn. Long-limbed as the late Fleur de Lis, This time, however, her coat was a rich teal, her eyes and mane a dark purple. “Goodness, Ambassador!”

“Oh… hi, Cinch?”

“Never heard of her…” Withers pointed out.

“Shouldn’t really - I don’t talk of my family much.” A far greener pegasus than Cinch appeared at her side, rifling through the medical saddlebags on her barrel. Lightning Dust shook the debris from her mane and turned to face them all. “Kinda have the future of Cloudsdale to think of now”.

The looping curls of violet mane she sported, however, got Rappid’s eyes shooting upward. “Lightning Dust, that’s your mother?”

“Yes, in a temporary capacity,” Cinch quickly replied. Another crash from a beam attack created several rather ugly gashes in the ceiling and walls of the pool room. “One I’d prefer not to be liquidated by the Queen outside! We were leaving, anyhow!”

“And - whoa, is that Sunny Day?“

“Yeah, thankfully, she managed to get this to go along with the bandages!” Snow Violet whipped out a crystal flask bubbling with red liquid out of one of Sunny Day’s saddlebags.

“When did you manage to do this?” yelled Goldilock to the mailpony.

“The mare you left us with on the way in was stacked with health brews.” Snow whipped out another bottle and poured it down the visage of the viscerally injured Viscera. “Her and her unicorn friend. Almost didn’t see her at first, but that giant white spot on her face was me..”

Not even knowing a Thestrel could pale, Ambassador Cori swore she could see Goldilock’s coat break out in off-white patches.

“Of course, I couldn't say the same from her end - she couldn’t take her eyes off Sunny. Said to thank Raps for helping them get into the Empire.” Snow Violet eyebrows raised a little. “And also if… I think I may have gotten this wrong… if she would help her by helping her make her next meal come Sunny-side up. Dunno why she’s asking for breakfast at night… or why the emphasis was on ‘co-”

“Can we please talk about anypony else right now.” Goldilock hissed out through gritted fangs.

“Hell, d’ya care about that fuckin’ coop-flying egotist anyhow?” Lightning Dust muttered.

Cinch’s eyes narrowed. “Language, Dust! I did not come all this way to have you disgrace me in front of an Ambassador!”

“We need to get out of here, both of you!” Cori yelled as another bolt shook the foundations of Crystal Prep. “And one of us needs to think of a way to get past the last barrier!”

“One… of us?”

With Snow working on her fellow mailpony Sunny, and Cori talking with Cinch, the room was almost lost in the chatter. Only Dust, Goldilock, and Gympis were all that could witness Viscera speak at last. The thief pony was still un-transformed past her barrel, and only just recovering from the hole in her head. Already, the poultice was helping to knit together her golden hide.

“Viscera, you are okay?” Gympis was upon her in a second.

“Gotta say… not the Princess… I thought I’d be waking up to in a dark room.” Viscera tried to smile. Her freshly re-knit face protested the grimace profusely. “”F-fuck! Nevermind, face still hurts. We getting out of here?”

“Just about.” Dust grumbled as the group gathered around the bed and the recovering Sunny Day, taking up the injured pegasus onto her back. “We’ll break for the barrier line on three then. One-!”

Fifteen tendrils burst through each crack in the room, and the ripping of brick and plaster nearly sent everypony inside to their knees. “THREE!” Viscera was first to make a break for the opposite end of the Academy, followed by Cinch, Cori and Gympis. They would all be passed by Goldilock and Lightning Dust. Those three pegasi crashed through the other end of the school as Shroud tore out the room they were in.

The bed dragging behind them - and holding Withers, Cadance, Sunny, and Snow - was nearly sheared in two from the tight corridors. Soon after, the collection of ponies (and changeling) broke for the barrier, only to notice another issue! “Who’s keeping up this barrier?!”

“Uh, fellas?” Withers pointed to Cadance- who despite her wound being a lot less prominent than before, had her horn glowing. As they turned to Cinch, they realized hers had the same glow. “...you’re fuckin’ kidding me,” muttered Viscera.

“Drop the barrier; it's the only way we're leaving, Ma!” yelled Dust.

“That barrier is the only thing keeping that wretch Twilight from escaping the Palace grounds!” Indeed, the outer edge of that city-wide energy bubble rippled around the one outside of the creaking crystal fortress, and Queen Twilight crew were slamming spell bolts into them. The only one of her inner circle that had even gotten through was Shroud’s tentacles.

“It’s going to kill Cadance if she doesn't stop!” Indeed, the gouts of blood spurting from the injured Cadance’s neck were starting again. Withers packed even more bandages around the wound, but the sea of red gauze was slipping in his hooves. The bloodsoaked sheets around her showing just how quickly they’d need to properly redress her injury.

“N-not,... leaving… Empire to…” moaned the enfeebled Cadance. “Couldn't… find… Shining…. Can make…. Twilight…tell me… where he...”

“I’m sorry, Dust, but it won’t just be us they have access to if this barrier fails! Look!” Despite the waving glow of Cinch’s horn, her hoof showed no such tremble as it pointed downward. The Crystal Empire’s streets were still full of running, screaming ponies, their glittering coats making it seem like the starry sky above was flowing below.

Goldilock’s heart rose at the sight of one of them - that familiar blue-coated mare she and Viscera had seen before. They at least would evacuate properly.

“Cinch and Cadance… They’re right.” Goldilock somberly noted. “We’ll throw you in with the crowd! Escape through the trains, I’ll hold off Twilights’ triplet.”

“NO! We’re not losing you again!” Viscera couldn’t tell what hurt more - her throbbing head or the effort it took for her to say ‘We’re’ and not ‘I’m’. Even now, she could only think of herself?!

”She already has a workaround to these barriers; we cannot let her attain a Thestrel’s body to dissect!”

“And that’s if you’re lucky!” Viscera spat out. “Move aside, I’m doing the ‘port again!”

Cori’s head shook. “No way! You just got through losing Celestia knows how many parts of you, and-!”

“This whole mess wouldn’t be a thing if not for me!!” Viscera’s anger boiled over, and everypony still in the sky-circling carriage looked at him. Lightning Dust was a prominent example. Her eyes rose in alarm, her wings beating hard, Sunny Day still draped across the base of her neck past them. “I’ll… try, And If I don’t make it…”

“You will, Viscera,” Gympis added. “You have… When we left for the Empire, Cori had convinced me that not notifying you would be for the best. I had become a Princess of Changelings; holding such power when a more trustworthy being could go further and I could consolidate the hive… It was an appealing idea. It… would have kept me from having to worry about losing my status with these ponies.”

Gympis swallowed thickly and continued. “But as I was here, I remembered… I had seen you slumber. I learned of your plan that got us this statue and our other gains in the first place. It reminded me of… my troubles when making my way here. Troubles you… faced with much more courage than I did alone.” Her head turned downwards at this, magenta gossamer tickling the blood-soaked royal purple of the bed-throne’s comforters.

“We… have not known ponies to show concern for anypony but themselves, and when you first revealed yourself to me as a thief, I… had anticipations of you especially. Your behavior, however… had shown a different pony. Your talk with others has shown a different pony. Your saving of me when my kin tried to put me down in the hall was…. the mark of a different pony.”

Gympis’ monologue stopped at last. She gulped back a thick wad of goo again, and finished. “You said… resisting the Queen is worth it. I will follow your options to that end, for the sake of this different pony I see before me, Cori’s home... and my own.”

Viscera gave a slow nod. She looked at Cadance and Cinch, both twitching with the stress of maintaining their magic. She thought of how each second of their efforts would realign to saving pony lives. She saw the throngs of sparkling ponies beneath their floating bed-platform, only one gate of light away from slaughter by their ‘Queen’. And with all the chaos before her, the way forward finally laid barren before her.

Viscera closed her eyes.

That familiar pull around her navel began, weaker but still potent. And the entire group disappeared.

Viscera, again, was floating in that chamber. But it was empty this time. She looked around, but the being was not there. Her eyes picked up nothing at sky level, despite the… improved vision her Thestrrel-lization had given her. Darkness rippled around the room as she looked around it, to no avail.

Finally, Viscera cast her gaze up to the endless blackness, expecting to find nothing - and there it was again. Perched over the pillars, one paw over each of the four around her figure, the magenta titan stared down at her.

“I have followed your lead. I have seen this land.”

How? thought Viscera. I haven’t seen you, I haven’t talked to you! This is all we’ve seen each other in! But the being gave no answer. She simply looked down with those lamp-light slitted gold eyes. Her breast rose and fell, even as she eyed her target from above.

Then she spoke again, voice both filling and obliterating the air in this chamber. Even from their endless expanse of separation, the words burned into the soul of Viscera.

“But you are no longer the mare I chose to mark. My work is done. And my age will follow!”

She shifted her paws from the perches letting gravity carry her down instead of her titanic wings. Viscera opened her mouth, but the only scream came from those razor-sharp maws, the magenta coated around them looming closer and closer-

Viscera awoke.

Looking around, she was certain she’d stopped back in that nightmarish hut of the zebra, the only she'd first found the first signs of a defiled Equestria in.

But the air around them was still, cold, crisp, and pricking against her lungs with every breath she took in. Too clear to be anywhere near Everfree. She looked back. Beyond the rutted back of the battered bed-throne, she could still see the Crystal Empire - the beams against the first inner bubble around it, cutting ruts in the sparkling palace. One broke, causing the massive structure to nearly collapse. Its warped tip scraping out a rut in the floor with a deafening screech.

The second, around the city itself was still intact. Viscera blinked back something that couldn’t be tears because her mask would have caught them, then turned to Cinch and Cadance.

“Dust, Rappid- how fast do you think you get us all to Ponyville?”

Cori’s eyes drilled into Viscera as if to try and get her to go back for Shining. Viscera made it her point to avoid it and they turned upwards in a futile attempt to keep her own tears from flowing. She’d taken Gympis and the statue without permission. They weren’t under obligation to save Shining - he was likely already gone, if Prince Toxic had managed to take his image for his own.

That taking of the Statue might be the only reason you’re not rape--toilets right now. Wow, had her inner pony gotten abrasive… again. They found a way to get the Equilixir stone into ponies that were ready for war, and that’s Cori’s idol you’re leaving to die.

Shut up. Viscera could barely think it now. She wasn’t even sure she spoke it.

But the voice continued. You doomed an empire. You doomed Shining Armor. Cadance might die before you can get within a hospital's limits and it’s all your fault. How many other ponies you like are going to suffer because you can’t keep your hooves out the cookie jar. How many?! How many, Vis?

“Actually, I think I may make the trip back a little faster.” Lightning Dust had spoken this time. “Keep up in my slipstream, Thestrel!”

Goldilock huffed. “Slipstreams?! And what do you mean by a new methoOOOOOOOOOO-!”

With a snap of Lightning Dust’s taut wings, they were speeding along the countryside. Mountains and plains sped around them as Dust pulled the chariot in a blitz, the jaws of the ponies inside flapping from the force of her flight. Even Cadance’s, who was almost sinking into the plush lining of the bed-throne.

Just as they could see Ponyville, however, the rush stopped, Lightning Dust almost drowning the sweat pouring from her pea-green coat. “F-finished...Celestia, dammit...!” she huffed.

Cinch was at the edge of the bed to comfort her within seconds, the unicorn trying hard to pat out the oddly-stuck-out feathers in Lightning's coat. “You….you’ve done quite all right today, my daughter.”

“Course I did… I’m the… future of flight, right?”

Cinch’s snout crooked upwards. “You are, Dust. We shall see to these wounded.” Dust finally pulled Sunny Day off her back and into her arms. Lightning Dust looked to move toward them, but Cinch’s hoof stopped her. “We can talk of your plan for the Wonderbolts later, my child.”

As Dust sulked, another voice took over.“Anything else you want to give us before you go, Ex-Headmistress?” Cori asked Cinch. Every little bit can help now…” Viscera wanted Cori’s eyes to meet her now - goodness, she’d only become full Ambdasddor two days ago! And now the Kingdom she worked for would soon be a ghost town, if it was lucky.

“Only three assurances, Ambassador Cori.” Cinch’s head lowered. “I am against the Queen, I was not of this world until recently.” The unicorn rose up on her hind hooves in a way even Viscera could see attested to a very different preferred stance. “And I am not alone. Cloudsdale’s blockade lifts tomorrow. If you can evade the Queen, come meet me… and Dust... there.”

Lightning Dust responded with a nod and an “I’ll bring back Sunny Day when she’s healed; don’t worry!”With that, she was gone into the atmosphere, likely leading to the cloud-stuffed capital.

Cinch’s hold turned to Snow Violet. “I will need your help in carrying me to the Basin. Miss Yearling must know of the Archives’ location from me. And… I apologize to you all for the inconvenience, as the once and past head of the Crystal Prep Academy. Unfortunately, it seems I have been called from one to see the downfall of another.”

“I...” Viscera didn’t know why she had spoken. But… something in Cinch’s forlorn face demanded she at least try to recover something good in this. Something salvageable, something… that made her efforts worthwhile. Because overall good now felt like it was beyond her. After this? “I… think you can bring out a bit better now. Your school over there… like, the ponies that were in it got evacuated, right? They’re alive.”

“And… the Empire didn’t make the Crystal Ponies.” Cadance struggled to a sitting position on the bedding behind them. “The Crystal Ponies made that Empire. Wherever they go… they will continue to make it.” A wracking sigh shook her figure. “I… only regret I cannot see them through this journey.”

The ghost of a smile touched Cinch’s lips. “Then we shall make sure this reign of the Queen who ousted them is a quick one. I will head to the Basin; try to make a new vector for the barrier spell. I will meet you in Cloudsdale… after the Rhythmus runs its course.”

“Rhythmus? Isn’t that~?”

Cadance’s words stopped Cori in her tracks. “Yes, my little...pony.” A sad smile stretched across her blood-speckled face. “That charity will be de-anchored by today. It was… because of this procedure that the Empire is lost. None of you heroes.”

“I would not call us heroes yet.” Viscera agreed with Princess Gympis for more than just the literal reasons she was going for.

“For that, you will need others.” Cadance nodded. “I shall call upon Chief Ambassador Sapphire Joy and one other to start that process now.” The alicorn’s horn lit. “Allow me to bring you to the office Snow Violet shares, as a… show of apology.”

“Why?” Viscera blearily asked. “We let the Queen in.”

“All of Equestria did when we made her an alicorn too soon.” Cadance’s horn vibrantly lit further. “And condemned her too hastily.”

A flash put them back in the post office of Ponyville, sans Cinch. Cadance finally slumped to the foot of the bed-throne with exhaustion. Gympis again looked to her as Withers got off.

“Gotta say, really liking this whole ‘meeting interesting people gig you have,” he said.

Goldilock was a bit more prescient. “What happens now?”

“This is… a bit too closely associated with you now.” Cadance pointed to the bed just under her blood-spotted frame. “And I am a bit… nevermind. I shall take it to me with the location. I will be within Cloudsdale within several weeks- hopefully with the keys needed to beat back the Queen’s madness.”

Her eyes turned to Goldilock. “I know you are the mayor; please help to oversee the safety of that city until I arrive. The Queen may yet use Princess Dash for a power play.”

To Gympis, Princess Cadance continued. “You have shown incredible fortitude and willingness to sacrifice today, princess. I only ask to watch over your friends, with as much trust as you so graciously gave me.”

“I shall, fellow Princess.” Gympis nodded. “As I shall see to my hive’s escape from the Queen.”

“Cori….” Cadance shook her head mournfully at this. “I… cannot apologize enough for our current development. But you are still a representative of me, and you can still operate on my behalf. Hold strong with them until we meet again: and I promise you… we will both find a way to uncover what became of my husband.”

“Viscera…” The last of the Equilixir Four turned to face her, her golden coat calloused with dirt, sweat, and the disappearing strings of golden hide as she de-morphed to normal. “I have heard of your exploits to ensure the resistance of the Elements and safety of your friends. You have progressed the furthest of all here - as a Thestrel and a pony.”

Cadance smiled.

“And they see you as the one who can keep them safe. Maintain that. Equestria is… short of ponies with as much power and drive as you. Hold onto them and use them wisely. I hope to meet you in Cloudsdale. And… what happened in the Crystal Empire is not. Your. Fault. It is the Queen who tore it apart… and the Princess too busy foal-sitting her to see her slide to sadism.”

Another snap, and Princess Cadance was gone. So was the bed, leaving the four mares and Withers alone in that closed office. Viscera took a deep breath, and waited until she left the office to let it out.

Goldilock’s golden form disappeared around her, Mayor Rappid revealed once more as she and Cori lined up next to her. Princess Gympis went in front, lightly sniffing the ground as if still disbelieving that they were back in Ponyville.

KA-BLAM!

And then a large spot of space away from them

“Wait, I think that’s Rose’s shop!” Cori shired. “Quick, we have to find the fil~!”

With a hurried start, a familiar red-maned pony and two fillies came up next to them. “Rose! Colada! Puff!” Sweeping up the poofy-haired Powder Puff into her snow-white forearms, nuzzling them in relief.

“Nevermind that - you said my shop’s on fire?” Roseluck yelled. “I knew Pina was telling the truth! Hold on to her, I’m getting the Town Guard!” Ambling the pink filly onto Gympis’s back, she turned and rushed off.

“I would express relief that nopony was at the store when it was gone,” said Gympis.

Viscera nodded, thickly swallowing. “Yeah. Especially with the craziness over the wedding, luv. And~!”

Suddenly, ice water flooded Viscera’s veins as she recalled just how her moments before leaving this town went. <Think you can nip over to Roseluck’s, Berry; make sure Colada and Puff are ok?”>

“Those two guards! I know one of them was Hel!" Pina blubbered. "We have to go back for the others!"

Viscera's voice was still ringing tauntingly in her head, but the crimson pony had to know. She quickly raced to PIna’s position. “Pina! You said you saw two Guards break into your shop! Were you coming from the shop!? Was Berry there!”

“Yeah! She never left, I think one of them got her as she went in! She wasn’t alone, so was Derp-!”

Viscera could not hear any further. Her hooves pumped, her heart raced, and she was running through the filling streets of late-night Ponyville. She couldn’t be injured. She couldn't’ be! Who’d even gotten to this palace! Cori had lost Shining! She couldn't lose -

How many ponies you going to let die, Vis. How. Many?

Were Viscera's hooves not pounding on the paving-stones and grass of Ponyville's streets, she would have driven them into her ears.