Chapter 5: No One is Free Who is a Slave to his Body

With a burst of light from her horn, Luna put Twilight to sleep. She then turned to her impromptu protectors, Rainbow Dash and  Applejack, and addressed them in a formal tone,

"Now you both understand that neither of you can leave until I deem it appropriate correct? The three of us cannot be disturbed under any circumstances, do you understand?" Luna watched Rainbow flick of a quick salute, and Applejack tilt her stetson down to hide her grumbling and bandages. They'd all agreed, Applejack excluded, that Twilight should go in seeing as Applejack was hurt, and her head injury may provide complications. Luna was now mentally prepping herself for what was to come. Of course she really didn't need to, she could make all the buildings in Ponyville get up and walk away without breaking a sweat. It was not the strain that worried her, it was the rust. She hadn't cast a spell like this in over 1,000 years. Just before Nightmare Moon, and she was going to do it now on a whim.

Luna muttered to herself, "Well, now is a good a time as any I suppose..." With that she caused a line of moonlight to manifest itself, starting with Miss Sparkle's horn and ending with Cato's forehead. It was as sturdy as a stallion's back, (Which after speaking to Applejack, turned out to be a very poor metaphor.) and glittered like crystal. She felt the surge of Twilight's strong mind rush across the bridge, and poured itself into the already overcrowded consciousness of the poor stallion laying still next to her. Luna could do nothing but wait, wait for Miss Sparkle to finish her task.

****

Publius Aetius Aurelius (Golden Eagle of the Public) had always served the NRL faithfully. His father, and his father before him had served faithfully as city guards, but Publius had wanted to be a soldier. He had never once questioned an order. Even when his brother got to go dragon hunting and he was stuck with guard duty. But right now he wanted to do nothing but turn and run, disobeying every word that his commander barked. His training kicked in then, rooting him in place with all four hooves as his centuria formed around him. His cohort had been dispatched to face the threat that had screamed over Luna, the capital of the Proud Novus Respublicae Lunae. The New Republic of the Moon had spread its borders and mongered fear in the hearts of many lesser peoples, but never before had they felt such fear. Panic had spread in the streets like a virus and nine cohorts of his legion's ten had been spread through the city to restore order. The object had crashed just outside of the city limits, and just outside of the city limits was where he stood. The impact had generated a huge crater, smoke and steam seeped over the edge as blood from a wound would. It seemed that the very Earth bled with this wound. The first centuria, of the first cohort, of the first legion, the very best of the NRL, now stood at the brim of a boiling seething portal to the Sun, Hades, or Hell, take your pick. His centuria, the first, of course had to be the first in, and of course his contubernium was at the front of the front. Decanus Nemo (Sergeant), his Decanus, began to bark orders to his contubernium telling to approach the edge, it might as well have been the edge of the world. No one moved except for one soldier, one who had always taken orders. It was in his blood after all. Publius Aetius Aurelius stuck his head out, and squinted into the misty depths below. He couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary, at least out of the ordinary for a giant crater. He turned his head and bit down on his short sword, it slid from the scabbard with a metallic shing. Publius did the stupidest thing he could have done, he stepped into the gaping maw. He steeled himself, expecting to meet the foulest beast from beyond this world. He picked through the steaming debris in an effort to reach the center of the crater. The sight before Publius frightened him more than any beast. It was a mare, curled into a ball, with his back to him. She was lavender, with a deep purple mane, and a glimmering star for her cutie mark. He knew he should fear for his life, he knew this thing was no pony. Publius had heard tales of foul temptresses that ensnared you with just a word or look. He put these fears to the back of his mind and stepped forward, if he failed surely his cohort would not share his fate. He poked the mare in the ribs with his hoof, rousing her from her demonic slumber. The form of the sorceress shifted, and exposed her forehead. On her forehead resided something that Publius did not understand, and people fear what they do not understand. He cried out, instinct taking over. With a harsh kick he flipped that demon onto it's back, and brandished the cold, steel death clenched in his jaw. The demon cried in pain, but Publius gave no quarter. He would allow only one word to escape his lips. One, simple, command,

"Dic." (Speak)

"Well geez, I know I made a big hole but you don't have to insult me." Twilight rubbed the back of her neck still holding her eyes clenched shut. Publius hadn't understood a word, to him she had just bewitched him with an incantation. He whinnied and stomped his hooves, alarmingly close to Twilight's head and brought the sword closer to the magical mare. Only now did Twilight's eyes open, they opened to the size of dinner plates. Twilight watched the sword nervously, then moved her eyes to her attacker. She noticed the way the earth pony's mane formed a high crest, the color of Luna's coat, and he had a scar running from his left eye to his chin. He wore armored barding that covered his entire torso, obscured his cutie mark, and ended in a skirt. He was a pale white, the color of the moon, and he appeared to be scrutinizing her rather closely.

"Dic." The word struck a chord in Twilight's mind, she thought back to the lessons Celestia's Lutin lessons. What was the old rhyme?

Duc, Dic, Fac, & Fer,

should have an e,

but it isn't there.

"Of course! A pony who spoke Lutin would obviously have mental delusions in it" Twilight posed this to no one in particular. "If I can remember the spell I found on that maybe I could..." Her attacker's expression turned to anger. He obviously didn't understand her either, and it was enraging him. Publius had thought he would die in this hole, but instead he now stood face to face with nothing more than a mare with a horn. An abomination, that needed to be purified.

"NOLI DIC!"(Don't Speak!) Twilight decided to listen, and bide. She gathered her thoughts, and tried to remember the translation spell. Her horn glowed slightly, and she suddenly understood what the stallion before her was saying. Twilight hoped it went both ways.

"I said stop that! A foul temptress shall receive no mercy from me!" The stallion that Twilight hadn't got a name for, was screaming at her brandishing his sword in a rather poor power play.

"Look, I uh... come in peace?" She was hesitant, hoping that the translation spell worked on his ears to.

"So you do speak Lutin, not just that foul witch speak."

"Uh yeah... that's uh just my native language. No witchcraft here mister?..."

"Publius, my name is Publius Aetius Aurelius, and you are encroaching on the sovereign territory of The New Republic of the Moon. You have disturbed the peace and damaged precious farmland outside of Luna. By order of the Praetor your to be under arrest, what say you in your defense?"

"I uh... have come to see Cato. I am an emissary of the moon." Twilight technically hadn't lied, Luna did send her, and she controlled the moon. He dropped to his knees and bowed his head in reverence.

"The old tales told of one sent by the moon, it is my duty to take you to the Consuls... or Consul." He looked away for a moment and Twilight knew that Cato was in trouble.

"Did something happen to the Consul?"

"Perhaps, I will explain on the way, but you uh... may want to stand behind me." He turned and began to pick through the debris of Twilight's impact. Twilight wasn't surprised that she came out unscathed, either she couldn't be harmed in the dream or Luna had somehow kept her protected when she hit. But why would she need to stay behind him? She opened her mouth to ask as they went over the top.

"Why would I need to stand behind you? I'll have you know. that. I..." The words died a quiet death, as she met the gaze of over eight hundred ponies, all armed to the teeth, literally.

She heard a coarse, authoritative voice shout orders. "COHORT! SHIELD WALL!" Every other pony sheathed their sword and pulled shields from their armor. They all stepped forward and enveloped themselves in shield. It was an effective defense with few gaps or breaks. Publius stepped forward and raised his right forehoof and explained who the purple pony was. They all dropped their shields and let them, through, which gave them an opportunity to observe just how many resources the army had committed. Twilght could see what looked like, well looked like nothing like anything she had ever seen before. She leaned her head over towards her soldier turned bodyguard. He followed her gaze and nipped the question before it blossomed into a question.

"Those are Ballistas , man portable artillery. They fire metal bolts to take down big beasts mostly, doesn't kill 'em most of the time. Just scares 'em off."

"Do you have a lot of problems with wildlife?" Twilight cocked her head in curiosity, she wanted to know what kind of world Cato's mind had conjured up.

"Not around Luna, sometimes something big will wander down from the north, sometimes Diamond Dogs or Griffins get a bit pushy. We've always managed to push them back, we've held the land better than the Equestruscans ever did."

"Equestruscans? Who were they?"

Publius gave her a slightly confused look. "Your a lunar messenger, but you don't know the Equestruscans?"

"Uh... no. I was uh... only given knowledge of my mission, nothing else. So uh... do a lunar messenger a favor?"

"Rather informal for one of such status, but I will answer your questions to the best of my ability." He cleared his throat, and disgustingly spat on the ground to his right, the opposite of where she was standing. He looked back and blushed, realizing what he just did. "Oh uh... sorry. Used to being a soldier and all right? Not really use to a pretty... I mean a mare being around. And I'm normally not so rude, it's just that we've been out and about Luna, and I'm kinda tired. I-"

"Equestruscans! Focus!"

"Right. The Equestruscans were the people who showed the early Lunans civilization. They showed us iron working, art, and the art of using that iron. Eventually we sacked their cities and brought the once mighty kingdom to it's knees. We assimilated them into the NRL and not much is left of them. They lived north of here, closer to the Oats (Alps), a very large mountain chain that runs along the northern border with The Evergaul forest."

"What about to the south? Is there anything there?"

"Aye, there's more to the south than the north. You've got the whole Marediterranean down there, along with Cowthage and Sifilly (Carthage and Sicily). To the west is a whole lot of nothing, but the east holds the land of Graze. (Greece) Consul Orion has got big plans, he plans to conquer it all, but Consul uh... never mind."

"What happened to Consul Cato? Why won't you tell me?"

"It's not my place to tell, anyway I have explicit orders to take you to Orion only."

Twilight Sparkle stopped, she looked at him with a glare that could stop a manticore. She started to walk towards him, and for every step she took forward he took one backwards. "I did not come to see Orion, I came to see Consul Cato. You will take me to him or so help me I will buck you with the moon." Twilight wouldn't drop her gaze from his eyes. She didn't know why she had gotten so furious with him, but she needed to get to Cato as soon as possible.

"I have orders ma'am, I've never disobeyed an order, and I don't plan to now."

Twilight closed her eyes and her horn glowed, she wrapped Publius in magic, and flipped him over in the air. She opened her eyes to an extremely terrified grown stallion on the verge of squealing. Of course they'd never seen a unicorn before, they were in an Earth Pony's mind after all. "Now, you're going to take me to Consul Cato, or so help me I'll put you on the sun myself." Twilight was slightly shocked by her words, that was so unlike her... Maybe this place was taking it's toll on her to.

"Yes ma'am! I will! But please put me down!" There was panic in Publius' voice.

"Oh right, sorry. Now, where is the Consul?"

"It's a bit of a scandal you see. Orion had Cato locked up, a bit of a scandal and he's seized control all for himself. I can get you in there easy, but leaving with the Consul won't be so easy. Why do you need him?"

"Because, the moon sent me to free him. He needs to dethrone Orion."

****

It took them roughly twenty minutes to get to the palace and get to the jail.Twilight had lifted the key off the guard with magic, and Publius had gotten them inside in the first place. They headed down and began searching for Cato, and shortly thereafter they found him. Cato was wretched, his ribs were showing, he had scars on his back from a whip, his coat and mane were caked with mud and blood and missing in some places, and he was curled silently in a ball in the corner. Twilight sent a prayer to Celestia in hope that he would be ok, she couldn't stand to see him. She almost retched at the sight of him. Publius had taken over and was now fumbling with keys trying to find the one that opened this door. The sudden commotion woke Cato, if he had been asleep, and he perked his head up to see why the guards now visited him. Much to his surprise he saw Twilight Sparkle, and a pony he recognized as a well decorated soldier. He struggled to get to his hooves, but could not, and fell down with a whimper. Publius finally found the key and aligned the tumblers with a satisfying *click*. Publius bent his neck downward in respect and pity, and Cato attempted to return the gesture but simply ground his chin into the dirt. Publius heart swelled with sadness as he saw the once proud stallion, his once proud leader, laying broken before him. (Publius had always preferred Cato to Orion, he saw Orion as a cookie-cutter politician. He was willing to send young men off to die in far away lands, but he would not raise a hoof in aid.) Twilight finally gained the courage and stomach to come and help Cato. None of them spoke, as they lifted the battered pony onto his hooves, or as they watched him fall again. Now Twilight knew some healing magic, and she used that now. She willed the magic to flow from her horn, tiny blue sparks jumped from her horn and were absorbed into Cato's wounds, mending them well... like magic. Twilight stepped back and watched most of the cuts disappear, but the scars persisted. Twilight realized they weren't literal wounds, but symbolic ones. The scars represented all the difficult times he had made it through, but not made it through unscathed. This is also when Twilight realized the reason Cato could not stand was not physical, or whatever passed for physical here. He bore a weight on his shoulders that she could feel. Publius kept trying to lift Cato onto his hooves, but kept failing. Twilight walked up to him and nuzzled his neck, giving the only remedy she knew for a broken spirit, friendship. Cato looked up at her with the most pained expression Twilight had ever seen, as if her friendship hurt him. But, shocking Publius, Cato stood by his own power and began to exit the cell. Twilight placed a hoof on his back to stop him, and he did not flinch in pain, he simply turned his head to look at her. His look spoke a thousand words, I cannot let you risk yourself for a lost cause. I must do this by myself. She gave him a simple look back, No. He bowed his head in defeat and glanced a look at her companion, which was really just a figment of his imagination. While Twilight checked to make sure the Jailer wasn't making his rounds, Cato acquainted himself with Publius.

"So, Publius is it? What kind of tours have you been on?" Cato asked this to fill the gap of silence, to buy him time to think, and he rather liked talking to himself. Of course Cato knew the answer already, he knew everypony's tale.

"Well three Marches ago the First Legion, under Orion's orders, marched into the Oats to do a little dragon hunting. Turns out he was only after their gems, but I still got awarded the Crescent Moon, and you know the other medal." Cato recalled the ceremony held for the returning First Legion, he had handed out the medals after all. If he recalled correctly he had given Publius a Crescent Moon for being wounded on the front line, Publius had sustained severe burns on his right side. Cato had also given him the highest honor in the NRL, The Blue Moon, awarded for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Publius had heard the tale told by the Praetor, Publius had single-hoofedly taken down a dragon making its home to close to the southern Oats. He wasn't causing any troubles but Orion claimed a dragon this close posed a threat. Cato had leaked his true motives, he simply had the legion attack so he could take the dragon's horde.

"What's the Crescent Moon?" Twilight had returned, and her curiosity had returned with her. While Cato explained this to her and while she explained the translation spell, they began to make their exit making sure not to wake the Jailer on their way out.

****

Publius shifted weight and bucked open the door to Orion's private study. He aimed right for the words Veni, Vidi, Vici, (I came, I saw, I conquered) and let the door loose of it's hinges. A rather bored-looking Orion awaited the motley crew, he didn't even take his eyes from the view off his balcony of the city. With Cato taking point they charged in and stood defiantly, Twilight to the Left and Publius to the right. Orion lazily looked their way, and gave a toothy grin, and for the first time Twilight viewed the tumor that grew in Cato's mind. He had shimmering gold coat and a deep, royal purple man that was cropped short similar to Cato's. His cutie mark was a crown of laurels and the letters "SPQL." He rose taller than anypony she had ever seen, and had more muscles than Publius and Big Macintosh combined. He was truly an outstanding example of ponydom. Orion had an aura of authority and unending malevolence, as if your mere existence insulted him. Twilight would have bolted then if it wasn't for Cato, who seemed to radiate the very opposite. The space between the two Consuls seemed to waver with power. Cato turned and whispered, "Remember, let me do the talking."

Orion spoke with a mellifluous tone, and Twilight's resolved wavered slightly. "Ah, Cato! It truly is a pleasure to see you back on your hooves. I weeded out the corrupted Praetorian Guards, and executed them and the ones who assaulted you so viciously. But enough of that, who do you have with you? I do believe I know the stallion, but who is the wonderful mare in your company? Have you finally-"

"Shut up, now is when you listen." Cato's voice carried through the chamber with an almost unnatural volume. He was acting out of character, and Twilight thought it contradicted what Applejack had told her about him.

"Well Cato, I suppose I can move past the formalities, if you'll move past the hostilities."

"You tried to have me killed, I believe hostilities are well within my rights. Then again you have no respect for those."

"Have you killed? Why I would never! I treasure your input in the Senate! The very fact you try to blame a few bad apples on me is appalling! I had the entire Praetorian Guard purged and I hoof-picked the new ones, I assure their utmost loyalty."

"Loyalty to whom? You picked the last three groups, and the last three have all attempted to assassinate me. I think we need to start blaming the orchard Orion."

"I have tried to warn you numerous times about the population's thirst for blood. Do not act as if I wish to go out and watch ponies murder themselves in the Circus Maximus. I cannot be what you are! They would have me murder every single pony outside of here! You know not the atrocities they attempt to force me to do! I have just managed to appease them with one of their less gory suggestions! But by the moon! It had to be Applejack! They forced my hoof Cato, 'twas not I who desired Applejack cider..." Cato was shocked into silence. He had no words to attack with, he only could watch on in horror as Twilight retched off to his right, Publius was helping support him. Cato's mind was blank, but slowly his mind rebooted.

No it can't be. He's just trying to manipulate us. Even Orion isn't insane enough to do that to Applejack. How could the ponies of Luna desire that. How could they know about Applejack? Orion and I had resolved to keep the truth hidden, unless...

"Did you tell them? Did you tell them the truth about this place? Does the Republic know that it's just a figment? Because I think you're lying about killing Applejack." Cato spoke with renewed determination, he gestured towards Twilight, and Publius trotted over to her side.

"You're still just as clever I see, I would've hoped I had beaten your wits out of you. Of course I would never compromise my power here, but you on the other hand. You wish to destroy everything I have built, and I everything I hope to build. This is no longer your mind Cato, it's mine."

"I have died before, and I won't let some low-brow, no-good, half-rate excuse for a pony steal my second chance. Now Luna damn it all, your going to step down or I'll make you step down!" This statement pulled Twilight's head from over the balcony railing where she had been simultaneously getting a view of the city of Luna, and her lunch. Did he just say he's died?

"Oh Cato, have you ever considered," Orion gestured out the window with a broad sweeping motion, "that all of this, is your fault?" Cato was absorbed in thought as thought on what Orion had said. Cato quickly grew disheartened and fell to his knees. Orion seized the small victory and advanced as he spoke. "Why were you allowed to come here? Why do you deserve this? I'll let you in on something Luna told me. You don't. You don't deserve any of this. You're someone living on borrowed time, you're someone who has had their chance. Nopony deserves two lives, which is why we both know that this one is mine. This is my birthright! I was made for this! You're just an afterbirth, that slithered past Celestia. You're an abomination that needs to be purged."

"Enough!" Twilight's eyes were glowing, and her magic amplified her voice to deity tier volume. She wrapped Orion in magic and threw him against the far wall, he bounced off and crashed into his desk with a deafening crack of wood. She magically raised Cato to his hooves. "Cato, you know he's a liar. Anypony deserves a second chance, you're no exception. Now come on, he's made it clear he won't surrender."

Cato gave her a confused look, and Twilight blushed. She felt like Fluttershy whenever she managed to be assertive. Twilight was filled with a childlike giddiness. All of that was shattered when Publius was thrown at their hooves in a heap. Orion brimmed with fury and the world seemed unstable around him. "How dare you assault me! I have made no aggressive actions towards you, yet you attack me?! This is-" CRACK, Orion slumped to the floor. Cato looked at Twilight with a single eyebrow raised in curiosity. Her horn was glowing, and a single, broken chair leg was floating over Orion's limp body. She gestured Orion and rolled her eyes. "That pony could talk forever couldn't he?"

"Yes he always was quite the orator. But uh... thank you Twilight, rather anti-climactic, but thank you." He walked over to where Publius limped over to Orion, and gave him a swift hoof to the ribs. Cato approached him, asking Twilight to look away, and with a swift flick of his hooves, humanely snapped Orion's neck. It was the first time Cato had killed anypony, even if he was imaginary. He swore he would never hurt someone again, no matter the cost to himself. He resolved to repay everypony in Ponyville for what they had done for him, even if they hadn't helped him directly. "Publius, toss him over the balcony..." Cato dipped his head low, he had full control of his own mind. And he knew what he had to do. This whole world in his head was created for Orion, Cato knew he must destroy it. It was the only way to become normal again. "Twilight? How did you get here exactly?"

Twilight's attention was torn from a map of the Marediterranean, "Huh? Oh, Luna had a special spell that could join two minds. Oh speaking of Luna, she wants to talk to you about some stuff when you feel up to it. And uh hey, did you make this whole place yourself?" She pointed a hoof at the map behind her.

Cato blushed a little, he had always been a little nervous about opening up to others. "Uh... Ya, you have a lot of spare time when somepony else is running your head you know? Well, I guess you wouldn't know but uh... He thought it was an appropriate metaphor that a greater civilization would rise from the ashes of the last. He called my old mind the Equestruscans, and his new people the New Lunar Republic. But I think Publius told you that already, and furthermore I... uh..." Cato shook his head a little, looking confused he looked around the room, then up at the ceiling. "You want me to tell her what? Look don't get snappy telepathy isn't normally the way I communicate! Fine I'll tell her."

Twilight had her head cocked to the side in confusion, Was Cato talking to himself? Well I guess he was talking to himself when he was speaking to Orion but...

"Hey Twilight, Luna said, Brace yourself. Coming out won't be nearly as pleasant as going in." Cato snickered, "That's what she said." He burst out in a fit of laughing as Twilight disappeared. What had he meant that's what she said? Of course that's what she said. Maybe he still wasn't all there.

****

The first thing my mind registered was the smell. The horrid, acrid smell of fresh vomit. It burned my nostrils and made bile rise in my throat. Then came the sticky, wet, warm feel of my coat against my skin. My first thoughts were of course, Oh Goddesses, Orion hadn't lied. I'm covered in Applejack cider. Well look on the bright side, she always said she made the best cider. By the moon I really am mad. Then I opened my eyes and noticed Twilight head first in a waste bin, with Rainbow Dash supporting her and holding her mane back. Then it hit me You puke in your dreams, you puke for real. I sighed in relief and tried to stand up. I had been tied down again. I struggled against my bonds to let my good-willed captors know I was awake. And that I really did not want to be sitting in Twilight's lunch. I looked around and noticed the remaining two mares looking over at me with curiosity. The taller and more regal one approached me, undid my bonds with a suspicious stare, and plainly stated her intentions. "Outside, we talk, now.