Far From Home

by Nethelli

First published 17th of January, 2012

Semi-dark HiE story inspired by JasonTheHuman's "Anthropology" fic

A human named Taylor finds himself in Equestria after a certain unicorn's research takes her well beyond the limits of typical magic. Resourceful as he is, adjusting to life in Ponyville should be easy, but when a dangerous secret society dating back to the days before Celestia makes him their target, things quickly get out of hand.

A semi-dark HiE adventure, sprinkled with comedy.

01 - Prologue

Taylor was an average human.

Physically speaking, that is. There was nothing outwardly unique about him, and that's how he liked it. He tended to mesh with any crowd, not drawing any unnecessary attention. Internally however, he was quite different from his peers. He's always known it, too - even at an early age he could solve problems faster and more efficiently, picked up on new material with ease, and was just... somehow better. His teachers called him gifted, and he saw no reason to disagree, but he was also humble about it. Like any other skill, he learned to use it to his advantage without making a big deal of it.

That is, until around his seventeenth year when it suddenly hit him. What the hell are these people doing?

His instructor was handing back test results. Trying his hardest to be inconspicuous, he stole glances around the room, catching sight of the other students' mediocre grades. Staring down at his 99%, he silently cursed. The problem he answered incorrectly was a simple rounding error, one that he wouldn't have made had he taken the extra three seconds to double check his work. He had been in such a rush to hand the test in first that his work had suffered, costing him a perfect score. Still, he found amusement in it. Around him sat those who studied while he played games on the computer. Before that, they were the ones taking notes off the board while he absent-mindedly doodled in his notebook. They were the ones that spent several hours meticulously completing their homework while he blasted through it on the bus the morning it was due, an art he'd been perfecting for years (a remarkable feat, given the bumpy roads his bus had to travel on)

Yet there he sat with the best grade in the class, a grade earned effortlessly. So, again, what the hell are these people doing? It can't truly be this difficult, can it?

He quickly grew bored with this. All of it. Considering how many years of high school he had to put up with, the diploma was - or rather would be - barely worth the paper it was printed on. He had some older friends that had graduated last year who still couldn't manage to get a job no matter how hard they tried. Nobody wanted to hire a high school graduate, and colleges always want more extracurricular activities, to the point of being utterly absurd about it.

Taylor became acutely aware that he would have to sacrifice his youth on the altar of higher education to get anywhere in this society. The very idea was sickening, to throw away all that's good in life to get a slightly less horrible job. Something inside him snapped, and he chose to rebel against that life.

Over the course of the next few years, his grades slipped, or rather plummeted. He stopped caring about them entirely. While attendance was mandatory, that fact never stopped him when you really wanted to skip a day (or six), so he went when he felt like it, but participation was something they could never force. If they tried, he resisted, and it drove them mad. There were numerous discussions about him throwing away his future and wasting potential. None of it seemed to make an impression. They tried to punish him by giving him detention, which he blew off. They punished that by suspending him from school, which at one point he actually thanked them for (they were not amused). He was glad to have a get-out-of-school-free card. More time for reading, playing games, and spending time in solitude.

Taylor became the bane of all his instructors - try as they might, they couldn't convince him that any of this was important. He liked to think that it was out of pride - or at least a genuine desire to help - that they tried so hard to rally him, to strike the proper angle to make him come around. But he built up his walls, strengthened his resolve, and learned to ignore them. After all, he wasn't exactly lacking in mental fortitude. It became trivial to dismiss their efforts to coax him back into the herd.

That's exactly what it was, too. A herd. Mindless livestock just doing what they're told. The whole institution was a damn assembly line for a passive, obedient, subservient citizenry. Just smart enough to run the machines, but not smart enough to realize they had been getting completely screwed all their life.

Voluntary lifelong servitude to an authority that couldn't care less about you? For the third time, what the hell are these people doing!?

Years passed, and he became a dropout with a GED just as worthless as the high school diploma he turned up his nose at, but he was enjoying himself. Despite the negatives in his life that arose from his bad decisions, he was still feeling pretty good, believing that one's life doesn't have to be glorious and extravagant to be enjoyable, and was perfectly content with what he had.

He sat down at his computer to watch some My Little Pony on Youtube.

"Because that's where the cool kids go to watch ponies," he said to himself.

With a drink in hand, he jumped right into the new episode. Pinkie Pie was babysitting and he couldn't wait to see what kind of shenanigans was about to go down.

Suddenly, he began to feel sick, and the room appeared to spin. He tried to stand, but didn't even make it two steps before he lost his balance and fell. He winced, waiting for the pain as he hit he floor, but there was none.

He opened his eyes to find he was no longer in his own room...

02 - First Encounter

[This chapter will soon be changed to third person perspective once Nethelli stops being lazy. Until then, enjoy it as it is. You're one of the last people to see it like this.]

"I can't believe it worked! It's a real live human! I did it I did it I did it!"

You open your eyes for a split second, shutting them tightly as the light in the room nearly blinds you. It takes several minutes for you to adjust your vision, all the while the voice you heard earlier keeps squealing excitedly, tossing in the occasional "I did it!"

Lifting yourself off the floor, you come face to face with a seafoam green pony with golden eyes. Her entire appearance is in the same style as the cartoon you were watching moments ago. You reach out your hand awkwardly, touching her cheek. Shock and realization hit simultaneously - this is neither a hallucination nor a dream. How could this have happened? You're not exactly a rocket surgeon, but you're no fool either - this simply shouldn't be possible.

"Umm..." She shifts uncomfortably, your hand still firmly placed on her cheek. You pull your hand back quickly, staring intently down at it, flexing your fingers slightly. It was taking an incredible amount of self control to maintain any semblance of composure.

Looking up from your hand, you decide that you absolutely must confirm what you're seeing. "You're real, aren't you?"

The unicorn cocks her head to one side, as if the question was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. "Of course I'm real. Why wouldn't I be?"

Shivers run down your spine at her words. Not only is this real, but you know her. You've seen her countless times while watching your favorite show. Usually you find comfort in knowledge, but this particular occasion is unnerving.

"Heartstrings... or rather, Lyra. I'm right, aren't I?" Your words are calculated and meticulous. Tense. Your eyes are locked with hers, and you both appear uncomfortable.

The unicorn, clearly surprised by your knowledge of her, manages to maintain eye contact. "That is my name, but how did you know it?"

You can't think of a way to explain to her that she's a cartoon character. It would sound absolutely crazy. Possibly even hurtful. Better to err on the side of caution. "I'm not sure. I just... know. Not just you, either. Your roommate, most of the ponies around town... and yet I have no idea where I am, exactly."

Lyra seems to recoil a bit at how much you know, especially with no explanation of how you know, but she shakes it off quickly. "Since you already know my name, would you mind telling me yours?"

"It's Taylor," you reply succinctly. Instantly, her eyes are drawn to your backside. "Not that kind, and no, I don't have one," you add. Her eyes snap back to yours and she smiles awkwardly.

"Right, sorry, I'm just so used to... well, you know, right?" You nod at her question. "So, now that you're here, I really want to ask you a lot of questions." You give another reassuring nod to calm her nerves. "Sure."

I just woke up in a different WORLD and I'm the calm one?

She trots over to her desk, pulling out pages and pages of notes with the occasional book. By the time she finishes, the desk, chair, and floor are an utter mess. She begins grabbing pages at random, searching for something.

"Here it is!" she exclaims, quickly shrinking in embarrassment at her own outburst. "Right, so... humans, what do they eat?"

It's a fair question, if a bit odd to start with. "Most anything, really, barring obvious exceptions like tree bark or dirt. I can't really speak for the rest of my species, but I particularly enjoy steak and various pastas."

Lyra stares blankly for a moment. Of course she has no idea what you were talking about. "Okay, I'll get to steak in a moment. Pasta is what you get when you grind some kind of grain into a powder, like flour, mix it with water and sometimes eggs. That will give you a dough of sorts, and then you shape it into strings, flat sheets, tubes, or whatever else you can think of. It's almost always dried and sold that way. When you want some, you just boil it in water and then add whatever ingredients you prefer."

You begin to go into more detail about the different types, and Lyra hangs on every word, utterly enthralled by your explanation. She seems to be watching your hands as you speak. You assume it's because you tend to use a lot of hand movements in conversation, something that ponies can't really do. Occasionally, she takes notes, but they're almost entirely shorthand. You guess she's far more interested in hearing your story then recording it. It's flattering, actually.

"I'm not much of an artist, but I could try to draw a few of these if you'd like some visual aids." Before you can blink she's got a pencil and paper levitated inches from your face, and a massive smile on hers. "I'll take that as a yes," you say with a smirk, sketching away as you continue speaking.

"Now, what about that first thing you mentioned? Stick?" Her questioning gives you pause, realizing what you're about to tell her is likely some horrific taboo.

"Steak, and you might want to brace yourself for this one. I'm fairly certain you're not going to like it." you glance up at her from the paper you've been drawing on. She appears wary, but receptive.

"Okay, well... it's..." you trail off, aborting your first attempt to describe it.

This is going to be difficult.

"It's.... what?" she looks at you nervously. "You don't eat... ponies, right?"

You blink. "What? No. I mean, I've heard some people-"

Stop stop stop STOP! Do NOT finish that sentence!

"Just... no. I don't eat ponies." Lyra lets out a sigh of relief. "However, we do eat some animals."

Instantly, Lyra becomes tense again, and you sigh. "I'm just going to start listing animals. Stop me if it gets to be too much for you." She nods, still looking uncomfortable.

"Cows, chickens, pigs, fish, sheep, deer. Lots of people enjoy duck and turkey, especially during certain holidays. Things like clams, and oysters are common fare. I've known people to eat snake meat when it's around. Others, particularly eastern cultures enjoy octopus, squid, whale... sometimes dogs and cats."

Lyra looked horrified. Not surprising. I harbor the same general opinion. Something about imagining the family pet in one house as the main course in another is exceptionally unpleasant.

You've gone this far. May as well take that last step...

"Lastly... in a few cultures - and I mean very few - it's actually acceptable to eat other humans."

By this point, Lyra was looking ill. You feel guilty for exposing her to this, but sigh and decide to get it over with.

"Regarding your last question... in the interest of full disclosure - yes, some humans might eat ponies, given the opportunity. I want to assure you that I am not in that demographic. Even on the brink of starvation, I doubt very much that I would be capable of eating a pony, horse, or whatever. "

Besides, I've heard it's tough, greasy, and unpleasant.

This doesn't seem to put her at ease, and you can see her shaking a bit. Why wouldn't she be? You basically just informed her that your people are ravenous monsters that eat anything too slow or dumb to get away.

"It's not like we're evil, you know." you say indignantly - as if you have anything to be indignant about. "We don't go around eating random creatures for fun. Besides, some of my species actually choose not to eat any meat at all."

You're not sure if it's your tone or your choice of words, but it seems to make her feel a little better. "It's probably for the best to leave this topic for now."

"Y-yeah, I think you're right," she begins, collecting her thoughts, "um... oh, I know. You walk on two legs. How does that work? How can you keep your balance so easily?"

Another question that seemed odd, but you suppose that for Lyra, this is like having her own personal guide to a different world. It's understandable that she would want to know everything about everything, even the mundane.

"Well, it's not exactly an easy process. Most of us take a long time to learn to do it properly, so our parents start teaching us pretty early, well before we can talk. Even five or six years after we've taken our first steps, a young human is still pretty uncoordinated, but that applies to most things involving young children."

Lyra's expression of wonder comes back faster than expected. You return to your slightly exaggerated hand motions when speaking, because she seems to enjoy that. When you're done discussing what you actually know of the mechanics of walking on two legs, Lyra asks a few more questions, many of which you can really only speculate on the answer. Your knowledge of human biology is rudimentary, so she'll just have to accept what you can offer.

The next topic is methods of travel, something you're a little more knowledgeable about, so you jump right into cars, planes, boats, and the like. She appears almost offended when you explain that horses are still commonly kept as a means of transportation, but remains silent.

Several minutes in to your explanation, you hear a voice from downstairs. "Lyra! I'm home! Where are you?"

"Oh no! That's Bon Bon! If she sees you here, she'll... I don't know what she'll do!" Lyra flies into a panic. You scan the room, but there aren't any good hiding places to be found. Pony homes are a bit smaller than your typical human house after all, as is everything inside. Where hiding under a bed would be no challenge in his own world, here you would just look absurd.

The sound of hoofsteps coming up the stairs resonates in the room. You only have seconds to react before your cover is blown. Without anywhere to hide properly, you press yourself against the wall near the door, hoping that the other pony won't happen to look to the left and see you.

The door swung open, and Bon Bon was greeted by a rather suspicious scene. Papers filled with notes and sketches strewn about. A few old books in a disorderly pile. Most of all, Lyra herself - wide eyed and putting on an obviously forced smile.

The other pony narrowed her eyes at Lyra. "I heard a voice up here. Who were you talking to?"

"Nobo- er... nopony! Nopony at all! Just me here, talking to myself! Reading out loud!"

Bon Bon continues to pierce Lyra with her stare, obviously not buying it. "You're lying, Lyra. I know I heard something, so just tell me who's up here. It's no big deal if you had a stallion over. In fact, it would be a welcome change from all of your human nonsen-"

The loud creak of a wooden board echoed in the room and both Lyra and Bon Bon turned in unison toward you.

You just HAD to shift your weight a little more, didn't you?

It was little more than a second or two before anything happened, but it felt like an eternity. Bon Bon recognized the form, having seen Lyra's sketches of what humans look like. The shock of seeing one in the flesh was too much.

Bon Bon fainted, collapsing to the floor with a loud thud.

At least this time it wasn't you.

03 - Magic Fixes Everything!

[This chapter will soon be changed to third person perspective once Nethelli stops being lazy. Until then, enjoy it as it is. You're one of the last people to see it like this.]

"I am so getting thrown out when Bon-bon wakes up. I can't believe she came home so early. The whole reason I waited until today to try casting that spell was because I figured she would be gone all day, or at least long enough for me to come up with a plan."

"Consider for a moment that you're speaking to someone who might be imprisoned forever if Celestia finds out about this. That's a best-case scenario, by the way. Other possibilities include getting turned to stone or banished to the moon."

Perhaps even banished to the next season, like Luna was.

You notice Lyra's head sink lower and lower as you continue your rant. With a heavy sigh, you decide it's better to just let it go. "Don't worry about it for now. We need to brainstorm. Got any plans on how to deal with this?" You gesture to the unconscious pony on the floor, as if the question needed emphasis.

Lyra shakes her head, looking up at you with the most guilty eyes you've ever seen. She looks like she's on the verge of tears.

"Well, all I've got is something along the lines of putting her in bed and hoping she thinks it was a weird dream or something. Not really an airtight plan." Running a hand through your hair, you breathe another heavy sigh. Before you can fix this situation, you're going to have to get Lyra in better spirits. You try your best to reassure her. "Look, I know you didn't want this to happen, I know you're sorry, and I didn't mean to rub salt in the wound. We're in this together, so we need to come up with a plan together." You extend your hand to her, assuming she's familiar with the concept of a handshake.

Rubbing her misty eyes with her foreleg, she tries her best to muster a smile. Her horn begins to glow, and her hoof rapidly morphs into a perfect human hand, the same color as her coat.

That was simultaneously impressive and horrifying and I hope I never see it again.

You grasp her 'hand' and give it a firm shake. "Alright, now that we've cleared that up, I think phase one of our grand master plan should be to get your roomie off the floor." You carefully hoist Bon-bon onto your shoulder, depositing her in the nearest bed. Hearing the familiar ringing of Lyra's magic, a wave of relief washes over you, knowing that you won't have to look at that creepy hoofhand again for a while.

"I had a thought," Lyra started, "but I'm not sure it will work. I know some unicorns can use memory spells, so maybe I could try... you know..." she trails off. Your eyes are focused intently on the floor as you consider Lyra's proposal. It sounds dangerous, and the last thing you want to do is add another reason for the princess to fire you out of a cannon into space, but magic seems to be this world's duct tape, so it might be worth the risk.

"If you're bringing that up, I assume you know the spell?" You bite your lip - a nervous habit since childhood - waiting for the answer. Lyra levitates a nearby book in front of her, flipping through pages until she finds what she's looking for. "Twilight gave this to me for my birthday, a copy of one of Starswirl the Bearded's spellbooks. Who knew it would actually come in handy?" Her sudden upbeat attitude brings you untold relief.

"Okay, you have the spell. I'm afraid to ask, but if something goes wrong, what are we looking at exactly? Spell backlash? Complete memory loss? Summoning some kind of mutant fishdog from another dimension?"

And just like that, the upbeat smile vanishes, replaced by an unamused stare that could melt stone. "I'll shut up and let you concentrate, then."

Lyra huffs and moves over to her roommate's bed, quietly reciting the spell, memorizing it to the best of her ability. After several minutes, she takes a deep breath, and her horn begins to glow brightly. A similar glow appears around Bon-bon's head. Without warning, blue sparks erupt from Lyra's horn, filling the room with light. The display ends as quickly as it began, and you decide it's safe enough to stop cowering in the next room.

Just a precaution, I wasn't scared. Much.

"This might be a stupid question, but did it work?" You approach with caution, just in case things aren't over yet.

"No way to know yet. When she wakes up, we'll see just how much trouble we're actually in. If I did it right, she shouldn't be afraid of you anymore, at least."

You notice her legs are shaking and her breathing is labored. That spell must have taken a lot out of her. "While we wait for that, how would you like to relax and listen to a story or two from my world? We can go back to the Q and A tomorrow."

She nods her head, following you to the next room where she takes a seat (like a human, of course) and eagerly waits for you to start. You consider taking the seat opposite her, but decide it'll be more fun to play-act some of the scenes.

Like a bolt of lightning, inspiration strikes you. "Alright, I'm going to start with one of my favorites. It all begins in a secret laboratory in the desert, a facility called Black Mesa..."

Minutes turn to hours as you regale Lyra with the fictitious exploits of Dr. Gordon Freeman. You have to stop every once in a while to answer her questions, but for the most part she seems content just to watch you make a complete ass of yourself as you fight off invisible aliens with your invisible crowbar.

Just as you're finishing up the finale, you hear a stirring upstairs.

"Sounds like she's coming to. I really hope this works." Lyra's in good spirits, so you decide to press your luck. "If it doesn't, can you at least have Celestia turn me into marble? If I'm going to become a lawn ornament, I at least want to look like a classy one."

Lyra rolls her eyes at you. "Not a good time for jokes. Besides, I'm positive the spell worked."

The two of you stare at Bon-bon intently as she sleepily makes her way down the stairs, barely even taking notice of you at first. Halfway to the kitchen, she stops abruptly in her tracks, turning her head toward you, wide-eyed in shock.

"Uhhh... Bon-bon? This is Taylor, the human that you might remember from earlier."

"A Human.... but I thought that was just a bad dream."

Maybe we should have stuck with Plan A after all.

"So, Heartstrings... you did this? Brought a Human to Ponyville? To Equestria? Do you have any idea how much trouble you'll be in if people find out about this? Even after the way Princess Luna reacted when you brought this up, you still went ahead and brought one here!?"

"If I can speak in my own defense," you begin "I haven't done anything wrong, aside from the whole 'existing' thing."

"Oh great, and it talks."

Wow, really? "It"? Rude.

"Yes, Taylor talks and writes and does everything else that we do, so what's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that you brought a Human here! To our house! They're dangerous!"

Lyra stomps a hoof on the ground in protest "No, they're not! Taylor has done nothing but try to help me! I've already learned so much more about the other world by talking to him than I could ever have gotten from my books!

Sweet, the author finally gave me a gender! In the same moment, I broke your precious fourth wall.

"Lyra, even if he's not dangerous, having him around is. Someone might find out about this. If word gets back to Celestia before we can either convince everypony he's harmless or send him home, we're all going to be in serious trouble - especially you, for bringing him here in the first place."

"Well, unless Lyra knows how to reverse the spell that brought me here, it looks like my only option is to go out there and prove that I'm not some horrific mythical beast."

"How do you intend to go out in public without scaring everyone away, or worse, attracting the attention of the Canterlot Inquisition?" Bon-bon asked smugly.

"Simple. You're familiar with Lyra's transformation spells, correct?"

Bon-bon's shudder confirms that for you.

"Thought so. If she can change herself into a human, what's to stop her from doing the opposite to me?"

Before you can finish your sentence, Lyra's already bolting up the stairs to get her spellbook.

There is an awkward silence between you. Bon-bon clearly doesn't trust you in the slightest, but she does care enough about Lyra to give this whole thing a shot.

"You'd better be right about this." She turns up her nose at you, but you ignore the gesture.

"I have faith in Lyra. She'll make this work. If she can manage to pull me out of my world into hers, and do that... thing with her hoof, then changing me into one of you guys should be simple, right?"

Lyra had just come back with her spellbook, horn already glowing with magic. "Okay, I've got the spell ready to go."

You give her a confident nod. "Alright then. Magic me."

A bright flash of light.

The nauseating feeling as your organs shift.

Soon, it's over, but it's going to be a while before you adjust to the odd balance of this new body.

You clumsily trot over to a nearby full-length mirror in the corner.

Oh you have GOT to be kidding me.

"Lyra, why am I PINK!?"

04 - Third Time's The Charm

[Author's note: I'm switching over to a new story perspective. Prepare to be confused until the previous chapters receive their updates.]

As soon as the words left his mouth, Taylor knew something was extremely wrong. His voice had become... feminine. A closer inspection of his form in the mirror confirmed his fears. What stared back at him was most assuredly a mare.

A pink one. Wearing poorly-fitting clothes.

Lyra and Bon-bon had been laughing at him for some time, but he didn't really take notice of it until he got over the initial shock. He glared at their reflections in the mirror with an expression that could put Fluttershy's infamous stare to shame. "Very funny, Lyra. You got me. Now fix it."

Lyra was still rolling on the floor, gasping for air between bouts of laughter. Realizing she woudn't be of any help for a while, Taylor picked up the spell book, still lying open on the transformation page, and began reading to figure out what happened.

"As with all magic, transformation is a serious matter indeed. It's important to remember all the basics and fundamentals when undertaking such a procedure. Failure to do so can result in undesirable consequences such as missing limbs, extra limbs, or critical spell backlash. In order to properly transform your subject, be it an object, your own extremity, or an entire pony, you must have a clear picture in mind of the end result through the entire process. If you do not properly visualize this, the end result may have slight imperfections. In some cases, they may become magically volatile, severely hindering or utterly preventing further use of magic on the subject. Additionally, several cases have been reported in which the subject became a mutant fishdog. None of the reports have been confirmed, but be advised - it could happen. All the more reason to exercise the utmost caution."

"Lyra, did you actually read this warning? Like, at all? Even a little bit?"

Doing her best to keep a straight face, she sat up, took one look at Taylor, and went right back to her fit of hysterical laughter.

"Okay, I'm going to go with 'probably not'. At least tell me this was a joke and not a botched spell. If not, your book says I might be stuck like this forever."

Lyra was still struggling to fight back her bouts of laughter when Taylor decided to expedite the process a bit. "If I have to look like this for much longer, I might just go have a chat with the Princess. Then we can all go to the moon together."

All it took was the proper motivation. Lyra leapt to her hooves, suddenly much more cooperative. "Fine, fine, I'll try again," she groaned, taking her spellbook from Taylor. "By the way, you look fabulous. Swap those clothes for a nice dress and you could be quite the standout at the Gala."

"I'm just going to pretend that I didn't hear that. Fire up the horn and try not to make it any worse than this, alright?"

She didn't seem to take notice of the gibe, silently beginning the spell. Taylor considered himself lucky, since it's probably unwise to upset someone before they use a transformation spell on you.

He closed his eyes, feeling a familiar tingle in his body as the spell took effect. Bones became malleable and reformed, skin stretched and collapsed like putty to accommodate his new form. It was still unpleasant, but not nearly as bad as the first time. It felt similar to going down a steep incline on a roller coaster - or so he imagined, having been too much of a coward to set foot on one of those things.

The gentle ringing of Lyra's spell ended and Taylor opened his eyes. The familiarity of his old body was comforting, but something still seemed... off. He took a step toward the mirror-

-and immediately fell on his face.

Pressing his hands to his nose in a futile effort to stifle the pain, he howled an obscenity that he was fairly certain Lyra didn't need to learn the meaning of. Trying to determine the source of that fall, he craned his neck, looking backward.

"Oh, I have horse legs now. That's not a nauseating sight or anything."

He stared daggers at Lyra, whose ears were already drooping. She knew she messed up again and the guilt was written all over her face. Bon-bon glared at Taylor, as if daring him to say something to make Lyra feel worse.

Patience had never been Taylor's strong point, especially when another person's error directly affected his quality of life, but he somehow managed to let it go this time.

Love and tolerate, right?

"Care to give this another go?" he asked, trying his best to seem as positive about the situation as he was able. Lyra just nodded silently, her ears still hanging low. A flash of memory from his childhood sparked an idea in him. Of course! All she needed was a little incentive - something to give her that extra push to succeed. It had usually worked for him, after all, and he had just the thing. Reaching into his pocket - no easy task with this half-horse body - he managed to retrieve his phone. With the press of a button, it blinked to life in his hand.

"Kinda surprised this came with me through... whatever it is that you used to get me here. Anyway, it has a ton of pictures from my world on it. I'd be happy to show them to you. After you get me into a convincing body, that is."

Lyra's ears perked up, fascinated by the prospect of actually seeing his world, not to mention getting to examine that strange rectangle Taylor was using. Her eyes practically sparkled with delight.

"Alright," she started, "I think I can get it this time!"

Lyra's horn sparked to life, flooding the room with an ethereal blue color. None of her previous attempts had seemed quite so intense, and even Bon-bon, who was used to living with a unicorn, looked uncertain about this one.

Taylor and Lyra's eyes locked for a moment. No words were needed, they both knew something was different this time. Her horn radiated a blinding light, extinguishing itself almost instantly afterward. The sound of her spell hung in the air for a moment, fading with the bluish hue that filled the room seconds before.

Taylor turned to find an unfamiliar reflection staring back at him, and yet it somehow seemed right. A silvery coat, dark brown mane, muscular legs ending in large hooves. Everything seemed just as it should, with one exception.

"Huh... no cutie mark?" he asked, more out of curiosity than criticism. It would be odd to be seen without one, and avoiding attention was definitely priority number one.

Lyra shook her head. "Sorry, there's no magic that can give you one. It's just something that all ponies have to find for themselves."

Taylor put a hoof to his chin in thought. "Okay, what about humans that have been turned into ponies? Would it even be possible? I can't really risk leaving this house without one."

Lyra cocked her head to one side. "I don't know, let me go ask the other humans around town."

"Great, now even ponies are giving me the business," Taylor groaned. "I guess I'll need to fake it. Got any paint or something ?"

Lyra shook her head.

Of course not. That would make things easy.

"I'll go get some," Bon-bon said, rising from her seat. "I need to get a little air anyway. All this excitement is a bit much for me to deal with in one sitting." She trotted across the room, almost as if she was in a hurry to get away. Clearly she still hadn't quite adjusted to the idea that there was a human in her own home.

As soon as Bon-bon closed the door behind her, took a seat, staring intently at Taylor. Her face was still lit up, waiting for Taylor.

"Right. The phone. There's a bit of a problem with that, actually. I didn't really think this through..."

He struggled to pick it up off the floor, only succeeding in pushing it around clumsily. Lyra decided it would be best to go get it for him, grabbing it easily. Taylor stared, dumbfounded.

"What kind of sorcery is this?"

Lyra smirked a bit. Something so simple made so difficult. Hooves had a way of complicating life like that. A quick flash of magic around her hoof brought back the fingers she was fond of using. Another flash, and she gave Taylor hooves the same treatment.

"Somehow this spell is even creepier when the fingers are mine." Taylor mused.

Using his new digits, he showed her all the pictures he had taken with his phone. Most of them were of his friends or his pets, but there were a few that really stood out - particularly the ones he had taken of the sunset over the local beach. She wished she could see it in person, to sit on the sand and watch the sky explode with shades of pink and orange over the water before disappearing, making way for the night.

Taylor started letting Lyra play with the touch screen, and guided her through some of the features. She never took her eyes off of the little plastic rectangle, enthralled by all the things it could do. This kind of 'Human magic' was amazing to her, and yet Taylor seemed to view it as nothing special.

"Almost everyone has one of these things. At least where I'm from. There are thousands of different types, but they all serve the same purpose. You can talk to anyone from just about anywhere in the world, as long as you both have one of these. Mine just happens to do a lot more than that. It can hold pictures, games, entire books, music-"

Lyra nearly dropped the phone at the mention of that last word. Being a musician herself, that was one of her greatest obsessions with humans. She spent the better part of an hour listening to samplings from Taylor's collection. Most of it was harsh, loud, and fast, and the singer almost sounded like he was in pain. She couldn't imagine how humans actually enjoyed these songs.

"It's not for everyone," Taylor explained, "most people have a hard time getting past the vocals, or understanding them, for that matter. If you had the lyrics in front of you, it's a whole different song. They can paint an incredible picture in just a few verses."

"I still don't get it, though. It sounds so... angry. Why would anyone want to listen to someone shouting at you?"

Taylor didn't even need to think about his answer. He had already explained this to dozens of people. "It helps me with my own anger. There's a lot of things in my world that I hate. I even hate myself most days. Having this gives me a way to release that built up frustration. In a weird way, it's relaxing. Soothing, even. An escape from all the things in my world, and my life, that make me wish I had a way to start over. Having this makes me feel like there's other people out there screaming their frustrations out along with me."

Lyra didn't understand. She couldn't. She was used to life in Equestria. The very concept of hating anything was foreign, but to hate yourself? Not only that, but to say it so matter-of-factly, as if it's okay to harbor such negative feelings. As if it's normal.

She pitied him. What kind of world conditions someone to live like this? What strife does the human race suffer through every day to not only harden themselves against such depressing thoughts, but somehow embrace them? To accept them as another facet of the human experience and carry on? Even tapping into them to make music - albeit horrible and earsplitting?

Her train of thought was broken by Taylor's voice.

"I've been meaning to ask you about something that Bon-bon said earlier. Could explain what the Canterlot Inquisition is?" Taylor was trying to approach this delicately, but it didn't seem to be working. Lyra tensed at his question. This was not going to be pleasant.

"Normally I wouldn't talk about it, but I guess you need to know. From what I've read, the Inquisition was created a long time ago, when things were different in Equestria. It was a way to maintain order when things were at their worst, but the things the Inquisition did were... extreme. Unspeakable things."

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Once order was restored, the Inquisition wasn't needed anymore, but it continued to exist. Some ponies say it still exists today, as both a reminder of how things used to be, and as an emergency measure in case they're needed again. Nopony really believes it, though."

Taylor stared, frozen by Lyra's words. That didn't sound like the Equestria he knew at all. Not that he really knew Equestria, but it still seemed out of place.

"Well, this body you gave me is pretty convincing, and when Bon-bon gets back, we can put the finishing touches on it. Nobody will suspect a thing, as long as I don't slip up when I'm talking. What I don't get it how she knew about them. You said yourself that no one believes in the Inquisition."

Lyra's eyes were locked on the floor. "The only ponies that believe in it are the ones that have seen it. I'd like to leave it at that."

Instantly, Taylor understood. Lyra must have had a run-in with the Inquisition at some point. It explained why Bon-bon knew about them, and why she really didn't want him here.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Thankfully, Bon-bon returned a moment later, carrying a bag in her teeth filled with various paints and brushes. She seemed to be feeling better, which was a great relief to both Taylor and Lyra. Setting it on the table, she took a seat across from them.

"So, why the serious faces? Not happy to see me back?" she asked jokingly.

"He asked me about the Inquisition, so I told him." Lyra said flatly.

Bon-bon seemed stunned more than anything. "I guess I should have kept my mouth shut earlier, but he knows now, so I guess there's no undoing that." She turned to Taylor "Now you know why I reacted the way I did. They've already told her to leave the human research alone. If they find out she brought you here, I don't want to think about what will happen to her."

Taylor nodded, not really in the mood to speak. He was beginning to realize just how much danger the three of them were in. Overwhelming didn't even begin to describe it.

"You're both going to have to be really careful, especially you," she pointed a hoof in Taylor's direction, "because you're not familiar with how things work around here. Keep quiet as much as possible and try not to blow your own cover. It's not just your safety on the line."

She glanced at Lyra, and Taylor nodded again. He wasn't too worried about what might happen to him if he were caught, but Lyra's well-being was a different story altogether. Getting her in trouble - or worse - for his own blunder would be devastating.

"Understood."

Bon-bon seemed to relax. This human looked determined, as if he wanted to protect Lyra as much as she did. Perhaps they're not all bad. "With that out of the way, we have one thing to do." She opened the bag and picked out a brush.

"You need a cutie mark, and a proper pony name to go with it!"

[Bon-bon's right! Taylor needs to complete his disguise, but for that, he's going to need your help! Leave your suggestions for a name and cutie mark in the comment section. Just keep in mind that each pairing has to make sense. I'll be picking my favorite combination and crediting that person in the next chapter!]

[P.S. - There might be a few errors in this chapter. It was half-written when I made the change to a different writing perspective, so just point 'em out and I'll swat 'em]

05 - When in Ponyville...

[Author's note: Sorry this took so long. If you've been paying attention at all you know that my other projects are massive time eaters and they unfortunately hold priority over recreational writing. Not much I can do about it. And yes, I know it's a short chapter even though I said I would try to avoid short ones. Oh well. Enjoy.]

Everyone was feeling a bit more confident about this whole situation now that Taylor was sporting his "falsie" cutie mark. Bon-bon's artistic skill had been a great help in painting it on. Both Lyra and Taylor seemed both surprised and impressed by her hidden talent.

"I guess it's just practice. I have to decorate a lot of cakes and stuff at Sugarcube Corner, maybe that has something to do with it." Bon-bon said, waving a hoof dismissively.

"Well, however you managed to get so good with a brush, I appreciate the effort. It's very convincing." Taylor wiggled his rump for emphasis, eliciting a smirk from Bon-bon.

"Just try not to get wet. I don't know how that paint will hold up to water. We can't have your mark falling off in the rain, you know." She dabbed a bit of paint on his nose playfully.

While Taylor worked to remove the paint from his face, Lyra pulled Bon-bon aside, keeping her voice low. "What's with the change of heart? You didn't seem nearly this pleasant earlier, especially toward him."

Bon-bon seemed lost in thought. Her mood had indeed changed drastically, as had her opinion of Taylor. She couldn't quite place it, though. With how dangerous Humans were and how dangerous it would be to have one living here - even if was only temporary - she still felt strangely safe.

"I can't really explain it, as much as I wish I could. There's just something about him. I feel like he's not as bad as the legends would have us believe. You may actually be right about him."

Lyra was giddy. Maybe Bon-bon was finally starting to come around!

"I still don't trust him, at least not completely, but he seems harmless enough." Bon-bon added, before Lyra could get the wrong idea.

Taylor had finished getting the paint off of his nose, now sporting a blue smudge on his foreleg. "Alright, now that I'm presentable, who else feels like grabbing something to eat? I'm starving."

Lyra and Bon-bon both looked to the clock on the wall. It was already half past four and none of them had eaten anything all day. As if on cue, Lyra's stomach began to growl.

"I could definitely go for a bite," said Lyra. She had been using Human colloquialisms like that for several weeks, and with great enough frequency that Bon-bon had reluctantly begun to accept them as normal.

"The market's still open, we can take Taylor out and show him the ropes. Let him sample Ponyville so he can fit in a bit better," Lyra suggested.

Bon-bon considered the possibility. If anyone stopped them, they might have a problem - especially if they talked to Taylor - but Lyra's premise was sound aside from that. Getting this human to adapt to a pony's lifestyle and mannerisms would help avoid suspicion. The process would be dangerous, but the rewards could save them a lot of trouble.

"Alright, that makes sense. Let's go." Bon-bon said after a brief delay.

The three ponies set out for the market, sticking to the least-populated paths they could. Lyra pointed out the various sights - what few there were in such a small town - as they passed, attempting to familiarize Taylor with as much as she could.

At one point, they were walking by several carts in front of a shop. Lyra gestured for the other two to keep going while she examined them. Bon-bon shrugged, wordlessly continuing toward the market.

"What do you think she's doing?" Taylor asked. He wasn't too concerned with what Lyra was up to; he was mostly trying to strike up a conversation with Bon-bon.

"I don't know. Ever since she started digging up old books about your kind, she's been so... erratic. It's frustrating, but at the same time..." she trailed off, seeming reluctant to finish the sentence.

"At the same time... what?" Taylor prompted.

Bon-bon sighed softly. "It's just her way. I can't be upset with her - or you, for that matter - for what happened. At least not anymore. I mean, I was ready to kick her out of the house before you showed up, but now everything's changed. Before, I thought she was just obsessed with a fantasy world, and it was getting to be too much for me to deal with. Now I have no choice but to believe her. It's hard not to, when you're standing right there."

She poked his shoulder with her hoof for emphasis. There could be no doubt, Taylor was definitely real, though the question of whether or not he would be trouble still remained.

Taylor was pleased by her response. "Well, it's nice to see that you're not upset. I wasn't sure you and I would be able to... coexist, I guess is the word I'm looking for. You didn't seem to take kindly to me at all. At least not at first."

He craned his neck, looking back to see if Lyra had finished whatever she was doing. As expected, she was still examining the carts at every angle, making a bit of a spectacle of herself.

"No, I certainly didn't. It's not every day that a creature of myth just pops into your house. It was frightening, and I reacted badly. It actually says a lot about you, if you think about it."

Taylor cocked his head. "Oh? How do you figure that?"

"Well, a human showed up in my house and I panicked. That same human - who had just been dropped into a completely unfamiliar world - was calm the entire time. It's a little embarrassing, really." She tripped over her words a bit, clearly uncomfortable.

"Can't really blame yourself for that. If the situation had been reversed, I doubt it would have played out too differently. The real kicker is that this place isn't all that unfamiliar. Everything looks eerily similar to my world. A lot brighter, but still similar. It's both unnerving and not at the same time."

Bon-bon's eyes met Taylor's briefly before she turned away. "Well, I'm sorry about that first impression. Not exactly my proudest moment."

"Don't worry about it. Nopony's perfect. Besides, it's all good now, right?" Taylor smiled reassuringly.

The cream-colored pony was appreciative of Taylor's words, and impressed by how quickly he was adapting to using the native phrasing, though she wouldn't show it.

"He seems to fit right in here. After all this time, it's not what I expected from a Human."

"Wait up, you two!" Lyra called, trotting over to them. She seemed excited about something, though Taylor and Bon-bon were hesitant to ask what.

"I'm going to need your help when we get home. I have an idea, but you're the only one that can help me work out the kinks." She didn't really give Taylor much of an option.

"Alright, I guess." He shrugged, uncertain of what he was getting into.

The trio arrived at the bustling market, which was crowded by a whole spectrum of ponies of every color imaginable.

"My god, it's like a clown exploded."

"Heartstrings and I will go get something to bring home. Why don't you browse around, try to learn as much as you can? Just try not to talk to anyone." Bon-bon suggested.

"Sounds good. Don't worry about me, I think I've mastered the art of avoiding conversation." He said, half-jokingly.

Lyra started to protest, insisting that she should stay with Taylor just in case, but she was stopped by a sharp look from Bon-bon, and reluctantly followed her lead.

Taylor began perusing various stands and buildings. He found himself drawn to a book store display, with several titles stacked together on a metal rack. Most of the books were typical of Ponyville - things for the science-minded pony, a few history books, most of which specifically involved Celestia, but there were a few that seemed to stand out as unique. Picking one at random, he found himself holding a red tome with no title on the cover or spine. He flipped through the first few blank pages until he found one with text.

"Wow, for real? 'The Lusty Draconian Maid'?"

He shuddered, quickly putting the book back, trying to shake the images out of his head as he walked to a nearby cart, overflowing with assorted vegetables. He noticed that they looked a lot better than what he was used to seeing in his world.

"Maybe I should look into that before I go back, see if I can figure out how they grow them like this. A man could make millions off that kind of knowledge."

After passing several other carts, he began to wonder where Bon-bon and Lyra had gone to. His question was soon answered as he approached a stand loaded with apples and apple-themed baked goods. The two were arguing over what to buy, something that must have been a regular event, judging from the expression on the orange pony's face as she listened to her bickering customers.

"Would y'all please just pick something? Mah head's start'na hurt over here" Applejack pleaded.

A wry smile came over Taylor's face as he approached quietly, then poked his head between the two ponies. "We'll take that, that, one of those, and be on our way."

Applejack hastily gathered up the three items Taylor had chosen, grateful for his intervention. "Thank yeh for comin'. Enjoy."

Bon-bon placed a small pile of bits on the stall and each pony delicately picked up their treat, carrying it away.

"Y'rly shun've dunnat, y'know" Bon-bon said. It wasn't easy to talk while carrying an apple pie in her teeth.

Taylor grinned, placing his dinner down momentarily to avoid dropping it. "I know, but if I didn't, we could all have starved to death before you two came to a decision. Besides, I'm being careful, and to be honest, assimilating is easier than I thought."

Lyra had taken a seat in her usual fashion on a nearby bench, devouring her pie. Several ponies looked on disapprovingly. Bon-bon raised a hoof to her face. "Yeah, I'd say you're blending in better than she is right about now."

Lyra looked offended, but said nothing, far too busy with her food to respond, prompting a smirk from Taylor, who dug into his own pie shortly after. The three ate in silence, eager to fill their bellies, though it was certainly uncomfortable for Taylor to eat off the ground.

By the time they finished, the sun had begun to set and the crowded market had become desolate. All that was left were a few ponies cleaning up their carts and stands before calling it a day. Taylor, Lyra, and Bon-bon were all quite full and not looking forward to the walk home.

"Show of hooves, who feels like crashing here until we've had a chance to digest?" Taylor asked jokingly.

"Can't. You have to help me with my project." Lyra poked him with her hoof, seemingly unfazed by the massive quantity of pie she had eaten.

"Yeah yeah, I'm gettin' up," he groaned, standing slowly.

The three made their way home slowly. The air had become cool, the breeze had died, and the only sound was of their hoofsteps on the cobblestone path. Somehow the silence was both pleasant and uncomfortable for Taylor, so he decided to ask Lyra about this project of hers.

"Well, I got the idea when I was looking at those carts we passed. I was reading about something similar before I brought you here. It's like a big metal cart that moves by itself."

"Oh jeez. I already know where this is going."

"Yeah, I know what you're talking about. They're called cars and trust me, it's best if you don't do what you're thinking of doing."

Lyra scowled. "Well, why not?"

Taylor sighed, beginning a long discussion of all the complications and dangers involved. They became so wrapped up in the topic that they failed to notice they were being followed by two robed ponies...

[I know I said I'd get to Taylor's pony name and cutie mark in this chapter, but I decided to push that back a bit. It didn't fit anywhere in this one. You'll get over it.]

06 - Fear, Surprise, and Ruthless Efficiency

The three ponies arrived outside Lyra and Bon-bon's home, which was a relief to Taylor. He had felt very uneasy for most of the walk, but couldn't quite figure out why, chalking it up to having eaten far too much earlier. The sun was slowly setting, casting elongated silhouettes of every building to paint a surreal picture across the landscape.

Taylor held the door for the other two ponies, a habit he'd practiced for as long as he could remember, following closely behind. For the first time, he noticed that the knob on their front door didn't turn. It would have been an insignificant fact were it not for his hooves, which he doubted very much would have been able to grasp the knob without some overly-complicated maneuver. As the door closed behind him, he turned to find Lyra's face barely an inch away from his.

"Hi there, Lyra." He said flatly."I assume what you're doing right now has something to do with you ignoring everything I said about cars being dangerous, and you still want me to teach you about them."

She nodded, an overexcited, almost manic smile on her face.

"Bon-bon, this is the look she gets when she's not going to let something go, right?"

She gave an amused snort. "It's the look she got when she started reading about your kind. I think that speaks for itself."

Taylor smirked. "Well, my knowledge about this particular subject might not be what you expected."

Lyra's smile began to fade. "What do you mean?"

Taylor walked over to a nearby chair, taking a seat in Lyra's preferred fashion. "This is one of my favorite stories from my school years. See, I had the opportunity to learn, or at least I was supposed to. I don't know if you have the equivalent of a high school here in Ponyville..." he trailed off, looking to Lyra for confirmation, who stared blankly back at him.

"Doesn't matter. Anyway, the school I was going to offered a lot of technical courses. I wanted to get into automotive tech, which is a class dedicated entirely to learning about how cars work. Unfortunately, that never happened for me."

Lyra seemed anxious for him to continue, clinging to his words as if he were the most important pony in Equestria. He would have been lying if he'd said he didn't like it.

"On the day of the sign-ups, I had intended to go straight over to get my name on the list for the class before it could fill up. The previous two years, it was already capped out before the end of the first period, so I had to get in there fast. Wouldn't you know it - that's the day that I get dragged to the office. Not even two steps inside the door and they tell me I need to go talk to the principal."

He twirled his hoof in the air, rolling his eyes. While Lyra didn't quite understand the gesture, she took it to mean that this principal wasn't a very well-respected human.

"Well, I sat there in the office for almost half an hour waiting for him to get done with whatever. Finally he calls me in and it's some crap about how many days I missed school that month. Long story short, he takes almost an hour to get done venting. By the time I got out of there, the auto class was filled up. As you would expect, I was rather upset by that, and I made sure he knew it too, with a few choice words later that day. I ended up taking a different course, which turned out to be pretty fun, actually."

He locked eyes with Lyra, smiled broadly. "Machine tooling. Instead of learning how the puzzle fits together, I learned to make the pieces. Catching my drift?"

It took her a moment for the full realization to hit her, but when it did, her eyes became wider than Taylor thought a pony capable of. She managed to stammer out something about notes as she dashed up the stairs.

Of course she knew what he was getting at; her mind worked just like his. Who is more intimately familiar with the machine, the man whose effort puts the parts together, or the man whose effort birthed those pieces in the first place?

Bon-bon, who had stood silently for the duration of Taylor's story looked on disapprovingly. "You're not really going to help her build one of these things, are you?"

"Oh hell no, at least not like the ones from my world. They're way too dangerous, and I seriously doubt that anyone in Equestra has the tools necessary for the job. Even if they did, it takes a lot of time to put something like this together, so I likely wouldn't be around to finish it. Not that I haven't enjoyed myself here, but I want to go home as soon as possible."

Bon-bon nodded solemnly, which caught Taylor's attention.

"What's the matter? Not gonna miss me, are you?" A playful grin spread across his face, but Bon-bon said nothing. Her expression was serious, with a barely perceptible twinge of sadness. She stared back at him wordlessly for a brief moment, then turned away, headed for the next room. She closed the door behind her with a gentle nudge from her rear hoof.

"That was so uncomfortable."

Taylor decided to follow Lyra up to her room, hoping she had some idea of why Bon-bon was behaving so strangely. At the top of the stairs, he found pages littering the floor, to the point that whether or not a floor actually existed beneath them was uncertain at best. Lyra was sifting through several stacks of material, visibly distressed.

"Looks like Katrina in here. What happened?"

Lyra had no way of knowing what Taylor meant, which he figured was probably for the best. She didn't seem too concerned with an explanation anyway. "I can't find my notes. They're gone!"

"If I were to venture a guess as to why you can't find them..." he gestured toward the pages scattered everywhere.

Lyra was not amused. "I know it's a mess, but it's a mess I made, and I do know where things are in here. I'm missing a lot of pages, and the ones that are here are out of order."

"You think someone was in here?" Taylor asked, eyes scanning the room. If Lyra answered, he didn't hear it. His attention had already been focused elsewhere, on one paper in particular. It was blank, save for a few scattered scribblings. What made it stand out was the obvious hoofprint on it. He picked up the page, struggling a bit to grasp it.

"Lyra, you might want to look at this." He walked over, offering her the sheet.

The hoofprint was bigger than what any of the three ponies in the house could have produced. Lyra's brow furrowed, scrutinizing every detail. Taylor continued looking for clues around the room. By chance, a shadow outside the window caught his eye. It was the figure of a pony, covered head to hoof in what appeared to be a dark red robe. He thought little of it, until he noticed there were others spread around the area, all dressed identically. In total, he counted four, with the largest of them looking like he could have easily been the source of the mysterious hoofprint.

Taylor had not yet made it obvious that he had seen them. He slowly moved away from the window, pretending to be distracted by something on the floor.

His voice was thick with tension. "Lyra, there are four ponies out there in red uniforms staring directly at this house. If that's not ominous, I don't know what is. Any ideas?"

Lyra dropped everything she had been holding, staring back at him with her face frozen. She peeked around the edge of the window to see for herself. "That's the Canterlot Inquisition!"

"I didn't expect that," Taylor mused, though the joke clearly lost on Lyra, not that this was a time for jokes. "Do you think they'll try to get in?"

"I think they already did, and they took a stack of notes that proves I was researching a way to get a human to Equestria. They have all the evidence they need..."

"...to take you away. Or more likely, both of us." Taylor finished, grimly. "So how do you want to deal with them?"

Lyra sighed softly, as if she had already resigned herself to her fate. "What choice do I have? I'm going to go explain myself and let them take me to Canterlot. Nothing in the missing notes connects you to any of this, so they won't look for you."

Taylor placed himself between Lyra and the staircase. "You think they brought that many ponies to deal with just you? They know about me, and I'm pretty sure they brought that big one to handle whatever threat they think I could pose. They came here to bring the both of us back with them, Lyra."

Her jaw tightened. Taylor's explanation made a lot of sense, and she cursed herself for not even trying to hide her notes. "You're right... I'm really sorry I dragged you into my mess, Taylor. When we go out there, I'll try to explain that-"

Taylor scoffed, interrupting her. "We're not giving ourselves up. If they want us, they're going to have to work for it."

Lyra's mouth hung open in shock. It was absolutely unheard of to run from authorities in Ponyville, not that there was ever much call for their intervention, since almost everyone adhered strictly to the letter of the law.

"But, if we don't give ourselves up..." she trailed off, trying not to think about the consequences of resisting them.

Taylor's expression was one of resolute defiance. "Lyra, I don't know how things work here, and I don't really care. I'm not letting them take me away, and I won't let them take you either. Whether or not you like it, we're making a run for the woods. It will be easy to hide there until we can figure out what to do next."

Lyra peered out the window again. The four ponies had already begun move, surrounding the front of the house. She looked back to Taylor, uncertainty in her eyes. She just needed another push to convince her, and Taylor knew where to strike.

"Did you think about Bon-bon? We don't know if they're going to take her too. It's not like they don't have the numbers to do it. From what I've heard, the Inquisition's not something to fool around with. You can be sure that if they want to stomp out any trace of humans, they're going to be thorough about it."

It was a bluff. He had no way of knowing whether or not they'd actually take her, but it seemed to be just the right motivation. Lyra's expression had changed drastically in a fraction of a second, from fear to determination.

"I think I just found the spinach to her Popeye."

"Still want to give up?" Taylor asked.

Lyra simply walked past him, a fire in her eyes. Her actions would be her answer.

"Good."

They dashed downstairs as quickly as possible. While Lyra ran to explain the situation to Bon-bon, Taylor surveyed the back of the house through the window. One of the red robed ponies was standing guard several feet from the door. Or perhaps it was a fifth. He had no way of knowing, they were all dressed identically.

Bon-bon and Lyra emerged from the side room. It couldn't have been more than a minute since Lyra went in there to fill her roommate in on what was happening. Taylor found it odd, but he guessed that Lyra had avoided going into detail for the sake of time. He motioned her over.

Taylor took another peek out the window. "There's just one outside. It shouldn't be hard to get past him. Her. It. Whatever, they're all in robes. I'm ready to move when you two are."

Lyra was tense. "Bon-bon's not going. She says she won't run. I tried to convince her, but..."

He should have anticipated this. Of the three, Bon-bon was certainly the most likely to give herself over. She was innocent, and she knew it. Taylor just hoped that the Inquisition would see it the same way. "We don't have time to try changing her mind. We either make our escape right now, or we take a ride with our new friends outside."

Taylor glanced at Bon-bon. She didn't seem the least bit nervous about what was about to happen. In fact, she was eerily calm. "You intend to hold them off for us, or are you just going to play this as neutrally as possibly?"

Bon-bon nodded her head. "No offense, but I want no part in this. I've done nothing wrong, and don't intend to start now."

Taylor gave her a knowing look. "Understandable, and I don't blame you in the least."

He took a position several feet back from the door, preparing himself. He raised a hoof, then struck the floor, the sound echoing through the house, and charged. Lyra, who had been standing ready, rapidly pulled the door ajar, allowing Taylor a clear path to rush the Inquisitor. She followed close behind.

The red-robed pony had been caught off guard, giving Taylor the edge. He slammed his shoulder into the Inquisitor full-force, and they both fell hard, with Taylor landing roughly on the mass of red cloth. He managed to get to his hooves first, galloping away as fast as he could, trying to catch up to Lyra, who had already pulled ahead by several hundred feet.

By now, the rest of the Inquisitors were in pursuit, with the largest in the lead, and rapidly gaining ground on Taylor. He was still adjusting to this new body, having to retrain his muscle memory to accommodate four legs. Needless to say, this was a terrible time to have to learn.

In spite of his best efforts, the Inquisitor was right on top of him. He was a lot bigger than Taylor, so it was only logical that he would have a much harder time changing direction due to his mass. With no other options, Taylor gambled on it, turning sharply to the left. The Inquisitor, who was not expecting the move, had a very difficult time keeping up, his hooves digging deep into the soil as he struggled to stay upright.

"Sir Isaac Newton, you magnificent bastard, I owe you big time."

He repeated this tactic every time the Inquisitor would get close, easily avoiding him. He would be at the forest in a few more seconds, after which the danger of being captured would vanish. There's no way a pony that big could maneuver through the forest as fast as Taylor.

Once more, the Inquisitor had managed to catch up to him. He started to run right, but a sudden impact on his back brought him down, sliding several feet across the ground. The Inquisitor had predicted the move, putting all of his weight into tackling Taylor. They both came to a stop less than ten feet from the treeline.

The others had closed in, surrounding him, making escape impossible even if he could manage to wriggle out from under the horse-shaped mountain of an Inquisitor.

"Well, it took you long enough to catch me." Taylor remarked condescendingly. Pissing them off probably wasn't a very good idea, but there wasn't much else to do. If he was getting dragged to Canterlot, he'd be loud and defiant the whole way.

A hoof struck his jaw with an audible crack. Taylor gritted his teeth, fighting back the pain. That one was definitely going to hurt for a while.

"We know what you are, human. This disguise does not fool us." It was the big one speaking.

Taylor grinned viciously. "If you know what I am, then you know what I'm capable of. I should point out that I haven't had any meat since I got here, and all this running around's got me hungry. You'd better hope I don't get free or I'll be having horseburgers tonight. I think I'll start with the small tender ones and work my way up to you."

Another hoof to the jaw. The pain was significantly worse than the first one, but it was well worth it. Two of the Inquisitors had backed away from him. What better way to rattle the enemy than to make them believe you're an absolute monster? If he did manage to get away now, he could count on those two being hesitant to attack.

"Be silent. You're in no position to make threats."

"You think so? It must be nice to be as oblivious as you are. You haven't even noticed the other two humans standing right over there in the woods, just waiting for you to slip up."

The other Inquisitors were visibly shaken, looking all around the forest's border for any sign of a human. They wouldn't find any, because it was all a bluff, but it seemed to be working on everyone but the big guy.

"There are no other humans! Calm yourselves! Do not let this one's lies frighten you!" He shouted at the other red-robed figures, frustrated by how gullible his backup was. Their attention turned back toward Taylor, though they were still shifting uncomfortably, stealing glances toward the forest's edge.

The big one leaned in closer to Taylor. "You do not need to make this difficult on yourself, human. The one who brought you here - where is she?"

Taylor turned his head to one side, glaring up at his captor. "Don't know. I was too busy dancing around your graceless ass to see where she went."

Another hoof impacted his head, this time it was right in the eye.

"Why do you continue to provoke me when you know the consequences?"

Taylor laughed through the pain. "Because I'm just bait. While you've been sitting here wasting time on me, the one you're really after got away. It must be embarrassing for you to have been outplayed by such a simp-"

Another blow to the head interrupted him. This time Taylor couldn't hold back a cry of pain. It was getting progressively more difficult to resist this kind of interrogation, but if there's one thing he was good at, it was being stubborn. His jaw would break long before his will.

"Tell me where she went and I will stop."

"How about 'fuck you'? I'm not telling you anything." Taylor hissed.

He braced himself for the next strike. There was a loud crack, but he felt no pain. The massive weight that had been pinning him to the ground vanished. Through his good eye, he was able to see several Inquisitors standing around, staring aghast at something behind him. Lifting himself off the ground, he turned to find the large Inquisitor lying still on his back, two very distinct hoof prints in his face, and a familiar seafoam green unicorn standing over him. He was still breathing, but appeared to be unconscious.

"Well, it's about time the cavalry arrived. You couldn't have come back before he beat me shitless?"

Lyra looked back at him. Her expression was apologetic, which was good enough for Taylor. At least for now. He shook himself off and limped toward the treeline. Lyra caught up quickly, then slowed her pace to stay in line with Taylor before they disappeared into the forest. None of the Inquisitors made a move to stop them, choosing instead to retreat.

"To be expected when you watch your leader get one-shot by a little green badass."

The two ponies walked in wordlessly for nearly an hour, slowly making their way through the woods. Thin rays of moonlight filtered in through the canopy, illuminating their path with a soft white glow. It would have been relaxing, were it not for the incredibly stressful circumstances they were under.

The Inquisition had a much better idea of what they were up against now and would likely want to extract a little payback for tonight's events, Bon-bon's whereabouts and status were anyone's guess, and Taylor wouldn't be very useful for several days. Everything seemed to be working against the two of them.

Taylor's injuries were catching up to him. Nearly every part of his body hurt, his breathing had become labored, and his already slow pace was grinding to a halt. Lyra took notice, breaking the silence. "We should find a place to rest. We're far enough in to be safe, though I doubt they're looking for us. Or at least not very hard."

Taylor just nodded, having no desire to do much of anything else at this point. He followed Lyra into a dense thicket, and collapsed against a tree, inhaling sharply as the pain in his leg flared up.

"They beat you up pretty bad, huh?" Lyra asked gently, taking a seat next to him.

"Yeah, you could say that," he replied. It was painful to speak, a fact that he was trying very hard to conceal.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner. After I got to the bushes, I hid and waited for you, but when I saw what happened, I just... froze up. You wouldn't be in this condition if I-"

Taylor put a hoof up, interrupting her. "Shit happens. Try not to worry about it. At least you got to me before they broke anything important."

Several minutes passed before Lyra spoke up again. "I heard what you said to them. All of it. You let this happen to help me get away."

It was agonizing, but Taylor managed a weak smile. "To be fair, that big one was really fast. I didn't exactly let him catch me."

"Not that. I mean, you could have easily told them where I was going and saved yourself from all of this," she gestured to his numerous cuts and bruises, "but you protected me instead."

"I don't think I avoided anything. In fact, I might have gotten off easy. Think about what they might have done to us both if I sold you out. Actually, you're probably better off not thinking about that."

Neither of them had any way of knowing for sure, but the Inquisitors certainly didn't seem like they favored the diplomatic approach.

"Why did you do it, though? Why would you put yourself through that for my sake? You've only known me for a few hours."

Taylor tilted his head back against the tree, gazing up at the moon, considering his answer. "Well, the way I see it, I'm probably not going to get back home without your help, so your safety is much more valuable than my own."

Lyra wasn't buying it. "You'll have to try harder than that, Taylor."

He grinned. "Oh, you wanted the reason, not just a reason? Alright, I did it because I consider you my friend, and I care about you enough to do something reckless and stupid."

Lyra feigned an exasperated sigh, wrapping her forelegs around him and planting a quick kiss on his cheek. "That was such a cheesy answer, but thank you anyway. Oh, and Bon-bon never hears about this, okay?"

"Wow. Uh... yeah, sure," Taylor stammered awkwardly, taken aback by the sudden display of affection. "Wait, are you two....?"

"I'm not answering that," Lyra said playfully. "Now I think we should both try to get some sleep. It's been quite a night."

She shifted her position to recline against the tree, falling asleep within minutes. Taylor envied her being able to drift off so easily. With everything that had happened and everything that still needed to happen before he could go home, his mind was far too busy for sleep.

It took several hours for him to finally settle his mind and get some well-deserved rest.

[Author's Note: I know what you're thinking and the answer is NO. A thousand times no. There is not going to be any shipping. Stop thinking about it right now, dammit.]

[Note 2: I know what I said a while back about the Canterlot Inquisition not being "bad" - well, I lied. I've been known to do that from time to time. There's no danger in an incompetent strictly-nonviolent antagonist, which means no fun. At the very least, they aren't murderers, if that makes you feel any better.]

07 - A Sort of Homecoming

Taylor's breathing was growing heavy and rapid, and Lyra's hands moved faster in response. It was clear that she was giving it her all, making it harder for Taylor to hold back. He tried to keep his body language in check, but his muscles tensed, betraying him. Lyra knew it was coming, and no matter how much Taylor resisted, she was determined to coax it out of him.

She licked her lips and sped up just a bit more. A wicked grin spread across her face as she observed Taylor's jaw tighten. Her rhythm was precise, almost mechanical, and it was faster than anything Taylor had ever experienced. Lyra had pushed him to his breaking point; he simply couldn't stop himself.

He dodged Lyra's jab, returning a powerful right hook. It struck her square in the jaw, and she fell solidly to the canvas. As her body landed, Taylor was ripped from his dream with a start. It took a moment for him to adjust to his surroundings, and he rubbed his temple in frustration. "Ugh... sleeping out in the woods is giving me weird fuckin' dreams. I've never even been in a boxing ring before..." he trailed off, yawning.

"And why the hell did Lyra have hands?"

The moon was still out and glowing brightly, an expansive blanket of scintillating stars underscoring its majesty. It was impressive to think that it was the sole work of Princess Luna. The sky in Equestria had been like this each night, ever since she came back to Canterlot.

Canterlot...

Taylor was forced to face the realization that eventually he would have to go there to face the Inquisition. He'd be there right now if it weren't for his injuries, or so he liked to tell himself. In truth, he was up against an unknown enemy with unknown numbers in an unknown location. There were far too many variables working against him to even think about storming the gates, as it were. It was going to be some time before he and Lyra would be able to make a move.

An incredibly abrasive sound hit his ears, shattering his train of thought. It was Lyra, still sound asleep, and snoring loudly. It would have been charming if it didn't sound like someone trying to demolish a building with a chainsaw.

"Well, we'd have been found by now if anyone was looking for us. Especially with those noises coming out of her face."

Taylor blinked, trying to clear the haze from his vision. He had only been asleep for about three hours. As much as he wanted (and needed) more rest, he knew his body's stubborn nature well enough to realize that wasn't going to happen. With a little effort, he got to his hooves, trying not to disturb Lyra as he paced around the clearing. This had become something of a ritual for him, one of the only ways he had found to wake up in the morning. Skipping this would usually leave him groggy and irritable well into the afternoon.

He wandered for several minutes, plodding along in circles around the clearing, his head low and his eyes half-open. It was taking a lot longer than usual to become coherent, which would have been annoying if he were capable of feeling anything other than sleepy at that moment. At last, after almost ten minutes of this, his mind started to clear, and the dull ache from his injuries was returning. Oddly enough, he was grateful for it. That pain would likely be the only thing keeping him awake through the day.

The clearing had become silent, save for the familiar sounds of nocturnal wildlife. Lyra had (thankfully) stopped snoring. Taylor turned to find a familiar pair of golden eyes staring sleepily back at him.

"Morn'n" she said groggily as she wiped away a thin tendril of drool.

"Hey you. Sleep well?"

"Not bad. I heard you moving around."

A wry smile crossed Taylor's face. "I'm surprised you heard anything over your own snoring."

Lyra looked indignant. "I don't snore..." She propped herself up against the tree they slept under. Taylor watched her every move, slow and deliberate. He held within himself the same fascination for pony behavior and mannerisms as Lyra held for those of humans. Besides the obvious physical relationship to horses from his world, Equestrians were a world apart, both figuratively and literally. They almost seemed like they were made of rubber at times.

Lyra noticed Taylor staring, though he wasn't just staring, he was observing. Perhaps even studying her silently from across the clearing. It was flattering, and a little uncomfortable, but she supposed that she had done worse to him since he arrived and chose to say nothing. Taylor likewise remained silent. It took several minutes for her to shake off the grasping claws of sleep, but at last she rose to her hooves.

"I want to go back to see Bon-bon and get my books." she stated matter-of-factly, as if being hunted by mysterious red-robed maniacs was business as usual. It was obvious she wouldn't be cowed on this one, her determination piercing the veil of mental and physical exhaustion that hung over her features.

Taylor opened his mouth to protest, but he quickly determined that there was nothing he could say to dissuade her. With the Inquisition hunting them and his injuries still fresh, they would be at a severe disadvantage. They would be equally disadvantaged by staying out in the forest the rest of their natural lives. At some point, they would be forced to make a move, and this was probably their best chance. They'd never expect it; only fools would return to the house so soon after the Inquisition's attack.

"Well then, let's get stupid."

Bon-bon sat quietly in the featureless room. It felt more like a cell, really. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all carved from stone, and completely seamless. This room had been chiseled directly into solid rock, likely the work of magic. She had been in a similar room several months ago, after the Inquisition's first visit to her home. She was terrified then, unsure of what would happen to her and to Lyra. This time was different. She was stoic, and relaxed. She exuded superiority, as if she was completely in control.

A wooden table sat between her and an Inquisitor, who had been reading a sheet of parchment for several minutes. Her coat was a vibrant pinkish red, much like that of the school teacher in Ponyville, Cheerilee, but darker. Beneath her long well-kept lavender mane were two forest green eyes that seemed able to gaze right through you. Bon-bon recognized her as Cerise, a mare with an unusually cold demeanor, something she had developed after being recruited.

After several minutes, the Inquisitor spoke. Her accented feminine voice was sweet, almost musical, though it did little to mask the venom in her words. "Keeping your friend's actions from us the first time was unwise, but we allowed the two of you to remain undisturbed in light of your... relationship with the Grand Inquisitor. You remember the conditions you agreed to that day, yes?" She paused momentarily, waiting for Bon-bon to acknowledge. She simply glared back at the robed pony. "They were very clear, as I recall. That is why I find myself wondering why you wouldn't report Lyra's continued attempts to bring a human to our world."

"She became very secretive after the first incident. Locked herself in her room most days." Bon-bon leveled her eyes at her accuser. "I had no way of knowing what was going on without making it painfully obvious that I was keeping an eye on her."

"Unlikely. Regardless, this report says that she succeeded in her efforts. We have a human running around Ponyville as a result of your negligence. It's one thing to want to protect your friend, but to endanger all of Equestria in-"

A door opened behind her, cutting her off mid-sentence. A large stallion slowly made his way into the room, his robes stained with dirt, and what appeared to be dried blood. It was the same one that had attacked Taylor. Cerise let out a snort. "Well, look who it is. Enjoy your little nap?"

Though his face was covered, Bon-bon could tell the stallion was feeling something akin to shame at this moment. "My apologies. We did not expect Lyra to come back for the human."

Cerise slammed her hoof on the table. "The most physically capable member of our order brought down by a pony half his size. Disgraceful doesn't even begin to describe what happened. Now, the human and its accomplice are on the loose, free to do... whatever it is they plan to do."

"You two are ridiculous, you know that?" Bon-bon chuckled. "He's not a threat, or at least not nearly as much of one as you're making him out to be. The evidence is pretty clear," she cast a glance at the stallion, "Lyra's done more damage than Taylor."

The two Inquisitors eyed her suspiciously. "You gave it a name," Cerise sneered. "How cute. It's like a pet to you, is it?"

Bon-bon glared, unamused. "That's how he introduced himself to me. Turns out he's proving all of Lyra's research correct - including the good parts about humans. Whether or not you want to believe it, they're not the monsters that we've been told they are."

"They are dangerous." said the stallion flatly.

"Of course. Everypony is dangerous, if they've got the right motivation. You demonstrated that to Taylor, didn't you?" Bon-bon stood up, heading for the door, her eyes locked with Cerise. "I'm still on your side in this, but don't use old stories to justify what you're doing. Try observing him, see for yourself just what he's capable of. If he's really dangerous, then you won't just have evidence," she turned, the slightest hint of a smile forming at the corners of her mouth, "you'll know how to beat him."

She left the cell, casually walking down the long stone hall. Rays of tinted moonlight filtered in through the stained glass windows, illuminating everything in ghostly shades of red and gold. Every hoof beat resonated loudly off the walls, a testament to just how quiet the nights in Canterlot were. She easily found her way through the maze-like corridors, slowing as she neared a large wooden door. Nudging it open, she entered a large foyer. Long red tapestries trimmed with gold accented the wood paneled walls, bordering painted portraits of several aging ponies. She moved slowly through the room, gazing absently up at the massive chandelier, losing herself in its soft glow.

The sound of another pony's hooves brought her back to reality. She turned, looking up the long wooden staircase. The figure that gazed back at her was an elderly silver stallion clad in a patterned red robe, trimmed with a golden fringe - clearly not the garb of the typical Inquisitor. Bon-bon smiled up at him, her cyan eyes brightening.

"Hi, dad."

[Author's Note: Those first three paragraphs were fun. Trollolol]

08 - The Prisoner and the Protégé

Taylor and Lyra crouched low at the treeline, scanning the open field for signs of activity. All the Inquisitors had gone, even the one Lyra had kicked unconscious several hours ago. They nodded at each other and Lyra quickly dashed across the grass. Taylor hobbled after her as fast as he could. Together, they managed to work their way to the outskirts of Ponyville.

"You think they'll be waiting for us?" Taylor asked quietly, following behind Lyra as they made their way through the dimly lit street.

Lyra smirked. "Maybe. If they are, then I hope you can move faster than you are now."

"Yeah, with a busted leg, I don't see that happening. Just kick them in the head again and we can stroll out at our leisure."

Lyra rolled her eyes. They were approaching her home and she decided it would be best to end their little back-and-forth quickly. All the lights in the house were off - not a good sign. Lyra crept up to the window, peering inside.

"What do you see?" Taylor whispered.

"Dark. Lots and lots of dark. Oh, and some not-light."

"Yes, this is an excellent time for sarcasm." he mocked.

Lyra turned, giving him a half grin. "Witty."

Taylor walked around her to the door, bumping it open with his shoulder. He took several steps inside before his leg connected solidly with the corner of a table. Even Lyra winced at the sound.

"Ouch. I heard that from out here. Y'okay?" she called quietly.

Taylor waited a moment to respond, allowing the pain to pass. "Never better. I'm much more productive with a shattered knee, didn't you know?"

"Excellent time for sarcasm," she remarked smugly. "Here, have some light."

She entered the house behind Taylor, her horn glowing just brightly enough to see by. Everything appeared to be where it was before. Lyra scanned the room, taking in every detail. Something was troubling her.

"What is it?" Taylor said, his voice barely a whisper. He was looking around now too, trying to find what was making Lyra uneasy.

"Everything is exactly where it should be."

"Um... this might just be a human thing, but usually organization is considered... good. Why does that worry you?"

"They would have searched the house."

Taylor wanted to kick himself for not realizing it sooner. Of course they would have searched the house to confiscate anything related to her research. Lyra started for the stairs, gesturing for Taylor to follow. He hobbled along behind her as she galloped up to the bedrooms, taking the steps three at a time. As expected, all of her books and notes were gone, though Lyra didn't take any time to worry about it as she raced to Bon-bon's room.

Taylor had just barely managed to reach the top of the stairs, struggling through the darkness that Lyra left him in when she dashed past him again, headed back downstairs. Taylor sighed, attempting to follow the green blur that nearly toppled him. He made it back down to the ground floor where Lyra was running around from room to room, visibly panicked.

"She's not here! Bon-bon's gone!"

Taylor's brow furrowed, the unpleasant realization dawning on him. "You think the Inquisition took her?"

Lyra nodded slowly, her eyes welling up with tears. Taylor sighed heavily, his mind racing to come up with a plan before the unicorn could start crying. He was lacking information - a great deal of it - and every potential course of action he devised was suffering as a result.

He blurted out the only thing that sounded like it had any chance of working. "We need support, and there's only one person in Ponyville that I can think of with the resources we need. How far is it to the library from here?"

Lyra sniffled. "You want to get Twilight involved in this?"

"Hell no I don't want to involve her, but our options are limited. Even this is a long shot since we have no way of knowing how she'll react to a human, but we would be handing ourselves over to the Inquisition if we go to Canterlot without help."

Lyra looked at him expectantly. Taylor's plan didn't seem to be inspiring much confidence in her.

"I gave you the broad strokes, it's up to you to fill in the details. You've lived here all your life, I got dropped into this world less than a day ago. You know way more than I do about where to go and who to talk to. If you have a better plan, I'm all ears."

The unicorn was already deep in thought before Taylor finished his sentence. He noticed that she wore the same expression he did when he was pondering a difficult question. Something about that knowledge amused him.

Lyra's ears perked up and her eyes brightened. "I think I have an idea."

The aging stallion strode down the staircase with a regal air befitting Celestia herself. He could easily have been mistaken for royalty in any other company. Bon-bon, however, knew this pony better than most of the Inquisition did.

"I didn't think you'd be up at this hour." she said casually.

The stallion smiled. "Neither did I. Hard to get any shuteye with this human fiasco getting everpony worked up. I've had no fewer than ten reports about it brought to me in the past hour. Your marefriend caused quite the uproar in my Order."

Bon-bon's earlier composure faded, her face turning bright red. "She and I are not-"

She was cut off by her father's hearty laughter filling the room. "Still just as easily flustered as ever I see. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

Bon-bon sighed in mock exasperation. She was far too happy to see her father to get upset about him poking fun at her. "I would have arrived sooner, but I was trying to gather more information about the human."

She wasn't fooling anyone. Her father smiled knowingly, seeing right through the lie. "You had a living breathing myth in your house. I'd be fascinated too. Perhaps there's something to Lyra's obsession after all; the pursuit of knowledge is ever an admirable one, but that doesn't change the facts. We must end this before it gets out of hand. The humans are extremely dangerous, even if they seem docile. They're a lot like parasprites, actually. I believe you're familiar with those."

She nodded. Bon-bon knew that humans could be a threat, but she doubted that just one could be as dangerous as a swarm of parasprites. Then again, she doubted humans even existed until yesterday when one showed up in her home. "I understand."

"Good, good. Now, since all of this commotion doesn't seem to be dying down any time soon, what say we go to my chambers and chat? I haven't seen my little filly in ages, you know. It would be nice to catch up."

Bon-bon smiled pleasantly, following her father back up the staircase. They passed through many long winding corridors in the minutes that followed, all equally claustrophobic and dark like most of the Sanctuary. At last the two ponies arrived at an ancient-looking large iron-bound door. Despite its size, it opened easily with a faint creaking noise, revealing the Grand Inquisitor's chambers. She had been here before, though she always found it impressive.

This particular section of the Sanctuary was a remnant of the original Inquisition headquarters which had somehow escaped Celestia's notice when she ordered its destruction hundreds of years ago. Of course, this was a closely-guarded secret that only the Grand Inquisitor and his most trusted subordinates were privy to. For everyone else, it was just an old forgotten side of the keep that nopony cared to visit unless it was necessary.

Bon-bon took a seat at the large table in the center of the room. Her father sat at the opposite end of the table, levitating over several delicate-looking platters of pastries and cups filled with hot tea, serving himself and his daughter. Bon-bon enjoyed watching her father use magic. He was particularly skilled at performing multiple tasks at once; where most unicorns struggled to maintain focus on more than two simultaneous activities, he could manage nearly a dozen without much difficulty. She often wished she had been born a unicorn just to have the chance to learn from him.

"So, how have you been doing, my dear?" his voice was calm and reassuring, but there were subtle hints of something else behind it. Something that Bon-bon couldn't quite put her hoof on.

"Fine. I got a job at Sugarcube Corner last month. It's been... interesting." A sheepish grin came over her face as she recalled her first day of work. Pinkie Pie had shown up with an enormous order that took her all day and well into the night to prepare. She had been determined to finish it that day to prove herself to Mr. and Mrs. Cake, who found her asleep on the kitchen floor the next morning covered in a layer of dried frosting, batter, chocolate and various other ingredients. To her credit, the order was complete, but the mess she had made in the process took nearly half the day to clean up.

"I'm glad to hear you have something to keep you occupied. However, I find myself concerned," he paused to sip his tea, looking over the rim of the cup at her "that you haven't been making your regular reports as a result. That was our only direct tie to Lyra's ongoing research."

Bon-bon was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Minutes ago, her father seemed warm and inviting, genuinely interested in catching up. Now, he was cold and harsh. "Well, to be honest, there wasn't much to report. I thought she had given up, with how little she talked about it in the weeks leading up to today."

Her father placed his cup on the table, his brow furrowing. "She was clearly trying to hide her actions. We were hoping that our first discussion with her would have been a deterrent. All it did was make her more cautious. Leniency is a mistake in a situation that calls for discipline."

His words carried a certain accusatory tone, making Bon-bon even more uncomfortable. She had been the one to plead for Lyra's safety several months ago when the Inquisiton first learned of her research. Lyra, and all she had done, became Bon-bon's responsibility overnight, as did the current situation. She swallowed hard, shifting nervously. "I apologize. I should have kept a closer eye on her."

Her father nodded sagely. "Indeed, you should have, but what's done is done. We can't change things now. We need to focus on the present and how to deal with our little human problem."

Bon-bon stood quickly. "I can handle this! Neither one knows about me, I can go back to Ponyville, find them, and keep a close watch on what they do! I'll send back reports every day!"

"You must understand my hesitation. Your judgement has been faulty recently. When it comes to Lyra, you operate on emotion over reason. I don't believe I can count on you for this."

"I promise, I won't fail again!" She was shouting now, unable to contain herself. She wanted desperately to convince her father that she could be useful to the Order.

"No. You will not."

With these words, two large stallions seemed to materialize from nowhere on either side of Bon-bon. "You will be held here until we can capture Lyra and the human. Once we've sorted this mess out, you will be free to go home. Until then, I need you someplace I can keep an eye on you."

Bon-bon was frozen in disbelief, unable to find her voice. With a rough push from a muscular foreleg, she was marched out of the room and down the hall. In no time at all, she found herself lying on the cold floor of a cell. The realization crashed over her all at once - she was now a prisoner of the very Order she served. She buried her face in her hooves in a futile effort to hide her shame.

For several hours, her sobbing filled the empty halls of the Sanctuary.

http://oi49.tinypic.com/ivlkit.jpg

Lyra and Taylor were within sight of Twilight's library. They passed through empty streets, avoiding the flickering glow of the street lamps where possible, still wary of any red robes that might be lurking about. Taylor observed that the lamps were powered by the bioluminescent quality of this world's fireflies, which produced continuous light instead of short bursts and was significantly brighter than that of the fireflies he used to catch.

"Ass-powered light. Alternative energy is classy."

"So, you haven't filled me in on the key points yet. You said you had a plan, it would help if I knew what it was." Taylor complained, trying to coax an answer out of Lyra.

"I want to save the explanation until we get there so I don't have to repeat everything." she said matter-of-factly. After a long pause, she turned to Taylor. "I've been curious about something. How did you know my name when we met, and how did you know about Twilight?"

Taylor stopped so suddenly, he nearly fell on his face. How could he explain to her that in his world, all of Equestria was just part of a kid's show? He couldn't possibly do that, and even if he did, it would sound so ridiculous that she probably wouldn't believe him anyway. Fortunately for Taylor, he was able to conjure a lie quickly.

"A few days before you brought me here, I had a weird dream about this place. I didn't really understand it at the time, but I could easily remember names, faces, locations, and other specifics. Come to think of it, that probably helped lessen the impact of suddenly getting dumped into this world."

Lyra didn't seem wholly convinced, though she said nothing. She figured it would be best not to; they were practically on Twilight's doorstep anyway. She gently struck her hoof against the door three times in rapid succession. There was a long silence, then the sound of slow, tired hoofbeats growing louder as they approached the door.

The door opened slowly, revealing a very groggy Twilight Sparkle, her eyelids were half open and her mane disheveled. Her annoyance at having been woken in the middle of the night was clear. "Hello, Lyra and..." Twilight trailed off, waiting for the other pony to introduce himself.

Taylor had to think back a bit to what he had chosen for his pony name. No one had asked him about it until now, and he had nearly forgotten. "Tailor Made. A pleasure to meet you." He turned sideways a bit to display his false cutie mark - a needle and bright blue thread.

Twilight blinked absently at her two visitors, then ushered them inside. "I'm guessing you wouldn't be here this late if it wasn't important."

"We're really sorry about this, Twilight, but it is, and we need your help." Lyra said, sounding apologetic.

Twilight yawned, taking a seat. The other two sat across from her, Lyra in her usual style, and Taylor in his. Twilight had become familiar with Lyra's odd way of sitting, but to see another pony do so was suspicious. Seeing the look on Twilight's face, Taylor realized his mistake immediately.

"So, Tailor, is Lyra a relative of yours?" the lavender unicorn asked, already knowing the answer.

"No, just a friend."

"I see. How did you meet?"

"She came into my clothing store in Manehattan a few weeks ago with some unusual requests. We got to talking about it and things sort of progressed from there."

"Interesting. She went all the way to Manehattan to place an order? Seems unnecessary when the Carousel Boutique is less than ten minutes from her house." Twilight leveled her eyes at him. "Unless you're more than just friends. That would be more believable, don't you think?"

Taylor and Lyra both froze. Even half asleep, Twilight managed to see right through them. She grinned, pleased at having won so easily, though her expression quickly became serious once more. "So, Lyra, would you care to explain what's going on?"

She fidgeted nervously. "You remember how I was doing all that research on humans, and how you told me that they weren't real? Well..." she trailed off, not exactly eager to elaborate on what she'd done.

"You summoned one and disguised it as a pony using magic." Twilight finished. "Celestia chose me as her student for a reason, Lyra. I knew what he was the moment I saw him. You might be able to hide him from most ponies, but there are plenty of unicorns that wouldn't be fooled by that spell on their worst day."

"Why does everyone adjust so easily to having me around when they should be freaking out?"

Taylor was almost insulted by how casually she was handling the knowledge of his identity. Twilight yawned again, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "You needed my help for something. What was it?"

Lyra leaned in closer to Twilight. "The Canterlot Inquisition is hunting us, and they already took Bon-bon. We were hoping you could use your ties to Celestia to sort this out. If there's anypony in Equestria that can help us, it's got to be her, right?"

"The Inquisition? I thought the Princess put a stop to that centuries ago." For the first time since they arrived, Twilight seemed genuinely surprised.

"Apparently not," Taylor cut in, "they're still alive and well, and they don't care much for me being here. They made that last part perfectly clear." He rubbed the side of his face where the large Inquisitor had beaten him.

Their conversation had woken Spike, who plodded downstairs slowly, scratching his belly and yawning. "Morn'n everypony. What's going on?"

Twilight turned to the baby dragon, levitating a quill and parchment into his claws. "Good timing, Spike."

The dragon groaned in exasperation, muttering something about only being awake for thirty seconds. "What do you want me to write?"

"My friends and I need an audience with the Princess immediately. Tell her it's urgent and involves Lyra's research."

He obediently jotted down the letter, rolled it up, and with a burst of green flame from his mouth, it was sent.

"So, what now?" Taylor asked.

Twilight turned back to the two of them, seemingly much more awake than before.

"Now we wait."

[Author's Note: Holy horseapples, I FINALLY got Taylor's pony name and cutie mark in the story! It only took three months! I believe the first person to suggest the full name was HappyTriscuits, but the original idea of "Tailor" which likely spawned it came from Znex. Credit goes to Celestial for the cutie mark suggestion. I'm giving triple credit on it because I can and because I promised I would. I considered doing something else with it (something less obvious, that is) but it ended up being such a minor part of the story that I didn't feel it needed to be built up into a huge thing. Change happens.]

09 - Dawn of a New Day

The sun was beginning to rise once more over Ponyville, stretching its warm rays across the landscape. Familiar scents hung in the air; smoke from a chimney somewhere in town, the morning dew evaporating in the heat of the sun, the sweet smell of baked goods from Sugarcube Corner...

...and then there were the two fugitive ponies passed out in the middle of Twilight's library, oblivious to all of it. After all the stress they had been under and the obvious danger of going back to Bon-bon's house, she decided to let them sleep here. After they had settled in, she quickly retreated to the warmth of her own bed, eager to get some sleep as well. It wasn't often she got a good night's rest, even less so when she had various ponies pounding on her door in the middle of the night, which happened much more often than one might expect.

Lyra was the first to wake, some time around nine-thirty, slowly opening her golden eyes to meet the day. She found herself momentarily confused by where she was and how she had gotten there, but the memories came back quickly. She wished they hadn't; not remembering yesterday's events would have been so much more comfortable. The Inquisition had taken her best friend, and now they would come after her again. She had no idea what they planned to do to her if they managed to capture her, but it was certainly not as bad as what would happen to Taylor.

She craned her neck, looking back at the silver pony lying nearby, covered in bruises and gashes, his face still noticeably swollen on the side where the Inquisitor had struck him repeatedly. She felt so guilty for what she had put him through; bringing him to Equestria for her own selfish reasons, making him a target of the Inquisition, allowing him to be beaten so badly that he had to struggle just to walk. Worst of all, he hadn't complained, hadn't berated her, and didn't even seem to resent her in the slightest for what had taken place. Even after his run-in with the Inquisitor, he still managed to remain in good spirits. He had smiled - not for himself, but for her, and called her his friend. All of this, when he should have been blaming her as much as she blamed herself, if not more.

The sound of another pony moving about caught her attention. While she had been lost in thought, Twilight had made her way down to the kitchen and, ever the gracious host, was putting together an extra two plates of breakfast for her guests. It reminded her of the mornings Bon-bon would make breakfast for her and then tease her about food being the only thing that would get her out of bed before noon. Lyra carefully stepped over Taylor, following Twilight into the adjacent room.

"Good morning." Twilight said pleasantly as she was joined by Lyra. A magenta glow surrounded the plates as she levitated them over, setting them down gently.

"Mornin' Twilight" Lyra responded before eagerly devouring her breakfast. Even thought the lavender unicorn wasn't very good at cooking, Lyra was still grateful for the food. She had worked up an incredible appetite after all the running around she had done the night before. In no time at all, her plate was spotless.

Twilight levitated it away, then leaned in close to Lyra, lowering her voice to a barely audible whisper. "Before he wakes up, we need to talk." She poked a hoof in the direction of the upstairs balcony. Lyra shrugged, obediently following her host.

The climb to the upper level of the library seemed to take forever. Lyra's mind was racing with possibilities; what could Twilight want to talk about that had to be kept from Taylor? Was it good news? Bad news? Were they in danger again? What if-

A sudden wave of cool air broke her train of thought as Twilight opened the double doors to her balcony. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the morning breeze that gently tousled her dark mane. She seemed different from her usual self; a bit less uptight and reserved. She turned, gesturing for Lyra to close the doors behind her.

"I want to be sure this is between the two of us only. It's important that you don't let your," she paused, looking for the right word, "friend know about this, no matter what."

Lyra nodded, suddenly much more apprehensive about whatever it was that Twilight needed to say. Her whole body was tense, and Twilight took notice.

"Relax, it's not bad news. I just want you to be aware of some history. About the ponies that have been chasing you, about Celestia, and about me."

Cerise was so giddy, she felt like skipping all the way to the holding cells. After Bon-bon's interference with her operation several months ago to stop Lyra's research, she had been waiting for an opportunity to get a little payback. When she found out that Bon-bon was locked away by the Grand Inquisitor, she just had to see it for herself. The look on the little cream-colored pony's face was sure to be priceless.

She intentionally clacked her hooves on the stone floor loudly as she walked down the hall toward Bon-bon's cell. She was followed closely and wordlessly by Adrastos. To anypony else, his blank expression would have made him seem indifferent to the situation, but Cerise knew better, having spent most of her life in his company. He didn't see any value or enjoyment in salting Bon-bon's wounds, but it also wasn't his place to question a superior. This was one of the few times when Cerise would have pulled rank on him, and they both knew it, so he remained quiet.

Her head held high, Cerise stopped before the solid stone cube that housed Bon-bon, turning slowly and dramatically for effect. Bon-bon was lying on the floor with her back facing the cell door. She didn't bother to turn her head to see who had come down to taunt her. She already knew.

"My my, what a pathetic sight you are. You look so devastated, but I guess that's to be expected when you've been branded a failure and thrown in a cramped little cell by your own father. I almost feel bad for you. Almost."

Bon-bon didn't respond. Trying to defend her actions would be pointless, as would retaliating against Cerise. There was nothing to do but lie there and take it. Her inaction coaxed a vicious sneer from the pink unicorn. "Oh come now, that's not like you at all. You're usually so eager to hand out excuses for your behavior. I'm sure you still have a few good ones you haven't used yet. Why not give it a try?"

Even if she wanted to respond, hours of crying had left her throat too raw to speak. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and all she wanted was to be left alone. The gentle rise and fall of her chest was all the response she would offer, which only served to provoke Cerise even further.

"Truly pitiful, Bon-bon. You had a good thing going. Being the daughter of the Grand Inquisitor was a golden opportunity for you, and you could have done so much with that power. Instead, you chose to throw it all away to protect your little friend and that abomination of hers." Cerise paused for a moment to indulge herself with a condescending chuckle, "I wouldn't worry too much. No matter what you've done, you're still his daughter. I'm sure he'll let you go after we capture Lyra and the human. He might even let you watch."

Bon-bon flinched at that last word. She knew what the Order was capable of behind closed doors. They were fond of magical experimentation, especially on their prisoners. The thought of what they might do to Lyra completely shattered her resolve in an instant. A barely audible whimper escaped her throat before her muffled sobs filled her cell.

Satisfied that she had broken Bon-bon, Cerise turned up her nose and trotted back down the hallway, clearly pleased with herself. So much so that she didn't even notice that Adrastos hadn't followed her this time. He waited until his superior had left the hall before lightly tapping his hoof against one of the bars, though 'lightly' for a stallion of his size was a fairly solid strike. Bon-bon turned toward the door, staring up at the towering figure.

"I'm sorry."

Though brief, his sincerity was apparent. For a moment, there was even a hint of sadness in his eyes. He quickly turned to leave, hoping to catch up to Cerise before she realized he had gone missing.

Bon-bon rested her head back down on the cold floor of the cell. She choked back another sob just long enough to silently whisper her gratitude to Adrastos.

Less than a minute later, sleep had taken her.

"You almost joined the Inquisition?!" Lyra sputtered.

"The whole reason we came up here is so that other ponies wouldn't hear this conversation. Try to keep it down," Twilight said, annoyed. "They invited me back when I was still a filly. I guess they saw what happened during my entrance exam and realized what that much power could do for them, but the Princess got to me first."

Lyra cocked her head to the side. "So, they invited you to be a part of a dangerous shadow organization?"

"Not exactly. They hide behind the Canterlot Academy of Magic. It's run almost entirely by the Inquisition, and they do teach young unicorns, but they're always looking for the ponies that they believe they can coax into their order to further their goals. I don't know what those goals are, other than stopping any study of humans."

Lyra's inquisitive nature as a unicorn was filling her mind with questions, but she restrained herself, allowing Twilight to continue.

"Celestia has been keeping an eye on them for a long time. Hundreds of years, actually. She said she's waiting for something, but she wouldn't say what." Twilight turned her gaze on the door behind her. "When you put it together, it makes sense. Given what the Princess said, and what we know about the Inquisition, I think she's been waiting for him. Somehow his presence is vital to Celestia's plan."

"For what? Why would she be waiting for a human to suddenly pop up in our world?"

"You'll have to ask her when you see her. I've told you everything I know."

There was a long period of silence between the two. Lyra was deep in thought, trying to piece together what she had learned. Bringing a human to Equestria was obviously a big deal, but she didn't think it had such a far-reaching impact. The inexplicable obsession she had with humanity couldn't possibly have had this much effect on her world, could it? More importantly, why was this such a big secret? Nothing she had been told seemed to be sensitive information.

Twilight stepped around Lyra to open the door. The two unicorns exited the balcony and headed back downstairs. Spike had woken up and was already in the kitchen, shoveling his breakfast into his mouth, and then the contents of the other plate.

"Spike, that was for our guest!" Twilight hissed.

"I told him he could have it. I'm not hungry." Taylor croaked, half asleep. He was lying on his side, shielding his eyes with a hoof. "When we see Celestia, I'm going to have a little chat with her about the sun, and how bright it is in the morning."

"Speaking of Celestia, I'm a little surprised we haven't heard anything back from her." Twilight said, sounding concerned.

Spike hopped down from the chair in the kitchen. "Don't worry, Twilight, I'm sure Celestia's just busy. She'll write back as soon as-" he was interrupted as he tripped over a stack of books, landing hard on his belly. As he hit the floor, he belched a wave of green fire, launching a scroll neatly bound with a red band and the Royal Canterlot Seal across the room. It bounced off of Taylor's nose, spun several times in the air, and came to a rest in the center of the library.

Taylor briefly removed the hoof from his face to see what had hit him, hiding from the sun once more after he had confirmed it was the scroll. Twilight scooped it up quickly, unrolling it with her magic.

"The Princess wants to meet us in Canterlot as soon as possible. She's sending a team of chariot pegasi right now," Twilight paused for a split second, doing the math in her head, "so we have about fifteen minutes to get ready."

Taylor rose slowly from the floor, stretching. "Ready."

"You're going to meet the Princess like that? You haven't even brushed your teeth." Twilight grimaced.

"I guess I forgot to pack a brush when I was pulled through the frick'n cosmos to hang out in another world. Given the circumstances, I don't think your Princess is going to fault me for poor oral hygiene."

Twilight rolled her eyes, but conceded the point.

The Grand Inquisitor strode through the halls of the Sanctuary. If he felt anything for throwing his daughter in a cell, he didn't show it. As he rounded a corner, he found himself nearly nose to nose with a light gray mare. Her robe was almost identical to his own, but without the golden embroidering. Two small braided ropes looped neatly over her left shoulder, one red and the other black, marking her as a very dangerous member of the Order.

She took a step back and bowed before her superior. "We've gotten word from the castle. The Princess is sending two pegaus chariots to the library in Ponyville. They have been ordered to safely deliver three ponies to Celestia. Lyra and the human are among them."

The Inquisitor considered this for a moment. "Let them go. It's to our benefit if they make it to Canterlot."

The mare looked up at him, confused. "Sir?"

A grin slowly spread across his face. "When the human realizes how he fits into Celestia's plans for us, I believe he will seek us out. Why chase your prey when you can simply wait for it to come to you?"

10 - Arrival

Cerise turned, noticing that Adrastos was just now catching up to her. She raised an eyebrow suspiciously at him. "You don't usually have a problem keeping up. Decided to do a little taunting of your own, maybe bring her down a few pegs?"

"I didn't understand why you were enjoying it, so I tried it for myself." he lied, falling in step beside his Commander.

"Oh really?" Cerise smirked, pleasantly surprised at the usually neutral Inquisitor.

"I still don't understand it."

Cerise laughed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, somehow that's not really surprising."

They walked in silence for a while, occasionally stopping when Cerise needed to talk to one of her many subordinates, a number which seemed to grow daily. She was rising quickly through the ranks of the Order, turning into a very important, powerful, and dangerous unicorn.

Adrastos thought back to when he first met his Commander. Back then, she was timid and scared, separated from her family in the middle of a large crowd. He spent nearly an hour with her, helping her find her lost relatives. They remained friends after that day, playing together, getting in and out of trouble, even attending the same school for a while. He often found himself protecting Cerise from the bullies who teased her for being a blank flank. Ironically, in doing so, he earned his mark: a large round shield.

It was several years later when Cerise was invited to the Canterlot Academy of Magic that things started to change. Adrastos was happy for her at first, but the longer she attended, the more serious and distant she became. In just a few short years, the little filly he once knew had vanished, replaced by a harsh and hardened version of her former self. He didn't like it at all.

"Hey Addy, you still with me? Focus!"

Adrastos hadn't been paying attention for some time, lost deep in his own thoughts. He looked down to find an indignant Cerise glaring at him.

"Knock off the daydreaming, big guy. You need to be at your best. We have to go explain to the Council what happened last night, and they're not happy about the human getting away."

The towering stallion huffed. "They haven't read the report?"

"Of course, probably six or seven times, but they're like little foals. If somepony doesn't go in there and tell them a story, they get cranky. So, that's exactly what you'll be doing. Try not to be nervous."

"I'm not." he replied in his usual deadpan fashion.

Cerise poked a hoof into his shoulder, which took a lot of effort, given the size difference between the two. "Don't forget that when you're standing in front of the very heart of the Order. They have a reputation for being intimidating."

Adrastos nodded. He really wasn't nervous, but he chose to let Cerise believe he had taken her advice. It was preferable to being lectured all the way to the council chambers.

They continued wordlessly on through the stone halls, watching in amusement as dozens of Novum and Veterani galloped from place to place in a frenzy. Yesterday, the rumors of a human in Equestria had them spooked. Today, with the confirmation of that rumor, they were in a panic. Every scroll, every sheet of parchment, and every order being handed down had suddenly become critical. This was a time of crisis the likes of which none of them had ever expected to see.

Of course, that was just their perception. In reality, very little had changed. Security was a little tighter, with more ponies posted at key points throughout the Sanctuary, proudly bearing their braided symbols of Aurum Capite, but everything else was proceeding as usual. As Cerise and Adrastos passed by the barracks, they were flagged down by the same gray mare that had spoken to the Grand Inquisitor just minutes before. They turned quickly and bowed to her, holding the pose until she had returned the gesture.

The mare sighed in mock exasperation. "You know you don't need to do that for me. Tenebris doesn't really stress the whole bowing thing."

"Aurum and Magicae do." Cerise said curtly. She despised this pony, Sophie, believing that she behaved far too casually for someone of her rank. Still, Cerise refused to jeopardize her future within the Order by disrespecting a superior.

"Fair enough, I suppose it's just habit for you two. Doesn't really matter."

Cerise had to restrain herself; she would have loved to let loose a barrage of insults after hearing Sophie dismiss the conventions of the Order in such a nonchalant way. "Of course it matters, you little foal! It's a show of respect, whether or not you actually deserve it."

The mare locked eyes with Cerise briefly, just long enough to make her uncomfortable. The look she wore was unsettling, like she could actually hear what Cerise was thinking, and was contemplating how she should punish her for it. Suddenly, she cocked her head to the side, a pleasant smile stretched across her face. "The Grand Inquisitor thinks that the human will be coming here soon."

Cerise completely lost her usual composure, not prepared at all for that kind of news. "W-what?! How soon?!"

Sophie raised a hoof to her chin. "Well, I didn't think to ask, actually. He just said that when the human learns what Celestia is going to ask him to do, he'll come to us instead. It sounds like we won't have to do much."

The initial shock had already worn off and Cerise was all business once again, looking for an opportunity to curry favor with the higher ranks. "What are my orders?"

Sophie seemed confused for a moment, furrowing her brow. "Umm... I don't think you have any. I was just letting you know because I thought you'd be excited. We get to see a real live human!" She practically bounced as she said the last word. It seemed that she didn't care at all about capturing Taylor, she just wanted to see him up close. To her, it was fun.

Cerise seethed with contempt for this mare; it took all her willpower to remain silent while Sophie bounded away, sporting her trademark goofy grin on her face. If the human was really going to give himself up, Cerise would be ready to bring him in. With any luck, that would earn her the promotion she needed to ensure she would never have to bow to that gray-coated imbecile again.

"Come on, the Council is waiting." Cerise spat.

The three ponies stared at the sky as the pegasus chariot approached. Twilight and Lyra had become used to seeing such things, but Taylor was fascinated. He had flown several times before when he was in the ROTC and was familiar with the science of flight, but these pegasi seemed to defy all he had learned. Between their weight, small wing surface, and poor aerodynamics, they shouldn't be capable of flight.

"Then again, I got magically teleported to a world populated by talking pastel ponies, so I guess this is the day we just laugh at science."

He turned to Twilight and Lyra. "So, what's the procedure here? I mean, I'm meeting the ruler of Equestria, is there something special I'm supposed to do? Bow? Address her as 'your highness'? Beg to not be sent to the moon?"

"Wouldn't even brush your teeth and you're worried about that?" Twilight muttered, staring at the ground. She glanced up to find both Lyra and Taylor looking at her, waiting for a response. "Oh, um, I wouldn't worry, she's very nice. Just be polite."

"Great. I like a challenge." Taylor was extremely uncomfortable about going to Canterlot in the first place. Meeting royalty was just added stress.

The team of pegasi from Canterlot landed gracefully next to them. Six impressively muscular stallions, dressed in polished golden armor bearing depictions of the sun pulled a large chariot behind them, even larger than the one typically used by Celestia.

"I suppose this is the one she used when her ass got huge after eating all that cake."

Taylor thought better of saying it, just to keep Twilight and Lyra from asking too many questions. It would also be better for his life expectancy, as any one of these pegasi could easily pound him into the dirt if angered.

Taylor, Lyra, and Twilight stepped on the chariot. It shifted a bit under their weight, but held strong. It was made of ornately engraved metal, similar to the armor worn by the pegasi. Taylor assumed it was some sort of bronze, but there was no way a half dozen pegasi could have pulled something this size, no matter how powerful their wings were. Especially not with three passengers.

The chariot lurched forward as the team began to pull it. They struggled momentarily, then began picking up speed. Once they had achieved a full gallop, they all flapped their wings in unison, leaping upward as they did so, which lifted them easily. A second gust from their powerful wings lifted the chariot, and they were away. Taylor shook his head in disbelief.

"Are you alright? I figured you might be scared of flying." Twilight commented, noticing his expression.

"Not really. I've flown before, but never in anything this scientifically impossible."

"You never told me about that." Lyra said, sounding almost offended.

Taylor grinned, giving the unicorn a playful bump with his foreleg. "What, you expected to learn everything about me in less than three hours? There's a lot more you need to ask before I go back home, I think."

Lyra smiled, though she wasn't convinced that she'd get that chance. Celestia, being an incredibly powerful alicorn with thousands of years of knowledge at her disposal, would likely know how to send Taylor home. The more she thought about it, the more she was certain they would be parting ways shortly after they got to Canterlot. Once more, her thirst for answers would have to be sated by meager bits of information pieced together from what few books she could find on humans.

Taylor placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I don't have anywhere to be back home. I can spend a little longer here."

"Thanks, but I already feel guilty enough. Everything that's happened-"

"Has been fun," Taylor interrupted. "I don't mind staying for another day or two. Even with a whole flamboyant cult out to get me, I've enjoyed myself."

Lyra raised a brow at him. "Just what kind of life are you going back to that what you've gone through here has been enjoyable?"

"It sounds bad when you say it like that," Taylor chuckled. "It's just that this world is new and different. Where I'm from, the mystery has been taken out of nearly everything. It's the unfortunate side effect of humans really liking adventure. Eventually we start to run out of it."

It made a lot of sense. Lyra had occasionally felt the same way about Ponyville. There had been several times when she tried saving up to travel around Equestria, but she never got very far.

"Hey, we're almost there." Twilight said, pointing over the side of the chariot. They were still a few minutes away, but Canterlot already dominated the view, especially the castle, which towered over the rest of the city. It was breathtaking, but there was little time to enjoy it. As long as they were in the city, the risk of encountering the Inquisition in far greater numbers than before was uncomfortably high.

The pegasi and chariot began to descend, slowly drifting downward toward a large open courtyard. There were already a dozen heavily armored guards waiting for them, with more posted around and on top of the walls. It would seem that Celestia, expecting the Inquisition to make a move, had prepared for the worst. As soon as the wheels of the chariot touched the ground, its passengers were surrounded and quickly ushered toward the castle.

From high on a wall overlooking the entire courtyard, a lone pony stood, clad in the same armor as the other guards, though it was a poor fit. Unlike the others, who were busy scanning the area for any signs of an attack, her eyes were focused solely on Taylor, watching until he had entered the safety of Canterlot Castle. She brushed a few indigo strands away from her face, then walked over to the unconscious guard she had "borrowed" the armor from. With deft hooves, she quickly returned it to its proper owner, ensuring that everything was exactly as it had been before she arrived.

Seconds later, she was gone without a trace.

[Author's Note: If you're confused by the terminology used in the early parts of this chapter, consult this blog post.]

11 - A Way Out

Adrastos pushed hard against the massive iron doors to the council chambers. Little by little, they slowly gave way with a long steady creak that echoed through the halls. Cerise scowled, her pride wounded at having been unable to make it budge.

The Inquisitor and Imperator strolled casually into the large circular chamber. In the center of the room stood The Oculus, a raised platform on which the speaker would stand. It was circular, glossy black, bordered with gold, and embedded with the crimson red symbol of the Inquisition. Around the outside, it supported seven golden pillars, symbolic of the seven chapters. It was one of the largest and most impressive pieces left behind after the fall of the first Inquisition.

Opposite from where Cerise and Adrastos stood were tiered wooden benches that wrapped around two-thirds of the room's perimeter. Ordinarily, they were sparsely occupied by the seven members of the Council, but today they were completely filled, with many additional ponies forced to stand for lack of seating.

Cerise had been here several times in the past, but had never seen it this crowded. She gently nudged Adrastos toward the center of the room, following him closely, almost protectively. The tension in the air was suffocating, and she couldn't help but feel that her subordinate was in more trouble than either of them realized.

Adrastos strode calmly up the ramp onto the Oculus, feeling a slight tingle run up his back as he did so. Cerise began to follow when the Grand Inquisitor's voice rang out through the room, stopping her in her tracks.

"Hold, Cerise. You have brought the Inquisitor as I asked. Your obligation is fulfilled."

Across the room, he sat in his usual elevated position, flanked by two large stallions, both equal in size to Adrastos. They bore the same crests as other high ranking members of the Order, but theirs were adorned with golden wings, marking them as the Praesidio Inquisitore Magnas, his personal guards.

"I believe I should be here to represent him, Grand Inquisitor." she said, trying hard to mask her nervousness. What she was doing was dangerously close to insubordination, and everyone knew it. Hushed whispers filled the room, and all eyes fell on the leader of the Order, awaiting his reaction.

"Adrastos is capable of representing himself. You're welcome to stay and observe, but you are to remain silent, Imperator."

Cerise gritted her teeth, carefully considering her next move. To defy the Grand Inquisitor - especially in front of an audience - would land her in a worse position than Bon-bon. Reluctantly, she bowed, stepping back from Adrastos. Her influence over the Council could still be a factor, but Adrastos had a fatal flaw. He was far too honest.

It had frustrated Cerise for years. She knew how to put the proper inflection into her words to manipulate others, effortlessly turning any sentence into a weapon. It just came naturally to her. Adrastos, on the other hoof, either didn't possess that skill, or chose not to exercise it, and would often cost himself opportunities. In any other situation, it would have been an admirable quality, but today was not the day to be spilling everything he knew. She just had to hope that her subordinate wouldn't to give the Council a reason to throw them both in a cell.

The room fell silent as Adrastos stepped onto the Oculus, his head held high and his eyes forward, awaiting the judgement of his superiors.

"Typical gold chapter idiocy. Just stand there and take it." Cerise thought.

"I'm glad to see at least one of you is cooperating willingly," the Inquisitor smiled. "Now, we'd all like to hear about what happened last night. Whatever you remember."

Adrastos nodded, and began to retell the events of the previous evening - much to Cerise's dismay - exactly as they happened.

The trio stood quietly outside Princess Celestia's private chambers, Twilight Sparkle in the lead. The guards recognized both the unicorns, but cast a suspicious eye on Taylor, who returned a dirty look. After a brief period of waiting, the Princess opened the doors, stepping back for her guests to enter.

The room wasn't quite what Taylor expected of royalty. Everything appeared virtually identical to the rest of the castle, with few distinguishing features other than the large canopy bed in the center of the room. A painted portrait hung on the wall, depicting an alicorn that Taylor didn't recognize. She had a sandy colored coat, accented by a vibrant red and orange mane. The most striking feature was her eyes, which looked suspiciously like-

"Our mother." Celestia's voice brought Taylor back to focus.

"I'm sorry, what?"

The Princess smiled reassuringly. "The pony you see there is our mother. Mine and Luna's. I noticed you staring."

Taylor nodded slowly, wondering just how old that painting really was.

"I'm glad to see the three of you made it safely. I was concerned that the Order might have had the audacity to try something inside my own castle. It wouldn't be the first time they acted foolishly out in the open."

"A good example being last night," Taylor commented.

"Quite so," Celestia's gaze hardened, "which is why I've decided they need to be stopped. Again."

"Okay, could you bring me up to speed here? These nutjobs have been running around for how long exactly?"

Twilight was burying her face in her hooves, mortified by how informally Taylor spoke to the Princess, though Celestia seemed amused rather than offended.

"The first Inquisition was here when I arrived in Equestria. I didn't care much for what they were doing to the citizenry, so I stopped them. About six hundred years after that, one of my most promising students formed the Order of Canterlot," Celestia paused momentarily, a hint of sadness in her expression, "which became the new Inquisition that you've... met."

"They've been around for four hundred years?!" Lyra sputtered.

"A little more, actually. In all that time, they kept to themselves and didn't do anything harmful. For a while, I thought perhaps the Order might even turn out to be a good thing. Their research was valuable, they were teaching magic to young unicorns at the Canterlot Academy, and almost nopony knew about their existence. They were the best kept secret in Equestria. Unfortunately, their anti-human agenda seems to have been preserved through the ages."

Taylor feigned surprise. "Really? I hadn't noticed."

"You seem to be taking it all rather well, at least." Celestia observed.

"Well, I figure I'll be out of here in no time. After I'm gone, they won't have any more reason to be all uppity and things can go back to normal for everyone, right?"

Celestia shook her head. "Unfortunately, it's not that simple."

"Yeah, somehow I expected that. There’s always a catch. What is it?"

The Princess strode gracefully over to a small bookshelf. After a quick search, she levitated an ancient-looking tome before her. The red binding had faded and peeled with age, but everything important seemed intact. "This will require some explanation. Fortunately, I kept most of the records safe."

"Cool. Story time." Taylor said, plunking himself down on the floor. The other two remained standing.

"When I was trying to dissolve the first Inquisition, I knew there would be obstacles that I couldn't deal with alone. One in particular was their Grand Inquisitor. Even when the rest of her Inquisitors had given up and her Sanctuary was in ruins, she continued to fight. Her magic was just too strong for me, and every attempt I made to defeat her failed. Since I couldn't fight her, my next best choice was to banish her somewhere far away, where she couldn't hurt anypony again."

"Your really like banishing your problems away, don't you?"

For the first time, Celestia seemed to be affected by his sardonic commentary. Twilight jabbed a hoof sharply into Taylor's side to let him know he crossed the line.

"Sorry. The stress of everything that's happened is finally catching up to me. Seems to be making me into more of a jerk than usual. Please continue." In truth, that was hardly a factor, but at least it sounded good.

Without missing a beat, Celestia continued. "I needed a way to break her defense before I could successfully banish her. For that, I had to find someone resistant to magic. In all of Equestria, there existed no such thing, so I had to look elsewhere. That's when I discovered why the Inquisition has such a negative opinion of your kind. Humans, as it turns out, are some of the most magically resistant beings to ever exist."

Lyra stomped a hoof on the floor, looking accusingly at Taylor. "I knew I was doing the transformation spell correctly! You were just the worst possible subject to be using it on!"

"Guess so, huh? Well, then I guess it's not your fault I was pink and female for a while," Taylor shrugged. "So, magic can't hurt me?"

Celestia smiled. "Not quite. You can still be affected by it, as you're no doubt aware, but it's extremely difficult for even basic spells to connect. Think of it like a door. For magical creatures, the door is always open, and anyone can pass through it. In your case, the door is locked. It takes a lot more effort to get through. Of course, once that lock is broken, you have no more resistance than anypony else. At least until your metaphorical lock has been repaired, that is."

"Alright, so I've got a great defense against magic right up until I don't. How long til it comes back?"

"How long was it between the time you first arrived and when Lyra attempted to transform you?"

"A few hours. Couldn't have been more than three."

"There you go," Celestia nodded, "three hours at the most. Probably less."

Taylor seemed almost proud. "Cool, so how does that fit into the story?"

"I did exactly what Lyra did. I summoned a human to this world to aid me in defeating the Grand Inquisitor. Once she was banished to Tartarus, I was able to send the human home safe and sound, and then set to work restoring peace to Equestria."

"Alright, that explains the old Inquisition's problem with humans, but what about the Order? Why are they all pissed off about me being here?"

"There's no way to be completely certain, but they wouldn't behave this recklessly after four centuries of peaceful coexistence if you weren't a threat. Obviously whatever they're doing is big, and it's been going on for a while, or they wouldn't have tried to take Lyra away months ago."

"I really don't like where this is going." Taylor thought.

The Princess looked visibly distressed for the first time since they arrived. She looked out a nearby window, down at the sprawling city of Canterlot. "When I put it together, there's only one thing that makes sense. They're trying to bring back the first Grand Inquisitor."

"Bring back? Like, from the dead?" Lyra asked with a shaky voice.

Celestia shook her head. "No. She's still alive in Tartarus."

Now even Twilight was looking deeply concerned. "How can she still be alive? It's been a thousand years. The only things in Equestria that can live that long are dragons, phoenixes, and-"

"Alicorns," Celestia finished, turning from the window. "It's a part of our past that Luna and I try to keep buried, but with things being what they are, I guess it was inevitable. The first Grand Inquisitor, the one who founded the Inquisition over a thousand years ago, the one who ruled Equestria by fear and violence is our mother, the former Queen Chelsea."

All three ponies were speechless. Even Twilight, who had spent years learning everything she could about Celestia, had no knowledge of this.

Taylor was the first to recover from the shock. "Alright, that's really messed up, but it doesn't explain why I'm not able to go back to my own world."

Celestia took a deep breath, bracing herself for the bad news she had to give. "Please try to understand. If I send you back now, and they succeed in breaking her out of her prison, all of Equestria will suffer. Our entire world depends on you staying to help it. Until the Order has been stopped, I'm afraid I cannot allow you to leave."

Twilight gazed up at Celestia in disbelief. "With all due respect, Princess, that seems a little extreme-"

"You're damn right it's extreme!" Taylor shouted, interrupting. "I'm being held hostage!"

"I understand that you're upset. You have every right to be, but I wouldn't do this if it wasn't necessary. Without your assistance, the past thousand years of peace in Equestria could disappear overnight."

"So this is the solution?! Put me in a no-win situation for the sake of a world that I barely know?"

"Unpleasant as it may be, I have no choice. In dire times, a few must sacrifice so that many may know peace. It's your safety weighed against the safety of everypony in Equestria."

Taylor stormed out of the room, calling back to them, "Not my world, not my problem. Find another way."

Lyra turned to Twilight and Celestia. Both remained still, making no effort to follow. Without a word, she bolted out the doors after Taylor, easily catching up to him.

"It's a lot to ask of one person," she said softly, trying to calm him down.

"As I recall, she wasn't asking anything," he spat, still fuming. "I know why she's doing this, but that doesn't make it any less shitty. If she's right about everything, then I either have to risk my ass to save someone else's world, or wait for that world to be taken over by an immortal alicorn who has a particular hatred towards me. The only silver lining to be found in the whole thing is that she'd go after Celestia first, then me."

"I don't want you to think I'm against you in this, but this is my home. What would you do if the only way to save your world was for me to risk myself?"

"Fortunately, that's never going to be a problem."

Lyra's slowed to a halt, her eyes downcast. "All I ask is that you don't give up on us so easily. I don't want to lose my home or my friends any more than you want to be trapped here, away from your home and your friends."

Taylor's jaw tightened, but he wouldn't turn back. He continued out to the castle courtyard, leaving Lyra behind. His eyes scanned the area around the castle, looking for a relatively secluded spot. Near the southeast corner of the walled plaza, he spotted a hedge garden with several benches placed neatly around a small pond.

Perfect.

The Grand Inquisitor stood slowly, using his magic to gather up the pile of papers in front of him. "I'd say we have what we need. Thank you for your cooperation, Adrastos."

"It is my duty, Inquisitor."

"Indeed, you're a fine example of what the gold chapter teaches. You seem to hold duty above all else. Because of this, I don't believe any punishment is necessary for what took place last night."

Cerise's jaw nearly hit the floor. Everypony in the room - herself included - had been expecting the worst. In an instant. the council chamber had exploded with voices. Some cheered, others called for punishment, but they all wondered the same thing. Why had the Grand Inquisitor, a pony not known for being lenient, chosen to let Adrastos off without any sort of disciplinary action?

Adrastos exited the room as silently as he had entered, with Cerise following closely behind. Once the door had shut solidly behind them with a resonating boom, Cerise jumped in front of her subordinate, looking up at him suspiciously.

"How in the hay did you do that?!" she demanded.

"I told the truth."

"I noticed. I meant how did you get him to pardon you? I have never seen him do that before. Nopony has, because he never does!"

Adrastos shrugged, walking around Cerise. "I'm sure even he has days when he's feeling generous."

"No, he doesn't, which means you have some sort of leverage and you're not telling me!"

The large stallion stopped in his tracks. "I don't hide things, I don't use deception to get what I want. I don't believe in succeeding through dishonorable means. I did nothing to change the opinion of the Council or the Grand Inquisitor. Perhaps I was pardoned specifically because I didn't try to manipulate the outcome. I have ambitions just like you, but I refuse to chase them using your methods."

Adrastos continued down the hallway, leaving a stunned Cerise behind him. For the first time ever, he had stood up to her.

It felt good.

Taylor sat alone in the shadow of the castle, his mind constantly coming back to what Celestia had said despite his best efforts to think about anything else. He knew what was at stake, but to actually risk himself to save the whole world was too much. He was terrified of what could happen to him, especially if he failed.

"I'm a fucking coward." he muttered.

He heard the sound of hooves on stone and looked around for the source, turning to find a tall unicorn with a silvery coat, a royal blue mane, and eyes the color of the sky standing over him. She smiled, taking a seat at his side.

"You look a little upset. Something wrong?" her voice was musical, almost unnaturally so.

Taylor sighed heavily, not in the mood for a pleasant chat. "I’m not really interested in discussing it, but thanks for the concern."

"Sometimes it's good to rely on strangers. You never know whether or not they can help if you don't give them a chance." she said, staring into Taylor's eyes.

Something about her gaze was comforting. Taylor felt truly safe for the first time since he arrived. "Fine, I guess it's worth a shot. I'm trying to get home, and the only way I can do that is if I help the Princess first, but what she's asking me to do is dangerous and crazy, and I just don't know if I'm able."

The unicorn smiled. "I see. What did she ask of you that's so dangerous?"

"It's something that only I can do, but I don't want to put myself into a dangerous situation when I have no stake in any of it. That's all I can say."

"But you do have a stake in it, don't you? Perhaps a friend that you want to see safe? Perhaps one Lyra Heartstrings?" she asked, though she obviously knew.

Taylor leapt from the bench, turning to face the mare, who remained seated. "You know just a little too much about what's going on. Who are you?"

The pleasant smile never left the unicorn's face. "I'm Sophie, and I'm from the Order of Canterlot, though it looks like you've already figured that out. Don't worry, I'm not here for what you think."

"Forgive me if I don't trust you; my last encounter with the Order wasn't exactly a pleasant one. What do you want?"

"To help you, just like I said. If you sit down, I'll explain everything."

"Do I look stupid to you?"

"Of course not. I can't really blame you for not trusting me, I guess. What if I told you that the Order doesn't want to hurt you? Actually, we need your help."

Taylor scoffed. "You have a funny way of showing it. Have you seen my face? It didn't look like this until one of your guys beat the hell out of me."

"Alright, I'll tell you something else. Maybe then you'll be a little more receptive. I'm guessing the Princess already told you about Queen Chelsea, or 'Red Chelsea' to us, but there's more to it than that. We want to capture you because, just like Celestia, we need the help of a human."

Taylor still didn't trust her, but on the off chance Sophie was telling the truth, he should hear her out. "What do they need me for?"

"Your unique ability to guard against magic makes you the key to stopping Chelsea from being freed, but it also makes you the key to her freedom. A human is the only living creature that can withstand the dangerous magic needed to release her. You have the power to stop her return, or to hasten it."

"If that's true, why didn't Celestia say anything to me about it?"

Sophie chuckled, amused by the question. "Celestia doesn't know everything. Especially not about us."

Taylor's curiosity got the better of him. "Alright, let's just work on the assumption that I believe this story of yours. Why should I help you bring back your Inquisitor?"

"Think about it. If you bring her back, you're still the only thing that can stop her. It would be foolish of us to let you stay here, where you could present a problem later on. Obviously we would want to send you back to your own world as soon as possible."

"Or you could just kill me once I stopped being useful." Taylor glared.

"We're not in the business of killing. Too messy, and too many ponies asking questions. You don't have to make a decision right now. Just give it some thought, won't you? We're offering you the same ticket back home as Celestia, but you won't have to risk your life fighting for a world you don't even belong in."

The unicorn stood up, satisfied that her job was done, and began to walk away. Just as she was nearing the garden's exit, she heard Taylor's voice.

"Wait."

Sophie turned. "Yes?"

"I'll do it. I'll help you."

Author's Notes:

May 2nd, 2013 - Minor edits.

12 - True Colors

Celestia watched everything unfold from a window high above the castle courtyard. Taylor had taken a seat in the castle garden, been approached by an unfamiliar unicorn and was now following her out of the castle grounds. The Princess seemed concerned, which had Twilight even more concerned.

"Shouldn't we go after them? We don't know who that is or where she's taking Taylor."

The Princess shook her head. "He's in a volatile state right now. If we try to interfere, there's a chance we could lose him for good."

"So what do we do, just sit here and watch him go? What if this is a trap?"

"I don't think it is. In fact, that unicorn may have just saved us a lot of trouble. Look." Celestia nodded her head out the window, gesturing to two of her royal guards. "I know each and every one of my Royal Guards on a personal basis. Those particular ponies are not among them."

"Who are they?" Twilight asked, already knowing the answer.

"Who else? Members of the Order. They've been masquerading as my guards for months now. I've been playing along, mostly out of curiosity, but with things being what they are, I believe it's time to send them on their way. They were keeping a close eye on Taylor since he went outside. I believe that they intended to capture him once they had an opportunity, which would have been problematic for us all. Hence, that mystery unicorn might have been a blessing rather than a curse."

Twilight was growing anxious. Everything being laid out before her like this was overwhelming, to say the least. Fortunately, Lyra would be back soon and-

The lavender unicorn paused. Lyra had gone to retrieve Taylor some time ago, yet she hadn't returned. Could she have gotten lost? Did she see Taylor leaving and follow him? Twilight bolted out the door as fast as her legs could carry her, trying to convince herself that nothing bad could have happened.

Minutes passed as Twilight barreled through the halls, nearly crashing into several ponies along the way. Why did this castle have to be so big when she was in a hurry?! The doors to the courtyard were still wide open. Fortunate, as they were massive and would have slowed Twilight down significantly. She dashed through them and skidded to a halt outside, her eyes darting around, looking for any sign of Lyra.

There, across the courtyard, just a brief glimpse before they passed out of sight behind a wall, she noticed the seafoam green unicorn being escorted out of the castle grounds by three large stallions dressed in the glistening armor of the Royal Guard. She recognized two of them - the ones Celestia had pointed out - but the third was unfamiliar. Twilight raced across the grounds in their direction, closing the gap quickly. As she rounded the corner, she came face to face with the same unidentified pony, who had allowed the others to go on ahead. He was clearly very new to the Guard, awkwardly snapping to attention after a brief delay.

"Umm... can I help you, miss?" he asked, seeming particularly nervous.

Twilight peered around him, seeing no sign of the others. "Where did those two guards take Lyra?!" she demanded.

"Oh, the Captain had to remove her from the premises. She was causing a disturbance."

"The Captain? As in, 'of the Guard'?" Twilight asked, perplexed. "That wasn't my brother!"

"Your brother? But I- " the guardspony managed to stammer before the realization hit him. "Oh no. What do I do? I was just recruited last week, I didn't know he wasn't -"

Twilight had no time for this. "Just go alert the Guard! A guest of the Princess has been abducted!" she shouted as she pushed past him. The Inquisitors already had plenty of time to make an easy escape into Canterlot, but she had to try to find them.

Sophie led Taylor through Canterlot, keeping away from the busy areas as much as possible. It was hard to concentrate on keeping her spell active with so many ponies around. Fortunately, they were nearing their destination. "It's just up ahead," she informed Taylor, turning to him, "the blue building on the right."

It was hard to miss. Three stories tall, painted the same vibrant blue color as Sophie's mane. He was beginning to notice a pattern with this unicorn. "It's a little conspicuous, don't you think?"

"Sure, if that was where anything important happened, but that would be silly," She smiled.

They continued in silence for the remainder of their walk, Taylor obediently tagging along beside Sophie. He noticed that her pace had hastened. She was in a hurry, and appeared to be straining against some unknown force. At the same time, Taylor began to wonder why he had agreed to help her, and the Order, in the first place. Was he doing it out of spite, a way to harm Celestia, who refused to send him home? No, that wasn't it. He was upset, but not nearly enough to sacrifice Equestria to buy his freedom. He was having a hard time putting any of this together - it simply didn't make sense, no matter how many ways he approached it.

"We're here. Inside, quickly now." Sophie ushered him in through the doorway, glancing nervously up and down the street before closing and locking the door behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief, slumping against the door. "Augh! I knew you humans were resistant to magic but you," she jabbed a hoof in his direction, staring daggers at him, "you are annoying."

Taylor shook his head. It was as if a fog had lifted from his mind in an instant. "The hell was that?" he asked, blinking back a wave of mild nausea, similar to his first experience with Lyra's transformation spell.

"The easiest way to get you here. Or at least I thought it would be easy." Sophie stood, wobbling unsteadily in place. "Never again."

"I barely remember anything since the castle," Taylor said, still trying to recover.

"To be expected. You'll get your memory back in a while, but there are more important things to worry about before that. I need you to tell me everything Celestia said."

"How about I get my questions answered first? I'm tired of people playing twenty questions with me, it's my turn to do the damn asking around here for a change." Taylor said flatly, in no mood to negotiate.

Sophie folded easily, though she made no effort to hide her frustration. "Fine, whatever, but make it quick."

"I want to know exactly who you are, whose side you're on, what you did to me, and what we're doing here. That should cover it."

"Sophie Starbright, your side, minor suggestion spell, and I needed to get you away from the castle because it would be hard to ask you questions if you got yourself captured. Good enough?" she spoke as rapidly as possible.

"No, it's going to take more than that. You say you're with the Order, you mess with my head, drag me out here, and expect that little summary to be sufficient?"

Sophie sighed heavily. "Alright, I'm a member of the Order," as proof, she produced a small circular pendant bearing the crimson 'I' that the Order was so fond of, "but I'm not really with them. I can't go into much more detail than that right now, okay? As for the spell - I had to do something to get you out of there before things could progress any further."

That last part caught Taylor's attention. "What do you mean by that?"

The silver unicorn seemed reluctant to explain any further, but once more, she made a concession for this human. "Okay, the Order doesn't really need you to free Chelsea; I lied about that part. You were being painfully stubborn, so I decided to stroke your ego a little bit to help the suggestion spell along. The fact that doing so was what made the spell succeed says absolutely nothing good about you, I might add."

"Insults later, explanations now." Taylor snapped.

"Truth hurts, doesn't it? Anyway, they don't want to try freeing Chelsea until they have both you and Lyra contained. I don't know why she's so important, but I do know that your resistance to magic is a very real danger to the Order and their goals. They want you gone, or at least locked up until they can bring back their Queen. Now, I think I've answered your questions, so it's time for you to answer mine. How much did Celestia tell you?"

"Not a lot. I'm nearly spellproof, The Order's been around for a long time, she summoned a human once, and Chelsea's her mother." Taylor shrugged, not really sure what was so important.

Sophie's brow furrowed, mulling over his response. "That's everything? She never mentioned an artifact of some sort? Something called the Oculus?"

"Nothing like that. Why?"

"If she didn't say anything about it, then there's a good chance she doesn't know. The Oculus is a remnant of the old Inquisition, maybe even more powerful than the Elements of Harmony. The trouble is, nopony can figure out how to use it. Well," a sly grin spread across her face, "at least nopony in the Order."

She crossed the room, stopping in front of a crate filled with old books. None of them seemed particularly interesting, just old medical texts, a few history books, and so forth. Sophie casually shoved those aside, producing an ancient-looking tome bound in black leather - a fact which did not escape Taylor's attention, but he opted not to ask where the leather came from - with the seal of the Inquisition embossed on the damaged surface.

"I found this in a part of the old Sanctuary that Celestia destroyed a thousand years ago. Apparently no one bothered to search through the rubble before they set to work sealing it all off. It talks a lot about the Oculus, but it never really explains specifically what it is or how it works. All I've gathered is that you need two things to get it working again - the Conduit and the Key. Following so far?"

"Sure, I guess." Taylor said, unenthusiastically.

Sophie clacked a hoof solidly against the floor, glaring at him. "Don't guess. This is important. I want you to take this book and get back to the castle. Give it to that cow of a Princess and figure out the rest."

Sophie levitated the book over, dropping it in front of Taylor. He started to pick it up, but paused, then quickly withdrew his hoof. "After all the lies you've told me, how do I know this thing's not a bomb or a weird wormhole that will summon Cthulhu or some shit?"

"I may not exactly be a fan of Celestia's, but given the choice between her and Chelsea, I'll take the one that wants to protect Equestria instead of burning it to the ground."

Taylor nodded. "Good enough for me. One last question, though. There are plenty of other ways to get this to Celestia, many of them much easier than dragging me out here using magic. Why give something this important to someone who's being hunted by the Order? If I get caught-"

"I'll answer that once you're ready to make a move on the Sanctuary. Don't worry, we'll be seeing each other again soon enough. After all, you'll need someone to help you get inside. Now get going." Sophie nodded her head toward the door, unlocking it with a flash from her horn.

Taylor huffed, grabbing the book in his teeth - still not sure how the hell these ponies could pick things up in their hooves without any thumbs - and pushed his way out into the streets of Canterlot once more.

"She could have just delivered the stupid book on her own, why did she drag me all the way out here just for th-"

Barely ten steps out the door, he crashed right into another pony, interrupting his train of thought. He shook his head, trying to recover from the solid collision.

"Shorry 'out 'at" he struggled to say, still carrying the book in his mouth. He glanced over to find that he had collided with a distressed Twilight Sparkle.

"There you are!" she cried, once the shock of having both literally and figuratively run into Taylor wore off. "The Order's got Lyra and I don't know where they went!"

The book fell out of Taylor's mouth, landing with a dull thud. "That's bad, and we'll have to deal with it, but I have something more important now. This book is the key to stopping Chelsea and the Order. I have to get it to Celestia right away."

Twilight quickly calculated their options, her face darkening. "If you're right, then this," she gritted her teeth, forcing the next part out, "takes priority over rescuing Lyra."

Taylor gave her a reassuring look. "We'll get another opportunity, and we'll have some inside help when we do. For now, I guess it's back to the castle."

He grabbed the book once more and, doing his best to ignore the pain in his leg, sprinted back toward the castle with Twilight Sparkle following close behind.

Even her subordinate's earlier scolding couldn't ruin this mood. Cerise bore a particularly vicious grin as she marched her new prisoner down to the holding cells. Lyra's capture put the Order one step closer to success. In truth, she had expected the human would be the one to make an appearance, but she had to admit - this was going to be so much more enjoyable.

She stopped a few paces short of Bon Bon's cell. "Oh miss traitor, I have a surprise for you." she said in a disturbingly pleasant singsong voice. "You seemed so very lonely, so I brought you something to cheer you up."

Cerise shoved Lyra forward roughly, barely suppressing her awful laughter as the unicorn stumbled over her chains. Bon Bon stared out in horror through bloodshot eyes, taking in the image of her best friend in shackles before pangs of guilt overwhelmed her. She averted her gaze, sobbing weakly.

"Oh come now, don't be like that. After all the work it took to catch her, you could at least try to be appreciative." Cerise laughed. "Go on, toss her in with her little friend. I'd love to stay and watch - really, I would - but I have things to take care of. Have fun, you two. Don't forget to ask Bon Bon about how she sold you out to us."

Cerise turned, practically skipping away as the Inquisitors unlocked the cell and forced Lyra inside. The reverberating slam of the door behind her punctuated it beautifully - she had won yet again.

Two down, one to go.

Author's Notes:

May 2nd, 2013 - Minor edits.

13 - Path of Redemption

As they approached the castle, Taylor and Twilight passed several of Celestia's Royal Guards, combing the streets of Canterlot for any sign of Lyra. The two ponies exchanges concerned looks, but kept moving. The urgency of their task far outweighed their desire to join the search. The security outside the walls was nothing compared to that of the inside. There were no fewer than four guards posted to each entrance, with even more surrounding key locations. It was as if they were preparing for an attack on the castle at any moment, as unlikely as it might be.

The two ponies were stopped twice once they reached the walls. The first group of guards - most of which were familiar with Twilight Sparkle - allowed them through the outer gates without any trouble, but the guards at the main entrance of the castle were extremely thorough, ensuring that nopony would get in or out without answering a battery of questions and having all of their possessions examined.

One of them towered over Taylor, an aging charcoal gray stallion with golden eyes. "What have you got there?" he asked with a tone of suspicion. His commanding voice rumbled like thunder, putting both Taylor and Twilight on edge.

Taylor wasn't fond of being looked down upon, and held very little respect for authority, but most of all, he was in a hurry and this gargantuan horse was just wasting time while Lyra was being hauled off by the Order. "Issha boog you dubfug, dow ged oud ob d'way" he snarled, gripping the book protectively in his teeth. He attempted to push past the guard, failing miserably.

Twilight wasn't sure what a 'dubfug' was, but the meaning behind it mattered little now that Taylor had resisted the search. Two nearby guards joined the first, surrounding what they perceived as a potential threat. The lavender unicorn quickly placed herself between the gray guard and Taylor, glaring up at him, trying her hardest to be intimidating.

"We have critical information for the Princess. It's absolutely vital that she be informed of-"

"I was Captain of the Guard around here before you were born; I've heard it all before. If you haven't noticed, we've got a situation on our hooves and we can't take any chances, so either submit to the search or go back the way you came from. This is not a negotiation."

The three guards had closed in during the exchange and were practically on top of Twilight and Taylor. As much as she didn't want to create a scene, there was no time to waste on a search if the contents of the book Taylor was protecting were as vital as he claimed. She shifted her stance, bracing herself to teleport them both away from the increasingly claustrophobic circle of guards when he ears perked up, hearing a familiar sound.

"Hold it. These two are guests of the Princess. Let them pass." said a nearby voice. Twilight recognized it at once, breathing a sigh of relief. Her brother, Shining Armor, the Captain of the Royal Guard approached quickly. His three guardsponies bowed to him as they backed away from Taylor and Twilight.

"I'm guessing you have some important business here if you were ready to burn up that much energy to avoid a simple search. What exactly is going on, Twilight?" His tone was formal and commanding, befitting his station. Now was the time to play the part of Captain of the Guard, rather than older brother.

Twilight glanced around at the nearby guards, then nodded toward the castle. "We need to get to the Princess first, then I'll explain." she said. The existence of the Order was still a pretty big deal, and talking about them openly in front of an audience could have negative consequences. She believed the relative seclusion of the castle would afford them more privacy than the outdoors, where voices could easily carry all the way across the castle grounds.

Shining Armor quickly realized Twilight's intent. If she couldn't tell him out here, it was obviously something that needed to be kept secret. He nodded, falling in step beside Twilight, occupying his mind as they walked by wondering about the injured pony that accompanied her.

Lyra rushed to Bon Bon's side, horrified by her poor condition. Her mane and tail had become disheveled and dirty, her normally bright blue eyes had become listless and bloodshot, underscored by the dark circles and tear-stained fur beneath them. She was an absolute mess the likes of which would have made Rarity either faint or run screaming.

"What in Celestia's name did they do to you, Bon Bon?" she asked. Her eyes were filled with concern and regret for not being able to protect her friend.

Bon Bon simply could bring herself to look at Lyra, shifting her position to face the wall. After all she had done, how could she explain that this situation was the result of her first betraying Lyra, then the Order? She had turned her back on everypony she knew, and only now that her actions were catching up with her did she truly feel any remorse.

"I'm sorry." she rasped in a barely audible whisper, not certain whether or not she truly meant it or if it was simply her mind filling the silence with anything that seemed appropriate. She couldn't even trust herself anymore.

Lyra shifted closer to Bon Bon. "You don't think I blame you for this, do you? Because of you, Taylor and I got away from the Order and made it here, to Canterlot, to stop all of this. Bon, you're a hero! There's no reason to-"

"Stop."

It echoed inside Bon Bon's mind. Every word seemed to suffocate her, crushing her beneath the weight of her own guilt.

"-should have been more careful with my research-"

"Stop it!"

This is what Cerise was counting on. This is why she chose to put Lyra in the same cell, and why she carefully planted the seed of suspicion by calling Bon Bon a traitor. Eventually, either Bon Bon's guilty conscience or Lyra's curiosity would draw the truth to the surface, and then the worst of her punishment would begin.

"-thought if I kept quiet about humans in public, then they would believe I'd given up-"

"Make her stop!"

The voice was becoming louder and more forceful, imparting a growing sense of urgency on Bon Bon. Something about Lyra's presence, her words - it was painful, and yet she felt nothing. It was maddening!

"-happened to you is my fault-"

"She thinks this is her doing? This is your burden to carry, not hers! You need it! Don't let her take this from you!"

The voice that had been a whisper just moments ago had turned into a horrible deafening shriek.

"-protected me again, just like you always do. I'm sorry."

Lyra placed a hoof gently on Bon Bon's shoulder. As she did, the cream-colored mare's eyes flew open and her body began to writhe as she cried out in agony. Lyra leapt back away from her friend, startled.

"What happened!? What did I do!?" she yelped, her mind working frantically to understand what was happening.

As quickly as they had begun, the sickening convulsions ceased and all was quiet once more, save for Bon Bon's heavy breathing. The voice was gone now, but that relief was short-lived as Bon Bon turned her head, taking in the image of Lyra, backed nervously against the opposite wall of the cell. With no small amount of effort, she rose slowly to a sitting position to face the green unicorn.

Bon Bon could think clearly again without that relentless voice in her head. For one brief blissful moment, she knew relief, but the reality of the situation quickly descended upon her. Voice or not, she had been the one to deceive Lyra and inform the Order of her research, and everything that had happened was a result of that.

She had to carefully consider her next move. If she confessed her association with the Order now, it would certainly cause problems. If she waited, it might cause even more once she was exposed - and she knew at some point that she would be. Bon Bon would have to sacrifice either her relationship with her father, or with Lyra. Truly a no-win situation.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Lyra, who had latched tightly onto her midsection in a rib-crushing embrace.

"I'm glad you're okay," she said quietly.

In that moment, Bon Bon made her decision.

Adrastos flipped through the pages of a nearby tome, skimming the contents, then turned his attention back to his notes. He was surrounded on all sides by haphazardly-stacked piles of books, silently poring over them. This was where he felt truly at home within the Order, and it had become something of a ritual to come here after being in the company of Cerise for any extended period of time. For him, this was a way to relax.

He had always loved reading. The content was irrelevant, he just wanted to bask in the comfort that the words provided him - an experience akin to meditation. Since his acceptance into the Order, he had consumed as much literature as he could in the archives, and still had plenty left that he was eager to dive into. This was no pleasant visit, however. His meeting with the Council had left him with an uncomfortable nagging feeling in the back of his mind. He couldn't quite put his hoof on why, but this was the place to start looking for an answer. Because books about the old Inquisition were rare, and books from the old Inquisition were virtually nonexistent, he would have to piece things together from what he could find in the rest of the library.

He made a note, closing the book in front of him and reaching for another. He had already been through two dozen texts and made very little progress, but with over one hundred selections left to go, he felt confident that he would find something useful, given enough time.

He opened the next book. Almost instantly, his eyes brightened and an uncharacteristic grin spread across his face.

"Just what I've been looking for."

With the current situation, access to most areas of the castle had been restricted, which the guards made very apparent by physically blocking the door to Celestia's chambers, rather than standing beside it in their usual positions. Shining Armor quickly ordered them aside as the trio approached, leading the way to Her Highness.

"Ah, you've returned. Have you reconsidered my request, Taylor?" Celestia asked in her usual pleasant tone.

Taylor dropped the book on the floor in front of him. He wondered if all thousand year old books tasted foul or just that one, but he was glad to be rid of it either way.

"Stuff your request. I brought this for you. Take a look at it, then we can talk." he replied.

The urgency in his voice was sufficient to make the Princess overlook his rudeness. She levitated the book over to where she stood and began leafing through the contents. Many pages were filled with detailed sketches and equally detailed notes about them. Nearly a full minute had passed before she closed the book, gently placing it on a nearby table.

She turned toward Taylor, now with a much darker expression. Her eyes almost seemed to accuse him of some heinous crime. "I'm curious - where did you get this?"

"Is that important? I don't think it'll change the contents of the book."

"No, it won't, but I know you didn't just stumble over this. Somepony gave it to you, and I want to know who it was." her voice had quickly become stern and forceful.

Taylor turned to Twilight and Shining Armor, both of whom appeared very concerned, having never heard Celestia raise her voice to anypony before. He turned back to the Princess, deciding that it would be wise to give her an answer before things could get out of control.

"She called herself Sophie. Not a big fan of yours, but she didn't seem very happy about the idea of Equestria being destroyed either. All she asked was for me to bring this to you."

"I see," Celestia started, "and I thank you for bringing it to me as quickly as you did."

She levitated the book once more, and with a blinding flash of light from her horn, incinerated it, leaving all three ponies dumbstruck.

"You won't be much help to us unless you understand the methods of the Order. They achieve victory through deception and manipulation, and I'm afraid you've just fallen prey to them. That book was a very well-designed trap, which would have sprung the instant you got too close to the Oculus - if such a thing even exists."

Taylor's brow furrowed. "If that's true, then why would she want me to bring it to you first? She must have known that you'd figure it out, right?"

Celestia nodded. "Certainly, and then you would believe that she's on our side. You'd be that much easier to manipulate because you would trust her. She's with the Order, you can't trust her at all."

Taylor sighed. He had gotten his hopes up about Sophie and was angry with himself for being so easily deceived. Twice. "I suppose that leaves me with no choice. I'll help you deal with the Order and stop Chelsea from coming back. On one condition."

Celestia tilted her head to the side. "That condition would be...?"

Taylor raised his head high, locking eyes with Her Highness. "I want to rescue Lyra first."

After a brief pause, the Princess smiled, giving Taylor a slight nod. "As you wish."

14 - The Crucible

Taylor walked down a hallway that seemed just slightly colder than the rest of the castle, led by the dark-coated guard with the booming voice from earlier, whose name he learned was Rolling Thunder.

"How appropriate."

In practically no time at all, they were standing before a set of large wooden doors. The ornate wrought iron bands that reinforced them reminded Taylor of some of the medieval architecture from his own world. Judging by the thick layer of dust and grime, he guessed these doors hadn't been opened in decades, if not centuries.

"This is the old armory. Hasn't seen the light of day since the new one went up." said Rolling Thunder gruffly.

"Cool. In we go." Taylor replied, his impatience painfully obvious.

"I hope you know what you're getting into, kid." grumbled the aging guard. His years of training and service to the Princess had mentally prepared him to deal with virtually any threat, but the existence of the Order still made him uneasy. A secret group of powerful unicorns that have been hiding out in Canterlot for hundreds of years, determined to bring back one of Equestria's most dangerous enemies - Celestia's mother, no less. It sounded far too outlandish to be true, but when it came from the mouth of the Princess herself, it was impossible to dismiss.

"I know what I intend to do. Whether or not I can do it without getting myself caught is the tricky part. I guess I'll be improvising the rest."

Rolling Thunder huffed, clearly annoyed by the nonchalant behavior of this - what did the Princess call them again? Hormones? Hymens? Something like that. It was hardly worth remembering anyhow. There were far more important things to be concerned with.

"So your plan is to walk in there with no plan? Not a very sound strategy, especially if they're as dangerous as Her Highness made them sound."

"Well, it's not like anyone else has any ideas, and only the Order knows what the inside of their little hidey-hole looks like, so it doesn't matter who goes in or what their plan is, they'd be flying just as blind as I am. I know I'm at a disadvantage, but I also know that those red-robed psychopaths took Lyra, so my goal is to rescue her," Taylor narrowed his eyes, his expression darkening, "and extract a little payback if I get the opportunity."

"That's more like it," Thunder said, cracking a smile. "It's still a pretty terrible plan, but I like that you're ready to take on the whole place by yourself. A strong fighting spirit is a respectable quality, just don't let it take control. This is strictly a rescue, so don't go looking for a fight."

With that final word, Rolling Thunder pushed hard against the door. It barely budged at first, but slowly began to give way. Satisfied that it was open far enough for them both to enter, Thunder carefully brushed away the dirt that had accumulated on his previously spotless armor.

The inside of the armory was positively vile. There was dirt caked everywhere, and untold numbers of insects, but worst of all was the smell. Taylor assumed that once the dirt had caked enough around the edges of the door, it effectively sealed the air inside, which had clearly been given more than enough time to develop into a pungent cloud. The origin ceased to be relevant once it started wafting out into the hall.

"Holy crap, I don't think there's a word to describe how nasty that room is!" Taylor exclaimed, barely suppressing a gag.

Thunder laughed, quickly realizing that it was a bad decision as he inhaled the putrid air. "Not so eager to go in anymore, are you?"

"Hell no, not without a hazmat suit and a gallon of Lysol. I think I can actually see the smell. Please tell me you have someone that you can order to do this instead. Minions, peons, underlings, anything like that?"

"I know a faster way," Thunder said, unstrapping his armor. He carefully shrugged off the polished metal plates, freeing his wings. They were large and powerful, almost unnaturally so, which Taylor figured must have been the result of years spent bearing the weight of both the massive stallion and the heavy armor he wore.

"You might want to stand away from the door," he said, gesturing to an area several yards away.

Taylor knew what was about to happen and didn't hesitate to obey, quickly moving to a safe distance. Once he was well out of range, Rolling Thunder reared back, wings extended, and in a magnificent display, swept them forward, forcing a burst of air into the room. In an instant, the years of dirt, dust, and various creatures inhabiting the room were violently expelled out of the armory in a dark plume of filth that filled the hall, covering every surface - including Thunder's coat - in centuries-old foulness.

Rolling Thunder casually shook the dirt off. "There. The armory's much cleaner than it was before."

"At the expense of the entire hall."

Both ponies recognized the voice of the Princess, turning in unison to face her. She was flanked by Twilight and Shining Armor, the latter of which levitated a decorative box much like the one containing the Elements of Harmony.

"You really should go out flying more often," Celestia mused, never losing that trademark pleasant smile of hers. "Perhaps then you wouldn't be quite so tempted to use your gift for such creative purposes."

"Yes, my Princess. My apologies." Thunder replied with a deep bow, tucking his wings tightly against his body.

Her Highness strode into the armory, followed closely by Thunder, Taylor, Twilight, and Shining Armor. It had indeed become much less disgusting, even tolerable, but it was still dark, cold, and musty. Twilight was quick to eliminate the light issue, bathing the room in a lavender glow from her horn. The place was mostly empty, with but a few decrepit wooden racks on which the weapons and armor of the Royal Guard once stood. Part of the wall had collapsed, wooden beams and stone masonry piled in the corner haphazardly. Near the rubble was what Taylor would have described as a large metal cabinet of sorts. Upon closer inspection, he found that the surface was engraved with a cascade of decorative figures, two of which stood out to Taylor. There a very obvious letter "I" - the insignia of the Inquisition - and a much less obvious depiction of an armored human holding a long axe over his head, as if about to chop at the Inquisition sigil.

"You were quick to notice it, weren't you?" Celestia commented. "Inside is the armor of the only other human to ever step foot in Equestria, and the weapon he carried with him," The Princess paused briefly, her eyes transfixed on the etched image of the human. "They were used to defeat the Scarlet Queen, and then given to me before the human departed from our world. I consider them precious artifacts, but in times such as these, I feel they would be more valuable to you in your fight."

Celestia opened the case with her magic, revealing a set of armor and the same axe depicted on the outside of the case, both in pristine condition by comparison to the rest of the room. The armor consisted of a thick chain mail hauberk, strips of metal that had been bound together into heavy vambraces, and to top it all off - literally and figuratively - a conical iron helmet with a mail aventail that covered the entire head, save for the face. The axe appeared rather plain by comparison, and had several nicks in the blade, but Taylor doubted that they would impede the weapon's performance.

"This can't be real. With the terrible luck I've had in this place so far, there's no way I'm going to get to wear this amazing-" Taylor stopped himself. "Wait a second. How exactly is that stuff going to fit me while I'm in this form?"

"It's a simple matter to undo Lyra's spell. That's why I asked you here, and why I brought this." Celestia gestured to Shining Armor, who opened the box he had been carrying. Inside were garments clearly tailored for a pony, but hastily modified to fit a bipedal creature, made of a thick and presumably durable cloth.

"It probably won't be very comfortable, but you humans seem to prefer almost anything to wearing no clothes at all, for reasons that I don't think I'll ever understand. That being said, I would advise wearing it under the armor - those metal rings have been known to pinch. Some earlier versions of the Royal Guards' armor were based on this design and they were most unpleasant without something between the armor and its wearer."

Taylor graciously accepted the pieces and quickly threw them on, eager to get back in his old body. He knew he was going to be obvious no matter what he looked like when he went in to get Lyra back, so it could only be to his advantage to do it in his own element.

"Are you ready?" Celestia asked, her horn already illuminated.

"As I'll ever be. Hit me."

The Princess lowered her head, pointing her horn at Taylor. A bright flare of energy erupted from its peak, engulfing him in an ethereal green cloud of magic. The unpleasant sensation of bone, flesh, and organs shifting into a new form made Taylor lightheaded. Fortunately, it was over quickly.

The once-again human Taylor flexed the fingers on each hand, examining every movement in detail. It was definitely all where it should be - even the scar on the back of his left hand where he had learned a valuable safety lesson about sharp kitchen utensils. He shifted his weight, noticing that the pain he had felt in his leg since his first encounter with the Order was now gone.

Celestia noted the curious look on Taylor's face. "Minor injuries sustained in a transformed state are almost completely healed by returning to your true form."

"Very cool trick," Taylor admitted. He had no idea how such a thing could happen, but he was grateful for the unimpeded use of his leg once more. "Now, I think it's time to get into that armor and find the nearest entrance to the Order's hideout. I'm suddenly feeling a lot more confident about this whole thing."

The Princess obliged, levitating the armor over piece by piece, helping Taylor put it on while the others watched silently. It was evident by how he struggled under the weight of it that he had never worn anything like it before, which made Celestia curious about what conflict was like in the human world these days. The last human to visit Equestria gladly shared tales of his conquests with her, much to her chagrin. They were often violent, bloody, and gruesome stories in which two opposing armies would butcher each other with steel and fire until one side stood as the clear winner - something which could take years of bloodshed to determine. It was extremely unpleasant to think about.

Several more minutes passed in silence, save for the rattling of the chain armor as Taylor and Celestia worked in tandem to ensure everything fit properly. Once they were both satisfied, Taylor eagerly accepted the axe, pleasantly surprised by its weight and balance. It was a very solid weapon, certainly capable of doing serious damage to an opponent even without the expertly honed blade; the shaft alone could easily be used to club someone - or more accurately somepony - unconscious with a single well-placed blow to the head.

"I almost hope I run into a few of them now." Taylor said, just a bit too enthusiastically.

"Easy, kid. Remember what we talked about. This is a rescue," Rolling Thunder reminded him. "Go in, get the girl, get out as fast as possible. Avoid fighting unless they give you no choice."

"Yeah, I know," Taylor replied, slinging the axe over his shoulder. "Well, I'm ready to get going."

The Princess turned to address Shining Armor and Rolling Thunder. "Captain, Lieutenant, please escort Taylor to the undercroft. You know where to go from there," her eyes fell on Taylor once more. "Best of luck to you. Just don't do anything reckless."

Taylor nodded. "I won't. You have my word."

Celestia knew that was a lie from the moment it was uttered, though she opted not to say anything. Taylor truly wanted to bring Lyra back, that much was unquestionable, but there was also a darker intent within him. To desire revenge was an understandable reaction to having been wronged, but it seemed Taylor intended to satisfy that desire in the most reckless way imaginable by meting out justice with a blade - just as his predecessor had done.

"Even after a thousand years, not much seems to have changed."

15 - Forced Entry

Shining Armor, Rolling Thunder, and Taylor advanced through the undercroft, an expansive storage area beneath the castle. The low vaulting that made it seem much more claustrophobic for both Taylor and Rolling Thunder, who were nearly the same height. Shining Armor was only an inch or two shorter, but it allowed him to move around without fear of scraping his head on the damp stone ceiling. Lining the walls were crates, sacks made of something similar to burlap, and some shelves whose wood had begun to rot long ago. Everything in here seemed as old as what they found in the armory - possibly even more so.

"So, does no one around here realize that you can open doors? It seems like every time we go through one, we find a room that no one's been to in centuries." Taylor remarked, ducking to avoid a particularly low section of the ceiling and getting a face full of cobweb in the process.

"The undercroft used to serve as living quarters for the servants, back before Celestia came to power. One of her first orders after taking the throne was for a new building to be constructed on the surface to house those that had been stuck down here. This became storage for food, supplies, and things like that. A few decades later, there was a big flood that ruined nearly everything down here, and it was decided that important supplies shouldn't be kept in the lowest levels of the castle anymore. The area was all but abandoned after that." Shining Armor lectured, the influence of his sister clearly showing.

"Cool history lesson, but it sounded like a resounding 'no' to me. How much further is it to... wherever it is that we're going?"

Shining Armor glanced at Rolling Thunder, who also seemed curious. "It can't be very far. The undercroft only spans about a third of the castle grounds."

"Okay, that's not so bad," Taylor said, though he had absolutely no idea just how big that castle grounds really were. It wasn't something he felt needed to be committed to memory, given the circumstances. "How will we know when we're there?"

"The Princess said that there's a section of wall down here that collapsed in the flood. That's what we're looking for."

"Another busted wall? This place is really falling apart, huh?" Taylor laughed. On the surface, Canterlot looked unnaturally pristine, as if it were somehow impervious to developing any sort of flaw or fault. Those that lived in the castle and the surrounding city probably believed as such, but below the untarnished surface there existed all the same neglect, decay, and filth as the world he was used to. For some reason, he found it amusing.

For the next few minutes, they walked wordlessly. Shining Armor's illumination spell, though significantly less powerful than Twilight's, was adequate for lighting their way and provided a comfortable hum to fill the silence. Taylor busied himself by fidgeting with the links of his armor. He couldn't see them clearly, so he attempted to build a mental picture of how they fit together by feel, abandoning the effort soon after.

"I hope I never go blind. If I can't even figure this out, I'd probably suck at reading braille."

Rolling Thunder stopped abruptly, his gaze trained intently on something to their left. "Captain, over there. Do you think that's it?"

It wasn't very far away, but was almost completely masked by the darkness - a section of the wall that had crumbled, leaving a pile of debris roughly two feet high. The trio hurried eagerly over to examine it.

"It appears that there's some empty space where the wall should go. Even more intriguing is the overabundance of wall on the floor. What do you suppose it means?" Taylor said, hoping that being flippant would hide just how nervous he was.

"It means we found what the Princess wanted us to find," Rolling Thunder replied, gesturing to the area beyond the rubble. Just past the opening was a tunnel that had been carved through solid stone, which extended several yards before intersecting with another path.

Taylor squinted, trying unsuccessfully to make out any details in the darkened passage. "What am I looking at here? Is this something our side did, or theirs?"

"I'm inclined to believe this was the Order. The Royal Guard has no need to scurry around under the castle like rats." Thunder grumbled.

"Do I need to point out the irony?"

"I would prefer it if you did not."

Shining Armor pulled himself into the tunnel, ending their exchange as they fell in line behind him. Taylor gripped his weapon tightly, hoping he wouldn't have to use it until he was ready, fearing that if they were caught off guard, he would freeze up and be useless.

Without warning, Shining Armor came to a halt and dimmed his illumination spell. Before the others could ask why, they heard it too - voices echoing faintly off the damp stone walls. All three held their breath, straining their ears to hear what was being said. After what felt like an eternity, the sounds slowly began to fade. Satisfied that they were still safe, Shining Armor allowed his spell to flicker back to life and they pressed onward.

"Even using magic, it would have taken a long time to bore out a system of passages like this. Years, maybe even decades, depending on how far they stretch. They've been using this to move around Canterlot for a long time." Rolling Thunder observed. He was clearly not happy about that fact.

Taylor shrugged - a pointless gesture, since he was at the back of the line. "It's possible they only use this for things they would want to keep secret. Without the robes on, I assume they look just like anyone else, so they could easily blend in with the rest of Canterlot."

"Well, that puts my mind at ease. Thanks for that."

"Both of you be quiet unless you want them to hear us coming." Shining Armor ordered. In truth, he was just growing tired of the banter, but he knew that the more noise they made, the more likely they were to be discovered, and the armor that the Princess had given Taylor wasn't helping their situation by rattling around so much.

The path began to curve, opening up into a circular room with two more tunnels connected to it. The floor here was cobblestone rather than being carved from the existing rock. Meticulously chiseled into the wall was the symbol of the Inquisition - perhaps a sign that they were getting closer.

Shining Armor stood in the center of the room, looking around for anything "I'm open to suggestions. Which way do we go?"

"I don't see any difference between the two, Captain. Aside from the mark on the wall, that is." Thunder replied.

Taylor considered the layout of the room. If they had entered from an imaginary South, then the other two paths were connected at approximately West and North. The symbol on the wall was closest to the West tunnel, but its placement didn't seem deliberate enough for it to mean anything. There were no obvious marks to indicate direction, so perhaps anyone using these tunnels had committed the system to memory. It seemed like a stretch, especially for the Order. The more likely possibility was that they had very subtle markings to indicate the proper direction, maybe something that could only be activated by the proper spell.

Suddenly, an idea emerged in Taylor's mind. "Hey, can you kill the lights for a second?"

"I fail to see how that will make finding the way easier." Thunder commented.

Shining Armor ignored his Lieutenant's objections, snuffing out the illumination spell. It took some time for their eyes to adjust to the utter blackness that surrounded them, but the results were spectacular. Each path began to develop an ethereal glow that almost seemed to seep into the air, like the walls were emitting a colorful mist. It was beautiful, yet unnerving.

"Well, if you'll excuse the pun, that was pretty much a shot in the dark and I'm surprised it worked. Now we at least have something to work with. Between blue and white, which one's going to take us to the Order's hideout?"

"Red." Shining Armor stated.

The others hadn't noticed it, too focused on the tunnels to bother with what had been dismissed as just a wall. Dead center on the East side of the chamber was the mark of the Inquisition, glowing softly in a crimson hue, with what resembled a glowing hoof print below it. Rolling Thunder and Taylor caught on quickly, moving closer to inspect the sigil.

"Well, that looks ominous. Let's poke it - by which I mean one of you poke it." Taylor said, stepping back away from the wall.

Shining Armor took the lead, stepping toward the glowing symbol on the wall. Without hesitation, he placed his hoof against the matching print on the wall. After a brief delay, the mark faded, and the wall where it had been began shuddering. A harsh grinding sound of stone against stone hit the trio's ears as the hidden door slid downward.

The hall beyond where the door had just been was of stone brick, similar to the older sections of Canterlot castle. Torches lined the walls, bathing everything in a warm golden glow. It was actually rather pleasant, though all three knew better than to feel secure in this place.

"You're on your own from here," Shining Armor stated in the formal tone he favored when trying to sound like a proper Captain. "We've been ordered to stay here and wait for your return as long as we can. If we believe you've been gone too long, we'll report back to the Princess and-"

"I've seen this movie already, I know the drill. Give me at least an hour, maybe two. If I'm not back by then, I am officially in deep shit and need rescuing, but between the resistance to magic, the armor, the weapon, and having the element of surprise, I think I'll have a pretty solid advantage here. As long as they don't have archers, I'm good." Taylor said, brushing some dirt from his knee.

"Good luck." grunted Rolling Thunder, giving Taylor a nod. For the first time since Celestia had briefed him on what was going on in Canterlot, he was feeling on edge. The gravity of their undertaking had sunk in, and he realized that this would be so much more than just a simple rescue operation. Regardless of this human's success or failure, things would certainly escalate from here.

Taylor saluted them both, which just seemed appropriate, hefted his axe, and stepped into the hall. There were no fewer than twenty heavy wooden doors lining the walls, any of which could be hiding an unknown number of the enemy. Taylor swallowed hard and tried not to think about it, cautiously making his way through the Sanctuary. He was anxious, scared, and couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, which meant that every shadow, noise, or other imagined danger made him tense up.

After several minutes of this, he had to accept that it wasn't going to work. At his current rate, it would take forever to make any real progress, and he would be a nervous wreck long before he found Lyra. If he was going to bring her back in the short time frame he had allowed himself, he would have to suppress his fearful thoughts and get moving. With a deep breath, he tightened his grip on handle of the axe until it became painful and forced himself to increase his pace.

All the while, a familiar pair of azure eyes observed his every move from the shadows.

16 - Split Personality

Taylor had been skulking through the halls of the Sanctuary for nearly a half hour, searching for wherever Lyra was being kept. Strangely enough, he hadn't seen a single member of the Order yet, which was simultaneously unnerving and reassuring. He considered himself fortunate that he hadn't stumbled into a group of foes, but he was also fairly certain that this inexplicable absence of opposition was a bad sign.

A solid-looking wooden door stood at the end of a nearby hall, with a small barred window unlike any of the other doors in the Sanctuary. Curious as to what made this part of the building special, Taylor approached, taking care to stick to cover as best he could. Fortunately, if he needed to hide from anyone, there were half-pillars at regular intervals along the walls, which could easily have hidden two small ponies. He couldn't help but wonder whether or not this place had been designed with such a use in mind - perhaps as a measure to afford them some cover in the event of a raid. It certainly seemed like something the Order would want handy.

Taylor reached the door, and after taking a long look around to be sure he was alone, peered through the small window. Unsurprisingly, it led to another hall, but this one was different, built from the same kind of stone bricks as the lower levels of Canterlot Castle. On the left wall hung long crimson banners, embroidered with a black "I" and trimmed in gold. Between each of the banners was a lit torch sitting in a very plain wrought iron wall mount. To the right were hollowed alcoves - also similar to the architecture of the undercroft beneath Canterlot - each of which had been fitted with heavy metal bars and equally sturdy-looking doors. All of the doors bore large locks which seemed much newer than the fixtures they were mounted to. Engraved in each was a number, which Taylor guessed corresponded to a series of numbered keys somewhere.

"Well, this looks like the place," Taylor said to himself, "so now I just have to-"

He pressed against the door, but it refused to budge. Another harder push yielded the same result. He took a step back from the door and, using his shoulder as a battering ram, slammed against it with as much force as he dared muster. Still nothing. At that point, two things became apparent - the third time was most certainly not the charm, and the fucking door was locked from the other side. Also, his shoulder hurt, so that made three things.

"Son of a bitch! Why can't things ever be easy around here?" he complained a bit more loudly than he had intended.

"Because the hero's journey is fraught with obstacles, no?"

Taylor already had the axe raised high above his head and had begun to spin around for an attack before his mind caught up. The voice was familiar and sweet, and he only knew one pony in this crazy world who sounded like that. He hesitated, looking into the face of Sophie. She wore a smug smirk, leaning against the wall with one of her forelegs crossed in front of the other casually. Despite the outward display of arrogance, her eyes were alight with interest, taking in Taylor's new form.

"So, is this what you really look like?" she asked, looking him up and down with a gaze that bore a disturbing similarity to how one might ogle someone they found particularly attractive.

Taylor lowered his weapon to his side. "Yes, and stop molesting me with your eyes. It's creepy. Now, since you're here, I want some answers. For starters, what was the deal with that book? Celestia torched the thing as soon as I gave it to her - said it was a trap and indicated that it may have been meant for me. I didn't care much for that, you know."

"Aww, don't you trust me?" Sophie feigned a pouty expression.

"Fuck no. What you sent me off with was obviously not very well hidden. You wanted Celestia to pick up on that trap of yours, which means you're playing games with me, so I don't trust you at all. In fact, I'm wishing I had followed through with my swing." Taylor commented bitterly, hefting the axe in his hand.

"How very cruel of you," she said in an unimpressed deadpan tone. "You say she burned it? That's a shame. I wanted her to see the note I'd left in there for her. I assumed she would notice the obvious trap and think a bit further, but I suppose that was too much to expect from her-overly-cautious-highness."

"So why not just have me deliver the message? Why all the unnecessary effort and secrecy? Why risk it?"

Sophie smiled, as if she was recalling a fond memory. "Personal reasons. Let's just pretend that I was worried you might forget the message. I did just have you in a somewhat altered mental state not five minutes prior, so it's fair to say that you might have forgotten it before returning to her. Ink tends to outlast memory, after all."

Taylor wasn't buying it, but it didn't seem important enough to argue. There were far more pressing matters to worry about.

"Smells like bullshit to me, but whatever, I'm more concerned with why you're here. I seriously doubt that you just happened to show up at this door at this exact moment by coincidence, so I guess you've been following me?"

"Correct, ever since you walked into the Sanctuary. It would have been much easier if you weren't so slow. I think I've seen slugs move faster. Dead ones at that. Anyway, we've been keeping the others away from your path the whole time. "

Taylor was about to rebut, prepared to pull out all sorts of reasons for his cautious progression, but something about what Sophie said gave him pause. "Hold on a second, did you just say 'we'? Who's 'we'?"

"I'm 'we'!" giggled a voice from the other side of the door, startling Taylor.

"What the shit!?" he exclaimed, awkwardly scrambling away from the new arrival. After a brief moment to regain his composure, he turned to find another pair of eyes identical to Sophie's staring at him through the bars. There was a muffled click and the door swung open to reveal an exact duplicate of the silver-coated unicorn grinning gleefully at him.

"Meet my other half. You may call her Starbright." Sophie stated with a wry smile.

"Christ on a unicycle, there are two of you now? The fun has been doubled," Taylor said, mustering as sarcastic a tone as he was able. "So, what is she, your sister or something?"

"Not quite. As part of my training, I had to learn to create a 'ghost' of myself, for lack of a better word. It was an interesting parlor trick, but hardly worth the time it took to learn, so I set out to make a better version." Sophie nodded in her clone's direction. "Starry's the result of that effort. Not quite perfect, but she has plenty of uses."

Taylor suppressed a smirk "Yeah, I'll bet. I've seen my share of rule thirty-four involving this exact scenario."

Sophie paused, narrowing her eyes at him. "I don't know what that is, but the way you said it makes me believe I'm better off without that information. Anyway, the door's unlocked, and I suspect we don't have much more time before the patrols realize they're not where they're supposed to be - which would be here. I think it would be prudent to make ourselves scarce."

"There you go again using plurals. Stop that. Just what makes you think I want you anywhere near me during any of this? In case you've forgotten, I do not trust you."

"Yeah yeah, I know that already, mister suspicious. Don't worry, I'll take the lead and everything so you can keep an eye on me, if that'll ease your mind. I intend to help you free your little marefriend-"

Taylor held up a hand. "Stop right there. First, kindly refer to her simply as my friend because I don't want to take any chances with anyone getting the wrong impression - though I suppose at this point it's probably too late for that. Second, you absolutely will not be accompanying me on this because I just know that you plan to turn on me the instant I'm vulnerable. It's an advantageous position for you and a really shitty one for me, especially since there are two of you now."

"Y'know, back at the castle - you were right. You really are a coward. Just shut up and follow me... us... whatever. If anypony shows up, you're our prisoner. For your own sake, I recommend playing along."

Sophie flicked her tail in Taylor's face as she passed by him, establishing that the conversation was over and she would have no more of his stubborn attitude. Taylor wanted to protest after suffering that indignity, but was forced to submit, hearing unfamiliar voices approaching from an adjacent hall, most likely belonging to other members of the Order. He jogged after Sophie, and Starbright closed the door, bringing up the rear.

Bon Bon sat in the corner of the cell, hanging her head, her ears drawn back. There had been an extremely uncomfortable silence in the minutes following her confession. She had spilled it all - her role in the previous day's events, being a member of the Order of Canterlot, her relationship to the Grand Inquisitor.

She knew Lyra would react negatively, but that didn't make it any less painful to deal with.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I was trying to protect you, but I guess it didn't really..." Bon Bon trailed off.

Lyra's eye twitched. "You've been lying to me for years, you tried to hand over Taylor to the Order, you got us both locked in this cell, and you think that an apology means anything to me!? I had one goal in life and just when I finally got to enjoy success, you set all of this in motion and ruined everything for me, not to mention Taylor! A million apologies wouldn't even begin to reverse the damage you've done!"

Bon Bon unconsciously leaned away from the raging unicorn. To say Lyra was behaving out of character was a massive understatement. Even when they had entered into heated arguments in the past, it was never like this. There was a look in Lyra's eyes that terrified Bon Bon, the look of somepony who was capable of unspeakable things at that moment.

The cream-colored mare sighed. "I know that. I've made some terrible mistakes recently. I just want a chance to fix thi-"

"Don't talk to me," Lyra seethed, interrupting Bon Bon's plea. She was clearly struggling to maintain any semblance of composure. "I want nothing to do with you right now."

"Lyra, I know you're upset, but I can still-"

Bon Bon was interrupted again, this time by a particularly loud and jarring noise coming from above the cell. It sounded like somepony had just bucked a door. Shortly after, she heard somepony shouting, a deep voice that was certainly male, joined soon after by another voice, though she had difficulty identifying the gender. There was a brief discussion between the two, and then the faint sound of two sets of hooves crossing the hall above them. Soon, the pair had crossed all the way to the wooden spiral staircase at the end of the hall and were descending to their level. No doubt it was Cerise and Adrastos. Then again, she had never heard Adrastos raise his voice, and what in Equestria could that noise have been?

The clacking of hooves against stone grew louder as the unknown ponies approached, and Bon Bon quickly realized something was wrong. She detected a light scuffing sound, certainly not made by hooves, and it certainly didn't keep with the same tempo as a cantering pony. Lyra's ears perked up, having heard the same noise. Both prisoners were now watching the cell door, suspicious and apprehensive.

First to come into view was Sophie, who smiled at both of them. Lyra was uncertain of this new arrival, but Bon Bon breathed a sigh of relief at seeing her chapter's director. It was never a good sign when the leadership had to go down to the cells, but at least it wasn't Cerise. Sophie was far more civil, and given their history, it was more likely she was here to offer a kind word of encouragement, and perhaps even some good news.

Next, it was Lyra's turn to feel relieved. Taylor crossed behind Sophie, taking his place next to her at the cell door, looking down at them with a confident smile. Lyra barely recognized him, as he was covered almost head to hoof - or, more accurately, head to toe - in heavy chain mail armor, but that silhouette was unmistakable.

"So, how's life on the inside, Dufresne?" Taylor asked, grinning.

All three ponies (four, counting Starbright) stared blankly at Taylor, who rolled his eyes in mock exasperation.

"It's a movie. I'll explain later, after I-"

"We." Sophie corrected.

"-after we get you two out of there. Because this chick loves her fucking plurals and won't go away." Taylor finished.

Sophie ignored Taylor, turning to nod at Starbright. Whatever wordless communication was happening between them, Starbright seemed to understand fully, producing a large ring of keys seemingly from nowhere. Sophie's horn flashed with energy, levitating the keys from her double. Taylor took notice of this, and guessed that Starbright might not be capable of magic. It seemed like a fair assumption, given that she wasn't a real pony, after all.

Sophie sorted through the numerous keys on the ring, found the correct key for this door, inserted it into the keyhole, and turned. With a loud click, it swung open. Lyra rushed out, glad to have her freedom back, but Bon Bon remained where she was, eyes downcast.

"What's wrong with her?" Taylor asked Lyra quietly.

Lyra huffed. "She's with them. The Order came looking for us because she tipped them off the day you arrived. Everything that has happened was her fault."

Taylor looked to Lyra, whose eyes were filled with anger and hurt, then to Sophie, who seemed indifferent to the situation, and lastly to Bon Bon, who simply appeared defeated. There was no other way to describe it. Her expression was that of a pony who had lost everything important to her. It was a look Taylor was familiar with.

He knelt down to get closer to eye level with her. "Well, Bonny, you fucked up big time, but you probably won't get a chance to fix anything if you're stuck in this cell. Time to get back on your feet- er... hooves... and do the right thing."

Something about his words seemed to slowly bring the pony back to life, as if Taylor somehow knew just the right thing to say to someone in her position. Bon Bon exited the cell, and Sophie slammed the door shut behind her, returning the keys to Starbright, who headed for the stairwell, presumably to put the keyring back where she had gotten it.

Sophie turned to Taylor, Lyra, and Bon Bon. "If we make a run for it, it should only take about five minutes to get out of here. I think it's safe to say that the sight of a human alone will scare away any newbies we might encounter. The only thing we might have to worry about is running into another High Inquisitor. Fortunately, they're much more susceptible to my suggestion spells than you were," she glared at Taylor, "so keeping them off of us won't be any trouble. Just stay close to me. Oh, and human, try to look as terrifying as possible."

"Got it. I'll put on my best Gary Busey face." Taylor laughed, receiving more awkward looks from the others.

"Of course they wouldn't get it."

With that, they ran for the spiral stairs, taking them two to three at a time. Taylor and Sophie were in the lead, Lyra just behind them, and Bon Bon in the rear, struggling to keep up after getting minimal rest and nourishment in the past day and a half. She arrived at the top, thinking the other three were waiting on her, but she quickly realized they had stopped for another reason entirely. She peered over Lyra's shoulder to get a better look.

There, blocking the door at the end of the hallway, stood the Grand Inquisitor, smiling evilly at them.

17 - Victim of Deceit

"In my dream, the sky was a silken portrait of lights, which bathed the misty world below in a surreal glow. I saw nothing alive, save for a strange man made of black smoke. He moved as a wraith, an incorporeal entity floating over the ground and passing through objects at will. He was absent of face, yet I always felt as if his eyes were upon me. I was fearful, not of him, but of why he had come, and of what he intended for me.

I'll never forget his words. He spoke to me 'Welcome to my world, the end of all things.'"

- Translated from "The Beyond", c. 1010 CE

Taylor had been hoping that he wouldn't need to use the weapon he had been lugging around; being forced into a fight was his greatest concern. Throughout his life, he had always avoided physical confrontation, so it was unlikely that he would be able to do much more than flail around wildly. Even if he knew how to fight, he had never even held a battleaxe, so his ability to use it would be minimal at best. Everything was working against him and he began to wonder why he had agreed to this in the first place. Overconfidence, or perhaps arrogance? The latter seemed most accurate. He felt from the start that this was a bad idea, but his own narcissism managed to overpower logic and send him into the belly of the beast. It wasn't the first time he had made a rash decision out of some foolhardy idea that he was untouchable.

"Why did Celestia let me do this? Does she know something I don't, or did she send me here hoping I wouldn't make it out? Is this her idea of a test?"

Taylor took a deep breath and stepped forward, placing himself between the Inquisitor and the others. He turned his left side toward the new arrival, adopting a slightly crouched posture. Adrenaline coursed through his body, and he became only vaguely aware of the weight of the weapon in his hand, which usually seemed to pull him down like an anchor. Every natural instinct screamed at him to run, but there was something forcing him to stand his ground - a single impulse which he didn't fully understand.

"Move," Taylor growled at the nameless foe.

The stallion at the end of the hall remained stationary, bearing a disturbing grin. One might liken it to that of a serial killer, with clear focus and malicious intent. This was no ordinary Inquisitor, and all present knew it.

"I said move!" Taylor snapped, a primal snarl forming on his face. In his world, such a feral expression might have made him look like a furious mental patient, but in Equestria, he had the advantage of being viewed as some manner of mythical beast. He chose to see it as playing the part to his advantage.

The Inquisitor didn't seem to consider the human's blustering a threat. His hooves remained firmly planted and his gaze unchanged. It was as if he were daring Taylor, or anyone else to strike at him. It was unsettling, to say the least, that this foe showed no fear or hesitation when facing off against superior numbers and an enemy of unknown strength. It was unlikely that he was simply bluffing, but even so, it seemed possible that he could be overestimating himself.

"There's no way he knows what I can do, right? He couldn't possibly know. I'm the only one of my kind in this world."

Lyra stepped forward to place herself at Taylor's side, horn crackling with energy. Her eyes were alight with the same ferocity Taylor witnessed two nights prior when she saved him from the Order. Such a pronounced transformation in the normally pleasant unicorn made Taylor a little nervous, but he appreciated the backup.

Light flashed abruptly from Lyra's horn, startling Taylor. From the tip, three white-hot bolts of magical energy manifested and soared across the hall with a shrill screech, exploding into dense gray clouds on impact with the Inquisitor a fraction of a second later. As the smoke cleared, it became apparent that the attack had inflicted no damage, but it gave Taylor an idea.

"How many of those can you use at once?" he asked Lyra, never averting his gaze from the Inquisitor.

"Not many. I'm guessing you have a plan, so whatever it is, you'll need to be quick about it."

Taylor shifted his stance, placing the majority of his weight on his rear foot. "That won't be a problem. Just try not to hit me with one of those things."

Lyra steadied herself, inhaled deeply, then began to unleash another barrage of magic at the Inquisitor. Meanwhile, Taylor pushed off from his position, staying as far away from Lyra's attack as possible while charging down the hall. Even so, he could still feel the intense heat radiating off of each shot, the last of which landed a mere fraction of a second before he would be in range of his target. He chose to strike from below, concluding that his foe would likely be bracing for a high or center strike. Furthermore, even if the attack was only glancing, a hit to the leg would at least give them an opportunity to run, should the situation become even less favorable.

Mid-swing, Taylor caught a glimpse of something hoof-shaped through the smoke, heading directly toward his face. Unable to evade, he closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and forced the blade of his axe toward his target with every bit of strength he possessed. This was going to hurt, but at least he wouldn't be the only one bleeding...

...or so he thought.

The sound of metal clattering loudly on stone struck his ears first. Taylor's sudden loss of momentum did nothing to stop that of the axe, which had wrenched itself from his grasp and flown harmlessly past the Grand Inquisitor, crashing against the wall. Next came the chilling realization that his gambit had failed catastrophically and he was going to lose this fight. Third and finally, he felt the blinding pain from having been kicked solidly in the face. He could feel blood pouring from his nostrils as he lay pitifully on his side, howling in agony.

He heard Lyra calling to him over the sound of rapidly approaching hoofbeats.

"Stop right there. You're outmatched and outnumbered, little filly," the Inquisitor warned, placing himself between Lyra and Taylor. "It would be unwise to resist."

Lyra hesitated. She wasn't even close to being strong enough to take on this particular foe directly - that much was certain - but she was by no means outnumbered. Unless...

"He's right, you know, just like he was right about your pet human. It doesn't take much to manipulate one so blindly arrogant," Sophie mocked as she passed Lyra. "Honestly, I'm disappointed at how easy this was. I expected a struggle, or at least a chase."

Taylor managed to open one eye, looking up into Sophie's face. She stared back, expressionless, before her horn flashed, enveloping Taylor in a blue glow. He was suddenly overcome with lethargy, and fought just to keep his eyes open.

Taylor's reached out with a trembling hand, grasping Sophie's foreleg weakly. "You bitch. I knew... we couldn't..."

Without even the energy to finish his sentence, Taylor gave in to the spell, allowing his body to go limp, and he drifted into unconsciousness. Sophie then turned on Lyra, striking her with the same spell. She collapsed on her side almost instantly.

"Come along, Imperator," Sophie called back to Bon Bon. "It's thanks to your warning that we were able to stop them. For that, I think you've earned a front row seat to our Queen's return."

A very confused Bon Bon simply nodded and followed obediently. She trusted Sophie absolutely, but disliked that her scheme was going this far, taking them this close to the revival of Queen Chelsea.

With all of Equestria on the line, such bold measures were unsafe, to say the least.

The double doors to the Archives were thrown open violently with a burst of magic, immediately preceding the arrival of a very irate Cerise storming into the room. She looked around, observing nothing out of place, which she found very suspicious. Every time she was forced to come down here, the room was a disaster, and Adrastos was always in the center of the book storm. Today, everything was neat and pristine, and the only other pony in the room was the middle-aged pegasus with a snow white coat who tended to the upkeep of this section of the Order's private library. She was usually nose deep in a book, and today was no exception. Cerise could never remember her name - not that she bothered to learn the name of anypony whose rank was below her own, save for a select few - but she was quite familiar with the librarian. The one thing that made her stand out from most members of the Order was her timid nature, and Cerise found endless delight in making her squirm.

"Hey you! Have you see anypony else here today?" Cerise barked, startling the mare. "I'm looking for Adrastos."

The mare, Winter Skies, flexed her wings nervously in the presence of a superior - just the type of reaction Cerise wanted to see.

"I've seen nopony in here today, Imperator." she squeaked back, trying (and failing) to mask her anxiety.

Cerise looked the pegasus up and down, glaring at her as if she were somehow to blame for the absence of her quarry. She briefly considered ordering 'the lowly bookworm' to go look for him to save herself the effort, but opted instead to turn sharply and flick her tail in the mare's face as she proceeded to search the room.

"For your sake, I'd better not find out he's in here," she spat, "because if I do, I'll see to it that you end up in an even more degrading and meaningless role within this Order."

The bitter pink unicorn took an excessively long and thorough look around the circular room, searching for anywhere that Adrastos might be hiding, and even checking a few locations which simply weren't capable of concealing a stallion his size. After several minutes of this, Winter considered mentioning to Cerise that she had already scoured the entirety of this room half a dozen times and come up empty, but thought better of it. To criticize her was a terrible idea no matter who you were, but to do so when she outranked you? Winter grimaced, remembering the fate of last unfortunate recruit who had done exactly that.

Cerise sighed in her usual melodramatic fashion. Certain that her subordinate was not present and particularly upset at having wasted the time searching for nothing, she was forced to accept defeat and made her way toward the exit wordlessly, kicking the door closed behind her. It shut with a resounding slam, rattling the stained glass windows on the opposite wall.

"I hope you fall down the stairs," Winter muttered, returning to her seat.

She waited in silence for several minutes, eyes occasionally darting up to check the doorway, then back down to the pages of her book. Once she was satisfied that Cerise would not be returning, she got up from her chair, pushed it away from the table, and walked to the edge of the circular rug that dominated the center of the room. After taking another moment to be certain she was still alone, she leaned down to grab the edge in her teeth. A quick tug revealed an Inquisition symbol carved into one of the stones that made up the floor of the room. Without delay, she ran her hoof in a circle around it quickly and carefully, with the precision of one who had done this many times before, then pressed firmly in the center. The symbol flickered red, then sunk downward, beginning a cascading reaction which caused a small section of the floor to "collapse" to reveal a hidden staircase.

Winter's eyes remained fixed on the door as she trotted quickly over to the outermost wall of the Archives where a heavy wooden bookcase fit snugly into the shallow stone alcove. She rapped her hoof on the solid wood shelf once, paused, then struck twice again in rapid succession. The same pattern was returned to her from behind the wall, followed by a faint mechanical click. Slowly, the bookshelf began to pivot, opening a path just wide enough for Adrastos, who had been waiting on the other side, to squeeze through.

The two ponies nodded to each other in passing but spoke not a word. Winter closed up the hidden passage while Adrastos made for the staircase with all haste. He had just enough time to clear the floor level before the stones began to shudder, then snapped back to their previous positions, magically sealing the entrance. Winter quickly covered everything up with the rug, careful to smooth it out so it appeared exactly as it had just a moment ago, then took her seat once more.

"Good luck," Winter whispered softly.

"...I just hope the Princess is willing to hear you out."

Taylor groaned and opened his eyes slowly, feeling the chill of dirt and stone beneath him. He was still dazed and struggled to maintain focus, but in the brief moments of clarity, he was able to see the night sky. The stars were plentiful and glimmered brightly, as if they were competing for the attention of those below. A few wispy purplish clouds hung overhead, not at all like the kind found in Equestria. They were much more reminiscent of those from his world, but their formation was surreal, appearing as a large spiral whose arms stretched all the way across the sky. It was certainly impressive, but something just seemed to be missing, and it didn't take long to determine what that was.

"Where's the moon?"

That thought - his words, in his voice - echoed off of every surface, but he hadn't spoken. Somehow the contents of his mind had been projected outward. Taylor sat up quickly, immediately regretting the decision as an intense bout of nausea struck him. He fell back to the ground, shutting his eyes tightly and repeating the same muttered obscenity. After taking a moment to recover, he slowly struggled to his feet, looking around.

He was in the center of what would have been some sort of cell, if the walls were still standing. It was apparent that they had long since crumbled away, leaving only the fragmented arrangement of dark gray bricks forming a rectangular shape around him. The rusted remnants of a heavy barred door lay in front of him, all but destroyed by time. Beyond that were more piles of brick and many destroyed furnishings, all of which appeared to have been grandiose and expensive in their time. In the distance, a shredded rectangle of cloth hung pitifully from a wooden shaft, a banner of some sort - still standing, but barely. It was a vibrant blue, a stark contrast to everything else in this place, wherever he was. In the center of the cloth was an all too familiar pastel orange sun.

Taylor took a step backward, an unconscious attempt to distance himself from the what he was seeing. Something crunched beneath his footfall, and he spun around to see what he was stepping on (suffering another wave of nausea for this mistake). It appeared to be a tangle of some sort of vine, but the outer surface resembled black glass. Inside was what appeared to be red smoke drifting so slowly that it was difficult to tell it was moving at all. Whatever these things were, they were plentiful, snaking their way up nearly every vertical surface in the area. Taylor found it strange that something so fragile could grow in such quantity, even stranger that something such as this could grow at all.

He turned back toward the front of the entrance of the decrepit cell and found a dark figure on the other side of what used to be the entrance - or at least, he thought it was facing him. Whatever this creature was, it seemed to be made of a dense fog coalesced into the shape of a human with no facial features, and its skin (if it could be called such) was pitch black, so dark that it seemed to swallow any light that fell upon it.

"Greetings," it said in a deep flanged voice that echoed for what felt like an eternity. "I've been waiting for you to arrive for some time now."

Taylor opened his mouth to respond, but found himself unable to produce any sound. Confused, he held a hand to his throat and tried again. He felt the the vibration, but still heard nothing. His eyes went wide and his heart raced as he began to panic. He felt his legs shaking beneath him and allowed himself to fall to his knees, breathing heavily.

"What the hell happened to me!?"

His thoughts exploded outward, piercing the silence of this place. It wasn't until the echo had subsided that he looked back up at the dark figure, who remained still.

"You've already begun to understand, have you not?" it asked knowingly.

"Uh... hello?"

Again, Taylor's thoughts had been given sound, but this time with a much less distressing volume. 'Speaking' with one's thoughts was unnatural, and would take a lot of getting used to, but at least he now had a way to communicate with whatever this creature was. Somehow Taylor got the impression that the dark figure was pleased, though it showed no outward sign of any emotion.

"Good, now come. There are things you need to see."

The figure began floating away without waiting for a response. Taylor wasn't in any position to protest and hurried out of the cell after him, narrowly avoiding tripping over the fallen door. He walked in silence behind the dark figure, occasionally stopping to more closely examine something he had seen, then quickening his pace to catch up before he could be left behind, just as an easily-distracted child might follow their parent. They passed many collapsed structures, most of which looked to have been destroyed by some manner of explosion.

Taylor began to notice things that seemed wildly out of place. Typical Canterlot architecture, the large gray brick that the Order used for much of its underground structure, and the gold-capped white spires of Canterlot Castle all seemed to mesh into one another, creating a mind-boggling scene.

"If you spliced Dali and Escher's DNA, this is what the hideous resulting offspring would paint."

That thought wasn't supposed to be audible. Embarrassed, Taylor glanced at the dark figure, who continued onward, either not having heard or simply not caring, the latter of which seemed most likely. The weathered cobblestone road on which they traveled, much like the one which spanned the length of Canterlot, stretched onward as far as the eye could see, though it would only be another few minutes at this pace before the rows of destroyed buildings would abruptly end, leaving only the path below. Taylor hoped that whatever he was being led to would be in the wreckage of one of the upcoming buildings. The prospect of following this nameless thing down a seemingly-endless cobblestone road for an indeterminate period of time to who-knows-where wasn't exactly an exciting one.

Without warning, the figure vanished. Taylor's eyes darted around, looking for any trace of his spectral escort, coming up empty. He shouted a curse at the top of his lungs, but somehow it just didn't have the same effect when he was being silenced by this place. He kicked a loose stone in frustration, watching it sail off toward a building up ahead which caught his attention. The color had faded, but Taylor could still recognize it as the one he had been led to by Sophie. It was in surprisingly good shape, with the only noticeable damage being a hole in the roof about the size of a small car. Relative to the condition of the other buildings in the area, many of which had been completely leveled, it was practically pristine.

Taylor walked quickly toward the entrance. He didn't know what he would find inside, or even why he had so suddenly been compelled to explore. At least he would be doing something productive, instead of waiting around for something to happen, he thought.

Mid-stride, he felt a sudden chill and the world disappeared, replaced by a new scene. He was standing atop one of Canterlot Castle's highest spires. It was in horrible shape, looking as if it had suffered extensive damage, but worst of all was a series of enormous black crystalline spikes that pierced it in several places. Inside of each was the same red smoke as the strange vines Taylor encountered earlier.

To his left, the dark figure from before stood stoically, as if waiting for him. Taylor struggled against his extreme fear of heights to stand next to the figure. His hands gripped the tarnished golden railing so hard that they trembled. What he saw as he looked out over the world did little to ease his fears. The land looked like it had been torn open by giant hands, creating a deep canyon that ran from the base of Canterlot Mountain to the edge of Ponyville, or what was left of it. Most of it had been completely destroyed by fire. The only remaining identifiable structure was the windmill, of which only the circular stone base still stood. Further in the distance, the lush forests which once bordered Ponyville had fared no better against the raging flames.

The dark figure turned toward Taylor and waved his hand over the landscape slowly. "Welcome my world, the end of all things..."

"...Welcome to Terminus."

18 - Terminus

Taylor looked out over the charred remains of Equestria in disbelief. Absolutely everything had been destroyed, as if someone or something had deliberately set out to remove all traces of life from the world. Every building was leveled, every tree blackened by fire. All that remained was a landscape gradually being swallowed up by the strange black crystalline vines native to this world.

"This can't be real. What happened here?"

"That is not an easy question to answer. What you see of Equestria was caused not by one single event, but a series of anomalies... starting with yourself."

"Me? What the hell did I do!?"

"You stepped foot into a world in which you do not belong, and tainted it with your very presence. Whether or not you intended to do so, your existence here was the beginning of a very long chain of events leading up to this end. Just as the Human who came before you brought chaos and poisoned the land with every step, every breath... so too have you."

Taylor struggled for words. To be told such a thing, that he was the beginning of the end of Equestria? He was angry, scared, and a million other things at once. Most of all, he found himself offended by the accusation, though someone in his position wasn't in much of a position to complain. After all, it was hard to argue with what he was seeing.

"Well, what about The Order? They were the ones trying to bring back Queen Fucks-Shit-Up. How is this my fault when they're the bad guys?"

Taylor waved his hands around in rapid angry gestures as he "thought" at the Dark Figure, whose perpetually unshakable composure was the perfect foil to the frantic human standing beside him. It would have been comical, if the topic weren't so dire.

"Indeed, they are the significant driving force behind what has happened, but you are not entirely without blame, Human. Were it not for your arrival, their existence would be irrelevant. If you remain unconvinced, it is within my power to show you."

The figure turned its back to Taylor, reaching out a hand. It paused, as if waiting for something, and just as Taylor was about to question the action, the air around its hand began to ripple like a pool of water whose surface had been disturbed. The effect grew rapidly, expanding outward until it had become a sphere large enough to contain both of them. The ripples continued to intensify, further distorting the world around them. Taylor felt a familiar and remarkably unpleasant chill as they were transported from one location to another.

The sudden change of scenery was jarring. In an instant, Taylor and his guide had traveled from the gloomy darkness of a crumbling Canterlot to the bright sunlight of what appeared to be present day Ponyville. In the distance, Taylor caught sight of the windmill, still towering high above the rest of the town.

"This is Equestria, several weeks before your arrival. There are no disturbances in the perpetual flow of events. All is as it should be."

The Dark Figure gestured toward something behind Taylor, who obediently followed the direction. A short distance away between two buildings, Taylor saw Bon Bon and Sophie conversing in hushed whispers. Neither wore any noticeable symbols of the Order, not that he expected them to be flaunting their association with such an organization.

"While we can see into their world, they cannot see into mine. It would be prudent to take advantage of that fact." stated the Dark Figure, encouraging Taylor to move in closer and eavesdrop.

Taylor approached slowly at first, but his pace quickened when he felt comfortable that neither pony seemed to be aware of his presence. Of course, if they had been able to see him, every other Equestrian nearby would have been able to as well, and it was safe to assume that the presence of a human would have raised a commotion by now. He stood directly behind Bon Bon, off to one side just in case she could still "feel" him, even if she couldn't see him.

"I can only do so much to impede Cerise and her team," Sophie said, clearly sympathetic to Bon Bon's concerns. "What little control I can exercise over Magicae won't be enough. You know how she can be when she wants something, and from what I understand, it seems like there's nothing she wants more than to drag Lyra down to the labs."

Bon Bon nodded slowly, eyes fixated on the ground between them. She was well aware of what gruesome things went on behind closed doors in Cerise's lab. "She's not doing this because of the research. I know this is just her way of getting to me."

"Well, that's not entirely true. You've certainly given her another reason to pursue Lyra by directly interfering with an operation which you had no business knowing about, and doing so without providing anything even remotely close to a valid reason, but I'm certain that tormenting you is not her top priority. Lyra's notes are the grand prize."

"I know, but-" Bon Bon began to protest.

Sophie raised a hoof, interrupting Bon Bon. "Stop right there. You're not thinking with your brain right now, Bonnie. I understand that you're conflicted, but your actions have made an extraordinary mess of things, one which I'm doing my best to clean up. The Order knows about Lyra's work, and they're going to get their hooves on it. That much is inevitable, so putting yourself in the middle is only going to make things worse. I've already pulled a lot of strings to keep you out of trouble for your little stunt, and even more to temporarily suspend Cerise's operations, but my leverage is not without limits. I need you to keep your head down and carry on as usual while we work out a plan. Do that for me, and I'll keep Lyra safe. Understood?

Bon Bon gritted her teeth, having no choice but to reluctantly accept her superior's decision.

"Yes... ma'am."

At that moment, the world Taylor had been observing fell away, replaced for a moment by a black void, which was in turn replaced by a new scene. He was standing in a large room of stone, illuminated by the scores of candles in a large ancient-looking chandelier of wood and iron. The walls were draped with crimson tapestries trimmed with gold, each bearing the Order's black mark. At the far end of the room was a large desk bearing scrolls, parchment, and an ink well with a large fancy quill lying beside it. A lone candle sat off to the side, flickering softly. Three robed ponies stood silently at the desk, the two smallest on one side, and the largest on the other. While the lone pony occupied itself with the contents of one of the sheets of parchment, the others remained unmoving, eyes forward at attention.

Taylor scanned the room, looking for the Dark Figure, but seeing no trace of his ethereal guide. Hoping that the same rules applied here as they did in the previous vision, he approached the desk, ready to bolt at the first sign of detection. He crept up slowly to where the three figures stood, relieved that none seemed to be aware of his presence. Still, for the sake of caution, he chose to repeat his process from before, taking a place behind one of them, but off to one side. He chose the large one, who was still poring over the parchment on the desk, so he might be able to read its contents as well.

Two facts struck him simultaneously. First, what he was reading was a detailed report regarding his arrival in Equestria, complete with precise times and a description of his appearance, as both human and stallion. Secondly, and perhaps the more unnerving of the two revelations, was that the pony reading this report - the one whom Taylor was standing next to - was none other than the Grand Inquisitor himself.

He recoiled at the thought of being in the same room as the foe who had put him down so easily, but quickly recovered after reminding himself several times that he wasn't truly there. To reinforce that idea, he kicked his foot at one of the legs of the desk, watching it pass through harmlessly. Such might have been unsettling in any other situation, but given his present circumstances, he was quite relieved to be - for lack of a better word - a ghost.

His eyes fell upon the faces of the other entities in the room. His relief turned to anger as he recognized Sophie, her distinctive blue eyes betraying her identity which would have otherwise been well masked by the shadows beneath her hood. Next to her was another mare whom Taylor didn't recognize, though a nagging feeling told him that he should make an effort to remember her. She was a unicorn, much shorter than Sophie, with deep emerald eyes and a vibrant reddish pink coat. Her dark lavender mane covered the right side of her face, which might have granted her a shy and reserved appearance, were it not for the fierce gaze she wore just behind it.

"Bon Bon is sure of this? All of it?" asked the Grand Inquisitor, snapping Taylor back to attention.

"Yes," Sophie began, hesitating for the briefest moment, "she's quite certain that what Ly- or rather, Ms. Heartstrings has managed to bring to Equestria is, in fact, a Human. As noted in the report, she claims to have seen it with her own eyes, and even spoke to it."

The Grand Inquisitor sighed, taking another moment to look over the sheet lying on the desk before him. He didn't seem surprised, distressed, or any of the emotions that one might expect. He simply gazed down at Bon Bon's report with the tired eyes of an overworked stallion. Perhaps it was the lighting, but for a moment Taylor thought he saw a hint of sadness in the Inquisitor's expression. It vanished as quickly as it had come, replaced by a look of seriousness and determination.

"It is imperative that we deal with this Human immediately, before it can cause a disturbance. Cerise, you'll be organizing the capture. Assemble a cell of no more than seven and have them there before dusk. Oh, and have them return with my daughter as well."

The pink mare raised a hoof to her chest and bowed in a fluid and well-practiced motion, waiting for the Grand Inquisitor to return the gesture before she stood back up. Without another word, she hurried out the nearby door, securing it behind her.

Taylor braced himself for the world to fall away as it had before. Much to his confusion, no such event took place. In fact, everything seemed to have frozen. Both Sophie and the Grand Inquisitor stood perfectly still, and the candle's flame had stopped dancing, suspended in time.

"Well, that's eerie. So, uh... is this the point at which we skip ahead?"

Silence, and still no sign of the Dark Figure.

"Hello? What is this, the testing department's day off or something?"

Taylor waited in vain for a response, then exhaled sharply, annoyed at the lack of direction. With no other options immediately apparent, he started after Cerise, choosing to exercise his incorporeality by leaping through the door. As expected, he passed through it harmlessly, quite pleased by that fact.

"That was pretty cool. Strange how I can do that, but I don't go through the-"

At that exact moment, his foot failed to find stone beneath him and he fell through the floor, landing solidly in the room below. Disoriented but unhurt, he looked up to find the Dark Figure staring down at him. If it were capable of facial expressions, Taylor imagined that it would be wearing a disgustingly smug grin right about now.

"Very funny, ass."

"It was necessary. Our time is running short, and there is much I will not be able to show you, but there is still one thing you must see, lest this effort be for naught."

The Dark Figure waved a spectral hand, and the world vanished. In an instant, the two were standing in a large circular stone room, which had all but collapsed in on itself with age. Only a small section of the far wall remained upright, and the roof was nowhere to be found. Looking around, Taylor observed the black crystalline vines from earlier had completely wrapped themselves around the walls that remained, forming a barrier against the void which lay just beyond them. Through the heavy fog were three large oaken doors, each marked with a painted image. The leftmost door bore a black crescent moon, the center, a golden shield, and the far right, a crimson hand print.

"You will have a choice to make, Human," The Dark Figure spoke ominously, gesturing toward the doors. "I am unable to advise you in your decision, but I can offer you a warning. As with all things, whichever path you choose will carry consequences for both yourself and those around you. Some of these will be greater than others."

Taylor stepped forward, slowly approaching the doors to examine them more closely, as if somehow the answer would make itself apparent.

"You make it sound so important." Taylor paused, remembering back to when he first encountered the Dark Figure. "You told me that this place, Terminus, is the end of all things. If that's true, then no matter what I do, Equestria will end up like this?"

"The wheel turns endlessly, but it may not choose where to go. It simply moves toward whatever lies before it. Only when an outside force acts upon it can its destination be changed. While it is true that all things which have a beginning must also end in turn, the manner in which they reach this end falls to those with the power to alter the course of the wheel. What you have seen of Terminus is the future, should things continue as they are, without interference."

"You mean I can change things? This isn't the only end, just one of them?"

"That is correct. You are one of several forces which possess the power to shape the future. Some of these will work against you, and others will aid you. Ultimately, if you act wisely and decisively, you will have the greatest chance to save this world. Be warned, you may need to sacrifice much to achieve that goal, perhaps more than you are willing."

The sky flashed a blinding white as lightning tore open the sky, and thunder roared so intensely that the ground beneath them trembled softly. Taylor, startled, immediately looked to the Dark Figure for answers.

"It would seem our time is at an end," it said as the circular room vanished, as if it were merely a projection. All that was left before them was a simple bridge spanning a river which ran so slowly, one might not have believed it to be moving at all. A dense mist hung over the water, obscuring any reflection it may have held.

"When you reach the other side, you will return to the waking world. Remember what you have seen and heard, Human."

Taylor took several hesitant steps forward, placing his foot on the unnaturally cold stone before turning back to the Dark Figure.

"Why did you show me all of this? What difference does the future of Equestria make to you?"

For the first time, the Dark Figure seemed to consider its response, as if this was one of very few questions it had not prepared itself to answer. After a brief pause, it spoke up.

“The Scarlet Queen is an affront to the natural order of things, but most of all, she is my property, and I desire her return to this world.”

"Your property...?" Taylor began to question, but stopped when the truth dawned on him.

"You just now realized who I am, didn't you?" The Dark Figure asked knowingly.

A small smile crept onto Taylor's face as he nodded, then turned around and began to walk across the bridge. As he neared the other side, he called back to his ethereal guide.

"I'll see you later, but hopefully not any time soon."

Author's Notes:

Yay, FFH's 1 year anniversary! Have a giant exposition dump!

19 - Turncoats

The large door rumbled loudly, alerting Rolling Thunder and Shining Armor. Light began pouring into the circular room as the door slid off to the side, grinding stone against stone. The two Royal Guards were now face to face with an imposing silver-maned Inquisitor who stood taller than either of them by at least half a head. He stared blankly at the two intruders in the tunnels for a moment before stepping into the room.

Rolling Thunder and Shining Armor reacted in unison, swiftly placing themselves at either side of the Inquisitor. Shining Armor's horn glowed softly, ready to channel a spell at a moment's notice, and Rolling Thunder's wings flexed in anticipation of an attack, but the expressionless foe showed no signs of aggression.

"I yield, Royal Guard," he stated flatly. "I have no desire to fight you. I simply request an audience with Princess Celestia. You may escort me, if you like."

Shining Armor and Rolling Thunder glanced at each other, then back to the large stallion.

Rolling Thunder scoffed. "You can't be serious."

"You expect us to lead an enemy right to the throne room? You're insane." Shining Armor added.

The Inquisitor nodded. "I understand that you don't trust me, but the information I possess must reach the Princess at once. Please take me to her, or stand aside."

Rolling Thunder positioned himself before the Inquisitor, adopting an aggressive yet well-guarded posture. "You can go back the way you came, or you can come as our prisoner. Those are your options."

The Inquisitor paused, seeming to weigh the options in his mind. "Very well," he began after a brief delay, "on the condition that I be permitted to speak with Her Highness, I will go as your prisoner."

"This isn't a negotiation!" roared an irate Rolling Thunder.

The Inquisitor, ignoring the outburst, turned to Shining Armor. "The Order of Canterlot has nearly everything they require to revive the fallen Alicorn, Queen Chelsea. I possess sensitive information regarding the plan, but I will only relinquish this information to somepony with the means to use it wisely. Namely, Princess Celestia."

Shining Armor scowled. The stallion before him was an enemy, and certainly not to be trusted, but as Captain of the Royal Guard, he would be remiss to ignore the possibility of an enemy defector bringing vital information with him.

"May I ask why you're offering this to us?" Shining Armor asked, gesturing for Rolling Thunder to be silent.

"I learned - regrettably, far too late - of what the Scarlet Queen will do to this world once she is revived. Fragmented and hidden away within our archives were the clues which eventually led me to the truth. Now that I know what it is these mad fools intend to do, I have to try to stop it. With so few resources and allies within the Order, I had to seek out a large, well-equipped group with interests similar to my own. Who better than the Canterlot Royal Guard?"

Shining Armor turned to his subordinate, searching for an opinion, which was eagerly offered.

"I don't trust a word of it, Captain. He's a traitor to the crown. We should put him in irons and throw him into the smallest cell in Canterlot while we figure out how to punish him properly."

Shining Armor's eyes returned to the Inquisitor, who remained still. Had this foe been so inclined, he likely could have overpowered them both with brute strength alone, yet he chose the path of nonviolence, volunteering himself as a prisoner. If this was some sort of ruse and he planned to attack Celestia, she could easily fend off a lone earth pony, even one this large. Her entire personal guard would also be present to assist, granting them a colossal advantage in numbers and strength. Shining Armor concluded that the likelihood of this stallion being a threat to the Princess was infinitesimal at best.

"Tell me your name, Inquisitor," the Captain ordered, "and I will grant you your audience with the Princess."

Rolling Thunder scarcely managed to choke back his disapproval. He remained silent out of respect for the decision of a superior, but stared daggers at the Captain.

"My name is Adrastos," he paused to remove a small insignia from around his neck, allowing it to fall to the floor before he crushed it beneath his hoof.

"...former inquisitor of the Order of Canterlot."

"-never thought I'd see..."

"-historic day for..."

"-revive... Queen..."

Taylor, still recovering from whatever Sophie's spell had done to him, could only catch bits and pieces of the conversation through the intense ringing in his ears. He could vaguely recall the very brief assault against the Grand Inquisitor, and the events leading up to that point, but they were hazy at best. His memories from Terminus, however, remained perfectly in tact.

"Let me GO!" shouted a feminine voice. Taylor's eyes opened slowly to find a pair of hooded unicorns placing Lyra in chains, using magic to encase their victim, presumably to avoid being on the receiving end of her spells. Suddenly alert, he attempted to rush to her aid, but found himself shackled to a large T-shaped structure made of a silvery metal. His violent struggle against the bindings drew attention from everyone in the room.

"Excellent, you're awake," the Grand Inquisitor greeted him, approaching the chained Human. "The revival of an Alicorn is truly a magnificent spectacle to behold, one which would be impossible without your contribution. For that, I thought it only proper that you be conscious to see with your own eyes the fruit of our labor."

The voice had come from the Grand Inquisitor, who stood to Taylor's left, accompanied by two heavily-armored stallions, looking upon the Human with restrained curiosity.

"Think about it. Centuries of effort, thousands of our kind working tirelessly toward this goal. It's truly a magnificent accomplishment, and you get to be the center of it all. Do you not feel honored?"

"Honored? No. Pissed off? You'd better believe it, pal. Fuck you, fuck your centuries of effort, fuck your whole organization, and fuck your Queen." Taylor snarled at the Inquisitor.

"Well, that's rather disappointing. I sincerely hoped you would be more willing to lend us your assistance. After all, we offered you safe passage back to your own world, no different than what the Princess would have given you, but compared to her excessive demands, I believe our price was quite the bargain."

"A bargain for which of us? You and the rest of these animals get what you want, and I sacrifice everything and everyone to save myself. Sounds like a terrible deal, even if I did trust you not to kill me as soon as I stopped being useful to you - which I don't. Not one bit."

"You speak as if you have some sort of stake in the future of this world," The Grand Inquisitor scoffed. "You've been here for only a few short days. I refuse to believe that in that time, you've found something here which you value more than your own safety."

Taylor's eyes narrowed. "Oh, you don't believe it? Maybe you will once I get out of these chains and beat you into a red stain on the floor!"

The Grand Inquisitor laughed heartily at the threat. "Oh how quickly you seem to have forgotten the outcome of our last encounter. Perhaps I struck you too hard."

It was true, Taylor's attack against the Grand Inquisitor was an utter failure, and he had learned of no vulnerabilities or other weaknesses. He would likely fare no better in another fight, especially without his weapon.

Taylor averted his gaze from the Grand Inquisitor, eyes falling upon Lyra once more. The same two hooded figures who had bound her were now busy placing a thick metal band on her horn. It didn't appear to be anything special, save for faintly glowing black crystal shards which dotted its surface. The Inquisitors secured it with two leather straps which fastened both behind Lyra's head and around her neck, the latter of which had several small metal studs facing inward. Taylor didn't understand the purpose of the device, but he recognized just how devious it was in its construction. Any attempt to forcefully remove the metal band would place pressure on the strap which crossed over the wearer's throat, jabbing them with the dull metal studs. It wasn't meant to asphyxiate or puncture - though with sufficient force, it could likely do both. Instead, it seemed designed to cause as much discomfort as possible to an uncooperative wearer without inflicting any lasting damage.

"The suppression device is secure-" the larger of the hooded ponies stated, allowing the barrier around Lyra to fall. As it did, her horn sparked and sputtered, accomplishing nothing.

"...and performing admirably."

"Wonderful!" the Grand Inquisitor called out enthusiastically. "Position the subjects. We are mere moments away from the return of our Queen!"

The Inquisitor's two brutish lackeys shifted the post to which Taylor was bound, turning him to face a large cylindrical structure in the center of the room. The body was a glossy black, trimmed with gold and engraved with red symbols all across its surface. The center held a massive crimson "I" suspended in what appeared to be some form of unnatural glass whose surface rippled gently, yet never lost its shape or rigidity. Seven golden pillars - each one standing approximately eye level to a human and topped with a different colored sphere of light - surrounded the entirety of the structure.

Taylor's eyes fell upon Bon Bon and Sophie standing off to the side. The former was looking just as sullen and defeated as she had in her cell, while the latter appeared cold, analytical, and detached from the current situation. Taylor's stare met hers, and a sensation of peace washed over him. He became less tense, less resistant. It was a nice feeling, just like how he felt when he was in the garden at Canterlot Castle.

Taylor recognized the spell being used on him. He squeezed his eyes shut and fought against the sensation, shutting down Sophie's spell with no small effort. When he opened his eyes once more, he saw the unicorn wore a look of mild annoyance. Taylor sneered, pleased with himself for being able to beat her as he mouthed an obscenity which she probably didn't understand.

The sounds of a struggle turned Taylor's attention toward Lyra again, who was being dragged by her chains toward him, struggling wildly against her captors with a primal fervor more appropriate for a wild horse from Taylor's world, rather than the civilized pastel ponies of Equestria. She jerked the chains as hard as she could, closing the gap between herself and the two Inquisitors just long enough to kick one solidly in the ribs. He stumbled, but was able to recover before Lyra could land another blow.

"Such an uncommon ferocity for such a diminutive mare," the Grand Inquisitor mused. "You are impressive, Ms. Heartstrings. Truly, it saddens me to know just how unlikely you are to survive this process."

That caught Taylor's attention.

"What the hell do you mean by that!?" he spat.

The Grand Inquisitor raised a hoof to his chin as he considered the question.

"I fear one so very unfamiliar with the nature of magic - that's you, in case you were wondering - wouldn't fully understand it. For simplicity's sake, I suppose one could liken it to forcing an ocean through a drinking straw. So much magical energy will pass through her body at such a tremendous rate, it's almost certain to tear her apart from the inside out. Everypony we've tested this process on has reacted in such a manner, and I have little reason to expect different results for Ms. Hearstrings."

"Am I to assume this will happen to me as well?" Taylor asked, a grim expression darkening his face.

"I must admit, I don't know the answer to that. Your innate magical resistance has been an extraordinarily challenging variable for us to work with. For obvious reasons, we've never been able to test any of this on one of your kind. At the very least, I can assure you that your odds of survival are significantly greater than hers."

Lyra's eyes had grown wide with fear, and her struggle against the chains grew increasingly frantic as the Inquisitor continued to speak, making it nearly impossible to restrain her. After several failed attempts to secure her, the unicorn who had previously attached the ring to Lyra's horn stepped in to assist, muttering something about the incompetence of earth ponies.

With Lyra and Taylor now in position and unable to escape, the Grand Inquisitor bowed deeply to both of them. Every other Inquisitor in the room quickly followed suit, Bon Bon and Sophie included.

"Your contributions this day shall be preserved within our archives. Let none forget the heroes who returned Equestria to its proper ruler." the Grand Inquisitor spoke with a sincere reverence before ending his bow.

With a wave of his hoof, a series of blue-tinged lenses, each roughly the size of a dinner plate and set in a gilded filigree descended from the ceiling, suspended from articulated brass arms. They positioned themselves in a semicircle around Lyra. A cloudy white crystal of some sort was then lowered, stopping just above her horn. Lastly, an immense lens several times the size of the others moved into place between Lyra and Taylor, the arm which held it creaking loudly under the strain of moving such mass.

From an adjacent room, six unicorns in highly decorated white robes filed in. Aside from their abnormally-colored clothing, which set them well apart from the normal crimson-clad Inquisitors, they all wore a semi-opaque white shrouds, obscuring their faces. Each one bowed to the Grand Inquisitor, softly whispered a phrase to him which Taylor couldn't quite hear, then took a place by one of the lenses, leaving the center position for him. Without any more ceremony, they began channeling radiant beams of energy into their respective lenses which converged at the crystal. For several moments, nothing seemed to be happening, but the crystal soon began to emit a gentle hum, which quickly developed into a deep rumble. A faint glow shone through from its core, gradually intensifying until it became difficult to look at directly. Small lightning-like arcs danced between the crystal and Lyra's horn, increasing in frequency and duration as the crystal grew brighter until they became a constant stream.

A deafening crack echoed through the room as an intense surge of energy from the crystal struck Lyra's horn. Her eyes flew open, and an agonized scream escaped her lips, almost entirely drowned out by the sounds of the crystal, the Inquisitors channeling into it, and her own horn, which was sparking and crackling violently. Taylor could hear her, but saw nothing other than the blazing light magnified through the lens before him.

Seconds after the cracking noise, a narrow beam of energy, rapidly growing in intensity, radiated forth from Lyra's horn. It took on the bluish tint of the lens as it passed through before terminating at Taylor's chest. He felt a mild pressure where the light touched him, which became more noticeable as the beam widened, but he felt no pain. As if on cue, a loud groaning noise filled his ears and the lens shifted, slowly moving closer to his body, focusing the beam down to a single intense point. The pressure on his body became an unbearable burning sensation, as if he were being set ablaze from the inside out, and his agonized cries soon joined Lyra's.

The post to which he had been bound glowed and resonated gently with the energy now beginning to flow into it through Taylor. Previously unseen marks on the floor began to draw light from the base of the silvery column, forming a series of lines which radiated out from where Taylor stood and connected to each of the seven golden pillars at the center of the room. The liquid-like center of the Oculus churned violently with the sudden introduction of energy, distorting the crimson mark suspended within. The entire hall began to quake ominously, a deep rumbling filling the entire Sanctuary.

Over the thunderous cacophony, a voice called out, "Now! Do it now!"

In an instant, the room erupted into chaos. A small number of inquisitors began launching spells around the room, striking others of their order, who either ran for cover or attempted to fight back. Volleys from both sides crashed against the walls, scattering debris in all directions. A stray spell flew just over Taylor's head, striking the supporting arm of the large lens and making it sizzle and sputter. This was followed by two more in rapid succession which severed the brass cylinder, sending the massive lens plummeting to the floor where it shattered into innumerable fragments.

Taylor, still dazed, looked around at a room which seemed to be exploding before him. Each side had taken positions at opposite ends of the room, with little cover. The side which had opened fire first seemed to be all unicorns, and the defending inquisitors seemed to be a mix of unicorns and earth ponies, the latter of which had built a defensive line before their horned brethren, shielding them from incoming attacks. At the center of the room, Sophie appeared to have freed Lyra and was now ushering her toward the smaller of the two forces.

"Stop staring and move!" ordered a voice.

Taylor spun on his heel to find Sophie - or rather, her doppelganger, Starbright - had removed his bindings as well. With little choice but to go along with her demand, Taylor wasted no time in making a break for the relative safety of Sophie's group of defectors, where Bon Bon and Lyra were already huddled. His reckless sprint seemed to be working in his favor until a spell obliterated a section of the floor just in front on him, tripping him up and sending him tumbling gracelessly into cover next to Lyra.

"Strange how you only listen to me when you're in immediate danger and need me to save you." Sophie remarked derisively, standing over him.

"Yeah, sure, just go ahead and salt the wounds," Taylor groaned, "because high-fiving the floor with my face wasn't enough."

Sophie ignored the sarcasm, her attention was focused entirely on the retreating Grand Inquisitor. She launched several spells at him, all of which were deflected with a significant effort on his part, leaving him visibly fatigued. Another volley forced him to seek refuge behind his loyalists.

"We've got him pinned!" one of the defectors announced between shots.

"Aim high! Bring the ceiling down on him!" shouted another.

"No, we can't risk killing him! Stay on target!" ordered Sophie before turning her attention to Taylor, Lyra, and Bon Bon. "Once the Grand Inquisitor is ours, I'm taking you three with me to the surface. Word is going to spread, and the Order will be hunting us. Canterlot is likely to become a battleground before the day is done."

"We can go to the princesses for protection. They'll know what to do." Lyra suggested.

"They'll protect you three, and probably accept Magnus as a prisoner," Sophie said, her eyes fixated on Taylor, "but I know Celestia would throw me right back to the Order."

"So we vouch for you, simple as that," Taylor stated, matter-of-factly. "What choice would she have but to go along with it? Is she really going to risk losing me, Lyra, and Bon Bon?"

Taylor turned his attention to Bon Bon, finding her wobbling unsteadily on her hooves, staring wide-eyed at something he couldn't see.

"The hell's wrong with her?" Taylor asked.

Taylor, Lyra, and Sophie followed the mare's gaze, quickly finding the answer. At the center of the room, from within the liquid-like surface of the Oculus, something was emerging. First, a crimson wing, missing most of its feathers, twisted and gnarled as if it had been broken in several places. Next, a cloven hoof the color of charcoal, then a single long conical horn with a series of fractures running its length. A pair of eyes the color of Autumn followed closely behind, partially veiled beneath an unkempt black mane. The Alicorn's coat looked as if large patches of her fur had been torn away, leaving much of her scarred and mottled flesh visible.

All activity in the room had ceased. Both sides looked on with fascination, horror, and everything in between as the grotesquely mangled Scarlet Queen pulled herself into the world, looking like death itself. The Grand Inquisitor was the first to regain his senses and rushed to Chelsea's side, followed by his personal guards.

"My Queen! Are you well?"

Chelsea stared down at the Grand Inquisitor with a blank expression, then raised her head slowly to observe the room. After a very long an uncomfortable silence, she stepped down from the Oculus.

"How long has it been?" the Queen rasped.

"Thousands of years, your majesty. The princesses remain in power, and are likely already aware of your revival," the Grand Inquisitor warned. "They will certainly be coming for you, and they already control the human."

Chelsea's eyes fell upon Taylor, looking him over.

"This one bears no scars of battle and cowers in fear behind allies. It is an untested whelp and poses no threat to me," Chelsea stated dismissively.

"Shall I dispose of it for you, my Queen?"

"No," Chelsea said, turning her attention back to the Grand Inquisitor. "I have a greater task in mind for you."

"Anything, my Queen," the aging stallion replied, bowing deeply.

Wordlessly, Chelsea lowered her horn. A barely-visible wisp emerged from the Grand Inquisitors chest, drifting toward the Queen's horn, then another, and another, the number increasing exponentially until it formed a constant stream. Chelsea's scars seemed to sink into her flesh, vanishing entirely beneath her newly-grown vibrant coat of red. Her damaged wing swiftly straightened back out to its proper shape and regained all of its plumage. At the same time, the Grand Inquisitor's body seemed to age at an astonishing rate, as if the Queen were siphoning away his life.

The Queen terminated the spell and raised her head with a satisfied sigh, flexing her wings. "Yes, this should be more than enough to get started," she said, sounding much healthier than before, "though I'll certainly need more to quell whatever resistance my daughters plan to send here."

The Grand Inquisitor, whose body had become pale and skeletal, let out a raspy breath, fell to the side, and convulsed pitifully before life slipped away from him.

"As of this moment, I am assuming control of the Order of Canterlot," Chelsea announced to the loyalists. "You will obey me without question."

Chelsea turned toward the small force consisting of Sophie, Taylor, Lyra, Bon Bon, and the three remaining defectors.

"Your first order is this: kill the human and those who protect him."

Author's Notes:

Aw yeah. Shit just got real.

As always, feel free to strike me with a shovel if you find a typo and I will fix it at once.

20 - Swift Departure

"In this sunless world, where time itself has ceased to be,

A dark land where all deeds of man and beast,

Have fallen to irrelevance in this, the absolute end

Here dwells the warden of this bleak world, cloaked in shades of night,

He who bears no names, no titles, bereft of identity,

Surrounds himself with the cadavers of fallen civilizations

He tells the tale of an ancient bauble crafted by his own hand,

A forge of dreams, a relic bestowed aeons ago,

The gift of the faceless god, Saampas is its name"

- Translated from "The Beyond", c. 1010 CE

Everypony came to a sudden stop as a low rumbling filled the laboratory. Everypony, that is, except for Cerise, who continued peering through a thick lens at the strange rectangular device lying on her desk, occasionally prodding at it with one of several small tools. She traced the outline of the stylized silvery lettering that had been printed on the flat face. It was similar in many ways to Equestrian, but the word itself made no sense to her at all, causing her untold frustration.

"Samsung," she said aloud, hoping it would respond to what she could only guess was its name. When it became apparent that there would be no forthcoming response, she grumbled quietly to herself.

A smaller series of quakes passed through the room. Cerise furrowed her brow, finding it difficult to concentrate in such noisy conditions.

"Ma'am? Shouldn't you be in there with them?" asked one of the youngest researchers in the room, approaching Cerise. "After all, it was your project. I thought you'd want to see it in action."

Cerise paused, levitating the lens a short distance away and resting it gently on the surface of the desk.

"Oh yes, I had planned to be there," she began in a pleasant, almost musical voice, "but the Grand Inquisitor did not see fit for me to be present when nearly a decade of my hard work yielded its ultimate result, so instead of that, I'm here examining uninteresting lumps of trash alongside little foals who have nothing better to do than interrupt me."

By the end of her sentence, her tone had become one of bitterness and spite, and her smile had twisted into a furious glare, causing the young stallion to shrink back with fear.

Cerise allowed an uncharacteristic snort to escape her nostrils, satisfied that she had made her point, and silently returned to her work.

The trio proceeded back through the tunnels, Shining Armor took the lead, illuminating the path with his horn, Adrastos took the center, the usual position for a prisoner being escorted, and Rolling Thunder manned the rear, in order to 'keep an eye on the traitor'. They had been walking for quite some time in silence before curiosity got the best of the Captain.

"You know these tunnels better than either of us, Adrastos. How far do they reach?"

"They span the entirety of Canterlot. There are six entrances hidden in the city, and one at the base of the mountain which allows swift passage to Ponyville."

"Why would the Order need a tunnel to Ponyville?" asked the Captain, a hint of concern in his usually steady voice.

"In the old days, when the Scarlet Queen was still in power, it was the preferred route for raiding the town in search of what they considered undesirable elements. Anypony thought to be conspiring against the rule of Queen Chelsea was a target, and a single subversive word or action overheard by an Inquisitor was considered high treason, punishable by something known as 'reformation.'"

"Which is...?" Rolling Thunder prompted impatiently.

"You're familiar with the concept of brainwashing, correct?"

"And just what do you mean by that!?" Rolling Thunder roared, wings flexing anxiously as he prepared to leap at the Inquisitor.

"At ease, Thunder!" ordered Shining Armor.

"If I may continue," Adrastos began, his voice calm but stern, "Queen Chelsea was the first to experiment with mental manipulation, and the techniques she developed are still the basis of modern suggestion spells."

"I didn't know the Order taught you non-unicorns so much about magic." Shining Armor commented, gently pressing for an explanation.

"All members are required to familiarize themselves with the art of suggestion magic, at the very least. For those incapable of using it, such as myself, that simply entails learning to guard against it. This serves the dual purpose of keeping unicorns within the Order from having too much power, and it greatly reduces the chance of extracting any information from a captured Inquisitor, should the captor attempt to use such techniques."

The Captain nodded. "Makes sense. Do you think we would do that?"

"I think it would be unwise to dismiss the possibility utterly, considering recent events which have transpired, but I remain confident that you and your princesses will see no reason to resort to such measures once you have heard what I have to say."

A thunderous quaking filled the tunnel, shaking loose dirt and stones which clacked and clattered noisily as they bounced off of the floor, walls, and the three stallions.

"What in Equestria was that?!" Rolling Thunder called over the rumble while attempting to shield himself from falling debris with his wings.

"No idea!" replied Shining Armor as the tremor subsided. "Is everypony okay?"

"I'm fine," Thunder sounded off, "and it looks like the traitor's still standing."

The Captain shook off the worst of the dirt and pebbles which had collected on his coat before turning to face Adrastos. In an instant, he knew that something was very wrong.

"What is it? Are you hurt?"

The massive stallion looked visibly shaken. It took him a moment to recover before he was able to reply, "Our time is now... extremely limited. We must hurry."

Lyra shoved Bon Bon roughly toward the nearby doorway, snapping her back to her senses. "If you don't run, you're going to get more than just yourself hurt! Go!"

With little choice, Bon Bon began moving swiftly toward the others. Sophie and Taylor had already taken cover behind the few remaining defectors, who struggled to maintain defensive wards, guarding against a hail of spellfire coming from the Order loyalists. Once safely grouped together, Taylor, Sophie, Lyra, and Bon Bon, and three defectors fled down a narrow hallway, leaving behind the other defending members of Sophie's rebellion, whose wards fell almost immediately. The resulting explosions obliterated their bodies, and much of the entrance to the hall. Those unfortunate enough to be at the rear of the column were peppered with bits of stone and their deceased allies.

"Those were some of my best legionnaires," Sophie stated grimly. "Their lives just bought yours, so you can show your gratitude by surviving at least until we reach the throne room. To do that, you'll need to do exactly as I say without hesitation. Are we clear?"

"If it gets me out of this hellhole, I'm on board!" Taylor exclaimed, trying in vain to wipe away the blood spattered on his arm by a stray chunk of one of the slain defectors.

"I... I don't..." Bon Bon trailed off, slowing her pace. "My father-"

"Is dead!" Taylor blurted out, taking everyone aback. "In case you didn't notice, whatever that red horsemonster thing did to him turned him into a corpse right in front of us, and we're being chased by a group of psychopaths who just exploded half a dozen peo- ponies into flying meat chunks while trying to kill us! This is not the time to be feeling sorry for your situation!

"Taylor, that's enough!" Lyra shouted, horrified by Taylor's outburst.

"No, she needs to hear this! Despite what a little pain in the ass she has been so far, you still care about her. That means she has to survive." Taylor turned toward Bon Bon. "You hear me? Get your shit together! If you want to mourn your father, you're going to have to live long enough to do it."

"Well said," commented one of the Inquisitors.

"Don't worry," a bubbly voice from beside Taylor began, "we're quite capable of 'motivating' her if she won't cooperate."

Starbright dashed along next to him, matching his pace easily. She moved in close, keeping her voice barely above a whisper. "Just stay focused. Your are the only truly irreplaceable asset, so your survival is crucial. If the worst should happen, getting you out in one piece is my single goal."

Taylor narrowed his eyes at Sophie's doppelganger. "You're saying you would leave the rest to die?"

"To ensure your survival, yes. If you don't make it out of here alive, then everypony in Equestria is doomed, present company included. I have to prioritize the future of this world over these lives. That means prioritizing you."

Taylor's jaw tightened. "Suppose I can't exactly argue with that reasoning."

Starbright nodded, then vanished in a flicker of light, reappearing a significant distance ahead of the pack at an upcoming intersection. She peered around both corners and vanished again. Sophie slowed her pace, and the rest of the defectors followed suit.

"Of all the ponies in the Sanctuary, it had to be her," Sophie hissed through clenched teeth. "Restrain these three at once!"

In an instant, each of the defectors had manifested glowing magical bindings on Taylor, Lyra, and Bon Bon. Despite the lack of physical components, the pressure they exerted was very real, making escape utterly impossible. Sophie faced the restrained ponies and human. Her expression did more than enough to convey the seriousness of the situation they now faced.

"I need all of you to play along, and do it well," she commanded in a low voice. "Act as if your lives depend on this, because they just might. If we don't make this look convincing, we're going to have to fight one of the Order of Canterlot's stronges-"

The rhythmic, rapid clacking of hooves echoed from just around the corner, interrupting Sophie. Without missing a beat, she spun around and galloped forward toward the intersection. Taylor, Lyra, and Bon Bon struggled to keep up, followed by the defectors, who maintained a close proximity to avoid breaking the binding spells.

"Don't look so nervous," one of the Inquisitors reassured the group, "this sort of thing is nothing for our captain. She can deceive just about anypony"

A dozen eyes stared intently as Sophie began to round the corner, nearly colliding with Cerise. There was a brief moment of tension as they sized each other up. Cerise adopted an aggressive stance while Sophie simply stepped off to the side, allowing Cerise a clear view of Taylor and the others.

"Wh-what in Equestria is going on?!" Cerise demanded, taking in the scene.

"Well, something went wrong with the summoning." Sophie stated in her most innocent tone of voice. "Somehow these three got loose and tried to run away in the confusion."

"That can't be right. I've had years to check it hundreds of times over. My work was flawless. Besides, even if the revival process failed due to somepony's incompetence, it wouldn't have caused the explosions I heard earlier. What really happened in there?"

"I was too busy trying to avoid being crushed to death by falling debris while chasing down our prisoners to really notice exactly what went wrong."

Cerise's gaze hardened. "Well, you have them now. Why don't you bring them back to the chamber?"

"It's mostly destroyed, and the path back that way is blocked. I'm taking them back to the cells until Magnus decides what we should do."

Cerise resisted the urge to berate Sophie for referring to the Grand Inquisitor in such a familiar manner. She strained her eyes, looking down the long hallway. The lack of light from the other end seemed to confirm Sophie's claims, but did little to ease Cerise's suspicion.

"In that case, I'll accompany you. These three seem to be troublesome escape artists. I believe you could use the extra help containing them."

"That's not going to be necessary," Sophie interjected sternly. "Your project just blew up a room and a significant number of our Order. Your top priority should be figuring out what happened and working to correct it for the next attempt."

"Next attempt? That's impossible now! With what the process does to the key-"

Cerise's protests fell on deaf ears as Sophie and her Inquisitors swiftly led Taylor and the others past her and down the hall, but her emerald eyes remained trained on Lyra the entire time, studying her closely, searching for something.

Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the telltale fracture spanning roughly half the length of Lyra's horn. Doing her best to suppress her reaction, she made a swift exit in the opposite direction.

"I don't know what you're up to," Cerise hissed bitterly under her breath, "but whatever it is, I'm not going to let you get your way this time."

The Dark Figure stood at the pinnacle of a once-mighty spire eternally frozen mid-collapse, gazing out over the wasteland of Terminus. Subtle shifts in the landscape were slowly taking place. The crystalline vines which blanketed the world had begun to fade, and many of the structures unique to the Scarlet Queen's empire ceased to exist.

Beside the figure hovered an elegant legless table which appeared to be of etched marble ornamented in gold, heavily worn by time. A thick coating of dust and grime coated much of the surface, with the exception of a single circular area, as if an object which had long occupied the table was recently removed.

"Human, you may topple the tyrant's empire, but you will only have cleared the way for another to rise and lay claim to that which is mine."

"It seems your path may need to be... corrected."