(Authors note: Short chapter this time but at least I've beaten my writers block and am back on schedule.)

“No, no, no, no, no, no...”

“NO! What the hell are you doing here!?”

Lyra and the rest of the ponies all flinched from the force of his shout. Karon stared at them with terror and anger etched on his face, not believing what he saw before him.

“Not now! Why now?!”

He spun around where he stood and his eyes darted around searching for any other ponies that might see them together. More-than Tardy could have spies everywhere, and if any of them caught sight of Karon with the elements or Lyra....

More-than Tardy would investigate, and he would find out about Karon's time in Ponyville. He would find out all about Rarity, all about Scootaloo, all about ... Twilight.

Thankfully enough, the corridor was empty besides them but that could change at any moment. So Karon turned back to facing the confused group of ponies watching him and hissed loudly.

“Go back home, NOW!”

Then he turned and ran away from them as fast as he could, he needed to get as far as possible out of sight. He couldn't get caught with them alone for any reason no matter how innocent it might look. He couldn't take that risk.

Not in this game.

And left behind him in the marble corridor was a very confused Lyra with the other ponies. They all remained silent for a few moments as they processed what had just happened, but the silence was broken when a few sniffs were heard.

They all turned to look at Rarity who seemed to be on the verge of crying right then and there. Her lips were trembling and she stared at the spot where Karon had stood just a minute ago.

“What does that mean?” she asked, her voice tense and fragile.

Twilight walked over and put a comforting hoof over her shoulders.

“I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for what just happened,” she said and tried to sound as convincing as possible.

“Oh come on! It's obvious he doesn't want to see us,” Rainbow Dash said and waved her hoof towards the corner Karon had disappeared behind.

Twilight shot her a dark glare and Rarity's lips began trembling even more before she let out a long shrill wailing and tears flowed out of her eyes in a rushing stream. Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy all tried to comfort the crying Rarity while Rainbow Dash remained up in the air and Pinkie Pie hid from the rush of tears behind a pink umbrella.

“He doesn't love me anymoooore!” she sobbed hysterically and the piercing tone of her voice bounced off the marble and made all the ponies wince.

“He ... he doesn't want to see me! He thinks I'm ugly and pathetic and ... and who can blame him!? Just LOOK at me!” she wailed loudly and her voice rose a few decibels. Around her the rest of the ponies looked at each other helplessly and patted her without any results.

But then Pinkie Pie folded the umbrella she looked to have pulled out of nowhere and spoke in her usual chirpy voice.

“Don't you worry Rarity, I'm sure Karon was just afraid to see us because of a political game he is playing against a super-villain with almost endless resources who would seize the opportunity to use us as leverage against Karon in order to complete his evil plans for world domination and power.”

Rarity hiccuped a few times but the flow of tears began receding and she looked at Pinkie Pie with a mixture of amusement and hope.

“You think so?”

“I'm suuuuure of it,” the pink earth pony replied with absolute confidence.

“Yes, as I said. I am sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for Karon's behavior.”

Twilight added and for once was inclined to agree with Pinkie's nonsensical ramblings. It would do until they got the real truth from princess Celestia.

All six elements resumed their walk towards princess Celestia's chambers while Lyra lingered where she was, looking at the hall where Karon had run off into. She was very tempted to go after and confront him, especially after what had just happened, but she knew it would be a terribly bad idea. She was there as a guest and didn't know how free she was to roam the castle.

It really would be the best for her to with the rest of them and find princess Celestia first....

At least that was what she told herself as she hastily began trotting down the same hallway Karon had disappeared into.

Meanwhile, Twilight and the rest of the elements all made their way to Celestia's chambers with Twilight in the lead guiding them through corridors and stairways. When they arrived at the heavy sun marked door that led into Celestia's quarters, Twilight stopped and turned around to quickly address all of them.

“Okay, everypony remember that ... Where is Lyra?”

Everypony turned around and looked at the back of the group, but the turquoise pony were no where to be seen.

“Ah shucks! Ah knew ah should have kept an eye on all of ya'll. What if she got lost an can't find her way?”

“Well actually I, uhm....” Fluttershy interjected in the most delicate way possible.

“Do ya know where she went sugercube?” Applejack asked encouragingly.

“Well I did see her go down the same way Karon went ... But I didn't know she wasn't supposed to. She looked awfully determined and I ... I didn't want to be a bother....”

“It's alright Fluttershy,” Twilight finished for her and rubbed her forehead with a hoof.

With Lyra loose and chasing Karon, she couldn't help but feel a headache forming. There was just too much going on at the moment. Hopefully, Princess Celestia would be able to provide some answers, and after that, Twilight could begin formulating a plan to deal with all of this.

She knocked on the door before something else could turn up making the situation even worse and stepped inside the room when the door was enveloped in a white aura and opened by itself. Princess Celestia stood as regal and collected as ever in the middle of the room, surrounded by magnificent tinkling lights coming from different places all around the room.

Her companions where quite taken in by the scene and various sounds of awe and wonder could be heard coming from behind Twilight as she entered. Quickly followed by a sputtering and “Blergh!” sound as Pinkie Pie had tried tasting one of the sun crystals.

Twilight didn't turn around to face the scene and her cheeks reddened from embarrassment, but before her the princess stood and only smiled at the ponies antics. If she was offended or put off by her behavior she did not show it the least, and Twilight was once more awed by just how amazing princess Celestia truly was.

The princess herself watched as the ponies entered into the room and couldn't help but crack a smile when the element of laughter launched herself towards one of her sun crystals and shoved it into her mouth. Only to spit it out an instant later in disgust. When one lives for thousand of years, you learn to put value on the things that can make you laugh.

Her ever diligent and faithful student Twilight Sparkle stopped before her and took a bow. Always so careful with the formalities even after all this time. She was joined by the rest soon enough and all of them bowed before her in a display of reverence. Twilight looked up at her with wonder and hope, always so confident she would be able to provide all answers and solve all problems.

She would have wished to let her student see her as she truly was, not just the princess but the alicorn with flaws and doubts, but duty comes before personal indulgence and so Celestia only sighed and prepared to give her student half truths and answers that could only guide not enlighten.

Such was the burden of ruling.

Twilight looked into the serene lavender eyes of the princess and felt all her doubts come to rest. After all, there was no problem the wise and powerful alicorn could not manage. She carefully considered her suspicions and guesses, trying to formulate questions that would hopefully make sense and don't sound like that of a jealous and ignorant pony. She was confident Celestia could give her all the answers she needed, she just would have to ask the right questions.

“Princess, you asked me and my friends to come to Canterlot so we could attend the noble's party and we are now here.”

Twilight hesitated for an instant and got a nod from Celestia bidding her to continue.

“We ... I, was just wondering why exactly you wanted us here? Karon didn't part with us on the best of terms and I just can't see what good we could do.”

Celestia nodded again as if she understood perfectly, and Twilight's senses were flooded with relief when she did. Now she would explain everything and things would make sense once more.

“I'm afraid I can't tell you all you wish to know....”

Twilight felt her heart turn into stone and drop to the floor at the words.

“...But I called you and all you're friends here because I believe Karon might have need of your help soon with a very important task, and also to give you a chance to see to whatever feelings his abrupt departure might have left.”

Neither Twilight nor any of her friends said anything, though Rarity sniffed a few times. They all had been left with something from Karon, but mostly it was just questions and hurt. Celestia was now giving them a chance to make up while at the same time assisting him with ... whatever was going on.

Because SOMETHING was definitely going on! Karon had been made court wizard and that would never have happened unless something strange was under way. It was obvious, at least to the ponies that knew him.

“You can count on us princess!” Twilight said and the rest of them agreed.

“I am glad to hear it. I have arranged for all of you to stay in one of the spare towers. Karon is staying right underneath Luna's private room, you know where it is Twilight. I hope you will visit him soon. There will be much you need to discuss.”

Twilight did not doubt that. She already had a thousand questions she needed to ask him, and that was when she suddenly remembered they were missing a pony.

“Hehe, of course princess. Well ... we should all probably be going now, lot's of work to do,” she rubbed a hoof behind her neck and tensed up. Celestia tilted her head in dismissal and Twilight shot off in half gallop towards the stairs with the rest of the elements going after her confused.

But they hadn't seen the look on Lyra's face while on the train. They needed to get to her before she found Karon. Twilight would not mind presenting Karon with a list of all the reasons he was an insufferable foal, but Lyra seemed to have something a lot worse planned for him.

And now that princess Celestia herself had ordered them all to help Karon with whatever secret mission she had him on, Twilight couldn't let that happen. They would need to find Lyra soon before she did something to Karon they would all regret.

Just not ... too soon.

                                ****************************************

Karon slammed  shut the door to his room and slowly sank down to the floor.

“Why, why, why, why, why...!?”

“Calm down, this might not be as bad as it seems.”

“Yes it is. They are here, and More-than Tardy will find them and the truth....”

“Enough with the defeatist attitude! You are a fucking trickster, start acting like it. Play the game, turn this to your advantage somehow.”

“How....?”

“I don't know.”

“Wonderful.”

Karon buried his face in his hands and took a few deep breaths. He couldn't lose control of the situation. He had just challenged the most insidious pony possible to do his worst, and if he didn't keep his composure, bad things would happen.

Very bad things.

He picked himself off the the floor and stood up. He walked over to Feather Touch's door and entered her room, and as could be expected, the faithful servant stood there beside the table with his food, waiting patiently.

Karon took the sandwich stuffed with egg, fish, lettuce and sliced apples. Apparently the kitchen thought that if he could eat it, they could mix it all together. Karon ate it all noncommittally and once done, he put a hand on Feather Touch's head and looked down at her.

She looked back up at him with ocean blue eyes and blinked, no other reaction revealed her surprise.

“Feather, I need to tell you something and after that I will need your help.”

“Whatever you need off me I am always ready to serve sir!” she exclaimed with her usual enthusiasm.

“Thank you,” Karon said with an actual feeling of gratitude. It was a relief knowing he could rely on somepony else now that things were getting more dangerous.

“First of all I know who the 'M' Dusk Keeper mentioned is....”

Feather blinked again in surprise but said nothing.

“...He is the unicorn professor named More-than Tardy. I know this because I read his mind during the consortium meeting, and he knows I know because I told him so. I did it so that he would be forced to put whatever plan he has in motion as soon as possible, giving him no chance to regroup and find a way to neutralize me. So right now, he is most likely doing all that he can to move forward with his schemes and usurp the throne.”

Feather Touch's eyes grew dark and narrowed when Karon finished. The thought of somepony betraying the princesses was more than enough to set her off.

“What do you want me to do sir?”

“I need to figure out what he is planning. He must be using some of the castle servants as spies in order t-”

“NO SERVANT WOULD EVER BETRAY THE PRINCESSES!” Feather roared at the top of her lungs, all signs of the submissive servant gone.

“I know you take this personally Feather but-”

“No servant would ever betray the princesses ... sir!”

Karon remained silent, watching the insulted unicorn with amber eyes carefully.

“Feather ... are you absolutely certain that no servant could be persuaded to do a little harmless spying? Are you ready to bet the life of the princesses on it ... and ours?”

“YES! All servants know how valuable we would be to the nobles, and how much they would give to control one of us. But we would NEVER do that! Every pony swore an oath of loyalty to the princesses, a MAGICAL oath. If we betray the princesses and serve any other than them, we would die.”

“What?”

“All servants has taken an oath that we can only serve the royal princesses now and for ever. If we would ever try and serve anypony else, the magic of the oath would kill us.”

“Does Celestia know about that?”

“No...” She answered and actually looked ashamed for keeping a secret from the alicorns.

“...Only the servants know of the oath. It was made so none of us could ever be used against the princesses. I don't know who first came up with the idea, but it has been used for hundreds of years, and we have kept it a careful secret.”

“A secret you just told me.”

The unicorn looked up at him with tinkling eyes and smiled.

“I trust you.”

“There must be something in the water around here making all of them insane.”

“That's ... nice, and if More-than Tardy doesn't have access to any servants as spies or agents that makes things way more easier for me....”

Then a thought struck Karon.

“Feather ... if you can't serve anypony else but the princesses how can you serve me?”

“Princess Celestia herself ordered it, I am still acting on her orders by serving you.”

“And Tia told you to provide me with whatever I need or asked for....”

“That's right.”

“Oh Celestia you sly, devious little ... I think I love you!”

With just those few words and seemingly ordinary instructions, Celestia had given Karon access to the one thing the nobles of Canterlot had spent centuries drooling in their dreams about.

The servants.

“Feather Touch, what I need and require right now is for each and every servant in the entire castle to act as my spies and obey whatever order I give them.”

The unicorns eyes widened when she understood what he was suggesting and swallowed several times before responding.

“But her highness only ordered ME to b-”

“Celestia ordered you to PROVIDE whatever I need, and right now I need a network of spies. Will you give me this or will you disobey an order from the princess?”

The servant thought long and hard about the implications and meanings, how all of it would fit together and how the divided loyalties might split apart. Finally, she gave a nod to herself and responded.

“As long as your orders do not go against any made by either of the princesses I am duty bound to provide you with all you need.”

Karon smiled and rubbed his hands together greedily. Now things were looking a lot brighter than they had a few minutes ago.

“Eeeeeexcellent. I want you to go out and set everything up right now. Inform every servant about this new development and tell them to keep it secret from any outsider. Drop a hint that something is threatening the princesses and this is all in an attempt to protect them, that should help make it smoother.”

“As you command sir.” Feather Touch bowed to him and walked out the room, fully prepared to do what centuries of servants had done all to prevent from happening.

All in the name of duty.

“Nothing lasts forever,” Karon thought to himself and stared at the door long after she had closed it shut behind her. He began planning moves and trickery he would be able to perform now that he had an entire system of spies working for him.

But first, he needed to deal with Twilight and the rest. He needed to find out what they were doing here. And as long as More-than Tardy himself didn't see them together, Karon wouldn't have to worry about him making any connections between them.

So with renewed confidence, Karon set out to find the group of Ponyville ponies and figure out a way to make all of this work. Since they would be going to Princess Celestia first, it would be most likely to find them on the way between his chambers and hers. That is unless they were going somewhere else after their visit to the princess, but it was a good a place to start as any so Karon headed towards Celestia's tower.

He was about halfway there when he heard a familiar voice echo down from a hallway to his left. It was a little hard to make out, but when you have spent hundreds of hours being asked questions by somepony you have learned to recognize their voice.

Well not learned as much as it has been branded into your skull beyond any possibility to forget.

So Karon turned left and walked towards what he was almost certain was Lyra talking to somepony ... now that he thought about it the second voice sounded familiar as w-....

A deathly chill travelled down Karon's spine, and a lump of ice gathered at the pit of his stomach as he realized who Lyra was talking to. He ran down the hallway and turned left once more and came upon the sight he was dreading.

Lyra stood with her back to Karon facing professor More-than Tardy, chatting away with an voice full of passion and exuberance. Which meant she was definitely talking about humans...

The professor caught sight of Karon over her shoulder, but strangely enough he looked almost worried. Karon blinked rapidly in surprise. He had expected him to smile wickedly in victory and walk away certain he had found a way to beat Karon merely hours after they began their game.

Unsure if the professor was playing a game of some kind Karon approached slowly and shifted his gaze between the professor's eyes and the back of Lyra's head. When she noticed the professor wasn't looking at her anymore she turned around and stopped talking when she saw Karon standing barely three meters away from her.

“Karon....” she said and the tone was just dripping with all kinds of meanings and conflicting emotions.

“Court Wizard,” the professor greeted him coldly and bowed shallowly before he addressed Lyra once more.

“It has been a pleasure meeting you miss, and you have given me much to consider. Enjoy your stay at the castle.” Lyra barely had time to turn back to him and say good bye before the professor walked of hurriedly and disappeared from sight.

Not caring about the weird behavior, Lyra focused all of her attention back to Karon and stalked towards him, not walked, stalked. The same way a tiger does to a lamb.

“Lyra what did you say to him?” She stopped and tilted her head at the way Karon asked the question, tense and full of worry.

“I was just asking for directions to find YOU, but then he acted very interested if I knew you. I told him I was probably the foremost expert on humans in all of Equestria and had spent half a year documenting and questioning you. He asked a lot of questions about you and humanity, mostly what kind of weapons you have and what you were capable off. So I told him that humans were an ingenious race of tool makers capable of figuring out amazing new ways of controlling things and that there is probably nothing you can't adapt to. Of course he did look worried when I told him about those nuclear bombs you told me about and how many of you there were. I was going to tell him that you aren't even native to this world to reassure him, but you interrupted me before that.”

Karon held his breath during the entire time she spoke, but now he let it out feeling ... giddy.

Lyra was speaking again saying somewhat in an angry tone, but he ignored her completely. He was too happy right now. He couldn't have turned things this much to his advantage no matter what he had planned. Now, the professor thought Karon was an incredibly smart and clever being belonging to an equally smart and clever race in possession of weapons of destruction on a scale the professor could only dream about.

Not only that, because Lyra said she had spent several months questioning Karon, the professor would assume she had done so on Celestia's behalf, and if he found out about his connection with the elements he would assume they had been instructed to guard him while Lyra investigated him.

It was perfect!

“...So what have you to say in your defence!?” Lyra finished whatever she had said with and glared up at Karon angrily. He didn't answer first, instead he remained silent and still until he was certain More-than Tardy had gone out of earshot.

Then he started laughing in pure joy. His body was made of clouds and his mind was made out of sunshine as he started skipping around in a few improvised dance moves. Before the angry unicorn could protest Karon swept her up in his arms and spun her around in a circle. He ignored her angry shout and stopped only to plant a big kiss right on her lips before resuming his laughing.

Lyra stared at him as if he had gone mad.

“What the hay are you doing!? Put me down right now!”

Karon complied and put her down, still chuckling deeply.

“What was that all about?” she asked him and wiped away the saliva he had left on her lips.

“That my dear Lyra, is for something I will always be eternally grateful to you for.”

She still looked angry, but there was some evident confusion in her eyes, and her habit of asking questions couldn't be denied for long.

“Would you care to explain?”

“I would be happy to, but first we have to get the rest of the gang. After that, I can tell you everything, and find a way to win this game.”

                          *********************************************

Karon and Lyra had found Twilight and the rest of the ponies galloping towards Karon's room, and after a brief very awkward greeting he had invited all of them to his room. The walk there had been in silence and every pony avoided meeting his eyes, well except for Pinkie Pie who stared into them with a wide grin.

When they arrived he held up the door for all of them before going inside himself and closing it. They all formed up in a half circle, switching between looking around the room and at him.

He took position before all of them and felt nervous. He had thought he wouldn't be seeing any one of them except maybe Pinkie Pie ever again, and now, barely a few days had gone by before they were all back together.

“Your plans suck.”

“I wasn't expecting to see you again...”

“Oh great, remind all of them of the way you left with barely a good bye.”

Every single pony shuffled their hooves awkwardly after he spoke, even Pinkie Pie couldn't defy the excruciating levels of awkwardness in the room. Laws of physics sure, awkwardness no.

“Yeah, we kinda get that from the way you left,” the ever tactless Rainbow Dash said trying to sound as uncaring as possible.

Annoyed at her attitude Karon faced her and asked with a glare.

“I hope for your sake you have begun taking care of Scootaloo like you promised me you would.”

The rest of the ponies gathered looked at the pegasus in surprise.

“AHA! Ah knew there was something strange with the way you took her in and why Karon asked me to give you his cut of the sales.”

“Hey, I am just trying to help the squirt! No pony forced me into it.”

“Karon's no pony, but Ah'm glad you've learned how to take something responsible like.”

“Act responsibly,” both Karon and Twilight corrected her at the same time and looked at each other with tiny smiles.

“Glad to hear you've kept your promise, but I need to know why you are all here?”

“Princess Celestia asked me to come and bring my friends with me. When I asked her in person, she said you might need our help with something and that is the real reason we are here.”

“And you just accepted that without question despite the fact that we parted on such bad terms?”

“The princess would never ask this of us unless it was very important.”

“I will never understand people like her.”

“Fine I guess I should explain then, uhrmhrm ... It all began when I arrived in Canterlot....”

Ten minutes later, Karon had explained as much as he wished to, he left out some details. Most notably that Celestia was a scheming snake since they would never trust that, and his mission to help Luna get over herself. For some reason, Twilight accepted the idea that Karon was given the court wizard position only to thwart More-than Tardy without hesitation, but she had difficulty believing the professor was capable of what Karon accused him off.

“It doesn't make sense. Professor More-than Tardy is an acknowledged genius of magic and honored member of the unicorn consortium. Why would he do something like this?”

“Ambition, greed and serious control issues. Nothing new Twilight, these kind of things happen.”

“Maybe were you're from, but in Equestria ponies don't just betray the princesses and hurt other ponies like that.”

“Yes they do, it's just a bit less common because of Tia's iron hoof dominance.”

“Princess Celestia does not- !”

“Enough, I get it she is perfect and can do no wrong. Point is, More-than Tardy is planning something very big and intricate to seize power, and Tia wants me to deal with it for some reason. Obviously, she wants you to help since she sent you here....”

“Or she just wanted somepony to keep an eye on me.”

“Fine, so what do we do?” Rainbow Dash asked and looked about ready to fly off and beat up the professor and be done with it.

“You do nothing. Twilight you mentioned a letter Tia sent where she asked you to attend the party in a few days correct?”

“Yes.”

“Then we can assume Celestia suspects that something will happen during the party, otherwise she wouldn't have mentioned it.”

“I don't get why we just don't go over and throw this professor guy in prison!?” Dash exclaimed and threw her hooves in the air to show just how frustrated she were to be surrounded by such idiots.

“Because that would only remove the leader. More-than Tardy has built up an entire network of agents and there is nothing to stop a lieutenant or somepony else from stepping up and taking over should he be arrested. We want to stop not just More-than Tardy but also his plans.”

“So what are we supposed to do?” The pegasus questioned, not happy being beaten even if it was just verbally.

“You remain in your rooms and don't leave until the party. If I need help from any one of you, I will come and ask for it. If you roam around freely it might upset whatever plans I can figure out.”

“No way!”

“Ah can't agree ta that.”

“How am I supposed to help with the party if I am stuck inside our rooms!?”

“....Please don't....”

“Can't do that Karon.”

Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Lyra said loudly. Only Twilight and Rarity remained silent. Twilight because she was busy considering the new information she had been given, and Rarity because she hadn't spoken or even looked straight at Karon since she saw him.

“Twilight, could I speak privately with you for a moment?”

“Hmmmm? Oh yes of course.”

She walked over to the far end of the room with Karon and they spoke in hushed voices.

“I can't let them roam freely. They could upset everything.”

“You can't just keep all of us inside our rooms for three whole days Karon.”

“You I can handle, all of them not.”

“You mean hoofle?”

“What? Forget it, what I meant was I can keep things under control with just you around. You've got magic and could be very useful before the party, but all of them running around will be a disaster.”

“What exactly are you proposing?”

“Magic induced sleep?”

“I'm not going to put my friends to sleep for three days!”

“SHHHH! They'll hear you! And right now we don't have many more options.”

“I'm not doing it.”

“What do you think happens if a remorseless killer like the professor gets his hooves on somepony like Pinkie Pie ... or Fluttershy. He will torture them for days Twilight.”

She stared up at him with horrified eyes and looked back on her friends, fear written all over her features.

“...What about food and water and....”

“I'll tell the servant to care for them while they are sleeping and make sure a few guards are posted inside to guard them.”

“I don't like this and I will be holding you responsible if anything happens to them.”

“Fine with me, are you ready?”

“Who will be doing it?”

“If you keep them from running away I'll put them to sleep.”

Twilight didn't respond, she just turned around with uncertain eyes. Then she shut them closed and her horn began to glow, a purple aura enveloped all six of the ponies and they found themselves floating unable to move their hooves or wings within it.

“Twilight what's going on!?” Pinkie Pie shouted and her eyes darted from side to side.

“Don't be afraid Pinkie, we are just putting you to sleep until the party,” Karon said.

“But I don't wanna go to sleep!” She answered back and tried to shoot Twilight a pleading look which she couldn't see behind closed eyes.

“Twilight, let me out o'here right ... this....” Applejack yawned loudly and didn't finish the sentence.

Five other ponies did the same and fell asleep gradually, but at the far right of the group, Rarity floated with her horn aglow in bluish light and eyes wide open in defiance. For the first time since she entered the room Rarity looked Karon right in the eyes. Whatever she was doing left her unaffected by Karon's sleeping spell, but not whatever Twilight was doing.

He could feel how the bluish energy surrounding her was too dense, too sharp for his scratching magic to pierce.

“I will not be treated in this way! Twilight would never have done something like this on her own, this is your influence!”

“I know Rare....”

“Don't call me that! You will address me as Lady Rarity and nothing else!”

“You will always be Rare to me.”

“Clearly your actions has proven otherwise.”

Karons eyes dimmed from their usual amber glow into a dark orange color and he pushed his hand into the purple aura before him. It was like putting his hand through very thick syrup and he found he couldn't move his hand in any greater manner at all, but he didn't need to. Instead, he pushed more and more of his arm into the bubble of magic until his finger brushed the upper part of Rarity's head.

She shuddered lightly from the touch and despite Twilight's magic and her own outrage she pushed her head up and into his palm, closing her eyes half way from the contact.

“Please Rare, sleep ... and let me watch over you.”

She looked him deeply in the eyes, the ocean blue met glowing amber, and the blue aura surrounding her died down as she closed her eyes, pressing herself harder against his palm.

The physical touch made it easier for him to work his magic and Rarity fell into a deep slumber she would not wake up from by herself. Karon stepped back and his arms followed with him, sliding out of the jelly like unicorn magic.

He didn't take his eyes of the sleeping Rarity and watched her instead as she and the rest of the ponies sunk to the floor and the purple aura disappeared. From behind him Twilight spoke in an accusing voice, filled with both personal hurt and from that of seeing her friend in pain.

“Did you know she cried for six hours straight after you left, and that was only after we all went to comfort her?”

Karon didn't say anything. He looked down at the sleeping unicorn and imagined what she must have felt after being so abruptly left as she had been. Her dreams and heart so easily torn apart.

When Karon turned around it was with eyes burning with amber lightning and an unseen but felt aura surrounded him. It sparked and hissed without making a sound, a feeling of trickery, deceit and playful games exuded from it.

He looked at Twilight with a trickster's eyes and said in response.

“I expected worse.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 26: Spy master supreme Estimated time remaining: 14 Hours, 53 Minutes