5 No Rest for the Wicked
A special thank you to The Random 1 (I hope you enjoyed that cake), Waffleman2211 (Nightfall makes a hobby of murdering people at dinner. It's her idea of fun.), Ninjagirl01 (Twilight characters? Celestia forbid I ever do that), Guest (Please, I'd love to credit you with your review. Just post a name, any name, please?), and Cyberpug99 (Grimm is…different, I can tell you that.) for leaving your reviews.
Got distracted by Zelda for a few days. Oops.
The cloud house was a little bigger than Sugarcube Corner, and was made almost completely of thunderclouds, dark and brooding. It drifted rather close to the ground, only a few meters away from the grassy field that it was parked over. It was a rather old design, sticking to a more classical pegasus design rather than the vibrant, rainbow flaunting styles of the modern cloud house.
So this was Blizzard Gale's old family home. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hovered outside, looking at Twilight, who glared expectantly up at them. Over the past three days, the resident of this house had not been seen anywhere, and Twilight for one was getting worried. The day before, she had enlisted the help of her flying friends to go and check on Blizzard, just to see if she was alright.
"Go on then, just knock!" she called. "Just see how she's doing!"
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and knocked on the door, her hoof sinking into the clouds. She tutted. Of course, these old cloud houses didn't have all of the solid cloud partitions that the newer ones had. Hence, knocking was useless.
Rainbow Dash glanced down at her unicorn friend. She was giving them the 'what the hay are you waiting for?' look. The cyan pegasus groaned. She could have been out napping right now, or even doing some work…okay, maybe this was better than work.
Fluttershy had pried the door open a little, her hoof coming away a little damp due to the moisture in the clouds. It was dark inside, and a water-heavy breath of air wafted out as they peered into the murky depths.
Rainbow Dash sighed. There was probably nothing wrong, just maybe Blizzard was down with feather flu or something.
"Come on, Fluttershy, let's just get this over with."
The interior of the cloud house was so dark, Fluttershy had to leave the door open so that they could see. It wasn't really all that big from the inside. The walls were so swollen with water that one good kick would have been enough to empty them. It lent the interior a rather oppressive atmosphere, and caused the air to be unpleasantly humid. It was pretty much silent in the house, but if Blizzard was indeed inside, then she wouldn't be too hard to find.
With Fluttershy starting in the lounge room, Rainbow Dash proceeded into what looked like a bedroom. The interior was full of furniture that was covered in white sheets, like it hadn't been used in a long time. The cyan pony cocked her head and perked up her ears. Had a sound just come from the closet? She stood still and listened, the silence of the old house nastily pressing.
Then it came again. A slight moan, followed by a clank of metal hitting metal.
Rainbow Dash tiptoed over to the closet, and peeked into the crack between the doors. Pitch black.
Suddenly, there was a loud thump from inside the closet, scaring the life out of Rainbow. Her heart racing, the pegasus took flight, slamming into the soft ceiling and falling back down.
"All right," she muttered, scowling at the closet. "I'm going in."
Rainbow Dash threw open the doors, prepared to do battle with whatever was inside.
However, the only occupant of the closet's inside was a dark blue pegasus with a blue and white striped mane.
And bright yellow eyes, gleaming with hunger.
"B-Blizzard?" Rainbow Dash gasped, retreating and bumping into Fluttershy, who had heard the clamor and had just headed in to investigate.
The dark blue pony blinked. When the eyes opened again, they were icy blue, and dull with fatigue.
"Dash?" Blizzard Gale whispered, staring at the rainbow maned pegasus.
"And Fluttershy!" Rainbow said, holding her chest. "What…what was that?"
Blizzard didn't answer immediately, taking a few breaths before speaking. "It's…a side effect. Ever since you freed me, I've…been having horrible dreams. Every Night. I can hear…Veyrul speaking to me." Blizzard tried to walk out of the closet, but was stopped by a thick length of cloth tying her to the frame inside.
"Oh, my. Did-did you tie yourself down?" Fluttershy asked as she trotted over to untie the bonds.
"Yeah. It's…not safe for me to be loose while sleeping at night. I tried sleeping during the day, and nothing happened then. But I still tie myself up just in case…but…" The dark blue pony wiped her eyes with her right foreleg, which was missing its bracer. "…so tired…"
"Um, your eyes were yellow just now. I don't know if they've done that before, but…"
Blizzard jumped at this. She galloped over to a mirror that was set on the wall that had a huge hole in the center, like it had been punched with a metal claw. Glass was scattered at its base, but the pony ignored the pain as she examined herself, her reflection split into many by the mirror shards. A dozen dark blue faces stared back, tangled manes, and tired blue eyes.
The dark blue pegasus turned back to her friends. "Yellow?" she asked. Just one word.
Fluttershy and Rainbow shook their heads, manes ruffling a bit before falling back into place.
"Well…" the tired pony sighed. "Thanks for checking on me anyway. Is…is Twilight doing okay?"
"She's the one who sent us up to check you." Fluttershy told her.
"Twilight…" Blizzard murmured. "She's cares so much about me?"
Rainbow Dash nodded. "Sure seems that way. Want us to tell her you're okay?"
Blizzard nodded. "And tell her…I'm sorry for making her worry. It's my fault she bothered you this…morning, is it?" She took a comb out of a nearby dresser and began running it through her mane, but dropped it after a few attempts at working out a snarl.
Fluttershy nodded to Dash, who took the hint and flew out to give Twilight the message. The yellow pegasus went over to her friend, who was sprawled out on the soft floor, eyes half open. Without saying anything, Fluttershy pulled a blanket out of the closet, tucking it over her friend's prone form. Then she took up the comb and began to run it through Blizzard's mane, all the while singing a soft lullaby. As she sang, Blizzard Gale's expression grew softer, and her dreams eased.
"Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head…"
Grimm stood at the front of the Arcanum, towering over the rest of the occupants. It was moments like this that she relished, finally assigning the first steps of a mission. Court members got to do this on a regular basis, but their plans were all pre-made, submitted by officers beforehand. Grimm's plans were, in a way, hand-stitched. She discerned every detail, predicted every outcome, knew all of the operatives personally.
In the center of the room, there was a roughly four foot high object, covered in a black and purple cloth that shimmered and rippled. The shroud kept the contents contained, stopped any excess power from leaking out and causing unnecessary problems. And once the project was unveiled, the shroud would make a nice cape, if it came to that.
It was time to speak, to set the wheels of her plan in motion. Faedran, Graygan, and Vex were in the room, although the last one was not visible.
"My fellow operatives." Grimm said, her mask flashing in the lamplight. It was late, and it was dark out, but Grimm enjoyed keeping her Arcanum dark. It added to the air of importance.
"Today, I have called you here because, due to each of your prior dealings, I have deemed you worthy of being the ones to carry out a mission for the glory and profit of the Grand Master."
Grimm stalked back and forth behind her desk, the shadows clinging to her like a cloak, her raven hair fanning out behind her. "Faedran, because of your last mission, have the most experience with the world of Equestria. I will use your experience to provide support for those in the outer realms."
Faedran grinned a little wider at this. Acting as support meant not actually going outside. That was just fine with the superior Gigas. More time to drink tea and play chess.
Grimm continued. "Graygan." The hooded being bowed his cowled head. Due to your high success rate, skill as a dreamweaver, spellcaster, and previous dealings with the target's protégé, I have selected you as the first of the team that I will send in to Equestria."
"Vex." Grimm said loudly, waving a hand and brightening the room just a little and lengthening all their shadows, casting pillars of darkness on the red carpeted floor.
Graygan's shadow danced, showing the outline of a huge creature with arms, wings, and a tail. The shadow's mouth was open in a toothy leer, displaying the silhouettes of sharp fangs. Then, the shadow jumped, suddenly erupting from two-dimensional into the third dimension. The black creature eyed the rest of the beings with eyes of bright orange, rimmed with violet.
"I am heeere." Vex hissed. "What would you have of me, Necromantress?"
Grimm stepped closer to the shadow being. "Vex. Due to your…skill in combat and ability to blend into almost any environment, as well as your skill with spellbreaking, I have chosen you to be the second of the team I will be sending to Equestria. Serve me well, Vex."
Vex laughed, an awful gurgling sound. "Oh yessss. Of course, Necromantress. I will serve you with utmost…distinnnction."
Graygan looked about the room. "Officer, I see no one else in the room. Are we the only three involved?"
Grimm sat down at her desk, an armchair forming beneath her as she sat. "Oh no, of course not. Tradition requires at least four, and I have already found the fourth member of this team. But first, I will be explaining what exactly you will be doing.
The masked officer summoned a slowly revolving image of Canterlot in the air. It was amazingly detailed, from the smallest paving stone to every single pony that walked the streets.
"Sirmyurin, an operative that is undergoing counseling right now," Faedran growled as Grimm spoke of his wayward teammate. "collected various pieces of intelligence from this world, Equestria, the last time he was here. Now, I have sifted through all of it, and have decided on the target."
"Yesss? What is it? Just tellll me, and you can consider that soul…devoured." Vex sank back into the floor, but the eyes continued watching, glowing with unnatural light.
Grimm stabbed her staff's end into the floor. "No. You will not devour the target's soul. I want it brought back intact. It is a rather high-quality soul, if my research is to be trusted. I want to…conduct some tests on it."
Graygan raised a finger. "Alright, but what soul is it? A civilian, a deity, a demigod, whatever. What soul is it?"
Grimm tilted her masked head and conjured up a second image. It showed a tall white alicorn with a rainbow mane, adorned with various articles of royal regalia.
"This is Princess Celestia, the day time ruler of this world." Grimm said sharply. Faedran rolled his eyes, the red glow dimming as the orbs within rotated. It was one of those worlds. "Her soul is highly collectible, and valuable. I want it brought to me, intact. Not a bite out of it, do you understand, Vex?"
Vex's grin died down a little. "Of couuurssse, Necromantress. I understand."
Graygan had been looking in his lexicon, gauntleted hands turning every page with care. "Grimm, you've told us the basics of this mission, but what about the details? It's important for me to know the small details if I am to perform at my best."
"Graygan. Attentive as always. I have passed the rest of the plans to your lexicons. You may read them there."
Faedran frowned, setting his white teeth in a semicircle. "But Grimm, if your intention was not to explain the plan in full, why call us all here tonight?"
Grimm, the Officer with over fifteen thousand years of service, laughed. It was a genuine laugh, one that Grimm did not often get to use.
"Why, to introduce you to your final team member, of course."
And with that, Grimm took hold of the cloth covering the object in the center of the room and flung it aside, exposing the thing beneath for all to see.
"Ah. Now, it makes sense." Graygan said.
Author's Notes
The plan begins. Grimm's motives are revealed...or are they?
Also, Nightfall asked me to invite those of you who didn't review to a lovely dinner at Storm Castle.
Leave a review, please?