Beneath the Surface

Paladin lets the needles burrow into the changelings skull, before he pulled them out, letting the corpse slump to the ground. "Whatever message he may have had was worthless."

[Wat griff? We walked away, like, always away]

[Oh you did? Sorry, I must've failed to notice over 60 posts that I had to read.]

[I know that feel]

[Mind explaining what exactly is going on then and your location?]

"Five times?" Ician inquires. "What do you mean? The only skirmish has been the one I just fought. Unless you're talking about potential fights elsewhere in the city? But how would you know that they exist?"

((Once again, I disclaim all responsibility. It's not my fault I tell you! I've been framed!

Here's a short summary: Paladin and the Princess have left the docks and gone... somewhere else. Everypony else is still waiting for Storm peacefully. Excluding, of course, the gang attack earlier. Ician left for a little while just now to talk to Paladin before Paladin left, but after that Ician returned to the group.))

---

Celestia gives Paladin a disapproving stare. "You didn't have to kill him. We should have arrested him. He was helpless."

Paladin stood up, checking whether the stitching had held. "True, but he would have killed you had he the chance. Interesting that he thought he succeed when he had touched me."

"I'm not so sure he thought he succeeded." Celestia eyes the corpse sadly. "Without his motives we cannot be sure of anything. But you ought to check yourself in to the nearest hospital for a medical check, just in case there were any invisible effects behind that spell."

"I'd rather do it myself." He smiled. "I suppose all my arguments are null now, aren't they? I mean, I just proved myself wrong on multiple levels..." He chuckled dryly. "My statement about us remains though..."

"I was just saying of how many times attacks happen... through the whole Canterlot. Is Royal Guard really doing that bad?" Griff grumbles.

"It's not really the Guard's fault per se." Ician says defensively. "We can't do anything about a threat until we know it exists. So we rely on intelligence and - this is the main part - the authority afforded by national laws. The nobles maintain that the freedom to privacy of the individual is more important than a semblance of security, so ponies can smuggle in weapons whenever they want. When they do use it, of course," Ician gestures to the scene being cleared up, "the Guard resolves things. Quickly."

---

"You made a lot of statements about 'us'." Celestia comments. "To... which one do you refer?"

"Then explain these infested dark streets. Ever thought of putting up a few cleaning parties to get rid of scum?"

"A relationship." He muttered, his horn glowing as he scanned himself. "Well, thy could be a problem later on..." He murmured to himself. "Doesn't seem to be anything wrong." He smiled. "Shall we head to day court?"

"No, because the law forbids us from arresting them until we have evidence of them having done something wrong." Ician sighs. "We could send troops in, but unless we catch them in the act there isn't anything we can do. We generally just advise the populace to stay out of there."

---

"... You and I both know that a relationship between us would be impossible." Celestia replies cautiously. "Because of my station... speaking of my station, let's not keep the Day Court waiting any longer."

"We've all done the impossible before. It wouldn't be hard." He struggled to walk to her side. "Lead the way."

Celestia does not acknowledge the first part of his statement, apart from a small stiffening of her posture. "The Palace awaits." And she strides off.

"Or at least put patrols through the city. Another major attack just like changeling one will occur, shield will protect us all, but those scum who want Canterlot to fall will rise from their places in dark streets and slowly murder Canterlot from inside while changelings wait outside. Unless they cry for mercy, I don't see why you should show them any." Griff grumbles.

"There's nothing I'd rather do more." Ician says. "But patrols recently have been deemed unnecessary for immediate national security and hence reduced because of, hm, a military excursion over the Eastern Sea to investigate the deaths of a team of scouts."

Paladin sighed quietly, safe in the knowledge of what the changeling had succeeded to do. "Of course."

"Hold on a second, just how many ponies do you even have in your force? You're talking as if you have less than three hundred."

"We have a lot more than that." Ician acknowledges. "But a great number more were placed on standby, ready to move out at any moment, because the situation there was dire for a period of time. As you may recall."

"I was expecting you to have over ten thousand ponies in the army... and yet they're all on stand-by for one little incident that has been dealt with?"

"We didn't know it wouldn't blow up to gigantic proportions before it was resolved." Ician replies. "Besides, what Theria said insinuates that there are many more of them, waiting. Defence of the realm has become top priority now."

Paladin strode alongside Celestia, silent and deep in thought. "Oh." He exclaimed. "That reminds me."

"Yes?" Celestia asks, not breaking stride.

"I've spent the last week making something rather special..." Would you like to see it?" He paused, still walking forward.