//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: BEDLAM III: Quiet on the Set // by Gormless Wheaton //------------------------------// Steel Eyes let out a yelp of pain, straining against the restraints binding him to his seat. "Why must it burn?!" He cried. "So you know it is working, Beloved," Silver Lace, his wife, replied as she carefully applied more medicine to his side where the bolt was lodged. Steel grunted and hissed as he scanned the hut they were hiding in. The place was bare save for their bed and the essentials they'd brought with them. It was a far cry from the palace they'd lived in for the past few years until the rightful king suddenly returned. "When I return to the Iron City and overthrow Agamemnon again, I'll be sure to make him suffer for this." He cried out again as Lace finally pulled the bolt out. "That may not be possible, my lord," she replied. "Your previous conquest was only achieved with the aid of Lord Bedlam." "I'll find a way!" Steel roared, trying to raise his fist to no avail. He sighed and relaxed in his seat as his wife wrapped his torso. "Damnable Equestrians. Overthrow Bedlam, fine!" He grunted and grit his teeth. "But did they have to release Agamemnon from Tartarus?" "Such is their way, I'm afraid," Lace replied, cutting the cloth and pinning the bandage in place. She dared a glance up at Steel's face. "Though, I fear that even if they had not, when the minotaurs learned you were no longer receiving support from the human you may have had a rebellion on your hands anyway." Steel glared at her before reclining with a miserable sigh. Lace hummed and rested her head on his chest. "In any case, we may still take heart that despite Agamemnon's return, you still held the Iron City against his siege for two years," she said, drawing a smile from Steel's face. "True! Few warriors could make such a boast," the minotaur laughed, wrapping an arm around his wife. As he stared up at the ceiling, pondering how best to pursue revenge, Lace suddenly tensed up and pulled away. "I'm going to the well to fetch some fresh water, my lord," she declared with a bow. Steel sighed and nodded. "Very well. Be on guard, however! My captains have yet to arrive, and it's been three days since the city fell," he chided. Lace bowed again and slipped to the door with a bucket in hand. Once she closed the door, she turned towards the forest clearing outside and scowled. She scanned the gathering before her and shook her head. "Far too noisy, all of you. If he were in better health, he would have heard you as I did," she groused as she approached the line of bound and terrified minotaur warriors who were on their knees with knives at their throats. Twice as many maids from the Iron City palace surrounded them. "Forgive us, my lady, but there has been a development," one of the maids explained and gently kicked the bag at her hooves forward and around her hostage. "The device you requested we steal from the castle has been making noise." Lace frowned and grabbed the bag before opening it. Inside was the portable console she'd fashioned during her time administrating Bedlam's machinery for her husband. On its screen, a series of text was flashing. "The Crystal Mind?" She murmured. "I thought it had been destroyed." She began tampering with the device to ensure it was working properly. "What are your orders, my lady?" One of the maids asked. Lace studied her console again before humming. "I believe we should investigate the Citadel. Is that mechanical carriage we smuggled still functioning?" "Yes, my lady." Lace nodded before stowing the device with a smile. "Wonderful. There is little left in Minos for us," she waved a hand at the hostages. "Finish these fools and then my husband, and let us be off." "So, when the reversal is applied, what effect will that have?" Sunburst asked, turning from his board with a smile. His expression fell immediately and he sighed at the sight of his sole pupil staring out the window. "Flurry." "Huh?" Flurry jolted in her seat. She scanned the board and her ears snapped back. "Oh! Uh, a theoretically infinite amount of mass is released in a line?" She nervously smiled, causing Sunburst to blink and look back at the board, stroking his bushy beard. "Uh, that's correct, very good," he raised an eyebrow at her and adjusted his glasses. "Now, can you tell me why that happens?" Flurry wilted and scrunched her muzzle, her eyes darting around the room. "Cause it's," she hesitated and smiled anxiously. "Cool?" She held her smile despite Sunburst's unimpressed stare. "I mean," he shook his head. "It is pretty cool, but that's not the reason." He sighed and levitated his seat next to hers before sitting down. "Alright! What's on your mind?" He asked. Flurry wilted and looked off to the side. "Nothing." "Nothing at all?" "Nuh-uh." "Not thinking about Edward?" Flurry squeaked and her wings shot out. "No!" She nervously looked into Sunburst's eyes before wilting again. "Please don't tell, Mom." Sunburst snorted with a smile and began wiping his glasses with his cape. "Sure, but only if you elaborate on what I shouldn't be telling her," he smirked at her. She frowned and scanned the room before sighing and looking down at her bulging saddle bag which sat beside her chair. "It sucks," she spat quietly. "Down in Canterlot and the rest of Equestria, they're still using his machines and stuff, but we've got a total ban in place! She won't even let me draw up any plans or anything! And she smashes anything I make if she finds it!" Sunburst nodded. "Yeah, it is kind of a shame, since despite him being an unhinged sociopath, he did good work," he flinched and shook his head. "And by good, I mean quality, not morally." Flurry rolled her eyes. "Yeah, everypony else keeps saying that, but I don't really see it," she muttered. Sunburst barked a laugh. "Flurry, he threatened to blow up anypony who didn't do what he said or didn't conform." "Like how we blow up or melt anypony who doesn't confirm using friendship magic?" She retorted with an annoyed leer. Sunburst squawked and his glasses popped off his face. Hastily catching them with his hooves he stammered and muttered while struggling to get them back in place. Finally, he cleared his throat. "That's different." "Different how?" Flurry demanded. "I dunno, but you can ask your Aunt. She's the expert on blowing people up with friendship," he replied with a confident nod. Flurry rolled her eyes and was about to press further when the door swung open. A guard rushed in and saluted. "Princess Flurry, your mother has ordered you to remain in your room until further notice," he declared. "What?!" Flurry cried. "Why?!" "Apologies, Your Highness. I am not at leave to reveal that to you," he ended his salute with a stamp of his hoof. "Sunburst, you are requested in the throne room immediately." Sunburst blinked and recoiled. "What's happening?" "A messenger from Equestria has just arrived," the guard replied and stood to the side. Sunburst looked at the guard for a moment before sighing and smiling at Flurry. "Guess we'll finish this lesson later, huh?" He asked before sighing as Flurry scowled, picked up her bag, and stormed out. He adjusted his glasses and nodded at the guard. "Oh boy. Alright, let's get moving." Alone in her room, Flurry lay on her back, glaring death at the ceiling. She could see faint pulses of magic shimmering through the crystal the whole building was made of, a constant reminder of how similar Bedlam's inventions and her home were. With a growl, she tore her eyes from the ceiling and stared at her closet, which shimmered with an illusion spell Sunburst had taught her. Double-checking the door and window, she hopped off her bed and opened the closet. The illusion spell perfectly concealed the small, one-pony hovercraft she'd whipped together earlier that year, based on the design of Bedlam's old hovercraft, though it was more like a hovering surf board than a proper vehicle. She traced her hoof across it with a sad humph. 'Hey now! Did you make that?' He had said with pure admiration, causing her heart to leap. 'I sure did!' She'd replied, drawing a nod of approval from him. 'I dunno how accurate it is, since I'm not allowed to mess with any of yours, but I think I came pretty close.' She'd stupidly added. She cringed at the memory, though only for a moment. 'I'd say so, just on a cursory glance,' he'd appraised. She took a breath and smiled at the memory, at least until she remembered her mom had then blasted her machine out of the air right in front of him. She hadn't seen him for the rest of his stay, and the next she'd heard of him he was in stone. She glared miserably at the tiny machine in her closet. She'd never get to show him or get his input. Just like she never got a closer look at his other machines, the prosthetics he'd introduced, the castle's console, or even his Citadel. The very heart of his advanced empire, and she never even got a glimpse of it. She scowled and leered at the door, before trotting over to her saddlebag. Snapping it open and moving aside her water bottle and snacks, she checked the puny makeshift console she'd modeled after the castle's just on sight. It couldn't connect to anything, but it at least let her navigate when she snuck out at night. She quickly checked how much power it had, before nodding, pulling her hovercraft out, and throwing open the window. Just before taking off, she stopped and turned. Raising her mattress with her magic, she pulled out her black and grey coat, as well as her gemstone glasses. Slipping them all on, she stepped on her machine and zipped out the window. [It would appear we were mistaken,] KSUN creaked as KMOON flew down the corridor, carrying her head in her magic. [The Crystal Mind's signal was a trap.] [Quite obvious,] KMOON replied. Despite being the only one of the two alicorn duplicates who could still move, her gemstone core was leaking magic in a sparking trail and her entire rear half was gone. [How do you think she managed to survive her second confrontation with the Elements?] [It would appear we were mistaken,] KSUN creaked, causing KMOON to pull her head forward to look at her. [The Crystal Mind's signal was a trap.] [I see.] Ignoring her sister as she repeated the same phrase over and over, KMOON strained and teleported forward, managing to slip passed one of the rusty blast doors as it came crashing down. However, as she reappeared, her gemstone core crackled and she collapsed. After a few moments, she jolted and struggled to stand, but could only manage to push onto her side. [I believe we are finished,] she murmured. [It would appear we were mis-] KSUN whirred and then clicked. [Perhaps it's what we deserve.] KMOON raised her head and pulled her sister's head closer. [Elaborate while you are able.] KSUN looked up with her eyes. [While we determined that there was no safe method to rescue the master when they abducted him three years ago, I have remained of the opinion we should have at least tried.] [We agreed we would wait until their guard was down to make the attempt,] KMOON retorted. [Which I believe is what the master would have preferred.] KSUN studied her sister for a moment before blinking and trying to look further down the hall. [Regardless, I would encourage you to attempt another teleportation and leave me here,] she said. [If you can find the Administrator, she should be able to repair you and then you can warn her of what has transpired here. Do so immediately.] [What would leaving you behind accomplish?] KMOON asked, tilting her head as she began charging her horn. Before her sister could answer, a beam shot from further down the hall and pierced KMOON's head with a warbling squeal. The golem shuddered and sparked before collapsing with a pop. [I was planning to distract her,] KSUN replied with a sigh as she was picked up by magic and turned to face her sister's killer. [Hello again, Defect.] [My name is Twilight,] KS 6 chirped. [Let's get you two back to the lab for analysis and repair.] The blast door rattled and opened with a screech, bits of rust and chipped metal flaking off as it rose. KS 6 carefully scooped up KMOON and carried the two back the way they'd come running. [How exactly did you manage to rebuild the Crystal Mind, let alone rebuild your body?] KSUN pressed, drawing KS 6's eyes to her. [I was under the impression our enemies were being quite thorough in their efforts to exterminate you. I'm not sure how you found the time or resources.] KS 6 giggled. [You're assuming I did it all on my own. I had help.] She nodded her head forward and turned KSUN in that direction. The damaged golem studied what was ahead as the bipedal figure strode toward the pair. [I do not understand,] KSUN finally whimpered. "That's cause you're just a dopey robot," Bedlam laughed as he reached them and picked up KSUN's head by the horn. He met her uneasy eyes with a toothy smile. "Don't worry though. It'll all be clear in a few minutes."