Chapter 8: Going Undercover

After spending an excruciating night without sleep, reading almost half of the books in Twilight’s library, Desdemona slowly trudged her way to the door of Fluttershy’s home. Upon entering, the Shadowmare was tackled by a panicking pegasus.

“Desdemona! Thank goodness you’re home! When I woke up he was gold! He looks like a Lightmare and... and... and...”.

Desdemona put her hoof on Fluttershy’s lips and asked her in a mildly exhausted tone, “Okay... now I want you to slow down... and calmly tell me... what in blazes are you trying to say?”. Fluttershy calmed down like she was told and Desdemona released her lips.

The yellow mare took a deep, calm breath... and shouted at the top of her lungs, “DAEMON IS A LIGHTMARE!”. Hearing the startling news, Desdemona pushed Fluttershy aside and ran in, quickly seeing a dazzling blond pony staring into a mirror making faces {Link 1}. There was no doubt that it was Daemon. He was still wearing his stylish black outfit that Rarity gave him. Desdemona approached him and her horn started to emit a ray of light. When the light hit Daemon it illuminated him in a red aura. Desdemona sighed in relief.

“It’s okay... he’s still him. The Poison Joke must have changed his outward appearance while keeping his inward self the same. Think of it like a costume... he may look different but he is still a Shadowmare on the inside.”, Desdemona told Fluttershy, who was still on edge.

“H-how do you know that he’s still him?”.

“Because of that spell that I used. It was an aura spell. It detects what kind of pony you are and responds by showing a different colored aura based on what you truly are. Pegasi are blue, Earth Ponies are green, unicorns are purple... and Lightmares are yellow.”, Desdemona said, flinching after explaining the Lightmare aura. Fluttershy could see that the normally volatile Shadowmare was remembering something from her past... something painful.

“So, since Daemons aura was red, that means he’s still a Shadowmare, right?”, Fluttershy asked, snapping Desdemona out of her depressed state.

“What? Oh, yes. What has been done is nothing more than a simple disguise. I believe that was the joke. It was kind of funny if you think about it. You really thought he was a...”, Desdemona stopped talking suddenly. Her eyes got wide and her jaw slowly started to drop as if she had just seen the gates of heaven open up before her. She grabbed Fluttershy by the face and kissed her forhead. “Thank you, you marvelously brilliant pegasus! We are in business now!”, Desdemona shouted excitedly. Fluttershy was once again confused... that seemed to be happening alot lately.

“Um... what did I do exactly?”, Fluttershy asked, hoping that Desdemona didn’t simply just go insane.

The horned mare laughed like a maniac before answering, “Don’t you see?! If Daemons appearance was enough to fool you and me at first, that means the Lightmares may be convinced he’s one of them as well! Especially since they don’t know about the Poison Joke! He could blend right in!”.

“You mean like a... spy?”, the shy pony asked.

“Precisely...”, Desdemona responded, grinning maliciously.

It was decided that the others needed to hear the plan to go undercover as well. On the way to the normal meeting area (a.k.a. Twilights house), Daemon started to notice that everywhere they went, ponies were giving him odd looks. It wasn’t that the looks were mean or nasty in any way, but Daemon had never seen a pony look at him like this.

“Why is everypony acting so weird?”, Daemon whispered to Fluttershy.

“I think they like your new look. They think you look handsome.”, Fluttershy responded. Daemon looked over at a mare who was giving him an odd smile and she fainted.

“They are swooning over you...”, Desdemona told Daemon.

“I don’t know what swans have to do with anything, but I could get used to this!”, Daemon replied happily. Desdemona just gave an aggravated sigh and rolled her eyes like usual while Fluttershy giggled at his clueless comment.

Upon entering the library, gasps filled the room. Daemon was quickly tackled by Rainbow Dash.

“OKAY LIGHTMARE, HOW DID YOU FIND US?! WHAT DO YOU KNOW?! TELL ME!”, Rainbow Dash yelled angrily, keeping the now golden stallion pinned down.

“Uh, Rainbow? Mind getting off? This is starting to hurt.”. Hearing the familiar voice surprised and confused the mare.

“Daemon? Is that you?”, Rainbow Dash asked, looking deeply into his eyes.

Daemon nodded and said, “The one and only! Now would you mind... um...”. Daemon cleared his throat and motioned for her to get off. Slightly embarrassed, the cyan pegasus jumped off him.

“Sorry about that! I didn’t know it was you... hey, why do you look like that in the first place? Are you trying to make me look stupid?!”, Rainbow Dash accused.

“No...”, Desdemona spoke up, “He had a run in with Poison Joke yesterday and this was the effect.”.

Twilight laughed, “Oh, well we don’t have to worry then! I just happen to know the cure. All we have to do is gather the ingredients and Daemon will be back to normal in no-”.

“Hold it right there!”, Desdemona interrupted, “We don’t want to do that just yet... Now what was so extraordinary about what happened to Rainbow Dash? Anypony?”. An awkward silence fell upon the group.

“It’s very simple... you see before Daemon revealed himself, he was presumed to be a Lightmare, correct? Now imagine if we used that and sent Daemon in among the lightmares as an undercover agent... they wouldn’t expect a thing and we would have instant access to understanding what they are plotting. We would be able to gather intelligence without consequence!”.

Daemon pondered this for a second and a question came to mind, “Hey, what if they find out who I really am and kill me?”.

“Like I said, ‘without consequence’.”, Desdemona said, snickering a little at the dark joke she made.

The mane six started to plan along with the Shadowmare, thinking of ways they could contribute. Twilight was going to be the organizer of the incoming information that was gathered. keeping things in order and connecting the dots was one of the most important jobs there, but Twilight was as eager to help as the rest. Rainbow Dash was going to be the scout of Ponyville, always on the alert for unknown Lightmares. The spunky mare was perfect for the job, because she could survey the entire town in ten seconds flat. Applejack was going to be the town defender while Daemon was away.

If Rainbow happened to spot a Lightmare in the vicinity it was Applejacks job to knock out the intruder with a quick buck to the head as soon as possible. Pinkie Pie was going to keep everyponys spirits up. Even though that was what she normally did, this time it was so suspicion wouldn’t arise from a sudden decrease in the overall town mood. Rarity had the job of making new clothes for Daemon, since Lightmares wore white, never black. As for Fluttershy, her job was to stay safe. Daemon already felt the loss of somepony close to him before... feeling it again was not an option for him. The only thing left was to discuss the plan with Flara, the only nice Lightmare the Shadowmares had ever known.

It was going to take some time to signal Flara. Desdemona was taught how to use a certain spell that only Flara could pick up on. the only problem with the spell was it took some time to prepare and cast it effectively. In the meantime, Pinkie Pie suggested that they go to Sugar Cube Corner for one last time before Daemon had to leave. After entering the building Mrs. Cake noticed Daemon, and like everypony else thought he was new.

“Oh my! Another new friend Pinkie? It seems like we’ve been getting a new pony in town every other day. If this keeps up, we’re going to have to open a second shop!”. As Pinkie Pie explained, the rest of the group sat down at a table large enough to accommodate them all. Daemon sat next in between Twilight and Fluttershy. Even with the dangerous plan about to go underway, the Shadowmare was at complete ease, knowing that he was surrounded by ponies that cared for him.

Noticing that Daemon seemed to be in a state of serenity, Twilight grew concerned.

‘How can he be so calm?’, she wondered. The spy mission was no laughing matter. It could be a crucial tipping point in the fight, so how was it that Daemon could be so relaxed?

“Daemon? Just asking, but... are you sure you know what’s going on?”.

Without skipping a beat the stallion responded, ”Of course. I go in, I learn all I can, I come back each night, and then I relay the information to you. Simple!”. Daemon was doing stuff like this all his life. Stealth wasn’t his best quality, but when it came to matters of life or death, he was used to it. To him this was just another day. The others at the table started to grow concerned as much as Twilight. They had never encountered a pony so comfortable with so much at stake. The tension was soon demolished when Pinkie Pie brought out the food. Everypony quickly forgot about how this may be the last time they see Daemon... well, last time they see him alive that is.

The get together lasted for a good three hours. Jokes were told, talking was constant, and a great deal of fun was had the whole time. Rainbow Dash even laughed so hard that she couldn’t feel her stomach. Applejack got the hiccups at one point and Daemon laughed at her until he got them too. Daemon never recalled getting the hiccups before so he started to freak out. He kept saying that there was some evil thing controlling him until Rarity explained what the hiccups were. After all the excitement died down, the seven friends went back to Twilights treehouse to check on Desdemona. She said that she needed a few hours to focus the spell and cast it. Since they had been gone for a good amount of time it was probably done and Flara might have already showed up. Along the way, ponies were still ogling Daemon.

“Is this what it’s like to be normal?”, Daemon asked nopony in particular.

“No! You’re still not normal! You’re just seeing what it’s like to be better than normal for once, like me!”, Rainbow Dash boasted.

“If yer better than normal, I hope for all our sakes that ya don’t get perfect at anythin’! If ya did, then we’d be in real hot water.”, Applejack joked, making everypony but Rainbow laugh. Once they reached the door to Twilights home, they noticed that the door was open slightly. Flara was presumed to be inside. They all knew what was going to happen next... they were going to have to say goodbye to Daemon as he left for the first time since arriving.

Daemon slowly stepped inside. He quickly noticed that something was amiss. Nopony was inside as far as he could tell.

He prayed that this wasn’t going to be a repeat of the Discord fiasco and asked in a somewhat scared voice, “H-hello? Desdemona? Flara?”.

“Right behind you...”, whispered a familiar voice. Before he could turn around, Daemon was flipped onto his back and pinned by Flara. “Huh... I guess you were right, Dez. He really doesn’t have his combat skills back yet.”.

Desdemona walked out from the basement and replied, “I told you he is in a pathetic state... AND STOP CALLING ME DEZ! I hate that nickname as much as ‘D. Monica’... well, almost as much.”. Daemon was embarrassed that he was pinned twice in the same day, even if he didn’t expect to be rushed the way he was, it was flat out humiliating. Flara helped him up and explained that the whole surprise attack was a test to see how many useful memories that Daemon recovered. The results were disgraceful, meaning that he was nowhere near where he was before losing his memory. Flara had agreed to the arrangement, thinking that this was the best way of gaining an advantage. The secondary objective of the undercover mission was for Daemon to befriend the Lightmares and possibly regain more memories that way.

Once everything was in order it was time for the mane six to say goodbye. Pinkie was first to go, even though she had more difficulty saying farewell than most would. Her hair lost its puffiness and fell flat when she spoke,

“I guess I’ll see you later then. It’s been...”, pinkie started to sniffle, wiped a forming tear from her eye before continuing, “It’s been fun”. Pinkie hugged the sympathetic looking stallion and backed away for Rainbow Dash to give her say.

“Give them heck for me, okay? Oh... and don’t even think about dying on us. If you die, I swear I’ll kill you.”, She said giving Daemon a playful punch on the arm. Twilight just put her hoof on his shoulder, smiled and nodded without saying a word. Applejack simply told him that he was still a honorary member of the family and he would be fine. Next Rarity presented him with his new outfit. Same style as before, but they were pure white without flames lining the trim.

Tears started to well up in the white unicorns eyes as she spoke, “Now if you ever need anything... and I mean ANYTHING! Just come back and I’ll give you anything you need. Promise me that you will come back.”. Daemon placed his hoof under her chin and lifted it up.

“Don’t worry. I will be back. There is nothing on this planet that could keep me away from this place. Dry your eyes and cheer up. This isn’t the end... it’s just the beginning.”. Daemons words instantly cheered up the room. Fluttershy who had been in the back however, was too upset to step forward. Daemon walked up to her as the others moved out of the way.

“Fluttershy...”, Daemon spoke, making the shy pegasus look into his eyes, “I need to ask you a favor.”. Daemon leaned in close and gently whispered into her ear.  “I need you to stay strong for me while I’m gone. That means no crying, no sad faces. Be happy... for the both of us. Do you think you can do that for me?”, Daemon asked looking into her large aqua eyes. Fluttery smiled and gave a cute salute.

“Alright, if that’s all we should get going.”, Flara said making her way to the door.

Daemon started to follow, but Rarity quickly shouted after him, “Wait! Daemon! You almost forgot your guitar!”. When Rarity went to give Daemon the instrument Flara snached it away with lightning fast speed.

“No. Daemon, I’m sorry but you can’t bring a guitar. Trust me on this one... it would look suspicious.”. Flara trotted over to Fluttershy and presented it to her. “I believe you would be able to keep this safe while we are away?”, Flara asked. Fluttershy took the guitar without breaking eye contact and slowly moved her head up and down. It appeared as if Fluttershy was looking into the face of a god the way she stared into Flara’s eyes. The Lightmare smiled and headed to the door once more with Daemon.

When Daemon got outside, he was told that there was only one way they would be able to make the journey before it started to get dark. Flara told him that there was a secret method of travel that the Lightmares used to go long distances in a very short amount of time. Daemon was guided to the height that he had seen Rainbow Dash training, but they kept heading up. after being about a mile above the highest clouds Daemon felt a strong wind blowing on him.

"We’re here. This, Daemon, is what we call the ‘Quick-Stream’. It is a place where high velocity winds can help you travel miles in the blink of an eye. To find the one you need pluck out a hair and hold it. The direction it blows is the way you will travel. Use the hair like a dowsing rod and find a Quick-Stream that heads south.”. Daemon did as Flara instructed and soon found the right one. He was taught to merely open his wings and let the stream of air carry him.

After about two hours Flara told him to start heading down. after dropping through the cloud layer Daemon was shocked to what he witnessed. The landscape had changed completely and nothing looked familiar. Flara guided Daemon to a forest and stopped in front of a very normal looking tree.

Flara gave a kind smile and asked, “Hey Daemon... wanna see something cool?”.

“Do you even have to ask?!”, Daemon responded, eager to see what she had to show. Flara gave the tree a few bucks in a strange pattern and the craziest thing happened! The tree opened up! It was hallow with a metal interior and a panel on the inside that had a glowing red button. The inside was lit up from a bright white light on the floor {Link 2}.

“Daemon...”, Flara said motioning with her hooves in a ‘viola’ fashion, “This is the elevator to our underground base. Half of the trees that make up this forest are really fake and act as entrances to where we reside! So... is that cool or what?”. Daemon was so giddy from the thought of the elevator sending him somewhere that he rushed in and slammed his hoof on the button.

The chamber closed and a pleasent voice coming through the speaker in the top of the elevator said, “Please brace yourself for transportation.”.

“Brace myself? For wha-AAAAHH!”, Daemon said as he was hit with six g’s of crushing force. He couldn’t see outside the steel tube, but he knew that he was going extremely fast. when the pressure stopped and the door opened Daemon tumbled out of the screaming metal deathtrap and hit a metal lined wall with his butt in the air and his head on the cold hard floor. Once Daemon’s head stopped spinning he shouted in a gleeful tone, “Woo-hoo! Let’s do that again!”. Daemon noticed that a Lightmare stopped right by him and was staring with a bitter angry expression. As Daemon gave an uncomfortable smile and waved slightly, the Lightmare only snarled back at him. The Lightmare was an older looking stallion with a gray mane and tail. He was very large, possibly as tall as Celestia herself. His physique was more muscular and only gave him the appearance of being larger than he already was. His outfit was a lot like Flara’s. He wore a white vest with silver, jewel embedded armlets. The only difference was that the silver bands that he wore were around his hoofs, not the upper portion of his arms.  Flara, seemingly out of nowhere, dashed in between Daemon and the grizzled Lightmare.

“Flara... what is this?”, the rugged stallion asked in a rough, commanding voice, pointing at Daemon.

“I am sorry, SIR! This is my brother from Sector Delta! He’s not very bright, SIR!”, Flara shouted in a military-esque fashion. The large Lightmare stared at Flara intensely.

“That’s funny... I never knew you had a brother.”.

Flara started to sweat as she said, “He was transferred here recently, SIR! I will be taking him under my wing and will instruct him on our ways, SIR!”. The Lightmare kept looking into Flaras eyes sternly for a few moments before bursting out in great, hearty laughter.

“Very well, Lieutenant Flara... but I will be keeping an eye on the both of you!”, he said sternly before walking away. When he was out of sight, Flara slammed her back against the wall and slowly eased down in a sitting position. She clutched her chest and took staggered, raspy breaths. Sweat was dripping off her brow and Daemon could see that she was terrified.

“Uh... Flara? Who was that?”, Daemon asked hoping for an insightful response to what could have given Flara such a shock.

Flara chuckled and answered, “That was General Lux... our leader...”.