Artist’s comment:

Prophecy looked at herself in the small levitating mirror as she slowly and methodically brushed her coat in my Equestria dreamscape. Carefully she used the same levitation to guide the brush over her body.

She was lying on the bed in her room at the Palace Infirmary. Over the last few weeks her condition had continued to improve from her episode at the Ponyville Train Station.

>>2058009 (grimdark, grotesque)
The doctors were happy with her progress and they felt like she’d turned a corner.

For the last month this bed and this wing of the infirmary had been her home, but now there was talk of her eventually being moved to a small apartment on the palace ground. This would be the first time since she’d been 14 that mare would truly have a room of her own. Since the fire that had killed her aunt the young mare had lived and slept on a endless stream of couches, floors, and any place where she could get out of the elements for a while. Even during time with Blank Check the mare had found residence switching almost weekly as her then guardian constantly performed her duties for her Association.

Finishing her grooming Prophecy levitated the brush over to the stand by her bed. As a sign of her cooperation with the Crown and the Royal Court the unicorn had given her an inhibitor ring that permitted her limited levitation ability. It allowed her to regain a tiny bit of the life that most unicorns took for granted. She couldn’t levitate objects that were very heavy, or far, or quickly, and it prevented her from casting any other kind spells with it.

Still it granted her a very finite but important sense of freedom and agency. For that the mare was happy, and she had no desire to violate the trust that had been bestowed upon her.

With her grooming completed she took a moment to assess what she saw in the mirror. Even with her legal issues looming over the mare felt more relaxed then she could remember. There were several reasons for this.

Maybe it was because she was receiving the medical care she’d needed most of her life but had never had ready access to her. Also Prophecy had received something she’d rarely been able to get regularly. A proper trimming of mane, tail and coat. That along with 3 healthy meals a day had done a lot to put some meat on her bones. No longer were her ribs visible beneath her coat, and her dark bay coat and mane now had a glossy sheen to it.

Maybe it was because Princess Luna seemed to have taken a sincere interest in her well-being. Along with almost daily visits by her attorney, officials from the Court, and numerous medical professionals Prophecy’s other regular visitor was the Princess of the Night. The Prussian Blue alicorn was now making routine visits either in the waking world or in the mare’s dreams. And so far the princess was treating her and her riders with respect and courtesy.

Maybe it was because for the first time in her life Prophecy was no longer constantly stalked by the abomination known as Lurker.

The Lurker (maybe grotesque)
Since the day she’d been born it had stalked her. Only kept at bay by the presence of her 2 riders. Viper and Creeper. They’d protected her, provided her visions of what could be the future, and had been her only true companions.

So for the first time in her life Prophecy could no longer hear the faint hissing whispers of Lurker. No longer did a constant shadow seem to dim the light around her. Finally any room she was in did not have an unnatural chill to it.

Even more important was that for the last few of weeks the mare had experienced no terrifying visions of the Gatekeeper. No images of a blasted and tortured landscapes. No prophecies of chaos and madness. No crushing dreams of total annihilation. No end of the world. No utter despair and hopelessness.

Prophecy continued to stare at herself in the mirror. Slowly a tiny smile spread across her face.

The only thing that still disturb her was that occasionally she’d catch a glimpse of a red ribbon on a package or document, or a red bow in another pony’s mane, and for just the briefest instant the mare would feel her heart suddenly start racing and her breath grow ragged.

Fortunately Prophecy had been learning certain breathing techniques that helped keep the attacks from usually getting completely out of control. So long as she remembered to do them.

Prophecy’s self-reflection was cut off by another pony’s voice. “That mane style real flatters you dear. How are we doing today?”

Looking up the unicorn saw the attorney Scot-Free standing in the doorway of her room. The elegant zebra mare tossed her long striped mane stepped into the room. Excluding the Royal Sisters the zebra was probably most beautiful mare Prophecy had ever seen. Scot-Free was from a very prestigious law firm in Canterlot, but she’d been hired to represent the unicorn as her case made its way through Royal Court legal system. What was less known was that Princess Luna was indirectly paying for her services via one of several accounts that were managed through third parties.

The unicorn levitated the mirror back to the nightstand and bowed her head. “Yes. Yes I like it. Good afternoon m’am. How are you today?”

The zebra smiled and slowly shook her head. “I’ve told you before. Just call me Scot-Free.” She then sauntered over and in one gracefully motion she removed her panniers before she laid down on a divan that had been set up alongside Prophecy’s hospital bed.

Once settled in the mare removed a leather bound notebook and consulted her notes for a second before addressing the Prophecy. There was twinkle in her gold eyes that told the unicorn that the zebra had some good news. After a moment of reviewing her notes the Scot-Free spoke.

“Well! Today has been a most productive and fruitful day for us dear! I spoke with Judge Final Verdict in his chambers this morning, and the court has agreed to granting you finite amount of freedom of movement around the palace while your case progresses.”

The zebra flipped to another page of notes. “You’ll be assigned a new, specific inhibitor ring that will track your location and restrict your access to certain areas around palace. Both indoors and outdoors, and you’ll still only be able to do limited telekinesis magic. However. So long as you abide by the terms set down by the judge you will not be immediately sent to the palace prison once you’re discharged from the infirmary, nor will you be required to have a constant escort or chaperone when you’re moving about. Does this sound acceptable dear?”

Prophecy started to speak when she suddenly shuddered. Scot-Free had the necessary security clearances and had been briefed about the mare’s riders. So she was not too surprised when the mare’s ice blue eyes rolled up into her head and were replaced by the vertical slitted garnet red eyes of Viper. The mare’s body language instantly changed and became more alert and confident. She/It looked around the room for a moment. Satisfied it was just them and the attorney Viper spoke.

“Yes I believe our host can comply to these terms as you have verbally described. However I insist on seeing a written copy of the documents so I may review them before any of us agree to sign into any legally binding arrangement. Do you understand?”

The zebra kept her professional demeanor through all of this and slowly nodded her head. “Of course. When the court has drafted said documents I’ll have a copy brought so Prophecy and you may review them. They should be completed by tomorrow afternoon. Is that acceptable?”

Viper started to reply when suddenly the mare shuddered and the garnet eyes rolled up into Prophecy’s head and we’re replaced by the mare’s normal eyes. Bashfully she smiled and looked down at the mattress. “Um, yes. Yes I believe those term are acceptable and most generous. I, I want to thank you for all your hard work in this matter Scot-Free. I’d be lost without your help.”

The zebra smiled and shook her head. Sun and moon! This poor mare has had a rough life. She thought to herself. “It’s not a problem dear.” She said. “It’s what the Crown pays me to do, and cases like yours are why I decided to become a lawyer. To give a voice to those who thought they had none or were not being heard. “

Scot-Free looked down at her panniers as she started stowing her notes away. She was about to speak again when she heard Prophecy speak again. It was the unicorn’s voice but now it had a timbre to it that made zebra suddenly shiver.

“Your acts of nobility will be nothing but vain gestures of futility if the Gatekeeper succeeds in their task. You and everypony in this world will be consumed by madness and horror. The great disc of fire in the sky will scream in agony as it perishes, and the great pearl that traverse the nighttime sky will become hungry eye that seeks to devour all!”

The zebra’s head snapped back up and she found herself staring into Creeper’s horizontally slitted eyes of vivid emerald green. Scot-Free swallowed and slowly nodded her head as she quickly retrieved her notebook. Hastily she started writing down what she’d been told.

“Okay…. Good to know.”

To be continued.