Morning... a bloated red orb rising above the horizon, stretching from one side to another. The light it gave off, cool and refreshing, held nothing to the glorious light of the moon. A field of blood-red grass stretched all the way to the horizon. On it, black outlines lay in odd configurations. Soft sounds, like moaning, could be heard from them, though as the one living creature looked, they shimmered to become gruesome caricatures of ponies he knew. Above them, the bloated red sun beat its feeble fury against the ground
As he looked about, a voice like thunder rumbled across the bloody ground.
"TIME TO WAKE UP!
"Dusk? Dusk, come on! Wake up!"
I groaned, rolling over and sighing. Above, the bloated sun was just making its way over the horizon while the morning birds gave their songs. Beside me, Barb held a couple of scrolls, a quill, and an inkpot, as well as her satchel. My young assistant cleared her throat and stood back, letting me get up. As usual, she was more than a little impatient to get to work. "Dusk, today's the day. Nightmare Moon said she wants results quickly, right? We gotta get to work!"
After the usual two minutes of collecting my mind, I nodded, yawning again. "Alright, let's get going. So, what's on the agenda for today?"
As Barb and I headed downstairs, I took note of Fleeting Look, looking half-asleep as he stood with his spear, looking utterly rediculus next to the book cases as he struggled not to fall over. I shot Barb a questioning look, to which she replied with a shrug. "He's been like that all night, as far as I can tell."
I cleared my throat. "Um, Fleeting? You can go get some sleep, if you want. I'm not heading out for an hour or two, and I can get the other guard to-"
Nearly before I opened my mouth he was already nodding. "I... Thank You, my Lord. I'll... go do that thing..." he said, before staggering off towards the second bedroom. I watched him go, eyeing him with some concern, before Barb piped back up again.
"I got the list for today done. First step, after checking on Rainbow Dash, is to head down to the Ponyville Barracks and talk to Lieutenant Pie." She produced a clipboard and quill, and I nodded. Looking outside, I was a bit surprised to see the other guard gone... untill I noticed two Ponyville Martial Officers standing on either side of the door. Evidently, the locals wanted to take charge of protecting me. I sighed as I wondered just when ponies would remember that, slim frame or not, I was a full grown stallion.
Stepping out into the bright light of the morning, the red sun hung over the horizon, just beginning to bring an end to the night. It was, all in all, a rather sorry thing; it always looked as if it had to struggle up to its zenith before tumbling all too quickly down to its grave, only to rise again in the morning. Supposedly, when the Solar Tyrant reigned, it had burned much hotter. There were tales of how she had scorched the land, burning anypony who dared to defy her. When she had turned it upon her own dear sister, the results had been to destroy the Old Castle. Queen Moon had risen from the ashes, the victor, and our savior. At least, that was what the stories told.
Both of the guards outside saluted, their gauntleted hands clattering against their polished breastplates as they stood straighter. "My Lord!"
I waved at them. While it was a bit amusing to watch guards jump at my every twitch, it had gotten old after a few years. The end result was mild irritation. Barb appeared next to me, scratching one of her scale-fins. "I think the barracks are... north?" she said, before turning the map of Ponyville around. With a cough, one of the guards looked at me. "If it's the barracks you want, I can lead the way, my lord."
I raised an eyebrow at Barb. "When in Ponyville, do as the Villagers do. Lead the way" I said, nodding at him. With another salute, he turned and began marching forward. I rolled my eyes and followed.
The town looked quite different from yesterday evening. Mostly, the change had to do with banners displaying my Cutie Mark. A large sign let me know just how grateful the town was to have their Duke visiting, and everywhere I looked were either smiles... or soldiers. The entire town seemed to be swarming with them. At my raised eyebrow, the Sergeant I was following shrugged. "Everypony here is eager to prove their loyalty after what happened with your father, sir. We are happy to have our Duke back."
I was a bit surprised at his bluntness, but if he was even the least bit afraid of a possible ill reaction, he did not show it. It wasn't long before we reached the Operations Center for Ponyville. The one in Canterlot was nearly six stories high, and covered an entire city block. This one was a single floor and looked like a converted warehouse. Still, there was a double line of soldiers standing at attention as I entered, each saluting as I passed. They, unlike the Regulars I was walking with, had the Ponyville Coat of Arms and were wearing Militia uniforms. Each of them was armed with a black-powder rifle, a wickedly sharp bayonet gleaming on the end of it. A Diamond Dog in Sargent stripes nudged one of them as I passed, correcting a perceived flaw in her stance.
As I stepped inside, fifteen ponies stood at attention and saluted. Everypony was turned out in their Dress Uniforms, with spit and polish on their boots and brass. Even the bubblegum pink mare behind her desk had her poofy mane somehow looking... nearly regulation. I looked around for a moment, before remembering my duty. I raised my right hand, before lowering it, and they all sat down. The Lieutenant stood and approached. "Good Morning, Dusk! I got all the information together that you wanted. Files on the Solar Cult. Maybe you can see something in it the Investigators couldn't."
"Actually, before I do that, I wanted to talk to Rainbow... is she available?" I asked, looking around. Lieutenant Pie's smile faltered for a moment, before she nodded. "Yup! She's right this way. Not very happy though... she got mad when I tried to sing to cheer her up!" She turned and led us down the hallway to the row of cells in the back. Stopping at the third to last, she reached into her mane, rummaging around until she pulled out a ring of keys. The Sergeant rolled his eyes at her antics while I tapped my foot. Finally, she opened the door before motioning me in.
Rainbow looked quite a bit better. The swelling had gone down to the point it was easy to recognize her again, and she stood more easily. Upon seeing me, however, she scowled. "Back for more? What is it this time?"
I looked at her before sighing. "Rainbow... I'm sorry. Look, if you just help me... I mean, I'm a Duke! I can make it go away... probably. I just want your help. If you don't help me, I can't help you. Besides... would you rather it be me, or Blueblood to find your... um... compatriots?"
For the first time, her composure faultered. There was a brief look of hesitation in her gaze. It was so quick, I nearly wasn't sure I had even seen it... but there it was. Then her face hardened again. "Nice try. You don't have any of the power, Dusk! You really think that Nightmare Bitch will let anypony go? You're even dumber than I thought."
I sighed, shaking my head. "Rainbow... please. I just want to help."
She looked away... but not before I thought I saw her face soften again.
Looking through files was boring. Books, I could handle. Endless scrolls and lectures were easy play for me. Lists about ponies, however, were about the only written text that could put me to sleep. Still, the notes finally told me something.
"Lieutenant? All of these ponies are either dead or in prison. Do we not have ANY living, moving suspects to interrogate?"
She looked thoughtful, tapping her chin. "Well... we do have an evidence box... but it isn't alive or anything. Do you wanna see it?"
I resisted the urge to pound my skull into the desk. She was either a genius in disguise, or a complete airhead. Either way, she had a knack for surprising everypony around her. "Yes... yes, I want to see it."
She smiled, before once again reaching into her mane. I paused, gaping at her, as she produced a box that could not have possibly fit in it and set it down. "I was wondering when you would ask. It's everything we confiscated from those dirty terrorists!"
There was dead silence in the room, with the exeption of my sputtering. "How... but... physics... you..."
After a few moments, I gave it up. This early in the morning, there was only one answer to this crazy pony, and that was resignation. Looking into the box, I saw it held mostly personal effects. Identification, keys, some bits, a broken Revolver, a bottle of old whiskey, and several bolts of fabric. It took only a few moments of searching to figure out that each of the identification cards matched a face on the list of arrested suspects. The revolver had a dusted handprint on it, while the bits each had tags and notes attached. However, it was the last items that got my attention. Picking up the bags with the fabric, I pulled them out and examined them.
"Lieutenant... what are these from? This isn't from normal clothing, is it?"
She looked over, before shaking her head. "Nope! They're from cloaks. Whenever we find them at night, they have these on. I dunno what to make of it, other than it helps them be sneaky. Sometimes we find them when raiding a house too, but that's SWAT's job, not mine. I just wish everypony would get along, really. Hard to keep spirits up when ponies wanna fight!"
I nodded, an idea forming in my head. "That farm has wool sheep... this is wool, by the feel. I doubt Ponyville buys much fabric from outside when it can be made here... Lieutenant, is there a Tailor here in town, who specializes in high-quality fabric? The ponies who got these cloaks had to get them from somewhere, and the stitching on them is too similar for them to all be hand-made by each individual. Somepony with professional talents made them, see?" I said, holding out the fabric. She peered at it, before scrunching up her face.
"Sergeant! Is Rarity open today? I bet she'd know who made these!"
One of the ponies behind the desk picked up a phone, talking breifly, before nodding. "She's in. Probably going to raise Tartarus for interrupting her during her 'fashion spree', but I bet a visit from a Duke would make her happy. Want me to call ahead?"
I shook my head. "Nope! Lets surprise her!"
We stood outside a rather upscale-looking clothing shop. To call it that, however, would demean the work of art before us. It was done up in the height of style, although a month or so behind Canterlot. Still, it seemed to be in the process of re-decorating.
"Here?" I asked, looking at my loyal guard. He nodded.
"Carousel Botiquè. Rarity provides tailoring for the Guards and everyone else here in town. Those cloaks and fabric are our best clue to finding the Cultists, she would know about them."
I nodded, pushing the door open. Inside was the scent of a sweet perfume and a lovely tune. A filly sat humming to herself as she tapped away on a piano, the bust of Marezzart perched on top while she scribbled notes on a sheet of music occasionally. At the bell of the door opening, however, she turned around. Upon seeing me and the guards, she stood up, knocking over the small statue as she gasped. "RARITY!"
A moment later, another mare walked down the stares. Her coat was just as white as the filly, her mane a deep purple, and her outfit was exquisite. I had seen few its equal, and none its superior in Canterlot. She sighed, looking down at scroll with drawings on it as she made her way downstairs. "Honestly Sweetie Belle, I'm in the middle of-"
She stopped dead upon catching sight of me. "D-d-Duke Shine! What a surprise!" she said, dropping the scroll and scampering over. In an instant, she had my hand, kissing it and looking up with some of the most perfect eyes I had ever seen. "What an honor to have a stallion of such stature in my humble abode! I wasn't expecting you!"
I blushed at her treatment. "I, ah... T-thank you, Miss Rarity. I'm sorry for troubling you-" I started, before she harrumphed.
"Troubling me? Please! I've been waiting for a Duke my whole life! This way~" she trilled, grabbing my hand and pulling. There was a glint in her eye I found more than a bit troubling. Hopefully, I would get at least a moment to talk... though as she started grabbing bits of outfits off her hangers, I was rapidly losing that hope.