//------------------------------//
// Valey's Detour 
// Story: The Olden World 
// by Czar_Yoshi 
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The sun shone down from straight overhead as Maple, Starlight and Valey stepped out into the world, mixing warm light with the cool winds of the altitude to provide a pleasant, refreshing contrast to the interiors of caves and buildings. The heavy breeze teased at Starlight's mane, prevented from sending it flapping about only by her ponytail, which Maple had seen fit to fix before they left. As she breathed, filling her lungs with the scent of the mountains, Maple passed their room key back to the receptionist, then strode forward to stand beside her.

"We don't need the room any more?" Starlight asked, looking up and shading her eyes with a hoof. "What if Gerardo comes here to look for us?"

"Well, then he'll ask at the desk and they'll tell him we left, which will tell him we're all right," Maple answered confidently. "And we're not planning to come back here, are we?"

Starlight shrugged. "I guess..."

"Good," Maple exhaled, straightening her shoulders. "So... I suppose the fastest way to the Earth District is down, right?" She looked to Valey for approval.

"Huh?" Valey blinked as if distracted. "The Earth District? Oh, yeah, we'll get to that in a bit. Something else we gotta do first that's a little more important. This way, though. Follow me."

She led them down and to the right, retracing the direction they had come when first entering the Stone District. The dam loomed ahead, gradually turning into a thinner and thinner vertical sliver as the angle they viewed it from narrowed with proximity. It was far easier going than on the way up, though still not completely free: ponies possessed far-forward centers of gravity that aided in climbing and running, but made faceplanting on downward slopes a constant threat.

"So we're going through the bridge by the dam?" Maple asked as they passed a cart, a faint cloud of dust in its wake causing her to stop and cough. "We've been there once before..."

"Nah. I told you, there's something else we need to do." Valey ruffled her wings, walking in the lead, and now that Starlight was watching she saw far more signs like ponies averting their gazes or shooting dirty glances at the mare. "Don't worry, it'll be quick."

Starlight wasn't thrilled by her lack of transparency, though there was little she could do about it, and it was hardly unexpected. If Valey's importance was all she had touted it as, she could do whatever she liked with Starlight and Maple, and they would be forced to go along with it. Unless she was being manipulative, and her preferred way of making ponies do things was making them want to...

In fairness, she had outright warned them that she wasn't trustworthy. What was the point of that? It was the classic I'm lying paradox: were Valey trustworthy, warning them about her would be a lie in and of itself, if a justified one. But were she rotten, she never would have been up front about it. It felt like there were several easy explanations she was missing, but the logical side of her brain refused to drop the issue and let any others be considered.

Then there was Herman. Valey had spoken loudly against him, including showing the first trace of any emotion besides confidence, smugness and nonchalance she had seen. Was Yakyakistan's ambassador to Ironridge truly psychotic, or had Valey been lying? Or perhaps she was projecting, and was truly the manipulative one herself. Starlight had to admit, she was likable, even if she seemed to go out of her way to be so. There was even the possibility that Herman was a good, fair leader whom Valey had a personal grudge against. After all, she hadn't mentioned him doing anything wrong.

"Valey?" Maple called, snapping her from her thoughts. "Why are you going in there?"

"Huh?" Valey looked back, standing in the square stone entrance of a windowed building that seemed recessed from the rest of the street, likely built mostly underground. "'Cuz this is where we're going. Are you coming, or aren't you?"

Starlight surveyed the entrance, instantly suspicious of caves and anything remotely resembling them. Her eyes eventually flitted upward, and widened... and then narrowed. Above the door was broad lettering that read, Stone District Defense Force. "That's the place we just spent hours trapped in."

"Pretty much!" Valey said with a grin. Stepping back out, she opened her eyes and her face straightened. "Look. You're probably still spooked about last night and yadda yadda yadda, which is why we're here. I'm gonna officially hire you guys and make you part of the Defense Force, then do up the papers so you answer directly to me for everything. That way if anything bad happens or we get separated or whatever, you'll get brought to me and Selma won't be able to touch you. He knows to stay off my turf."

"That's..." Maple blinked. "That's actually a really good idea. Er, assuming we can trust you. I'm..." She looked away. "I'm still not completely sure that's the best idea..."

Valey put a hoof to her chin. "Right, I'll have to give you an easy out... Uhh... I could let you carry your contracts around yourselves, but then you'd have to risk putting them in danger if you needed them as proof... Still though," she mused, "you guys are screwed if I decide I don't like you no matter how many lawyers take your side. You can't ditch me, so you kind of have no choice but to put up with what I want. So yeah, I think standard policy will be just fine."

Unfortunately, Valey was right, and the look in Maple's eyes told Starlight she knew it too. The batpony was all over them, and with the skills and resources she supposedly possessed, very little could save them if she decided to actively be a traitor. There was no good course of action left save for one, and that was to try their hardest to remain on good terms with her. "Okay," Starlight responded, "we'll do it. Please don't make this take long."

"All right..." Maple agreed, still clearly unhappy at the sight of the entrance. "I guess you're right. Sign us up. Just as long as we won't have to do any actual fighting work?"

"Nahhh. Of course not." Valey emphatically shook her head, stretching her wings and brushing the sides of the door with their tips. "If we get in a scrape, no hogging my fun. All you've gotta do is what I say, and I'll be nice. Oh, and you get paid, too."

Instantly, Starlight perked up. "We get paid?"

"Well..." Valey shrugged. "It's not the best money, but stallions can support their families on it. Dunno what you'd do with it, yourselves. Get some fancy eats or hotel rooms, I guess, though really, fruit and trees work perfectly well. You could probably save up for airship tickets, too, if you ever get fed up with this place and want to bail."

Starlight and Maple turned to each other, the same thought simultaneously crossing their minds as Valey beckoned them into the fortress.