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// A strange customer (Prologue) 
// Story: Starlight 
// by Mr Tinkertrain 
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Moonshine was famous for his ability to unravel ancient mysteries and tales; he even managed to build a small business upon it. When he started with this business, he wasn’t sure if it would be successful, but he didn’t have to worry about it. Although most people hired him for finding their lost or misplaced stuff and it didn’t pay much per customer, there were plenty of them around. Why looking for yourself if you could hire a professional?

But it changed one day, as a customer entered his office. The customers face was covered up by the dark hood of a cloak, but it was clearly a female voice coming from underneath it. 

“So … you’re the famous Moonshine, the unicorn who finds everything for the people around here?” She asked him with a strange accent he never heard before.

“Yes, you found him. How can I help you?” He asked politely.

His visitor looked around in his small office. Moonshine didn’t know what she was looking for; he just had some cupboards and a desk in here. Occasionally he had to travel far across the land, and when he came back he didn’t want to have a lot of cleaning to do. She walked around without saying something. Moonshine guessed that she wanted to make him nervous so he would just accept anything she suggests just to get her out of his office.

If she really thought that this would work, she must be thinking that it would be worth the try. 

“I heard that you’re always successful when you’re tasked with something …” She looked him directly in the eyes now. “I’m looking for a special artifact. It is said to be made out of pure starlight.”

Moonlight watched her as she continued her wandering through the office. It was the first time he actually inspected the cloak, and the ornaments on it weren’t similar to anything he had seen on his journeys. He had no idea how this mare would know about him, but he didn’t care. He waited for the mare to continue speaking. 

“This artifact was locked away and hidden … and I want you to find it.” She said as she moved her head closer to his. “If you succeed ... you will receive an amount of gold worth a fortune.” She said.

Moonlight somehow knew that she didn’t made empty promises. It was merely a feeling, but if she would keep her promise … It wouldn’t be too much, he guessed. Maybe he would earn enough to lay back and quit this job. 

“So … you want me to find this parchment.” He asked again, and the mare nodded. “Then I need certain information.” The mare nodded again. “First of all … Where should I start with my research for your desired item?” 

The mare didn’t say anything, but she pulled out a map of Equestria. She pointed her forehoof on one of the points on the map. A fine print above the point read Skygate. Moonlight heard about that town. About ninety percent of the inhabitants were pegasi. And since he was a unicorn, it would be quite difficult to get there. But that was nothing that would stop him.

“Accepted. Let us set up the contract …” He said and went to his desk, preparing a scheme of a contract, ink and a quill. “If you would sign here, please …” He pointed on a dotted line. 

Even though he knew that this was actually senseless since he neither knew the name nor the origin of the mare, he insisted on that formality – To keep a bit of his routine when he worked for the local townsfolk. 

“How am I supposed to contact you when I’m done?” He asked his new customer, who just shook her head under the hood.

“I will know when you succeed. And I will know if you should fail … Trust me. When you come back, I will be waiting for you.” She said. 

Moonlight didn’t believe her, but either she knew more than him or she was just arrogant. He didn’t care. A journey to Skygate, doing a little research, finding the artifact, whatever it was – he didn’t care at all - and then back home. It was an easy job. What could possible go wrong he thought. 

The mare signed the contract and walked out of Moonlights office. He thought he could hear her laugh, but then he shook his head and moved on to prepare the journey. A long trip was waiting for him.


This was what he thought, back then. Two years later, at the edge of the known world in the town Skygate, he weren’t so sure anymore. Though, he would still finish this job. After some time it became his personal interest to finish it. He never failed and he had to keep his reputation up. He needed to do some side jobs, find some things here, find some stuff there, but his main objective was still that artifact.