The Olden World

by Czar_Yoshi

Passing The Blame

"I just don't get how she could've switched directions like that. Like, I've been following her east this whole time, right? And she's getting further away? And then boom! Jumps seriously far to the north. Like, probably four times as far as she's gone from you guys with all those smaller jumps, but at once. And now there's no more teleporting. I don't get it."

Shinespark levitated a sound stone in front of her, Maple and Amber huddled close on either side as they hurried back through the streets of Stormhoof to reach the Immortal Dream. Fortunately, Valey had kept her stone under her hat after Amber arrived, so they could maintain communication even after she abruptly left. But being able to talk gave them no further ideas.

"We didn't get any further with the hospital," Maple apologized. "Apparently they're going to do an investigation, but couldn't even tell us anything."

"Confidentiality agreements," Shinespark cut in. "There are laws designed to protect people's medical data, and apparently that makes it hard for them to tell us things like where a particular doctor is at any given time. So we're going back to the ship to let everyone else know. After that? Who knows what we'll do."

"See if you can hit up Grapejuice. That's what I'd do."

Amber nodded. "Yeah. And we might try to get Wallace involved, too, since you think this happened because of your fight with him. And he sure would be likely to help!"

Maple gave a hopeful smile. "I doubt you're wrong there..."

"So what's this about Starlight's position?" Amber asked. "You've got happenings on your end?"

"Yeah, it's weird. Weird and annoying, since it's making me need to fly further." Valey hesitated. "So, like, first they were going pretty much due east. Not sure exactly how far, since I've been zooming along for an hour or two now. And suddenly, one massive jump, Starlight is way in the north. Like, so far north it's actually really hard to smell her at all. This isn't like when I got ditched that one time flying here. This is like... way farther than when I got bagged by Puddles. I bet she's at least on the opposite end of the Empire."

Amber gnawed her lip. "So Wilderwind or Gyre."

"I mean, maybe? It's honestly kinda faint at this point. Hard to tell. Not that me smelling her like this has ever made sense in the first place, but hey, it's helpful, so why question it?" A gust of wind rushed past the stone's other end, and Valey continued. "Yeah, let's go with Wilderwind or Gyre. What I wanna know is, what's up with this last giant teleport?"

Shinespark cleared her throat. "If Arambai was here, we could just ask him. Teleportation is a spell that can be buffered and was one of the first we figured out how to harmonically generate, but that was mostly his research. He could tell you what kinds of things would make it possible in a flash."

"Yeah." Amber drooped. "Maybe I should have left my sound stone back in Ironridge, huh? Oops..."

Maple gave her an encouraging pat. "Then we wouldn't be talking to Valey right now."

"Yo, speaking of Arambai and harmonic teleporting stuff, what about that? He had a machine that got him all the way from Riverfall to Ironridge, didn't he? And that was just powered by cutie marks? I dunno the details, but what if they have actually the same thing here?"

"How could they do that?" Shinespark countered. "Powering it would be possible. Teleportation was uniquely extensible as a spell because the reaction caused by hooking up too many cutie marks at once tended to cause an unstable power surge which was perfect for fueling a teleport, but the harmony extractors are a Sosan secret."

"No they're not," Valey countered. "Remember when we were hanging out after bailing on the pirate ship and were sitting in the engine room complaining to each other and wishing there was something we could do? And then those singer sisters came in and went all 'Oh hey I've seen that before'? I know we, like... didn't actually do anything cool with that, and I kind of forgot about that because it was disappointing, but for whatever reason they said Chauncey has one he uses in his recording equipment for their songs. Maybe there are more?"

Shinespark's confidence vanished from her face, and Maple frowned. "So you're saying you think Chauncey had something to do with this?"

"I have no idea," Valey puffed, air blowing by around her. "Don't really care, either. Wherever Starlight is, she's way past southern Izvaldi where their big capitol is. At this rate, I'm just focusing on flying 'cuz I've gotta do it for at least another solid day to get wherever I'm going, maybe more. Just telling you guys what I've felt. Any investigation stuff is gonna have to be on you. Sparky? Ironflanks? Guys, you good with that?"

"We're good," Amber promised, Maple and Shinespark nodding too. Satisfied with the conclusion, they stowed the sound stone, though it remained on, transmitting their conversation to Valey just in case she wanted something to listen to.

"So what do we do now?" Amber asked, glancing up to the group. "Just get back to the boat?"

Shinespark nodded. "We're going to get a map, identify landmarks, figure out where Valey is and what direction she's facing and get an idea of actually where she's going. Gerardo will get to help with that. That will give us a hint on who's behind this, and then we'll find them and turn them over to whoever can do something about it."

"Mhmm." Maple bowed resolutely. "Whoever did this to Starlight, we won't let them get away with it. They can count on it."

The three friends trotted further through the darkened streets, muttering and discussing with one another amid the noise-canceling rain. In their wake, shadows rippled and traced their way along with the water down a nearby sewer grate, a yellow-maned batpony landing on the storm drain's internal walkway and holding her head with pinprick eyes. "Oh no..." Senescey murmured, trembling.

---

"Hmmmmmm." High Prince Gazelle waggled and stroked his chin, making a big show of inspecting the two griffons standing in guard formation at the entrance to the Grandbell royals' box in the Stormhoof colosseum. Even though it was raining and past sundown, the tournament battles stopped for nothing, two pegasi sparring with their wings as a magically-projected shield kept things dry and several spotlights provided illumination. "So you're the best Everlaste has to offer? Really?"

One of the guards professionally cleared her throat, her darkly-colored uniform a tailored fit for her frame. "Are you offended by our presence, Milord? The political differences of our superiors won't stop us from doing our duty."

"Hmm? Oh, no, no," Gazelle chuckled, giving them a consoling wave. "First off, I'm more flattered than offended, and second, I have no superiors. No, merely been a while since I did a troop inspection, I'm afraid. Seeing as soon to be your new home, and all, I thought I'd envision the prospects!" He slipped up alongside her, leaning in and holding out his forepaws like he was trying to line up an imaginary camera shot. "You are looking forward to the transfer, are you? Remember, no worrying about offending."

The other griffon sighed. "Gotta admit, this is better than home back in the east..."

The first reluctantly agreed with him. "It is nice, being on the sea. But transfer? Milord, do you know details on this assignment we don't?"

"Oh? No transfer, then?" Gazelle made a sad puppy face. "You'll have to forgive me! I mistook you for the mere grunts requested to garrison in Stormhoof now that this city's own army's leave of absence is growing extended. Clearly as esteemed door guards, you're above all that. I'm embarrassed to have made the slipup."

The griffonness winced. "Milord, you're not being very proprietary or formal..."

"Propriety schmiety." Gazelle licked a paw and ran it through his mane. "I'm the High Prince. No scandal can stop my ascension when I'm already at the peak of my career. Welcome to Team I Do What I Want. It's a very fun-"

Senescey beckoned furiously to him from a shadowed corner.

Gazelle blinked hard, regarding her. "Oh? Well, that's strange." He padded closer, taking the guards' attention with him. "Why is there a sarosian in my box?"

Before the guards could even react, Gazelle had grabbed Senescey's protruding head and plucked her straight out of the wall, sitting her down and patting her like a doll. He gave a mournful look to the two guards.

"Sire, that's a sarosian," the second guard said with a hint of disgust. "Please, allow us to deal with it for you."

"Should I?" Gazelle stuck out his tongue, holding Senescey away. "I caught her."

The first, female guard frowned. "I'm more concerned about how it got this far! Why did nobody stop it? Was every corridor it came through unlit? Forgive me for saying, but this seems like it shouldn't happen."

Gazelle blinked at his catch, Senescey now hoisted unhappily in the air with his tail wrapping her barrel, holding down her forelegs and wings. "Good question. That sounds like a security breach! I know! Why don't you two go check it out, and I will deal with my catch, here."

Senescey trembled. The two guards exchanged looks. "Mine," Gazelle hissed, bobbing Senescey.

The guards turned to each other again, shrugged, one raised a talon to speak... and then opted for discretion, and they both left the room to go corridor-searching. Gazelle quickly followed, finding the nearest drain in the floor stonework and depositing Senescey once they were alone, allowing her to shadow sneak him through the bars.

"What?" he hissed once they were far away enough to be guaranteed out of earshot. "It's quite fortunate I'm beguiling enough to bail you out, you know. Now that Everlaste's presence is about to dramatically increase, here, things are going to get harder for you." His beatific look returned. "Now, what is it that needs reporting?" He tilted his head.

Senescey winced, shying away from the prince. "I was just following orders! The Night Mother told me earlier today to push my new friends into going back to the hospital, and then while I was there, someone foalnapped Starlight! This could mess up everything else you've asked me to do for them! The moment they suspect me, it'll be impossible to protect them or get in their good graces, and I... really was enjoying gaining them as friends..."

Gazelle's eyes bugged out. "That filly got foalnapped!?"

Senescey mutely nodded, and Gazelle began to prowl, tail lashing. "That's not supposed to happen. It's not part of the plan. She's a filly. You don't hurt little fillies! It's the cardinal rule of everything! Grrr..." He snapped to a stop, a fanged scowl growing on his face. "Sounds like it's time for someone to get his little old paws dirty..."

Comments

[MazingerZ]

Plans can never go right, can they?

[Mini-Joe]

so if im remembering this right, the "night mother" isnt actually nightmare moon/luna?

[Czar_Yoshi]

9413008 It hasn't been completely clear. For reference, the only chapter she's explicitly "appeared" is this one.

[Alchemik]

Oh good. Team I Do What I Want is on the case. This is going to fix several things and make others much more complicated, isn't it?

[BurningSkies]

9412834
Plans never survive contact with the enemy

[Venlinelle]

Senescey mutely nodded, and Gazelle began to prowl, tail lashing. "That's not supposed to happen. It's not part of the plan. She's a filly. You don't hurt little fillies! It's the cardinal rule of everything! Grrr..." He snapped to a stop, a fanged scowl growing on his face. "Sounds like it's time for someone to get his little old paws dirty..."

Oh good, they’re Manipulative Suspicious Ponies, but they’re not bad.

It sounds like Gazelle wants the party in his debt, and, for some reason, is doing it by trying to help them by manipulating them into helping themselves? I’m not going to try and figure out his motives there.

[sploopy slooder]

hes kinda right, involving kids in your schemes is really fucked up no matter how you look at it. sussy night mother do be acting very sus.