Preview for next chapter of Non-Entity · 10:00pm Mar 1st, 2016
Obviously do not read past this point if you wish to avoid spoilers.
Note: By "repatriation" I mean the remains of someone returned to their place of origin as a mark of respect and apology. Museums and cultural institutions repatriate the remains of peoples if they feel keeping them is unethical or if a culture has requested their return.
Spoilers
Begin
Now
“Hello? Anyone in there?” shouted Carmarella. She pounded her hoof on the oak door loudly, waited approximately 5 seconds then started pounding again.
The door flew open and Carmarella and Ox were faced with a tall, blue earth pony with greying hair. “Yes,” he said, clearly annoyed.
“Howdy!” said Carmarella brightly, completely oblivious to the earth pony's tone of voice. “Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Carmarella, and this here's my companion, Ox.” Ox grunted in greeting.
“I'm not interested in joining any societies, buying any kitchen gadgets, any subscriptions to any newspapers or magazines, buying Fillyscout Cookies or donating to the Ponyville Players.” He started to close the door after what sounded like a well researched speech. But Carmarella held it open with her hoof.
“Naw, it's nothin' life that,” she said. “Ox, show him.”
The centaur grunted and took a folder out of his bag and handed it to the stallion, who sighed. “If this is some sort of tactic to get me to sign something you can be sure I will put in a complaint.”
“You are Mr. Solkolsky Snare, right?” said Carmarella. “The game warden?”
“I am a game warden yes, but if you're after what I think you're after then you will be disappointed. I only issue permits to hunt if an animal is a danger to society because it has attacked someone or is carrying a fatal disease.” He began to open the folder.
“I understand you're also a historian,” said Carmarella, trying to build up some rapport. “Written some books, and the like?”
“Yes, when I have spare time.” Sokolsky wished he had more spare time. He was tired of doing this job. It felt beneath him. He opened the folder all the way and stared at the first photograph.
“What is this?” he said, looking up at them.
“I was hoping you could tell me,” said Carmarella.
Sokolsky left the door open and began to walk over to his desk with the folder. He hadn't motioned for the trappers to follow him, but they did anyway. Carmarella whistled as she passed bookshelves. All the books on them bore Sokolsky's pen name on their spines. The game warden put the folder on his desk and removed a looking glass from a small compartment within it. Then he began to examine the photographs carefully.
The first few were of a series of animal tracks. At first glance it looked as if it had been made by different kinds of animals- bird, reptile and mammal, but on closer inspection he realized the tracks were repeating themselves. The next set of photos showed deeper prints in some mud.
“I should mention the next photo is...” began Carmarella, but Sokolsky had already seen it and gasped. It was a pony skeleton, half hidden under a log.
“Yeaaah,” said the mare. “It had crushed cervical verts too. We think it may be a mountain lion, but I was mainly wondering if you had ever come across tracks like these before.”
“If you leave these photos with me I can do some research and...”
“Nowww...wait a minute. If you want these photographs then you need to give us what we came for.”
“You want a permit.”
“I think I'm makin' a good case here,” continued Carmarella. “If there's something up there killing ponies then it needs to be hunted.”
Sokolsky turned to the mare with a sneer on his face. “Please. I know your type. You're not in this for the protection of ponykind, you're in it for the money. You rogue trappers are all the same. You sell what you kill to rich collectors on the black market.”
Carmarella feigned shock. “Why, is that what you think of us? Well, that's fine. We don't need to stand here and be insulted, do we, Ox?” Ox shook his head. Carmarella reached for the folder: “We'll just take our photographs and...”
“Wait,” said Sokolsky. “I...what kind of deal did you have in mind?”
“Permit. And if you like we can kill this thing...whatever it is for you as a bonus.”
“No,” said Sokolsky. “No, I want it alive.”
“Really?" grinned the mare. "Is there something you're not telling us?”
“Do you want your permit or not?”
Carmarella shut up.
When the trappers had left Sokolsky moved towards his desk. He pulled out a folder and removed a photograph of a painting and a letter.
Dear Mr. Snare,
I hope this photograph is of use to you. Little is known about the draconequii, but since you are one of the leading scholars on this subject hopefully you can shed more light on the specimen. The painting is all that remains of the collection and was done in oils by Rhenish van Rijn. A few more paintings of his are in storage,
I'm sorry that as you know, the collection was destroyed in a fire, but at least some documentation was kept. I realize this is of little use you as a historian, as you would have gained more from seeing the mounts themselves, but these things rarely last and even so, given the sensitive nature of the material, if it still exists it would likely have to be repatriated, especially the dragon. Thankfully we live in such times where such horrific acts no longer occur.
If you need any more information do not hesitate to contact us,
Sincerely,
Silver Frames, Curator and Art Historian,
Stellarium Estate
He gazed at the painting. There was an articulated dragon skeleton, and bird dioramas, but most remarkable of all was the mount of what looked like a feathered draconical beast, its body dark, its terrifying face pushed back in a snarl, its horns sharp and twisted. He looked down at the photograph the trappers had given him. Repeating over and over were tracks of a lion, dragon, bird and goat. He hurried over to the bookshelf and pulled out volume 13 of Equestria's Past, one of the few first editions he'd been allowed to keep. He turned to the page he was looking for and looked at the illustration of the beast, grinning back at him and seeming to dance with its four mismatched limbs.
If this was indeed what he thought it was, he had a chapter to rewrite. But he needed more information first.
Yikes ! This is gonna mean trouble ( which equals some good story).
Excited!
Looks tense! Looks interesting too.