“Pass the pizza salad,” Haywood said, bluntly.
It was obvious he was unhappy with their current predicament. After their quick and easy flight to Vanhoover, they had failed to locate the residence of Gordon Rich. It should have been easy finding someone who likely lived in a lavish manor, but even after a quick visit to the census in town hall, they had ended up without an address.
“Cheer up, Haywood,” she said, cheerfully. “I am confident we will have solved this mystery by tomorrow. The night is my time, and no one can hide from me.”
Haywood looked unimpressed; it almost seemed like he was losing faith in his employer. Granted, the night wasn't very impressive when the only open restaurant was a cramped and shady corner pizzeria, with only a single uncleaned table to sit at. In addition, she had unceremoniously stuck her head out of the window for a few seconds so she could raise the moon, then promptly resumed stuffing herself with greasy pizza and watered down coffee—which had left a less than desirable impression on him.
“So, how long do you think before ponies start protesting outside the palace because of the lack of bits?” she continued, hoping to shift the focus away from their miserable situation.
“Maybe a week,” he droned, while unenthusiastically levitating around his fork in the pizza salad. “Longer, if we add a night-shift to the goldmines and increase our minting capacity.” There was some grease stuck in his grey coat of fur, but she thought it would be best not to mention it.
“The night is young, and we still have one more place to visit. WPTC HQ!” she cheered.
Haywood looked at her with tired eyes. “They’re closed,” he said.
“Irrelevant, and you will soon find out why.”
—
It was almost pitch dark outside when they walked towards the thirty story office building, and they had yet to resolve an argument from the pizzeria.
“Princess, ponies don't haggle at restaurants anymore.”
“That is ridiculous! The coffee was so bland I deserved half the price off.” She snorted and lifted her head high in indignation. The motion and the darkness almost caused her horn to collide with an unseen branch that stuck out from a tree next to the pavement.
“If it was so bad, why did you order more than one?” he questioned, and stumbled slightly on a soda-can.
“What choice did I have? Everywhere else is closed,” she complained. “Regardless, we have arrived.” The tall building appeared dark and empty, but a few of the offices still had their lights on, including one at the top.
They walked through the unlocked main entrance and were immediately confronted by an older security pony in brown armor. “The building is closed, please come back tomorrow,” he said.
“I am Princess Luna,” she stated, in her most regal voice. “I need to urgently meet with the pony in charge.”
He gave her a short bow. “Apologies, I know who you are Princess, but you will have to come back tomorrow.”
“You would deny your Princess?” she asked, moving closer to him.
"Yes, Princess, you will need to come back tomorrow and schedule an appointment,” he said, with a steady voice. She could tell that he must have worked at the palace at some point in his life.
“Are you sure?” she flirted, eyelashes winking seductively. “I would consider it a great service if you would let us in.” She walked pass him and gave him a slight touch of her tail on his cheek.
Blushing slightly, the guard faced her. “Yes, I am sure,” he said, and made a gesture at the entrance. “Allow me to escort you out of the building.”
“Hmpf, why does that only work for Cadance?” she asked, outside once more. Haywood was about to answer, but kept his mouth shut after receiving a glare from her.
“So, what now?” he yawned, eyes slightly red-shot. “Can we please head to a hotel and come back in the morning?”
"Nonsense, we simply have to take a more direct approach.” She jumped into the air and flew towards the top of the building, where she horned in on the top office that still had it’s lights on. Once she got there, she peered through the window and found an overweight pony with glasses sitting behind a large desk, doing paperwork. The stallion leapt high into the air when she knocked loudly on the window.
The poor earth pony looked like he had a heart attack, but soon collected himself and slowly made his up to the windows, then opened one when he saw who was hovering outside.
“Princess Luna?” he asked. “Am I dreaming? Did I fall asleep on the job again?”
The stallion seemed terrified by the prospect of sleeping on the job. There never were any ponies with a pie-chart cutie mark back in her days, and she wondered if they were all workaholics. In any case, she approved.
“You are not. I, Princess Luna, have come to seek your aid against a terrible foe,” she declared, this time utilizing her most ominous voice. “A great evil stands at our doorstep, and we need your aid specifically. May I enter your office so we can discuss it further?”
“M-me?” he stammered. “O-of course Princess, come inside.” The stallion backed away so she could enter, although she barely managed to squeeze through. Once inside, she stuck her head out and looked down at Haywood standing in the street. Picking him up in her magic, she quickly accelerated him up to her level, then tossed him inside the office, pleased that he managed not to scream this time.
“W-What’s going on here?” the office pony asked, looking like he wanted to run to the intercom and call for security.
“Calm yourself,” she said, while walking over to his desk. She scanned the area until she found the name tag. “Director Stock Chart. I have come to personally ask your help in finding a certain pony, and I believe only you can help us.”
Stock Chart raised an eyebrow. “Who?”
“We are searching for the pony named Gordon Rich, and it’s of crucial importance to the realm that we find him.” There were several maps of the city lining one of the walls, but most of them only highlighted trade ports or cargo-deposits. Picking one that had sections of residential areas, she levitated it to him. “Show us on this map where we might find him.”
“Gordon Rich, the investor?” he questioned. “I have no idea where he lives.”
“Surely you must know where one of your largest stockholders resides?” Haywood asked, having just recovered from his rapid ascent of the building.
“The only pony from the Rich family I’ve met is Filthy,” he said. “And who are you? Will somepony please explain to me what the hay is going on?”
Before the director could completely lose his cool, she levitated the map in front of his face. “Director, uh,” she said, and had to check the nameplate on his desk again. “Stock Chart, please tell us what you know.”
“Well, I did talk to him once through his liaison, a pegasus butler named Air Service. The pony lives in this house.” He pointed at a building on the map.
“I see,” she said, grabbing a red pen from his desk that she used to draw a red circle on the map. “I thank you for your help Stock Chart, know that the Crown acknowledges your services to the realm and princesses.” The director was about to make a comment, but she interjected. “Our time here is limited so we must depart immediately.”
She found Haywood walking to the exit, no doubt making a break for the elevator, so she caught him in her magic and dragged him back into the room.
“Haywood, we don’t have time for modern conveniences,” she said, making for the open window in a trot, but having forgotten how cramped it was, she accidently cracked the glass on both sides as she pressed her way through. The director shouted something after them, but they were already outside and descending.
“Did you just steal a map from the WPTC?” Haywood asked, once they were back down at the paved street. “I’m fairly certain those are important.”
“Nonsense, if he had any issues with me borrowing it he would have said so,” she answered, while using the map to try and figure out the fastest route to the residential area. “When our business here is completed, I will send it back with a royal ‘thank you’ note, and maybe a few bits to pay for the window.”
Haywood seemed sceptical, as they began walking towards their new destination. “What if this Air Service is asleep? We can’t just barge into someone's private home in the middle of the night.”
“Oh, you worry too much,” she said. “I can sense if anyone is asleep inside, and even if they are, I can wake them without causing any fatigue.”
Their journey through the city was uneventful, as the only other ponies outside at the time were the occasional young lovers sitting on benches, giving each other shy kisses. She would walk up to each one in turn and give them the moon’s blessing of fertility, causing a gleam in the eyes of the mares—while the stallions’ faces turned pale.
They finally reached a street with terraced, upper-middle class houses. “So, what do we do now?” Haywood asked, after they found the one with the the correct name.
“We wait outside,” she said. “I’ll search the dreamscape for Air Service.” Closing her eyes she focused on her horn, and several ethereal white tendrils appeared and made their way through the door and into the house. It took only a minute to find what she was searching for.
“It is done,” she concluded.
“That was quick,” he said. “Will he come and let us in now?”
“Time moves differently in dreams, and it’s a ‘she’ actually. Her husband and two foals are sleeping, so I asked her to meet us outside so we don’t interrupt their slumber.”
They waited a few minutes in the dark street, with only a small street lamp illuminating the ground around them. “This is so ominous, I feel like a burglar standing here,” Haywood complained. “Are you sure she’ll come out—”
The door opened slightly and the head of a dim grey mare with a white mane peered out. She rocked her head back and forth until she found them, then went back inside as she unlocked the latch and opened the door fully. With uncertain steps, the pegasus made her way to the street.
“P-Princess Luna?” she stammered. “You called me in my dreams?”
“Yes, Mrs. Air Service. The stallion next to me is Haywood, and we’ve asked you here because we urgently need to meet with your employer—Gordon Rich.”
The mare closed her eyes and took in a long breath, appearing much calmer. “I can take you to him.”
“Just like that?” Haywood exclaimed. “Where does he live?”
“He lives just outside the city, on the shore where the harbor meets the Smokey Mountains.”
She and Haywood exchanged a glance. “That is an odd place to live.”
Air Service simply nodded. “My Master lives in a very unique place, you’ll understand why when you meet him.”
“Lead the way then, we’ll be right behind you.”
They followed a few paces behind the mare as she lead them towards harbor.
“Why does it feel like we’re walking into a trap in the middle of the night?” Haywood whispered, low enough for Air Service not to hear.
“Maybe we are, but I sense no deceit or malice from her,” she replied, silently. “I put up some invisible spells as a precaution just in case.”
“Precaution spells?” he asked, too loudly.
Air Service turned her head their way. “Is something wrong?”
“Nothing at all,” Haywood said. “We just thought it was strange that you were so willing to lead us to Gordon this late at night.”
“Oh, there is a reason for that,” Air Service replied. “A year ago, Gordon told me that if either princess came searching for him, I should lead them to him immediately.”
Both ponies were confounded by that, since that been the time of her return from banishment.
“Did he give you a reason why that is?” Haywood questioned.
“No idea,” Air Service said, cheerfully. “Or maybe there were a few reasons. I can't remember, but you’ll understand when you meet him.”
“Can’t you tell us now?” Haywood asked.
“It’s best that you see him for yourself first. Just know that he’s a good person at heart, so please don’t judge him.” Air Service radiated confidence. "I hope you'll understand, Princess."
“Hmpf, I never judge anyone by their appearance,” she replied. “My days as a used cart salesmare taught me that valuable lesson. The earth ponies with mud on their hooves were often the ones that spent the most bits, and not some fancy unicorn noble.”
“You were a used cart salesmare?” Haywood asked, his right eyebrow raised in disbelief.
“This was before Equestria’s founding. I had a myriad of jobs before I ended up as a ruler.”
They continued their banter back and forth, with Air Service’s ears moving in obvious interest to their conversation. They were lead on a road outside the city, heading towards a coastal cliff with a fenced off area at its base and additional industrial buildings adjacent the cliff wall.
“This is where Gordon lives,” Air Service exclaimed, while gesturing at the gate. There was a sign next to the road that said ‘West Pony Trading Company Depo #10.’
“Odd place to live,” Haywood mumbled. “Are you certain we’re in the right place?”
“Yup, we're here,” Air Service said. “Let me call the guards, and they’ll open it for us.”
The mare used her mouth to grab hold of a rope hanging from a large bell next to the entrance, then shook it vigorously. The sound of the bell caused a ruckus inside one of the buildings on the other side of the fence, and shortly after, three sleepy, brown-clad guards marched out.
“Air Service? What are you doing here at this hour—” the lead guard began, until he saw who was addressing. “Princess Luna!” he said, followed by a deep bow. “Why are you here? Does Gordon know?”
“Yes, yes, Nutmeg. They are with me, and Gordon has been expecting them for some time. He is awake, correct?”
“Yes,” the unicorn replied, bringing out a keyring to open up the fence. “You know that Gordon rarely sleeps this time of year.” He opened the gate and gestured them all to enter. The area, as much could be seen in the dark, contained a cluster of structures, with a large vault door built into the mountain. “Wait here, your majesty, while I go and start the opening mechanism.”
“Does the WPTC often construct such oversized vaults?” she asked Air Service.
“No, Princess,” Air Service answered.”This one is special. It was built so that large objects could leave and enter, but even with its considerable size, it later became useless. They had to carve out a much larger hole on the side of the mountain fifty years ago, so the size of the vault now only serves as an extra layer of protection.”
“Extra protection against what?” she inquired.
Air Service shrugged. “Everything.”
The vault creaked and shuddered as it was engulfed by a green aura which slid it to the side. Once it was fully open, they were followed inside by the guards. She noticed how they gave off a strange sense of anxiety and protectiveness. When their little party made it inside a lobby of sorts, she turned to address the stallion named Nutmeg—not stopping until they were face-to-face.
“What ails you, my little pony?” she asked, the stallion was surprised by her forwardness and tried to back away from her. “I haven't felt such feelings towards me since the day I returned from my banishment.”
“P-Princess, I don’t u-understand,” he sputtered, as she followed his retreat, not stopping until his tush hit a wall and was forced to look her straight in the eyes. “What are you doing?”
“You fear me,” she said. “Why?”
“I-I don’t—”
“Do not lie to me,” she hissed, the lights in their surrounding area suddenly dimming, and she had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself. “Just tell me why.”
“P-please, don’t hurt G-Gordon,” he said, close to tears.
The answer was not what she expected, and she instantly regretted her bullying behavior. “I owe you an apology. When ponies are so anxious at my presence it brings out the worst in me. I have no intentions of harming any of my subjects.”
The stallion acknowledged her apology with a nod, and they both returned to their group, who were now staring at them worryingly. No one said a word, as they continued deeper into the compound.