//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Secret of the Alicorn // by Magi Tail Welkin //------------------------------// Another week another market day in Ponyville. A tall Unicorn stallion sat having his picture drawn, or caricatured to be more precise. The artist narrowed his eyes and stuck his tongue out “Could you perhaps remove the hat sir?” “Certainly not,” the stallion said offended “it’s a symbol of my status.” He glanced down at the white wire-haired fox terrier at his hooves “Be patient Snowy, not much longer.” “I must say,” the artist said, “you face is familiar, have I drawn you before?” “No,” the stallion replied, “but I am known throughout Equestria.” The artist paused and blinked astonished “Of course, Prince Blueblood. I did not recognise you with the hat.” “Ponies rarely do.” Sighed the Prince “And I’d prefer it.” “Why are you not in Canterlot?” “It’s a bit quiet up there right now. Anyway, I have friends and associates here in Ponyville I want to catch up with.” “Princess Twilight?” “Maybe, but in her current condition, it might be best to give her some peace and quiet, Miss Rarity perhaps as well, I haven’t seen her and Moonlight Spectre since Screaming Lord Sutch’s performance at the Lyceum West a few weeks ago. No, it a Miss Bon-Bon and a Miss Heartstrings I wish to see at the immediate time.” The artist nodded and put his brushes down and took hold of the board “There,” he turned it around revealing a cartoonish rendering of the Prince’s face, his eyes shadowed by the long brim of his distinctive headwear. “I believe I have captured something of your likeness.” Blueblood levitated the piece of paper and chuckled “Not bad, you have skill sir.” He turned to his side and asked, “What do you think, Snowy?” he blinked, frowned and looked around the immediate area he gave an exasperated sigh “Snowy.”, he gave a few bits over to the artist and walked about the market for his stray. Snowy, he recently took home from the Sweet Feather Sanctuary, with Fluttershy’s blessing, the little chap really seemed to like him, and as a dog person himself, he couldn’t say no. He passed a pair of Royal Guard ponies, who nodded acknowledgement at him. Chrome Blade and Dauntless Doo, both family stallions, the former, Mister Blade, the Earth Pony, Blueblood understood to be the father of young Scootaloo of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and Doo, husband of the Ponyville Post Mistress, a Pegasus named Muffins, sometimes called “Ditzy” for her clumsy behaviour. Both only back less than a year ago after serving long tours in Saddle Arabia, then transferred to the Everfree Guard under the command of Captain Flash Sentry, but also under, ultimately, Princess Twilight’s command. Following them came a pair of near identical ponies. A pair of mares. You would think them related if not for the fact of one being a Bat Pony and the other an Earth Pony. Even their name almost perfectly matched, just different spelling. And not very flattering names, Berk and Burk. The Earth Pony being Berk with an E. Burk with a U he knew would be somehow related to two figures of Bat Pony culture. Burk’s Peerage listed the noble families of Equestria, including himself. Noble Burk also made the Gothic Almanac which listed Bat Pony noble families, many of them extinct like the Royal House of Bazar Robin, but a few survived, including the family of the Head Mortician and of Lord Moonlight Spectre, he also knew of another noble Bat Pony family, couldn’t remember their name, he would need to speak with Moonlight again. But back to the name Burk, a criminal called Burk lived a few centuries ago. Most ponies falsely called him a graverobber. In truth, the Royal Hospital Trottingham needed bodies for examination, indeed, dissection used to compulsorily for training and legal supply failed vastly to meet demand. Burk took advantage of this and murdered, as far as could be determined, sixteen ponies. When the head surgeon Doctor Knox revealed this Burk got arrested and sentenced to death by the Grand Duke, ironically his body got sent to Knox for dissection. As for Berk the Earth Pony, the Prince couldn’t quite understand why any-pony would call their child a word for idiot. Although, the manner which they dressed made the two of them look as much idiots as their names suggested. Frock coats and parasols, he wouldn’t be surprised if they wore corsets as well. If they were meant to be plainclothes officers of the Everfree Guard their brains seemed to be several decades, perhaps centuries in the past. Quite why the Everfree Guard needed expanding he didn’t quite know. What with the young princess’s dragon Spike recently spurted to full maturity, magically it would seem, you would think he’d be quite the deterrent, besides in his occasional talks with her on more private matters she said she would prefer not having many guards marching about the Castle, and she, much like his Auntie Celestia preferred to be as self-reliant as possible, so this pair couldn’t be here in a servant capacity. His musing stopped when he heard a bark. He stopped by as stall selling mirrors as his recently acquired dog, Snowy bounded up, Blueblood stroked his fur “Where have you been?” he asked as the white fox terrier reared up and played about with him “Chasing cats again?” As he chuckled he glanced at a mirror and paused. In the reflection behind him sat a model ship. He blinked and turned around “Snowy, look at this.” He whispered with awe. He approached the model. A yellow sailing ship “Three masts, double decked, fifty heavy-crossbows.”, ships as recently as fifty years ago did not have explosive projectile weapons, and incendiary weaponry got banded hundreds of years before. The Prince smiled “Isn’t she a beauty, just what I’ve been looking for.” The bric-a-brac sales-stallion smiled and leaned in spoke “That’s a unique specimen that is, from an old Sea Captain’s estate.” Blueblood continued to look at it, the figurehead of his Auntie Celestia, her wings swept behind her covering the bow, he then looked to the stern to read the name “The Alicorn.” “Alicorn.” The seller continued “Stallion of War Sailing Ship. Very old that is. Sixth century of Celestia Reign.” “Seventh actually, I read it once in the Canterlot library, the 670s if I remember.” “Oh, a scholar then? Well, that’s as fine a ship as any that’s sailed the seven seas, you won’t find another one of these, mate.” Blueblood nodded “Okay, name your price.” The seller blinked and nearly fell off the chair “Name my price! You serious?” “Of course,” Blueblood charged his horn and pulled a small booklet out of his coat “You don’t mind if I pay by check?” “No, no!” the seller said smiled “You’ve just become my favourite customer!” Blueblood rolled his eyes before he focused on the check, writing out a price not to be spoken out in public. He gave the check over and the seller pocketed it carefully. Then he opened the door to the case. Blueblood took the model in his magic and put it on his back. He heard Snowy give a curious whine as another stallion, crystal by appeared, almost running into the Prince, having seemingly run across the marketplace, looked to the seller “Hey bud,” he panted “How much for the boat?” “Sorry,” the seller said rummaging through a chest of other knickknacks “I just sold it to this stallion in the hat.” The Crystal Pony turned to Blueblood “Oh yeah? Tell me what you payed, I’ll give you double.”, Blueblood scoffed “I highly doubt that. Besides, it’s not for sale.”, the Crystal Pony glanced over Blueblood’s shoulder and whispered, “Listen Your Highness,”, Blueblood’s eyes widened as the Crystal Pony continued “I’m trying to help you out, I don’t think you realise this, but you’re about to walk into a whole mess of danger, get rid of the boat and get out as fast as you can, these ponies do not play nice.” He then ran off. Blueblood narrowed his eyes into a scowl ‘What ponies?’ “Wonderful!” said another voice. The Prince turned around to find a Bat Pony mare, a medium grey coat, her muzzle made of sharp curves, and two sickly green eyes, a finely brushed and cut black mane and dressed in a burgundy dress. She grinned with a smile just a little too nice to be good, her eyes focused on the model of the ship “It’s just wonderful.” She glanced to the seller “Don’t both wrapping it, I’ll take it as it is. Does any-pony object if I pay by check?” The seller blinked “Another one?” He shrugged “Sorry, but if you want to buy it talk to this feller here.” Nodded to Blueblood “I just sold it to him less than a minute ago.” The mare turned to the Prince and raised her eyebrow “I see. Well then, let the Gentle-colt name his price.” The seller fell back onto the back rest of the chair and muttered “Celestia, who breeds these nuts?” Both Blueblood and the Mare glanced at the seller before Blueblood looked to her “I’m sorry, I already explained to the other Gentle-colt…” The seller shrugged “Crystal pony he was, all sparkle and little substance.” Blueblood narrowed his eyes at the seller, after conversing with his cousin Cadance after she become the Crystal Princess he liked the Crystal Ponies. However, he returned to the Mare and explained “It’s not for sell.” She hummed and looked back to Blueblood “Well good sir, let me appeal to your, better nature, I have recently acquired Sagittarius Hall…” “That on the outskirts of Bridle City?” “Yes, and this model was a part of the estate…” “Of the late Sea Captain?” “Exactly, and I simply wish to restore it to its proper place.” “I accept your motive madam, however, I have my own reasons, I have friends who would be interested in this model, and as my property I have the right to do with it as I please, as I said it’s not for sale.” The Mare’s eye twitch, she then sidled up to his side “Then perhaps I should talk to your moral stances. The family of Sagittarius Hall fell into an endless string of bad luck, they believed their name to be cursed, now if there’s any truth to that, a fine young and handsome stallion in the prime of his youth such as yourself does not need that. I am willing to take the ship from you and take any possible curse it may come with.” Blueblood shook his head “I believe, like Princess Twilight, that curses don’t exist. As I’ve said twice already, it’s not for sale, that’s my final word. Now if you excuse me, I must be going.” He tipped his hat, turned around and walked away with Snowy close at his side. The Mare glanced to the seller “That stallion, who is he?” The seller shrugged “Don’t know. Seen him about on market day I think he lives locally.”, the Mare’s eyes narrowed. Prince Blueblood did indeed live locally. With Burning Heart and Aura so to train the filly. The Prince lived a second secret life, an Aura Guardian. Aura, the substance is an energy distinct from magic, for magic is tied to the physical body, aura is tied to the soul. It would take powerful magic to harm a spiritual being, Discord for example, the magics of the Elements of Harmony didn’t really hurt him, just encased him in stone. Whereas even the weakest of aura attacks could inflict damage onto him. When Discord originally attacked Equestria he tricked and trapped many Aura Guardians in Tartarus leaving the land open to his nonsense. Cipher, the, relatively new Post-stallion’s pet, a curious creature called a Jakhowl, a bipedal canine, could manipulate aura. Being an Aura Guardian now, well, it’s a dying art. In the days before the coronations of Celestia and Luna the Order of Aura Guardian protected the three tribes in secret, only a hoof-full of Aura Guardian are even vaguely know, Sir High Mountain of the Royal Knights, another more public order, second only to the Princesses in military power, being the most well remembered, and only really by the Royal Sisters, other Royal Knights, or old noble families. Aura, the filly here in Ponyville still needed years, if not decades to be even considered a full Guardian. Recently his first life back in Canterlot became a little more enjoyable. Previously like in the Grand Galloping Gala over three years, the one to which the Council of Friendship first attended and made a mess of it, Blueblood acted as an arrogant and stuck up pony, his family, especially his father, gained a, reputation, one which every-pony pessimistically expected him to live too. For most of his life as the head of the Blueblood family he did, but after talks with Miss Rarity and his Auntie Celestia he decided to drop the act, a parody of his father, completely. Still here in Ponyville as an Aura Guardian, he could truly be himself without any-pony judging him. Blueblood passed the downstairs where the filly and her godmother and legal guardian Burning Heart lived, his apartment being one floor above them, Burning Heart owned the flat, and he dutifully paid his rent, he could afford it. He climbed the stairway and unlocked the door. Once inside he placed the model ship of the dresser beside the fireplace “What is it about this ship that’s attracted so much attention, I knew Miss Heartstrings was interested, but a Crystal Pony and a Bat Pony?” Snowy whined equally confused. Blueblood’s eyes narrowed “And how did the Crystal Pony know me? The Bycoket,” referring to his hat “has a glamour to it, ponies only see me if I let them, or they know about it and see through it. Whoever he was, he must be part of some well-informed organisation.”, he returned to the model “What secrets do you hold?” He went into his study, around him hanging articles of the Ponyville Express since acquiring a second home in Ponyville he started writing a column in the local paper. Opening the top drawer, he hummed “Where did I put that magnifying glass?” He didn’t want to ask Twilight for another. He checked the other drawers. Then the shelf on the wall. A small grunt caught his attention, he turned. Snowy stood at the door with the magnifying glass in his mouth. Blueblood smiled and took it in his magic “Thank you.”, he turned and jumped. A cat meowed in fright. Snowy barked furiously and gave chase. “No! Snowy!” the Prince called as feline and canine jumped over furniture, knocked artefacts off the wall and made a mess of the apartment living room. Blueblood caught one artefact in his magic. SNAP! The Prince looked back and gasped. The model of the Alicorn sat on its side, middle and tallest mast and most of its rigging snapped. Blueblood picked it up and stared “Look what you did.” He turned as the cat ran out the door and he scowled at Snowy “Bad dog, I’ve told not to chase cats in the apartment.” Snowy stepped forward slightly and began sniffing the floor. The Prince rolled his eyes, animals, he needed to speak with a pony. He stepped forward and put the model back on the dresser “If I remember, something happened on this ship.” He went to the door “And I know the pony who knows about it.” He glanced back at Snowy, who stared at the floor of the dresser “Come on Snowy.”, the terrier, reluctantly followed. Lyra Heartstring’s eyes widened as he finished explaining, she smiled and exclaimed “You have a model of the Alicorn?” Bon-Bon covered her ears at her mare-friend’s squeals. Blueblood nodded “Yes, but it’s damaged.” He glanced at Snowy, but returned to the Unicorn mare “The name of the ship is familiar but I can’t quite remember the details, I hoped you’d have it since you were so interested in it.” Lyra nodded and went to her desk. She returned swiftly with a bunch of notebooks “Got it here, I wrote down what I found in the Canterlot library a few months ago.” She cleared her throat and started reading aloud “Sir Bold Star of Sagittarius Hall…” “The Marine Knight?”, the first Sailor Pony to be accepted into the ranks of the Royal Knights. Lyra nodded and return to her notes “…the last captain of the ill-fated Alicorn. The ship left Bridle City Port in the year 676 of Celestia’s Reign to explore the waters and possible lands west of the South Luna Ocean. Possibly to find an alternative route of the legendary east settlements, such as the rumoured Stalliongrad and the lands spoken by Meadowbrook and Macro Pommel, without going through the contested Griffon and Dragon Lands, and the hazardous Bug Bear Territory. Others theorise the voyage was also to find any possible evidence the mythological island continent and, or city state of Metropolis and, or Utopia, sometime referred to as Paradise Lost. “The last voyage of the Alicorn has become one of the most ruinous and infamous journeys in maritime history. Ship never returned, attacked by pirates, all hooves lost expect for one survivor. When Sir Bold was rescued, after being stranded on an island for almost two years, and returned home, where he was convinced his name had been cursed. “The ship’s manifest stated it was empty of cargo and Sir Bold kept up this claim. But, it has been long claimed the ship carried a secret cargo.” Blueblood narrowed his eyes and began wondering, most likely the interest in the ship lay in this mystery. The Unicorn mare continued “Historians have tried and failed to discover what happened on that fatal voyage. What the crew might have discovered. But Sir Bold’s last words “Only a true Star will discover the secret of the Alicorn.” To this day no descendent of the Marine Knight has ever decided to venture out and discover the secret, possibly out of the belief of the curse upon their name. Princess Celestia herself has banned any such endeavour to do so without a Star leading the voyage. So, the secret will remain hidden until a time when hearts and minds changed and courage, not fear with motivate a Star once more.” “The Star family?” Blueblood murmured “That sounds so familiar,” he tapped his hoof on his horn “I just can’t remember.” Bon-Bon called out flatly “Maybe, instead of sitting on our flanks trying to remember something, we should see if this model of yours has anything?”, the two Unicorns nodded. They quickly returned to apartment and Blueblood opened the door for them. Lyra rushed in and asked, “So, where is it?”, the Prince quickly rushed in and stopped agape. The dress stood bear. No model anywhere. Blueblood banged his hoof on the floor “Of course it’s gone!” Bon-Bon raised an eyebrow “Let me guess. You and Lyra weren’t the only ponies interested in the model?” “No, we were not.” He explained about the ponies he met in the market. Lyra blinked “Odd pair?” “They weren’t together. The Crystal Pony, I think he was warning me about the Bat Pony, I don’t about him, but I know where I can find her.” Bon-Bon frowned “You sure, your Highness?” “I can handle myself, I’m an Aura Guardian, I don’t run from an enemy.” After taking the first train to Bridle City he could get on, the Prince and Snowy, horn illuminated slowly walked up to the gates of Sagittarius Hall. Said gates being looked with strong chains. He charged his horn. Then, a bark caught his attention. Snowy stood on the opposite side of the locked gates, Blueblood raised an eyebrow “How’d you do that?”, the little white dog proceeded to walk over to a large hole in the brick wall. The Prince laughed “Atta boy!” and he clambered through. Walking up the long straight entrance lane, he studied the Hall. Two square buildings flanking a thin entrance like a tall tower. The building overgrown with ivy, and not a nice kind like Virginia Creeper, no, the common ivy, Hedera Helix. He understood ponies used to plant it as a form of natural insulation, but not many took the time to keep the ivy in check. At the doors, he examined the decoration on the top of the archway “A coat of arms!” He eyes narrowed “Mullets? A star?”, in heraldic terms a mullet is generally a five-pointed star. The coat of arms depicted a weighing scales surrounded by many of this mullet stars, above the helmet rested the crest, a lion lying down but with its head raised with another five-pointed star on its body. It dawned on him “Of course! Sagittarius Hall is the old Star Family Estate.” Snowy suddenly ran off. A growl filled the air. Blueblood turned. A Rottweiler barked at him. The Prince ran for it. The hound followed. They went into the tree. Blueblood pushed a branch out to smack the dog. The Rottweiler just bit it in two. Blueblood stopped at a wall. The hound bounded up. The Prince shut his eyes. Another bark started. Blueblood looked down. Snowy yelled at the Rottweiler, and miraculously subdued it. The Prince sighed relieved “Well done Snowy.” He scratched the terrier’s ears and said, “Good boy!” They returned to the house, while the two dogs played in the yard Blueblood found a broken window and managed to open it. Inside the hall looked just as bad, if not worse than the outside. Chandeliers hung at different heights from the ceiling, some of the lights on them flashed on and off. Blueblood knew, like Ponyville, Bridle City got its electrical power from a hydroelectrical dam built Upriver, Ponyville, Canterlot and Huntersfield used the River Canter with the dam at Saddle Lake. Bridle City, and the Upriver settlements like Hitchville and Trot Town used the damn beyond the logging camps of the River Neigh. Indeed, to get to the Hall the Prince needed to change trains and travel up the Neigh Valley Railway, the common name of the branch of the Equestrian National Railway. The Prince continued through the room. Passed the scaffolding and the upturned furniture. Through the entrance building and into a room at the front of the Hall. It looked like a gallery, and one where most of the work, presumably renovations clustered. A large covered glass case caught his attention. He pulled the sheet off and nodded “Well, well, well.” He carefully pulled the model out of the case. Behind him came a huff. The Prince quickly turned around. A shadowy figure of an aged Unicorn. Next moment, a sharp blow to the side of his head, and everything went black. Blueblood found himself on the floor, his hat in place, his identity still safe, but voices talked “The model appears undamaged Miss Cobalt.” Cobalt? A Bat Pony Mare named Cobalt. The name seemed familiar. His head hurt as he got up. “Welcome to Sagittarius Hall,” said a familiar voice, Blueblood spied the Bat Pony mare called Cobalt as she continued “I see you let yourself in.” Ignoring the pain Blueblood stood up and his magic covered the model of the Alicorn “I came to retrieve me property.”, the older Unicorn, dressed as a butler fought with his magic. Cobalt glanced at him “I’m sorry, I’m not sure I quite follow you?” Blueblood scowled “Oh, I think you do.” He pulled at the model “This ship was stolen from my apparent a few hours ago.” “I’m afraid your mistaken. “I’m not mistaken.” “Are you sure?” Angry he flared a touch of aura into his magic and pulled the ship from the surprisingly strong magical grip of the old butler “Of course I’m sure.” He examined the model “I took it home, I put it on a cabinet in the living room, then Snowy chased the cat and knocked it over…” he paused and looked at the unbroken mast “it fell and broke.”, he turned around, just catching the glance between Cobalt and her butler, resisting the urge to raise an eyebrow he gave the model back to the butler but confusingly stated “This isn’t my ship.” “No,” Cobalt said as the butler place the ship back into the case, “Indeed not.” “I’m sorry.” The Prince said, “it looks identical.” “Well,” Cobalt said, the end of a cane, with a horse skull crook, tapped Blueblood’s shoulder and she pulled him alongside her, “Looks can be deceiving.” Blueblood pulled the cane of him and turned back to the model “I don’t understand. Why did Sir Bold Star make two ships exactly alike? And you have one already, why do you want another?” Cobalt sniffed “I’m a perfectionist, those two models started here, they should be together, I’m so sorry to hear about the other.” Blueblood nodded “What would motivate some-pony to steal it?” Cobalt chuckled “Goodness me, why so many question?” “It’s for a friend of mine.”, Cobalt twitched “Well, it’s no great mystery. Sir Bold Star was a broken pony after his rescue, and his doom got bequeathed to his foals.” “So, it’s true? The Star Family is cursed?”, the cane went across his body and Cobalt muttered sinisterly “What else have you learned?” Unflustered Blueblood moved the cane aside “What is there to learned?” Cobalt quickly moved the cane to his side and continued her threatening tone “That depends what you’re looking for.” Sternly Blueblood heightened himself up “I’m looking for answers Miss Cobalt.” She smiled “You’re looking in the wrong place.” She moved the cane away “It’s getting late, I think you should return to Ponyville. Parker will escort you out, won’t you, Aloysius?” “Yes, Miss Cobalt.” He walked passed Blueblood and said, “This way sir.”, he talked with an aged voice, but distinctly like Screaming Lord Sutch, he must have originated from Trottingham’s East End. At the door, he whispered to the Prince “It’s a pity sir, that the mast broke on your model ship sir, I hope that you’ve found all the pieces, things are so easily lost.” “Aloysius!” came a shout, Aloysius Parker grunted and sniffed, he turned to Blueblood “Goodnight sir.” And he closed the door. The town clock struck a quarter past ten as Blueblood and Snowy walked down the street to their apartment “Things are so easily lost?” He glanced at his dog “What did he mean by that Snowy? What was he trying to tell me?” He opened the door and almost walked into his, sort of land-mare, Burning Heart. A Unicorn mare, her age about ten less the senior to Blueblood, with a pink coat, a dark heliotrope mane and tail with moderate heliotrope eyes. Her cutie mark, a flame behind a symbol of a circle with an arrow sprouting forth from the circumference. On her back perched a crow. Another flew over and landed at the side of Snowy, unnerving the white dog. Miss Heart raised an eyebrow “And where have you been Your Highness?” “Trying to solve a mystery, and getting more questions,” he inched passed her and head from the stairs “I’ll tell you in the morning.” Snowy ran up the stairs ahead of him and scratched at the door, which opened by itself. The Prince paused at this. Illuminating his horn, took the doorknob, pushed the door wide open and hit the lights. The living room look a mess. Even more so than after the cat catastrophe. The place ransacked. Some-pony somehow got in, how behind Miss Heart’s skills? Not important right now. Snowy quickly went to the cabinet and attempted to squeeze under it. “What is it Snowy?” He got onto the floor and looked under. Something glinted in the light of his spell. Swiftly, he pulled the cabinet from the wall and pulled a tiny metal cylinder, it dawned on him “This was in the mast!” He went to his study, returned the desk lamp to its place and switched it on. Snowy appeared with the magnifying glass. Blueblood took it in his magic, and with his telekinesis opened the cylinder and removed a piece of parchment. He also pulled out a notebook and quill. When a Prince, even one without a defined role, an Aura Guardian, a celebrity, patron of the Arts and a hobby journalist, you really needed to learn to multitask. The piece of parchment contained a poem and three unicorn heads and three pairs of wings. The poem read ‘Three Siblings joined. Three Alicorns in company, sailing in the noonday Sun will speak. For it is from the light, that light will dawn. And then shines forth, the Eagle’s cross.’ “Three Siblings, Three Alicorns? There is the family legend of an elder sibling to Auntie Celestia and Aunt Luna, but…” Then looking underneath, he saw a few odd markings “Secret language or code?”, he didn’t understand them so left them from his notes. Snowy whined. “It makes no sense. But it does explain why they, whoever they were, ransacked the flat. They were looking for this, but they didn’t find it.” He blinked “Which means, they come looking for it again.” The doorbell rang. Blueblood quickly went to the door and listened in. Behind his back he readied a crossbow pistol. Burning Heart sternly spoke to the pony at the door “I’m afraid his Highness doesn’t see visitors after dark.” His Highness? Cobalt didn’t appear to know who she faced, although as she said, looks can be deceiving, but he did have a good idea as to who inquired about him. The Prince put the parchment inside the fold of his hat brim and went down the stairs “It’s alright Miss Heart, I’ll handle this. You make sure Aura’s okay.” He stepped up to the door. “Hey?” a familiar, male voice asked, “Your Highness? That you? Please, open the door.” Blueblood glanced at the gap. The Crystal Pony from the market stood there anxiously, “What do you want?” the Prince asked. “Look, the game is up. She’s going to be back. I know she wanted those boats, but Sombra, she willing to kill some-pony over them!” “Cobalt?” “I can’t say…” The sound of slings and arrows filled the area. Spikes pelted, lodged into and flew through the door. Blueblood flared his aura to protect himself. The door slid open. The Crystal Pony stood shocked, he dropped a newspaper, then slumped to the floor. Swiftly, Blueblood shouted “Miss Heart! A pony’s been shot on the doorstep! Call the guard and the hospital!”, he ran out the door and saw a black cart sped passed him. Snowy ran after it barking madly. “Snowy! Leave it!”, dog and master returned to the Crystal Pony, one of the crows looked him up and down before cawing. The Prince sighed and took his hat off. Then he noticed the blood stains over a bunch of letters on the newspaper page.