//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Mysteries and Monsters // Story: Moamer's Return // by bonamb //------------------------------// Twilight sighed as she flipped through the reference guide. She would happily extol the virtues of research to anypony who cared to listen, but sometimes it did get a little tiresome. When she found the book she needed she read the code and activated the library’s recall spell, causing a shuffle in the stacks before she saw the book float up and over the shelves towards her. An invention by one Light Reader, that spell was an invaluable time saver, even if it did leave her cramping up from the lack of movement. She reached up towards the thick tome with her magic and brought it down onto the table, shunting a sleeping Spike to the side. He had recently arrived, and was quite enjoying his break from being Twilight’s royal book fetcher, thanks to the spell. The leeching magic on the… vase was still unknown to her, and her hours of searching through Canterlot’s library thus far had been fruitless. Odd, considering it was one of the greatest reprosities of knowledge inside Equestria. As she flipped through the book Twilight’s eyes fixed on a likely spellform, and stopping she read more on it, becoming more and more convinced as the seconds passed that it was what she had been looking for. Yes. This was perfect - but who is responsible? She read further, noting down a scholar and activating a different variant of the search spell to find her earlier work. As the relevant books floated over she leafed through them until - “Sequine?” The carriages rolled to a halt and Captain Edge stepped off the train, glancing behind him as the platform quickly began to fill up with guards and other military personnel. They had arrived in Baltemere in line with the schedule, though an hour behind what Edge would have preferred. Trotting over to Lieutenants Steel Hooves and Silver Shot he raised his voice and spoke. “We’re going to be moving out to the four designated barracks in ten minutes. I’m taking an escort from Owl’s platoon and heading to Baltimere command. By the books, but remain cautious. We don't want to take any chances.” “Yes sir!” The grey unicorn and white pegasus replied in unison and turned to their respective platoons, barking out orders. Edge moved through the crowd towards Red Owl and the new Lieutenant, Blade Petals. If he was honest, the name Lieutenant Petals wasn't very intimidating and neither was the pony, but both had hidden qualities which he hoped wouldn’t become necessary in this visit. When he reached them they were flicking through a clipboard, likely with a rota on, completely oblivious to his presence. He cleared his throat and they both jumped. “Moving out to the designated barracks in ten minutes. Lieutenant Petals, get to your squad, I need to talk to Lieutenant Owl.” “Yes sir!” Hip-bumping Red Owl, Petals trotted back over to her platoon, the clipboard floating along behind her in her magenta magic. Edge raised an eyebrow at his long time subordinate who glanced at Petals’ behind then back to him, a small smile playing around his lips. Oh this was new. Edge decided to drop the job for a moment and tease his friend. “Everything… good with you and Petals, Red?” The red pegasus visibly fought back a full blown smile and shrugged nonchalantly. “Eh. Could be worse sir.” “Hmph. Don’t let worse get in the way of the job then.” Edge winked, but put his captain face back on. “I’m going to need a squad to escort me to Baltimere command. We don’t know if whoever sent the package has infiltrated the city itself, so we’re taking no chances.” “Understood, Captain. The escort will be ready in two minutes.” “Make that one Lieutenant.” “Yes sir!” Red Owl moved off to his platoon and began to call out names. Edge moved over to the entrance, next to the two guards stationed there - they were from Shot’s platoon. Owl was a good Lieutenant. All of them were. Good enough that they didn’t need their captain scowling at their sides at the very least. Owl would have to be careful with Petals though. Relationships between peers under the same command was frowned upon, and one between a superior and a subordinate was illegal. If he ever wanted to be standing where Edge was standing he would have to reject Petal’s advances. Edge caught sight of the approaching escort and refocused his wandering thoughts. For now, though, he had a near assassin to catch, and a mystery to solve. Starting with the top. He nodded to his escort and they took positions around the lobby. They were all pegasi which was probably a smart idea. Owl had chosen for speed rather than power, the latter of which was unnecessary with Edge’s own rather offensive defenses. “Captain! Good to see you!” The loud voice of Colonel Wrath Hammer greeted Edge as he walked through the door into the main floor of command. Hammer was a golden earth pony even taller than he was and gave the same impression that a brick wall would due to her being probably twice his weight in muscle. Edge was very glad she was on his side. “Good to see you too Colonel.” He saluted. “We’re just settling into the guest barracks for what will hopefully be a short stay - once the investigative team has established that there is no large threat to be worried about.” Hammer snorted. “Whatever the reason you chose to bring so many ponies I’m glad you did. Those feathered buggers on the other side of the border have been abnormally quiet these past few weeks and considering I trust them about as far as I can throw them, they’re lucky I haven't begun siege preparations yet.” Edge glanced down at her hooves then back up to her face. “I would’ve thought you could throw them quite far, Colonel.” She fixed him with a flat stare, holding it until he looked away before she chuckled. “That’s one of the reasons we’re still technically at peace. There has to be a little bit of trust on both sides. But not too much.” She paused. “Where’s the investigative team starting? I can send ponies to help if necessary.” “That won't be needed ma’am.” Edge took a deep breath and stared her in the eye. “They’re beginning the investigation here at command.” “Wh-” Hammer started as ponies began to file in behind Edge. Glaring at them, and then him, she lowered her large head down to his level to whisper angrily in his ear. “Celestia dammit Edge, I would’ve appreciated some warning.” “Sorry, ma’am. We’re not discounting the possibility that we could have a traitor in our midst, and any warning would have given them time to destroy important documents. Each member of your staff will be needed for about ten to fifteen minutes of their time to answer a few questions, including yourself, Colonel.” Edge heard her forcefully check her breathing before she replied with a gaze as hard as the hammer she was named for. “Understood Captain. When will I be needed?” “You’re first Colonel. If you would just follow me to this office -” he nodded to where a member of the investigative team was standing outside a door. “- we can begin once a colleague joins us.” She nodded and as they made their way through the suddenly filled office - Edge noticed that Hammer made for a fantastic crowd clearer - he spoke up. “I’m really am sorry about the surprise Colonel, but we have our orders.” “Hmph.” She glanced down at him and the corner of her mouth lifted from her frown. “It's not you I’m angry at, its the foal of a nag who tried to blow up Canterlot and start this whole parade off. Don’t worry for yourself.” They sat in the office on opposite sides of the table and waited in slightly awkward silence for the member of the investigative team to show up. Having known Hammer for quite a few years now, Edge had every faith in her and he truly believed that this part was merely a formality. All he needed to do now was confirm it. The other interviewer walked into the room and sat down behind Edge at the desk. “Good morning Colonel Hammer, I am Quizzical Intention. Call me Quizzical. Now, do you have anything you would like to say before we begin?” Three hours later Edge wanted to slump against the wall outside the office but instead remained at parade rest. He had to set an example. None of the interviews he was in had been particularly fruitful. All protested their innocence and had alibis. The problem was that the investigative squad that had been sent to the post office headquarters had managed to track the package, and found it had originated in Baltamere itself. So either somebeing had managed to infiltrate the city, or they had a traitor in their midst. One with sufficient resources and knowhow to create something which hadn’t been seen for hundreds of years. It was odd, and likely a side effect of still being rattled by the explosion in Canterlot, but Edge felt almost as if the entire city were working against him, not just a small cell of terrorists. But it was almost certainly just a feeling. Beside him, the door opened and Quizzical Intention trotted out to stand next to him. He held the stack of paperwork he had been finishing in his aura and looked about as quizzical as his name. “Everything alright Quizzical?” “Yes Captain, I -” the unicorn sighed. “Something just isn’t adding up with all these statements. I have cross referenced each and every one, and they all support each other but there are… I just have a feeling that there’s something off with them.” Edge glanced over the crowd of noisy ponies before them and lowered his voice. “I know what you mean. There’s something that doesn’t feel right in them, but you can’t but your hoof on it.” He paused. “I’m going to rejoin the PO investigative squad and see if anything else has come up.” “Yes, yes you do that.” Quizzical’s eyes had already begun to unfocus as his thoughts internalized. “I’ll be here for quite a while yet.” Nodding to him, and then to his escort, Edge set off for the post’s headquarters. He didn’t hold much hope that they would have found anything, but it didn’t hurt to give them some incentive. --- Having told four of the six escorts to wait outside, Edge entered the post office lobby with two guardsponies following him. There was nopony around. Edge frowned. There should’ve been at least the investigate squad here, as they were ordered to remain. And considering that it was midweek, even the slightest bit of quiet in a public office was a miracle. But silence? Something was wrong. With a flash of red Edge drew two of his mageblades - triangular, with a long sharp blade and no handle, just a rounded metal bottom - out of null space and silently gestured for his pegasi guards to flank him from the standard 10 meters. They all moved as quietly as ponies in full armour could, the pegasi holding their wings out for balance and softer footfall and Edge doing his best - muffling spells were not one of his specialties. As they passed into the main office area the two pegasi individually went and listened outside each door before shaking their heads and moving on. Edge remained central and ready to act. Still nothing. It was only as they passed into the filing area Edge heard a shuffle from behind the door and turned as something flung itself at him while one of the guards yelled for him to watch out. Noticing the flash of gold he spun his blade just in time and hit it with the blunt edge, knocking it out cold. It was a guard. A blue pegasus who had been sent with the post office investigative squad. Edge heard a whispered “what in Celestia’s name…” from the guard who had shouted before he turned and enveloped them in his magic. With a flash, they were all standing outside, alone. Where the rest of the escort… had formerly been. Along with a street full of ponies. Even the tall buildings on either side had gone quiet. “...what?” he breathed. Suddenly a pothole erupted upwards and something slithered out. Initially, Edge thought it was a pony - green, with a turquoise mane, but as it continued the mottled pelt transitioned into… scales? It was the upper body of a pony with scales running up its spine and the lower body of a giant snake - and it was slithering right towards him. The pegasi behind him took off and made towards it but as it opened its mouth to hiss - he noticed it had two fangs that folded down - Edge shot a blade towards its forehead and clubbed it unconscious as he had done with the pegasus inside. Around them, other potholes began to explode and drains buckled, and the sounds of furious hissing filled the air. Grabbing the pegasi in his magic again Edge announced: “We’re leaving.” and teleported. They appeared back in Baltemere command’s offices, the two pegasi dropping to the floor. One of them cursed. “What in Tartarus were those things Captain?” “No idea.” Edge glanced around the room and began to slowly fold more blades out of his null space. A flash and another joined the two floating around him, then another, and another, and another. “Look sharp ponies, we need to leave.” The offices were also empty. To their credit, the guards took it in relatively quickly and moved back to either side of Edge. As they began towards the stairs and the long trip down to the lobby Edge cleared his throat. “I’m ashamed to say I don't know either of your names.” The talkative pegasus on his right replied first. “Guard second class Blue Arrow sir.” “Guard first class Mountain Flyer sir.” “Alright Arrow and Flyer, here’s the plan. We find the Colonel, and any other high ranking staff who would be able to provide intel, then I T-jump us out and to Fillydelphia, as the train line has also probably been infiltrated. “But sir, what if the Colonel is also -” Edge stopped to look at Arrow. “We’re taking her back, willingly or not. Command needs answers, as do I.” As they entered the lobby Edge noticed movement through the glass doors at the end. It was… oh Celestia. A giant serpentine creature with an upper body the size of a fully grown Alicorn and the lower body of a massive constrictor serpent had her back to him. Instead of a mane, her hair was a writhing mass of snakes - through which he glimpsed some sort of crown, and as Edge’s foot hit the hard lobby floor every single one of them twisted to look at him. She turned too, and grinned. She had no eyes herself - just empty pits - but so many teeth. She slithered to the side and gestured with a forelimb, and Edge saw Colonel Hammer - trator - kneeling on the floor in front of the creature. At a word from it she rose and fixed them with a blank stare. Suddenly she was running. No, a more apt term for it would be charging. Not slowing at all she smashed through the doors, sending glass and metal flying and Edge finally snapped out of his stupor as more than twice his weight in muscle and metal bore down on him. The guards had already taken off to move out of the way, and he knew he couldn’t do anything drastic to her, despite her betrayal. The blades would just bounce off the armour and hitting her with a wall would - Wait, that would work. Edge concentrated and fixing a large section of the wall to his right in his magic he separated it from the rest and flung it at the charging earth pony, sidestepping as he did so. She ran right into it, sending brick dust and stone flying everywhere and her skidding into the other wall where she collapsed to the floor. A moment passed and Mountain Flyer landed to check her, but as he approached a hoof shot out and collided with his muzzle sending him flying, his blood trailing through the air. A glance outside and Edge saw the huge snake pony thing still coiled there. Grinning. Watching. Waiting. A yell and Arrow shot past him. It was a decent tackle, and would’ve worked on anypony - but the now standing Hammer. She lifted her leg and almost nonchalantly shook him off, and as she made to stomp on him Edge hit her with a concussive blast from his horn. She went right back into the wall, actually making a small crater this time and Arrow slid away to the side. And she got back up. “Fine.” Grunting, Edge grabbed her in his magic and hurled her straight through the broken doors at the creature, who batted hundreds of pounds of warrior aside like nothing. Following her, Edge flung three blades at the creature, then teleported behind it and flung another three. Stop. He stopped. The blades stopped. Everything stopped. “Wh-” Obey Edge felt faint. Why was he attacking again? Why would he want to hurt her at all? Was somebody trying to move against her? How dare they. She smiled her beautiful smile and he felt warmth blossom inside of him, but when she opened her mouth to speak the pop of a teleport sounded above her and as she looked up Edge felt some part of her hold over him break in her surprise. “HUZZAH!” With a sound like an explosion in a steel factory, a fully armoured Princess Luna fell on the snake thing’s head, slamming her into the ground. With a ripple of blue magic, Edge was thrown back, hitting the ground and skidding a few meters before knocking his head on the curb. “CAPTAIN!” Edge, winded and disorientated, coughed and painfully looked up towards where the princess was fighting the snake thing. A whirlwind of hammer and steel, Luna was utterly terrifying - but even as she caused him to wonder why she even needed guards he noticed that she was losing. A hit to the snake’s main body merely made it hiss - the armour was too thick - and even Luna didn’t seem to want to throw herself within range of those grasping arms. And fangs. Even as he watched it began to encircle her before she teleported behind it again. “RETRIEVE YOUR COMPANIONS.” Edged coughed again and dragged himself up. Flinging his magic outwards, searching, he found the magical signature of his mage blades and called them back to him. Then he searched again and teleported the unconscious bodies of Arrow and Flyer to him, then Colonel Hammer, for whom he ripped a nearby lamppost out of the ground and twisted it around her. “Princess!” he called out to Luna and saw her ear flick. Hopefully, she heard him, because she needed to move. Fixing a large section of the street in his magic he ripped it straight out of the ground and tossed it at the creature, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through his head. Grabbing another lampost in the same movement he batted a couple of the smaller snake creatures away that had come to save their queen. Even as the giant chunk of asphalt flew towards them, Luna finally got a hit in on the creature’s more equine body mass, sending it hissing to the side as the princess used the impact to vault away, flipping backwards and up over the large flying section of the street moments before it hit them before shooting towards Edge and the ponies around him. Even as she landed and her blue magic flowed over them Edge noticed the creature bursting through the asphalt with an explosion of rubble before flicking itself in their direction. Luna tracked his eyes and for a moment her horn glowed even brighter before the entire front half of Baltemere Command suddenly flew in from the side slamming itself into the building opposite, with the creature trapped between them. And then they were gone. Celestia was at her desk when they arrived. The whump of displaced air and the clatter of a number of armoured ponies hitting the ground hit her ears and Luna’s shout of “CLEAR THE COURTYARD” quickly followed. Dropping the quill from her worn out magic Celestia trotted to the balcony to see what was going on. When she saw Luna in full plate and the ponies on the ground beside her, her heart skipped a beat and she took off from the balcony without a second thought. Landing awkwardly in the courtyard she suppressed a wince as some visiting civilian ponies around her gasped at her appearance even as the guards ushered them out. Flapping her wings a couple of times to steady herself she moved quickly over to Luna and the guard captain who was the only one still standing. There were three ponies on the ground, two pegasi and one earth pony who was slightly larger than Luna, and was wearing a Colonel pin. That must be Colonel Hammer, but why did she have a… Baltamerian lamp post twisted around her? Celestia assumed that the Baltamere expedition must have gone horribly wrong somehow, and Luna had flown off to rescue them and had deliberately ordered that nobody inform her. Even though she understood her motivation, she couldn’t help but feel hurt. But for now these ponies needed looking after and the more immediate threat needed to be addressed, whatever it was. Hearing her approach Luna had turned to face her and opened her mouth, probably to explain. “Sis-” “Luna, we need to get these ponies to a hospital. I am not happy with what you did though I can understand, but we have more pressing problems right now.” Luna nodded and Celestia looked at the single other standing pony. His eyes looked glazed, and he seemed to be struggling to hold himself in at attention. “Captain Edge, you will also be going to a hospital. But first, why is Colonel Hammer restrained?” Celestia noticed Luna look out of the corner of her eye. Apparently, she also didn’t know. The captain swayed a little before answering. “She betrayed us, Princess. She was on the side of the snake-thing. Everypony was. All the guards. All of Baltemere was under probably her control. Nopony helped us. We don’t know what happened to the platoons we took, we don’t-” Luna interrupted. “Captain, that's enough.” Edge nodded. Celestia couldn’t reply. She was still frozen in shock. Snake thing. A hiss sounded in her mind, followed by another, and another, piling up until it sounded like a nest of snakes - or a maneful of them. “Celestia!” “Wh-” she shook her head. “Yes?” “You are still not well sister! Return to your chambers, we will talk of this once I have transported Hammer down to the cells and shed my armour.” Celestia nodded, not normally so meek but already feeling exhausted. But first…“Luna.” Her sister paused in turning. “Is it her?” “Yes. We should prepare, Celestia. The saccrena have rallied and Moamer has returned.”