//------------------------------//
// 24.1 Market Day comes to an End 
// Story: Prey and a Lamb 
// by Lambs Prey 
//------------------------------//





As it turned out, Gloom was not too sure what 'hoofball' entailed either. 

Yes, he understood it was a game for grown ponies that involved teams, a ball, and a field with white marker lines, but beyond that? He was almost as clueless as Crimson was to just what Feather Nimbus had invited him, seemingly at random, to participate in.

Never the less, Gloom wasn't dismissive of the idea.

"If there's ever a point where the Night Guard gets regular free time, it might be a hobby you should take up." He said, while thinking, '-might also make some acquaintances outside of the Night Guard. It's a good opportunity for him-' 

Crimson seemed sceptical, but didn't protest. Or maybe he was still distracted by whatever it was that had unnerved him. It was likely to be months before any opportunity came to accept Feather Nimbus's offer anyway. Because none of this affected Prey, he didn't comment and just sat and sucked on his lemon sherbets. Sadly, he was down to his last one.

"Let's go have a look around." Gloom announced, deciding to get them moving.

"Look around? What do you think it is we've been doing for the last hour?" Prey responded.

"Correction, you've been looking around this market district. We've been flying." Gloom pointed out.

'Yes, and I've been patiently waiting here like a good little dog for your return, master.' Prey thought sarcastically. 

Gloom making him write that letter was still not forgiven. In fact it would never be, not that anyone but Prey would ever know of his grudge. 

"Fine, so you and Crimson want a chance to go shopping too. I've already had a look around the place, so where does that leave me?" Prey asked, hoping it would leave him right here and comfortably alone again.

"Good. That means you know where the good places are and can be our guide. We've plenty of time to kill, so let's get going. Lead on Prey." Gloom ordered brightly, starting down the steps.

'-you're not getting out of it this easy kid-', Gloom thought, '-besides, it'll do us all some good to mingle-'

'Ah, of course,' Prey thought with contempt, 'I'd forgotten. Canterlot citizens are supposed to be our role models. How will we ever emulate them unless we wander around soaking up their daily foray into the mundane pursuit of gossip and drivel?'


---


An hour later, they were still in the lower shopping district. Despite Gloom saying Prey should show them around, that wasn't what happened. Instead, Prey and Crimson had followed the thestral's lead as they wondered about.

With the reapplication of his dusk pony amulet, Gloom had become just another pony in the crowd, same as Crimson, albeit two pegasi who seemed to be squinting a lot more than normal in the sun.

And now, Prey and Crimson were standing in a quiet pocket of space that'd opened up between a couple of street vendors stalls, eyeing each other and wondering what to do.

With instructions to: "Meet up at Princess Luna's monument in an hour's time," Gloom had given the two of them free rein to browse and look around as they wished, and hoofed them some of their allowance before disappearing into the crowd.

Prey knew Gloom had been conducting a little test on them earlier, leaving each of them alone for a short period of time in an open environment to see if they would try to run. And now, for some reason, the results of Gloom's trust building experiment meant the Sargent thought they could be trusted enough to be left on their own a second time.

Gloom was far too trusting. He'd reprimanded Prey for getting separated in Hay Steam, but now he thought it was fine because it was on his terms? Foolish. There was a lot of damage they could do without running away. Just because Gloom couldn't think of a reason for why they would, didn't mean they wouldn't. Don't measure your wheat sheaf by someone else's potato bushel.

Or perhaps Gloom was just so tired of having to keep watch over them all the time, that at the first opportunity to catch a break, he had grabbed it with all four hooves. This was supposed to be his day off too, after all.

But what ever Gloom's motivations, that still left Prey and Crimson standing here unsupervised, looking at each other.

'Well, I'm not going to complain.' Prey thought, and turned around to go and enjoy his extra hour of free time. Perhaps find another candy store?

Prey stopped and brushed his ear aside to look back over his shoulder, "Why're you following me?"

"Is there a reason I shouldn't be?" Crimson asked.

"Because you should go and do your own thing?" Prey suggested quizzically.

Crimson looked around, regarding the crowds coolly, "I think it would be better if we remained together. It will make it easier to rejoin Sarg- I mean Gloom, later."

"I don't think you quite get it. This is your chance to go look around and do what ever you want. Why do you think Gloom gave us each some bits? He wants to get us out of his wool for an hour." Prey explained with forced patience.

"Ah...But we've been through the market already. Twice even. We've already seen all the shops. There is no reason to split up if there isn't anything new we haven't seen yet." Crimson said.

Wrong, they had only seen about a third, but the fact that his statement was incorrect was beside the point, because Prey saw another motivation in Crimson's words.

Crimson obviously thought it would be easier for him to fit in if he could just follow Prey around. That would not do.

'How can he not have realised the obvious yet?' Prey thought, but he didn't say that. Instead, he studied Crimson for a minute, head tilted to the side and blue eyes considering. 'How to nip this in the bud?'

"You might think you're special, but you're not." Prey said abruptly. 

Crimson appeared thrown by Prey's sudden shift in topic, but Prey wasn't finished speaking, "No one's special, because everyone's special, so it cancels out. But sometimes, someone stands out of the background they've been cast against so extremely, that others can't help but notice."

"What are you trying to say? What has any of that to do with this market?" Crimson asked, looking around.

Prey shrugged and hummed noncommittally, "Not much I guess. Just remarking on how much you stand out."

Crimson checked himself over, then the crowd again, "I would say..." He pondered after a moment, "That you stand out more Prey. You are the only non-pony I have seen in Canterlot yet."

"Missing the point~", Prey sing-songed, "Look, what happens when something stands out?"

Crimson thought for a minute. "It just...stands out. That's what it does." He answered, cautious about where this conversation was going.

Prey grinned at him, "Come on, you know better than that. Don't pretend you don't."

Crimson didn't answer, but that didn't mean it was because he didn't know. His whole life, the pegasus had been ostracised by his clan for being different. The tallest tree gets felled first. It was impossible that Crimson didn't know this lesson.

Prey's grin faded, "You..." He pointed one small hoof, "You stand out." He accused, and turned to go without further ado.

"And what of it?" Crimson demanded, coming up swiftly from behind, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Prey jumped backwards, putting some space between them, "Don't touch me." He snapped, although Crimson had been no where close to doing that.

"You're not listening to what I'm saying. You stand out. That's bad. I stand out too, and so does Gloom. And together, we'd just stand out more. We're both different yes, but there's no common bond, understand? We are not friends. I don't want a target on my back."

Crimson's expression didn't change, but his wings did, looking like they wanted to flare open at Prey's aggressive words. 

"If you wanted to be left alone, you could've just said. Why not just say, 'go away'? That's what you really meant in the end." Crimson said, voice toneless.

Prey threw up his hooves in a show of frustration, "Because it was so obvious. We're forced to work together because Princess Luna told us to, but see this?" 

Prey held up a fetlock to display the golden tracer bracelet, "Don't forget, you've got a pair too. We're not friends, just two unfortunates who stood out too much. We're not friends." Prey stressed, "Our leash is just held by the same master."

Both of them stood looking at each other, exactly like they'd been doing a few minutes ago. But now it was different.

None of the blithely ignorant crowd had noticed their little discussion, but that didn't matter. Neither of them were part of the ignorant Canterlot crowd, and never would be. They stood out too much. And Prey had made it clear he had no intentions of standing out by standing together.

In short, he was telling Crimson we're only allies, not friends. 'So stop following me around.'

Prey's words had been rude and abrasive, but he didn't want any uncertainty about where they stood. Prey couldn't afford Crimson discovering one of his secrets by accident. Like what would've happened if he'd followed Prey earlier and stumbled across him talking with Lemon Pink.

Crimson's face was a blank mask of stone. 

'Oh, think that's impressive? I can match that.' Prey thought mockingly, and killed his own expression, meeting the pegasus limpet eye for limpet eye.

Crimson spoke slowly, "You said you were afraid of wolves. That time at the hospital, when we talked. And we've all been working together so well. We successfully apprehended Pebble Mill and Turf Apple, and Rocky Bed has been liberated too. Your actions speak louder than words... I think you're just scared to open up, like Gloom-like I thought." Crimson said, correcting himself at the end.

"Oh? Gloom decided to exchange theories with you while flying, did he?" Prey asked, unimpressed, "And what makes you think I'm scared?"

"Not afraid, that's not...Wrong word again. Doesn't matter, you just don't know how to interact with other..." Crimson trailed off and clammed up.

"Oh, don't stop there, do tell." Prey said sweetly.

Crimson didn't react to Prey's mocking. Instead, he just shook his head and turned away with a snort. And just like that, it was over, as if Crimson simply couldn't be bothered to argue to issue any further with Prey. He was definitely exuding the feeling of; 'My time would be better spent elsewhere'.

"I'm going to go look in some of these shops," Crimson announced blankly, all anger forgotten, "That is what Sargent Gloom wanted us to do, isn't it?" He asked, considering his drawstring bag of bits.

'You're asking me? I was just rude to your face and you don't seem like you even noticed.' Prey thought, equal parts surprised and frustrated at Crimson's nonsensical attitude.

It was obvious that Gloom had shared some misconstrued theory about him, (probably that he was raised without a proper understanding of right and wrong) but frankly Prey didn't care. Gloom was just going to make a fool out of himself, and for now it would actually work in Prey's favour, because it might mean they ended up being more lenient with Prey. Like just now when Prey told Crimson to shove off. Still, Crimson was one weird pony.

Prey sighed, "Yes, that's what Gloom wanted us to do." He answered, giving up. He couldn't find the energy to argue further with the pegasus. 

Prey blamed the shopping district for getting to him. He didn't belong here. Prey's neck muscles ached from being tensed and on a swivel all the time. He was sick of his stomach jumping unpleasently every time a unicorn glanced in his direction. 'Zoma'Gricka on all horn heads.'

Prey blinked. The spot on the cobbles was empty. He realised that Crimson had already walked away to fulfil Gloom's instructions. The pegasus didn't look very certain about where he was going, but he was still going. 

'By chance he might even find somewhere that sells common sense.' Prey thought vindictively, but at least Crimson had done him the courtesy of finally taking the hint and leaving him alone again.

Turning round, Prey slipped away in the opposite direction.


---


'This place really is disgustingly narrow minded.' Prey thought, reading the heading on a newspaper stand he passed named; "Canterlot Celebrities". Everything about Canterlot was self absorbed like that really. The spires, the gold, the statues, the terminology, the phrasing, everything. And the longer you stayed, the more unpalatable the self aggrandisement became.

'I'm glad I'm not part of this culture. If I wasn't stranded in it, the whole city of Canterlot could fall off the mountain face and kill every single pony in it for all I care.' Prey thought. He was in a dark mood as he continued walking through the shopping district in the same fashion he'd been an hour before. 

That is to say, avoiding all attention.

Gloom making him write that letter had gotten under his skin, deeply, and he couldn't shake it off. Gloom was going to regret that, one way or another. Prey didn't take orders from Gloom willingly, or anyone else for that matter. And then Crimson had to go and annoy him too.

Prey didn't even notice he was grinding his teeth loudly enough to be audible.

'I don't belong to you. I don't belong to anyone. I am no slave. They think they're in charge. They tell me what to do and Stinger whips me when I don't. They burned us out and thought they could just win and walk away. They all started this war, but I'm going to finish-'

Prey stopped. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. 

He felt the flag stones beneath his hooves, not the dank earth and leaf mould of the Deeper Green. 

Prey breathing calming, 'It's been a long time since I've had to ground myself like this.'

Opening his eyes, Prey found he just so happened to be looking in through the glass shop front of a colourful clothing store, silk ribbons and party dresses on display. When he saw the outline of his reflection in the window, Prey hurriedly averted his eyes. Then he looked back.

As he looked at the colourful ribbons looping around the displays, an old memory began poking at him to be remembered.


---The Past---


"Come here little Prey, I've got a present for you." Lance leered, strolling into camp and casting about for Prey. At the sound of his call, a number of resting Resistance fighters perked up at the possibility of entertainment.

Prey on the other hoof had to stifle a whimper. 

Snake had no need of him today, so he'd been told to dig out a new fire pit. He hadn't eaten properly in two days, and he had a weeping insect bite on his leg that stung every time he took another stab at the earth with his digging stick. Sweat mercilessly prickled his eyes and his underbelly wool was matted with dirt.

He felt like he might collapse at any second.

And now the donkey Lance was going to make things even worse. Things could always get worse. Prey wondered in dread what new form of cruel entertainment he was about to be subjected to.

"Oh Prey, I've got a gift for a cute little filly here. Why don't you come over and I'll give it to you?" Lance laughed. Lance laughed a lot, and it wasn't the nice kind of laughter.

Lance's insult wasn't a new one. Everyone mockingly called Prey a filly, a mare, a doe, a ewe, or the like because of his feeble appearance. He hated how it was true too. Big blue eyes and soft droopy ears did him no favours. 

'Why, why, why me?' Prey thought miserably, climbing from his hole. It was distressingly easy. After all his painful efforts, the fire pit was only half done. If he didn't finish it by tonight, he would be punished. Again.

"There you are little filly." Lance crooned, standing over Prey with gleaming eyes, mask pushed back.

"W-what do you w-want, Lance?" Prey managed to ask. He didn't even have the energy to properly cower. He hoped Lance wouldn't hit him for not showing the proper amount of fear.

"Bad filly, weren't you listening? Uncle Lance went out of his way just to get a gift for you. Doesn't a good little filly deserve presents?" Lance asked, then laughed at his own words.

Prey in turn wanted to cry. He could feel the hotness building up behind his eyes, and it wasn't just the prickling sweat. Being called a filly was hardly the issue. In fact, if all the resistance did was call him a filly for the rest of his short, miserable life, Prey could count himself the luckiest sheep alive.

No, it was everything else crushing him. Despair, hopelessness, hunger, fear, exhaustion, pain. The potent cocktail was drowning everything else out.

But he wouldn't cry. Crying would make Lance happy. And then he would just be called his second most common nick name, crybaby. 

A juvenile insult to be sure, but it hurt so much more than coward, wretch, or filly. 

It hurt because it was so impersonal. If they were using such a weak insult, it meant they were barely bothering to even acknowledge his existence. 'Filly', or 'ewe', those were just descriptions with some accuracy. But crybaby? They couldn't even waste the two seconds it took to come up with a more inventive insult. He wasn't a person, just an object that belonged to Snake and was occasionally useful.

Lance reached under his grimly cloak, "What does every filly need? A daddy to cry to? A doll house to play dress up with? A mommy to cuddle? Ah, I know! A ribbon for their mane!" Lance brayed.

He dangled a tattered blue ribbon in front of Prey's face. 

Prey didn't know where he'd gotten it from. The unfortunate family of a farm they'd raided maybe. A family with a filly who'd had a ribbon. Did the Resistance kill them? Prey felt sick.

"Here you go, put it on, put it on." Lance encouraged, shoving it repeatedly in Prey's face, "A little filly needs to look pretty, and a filly like you needs all the help she can get." Quite a number of other resistance members were grinning or laughing too. It wasn't funny, but they didn't care. They lived with the threat of death hanging over their heads every day. It didn't have to be funny, just distracting.

Prey had been too slow in responding, Lance wasn't a patient donkey, and he had a crowd to please, "Put it on!" He shouted.

What could Prey do? Fight them? Say no? He could, but that would just annoy them, and then they would hurt him. Prey took the ribbon in a trembling hoof. He stared at the ground in shame, not looking at any of the laughing resistance as he tied the ribbon loosely behind one ear.

"Doesn't the filly look precious? So precious!" Lance brayed, gesturing at the others to join in.

"The resistance is no place for a filly. Stay in camp and wash the linen."
"Going to see your sweet heart! Dance for him perhaps?"
"Yes, dance little filly, dance for us."
"Yes, dance." Another joined in.
"Dance filly."

"Dance!" They ordered, mocking words liable to turn into blows any second if he didn't comply.

So Prey danced to the best of his ability. Humiliation burned him, but it burned dully. Compared to everything else, what was this further shame? He shuffled and hopped awkwardly about, doing clumsy twirls until finally the last goat lost interest and someone threw a rock at him.

Dismissed, Prey crawled away, a fresh graze to add to his pains. He was so tired. But he couldn't sleep. The fire pit had to be finished, or he would be punished.


---


Only when Prey had awoken the following day, with back muscles cramping  under the whip scars in the morning chill, did Prey find he still had the stupid ribbon tied to his ear.

He went to angrily tear it off, then stopped. A feeling of rebellion bubbled up in Prey's heart, a reaction to all the helpless shame. When Prey limped through the camp that morning, he still had the ribbon in place.

When Lance noticed, he laughed, "This runt horseapple's head whacked. Now she really does think she's a pretty little filly with her ribbon." Lance jeered from where he lounged. A few others looked up.

"I do like it. Thank you very much for it." Prey answered.

Lance scowled, "What?"

Prey licked his lips, "Thank you for getting me a present." He repeated.

Lance got up, "Give me that stupid ribbon." He snapped.

"But you gave it to me as a gift. You mean you want to wear it now?" Prey asked, eyes going wide. 'What am I doing?' He could scarcely believe the words coming out of his own mouth.

"Did mommy smash you over your ugly little head as a babe?" Lance snarled, stalking closer. Prey's hooves shook, but he didn't back down. At this point he was too scared to run, but his mouth kept moving.

"So it wasn't a gift? But you told me to wear it." Prey protested. Sniggers came from around the camp.

Lance'd had enough of this stupidity, "Come here, I'm gonna'-" 

Lance became aware that the resistance was laughing at him. Yesterday, they'd laughed at Prey. Now that Prey had turned the vindictive joke back on Lance, they also laughed. None of them were Lance's friends, they were just here to watch this amusing distraction, their eyes cold. Lance's eye twitched as he realised what was happening.

A lamb was getting the best of him, and everyone could see it. If he did anything, he'd only be proving Prey right.

"Like I care. If you're sick enough to want to be a filly, whatever, it means nothing to me." Lance humph'd and backed down. He strolled away with his best attempt at nonchalance, pretending like he didn't care despite the way his tail was bristling.

But every day after that, until the ribbon was nothing but a scrawny twist of torn silk, Prey still wore it, just because he knew it aggravated Lance ever time the donkey saw it, because there was nothing he could do about it. Lance wasn't anyone important, he was just a recruit that was a bit more noisy and cruel than the rest of the pack. Tearing the ribbon off Prey would be admitting to everyone that the lamb, the lowest of the low in the whole camp, had gotten to him.

Prey wore that ribbon for months and months. In fact, the ribbon outlived Lance in the end.


---The Present---


Prey spent five long minutes looking in through the window. Then he went in and bought a silk ribbon, sky blue just like the last one, and tied it behind his ear.


------


Crimson was already waiting at Luna's statue when Prey got back. 

Somehow, he noticed Prey sneaking closer through the crowds while he was more than twenty paces away, his yellow eyes turning unerringly in the lamb's direction. How did he do that? Perhaps it was Crimson's cutie mark. The pegasus never had said what his unfairly granted talent was, something most unusual for a pony. Normally they were all too keen to shove it in your face. 

But then, Crimson was an unusual pony, from an unusual clan of unusual thestrals.

Crimson didn't quite do a double take when he saw Prey with a ribbon tied behind his ear, but his eyes clearly showed his utter disbelief. However, it was clear he still remembered Prey's earlier accusations, even if he'd brushed them off, because he didn't immediately comment.

Prey walked up and sat on the far side of the steps, smiling slightly and not looking at anything in particular.

Three times Crimson started to speak before thinking better of it, but his stare was still drawn back to the ridiculous blue ribbon every time.

One open glance, a pause with mouth open, then a, 'not-my-business' shake of the head.

A minute later of sidelong staring, Crimson opened his mouth, then shut it again.

A minute and a half after that, the same thing again, this time with a more openly incredulous head shake.

And Prey just kept up that little smile, daring Crimson to speak.

Apparently though, the oddity was so out of place on Prey, that it even made someone like Crimson feel like he had to ask. Whatever had been troubling the pegasus, it evidently wasn't as distracting as Prey was, because finally, Crimson decided he just had to know what weirdness this was.

"You have a... a bow, here." Crimson said, gesturing vaguely to his own ear.

"It's a ribbon, not a bow." Prey corrected him without looking.

"Ah...Right."

Crimson was left at a loss where to go next. Was he allowed to ask Prey why, or would he get chewed out by the runt if he did? He'd been told in no uncertain terms just an hour ago "we're not friends". The socially inept Crimson didn't know how he was supposed to proceed. 

Crimson's dilemma was part of the reason why Prey was smiling. Nothing helped a spiteful mood like spreading it around.

Crimson cleared his throat and tried again, "It's a nice...ribbon?" He suggested.

"Why thank you, that's very kind."

"You were unhappy that time, when Sargent Gloom thought you were a ewe. When we first met, I mean." Crimson stated, not quite asking the real question here.

"It's just Gloom today, again, and since he was wrong, why shouldn't I have been annoyed?" Prey responded brightly.

Crimson looked at the small box next to his side. Prey wasn't the only one who'd been shopping, "But you went out of your way and bought a ribbon. That you're now wearing." Crimson pointed out.

Prey smiled and played dumb, "Yes I did and yes I am."

Crimson was left struggling for how to correctly verbalise his befuddled incredulity. Unfortunately, wordcraft wasn't Crimson's strong point. Eventually, he just threw caution to the wind and came right out with it.

"You don't want to get called a filly but you bought a ribbon. You do this all the time, looking for an excuse to pick a fight. Trying to deceive everypony we meet doesn't make you smart, it makes you a liar." He told Prey, finally being open with his disdain.

Prey kept the smile up and motioned Crimson to lean in close, not close enough to reach, but close enough.

"You know," Prey whispered conversationally, "It's really none of your business, but since we're work partners, I guess I can tell you... That I don't give a flying toss, and if you try and take my ribbon, I'll kill you."

Crimson jerked back, then snorted at the ridiculousness of Prey's threat, then realised Prey had been smiling so he was obviously joking, but now how was he supposed to proceed, because what did someone say in reply to that?

Prey giggled at him, which only increased the Pegasus's confusion, "...What?" He eventually asked.

Prey only laughed.


------


Gloom was a lot less circumspect on his return than even Crimson had been.

"You look like a little filly going to a sleep over party. Where did you even get that thing and why're you wearing it?"

Prey's smile didn't slip even a single notch, in fact it only got wider, "You told us to buy something nice, so I did. You know, with bits and everything, no stealing this time whatsoever. And to your second question, I wasn't aware there was a law against wearing blue ribbons on Saturday."

Gloom blinked, his initial bluntness fading as he realised there might be more to this seemingly insane fashion choice than he'd assumed.

'-am I missing something here? There's no way Prey doesn't realise how stupid he looks, so there must be a reason-', Gloom considered, '-perhaps I should refrain from laughing then?-'

"Right. So... You bought yourself a ribbon. Very...nice. But why've you bought yourself a ribbon? Did you used to wear one back home?" Gloom asked in confusion. It was the only explanation the Sargent could think of for this strange flight of fancy.

Prey's eye twitched, "No. I didn't." He answered coolly.

"You do know that wearing ribbons is considered to be something that only mares and fillies do in Equestria, right?" Gloom double checked, '-he might honestly not know-'

"I'm aware. Social norms of ponykind prohibits items of clothing or jewellery to be worn by members of the opposite gender from whom the item was designed for. One such item; ribbons. Mainly associated with little fillies and their playmates." Prey elaborated with an affected posh accent, twirling the loose end of the ribbon around a hoof.

'-ahh, so it's just an act of plain old rebellion. That makes much more sense-', Gloom nodded to himself. Gloom was half right there. But as a thestral, he was a bit of a pot calling the kettle black under these circumstance.

"If you want, I can show you the shop and you can get yourself one to go with that necklace and earring," Prey suggested, nodding at the dusk pony amulet and obsidian clan stud, "Perhaps Crimson would like a ribbon too? He can get one to match his gold tracer bracelets." He joked.

"You've got them too." Crimson retorted.

"We can get a matching set then. Yellow will also go nicely with your eyes when tied up in your mane." Prey mocked.

"Prey, can you just not." Gloom interrupted, "And you know what? If you want to wear that, fine, it's no skin off my nose. You can deal with ponies calling you a filly without getting angry though. You've no excuses now."

Prey shrugged, "It never stopped them in the first place."

Without knowing it, Gloom had repeated almost exactly the same excuse Lance had uttered all those years ago. 'So it does annoy you. Good.' Prey thought.


------


It was upon their return, having trekked all the way through the elitist snobbery of upper Canterlot, and back into the Palace, that Prey first spotted it.

How to describe it? How do you convey in words the unprecedented magnificence and awe inspiring grandeur of what he saw? It was beautiful, it was stunning, it was aligned with perfection itself.

In this disgusting swill of racism and blind ignorance that made up Canterlot, that such a place could exist only served to throw into stark contrast just how special the place which appeared before him really was. It was as unexpected as finding a moon rose in the middle of a swamp, or something equally as poetic. 

Prey felt his breath hitch as he looked in through the double doors and saw the cathedral like set up inside, and to him, it was far more holy.

"Keep up Prey, no dawdling." Gloom called back, having just walked on past without caring what they were seeing.

Prey's legs didn't move, "What is that?" He almost whispered.

"What? Speak up." Gloom said, turning around in annoyance. Prey's earlier rudeness had not been forgiven.

"What is that?" Prey asked again, pointing with big eyes as a couple of unicorns walked out from the open doors, chatting quietly.

"That's the Canterlot Royal Library," Gloom answered, "Now come on."

"But, but, it's not even guarded." Prey protested, waving at the front doors. Inside and behind the reception desk, the rows of book shelves went on and on. It had a whole extra floor above, and Prey couldn't even see the end of the ground one!

"That's because it's open to everypony," Gloom said, "Well, everypony who's allowed in through the palace gates." He amended.

"So anyone could just walk in and take any book they want at anytime?" Prey asked incredulously.

"No, not just anypony." Gloom sighed as he realized they weren't going anywhere just yet, tail swishing in annoyance. He sent an apologetic look at Crimson, who was standing patiently carrying his box, 'Got to deal with the kid here.' The look said.

"Look, if you want to go into the Library, now isn't the time."

"So that means anyone can go in there then?" Prey pressed.

"Well no, you couldn't just walk in off the streets. As I already aid, you have to be allowed in through the palace gates first. And no, you can't just take the books away. There's only some that can be taken out, and you need to register for that, and most of the library is restricted anyway."

"Restricted? What do you have to do to get permission?" Prey was quick to ask.

"I don't know, probably be a scholar or something like that. We aren't assigned to go into the library, so it was only briefly covered in the induction. Most pony visiting are researchers, and you need to get a written recommendation from a professor or something like that for access to any books above grade one."

"How many grades are there?"

"I don't exactly remember, it was over two months ago Prey. Six or seven levels maybe? Why're you so interested?" Gloom frowned.

Prey stared at him like he was mentally deficient, then back at the library, "That place, it's full of knowledge! Learning, magic, spells, theories, how are you not interested?" He asked, voice an octave higher than normal in his excitement. Prey had literally killed ponies for a half burnt page of magical knowledge, and now before him was a whole library, holding more books than he'd ever thought existed.

Prey wanted to go in. He wanted to read it all. He wanted access to that knowledge. Fifty seven years he'd been mentally starved, but now he found a room the size of a mansion, no, ten mansions full of books to feed his greed.

"I thought you said you never went to school." Crimson said, reminding them that yes, he was still there.

"We had no schools in the village, it's not that I didn't go, but why does that matter? That's more books than I could ever read in there." Prey said, eyes still glued to the libraries doors.

Crimson blinked, "I would not have thought...Well, academia does sound like you actually." He commented.

Gloom had forgotten about his impatience, and was now paying close attention to Prey.

'-first thing Prey has shown a healthy interest in-', Gloom observed, '-it's sort of reassuring, perhaps we can work with this somehow to improve his behaviour?-'

Prey liked the sound of Gloom's thoughts right now. He needed to find a way to play along to get Gloom implement his idea. If Prey needed to sacrifice something in return, so what? It would be more than worth it.

"I always wished I could have gone to a school. Is there anyway I can get a pass into the library?" Prey asked. 'Come on, I'm giving you a big, obvious, bargaining chip here.' He silently urged.

"Well, the worst they can do is say no, but not today. We've still got stuff to do before we restart our shift." Gloom said, already thinking of when they might next be free.

"But that's a yes then?" Prey asked, head turning back to the library, "There's so much we could learn in there. Cultural diversity, history from across Equestria, astrology, geography, Canterlot's foundation, they might even have texts that survive from when Princess Luna used to rule." He listed, purposefully suggesting topics that he knew Gloom would approve of.

"It'll have to be some other time I'm afraid. Come, let's go, but you can come back later." Gloom reassured Prey.

Prey wasn't prepared to leave it at that. He'd practically straight up told Gloom that he was prepared to make almost any concession to get access to that library. Improve his attitude, be politer, increased obedience, solving the case, but Gloom didn't seem to have taken the hint. Prey needed to do something to resolve this. Thinking quickly, he spoke.

"Or...or maybe I shouldn't go in. Crimson's right, I've never even been to school. There's probably a rule that you can't go in if you don't have a library pass. I don't think they would let us in. Yeah, they wouldn't let us in anyway." Prey said, completely backtracking with an apparent onset of sudden nerves.

He'd chosen his words carefully. Gloom, who wasn't a bad person, would now feel guilty if he felt he was the one denying Prey this opportunity.

"I'm sure there's no rule like that Prey, it's open to everypony, remember? We just can't go in right now." Gloom told him. As a thestral, who's culture held a deep respect for the past, Gloom was automatically approving of Prey's desire to study Equestria's history.

"You sure?" Prey asked.

"I can't think of any reason why we wouldn't be allowed in." Gloom shrugged, "But some other time, understand? Crimson can go in with you next time we have a day off."

Crimson blinked, "I am? I mean, I will be?"

"If you want to.”

“Oh. Thank you sir.”

*sigh* “Still off duty. It’s just Gloom.”

'Success.' Prey thought gleefully, still not quite able to believe it had been that simple. Already he had plans to see if Lemon Pink could gain access to the library. He wanted to know what lay in those restricted sections.


------


Their unexpected day off had unfortunately come to an end. 

It had been... An 'interesting' experience for both Prey and Crimson.

It'd been a remarkably profitable day too, by Prey's reckoning. He'd been given an account of money (however uninteresting, it was still useful), Lemon Pink had checked in, he'd experienced lemon sherbets, obtained a replacement ribbon, made a number of plans for the future, and to top it all off, he'd been promised access (at some point), to the library.

And not just any library, the Royal Canterlot Library.

However, all good things come to an end, and the more unprecedented the period of relief, the sooner life found a way to end it.

That meant that they were back in their armour, well two of them anyway, in their office, trying to find a lead in the mini mountain of reports related to the salt trade. 

Since there was still no furniture for the office, they were stuck working off the floor again. No real surprise there. Starry Wing had probably been fed a pat of placating lies by the requisitions department about how the "paper work was still being processed", Prey bet.

Idly, he flicked over another file, taking his time and making it look like he was busy. Almost all these reports were utter hogsweed. The giant, stinging, painful, skin blistering kind. The only way the ISND would ever make a break through into this underground salt operation was either by pure dumb luck, or some new discovery. Everything in these reports was already weeks old at best.

Gloom, who was trying to find the report he'd placed down only a minute ago, (it was under the blue folder) knew it too. But with only three of them, there wasn't much they could do to go out and gather the needed information themselves. By necessity of its small size, the ISND was a reactionary unit. This was proved all the more by the stakeout operation taking place in the three towns Prey had identified; Cartwright, Homestead and Coal Clack.

The ISND weren't numerous enough to do it themselves, so Night Guards had to have been drafted in from other places in the already strained Guard roster.

"Has anypony seen what I did with Hemming's report?" Gloom asked, finally giving up on finding it by himself.

"Which one was that sir?"

"The one about that unicorn who they thought was secretly using on the train, but there was no evidence." Gloom said, as if the reports contents would somehow help them find the misplaced papers.

To Crimson's credit, he at least attempted the futile endeavour before giving up. "Sorry sir, I can't see it."

Gloom cast about again, "Prey, did you see where it went?"

"Did you put it under another file?" Prey suggested, to jolt his memory.

"N-Yes, I think I did actually, but where-aha!" Gloom pulled out the report from under the blue file as he finally remembered.

"A bit distracted are we sir?" Prey asked sweetly.

Gloom as always let the minor rule infraction of mocking an officer pass. Prey never did it in front of other officers, or anyone else really, so whatever. Sticks n' stones, and all that.

"Will they catch the riot instigators tonight do you think sir?" Crimson asked, voicing what was distracting Gloom. He didn't ask 'if', just when, complete faith in his fellow Night Guards.

"Doesn't seem likely. It'll probably have to be a full week of stakeout before we can spot a pattern." Gloom said, sharing his conclusion.

"Telling you, it's the Share Cropper and Holder campaign leaders." Prey said, not looking up.

His hoof rested under the report, supporting the open file, and also incidentally hidden as he drew a rune on the floorboards.

The final rune,' Jhin'at', rolled off his hoof and slotted into place, and Prey felt the array 'Click'.

It wasn't visible, but the whole work space they were standing on was actually now one big runic array. It wasn't the only array either.

The whole office was littered with runes, but only Prey knew they were there. Over the past week, he'd been slowly adding them, one painstaking rune at a time. Gloom and Crimson hadn't a clue what danger lay under their hooves as they clopped around the office.

For now, the runes would simply remain passive and accumulate energy. But when the time came, they would only need a touch.

'And then, ponies will die.'


------


Gloom's prediction that it would take at least a week before anything was found in the staked out towns was completely inaccurate. 

How did Prey know that?

Lieutenant Screech kicked in their bunk room door at three in the morning and shouted, "We've caught one! Captain Nighthawk says you're to interrogate them, right now."

Gloom struggled from his bunk, kicking the covers aside and fumbling for his armour, "Yes sir! We're coming right away! Crimson, stand down. Prey, get out from under that bed and hurry up."

Crimson's shape lowered his wings and uncrouched from a fighting stance, "Oh. Yes sir." He said, tone still muddled with adrenaline and sleep.

Prey, not being a thestral or having been blessed with good night vision like Crimson, was lucky he didn't have any armour to put on in the dark. 

'Haven't you ever heard of knocking?' He thought venomously as he crawled out from under the bed where he'd hidden on instinct at having someone yelling and smashing through the door in the middle of the night.


------


Captain Nighthawk was waiting for them outside the holding cells. Prey wondered if the coin flipping warden was still on shift at this time or not.

Nighthawk didn't waste time and got straight to the point.

"We've arrested somepony who we marked as new in Coal Clack, and was spotted leaving their rented room earlier tonight. We trailed them to a secret meeting between a small group of ponies. When confronted, they all tried to scatter. We still got our target though, he's inside the cell. Find out everything the stallion's hiding. I want this done before he gets his lawyer in the morning." Nighthawk summed up.

Nighthawk didn't explain why he'd roused Gloom to carry out the interrogation instead of using someone else more capable or even just better rested, but the reason was fairly self explanatory to anyone who had a basic understanding of thestral culture. 

This stakeout was Gloom's plan, and it had yielded results on the very first night. Success spoke for itself. Therefore it was Gloom's right to try his hoof first. Not exactly standard protocol, but this was how the thestrals did things.

"Yes sir, right away." Gloom said saluting. What the Night Guard captain didn't know that the entire plan had actually been suggested by Prey, not Gloom, which meant Gloom wasn't nearly as confident as his answer indicated.

"Good. Starry Wing is still in Coal Clack seeing if he can't round up any of the other ponies that got away. If necessary, you can interrogate them later." Nighthawk said, stepping aside so that they could fully enter the warden's office. Prey brought up the rear as usual, hoping to go unnoticed.

Nighthawk did notice, and the three of them were treated to the rare sight of the Night Guard Captain's expression looking surprised.

"Why is the lamb wearing a ribbon?" Nighthawk asked in bewilderment. '-playing dress up?-'

"Er, I don't rightly know sir. He just does. It's not important though." Gloom answered. 

"That's not regulation uniform," Nighthawk said, making Gloom secretly panic for a moment before he went on, "But that doesn't matter right now. Get this interrogation done."

"Yes sir. Prey, Crimson, come."

'What are we, dogs?' Prey thought, although that was a fairly accurate description. Dogs on a leash.

The integration room was the very same one they'd used when interrogating Pebble Mill along with Minty, the legal council representative. Captain Nighthawk had no interest in following procedure in letting the stallion inside have access to such legal advice. He wanted to strike while the iron was hot and their prisoner was still reeling from their sudden arrest by spooky glowing eyed thestrals in the middle of the night.

Gloom took thirty seconds before entering to address Crimson and Prey.

"The set up from last time worked fine, so let's stick with it. I'll do the talking, you two chip in when you notice something. Prey... you just do your thing." Gloom ordered, double checking his helmet was on straight for the last time before unlocking the door. 

'-listen to my talent, intimidation is key here. Prey wearing that stupid ribbon isn't really helping-', But it was too late for Gloom to do anything about it at this point. 

Pulling open the door, the three of them entered.


---


Whether it was just because the thestrals who'd arrested the beige Earth pony didn't have the same need for light, or if they'd purposefully provided only a single candle to keep the room dark and intimidating, it was. 

However, it didn't seem to overly affect their guest, who looked up on their entry.

"Hello there. Are you here to take me back home?" He asked, squinting to make out who'd entered. No answer. Behind them, Nighthawk locked the door. 

"Ah, hello?" The prisoner suggested again, like he was politely waiting for them to introduce themselves and they were being rude by not doing so.

Prey wouldn't be surprised if the stallion's name was Silver Speech. His voice was smooth and pleasant to the ear, lending even just his simple question an air of gravity. Other than his voice though, he looked like a completely ordinary Earth pony, nothing else standing out. If you passed him by in the street, you'd never recognise him a second time.

Gloom stuck to the interrogator protocol and ignored the question, instead pointedly taking his time pulling out the seat opposite and sitting, Crimson standing at attention behind his left shoulder, looming in the dim light, his features obscured. 

If Crimson had meant to do that on purpose, it was cleverly done Prey thought.

The Night Guard had caught the correct pony, and on their first try too. The stallion's thought's gave him away, '-this must be the interrogator. It's all happening so fast, the situation is fluid, but was it luck or skill they found me? Need to get a message to Marble to get me out-'

"Right," Gloom started without introducing himself, "Let's not waste each other's time. You've been caught, pleading guilty and coming clean is your best option here, and it's definitely the easier way."

'-trying to scare me into revealing myself because you don't have any evidence? And right off the bat too? How arrogant-' The stallion thought, but his face only showed confusion. 

"What? I don't- What we talking about? I'm drawing a blank. I don't think we're quite singing from the same hymn sheet here officer." The stallion said, affecting a nervous chuckle to relieve the tension. His words were reasonable, but it was all an act.

"Hard way it is then," Gloom rasped, face stony, "Your refusal to cooperate will be held against you later at your trial. But you have that to look forward to later. Let's start simple, what's your name?"

"Trial? I think that's a tad extreme of a reaction, I was only going out to meet with the local astronomy club." Their prisoner protested.

"Name?" Gloom repeated, unphased.

"I'm Copper Pot, passed down from my great grandfather, who founded Howling Mine." Copper answered, '-so they have nothing on me, not even my name. This will be easier than I thought, hardly the first time I've had to talk my way out-'

Copper Pot wasn't lying about his name, Prey could see that. In fact, Copper Pot wanted them to look him up, because he knew his record was spotless, '-Marble's ponies do good work-'

Gloom grunted, "I didn't ask about your names origins. Why were you in Coal Clack?"

"Have you been to Coal Clack yourself officer?"

"Answer the question."

"It's a lovely town with a lot going for it, with rich ponies looking to invest in it I heard. I went there looking for work. It would be wonderful if I could find permanent employment there, but..." Here Copper Pot shrugged, "Harmony guides everypony's destinies as she sees fit. We must work hard to realise those destinies."

"Less useless talk, more information." Gloom broke in, voice cold. If he hadn't, it was likely Copper Pot would've kept going.

Copper Pot made a disappointed sound. Disappointed with Gloom, like the thestral really ought to know better. "Everypony should think for themselves, you know. If you dismiss everypony's opinion that doesn't agree with your own, you'll never learn to see." He said.

"I'm not interested in your philosophy. Who were the ponies you met with, and how did they get in contact with you?" Gloom asked.

Copper Pot shrugged, "I have answered that already. They claimed to be the local astronomy club. I've always had an appreciation for the beauty of the stars, and since her Royal majesty's Princess Luna's return, they have only grown more so. All ponies would be better off if they took a moment to appreciate the grander of the night canvas-"

"-How did they get in contact with you?" Gloom cut him off before the stallion could wax too poetic.

'Trying to build common ground by pretending he admires Luna's domain. Could you get more obvious?' Prey thought. Luckily Gloom wasn't buying any of it.

Copper Pot pursed his lips in annoyance at being interrupted, and made they sure they knew it. He was remarkably well collected for a pony in his situation, "I've only met one of them before, earlier today in town actually. We bumped into each other and got talking. One thing lead to another, and he kindly extended an invite for me to attend their stargazing trip that was supposed to take place tonight."

'-plausible deniability. It'll be easy to claim that they lied to me-', Copper thought as he gave his answer to Gloom.

He was right too. Even if the Night Guard caught and questioned the other ponies and they admitted to being conspirators to start a riot, Copper Pot had only just arrived in Coal Clack. He could pretend he knew nothing of their motives, that they'd lied and mislead him into attending tonight by pretending to be an astronomy club. 

'Clever, playing the victim.' Prey thought.

"Why'd you run if you had nothing to hide?" Crimson challenged, actively joining the interrogation. Copper Pot peered at him, but wasn't quite able to make out Crimson's features in the lone candle light. Copper Pot "Humph'd."

"I will confess that you Night Guards gave me quite a turn when you swooped out of the dark. I just saw glowing cat eyes come flying at me and did what any sane, rational pony would've done." Copper answered. Again, a very reasonable excuse.

"You're not fooling any pony Copper Pot," Gloom said,  "We know what you were really doing in Coal Clack with the riots." He sat back and waited to see how Copper would react to that.

"Officer, I don't know what end of the stick you've got, but I can't see how I can help you either." Copper said helplessly, "I don't know what you're hinting at, nor am I going to take the blame for a crime some pony else has obviously committed."

'-he won't give a straight answer, nor is he easily intimated-', Gloom thought, not pleased.  '-Time to switch my approach up-'

"So then you wouldn't happen to be planning on going to Homestead or Cartwright anytime soon, would you?"

'-how did? Homestead was where I was going to go-', Copper thought quickly. 

"I go where there's a chance for employment. Times are tough. I've been town hopping on the train looking for jobs for a while." Copper said, quickly deciding to establish his excuse now, so his travel patterns couldn't be used as evidence against him later.

The reflective yellow of Gloom's eyes narrowed in the shadows, '-that's not the correct path in some way, I can feel it. That mean's he's lying-'

Gloom leaned forwards in his seat, bringing his face fully into the candle light, "There was recently a riot in Hay Steam. A month ago, there was one before that, but you already knew that, didn't you? This pattern has been repeated up and down the railroad line. Do you know what we found when we started to study this pattern? You. So if there anything you'd like to tell us while you still have the chance?"

To his credit, Copper didn't even look ruffled, "Those deplorable riots have nothing to do with me officer. I detest violence as any civilised pony should, and I have no hoof in this rabble rousing. I can't be held accountable for your failings." Copper returned heatedly, gesturing.

"I don't know why you've singled me out, but I'm innocent. I will swear before Celestia herself. It doesn't matter how many times you ask, my answer will not change. An innocent stallion cannot change his answer. You've abducted me without cause or provocation, held me at fear for my own safety, and now think to try and scare me into allowing myself to be framed? Well this free stallion says no. Not now, not ever."

It was a good performance. If Prey was easily swayed, he might've even believed it, so genuine was the conviction in Copper's voice. It was easy to see why the stallion hadn't been caught yet with a talent like that. And how he might've started all those riots from the background.

Prey could read the doubts creeping into Gloom's head that they might've got the wrong stallion. Despite his own cutie mark, Captain Nighthawk, and the pattern all telling him otherwise, such was Copper Pot's powers of persuasion, it enough to make Gloom think twice. But far from enough to convince him.

"I'm threatening you because you should be afraid. You're facing dire charges and this is your one chance to come clean. We don't have to offer you this chance, by the Moon, I could still be enjoying my bed rather than sitting here talking with somepony like you and listening to all your sordid excuses." Gloom shot back.

Prey could let them continue on with this back and forth for however long it took, but he'd rather not. He got little enough sleep a night as it was, so when he was resting, he'd prefer it to remain uninterrupted. 'But nooooo, they had to wake me up for this farce instead.'

Prey spoke up, making Copper, who hadn't even realised Prey was even in the room, jump. "Sir, I don't think Copper Pot quite understands who's holding all the cards here."

"Perhaps," Prey continued brightly, "It would help dissuade him from bluffing if we were to show him our hoof of aces, so he folds and stops keep raising the bid, so to speak."

"Who is-? You've brought a lamb in here?" Copper protested, '-opportunity!-', He thought in glee.

"You were right officer, this is a farce and I'm not going to be a part of it. I don't want a child spreading foals tales-"

"Be quiet." Gloom snapped.

"No, this is ridiculous. I am being imprisoned on false charges and you're treating it as a joke. You've denied me my legal rights and now you're bringing in foals-"

"I said be quiet!"

"I will not! I have a right to be heard, as do all good ponies with a conscience."

"Sit back down." Crimson warned Copper quietly.

Copper snorted angrily, "Sitting or standing, I will stand up for myself. Do you think just because somepony who abuses their authority tells me do something, I have to do it? Your father would be ashamed of you."

Copper couldn't have known the details, but somehow he'd guessed. Something said, or some expression during the interrogation had tipped him off that his father was a weak spot for Crimson.

"Be silent!" Gloom shouted, fangs flashing in real anger as he came to Crimson's defence.

Copper instinctively recoiled, as anybody would've when snarled at, especially a pony. It was only for a moment though, then he retaliated, knocking his seat back and banging his hoof down on the table, "You can't threaten me! Your totalitarian approach of might makes right does not-"

Copper was interrupted for the third time, but in this case it was was because of the wing edge he suddenly found pressing across his windpipe.

"Sargent Gloom told you to sit down." Crimson said. If Crimson had been wearing wing blades and at that angle, he would've been able to slit the artery in Copper's throat with a mere flick.

Crimson appeared very calm, not letting Copper's insult get to him. And if his wing trembled with the strain of not finishing the strike? Well, only Prey and Gloom were there to notice.

"Sit down. Now." Gloom joined in. His gaze was locked on Copper, but his attention was on his subordinate, Crimson.

Copper didn't really have a choice in the matter, but his glare of righteous indignation didn't falter as he was forced to pull his chair back up and sit.

Gloom made a motion with his wing to Crimson, who nodded back. Satisfied that Crimson was okay, Gloom himself stood, "Good. Keep Mister Copper Pot there for a minute, I want to talk with Prey. Oh, and make sure he stays quiet too." He added.

"Gladly sir." Crimson acknowledged. Prey and Gloom retreated to a dark corner while Crimson stood sentinel over Copper.

Prey didn't stand too near to Gloom, but although they hadn't moved more than three yards away, Prey knew how to pitch his words so that they didn't carry. 

Prey said something to Gloom, who then asked a question and Prey nodded. Apparently satisfied, Gloom returned to retake his seat.

As he did, Crimson smoothly removed his wing and stepped back to his position at the Sargent's shoulder. Regrettably, left Copper was free to pick up where he'd left off, which he wasted no time in doing. "This isn't right and you know it. Bullies, that's what you are. Do you really think this is upholding the virtues of harmony?"

Prey knew the stallion wasn't stupid. If he was purposefully playing the antagonist here, ignoring Gloom's order to be quiet despite how it would get him into more trouble, there must be a reason. 

Therefore his bluster must all part of some plan.

Gloom didn't give him the chance to finish it however. 

"You have instigated the riots across over a dozen towns over for more than a year." Gloom stated, silencing Copper. Gloom continued to speak carefully as he listed everything out, slowly gaining steam.

"As a direct result of your provocation, multiple livelihoods have been destroyed. Minor and serious injury of multiple ponies has occurred. Indirect grievous bodily harm to multiple victims. Months of civil unrest. Disruption and destruction of public services. Untold counts of private property damage, public property damage, royal property damage, and all done with malicious intent. You've caused so much damage that I don't even know the exact figures."

Gloom stopped to take a breath, "Copper Pot, for your crimes you're going to be in prison until you're old and grey. There is no action you can take to change this. I'm not threatening you here, I'm telling you the facts."

"How am I supposed to justly defend myself when you've already convinced yourselves I'm guilty-"

"Look at me Copper. This isn't a joke, or a lie, or a bluff. I speak with the authority of Princess Luna here. You are going to prison. Look me in the eyes and call me a liar." 

Copper Pot did meet Gloom's eyes, and he met them with another protest hot on his lips. But whatever he saw in the thestral's eyes finally convinced him that Gloom wasn't bluffing, and the protests withered on his tongue.

'-no way, impossible! He knows, no, he can't possibly know, but how? When? Where?-'

Finally Copper seemed to remember what he'd been doing. He couldn't just sit here dumbly, he had to defend himself!

"What kind of due process of law is this? You haven't listened to any of my explanations, you aren't even conducting an interview here. You're just accusing me with whatever slander you can make up."

Gloom, Crimson and Prey didn't respond. They just stood and waited for Copper to realise the hole he was in, and that there was no rope long enough for him to climb out with.

Copper's denial of the facts was perfectly understandable. He simply couldn't afford to believe Gloom's words, because if they were true, then he was going to prison for the rest of the foreseeable future. At this point, Copper had nothing to gain by admitting guilt, and the more they pressed, the more vehemently he would deny it. Even if Copper knew it was pointless, he was too afraid to give in by this point.

That was why Prey had told Gloom if they wanted to get Copper to confess, they had to offer him a way out. That or torture. Gloom of course had gone for the non-Resistance option.

"You are going to prison," Gloom repeated, "Accept that. The only question now is; will it be for fifty years, or forty years with the chance of parole at the end of it? It's your choice."

It was obvious what Gloom was talking about. A plea bargain. Would Copper seize upon it though? Copper didn't say anything for a full minute as he sat there, eye's slightly too wide and not looking at anything as it began to sink in. More than anything, it was their silence that was convincing him they knew he was guilty.

'-no, I can't go to jail, I can't! What if-? No, they're too strong-', Copper was beginning to truly panic.

'Perfect. My turn.' Prey thought. Now Copper just needed a little bit more convincing, and he'd do almost anything.

"At this point, it's fairly obvious that you're out of options Copper Pot. Prison or prison. They're going to snap a pair of shackles on your hooves, and they're never going to take them off. Clink, clink, clank every time you move. Can you imagine that for me?" Prey asked cheerfully.

"Take a second to think about that. You're going to spend every minute of every day shuffling around in chains. You're never going to run again, even after you're released in five decades time. Your legs will have shrivelled away, your muscles wasted. You'll need a cane to even get to the bathroom. Even morning for the next eighteen thousand, two hundred and fifty days, you're going to wake up, and the first thing you'll see are the shackles on your legs. Clink, clink, clank. That's the noise I want you to remember. Clink clink clank. And you're going to remember the choice you made."

By the end, Prey had lost all of his fake cheer. He didn't even seem to be speaking to Copper anymore, but rather through him. It wasn't what any lamb should've been saying. And that got inside Copper's head. Worse, the Earth pony had a good imagination and could picture Prey's words all too clearly.

Copper opened his mouth, but Prey beat him to it, "But despite all of that, I can see you're still not sure about taking our deal. Why? Because you're afraid. Afraid what your employers will do. Their influence runs deep, and they play for keeps." 

Prey shrugged. "Don't say anything, that's fine. We don't need you. Rot in prison for an extra decade, those politicians you're so afraid of will be joining you before the month is out anyway."

Copper's ears went flat, '-politicians? They really do already know. Oh Celestia, they already know-' 

Of course they didn't actually know. Well, the Night Guard didn't know. As far as Gloom was concerned, this was merely a bluff he'd agreed upon at Prey's suggestion. They didn't say any names, but they said enough for the scared Copper Pot to think they knew. 

'-they already know, is there any point not saying? I don't want to go to jail, oh Celestia help me, fifty years, no no no, but, but it could be forty, yes, no! They'll get me. But the Guard already knows, so it's not like it'll matter-', Copper's expression was a picture as hope warred with fear on his face.

'There.' Prey thought. That was the look he'd waited to see after their bluff. Hope.

Because hope can be such a cruel thing.

Prey shook his head to himself. He didn't think Copper understood yet what was coming. The years of insanity inducing monotony ahead, with nothing and no one to grasp onto. They were not sentencing him to death, they were sentencing him to a slow death. Copper couldn't imagine it. Not yet. He had no idea what was coming. After a year, with no end in sight, then maybe he might begin to grasp it. Would he commit suicide? Prey could only wonder.

"I..." Copper swallowed, "I don't want... What are you offering?" He finally asked.

"No more than what we've already said. If you give us something useful and testify in court." Gloom said.

Copper flinched, "I can't testify in court, that's not possible."

"This isn't a negotiation. You will be testifying in court. Either your take the offer, or you rot in prison for an additional decade." Gloom told him.

"But, but if I do that, they'll see me. They'll know it was me who talked." Copper protested, a scared whinny working its way into his voice right at the end.

Already Copper had completely forsaken his earlier assertions of his innocence and 'Swearing before Celestia' now that he believed it was useless. Now, he was having to face the cold harsh hoof of reality head on. Gloom and Crimson were not sympathetic in the slightest, not after all the harm Copper had done. 

"You don't have a choice, not if you want this deal. If you'd led a good life, it wouldn't have come to this. You reap what you sow." Gloom said, folding his hooves condemningly.  

"No, I can't! I want anonymity. If I talk, I want it to be kept a secret." Copper said.

"No. You'll stand up and testify in court."

"But they'll kill me!" Copper pleaded.

Whether he meant that literally or figuratively wasn't clear, but Gloom remained stoic, "The trial will be carried out under Her Royal Majesties authority, as it falls within the Night Guard's jurisdiction. The hearing won't go to the Supreme Court, but the Royal Court. You will be testifying before Princess Luna directly. There is no higher authority or power in the land. You and your employers will both be sentenced at the same time, and sent to prison. But you'll be safe from them."

"I want anonymity." Copper still insisted.

"Tell you what, you confess right now and I won't push for your sentence to be extended to sixty years instead." Gloom suggested, completely merciless. Prey approved of his approach.

"You can't do that!"

"Of course I can. All I need to do is speak to the Captain."

"No no no! I'm taking the deal, stop being hasty."

"No deal until after you answer our questions. Then, if your information measures up, then we'll think about it." Gloom said.

Copper was backed into a corner and he knew it. He shrank down in his seat, breathing erratically. Was this really the stallion that had orchestrated months of riots and civil unrest secretly without any of the towns even being aware they were dancing to his tune, now cowering before them?

"What, what do you want to know?" Copper asked weakly.

"Names. Who put you up to this? Did they approach you, or did you approach them? When? What did you agree to do for them? How or what were you paid, and how much?"

"When and where you're next scheduled to meet with them, and how do you communicate?" Prey put in.

"Your choices have hurt many ponies. We also want a list of which towns you caused riots in, and which ponies you worked with in secret while there." Crimson also added.

Copper had gone a bit glassy eyed at the barrage of demands leveled against him, "I don't have the answers to all of those..."

"Then you'd best try harder." Gloom retorted.

Prey reached up and slid a piece of paper he'd gotten from somewhere across the table, "Write it down one thing at a time and sign it." He said. If not Copper, Prey knew who'd be writing this all out later from memory, and frankly he'd rather not.

It wasn't like they cared about the written confession. A verbal one was good enough for them and probably Nighthawk too. But the Night Guard had regulations, and the courts and Royal Guard would certainly demand to see one. Paperwork, the one reliable constant of Canterlot.

Gloom and Crimson loomed over Copper while he dejectedly wrote by candle light, like a pair of yellow eyed vultures around the carcass. Copper Pot knew it was over for him. Everything that happened next, he would have no control over, '-I'm just going to be a puppet dancing on strings. Oh why oh why wasn't I more careful?-' He thought miserably.

Copper finally finished crossing the last 't' of his name and put the pencil down. "Read it." Gloom ordered. With lowered ears, Copper picked it up and began to read out loud.

"Wheat contacted me eleven months ago in April. He sent me a letter saying he had a service I could perform for him. We only ever met in private hotel rooms, and he always had his personal aid remain outside. He told me he wanted me to create civil unrest in the railroad towns. He offered 1,000 bits per town, another 10,000 after the elections, and 400 acres of land with a large house if he won the vote."

"In each town I visited, I spent time mingling to find the correct place to spread rumours. It took a lot of time and effort, but after the first two riots the process began to speed up as the chain effects spread from one town to the next. My work changed from starting civil unrest to maintaining the momentum. Wheat Plow agreed progress was good, and pushed me to ramp up the disturbances."

"We didn't meet in pony often. Contact was mostly done via sealed letters. We just used the normal post, but he never wrote down anything sensitive. Only places and dates. I was to write a check in letter every week or whenever I got into a new town. I never worked with anypony else. I joined local political talk groups if I thought they could be used to achieve my goals and stirred them up. I didn't give them my real name. Wheat Plow hasn't arranged a time to next meet. I sent my check in letter yesterday afternoon."

"Signed, Copper Pot."


---


Captain Nighthawk finished reading and put the confession down. "Do you have any thoughts Sargent?"

"I don't think he was lying sir. Or if he was, it was only in part. We have what we need to lock both him and his master away. I didn't expect it to be the leader of the Crop Sharer's himself though." Gloom said. '-how did Prey guess that?-'

Nighthawk's face remained expressionless as he thought, but it was clear his mind was racing with the implications. The three of them stood in front of his desk, waiting.

"Wheat Plow. This will completely change the elections when it gets out. Big Fields will take the election by storm instead." Nighthawk went silent for a minute again. "The Crop Holder's are the only ponies who are going to benefit from this. Are you sure there is no possibility that this was all a set up?"

Gloom gave the suggestion some serious consideration before he shook his head, "No, I'm afraid not sir."

Nighthawk grunted, and stood up. He went over and opened the door, "Get the Lieutenant on duty here. Tell him to bring their Sergeant Major too for an immediate briefing. Five minutes." He ordered the Night Guard sentry outside. 

Closing the door, Nighthawk moved back around his desk. "Wheat Plow, huh?" He commented to no one in particular.

As the Captain of the Night Guard, of course Nighthawk would be well informed about the political going's on of the country, and be keeping a close eye on the big names. Nighthawk wore a thoughtful scowl, eyeing Copper Pot's confession, still not satisfied with something.

It was Crimson who voiced it though; "It doesn't make sense sir. Why do this?"

Nighthawk's scowl shifted to Crimson, "Precisely. Why do this? Give me your opinion."

Crimson thought for a moment, shuffling his wings. "Well sir... Why would Wheat Plow hire Copper Pot to start these riots on his behalf? He doesn't stand to gain anything. Starting riot's won't get his candidates votes. I mean, Copper Pot started riots with the Crop Sharer's and the Crop Holder's both."

Gloom nodded and joined in, "That is why Copper was so hard to catch. He wasn't targeting just one political group, so there wasn't a pattern. None of this creates any benefit for either side."

"Then we obviously do not have the whole picture." Nighthawk stated. '-Wheat Plow must have some other objective-'

"Then perhaps none of this is about winning local seats for the election at all sir." Gloom suggested.

"It doesn't matter either way. We'll learn everything from the stallion himself when we kick in his door tonight." Nighthawk decided. By the sound of it, kicking in Wheat Plow's teeth might also be on the agenda.

"Yes sir." Gloom answered, extremely pleased to hear it.

"Not you Sargent. Sorry, but you're sitting this one out. Your unit isn't suited for a raid." Nighthawk said, looking towards the one person (sheep), in the room who had so far been quiet.

Gloom was disappointed, having been the ones assigned to solve this case, but Captain Nighthawk's reasoning was obvious, "Yes sir." He answered.

Wheat Plow wasn't living in Canterlot, he had a country mansion outside of the city. Thus, a night flight and sky chariots were the fastest way to travel. Bringing a non-combatant or non-magic user like Prey who couldn't even fly was a complete waste. To top it off, the ISND had all been woken up to be here. It was far more sensible to take Night Guards who were on shift right now and were therefore still fresh.

Silent contemplation descended onto the darkened office, each person thinking about what bringing in Wheat Plow would mean. However, despite the ISND not having any immediate part in the coming night raid, Nighthawk didn't dismiss them. Prey wished he would. He wanted to go back to his bunk and sleep.

Shortly, Starry Wing and his Sargent major arrived. Nighthawk wasn't one to mince words and gave them their orders straight away. 

"The suspect was indeed the culprit. He confessed. The Crop Sharer leader Wheat Plow is behind the plot. Get three full units of Night Guards kitted up and ready to fly immediately. One for house breach, one to cordon off the surrounding area, and one for back up. Four accompanying sky chariots. Leave two of them free for prisoners. I want at least two tier four unicorns brought along. It's an hour's hard flight. I want to be there in an hour and twenty. You have fifteen minutes. Go."

Nighthawk was decisive. He knew what he wanted, and he knew how he was going to achieve it. Having been part of the meeting two days ago, Starry Wing and his Sargent Major had enough of an idea to catch on quickly, "Yes sir!" The saluted, before wheeling around and back out the door.

Nighthawk's sharp gaze returned back to the ISND, "Go inform the most senior Royal Guard officer on duty tonight of what has occurred, and that I am deploying three Night Guard units. But wait ten minutes first. I don't want to have to waste time arguing about it with them."

'-ah, so that's why he didn't dismiss us-', Gloom thought as he nodded his understanding, "Yes sir."

"I need to go and inform Her Majesty of this development before we leave." Nighthawk said trotting for the door. He paused just before he opened it, "You did good work Sargent Gloom." He added, then he was gone.

That left the three of them alone, standing there in the office.

"So... that's that, sir? Our part is over?" Crimson questioned.

Gloom rubbed at his scar, "For tonight? Yes. Or rather, it will be once we've informed the Royal Guard stationed on stand by. But there's going to be a lot of clean up after this, believe you me. We'll probably have to give testimony in court too." He added gloomily. '-it's going to take an entire week of filling out the same forms over and over before those pencil pushers will be satisfied-'

"Still... We did it." Gloom said simply.

"We worked everything out, but we're not finishing the fight. I mean, we're not the ones bringing in Wheat Plow. Just like with Tulip Bed, and Rocky Bed. We don't seem to see things through to the end is what I mean sir." Crimson said, for once having more to say than his Sargent.

Despite being so tired, Gloom still raised an amused eyebrow at Crimson, "Oh? Wanted to be the one to stop them by your own hoof?"

"No sir, as long as Wheat Plow is stopped, I do not care. It is... I am not used to having some pony else there to help is all." Crimson answered.

"That's the Night Guard. Think of it as just one big team. All of our work is to benefit each other and honour Princess Luna." 

Then, after a moment, Gloom spoke again, "You were right about it being the Crop Holder's and Sharer's all along Prey. How did you know?"

"Six minutes." Prey said.

"Pardon?"

"It's been six minutes. Captain Night hawk said to tell the Royal Guard in ten. It's a four minute walk without hurrying. That's ten minutes total." Prey said.

"Prey, please, just answer the question. I'm not accusing you or anything-"

"It just made sense to me that it would be the Crop Holder's and Sharer's. I had no evidence though." Prey shrugged.

"Oh. Well, it could save a lot of time in future if you share feelings like that in the future." Gloom said, but smiled wryly to show it wasn't a reprimand.

"Seven minutes. A fast walk now." Prey reminded him.

"Right right, we're going Mr. Tick Tock Clock."


---I---


It was unfortunate (for both sides), that the Royal Guard officer stationed on night duty happened to be Twining Ivy, the one who'd been rude to them back when they were trying to find Rocky Bed. Unfortunate for the ISND, because they disliked him. Unfortunate for Twining Ivy, because of the news they dumped in his lap and then left him to sort out.

As for the ISND, they went back to the bunk room to catch up on some well earned rest. They'd just have to wait and see what the morning would bring.


------


[[[Random funny sketch]]]

https://imgur.com/pAj2p7u

[End of Arc 1 - Next time, Arc 2]