CHAPTER 1 PART 1: HUNTING THE BLACK DAGGERS
A pair of bare feet appeared first, followed by a body covered in deep purple fabric and lastly a head full of dirty blonde hair. A ragged group of ponies observed him as he climbed down the ladder. They looked at a creature that they had never seen before. None of them dared move and observed as he slowly descended into their sewer. None of them except for a pegasus. She strode confidently below the opening.
“What business do you have among the poor of Canterlot, outlander?”
The creature nearly fell off the ladder. He quickly grabbed the steps and jumped down the rest of the short way. He looked at her curiously: a mare with a dark purple coat, a short magenta mane and a golden ring in each ear.
“I’m just passing through here, looking for someone in a black robe,” the outlander replied defensively and raised his arms.
The pegasus observed him for a moment before speaking.
“Why don’t you join us? We may be able to help you,” the mare eventually said and tossed her head towards a little camp. The outlander remained standing, observing them. The mare sat down on a bedroll and nodded towards another one in front of her. “Come. We don’t bite.”
The rest of the poor remained outside the light of the campfire as the outlander took a seat.
“I have never seen anything like you before,” the purple pony said and grabbed the creature’s hand, turning it in her hoofs. “Are you perhaps a shaved minotaur?”
“I am Lars Leland, a human,” he explained and allowed the mare to play with his hand. “I hadn’t seen a talking horse before until a few days ago.”
“Do not mistake us for horses,” the mare said angrily and released his hand. “We are ponies. My name is Carnelian Tiara, and I’m a pegasus. Starlight Treasure over there is a unicorn.” She gestured towards one of the many horned ponies, an elderly mare with a dark purple coat. “The ones without horns or wings are called earth ponies.”
“How very, very peculiar. Where I come from, my race is the only one with sentience,” Lars stated and gave them all a look in turn.
“How dull that must be. So what business do you have in Canterlot, human? And what do you want with the Black Daggers?” she asked, her tone getting an edge to it.
His face turned sombre as he waited a moment to reply. “I woke up in a hospital with no recollections of getting here. When they discharged me, I went to the marketplace above to gather my thoughts. A robed pony threatened me on my life to leave. She vanished before I could talk with her, but I get the feeling she knows something. I think she went down here.”
Again, her grey eyes bore into his as if attempt to dig out the core. “Your story is an incredible one, yet I see no reason why you would lie. I will believe you for now, so let me tell you something useful; no pony comes down here anymore, so the sewers have fallen into disrepair. You should be careful of goblins on your way.”
“That means you will help me?” Lars asked hopefully.
“No,” she replied bluntly. “Your enemy is undoubtedly the gang of thugs called the Black Daggers. Your failure against them is certain and we would not sacrifice ourselves for such a foolish cause. But I will tell you this. We do not see the Black Daggers here, so my advice is to seek them in the ruins of Old Canterlot. If it even exists.”
Carnelian gave him a smug smile and got up on her hooves, and Lars followed suit on his feet.
“One last piece of advice, outlander,” she said without turning. “We all have our reasons for staying down here. The Princess doesn’t want to face it, but things in Canterlot are not as peaceful as they appear. There are whispers of revolt in the air... some are dissatisfied with how things are going, but we prefer the peaceful way. Take care of those that think they can change things, like the Black Daggers. You won’t find them to be as friendly as us. I do hope we shall meet again.”
She turned her head and looked back at him as he stood rooted to the spot. There was something about her smile that made the hairs on his arms stand up. He freed himself from the stupor and left the camp with a slight nod as his bid farewell.
The sewer was straightforward for a long while and climbed up and twisted and turned. He started to worry that he might be leaving the city, as there seemed to be no end to the tunnel. His feet were dirty and cold, his mood still high. Eventually he came to a bend where the wall had been broken down. Bricks and rocks had been strewn across the floor to make a hole.
He stepped inside, cautious at first. The sides of the tunnel were rough and nothing but the naked stone. The cave was narrow and only slowly widened as he progressed. Here and there, the remains of a wall or a floor could be spotted peeking out of the cave surfaces.
It was dark with only an occasional torch to lead him. He stumbled blindly along until he saw a light at the end. The tunnel ended high up in a large vaulted room. Below him were the scattered remains of mansions, parts of them still intact and protruding from the ground, above him the cold uncaring rock. A flimsy catwalk of stone snaked its way to the bottom where ponies in robes sat.
They didn’t notice him as he crept down towards them. He knew the danger he was in and that he was horribly outponied, so he was careful not to make a sound. A unicorn with a hunter green coat sat at the foot of the catwalk with his back turned. The other ponies sat around in their black cloaks, chatting, preparing meals and playing games. With lightning speed, he wrapped his arms around his victim’s throat. The pony dangled from his grip, flailing desperately and gurgling.
All around him, the Black Daggers lifted their heads at the sounds. Baffled, they drew daggers from inside their robes, some holding them between clenched teeth and others with their hoofs wrapped around it. Though lacking the dexterity of fingers, the daggers seemed almost glued to the end of their limbs.
“Not a step closer,” Lars bellowed and tightened his stranglehold around the hooded pony’s throat. Instantly, they stiffened and fixed their cold eyes on him. “I have no intention of hurting anyone, I just want to know a few things. You came up to me up in the marketplace, asking me to leave the city or suffer the consequences. I demand to know why.”
From among their midst emerged a mare with a coat of glistening silver, her eyes greyish blue like ice. The others withdrew at the sight of her and slinked back into the shadows.
“Release my child immediately.” Her voice was cold and froze him to the bone.
The Black Daggers encircled him, their eyes shining in the darkness. He looked around nervously and squeezed his hostage closer.
“You! You’re the one who approached me! Please, I have a right to know.” His voice was pleading, but the mare simply looked at him.
Her horn glowed. Lars had no idea of the significance, but his hands felt like they were on fire. When he finally realised what the mare was doing, it was too late. He had to release his arms, and the Black Dagger member fell to the ground coughing. The burning sensation stopped instantly as well. The mare drew closer to him and Lars to her.
“We do not discuss the details of contracts with our clients,” she answered, not a single emotion betraying her words or her countenance. She walked nearer to him as well, her voice remaining unshakable. The circle closed around them, but no one made any threatening moves. “I asked you up there to leave or die, yet instead you came here. I am curious to know why you choose death before life.”
“You can’t tell me to leave!” Lars said desperately. “I haven’t even been here a full week before you bunch come up to me. I have a right to know!”
“You would have to speak with our employer about motive, though you will not get the contract as long as I live.”
The mare reached into the folds of her cloak and withdrew a dagger as black as night. She went closer towards Lars, who stood with a scornful expression.
“You won’t give me a fair chance to defend myself?” he asked hopefully.
“What in Equestria gave you that idea? We are bandits and mercenaries and we live only for the bits. If making you leave is not an option, then we will kill you. It’s as simple as that.”
Lars raised his hands in a fighting stance. “I don’t want to hurt you or anyone else, but I will if you won’t give me a second choice.”
“Death comes for us all, outlander. It’s not a question of if or even how, but only when,” she said and walked closer towards him.
“I am a highly trained Security Officer in the Prima City Army, and you... you are a nothing but a bandit,” he said boastfully. It only served to enrage her.
She clutched her hoof tightly around the dagger and rushed him. He stood impassively with resigned eyes. She raised the knife and aimed for his heart. He reacted instinctively and grabbed her arm. He forced the dagger out of her grip. Before she could retaliate, she found the dagger plunged into her throat.
He had his arms wrapped around her, the right one around her neck and the other clutching the dagger. She looked up at him with wide eyes full of surprise, shivering. She opened her mouth to speak, but only coughed a spray of red saliva all over his front. She slid down his legs and finally came to a rest on his feet.
He towered above the dead pony, his face devoid of emotion and hand clutching the dagger. The ponies around him slowly disappeared into the shadows until he could no longer see their eyes shining in the darkness.
The pony he had held hostage got up from where he had fallen and looked at Lars with hateful eyes. “The contract has been nullified,” he said and turned towards the edge of the room as well.
“Wait, what do you mean with nullified? I still don’t know who wants me dead.”
“You have killed the one who was bound by contract to kill you. We have no further business with you. May we never meet again.”
Before Lars could reach the pony, it was already gone. He flung the dagger as far away as he could and went back to the dead mare. A shadow of grief crossed his face as he wiped his nose and leant over her. “I do hope you will forgive me. I don’t normally steal from the dead, but you did invite me.”
His was a sad smile as he put a finger on each of her eyelids and closed them. He reached into her robe and found in the pockets a bag with clinking gold pieces and a scroll of paper. He unfolded it and read it carefully through.
“The bearer of this document is bound by contract to banish or execute Lars Leland. In accordance with the contract, the aforementioned personage will be executed in the name of C in the most expedient manner possible. All services of the Black Daggers are at the disposal of the bearer of this binding and non-disputable document.”
“C,” he muttered through gritted teeth and squeezed the paper in his hand.
CHAPTER 1 PART 2: THE CANTERLOT CONSPIRACY
The Black Daggers had a lot of secret escape tunnels. Lars had picked one at random and emerged into an alley between houses. The midday sun shone in his eyes, so he held a palm up to shield his face. His feet were cold from running around in the sewers, but the smooth stones were nice and warm topside. He flexed his bare toes and then proceeded out on to the street, stuck in an unknown part of the city.
To the side he could see an enormous castle with white walls and many twisty spires. It looked to be the best way to begin getting some answers. He had not walked far however when a guard approached him.
“Are you the human Lars Leland?” the guard asked emotionlessly.
“Do you know of any other humans?” Lars asked sarcastically.
“Come with me, outlander.” The guard turned on the spot and started towards the castle.
“Wait, am I in some kind of trouble?” Lars asked curiously and paced along.
“Only if you resist,” the guard said and flexed his shoulder blades to adjust the weight of his golden armour.
“Will you at least tell me what this is about?”
The guard did not respond, so they walked in silence up the street. Lars took the opportunity to investigate the architecture of the city. It all seemed affluent and rich in nature. The ponies living here all enjoyed a good and carefree life, protected on all sides by large walls. In the distance he could see mountains, placed behind the castle as a spectacular backdrop.
The guard passed the gates in the castle wall and took him through a majestic garden in the front yard. It was publicly accessed and there were many ponies out enjoying the good weather.
Having thought that he was going to meet the princess, Lars was a little surprised when the guard turned off the path. He was leading Lars towards a large square building hidden behind ivy. A sign in front contained a silhouette of a guard with a spear.
The first room inside was large with benches along the walls and a little garden in the middle with a fence around. Ponies sat in the lobby, reading and chatting. From there they took a flight of stairs up to the first floor where the guard placed himself next to a door.
Lars took the hint and entered on his own, first through a small dark hall that quickly got him into a large square room. The stone walls were lined with guards and an earth pony stood on a raised platform in the middle. His armour was different than the others of shape and colours, most likely to signify his higher rank. It was largely purple with gilded edges and came with a matching helmet that had a crest in the shade of his hair.
All of the guards that Lars had seen so far had been either white or greyish brown, but this pony was mint green with a mane of long, lime green hair mixed with white. A crossed crescent and sword was emblazoned on his chest. He had a sickeningly cocky smile on his lips and even laughed slightly as he met Lars halfway.
“So you’re a human!” he said warmly and looked Lars up and down. “I have never seen a creature like you before. Wait till my daughter hears about you. Do you have a name, or shall I call you human?”
“My name is Lars Leland,” he replied disgruntled and looked up at the guard.
“What a peculiar name. I am the Captain of Celestia’s Royal Guard, Crescent Heartstrings,” he said and turned back to the platform. “Everypony just calls me Loyal Crescent though.”
“Captain?” Lars asked hopefully. He patted his suit, looking for something while walking up the stairs to the platform. “Maybe you can help me then. I am looking for someone named C, mentioned in this contract. Where is it?” he asked and finally took a small scroll of paper.
“What’s this?” Crescent asked and took the note. “Ah... how nauseatingly organised of The Black Daggers. You only have a single letter, human, far from enough to make this solid evidence. There are many ponies with a name beginning with C, including Celestia. Are you willing to accuse the Princess?”
The captain crushed the paper and chucked it over his shoulder.
“Hey, that was my only clue!” Lars said angrily.
“Forget about the Black Daggers, Mr Leland, they’re only a minor nuisance,” Crescent said with a devious smile. “I do apologise for any inconvenience they may have caused you, but things in Canterlot are a little uhm... tense at the moment.”
“How do I know you’re not the C mentioned in that contract?” Lars asked and pointed an accusing finger at Crescent. “It took me less than a day to find out where the Black Daggers were holed up, yet you have done nothing about them this whole time. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were in cahoots with them.”
“Haha, Mr Leland, calm down,” Crescent said and waved a hoof. “If I send a troop of men into the sewers, the Black Daggers would do one of two things. One, they’d scamper like the rats they are and my men would waste hours for nothing. Or two, the Black Daggers would ambush and rout my soldiers. You must understand, those mercenaries are crafty and wily... or rather, they were!”
All the time while talking, the captain treated the subject like it belonged in a tea parlour and smiled ever so calmly.
“If that is all, I would have some questions for you as well,” Crescent said. Lars grunted and looked away, his fists resting by his side. “You seem unusually used to us ponies already, but my sources tell me you woke up only a few days ago. Are there many ponies where you come from, human?”
“You didn’t bring me here for small talk, did you?” Lars snapped. Crescent only shook his head and got up on his hooves again to stroll around on the platform.
“Sharp one, aren’t you? Yes, your usefulness is becoming apparent to me. Escaping a Black Dagger contract all on your own was an astonishing feat. I fear I may bore you with what I am about to propose.”
“I don’t have time for your intrigues,” Lars said with a raised voice. “I want to see the pony that brought me to the hospital, a Mrs Pie.”
Unexpectedly, Crescent gave out a derisive laughter that rang through the walls. He looked back up at Lars and smiled. “Guards, arrest this being immediately.”
The guards around them lowered their spears and pointed the stabby ends towards Lars as they marched up the platform towards him.
“On what grounds?”
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll think of something,” Crescent said and looked away with a self-satisfied smile. “Illegal alien is a good one. Ooh, conspiring to revolt? I’m giving myself the chills here.”
The guards closed a circle around Lars. “All right fine, you’ve proven your point! What is it you want from me?”
“Hmm? I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get that.”
“I did not survive the Black Daggers only to be subdued by bullies in power,” Lars said through gritted teeth.
“I hope you realise the situation you are in, human. No one will miss you if you disappeared, and that is what makes you so perfect. It will only be a matter of time before Lars Leland, the first and only human in all of Equestria, will be on everypony’s lips. I can use you before you catch too much attention.”
“Fine. It can’t hurt to at least listen to what you have to say.”
With a flick of a hoof, the guards backed away again to assume their posts. “Good,” Crescent said and took a seat on the bench like nothing had happened. “I fear that the Princess is in danger; our immortal ruler, the one who raises the sun in the morning and the moon at night, she who...”
“I get it,” Lars interjected.
“Somepony is inciting the citizens of Canterlot,” Crescent said gravely with a gaze fixed on Lars. “The Princess is too kind for her own good. If she found out that there were whispers of doubt in the air, she would take it very personally.”
“And what do you propose I do?” Lars asked, his tone indicating his reservations about this puppeteering. Crescent leant forward in his seat with a half smile.
“We became aware of a possible plot when one of the conspirators died unexpectedly. You go to his home, avoid the grieving widow and find any evidence. Big or small, doesn’t matter, but I would prefer concrete evidence like a hoof-written note.”
“Don’t you think I’d stand out?” Lars asked and crossed his arms.
“It’ll be fine. Equestria is full of sentient beings, no one will think twice about you.”
“But –”
“And besides, being an outlander might aid you. Use that thing on your shoulders for thinking and I’m sure nothing bad will happen. Now off you go,” Crescent said and dismissed Lars with a wave of his hoof.
Groaning, Lars turned around and left the room again. He stormed all the way down to the doors outside where he came to stop. He hung his shoulders and sighed deeply. A guard pony came up from behind and tipped his helmet.
“I was asked by Loyal Crescent to escort you,” he commanded. “I am assuming you don’t know your way around town yet?”
“No, just lead the way,” Lars responded despairingly and drew a hand through his short blonde hair.
Lars trailed behind the guard reluctantly but compliant.
“So what IS the tie between Loyal Crescent and the Black Daggers?” Lars asked, once he felt they were far enough from the palace grounds.
“The Captain only wants what’s best for the city and for the Princess. He’s not a bad pony.”
“And what about this revolt business? Any truth to that?”
“Hard to say, outlander. The Captain can be paranoid when it comes to Celestia’s safety. Doesn’t make the threat any less real,” the guard said, neither turning his head nor showing any emotions.
“People around here seem happy enough,” Lars stated, taking notice of all the ponies they passed. None of them appeared to be much troubled in any way.
“The ponies who mutter about rebelling are those without a roof over their heads or food on their plates,” the guard explained calmly. They wandered off the main road and towards a residential part of town with big mansions. “Equestria is a land of opportunity, and those in need can get all the help they want. But that would be to accept their own failures and shortcomings. They can’t blame themselves for their bad luck, so they turn their ire towards the Princess.”
“Sounds like you’ve been giving it a lot of thought,” Lars noted.
“I’m a guard, Mr Leland, my ear is to the street. Do not let your image of our Princess be tainted by ill murmurs.”
Again they walked silently for another while until they came to a new neighbourhood. Celestia’s Reach, if street signs were to be trusted. The homes here were two-storey mansions of glistening white stone. There were no gardens attached and the residents owned no more land than what the house stood on. The guard pointed to a house closest to the wall.
“I cannot accompany you inside,” he said and looked up at Lars. “And regardless of what my captain told you, show some respect. This mare just lost a husband.”
“I’m only doing this to prove your captain wrong, not because I like tricking widows,” Lars said with little enthusiasm at the task at hand. “Anything I should know?”
“Her name is Rainbow Leap and her husband was quite the traveller. Probably why Loyal Crescent targeted him,” the guard said turned to leave. “There’s an open memorial service today. Just sneak in, find his study and get out.”
Lars nodded and went up to the door, taking a few deep breaths to clear his system of the frustration before stepping up. The door was open and he entered unnoticed. Voices carried from the room at the far end of the hall. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to mourn the loss of –” He had no intention of eavesdropping and hurried up the wooden stairs, his fingertips trailing the smooth stone.
“Now where is that study?” he mumbled and looked at the many doors around them. They were all closed and he had to slink up to each of them in turn to see what they were hiding. Starting with the first door on his left and working clockwise, he entered a large bedroom, a smaller child’s room with posters of something called “Wonderbolts” and finally a medium sized one.
He opened the door completely and entered furtively, remembering to close it behind him as well. The walls were lined with bookshelves that made the room seem smaller. The far wall had a large poster of Equestria pinned up, revealing the land to be surrounded by mountains.
As he went through all the drawers and shelves, Lars turned up empty-handed. If anything, the stallion seemed quite happy with Celestia’s rule. Lars gleaned much common knowledge by skimming through some of all the writings. He searched through the clutter of papers on the desk, ran a finger across book spines and finally opened a few drawers. He pushed aside a few quills and inkwells and retrieved a curious page of paper. It wasn’t written by the owner of this study. Initially grabbing it because it caught his intention, Lars quickly realised in surprise that he had found what he was looking for.
He put the paper into his suit and stuck a head outside to check if the coast was clear. The eulogy from below had ended and talking had erupted more sporadically. He quickly made his way back down the stairs but froze when he saw a mare sitting on the stairs outside the door. Looking over his shoulder revealed the other guests to still be gathered in the living room at the end of the hall. He straightened his bodysuit and his hair and calmly stepped outside. As expected, the unicorn looked up at the sound of him approaching.
“You must be Rainbow Leap,” he said quietly and wringed his hands nervously. “I was a friend of your husband.”
“I’m sorry, outlander, but who or what are you?” she asked and dabbed her eyes with a rag. Her coat was purple and her short-trimmed mane was rainbow-coloured.
“I’m a human, ma’am... Lars Leland.” He extended a hand. She extended her hoof, and they shook. “I wish that I could have come under more favourable conditions, but the time was never right.”
“Oh my, have you come a long way?” she asked.
“A fair bit, ma’am, but I dropped everything I had when I heard about your husband,” he said with a little smile
“Then stay a bit,” she said and returned his smile. “I was just about to serve the tea when I felt the need for fresh air.”
“I really must be going, ma’am. I only came here to extend my condolences.”
She clutched the rag between her hoofs and wailed into it. It tore Lars from the inside so he stepped down on the ground again and rested a hand on her shoulder.
“M- my husband was a good stallion. He did not deserve to be trampled by an airavata,” she said and heaved. She turned to look at Lars with reddened eyes. “What am I supposed to do with our daughter? He always said he would teach to fly when she got older! I... I just didn’t know what to do.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “I sent her off to Cloudsdale. I’m not a bad mother, am I?”
“You made a tough decision under a lot of stress, ma’am. Your daughter will come to accept this even if she doesn’t agree with you.”
Mrs Leap padded the hand on her shoulder and got up again. “Thank you, outlander. I feared all sorts of strange creatures from his travels would come here if I made the ceremony open. I’m glad to see he did not die with a life wasted. Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay for a spell?”
“I’ve made my peace,” he said soberly and wandered away from her. She went back inside her house again.
Lars almost made it out of the neighbourhood before the guard approached him again.
“I had to make sure Rainbow Leap wouldn’t spot me. So, didn’t find anything I presume?” the guard asked.
“I don’t know. What do you make of this?” Lars asked and handed over the pamphlet.
The guard took it in his hoof and began to chuckle merrily after only a few lines. He was downright laughing by the time he was done.
“I was right to assume that this is satire then?” Lars asked and smiled broadly.
“Oh yes, and quite a good one,” the guard said and wiped his eyes. “If this is the worst that we have to fear, then I’d say we don’t have a problem at all.”
“I just hope Loyal Crescent sees it that way,” Lars said wryly and took back the pamphlet.
“I’m sure he will. What’s the worst that can happen?”
CHAPTER 1 PART 3: SATIRE COLUMNISTS
“This is an outrage!” Loyal Crescent said and threw the piece of paper to the ground in an overly dramatic fashion. “Find the ponies behind this smut and make them pay this instant!”
“It’s just harmless satire,” Lars said cheerfully.
“You don’t think I know that?” Crescent flared. “I know that, you know that, all of the guards in this room know that, but do you honestly think that everypony will realise that? This... this... this insult to our dear Princess who does so much for us! I will not stand idly by it. Here, this should cover your expenses. Shut up the makers of this filth any way you see fit.”
Crescent took a pouch from his armour and flung it at Lars. He just barely managed not to drop it with so little warning and so much force. Inside he heard coins moving around and a closer look revealed all of them to be worth a hundred bits each.
“How many coins are in here?” Lars asked shocked.
“Thirty,” Crescent said and Lars looked up in surprise. “Naturally, the city spares no expenses when it comes to justice. Disperse your newfound wealth as you see fit. Kill them all and keep the money or spend it all on bribes, just get it done.”
Lars nodded somewhat befuddled, but looked up at Crescent in annoyance. “Look, I already played games with a widow, isn’t that enough?” he asked, clutching the pouch hard and looking up defiantly at Crescent.
“I think you mistake this for a charity organisation, Mr Leland. While I am busy making arrangements for your stay here in Equestria, I expect some payback. And since you have no coin, one or two services isn’t too much to demand, is it? Now be off, and do not come back until you have succeeded. Do not dare to fail your mission or run off. My guards are everywhere and they will hunt you down mercilessly.”
Lars picked up the pamphlet again and made his leave with the money secured inside his suit. It disappeared, leaving no lumps or other indications.
The guard from before, or who Lars assumed to be the guard from before, awaited him by the entrance again.
“Still escorting you,” the guard said. “It went as well as I had predicted, then?”
“Yeah, now he wants us to find the authors,” Lars replied and waved the pamphlet around. “God, it’s just one thing after the other with that pony.”
“Maybe I can help.” The guard took the paper out of Lars’ hand. “I think I saw something when I read this earlier. Where was it? Ah... do you see this seashell here?”
Lars squinted. “This little smudge here? What of it?”
“I know of only one pony with the opportunity to print these and who signs his work with this mark. I can’t imagine he actually wrote them, but he has definitely been distributing them,” the guard said and handed the pamphlet back. “No one knows his name, but everyone just calls him Regal Stallion.”
“Great. Let’s get this over with then,” Lars said and rubbed his hands together. “Where can we find him?”
“No one knows,” the guard said and shook his head. “But he’s quite the bookworm, so our best bet will be a bookseller.”
Lars gave a defeated sigh and hung his shoulder, but the guard continued with a twinkle in his eye. “Don’t give up yet, Mr Leland. Canterlot only has a handful of places that actually sell books. Most other ponies prefer the expansive library at the castle,” he said encouragingly and tossed his head towards the entrance.
They visited a few places before getting lucky on their third try, a rather anonymous place simply called “Star Charmer’s Books.” As with all the other places, Lars had to enter alone while the guard remained outside.
The inside had a few shelves with books along the walls and a wooden counter in the middle. The proprietor was a strong-looking mare with a raspberry red coat and short chocolate brown mane with bangs down her face.
“Star Charmer of Star Charmer’s Books, how may I help you?” she asked in a bored tone.
“I’m looking for Regal Stallion,” Lars stated and placed his hands on the counter. “I hear he likes books.”
“Then maybe you should check the library,” Star Charmer said sarcastically.
“This stallion isn’t the kind of pony to go around in the public,” Lars continued and took a single hundred bit coin from his pocket and placed it on the counter. “I suspect he may be hiding in a bookshop somewhere.”
Star Charmer looked intently at the coin. “What do you want with him?” she asked nervously.
“Just talk. He’s not in any kind of trouble,” Lars ensured. Star Charmer looked up at him, biting her lip. She swiped the coin from the desk and looked around her.
“He’s just up the stairs,” she finally said. Lars nodded in acknowledgement and went up stairs behind the counter.
“A hundred bits must be worth more than I thought to make someone change their mind so quickly,” he mused.
Upstairs had a bed and a few more copies of various books. At a table sat a stallion, pouring over a book from the light of a candle. Blinds were covering the loft window.
“You’re Regal Stallion?” Lars commanded, and the pony turned around with a smile.
He was an elderly unicorn with a light brown coat and a short, bright blonde mane. “I am,” he said serenely. “How may I help you?”
“Did you write this?” Lars asked calmly and took the pamphlet from his pocket. Regal took it with his magic and scrutinised it.
“This? No. I only wish I could write something as brilliant as this, but I have been distributing it, yes. Quite a marvellous piece of satire, don’t you think?” Regal asked and looked up at Lars with dreamy eyes.
“As funny as it is, the city has no need for things like that right now,” Lars said sternly and pocketed the pamphlet again. “You need to stop producing this.”
“Come now, my friend, Canterlot always needs humour,” Regal said and gave a pompous laugh.
“It won’t be so funny when someone takes these writings seriously,” Lars said staidly. He took a coin from his pocket and placed it down on the desk. “Now tell me, who wrote it?”
“Hmph,” Regal said and looked up at Lars with chiding eyes. “I hope you’re not trying to bribe me? I am far elevated beyond such mortal needs.”
“You can accept this nicely and answer my question,” Lars said calmly.
“Or else what!” Regal mocked.
Before he could register what happened, Lars had forced him up against the opposite wall with his left arm pressed against his throat.
“Or you and I are going to have a problem. I will ask this only once more... who. Wrote. This?” Lars squeezed even harder, his calm eyes only adding to Regal Stallion’s fretful panic.
“We can work this out like gentlecolts,” Regal said and laughed nervously, then wet his lips. “The authors are a couple of students at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.”
“Thank you,” Lars said and Regal fell limply to the ground.
On his way out, Lars took the coin into his hands again and noticed that Regal looked at it coveting. Lars flipped it up on the air, grabbed it and pocketed it.
“You took your time. Did you find anything?” the guard said and came up behind Lars.
“Yeah, they’re students at a place called Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Can you believe it?”
“Ha, they are foals?” he asked and chuckled. “I should have seen that one coming. Come, the school isn’t far away.”
The guard went out on his job with enthusiasm, and Lars trailed just behind him.
“Uhm... I feel bad not knowing your name,” Lars said after a while and scratched his neck.
“I prefer to keep it that way,” the guard said relaxed. “The whole reason for our anonymity is to protect our families. Only the captain needs to stand out to signify his status.”
“Huh. So I suppose that’s why you all look so similar too?”
“Indeed. The magic of our armours change our appearance so we all look similar. It would be impossible otherwise to find enough identical ponies to fill all the posts,” he said.
“So your uniform ensures identity,” Lars said nostalgically. “You know, everyone is identified by their attire where I come from. Your place in society can be seen on the clothes you wear.”
“Sounds oppressive,” the guard commented. “Where are you from? I don’t think I’ve ever even heard about humans until last week.”
“It’s quite a different place, I tell you that. If I knew where it was in relation this place, I might be able to find it again. I mean, my home isn’t that bad. Everyone in Prima City wears nice, clean clothes. Some are red or blue, and still others are... deep purple. Without my boots though, this suit is meaningless.”
The guard looked down at Lars’ many toes. “So you only wear clothes so others can identify you?”
“Eh, hehe. It’s a little more complicated than that,” he said and scratched his cheek. “We humans don’t have a nice coat like you to protect us from the cold.”
“Well, you do look a bit like an overgrown mole rat,” the guard said and chuckled. “So don’t you worry about getting home?”
“I am,” Lars said and smiled a little sadly. “But I haven’t even been here a week. It’s too early to panic yet.”
“Clever. I don’t think I could do it.”
“Well it’s already been months for since I last saw my family,” Lars said and looked up at the sky. “I had been away from them for a while before coming.”
Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns was an enormous area with a garden, many spires and even more buildings of all kinds, placed close to the castle. The guard took him through a grassy park where many ponies sat with their books and an occasional teacher informed his students. A path cut through it and led upstairs to a tall tower in which older unicorns greeted them politely.
“This school has its own newspaper,” the guard informed him and took a hasty look around. “I think the press is somewhere beyond here.”
They cleared the tower and came to a new plaza of sparkling white stone. Smaller buildings with two or three stories stood in a circle around it with grass between. Acting on memory, the guard took Lars to the right where a pair of basement doors was visible at the side of a building. He opened them and then entrusted Lars with his mission.
Inside, Lars found four young unicorns working hectically. They ceased their activities the moment that they noticed him, curious about what kind of creature had just entered. On tables scattered around the room sat copies of a school newspaper with not a hint of any satire.
“Can I help you?” one of them asked. His coat was greyish blue like his medium length, silken mane.
“I’m looking for the authors of this,” Lars said and took the pamphlet from his pockets. The unicorn inspected it and chuckled lightly, while the others warily retreated.
“This... this is quite humorous,” the unicorn said and hoofed it back. “I’d love to find out of who wrote this as well. He or she would be more than welcome to write for me.”
Out of the corner of his eyes, Lars noticed how everypony else slinked away in trepidation.
“So you’re telling me you don’t know?” Lars asked and crossed his arms. The unicorn nodded happily. “You see, I already know that’s a lie. I spoke with Regal Stallion, and he quite clearly told me that YOU have been writing these.”
“Regal Stallion? That’s the stupidest name I’ve ever heard!” the unicorn said and chortled.
“You’re one to speak, Watermelon Paradise,” one of the other unicorns said.
“S-shut up! I told you to call me Paradise,” he responded angrily, then looked back at Lars. “I’m sorry that I can’t help you, but you really shouldn’t take the advice of shady characters.”
“I never said he was shady,” Lars said and glared down at Watermelon.
He folded his ears back in surprise and started to sweat slightly. “Well... he sounds shady.”
“Really? Because to me he sounds regal,” Lars said calmly, not breaking eye contact. “Stop producing those lies, no matter how exaggerated and comical they are. You are endangering yourself, your family and all of Canterlot.”
Paradise bit his lip and looked away for a moment, before slamming his hoof into the ground adamantly. “It’s just satire!” he said defensively. “I’m just so tired of ponies speaking ill of the Princess that I wanted to make light of it!”
“I can see where you’re coming from, but there will be someone who does not see the fun in this. They will use your prints to found their paranoia.”
“No one could possibly take it seriously,” he said panicky. “I mean, Celestia stealing unicorn magic to stay young forever? It’s ridiculous!”
“This is beyond me. Stop now and I won’t make a case of it. You’ll find yourself in serious trouble otherwise.”
“It’s just not fair,” he said and looked at the ground.
“Come off it,” a female unicorn said consolingly. “You were the one telling me you had no ideas for issue #2.”
“Good. We’re done here and I don’t want to see any more fliers like those anymore, understood?” Lars asked, and Watermelon gave a snivelling nod.
The guard wasn’t waiting for him outside, nor inside the tower. It wasn’t until Lars got back out into the city proper that they met again.
“Seems like you resolved this peacefully,” he said and looked up at Lars.
“He came to his senses,” Lars simply said and looked up at the late midday sky. Plenty of white, fluffy clouds.
Crescent was likewise satisfied and beamed down at him from his bench.
“You took care of my demands with not a single loss of life. Not bad, human.”
“An honour,” Lars said insincerely from the foot of the platform and looked up at the captain. “Are we done now?”
“For now. Here, a reward for a job well done,” Crescent said and chucked a bundle by his hoofs towards Lars. It landed with an unmistakable metallic clink at his feet.
“This is?” Lars asked curiously and picked it up. Unwrapping it revealed a large black claymore with a single red stripe running down the blade. The crossguard looked like a razor-sharp bat.
“Its name is Luna’s Oath... you do know how to handle a sword, don’t you?” Crescent asked with some concern as Lars weighed the sword in his hands.
“As a security officer in the Prima City Army, I’ve been trained to utilise anything as a weapon,” he said and swung it around to test it. “Trained opponents may have an advantage, but I won’t have a problem against creatures or inexperienced individuals.”
“Glad to hear it. The Princess herself endowed it with her blessings long ago, so take care of it,” he said proudly.
“Thank you, but... this hasn’t really brought me any closer to finding out why I’m here,” Lars said wistfully and lowered the tip, and his eyes, to the ground.
“As much as it pains me to let you go, the court wishes to see you,” Crescent said and took a scroll from underneath his armour. Lars looked up interestedly. “Don’t think this is the last you’ve seen of me, but a Mrs Pie wishes to see you.”