As it turned out, the main portion of the airport was not their destination. Away from the main structure and the scheduled commercial flights, but still a part of the Canterlot City Airport's property was a small runway. It was officially a part of the airport, but intended for use by privately owned planes or chartered flights.
Their cars arrived just in time to see a plane coming to a stop. Not having ever kept up with such things, Aria had no idea what kind it was. It was a type that had visible propellers, one engine on each wing, which were along the top. Out toward the edges were pontoons, hanging down from underneath. The wheel legs were short, making the body extremely low to the ground. In fact, the underside kind of looked like a boat.
Following Velvet's lead, the four of them got out of their cars. Once the propellers had come to a full stop did they approach the plane.
Just past the back edge of the wing, a door opened from the side of the plane. Out stepped a woman with a lean, toned build, and golden brown skin. Strangely, she was dressed like an explorer from a movie set in the nineteen-twenties or so: short-sleeved, khaki button up shirt; white pants; mid-calf boots; and a pith helmet. One hand held a briefcase while the other gripped the handle of a bag slung over her shoulder.
"Archie," Velvet called out as she approached. "You're looking well."
"Hey, Twi," Archie called back. "How's the family doing?"
"They're good. Shiny is finished at the academy, and Twily transferred to Canterlot High."
"As in the public school? I mean, it's great she got out of C.P. but I thought she would go to some college, or straight into the private sector. Be the CEO of Sparkle Technologies in a year or two."
"Well, she at least needs a diploma," Velvet stated. "Besides, it's more about socializing than education. She's made friends there that actually care about her."
After the mention of "Twily," and "Canterlot High," Aria Blaze's attention was elsewhere. When she and the other Dazzlings were helping find all the different versions of Sunset Shimmer, she had met Twilight "Sci-Twi" Sparkle, the human counterpart to Princess Twilight Sparkle, and learned that she had recently transferred to CHS from Crystal Prep after a very... interesting event at The Friendship Games (one Aria kind of regretted missing out on).
Could it be that Twilight Velvet was Twilight Sparkle's mother? Now that Aria considered it, she thought she could see some similarities between the two of them.
"Speaking of new friends," Archie called out, "looks like you got a fresh member with you."
"That's right," Velvet confirmed. Taking a step, she turned to face between both of them. "Agent Blaze, Archaic Yearling, adventurer and author. Miss Yearling, Agent Aria Blaze, former siren and newest recruit."
"Siren?" Yearling asked, raising an eyebrow. "As in Greek mythology? The creatures that would sing songs which enchanted sailors, causing them to crash their ships?"
"Wasn't us," Aria replied, holding up her hands. "By the time we got here, The Greco-Roman Empire had long since fallen, and humans were well into The Middle Ages."
"Really?" Yearling said, both eyebrows now rising high.
Twilight Velvet gave a loud, fake cough.
"Getting back to the immediate matter." She motioned toward the briefcase. "Is that it?"
Archaic Yearling let out a chuckle. With one quick motion, she lifted the case, resting it flat on her arms, and undid the clasps.
"Behold!" she announced as she lifted the lid. "The Crown of Catrina!"
"Catrina?" Aria called out as she moved to look. "As in the Cat-witch of the Scottish Moors?"
"You know her?" someone asked.
"No," Aria answered, with a shake of her head. "Just rumors around the country at the time. We made it a point to avoid people rumored to be witches, so we wouldn't get caught in the middle when the people went to torture and kill them for crimes, true or not."
Not that it did any good. Fear of witches and the hunt and killing of them had made its way all across Europe. Practically every little place would sooner or later accuse people of witches for being different. Adagio Dazzle's feet were still proof of that.
Aria stared at the crown in the case. It was a band of gold, about two inches or so in width, with the edges having a thicker, rounded look. The only decoration was a pair of dark red gemstones, shaped like eyes, with a rounded, perfectly smooth surface.
Aria suddenly felt like those eyes were staring at her, watching her.
They're magic, a voice whispered in the back of her mind. Actual magic. Catrina was a queen. Had ruled for decades before she was defeated. People worshiped her. Feared her. Obeyed her every command. You could have that too. You've had magic before. You've had control. You could have it again. And this time, it would just be you. No need to share. No reason to be a subordinate. Ju--
"Blaze," Twilight Velvet warned.
Aria blinked, looking down. At some point, she had reached out toward the crown, her fingers less than an inch from it. Agent Twilight Velvet's hand had a steel vice grip on her wrist, holding her from reaching any closer.
Looking up, she found everyone watching her. Firecracker Burst was simple curiosity, and Pharynx had a narrowed, suspicious look on his face. Miss Yearling's face had curiosity as well, but it was more intense, more analytical, like she was studying something noteworthy. Agent Velvet had a look of concern on her face, like she was afraid Aria was going to be sick or something.
Admittedly, the idea was not too far off.
Aria stepped away from the case and pulled her hand back. Her wrist slipped easily from Velvet's grip, although it was more the senior agent letting go since there was no longer need than anything on Aria's part. She rubbed at the wrist.
"Are you okay?" Velvet asked.
Aria turned, not looking at her. Or the crown.
"That thing's magic," Aria said. "Dark magic. It wants someone to wear it. To use it."
"How do you know?" Firecracker Bursts asked.
Aria shifted, looking down at her bandaged hand as she continued to rub at her wrist. She knew because she had used dark magic, and dark magic was like a drug. It made the user feel incredible, powerful, unstoppable! But it never lasted. The user would have to do more. Get more. More magic. More power. More, more, MORE! While that was happening, what the user did have would dig into them, tear out a part of them and fill that part with itself. Then, whether by a purge brought on by harmoniously charged magic or the user giving up the magic of their own volition, when that dark magic is no longer in use, it leaves a hole in them. An empty spot that needs to be filled. One that makes the former user now all the more vulnerable to the next item of dark magic. The next artifact. The next fix of their drug.
The difference was that in the case of dark magic, the drug was also its own dealer, and knew what the user was looking for. Could make promises of giving exactly what they wanted, just not mentioning the price for it.
Yeah, you can have an amazing voice and adoring fans, but you have to use that voice to make them fight each other.
Sure, you can rule an entire empire, but you will have to keep the citizens in a state of constant depression, and force them to suffer through their own worst fears to make them obey you.
You want the power to defeat your greatest rival? Okay, but it's going to make you paranoid psychopath. The ego? That's all you.
The ego is always you!
Although, she would never admit any of that. Not out loud, and definitely not to a bunch of strangers she just met.
Aria turned to give Firecracker Burst a flat look.
"I just do," she answered.
This seemed to be enough for Burst, who held up her hands and took a step back.
"Pharynx," Agent Velvet called out. "You have the replacement crown, right?"
"Yes, ma'am," Agent Pharynx answered, holding up the briefcase he carried.
"Good. You and Blaze go with Yearling to take the replacement crown to the museum. Burst, you're with me as we take the actual crown back for study and storage."
"I still need to pull the plane into a hanger and set up refueling before I go," Archaic said.
"Go ahead," Velvet said. "We'll wait until you're done. Leave at the same time. Burst, take the crown to the car."
"On it," Burst said, walking over and grabbing the briefcase that had been shut at some point from Archaic Knowledge.
"Aria," Twilight Velvet said in a softer voice, "may I have a word please? Alone?"
Firecracker Burst went to one car, Pharynx, the other, and Yearling, her plane. With everyone else gone, Aria was now pretty much left alone with Velvet, whether she liked it or not.
Not having much choice, Aria faced her. Velvet had her arms crossed, pale ice blue eyes looking at Aria with concern.
"Something happened back there," Velvet stated. She held up a hand. "I'm not going to force you to tell me what, although if you want to talk, I am willing to listen." Her gaze grew firmer. "However, I do have to ask if it will be a problem in the future."
Aria's first instinct was to tell her to fuck off! That it was none of her business.
Her hands and jaw clenched tight, biting back that reaction.
Because it was not true. This was Aria's job now, and Agent Velvet was someone she had to work with. If it was something that would affect Aria's work, put her or anyone else in danger on the job, then it was Velvet's business. As much as Aria hated to do it, she had to tell at least something.
"It called out to me," Aria stated. "Didn't even realize I was reaching for it 'til you snapped me out of it." She let out a huff. "May want to keep me away from evil artifacts, or have someone keep an eye so I don't grab for them again, but that should be it."
She hoped.
There was a sudden shift in Twilight Velvet. The professional concern suddenly vanished and there was a look of fear in those eyes.
"Is... is this something everyone who uses magic has to worry about?"
That was when Aria realized, she was no longer looking at Twilight Velvet, SMILE agent. This was Twilight Velvet, concerned mother.
"Dark magic," Aria felt the need to clarify. "And most, yeah, but not all. Like Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle don't have to worry anymore." That immediately got Velvet to visibly relax. "I don't know if they're exposure was long enough to leave a mark or not," -- and she could not honestly say: Aria and the other Dazzlings had used their dark magic for centuries, but Sunset and had only been exposed to it for a small number of minutes, and she had no idea how long it took for the magic to dig into someone -- "but even if it did, the harmony magic or whatever they call it has probably filled the gap. They would have to be separated from their friends and lose that magic first. And even then..." Aria shrugged.
Twilight Velvet gave a nod and small smile. She then took a deep breath, straightened up, and was Agent Twilight Velvet once again.
"Come on," she said. "We have a crown we need to get to safety."
Aria nodded, then made her way toward the car. She caught sight of Pharynx at the driver's side, watching her with that same look of bored annoyance he had in the parking area. Making her way to the passenger door, she got in.
"Once we have Miss Yearling," Pharynx stated as he got into the car himself, "move to sit in the back with her."
"Why?" Aria asked.
He turned to look at her as he put his seat belt on. His blue-violet eyes locked on her as he continued to give her that bored and annoyed look.
"To better keep her safe and protect the crown."
And that was the end of the conversation. Pharynx simply turned forward and started the car. It was pretty clear he was not going to say anything else.
That was fine with her.