A brown coated unicorn mare with a black mane and tail done up in a bun looked down at a book on her desk. Her cutie mark was a quill and judges gavel. It had recently been taken from the former residence of a traitor pony to the Equestrian Royalty.
“To think… he and I had enjoyed a cup of coffee once a few weeks back discussing a new sculpture for the upcoming ball…” she mused before adjusting the light with her horn. The book was leather bound and locked with what pegasi called a Wing Lock. In theory only a Pegasus with the same wing type as the books owner could open it. However, for a ranking investigator like herself, a lock like this could easily be broken with some magic. Which she easily did, adjusting her monocle.
“Foal’s play.” She said as she opened the book. The front page was decorated in what was known in forbidden tomes as a treble clef. “So… I had hoped the report was false… but you really were working with the Underground Tempest… so sad…” she muttered as she turned the page.
The next page looked as though it had been ripped from the back and then reattached to the front of the book… almost as if he had expected somepony to find this and read it soon.
If you’re reading this, then I’m probably either dead or in prison. Given my choices, I think I’m the former. Sorry but there is no way that I was going to let somepony lock me up.
“Stubborn as ever…” the pony muttered before continuing reading.
If you’re one of the Government’s pony officials who handles cases of Bright Eyes reading this, then don’t bother wasting your time. I have not included in here any instances of a location, description or identity of where the Underground is. You won’t find it by going through these pages. Sorry to disappoint you.
“Clever Storm… as usual. But let’s see if I can’t wriggle some secrets out of you if not the location…”
If however one of the Underground has found this… then I am sorry. Sorry I couldn’t be of any more help to you all when I had the chances. No doubt Quick Step’s making some quip or something about that. Jokes on you, that hat makes you look stupid. And Inert. Orange.
“Quick Step and Inert… your first mistake Tempest, names of your conspirators. Now then… what’s this about oranges?” she asked the tome bemused.
In seriousness though… I’m sorry that I couldn’t be of more help earlier… the last few years have been the best of my life, even with all the danger you lot put me through, all the aggravation, frustration and just general annoyance. But hey, whose friends don’t tick each other off now and then right?
Ikuze… if you’re reading this then I am truly sorry. I had hoped to take you to the Underground myself but I guess that that plan kinda flew out the window.
“Ikuze… must be the filly unicorn that the guards reported to have escaped…”
If not and this really is in the hooves of a government official, then welcome to my journal. Oh, and about the names thing? You really expect somepony to use their real names outside the Underground? Come on… you’re smarter than that or at least you led me to believe you are.
“How did… of course… Of course he’d figure out I’d be the Investigating Mare for this case.” She stated, allowing herself a small chuckle before gathering herself and reading on.
I’m Tempest Storm, a Dull Eyed Pegasus Sculptor that has defied you and helped out Bright Eyes under your nose for a few years now.
“Years? Well now... maybe you’ll shed some light on how you managed to do this Storm… We can’t have any more evasions of the law now can we?”
Wasn’t always like that though… heck it wasn’t until a certain mare turned up on my doorstep that – well, I’ll let you read and figure it out. Got to go… sounds like the patrol’s finally here… Time to do what I should have done a long time ago…
You can burn the land and boil the seas, but you can’t take the skies from me.
“Burn the land and boil the seas, but you can’t take the skies from me…” the mare mused. “That’s what the guards reported him saying before he fought against them… and all for the sake of one Bright Eyed filly… No.” she amended. “Not just the filly… this entire Underground of theirs… and he knew that a patrol was coming to his house that day… How? And he was completely prepared to throw away his life for these… criminals and aberrations under Celestia’s gaze… Storm, who were you?” she asked herself as she turned over the pages of the journal, reading each one carefully and with great detail.
All in an attempt to understand why in a world where the Bright Eyed are hunted and suspected, why somepony not of their own would give their life to help them… and hopefully find a way to bring down the Underground.