Chapter 4: On the Trail
The engine let out a faint growl as Sunset Shimmer drove up to Hondo's Sporting Goods. It had been a few days since Rarity's father had been released from jail, and the fashionista had called her to help clean up the "disastrous mess." as she'd put it. Apparently the CCPD hadn't put everything back in order after they'd released the scene.
Parking her bike in front of the store, Sunset went inside, feeling the cool blast of the air conditioner dance across her face.
"Thank goodness you're here, darling," greeted Rarity. Her face had a few uncharacteristic dirt smudges on it. "Please be a dear and grab a mop. There are footprints all over the corner." The purple-haired girl pointed to the offending area before returning to her work, straightening a display of shoes, arranging each on the shelf with expert precision. "Honestly, have policemen never heard of wiping their feet?"
Spotting the tools, Sunset went over to the corner, dipped the mop in the supplied bucket of water, and began to scrub away the footprints, moving slowly through the wide aisles. It seemed like a nice enough store, with bins of various types of sports balls, hangers with jerseys on them, mannequins covered with more sports gear, and various other sporting paraphernalia arranged in neat sections.
Not that Sunset had been in many sporting goods stores. In fact, as far as she could remember, it had only been once in her entire life. Had that been last year? No, the year before that, the scheme with the fishing pole.
"Thank you again for showing up, darling," said Rarity as she rearranged a pair of neon green sneakers in the display. "I know everyone else was busy."
"It's no problem, I was caught up on everything anyway," replied Sunset. She'd actually completed all of her homework the night before. "But why isn't your dad here?"
Rarity frowned. "Father is still trying to convince his suppliers that he's not using their products to smuggle stolen drugs."
"Still?"
Her friend nodded, letting out a long-suffering sigh. "I suppose they're just being overly cautious, though I wish they'd just be convinced. Father can't re-open his store until they are." Rarity stared down at the sneakers, her gaze unfocused.
"Rarity?" asked Sunset, sensing something else was bothering her friend. "What's wrong?"
"Detective Copper came by our house yesterday to ask a few questions," she said, referring to the officer in charge of the investigation. "I managed to overhear him talking to his partner. They still suspect Father of being involved. Detective Copper thinks that perhaps Father and the intruder were accomplices."
Sunset grimaced. That... was plausible, at least if one didn't know Hondo very well, and Detective Copper clearly didn't. And it also wasn't good. "I'm sure they'll change their mind when they find the guy that broke in."
"I suppose so. I just wish I could have found a clue to their whereabouts."
"You did what you could," consoled Sunset. "And at least you got your dad out of jail."
"Yes, there is that." Rarity eyed two pairs of sneakers critically, before swapping them in the display. "But enough about my problems, darling. How are things going with the princess? Is she still around?"
"Yeah, she's still at the apartment." Truth be told, things had been quiet on the Social Services front after Pearl had come by, and Sunny hadn't been doing much beyond everyday things, like cleaning the apartment or making sure Sunset got up and out the door on time. "Last I saw her, she'd put Sunny into that pseudo-coma again."
Rarity's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry, but did you say coma?"
Sunset's lips pursed, and she awkwardly drummed three fingers against her thigh. "When Princess Celestia isn't really using Sunny, she sort of... switches her off. Looks like she's in a coma."
"No offense, darling, but that sounds a bit..." Rarity paused politely. "Disturbing."
"None taken. I totally freaked the first time I saw it. It still freaks me out." There had been a few other mornings where she'd found Sunny still in her 'coma,' and a few more moments of panic. It took effort sometimes to remember that Sunny was just a construct, little more than an object that merely looked like a living being, rather than being a living being herself.
"Heavens, I'm filthy," said Rarity, standing up to look at her stained clothes. "Father needs to dust these displays more often." She shook her hands, trying to dislodge the dust she'd picked up, but to no avail. "I'm going to go wash my hands, darling. Be right back."
Rarity went to the back of the store while Sunset continued mopping, focusing on a particularly stubborn set of footprints. As the dirt started to give way, she found herself humming a tune, testing it for song potential. Yes, that sounded good. She'd have to run that by Rainbow to see what she thought.
Sunset had just about gotten to the chorus when an ear-piercing scream rang out from the back of the store. Dropping the mop, Sunset bolted to the source of the noise. "Rarity! What's wrong?!"
The fashionista stood stark still, trembling finger pointing at a glass case. "It's... it's... IT'S GONE!"
"What's gone?"
"Father's World Series ring!" cried Rarity. Her finger jabbed out towards the pillow under the glass. "It was right there, and now it's gone!"
Sunset stared at the empty pillow, and the depression at its center. On the wall beside the case, she saw a photo of Hondo with some other man she didn't recognize, as well as a silver ring with a large round emerald in the center, and the words "World Series" engraved around the edge.
"When was the last time you saw it?" she asked.
"Father brought it to the store to display for some event a few days ago," answered Rarity, still looking distraught. "I saw him carry it out of the house. He's always extremely careful with it."
"So it was here before your dad got arrested?" Sunset took a moment to mull it over. "Do you think one of the officers stole it?" It wasn't like she hadn't spotted her share of crooked cops in the time she'd been in this world, and they'd had their run of the store during the investigation.
"Perhaps," Rarity admitted. "Or perhaps it was the intruder!" Her blue eyes went wide, visibly sparkling with excitement. "Perhaps they took it when they broke into the store. And if they did, we might be able to find them, and find the ring!"
Rarity seemed alive with energy, pacing back and forth as the idea took hold. "The trail hasn't gone cold after all. If we find the thief with the ring, then they can prove that Father had nothing to do with this." She stopped pacing, looking down at her disheveled clothes. "I can't go out searching looking like this. I'll be right back."
Running off to the restroom, Rarity emerged a minute later in yet another noir-style outfit, this one involving a dark purple skirt and matching jacket, a pink boa, and a black hat that looked sort of like a flower on top, and had a short black veil attached.
Sunset blinked owlishly at the anachronistic getup. "Were you carrying that around in your bag?"
"A lady is always prepared," said Rarity, tossing her curls. "Now, according to Shadow Spade, thieves usually dispose of their ill-gotten loot through a fence."
"That's presuming that they've sold it already," Sunset pointed out, "or that the thief hasn't decided to keep it as a souvenir. They could be a big sports fan." She'd like nothing more than the police to stop suspecting Hondo too. But at the same time, it was a very real possibility they needed to acknowledge.
Rarity's face fell, her excitement tempered, just a little. "True, darling, but we won't know unless we check." Her heels clicked on the tiled floor as she began pacing anew. "Now, where to find a fence?"
Sunset glanced aside, self-consciously shuffling a boot against the tile. "I... might know a few."
Zappityhoof hated this job.
Not for the first time, she cursed her luck and asked herself, and the universe, why Decepticolt couldn't have been the one to do this. He was the actor among them, not her. He'd be able to become one of these stiff-faced guards with the same ease that she formed clouds. But of course, she knew the answer.
"You're a close fit for Signal Fire," he'd argued when she'd voiced her complaints. "She's a new recruit, so nopony will notice any discrepancies between you, not if we do this right. Besides, Goldcap has to play a part, too. You don't hear her complaining, do you?"
"She complains all the time!" Zap had argued right back. "And she's not the one walking into guard central!" But in the end, Decepticolt had won. As much as she'd whined about it, they couldn't afford to miss this chance.
The unicorn scratched her neck, right underneath her choker, now invisible thanks to one of Goldcap's spells. Guards weren't supposed to wear such things on duty, and if she'd been seen with it, they'd surely have forced her to remove it.
Which would be a very, very bad thing for Zappityhoof. A mental image of a guard captain trying to forcefully remove her choker flashed before her. She touched her neck again, feeling the spot where her skin ended and the metal began, where the metal had fused, not just on a skin level, but down to the very muscle and organs.
Goldcap had examined them once, their little metal souvenirs. She said the metal had, for lack of a better word, grown roots, reddish-gold tendrils that clung to their flesh with an unyielding ferocity. Anypony attempting to remove her choker would sooner tear her throat out than get the thing to let go.
Personally, Zappityhoof rather wanted to avoid bleeding to death all over the floor.
Zap adjusted her stance. When she'd walked into this place, she'd practically been shaking in Signal Fire's armor. But now, hours later, she was just annoyed. Annoyed at being so completely, utterly bored. Standing guard here for hours was like torture. When was she going to get a chance to move again, or even somepony to talk to? Not that she really should talk to too many ponies. Decepticolt had warned her about that.
There had to be something she could do to pass the time. She'd briefly considered pranking some of the castle staff by frosting up the floors, but struck that idea down when another guard passed by. Too dangerous.
A comic book would have been nice, if she'd been allowed to read them. She would have even tried to sneak one in, but sadly, Zappityhoof had to lose her entire collection when she and her friends had gone on the run.
Perhaps it was the boredom. Or the frustration. Or just thinking about comic books. But suddenly, Zap was thinking about her brothers. She'd steal their comics all the time when she was young, slipping away with issues of Spider-Mule, Power Ponies, or Foal Titans. That had always helped when she was bored. They never even got mad at her, just laughed it off or ruffled her mane. But that had been before camp, before...
Before they abandoned me.
Zap shook her head, making the false Prench braid swing behind her. This was no time to be thinking about that. She'd left it all behind years ago. She was better off here than she was back home.
All of the sudden, Zap heard a voice from beyond the door at her back. Was that... Princess Celestia's voice? Zap had gotten a glimpse of the solar alicorn earlier as she was being shown through the halls. The princess had been deep in conversation with some stuffy-looking unicorn with a pocket watch.
Seeing a chance to relieve her boredom, and thinking that maybe, this could be important to her real task, Zappityhoof pressed her ear to the door, and listened.
"Is the ride over?"
"Yup. You can let go now, Rarity." Once again, the roar of a motorcycle engine cut off as Sunset Shimmer parked in an open lot. Her friend's pale, slender arms, wound very tightly around Sunset's midsection, came loose. She let out a sigh of relief. Rarity's grip had been almost strangling.
Dismounting from the cycle, the two girls stretched. "This doesn't look like a place to find a fence," said Rarity, spying the gas station across the way.
"It's not. The actual place is too narrow for my bike. This is just as close as I could park. Come on."
Together, they walked down the streets, passing building after building, store after store in a commercial section of town. As they went, Sunset felt a twinge of nervousness. Rarity still hadn't asked the most obvious question, that being how Sunset knew where to find a fence. After all, it wasn't like they were listed online. All the way on the drive over, Sunset had been dreading that inevitable awkwardness.
"Darling," Rarity began. "I was wondering, how—"
"Do I know someone that resells stolen property?" There it was. Well, nothing to do now but fess up. She swallowed. "I, uh, I'm kind of a professional pickpocket." Rarity didn't so much as blink at that revelation, which, for Sunset, was a surprise in and of itself. "You don't seem shocked."
The fashionista cleared her throat. "Well, darling, to be honest, I had my suspicions ever since you stole Mrs. Circinus's keys from her purse."
"Oh, right." She'd almost forgotten about that. She'd stolen them right in front of everyone, shown all her friends just how able she was at stealing other people's belongings without them even noticing. Of course, she hadn't thought about that at the time. She'd needed to slow Mrs. Circinus down, and swiping her car keys had been the easiest way to do so.
Were the rest of her friends wondering the same thing? They'd all forgive her for everything she'd done, but it was still... embarrassing to expose that part of her existence to them, even moreso than when they'd discovered the poor state of her first apartment.
"Not that I hold it against you, Sunset," said Rarity quickly. "You must have needed a way to get by when you got here."
"Thanks." Taking a few more steps, Sunset came to a halt. They'd arrived at their destination. "Through here."
She led them between two buildings. The structure they'd passed hadn't been accessible via the street, but here, tucked between the walls, was an old wooden door. Going inside, they went down a shabby corridor, yellowed wallpaper peeling away.
Rarity looked at it as if it were some sort of toxic waste. "Darling, not to doubt you, but are you sure this is the right place?"
All of the sudden, there was the sound of a woman's shriek, and then flesh slapping flesh, followed by a loud "OW! What? I was complimenting you!" A woman stomped past them from the other end of the hall, huffing as she went.
Sunset watched her, eyeing her with pity. "Yeah. This is definitely the right place."
The two continued their walk down the passage, when a large rat scurried over Rarity's foot, escaping into a hole in the wall. Rarity jumped back with a shriek of her own. "How can anyone work in a place like this?!" she complained. "This entire building needs to be condemned, on grounds of sanitation and crimes against aesthetics."
Sunset suppressed her laughter. "Trust me, I know how it looks, but this guy's one of the most well-connected fences in the city. If there's any place to start, it would be here."
Finally, the hall opened into what looked very much like a pawn shop. Various items were on display on rusty shelves or hooks, a disorganized mishmash of everything under the sun, DVD players, gaming systems, pieces of furniture, musical instruments, children's toys, clothes, sporting goods, it was all here. Musty air and the scent of oil from the tools permeated the space. In another corner of the room, a popcorn machine had been set up, white kernels spilling onto the floor to feed a burgeoning population of rats.
Rarity looked at it all with mounting horror. "Sunset, is this a store," she whispered, "or a dump?"
"Jury's out on that," Sunset whispered back.
Opposite the entrance, standing in front of a long counter, was a man. He was small and wiry in frame, with long stringy hair that fell around his shoulders. His scruffy cheeks, one bearing a bright red mark in the shape of a hand, were shiny with grease and sweat, and his entire face was covered in old acne scars.
Turning to look at his visitors, he fixed his gaze on the redhead. "Sunset, good to see you." He sauntered over, and Sunset wrinkled her nose at his smell. Looks like he skipped showering again. That was assuming, of course, that he bathed at all, something for which Sunset had serious doubts.
"Hi, Grease Ball."
He grinned at her. "You know, I got word that you've been showing up with a rather pretty lady when you do business these days." He gave her a hurt expression. "Now why haven't you two been coming around here?"
"That's my mom," replied the teen flatly.
"So? Haven't I always been a perfect gentleman around you?"
"I think gentlemen would know how to use deodorant," Rarity breathed, pinching her nose in disgust.
Grease Ball turned an annoyed gaze to Rarity. "And who's this?"
"I am Rarity," said the fashionista. She almost held out her hand, but then thought the better of it, and pulled it back. "I'm a friend of Sunset's, and I have some questions for you."
The man gave her a skeptical, suspicious look. "Such as?"
"We're looking for a World Series ring," said Rarity. "Have you seen one recently? Perhaps sold it?"
"Hmm..."
"Don't hold out on us, Grease Ball!" Sunset crossed her arms over her chest. "It's a World Series ring. Size ten. Silver. Has an emerald on it, round, brilliant cut. Winner's name around the edge. Ring any bells?"
"Now, now, Sunset," admonished Grease Ball, wagging a dirty finger. "You know I don't give out that kind of info. My transactions are purely confidential."
"We need to find the guy that took it. Come on, Grease Ball," Sunset argued. "Work with me. I've given you a lot of stuff over the years. Haven't I earned a few favors?"
Grease Ball turned up his nose in defiance. "Confidential is confidential."
"Oh, but surely you could make an exception," suggested Rarity. "We need your help desperately, you see. Sunset told me that you're one of the most connected fences in the whole city. Only someone of your... distinguished reputation can help us." Rarity's polite smile was stretched tightly across her face, as if it was taking every ounce of her willpower to not be visibly disgusted by the man. "Please, can't you offer your assistance?"
Her appeals were evidently working because Grease Ball looked quite pleased with himself. "Distinguished, hmm?" He grinned, rubbing his sweaty palms together. "Alright, I'll help you."
"Thank you, sir," said Rarity gratefully. "You have no idea how much—"
Grease Ball held up a hand. "But I won't do it for free."
Sunset frowned. Of course there's a catch. Why did I honestly think there wouldn't be a catch? "What do you want?"
The dirty man stuck his hand out. "Pay me whatever you've got."
Digging into her pockets, Sunset pulled out fifty dollars and thrust them into his open palm. Rarity gave her a guilty expression, an unspoken promise to pay her back.
"There," grated Sunset. "Now tell us what we want to know."
"Not so fast," said Grease Ball. Now he turned his attention to Rarity. "What are you going to give me?"
"But you've been paid!" protested the fashionista.
"Uh-uh," retorted Grease Ball, once again shaking a dirty finger. "Both of you want my help, so both of you have to pay me. So what are you going to offer? You got any money to add to the pile?"
Rarity looked at her purse. "I'm afraid not."
"Then I guess you'll have to give me something in trade."
"T-Trade?" Rarity gulped, not liking where this was going. "But what can I trade with you?"
"That's the question, isn't it?" Grease Ball hummed, looking her over. "That's a nice jacket you have," he said, grabbing hold of the edge. "Nice material, too. Where did you get it?"
"I made it myself," answered Rarity, recoiling a little at his close proximity.
"Really?" Grease Ball looked impressed. "How very interesting." He fingered the edge of the jacket again.
"But surely you don't want that?" asked Rarity nervously. "It ties my entire outfit together." She dug into her purse. "Could I interest you in this compact mirror instead?"
The fence shook his head. "Nah." He examined Rarity's jacket one more time. "How about this? Make me a jacket like that, and I'll consider it payment. Something very masculine." He smiled, showing off his crooked, yellowed teeth. "It might help me attract the ladies."
"I doubt—" Rarity began, only to catch herself. "I mean, yes, of course it will. I'll get right on that. And when you have it, then you'll help us?"
"Sure, sure," said Grease Ball, waving his hand. "Now scram and get me my fancy new jacket."
Grease Ball leapt behind them, shoving them down the hallway. Rarity shrieked, and Sunset shouted that they could leave on their own, but Grease Ball didn't listen, just continuing to shove until they were back in the alley. "Don't come back until you've got it!" he said, slamming the door behind them.
The contrast between the inside of Grease Ball's business and the street was extreme. The influx of bright afternoon sunlight was almost blinding in its intensity. Sunset rubbed her eyes to clear the spots away.
"What a revolting man!" exclaimed Rarity, shuddering as she pulled her jacket off to examine it for stains. "Has he never heard of bathing? It was all I could do not to pass out from the smell!" She scowled, finding several large discolorations. "Sunset, darling, how do you even manage to do business with him?"
"Keeping some distance helps, and staying down wind. But you sort of get used to it after a while," answered the redhead, her vision clearing. Despite the situation, she found just a little bit of amusement in her friend's reaction. "Just be glad you're too young for him to notice, or it would have been so much worse."
Rarity's face twisted up in horror, obviously drawing her own mental picture, and shuddered even harder.
The walk back to the parking lot was a quiet one, Rarity's jacket stuffed into Sunset's backpack so the fashion-conscious girl wouldn't have to wear the thing in public. Sunset turned to look at her friend. There was a despondent air about her, a heaviness to the way she walked.
"You okay?"
"No, darling," she sighed. "I can't say I am."
Of course she wasn't. She'd probably expected to get a lead right away, and instead, they hit a wall. A temporary wall, but still a wall. A delay in the investigation.
"Look, I'm sorry, Rarity," apologized the former unicorn. "I thought I'd be able to talk him into helping us without any strings." Evidently, not even her years of service had earned her any free favors.
"It's I who should be apologizing to you," replied Rarity. "I know you're trying to help. I didn't intend for you to have to pay so much."
"It's fine," assured Sunset, not wanting to tell Rarity that she'd blown through a good chunk of her savings. No point in adding to her guilt.
"The bigger problem, however, is getting him that jacket. Oh, what am I going to do? It took me three days to make that one!" she declared agitatedly, looking at the discarded clothing stuffed into Sunset's bag. "What if Detective Copper decides to arrest father again in that time? What if we can't find the thief? The more time that goes by, the colder the trail might get."
She hung her head. "Detective work is much harder than Shadow Spade makes it out to be."
By now, the pair had reached Sunset's bike. Sunset swung her legs around onto the seat, adjusting her helmet, her face scrunched up in thought. Rarity had a point. The more time that went by, the colder the trail could get. There had to be a way to make things go faster. "Do you think you could pass off something store bought as yours? Grease Ball might not know the difference, not if you remove the tags right."
"As tempting as that is, darling, I don't think I could bring myself to do it," replied Rarity. "Passing off someone else's work as my own is just too distasteful." She let out another sigh, even more drawn out than the last. "Perhaps the trail will be gone by the time I finish."
"Hey, don't give up, Rarity." Sunset placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Didn't you tell me that I'd be surprised at what you can do when you're properly inspired?"
"Well, yes, but—"
"Then be inspired now. You want to find the guy that framed your dad and end this mess, right? Let that be all the inspiration you need."
For a moment, Rarity was quiet, her face turned away. When she looked at Sunset again, there was a fire in her eyes. "You're right, darling. I can't let this little setback stop me. I will have that jacket completed, and in record time." Her jaw set. "I'll have to work a little magic."
Sunny's eyes snapped open.
That's how it was when the connection went taut, like a puppet being pulled upright by the puppeteer. No drowsiness, no half-closed eyes, no sluggishness of any kind, just instantaneous alertness of everything around her. Getting up from the bed, Sunny stretched, loosening every muscle as she walked around the apartment. Sunset wasn't back yet. Out with her friends, no doubt.
Sunny smiled at the thought. Friends. Sunset finally had friends. How long had she been hoping Sunset would find ponies her own age to talk to, to spend time with? She snorted. Well, technically, she hadn't found ponies, or even friends her own age, but that was beside the point.
Wanting to stretch her legs, Sunny grabbed her keys and exited the apartment, heading toward the front of the building to collect the mail. She waved at Cozy Hearth as she passed, the smell of freshly baked cookies wafting from her office.
There wasn't much in the mailbox, just the usual assortment of local advertisements. Not unexpected for a person that didn't exist. Tucking the small pile of mail under one arm, Sunny returned to the apartment, and decided to... what had Sunset called it? Ah, yes, "channel surf". Television was such a fascinating marvel of technology.
Sitting on the sofa, Sunny picked up a TV guide that she's bought the last time she'd gone grocery shopping with Sunset. The show on ancient Chinese history sounded intriguing. She'd developed a sense for the naming differences between this universe and her own, and Chineigh had always been a lovely country. The parallels could be quite interesting.
Picking up the remote, she dialed in the channel. But as she did, her finger slipped, hitting the wrong number. Fingers were so hard to control sometimes, and the phantom signals between her real body and this one only made it worse.
The image of a man in a pressed white suit came on screen, addressing some sort of audience. "Why are we here?" he said. "What is our purpose here?"
Her fingers immediately switched over to the correct channel, but even as she watched the program, Sunny found the question stuck in her mind. Not in a truly existential sense, but something more practical. Why was she, Sunny Skies, that was, still here, in this dimension?
From the moment she'd reestablished her connection to Sunny, she'd only done menial tasks. Sunset didn't need her to collect the mail. She didn't need her to clean up around the apartment. And yet, that's what Sunny had been doing lately.
The reason Sunny Skies even came to exist was to protect Sunset from Child Protective Services. But Circinus had been repelled, and after the incident with Pearl, it was unlikely that the woman had grounds for any further harassment.
Technically, Sunny could leave now. Celestia could dismantle the construct and leave Sunset to her own devices. After all, Sunset was old enough to live on her own, and had been doing so in this universe for years now. Celestia could still pass things on to help with rent on the apartment, but her actual presence here was no longer required. And if she wished to stay in touch, she could correspond with Sunset the same way she did with Twilight.
Sunny pressed her lips together at the idea. There was nothing wrong with correspondence. With her schedule, it was often the only way to keep in regular contact with ponies. And yet…
Perhaps… perhaps she didn’t need to leave yet. She could stay around to make sure everything was stable with Sunset’s new living situation. She’d already saved up money for future rent, but a little more monitoring couldn’t hurt.
And beyond that, this entire universe presented opportunities she could take advantage of. She'd barely been an adult when she and Starswirl had traveled across the vast infinity of the multiverse in that prototype mirror of his, the one that could go to any universe with the correct spell.
How many great discoveries had they carried back with them? Had the knowledge they'd gained from those other universes not benefited their Equestria? It was because of those trips that they'd been able to (discreetly, of course) introduce the coffee bean plant to the populace decades before the true, native species was discovered.
Could this universe, too, not provide potential insights as well? Human technology was certainly centuries ahead of her own universe. Sunny remembered the discussion she'd had with Sunset's friends regarding her Victrola. They were a popular and modern device back in Equestria, but here, according to the human Twilight, they were little more than antiques, long ago replaced by more and more sophisticated equipment. Long term observation and study of this universe could prove to be profoundly beneficial, just as it did before.
Sunny nodded to herself in silent approval as she watched the documentary on ancient China roll by. Those were certainly good reasons enough to continue the charade.
Yes... Just a little while longer.
"I think that will just about do it, Luna," said a weary Celestia. It had been a long day ruling Equestria for both of them.
The two sisters sat across from one another in a private room of the castle. Though their workloads were often divided between Day and Night Court, there were certain things the two princesses had to work on in tandem. This naturally included things such as treaties and trade negotiations, which required the signature of both elder alicorns in order to become law.
This particular treaty was with the buffalo tribes of the west, a national version of the agreement they'd reached with Appleloosa, to ensure there were no further issues with any other pony settlements.
Luna got up from her seat, stretching her back. "I am going to bed, Tia. I shall see you at sundown."
"Goodnight, Lulu," said Celestia, taking another sip of her tea. Tea always made her feel better.
The sun princess was about to take another sip, when all of a sudden there was a loud pop followed by an even louder thump. Something landed on the table. Several delicate Chineighse tea cups shattered on impact, pieces scattered all over the floor.
Celestia frowned at the destruction. That was one of my favorite tea sets.
Luna turned back around. "Sister, what was that?"
"It appears... I have a package." She eyed the cause of her tea set's demise. A large rectangular package wrapped in brown paper, tied together with a ribbon and a six-pointed starburst seal. A letter appeared tucked neatly under the seal, the word "URGENT" written across the folded edge.
Having walked back over to the table, Luna peered at the seal. "You have known Twilight Sparkle longer than I have, Tia. Is she in the habit of sending you such large items?"
"No," answered Celestia, curiosity growing. Pulling the letter free, Celestia began to read.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I'm sorry to drop such a large package on you (I hope it didn't break anything), and I'm equally sorry if this is disrupting your work schedule, but this matter is urgent and requires your attention.
A few days ago, while I was visiting Manehattan with the other Elements, we had a rather large scare. Applejack's aunt, Valencia Orange, never came home from a party, and we learned that she'd been hospitalized. Normally, this sort of thing wouldn't be something I'd be contacting you about, but it's the circumstances of her hospitalization that are of importance, and their part in a larger problem.
Her state of health is... well, it's horrific. She's in so much pain and her temperature is still dangerously high. I've been in correspondence with the doctor treating her at Manehattan General, Red Cross. He says that based on her medical files, between the last time she was spotted and the day she was found and hospitalized, less than twenty-four hours, she's lost several pounds of weight, much of it in muscle atrophy.
What's more concerning is that she's only the latest in a trend of ponies showing up around Manehattan with these symptoms, as well as a collection of others. Red Cross said he called in the ECDP, and they wrote a report for the Ministry of Health. They wanted to seek the advice of you and Luna, and that of the Canterlot Archive for clues as to what this is. But Red Cross says no reply ever came.
I have no idea why the report didn't reach you, but given the seriousness of the situation, I offered to contact you directly for Doctor Red Cross. I've included a copy of the patient data he gave me so you can examine the facts for themselves. I also included a copy for Princess Luna to look at. Do either of you recognize this?
Twilight Sparkle
Eyebrows raised, Celestia set down the letter and opened the package. It contained two thick folders filled with page after page of data.
"A mysterious plague?" questioned Luna, picking up one of the two folders. The vestiges of drowsiness had now left her body. "Tis not Twilight's usual fair of problems."
"No," agreed Celestia. "But these descriptions sound serious." Lighting her horn, Celestia opened the folder, and began to read.
Several minutes later, Celestia still sat in her chair, her alabaster face several shades paler. These poor ponies. Her eyes went to the picture paperclipped to the page, the wings devoid of feathers, the muscle shriveling up into nothing.
Patient six has shown signs of osteoporosis, read the file. Right hind leg bone was broken at 22:36. Patient was flailing wildly from pain. Medication supplies had run short, so the supply in the machine ran dry. Patient struck the rail at the bottom of the bed with his leg and the bone was later found to have been completely cleaved in two.
Celestia looked up from the page, shuddering at the image. Pegasi bones, even for a non-athletic pony, should not be that easy to break, especially at that stallion's age. She turned her attention to Luna. Her face, too, had gone pale.
"Moon, and stars..." she swore. The night princess glanced up to her sister. "Tia, tell me, did you ever encounter something such as this in my absence?"
Celestia shook her head. "No, and I can't recall anything from the old days that could come close to this."
Luna frowned, looking back at the patient file. "I must confess, Tia, I find this most disturbing."
"As do I, and I find it even more disturbing that this was never submitted to us in the first place. I'll have to talk to the Minister of Health about this." Castor Oil wouldn't have been foalish enough to not pass this to her, would he? He never seemed to be the most compassionate of ponies, but surely he wouldn't have let something this severe go by?
Luna gave a mighty yawn, drowsiness catching up with her yet again. "You should go to bed," said her sister. "You've been up far too long. I'll sign the forms allowing access to the Canterlot Archive and arrange a meeting with this Doctor Red Cross."
"Thank you, sister."
Getting up again, Luna opened the door, and a small, golden-clad pony fell flat against the carpet, armor clattering with the impact.
The red unicorn looked up at the glowering, sleep-deprived face of Princess Luna with a sheepish smile. "Uh... sorry?"
The night princess gazed down at the guard, her expression dead serious. "... Were you dropping with ease on our conversation?"
For a second, the guard looked confused, but clarity soon dawned, and she looked like a frightened rabbit. "What?! No! No, no, no, I didn't hear anything. No, ma'am, not a thing!" she pleaded, offering a nervous smile.
Luna's eyes narrowed. "Are you one of those... pappa... razi we have dealt so much with? T'would not be the first time they have tried impersonating the Royal Guard to get their stories." Her face lowered so it was within an inch of the guard's. "Tell us, guard, are you an imposter?"
"I... I-I..."
"Luna, don't be so suspicious," said Celestia, rising. "I do believe I know this pony." With a gentle flick of her horn, she got the mare back up on her hooves. "You're Signal Fire, if I'm not mistaken."
"You know my name?" squawked Signal Fire, before seeming to remember herself, and gave a salute. "I-I mean, Yes, ma'am, uh, Your H-Highness, ma'am!" The unicorn's eyes never left Luna's suspicious face.
Celestia smiled. "I thought so." She turned to Luna. "Luna, this is one of the graduates from the Mare Recruitment Program we organized for the guard. I met her when I visited the training camp." She looked back to Signal Fire. "And of course, I remember you, Signal Fire. Your sergeant spoke very highly of you."
"Her sergeant seems to have overlooked a few things in her training," said the night princess disapprovingly. Luna moved in close to Signal Fire until they were nose to nose. "Understand this, Signal Fire. Your task is to stand guard, not to listen in on private conversations or matters of state. If one word of what we discussed in there gets out, we shall know who to place the blame upon. Is that clear?"
A bead of sweat rolled down the unicorn's cheek. "Crystal, Your Highness."
With that, Luna left, returning to the comfort of her bedroom.
Signal Fire let out a long sigh, and Celestia almost let herself giggle. Luna had a way of intimidating the new recruits, especially when she was deprived of sleep.
Of course, there were other concerns to address first. "Signal Fire, you do realize that eavesdropping on private conversations is against your code, correct? And that anything that you heard must remain confidential?"
"Yes, ma'am," replied the unicorn, sounding genuinely apologetic.
Celestia smiled. "Good." The last thing they needed was word of this... plague, as Doctor Red Cross was calling it, getting out to the general public before they had an answer. Still, she couldn't stay angry at the young unicorn. Rookie guards had certainly done worse on their first days, and Celestia had taken a liking to her at the training camp.
"So, tell me, how's your father doing these days? Still living in Detrot?"
Rarity was working feverishly.
From the very minute they’d arrived at her house, Rarity had rushed upstairs, shifting from Shadow Spade to frantic artist. Sunset had watched with astonishment as her friend worked with an almost unnatural quickness, selecting her materials and carving them into the desired product like a sculptor with a block of stone.
"White? No, black! The stains will be harder to see on black!" she said in the middle of the scramble, needle and thread already at work.
Finding it both inappropriate and impossible to hold conversation with her friend, Sunset had turned to her phone to pass the time. At the moment, she was browsing the stores. Lunchtime talks with the other girls, more specifically, Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack, had gotten her more and more interested in video games as of late. But her laptop couldn't handle anything truly modern, and the consoles were so expensive.
She frowned at the prices. That one would cost her almost everything she had left in savings.
Suddenly, there came a knock at the door, and Sweetie Belle entered the room, carrying a small plate of cookies. "Mom was wondering if you wanted a snack," said the thirteen-year-old, watching her sister work at her dizzying pace. "Rarity, is everything okay? I've never seen you work so hard."
"Everything's fine, Sweetie," replied Rarity. "Tell Mother I said thank you."
"Me too," said Sunset, picking up one of the cookies and taking a bite. She savored the taste of the homemade chocolate chips.
After Sweetie left, Sunset turned to Rarity. "You should probably take a break, you know. You've been at it non-stop for nearly an hour."
Rarity wiped her brow. Her usually pale face was flushed from the effort. "I need to get this done as soon as possible. The longer I take, the more likely it is that the trail will disappear."
"That's true," agreed Sunset. "But a little snack break won't hurt you. You need the energy." She took another bite. "Besides, these are great."
Rarity took a look at the plate of warm confections, and relented. "I suppose a small break wouldn't hurt." Sitting down in a nearby chair, she took a cookie.
"How's it going, anyway?" asked Sunset.
Rarity sighed, tossing back her purple curls. "I'm just about half-way done." Ever a lady, she quietly nibbled on her cookie rather than devouring it outright.
"You know, there's something I've wanted to ask you. How'd you dad even get a World Series ring?" As far as she knew, Hondo had only ever played football, not baseball.
"There's actually a story there," Rarity said cheerily. "Father's quite proud of it himself, not because of the ring, but because of everything else. It all happened one night a few years ago when Mother and Father were dining out. It was going quite well, and then this famous baseball player showed up." Here, she paused. "I think his name was... Slugger. Fresh off of winning the World Series, or so Father said."
Sunset raised an eyebrow. "I thought your parents didn't prefer fancier restaurants."
"Oh, this wasn't anything like that," said Rarity. "It was a local place. Slugger had apparently been a regular there since college. In any event, he started eating, and everything went back to normal... and then Slugger started to choke on an oyster. Father was the first to help," Rarity beamed. "He knows a little first aid, so he managed to help Slugger cough up the oyster before he suffocated. Slugger was so grateful, he gave Father his ring as a thank you gift."
"Wow," said Sunset, thoroughly impressed. "Your dad's a hero."
"Yes," said Rarity, lips curling upwards. "I suppose he is." Nibbling on the cookie, Rarity gave Sunset a thoughtful expression. "If I may, there's something I've been wondering about as well."
"Yeah?"
"When we were talking to that... disgusting man, you described the cut of the stone on Father's ring. You said it was... brilliant, I think?"
"Yeah, it's a pretty common cut for diamonds and a lot of other stones, especially the colorless ones." Grabbing a loose piece of paper, she did a quick sketch. "See, when they're cut like this, it allows for maximum light to be reflected out the front of the stone. It gives a real brightness to them. Usually it's round, but if you mess with the outline, you can get oval, or," she drew a few more intricate shapes, one sort of like a pear, and the other similar to a boat, pointing to each in turn, "pendeloque or navette."
"I see," nodded Rarity appreciatively. "I had no idea of the intricacies of gemstone carving. Is that," she gave a delicate pause. "Is that something you picked up from your time as a thief?"
"Actually, no. I got that from my mom. Sort of."
Rarity looked at her in surprise. "Really?"
"Yeah. She owned a jewelry store in Canterlot. Did good business, too."
"A jewelry store? Oh, that sounds marvelous. So your mother taught you all these different shapes?"
"Not directly," Sunset admitted. "My parents generally didn't want me in their workplaces. Which I totally understand. I was kind of a destructive foal." She gave a sheepish laugh. "I broke a lot of toys with my magic surges. But I still picked up things here and there. That, and I read my mom's Encyclopedia of Jewelry front to back a few times... and accidentally set it on fire once."
Rarity laughed. "Yes, I can see why they'd want you away from their work. No offense, darling." Stretching, Rarity got up and went back to her own workspace. "Time to get back at it, I suppose."
As Rarity dove back into her work, Sunset took out her phone again. She should send Sunny a text. It was very possible that she was still comatose, but a message about her whereabouts wouldn't hurt. Thank goodness Twilight had gotten Sunny that phone.
Should she mention that they were tracking down the intruder? No, definitely not. It wasn't the sort of thing one explained in a quick text. And besides, Celestia had enough to deal with, and they'd be fine.
After all, they were just tracking him down. It wasn't like they were going to try to arrest the guy themselves.
Zappityhoof's heart hammered in her chest. "Yeah. He's, uh, he's good. He, uh, still sends me lots of letters."
This was a disaster. At first, she'd been terrified that Princess Luna would toss her out, or worse, detect the invisibility spell. And though she avoided those fates, she’d discovered, much to her horror, Celestia had actually met the real Signal Fire. Could this mission possibly get any worse?
"That's wonderful," said Celestia with a warm smile. It was a very maternal smile, Zap decided. Warm and welcoming. It reminded her of the way her own mother would smile at her.
At least before she didn't care about me anymore.
"Is there something still bothering you, my little pony?" asked Celestia, concern written all over her features. "You still seem upset by something."
Zap cursed inwardly. This is why they needed Decepticolt to do this, not her! "I, uh..." The best way out of this was to lie, but what kind of lie? Jumping between ideas, Zap seized on the only one that seemed plausible. "I, uh, well..." reaching into the suit of armor, she pulled out a small bag, opening it up to present to the princess, and revealing a pile of small chocolate candies.
Celestia's eyes widened. "Are those from Horseshey?"
"Y-Yeah," answered Zap. "I... uh, have a friend of a friend who gets them for me." One of the many perks of Goldcap impersonating Harmony Song was the ability to have stuff like this delivered straight from the famous factory. It was the sort of thing Zappityhoof had taken advantage of right away. This was only one of a dozen or so bags she'd had back at the Rockefeather place.
"I know the guards aren't supposed to have these," she said as apologetically as possible, praying desperately that she came off as sincere, "but I have a thing for chocolate, and it's my first day here, and it helps calm my nerves, you know?"
All of those were, in point of fact, completely accurate. She'd always had a massive sweet tooth, chocolate in particular, and a dose of it always seemed to help whenever she was nervous. It was the entire reason she'd smuggled the little bag in with her to begin with.
"If you're going to make up a lie," Decepticolt had told her, "Try to put a little truth into it. It makes it more believable that way."
Zappityhoof waited for the princess to chastise her, but instead, to her great shock, she found Celestia actually laughing. "Oh, is that it? Well, you don't need to worry." She leaned in conspiratorially. "I have something of a sweet tooth myself."
"Y-You do?" Zap asked in shock.
"Yes. Of course, these days, Kibitz keeps reminding me about my weight... and intercepting my sweets." The princess's expression soured, then she looked back to Zap. "May I have some?"
"Uh... sure," said Zap, levitating out a few pieces to the alicorn.
Celestia took them in her magic, and then popped them in her mouth. "Oh, that tastes heavenly," she sighed, looking as content as a cat with cream. "You know, some of the other guards are changing their shifts around the palace. What would you say if I asked you to stand guard outside my quarters?"
Zappityhoof practically jumped out of her armor. "You... I mean, uh, it would be an honor to serve, Your Highness!" She gave a salute.
This had to be a dream. Standing guard outside Celestia's personal quarters was the ideal place to look for opportunities. And it was all because the old mare had a sweet tooth. Zap beamed. Royal guards weren't supposed to smile like that, but she didn't care.
"Good," Celestia said with a nod. "Follow me."
As the two walked down the hall, Zap had to work especially hard not to skip. Dee and Goldcap were going to be so proud of her for this.
"Hey, you!"
Zappityhoof came to an abrupt stop as a large earth pony stallion in golden armor rushed up to her. She recognized him from the introduction all the new recruits had been given upon entering the palace. He was one of the commanding officers. What was his name? Buck... something?
"Is there a problem, Buckler?" asked Celestia politely.
The stallion saluted. "Hello, Your Highness! I was just stopping this pony here." He pointed to Zap. "You're supposed to be guarding the hallway back there," he told her firmly. "What are you doing away from your post, and following the princess?"
He looked her over with a critical eye, and spotted her little bag of chocolate. "What's this?" He snatched the bag away from her.
"Hey!" Zap protested.
"Trying to sneak things in, were you?" said Buckler, nostrils flaring. "You know guards aren't supposed to have things like this on duty! I should have you cleaning the entire barracks for your actions!"
The guard stallion placed the bag on the ground, and raised a hoof to crush it, when he was stopped by an aura of golden magic.
"Actually," interrupted Princess Celestia, "those are mine."
Buckler looked at the princess in surprise. "Yours?"
Zap mirrored his expression. Hers?
"Mine," repeated the alicorn. "I was simply having Signal Fire hold them for me. And I'll thank you not to destroy them." With a flick of her horn, she floated the bag of chocolates next to herself. "And as for why she's not at her post, it's because I've reassigned her to stand outside my quarters."
Buckler's eyes almost popped out of his head. "Y-Your quarters?! But Your Highness, you can't—"
"I can't do what?" asked Celestia, a bit of humor in her tone. "I can’t decide what guards to assign to what posts in my own palace? Oh dear, I think I've been under a false assumption for all these centuries."
Zap grinned. Oh. she liked her. It was a shame that they had to feed her to the boss. But then, if Princess Celestia wasn't on the menu, they certainly would be, so the shame was trounced by self-preservation.
"But Your Highness," protested the earth pony, "she..." he pointed to Zap, "she's just a rookie. A rookie shouldn't be stationed in front of your personal quarters. I know several of the guard posts are being reassigned, but please, allow me to put somepony else at that position." He thought for a moment. "I could have Javelin Throw reassigned in a few minutes."
Celestia's earlier mirth dimmed. "Captain Buckler, I know assigning posts is your job, and I don't mean to step on your hooves, but I've decided to let Signal Fire take up post by my quarters." She looked at Zappityhoof and smiled. "I'm sure the experience will be good for her, and I'm sure that if something were to happen, she would rise to the occasion, wouldn't you, Signal Fire?"
Zap jumped to attention. "Yes, ma'am!" she shouted, perhaps louder than she should have.
"But, Your Highness..." protested Buckler.
"I've made my decision, Captain. Leave it be and return to your work." Turning around, Celestia continued her walk down the hall. Zap followed after her, shooting Buckler a smug grin as she left.
When Zap finally caught up with the princess, the alicorn floated her bag of chocolates back over. "I believe these are yours."
Thanking the princess, Zappityhoof continued to follow her in silence. Feeling particularly energized, Zap almost started skipping yet again, but thought the better of it as she passed another guard. So instead, she settled on humming a foalhood song, almost bouncing to the beat as she walked beside Princess Celestia, occasionally sneaking a piece of chocolate in her mouth when nopony was around to watch.
Really, that Captain Buckler was such a stick in the mud. Who in their right mind would destroy a bag of chocolates?
As they rounded a corner, Celestia stopped, Zappityhoof almost colliding with her. The princess craned her long, swan-like neck to look back at the unicorn. "Signal Fire..."
A bead of cold sweat was forming on the back of her neck. She suddenly had a very bad feeling about what the princess was about to say. "Y-Yes, Your Highness?"
Magenta eyes stared at her in suspicion. "Didn't you tell me—"
In an instant, the bead of sweat turned into a shower. A memory forced its way to the surface of Zappityhoof's brain, a memory of Decepticolt's long lecture before she'd taken off on this mission.
"And if anypony asks you about... Zap, are you listening to me?"
"Yeah, yeah," said Zappityhoof with a pout. Decepticolt had been drilling her in Signal Fire's life for the past hour. "I'm listening."
"You'd better be, this is important. If you're going to impersonate Signal Fire, you need to be able to answer the right questions. You need to not slip up in front of somepony."
"I get it," Zappityhoof snapped. "I'm just bored. Can we take a break?" She levitated over a bag of chocolates and began to eat.
"That's another thing," said Decepticolt, grabbing the bag in his own magical aura. "Whatever you do, don't let anypony see you eating chocolate. Do you hear me? In fact, don't even eat chocolate while you're there, period."
"But why?" she'd whined in response. He'd knew quite well about her chocoholic nature. He knew how much she loved it. Why would he ask her to abstain from one of life's great pleasures?
"Because Signal Fire is deathly allergic to it," he replied firmly, pressing his ears against his head to fight off her whining. "We don't know how many ponies know that, or where they'll be, and if they see you eating chocolate, they'll realize something's wrong. So, for the love of all that's holy, please, don't sneak anything in."
But she had snuck some in. She'd completely forgotten about that one, all important detail, and now she was getting caught.
Zappityhoof cursed internally. She cursed and cursed and cursed again. That stupid Signal Fire must have told the princess about her allergy. Now what was she going to do? She couldn't try to contradict the princess's memory.
Zap would have to make a run for it. The entire mission was a disaster. Dee and Goldcap would yell at her for messing up. What was the easiest way to make her escape? A fog bank, for sure. Maybe some thunder clouds. Zap cursed again, wishing Goldcap had gotten to show her how to teleport. She needed to teleport! Why couldn't she have learned to teleport?!
"—that you were allergic to..." the princess continued, the words that would very likely seal Zappityhoof's fate.
And then, something strange happened. Celestia trailed off mid-sentence, her eyes closing. And then she started to mutter something. Something about... the emperor of Chineigh?
The princess's eyes opened, unfocused, and she shook her head. When she looked back at Zap, it was with an expression of confusion. "I'm sorry, I... seem to have lost my train of thought." she said apologetically. "What were we talking about?"
What the hay? Zap almost took a step back. What in Equestria had just happened? Princess Celestia had been inches from outing her as an imposter and then she suddenly stopped.
No matter, the universe had thrown her some good luck. If the princess couldn't remember, then maybe she had a chance. "I was, uh, telling you about... my cousin!" she spat out quickly. "Yeah. Like I told you before, my cousin is super allergic to chocolate. Yeah, that's right." She put on a nervous smile, praying to every deity in the book that this would work.
The princess's brows furrowed, but then, to Zap's immense relief, she smiled. "Ah, yes, I must have forgotten." She turned her attention back to the hall. "Come along, your new post is this way."
The two continued their trek through the castle in silence. Silent except for the sound of Zap's heart, once again beating rapidly in her chest.
Zap popped a few more pieces of chocolate in her mouth.
"The mean streets of Canterlot City lay before us. Sunset and I had followed the trail all the way here. It was a long road, but now we had the scent, the scent of the thief that framed my father, the scent of... car exhaust!"
Rarity coughed as a car drove down the street, dark clouds billowing from its tailpipe. Sunset rolled her eyes. Rarity had once again gone into her Shadow Spade narration. She was almost starting to get used to it by now.
"Get your car serviced!" Rarity yelled after the driver had passed, dusting herself off. Since her jacket had been so heavily soiled, she’d switched outfits yet again to one involving a long, reddish-brown trench coat, a wide-brimmed hat, and a pink sash. "Oh, this exhaust is going to ruin my ensemble."
It had taken long enough, but Rarity had managed to finish the jacket. No sooner had she put in the last stitch that the pair had raced back to Grease Ball. The grimy fence was more than happy to take his reward (especially after being slapped by two more women, if the red marks on his cheeks were any indication).
In return, he pointed them to his cousin Greased Palm, a fellow fence who operated out in Miner's Hill. Sunset had only met the man once in her life. Miner's Hill was a little too far afield from her residence for her to visit very often. Greased Palm himself worked in a pawn shop, and was far more hygienic than his cousin, his only problem being perpetually sweaty hands. He was also far more open to being helpful... in that getting him to talk had only cost twenty dollars.
He had indeed been offered a World Series ring lately, but had to check with the right buyers before he could take it. The man who had offered it, he told Sunset and Rarity, was called Star Glazer, and he lived in an apartment complex only a few blocks away. So here they were now, walking the streets of Miner's Hill, getting ever closer to their thief.
Once upon a time, Canterlot City had a sort of small mining boom. Would-be miners flocked to what had been the city's outskirts, setting up camps and stores. By the time the mining boom ended, the miners had ended up staying, and their encampment became Miner's Hill, though nowadays it was no longer the outskirts of the city, and lay sandwiched in between other, newer residences. Miner's Hill was home to a large portion of the city's blue-collar workforce.
It was distinctly different from Appleville. The latter was filled with parks, green spaces and quaint, brightly painted businesses, fitting for a small town turned suburb. Miner's Hill, by contrast, was cramped, building squeezed against building, and had a more... rough and dirty feel to it.
That was not to say Miner's Hill was especially crime-ridden or poor. But it was as if the miners of years past had carved out the buildings that lined the streets, worn away at the concrete with their pickaxes and shovels, for that's how the buildings often looked, roughly hewn, and as if the dust from the long-abandoned mines had been spread over the whole neighborhood.
Interestingly enough, the Canterlot in Equestria actually had their own version of Miner's Hill, and it actually was one of the poorer districts, a home for those that had worked the crystal mines, abandoned when the mining threatened to topple the entire city.
"So," said Sunset, bringing her friend out of her noir-inspired speech. "Just to be clear, what are we going to do when we get there?"
"We'll confirm he lives there, and then..." Rarity paused, tapping her chin in thought. "I suppose we should make sure he still has the ring on him, somehow."
Sunset nodded. "If we're going to call the police, it'll be better if he has the ring on him so he can be connected to the break-in."
Finally, the two found the address they were looking for, a four-story apartment complex, 2765 Canary Road. Rarity looked over at Sunset, and then adjusted their coat. It was time for action.
The manager's office wasn't hard to find, in plain view from the front entrance. Sunset let Rarity knock. It was her case, to borrow a phrase, so she might as well let her friend take the lead.
The door was answered by a small, nervous-looking man with a thick mustache. "H-Hello?" he greeted.
"Hello," said Rarity courteously. "My friend and I are looking for one of your tenants, a man by the name of Star Glazer. Could you tell us what apartment he's in?"
"Apartment 352," replied the man quickly.
"Thank you," said Rarity. She turned around. "Come, Sunset, the trail's almost at an end."
"But you won't find him there!" shouted the manager.
Rarity turned around again, her movements slow, her smile turned into a frown. "I beg your pardon? Why exactly won't we find him there? Has he gone out?"
"N-No," replied the manager. "You won't find him there because he's not there at all. Star Glazer doesn't live here anymore. I kicked him out days ago. He's gone."
Zap was bored... again.
She'd been standing in front of the door to Princess Celestia's private chambers for what seemed close to an hour, and she was no closer to finding any real openings or anything remotely interesting. She popped another piece of chocolate into her mouth, one of a now very dwindled number. She'd run out before the day was over.
Zap, have you found anything?
The alien thought in her head made Zap jump. A guard passed by, and Zap put on a quick, hopefully neutral expression. Goldcap, don't scare me like that! Zap thought back. You almost made me jump out of my coat!
Quit whining and start talking. What have you learned so far?
Zap grumbled. She liked Goldcap. The mare had been instrumental in teaching Zap how to better use her horn, in a sense, acting like a sort of sister that Zappityhoof never had. But she was also one of the gruffest ponies on the planet.
Nothing much, had a few close calls today, but I seem to be in Celestia's good books. She quickly recounted her earlier escapades, leaving out no details.
You were lucky, growled Goldcap. Don't you DARE mess up like that again!
Still, interjected Decepticolt, joining in on their conversation. This might be easier than we thought, if the old mare's going senile.
Where is she now? asked Goldcap.
In some meeting, replied Zap. Why? I can't exactly go up to her now and attack her.
I want you to check out her rooms, Goldcap thought back. Who knows? We could learn something useful.
Her private chambers might be the best place to stage an attack, agreed Decepticolt. Go for it, Zap.
Zap looked around. Nopony was in sight. That was good. Turning to the doors, she tried the handle. It wouldn't move. Goldcap, it's locked. Can you...?
Alright, thought Goldcap. Give me control.
The next moment, Zap relaxed, and Goldcap took control of Zap's body. With the telepathic connection they all shared, Goldcap had been able to work out a way for each to take control of the other, in case their skills were needed. It was similar to the spell that Twilight Sparkle had used to foil their plan to get wings. Never let it be said that Goldcap didn't learn from experience.
With control of Zap's horn, Goldcap cast an unlocking spell. The door yielded easily, popping open with a click. Once it did, Zap felt control shift back to her.
There. Now go and investigate.
With the door open, Zap quietly slipped inside. Princess Celestia's bird was nowhere to be seen, probably flying around the outside of the castle. That was good news for Zap. She didn't want to deal with that mischievous phoenix again, not after it sat on her helmet and started pecking at her head as a sign of greeting.
Princess Celestia's private chambers were well-furnished, as one would expect. A few very plush chairs, a sofa, a large fireplace for winter, shelves filled with books and albums, a writing desk, and several odds and ends. Not spotting anything of particular interest, Zap tried one of the doors. It led to a bathroom. Nothing of interest there. Another door led to the princess's bedchamber, with its enormous four-poster bed big enough to fit two alicorns.
Zap did a cursory search there, but still found nothing of particular interest. But the third door turned out to be something entirely different. It was a private study or workroom by the looks of it, with chemical tables and even more shelves filled with books and papers.
And there, against the far wall, was something Zap had never seen before. It was a stand, a little taller than the average pony. On top of the stand, held in a metal frame, was a large purple gem, cut into a diamond shape. The gem glowed with power, pulsing with a strong, golden light that filled the room.
"What is this thing?" she wondered aloud. Reaching out to her companions again, she made contact with Goldcap.
Hey, Goldcap, I got something weird here. Can you take a look at it?
Once again, Zap lost control of her body, her magic changing from its usual light blue to Goldcap's yellow. The magic swirled around the crystal, examining it, prodding it.
Finally, the spell stopped. It's some sort of magical storage device, thought Goldcap. And it's filled with alicorn magic.
Zap tilted her head. What the hay is it used for?
No idea, replied Goldcap. But based on the color and feel of the magic, I'd say it's Princess Celestia's.
This is what we've been looking for! declared Decepticolt excitedly.
Whatever it's used for, continued Goldcap, it looks like this thing is designed to be recharged regularly, and part of the spell surrounding it allows for that recharge to be at a distance. Meaning—
Meaning it's got a direct line to her! finished Zap, something that filled her with a small sense of accomplishment. Between her and Decepticolt, it was always him who was able to complete one of Goldcap's theories, her own grasp of magic leaving her to simply follow along to the end.
Yes, confirmed Goldcap. And if that's true, this is our golden opportunity. Zap, here's what I want you to do.
Zap listened to Goldcap’s mental instructions, then terminated the connection. Grabbing a chair in her magic, she brought it over, climbing onto the cushioned seat so she was level with the stand. She leaned forward, her neck almost touching the crystal. Closing her eyes, she whispered to her master. Goldcap's invisibility spell fell away, rippling out of existence, and the choker appeared, aglow with a bright red light.
The metal glowed brighter and brighter, and Zap felt herself begin to sweat inside the armor. The heat would have been searing, had the metal not already been so deeply attached to her body. Finally, a part of it became like liquid. It flowed outwards from the choker's surface, a living stream of molten metal, reaching out across the gap between Zappityhoof and the glowing crystal.
The gem sizzled with heat at the contact. The stream pulled away, returning to the choker and reforming into solid mass. A single reddish-gold droplet remained on the gem's glassy surface. The droplet continued to sizzle and smoke, and then sunk inside the gem, disappearing from sight, like it had never been there at all.
Zappityhoof smiled. They had their way in.