//------------------------------//
// Chapter Twelve: Tangle 
// Story: The Amulet of Shades 
// by Sparkle Cola 
//------------------------------//

Ponyville, 4:44 PM

“Twilight snores.”

The earth pony guard stationed  to the right of the throne room doors nodded his head in recognition of the password before switching his polearm to the other hoof and pushing the throne room doors open. Spike still wasn’t sure about Captain Berrytwist’s system, especially since the password changed at unpredictable intervals, but the Security Commander did have a point: not every guard was a unicorn that could detect magical disguises or changeling spies.

Allowing Starlight to go first, Spike brought up the rear before turning and closing the massive doors behind him, a resounding boom rattling the scales on his back. Starlight gave her mane a toss, then eyed him expectantly.  

“So, Twilight is halfway across the continent and you wanted to meet with me in the throne room alone?” She smiled and licked her lips . “I never knew you felt that way… such an assertive dragon!”

Spike rolled his eyes and huffed, knowing he was likely diving right into Starlight’s bait. “Yeah, right.” He pointed past her at two large tables on the far side of the room. “We’re here for that.”

Spike made his way over to Twilight’s ‘organized chaos’ and brushed his hand along the way across the surface of The Map.  The difference between its pristine, crystalline surface and the piles of books, instruments, lab samples, and protective eyewear on the tables past it struck an odd dichotomy. 

Starlight’s voice piped up from behind him.“What, the latest research-binge du jour?” Starlight clicked her tongue. “This is just what happens when Twi doesn’t fill her schedule up enough.” 

Spike turned around, snapping one of the protective goggles onto his scaly head. “Not this time. This might not simply be another one of Twilight’s flights of fancy. A lot about her theory makes sense this time.”

Starlight blinked before she swung her head to the side in a smirk. “Aw, c’mon, Spike. We were just in here yesterday chatting and I scanned the title of one of her notes. Amulet Experiment Number Six?”

Spike shrugged. 

Shaking her head, Starlight finally joined him. “Last time Twilight tore her throne room up like this was when she swore she had finally figured out how to crystalize magic into a solid form. We all know how that turned out.” 

“That was one time!” Spike waved a claw dismissively. “Besides, we already re-built that wing of the castle. And it’s not like you’re one to talk, what with your creating temporal collateral damage.”

“Ouch, Spike! Now that was low.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

“Hm.” Starlight’s glare softened after a few moments before she pursed her lips. Turning, she strolled over to Twilight’s throne before hopping up, plopping herself down and wiggling her flank to get more comfortable. “Okay, Mr. The Dragon. Enlighten me.” She folded her forelegs. “Tell me why Sci-Twi thinks amulets are possible.” 

Rolling his eyes again, Spike turned to the table and lifted Twilight’s master notebook, waggling it in the air. After a blank few seconds of Starlight giving him a quizzical look, she rolled her eyes before levitating the book over. 

Passing the book to her forehooves, Starlight leaned back, kicking her back hooves onto the table with a clop. “The Alicorn Amulet and the Staff of Sacanas?”

“Yeah. What do those two items have in common?”

Starlight sat up again. “Ooo! A didactic discussion—only this time the principal of the School of Friendship is on the receiving end!” 

Spike only returned that with a flat stare. “Okay, okay, I’ll behave. Um, well…” Starlight read for another minute. “Both seemed to be channeling power through a crystal, or at least incorporating a crystal was central to their design. But that’s no different than—”

“You’re about to compare those two items with the Crystal Empire’s world-famous artifact, right?” Spike had now taken a seat opposite her at the stone plinth, making himself comfortable in Rarity’s throne before giving Starlight a toothy grin.

“Of course!” Starlight agreed. “The Crystal Heart was the reason Twilight tried to crystalize magic in the first place. She was trying to recreate the right conditions to do such a thing—I mean, you do realize the architect of this castle was a tree? This whole castle’s an artifact!” 

“But there’s something else that links those two magical items.” Spike pointed out. “And to Twilight, it seemed a little suspicious.”

“Oh? What’s the conspiracy? What is this mysterious link?”

Spike tossed something else across the plinth. The old newspaper flew neatly through the air before plopping down in front of Starlight. Her brows furrowed at the headline circled in red.


Staff of Sacanas Declared Too Dangerous for Scientific Study!


Canterlot University Professors Denounce Celestia’s Decision as Heavy-hoofed and Too Restrictive for Academic Liberty!


“Huh.” Starlight leaned forward as her horn lit up, a strange glow forming in her irises before she began speed-reading the article faster than most ponies could ever manage. “Yes. I remember now. That was a few years ago, but I was also curious about this mysterious staff the Storm King had been wielding.”

“And you remember the Alicorn Amulet?” Spike waited for Starlight’s eyes to flick up at him from the page before continuing. “It hasn’t been studied either. A couple of weeks ago, Twilight asked Celestia about both of these items. She never could get a straight answer. Twilight thinks they’ve both been destroyed.” Starlight narrowed her gaze for a moment before looking back down at the article with a glare. 

“And while it is possible that the components of those items could have formed from similar natural processes like what formed the incredible Crystal Heart... and this magical map…” Spike drummed his claws across the table’s surface, even though he knew most ponies didn’t like the sharp clicking sounds his claw tips made when he did that. “Twilight doubts it.”

Spike watched as Starlight’s eyes flicked back and forth before her expression brightened up. Her horn flashed, reappearing with a pop over by the laboratory equipment. She plucked a thin sheet off the largest instrument that Twilight had been using that night, something that for all the world looked like a weapon the Maneiac would wield. Twi called the device her Arcane Resonance Coil. 

“Alright, Spike You’ve convinced me. Catch me up on how far Twilight has gotten.”

Spike’s grin turned smug. “What about all that school accreditation paperwork you were whining about? You know, the documents you said were so urgent?”

Starlight’s smile matched his, turning impish. “What accreditation paperwork? If you aren’t going to sweep a mare off her feet, Spike, she has to entertain herself! C’mon!”

Spike replied with a groan. 


*        *        *



Canterlot General Hospital, 6:29 PM 


Special Ward for Neurological Trauma and Magical Maladies


The charge nurse stood straight and tall, despite the tension headache that had been building from the day’s events. The workload had already been frenetic, and that was before Moonlight Sigil had been delivered by airship to their renowned facilities. 

“With all due respect, your highness, our doctors have done everything that could be done.  Then Princess Celestia herself spent over an hour, attempting all of the healing magics known to ponykind. Nopony has been able to alter this magical effect or curse or whatever it is that is afflicting poor Ms. Sigil.”

Luna only stared, her turquoise irises bearing down on the charge nurse, the silence growing heavier by the minute. Her ears twitched as she picked up a spike in the charge nurse’s heart rate and perspiration.  

“And you consider my sister’s skills inclusive enough to term them everything?” Her voice remained even. By the Moon, Ms. Care, if you don’t back down, you will be finding yourself chased by the Tantabus in your dreams tonight. 

Hairline cracks formed on the charge nurse’s strong facade. A lock of silvering mane fell across her face before she brushed it back with a hoof. Luna’s eyes travelled over the nurse’s body until they rested on her name tag—Gentle Care: Day Shift Charge Nurse. As Ms. Care started to squirm, Luna wondered if she was pushing her too hard. Her earlier argument with Celestia most certainly was not helping the situation. 

“I— …” Ms. Care gave an audible gulp. “My most humble apologies, your grace. I didn’t mean to belittle your station! Or your considerable abilities. I was only remarking that—”  

“You were remarking that Celestia’s ability to heal the flesh is unparalleled. In that we are in accord. And you are correct in saying that my abilities are indeed considerable.” Luna leaned forward, her eyes narrowing even further. “But let me make you aware that the Princess of the Night is unparalleled when it comes to the theater of the psyche. My specialty is in the restoration of the mind.” 

Luna watched as the mare processed that, before slowly reverting to her previous bearing. It wouldn’t be proper to blow this out of proportion. The charge nurse’s face was now quite pale.

“I.. I wasn’t aware, your majesty, I…” Gentle Care swallowed again, before sketching a quick bow before her princess, her nose almost grazing the polished floor. “Oh, by the sun… forgive me, your Grace. I hope I may have your pardon?” 

Luna gazed down at the mare, her nose still almost grazing the floor. 

Then her face broke into a smirk tinged with an icy cold edge. “I might forgive you by the moon… but never by the sun.” With that, the mare suddenly looked up, her face alarmed by making possibly another faux pas. 

Without replying further, Luna pushed her way past and into the dimly lit corridor. Reaching out with her magical senses, she took note of an invisible magical barrier that seemed to encapsulate the entire hospital room ahead. As she drew nearer, she picked out a redundant barrier just inside of the first.  Apparently, the doctors supervising Moonlight’s treatment weren’t willing to take any chances.

Once she rounded the corner, Luna gazed at the disheveled pony, once a prim and proper librarian. Hardened cords fastened to wraps restrained her at her wrists and ankles, with secondary straps wrapped around her legs further up, nearer her barrel. While Ms. Sigil seemed under heavy sedation, there was ample evidence of a physical struggle earlier due to patches of her coat rubbed off near the cuffs and some abrasions as well. The patient was also outfitted with a horn buffer. That last one was either yet another failsafe, or a clue that Ms. Sigil wasn’t so incapable of engaging with others as the medical file had described.

Aside from the abrasions and bruises, the librarian seemed to be malnourished, if the visibility of her ribs were any indication. Luna shook her head. All the psychiatric section of the medical chart had to say on the matter was that the patient was agitated, belligerent, and non-verbal. That information was woefully inadequate.

After casting a few defensive wards around herself and tugging on the restraints to check their strength, Luna sealed the door behind her with her telekinesis. Thaumaturgy of this sort is not to be interrupted when it is engaged. Gathering her power around her, Luna closed her eyes and prepared. She reached out with her magic and touched the mare’s mind.


*        *        *



East Precinct Police Headquarters, Manehattan, 8:34 PM


Cirrus smiled as the Daybreak angled itself to dock with the mooring tower. Princess Celestia’s ship was certainly living up to its billing as the fastest ship in Equestria. Yeah, he could’ve made the trip faster under his own power, but that would’ve left him fatigued and ill-prepared. This way, he had time to review the case file backwards and forwards. He had no comment on the fact that the trip might have also afforded him ample opportunities to appreciate the rather attractive stewardesses on board. 

Looking around at the various crew ponies bustling through the mooring procedures, Cirrus carefully packed all of his gear. After making sure everything was stored correctly, he checked the experimental weapon he was assigned to test out for the CCO. Many agents had practiced firing the thing in the lab, which caused enough noise for it to be lovingly dubbed “the boom-stick,” but so far, nopony had found cause to use it while deployed. There was a running bet about which agent would be the first. Knowing its capabilities, and the insane velocities a projectile could be propelled out of its muzzle, Cirrus certainly hoped he would never need it. He would rather not see the results. 

 As the craft slowly swung around, Cirrus’ wings twitched. He was a pegasus: did he really need to stand by while mooring procedures completed? 

He stood and smiled. “Ms. Sea Mist?”

An aquamarine mare turned her head, her ears cocking forward as she straightened her jacket. “Yes, Agent Cirrus?”

“Give the captain and the crew my regards for a wonderful trip. I’ll wing myself down.”

“Oh uh… of course!”

Giving the mare a nod, Cirrus trotted to the closed hatch and pulled the release. The portal popped open with a clunk before the door swung out and down from the hinges. Cirrus defenestrated himself, stairs be damned, and allowed the cool night air to stream across his feathers. 



Below, three ponies stood at the top of the stairs leading to the main door of the police department. They all regarded him impassively as he slowed his descent, beating his wings before landing on his hooves. The middle pony was a beige earth pony mare of higher rank. She wore her blonde mane in a neat little bun, but the lengthy day had pulled some of it free, the loose strands blowing across her face by the breeze Cirrus had stirred up. She was flanked by two younger pegasi, both stallions, probably well into overtime if their scowls were anything to judge by.   

Once his hooves made contact with the concrete below, the mare spoke up. “Agent Cirrus of the CCO?”

Cirrus bobbed his head. “Operative 009, Celestial Covert Ops at your service. You are Captain Marigold, I presume?”

“Captain Zenobia Marigold.” The mare’s cold reply was matched by the steel in her gaze. “These are officers Wingline and Strafe. Come. Let’s hope your methods are a little less brutish than your earlier counterpart.” With that, she turned and pushed her way back inside of the building. 

Cirrus pursed his lips. Damage control and PR management for Princess Luna’s most distinguished representative was not in his job description, but if Celestia needed it done, he would see to it. 

It took his brain three seconds tops to realize that he was still standing outside of the building like a dupe, and he rushed to join the ponies now inside. Thankfully, the reddish pegasus had been hanging back, waiting for him by the front counter. Marigold and the lavender-hued pegasus were nowhere to be seen.  

Cirrus trotted inside, stretching out his wings one final time before folding them to his sides. He glanced at the stallion’s name tag as he approached.

“So, Officer Strafe. Shall we continue?”

“Just waiting on you,” he grinned. “Back this way.”

Cirrus fell into step behind the stallion, walking past several rooms until they arrived and an office labeled for Police Captain Z. Marigold. 

Marigold was waiting for them, already seated behind her desk. Wingline was also there, standing off to the side trying to look official with a stretched out neck and his wings squeezed tightly to his sides. An empty chair waited opposite the desk, so Cirrus trotted over to take a seat while murmuring his thanks. 

Captain Marigold pushed a file folder across the desk toward him before leaning back, steepling her hooves together. “This is the case file. There are three ponies of interest here.”

Cirrus opened the file in front of him, his eyes scanning over data sheets regarding the librarian victim and the two suspects. The first was a pale blue earth pony of smaller stature with a muted dark-blue green mane.. The information on her was pretty thorough, and there were additional notes added to the file taken from an interview the other day. The last picture in the file was an artist’s rendition of a yellow unicorn mare. “Tempest,” Cirrus muttered the name scrawled under the drawing’ While the information was sparse—and the name was a little unoriginal—it did note that the unicorn’s magic proficiency was likely at a level of either alpha or possibly even alpha plus. He smirked. She’d wipe the floor with Narcisse any day.

Cirrus looked up.“It seems I’m going to be hunting for a rather powerful yellow unicorn?”

“Ding ding ding, give this world-class detective a prize,” Marigold replied dryly. “As for these two—” she pointed to Wingline and Strafe with a hoof “—they will answer any of your questions about the victim, since they were the ones to apprehend and tranquilize her.”

Cirrus glanced at the two stallions, both of which had puffed their chests out. He hid a smirk. “Thank you, Marigold. Your input and the work of your entire team here has been most appreciated.”

Marigold’s stony facade finally cracked as a small smile crept onto her face. “Well. It’s nice to be appreciated. I’ll let my ponies here know that you said that.” The smile that had been growing on her face suddenly vanished again, and her voice adopted a frustrated guttural tone. “But if we ever need to deal with that Narcissist moon-boy again, it’ll be too soon.” 

Marigold stood and began to walk around her desk towards the door, but stopped by Cirrus’ chair. “Oh, and when you’re done here, there’s something you might want to check on. Our chief investigator, Rebus Hunter, is following a lead that has taken him to the Grand Lake Memorial Cemetery. You may wish to join him there before the night is through.” With that, Marigold continued forward, exiting the room.

Cirrus chewed on that as Strafe came further into the room to stand by Wingline. After a moment, Wingline leaned forward and nudged Cirrus’ shoulder. “Cemetery, eh? Tough luck there, soldier! You sure ol’ Rebus isn’t just leading you to a dead end?” 

Strafe popped Wingline in the back of the head with a wing before he could laugh at his own joke. “Don’t mind my brother. He’s just up past his bedtime.” Wingline’s head slowly turned to glare at him. “But at least he knows how to risk his neck by tackling yet-to-be tranquilized librarian zombies.”

Heh. If he didn’t tell me I would have suspected some familial relation between those two. Well, let’s see what they have to say about what went down at the library. 


*         *        *



Canterlot General Hospital, 8:36 PM 


Special Ward for Neurological Trauma and Magical Maladies


Pushing her magic through the ether and feeling it take hold, Luna expanded the matrix of her connection.  The Cognitive Expanse unfolded before her, the same as she had experienced in similar procedures she had done in the past. The familiar weightlessness and sensory deprivation took hold, but Luna’s magic kept her firmly grounded to her own identity and psyche. 

There was a reason why ponies did not engage in this kind of magic. It was this juncture, the act of actually entering the mind of another, that posed the largest threat to the magic wielder. Luna had unfortunately seen the results of other ponies trying it—sometimes never to wake up at all.  

The Cognitive Expanse was vastly larger than a creature’s conscious thought. It was an area that operated with far different rules than wakefulness and contained the well from which inspiration, dreams, and the subconscious could spring. It operated all functions of life, functions that most only consider as “involuntary.” It was an area of knowledge that Luna believed that she would never fully grasp.

As Luna began to look around she felt her perceptions roll backwards into herself. At first there was an open maze of chaos, but in seconds it closed, narrowing her perceptions until they became trapped into a single point. Puzzled, Luna pushed against the constriction. Everywhere she pushed, a barrier of nothing seemed to push back all the greater. She struggled for a time, not knowing if seconds were passing by or hours, trying to expand outward but failing as she struggled to find some kind of point of reference.  

After wrestling with the darkness for some unknowable time, Luna began to sense a creeping dread. Her hackles rose. She could almost sense something brush lightly across where her ears would be—and she wished she could twitch them, spin around her head, and look. In fascinated horror, Luna observed as the… something started to reach for her, sending a cascade of writhing tendrils forward and starting to tickle at the back of her mind. 

There was a presence. Something much more vast than what she could ever anticipate. Something that should be impossible.

Gritting her teeth, or she would have if she could actually feel anything, Luna focused all of her magic. All her safeguards triggered, flooding out her being. 

Get out.

NOW!

Wrenching herself away from the abyss and pulling herself back within the sanctity of her own mind, Luna brought forth in her mind’s eye a simulacrum of her moonblade. With it, she mentally slashed and hacked at the tendrils still trying to hold fast, still trying to slither their way into her innermost sanctum. She screamed as she fought, alicorn instincts accelerating so that the mental blade was nothing more than a scintillating whirlwind of death.  

She was out. 

Gasping for breath, Luna pulled herself up and struggled to regain her hooves. After a brief bit of nausea, Luna looked around, finding that she had been lying on her side in a puddle of sweat. 

A panicked rapping on the hospital room door intruded on the silence of the room, voices calling through the door. 

“Princess Luna! Princess Luna! Is everything alright in there?”
 
Standing and regaining her bearings, Luna scowled. She must’ve cried out or something, and she really didn’t want to appear weak in front of the hospital staff. “One moment!” Luna looked from the librarian, still sedate and peaceful, her heart monitor beeping at a steady rate. Her eyes travelled to the floor where there was still moisture from her perspiration. Clicking her tongue, her horn flashed, evaporating it. Glancing at herself in the mirror and straightening her crown, Luna finally turned the latch of the door with her magic. 

Nurse Gentle Care came streaming in with two other staff members, their heads darting this way and that as they assessed the situation. 

“Be at peace, my ponies!” Luna soothed. “Whatever is the matter?”

Nurse Care gestured for her assistants to attend the patient while she looked Luna over, her eyes roaming for anything that could be amiss. It was obvious she was trying to slow down her breathing as well. “It’s just that we heard a great cry, your majesty. Your shout rattled the doors!” 

“Ah.” Luna reached for an acceptable explanation. “So sorry to cause a scene. I was deep into my magical searching with Ms. Sigil here, and was frustrated I could go no further. At times I am unaware of the volume I might use when I am applying this particular use of magic.” That was an acceptable story, was it not? Nothing I said was patently false. 

“But maybe if you let me check you over? Just to make sure?”

“I am fine, Nurse Care.” Luna needed to go. She was still processing what had happened, and her feelings were still raw in the matter. “I must be off. Pressing business to see Celestia about.”

Nurse Care pulled a lock of mane back out of her face. “I—very good, your majesty.”    

Luna strode out of the room and down the hall. 

Her emotions were in turmoil. Her anger seethed. Her anxieties clawed. But most of all, helplessness gnawed at her, almost as if she were bound by steel cables in the base of a cistern, waiting for hungry vermin to be poured over her, ready to devour her flesh. 

No! Her thoughts wanted to fly apart, but she marshalled them back together. 

Pressing business. That much is true. 

Luna shook her head as she turned a corner, trying not to canter ahead and across the skybridge into Canterlot Castle proper. There was something… familiar about the entity, or at least about the power she had felt. The familiarity chilled her to her core.

The previous petty squabble with her sister was stuffed to the back of her mind. She didn’t care what function or ceremony was happening in tonight’s schedule, it could wait. What day was it again? She was so agitated she couldn’t even remember if tonight held a simple dinner or a grand gala. 

I could swear it was the Nightmare’s influence I was feeling. Or if not, then it was something equal in power, and just as insidious. It was the same, and yet different, somehow. If I cannot remove it, and Celestia is unable to fix it, then we must bring the Elements of Harmony together once more. 


Fillydelphia Industrial District - 9:20 PM


The arcane emitter deactivated as Flim leaned back, wiping his brow with a forehoof. “And that makes two-hundred and fifty-two. Ugh. Mass production is just so… tedious!”

“Clearly.” Flam muttered, holding the newly crafted amulet aloft and scanning over the surface with his eyes. “Especially when they aren’t being crafted by the masses.”

“Well, what are we waiting for, brother?”

Flam looked up from the gently glowing rune on the amulet as the light slowly dwindled. “Waiting? What are you talking about?”

“The masses! We need to get a team, a contingent! A stable of ponies that can get this work done! Recruit the masses for mass production!”

Flam stuck out a hoof as he lifted his brother’s chin up, cutting him off. “Yes, but right now all we have are a few, ehrm… assistants. And all they’ve been good for is outside security. Patience, brother. This is a delicate process, and it will require training.”

Flim nodded, tapping his hoof into the ground. “And secrecy! We can’t have other companies doing corporate espionage and stealing our ideas!”

“True, true.” Flam cooed. “So have patience. Our future wealth will make this drudgery more than worth it.” He paused, scrutinizing one corner of the etched magic rune across the surface of the crystal. “Ah, you didn’t complete this line to the appropriate depth. Just… here…” He indicated the spot with a point of his hoof.

“Again?” Flim sighed. “I must be getting weary.” He slipped the goggles back down over his eyes. “Alright. After this one it’s time to switch again. You can do the next batch.”

Flim lifted up the emitter and reactivated it, working in silence for another minute before grinning. “Do you think those two mares will be surprised we already acquired our own horn for the emitter?” His grin widened as he heard Flam chuckling. “They probably think we will have to come begging to them after failing to acquire one.”

Flam got up and started walking over to the doors to the warehouse. “Perhaps not. They seemed to understand how motivated we were.” Flam paused as he turned his ear to the side, picking up the sound of Flim’s growling stomach from here. “Hide the emitter for a minute. I’m going to take care of your stomach.” 

Waiting while his brother slipped the small device into a bag, he turned and inserted a key into the padlock connecting the chains. After some rattling as his magic pulled chains free, he pushed the door open an inch. A pair of blue-green eyes peered back at him. “Dorado? Why are you covering the door? Where are Headstrong and Deuce?”

Dorado’s raspy voice came back in reply, his accent thick. “They weren’t feeling too good after this afternoon. Both were talking about headaches and bright lights, y’know?”

“Not really…” Flam sniffed. “Well, now it’s dark out, so bright lights won’t matter. I have two assignments for you. First, I need you to go out and get us a couple of pizzas. The more mushrooms the better. And second, I need you to get Headstrong and Deuce back here. I need to speak with them, and I need to see if they are capable of learning a technical skill for a substantial raise. We’ll work out our payment as per the usual.”

“What about me, boss? Could I learn this technical skill thing and earn more money?” 

Flam held up a hoof, booping his nose. “First, the pizza. Then we’ll talk.” 

Dorado snorted, his moustache twitching. “You got it, boss.” The pony turned and cantered off towards the street while Flam pushed the door shut. He startled a little when he found that Flim was right next to him, scratching at his mane nervously.

“Do you think there’ll be a problem if those mares discover we’re making the other amulets?”

Flam rolled his eyes. “What, with the idea of correcting for bad eyesight? It’s completely harmless! Not needing glasses won’t harm anypony except for optometrists. Why would those mares get mad that we’ve cured Equestria of astigmatism? Why would they get mad for making a mint?!”

“Heh.” Flim grinned. “You’re right. Let’s get back to work on getting ourselves set for life, shall we?”


*        *        *



Grand Lake Memorial Cemetery, Manehattan - 10:31 PM


It only took a quick review of a city map, and Cirrus was on his way. It had been easy to tell he had the right cemetery, once he spotted all of the lights and activity over by one of the grave sites. One unicorn was standing apart from several other ponies as the crew pushed and lifted piles of dirt back into the excavation. Cirrus adjusted himself, veering towards the lone unicorn, and dropped down for landing.

“You the Celestial Agent?”

Cirrus shook out his wings before folding them. “Agent Cirrus, Celestial Covert Ops.” Cirrus bobbed his head. “How can I be of service?

“Impressive wingspan. You fly high altitude surveillance missions?”

Cirrus blinked before grinning and glancing away. “That obvious, huh?”

“Eh.” Rebus waved a hoof before cracking his neck. “Sadly Mr. Cirrus, the illustrious Agent Narcisse has already moved on to greener pastures. And we still had an investigation underway.”

“Indeed.” Cirrus studied the chief investigator. He didn’t look too broken up about it. 

“But then we got a lead that gave us some new information. Suspect may have been looking for a unicorn horn. Too bad about Narcisse not getting that little detail. Sucks for him.”

“Ditto.” Cirrus chuckled. “Sucks for him. But, uh… a whole horn? And from a cemetery?” Cirrus paused for a response, but Rebus only stared back at him, slowly lifting an eyebrow. Some of the diggers were watching their conversation surreptitiously, but nopony else offered any clarification. “Isn’t that kind of…?”

“...Yes. It is.” Rebus’ horn flashed, vaporizing a mosquito that was trying to take a snack on his flank. “And if you’re done with your editorial, I wanted to cover the facts of the case. There are no eyewitnesses to what occurred here yesterday night, only conflicting reports over whether the dirt of one of the recent graves had been disturbed or not. Our personnel were ready to dismiss the reports as either some paranoia or an overly obsessive mortician, but I came out here acting on a hunch. You might be interested in what I found.”

Cirrus fought a shiver, lowering his voice to just above a whisper. “...and the evidence?” 

Another officer trotted up, a hulking earth pony, and they had a hushed conversation before the officer passed a hot cup of something over to Rebus’ waiting hoof. The chief investigator smiled his gratitude. “Thanks, Lieutenant Forge.” He looked back over to Cirrus. “You want some coffee?”

“Ah, not really, thanks,” Cirrus said. “I get too jittery with the stuff.”

Rebus shrugged. “Suit yourself. If the mare in question is actually the same that pulled off the event at the Library, then she was desperate enough to unearth a recently entombed corpse to saw off a horn.” 

He slowly sipped his coffee as if what he just said was the most reasonable statement anypony had ever uttered. “But at least she had enough sense to carefully lay the body back to rest again. The soil was disturbed just enough for the caretaker to take notice. It was his special talent after all.” Rebus sipped his coffee again.  

Cirrus thought about asking what kind of special talent that was, but then shook his head deciding he would rather not know. “Well, let’s find her then. That’s what I’m good at. Have you sent a team back to Meadow’s residence?”

“They’ve already been dispatched. Hopefully we can warm up the lead a little more.” Rebus sighed, then gestured with his cup. “We probably won’t be turning in for a while. Sure you don’t want any coffee?”

“...Sure.”


  


Manehattan Train Station, 1:32 AM


Narcisse’s horn gave off a gentle glow as he continued to rummage through the filing cabinet. No trains departed Manehattan from midnight to five in the morning, so it had been an easy matter to subdue the nightwatch pony that had been patrolling around the office. He would awaken later, but his eventual headache would probably be the least of his problems compared to the hot water he’d be in for not maintaining proper security. 

Narcisse shrugged as he opened the next drawer. That wasn’t his problem.

The yellow mare behind the library attack matched up with the description he had obtained from the border agent, Downdraft. Using a truth potion on him had been the right call; he’d linked the mare to the scene. His sudden development of heliophobia was weird, though not something that Narcisse had time to worry about. 

Police ponies could be rather obtuse, so he had enjoyed demonstrating their incompetence as he sifted through their various reports from the scene. They had underestimated Downdraft as a potential witness, and of course were limited from using more effective means of collecting information. He, however, was not constrained by such moral dilemmas. It was why Princess Luna had called on him.  

Narcisse nudged the drawer shut with a knee before opening the one beneath. After looking around to confirm the office was still deserted, and visually confirming the night pony was still  unresponsive, he returned to the task at hoof. 

It had also been a bit of luck earlier when he came across a store manager that received a visit from a mare visiting his shop and asking about unicorn horns. While it may have been a misunderstanding that the mare was actually asking for a whole horn, everything else about the mare seemed to match up, so he checked out every beauty salon in the area. She probably needed to brew some nefarious potion, or maybe a large amount, so she probably needed a sizable amount of that potion ingredient. He struck paydirt when he visited a beauty salon managed by one Depeche Vogue, a stallion that had impeccable taste. Thankfully, Depeche could still describe the changes he made to the mare’s mane. 

By strange coincidence, or perhaps not so strange, Meadow Lark was a relative of Depeche in that their sires were siblings. Ah, there she is! Narcisse grinned widely as he read over the receipt.

Class:			Ticket type:			Adult:			Child:
Standard       			 Econo                				ONE            			NIL

   		 Start Date:			Number:				Passenger:
15~Nov~1514                		881841        					MEADOW LARK

From: 			               		 Valid Until:            				    Price:
MANEHATTAN             			  		 15~Nov~1514               					 $38.00
To:                 	 			  Route                			    Validity
FILLYDELPHIA           						 Yellow               					 On Date Shown    


Now he just needed to check the time and the passenger manifest for Ms. Meadow Lark and a ‘Ms. Calypso Moonchild’. He dismissed that moniker out of hoof since in the file Meadow had named her friend as “Tempest.” Unless Calypso was her real name. Unless both were fabrications. It was curious that the two seemed to be working together when the police report claimed Meadow had nothing to do with either attack. 

No matter. The two would likely rest once they got into a new town, and that would be the time they would make a mistake. Narcisse glanced over the schedule for train departures. 6:00 AM was the earliest time listed—much too late for him. Good thing he had his own mode of transportation. 

Returning everything to its place, Narcisse slipped back out of the building and headed back to his airship. 


*        *        *



2:33 AM Fillydelphia Mareiott - VIP Suite


“It was still reckless, your highness.”

Twilight resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she swallowed another bite of her Prench pastry. The Mareiott really did have an excellent kitchen. 

Even at 2:33 AM in the morning.

Even when her Chief of Security thought it was necessary to wake her out of her desperately needed slumber to inform her of ‘problems’ at the Convention Center.

Even when said Chief was likely only using that as a ruse to tear her a new one for piggy-back riding across Equestria, jumping from airship to airship… Truly, it was an idea that Twilight considered uniquely genius. Granted, the jumper would need a singular skill for long-distance teleportations, and have a talent for logistics and calculating vectors, but what with fuel prices and the costs of travel? ...Okay, maybe it is a ridiculous notion. Who else would be crazy enough to attempt it? Sure, she made time faster than a team of Wonderbolts, but the impracticality of the adventure rendered the idea as nothing more than an experiment.

She had arrived rather late in the evening, well aware of the reservations that had been scheduled for her stay. Her security team hadn’t contacted her all this time; they weren’t even in their suites. . Maybe  they were just being a little extra-OCD about their screening of the facility. Maybe in some ways she was rubbing off on them? No matter: let them have their fun. She could still remember rolling her eyes.

Not knowing why her security team was absent, the hotel staff had assured Twilight that all was well, and that no disturbances had been reported. It was only about two hours later that she had been jolted out of her slumber by her security head. At least Fizzlepop knew that Twilightwould have a better tolerance for being woken up if the first things she saw were pastries and the best coffee in town from Cuppa Joe’s. 

“I appreciate your concern, Captain Berrytwist, but really, there was never any risk!” 

“No risk, she says.” Fizzlepop’s tone was even, but it had a bit of an edge. She brought out a file folder, levitating it past the pastry cart before dropping it on the bed. “Okay then. You can tell me about your risk-free journey in a few minutes. But first I need to brief you on what occurred yesterday in the venue that will host your event. Crews are working overtime as we speak to repair all of the damages.”

“Damages?” Twilight blinked before lifting the folder with her magic. Inside were two reports, one from her Security Captain, and the other from the Fillydelphia Law Enforcement. Her eyes widened at the reports: a double assault, a berserk Nirik, and a crazed changeling morphed into some kind of sewer monster. Her security team had sustained three casualties: two ponies and their newest griffon.

“Oh Celestia!” Twilight’s eyes teared up a little as she covered her mouth with a hoof. “And Bulwark? And is… Zora going to be okay?”

Fizzlepop’s lips pressed into a thin line before responding. “She would have likely lost the limb had we gotten her to the hospital much later. The doctors expect the limb to be salvageable and believe that with the right care, she should get most if not all of her strength and sensation back.”

“Oh. Thank Celestia. I’m so glad that—”

“The infection of her wound, however, is another matter. The situation for that is still touch and go, since the bite introduced enough bacteria in her system to give her septic shock.” 

Twilight groaned. “If only I were here! Then maybe I could’ve—”

Fizzlepop began to pace, her armored shoes pressing silently into the plush carpet as she ignored the tray of pastries. “With all due respect, your highness, that line of thinking isn’t going to help matters. You would have been with me in the main hall, but you would’ve had the same restrictions as we. We held back from using lethal force because we realized the two perpetrators were the custodians, and could possibly even be unaware of their actions… Unfortunately, the changeling and kirin are also not without injury.”  

“What a mess.” Twilight continued to read the medical reports until something caught her eye. “Wait, what happened to Zerrin?” Twilight blinked in confusion. “I understand the burns that Hilgren Bulwark received but the griffon? How did he get hurt?”
 
“Friendly fire. I knocked him out with a magical stun discharge and he took a concussion from the fall.”

“He… you… what?”

Fizzlepop rolled her eyes and stopped pacing to stare at the princess. “It’s near the bottom of the second report. He flew in without coordination or backup, got snared by a tentacle, and was nearly the main entree until we subdued the sewer monster. He’ll be fine.”

Twilight scanned down through the rest of the report, the details only agreeing with Fizzlepop’s summation. “Let’s go.” Twilight downed the rest of her coffee in one go.

“Your grace?”

“Ugh. Please stop killing me with the honorifics, Fizzlepop. We agreed that you would only use my title in the greeting phase of our meetings.” Twilight drew in a deep breath. “I want to visit Zora.”

“Firstly, this isn’t an informal setting. Ponies have been injured.” Twilight shrank a little at that. “And second, it’s still too early for visitors at the hospital, Princess. I have assigned shifts to my team members to make sure someone will be available for when Zora awakes.”

“Well, first thing in the morning, then.” Twilight asserted. And I want to visit the Kirin and the changeling as well. Before the event at noon if we can.”

Fizzlepop stared at her for a few seconds in thought before responding. “I’m sure something can be arranged. Just know that the police had to place them in specialized holding cells before medical aid could be given.”

A hiss from Fizzlepop’s transmitter broke into the conversation. “Commander, this is Wade.” 
Fizzlepop bent her neck to speak into her transmitter, hitting a button with a hoof. “Go ahead, Wade.”

“There’s been an incident down at the police station and they are requesting backup. Mazuma is notifying the team so we can assemble in the lobby in three minutes. Orders?”

Fizzlepop looked back over her shoulder at Twilight, the eye contact conveying a large number of unspoken messages. She didn’t break eye contact as she continued. “Carry on. Rouse all the team members not currently carrying out their assignments at the Convention Center. The Princess and I will be right down.” The transmitter clicked off, leaving a tense silence for a few seconds while Fizzlepop continued to watch Twilight. Finally the security chief appeared to relent a little. “We’ll stop by Zora once we have given some aid.” She pointed to the door. “Shall we?”


*        *        *



A Few Minutes Earlier - Fillydelphia Police Station


Officer Comet Gleam rubbed at her forehead before she turned another page in her novel. Her horn was throbbing with a dull ache as she maintained her containment spell around the changeling captive. The bars of the prison cell were narrow enough to keep any normal prisoner secure, but this little changeling was not at all normal. 

Comet shook her head for the eleventeenth time that evening. Seeing Zen’zie sedated like this, it was hard to believe that the little changeling could’ve caused so much trouble for the security team of the illustrious Twilight Sparkle. 

Supposedly, Zen’zie’s ability for morphing into things more than twenty times her mass was almost unheard of, except for what might be observed from a changeling hive queen. At least, that is what the profile on typical changelings stated. But what was more, she had a capacity to not only morph into something monstrous, but to also coordinate three tentacles and three legs, a rather alien concept that should tax any normal shapeshifter beyond their limit.

The sound of a door clanging shut brought Comet out of her musings. A nurse by the name of Sunspring Sentinel emerged from the kirin’s room, carrying a bundle of discarded paper used to wrap bandages. 

Watching him from the corner of her eye, Comet hid a small smile. Sunspring had been assigned to provide medical care for the prisoners, and there was still two hours to go before the ends of their shifts. It was just her luck she was stuck down here for half a shift with a stallion that was so easy on the eyes. 

Closing the novel she had been reading with a snap, Comet turned to the nurse. Did she have a thing for stallions in uniform? Only uniforms that had nothing to do with law enforcement. She had been down that path before, and—ugh. No more mixing business with pleasure. 

“How is our sleeping kirin, Mr. Sunspring?” Comet queried in a playful tone, even if her head was ringing a bit. “Body temperature back to normal?”

Inclining his head, Sunspring continued washing his hooves and wingtips in the nearby sink. “She’ll live.” Finishing at the sink, Sunspring frowned while he finished drying his hooves. “It's weird, though. I’ve never had a kirin patient before; they’re pretty rare… just always wondered at their physiology; how they could handle that magical switch from their normal state to something that can set everything on fire. It’s rather amazing.”

Comet set her book down. “Oh? So, what—unicorn physiology isn’t interesting? I mean, I doubt a kirin has the magical aptitude for something like this.” She gestured at the magical bubble surrounding the changeling’s cell, glowing the same color as the field immediately around her horn. She watched him as his cheeks colored just a little.

Score one for Comet!

“No! I mean, um. I find unicorn physiology interesting too…” The stallion fumbled for a second, his face glowing brighter until he began to chuckle nervously. Looking for something to do, Sunspring picked up his supply bag and returned some unused wrappings back inside.

Comet’s eyes traveled over his very defined wings, before wandering over other aspects of his person. Heh. Kirins aren’t the only things in here that can be flaming hot.

“So, you want to go out for some coffee when my shift is done, nurse Sentinel?” Comet grinned as she watched the pegasus’ wings twitch just a little. “We could continue our... physiology discussion then. Say, six o’clock?”

“I uh—sure!” The stallion stammered. “How about Chrissi’s Croissants?” 

Comet’s smile broadened. “It’s a date.”

A mare’s screech pierced the peaceful quiet of the room before a bluish-white flash erupted, cutting off their conversation. Both ponies turned their heads to the first holding cell. Flames licked up the Kirin’s body as Sunspring’s bandages dissolved into ash.

Sunspring galloped for the prison cell door, only to skid to a halt and run back to his medical bag, dumping the contents out. “Syringes!” 

Comet rolled her eyes before jumping to her hooves. “What! You didn’t administer enough sedative? Don’t you do like a bodyweight calculation for that or something?” She clicked her tongue a few times.

“I did! It—It should’ve been enough!”

Comet trotted over to the agitated nurse and patted his shoulder. “Relax, stud! There’s nothing flammable in there, and the nirik won’t burn herself. The situation is completely under control!”

“Control! Right.”

“Besides, a syringe on your hooves isn’t the best option here. Don’t want the doctor to catch fire, now do we? “

Sunspring shook his head. 

“Alright then. Let me contact my sergeant upstairs and we’ll get a tranquilizer gun down here, okay?” Comet pulled at the transceiver mounted on her collar, fumbling for the button on the side. 

“Right! Right…” The pegasus tried to slow his breathing, giving her a nervous smile. “We’ll just use a… Hey, shouldn’t your horn still be glowing?”

Comet’s eyes widened. A stench flooded the room, followed by a growl rumbling the air in her lungs and vibrating her hooves. She whipped her head around, batting her mane out of her face. Was the changeling still behind bars of… Oh no.

“Oh. My. Celestia. What?” Sunspring breathed as his ears flattened back.

The abomination let out an ear-shattering roar as it began to charge, spiked tentacles slashing forward to grab anything remotely edible. The thing lumbered forward on three knobbly legs. It didn’t have far to reach the two ponies; close quarters was not their friend at the moment.  The wall behind Comet was lined with bars enclosing cages, with several more like them along the wall to her left. Meanwhile, on the other side of the creature no more than twenty five meters away, the lone exit door back upstairs waited.  Shaking, Comet and Sunspring backed up, the longest breath they had held in their lives releasing itself in a unified scream. 

The next thing she knew, Comet’s back ignited into a sharp, blindingly hot pain. 
It was only then she remembered the Nirik behind the bars.

Comet dropped to the floor and rolled—anything to get away from the pain of a sort she had never conceived of. The former changeling yanked Comet into the air with one of its tentacles, her blood rushing to her head as she was forced into a front-row, upside-down seat of of her own doom, a massive toothy maw dripping with yellowish-brown saliva. 

Comet dimly realized that the tentacle must have pierced the flesh of her leg with something stabbing and sharp, but the sensation didn’t compare to the raging pain across the flesh of her back. She wasn’t sure she had been able to quench the flames; it sure felt like she was still on fire. 

The door on the far side of the room flew open. For a desperate split second, Comet made eye contact with the pony that emerged.

It was all the time she needed to convey her message, the wishes of a dying mare. She hoped that Officer Spark could understand and carry her message of love for her mother, forgiveness for her father, and best wishes for her friends.

She closed her eyes, hoping against hope that Sunspring might somehow pull through okay.