//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 // Story: Rekindled Embers // by applezombi //------------------------------// Chapter 15 Official Death Warrant for Knight Bubblegum Be it known to all Knights of the Five Holy Orders: Knight Bubblegum, formerly of the Adamant, is hereby attainted and stripped of all rank and privilege associated with Knighthood. She is accused of high crimes as follows: Illegal sexual congress with a non-pony creature. Assault of a fellow Knight. Violation of the Sacred Vows of Knighthood. These crimes were witnessed by Knights of good standing. For these and other crimes, we declare her forsworn, outcast, and a traitor.  She is condemned to death.  We hereby absolve all guilt of the actions of any pony or ponies who puts her to death.  Her name is accursed and her deeds are evil.  Any who gives her comfort or aid stands condemned of treason and heresy.   Signed, Knight Lieutenant Delver Deep Witnessed, Knight Lieutenant Turquoise Knight Private Emberglow Personal correspondence, from condemned prisoner Zuberi the Zebra (Black-and-White Beard) addressed to Peridot Shine, Knights Adamant (deceased).  Letter forwarded to Steadfast Word, Knights Mystic. She is out of your reach, and she is thriving.  You lose. Signed, Zuberi 1112 AF, New Canterlot City The air over New Canterlot City was unseasonably cold.  Chilly northeastern winds were blowing in over the city, bringing wispy clouds that dusted the air with snow flurries.  From the airship, Emberglow could see a team of weather pegasi flitting about the clouds, trying to break them up, or even just push back the larger ones. Emberglow wasn’t close enough to be sure, but she imagined she could see the frantic looks on their faces as they battled the snow clouds. It was, after all, early fall; still far too soon for snow in the city. They passed over the City Fairgrounds on their way down to the airship docks, and Emberglow saw the very beginnings of the giant effigy being built.  It was traditional on Nightmare Night for much of the city to gather and watch as a straw effigy of the great heretic, Sunset Shimmer, was burned.  Ponies said the bonfire brought the warmth of the Saints to the entire city for weeks to come.  Emberglow shivered.  She could sure use a bit of warmth right now. As the airship circled into the docks for a landing, Emberglow waited for the sense of relief at their homecoming.  Instead, there was only a hollowness, a grim foreboding for what was coming.  She was not looking forward to the hours, or perhaps even days, of interrogations and debriefings that were probably coming.  She spent the last few minutes of the airship’s landing in a funk, her mood perfectly mirroring the overcast skies.  When the ship was finally safely docked, she trotted down the gangplank with a sigh, alongside the other morose Knights. There was a contingent of four Knights waiting for Emberglow, Turquoise, and Delver as soon as they disembarked the airship.  While intimidating, it was somewhat gratifying that none of the four were wearing armor, dressed in the robes of their Orders instead.  There were two Knights Mystic, a single Knight Jubilant, and much to Emberglow’s pleasure, the familiar figure of Lady Mercy Song, wearing the white of the Radiant. “Sir Delver?” one of the Mystics, a green pegasus mare, spoke up with a smile.  “I am Hollybright.  If you and your ponies would follow me, please?”  She was very polite, but Emberglow was sure that it wasn’t really a request.  “I’m sure your journey has been long and trying, but Command wants the three of you debriefed as soon as possible.  We’re here to escort you to the Star Shine building.”  The mare grinned.  “Don’t worry.  We’ve prepared something for you all to eat once you get there.” “Thank you, Hollybright,” Delver said.  “It has been a long few days, so let’s get this over with as quickly as possible.”  Behind them, a second group of Knights Mystic arrived to escort the marines to their own debriefing.  From what she could overhear, it was less politely worded requests, and more orders for the marines.  Sergeant Arrow followed, her face a mask of grim resignation.  Emberglow said a silent prayer for the marines, begging the Saints to keep them safe. The Star Shine Memorial Building had never been such a source of intimidation for Emberglow. She’d often marvelled at the ancient construction, or taken solace in the shadows of its towering walls before her appointments with her sponsor, Steadfast Word.  Today, though, the fortress-like architecture, once a symbol of comfort and safety, took on a more sinister aspect. The walls loomed over her, unyielding and cold. “We’re going to be upstairs, on the second floor.  There’s a suite prepared for you to rest while we have our interviews,” Hollybright said cheerfully.  The group dutifully trooped up the stairs where, indeed, there was a comfortable conference room laid out with a light buffet on a large central table, surrounded by pillows. “Sir Gentle Stone and Lady Mercy Song are here to ensure that you are all healed and uninjured from your ordeal.  I’ve been told that Mercy specifically requested this opportunity to reconnect with a friend.”  She smiled at Emberglow, and Mercy waved.  “We’ll start with Sir Delver.  I’ll have to ask that none of you discuss the incidents in question with each other.  I realize the cat’s probably already out of that bag, but rules are rules.  Sir Delver?” she asked, her voice raising at the end in a polite invitation, opening one of the side doors.  The other Mystic entered the room first, and Delver followed.  With one last smile, Hollybright followed behind him, closing the door behind her.   “It’s so good to see you, Emberglow,” Mercy said, as soon as the door was closed.  The elegant Knight Radiant approached Emberglow and took her in her hooves in a tight hug.   Emberglow realized with a start that it had been a while since she’d seen Mercy Song; Emberglow had grown, and now the two mares were the same height. It felt a little odd.  “I just wish it were under better circumstances,” Mercy continued.  “You had a hard time on your first mission, didn’t you, sister?”   Emberglow opened her mouth to answer, then looked at the closed door to the interview room.  With a small smile, she nodded towards the room and made a zipping lip motion with one hoof.   “I know, you’re not supposed to talk about it.  That’s fine.”  Mercy Song nodded.  “Anyway, I read in my report that you were injured recently.  I need to look you over, if that’s okay?” “Of course,” Emberglow said.  She was mostly healed from her fight with Bubblegum, but there was still an ache in her wings from the sprain, and a rasp in her throat when she spoke.  These issues were quickly healed by the skilled Radiant, replacing days of soreness with the sudden sharp pain of magical healing. There was an old sort of familiarity to Mercy’s magical touch, and Emberglow felt herself relaxing with a sigh. “Now, we can’t talk about what happened, but you can tell me about your adventure on the seas,” Mercy Song said, sitting down at one of the pillows.  “Come, eat.  Relax, as much as you can.” It turned out that statement was truer than Emberglow would have thought.  There was a tenseness in her that no amount of crudité or fresh-squeezed orange juice would resolve.  It didn’t help as she slowly figured out that Mercy Song and the Knight Jubilant, Gentle Stone, were both there to assess their physical and mental conditions, rather than for purely social purposes.  Honestly, Emberglow didn’t mind at all, but until she could actually talk about them with somepony friendly, she didn’t think the marathon of her running thoughts would ever stop. “I feel I have to warn you, Emberglow,” Mercy Song whispered, casting a nervous glance at the door Delver and the Mystics had disappeared into.  It broke Emberglow out of her own jumbled thoughts to hear the note of worry in the usually serene mare's voice.  “Hollybright seems nice on the surface, but I’m getting a very strange vibe from her.  She’s like a hawk that’s spotted wounded prey.”  She paused, seeming to choose her next words carefully.  “You know some Mystics seem to smell heresy before there’s even any evidence.”  Emberglow stared at her, glancing back and forth between her and the closed door.  She didn’t know that, really.  Her only experience with Mystics had been Steadfast, who had never behaved that way. “What do you mean?” Emberglow asked, suddenly even more anxious than she had been before. Mercy’s smile was thin.  “Always be careful when dealing with the Mystics, Emberglow.  It is their job to be suspicious of everypony, all the time.  Maybe Steadfast Word has spoiled you, but he’s one of the nicer ones.” “What do I do, then?” Emberglow thought back at all the conversations she had with Steadfast.  Mercy could be right about her being spoiled; she’d never seen that sort of paranoia from him. “Be honest, and keep your cool.  She’ll try to push your buttons, or put you off balance.” “I’ll do my best,” Emberglow promised before lapsing into an uncomfortable silence to wait. The interview with Delver dragged on, though now she had the added worry of Mercy Song’s suspicions.  As the time crawled by, Emberglow became decidedly antsy, pacing around the room in worried circles.  Boredom and anxiety made a poor mix, and the long wait stoked those feelings until she was nearly vibrating with nervous energy.  Turquoise was much more relaxed, at least on the surface, but Emberglow could tell her old mentor was tired of waiting. Finally, after three hours, the door to the interview room opened, and Hollybright stepped out. Emberglow felt she could almost explode from the combined relief and panic that swept over her.  “Knight Emberglow, you’re next,” Hollybright said, motioning to the open door, and Emberglow’s heart leapt in nervous fear. The interview room was simple.  A desk, adorned with nothing save an odd centerpiece made from a single quartz crystal the size of a tangerine, sat in the middle of the room covered with papers.  Emberglow recognized some of the reports she and Delver had sent back about Bubblegum and her crimes.  There was a small end table near the door, set up with a pitcher of water and a few cups.  The walls were bare, and the room was lit brightly by electric lights hanging down from the ceiling. There were three pillows for sitting in the room; one was occupied by the other Mystic, an earth pony stallion whose name she hadn’t learned yet.  He was wearing a rune gauntlet, and held a quill in the other hoof.  He was scribbling notes on another sheet of paper.     “Have a seat, Emberglow,” Hollybright said, motioning to the lone pillow on one side of the table.  “Get comfortable.  This might take a while.” “Of course,” Emberglow said, as she sat.  Hollybright also arranged herself on the other side of the table, and made a bit of a show of shuffling the papers around while she looked for a particular report.  Emberglow tried not to stare, but watched closely for a hint of what Mercy Song had mentioned.  Maybe she was imagining things, but there was something to what Mercy had said; Hollybright’s smile was just a little too wide, too fake.  Her eyes were shifty, darting about, watching without trying to look like she was watching too closely.   “This is Sir Coal Shadow.  He will be taking notes while you and I speak, okay?” Hollybright said, and Emberglow nodded.  “Now, I want to start at the incident that led you to Bubblegum’s house.  Tell me about the argument between you and Blingshine in the prison.” It was not where Emberglow had expected the questioning to begin.  With some hesitation, she began telling the story, beginning with Blingshine’s repulsive request, her own refusal, and Delver’s silent support. “Do you feel like you made a wise choice?” Hollybright asked, her voice light and far too innocent.  “Your actions may have lost us an important tool in Port Luminescence.  It may take months for future Knights to undo the damage you have done with your rash decision.” “It was the right decision,” Emberglow kept her voice even, despite the surge of anger she felt at Hollybright’s suggestion.  “What he was asking for violates the spirit of what Lady Rarity stands for.  I wouldn’t betray my Saint like that.”  Hollybright sat back slightly, holding her hooves up to placate her. “I’m sure you felt that way at the time.  I was just asking about the advisability of your decisions.” Again her voice was far too innocent, but there was a hint of triumph, as if she were pleased she’d teased a reaction out of Emberglow. “I stand by what I did,” Emberglow replied, trying not to sound defensive.  Hollybright nodded and smiled. “If you say so.” Hollybright said.  Emberglow hated the cheerful little smile on her face; it was a mask that let nothing of what was inside out.  “Let’s move on.  After you alienated the governor, what happened next?”   Emberglow continued the story, telling about flying off to Bubblegum’s house, about knocking, about how there had been no response.  She described the house, stopping every so often when Hollybright asked to clarify a detail or expand on a statement.  Even the smallest of details seemed important to the Knight Mystic.  Emberglow didn’t question it, she simply tried to answer every question as thoroughly as she could.  Finally she got to the part when she walked into Bubblegum’s bedroom. “I’m sorry if the details are a little unclear here,” Emberglow apologized.  “I was in shock.  I still am, a bit.  You have to understand, this came out of nowhere.” “Of course, Emberglow.  Just tell me what you remember.” Hollybright somehow still held that infuriating smile.   Emberglow continued her story.  She told of stepping into the room, the horror at seeing her fellow Knight underneath the griffon, their naked bodies carnally entwined.  At some point in the story she had to stand, taking a short break to get a cup of water from the side table by the door.  Even with Mercy Song’s healing, her voice still felt hoarse.  She moved on to the escape, the brief, desperate conversation Bubblegum had had with her griffon lover, and the fight afterwards. “You had your rune gauntlet with you.  Didn’t you think to cast spells?” Hollybright asked.  Emberglow shook her head. “No, I didn’t,” she answered.  “To be honest, I was completely shaken.  I never expected what happened, and I think, somewhere deep inside, I didn’t quite believe that she’d ever even attack me.  I wasn’t ready for what happened.” “Of course,” Hollybright said gently.  “Continue, please.”  Emberglow told her of the end of the fight, with Bubblegum sobbing her apologies as she strangled Emberglow into unconsciousness on the bed.  She told about waking up, and the meeting afterwards with Sergeant Arrow.  When she finished, Hollybright paused for a moment for her assistant to catch up on his notes before asking more questions. “Now, I’m going to ask some difficult questions here, Emberglow.  Please answer them as honestly as possible,” the inquisitor said.  Emberglow nodded warily, her ears drooping slightly.  “I need to know as much about Bubblegum as possible.  My impression is that she always had a loose relationship with propriety and decorum.” “That’s certainly true,” Emberglow said with a snort.  “I don’t think she had any sort of respect for authority, or the chain of command.  I think the only Knight she had any regard for was Delver.” “Why is that, do you think?” Hollybright asked. “I believe they were friends.  Delver was devastated when it all happened.  We all felt betrayed, but I think he felt personally betrayed by a friend.” “Interesting,” Hollybright said.  “How would you characterize the relationship between Bubblegum and Sir Delver?” “Friendly.  He seemed to understand her peculiarities, and she actually listened to his instructions and orders.” “Did he encourage her insubordination towards other figures of authority?” Hollybright asked. “Not that I saw,” Emberglow said carefully. “We believe she had been engaging in her illicit relationship with Galileo the griffon for several months.  It seems unlikely to me that Delver had no hint whatsoever of what was happening.  Tell me, do you believe it is possible she was doing something for him in exchange for his silence on the subject?” Emberglow stared at the inquisitor, floored by the implication.  Bubblegum, bribing Delver for his silence?  There was no way.  It was a disgusting idea, and her ears pinned back in anger as she nearly rose to her hooves. “No chance at all,” Emberglow said firmly.  It was nearly a snarl.  Hollybright raised her eyebrows in skeptical judgement. “Are you sure?  Your loyalty does you credit, Emberglow, but you didn’t know either of those ponies for very long.  By all reports, Bubblegum was a very sexual creature.  Perhaps she was using her wiles to charm or seduce Sir Delver.” “I…” Emberglow fought against the urge to rail and yell at the Knight Mystic, and actually forced herself to pause and consider the possibility.  Hollybright smiled her aggravating smile, giving Emberglow a moment to think.   She supposed Hollybright was right; Emberglow didn’t know either of the Knight Adamants very well.  In fact, while on Lady Elegant, she had deliberately avoided Bubblegum as much as possible, despite sharing a cabin on the ship with her.  “I suppose it might be possible,” she began slowly, hating every word as they left her mouth.  “But very unlikely.  That’s the sort of plan that requires thinking ahead.  Planning for consequences.  Bubblegum didn’t strike me as a mare very capable of much foresight.” “But she did have a backup plan for if she were caught,” Hollybright countered.  “Wind Storm and Galileo were prepared with bugout bags.” “I don’t know, but I would guess that she wasn’t the brains behind their back up plan,” Emberglow said.  “She seemed the kind of mare to leave the planning to other, smarter ponies.” “Okay,” Hollybright said.  “Let’s move on from that for now, though.  I want to talk about your own sexuality.” Emberglow felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped down her back.  Of course she should have realized that the Knights Mystic would have access to everything, including files of her confidential conversations with her Confessors over the years.  She shouldn’t have been surprised, but this was not a conversation she was prepared to have.  It was obvious that Hollybright’s goal had been to set her off balance.  There was a clear satisfied smirk to her smile as Emberglow mentally stumbled for an appropriate response. “I don’t know how it will help your investigation, but I’ll help however I can,” Emberglow replied, her heart pounding with a terror she tried not to let show.  “You should note in my Confessor’s file, which I’m sure you’ve seen, that I’m non-practicing.”  That was the same phrase used in the medical file she’d seen for Gadget. “Are you?  Hmm,” Hollybright said, still smiling.  Emberglow suppressed a shiver.  “I’ve already established that the three of you were responsible for your teammate.  You should have been aware of the path she was walking down, and maybe even stopped it before it got too far.  I think, if you look deep within yourself, you will recognize that maybe none of you did quite enough to protect her from herself.” “I… well maybe, but…” “So to follow up that thought,” Hollybright continued, ignoring Emberglow’s stuttering.  “I need to know what role, if any, you believe your own perversion may have played in Bubblegum’s corruptive decisions?” “What?” Emberglow cried, gaping.  “None whatsoever!  How could you… why would you even… I don’t even…” Both of the Knights Mystic glanced at the crystal in the center of the table, before looking back at Emberglow.  It took the momentum out of Emberglow’s shock and outrage, as she wondered what was so special about the crystal.   “I don’t even think Bubblegum was really aware that I’m gay,” Emberglow said.  Saying the words out loud was strange and alien; she rarely if ever discussed her sexuality out loud.  “I certainly never told her about it.  I keep it private, as you should know if you read my file.” Again the two ponies glanced at the crystal.  Emberglow looked at it herself.  It was an unpolished quartz crystal, set in a simple round wooden setting.  It was a cloudy white with blue imperfections.  There was nothing special about it that Emberglow could see.  She looked back at Hollybright. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think this is going to help your investigation much,” Emberglow said.  “I’m still happy to answer whatever you want, though.”  With that, the crystal in the center of the table began to glow a gentle blue light.  The two Knights looked at each other, and Hollybright giggled. “You’re not exactly happy to be here, are you?” she said, looking at the crystal, which began to fade, losing its glow.  Suddenly Emberglow understood. “That crystal… you’ve cast Moonbeam’s Truthful Aura on the crystal!” she exclaimed.  “Let me clear something up for you, then.”  She leaned far over so that she was speaking directly to the quartz.  “I had no idea what Bubblegum was doing.  I don’t believe anything I did contributed to her choices.  Me being gay had nothing to do with Bubblegum’s bestiality.”  The crystal remained quiescent. If Emberglow had thought that would fully satisfy the Mystics, however, she was mistaken.  Their conversation still continued for another hour, with Hollybright grilling her over every little thing.  It was quite the relief to finally be invited to leave, albeit by a somewhat grudging Hollybright.  She exited into the conference room and its much diminished buffet. “Thank you, Lady Emberglow.  You are under strict orders not to leave yet, in case we have any follow up questions after we are done interviewing Lady Turquoise,” Hollybright said.  Her demeanor had lost it’s friendly facade, replaced by a grumpy sternness. “Actually, Lady Hollybright, do you mind if Emberglow and I use the other interview room?” Mercy Song asked.  Hollybright considered this for a moment, then nodded.  “I assume your earlier restrictions on conversation are lifted.”  Again, Hollybright nodded, this time a bit more reluctantly.  Mercy Song clopped her hooves together happily.  “Thank you!  Come with me, Emberglow!” the Knight said excitedly.  Emberglow followed her into the second interview room. This one was not as prepared as the first one; the table lacked the paperwork of the other, and there were no pillows, pitchers of water, or enchanted crystals.  Mercy Song took a look around, and  with an impatient sigh, trotted back into the conference room and snagged a few of the pillows there to drag into the empty interview room.  The two old friends then sat down. “So, how are you?” Mercy asked, once the door was closed.  It was clear she wasn’t just asking about Emberglow’s physical wellness. “I’ve been better,” Emberglow said tiredly.  It meant the world to her to see Mercy Song’s sympathetic smile.  Here there was no obligation to watch what she said, to curb her speech.  There was none of the uncomfortable paranoia she had felt while talking to Hollybright.  “I was the medical officer on duty for the hanging of eight pirates.  It was just days after what happened with Bubblegum.  I don’t think I’ve been coping all that well, to be honest.” “How so?” Mercy Song asked. “I didn’t do well at the execution.  After the trapdoor dropped and the… um… prisoners dropped, I had to go throw up before I could verify that the prisoners had died.” “And?” Mercy asked. “What do you mean, ‘and’?” Emberglow asked miserably.  “I’m a failure as a doctor, Mercy.  What kind of medic can’t even stand to look at death?  What happens when things get worse?  Saint’s mercy, these were hardened criminals!  Murderers!  They deserved to die, Mercy.  But I couldn’t even look without getting sick.” “A failure as a doctor, Emberglow?  You might be being a little overdramatic,” Mercy said.  “I don’t think anypony with an ounce of compassion wouldn’t balk at watching a brutal execution like that, and you have quite a bit more than an ounce.  There is nothing wrong with you, Emberglow.  You’re a perfectly good doctor, and throwing up at a sight like that doesn’t make you any less of one.” “But I’m supposed to be more than just a doctor,” Emberglow continued.  “I became a Knight to protect and heal, not to end life.” “I know,” Mercy Song said soothingly.  “I won’t sugar coat it, Emberglow.  As a Knight Radiant, you’ve a fine line to walk.  You are called to defend the weak from the enemies of the Diarchy, and to heal the wounds and sicknesses of its citizens.  Sometimes a surgeon has to use his tools to cut out the tumorous or necrotic tissue.”  She sighed, reaching over to gently touch Emberglow’s cheek.  “And some ponies just don’t enjoy performing surgery.  That’s not to say they’re not skilled at it when they have to be.  And that’s fine, Emberglow.” “Some Knight I am, that struggles with watching death like that.  I’m supposed to be able to deal it to our enemies.” “Nopony is perfect at everything, Emberglow.  You know that.  You’re being too critical of yourself,” Mercy Song said.   “I’m not the only one who’s being critical of me,” Emberglow said, her voice nearly a whisper.  Mercy’s ears perked towards Emberglow’s voice; the wise older mare knew what she meant. “What did the Knight Mystic imply, Emberglow?” That opened the door, and Emberglow clenched her suddenly wet eyes shut.   “She said…” Emberglow whispered, her voice coming out harsh.  “She said it was our fault.  Our responsibility that Bubblegum did what she did.  If we had been more faithful, if we had been more vigilant.  Maybe if we hadn’t been full of sin and corruption…” “Emberglow.  Stop it now.  The Mystics are just doing their job, looking for every angle on this thing.  You know you’re not responsible for the decisions of that idiot traitor, Emberglow.”  Mercy Song had come around the table and circled Emberglow about with her hooves.  She was warm, and her fur was soft.  Her robes smelled of fresh detergent.   “But what if she’s right?”  Emberglow whined, hating how much like a foal she sounded.  She burned with shame and anger as she dragged the next words out of her mouth.  “They asked me if they thought my… if they thought my being gay had anything to do with it.”  She’d never told Mercy Song.  She’d never told her parents, or Turquoise.  She was terrified.   Mercy Song was clearly surprised; she gave a little gasp; the hoof she held up to her lips in shock would have been comical, if it weren’t for the seriousness of the situation. “Oh.  Oh Emberglow, I’m so sorry she asked that,” she said. “You’re not…” “Not what, Emberglow?  Afraid?  Judgmental?  Disgusted?”  Mercy shook her head.  “You’re not the first mare to join the Radiant because the Saints gave her this trial.  I’ve met several myself.  You have been blessed with a sore trial which will only make you stronger as you overcome it.  You have chosen a noble way to face your challenge, Emberglow, and I only respect you all the more for it.” “Thank you, Mercy,” Emberglow breathed.  “You have no idea what it means to hear that.” The conversation faded into safer territory, and the mares spoke about superficial things; Emberglow hadn’t had a chance to write her best friend Lofty as much as she’d liked during her brief stay in the Port, and Mercy had kept in touch with her former squire.  They also spoke about other things; Mercy had recently accepted a position teaching at the Ivy Seminary.  There was a dire need for more Knights Radiant, and Knight Command thought that having more Radiants as teachers at the Seminary might lead to more mares considering the order as an option.  They were lost in their conversation, and didn’t even realize the hours passing until there was a knock on their interview door.   “Are you two finished?” Turquoise asked as she poked her head in the room.  “Hollybright says we are done for the day.” “Just for the day?” Emberglow asked, though she still felt buoyed by her earlier conversation with Mercy Song. “We’ve been ordered not to leave New Canterlot City, but otherwise are on leave until further notice.  I don’t think they’ll need us more, but we’ll see.  For now, I’m tired of this building.  I’m going to make sure they haven’t cleared out my old quarters while I was gone,” Turquoise said. “What about you, Emberglow?  Would you like to walk back to Diamond Home with me?” Mercy Song asked. Emberglow shook her head. “No, I’d like to check in with my parents.” Emberglow had only spent a month at the Radiant’s New Canterlot City headquarters, just after her Knighting, and she would much rather sleep in a more familiar bed  “With how weird things became as soon as the ship got back to Port Luminescence, I only had time for one letter, and I wasn’t able to let them know I was coming home.  I’d like to surprise them." “I’m sure they’ll be thrilled.  You’ll be spending the night there, then?” “I hope so,” Emberglow said.  “They don’t exactly know I’m coming home, so I don’t want to impose my company if they can’t have me for some reason.” “They’re your parents, Emberglow.  Your mom is going to be ecstatic.  Go home and surprise them.  I’ve been asked to tell you that you’re officially unassigned for at least a week.  You have nothing to do but stay in town and be on hand for if the Mystics need to speak with you again.  If I may suggest, however, you should probably check in at Diamond Home sometime during the week, if only to let them know where to find you if they have any messages.” Mercy Song gave Emberglow one last hug, and the group of ponies filtered out of the Star Shine Building.  Emberglow said her goodbyes to Delver, Mercy, and Turquoise, before trotting off in the familiar direction of home.  Soon her trot became a gallop.  After her talk with Mercy, Emberglow thought the comfort of her childhood home might be just what she needed. It was the first time she’d been home since she took the oath of Knighthood.  Her parents had always come to see her, like at the airship dock, rather than the other way round.  It felt weird walking down this street; her life was so different, so changed now from when she had lived on Emerald Street that she expected the street to have changed as well.  It had, in a way.   There were the same shops, the same locals, the same sights and smells and sounds.  But the ponies had changed.  Rather than cheerful waves and polite greetings, she received nervous bows and shuffling out of her way.  These were ponies she’d known for years, and they didn’t even seem to recognize her.  If they did, they didn’t show it, slipping out of her way like water parting before the prow of Lady Elegant.  The streets were busy and a little crowded, but Emberglow never had to step around ponies, and never felt the need to spread her wings and take to the air. The biggest change, however, was Oak Chip’s shop.  It was closed, with boarded windows.  The beautiful, hoof-carved sign was missing, and there was a broken window that had been hastily covered with cardboard.  All of the other ponies nearby were ignoring the shop as if it didn’t exist.  Emberglow trotted closer, noting the ‘for sale’ sign in one of the unbroken windows.  She looked around for somepony to ask about her friend, but none of the ponies around would meet her gaze.  Emberglow wasn’t always the best at picking up social ques, but it was clear nopony wanted to think about this boarded up storefront, let alone tell her about it.  Oh well; her parents would know where Oak Chips was.  Emberglow wasn’t too worried about the gruff old pony.  He was far too cranky to die, after all.  He said so himself, frequently. Emberglow trotted next door to her family’s shop.  The bell over the door announced her entrance into a storefront that was full of ponies browsing the wares.  Needle Point was minding the til, and she didn’t even look up from the customer she was helping when she called out. “Welcome to Needle Point Textiles, be with you in a minute!” “I can wait,” Emberglow called back, grinning.  Of course, her mother instantly recognized her voice.  With a cute shriek of joy, she leaped over the counter and shoved her way between the shoppers into Emberglow’s hooves.  The customers looked up in indignation, but nopony was willing to say something that might offend a Knight.  Rank did have its privileges.  “Hi, mom.” “Oh my gosh Embergl… ahem.  I mean, Lady Emberglow.  Your last letter didn’t say you’d be coming back so soon, I only just got it yesterday!” her mother gushed, squeezing her with all the strength of her earth pony hooves.  Emberglow giggled like a filly.  This was exactly why she’d needed to come home. “There was a bit of a change of plans,” she hedged, not wanting to burden her parents with the whole story just yet.  Certainly not in a room full of her parents’ customers.  Emberglow watched as a perceptive frown of concern clouded her mother’s previously jubilant expression, complete with a fierce flashing of her eyes.  Emberglow shook her head.  “Not now.  Later.”  Needle Point nodded slowly, looking uncertain, but Emberglow smiled reassuringly.  “You need to see to your customers.  Need any help?” The idea of a Knight, wearing her official robes of office, standing around doing customer service in a tiny tailor’s shop clearly bothered Emberglow’s mother, and she was quick to shake her head frantically in denial, much to Emberglow’s amusement. “No.  No thank you, Lady Emberglow.  You can head back into the back room and talk to your father.  I’ll help the customers out here.  It’s so good to see you, sweetie.”  Her mom giggled again.  “Lady Sweetie.” Oh by all the Saints, it was nice to hear that endearment from her mother.   “Okay mom, be nice to the customers.  I’ll go say hi to dad.” The back room was still the same.  Textile sat at a sewing machine, his back to the door, working on a pair of suit pants.  He had a pair of reading glasses perched on his nose, and was concentrating on some fine detail. “Needle Point, honey?  Did you need something?” he asked without looking up. “Well, there are a lot of customers in the store.  And apparently a Knight just walked in,” Emberglow said, unable to resist the opportunity to tease her father. “What!  Oh!  Emberglow!  You’re home!” her father said, shutting off the machine and turning around.  Emberglow smiled; though the greeting lacked the sheer enthusiasm of her mother’s hug, the love in her father’s eyes was just as good. “I had some unexpected leave,” she said.  “You don’t mind that I came home to visit, do you?” “Of course not.  You’re staying the night?” it was almost a statement, not a question. “If you’ll have me,” she said.  Her father gave her a stern look, gazing at her over the rim of his glasses. “Emberglow, this is your home.  You will always be welcome, you know that.”  The words filled her with warmth. “Okay, but I’m helping in the shop until you close,” she insisted.  He looked like he wanted to protest, but she gave him a mock stern look and he subsided with a low chuckle.  Since Emberglow had learned sewing as a foal, she asked for a list of simple repairs and alterations that she knew she could do herself, and banished her father from the room so he could help her mom while Emberglow did the backroom tasks.  It was comforting to fall into familiar patterns; fix this stitch, hem these pants, add a patch or a repair here.  She lost herself in the labor, letting the ambient sounds of the shop outside the door soothe her into a near trance of relaxing labor.   In the end, her parents did close an hour early.  Emberglow insisted she wanted nothing more special than a night at home with her parents, but they wanted to treat her, so she graciously allowed it.  Textile prepared her favorite (pancakes and strawberries for dinner) and they shared the first family dinner in months.  It was all incredibly pleasant and comfortable, until she asked about Oak Chips. “So, I noticed that Oak Chip’s store is closed.  What happened to him?” she asked.  Her parents froze.  Textile was in the middle of chewing a bite of pancake, and he stopped suddenly.  Needle Point had been raising a fork to her mouth, and she actually dropped the fork and the bite, the utensil clattering against the ceramic plate with a loud clatter.  Both of her parents glanced at each other, then down at their food.  “What?” Emberglow was confused. “We’d rather not talk about it,” Needle Point muttered, earning a hard look from her husband. “Talk about what?  Mom, what happened to him?” Emberglow asked, a feeling of alarm rising in her. “Two weeks ago he vanished,” Textile said softly. “Vanished?  Without a trace?  Did anypony call the constables?  The Vigilant?” “Lady Emberglow, it was Knights that took him,” her father said, his voice rather formal.  “He didn’t just vanish.  He was vanished.”   With that simple statement, Emberglow instantly understood several things.  Oak Chips had been arrested by the Mystics, most likely for some form of heresy.  When a pony was ‘vanished’, they weren’t arrested publicly.  Nopony was supposed to witness the act of vanishing a pony.  Ponies even tried to pretend that those who had been vanished had never existed at all, lest they too draw the inquisitive eye of the Mystics The formality of her father’s tone, and the use of her title, also spoke to the gulf that had now grown between Emberglow and her parents.  It was surprising, and a little sad, to know that she had been lucky enough to raise her station in life and society, while in a way leaving them behind her, and beneath her.  The moment broke her heart a little.  Even though she’d chosen this path, she’d never considered the collateral damage it would deal to her relationships. “I’m sorry I asked, then,” Emberglow said carefully.  She could feel the fear and tension in the room, and some of it was even directed at her, if the nervous glances Needle Point was shooting at her were any indication. Logically, it made sense; she was a Knight now, she was different from them, and separate.  If they asked too many questions, showed too much interest in a disappeared pony like Oak Chips, it would be Knights like Emberglow that came for them, too.  She was on the other side. “What are you apologizing for, Lady Sweetie?” her mother said, managing to keep most of the nervousness out of her voice. “Nothing at all, mom,” Emberglow said.  She was perfectly happy pretending the conversation had never happened. “So we weren’t expecting you back from pirate hunting yet.” Needle Point’s voice still held a bit of her earlier discomfort.  “What brought you home early?  We only got your last letter yesterday.  It said you were in a battle!” This was something she could seize onto.  A thrilling tale of adventure on the high seas, deliberately edited to exclude the morally difficult moments, and with the conclusion already known, so her mother didn’t have to worry too much.   Emberglow told her parents about Lady Elegant and her captain, about the ill-fated ship’s cook, Tangerine, and even about the frustrating yet combat-skilled Bubblegum.  She found herself getting into the storytelling, playing up the heroism of the other ponies, especially Delver and the marines.  It was fun, and Needle Point was nervous without being too nervous; after all, the events were past and done. She described the sights and smells of battle, how she had felt, and the fear that had burned in her as she’d faced off against the unicorn and her shield.  She told them about the face off in the hold of the pirate ship, and Zuberi locking himself in the brig with the gunpowder.  She was trying to downplay her own role, but she didn’t bother to downplay the spell she had cast that had saved all four knights, and the captain (accidentally) from the blast that had eventually sunk the pirate ship.  Her parents made appropriately impressed noises. “What happened after you got back to the Port?” her mother asked, when Emberglow finished the tale with Lady Elegant limping back to Port Luminescence.   “That part of the story is much less interesting,” Emberglow said, a bit uncomfortably.  There was nothing she wanted less than to tell them about what happened to Bubblegum.   She wasn’t under explicit orders not to share what had happened, but the gulf that had grown between her and her parents reared its ugly maw again; Bubblegum was a Knight.  Disgraced and sentenced to death, of course, but still one of the family.  Her new family.  She was a part of a world that her parents weren’t involved with.  Telling them about the disgraced Knight felt like airing too much dirty laundry in front of her parents; it was not appropriate.   “There was an execution of the prisoners, of course.  I had to oversee it and pronounce their deaths.  That part… wasn’t nice.”  She shuddered.  This she could talk about, however unpleasant it was. Needle Point and Textile were appropriately sympathetic to her struggles at the hanging, of course.  Textile even understood her issues, having dealt with death on and off the battlefield in his own experiences in the military.  The conversation became so involved that Emberglow’s mother forgot to ask why she’d come home so unexpectedly.  When it did come out that she’d had an overnight flight, followed by a lengthy debriefing (Emberglow implied the debriefing had been in regards to the pirate battle, a small deception that still made her feel dirty) her mother insisted she get some rest.  Her bedroom, of course, was untouched. “I only ever go in there to dust, sweetie.  All of your things are just like you left them.  Your bed is even made.  We’ll let you rest.  You have to go in the morning?” “Yes, I have some errands to run,” Emberglow said honestly.  If anypony knew how she’d have to go about finding out about a ‘vanished’ pony, it would be somepony in the Vigilant or the Mystic.  Good thing she had contacts in both; though this wasn’t something she wanted to bring up with Steadfast Word unless she absolutely had to.  She’d been meaning to visit Lofty Tale as soon as possible anyways, though.  “I would like to stay for breakfast, however.” “As long as it’s something other than pancakes,” her mother said chidingly.  “They’re not everypony’s favorite.” “Anything will be fine, mom,” Emberglow assured her mother as she left her alone in her bedroom.  She didn’t have much trouble falling asleep that night, surrounded by the comforts of home and warm, familiar bedding. The next morning she shared breakfast with her parents: grapefruit with eggs and toast.  She bid them goodbye and set off for the Hall of the Upright, the headquarters for the Knights Vigilant.  Today, there were a few ponies in the stocks in front of the justice building.  Idly Emberglow wondered who would be feeding them today.  She also thought about how many, just like July Blaze or Zuberi, would be twitching, bound, at the end of a rope around their neck.  She tried not to shudder at the thought. There were several Knights Vigilant around, dressed in either their orange robes or their orange armor.  Emberglow looked around, hoping to happen upon her friend, but she had no such luck.  She entered the front doors and approached the reception desk in the center of the wide entry hall. “May I help you, ma'am?” the secretary, an earth pony stallion dressed in civilian clothing sitting behind the desk. “Yes, you may.  My name is Lady Emberglow.  I’m a friend of Knight Lofty Tale, but I have no idea where he’s currently stationed except that he’s been assigned to this building.  I have some free time and I was hoping to reconnect with him.  Can you tell me where his office is? ” “Knight Lofty Tale, ma’am?  He’s on the fifth floor, office number five-oh-nine.” “A private office?  He’s come up in the world,” Emberglow said with a smile. “Sir Lofty is one of our most talented investigators, Lady Emberglow,” the secretary said with a grin.  It made sense that Lofty was popular with the civilian staff; he had always been charismatic.  She thanked him for the information and moved up the stairs towards the fifth floor. The doors of each office were made of wood, with a nameplate next to each door.  She found Lofty Tale’s office easily enough, and smirked to see that it indeed was labeled with his name and rank.  She reached out and tapped on the door with her hoof. “Come in!” came Lofty’s voice from inside the office.  “You’re early, Gimlet.  Did you have any luck…” Emberglow turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.  “Oh!  Emberglow!  You’re not Sir Gimlet.” “Nope, I’m not,” Emberglow said cheerfully as she stepped into her friend’s office.  “Hi, Lofty.” Lofty Tale’s office was an explosion of paperwork.  There were three bulletin boards hanging from the walls, each one full of dozens of pins.  The boards were full of newspaper articles, sketches of various ponies and locations, and even the odd photograph.  He had a desk, which was also stacked with papers.  There were two picture frames on the desk, and Emberglow was gratified to see a photo of Lofty and herself, still in their squire robes, taken just after they had reconciled as friends after their falling out.  The other was a picture of Lofty standing next to two unfamiliar mares, both dressed in high society dresses, while Lofty wore a suit.  The walls were covered by the bulletin boards and a large glass window that let in plenty of sunlight.  The room was lit by the sun, but Emberglow saw a shaded electric light installed in the center of the office, in the ceiling.  Lofty stood, rising from the pillow he was sitting on behind his desk and dashed around to embrace his best friend. “This is a pleasant surprise,” Lofty said.  “You never said you’d be coming back so soon.” “My assignment ended rather abruptly when I happened upon one of my teammate Knights in bed with a griffon.” “What?” Lofty chuckled.  “That’s a laugh, Emberglow.”  He released the hug, finally catching the look in her eyes.  “Oh, Saints.  You’re serious.  Really?  A griffon?  And they were…” “I saw the whole thing.  They were definitely…” Emberglow took a deep breath.  Talking about sex made her uncomfortable.  “He was mounting her.  They were naked.” “Wow.  So what happened?” he asked.  “Wait, why are we standing in the doorway?  Have a seat.” Lofty absently motioned behind him. Emberglow’s gaze followed his hoof to a stack of papers piled on the floor. She looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.  “Oh.”  He grinned sheepishly, and gently shifted the papers to the side onto the floor to reveal a pillow.  Emberglow laughed as she sat. “Well, I surprised them, we argued, and the griffon escaped while she attacked me.  You remember how good I am in a fight, so you can guess how that ended.” “Poorly?” Lofty asked with a smirk.  Emberglow nodded. “Well, I don’t remember much, but there was some strangling involved, and involuntary unconsciousness…” Emberglow grinned.  She didn’t understand why, but there was something comforting about joking with her friend about one of the most upsetting things she’d ever experienced.  “You can guess what happened next.  We were recalled, and I spent some quality time having a rather unpleasant chat with a Knight Mystic yesterday.” “Makes sense.” Lofty nodded.  “No new assignment?” “Not yet,” Emberglow said.  “I’m on free time.  Are you busy?  I kinda have a favor to ask.” “Of course!” Lofty .  “Anything for a friend. What do you need?” “I want to know what the best way is to find out about a pony who’s been arrested while I was gone,” Emberglow asked.  Lofty looked puzzled. “Well, you’d need an arrest number at the very least.  The name of the arresting constable may help, or even the precinct he or she was taken to.”  It was interesting the way he immediately changed gears, becoming businesslike.  It was impressive, really, reminding her that he was one of the youngest investigators in the history of the Vigilant. “What if this wasn’t an official arrest?” Emberglow said slowly, wondering what his keen and observant mind would make of all this. “What do you mean, like an illegal arrest?” Lofty screwed his face up in confusion. “No.  This pony was vanished.  Probably by Knights Mystic.” “You’re looking into the arrest of a heretic?” Lofty asked, gaping slightly.  “Emberglow, that’s…” he trailed off, pausing while he eyed her. “That’s a little different.  Dangerous, even. How much do you know about the jurisdictional rivalry that goes on between the Vigilant and the Mystic?” “Nothing, really,” Emberglow said, a little sheepishly. “I see.  Well, the Mystics and Vigilant are both law enforcement arms of the Knights, right?  But there’s a bit of overlap when it comes to heresy.  Technically, the Mystics are in charge of investigating heresy, which includes unicorns.  Vigilants are in charge of making arrests and running trials.  So what happens when a Mystic wishes to arrest a heretic, but for reasons of their investigation, doesn’t want that arrest to be public?  All criminals are entitled to a trial, but what if that trial would reveal details of ongoing investigations?  What if the heretic might still have useful information?  The Mystics claim to have discretionary powers in those circumstances to perpetually detain those suspected heretics, even to try them in secret and even perform punishment.  This sometimes steps on the hooves of us Vigilants, who believe we have the sole power to try cases and execute judgement.” “That sounds complicated.”  Emberglow’s muzzle wrinkled in disgust.  She had always hated the element of politics that seemed to float like a miasma over the Knight Orders. “It can get complicated, yeah.  Most of the time, if the Vigilant find evidence of heresy when investigating other crimes, we usually try to get in touch with the Mystics to investigate side by side.  Jurisdictional pissing matches are easier to avoid that way, though the Mystics rarely offer us the same courtesy.”  He paused, and his voice lost the businesslike character.  “Um, Emberlgow, this is dangerous territory.” “So how would I go about finding out what happened to this pony?” Emberglow asked, ignoring his obvious concern. He sighed, eyeing her before answering.  “There might have been an arrest record if the Mystics got in touch with one of us, but I doubt it.  You may have to ask your Mystic friend.  Although it’s possible, because you are a Knight as well, that you could just request the information at the Star Shine building,” Lofty said.  “So, who is this mystery pony?” “You’ve met him.  It’s Oak Chips, my next door neighbor.  He’s the one who dragged you off the street when you were…” Emberglow trailed off, embarrassed on behalf of her friend.  It was clear from the displeasure on his face he didn’t want to remember the encounter either.  “He made toys for children.  Wooden carvings, mostly.  Dolls and such.  He was so kind, I just…” she paused for thought, taking a breath.  “I just have to know what he did.  If it was heresy, I just need to know why.  He was such a kind pony, smart and clever and full of life.  I need to understand what he did, and why.” “Emberglow, you know I love you, right?” Lofty said warily.  Emberglow nodded.  “This line of questioning could get you in trouble.  You know that, right?  If you push hard on this, you’ll make enemies, and you’ll have the attention of ponies you don’t want that kind of attention from.” “I don’t think there could be any harm in just asking questions.  I just want to know what happened, is all.  If he was a heretic, he earned what he deserved.  I’m not arguing that.  I just want to hear the full story.” “Okay.  I had to warn you so you know what you were getting into.  I’d start with a simple request at the Star Shine building.  If your friend was just arrested for heresy, and nothing stranger is going on, then I don’t see why they wouldn’t tell a fellow Knight.  I’d even drop the name of your sponsor.  If that doesn’t get you what you want…” Lofty sighed.  “If that doesn’t work, it might not be worth pushing.” “Lofty, you know me,” Emberglow smiled, trying to sound more confident than she felt.  “I never give up.” “Is it worth it?” Lofty asked. “I won’t know until I ask the questions, will I?” Emberglow admitted.  “Thank you, Lofty.  Sorry to take up your time with heavy stuff.” “You don’t have to leave just yet, do you?” Lofty asked.  “Let’s get lunch.  There’s a nice café a few blocks away, the chef is a genius with zucchini.  I’ll pay.  I heard about the bad part of your assignment, but I’d love to hear more about your pirate adventures.  Did you learn any pirate talk?” “Pirate talk?” Emberglow asked. “Yeah.  Stuff like ‘arg’ and ‘yarr’ and ‘ahoy’,” Lofty teased as he stood.  “Hang on, let me leave a note for Gimlet Eye, another Knight Vigilant I’m working a case with.”  He ruffled around for a spare piece of paper, writing a quick note for his partner.  Emberglow laughed at the pirate question, standing with her friend as he opened the door for the two of them.   “No.  The pirate I had the most conversations with did like to rhyme, however.” “Rhyme?” “Some of the Zebra only speak in rhyme.  Zuberi wouldn’t explain it to me, but I got the impression it was some sort of taboo.” Emberglow said.  The two of them trotted down the stairs, all five flights.  The whole way, Emberglow told Lofty about her adventure on board Lady Elegant.  Like with her parents, she tried to downplay her own role, but Lofty was not buying it. “So you basically did nothing, while all the other ponies did all the fighting?” he raised a skeptical eyebrow.  She waved a hoof at him. “You know how I am in a fight, Lofty.” “I also know when somepony is trying to be too modest.”  He grinned at her.  “You’re a much better Knight than you give yourself credit for, I’m sure. “Well,” Emberglow admitted.  “I did save my entire team when the pirate tried to light a stack of gunpowder barrels.” “Told you so,” Lofty smirked.. “But I accidentally shielded the pirate at the same time, so…”  she trailed off because Lofty was laughing so hard. “What happened to the pirate, then?” he asked, after he’d caught his breath.  Emberglow’s ears wilted as the joy drained out of her. “He was… we had to…”  She paused, inhaling deeply.  “He and his surviving crew was hanged.  I… I had to oversee the procedure.”  She hated the way the euphemism felt leaving her mouth. “It’s a terrible thing to hold a pony’s life in your hooves like that,” Lofty said, a haunted look passing his eyes. “Lofty, what happened to you?” Emberglow asked, leaning forward in concern.  He shook his head. “Nothing important,” he said.  “Let me tell you about the case I’m working on.”  As a change of subject, it was clumsy and heavy-hooved, but Emberglow let it pass.  Her friend would tell her if he wanted to.  Besides, it wasn’t like there weren’t secrets she kept from him.   So she let him speak about the case he was working on, a decade-long fraud spree among three different banking institutions in New Canterlot City.  It all seemed uninteresting on its face, but Lofty seemed to be enjoying the work, and his passion for the investigation made it worth hearing about. They reached the café, a charming outdoor affair with wrought iron tables and chairs, a pleasant vase of fresh cut flowers on each table. There was a swinging door leading into indoor tables, but the large window Emberglow could see showed that most of the café’s patrons were choosing to eat outside and take advantage of the sunny day.  There was only a single table open, and Lofty Tale motioned for them to sit. “We don’t order inside?” Emberglow asked.   “Usually we would, but they like me here.” Lofty smirked.  “I get special treatment.” “You don’t think that’s inappropriate?” Emberglow said, making sure to keep a teasing note in her voice. “Taking advantage of your position?” “Heavy responsibilities and obligations have to come with some perks, right?  And here comes the first perk,” he said.  A mare approached, an earth pony with pastel yellow fur and a bouncy white mane.  She wore a perky blue sun dress, and her blue eyes sparkled with inner mischief.  She practically bounced over to the table, and at first she didn’t even seem to notice Emberglow. “Hey there, Sir Handsome… Um, I mean, hello, Sir Lofty,” the mare said, correcting herself with a start when she noticed Emberglow.  Puzzlement and worry warred for a moment on her face as she looked at Emberglow; from her original greeting, Emberglow thought that perhaps the mare was sizing her up as a potential rival.  It only took a moment to recognize the robes of the Radiant, which was apparently enough to dismiss Emberglow as a romantic threat.  Her flirtatious smile came back instantly. “Hello, Alamode.  This is my best friend, Lady Emberglow.” “My lady,” Alamode said graciously with a curtsey, before turning back to Lofty.  “What can I get you today?”  Her voice was laced with innuendo, and she gazed at him with a sultry, half-lidded look. “Do you mind if I order for both of us?” Lofty asked Emberglow, who nodded.  Her friend knew the café, so she trusted his choice.  She wanted to see what he meant by ‘genius with zucchini’.  “Two orders of zoodles with fried tofu and marinara sauce,” he ordered, and Alamode grinned and bounced away with a saucy sway of her hips.  Emberglow watched her go, then turned back to Lofty, her eyebrows raised in an almost comically exaggerated look of judgement. “What?” Lofty said innocently, and Emberglow snorted. “Nothing, Sir Handsome.” Emberglow said.  “But I have to ask about that pesky little Oath of Celibacy you Vigilants swear.” “Oh, it’s the same as yours,” he said.  “But there’s nothing wrong with a little flirting.”  Emberglow thought about her time with her friend Gadget, and silently disagreed.  His lighthearted tone faltered for a moment. “You may be surprised at how loosely some Knights in New Canterlot City interpret their Oath of Celibacy, or even the Oaths of Poverty and Sobriety.” “I’d… rather not even think about it, actually,” Emberglow said.  It reminded her of Bubblegum, if to a lesser degree.  Why did ponies even become Knights, if they didn’t wish to live by the rules? “Lofty!  I found your note.  Did you order for us already?” came the shout of a brown earth pony, wearing orange robes that matched Lofty’s.  His darker brown mane was cut military style, a near match for Delver Deep’s mane style. “Not for you, Gimlet,” Lofty said.  “Gimlet, meet my best friend, Emberglow of the Radiant.”  Emberglow rose from her seat to greet the newcomer, and they shook hooves before both sat down at the table with Lofty. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Emberglow,” Gimlet said.  “Lofty says you’re a genius with the rune gauntlet, and you’re the only reason he graduated from Knight training.” “He would have sorted things out eventually,” Emberglow said.  “Three, maybe four years late.” “No, you give me way too much credit,” Lofty said with a grin as he owned her teasing.  “I’d never have passed.  You worked a miracle with me.” “Okay, enough of that,” Emberglow said with embarrassment. “Emberglow just got back in the city after an assignment hunting pirates in the Eastern Sea.  Pirates, Gimlet.  Some ponies have all the luck,” Lofty said enviously. “Hunting pirates?  That’s like every colt’s dream.  Meanwhile we get a fraud case,” Gimlet said with a sigh of exasperation.  Emberglow’s gaze flicked back and forth between the two Vigilants.  They both seemed legitimately disappointed that they didn’t get to hunt pirates.  Stallions were so weird. “Oh?  From what Lofty was saying, you were both really enjoying your fraud case.” “Yeah, it’s interesting,” Gimlet said.  “Every mystery is like a puzzle to put together." Then he grinned. "And we may have found another piece.” “Did you get it?” Lofty asked, his ears perking up as he leaned forward in his seat.  Gimlet gave a pleased chuckle. “Yup.  It seems your guess was right.  The employee records at both Morning Glory Credit Union and First Canterlot Financial have been tampered with.  Somepony is hiding something from us, and it’s in those records.” “Did your search find some non-redacted records?” Lofty asked.  Gimlet shook his head, but kept grinning. “Nope.  But I did find something else.  I know the name of the pony that did the redacting.  And she lives here in the city.” “Oh, very interesting,” Lofty said.  “We’ll have to have a chat with the mare.” “You still busy this afternoon?” Gimlet asked.  Lofty nodded.  “We’ll go track her down tomorrow.” Alamode arrived just then, bearing with her two plates full of green-looking noodles covered with red sauce and crispy brown fried strips of tofu.  When the waitress saw that Sir Gimlet Eye had arrived, she took his order as well.  Emberglow dug into her meal, discovering to her pleasant surprise that ‘zoodle’ meant a noodle made out of tiny strips of zucchini.  The squash added a delightful sweetness to the savory marinara sauce, and the tofu was deliciously seasoned.  She could see why Lofty ate here frequently, at least besides a cute bouncing flank.   “So what’s this afternoon?” Emberglow asked, a bit confused when Gimlet smirked and Lofty looked away, blushing with slight embarrassment. “Just a longstanding appointment our good noble pony has,” Gimlet said with a teasing grin.  “I don’t know why you’re so embarrassed, Lofty.  It’s almost like you’re ashamed.” “I just don’t like anypony to make a big fuss, is all,” Lofty mumbled. “What are you talking about?” Emberglow asked, confused. “It really is nothing,” Lofty said.  “I’ve been living off my pay from Knighthood and have been spending my allowance from my family on charitable ventures.  My family doesn’t know, but most of the other Knights I work with do.  I tried to keep things quiet, but do you realize how difficult it is to keep a secret from an entire building full of investigators?”  Gimlet laughed. “He gets teased about it, but secretly we’re all impressed,” the other Vigilant said.  “Sir Moneybags here has hired a contractor and work crew to build a brand new soup kitchen in Valley Ward, for some of the poor laborers there.  He’s managed to snag a few other investors as well among the Knights working out of the justice building.  Once a week he goes to check on the progress, meet with the contractors and the laborers working on the building.” “Wow, Lofty,” Emberglow said.  “You never said anything.” “I don’t want attention for stuff like this,” Lofty complained.  “I want to be known for stuff like what you did.  Hunting pirates.  Silly hero stuff.  That’s the kind of thing that impresses the mares,” he said with a silly grin. “Like you need help with that,” Gimlet said with a snort as Alamode came back with his lunch and bedroom eyes for Lofty.  Emberglow giggled. “What made you think of this?” Emberglow asked. “One of my first cases was a serial burglar hitting wealthy manors in Garden Ward.  She was a day laborer in Valley Ward.  I ended up spending a lot of time there with the senior investigator I was working with, and it was… illuminating.  So I decided to engage in some noblesse oblige.” “You’re misusing that term,” Emberglow said.  “But I get what you mean.” “I needed to do something, even if it was just symbolic, to give back.  My family has no idea I’m spending the stipends they send me on building a soup kitchen, but I’m sure they wouldn’t care.  The building will probably end up with the ‘Tale’ name on it somewhere, which will only add to the family story.”  Lofty shrugged.  “Honestly I don’t care if they gain prestige or fame because of this, as long as ponies get helped.  The side benefits don’t matter as long as they’re getting food, right?” “Lofty, I’m proud of you, you know that, right?” Emberglow said, reaching out to rest a hoof on his shoulder. “You should be, I’m amazing,” Lofty said with a grin, and Emberglow laughed.  “Hey, about what we were talking about earlier.  I’ll look into it for you.” “You don’t have to do that, Lofty,” Emberglow said, as Gimlet looked between them, a puzzled curiosity on his face.  “I know it’s a risk.” “I know how to ask the right questions, Emberglow,” Lofty said.  “And I know when it’s time to back off.”  He finished the sentence with a meaningful  glance at her, and it was her turn to look embarrassed.  “Don’t worry, I’ll see what I can find out.” “I don’t want you to get in trouble for asking, Lofty.” “Of course, Emberglow.  I’ll let you know what I uncover.” The three ponies finished their lunch, exchanging small talk and the casual, gentle teasing that happened so naturally between friends.  Emberglow was a bit concerned about the flirting Lofty did with the waitress, Alamode, but she didn’t think about it too much.  Afterwards Emberglow took her leave, saying goodbye to the two Knights Vigilant before making her way towards Diamond Home. The headquarters of the Knights Radiant didn’t really feel like home to her, but it was still a pleasant sight. It was the smallest of the five Knight Order Headquarters, reaching only four stories into the skies.  The walls were white, and sparkled in the sun from the bits of shell and mother-of-pearl that had been ground up in the masonry during its construction.  It wasn’t just a home for the Knights, either; Diamond Home stood next door to a large hospital, where many of the Radiants who lived their spent their days. Mercy Song had told her to check in, so she dropped by the reception desk and told the young squire working there the address of her parent’s house.  Apparently, she had already been left a message for when she showed up; unless otherwise informed, she was to report to Lady Freckle of the Radiant in five days, unless they received a request for a second interview from the Mystics.  This suited her just fine; she would be able to follow up on any information Lofty Tale brought her about Oak Chips while she was waiting.  Happy that her duties had been seen to, she headed home to her parents' shop. There was a new sign in the window when she got home; it read, ‘Needle Point Textiles: Favorite Shop of Lady Emberglow of the Radiant, MIGHTY HUNTER OF PIRATES!’ “Oh, Saints defend me,” Emberglow moaned before braving the front door.  The entry bell rang and Emberglow stepped into the shop.  Thankfully, there was nopony currently browsing the rows of dresses and suits, with only her mother seeing to the front-of-store. “Take it down,” she said gruffly, with no preamble. “Take what down, Lady Sweetie?  And hello, by the way,” her mother said with a smile. “You know what I mean,” Emberglow groused as her mother giggled. “Nopony in the neighborhood will take it too seriously, sweetie.  Your dad and I are just having a bit of fun.  Besides, the sign’s the complete truth, isn’t it?” her mother said innocently. “You’re ridiculous,” Emberglow said, conceding with a roll of her eyes.  “I have no orders for five days, though that might change at no notice.  Could I spend it in the shop with you guys?”  Technically she could ask for quarters at Diamond Home, but she saw no point when her parents lived so near.  Besides, she missed them. “Of course, sweetie.  You stay as long as you want,” her mother said.  “How did your errands go?” “I went to see my old friend Lofty.  He’s doing well.  I’ve also asked him to…” she trailed off, suddenly realizing what she’d been about to spout out to her mother.  “Um, I had to ask him about a case he was working on.  Something he was writing me about.  Just a curiosity, really.” “Uh huh,” her mother said, skeptically.  Needle Point knew she was a terrible liar, but Emberglow sealed her lips and said nothing more.  After a moment, her mother shrugged. “Well, we’re not busy, so could you help your father with some repairs?” Needle Point asked, and Emberglow was more than happy to chip in. *   *   *   *   * The next three days saw Emberglow falling into a routine.  In the morning, she’d help her parents in the shop.  In the afternoons, she would check in at Diamond Home.  While unassigned, there were still things Emberglow could do to help, so she did.  There were always ponies supplicating the Knights Radiant for healing inside their headquarters, and she was a skilled healer both magically and non-magically.  It was not as if there was much more for her to do while she waited.  On the evening of the third day, just after closing time, there was a knock on the family shop’s front door.  Textile answered. “Emberglow, it’s for you,” he called up the spiral staircase.  “A Sir Lofty Tale at the door.” “Invite him in, dad.  He’s a friend.” Textile and Lofty Tale trotted up the spiral staircase that led to the family’s living room.  Lofty looked concerned as he waved off Textile and Needle Point’s respectful bows. “I am sorry to intrude on your home so late,” he said.  “I need to speak to your daughter alone for a few minutes.” “Let’s go for a walk,” Emberglow suggested, and Lofty nodded.  “I’ll be back in a while, mom, dad.  Don’t wait up if it gets late.” The moon was full and the night was almost unpleasantly cool.  Emberglow was wearing a civilian dress, and Lofty his robes.  She wished she’d thought to snag a coat, but seeing the expression of urgency on Lofty’s face, she didn’t want to suggest they go back. “You found out something,” Emberglow said as the two of them trotted down the street.  It wasn’t a question. “Nothing good.  Nothing even substantial,” Lofty said with a sigh as he walked alongside his friend.  “I have a few contacts with the Mystics.  I asked about the name.  The response was almost immediate.  I was told that it was none of my business, the matter was sealed and classified, and that to ask further would result in an investigation into my own activities.” “They threatened you?” Emberglow asked incredulously. “Yes.  All I could get is that Oak Chips was arrested for heresy.  I got nothing more about the nature of the heresy, or which crimes he committed.  I couldn’t even learn where he was being kept.  I’m sorry, Emberglow.  This is not something you want to push.  Especially if you’re already being looked into for the incident with your teammate.” “I know, Lofty,” she said softly.  “It’s just hard, you know?  He was my friend.” “I get that,” he said.  “It can be really frustrating dealing with the Mystics.  They always have considered themselves the first among the Knights, and it shows in this case.  I wish I could have done more for you.” “You’ve done enough,” Emberglow said.  “Thank you.” “You’re not going to give up, are you?” he asked.  She shook her head. “I’ve got to at least ask Sir Steadfast.  If he tells me the same thing, I’ll drop it.  I promise, Lofty,” she added when he looked at her, worried.  She knew she wouldn’t drop it, though.   “Promise me you’ll be careful, too,” Lofty said, the moonlight sparkling in his full, concerned eyes. “I’ll do my best, Lofty,” Emberglow promised, though she couldn’t help but feel an ominous foreboding.  After her interview with Hollybright, she was starting to wonder if just being careful would even be enough.