//------------------------------// // 1/20/1001 // Story: The Unofficial Records of a Mare in Black // by the7Saviors //------------------------------// I have to once again mention how great this minor pocket dimension spell is, even if I'm just using it to hide my journal for the time being. It actually feels pretty good to be able to write something down here outside of my own room back at HQ. As I jot this entry down I'm currently on the Pony Express bound for Manehattan. Unfortunately, the train doesn't go as far as the Crystal Mountains so I had to board a train heading east from Canterlot to Manehattan and then board an airship once I get there. There's a railroad running west of Canterlot that would get me a bit closer to my destination but I decided not to take it. The problem is that the railroad is unfinished and only goes about as far as the Galloping Gorge. Not only that, but I'd have to travel by hoof or hire a coach to take me the rest of the way, and while an airship is more expensive, it's also a lot faster. Bits aren't an issue anyway seeing as how the agency—and by extension, the Crown—is paying my travel expenses for me. There are those agency perks at work again. Gotta love 'em. That aside, the ride's been pretty smooth and painless so far. I've had nothing but time on my hooves since I boarded the train so I'd been catching up on some reading up until now. I'm still worried about a bunch of things, but I have to say, this has been a fairly relaxing trip. It's gotten pretty late out and the unscheduled rain beating against the window next to me is doing wonders for my nerves. I've always liked the rain, but Canterlot never seems to get enough of it. I've heard it's because the Princess hates it and ordered the weather team in Canterlot not to let it rain unless it was absolutely necessary. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if that old rumor turned out to be true. Sunset already told me that the Princess could be foalish when it came to certain things so a foalish demand like that evidently wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. In any case, I'm kind of glad there are areas like this where the influence of pegasus magic doesn't reach and nature is free to do whatever it wants. Sure, the Everfree Forest goes a bit overboard with its weather from time to time, but that place is far from normal. It's excessively violent, unpredictable, and uncontrollable storms are more an exception rather than the rule. Everywhere else that lacks a weather team to keep things under control is far tamer when it comes to the weather thankfully. Look at me, just sitting here writing about the weather like nothing is wrong in the world. It almost feels like I'm going undercover like Tempest and Prism Streak, and in a way I guess I kind of am for the moment. I've forgone my black suit in order not to draw too much attention to myself and now I'm basically posing as a tourist out to see some eccentric sights up north. At least, that's the story I'm giving to anypony curious enough to ask me where I'm headed or what I'm doing. In reality, though, I'm still very much wary of my current mission and this 'Red Crystal' I'm supposed to find. I tried to get a bit more info out of the boss just before I left, but the stallion was like a steel wall. I couldn't get anything else out of him other than some basic safety tips for climbing the Crystal Mountains—tips which, I might add, I'm already well aware of. I've already fully prepared for the trip and any supplies I couldn't bring with me or that haven't been provided by POUT I plan to pick up in Manehattan. Speaking of preparations, I also made sure to visit Sunset before I left and let her know about my mastery of the minor pocket dimension spell. She was shocked, to say the least. Apparently she hadn't actually expected me to pick it up so fast even after she'd told me when I first started trying to learn the spell that she believed I'd master it in no time flat. I called her out on her insincerity of course, but her response was that she was just trying to be supportive which, okay fine. I can appreciate that she was trying to help, but give me honest support! Don't tell me I can do it if you don't mean it! I'd rather she give it to me straight and just tell me that she had doubts than pile on empty words of encouragement, y'know? It's fine I guess, and I'm not too mad about it; that's just how she is sometimes and I can accept that about her. It also helps that she's keeping her promise of getting rid of that horrible geas she inflicted on herself. Although, I'm not so sure I believe her when she told me it would be a fairly painless process as long as she did it right. I was and am suspicious of the fact that she didn't tell me what the process of dispelling the geas would actually entail. That has me worried, but then there's Spike. I also took the time to see him one last time as well. On the bright side, we've finally gathered enough data on the little drake to satisfy a few conditions. Namely, we can start treating him less like an experiment and more like an actual living, thinking creature. Don't get me wrong, all of us had reservations about keeping Spike locked up in that overblown container, even if Spike himself didn't really mind all that much. The problem was that the Princess had the final say in the matter and decided it would be best for our own safety to keep him contained until we knew more. Well, now we know more and have finally been given the okay to move him to an actual room, albeit with some added restrictions and security measures put into place so he can't wander about where he's not allowed to. The room itself is still located down in the lab and it's not exactly up to the standards of the kind of bedroom I have, but I've seen it personally and I think it's nice enough. Spike doesn't really care either way as long as he still gets fed and gets to see me. That, though, is where the problems begin. See, Spike understands that I have a job to do; He doesn't like it, but he understands. That's not what's bugging him the most anymore. The issue now is that he heard my voice again the night before I came to visit him for the last time before I left. It was the same sort of situation as before and now it has him scared. In all honesty, it has me a bit scared too because according to him, I'd started calling out to him, begging him to come back. Again, I'd like to point out that I'd done no such thing and in fact, had some fairly restful sleep for how anxious I was. Now he really doesn't want me to go if only because he's starting to think this might be some kind of omen or prophecy or something. His own anxiety was so bad that he had actually spoken out loud for the first time, shocking not only me but the other scientist who'd been present at the time. It was in a slow, halting, stuttering sort of voice, slightly cracked from lack of use, but the question he'd asked was as clear as day. He'd turned to me and the other researcher with that same blank expression and asked aloud if he could go with me. At that point, I was ready to scoop him up and take him away with me, but of course, that was out of the question. There was no way in Tartarus the higher-ups would allow something like that even though I really, really wanted him by my side. He didn't fight or argue against the obvious denial but not even the other scientists could miss the disappointment and worry in his eerily glowing eyes. Yes, him actually speaking out loud was a breakthrough, but I just wish it had happened under better and less ominous and heartbreaking circumstances. Up until a few hours ago, I was able to ease his mind through our mutual telepathic link, but that got weaker and weaker the further I moved away from Canterlot and now it's gone completely. This might sound silly—especially considering it hasn't been all that long since the link was established—but without Spike's voice in my mind, I feel kind of lonely. The whole world seems a bit quieter and I somehow feel like I lost a part of myself. The sensation isn't exactly stifling me or anything, but I'm worried about how it's affecting Spike. It's not the first time I've traveled far enough for the link to weaken considerably, but it is the first time I've put enough distance between us that the link has vanished entirely. I've been to Manehattan once before while on a mission with Tempest Storm, but that was before Spike had hatched. Now things are different, but even so, what can I do? I suppose I'll just have to deal with it and pray that Spike is okay without me. In the meantime, it looks like the train's made it through the Shady Mountain Pass tunnel so it shouldn't be too much longer before I reach Manehattan. I'd give it about another two or three hours before the Pony Express pulls into Manehattan Station. I'll be arriving a couple of hours before Celestia raises the sun so I won't be able to head right to Manehattan's Landing Port right from the train station. Thankfully a hotel has already been booked in advance for me to stay at. I'd rather not drag out this little adventure any longer than I have to but at the same time, I don't want to rush things and make a mistake either. As things are, it might actually be better for me to stay in town for a bit and ask around to see if anypony knows anything useful about the Crystal Mountains. My flight won't be leaving until just before noon anyway so I don't think it's a bad idea. The problem is where would I even start with my questions? Who would I even ask? Well, I'm sure something will work itself out... probably. Hopefully. For now, I'm gonna get a bit of shuteye before the train pulls in. As always, here's hoping everything goes well in the end.