//------------------------------//
// 76.5 Old Lies, New Opportunities 
// Story: Prey and a Lamb 
// by Lambs Prey 
//------------------------------//

"The package going to Crimson is with a courier. I specified express delivery." Lemon Pink told him as she loaded up the third and last prepared body onto the cart.

A stronger unicorn wouldn't have even needed a cart, instead being able to levitate the heavy load along on a plane of force and more importantly, maintain it too, but Lemon wasn't one of those unicorns, even while wearing the electrite choker. 

Lowering the cart down through the hole in the roof of the overflow pipe so they could access the sewers was a massive pain, but they'd built a simple pulley and crane system over the hole to help. Since Lemon's telekinesis was strong enough to levitate the cart for maybe a full minute if she strained, she was certainly strong enough to haul on the pulley's rope when assisted by physics.

"Which courier service?" Prey asked, just in case it might be important.

"EPF. Equestrian Parcel Force."

Prey didn't know of them, neither good or bad, so it meant they were probably just an average courier service, which was probably best for his purposes. He hooked the lantern up on one hoof, before rearing up against the cart so he could swing their light source up and onto the back of it. Lemon could cast a light spell, but however simple the spell was, a crystal glow lantern was simpler still.

"You also put the lure totem in the post for Big Fields at the same time, right?" Prey asked as he dropped back onto all fours, although it wasn't really a question, since he'd told Lemon to do so, so she must've done it.

He'd been holding back on sending it, still deciding if he wanted to pursue Big Fields for the sins of his grandfather, Green Fields. He still didn't know yet if he was going to go through with punishing Big Fields. However by sending it, this way if he did decide to act, then the lure totem would be in place inside the leader of the Crop Holders' household. Prey was just keeping his revenge options open, as it were. He... didn't really think he was going to be following through on it any time soon, though.

"Yes, Prey." Lemon said, getting into position in front of the cart and magically picking up the tracers. The cart began to roll bumpily forwards, the loose walkway boards making the surface uneven as the gravel crunched. Prey followed along behind as they exited the lair, and also his greatest place of safety in the whole world.

"I visited the Underground Market." Lemon began as she pulled the cart.

"Were there any items of interest?" Prey pre-empted her, thinking of the small circular plaza in Lower Canterlot, with its run down storefronts and grumpy stall tenders in the middle. It, like most other shopping districts in Canterlot, chose to hold its market day on Thursday, which had been yesterday. Prey would kill to get ahold of another veropede egg. No, wait, only kill if they deserved it. He was supposed to be trying to do better than that.

It didn't matter though, because Lemon answered in the negative, "No, Prey. Nothing of actual value, simply more curios and trinkets."

She paused, "However, while in disguise, I discovered that someone has been asking around the Underground Market for anybody who might know how to contact my thief disguise, Average Accountant."

Average Accountant, the make believe thief Lemon had pretended to be when she stole the electrite, but also the same 'person' who had 'forced' Warm Hearth, one of Lord Vanish's maids, to steal the jade necklace from the Time mansion. Or at least, that was what the various guard forces believed. 

The necklace had of course really been stolen by the Brotherhoof of Sol, who were all now dead, (hopefully), and when Lord Vanish had lashed out and gotten Crimson arrested, thinking the red pegasus was responsible, Prey had hastily enacted a plan to frame that maid. As in, implanted false memories into Warm Hearth's head that Average Accountant had cornered her in her house, and threatened to burn it all down if she didn't steal the necklace.

As far as Warm Hearth was concerned, she'd then carried out the theft under duress, and hoofed it over to Average Accountant, who'd then disappeared and everyone was none the wiser. Except for Prey and Lemon, the ones who'd framed her. And the real thieves, but they were now all dead. Once again, hopefully.

Prey was still going to find some way to punish Vanish for stealing the necklace from Crimson in the first place. It was just that he was a notable figure who Prey had a traceable connection to, unlike with Captain Valour, where no one from his tour in Vanhoover remembered him. Vanish's punishment would have to be subtler and less lethal.

But back to the Underground Market and somebody searching for a way to get in contact with him, or rather one of Lemon Pink's disguises.

"Any idea or leads on who's doing the asking?"

Without halting in pulling the cart up the uneven rocky cave tunnel, Lemon merely shook her head, "Aside from that it was an intermediary asking, no, Prey."

So someone was asking questions on someone else's behalf? Lovely. Prey wasn't really worried about that, though. Average Accountant didn't exist, and if someone was being as blatant as to go around asking on the Underground Market to try and meet the mysterious thief, they weren't very smart. Or they were powerful or confident enough to try anyways.

Powerful and confident didn't mean capable and intelligent however, so Prey could probably just ignore them. They'd find nothing, and eventually give up.

'So it's probably not the mimics then, they're much more cunning and secretive than this. Unless they're going all in on a double-bluff, but that's a stretch. They shouldn't have anything to draw a connection between Average Accountant and Lemon Pink, and even if they did know, then they'd already know Average Accountant isn't even real. So not the mimics.'

That made Prey feel a bit better about this. 'So, if not the mimics, then who else might want to get in contact with a successful thief and why?' Prey asked himself as he trotted up the tunnel, keeping up with the cart and the pool of travelling lantern light.

There were two obvious answers. There were evidently more possibilities than just those two, and while you should never assume you knew everything, those were still the two most probable answers.

One, that they were some kind of law or guard force looking to apprehend a thief.

Or two, that they were someone looking to use a skilled thief, either through hiring or coercion.

So the obvious follow up question was, which one was it? Prey considered it and the possible outcomes as the cart continued to roll over the stone. 

Presently, he made his decision; "It's a low priority, but go back to the market and see if you can't dig up some more information on who's asking. Be discreet, if possible passive mind reading only. If it's people looking to capture Average Accountant, maybe we'll lay a false trail somewhere else, like another calling card in Fillydelphia. If it's someone looking to recruit, well, if it seems safe, set up a meeting in disguise and see what they're after."

"Yes, Prey. From the feel of it, I am leaning towards it being the latter result."

"Eh. Time will tell I suppose."

Prey was feeling a bit better about the whole 'Crimson's sick' situation now that he knew he'd done something to help. Not good, only better. The medicine package was on its way to Griffonstone, and would be there in two days. It wasn't the normal sort of cure a pony would expect either. It wasn't any kind of pills, although it was something he'd cooked into a solid. It wasn't just herbs either, although it did contain some herbs... and other stuff it was probably best if no conscientious pony found out about.

'Crimson will be fine.' Prey repeated to himself for the hundredth time today. He stifled a yawn, pausing to rub at the uneven scarring under his eyes.

'Just need to drop off these bodies in the Sewer's Heart and attach them to the wickerwatch, and then I can go back to the flat and get some sleep.'

Sleeping during the day was incidentally a great way to avoid Luna dream kidnapping you again. Prey hadn't forgiven, or forgotten that.


------


There was a note under the front door when Prey got back to the flats. It was from Scenic, which meant it was actually really probably from Carton Juice, or at least she was the one behind getting her coltfriend to write it. It read:

'Hey Prey, do you want to come to lunch with us? Just found out that Gloom and Crimson are out of Canterlot and that you're alone. Feel free to join us. Going to Lilly's house then out to the park. No Saffron this time. See you one o'clock? -Scenic.'

Prey tossed aside the note. From the last clock tower he'd seen on the way back up through lower Canterlot, it was already half-one. So, too late. Not that he'd have had any interest or intention of attending, anyways. Well he had an honest excuse now if they asked; "I didn't get back to see your note in time."

Prey had been trying to get the message across to them that he didn't want anything to do with them. They were normal Equestrians, ponies each raised in the heart of Canterlot and ponydom. He wasn't like them. And to be fair, they at least somewhat understood that, but what they completely missed was the scope in differences. They missed it so completely and utterly that if not for gravity, Prey doubted they could even hit the ground in this instance. Carton Juice especially. At least with Scenic, Saffron, and Lilly they had some idea of what the phrase, 'life isn't fair' really meant.

But it wasn't important, Prey didn't want to see them or try to connect, he was going to go to sleep before he had to get up for his next shift tonight. They'd probably just asked him because that's what ponies did; demand your friendship and companionship by shoving themselves into your life, and then get upset and offended when you told them to get out of your personal space. 

They could all go be best friends with one another, so long as they did it somewhere else.

Ignoring the note, and the people who were trying to reach out and be sociable, Prey went inside and went to bed, pulling the blanket over his head not to just block the sunlight, but also because even in the middle of the day, it was now more pleasant to sleep with the blanket on rather than off.


---


Down in the silent purple ocean depths of his inner mindscape, Prey drifted and dreamed. He dreamed of worry, and he planned for a crimson pegasus. The world wasn't fair, it took and gave nothing back. If you wanted anything, you had to hold onto it, fight for it tooth and nail, claw and hoof.


------


Prey traced the harvest king rhyme scratched into the back of his flat's door before he left to travel to the Palace that night.

Out in the cool air, as the sun sank past the rim of Canterlot, it was just cool enough to see faint wisps of his breath if he exhaled hard enough. Prey knew that Canterlot got snow in winter, but only because the citizens thought it was fun and traditional around Hearth's Warming. If not for that, the weather teams would never have allowed any snow to fall.

'How easy life is, if you can look at snow as a fun indulgence, because you have the option of saying, 'no' to the weather.'

They hadn't gotten snow on the farm over the border, although it could get cold at night. There was snow on the dividing mountain range certainly, all year round on the peaks too, but the villagers had never been snowed in. Drought was usually their weather disaster of choice.

Garrow on the other hoof did know snow. Or had known. Griffonia was colder all year round, and especially in the High Kingdom, the winters could be bitter with blizzards and deep freezes. When the cold set in for endless months at a time and winter ran long, when the wood pile was empty and the cupboards lay bare, when the sky was a never ending drifting grey and the sun never shone, those were the times where snow wasn't 'fun'.

'But I don't have to worry about any of that here in the heart of Equestria.' Prey thought. 

But Crimson and the others, they were still in Griffonia. There was no way they'd still be there when winter set in, right? That was still over a month away. Surely they'd be back by then, surely.

Prey made it a point, once he'd trotted in through the Guard Entrance, to go find Screech in his borrowed office as the Lieutenant's shift was beginning, and politely thank him for informing him about Crimson's sudden illness, along with the general update on the mission. If he was polite and obviously thankful, Screech would see fit to continue keeping Prey in the loop without him needing to prompt the Lieutenant again in the future.

The stand-in thestral captain was understandably still quite concerned about the ongoing mission in Griffonstone, although he only showed it in a restrained thestral sort of way. Prey's experienced eye spotted it beneath the steady confidence Screech was projecting that told; "Luna will watch over them all".

Prey personally felt that while Luna might watch over them, it would only be for her own entertainment.

Prey entered the ISND's office, checking the runes he'd set up in there for any signs of entry, as well as doing a customary physical check of the office just to be sure, like in the alcoves, the corners, behind the shelves and under the desk.

Then, satisfied at the absence of traps or the like, he climbed up onto the desk chair and looked at the night's work he had in front of him.

'Paperwork.'

Paperwork. It was always paperwork, in one form or another. Be it unsolved cases which had only just been moved to inactive yesterday, to filing requests for such-and-such records back from such-and-such a date from the Records Department. But either way, in one shape or form, it was paperwork.

Prey sighed, and dropped the brown paper bag he'd brought in with him on the desk. He reached for the quill and inkwell with one hoof, and nosed the brown paper bag open with the other. With a rustle, his hoof came out with a brightly swirled red and pink candy. Strawberry and cherry. The hard candy's surface shone when you held it up to the light. In Prey's small hoof, the treat was as big as a plum would've been to the hooves of a regular equine. Wonderfully sweet and sugary, too.

'Let's see,' Prey thought, rustling through the rest of the paper bag and weighing it up, 'If I eat them one at a time and make them last, I should be able to get through half the night. Tomorrow night, I think I'll try those yellow pineapple ones that were on the shelf.'

Prey was really getting bored of doing paperwork every night. It sure beat fighting for your life, though.


---


The breakfast queue. First thing in the mess hall early morning after it opened, and before even most of the Night Guard turned up was the time to get there.

People are people, no matter where you go. That is to say, never the same. Every single person has a different story, has their own motivations, beliefs, and fears. Sure, most people were pretty similar to someone else out there. For example, in Canterlot, you could make a safe bet on one pony being very much like the very next brightly coloured pony you saw on the street. Coming from similar demographics, the same city, and relatable backgrounds, you could easily be forgiven for thinking that most spoilt, entitled ponies were the same.

But at the end of the day, people will still be people. Different, similar, strange, familiar. Individuals.

Take for example Cookie, the head cook of the Guard mess hall. 

Gourmet chef the elderly mare was not. Perpetually annoyed and grumpy she was. Being a mind mage, Prey had of course picked up some additional but irrelevant details about the earth pony over his unwilling time in the Night Guard. She was married to someone called Domino, owned a tabby cat called Marge, would be retiring in only a few years, had an aversion to spiders, despised coffee, made a concession to tea being okay, and more privately, had a dried butterfly collection she'd been building on since she was a foal.

The details of someone's life, but ones which Prey didn't care about. But still, it was sometimes so much easier if you pretended to care about their life. Also playing up being a sweet young child certainly helped with the crotchety old cook.

"Thank you for the food, miss Cookie." Prey smiled up at the kitchen hatch as he stretched up to accept his tray back.

"How many times do I have to tell you dearie, just Cookie is fine." The mare smiled fondly back down at him, wrinkle lines in her smile.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll get it right tomorrow miss Cookie." Prey returned innocently.

"Ya' little rascal, you say that every time." Cookie mock waved the serving spoon at him, amused by how, from her perspective, a foal thought they were being coy but also at the same time polite. She hadn't a clue why the big eyed, blue ribbon wearing lamb was really doing it.

'-but ahh, it always makes a nice start to my days in the kitchen-'

'Just give me my food so I can leave until lunch time.'

Cookie paused, leaning on the hatchs counter so she could look down at Prey. She hesitated, adjusting her apron, "Say, Prey dearie. I haven't been seeing Gloom and what'shisface coming by recently. They're supposed ta' be looking after you, no?"

Prey paused in balancing his tray of oatmeal on his back, "Why yes, that's absolutely right miss Cookie."

"Just Cookie," She automatically corrected without even paying attention, "But if'n that's so, where are they? Why're you always here by yourself every morning?"

"Oh, they said they were going on some super secret important mission." Prey answered, knowing Cookie would only believe his words were those of a child's, "It's like, really important too."

"That so?" Cookie frowned to herself. '-I smell a rat. Somepony's not living up to their obligations is what I'm hearing-'

"Y'know, Prey dearie, if you need help with anything, or are unhappy, or think something's going wrong, or if'n you just want to talk, you can come talk to miss Cookie any time. You know that, right?"

'You're right at the bottom of the list of people I would come to talk to, only above Luna, the Solar Guard, Strange Happenstance, and the Sun Wolf.' Prey thought as he smiled his 'happy mask smile' back up at her: 

"Sure thing miss Cookie, I've got it."

'-but does he really get it though? Is he just saying the words thinking he isn't allowed to bother anypony?-', Cookie worried.

She put down her serving spoon to the side and leaned further out of the hatch to get closer to Prey's level. She lowered her voice too, trying to sound more motherly and kind, "I mean that. Anything at all, you can come to me. Who's looking after you tonight? Is one of Gloom's bat friends staying over to babysit you?" 

"You mean a thestral?" Prey innocently corrected her, "No, but Scenic Paint and his special somepony come and have lunch all together."

Cookie still wasn't satisfied though, old motherly instincts coming to the forefront, "How about friends your own age? You got any nice foal friends?"

The last time Prey had any friends his own age was over sixty years ago. Well, not him, he'd never had any childhood friends, but rather Gossamer had. The name and the reminder didn't sting quite as much as it used to, not after the trip back to Rushweed and finally laying some of it to rest for good.

"Oh yes, lots of them." Prey flat out lied, just wanting to go eat his food in peace, "There's Turtle Dove, and Daisy Chain, and her brother Kudos, and their dog Tammy."

'-I still don't like it. I'm gonna' have to have words again with those ponies when they get back for leaving a foal behind-', The cook promised herself, mollified for now.

"You just be looking after yourself, ya' hear me?" Cookie told him firmly, pushing back off the counter.

'-seen too many good young foals go down bad paths and waste their special talent just because somepony who knew better wasn't there for them at the start-'

"Yes miss Cookie. Whatever you say miss Cookie. And stay warm!" Prey called back over his shoulder, "It's all too easy to catch pneumonia this time of year."

And with that, Prey was gone before Cookie could tense up at his words, catch herself, untense, and then respond. 

Being a mind mage, there were many more little details Prey had picked up about the earth pony cook during his unwilling time spent in the Night Guard. And not just about her husband, her cat, or her interests and hobbies. As with anyone he spent any decent amount of time around, or was forced to spend time around, he also picked up their fears, their sadness, and their woes. The other day, with winter rolling around, Cookie had been fretting over a memory from back when she was a filly, which had evidently somewhat traumatised her for life if she was still remembering it. 

Her dear grandmother had caught a cold which had swiftly developed into pneumonia before anyone was aware. One complication led to another, and her grandmother had died before anyone caught on. Even an earth pony with their robust and enhanced constitution weren't immune to sickness, and no one but an alicorn could fight off the greatest killer of all; time.

It was rather a cruel thing for Prey to have indirectly mentioned. He himself had been worrying over Crimson being sick in much the same fashion. But Prey could be a cruel person. And since he, Prey, was just a child, who had foal friends and had to be babysat, and couldn't possibly know about Cookie's grandmother, let alone understand the concept of death, he couldn't be blamed now could he?


---


Prey finished work for the day and left a little after seven in the morning, just as most citizens of this foul golden city were starting to stir under their warm bed covers. 

Once again, Prey absently noted how he could faintly see his breath in the air if he puffed, although with his wool he himself was perfectly fine. As he slipped out through the Guard Compound's gate, the thestral Night Guard posted there about to finish her own shift nodded to the lamb, and even said his name as he left; "Prey."

At a second glance, Prey recognised her as one of the new thestrals from the other night who'd attended his little impromptu lesson or whatever Screech was calling it. 

Luster her name was, Luster Dawn, another unique individual, and another person Prey didn't care about. 

The glittering gold, white, and in places, pink Royal Palace rose up behind Prey as he left, its spires being the highest point in the city, they were also the first to be touched by the rising sun.

But as Prey was trotting through the marbled streets back towards the apartment block, avoiding the few early rising ponies already out and about, quite a few with colourful scarfs on, he started to get a feeling in the back of his head. 

It was the sensation of not knowing what is going on just beyond your periphery, but getting the feeling that you should quickly turn your head to look even though you knew you wouldn't see anything.

Prey most certainly didn't intend to look back, though. He waited until he needed to cross the street before looking both ways to check. But as he'd expected, he saw nothing but Canterlot. 

He continued walking on as if nothing was out of the ordinary, but he was focusing and listening hard. There was a very good chance it was nothing, that it was just his paranoia. It almost always was, but Prey had no way of knowing that for sure, both before and after the fact. This wasn't even the second or third time this had happened, but somewhere around the eighth. Prey really was paranoid.

That didn't mean he was imagining it this time, though. 

'I'll be safe inside my flat if I can get back to it.' Prey thought, eyes flickering over the street, searching for any hint to the cause of his anxiety, 'But if I am being followed, that's almost certainly where they'll be expecting me to go.'

It was the same dilemma as with the runic protections covering his crystal lair. Once inside, he would be safe as he could be, but it was a stationary defence. 

His runic arrays couldn't come to him, he had to go to them. They couldn't move, and once he stepped outside, he was vulnerable again. If someone were to then lie in ambush outside the range of his runic defences, then there was nothing he could do about that. His flat and lair, if anyone knew about them, (or could even retain their memories of his underground retreat), then they'd have a big fat target to catch him entering or leaving at.

'Do I detour? Double back and slip down into the sewers instead and not go back to my flat today at all?' 

Prey thought fast, the street junction was coming up and if he wanted to slip away he needed to jump into the alley just around this corner. The feeling of being watched, he couldn't tell if it was actually still there or if it really was only his continuing paranoia now. 

'I need to decide.'

Prey continued straight on, not going left towards his apartment block or right towards the closest accessible sewer entrance. He went straight on for Scenic's place. Prey knew the earth pony would be too timid to deny him entry even at this time in the morning.


---


As predicted, Scenic didn't, although Prey didn't give him much choice when the still sleepy stallion opened his front door, the lamb slipped inside before Scenic could stop him.

"Alright alright, who's banging on my door at ridiculous o'clock-Wha-? Hey wait-! Prey?"

"Yes, me, Prey." Prey answered, already halfway down the painting hung hallway. The myriad paintings were of various sizes, some small, some large, some on canvas, some on paper, in various styles and a mix of watercolours and oil paints. They were all of landscapes in one form or another though.

Scenic blinked heavily, rubbing a fetlock over the scar tissue under his piebald eye, "I-Okay? I mean, why?"

Prey paused at seeing a small painting right at the end of the hallway. It was rough, only painted with shades of black, and was of what looked like a ruined cottage laid before a towering pine forest. Prey recognised it without any effort. It looked fresh. 

"Mayflower?" Prey asked the one word question, distracting Scenic.

Scenic stopped rubbing the sleep from his eyes, waking up a lot faster at the name and looked where Prey was looking. He drew a deep breath, "Yeah, it's Mayflower. I put it there so everypony can see it every day. So I can see it every day so I don't, don't forget. Um, not that I can forget, Celestia knows I can't, but, still, you know, if it's there I'm not risking it either, so... Yeah..."

'-not going to forget all those villagers who died, and I'm not going to let anypony else forget either-'

A sentiment with some nobility behind it, but a lot more selfishness, and mostly all misguided in any case. It was just a painting, so while Scenic, as a painter, might feel it meant something, to anyone else it was just a picture out of context. Plus, it was only on display within Scenic's house. So a noble sentiment yes, but also very dumb. 

Still, Prey knew how guilt made the mind make irrational connections and undertake irrelevant actions, as if it would somehow help after the fact.

"I got the note you left the other day, inviting me to lunch. Unfortunately, I was out and by the time I got back it was already too late." Prey said, shifting off the topic of the disaster of Mayflower.

"Oh, out? Where'd you go?" Scenic asked, looking away from staring moodily at the painting. 

'-didn't think Prey liked anything in Canterlot, and doesn't he work night shifts too?-'

"At the Royal Library, I stayed after work. It really is a wonderful place." Prey answered smoothly, knowing his like of the grand library was known to Scenic.

"Ah, I got you." Scenic walked into his own living room behind Prey, then faltered a step as he realised he still didn't know why Prey was here in  his house, and what's more, Scenic hadn't even realised how he'd missed that obvious fact up until now.

"So, uh, what did you say you were here for so early in the morning Prey?" Scenic asked, hiding his touch of nervousness. Or at least he thought he hid it.

"I didn't, and also, this is hardly early in the morning. It's, what, only just past half-seven?" Prey glanced at the clock on the mantlepiece, nestled beside a 'Get Well Soon' card.

"Half-seven is early." Scenic protested.

"No it's not. Early is before the sun rises, and it already rose at ten minutes to seven. Unless you have an excuse, such as working through the night..." Prey gave the earth pony a pointed look, "Then there's no excuse not to be up and doing once there's daylight enough to see."

Scenic missed how Prey still hadn't answered his original question, "Oh Celestia, I should've known. You're a morning person. I saw the signs, and how you like camping, and could sleep on a noisy moving train, you're one of those. Coffee isn't good for you at your age, you know."

"I've never even tasted the stuff. Don't need it anyways." Prey returned, affecting smugness, "Funnily enough, I seem to recall you having a coffee jar in your kitchen last time I checked. Don't you know coffee's not good for you at your age?"

"When did you even-? I'm not old. Seriously, I'm not old Prey, I'm barely twenty-six." Scenic protested. The banter was relaxing him, temporarily helping him forget his wariness of Prey and bad memories of what the lamb had done.

Prey refrained from mentioning that, technically, he was approaching three times Scenic's age. "Anyway, thank you for the invite even though it wasn't needed. What have you been up to in the meantime?" He asked. 

When Gloom and Crimson got back, (and that would be soon Prey told himself), they'd want to know if he'd done what they asked and kept up with Scenic and Lilly. Well since he was here, he may as well fulfill his obligation now.

"Um, not much really? I've just sort of been taking each day as it comes, you know? I've been doing a fair bit of painting, and I get to see a lot of Carton when she's not working," A serene, and rather goofy, smile brightened Scenic's face, "They're all busy with the beehives at the moment getting ready for winter. We go by and try to see Lilly everyday."

The smile started to slip there, but Scenic caught himself and quickly rallied, "It's hard going for her still, even though she's so, uh, upbeat about it I guess? Lilly's really trying hard but it's tough on her. She's best friends with Saffron, although she's not always free because of, you know, her modelling career, but her and Lilly have really hit it off."

Prey knew all that already, Scenic was just reiterating the point. Still, he grunted and nodded to show his understanding, "Uh-hu, so nothing out of the ordinary then?"

Scenic paused, tail swishing nervously, "Uh, should there have been? Am I supposed to be watching out for something?"

'A group of shapeshifting insect ponies with unknown goals who are almost certainly mixed in with the citizens of this city, and who may or may not be following me and now know your address even if they didn't before.' Prey thought.

"Not really, I was just asking." Prey shrugged. He twitched a floppy ear towards the gear stacked behind Scenic's couch, "What's all that for?"

Prey recognised the objects as hoof weights, leg bars, a medicine ball, and stretch bands. The various weights weren't quite to the same size and level he'd seen ponies training with during T-Day, where quite often they were showing off or it was a competition between the mares and stallions, but rather these were the smaller kind of weights you could repetitively lift with one hoof.

"Those? Well, to be honest most of those are for Lilly actually." Scenic answered, going over and picking up the closest weight by the hoof loop.

There was a beat of silence as Prey waited for Scenic to expand on that, because some exposition was definitely needed. Scenic blinked as he caught up, "Oh, oh right! I guess you wouldn't know, Lilly's decided she wants to get fit for the Guard again. Except because of her, uh..."

Scenic made a vague motion to indicate his leg and face where the meldwood had taken root in Lilly, "...She needs a bit of help. The doctors didn't want to let her do it at all but they can't stop her, so they instead asked her to at least never do so alone and always have somepony to spot for her. So we've got the stuff here at my house, and Carton and me go fetch her once a day and then do this with her. We join in a bit so that, you know, she doesn't feel embarrassed and stuff."

'Lilly Blossom, fit for the Guard? Now there's a bad joke if ever I heard one. First, she's a cripple, so she can't be a front line Guard like she's so obviously pushing for, and second, she definitely doesn't have the mentality for it. I'd have thought she'd have gotten that through her thick skull by now after Mayflower and Alfalfa Dale.'

Well, at least he was only having to learn of this second hoof from Scenic rather than listening to Lilly proudly and aggressively proclaiming it  herself. 

"Any particular reason you don't leave all this stuff at Carton's house instead? Hers is closer to Lilly's own apartment." Prey observed.

"Yeah I thought so too, but she's got a guest staying over." Scenic's tail started twitching again, before he gave in and just told Prey.

'-it's not a secret and Prey'll always figure it out anyways somehow-'

"Actually, it's Carton's cousin, she's from outside of Canterlot. She's had, uh, family troubles, and just needs somewhere to stay for a little while, so of course Carton said she could stay until she gets back on her hooves. She's got a part time night job at a bar or something, so she's asleep most of the day so, yeah, we thought it best to store this here so as to not disturb her." Scenic said, lifting the weight still looped over his hoof and giving it a little wave.

'How kind and considerate of Carton.' Prey thought, although it actually really was. Scenic's large marefriend seemed to have a problem with leaving people to fend for themselves.

'There's no need to be annoyed by someone else showing generosity to strangers.' Prey reminded himself. Carton Juice was a pony. If she saw another pony in need, she couldn't help but want to assist them. Key term there being 'pony'. He'd bet on it being a bit different if it were a diamond dog or a griffin, what with how she was still so nervous even now around thestrals, even if she did a good job of suppressing it.

'No, stop being annoyed. It has nothing to do with me, nor does her kindness cost me anything.' Prey reminded himself again. However it would be his problem if Nighthawk allowed Lilly Blossom back into the ISND again.

'No, not happening. I don't care how much she's improved, Lilly is not coming back onto my team. Ever.'

Scenic placed the weight back down with a soft thunk onto the carpet, "Prey, I... Do you think I should re-join the Night Guard Prey?" He abruptly asked, rushing to get the words out.

Prey turned to look Scenic dead in the eye, soft sky blue to chocolate brown, "No." Prey told him without pause.

Scenic's shoulders slumped, "Yeah, I kinda' figured. I don't think I could do it either... But can I ask why you think so?"

"Because you don't want to be a Night Guard anymore." Prey said simply.

'-that's... so simple. Huh. Why didn't I think about it like that before?-'

"You don't want to be a Night Guard," Prey repeated, turning back away from the stallion to examine some of the stranger shaped weights more closely, "You have a life you knew before the Guard, a safe life. I think you're mad for having ever wanted to join up in the first place, but back then, I guess you didn't know any better."

Scenic winced at the note of condescension in Prey's tone, "That's... fair I guess."

"Think of Carton Juice. You have a life ahead of you, one which doesn't have to involve the possibility of facing something like the kindersnatches again. You still have good parents who love and care about you, why throw that away?"

"They're not good parents." Scenic reflexively scowled.

Prey stopped poking the heavy medicine ball to slowly look at Scenic. "They are your parents. You love them. And they love you."

Scenic flinched, ears falling as he looked away under the pressure of Prey's eyes. "But, we haven't, um, gotten on in forever. You saw them at the hospital, they don't even listen to me." He mumbled.

"I said love, not like. And you do love them, deep down, under all the petty conflict you've built up between you, yes petty! You love them. It's possible to love someone very very much, who you don't actually like at present. But when it comes down to it, when the wolf is howling and the moon is gone, when you're facing the ultimate truth of life and death, you know that you'd choose them in a heart beat over the lives of two complete strangers."

"That's...! That's horrible Prey! Of course I don't want them dead! I would never-! I don't want anypony dead."

Prey went quiet for a moment, then calmly asked, "You do remember what you told me, right? You're proud that you're not able to kill. And, I admit, that's not a bad thing. You're not a killer, you'd have even let that kindersnatch kill you rather than fight back. That's stupid, but that's still your choice. To put it bluntly, I don't want someone like that on my team."

'-is...? Is he saying he only wants killers in the ISND?-', Scenic thought with a thrill of horror.

"Crimson and Gloom, they're good ponies, they're not... I mean, they don't want to kill anypony."

Prey snorted, "Of course they don't! I don't want to either. But we all have in self defence. But you're not willing to even if it were to save one of our lives. You're not even prepared to do it in the heat of the moment. That's why I don't want you in the ISND. But those are my personal reasons, think about all you stand to gain by not rejoining the Night Guard. Think of the safety and peace, think of Carton Juice and your parents. Who, by the way, you should really make up with. You never know when it might be too late."

"Too late...? Wait, is that some kind of warning? Do you know something Prey?" Scenic asked in alarm.

Prey rolled his eyes, tossing an ear back, "No you idiot, I'm just saying. Look, make up with them, or don't, I don't really care. I gave you my warning, so you can't ever come crying to me later that I didn't tell you. I would've made up with my parents by now if it were me, but that's your choice I guess."

"I'll, I'll think about it." Scenic muttered, looking away and scuffing at the carpet with a hoof.

'-mom and dad never listen though, so is there any point in even trying?-'

"Hey, didn't you go back to see your parents on that holiday you took? How'd that go?" Scenic asked, looking up.

Prey drew a hoof down the smooth silken length of his dangling ribbon, "Parent. Singular." He said, repeating the deception he'd first sold.

"Oh buck sorry Prey, I forgot-! No, I mean I didn't forget, I just, I misspoke. I swear I didn't forget, or at least not like that, it just slipped out. I didn't mean it like that."

"Then shut up and stop apologising." Prey said pleasantly.

Scenic shut up, ears back in embarrassment and shame. '-it was a slip, oh geeze. How much trouble am I in?-'

After a long, drawn out moment, Prey answered Scenic's silent question, still speaking pleasantly, "Yes, I took some time off to go back and visit. I won't say it was all good, but it was definitely good to do, thank you for asking."

Scenic relaxed in relief, "Oh, that's great to hear. And I, uh, hope you get another chance to go back again soon. Nighthawk should give you more time to visit your family, not just write letters."

"Thank you for the sentiment. However, it is a long journey both ways and out in the middle of nowhere. Not a trip to be undertaken too often." Prey deflected.

"Aw, that's too bad. I'm sorry to hear that." Scenic quickly apologised. '-ah ponyfeathers, I don't even have that excuse. Mom and dad both live right here in Canterlot-'

Quickly Scenic tried to think up a line of conversation to distract Prey from realising the same, followed inevitably by pointedly pointing out that point so that he'd have to acknowledge it. In his haste though, Scenic grabbed upon the first topic which came to mind without thinking it through first:

"So were your mother and brother all doing okay though? Did you manage to do anything fun? Or just talk about stuff, did you tell them what we've done in the ISND? About, about, er... Mayflower. And the other stuff..."

Scenic trailed off, eyes darting quickly to Prey's back and then away, but Prey still saw his hastily redirected glance. 'You just don't know when to stop digging, do you?'

Prey wasn't angry, or not as angry as he would've been before although he also would have hidden it before. So he was able to settle for simply saying, "Now that is none of your business. Don't ask me again."

"Oh. Oh right. Sorry, I won't bring it up again."

'-oops. Well done Scenic oh well done, I think I managed to get both hooves in my mouth just then-', Scenic berated himself, unconsciously rubbing at the poison scarring under his right eye.

With that parameter clearly established, and confident that Scenic wouldn't bring it up again, Prey stretched, stifling a yawn, "Thanks for letting me in, but I don't think I'm going to stay. I've been up all night, while you're just starting your own day."

"Oh yeah, it's nice to not be working nights. Luna... watch your dreams was it? No, Luna watch over you, that's what the saying is." Scenic corrected himself, nodding as he got it right.

'I'd strongly prefer she didn't.' Prey thought.

"Well you're obviously fine, you're helping out Lilly, Carton's fine, Saffron's fine too, and I've got places to be. Like my bed. Have a nice rest of the day, but I'm off." Prey called back as he trotted out of the living room and left. Just as Scenic was leaving his mental perception range, Prey heard the Earth pony think:

'-huh. Strange. Why's he going out my back door?-'


------


Prey got back to his flat fine, without his possible maybe non-existent mystery stalker jumping out to kill and/or torture him.

Whether this was because of the unscheduled detour he'd taken, or because there never had been any follower in the first place wasn't really the question. Nothing had happened to Prey, so his paranoid actions were justified. Always expect the worst, and then you'll be halfway prepared.


------


As it turned out, it wasn't limited to one person trying to contact the thief, Average Accountant, via the Underground Market.

"There are two of them, Prey." Lemon Pink said, having conducted her quiet investigation. The babble of street traffic went on in the background.

"Two interested parties, huh?" Prey commented thoughtfully. He hadn't foreseen that possibility, but alright. He motioned, signalling Lemon to go on.

Lemon began explaining, sitting forwards on the bench they were on, "There was only so many details I could discover, as both parties were trying to keep their inquiries discreet-"

Prey snorted at that, shaking his head. 'Discreet'. Ponies didn't know the meaning of the word.

"-But from what I can gather, one was acting through an intermediary. A unicorn stallion, roughly forty years of age, green and blue, cutie mark covered, didn't give a name, went in asking in each Underground Market store's dealing with anything relating to artifacts or trinkets about a thief with a calling card of 'A.A.' The stores of course denied knowing anyone, but the unicorn seemed more inclined to believe they were just maintaining plausible deniability, and simply just didn't want to tell a stranger."

Again, that just made sense. Of course the stores down in the Underground Market, (some of which were selling border line illegal products), weren't going to admit to knowing a thief, even if they did know. Which they didn't, because Lemon hadn't tried to fence anything off to anyone. The extremely valuable and rare electrite she'd stolen had all been used up by Prey, not sold.

"This unicorn asked each shopkeeper to contact Average Accountant with the message that they, 'want to speak'." Lemon added. 

Both of them were passively keeping an eye on their surroundings and the ponies here in this square in case of possible threats. Although sitting here with a floppy sunhat on apiece, no one was giving them a second glance. Just a yellow mare sitting with her white filly, out enjoying some sunshine. What's that? What were their features aside from yellow and white? Why're you asking? It doesn't matter, they were completely average and normal. Nothing worth remembering.

"They're probably either a thief themselves looking to scope out the competition, or looking to hire an accomplice, or perhaps just to buy the electrite, or simply looking to discover who has the electrite now." Prey reasoned, "And the second person, or persons?"

"Private law enforcement. Private Pony Protection. A team of two, they came through asking much the same. It was obvious they were simply here to catch Average Accountant." Lemon answered, shrugging apathetically at the idea of their efforts.

Private Pony Protection, or PPP. Their name was one which Prey had only heard in passing. Evidently, they weren't some amazing detective and law agency if they weren't famously known, but just vaguely known. If he remembered correctly though, they were rather an old agency, with some ties to the Royal Guard, and had been around for a while, so they were at least well established and successful, if low key. A business who'd established their reliability over the years, and plied a steady trade. 

They weren't exclusive, but Prey recalled from investigating various law enforcement groups, just so as to know who he might have to dispose of one day, that PPP usually worked for upper-middle-class to upper-class ponies. They weren't expensive, but nor were they cheap. 

Once again, the phrase 'established reliability' seemed to sum up Private Pony Protection. Not the best of the best, but still good and steady.

'Good and steady for a pony organized and run organisation anyway.' Prey thought dismissively. He tried never to underestimate a potential opponent, but having witnessed the Royal Guard in action, and that PPP was supposed to be a step under the golden clad nincompoops, he didn't have high expectations.

"Well, let's just ignore this triple P. There's next to nothing they can do or find, since Average Accountant doesn't exist, so they're not a threat. You don't know who hired them, though?" Prey asked, eyes tracking a group of five sporty looking pegasi flying over the square.

"No, Prey. A noble or lord is most likely though. Although it could be a mage tower. Electrite is a valuable magical component after all. Either the person the electrite was going to go to, or the group who was selling it." Lemon absently reached up and ran her hoof along the silver metal choker. She was currently wearing a good portion of the obscenely expensive metal that everyone seemed to be after.

"Well, let's go meet this green mystery stallion and see if he's got anything I want. That's why we're here after all." Prey said, hopping down off the bench.

He and Lemon were in a square in Lower Canterlot. The square was a junction of four cobbled streets leading into it, or out of it, depending on how you wanted to look at it. And as long as you were looking, what was impossible to miss was the quietly looming tier of the upper city on one side of the square. 

The curving stone wall wasn't exactly close, the square wasn't cast in its shadow for example, but everyone couldn't help but always see the massive upper tier of the city whenever they faced in that direction. Broad enough stairways went up the tier at regularly spaced intervals, meaning that access between the upper and lower tiers was free and readily available, and the wall's face had been colourfully decorated with many a rainbow mosaic, but still... you couldn't help but see the divide between the two.

Down here in Lower Canterlot, space was at a premium, meaning the buildings surrounding the square were all two stories or more, and although window plant boxes and hanging flower baskets were aplenty, there was no room for even tiny gardens. While ponies were entering and exiting the square, a wagon loaded with planks trundled past, but there was little in the way of stationary conversation happening anywhere in the square despite the four cardinal benches set out. Because of its proximity to the more 'unsavoury' part of Canterlot, meaning it was close to both the lower district and only a street out from the Underground Market, people were only here to pass through.

It made it a relatively safe place to sit and talk, both because of all the witnesses around, and because it was easy to notice if there was anyone else lingering in the area.


---


The green stallion was waiting at a little café table outside, right where Lemon's message had told him to wait for her. 

It was a small, rather sad café which obviously didn't get many customers, but it was still on the street enough to be visible to the passing public, and therefore, a safe place to meet. The stallion matched with Lemon's description, a bit younger than middle aged, blue mane, average height, but a bit on the lanky side, his hooves looked polished and cared for, but rather unfortunately for him and his prospects, his most memorable feature was his thin face. He also wore a light cotton shirt and coat, keeping his flank and cutie mark hidden.

Here, just outside the Underground Market, his fashion choice of flank covering didn't stand out since nearly every other pony here was doing the same.

The stallion had ordered two cups of tea, sipping from the one while the other sat untouched on the other side of the table, again just as Lemon had instructed him to in the message she'd left with one of the shopkeepers'. Lemon had absolutely no intention of drinking the tea, not having seen it being prepared so it might be poisoned, and the instruction wasn't even so they could identify the stallion, although that was for the reason he no doubt believed. There was no reason for him to be made aware that Lemon already knew in detail what he looked like. 

Really though, the reason for the simple instructions was to see if the pony could follow them. It was just a little power play by getting the other party to follow your orders, and then ignoring the tea to show you didn't care.

So focused was the thin faced unicorn on waiting, and looking out to try and spot Average Accountant without looking like he was being shifty, that he didn't actually notice Lemon Pink until she had walked right up and pulled out the other chair. Although the notice-me-not sunhat probably had something to do with it.

He jumped, tried to hide his reaction, nearly spilt his tea, and finally asked, "Average Accountant, I presume?"

'That was a stupid question.' Prey thought, observing unnoticed from across the street. If it weren't 'Average Accountant', then the stallion had just given away who he was waiting for and Lemon could've faked it from here. Lemon, of course, was in disguise.

For this meeting, Lemon  wore an illusion of a pretty blue mare, although her sharp waterfall mane was basically the same as Lemon's own, just with the tri-colour changed to a solid white. The glowing of Lemon's sharp horn was hidden both beneath the illusion and the broad sunhat.

"You may call me that." Lemon said coldly.

The stallion sat up a little straighter, for a second glancing at the teacup which Lemon, or Average Accountant, hadn't even glanced at since sitting down, "In that case, you can call me Diamon-No, Dandelion will do actually. Call me Dandelion."

"Dandelion." Lemon repeated, tone flat.

The self named Dandelion's ears twitched uncomfortably, but the stallion probably thought he did a good job of controlling his expression, "Yes, I'm here representing my employer for a, ah, potential job let's call it."

"Speak plainly. What do you want me for?"

The thin faced stallion paused, and took a sip of tea to cover the hesitation, "As I said, my employer is looking for somepony with the necessary experience and qualifications to undertake a one-off, commission based job."

"I said speak plainly. You're following somepony's orders, and that somepony wants me to steal something for them." Lemon stated, her illusionary face unmoving as she continued to stare Dandelion down.

The other unicorn flinched at the blunt acknowledgement, looking around hastily, "You might want to be a bit more circumspect. Perhaps keep it down?"

"I'm not interested in doublespeak or beating about the bush. If you have something to say or ask, just ask it. If you can't speak straight, I'm leaving."

Dandelion frowned at her, pursing his thin lips. A long second passed. 

"Fine." Lemon said, making as if to rise and leave.

"Ah wait, there's no need to be hasty. I assure you this will be worth your while." Dandelion quickly stopped her.

Purposefully slowly, and with what Prey knew to be faked reluctance, Lemon lowered herself back into her seat.

"Speak." She ordered.

Prey caught Dandelion's tongue dart across his lips, "I hope you'll pardon me, but before we get to that, my employer has insisted on proof of your abilities first, a resume if you will. Not that I doubt, you understand, but he insisted."

'He'. Male. Prey didn't think Dandelion was even aware he'd slipped up there.

"What kind of proof?" Lemon asked.

Again Dandelion nervously licked his thin lips, "You were the one who blackmailed a maid into stealing a magical heirloom out of House Time's vaults, were you not?"

It was interesting that Dandelion mentioned that, and not the electrite. That could mean a lot or a little. Lemon just nodded once, gesturing impatiently with a hoof for Dandelion to hurry up.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, perhaps you might present the artifact? It was supposed to have been a magical stone necklace of some description."

"It would be too much trouble," Lemon said unapologetically, "It's gone. I've already sold it on. If buying the necklace was what you were really after, then we're already done here."

"No no, I was just trying to ascertain your credentials. But it seems... It seems the necklace is no longer an option. Perhaps something else?" He suggested, smoothing down the front of his cotton overcoat.

"Such as?" Lemon asked, projecting; 'clearly-not-amused'.

Dandelion considered, opened his mouth, closed it, before starting again, "Well, what evidence can you present? Is there something you can think of that would do as proof?" 

Lemon didn't move for a minute, apparently thinking, before finally slipping off one of her horseshoes, "This."

"Ah, a removable horseshoe? I'm afraid I don't follow."

Wordlessly, Lemon shoved the horseshoe across the table top, forcing Dandelion to take it. "Alright, and what does......"

Dandelion didn't finish his sentence. He stopped speaking completely, and just sat there, holding the horseshoe unmovingly. He'd miscalculated. Dandelion hadn't considered that Average Accountant would attack the messenger. He'd thought simply because they were in a semi-public area, he was safe because there were witnesses about. How naïve. Ponies never thought the worst of another pony without evidence, and right here at this table, the passing ponies couldn't see anything wrong which would cause them to look twice.

There were simply two ponies sitting opposite each other over tea, a mare and a stallion, a tried and true recipe. Neither of them was doing much, just sitting there in silence, the stallion holding a horseshoe for some reason, but that was about it. Nothing which was worthy of a second glance, and by then the passerby had already moved on. Also, the mare was completely ordinary and not worth focusing on at all.

Dandelion, or whatever his real name was, had blindly assumed she would play by the same rules as him. You should never measure your potato bushel by someone else's wheat sheaf.

Prey sat where he was across the street, quite comfortable, and patiently waited. 

The occasional pony or ponies came and went by. No one noticed there was anything wrong at the cafe's little out of the way table. Just a relaxed couple sitting and quietly enjoying their tea. There was no way for anyone to tell that the tea had long gone cold. 

After five long minutes, Lemon finally stirred, blinking and reaching out to snatch back the horseshoe. A few seconds after he lost contact with the shoe, Dandelion too stirred back to life.

The thin stallion blinked hazily, looking visibly dazed.

"I trust that is good enough proof?" Lemon asked, grabbing his attention.

"What?" Dandelion continued to blink around, "Oh-yes of course, thank you very much. That more than proves it."

"So the job?" Lemon bluntly prompted, although she obviously already knew, having just rummaged through the other unicorn's head for that and all other relevant information.

Dandelion swiftly raised his cup and took a long drink of tea to help re-center himself. He grimaced as he found it suddenly cold, "Yes, right. Ah, my employer has decided to outsource for somepony with previous experience in obtaining certain, 'antiques', on their behalf. Specifically, convincing the current 'antiques' owner to consider 'selling' it. They are quite eager to obtain these antiques as soon as possible, they're part of an extremely rare 'collectable' set. Does that sound like an employment opportunity you would be interested in undertaking?"

"What, where, and from whom?" Lemon asked, her blue visage not moved in the slightest by Dandelion's flowery speech and idioms.

"I'm sorry, but even I don't know all the details," Dandelion apologised, politely shaking his head, "I'm only here to offer you the opportunity. If you're interested, then I'll go back and inform my employer. If not, the job information needs to remain strictly confidential, I'm sure you understand."

"Why should I be interested if I don't even know what it's going to be? Convince me." Lemon told him coldly.

Dandelion hid a wince, and his horn lit up to levitate out a small envelope from inside the front pocket of his cotton coat. He shiftily pushed it across the table top to Lemon, instead of just passing it across like a normal person. 

Lemon didn't make any move to take it. "Open it and read it aloud." She ordered.

"Ah, it's supposed to be a confidential offer to you only, I don't know what it says-"

"I don't care. If your boss wants me to take this job, then everything needs to be open and upfront. Read it."

With offended reluctance clear on his thin face, Dandelion took back the envolope, ripping it open and removing the small note. He cleared his throat, "It's, well, it's an offer of a payment amount for successfully undertaking the job and retrieving at least one of the antiques. Bonus payments for each antique delivered beyond the first."

"Does it say what these antiques are?"

"No, it does not. If you were to commit to signing on, then I'm sure you would be made aware of the objectives."

"That remains to be seen. How much?"

Again Dandelion cleared his throat, "It's, well, for a successful undertaking, it's, well, to put it bluntly, *eherm* Sixteen-thousand bits." He said in a quiet voice, but one that Prey's sharp ears nevertheless still heard.

Lemon's face, or rather Average Accountant's face, didn't even twitch at the listed amount, giving no indication if she thought that was a lot or a little amount of money. To Lemon and Prey though, money wasn't a great object of desire. It was only ever a means to an end at best, and a dangerous liability at worst. 

Dandelion went on, voice still hushed, "For each antique acquired beyond the first, there is a bonus of five thousand bits apiece, available either in cash, a bank transfer, or the equivalent in precious stones if you prefer."

'A bank transfer?' Prey's already low opinion of Dandelion's mysterious employer dropped even further.

First, they were assuming Lemon would be dumb enough to give them banking information, even if it was a disposable account. Second, once money entered a bank, a record would be made. Names, dates, amounts, and places would be recorded. Really, was this person trying to get caught? Actually, he just might be trying to get Average Accountant caught instead, a double cross at the end of the job to get her out of the picture once they had no more need for loose ends.

If it was intended as a trap though, then once again they were assuming Average Accountant would play by the same rules they did, believing she wouldn't resort to killing them in retaliation. Assuming, of course, it was intended as a double cross, and wasn't simply just plain incompetence.

Lemon in her role of Average Accountant was silent for a long minute in feigned thought. Finally she spoke, "I'm going to need time to decide if this is worth sticking my neck out over." Meaning Prey was going to make the call.

"How do I contact you if I decide I'm in?"

"Time is limited..." Dandelion ventured to say once more, but in the face of Average Accountant's uncaring stare, he quickly broke off that sentence.

"But of course. Please bare in mind that this offer won't be open indefinitely, but you can send a letter to this address in Canterlot."

Dandelion reached into his other jacket pocket and pulled out a little card with something scribbled down on it, "If you do use this address though, please include the word Stormfront as both the first and last word of any letter you send. It's for security and identification, you understand."

Lemon swept up the card in her aura as she stood, pushing the café chair back. Without a word of goodbye she left, walking off down the street in the opposite direction from which she'd approached. Also, she hadn't paid for her untouched cup of tea.

Prey waited where he was a minute longer, and got to see Dandelion scowl after her. With a sour look on his thin face he placed some bits on the table and grumpily stomped off. Prey would've considered following him to see where he went and who he went to, but there was no need. 

Lemon would have all the information fresh from the taking out of Dandelion's head, or whatever his real name was.


------


The sewers weren't what one would call an ideal meeting spot, in fact, most people would say it was the exact opposite of an ideal meeting spot. 

Nevertheless, that's where Prey found Lemon Pink to discuss what she'd discovered from Dandelion's memories at the prearranged meeting point. The smell did leave something to be desired, even if they weren't actually near any of the raw sewage, (damp tunnels, stale air, and mould still made for an unpleasant combination), but it was a small price to pay for the cursed protection the wickerwatch spread throughout most of the inner sewer network. And Prey had endured far, far fouler environments while surviving in the Deeper Green.

Lemon had dropped the blue and white Average Accountant disguise. Right now the only magic she was using was a simple silvery light spell, the globe floating above their heads, nearly touching the low concrete roof of the small junction room. From left to right, three large parallel pipes, each sealed with grates and set lower than the floor, passed through this junction room, taking up most of the space.

Swift water flowed out of the grates, down the pipe channels in the floor, and just as swiftly disappeared out the next. Behind two of these metal grates, if you looked closely, it was just possible to sometimes make out dark slimy tendrils bobbing against the bars in the shadows.

Water gurgled around the metal grates as Prey asked, "What did you find out? Report."

"Dandelion, real name Milo Lime. Age forty-one, a number of minor law infractions on his record, and at least twice as many he hasn't been caught for. Mainly petty theft and tax avoidance. Moved from Detrot four years ago, and sees Canterlot society as a chance to make quick money, but has yet to achieve any real success. He isn't very intelligent in how he goes about it." The slightest curl in Lemon's lip there showed how damning Dandelion's, or Milo Lime's, incompetence was in her opinion.

Prey listened, although most of Lemon's information wasn't likely to be relevant. The thin faced unicorn evidently didn't have anything important hidden in his closet, and was just an accessory to the main focus of Prey's interest; the person who had reached out to Average Accountant through Dandelion, (his real name really didn't matter to Prey), and who was the one really calling the shots.

This was the important bit. Who was it that thought they were important enough to demand Average Accountant work for them? "And this employer's identity is...?"

The briefest flicker of maybe an amused smirk tugged at Lemon's mouth, "The person is Felyawn, the griffin ambassador."

Prey blinked. Then he started snickering. 

"Khe-he-he-he." Oh this was too rich! After everything, of course it was the griffin ambassador, because why not?! And of course the one person he'd unknowingly reach out to was Lemon Pink, thinking he was so smart and clever. Oh if only Felyawn knew what he'd just done.

The more Prey thought about it, the more funny it got. "He, he's trying to hire, khe-ke-he! He's trying to hire us? Me? The person who... heh-he-he, The one who discovered his spying attempt, and, khe-he-khe! And he doesn't even know! Ah ha ha ha ha."

'Seems Hafflow really was operating under the instructions of the griffin ambassador after all. Ha! Knew it.'

Prey shook his head, long ears flopping, "Aha. Ha ha. Phew. And he unknowingly came to us, heh. Let me guess, what he wants us to steal are ignius gemstones too? Just to bring this thing full circle?"

"Partially correct, Prey. He wants to hire Average Accountant to steal the Elements of Harmony. All six pieces of the artifact are purportedly kept by one of Celestia's former proteges in the small town of Ponyville. Those artifacts are what he wants stolen and delivered to him."

All traces of the smile faded from Prey's lips, "He's retarded then. Not only are the Elements of Harmony almost certainly fake and bait laid by the Sun Wolf, even if they are real, they certainly wouldn't be left unguarded in a tiny town instead of here locked away in Canterlot. The whole notion is utterly ridiculous. Whatever Felyawn thinks he's oh-so-cleverly uncovered in Ponyville is a trap at worst, or a fake at best. There's just no way..."

Prey trailed off in thought. Of course he'd done some research on the topic of the Elements of Harmony, the supposed magical superweapon which had been proclaimed in all the news to have defeated Nightmare Moon. 

Even if he didn't believe it, (since five untrained random ponies plus one former personal pupil to maintain the illusion, couldn't have defeated an alicorn), Prey had still looked into it, if for no other reason to know what definitely didn't happen on the summer solstice. If these Elements were real, why would Celestia hoof them out to strangers if they were apparently strong enough to defeat an alicorn? The only possible answers were either they weren't strong enough and it was a bait, that the Elements in Ponyville were fake and it was a trap, or the Sun Wolf was hiding her real method of defeating Nightmare Moon. 

That, or the sun goddess was playing some deeper, (or perhaps shallower), game than he could reasonably conceive of.

But he was digressing. Despite his brief research into the topic, he didn't know what the Elements were physically supposed to be or look like. Just that they were six separate artifacts. 

"What are the Elements supposed to have been created of?" Prey asked, feeling he already knew the answer.

"They are supposed to be some type of either crystal, gem, or diamond, Prey." Lemon promptly supplied.

And just like that the whole spying case, Griffonstone, Hafflow, Felyawn's bid, it all connected and made sense.

The griffins believed the Elements of Harmony were real, even if he didn't. Maybe Felyawn and Hafflow were simply zealous patriots who were acting without the wider support of the High and Low Kingdoms, but it didn't really matter here and now. 

You had to look at it from their point of view. To them, the Elements of Harmony had seemingly appeared out of nowhere this self same year. These six artifacts were apparently gems, and if they were powerful enough to take down Nightmare Moon, (supposedly), then that meant there had to be incredibly powerful enchantments on the artifacts too. 

They also knew you needed ignius gemstones to hold an enchantment. The higher the gemstone grade, the more stable and powerful the enchantment was. Prey knew how beyond rare such perfect ignius gemstones were, quite literally one in a million he was sure for it to be capable of holding an enchantment that powerful. Hadn't Gloom mentioned something about the undercover Night Guard finding something out about gemstone miners specially hired in Griffonstone too? That made it seem more likely this scheme had royal backing behind it too.

That's also why the griffins had hired those two ponies, Shamrock and Lika Soil, to spy on the gem refinery and mines. They were looking for records of any such special ignius gemstones being mined or refined. They were trying to find out if the Elements could be replicated, and if so, what the requirements were. 

It was fairly obvious that they must've found nothing, and so had moved onto the next step; stealing the six artifacts for themselves, either to use them, or simply to prevent Equestria from having access to such a powerful weapon. That's probably why Felyawn was willing to pay Average Accountant for even one of the Elements, with a bonus beyond the first. 

Although, now knowing the supposed importance of these Elements of Harmony, the griffin's offered price was ridiculously low.

It all made sense now, the piece of the puzzle that fitted everything together. The conspiracy and plot was laid bare before Prey's eyes.

So that only left one question, the same one which Felyawn had hired that prattling pony Dandelion to ask; Would Lemon Pink, and therefore Prey, steal the Elements of Harmony for him?

Prey snorted, "Hell no."

How stupid could you get? Walk into an obvious trap to steal an obvious fake and obviously get betrayed by Felyawn at the end of it? But worse than all that, which Prey knew he could work around or double cross in return, doing so posed the terrible risk of drawing the Sun Wolf's attention. Not just hell no, but hell the bucking Zoma'Grika tartarus no.

But... that didn't mean Felyawn would stop trying to nab these Elements of Harmony, if he couldn't hire Average Accountant, he'd obviously try again with someone else. 

It also didn't change the fact that Crimson, currently sick, was still stuck in Griffonia with Gloom and the other six Night Guards, trying to secretly arrest and abduct Hafflow back to Equestria to stand trial before Luna. If Prey presented evidence that Felyawn was the griffin who'd given Hafflow his orders and was also the one really behind this whole gemstone spying debacle, then maybe, maybe, Luna would recall them.

Probably not though. Luna was an alicorn, and used to having everything go her own way. Why just have Felyawn when she could have him and Hafflow to terrify and lord over?

But maybe Prey could still engineer some sort of situation? 

"I need to think over this carefully some more." Prey decided, frowning down at the dark water rushing by in the exposed floor pipes.

Things looked simple, and while Prey could choose to follow the simple solution and just stay far away from Felyawn's crazy plan, there were also possibly complicated factors to consider.

He could probably work out some way to expose Felyawn while in his capacity as Prey of the ISND, without having to do anything suspicious. What with how Hafflow had been an ambassadorial aide, Prey could easily get away with simply pretending he'd thought the actual griffin ambassador himself was also a bit suspicious. 

But was it the most advantageous course of action out of all of them to take...?

"I think..." Prey mused, letting each individual word out slowly as he considered it, "It might do to accept this job after all, so as to meet the ambassador. Felyawn will have the answer to a lot of questions."

Lemon blinked in the silvery glow light, "You do not mean to try and attempt to steal the Elements of Harmony though. Is that correct, Prey?" She checked.

"Oh no, no chance of that. We're going no where near anything that has something to do with Celestia. But the griffins don't know that, so we can safety risk meeting them at least once without committing to anything... hmm, yes. I just want to see what Felyawn has stored inside his head. I want to be there for the meeting, when you go in disguised as Average Accountant."

Prey nodded to himself, "Yes, one meeting with Felyawn, take his memories, then leave. That sounds like a viable plan."

"Yes, Prey. I will drop off a letter to that effect at the given address, shall I?"

"Might as well. The sooner the better really if it might mean Crimson gets back from Griffonstone sooner. Once he's better too, of course."

Prey had sent out the medicine package to Crimson by express courier. It would've arrived by now, and Prey was confident it would fix Crimson up. He worried though, about the answers Crimson may come looking for once he got back. But what was done was done. Prey would face Crimson and answer his questions then, if Crimson decided he wanted to know the answers.


---


On the way trekking back up out of the sewers, Prey briefly wondered, as he did sometimes when not worried for his own life or for Crimson's, and an introspective mood took him, about how the deer holt were doing? Fallen Leaf, Happy, and the others. Whether they were all still alive? If they'd found somewhere else safe?

The deer hadn't tried to foolishly fight the Reaper King. In the face of the warlock, they'd taken the sensible option and slipped quietly away. Prey wished he'd been able to do the smart thing and copy them.

He mostly wondered about them because, in a lot of ways, that deer holt had possessed what Prey someday wanted to achieve for himself. 

Independence from anything Equestria, beyond the selfish reach of alicorns, without hidden enemies in the shadows, but with everything upfront. Freedom to survive on his own merits and his own merits alone.

Nature was harsh, but it never lied to you. It never tried to trick you. There was no theft, no magical shenanigans, no greedy landlords or arrogant nobles. Nature didn't care. It was honest like that.


---I---