Ponyville Noire: Misty Streets of Equestria

by PonyJosiah13


Case Seventeen, Prologue: A New Mission

“You know what this means, sir.” 

The white-bearded green unicorn stared out of the window into the crystalline streets. The dark purple street reflected the light from the ancient stone street lamps, the oil wicks long replaced by electric lamps, and the twilight sky so that the ponies outside seemed to be walking among the stars as they returned to their homes. 

“They’re looking for the Mirror,” he stated grimly, turning back to the newspaper lying faceup on the table next to him. Splashed across the front page of the Stella del Nord was his face, surprise etched onto the traitor’s face as he emerged from the western leg of the Crystal Palace, his uniformed gendarme already striding towards the reporter to shoo him away. 

The blonde pegasus sitting on the dilapidated yellow sofa nodded. “And who knows what they’re going to do with that once they find it,” he said with a scowl that emphasized the vicious red scar on his white jaw. 

“The Emperor and Empress say that they’ll have it stored safely and destroyed,” the bearded stallion tried to protest. 

“We all thought Sombra was trustworthy,” the pegasus snapped back, rising up from his seat. “For all we know, there could be somepony in the court who’s still loyal to him. General Lake might still be alive!” 

“Sergeant,” the unicorn chided, glaring at his companion in the reflection of his window. 

The pegasus sighed and mopped his brow, sitting down. “Sorry, sir,” he said. “But we can’t allow this to happen. If that thing disappears into the Palace, it’ll fall right into their hooves. Into General Lake’s hooves. We have to destroy it ourselves.” 

The elder stallion panned his gaze across the street, watching the lights in the windows of the houses outside piercing the darkness. In the distance, the cold blue spire of the Palace pointed a finger to the sky. Once, he could’ve seen the flag fluttering atop the spire, the sight of the white snowflake against the royal purple background filling his heart with joy. Now he had to squint just to see the fluttering purple dot. 

He’d gotten old in the service of his nation. But not feeble. And he wasn’t about to stand by and let this monster work in the shadows. 

“You’re right,” he agreed, heading over to the closet and opening it wide.  

“We’re gonna have to track him and follow him to the site,” the pegasus mused, glaring at the newspaper. “If he’s getting assistance from Cuore University, they--” 

“You know me, Sergeant,” the unicorn said, bending down and gently pushing aside the ironed green uniform with three golden stars on the sleeves to reveal the battered steel box on the floor. He unlatched the box and opened it wide, studying the contents. 

The boxes of bullets were all neatly stacked aside. The trio of knives sat in their sheaths; though he could not see them, he knew the blades were polished to gleaming. The magazines were already loaded and set next to the two pistols. But the only item he picked up was the disassembled rifle, lifting the barrel up to his eye to reassure himself that the focusing lens was clean and there wasn’t any carbon buildup inside. 

“I like to be more direct,” he said, carefully screwing the barrel into the receiver. 

The sergeant grinned, his gray eyes reflecting the glow of one of the red crystals that his captain pulled from the box. “Yes, you do, sir,” he admitted as the elder stallion pulled back the bolt with a smooth click and carefully inserted the crystal into the firing chamber. “It’s what I loved about serving with you.”