//------------------------------// // Chapter Sixteen: Predator and Prey // Story: The Amulet of Shades // by Sparkle Cola //------------------------------// Skies of Fillydelphia, 7:20 PM No sign of either the yellow unicorn, nor the light blue earth pony mare. Cirrus blew out an exasperated breath. One more pass over the streets of Fillydelphia, and he was going to lose his lunch. He could just see it now: “Hello, Fillydelphia Weather Bureau? I’d like to report a disturbance… this evening’s rain shower was smellier and chunkier than usual!” If anything else, it’d give his report some color. The sun had long since dipped below the horizon. In a matter of minutes, he would be completely dependent on ground-based light sources to find his way back to CCO headquarters, nothing to show for his exhaustive effort. It wasn’t as if he was the only pony on the job. He had already been coordinating with local law enforcement on the ground, but aerial surveillance is what he excelled at. Except for today. Cirrus completed his roll, spiraling up and away from the darkening cloud bank that marked the far side of his search pattern. The massive wall of fluff had been brilliant during the day—an outpost of the familiar as he traversed the city over and over in his search pattern. As the sun set, its grandeur had been breathtaking as took on rosy orangish and pink hues. Now? It stood tall and foreboding, a massive sentinel standing watch as the evening stars popped into existence, almost threatening in its silence. It had taken some work, anchoring the shelf cloud system in place, but it had been worth it to allow his search to proceed in an organized fashion, under uniform lighting conditions. What had been more difficult was getting authorization from the Fillydelphia Weather Bureau to do so.  *           *           * “What do you mean you want to anchor a shelf cloud in place? I don’t care what agency you work for---do you know what kind of paperwork nightmare that would make? We have a storm scheduled for 5 AM tomorrow, and that cloudbank has been slated for…” Cirrus rolled his eyes. If he waited any longer for the weatherpony to lose steam, he’d be waiting until Hearth’s Warming Eve. With a flick of his hoof, he flashed his badge. Creating a storm for the following morning wasn’t anywhere near the ordeal this self-important pony was making it out to be. “I can always have Canterlot call it in for me. This is a matter of National Security.” *           *           * Cirrus winced as he pulled up into a hover, his pectoral muscles aching like fire. His eyes doggedly combed over the streets again, jumping from lamp post to lamp post along the shadowy grid of the city. He wasn’t ready to hang it up just yet. It was a matter of duty.  Right? It certainly had nothing to do with his humiliation last night. Not at all—why should he feel bad about having the Princess of Friendship and her entire retinue witness his dust-up with that pig-headed Agent Narcisse? He certainly hadn’t said anything unbecoming. Or unprofessional. Cirrus frowned as he eased forward again, beginning to mentally rehearse the information he would be writing in his report. Hopefully, Princess Sparkle wasn’t waiting for him at the CCO office to interrogate him on his findings. Hopefully she hadn’t also grown bored and briefed his superiors on last night’s altercation. Shaking his head to clear it from such uncomfortable tangents, he came to a decision. “Well, that’s it. Either I glide over to the office and make my report, or I continue on the outside chance that I suddenly develop the eyesight of a bat pony.”  Light pulsed. A greenish flash lit up the industrial district clear on the far side of the town. Automatically, he began waiting for the sound to hit his ears, ticking off seconds  in order to get an estimated distance to the source.  From the silhouettes lit up in the area, Cirrus guessed it emanated from one of many warehouses common on the northern side of the city.  Just as Cirrus snapped his goggles back into place, a deep, rolling rumble made his ears twitch.  Sounds like quite a bit of energy behind—whatever that was. Even if I don’t know the epicenter, it probably left some debris. Hopefully nopony got hurt. Setting his jaw, Cirrus pushed forward, nosing down into a rapid descent. “Let’s see if there is a connection.” The cooling night air was starting to feel icy as it whipped past his ears—thank Celestia for his extra thick fur coat. Still, it would’ve been nice to have even half the speed of his diminutive first cousin—the one with rainbow mane. Arriving at the scene, he sliced between two smokestacks before banking into a wide circle above the target zone. Sure enough, a layer debris lay scattered across the courtyard of a large, nondescript warehouse. There were even glass shards garnishing several nearby trees, as if somepony was trying to decorate for Hearth’s Warming…just with something a little more edgy than tinsel. Muscles groaning in protest, Cirrus pulled up into another hover at the eastern face of the warehouse. The wall was fully intact, but not a single pane of glass was left in the windows evenly spaced across the upper half of the building. Weighing his options, he figured it’d be a much better idea to spy through them than sauntering through the front door like a dumb horror movie character. He reached a hoof up to tap his communication device as he scanned around for an address. “North Precinct Dispatch, this is Agent 009, Cirrus Skyward. We have a possible Code 9-16 or 9-18. Requesting back up to the location of the Industrial District.” Cirrus glanced down an alleyway to the main street. “Warehouse close to the corner of Sahara and LaGrande. ” “Copy that, Agent 009. We will dispatch nearby teams to your location. Please respond with the exact address of the building and survey the area if you deem it safe.” “10-4, North Precinct.” Cirrus looked up towards the main street again. Two ponies had just emerged from behind a dumpster and were now exiting the alley, turning to the right before disappearing behind the edge of a building. Clicking his teeth, Cirrus tapped his communication link again. “North Precinct: I just had a brief visual on two ponies of interest. They are now making their way eastward on LaGrande Avenue towards Sahara Street. Haven’t surveyed the warehouse yet.” “Copy that, 009. What do you recommend?’ “Observe but do not approach. Stand by while I secure the scene.” Cirrus began to circle lower, scanning for any identification before seeing a small placard next to what must be the front door. He lowered his voice, realizing too late that he probably should have reduced the volume of his communication device as well. “It’s Roller Mills Warehouse #2. I’m about to go inside. Stand by.” “Copy that, 009.” Cirrus glided towards a corner window, ignoring the protests from his wings as he pulled into another hover. It looked like debris had been scattered across the middle of the warehouse floor as well covering a surface area approximately as big as his condo back on the Canterhorn. Cirrus narrowed his eyes as he studied the chaotic scene. The arrangement didn’t seem to come from the same explosion that blew out the windows. Instead, it looked like several crates had vomited their contents across the concrete, the carnage strewn about in more of a south-to-north direction, not towards the windows of the eastern wall at all. Cirrus reached into a pocket of his utility vest and popped several flares before tossing them onto the floor below. The magical light filled the scene with an eerie blue glow, but he didn’t like the look of the shadows they were casting. Cirrus climbed through, dropping altitude as he popped another flare and threw it to the other side of the area, banishing a few more shadows. His eyes sprang wide as he spotted a body in the middle of the debris. Cirrus dropped to the surface, reaching his hooves back to bring his experimental “boom-stick” weapon to bear. Flicking the barrel-mounted flashlight on, he swept the area before directing his attention to the body. His heart sank in recognition. Narcisse. Any combatant that could take down his nemesis was not to be taken lightly. Cirrus spun around, sweeping his light back and forth again before tapping his communicator again with a shudder. Every darkened corner and shadowy crate could serve as the perfect spot to stage an ambush. A trickle of sweat crept down the back of his neck as he fought to keep his voice steady.   “North Precinct, this is agent 009. What’s the ETA of your team?” Cirrus leaned down to place his muzzle directly in front of Narcisse’s, his nose hairs tingling as he waited for any sign of respiration. He folded his wrist over the unicorn’s carotid, feeling for a pulse.   “This is North Precinct. We have two officers and a K-9 unit almost to your position. More will be in the area shortly. What’s the situation?” Cirrus leaned back and let out the breath he was holding. Apparently Narcisse had both respiration and a pulse. Visually, there seemed to be nothing wrong with the Lunar Agent, but otherwise? Cirrus tried rousing the unicorn, prodding his shoulder a few times. “We have a pony down, Dispatch. Unicorn male. Designation: Agent 012 of the Agents of Moonlight. There was a brief pause, before Cirrus’s commlink squawked again. “10-4. Medical team is being dispatched to your location. What is the agent’s condition?” Narcisse felt for a pulse again. “Unicorn is breathing… and heart rate seems normal. No visible injuries, but the pony is unconscious.” Cirrus resisted the urge to slap the unicorn across the face a few times—just to make sure he was unconscious.  Satisfied that Narcisse was stable, Cirrus straightened up again, bringing his weapon up again to scan around. Trotting forward, but keeping his wings outstretched at the ready, he searched around the periphery, shining his light behind every crate before growing satisfied that he was alone. Making his way back to the downed Lunar Agent, a noise outside drew his attention to the door.   Cirrus patted the unicorn’s shoulder awkwardly before clearing his throat. “Hang in there, Narcisse… you bastard.”  The metallic doorway rattled before the panel pushed inwards, revealing two officers in uniform, a pegasus mare and an earth pony stallion. The stallion had a powerful German Shepherd on the end of a short leash. Cirrus’s eyes fluttered from the glare of their flashlights.  “Agent designation?” The mare interrogated him.  “Agent 009, at your service.” Cirrus replied. The officers seemed to relax just a touch. “I’ve scouted the premises, haven’t seen any creature inside or out, other than our downed friend over there.” Cirrus pointed behind him at the unicorn.  The stallion exchanged glances with the mare before nodding and leading his K-9 off to the side. “You stay with the agent, Misty. I’ll scout around with Lieutenant Fritter.” Cirrus raised an eyebrow at the mare. “Who named your K-9 unit Lieutenant Fritter?”  Misty rolled her eyes before she trotted towards Narcisse. “Not now, 009. Another team should be arriving in a minute. Why don’t you direct them to the last known whereabouts of the ponies of interest?” “Sure, sure.” Cirrus acknowledged. “Good luck with 012.” After a quick nod from the mare, Cirrus cantered to the door, stretching out his wing muscles to prepare for flight. He could feel they were starting to stiffen up. Emerging into the courtyard, Cirrus only had time to flap his wings a few beats before two more officers arrived, both pegasi this time. Cirrus held up a hoof in greeting before bringing out his badge. “Officers Misty and her partner are inside with their K-9 unit. Medical is on the way. I am Agent 009, Cirrus Skyweather.” He lowered the badge and pointed down the alleyway. “The only lead we have right now are two ponies that went around that corner a minute ago. Let’s take to the air and find ‘em.”  “A lead, eh? Better ‘n chasing shadows all day like we’ve been.” The stallion bobbed his head before turning towards his partner. “The name’s Midnight Valor. This fine upstanding officer is Ward Watcher.” Ward Watcher rolled his eyes. “Don’t push it, Valor. C’mon, Agent Cirrus. We’ll follow your lead.” “Alright.” Cirrus agreed, opening his wings wide. “Let’s do this.” Canterlot Castle - 7:40 PM “My sister and I have tried our deepest magics to heal the Librarian named Moonlight Sigil, but despite our best efforts, we have failed. Now, three additional ponies are being brought here all suffering from the same fate as Ms. Sigil.” “That’s… that’s awful!” Fluttershy murmured. “Indeed, Kindness. But that isn’t the worst,” Luna looked across the assembled ponies, pausing to let out a breath. “I went into Moonlight’s mind, and what I found there has me deeply concerned.” “What is it?” Twilight asked. “What did you find?” The Lunar princess looked to her sister for a moment before returning her gaze to Twilight, her eyes mirroring a strange intensity. “We found something ancient… and familiar.” Twilight looked to her friends. All of them dropped their gazes from Luna’s suggestion.  Something related to the Nightmare? She didn’t want to believe it. The air in the room seemed to gather weight, as if it hung about her withers like a yoke. Didn’t she and her friends take care of that problem over ten years ago?  Twilight shook her head, but then shot a glance at Pinkie Pie. Hopefully, she wouldn’t suddenly go off the handle with an ill-advised, breathless ramble. Princess Luna did not need another pony stealing her thunder.  The tense silence was broken as Luna cleared her throat. “I can see by your manner that I need not explain further.”  At this, Celestia stepped forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with her younger sister before turning her head to meet Luna’s gaze. “They may not need a full explanation, Lulu. But we might all benefit from hearing your personal views on the matter.” “Personal? V-very well, Tia. I shall endeavor.” Luna cleared her throat again. “In my attempts to heal the librarian, I thought perhaps I might be able to reach her subdued consciousness with my magic, and pull her out from whatever fell force or entity that held sway. As I reinforced my connection, my perceptions noticed a massive void.” Luna closed her eyes in thought, her brow furrowing with the memory. “Intrigued, I reached my magic outwards… towards it to investigate. Mayhaps Moonlight Sigil had picked up some type of magical parasite, like a phasmodium... or magicluster worm or something as such. Perhaps I would be able to root it out.” At this point, Luna lowered her head, her eyes tightening into a grimace. “But instead of a filament, I felt a root. Instead of a stream, a tide. I… I tried to pull away, but the undercurrent almost succeeded in uprooting me from my magical anchor.” She lifted her head, her eyes suddenly almost glowing with menace. “And my magical anchor is substantial, I assure you.” She paused again, the room as silent as a graveyard. What she said next came out as a whisper. “But it wasn’t the surge of power that left me dismayed. It was the color.” “Beg pardon, Princess—” The most colorful pony in the room raised her hoof, tossing her rainbow mane back before pulling at the collar of her flyer’s jacket. “What do you mean by color? And could somepony just skip to the bucking chase?”  Twilight was about to interject, but Rarity beat her to it with a gasp at the Wonderbolt Captain’s manners. “Ugh. Darling, what Princess Luna is trying to describe is a unicorn’s innate sense of magic. When a unicorn, or… alicorn, as it were, interacts with the magic of another, it’s…” Rarity waved a hoof in the air vaguely, as if trying to pull a word out of the aether. “Well, maybe color isn’t the right word, but there is a certain quality that one senses about the magic of another.” “Quite,” Luna rejoined. “And the sense I got from this interaction—this color—was not just dark. It was the darkest abyss that one could imagine. An abyss with which I was inescapably familiar with for a thousand years.” “Now hold on there,” Applejack muttered, taking her stetson off. “Are you saying a middle-aged, bookish unicorn mare has become the next—what, Nightmare Librarian? And that we need to purge her with the Elements of Harmony?” “Ya better not have any overdue books there, AJ!” Rainbow snickered. “Imagine the fees she’d buck you with!” “It is as you say, Honesty.” Luna replied, before turning to regard Rainbow with a glare. “And this is no laughing matter, Loyalty.” Celestia leaned over the podium to speak, her gentle voice soothing the mood. “While I don’t possess the same experience my sister does in this matter, I trust her judgement completely. Also: before Luna made her attempt to cure the mare, I entered Moonlight Sigil’s psyche as well, to see whether or not I could heal her.” At this point Celestia gave a small shiver, her façade cracking just a bit. “And while I am not familiar with the abyss Luna described for you, I did begin to feel… enticed.” After a few more seconds of silence, Fluttershy’s quiet voice piped up. “Enticed? To do what?” “To access powers I have always denied myself. To play with fire.” Celestia gave a tired sigh, her gaze becoming distant as she stared off to the side. Shaking it off, she met their eyes again with an uncomfortable smile. “You might ask Starlight Glimmer to relate her experiences a few years ago when she was helping to settle a certain dispute between my sister and I.” Celestia looked around the room, finding mostly blank looks reflected back at her before she grimaced. “You know… the time when Starlight switched my cutie mark with Luna’s?” A small murmur of recognition and some uncomfortable laughter floated through the room at that. Twilight hid a small smile. She had been privy to those events, but up until now it had been a private memory only shared between Starlight and her at the behest of Princess Celestia. It looked like Celestia was ready to share that rather private embarrassment with a larger circle. “Daybreaker...” Twilight whispered under her breath. Twilight suddenly found both sets of alicorn ears trained on her. Apparently she hadn’t been quiet enough. Could Celestia really have been tantalized in some way? It was unthinkable.  “Whelp…” Discord patted his thighs and stood up, before proceeding to ignore gravity. After floating upwards by several more hooves, he popped a finger in his mouth before holding it overhead as if testing for wind. “This party just got a little too heavy for my taste.” At that. an oversized salt shaker appeared in one claw while an enormous pepper mill appeared in the other. Without skipping a beat, Discord floated over to the diarchs. If Twilight didn’t know any better, he apparently thought Celestia needed a little more spice and Luna wasn’t nearly salty enough. He didn’t get very far before the pepper mill suddenly caught fire while the salt shaker fused to his hand in a block of ice.  “Ow! Well, I was only trying to help…” Another flash. “Ketchup, anyone?” Twilight rolled her eyes, but Pinkie Pie was smiling again. Seems like Discord’s plan to lower the tension in the room worked. “Anyways,” Discord said. “By the sounds of it, all of you might just have a rather… nightmarish friendship problem. Isn’t that when everyone’s flank starts to buzz? Oh, except for you two.” He indicated Celestia and Luna. “You two aren’t any fun at all.” “Now Discord—” Fluttershy began. “Not it.” Discord raised a paw before planting a finger on his snout. “If our alicorn overlords can’t fix it, then this job is definitely one for you six. Not me. I’ll just take my chaos and— “  “Not so fast!” Having moved In a yellow blur, Fluttershy was now pressing a hoof against Discord’s chest. “Don’t you think you should at least stay until the end of the meeting? My friends don’t mind that you’re here, and your type of magic could certainly help.” Fluttershy gave a meaningful look around the room to her friends, who quickly picked up what she was laying down.  “Well sure, pardner!” “We’re all friends here after all—” “It’s only polite, you know—” “We kinda don’t need him—” Rainbow’s comment quickly drew a few glares, but she only doubled down. “Well, we don’t! Uh… no offense, Fluttershy. Wasn’t that Tirek’s point? Freedom is magic?” “Rainbow—!” Fluttershy sounded as if somepony had punched a puppy. “Discord apologized for that!” “Maybe so, Flutters. But in this—” “Please stay, Discord.” Celestia offered. “Your rather unique perspective might be useful here, and might help us come up with the right response.” Discord grimaced for a moment before he relented, sitting down with a shrug. “Sure, fine.” He looked at Celestia ruefully. “I love your euphemisms, Celestia. Unique perspective? Yeah, perspective my chaotic a—” “As we were saying…” A frowning Fluttershy spoke over him. “My loving and kind draconequus here is happy to help.” Wearing quite the impressive poker face, Celestia watched the two. “Well then. As we were saying, additional ponies are on their way here as we speak. No medical or magical cures have been effective in reclaiming them. We are assuming that they are under the influence of the same entity Luna and I sensed in our dealings with Moonlight Sigil. Until we know better, we will simply refer to it as The Nightmare. Rather than take the risk of exposing ourselves again, it is time for the Elements of Harmony to be used.”  Twilight raised her hoof. “Not to raise unnecessary alarm, Princess Celestia, but could it be possible that… that…” She looked from Celestia to Luna, who was gazing back at her expectantly. “That perhaps you and Princess Luna have been compromised?” At this, the room broke into pockets of murmurs. Celestia tensed, but Luna appeared to be fuming. “Fie,” Luna countered. “The experience is completely distinct from the time I succumbed to the Nightmare so long ago. There were promises made… oaths that were sworn.” Luna stepped away from the podium and began to pace back and forth in front of the assembly. “But now? In this event with Ms. Sigil, I swore no oaths! The creature thought he could tempt me again, but he cannot make me fall twice!” Had the room grown colder, or was it her imagination? Twilight checked with a small cantrip, and sure enough, it was nine degrees colder. Twilight’s friends exchanged nervous glances with each other as Princess Luna thundered across the floor. Whatever tension that Discord had dispelled was now doubled.  Princess Celestia left the podium as well, cutting across Luna’s path and raising a hoof to forestall her. “Indeed, Luna. You are quite beyond his reach I am sure.” Twilight immediately had other questions in her mind. Can this thing even be called a ‘him?’ Did it have a personality? Motivations? An overarching plan? She decided to wait on those questions for now.  Celestia continued. “I made no oaths as well. And I am sure you withdrew when it became apparent that you would be unable to render the assistance you desired with Ms. Sigil. In this room, I am sure that you of all ponies are farthest from Nightmare Moon. “Indeed.” Luna paused, unsure of how to respond further. “Well then…”  Celestia turned back to Twilight, seeing Luna’s temper mollified for the time being. “I assure you that neither of us have been affected or compromised in any way. I would offer you the opportunity to perform magical scans on us both, but…” Twilight’s eyes widened. “But that could potentially infect me as well! If the mode of transmission is magic…” Every eye in the room was suddenly on her. Luna looked upset again. “No, hear me out. If the mode of transmission occurs by a simple magical connection, then—” “It is not, Twilight.” Luna remonstrated. “What Celestia and I did was not a simple magical connection. This is not how the Nightmare works.” Pinkie Pie gasped. “But what if that is exactly what the Nightmare needs us to believe? What if you are secretly now in league with nightmares? Oh, and zombies and ghouls?” “Fie!” “Zombies and ghouls?” Rainbow mumbled. “What the hay, Pinks?”  The room started to break out into a cacophony of cross-talk until Celestia raised a hoof...and her voice. “Please, everypony. We don’t need to tear ourselves apart in suspicion.” She strode up to Twilight, wings slightly flared. “You have my assurance that we are fine.” She turned to address the room. “But if it makes you feel any better, you may use the Elements on us. Just to be sure.” Luna grunted in annoyance, drawing Celestia’s ear. “It will be fine, Lulu.” “Very well, Tia.” Luna replied. “You might also call your health administration together for a meeting. We may verily need to issue a decree to all magic users within the nation. Until we know better how it is transmitted… if it is as we fear, perhaps caution would be best to keep our ponies safe. Do you not agree, Twilight?”   Twilight’s eyes widened as she considered what this could mean. Restrictions on magic use? Contact tracing among ponies? For how long? What kind of outcry would this cause? What would be the impact on the economy? Suddenly, resolving this problem seemed to take on a much bigger role than merely healing one librarian.  “You’re right, of course…” “But, what about my business?” Rarity whined, leaning against Twilight’s taller frame. “I depend on a very skilled workforce of unicorns!” “Worry not, Generosity.” Luna soothed. “Magic upon inanimate objects is of no concern. It is only magic upon others that is in question.” Rarity looked down as her eyes darted back and forth. Celestia took advantage of the pause and spoke up again. “If we are all ready, then let’s go to the medical wing.” Rainbow’s hoof shot up again.  “Uh, not to be a low hanging stratus, Princess, but I’m not sure that would work. We’ve never tried to combine our magics to… do some kind of medical cure. Normally, the Elements seem to activate when we are banding together to save all of ponykind… But to form up in a floaty magic bubble to wield a super-powered non-death ray of medical care? I don’t think—” Whatever Rainbow was going to say was interrupted by six gasps as Twilight and her closest friends all turned to regard their cutie marks.  “My cutie mark!” Pinkie exclaimed. “The map!” Rarity declared. “Well, how ‘bout that.”  “Before the medical wing, perhaps we need to make a detour?” Twilight suggested. At that moment a lunar guard trotted into the briefing room, sketching a quick bow before he saluted to both Princesses. “Message for her highness, Princess Luna,” he said. Luna motioned him forward, after which he presented her a sealed scroll. Breaking the seal, Luna quickly scanned the document until her eyes widened as she arrived at the bottom.  “What—” Celestia questioned.  Luna passed her the document. “I am sorry, my ponies… oh, and draconequus.” Her horn flashed as a bell sounded in the corridors outside. “There is a developing situation in Fillydelphia that might require my intervention. Celestia, by your leave?”  Celestia had reached the end of the document, her brows lowering towards the end of the scroll. “Of course. Take care of it and recover your agent. I'll see to things here.”  Luna nodded once, flapping her wings once before trotting out into the hallway. Celestia looked back at Twilight and her friends and spread her wings wide. “My ponies, this is certainly not a coincidental matter. I would like to come with you, if you would have me.” A rapid chorus of agreement responded, Twilight speaking over them all. “We would be honored, Princess Celestia.” She walked up to the podium, her friends joining in from either side. “We would love to have you accompany us on an adventure.” “Then let us be off.” Celestia gestured towards some of the room’s attendants, who drew closer to receive instructions. “Inform the castle staff of my departure. I should be away for a few hours.” Celestia turned to a mare in uniform. “Colonel Cocoa, while I’m gone, could you give my orders to General Strongwell to place the castle on a Level Three alert, and double the guard duty for our city. Most importantly, I need you to advise all unicorns to not use magic directly on other ponies at this time until more information is gained. Have my steward assemble the parliament for an emergency assembly to write up a decree for me to approve. Oh, and send a squadron of our winged forces to Twilight’s castle in Ponyville, where they are to await further instructions.” “Understood, Princess.” The Colonel brought up her right wing for a quick salute before turning on her hooves and trotting out.   Watching her depart, Celestia turned to her evening secretary. “Ms. Acacia? Please go straightaway to Captain Aerial Luster. Inform her that my airship needs to depart immediately. Expedited departure protocols.” Acacia’s eyes widened slightly before she gave a hurried bow and galloped out.  Finally, Celestia turned back towards Twilight and her group, looking at them in thought.  “Princess?” “Twilight,” Celestia responded. “How do you feel about doing a mass teleport?” “To my castle? That’s a little beyond my range… can you?” “Not Quite. Especially with a few extra in number. But we can certainly reduce the time of travel.” Celestia strode for the door, the rest hurrying to keep up.  “So, we’re taking your airship?” Rainbow said. “That’s right.” They turned the corner, Celestia finding a few more guards and murmuring a few short instructions.  “I’m not going to be a burden,” Rainbow declared. “If you’re covering half the distance in your airship before teleporting the rest of the way, I’ll race you there. Five hundred bits says I’ll beat the lot of you.” Twilight frowned. “Dash, now’s not the time for— “ “—You’re on.” Princess Celestia was grinning. “Ready-set-go!”  Rainbow’s eyes lit up. In a flutter of movement almost too fast to track, she took to the air and dove out a window. Before Twilight could comment on what just happened, a flash of Celestia’s magic occurred. In a moment, they were on the bridge of Celestia’s ship.  “The Daybreak is my fastest ship,” Celestia mused. “Let’s see if we can get close enough to teleport in and make a little bank withdrawal from the Captain of the Wonderbolts.” “Whee!” Pinkie squealed. “Feels like old times again!” Twilight rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t that long ago.” “But where is Discord?” Fluttershy wondered.  “I’m sure he’ll join us when we get there.” Celestia replied. The propellers of the ship spun up as the crew raced around the bridge for last-minute checks. “Twi, when we get close enough, I’ll teleport with Pinkie and Rarity while you take Applejack and Fluttershy.” Twilight scratched at her mane with a hoof. It was worrisome when Celestia got this excited about an adventure. Twilight resolved to recover the initiative as soon as they arrived at her domain, the Castle of Friendship. “Fair enough, Princess. I’ll take care of AJ and Flutters.”   “Yes, well...” Rarity muttered under her breath. “Not all of us have the insane range that you alicorns have.”   Celestia rubbed her hooves with glee. “This is going to be fun!” Twilight’s Castle - 7:35 PM “Ooo! I’m so excited! Aren’t you excited?” Starlight Glimmer pranced around. “Sure... excited, yep!” Spike replied, not sure how else to answer. It had been a long day of research, broken up with the side quest of going to Maude’s Grotto and back again. For the whole time, Starlight had seemed driven, and her energy had been infectious. Conversation veered from their own private thoughts, discussing their feelings on a number of subjects, to throwing around ideas and theories on how amulets might indeed be possible.  ...It certainly wasn’t what Spike had planned on doing when he woke up that morning.  Thinking back on the experience, it had made for an enjoyable day—exhilarating, even. It had become obvious that he and Starlight made quite the dynamic duo. It almost felt like they could accomplish anything if they put their minds to the task. But what started as a niggling thought had eventually sprouted into a solid, if not inescapable conclusion: Starlight was sweet on him.  Spike wasn’t sure what he thought about that. He'd been trying to get Rarity’s attention for over ten years, but now a different mare—maybe not as glamorous as Rarity, but quite attractive in her own right, not to mention brilliant—now this mare was making passes at him?  Pros and cons... When she got that certain, determined glint in her eye—when she was on a drive to solve a problem? She was breathtaki—wait a minute! What was he thinking? It was Rarity he wanted! Wasn’t it? “Well you don’t sound that excited.” Starlight scoffed. “C’mon Spike, admit it! You’re having more fun than you’re admitting. You’re probably looking forward to the culmination of our efforts today as much as I am!”  Spike’s eyes narrowed at the beaming mare. She had to be doing it on purpose; there was just no way that wasn’t innuendo. That left him with a choice. Should he acknowledge her efforts and respond in kind? Or should he acknowledge her efforts and turn her down? Spike’s stomach twisted itself at the dilemma. There was a third choice: he could inwardly acknowledge her efforts, but outwardly play the oblivious adolescent. Tartarus, it was all he had been known for in Ponyville for a while, now. Although perhaps with his growth spurt that was finally beginning to change. Maybe it was a cowardly move, but he needed to play for more time. Darn his hormones; he needed some time to think!  “I think you’ve at least convinced me that this amulet thing could work.” Spike relented. He pulled a beautiful emerald out of his sack before striding over to the arcane resonance emitter near the end of the table. “Let’s get this piece mounted.”  “...mounted?” By Celestia’s flowing mane, she’s got me doing it too. Spike winced. He thought he caught Starlight chuckling under her breath. He needed to stay on his toes.  Eyes on his task, Spike brought two swivel-brackets into place around the edges of the gem. Starlight sashayed over to the emitter before rearing up on her hind hooves to adjust the emitter controls.   “So,” Starlight began, her tail swishing back and forth as she slowly turned a knob. “I think we found the sweet spot in power output when we were set at eighty-two Thaums per second, resonating at 60 Hz.” She looked back over her shoulder as she swished her tail again. Spike swallowed uncomfortably. “Ready to fire up experiment 1-B?” Spike stepped back and pulled on a pair of goggles, snapping them into place. He brought out the flattest voice he had in his considerable vocal arsenal. “You may fire when ready, oh mare of the mystical and arcane.” *        *        * “It’s… we—we  nearly had it!” Starlight’s whisper was so intense, it was almost like she was shouting, her voice trembling with emotion. “Did you see it?” “I saw it, Glim. I saw it!” Spike couldn’t hide his own excitement.  For a few seconds, after the mana emitter had been deactivated, the rune they had etched into the crystal glowed. The scrawling was that of a water repelling spell, and when they had dropped the crystal into the beaker, it actually floated on the surface… No, strike that—it floated above the surface. The repulsion field had remained active, pulsing with the energies until the magic fizzled, allowing it to fall in with a plop. Spike reached into the beaker, splashing a little bit of water out as he pulled the gem from its sudden submersion. “So how do we keep the magic active?” “How indeed…” Starlight grinned, as if that was the question she had been waiting for all night. “I thought we might run into this problem. So this is where this baby comes in.” Starlight smugly held up a tome in her magic, pointing her hoof to a page displaying a rune for power. “If my guess is correct, this rune will pull power to itself from the ambient magical field of Equus. Will work practically anywhere not called the Changeling Badlands…” “Making the power it pulls indefinite! Brilliant, Glim!” The unicorn polished a hoof against her chest fluff. “Were you expecting anything less? Tch! So let’s do it!” One more time, they activated the resonance coil, only this time Starlight etched the rune for power, on the opposite side of the gem. In another minute, they were done.  Spike held the crystal aloft, scrutinizing the surface as he turned the facets under a light. His hand trembled with excitement as he lowered the gem back down to the beaker. Starlight was bouncing on her hooves. Without any further preamble, he dropped it in.  The crystal floated above the surface.  And it kept floating. “Yes...Yes… YES!” Starlight crowed, pumping a hoof high in the air like a madmare. “WHO’S THE MARE OF THE MYSTICAL AND ARCANE?” Despite the significance of the moment, Spike couldn’t help but let his sarcastic side gear up for a quip. Knowing his sister, he couldn’t let that one slide. “Uh, that would be your teacher, Twiligh—” Starlight wrapped both hooves around his torso and gave him a fiery kiss right on the mouth. And this was no mere peck. This was a full contact sport. She was, in a word… enthusiastic. ...thorough... Something flashed behind them. Spike looked up to find the shocked expressions of not only Twilight, but the rest of the gang sans Rainbow. A few specks of teleportation magic gently settled to the floor as the scene unfolded. Rarity in particular looked disturbed.  Starlight Glimmer’s hooves gradually loosened from his chest as she turned to regard their guests. Arriving with a gust of wind, Rainbow Dash dove in from a skylight above, dodging the room’s central chandelier before turning to regard the scene.  “Bucking Sleetstorms!” Rainbow cursed. “How’d you guys get here so damn fast?!” She paused, confused that none of her friends were even looking at her. She followed their gazes to regard Spike and Starlight Glimmer, both of whom seemed to be disentangling themselves. “Did I miss something?” “Spike and Starlight.” Celestia’s serene smile had tinged with a mischievous edge. “Any new developments we should be made aware of?”  *        *        * Fillydelphia - 7:45 PM Tempest checked over her shoulder again.  Meadow sighed. “Every time you look back, it just makes us look all the more suspicious!” By the time they had emerged from the warehouse, Luna’s stars were making themselves visible again. Tempest guessed it was somewhere between eight and nine o’clock. They were trotting down Sahara Avenue, trying to hurry back toward the city center, but not make it look like they were hurrying. Not knowing the layout of the City, Tempest thought that they would get reoriented once they found the Convention Center.   “We just need to make it on the next passenger train out of here,” Tempest said. “I feel like that’s not the last we’ll see of Narcisse.” Meadow looked up in thought. “Perhaps... Though now, maybe he’ll be willing to run some interference for you, eh? Instead of trying to turn you in?” Tempest shuddered. “I don’t want to think about it.” Meadow sighed again. “Well, we need you thinking. Such as: what do we do if the police are watching the train station?” Meadow shot a glance down each alleyway they passed as they trotted further up the street.  “Well, why would they? Nopony saw what happened back there—that whole area seemed deserted.” A distant police siren wailed. Two sets of ears perked up and twisted around to identify the source Wherever it was coming from, it was getting closer. Tempest and Meadow exchanged uneasy looks. “Why does it feel like I’m going to get wrapped up in another police chase like Manehattan?” “You’re still at large... how did you escape last time?” “The officer tracking me was very skilled. I couldn’t shake him until I teleported beyond his reach.” Tempest grimaced. “That one took a lot out of me. I don’t want to do that again if I don’t have to. Not without being an alicorn or something.” “Well, it is in your genes...”  Tempest only glared at her.  “Well, it is! Hmm... What other routes of escape could we use if cornered?” The sirens had grown very close now. “Never mind that. Times up! “Quick—in here!” Meadow reached up and pushed Tempest into a gap between two buildings. Tempest had no choice but to stumble ahead as the earth pony kept pushing her from behind. Soon, they reached a little alcove that, by the looks of it, served as a small freight-handling area for the building they had just passed. The area was rather dark save for the single porch light beside a sturdy metal door, and the walls were sky-high. “Okay, what now? I need to be oriented before teleporting, Meadow. I need to have a good understanding of where I am and where I am going—or at least a general idea of the distance.” “Forget that! Just activate an invisibility spell.” Meadow ignored the face Tempest made. “Look, I know the mana cost is high. I know you’re tired after that duel—but you only have to maintain it until we can get out of the area under surveillance! You can do that much. Just activate your horn, and blam!” “Blam. Right,” Tempest muttered. “What is it with stuff that happens around you and ‘blam?’” She concentrated, focusing on weaving the matrices of the spell until Meadow finally faded from view. Tempest’s own yellow coat followed not long after.  “And, there we go.” Meadow’s disembodied voice came from somewhere overhead, clearly making use of her amulet. “Now, we just make sure we don’t walk into anypony. C’mon!”  Tempest made her way back towards the lit sidewalk and looked both ways. Her heart sank as she spotted a large Germane Shepherd quickly bearing down on her position. Did the dog have her scent? Behind the dog, two ponies in uniform were in hot pursuit. Tempest stumbled back, cursing under her breath.  “Dammit, now what?” “Not good, Tempest.” Meadow murmured. “Perhaps I can carry you?” Tempest didn’t have the time to reply before she felt a pair of hooves clasp around her barrel, hooking under her forelegs. Meadow’s legs trembled with the effort.  “Up we go…” Meadow began to pant. “Heh. Celestia above, you’re heavy!” Meadow continued to lift, bringing Tempest’s body closer to vertical until only one of her hind hooves remained on the filthy alleyway asphalt. At that point, Meadow rose no further.  “It’s… not going to work.” Meadow grunted. “I could lift you, but the amulet can’t. What do we do?” Her urgent whisper was cut off by a low growl filling the alleyway. Two sets of hooves were close behind. “Okay, ponies. Both of you stay where you are, and we can take care of this in a harmonious manner.” Instead of coming from the neck of the alley, the voice addressing them came from directly overhead. Tempest looked up, finding a pegasus perched on a window ledge not too far above their heads. He was wearing some kind of utility vest, and in his hooves he held some kind of metal rod with a wooden stock held up against his shoulder.  “Deactivate your invisibility and come out slowly, and nobody will get hurt. Please don’t escalate the situation. If you run, even if you’re faster than the dog, you’re not faster than me. You have ten seconds before I use countermeasures.” He lowered the metal rod and brought up a canister of something.  “Hold tight, Meadow.” Tempest whispered. “We’re going to the top of that building across the street. From there, we’ll get to safety, I promise you. Pegasus speed is nothing compared to teleportation.” The pegasus held up his canister and depressed a button. With a hiss, a cloud of glittering dust sprayed out as he waved the device back and forth. The billowing dust cloud gradually descended, spreading out to fill the area as it floated down. At this rate, they only had a few seconds before their position was revealed.   Feeling Meadow’s hooves around her neck again,Tempest activated her horn. As soon as the spell took shape, the energy distorted, twisting before being drawn away towards some unseen source above. Tempest felt her eyes widen in horror. “They—he must’ve planted some type of anti-teleportation array around us!”  The Germane Shepherd was closing in. “I know about your shadow-jumping ability.” Meadow whispered urgently. “Can you bring us both?”  Tempest shook her head. “Only my mother—” “Fine,” Meadow replied curtly. “Take care of yourself and meet me at the terminal station, 3rd platform!” With a push-off, Meadow was gone. The cloud was only now starting to reach Tempest’s ears, but at the neck of the alley, there was still room for clearance if Meadow dove above the officer’s heads. She didn’t have any wings to flap, so there would likely be less disturbance to the dust in the air.    The mare on the right cupped a hoof to her mouth while her partner brandished a flashlight. “You’ve nowhere to go! Come towards us after you’ve deactivated your spells!” The dog’s hackles raised as he started to lunge upwards, causing both officers to look up. After a tense moment, the officer with the K-9 unit gave the animal a terse command, causing the dog to whine before backing down. He directed his light back and forth in the alley. “If you don’t come now I’ll be forced to release the dog!” Tempest waited for the flashlight to sweep back towards her again. Her ability to shadow-jump was paltry compared to Princess Luna, and she needed to have enough contrast in the lighting conditions for it to work. In this darkened alley, she wasn’t sure about her chances until she noticed more defined shadows from the flashlight. Finally it swept back to her position behind the dumpster.  Perfect.  The voice from above called out. “Behind the dumpster—I see her!”  Tempest heard wings. She activated a shield spell, just in case the pegasus had a ranged weapon. Her ears could make out more officers coming. No matter. She tuned out the shouts and distractions, focusing on the deep well within her own soul. Turning inward, she drew energy from the Dreamsphere, just as Luna had schooled her in days so long ago.  Stepping into the shadow, she was gone.