//------------------------------// // Twentythree // Story: Under The Northern Lights // by CoastalSarv //------------------------------// “Twilight? Are you awake?” Spike said as he stuck his head into Twilight's room. “Hnn. No, Smartypants, don't do my homework as well!” Twilight mumbled. “Twilight?” Spike said. “Uh!” Twilight sat up with a jerk. “Uh, hello Spike. Is it evening already?” “No, it's barely been half an hour or so since I left you. The guys are here,” Spike said. Twilight yawned and got off the bed. “Feels like I was asleep for hours... so why am I not refreshed?” Twilight mumbled as she went out into the suite. “Hi kids. Are you okay, Prince Vigg?” “Uhm, yeah, it was just a fit,” said Vigg, looked down at the floor and scraped the carpet with his hoof while Saga waved at Twilight. “We found some more clues!” Saga said. “Tell her, Vigg!” She poked him in the ribs with her hoof. “Well, OK, I don't know how useful this is, but...” Vigg began. “We found somedeer who maybe can tell us more about where the Sampo went!” said Saga. “Somebody” said Vigg. “And why don't you tell her then?” “Well, you told us that if all books agree on something it's more likely to be true, right?” Saga said. “Yes, that's correct,” said Twilight. “Well, and there were all these different peoples trying to hunt down the Sampo, and we thought some of them might have some tradition of what happened!” said Saga. “They might even have succeeded!” “But I don't think so,” said Vigg, “because then they would have used it and somedeer would have noticed.” “Well, or somebody,” said Saga. “But we don't know. Anyway, the only peoples that are in every version of the story are the trolls – ” “Moose” said Spike. “ – and the skolls,” Saga continued. “And it is not like we can go and ask the skolls – “ said Vigg. “ – except I totally think we should!” said Saga. “ – because she is mental, but we can probably get a hold of some tr... moose if we ask Kvalhissir,” Vigg said. “I'm not mental! I think we can talk to the skolls as well, trolls turned out to be nice guys!” Saga said. Vigg sighed. “Saga, we've been through this!” he said “We only know Kvalhissir is a nice guy, and that just proves not all trolls are monsters, not that some of them can't be dangerous. But reindeer fight skolls every year, and they want to make winter last longer, so even if they aren't... evil or whatever, they wouldn't want to talk to us!” “We could lie!” Saga said. “Yeah, could you please not kill us, we want to, yeah, wish for lots of snow so we need the Sampo,” said Vigg. “No thanks.” Saga pouted. “We'll at least start with asking Kvalhissir if he knows any history or knows a, uh, scholarly moose,” said Vigg with a painful expression. Twilight smiled encouragingly. “That sounds like really good thinking,” she said. “You are making progress!” Both reindeer beamed towards her. “But I have a meeting with Princess Luna really soon, so now that I see that you are hale, hearty and studious I really must ask you to leave,” Twilight said. “We'll have to talk again later.” “Aww...” said Saga. Vigg also looked a bit disappointed, but pulled at her tail with his mouth. “Come on, you said yourself Kvalhissir gets up at nights and works in the temple yard to avoid the crowds. We can talk to him before we go to bed,” he said. “Say hi to Kvalhissir for me!” said Spike. “The crowds bother him?” Twilight asked. “He's a tro.. a moose, living in the middle of a reindeer city,” said Vigg tersely. “Of course they do.” “Oh,” said Twilight. “Yeah, I guess so.” Spike and Twilight waved goodbye to the two fawns as they left. “I hope they don't get themselves into any trouble,” Twilight murmured. “Oh, I'd better wash up a bit before the Princess arrives.” “You will have to meet me unwashed,” said Luna as she stepped through the door. She looked relatively content and confident, if you compared to earlier. “Your Highness!” said Twilight. “I take it the meeting went well?” “As well as it could during to the circumstances,” the Princess said. “I will have to make the trouble of going to the Russ cities, but otherwise it was a success.” “Please sit down, Your Highness,” said Twilight. “Do you want some refreshment?” “No thanks, Twilight” Luna smiled knowingly. “Only the news. What did you learn about Lord Eminence today?” Twilight took a deep breath. “Not much new,” she said. “But we know how and where he meets his contacts, that somedeer from the court is keeping track of him, and who that is.” Luna snorted. “If they know, we can get in trouble if we just order him home to Equestria,” she said. “That will stop his crime but they will always suspect it was our doing.” “Our who?” Spike said. “Mine and Celestia's,” said Luna. Twilight looked at her. “Back in the day, anything underhanded or duplicitous in the Equestrian Empire would have been my doing, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said. “That was how we divided our duties. But she had to rule a millennium without me and I cannot imagine she could have completely avoided such things. However, I can very well imagine that she tries to not know what happens, even when it would be wise to do so, because she loathes the subject. Hence, someone like Lord Eminence is most likely to act on his own initiative – to be ordered to do so.” Twilight sighed with relief. Spike made a small noise. “I now guess that Master Spike is about to make a wry comment that my sister can be quite manipulative, maybe even more than me, since my passions tend to get the better of me,” Luna said and looked at Spike, who looked at the roof and tried to whistle. “A matchmaker, a negotiator, even a prankster, that she is, yes. Not somepony who orders assassinations and ferments civil wars.” Luna laid down on her bed. “However, I don't know if reindeer will believe that – and even those who believe in the shining princess and not the myth of Celestia the Sun Tyrant can always imagine it was me who did this,” she continued. She smiled wryly. “Or our evil vizier, Lady Twilight Sparkle.” Spike actually giggled at that. “I – I don't find that joke that funny, Your Highness!” said Twilight. “But it's so silly and stupid!” said Spike. “I'm sorry, Twilight, but even with Vigg describing to me where the rumor came from, I can't help but think it is funny.” “Yes, with all bad things that has been happening to Tarandroland lately, I'm a little surprised reindeer media have had time to make you and the other Elements of Harmony into super-villains from one of Spike's comics,” said Luna. “But maybe we can use that...” “How?” said Twilight. “Well, there is one way of stopping Lord Eminence's stupidity which can draw suspicion away from Equestria's leaders,” said Luna. “But first we must, of course, confront Lord Eminence with what we know, learn what we don't know and put him in his place. And I must know something: would it be possible to use magic in a way which would be clouded to reindeer?” Twilight sighed. “It depends,” Twilight said. “It depends on their Sight. What won't work, as a form of paradox, is any magic directly hiding something. Like, say, Lord Eminence ability to become invisible. Otherwise, any reindeer could probably see that there was magic. Anyone skilled enough or with the right Sight would see what kind.” Luna rubbed her chin with her hoof. “It needs consideration and thought,” she said. “We need to talk to Lord Eminence first, though.” Luna rose from her bed. “We should go to him now,” she said. “Lady Sparkle, bring some writing material. I want notes taken.” Twilight and Spike got up. “No, Spike, stay here please,” Luna said. “What?” said Spike. “You don't want me to take notes? And I want to see his face when you tell him his game is up!” “Lady Sparkle will be my scribe, Spike. And I need someone in the suite, if I receive a message I am waiting for,” said Luna. “Aww” said Spike. “No fun!” Luna smiled – a bit sadly. “I'm afraid this is a dead serious and rather nasty business, and fun isn't always possible,” she said. “Lady Sparkle – come now. I have had a long, hard, day and I want this dead serious and nasty business dealt with.” With that she started to stride out into the corridor. Twilight snatched up ink, quill and notebook and followed her after nuzzling Spike quickly. “Later, Spike,” she said. “Later Twi',” said Spike and sighed. The door snagged on the carpet as the two ponies left. Spike stepped out to fix it... only to pause when he overheard Luna talking to Twilight in a lowered voice as they walked down the corridor. “I am sorry, Lady Sparkle, but Spike is rather young and there might be things he shouldn't hear or see tonight,” she said. “You – you really think so, Your Highness?” Twilight said, her voice a little scared. “I am afraid so,” said Luna. “Speaking of which – if what you said about reindeer and magic is correct, it might also be impossible for magic to soundproof his room, which might be a problem.” Spike swallowed. “But Your Highness, it was all in Equestria's best interest!” Lord Eminence protested. Twilight was impressed. She was Luna's close friend, she wasn't the pony on trial, and yet she was terrified of the “Visage of Royal Wrath” as Luna's sister called it. The princess seemed to have grown twice as tall, the faint shimmer around her body was the only light left in the dark room, and her mouth seemed to have grown venom-dripping fangs – or maybe mandibles. While different from Celestia's “this is my impression of a slow-motion nuclear explosion, and notice how I don't raise my voice but you are losing your hearing from its loudness anyway”, it usually had the same effect. But Lord Eminence had not given in to fear. “The one thing that stops Equestria and Tarandroland from coming to an accord, to stop Equestrian citizens from losing their lives and property, is that sad drunkard of a deer!” he almost shouted. “I did what to had to do!” “Don't give me that old speech about knowing what's best for me and how you know better!” Luna growled. “Especially since you plainly cannot handle an operation like this and haven't investigated the situation beforehand!” “But -” Lord Eminence began. “Describe to me the nature of reindeer magic. Common reindeer magic possessed by everydeer!” she said. “Wait... what does that...” said the now confused spy. “Lady Sparkle, explain the nature of reindeer magic to Lord Eminence,” Luna barked. Twilight started to stammer. “Well... uh... you see, unicorns, they are telekinetic, but due to the different nature of their horns, and the general cervine magical disposition...” she began. “Short version, Lady Sparkle, if you would,” said Luna and turned to her. “All reindeer are somewhat clairvoyant,” Twilight said and looked at Lord Eminence “Specifically, they have the second sight.” Lord Eminence didn't seemed to have gotten it yet, so Twilight decided to be clearer. “If you do something like this,” said Twilight and turned invisible. “They can still see you. Moreover, they understand that you are trying to be invisible, so everywhere you go you are really, really conspicuous instead of the opposite.” Lord Eminence suddenly slumped. “But – but – they didn't see me!” he said. “My contacts...” “At best they were humoring you,” Twilight said gently. “I saw you meeting them, and well...” “Saw me?” he said. “When? That can't be true...” “I used the internal scrying system in the castle,” said Twilight. “Scrying system?” he said. “Stop being an echo, Lord Eminence!” said Luna. “The whole castle is 'bugged' as the modern term goes, using reindeer scrying magic. Given that the King's court sorcerer Galderhorn operates it, and that others of the King's inner circle have been shadowing you, I hope you realize your machinations have been seen through, and the game is up. In fact, I am surprised they haven't come for you yet.” Lord Eminence finally did what any sensible pony would have done and collapsed on the floor. “Mare in the Moon...” he mumbled. “Please don't take my name in vain when I am standing right here, Lord Eminence,” said Luna. “See, we could have done it the other, classical way. I chastise you for being unethical, and you give a long speech about how I am naive, and how the ends justify the means, et cetera, et cetera. I then give a long counter-speech about things like honor and dignity and the equine condition, and when that doesn't help I point out that as a former omnicidal maniac I am not that naive, really. Meanwhile, we would have lost valuable time and my hoofmaiden would have fallen asleep by boredom, as we act as if we are in a melodrama. But this is all a moot point, because while I have issues with the ethics of your actions, I am far more concerned with the fact that you have acted like an utter nincompoop in a way that endangers international relations for Equestria for decades, and unlike you I will have to deal with them!” Lord Eminence looked up from the floor. “They say there are four kinds of ponies: the dumb and lazy, the clever and lazy, the clever and diligent and the dumb and diligent,” Luna said, towering over him. “You, Lord Eminence are dumb and diligent, and hence you must die.” Lord Eminence jerked to attention and Twilight gasped. “It is simple,” Luna said. “Calling you home will not persuade them that my sister and I had nothing to do with it. Publicly admitting your crime might work, but we would presumably turn you over to them and who knows what you might tell them, no matter how loyal you are right now. You yourself have described them as barbarians; I am sure they can be barbarous.” Twilight swallowed and Lord Eminence winced. “No, the best way to clear this up is to have you killed” Luna continued. “If I have you killed as you are about to actually carry out your plan, by one of my agents, out in the public eye, I am sure it will convince the quite melodramatic public of Tarandroland that Equestria doesn't approve of your schemes.” “Your Highness!” Twilight shouted. “That – that's really foolhardy! Not only would it be murder, it could easily be misinterpreted!” “Have no fear, Lady Sparkle,” said Luna and smiled. “I will use an agent who already has a certain reputation among reindeer, and spin that reputation to create rumors they will interpret it as I said – though they will presume that the agent's quite violent and brutal actions were for rather selfish purposes.” “Who are you talking about?” said Twilight. “Why, the most powerful and evil sorceress in Equestria, of course!” said Luna, and laughed. “Skinfaxi's Shadow, Twilight Sparkle!” Merry Hearth's Warming after that message from Our Lady Of The Night. I had a proofreader for this chapter, the excellent, eminent and exemplary LadyMoondancer. A big applause, please!