//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: Files of a Wizard - Nite Life // by uz_mike222 //------------------------------// Chapter Three As the day continued, Spike introduced Sign to Zecora. However, Spike became lost as they started talking about contracts, deals, trades, figures, and everything else that is needed for a business deal to get underway, all the while they were drinking tea. Once they were done with that and the business deals have been made, they began swapping recipes for different potions, salves, even tea and food recipes, which Spike couldn’t follow anyway - for both talks - since they were talking Zecora’s native language, surprising both Zecora and Spike. The Pony and the Zebra continued on until Celestia let the Sun set itself past the western horizon until there was nothing but darkness as the Moon began to rise. By that time, Spike and Sign had resigned to their respective abodes: The library and the bar Sign had bought. She was turned the old bar into a shop that will sell both her and Zecora’s potions, tonics, salves, and many other things. As the Citizens all across Equestria began to bed down for the night, one Pony and her Royal Guards stayed up to make sure the moon rose and set for the coming day. For one guard - his name was Star Sign - it was supposed to be just a routine night of guarding Princess Luna’s bedroom. It was, for the rest of that week, but on the new week, something he didn’t like happened. Star Sign was standing outside Luna’s chambers, taking the door to his left, while his partner took the one on the right. They stood outward, watching for anything that would threaten their Princess, however, they never thought the Princess herself would hurt them. Who knew? The double doors swung outward, knocking both guards to the ground. A second later, Luna rushed out of her room, holding up a rolled up piece of paper with a red ribbon tied around it to hold it in place with her magic. “It is done!” she shouted, waving the piece of paper around. “We have finally written Our letter to Twilight Sparkle so that she and the ponies of Ponyville will know of Our coming to Ponyville for an official visit! Unlike last Night Mare Night,” She muttered, then she stopped talking and looked down at both of her guards, who were still stunned from being hit by the doors. “Why art thoust sitting around instead of guarding Our door?!” She asked, her already serious eyes becoming even serious. “No excuse, Princess!” Both guards shouted as they jumped straight to attention back to their posts and snapped off at a crisp salute. “What can we do for you, Princess?!” “We need you to deliver thine letter to Twilight Sparkle at Ponyville, tonight!” She shouted the last part at Star Sign with enough force to open the far corners of his eye sockets a little bit. “Will do, Princess!” Star Sign shouted before grabbing the paper with his teeth and took off at a hard gallop. He turned down different corridors, towards one of the balconies of the castle. He burst through the door and took off at the fastest speed his wings would let him. - He landed at the edge of Ponyville after a long flight. He looked up and saw that the Moon reached a little past its zenith as it started to move to the western horizon. After Star Sign landed, he began to canter his way through the buildings alleyways until he heard something drop behind him. He turned and found nothing but the light of the moon hitting the dirt road. He skeptically turned back to the front and gasped, dropping the letter as a hoof slammed him to the ground in a searing flash of pain as stars began to swim across Star Sign’s vision. Blackness was being abated as he began to quickly blink it away before something clamped down all four of his legs to the ground. He opened his mouth to shout his defiance but a gag was strapped over his mouth. He then began to try and shove his attacker off of him but was unable to. Another splash of pain seared his other cheek as the stars began to swim across his vision again, as unconsciousness began to edge its way into him. Star Sign was about to accept the inky blackness, but something forced itself into his mind, violently jerking him away from the serenity he found so appealing. What do we have here? A voice asked as Stallion’s head shoved his face into Star Sign’s. His red eyes shined in the night as they pierced the guard’s very soul with a smile on his lips that showed as much teeth as possible. Star Sign backed up a few inches, wings wide and high, while he growled but the pony just stared at him, then the stallion was gone. He turned every which way he could, just to find the stallion but there was no sign at allThe next thing he knew, he was on the ground, being held down by something inexplicably strong and impossibly heavy, but the only thing he saw was was the face of the still smiling pony. Star Sign felt his eyes widen a slight bit but he regained his composure, and he began to shout. "I am a Royal Guard for Princess Luna! And I will ha-" Star Sign’s train of thought towards the foreign invader was slammed into the ground as the pony jumped right on top of his spine. He screamed from the agony as unconsciousness swam its way over his vision again. However, he was jerked back into consciousness as the voice edged its high pitched way into his brain, again. You talk to much, it cakled maniacally as stallion’s face was still smiling that crazy smile. You are going to do one thing and one thing only. "I’d rather die than do what you force me to do." Star Sign spat into his mind. Are you a mind reader, little pony guard? The voice chuckled at an unseen joke that Star Sign didn’t see or would understand it. That’s just it pony guard. I want you to die! It shouted while cackling widely as the pony jumped off of the Lunar Guard’s body and landed in front of him, the face seemed not to move an inch from his glaring at him. That’s when a monsters smokey form billowed out of his host’s body’s exposed orifice on the pony’s face as his head was forced to look straight up. The almond shaped eyes were completely closed. They opened up slowly, revealing the glowing red eyes. The Thief screamed a terrible, high-pitched scream that only the guard could hear, then it smiled as it looked down into Star Sign’s eyes. You definitely are a delicious pony. I am going to enjoy gorging on your soul. The Thief's voice cackled loudly as it entered the Lunar Guard’s body as quickly as it could, but Star Sign's strong will fought hard to keep the monster from devouring his soul. However, it was in vain as the monster squirmed its way through Star Sign's defenses and began to eat without abandon on both the insides of the Lunar Guard's organs and muscles while saving his soul for last. A half of a minute later, Star Sign was no more as the Body Thief slowly opened its new eyes. Instead of the normal amber colored iris of the Lunar Guard, the Iris turned into a deep, bloody red as the Guard took on the same look as Trench Hoof did, whose deflated body laid nearby. The same happened to the armor, but most of that black that was already on it was kept. The Thief quickly ripped off of the shackles and spat out the gag at Trench Hoof’s body then quickly took to the air, cackling the entire time as he made his way to the Everfree Forest, towards the ruined castle, where Twilight and the other holders of the Elements battled Nightmare Moon and saved Equestria from eternal night. The Thief’s new body landed at the entrance of the ruined castle as the sun began to reach its zenith in the sky. It ran inside, stopping at the Dais, bowing awkwardly as it brought the pony’s body onto its hind legs. “My Liege, I have brought you good news,” The Thief said aloud to the empty Dais through Star Sign’s voice which was changed half way through to the Thief's voice. Black eyes formed in the same almond shape as the Body Thief’s while the body began to form from the same black smoke as the thief, but there was two stripes of white running on either side of it’s head, right over the eyes. The body formed itself to look like an Alicorn, but the body had neither horn nor wings. The mane and tail was made of actual smoke, same as the entire body, however, it began to become solid more and more as the hooves wisped away in the same unknown breeze as the mane and tail. The form sighed with ecstasy as the body finished solidifying itself. It breathed and in a raspy voice, spoke to the Taken Lunar Guard. “Speak my servant and I shall judge your knowledge.” “Of course, my Liege. The Princess named Luna will be coming to Ponyville on the night of the Blue Moon in two weeks, my Liege.” The thief bowed deeply. “Good news indeed, my servant, Rafter” The Alicorn rasped. “In due time, you shall take the body of the Princess named Luna and bring her to me. Then, my plan shall come into fruition.” The Alicorn’s voice rasped as its eyes narrowed a bit before its body began to blow away in the wind. “There is someone here. Kill them.” And the body blew away into an unknown breeze. - Sign awoke in the early twilight hours to the loud noises of shouting and gasping near her store. She walked outside after putting her trench coat on and cantered over to where a crowd began to gather as she heard the noise of a pony wailing. She shoved her way through and saw a Stallion doubled over crying, something brown draped in his hooves. Sign Sign made her way to the front of the crowd. She turned around held up a badge with the symbol that represented the Royal Guards. "I am Detective Sign of the Third Watchful Battalion of Princess Celestia's Royal Guards. You are to disperse immediately." She ordered the crowd, and to her surprise, they did. Who knew that title would still work even though the badge is five years old. She then her way over and sat down next to the Stallion. She started comforting him as the crowd began to disperse in an orderly manner until only three of the Elements of Harmony stayed: Loyalty, Kindness, and Laughter. Sign stood up and walked over to the three mares and looked each one in the eyes. “Did any of you see what happened?” she asked, her eyes felt like they sending out needles to any pony who would dare to try and lie to her. Each one in turn said only one word: No. She nodded and turned back to the still weeping stallion. “How do you know him?” Sign asked the stallion. “He-he was my boyfriend,” The stallion answered through small gasps of air. “What was his name?” “Tre-Trench Hoof,” The stallion answered and he turned up to Sign, his eyes filled with a cold anger and confusion. “Is it true that your a Detective for the Royal Guard?” "I used to be five years ago, before my entire world flipped upside down." She said as she touched her hat but recovered quickly before falling into a state of solitude. "I am now a Private Investigator that works on cases that most ponies won’t touch. Your case fits in the category.” She explained as she sat back down. “Will it cost anything?” he asked, hope edging its way into his eyes. “No, it will not since your case is a special one. The only thing I will ask you is I wish to take your boyfriend’s body for both examination and to try to find out who killed him. Is that okay with you?” She asked. “Anything that will help.” He said as he handed the carpet like body of Trench Hoof over to Sign, who carefully draped it over her back. “I thank and shall return his body to you when I am done, Mister-?” “Meadow Song,” “Mister Meadow Song. I thank you for your cooperation,” she said. She stood up and began to walk away, draping the skin and fur over her back as carefully as she could. She made her way out of the alleyway and watched as Pinkie Pie follow her, along with who she believed to be Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, though Fluttershy was being pushed on by Rainbow Dash. Sign stopped after a few steps away from Meadow Song, who also began to move from the alley and turned to the three mares, surprising them. “Why are you following me?” Sign asked while looking at each one in turn, a small frown on her face. “Because we want to help!” Pinkie Pie sang loudly as she began to hop around Sign, Rainbow and Fluttershy. Sign smirked and chuckled with mirth in her voice. “You can’t help,” “What do you mean we can’t help?!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she looked into the eyes of Sign, which changed from concern to a hard stare that made her almost audibly gulp. “Because the world I live in doesn’t concern you three or the other Elements of Harmony, or any pony for that matter.” “Wh-what type o-of world i-is it?” Fluttershy stammered as she tried to calm her frail nerves down. “When you were a filly, did any of you feel that something was in your closet or under your bed?” She asked and saw that all three nodded. “Did your relatives or friends tell you anything to get rid of them?” “Granny Pie always said I could laugh my fears away!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she sucked in a breath to sing but Rainbow Dash shoved one of her hooves into Pinkie’s mouth, quickly shutting her up. “We’ve already heard that song a million times. We don’t need to hear it again,” Rainbow Dash told Pinkie, who just nodded but they both looked at Sign as she laughed at what Pinkie Pie said. “That’ll never work,” Sign laughed as she adjusted her hat. “It worked when Night Mare Moon turned some trees into scary monsters!” Pinkie shouted as she began to growl and roar while making scary faces, much to Fluttershy’s dismay. “Did the trees move in anyway shape or form?” Sign asked, looking at the pink earth pony intently as her carefree and whimsicalness returned to her eyes. “Of course not silly! Tree’s can’t move!” “Illusion magic, a common form to show you something that is there, but it isn’t truly there. It can affect a certain amount of distance or how many ponies the caster can put under said magic. Plus, you’d be surprised about trees being able to move.” she slipped. She realized her mistake and kept on talking just so she could get away from trees being able to move. “Anyway, I have have a trail that’s starting to get cold that I must catch up too. And whatever you do, do not follow me!” Sign shouted the last sentence as she ran back into her shop, locking the door behind her. She then made her way down to the basement, grabbing Aeris from the counter along the way. She set the old skull down on the stone slab of a table, before draping the skin and fur of Trench Hoof onto her stool and began to set up a small bunsen burner with a small bowl set atop a stand, placing it over the burner. She began to start mixing five ingredients together that correspond to the five senses: a piece of fur for touch, a pinch of salt for taste, extremely fine and grounded glass powder for sight, a piece of an onion for smell and a couple of notes from the Canterlot’s Wind and String Orchestra. The last piece of any potion is the one that has to do with spirit, which is the hardest since Sign must give up a minute piece of herself so the ingredients can help her find the Body Thief. Then Sign began to start pacing after she uttered the beginnings of a finding spell that is primarily used on fire spirits. The spell wasn't complicated or complex, but it was long. However, there was too much for Sign to do. What would a Corpus fur need with a construction worker’s body? The only explanation she could think of was that the monster was only using Trench Hoof’s body as just a means of transportation until it could find another body that has a higher position than the last one, leaving only the skin once they are done with the body. The only highest position in Equestria is being a Princess, but both Princesses are in Canterlot, while Princess Cadance is somewhere on the other side of the country. But why would the Thief jump from a body if no pony of higher position than a construction worker was present last night? Sign couldn’t think of the answer. “Your spell is done,” Aeris said alone, which brought Sign back to reality. She moved back over to her bubbling brew that was in her small, ceramic bowl. The brew, which was a golden yellow, simmered and bubbled, but its concentration was interrupted as Sign stuck a spoon into it and began to stir, holding onto the handle with her teeth. “What can you tell me about this Body Thief you were guarding?” Sign asked through clenched teeth. “Not much other than the necro was an old sorcerer during your ponies Tribe years. I do know for sure that the necro was part of the High Council during that time. And you have to remember that Necromancy was an acceptable, albeit wizards shied away from it anyway, until the Necro War. Those were dark days.” Aeris closed his eyes in thought. Sign wanted to press for more information but the spell was ready. All she needed was a quartz crystal to hold in the searching spell and point her the way. But she forgot to buy a new one when the last one she had broke as she tried to tail those appliances that could literally run. Luckily, no pony knew about the appliances running loose in the street as Magister Turnal, the only Diamond Dog Wizard in this dimension, shut them down and pulled a Fantasia as he marched them back into their exact places. He was always a stickler for perfection.