//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: "Weirdness comes with the whole cloak and cowl territory.” // Story: The Ghost of Coltistrano: Phantom Eulogy // by EthanClark //------------------------------// Flawless masonry stood as the signature of Canterlot’s imposing cityscape. Pristine white walls, rooftops of varying shades of violet, all lining the cobblestone streets to house ponies and businesses of every type, only growing taller and denser towards the city center. Concentric rings of streets marked each district of Canterlot’s downtown, serving as arteries for traffic and pedestrians traversing the marble metropolis. One such street led from the city center towards the imposing fortress of splendor resting along the edge of the city. Canterlot Castle loomed over the city, in direct eyesight of the company making their way towards it. All around them, the city was abuzz with activity as they passed, dodging crowds of ponies and vendors hauling their goods towards the outer grounds of the palace. Upon the walls hung brilliant standards dressed with the sun’s icon. The company watched as a fairground was constructed around them, with teams of pegasi soaring overhead and carrying their banners. On their approach towards the inner gate, the guards straightened their posture. All it took was one look at the pony leading the pack and they readily stepped aside, pulling open the gates and bidding them enter. The palace grounds were neat, organized, tended to by dozens of caretakers found wherever the group turned. Soon, the group crossed the threshold into the palace, proper, the lobby decorated with the brilliant light of stained glass windows along the walls, dancing across the floor as a chorus of color, but across the lobby stood a pony. She held a dour expression, and her leathery wings held tight to her side. She first met Silver’s gaze, but for a second flicked her eyes towards the only other bat pony amongst them, clearing her throat as she spoke. “Lord Aristo,” she declared, giving a bow. “I am Night Captain Indigo. On behalf of Princess Luna, I welcome you to Canterlot.” Silver bowed in return. “I’m hoping she isn’t currently busy. There’s a situation we need to inform her of, her ears only.” “Of course, she’s expecting you. Follow me.” She beckoned the party with a hoof, her sight lingering on Kindle for a moment before turning down one of the branching hallways. Through polished hallways they traveled until coming upon a large door, adorned with reliefs of the phases of the moon. Indigo waved a small stone sigil in front of it, the door coming to life with a soft pop and glow of blue runes as it swung open, leading to a twisting staircase leading upwards towards the palace’s north tower. Once at the top, Indigo stood before the party. “Guests, I introduce to you Princess Luna, Mistress of the Moon, Dreamwalker, She Who Soars Over Seas Of Stars. Your majesty…” Before them all sat the alicorn Indigo so highly praised. She stood from her seat upon the balcony, her swirling mane a curtain of night against the brilliance of day, and with cerulean eyes she scanned the four who stood before her. Kindle stepped forward and bowed, so low he touched the floor. Luna tilted her head at the gesture. He could hear the soft click of her regal horseshoes against the onyx floor, but the throbbing in his head warned him against meeting whatever harsh expression he envisioned upon her face, until a hoof reached down and touched his cheek, slowly tilting him upwards to meet her. “Prithee, thou art Kindle, yes?” Her voice was a cool, silken tone. “One of the Night Guard who defected?” Kindle fought against his own trembling lips, searching for even the breath to respond, but Luna spoke again. “Fret not, wayward one, for to be in Silver’s company is to be held in trust. We welcome you back.” As her hoof left his face, Kindle felt his legs buckle, almost dropping himself onto the floor before recovering and stepping aside, allowing Princess Luna to approach the rest of the party. Silver stepped forward.  “Princess Luna, we’ve come from Ponyville with important news, given to us by Prince Shining Armor. There was a break-in at the Crystal Palace. A known fugitive and armed assailants infiltrated and stole an object of importance. The horn of King Sombra.” “Pray tell, when did this occur?” Luna’s eyes were firm. “Only a week ago. Their commander was identified as Glint, and he was no doubt working under orders.” Luna’s brow pinched together, a stiff sigh following. “By him, of course… and what of Alate? Hast Cadence’s healers aided her recovery?” “Nothing gets by you, huh?” Silver smirked, his question answered only by Luna’s own muffled chuckling. “Are we not the keeper of dreams? T’would behoove one to remember our power reaches not to ponies, alone. Tell me, are there signs of his treachery?” “We suspect so. We’ve been encountering a band of criminals on our travels to Canterlot. First in Coltistrano, where they tried to rob Lord Aristo’s donations to the city, and again in Ponyville. This all happened in the span of a few days.” “Curious, wouldst thou not agree, noble rogue? Befallen by such blackguards so frequently?” “It’s not a pleasant thought, but we can’t be sure of his plan so soon. All we’ve found his agents doing is searching for opportunities for bits. Heists, or roadside robbery. It’s possible we have the drop on him, for once.” “Do not be so sure, for one such crime has already been committed here, in the palace.” Luna’s confession brought forth a rise of murmurs from the group, before her hoof raised and urged them to silence. “T’was only yesterday, where our personal stores ransacked, a series of instruments and artifacts the thieves’ prize, though their value meager. Perhaps our blights are intertwined?” “Perhaps, indeed, but we’ll need to be sure. I hate to imply, but… does he have any agents in the castle we know of?” Silver’s question was directed at Luna, but his eyes floated over to the Night Captain, watching him with a scowl. “We blame thee not for such suspicion, but be at ease. Indigo is one of the traitorous legion, true, but loyalty and duty hast bid her return to our side, much like many others, including Kindle.” Luna sent Silver a small smirk. “Of course, but you know how complicated things are with him. We can never be too sure.” Silver turned to Indigo, bowing his head. “Forgive me.” Indigo nodded in return, her muscles losing only some of their tension from Silver’s gesture, and beside her, Princess Luna addressed the entire company. “Whilst in each other’s company, perchance we may work together? You, your hunt for a villain, and we, the recovery of royal treasures.” “It would be a pleasure, Princess,” Rarity chirped, stepping forward towards Luna. “To not only serve royalty, but in the grandeur of the palace itself? Well, it’s irresistible.” Silver rolled his eyes with a smile, earning a firm slap to his shoulder from the unicorn. Luna, however, simply chuckled at the exchange. “Wondrous. Night Captain, escort our guests to rooms within the palace where they may rest. Lady Rarity, we shall call upon thee once an investigation is prepared.” At once, the four visitors bowed and were escorted out of the chamber by Indigo, with Rarity shooting Silver a smile before crossing through the doors. Their steps echoed in the spacious and imposing halls. Silver’s eyes flicked from paintings lining the walls to the pony silently guiding them, and cleared his throat to speak. “Indigo, right? I didn’t mean to make things awkward back there, but we both know how dangerous Shield Wall can be.” “None offense taken.” Her response was cold as she continued walking ahead of them, but not enough to deter Silver from continuing. “If it’s alright to ask, do you know anything about where he might be? I know a number of former Night Guard fled the Empire, and if you do-” “I don’t see why a noble like yourself is so concerned with matters of security. The disgraced vice general is our responsibility, unless you’re asking for your city’s mascot.” “You mean the Ghost?” Silver cocked an eyebrow. “He isn’t called The Ghost of Las Pegasus,” she snipped. “And if he’d done his job back in the Empire, then everything could go back to normal.” “You mean kill Shield Wall?” “He let an enemy of the state escape, with Countess Glow as a hostage. Kill him or not, he should’ve done his job.” Silver’s teeth clenched, the tension of which could be seen along his jaw and, otherwise, unphased expression. Kindle, however, saw the shift immediately. “It’s been a while, Indigo,” he blurted out. “I haven’t been able to catch up with the unit, not since all the hearings. I’m glad you got out.” “We both have different definitions of ‘got out’, Kindle, judging by your new post.” “What? You mean…” Kindle peered over his shoulder to Silver with a sheepish chuckle. “Right. Not quite the same as returning to active duty, is it?” “No, but for what it’s worth you did good by us, helping Princess Cadence defend the palace.” Indigo’s stern tone softened as she spoke, now locking eyes with him. Kindle grinned, his gaze dancing around Indigo as he fought his growing blush. “I hope Luna is treating you all well. I can’t tell you how glad I am that everyone’s back.” Indigo sent a small smile over her shoulder. “She is, thanks. You ever think about rejoining the fold?” “Eventually, yeah, there’s just some… things I need to do, first.” From behind the group, Kindle sensed the patter of hooves coming for them. The brisk pace belonged to a tall unicorn, trailed by another blonde-maned assistant, maintaining his posture as he closed the distance. Silver turned and was met with a smile from their visitor. “Ah! Hello, Lord Aristo, everyone. I trust you all remember me. Fancy Pants, and this is my assistant, Nimble Quill.” Fancy gave a slight nod to Nimble before immediately continuing. “I was so surprised to hear you were back in the city, but it is a pleasure. Night Captain, I do apologize for this sudden intrusion, but I trust you won’t mind if I borrow Aristo for a moment, yes?” Fancy barely waited for a response from Indigo before Silver felt his foreleg firmly pulled away from the group and down the hall a ways. They tucked themselves between two pillars lining the windows, Fancy stood straight and adjusted his monocle. “Lord Aristo,” he began. “It is a pleasure to have you back.” “As you’ve said,” Silver said, shaking Fancy’s hoof. “Ah! Ha, yes, and I wanted to catch you before you went off on whatever business you were attending. I hear you’re in government now, yes? In Coltistrano?” “Yes, a somewhat recent post.” Silver looked over his shoulder towards the group, until Fancy placed a firm hoof on his side. “Splendid! You’ll fit right in. Nimble, please update the guest list to include our friend here.” “I… say what?” “Oh, forgive my haste. You no doubt saw all the preparation for the Summer Sun Festival outside tomorrow, yes? I will be hosting a party at my estate, something of a reception to all the festivities, and it is of the utmost importance you arrive, and don’t forget a plus one. I saw the beautiful Lady Rarity follow you here, you rapscallion.” Fancy nudged Silver in the ribs, but the gesture was deflected by its intended target. “Fancy, it’s a kind offer, but I’m not here for leisure. This is a business trip.” “Yes, business, I understand, and I understand some of that business may include a certain… friend of yours, yes? Our mutual, nocturnal acquaintance?” At this, Silver locked eyes with Fancy, and in his gaze he found the jubilance from before had melted away to reveal a stone-cold stare. “My estate, tomorrow. Eight o’clock. Plus one… well, plus two.” In a flash his enthusiasm returned. He bowed to Silver, waved to the party just down the hall, and walked back the way he came with the very same pep he arrived with, leaving Silver to stand beside the window in wonderment. He slowly turned to rejoin the group, but Fancy’s sudden shift of tone stuck to his memory. Silver spent the rest of the walk in silence. — “P-Please! I’ve already told you where my guys are. I got nothing else!” “I’m not looking for your ‘guys’. I’m looking for him.” “You think I know where that psychopath is?” “Don’t you?” Blood rushed to the tips of her maroon ears, a consequence of her current precarious predicament, clinging to a limb of shadowy cloth for dear life with the city lights spinning down below. Her horn fizzled once, the stuttering glow a reflection of the panic drawn across her face as she resisted the urge to look in either her inverted up or down. In one path was the pavement, six stories up and hauntingly inviting. In the other, something far more haunting. It drew in closer. “You’re lucky I mostly keep out of your business. You and your gangs aren’t in my busy schedule, but I’m feeling rather generous with my time, so let’s try this again: Where is he?” The maroon unicorn tried to stammer out a response, her attention split between her captor and her looming destination. “W-We… we don’t hear much, okay? It’s not like anyone’s crazy enough to work with him, not after Manehatten.” “But you have heard something, yes?” “Just whispers, you know? Last I heard, he’d been riling up trouble in Las Pega-” A sudden jerk forced her voice out in a scream, biting her tongue. “He’s been here! Sweet Celestia, we’ve seen him around, but we never worked with him, honest!” “Seen him where?” “Couple of burnt out hideaways, old Night Guard stuff Princess Luna owns. I swear, I don’t know any more, just please let me down!” The last thing she saw was the small smirk across his lips before gravity took over. Screaming followed her plummeting body, spinning once in the air, catching flashes of the barrier of streetlamps below, then she jerked. Timid eyes opened. Mere inches separated her from the pavement, and the strand of cloth securing her torso soon retreated back upwards towards the cloudy night sky. Atop the building, the Ghost chuckled as she ran, digging into one of his pouches and placing something in his ear. “I’m sorry, you were saying?” He tapped the sending stone once, rune springing to life. “With the amount of care you take in pursuing the scum and villainy of the world, I’m curious who your true love really is.” “I could tie you up, too, you know?” He said with a pur in his throat, and her silence from the other end only encouraged his grin. “That’s not what I meant.”  A laugh followed him as the Ghost leapt from his perch, shooting out the cloak and swinging through the city streets, just above the streetlamps as Rarity continued. “As I was saying, Luna’s given me perhaps the cleanest crime scene I’ve ever stepped hoof in. There’s very little to go off of here.” “Did you learn what exactly was stolen?” The Ghost perched atop an archway, watching the ponies below. “A few things. Luna’s reliquary is full of old devices and objects of questionable ability, or value. There’s a strange residue on the walls, though, with a tinge of green. It looks familiar…” The Ghost hung on for a moment, silently waiting for Rarity’s follow up. “I am in suspense, Rarity.” “Oh! Forgive me, it’s fire. These burns are almost identical to the ones Alate left with Sombra’s horn, and Glint must’ve used it to get through the vault door. Or, Shield Wall did.” “So, why take a bunch of ancient, mildly interesting junk? Breaking into the palace is something you do for an assassination, not thrift shopping.” “I’ll have to request a full catalog to know what each object did, maybe send it to Twilight and see if she can figure it out.” She went silent, the shift in tone filling the Ghost’s chest with a trembling tension, slowly bringing his gloved hoof to his ear. “Rarity?” “Yes, I’m still here,” she sighed. “Could we talk? About what I said back at home?” “About moving on, right?” He stood from his perch and began to walk along the edge of the row of buildings, following familiar streets. “Among other things. I… this is difficult to talk about in a crime scene.” “At least there aren’t any victims this time, right?” He laughed, receiving a scoff from the other end. “And that’s what I mean,” Rarity chuckled. “Does it never bother you just how normal this has become for us? I mean, most other ponies consider date night dinner and stargazing.” “We do dinner. As I recall, I cooked last time I was in Ponyville while you lounged about in that puffy purple robe of yours.” “While we disarmed a bomb.” Silver cleared his throat at Rarity’s sudden objection. “Romantic and delightful as it was, there’s a question of safety and sanity. It’s hard to set the mood when one is concerned about a literal explosive finish.” “Okay, point taken, no rogue explosives on date night, but you know there’s very little about me that’s normal, right? Weirdness comes with the whole cloak and cowl territory.” “Don’t I know it?” They laughed together before silence returned, and Rarity gave a soft sigh. “I guess… do you mean what you said? About wanting to move on, too?” Silver paused at the end of his jump, landing deftly atop a derelict, burned building bearing a crescent moon sigil upon the door. “I do. I’m tired of fighting him, of waking up to flashes of all he’s done.” “What happens, then? When we find him?” The Ghost flipped over the edge, shooting his cloak out to a broken piece of wood and swinging inside through a broken window. “When we find him, it’ll be the last.” “I hope so, and… Silver, thank you for-” “Hold on.” The Ghost grasped his cloak, pulling it across himself as his eyes scanned the broken room around him. Charred debris and shattered glass littered the scene. His ears, though, twitched at every tiny sound the decrepit building made, latching on to one, in particular. He wrapped a hoof in the cloak and pressed it to the floor, clowning his eyes. Thrumming entered his mind. He could feel the space below him, following the building’s failing support beams down to the first level, shooting out across the structure until the entire building painted itself in his senses. The slightest movement, the tiniest crack, the cloak fed him every detail of the outpost he stood in. He was alone, until he sensed something behind him. A vicious limb swung at his head as he rolled forward, spinning around to see a unicorn lunge for him with a knee. He continued his assault against the impervious cloak before grabbing it and pulling. The Ghost stumbled. A well-placed hoof found purchase along his muzzle and brought him back to the floor, but the assailant still held the cloak in his hoof. It tensed, with an audible crunch as the pony’s foreleg began to twist, but a desperate series of strikes forced the Ghost on the defensive, relinquishing his hold. A firm kick knocked him back and the Ghost stood, facing down his foe. They traded blows for a moment. The Ghost swiped with the cloak, tripping his opponent before somersaulting into a wheel kick, cracking the wood with its force but missing his nimble target. Again, he was grabbed by the cloak. This time, the Ghost grabbed the loose end and leapt over the unicorn, wrapping the cloak around his neck and pulling hard. The unicorn flailed, limply slapping the Ghost. As this happened, the Ghost watched as the unicorn’s skin began to shift, ripple under the pressure of his hold, and in his distraction he was fed a solid strike from the back of the unicorn’s skull, releasing him. The Ghost tried to recover, but his target soon lept from the window and into the darkness of Canterlot.  He rushed over and threw his head out of the window, with no trace of the attacker to be found, only the empty street below. The Ghost stepped back, rubbing his muzzle. A hoof reached over and tapped the sending stone in his ear. “Hey,” he panted. “Do you have anything to wear to a party? Something sharp, but just a little casual? “A lady is nothing if not prepared, darling. I must have, at least, three such dresses at my shop in town. Why?” “I think I’d like to take you dancing.” “Dancing? Oh, Silver, it’s been ages since… oh, wait, what’re you planning?”