I spent the days on the train practicing my essential spells. I found that this particular train was one the Princesses used to travel long distances so I was alone, save for the few crewmen on board. I quickly befriended them and joined them in their labors. I hated feeling like a burden to ponies who worked for a living.
We would eat breakfast and speak of the days chores before going our separate ways to make sure everything was in order. They said having me aboard really cut down their work and we were usually done by midday. At which time we would lounge around, play cards and anything else to keep us occupied.
One night after the other workers had gone to bed, I headed up to talk to the conductor. He was a kind old stallion and we spoke idly as we watched the scenery pass us by. Finally he asked the one question the others had avoided.
“So what brings you all the way to Las Pegasus, and on the Princesses’ personal train no less?”
I mulled my answer for a moment and decided a half-truth would be good enough. “Princess Luna’s asked me to do her a favor. Just some quick detective work to find someone then I’ll be headed home.”
“Detective work, eh,” He removed his hat and looked at me squarely, “Code Star program?”
My eyes went wide, “How did you.. ?”
“I’ve been working on this train for most of my life, son. Princess Luna had to trust one of us on board with the sensitive intel. I take it you’re looking for Shimmer?”
I nodded. “Luna said she hasn’t made contact in a few weeks so I’m being sent to find her.”
“Well, she shouldn’t be too hard to find. She stands out in Pegas, like a hillpony and the Gala.”
“How’s that?”
“I ain’t never seen a more attractive mare. She’s the jewel of the desert out there. I told her she needs to change her mane color to blend in out there but she said she’d be perfectly fine. I hope no one’s done anything to her.”
“Luna assumes the worst but I’m not so certain. There are plenty of reasons she could’ve dropped out of contact.”
“Well, let’s hope it’s one of them rather than her getting grabbed by the wrong kind of folks.”
I nodded slowly and we spent the next few minutes in silence before I bid him good night and returned to my quarters. I pulled the notepad Luna had provided me from my saddlebag and sat reading the address a few times, making sure I knew it by heart.
The only thing that had been written on the pad was the name Shimmer and an address underneath it. For having run an operation like this before, Luna was a bit lax when it came to perfect secrecy. I gave the note one last look before I levitated it over to a candle and let it burn up.
I arrived late the next day in Las Pegasus. The sun was on its way down and the heat of the day was beginning to wain. I bid the crew a farewell, grabbed my saddlebag and ventured outside the train station, looking around for landmarks and street signs.
“Lost, mister?"
I turned to my right to see where the voice had come from and saw a young colt.
"Maybe just a bit." I gave him the address I was looking for and his face lit up.
"I know right where that is! I'll show you the way, but it'll cost you ten bits.”
"That's a lofty price but I suppose you have me at a disadvantage. How about five now and five when we arrive?"
The colt nodded happily as I paid him and we began to head to my destination. I began to think that being a super spy wouldn't be that hard, after all, as I followed the colt down an alleyway.
"This way's a shortcut," he said.
I followed unquestioningly but felt eyes on my back as we made our way down the alley. Halfway through the colt took off ahead of me. I sped to catch up but was caught by a sucker punch. I rolled on the ground and sprung back to my hooves as three more stallions joined the one who had struck me.
"Give us all your money and I won't have to do that again," said the rather large stallion that had landed the first blow.
I smiled. "Ya know, when I was growing up, the only thing I hated more than a bully, was a thief."
"Did I ask for your life story? Gimme your money or take a beating, and lose it anyway. Your choice."
I backed up from the group of them, "Alright, let me grab it." I reached into my saddlebag with my magic and pulled from it a collapsible baton, a gift from the train conductor that he'd given to me before I departed.
"Okay, who's first?" I extended the baton with a quick whip, holding it in the air with my magic just beside me.
The stallion who had sucker punched me lunged forward, not afraid at all. I dodge his punch by jumping to my right and struck him in the side of the head with the baton. He collapsed in a nearby pile of garbage.
The next two stallions charged together. I blocked some of their punches with the baton and dodged the rest. I rushed past them turning quickly and striking one in the back of the head, the other turned to catch the baton to his face. Both fell into heaps.
I turned to the final stallion and whirled the baton beside me. His eyes told me he no longer wanted my money. He turned quickly, heading for the opposite end of the alley in a dead run.
As he neared the end of the alley, a silver colored pegasus descended on him, smashing his face into the ground. I cringed slightly as I approached the two of them, the silver pegasus standing over the now unconscious stallion.
"Was that necessary?" I asked, putting my baton away.
"Never let a potential threat escape," she said.
For the first time, I looked her over, silver coat, nearly ghost white hair that seemed to shift between that and silver. "Shimmer?"
She suddenly turned on me, pressing me against the wall of the alley. "How do you know that name?"
"Whoa, take it easy. I've been sent to help you."
She scoffed. "Help? I don't need help. Besides," she leaned back and I watched her purple eyes scan my body, "How's a scrawny stallion like you gonna help me?"
"I find ways to make myself useful." I motioned to the three unconscious stallions farther down the alley.
She squinted her eyes at me, "I suppose so." She let me down off the wall.
"So why haven't you contacted.."
"Stop. Not here. There are eyes and ears everywhere. Come with me." We walked in silence as she led the way to her home, which I noticed was the opposite direction the young colt had been leading me.
Little punk.
When we'd arrived at Shimmer's humble home, which was more easily described as a hole in the wall apartment, she spent a few minutes filling me in on exactly what she had learned in her time in Pegas.
"We're dealing with a well-organized group. They may as well be the mafia with how impossible they are to track. I haven't yet learned what they're planning but I know it involves hostages and trains. I overheard one of them talking about how easy it would be to install the mechanism on the trains."
"What mechanism?"
"Right now, your guess is as good as mine on that. These guys have been recruiting for a long time, though. I got a hold of a list of their contacts and it seems like they've tapped everyone who has even the slightest distaste for Celestia. You can't trust anyone in the city."
"So if they have this small army at their disposal, why not just make their move?"
"They could never dream to stand up to Celestia's magic and forces. Especially now that she is reunited with Luna. The crown is powerful and well protected. To force Celestia from power would take putting nearly the whole country at risk."
"Then how do the trains factor in?"
My question was left unanswered as I heard a mechanical voice speak up from the corner. I ducked at the voice but what it said brought me back to my days as a police colt.
"We've got a code two-oh-seven at the mayor's residence. I say again, two-oh-seven with suspected D-I-T-R involvement."
"You've got a police scanner?"
"Actually, it's just a modified radio. Wonder what a 207 is."
"It's a kidnapping. I don't know D-I-T-R, though."
"Diamond in the rough. That's what this mafia style group has taken to calling themselves. They think that from the desert they will rise as the shining star of Equestria."
"They're going to be disappointed then, aren't they?"
"Hubris, agent. You should head for the mayor's place. The police in this town are deplorable at any kind of investigation. I think a few of them might've been paid off."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to continue my recon of The Diamond." We walked outside and she pointed down the road. "The mayor's home is about two miles that way. Go learn what you can and meet me back here when you're done."
I nodded. "Stay safe out there."
Without answering, she took off and left me staring up the street. I started walking and pressed my neck gently with my hoof.
"Are you there, Twilight?"
There was a moment of silence before I heard Twilight's slightly groggy voice in my ear. "What's up, Shadow?"
"I'm in Las Pegasus and I've found Shimmer. She said Luna stopped contacting her."
"That doesn't sound like something Luna would do. Maybe the spell wore off or something."
"That's what I was thinking. Something seems off with her though."
"What do you mean?" Her voice had finally perked up, she was awake now.
"Well, she seems almost paranoid. Like her work out here has made her cynical."
"Hmm... What's her cutie mark?"
"Dragonflies, I think. They looked smaller though."
"They're probably damselflies. Similar to dragon flies but smaller, with a few differences. Lots of cultures have differing views of dragonflies and damselflies. The Xiao ponies believe they signify happiness, strength, and courage. But there are old foals tales that say they represent ponies that were possessed by the devil in a previous life, that the dragonfly weighs on the soul of those marked with it."
"Sounds like she could be a potential danger."
"It's possible but I wouldn't assume that. Luna wouldn't have tapped her if she didn't think she was one of the best. Just try to play things her way for a while. If things get too questionable we'll pull her from the mission."
"How would you do that?"
"Magic."
I rolled my eyes. Duh.
"I've found out a little more about the group we're dealing with as well. They're planning something with trains and hostages. I don't know anything past that but it looks like they're pretty dug in. Ponies are being coerced into working with them and they may have kidnapped the mayor. I'm heading there now to check it out."
"Wow. Be careful, Shadow."
"I will. I'll let you know when I know more. Oh, and Twilight, could you do me a favor?"
"What is it?"
"Tell Dash I'm okay."
I could almost hear the smile on her. "Will do."
I picked up my pace and made it to the mayor’s home before long. The home was well lit on the outside, and completely white. It looked like an old fashioned mansion built years ago.
I noticed a lot of police colts standing around outside, mostly sharing information that had come up on the situation. I was moving up to a pony that looked to be in charge but was stopped short by a young police mare.
“Excuse me, sir, but you can’t just waltz in there. This is a crime scene.” She didn’t have the usual authority that came with police colts and her silvery coat and similarly colored mane did not help her look intimidating.
Rookie.
“It’s okay. I’m a detective visiting Las Pegasus from Ponyville, I might be able to help out.” I produced my ID badge and showed it to her.
She looked over my badge for a moment before giving it back. “We appreciate that, sir, but we’ve got the situation under control,” her voice was more forceful this time.
Learning quickly, isn’t she?
“Listen, if I could just speak to your sergeant…”
Her brow furrowed and she gently nudged me backward, interrupting me. “No, sir. You do not need to speak to my sergeant. Now step back while I tape off the scene.”
I felt my anger flare for a moment before I quelled it and put on a face of shock. “Alright, just trying to help out. Geez..”
I turned and walked down the street and around the block. When I was sufficiently sure that she could no longer see me, I sped up and walked quickly down the block looking for a gap in fencing or shrubberies. When I spotted a small gap in a fence I casually adjusted my course, walking around behind the house and through the gap. I could see the mayor’s home clearly as it seemed to sit on a higher plane than the rest of the homes on the block.
Moving quickly, but sticking to the shadows, I climbed over two fences before I found the fence I’d been looking for. Large grown bushes served as a makeshift wall, it was the ‘fence’ into the mayor’s yard.
I moved through the bushes slowly and into the wide open and well lit back yard of the mayor. Sticking close to the bushes for as much concealment as they offered, I made my way directly behind the house, stopping when I spotted a balcony with open doors and a pony inside shouting. I listened as well as I could but couldn’t discern anything he was saying.
Needing something beyond indiscernible shouting I looked back and forth across the yard for any sign of police or guards, spotting none I kept low and moved quickly to the back of the house and began casting my walk walking spell. Being dark colored on a pure white house, I would shine like a neon light in a dark room but my options were limited.
I stepped onto the wall and walked up quickly, trying not to think about the spell and what I was doing. Doubt for a spell like this was easy to summon but not easy to dismiss and for it to work I had to have complete faith in its ability to keep me up. I moved up to the bottom of the balcony, hoping to get away with not having to move any closer but the shouting had stopped.
I moved gingerly up the wall beside the balcony and stepped lightly onto the landing when I heard, presumably, the mayor’s voice.
“You told me it wouldn’t come to this.”
“We said if you cooperated it wouldn’t come to this. You’ve been lying to us, Mr. Mayor.” His voice was deep and gravely.
“I have cooperated fully! But your demands are becoming impossible to meet without raising suspicions in the capital. I can’t just misplace all that money at once. It takes time.”
“And until that time, we’ve got some insurance. It’s simply business, Mr. Mayor.”
“It’s my son! He’s not a bargaining chip! I was doing what you ask, I just needed more time.” His voice was beginning to waver.
“And you’ve been given some. Just don’t take too long. Your son might not have that much time left. That warehouse he’s in is on the verge of collapse. I’m not sure it’ll survive the week with how much the waves have been hitting it lately.” His voice was fading, he was walking away.
The mayor’s voice was shaking now. “How did you ever become the police chief?”
I heard a door open. “It’s all about knowing the right ponies, Mr. Mayor, and knowing exactly how to take out your competition.” He laughed for a moment and spoke to a colt outside the door. “Stay here with the mayor. If he gives you any trouble, let me know. His son will pay for any of his indiscretions.”
I heard a different set of steps inside and the door closed. I had hoped the mayor would be alone but that was out of the question now. I turned around on the balcony to begin my descent but bumped a potted plant as I did so.
I reached out with hoof and magic but the pot fell to the ground, and shattered. I froze for a moment, wondering who would have heard. I heard hoofsteps from inside the room and decided now was the best time as any to make my exit.
I leapt over the banister of the balcony, catching myself as I heard the hoofsteps getting closer. I looked at the ground and wondered if my spell was still working.
Only one way to find out.
I closed my eyes and cleared my mind and fell over the side of the balcony just as the police colt stepped outside. I felt myself curl around the side and my hooves landed on the underside of the balcony and I shuffled forward slowly and quietly, trying to make sure I couldn’t be seen from above.
I could hear the police colt moving around the balcony slowly. Finally I heard him stop where I had been standing. A moment of silence before he spoke into his radio, “Keep your eyes peeled. We might have somepony on the premises. Move an officer to the back yard.”
I swore internally. I needed to move quickly but with the colt above me, my options were limited. Magic was pretty much out of the question. The wall walking spell takes about everything I have and it takes almost an hour before I can cast anything. Staying still was just as out of the question. If I remained I would undoubtedly be spotted.
I inched forward on the underside of the balcony, listening for any movement above me. I leaned over the edge and looked up, catching a glimpse of the police colt to my left, looking out over the yard.
Now or never.
I looked up at the ground and jumped, twisting in the air to land with a thud. Certain the colt above had heard me, I channeled my inner Rainbow Dash and bolted for all I was worth toward the shrub fence at the edge of the property.
I heard shouting from directly behind me and from behind me and to my right, the backup that had been requested. I paid them no heed and dashed forward, aiming for the weakest looking gap in the bushes. As I neared, I could make out something on the other side of the bushes. My mind clicked and I looked back seeing two colts chasing me from my 5 o’clock.
I focused on the gap in the bushes and barreled forward, as I entered the gap I jumped as far as I could, landing in stride on top of another house. The mayor’s home had risen on slightly above the homes from where I had entered the yard, but directly behind his home the rise was quite a bit more significant.
I heard the two police colts clamber through the bushes and each yelp quickly as they fell what had to be at least 25 feet to the ground. I shifted left, following the lean in the house’s roof, jumping to another shorter roof before jumping to the ground and racing off into the night, knowing where I needed to head.