//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Honor Among a Theif // Story: Where is Carmen Sandiego? // by CrackedInkWell //------------------------------// “… Something is off about all this.” Smolder said, staring at the reflection on the computer screen. An intense look showed back her elbows up, claws together under her chin, and a serious look. On the screen was their next clue in pixilated form. “About clue?” Yona inquired. Smolder shook her head. “No, I think out of all the clues Carmen left behind, this one is the most obvious. But I can’t help but feel that we’re still missing something here. Only I’m not sure what.” “Obvious is right,” Gallus agreed, “’Your chances of success Bore as much as a leaky cup.’ The golden cup is screaming griffon – not to mention the wordplay Bore-as is referring to the Idol of Boreas. Though I don’t know if she would be able to get it.” “Why is that?” Sandbar asked. “Because it’s lost. Last time it was ever seen, it fell off a cliff that has winds too strong and unpredictable for anygriff to get it back.” “Maybe,” Ocellus nodded, a collection of books and notes strewn about a nearby table, “but if there’s one thing we know about Carmen for sure, is that we shouldn’t underestimate her.” Just then, Twilight and Silverstream had appeared in the library in a flash of light. Silverstream carried the physical clue in her talons. “The Pearl is safe,” Twilight told them, “And Carmen left this clue behind.” “We know,” Spike said, “we all saw.” “Huh?” Silverstream blinked. “How did you know?” “The computer showed it.” Spike pointed, “It showed an animation of how you captured the submarine, that Carmen tricked you guys and left that thing.” “As it was happening?” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “So apparently, this old computer has some sense of omnipotence.” “Also,” Gallus went up to Twilight, “we’ve figured out pretty quickly what the next clue is.” “You have?” Silverstream blinked. “That inscription in the cup, it’s referring to the Idol of Boreas in Griffonstone.” “The idol?” Twilight hummed in thought, “Wasn’t it lost down a deep cavern with unpredictably strong winds?” “It is. That’s where I’m a little confused though, how is she planning on stealing something that is lost? No one has been able to go down there because it’s too dangerous to fly.” “Plus, it doesn’t fit the pattern,” Smolder said, getting their attention. “Pattern?” Spike asked, “What pattern?” “I’ve been thinking about what Ocellus said earlier.” Smolder pointed out, “So far, all Carmen has done is to go after objects that have something to do with holding power, right? The Idol doesn’t seem to quite fit because I know that since it’s been lost, it doesn’t count as a symbol of power as no one there has it. Gallus, didn’t you say, there hasn’t been a king for so many moons? If Carmen steals by a theme, then I’m not sure if it has anything to do with power.” Yona hummed, “There’s truth what Smolder says. Yak wonders same too.” “But we shouldn’t dismiss it,” Ocellus raised a hoof, “In fact, I’ve been narrowing down what Carmen might be going after.” “You have?” Twilight went over to Ocellus, looking over at the notes and books open. “What’s all this?” “Research,” Ocellus said proudly. “Since Carmen has so far stolen or attempted to steal things that have to do with power – along with her going around to other creatures, it got me thinking of all the artifacts that represent authority of some kind.” She picked up a scroll. “For instance, the Buffalo tribe that’s near Appaloosa has a chief whose symbol of authority is a headdress with feathers. Or in Manedia, there’s a famous peacock throne that used to sit the Mughals of their Empire. In the Crystal Empire, the most famous example of power and stability is the Crystal Heart. I’ve been looking into objects around the world that could help narrow the search.” “Good thinking, Ocellus. This should help get us one step ahead of Carmen – speaking of which,” Twilight turned around. “If Carmen is going to Griffonstone, then perhaps I should take Gallus with me this time.” “There might be one problem with that,” Gallus pointed out, “I don’t know if you noticed, but Griffonstone has fallen on hard times, so maybe unlike what happened with Seaquestria, the griffons might not even care unless you bring a mint with you.” This gave Twilight pause. But a thought began to form in her mind, “You’re right… But at the same time, I want to try something else.” Turning to Spike she told him, “When Carmen asks for an answer, answer it correctly. Gallus, you come with me and follow my lead.” “Something else?” Silverstream raised an eyebrow, “Headmare, what are you going to do?” “The unexpected.” She answered. “…. You wanna run that by me again?” Gallus looked at Twilight, perplexed. Having teleported to Griffonstone with Gallus, they stood within mere feet of the gaping abyss where the winds howled upward. Behind them was the ruined city of Griffonstone. They were the only ones by the side of the cliff as none of the griffons there seemed to notice them. Even if they did, they shrugged and went about with their day. However, what Twilight had in mind she figured she wouldn’t even need any help at all. Twilight glanced this way and that along the ledge. The only thing that stood out was the long-dead tree that teetered on the very edge with its roots being the only thing that kept it there. “We aren’t going to do anything,” Twilight repeated. Gallus’s jaw hangs slightly wider. “I’m sorry, but isn’t the idea of coming out here to stop her?” “If I’m right, we might not need to. Smolder might have a point – the idol doesn’t seem to fit with the overall theme, and it’s that out-of-place theft that I’m counting on.” “But why? I thought you told Spike to answer the clue correctly this time.” “Exactly. And if the computer game is omnipotent as I think it is, then I want to see what it would do if we did answer it correctly but did nothing.” “And what’s the point in doing that? What are you hoping to get out of doing that?” “Answers if we’re lucky.” Just then, Spike’s flaming scroll materialized in front of her. Quickly unraveling it, she read the note. “They just answered the clue correctly, now it’s only a matter of time before-” Before she could finish her thought, suddenly, right out of the cannon, there was a series of booms followed by six jetting cables that flung out. They looked up to see the ends of the cables popped open into three-pronged grappling hooks. One of them wrapped around the dead tree. Gallus’s wings flared up, “You know this could be a trick.” Twilight didn’t answer her student. The cables around them tightened, and out from the dark cavern, something rose out into the light. It was Carmen with one hand on her hat, the other on the idol. She had on a backpack where all the cables were attached that was pulling her out from the windy abyss. “She’s got the Idol!” Gallus was about to rush out, but Twilight’s magic tugged at his tail. “Wait, don’t do anything.” “But-” “Trust me on this.” Carmen rose out from the gaping gulf like a phantom, to which she drifted over to them. Now up close, they can see that Carmen was still pixilated, but now something about her was new. She was more defined like lines like a living drawing, but still pixilated enough to where when she talked, she simply opened and closed her mouth. “Well, hello there, Detectives! Fancy seeing you two out here.” “How did you get the idol?” Gallus questioned, “No one can get it from down there.” “You know, it’s rather amazing what one could accomplish by simply looking at a problem from a different perspective. If I couldn’t go down, why not start from the very bottom and work your way in?” She held up the very beaten-up idol. “It’s rather a pity, this used to be so grand, now look at it. Nothing but a broken cup now. Here Detective, catch!” Carmen threw the idol at Gallus, and the surprised griffon caught it. “What?” he blinked, “But you took it.” Carmen smiled, “I could. But I’m handing this one over for two reasons: that your fellow detectives have answered my clue correctly. And I’m not just your common thief. Anyone with a brain could steal anything if they put their mind to it – but it takes a special kind that makes the theft worthwhile. After all, as they say, knowledge is power.” “What are you up to, Carmen?” Twilight questioned. “None of your latest heists are adding up.” “Haven’t you guessed it yet? But then again, you always have been too preoccupied with gathering information. However, what you never learned from me is that sometimes the packaging is just as important as the information. That reminds me,” Reaching into her red trenchcoated, she pulled out a dark blue envelope. “You’ll need an oracle to Nyx this clue, Detectives.” She threw the envelope at them as hard as she could, yet given the winds, it flew upwards. “Antío gia tóra, Detectives!” “Gallus, get the clue!” Twilight ordered, “I’ll go after Carmen!” Just as the griffon sprung into the air to try to catch the envelope, Twilight opened her wings and flew towards Carmen. But with a smirk on her pixelated face, she did the unexpected. All the cables that held her up came undone, and Carmen fell towards the abyss. Twilight’s horn glowed as she was about to cast a spell to catch her – but then Carmen flipped over, and the backpack opened into a glider where she zoomed off with the winds out of the canyon and zipped off in the distance. Meanwhile, Gallus flew up over the storm-like winds as the envelope flew this way and that. He was chasing after it and hoping that he wouldn’t lose it. His focus was on that slip of paper, for without it, they couldn’t figure out what Carmen might go after next. But it was difficult, the winds and the dancing letter made it almost impossible to grab – yet with persisting, he caught it in his claw. “I got it!” Gallus said looking down. He spotted Carmen flying away as Twilight retreated to the same spot. Flying over towards her, he commented, “Sheesh she’s harder to catch than an eel. So, what was the point of all that? We’re nowhere than when we were from the start.” “Not quite.” Twilight brushed some stray hair from her face. “We learned something important here.” “We did?” Gallus blinked. “She doesn’t want any of the things she’s been stealing.” She pointed to the Idol. “None of the things she’s after are important to her.” “But why?” Gallus picked up the idol. “If she’s going after all these things that have to do with power, what’s the point of stealing something like this but then giving it back?” “Either the theme doesn’t have anything to do with power, or she’s trying to prove a point. After all, she has a point, she could steal anything from our world, but Carmen doesn’t steal things for their value. Often, everything she steals has a point of some kind.” Then after a beat, she added, “It makes me wonder if we’re seeing the trees for the forest. That we’re not looking at the overall big picture, only I’m not entirely sure what it is yet.” “Perhaps it’s all a puzzle.” Gallus thought aloud, “Speaking of which, let’s see what Carmen’s next clue is.” Back at the library, the students looked on as Gallus opened the dark blue envelope. Inside was a note that read: Dear Detectives, I’ve gone to Fengári’s to get a diadem. - Love Maria. Gallus looked up, confused, “Whose Maria?”