Sorry it took me nearly two weeks to write this ^^ my school is an ass when it comes to work and tests
Canterlot, Upper Heizmann Distirct
Red trotted down the marble streets of the upper level of Heizmann, the district he lived in. He noted the massive contrast between the middle and the upper classes, much less the lower level. He spat under his breath,
“They even pave the damn street in marble and line it with gold bricks…”
All the while the ponies in the lower level had a poorly maintained brick road with moss growing everywhere and some portions of it mysteriously missing. But that wasn’t the only thing. Royal guards were patrolling the entire area, giving off a feeling of safety and protection. It wasn’t that the lower districts were rampant with crime - there hadn’t been any major crimes reported for over a thousand years according to his grandfather, but there was just such a different atmosphere. He passed by several fancy shops and noticed a flashy flier announcing:
“Attention all civilized ponies, for the first time ever, the Brisbane Diamond and many of its companion jewels and arts from its age will be shown in Ponyville, where they were recently discovered! The exhibition will be from this Tuesday at 4’o clock in the afternoon until Friday at noon. Come now to see this fabulous jewel!” “This gem will be exhibited at Rarity’s Boutique from…”
Red stopped reading and continued on walking while thinking to himself,
‘Tch, yet another time-wasting event these snobs like to attend. Wait a seond… Ponyville? At Rarity’s? Hmm... maybe I’ll ask if I can go, knowing the rich bastard, he’s probably going anyways.”
He reached the backdoor to his workplace, or rather, the back gate of his employer’s mansion. Apparently his employer was too embarrassed of having employed a common pony and insisted on having Red use the back door. Red snorted at this and pushed open the steel door and stepped into a vibrant garden with exotic flora and fauna. He breathed in the fresh scent and trotted into the main mansion, coming across an exaggerated painting of the owner of the mansion, Cataline Highborn III of Great House Highborn. Every day Red saw this, he couldn’t help but chuckle quietly.
“A pony like him could really get that big, heroic, and strong!? My cutie mark that could ever happen.”
Then he realized just what his cutie mark was, and that it was the only reason he worked here. His cutie mark was of a desk with a stack of papers above it. All he was good at doing was the dirty work for some rich pony like Cataline. He sighed and walked into his office and found a large stack of papers with a note,
“Dear Rad Stripes, here’s the paperwork I need finished today. Deliver it to me as soon as you are done.”
Red angrily tore up the note. He’d worked for this pompous asshole for over 2 years now. It was Red Strife, not Rad Stripes. Couldn’t he get it right!? Angrily huffing he levitated out his quill and ink and began filling out the forms Cataline had been too lazy to fill out, or correcting the ones he did. And the ones he had finished all needed copious amounts of correction. Figures rounded wrong there, addition errors over there, misspelled names and addresses here… Red had to suppress a fit of laughter (How could somepony mess up 100 bits + 386 bits!?). It was already a little past lunch by the time he had gone through the stack of papers. He neatly stacked them in different piles and then tied them up with his magic. Levitating the stacks behind him, he began to walk towards Cataline’s “office”. “An office? Pfft, it’s nothing more than his playroom.’ Red thought to himself in bitterness, when he heard two loud thuds. He immediately froze. There were muffled voices coming through the door and he quickly put his ear against it.
“-had to! I’m not paying for all of the-”
Red flicked his ears angrily. For some reason he couldn’t hear all of it, but he knew it was Cataline. Who else had such an arrogant, snobby tone?
Then there was another, much rougher voice.
“-knows. If…gets hold of this, you know what will happen.”
“I know what will happen. It doesn’t matter. We need the Brisbane Diamond today for… Wait. Did you hear that?”
It took Red a second too long to realize he’d dropped the stacks of papers when the door swung open with a furious Cataline glowering at him. A lankier pony behind Cataline shot Red a confused look. There was a long silence before the pony in the back spoke.
“And just who is this? What is he doing here?”
Before Cataline could respond, Red quickly said, “I’m Cataline’s secretary and accountant. I was just delivering some papers to his office!”
Contrary to what Red had hoped, Cataline took a step closer and spat out, “Just how much did you hear of our conversation, you peasant?”
Hoping to continue playing dumb, Red responded swiftly with “Hear what, sir? I was just walking to your office, and then I accidentally dropped some papers!”
The slim pony in the back observed Red for a moment, then his horn lit up for a full 30 seconds before he announced, “He’s lying! Should I deal with him just like the two sellers we invited?”
Red risked a glance behind the suspicious pony and saw two bodies, both decapitated. Their heads seemed to be floating in a large pool of blood. He started to back away as Cataline growled,
“Of course he’s lying! But wait - we need another scape goat. Knock him out for now, we’ll pin these bodies on him.”
Cataline’s accomplice nodded and before Red knew it, he was struck onto the floor. His consciousness was slowly but surely fading. The last thing he heard before passing out was his boss muttering “We need to get to Ponyville today. I need the diamond. Just take this one with us and we’ll think of something on the way.”
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Stronghold “Bastille”
The consort slowly walked through the dimly lit halls until she was blocked by two black armored pegasi. They took a brief moment to see her cutie mark and every little detail before respectfully bowing and backing off. She gently pushed open the doors and closed it. Thunder crackled outside lighting up the room while she threw off her cloak and shook her fur.
“Do you really have to do that today?” she directed to a lump on the bed.
“Mrgphmp… it’s still too early… to do anything…” the lump replied back, its voice muffled by the blanket.
“I had to wake up earlier to fly all the way back here from Canterlot you know. Luna and Tia send their love and want you to go back soon.” She trotted around the room and stopped to sniff a suspicious plate with pink things growing on it.
“Wait… is this the sandwich I made you before I left?”
“ Mmm, maybe....” The lump turned over, yawned, and promptly started to fall asleep again when the Consort sighed in exasperation and pulled off the blanket revealing a charcoal pony lying in the dark suddenly without a warm blanket.
“Alright alright, I’ll wake up, does the Courier have any jobs today?” The pony yawned once more while stretching.
The Consort nudged a dirty old towel into the corner with her hooves and replied, “Yes, I believe she needs to run a couple messages to the outposts by the Gilneighus Wall and the DMZ. Now what she needs to do and what you need to do doesn’t matter. Get your butt up and go do your job.”
The pony rolled its eyes and fell of the bed, dragging itself to the bathroom, then asking “Do I really have to go to Canterlot?” The thought of having to spend days with the revolting ponies that lived there sent chills down its spines.
“Yes, you do. Family’s there and I’m sure you can deal with the snobs long enough. They really need to talk to you about something important.” The Consort pushed her way into the bath and flicked the valve sending water rushing in.
“Important?” the pony inquired, really not wanting to go into the bath.
“Oh yes. Important. Nothing major. You know, this and that. And just a minor matter of the fact one of the Forsaken managed to get out.” The consort said it in the most cheerful and casual manner, placing emphasis on the last 5 words.
There was a sudden change in the mood and the pony got up and the features on its face had hardened. “Get the council.”
“Not before you take a shower.”
The pony grumbled and tentatively tested the water. “Such an annoying sister..” The consort rolled her eyes and shut the door and sat still listening to the pony splashing about. The door slammed open and the pony hurriedly rushed out with the Consort in hot pursuit through the pony suddenly took a different turn. Within minutes the entire council had been gathered and the Consort got up to address the curious ponies.
“You may be wondering why you have been called together today. Recently I have been to Canterlot and they found a Forsaken.” She let the last word hang in the air while several members gave a sharp intake of breath.
“You all very well know what this implies. Our security system is lacking and it would appear one of them managed to escape, even beyond the Gilneighus Wall. This excursion leads me to believe that your abilities are severely compromised and therefore needs to be recertified.
One of the larger stallions angrily got up and responded angrily, “I assure you that current security measures are perfectly adequate if not better. Recruitment and training quotas have been filled.” Many other council members neighed their support and nodded while the stallion continued,
“Furthermore, you are not a council member and you have no right to make these outrageous claims. You aren’t even the Lord Castellan’s sister much less his aide, everyone important knows you’re little more than just his whor-“
The doors suddenly opened with the pony entering the chamber and nodded to the council. “-e.” The pony again nodded and said, “Thank you General Anvil. Please sit down. Now these are all fair points. However, Anvil, you are removed from your position as General of the 4th and therefore you no longer have a position in this council.” Then he turned towards another pony. “Commander Spur, you are hereby removed as Commander of the Kuhril Sector and Warden of the Mengshivik Institution.” One by one, most of the Council were removed and relieved of their commands. There were shouts of outrage that were silenced by a glare from the Lord Castellan.
“I am the Lord Castellan of this province and my word is law here. Never forget that.” Anvil and the others respectfully bowed and left, with some throwing dirty glares as they left. The few remaining members looked at each other nervously and suddenly became interested in the woodcraft.
“Now you remaining council ponies, don’t screw up like the others did or heads will roll. A Forsaken escaped. Find out why, who, what, how. This could lead to even more escapes and you know what will happen if more do.”
The ponies nodded and quickly left with indecent haste to launch investigations. The Lord Castellan looked at the Consort and asked, So what happened last night?” The Consort shrugged.
“Long story.”
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The night prior….
The two royal guards unceremoniously dumped their cargo into the middle of Celestia’s room and went outside and closed to doors, refusing entrance to anypony. The Consort gritted her teeth and prepared herself for what would come next.
“What is this?” Celestia calmly asked.
“I…I don’t know. This shouldn’t have happened.” The Consort stammered, fearful of what could happen.
“It is you and his job to ensure that the walls shut out them and Equestria. “
“Yes..it is, but this is the first successful escape since the Majarax incident so it couldn’t--- she was cut off by Luna shaking her head. The Consort stopped and bowed her head to Celestia.
“It doesn’t matter how long ago it was. The fact that the pony is this far out truly leads me to question what is going on over there. Are you saying that he is no longer fit to lead?”
“Of course not!” the Consort responded with shock that anyone would doubt the Lord Castellan. “You know how seriously he takes his job!”
Luna finally interjected herself. She’d been studying the prisoner who was trying to make himself as small as he could before the three. “Tia…there’s something not right. He’s way too weak to have possibly made it by himself this far out without the patrols picking him up.”
Celestia turned her head towards her sister and raised her eyebrow prompting for Luna to elaborate. “Oh? How so?”
Luna levitated a map over with her horn and laid it out pointing her hoof at where the prisoner had come from and where he had arrived. “Current recapture plans involve a sweep in every city and notification to the Royal Guard if somepony or something breaches the wall. Furthermore look at the distance, nopony could make a journey like that. Somepony must’ve brought him out.”
“So this implies an inside man?”
“Possibly…through there could be an outside force involved, you know where it’s located.”
Celestia nodded and approached the prison. “How did you get out?” she asked in a gentle tone.
The pony tried to make himself smaller instead of answering, visibly shaking at the Sun Goddess towering over him.
“I’ll ask you one more time, how did you get out?”
In response the pony seemed to have given up and opened his mouth, but not sound came out. It took several seconds for anypony to realize the prisoner had no tongue. It had been brutally ripped out, almost as if somepony knew this would happen. The Royal Sisters’ faces tightened at this and sent for guards to carry the prisoner to the infirmary. He was no use dead. Than Celestia turned to the Consort and ordered her to send for records about escaped prisoners.
“I did. The message said that nopony have managed to escape so far. And no pony with his cutie mark is missing.”
Celestia’s eyes narrowed realizing this could be part of a much bigger event. “Go back to the Castellan. You’ll fly at dawn. And tell him to come down here himself in a couple days.” The Consort bowed and left the chambers to pack for her journey home.
The Lord Castellan listened to the story and sat still for a couple minutes while the Consort looked at the ground waiting for a response. “Alright, I guess I need to go see them then, don’t I? Investigate this matter and report back to me. Also, it’s time for the Courier to deliver messages, don’t you think? Time to write those messages actually… ” The Lord Castellan said finally and begun walking out. The Consort bowed her head and followed him out the door and the guards waiting outside put out all the lamps and torches and sealed the doors.
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Ponyville
Throughout the entire day, Rarity was chatting amiably with all the Canterlot ponies and gossiping about the latest things and helping to answer questions about the Brisbane Diamond and other things that were being displayed in the boutique. By now, the tide of visitors had already begun to ebb with only a few ponies milling about. Soon enough, more Royal Guards would arrive to guard it incase any pony decided they would risk everything to steal anything on display. Suddenly two stallions opened the door with one of them levitating a bag with ease. The other, more regal looking pony trotted up to Rarity and extended a hoof, bowed, and asked,
“Madame Rarity, the proprietor of the illustrious Carousel Boutique?”
Rarity held in her gasp of delight that some noble pony would know the name of her shop. Then she shook her head, ‘No Rarity! Be professional!’ The noble looking pony cocked his head.
“You aren’t Rarity?”
Rarity shook head and stammered, “No! I mean yes! I am Rarity of Carousel Boutique.” She raised her head in the traditional Canterlot way at this.
“Well Rarity, I am Baron Cataline Atriedus Corrinus Highborn of House Atriedus. Perhaps you have heard of me?”
Rarity nodded eagerly. The Baron was a big name in the fashion industry, and was coming very close to setting the standards and having a monopoly.
“Of course I have Baron. It is a great honor for you to come this far out to see my shop.”
Inwardly she squealed. First priceless jewels were being hosted in her shop and now a Baron was visiting. Perhaps he had come here to patronize her shop, or maybe help her get even bigger in Canterlot! Or maybe…propose?
“Is there anything I can do for you today?” she asked.
“Oh no, nothing at all Madame Rarity, for that would not be gentlecoltly of me. I came here to see if you are as good as they say, and of course the diamond. Now, I can happily say I have fulfilled both of my objectives.” Cataline responded and continued with a twinkle in his eyes,
“But that’s not all, I have a bag here that you should only after the guard arrives and it’s night. Can’t let anyone else see it now can we?” The other pony floated the large bag over to Rarity and gently set it down in front of her.
“Oh… t-thank you Baron Highborn. I’ll bring this up to my room.” Rarity stammered and her horn flared as he attempted to lift up the bag. It was so heavy…yet the Baron’s friend could carry it with ease. ‘What kind of unicorn is he!?’ she wondered to herself.
“Let me help you there.” The Baron said and his horn lit up as he supported the majority of the weight and began walking towards the stairs with Rarity.
“Well…this is certainly a big change from the twat Blueblood.” Rarity thought and happily walked with Highborn up the stairs.
Highborn’s companion silently watched them and than when they were upstairs his horn lit up again and he knocked out the few stragglers and guard and approached the diamond. There was a small magic barrier over the glass container that housed it, but that wasn’t anything to him. “Ward XII shouldn’t be anything.” He said to no one and he began his work extracting the diamond.
A couple minutes later Highborn and Rarity walked back down chatting. She didn’t seem to notice no one was in the room. Cataline glanced over at his companion who nodded and pointed to his satchel.
“Well Madame Rarity, I bid you a good night and perhaps you will come to Canterlot next time with more fabulous designs. And don’t forget to open the bag in a hour or two!” The two stallions left as Rarity dreamily started off at him. An hour or two later, a group of royal guards arrived and inspected the diamond and the other objects on display. One of the unicorns stiffened and told the leader who sent a runner of saying,
“Get him.” Than he approached Rarity and said,
“Miss Rarity, I’m going to need to ask you to stay down here for a while longer. Also, were there any suspicious visitors today?” he inquired all the while glancing out the window.
“Oh, not today sir. I watched them all today vigilantly.” Rarity answered, curious as to why the captain kept glancing out the window.
“Hmm, is that so? Well in that case…” The door burst open and several royal guards stormed in surrounding Rarity with a black armored pony taking up the rear jotting down notes on what looked like a ledger.
“Uhm, captain what is this?” Rarity asked struggling to keep the nervousness out of her voice.
“Rarity, you are under arrest for harboring a murder and being an accomplice in the theft of the Brisbane Diamond. You are hereby stripped of all but one right which is the right to remain silent.” The Captain responded emotionlessly.
“What!? What murderer!? I didn’t—“ Rarity was cut off midsentence by one of the unicorns while the Captain spoke a couple hushed words with the black armored pony who nodded and sent two more guards upstairs who returned dragging the bag Cataline had given Rarity. They opened it up to find the unconscious, but breathing body of a pony. This time the black armored pony spoke in a grating, hoarse voice,
“Ah, smuggling out the murderer were you? Red Strife? Old friend of yours?”
Rarity vehemently shook her head as she tried to think of a way out. She had heard of Red before, but where did he come from? Then something clicked. Cataline Highborn had given her the bag. She tried to speak but no words came out as the black armored pony chuckled.
“Don’t bother answering. It was rhetorical. Alright get them packaged.”
The last thing Rarity saw before one of the guards casted a spell knocking her out was the mark painted on the armor of the pony and the guards bringing out chains. It was the mark of a sword bisecting a X.
Yay cliff hangers! Feedback would be much appreciated :P