//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: The Burning Priory // Story: The Elements Of Harmony: The Equestrian Crisis // by JC Borch //------------------------------// Having found Princess Celestia’s daughter, Applejack must now escort her safely to the priory so the heir can assume her role and save Equestria from turmoil. But she is far from the only one doing her plight. Pinkie must use her newfound skills of murder to remove a high-ranking assassin pirate. Fluttershy has to endure the whims of the chaos lord. Twilight gets an assignment that will truly test her skills. Rarity turns on her charm to save the Thieves Guild. And Rainbow Dash is finally allowed in on the action with a task that proves more complicated than first presumed. THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY: THE EQUESTRIAN CRISIS CHAPTER 6 - THE BURNING PRIORY - It was still dark when Applejack arrived back in Trottingham. Three yawning mares followed her off the train and down to the platform. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo blinked their eyes lazily while the cool morning air nipped at them. The few ponies they passed were discussing worriedly in quiet tones. “My husband told me he saw smoke coming from the priory,” a pink unicorn said, standing under an awning. “No! Haven’t we had enough bad luck with the Princess’s passing and all?” a yellow pegasus replied horrified. Applejack overheard this and looked up at the forest surrounding the rustic village. “Ah have a bad feeling about this. If the assassins have found where we put the amulet, then the priory is in danger.” “Applejack, it’s too early,” Scootaloo said and rubbed her eyes. “Can’t we find a place to stay, just for a few more hours?” Sweetie Belle added. Apple Bloom remained silent. Her eyes were closed and her head was resting on her sister’s shoulder. “Ya wanted to come with me, so now ya have ta stick to mah orders. Giddy up ya’ll,” Applejack said and reared. “I’m awake!”Apple Bloom said and snapped upright again. She looked around confused and saw her two friends following Applejack through town. The place was virtually deserted in the wee hours between dark and light. The chilly air bit into their coats but their fast pace warmed them up. The forest swayed in the wind and a trail of smoke bellowed above it. The smell of burning wood carried with it and led them down the path. Applejack picked up the speed even further, making it difficult for the three Crusaders to follow behind. A unicorn came up the dirt path towards them with frenzy in his eyes. A pony in a red robe was riding hard behind him with a mace in its mouth. Applejack bit into the sword on her back and pushed herself to jump between the unicorn and the assassin. It took a surprised step backwards, but grabbed its mace with its hoof. Applejack took her sword in hoof as well and parried a quick strike. The assassin rained down the attacks on her but she stuck her hind legs into the dirt. This gave her the edge to jump the assassin and overpower it. It fell to the ground with only a slight moan escaping its veil, blood seeping from a wound on its side. “Help! You must help! They’re killing everypony at the priory!” the unicorn said and cast himself before Applejack’s hooves. “Consarn it,” Applejack said and slammed her hoof angrily into the ground. Three breathless little ponies caught up with her just as she again rushed ahead towards the priory. One monk lay on the ground while another was surrounded by three assassins. Applejack sprinted into action and took out one of them by surprise. A second one turned his head to see the attacker so the monk stabbed it in the chest with his katana. The last assassin gave a bigger fight and nicked Applejack’s cheek before it too fell. “Thank you,” the monk said and bowed. His coat was pale pink and he wore the simple brown tunic of his order. “Where is Brave Charger?” Applejack asked quickly. “Brother Charger was in the chapel praying to the departed Celestia when the assassins attacked. I haven’t seen him since,” the monk replied and shook his head crimson red mane. “Take care of these three while Ah check things out,” Applejack said. The three crusaders collapsed in a pile in front of him and offered him no other choice. The chapel was a small stone building standing off to the right of the complex. She flung open the heavy wooden doors and saw the old earth pony pressed up against the altar. Several assassins already lay dead on the ground but there were still two left. Charger was panting heavily. Several superficial slashes had cut up his robe and darkened his already deeply purple coat. Applejack’s hoofs echoed loudly on the stone floor. The assassins turned away from the old stallion and pointed their weapons at her. They didn’t see Charger force his old body forward as well. “You’re making a mistake, turning your back on an old pony,” he said and drove his katana upwards. It pierced both armour and robe of the assassin so its steamy guts spilled out on the floor. The last assassin looked from Applejack to Charger, weighing its option in its head. It hopped across the benches and out to the wall on the left. Applejack followed but the assassin blocked with the mace in its hooves and then dashed at her. She rolled and the mace lodged itself into a wooden bench. Allowing no quarter, Applejack quickly hacked away at the assassin. The blade pierced an artery and a jet of arterial spray gushed from its wound. “You’re a natural!” Charger said and approached her. Applejack looked away gagging. “Don’t... don’t say anything,” she stammered before throwing up on the chapel floor. Her tears rhythmically followed the convulsions of her body. Heaving, she forced her head up and looked at the stained glass windows. They depicted the birth of Nightmare Moon, her later defeat and the conquest of Discord. Smaller replicas of those in Canterlot. “Why are things like this? Ah remember a time where conflicts were resolved by wits and talk. Ah have never thought in mah life that Ah would ever hold a sword.” “Our destinies are chosen for us but they are wide enough to make us think we’re in control,” Charger said and put a hoof on her back. “I fear the Amulet of Alicorns was the target of this attack. No cause for concern though, I keep it in a secret room inside the priory.” “We should check ta make sure anyway.” Applejack wiped her eyes and her face. “Don’t tell mah sister what Ah’ve done. It would only worry her.” It was quiet outside and the smoke was slowly dissipating. A small shed behind the priory had been reduced to smouldering ash. The monk had led the young mares past the stone fences where they couldn’t see the corpses of the assassins. “What happened to ya?” Apple Bloom asked and embraced her sister. “Yer all covered in blood!” “It’s all right, AB, it’s over now,” Applejack cooed and kissed Apple Bloom’s head. “Stop treating me like a little filly,” she replied and waved her sister off, her cheeks blushing. “Ya’ll always be mah little sister,” Applejack said and adjusted Apple Bloom’s bow. “You wait out here with the nice monk while Ah check inside. There might still be assassins around.” The front door had been smashed open and hung on its hinges. The ground floor was covered in blood and a few more assassins lay dead. Furniture had been toppled and food was spread around. “They must have used the fire to lure us out and separate us,” Charger said and looked with revulsion at the corpses. “They can’t have been that smart; attacking elite members of Celestia’s guard,” Applejack remarked and tried not to look at them. The head monk went up the stairs but it took only a cursory glance for him to assess the situation. “No... NO!” he shouted and rushed up to the first floor. A cabinet had been tipped; vases and bowls from its shelves in shards on the ground. The wall behind it had been broken down and revealed a secret room. A heavily locked chest inside had been splintered open with great force. “They’ve taken it! The Amulet of Alicorns is gone! The enemy has defeated us at every turn!” he exclaimed and kicked the busted chest over in frustration. “We still have Starfire,” Applejack said grimly from behind him. Charger looked up, renewed hope crossing his face. “That was one of ponies with you? Thank Celestia for that! We gained the heir and lost the amulet... She cannot stay here,” he said determined and rushed past her. “We have driven the assassins off, but they will be back once they learn of Starfire’s survival. Which they will.” “Her name’s Scootaloo,” Applejack pointed out and followed him downstairs. “And where could she possible be safe?” “Nowhere is truly safe against the power arrayed against us. But we must play for time at least. We’re going to the old castle in the Everfree Forest very near Ponyville. We should get moving.” *** Pinkie was dressed in tight black leather, her hair hanging lazily down her shoulders. She stepped down the stone corridor and pushed open the first pair of heavy wooden doors she met. Inside sat an earth pony with a gaunt face and eyes as red as blood. His coat was green like olives and his greyish blue hair was dragged into a ponytail. He was savouring a crimson soup and looked up at surprise when he saw Pinkie’s surly eyes. “You must be the newest member... Miss Pie?” he asked and smiled up warmly at her. “I trust Thunder Chaser has already mentioned me. I am Brave Soldier.” “Do you have any contracts for me?” Pinkie asked coldly. “My, my, so eager. It’s getting late and you should get some rest,” he said and dipped into the soup with his spoon. “I’m not tired,” Pinkie grumbled. “You look tired though,” he said and put down his spoon. “Very well, I indeed have something if you feel up to it?” “Just gimme,” she replied impatiently. Brave Soldier nodded and dabbed his lips with a white handkerchief, staining it red like blood. He looked at her with his kind eyes. “Here is what you must do then. Go to the area outside of Canterlot. There you will find a zeppelin named after Starswirl the Bearded. Board the ship and find its captain, Carnation Custard. He’ll be in his cabin. Eliminate Custard in any manner you see fit. The assassins have been moving a lot of cargo onboard lately. You may be able to smuggle yourself on board in one of the packing crates.” Without another word, Pinkie turned around and exited the room. Brave Soldier followed her with his eyes and shook his head. “What a strange one,” he remarked. It was morning when Pinkie got off the train again. The first rays of light stung her eyes so she lurked in the shadows towards the blimp. The Starswirl was anchored close to the station and was surrounded by wooden crates. Inconspicuous dock workers put them up on their backs and went inside, others returning empty-hoofed to start over. Pinkie sneaked off to the far left where empty crates stood with lids cracked open. She looked from side to side before entering and closed after her. A black dagger slipped out of her tail and into her mouth. For long moments she sat in the darkness. “You shouldn’t kill anymore,” a voice told her. “What does it matter? We’ve already done it twice now,” Pinkie replied and crossed her arms. “But those were just in self-defence!” “No, they weren’t and you know that. It was murder.” “But can you really trust the Dark Brotherhood?” “I don’t care,” Pinkie replied and snorted. “Hey, anyone remember this crate?” a deep voice bellowed. “Just bring it along. You know how the captain gets if we forget something.” She felt the crate lift from the ground and the voice groan with effort. For a while, the box rocked up and down rhythmically. Pinkie squeezed arms and legs against the sides until she came to a stop again. The pants grew distant along with the hoofsteps. Carefully she opened the lid again and peeked out. The cargo hold was stacked high with crates like a veritable maze. Fortunately, she had been placed by the entrance. Pinkie slinked into the narrow hall, the floor creaking slightly with every step. Sudden voices just around the corner made her freeze. Carefully she peered around and saw two sailors arguing. One was an old earth pony, the other a zebra. “What does he want with all these things?” the earth pony asked and breathed deeply. “I’m breaking my back carrying all these heavy crates.” “You’d better watch your tongue. Captain Custard hears you talkin’ like that, he’ll cut it out,” the zebra replied without a hint of humour. “I’d just like to know what the purpose is.” “How should I know? Now come on. We been gabbin’ long enough.” The two sailors parted ways, the zebra walking towards her. Pinkie pressed herself flatly against the wall with bated breath. The assassin began singing a shanty, too absorbed in own thoughts to notice her. She gave a sigh of relief and again crept down the hall. The lack of crew inside made it easy for her to stay unseen, past small rooms and up sturdy ladders until she came to the captain’s quarters. She pushed the hatch open and climbed into a small room at the stern that was finely decorated, in stark contrast to the measly dormitories of the crew. Captain Custard sat behind his desk with hooves up on the table, a strong earth pony with a coat like blood and hair like free-flowing fire. He snored like a bear when Pinkie entered his room but opened an eye at the creak of floor planks. Seeing Pinkie in her black leather outfit, he roared with laughter and sprang down to the floor. Pinkie hardened her cold stare and took a step back. “Well, well, if it ain’t the Element of Laughter! You uh... you don’t look as happy as I had imagined,” he remarked and scratched his beard. Pinkie glared him and strode towards him. She spat the black dagger into her hoof. “Tell me why you are doing this,” she demanded. “Oh, it’s very simple. You will either become part of the destruction or part of the recreation,” Custard replied and swiped a cutlass from the barrel next to the desk. “The Prince of Destruction will spare no one,” Pinkie said with murderous calm. “You hurt my friends and killed the Princess for nothing.” The Captain shrugged and put his hoof in the sword hole. “I don’t really care one way or the other, Miss Pie. The most important thing is to have fun doing what you love, am I right?” “You... you’re a monster!” Pinkie growled and took the dagger back into her mouth. “I’ve sailed the seven skies as a marauding pirate. I am the Mandarin’s most trusted lieutenant. What hope does a young trollop like you have of defeating me?” he asked and pointed the curved sword at her. “You may have experience and a sword, but I have the blessing of Luna on my side.” “Bahaha! Care to test that, little one?” The two stared each other down, none of them moving a muscle. The ship swayed ever so slightly in the wind, the wood moaning with each movement. She jumped forward suddenly but Custard was faster and sidestepped. She landed behind him and jumped again with the same result. Custard swung at her. Pinkie leapt back. Custard kept up his barrage and pressed her back. She came to the wall and used it as leverage, but the captain swiped her down with a single stroke. She tumbled along the floor and banged into the wall next to the desk. “The Mandarin will be very satisfied with me when he finds out I’ve killed one of the wielders!” Carnation laughed deeply and lifted the cutlass high into the air. Pinkie’s tail twitched erratically and she rolled out of his way. The cutlass missed her by inches and lodged into the wall. Custard jerked it hard from side to side while Pinkie scooted away from him. With a mighty pull, the sword came free. For a moment, the Captain’s face was one of triumphant glee. Right until a crest broke from its nail up near the ceiling. The heavy shield fell and landed on the Captain’s head with a sickening thud. He fell to the floor with blood pooling beneath him, the crest sliding off him. Pinkie sat on her rump and heaved violently, her head dropping back and coming to a rest on the wall. “This is enough, Pinkie,” a voice said in her mind. “I’m not Pinkie anymore. That mare is gone,” she replied and wiped her mouth for the saliva that was building up. “Then who are you?” Pinkie put up her hooves before her. They were shaking. “I don’t know.” “Captain! Captain Custard! Are you all right sir? We... We heard a clamour. Captain? We’re coming in!” “Shoot!” She grabbed her dagger that had fallen away from her during the battle, jumped up to the window behind the desk and climbed down the robes tethering the airship to the wharf. *** Fluttershy re-materialised again. She was confused for a moment, but she quickly recognised the tree throne at the end of the hall. She was back in Discord’s throne room. The draconequus himself was relaxing on his seat, his slender body spread out across the armrests. “I’ve activated Xedilian,” Fluttershy said timidly as she approached him. “I can tell!” he replied with a short laugh. “And...” Fluttershy hesitated and gulped. “There’s something I was told to tell you.” He looked at her only half-interested with a single eye opened. “Order has returned.” “Order? Never mind that.” “But it sounded like it was really important?” Fluttershy said concerned. Discord vanished from his throne and appeared behind her, a paw on her head nudging her. “Don’t worry about it! Why don’t you ever have a little fun?” Discord flicked his clawed hands and Screwball zoomed past them. He fell on his tail laughing, but Fluttershy gave him a serious glance. “I just want to find the Elements,” she insisted but Discord flicked his claw again. This time, Derpy appeared. She made a few loops around the room before disappearing in a cloud of bubbles. “Discooooord!” Fluttershy screamed quietly. He jumped back up on his feet and paced around her with a little smirk. “You know what your problem is? You are too meek for your own good. When I find the Element hidden within my realm, how will you retrieve it? You can’t just ask the bad guys nicely, you know?” She shrunk at his word but Discord tapped his chin with a smug smile. “But I think I know a way to make you more assertive.” “I don’t have good experiences with assertiveness,” Fluttershy said and slowly scooted away from him. Discord followed and rubbed his hands together. He placed a single finger on her nose and once more she vanished. The grass was tall and the sky was dark. An enormous tree towered up before her as the only thing for miles. Between its thick gnarled roots stood an opening covered with a thin membrane. Fluttershy looked from side to side, but could find no other place to go. She approached the hole but found the covering too thick for her to penetrate. “Not this again,” she muttered. Discord had once more left her on a task without telling her what to do, and once more the solution presented itself. The tree itself oozed a green slime out of its bark. The scent was irresistible and Fluttershy felt herself drawn towards it almost lustfully. She did her best to restrain herself, but with the first lick she found herself sucking it lovingly. It was thick like honey but much bitterer. Instantly, the world around her exploded in an orgasm of colours. Her pupils shrank till they were no bigger than small dots, all the white replaced with swimming rainbows. The membrane gave off a sucking sound as it went inside the tree. She hovered in through the opening as if on command. The inside of the tree contained was a wide hall with glowing plants and moist walls, where bugs and beetles crawled everywhere. She couldn’t help but giggle at them and fluttered further inside. Not even a minute afterwards, Fluttershy crashed into the floor. She was cold sweating and shivering, her teeth gnashing and eyes bloodshot. The tree became much more menacing and the insects sounded like hammering as they crawled all around her. She looked frantically around until she saw more green goo sliding down the wall further ahead. She crawled as quickly as her quivering limbs could carry her. She slobbered up as much as she could and everything was fine again. The tunnels continued downwards in this way with Fluttershy stopping every few minutes to refuel. She dragged herself along the ground only to rocket through the air. The way stopped at a pond at the bottom. It had already been too long since she had last tasted the sap and she splashed helplessly into the water. The pool would surely have taken her as strength failed her but at the bottom she found that the goo was excreted and mingled with the water to make it green. She gulped as much as she could and found the energy to do anything. She swam through an underwater tunnel and surfaced again just as the effect was wearing off. For another undetermined while she walked. The darkness around her became oppressive and her wet coat was not helping either. The glowing plants became little puddles of safety as the goo always escaped the walls near them. The tunnel no longer slanted but continued straight ahead. She was deep in the ground but she had no mind to think about where she was. Out of the sylvan material came solid stone. Three steps led up to a pair of solid wooden doors. The effect of the sap was wearing off again. She was agitated and slammed the doors opened, rubbing her temple and moaning in pain as light exploded from beyond. She had come to a small room of large bricks adorned with elegant carpets and intricate wooden furniture. Other ponies of all races and colours shuffled around inside with empty looks in their eyes. Some stared off into the distance with drool coming down their cheeks, some lay in a pool of their own sweat muttering. “You have come a long way,” an earth pony said and approached her. He had a brown coat with a bright yellow mane. “You have a choice now.” Fluttershy tried to speak but her throat was too dry. She collapsed on the floor and the earth pony vanished from her sight. It seemed like an eternity before he returned. He carried a tray in his mouth that he put down in front her. A modest bowl contained more of the green sap and a ruby-encrusted gold chalice next to it contained plain water. “You must now make a choice. Eat from the bowl and have all your dreams come true. You will no longer have to worry about anything and you will be happy for the rest of your life. Drink from the chalice however and I must ask you to leave. In addition, you will never again feel the blessed effects of felldew.” Fluttershy struggled to get up on her hooves, but all her mind could think of was the sap. Her breath came in puffy clouds as she reached for the wooden bowl. Her hoofs had a hard time holding it in place, so she reached her face down to the jelly-like substance. She stopped when she Rainbow Dash in the pudding. “Fluttershy... where are you?” Rainbow Dash asked quietly and left. Fluttershy had to shake her head a few times before realising what she was doing. She dropped the bowl with Felldew back down on the tray and grabbed for the chalice. In it, a vision of Twilight appeared. “I am tired of all these so-called emergencies. Missing students and jewellery are not emergencies.” Fluttershy laughed a little and Twilight disappeared. She downed the entire content of the cup in one gulp. It tasted like plain water but her mind became instantly clear. The earth pony looked at her mournfully. “So this is how it must be. Then go. This is no place for you,” he said and took the tray in his mouth. A pair of wooden doors at the end of the room opened. Fluttershy went into the light streaming out and appeared back in Discord’s throne room. “I... really, really, really don’t like you,” Fluttershy huffed as Discord smirked down at her from his throne. “What would you have done if I had actually taken the bowl?” “Ha! Have you forgotten completely why I brought you here? You are impervious to the madness of my chaos. You have real strength within you, you just have to realise it. Now then, are you ready for another little errand?” Fluttershy snorted and looked away. “I’m through with your errands, Discord, and I’m done risking my hide playing your games.” “Well you’re free to leave any time.” Discord flicked his claws and a pillar of light erupted right before Fluttershy. When she could see again, Discord had vanished but his voice rang between the walls. “But your friends are working so hard to find the elements. Would you really turn your back on them?” The water in the trenches lining the room rippled and images appeared. Applejack was defending herself against assassins and Pinkie was duelling a pirate of some sort. Another image materialised of Rarity, but Fluttershy stamped a hoof through it. “You’ve made your point,” she grumbled. The gate of light disappeared and left the room seemingly darker. Discord was back on his throne, tapping his fingers together. *** Manehattan, the technological forerunner in Equestria with heaving and roiling machines. Primitive cars rumbled down the cobbled roads and past tightly packed houses built up into the sky. It wasn’t even light yet and an endless stream of ponies already wandered the streets each with their own business in mind. Spike looked up from the crowd, mesmerised by all the noise and smells. Twilight walked next to him with the scroll pressed up against her nose. “Why is this city so confusing!” she complained in frustration and reared her head. “It’s not that bad, Twilight. The roads are pretty linear and much better marked than in Ponyville. Why don’t you let me handle this?” Spike said superiorly and snatched the map from Twilight’s magic. He hopped on to her back where he had a better view and guided her easily. The magic school of Manehattan looked more like a university and occupied a much larger area than any of the other schools. It was built entirely out of grey stone with blue metal doors and red tile roof. “Still not as impressive as Canterlot,” Twilight said and stuffed the map back into her saddle. The interior was similarly grand with smooth tile floors, intricately woven carpets and heavy wooden furniture. “The headmaster’s a unicorn, right?” Spike asked. “Right, Crystal Charmer. Why don’t you get something to eat while I –” Twilight began but saw that Spike had already seated himself. Long tables had been set on either side of the room with finely decorated food bowls and bottles of nectar, but no pony were about at this hour. Twilight found Crystal Charmer behind a desk in the next room. She was older than most other headmasters, with a coat as red as raspberries and a mane like dark chocolate. She was reading a book, turning the leaves with a smile on her face. She adjusted her glasses and looked up at Twilight fleetingly. “Not accepting any more admissions, sorry.” “I’m Twilight Sparkle from the Academy,” Twilight explained. “Oh, well look at that. Back in my time, we would not have sent someone as green as you.” She put the book away and devoted her full attention to Twilight. “Unlike some frivolous tasks you may have been given at other schools, this is a serious matter with real consequences.” “You cannot imagine how glad I am to hear that,” Twilight said with a sigh. “But what you do mean by consequences?” “The city has entrusted me with resolving a situation along the road out of town. Several travelling merchants have been robbed there recently and you are going to help me put an end to this.” “I’m not sure what I could do, but I’ll give it my all!” Twilight said encouraging. “I like your spirit, Mrs Sparkle. You’re new to the staff so this may give you an advantage, as we believe the assaults are the actions of a rogue mage. You are to travel north to the Brina Cross Inn, the only common link between victims, and speak with Dapple Heart. She will give you further instructions.” Twilight nodded solemnly and called upon Spike again. She saved herself a lot of humiliation by hoofing the map to him from the start. Crystal Charmer quickly went back to her book again and let Twilight get to it. It was still dark when she arrived. Brina Cross Inn was a cosy half-timber house with thatched roof, standing just off the road some way away from the city. The furniture was largely wood and filled with cheering guests chatting over mugs of foamy cider. Twilight had trouble stifling a smile from the good mood as she sat down at a table with Spike on her right. A mare with a dark purple coat and corn blonde mane trotted among the guests, singing an upbeat song about revelry. The patrons all hooted at her, and she in turn winked at them. When the song was done, she sat down next to Twilight and brushed her curly mane away from her eyes. “Hello, stranger. What can I do for you?” she asked cheerfully. Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but the earth pony leant across the table and continued in a much more serious whisper. “Crystal Charmer sent you, didn’t she? Go and speak with the publican. Rent a room for the night. Once you have your room, get some sleep. I will meet you there later. If anypony asks, you are a travelling merchant, nothing more. Do not say otherwise to anypony.” Dapple Heart pulled her head back and laughed. “No, friend, I’m afraid I don’t know the way to Baltimare, but good luck in your travels. Please excuse me.” She left Twilight alone again with a wink and went to the other side of the room. An earth pony stallion clapped her on the behind. She wagged a hoof at him with a “Tsk, tsk.” “Well that was interesting,” Spike said and followed her with his eyes. Twilight yawned and stretched. “But not a bad strategy. The Academy’s paying and it can’t be all that expensive,” Twilight argued and smacked her lips dully. She jumped down again and went to the counter. The barkeep was a burly earth pony with a lavender coat. His lime green hair had receded to form a small ring around his crown. He looked up at Twilight with a weary smile. “Let me guess, travelling on business? You don’t look like you’re out for no stroll,” he said and rested a hoof on his chin. “Yes, just a travelling merchant out on merchant business... with my baby dragon... who’s also a merchant,” Twilight said with big smile. “Smooth,” Spike added, but the publican took no notice. “Ah thought so. We get many of yous merchants through here, well, we used to. Haven’t seen as many lately, what with the… well, you know. The robberies. Ah don’t like to talk about it much. Bad for business ya know. At any rate, would yous care for a bed for the night?” Twilight confirmed and was directed up the stairs to the last one on the right. She left ten bits on the counter and went to her room. While she collapsed on the bed, Spike sat down on the floor in front. He kept a vigilant eye for an hour or so before dozing off as well. The hours went by. Early morning light streamed through frayed curtains when the door creaked open again. Light hooves sneaked into the small room. The intruder looked over her shoulder and did not see Spike’s tail. He jolted awake from the pain and sprang to his feet, his arms punching around in the air until he caught sight of Dapple Heart. “Oh. It’s just you,” Spike said and yawned. “Wha... ?” Twilight asked and pushed the sheets away. Dapple Heart looked up at her enthusiastically and placed her hoofs on the bed. “Are you well-rested? Good. You need to continue along the road out of town, heading east towards Las Pegasus. I shall be following out of sight, along with a police officer. Make no attempts to speak to us; trust that we will protect you. Should you be confronted by this cowardly mage, do not hesitate to protect yourself by whatever means possible. Once the mage has revealed himself, we will step in and settle the matter quickly. Good luck!” Dapple Heart was gone again before Twilight could properly wake up. She looked about confused but Spike related the plan to her. When they got downstairs again, Dapple Heart was chatting up a tubby earth pony with an olive green coat. He was boisterously going through his many daring adventures with his mouth full of donuts while she laughed and poured him more coffee. She winked at Twilight as she crossed the room with Spike. “Subtle,” Spike commented and avoided eye contacts. “Hmm, how do merchants normally behave?” Twilight muttered to herself and clopped her muzzle. Spike shrugged. “Just try to look less suspicious.” Twilight assumed a wide grin and nervously watched her surroundings. “Less!” Spike reiterated and slapped his face. “Look, don’t try anything and just be yourself.” “But how do I usually behave?” she asked panicky as they trod outside. She was fidgeting with her hair when a loud bang froze her so that Spike walked into her and fell on his back. She looked up at the sky and saw the residues of a rainbow slowly dissipating. She closed her eyes for a moment and smiled naturally. “Come on, Spike. We got a rogue mage to catch.” Spike rubbed his temple and looked up to see what had caught Twilight’s attention, but the sky was only red from the rising Sun. He shook his head and followed beside her again. The dirt path was like a trench in the ground snaking it ways through grassy fields. They could see orchards in the distance and large bushes on either side of the road. There weren’t anypony out travelling though they could see the occasional worker in the distance. Twilight began to hum a little melody and enjoyed the warm embrace of the morning sun. Spike was more demure and kicked a pebble along with him. They turned a bend and a unicorn became jumped out from behind a bush, a red coated mare with a moody look on her face and a shoulder-length chocolate brown mane. “I’m afraid your journey ends here, traveller. I’ll be taking whatever you’re carrying. I do hope it’s more than the last few had. They were most disappointing.” The unicorn fired a purple spell right after ending her monologue. It hit an invisible shield that Twilight just had time to erect. She countered with a spell of her own that hit the unicorn right in the chest. It forced her on her knees, her face an image of pain. Twilight ventured nearer while Spike remained standing. The unicorn forced herself up again and cast another spell. Surprised that her spell was so quickly broken, Twilight had no time to defend herself. She was forced back while the unicorn kept pelting her with the spells. Spike jumped in from the side and grabbed the rogue mage around the neck. Unable to push him off, the unicorn instead reared and bucked. Spike’s grasp loosened and he was flung into a bush. “ENOUGH!” the unicorn exclaimed and approached the panting Twilight. “You’re not a merchant at all, are you?” “No,” Twilight said with a defiant smile. She wiped the blood from her cheek and fired a spell of her. The unicorn formed a shield to deflect it. “Twilight Sparkle,” the unicorn said surly and spat at the ground. “I knew you would come sooner or later if I just kept doing this. The Mandarin will be most satisfied with me when I kill you here.” “Just try it!” Dapple Heart shouted, running up the road towards them with the chubby cop a little distance behind her. “So you’ve got reinforcements? No matter, you will see why Diamond Charmer is a name feared even among my own.” She fired a spell at the newcomer who simply jumped to evade the spell. Diamond aimed her horn again at Twilight but Spike came up from behind and yanked her tail. The spell went flying up into the air and dissipated under the Sun’s light. Twilight used her first spell again at point-blank range. Diamond winced in pain and the tubby cop jumped up on top of her. He pulled a ring from his coat and placed it on the dazed unicorn. Though she tried, no magic came from her horn anymore. Dapple Heart gave a sigh of relief and turned towards Twilight. “You have done well and this road should be a little safer now. You should return to Manehattan and let Crystal Charmer know the work is complete. We’ll remain here and clean things up.” “Come along and don’t try anything funny,” the cop said brusquely and jabbed Diamond in the side. “Wait. Tell me about the Mandarin,” Twilight said and placed a hoof on the cop’s chest. Diamond simply smirked at Twilight. “I’m not telling you anything, Twilight Sparkle, but the Mandarin has many more mages under his command. You’ll meet them soon enough, don’t worry.” “Don’t worry, ma’am. A minute with me and she’ll sing like a bird.” The cop tipped his hat and moved Diamond along. “I’ll notify the Academy once I’ve squeezed her.” Spike removed twigs and leaves caught on his spikes as Twilight watched her being taken away. “What do you think she meant with that?” he asked. “I don’t know, but I just came to be grateful of these little errands,” Twilight replied. “We still have two more cities to go. Next stop... Ponyville.” Twilight swallowed a lump in her throat as icy dread travelled down her spine and made her coat prickle. *** “Wakey, wakey! It’s time for action.” Rarity blearily opened her eyes. “What? What’s going on?” she asked and tried to focus on the lavender blob in front of her. “I’ve planted the bust in the snitch’s house. Now you just need to go tell Shining Armour that Vanilla Marshmallow is the thief.” A mischievous smile formed on the blur and Rarity yawned. “You do it,” Rarity said and turned to lie on the other side. “Why should he believe me?” Emerald replied and went to face her. “You seem to know him and you’re loyal to the guild. I’m still not sure what to make of it, but better use this connection while we can.” Rarity smacked her lips and stretched. Guards wandered around the area outside the wall, carrying their long spears and swords by their side. There was nothing focused about their walk nor did they seem to be patrolling. They were simply walking between shanties and campfires while keeping a vigilant eye. Shining Armour stood out on the road in the middle of it all, looking first up to the city walls and then down towards the train tracks and blimp docks. Rarity got up on her hooves, the chill air kindling her to life again, and went straight for him. Hs purple armour and blue mane was unmistakable in the light of a nearby torch. She rubbed her eyes to get the last sleep out of her system. “You’re still here,” he said with concern, noticing her before she could approach him completely. “I couldn’t very well keep the money!” Rarity said aghast then stuck her head close to his head, whispering: “I know where you can find the bust.” “You know where the bust is hidden?” Shining asked in disbelief. “It was Vanilla Marsh –” Rarity began but a yawn interrupted her. The eyes of Shining Armour popped open in surprise. “Vanilla Marshmallow? Are you sure? That can’t be right. She’s my... I mean she doesn’t seem to be the type.” “Well, if you don’t believe me, you could always check out her house,” Rarity said and began to walk away. “I will. And you’d better be coming with me. This is a serious accusation.” Rarity froze as Shining waved two guards to flank him. Smiling sheepishly, she followed behind him and coughed to regain her posture. Shining stepped up on the front porch of one of the sturdier-looking houses off to a side. He knocked thrice until the door opened slightly and a yellow-orange unicorn head peered out through the crack. “This citizen is accusing you of stealing the bust of Celestia from the castle crypt. Will you allow me to search your house?” he asked, but it felt more like an order. The unicorn stammered with a reply until she had caught sight of Rarity, her eyes widening. Her tongue loosened as she realised what was going on. “That ‘citizen’ is actually the guild member that was hired to do the theft!” “Do not trust her,” Rarity said and went up next to him, turning on her charm. “She’s only trying to lead the suspicion away from herself.” “Lies and slander!” Vanilla spat. “Then you won’t me if we searched your hut?” Shining pressed. “Go ahead! You won’t find any busts here, least of all of princesses.” Vanilla jerked the door completely open and stepped aside. The guards entered the single-room squalid house and went through the little furniture. Shining stood on the porch outside and observed. The guards lifted the mattress of a dirty bed, opened drawers and cupboards and checked the floor for loose boards. Vanilla watched with them with a smug smile, already assured of her victory. Rarity on the other hoof was more concerned, contemplating the possibility of Emerald betraying her. Her fear was quickly swept aside. Opening a large closet standing up against the right wall started an avalanche of clutter that completely buried the hapless guard. Shining went to the pile where a pair of white legs protruded, twitching. He sifted through broken brooms, holed shirts and a few callipers before a marbled head peered up at him. He turned at once towards Vanilla, all of the colour in her face draining. “How do you explain this?” Shining angrily took the bust with his magic and levitated it right in front of her face. “O-o-obviously it was planted!” Vanilla stammered and laughed nervously. Shining glared at her so instead she pointed towards Rarity. “It was her! I saw her steal it with my own eyes!” “I am not going to believe a thief over a personal friend.” Shining cast his head towards the door and the other guard dragged the kicking and screaming Vanilla away. He then followed them but stopped to look at Rarity. “I cannot know which one of you is right, but let me give you an advice. Disassociate yourself with the Thieves Guild. You’re only going to bring trouble on yourself. Take this bounty for finding the bust and clear yourself of any debt you may have here.” Shining took a pouch from his purple armour and dropped it down on the floor. The last guard brushed the clutter off of him and retreated as well. Rarity waited until they were all gone before she checked the contents. She had to go through it twice to comprehend just how much she had been left with. “Ten coins a ten bits... One hundred bits in all! Wa-ha-ha!” she exclaimed surprised. She couldn’t suppress a giggle, prancing around the pouch with a skip and a jump. “You’re a welcome sight!” a deep voice said behind her. Rarity stopped in midair, her cheeks flushing scarlet as she quickly turned around. Armand entered the modest shack and gave her a warm smile. “I know I used you in this matter without consulting with you first, but I couldn’t be certain that you weren’t working with Vanilla.” “You knew it was her all along?” Rarity said startled and picked up the gold. “Of course. Hers was the only name missing in that ledger you stole from Shining Armour. I’m also promoting you to the guild rank of Bandit. Good work!” “T-thank you,” Rarity said quietly. She hesitated for a moment before putting the pouch into her satchel. “I don’t know what to think of you, little miss Rarity. Of your connection with Shining Armour or of your sincerity,” Armand said. Grinning, he wrapped a hoof around her neck. “But you diligently carried out your assignments AND made it easier for us to operate in Canterlot. I did not spend my time idly in hiding. Though I couldn’t find any info on the missing Elements, I know somepony who may be of more help.” “Really?” Rarity asked hopefully, her eyes swimming. Armand nodded and let her go. “You should go see Storm Chaser in Fillydelphia, an old friend of mine. You’re still a thief and she WILL put you to work as she snoops around. Just comply with her demands and you’ll get along famously.” “F-Fillydelphia?” Rarity stammered nervously. “Don’t worry; you can come back to Canterlot anytime you want. In fact, I’ll keep this hut empty for you and who knows; maybe I’ll even find a few misplaced items to spruce it up with.” Armand went outside again with one last nod and was greeted by Emerald. She waved her fluffy green tail teasingly up against his face as she passed him by. He followed her into the late night darkness and left Rarity biting her lip. “If I go back to Fillydelphia, I’d have to confront my parents.” Hesitating, Rarity too walked outside and closed the door behind her. A clinking noise made her pause to investigate the source only to find that it was her saddle. She magicked the leather pouch out with refreshed memory and smiled impishly. “But I don’t have to confront my parents if I can afford to live somewhere else!” She flailed her front hooves giddily before hurrying towards the train station across the bridge. “Oh, but I would have to send for Opal. I can’t imagine how badly the poor dear must be missing me by now. Well, everything at its time, Rarity. First I have to get to Fillydelphia.” *** Rainbow Dash flew as fast as she could but the early morning light was breaking across the horizon. “I can’t be late for my first official appointment as a Wonderbolt!” she said panicky and looked around her. There were no ponies outside and the grasslands, fields and forests were virtually devoid of any life. She flapped her wings faster and her speed increased, but this was not all that she could do. Manehattan was just a small speck on the horizon and the sun was slowly making its way up into the sky. Dash went faster and faster and higher and higher up. When she had gone past even the clouds, she descended again at a slanted angle. She was aiming with her hooves towards the distant skyline. Wind blew past her like the roar of a mighty beast. Her gums and eyelids flapped but she pushed herself harder. Her body was freezing cold from the high altitude and the late season, but the friction warmed her up. With an explosion of sounds and colours, all barriers disappeared. She was wrapped in a blanket of rainbows and all she could see were colours rushing past her. She zipped out of the rainbow vortex, Manehattan just in front of her. Dash looked around to make sure no one had been hurt from the blast. There was an inn far below her but the early morning meant no one was outside. Just a purple unicorn that seemed startled. Dash had no time to worry about that. She zoomed into the expansive city, jaw dropping from the sheer size of it all. Dash was surrounded on all sides by skyscrapers. Primitive cars rumbled across the asphalt below her. Earth ponies of all colours and sizes wandered around on the streets. They were too absorbed in walking and talking to notice the trail of colours she left in her wake. She paid no mind to them either. She was headed for an ornate white building further down the streets. It was part of a larger neighbourhood of similar manors surrounded by sparsely vegetated grounds. A large tree loomed in the background and cast a large shadow on to the cobbled road. Dash landed in front of the few stairs to the blue double doors, looking up at the building with apprehension. She had to swallow a lump, the weight of her duty suddenly hitting her with great force. A large sign dangling in front of the metal doors proclaimed “Manehattan Police Force.” She was at the right place. The inside was a chaos of blue-garbed police officers running around among shouting civilians. There were waiting benches padded with black cushions but few used them other than to deposit baggage. Dash walked inside, trying to get the ears of one of the officers but was constantly cut short. There was always somepony else demanding attention and Dash was shoved back. Her temper slowly neared a boil. She was about to blow a fuse when she felt a tap on her shoulder. A large zebra in a white uniform and a yellow badge on his chest stood behind her with a small smile. His black hair was shaved almost bald and the swirls on his flank looked almost three stars and a moon. “You must be the Wonderbolt I’ve been expecting. Come, this way.” The zebra pushed through the masses easily with his size towards a staircase on the other end of the room. Dash took the easier route and flew above their heads. He led her up through a desk area with its own canteen and further up to a large office. The room was airy and contained a small waiting area with a round table, a chair and a bookcase with some reading material. “The name’s Azzan,” he explained as he went to his desk at the other end. “Things are little hectic these days, as you can see.” “It’s a great honour for the Wonderbolts that you would commission us –” Dash started, but Azzan waved a hoof. “Spare me the dribble, kid. You probably won’t think it’s such a great honour when you hear the details.” Azzan lifted his hind legs up on the desk and leant back in his seat. “Things have been strange here in Manehattan, in all of Equestria, the last couple of years. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the harmony has been sucked right out of them. Neighbour squabbles, petty theft, lawsuits... the list goes on.” “So where do I fit in?” Dash asked and shifted her weight. “Straight to the point! I like that.” Azzan lowered his hooves again and bowed over the desk. “All right, I think I got something for a rookie like you. A unicorn over on the west side has a problem with her rats.” “A rat problem?” Dash asked and raised an eyebrow in suspicion. “Yes, rats. I’m sure she can explain it to you better than I. Her name’s Czarina and she’s kind of a big deal around here, so don’t muck this up!” Azzan passed her a note with directions and further information. When Dash headed for the stairs, he stopped her once again. “You’re a pegasus, are you not? Just use the window and you won’t have to go through the chaos downstairs.” The window in question sat in the hollow between waiting table and working desk. It reached from floor to loft and offered a magnificent view of the city bathed in the rays of early morning light. She spread her wings and jumped out into the nippy morning air. “I can’t believe I’m stuck doing this when I could be out looking for the Elements,” she mumbled, but gave a sigh. “No, Soarin’ is counting on me. And besides, Silver Lining would have my hide if I screw this up.” Her instructions guided her towards a part of Manehattan that was covered with small two-storey houses scattered across a meadow. Large slabs of stone made trails between houses and the bigger road to the east. The sea was visible further west and beyond that the mountains. Czarina sat on a bench outside a blue house with dark red tiles. She was an elderly unicorn with a dark purple coat, fading mint green hair slicked up and wearing a burgundy dress. She was dabbing her eyes on a handkerchief, but perked up when she saw the Wonderbolts uniform on Dash. Dash barely had time to land before Czarina ran up to her. “Ah, you must be from the Wonderbolts! Good. Something has been killing my rats in the basement. It’s horrible!” Dash took a surprised step backwards. “You have rats in your basement?” “Oh, my poor babies,” Czarina said and sank to her knees. “You must do something! I don’t know what I’d do without them. Their little pink noses, their scaly little tails. Please, get to the basement and find out what’s happening.” “So the problem is that something’s KILLING rats?” Dash slowly reiterated, uncertain she had comprehended everything. “Yes, that’s just what I said! Aren’t you going to take care of this?” Czarina looked up at her with fresh tears welling up in her eyes. Dash assumed a confident expression as she put a hoof to her chest. “Don’t worry, ma’am. As a Wonderbolt, it is my duty to take care of any situation regardless of its nature!” “Then don’t just stand there! Get to it.” “Ugh, this is SO not what I signed up for,” she mumbled and entered the house. The hallway was short with a staircase at the end, a kitchen on the left and a living room on the right. Growls could be heard from behind a wooden door next to the stairs. Dash opened it and trod into the semidarkness. Sweat poured from her brow as the sound of tiny scurrying feet accompanied her downwards. A pair of hungry, yellow eyes flared up. A snarling mouth followed along with paws stepping across stone. “You want to do this? Let’s do this!” Dash taunted and raised herself up on her hind legs. The animal approached her warily, hissing back at her. It ventured closer, but Dash jabbed it on the nose. Her eyes got used to the dark and a form appeared. She wasted no time and punched at the animal again. It retreated from the beatings, slowly at first before turning away. It disappeared through a hole at the other end. Sunlight streamed through and illuminated the animal for a brief moment. It was a big feline with tan skin clinging to its bones, like a rag thrown over it. “A starved mountain lion?” Dash asked and looked up into the daylight beyond. Bricks had been carefully removed and earth dug away. She shook her head and checked the extent of the damage. Cages stood on top of crates and large rats moved around inside, cowering under hay and food bowls. “It’s all right, little guys, the lion is gone.” One of the cages lay on the floor with the hatch broken off. There was no rat inside. All Dash could do was put it back on the box where it had stood and then go back outside again. Czarina was waiting for her and grabbed her shoulders. “Well, what have you found? Did you take care of my babies? What was going on down there?” she asked frantically and shook Dash back and forth. “Most of your rats are fine, ma’am, but I think a mountain lion may have gotten to some of them.” “A mountain lion? In my basement? Oh... no.” Czarina slumped all heartbroken to the ground. Dash looked away annoyed and made to leave. Her tail was caught in a spell before she could even spread her wings and she was heaved back. “Where there’s one, there will be more. Trusty Hooves lives just down the road. He’s a hunter and knows this area inside and out. He’ll know what to do.” “Yes ma’am,” Dash said through gritted teeth. She kicked up a small cloud of dust as she hovered up into the air, looking from one house to another. They were all quite similar to Czarina’s home, tall and slim with a small garden surrounding and a stone fence separating them. No pony was out in the early morning and very little activity could be spotted through the windows. At the end of the row of houses, however, stood an earth pony on his hind legs and with bow drawn. His arrows each hit a bale of hay a hundred meters away, every time in the designated red spot. He didn’t flinch as Dash landed next to him but continued to hit his mark. His short sleek mane hung lazily down his cherubic cheeks, as olive green as his coat. A bow with a drawn arrow was this earth pony’s cutie mark. “Trusty Hooves, hunter, woodspony and markspony at your service. What can I do for you, neighbour?” He nocked another arrow, holding the bow with his left hoof and drawing the string with the right. The projectile whooshed away and hit the bale of hay. “I hear you’re an expert hunter,” Dash stated, hovering vertically in the air behind Trusty. “Hehe, that’s right!” “And maybe this expert hunter would like to help me find a den of mountain lions?” Trusty had drawn another arrow but lowered the bow. He put it back and slung it around his shoulders, falling down on all fours again. “Mountain lions? Here? Odd. But if they’re around, I guarantee you I can find them!” He turned around to face Dash with a wide grin and waved with his hoof to follow him. “Come with me. Now what made you believe there were mountain lions in Manehattan?” “I saw one in Czarina’s basement,” Dash said neutrally and flew next to him down the road. “You must excuse me, neighbour, if I want to verify that for myself.” Czarina was no longer found outside but stared at them with concern through a ground floor window. They went around to the backyard where Trusty quickly noticed the hole in the wall. Though it had been covered loosely with planks, they had been shoved aside. Almost on purpose. Trusty stuck his head inside the hole and sniffed. “Definitely mountain lion, but I smell something else. Bait? Curious.” With nose at ground level, Trusty followed an invisible trail. He picked up speed as they got further and further away, up the road and completely out of Manehattan. The sea became visible far in the distance with a few scattered sights of civilization visible. Trusty looked up from the grass, his nose pointing to a large landfill. “In there?” Dash asked with disgust and stuck out her tongue. “Poor critters. Astray from the mountains and starved, probably lured by the smell of garbage.” Trusty wiped a single tear from his cheek. “I can’t imagine there would be more than four of the critters. Let’s take care of this quickly.” Trusty sped through the mesh gate while Dash simply flew over the wooden fence. Piles of refuse had been stacked high, dirty socks and banana peels sticking out along with food wrappers and even an old chair. Dash’s airborne advantage made her spot the lions quickly. She hailed Trusty and pointed down. A small heap had been excavated and four felines crept out from safety. “I’ve got this!” Trusty bellowed. Dash contented herself to watch, perched on a broken toilet at the top of the largest pile. The lions approached him warily, but Trusty was undaunted by their bared fangs and claws. “Easy now. I don’t want to hurt you.” The closest lion snarled, but Trusty’s eyes were steel, his bulky form blowing up to increase his size. The lion took a step back and its fellows joined it. Trusty went closer and closer until he could touch one of them. His hoofs ran down its cheek. The lion was a powder keg waiting to go off. For several long moments, the two stared each other down until it finally gave in and licked his face. Trusty embraced it and, having gained one lion’s trust, the others lay down around him. “That’s amazing!” Dash said impressed and landed down next to him. The lion in his embrace growled at her and she retreated a few paces. “Well, don’t try it at home. I’m what you call an expert,” he said and chortled. “Well, I’d better get back to Czarina and tell her things have been handled.” Dash smiled nervously at the lions and it snorted back. She was off so fast that she didn’t see Trusty raise his hoof. Dash landed again by Czarina’s home and found the lady in question pace nervously on the dirt road. “What’s the matter?” Dash asked surprised. “The mountain lions have all been taken care of.” “ALL of them?” she shrieked in a dangerous tone and pressed her face up against Dash. “ALL OF THEM? Then why do I still hear noises from basement?” “Relax!” Dash raised her hoofs in defence and retreated. “How about I take one last look before heading back, then?” “See to it that you do! If anything happened to my poor babies...” She sobbed into a handkerchief and blew her nose, leaving Dash with no other choice. She entered the house again, across the hallway and down the sleek stone steps. There was a definite snarl of a beast but it was too dark for Dash to see. She waited on the stairs for her eyes to get used to the darkness, but the glowing eyes were unmistakable. The rats squeaked in panic and ran around in their little cages, but were ice cold and unmoving. The lion knew it had been spotted and watched its opponent carefully. Dash made sure not to make any sudden movements. She inhaled air to make herself seem bigger, her eyes hardened despite the severity of the situation. The lion moved closer. Dash blew herself up a little more. The lion was hesitant, waiting. For a moment that could have lasted forever, the two locked their eyes. Whatever the result may have been, none of it came to pass. A rotund pony leapt out of nowhere and tackled the lion. “Nearly missed one!” Trusty said. The lion snapped at him, but he stroked it gently down the neck. “Lively bugger, ain’tcha! Shh, shh. It’s okay.” Dash let out all of the air again in a deep sigh and wiped her brow. “What are you doing here, Trusty? I mean, I appreciate it and all, but how did you know?” she asked relieved. “The others told me of course,” he replied and patted the lion on its back. The rats were backed as far into their cages as they could. “I tried to warn you, but you were in a right hurry to get back.” “Yeah. Sorry about that.” Dash looked away and felt her cheeks blush. “Thank you.” “No problem! To tell you the truth, I was more worried about the lion than you.” He gave a short, loud laugh and pushed behind the lion. Together, they disappeared up along the hole with it. Something fell as he wriggled his sizable posterior through the opening. Dash was quick to retrieve it and held it up against the sunlight. “Pellets of...” she said and gave the small orbs a whiff, “animal fodder?” She dropped them back on the floor and zoomed out of the house the proper way. An exalted Czarina caught her with her magic as Dash flew through the door. “I cannot thank you enough!” Czarina said and shook Dash’s hoof. “I know I can be a bit irrational when it comes to my babies, but you understand. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” “You’re very welcome, ma’am. Just doing my job,” Dash replied and wrestled herself free. She flew high above the houses where she had a good view of the whole neighbourhood. Her eyes wandered around as Czarina went back inside. Dash was looking for something and it didn’t take her long to find it... in the neighbour’s backyard. A dark purple pegasus dragged a sack around her house. It was bigger than her and took a lot effort to move. She brushed her short bright yellow mane away from her eyes and pushed it with her head. Suddenly the sack wouldn’t move at all. She looked up to see if she had run into something and stared directly into Rainbow Dash, perched on top of the sack. “W-what do you want?” she asked nervously and stood back. “What have you got in here?” Dash asked and tapped the linen. “Nothing!” the mare replied quickly. A few salmon coloured pellets fell out of a hole in the top left corner. “That’s a heavy sack of nothing,” Dash said calmly, picking up the little pebbles that had fallen out. “You know, I found this exact type of fodder in a hole in your neighbour’s wall. What a coincidence, huh?” “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. I would never go skulking about...” the pegasus insisted but Dash hardened her stare. “Fine. You’ve got me, okay? I just figured if I left some fodder outside, the nasty little things would come out and the police would condemn the place.” “Didn’t you know the rats were locked in cages? And that your little stunt attracted mountain lions?” Dash reproached and reared to cross her arms. “Mountain lions! In her basement? I just wanted to lure her vermin outside! I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, except the rats. Please, don’t tell her!” The pegasus fell to the ground with hooves clutching her head. “Where did you get this sack of bait?” Dash asked and stroked the coarse linen. “It was a gryphon, ma’am Wonderbolt ma’am,” the pegasus said and looked up. “He came up and told me had the solution to my problems.” “And you didn’t think to question how he knew about your situation? Or why he would even care?” “Well yeah, to begin with, but I was sold on the idea immediately.” Dash gave a long sigh and turned horizontal in the air. “If you get rid of all this fodder and never try anything as stupid as this again, then I won’t make a case of it.” “Oh thank you so much, kind ma’am!” Tears of joy rolled down her the pegasus’ eyes. She was about to add something but Dash was already on her way. The promises of a reward were uninteresting to Dash. She flew straight back to Azzan’s office through the opened window and found the zebra still sitting behind his desk. “I was just told Czarina plans to make a generous donation to the police station. Looks like we can get some decent coffee for a change.” He grinned loudly but Dash remained impassive. “A job well done, kid. Hey, don’t go anywhere yet. I have another one for you while you’re at it.”