//------------------------------// // Night Two // Story: The Four and One Erebi Nights // by RandomBlank //------------------------------// The Four and One Erebi Nights or The Two Industrious Fillies. Night Two during which the reading of Yeherebi gets interrupted, with dire consequences. It all started nice enough. Twilight was a charming pony and brought chocolates. She showed up well before sunset, but he didn’t mind - she always tipped generously too. They started with a chat at the table and he convinced her to wait till the two kids show up. ("You would not want to get interrupted, would you?") Sure enough, maybe five minutes later he heard rather violent kicking at his door. Twilight was sitting in a deep armchair, hidden from the door, but she could hear the whole conversation. "Service us, Zebra." "I told you you are too young. Besides, I have a guest." "A bunch of horseapples! We have booked you for the whole night!" "No, not you." "The previous reservation got cancelled!" "And how would you two know that?" "I... ah... I heard it from my mom." "Your mom has no clue who my appointee was." "Mom has friends with the phone company!" "Look, my appointee is a very cultured nice lady. She would never shout racial slurs into the receiver. The place of the appointment didn’t match either. Silver Spoon, using this kind of language is completely unacceptable in social spheres to which you aspire!" Diamond Tiara threw the zebra a loathsome glare. "You think you have won?! You will see! You won’t get out of prison for that!" They turned and slammed the door shut. Ice Pack went back to the table, and sat heavily. "Miss Sparkle, would you testify for me before the court?" "Oh, I think I’ll have a word with their father first. They definitely need to be put in their place. And don’t worry, if bad comes to worse - I heard more than enough. Now, if you please..." Twilight stood up from the armchair and lay on the couch, stretching sensuously. Ice Pack threw a glance outside. It was still barely past sunset, and Twilight wasn’t a very demanding customer. Then Twilight dug under the pillows with her hoof, with increased panic. She lifted them all with her magic. And there, she found the eviscerated, abandoned piece of Yeherebi. The pillows rained down. She started crying uncontrollably, holding the unfortunate piece of the book. She looked with so much despise at Ice Pack, that he fell to knees in front of her. "Please, forgive me. This... It was a necessity. A world-wide emergency." Twilight looked at him, her eyes filled with incredulity and tears. "No morning would come until the book is read whole. Only through this barbaric means could I assure sunrise." Twilight still sobbed. "Why? How?" "A thousand years ago premature destruction of the fourth tome left the world in darkness for days. I can not let the history repeat. Yesterday this one was read. Three nights remain." There was solemn seriousness in his voice. And so, Twilight replied, choking back on tears. "Give it a decent burial." "How does one bury a book?" "A pyre. This is how I lay my books to rest. The ones that didn’t survive children." "I will then burn all four parts, once they served their purpose." "But I hope... you’ll forgive me... but I don’t think I’m in the mood anymore." "Can I give you a comforting hug instead? No charge." "O-okay..." Ice Pack sat by Twilight and held her as she rested her head in his masculine chest and sobbed her tears at the epic poetry so barbarically maltreated. "Let me tell you something that should cheer you up," he whispered, while rocking her gently. "Do you know The Legend of the Hay House"? "Yes, who doesn’t? I don’t really like all the betrayal and bloodshed, but..." Twilight’s mind was off to the new world already. "But I adore the mental strength of some characters..." "Like Jirvana?" "Oh, yes... To go through all this secretly!" "The editors of the book got her name wrong. It was Jorvina." "How do you know? Did you find any manuscripts?" "Better than that. I got her personal account of the events." "Can you show it to me?" Twilight’s eyes shone, the tears forgotten. "No, I said personal. She told me." "Now," Twilight frowned. "The book was written good 900 years ago and the events described were an old legend by then already. How do you claim you got her personal testimony?" "Now, now... that would be telling on my customers. I may ask her if she would like to meet you in person...” “If you’re making this up, I’m going to be angry.” There was a knock on the door. Ice Pack frowned. The sky was still bright, and the stars just began showing up. Some customer with a question about appointment? He stood up and walked up to the door. He opened. His jaw dropped. Brighter coat than usual, though still far from cerulean, but with mane in softer, brighter blue, and with a narrow dagger pointing down for a cutie mark, the slim, tall unicorn mare stood in the door. “You seemed so fascinated by it yesterday, that I thought I’d wear this disguise for you tonight.” “I... uh... I did not quite expect you this early. My previous customer is still inside. Should I ask her to leave?” “Did I interrupt something?” “No, not really.” he thought how closely he avoided an embarrassing moment. “I don’t mind. Ask her if she minds me.” Ice Pack turned to the inside and made a face to Twilight, waving his hooves and pointing to the door alarmed, his mouth moving in voiceless “It is her!” Twilight nodded eagerly. Ice Pack invited the blue mare in. Twilight froze. Sure that was a disguise, but that was one extremely well done magical disguise. Her own magic noticed the seams of the spell only because she knew where to look and studied this kind of magic very hard after the changeling invasion, to be able to tell them apart from ponies. Of course this wasn’t a changeling, the set of seams was absolutely different than theirs. This was a mage, and a very competent one. That coat, that mane... “Trixie?” The blue unicorn giggled, turning to her. “No, Twilight Sparkle. Although we have met on a few occasions. Keep trying. You will get it right eventually.” “You know me?!” “Quite well, and let me assure, I have read your friendship reports and I believe we like each other better than you and Trixie.” “You read my...?!” Twilight gasped, aghast. “Why the surprise? Excuse me, but I am one of the very top secret agents of the royal guard after all. I do receive access to all the top secret documents and Princess Celestia trusts me completely.” “Then why do you reveal yourself to me?” “This cover has been blown good twelve hundred years ago. There is no harm in you learning it. And there is no harm in my...” Jorvina stumbled visibly, just before speaking a word too much, “...my benevolent employer’s most faithful and trusted student finding my identity. Of course you are under an oath to preserve my true identity if you discover it.” She giggled a little, then took one of the lavish couches. Ice Pack brought one more teacup and filled it from the pot for the new guest. She accepted it and took a sip. “You know,” she said over the cup, “a simple good tea in nice company is more enjoyable than best psychosomatically engineered coffee. And I’m sorry for surprising you with the early arrival...” “Oh, no, that is my fault.” The zebra waved his hooves. “There was a mix-up at the agency. Some ponies tried to cancel your appointment. And miss Sparkle somehow landed the arguably freed time slot.” “Yes,” Twilight nodded, “If I’m overstaying my welcome, throw me one frown and I’m gone.” “That will not be necessary probably for another few hours yet. I have decided to come this early because it’s still good half an hour of travel from Canterlot here on wing, and that was the least thing I could do to stop myself from invading the castle library and helping myself to their copy of Yeherebi. And you know how would that end. I can perform my duties from here just as well as from the Palace, so after I finish them we’ll be able to start with the book immediately. Now excuse me if I’m a little absent-minded over the next hour or two...” Twilight began adding two and two, but still waited to observe the spells. It wasn’t infrequent as she’d observe her teacher tend to her duties of raising the Sun, adjusting the seasonal temperature change, guiding the tectonic plates drift or reigniting fires of prisons of pre-ancient monsters. Now this magic was different but so similar that in no more than another ten minutes she knew for sure. “How comes a Princess works as a Secret Agent?!” “So, you guessed. Well, for a secret agent to be successful nobody can suspect their true identity. Now seeing your disbelief, this is precisely the effect I strive for. And the law grants the agents some far-going liberties, far beyond what a princess is allowed.” “So, Jorvina, not Jirvana, right?” Twilight grinned. “And as I borrowed the book from the library today, it seems many more facts are off.” “I have an idea,” Ice Pack stood up and walked up to the shelf. “What about loud reading with the protagonist’s commentary?” He was met with two big smiles, so he brought the book and began reading, as Princess Luna would interrupt her spellcasting now and then to add or correct something. Upon the top of a bare mountain, lashed by rain, snow and wind for centuries, stood the ancient House of the infamous dynasty of Hay. “...It was in a lush dale at the feet of two mountains, protected from the elements, always mild though often veiled in mists. No snowflake touched the roof of the Hay House in its history...” ⁂ That was mighty brave of you, Jirvana. Would you care to join my daughters? “...Just the name. The rest is all true, word for word, nod for nod. I can’t help but wonder who gave account this accurate...” Ice Pack bookmarked the page and closed the book. They got through the first two chapters as Luna finished her “chores.” She took slightly longer than usually due to the interruptions, but she found this mode of work far more enjoyable. “Thank you for that, Princess!” Twilight bowed low. “I’ll be going now.” “Feel free to stay for the reading of Yeherebi.” “Oh, I couldn’t! This must be so deeply personal for you!” “It is, but... your company is most welcome!” “Still, I told Spike I’ll be back before midnight, and I’m absolutely sure I could not stop and go home midway through such a reading...” “Well then, have a nice evening!” “I already had!” she grinned and trotted to the exit. “Oh, and I’d forget!” she produced a small satchel of coins and left it on the table. “Mister Ice Pack, enormous thanks for your services tonight. It was more enjoyable than ever before!” The zebra slumped. As much as he enjoyed the evening, that really, really hurt his male pride. “And Twilight!” the princess called as the unicorn was already halfway out through the door. “Drop in tomorrow too!” “Of course!” The door clicked and the zebra went to the kitchen to bring another piece of the cadaver of the book. Soon he was back with the tea and a piece that looked even sorrier than the previous one. They settled down, took a drink, and he read the last lines of what he had spoiled under duress. From then on, it would be all new for Luna... Do you think, young Jinai it’s so plain? Both your love and your revenge can win? Why the lives of the two are so bound? Where does depth of your distress begin? Do not hope to save her and kill him. You will not have enough time for it. If you return the sword to Kyui, Emir learns, and your life is forfeit. ⁂ They were hardly more than halfway through, when a hard knock on the door was heard. “Open up! Police!” Then, before Ice Pack got to reach the door, it burst open and two policeponies stormed in in - a bay unicorn and an olive pegasus. Without paying much attention to anything the pegasus knocked Ice Pack on the floor, while the unicorn began beating his back with a baton. “Can’t stay away from young flesh, you scoundrel?! You won’t get away with community service this time!” “What is that?!” Luna shouted. “You stay out of this, lady. This scoundrel here has raped two young fillies no longer than two hours ago!” “He could absolutely not, because he was with me the whole time! Now will you please let him go!” “Listen, lady,” the pegasus stepped to her in a threatening manner. “You stay out of this. Perjury is a serious crime so you’d better have some proofs to support your words. Trying to cover up for a rapist is not welcome around here. Not to mention everypony will learn you spent a night with a known call-pony, which I’m sure will do wonders to your reputation.” “Oh, no. First, I witnessed you brutally beating an innocent citizen who wasn’t given as much as a chance to yield. Then you try to stop me from speaking the truth. Now what kind of service for the public is that?” “Cuffs, I think this lady doesn’t really understand the term ‘authorities’ here. Bring her along.” The unicorn approached. “You are under arrest, lady. Follow us and do not try to resist.” “Now under what charges?” He knocked himself on the leg with his own baton. “Ow-ow-ow, why did you do that? Assault on officer on duty.” “You are making a big mistake here, mister. I suggest you correct your ways while you can.” she frowned. The baton floated in front of her face. “Now, miss, don’t make me use this on you. Don’t think I will hesitate because you’re a mare.” Luna decided to play along for now, really, really mad at the two but quite convinced they are just the very bottom of a much bigger pile of rotten apples. “All right, cuff me.” she said. ⁂ The small police station and the jail were both in the basement of the town hall. The two were led down there and an elder policepony with long mustache began registering Luna. “Name?” “Jorvina.” “We don’t have any ‘Jorvina’ in our records. Your real name.” “As an operative of the intelligence I am under no obligation to give you my name. Jorvina is my current operative name and you’re under obligation to accept it.” “Stop making up fancy stories, we’re not in a sensational spy book. This is the real life, miss. Your real name.” “Verify this with the Canterlot Guard.” “Ha-ha-ha, and with Princess Celestia too, right? Here, ‘refuses to give real name’, this doesn’t bide well to you.” “Refusal to acknowledge the authority of operative of the Intelligence is a serious crime, sergeant.” The old policepony laughed. “You’re funny. Cell number two, next to the rapist. You both will be tried in the morning.” Luna was led to the cell in the jail. She lay on the simple cot with Ice Pack on the other side of the bars. She healed his bruises with her magic. “Thank you, Princess, but really, you don’t have to stay with me. I’m sure miss Twilight will testify in my favor and I’ll be all right.” “No,” she whispered. “Nothing is all right. They broke in and disrupted the reading of Yeherebi. They will suffer greatly. All of them.” “You know you have the right to one phone call? I have nopony to call, but you might...” “Oh. I wonder if I should get my sister involved. Uhhh... that’s soo tempting. All right. I’m sure she’ll be ecstatic to be woken up past midnight by her sister calling from jail.” Luna stood up and approached the bars. “Officer, I want to call somepony.” “Heh, make it quick!” he stood up from behind his desk, unlocked the door and led Luna to the phone. Luna checked the big phonebook finding the Canterlot Castle extension, still, she held it at such an angle so that the curious officer could not peek. She called it, then added the twentieth element of Friesionacci sequence... A long signal. Another. “Look, nobody’s there, go back to your cell.” “My sister is a heavy sleeper. She will take some time to wake up.” The policepony frowned but he waited. “You have another minute.” Finally the sleepy voice answered. “Who’s there?” “It’s me, sis. I’m calling from the Ponyville police station.” “Why?! Did something happen? Did somepony steal anything from you?” “I’ve been arrested for, imagine this, assault on officer on duty.” “You assaulted an officer on duty?!” “No, I did not. I just talked back and he arrested me under phony reason. There’s a pony in a cell next to mine, to be tried for rape on small fillies, which was supposed to occur while we were reading a book together.” Then Luna heard the long signal. The elder officer was holding his baton on the hook. “Now now, miss, talking lies over the phone on nice officers is not very nice. You will return to the cell now.” Luna turned obediently, and the guard locked the bars behind her, then hid the keys out of range of unicorn powers. “How did it go?” Ice Pack muttered. “She knows. I wonder what she does now.” Without much more to do the two went to sleep. Not before, though, Luna producing some very special astral projections for the “nice policeponies” to visit them in their dreams.