//------------------------------//
// Mission 1: Almaty 
// Story: Semper Pie 
// by deathtap 
//------------------------------//

As the airship landed, Glitter could not get over how alien the land below looked. She was not used to seeing so much wilderness. Once they had disembarked from the last port there were hardly any places of civilization. Sure she spotted a few hamlets here and there, usually next to a large body of water, but all in all it was pure, virgin land. She had never seen the jungles of Zebrica before, and even from her vantage it looked intimidating and uninviting. What creatures dwelt beneath the dense canopy, she could only imagine.

She was standing on the forecastle of the ship leaning against the ropes, her hair billowing in the cool morning air. It was said that on a clear day, from a good altitude, you could see the beginnings of the vast desert that stretched out after the jungles; an ocean of sand that stretched as far as the eye could see. Few Equestrians had ever ventured that far, and fewer still had actually ventured over it. As far as anypony knew, no pony had ever crossed it and tales of the far off lands beyond the dusty expanse were shrouded in mystery and myth.

Almaty was a strange little town. It was located in an extraordinary protrusion that seemed to push right into the heart of Zebrica. The border formed right up until it touched the great Nyoka Mto, otherwise known as Snake River for how it bent, swayed and doubled back on itself in several places in large u-turn, giving the end of the boundary and edge that looked like a hoof on a map. 

On both sides were tall snow-capped mountain ranges, their peaks higher than the clouds themselves. They were so steep and sharp that they were practically cliff faces. The mountains halted suddenly and descended into the think jungles, but along its interior was a nearly flat, rocky desert. Nothing grew here. That was the way it remained until they reached the end of the mountains it was only after that the grass returned to the landscape. The mountain slopes were so steep that it almost looked as if it were split in two by a giant axe. 

Explorers claimed this valley on behalf of the princess, pushing as far as they could go until it was clear that the land beyond the river belonged other creatures not willing to give up their homes for anypony. Celestia, on the other hoof, had ordered that any exploration into that area was to be done only as observation. The only reason why she knew that was because of a footnote in the mission brief.

Glitter had to admire that about the Zebricans. Despite most of the Equestrian population ignorant of them, they were numerous, having huge cities that rivaled the size and majesty of Canterlot. However, most of them seemed to prefer living the dangerous jungles convinced that they lived in harmony with nature. She wondered why that was. Still, it was what made them intimidating. Or perhaps it was because their lives were shrouded in mystery. Their culture was an enigma to outsiders. Maybe that was the reason why Semper was to go and learn from them? She remembered the mission and its objectives, but the Semper was a soldier, not a diplomat. Was he the right pony for the job?

There were no Border Guard airships stationed in this area. There were several reasons for this, the foremost being that because of the mountains it was impossible for airships to sneak through that way. The wind was too violent, making the valley the only corridor available. Even then only smaller vessels could navigate the treacherous airways as larger ones would find themselves being pushed into the sides of the mountains. Every once in a while a small patrol would venture out towards Almaty, but not regularly. 

According to the reports, the townsfolk did not seem to mind very much. After all, without the Guard other ships could fill the void and run the shipping route. This allowed businesses to flourish. There was even an annual race where tiny airships, enough for two ponies, would race up and down the valley through the trickiest time of the year. The autumn fall. With the pegasi in Equestria pushing out the warm clouds for the coming winter, the winds that get funneled through the corridor create some amazing turbulence where ambitious ponies ply their skills for fame and wealth. 

Glitter was looking forwards to seeing that. There were rumors of infamous pirates that usually hid beyond Equestria's borders making an appearance, allowing their crew to take part or gambling their loot away. Further to the west and east the Border Guards had their fleets to ensure that shipping lanes were kept pirate-free. Despite there being raids on occasion, few were ever successful and most pirates ended up in a Border Guard dungeon for a long time before they were send to the nearest royal court for sentencing, which usually found them guilty and sent them back into the dungeons. 

The corridor to Almaty was really something to behold. Those that came from Zebrica had a special name for it. They called the Mwezi Bonde, or the Lunar Valley. Eventually the mountains and valley ended and lowered slightly before melting into a large open plain where the town sat. 

"Ready to descend. Watch the crosswinds. It gets tricky here," shouted the captain as he stood on the main deck made the crew spring into action folding in the sails and slowly letting out the gas from the balloon slowing the momentum of the ship as it descended steadily.

As Glitter looked at the crew doing their jobs, her eyes found the blue stallion standing next to her staring off into the distance. When had he got there? Had he been there long? How had she not noticed him? She sighed inwardly and pushed the thoughts out of her mind. Trying to explain how Semper did things was becoming increasingly difficult. The only explanation she could conjure up was that he was able to do these things because he was Semper Pie. Surprisingly, the explanation seemed to be enough.

"Easy as she goes," the captain called out again as the vessel neared the large grassy field. 

A few sheep that were grazing scattered as they spotted the ship. Perhaps they were clearing the way, or perhaps they were scared that it was some large predator. Sheep, unlike some species of cows, were not sentient. 

"Drop anchors!" 

"Drop anchors!" another crewpony shouted. 

Two dull thuds sounded as the objects in question hit the ground. Unlike in their aquatic counterparts, airships had their anchors along the midsection. The ship drifted a little more before the ropes grew taught, the prongs burrowing into the ground. Only then did it stop moving completely.

"Alright lads, and lass, tighten the winches and dock her. And be sure to let our guests know that we've arrived."

"Aye, sir!" the crew responded, the winches screaming into action as the hull was pulled the last few feet towards the ground.

Almost as soon as the hull touched the grass, the gangplank was lowered from deck. Several ponies, excluding Semper and herself, disembarked. Glitter noted that Semper had his gear with him. He always seemed to have everything he needed whenever he needed it. If there was one good thing she could say about the earth pony, it was that he was always ready. Ready for whatever came his way. It was also one of the things that annoyed her the most about him.

"I need to get my gear," Glitter informed. 

Semper nodded and tightened his grip on his weapons and bag. "I will meet you on the field."

"Yeah. Sure."

As she walked away she took note that some of the crewponies were tying off some more ropes after hammering some pegs into the ground. After that they began to deflate what was left in the balloon. 

"Not too much. Just enough so she doesn't float away should the line snap," the first mate shouted to a fellow crew.

"Aye, sir!"

The first mate turned and spotted her and saluted sloppily. She tried not to make a face, but must have failed.

The captain walked past and bowed. "Ah, Miss Glitter. Hope that your trip with us was comfortable. It is always an honor to travel with the Guard, not to mention the benefits we receive."

"Not really one to hold back your opinion, are you, captain?" Glitter smirked at the rogue. 

He stroked his beard and laughed. "Aye. I've never been one to hide behind fancy words. I call 'em as I see 'em. By the by, your partner is an earth pony, is he not?"

"He is."

The captain nodded slowly. "Just... I've never seen an earth pony wear the red plume before. The Day and Night Guards usually have them, but never the Border-"

"I can understand your confusion, but I can assure you that he is the real deal. Don't let his quiet demeanor fool you. He's not the kind of pony you want to cross. Trust me."

"Miss, I work with earth ponies all the time. Two in my crew in fact. My navigator's an earth pony, and you know, I've got nothing but respect and admiration for 'em. Still, be warned, this sentiment does not extend to every pony, especially this far into the wild. You might find yourself a nice home, but as for your friend-"

"He is not my friend. He's just another Guard," Glitter corrected the captain.

The captain remained silent for a beat. "As you say. Just, there are those that are... ignorant of the company they keep. Well, I've got to unload some goods, so I guess this is where we part ways. Watch yourself out here. This isn't like what you're used to anymore. A lot of ponies that come out this far go home in a box." As he said this, a loud groan echoed through the ship. The left side of the hull opened itself up and the crew we lowering it to form a ramp. They then started pushing out the stored cargo.

She watched for a few minutes before she spotted a cart being pulled coming from the town. The passengers that had left all stopped and made way for it, bowed their heads, and waited for the cart to pass them by before continuing their walk. Curious, she followed the first mate and captain down into the hold. She now found herself looking down a ramp that was formed by the hull folding out, the cart being reversed closer.

Then the two Border Guard in full armor stood side by side and saluted. "Permission to come aboard!"

"Aye. Granted," the captain gestured with his hoof.

A red glow swirled around the back of the cart and the tailgate lowered gently. Then a mixture of red and blue appeared on two halves of the first box, on top of which was a severely damaged helm. They brought it right up to the end of the hold and gently placed it down. Afterwards they returned and did the same with the second box, similarly with an equally damaged helm on it. Then finally the third was placed next to the other two, this one the helm was relatively intact. They then took two steps back and saluted each coffin twice. This was tradition for all the Guard. The fallen were always saluted twice. Once to acknowledge them, then again to say goodbye. 

She placed her helm on her head and also saluted. A Guard always saluted a fallen Guard with their helm on. To have a Guard salute you was a sign of deep respect, for as a Royal Guard it is as if the Princess herself were tipping her head towards you. The unicorns turned and saluted her, once, and marched out of the hold. Neither had said a word to her, nor her to them.

They all let the silence linger.

Eventually the captain placed a hoof on Glitter's shoulder. "Don't fret. For all we know, those coffins have been here for some time."

"Maybe. I know that it isn't a common route. But to see a Border Guard going home like that..." She had no more words.

The captain nodded sadly. "I can only guess what it feels like. I wouldn't want to be the family. These coffins are going straight back the way we came. I've got to help unload, so don't let me keep you."

"Thank you, captain."

Heading back the way she came, she made her way towards her quarters. They were located next to the captain's. She was the only pony, apart from the captain, that had her own room. It was nothing extravagant, basically a broom closet with a hammock, but she had loved even that tiny bit of privacy. Semper had almost forced her into it and granted that she did not try very hard to resist.  

She had once she had gone to check on Semper just to find out where he was bunking. She spent over an hour looking and had not found any trace of him. Fearing the worst, she was about to raise the alarm when one of the crew informed her that he was helping the night watch in the crow's nest located on top of the balloon. His job was to spot potential lightning clouds and other floating hazardous objects. That was where he stayed during the majority of the voyage. How he had managed to get up there was a mystery to her. She somehow doubted that one of the pegasi had helped him up on their backs. Semper was not light, which she knew this because of their drills together. The earth pony was solid. Sure, she could lift him in a throw, but lately she found herself steering clear of any sort of contact with Semper. She hated to admit it, but he had become better than her at CQC. 

A lot better.

Soon everything she had brought was neatly packed away, not that there very much in the first place. Glitter had made sure to only take things out of her bag that were not necessary if something were to happen to the ship she could just grab her gear and make for a life raft. Things that she felt she could spare were a bar of soap, a toothbrush and a tiny tube of toothpaste just enough for the trip. However her manebrush, on the other hoof, was something she would never allow herself to lose. It was her grandmother's, and something of a family heirloom. It was silly, but she was very attached to it. Why she had left it on her hammock made her want to kick her own rear for breaking her own rule.

With everything ready, Glitter stepped out of the ship opting to go through the ramp in the cargo hull instead of the gangplank on deck, and set hoof on the grassy field. 

The first thing that she noticed was how strange the grass felt under her hooves. Unlike the kind back home, which was soft and edible, this felt sharp and rough. The mere thought about taking even the smallest nibble made her sick to her stomach. Perhaps it was the rough, dark green pigmentation. No doubt that it looked beautiful, but it still felt unappetizing. Was it because they were so close to the jungle? According to the guide that she was given before embarking on this mission, and given to any Guards stationed along this border, the plants were highly toxic some to the point of it being fatal. So, as a cardinal rule, if it grows and is fresh, don't eat it.

Not that she would have. Eating grass from the ground seemed so backward, yet she knew of many ponies who did it anyway. Usually the older generations who did not feel funny when younger ponies stared at them when they did it. It was the thought of the fact that many ponies could have walked over it, creatures could have done their business on it, and all sorts of things. That's really what made it so unappealing.

She looked around and spotted the other passengers now approaching a wooden wall and gate. Obviously that was one of the entrances to the town of Almaty. According to the reports she had read, this did not sound like the main gate. It did fit the descriptions of the smaller side ones, but as to which one she could not say.

Memorizing as much of the area as she could, Glitter found herself taking in the beauty of where she was. Despite being able to see it throughout the entire duration of the flight, seeing everything ground the ground made it all seem so much grander. The mountains towered into the heavens, the valley stretched into the distance, the town of Almaty sat snugly on one of the mountain's laps, and the dense, impenetrable jungle stretched out before her as far as her eyes could see. 

"Wow," she whispered.

"Excuse me?" a voice asked from next to her.

Glitter yelped in surprise as a stallion seemed to suddenly appear.

"Oops. Sorry. Didn't mean to scare ya, just thought you were talking to me." The pony rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously.

"Cool it, hot shot. Remember she's a Guard, she knows a creepy pony when she sees one," another pony remarked.

She recognized the both of them as members of the crew from the ship. As to what they were doing, she had no idea.

"All right you all. Take a number." The captain shuffled some playing cards and then held them out. 

One by one the ponies picked one card and raised it up into the air.

"You know the drill. Lowest numbers are first, aces highest, then followed by suit. Heart first, then club, then diamond, then spade." The captain looked as the ponies began sorting themselves out. He hoofed them each a small bag, and made them sign something. Soon the last of the ponies put down their signature and the captain shut his book. "Well, that's it. You're all off. This here's your pay, only half, mind you. I still need you back tomorrow," the captain said as he handed small bags to his crew. "So, enjoy yourselves and don't get locked up this time. I'm talking to you, Dusty."

"Aye, aye, sir!"

"Don't you 'aye, aye' me. Just don't let me hear that you've been thrown into the slammer again. I won't wait for you and you can explain to your ma why you were left behind."

"Okay, pa-"

The captain put his hoof up. The universal sign for 'shut your gob'. "No. When we're out on a job I'm your captain first. I'm only your pa when jobs done. Got it?"

"Aye, sir," the young stallion groaned.

"Good. Now get going. Have fun, but not too much fun."

At that the crew broke up and went on their merry way.

Glitter had observed her surroundings and got a feel for the place. This was one of the lessons she had learned when she was a recruit and she remembered how the Sorcery Sergeant grilled it into her. She had no idea it was so incredibly important but she hoped that when the time came to learn it would be a lesson she could take home with her. Alive.

Suddenly she felt a presence behind her that startled her.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," she mumbled refusing to turn around so that the blue stallion would see the flush in her cheeks.

"Sorry."

She calmed herself and looked over to him. His steel-like eyes were looking at the jungle. She was unable to really tell what emotion he was feeling, but if she had to guess it would have been excitement. There was just something about him. A slight twinkle in the very back of his pupils. The silence was beginning to get awkward, but what could she say? It was her fault for not noticing him despite telling herself just seconds ago how important was to remain observant and to take note of the surroundings. If anything, she had just taught herself a very harsh lesson. 

Don't forget about Semper.

"Let's go." Glitter walked on ahead. 

They walked side by side in silence. It was not that she didn't want to talk to the stallion, it was that they had nothing to talk about. Semper rarely talked, so conversation was a rare phenomenon. Rumor had it that he had scarcely talked to any of his squad-mates, and other Border Guard seemed to avoid talking to Semper altogether. She had doubted the authenticity of the rumors until she herself had been put into that very position. 

"No harm in trying again," she muttered to herself. She paused and allowed Semper to catch up with her. "So... I heard that your family came for the graduation. Did they like it?"

"Yes."

"Oh? That's great. Um... you have any siblings?" she asked trying not to let the momentum die down.

"Four sisters. Younger. I'm the oldest."

"R-really? What are their names?" Glitter wanted to pat herself on the back. This was the most she had gotten out of him ever.

"Muad, Limestone, Pinkemina and Marble."

"Oh? How old, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Maud is seven years younger. Limestone is ten. Pinkie is thirteen. Marble is seventeen years younger than me; she will be one this year."

Glitter did the math in her head. "Your parents started early-" she cut herself off. "I'm sorry. That was inappropriate."

Semper nodded. "It was."

And just like that the conversation disappeared. She wanted to know. She was dying to know. What had happened all those years ago. Did his father knock his mother up and forced them to marry? Where had they met? What is love or did they marry each other out of convenience? All this questions flitted through her mind.

If she wanted answers, Semper was the wrong pony to ask.

They eventually joined the large dirt road that came out of the valley and headed straight towards Almaty. From this vantage they could see the large wooden doors of the main gate. A number of Border Guards stood there, some along the bottom keeping an eye on ponies entering and exiting, others stood around the upper levels. It seemed normal enough.

Despite the number of ponies, Glitter was quite surprised at just how small Almaty was. A wave of nostalgia overcame her for a moment as she thought back to her hometown. Not exactly the same, but the small-town feel was unmistakable. It further added to the feeling that she did not want to be here at all. She had cursed Semper practically nonstop since their departure from the training facility despite knowing that it was not really his fault at all. She needed to blame somepony for her misery and he was the easiest target, and likeliest candidate.

As they stood at the entrance, Semper turned and faced the jungle. 

"What?" Glitter asked, not seeing what he did.

Semper pointed towards a particularly large clump of bushes. "A friend."

A zebra suddenly stepped out from where Semper had been pointing. He placed his bow on the ground, then his large knife. She did not need to turn around to know that every crossbow had been trained on him. 

Semper walked towards the zebra and placed a hoof on his shoulder. The zebra did the same. Glitter knew that this was the traditional greeting of various tribes in this area. She had read about it and also knew who the zebra in question was. He had helped Ruby track down the cultists a while back.

"Ah, welcome back to the edge of your kingdom, Semper Pie, you'll be pleased to know from here we walk, not fly." 

"It is good to see you as well, Zaku. Let me introduce Lance Corporal Golden Glitter. She will be my point of contact while I am in Zebrica with you," Semper stated gesturing to Glitter with his hoof.

Zaku bowed his head politely. "It is good to meet you, Miss Glitter, although I wasn't aware that Semper needed a baby-sitter."

"He doesn't. Me being here is some sort of joke... not that I mean that it's a joke being here," Glitter quickly added, she did not want to seem as if she was insulting his country.

"Please take a breath, relax and be at ease, I do have a sense of humor if you please," Zaku replied with a friendly smile.

"Oh. Well, thank you. It's just that Semper isn't somepony who needs help, and I don't like acting as the messenger." Glitter glowered at Semper again.

Semper, on the other hoof, was just staring off into the jungle beyond.

The Zebrican laughed and nodded. "Do not worry about being bored out here, this town gets a lot of action, I fear."

"What do you mean?" Glitter asked.

"Almaty has had its share of troubles as of late, enough to warrant aid from mercenaries at any rate," Zaku replied. "Rumor has it that problems occur frequently, but as to what I do not know; it's swathed in secrecy."

"Secrecy, huh?" Glitter mumbled. She couldn't resist a good mystery.

A loud, fake cough came from behind Glitter.

She turned around and immediately saluted the pony once she recognized who it was. There was no question as to his identity; she had read about him in the set of files she was given. This was Master Sergeant Void Crest in charge of the entire sector. Almaty may officially be a small farming town, but it was also the center of Border Guard operations. The largest number of Guards for the entire vicinity was located in that town.

Unlike the Royal Guard where each uniform possessed a vanity spell that changed the hues of their coats and manes so they all looked almost identical, Border Guard uniforms did not. Void stepped towards the two of them, this thick black coat glistened as he stepped walked around them a few times. The long red plume lazily billowing in the wind.

"So, you're the newcomers, eh? And two Lance Corporals at that. A fine addition to our forces here." 

Glitter looked at the stallion closer and noticed his hazel eyes. 

As his eyes met hers she diverted her gaze. It was disrespectful to look a senior officer in the eye. Besides they seemed so cold. The look in Semper's eyes was one thing, but Void's were something else entirely. She could not describe the sensation.

Glitter stomped his hoof and saluted again. "Sir, I'm afraid there's been a mistake, sir. I am here as a point of contact for Lance Corporal Semper Pie, sir. His orders are to head to Zebrica and-"

The Master Sergeant narrowed his eyes. "I need all the hooves I can get in this Celestia-forsaken place."

"But sir-"

"I outrank you, Corporal. Do you need any more explanation than that?" Void said back calmly. 

For the first time in a long time Glitter felt an overwhelming irritation against a superior officer. She was not stupid, she knew that at the base she was given a lot of freedom because of her position as a trainer. Although he was right about the fact that he did outrank her, the orders that she had received came from a pony that outranked him. 

Problem was by the time she wrote a letter and let the First Sergeant know about this it would have been too late to actually do anything. It took several days to get all the way out here and that was with the airship scheduled purposely to take them all the way. Without that, who knew how long it would have taken to get a letter sent all the way back?

She did the smart thing. "No sir."

"Good. All you need to do is heed my orders, is that clear?"

"But sir..."

"Is that clear, Lance Corporal?"

Glitter opened her mouth to reply only to have Semper step forward in front of her.

"Sir, I am unable to comply due to my orders, sir. Sir, First Sergeant Ruby Flame has given explicit instructions to head immediately to Zebrica once I arrived in Almaty, sir."

Void sneered. "I don't care what your orders are! Do you know how rare it is to get recruits sent here? You are going to stay and do what I tell you, do you understand that?" 

Semper remained silent.

"I said: do you understand?" the Sergeant screamed in the stallion's face.

Semper still remained silent. 

Glitter gulped and stared at the two stallions. It was something to behold. It was as if an unstoppable force met an immovable object. Neither one seemed to relent, and both seemed fully capable of standing their ground. 

Still, something had to give. It seemed that in this one case the immovable object did stop the unstoppable force.

"Are you deaf?" Void shouted before he threw his hoof up and struck Semper hard across the maw. 

The blow made Glitter wince and look away.

Still Semper remained silent.

"Answer me!" 

The only thing Semper did was blink.

Void's hazel eyes grew narrow and with a swiftness that Glitter could barely keep track of the stallion darted down and brought his hoof up as hard as possible against Semper's chin in a ferocious uppercut. 

The impact snapped Semper's head straight up, his forehooves leaving the ground for a brief moment and he remained gazing into the Equestrian sky for a full two seconds. Then, slowly, he brought his head back down and faced Void without any expression whatsoever. Not his face, his voice or his body language. Semper did not talk, did not blink, did not react.

This did not amuse Void, whose horn began to glow a bright reddish glow.

Glitter made to do something but Semper moved his head ever so slightly to the side. The tiny movement was enough for her to stop and think about what she was about to do.

In that span of what had been no more than a few seconds, Void charged his magic and unleashed a bolt of light from his horn. It hit Semper full on sending him flying back a few feet; the explosion enough to push Glitter back a step. This caused Semper slide on his hooves until he came to a stop. Then the unthinkable happened. Semper wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his lips, stood up straight, eyes focusing forwards again and remained silent. It was as if the attack had done nothing.

That made Void do a double-take. There was a vicious glint in his eye as his sword began to glow.

"Sir, this is Semper Pie, sir. The first earth pony Border Guard, sir!" Glitter shouted, perhaps a little too quickly. She had unconsciously taken a step forward towards Void. Even if he was a superior officer, she was not about to let him draw a sword against Semper. 

And it wasn't because she was afraid that Semper would get hurt.

"An earth pony? You're an earth pony? What are you doing in that uniform? What-" the stallion stopped himself and released his telekinectic grip from his blade. He spat on the ground and laughed mirthlessly. "I have no use for a pony that has no magic or cannot fly. So be it. Go on then. Head to Zebrica. I don't know why you're in the Border Guard, and I don't know how you've managed to earn that rank, but it matters little to me now. I don't have a used for you, and so you can go on your merry way. But as for you, Lance Corporal, you will remain here under my command. Understood?"

Glitter looked at Semper, who gave her a very slight, barely noticeable nod. 

Why was she even looking for his approval? "Yes, sir!"

"And you. Get out of here, grounder. And take that zigger with you."

Glitter gasped. It was one thing to call an earth pony a grounder, but to call a Zebra a zigger? She turned her head slightly to look at the Zebrican with them. Zaku had narrowed his eyes at the black unicorn. 

"What? You want to start something, zigger?" Void asked this time drawing his blade.

Zaku moved ever so slightly, but Semper put a hoof on his foreleg. They exchanged a look and with that, swinging his bag over his shoulder, Semper headed towards the dense jungle without further comment. Zaku waited for a few more seconds before following the blue pony. 

Would he have actually used the sword on them? Glitter wondered to herself as she followed Void towards Almaty. A part of her somehow felt that it was the Sergeant who was in grave danger during that entire ordeal, not the Zebra and especially not Semper Pie.





How long had it been now? She peered at the sky and counted the days. A month. One entire month she had been living in this small town. She could scarcely believe it. An entire month doing the same daily routine day in and out. An entire month eating the same food in the mess. An entire month exposed to racist bigotry of the Guard, and especially from the commander. She could not help but feel especially disgusted at him. He was supposed to represent Equestria in these parts, but if he was showing Zebrica that attitude towards them then it was no wonder that the Zebricans despised them.

The local earth pony populace seemed to keep to themselves, and rarely interacted with the Guard. She was one of the few that managed to make some friends, but that was only because she had made the effort to. The rift between the two populations was as clear as if you put a red line between them. Again, this was probably thanks to the commander and those that shared his distorted ideals.

There was a decent cafe owned by a family of farm ponies with the most unusual accent. She had not been acquainted with it before, but the twang in their tongues made them very unique. They were well loved and a strong part of the community. In many ways they seemed to be the heart of Almaty, despite what the rest of the Guard liked to think. The cafe was attached to a farm which grew these plump light pink apples. Everything they made from it was wonderful. The owner of the farm was a pony by the name of Albermarle Pippin, a light green earth pony with a dark yellow mane. His wife was one of the few unicorns in the area who had a talent for doing numbers. She wore think blue glasses and had the cutie mark of an abacus. She had taken to wearing a large, brown wide-brimmed hat to hide her horn. Not that it mattered since everypony knew she was a unicorn. Still, you rarely saw Sharp Stencil without her hat.

The other place of note was the bar. Once again the local populace tended to avoid going there because that was where most of the Guard hung out when off duty. It was not a seedy place, but it certainly had a reputation for being rough around the edges. Although the Guard frequented it, there were others that spent their bits there as well. The most common were the mercenaries, who seemed to always be around. Then there were bounty hunters, but most kept to themselves and were off quite quickly, usually taking a sizable party with them into the jungles. The Border Guard sometimes employed these ponies to do what they did not have time for, which was something that Glitter hated. She understood the reasons and she knew that it was the most sense considering how dangerous some of the criminals are out there, but she felt that it was not something that Border Guards should do. 

The owner of the establishment was a pony named Berry Punch, a very young mare perhaps only a few months older than Glitter herself. She had taken over the place after the old owners made a decision to live further inside Equestria. She did not seem to mind, considering that she was also inebriated most of the time. Berry had an assistant named Phosphorous, an off-yellow pony with a dark green mane. He was patient, and blind. Still he somehow managed to keep the place clean and tidy, entertain the customers, and keep a tight reign on the cash register. Glitter liked him. He was interesting to talk to, and always seemed to know exactly what was going on around town. This included any juicy gossip he might have overheard with his acute hearing. 

All these places were located within the second wall that set the city boundary for Almaty. Anything built before that wall had to be approved by the local planning committee, whose job was to ensure the safety of their village from the dangers of the jungles that surrounded them. Still, with the rift between the locals and the Guard is sometimes felt that if either had a choice they would prefer trying their luck at living in the jungle instead. It was impossible, of course. The locals would probably end up with some gruesome fate caused by the unimaginable horrors of the jungle and the Guard would probably die out from either starvation or boredom.

Glitter had continued sending her weekly reports back to First Sergeant Ruby. Most of the time her reports went over her daily routine, which was droll at best. She had started to actually miss working with recruits, teaching them CQC and screaming at them when they didn't perform. That was how bored she was; she missed screaming at ponies. The thought made her shake her head in dry amusement. She looked down at her latest report and could not help but shake her head again. They were starting to look more like letters home rather than official reports. 

Still, she had not yet received anything telling her otherwise. In fact she had rarely received anything from her command at all. Once in a while she would get a letter with a scribble on on it telling her to keep up the good work, but all in all it was beginning to get rather annoying getting little to nothing back from command. Not that she wanted more work, but being a Guard and standing around the gates was something she had not expected to do; that was what the Royal Guard did. She expected to be sent out on patrols, ensuring that the area was safe for travelers and to improve relations with the local populace. So far, apart from that zebra she met with Semper, she had not seen a single one. She expected to take on tough cases, such as searching for criminals trying to flee from justice, or scouting along the border and keeping a constant vigil on their neighbors making sure that nothing became a threat to their kingdom. 

Sadly, the reality was different. There was nothing of the sort going on. All she did was sit or stand around and watch the grass grow from her wherever her post happened to be. The Sergeant rarely let any of them outside the walls, and they could only do so when they had leave. Most of the Guard were so desperate to stop working that they had taken to sneaking off and taking power naps wherever they could. Everypony knew that the real threats occurred at night, but still they were forced to stand guard during the day. It made absolutely no sense to her.

And there was still nothing from her contact. 

That, and another thing really bothered her. Some of her letters were coming to her with the seal tampered with. At first she thought she was imagining it, but lately it had become increasingly obvious that somepony had opened her envelopes. It was not completely obvious, but very subtle. The wax seal would be slightly wonky, as if it were poked by a something to try and pry it open without damaging the paper underneath. She would not have noticed if they had been more careful. Chances are she would not have noticed if one of the wax seals had not fallen completely. Someone what either reading her reports or, even worse, stealing them and sending her fake ones. The thought was so preposterous at first that she just ignored it, but it had become endemic now. Almost every letter sent to her had been messed around with. Would that explain why her replies were so bland? Were her reports reaching where they were supposed to? Why would somepony within their own base do something like this? 

No matter what she tried to come up with, the conclusion always pointed to the same answer. She was completely out of her depth. She was not stupid. She knew that there were always ponies willing to sell their integrity in order to amass wealth, but this town had really nothing of value to sell. At all. Not only that, there were no secrets going on in this town either. It was too close to the border for one thing, so any magical or scientific research was out of the question. They had no stockpile of weapons, in fact that had a disappointing amount of weapons in the armory, which she had visited twice.

She had thought about informing the Master Sergeant, but came to the conclusion that he was the last pony she could trust. There was just something about him that gave her the creeps. Maybe it was because of how her talked to the zebra when she had first arrived, and that whole tussle with Semper -- it still left a foul taste in her mouth. 

There was also another thing. This one she found disgusting. The experienced Border Guards who had been living in Almaty for quite some time had become extremely adept at hunting and slaying manticores. The other day one Border Guard had taken down three manticores alone and showed off his gruesome victory by hanging the heads on spears along entrance to the gates. This forced every pony, from the locals and the rare visitor to take note.

Almaty was built into two sections. The first section was built at the base of the mountain, near the slope granting the down a natural, sheer cliff face as a backrest. At the top of the highest point was the Border Guard's base of operations. Around the immediate area were accommodation for the Guards as the building was not large enough to house them all. This area also had a number of shops, cafes, restaurants and most city-like forms of entertainment. Beyond them came the civilian houses. Most of them were either terraced homes, connected to one another and annoying identical. Only a very sad few were standalone. Then, at the very edge of this section was a nice large wall. This was where the majority of the Border Guards were forced to locate themselves. Well, all the unicorns at least. The pegasi were granted leave to stay above in the clouds, but most of them just drifted off to sleep once they got up there, or so the unicorns thought.

It was most likely true. There was little to no purpose for any of them to sit or stand around like statues. 

Beyond the walls were the fruit trees, fields and apicultures. This continued until another, much smaller wall was hit. This was the official edge of the town of Almaty and also the furthest you could live away from the town and still be considered within the 'safe zone'. The walls was just big enough to keep some of the smaller dangers of the jungle outside, but not enough to completely prevent them. Usually harmless herbivores attracted by the crops would manage to somehow get inside, and most -- if not all -- rarely made it out alive. Several of the Border Guard seemed to relish it dispensing these creatures, and sadly were excellent at it. The wall had smaller gates that were kept open during the day and closed at night. Only the front gate was allowed to be open or shut after sun down.

Outside the main gate was the road that led to the large field. The road wound around the base of the hill, so a short cut to the side entrance was what most ponies did. The field was where the airships would land and unload more goods while they loaded up with goods from the farmers. It was efficient, fair and everypony was happy about it. These airships also brought along with them any letter or correspondence.

Today there had been an airship lying on the field. It was called the Flying Windego, and had beautiful white sails and the painting on the balloon was of a number of windegos running together, their manes forming a stream of sorts. It had actually stopped because of the clouds. Because of their out of control state, they can act as icebergs that float around in the sky and can cause severe damage to the ship. In this case, only the side had been damaged. A minor concern for a ship that flies. Still, if left broken, it could cause even more problems in the future. 

This particular vessel had been there for a time. The crew kept mostly to themselves and did not really talk to anypony involved with the Guard, which seemed strange to Glitter at first, but them she remembered that if she couldn't trust her own peers, then it was no wonder that they avoided them in general. Not that any of the others minded. They welcomed the moment when their work was completed and they could go home and party.

"A savage land for savage equestrians." That was what the Sergeant had said to her when she asked about the clouds. The Border Guard pegsai refused to partake in any sort of weather management and there were numerous good reasons for them no to. She still felt that there could have been a little weather management to help grow crops more effectively instead of relying on nature's whims. Perhaps the most prominent reason of all was the fact that the Zebricans hated it when the ponies meddled, which was another sore point. It just did not seem possible, but the evidence was clear. Ponies from Almaty did not like the Zebricans. In fact most of the locals actually feared them for some strange reason.

"Ma'am, I'm here to relieve you, ma'am," a private stated as he saluted her.

Finally Glitter thought to herself. "Thanks. Be sure to keep an eye out to the east. Thought I saw something lurking in the bushes way over there."

"Will do, ma'am," the private said saluting Glitter again. 

Deep down she knew he wouldn't.

Walking back to her room, her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud commotion. Curious, she trotted down the street and spotted a sizable crowd mingling around the tavern. The noise coming from within grew louder and louder, and it was obvious that there was a fight of some sort going on. She pushed her way through the crowd but most made way for her when they spotted her. 

She walked inside, past the swinging doors and immediately she felt her left eyebrow raise itself in surprise and curiosity. Two unicorn mares were holding a young pegasus stomach down on a table with rope fused with magic. She could see that whatever they were doing, the colt was not liking it. 

"I don't know what's going on, but you better stop it," Glitter growled.

The two stopped what they were doing and looked up. Both were mares that she knew. Magenta Magma and Copper Tartarine. Both were strong users in fire magic, and both were known for being rough and tough mares. They both had tattoos along their forearms decorated with all the creatures they had slain in their careers. Copper still had the upper hoof though, she had slain a juvenile dragon alone and lived to tell the tale. She possessed some souvenirs of her encounter. Her left eye was scarred from the battle, three stripes that went from the top center of her head to her cheek where the dragon's claw tried to rip her face off, and she walked with a slight limp on her front left hoof. Despite these, she was still extremely dangerous.

What had she gotten herself into?

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the newbie. Hey, newbie. Where do you think you can get off bossing us around?" Magenta said walking towards her slowly.

Now Glitter knew she was no pushover when it came to CQC. She was one of the head instructors for Celestia's sake. She could take it and dish it, yet deep down she knew that just one of these mares could subdue her as easily as if she were a foal. She did the only thing she could do in that moment.

She gulped.

"Mag, don't let her get to you. She doesn't understand what we're doing," Copper said sitting up onto a table, the colt being pinned down. "Hey, rookie, come over here a sec."

Glitter hesitated only for a moment before doing as she was asked. She outranked the two of them, but she knew better. Ponies like these were ponies you wanted to listen to. Copper held a piece of paper in her hoof and she took it apprehensively. Paper was always her greatest foe. Glitter stared at the contents for a moment before her eyes drifted to the colt, then back again. 

The picture matched perfectly.

Magenta smiled. "His name's Oil Slick, also known as Cobalt Slant. A notorious unicorn to be exact. He's actually fleeing from Zebrica because he got caught and the Zebricans are not as kind as we are when it comes to, what was it they accused you of? Oh yeah, partaking in the slave trade. Foalnapping young mares and colts and sending them off to distant lands. Not a very smart thing to do."

The colt seemed so young that it was hard for Glitter to believe he was capable of such a thing. That, and he was also really handsome. It seemed like such a waste.

"We're deciding whether we should keep him here in Almaty until the next airship comes, or let him lose. The Zebricans undoubtedly know that he's here and will either come ask for his head, or they're wait until he 'escapes' these walls. They may be a savage race, but so would I if my country were as lawless as theirs."

Glitter made a face at Magenta for that comment. It seemed uncalled for.

The colt looked over to her and shook his head vehemently. "They're lying. Please. I came here on my way from Zebrica because the Zebricans were trying to sell me off as slave."

"Oh, don't listen to him. They're always like that. Thinking that they can lie and get away for their crimes," Magenta growled. "The sad reality is that most of them do. Once they leave this town or this area, most of them get light sentences and are free within the next few years. That's what I like about frontier towns like these." Her sword whipped out and sliced the table end a fraction on an inch ahead of his nose. "Nopony comes looking for a body out here."

The colt blanched and fainted.

Glitter gasped at the speed and accuracy of the blade. The other two unicorns on the other hand seemed to completely take it in stride.

"What a wimp." Magenta shook her head sadly. "So, rookie. Your call. Shall we imprison him here until the next ship arrives to take his flank back to some court where they'll try him for a crime not related to his involvement in the slave trade because of lack of evidence so they will let him loose after a few years." Magenta grinned sadistically. "Or. We let him loose and see how long he takes to live."

"I... I don't know."

"Sure you do. Every Border Guard makes a choice like this some time. It's part of the deal. We're so far out of any law or control that we become the living embodiment of all semblance of it out here. Ponies come to us for help, they rely on us to keep them safe, even from each other. Not all ponies are good or kind-"

"I know." Glitter bowed her head, she had not meant to interrupt. 

Copper stifled a giggle. "She's feisty. I like her."

"So, what made you come to this post? Did you annoy your drill instructor?"

"Well... not really. I am a drill instructor. I was sent here to be a point of contact for a fellow Guard."

"Wait. You're an instructor? Really? Well, let's see what you got." Magenta sheathed her blade and used her magic to move a table out of the way.

The crowd outside started talking excitedly.

"Shouldn't you take this outside?" Copper suggested using her own magic to hover a bottle of cider her way.

Magenta grinned. "You've got be kidding me. Since when as a rookie ever managed to-"

It was cheating, in a way, but Glitter knew that if she had to fight fair she would never be able to beat Magenta in a fight. She needed to end this quickly, hopefully within the first strike. 

Her fist stopped dead in its tracks as she hit a wall of air. 

"Please. My dead grandmother can punch faster than that." Magenta had pushed back with her hoof so that all Glitter managed to hit was air. "Are you done goofing around?"

Glitter twisted her body and aimed her hind legs at her opponent and kicked out, but nothing. She spun around trying to search for her target. Did she use teleportation? No, she didn't see any magic being used in that one moment, and it would take more than a few seconds for a teleportation spell to conjure itself. But if that was the case, then where did she go?

"Above you."

At Copper's words, Glitter looked up just as two rear hooves struck her right in the face. Hard. 





Despite their original meeting, Glitter had become quite close to Copper and Magenta. They seemed to be the only two decent decent mares there. As she hung around the feeling of segregation became more pronounced. She actually could started feeling that the pegasi were ignoring her, and even the other unicorns avoided her as well. There were rumors, after all. Rumors that Copper and Magenta were filly-foolers and that seemed to isolated them within the unicorn community. Even Glitter could not deny that there may have been some truth to that, but she did not care. She was glad that they were who they were, and that they were her friends.

"Hey, Glits." 

The voice caught her off guard as she was gazing out the window into the dense jungle. She turned around and smiled at the newcomer. "Oh, hi Maggy. What's up?"

Magenta held up a blue envelope. "You got a package. A big one. Saw it downstairs. Seemed to be delivered right to your door, didn't go to the Guard station."

"A package? I wonder who it's from." Glitter reached out and picked it from Magenta's hoof. She did not recognize the hoofwriting. She broke open the seal and turned the envelope over only to have a large leather-bound book drop out and onto the table. 

Curious, she opened the cover. The first line shocked her. 

Field Report - SP

"D-do you know what this is? This is a report! From..." she had almost forgotten all about Semper. Almost two months since he left and despite the act that they were not close, had not really talked or communicated, it was as if she was getting a letter from an old friend. She actually felt relieved. "Semper Pie."

"A report? How boring. Who's Semper? He that stallion who went into Zebrica?"

"Yes. That's him. At least I know he's still alive -- not that I doubted it for a second, but he's been gone for so long I was beginning to second guess."

"He your special-"

"No! Not at all. Don't you dare say it."

"Okay, okay. Calm down. So, what's it say?" Magenta stifled a laugh.

Glitter did her best to ignore the snickering. "It's long."

Magenta just shrugged. "I don't have anything else better to do until tonight. What d'ya say you just humor me for now?"

"Why not."





Day 1. The jungle is a magnificent place. Zaku has shown me a great deal already. Left Glitter behind to continue her mission. Water is low. Will have to find some. Made camp. We are sleeping on hammocks made by tying vines together. Dangerous to stay on the ground and dangerous to pitch tent. Daylight is fading quickly. No fire tonight. No need.

Day 2. Able to extract water from vines. Water tasted strange. Like iron or blood. Clean water very hard to find. 

Glitter glanced at the drawings on the page. There were actually pretty decent and had vivid detail. Semper did not leave anything out. Everything from the shape of the leaves, to the best location, what to look for and how to find it were written in clear instructions. All that was missing was a little bit of color.

Day 4. Survival is difficult. Would be dead without Zaku. Shown safe leaves to forage. Many poisonous ones. Too many. Almost died today. Ventured near a large predatory plant. Very deadly. Aggressive. Poisonous. Zaku says close to his home. Should be there by tomorrow.

The next several pages were drawings of the plant. According to Semper's drawings it was around ten feet tall and had roots that extended out like nets. The mouth area had large thorns, or what looked like thorns, and apparently it was red with yellow spots. The leaves were a bright green, an obvious attempt to draw hungry prey towards it. Another sign of knowing you're near one of these plants are the large brown knobbly roots that appear above the ground in some places. She absorbed this information hungrily. This was priceless stuff.

Day 9. Lived in village for five days. Still have much to learn. Locals still slightly hostile. Reasons unknown. Currently learning how to make potions from a Zebra mare named Zenobia. Zaku says that its an essential skill to survive in the jungle and she is the best. I am learning beside her daughter, Zecora. She is exceedingly intelligent and I have the utmost respect for her. She does not return the sentiment. Apparently her father was imprisoned the Border Guard for a number of years for no reason. Will look into it when able. Father is fine now. Still holds a grudge but luckily seems indifferent to my presence. 

Day 10. Drunk brawl resulted in information. One of the stallions confessed that Equestrians have been oppressing them for years. Many involved in slave trading. Must look into this. Was interesting to study tribe's form of fighting. The use of short knives especially.

Glitter furrowed her brow. The bit about the slave trading disturbed her. She knew that a ponies in the past had been convicted of partaking in the illegal trade, but there were plenty of ponies that lived outside the borders of Equestria, and there the laws differed. It was only within the last century that ponies involved directly or indirectly with the trade had been given lengthy sentences. Although it was illegal and the laws made it difficult for those involved to get away, many did. In fact, along the border of it was somewhat embarrassing for the Border Guard. Even the Royal Guard had their hooves full dealing with it almost as far in as Las Pegasus. 

Day 13. I have a new name. Last night they performed a naming ceremony for me. Zaku was bitten by a vine snake which was disguised to look like one of the drinking vines. It is poisonous. He was showing me how to find wild bees and their hives. He had less than an hour to live. His only hope was a potion to slow the spread until help was available. It was possible because of the basics I was taught. I had not yet been taught to make an anti-venom. After finding the necessary herbs I brewed the potion and proceeded to carry Zaku back to his village. Stopped to force him to drink potion. Had to be careful not to allow him to drink too much or too little. Brought him back through the night. Very dangerous. Had no choice. His lessons in tracking paid off as I was able to retrace our steps. Without it I may have got lost in the jungle. Despite my best efforts I still fear for his life. It will be touch and go for a while now. I can only hope that I did enough. The others seem to think so. My new name is Tai Jicho. Zaku has been calling me that for a while now but it is official as far as Zebrica goes. It means Eagle Eye. He said that it means that I could see far but according to Zecora it means that I can see the unseen.

Day 16. Zaku came by my hut today. He still is a little out of it but the worst is over. He will recover. Zenobia had been by his bedside throughout the entire ordeal making sure he has taken the right potions and the right amount. As a result my lessons have been with Zecora instead. She has warmed up to me and has started asking questions about Equestria. I've told her that my experience in my own kingdom is highly limited and she was surprised to hear that I had traveled more through her country than my own. Learned how to make anti venom. Below is a list for each known species of snake.

Sure enough, through the next several pages were different recipes for snakebites and detail drawings for the snake that went with each remedy. This was valuable information. Scientists and doctors spent their entire lives trying to discover these things, and Semper managed to get a near complete guide detailing everything he had learned. It was simply amazing how much information he had managed to gain after such a short time.

Day 20. Finally arrived at the edge of the desert. Left the jungle half a day ago. Dry heat. Different from the jungle heat. Not 'sticky' heat. No more insects. Zaku had tried to bring me here last time before the snake incident. Have been a lot more careful. Hard to write as it is cold now and I am wrapped in a blanket. Strange how an hour ago all I wished was a swim in an ice cold river. Now we are warming ourselves over a fire. Zecora had followed us. We noticed but chose to ignore her hoping that she would turn back. Obviously that was the wrong choice. Zaku is especially angry. With slavery legal here it is dangerous for a pony or zebra.

Day 21. Met my fist camel today. His name was Panni. Met him on the way to the desert oasis town called Nadi, the capital of this small country called Zeboro. He is a representative of Camelot, a country with a name like that of our capital. He says it is far to the east. Our nations are not neighbors so they do not have an embassy in Canterlot. Zaku has revealed that the Zeboro is a country that does not respect the freedom of individuals. They are a large player in the slavery trade. Panni confessed that even his own nation partakes in it but that he personally does not agree. imprisonment of others (slavery). The slave markets are impressive. Please note that I am commenting on their size and not the fact that they exist at all. I abhor slavery, yet these are the common laws and customs of these lands. As a visitor, I must observe. Zaku has confined Zecora to the room we rented. Doubt it has anything to do with her being unable to protect herself. Most likely it is punishment for coming along without permission.

Day 22. Zecora was foalnapped last night. No sign of a struggle. After a thorough investigation we found small broken shards of glass near the door. Using what I had learned in with potions and applying that to what I know about certain reactions it was obvious it produced some vapor that induced sleep. Perhaps chloroform. We acted quickly, but not quick enough. By the time we found the foalnapper she had already been sold to a slave trader heading east through the desert. Zaku agreed to head back to get more zebras from his tribe and inform Zenobia. Despite his protests I have decided to head into the desert to pursue the trader. I am not a camel and cannot traverse the wasteland easily but I have to try. I may not return alive, but I cannot sit idle. 

Glitter paused for a moment and thought about what Semper was about to do. He was about to go alone into one of the most hostile regions known without any help. 

Day 27. Five days. Five days in this Celestia forsaken land without enough water or food is enough to test even the hardiest of stallions. This world that we live in is amazing... and dangerous. I have had to resort to carnivorous means to stay alive. At night sand snakes are active. The spear is especially useful at claiming them. Never before have I eaten meat and I find that my body is disagreeing with it. That is not the worst news though. My canteen is empty. Has been for two days now. I know that if I don't find water and soon... 

Day 29. Can't write. Weak. Night cold. Hungry. If any should find please give to Border Guard.

Day 31. Panni saved my life. The camel had purposely come after me after Zaku had asked him to. I owe them both my life. I am recovering. Panni has agreed to take me to Dromedarius. The closest town. I explained my situation. Seems that Zaku had left out the part where I was trying to get Zecora back. Not sure why. Panni has informed me that Drmedarius is a famous sport for slave trading. I had no idea it was so prominent outside of Equestria. This really is disturbing. A shame that I am unable to do something and I have to abide by the laws of this nation.

Day 34. Arrived in Dromedarius. Panni had shown me how to keep myself cool in the desert by wearing long robes of white. They keep the heat away extremely effectively. Also advised me that I should not attempt the desert without a camel. Cannot make any promises. Seems that camels don't need to drink as much water. Something to do with the rather large humps on their backs. Will start asking around for any zebras on sale. 

Day 36. Found her. Still has a strong will but the desert crossing has left her weak. Several other ponies and zebras with her. All slaves. Not yet revealed myself. Cannot be allowed to be discovered as a Border Guard here. Apparently there is a bounty on any Guard brought in. Luckily for me I've taken to wearing the long robes Panni had shown me so apart from a very select few my identity as a pony is unknown. Had to improvise for the hump on my back. Used a large sponge inside a plastic container filled with water. Nopony is the wiser. Saw the auctions. Sad. Many were bidding. Many ponies as well. Recognized a few from wanted posters. Zebras are not being sold until tomorrow. Objective is to buy her. Have to obey the laws here. 

Day 39. Lost. Zecora was sold to another. The buyer did not wish to sell her to me after even after promising double what he bought her for. Perhaps not the wisest decision. Part of a huge convoy. Many different kinds of guards. Griffins too. Many slaves as well. Mostly ponies. 

Day 41. In pursuit of Zecora and buyers. Headed westwards. Apparently they are going to the sea to take a ship to their home kingdom. If they reach the harbor it will be too late to stop them from leaving. Zecora will be forever lost.

Day 42. I see the sea. Tonight I will try to free Zecora. The harbor is at most two days from here. It's now or never. 

Day 43. Failed to rescue Zecora. Under heavy guard now. Tried again. Failed. Wounded. Knife to the left. Not bad. Ponies. Many ponies. Did not expect. Thought they were slaves. Boarded sea ship. 

Day 44. Not giving up. Promised passage on airship after paying a captain. Will catch up to the sea ship. Sea ship was massive. Easily fit five airships inside within the hold. Too heavy to take that kind of ship into the air without powerful magic. Hundreds of ponies, zebras, camels were loaded. Much like livestock. I am sending this report back to Almaty. It has only been a month and a half, but feels a lot longer. Don't know when return -- if possible. Until further contact, consider me MIA. 

Signed, Semper Pie.





"Wow," Magenta whispered as she gazed out of the window. "Just... wow. That Semper's really something, huh?"

"And just like that... he's gone." Glitter couldn't believe it. "Now what am I supposed to do?"

"He your coltfriend?"

Glitter snorted in surprise. "What? N-n-no! He's... he's just... um... he's a fellow Guard. I don't have any feelings towards him. At all. Please. No. Oh, sweet Celestia, no."

At that, Magenta stifled a giggle. "Okay. If you say so."

"Oh I do. He might sound and look good, but trust me, you'd get more in terms of affection from a rock than him."

"And... you want his affection?" Magenta pressed.

"I don't think he's capable of showing that kind of emotion. I've never once seem Semper smile."

"Not once?"

Glitter shook her head. "Anyway, if I calculate the days he's been gone, this letter was sent just over two weeks before." She neatly placed the report back in its envelope and sealed it with some tape. "I'm going to have to forward this to my CO so I'm going to the post office now."

"Mm." Magenta was turned away and staring out a window. 

"What's up?" 

"You know, I think I can trust you now. We've known each other long enough and I need help." Magenta pried her attention away from the windows and looked at Glitter. "Can I trust you?"

"Depends. Why? What is it?" Glitter asked.

Magenta studied Glitter for a moment. "I've been asked to investigate some disturbing occurrences around town. There's some... things are pointing to this town being a central location for the slave trade. Over the past few months a number of ponies have mysteriously vanished from this place. Ponies disappearing. At first we thought that they might have just up and left, ponies out here do that all the time. But we later found out that some of them were being taken from here against their will, and taken across the border."

"You mean to say that ponies here are being foalnapped?" Glitter asked incredulously. "How is that possible? There are Guards all over the place!"

"Well, that's what I've been asked to find out. How ponies are getting taken and being sold across the border. There is a lot of evidence suggesting that this case involves ponies on the inside. I've been doing what I can to piece together the entire operation, but I think I've gone as far as I can alone." Magenta looked into Glitter's eyes. "That's why I need you."

"You suspect that somepony in the Guard is involved?" Glitter asked.

"No. I suspect that it's ponies, not just one. It can't be. How can one pony conduct something on this scale?"

"It's mind boggling. To think that fellow Guard would stoop to such a level. It's just so wrong-"

Magenta held up her hoof. "I know. I didn't believe it either, but there is enough evidence to suggest that it's true. What I need to get to the bottom of it. I don't know who are involved, or where the exchanges are taking place. So we're going to find out where the ponies are being taken and sold."

"Why ask me now? Why not before?" 

At that Magenta shrugged. "I couldn't trust you. For all I know the trade goes deep inside our kingdom. I had to be sure. The fact that this Semper seems to have somehow gotten stuck right in the middle of it and how you've been consistent in voicing your disapproval of it, I think it's safe to say that you can be trusted. What we need to do is find those responsible and bring them to justice."

"How do you suggest we go that?" 

At that Magenta punched Glitter in the arm. "If I knew, I wouldn't be asking for your help." 





"Are you sure it can't be the Sergeant?" Glitter asked again. "He seems to have it in for zebras."

Magenta sighed and turned away from stocking the shelf with reports. "I told you already, Glits. He can't be because although he is a racist bigot and despises those that are not pony, he still loves Equestria and her inhabitants. He would never allow any pony to be sold. Can't promise about others though. The Sergeant'd rather die than see a pony sold off as a slave."

"There's just... nopony else I can think of." 

At that Magenta returned to her stocking. "There is one more suspect."

"Who?"

"Copper."

"Your friend?"

"No. The only reason why I got close to her is because I have always suspected that she's one of the foalnappers. I don't know why she is involved in this mess, and I can't prove it, yet. So, here's what I want you to do. I want you to tail her, keep an eye on her. Tell me about her movements and everything. Don't let her know that you're onto her though," Magenta stated quietly. "It's important that she has no idea."

"And... what if she does?"

"Let's just say, even I can't beat Copper when it comes to CQC." 

That made Glitter shudder. In all her time there, she had not once beaten the reddish-purple unicorn. And if Copper proved to be better than Magenta then Glitter was already nowhere near their league. She understood just how precious real field experience was. She'd have to just shadow her.

"Okay. I'll do it."