//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 // Story: If the Nightmare Came True // by Curious Mew //------------------------------// Captain Nightstrike ******** My heart skips a beat when I watch the ponies I'm chasing drop below the cloud layer. With a unicorn and dragon with them, I had discounted the possibility. The pegasi would need to carry them if they did that, which would slow them down. Or so I had thought, so I had allowed us to move at a leisurely pace because it was only a matter of time. But I realize my miscalculation as soon as they drop. Unicorn magic includes teleportation. I shout in anger and drop below the clouds, just in time to see a flash of light. I bucking hate unicorns. I round on the Royal Guards hovering a few feet behind me and shout, “Get down to Ponyville this instant and alert the local forces there! We cannot allow them to escape.” They salute me and take off as I speed back towards headquarters. It was just supposed to be a normal day. I allow myself to smile slightly. I might hate unicorns, but I hate normal days even more. It's been a long time since my job was in danger. I've grown too soft. And a student of Nightmare Moon herself... Things could get very interesting indeed if things go the way I hope that they do. I feel a sudden rush, and I find myself smiling despite, or rather because of, the danger. I do so hate feeling bored, and there’s nothing like fighting for my position and my life to make me feel alive. I reach headquarters in no time and fly to my office. On the way, I order the pony at the desk to bring some guards out of the parade and to headquarters. When I reach my office, I close my door behind me and grab a piece of paper in my mouth and flatten it on a clear patch in my desk before grabbing a quill in my mouth. I quickly scribble a note: Nightmare Moon, Your student and the others escaped from me and are now presumably somewhere in the area surrounding Ponyville. I sent some guards to alert the local force. -Captain Nightstrike I slide the letter into a slot in my desk and lean back. Despite my new-found hatred of unicorns, persistent magic does have its uses. A flash of green light later, and I know that my letter is on its way to Nightmare Moon. Two letters to her in one day, this is interesting. Of course, this one was more slapdash than the first in which I had alerted Nightmare Moon to her student's strange behavior and been ordered to keep a close eye on her. Oh well, need drove me to be hasty. I grab a book at random off my desk while I wait for a reply. The book turns out to be one detailing combat magic. Useless for a non-unicorn, unless said non-unicorn would be fighting unicorns. I only have a minute or so to read before a letter shoots toward me from my desk. I grab it in my mouth as it flies through the air before I place it on the desk to read it. Captain Nightstrike, An agent of mine was already on her way to Cloudsdale when I received your note. She has been alerted of the new situation and has your new orders. -Nightmare Moon I grin in anticipation as I wait for this new agent to arrive. I know now that I'm safe. I would have been ordered to come to Canterlot or Nightmare Moon would come herself if I were to be punished. Agents getting sent to a pony such as I meant only one thing: assignments. I turn back to my book. After all, I might need to fight a unicorn very soon. As before, I don't have very long to read before my office door is thrown open. I sigh in frustration and glare at the newcomer. I hate unicorns. Why couldn't I get another pony with wings? Her coat is midnight blue and she wears black robes that hide her cutie mark and match her mane and tail. She glares right back at me with narrowed violet eyes. “Captain Nightstrike, I am Shadowmoon and –” “Is that your real name?” I ask incredulously. “Asks the stallion named 'Nightstrike',” she retorts sharply. “I would watch your tongue around me. You might be the Captain of the Royal Guard in Cloudsdale, but I am an agent sent directly by Nightmare Moon to discuss your disappointing performance.” I stare at her blankly. “Please, by all means, go on.” She snorts and shakes her head before stating, “You allowed prisoners to escape from this very building.” I nod. “I was there, you know.” She clenches her teeth and asks, “Do you have a good reason for this?” I nod again, this time with exaggerated enthusiasm. “Nightmare Moon's prized student was there. Surely a unicorn like you could best me in combat, so what was I to do against Twilight Sparkle?” Shadowmoon hisses, venom dripping from every word, “You would do well to show some respect.” “Why, milady?” I inquire sarcastically. “I know that you aren't here to punish me. Something of this magnitude would be above you.” I notice her left back leg give a little stomp. Just as I thought. I grin and proclaim, “You want to flay me alive, but you can't. You're here to give me an assignment.” I'm going to be in charge of the search for Twilight! A grimace crosses the mare's face. She closes her eyes and breathes slowly. Her eyes snap open and she glares at me. The room's temperature drops a few degrees, but I'm not impressed. Her horn is glowing a faint blue. It's so faint that it’s almost invisible, but almost isn't good enough to fool me. I glare back at her for a few minutes. Finally, she breaks the silence and says, “You have been a loyal servant to Nightmare Moon for many years, so she is willing to give you another chance despite your failure. You are to lead the hunt for Twilight Sparkle. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash no longer matter at this point, unless they are still with her when you capture her. In that case bring them in with her, them and anypony else who happens to be with her.” “Anypony?” I ask innocently. “That's what I said,” she answers irritably. Things just got a lot more interesting. This little game of ours could go on for quite a while. Twilight Sparkle is smart and powerful, but she doesn't know anything about running from the law. On the other hoof, I know quite a bit about catching ponies who tried to. But this would give her another card, not that she knows it. Yet. “So I am to be in charge of every police force in Equestria?” I inquire, just to make sure. She nods with a pained expression on her face. I flash her a smile and ask one more question. “Will Shining Armor be involved?” Shadowmoon glares and answers, “He insists that Twilight being his sister will not prevent him from doing his job.” I quickly turn my laugh into a cough. All of this is far too interesting; it's just like Hearth's Warming! Shining and I go way back, and that history doesn't involve the sort of spirit that led to that little holiday. I add another card to Twilight's desk. “I will, of course, be supervising your actions,” Shadowmoon states flatly. Another card goes to Twilight's deck, and I remove one from mine. That I did not want to happen. However, I should have seen it coming. This was a chance to prove my worth and not a holiday, after all. I grimace and say, “Then we might as well get to work. Can you do any tricks?” Her nose crinkles and her glare becomes even more filled with hate. “What?” “You know, magic tricks.” I speak slowly, like one would when explaining something to a small foal. “Something that would help us track down a unicorn.” She draws herself up to her full height, which isn't all that impressive, and proclaims, “I'm the best magic tracker in Equestria. I can trace any spell to any unicorn if I know his or her magic signature and follow it like a dog tracking a pony in a traditional chase. And I know Twilight's signature very well.” “Can you track a teleport from its start point to its end point?” “Easily,” she answers with a smirk. I suddenly find myself hating unicorns a lot less than I had just a moment before. I add a card to my deck. “Then give me a moment to organize some of my guards and let's go,” I say. It takes only a few moments to assemble a small force and we head off to where I lost Twilight. I know the city like the back of my hoof, so it takes hardly any time to reach the exact location. I extend my wings and turn to Shadowmoon. I nod to my back and say, “Get on.” Her reply is short and her voice is harsh. “No.” I sigh. “Twilight Sparkle teleported away in the air a few feet below the cloud layer. If you want to track her, then you'll need to be in the air.” I shake my wings at her and continue, “And you don't have wings because you're a unicorn.” She rolls her eyes at me and her horn begins to glow. I close my eyes as the space around her is pierced by a bright white light. I open my eyes and see that translucent sapphire, insectoid wings have sprouted from her back. I bucking hate unicorns. “You were saying?” she asks with a smug grin. I shrug, concealing my growing hatred. “I guess we can finally get started, then. Twilight Sparkle is probably halfway out of Equestria by now.” “She wouldn't be if somepony hadn't allowed her to escape,” Shadowmoon retorts with a glare. I ignore her and dive beneath the cloud layer, followed closely by my guards and Shadowmoon. I take some satisfaction in noting that she trails behind as and moves awkwardly, like a foal struggling to swim. More awkwardly than most foals, in fact. I call back to her, “Can you feel the magic trace?” “Of course,” she answers. “Twilight is a very powerful unicorn, and she forget to hide her magic. The air here is absolutely humming with energy.” Her horn glows and she closes her eyes. “She teleported four targets, herself and three others. They went to that area over there.” She jabs a hoof toward a forest area far below us. “Are you sure?” I inquire. The last thing I need is for this stupid mule to mess up. I want to play this game, but I can't afford to lose it. Have your fun, but do this right in the end. Take risks that have potential gains that outweigh them, but avoid anything that just feels exciting with no possible payoff. Just like always. Her answer is simply a glare. “Let's go, then. Although, once we get there, will you be of any use if Twilight didn't cast any more spells?” “I know how to track in a traditional manner.” I snort. “So does everypony else here. We're Royal Guards, remember? It's part of what we do.” “You're also supposed to guard prisoners, not let them escape.” I ignore her again and turn to the other guards with me. “We have a unicorn to catch. I'm sure you all know what she looks like, but let me just refresh your memory. Her coat is purple, and so are her eyes. Her mane and tail have three colors: a deep blue, a purple, and a pink. Her cutie mark consists of a pink six-pointed star surrounded by five small six-pointed stars. The pink central star looks like it is placed on top of a rotated white star, so white points stick out between its points. She's a student of Nightmare Moon and her special talent is magic, so be careful. We want her and anypony with her captured alive, so be extra careful. If it's between your life and one of theirs, especially hers, choose them. Are there any questions?” No hooves come up, so I say, “Then follow me.” I take off toward the patch of trees followed by my guards and Shadowmoon. A grim smile flashes across my face because today had already turned out to be so much more than an ordinary day. Not that the word “day” meant much, of course. It was just a set of hours set aside for work. But still, it's always nice to have fun at work.