The Puzzle
Fanfic by Englishwitch
Chapter 2
The door slid open and the noise of a cart rattling along followed it. Twilight’s eyes eased open to the delightful smell of breakfast, it smelled like fresh scones, tea, muffins, even haybacon and eggs.
“But really madam, we don’t expect our passengers to cook.” Twilight recognised the voice of the steward.
“Oh, perhaps they should, it’s so much fun.” came the gentle whisper of Fluttershy.
Twilight smiled, stretched her body, spread her wings and, finally, pulled the bedsheets back. Besides herself the bed was empty, though she had shared it with Rarity and Fluttershy; it was large enough. Applejack, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash had slept on the sofa and chairs.
The bed was separated from the rest of the compartment by a velvet curtain, which Twilight now slid back. The girls were sitting comfortably on the sofas and chairs, watching the drama unfold. The steward was trying to set up the breakfast on the table and seemed to be competing with Fluttershy for the privilege.
“Madam, please, you are a guest of the princess, you shouldn’t-” he stopped mid-sentence as he saw Twilight emerging from the sleeping area. He bowed his head and shuffled on his hooves nervously, “Princess, I, I, I... I was just trying to explain to your guest, my duty is to serve...”
“It’s okay.” Twilight waved a hoof dismissively, she couldn’t stand all the pomp and ceremony ponies held around her now, she might be a princess in title, but was still an ordinary pony at heart. “I understand, you can go now.”
The steward bowed his head again, “Yes princess.” He practically ran out of the room, earning giggles from the girls.
Rarity took the teapot in her magic, “Good morning darling,” she poured six cups, “Sleep well? We thought you’d never wake.”
Twilight sat down, took a cup and sipped lightly, “It’s a very comfy bed.” she cast a glance at Fluttershy, “You cooked all of this?”
Fluttershy’s face flushed, “Oh, well, yes. I just didn’t feel right having other ponies making breakfast for me. Um, if you don’t mind me saying, I don’t think I like the way people act because I’m with you. I don’t mean to offend, but it’s just that I’d much rather be known as the friend of Twilight Sparkle instead of the friend of the princess.”
Twilight smiled, grateful that her friends still treated her like a normal pony. She took several scones to go with her tea, “Well it looks delicious.”
Rainbow Dash nodded her head, her cheeks swollen to bursting point with the several scones and muffins she’d stuffed into her face. “shuuu dush.”
Rarity grimaced at Dash’s table manners, but did her best to ignore it, “So, darling, what’s on the schedule for today?”
Twilight gave the clock a quick glance. “We should be arriving at Los Pegasus in about an hour, then we’ll meet this second human expert and a representative from Relic Hunter’s dig team. Then we’ll travel out to the dig site and, I suppose, professor Hunter will fill us in on her findings.”
Rarity nodded along, “Where is this dig again?”
“The San Palomino desert,” Twilight cocked an eyebrow, “You were there when Princess Celestia told us, surely you heard?”
Rarity nodded, her face falling, “Yes, I did.” she sighed, “I just hoped I had misheard.” a shudder went up through her body, “The dry desert heat and all that....sand, it’ll be devastating for my hooficure.” she glanced down forlornly at her hooves.
...***...
With a burst of steam and the cry of steel grinding to a halt, the Friendship Express came to a gradual stop in the great train station of Los Pegasus. A great, tall, cathedral of stone and glass which had been a marvellous feet of unicorn magic and earth pony engineering. The glass dome of the structure greeted all visitors with the breath-taking view of the cloud city high above their heads. Sunlight poured through the clouds, mixing with water vapour in the air and creating a dazzling rainbow-filled skyline.
Los Pegasus was a city of two halves, the sky based cloud-city of the pegasi, which had been the first settlement in the area, and a second ground-based city which had first been settled by earth-ponies who took advantage of the lush, fertile, ground brought about by the gentle rain and bright sun the pegasi brought to the surrounding hills.
The farming town had thrived and grown quickly as more and more ponies wanted to either share the fertile ground, or just share the gorgeous weather. Rich and famous ponies built huge homes in the hills and business ponies followed in their wake, opening stores to cater to their expensive tastes. Los Pegasus had a reputation as the home of the rich, the elite and the glamorous.
While Canterlot was a city of the rich they came from old money. Los Pegasus was the city of new money; actors, fashion models and huge stars.
Yet, despite the reputation of being the home of the famous, the ground-city still remembered its earth pony roots. There were still many huge orchards and vineyards in the hills surrounding the city, a region known as Applewood in acknowledgement of the many apple orchards which grew there.
The six girls stared open-mouthed upwards at the glass dome and pegasus city.
Twilight summed it up in one word, “Wow!”
Rainbow nodded, “Yeah, pegasi knew what they were doing when they built that place. It’s almost as awesome looking as Cloudsdale.”
Applejack tilted her hat back, “I hear the farms ‘round here are so big they make Sweet Apple Acres look like a window box.”
Rarity sighed dreamily, “Famous stars like Sapphire Shores live in this city. If I could get a few more customers from this city my reputation would be set for life.”
Fluttershy stared around in wide-eyed silence. Pinkie leaned a little closer to Twilight, “They must have some amazing parties here.”
Twilight opened her mouth, but was interrupted-
“Princess Twilight.”
Compared with the bright, clean, surroundings of the train station, the pony stood out a mile. He had a cutie mark of a pickaxe striking a black boulder. His sand coloured coat was streaked with dirt, mostly around the hooves, he wore a wide-brimmed hat which had been faded by sunlight and stained with sweat, his mane and tail were raggedy and tangled enough to make Rarity shudder. He was clearly a pony who had spent a long time away from civilisation and had worked hard.
“This is a great honour, Princess. I am Mineral Deposit,” he bowed his head low and kept it there for some time, “Professor Hunter’s assistant, she sends her apologies she couldn’t greet you in person, but she’s busy at the dig site.”
When he finally rose his head he looked around Twilight the other ponies, “Forgive me, Princess, Professor Hunter didn’t mention you’d have companions.”
Twilight nodded, smiling as she looked at the other girls, “They were a surprise to me too. These are my friends, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.”
Mineral Deposit bowed his head again, “It’s a great honour to meet you all. Now, Princess-”
“Please, just call me Twilight.”
Mineral looked uncomfortable at the very prospect, “Ummm....well... Princess, if you’ll please follow me, our carriage is waiting.” He bit his lip, suddenly nervous, “I’m sorry, but it may not be as comfortable as you’re used to. We’re humble working ponies and the carriage is mostly used for moving equipment and-”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Twilight interrupted him, “but what about the second human expert aren’t we supposed to meet her here?”
“Yes, princess, the second human expert is waiting in our carriage. I tried to get her to come and greet you, but-”
Twilight started to grind her teeth. Rarity, who could see how much Mineral Deposit was beginning to irritate Twilight, took the initiative, “Yes, well, we have a long journey ahead of us. Let’s not hang around any longer.”
Mineral nodded his head vigorously, “Yes, yes, of course, follow me.” he trotted for the entrance, Twilight and the others followed close behind.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack couldn’t help but snort and snicker.
“Oh Princess Twilight, what an honour to meet you,” Rainbow hovered over Twilight, pretending to bow and grovel.
Applejack snorted with laughter, her face going red, “Oh Princess, we’re so sorry you have to walk on the ground like the rest of us. If we’d had more time we could have prepared a path of rose petals and feathers for you to be carried over.”
All of them, even Twilight, giggled at that mental image.
Outside the station an old-fashioned covered wagon was waiting. The canvas was dirty with several holes, probably where equipment had poked through. Mineral Deposit was busy hitching himself up to the yoke. “Please, climb aboard your highness.”
Applejack adjusted her hat, “you ain’t gonna pull this thing all by yurrself are ya?”
Mineral cocked an eyebrow, “well, there isn’t anypony else.”
AJ rolled her eyes, “C’mon, I’ll give y’all some help.”
Mineral looked like he’d been hit in the face, “No ma’am, I couldn’t ask you to-”
But AJ was already hitching herself up to the yoke, “Keep talkin’ if ya want, but this is happ’nin.”
Twilight climbed aboard the back of the wagon while Applejack was debating with Mineral Deposit. She gasped as she recognised the mare sitting in the wagon. A bright mint coloured coat, a brilliant cyan mane and tail with a white streak, sun glow eyes and a lyre cutie mark.
“Lyra? Lyra Heartstrings?”
Lyra gave Twilight the slightest of nods, “Twilight,” she said curtly.
Twilight climbed aboard, followed closely by her other friends, they greeted Lyra in turn, each giving equal measure of happiness and surprise. She smiled and greeted each of them. Twilight noticed Lyra greeted the others with a little more warmth.
The carriage was cramped with the six ponies in the back. Rainbow Dash eased the burden slightly by choosing to fly, following behind the carriage. In her opinion she had been sitting still long enough and needed to fly. Pinkie eased everything further by sitting up front on the driver’s bench, watching over Mineral Deposit and Applejack, giving them bad directions, trying to take the reins and even making several attempts to get a singalong started .
In the back Lyra, Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity did their best to enjoy the cramped quarters. Twilight paid extra attention to her wings, doing her best to make sure they didn’t flare. “I had no idea you’d be the second human expert Lyra,”
Lyra gave a curt nod and spoke with a chill in her tone, “Yeah, I’ve studied humans for a long time.”
Twilight gave Fluttershy and Rarity a curious glance. They too looked like they had noticed Lyra’s tone but were just as confused by it.
Rarity cleared her throat, “I had no idea you were such an expert, where did you study?”
Lyra managed a small smile, “I didn’t study anywhere actually. It just started out as a hobby and, I guess, it got a little out of hoof. But I wrote a paper on human myths and that got me an honorary degree from Canterlot University.” the smile faded when she glanced back at Twilight.
Twilight looked at her, wondering what was bothering Lyra, but the explanation didn’t seem like it would be forthcoming.
Lyra looked away from Twilight, giving her the cold shoulder and looking back to Fluttershy and Rarity. “When princess Celestia heard there was an expert living in Ponyville she sent me a letter asking for my help,” she glanced at Twilight out of the corner of her eye, “It was only later I learned she was sending a second expert.”
Twilight cocked an eyebrow, “Why’d you say expert like that?”
Lyra just snorted and looked away from her, choosing to occupy her time by staring at the passing view through the back of the covered wagon.
The other three ponies shared looks of equal confusion.
...***...
The San Palomino dessert. Endless acres of bare sand and rock that stretched from the ocean all the way to Appaloosa and the Macintosh hills. There were some fertile areas, far inland and close to the rivers. Those were lands which belonged to the buffalo.
The area that the little wagon was riding into was barren and dry, several miles from the nearest river or even the ocean. Even the hardy buffalo stayed away from those lands.
Rainbow lay on the top of the wagon, her pith helmet tilted to shield her eyes. She was curled up in a ball and gently snoring.
Mineral Deposit was filling them in as they rode on under the hot sun, “Erosion has moved the river a lot over the thousands of years but soil samples showed us the river used to flow through here, that means a civilisation could have had the water and fertile ground to support itself.
Professor Hunter analysed maps of the region, but the desert isn’t very well documented. In the end she made several expeditions to the area herself. She found several caves around hills and mountains, and did some exploration in areas where the river might have once flowed. She found evidence of ancient plant growth; fossilized tree trunks buried in the sand.
The area she chose as the dig site is a prime location, the river used to flow through the area, there is a large group of stone plateaus nearby with several small caves and we uncovered evidence that there was once substantial growth in the region. Maybe a forest, perhaps even farm land.”
Twilight stuck her head out of the covered wagon, “So tell me, what were your findings?”
Mineral bit his lip nervously, “I’m sorry princess, but I can’t. Professor Hunter told me not to say anything, she would rather present her findings to you herself.”
Twilight nodded, she could understand Relic Hunter wanting to hold off the information. It was far better for Twilight to see the artefacts rather than just hear about them.
Mineral glanced over his shoulder to look at Twilight, “I’m sorry Princess.”
Twilight nodded, “It’s alright, really. And please, call me Twilight.”
Mineral nodded, “Yes Princess.”
Twilight rolled her eyes and pulled her head back in.
Tall red stone plateaus loomed ahead of them, a great flat topped mountain rising out of the ground. In the shade of the plateau was a whole village of tents large tents, from simple one-pony tents to whole marquees. The tiny forms of many ponies wandered here and there about their own business.
Pinkie was bouncing up and down on the driver’s bench, making the whole cart tremble, “OOOHHH We’re here! We’rehere! We’rehere!”
“Pinkie!” Twilight put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder, “Calm down.” still, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling, Pinkie’s excitement was contagious.
Half a dozen ponies stood by to watch them arrive as the carriage pulled up, guided by Mineral Deposit and Applejack into the shade of a mini marquee; a canvas roof propped up on tent poles.
Mineral tilted his hat and wiped his forehead, sighing loudly, “I don’t know about you, but I need a nice, cold, drink.”
Applejack nodded her head. As though waiting for that exact moment, her stomach growled loudly. AJ’s face turned red, “Yeah, I reckon’ that’s a good idea.”
Mineral smiled and nodded. He unhitched himself from the cart as the other ponies climbed out of the back. Fluttershy hovered over to Rainbow Dash, giving her gentle pokes to encourage her awake.
“If you need something to eat or drink, the kitchen is set up in the green tent over here,” he pointed his hoof in the direction of green canvas. “Princess,” he bowed his head, seemingly out of reflex, “Miss Heartstrings, Professor Hunter asked that you visit her right away. You can usually find her in the largest tent over there,” he pointed to a huge sand-coloured tent in the centre of the camp. It was as long as all the train carriages of the Friendship Express put together. “That’s where we keep the artifacts for sorting and examining.” He bowed his head to Twilight again, “I’ll bring you refreshments right away. It might just be water, but I think we might have some iced tea left, somewhere. Or perhaps I could-”
Twilight sighed inwardly, “Water will be just fine.” she was getting annoyed by all the fawning. If he would just drop the Princess and call her Twilight it might be a little easier. She shook her head and tried to ignore it, “Lyra, after you.”
Lyra rolled her eyes and sighed heavily, when she spoke she actually sounded bored, “Sure, let’s go.”
Twilight cocked an eyebrow in confusion, staring after Lyra for several seconds before following on. If Lyra didn’t say why she was acting this way soon, then she was going to have to demand an answer.
Lyra walked into the shade of the large tent, Twilight was just a hoof step behind her. The thick canvas cast a heavy gloom. After the brightness of the sunlight outside the two ponies felt like they were in darkness. They stood still while their eyes adjusted.
Suddenly Lyra gasped, her hoof shot out. Twilight followed where she was pointing. Her breath caught in her throat and her wings flared in surprise.
“Oh my goodness.”
On the table in the middle of the room was a decapitated head.