The Brotherhood of Equestria

by Jack2023


Chapter 6, A Little Visit

2 Days After The Murder

“Thanks for breakfast Spike!” Twilight called out as she made her way to the front room.

“You're welcome. When is the detective going to arrive?”

“I don't know Spike. Maybe at-” Knock Knock “... at this moment.” Twilight's heart begins to race as her mind starts to convince her of the risk she may have of the detective discovering what she knows about the Brotherhood.

But the lavender mare holds her thoughts at bay as she brings her hoof to the library's door as another now slightly less patient knock sounds from the other side. “Hello Twilight Sparkle. Celestia is having me deliver the evidence of the crime scene to you.” A dark gray pegasus stallion, with pitch black mane having dark blue streaks running through it. In front of his eyes sit a pair of sunglasses that reflect the day’s sun to them, which slightly takes away Twilight’s attention to the large piece of right ear the stallion seems to be missing.

To the mare’s stare he brings his hoof to push a large brown suitcase in front of Twilight. “Thank you, um..?”

Twilight’s horn sparks up in a faint purple glow as the suitcase is floated from the stallion’s hoof and now comes to float next to her with a low magical chime.

“Night Blade.” His voice is low and raspy, but calm and collected. “I need to be elsewhere in town at the moment, Twilight. I'll return in a hour so you can ask me any questions.” He quickly turns around before Twilight can even blink from her faint confusion to the stallion’s brief introduction.

But as Twilight closes the door she lets out a relieved sigh as she starts to look over the case floating next to her.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Night Blade’s tort through the marketplace of Ponyville holds a steady pace as he slightly swings his eyes from behind their concealed position behind the stallion’s sunglasses. The rays of Celestia's sun are warming to the back of the dark pegasus, as the area around him begins to have a little more traffic to the day’s start.

His trot thought the much smaller and quieter city is brought to a halt as he turns his gaze to a mare with a big smile that slightly waves him on. It only takes the stallion a millisecond to recognize the mares red mane and dark blue eyes. A smile comes to his face fast as he holds it to the sight of his friend again.

“There you are Night Blade. How have you been?” She said, embracing him in a hug.

“Mission wise, everything is going as planned. Personally, very good. How about you Alice?” They broke the hug and Alice continued to hold her big smile.

“I'm excited for the future. This'll tell you what we got planned.” Alice said handing him a brown packet. “Those sunglasses look good on you.”

“Thanks. Hows our brothers?”

“Bruddon is excited for the next mission. But Connor's mind is a little troubled right now.”

“You involving the Elements of Harmony hasn't kept my mind at ease either.” She rolls her eyes and lets out a slightly defeated sigh. “What about Lilly?”

“She pushes her limits every day. Her determination to out do all of us is quite impressive.”

“I've never seen a pony with such determination in all my years.” He lets out a small chuckle while taking a quick look around the market. “When you killed Iron Blade, did you enjoy it?”

“You really do know how to throw the conversation into the opposite mood.” Her ears fall to the side of her head as she lose her smile a little.

“Its alright. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But what about Bruddon and Connor after they defeated the griffons?”

“Bruddon is troubled by it. He may be voracious in a fight, but he's never enjoyed taking the life of an intelligent creature. Connor..” Night Blade stays silent, waiting for Alice to finish her comments. “... I don't know. Its like nothing even happened that day to him... other than Twilight.”

“What do you mean by, 'Other than Twilight'?” Alice put a sly smile on her face. “... Connor must hate you.” She went into a loudish laugh as a smirk comes to Night Blade's face. “So, has the decision been made to hit the pack?”

A burst of anxiety comes over Alice as her voice comes up. “Its not safe to talk about it here.” Night Blade quickly surveyed the area again before nodding to her. “How is Celestia?”

Night Blade raised his eyebrow. “The only thing troubling her is the murder. Why do you ask?”

She gives another sly smile as she pokes to the stallion’s expression. “Because you are the only pony I know who is always 'close' to her.”

“Not funny.” His voice growls a little as he pulls out a brown packet from under his wing. “I'm expecting Father would like this.”

“Of course!” She takes the packet almost with a filly like joy as she gives Night Blade a hug. “It was good to see you again.” Her voice holds a low and sweet tone as she holds the hug.

“I'm happy that we could talk again sister.” They break the hug with a smile on their faces as they nod to each other. “Good bye.”

“See you soon, brother.” Alice turned away to the main street of town as Night Blade turns back to set off to Twilight's home.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

It been an hour since Twilight received the suitcase. Her search through every detail about the murder has lead her to a single conclusion. It was in fact an assassination, and they left no clues for any pony to follow. There is no way to catch the culprit with the evidence she has now.

She let out a defeated and relieved sigh, with her head throbbing in pain from the conflict shes emotionally been striving with. She's grateful that there is no evidence that ties Alice or the Brotherhood to it, but she feels guilty for letting Celestia down.

Knock Knock Knock

Her mind clicks to the sound of the hoof to the door as her hope to the thought of some much needed time away from the suitcase current topic continues to ring through the house. The lavender mare is quick to open the door as she looks over Night Blade standing in her house’s threshold, “Have you discovered anything?” He said with no emotion.

“No...” Her head falls low as she looks to the hardwood floor of the library.

“Celestia won't be disappointed in you, Twilight.” She stops her words as she just thinks his comment over, “But I couldn’t find anything about the culprit. If I couldn't, then what chance do you have?” Twilight's eyes announces her insult she felt from the stallion’s words. A smirk came to his face.

“Then why did Celestia want me to discover the culprit?”

“She believes you know something about the Brotherhood.” Twilight heart began to race as sweat starts to bead on her brow. “And I know you do.” Her body shiver with a cold reality brings shake as the stallion’s voice continues. “I think its time to tell you why the Brotherhood must remain secretive.”

“What..?” Night Blade walked into the house and closed the door behind him.

“You should know some of the reasons why you can't expose the Brotherhood.” He took off his sunglasses, revealing his two color eyes. His left eye is a deep crystal blue, while his right eye is a dark blood red. “Any questions you would like to ask about the topic?”

Her mind begins to race as her questions start to scream to her head. Night Blade waits quietly for her question, knowing that she has so many to ask. “When can I meet Connor?” But her mouth betrays what she actually intended to asking as her words come to an end.

Night Blade raised his eyebrow. “I said, ask any questions about why you must keep your knowledge of this secret, not about its members.” Her heart sinks as she loses some hope. “What would happen if Celestia would discover secrets of the Brotherhood.” Twilight's mind was put into thought again as she looks to the floor. 'What would Celestia do..?' “See, you don't know.”

“How do you know so much about the Brotherhood?” Her words start up fast to his ending comment as she squints to his sure voice.

“Wouldn't you like to know...” Night Blade was tempted to tell her secrets about the Brotherhood to put her mind at ease, but he knows too well that would only benefit the wrong ponies. “Think of this. How brutal are the griffons?” She tilts her head to the question, but the answer came quickly to her. “What would happen if they found out you and your friends knew secrets about the Brotherhood?”

Twilight's eyes went wide in fear. “They would...”

“Do you understand now? If Celestia found out about the Brotherhood, she will expose it because the council, citizens, and the Griffon Kingdom would demand answers, Luna would too. And if the wrong group discovered that you have knowledge of their enemy, they won't hesitate to come after you and your friends.” Twilight faced announced that she realized the position she is in. “You would put you're friends in grave danger, not to mention me, Alice, and Connor too. And any other members.” Twilight sight fell to the floor. She has no idea on how to react to the situation she, and her friends are in. “I see you understand. Do you have a report for Celestia about the murder?”

She simply shook her head no. “Get to it, I have to hoof deliver that to Celestia.” Twilight rose her head to look at the stallion to see a smile on his face. “Like I said earlier, don't worry about disappointing Celestia if you haven’t discovered anything.” She let out a sigh, using her magic to levitate a stack of papers and quill to her.

Two hours passed as Twilight looked over the evidence again, while writing a report to Celestia. Night Blade walked around the library, taking a quick read over any book that caught his attention so he can see if there worth making a mental note to read it fully in the future.

Night Blade's wait finally showed signs of ending as Twilight set down her quill and started to read over it.

She let out a sigh, as she placed all of the evidence back in the suitcase, along with the report. “I wanted to ask you. I've never seen you around Canterlot, and I knew almost all the guards there.”

“That's simple. I went missing in action for four years.” Twilight gasp to the words, but he keeps his face emotionless. “I’ve been back in service for more than a year now. I wasn’t around the castle much in the first place, since I'm not really a guard, more like soldier. We properly did see each other around the castle, but never properly met.”

“Soldier..? You were part of the special forces training program that Celestia and the council agreed to do?” Her mind starts to fill with new questions as she just stares to the stallion in the room.

“Sure was. I can't tell you any details, but I'm probably one of the greatest warriors you've met.” His voice was still emotionless, but sly smirk cracked over his face a little.

“That explains why you are being a detective... How well do you know Princess Celestia?”

His eye twitched. “What do you mean by that?”

“Like... being a detective for her...” Twilight said a little rushed, from the coldness that appeared in his voice.

“I'm special forces, so I don't see much combat. But the skills I have makes me a good detective for this kind of crime. So Celestia sent Luna to take me to the crime scene. After I inspected the scene, it's standard protocol for me to go and meet her, no matter where she is or what shes doing, to give her a small debrief, then head home and right a full report.”

'No matter where she is, or what shes doing..?' Her eyes fell back to the suitcase on the coffee table in front of her. “Are you a member of the Brotherhood?” She said under her breath.

“What gave you that idea?” Twilight was sure she said that quietly enough to not let the stallion hear. She gave a sheepish smile to the stallion, who gave back a smirk on his face. “In a way.”

'Did he just admit that he is!?' “What do you know of the Brotherhood!?” Her ears perk up a little as her wanting mind craves for more information.

“Twilight... what did I say a couple of hours ago?” Twilight’s ears falter a little as she realizes his words mean her cravings will be left unsatisfied, as she remembered the danger she was in for what she knew. “I'm not going to say anything for the safety of you and others.” She nodded in understanding.

Night Blade brings his trot up and over to the coffee table as he picks up the suitcase with his hoof, putting it under his left wing. “Its time for me to take my leave.” He turns to the front door as he starts out the door. “Take care of yourself and your friends Twilight.” With those words, he closed the door behind him.

Twilight moves to the couch with her mind contemplating the conversation she had with Night Blade. To her, this day has been tedious and uneventful...Letting the Princess down from not being able to discover the culprit, and finding out how much danger she and her friends are in.

“Are you alright Twilight?” Her eyes are turned to the front door to see Spike walking in. She looks to the clock hanging on the wall, and shows its been about a hour after Night Blade's departure. “You seem really down.”

“Come on Spike. We need to go somewhere.” She got off the couch and made her way to Spike in the front door.

“Are we going to Rarity's!?” His eyes brightened at the thought.

“We are, then to AppleJack's.” She walked right by Spike and closed the door behind them.

It was clear to Spike that the lavender mare’s determination eyes show there's something troubling her. Twilight would usually let Spike ride on her back when they went out together. But she just trots by him like he wasn't there. He picked up his pace so he can walk next to her so he can ask what's wrong, but his gut feelings stop him from asking anything as he just follows. He just hopes that Rarity or AppleJack could put Twilight in a better mood.

(Take a look at Author's Notes, please!)