Chapter 11
The Cloak of generosity
Later on as the group was eating, Derpy turned to look at Luna.
“Hey princess” she said in a low whisper.
“Yes Derpy?”
“That pony in the corner has been looking this way for a while now.”
Luna looked up and saw the pony in the corner, recognizing him at once.
“Well now… this isn’t good. Spitfire, Soarin, do you see what I see?”
Spitfire and Soarin looked up from their food, seeing the pony. It was a Pegasus, with a light blue mane and darker coat.
“Continue eating” Spitfire said, keeping her voice calm.
“Who is he?” Trixie asked.
“Well that’s the million bit question isn’t it?” Soarin said eating into his pie. “Either he’s one of our budding wonderbolts Lightning Flash… or he’s a changeling.”
The pony had risen from his seat, walking over to their table. “Spitfire, Soarin, is that you?”
Spitfire looked up in feigned surprise. “Lightning? What are you doing here?”
“I have family here, I figured I’d stay low until this whole mess blows over.”
“Blows over? A unicorn has trapped one of the royal sisters and the other is on the run and you think this will blow over?”
“Sorry, bad choice of words I guess.”
“But you, what are you two doing here and who’s your friends?”
“Oh you know me” Spitfire said smiling. “I always like getting new friends.”
“We’re nopony special” Vinyl said smiling a friendly smile. “We were just in the neighborhood that’s all.”
“Well welcome to Staliongrad, I’m just sorry you had to come on such a bad time.”
“A bad time? Is there anything going on?” Trixie asked.
“Well the new ruler wants to get her hoofs on Princess Luna no matter the cost… since we’re so close to the dragon kingdom she put up border patrols all around the border lands. We keep the dragons out, and at the same time, Princess Luna inside.”
Spitfire’s eyes widened and soon the entire inn turned around as Spitfire stood over Lightning, pressing a hoof to his neck.
“Spitfire, what are you…” Soarin asked shocked.
“He just said that ‘we’ keep the dragons out… which in turn mean he is with the patrol. Either he’s a traitor to the crown, or he’s a changeling. Personally I hope for the latter.”
Lightning gasped at her, but then smiled. His body changed, turning into a black changeling. His smile turned into a grin.
“I’m no traitor” he said, his voice sounding raspy like most of his kind. “I am completely loyal to my queen Chrysalis… and Chrysalis is loyal to the current pony queen… which means that if anypony is a traitor here, it’s you.”
He looked at Spitfire. “Do you know what your queen does to traitors pony? She gives them to us… I can already taste the love… it is so good, I will suck you dry.”
He was received with a hoof to the face, but not by Spitfire. The group looked up to see the pony that was in charge of the inn. The changeling had been knocked out cold, and the unicorn innkeeper looked at the group.
“Go, now, before it wakes up… and all hail Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”
Everypony rose, but before they left, Luna turned to the pegasi.
“What is your name?”
“Night flare”
“Thank you Night flare, be careful.”
Luna ran after her friends, finding that Derpy was leading the pack.
“What’s going on?” She asked as she reached Zecora.
“Miss Derpy heard a call from the wind, telling them all too go to the trial and let it begin.”
Luna nodded. “Good plan, we need to hide, that changeling won’t be out for long and when he wakes up all hell is going to break loose. Changelings, gargoyles, I wouldn’t be surprised if Starvoid herself decided to come.”
Turning a corner, Derpy rushed into a shed, everypony managing to get inside.
Gilda grunted. “This is a little tight, are you sure you went the right way?”
“Yes I’m sure” Derpy said, under the pile of ponies. “Now can anypony see a candlestick placed into the wall somewhere?”
Trixie answered. “Yes… the garish thing is right in front of me.”
“Would you mind dragging at it?” Trixie managed to get a hold of the candlestick with her magic, dragging it loose.
A click was heard somewhere and Vinyl yelped as the wall she was squished against opened to reveal a path. She grinned at it all.
“Wow, this is just like in the Daring Doo books, only real.”
“Let’s go down” Luna said looking at the door to the shed. “It’s not safe here.”
Derpy went first down the stairs, the others following her, looking around. Vinyl and Trixie had lit up their horns, making it possible to see around them.
“This place is amazing” Soarin said in wonder looking around.
“I wonder how long this has been here.”
“Well considering that a trial for a two thousand year old artifact is down here I’ll say at least that long” Gilda said, making a few of the others snigger.
Derpy had stopped, looking in front of her, where another blue shimmer made the group stop up. A zebra stood in front of them, her deep brown eyes looking over the group.
“You have come very far… here for the artifact I suppose you are.”
Derpy nodded. “Yes, I’m Derpy, the substitute for the holder of the element Generosity.”
The Zebra looked at her, and at her friends. “Xolani is what I am named, step forward Derpy, do not be afraid. Through this door the artifact is kept, being guarded by a group who dwell in the dept."
Derpy nodded. "Ok, any advice for me?"
Xolani smiled. "while this land is filled with things most unpleasent, all creatures enjoys getting a present."
Derpy turned and smiled at her friends. “Don’t worry guys, I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
As she walked through the door, Xolani turned to the others. “3 of the 6 artifacts I see you got, she’ll be fine, worry not.”
Xolani’s eyes rested on Zecora, the two Zebra’s sharing a nonverbal greeting.
Derpy walked inside the cave, wondering what she was going to do. The cave she was in was dark, having one or two bright spots comming from holes in the ceiling where the moonlight rushed in. Seeing nothing else to do, the grey mare looked around.
Sometimes the ability to be able to look around at two places at once came in handy. She finally spotted what she was after, a pedestal at the far side of the room, with a black cloth lying folded on the top of it.
Derpy flapped her wings and glided over the canyon. Reaching her goal, Derpy reached for the cloth, seeing that it was a cloak. As she was about to take the cloak a deep growl was heard. Derpy turned around seeing that the seemingly empty cave now was filled with a group of diamond dogs
"Um... hi?"
"What do you think you are doing pony? That cloak is ours."
Derpy turned to the diamond dog who had spoken up. He was old, and looked like the tribe's leader.
Derpy blinked. "Yours?"
"Yes Pony ours. Given to us as a present many many generations ago."
"Oh... but I need it to save the world from certain doom."
The Diamond dog scowled at her. "Tell me pony, I dont know how well you can see, but do I look like I'm stupid? That cloak is ours, and you are just a simple thief wanting it for yourself."
"No I'm not" Derpy said, feeling irritaded over the fact that the old dog thought that she had less than perfect intentions.
"Then leave pony... that cloak has given us chances for food, hidden us from harm and helped us against our enemies... we will not simply let you take it."
Derpy blinked, suddenly realising something. She turned and opened her saddlebag rumaging through it before finally finding what she was looking for, a bracelet in pure gold.
"Then... how about we trade?"
The dog blinked, a few of the younger ones behind him almost drooling at the sight. "Where did you get that Pony?"
"It was my mother's... its the only thing I have left of her. I keep it around as a good luck charm... I wish I didn't have to give it away, but I need the cloak more."
The Diamond dog looked at her and smiled." You can keep it... and take the cloak."
Derpy blinked. "What?"
"The story of the cloak has been passed down through the alpha dog for generations. A zebra gave it to our anchestors and asked us to keep an eye on it until somepony who was willing to put us before themselves came to take it back... and that is you pony... keep the bracelet... and the cloak."
Derpy smiled and turned to take the coat. As she turned back to thank the Diamond dogs they had allready disapeared back into the shadows. Derpy sighed, putting her mother's bracelet back into her saddlebag and galloped back to where she came in.
Finally back at her friends she brought the cloak away from her face, smiling as her friends sighed in relief.
Xolani looked at her with a smile too. “Congratulations miss Derpy for clearing the test. And now you need to hear a tale to understand the rest. To be generous is not the same as to be kind, it simply means to give your friends benefits that you can find. If your friends are ill you give healing herbs, if cranky they are you heal their nerves. The cloak you have give you insight, and can help you past those who is blind to your plight.”
Derpy looked at her. “So wearing the cloak can make me sneak past guards and stuff to find information my friends can need?”
Xolani smiled. “Exactly so my generous friend, but not much time you can spend. An hour under the cloak is all you will get, before the enchantment turns off and make any guards upset.”
“Thank you Xolani” Derpy said putting on her cloak. “Do you know a way for us to go outside the borders? Our enemy is looking for us.”
Xolani turned and pointed down a long walkway. “An old sewer system this used to be, follow the way forward and you will be free.”
“Thank you” Luna said, bowing gently.
Xolani bowed and the group turned to go down the path towards freedom.