//------------------------------// // In Plain Sight // Story: What Remains III: Cracked Sky // by Bateman66 //------------------------------// “—while negotiations in the Vile Stretch seem to be reaching a some what more cordial standing. This is mostly in part to the notion of heftier taxation of their trade sectors being abandoned to use a majority of the local taxes towards the construction of several civil facilities the South Eastern ponies were attempting to construct on their own. While this is still leaves the general attitude between the two factions on a lighter note than what has been the status quo, opportunities to equalize the level of diplomacy to its original standing are of course still possible. On a major note, the level of information I’m being passed as of this time is certainly lower than the normal level of sensitive pieces of interests that pass through my office. Efficiency around here is still dropping as more and more employees are calling in sick due to the plague’s outbreak. At this rate, it may just be the other embedded agents that will still be functioning, considering the rate of absences we’re receiving. Never the less, we are still operating at our fullest capacity and await any orders given from Crescent Isle or even the Queen herself. -Agent Pen Press” He didn’t even bother editing the damn sheet of paper as he briskly tossed it into a desk drawer. His report was lacking from the normal level of class he gave to his weekly check-ins but the recent situation in Canterlot was making things a bit more difficult for his concentration. Be thankful you can’t become one of those raving lunatics. Instead, you just have to watch it all unfold before you. He rolled his eyes. Like that’s any better. The Nightmare Plague, as it was being called by the media, was an oddity of an illness that had hit Canterlot and every where else in Equestria just a few weeks back. Symptoms claimed to be just frequent night terrors, but the sleep deprivation the afflicted suffered from introduced a whole new gauntlet of discomforting effects. Tremors, aching muscles, loss of memory, and recently, hallucinations seemed to only complicate the situation for aid workers everywhere. Not only was discovering how the disease was transmitted and where it came from on their plate, but dealing with mildly insane patients that got worse day after day made the job a lot more complicated. And I already know the answer. This isn’t any conventional disease, it’s deliberate. Fueled by magic and set forward by the Queen’s magic. No doubt influenced by either Silver Eclipse or Alistair. I wonder how long it’ll take them to figure this out. He shook his head. Not quick enough. They’ll being played like a violin, just how Shale predicted. His old sister, Shale, was the acting commander of the agents within the Night Lords, administering and overseeing all operations the wing undertook ever since the previous commander, Blackletter, was executed from all operations…permanently. Pen had even heard of the organization till he’d been able to land the job at External Affairs. He still remembered the odd conversation he’d had with Shale when she revealed who she’d been working for since her time in university. It hadn’t completely thrown him off balance, she’d always been the secretive type when they were growing up, so the fact she was a high-ranking member of a secret society fit her personality well. She’d said that his sensitive position in Equestria’s diplomatic machine would prove invaluable for the Night Lord’s goals and practically begged him to join their ranks after she’d revealed their identity to him. He’d reluctantly accepted, never quite getting into full swing with their silly doctrines and ideologies. He recognized Equestria wasn’t perfect but was killing Celestia and summoning an alternate version of Luna really quite necessary? The answer was no and he knew it. Something like that was much too bold for its own good. Besides, people had been trying to topple Equestria for years, and how many times had it work? None. Rising from his chair, he ran a hoof through his peach colored mane and began towards his appointment for the day, administrator Ash Leaf. The grizzled politician’s office was on the building’s third floor so he had a little walk ahead of him. He used that time to make a few more observations for his report. A little extra detail never hurt. “Ughh, Monday’s make me so drowsy,” complained one mare to another while he passed down the third hallway. “I know,” said the other, “and all this talk about the plague just makes things so stressful, even if you don’t have it.” “Well, my neighbor, Five Star, she has it and so far things are looking good for her.” “Really? I thought their brain starts melting right when they get it.” “No, no, no, that’s later. And then they grow fangs.” Pen rounded another corner and began up the first flight of stairs. A lone stallion was standing in the stairwell, mumbling to himself. “I’m fine…just fine…I’ll be alright…I just need to…relax…yeah…relax…that’s it…relax.” Pen moved up the next flight of stairs and passed into the third floor hallway. A stallion was speaking on one of the nearby payphones. “Is Thistle still in pain?” he paused as the other line responded. “No…ok I will…I’ll pick some up after work, I know it’s her favorite…ok, that’s good…I love you too honey…later, but the report’s still being…yes…” Pen strode down the hall, stopping at the plain looking door marked as Ash Leaf’s office. Clearing his throat, he broke into character. “Administrator?” he called out in a tone much more skittish and wimpy than he actually sounded. “I’m here for our two o’clock meeting. Sir?” He gave a few knocks against the door. “Sir?” No answer. Waiting a few more moments, he opened the door himself and stopped at the scene before him. The room was a disaster. Papers and other office supplies were scattered all around the floor while several wooden chairs lay smashed to splinters. The Administrator’s book shelf had been toppled to the ground while his long mahogany desk had several impact marks from a blunt object. And standing among the chaos, eyes wild and dilated with a disheveled green mane and matted grey fur, was Administrator Ash Leaf. He did not seem to notice Pen’s quiet entry and instead was more focused on his rapid mumblings and jittering body. “Can see it, can see it all. The moon, the stars, the kingdom! They speak to me, with mouths, but invisible mouths that can’t be heard to the normal ears. But I can hear it, I was chosen. You chose me. I chose you. Choices.” Pen slowly shut the door and readied his senses for the unexpected. Taking a few steps forward, he called out in his normal voice: “Administrator?” Ash Leaf’s head spun around frantically to face him, and, upon recognizing him, his expression suddenly formed into one of greeting and warmth. He strode towards Pen and shook his hoof rapidly. “Ambassador Al-Salad, it is so nice to see you finally. How was your trip from Saddle Arabia?” Before he could answer, Ash Leaf embraced him cheerily with his left hoof. “I’m sorry for our trade proposals to your capital coming in so degraded. We here in Equestria are so used to having regularly sealed letters instead of packaged ones to protect from the wind. How foolish of me!” He broke off into a fit of laughter, nearly buckling over from how funny the joke was to him. Regaining himself, he smiled back at Pen. “Ah, but you’ve had a long journey. Please, sit anywhere you like. I have plenty of seats.” Pen pursed his lip. “Sir?” he said back in character, “it’s just me, Pen Press. I’m here for our two o’clock meeting just like you asked.” Ash looked back to him with blank eyes. “E-Excuse me?” “The meeting, about windmills in the Badlands.” He continued to eye Pen with a look of utter confusion but then shakily began to nod his head. “Yes…that’s why I called you…yes.” “Sir?” “Yes…” “Is everything all right?” “Alright? I’ve never felt better! I’m as light as a school foal, as giddy as a feather. I haven’t felt this energized since…ever!” He began to hum a tune to himself while doing a little jib around the room. Watching his boss’s erratic and hyper-active movements, Pen’s eyebrows narrowed. He’s certainly lost it. I wonder how long he’s been hiding how serious his condition has gotten. The old pony shouldn’t have been let out of his house, better yet be in charge of External Affairs. I should probably inform somepony of this. Just need to ask him something. “Administrator?” he said back in his own voice. “Could I ask you something?” Ash Leaf froze in place and immediately stopped his dance. Craning his head around to face him, he gave Pen the same wild look he had on earlier. “Y-Y-Yessssss?” “You mentioned something earlier, a kingdom, a moon, being chosen. Is these at all related or is it just—” Before he could finish Ash Leaf charged towards him and collapsed at his feet. He attempted to get back up but only squirmed along the carpeted floor. Still, he was able to respond. “They are all related to one another. My sights of the future scream to me when I close my eyes. I see a moon, larger than a city hanging at half mast over the horizon. I see airships hovering over the heads of unsuspecting ponies. And I see a city, a shining monument to Equestria, burning.” Pen knelt down to look the mad pony in the eyes. “What city is burning?” “The Crystal Empire and the ponies in it. Those are what burns.” “And how long have you been seeing these visions?” “S-Soon I have. Just this morning or perhaps last night. That is when I saw it.” “And have others?” “I don’t know I’ve listened to others, the ones on the street. They are a crazy lot up until the Sun Guards cart them away to the hospitals. But they haven’t come for me, I’m free. Ponies understand me and my position. I’m too important to be locked away, have too important of a message to tell. And…you listened to it!” He broke into another cackling fit of laughter and began to roll across the floor with tears streaming down his face. Taking a few steps back, Pen promptly left the room and slammed the door behind him. “Security!” he called down the hallway. “We have a situation in here!”