Lionel Summerset was in his cell, adjusting the collar on his jumpsuit. Suddenly, the doors were opened. A unicorn jailor went into the corridor.
"Mr. Summerset, you have a visitor." she told him. "A special one, too."
"How special are we talking about?" asked Lionel, flatly. "Because with the company I normally keep, I find it very hard to see what is or isn't considered 'special'."
"I think you'll find this visit to be very special."
Into the corridor, flanked by two royal guards, was none other than--
"Princess Celestia." Lionel tucked his lips into a corner to grin. "What brings you to my corner of Equestria?"
"I came to have a talk with you." said Celestia, with a solemn expression on her face. "Come with me."
She beckoned for the jailor to open Lionel's cell door.
Princess Celestia and Lionel Summerset were in a small square room, sitting on opposite sides of a mahogany table that was reinforced with steel. The door was flanked by two royal guards.
"Mr. Summerset, I'm more than aware of what happened a couple months ago, between you and Sunset Shimmer's group."
"Oh, of course." said Lionel, sipping from a mug of coffee. "Sunset's little gang. The...Brat Pack, as I like to call them."
"I'm sure you also remember that you attempted to murder Sunset Shimmer, as well?" asked Celestia, warily.
"Murder?" Lionel scoffed. "I'm not a psychopath, my dear princess. I was simply defending my property, as any sensible pony would."
"By shelling your own building?"
"The stallion I had running that cannon was a crack-shot." said Lionel. "Maybe a little too cracked."
"Likely story." said Celestia.
"But I'm sure you didn't come all the way here to interrogate me." said Lionel.
"You're right, Mr. Summerset." said Celestia. "I didn't come here for that. Not entirely, anyway. I'm here because I'm in need of your services."
"Then tell me what you need done." said Lionel. "Within reason, of course."
"The outer regions of Equestria are in danger; threatened by forces unknown." said Celestia. "In the wake of some recent...events, the Royal Guard will be stretched too thin to protect these settlements."
"What did you have in mind?"
"Mr. Summerset, I know that you not only have a firm influence in real estate, but also...arms dealing."
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Lionel raised a graying eyebrow.
Princess Celestia narrowed her eyes, so Lionel quickly added:
"But of course, I wouldn't deny I have my own experiences with building and using weapons. After all, that's my special talent. Always has been, since I was a little colt in Saddle Arabia. You see, before I went overseas to this fair land, I was an aspiring young blacksmith in Bridylon. I built weapons for all kinds of folks. Rich and poor, domestic and foreign. My weapons were pristine, powerful, and of course plentiful. Naturally, they became quite popular. and I made lots of money from the trade. But the more widely-distributed my weapons became, the clearer it was that somepony would try using them against me someday. So I decided to leave Saddle Arabia to pursue another career choice, and I saw that Las Pegasus was the perfect place to start again.
"Many opportunities presented themselves there. So I dabbled into a few of them, and found I excelled at some more than others. Real estate, gambling, collecting, but I couldn't turn away for my talent for building weapons, so I made deals and signed contracts with other individuals to help me build weapons that would make the kind I built and sold in Saddle Arabia look obsolete and useless by comparison."
"Well, as much as I hate to see the production of war-machines, I'm convinced that Equestria may be in need of some of those weapons of yours soon. If you agree to help Equestria, I will relieve you of your criminal status, and negotiate with the Iron Horses to give you back your--"
"I will help Equestria, my dear Celestia." Lionel interjected. "But I'm done operating things from my tower here in Las Pegasus. Instead, I'm going to ask for something very different."
"What did you have in mind?"
Report: Success in Saddle Arabia
* * *
Dateline: December 12th. King Nelphyn's been defeated, and Saddle Arabia's slowly but surely pulling itself back together. I, Captain Radiant Dawn Daystar of the Canterlot Night Guard, am proud to report that we all--barely--made it out of there alive. We are out of Saddle Arabian airspace, and en route to Baltimare, where my father plans to make a stop at his old haunt, AKA the University of Baltimare, before resuming our flight back to Canterlot. We expect to make it back shortly before Hearth's Warming Eve. Right now, we could use a little snow after all the hot sand and scalding desert sun. Speaking of harsh weather, there's a bunch of storm-clouds looming over the horizon, even as I add this entry into my report.
I can't see them, but I sense them with my magic, and don't even need to hear them to know that they sure pack a punch. Nose Nip and Frosty have been reminded to stay at a neutral altitude; too high, and we'll be ripped to shreds by the storm. Too low, and we'll get smashed by the raging waters below. Those tidal waves are huge! I swear that one of them was 600 yards high!
Also, I've been told by some seafarers that a sea monster had been sighted off Saddle Arabia's western coast a week or so ago. Didn't they have enough trouble with King Nelphyn, and with all those gods running around? Now we've got something swimming in these waters? What is the monster, anyway? A sea serpent? Kraken? Beached whale? Whatever it may be, we're not going to waste time investigating. I'm sure the paladins can check it out now that Mareusalem's been restored. On a personal note, I think I'm starting to get paranoid. Ever since Nose Nip mentioned seeing a shadow under the water, I've been watching the waves for anything. I'm sure that Nose Nip only saw a shadow of the Summerstar refracted from the sunlight, but with those rumors going on and our own personal experience, you can never be too careful.
Radiant Dawn stopped typing the entry on a typewriter that he purchased in Bridylon, and took a slow but deep breath. The door opened, and Lightning Dust came inside, carrying Ellie Jaye on her back. She had grown quite a bit the past month: Her body was getting darker and grayer, and her rounded violet eyes were visible now that the white layer molted off her face.
"Okay, honey?" asked Lightning.
"I'm fine." said Radiant, nodded.
Ellie leapt off Lightning's back with the speed and agility of a lynx, and landed on the desk next to Radiant's typewriter. It made some clicking noises, and licked his cheek with a thin black tendril-like tongue that left a faint pink stain where it licked.
"Agh! Not now, Ellie." said Radiant, shaking the slime off his cheek. "I've got a report to fill for Princess Luna."
"Oh, don't mind her." said Lightning. "She just wants to get to know you a little more."
Ellie clicked her mandibles, which had grown a few inches in the intervening month, and tapped the table with her extended abdomen, like a beaver pressing down on a dam with its tail. Radiant's horn glowed, and he levitated a beanie-bag out of a drawer and held it up in the air.
"Wanna fetch?" Radiant asked Ellie. "Catch the beanie-baggie?"
Ellie shook her head. She scuttled backwards, leapt off the table, and went out into the hallway.
"Okay..." said Radiant.
Ellie stood on her back legs, her front four stretched out wide as if to catch something.
"Okay, here you go." said Radiant, tossing the beanie-bag at Ellie, who gripped it with her claws and tossed it back.
"Wow!" Radiant sighed. "You're a smart little bug, aren't ya?"
"I've been teaching her all kinds of cool stuff." said Lightning Dust. "Why just the other day--"
"Where'd she go?" Radiant blurted out.
Lightning turned around, and saw that Ellie had disappeared from the doorway. Lightning narrowed her eyes.
"Ahh....she's probably gone exploring again." she muttered under her breath. "I'm gonna go get her again."
She was about to fly out of the room, when Radiant telekinetically pulled her by the tail, and clasped her by the sides.
"I'll get her for ya." he said.
"You sure, Radiant?" Lightning asked.
"Sure I'm sure, baby." Radiant grinned. "Anything for my special somepony."
"Oh, that's so sweet of you." said Lightning Dust, blushing.
Radiant Dawn got up, and went out into the corridor.
"Hey, stretch." Sunflower said to him as she passed by. "Oh, I mean uh...captain. How's it goin'?"
"Just fine, Sunflower." said Radiant. "Tell me, have you seen Ellie anywhere?"
"The bug? Yeah, sure. She's over there with Sunset's bat." Sunflower pointed to the end of the corridor.
Ellie was scurrying down the far end of the hall, Bathilda hovering around her and squeaking something that made the Megamite's antennae twitch. Ellie stopped, looked up at Bathilda, nodded her head, and continued on. She climbed onto a nearby seat and the two looked out a circular viewport on the wall. Bathilda was wide-eyed and squeaking frantically.
"What's the matter with you two?" Radiant said as he went up to them, peering out the window as well.
Radiant peered through the glass, and Bathilda landed in his mane, her clawed feet clinging to his left ear as she pointed a claw forwards. But Radiant saw nothing but stormy weather outside: Dark clouds, rain beating against the airship's frame, and flashes of lightning in the distance.
"What's the matter?" asked Radiant. "You're not afraid of a little thunder, are ya?"
"What's going on, Red?" asked Sunset Shimmer, who came out into the hall at that moment.
"Hi, Sunny." Radiant replied as he turned to face his sister. "Your bat's acting funny. I think this weather's getting to her."
"Well of course it is." said Sunset. "Bathilda relies on her ears much more than her eyes. The poor girl must be going nuts right now with all--"
BOOM! CRR-R-RR-A-A-AACCKK!
"--That thunder and lightning out there." said Sunset. "You wanna stay with mommy right now, Bathilda?"
Bathilda nodded, fidgeting like crazy. She flew off Radiant's head, and landed on Sunset's, her claws clinging anxiously to Sunset's horn. Sunset chuckled.
"Okay, okay." she said, calmly. "Just let momma take you back to her room, 'kay?"
She smirked, and went back down the hall to her bedroom. Radiant smiled as he watched Sunset comfort her pet like it was her own child, then looked down at Ellie, who was still looking out the window. He decided to continue looking out the window with her.
"Awww, how cute." said Lightning, who had flown out of Radiant's room. "You two are bonding!"
"I guess I am." shrugged Radiant.
Ellie climbed onto Radiant's back, and dug her legs into his mane. Then she lay on her back, sticking one of her back legs towards the ceiling in a relaxed, confident pose. Radiant and Lightning looked at each other, exchanging amused grimaces.
"I think she's comfy around me." observed Radiant.
"That's my girl for ya!" Lightning chuckled. "Sure takes a lot after me, don't you think?"
Suddenly, Ellie spontaneously leapt up into the air, making a loud pig-like squeal as she did so. She landed on her clawed feet along Radiant's back as loud clattering noises came from the ceiling.
"What the heck is that?" Radiant exclaimed. "Sure doesn't sound like rain..."
Suddenly, water dripped down onto his back, and the lights in the hall abruptly died out. He looked up, and saw a pegasus stallion hanging upside-down from the dark ceiling, adorned in glistening black garb and headgear that concealed his body and face, respectively. He looked down at Radiant with a baleful glare from his mask. Several other pairs of red eyes appeared in the gloom around them.