The Journalist

by redspark

Blind trust

Chapter 23
Blind Trust

Nimble paced around a large room on the new headquarters. She stopped at a window and looked outside into the night, recalling last night´s events.

They had been on a normal meeting. It had been some time since they had done anything, and Hightip was planning for a mission when a very tired-looking Serena arrived. She was panting heavily and took some seconds to talk. The words had been: “She has been captured…”

Hightip and Silent immediately stood up, and asked who, though Nimble knew they already had the idea of whom. Serena told them about the way she had seen Sunny walking towards her café, and how she had gone to open the door. She had looked outside and she said she watched as three cloaked ponies jumped behind her and quickly snatched her. Serena had, according to her story, gone immediately in pursuit. The problem had been that they were long gone by the time she managed to unlock the café´s doors.

Hightip had quickly filled on Serena of questions, which she answered to almost all. The most curious thing were the questions being asked. Nimble was pretty sure that the kidnappers had been shadow ponies due to the cloaks, but as the questions went on, Hightip had arrived at another conclusion.

“Time Keeper.” He said. Nimble caught some anger on that name as Hightip said it. “He´s responsible. No Shadow pony’s work this time, but rather somepony even worse.”

He had then called on Silent privately, and sent the rest in dismiss. Nimble had been with Serena all night, telling her how it had not been her fault and that there was nothing she could have done even if she had caught up to the cloaked ponies.

Serena had left the following morning as the first rays of light began to light up the sky. Still, Silent and Hightip were still on a locked room, since the last night´s dismiss. It took them yet another hour after Serena left for them to unlock the door. Both stallions walked out of the room slowly. The ponyhood was there, waiting to see what was going to happen.

“We will get Sunny back.” Silent said. All the assembled ponies smiled.

Hightip then spoke “But this will require a great deal of planning, and not less luck.” He began walking around the room, looking at each of the ponies present. “Time Keeper is perhaps the most dangerous and powerful pony after the vey princesses. He will be prepared for us, and so we need to approach a way he will not expect.”

Silent then continued. “We learned of a party he´ll have on his mansion tomorrow night. That´s when we´ll strike.” He nodded at Hightip, who lit up his horn and a map appeared in the middle of the room on the floor. “This is the house´s map. It has all its hallways, rooms… everything. As we have planned, Hightip, Grey Stone and Deepsqueak will enter as servants, while Nimble will get me and herself invitations for the party, due to her newly found importance in high class ponies.” Nimble blushed slightly.

“We will then search through the house. It will be almost empty except for the kitchen and some hallways which go to bathrooms and the entrance hall of the house. Those we must evade. We will use the other hallways that are not going to be used. Search every room, don´t let anything pass by…” Hightip said.

Everypony nodded. “Perfect. We have a day, and then before the actual action I´ll repeat the whole plan again. This must work, because if not…” He didn´t finished the sentence. He quickly turned away. “Dismissed.” Everypony noticed there was something up with Hightip, and so they quickly left the room, Silent being the last one. Only Nimble stayed.

“Hightip, we will find her, I promise.” She said, approaching the old unicorn.

Hightip turned around and smiled at Nimble slightly. His eyes were slightly red. “Thanks Nimble. I know we will. It´s just that… well, you know how close we are to each other.” He said, turning again, looking out of a window. “I just can´t bear thinking of losing her; Even less to that pony.”

Nimble nodded and walked silently out of the room, leaving Hightip alone…

* * * *

Those where the thoughts Nimble had. One more day for the grand plan, and Sunny would be back with them. That made Nimble smile, but also shiver at the thought of Sunny, alone in a dark place, surrounded by probably cloaked ponies and above all: scared.

She remembered when she first arrived at the ponyhood. She had been scared, and Sun Seeker had seemed brave. But now she knew it wasn´t the case. Sun Seeker was the most scared of all. She was only sixteen years old! How could they have let her go out alone. Maybe yes, she was on a safe part of the city, but anything could happen… Anything.

She sighed as she saw the lamps lit up, giving light to the streets of Canterlot. She smiled and walked towards the window. She pushed it open and looked down. It wasnpt a long fall, and there was a metal sticking out of the building through which she could… What was she thinking?! Actually jumping off the third floor of a building?!

She closed the window, silently chuckling. How much she had changed since joining the ponyhood. She smiled, remembering when she was exaggeratedly scared of heights. Now, she liked them… well, almost, at least not like Silent did.

She took her cloak and put it on. She then walked outside the room, going through the building and out into the night. It was chilly outside, still she enjoyed it. It relaxed her.

“Thinking in going anywhere alone?” Silent´s voice said from behind. Nimble turned around and noticed him.

“Come on, I won´t get lost.”

Silent nodded. “I know, but whoever that came for Sunny can surely com for you also if you are alone.” He walked until he was standing beside her. “Now, I´ll accompany you.” He saw Nimble´s face. “Come on, it isn´t that bad, is it?”

Nimble smiled and laughed slightly. “Nope.” And she began walking with Silent behind. “It´s even worse.” She muttered.

“Hey! I heard that!” Silent said. Nimble chuckled.

“Yes, that´s what I wanted.”

Both walked together as the Canterlot streets changed slightly. From small, compact buildings it began to turn into big, extensive houses. Nimble looked aornd, searching for one in specific.

“What are you searching for exactly?” Silent asked.

Nimble didn´t answered right away. “Purple Velvet´s house. She´s married to a certain Counselor, which Hightip told me will attend that party. If somepony can get us entry tickets, it´s her.”

Silent nodded.

“There!” Nimble said finally. She started walking towards a house even bigger than the other around. There was a huge front garden with dragon statues and a couple of small fountains. The front door was also big, decorated with small leaf markings all over it.

Nimble knocked the door.

The sound of hoofsteps approaching reached both pony´s ears as the door opened.

“Nimble! I didn´t expected you to come so soon to visit (and so late) but what brings you here this lovely night?” The purple unicorn asked, a broad smile on her face.

Nimble smiled also. “I need a favor from you.”

Purple Velvet nodded. “Of course! Please come in and we can discuss it inside, with a nice cup of hot tea.” Nimble nodded and entered. Silent entered after her.

“Oh, you´ll finally meet my husband. He´s a great stallion, if a little silent sometimes…” She said as the door closed...

The notice by Serena...

Author's Note:

Hello again!

Sorry for the long delays, but I´ve been a little busy right now. I have been making a song for the album Shards of Disharmony (Let´s see how that ends up). I´ve also been on some schoolwork, which is important. My main conern now though, is an english class proyect, buuuut that´s not relevant.

So a new chapter out. This one´s slightly shorter than my normal ones, but odn´t worry. Next one will be long (I´m even thinking into making it a two part one, like Silence´s Waltz).

Comments

[Synthetic Amber Patch]

Ok... Now I get it. (I was right)