Shadows of Canterlot

by Prane

Chapter 3

Shadows of Canterlot
By Prane
Chapter 3

Trixie became fed up with the prolonging silence.

'You know, this isn't the first time I was attacked...', she said impatiently.

Councilor Stormcoat spoke.

'It is not the fact of the assault itself worrying us. It is by who you were attacked.'

'Well, stallion in strange clothes', Trixie said, rolling her eyes. 'Not even a challenge, nothing worth pondering upon... unless there's something you're not telling me...'

Councilor Firehoof stood up and walked towards the wooden shelves on the side of the chamber. She grabbed them in a reddish mist and passed across the room to Trixie. Those were various agents' reports, all mentioning black robes with silvery markings. Some reports even had pictures. There was no doubt - striking resemblance to what Trixie saw confirmed the connection to the case.

'We have been receiving messages from our agents for some time now.', Firehoof began. 'But they were nothing by odd pieces of information, with no direct threat.'

'Until now?'

'I am afraid so, Trixie. This incident proves that we are dealing with something bigger than a costume party.'

They surely were. The masked stallion knew exactly what he was up for. That Everfree gem. The good thing was, he didn't have the right location of it. The bad thing was that he actually had any location. Sure, it was no secret that Trixie brought something with her from her last mission... she might even have told some ponies about it... a dozen, perhaps. Not a big deal, was it?

'The best intel we've got came from Sunseeker, our agent in Hoofington.', Councilor Icemane said. 'You will fly there onboard an airship, find our agent and investigate the case. We need to stop this group before they'll become a threat to Equestria.'

'Get some rest, agent. The Leviathan takes off tomorrow morning.', said Councilor Firehoof. 'Please, try not to blow it up on the way.'

‘And remember! This group might attack again.’, warned Councilor Stormcoat.

‘The worse for them.’, Trixie replied, turning around.

One thing was sure. If Conclave was in danger, the whole Canterlot was.

On her way home, Trixie dropped by Hoity Toity’s boutique to get her new outfit, then returned to her apartment in the Residential district.

* * *

The next day Trixie was in a terrible mood. She was distracted not only by bruises after yesterday’s skirmish but was also getting nostalgic about herself. And the pouring rain wasn’t helping. She finished packing her bag with some most important things, she threw on a dark blue cloak and put her raccoon into a pet travel box. She cast a violet force field repelling the rain, then went outside and headed towards the Pet Haven, an animal hotel in Canterlot. As much as she’d want to take the raccoon with her, it was far too dangerous… was she getting protective about others?

Trixie went to the harbor. It was located beyond the city, with a rocky path leading to it. After a while she arrived and faced a breathtaking view.

The airsphip was magnificent. Golden letters on its hull displayed its name: HMS Leviathan. It was a Wind Fish-class luxury yacht, perfect for the high society needs, but rather unachievable for common ponies. About twenty ponies could be taken onboard comfortably, as for others… let them travel by train.

Trixie approached the accommodation ladder.

‘May I see your ticket, madame?’, a mustached pony asked.

Oh no! Trixie didn’t have the ticket. How could the Coucil forget to give her the ticket!?

‘Well, I guess we’re doing this the hard way.’, she thought and took a deep breath.

‘Do I look like I don’t have the ticket?’, she said, raising her voice.

‘No, madame, I just…’

‘Do you realize how outrageous it is to accuse me of such thing? Don’t you know who I am?’, she continued, trying to talk her way out.

‘What I meant was I need to see your ticket…’

Trixie decided to go even further.

‘See my ticket? And what next, you’ll spy on me in my very home!? And I believed that as a loyal Canterlot citizen I have rights to…’

Walking back and forth, she continued her speech of how are civil rights limited by constant bureaucracy, emphasizing several times that she feels offended by the conductor for not treating her properly. Suddenly…

‘Here’s your ticket, madame. Have a nice trip.’, the mustached pony said blankly, giving her the ticket. With an empty stare he turned around.

‘…and you must understand that your incompetence leads to a change of the oceanic tides that are affecting the taste of bananas in… what?’

He was already away, murmuring that he’s getting too old for this.

‘Got everything?’, Trixie heard a voice from behind. She turned around.

‘Moonwarden! Did you bring this ticket?’

Dark-grey unicorn was smiling.

‘Old Stormcoat realized they didn’t give it to you.’, he said. ‘And I… happened to be nearby.’

‘You always are, somehow.’, Trixie rolled her eyes. ‘Hey, did you find what you’re looking for? That passage in the Royal Castle?’

‘Maybe.’, he answered with his face unmoved.

‘What kind of answer is this? You’re impossible.’, Trixie judged.

The bell on the airship started to rang. The ship was about to take off.

‘I’ve got to go.’, she said. ‘Thanks for the help.’

‘What was that? Can you repeat?’, Moonwarden grinned.

‘I am not playing your games!’, she shouted as she got on deck.

The hawser was released and the airship began to ascend.

‘You’re full of surprises, oh Great and Powerful Trixie!’, Moonwarden shouted as he was getting smaller in the distance.

She knew exactly what he meant. By yelling at this clerk pony Trixie was so close to being her boastful self again – maybe not her most attractive side, but at least a stable identity. But then Moonwarden shown up and blew it all.

***

It was late afternoon when the airship arrived in the city. Trixie got off and looked around. Hoofington was an interesting place to visit. Not as crowded as Manehattan but not as secluded as Appleloosa. Trixie has never been here, but she read some old hoofingtonian tales about Ursa Major rampaging through the city, which she later used during her performance in Ponyville. Quite a memorable performance, she noted to herself.

Trixie approached a local pony, bracing for a long and a troublesome quest of finding her informant.

'Excuse me, do you now Sunseeker?', she asked.

'Of course I do, everypony knows him!', the pony replied.

Oh. That was quick.

'What do you mean, everypony?'

'You must be new here, madam. He is quite popular here, he helps a lot.'

Not bad for a secret agent…

‘Do you know where to find him?’

‘Try at the Lost Horseshoe. It’s a local club, headed this way.’, he said, pointing the direction.

Going as her guide advised, after a few minutes, Trixie saw big red neon letters and a blinking arrow pointing at the club’s horseshoe-shaped doors.

Right after walking through, Trixie was instantly overwhelmed by the loud music coming from the set of ridiculously big speakers. It was Everfree Showdown, one of Vinyl Scratch’s latest records.

‘Hey mister, one of your finest pinecone cocktails please. With extra hay!’, she ordered the bartender pony and sat on the couch overlooking the dance floor. It was a decent club. Not even close to the sophisticated Canterlot places Trixie’s been to, but well-decorated and lively. There was more than a dozen ponies dancing under the disco ball in the middle of the club and even more laughing and drinking seated around the colorful floor.

Trixie spotted a white unicorn in the crowd. He had a red-yellow short mane and a similar tail, as well as a golden bracelet on each hoof. It seemed that the unicorn was dancing with three different mares… at the same time? How was that even physically possible!? Trixie blinked. Anyway, he fitted the description.

‘And ponies think I’m the showoff…’, she thought, then she put away her empty glass.

Trixie walked towards the dance floor but instead of walking in, she bend over the rail separating the jumping ponies from the rest of the club.

‘Sunseeker!?’, she shouted, trying to overcome the heavy beat of the song.

‘Would you dance with me?’, the unicorn replied with a question, smiling widely.

‘Are you out of your mind!?’, Trixie answered angrily. ‘I have an important task to perform. My name is…’

‘I know who you are, Trixie!’, he answered. ‘So, would you dance with me?’

This was getting beyond bizarre, even more as the white stallion was still waving his hooves around and smiling.

‘Can we go outside? It’s a little loud in here!’, Trixie shouted.

‘What!?’

‘I said, it’s a little loud!’

‘I can’t hear you, it’s a little loud in here! Anyway, would you dance with me?’

Trixie facehoofed.

‘I don’t dance! Now get your flank right here!’

‘Yes, ma’am!’

The stallion jumped over the rail and landed at the exact moment the last beat of the music was heard.

They both went outside, gladly welcoming the evening breeze. Trixie’s head was still banging, but the stallion looked fine, and even managed to keep his voice down at the appropriate level.

‘Before we go, let me introduce myself properly.’, the unicorn said. ‘My name is Sunseeker, Conclave field agent in Hoofington. Come, I arranged a place for you to stay.’

‘Trixie, Canterlot division.’

‘How’s Canterlot this time of year?’, he asked, then start walking.

‘Rainy. Cloudy.’

‘Too bad. I always liked the streets of the city illuminated with a nice, warm sunshine.’

‘Total opposite of somepony I know…’, Trixie said quietly to herself. Sunseeker looked confused. ‘Moonwarden, that is. He’d disagree with you.’

‘Oh, right. Is he a friend of yours?’

‘Not really… it’s complicated.’

Sunseeker surely saw Trixie’s hesitation, but to her relief he didn’t pursuit the topic.

‘So, is it true what they say about you and the Ursa Minor Incident?’, he asked.

‘Please, I’ve heard all the jokes already…’

‘On the contrary, I admire it!’

Trixie was surprised.

‘What?’

‘Yes, listen!’, Sunseeker said excitingly. ‘You came to the city, pulled off the remarkable show and ended with an amazing bang, Ursa Minor style!’

‘No, that phantom bear rampaging through Ponyville was not my fault!’, Trixie defended herself.

‘Who says anything about fault?’, Sunseeker said. ‘I’m saying that you gave them one hay of a night! That was inspiring. For me, at least.’

‘Well… thanks, I guess.’

Trixie began to wonder. How did it work, anyway? Not having ponies to admire her was devastating for her well-being. And having someone to admire her for what she thought was a failure - that was unsettling, at best. Was there some kind of magic in between that, which would allow ponies to joyfully share both victories and defeats?

`Welcome to my place.`, Sunseeker said, as they arrived at the small residence. 'It's not much but it's only temporary.'

Contrary to what he said, the house was definitely something.

‘How can you bring it together?’, Trixie asked.

The stallion was puzzled.

‘For an agent of a secret organization you’ve achieved quite a recognition. Everyone knows you and where to find you, you party in a crowded club, live in this!’, Trixie said, noticing the house was slightly bigger than others in the street.

‘It’s so overt it’s covert. Besides, I think I can name a mare who used a trailer full of fireworks to cover her intentions…’, Sunseeker bowed and let Trixie walk through before him. She didn’t say a word.

Sunseeker gave her a quick tour, showing around the absurdly spacious living room, kitchen, guest room, bathroom and a bedroom on the second floor.

'Please, make yourself at home. It's getting late to discuss our mission, we'll do it tomorrow.', Sunseeker said and went upstairs.

As Trixie was tired after the flight from Canterlot she gladly crashed herself in the guest room, hanging her bag and cloak on the chair. Lying on the bed, Trixie thought that Sunseeker’s lifestyle is much like her own. He was showing off, obviously, up to obnoxiousness. But still managed to attract local ponies’ positive attitude. So, there could have been a possibility to be popular and respected at the same time. There is a factor that balances the equation – Trixie was so close to finding it, she knew it has to do something with Twilight’s traits...

Then she fell asleep.

Comments

[Emperor]

I almost see Sunseeker as a double agent going off his attitude in this chapter. I guess I'll find out in later chapters.

I'm mildly surprised Trixie doesn't toss her identity aside and form a new one if her old one is supposedly (at least to her) 'tainted' by the Ursa Minor incident.