Skitchverse Chapter 6
“WHAT?”
Trixie’s exclamation hung in the air, but her mind was racing with questions. Just how much of her life had this pony been watching? How many embarrassing moments had she peeked in on voyeuristically? What, exactly, was this Skitch-Sketch planning?
“I want to see this file!” she demanded, slamming her hooves down on the edge of the table.
“Of course,” Baron Max smiled. A quick spin of his chair turned the baron towards one of the file cabinets. A thick blue colored folder was produced from between others of red, orange and blue. Trixie couldn’t help but notice that the red and orange folders greatly outnumbered the blue ones. She roughly yanked the file from Max’s hooves when he offered it, shaking it once in her magic aura before flipping it open.
She hadn’t been entirely sure what to expect before she started reading it and remained somewhat confused as she pushed through the pages. The broad strokes were all there and correct. Her arrival in Ponyville, the Longest Night festival, meeting her friends, finding the Elements of Harmony and their adventures beyond.
But for a document written by some cross world peering pony, it got a lot of the details wrong. Applejack was described as being much more antagonistic and borderline ruthless towards Carrot Top, for example. And Trixie knew that jealousy on behalf of Carrot Top had played a role in that relationship. The Night Court was also portrayed as a bit more corrupt than she had experienced as well, though Trixie still stood by the necessity of the sting she and her friends had done to oust its worst members.
Speaking of the Grand Galloping Gala, that’s where the file just...stopped. Halfway into the retelling of those events, the file just ended. Well, for the most part. Tucked under the last page of the file was a sealed envelope. Flipping it over to the front, Trixie raised an eyebrow at the six names scrawled on the front; her and her friends. Slowly, she ripped the envelope open and unfolded the letter within. The letter’s hoof writing was neat, though there were a great many crossed out lines and words.
Dear Mane Six, Lunaverse Six, Trixie and her friends,
If you’re reading this letter, it’s because I can’t be there to talk to you in person. Most likely it's because I’ve gotten dragged away on business of some kind. I hope that it’s important business too, because I really didn’t want to have this conversation via fucking letter.
I know that all of this must be scary and confusing. That you must be wondering if you’re just copies of the “originals”, or if my reality controls yours, or if we’re watching you. So, let me clarify a few things right away.
Yes, I am the pony that’s been watching you, listening to you aware of the events of your reality...kind of. My running theory at the moment is that my home universe acts kind of like a radio receiver and that creative types are basically tapping into others when they dream. We don’t control your reality and we’re not stalking you. And if what I’ve been experiencing in this reality since coming from my own holds true, my reality will have gotten a lot of details wrong.Think of it like people ponies sharing rumors. The further from the source you go, the more jumbled the telling.
But the broad strokes tend to hold true from what I’ve seen. And if there’s one thing I’m quite sure of? You six are not copies. You’re not some cheap knock offs of the ponies from this universe. You are you’re own mares, the sum of your own life experiences and skills...and the multiverse is a little brighter place because you six are in it.
Your admirer, Sincerely, With Greatest Respect,
Skitch-Sketch
Trixie blinked. The letter was a bit more heartfelt than she had been expecting. She...had to admit, it was nice to know that she had a fan in another universes. Nice to know that her friends had a fan as well. ...Her friends that she wouldn’t be seeing again until she helped get Skitch-Sketch’s device back.
Pushing the file from her mind for now, she passed it and letter back to Mounty Max. “While I’m still not entirely sure how to feel about all of this, it isn’t why we’re here. Skitch-Sketch’s device has been stolen. By a pony named Greengrass.”
“Oh dear,” Baron Max frowned. “We’ll need to get on this immediately! If Archduke Fisher hears of this, he’ll try to use it as a justification to demand control of the device, even if we do get it back!” He rubbed his chin in thought before tapping a hoof against the desk. “Greengrass...that name sounds familiar. Do we know if he’s part of the Day Court at all?”
“Day Court,” Trixie said, her face locked in a deadpan stare. “Of course there’s a Day Court.”
Roseluck rolled her eyes, leaning forward to place her hooves on the edge of the desk. “I don’t know for sure, but I have this nagging feeling that he is. And that I might have crossed paths with him in some capacity before. I wanted to check in with the old mission records at the EIS.”
Baron Max nodded. “Good idea. I’ll write a letter helping explain the situation, just to help speed things along. Then I’ll ask around and see what the other court members know.”
Trixie nodded, already wandering towards the door. “At least we have a plan then. Let’s get to it!”
She hopped out of her chair, brimming with a nervous energy to hunt down this world’s version of Greengrass. But she had barely taken one step forward when Roseluck pressed a hoof against her chest.
“Woah, hold on a second,” Roseluck said. “I might be able to get into my old stomping grounds. But even with Baron Max’s letter, you don’t have security clearance. The EIS isn’t just going to let you wander around there. You need to wait here.”
“I’m not just going to sit around and wait!”
“Then go help Baron Max pump the court for information. But there’s no way somepony from another universe is going to waltz around our intelligence HQ.”
Trixie glared at the disguised changeling. “...You’re not going to budge on this, are you?”
“Not an inch.”
“...Fine,” Trixie sighed, turning towards Baron Max. “Who do we need to talk to?”
- - - -
The halls of this Canterlot castle ended up being just as labyrinthine as the ones she had walked back in her own universe, just more brightly decorated. As such, Trixie found the layout not completely alien to her. They were near what would have been the court chambers in her version of the castle. She had rarely seen their interior, as she had yet to climb enough ranks in the Night Court to have reason to venture within. But she was intimately familiar with the hallways outside said chamber and these ones were doing a good impression of the latter.
Junior court members, their assistants and the assistants of the more powerful milled around as she and Baron Max approached. But before they could walk much further, Trixie stopped, placing a hoof on Max’s withers.
“Baron, what would you say my double’s reputation is around the Day Court?” she asked, the beginnings of an idea percolating in the back of her mind.
“Well, I can’t say that she’s exceptionally well known. A few of the court are aware of her exploits in Neigh Orleans however.”
Trixie nodded and began glancing about for a room she could duck into for a moment. Many meeting chambers were considered and then summarily rejected. To high of a chance that there’d be some nobles discussing tax reform or farm subsidies within. But upon a few more moments of searching, she found a room that would suit her needs. A broom closet just a little ways down a side hallway.
“Go on ahead. I’ll catch up.”
Max’s right eyebrow was raised in confusion, but he nodded and set off, quickly trotting for one of the groups milling about amongst the mass. Trixie immediately slipped into the broom closet and set to work weaving a proper enchantment for the information gathering session.
She opted to go as nondescript as possible. Blending into the crowd of pencil pushers would be the key here. One illusion dyed her coat a dull beige color, while another set to make her mane and tail both a mousey brown color and a style so straight that one could be forgiven for thinking it was trimmed with a slide rule. Her star studded cape was hidden underneath the image of a boring white dress shirt. One invisibility spell was saved for herself, however, as she slipped back out the door.
Once Trixie was outside the broom closet, she let the spell end. An assistant in a hallway wasn’t that odd. An assistant coming out of a broom closet was a little more so. Or even worse, would probably lead to questions and assumptions about her making out with some “cute” stallion in there. She shuddered slightly at the thought, before setting out again.
Nopony paid her much mind as she moved through the gaggle of assistants and nobles. She looked like just another pencil pusher, after all. She walked slowly and deliberately through the crowd, her ears twitching towards the chorus of conversations that floated around her. Most were the discussions of bills and other bits of legislation that she would have expected. Small talk and other bits of daily chatter were woven amongst the more important topics.
While no discussion of missing world hopping devices was among them, Trixie didn’t let it bother her. If there were any conspirators lurking around here, it would take a bit more work to tease information out of them.
Baron Max was a few pony clumps ahead of her, talking with a pony that she both recognized and immediately regretted the presence of. The white coat, the long blonde mane and tail, the air of smug superiority that he radiated even when engaged in casual conversation.
“Blueblood,” Trixie hissed through clenched teeth.
Of course he would be here! She just couldn’t go anywhere in this crazy alternate universe without running into doubles of ponies she knew! Stopping just short of their conversation, she strained her ears.
“...can’t say that I’ve heard anything about that,” Blueblood drawled.
“Come now Blueblood. You’re one of the most connected ponies at court. Surely you’ve heard some rumblings.”
“Baron Max. I’m not so foolish as to interfere with the Element Bearers and their human. Nor would I be as foolish to invest my fortunes with a pony that would.”
Max glowered back. “Skitch-Sketch isn’t ‘their human’, Blueblood.”
“...My apologies. You’re right, of course. But believe me when I say, that no ponies have approached me about stealing Skitch-Sketch’s little device.”
With that, he turned and headed away, Max sighed and headed to another group. While Max may have taken Blueblood at face value Trixie didn’t believe him at all. So she followed him. Blueblood’s path took him away from the court chambers and towards the dozens of other offices and meeting rooms that served it. Seemingly picking one at random, he slipped inside. Trixie moved quickly, weaving three spells in quick order.
A copy of her current illusionary form walked on down the hallway. At the same time, she wove both an invisibility and inaudibility charm over herself and dove through the door before it closed. Scrambling as fast as she could, she slid under the massive meeting table that Blueblood paced around.
What are you waiting for? Trixie thought.
The answer turned out to be a few more ponies. The first one was painfully familiar as Archduke Fisher was back. His companion was a new pony though. A sturdy looking mare with a light grey coat and a cutie-mark that was a lump of coal. Her black mane was cut short and tucked under a well blocked bowler hat. She had a cigar clamped firmly between her teeth and wore an expression that conveyed and extreme distaste with the world around her.
Blueblood nodded. “Fisher, Coal Black. You wished to speak with me?”
“We did,” Fisher said, nodding back. “We wished to extend our previous offer again.”
Blueblood rolled his eyes and huffed. “Again? For the last time. I am not interested in stealing that pet human’s toy! Based on the last contact we’ve had with another world, why on all of Equis would would you want to do that again?”
Coal Black chuckled around her cigar. “Yer kidding, right? We’ve all heard the rumors about what that human dragged with him! Technology and magic the likes of which we’ve never seen! The way I could overhaul my mining operations-”
“Then talk to the ex-human and offer her a pile of bits for whatever she knows about the mining technology of her home. I understand that there is very little of her not for sale.”
Fisher frowned. “I thought she worked on some kind of electronic boxes? Computators?”
“Ask. Her,” Blueblood growled. “Sweet Celestia are you two being dense! How do you think the princesses are going to react to this?”
“Celestia is too stubborn ta listen to reason,” Coal Black growled back. “We get the tech, or magic, or whatever, show that it works and then she’ll come around!”
Blueblood looked from Coal Black to Fisher. “...You already stole it, didn’t you?”
“If we did, I’ll remind you that we have plenty of dirt on you,” Fisher calmly declared. “And that you would be wise to stay out of this if you’re not going to pull on the damn rope.”
There was a poignant pause before Blueblood responded. “...When your insane little venture ends with both of you in jail? I’ll enjoy adding what’s left of your tiny little empires to mine.”
Coal Black flicked her tail and snorted. “Forget it. Let’s just get this shindig done with. Then we can get Celestia on our side.”
As the pair turned to leave, Trixie found herself stuck in a mental dilemma. She could try and stop the pair right now, that wouldn’t lead her to the missing device. Also, there were two of them and Coal Black looked quite capable of cracking bones if she wanted to. No...this would need a bit more subtly. ...And another pony.
Blueblood lingered after the others left, his expression hard to read. After a moment or two of silent compensation he began to leave as well. Trixie jumped into action, throwing her aura against the door. Blueblood whirled about, his own horn springing to life.
“Who’s there?” he hissed, gaze sweeping the room.
Trixie let the spell fade as she emerged, enjoying the confused expression on the face of one of her rivals...alternate though he might be.
“You’re that mare from Neigh Orleans...Lulamoon. ...What are you up to?”
“I’m going to cut to the chase Blueblood. I’m not this world’s Trixie.”
“...This is about to get annoyingly complicated isn’t it?” Blueblood groaned. Kneading the side of his head, he shot Trixie and angry glare. “You’re tied up in that theft?”
Trixie rolled her eyes. “Kinda. But I’d like to get home and you’d clearly like to not be dragged into this very, very stupid plan. And the sooner that Fisher and his friends are dealt with, the sooner that gives us both what we want.”
“And thusly, you want me to get involved with Fisher in some manner of undercover operation?” Blueblood sighed.
“Are you going to try and tell me that it wouldn’t work?”
“I’m going to tell you that I’m not interested in getting involved. I don’t need the kind of reputation that comes from being a moral crusader.” He moved towards the door again, pressing his own aura against Trixie’s. “Assuming that what you’re saying is even true. It is quite a coincidence that you show up immediately after that conversation.”
“You can’t just up and walk away from this,” Trixie said, bringing her own logic to bear. “They have the device. They have a pony who can chance her way past its defenses. But since she doesn’t actually know what she’s playing with, who knows where she might open a door to.”
Now Blueblood hesitated. The hook was in, so Trixie started reeling. “I understand not wanting to be directly involved. But if you’re anything like my Blueblood, you know everypony in court. You know how they think. And you know where they’d steal away with a toy like that.”
“...I am going to write down some addresses,” Blueblood said, trotting back to the table. “If I don’t trip on the way out of here and break my neck, you can assume these are all the locations that Fisher and his friends like to use for covert meetings.”
Trixie grinned as Blueblood wrote. A Blueblood that knew when to be practical and strike a deal? She’d take it. She also took the list the moment Blueblood finished writing it.
“There,” he sighed. “Now let us never see each other again.”
“With pleasure,” Trixie said, tucking the list into her cape. Without a moment’s hesitation, she charged back out the door. She was one step closer to getting home!
- - - -
“I should have known that Fisher would be involved,” Baron Max sighed. “He’s been demanding control of that device for months now. I just thought that he’d have more sense than to do...something like this.”
“My Fisher is just as big of a pain in the flank, so I can’t really say that I’m surprised.”
Trixie and Max had returned to the Baron’s office to pour over Blueblood’s list. Already it was a mixed bag of locations, half of them being mine offices and manor houses outside of Canterlot and some of those being quite a distance away. The world jumping device could potentially be on its way to any one of them and there wereas a good two dozen addresses on the list.
Dragging the conversation back to that conundrum, Trixie waved a hoof at the list. “You know your Fisher though. Where do you think he’d want to take that thing?”
“His manor back in Rushia would be the obvious choice,” Max said, pointing to an address. “I was there for a charity event once. It’s built like a fortress. Massive vault in the basement.”
“They said they were planning something though. And it sounded like it was going to be happening soon so they could show things off to Princess Celestia.”
Max’s goat assistant peered over Trixie’s shoulder. “I don’t think they’ll go far. Celestia’s been working night and day recently. I doubt they’d be able to pull her away from the capital.”
“Sounds like I missed something big.”
Roseluck casually strolled back into the office, slipping into place around Max’s desk without further comment.
“Right, here’s what I found out,” Trixie said, before quickly launching into a full explanation of what she saw. Roseluck took the story without comment, her face scrunched up in thought. “...which leaves us trying to figure out where they took the thing.”
“Well...I think that what I discovered might be able to shed some additional light on the matter,” Roseluck said. “As it turns out, I had heard of Greengrass before. Cherry Berry and I worked together on a case investigating his father and the family mining concern.”
“Oh dear,” Max sighed. “I think I can see where this is going.”
“I can’t,” Trixie frowned.
“Has anypony told you about the Age of Nightmares yet?” Max asked.
“No...but I did manage to read a little bit about them before coming here. Not sure what they had to do with mines though.”
“It specifically has to do with the collapse of the diamond dog holds in Equestria,” Roseluck answered. “Right at the tail end of the Age of Nightmares, just after Princess Luna’s fall, the holds under Equestria’s soil came under attack from...something...in the depths.”
Max nodded, taking up the story. “The refugees came with a warning and a command from High King Ruffaford. To seal the holds from the outside and let nopony in, to keep whatever was there from getting out.”
“The effects on Equestria’s mining industry were catastrophic. Overnight, it became the most tightly regulated industry in the land. Survey teams have to scout out potential sites to make sure proposed shafts won’t tunnel into old diamond dog workings.”
“Plus, there are equally strict quotas on the amount of minerals that can be extracted. And Princess Celestia makes sure they’re enforced. It doesn’t matter if the vein keeps going on. Once the quota is hit, you stop digging and let earth pony magic gradually promote the build up of new deposits,” Roseluck said.
“The rock farmers certainly were happy though!” Mrs Gobhar chirped.
It took a moment for Trixie’s mind to get past the idea that rock farming was actually a thing in this Equestria for the implications of Roseluck’s investigations to settle in. “...He was trying to buck the regulations, wasn’t he?”
“Ever since Elkienhiem’s mining industry took off, Equestria’s has been agitating to get back to digging. It’s been a thousand years since the fall of the holds after all. Certainly whatever was down there can’t still be there! Or so the argument goes,” Roseluck said. She chuckled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Of course, the arrival of Princess Luna kind of blew a hole in that argument. At the time though, Greengrass’ father was trying to get the results first and then ask for forgiveness later. Gotta give him extra points for being gutsy enough to dig back into Mt. Canterhorn. Right under Celestia’s nose.”
“Asking forgiveness later seems to be a running theme with this group,” Trixie sighed. “But how does that help us find where they’re going?”
“Well, here’s the thing. Those workings that Greengrass’ father began to dig out? They’re still there,” Roseluck said. “Quiet enough to be a place where a bunch of ponies could hide, but also sturdily built enough that if something went wrong, it’d keep the damage minimized. I say-”
But whatever Roseluck was going to propose was interrupted by a loud booming sound, high overhead. Trixie immediately rushed to the office window, Max and Roseluck squeezing in beside her a moment later.
The trio could see a multicolored streak shoot across the sky, diving straight towards them and Canterlot castle. As the light arched overhead and past their field of view, Trixie thought she recognized a familiar silhouette at its head.
“Princess Luna!”
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Ah, so good to see this again. Seems we're approaching the climax.
And this here is why I do my Inter universal jumps with my own power... sure I have devices to open the portals, but those are mostly kept in the family, and are mostly a 2 times use... in fact, the most “long term” devices ever is the set of Doors here in my Equestria... and it is carefully maintained...
Oh Hey Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo... what are you doing with that crystal key...
?
Glad to see this story still continuing. Although it makes me now wonder if Lunaverse Trixie will even meet Skitch in person in this story.
Sweet! It's back on! :)