The Olden World

by Czar_Yoshi

Secrets

Maple, Amber, Gerardo and Starlight strode purposefully towards Arambai's house... as purposeful as they could be, at least, with Starlight still mutely riding on Maple's back. None of them spoke, in fact, but with the other three it was mostly for drama. Thus, when a voice finally shattered the quiet, it didn't come from any of them.

"All right, you hooligans!" Hemlock yelled, not leaving his rocker on Arambai's roof. "I see you down there! That means you, yellow missy!" He flung a hoof wildly at Amber. "I hope you like chewin' on justice, because the hottest tail in the world isn't gonna save you this-"

SPROOIIING!

With a noise like a jack-in-the-box, a floorboard under Hemlock's chair came loose with such force that it catapulted the stallion sideways, spilling him over the floor. "Ow! What the-!?"

"Hah." Arambai stepped out from behind a wall, picking up Hemlock in his telekinesis and unceremoniously moving the stallion to the street. "Been working on that one for a while. Very satisfying to see it finished and doing its job." He glanced down, staring at the four visitors. "Well, if it isn't the most prolific crew in town. Can't say I didn't expect you to show up, sooner or later. Here for the old 'how do I get outta the middle of nowhere' talk for Gerardo? Because I'm pretty sure I already gave you that..."

"Something else, as a matter of fact," Gerardo said, acting as the spokesgriffon for the group. "Although..." His eyes darted to the fallen Hemlock. "It might benefit us to have some privacy?"

"Easier done than said," Arambai replied, turning toward his house with a wave. "You all know where the stairs are. See you inside."

---

Arambai led them to a fourth-story room in one of his twin towers. The side facing outward was a solid wall of curved glass, trimmed with metal and affording a view of the town that felt almost like the bridge of a ship. Several bean bag chairs were present which the mares instantly gravitated to, as well as more formal seating chosen by Arambai and Gerardo.

"So," the stallion began, once they were all seated. "What is it you lot have on your mind?"

"It concerns young Starlight's country of origin," Gerardo answered, sitting up straight. "Namely, the possibility for that information to spread... and the potential undesirable consequences thereof."

"Oh yeah. So you found that out, huh?" Arambai tapped a hoof against the arm of his chair. "Can't say I'm surprised. You strike me as difficult to keep a secret from, and with all these chatty mares around it's practically begging to be spilled. So we're talking damage control, then?"

Gerardo blinked. "As a matter of fact, it concerned the possibility that you intended to use knowledge of her origin for nefarious purposes. Though damage control is most welcome, as well..."

Arambai's grin was so big, it stretched the corners of his black beard. "Me? Nefarious purposes? I may not be the most forthcoming pony in existence, but it's pretty obvious where my heart is."

"With all due respect, your benevolence could be seen as suspicious," Gerardo remarked in turn, raising a talon. "Does it not bear mentioning?"

"It also bears mentioning that you showed up yesterday morning without an ounce of credibility to your name," Arambai growled. "If they want to be suspicious, it's not me they ought to be wary of."

Gerardo flinched. "I didn't mean-"

Arambai didn't let him finish. "Point is, if we start arguing about who's trustworthy, we'd never get anything done. Besides, what kind of scummy villain would want to hurt a cute little filly?" He gave Starlight an approving glance, but she remained still and huddled. "I do trust you came with something you wanted to get done?"

Maple interrupted, sparing the griffon from having to answer. "He said that if ponies find out Starlight came from Equestria, she'd become the most important thing in the world and wars would be fought over her, because she'd know how to get there." She glared briefly at Gerardo, then looked softly to Starlight on her back, who was still speechless. "I don't think she took it very well..."

"Rubbish," Arambai said in return. "If anyone powerful enough to use information like that got ahold of it, they'd be smart enough not to tell anyone else they knew. Besides, nobody in their right mind would fall for that without proof, and we don't even have anything that proves she's from there and not just lying. Crossing those mountains is just too implausible... and if they did take the bait, they'd just try to steal it with spies instead of going to war. Besides, Starlight herself wouldn't even matter once some other pony knows the secret." His eyebrow lifted. "Assuming there is one."

Starlight spoke for the first time since leaving Willow's house. "So they wouldn't...?"

"Wouldn't think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread?" Arambai shook his head. "Nah. Granted, they'd still want to know. But there's plenty we can do to take care of that..."

"How's that?" Amber asked, head raised from where she loafed on a bean bag.

"Simple!" Arambai waved a hoof. "Starlight tells me how she did it, then I go spread that around a little as a rumor in some disreputable areas. Once the knowledge of this 'secret route across the mountains' has had a little time to propagate, anyone can let it slip whenever they want and nobody will think she's anything but a dirty pretender trying to take credit. And it won't really matter that they know, because who's gonna try climbing that mountain range based off a rumor from a friend's friend?" His lip twitched. "A combination of truth and audacity is one of the most powerful secret-keepers around."

"Well?" Maple asked, looking to Starlight, who was now folded beside her as she lay.

Starlight looked as if she was thinking heavily... and sighed, ears folding. "I fell off the waterfall. I didn't do anything special. I was trying to protect myself with a crystal on the way down, but I had to use a parachute instead. Then I floated here, and Maple found me."

"Okay," Arambai said, sounding slightly disappointed. "But ponies have managed to scale the initial cliff before. What about after that? What about the rest of the mountains?"

"I just walked a ways," Starlight answered, shrugging slightly. "For about a week. And before that, I went through the caves."

"Caves, you say?" Arambai's eyes widened. A slow grin appeared on his face. "Perfect. Impossible to verify, yet actually one I haven't heard before. That should be all we need... Out of curiosity, though, how long in total did it take you to cross those mountains? Are we talking weeks, months, years, or what?" He leaned forward in interest.

"A month. Maybe a little more." Starlight shrugged. "I couldn't see the sun in the caves. I don't know how long it was. I also got sick right before the cliff and had to stop for a week and get better."

"You did?" Maple hugged her closer in concern, prompting Starlight to squirm slightly.

"It was just a cold..." Starlight mumbled. "I got rained on and couldn't find shelter in time..."

"Well..." Arambai got up, stretching. "I think I know everything I need to. If that's all, I'm gonna go start spreading this around. See ya later, ponies." He tipped his head toward Gerardo. "And griffon."

Gerardo held out a talon, slowing him. "As a matter of fact, there was one more thing..."

"Oh?" Arambai stopped, and looked back. "What's eating you?"

"While inspecting the wreckage of the crane, I couldn't help but press deeper into the forest." Gerardo cleared his throat. "There I found a cave that seemed to be... in use."

"You found that, did you?" Arambai looked back, bemused. "You really are good at digging up secrets. Come on down to the basement. This'll take some time, but if that's got you curious, I have something you'll really like to see."

Comments

[Hap]

Huh. He's being really forthcoming about his man-cave, and eager to share more?

Arambai, eager to share more? Why am I worried, now?

[Sypher]

Gerardo has a strange habit of saying things in the most-likely-to-cause-offense way possible, without ever actually being malicious.

[AppleTank]

Its where he hides his ultra tall ladder

[Cosmic Potato]

Arambai sounded really obviously digging for info and asked for way more details then needed. Also that rumor plan sounded incredibly suspicious.

[GMBlackjack]

Arambai: do not trust. Do not trust.

[TheCommunistDog]

They really are trusting Arambai way to much.

[Merula]

Things are heating up...