The King of Swing

by The Sonic Mage

Chapter 4: Research Project

The party had ended some time ago, and the sun had started to set, but that didn’t mean that ponies weren’t still lively and full of glee. Some could be seen window shopping for things from flowers to furniture. Others simply stood at street corners taking to their friends. And looking into the windows of houses revealed an a whole new realm of mundane, domestic life and activities that was endlessly intriguing to observe.

And of course, it was impossible to walk down any street without at least hearing a street musician.

Radiant Hope couldn’t help but find herself staring at almost everything she saw. It was all just so different from how she had left it. Even when comparing it to her much earlier memories, from when Princess Mi Amore was in power, they still didn’t seem to quite reach the level of openly displayed joy that she was seeing around her.

And it all bothered her because she didn’t know why everypony was so happy.

‘Was Sombra overthrown while I was away?’ Radiant pondered, ‘Oh goodness, is he dead!’

Radiant couldn’t help but gulp in fear of such a thought.

“I am quickly finding it difficult to believe that the pony we are in search of is ruling over this Empire.” Starry Night said.

“As am I, sister,” Sunny Skies said, “But I cannot deny the fact that there is something amiss here. And it is definitely something magical in nature.”

“There must be somepony we can ask.” Radiant said.

“Yes, but it can’t be someplace too public,” Sunny Skies pointed out, “We’d risk getting spotted.”

The three ponies looked around for somepony, anypony, that they could ask about the current situation.

As the sun continued to set, and most ponies went home. They came across a spot that looked promising.

It was a large building, a bit older looking than those around it, seeing as it was made of polished stone and not fully cast crystal. It had many large windows, most with their curtains drawn.

The most important thing about this building though, was the sign that stood right in front of it. The sign read: “Crystal Empire Public Library.”

“This certainly looks promising.” Sunny Skies said with a smile. She very much enjoyed reading as a pastime.

They approached the Library’s front door, only to be greeted by a small sign hanging in the window that read: “CLOSED”.

Radiant sighed. Of course the place most likely to hold the answers to most of their questions was closed.

“It was a nice thought.” Radiant said, mostly to herself.

“It would appear that an alternative means of is required.” Starry Night’s comment got the attention of her two compatriots.

“Sister,” Sunny Skies asked with trepidation, “What do you mean by that?”

Starry Night simply smirked, before closing her eyes and focusing magic into her horn. Her body began to dissipate into a blue cloud of stardust.

Sunny Skies panicked and lit her disguised horn, wrapping her cloudy sister in a gold magic bubble.

“Luna, what are you doing!?” Sunny Skies whispered harshly, forgetting to use fake names.

“We need to get into this library, and you are preventing us from doing so.” ‘Starry Night’ argued.

“Your Highne-Night,” Radiant corrected herself, “What you are doing is breaking into a building. This is illegal!”

“Do you, or do you not want to uncover what is happening here in The Empire?” Luna asked.

The disguised unicorn and alicorn took a moment to consider what Luna was saying. Neither of them wanted to also the intrusion of a public building, but the need for answers and the completion of their task superseded their legal obligations.

‘Sunny Skies’ looked around to make sure nopony was around. She closed her eyes and, with a sigh, let the cloud that was her sister out of the bubble.

The cloud of living stardust slipped through the thin gap between the locked front doors. Once through, the dust re-materialized as ‘Starry Night’ inside the library. She quietly twisted the door handle, and opened the library.

The ‘unicorn’ could barely hold back the smirk on face as she saw the agitated expression upon the face of her ‘pegasus’ sister. It was a look that communicated “Do not. Speak. A single. Word. To anypony. About this. Ever.”

Radiant, however, had an expression of fear and worry that one would expect from a pony on their first time committing a crime. With sweat being to form on her brow, she followed Sunny Skies into the library.

---

The trio slowly walked past the library’s unoccupied front desk and up the stairs towards the reason (or reasons) that they had broken in there in the first place. Their way was lit only by horn light.

When they got to the top of the stairs, they looked out at the shelves upon shelves of books that filled the dark halls.

“So,” Radiant asked, “What do we do now?”

“We must find anything that can provide us with a better understanding of The Empire’s current state,” Sunny Skies said, looking about the dark shelves.

“The history section would be of the most use.” Starry said.

“Then we get to the history section, and find anything remotely related to Sombra,” Skies ordered, “Who ever finds it first, signal.”

“What if somepony spots us?” Radiant asked, shaking just a little bit.

Sunny was silent for a moment. “Let us try and avoid that possibility.”

And so the three ponies began their search quickly and quietly.

Comments

[Editing Jay]

Can't wait for the next chapter

[Sir Shining Armor]

I'm curious to see what happens next. Hope was always my favorite character from the comics. In my interpretation (and my story) she's Sombra's love interest.

[Toriandthehorse]

Oooh, well, this was nice and suspenseful! I noticed a very small spelling mistake in the first chapter:

Quickly and wordlessly, Celestia did the same, rapping her larger wings around her sister. The snow wall hit them soon after the protective embrace was formed.

Yes, a very small spelling error. I think that should be 'wrapped'?
Otherwise, some parts were a bit confusing, but that doesn't always have to be a bad thing. Some parts fit, others didn't... I wouldn't worry about it too much; the story is great.

[The Sonic Mage]

9837023
Thank you for pointing out the spelling and your comments. It’s greatly appreciated.

[The Sonic Mage]

9835565
Oh, that’s right, I read one of your stories. “Son of Shadows” I believe.

[Sir Shining Armor]

9837032
Thank you for reading it! I appreciate that.