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Chapter 1: Old Game, New Rules4,560 words
Chapter 2: Catch Me if You Can1,840 words
Chapter 3: Almost Got Her2,273 words
Chapter 4: Honor Among a Theif1,990 words
Chapter 5: Nocturnal Crown1,896 words
Chapter 6: The Great Puzzle1,771 words
Chapter 7: Where is Carmen Sandiego?2,960 words

Chapter 6: The Great Puzzle

When Twilight returned to the School of Friendship’s library, she found her students already hard at work. Ocellus and Spike were at the computer, going over the previous encounters with Carmen. Gallus, Smolder, and Sandbar were over by the chalkboard, looking over the latest clue. Silverstream flipped through Ocellus’s notes. And Yona sat in one of the beanbag chairs, deep in thought.

Spike turned around, spotting Twilight entering the room. “You okay, Twilight?”

She frowned, “Yeah, but… I almost had her this time.”

“I know, I know.” Spike got out of his seat and walked over to hug her. “It’s already been a tough day.”

“And a tough clue,” Sandbar commented. “This one is seriously a brain teaser, especially when it doesn’t make sense.”

Twilight nodded, “I’ve been thinking about it too… and nothing is coming to mind what she’s referring to.”

Silverstream looked up from the notes, “Headmare, didn’t you say that Carmen usually has a theme?”

“Yes, why?”

“Well… Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it could be. And I’m not too certain if it’s all about power.”

This got everycreature’s attention. “What do you mean?” Smolder asked.

“Think about it, power is such a big idea that goes out to all sorts of things. Not just with who’s in charge, but it could range from all sorts of things from companies to tribes. Auntie Novo once said that there is always more than one way to rule, and from what you and the professors had taught me, is that it’s widely diverse. So that got me thinking… why choose to steal these things in particular?”

“Right…” Gallus nodded. “First the Bloodstone Scepter, then the Changeling Throne, then the Magic Pearl, the Idol of Boreas, now Luna’s crown…” Gallus paused, “Ya know… doesn’t that sound like a list of stuff that a monarch needs to be seen as being in charge?”

“But Silverstream is right, they’re too specific.” Ocellus pointed out. “I’ve looked up all sorts of national treasures from all over the world, and I think there were other stuff she could have gone after. But those items have very little in common with one another except…” her eyes widened. “Oh! That’s it!”

“What?” Spike asked.

“They have to do with us!” Ocellus exclaimed. “Every item Carmen has stolen or attempted to steal has something to do with each of us. The scepter for Smolder, the throne for me, the pearl for Silverstream, the idol for Gallus, and the crown for Sandbar. All these things have a connection with all of us.”

This got Yona’s attention. “Then, Yona’s next?”

Twilight put a hoof to her chin, “That might be the most logical… No, it’s more than logical…” She turned towards the chalkboard. “My next theft – to take a state where the pavement is pound. Just to be sure, let’s break this clue down. The word state has thrown me off because it could refer to many things. State being a country, a part of land, or even a whole city. The latter might make sense as there are city-states like the Crystal Empire. But if she might be after a city, which one? Because where the pavement is pound leaves a lot to interpretation.”

“Wait a minute!” Smolder snapper her claws, “Carmen might be playing some word games here. Quick, what’s another word for pound?”

“Beat?” Sandbar guessed.

“Stamp?” Silverstream suggested.

“Smash!” Yona hopped out of her seat. “Yona knows what Carmen going to steal next!”

“Really?” Spike blinked, “How do you know?”

“Thief has stolen important things from friends – but not Yona. Yona’s homeland will be next. And Yona knows what thief will steal. Yak thinks Carmen is going after Yakyakistan itself!”

In that stunned moment, Twilight turned to the chalkboard, “To steal a state where the pavement is pound… Maybe the pavement is referring to the ground, where the ground is pound. In Yak culture, they take pride in stomping or smashing with their hooves.”

“Maybe that’s what she’s missing on her list.” Silverstream said, “Everything up this point sounds like items that a monarch would have; all except for one thing. A palace or a fortress. A place to reign from. So, stealing something like Yakyakistan makes perfect sense.”

“A proud fortress indeed!” Yona said proudly. “Yaks have walls that never fell.”

“And maybe that’s why Carmen wants it.” Twilight agreed. “One thing that bothers me, is if we’re getting close to the end of her game.”

“Still,” Spike pointed out. “We have a good idea what she’s going next and what she’s going to steal.

“But we’re overlooking one important thing,” Twilight said with a frown.

“And what’s that, Headmare?” Sandbar asked.

“When I played the game, there was the final level.”

“What are you talking about?”

“In the game, after you had gone after her goons and stopped her from stealing artifacts from around the world, the last level is to figure out where Carmen is. And unfortunately, it’s the hardest part of all.”

The room was quiet for a moment, until Smolder exclaimed, “Why didn’t you say anything about this before?!”

“I thought that we might be able to catch her before we got to that point. But even in real life, she’s a lot trickier than I thought.”

“Still,” Yona said. “We know where Carmen going. Now to stop her from stealing Yona’s home.”

After a beat, Twilight nodded, “You’re right. Whatever Carmen has planned, we still need to warn Yakyakistan for what’s coming. Yona, you come with me. And for the rest of you, if anything new from Carmen shows up on that screen, let me know immediately.”

Soon enough, Twilight and Yona vanished in a burst of light.

It wasn’t uncommon for Yakyakistan to be on high alert. To the Yaks, being prepared for any attack in such an unforgiving, icy land is not just a must, but important to their heritage. So, when Twilight and Yona went up to Prince Rutherford – it didn’t take too long for Yakyakistan to be up in arms. Literally in this case.

Within minutes, the small city-state had rushed into action. Horns blasted, hooves rushed to put in their armor, and weapons gathered as adult yaks rushed to their battle stations. If anything, Twilight was impressed by how quickly they were able to respond to a threat at the last minute.

Yakyakistan was in full pursuit to prepare for siege warfare, with yaks lined up along the walls, catapults ready to be fired, hooves ready to smash, all eyes looked outward for any sign of Carmen.

“Thief won’t ever get throogh,” Prince Rutherford said confidently. “Thief won’t take Yakyakistan when yaks beat thief back.” Standing on the mighty wall, Twilight hoped that was the case. Prince Rutherford, scanned over the icy mountains and pointed up to her, “Will thief come by land or air?”

“That’s what makes Carmen so difficult,” Twilight said, a nervous frown on her face, waiting for any response from Spike’s end. “She’s difficult to predict.”

“It has to be Yakyakistan, is it?” Yona asked Twilight. She too stood on the wall in armor. “Has Yona got it wrong?”

“No, I think you’re right on this. If Carmen’s clue points anywhere, it must be here.”

“How thief steal Yakyakistan?” Prince Rutherford questioned. “Yakyakistan too big for thief to carry off.”

“I wouldn’t underestimate her if I were you.” Just then, a green flame appeared before her, and a moment later, a scroll metalized. Unrolling it, she quickly read its contents, wrote a reply, and sent it with a spell. “I just told my students to answer the question correctly. Let’s see what happens next. Get ready and keep your eyes peeled.”

So all of Yakyakistan waited… and waited. Nervous, resilient eyes searched for something, anything that was out of place. Anything that would raise an alarm. On the wall, Twilight was going through the list of spells and counterspells just so that Carmen would certainly not be getting away with it this time.

“Over there!” Rutherford shouted, pointing his hoof towards the sky. Everyone looked up to see something flying way overhead. A moment later, something dropped from it, fell, and then a red parachute sprang out. As it got closer, they saw a small red box drifting towards them.

“Let me go get it,” Twilight unfolded her wings. “I think Carmen has left us a clue instead.” She flew up towards the descending box, catching it with her hooves. Below, Yakyakistan was ready to throw and stomp whatever thing had invaded their home, so she looked down and said, “It’s alright. I don’t think Carmen is going to show up.”

Returning to the side of the wall where the prince and Yona were. She sat the box down and opened it. A small screen folded out, showing an applauding Carmen.

“Bravo, Detectives! Bravo!” she smiled. “I must admit that I was disappointed that I won’t get to steal Yakyakistan today, but I’m proud that you were able to solve my clue.”

“Yona thinks you not good thief,” Yona said. “Thief didn’t talk half what thief promised. Thief failed to take Yakyakistan.”

“True. But as someone as experienced as I, you learn that the size of the job isn’t as important as the impact it has in the end, Detective.”

“No, she’s right,” Twilight pointed out. “So far we were able to stop you several times, even when you could easily steal the items, you flat out not taking them or leaving them alone does make it sound more incompetent than anything.”

Carmen laughed. “I disagree. Sometimes what may be seen as unimportant or a series of big mistakes, might very well be planned out. When you get to be as experienced as I am, you learn that the packaging is just as important as the information.”

Twilight held the screen up, and an angry look came across her face, “We will find you.”

Carmen’s grin widened, “I would love to see you try, Detective. This brings us to my final clue: Guessing where I’m going next shouldn’t be that hard, everything has to start at the beginning.” With that, the screen cut to static before shutting off, and the screen moved away to reveal something unusual inside.

Twilight moved it out with her magic, lifting it out of the box. It was a tiny clay cylinder and the outside of it depicted a bull. One question was on her mind as she examined it.

Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?

Then, a green flash appeared, and on it, Spike wrote the following.

Now it’s asking for a password.

Author's Note:

Carmen Clue: Guessing where I’m going next shouldn’t be that hard, everything has to start at the beginning.

PASSWORD:
_ _ _ _ _

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