MLP: One as a Family: A Golden Week in Exile

by SaburoDaimando

12: The Missing Trident

The Missing Trident

It was a dark night in Manehattan. The rain had stopped and the moon with the image of the pony of shadows bore its face in the night sky. Gold Banks walked away from the restaurant in Manehattan with a satisfied look on her face, and the alicorn amulet around her neck. Walking next to her were Grand Philosopher, Miss Honey Twist, Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat. Despite the dark, gloomy nature of Manehattan with only a few street lights and some transients wandering about, the group of five looked fearless.

“Just look at these worthless bums,” Warden Steel Bolt said. “Wandering these streets without a clue in the world.”

“Yeah,” Officer Blue Heat said. “They should be made to work in factories without being paid. At least they’ll have something to do with their worthless lives.”

“Patience, you two,” Gold Banks said. “Patience. Once Princess Celestia is dealt with, we can begin rounding up these worthless bums and putting together my master plan. Especially the younglings.”

But as Gold Banks turned towards Miss Honey Twist, the head of Daisy Joy Tech had shifted her head towards the northeast as if her mind was wandering off.

“Miss Honey Twist,” Gold Banks said. “Have you not took your mind off of what Daisy Joy Tech will evolve into?”

“It’s not that,” Miss Honey Twist said. “All I want to know is if I can continue to apply my strict discipline towards those insufferable brats once every youngling in Equestria is enrolled across the new Daisy Joy Tech campuses.”

“Oh you will,” Gold Banks said. “Thanks to my master plan, you will be able to go across to any campus you want and ensure that those juvenile delinquents will respect or fear you.”

“Give her time,” Grand Philosopher said, placing her hoof on Gold Banks’ shoulder “She will come around to her new task as headmistress across every Daisy Joy Tech location. But there are other matters to deal with, my lady.”

“That’s exactly right,” Gold Banks said. “One issue that I had been made aware of was that a trident from the Manehattan branch of the Debt Collectors had been stolen a week ago.”

This caused Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat to pause for a moment, looking completely nervous.

“Uhhh, that we can explain,” Warden Steel Bolt said.

“Not you two,” Gold Banks said, annoyed as she and the rest of the group came to a stop while she turned towards the duo. “This branch was located away from Daisy Joy Tech and you were not assigned to it.”

Both Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat wiped the brow from their foreheads as they sighed in relief.

“Which brings me to the question,” Miss Honey Twist said. “Did Prince Blueblood or his underground rebellion cause this?”

“I’m afraid not,” Grand Philosopher said as Gold Banks pulled out a tablet and tapped the screen a bit. “If it were Prince Blueblood, he would have taken all of the tridents.”

“And he’s right,” Gold Banks said before she turned the tablet towards Miss Honey Twist. “It wasn’t Prince Blueblood, but a mere criminal.”

Miss Honey Twist looked at the tablet’s video footage and saw the image of an earth pony stallion with a brown trench coat jacket, pants and a flat ascot cat on his head with his hoof on one of the tridents.

“Seems security was lacking on the job,” Miss Honey Twist said. “I would not be surprised if Prince Blueblood and his underground resistance moved in to swipe the rest of the tridents.”

“As foolish as it was for the incident to occur, that wasn’t the worst of it,” Grand Philosopher said.

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Miss Honey Twist asked.

“Follow me,” Grand Philosopher replied. “I will show you.”

As Grand Philosopher made his way down the street, Gold Banks, Miss Honey Twist, Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat followed the elderly alchemist. Miss Honey Twist gave Gold Banks back her tablet as the former became increasingly nervous.

“I do not like where this is going,” Miss Honey Twist said.

“Well, I am feeling adventurous, lately,” Gold Banks responded.

A few blocks down near a vintage theater with the words “Daring Do: The Dark Mare Begins” on its billboard, Grand Philosopher led the rest of his group down a nearby alleyway. With the exception of a small light that shone at the end, the alleyway was dark and dirty, with a sign of trash cans knocked over.

“What a dreadful place,” Miss Honey Twist said.

“Perfect spot to catch a perp,” Warden Steel Bolt said.

“But why in Equestria would you take us here?” Miss Honey Twist asked.

Grand Philosopher came to a stop before he slightly turned his head to the rest of the ground.

“An incident that occurred one night after the trident was stolen,” Grand Philosopher said.

Grand Philosopher’s horn lit up as he lowered his head down to the ground. Everyone else looked down to see two tape outlines, one of a stallion and one of a mare, lying on the ground.

“What in the world?” Officer Blue Heat said.

“Oh I just remembered,” Gold Banks said as she tapped her tablet. “This was the incident where a pair of aristocrats were murdered.”

“I do as well,” Miss Honey Twist said. “It was all over the news last night.”

“Wait,” Warden Steel Bolt said. “You’re not talking about the Reins, are ya?”

“I sure am,” Gold Banks said, holding out her tablet.

Warden Steel Bolt picked up the tablet and looked down at the screen. The image showed profiles of a young stallion with a business suit, moustache and black mane on his head, and a young mare with a curly black mane, red dress and a pearl necklace.

“Their names were Trotofsky and Melissa Reins,” Gold Banks said. “Two of the finest aristocrats of Equestria. Trotofsky was a known philanthropist who wanted to end foal hunger across Equestria while the government’s hooves were tied. Melissa was once a senator from Manehattan, until she resigned more than a year ago over the congressional stalemate.”

“And a few nights ago, they were found dead within this alley,” Grand Philosopher said.

“What a horrible way to go,” Warden Steel Bolt said. “I guess whoever took the trident may have been the one who pulled the stunt. I wonder what their motive was? Political retribution? Revenge?”

Grand Philosopher reached down and picked up a single pearl with a pair of holes on each end.

“I’m afraid it was merely a robbery gone wrong,” Grand Philosopher said, holding the pearl with his hoof.

Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat looked at the single pearl on Grand Philosopher’s hoof before their minds began to jolt up.

“Wait a minute,” Warden Steel Bolt said. “Are you saying that the creep who took that trident was the one who killed Trotofsky and Melissa Rein?”

“Precisely,” Grand Philosopher said. “Or have you not been reading the news lately?”

“We’ve barely been reading the news since we were more focused on keeping those brats in line and preparing for our departure to Vanhoover,” Officer Blue Heat said.

“I haven’t had an interest in the deaths of Trotofsky and Melissa Rein,” Miss Honey Twist said. “After all, they never donated to the finest establishment of education and obedience. So it’s not my problem.”

“Then allow me to explain,” Grand Philosopher said. “The recent autopsy report indicates burn marks on many portions of both victims, suggesting that they were hit by a barrage of fire magic. While most of the shots hit both Mr and Mrs Rein, some missed their mark and flew out of the alleyway, much to the horror of the citizens of Manehattan.”

“As much as I don’t get out much, I take it that caused the creep to make a run for it,” Warden Steel Bolt asked.

“That is correct,” Grand Philosopher said as the pearl began to slide off his hoof. “By the time police arrived, both Trotofsky and Melissa Rein were dead.”

The pearl tethered on the edge of Grand Philosopher’s hoof before it fell down and landed near the tape outline of Melissa Rein before stopping at her neck area. Everyone looked down at the pearl for a moment before turning back towards Grand Philosopher.

“Two lives gone in just an instant,” Miss Honey Twist said. “Too bad no one knew who he was since he took off after icing the Reins.”

“Not quite,” Grand Philosopher said, pointing to a trash can with a slightly melted side. “There was one survivor who escaped this crook’s massacre: Billy Rein.”

“The son of Trotofsky and Melissa Rein,” Gold Banks said. “According to the police report, Billy Rein was the only one who saw the face of his parents’ murderer. And when this hooligan fired upon them with his trident, his mother Melissa pushed him behind the trash can before taking the blow for her son.”

“Just like that, huh?” Warden Steel Bolt said. “Two aristocrats died at the hooves of one criminal nutcase, and their son saw everything play out.”

“It’s too bad he couldn’t stick around,” Gold Banks said. “He would have been the perfect student of Daisy Joy Tech.”

“Wait,” Warden Steel Bolt said. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well, after attending his parents’ funeral yesterday, Billy Rein decided to move away from Manehattan,” Gold Banks explained. “His butler and maid agreed and they decided to close off the Rein Mansion in Manehattan and take the train to San Di’Neighgo. As I speak, Billy Rein and his surrogate parents are looking after him at the Rein’s summer cottage north of the main city.”

“Well that’s a darn shame for that kid,” Warden Steel Bolt said, giving the tablet back to Gold Banks. “To lose both parents to that lowlife and to have to move away to San Di’Neighgo just to escape it all.”

“But it won’t matter for the little aristocrat,” Gold Banks said before she placed the tablet in her coat. “After all, when Princess Celestia is finally kneeling before me, I’ll make sure he’ll have a good home at the Daisy Joy Tech branch of San Di’Neighgo.”

“But what about the creep who took the trident and iced the Reins?” Officer Blue Heat asked.

“Word has it that they have yet to arrest the one responsible,” Grand Philosopher said. “He’s been on the run from the law, and has yet to show his face. Police have been looking around Manehattan. But word has it that he may have fled Manehattan to go into hiding.”

“That’s a disappointment,” Gold Banks said. “I would have had a blast with this coward.”

But Miss Honey Twist looked around the alleyway nervously, hearing the sound of cars driving and honking. Her legs shook in fear as her eyes twitched abnormally.

“I don’t know about hanging around these parts, anymore,” Miss Honey Twist said. “How about we get out of this horrible place and head back to Daisy Joy Tech?”

“Very well,” Gold Banks sighed, disappointed. “Let’s get going and miss out on any creep who would try to do us in like the Reins.”

But as Gold Banks finished speaking, she heard someone nervously yell “DON’T MOVE!” Gold Banks, Grand Philosopher, Miss Honey Twist, Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat turned around to see a stallion with a flat cap, trench coat and pants point a trident right at them. Miss Honey Twist looked at the trident and immediately hid her face.

“You must be the very pony who took something that belonged to us, and ended the lives of the Reins family,” Gold Banks said. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

“I SAID DON’T MOVE!” The shady stallion said, his eyes twitching nervously. “Now put your hooves in the air. Otherwise, I’ll roast you.”

“Fine,” Gold Banks said sarcastically as she lifted her arms up. “We give up. We surrender.”

Grand Philosopher, Miss Honey Twist, Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat lifted their arms in their air. Miss Honey Twist kept her eyes on the shady stallion in total fear.

“Good,” The shady stallion said. “I’m trying to make my way out of Manehattan, and I’ll need all the cash you got. Now slowly reach for your wallets and throw them on the ground.”

As Miss Honey Twist, Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat looked at the stallion nervously, Gold Banks directed her eyes at them.

“You heard him, you fools,” Gold Banks said. “Do as he said.”

Reluctantly, Miss Honey Twist, Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat reached into their pockets and pulled out their wallets before throwing them into a pile in front of the shady stallion. During that time, Grand Philosopher reached into his robe before pulling out his wallet and throwing it into the pile.

“You’re a real daring pony, you know that?” Gold Banks said as she reached into her pocket.

“No funny business,” the shady stallion said. “Your wallet, this instant.”

“It’s a darn shame,” Gold Banks said as she pulled her wallet out. “As empress, I would be happy to wipe your slate clean and give you a fresh start. Maybe offer you a job in my ranks.”

“Forget it,” the shady stallion said. “In this city, you trust no one but yourself. And when I say no one, I even mean ponies like Princess Celestia. They’re not good for anything at all.”

“It’s your loss,” Gold Banks said as she threw her wallet onto the pile.

The shady stallion looked down at the pile of wallets before he began to pick them up with his hooves while keeping his trident pointed at the group. But as he was about to place the wallets into his pocket, he looked up and saw the Alicorn Amulet around Gold Banks’ neck.

“Wait,” the shady stallion said. “I don’t just want the money. I also want your pretty jewel.”

“My amulet?” Gold Banks said with a smug look on her face. “You’re welcome to yank it off my neck.”

With a devilish look on his face, the shady stallion dropped the wallets down on the ground as he approached Gold Banks, staring right at her Alicorn Amulet.

“No funny business,” the shady stallion said. “You pull a fast one on me, and you’ll end up like the Reins couple I burned.”

“Oh I won’t attack you when your guard is down,” Gold Banks said, holding her hooves up in the air. “If you want my necklace, come and get it.”

“With pleasure,” the shady stallion said.

With that, the shady stallion reached out and grabbed the Alicorn Amulet with his left hoof. But as soon as he touched it, the amulet let out an electrical surge, much to the horror of the shady stallion.

“Oh no,” the stallion said, helplessly.

Immediately, the amulet unleashed a surge of electricity right into the shady stallion, shocking him and causing him to scream in pain. He lost his grip on the trident as it fell out of his right hoof and onto the ground. The shady stallion lets go of the amulet before stumbling backwards, holding his hoof in agony.

“That…necklace” The stallion winced. “That was cursed.”

“You’re right on that, you simple-minded fool,” Gold Banks laughed as she got back down on her four hooves. “It was cursed.”

“You….you’re some kind of a witch,” the shady stallion said, scared out of his mind.

“Oh I’m far worse than a witch,” Gold Banks laughed as her horn began to glow with a bright green glow. “I’m the empress of Equestria. And you should have taken up my offer. But, I am willing to give you a little consolation prize: YOUR ETERNAL REWARD!”

The shady stallion screamed loudly as Gold Banks pulled her head back. He ran past the wallets and tried to make his way out of the alleyway before Gold Banks fired a blast of green magic at him. The magic hit him directly, causing him to scream in pain.

“What in the world is that?” Warden Steel Bolt said, watching helplessly.

“Observe,” Grand Philosopher said.

In an instant, the magic surrounding the shady stallion exploded in a bright light, much to the surprise of Gold Banks. When the smoke cleared, the shady stallion was gone, and in its place was a black mark on the ground. Gold Banks looked at where the shady stallion was and her eyes shrunk down in horror.

“What…just….happened?” Gold Banks said, staring in disbelief. “Why did my powers actually destroy a pony without a second thought?”

Gold Banks turned around to see Warden Steel Bolt, Officer Blue Heat and Miss Honey Twist stare in disbelief at where the shady stallion once stood, barely moving a muscle. She turned towards Grand Philosopher, who stood perfectly still with a smile on his face.

“You,” Gold Banks snarled. “You did something to my amulet. Did ya?”

“Guilty as charged,” Grand Philosopher said before clapping his hooves to Gold Banks. “I merely upgraded your amulet to accommodate your new gloom magic.”

“My what?” Gold Banks said, confused. “An upgrade?”

“While you were dealing with that unruly delinquent back at the restaurant, I applied some new magic to your amulet to give it more power,” Grand Philosopher said. “I was hoping you would put it to the test, and you were able to, though unexpectedly.”

Gold Banks looked down at her amulet. A powerful green glow radiated from the jewel, emitting a strange, eerie energy. Gold Banks turned towards Miss Honey Twist, Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat, who were in total shock from Gold Banks’ use of the amulet.

“What exactly is this magic?” Gold Banks asked, turning back towards Grand Philsopher.

“It is called Gloom Magic,” Grand Philosopher explained. “It is unlike any kind of magic that I have discovered before, and it may not even be a native magic of Equestria.”

“Gloom….magic?” Gold Banks said. “How did you discover this….Gloom magic?”

“Prior to your siege on Canterlot, I discovered this gloom magic pouring out of a portal that led to another land,” Grand Philosopher explained. “Fascinated, I chose to bottle it up as soon as I could, hoping to study this magic.”

“And what about this portal to the other land?” Gold Banks asked.

“I’m afraid the portal was too small for even a filly to enter, much less myself,” Grand Philosopher said as he pulled out a vial of liquid gloom magic. “Even more so, the portal shrunk after I collected the magic. So I was unable to determine where this other land leads to. However, it doesn’t mean that it was a total loss, as I have more than enough gloom to synthesize.”

“More than enough, eh?” Gold Banks said. “Perhaps there may be a way to weaponize this gloom into a weapon that could bring doom to Princess Celestia and her cronies.”

“There is,” Grand Philosopher said. “It will take time. But I will craft a weapon that will give the Debt Collectors an advantage. In the meantime, enjoy your new toy. You’ll need it for the final battle against Princess Celestia.”

“I shall,” Gold Banks said.

Gold Banks turned her attention back towards Miss Honey Twist, Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat, still horrified by the gloom magic.

“Come on,” Gold Banks shouted, stomping her hoof on the ground loudly. “There’s no time to waste. Get your wallets and let’s get going.”

The loud clap from Gold Banks stomping her hoof on the ground was enough to catch all three companions’ attention, snapping them out of their trance.

“Right, Gold Banks,” Miss Honey Twist said before she reached down and grabbed her wallet.

As everyone grabbed their wallet, Warden Steel Bolt turned to his right to see the trident that the shady stallion once held. He grabbed it before hoisting the weapon onto his shoulder.

“I’m gonna say this,” Warden Steel Bolt said. “As horrifying as what we saw with this gloom magic, I actually like it.”

“I’m….not so sure,” Miss Honey Twist said as she placed her wallet in her pocket. “Something like that rubs me off the wrong way.”

“Oh don’t be silly, boss,” Officer Blue Heat said. “You’ll learn to appreciate this gloom magic the moment Grand Philosopher weaponizes it. Besides, I think that the punk who killed Trotofsky and Melissa Rein asked for it.”

“Personally, I prefer the supersonic blaster,” Miss Honey Twist said. “It allows me to strike fear into those who deserve it, and make them scream in agony. After all, why would I want to put these juvenile delinquents out of their misery when I want them to suffer in misery? They’re no good to me when they cease to exist.”

“It’s your loss,” Warden Steel Bolt said. “Besides, I think we should thank Gold Banks for avenging Trotofsky and Melissa Rein. Too bad their son is not here in Manehattan. He would make the perfect student for Daisy Joy Tech.”

“I’ll keep that in mind if that happens,” Miss Honey Twist said. “Besides, I’ve heard stories about how some little foals whose parents were murdered would grow up to be delinquent vigilantes who claimed to be the hammers of justice. And we don’t need that, considering that these snot-nosed brats like to cling onto these….ridiculous stories about super heroes and magical fillies.”

As Gold Banks and Grand Philosopher walked away from the alleyway, their wallets tucked away, Miss Honey Twist tucked her wallet away and followed the duo, leaving Warden Steel Bolt and Officer Blue Heat standing there with smug looks on their faces.

“Whatever this gloom magic is, we’re going to need it for when we finally deal with Princess Celestia,” Warden Steel Bolt said.

“Or is it the other way around,” Officer Blue Heat whispered.

“Let’s not tell Gold Banks that,” Warden Steel Bolt whispered, holding the trident on his shoulder. “Let her pretend that she’s empress. When her life collapses, she’ll realize that she was nothing more than a mere puppet.”

Officer Blue Heat winked back at Warden Steel Bolt before the two followed Grand Philosopher, Gold Banks and Miss Honey Twist, pocketing their wallets as they walked away from the outline where Trotofsky and Melissa Rein fell.

To Be Continued in…

A Hippogriff Never Forgets

Author's Note:

As you can tell, this whole part was inspired by the origins of Batman, mainly the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne. This was the main reason why I chose to write this part, because just doing a small nod to that scene wouldn't be enough if there wasn't a backstory to this.

This is probably the last time you'll see Gold Banks within this prologue. But it will establish her as the main antagonist for the story.

Next part will focus on Queen Novo and Princess Skystar, plus gives Cozy Glow and Golden Lace some time in the limelight.