Letters From C

Chapter 1

October 18, 2013

Outside Canterlot

Dear Rainbow Dash,

Right now I am sitting on a train. It  looks enough like the train back in Ponyville to drown me in memories, yet enough different to keep me from tears. It's raining. It has been for the long four hours I've been on this train. My ink is running out so I'm afraid this will have to be short. I suppose that is good for you since you're not a big fan of reading.

Business-wise, I have it. I have my item. Please inform Twilight, if you know where she is. You're the only one where I know the location of. Unless you've moved on.

I'm in this cart alone. I'm beginning to remember as we boarded the train together all of those times. All of us. Together. Though I'm thinking of the time we boarding the train with MMM, so their wasn't the fear of the danger ahead.Oh Rainbow, I'm glad I'm alone in this moment of tears. My mascara is running and I couldn't stand someone seeing this. I can imagine you and Apple Jack snorting at this, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy would comfort me, and Twilight would just smile that odd smile as if she knew something we didn't.

Have you ever wondered Dash? What if Twilight knew this terrible thing would happen? What if she had this all planned before it happened? Just enough ink  left to say this:

Good luck Rainbow Dash!

Best wishes,

Rarity

      Sherclop Spade placed the letter on his desk next to the other four sitting there. He pulled the candle closer to the pages. He turned his head for the fifth time that night to the faded paper with a horribly drawn calender on it. It was still October 18, 2016. Sherclop opened the top drawer to his desk and reached for his pipe, as he often did when thinking hard. He ran his hoof through the empty drawer in bitter disappointment. He fell for it every time. His pipe would never be there again and it hadn't been there for the past thousands of times he looked for there it the last three years. He closed the drawer and bit his lip.

    Hoofsteps echoed down the hallway, followed by doors banging open and deep hissing voices. In one swift move Sherclop had the letters tucked his drawer, had the book at the corner of his desk in front of him, and slammed his face in it with a snore. Three Changelings entered with a bang.

    Sherclop's head popped up. He ran an ash-colored hoof through his rumpled black mane and dragged it across his face.

    "Some one miss they curfew!" one hissed in rough Equestrian.

    "Go on you fools," the most decorated one hissed in his own foul language, drawing his sword. "This one's stayed up too long, too many times."

    They sword was suspended in air by green magic. The blade itself was long, jagged, and sharp. The silver blade caught a shaft of moonlight that leaked through the torn curtains on the small dirty window. Sherclop's gray blue eyes widened in fear. The other two laughed, which sounded more like bats screeching, and left. The last Changeling shut the door and sheathed his sword.

    "You, Sherclop, better start getting to bed at curfew," he laughed.

    "Technically I'm asleep, General. That should count," Sherclop replied in the gruesome language of Changelings.

    "Rules are rules Sleeping Beauty."

    Sherclop shut his book with a sigh. The Changeling lifted off the ground with thin bug like wings. His wings issued a slight buzzing sound as he flew to the desk. Sherclop held his breath as the Changeling's hot foul breath rushed across his cheek. The Changeling lifted his book.

    "I would take this from you, but everypony, by law, must have a Rule Book," he said with a snort.

    Sherclop looked over the Changeling in disgust. His skinny black build was clad in black metal with some parts the color of his bulging blue eyes. His sharp white teeth grinned a wicked grin from underneath his helmet. His spiky black mane, if you could call it a mane, stuck out the top of the helmet like a ridge, as well as his torn ears. His short tail stuck out from underneath his armor. Sherclop forced a smile.

    "Well, what about that punishment?" Sherclop asked.

    The Changeling reached into his armor with a holey hoof. He lifted a small vial filled with brown sludge from his hoof with a cocoon of green magic. He pulled his sword out and put a drop on the sword.

    "This is a special little brew I made for you. You'll get scars without the actual pain. That way, I won't get in trouble for not hurting you."

    "Sounds more like it was made for you."

    The Changeling laughed, "No. We're friends, Spade."

    "Of course General Myrkyzel."

    General Myrkyzel drew a line across one of Sherclop's cheek with the sludge. A grunt of pain escaped Sherclop, though he didn't feel any. The General did the same to his other cheek. Then Myrkyzel traced his hoof with the contents of the vial. He put his hoof to Sherclop's left eye. He muffled a grunt as the cold sludge touched his eye. His eye swelled shut and blood trickled down his cheeks. A fine layer of blood appeared on the tip of Myrkyzel's blade.

    "There, Sherclop. This is our little secret," General Myrkyzel said closing the vial and tucking it back into his armor.

    "Right."

    "Now get to bed!" he yelled in Equestrian.

    He sheathed his sword, turned tail, and flung the door open.

    "Tomorrow you better be in your right place after eight!" he threatened.

    He slammed the door shut and stomped down the hall to join the other Changelings in their search for trouble makers.

    "Friend," Sherclop spat on the ground.

    Sherclop hauled himself into bed and blew out the candle. He rolled himself up in the thin blanket and frowned. There was a cold breeze coming in through the crack in the window. Spring was over and fall was coming. Sherclop rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling with one eye. He hated General Myrkyzel for calling him his friend. How could he be friends with someone was Queen Chrysalis' pet? Sure he had gotten him less punishments than he would have if it had been any other Changeling, but he still helped take everything he had held dear to him before Chrysalis came along. And to Sherclop the bad outweighed the good.

    Sherclop shook his head. The letters were more important. In the letter he had gotten that morning, Rarity said that she had her "item" and told Rainbow Dash to tell Twilight. Rainbow Dash's name had only come up once in the first letter from Twilight to Spike, whoever Spike was. Twilight had said that Rainbow Dash would try to help Twilight and rouse the others to do so. So Spike would have to send Rainbow Dash on a wild goose chase but have her be careful. She said she knew hard it would be for Spike to lie so Twilight mentioned something about a private letter to Rainbow Dash that was enclosed. It wasn't there when he had opened it.

    Sherclop milled over how to find out about Rainbow Dash long into the night. Finally weariness over took wonder