New Trottland Yard Case 06 - Silver Cross and a new beginning

Silver Cross

and a new beginning

Chapter 1

Forty-eight stallions and mares, twenty-four of each, held a discussion in the grand council chamber in Canterlot. All of them had read the reports the New Trottland Yard had recently hoofed in, and it got all of them worried. Some were of the opinion, that Gruff Tone had finally lost his marbles, and was to be replaced. An Earthpony wielding the power of the legendary Alicorns? That was just impossible in their opinion.

Others, however, saw a great threat in what the superintendent had reported. They were those who believed what the reports said, and the only ones who had actually bothered to watch the footing of Silver Cross displaying her powers. These few were a minority in the council however. Most of them were of the opinion that, if the stories were true, this mare had to be subdued and put into preemptive custody.

“She is a danger I tell you! What if she decides that she is not too happy with our rule anymore? If even only half of what the eyewitnesses say is true, she could barrel in here and kill all of us without breaking a sweat! No matter if they are exaggerating or not, this mare has to be taken out of the picture!”, a golden Pegasus stallion shouted from his seat in the council.

“Please listen to what you are saying Gold Light. Silver Cross has served the Yard loyally so far. There is absolute no indication that she would turn on us, even IF her powers were real, which I doubt they are.”, an Earthpony mare said, waving a dismissive hoof.

“Don't you all forget something crucial? Inspector Cross has warned us about a great danger. As per request of this council, I took a closer look at it, and I found out that many Changelings have been disappearing recently. As if that wasn't enough, we have also recovered the body of a Changeling who died in a firefight with the local authorities in Baltimare. It's eyes were sparkling, just like Inspector Silver Cross claimed. None of our magical analysts have been able to explain the sudden physical change. We should try and support her in repelling that “Nightmare”. It's in Equestrias own interest to do so.”, another Earthpony mare explained desperately.

Forty-eight cloaked figures pondered those words for a while, until the council leader broke the silence. The slim Pegasus mare stepped into the single light of the circular room, and brushed back the hood of her cloak to reveal her face. Her red eyes scanned the darkness all around herself as she addressed her fellow council members.

“Mares and stallions of this Council, I am the leader you yourselves have elected for times like this. I shall now propose a solution that should be satisfactory to all of you. Then you may vote. If we can not come to a conclusion, the mare is to be left alone. She will be allowed to continue her work for the Yard, but her life will not be interfered with otherwise.”, she said, and a murmur of agreement soon replied from the darkness.

The lavender mare made her proposal to the council, knowing full well that most of them would not agree with her. She herself did not believe that the stories about Silver Cross were true. It was just another urban legend, like the legendary Alicorns themselves. No excavation had ever proved their existence, and none ever would. The council had more important things to do, than to discuss about such trivial matters. They should just leave the mare alone.

Thinking that, she almost fell over when her proposal was accepted with only one negative vote....

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

“You get down here THIS instant young lady!”, I shouted, leaning out of my window as far as I could, without falling five stories to the street below. Sweet Potato chuckled cutely and continued to observe my attempts at getting her down, while sitting on the very edge of a small cloud. This was the eighth time this week that she had pulled that trick on me, and I had yet to find an effective way to get her down from places like that. My neighbor, and ex-coltfriend, had helped me out the last seven times, since he was a Pegasus. Due to him being on deployment since yesterday however, I had to try and get her down from there myself.

The sun was already setting, when a lavender Pegasus mare swooped down onto my daughter, scooped her up in her forelegs and deposited her in mine, before I could even blink. Sweet was equally surprised, looking up at me dumbfounded.

“You have no idea on how to raise a Pegasus probably, do you?”,the mare that was now hovering in front of me asked in a slightly angry tone of voice. For a moment, I didn't recognize the mare. When I did, my eyes widened, and I almost dropped Sweet Potato in shock.

“C...C...C...Council elder Berry Wing?”, I stammered, turning around quickly to put Sweet down inside the apartment, before bowing to the mare. She sighed at my pitiful display, while slowly coming closer.

“Yes, that's my name. Look, I was just on my way to your boss when I heard you shouting at that filly from five blocks away! Let me guess, you have no idea why she keeps perching on top of clouds, instead of sleeping in a normal bed?”, she asked and I shook my head. This was one of the most powerful mares in all of Equestria, and she was giving ME a scolding for not knowing on how to raise a Pegasus... That hurt...

Without saying another word, the mare flew up into the sky, only to return to me a few seconds later. Elder Berry Wing was pushing a small cloud in front of herself, gesturing for me to step aside. I did so, even though I was more then uncomfortable that such a high ranking Pony was entering my small four room apartment.  As soon as she saw the cloud Sweet, who had been pouting behind me, jumped up onto it.

“We Pegasi are creatures of the sky. Especially the young ones need to learn how to sleep in beds that were made for earthbound Ponies such as yourself. Some never shake off that habit and keep a cloud in their home to sleep on. Others never come to the ground and prefer to stay in the big cities in the sky.”, the Council elder explained to me, while hovering only an inch away from my nose.

That, at least, explained a lot. But there was one big question coming up in my mind, that I just could not ignore.

“Ehm.. what about rain? I know that Pegasi can make it rain if they want to, and I don't really want my apartment flooded.”

“That's no problem. This isn't a raincloud. But if you'll excuse me now, I have an urgent meeting with superintend Gruff. I suppose we will meet again soon enough.”, the mare said, darting past me and out of the window. What the buck had just happened? Had the council elder herself really just explained how to raise a Pegasus filly to me? Why did she even do that? And what did she want with boss? I just hoped that I was not in trouble for anything. Seeing that I was still on vacation, and would be until the end of next week, I didn't see why I would be in trouble for anything...

Suddenly something bopped me on the head, and I noticed a distinct wetness all around my head.

“Gahwww... Get that cloud off me, Potato!”, I cursed, as the little Pegasus filly giggled at my wet maned, pouting face.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Fifteen minutes later, elder Berry Wing stood in front of Gruff Tone, who sat behind his desk. It was quite obvious that he was uncomfortable with her being here, but she didn't care. She usually had that effect on other Ponies, since she was the only Pony in the council who ever had revealed her true identity to the public. It had been a mistake, but one she couldn't remedy anymore.

“You can't be serious, Council elder. What you are proposing is more then unconventional. It's unheard of and outright strange. I don't think my subordinates would stand for it....”, Gruff began, but got cut off by Berrys authoritative voice.

“What is so hard to understand, superintend? Your reports have caused quite the stir amongst my fellow council members, and they want this matter investigated as soon as possible.”, she said, glaring at the stallion. He didn't flinch, which was a new one for her. Usually, being faced with THE most powerful mare in Equestria, Ponies began to bow before her, even though she told them not to. What surprised her even more, was that she herself flinched a moment later when he returned her glare.

“As I was saying, before you interrupted me, this will cause a lot of problems for yourself, and for Inspector Silver Cross. Have you talked with her about this matter? She should at least have a say in this.”, he said, leaving no room for argument.

“She has no say in this. If she is a danger for the council, then she will have to be dealt with.”, the mare argued nonetheless.

“Oh, be my guest! So far none of my special agents would even spar with her anymore. I've seen her fight before she could use any of her crosses powers willingly. Believe me when I say that she would kick the rump of every officer you could sent to subdue her.”, Gruff chuckled.

“What if I ordered her to hoof the cross over?”, the mare asked coldly.

“That would be a death sentence for her and whoever got custody of it. Her reports state that the creature known as “Nightmare” is after all four crosses. Inspector Silver Cross already has two of them. Several soldiers were unable to stop even ONE of it's agents. What makes you think that you could stop whoever comes to get it?”

“We would keep it in the EIS headquarters. Nopony has ever successfully broken into it's vault.”

A sense of dread overcame Gruff Tone, as he thought about that. Silver Cross was surely unwilling to just hand over her cross, no matter who ordered her to hand it over. He shook his head, and pointed out his trump card.

“Simple Heart. Special Agent Simple Heart of the EIS was killed by a single agent of the Nightmare. From what I could find out about her, she was an experienced fighter in both magical, and melee combat, as well as an exceptional investigator. No matter what you say, Elder Berry Wing, the safest place for that artifact is with Inspector Silver Cross.”

Berry sighed. She already knew all of this. Then there was only the original plan left, which she had proposed to the council in the first place. When she told the stallion behind his desk about it, his jaw dropped onto the desk....