The Equestrian Event

Chapters

1 - Breaking and Entering
2 - Experimentation
4 - Same Old Song
5- First Impressions
6 - Hollow Home
7 - Debriefing
8 - Rise and Shine
9 - State Your Case
10 - Food for Thought
11 - Collusion
12 - An Evening Stroll
13 - Passing the Time
14 - The Morning After
15 - Unbridled Sweetness
17 - A Rational Explanation
18 - An Unorthodox Conversation
20 - The Longest Ride
21 - The Tower
22 - Structural Integrity
19 - The Calm Before the Storm
3 - Investigation
16 - All that Glitters

1 - Breaking and Entering

The night sky was crisp and clear. Moonlight poured in through the ornate windows and onto the cold marble floors of Canterlot Castle. The air was as silent as the shadows filling the halls. It was eerily peaceful.

"Peaceful and boring," thought the lone unicorn guard as he stared out at the stars. The steady clip-clop of his hooves could be heard echoing through the stone halls as he continued his nightly rounds. It was a sound he had begun to hate ever since he was assigned the late shift.

"It's always the same," he continued to think. "Make a round, check the vault door, make a round, check the vault door. Eight hours every night and hope for a schedule change."

It's not like anypony was going to even make it to the secure vault in the first place. Considering it was at the heart of the castle, a thief would have to bust through dozens of guards just to reach the hall! Besides, if it really were so important, why would they assign only one guard? As he recalled, he hadn't even seen the inside of the vault!

He thought back to how he had joined the royal guard for the prospect of excitement and heroism. Fighting some monsters, protecting the citizens, even saving a beautiful mare or two. None of that had come to pass in his time of service, as most of the guards seemed to have little duty other than standing at entrances to empty rooms, roaming the halls, and keeping their armor polished.

"Half a year of training just to walk around an empty hall in the dark," the guard scowled, taking off his helmet to scratch his mane. "Equestria's finest," he snorted. "What a joke."

The candlestick striking him on the back of his head seemed to punctuate his words a little too well.

As the guard slumped to the floor, a cloaked figure trotted past his limp form and onward towards the vault. The stranger looked upon the great steel door that stood before them.

A soft glow began to emanate from under their hood as the lock spun. The great passage opened with the slightest creak to reveal the treasures inside.

Gems, gold, artifacts, gifts from foreign lands all filled the massive chamber, all seeming to glisten under the light of the moon. Enough to buy an entire country, or bring one to its knees.

The intruder strolled right past all of this and maintained a course straight for a small painting on the wall. Casually tossing it aside with a wisp of magic, a small hide-away in the stone was revealed.

Ever so carefully, a small metal cylinder covered in strange script levitated into the air.

It seemed to speak, as if to tell something of dire importance.

The thief excitedly stored the object in their right saddle bag, then quickly exited the vault, not bothering to close the vault door.

It no longer mattered, nothing mattered.

Everything was about to change.

Years of preparations would all come into play, and they would be one of the most crucial pieces on the board.

It was a thought that made them giddy with anticipation.

"Soon my brothers and sisters," the figure whispered aloud with a hungry grin. "These lands will burn in the holy light that is our great transformation. At last, we will be made whole."

2 - Experimentation

Twilight Sparkle stared intently at the daisy that lay on the wooden table. It had been picked earlier that day, just as the thirty two others before it had been. The surface of the table around the flower was blackened and scorched. She sighed at the reminder of earlier attempts at this project. A soft, purple glow emanated from her horn as she straightened a pair of lab goggles over her eyes.

Twilight glanced over at the young green and purple dragon in the corner. Her self-proclaimed "head-assistant" had adorned himself with pillows and hoofball equipment. A common practice of his when they were conducting one of Twilight's "experiments."

"Ready, Spike?" Twilight asked, mustering any enthusiasm she had left.

"Just a sec," Spike replied as he dove behind an overturned desk. "Ready! Logging experiment attempt number thirty three!"

Twilight quickly consolidated her notes on a nearby podium before firmly bracing her hooves on the ground.

"Here we go," she mumbled to herself as she began to concentrate.

A brilliant stream of magic flowed from her horn and surrounded the daisy in a radiant glare. Twilight was forced to squint as she put all of her focus on the flower. Beads of sweat were now forming on her brow and her teeth began to grind together. She could feel the thoughts of disappointment skittering in the back of her mind as the flower seemed unresponsive to the power engulfing it.

Suddenly, the daisy's stem began to grow longer, cells being born from nothing. Slowly, the roots followed, stretching out in a search for sustenance. After awhile, the flower was fully restored. The magic surrounding it quickly dissipated.

As Twilight slumped to her knees, panting rapidly, Spike hurriedly ran over to the table to investigate, taking notes as he observed the plant.

"You did it, Twilight!" Spike cheered. "We rep- I mean, you produced a successful regeneration spell!"

"And only after a few dozen tries, too." Twilight let out an exasperated huff, placing the live flower in a nearby jar of water. "We were almost out of test subjects."

She looked to the clock on the library wall. Both hands were pointed skyward.

"Just in time for lunch as well."

"I'll go get some sandwiches from the kitchen," Spike said with a smile as he removed his protective gear. "Would you like hay with daffodil or -hic-... daffodil or -hic-... DAFFODIL OR -hic-"

That final hic was accompanied by a loud belch of green fire from his mouth. A letter bound with the royal Canterlot seal materialized and fell onto the library floor.

"Why does that always happen at the worst times?" grumbled Spike, rubbing his throat.

Twilight trotted over to inspect the letter, unrolling it with her magic and placing her safety goggles on the table.

"What does it say?" Spike asked as he resumed his search for food.

"It's a letter from Princess Celestia. It says here she requires my immediate assistance in Canterlot!" Twilight exclaimed.

The clatter of utensils could be heard from the next room. "Does it say why she wants you to go?" Spike called out from the kitchen.

"If I had to guess." Twilight looked to the ceiling, rubbing her chin. "It would be to help out with preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration."

Her thoughts traveled back to the same event that had taken place just a year earlier. The Summer Sun Celebration had always been the anniversary of the defeat of Nightmare Moon, the fallen moon goddess who sought to bring eternal night. Though, after her "rehabilitation" by Twilight and her friends on the very same day, the celebration now marked the return of Celestia's sister, Princess Luna, who once again presided over the dark hours.

"Well, whatever the reason." Spike walked out with a brown paper sack. "You'd better eat something on the way there. Wouldn't want you to go hungry."

Twilight levitated her saddle bag, which was always at the ready, onto her back, smiling as Spike handed her the sack.

"Thanks, Spike," she said as she placed her lunch into the bag's side pouch. "You okay with taking care of the library while I'm away?"

"No problem." Spike's arm shot to his forehead in a salute. "You can count on me, Twilight!"

Twilight laughed as she opened the library door. "I'll be back soon."

With farewells attended to, Twilight began her walk to the train station, wondering what tasks may lie before her.

"Next stop, Canterlot Palace," she said to herself, oblivious to the dark shadow that had been mingling with the bushes a few yards away.

4 - Same Old Song

A harsh glow cast a multitude of shadows upon the cavern walls. Cables coiled around the legs of a folding-table, each leading to various metallic boxes. Atop the table sat a variety of flickering monitors, all giving off the steady hum of fans spinning furiously. One showed a video of a large tree house, in front of which was a sign with a book on it. Another flashed images of a castle gate with guards on either side. On a smaller screen was a flat waveform line labeled, "ARCH."

A whistling melody could be heard over the hum of the machinery, coming from a corner of the room.

A tall, dark figure sat hunched over a keyboard, fingers dancing in a flurry. Waves of numbers and symbols flew behind the glass in front of him as he whistled his tune. The fingers stopped for a moment as his eyes glided across the pieces of code. The figure then gave a hearty press to one final key as he turned to get up. The machine gave a small beep as the symbols began to move on their own.

Walking over to a small chest resting on the ground, the creature glanced at the running screens, looking for anything of interest. The only movement was that of a couple of flashing red dots with the letters "REC." next to them. He continued to whistle his little upbeat song as he flipped open the chest lid to reveal a pile of ice covering some metal cans, chilling inside.

Grabbing a can, he knocked the lid back down and pivoted to the monitors once again. A loud snap echoed off the stone walls as the figure pulled the tab on top of the can. Taking a long swig from the metal cylinder, he tapped the continued beat of the song out on his leg.

"Dun da dunt da dun da dun," he muttered aloud, pulling the can away from his lips. "What was it called again?"

His eyes shifted to a blinking light on a dark monitor.

"You can remember every note, but you can't remember the name."

He ran his free hand through the dark blonde hair atop his head.

"Dun da dunt da dun da dun."

His hand reached for a remote on the table behind him.

"I think it started with a 'p.' Punter? That's not it. Porcelain, maybe? No, but I'm writing that one down for later." He flipped the channel on the monitor. "Sounds like a cool title for a song. Maybe even a book."

The screen that had caught his interest displayed what looked like an entrance to a cave with tracks leading into it. There were boards covering the entrance that were rotting and busted, leaving a rather large gap.

The creature tapped the remote against his chest in the beat of his song, pressing the same button each time.

A yellow bar marked "VOL." grew on the screen. The soft whisper of a distant conversation could be heard.

The creature gave a quick glance to its wrist, revealing a simple analog watch. There were no numbers, but he could see that it was almost eight o'clock.

The image of two ponies walking along the tracks was now visible on the screen. One was a purple unicorn carrying a brown saddle bag. The other was a taller, blue alicorn with a starlit mane. Both stopped a few feet from the entrance. They seemed to be debating over how to approach the situation at hand.

"Or at hoof, as they would say," the creature thought, grimacing.

"Well, it looks like I've got guests," he said aloud, snapping off the monitor with a click of the remote.

Looking around the room, his eyes came to rest on a shard of red rock encased in a clear box.

"Though I should probably tidy up a bit first."

He resumed whistling his tune once more.

"Now where did I leave that detonator?"

5- First Impressions

"I think it's safe to say that this is the mine we're looking for," said Twilight, examining a rotting warning sign. "I just wish we had found it a little sooner."

"If I recall correctly, it was you who insisted we travel by hot air balloon," retorted Princess Luna, looking back the way they came. "It took us almost three hours to get to Ponyville, not to mention the time we spent walking here. If we had just taken my chariot..."

"No," Twilight interjected. "I've seen Rainbow Dash crash one too many times. I have no intention of experiencing it myself. In any case, we're here now."

"So we are," Luna said walked forward, carefully eyeing the boarded entrance. "Though, it may be that we are not the only ones. We should proceed with caution."

"Right." Twilight readjusted her saddle bag. "Let's get going then."

As both ponies entered the mine, light emanated from Luna's horn, cutting a path through the darkness. They followed the tracks that ran across the cold ground, neither uttering a word. The pair came to a sudden halt, as the tracks split into two paths leading different directions.

"Which way do we go now?" Twilight asked.

Neither path was marked.

"I'm not sure," replied Luna.

"Well, when in doubt, the right way is right," Twilight began to trot toward the path leading right.

Before she was able to take two steps in her direction of choice, the sound of a terrible roar filled the tunnel.

A wall of debris raced towards Twilight, billowing over the young unicorn as she tumbled to the ground.

The air, as well as her eyes, were filled with dust.

Her ears, filled with a loud ringing.

She thought she could feel something pulling at one of her forelegs.

Something began to push through the ringing. A new sound. Unlike the ringing, this one seemed to have purpose.

"Twilight," it said.

The voice seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she had heard it before.

"Twilight."

There it was again, clearer this time.

The ringing was starting to go away.

"Twilight!"

Twilight blinked opened her eyes, letting out a series of rasping coughs. When she was finally able to breathe again, she noticed a hoof resting lightly on her back. Twilight could just make out the face of the moon princess behind blurred vision.

"Are you alright?" Luna asked. Her eyes were filled with concern.

"I- I think so." Twilight stood up slowly, rubbing the grit out of her eyes. "What happened?"

"Something must have made the tunnel collapse," Luna answered, looking at the pile of rubble. "It appears as though your right way was not as you say, 'the right way.'"

Twilight swung her saddle bag onto her back with a groan.

"Joking aside, it looks like our only choice now is left."

Luna gave a sly grin.

"Would you say that it is our only option, left?"

Twilight's head dropped down as she tried to stop her self from snickering. Despite almost being buried alive, Twilight was able to retain her sense of humor. It also came as a surprise that Luna would be one to make any sort of joke.

"Yes, it looks like left is right. Can we go now?"

"After you," Luna said, bowing mockingly, then added seriously, "That is, if you feel up to it."

"I'm fine, thank you," Twilight reassured her as she began trotting forward. "And I'd rather not wait around to be almost crushed again."

As the ponies continued forward, the tunnel began to grow in size. It seemed sturdy enough, considering it hadn't collapsed on them yet.

The tracks they had been following soon stopped, as the tunnel gave way to a spacious cavern.

Near the end of the tracks rested some discarded pickaxes and rail ties.

The cavern seemed to devour any form of light, making it quite difficult to see, even with the aid of magic.

"It looks like they didn't have time to even finish building the tracks," Twilight said, inspecting the discarded equipment.

"And these carts are filled with gems," Luna called out. "And more in the walls, waiting to be mined. The crew seemed to have left in quite a hurry."

"This cavern probably wasn't dug by the miners, but I question whether or not it's natural." Twilight began to wonder how deep they were. "How many team members did you say made it out?"

"Not very many. Only thirteen if I recall correctly. Though, I am curious as to what became of the workers that were left behind," Luna said, sifting through one of the carts.

"I don't think I want to know the answer to that question," Twilight replied walking, her gaze focused on the ceiling's curve. "Which way do you thi- whoop!"

Her sentence was cut short as one of her hooves caught on something, sending her sprawling to the ground once again. The light from her horn flickered out as she knocked her head against the stone floor.

"Twilight?" Luna called out into the darkness, her own light flashing about. "Are you alright? I can't see you."

"I'm fine," Twilight let out with a groan, her horn beginning to glow once more as she shook her head to get up. "I just tri-."

The sentence was never finished, as the unicorn's mouth had locked, along with the rest of her body as she gawked at the image before her.

Staring directly back at her was the skull of a pony.

Its own jaw hung open, as if it were screaming in pain.

The dark abyss that were its eye sockets locked with her living ones.

Or, at least one did.

The other was filled by the blade of the pickaxe that had been firmly lodged into it.

Twilight gave a startled yelp as she scrambled back onto her hooves. She barely noticed the princess was now standing beside her.

"It looks like you figured out what happened to the rest of the team," Luna said grimly, looking at the tormented figure.

"Wh- whe- where's the rest of him?" Twilight stuttered.

From the spine downwards, the skeleton had no remains to speak of.

Luna shined her light on the walls nearby, coming to rest in a dark corner.

"I suppose we could always try asking them."

Both companions' eyes fixed on the gruesome display that was previously shrouded by the darkness.

Dozens of skeletons cast disfigured shadows onto the walls behind them.

Most of the bones were cracked or broken.

Some rested in a tangled mess.

Others looked as if they had been clawing at the wall until their final breath.

"I'm not sure they'll be of much assistance though," the princess whispered, almost afraid of waking the resting souls.

It felt like an eternity before either pony dared to utter a sound.

"What could have done this?" Twilight murmured, breaking the silence.

"As you said," Luna responded, "I don't think we want to know the answer to that question."

"Why do I feel like we don't have the luxury of choice?" Twilight said, glancing over her shoulder.

She could've sworn she heard clicking.

"We should go. We need to find what we're looking for and get back to Canterlot as soon as possible," said Luna, who seemed to have regained her calm demeanor.

Twilight didn't buy it.

"Okay then." Twilight lifted her saddle bag from off the ground once again. "Let's find the main chamber."

Twilight stretched out with her magic, concentrating the light. After a few seconds, it found an opening to another passage in the wall.

"There." She took a step forward, then stopped. "Although, if it's not too much trouble, maybe you lead from here, Princess."

Luna gave a forced, yet comforting smile.

"Of course, Twilight. Just be sure to stay close."

Leaving the darkness to consume the ghastly sculpture once more, the two ponies continued their search on the newly found path.

As they walked, Twilight thought she could hear the clicking sound again. Except this time, it was louder and accompanied by a steady hum.

Just as she was about to ask Luna if she could hear it too, the clicking ceased.

Twilight strained to listen for the slightest hint of its existence, but could detect none.

She was so focused on her task, Twilight barely realized that the princess had stopped. As she was about to ask if something was wrong, Luna spoke first.

"Twilight," Luna whispered. "I think I may have found something."

The princess was looking at a large hole that had been dug through the rock. A faint glow seemed to be flickering against the stone walls inside.

"I guess you did," Twilight said, looking to see where the light was coming from. "Do you think it could be the thief's hideout?"

Luna didn't hesitate as she walked into through the entrance.

"Only one way to find out."

******

The room was fairly large and the glowing light made it easy enough to see without magic. Strange shiny boxes rested on tables around the room. A few were connected to flashing pictures by black vines that ran along the floor.

"What is all of this stuff?" Luna asked, picking up one of the vines with her hoof.

"It looks like some sort of research equipment," Twilight said, her thoughts drifting back to her lab under the library. "Though I've never seen devices like these before."

She walked over to the table that had the most boxes resting on it.

"Look at how the image moves without a projector," she said tapping one of the pictures with her hoof, only to be met with the clink of a glass screen. "It's like looking through a window."

It took a moment before she realized what the image actually was.

"This- that's my house!" Twilight exclaimed, taking a step back. "And that's the palace entrance!"

"Whoever put this here must have been looking for something," Luna said, taking a shooting a glance at the images before walking over to another table. "Perhaps they were gathering information before the robbery."

Luna noticed what looked like a red rock encased in glass. She was about to speak up, but it sounded like Twilight had found something as well.

"Princess?" Twilight called out.

"What is it?" Luna turned to see the unicorn had stuck her head under a table.

"Does the term 'C4' mean anything to you?"

Twilight was looking at a package, with what appeared to be a calculator and a blinking light strapped to it. Printed in block text on the side of the package were the characters "C4."

"Not that I know of," the princess answered, turning back to the red rock. "Why, is it something important?"

"Probably not," Twilight said, lifting her head from under the table. "What did you find?"

"I think it's one of the red shards that the miners discovered." Luna gestured to the case. "Whoever was here must have found one as well." She reached out with her magic and began to lift the case.

"I wouldn't recommend touching that if I were you."

Both ponies turned, startled by the sudden interruption.

"Who's there?" Twilight called out, searching the dark corners of the room.

"Now that could be a difficult question to answer."

The voice seemed to call out from everywhere. It sounded deep. Relaxed. As if it could have belonged to a stallion.

"I suppose it depends on who you think I am," the voice said.

"You sound like somepony who is going to a lot of trouble not to be found." Luna let her horn glow once again, searching for the source of the voice.

The voice let out a light laugh.

"I suppose that's a matter of both perspective and opinion. For instance, it is my opinion that I went to a lot of trouble to make sure that you did find me."

"What do you want?" Luna called out. "Show yourself!"

"Alright then, how about a little face to face?"

A bright light burst behind the two companions, blinding them as they turned.

"Whoops, sorry about that," the voice said.

The light dimmed by half, making it easier to see.

"Flipped both switches."

When their eyes had adjusted, Luna and Twilight saw a figure that now stood in front of the light. It wasn't a pony, but rather a strange creature that stood tall on two legs. The pair of arms it had were crossed over its chest, almost as if it was waiting for something. A head of short, dark blonde hair was accompanied by a face that had a worn, intelligent look about it. It was further accented by a jaw covered in a light stubble. The apparent lack of any natural coat was made up for by the clothing the figure wore. A grey, short-sleeved, button-down shirt covered its torso, while a dark pair of blue pants and brown boots took residence on its lower body. Two blue eyes twinkled with a sort of knowing amusement as they looked back at the ponies.

"I was told as a child it's rude to stare, but I can't help but feel flattered by the attention around here," the figure said, breaking the silence.

"You're not pony," Twilight stated, gawking at the creature.

"Well now," the creature said with a smile that seemed to be dripping with sarcasm. "You really are as smart as everyone says you are!"

Luna took a step forward.

"Who are you?" she asked firmly.

The smile on the creature's face faltered a little.

"Ah, yes. My apologies your highness. I suppose it is time for a proper introduction, isn't it? Why don't we start with the five 'W's', as I like to call them."

"The five 'W's'?" Twilight asked, still trying to comprehend the situation.

"Who, what, when, where, and the ever elusive 'why' my purple friend," the creature listed off, pointing his finger at the Twilight after each word. "A formal beginning for us all, if you will. So, who wants to go first?"

Neither pony was quick to answer, both thrown off by the stranger's demeanor.

"Why don't you start?" Luna replied, finally braving the question. Her gaze was sharp enough to cut steel. "Considering we seem to know absolutely nothing about you."

"Fair enough," the creature said, clapping his hands together.

"Let's see, uhhh... Hello everyone," he said, giving a small wave. "You can call me Jay. That's what my friends call me."

There was a relaxed and friendly tone in this "Jay's" voice. It was unsettling to the ponies.

"I am obviously not from around here," Jay continued. "Umm... I am what you would call a human, or homo sapien for you science types." He gave a small nod to Twilight, only to be a met with a moderately confused stare. He didn't seem to notice.

"I have been staying in Equestria for about six months now, and I came here to study rocks. Now, let me see..."

Jay counted his fingers for a moment.

"Yeah, I think that was all five. This is fun! Who wants to go next?" He looked back and forth between the two ponies in front of him, a bright smile on his face.

In response, there was only an awkward silence. The two ponies glanced at each other, unsure of how to answer.

"Alright, alright," Jay said, holding up both of his hands. "Perhaps a little too forward on my part. Why don't we skip the middle and start with just the who and finish with the why?"

After a few seconds, Twilight took a timid step forward.

"I'm- My name is Twilight. Twilight Sparkle." She looked back at Luna for any hint of direction and was rewarded with a small nod. "And this is Princess Luna."

She had begun to speak a little more confidently now, looking directly at her questioner.

"We're investigating the theft of a stolen artifact from the Canterlot vaults. The only information we had led us here." Twilight paused for a moment, thinking of what to say next.

"Do you mind elaborating on why we found you here?" Luna asked, stepping in to aid Twilight.

"Hmm," Jay hummed as he scratched his chin. "Well, I suppose I do look rather suspicious. But alas, I am not the one you seek. Besides, I doubt I could have stolen that damn Codex even if I tried. On account of, well, not being a pony." He gave a quick gesture to himself, as if to confirm the statement.

"Not the most inconspicuous form around here, know what I mean?"

"Wait," Luna's eyes narrowed into an accusing glare. "How do you know about the Codex if you're not the one who stole it?"

"Now, let's see..." Jay reached behind his back and produced a small remote. He pointed it at the screen titled "ARCH," and pressed one of the buttons. The sound of Luna's voice began to play from a set of speakers nearby.

"It was here that the miners found an artifact which had been dubbed, 'The Codex.' It was said to be a metallic cylinder, just over a foot in length, and with foreign symbols etched into the surface."

Jay pressed the button again, pausing the sound.

"Lucky guess?" he suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.

"How did you do that?" Twilight asked, astonished at what she had just heard.

"Pretty easy, actually," Jay said. "I just tagged one of the servant's bags at the palace with a microphone. Wish I could have used a camera, but they probably would have noticed the weight difference. Might have even caught your thief on film."

He reached into another one of his pockets and pulled out a small black dome, about an inch in diameter.

"I can make 'em small, but not that small. Not with the junk I have anyways."

"You've been spying on us?" Luna's voice was as cold as the night was black.

"Just observing points of interest." Jay gave a wave to the multitude of screens before them. "Any place that may have info on your Codex. For instance, the library and the archive. Though, for the record, I did know what it was called before I set this stuff up, but only thanks to this little gem."

He walked over to the table where the two ponies stood, both of them stepping back to let him by. Jay reached past the glass case that covered the shard of stone and grabbed a brown journal.

"It was one of the miner's," he said, flipping through the stained pages, finally locating the one he wanted.

"Ah, here we go!"

Clearing his throat, Jay began to read from the passage.

"The Codex is not the source of the problems that plague us, as we had once thought. The red rocks of Tartarus are to blame for the corrupted souls of those around me. Their vile infection of the mind has killed many a friend. I have borne witness to the ghastly horrors of split heads and running blood as I myself hide from such a fate. I can hear them even now, chanting their damned words as they roam these tunnels. I pray to Celestia that they do not find what they are searching for."

Jay snapped the journal closed.

"That was his last entry." He walked over to a small chest near the table and opened the lid. "Funny how the color of blood stains change over a few thousand years, eh?"

"Very well," Luna said. "That explains how you know what was stolen. But what were you doing here in the first place?"

"Like I said," Jay turned around, a metal can in his hand. "I came here to study rocks. Granted, they're very special rocks. Would either of you care for a drink? Cola perhaps?"

"Not at the moment, thank you," Twilight replied politely.

Jay gave a shrug and opened his can. "Suit yourself."

He took a long swig from the drink, setting it down on the table when he was done.

"Man, that's good stuff. It's nice out of a cold can, but nothing beats a glass bottle."

"What's so special about the rocks you're studying?" Twilight asked, still confused by the behavior of this "human."

"Okay, I guess it's time for a bit of exposition." Jay sat down in a chair next to a smaller monitor.

"First off, the most prominent reason I'm here is because of that little bastard right there." He pointed to the rock in the glass case. It seemed to glow faintly in recognition.

"That is a fragment of a much larger bastard, known as a Marker." He paused for a few seconds, looking back and forth between his two guests.

"You obviously don't know what a Marker is. I probably should've expected that. Either way, Markers are big stone spires that look like two horns that are twisted together. The funny thing is though, a Marker isn't really made of just conventional stone. Twilight, what do you know about DNA?"

"Well, it's the building blocks of all life as far as we know," Twilight said, thinking back to her own research on the subject. "But that's just a theory. Why do you ask?"

"I ask, -" Jay continued, "- because that's what a Marker is. A big tower of tightly packed, alien DNA. Not exactly sure where they originated from, but they seem to be all over the galaxy, acting as radio towers almost. You see, they send out a hefty signal that tends to turn those with a weaker mind a bit..."

The human gave a quick whistle and circled a finger next to his head.

"Not to mention the possibility of a few other unpleasant side effects. If one of these Markers is activated, its signal is boosted so it can interact fully with its environment." Jay picked up his can and took another drink.

"Sorry, I get a bit shaky when I dump this much info." He held up a wobbly hand. "Anyway, a Marker that was here in Equestria was destroyed a long time ago. By what, I've got no idea. Y'know this Codex that everyone is so focused on? It's a blueprint to build a Marker."

Jay had begun to pace back and forth.

"Well, more of a Rosetta Stone actually. A DNA translator, if you will."

"Which means?" Twilight asked.

"Which means, it can help you build a Marker or destroy one. User's choice really. That's why I'm looking for it." Jay got up and walked over to a black bag that was on the ground.

"So, whoever stole the Codex, they want to rebuild the Marker?" Twilight asked, still confused by the logic of such a plan.

"Well, either that, or they really think it would make a nice centerpiece. Can't say I blame them. The Codex really is a work of art when you think about it." Jay pulled a metal box attached to a round shaft out of the bag.

"Of course if you do happen to have a Marker and you can't find one of your handy translation rods lying around..." He casually tossed the device, along with a few other items, back into the bag. "You're caught in a bit of a pinch."

"What's that?" Twilight inquired, failing to get a closer look at the object.

"Oh just a little experiment. Another thing I don't recommend messing with," Jay said, zipping up the bag. "Along with the explosives you were sticking your nose in earlier."

"What explos- Wait a minute!" Twilight quickly spun around to look at the blinking package that she had found before. "You're saying that stuff explodes!?"

"Not unless I tell it to." Jay held up a small box with a switch on it.

"Why do you keep explosives underneath your desk?" Twilight shot a nervous look to Luna.

"I try not to make a habit out of it. Though, to be honest, I can't just leave this kind of tech lying around for someone to find," Jay explained, slinging the straps of four duffel bags over his shoulders. The weight didn't seem to bother him that much.

"Anyway, the warranty on this stuff goes out in like two days and I really could use a reason to write it off as a refundable expenditure. Besides, this mine is freakin' creepy. So, any excuse to blow it back to the hell from whence it came is my personal pleasure."

Jay glanced at the ponies.

"Not while we're still in here of course."

"Though it seems a tad eccentric, I must agree." Luna approached the human with a cautious manner. "It is better not to leave evidence if those who seek to build a Marker find this place. I take it you plan on leaving now?"

"Kinda have to, no?" Jay replied. "Now that you know that I'm here, it makes it a little less awkward to be seen in public." He stopped for a moment and took a look around the room.

"Perhaps we could help each other out?" Jay suggested, turning back to face the ponies.

"How so?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, it's obvious you have no understanding of the current situation. Beyond what I told you at least," Jay said. "I propose a simple partnership. I help you with your investigation and you catch whoever stole the Codex."

"You're not going to ask for compensation?" Luna questioned, suspicious of the offer.

"No need to," Jay said. "I came to find the Codex. Now you need to as well. Why not work together?"

Luna contemplated the option, not giving an answer.

"We could use his help," Twilight whispered to the princess.

"Hey, take your time to think it over," Jay interjected. "For right now though, I suggest we leave. I can't remember if the C4 has a back up timer and I'd rather not stick around to find out."

"I suppose we should be off then," Luna said, shooting a look at the desk behind her.

"Oh, one other thing," Jay said, pointing at Twilight. "Could you grab that chest over there for me. Got my hands a bit full at the moment."

"Sure," Twilight said, using her magic to grip the handles of the container. "Now... how do we get out of here?"

Jay gave a hearty laugh, picking up a small flashlight from the table behind him.

"Sorry to say, but it's back the way you came."

If there had been any trace of a smile on Twilight's face before, it was gone now.

"Don't worry, nothing but the dark to be afraid of." Jay turned on the flashlight, which was surprisingly bright given its size. "I'll lead the way."

******

It wasn't but a couple of minutes before the group reached the chamber where the tracks had ended. Jay had been whistling the whole time, a tune that neither Twilight or Luna were familiar with. He stopped and stood for a moment when his cone of light found the array of bones that crowded the corners of the chamber.

"Heh, I'm gonna miss these guys." Jay gave a wave to the skeleton with the pickaxe stuck through its eye. "Jerry here most of all, the poor bastard."

Twilight didn't seem as happy to see the skeleton again as Jay was.

"He always was a good listener." Jay continued. "Though he could be a bit picky, about the conversation topic."

Neither of the ponies seemed to find the humor in the situation.

"Oh come on you know that was funny!" Jay said laughing. "Say, whenever Jerry here tried to tell a joke, he didn't have a leg to stand on!"

The cave echoed with the laughter of the human. Jerry the skeleton just sat there, not seeming to be the least bit offended by the puns made at his expense.

"Please, oh please, for the love of Equestria stop!" Twilight groaned as the laughter died down. "That is beyond morbid! Can we just go? It's late and I don't like this place."

"Alright, just give me a second," Jay managed to say through broken laughter.

He reached into his back pocket, pulling out the miner's journal that he had read from earlier. He looked it over for a moment with a sad smile, the humor in his eyes replaced by a regretful sorrow.

"Rest easy, pal," said Jay as he set the journal down next to the skeleton, giving it a small pat.

He suddenly became aware of his company staring at him once again. He slowly stood up, shifting the weight of the bags he carried as he did.

"Let's get a move on then," Jay said.

As they began walking again, Twilight gave a final look back.

She thought she could hear the clicking again, but chose not to say anything.

Quickly, she hurried after the others, not wanting to be left behind.

******

After a few more minutes of being guided by the bright aura of Jay's flashlight, the trio was standing at the mine entrance, relishing the night air.

"Welp, here we are," Jay said, patting his pockets, finally pulling out the small remote with the trigger on it. "Who would like to do the honors?" He held the device out for the others to see.

"I'm not trained for explosives," Twilight said, scratching the back of her neck.

Luna shook her head. "Your work, your hoof."

Jay pointed at the princess and nodded. "You are absolutely right. 'Cept for the hoof thing. On account of the... hand... situation. Anyway." Jay tightened his grip on the detonator.

"Three-two-one boom!"

With a flick of his wrist, Jay squeezed the lever on the side of the box.

The ground shook violently, a firm indication of what had just occurred in the depths below. It seemed to stop just as soon as it started, leaving only the sounds of the forest to be heard.

"Well," Twilight said, "That's... done with. What now?"

"I must return to Canterlot and report our findings to Celestia as soon as possible." Luna gave a small stretch of her wings.

"About that," Jay began, shoving the detonator back into his pocket. "You still haven't given me an answer about my offer."

Luna looked up at the dark sky. There were no stars over the Everfree Forest.

"Very well," she sighed. "I will discuss with my sister about finding a spot for you as a consultant. Expect to make an appearance before the court."

The princess turned to Twilight

"Will you be alright with our new... 'acquaintance'?"

"I think I can manage," Twilight said looking Jay over for the hundredth time that evening. "We should be able to make it back to Ponyville on our own."

"Right then," Luna said, addressing Jay. "Please understand that I am putting a tremendous amount of trust in you by letting you leave my sight. It is not something I do often. With that said, I bid thee farewell." Luna finished off her goodbye with a formal bow of her head.

"The pleasure was all mine, your majesty," Jay replied, returning the bow. "I hope we can all become the best of 'acquaintances' by the end of this."

"Perhaps," the princess said, spreading her wings. "We shall see." With that, she was off into the night sky.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted," Twilight said after Luna was out of sight. "We should probably make our way to back to town now."

"I suppose so," Jay said, beginning to walk through the forest. "Is there any place that you would recommend staying at? Maybe and inn or something? Preferably somewhere I wouldn't get arrested just for existing."

"You know," Twilight said, surprising herself. "You could just stay at the library if you want." She wasn't really sure if that was what she meant to say.

"Are you sure?" Jay asked. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"You might as well," Twilight continued, perplexed by her own voice. "I mean, I'm the only one who you know right now, and I've got a guest room in the back. Plus, I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on you. So... yeah."

"I don't know what to say," Jay smiled. "That's awfully nice of you Twilight."

"Well, I came to Ponyville to learn about friendship," Twilight said as they kept walking. "I guess we can just consider this... another lesson?"

"Fair enough," Jay said in agreement.

They walked in silence for a little while longer. Even though she knew almost nothing about this human, Twilight felt a burning need to ask him something.

"Um, Jay?" she said, having to lift her head up to see his eyes.

"What's up?" Jay replied, still focused on the trail ahead.

"Do you think something bad is going to happen? I just can't shake this feeling I have." There was a slight tremor in Twilight's voice.

Jay gave a light chuckle, looking down at the pony beside him.

"All I know is that something is going to happen. Now if it's good or bad... Well, that's up to us to find out."

Twilight wasn't sure if that was meant to be comforting or not.

6 - Hollow Home

It had taken Twilight and Jay only an hour and a half to make their way to Ponyville. Despite this, it was well into the night by the time they were even close to the library.

"Little quiet around here, no?" Jay asked, as he scanned the dark street, searching for signs of life.

Despite the fact that their route had taken them through much of the town, neither Twilight nor Jay had seen a single soul up and about.

"It's almost midnight." Twilight yawned "Not many ponies tend to stay out this late."

Twilight was rather exhausted from just levitating the large black chest for so long. She was certain that Jay must have been rather tired himself, though the baggage he carried seemed to be only a mild inconvenience. She had begun to suspect that this human was trying to show off.

"I suppose it's for the best," Jay said, taking a quick glance at his watch. "It’d be a bit difficult to explain why you're walking around with a six foot tall stranger in the middle of the night, eh?" They rounded the corner of a few buildings. "Looks kind of suspicious if you ask me."

Twilight could now see a familiar glow, shining through the window panes of the library. She had been trying to figure out how to explain the whole situation to Spike. Now she was wondering if he was even awake. Her thoughts were cut short by a sharp whistle. Jay was looking down at her with an amused expression.

"Sorry," Twilight said with a quick shake of her head. "Did you need something?"

"I asked if there was anyone I should know about before we head in." Jay smirked. "Though I suppose I know the answer to that question."

"Oh," Twilight replied. "Well, I dropped Owlowiscious off at the vet the other day, but Spike's still here. Though, he's probably passed out by now."

"And how do you think Spike will react to…” Jay gestured to himself with both of his hands. “This?”

"I guess we're about to find out." Twilight set the chest down on the library's front step and unlocked the door, which opened with a slight creak.

Inside the library, books were piled into small shelves carved out of the walls. A round table sat in the center, a wooden bust of a horse's head resting on it. Sets of stairs led to the upper and lower floors of the building.

"I don't think I fully realized that you live in an actual tree," Jay said, looking around. "Wonder how long it must have taken them to carve this out?"

"You get used to it after a while," Twilight said, dragging the chest behind her. "The living area is upstairs. I don't get many guests, so we'll have to make up your room."

"I've spent the past few months sleeping in a cave," Jay said. "I’d be fine with just the floor."

As they headed towards the stairs, Twilight paused. Setting the chest down once again, she turned to Jay.

"Maybe you should let me go up first," Twilight suggested. "If Spike is asleep, it’d be better if you didn’t give him a heart attack. Just give me a chance explain the situation while you wait here. It’ll only take a minute."

"Your house, your rules," Jay said, sliding the duffel bags off of his shoulders and onto the floor.

"Thanks." Twilight gave a nervous smile as she trotted up the stairs.

Jay watched until the pony’s tail disappeared from view, then turned to examine the wooden shelves that surrounded him. Each was filled with books that seemed to be arranged in no particular order. The articles were stacked in disarray, some forming towers that could collapse at any moment. Jay had expected someone with a personality such as Twilight’s to be more organized. As the human read the titles, he could hardly tell fiction from the factual works.

“Got anything that’s not about magical happenings?” Jay mumbled to himself.

Many of the books related to subjects such as spell casting, charms, artifacts, or mythical beings. As Jay eyed another row, a certain title stood out among the rest. Intrigued, he slowly pulled the book from its resting place, careful not to disturb its companions in the process. Jay turned it over to get a better view of the cover.

“Equestrian Government and Law,” Jay read aloud. “Sounds important,” he said, flipping through the table of contents.

A chapter titled, “The Princess and Her Advisors,” seemed to be relevant to the current situation. As Jay thumbed through the book to the correct page number, he could hear a muffled conversation taking place upstairs. He began to read from the first section of the chapter.

“Though it is common knowledge that the princess holds absolute power over final decisions made in our government, it may be less commonly known that assistance is provided in making such decisions. A court of six royal advisors offers insight on many proceedings, as well as serving as a substitute leading body if the princess is absent or indisposed for a period of time. The council was designed to allow the equal representation of all three pony races, being comprised of one mare and one stallion from each race. These representatives are elected by the public every five years and may run for election as many times as they wish. Many ponies who run have a better chance of election based on past political prominence. One of the most notable examples in recent history is Iris Scroll, a unicorn advisor who has served for twenty-one consecutive years at the time of this book’s printing. Scroll has been cre-“

“Jay!”

A voice called from upstairs, pulling Jay’s attention away from the article.

“Be right there!” Jay called back. He set the book down on the nearest duffel bag and made his way up the steps.

When he reached the top of the stairs, Jay gave a quick look around the room. He saw Twilight standing next to a small basket, carrying on a hushed conversation with a short purple and green dragon. Though he had been called for, no one else in the room seemed aware of Jay’s presence. He cleared his throat to get the others’ attention. Twilight gave a surprised glance to where the sound had come from.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, turning to face Jay. “Spike… this is Jay, the umm…” Twilight debated for a moment on what she should say. “The… guy… I was telling you about.”

While Twilight was struggling to speak, Spike was tilting his head back just to see the stranger’s full figure. He wore an expression that wasn’t necessarily surprise, but more of a confused interest.

“Uh, hi.” Spike took a small step forward. “I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when Twilight was telling me about you.”

“So.” Jay smiled “What do you think?”

“You’re big,” Spike stated flatly, walking over to stand next to the human. His head only came up to Jay’s knee. “And kind of strange looking too.” Spike tugged at Jay’s pant leg.

“Spike!” Twilight scolded the dragon. “Don’t be rude.”

“Oh, come on, Twilight.” Jay smiled. “You were thinking the exact same thing when you first saw me. Besides, I got a feeling that I’m going to receive that reaction a lot over the next few days.”

“Not until we get the princesses’ approval,” Twilight reminded Jay. “Until then, it’s probably best if you stay here.”

Jay just shrugged and walked back toward the stairs. “In that case, where should I put my things?”

“The guest room’s next to the bathroom.” Twilight motioned towards a small hallway behind her. “I’ll start getting it ready, and you can get your stuff.”

“Right, I’m on it,” Jay said. “Oh, one more thing, that chest you brought in. Do you mind if I put it in the basement? Just so it’s out of the way.”

Twilight thought the question over for a moment, sensing suspicion in the request. Jay on the other hand, just looked at her, smiling. Twilight eventually nodded in agreement.

“Thanks,” Jay said, giving Twilight two thumbs up. “I’ll get to it then.”

“I could help if you wanted,” Spike said, bounding after Jay.

“That’d be much appreciated,” Jay said, noting the enthusiastic behavior of the young dragon.

As both of the boys went downstairs, Twilight opened the guest room door, shaking her head. Something didn’t feel right. She was certain that there was more to what was happening than Jay was letting on. Albeit, he did reveal information that they were not aware of previously. Besides, he did seem rather friendly. Sure, he was strange, possibly psychotic, but still friendly.

Twilight let out a yawn as she rearranged the clutter of the room to make it somewhat accommodating. Whatever she needed to hear, it could wait until morning.

******

“Geez,” Spike huffed, struggling to hold up his side of the chest. He and Jay were only about halfway down the basement staircase. “What’s in this thing, a body?”

Jay faked a nervous laugh as he backed down the steps.

“Wha- Nooo. Why would you suggest something so absurd?”

Spike grinned, raising his eyebrow. He didn’t seem to be as put off by Jay’s morbid sense of humor as Twilight had.

“Besides,” Jay said, speaking normally once more. “There’s a lot of better ways to get rid of a body.”

“So what’s really in it?” Spike asked, making sure his foot would land firmly on the next step.

“Ah, just some research equipment. Expensive stuff that I don’t want damaged,” Jay answered.

“Oh, okay,” Spike replied, his interest somewhat dimmed now.

After both dragon and human had stumbled down the last few steps, Jay took a moment to survey the room. Setting the chest down in nearby corner, Spike rubbed his back with a greatly exaggerated look of pain on his face.

“I think I pulled something. You’re not going to ask me to carry any of those bags, are you?” Spike groaned.

“Not unless you offer to,” Jay said, still looking around. “Twilight run some sort of experiments down here?”

Along one of the room’s walls, an assortment of bulky machines crowded together. Metallic grey pipes tangled with the library’s roots that jutted from the lab’s ceiling. Jay eyed a large container of bubbling green liquid. He was hard pressed to infer its purpose.

“Or do you just have a fancy boiler system?” Jay turned to examine what looked like some sort of polygraph machine.

“A lot of this stuff was actually down here when we got to Ponyville,” Spike said. “Twilight usually does most of her magical experiments upstairs.” He frowned, scratching the back of his head. “Or outside if they could get a bit, uh…”

“Volatile?” Jay suggested as he started back up the stairs.

“Yeah!” Spike chuckled, following behind Jay. “Let’s go with that.”

When they were both out of the basement, Spike turned to lock the door behind them.

As he was reaching for his bags, Jay glanced over at Spike, who had placed the key to the basement behind a stack of books on a nearby shelf. Jay looked back down and noticed the book he was reading earlier and smiled.

“Hey, Spike,” Jay called over to the dragon. “Would Twilight mind if I were to read this?” He picked up the book and tossed it to Spike.

Spike caught the book, nearly dropping it, and looked at the cover.

“Probably not,” Spike said, shrugging. He tucked the book under his arm. “Why? You interested in politics or something?”

“Well,” Jay said, slinging the duffel straps over his shoulders. “The princesses are supposedly discussing whether or not to accept my offer.” He started up the stairs. “I’ve got a feeling that I’ll need to plead my case at some point in order to convince them. So, it’d be to my advantage if I had at least some knowledge on your judicial system. Or, whatever institution you’ve got around here.”

“I guess that makes sense.” Spike trailed behind Jay as they made their way to the guest room.

“Really?” Jay asked. “Twilight seems confused by almost everything I say.”

Spike let out a small laugh before he continued talking.

“Twilight said you’ve already met Nightm- I mean, Princess Luna. What’s she like?” Spike asked, inquisitively.

“You haven’t met her?” Jay replied, somewhat perplexed.

“Well, only once.” Spike sounded embarrassed. “After Luna was reformed, Celestia announced her return with a small celebration. I didn’t really talk to her, though. Being that the whole ‘eternal darkness’ thing was still fresh on the mind, you know?”

“Not really,” Jay said, reaching the top of the stairs. “Not familiar with a lot of history around here. As for Luna though…”

Jay stopped and thought for a moment before facing Spike.

“Kind of interesting, actually. She's straight to the point, gets the information she wants, and is certainly not intimidated. I especially liked that.” Jay smiled. “Can’t wait to meet her sister.”

The sound of a closing door indicated Twilight’s presence. Spike and Jay turned their attention to her.

“The room’s made up,” Twilight announced. She looked exhausted.

“Thanks,” Jay said. “Guess you should get to sleep then. I can manage from here.”

“That’s a good idea,” Twilight said, yawning. “Just don’t cause any asleep while I'm trouble.” She stumbled up the nearby stairs and onto the loft that overlooked the room. “Goodnight, Spike.”

“Uh… Goodnight, Twilight,” Spike replied, watching the unicorn collapse onto her bed.

“Night, Sparkle,” Jay said as he began to leave.

“Oh, wait,” Spike said. He held out the book Jay had given him. “Wouldn’t want you to forget this.”

“Thanks,” Jay said, taking the book. “I guess I’ll take my leave then. Sleep well you two.”

“Yeah, you too,” Spike said. He began to extinguish the lamps around the room.

After Jay shut the door behind him, he stood perfectly still, listening to the sounds outside the room. When the last bit of light that flickered under the door had disappeared, he looked around.

The room was rather simple in its décor. A small wooden dresser resided against one wall, books and other clutter surrounding its base. An equally plain nightstand sat adjacent to a twin size bed. Atop the nightstand was a burning oil lamp, which provided most of the light in the room. In the farthest corner from the door was a faded green chair, which sat next to a small window that looked out toward the direction of the library entrance.

Jay took all this in with little interest as he slid the straps of his bags off his shoulders for the last time that night. He tossed the book onto the bed and stretched his arms, high above his head. It suddenly occurred to him that he had forgotten to take advantage of the bathroom amenities before he had excused himself. Not wanting to disturb his hosts, he reached into the back left pocket of his pants and pulled out a bent rectangle with a silver wrapper and held it up to see.

“Hello spearmint, my old friend,” Jay said.

He unwrapped the stick of gum and popped it in his mouth. Returning the wrapper to his pocket, Jay walked over to the bed and sat on its edge. It was relatively comfortable and seemed large enough for the human to use. Kicking off his boots, he lay down and picked up the book.

“Let’s see what else you’ve got for me,” Jay said.

Flipping through the table of contents once more, Jay saw another chapter that piqued his interest and turned to the page entitled, “Punishment in Accordance with Law.” As he skimmed through the chapter, Jay began to suspect that the Equestrian Judicial System didn’t see much action. Most issues were resolved between the victim, (if you could call them that), and the accuser. Those that weren’t were given only a light punishment at best. A few serious crimes seemed demanded imprisonment or banishment, though these were scarce. Jay continued his scanning of the chapter until he reached a short selection that stood out in the most obscure way.

“Capital Punishment,” Jay read, raising an eyebrow. “One of these things is not like the other one,” he mumbled under his breath before reading the section.

“Though it has not been used in over a millennia, capital punishment, (also referred to as, ‘the death penalty’), has not been removed from the list of sentencing applicable to criminals. Whether or not the sentence will be removed has not been discussed for some time, due to the unpleasant nature of the subject.”

Jay snapped the book shut as he remembered something. Setting it on the nightstand, he got up and walked over to one of the bags lying on the floor. He opened it and pulled out the small laptop that he had been using in the mine. Standing up once more, he went to the green chair near the window and sat down. Jay flipped open the laptop and waited for it to turn on.

“Let’s hope we get a signal,” he thought.

The screen filled the room with a brilliant light. Jay quickly turned down the brightness to avoid being blinded. A quick glance to the connection meter showed that he did in fact have a signal. He opened up a tab and began typing.

“Checking in. Access code: BLACKLIGHT. Are you receiving?” Jay pressed the enter key and watched the blinking white cursor.

It was only a few seconds before he received a response.

“” The words appeared on the screen in a light blue text.

“Ahead of schedule,” Jay typed. “Forced to make contact. Recommendations?”

It took a little longer for the next message to arrive.

“"

Jay shook his head and gave a small frown.

“Negative. Situation level: CRACKED-SHROUD. Requesting ‘VISIONARY’ preparation."

“”

Jay thought for a moment before he replied.

“Any change in the signal?”

“”

“Keep me posted. Signing off.” Jay read what he had typed, then added: “Goodnight, Ice.”

“”

Jay shut the laptop and put it back in the bag. Unbuttoning his shirt, he got into the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

“This one’s gonna be interesting.” Jay smiled and closed his eyes.

7 - Debriefing

“You did what?”

Celestia’s voice echoed through the throne room of Canterlot palace. The Princess had risen from her throne, body rigid. Luna stood at the bottom of a flight of marble steps that led up to the throne. She had spent the last half hour filling Celestia in on the events that had transpired earlier that night. Luna's only response to her sister’s outburst was a blank stare.

“Well?” Celestia asked accusingly. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

Luna glanced at the guards who were positioned at the base of the stairs. The one on the right stood perfectly still, his eyes forward. The guard on the left, however, shuffled his hooves in discomfort at the tension in the room. Luna turned back to Celestia.

“Are you quite finished yet?” The younger alicorn’s tone was calm and commanding.

The guard who was fidgeting before, cringed, half expecting the room to be engulfed in flames from Celestia’s rage at the statement. He was relieved when Celestia simply sighed and slumped back into her seat.

“Leave us,” she ordered the two guards.

Luna waited until she heard the clang of the throne room doors behind her before speaking again.

“I simply said that we would consider accepting Jay’s offer to help us in our investigation. In all honesty, it was Twilight who encouraged me to do so.”

“That’s not the part that bothers me.” Celestia began to raise her voice again. “It’s the fact that you left this stranger alone with my student in the middle of Everfree Forest! What if he were to be dangerous?”

“He very well could be,” Luna replied, her voice steady. “But as you yourself said, Twilight is quite capable. Besides, isn’t she the one who is credited for saving Ponyville from a rampaging Ursa Minor? One would think she could take care of herself.”

Celestia rubbed her eyes with her hoof. It had been a long day for her. Longer than usual at least. On top of dealing with the regular paperwork, she was busy making sure that rumors didn’t spread like a wildfire, along with issuing a public address of the theft. She hoped that it wouldn’t come back to bite her later.

“How are you still even awake, Luna?” Celestia asked her sister. “When was the last time you slept?”

“I’ll sleep well enough when this matter is resolved,” Luna answered flatly. “So, what do you think?”

“I think that you’re right,” Celestia sighed. “I’ll make arrangements for the council to meet tomorrow. We can send word to Twilight in the morning to bring this ‘Jay’ here. If what you say about him is true, I’m sure I won’t hear the end of it when everypony sees him stepping off the train. In fact, we should consider setting up an escort to meet them at the station.” She paused for a moment. “Do you think he’ll actually be able to help us? Do you think we can trust him?”

“Does it really matter?” Luna asked.

“What?” Celestia raised an eyebrow.

“What I think,” Luna said. “Does it really change anything?”

Celestia rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Of course it matters, Luna,” she huffed.

“I think we don’t have many options.” Luna turned to exit the room. “And I think he knows it.”

8 - Rise and Shine

Twilight’s eyes opened with a flutter as she sat up on top of her sheets. Warm rays of the morning sunlight shined through her window and fell onto her face. She yawned and squinted at the alarm clock on her night stand.

9:42 A.M.

Groggily, Twilight rolled out of bed and onto her hooves. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts, she walked down the stairs from her loft. Looking around the rest of the room, she noticed that Spike was still deeply burrowed in his blankets. Twilight’s stomach suddenly growled, almost causing her jump in surprise.

“I should probably see about making some breakfast,” Twilight thought to herself.

As she made her way to the kitchen downstairs, Twilight did her best to recall what had taken place the night before. She remembered most of it, though it was little hazy. Even if she could clearly remember everything, it wouldn’t have made the whole event seem any less bizarre. Perhaps she could ask Jay a few more questions when he was awake. For now, food would have to come first.

Twilight let out another yawn as she walked into the kitchen. Using her magic, she opened one of the overhanging cabinets and peered inside. A small assortment of cereals and oats were arranged within. Twilight grabbed one of the boxes of cereal and turned to the fridge. A startled gasp suddenly escaped her mouth, followed by the dull rattle of the cereal box landing on the wooden floor.

Jay was sitting at the dining table with a book in his hand. A formidable pile of reading material was stacked in front of him.

“Morning, sunshine,” Jay said, not looking up from his book. The words, “A Traveler’s Guide to Equestria,” were imprinted with golden script across the green cover.

“I-I didn’t realize you were down here,” Twilight explained once she had regained her composure. She picked up the box of cereal to inspect it for any damage. Seeing that it was fine, she set it on the table.

“Sorry if I startled you,” Jay said. “I’m a bit of an early riser.”

“How long have you been up?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, I’d say…” Jay raised his arm to get a better look at his watch. “About four hours now. Got a little caught up in the reading.”

“Well, I can understand that,” Twilight said, setting a carton of milk next to the cereal. “Have you eaten anything yet?”

“I find it rude to raid someone’s pantry without their permission,” Jay said as he set the book down to stretch his arms.

“You’re already sleeping here,” Twilight said opening a drawer next to the sink and pulling out a spoon. “You might as well eat here too.” She turned to Jay and stared at him for a moment. “Um, what do you eat anyway?”

“Depends on how hungry I am,” Jay said, leaning back in his chair. “What do you have?”

“Not much at the moment,” Twilight said as she poured the cereal into a bowl. “It’s been awhile since I’ve gone to the market. There’s some hay, a couple of apples, and I think a few slices of bread left.” She glanced at the contents of the milk jug.

“You got a toaster?” Jay asked.

“Sure,” Twilight gestured to the counter, “over there.”

“Milk and toast,” Jay said as he got up. “I’m sure it’s the breakfast of some champion.”

As he walked over to the bread box, Twilight sat down and began to eat. She noticed that Jay was still wearing the same clothes from the night before.

“Did you bring something else to change into?” she asked curiously.

Jay inserted two pieces of bread into the toaster and turned it on.

“Nope,” Jay said, turning to look directly at Twilight. “Been wearing the same thing for six months now.”

Twilight’s only response to the statement was a deadpan stare.

“I’m joking,” Jay said with a smile. “I’ll wash up when I’m done eating.”

“If I’m being honest,” Twilight turned her attention back to her breakfast, “it can be hard to tell.”

“I get that a lot,” Jay said. Having removed the bread from the toaster, he then poured himself a glass of milk. Taking a sip, he inspected the glass with a curious look.

“Is something wrong?” Twilight asked, taking notice.

“Is this two-percent?” Jay asked.

“Two-percent what?” Twilight asked, confused.

“That answers that question,” Jay said.

Twilight opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but was cut off by the sound of hiccupping that echoed from upstairs.

“You’ve got mail,” Jay muttered before taking a large bite of toast.

Sure enough, Spike soon came stumbling down the stairs, rubbing his throat. He held a small scroll in his claws.

“Letter for you, Twilight,” he said, tossing the scroll on the dining table as he walked by. “We’re lucky my sheets didn’t go up in flames. Again.”

Twilight unrolled the paper with her magic and held it up to read.

“It’s from the princesses,” Twilight said. “They want us to come to Canterlot as soon as possible.”

“You sound surprised,” Jay said as he plucked the letter from the air.

“I didn’t think they would respond so quickly,” Twilight said, glaring at Jay.

“Says here that we’re supposed to be met by an escort when we get to Canterlot,” Jay said as his eyes scanned the paper.

“Sounds like they don’t fully trust you,” Spike said. He was now rummaging through the cupboards.

“How are you going to convince them to let you help with the investigation anyway?” Twilight asked.

“I got you to let me sleep here, didn’t I?” Jay said with a sly grin.

“No, you didn’t. I offered, remember?” Twilight said, annoyed.

“You see,” Jay said maintaining his confident attitude. “I didn’t even have to try. This whole council thing should be no problem.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and continued eating her cereal.

“For now though, I’ll go and take that shower we talked about,” Jay said, heading toward the stairs. “What’s the temperature supposed to be like today?”

“I heard the weather teams had an overproduction of clouds recently,” Twilight said, looking out the window above the sink. “So, probably a little cooler than normal.”

“The usual apparel it is then,” Jay said as he disappeared from view.

When Twilight was sure that he was gone, she turned to Spike, who was now hungrily munching on a small handful of gems.

“Are you not bothered by him?” Twilight asked.

“Not really,” Spike said, his mouth full. “Are you?”

“Of course I am,” Twilight thought.

“A little, I guess,” she said.

“I think he’s kinda cool,” Spike said. “Maybe a bit weird, but it’s nice to have another guy around. Besides, if you’re so bothered by him, why did you invite him to stay here?”

“What else was I supposed to do?” Twilight snapped.

Spike stared back at her, unsure of how to respond.

“I… I’m sorry Spike,” Twilight said, rubbing her temples. “I’m just stressed from everything that’s happening.”

“I get it,” Spike said. “You’ve handled bigger problems than this though. Don’t kill yourself over it, alright?”

“I suppose your right,” Twilight laughed. “Thanks.”

“Of course I am,” Spike replied. “You should go get ready to see the princesses though. I’ll start cleaning up around here.”

“Eager to do your chores?” Twilight asked.

“Erm… Well…” Spike nervously tried to answer. “I was hoping maybe I could go see if Rarity needed some help around the boutique afterwards.”

“Sure,” Twilight said with a grin. “As long as you finish your work here first.”

“R-right,” Spike said. “Sure thing.”

As Twilight got up from the table, she glanced at the pile of books that Jay had been reading. Most of the subjects seemed to be about history or politics, but a few were over local geography and the native flora and fauna. To Twilight, most of it seemed like general knowledge.

“Where are you from?” Twilight thought as she headed back upstairs. “And just what are you doing here?”

*****

“What to do, what to do?” Jay hummed under his breath.

He wiped away the steam that had built up on the bathroom mirror and reached into the black travel kit that rested next to the sink. Finding a small plastic comb, he pulled it out and began to run it through his hair in a rather meticulous fashion.

“Whatever to do on this wonderful day?” Jay continued in his upbeat manner.

Satisfied with the styling, he slid the comb back into the bag grabbed his worn leather belt from the counter. After fastening it around his waist, he proceeded to dig through the travel kit once more.

“Whoever would take this shining sun away?”

Withdrawing a small orange bottle of pills, he unscrewed the lid and poured two small capsules into the palm of his hand. Tightening the lid back into position, he set the bottle back in the bag. Jay casually tossed the pills into his mouth and swallowed them dry, clearing his throat afterwards.

“Certainly not I. Not on such a beautiful day.”

A sudden thumping on the bathroom door registered in Jay’s ears, interrupting his tuneless song. He pulled the bag’s zipper shut, then turned and opened the door. Standing on the other side was a rather impatient looking Twilight.

“What’s up?” Jay asked, leaning on the door-frame.

“I was checking to see if you were ready yet,” answered Twilight.

“Just need to grab my things and we can get going,” Jay said, closing the bathroom door behind him. He walked the short distance to the guest room before turning to face Twilight. “By the way, how do I look?”

Twilight examined the human’s apparel for a brief moment. He had on the same boots, possibly the same pants, and the same watch from the night before. The only discernibly altered feature was the black collared shirt he now wore.

“Fine, I guess. What do you need now?” Twilight asked.

“Just some reading material for the trip,” Jay replied, pulling a small brown messenger bag out of one of the larger black duffels. “Well, that and notes, blackmail, incriminating recordings, etcetera. Got to make my case somehow, right?” He slung the strap around his chest and walked toward the stairs.

“None of that’s going to get us in trouble I hope,” Twilight said, giving the bag a nervous glance.

“Depends. Do you want it to?” Jay said, smiling.

“I’m not joking Jay,” Twilight said. “Do you take anything seriously?”

“Only in the direst of situations,” Jay said reaching the front door of the library. “Besides, you worry too much.”

“That’s what I tell her,” Spike piped up from the kitchen.

“Do you want me to find more chores for you?” Twilight shouted back.

“I practically do everything around here anyway,” Spike retorted.

“Whoa!” Jay interrupted before Twilight could come up with a response. “We should probably get going. It’s almost noon and I don’t want to keep our royal hosts waiting.”

“You’re right,” Twilight said. “Spike,” she shouted, “remember to lock up when you’re done.”

“Sure thing,” Spike called back. “Say ‘hi’ to the Princesses for me.”

Eager to leave, Twilight slipped past Jay and opened the door. However, after less than two seconds, she quickly slammed it shut, a panicked expression now pasted on her face.

“Something wrong?” Jay asked. “You look like you’re having an anxiety attack.”

“The Celebration!” Twilight said, hysterical. “Everypony is getting ready for it!”

“Which means… what, exactly?” Jay asked.

“Just look out the window,” Twilight said.

Jay shrugged and peered through the window beside the library entrance. He could now see what Twilight was talking about. What had been a desolate street the night before was now a bustling hub of activity. Mares and stallions of all sizes and color were busy at work. To one side, a group of earth ponies was assembling an assortment of colorful banners and flags. Above them was a pair of pegasi, who flew from lamppost to lamppost with rolls of streamers. Jay turned back to Twilight, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

“I fail to see the problem,” he said.

“The problem is that if we walk out that door, everypony will see you!” Twilight said, as if the situation wasn’t already apparent.

“That tends to happen when you walk by people,” Jay said. He narrowed his eyes into a jesting glare. “Are you afraid of being seen with me?”

“N-no,” Twilight stammered. “I just… I don’t know how everypony will react to… well, you know.”

“Ah,” Jay said, crossing his arms. “How could I have never thought of this exact situ- Oh, I did! But what was the solution?” He suddenly snapped his fingers. “That’s right! I just keep walking.”

“That’s it?” Twilight asked. “We just walk out?”

“I don’t see the difficulty in grasping the concept,” said Jay. “You walk out, I follow, and we act casual. Now take your meds. I don’t need you having a meltdown.”

“Fine, fine! Let’s just get this over with,” Twilight said, taking a deep breath.

Bracing herself, she opened the door and took a timid step outside. Looking at the ground, she could see the rays of sunlight that streamed down between the tufts of cloud filling the sky. A small breeze rustled the branches of the Golden Oaks Library, creating a blend of noise that amplified the chatter of the working ponies. The streets ahead appeared to stretch on for much longer than Twilight thought they did.

“If I stroll around by myself,” Jay said, startling Twilight out of her trance, “it would be a lot harder to explain.”

“This isn’t easy for me,” Twilight hissed back.

“Just look straight ahead and walk,” Jay said, his voice softening. “No one will be looking at you, trust me.”

He gave Twilight a small push, causing her to stumble into a steady trot. Jay followed suit, taking in his surroundings as he walked. Examining the buildings that lined the streets, he noticed how most kept a form of unity in their pastel color pallet and structural design.

“Wood walls and straw roofs,” Jay thought with a frown. “I bet the fire department has good job security around here.”

As he and Twilight neared the crowded street, some of the working ponies had taken notice of the pair. A small murmur began to flow like a wave, accompanied by a flurry of shifting gazes. Jay continued with his personal sightseeing tour, while Twilight simply did her best to avoid eye contact.

“No hysterics yet,” Jay thought as he observed the ponies.

While this was true, he did notice a trend of bodies shuffling to either side of the street, leaving a more open path to walk on. A glance at a passing reflection in one of the shop windows revealed the multitude of heads turning as he went by. Jay increased his speed to match that of Twilight’s.

“What did I tell ya,” Jay whispered to Twilight as they walked in unison. “You might as well be invisible.”

“I can feel them judging us,” Twilight said through clenched teeth. “Just keep walking and don’t acknowledge anypony.”

“That’s what I’ve been doing,” Jay said.

“I was talking to myself,” Twilight said, eyes forward.

“Would conversation help?” Jay asked. “Anything you wanted to ask me?”

“I don’t think now is the best time,” Twilight said.”

“I promised you answers,” Jay said as they walked through an intersection. “How’s about you ask me something and then I’ll ask you something, alright?”

“Fine,” Twilight huffed. “Um… Where are you from?”

“Earth,” Jay said. “The U.S. to be more specific.”

“I’ve never heard of it before,” Twilight said. “Where is it?”

“Far away from here, that’s for sure,” Jay said.

“What’s it like?” Twilight asked, cocking her head.

“It’s different from around here,” Jay said as he noted the hills that rose in the distance. “Hotter, drier fields, not as many mountains, and a lot less talking horses. Now, if I’ve been counting correctly, that’s three questions you’ve asked me. Now it’s my turn.”

“Oh, sorry,” Twilight said. “What do you want to know?”

“I’m curious how things work around here,” Jay said, checking his watch. “The books I was reading covered some things but not others. For instance, I have trouble understanding the weather.”

“Really?” Twilight giggled. “That’s what you want to know about?”

“Seriously,” Jay said. “Why do you need the pegasi to control it?”

“Because they’re the only ponies who can handle the clouds,” Twilight said. “The rest of us would pass right through if we tried to touch them.”

“The weather runs itself where I’m from,” Jay said. “And from what I read, so does the weather in the Everfree Forest. Why is that?”

“Nopony knows,” Twilight said. “The Forest is a place of dark magic. Animals take care of themselves, the weather changes on its own, and few ponies go there. How does the weather change where you live?”

“Mostly through the temperatures and winds I suppose. The heat evaporates the water, which makes the clouds. When they get to full, it rains, and the cycle continues,” Jay explained. “The tilt of the axis in relation to the sun accounts for the seasons and the wind comes from the rotation. Trust me, if I could control the weather back home, I would’ve.”

“What axis?” Twilight asked, turning right at the next crossroad.

“The axis of the planet,” Jay said. “Don’t you study science and stuff? Do you guys know anything about astronomy? The way the planet behaves?”

“Well, the planet doesn’t rotate on an axis,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes. “Where did you get that idea from?”

“Ugh,” Jay groaned, vigorously rubbing his face with both hands. “Okay! Why do you need the princesses to raise and lower both the sun and the moon?”

“So we have a night and a day,” Twilight said. “Why else?”

“I know that,” Jay said. He could feel his eye beginning to twitch. “But the sun doesn’t technically raise or lower, the planet just spi-”

He suddenly snapped his fingers, causing a few of the working ponies to give him nervous looks.

“Never mind, I’ve got it! Solved a mystery of the universe in two seconds.”

“Got what?” Twilight asked.

“I’ll tell you later,” Jay said. “Besides, the train station is just up ahead.”

Twilight looked at the road again and noticed that Jay was right.

“Well, I guess talking helped shorten the walk,” she said.

“Not so nervous now?” Jay asked.

“Let’s just get our tickets and go,” Twilight said. She trotted up to a small building where a yellow stallion wearing an engineer’s cap sat behind a small ticket window, gazing absentmindedly at a magazine.

“Excuse me, sir,” Twilight said politely.

“Train isn’t running today,” the stallion said as he looked up. “Oh, Miss Twilight! Pardon me, we’ve been expecting y-” The words caught in his throat, his eyes fixed on Jay.

“Is something wrong?” Twilight said.

“Sorry,” the stallion said, blinking a few times. “Your… friend just surprised me, that’s all.” He turned back to Twilight. “As I was saying, we’ve been holding the train until you arrived, Princess’s orders. You and…”

“Jay,” Jay said, giving a small nod.

“You and Jay can board when you’re ready. I’ll let the conductor know you’re here.” The stallion exited the back of the ticket booth and headed toward the front of the train.

“Let’s go find a seat,” Twilight said walking onto the boarding platform.

Hanging back, Jay took a moment to examine the train. It appeared to be a type of steam engine, a large smokestack rising from the front. Jay couldn’t help but gag a little at the colorful passenger cars and heart shaped decals of the locomotive.

“This thing is an assault on my eyes,” Jay said. “Seriously, how many shades of pink do you guys have around here?” He looked at the second to last car.

“And why is that one shaped like a cupcake?” he shouted to Twilight.

“Just get on the train,” Twilight said, hopping aboard.

Jay followed, shaking his head. He found the view to be much more pleasant once he was inside, the colors shifting to a more pleasant tone of green and brown. Jay took a seat across from Twilight, who was resting on a cushioned bench that was backed by a decorative glass panel.

“I guess we’re the only passengers then,” Twilight said, looking around the car.

“Well, don’t I feel like a VIP,” Jay said as he glanced at his watch. “The Princess probably wants to keep this little fiasco as quiet as possible.”

A long, drowsy yawn was Twilight’s only response. Jay set his bag on the seat and leaned back. Looking out the window, he saw what he assumed to be the conductor speaking with the stallion from the booth. Bouncing his knee up and down, Jay shot yet another look at his wrist. His leg began to move faster.

“Why do you keep doing that?” Twilight asked.

“Doing what?” Jay asked.

“Your watch,” Twilight said, nodding to Jay’s wrist. “You keep checking it.”

“Habit, I suppose,” Jay said with a shrug of his shoulders. “I prefer to be punctual.”

A sudden jolt from the train car and the blowing of the engine’s whistle signified their departure from the station.

“Looks like we’re on our way then,” Jay said. “How long till we get to Canterlot?”

“Around half an hour or so,” Twilight said. She stared at Jay’s wrist for a moment. “May I see it?”

“What? My watch?” Jay asked. “I guess.” Pressing two small pins on the back of the wristband, he slid the timepiece off of his wrist and held it out in his palm. Levitating it up to eye level, Twilight inspected the watch, turning it over a number of times.

“No numbers?” Twilight noted, returning the device.

“Nothing special,” Jay said, re-clasping the watch on his wrist. “But it does its job.” He reached into his bag and withdrew one of the books he had borrowed from the library. “Mind if I read for the rest of the ride?”

“Conflicts Throughout Equestria,” Twilight read the title aloud. “That’s… an interesting choice.”

“Thought I’d brush up on my history,” Jay said as he flipped through the book. “I figure if I have a better understanding of the past then it’ll be easier to relate to the present. Besides, I’ve always liked the subject of war.”

Twilight regarded Jay with a skeptical look for a moment before staring at the passing landscape.

“Your phrasing could do with some tweaking,” Jay thought. He turned to the next page in the book and kept reading.

“Now, let’s see if we can figure out where things went wrong.”

9 - State Your Case

The cry of the train's whistle pierced the late morning air, just as Twilight sprang from her seat. Stepping into the aisle, she looked over her shoulder and noticed that Jay was still engulfed in his reading.

"We're here," Twilight said, rather impatiently. "C'mon, let's go!"

"Just a sec," Jay replied, raising an index finger to Twilight. His eyes continued to race along the pages of his book as Twilight tapped her hoof in annoyance. A moment later, Jay snapped the book shut and rose from his seat.

"Now we can go," he said as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

Twilight rolled her eyes and made her way toward the train's exit as Jay followed behind. Stepping onto the wooden platform that ran parallel to the tracks, Jay could see that they were only on the outskirts of the city.

"I would've thought we'd be closer to city central, not one stop over from the boonies. Is it just common practice for you guys to build every transport hub as far from everything as you possibly can?" Jay asked as he observed the area surrounding the station.

"The railroad didn't exist when Canterlot was constructed," answered a voice that Jay didn't recognize. As he turned to address the owner of the voice, Jay was met by the sight of a grey unicorn adorned in a glimmering set of golden plate armor. On either side of him was a white pegasus, each wearing armor of a similar fashion.

"Captain Searchlight!" Twilight greeted the stallion. "It's good to see you again."

"You as well, Miss Sparkle," replied the captain. He turned to Jay. "And would I be correct in assuming that this is the... guest, we were told about?"

"You would," said Jay. "And I can only guess that you must be the welcoming party."

"So it would seem," said the captain.

"Right then!" Jay clapped his hands together, causing one of the pegasus guards to flinch. "Shall we?"

"If you'll follow us please," Searchlight said, turning around. "There is a carriage waiting."

The group followed a path to the back of the station. Sitting idly on the stone road was a plain wooden stagecoach. The two pegasi began harnessing themselves to the front of it as Searchlight ushered Jay and Twilight inside. Taking his seat from across the pair, he shut the coach door.

"Rather inconspicuous," Jay said once they were all inside. "Except for the fact that your twenty-four karat boys out there are the ones toting us around."

"Most ponies wouldn't bother giving a second look," said the captain. He knocked his hoof against the carriage wall and they began to move.

"Seems like her majesty doesn't want them giving me even a first look," Jay said as he reached into his bag. "Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?"

"Now?" the captain asked. "Rather eager isn't he, Miss Sparkle?"

"Well it's either that or we sit here in an awkward silence for the rest of the ride," said Jay.

"I suppose that as long as it's nothing pertaining to the investigation it'll be fine," said Captain Searchlight. "At least, until you have clearance that is."

"Of course," said Jay. He pulled out a pen along with a spiral notepad. "I was just curious about the role the guard plays is all."

"Curious in what way?" the captain asked, cocking his head.

"Well, is your purpose to guard just the princesses, or the citizens as well?" Jay asked.

"We protect all of Canterlot's residents, yes," the captain said.

"So you act as a police force in addition to your normal guard duties?" Jay jotted something down on his note pad. "Do you have guards posted throughout the city or just on the palace grounds?"

"We don't patrol the streets if that's what you're asking," Searchlight said. "There's not much need to."

"So I'm told," Jay said. "Is that also why you're unarmed?"

"Why would that matter?" the captain asked in a gruff voice. Meanwhile, Twilight shuffled in her seat uncomfortably, hoping the ride would be over soon.

"Just gathering facts where I can," answered Jay. "Captain, would you say that you don't need to patrol the streets because there is no conflict, or simply because the thought of conflict doesn't exist?"

"I... I don't believe I follow," said the captain, furrowing his brow.

"Let me ask another question," Jay said as he twirled the pen between his fingers. "When was the last time that you or your guards made an arrest?"

"Uh... It's hard to say," the captain said, tapping his hooves together. "It's been so long... I mean, in past months, we broke up a few rowdy protests, but..."

The pen Jay was twirling stopped dead between his fingers. A curious smile formed on his face as he looked up at the captain.

"What protests?" he asked.

"Well, some ponies weren't too welcoming when Princess Celestia announced her sister's return to the throne." Captain Searchlight removed his helmet and scratched at his mane. "I suppose in their eyes, Princess Luna was still Nightmare Moon. Not someone you would want as Equestria's co-ruler, I guess."

"I never heard about any of that," Twilight said, a frown forming on her face.

"It wasn't something that Princess Celestia wanted attention called to," the captain said, placing his helmet back on his head. He fumbled with it for a moment, making sure it was straight.

"Well, that's all the questions I have for now, Captain," Jay said as he stuffed the pen and notebook back into his bag. "I appreciate the information. I'm sure it'll be useful at some point." He leaned back and shut his eyes. Searchlight opened his mouth to say something, but Twilight shook her head in protest before he could make a sound. The two exchanged wary glances and sat in silence for the rest of the ride.

*****

It wasn't much longer before the coach arrived at it's destination. The trio stepped out onto the cleanly cut marble roads that led to the front gate of the castle, while the guards remained hitched to the coach. Jay let out a low whistle as he tilted his head back to get a better look at the palace.

"A bit ostentatious, don't you think?" he said.

"It's a royal castle," Twilight said as she brushed by him. "What do you expect?"

"A little uniformity. Maybe some more comprehensible architecture?" Jay said, looking at the precarious towers that hung above the city below.

"Or safety," he thought.

"Mister Jay," Captain Searchlight said, "if you could please follow us."

"Yeah, sure," Jay said as he turned to catch up. As he entered the halls of the palace, he could just as easily see the grandeur from the inside as he could from the outside. Rising marble walls arched as they met the ceiling, displaying an intricate array of mural work and other decor. Massive golden chandeliers hung in almost every hall that the group walked through. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the marble corridors. Reaching a large circular room, the group was met by a familiar blue alicorn.

"Captain Searchlight," greeted Princess Luna. "I see our guests have arrived as planned."

"Yes, Your Highness," the captain said.

"Very good," Luna said. "Notify the council. I will wait here with them."

Searchlight trotted off, leaving only the other three in the room.

"Princess," Jay said, giving a curt nod, his hands clasped behind his back. "It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise," said Luna. She looked at Twilight. "He didn't give you much trouble, did he?"

"I wouldn't say that," Twilight said glaring up at Jay.

"She's been a bit moody lately," Jay whispered to Luna.

"I'm right here," Twilight said in annoyance.

"I know," Jay said, a smile beginning to form. "That's why I whispered."

Luna gave a small chuckle, which she then quickly tried to hide.

"Has anypony told you what to expect from the council?" she asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"Eh, I thought I'd just try winging it," Jay said, shrugging his shoulders.

"You mean you didn't even prepare?" Twilight asked, a panicked expression forming on her face. "How could you not prepare for something like this?!"

"Well, I'm prepared to wing it," said Jay. He glanced down at his watch before continuing. "Besides, I'm pretty sure I can make a decent case with the evidence I've found."

"Evidence of what?" Luna asked, her eyes falling to the bag that Jay carried.

"Ah, but that would ruin the surprise," Jay said, a mischievous grin forming on his face. "Wait-" he pointed to the princess. "Are you on the council? Because if so, then it probably helps my chances by one-thousand percent."

"No, I will simply be observing," Luna said. "Though, I'm sure you'll do fine. I look forward to hearing your... statement."

The doors to the council room opened and the captain stepped back into the hall.

"They're ready," he said.

"Alright!" Jay said. "Let's do this thing."

"I'll just wait out here," Twilight said as the others walked in. "Tell me how it goes."

"You're actually a material witness," Jay said, another smile forming on his face. "Which means, you're on the stand with me."

Twilight didn't bother arguing. She contented herself with cursing the human under her breath and grudgingly trotted past the captain into the council room.

Stepping inside the council room, Jay could see a large white throne with three smaller ones on either side of it. On the largest throne sat a white alicorn with flowing a prismatic mane. A golden crown rested on her head, while a similarly fashioned golden collar hung around her neck. In each of the smaller thrones sat a pony, one mare and stallion from each race. They began to whisper to one another as Jay walked to the center of the room, Twilight in tow. Behind them, two guards stood by the door, each one holding a spear with their hoof. Luna stood in the corner of the room, eager for things to start.

"Is that Celestia?" Jay whispered to Twilight, as he pointed to the white alicorn.

"Shh!" Twilight hissed, pulling Jay's hand down.

"I'll take that as a yes," Jay thought.

Celestia suddenly rapped her hoof on her throne, calling for attention in the room.

"You, Jay, have come before this council to ask for permission to assist with a high priority investigation into the robbery of the Canterlot Vault. The council and I, Princess Celestia, will now hear what you have to say." Celestia gestured to Jay with her hoof.

"Well firstly, Princess, I just want to say that I greatly appreciate you and the council taking time out your busy schedules to see me," Jay said. "Secondly, I would like to apologize for my initial intrusion of your privacy."

"Yes," Celestia said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Luna told me of your... insights."

"Yeah," Jay said as he checked to see if his shirt collar was still straight. "And as long as we're being honest, I would like to apologize to your sister and Twilight for my actions last night. Namely, causing a cave-in that almost crushed them." He turned to Twilight, who's eyes had now flared with something Jay hoped was merely anger. "Sorry about that."

"That was y-" Twilight began to say before Jay cut her off.

"Regardless, I want to make it clear that my intention is to provide assistance in any way I can." Jay looked at the council members, awaiting an answer.

"What is it that you have to offer, if I may ask?" the female unicorn councilor asked.

"I've got experience with this sort of thing," Jay said. "Well, not necessarily with robbery, but rather experience with what the robber stole."

"Yes, Princess Luna told us about the events in the caves," said the male earth pony. "Frankly, I find it rather hard to believe. I mean, how does a whole group of miners just snap? Do you have any proof of your claims?"

"Oh, don't worry," Jay said as he reached into his bag. "Sparklebutt here will back me up, but you can see for yourself." Pulling out a folder he held it up to the council. "I brought pictures." Celestia levitated it up to her throne and inspected the contents inside. A grimace spread across her face as she passed the document around to the other councilors.

"This is horrible!" the female pegasus exclaimed. "Who could do such a thing?"

"That's the funniest thing, ya know," Jay said. "They did it to each other. I guess you guys didn't have very good HR departments back then."

"Is this a joke to you?" the male pegasus asked.

"My mistake," Jay said. "I guess you call it a PR department around here. To be honest though, if you think that's bad, you should see what a fully formed Marker can do."

"I'm sorry," said the male unicorn, adjusting the small pair of spectacles he wore. "But why does any of this matter? If it happened so long ago and there is no... what did you call it?"

"A Marker," said Jay, who was now studying the features of the questioner. This councilor's coat was a dark grey, his mane beginning to go white. On his flank was an image of a scroll wrapped in red ribbon.

"If there is no Marker today," the unicorn continued, "then why would it matter if somepony had the Codex? We were told that it was just a translator. What good would it do them now?"

"That was my initial thought when I heard the Codex was stolen," Jay said as he pulled out another folder from his bag. "But then I remembered something." He passed the second folder up to the council to view. "This is a transcript of one of the miner's journals that I found in the caverns. In it, he described hundreds of red shard littering the ground. But when I got there, I only found two."

"Only two?" the unicorn asked. "How is that possible?"

"Quite simple really," Jay said, "Councilor..."

"Scroll," said the unicorn, "Iris Scroll."

"Councilor Scroll!" Jay snapped his fingers. "I thought that was you! Wow, twenty-one consecutive years of service. Impressive. Does that make you the oldest member on the council?"

"I've actually served twenty-three years," Scroll said. "Though I am not the oldest. That would be Councilor Cloud Quill." He gestured to the blue pegasus on the throne next to him. "Now, as you were saying?"

"Right," Jay said. "The simplest explanation is also the most likely. Someone knew that those shards were there and took them. Out of fifty something miners, only thirteen got out of that hell hole, but only after everyone else was dead."

"You mean to say that the miners took the shards with them?" Celestia asked. "But why?"

"Because it told them to," Jay said. He looked over to Luna for a brief moment before continuing. "The Marker was responsible for everything. Even when smashed to pieces, a Marker can still transmit its signal. It's the same signal that told the miners to kill each other and it was the same signal that told them to put it back together."

"That's ridiculous!" the female unicorn said. "We don't even know anything about you, yet we're expected to believe that an evil red rock is going to make us all kill each other, just because some- some strange creature tells us so?"

"Said the magical talking horse, Jay thought.

"Hey, believe what you will, I'm just telling you what I know," he said.

"But why didn't they take the other two shards?" Celestia asked. "Wouldn't they need those to complete the Marker?"

"They didn't take them," Jay said, "because they couldn't find them. That's why they needed the Codex; to figure out how to assemble the rest of the Marker, without the remaining shards. Why it took them a few thousand years to get around to it, I'm not really sure."

"Where did you find these hidden shards?" Scroll asked, leaning forward.

"Oh, they were in the skull of one of the miners," Jay said, pointing to his temples. "Yeah, it must have taken quite a lot of force to shove two rocks into a unicorn's head. Then again whatever did it also removed said head from the body, so..."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," said the female earth pony.

"Very well," Celestia said. "Where are those shards now?"

"Oh, probably buried under a few thousand tons of rock right now," said Jay, winking at Twilight. "Best that no one has them, don't you agree?"

"You mean that you destroyed critical evidence?!" Scroll exclaimed.

"Yes," said Jay. "I thought we were clear on that."

"Enough," Celestia said, raising her voice. "Is there anything else you have to tell us?"

"I actually had a few questions, if you don't mind," said Jay as he pulled out the notebook he had been using in the carriage. "Just to clear up a few details. What was the most horrific, terrible, and violent event that you can remember happening in Equestria? Preferably in your lifetime."

All the councilors sat silent, looking to one another and shrugging their shoulders. Finally one spoke up.

"I suppose that the most terrifying thing in recent memory was the return of Nightmare Moon," said Cloud Quill.

Jay looked over to Luna, whose gaze had dropped to the floor.

"Seriously?" Jay asked, looking at the councilor.

"Oh yes, it was most terrifying," Cloud Quill said. Many other councilors nodded in agreement. Luna's head sunk further.

"That's what you're going with?" Jay asked. "Okay, fine. Tell me what happened."

"Er- excuse me?" Cloud Quill said, surprised.

"Tell me. What. Happened." Jay tapped the notebook with his pen after each word. "If it was so terrifying, surely you remember the event."

"W-well," Cloud Quill fumbled with his words. "It was a year ago... The day of the Summer Sun Celebration. Princess Celestia was supposed to make an appearance, but she never showed up." He looked at Celestia, who said nothing. "Suddenly, everything was dark, the moon covering the sun. Then... she appeared."

"Nightmare Moon," Jay said. "Then what happened? Did she attack the capital, dispose of the guard, take the throne?"

"Well no," Cloud Quill continued, " She went back to the old Everfree Castle... I guess a few hours later, Celestia was back and Nightmare Moon was reformed as Princess Luna by the Elements of Harmony."

"Wait," Jay said looking up, "a few hours? Really? You sure you didn't skip anything?"

"Yes?" Cloud Quill said nervously, more of a question than an answer.

"So let me get this straight," Jay said, looking at the notebook. "The most horrible event you can remember is the return of Nightmare Moon, who caused an eclipse for a few hours, and was then reformed into your now co-ruler of Equestria by the, what were they called?" He read what he had written down.

"The Elements of Harmony?"

"Yes?" Cloud Quill shrunk back into his seat a little more.

"Wow. That's just... what's the word?" Jay scratched his head. "I want to say sad? Sad and pathetic. Yeah, let's go with that."

The councilors began to whisper each other once more, bewildered at the statement. Luna stared at Jay with the same look of bewilderment, which was met by a small smile.

"Princess," Jay began as he handed his notebook to Twilight, who seemed to be a bit more rigid than usual. "I would like to refer to the last recorded war that this country experienced."

"For what purpose?" Celestia asked, resting her head on one of her hooves.

"To address the fact that this nation is not ready for what is already here." Jay pulled out the book he had been reading on the train.

"I've always liked the study of war. Seeing the different tactics, the technology implemented, and how it all varies between nations. I gotta commend you and your sister's contribution to the history books. The liberation of the Crystal Empire is one of my favorites. Solo run-n'-gun. Classy. Though, I must say, as time went on, Equestria's strategy took a different turn." He flipped through the book and stopped on a marked page.

"The last recorded battle took place at..." Jay read over the name listed on the page and gagged. "Could you read that for me, Twilight?"

"Cupcake Cove," Twilight said, avoiding eye contact.

"Listed as having the sweetest shores in Equestria," Jay said, grimacing.

"Anyway... you had some dragons that were moving in and threatening to burn down the surrounding settlements if they didn't leave. They even tried to, though failing miserably. Still, how was this problem resolved?"

Jay began to read an excerpt from the book.

"In the end, the two day long conflict was brought to a close when the townsponies offered the dragons a bountiful feast and kindly welcomed them to live in a nearby cave." Jay snapped the book shut. "That was three-hundred years ago. And it was a conflict, if you could call it that, that lasted two days."

"What is your point?" the female pegasus asked.

"My point is that your chances of survival are not looking too good if you take this on in the usual manner," Jay said. "I'm all for that peace and love power stuff, don't get me wrong. It'll just fail miserably this time around."

"I've heard quite enough!" the female unicorn exclaimed. "This level of contempt alone should be enough to excuse you from being part of this investigation."

"Agreed," the female pegasus said. "Equestria can handle this problem, without your help."

"They're right," said Cloud Quill, still flustered. "Princess Celestia, I believe that this... thing should hand over all of its evidence at once and be banned from the investigation.."

"I have to agree," said Iris Scroll. "Though you have given us proof of this Marker's existence, I don't think we should allow someone with your level of eccentric behavior to be involved with such a sensitive matter."

"That's quite enough," said Celestia. "Jay, is there anything else you wish to say?"

"That I really, really want to bitch-slap this Quill prick right about now," Jay thought.

"Yes, Your Majesty but I will refrain from it," Jay said, smiling.

"Very well," Celestia said. "All those in favor of Cloud Quill's proposal, raise your hoof."

All the councilors raised their hoof in the air. Luna let out an audible huff and left the room. Twilight let out a sigh that, for a moment, Jay thought was one of relief.

"It's decided then," Celestia sighed. "I'm sorry, Jay, but we can't have you helping us in this investigation. I must ask that you turn over any information in your possession."

"Actually, you're holding all the hard evidence I have of anything relating to the Codex or the robbery," Jay said. "Hell, this journal is just a compilation of things I find interesting around here." He stuffed the notebook into his bag and clasped it shut.

"Like how inept everyone is," he thought.

"I suppose you are free to leave then," Celestia said. "I can arrange a carriage to take you home if you'd like. Just tell me where."

"You know, I want to get back to the whole, 'being honest,' thing," said Jay as he looked at his watch. "I'm sure you can guess that I'm am not from around here. I was even talking to Twilight about this earlier. Ya see, I'm not even from this country. Or planet. Or solar system. Maybe not even the same universe, I'm not really sure at the moment." Jay waved his hands in the air dismissively.

"When you get into the whole concept of Alcubierre drive travel, things get a bit fuzzy. The point is, I don't think I can take a taxi."

The whole room sat in a dead silence, no one quite sure of what to say.

"Anyway..." Jay said, rocking back and forth on his heels. "I was actually hoping to stick around. See some of the capital. Taste the local flavor."

"Oh," Celestia said, still trying to wrap her head around the whole idea. "I... suppose that's alright."

"Great!" Jay said as he turned to leave. "Nice meeting all of you. Good luck with the whole not dying thing. I'm sure you'll do just as fine as the other twelve worlds. C'mon, Twilight. Let's see what passes for food around here."

The guards by the door recoiled slightly as Jay walked past them and out into the hall. Twilight quickly followed behind, hissing his name.

The ponies that remained in the room looked at each other anxiously, unsure of what to do next.

"Councilor Scroll," Celestia said, breaking the silence.

"Yes, Your Highness?" Scroll answered.

"Take these documents to the royal archivist and have them examined," Celestia said, passing on the two folders Jay had given her earlier. "See what you can find out."

"Of course, Princess," Scroll said, before trotting out of the room.

"Princess, what did he mean when he said, 'the other twelve worlds?'" Cloud Quill asked.

Celestia closed her eyes and bowed her head.

"I haven't the faintest clue."

10 - Food for Thought

"Jay!" Twilight called out through tight lips. "Jay, get back here!"

"Why?" Jay asked, casually walking past the pair of guards posted near the palace's front entrance. "I thought we were going to get lunch."

"I don't think-" Twilight began to say when she had caught up to the human.

"That it's a good idea for me to be walking around in public?" Jay asked, cutting her off. "That's what you were going to say, right?"

"Well, yes," Twilight said.

"You heard Celestia," Jay said as he continued walking. "I'm just a tourist now. And as ‘just a tourist,’ I want to sample the local flavor."

"You mean to tell me that you have no care whatsoever that you weren't allowed on the investigation? Or that they made you hand over all of your evidence?" Twilight asked.

"No," Jay said, stretching out the word. "I just said that I wanted to get some lunch." The sound of distant construction caught his attention and he began to look for the source.

"So you are mad?" Twilight continued to prod.

"What part of, 'I want lunch,' is not getting through to you?" Jay asked. "Do you hear that?” He turned around and scanned the towers of the palace.

Hanging from the turret that overlooked the city was a crew of ponies wearing bright yellow hard-hats and orange vests. It looked like they were replacing some of the pipes that ran through tower.

“I didn’t realize you guys had power tools,” Jay said, turning back around.

"What was that anyway?" Twilight asked, oblivious to Jay’s comment. "You were supposed to persuade them to let you help, not make up stories about you being from another planet! I can’t believe you only brought two folders worth of material! They weren’t even full!"

“Right." Jay rolled his eyes, giving up on his attempts to change the subject. “The bottom line is that I was trying to make a point."

"What point?" Twilight asked. "That you're insufferable?"

“Ouch," Jay said, clutching at his chest in a joking fashion. "Take it easy with the insults. I’ll have you know that I’m quite fragile."

"Seriously," Twilight said, her brow furrowing. "That whole 'winging it' thing, kind of short sighted."

"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king," Jay said, now studying the clouds that were lazily passing over the sun.

"What does that even mean?" Twilight asked, her cheeks burning with a reddish hue.

“I may be short sighted-” Jay covered his left eye with one hand “-but at least I can see.” He let his hand fall back to his side and looked to the buildings ahead. “But you heard 'em. They said they can handle this thing without my help.

Twilight let out an exasperated huff and clenched her jaw.

“Oh come on,” Jay said, leaning in close to Twilight, who instinctively recoiled. “Don’t be like that. How about you pick where we eat?”

“I didn’t bring any bits,” Twilight said, pushing Jay back with her hoof. “So if we do eat anywhere, you’re paying for it.”

“Fair enough,” Jay said as they stepped onto the sidewalk that ran along the right side of the street. “What’s good around here?”

“Well, there’s a burger place not to far from here that’s pretty good,” Twilight said, reading the closest street sign. “I would sometimes stop there between study sessions when I used to live here.”

“Did you just say that you have burger joints around here?” Jay said, his eyes widening to a degree that didn’t seem quite right. “I’ve got to see this!”

“You’re impressed by the fact that we have fast-food?” Twilight asked, her previous hostility beginning to fade.

“Let’s just say that you’ve caught my attention,” Jay said, smiling.

Twilight, suddenly more aware of her immediate surroundings, could see that they had already passed multiple ponies. It was clear that many of them were making no attempt to hide their stares from the pair. Twilight’s head began to sink, much like earlier that morning. Seeing this, Jay gave her a light tap on the shoulder.

“Don’t let them bother you,” he said. “It’s me they’re watching, remember?”

“I don’t do well under pressure,” Twilight said, chewing at her lower lip.

“I never noticed,” Jay said, checking his watch for the umpteenth time that day. “You just don’t do well with the pressure you put on yourself, that’s all.”

“That’s still pressure,” Twilight said through clenched teeth.

“Fine,” Jay said dismissively, “have it your way.”

Rather than continue concerning himself with Twilight’s repertoire of antsiness, Jay instead decided to focus on the attractions around him. The first thing he noticed was the fact that, much like the palace they had just come from, most of the buildings within the city possessed the same sense of grandeur. Shades of purple and marbled white rose in the form of curving stone walls that lined the cobbled streets. Many of the roofs were capped with golden domes, others with elegant stone tiling. Everything about the place seemed like it was pulled from the imagination of someone who had never heard the word “modesty” in their life.

“You said you used to live around here?” Jay asked. “The rent must have been murder, especially for a student.”

“My expenses are paid for by a fund set up by Celestia,” Twilight replied. “It’s nothing much. Just enough for housing and food.”

“Just one of the perks of being the Princess’s favorite student, I suppose,” Jay said as he observed the multitude of shop signs hanging above the sidewalk.

Passing one of the store fronts, he heard a sudden chime of a bell and felt a firm object crash abruptly into his side, forcing him to stumble backwards. Still on his feet, Jay looked to see what it was that had interrupted his stroll. Sprawled on the ground in front of the shop door was a pale yellow unicorn with a garish purple and lavender mane.

“Oh, pardon me ma'am,” Jay apologized as he bent over to help the mare up. “I didn’t see you th-”

“Don’t touch me you ruffian!” the mare shouted, springing to her feet. Looking over herself frantically, she dusted off the pink sweater that was tied around her neck and worn over a white blouse.

“Excuse me?” Jay asked, a look of surprise forming on his face.

“What’s going on here?” asked a grey unicorn who had just come out of the shop after the mare.

His outfit was similar to that of the mare’s, the only difference being that his shirt was green and the sweater around his neck a stark white. He was also sporting a pair of large, blue glasses.

“This ‘thing’ knocked me to the ground,” the mare spat. “It was probably trying to rob me.”

“You fiend!” The stallion placed his his hoof over his chest.

“I’m sorry,” Twilight said, cautiously easing her way into the dispute. “I think there may have been a slight misunderst-.”

“You!” The mare pointed her hoof accusingly at Twilight. “Is this creature your pet? Where are you from?”

“Well, I’m from Ponyville and my friend and I were-” Twilight began to explain.

“Ponyville?” the stallion scoffed. “I should have guessed as much. You dirty country folk are always finding a way to sneak in here!”

Twilight lowered her ears and began to back away.

“Whoa, time out,” Jay said, raising his hands defensively. “First of all, I am not a pet. Secondly, your friend ran into me. And thirdly -” he turned to Twilight, a confused smile forming on his face “-you guys have classism here? That’s... actually kind of refreshing.”

“What gives you the right to talk us that way?” the mare asked in a pompous, nasally voice.

“Free speech, I think?” Jay said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I can’t remember if I read about that or not.”

“I have half a mind to call the guard on you for such brutish behavior,” the stallion huffed. By now, many of the ponies on the street were beginning to take notice of the commotion. A small crowd started to gather around the group.

“Oh, I’d say that you’ve got less than half from the sound of it,” Jay said, crossing his arms, the smile he previously wore now warped. Twilight looked up at his face and shook her head in alarm.

“Nopony insults me! Do you even know who I am?” the stallion said, taking a step forward.

“First time for everything,” Jay said shrugging his shoulders. “Look, let’s just put this little accident behind us. I want apologize for bumping into your friend. But I also think you should apologize to Twilight for those things you said.”

“I most certainly will not,” the stallion said in disgust and began to trot away. “Come dear, we will be late for-”

Before he could take two steps, Jay had grabbed the stallion by the neck and used his arm to pull him in close. Leaning into the stallion’s ear, he whispered a few quick sentences. He talked quietly enough so no one else could hear, but clearly enough that the recipient understood the message. When a faint whimper of compliance had escaped from the stallion’s lips, Jay released him.

The other ponies who had viewed the spectacle stared in shock. The stallion shakily trotted up to Twilight, who was now just as wide eyed as the others, and began to speak.

“I- I want to... apologize for my behavior toward you earlier. It was not... becoming of a pony such as myself. I- I hope you can forgive me.”

“Thank you, sir,” Jay said. He patted the stallion on the back, hard enough that he winced. “You have a pleasant day now.”

Jay walked through the ring of ponies that had gathered during the dispute and stopped to see if Twilight was following.

“You coming?” he asked, a small grin on his face, as if nothing had happened.

Twilight’s head darted back and forth between the grey stallion, who was still trembling as his companion scolded him, and Jay, who was gesturing for her to hurry up. Lowering her head to the ground, Twilight made her way to the human, doing her best to avoid eye-contact with the other ponies.

After the two of them had traveled a few more blocks, Twilight finally spoke up.

“What did you say to him?” she asked in a low voice.

“What did I say to who?” Jay asked, unblinking.

“You know very well who!” Twilight said, raising her voice.

“You mean that guy back there?” Jay said, still looking forward. “I just explained the benefits of being a gentleman. Opened his eyes to why you should be a respectful person.” He paused for a moment as they kept walking.

“I also told him the consequences of being a pretentious little shit.”

“You can’t do things like that,” Twilight said, a frown forming on her face. “You’re going to get yourself in trouble if you insist on acting out.”

“I’ll accept the just consequences of my actions,” Jay said. He cinched up the strap on his shoulder bag. “But only if others accept theirs.”

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, but said nothing.

After about another minute, they came upon a diner sitting on the street corner. The green sign above the door read “Patty’s Patties.”

“Is this the place?” Jay asked, reading the sign.

“Yes,” Twilight said, opening the door. “Try not to get us kicked out, okay?”

“No promises,” Jay said as he walked in.

To Jay, the restaurant looked like any other fast food burger shack. Rows of tables lined the side walls, wooden chairs surrounding them. At the front was the register, a printed menu hanging from the ceiling above it. The only thing that didn’t seem familiar, was the smell.

Sitting behind the register was a glazy eyed, white unicorn. She was wearing a green cap and polo, along with a white name tag labeled “Minty.”

“Welcome to Patty’s Patties,” she said in a monotonous voice. “May I take your order?”

“Hello, I’d like to order a number two,” Twilight said. “Extra fries, please.”

“Sure thing,” Minty said. She wrote down the order on a piece of paper and passed a cup to Twilight from behind the counter. She then looked Jay over for a moment before speaking. “What are you supposed to be?”

“Just another paying customer,” Jay said. He looked down at his watch and tapped its glass face.

“Whatever,” Minty said dismissively, rolling her eyes. “What do you want?”

“Let’s see,” Jay said as he looked over the menu. Once he found what appeared to be the largest item, he smiled. “I’ll take a number three. Cheese, mustard, no mayo, and hold the tomato, please.”

“Sure thing,” sighed Minty. She wrote the order down on the same piece of paper and placed it on the rack behind her. She tapped a few keys on the register, placed another cup on the counter, and looked up at Jay. “That’ll be twelve bits. Which of you is paying?”

“That’d be me,” Jay said as he rummaged through his satchel before pulling out a small pouch. “What is this worth?” He removed a large red gem from the pouch and placed it on the counter.

Minty’s eyes widened at the sight of the glistening stone, her mouth hanging agape. She looked from the gem, to Jay, and then back at the gem.

“I- I don’t think we have enough in the register to give you proper change,” Minty stammered.

“Keep the change,” Jay said, placing the pouch back in his bag. He picked up his cup from the counter and walked over to the drink fountain nearby. “You have a nice day.”

Twilight took her cup as well and hurried to Jay’s side, while Minty rushed to the kitchen with both the gem and the order ticket.

“Where did you get that from?” Twilight asked, eyeing Jay’s bag.

“I was in a mine full of gems for six months,” Jay said, filling his cup from the spout labeled “Cola.” “I had some free time.”

“How many did you take?” Twilight asked filling her own cup. They both walked over to one of the tables and took their seats.

“Just a few handfuls,” Jay said. He took a sip from his drink and smiled. “Not bad. A little sweet though.”

“Anything else you want to share?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Not at the moment,” Jay said, leaning back in his chair. “Besides, I like to have surprises in stock. I find it keeps things interesting.”

At that moment, Minty trotted over to their table with two trays of food. She set one in front of each of them and quickly trotted away.

“Right,” Jay said as he began to remove the paper that was wrapped around the burger. “Let’s see what we-”

Jay stopped talking when he saw the burger itself. He could feel his eye beginning to twitch involuntarily. Twilight took notice.

“Is something wrong?” she asked through a mouthful of food.

“Twilight,” Jay said, still staring at the burger. “What is this?”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, taking another bite.

“Why is my burger made out of hay?” Jay said, lifting up the bun. “And how does it still manage to be greasy?”

“It’s a hayburger,” Twilight said. “That’s what you wanted, right?”

“I wanted a burger,” Jay said. He placed the sandwich back onto the tray. “I never said anything about it being made out of hay. I’m not even sure that I can eat this.”

“What did you expect it to be made of?” Twilight took a sip of her drink and dug into her fries.

“Something besides dry grass,” Jay said. He picked up one of the fries that had come with his order and held it up to his face. “And what the hell is this? You make your fries out of hay too?”

“That’s why they call them hay fries,” Twilight said. “By the way you were talking earlier, I would have thought that you’ve eaten at a burger place before.”

“I have,” Jay said, planting both of his hands firmly on the table. “Why can’t you guys at least make fries out of potatoes like normal people? Why would I want a side that is the exact same thing that is inside the rest of my food?” He sunk back into his chair, letting out a heavy sigh.

“So…” Twilight said, tapping her hooves together. She had already finished everything on her tray. “If you’re not going to eat it, then can I have it?”

“Fine. Knock yourself out.” Jay slid his tray over to Twilight. “I suppose it’s a good thing that I came prepared then.”

Reaching into his bag once more, Jay pulled out a small plastic box. Removing the lid, he held up what looked like a piece of reddish bark. From it, he tore a smaller piece and began to chew on it, smiling as he did.

“You won’t eat hay, but you have no problems with wood,” Twilight said.

“Oh, this isn’t wood, it’s-” Jay stopped chewing for a moment and thought about what he was going to say.

“It’s not wood.”

“What is it then?” Twilight asked, already half done with her new sandwich.

Jay let out a sigh and sealed the plastic box, placing it back into his bag.

“You guys are all herbivores, right?” he asked.

“I suppose…” Twilight answered, her chewing beginning to slow. “Why?”

“What does Spike eat, other than gems that is?” Jay asked. He crossed his arms and rested his elbows on the table. “The same things you do?”

“Pretty much,” Twilight said. She swallowed what was in her mouth and set the burger down. “What are you getting at?”

“I’m trying to figure out how you’ll react to the fact that I’m an omnivore,” Jay said flatly.

Twilight was silent for a moment, then let out a giggle.

“You mean to tell me that you eat bugs?” she laughed. “No wonder you act so strange.”

“I don’t eat bugs,” Jay said, causing Twilight to go silent again. He held up the piece of bark once more. “You really don’t know what this is, do you?”

“Please tell me it’s some kind of pastry…” Twilight said, biting her lip.

“It’s meat,” Jay said. He tore off another piece and chewed it as well, as if to punctuate the sentence.

“W-what k-kind of meat?” Twilight felt a shiver run down her spine.

“Jerky. Beef. Cow. Whatever you call it around here,” Jay said before he took a sip of his drink.

“Jay, that’s disgusting!” Twilight recoiled. “How can you eat another creature like that?”

“It’s just how I was made,” Jay said solemnly. He pulled back his lips to reveal his teeth. “Incisors for cutting, canines for tearing, and molars for grinding.” He took another bite of the jerky, causing Twilight to gag.

“You don’t eat-” Twilight began to say, a hoof covering her mouth.

“I don’t eat ponies,” Jay finished the sentence for her. “Or dragons, or cats, or dogs, or a whole mess of other animals for that matter.”

“But you eat cows…” Twilight trailed off.

“I eat plants, roots, and meat,” Jay said. “Just like many other omnivores. You’ve got raccoons, bears, and the likes around here, right? The only difference is, I don’t like my meat raw. It makes me sick.”

“I don’t really know how to respond to this,” Twilight said, turning away.

“If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t eaten any animals in Equestria,” Jay said, finishing off the last of the jerky. “I just brought some preserves from home. My conscience probably wouldn’t be very clear if I was eating something with a personality. Or that used to talk.”

“I... suppose that’s not as bad,” Twilight said. “Just unexpected. And still gross...”

From the front of the diner came the sound of a chime, signaling the entrance of someone new. Jay took a quick glance over and saw that it was a pair of guards from the palace. He gestured to Twilight to take notice. The two guards approached the table where the pair was sitting.

“Twilight Sparkle,” one of the guards said in greeting. “We need you to accompany us. Princess Celestia is in need of your assistance.”

“Really?” Twilight asked, surprised. “Alright, I guess. Come on Jay, let’s go.”

The other guard stepped in front of Jay, blocking him as he was getting out of his seat.

“Something wrong?” Jay asked, looking down at the guard.

“The Princess requested that Miss Sparkle come alone,” the second guard said. “You are to occupy yourself in the meantime.”

“How long will I be gone for?” Twilight asked.

“Celestia requested that you stay the night at the palace,” the first guard explained. “For what reason, she did not say.”

“What about Jay?” Twilight asked. “Where will he stay?”

“That is up to him,” the second guard replied.

“It’s okay, Twilight,” Jay said. “You go on ahead. I can find an inn or a hotel. Just send for me when you need me.”

“How will I know where you are?” Twilight asked.

“Probably the same way that our friends here knew where to find us.” Jay gave a knowing look to the guards. “I’m sure the Princess doesn’t want me causing to much of a ruckus. You’ll know where I am.”

“I guess I’ll see you later then,” Twilight said with a mixture of both hesitation and relief. “Don’t burn the city down, alright?” She and the two guards made their way to the door.

“I'll do my best,” Jay said, raising a hand in goodbye.

Once they had left, Jay looked over the table and sighed. He gathered all the waste onto one tray and tossed the pile into the trash. He hung onto his cup though, refilling it as he passed the drink fountain. He then made his way to the front counter where Minty was still standing, a nervous smile on her face.

“Anything I can do for you, sir?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Jay said, pulling out his pen and notebook. “Do you know of any decent inns around here? Any that don’t get a lot of guests at one time, perhaps?”

“Oh, of course sir,” Minty said. The grin she was wearing didn’t quite seem to fit her face. “There’s a smaller family owned inn just across town. The owners are quite nice. I’m sure they’ll have no problem having you stay there.”

“Across town you say,” Jay remarked. He clicked the pen and placed the point of it against the notebook. “What’s the name?”

“Reasonable Rooms,” Minty said. “If you take a left down the street at Stallion’s Crossing, just keep walking and you’ll hit it after a while. Should be on your right.”

“Take a left at Stallion’s Crossing,” Jay mumbled to himself as he wrote the information down in the notebook. “Alright, thank you Miss Minty.” He placed the notebook and pen back in his bag and proceeded to make his way to the door.

Once he was outside, Jay checked his watch and saw that it was only about two in the afternoon. Seeing that most of the clouds overhead had cleared, he noticed how bright it was. Reaching into his bag yet again, he pulled out a small case. Opening it revealed a simple, yet stylish, pair of black sun shades. Putting them on, Jay began to walk down the sidewalk once more and smiled.

“Let’s see what else the Canterlot has to offer,” he thought to himself.

11 - Collusion

The sun was beginning its slow descent into the vast western horizon, transforming the sky into a beautiful palette of pinkish hues. Long shadows were cast over the palace grounds, creating blankets of darkness that snaked across the grass.

A young unicorn guard was walking along one of the stone garden paths between the hedgerows, admiring the decadent statues and shrubbery that filled the area. It was one of more bearable parts of his day. Distracted by the wondrous craftsmanship, he almost failed to notice the cloaked figure that was waiting behind the next hedge.

The guard let out a surprised gasp when he turned his head, stumbling back into a nearby bush.

“You’re late,” the hooded figure growled. “What kept you?”

“Oh!” the guard let out a sigh of relief as he stood up. “You surprised me, Archbishop. My apologies for being tardy. I had to cover a shift for another guard. One of the ones that Princess Celestia sent to get Twilight Sp-”

“No matter,” the hooded figure interrupted, waving a hoof through the air. “Also, as of now, you are to refer to me as, ‘Cardinal.’ Understood?”

“The church promoted you?” the guard said gleefully, having regained his composure.

“Indeed they did, my child,” the cardinal said, a smile gleaming from under his hood. “It seems my efforts in retrieving the Codex were greatly appreciated.”

“And rightly so,” the guard said, excitedly rapping his hoof against the ground.

“Yes, yes,” the cardinal said, his smile fading. “There will be time for celebration later. For now, we must get down to business. What do you have to report?”

“Not much has changed since my last report,” the guard said, fidgeting with his helmet. “The Princess called Twilight Sparkle back to the palace. She’s supposed to be staying here tonight.”

“Of little concern to us,” the cardinal said. He turned around and stood silent for a moment.

“And what of the blasphemer? This… ‘Jay’ creature?”

“Still in Canterlot,” the guard said. “Though, we’re not sure what he’s doing at the moment. From what I’ve heard, he may be returning to Ponyville with the Princess’s student sometime tomorrow.”

“How sure of this are you?” the cardinal questioned, turning to face the guard once more.

“Fairly certain,” the guard said firmly. “The Princess is keeping a very close eye on this newcomer.”

“Excellent,” the cardinal said. “In that case, we may proceed as planned.” He pulled a large canvas bag from underneath a nearby stone bench. With a stream of magic, he placed the bag on the guard’s back.

“Your instructions are inside. Follow them to the letter and everything will go accordingly.”

“Yes, Cardinal.” The guard snapped to attention. Then after a moment, decided to speak up. “Cardinal, may I ask a question?”

“Very well,” the cardinal sighed, beginning to walk away. “Speak.”

“Well…” the guard trailed off, scratching the back of his neck. “If you don’t mind my asking… Do we intend to do anything about this new creature? If he really is as guilty as you’ve claimed, shouldn’t he be punished?”

The cardinal let out a low, malevolent chuckle.

“The church has already decided his fate. The dogs will be sent and he, torn and burnt. And with him, that pitiful student of Celestia. Nothing will be left of them to experience the glorious majesty of the Great Red Rock.”

“Surely such a forward action wouldn’t go unnoticed,” the guard said, quivering in anticipation. “Is it wise?”

The cardinal sighed and gazed off at the horizon.

“We have remained in the shadows long enough. It is time to make ourselves known. An example must be made. And they… They will be the first of many.”

“By your order,” the guard said, bowing to the ground. He knew better than to question the judgement of the church. “May the Shard guide your way.”

“And you as well, child,” the cardinal said, dismissing the guard.

Alone once again, the cardinal sat down on the stone bench and looked out to the setting sun, contempt burning in his chest.

“Your time is at an end, Celestia,” he whispered to himself. “We are here. See us now.”

12 - An Evening Stroll

The creak of an unoiled door signified Jay’s departure from the antiques store. It was accompanied by a sigh from the human as he gazed in defeat at the paper sack he now carried in his left hand. Turning it over, he carefully shook the contents of the sack out into his open palm.

A length of silver chain spilled between his fingers, the strands dangling like a spider’s silky web. Attached to the chain was a silver pendant, bearing intricate detail. The pendant was cut in the shape of a crescent moon, fine engravings covering its metallic surface, while crushed shell of varying blue shades were set in the center. It was quite beautiful, to say the least.

“Buyer’s remorse,” Jay said, stuffing the pendant in his pocket and discarding the sack in a nearby waste bin. “Why must you haunt me so?”

As he began to walk down the sidewalk, staring out at the setting sun, he contemplated the events of the day. After he had parted ways with Twilight, Jay was free to make his own path through the city. So far he had managed to stay out of trouble, as nobody seemed particularly keen on interacting with him. Exploring the city was much less interesting than he had hoped. A surprising majority of the shops turned out to be boutiques or cafes.

“Not unlike the tourist towns back home,” Jay thought. “Too bad I can’t wear any of the clothes.”

He was beginning to wonder where Canterlot raked in the majority of its profit. The tourism factor was obvious, but the rest was more obscure. Jay had narrowed it down to pastries, fashion, or tea to being among the most prominent income pools, with fashion at the top of the list. There was no doubt that Canterlot was dress central, that much was clear.

The only store that had really caught his interest that afternoon was the antique shop. In fact, it was where he spent the majority of his time. Jay took a certain pleasure in browsing through the rows of dusty shelves, looking for the story behind each individual treasure that occupied them. The shop owner, an older stallion with a graying mane, didn’t seem to mind Jay in the slightest. Perhaps he was just pleased at the thought of a potential customer, as it looked like patrons had been short supply for a while.

Jay had come across the pendant in a small wooden box. He was immediately aware of the effort put into its craftsmanship and took great care in handling it. It seemed such a shame that it stay hidden away from the world. Jay was unsurprised by the steep price of such an item. Not that it mattered, though. Two small gems from Jay’s collection were more than adequate payment. Only when he left the store did he understand his plight.

“I can’t wear the damn thing,” Jay muttered to himself with a smile.

While the jewelry was beautiful for him to look at, it wasn’t necessarily an article that Jay found to be complementary with his sense of fashion. For one, it was much too flashy. Too delicate.

“Too feminine,” Jay thought.

Not that there was anything wrong with the notion. It was simply a piece that would be much better suited to that of a young woman, rather than a grown man. Something that he would give as a gift to a friend or a loved one. If the opportunity ever presented itself, that is. For now though, it would serve simply as a memento of his visit.

Jay stopped in front of one of the shop windows and withdrew the travel map that he had purchased from one of the newsstands earlier that day. He had already marked the location of the inn he was heading to with his pen and was now looking for the fastest route to get there. Turning to a nearby street sign and tracing the map with the tip of his finger, he concluded that he was only a few blocks away from his destination. Looking up at the window’s reflection, he now noticed a black cloaked figure that was watching him from the opposite sidewalk.

Jay remained stone-faced in light of this discovery. He had ditched the guards that had been sent to follow him earlier that day with relative ease. He had come to realize that most of them were more for show, as opposed to functionality.

Calmly, he folded the map and placed it back in his pocket, continuing on his way. Fleeting glances at passing reflections revealed that the figure was indeed following him. They were careful to keep their distance, matching Jay’s speed, step for step. But something seemed off.

While the guards from earlier were easy to spot in a crowd, there golden armor acting as reflective beacons, this new follower was the first to take any sort of precaution in masking their appearance. On top of that, Jay was certain that the figure was taller than most other ponies.

Suddenly, a certain realization dawned on him. He smiled and cut his path towards a small baker’s cart that was still open. As Jay read over the menu that was tacked to the front of the cart, the owner looked nervously at her new customer.

“Excuse me,” Jay said, looking up at the mare and smiling. “Would you happen to have any bagels left?”

“Just the plain ones,” the mare replied. “There from this morning, though, so they may be stale.”

“That’s fine,” Jay said, reaching into his bag. “How much for four?”

“You can have them for free if you’d like,” the mare said, placing four of the doughy rings into a paper sack. “I was just going to throw them out anyway.”

“Well, consider this a tip then,” Jay said as he placed a small gem on the cart’s top and took the sack. “Have a nice night now.”

Without waiting for a response, Jay continued on his way, whistling the same tune he had been for the past few months. He was now on the same side of the street as his pursuer, who was now much closer than they had been before. Scanning the path ahead of him, Jay spotted an alleyway and took the detour, disappearing from the figure’s view.

The figure rounded the corner and made their way into the alley. When they looked down the shadowy route however, Jay was nowhere to be seen. The figure stopped and frantically turned their head from left to right, searching for any sign of the human. Then, a voice spoke up from behind them.

“First rule of stalking someone,” Jay said as he leaned against the alley wall. “Don’t dress like a stalker. Though, I guess you have to disguise yourself in some way. Don’t you, Princess?”

“Was it that obvious?” Luna said, removing her hood. She shook her head for a brief moment, letting her mane flow back into its natural state.

“Not at first,” Jay said. He reached into the paper sack he carried and pulled out one of the bagels. He took a bite and continued to talk.

“The outfit threw me off at first. Not to mention the fact that I shook the guards from earlier,” he explained with a full mouth. “Hm, chewy. How did you find me?”

“Celestia’s informants are not as… discrete as mine,” Luna said, a sly grin forming across her lips. “I have my own guard for more reasons than one.”

“Not the type to hire jobbers I see,” Jay said. He held out the sack in offering. “Bagel?”

“Thank you,” Luna said, taking one of the baked goods. “And, yes I personally screen each of my guards. Another reason they number so few in comparison to my sister’s.”

“You trust them?” Jay asked as they exited the alley.

“With my life,” Luna replied. She took a small bite of the bagel and chewed very slowly.

“Do they volunteer?” Jay asked. “How many people around here are willing to work the night shift?”

“Very few,” Luna said. “Even less were apt to volunteer their services after…” She trailed off, her eyes now lost in the setting sun.

“I understand,” Jay said. Neither said anything for a moment.

“So…” Jay continued. “Why were you following me?”

“I suppose a justification is in order,” Luna said. “In all honesty, I just wanted to talk to you in private.”

“What for?” Jay said pulling another bagel out of the sack.

“To let you know that I think the council was wrong to deny you access to the case,” Luna said, looking up at Jay.

“Thanks, I guess,” Jay said. “Is that all?”

“Not quite,” Luna replied with a smile. “I have a proposition for you.”

“Let’s hear it,” Jay said, casually.

“As a princess, I possess certain… privileges,” Luna said, examining the dresses in a shop window. “As I mentioned before, I personally choose my guards. My informants and advisers undergo the same process. Those I choose are granted access to certain royal assets. For instance, any files pertaining to joint investigations. Along with the full cooperation of the acting caseworkers of said investigation. Of course, any informant I choose would have to report their findings back to me. The only problem is, I haven’t picked an informant to run this investigation. At least… not yet.”

“Surely you must have someone in mind,” Jay said. He could see a sign that read, “Reasonable Rooms,” ahead.

“Perhaps,” Luna said. She sized up the human, looking him over briefly. “Though, I thought you might be interested in such a position. Was I wrong?”

“Well, I’ve never said no to the offer of being a secret agent moon spy cop before, so I don’t see why I would now,” Jay said.

He turned to face Luna, who gazed at him expectantly, not seeming to grasp the joke.

“That was a yes,” Jay said.

“Excellent!” Luna exclaimed. Her wings fluttered a little under her cloak. Jay was surprised to see her so ecstatic. Noticing this, Luna quickly regained her composure and continued.

“Err- Well then. As my informant, I hereby grant you access to the investigation surrounding the theft of the Codex. Any and all who are part of the investigation are to give you their full cooperation. Any discoveries you make are to be reported to me as soon as possible.”

“Neato,” Jay said as they neared the inn. “Do I get a cool badge or something?”

“Actually,” Luna said, pulling a small box out from under her cloak. “I have this for you. It symbolizes your role as a royal asset and will grant you passage anywhere on the palace grounds.”

Jay took the box and looked inside. Resting in a bed of silk was a small medallion adorned with engravings. Jay recognized the symbol from the books he had been reading as the royal seal.

“Sweeeet,” Jay said as he closed the box.

They were now standing directly in front of the inn. Jay walked up to the door, while Luna stayed behind. Seeing that she was no longer next to him, Jay turned around.

“Hey, Luna,” Jay said, scratching the back of his head. “If you don’t mind, I actually was hoping you could answer a few questions for me. If you have the time, that is.”

“Oh!” Luna said, surprised. She glanced at the setting sun. “I… suppose that’s alright. I actually had a few questions for you as well.”

“Why don’t we talk inside?” Jay suggested, pointing his thumb at the door behind him. “As opposed to… you know, out on the street?”

“Very well,” Luna agreed.

“Great!” Jay turned and opened the door, gesturing for Luna to enter. “Ladies first.”

“Thank you,” Luna said.

Inside of the inn was rather cozy, close what Jay had expected from a family owned hotel. The reception desk was empty and the lobby sparse, save for a small pegasus filly who sat reading on the waiting room floor.

Jay walked up to the desk and looked around. Spotting a small bell, he gave it a ring and crossed his arms. The filly looked up and was suddenly captivated by the sight of the two strangers who had walked into the inn.

“Wonder if anyone is home,” Jay said to Luna, who simply shrugged.

“Coming,” a voice cried out from the room behind the desk. A second later, a light brown unicorn trotted out to the desk to greet the new guests.

“Apologies,” she said, shuffling through a stack of papers on the counter. “I was a little tied up. Now, what can I do for-”

The mare’s eyes met with Jay’s and she froze. Her mouth was stuck, unable to finish the sentence that her brain had already formed. Jay just smiled and proceeded to answer the unfinished question.

“Yeah, I was curious if you had a room for one available?” He patiently waited for a response.

It was a moment before the mare began to breathe again.

“I- I’m sorry, could you repeat that, um… sir?”

“Of course,” Jay said, leaning against the desk. “I wanted to know if you had any rooms available. If so, I’d like to rent one.”

“I’m sorry…” the mare said, fumbling with her words. “Who are you?”

“Oh, I guess you do need a name for the registry list, don’t you?” Jay said. “I’m Jay and this is my friend, Princess Luna.”

He scooted over slightly so the mare could get a better look at the princess.

“Greetings,” Luna said.

The mare’s eyes widened even more than they had before.

“Did you say… Princess? As in…” she stammered.

“Royalty, Alicorn, Goddess, and or whatever other term exist?” Jay finished for her.

The mare nodded slowly.

“Then yes,” Jay said. “That kind of princess. Now, about the rooms.”

“Of course, sir!” The mare suddenly snapped to life. “Anypony who is a friend of the princesses is welcome here. Um…” She looked back in forth between the pair. “Are you both staying the night?”

“Hm? Oh!” Jay said, looking at Luna. “No, just me. She’s only visiting.”

“I see…” the mare said. She looked through a small notebook that sat on the desk. “Well, seeing as you’re a friend of royalty, I couldn’t possibly think to charge you. Please, take whatever open room you’d like. I insist.”

“The hospitality is appreciated,” Jay said, flashing a grin. “But that’s no way to run a business. Take this.” He placed a small pile of gems on the counter. “I insist. Just go ahead and give me the largest single occupant room you got.”

By now, the mare’s pupils had widened so much that Jay wasn’t quite sure if her sclera were even visible.

“I’ll... go make sure your room is ready,” the mare said. Levitating the gems beside her, she turned and slowly walked to the back room.

“That was rather generous of you,” Luna said after the mare was gone. “Where did you get those from?”

“Eh, like I told Twilight earlier,” Jay said, turning to Luna. “When you’re in a gem mine for six months, you’re tempted to collect a few.”

“Only a few?” Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well…” Jay said, his eyes flashing to the ceiling. “Maybe more than a few. Though, I’ve practically been handing them out as party favors.” He frowned and stopped to think for a second.

“Which, now that I think about it, may be inadvertently causing inflation within Canterlot and lowering the value of your pre-established currency… Nah. I’m sure it’s fine.”

Jay was abruptly aware of something small tugging at his lower pant leg.

“Excuse me, mister.” A small voice emanated from below.

Jay looked down at his feet to see the that small filly from the other room was now doing her best to get the human’s attention. Her coat was a milky brown, not unlike the mare that had just left. It was also somewhat unkempt, with tufts of fur raised in various spots on her body. Two flashing amber eyes filled the majority her small face, one partially covered by a lock of chocolate colored mane. In the crook of one of her forelegs resided the book she had been reading in the other room.

“Yes?” An enormous grin had spread across Jay’s face.

Luna thought she heard a small squeal emanate from the back of the human’s throat, but dismissed it as her imagination.

“I was wondering…” the filly continued. “Are… Are you a monster?”

Jay slowly crouched down so the filly could examine him a little easier.

“Why?” Jay asked in a friendly voice. “Do I look like a monster?”

“Not really,” the filly said, placing her book on the ground. The title read, “Creatures of Equestria.” “I haven’t seen any pictures of you though, so I thought I should ask.”

“What’s your name?” Jay asked the filly, resting his elbows on his knees.

“Milky Dream,” the filly said, rubbing her leg with her hoof. “But my momma calls me Milky.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Milky.” Jay held out an open hand in greeting. “My name’s Jay.”

Milky stared at the open hand, before finally deciding to placing her hoof in it. Jay lightly shook it and gave her a reassuring grin. Luna couldn’t help but smile at the exchange. Milky took notice.

“Who is she?” Milky asked innocently.

“Oh, that’s Princess Luna,” Jay said.

“Hello,” Luna said, giving a small nod.

“I’m helping her with some really important royalty stuff,” Jay whispered into the filly’s ear.

“I’ve never seen a princess before,” Milky said, her head cocked. “Are you an alicorn? Like Princess Celestia?”

“But of course,” Luna said, somewhat perplexed. She lifted her cloak to reveal one of her majestic wings.

“She’s very pretty,” the filly said, turning back to Jay. The comment left Luna blushing slightly. “Are you-”

“Milky!”

The mare from before had returned and was now glaring at the filly in annoyance.

“What have I told you about bothering the guests?” she scolded, frowning.

Milky dropped her eyes to the floor and said nothing.

“I’m terribly sorry if she bothered you in any way,” the mare apologized to Jay and Luna.

“Oh, she was no trouble at all,” Jay said, standing back up. He gave Milky a wink. “She’s a very polite girl. I enjoyed talking to her.”

“Oh!” the mare said, almost surprised. “Well… I would hope so. That’s how I raised her to be. Um…” She looked around the desk, searching for something. Opening a drawer, she pulled out a small key and placed it on the counter.

“Here’s the key to your room, sir.” She pointed a hoof at a set of stairs beyond the waiting room. “Just head up to the second floor. You’ll find your room at the end of the hall.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Jay said as he took the key from the counter. He flashed one final smile at Milky, who responded in kind, and made his way toward the stairs.

“A soft spot for children, I see,” Luna said, trotting up the stairway behind Jay.

“Only the good ones,” Jay said. “Besides, I think it’s impossible not to have a soft spot for an adorable floof-floof like her. I mean, did you see her? Proper floof.”

“I suppose,” Luna chuckled.

Jay walked down to the door at the end of the hall and inserted the key into the lock. It turned with a click and he opened the door to the room.

It was rather spacious for a single person. Quite similar to the guest room at the library.

“How quaint,” Luna stated as she entered the room after Jay.

“Why don’t you take a seat so we can talk?” Jay suggested, as he closed the door. He then slid his bag off of his shoulder and set it on the bed.

Luna unclasped her cloak and sat in the chair near the window that overlooked the Canterlot streets. Looking outside, she could see that the sun had already dipped below the horizon and darkness now crawled along the roads, broken only by the occasional street lamp.

“No moon tonight?” Jay commented absentmindedly as he dug through his bag.

“No,” Luna said, gazing out into the darkness. “Not tonight.”

“Too bad,” Jay said as he patted his pockets. He pulled out the pendant he had purchased and put it in his bag. “Though, I suppose that leave us free to talk.”

“Indeed,” Luna said, turning her attention away from the window. “You said you had some questions?”

“Sure do,” Jay said. He sat down on the end of the bed. “I guess you do as well.”

“Call me paranoid, but I’d like to know a little more about the ones who are reporting to me directly,” Luna said flatly.

“Fair enough,” Jay said, rubbing his hands together. “What do you want to know?”

“Where to start?” Luna laughed, leaning back in the chair. “Twilight mentioned a few things when she came back to the palace. It seems I shouldn’t have left the council evaluation so early. There’s a rumor that you are, ‘from another world,’ as Twilight so aptly put it.”

“I wouldn’t call it a rumor,” Jay said with a grin. “I think I may have thrown ‘em for a loop with that one.”

“So it’s true?” Luna asked, leaning forward.

“It’s either that, or I’m just crazy.” Jay took a second to think about what he just said. “Come to think of it, either one of those could be true. Probably both.”

“If you’re not from here, then where are you from?” Luna asked intently.

“Earth,” Jay said with a shrug. “As to where that is relative to here… It’s hard to say.”

“Could you be more specific,” Luna asked, raising an eyebrow. “What is... ‘Earth’?”

“I guess you compare it to Equestria,” Jay said, closing his eyes. “Or… you could at one point. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen home. I doubt it looks anything like I remember.”

Luna listened quietly, waiting for the human to continue. When he said nothing, she spoke up.

“What happened?”

“Did I tell you that this is the thirteenth marker that I’ve found?” Jay asked, his voice taking on a gravel like quality.

“I don’t recall,” Luna said, confused by the change in subject.

“It’s also only the second one I’ve come across that wasn’t fully active,” Jay said. He looked up at Luna, a certain spark missing from his eyes.

“What was the first?” Luna asked, thrown off by Jay’s suddenly grim demeanor.

“Home,” Jay said with a faint smile.

“The first one was at home.”

13 - Passing the Time

“I was just a student back then,” Jay said, staring off at the wall. “‘Master as many trades as you can. It's your best chance at making it in life.’ That’s what I was always told. I suppose that, in part, it was true. Engineering, programming, chemistry, and whatever else was available at the college. I studied any profession that was in demand at the time. Of course, with all that education came loads of bills.” Jay paused and let out a snicker, shaking his head.

“So, I enlisted in the EGSM. The Earth Government Space Marines. With my field of study being so wide, I had the choice of being assigned wherever I wanted. The sensible thing to do would have been to stay on planet. But an opportunity opened up that seemed too good to be true.”

Luna sat in silence, not wanting to break Jay’s flow.

“Interstellar travel had already been around for decades, but Earthgov always thought we could do better. A prototype ship was being developed in orbit and the corps was looking for recruits who were as smart as they were stupid to be a part of the project.” Jay chuckled. “I guess I was at the top of their list.” Jay looked at Luna and noticed the confusion in her eyes.

“I suppose I’m getting a bit technical,” Jay said. “I guess I can try to a explain in simpler terms.” He tapped his foot on the floor and continued.

“Where I come from, there is no such thing as magic. There may be a belief, but the closest we ever came to the mystic arts was science. And oh, how we loved our technological pursuits. I can only guess that the reason your own technology is so scattered in development, other than the fact that we are worlds apart, is because of your ability to use magic.”

“You mentioned a ship,” Luna said. "One that could travel among the stars? How is that possible?”

“They weren’t ships in the traditional sense,” Jay explained. “More of a vessel. Ones that are made out of metal and have wings or engines instead of sails. Think of…” Jay struggled to find a proper comparison, then snapped his fingers.

“Think of a firework. A rocket. You’ve seen one before, right?”

“Yes,” Luna said, visualizing the object. “We use them at celebrations.”

“You know how it uses fuel to propel itself upward?” Jay continued. “How it has fins or wings to stabilize it? A spaceship is very similar. Only, it doesn’t explode. Well… Not intentionally anyway.”

“You travel with... rockets?” Luna asked, baffled by such an idea.

“It’s more complicated than that,” Jay sighed. “But essentially, yes. That’s how normal spaceships worked. You just pointed them where you wanted to go and watched them fly at a fraction of the speed of light. Pretty fast, but they still took a long time to even reach another solar system.”

“And what of this new ship?” Luna asked. “The one your ‘Earthgov’ wanted to build?”

“The EGSM had already been experimenting with Alcubierre drive engines.” Jay lay down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. “They were designed to allow ships to effectively bend the fabric of space itself. This would mean a ship could travel at faster than light speeds by practically pulling space around itself in order to move.”

“That sounds impossible,” Luna said.

“Not quite,” Jay said. “A few prototypes had been deemed successful, but as I said before, Earthgov wanted only the best. So, development began on a ship outfitted with a redesigned Alcubierre drive engine. They called it a ‘Shock Point Drive.’ It was capable of traveling at incomprehensible speeds with little to no fuel consumption. The new ship was outfitted with the latest in sensor arrays, weapon technology, and all the bells and whistles that they could find. Trillions of dollars worth of resources spent on a single ship.” Jay laughed and sat back up.

“I think they just wanted to see if it could be done. Regardless, when they finished the ship, they realized that they would need a specialized crew to fly it.”

“And they chose you?” Luna asked.

“I was the first one assigned to it. By that time, I had already spent most of my career on other ships as active military. Occasionally I worked with smaller crews, but often by myself. Good thing I had practice, though. As it turned out, they didn’t get a chance to hire anyone else.”

Jay stood up and began to pace around the room, his hands on his hips.

“Everyone had already heard the news about the Marker that had been found a few years before. It was lying dormant at the bottom of the ocean for billions of years, waiting to be discovered. It came into Earthgov’s possession shortly after and it wasn't long before they recognized it as a potential source of infinite energy. The world's biggest battery. Why the Marker wasn’t active at first, I’ll never know. But whatever Earthgov did to it… It turned it back on.”

Jay stopped talking and scratched at his throat.

“I was in outer orbit when I got the alert. The Marker’s signal had been activated a few days before and Earthgov waited too damn long to tell anyone. They thought they could contain it, but they had no idea how far the signal would reach. No idea of the power they were dealing with.”

Jay flashed a quick look at his watch as he continued pacing.

“In the event of emergency, the official order was to scramble all priority assets. When the panic began to spread, they grabbed the most expensive stuff first. My ship was programmed to jump to a set of predetermined coordinates. Some outpost just off the Kuiper Belt.” Jay let out a single laugh, more mocking than humorous.

“Unfortunately, that plan went to Shitsville pretty quick. The SP drive malfunctioned and dropped me off at the ass end of the universe. It took me awhile to get it fixed. Three days, at least. When I finally did get it working again, I made my way back home. When I got there though, all I found was…”

Jay sat back down on the bed and let his head hang. When he looked back up at Luna, he began to speak in his upbeat and normal voice once again.

“So, I downloaded every available piece of intel Earthgov had compiled on the Marker from their data network. There was no one around to tell me not to, so I didn’t find too much trouble in cracking the system. There were a few military supply ships still in orbit. Why they were unoccupied and fully stocked... I have no idea. Call it a blessing, I suppose. With all that, I was on my way to the outer colonies.”

“I’m so sorry, Jay,” Luna said, a cloud of empathy covering her face. “I can’t imagine what that must be like.”

“Eh, I got over it,” Jay said.

A jolt of astonishment passed through Luna at the statement. Shear indifference to such a loss was bizarre, heinous even.

“What did piss me off though, -” Jay raised a finger indignantly into the air “- is that a month later, I find a colony with another Marker on it. Yeah! Turns out Earthgov’s ingenious plan was to make as many copies of the original Marker as they could. I guess they didn’t learn after the first time. Not only that, but where do they decide to build the damn things? Why, only on worlds with high populations! And, wouldn't you know it, Markers tend to produce higher energy readings when there are more lifeforms available. Dumbasses.”

“What happened to the colony?” Luna asked.

“I didn’t stick around long enough to find out,” Jay said indifferently. “Once my sensors started picking up Marker signal spikes, I got out of there. Left a message saying that others should do the same.”

“When we first met, you said you came here to study rocks,” Luna said, narrowing her eyes. “Was that a lie?”

“Not really,” Jay said. “In fact, I spent the majority of my time in that cave trying to figure out how this Marker was destroyed. I’ve never seen one in this state. It’s smashed to pieces, but somehow it's still active.”

“You only mentioned two of the Markers that you found,” Luna said. She shifted in her seat. “What of the other ten?”

“I was listed as dead, had no purpose, and practically unlimited resources at my disposal,” Jay stated. “So, being the practical thinker I was, I learned everything I could about the Markers. How to find them, how they behaved, and even, how to stop them.”

“You did all this by yourself?” Luna asked. She was beginning to sense that Jay wasn’t telling her something. “It couldn’t have been easy.”

“There was no one else to do it,” Jay said. “Luna, I left Earth eleven years ago. I’ve had a lot of time to practice.”

He let out a long sigh and rubbed his eyes.

“So, what do you think? A bit of a better explanation than that shitty abridged version I gave you back at the mine?”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Luna said. She pursed her lips in thought. “But, how did you arrive here in Equestria?”

“Funny story actually,” Jay said. “I hadn't come across a Marker signal in over a year, let alone an original one. In fact, very few of the Markers I found were originals, as opposed to Earthgov copies. Including the one here in Equestria and on Earth, I’ve only come across four Markers of alien origin.” Jay bent over and dusted off the top of his boots.

“Seeing as I had no clear objective at the time, I decided to do a little experimenting with the SP drives. I had never attempted random jumps before and seeing as I was fully stocked on supplies for two more years, I thought, ‘What the hell? Lets see what pressing every button does.’ Of course, it wasn't as easy as that. Long story short though, I finally managed to program jumps randomly with no adverse effects. At least... none that I know of.”

Jay examined Luna briefly before shaking his head, as if he was dismissing some ill conceived notion.

“Anyway, about seven months ago, I complete a jump. And then, out of nowhere, I hear it.” He raised a hand in the air and waved his fingers. “That familiar ping of a Marker signal. It was so faint, too. I ran a systems check to make sure that my sensors weren’t out of tune. Sure enough, they were right. Eventually, I traced that little echo all the way here.”

Stretching his arms above his head, Jay let out a small groan.

“Rather than land in what was potentially hostile territory, I decided to run a preliminary scan of the terrain. And, surprise, surprise, what do I find? An intelligent race of magical, technicolor horses. Who, might I add, seem to speak perfect English and have a world that seems to be pulled right out of a fantasy book. Now, when I saw this, the first thing I do is run to the medbay to determine if I had contracted some form of deep-space dementia. After I ran every diagnostic check I could, a thought occurred to me. If the Shock Point drive could move space and time itself, was it possible it could create a dimensional rift? A door to a parallel universe? Or had I simply dove so deep into uncharted territory, that I just so happened to find a skewed reflection of my own world?”

Jay propped his chin of his fist, contemplating the situation for a moment. He then shrugged his shoulders when no explanation came.

“Whatever the case, it doesn’t matter. I’m here now. You know that I’m here, so I might as well do what I came to do and stop the Marker.”

A heavy silence fell like a shroud over the room, neither individual speaking a word. Finally, Luna cleared her throat.

“Well then,” she began. “I thank you for that... in depth explanation. It gives me a little more insight to where your motivations lie.”

“Happy to help in any way I can,” Jay said. “Speaking of which, as your newest informant, what is it that you want me to do?”

“Find the Marker and whoever is responsible for stealing the Codex,” Luna said. “Do whatever you have to.”

“Should be easy enough,” Jay laughed. "I'll be sure to get right on it."

“I believe you mentioned that you had some inquiries of your own, did you not?” Luna asked.

“Right,” Jay said, snapping his fingers. “I’ve been meaning to ask, what the hell is up with the astronomy around here?”

“Excuse me?” Luna asked, confused by the question. “I don’t believe I follow.”

“Ever since I got here, my ship has had one hell of a time maintaining a proper orbit,” Jay continued. “It seems to need calibration every hour, as if the rotation of the planet isn’t consistent. Not to mention all this talk of, ‘lowering and raising the sun.' I was having a little trouble wrapping my head around it.”

“What do you mean?” Luna asked. She could hear her feathers rustle as she shifted her wings.

“Okay, look,” Jay said, pulling out his notebook and pen. He quickly drew a rough diagram of the solar system, with the sun located at the middle and the planets surrounding it.

“This is you,” Jay said as he pointed at the third planet from the sun. “A perfect distance for life to exist; not too hot and not too cold. Now, calculations from my sensors show that your solar system is indeed, a Copernican system. That means, you orbit the sun, as opposed to the sun orbiting you. Which, quite frankly, is both impractical and impossible for a planet of this size.”

“Your point... being?” Luna asked, waiting for the human to conclude his theory.

“You and Celestia control the day and night cycle of the planet, correct?” Jay asked, to which Luna nodded her head.

“If neither of you were to ‘raise’ the sun, what would happen?”

“It would remain night,” Luna stated.

“But only for this side of the planet,” Jay said, pointing a finger at Luna. “It is my thought that, for whatever reason, your planet cannot maintain a proper rotation on its own. It defies all known laws of physics, as rotation of a planet is key for a properly functioning ecosystem. When either of you changes the sun’s position in the sky, you’re not moving the sun, you’re rotating the planet! That’s why my ship’s orbit is out of whack. It’s also why you need to control the moon in such a precise manner.”

“That’s an interesting theory…” Luna said, thinking about what the human had just said. “But, it sounds like you already have your mind made up as to how this all works. Why are you asking me about it?”

“Oh, I just wanted to share the theory with you,” Jay said, closing the notebook. “See what you thought.”

“Is that it then?” Luna asked, preparing to stand up.

“Actually, there is one more thing,” Jay said. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small black device.

“This is a communications earpiece,” Jay explained, holding the device out for Luna to see. “I want you to take it. That way, I can contact you at any time. A little easier than meeting face to face. It will beep and flash blue when I call.”

Luna rose to her feet and placed her cloak back over her shoulders. She took the device and held it up for examination. It was cylindrical in shape, with a soft cone cap at one end.

“All you have to do if you want to talk is put it in your ear and speak,” Jay said.

“Thank you,” Luna said. “Was there anything else?”

“That should be everything,” Jay said. He walked over to the door and opened it.

“Very well then,” Luna said as she trotted past the human. Stopping in the hallway, she turned to face him one last time.

"Your ship... The one you came here in. What is its name?"

"She was never christened," Jay said. "But, she was nicknamed 'The Songbird' by the engineering team, after the sound her engines make."

Luna smiled at that. Using her magic, she lifted her hood over her head and made her way down the hall.

“Goodnight, Jay."

“Goodnight, Luna,” Jay replied before shutting the door.

Now standing alone in the room, he let the silence flow over him. Noticing how dark it was, he walked over to the nightstand and turned on the lamp. Able to see again, Jay turned his attention to his bag. Taking a moment to dig through it, he found what he was looking for: a small, black rectangular device with a glass screen.

He pressed a button on the back of the device, resulting in the screen illuminating much of the room. After swiping his finger across the screen a few times, he placed the device to his ear and began to speak.

“Ice, did you catch all of that?” he asked.

“Yes sir,” the device said, projecting a voice from the speaker that was held to Jay’s ear. The voice sounded like it belonged to a young woman, almost childlike in nature.

“Conversation successfully recorded.”

“Good,” Jay replied, sitting down on the bed and kicking off his boots. “Title it, ‘Audio Log: Four Thousand Five Hundred Twenty-Six.’ And give me a report on the signal strength.”

“Marker signal is growing at a rate of approximately two point six percent per hour. Signal strength will reach the level of ‘BROKEN VEIL’ within twelve hours,” the voice said.

“Noted,” Jay said. He looked at his watch and took a deep breath. “Signing off.”

Jay pressed the button on the back of the device again and the screen went dark. He tossed it back into his bag and lay down on top of the sheets. Closing his eyes, he began to whistle his familiar tune.

“What’s the name of the song?”

The thought ran through his head over and over again, with no answer to be found.

“I could have sworn it started with a ‘p.’”

14 - The Morning After

Jay’s eyes opened to see streams of light cutting through the open window curtains from across the room. As he sat up and rubbed his face, a series of violent, rasping coughs exploded from deep within his chest.

“Shit,” Jay said through broken heaves.

He swung his feet over to the side of the bed and planted them on the floor. Standing himself up, he stumbled over to the open bathroom door, thankful that the room had one. He turned the valve on the sink faucet as far as it would go, letting a the water cascade into the bowl with such force that it began to splash out onto the counter.

Jay cupped his hands and splashed the cold water on his face. Turning his head sideways, he drank from the spout and spit the water back into the sink. He then shut off the faucet and grabbed one of the white towels from the nearby rack. After patting his face dry, Jay stared at himself in the mirror.

His eyes were bloodshot. The capillaries were reddened in such a way that it was if someone had drawn a perfect line from one corner of his sclera to the other. Dark rings had formed underneath his eyes as well, making it look like he hadn’t slept in days. His hair was a mess; his shirt wrinkled from sleeping in it the night before.

Standing up straight, Jay walked over to his bag, which was laying on the floor. He picked it up and dumped its contents onto the bed. Sifting through the pile of paper, pens, and technological devices, he found the small pill bottle that he had used the morning before. Twisting off the cap, he poured a single capsule into the palm. He stared at it for a moment before pouring out two more and tossing them into his mouth.

It was tough to swallow all three at once, but Jay managed to do so without choking. He looked into the bottle and noticed it was empty. Sighing, he placed the cap back on and began to shovel the contents that was strewn about the bed back into the bag.

Shortly after, he combed his hair, put on his boots, slung the bag over his shoulder, and left the room. He locked the door behind him and made his way down the wooden staircase at the other end of the hall.

Taking a moment to scope out the lobby, Jay saw the mare who had checked him in sitting at the front desk, sorting through some papers. He walked over to the reception table and leaned up against it. Noticing his presence, the mare looked up at Jay and flashed a nervous smile in welcome.

“Good morning, sir!” she said. “Did you have a pleasant night?”

“Pleasant enough, thank you for asking,” Jay croaked. Hearing the sound of his voice, Jay attempted to clear his throat.

“Would it be too much to ask for a glass of water?” he asked.

“Of course not, sir,” the mare said. “I’ll be right back.”

The mare trotted to the back room and quickly returned with a glass of water and an envelope.

“Here you are, sir,” the mare said, setting the glass on the counter, along with the envelope.

“What’s that?” Jay asked before he took a long swig from the glass, letting the cold liquid rush down the walls of his burning throat.

“A guard came by earlier and dropped off this letter,” the mare said excitedly. “I was told to give it to you as soon as I saw you.”

“Thank you,” Jay said. He traded the now empty glass for the envelope and tore open the seal to reveal the letter inside. After unfolding the piece of parchment, he began to read.

“Meet me at the Canterlot Train Station as soon as possible. - Twilight”

“Guess it was one of Luna’s guards who delivered it,” Jay thought with a smirk.

He folded the letter back up and placed it in his pocket. He then took the key to his room and placed it on the counter next to the glass.

“I’ll be checking out now,” Jay said.

“I see,” the mare said. She opened up the guestbook and wrote a few things down. “Thank you for staying with us. Have a wonderful day!”

“Thank you,” Jay said. He smiled at her for a moment, then turned to leave.

Stepping out into the fresh morning air, Jay put a hand over his eyes. He then remembered his sunglasses and pulled them out of his bag. Now that he could see through the glaring light much easier, Jay pulled out his travel map and began searching for the quickest way to the train station.

When he had found the best route, Jay placed the map back in his pocket and began to walk in the direction of the train station. However, as he passed by the storefront window of a silversmith, something caught his eye.

Looking through the glass, Jay saw rows of chains, pendants, and other trinkets. All of them were quite beautiful. Whoever made the pieces was obviously quite talented.

But that wasn’t what caught Jay’s attention.

Resting at the center of the display, its chain coiled up in a small, black box, was a pendant. Its red color made it stand out among the golds and silvers that filled the window, but Jay would have recognized that twisting shape anywhere.

It was the symbol of the marker.

Jay took a deep breath and opened the shop door.

Inside, it was like any other jewelry store. Glass cases displayed elegant works of metal and rock. Behind the center display, there was a blue unicorn who was hard at work polishing the edges of a gem.

Hearing the sound of a potential customer, the unicorn looked up to see who had entered his store. Like many others though, he abruptly became quite skeptical when he saw Jay.

“Pardon me, sir,” Jay said. “I had a question about one of the pieces in your window.”

“Which one are you referring to?” the unicorn asked.

“The red one,” Jay said. “The one that looks like a bunch of twisting horns.”

“Ah!” the unicorn exclaimed, now focused on the prospect of a business dealing. “That is my latest work. Would you like a closer look?”

“If you don’t mind,” Jay said.

“Not at all!” the unicorn beamed. He trotted out from behind the counter and over to the window. Opening the display, he carefully withdrew the box containing the pendant and returned to Jay.

“I just finished this piece this morning,” the unicorn said. “I had hoped a shift in design would attract new customers. It looks like I was right!”

“May I?” Jay asked, holding out an open palm.

“Be my guest,” the unicorn said as he passed Jay the box.

Jay carefully picked up the pendant by its chain, letting it rotate in front of his eyes. Red gem was set between outlines of silver to form the floating curves of the Marker. The pendant was about an inch long and a little less than half an inch wide. A single silver jump ring was placed through the ‘v’ of the Marker’s shape, connecting it to the long silver chain from which it dangled.

“What can you tell me about this design?” Jay asked, still examining the pendant. “I can’t help but feel that I’ve seen it somewhere before.”

“Honestly, you may very well have,” the unicorn said. “I can’t really take credit for the design, as I was only inspired by it.”

“Where did you come across your... inspiration?” Jay asked placing the pendant back into its box.

“Strangest thing, actually,” the unicorn said, his head turning to the front window. “There’s an alley just two blocks north of here that I pass on my way to the grocer’s. The other day, I walked past it and saw this symbol painted on the alley wall. Now, I’m no supporter of vandalism, but I found this symbol to be so striking that I quickly sketched it to add to my design list.”

“How much do you want for it?” Jay asked.

“Well, with the gauge of silver and the stone used…” The unicorn thought for a moment.

“How about this?” Jay interrupted.

He pulled out a handful of gems from the bag he had been carrying and dropped them onto the glass display case. They landed with a unanimous clinking.

“I- you…” the unicorn stammered, his eyes locked on the pile of stones.

“I- I think that will suffice.”

“Pleasure doing business with you,” Jay said. He then closed the pendant box, placed it in his bag, and walked out the shop door.

******

It didn’t take long for Jay to find the alley that the silversmith had mentioned, even though the bright morning sun cast dark shadows on the walls, making it rather difficult to see. Jay pulled out the small rectangular device he had used the night before and held it up to his mouth.

“Activate visual capture, preset five,” he said. The device beeped and a bright light activated on the back of it. Jay slowly panned the device around the alley walls, searching for the symbol.

The light cut through the blackness, revealing a streak of red paint on the marbled wall. Jay backed against the opposite wall and raised the device in an attempt to better view the entire symbol. As it was, the painted symbol was almost as high as the entire wall. Much larger than he was expecting.

“Well,” Jay said.

"That’s not good.”

******

It took Jay about half an hour to make his way to the train station. The streets were much more full that day than they had been before. When he finally did arrive, he found Twilight waiting at on the platform by herself.

“There you are!” she exclaimed when she saw Jay. “I was beginning to think that you hadn’t gotten my letter.”

“I just had to run a few errands before-”

Jay choked on the last word and let out a series of rasping coughs, doing his best to cover his mouth.

“Are you alright?” Twilight asked once Jay had finished. “You look…”

“Like shit,” Jay said. “Thanks for noticing. It’s a new style that I’m trying out.”

He walked past Twilight and looked at the train that was sitting ready on the tracks.

“We the only passengers again?”

“This is the last train in or out of Canterlot,” Twilight said, recalling her distaste for Jay’s sarcasm once again.

“No pony is allowed leave the city until the Codex is found.”

“Lot of good that’ll do,” Jay said as they boarded the train. “Codex is probably out of the city by now.”

Finding the spot they had sat in the day before, Jay promptly flopped himself down in it.

“What makes you say that?” Twilight asked, taking her seat.

“There’s no way the Marker is in Canterlot,” Jay said. He crossed his leg and leaned back in his seat. “No reason to stick around. The thief probably sent the Codex wherever it needed to go before the robbery was even noticed.”

“How do you know that the Marker isn’t in Canterlot?” Twilight asked.

The train shuddered as it began to move, its whistle blowing as it departed.

“The Marker’s signal can be blocked if there’s enough to contain it,” Jay explained. “But the signal is still growing. If it was in Canterlot, we’d have noticed by now.”

He reached into his bag and pulled out the Marker pendant he had bought from the silversmith.

“By the way, I found something you might find interesting,” Jay said, passing the pendant to Twilight.

“What is it?” Twilight asked, examining the symbol.

“The symbol of the Marker,” Jay said. He pulled out the device that he had recorded the alley walls with. “Inspired, by this.”

He showed Twilight the images he had taken.

“Every time I’ve encountered a Marker, I’ve seen that symbol,” Jay explained. “The Markers all seem to say the same things, no matter what world there on. Makes sense if there from the same DNA blueprint.”

“Do you think the thief put it there?” Twilight asked.

“Not likely,” Jay said. “Perhaps one of their associates. Another Unitologist.”

“What’s a ‘Unitologist’?” Twilight asked. She passed the pendant back to Jay.

“Someone who worships the Marker,” Jay said. “They probably have some other name for themselves around here. Something more culty sounding.”

“Why would anypony create a cult to worship something that makes them go crazy?” Twilight asked, tilting her head.

“If I wanted you to do something, but was going to kill you afterward, do you think I would tell you?” Jay asked.

Twilight’s lips tightened and she scooted back in her seat.

“The Marker puts things in your head. Thoughts, images, all to help it achieve its goal,” Jay said. “Whatever that may be. Often, it promises eternal life. An evolution of sorts. It’s not so hard to found a church around that.”

Jay stared out the window at the landscape and said nothing more.

“Well…” Twilight began. “I was thinking about what we should do when we got back to Ponyville. Rather than staying in the library and doing absolutely nothing, I thought it might be fun for you to meet some of my friends. You know… In the spirit of… Friendship?”

“Celestia told you to keep me busy, didn’t she?” Jay asked, still looking out the window.

“Wha- No!” Twilight exclaimed. “I- You… Yes. She did.”

“Alright then,” Jay said. “Let’s do it.”

“Wait, really?” Twilight asked, surprised that Jay was so accepting of her initial lie.

“Why not,” Jay sighed. “But we need to get something to eat first.”

“As it just so happens, my friend Pinkie Pie works at one of the best bakeries in all of Ponyville,” Twilight bragged, raising a hoof to her chest.

“How many bakeries are in Ponyville?” Jay asked.

“That’s not the point,” Twilight huffed, lowering her hoof. “Bottom line, Pinkie works where there is food. We can visit her and get something to eat.”

“Fine,” Jay said, closing his eyes.

“Wake me when we get there.”

15 - Unbridled Sweetness

“So… Is it actually a gingerbread house, or is that just an aesthetic choice?”

Jay took a step back to fully appreciate the view of the bakery that was known locally as Sugarcube Corner. It was a structure that looked as though someone had taken a normal building and covered the roof with layers of frosting. At the top of the second floor was a dome in the shape of a giant cupcake. Three candles extended from it, each of them tipped with an electric light to simulate a flame.

“It’s just decoration,” Twilight said as she trotted up to the door of the bakery. “The building probably wouldn’t be left standing if it were edible. Not with Pinkie around anyway.”

Jay followed Twilight up the steps of the bakery’s front entrance and removed his sunglasses. As he stepped inside, the smell of pastries washed over him, so sweet that it was almost palpable. The interior design was surprisingly tame, something Jay wouldn’t have expected after seeing the outside. Glass displays highlighted a vast assortment of pastries and treats, while small tables were scattered around the room for customers to enjoy their purchases.

In the far left corner of the room, at a table directly across from the checkout counter, sat two ponies. One was a bright pink earth pony, with three balloons for a mark on her flank. She was talking so fast that Jay could hardly make out what she was saying.

The pony opposite of her was exactly that: opposite. She was a pale yellow pegasus with a curled, light pink mane. She sat quietly, listening as the other pony ranted on about… whatever the subject was. Jay thought he heard something about a tingly feeling, some sort of creature, and... a party?

Twilight held up a hoof, signaling for Jay to wait where he was, while she walked over to the two ponies at the table.

“Hi, girls!” Twilight said, greeting the two ponies.

“Oh, hiya, Twilight!” the pink horse replied, jumping off of her stool.

“Hi, Twilight,” the yellow pegasus said in a soft voice.

“We were just talking about you!” the pink horse said. “You know how I've got my Pinkie Sense? Well, it's been going off like crazy lately and I can’t figure out why! We also heard some other ponies, not us, talking about how they saw you with some kind of monster yesterday morning. By the way, who’s your friend over there?”

Without waiting for an answer, the pink pony darted directly in front of Jay. It happened so fast that the human thought she had teleported from where she originally was.

“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie!” the pony said exuberantly. “Who are you? What are you? Where did you come from? Are you the monster Twilight was hanging out with? Are you an alien? You look sick. Are you sick? Have you eaten anything today?”

The questions kept pouring from Pinkie’s mouth at such a rate, that Jay could only stand there, helpless to do anything but endure the interrogation.

“Twilight?” Jay called out for assistance. “Make it stop, please. I think I can feel the seizure stabbing me in the back of my brain.”

“Uh, Pinkie?” Twilight interjected. “Maybe you should wait for him to answer a question before you ask another?”

“Oh, right,” Pinkie said, backing off from the human.

Jay breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to the table that Twilight was standing by.

“Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, meet Jay,” Twilight said, presenting the human to the two ponies.

“H-hello,” Fluttershy said, somewhat bashful. “It’s nice to meet you, Mister Jay.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Jay said. He smiled and raised a hand in greeting.

“How do you two know each other?” Pinkie asked, bouncing back onto her seat. “I’ve never heard Twilight mention you before.”

“Jay and I… well, we met-” Twilight began, fumbling.

“I came here on business and was looking for a place to stay,” Jay said, picking up the pieces of Twilight’s fractured sentence. “I met Twilight one way or another and asked her if she new of any places that would be… accommodating, to someone such as myself. She offered to let me stay at the library and I agreed. So, today she thought it would be a good idea to introduce me to some of her friends.”

“That was awfully nice of you, Twilight,” Fluttershy said.

“Yeah…” Twilight said, glaring at Jay. “I guess it was.”

“Now, Twilight mentioned to me that this is the best bakery in all of Ponyville,” Jay said. “So, you can imagine that I have high hopes, Miss Pie. What do you have?”

“We’ve got just about whatever you could want!” Pinkie said. She bounded off of her stool and over to the counter. “Cupcakes, regular cakes, fritters, pies, candies, more cupcakes, and anything you could think of!”

“Just what my empty stomach needs,” Jay thought. “Pure sugar.”

“Well, fritters sound good,” Jay said. “How much for two?”

“Oh, it’s on the house!” Pinkie said, diving behind the display case. “Consider it an ‘I’m sorry I haven’t thrown you a Welcome-to-Ponyville party yet’ apology gift!”

“Don’t ask you idiot,” Jay thought. “Just don’t ask and you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Um, excuse me for being so forward,” Fluttershy said in a low voice, while avoiding direct eye contact with Jay. “But, I was curious where you’re from. If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Oh, I’m from a long ways off,” Jay said, waving his hand through the air, as if to signify the distance. He sat down at the table next to Fluttershy’s. Pinkie quickly zipped by and dropped off a plate of apple fritters in front of him.

“Thank you,” Jay said as he picked up one of the fritters and took a bite. It was indeed sweet, but at least it was something edible.

“You’ve probably never heard of where I come from. I actually had to travel to Equestria by ship.”

“How much longer are you staying?” Pinkie asked.

“I’m not sure,” Jay said, finishing off the first pastry. “It all depends on how smoothly this job I’m doing goes.”

“What is it that you do?” Fluttershy asked.

“Are you some sort of secret agent super spy?” Pinkie asked, placing her hooves on the table. “Did you come here on a mission?”

“Er- Not quite,” Jay said. “I guess you could say that I’m a consultant, of sorts. But enough about me. What is it that you two do?”

“Well, I’m the baker here, obviously!” Pinkie said. “I’m also Equestria’s premiere party planner. It’s a passion.” She leaned back, grinning proudly.

“And I work with animals,” Fluttershy said, tapping her hooves together and shooting a glance at Pinkie. “It’s… also a passion.”

“Interesting,” Jay said. “Are you some kind vet?”

“Only when I need to be,” Fluttershy explained. “Though, I don’t have much formal training. I mostly just help take care of the animals.”

“Some is better than none,” Jay said. By now he had finished off the pastries, satisfying his hunger.

“Speaking of animals, I actually have to get going now,” Fluttershy said, standing up to leave. “Angel bunny gets pretty grumpy if he doesn’t get fed on time. It was nice meeting you, Jay.”

With that said, Fluttershy trotted over to the door and bid the group farewell.

“Hey, Jay,” Pinkie addressed the human. “I have a ton of questions to ask you, but right now I have to finish filling an order. Do you think we could chat some other time? Please?”

“I guess that’s alright,” Jay said, thankful for an escape from the the pink horse's ramblings. “Some other time then.”

“Great!” Pinkie said, racing to the kitchen door. “See you later! Bye, Twilight!”

“That was… interesting,” Jay said when he and Twilight were alone. “And surprisingly brief. Who’s next on the list?”

“I sent word ahead to Spike that we were coming back earlier this morning,” Twilight said, walking to the front door. “Knowing him, he’s probably still at Rarity’s, so we can pick him up later when we do visit the boutique. For now, let’s head over to Sweet Apple Acres. I’m sure we can find Applejack around there somewhere.”

“Visiting a farm sounds nice,” Jay said as he stood up to follow Twilight.

“Lead the way.”

******

Sweet Apple Acres was a good distance from where they had started, but Jay was used to the long walks by now. A lengthy white fence sectioned off the dirt road they walked on, cutting a path through the orchard.

Jay had never seen so many apple trees in all his life. They were planted in rows that stretched over the rolling hills, disappearing behind the green mounds in the distance. Being the middle of the summer, many of the trees were lacking in their production of the fruit, though, it was apparent that they would be ready for harvest when the time came.

Passing under a white wooden archway covered in green shrubbery, Jay saw a rising red barn, along with whatever else would pop into mind when thinking of a farm. To the left: a tilled field full of sprouting corn stalks and a distant carrot patch. To the right: chicken coops, bales of hay, and a pig pen.

Nearby, hard at work bucking a dead tree, was a rather large red stallion with an orange mane and a brown harness around his neck. If he noticed the pair as they walked by, he didn’t say anything.

As Twilight and Jay stopped outside of the entrance of the barn, out came an orange pony wearing a brown stetson. Accompanying her was a blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane. It sounded like they were debating over which one of them could drink the most cider in one sitting. They stopped talking when they noticed Twilight and Jay approaching them.

“Well, hey there, Twilight!” the orange pony said. “How y’all doin today? Who’s your friend there?”

“I’ve never seen you hanging out with this… guy, before,” the blue pegasus said.

“Hi, Applejack. Hi, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said. “This is Jay. He’s visiting Ponyville on a… business trip. I’ve been letting him stay at the library while he’s in town.”

“Well howdy there,” Applejack said. She extended her hoof out toward Jay, who grasped it and gave it a firm shake. They both maintained eye contact until the greeting was complete.

“Nice to meet you,” Jay said, lowering his hand. “This is one of the warmer welcomes I’ve received so far.”

“Well, you’ve got a good grip there,” Applejack replied. “You can always tell a lot about somepony by the way they shake hooves. You seem nice enough to me, even if you are a strange lookin fella.”

“You flatter me,” Jay said with a grin.

“Uh huh,” Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes at the exchange. “Twilight, could I talk to you for a moment?” She looked at Jay suspiciously.

“In private.”

“Um, sure thing,” Twilight said. “Applejack, why don’t you show Jay around the farm? I’m sure he’d love to see it.”

“Sure thing, Twilight,” Applejack said. “Come on, Jay. I’ll give you the lay of the land round these parts.”

As Applejack led Jay over toward the chicken coops, Twilight and Rainbow Dash entered the barn.

“What’s up, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked.

“What’s up?” Dash repeated. “What’s up? Why don't we start with why you’re walking around with that thing? Who is that guy?”

“He’s just… an acquaintance,” Twilight said, nervously.

“An acquaintance?” Dash raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t think you were one to let ‘acquaintances’ stay in your guest room. You said he’s here on business. What does he do?”

“He’s… a consultant,” Twilight said. “Why are you so suspicious of him?”

“Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he just appeared out of nowhere and you didn’t mention it until now,” Dash said, raising her voice. “I mean, look at him! What if he’s some sort of monster that gains ponies’ trust, only to eat them when their guard is down?”

Dash flew above Twilight and raised her hooves in a menacing manner, growling as she did. Twilight thought about the idea for a moment before bursting out laughing.

“Dash, that’s ridiculous,” Twilight said through broken laughter. “Trust me, it’s nothing like that.”

“Well, Applejack may trust him after shaking his… whatever that part of him is called, but I’m not convinced,” Dash said, crossing her forelegs.

“Why don’t you go talk to him yourself?” Twilight suggested as she trotted out of the barn.

“Fine,” Dash said, flying after Twilight. “Maybe I will! But don’t blame me when you get eaten!”

******

“So, I take it apples are your specialization?” Jay asked, walking next to Applejack.

“Sure as the sun shines!” Applejack said, proudly. “This here is the largest apple farm in all of Equestria.”

“Where are all the workers?” Jay asked, looking around.

“Why, you’re lookin at ‘em,” Applejack said. “My brother Big Macintosh and I are all this farm needs. Of course, Granny Smith has been running the show before either of us were born.”

“That's your brother?” Jay asked, as they walked up to the red stallion who had been bucking the tree when Jay had arrived.

“Yes sirree,” Applejack said. “Jay, Big Mac. Big Mac, Jay.”

“Nice to meet you,” Jay said, raising a hand in greeting.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac responded, nodding his head.

Applejack leaned over to Jay, raising a hoof to her mouth.

“He ain’t much of a talker,” Applejack whispered.

“Nope,” Big Mac said in agreement.

“Any luck getting that tree down?” Applejack asked.

"Nope,” Big Mac said, wiping his brow.

“Are you trying to uproot them?” Jay asked, walking over to the tree that Big Mac had been bucking earlier. The wood around the trunk was raw and splintered, but it still held sturdy.

“We just need it out of the way,” Applejack explained. “It’s blocking the sunlight from the live ones. I’d settle for it just being knocked over.”

“Do you have an axe?” Jay asked, turning to face Applejack.

“Sure do,” Applejack scoffed. “Can’t use the thing though. Rattles your teeth every time you hit something with it.”

“You hold it in your mouth?” Jay asked.

“Some slick salespony tricked Granny into buying it awhile back,” Applejack recalled. “Guess she didn’t think of how we were going to use it.”

“Mind if I took a swing with it?” Jay asked. “I could probably get the tree down for you. Might be easier than kicking it all day.”

“Looking to do a little labor, are ya?” Applejack grinned. “Well, if you can get that tree down, I’ll get you some cider. How does that sound?”

“I’m game,” Jay said, setting his bag on a nearby hay bale.

“Big Mac, go get that axe from the shed,” Applejack ordered.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said as he left to retrieve the tool.

While he waited, Jay raised his arms above his head, performing various stretches in an attempt to limber up.

“You ever use one of them things before?” Applejack asked. “Honestly, you don’t look like much of a worker to me.”

“Under different circumstances,” Jay said, rolling his head in a circle, his neck cracking as he did. “But the technique is relatively the same.”

Big Mac came trotting back from the shed, carrying the axe in his mouth. Jay took it from him with a grateful nod. Weighing the axe in his hands, he began to examine it in great detail.

The handle was long and wooden, with no splintering to be seen. The head was that of a traditional woodcutter’s. It was heavy and gleamed in the sun light. A few spots of rust had begun to form on its face, but they were merely cosmetic in nature.

“Whenever you’re ready, cityboy,” Applejack said, as if to challenge Jay.

Jay smiled and walked up to the tree. He loosely gripped the neck of the axe with his right hand and the tail of it firmly in his left. He raised it over his shoulder, lining up his swing with the base of the tree.

“Who ever said anything about me being a cityboy?”

Jay swung the axe with great speed, burying its head deep within the trunk. Bits of wood from the tree splintered, flying in all directions. Jay wiggled the axe free and swung it again, repeating the process.

Applejack watched in awe as the head of the axe was driven deeper and deeper with each blow, the glinting steel a blur every time it was swung.

“What’s going on?”

Twilight and Rainbow Dash trotted up behind Applejack and watched Jay take swing after swing at the tree.

“Oh, there y’all are,” Applejack said. “Jay here was just helping out with some trouble we’ve been havin.”

By this point, Jay had already carved through almost more than half of the trunk, leaving a little less than a foot of wood bridging the gap that had been formed in the tree. He took a few more swings, examined his progress, and then rested the neck of the axe on his shoulder. Walking around to the opposite side that he hadn’t been cutting, Jay placed his foot against the trunk of the tree.

“Everyone stand clear,” he said. He then pushed against the trunk with his boot.

The tree began to tilt, followed by a loud cracking sound as the last bit of wood connecting the trunk to the stump gave way. The limbs of the tree shuddered and snapped as they crashed against the ground.

Jay spun the axe handle in his hand and began to whistle his tune.

He walked over to Big Mac and handed him the axe with a nod. He then turned to face the mares. He stopped whistling when he noticed that Twilight and Applejack were both staring at him with a shared look of concern on their faces.

“What?” he asked.

“Umm… Jay?”

Twilight pointed a hoof at her face, as if to signal something.

Jay raised a hand to his nose and pulled it back, feeling something wet. Looking down at his palm, he saw drops of red forming a small pool. Every time a drop hit the pool, it splattered, leaving specks of red on the black thread of his shirt.

“Huh,” Jay remarked.

“Maybe we should go inside now.”

******

“Here ya go,” Applejack said as she set a mug of frothy yellow liquid in front of Jay. “Drink up. It’ll make you feel better.”

The group had retreated to the dining room of the farmhouse, leaving Big Mac to haul the dead tree off on his own. Jay sat next to Twilight on one side of the dining table, a rag held to his nose. Rainbow Dash sat on the other side, glaring at Jay from behind her tilted mug.

“Thanks,” Jay said, removing the rag from his nose.

The bleeding seemed to have stopped. He picked up the mug and drank from it. A smile formed on his face. The cider was refreshing. Delicious even.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Twilight asked as she sipped from her own mug. “You haven’t been looking too well this morning.”

“I’ll be fine,” Jay said. “It’s probably just allergies. Nothing to worry about.”

“So,” Dash said, hijacking the conversation. “Twilight mentioned that you’re a consultant of some kind.”

“I suppose you could say that,” Jay said, taking another sip of his drink. “Though, I’m not quite sure what the official title is.”

“Who do you consult for?” Dash asked.

“I’m not sure I can tell you…” Jay said.

“Sounds like you’re not sure about a lot of things,” Dash pressed.

“Come on, Dash,” Applejack said, setting her hat on the table. “There’s no need to interrogate the fella like that. If Twilight says he’s okay, then he’s okay.”

“It’s alright,” Jay said. “I’m used to the suspicion by now. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to tell you what I’m actually doing.”

“Let’s hear it then,” Dash said, her eyes narrowing.

“Alright,” Jay said. “Currently, I’m working as an informant and, as previously mentioned, a consultant... for Princess Luna.”

Twilight choked on her drink upon hearing this, sending her into a fit of coughing.

“Yeah right!” Dash snorted, laughing at what Jay had said.

“Since when?” Twilight asked when she was able to breathe again.

“Since last night,” Jay said, rifling through his bag.

“Ha!” Dash blurted out. “As if you’d expect us to believe that you would be working fo-”

Jay presented the box containing the medallion that Luna had given him the night before, causing Dash’s mouth to hang open on her last words.

“Cool, right?” Jay asked, taking the medallion out of the box. “Supposedly it gives me unrestricted access to Canterlot Palace.”

“Where did you get that?” Twilight asked. She snatched the medallion out of Jay’s hands with her magic and held it up to the light.

“Oh, Luna gave it to me last night when I was talking to her,” Jay said, lifting his mug to his lips.

“What is it that you’re, ah… consulting on?” Applejack asked, perturbed by Dash’s still frozen jaw.

“There was something stolen from Canterlot,” Jay explained. “If I find anything out about it, I’m supposed to tell Luna. Simple as that.”

“Wait,” Dash said, recovering from her dumbfounded state. “If you’re consulting for Princess Luna, then why are you here in Ponyville?”

“I had to stop by the library to pick up a few things,” Jay said. It was a rather vague answer, but it would have to suffice.

“Speaking of which, the sooner I get what I need, the sooner I can help find what was stolen and whoever stole it,” Jay said as he set his now empty mug on the table.

“I thank you for your hospitality, Miss Jack,” he said, getting up from the table. He held out a hand and shook Applejack’s hoof.

“Anytime,” Applejack said. “And call me ‘AJ.’ No need for all the formality and what not.”

“Miss Dash,” Jay said, holding out a hand. Dash only stared at it until Jay lowered it back to his side. Applejack glared at her with a hint of disapproval.

“Well, thank you for your… inquisitiveness,” Jay said. He plucked the medallion from Twilight’s magical aura, put it back in his bag, and turned to leave.

“I’ll… see you girls later,” Twilight said, getting up from her own seat. “Thanks for the cider, Applejack.”

Leaving the farmhouse, Jay could hear an argument spurring up between Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

“So, what now?” Jay asked Twilight as they walked down the dirt road leading back to town.

“I guess we should just go pick up Spike and head back to the library,” Twilight said, sounding somewhat defeated.

“Something wrong?” Jay asked, attempting to rub out the red specks on his shirt.

“This whole, ‘introducing you to friendship’ plan… It’s not going how I hoped,” Twilight said, looking down at the road.

“Don’t sweat it,” Jay said. “Even from what little they’ve seen of me, three out of four of your friends seem pretty accepting of my existence.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that Luna put you on the investigation?” Twilight asked. “We could have gone straight to the library.”

“I thought that going along with your ill conceived plan to keep me busy might, I don’t know, make you feel better,” Jay said, scratching at the back of his head. “You’ve seemed kind of down. And annoyed. Besides, I thought it might be fun to meet your friends. For the most part, I was right.”

“If you say so,” Twilight said, dismissively. “Let’s just stop by Rarity’s place and get Spike. Then, we can go back to the library.”

“Swell,” Jay said. He looked up at the afternoon sun and gritted his teeth, doing his best to ignore the horrid pounding he was beginning to feel in his head.

“Just swell.”

17 - A Rational Explanation

“Ow…”

This was the first thought that came into Jay’s head as he began to wake up. It was clear he was lying on something hard and flat. Most likely a wooden floor. It wasn’t helping his already persisting bouts with pain.

Jay struggled for a while to regain his senses before noticing the sound of voices nearby. He was also now aware that it was rather difficult to move his arms. It felt as though they had been bound together behind his back with a coarse material. Jay opened his eyes just enough so he could see who was talking.

He could tell that they were still in the library’s main room. Huddled in a circle with their backs to him were six ponies of different colors, all of whom the human recalled meeting earlier that day.

“Well,” Jay thought. “Looks like Twilight got the whole gang together.”

He refrained from struggling against his restraints and listened to the conversation that was taking place.

“-told us what he did! Just look at this mess! We can’t trust him.”

This was, without a doubt, Rainbow Dash who was speaking, her voice steadily rising with each passing word.

“It is rather awful,” Fluttershy said. Her voice was sweet, yet frail when compared to the tension in the room.

“But he was so nice earlier,” Pinkie said. “He didn’t seem so, you know, insane.”

“Your right, Pinkie,” Applejack said. “But I’m not sure what to think about him now that this has happened.”

“We can’t trust him,” Dash repeated. “What if he decides to kill us?”

“Doesn’t that sound a bit far fetched?” Applejack asked, taking off her hat to scratch her head. “What about you, Twi? Got any ideas?”

“I have no clue,” Twilight sighed in defeat. “This kind of thing doesn’t happen around here. Maybe we should...”

“Could I interject for a second?” Jay said, causing all of the ponies to jump in fright.

“He’s awake!” Dash exclaimed.

“No shit, Sherlock,” Jay groaned. “A bit difficult to sleep with all of you talking. How long was I out?”

“About an hour,” Twilight said. “Jay, what happened?”

“I felt the sudden and overwhelming urge to take a nap,” Jay grunted as he sat up against the wall. “So, why are they all here? And who’s bright idea was it to tie me up?”

“Mine,” Dash said with a smug expression. “We didn’t want you to try to pull any sort of tricks.”

“Well,” Jay said, wrestling with the bindings around his hands. “Speaking of tricks, how's this for one?”

He lifted a hand from behind his back, a length of torn cloth dangling from his left arm.

“He got free!” Pinkie shouted in panic.

“Again,” Jay said, getting to his feet. “What a crack team of detectives you are. Where’s the dog?”

“Rarity is watching him,” Twilight answered. “They’re in the kitchen.”

“And with all the whining she’s giving him, I’d bet he’s about ready to break,” Applejack said.

“Oh, I don’t doubt that,” Jay said, casting off the fabric that hung from his wrists. He looked down at his watch to check the time.

“Otherwise, I’ll break his bones fairly quickly,” he mumbled.

“That sounds rather extreme...” Fluttershy whimpered. “And violent.”

“What did you do with my gun?” Jay asked.

“We got rid of it,” Twilight stated abruptly, casting a sideways glance at a nearby bookshelf.

"Right..." Jay mumbled.

“We’re not taking any chances with you,” Dash sneered.

She was now doing her best to stare down Jay, flapping her wings to stay above eye level.

“Again,” Jay said, meeting the pegasus’s gaze. “Why are you here?”

He stood in silence, unblinking, until Dash moved out of his way. Once she did, Jay turned his attention to Twilight.

“How's Spike doing?” he asked.

“He’s still unconscious,” Twilight said. “They hit him pretty hard.”

“Probably wouldn’t have wanted him squirming if they were planning on kidnapping y’all,” Applejack suggested.

“Is that so?” Jay asked, raising an eyebrow. He turned to address the entire group.

“I take it Twilight let you know that those dogs were here to kill us? Because, how could anyone let that little fact slip by?”

“Wait, really?” Pinkie asked in shock. “We just assumed that-“

“That I’m just murderer?” Jay interjected. He spoke firmly, but didn’t raise his voice.

“That’s what the general consensus was, right? What am I saying, of course it was!” Jay laughed.

“The pups had their chance to leave, but they didn’t take it. Any questions?”

None of the ponies said anything, all of them feeling rather uncomfortable and somewhat stunned.

“Good,” Jay said. “Now, I suppose it’s about time I reveal my big secret or something. I’m only going to go over this once. Are you all listening?”

The ponies looked up at Jay and nodded their heads, all except for Dash, who merely who contented herself with staring at the floorboards.

“Okay then,” Jay said. “I’ll be right back.”

He walked over to the basement door and unlocked it before making another trip into the darkness.

Twilight and the others listened as he did this. From below, they heard a mixture thumping and rattling, along with some cursing. Jay’s head rose into view as he stumbled back up the stairs, lugging the large black chest he and Spike had carried down the other night. He toted it over to the center of the group and set it down with a grunt.

Taking a knee in front of the chest, Jay placed one hand on each of the two silver latches. He flipped them upward, each releasing with a snap. Jay stood up and opened the lid with the tip of his boot. The group of ponies gathered around to see what was inside.

“The big reveal… is your drink cooler?” Twilight asked.

The contents of the chest was exactly the same as what it had been the first night that Twilight met Jay: A mound of ice covering a few cans of soft drink.

“More or less,” Jay said. He reached into the center of the ice pile, scattering it to reveal a black handle.

“Probably more.”

Jay gripped the handle and gave it a slow turn. The chest let out a mechanical hiss and the mound of ice rose above the edges of the container on a small shelf, revealing an array of devices underneath.

“This is just a fun way to hide some of my toys,” Jay explained, removing the shelf and setting it on the floor. He snatched one of the cans from the pile of ice and cracked it open.

“Oh, my sweet babies,” Jay said. He took a long drink from the can. “How I’ve missed you so.”

“What is all this stuff?” Twilight asked, peering into the container.

“Just some essentials,” Jay said after taking another drink from the can. “Signal transponder, trauma kit, gaming system, etcetera.”

“What are you going to do with it all?” Fluttershy asked timidly.

“For now, I’m going to make a call,” Jay said, setting his drink on the ground.

He dug through the chest and pulled out a thin, rectangular device, which was about the size of his notebook.

“And, hopefully, I’ll be able to figure out how to stop feeling so shit-faced.”

Jay laid the device flat against the library floor and pressed a button on its edge, powering it on. The device proceeded to project a series of numbers and symbols into the air above it, all of them dancing within a suspended cloud of light.

The ponies in the room watched with a faint sense of awe.

While this happened, Jay reached back into the chest and lifted out a black briefcase with a red cross marking its side. He set this down a few feet from the screen and stood with his hands on his hips.

Then, a voice began to emanate from the device.

“Enter authorization code to initiate direct communication,” the voice said. It sounded female, but it was cold; absent of emotion.

Jay took a deep breath and whistled the tune that had been running through his head off and on for the past six months. The light above the device pulsed as a beeping emitted from the speaker.

“Authorization code ‘Popcorn’ recognized,” the device said. “Establishing direct communication.”

“Gah ha!” Jay shouted, snapping his fingers. “I knew it started with a ‘p’!”

“What is he talking about?” Pinkie whispered to Twilight.

“I have no idea,” Twilight sighed.

The light above the device was now beginning to morph into three-dimensional objects. Eventually, it formed into the shape of a single snowflake. The flake floated lazily in the air as a multitude smaller flakes drifted around it.

A new voice spoke from the device, also female, but soft and childlike.

“Hello, sir,” it said. “How are you doing today?”

“I’ve had better,” Jay said, addressing the snowflake. “How are you, Ice?”

“Wonderful as ever, sir!” the voice replied joyfully. “Are these the friends you were talking about?”

“You could say that,” Jay said, turning to face the ponies. They were all captivated by the talking snowflake.

“Ponies, meet Ice. Ice meet, ponies,” Jay said.

“It’s so nice to meet you all!” Ice said excitedly, the image of the flake pulsating brightly.

“Why are we talking to a snowflake?” Dash asked. “And what does this have to do with anything?”

“That’s just her visual representation,” Jay explained casually. “She’s an artificial intelligence. Ice is just an acronym for ‘Intelligent Computer Entity.’ The holographic snowflake seemed fitting with the name."

“I like it,” Ice said, flipping through the air.

“It’s nice to meet you, Ice,” Twilight said, rushing the conversation. “But, the question still stands. Why are we talking to you?”

“Ice has been monitoring the Marker signal strength in the surrounding area,” Jay said. “She also practically runs my ship and everything else I need her help with.”

“I’m sorry, but, did we miss out on something?” Applejack asked. “I thought you were some sort of fancy consultant or something.”

“Right,” Jay said, shaking his head. “I didn’t tell you guys about all that. Okay, quick update. I’m a space faring idiot who hunts Markers. I was assigned to an experimental ship before shit hit the fan back home. Ice was a new A.I. designed to run the ship. So, for the past eleven years, we’ve been traveling from system to system in search of Marker signals. Your system had trace amounts of such signal and, lo and behold, we found one. Any questions?”

“Oh,” Pinkie said, the rest of the group trying to fathom the situation. “That makes sense!”

“Glad to hear it. Remind me to give you a more in depth explanation later,” Jay said as he opened the black case with the red cross on it.

Inside was an assortment of medical devices, from syringes to scalpels. Jay pulled out a syringe that sported a small digital display and walked over to Ice’s hologram.

“Ice,” Jay said, holding up the needle. “I need you to run a medical diagnostic. Give me a good once over and check some blood work. Can you do that for me?”

“Feeling a little under the weather, sir?” Ice asked. “In that case, extract a sample for testing and face the scanner for full diagnosis.”

Jay stretched out his arm and squeezed his fist a few times to get the blood flowing. He then inserted the syringe into a vein in his forearm. The electronic display of the syringe flashed green and Jay removed the needle, a trickle of blood rolling down his skin.

“Analyzing sample,” Ice said. A small holographic chart came up next to her, filling with numbers and symbols.

“Please step in front of the scanner for further testing.”

Jay stood in front of the display, spreading his legs and arms apart. A small wave of light rolled over him from the device on the ground.

“Testing complete,” Ice said. A separate chart appeared below the original.

“What’s the word doc?” Jay asked, taking a bandage from the case and placing it over the prick in his arm.

“Diagnosis shows that you have low blood sugar,” Ice chirped.

“Is that it?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.

“She likes to save the bad news for last,” Jay said. “Go ahead Ice, let’s see the real damage.”

“Scans register enhanced cellular degradation due to prolonged exposure to xeno-class signal radiation,” Ice said. “Areas of the brain affected include the medulla, the mesencephalon, and most of the cerebrum. If this ailment goes untreated, your condition will worsen and lead to paralysis or death.”

“Huh,” Jay said, reading over the charts. “That’s a bit of an inconvenience.”

“You diagnosed all that from one scan?” Twilight asked, amazed at the technology. “That’s incredible!”

“What does all this fancy talk mean?” Applejack asked. “The only thing I understood was the ‘paralysis and death’ part.”

“Exposure to Marker signals for more than ten years may have had some side effects,” Jay said. “Seems like they caught up with me.”

“Is that why you’re so weird?” Dash asked.

“Not entirely,” Ice giggled. “He’s always like that, due in part to post traumatic stress, cabin fever, and years without social interaction. If I wasn’t around to keep him company, there is a high chance that he would have become a victim of suicidal tendencies. Not to mention the lack of s-”

“Anyway,” Jay said, interrupting Ice. “How do I treat this?”

“Like I told you five years, two hundred fifty-seven days, four hours, thirty-two minutes, and fifteen seconds ago, we still have no way to combat the degenerative process,” Ice explained. “You can only continue keep it in check with neural boosting supplements, unless you find a way to regenerate the damaged cells.”

“Just thought I should ask again,” Jay said, scratching his chin.

“Sorry sir,” Ice said. “As of now, we can only continue to delay the inevitable, but you are becoming immune to most of the supplements you have already been treated with.”

“Did you say, ‘regenerate the cells’?” Twilight asked, now standing by Jay’s side.

“Yeah,” Jay said, looking down at the unicorn. “Unless we completely get rid of the dead cells, the sickness will keep spreading like it has been… Why do you ask?”

“Well…” Twilight said. “It may be a long shot, but, I’ve been working on a spell.”

“What kind of spell?” Jay asked, intrigued.

“Clover the Clever’s regeneration spell,” Twilight said.

“You can’t be serious,” Dash huffed.

“Does it work?” Jay asked.

“I’ve only tested it on dead flowers,” Twilight said, thinking back to the other morning. “But it might work for you too.”

Jay stood in silence and mulled over the prospect.

“All right, let’s do it,” Jay said.

“Really?” Twilight asked.

“What the hell,” Jay said, shrugging his shoulders. “If it fails, the worst that happens is that I die.”

“I- I’ll get my notes,” Twilight said, trotting off to retrieve her documents.

“Are we really going to help him?” Dash asked.

“Are you sure about this, sir?” Ice asked, her image shrinking.

“Sure,” Jay said, finding a wooden chair and taking a seat.

“It’ll be fun.”

******

“Fucking hell!” Jay growled through gritted teeth.

“Stop squirming,” Twilight huffed. A wavering stream of magic flowed from her horn and engulfed Jay’s head.

“It feels like someone is dragging hot barbed wire through my skull,” Jay grunted. “If there was ever a time to bitch, it would be now!”

“Why does he swear so much?” Fluttershy whispered to Applejack.

“Maybe it’s more common where he comes from,” Applejack suggested.

“Almost… done!” Twilight said, the stream of magic disappearing with a brilliant flash. She dropped to the floor with a gasp, sweat pouring down her face.

Jay slumped forward and put his hands to his head.

“Ice,” he groaned, rubbing his eyes. “Did it work?”

“Scanning,” Ice said. Another beam of light rolled over Jay. “Preliminary scans show that all traces of infection are absent.”

“Wait, really?” Jay asked in surprise, sitting up.

“You have a clean bill of health,” Ice said, cheerfully. “Though, I still recommend consumption supplement packets. Just a few minutes ago, your cells were too damaged to repair, even with the most advanced technology available.”

“You mean to tell me that my incurable brain sickness was just fixed by a magical spell from a talking purple horse?” Jay asked, cautiously getting to his feet. “That is literally one of the worst deu-.”

He abruptly fell to his knees and proceeded to vomit the contents of his stomach onto the wooden floor. When he had finished heaving, he shakily stood up and wiped his mouth.

“Sorry about that,” he huffed. “Must be a side effect. Uh, thanks, Twilight.”

“Glad I could help,” Twilight said, grimacing.

“What are you planning to do now that you’re all better?” Dash asked.

“Better is a relative term,” Jay said. “Though, I think it’s about time that I had a chat with our new friend.”

“Good luck with that,” Rarity said, entering from the kitchen. “I can’t get that ruffian to say a single word.”

She looked Jay over with an expression of mild reproach.

“Feeling better, are we?”

“Much, thanks for asking,” Jay said. “If you want the word on what’s been happening, talk to them.” He pointed at the other ponies in the room.

“I’ll see if I can persuade Fido to spill his guts. If he doesn’t, I’ll do it for him.”

“You’re not using that gun of yours,” Dash commanded.

“Fine,” Jay said. He walked over to the two black bags that were still sitting at the foot of the stairs. He reached into the one that was unzipped and pulled out a silver object with a black grip. In his other hand, he withdrew two golden capsules of different sizes.

“What’s that?” Dash asked, eyeing the items with suspicion.

“Well, automatics are good for a lot of situations,” Jay said. “But, I find that a revolver is much more fitting for interrogations.”

“And… What does that mean?” Dash asked.

“It means, I’m not using that gun,” Jay said as he walked toward the kitchen.

“Ice, play audio log: ‘Four Thousand Five Hundred Twenty-Six’ for our friends, would you? Perhaps it’ll help them to understand our situation a bit better.”

“Yes sir,” Ice said. Jay’s voice began to play from her speaker, restating the conversation with Luna from the night before.

“Just give me a minute,” Jay said as he pushed open the kitchen door.

“This shouldn’t take long.”

18 - An Unorthodox Conversation

Jay entered the kitchen to find Rover seated at the corner of the dining table, his fore legs still bound behind his back. At the sight of the human, the diamond dog growled, flattening his ears.

“Why, hello to you as well,” Jay said. He took a seat next to Rover, hiding the items he had taken from the bag in his lap.

“My friend mentioned that you’re not feeling very talkative. Why is that?”

“I have nothing to say to you,” Rover snapped. “And you can’t make me. The ponies took away your ‘gun’ when you fell down. You’re were so weak, you couldn’t even stand.”

Rover leaned back and bared his teeth in arrogant grin.

“You know,” Jay laughed. “There are a lot of words coming out of your mouth now. Too bad they’re not the ones I want to hear.”

“Why should I care?” Rover laughed. “Those ponies won’t let you do anything to me.”

“Know what, doggo?” Jay prompted. “You strike me as the type of person that has trouble retaining information. So, allow me to jog your memory.”

He set one of the golden capsules he had taken from the duffle bag on the table. It was modest in its size, roughly an inch tall.

“This is called a ‘bullet,’” Jay explained, pointing at the capsule. “When I put it in a gun and pull the trigger, this top part is propelled out of the gun barrel by a small explosion from inside the casing. I used two of these to put down those other pups.”

Rover’s grin faltered a little.

Jay placed the silver object with the black grip on the table.

“This is called a ‘revolver.’ It too is a gun, just like the one that killed your friends. One major difference is that a revolver uses a cylinder, as opposed to a clip, or a magazine. Which means, it can’t hold as many rounds as other guns.”

Jay picked up the revolver and flipped out its cylinder, revealing five large holes.

“Now, obviously, that little nine millimeter round won’t fit in this,” Jay said, looking through the holes of the cylinder.

“Then it is useless to you,” Rover said with a grin.

“Au contraire, friendo,” Jay said.

He placed the other capsule on the table. It was almost twice the size of the nine millimeter round. Rover’s smile withered away at the sight of it.

“This is known as a ‘Four-Five-Four Casull.’ It exerts a force of more than twenty-five hundred joules,” Jay explained.

“I was clearing out an abandoned military cargo freighter a couple of years back and just happened to find the revolver and a stash of these buggers in one of the officer’s cabins. They must have been a collector of some sort, considering these cartridges are, although entirely functional, somewhat outdated.”

Jay smiled as he weighed the revolver in his hand.

“As I’m sure you can see, it’s a bit bigger than the ones that blew out the back of the other pups’ skulls. You remember what a mess that was, right?”

Jay picked up the bullet and placed it in one of the cylinder’s chambers.

“What kind of mess do you think this one will leave?”

“You- you can’t,” Rover said. “They won’t let you!”

“Actually, I can,” Jay said, getting up from his chair.

“I- I can’t talk,” Rover whimpered. “I can’t say anything or else they’ll kill me!”

“I’ll kill you if you don’t talk, you stupid shit!” Jay laughed.

“I- You can’t-” Rover stuttered.

“Tell you what,” Jay said, dragging Rover’s chair away from the table. “Let’s play a game. Allow me to explain the rules.”

He spun the cylinder of the revolver and then, with a flick of his wrist, slapped it back into its original place with a click.

“I ask you a question and you decide whether or not to answer. If you don’t -” Jay pressed the barrel of the gun flush against Rover’s forehead. “- I pull this big shiny trigger. Then, you have a one in five chance of losing your head. Sound like fun?”

“Please,” Rover pleaded. “I can’t-”

“First question!” Jay said. He pulled back the hammer on the back of the revolver.

“Who hired you?”

“I can’t tell you,” Rover whimpered.

“Ehh!” Jay shouted, imitating the noise of of a buzzer. He pulled the trigger.

It clicked without a bang.

Rover yelped in terror, panting rapidly.

“Try again,” Jay said.

He looked down and smiled deviously.

“How about we save ourselves a trip to the vet?” Jay suggested, pointing the gun at Rover’s crotch.

“Please, no!” The dog struggled against his restraints.

“Then answer the damn question!” Jay yelled.

“I can’t!” Rover cried.

“Wrong!” Jay shouted.

He pulled the trigger again.

Once more, it gave a metallic click.

Rover was sobbing now.

“Strike two,” Jay said. “Come on pup! It’s the bottom of the ninth and you’re two balls away from losing the series. Wait... did that joke make sense to you? Do you guys even have baseball around here?”

“Y- You don’t know what they’ll do to me,” Rover heaved.

“But I know what I’ll do,” Jay laughed.

He began to pace around the kitchen, whistling a low melody. He ceased as his eyes came across something of great interest to him.

On the counter, not far from the sink, was a knife block, full of cutlery.

A large, mischievous grin stretched across Jay’s face.

He walked over to the block and brushed his fingers along the handles of each blade.

“Perhaps we should try a different approach,” Jay said, pulling a small paring knife out.

“You know, it really is surprising that someone such as yourself has so much loyalty to their employer. I’m amazed you haven’t squealed yet. What’s the secret? A big paycheck? Blackmail? Fear for your life? It’s the fear for your life, isn’t it?”

He walked over to Rover and placed the knife to the dog’s cheek, slowly pressing the blade into the skin.

“What do you think your chances are of living if you don’t talk to me?”

Rover’s breathing had become shallow and his pupils were now pinpricks.

“O- Okay,” he whimpered. “I’ll talk. I’ll talk.”

“You see?” Jay said, pulling the knife away. He walked back to the block and slid the blade back into place.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

He took a seat at the table across from Rover once more.

“So, who do you work for? And be sure to answer honestly.”

“I… I don’t know who they are,” Rover answered. “They don’t tell us nothing. Only when they need work done. It’s always the same pony that pays us. The one in the hood…” Rover trailed off.

“Go on,” Jay said. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Tell me about this pony in the hood.”

“He’s pushy,” Rover growled. “Always giving orders. Always demanding. He talks weird too. Whenever I ask about pay, he says stuff about a ‘transformation’ or something. Us diamond dogs not care about that. Only getting payed for the work they have us do.”

“You keep saying ‘they,’” Jay said. “You mean that there are others besides this hooded guy?”

“Sometimes,” Rover answered. “But never more than two come with him.”

“You have a designated meeting point then?” Jay asked.

“Out in Everfree,” Rover said. “It’s always in front of this big cave. We tried to change it to be closer to our hideout, but the hooded pony got angry. He started complaining about not wanting to walk so far just so he could ‘converse with us racketeers.’ Whatever that means.”

“When you were hired to deal with Twilight and I, did they tell you why?” Jay asked. “Did they give you any specific instructions?”

“He told us to make it messy,” Rover said, gazing at the wall. “He wanted you hurt badly. Slowly... But it all had to be done before sunset.”

“Before sunset?” Jay raised an eyebrow. “Did he give you a reason?”

“I asked him why,” Rover explained. “One of the ponies that was with him began to say something about, ‘holy fire,’ and, ‘the fall of false gods.’”

Jay looked down at his watch. It was getting late. Sunset was only an hour away at the most.

“Well, it took awhile, but you’ve been at least somewhat helpful,” Jay said, rising from his seat.

“Is there anything else you remember about your last get together? Anything at all?” he asked, removing the revolver and spare cartridge from the table.

“Only that the hooded pony was in a rush to get it over with,” Rover snorted. “He said something about having a meeting with a princess. It must have been joke, because the ponies with him laughed. I didn’t get it though.”

Jay went rigid at the mention of the princess.

“That can’t be good,” he thought.

“Are you sure?” Jay asked.

“Yeah,” Rover said, shrugging his shoulders. “They all kept laughing about how, ‘a knife in the back isn’t painful enough,’ and that, ‘the harlot will get a blast to the face instead.’ Then they yelled at us for not having left yet.”

“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go now,” Jay said as he hurriedly made his way to the door. Then he stopped and turned around, raising a finger.

“Oh, and don’t think about escaping. I’d rather not have to make a mess of Twilight’s kitchen, okay? Okay. You behave yourself now. Bye!”

With that, Jay excused himself from the room, leaving Rover to contemplate his current predicament.

******

“Well?” Twilight asked as soon as Jay had returned.

“What happened? Did he say anything? What did you do to him?”

“We had a little talk,” Jay replied as he strode over to the black chest in the center of the room. “He told me a little about his employers. That’s all.”

“We heard shouting, so we started to get worried…” Fluttershy said timidly.

“How did you get him to talk?” Dash asked, eyeing Jay with a hint of contempt.

“I simply asked him a few questions,” Jay grunted, reaching over to the nearest duffel bag and dragging it closer to him.

“And he answered them. Well, some of them.”

“What are you in such a hurry for?” Applejack asked.

“No reason,” Jay said, digging through the bag. He pulled out a small communications device that was akin to the one he had given to Luna the night before. Placing it in his ear, he began to rummage through the chest once more.

“I just have to run a quick errand.”

“Where?” Twilight asked, becoming perturbed by this sudden change of pace.

“To Canterlot, and fast,” Jay replied. “In the meantime, I need you girls to keep an eye on our guest. Lock him in the basement if you have to. I take it you’ve thought up some questions since you heard that recording? We can talk about that later.”

Jay withdrew a small silver rod from the chest and got to his feet.

“Ice, divert our sector scans to the Everfree Forest,” Jay ordered. “Make a clean sweep and pay extra attention to tunnel systems. The Marker is probably located underground.”

“Yes sir,” Ice said.

“Let me know when you get a pinpoint on its location,” Jay said, brushing past Twilight as he walked to the front door. “I want to know where this thing is the same second that you do.”

“Wait, what’s going on?” Twilight asked, trotting after Jay. “Why aren’t you telling us?”

“I will, but not now,” Jay said. “Where’s my bag?”

“Here you go!” Pinkie said. She was now standing in front of the human, the bag held between her teeth.

“Thanks,” Jay said, deciding not to concern himself with just how the pony had appeared out of nowhere.

“How are you even going to get to Canterlot?” Dash asked. “The fastest way there is by train. It’s not even running now.”

“Ice,” Jay said, tapping the earpiece lightly.

“Yes?” Ice’s voice replied, emanating from the device’s speaker.

“I need a package delivered,” Jay said. “How fast can you get the ‘Sidewinder Kit’ down here?”

He opened the front door of the library and took a peek outside. The street was relatively empty, with only a smattering of townsfolk up and about. Jay took the silver rod, gave it a twist, and tossed it into a nearby clearing.

“Coordinates received,” Ice said. “It should be there in the next minute or so.”

“Thanks, Ice,” Jay said. He slung his bag over his shoulder and turned to face the ponies.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Jay said. “Ice will keep you up to speed on what’s happening. Give me a call if you feel like it.”

After Jay had finished his address, a distant crackling could be heard from far above. The entire group stepped outside and turned their gazes skyward.

Cutting a path through the thin blanket of clouds that littered the sky was a large, blazing object. A series of sharp, popping noises could be heard as the base of the object grew brighter and began to slow. Without warning, a foil sail exploded from the top of the projectile, acting as a parachute and allowing it to drift through the air.

“What is that?” Twilight asked with a sense of fascination.

“And where did it come from?” Fluttershy asked.

“Is it from space?” Pinkie inquired excitedly. “Is it a UFO?”

“It’s just a container,” Jay said as the vessel landed with a dull thud, its sail draping over it in a graceful manner.

“A container for what?” Twilight asked.

Jay calmly walked over to the container and pulled the sail away, revealing the metal box beneath. Its color was a dull gray, as if it had been coated in ash. An array of faded numbers and symbols were displayed on each face. Embedded in the side closest to Jay was a yellow lever connected to a large panel.

Jay took hold of the lever and gave it a firm tug. It was warm, yet still cool enough to touch. The lever pulled away from the panel with ease, causing it to slide open with a loud hiss. A burst of steam escaped from the inside of the unsealed container as its pressure equalized with that of the outside air.

As Jay performed these tasks, Twilight was becoming increasingly irritated at the human’s unwillingness to respond to her questions. She gave a nervous look to the townsfolk that were still on the open street. Many of them were watching the current events unfold with a sense of unease.

“Jay!” Twilight shouted from the steps of the library. “What are you doing?”

“I need a way to get to Canterlot,” Jay said, letting the container’s panel to lower to the ground and creating a built in ramp.

“So, I called for a ride.”

Jay ducked his head down and stepped inside the container. What little sunlight that shone inside revealed a tarp that was pinned to the floor of the container by four latches. Jay went about detaching these restraints and pulled the tarp away.

Jay smiled at what resided underneath and placed both hands on the object, pushing it out of the container.

What Jay wheeled out was a contraption that seemed quite foreign, not to mention impractical, to the ponies.

It was clearly a vehicle of some sort. It was supported by just two relatively thin wheels and possessed a set of handlebars as the only obvious means of steering. In place of a conventional seat was a thick rubber pad. The metal frame of the vehicle was painted with a series of black and gray speckles, as if to serve as camouflage.

“This, my friends, is what is known as an ‘all-terrain, motorized, combat bike,’” Jay explained.

“Of course, I just call it, ‘The Sidewinder.’ Catchy, no?”

Jay kicked a metallic rod away from the base of the bike, allowing it to stand without his support. He then walked back into the dropped container, only to return a moment later with a pair of matte black cases in his arms. They were joined together by a length of dense fabric, giving them the appearance of saddlebags. Jay tossed these over the back of the bike and checked to make sure that they were secure.

“I notice a lack of questions coming from your mouths at the moment,” Jay said as he swung his right leg over the seat of the bike.

“I’ll take that as a blessing,” Jay said. “Seeing as that I really must be off, we don’t have much time to chat. That, and I also really don’t feel like explaining basic concepts to you right now. Feel free to ask Ice whatever you want. I’m sure she’ll be able to provide you with more insight than what you currently have.”

Jay knocked the metal rod that was previously holding the bike up back into place and took hold the handlebars. He then extended his fingers on his left hand to squeeze a silver lever on the handle. Next, he raised his right foot up onto another lever that was located just above the base of the bike and gave a firm, downward kick.

The machine sprang to life, uttering a series of loud coughs from the pipe located at the rear of the bike. A small puff of smoke escaped along with it. This sudden outburst caused all the ponies to jump in fright.

“I shouldn’t be gone too long,” Jay said as he gave the right grip of the handlebars a few quick turns, causing the bike to sputter even more.

“If I am, then that means something has probably gone horribly wrong. Like I said though, feel free to give me a call if you start feeling antsy. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

Without another word, Jay was off, leaving behind a trail of dust as the tires of the bike tore over the dirt road. The group of ponies he had left behind watched as the human sped away.

“What’s gotten into him?” Applejack asked, shaking her head.

“Are you sure that spell of yours didn’t screw him up even more?” Dash asked Twilight.

“Whatever is going on, it can’t be good,” Twilight replied grimly.

“I just hope Jay knows what he’s doing.”

20 - The Longest Ride

“C’mon, c’mon,” Jay muttered to himself as he raced his bike alongside the train tracks that extended over the rugged mountain terrain.

The small black earpiece continued its soft, ringing tone as it attempted to make contact with its partner in Canterlot. It was the fifth time that Jay had attempted to call Luna since he had left Ponyville.

The earpiece uttered one final ring before going silent, signifying that no one had answered.

“Shit,” Jay thought. “No way I’m getting there in time at this rate. Unless…”

Jay eyed the tracks next to him. They were fairly wide and seemed to be well maintained. If he were to ride along the rail ties, there was a chance he could make it to the city sooner. It’d be risky, though. Once he was in between the metal railing, there wouldn’t be much room for error. The bike’s wheels wouldn’t be able to clear them without some assistance.

“Ah, screw it,” Jay thought. “We’re on the clock.”

He clenched his teeth and braced himself, firmly grasping the handlebars. Jay then pressed his boots down on the footholds of the bike, while simultaneously raising himself up from his seat, knees bent. He waited until he found a patch of ground that was close to the tracks before attempting to swerve the bike.

As soon as the bike hit the small rise of dirt, it was up in the air. Not more that a second later, its rubber treads collided with the ties at the center of the tracks. The frame of the bike dipped for just a moment before the wheels began to bounce up and down along the wooden boards. It seemed that the suspension system was still working as intended.

Jay breathed a small sigh of relief at this and allowed his form to relax. He gave his earpiece a small tap as he listened to the repetitive thumping of the tires skipping over the wooden ties.

“Ice!” Jay said shouted over the wind that was threatening to drown out his voice.

“You still there? How are things going?”

“Your friends are quite curious,” Ice responded as soon as Jay had finished speaking. “They want to know why you are here, who you really are, and why you left.”

“Is that all?” Jay chuckled. “I thought we already covered that. Just give them a more complicated answer. You know the restrictions. Try to shift their focus if they get too nosy.”

“Why did you leave in such a hurry, sir?” Ice asked. “I don’t believe you ever gave me a reason.”

Jay couldn’t help but smile at Ice’s phrasing. She didn’t just believe that he hadn’t told her why he had left, she knew for a fact that he didn’t.

“I didn’t want to worry the others,” Jay said. “They’re spooked enough as it is.”

“It must be something serious if you’re requesting emergency equipment drops in broad daylight,” Ice remarked. “Are we expecting trouble?”

“We’re always expecting trouble,” Jay said, flashing a quick glance at the cargo fastened to the side of the bike. He twisted the throttle grip as far as it would go, altering the steady thump of the tires to a consistent hum.

“I believe that’s referred to as, ‘paranoia,’ sir,” Ice said. “By the way, how are you feeling?”

“My head’s still pounding, I’m possibly suffering from psychotic tendencies, and I feel like my stomach is trying to eat itself,” Jay replied. “But other than that, I think I’m okay.”

“Glad to hear it,” Ice chirped. “Try not to strain yourself. We don’t know the full extent of Miss Sparkle’s endeavors.”

“I’ll do my best,” Jay said.

He blinked a few times against the force of the wind, his eyes tearing up as he did. In his rush to get going, he had forgotten to put on his shades. It was a decision that had come back to bite him.

“Sure you will,” Ice giggled. “Let me know when the show starts. I’ll bring the music.”

Jay laughed at the comment as he recalled images of films he used to watch in his free time, many of which were made long before he was around. The flickering scan lines against the monitor, the cheesy acting, and the outlandishly implausible situations which the protagonists were always able to overcome.

He began to imagine how ridiculous it would be if the sound of synthesized music began to play as he rode across through the valley. All the while, groups of cameras would follow his every move, eventually culminating into the what would probably be the one of the most laughable montages ever conceived.

“I’ll try and remember that,” Jay said. “Call me when something interesting happens.”

“Yes, sir,” Ice said. “Good luck.”

With that said, the call ended.

“Something tells me that I’m going to need more than luck,” Jay muttered, his eyes continuing to water. It was becoming a serious distraction.

Making sure to keep his attention focused on the tracks ahead of him, Jay lowered his left hand to his waist and began to blindly feel for the flap of his messenger bag. Finding it, he rummaged around inside until he located his glasses. He quickly pulled them out and put them on.

“That’s better,” Jay said, blinking the tears out of his eyes. He took hold of the handlebars with both hands again and continued to ride. But not before giving his earpiece another light tap.

“Someone’s bound pick up the phone,” Jay thought as he listened to the device ring.

“Sooner or later.”

******

“I can’t believe you!” Celestia cried, slamming her hoof down onto the table. A few of the dishes rattled from force of the blow, the sound echoing through the main dining hall of the palace.

Luna slowly sipped at her coffee as she listened to her sister’s furious remarks. It was about the only thing helping her stay awake at the moment.

“What has gotten into you?” Celestia continued, rising to her hooves and beginning to pace around the room. She quickly flashed a commanding glare at the servants who were attending them. They took the hint, making themselves scarce, less they to wish to suffer the princess’s wrath.

“Sneaking off at night, meeting with strangers in secret, and then granting said strangers access to royal assets!” Celestia ranted. “Honestly, Luna! Do you really think that thing can help, or are you just trying to undermine my decisions?”

“As I recall, it was the council’s decision, not yours,” Luna sighed, taking another sip of her drink. She found these one sided conversations to be rather boring.

“That is not the point!” Celestia retorted. “You went against the direct order of the royal authority.”

“Correction,” Luna prompted. “The council decreed that they could not accept Jay’s help. I am not affiliated with the council, nor do I take orders from them. Nor do you, for that matter. As long as you are in power, they are only advisers. I took Jay on as an informant. Who I employ in my guard is my concern and mine alone.”

Celestia gritted her teeth as she listened to Luna’s explanation, but she knew that her sister was right.

“You’re treading a very thin line, Luna” Celestia warned. “I suggest that you take caution.”

“Likewise,” Luna replied, setting her now empty cup onto the dining table. “Now, seeing as you have exhausted all of your current hostilities, I should be off.”

“Somewhere you need to go?” Celestia asked, not overly expectant of an answer.

“I feel like taking a rest for awhile,” Luna said, getting up from her chair and walking to the door. “Or, at the very least, some quite time to think.”

“Finally taking my advice?” Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow.

“So it would seem,” Luna mumbled.

As Luna opened the door that lead out to the hallway, she was almost knocked to the ground by a pony who happened to be entering the dining room at the same moment.

“Why don’t you watch where you’re-” Iris Scroll began to say, before noticing who it was that he was addressing. “Oh! Forgive me, princess. I didn’t realize that it was you.”

“In quite a rush, aren’t we, counselor?” Luna asked, once she had regained her balance. “Is there something you need?”

“Just to speak to Princess Celestia,” Scroll said, pushing up his spectacles. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course,” Luna replied. She stepped past Scroll and into the hall, leaving the counselor alone with her sister.

“What is it that you wish to discuss, counselor?” Celestia sighed. Sliding back into her seat. She lifted one other the pastries from the tray in front of her and took a frustrated bite. The tray was almost empty, as Celestia always seemed to eat more when she was perturbed.

“Well, I’ve been doing some research in regards to this ‘Marker’ just as you had asked,” Scroll said, fiddling with one of the saddlebags that he was carrying on his back. “The archivists and I have scoured just about every document we could find, but we’ve had no luck in finding any references to it. Other than the record of the mining incident, of course.”

“I see…” Celestia said, leaning back in her seat. “Anything else?”

“At one point I consulted with Counselor Cloud Quill on the matter, but he had little to offer. Which reminds me…” Scroll said, withdrawing an envelope from his bag and presenting it to the princess. “He asked me to deliver this to you.”

“Thank you, counselor,” Celestia said, taking the letter and setting it on the table. “Is that all?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Scroll said, bowing his head. “I will take my leave.”

With that, Iris Scroll departed from the dining room, leaving only Celestia.

The princess closed her eyes and took a deep breath, resting her hooves on the table. When she opened them, she found herself staring at the envelope that she had been given. Celestia sighed and casually opened it, expecting another appeal to consider hiring new help at the palace. She unfolded the letter that was inside and began to read.

“I have important news to discuss with you regarding the investigation, though it must be in private. I fear that there are conspirators in our midst. Meet me at the top of the eastern observation tower. I’m aware that it is currently under construction, but it is the most secluded place that comes to mind. Please, make haste. I will await your arrival. - Cloud Quill”

Celestia frowned as she put down the letter. She found it odd that Cloud Quill would be one to call a secret meeting with her. It the idea didn’t sit well with her for some reason.

“I might as well hear what he has to say,” Celestia thought, rising up from her seat and slowly trotting to the door.

“Perhaps it will be something of interest for once.”

******

Luna opened the door to her bedchamber and let out a drowsy yawn. The room was dark, the curtains drawn over the windows and the lights all doused. It was just like Luna liked it.

The furnishings were sparse and simple. Not nearly as elegant as the rest of the palace, but still practical.

She walked over to her bed, which was rather accommodating in size. It was of the canopy sort; long lengths of dark cloth wrapping around the posts that made up its frame.

Luna pulled back the sheets that covered the mattress and started the process of removing her regalia. However, as she was attempting to unclasp her collar, she heard the sound of a soft beeping.

Luna’s ears perked up at the noise and she began to scan the room, trying to determine the origin of the sound. Her gaze eventually came to rest on the vanity that resided at the other side of the room. She cocked her head in confusion and trotted over to investigate.

The vanity tabletop was covered with very little in terms of cosmetics. Only a few bottles of eye shadow, a small jewelry box, and a single silver brush. Luna opened the jewelry box to find the earpiece that Jay had given her.

It was pulsating with a blue light and emitting a series of beeps, signalling that someone was attempting to call.

Luna delicately lifted the device out of the box and placed it in her right ear.

“Hello?” she said, staring at herself in the mirror.

“Luna?” Jay’s voice answered in surprise. “Is that you?”

“Yes,” Luna said, wincing at the volume of Jay’s voice. It was accompanied by what sounded to Luna like the rushing of wind, along with another noise that she could not identify.

“It’s me. What do you need?”

“I’ve been trying to call you for the past twenty minutes,” Jay said. “Where are you?”

“In my room,” Luna answered, looking back at her bed. “I was about to go to sleep. Why do you ask?”

“Look, don’t ask how I know, but I think something is about to go down,” Jay said. “I think you and Celestia are in danger.”

“Jay, if this is supposed to be a joke, I don’t find it very funny,” Luna sighed.

“You think this a crank call?” Jay yelled over the wind. “I’m serious, Luna. Where is Celestia?”

“The dining hall was the last place I saw her,” Luna said, now very much alert. She could sense the urgency in Jay's tone.

“Was she with anyone else?” Jay asked.

“I was the only one with her,” Luna said. “Although…”

“What?” Jay asked. “What is it?”

“Perhaps it is nothing…” Luna said. “But, as I was leaving, Counselor Scroll was intent on discussing something with Celestia.”

“Do you have any idea what he wanted to talk to her about?” Jay asked.

“He didn’t say,” Luna replied, trotting back to the nightstand where she had left her crown and hastily placing it back upon her head. “They may still be there.”

“Okay,” Jay said. “I can see the city now. I’ll be there as quick as I can, but I need you to warn Celestia. This pendant of yours should get me into the castle, right?”

“Yes,” Luna said, trotting to the hall door. “Wait, just how are you getting here?”

“I’ll explain later,” Jay said. “Just find Celestia and hope.”

“Hope for what?” Luna asked, throwing her door open and galloping down the hall.

“That I’m wrong,” Jay said before hanging up.

21 - The Tower

Jay squeezed the brake lever as hard as he could, forcing a bike to skid across the rail ties. It created a miniature storm of dust and rock as the wheels locked, bringing the bike to a stop in front of the Canterlot train station.

The human turned his head back the way he had come to see the horizon preparing to receive the setting sun. He scowled at this and dismounted from his bike. Holding it by both handlebars, Jay hefted the vehicle over the metal tracks and up onto the uninhabited waiting platform.

“No time to get through the city on foot,” Jay thought, quickly jumping back onto the bike. “Let’s just hope that the streets are clear.”

He pinned the throttle, causing the rear wheel spin in place for a moment. It generated a cloud of smoke before the bike shot off in the direction of the castle.

Luckily, most of the streets were sparsely populated, just as they had been the night before. Any passersby that did happen to see Jay quickly stepped out of the way, gawking at the strange contraption that roared past them.

“Less than twenty-four hours and here I am again,” Jay thought as he made a turn at a narrow intersection. “This déjà vu shit is really starting to get on my nerves.”

“Add it to the list,” he mumbled to himself.

The sound of the Sidewinder’s engine bounced from wall to wall as it sped down the shadowy roads. The incline of the terrain was steadily beginning to slope upwards, an indication that Jay was nearing the palace.

“I really wish I could’ve had a chance to change,” Jay thought, taking a quick glance at the sleeves of his wrinkly, blood stained shirt. “Not very presentable when you look it.”

The gate of the castle was now visible as Jay emerged from the maze of buildings that the city was comprised of. As soon as he reached it, Jay wasted no time in coming to a screeching halt and killing the engine of the bike. He knocked the kickstand loose with his foot and swung himself off of the bike.

The guards who were stationed at the gate stood frozen in shock, unsure of what to do. They watched as Jay hefted the two saddlebags off of the bike and sling them over his shoulder.

Jay turned to the guards and withdrew the medallion he had been carrying around with him.

“I’m here on royal business of a critical nature,” Jay said, flashing the medallion at the guards as he walked between them. “I request that you to inform your captain that I’ve I arrived. Oh, and don’t touch my bike.”

He didn’t wait for a response as he briskly strolled through the open gate and toward the main entrance. On his way there, Jay noticed the multiple rows of shrubbery that he was passing. Their leaves rose roughly to the height of his waist and were quite dense. Checking that there was no one around to see him, Jay quickly stowed the saddlebags in the bushes and continued on his way.

“You can never be too careful,” he thought.

******

Luna galloped through the corridors that led the dining hall as fast as her legs could carry her, the sound of her hooves echoing of the white marble walls. As she did this, a sudden flash of realization became quite clear to her. She abruptly skidded to a halt, almost tripping over her own legs as she did.

“What in Equestria am I doing?” Luna asked herself, stamping her hoof in frustration.

Her horn began to crackle with energy as she prepared to cast the teleportation spell. She cursed herself for not thinking to use it sooner. Luna closed her eyes as her body was engulfed in a brilliant wave of light. When she opened them, she found herself standing in the middle of the dining hall.

The room was utterly silent, Luna being the only pony present. She let out a disgruntled snort at this discovery and turned to leave. She then noticed the letter that was sitting idle on her sister’s plate. Curiously, Luna walked over to the note and lifted it up for examination. Her eyes narrowed as she read the contents of the message.

“Jay!” Luna called out, unsure of whether or not he could hear her. “Jay, are you there?”

She held her breath in anticipation of a response.

“Yeah, I’m here,” Jay’s voice replied. “What’s up? Did you find Celestia?”

“No,” Luna said, letting out a sigh of relief when she heard the human’s voice. “Although, I believe I know where she’s going. I found a letter from Cloud Quill. He asks Celestia to meet with him privately in the eastern observation tower.”

“Now that doesn’t sound suspicious at all!” Jay laughed.

“Are you alright?” Luna asked. Though she could tell that the he was being sarcastic, she found his tone to be off-putting, to say the least.

“Oh, I’m just swell,” Jay huffed. It sounded as if he was running. “Pardon my shortness. I went through some shit not too long ago. Remind me to add context later.”

“Where are you now?” Luna asked as she walked out into the hall.

“Hell if I know,” Jay replied. “Near the council room, if I had to guess.”

“Then we’re fairly close to each other,” Luna said. “When you reach the council room door, head down the narrow corridor that’s nearby. You’ll find two sets of stairs at the end. Take the one on the left. That should bring you to me.”

“Got it,” Jay said. “I’ll see you soon.”

The call ended as Luna ran across the marble floor to meet Jay. All the while, she dreaded the implications of what the human had said. As for what he hadn’t, even more so.

******

Celestia continued her leisurely gait across the golden bridge that connected the observation tower to the rest of the palace. She enjoyed the cool breeze that rolled over her. It served as a momentary distraction from the chaotic nature of the past few days. A semblance of calm and relaxation.

The princess gazed off at her sun, reminding herself to complete the process of laying it to rest once the meeting was over. She began to ponder the nature of Cloud Quill’s request. He was not one to take an sort of affirmative action.

“This entire ordeal is becoming more vexing by the minute,” Celestia thought, arriving at the base of the eastern tower. She opened the door and began the climb to the top.

******

“Finally!” Jay exclaimed once he had found Luna waiting for him at the top of the staircase.

“Every freaking hall looks the same in this place. You guys should really invest in some directional signs. Or at least some maps.”

“It is good to see you as well,” Luna replied. “Now, hold still. I’m going to teleport us to the observatory.”

“Woah, wait a minute now,” Jay huffed, still catching his breath. “As much as I love the thought of atomizing myself from one place to another, that may not be the best idea right now.”

“What are you talking about?” Luna asked, anxious to get underway.

“We’ve got no clue what we’ll be walking into. Well, zapping into, I suppose. Or whatever the appropriate term is.” Jay shrugged his shoulders dismissively. “The point is, we need to be careful. We don’t want to get transported right into the path of a rogue arrow or some shit. I know that I sure as hell don’t. At the very least, put us outside of the tower.”

“You should know that vulgarity is quite an unbecoming trait,” Luna said, furrowing her brow. “But, your query is noted. Now, I suggest you brace yourself.”

Jay watched as streams of energy from Luna’s horn wove around the pair, closing his eyes when it became too bright to look at. He clenched his fists in anticipation for whatever feeling he was about to experience.

“Is it too late to-” Jay began to say before a wave of light swallowed him whole.

******

The observatory had seen little use in the recent weeks. The tower’s supports had been scheduled for maintenance and access to the upper floors was, for the most part limited. Celestia noted the dust that had gathered on some of the various tables and instruments as she entered the room near the top of the stairs.

In the other end of the room, gazing out over the city from behind a large window was a cloaked figure. They didn’t appear to be aware of Celestia’s presence. This made the princess somewhat weary. She looked around the room, looking for anything that seemed out of place. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she decided to speak.

“Counselor, is that you?” she asked.

The figure didn’t respond.

“Counselor?” Celestia asked once more, louder this time.

The figure jumped, falling backwards. The sudden burst of movement startled Ceslestia.

“Oh, Princess!” Cloud Quill exclaimed, shakily lifting himself from the ground. “Forgive me, I was lost in thought. You gave me quite a fright,” he said, removing his hood.

Celestia lowered her guard, annoyed with herself for being so skittish.

“It’s quite alright, Counselor,” she sighed. “Though, this is quite a strange place to meet, don’t you think?”

“Er- I suppose it is,” Cloud Quill said, observing the features of the dimly lit room. He then looked up at Celestia, remaining silent.

“Well?” Celestia prompted, staring at the counselor expectantly.

“Well… what?” Cloud Quill asked, appearing confused.

Celestia rolled her eyes at the counselor’s reply.

“What is it that you wanted to discuss?” Celestia asked.

“I’m sorry, Princess, but I’m not quite sure what you are referring to,” the counselor replied.

Celestia let out a huff, becoming increasingly irritated. She was beginning to wonder if this was just a waste of time.

“Iris Scroll delivered your letter to me himself. It asked me to meet you here,” Celestia explained. “You said you had information about the investigation and that we needed to talk in private.”

“Really?” Cloud Quill asked, becoming more perplexed. “Well, that is rather odd.”

“What do mean?” Celestia asked, now considering whether or not she should just leave.

“You say that Scroll delivered the letter?” Cloud Quill asked.

“Yes,” Celestia replied. She had grown tired of this banter and was about to make her way toward the door.

“Well, it’s just that Counselor Scroll told me that you wanted to discuss some of the policies that I had proposed,” Cloud Quill explained.

Celestia froze at the sound of the counselor’s words.

“Are you sure?” she asked, turning to face Cloud Quill.

“I’m quite positive,” Cloud Quill said.

He suddenly scrunched his nose, covering it with one of his hooves.

“Oh my, what is that awful smell?” he asked, fanning the air around him.

Celestia’s eyes began to tear up as the mysterious aroma wafted over her as well. It smelled pungent and bitter, like sulfur. It was only then that Celestia heard the hissing noise that came from beneath her feet.

“Oh no,” she whispered as the floor began to tremble.

******

The sensation Jay felt was a peculiar one. It was if he was standing still while the entire world moved under his feet. When he opened his eyes, he found himself on the western end of the golden bridge that led to the observatory. Patting himself down, he made sure that everything was in the correct place.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad!” Jay laughed.

He then proceeded to vomit over the side of the bridge.

“The first few trips may prove to be a bit... strenuous for some,” Luna said, looking down at the human.

“Duly noted,” Jay coughed. “I’m beginning to think that magic and I don’t mix.”

“Wait, do you hear that?” Luna asked walking toward the center of the bridge.

Jay stopped talking for a moment in an attempt to better make out the sound that Luna had mentioned.

“Yeah, I do,” Jay said, tilting his head back to examine the tower in front of them. “It sounds like… like a hissing.”

Then, he saw it.

Jutting out from the side of the tower that faced the city was a series of metallic pipes that had been installed by the construction crews the day before. At the ends of the pipes, small bursts of flame and black smoke sputtered out. The hissing noise was steadily becoming a high pitched whine.

“That’s not good,” Jay muttered, his eyes widening.

“Did you say something?” Luna asked.

“Get down!” Jay shouted, tackling the princess to the ground.

“Oof,” Luna grunted as the human landed on top of her. “Just what do you think you’re-”

The rest of her sentence was drowned out as the pair was sent rolling across the bridge by the roar of explosions that erupted from the tower.

22 - Structural Integrity

A vast cloud of dust hung over the eastern side of the castle, completely obscuring the tower bridge. It was difficult to see anything that was more than a few feet away.

Jay rolled onto his back, groaning.

Putting a hand to his ringing ear, he felt a trickle of blood beginning to form.

“Oh, great. As if I didn’t have enough of a headache already,” he grumbled. “Luna? Luna, you alright?”

“I- I believe so,” Jay heard the princess say. Her voice was muffled, along with everything else. He turned his head to see her shambling in his direction.

“What happened?” Luna coughed. “What was that?”

“A bomb, maybe?” Jay shakily got to his feet, doing his best not to fall flat on his face. “Whatever it was, it hurt like a bitch.”

“Wait, where is- Oh no…” Luna whispered.

She peered through the wispy haze at what was left of the observatory’s top floor. Plumes of smoke rose from the head of the battered spire, rising to heights that would be visible from miles away.

“Celestia!” Luna cried. She began to stumble across the bridge.

“Wait!” Jay shouted after Luna, shooting a panicked glance at the tower.

It had begun to shift.

The shattered marble walls groaned, unable to take the stress of the damage from the explosion.

Jay wrapped his arms around Luna’s waist and pulled her to the ground, just as the structure gave way.

The tower crumbled to pieces as it collapsed, colliding with the lower castle turrets. They were crushed under the immense force of the falling debris, becoming part of the avalanche that tumbled to the city below.

The bridge Jay and Luna were standing on began to rumble as the falling mass of rubble shredded the buildings supporting it.

“Shit!” Jay shouted, pulling Luna to her hooves.

“We need to go! Now!”

He began to push the dazed princess across the bridge.

As they ran for the door, Jay could feel the ground beneath his feet buckle and roll.

“Don’t stop!” Jay yelled. He pumped his arms, running as fast as he could behind Luna.

The door was just a few yards away now.

“We’re almost-”

The bridge tore away from its supports with a horrendous screeching noise.

The golden pass tumbled and crashed down the mountain, melding with the rest of the destruction at the bottom of the mountain in a twisted heap of metal and stone.

Luna burst through the door at the end of the walkway, crumpling to the ground as she tried to catch her breath. Panting, she stood back up, to process her current situation.

“Huff- What do -huff- How did this happen, Jay? What are we going to do?”

She mentally braced herself for some new sarcastic reply or a dry remark, but heard none.

“Jay?”

The princess turned back to the door she had just come through.

Jay was nowhere to be seen.

Luna could feel her heart sink even lower than it already was.

“Jay!” she cried, running to the edge of the collapsed bridge. Gazing down at the wreckage below, she could hardly distinguish any particular shape. Luna stretched out her wings, preparing to descend in search of the human.

As she was about to jump however, she heard a distinctive voice.

“God damn it!”

“Jay?” Luna responded, searching for the source of the voice.

“Over here,” Jay replied.

Luna looked down past the drop off to see Jay dangling from what was left of the bridge’s railing.

“Jay, what are you doing down there?” Luna called in a panic.

“Oh, you know, the view was just so nice and I thought I should- What the fuck do you think I’m doing?” Jay yelled.

“Right, sorry,” Luna said.

“Look, just… I don’t know, pull me up or something,” Jay sighed. “I can feel myself slipping.”

“Alright, alright, hold still,” Luna said, her horn beginning to glow.

“Not like I have much choice or anything,” Jay mumbled under his breath.

He could feel something taking hold of him. Glancing down at his feet, he could see an aura of blue light surrounding his body.

He also saw how far of a drop it would be if Luna decided to let him fall.

“I need you to let go,” Luna said.

“Of what? The life I have planned?” Jay laughed nervously. “Yeah, that’s pretty much guaranteed if plummet to my death.”

“No, I meant that I require you-”

“Yeah, yeah, I know what you meant,” Jay said. He took a deep breath and braced himself for whatever was about to happen. “Okay, here we go.”

Jay squeezed his eyes shut and released his grip on the railing. He didn’t feel much of anything, which was hopefully a good sign. Not but a second later, he felt his feet make contact with the ground. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was now standing next to Luna on the edge of the bridge.

“You’re safe now,” Luna mumbled, walking back inside the castle.

“Uh, thanks,” Jay said, deciding to follow. “Are… Are you okay?”

Luna stopped dead in her tracks and slowly sat down in the middle of the hall, not saying anything.

“Er- Sorry,” Jay apologized. “I guess that-”

The princess abruptly began to weep, taking Jay by surprise.

He stood there, feeling awkward and unsure of what to do.

As Luna cried, tears rolled down her cheeks, mixing with the dust that clung to her fur. Her face flushed and her ears filled with the roaring sound of her racing blood.

She barely noticed that Jay had sat down next her, until his arm was around her, pulling her close to him.

Not quite an embrace, but still some kind of attempt at consolation.

Though this surprised her, Luna did not recoil the gesture. Instead, she allowed her head rest on the human’s shoulder and continued to sob.

Jay felt the princess’s warm tears begin to soak into the fabric of his shirt.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, attempting to collect his thoughts.

“What have you gotten yourself into?”

19 - The Calm Before the Storm

“It won’t be long now.”

The cardinal ducked his head down as passed a group chattering mares. He waited until he had turned the next block before raising his eyes once again.

Shadows were beginning to fill the streets of Canterlot as the sun began its slow descent into the distant horizon. It was much later than the cardinal had originally thought. He would have to hurry if he intended to properly arrange a meeting with Celestia.

His mind drifted back to the conversation he had with the other members of the church. They would not be pleased if the plans they had so carefully laid out did not proceed accordingly.

More importantly than that, “She” would not be pleased if something were to go awry.

“And if she is not pleased...” the cardinal thought. “Well, it’d be best not to think about such things.”

By “She,” the cardinal was of course referring to none other than the High Priestess. One of the few ponies he had ever feared or respected in all his life. She was the speaker for the holy Shard and leader of their church. Nothing happened without her approval. Her will and the church’s will, were one in the same.

“The red rock called out and we answered its cries,” the cardinal recited under his breath.

The gates of Canterlot Palace were now visible from beneath the pony’s hood. As he gazed up at the highest turret that hung over the cityscape, the cardinal could faintly make out a crew of construction workers who were just finishing their shift.

A single guard held his post in front of the entrance to the palace grounds. Seeing the hooded figure approaching him, the guard stood at attention.

Rather than stop the cardinal, he gave him a quick salute and allowed him to pass without hesitation. The cardinal nodded in return.

“We are the Children of the Shard,” the cardinal thought with a grin.

He shook his head, letting the hood of his cloak fall to his shoulders.

“And we are many.”

3 - Investigation

It was two o'clock and the afternoon sun shone brightly on Celestia's face. She took in the bustling hallway that surrounded her. Noise and images filled her mind in a flurry. Information flooded in from everywhere. It made it incredibly hard to think clearly, something the white alicorn was not fond of.

"A day filled with royal addresses and form approvals and this is the lowest point yet. Just my luck," Celestia thought.

A light tap on her shoulder from somepony's hoof was enough to break her trance. The alicorn princess gave a quick shake of her head, rainbow prism mane flowing, and turned towards the hoof's owner.

"Are you alright, Your Majesty?"

Celestia took a moment to analyze the inquiring equine that stood patiently beside her. It was the captain of the royal guard, Searchlight, an experienced leader who had served many years under her rule. Celestia considered him a loyal friend and was glad he was the one to be leading this investigation. She suddenly recalled the discussion they were having.

"My apologies, Captain. You were saying?"

Searchlight gestured towards a stallion being treated by a doctor over near the vault door. He had a bandage wrapped around his head, covering a large welt on the back of his scalp. Two guards stood on either side of the entrance to the vault, watching everypony that moved through the hall.

"That's the guard that was on duty last night," Searchlight continued in a gruff voice. "We questioned him about what happened, but he doesn't seem to remember much. Other than being knocked unconscious, that is."

Celestia let out a sigh as she stepped into the vault.

"What do we know about what was stolen?" she asked.

"That's just it," the Captain snorted, looking at the adjacent wall. "A room filled with treasures and all the thief takes is whatever was hidden behind this painting." He gestured to an overturned canvas that lay on the tile floor.

"Do we have any records of what this artifact might be?" Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If we do, we don't even know where to start." Searchlight tapped his hoof against the cold floor. "Though, Princess Luna did seem to have some recollection of what it might of been. She should be talking to one of the archivists as we speak. It sounded to me like she wants to know about what happened here as much as you do."

Celestia gave a small frown. The theft had taken place at night, her sister's domain, one that had been entrusted back into her care not that long ago. She could picture Luna now, furiously tearing through the archives, starlight mane flaring, deep blue eyes examining every document to a point. The fact that the event went completely unnoticed under Luna's watch was troubling. It would not be a mistake she would take lightly.

"Any idea of how the intruders made it this far without raising any alarms?" Celestia inquired.

Searchlight shook his head.

"There are no signs of forced entry, no record of anypony leaving the palace, not even the slightest hint that there was a theft. Other than the obvious of course," he said, eyes turning back to the assaulted guard, who was now being led down the hall by a doctor.

"Any theories of your own?" Celestia asked, peering into the hole in the wall.

"None that you'd like," sighed the Captain. "If you ask me, I think there was only one thief. It may have even been an inside job. For all we know, the culprit could still be on the palace grounds." He gave a small shrug. "Other than that, your guess is as good as mine."

Searchlight turned to see one of the guards escorting a young purple unicorn into the vault.

"It looks like you have a visitor, Princess. I'll be here if you need anything." Searchlight gave a quick salute, before going to talk to a few other guards.

"Ah, Twilight," Celestia said brightly, trotting over to greet her student. "It's good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Princess," replied Twilight, taken aback by the activity around her. "I came as quickly as I could, but the trains were running slow today. What's happened?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," said Celestia, looking around the room. Of course the trains were slow today. She had ordered the guards to check all ponies entering and leaving Canterlot. As Celestia's eyes passed over the hall, she noticed a tall, dark blue figure moving through the crowd. Celestia turned her gaze back to Twilight.

"Captain Searchlight can fill you in on the details. For now, I must discuss the matter with my sister. Excuse me for a moment."

Celestia approached Luna at a steady pace, leaving Twilight to talk to the Captain. She was anxious to learn what her sister had discovered about the stolen item. The fact that Luna was here meant that she had at least come across something of interest. Of that much, Celestia was certain.

"Sister, we are pleased to see thee," greeted Luna, looking up at her older sister.

Despite the fact that they were both powerful and ancient alicorns, Celestia still stood almost a foot taller than Luna. Not that it mattered much to anypony else, considering they tended to intimidate any normal-sized pony with their presence alone.

"Did you learn anything about the artifact that was taken?" Celestia asked promptly.

"We believe so," Luna replied coolly, observing the scene around her. "Though we find the information to be somewhat... disturbing."

She turned her attention towards the two ponies behind Celestia, a surprised expression forming on her face.

"We did not know that thou had sent for Twilight Sparkle. Art thou certain tis wise to include her in such affairs?"

Celestia gave an obvious roll of her eyes.

"Yes, Luna. We could use her assistance with this problem. She is my greatest pupil and a trustworthy friend. And trust is a valuable commodity at moments like this."

"Of course, sister." Luna gave a curt nod. "We only ask out of concern for thy student."

"Luna, remember how we talked about the way you speak?" Celestia asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "You needn't to be so formal anymore. A lot has changed in a thousand years."

Luna looked at the ground, rather embarrassed by her sister's remark.

"We- I mean, I'm sorry Tia. I'll do better to remember."

Both princesses suddenly noticed that Twilight had begun to walk towards them, having finished what little there was to discuss with the captain.

"Princess Luna." Twilight respectfully nodded at the star-maned mare. "It's good to see you again. Did you learn anything from your visit to the archives?"

Luna gave a small smile in return.

"It is good to see thee- I mean, you, as well, Twilight Sparkle. I was just about to go over the details with Celestia. Though, it appears that you will be joining us. If you would both follow me, I believe I have found something of interest."

******

The three ponies entered one of the archive's many chambers. It was a room filled with knowledge, centuries old. All of it recorded, yet much of it forgotten. At the front of the room, only a short walk from the entrance, there was a long table covered in ancient books and scrolls.

Princess Luna walked over to a particular book and lifted it with her magic, placing it on a nearby podium for the others to see.

"This is a record of events from a failed mining expedition that took place within the Everfree Forest," Luna explained as she flipped through the text. "The documentations predate the founding of present day Ponyville by more than a millennium. It's amazing that they even still exist. Even I scarcely recall the events within."

"Wait," Twilight interjected, "aren't the oldest texts kept in deep storage? How did you manage to find this so quickly?"

Luna nodded grimly.

"That's just it, Twilight. This book was viewed recently, perhaps even multiple times. It was lying out in the open." She gestured to a few sheets of parchment in the book. "Notice how the pages do not stick," the princess noted, turning through the articles. "This is not common with older texts in storage. And here as well. See how a reader marked pages of interest," Luna said, running her hoof over a creased corner. "Although why they did not go to greater efforts to hide their research, I do not know."

"What was so interesting about this expedition?" Celestia asked, looking over Luna's shoulder. "And what does it have to do with the artifact?"

"I see you struggle to recall these events as well, sister," Luna continued. "It says here that the mine was open for under a year and overseen by a team fifty strong. Surveyors detected high concentrations of gems, making it a valuable find. As excavation began, more readings began to appear unlike any ever recorded. Around this time, some of the miners reported sounds of a piercing whine. It only worsened as they continued digging. The team leads dismissed it as some sort of isolated paranoia, and had the workers continue as scheduled."

Twilight cocked her head as Luna turned to the next page. She noticed the fierce intensity of the princess's gaze.

"The miners soon came across some sort of cavern that they described as 'Too perfect to be a natural occurrence.' In the center of the cavern was a pedestal. It was here that the miners found an artifact which had been dubbed 'The Codex.' It was said to be a metallic cylinder, just over a foot in length. Bizarre symbols had been etched into the surface. The Codex was sent to the unicorn's school of magic for study, then stored away at the Everfree castle archives after it had been documented. It must have been moved to the vault after Canterlot was built."

Luna stopped to catch her breath. By now, both Celestia and Twilight were leaning to get a better view of the text.

"Is that all?" Celestia asked impatiently.

"On the matter of the artifact itself, yes," Luna replied, oblivious of her sister's tone. "It's what else they found that is disturbing." She turned back to the article.

"Embedded in the floor around the pedestal, there were shards of red rock. These were covered in the same foreign symbols as the Codex. The miners who attempted to remove the shards all fell back in pain, clutching their heads. The records are scattered from there on. Some mentions of team members experiencing hallucinations, mass hysteria, acts of murder, suicides..."

Luna paused to compose herself.

"Even reports of cannibalism. Only thirteen of the crew managed to escape the mine. It was sealed off from the world and forgotten. Until now."

They all stood wide-eyed. The room was quiet enough to hear all of their hearts racing.

"But why would somepony take an interest in something so horrible?" Twilight questioned, breaking the silence. "I mean, how would they even know about this incident? Not even you two remember it happening."

"That's what we need to find out," Luna stated matter-of-factly. "I propose that I go and examine the mine. Its location is provided by the text. If you are willing to come, Twilight, I would gladly welcome the assistance."

"I'm always up for a little hooves-on research," Twilight said, looking to the princess. "I'm in! That is... if you're okay with it, Celestia."

Celestia slowly nodded, contemplating the situation.

"Find out whatever you can, but be careful. Don't take any unnecessary risks. I'm needed here to handle the public. You should do well to head off as quickly as you can."

She hesitated for a moment.

"I would suggest that you be accompanied by a royal escort, but I have a feeling you would refuse such a notion."

Princess Luna gave a small smile.

"You know me too well, dear sister. Come, Twilight," she said, walking towards the exit.

"New discoveries await."

16 - All that Glitters

The Carousel Boutique was located closer to the center of Ponyville, about a block or two away from the town square. Even though this area was quite crowded with ponies who were still making preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, it turned out to be easier to pass through than one might think.

Most ponies continued the trend of making way for Jay as he came near. This proved to be quite a useful trait, seeing that it would have normally been a hassle to try and navigate such a crowd.

Arriving at the boutique, Jay once again made a point of examining the structure’s design choices. He was beginning to notice that Twilight’s friends all lived or worked at places that seemed to have a little more “personality” than most other buildings around town. Or rather, all of the buildings around town.

The boutique lived up to its name. It did indeed resemble a carousel. If a carousel had been stretched vertically and given windows. This central theme puzzled Jay. Why would ponies have carousels? Would they ride themselves? Is it morbid that the horses have poles through them?

“Best not to dwell on it,” Jay thought as Twilight knocked on the door.

A second later, the door opened, revealing a white unicorn with a curled purple mane.

“Ah, Twilight!” she greeted in an accent that, to Jay, sounded all too English.

“I was wondering when you might show up. Spike and I wer-”

She stopped speaking when she looked past Twilight and saw Jay. The smile she previously wore had now disappeared.

“Twilight, dear… Who is this?” she asked.

“Rarity,” Twilight said, taking a step back. “This is Jay. He’s-”

“Oh!” Rarity exclaimed, the smile returning to her face once more. “Yes, of course. Spike was telling me about you earlier. I apologize for not recognizing you sooner. Please, come in, won’t you?”

Rarity held open the door, allowing Jay and Twilight to enter. Once inside, Jay began his process of examining the furnishings of the room. Various red and pink curtains were draped down from the ceiling to form fitting stalls. A wide assortment of dresses were displayed on mannequins or hung neatly throughout the main room. A row of mirrors were positioned around a central turntable so that customers could view themselves from multiple angles when trying on the wares. Just past this display was a staircase which supposedly led to where Rarity did most of her work.

“Please, have a seat,” Rarity said, ushering the pair onto a red sofa.

“Thank you,” Jay said. He unslung his bag and took a seat.

“Spike, dear!” Rarity called out. “Twilight and Jay are here.”

“Just a sec,” Spike replied from upstairs. He soon came hopping down the stairs as fast as he could.

“Hey,” Spike said, panting slightly. “How did it go with the council? Are they letting you help out with the investigation?”

“More or less,” Jay said, flashing a glance at Twilight. “I’m working as a sort of informant for Princess Luna.”

“That’s awesome!” Spike said with a grin.

“Yes, how exciting...” Rarity said, her focus shifting from the conversation as she examined Jay.

“Um, forgive my brashness, Jay, but I must ask. What are you wearing?”

“I… beg your pardon?” Jay asked. While he was used to ponies questioning him at every turn, he hadn’t expected an opening inquiry such as this.

“I hope you don’t take offense,” Rarity continued. “But, I must say that your attire is in quite a dreadful state of disarray.”

She trotted closer to Jay, inspecting every thread of his outfit. Her eyes locked on the red spots that dotted his wrinkled shirt.

“What are these?” she inquired, scrunching up her nose.

“I had a little mishap earlier,” Jay explained, somewhat uncomfortable with how close Rarity was getting to him.

“No, no, no,” Rarity said. “This simply won’t do. You are in need of a profile update as soon as possible. Spike, get my measuring kit from upstairs, would you darling?”

“Actually, Rarity” Twilight interjected before Spike could run off. “We were just stopping by to pick up Spike. We have to head back to the library to get some work done. I don’t think we have time for you to try new styling techniques. Sorry.”

“Oh,” Rarity said, backing off from Jay. “I see. Well then, another time, perhaps.”

“Sure…” Jay said as he stood up. “Thanks for the offer though.”

“Of course, darling,” Rarity said. “Think nothing of it.”

“C’mon, Spike,” Twilight said, getting up from the sofa with a yawn. “We should get going.”

“Fine,” Spike grumbled, hanging his arms. “See ya later, Rarity.”

“Goodbye, dear,” Rarity said, leading the group to the door. “Thanks for all your help. Good luck with… well, whatever it is that you’re doing, Twilight.”

******

“Well… That felt a bit rushed,” Jay said to Twilight as they were walking back to the library. “In a hurry to get home?”

“This whole plan was a failure from the start,” Twilight said, her head drooping. “It’s just not a good time to go around and visit with friends.”

“Maybe she’s just tired of having to babysit you, Jay,” Spike jested.

“Oh, I’m sure she is,” Jay said with a grin. “Don’t worry, Twilight. When I leave for Canterlot, you’ll be free of me. For awhile at least.”

“Good,” Twilight said flatly. “I’m beginning to feel like I need a break from all this nonsense.”

“And I need something to eat,” Spike said, patting his stomach.

“You eat gems, right?” Jay asked, looking down at Spike. “I think I may still have some. Hold on a sec.”

Jay reached down to his side to remove the bag of gems that he had been carrying around, only to find an empty space.

“Shit!” Jay exclaimed.

“Jay!” Twilight glared at the human. “You should be more mindful of your language. I’ve had about enough of it.”

“Sorry,” Jay said. “I think I left my bag back at Rarity’s. How close are we to the library?”

“It’s not far,” Spike said.

“Okay,” Jay said, looking back the way they had come. “You two go on ahead. I’ll go back and get my bag. It’ll just be a minute.”

“Alright,” Twilight sighed as she continued in the direction of the library. “Just be quick about it.”

“Right,” Jay said, beginning to jog back in the direction of the boutique. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

Spike and Twilight continued walking to the library in mutual silence for a bit, before Spike decided to talk.

“So, are you two, uh, okay?” Spike asked.

“I can’t really tell at this point,” Twilight said, looking down at her companion. “He’s been acting weirder. At least, I think he has.”

“You sound kind of tired,” Spike commented. “Did something happen while you were in Canterlot?”

“A lot of stuff has happened lately, Spike,” Twilight said, stifling a yawn. “Honestly, I think I’ll be glad when he does leave. At least then I’ll have some peace.”

“That bad, huh?” Spike asked.

The library was now visible and seeing it rejuvenated Twilight to some degree. As she trotted up to the front door however, she noticed something.

“Spike,” Twilight sighed. “How many times have I told you to make sure the door is shut and locked before you leave?” she asked, looking at the crack between the door and its frame.

“Sorry,” Spike said, scratching the back of his neck. “I was pretty sure I locked it. Must have forgot.”

“Never mind,” Twilight said as she opened the door and walked inside, Spike trailing close behind. “Right now all I want to do is lie down and fi-”

CRASH!

The door to the library abruptly slammed shut, drowning out the rest of Twilight’s sentence and causing her to jump with fright.

“Spike!” she exclaimed, turning to scold the dragon. “You should be more car-”

This was all Twilight was able to say before she felt something strike the side of her head with a loud thwack. She let out a soft grunt and crumpled to the ground, her vision fading away into blackness.

******

“Thanks for bringing this back my way, Miss Rarity,” Jay said, patting his bag. “Saved me the trouble of walking all the way back.”

“Oh, it was no trouble at all, darling,” Rarity said. “And please, as much as I appreciate your politeness, just call me ‘Rarity.’ ‘Miss,’ makes me sound like some old mare.”

“Noted,” Jay said with a laugh. “Thanks all the same.”

The pair had now arrived at the library and Jay shifted his bag on his shoulder as he walked up to the door.

“It was nice of you to walk back with me. I enjoyed the company,” Jay said as he reached for the door handle. “Did you want to-”

Jay stopped talking as he looked past his hand to the wood surrounding the handle. There was a hairline crack that split it horizontally from the edge of the handle to the frame. It was so small, it was hardly visible.

Nonetheless, Jay saw it, clear as day.

“Is something wro-” Rarity began to ask before Jay raised a hand, a call for silence. He turned around and whispered to Rarity.

“I just remembered something,” Jay said, bending to Rarity’s height. “It might be nothing, but I need a favor, just in case.”

“What?” Rarity whispered nervously.

“I need you to wait by that lamp post over there,” Jay said, pointing to the nearby street corner. “Stay there until I come back out and wave you over. Can you do that?”

“Is this really necessary?” Rarity asked.

“Hopefully not,” Jay sighed. “If I’m wrong, I’ll just wave you over. But only come if I give you the signal. Understand?”

“I suppose,” Rarity said. She huffed and trotted off to wait by the lamp post.

Jay turned back to the door and took a deep breath. He raised a hand and rapped his knuckles against the hard wood of the library door. For a moment, he heard nothing. Then, the door opened and Twilight stuck her head out.

“Jay!” Twilight exclaimed. A look of relief and panic flashed across her face, but only for a moment.

“You’re awfully jumpy,” Jay said, placing a hand on the door frame. “Everything okay?”

“What?” Twilight asked. She winced in pain for a moment, flinching. “I mean- Of course everything is okay.”

“Good to hear...” Jay said, narrowing his eyes. He took out his notebook and held a finger up to his lips before he began to write something down.

“Well, I just talked to Rarity at the boutique,” Jay said. He stepped out of the way and pointed at Rarity across the street. “She was wondering at what time Spike could come by tomorrow.”

Jay held up the notebook for Twilight to read.

“How many? What race?”

Twilight’s eyes widened and she nodded her head.

“Oh… I’d say around three or so,” Twilight said. “You know, he’s just… Just been so… so dog tired lately.”

Jay raised an eyebrow and wrote something else down on the notebook. He showed it to Twilight again.

“Dogs?”

“Yeah,” Twilight said. “I think around three should be fine.”

“Right then,” Jay said, placing the notebook back in his bag. “Well, step out of the way. I need to get my stuff.”

“Are you su-” Twilight began to say before gritting her teeth in pain. “I mean… Sure thing, Jay.”

Twilight stepped back, letting the door open all the way. Jay flexed his fingers and strode inside. Hearing the door slam behind him, he slowly turned around. He couldn’t help but raise his brow in curiosity at what he saw.

Standing in front of the door was a large, dusty brown dog. He wore scuffed, metallic armor on his chest, shoulders, and head, giving him the appearance of a football player. He stood on three legs, a crudely fashioned spear held in his fourth. Next to him was another mutt of almost the same caliber. He had a foreleg wrapped around Twilight’s neck, his own spear dangerously close to the unicorn’s face. Finally, there was one other dog.

This one was slightly smaller than the others. His fur was a dusky grey color, his eyes lime green, and his ears coming to a sharp point. Instead of armor, he wore a red vest, along with a black collar that was studded with gems. At his feet lay Spike, unmoving. The dog took a menacing step toward Jay and began to speak.

“I am Rover,” the dog began. “And you are-”

“Quick question,” Jay interjected. “You’re a diamond dog, right?”

“Yes,” Rover growled, annoyed that the human had interrupted his introduction. “We are diamond dogs. Now, are you-”

“I thought you guys were all about stealing stuff,” Jay said. “That’s what the books said anyway. This all has a bit more of a ‘murdery’ vibe going for it. You are here to kill us, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Rover said, flattening his ears. “We were told to get rid of you and the pony. Now, enough talking. Are you ready to die?”

“Not particularly,” Jay sighed. “Out of curiousity, how much are you getting payed for this job?”

“A lot,” Rover laughed. “Those ponies must really hate you.”

“Haha, understandably,” Jay laughed. “Here’s a thought, though. How about you don’t kill us?”

“And why would we do that?” Rover asked, pulling a gleaming dagger out of his vest.

“Because it would be nice?” Jay suggested.

“No,” Rover said. He took another step toward Jay.

“Right, right,” Jay said, scratching his chin. “Because I can pay you more than the people you work for?”

Rover stopped walking and cocked his head.

“How much more?” he asked.

“What if I told you that I had a tool that could make anyone one do whatever you wanted?” Jay said. “And that I would be willing to give it to you, if you let us go. How does that sound?”

“Jay, what are you doing?” Twilight asked. The dog holding her tightened his grip, a sign that she should avoid speaking.

“Anything we wanted?” Rover asked, thinking the prospect over.

“It would make robbing people a whole lot easier,” Jay said.

Rover narrowed his eyes and raised his dagger to the human.

“Prove it.”

“Sure thing,” Jay said with a smile. “There are two black bags under the bed in the upstairs guest room. Have one of your friends bring them down and I can show you the goods.”

Rover gave a toothy, greedy grin. He nodded his head at the dog standing in front of the door, who barked and made his way up the stairs.

“If you’re lying…” Rover said, pointing his dagger at Jay. “You won’t like what happens next.”

“Oh, you won’t be disappointed,” Jay said. “Trust me.”

After a minute of listening to the sounds of thumping coming from above, Jay turned and saw the dog that had gone upstairs stumble back down. He tossed the two black bags he carried down in front of Jay and backed up, raising his spear. Jay looked up to Rover and held out his hands.

“May I?”

Rover nodded, watching Jay closely.

Jay knelt down beside the bag closest to him and unzipped it. He dug around inside until he found what he was looking for. Standing up, he presented two separate items, one in either hand. Twilight struggled to get a better look at what was going on.

In his left hand, Jay held a sort of rectangular block. It was a shiny black and appeared to contain some sort of small, golden capsules at one end. In his right hand, he held an item that possessed the form of a capital ‘L.’ A small trigger was located on its inner corner. Its color matched that of the rectangular box, only it was matte and non-reflective. Jay presented the items to Rover for examination.

“What does it do?” Rover asked, looking at the objects. “How does it work?”

“It’s very simple,” Jay said, taking a step back. “Just take this little thing and jam it in here like so...”

Jay shoved the block into the shorter end of the L-shaped object, which resulted in a metallic click.

“Then you grab your slide on top, pull it back, and let go,” Jay said as he demonstrated the motion. The ‘slide’ snapped back into its starting position.

“And that’s how you get it ready,” Jay said. “Then, you just point it at someone and ask them to do what you want. Now, it can sometimes be easier to get what you want if you are trying to convince a group, rather than a lone individual.”

“What do you mean?” Rover asked, eyeing the device in Jay’s hand.

“Well, it always helps if you have others to aid in demonstrating what will happen if they don’t do what you tell them to,” Jay said. “Observe.”

He leveled the end of the object with the eyes of the dog who was holding Twilight.

“You,” Jay said. “Let her go.”

The dog, feeling no urge to heed Jay’s command, looked to Rover and shrugged.

“You were lying,” Rover growled. “Your little toy does not work.”

“Just wait,” Jay said, placing his finger on the device’s trigger. “I’ll only say this one more time. Let. Her. Go.”

The dog tightened his hold further, causing Twilight to struggle for air.

“Enough tricks!” Rover barked. “Now, you die.”

“Oh, wait!” Jay laughed. “I almost forgot the most important part.”

He squeezed the trigger.

The sound was deafening, an eruption that left Rover clutching his ears in pain.

A brilliant flash of light exploded from the tip of the device with great violence, causing it to buck.

Twilight felt something wet and hot splash across her face in the form of little droplets.

The dog restraining her slackened his grip, his arm becoming limp.

He then collapsed to the floor in a great heap of fur and metal.

Behind Twilight, a splatter of red liquid dripped down the wall, small chunks of grey scattered among it.

“You,” Jay said to the other dog who was still holding his spear.

“Drop it.”

The dog shook his muzzle in confused anger, attempting to clear the horrid ringing from his head. He lifted his spear and rushed at Jay, barking.

“Wrong move, pupper,” Jay said as he turned his device on the assailant.

Jay squeezed the trigger again and the process repeated itself.

A flash, a bang, and a burst of red escaping from the back of the dog’s head.

The dog stumbled and fell with a crash to Jay’s feet.

As this new ringing faded away from both the dog’s and the pony’s ears, another sound entered.

Jay, who was now hunched over in front of them, was laughing uncontrollably.

But something was different.

Twilight listened to the sound echo off the walls of the library as she stood frozen, red droplets rolling down her cheek.

This was not the laugh she knew.

No.

No, this… this was something darker.

It filled Twilight with a kind of fear she had never felt before.

It was not a laugh of joy, or nervousness, or sarcasm.

It was a laugh of pure madness.

“Ha! AHAHAHA!” Jay laughed, his face turning bright red.

He stood up straight and wiped a tear from his eye, doing his best to control his giggles.

“Now, eh hehe… Now, Mister Rover. Are you ready to die?”

Rover quickly shook his head in terror, shrinking to the floor.

“Then toss your dagger away,” Jay commanded.

Rover dropped his knife and kicked it to the other side of the room.

“Good,” Jay said. “You know, I’m surprised no one around here knows what a gun is.”

He waved the black device in Rover’s direction.

“Funny how such a little thing can do so much damage. I really ought to thank you, though. I’ve been itching for a change in pace. Now, lie down on the floor and put your hands behind your head.”

“P-please-” Rover stuttered, pressing himself against the floor. “I-”

“Shut up,” Jay said. He stepped past Rover to examine Spike.

Jay rested his free hand on the dragon’s back and felt for any sign of life.

“He’s out cold, but he’ll live,” Jay said, turning to Twilight. “You okay?”

“You…” Twilight murmured, still frozen in her rigid stance.

“Hey, hey,” Jay said, walking in front of Twilight. He snapped his fingers a few times to get her attention. Twilight’s eyes locked with Jay’s, her pupils the size of pinheads.

“Are you alright?” Jay asked, placing a hand on the unicorn’s shoulder.

Twilight recoiled from Jay’s touch and stared at him with a mixture of confusion and horror.

“You… You killed them,” she whispered. “Wh-why did you do that?”

“Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they were going to kill us?” Jay said. “Or did you miss that conversation? Besides, I only killed two of them.”

He walked over to where Rover lay and gave him a swift kick in the ribs, causing the dog to whimper in pain.

“This one is still alive. And as long as he does what he’s told, I won’t have to put him down. Now, stay there. I’ll be right back.”

Jay hid his gun behind his back and went over to the front door. He opened it and waved to Rarity who was still waiting by the lamp post. Rarity quickly trotted over to meet Jay at the door, an expression of worry on her face.

“Is everything alright?” Rarity asked, attempting to look past Jay. “I swear I heard the most awful noise just a moment ago.”

“We’ve got a bit of a situation on our hands right now,” Jay said, obscuring Rarity’s view with the door. “I don’t want to freak you out, so I’ll start by telling you that Twilight and Spike are okay.”

“Why wouldn’t they be?” Rarity asked in alarm. “Did something happen to them?”

“Okay, that’s freaking out,” Jay sighed. “Yes, something happened. We had a run in with a few diamond dogs.”

“What?” Rarity cried out.

“Calm down, I took care of it,” Jay reassured her. “Which brings me to the situation at hand. I need your help, but you have to promise not to freak out.”

“Of course, of course,” Rarity said, taking a deep breath. “I can be calm.”

“Right...” Jay said. “Well, come on in.”

He stepped back and opened the door fully, allowing Rarity to enter. Once she was inside, Jay shut the door and prepared for the inevitable.

“Oh my!” Rarity gasped, seeing the diamond dogs on the floor. She spun around, analyzing the room.

“Well, that was actually a lot less dramatic than-” Jay began to say.

“Dear sweet Celestia!” Rarity cried upon seeing the red splatters on the wall.

“Ah, there it is,” Jay sighed.

“What in Equestria happened?” Rarity asked, beginning to panic. She turned around and saw Twilight attending to Spike.

“Twilight!” she exclaimed. “Are you alright? What happened to Spike? Is he-”

“He’s unconscious,” Twilight mumbled. “The diamond dogs, they were waiting for us. They knocked me over the head. They told me that if I didn’t do what they said that they would… that they’d…”

Twilight broke down and began to sob, tears rolling down her cheeks and mixing with the drops of red that had begun to dry on her face.

“Oh, darling,” Rarity said, trotting over to comfort Twilight. “I’m so sorry. But it’s okay. It’s alright now.”

“No it’s not!” Twilight cried. “He- Jay killed them!”

Rarity looked up at Jay with a hint of fear in her eyes.

“Jay… Is this true? Did you…”

“Yep,” Jay said flatly. “Now, help me find a rope or something. I need to make sure that this one doesn’t go anywhere.”

He bent down and pressed the muzzle of his gun to Rover’s head.

“I’ve got some questions for him.”

“What about... them?” Rarity asked, looking at the bodies of the other two dogs. She gagged at the sight, struggling to maintain her composure.

“Find some sheets,” Jay said. “I’ll take care of the rest. Get the rope first though.”

Rarity stayed by Twilight for a moment longer before leaving the room to search for some form of restraints.

Alone with Twilight once again, Jay took a deep breath and walked over to stand next to her.

“I’m sorry that you had to see all that,” Jay said. “I guess you can take my apology with a grain of salt, though.”

“Please,” Twilight whispered, stroking Spike with her hoof. “Just- Please don’t talk to me right now.”

“Sure thing,” Jay sighed.

At that point, Rarity trotted back into the room with a length of rope and a stack of folded sheets.

“I found these,” she said as Jay took the items from her.

“How convenient,” Jay said. He set the stack of sheets on the floor and walked over to Rover, rope in hand.

“Put your hands behind your back,” Jay told the dog.

Rover did as he was told, shaking all the while. Jay took the rope and bound Rover’s paws together tightly. He then grabbed the dog by the scruff of his neck and dragged him across the room, shoving him into the corner.

“Now stay.”

Next, Jay walked over to the stack of sheets and took one. He went over to the dog who had been holding Twilight and wrapped the body in the sheet. Once it was tightly bound, Jay repeated the actions with the other body, Twilight and Rarity watching him with a sense of detached surrealism.

“Why don’t you take Spike upstairs?” Jay suggested as he walked over to the bookshelf near the basement door. He felt around behind a row of books until he found the key to the basement that Spike had hid there the night before last.

“He’ll probably be more comfortable,” Jay said.

He took the key and unlocked the door before placing it in his back pocket. Walking over to one of the shrouded corpses, Jay grasped the end of the wrapping with both hands and started to drag it toward the basement stairs, painting a trail of red across the wooden floor.

As he descended into the darkness, Twilight and Rarity could hear the thumping of his burden as it was pulled down each step.

“Come now, dear,” Rarity whispered to Twilight. Using her magic, she gently lifted Spike off of the floor. “Let me get him to bed. This floor is much too hard to rest on.”

“Thank you, Rarity,” Twilight sniffed.

As Rarity made her way upstairs, Twilight turned her gaze to the basement entrance, hearing the stomping of Jay’s boots as he returned to complete his morbid errand.

“I apologize for the mess,” Jay grunted as he pulled the other body to the basement door to be united with its companion. It too left streaks of crimson behind it as it was dragged into the darkness.

“I’ll clean it up later,” Jay called out from below.

A muffled thud could be heard, followed by the sound of Jay running up the stairs one final time. He turned around and shut the door, locking it with the key.

“This is all I can do for now, though,” Jay said, placing the key back on the bookshelf.

He took a step back and surveyed the room, taking in the damage that had been caused by the scuffle with the diamond dogs. Aside from two holes in the wall, the splotches of red, and the busted door frame, everything else seemed to be in order. Jay started to walk over to the black bags at the base of the stairs.

“I need to get in contact with… get in… need to… to tell-”

Jay’s speech began to slur, his vision clouding with red spots.

The room felt like it was spinning around him.

A steady whine was started to crawl into his ears.

He tried to take another step forward, but failed, stumbling onto his hands and knees.

“Jay?” Twilight asked, suddenly much more concerned about the human now than she thought she’d ever be again. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not- Don’t…”

The words barely had time to escape Jay’s mouth before he collapsed to the floor, his mind slipping into a dark abyss.