MSL Chapter 5: Ocean’s 1 and a Half.

“Clear!”

I dropped my now collegue into his bathtub, which I had filled with ice.

“GAH! CCCCCOLD!” He shouted, bolting out of the tub and into the wall. Fortunately pony building materials aren’t particularly strong. In any case he knocked himself out cold, again, leaving quite the indent in the wall as well.

“If at first you don’t succeed...” I said, dragging him back to the tub.

=-=-=-=-

Later, in the kitchen with Double Book clutching his coffee mug for dear life. He was still shivering even though it was mid summer and his apartment was sweltering.

“Sssso many ttttenticless,” He said, adjusting the blanket he was wearing like a poncho. “Iiiiit reached out and grabbed me by the hhhhooof.”

“Ya so about that….” I said, taking his foreleg and turning it over exposing what looked like a long burn. “You’re now marked as one of your new master’s chosen. I was going to break the news gently but he’s uh, lets say impatient, for a mileniums old being that is.”

“Yyyyou tricked mmmme,” He said, weakly trying to punch me.

“Hey! You agreed to this, it was all in that contract, you assumed one half of the rewards and obligations of this company.”

“Tttthat’s entrapment!”

“There’s no such thing in the twisting void, trust me, I’ve got their lawbook shoved up in here,” I said, tapping my head with a hoof. “Its not so bad anyways. That mark’ll blend into your coat soon enough, and its actually a pretty good gift, not only are you now generally immune to mind control, blood magic, and have some improved resistances to all magics, you’ll get a slight boost in your own magic output. Oh and you can cross seas without worrying about kraken.”

He mulled this over for a minute, taking another sip from his coffee. “I want out,” He finally said.

“Sorry It doesn’t work like that.”

“Well I’m not going to help you do, whatever it is with whatever that was.”

I shrugged. “That’s your decision, but hear me out. We’re still going to do everything I said we were, and more, I don’t need help with him, I need help with everything that comes before that. Plus this isn’t the kind of contract you can back out of without consiquences. Besides which you don’t have to make this decision now, you’ve got by my estimation at least a decade or so to make up your mind. Just don’t go popping a letter off to Celestia or anypony about it, you’ll find he has eyes and tenticles everywhere.”

“Fine. But you’ll never ever keep any more secrets from me.” He said, “What does a thing like that even want with Equestria anyways?”

“Eh, same old same old, bring about 10,000 years of darkness, enslave ponykind, play with the pretty little ponies, errect giant mind numbing monoliths, pet the pretty ponies and brush their manes, fill the skies with flying horrors, the lakes with black icor, and prance around with the pretty ponies, the usual.”

“Rrrriiiight, and you’re going to do what exactly?”

“Oh just build a gateway for him to get here and then the contract is complete.”

He whacked his head against the table. “How did I even get in this mess, how did you even,” he mumbled to the wood.

“Well I didn’t exactly have a lot of options at the time, dying really sucks you know.”

He sighed.

“So what about you? How does a pony like you build a computer?”

He floated his manuscript over and slid it on the table, still with his head down. He flipped it open to the back which was filled with some faded newspaper clippings. “It started with the Arithmatic Array, a massive matrix of spellwork that would be able to tabulate and solve mathematical problems, and it was to be built by SGU for the princess. My graduate study at University of Canterlot was in electrophysics and mathematics, it was MY idea to use electro-mechanical computation circuits to do asthmatics, it should have been simple but no, the dean stepped in, then the board of the university, then next thing I know Princess Celestia herself was made aware. We had a year, a bucking year, to get it to work, and I just, there were too many ponies involved, they took my computer away from me and one day I snapped and just… ran,” he said. He had tears in his eyes as he flipped through the technical schematics on the table before me. “I left everypony, my father, my position, I haven’t been back to this day. I found a job at Goldenmane doing tabulations and here I am, I guess.”

“Ouch.”

He closed the book with a sigh. “It’s not all bad, they managed to get something working, but it’s a fragment of what we were supposed to build, now I hear they’re going to build a second Arithmatic Array on the grounds of Cant U. We’re going to do this, you’re absolutely certain about it?”

“As my word as a servant of the dark lords in the Cyclopian lands beyond, we will build a computer,” I said, giving him a hoofshake.

(Dark) Lord knows, we’re going to need a supercomputer just to check if this portal is even remotely stable.

“So um, where do we start,” He said, wiping tears away with his other hoof. A clock tower in the distance chimed half past nine.

“Eh its too late tonight, let’s start taking over the world tomorrow,” I said.

He chuckled.

=-=-=-=-=

Several Days Later…

=-=-=-=-=

“So how is getting dressed up and staring at a wall supposed to get us somewhere?” Double asked always the skeptic.

He was wearing formal pony attire which was basically a black bow tie and a nice dress shirt. I meanwhile was wearing basically a bow tie and a sleeveless shirt given how nothing in his wardrobe fit me or my wings. Not a pair of pants between the two of us though, ponies have no qualm about seeing each other’s butts exposed, all the time, in fact hiding one’s butt in public draws scrutiny.

See what I’m dealing with folks?

Still I guess pants didn’t exist in antiquity either given the roman penchant for leather skirts, if the movies are to be believed.

Anyways, we weren’t just outside some wall on Saddle island, this was the outer wall of the mansion of the godmother, no not Faust or Celestia, just the pony in charge of the entire pony mafia, and if my sources are correct, her eighth grand niece was getting married today.

“While I’ve got my own master, but one doesn’t just trot away from the Herd...especially when you’ve just exposed their gold multiplying conspiracy,” I said, boosting him up over the wall. I heard him land with a thud on the other side. “Catch,” I said, tossing the bottle of moderately priced champagne over, where Double responded with a yelp.

Using my prestigious pegasi powers, I followed him over the wall and found him rolling out of a bush.

“...Besides which, there are more than just government officials you need to get a business license from in this town, at least if you don’t want it to burn down under mysterious circumstances,” I said.

“How do you know all of this?” He said, as we started walking the large grounds towards the party.

“Movies, Television, Video Games, History Channel specials.”

“I have no idea what any of that is,” He said. He was already building a mental wall around his small slice of reality. After learning that eldritch beings exist, something which to his credit hasn’t driven him insane yet, he just shakes his head whenever I try to broach the subject. Probably for the best right now.

Really pony technology was around Douglass Adams levels of complicated. They had invented the spray can for example but still haven’t mastered mass refinement of steel or aluminum, let alone proper synthetic plastics. Unicorns and their magic have been both a crutch and a kludge to innovation, I blame Celestia.

She’s been the guiding force to Equestria’s developments. They should have nuclear fusion by now, instead they’re just starting to wrap their minds around the underpinnings of atomic theory, physics is a half baked mess, and nopony has connected medicine, alchemy, and chemistry together. It simply won’t do.

“Just act like you belong here, and if anyone asks who you are just say you’re Nickel's third cousin twice removed, oh and never ever accept an offer for a cantaloupe.”

“Why?”

“Just don’t do it alright.”

He huffed as we climbed a hill reaching the main event.

Herdsters of all colors and tribe were milling around chatting and laughing with each other in the distance.

“Just went on a walk to clear our heads,” I said to a pair of burly looking earth ponies guarding the path to the party. They each gave us a stern look. “Ok you got us, we were doing pony stuff in the bushes.”

They looked at us even sterner.

“It was sexy stuff OK, sexy pony stuff in the bushes over there, and we’re proud of it!”

“Please just let us in,” Double said, his brown coat turning a shade of red from embarrassment.

“Spruce?” the one on the left said to his other.

“Ya Fig?”

“You believe them?”

“Nope. Invitation or we’ll have to get tough with you,” Fig said popping his neck.

OK, plan B time.

I cleared my throat and stood up, eye to eye with them. “Gentlecolts, I am honor bound to inform you I am a master of the ancient art of Wang-Bong, and as such, if you do not let my compatriot and I through, I will be forced to disable you with haste.”

The one named Spruce stepped forward. “Oh ya, is that a threat tough guy?” he said, raising a forehoof towards me.

WANG!

My frying pan rang out. Spruce crumpled to the ground in a daze.

“WHA-”

BONG!

It rang again on the backhoof, sending Fig sprawling.

“WHAT THE HAY WAS THAT, WHERE DID YOU EVEN!” Double stammered as I sheathed my frying pan back into my mane.

“I warned them didn’t I?” I said with a cocky smile. “They’ll be fine, in like ten to twelve hours… Help me drag them into the bush over there,” I said, grabbing a foreleg in my mouth.

This was a cartoon world anyways right? They’ll be fine.

=-=-=-=-

“We’re dead, we’re sooo dead, so completely dead.” Double whispered to nopony in particular as we were walking through the party.

“We’re fine, all fine,” I said as a server trotted on by with a platter of cheese cubes and carrots floating beside him. My two greatest weaknesses. Pony noses and consequently, taste, were so just so strong. “Besides, been there, done that. Oh and don’t get any ideas, dying is not nearly as permanent as you might expect, especially to the Elder ones.” I said before grabbing a hoof full of cheese.

“Wait what?!” He said stammering.

“In time, you just need to expand your mind.”

“Melon sir?” A sever said, levitating a tray over.

Double, in need of comfort food, greedily grabbed one.

“Ew honeydew. Get that garbage out of here!” I said knocking it out of Double’s hoof. “You should be ashamed of yourself for serving that here.”

“Why I never,” The server said with a huff and trotted off.

“Whew dodged a bullet there,” I said wiping my hoof on the table cloth. “We’re just here to tie up some loose ends of this arc, we’ll be in and out in 5 minutes tops.”

“What?”

“NO TIME!” I said, pushing him along to the house.

=-=-=

“Are you sure we should be here?” Double whispered behind me. As we rounded a corner, I held up a wing to stop him as I peered around the corner. Two guards were standing watch around an otherwise ordinary door that lead down to the basement.

“Hang here for a second,” I said, taking a vase in one hoof and my frying pan in the other.

“Catch!” I shouted, rounding the corner. Henchpony #154 dumbly scrambled to grab the vase as I brought my frying pan to bear on Henchpony #153. Before they knew what hit them they were both down for the count.

“All clear,” I said back to Double as I searched the guard’s suit for a key.

“We came all this way for a closet door?” Double asked, opening the door to reveal a linen closet.

“Here we go,” I said, pulling a silver key on a lanyard off of the pony’s neck after shoving him and his friend in the closet. “On the outside it looks like an ordinary closet, but behold!” I said as I slipped the key into the lock and turned it the opposite direction. Opening the door this time revealed a stairway to a large basement room. “After you,” I said, holding the door open.

At the bottom of the stairs we reached a cavernous room dimly lit by spell torches hanging on chandalears above. On our end of the room were stacks and stacks of material covered in canvas sheets.

“What is this place?” He said, pulling the cover off of one stacks. The gold bars underneath glinted in the pale light cast by the spell torches.

“Fakes,” I said, picking up a bar and breaking it in two. “These must have been rejects.”

Further into the room, there was an assembly line of cauldrons and drying tables stacked with ingots of inferior metals awaiting the pseudo transmutation. “Come on, the vault is going to be this way, I think,” I said taking the path that felt familiar.

“You think?”

“Look it was a while ago and I was blind folded the entire time,”

It was a few months ago actually. Through the grapevine, my name, or more aptly, my description, was mentioned as somepony that knew a thing or two about alchemy, the occult, and magical botiny. One rough blind folded carraige ride later I found myself down here identifying a particular object they had filched from darklords only knew where.

Thankfully we pegasuses have a flawless sense of direction.

Quietly making our way down the dim hallways, punctuated regularly by the light of spell lamps, we eventually came upon a large banded metal door inset into an archway.

“This will only take a second,” I said, digging into my wing folds for the right vial. I pulled out a little crystal vial with a grey mixture inside, broke the seal and tipped it into the lock. “Add a little concentrated entropy, and then give it a little frost...” The latch fizzled and rusted as the mixture did its work. Putting my hoof to the door, I pushed the power of my pegasi body into the metal. Frost spread across the rusting lock mechanism, working its way into the latch bolt.

“I’ve never seen a pegasus do that before,” Double said.

“I told you, I am a special snowflake, it says so right on my sexy flanks," I said giving my pony butt a shake. "Besides, the whole ‘manufactured weather’ thing is a giant government conspiracy,” I said turning around in the cramped hallway, positioning myself. With a swift kick, the door buckled inwards, yielding to the ice and rust. “Now then, where is that little...” I trailed off coming to a stop in the middle of the room. “Well shiiiiiiit.”

Where there was once piles of gems, sacks of bits and other treasures, instead, chalked onto the floor was a large pentagram with a painted goat’s skull. The walls themselves had banners hanging, each emblazened with an individual demonic rune, and at the back of the room, surrounded by candelabras rose an alter made of one monolithic slab of granite. Resting on top though was a still steaming pile of entrails that I would hope came from one of the very few non-sentient animals on this planet.

“You know, on second thought; Double I dont think this is the right place, Double?” I turned to see him collapse just inside the doorway. Another stun spell slammed into my side before I could react, I felt the bite of the electricity, but it takes more than that to drop me.

Too bad they had much more. I whipped my pan around knocking away one spell, dropping a unicorn hidden in the shadow, but by then three, four, no five spells each blasted me.

My pan clattered to the ground as the world went hazy.

=-=-=-=-=

Smack.

“Wakey wakey, mr intruder.” A very german voice said.

My head was spinning, my body ached. I was chained up by my forelegs. We must have been outside, I could smell the scent of grass and dirt as well as copious amounts of incense.

“Wake up I said!”

Smack!

I felt a jolt of pain flair across my back.

I cracked my eyes. A unicorn was standing in front of me wearing a black robe adorned with various golden stitched glyphs. A riding crop was held aloft by his azure magic. I was chained up on a post driven into the dirt. To my front was a large grotto, the entrance dimly illuminated by the roaring bonfire behind me. Around the edge of the firelight, I could see the dim outlines of dozens of unicorns standing at attention, each concealed underneath a hooded robe.

“Ya, there you are mr sleepypony,” He said, holding my head up with a hoof. “I will only ask this once, and I will get an answer. What were you doing invading the inner sanctum of The Mule Society?”

“Where’s my friend.”

He whipped me across the muzzle with the crop.

“I am the asking of the questions here. Now who sent you to spy on the Mule Society?”

“Mule Society?” I said, geninuinely ignorant.

I was rewarded with another smack, this time across the inner ridges of my left wing, sending a confusing mess of pain along the nerves.

“Don’t play dumb with me. You come on this most unholy of days, and invade the inner sanctum of the Mule Society to disrupt our rituals. This is an incontrovertible fact. What I want to hear is who sent you and why.”

I coughed. They must have beaten me after knocking me out, that or I was the stage for an inpromptu river stomp concert. “Honestly, I thought this was the Gallopino House.”

My captor laughed. “Ah I see, you were looking for the house three doors down on the left.”

“Look, I’m not a judgemental kind of guy, I believe in the absolute right to practice whatever tortured religioun you want. Just let us go and you have my word that we’ll never speak of this ever again.”

“hmmm… Ohkay. Let me just.” Smack. He cracked the crop across my nose, sending me cross eyed. “Who do you think we are? The Mule Society has escaped detection for hundreds of years because we do not simply take individuals at their word, especially that of the lesser tribes.”

He shouted something in Germane, eliciting a large laugh from the crowd.

Suddenly the gears meshed in my head. Black robes, secret society, unicorn supremacy, germane accents….

“NAZIS you’re goddamned nazis! I hate goddamn nazis.” I shouted, eliciting another whip. “Why am I not supprised?”

“We are the true rulers of this world.”

“Fuff,” I said, “You’ve got as much of a claim to this world as Celestia does. Last I checked, you guys were a protectorate of Equestria.”

The crowd hissed and my captor cracked his crop hard across my barrel, probably drawing blood.

“The Kaiser Winnyhelm was a fool to accept her terms. He singlehoofedly threw away the masterwork of Otto Von Bismare for what? Protection from the likes of the Prench and their legions of mudponies? But I digress. Someday, even the likes of Celestia will fall, our new found powers will see to that, and then this land too will be ruled by unicorns!”

The crowd clopped in cheer.

“And what about the Equestrians that don’t particularly agree with that plan?”

“The lesser tribes will be put in their place, and those of the horned will have to be reeducated of course. We have methods of dealing with the horned that resist. Just ask your friend.” He said, practically spitting the last word.

“Where’s Double Book,” I demanded.

He laughed. “Your companion was of the weak minded. I have a feeling that in time he may be corrected. But until then...” He gestured with a hoof to someponies behind me.

Flanked by two cultist mares, he strode lethargically into view. His normally large pony eyes were fully dialated and unfocused.

“Mind control huh? You’re really the worst kind of nazis then. What are you going to try on me, turn me into a maid or something?”

He chuckled. “I would not even attempt to waste the magic. You shall be tonight’s main course. You see, our society has been gifted with such a rare creature from the depths of Tartarus itself. It is such a hungry beast however. Fortune indeed brought you here tonight though. I shall enjoy watching it rend your flesh,” He said stuffing a gag into my mouth before turning to the grotto entrance.

Another pair of ponies with an ark suspended between them knelt in front of him. The crowd began humming something gutteral.

Chanting in germane, he opened the ark and floated out a red leather bound tome and flipped through its pages.

As the ritual progressed the crowd became more and more energized.

“AND IN THE NAME OF HE WHO RULES FROM TAMBLERON WE CALL FORTH THE BEAST OF THE GATE TO FEAST UPON THIS SACRIFICE, SO THAT HE MAY KNOW OF OUR DEVOTION AND REWARD US HIS FAITHFUL WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE AND POWER!” He shouted, capping the ritual. The crowd suddenly went silent. From the ark, he drew forth a jeweled dagger made of a black metal and turned towards me.

“Now now, it wouldn’t do to muffle your screams now would it?” He said, cutting the gag. “Any last words before your flesh and soul are devoured?”

With a smirk, I answered. “Just this,” I said, taking a deep breath. “Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!” I shouted. The words echoed across the clearing.

“Jokes? That wasn’t even funny!” He said. “Do you dare to insult He Whom Tolls The Bell?”

Around the clearing however, things were different. The gathered ponies were all throwing back their hoods, trying to suppress a chuckle. One by one, they burst into laughter, eventually rolling onto their sides, gasping for air.

“Stop it all of you! STOP IT I SAY! ITS NOT EVEN-” A chuckle interupted his train of thought. “It… What did you do?!” He said, dropping to his knees. His chest heaved as he fought off the laughter.

“Oh nothing much, just exposed you to the world’s funniest joke. Nothing the iron willed disciples of the Mule Society can’t handle.”

“I...bwaha…. Will… BWAHAHA….have….Gersput! BAWAHAHAA!” He finally collapsed against me, the knife clutched in his hoof knicked my barrel, drawing blood.

He laughed and laughed until in one big gasp, he went silent. An expression of pure hilarity, frozen on his face.

“Phew, that could have gone a lot worse.” I said, pulling against the restraints. I looked down at my barrel. My fur was wet where his knife nicked my barrel. A few droppletts of blood stained the ground.

Something in the shadows of the grotto grumbled.

“Oh crap,” I said, trying to pull myself free from the restraints as the noise grew louder.

A canine head emerged from the grotto, followed by another, and finally, another, each rooted to an immensly thick body that emerged from the cave. Three sets of noses sniffed the air, and three sets of eyes locked with mine as I struggled. Slowly it lumbered towards me. Its giant pug body moving awkwardly.

“Gggoood boy, down boy!” I said, trying to curl myself away.

The tripug barred its teeth at me.

Suddenly I had an idea. Reaching inwards, I called upon the dark swirling mass inside me and a dark tenticle slithered out from a wingfold, grabbing the crop that my captor had discarded.

“Pfwet,” I whistled. “Here boy! Come get the stick! Come get the stick!” I said, waving the riding crop.

Immediately, the tripug jolted to action, each head nipping for the stick. Quickly I tossed it as hard as I could, the preternatural limb sending it flying far into the darkness, with the pug chasing after it.

Breaking my chains, I dropped down to all fours and looked around.

Every single cultist was frozen much like my captor, and none seemed to be coming to their aid.

“ghhhuuuuuhhhhhhh.”

Even as his attendants were keeled over, Double Book stood there, slack jawed with a little drool dribbling from his chin.

“Snap out of it!” I said smacking him with a wet meaty smack from the tenticle, jolting him to his senses.

“W-what…” He said, looking around.

With a sucking sound, the tenticle returned back inside of me. “I’ll explain later, but lets get as far away as we can from here.”

“I… yes.” He said, still shaking off the effects of the mind control.

=-=-=-=-=

“So I’m confused, so we weren’t there to take out that cult?” Double said, over his seventh cup of coffee.

“No, apparently I had the wrong address in the first place.”

“Uh.. What did I sign up for.” He groaned, putting his hoof to his temples. “So all of that was a waste of time?”

“Well, not complete waste of time,” I said, holding up the codex I swiped from them.

“Wait! That could be cursed or something. Shouldn’t’ we take it to the authorities or something? In fact, shouldn’t we go turn ourselves in or something, tell them what happened?”

“Hey we’re bad guys remember. Besides, I had a chat with the Big Mane while you were sleeping off the after effects of that spell. He said the Mule Society was inconsequential, none in his circle would ever waste their time on them. They probably found that book and were taken under its curse. Broken from its hold, they probably won’t remember a thing. Its likely the Mule Society was just your run of the mill cult, doing paegan rituals and other occult stuff and stumbled across this cursed tome and couldn’t resist it. I guess we’ll never really know though.” I said sipping my tea and unrolling today’s paper.

“I guess.” Double said, still a bit dazed. “I’m just… I’m having a hard time processing all of this.”

“So you had your first run in with the stuff that goes bump in the night. Look, Equestria isn’t the wholesome family friendly place you think it is. Everywhere there’s some hidden cult, or some magic googah that can destroy the world. The key is to just take it in stride.”

“Still, cultists...”

=-=-=-=-=

“Again, princess I don’t know! I showed you the recipe I had.” Aloe Vera said, breaking into tears. “Please, I’m sorry!”

Princess Celestia, ever cool, remained silent as the mare broke down in front of her. She had already ascertained that Aloe was already telling the truth through subtle magical means, what she needed however was more information. Such as what banks were complicit in this financial scam, and names of ponies that knowingly defrauded her ponies. All that would come in time as the royal investigation proceeded of course. Aloe was but one part of a vast conspiracy, a talented young alchemist prodigy, from noble blood, never quite aware of the consequences her actions may have. Celestia really had no more immediate use for her as a subject of investigation.

And yet, there was still the nagging matter at hoof. One standard alchemy cauldron completely transmuted to pure gold as well as the contents within. Her own examinations had proven that it was not that of the cheap mass produced gold that had created this mess either. It was a full fledged transmutation, something that even her own small passion for the art had not yet achieved.

“I believe you,” She said. “However in your pursuit of the arts, you have broken several laws that were in place for very necessary reasons. I do not know yet the full extent of your crimes, however I do believe you have the capacity to change your ways and will if given the chance.”

With a wave of her hoof, she summoned the guard to the room who escorted the sobbing mare away. Alone in the modestly sized office she had commandeered for her stay, she stood up, taking a moment to stretch the tension out of her limbs. She had set the sun on its course downwards hours ago, now the city was lit in that unique mix of electrical and magical lighting that Manehatten was becoming famous for.

Taking in the view from the window, she sighed. “Why now of all times,” Celestia said to nopony.

She should be home in Canterlot with Sunset, with Cadance, teaching her student and preparing the young princess for her role. There was so much that Cadence needed to learn about herself and her new abilities. There was so much that Sunset had to learn if she is to live up to her potential.

And yet, she was stuck here in Manehatten, once again putting off family and friendship for the good of her kingdom. Guaranteeing the value of the gold was not enough, even pledging to replace the phony gold with that from her own fortune was not enough. This modern concept of stock trading, the tool that had reaped so much wealth upon this very city, had now exposed the skittish tendencies of her little ponies.

There was a knock on the frosted glass of the office door. At this hour it could only be the captain assigned to this case, Persistent Lead.

“Come in.” She said, turning to see one of her own investigators, even still he gave an informal bow before presenting his findings.

“Your Radiance,” He said, taking out a manila folder from his satchel and set it on the table.

“I have compiled my initial report on the sting operation and the ensuing false gold scheme. We believe that while each of the major banks in this city were at least complicit in passing off this gold as genuine, each bank separately employed their own network of gold suppliers.”

“Further, we suspect that the leadership and upper management of each bank were at least aware of if not active in the cover up of the fake gold deposits. We’re still sifting through what records we were able to obtain.”

“I recommend that the guard be allowed to take lead of the Constabulary's existing probe into criminal activities around Manehatten that lead to this scandal.”

“Of course,” Celestia said with a hoof wave. “Is there any more developments that may require my attention before I prepare to return to Canterlot?”

Persistent double checked his notes. “There is still the matter of partially transmuted gold turning up in the mail at various papers around Manehatten. We have been able to delay the stories, however it is only a matter of time until the information leaks out,”

Celestia lowered her head to the desk and sighed. “We are still no closer to determining the whereabouts of these mysterious packages?”

“None your majesty. The packages were routed through various branches of the postal system including those as far out as Dodge City. While we have traced them to back individual postage boxes using magical and deductive means, they all appear to have been sent from widely trafficked areas and were all sent at least a month or more. Whomever is sending these packages has detailed knowledge of the postal system, as well as I have sent the packages onward to Canterlot for more thorough study,” He said, finishing up, “I believe that we are either dealing with an alchemist of extraordinary talent or another syndicate of criminals trying to expose their competition.”

“Then there is the matter of the informant that brought this to our attention in the first place.”

“Yes, a Pegasus of medium build, with a light blue coat, black mane, and a weather related cutie mark. We might as well summon half the pegasi in this city for questioning.”

“Mam?”

“A joke Persistent.”

“Ah yes,” He said, as if he had just heard of the concept.

“If that is all then, I feel that I must return to Canterlot,” She said, folding her forelegs over the desk.

It was then that the door to her office barged open. A constable of inconsequential rank, stumbled in. “Y-y-yer highness, an emergency!” He shuddered, “A monster on Stallion Island, ponies dead, we need your help,” He dropped to the ground in a bow.

Silently part of Celestia sighed. Her ponies always came first though.

“Shall I assemble a guard detachment?” Persistent asked.

“Gather what troops you can and assemble outside immediately. I shall see to this matter at once,” She said, straightening her regalia and refreshing her own defensive wards.

=-=-=-=-=-

=-=-=-=-=

One quick mass teleport later and Celestia found herself standing outside a large mansion on the Island of Stallions.

The manor was on fire, with flames dancing in all the windows. The woods around it had likewise erupted in flames. Rescue workers and weather ponies had assembled to fight the fire, but had retreated to the perimeter wall after catching sight of the beast that had caused this devastation.

The Constabulary chief had already found his way to the scene before her, having lived in the area and took charge of the situation. An old acquaintance of hers, he saved her the pleasantries and simply greeted her with a nod as he was directing his forces.

“All of my ponies are safe, nopony was found in the manner, but the cloud stompers already count a dozen ponies down in the woods around the house.”

“I see, then there’s no time to waste,” Celestia said resolutely.

=-=-=

Alone she stood in front of the mansion gate, its size even dwarfed her own. Behind it lie the burning mansion, slowly crumbling inwards on itself.

Behind her stood her guard holding her rear, followed by the constables and other emergency workers, all waiting for her to subdue this threat so they may apply their own talents. Ponies of all tribes working together each playing off of the other’s strengths. This was what she embodied.

Stepping forward she pushing the gates inwards. The wrought iron glided smoothly on well oiled hinges.

Taking stock of the ruined courtyard, she saw the remains of a large gathering with smashed tables and singed decorations all around. Glass crunched under her hoofguards as she passed the remains of what was once a wide array of wine bottles, now only a singular bottle of mild quality remained, pressure building under the cork. With a bang, the bottle burst. Scalding liquid and shattered glass bounced off her warding, momentarily flashing solid.

Celestia gritted her teeth. She had hoped to quietly assess the situation, her bestiary knowledge and experience told her facing an unknown creature head on would do more harm than good.

Instead, Celestia heard three sets of growls directly behind her. Slowly, she turned to face her foe.

=-=-=-=

“You may move your ponies in to do their duties,” Celestia said exiting through the gate. “I have contained the creature for the time being. I have already summoned specialists from Canterlot to facilitate its transfer to a safer location. Until then though, I do require these items to be brought here,” She said handing a scroll to the constabulary chief who skimmed it wide eyed.

“Is this accurate your highness?”

Celestia took this moment to wipe some of the ash from her coat using a towel that had been set aside by one of the rescue workers. “Is there anything amiss with this list?”

“No its just, well it looks like a list for pet supplies for a dog.”

“Indeed it is. A giant three headed one at that. A Tartarus Hound, quite exotic.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what will you do with such a dangerous creature?”

“Not at all. I have made use of them to guard the entrance to Tartarus for some centuries now as they are nearly impervious to magic.”

“Are you hurt? My pegasi saw you grapple with it and wrestle it to the ground.”

“I am unharmed, and do not worry though it is resistant to spells, I have made use of an ancient enchantment to put it to sleep until experienced hooves arrive,” She said, suppressing a grin.

Sometimes it was easier to explain away things with magic instead of say, explaining that they can be lulled to sleep with an extensive amount of belly rubs, chin scratches, and ear rubs. Something Luna had discovered much to her chagrin. Properly trained they make excellent guard dogs. Immovable from their post.

For a moment, she glanced up at the night sky. Luna as due to set soon. She had already spent much of the day and the previous night working, and now she had put off sleeping for yet another night.

Just then a guard came trotting up, huffing and out of breath. “Mam, you’d better come see this,” The guard said with a salute.

=-=-=-

Celestia was baffled and disturbed by the scene before her. In the pale morning sun, she could see what remained of yet another cult ritual gone wrong.

Investigators had already begun their work documenting the scene. White sheets covered the few remaining of the unfortunate ponies that while alive, were frozen with a bizarre smile, as if they had fallen to laughter. That alone had set her stomach on edge. None of the spells she dare use right now could break their trance.

Another pair of pegasi landed with an air stretcher nearby.

In the meantime, they were being air lifted to the hospital to stabilize, before they would be transported to a special wing in Canterlot if the trance can’t be broken.

“Now just how did you escape?” She asked herself as she stared at the cross that stood in front of the remnants of a bonfire. A pair of broken manacles hung from chains on the arms.

She had seen this before, too many times in fact. They were offering up this poor pony as a sacrifice to their hound, but just how then did they end up how they are? Why were the shackles broken? Where was the pony now?

Hoof-prints trailed off down the path. The pattern was not that of a desperate gallop though, but one of a slow walk. None of the ponies found on the ground had apparently given chase, indicating that they must have already been incapacitated. This pony had not been a unicorn, a crushed sky blue feather found trampled into the dirt indicated such. Who cast this spell then? Why had this pegasus not come forth to the authorities if they were just an innocent bystander? Was this their informant?

The truth was sadly something that would have to be pieced together by other ponies, as with a yawn, Celestia felt the weight of the last few weeks finally hit her. She turned away from the scene walked back towards the manor where her chariot awaited to return her to Canterlot for a well needed rest.

=-=-=-=-=-=

Author's Note

I'm still alive, oh yes I'm still alive.

Hopefully the next few chapters will get out quicker.