Event Horizon

My shielding spell has gotten strong enough to evaporate the rain the instant it touches the barrier above my head. I still very much detest the rain, this amulet has given me many things but tolerance to falling water was absent from the list. Come to think about it, I think I’ve been losing empathy for other ponies, but I couldn’t be sure. I especially wasn’t empathetic towards him.

I had lured Paper Trail to the very same alley that I called my home but several weeks ago. I sent a letter with instructions to his office detailing a lead so juicy that even he couldn’t pass up. There was a murder in Canterlot a long time ago, but nopony knew who the killer was. Murder was among the highest of crimes in Equestria, punishable by lifetime imprisonment in Alcoltraz at the least. A young filly was found in an alley not far from mine, lifeless. There were no leads and the case was cold on arrival. Nopony could even identify the body. Naturally, any information on the matter was of extreme urgency and interest to those who possessed it. Especially for a pony as callous as Paper Trail.

I heard his trot coming down the sidewalk and immediately changed my entire appearance. My azure mane changed to blonde and my cold blue coat shifted to dark pink. The instant his rear legs passed into the alley, I silently sealed the opening with a visual and sound concealing spell. To an outsider, it looked like a brick wall, but to Paper Trail and I, it looked like the same city street he entered from.

“Are you Cherry Grove? The informer?” His voice was colorless and urgent.

“Are you Paper Trail, editor in chief of the Canterlot Daily?”

We both nodded. Paper Trail removed his cloak hood, revealing his electric blue eyes. They somehow looked curious and blank all at once, like he was studying every detail of me but had no response to what he saw. They matched his alabaster coat in regal symmetry. This was the first time I saw Paper Trail in the flesh, and I stared with all the fire in Tartarus.

He kept his black umbrella hovering above him but tugged at his collar. “So… Out with it, I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to.”

“Likewise. But you need to give me something I want.”

He scoffed, “As if I would buy into this quid pro quo. You made no mention of offering something in return.”

I held a hoof to his face, furrowing his eyebrows, “Paper Trail, this is quite the story, one that would shake Canterlot to its very core. You have a choice,” I gritted my teeth, “before you. You can choose to be the one that shakes this city or the one that let a killer slip through your hooves.”

“And you would tell a different paper about this meeting?”

“I will now. That is… If you don’t want to give me what I want.”

He looked to his sides, eyeing the mirage of a sleeping city street, to his left. “What is is you want, Cherry?”

I removed my cloak hood revealing a simulated pink horn, “I want to become a better sorcerer. Unicorns often do, right?” I bit my tongue in disbelief at what I just said.

“Of course.”

“What I want is the names of three powerful wizards in Canterlot. I want where they live, I want their habits, and I want to know how to convince them to take me as a pupil.”

He scratched his golden mane apprehensively, “Why can’t you learn at a library?”

“You’re the eyes and ears of Canterlot, aren’t you? Information like this in exchange for something that would elevate your career so high should be a steal. Plus, it’s faster to go to the experts than learn to be one yourself.”

He heaved a sigh, “Anything else?”

I looked to the street, “Your silence on this matter, as you must want too.”

“Of course.”

I held a hoof out, “Well?”

He looked skyward, “Well… There’s Moondancer. She was almost at the top of her class at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.”

“Almost? Who exceeded her? I asked for powerful, not some runner-up.”

“Yes, I know… I think it was Twilight Sparkle who was her superior. But she’s in Ponyville.”

I ground my teeth with such force I thought they might burst. “Go on.”

“She’s an isolated one. I’ve only ever seen her go to three places: The library, the market for food, and home. Sometimes in that order.”

“Good,” I hid a grin, “And how would I reach her?”

“Moondancer doesn’t like Twilight Sparkle, that’s as much as I know.”

“On that, she and I have that in common.” I narrowed my eyes.

He tilted his head, “Why’s that?”

“You don’t need to know. But why doesn’t she like her?”

He scratched his chin, “I believe it was due to a falling out between the two. They grew farther and farther apart until… I think Moondancer threw a party on the same day that Twilight left for Ponyville. She didn’t even say goodbye. It was out of that, from my uphill perspective, that this habit of isolation formed.”

“Thanks, next.” That was excellent intel on the enemy, as Concrete would say. At least, I think she would say.

I could spot his eye twitch, he did not take well to being treated like an inferior. Something we had in common.

“Two doors down from Moondancer is an EUP veteran by the name of Corporal Sterling Glint. He was the squad leader of a small detachment sent to Griffonstone, he was sufficiently gifted in fire magic. I recall him saying it worked wonders against feathers.”

“Was?”

“Since his retirement, he’s taken a vow of pacifism. He wouldn’t hurt a mouse. But he has taken up cooking as a past time. If you bring him some expensive ingredients, I’m sure he’d love to cook them for you. Maybe teach you all you need about fire in the process.”

“You’re doing very well, Paper.” For a pony backed into my corner.

He smiled, seeming pleased with the assessment. “Then I’ll tell you of Canterlot’s hidden jewel, Fleur De Lis. She’s kept her magic hidden, likely out of Fancypants’ jealousy.” He leaned into me, “He wasn’t admitted to magic school, but Fleur De Lis passed near the top of her class.”

“How do you know she’s talented?”

“If you can get her alone, like I have before, and get her to perform, she’s nothing short of prodigal.”

I reared my face, “I’m no elite, Paper. How can I possibly be alone with her?”

He glanced swiftly to his sides again, “I think… I think I can arrange it. If your information is good.”

“I think not. I don’t want to be seen, especially not with you.”

He gasped, “And just why not!? I am the pinnacle of sophistication in Canterlot.”

“Exactly.”

Paper Trail nearly fainted. Steadying himself, he demanded, “Well I gave you three ponies that I know the talents of. Now you need to tell me what you know.”

“You’ve given me a name, a has-been that uses fire for cooking, and a friend of yours who can do parlor tricks.”

“Why I never-!”

“I’ll tell you what I know for the sake of the filly, not for you.”

“Good! Now tell me who was killed!” He nearly bounced with glee

“Seriously? You newsponies have absolutely no discretion.”

“Yes yes, I’ve heard it a million times from bottom-feeding ponies. Who was killed!?”

I took a brick from the wall, and transmuted it instantaneously into a knife, “YOU!”

I threw off my disguise and saw his eyes shrink in mortal horror. I felt hot air on my hoof as I pressed the knife into him and slashed his throat open, spraying blood into the dirty puddle where I shoved his body, my seething hatred flowing into the blade, boiling the blood cleanly off of it. I transmuted it back into a brick and tucked it back into the alley walls. I turned to the puddle containing Paper Trail, bubbles helplessly flowing up from its shallow crimson reaches. I watched as they became less frequent. I watched as they stopped. The instant they did, red smoke floated into the now glowing ruby of the Alicorn Amulet. I heard my heartbeat in my ears, time slowed, and I felt energy creep from every inch of my body. I lurched forward and sputtered a cough. I had to get out of here.

I enveloped myself, envisioning the inn I passed on my way to Canterlot. Within the same second, I was there on the trail overlooking it. The night was still, the sounds of insects of the wind filled its quiet air. I galloped to the distant inn as Canterlot’s rain started to trickle from above, moving towards Ponyville.

What did I just do!?

I paced back and forth across the cramped room’s wooden floor, the boards near the door squeaking as I traversed them. My mane was still dripping with rainwater, and it left a trail across my path. I had just killed a pony, a very important pony. The whole Canterlot population will know and be on high alert. How am I gonna get back into the city now? Wait… No… I could just keep the mirage barrier up, nopony will know that he’s dead. Just that he’s… Missing.

I stopped, my hair still dripping down. Why don’t I feel bad?

The question thundered in my head, growing louder with each repetition. Was it because Paper Trail had cut off our food supply? Was it because he indirectly caused Sabrina’s death? No. I had made up my mind to kill him as soon as I put… I looked down at the amulet.

I threw my head back up, looking for even a morsel of horror or guilt. Anything. I dove onto the mattress and levitated the covers over me, everything growing dark except the amulet’s glow. I looked into its gem, searching for any emotion, and I found one. Vengeance. I felt it surge through me. I couldn’t find the guilt because I wasn’t guilty. I couldn’t find any fear because I wasn’t the one who should be afraid. I sneered.

I still had questions, behind the voracious hunger for revenge. What was that smoke? And why did I feel stronger when I…? Two and two added themselves together. Killing Paper Trail, a unicorn, fed his magic to me. I felt my sneer stretch wider.

I didn’t have to learn from anypony. I didn’t have to force a friendship to get what I wanted. I could just take it. And why couldn’t I? The amulet has justified me in my retribution. This world’s ways made Sabrina die, and in my quest to bring her back, I was justified to take from the world.

No. I wasn’t going to learn from Moondancer or Sterling Glint, and I’m not going to bow down to Fleur De Lis. I’m going to kill them. Same as I did with Paper Trail. This inn wasn’t just a getaway or a place to lay my head, it was an alibi. No one could suspect it was me, through my disguises or through my stay here. Even if somepony did catch me, I have untouchable power that will only get stronger.

I cackled as thunder exploded outside my window. It was within my reach! I could really do it! Her resurrection was finally within my grasp! I’ll locate every last sorcerer in Equestria and snatch their power away. I’ll scour every corner of this land to find them, I’ll even plunge into Tartarus!

This wasn’t evil, I wasn’t evil. I’d be taking from the world what it took from me. That’s right! This wasn’t evil.

This was getting even.