A Skyrate Tale: Servant Betrayed

Chapter 3

Goodbye Canterlot, Hello Skyrates

Night was in full swing as Nova entered her dad's lab. It was a nice sized building that was located near the Canterlot Castle.  Of course it was though, since her dad was a chemist that worked almost exclusively for the Princesses and the nobles.

"Dad...Patches are you here?" She caled into the darkness of the building. No answer meant that they were probably still running around worried for her. "Leave it to dad to not be where he needs to be..."

Sighing she would trot inside and turn on a couple lights.  With a warm buzz the lights would begin to warm up and turn on.  Dropped papers and vials lttered  the floor showing that her dad had left the place in quite a hurry to get to her ceremony. ""heh guess you were-WOAH!" Her casual statement was interupted as she stepped on something slippery and went flying across the room. With a loud crash, Nova hit the wall and ended up in a position that left her on her back.

"That never changes does it Nova?"

A voice called out from the doorway with a chuckle.  Nova could only facehoof as she heard her dads voice. "It's your fault that I slid in the first place! Who leaves soap on the floor?" She asked already knowing her dad's answer.

"I washed my hoofs before leaving and accidently knocked the soap off..." Came his reply, it was what she expected.

Then there was a sound of a squeak followed by more squeaks. "Nova you have fallen again, let us assist you!" This followed by a loud thump and squeak as Patches slid on the soap and right into Nova's head. "Have we helped yet?"

She couldn't help but giggle at herself and the doll. "Yes Patches you've saved the day" With a groan she turned onto her belly and stood up. "all fun aside, I don't have long left"

Her father spoke first. "Time? You're here which means they obviously set you free." Then he took a moment to look over his daughter. The first thing he noticed was the large saddlebags drapped on her back and the casual outfit she had on that wasn't her lunar guard armor. "Where are you going?" He asked his red gemlike eyes locking onto her blue starry eyes.

Nova looked sheepishly to the side, quickly taking her eyes off her dad. "I have been given a special mission on behalf of the Princesses and I must leave to complete it" Her voice sounded hollow even to herself.

The doll jumped onto of Nova and climbed her head. "We believe you are not telling the truth Nova why?" Of course the doll could tell when she didn't tell the full truth, they had after all spent nearly everyday of her life together.

Rolling her eyes she would bob her head and knock the doll off. "Ok fine, I'm not leaving cause I want too...I'm to be banished from Canterlot in about an hour or so..." Both Patches and her dad looked surprised, she even blieved her dad's jaw hit the ground.

"You're WHAT?! How are you still banished? You're obviously innocent!" This was one of the few times her dad actually sounded angry, she didn't like it.

Clearing her throat to speak. "Princess Luna said that she didn't want to, but the nobles are pushing for someone to be banished for this crime and of course seeing what Broken Shield did I wouldn't blame them" Pausing momentarily to gather her thoughts. "But! It isn't a permanant banishment. The Princess has put me in charge of investigating a cult who is believed to be behind this"

"Patches once had a cult follow him! It wasn't pleasant, they kept prodding us to do things we didn't want to" Patches spoke after hearing the word cult. "They did not last long"

The Professor had begun to rush around his lab by this point, throwing together large amouts of things, some of which glowed.  He was also talking to himself and wrote on a chalkboard everytime he passed, then he stopped to look at Patches and Nova. "What are you standing there? We have alot of work to do if we're gonna be out of here in an hour"

"We?" Nova and Patches said at the same time.

"Yes we! What you thought I would let you go on your own? Of course not!" Suddenly several saddlebags flew out of nowhere and landed in front of the two. "Can you be a sweetie and take those to the chariot, thank you"

Nova looked dumbstruck at what her father was saying. "Yes dad"  Mumbling to herself she set to work taking his bags to the chariot. It was hopeless to argue with him.  It was his goddess given job and duty to protect her and he took it very seriously.  Hence why all her suiters had been thrown off his balcony or a group of bullies suddenly found themselves ill.

Trotting over to Patches, she would pick the doll up and put him on a table. "Patches can you send a note to Princess Luna?  It's all the things we will need for our task"

"We would love to send a note to Luny dear Nova" The doll bounced up and down in delight. "We are also coming with you!"

As if he had a choice, there was no way she was gonna leave her friend behind. Sliding a piece of parchment over, Nova began to fill out what she needed. "Ok say 'Awwww' Patches" Rolling the parchment up, she threw it into the dolls mouth. The note vanished into the maw that was the doll's mouth.

Moments later the doll opened his mouth as several bags shot out of it and landed at Nova's feet. "Talk about rush order" She muttered to herself as a note flew out Patches' mouth.  Her mouth quirked into a smile. "Looks like you're coming even if you didn't want too, the Princess wants you to come so we may keep in contact with her" Hearing this the doll wagged his tail like a puppy and hugged her.

"Alright I've got everything. Now then help me get into this harness" Her dad asked out of nowhere.

Looking at the chariot now Nova couldn't help but to fall over giggling. "Do you think you can pull that dad?" She thought it would be too heavy for him.

The Professor looked irritated at his daughter's question and hitched himself into the harness. "I may be old, but I'm not that old and I won't be that old in a few centuries" He huffed already pulling the chariot. "Now get on and let's begone, I don't want the guards to catch you"

Grabbing Patches, Nova would climb into the back. "Ok dad head south by east at the ruins of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters head directly east." Checking over the maps that were in her head she continued to relay directions. "By lunch time we should be at Tinkertown and from there we can meet up with Jack and the crew"

Professor stopped suddenly and jerked his head back. "Jack? You mean those skyrates? No abslutely not! We cannont go to them, I forbid it."

"Dad we don't have a choice, we can't do this alone and beleive it or not Jack has always come through at the end" She was leaving out the fact that things normally went to Tartarus and back before, but still everything always ended right.

Shaking his head and then nodding. "You're right, but I don't like it" He still hadn't forgotten the time Nova had caught fire while on their ship. Taking a step forward he woudl tug on the chariot. "Come on move!" This made Nova and Patches burst out laughing. Growling at himself, he would dig into the ground and the chariot would finally begin to move. "See told you I could do it" A few more steps later they were in the air and the chariot vanished into the night.

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Mean while in Princess Luna's personal chambers, the Princess of the Night was pacing back in forth. "Maybe I should tell her everything, they deserve to know."

"You can't do that Lulu, you promised me you would leave let her investigate this herself." The sun rose behind Celestia as she appeared in her sister's room.  "This is needed to see if she has what it takes to be the first female Lunar Guard"

Luna turned to her sister. "It is not fair for her, none of the other guards had to do this" Her eyes almost begging her sister to let her tell Nova their secret.

Celestia wrapped her sister in a hug. "I know Lulu I know. If not her we still don't enough to bring the Bluebloods to justice." Luna rested her head on her sister's shoulder.

"We should still be able to help Tia and you know it." Luna didn't like putting her friends into harms way, but she also beleived her Nova had what it took to complete her task. "Still she needs help"

Shaking her head she would chuckle at her sister. "She has all the help she needs" Celestia put her head on her sister. "but we won't leave her alone. Remember you gave your doll Patches to her and you can still speak with her telepathically"

Jerking away from her sister, Luna's eyes grew in size. "You told us never to use that spell! You said it could mess her her mind"

Celestia looked her sister in the eyes and then laughed. "Sis I said you couldn't use it on ponies who you don't share a bond with and by the looks of things you have a close bond with your friend. It even rivals the friendship shared between Twilight and her friends" Pushing her sister to the bed. "Now then it's late for you, you need to go to sleep"

Yawning Luna went to her bed to lay down. "Thank you sister" She yawned. "I'll speak with her tonight" With that the Princess of the Night fell to sleep and into her realm of dreams.

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Celestia quietly left her sister's room and sighed. "What will the Bluebloods do next" Putting her hoof down she went to the throne room to begin her day of court.