The silence of the foals

Luster Dawn and the unicorn were sitting on pillows before Luster's desk in her office. They were face to face, looking at each other. Luster had her forelegs resting on the desk, while the unicorn had his hooves on the pillow. "You expect me to play as a journalist; as a bait for a serial killer; and bring him to justice in Fillydelphia?" the unicorn asked. Luster nodded. "You couldn't have said it better". She, who had left her saddlebags next to her on the floor, opened one of them with her telekinesis. The unicorn's eyes fell on the saddlebags. He could barely see the top of them, as it was hidden behind the desk. Luster took out a black book. She closed her saddlebag and put the book on the desk. The eyes of the unicorn were on it. Then, he looked up at Luster.

"Before all else, I need to know if you have been in Fillydelphia in the last six months" Luster said. She looked down at the book. On the black cover it was written: Journal. She looked back forward at the unicorn. He was looking down. "Uh, no, commissar. The last time I was there I was a little colt". He looked up at her. He had raised a forehoof and was gesturing with it. "That was about fifteen years ago", he completed, putting his hoof down. Luster nodded. She looked down at the book on the desk. Her horn illuminated and the book opened its pages, ridden by magic aura. She stopped turning the pages when she found a blank page. She slightly turned her head to the left . Near the edge of the desk, there were an inkwell and a couple of quills. With her telekinesis, she opened the inkwell cover and grabbed a feather. She dipped it in the inkwell, and left it there. The unicorn had observed her ritual.

Luster looked forward, at the unicorn. "Please, be so kind as to remind me what your name is". She looked him in the eye. Her magic aura still surrounded the quill on her left.

The unicorn cleared his throat. Luster took the quill out of the inkwell and brought it over the blank page of the book. She was looking down at it. "Um, my name is Verser Lathuiffe", he pronounced slowly. Luster wrote a word and then stopped. She looked up at Verser. "How do you spell your last name?" she asked and looked down back at the page. Verser chuckled, looking down. "Um, it's ell-a-tee-aitch-u-i-eff-eff-e". As he pronounced every syllable, Luster wrote them. After she finished, with her magic, she put the quill back in the inkwell. She dipped it a bit and brought it back over the open book. She looked up at Verser. "What about your age and your rank in the Stablo heriarchy?"

"I'm twenty-three years old and I'm a Lieutenant". Verser looked at Luster. She was writing on the page. "Alright. We're set now". With her magic, she put the quill away. She lifted the cover of the inkwell and put it in place. She looked back at the book and closed it. Verser observed her telekinesis at work. She opened one of her saddlebags and kept it open. Then, with her telekinesis, she lifted the book from the desk and brought it to the inside of her saddlebag. She closed it. She, who had been resting her forelegs on the desk, lowered them to the floor. She unfolded her wings and stretched them. She closed her eyes and softly exhaled for a second. She folded her wings back. She stood up, and Verser imitated her. She circled her desk and walked until she was next to Verser. She turned her head to the left towards him and he turned his body towards her. "Let's take you to the train station. You've got a trip to Fillydelphia today", Luster said. She walked past Verser, heading to the exit of the office.

Verser opened his eyes wide. He rushed to Luster's side. "Commissar! The train strations are in equarantine!" he expressed. Luster, who had turned her head towards Verser, shook her head. She smiled. "Don't worry about that. That's easy to solve". She turned her head forward at the door and, with her magic, turned the knob counter-clockwise. She opened the door and crossed the threshold. Verser followed her out of her office. Luster closed the door behind him. They started to walk, flank to flank, down the hallway of the Stablo headquarters.

They were going to the exit of the building. They got to the first floor. Vesper stopped midway. Luster stopped too and looked behind at him. "Commissar, I'll go get my saddlebags". Verser turned around and rushed to a desk there and with his magic he lifted saddlebags. He put them on his back. He turned around and looked at Luster. He was five legs away from her. Luster, who had turned around, looked down at the purple legband on Verser's left foreleg. "Don't forget to take your legband off before you leave". She raised a hoof and pointed at his foreleg.

Verser nodded. With his magic, he took off his legband, sliding it down to his hoof. He grabbed the cloth and left it on the desk. He walked towards Luster.

"Also, do you have a book and pen in your saddlebag? You'll need them". Luster said. Verser nodded. He had gotten next to her. "Good", she said. They both headed to the exit.

Luster and Verser were walking down the street, heading east. They had left the Stablo headquarters five minutes ago. They stopped before the Stable Presshouse. Luster, next to Verser, turned her head towards the building. She looked at its front wall. Her eyes fell on a graffilli close to the doors.

Liars

Luster shook her headed and turned her head forward. She looked at Verser with the corner of her eye. He had his head towards Luster. She sighed. "This building needs to be torn down and rebuilt". She started to walk and Verser followed her.

After walking for a block, they reached the corner of the street and turned right. They turned their bodies to the left. They were in front of the Canterlot's train station. Near the entrance, there was a wooden sign on a pole. It had words painted:

Equarantine
No trains available

Luster and Verser walked forward to the doors, which were open. They crossed the threshold.

Inside, Luster and Verser were twenty legs away from the train: the Victory Express. Nopony was in sight. They approached the maroon walls of the wagons and turned to the right. They walked parallel to the train. They were heading to the engine. On their way they didn't stumble with anypony.

When Luster and Vesper were about to reach the head of the train, an earth pony wearing a blue overal and a kepi came out of its entrance. He turned his head to the right towards Luster. He opened his eyes wide. "Co-commissar?!" He raised a forehoof and took off his hat. He pressed it against his chest.

Luster nodded and smiled. "Hello, sire". She looked him in the eye. She raised a hoof and pointed at him. "Are you the machinist?" She lowered her hoof. The earth pony nodded energetically. He cleared his throat. "Yes, commissar. I'm the machinist".

Luster smile widened. She turned her head to the left towards Verser and looked at him. Verser exchanged glances with Luster and the machinist. "The journalist here..." Luster turned her head forward and looked at the machinist. "... must get to Fillydelphia as soon as possible".

The machinist's eyes fell on Verser. They exchanged glances. Then, the machinist looked down. "Commissar, would you authorize me to depart for Fillydelphia?" He looked forward at Luster. She nodded. She raised her left forehoof and put it on Verser's shoulder. "This is the way".

Ten minutes later, the train engine was running, ready to leave the station. Luster and Verser were before the doors of the wagon after the engine. Verser, stepped forward, climbing aboard. He turned around and looked forward at Luster. Despite being two steps higher than Luster; she, an alicorn, still surpassed him in height. "Hey!" She spoke, his voice muffled by the engine roar. With her telekinesis, she opened one of her saddlebags and took a cloth bag out. She hoofed it over Verser, who took it with his telekinesis. "It's gold bits!" Luster said. "You'll need them in Fillydelphia!" She added. Verser nodded. With his magic, he opened his saddlebags and put the bag of bits inside.

Luster turned her head to the right. The machinist had stuck his head out the window of the engine. He was looking at Luster. Luster nodded. She raised her right forehoof and pointed to the right. "You can go now!" She shouted. The machinist nodded and put his head back inside. Luster turned her head forward and looked at Verser. He was still on the steps of the wagon, looking at Luster. She smiled at him. "Good luck!" She wished. Verser smiled and stepped back, getting further inside the wagon.

The train started to move. Luster stayed were she was, watching the vehicle leave. She still could see Verser through one of the windows. "It's an overnight trip. You should be wise and sleep", she whispered to herself. She raised a hoof and waved to the machine.