The silence of the foals

Luster Dawn left the hallway of white walls and chess tiles. The path there became pitch-dark again. Instead of turning right to follow the path to the exit, she turned left and decided to explore more of the caves and visit other inmates held there. Briefly, she visited inmates; zebras, donkeys, terrorists, griffons, pows, and members of the opposition against Twilight.

They all lived in poor conditions, if compared with Canterlin. Unlike him, most of them pleaded not guilty. The cages of the inmates were different from Canterlin's. Instead of a crystal wall they were all behind iron bars. Some of them were far away from the closest torches, and practically lived in constant darkness.

When Luster approached most of the the inmates, a strong smell of manure invaded her nostrils. She was glad she had skipped breakfast that maneday morning. She was also glad for the companion she had. The unicorn in white from before was guiding her. "I suggest you not to breathe when you approach the inmates", he had told her.

After half an hour of exploring and paying visits, Luster decided to turn around and go back where she came from. Ten minutes later of walking, she passed by the intersection of tunnels that led to Canterlin's entrance. She, with the help of the guard, chose the right way and headed to the cave's exit. It took them five minutes to reach the dungeons.

There was only a way that connected the dungeons to the caves of the Canterlot's Mountain. Unlike the caves, the dungeons had brick walls, not rocky walls. Still, there were torches on the walls just like in the caves. Also, the dungeons didn't stink like the caves. They had ceiling vents on every hallway and room.The dungeons were so big they went from the east side to the center of Canterlot. Down there, there was a food supply, a water purifier and even a nursery as big as Canterlot Hospital's first floor. To enter or exit the dungeons, one had to go on the stairs near the Gas mines of Canterlot. Although, there was another entrance in the center of Canterlot. That one was restricted for everypony but the Stablo agents. Luster prefered to enter and exit the dungeons through the entrance near the gas mines. She liked the landscape of the lake in front of the mines.

It took Luster and the guard five minutes to go from the exit of the cave to the exit of the dungeons. After one hour and a half in total of being underground, Luster went up the stairs to the surface. The entrance to the dungeons, near the gas mines, were stairs open to the exterior. They were of a light grey concrete. On the sides of the stairs were railings. There was even a ramp for disabled ponies next to the stairs.

The sunlight gently kissed Luster's back and face. She looked east and saw the Season Crops farmland. Then, she looked south and saw the jet navy blue water of the Boating lake. She went to the lakeside. She stood there for a while, inhaling and exhaling slowly. She stretched her wings and yawned. Her horn illuminated. With her telekinesis, she took her glasses off and started to wipe them with the cloth she had taken out of her saddlebag.

From behind, a pegasus was flying towards her. He landed on the dirt and started to approach Luster. He was wearing sunglasses and had a headset on his left ear. He was an Intel agent.

An intel agent was a different type of Stablo agent. They were known as Intel agents or simply intels. The difference between a regular Stablo member and an intel was that the later was off the regular chain of command. They had their own heriarchy; being Luster Dawn, the commissar; on top. Most of them had officer ranks. They acted as informants of the commissar. The information they handled was normally confidential to the public and to regular Stablo agents. They ran the internal affairs of the Stablo Agency, too. Also, unlike the regular Stablo agents, they did not wear purple legbands. They had no distinctives. Although, they were commonly seen wearing sunglasses. Even at night.

The intel, behind Luster, cleared his throat.

"Hm?" Luster expressed. She didn't turn her body to look at him. She looked down at her reflection in the water. She had worn her round glasses again.

The intel walked to her side and looked at her. "We found out who is the culprit of the fire in the Everfree forest".

Luster turned her head at him. "Let me guess..." She turned her body around and started to walk away, heading north. The intel followed her. "... It's a dragon, isn't it?"

The intel rushed in front of her, walking backwards. He nodded energetically. "Indeed. We suppose he's come from the west. Probably from the Smokey Mountains. We assume that because of the rumors in Tall Tale and Ponyville". Luster stopped walking and so he did. They stayed in front of each other.

"Okay. What about the rumors here?" She pointed north, behind him, at the city of Canterlot. "The ones of the draft ponies specifically".

The pegasus rubbed his jaw with a hoof. "Well, we believe they know just a little bit less than the poniticians..." He pointed at south, behind Luster. "They all have noticed the smoke clouds coming from the south".

Luster nodded once. "Anything else?" She asked. The pegasus shook his head. "Dismissed", she pronounced. The pegasus nodded and took flight, getting away.

She continued walking north. After going on a slow pace for a minute, she reached a tall wall. She flapped her wings and went over the structure. On the other side of the wall were two channels of water divided by curved grasslands. Further north were the Housing complexes. Luster, staying in mid-air, looked north-east and saw the Sun Memorial three blocks away. There, surrounded by water coming from the pair of channels, was a statue of Princess Celestia.

Luster landed on one of the streets of the Housing Complexes. The streets weren't busy of ponies because it was the draft ponies block, and almost all the workers were on duty until five in the afternoon. Since it was around ten o'clock in the morning, the few ponies outside were either poniticians or delivery ponies. Luster looked at the ponies around. Her eyes caught a ponitician. He was a unicorn and was walking on the street, wearing an expensive semi-tuxedo that only covered his upper body and a golden watch on his left forecannon. Next to him was walking an earth pony. The earth pony was a draft-pony and was carrying, besides his own saddlebags, the saddlebags with the cutiemark of the ponitician. She knew it was the ponitician's because of the cutiemark on the saddlebag. He was panting as he tried to keep up with the ponitician's gait. The ponitician was smiling. But, when his eyes met Luster's, his smile fell and he started to walk away faster, getting away from her.

Luster shook her head. She started to walk and reached a corner. From then, she turned right and headed to the Town Center.

The entrance to the dungeons in the town center was disguised. It was the entrance to the sewers. If one knew the way down there, in the sewer labyrinths, one could find an access to the dungeons. It stinked. It didn't matter all the vents it had around the city.

Just like everywhere else in Canterlot at every hour, there were guards on every corner. Stablo guards. Luster looked at the guards protecting the town center. There were two on every road connected to the the round center. And there were four ways. So there were eight guards in sight. They all wore the purple legbands on their left forelegs. Luster did too. She approached to the two guards of the north street. They both had their eyes on her and saluted her when she got close. "Good morning, commissar!" They said in unison.

"At ease", Luster said. The guards, who had stood very straight, relaxed their shoulders. "Is there anything new you have seen?" She asked.

One of the guards, who was a pegasus, scratched his ear with a wing for a second. He looked behind Luster, at the hole to the sewers. "Yes, commissar", he said, looking back at Luster. He pointed the sewer cover with a hoof. "Like an hour ago, a pony walked over the ponyhole cap and fell inside".

Luster opened her eyes wide. "For real?" She turned her head and looked at the sewer entrance. There was a wooden plank over the sewer cap. Also, there were many safety cones around its entrance. "Was it a fatality?" She asked, turning her head back at him.

The pegasus guard shook his head. "He was quickly lifted out of the sewer with unicorn magic. Then, he was taken to the hospital. That's all we know".

Luster nodded. "Thanks for the information". She smiled. "Keep it up, colts". She turned to the right and started to walk east.

"Yes, commissar!" They said in unison.

Luster walked around the upper portion of the town center, heading to the eastern road. She turned left and followed the street. She passed by some minor buildings. After walking two blocks away from the city's heart, she got to a corner and turned right. On the left hoof was the Canterlot Hospital. It was a tall building, different from the others around, because it looked like an enormous white cube with many windows. On the entrance to the place were ponies waiting on a line to enter. The ponies there wore bows, hats and dresses. They seemed very unhappy. They commented too:

"This line's taking too long!"

"We are poniticians! We deserve better attention!"

"I'm going to compl..." One of the ponies wearing a fancy blazer was saying. He looked to his left and saw Luster staring at him. His eyes opened wide. He cleared his throat and looked forward.

Other ponies that were complaining looked to their left side and stopped talking. Luster was walking parallel to the line. She gave brief looks to the ponies on her right. They all looked at her with impressed eyes.

Luster passed the line of ponies and approached the two stablo agents guarding the doors. They also acted as doorkeepers. "May I come in?", she said.

One of the guards looked at her. He first looked at her horn, then at her glasses, then at her wings, and finally, at the purple legband on her left foreleg. He opened his eyes wide. Just like the other guard had, he saluted her. "Good morning, commissar!" One of the guards opened the doors.

"At ease", Luster said with a smile. She walked inside the building.

Inside, the waiting room was packed with all kinds of ponies: poniticians and draft ponies. The white walls were stained with unknown materia. Doctors and nurses ran from one side of the hospital to another. Every few seconds the receptionists called the patients yelling numbers. In other words, it was a tarpandemonium.

Luster approached one of the receptionists. The pony before the table was about to yell another number written on her list. She saw Luster and opened her eyes wide. With her magic, she put the piece of paper back on the table. She cleared her throat. "Welcome, ma'am, can I be of help for you?" The receptionist said.

Luster nodded once, smiling. "Hello, miss, uhm, I am looking for the pony that fell on the sewer", she said, speaking loudly due to the noise around.

The receptionist, a unicorn, opened a drawer with her telekinesis and took out a file. "One second, ma'am. Please". She opened the file and read it for a few seconds. Then, she looked up at Luster. "Room thirty. Fourth floor. That's where the pony that fell in the hole is".

"Many thanks, miss", Luster said. She went through a hallway next to the waiting room and reached the elevator doors.

When the doors of the machine opened, Luster looked to the pony getting out of it. He was a pegasus with a caramel coat and a chestnut mane. He looked at Luster in the eyes. He stopped staring at her and walked away. His cutiemark was a black chocolate bar semi-opened.

Luster got inside the elevator. On her left was a panel with numbers. She pressed the one with the number four. The doors closed.

While she waited for the machine to go up, she sighed. She yawned again. It was already almost eleven o'clock. She had woken up at five o'clock. Just like she always did. From Maneday to Celsday. She was glad she was an alicorn, not only because it meant to age really slowly, but because she felt as alive as the day she turned into an alicorn. That was seventy one years ago, when she was just nineteen years old. She was born in spring of the second year of Twilight's reign. Flurry Heart was four years older than her. On the other side, she had to go through the pain of seeing both of her parents and friends passing away. That's why she never thought of getting pregnant or to have pets. Also, she suspected that Twilight Sparkle and Flurry Heart never had foals for the same reasons. Fear of losing loved ones. Although, she had thought about it and told Flurry many times that she could have the genetics for another alicorn foal. Still, none of the three alicorns had tried to date a stallion in the last fifty years. The idea sounded boring and scary for them. Besides, they got used to the estrous cycle every year and managed to have it under control.

The elevator doors opened again. Luster was on the fourth floor. That floor wasn't much different than the first one. There were just less pillows and more rooms. Luster got out of the elevator and started to look for room thirty. She passed many nurses and doctors on her way. When she got to an intersection of hallways she turned left and on her right hoof was the room number thirty. She opened the door with her telekinesis.

Inside the room, there were two beds. Only one was occupied. Although the other bed was messy, as if it had been recently used. Luster approached the pony there. He was a really old pegasus. His coat and mane were the same colors as Canterlin's. Although his eyes were purple, unlike Canterlin's gray ones. Luster got in front of his bed. He had his eyes closed. Luster cleared her throat.

"Excuse me, sire", she said.

The old pony opened his eyes. He slowly licked his dry lips. "Hm? Yeah?" He said, almost muttering.

Luster walked to the left side of his bed. Her head was closer to his. "Are you the pony who fell into the sewers?"

The pegasus slowly raised his right forehoof. He pointed to the bed on his right. "He", he simply said. Then, he pointed himself "I have the feather fever".

Luster looked at the empty bed on her left. Then looked back at the old pone. "There's nobody there, sire".

The elder lowered his right foreleg and rested it back on the bed. He then raised his head at looked with his own eyes at the bed on his right. He blinked twice. "Oh. Weird. As weird as the thing that have just happened".

Luster narrowed her eyes. "Care to explain that, sire?"

The old pony rested his head back on the pillow. He looked Luster in the eyes. He slowly blinked. "Uhm, well..." He yawned and smacked his lips. "One second he was a white pony then his coat became the same color of the candies they serve here. Really weird". He slurred his words.

Luster sighed. She turned around and walked to the room's door. When she got there she turned her head at the gray old pegasus. "Goodbye, sire". She opened the door with her magic and left the room. Outside, in the hallway, she closed the door behind her. She sighed again, massaging her temples with the tip of her wings. She saw a nurse getting out of another room. She approached her.

"Excuse me, miss", Luster said. She waved at her with one of her forehooves.

The earth pony in front of her, who had been holding a bag of serum, looked at Luster. Her eyes opened wide. "Oh! Yes, ma'am?" The nurse said. She put the plastic bag on one of her saddlebags.

"Uhm, miss, I just want to say that the pony brought from the sewers is not in his room. The one from room thirty", Luster said.

The nurse opened her eyes wider than before. She passed Luster's side and rushed to room thirty. Luster turned around to see her pushing the door with her hooves. After a few seconds, the nurse got out of the room. She was shaking. Luster approached her again.

"I-It can't be!" The nurse said. She looked Luster in the eyes.

Luster exhaled. With her telekinesis, she took her glasses off and got a cloth out of her saddlebags. She started to wipe the glasses. "I assume you haven't seen him get out of there".

The nurse nodded. "I swear I would have noticed. Oh! I gotta check the bathrooms" She passed Luster by her side again and galloped through the hallway, turning left on the hallways intersection.

Luster, staying where she was, sighed. Then she started to walk to the intersection. Instead of following the nurse's path she turned right and headed to the elevator again. She pressed the button and after a minute the doors opened. The elevator was empty. She got in, pressed the button with a number one and the doors closed.

Luster was flying over the city of Canterlot. She had left the hospital and was heading west. It was already a quarter to noon. She wanted to exchange her Feed Right ticket for some lunch by the Farmer's market. She passed the Sun Memorial and the Housing complexes. Then she flew over the train station. She looked at was on the paved ground.

There on the floor of the train station was a white pony with a blond mane, waiting alone. She was alone if one didn't count the stablo agents guarding the place.

A minute later, Luster flew over the Stablo headquarters. It was a four floors building. Its walls and roof were light grey. Luster was about to reach the Canterlot Castle Plaza. The place had a circular shape and in the center of the floor was a huge painting of the royal sisters. Luna and Celestia. Also, on the west of the plaza was the castle. On the north was the barracks of the stablo agents. On the east was the Royal Hedge Maze. And finally, south the plaza, was the Farmer's market. Luster's objective.

She landed near the market. There was another line of ponies there, waiting to exchange their food tickets. They were a mix poniticians and draft ponies. Some wore suits and others dusty overalls. Luster went to the tail of the line. The pony in front of her looked behind, at her, and opened his eyes wide. "Take my place, ma'am", he had told her. Then it happened again, the next pony in front of her told her the same thing and she advanced more. Like a domino effect, the situation of Luster taking one's place happened. Just a minute later, she found herself on the first place of the line. The vendor looked at her with eyes wide open. He shook his legs when Luster, with her magic, hoofed him her ticket. "It's free for you, ma'am", the trader said. He offered her a whole box of apples.

"Just one, please", Luster said with a smile. She put her Feedright ticket back on her saddlebag. The vendor quickly hoofed her a single apple. Luster grabbed it with her telekinesis and put it inside her saddlebag. "Many thanks, sire", she said, getting out of the line. She started to walk west, heading to the castle doors.

There, guarding the doors, were two black shirted ponies with helmets. Soldiers of the Weapon. Both males. One was a unicorn and the other a pegasus. When Luster approached them they walked towards her. "Today's Password?", the unicorn said. He stared at Luster with his light blue eyes.

Luster sighed, looking at the sky for a second and them back at the soldiers. "Bee-bee-bee-eff-eff-four-ee", she pronounced.

The unicorn soldier nodded and with his telekinesis he opened one of the castle doors.

Without saying no more, Luster passed by the soldiers. When she got inside the castle, the doors closed behind her.

Inside the castle, on the hall and stairs that went up, were red carpets that covered many paths. The visible floor had a chess design, just like the ones of Canterlin's prison. The walls and stairs were of a light purple color. Also, the baseboard of the walls and the door frames where golden. The place was dimly illuminated by a candelabrum hanging from the high ceiling. Luster approached the stairs in front of the doors. Those ones led to the throne room. She went upstairs. She reached another pair of purple doors and opened them with her telekinesis. She got into the Pre-throne room.

The pre-throne room had light blue walls and floor. It was also called The Stained glasses room. It was called that way for the decorative windows there, on Luster's right. From left to right, first there was the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Then was the stained glass of the Young Six. After that it was the one of Flurry Heart. Luster always looked at that one with a smirk. Later was the one of the Legion of Doom: Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow. And finally, it was the stained glass that represented Twilight Sparkle's coronation.

Luster advanced on the red carpet that led to the throne room. After a few seconds of moving through the pre-throne room, Luster reached another pair of purple doors. She opened them.

Inside, the throne room was empty. Its walls and floor were the same color as the Stained Glasses Room. The red carpet finally ended there, before the throne. In front of the throne there was a small wooden table with untouched food on top.

"Don't tell me she's lying on bed again", Luster thought aloud. She turned around and went through the pre-throne room again. She went downstairs and instead of going forward to the exit of the castle she took a right turn. She headed to where once were Celestia's room. She could hear violin music coming from there. She approached the doors and pushed one of them with her magic. She got inside Twilight's room.

The room was dark. Curtains covered the windows. A gramophone on the nightstand next to bed was playing sad music. Twilight's bed was on the right side of the room.

"Twilight? It's me, Luster", she said while she approached the right side of bed. The place were Twilight lay was a total mess. She was covered by a dozen of pillows.

"Hm? What time is it?" Twilight asked. Her voice was muffled by the pillow in front of her face.

Luster took the pillow away from Twilight's head and put it on the floor. "It's noon already. Your lunch is waiting for you in the throne room".

Twilight grunted and with her telekinesis put the same pillow back on her face. "I don't want it!"

Luster sighed deeply. She turned her head and looked at the windows. With the magic of her horn, she started to remove the curtains of all the windows. She turned her head to the left, towards the gramophone. She lifted its needle off the vinyl disc. The music stopped.

Twilight grunted again. Her room and bed were brightly illuminated by sunlight. Then, she moved the pillows away from her body and sat on the bed. She looked at Luster. Her long face turned into an smirk. "You always find the way to motivate me and make me get up".

Luster chuckled. She smiled too. With her magic, she opened her saddlebag and took out the apple. She sliced it in two. "Wanna share?"

Twilight nodded cheerfully. "You know, scientific books has proven that alicorns are always hungry and need to eat more than the average! So yes, I'd totally like to share!" Luster brought the piece of fruit close to Twilight. She grabbed it with her magic and ate it in one bite.

Luster laughed, looking at Twilight. "So true!" She ate the half apple in one bite too.

Twilight stretched her forelegs. She was so tall her forehooves touched the bed's fabric top. She yawned and her wings stretched too. She smacked her lips. She softly shook her head and jumped out of the bed to the right. Luster had stepped back. Her eyes opened wide and she raised a foreleg. "Easy there! Don't want you to throw up!"

Twilight was standing in front of Luster, smiling broadly. "Don't worry! Hey, did the intel agents find out the cause of the fires...?!" She inhaled. "... On the Everfree forest?!"

Luster slowly nodded.

Twilight skipped in place. "Great! What was it?!"

Luster looked down for a second. Then, she looked up again. "Um, well, it's a dragon".

Twilight smile dropped. She turned left and trotted to the other side of the room. "I knew it! I bet it's Spike!" She rushed to a bookshelf on the left side of the room and started to take out books with her magic. She read each of them for a few seconds and then throw them on the floor. Over and over.

Luster approached Twilight. "How can you be so sure it's him?" She got behind her, looking at the increasing pile of books on the floor next to her.

Twilight without stopping reading books about dragons, she answered. "Tell me! Where do they think it's coming from?! The intel agents?!"

Luster raised forehoof and rubbed her muzzle. "Uhm, probably from the Smokey Mountains. That's according to the rumors".

"Mhm! Right! Being the ruler for so much time have taught to never underestimate rumors!" Twilight said with a wide smile. She was about to empty the whole bookshelf. There were already dozens of books on the floor. Luster backed off a few steps and almost tripped with a book. Twilight turned around and looked Luster in the eyes. Her eyes were as wide as her smile. "I don't have the right book here! But it doesn't matter! I could write it myself just using my memory!" She tapped her forehead with a hoof.

Luster narrowed her eyes. "A book about what exactly? How to tame a dragon?"

"Not exactly, uh..." Twilight's smile dropped again. "I think it was too high and mighty to say that I could rewrite that book". She inhaled and lowered her head. She looked at Luster. "It was a book about a spell on how to rejuvenate a dragon. And by extension making one small again". She sighed. "It's a shame I've never mastered it. Neither you nor Flurry". She softly pawed the floor.

Luster opened her eyes wide. She hit the floor with a hoof. "Oh yeah! I remember that now!" She tapped her jaw with a hoof. "That was like what, fifty years ago?"

Twilight nodded. With her magic, she put all the books on the floor back to the bookshelf. I took her three seconds to do it. She walked to the door. Luster followed her. Without saying more, they both left Twilight's bedroom.

Luster Dawn and Twilight had gone to the Throne room. Twilight splitted her lunch with Luster. The mashed carrots had gotten cold but it still looked delicious. Twilight sat in her throne while Luster sat on a pillow. They were eating silently until Luster spoke. "Oh, before I forget to tell you: I have to go to Fillydelphia tomorrow".

Twilight chewed and swallowed her food. "For your investigation mission I suppose".

Luster nodded. "Exactly. I've figured out it would be easier for solving the case if I am in the place where the crime is committed". With her telekinesis, she put a spoonful of mashed carrots in her mouth.

"Well then. You have my blessing. It doesn't matter how much time it takes to solve it. Just don't forget to share the details with me! I love the mistery!", Twilight said with a smile. She laughed briefly. "This remind me of a book of mistery. Even though I rather not read fiction, I have a collection of Sherclop Pones myself!"

Luster chuckled. "I don't really like mystery. Either if it's in a book or in real life..." She smiled timidly at Twilight. "Still, I kinda like these solo missions".

Twilight dropped the spoon on the tray and patted Luster on her shoulder. "Cheer up! I used to do all kind of missions when I was younger. Hay, my friends and I debunked a sect of equal cutiemark ponies!"

Luster stopped chewing. She snorted and swallowed loudly. She looked Twilight in the eyes. "Yes, the sect that was ruled by my mother".

Twilight opened her eyes wide. She covered her mouth with a hoof. Laughter escaped her lips. "I'm sorry! Your face looks so funny!"

Luster Dawn stood up from the pillow. "I gotta go to the headquarters. Enjoy your food". She started to walk to the doors.

"Don't forget to write down all the details of your mission. I'd love to read them!" Twilight said, smiling broadly. She waved with a foreleg.

With her magic, Luster opened the doors to the Stained Glasses room. She crossed the threshold and then closed the doors behind her. She stopped walking and sighed. She looked forward and continued moving. She left the Canterlot castle.

Seven hours had passed since Luster had lunch with Twilight. It was maneday evening. Luster had passed most of that time inside of the light grey building of the Stablo headquarters. From there, she gave directions spreaded by the subordinate officers. She had slept in her office too. Atleast three hours. It was seven thirty and it was time for Luster to go to the castle. Maybe have a small dinner and then go to sleep in the Stablo barracks. There, she had her own private room.

Somepony knocked on the door of Luster's office. She, sitting on her own throne, opened the door with her magic. Outside, by the threshold, was the pegasus with sunglasses that had talked to her in the morning. He stepped in her office. Without saying nothing he sat on a pillow before Luster's desk. She closed the door.

"I have bad news", the intel said. He rearranged his earphone with a wing, taking it out of his left ear and put it in again. He looked at Luster in the eyes.

Luster nodded. "Go ahead and tell me".

The intel lifted his forelegs and rested them on Luster's desk. "Around an hour and a half ago according to the witnesses; the victims; a dragon attacked the apple farm in Ponyville..." Luster eyes opened wide. She looked the intel in the eyes. "...And not only that. Twenty minutes later of that event the beast derailed the Victory Express near Ghastly Gorge. The train was full of Weapon draftees". He inhaled. "Also, we assume the same dragon committed both attacks because of the description given by the survivors. A purple dragon with green scales".

Luster closed her eyes closed. She massaged her temples with the help of her wings. She opened her eyes again and looked at him. "Got it. Now, where's the dragon?"

The intel shrugged. "A squad was sent to sweep the Everfree forest. They found nothing".

"What about the victims? What happened to them?" Luster asked. Just like the intel, she rested both of forelegs on her desk.

"Well, the farmers of Sweet Apple Acres; both the dead and the injured; were sent to the Ponyville Hospital. On the other side, the soldiers of the weapon; dead or injured ones; went to different places. Some where sent to the hospital in Appleloosa and the others to the one in Ponyville", said the intel.

"Is that all?" Luster asked. She raised a foreleg off the desk and combed her mane. It was dry and dusty. She remembered the dirt particles that had fallen on her while she was in the caves and dungeons that morning. She really needed a bath.

The intel opened both of his saddlebags with his wings. Each wing went to open saddlebag on its side. "Just one more thing". He took out a red notebook and a camera from his bags. He presented them to Luster, putting them on the desk.

"What do we have here?" Luster asked.

"We found them close to the corpse of a unicorn not a hundred legs away from the farm. We believe it was her belongings". He pointed at the red notebook. "There, she identified herself as Red. And also, as a ponizen of Canterlot. According to the things written there, we assume she was a journalist from the Stablo press".

"Oh, director Kalby's employee then", Luster said. She stretched her back with her forelegs resting on the desk. She yawned, covering her mouth with a hoof. "Where was her body taken? To the Ponyville's morgue?"

The intel nodded once. He moved his hoof from the notebook and pointed to the camera next to it. "The reel of this camera was used three times. Although Red doesn't appear in any of the photographs, we assume it was hers".

Luster leaned her head forward. "What are the photos about?"

The intel lowered his forelegs to the ground. He cleared his throat. "From older to newer, the negatives are: a landscape of Ponyville; a photo of the train station when the train is being boarded by the Weapon conscripts; and finally, a photo of the dragon a couple of dozen legs away". He ended the sentence with his eyes wide open.

Luster raised a foreleg and tapped her jaw with her hoof. "About that photo of the soldiers; are they the same of the derailment?".

The intel nodded. "We assume that, even though we couldn't identify the soldiers due to the reel's small size. Besides, one can easily notice that they are boarding the Victory Express".

Luster looked the intel in the eyes. "Listen. You are going to go to the train station and order the freeze status of all the trains that go to southern Equestria", she said. The intel, taking off his sunglasses, batted her eyes twice at Luster. "Great". Luster took her forelegs off the desk and raised them high, stretching them. "Do you have something else to say?"

"No. That's all for now", the intel said. He stood up from the pillow he was sitting on.

"Dismissed", Luster pronounced. The intel nodded and turned around. He walked to the door, opened it with his wing and crossed the treshold. He closed the door behind him. Luster sighed deeply. She looked at the objects on her desk: the camera and the red notebook. With her magic, she picked up the objects. She looked at her saddlebags next to her desk. She opened them and dragged the two objects inside.

Tweny minutes later, Luster had left her office and was heading downstairs in the Stablo headquarters. When she was in the middle of the stairs, the ground began to shake.

An earthquake.

Luster had to fly up in order to avoid tripping down the stairs. Frightened, she hit her head against the ceiling. "Buck!" She said in mid-air, grabbing her head with her forelegs.

Seconds later, the shaking stopped. Luster could hear the ponies outside shouting and yelling. There was clopping coming from everywhere. Luster flew down and landed on the stairs again. Very carefully, she started to go downstairs. She reached the first floor of the headquarters and saw a group of stablo agents talking. One of them saw Luster approaching and he shouted. "There's the commissar!" All the ponies in the hall turned to look at her.

Luster without wasting time, rushed to the main doors. They were open and Luster stood in the threshold. She looked behind, at the group of stablo agents. "Gather all the agents and watch the entrances to the city!"

The group of ponies galloped outside, passing by Luster's side. A part of the group went to the right and the other to the left of the street.

Luster stood there. By the threshold. She felt her mane wet and warm. She touched it with one of her forehooves and then lowered her leg. She was bleeding. With her telekinesis, she took the glasses cloth out of her saddlebag and put it on her head. With a forehoof, she applied pressure on the wound. Then, she took out her cantie-rantie; a communication device the size of a brick; out of her saddlebag. With her magic she pressed a switch and one of its buttons. "Attention all Stablo agents! Protect the sectors of the city where you are! Await for further instructions!"

Twenty minutes had passed again. The earthquake only had lasted a few seconds. Nopony knew who the culprit was. The stablo agents were around Canterlot, protecting the city and on the lookout for any threats. Luster had gone to the castle. She had told the Weapon guards the daily password again: BBBFF4E. She had entered the castle and found Twilight still in the throne-room. Twilight had noticed the wound on Luster's head and treated her with a cicatrization spell.

Luster and Twilight were in the throne room alone. Twilight was on her throne and Luster was on a pillow next to her. "Twilight I have something very important to say".

Twilight looked at her with a smile. "Me too!" She said, slightly shaking her body. "I just found the book about how to turn a dragon small again!".

Luster gulped. She looked at the floor. "Well, about the dragon issue..."

"Yes?" Twilight leaned her head at Luster.

"He attacked Sweet Apple Acres and the Victory Express. There were fatalities", Luster said, looking up at Twilight's eyes.

Twilight smile dropped. She lowered her head. "That can't be Spike! He would never hurt anypony".

Luster turned her head to her left. Next to her was her saddlebag. With her magic she opened one of the bags. "A photo was taken of the dragon". She took out the camera given by the intel. She brought the device close to Twilight.

Without wasting time; with her telekinesis; Twilight opened the camera's case and took out the reel. The reel was floating in front of her. With her horn she casted a spell on the object.

In front of Luster and Twilight appeared an hologram. They were amplified versions of the negatives. Luster opened her eyes wide when the semitransparent images appeared. "Twilight, you gotta teach me that spell!"

Twilight eyes fell on the image of the dragon. She sighed. Despite the negatives being sepia, she could easily perceive every detail of the beast. She looked down again and sighed deeply. "It's definitely him".

Luster turned her head at Twilight. "Do you think he has become feral?"

Twilight looked up, back to the negative of the dragon. "I don't know but..." She opened her eyes wide. With a hoof, she pointed at the image. "Hold on! Do you see the thing around his neck?"

Luster turned her head at the image. She narrowed her eyes. "Uhm, yes. It looks like a medal".

"Exactly! It looks like the medal I had given him when the Council of Friendship was created!", Twilight exclaimed. She had stood on alls fours. She turned her head at Luster. "This reminds me of the Alicorn Amulet. Like a century ago. It was an evil amulet that controlled and corrupted the wearer".

Luster raised a forehoof and rubbed her jaw. She looked at Twilight. "So, if Spike is being controlled..." She cleared her throat. "... Who is controlling him?"

Twilight's horn stopped using magic. She put the camera's reel down. The hologram dissapeared. She sighed, sitting down on her throne again. "Maybe nopony. Maybe it's the medal that's simply cursed". She looked at Luster. "Or maybe he indeed has become feral".

"Well, I guess we won't know until we bust him. A squad of intels swept the Everfree forest but couldn't find him", Luster said.

It was nine o'clock of that maneday night. Luster had just left the castle and walked through the castle plaza. She was heading north to the Stablo barracks.

The stablo barracks were originally the safehouse of the Royal Guards. But since they have become part of the Weapon; just like the Wonderbolts; they dissocupied those barracks. The Weapon headquarters moved to the Crystal Empire, being Flurry Heart the mareshal of them.

The barracks looked like as if they were a smaller version of the Canterlot castle. The outside walls were of white color and the tile roof was purple with golden details. Luster approached the barracks entrance. Two stablo agents were guarding it.

"Good evening, commissar!" They said in unison. One of the agents opened one of the doors and pointed at the inside.

Luster yawned, covering her mouth with a hoof. "Good evening, colts. At ease" She smiled and passed by them through the open door. The door close behind her. She sighed and looked forward.

The inside, just like the castle hall, had light purple inner walls and a floor with a chess design. In the background there was a door that led to the common barracks. The one for the regular stablo agents. And on the left side were stairs to the commissar room. Luster's room.

She headed upstairs and opened the door to her individual room. The inside was dark with the curtains covering the only windows. Luster moved the curtains and with her magic lit a candle. Her room's walls were the same color of her two-tone mane. Two walls were orange and the other two of a golden color. There was a bed, a nightstand; a desk with many papers and ink on top; a pillow in front of the desk; and a wardrobe. She closed the door behind her.

With her telekinesis, Luster grabbed the saddlebags on her back and put them next to the desk. She sat down on the pillow before the desk. She took the red notebook out of the saddlebag and put it on the desk. She opened the notebook on the first page.

She started reading aloud: "My name is Red..."

In the morning of the next day, foursday, Luster was heading to the Stablo Press. She had left the barracks two minutes ago. She was flying over Canterlot. She flew over the Stablo headquarters and then over six blocks more. She landed in front of the windowless building; before the Stablo press. She sighed and went inside through the already open doors.

As soon as she entered, her nostrils were invaded by a strong smell of sweat. The inside of the building was too white and boring. Also, the walls seemed to be stained with black grease; probably from the ones used for the press machines. She walked through the main corridor of the building and turned right when she reached an intersection. In front of her was a pegasus, flying in the middle of the corridor. It was the director of the press; Kalby. "Where is that damn unicorn with my photo?! It was for yesterday!" The workers around stared at him. "This office's next to the train station! Hay, that damn farm in Pony...!" The ponies looked at Luster behind of Kalby.

"Ehem!" Luster shouted.

Kalby, still in mid-air, turned his head at Luster. His eyes opened wide. The mustard coat of his face paled. He landed and quickly turned around to face her.

"Well, director, I almost thought you had the Feather Fever with all that irresponsible talking. My my", Luster said.

Kalby bowed before her. The ponies around imitated him. "Excuse me, commissar. It won't happen again", he said with his head down.

Luster smiled. "Alright, director". She looked at the other ponies around. "You can get back to work. I'll have a talk with your boss", she said and the ponies stopped bowing and began to disperse away.

Kalby nodded, standing up. He pointed at the stairs at the end of the corridor. "We can talk in my office, commissar".

Luster followed Kalby to his office on the second floor. Kalby went first. Luster got in and closed the door behind her.

Kalby pointed at the big chair before his desk. "Please, sit there if you need, commissar".

Luster shook her head. "No thanks, director. I just need to ask you some things". With her telekinesis, Luster opened her saddlebags. From one bag took a newspaper and from the other the red notebook. She brought the notebook close to Kalby. "This journal, let's call it; I believe it belong-ed to one of your employees".

"Uh no, it can't be. It's forbidden to..." Kalby had grabbed the notebook with his wings. He opened it on the first page and read aloud: "My name is Red".

"Sounds familiar? The name I mean", Luster said. She was still holding the newspaper with her magic.

Kalby closed the notebook with a thud. "Uh, I-I'll get this investigated. I promise, commissar". He put it on his desk.

"Just like smoke cloud? The one coming from Ponyville?" Luster asked. She brought the newspaper close for Kalby to grab it. It was Ponyville Today newspaper.

Kalby grabbed the newspaper with his wings. "Actually, commissar the smoke was coming from the Ever..." He read the front page and his eyes opened wide. "... Sweet Apple Acres?!".

Luster sighed. "Indeed, director. Sincerely, I expected answers coming here, not questions".

“What do you mean, commissar?” Kalby asked. He left the newspaper on his desk, next to the red notebook.

Luster, without saying nothing, she turned around and opened the office's door with her magic. She started to walk to the exit. "There's one more thing before I leave, director". She stopped walking and turned her head at him. "Did you feel the earthquake last night?"

Kalby nodded. “Uh, yes, commissar, but it was made sure it wasn’t an enemy attack. I was told all the Canterlot’s entrances were watched all night.”

"What about the main entrance?" Luster asked.

Kalby narrowed his eyes. "Commissar, I just told you th..."

"I mean the aerial one, director". She started to walk away. "Anypony can fly onto us". She crossed the threshold, turned right and headed to the stairs. After walking for a minute, she left the Stablo press building.

On the following three hours, Luster completed minor tasks. She visited green areas like the Public Garden. She also visited the farmlands, from east to south. She visited and interviewed the farmers of the Hay Fields, Seasonal crops and the Fruit Orchard. The last place she visited was the Artisan Crops farmland. That one was the closest to the castle plaza.

Luster Down flew to the castle plaza. She landed before the castle doors. Again, there were the two soldiers of the Weapon guarding the entrance. That time the pegasus soldier was the one who spoke. "Today's password?"

Luster sighed. "Key-dee-eff-ess".

Both soldiers nodded. The other soldier, a unicorn, opened one of the doors of the castle. Luster passed by them and entered the building.

Five minutes after entering, she got out of the castle again. She had found Twilight walking downstairs from the throne room. She had told her she was about to leave.

"Don't forget that the Feed Right tickets are invalid in Fillydelphia! Also, when you get there, don't forget to adjust your cantie-rantie frequency to the one used there!" Twilight had told Luster. They had gone to her room and Twilight had given her a bag of golden bits from her safe.

Finally, Luster Dawn was ready to go to Fillydelphia. By the castle plaza, she took flight and headed east. She was going to the City of the Brotherly Filly. The one founded by the unicorn mare Mina Pone; with the help of her seven brothers.