The silence of the foals

by Adler

Rating: mature
Tags: Alternate Universe, Drama, Original Character, Luster Dawn, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Violence
Length: 55110

Luster Dawn is forced to ask for the help of an all gray monster.

This is story occurs in an alternate universe.

In this universe, Twilight has become a dictator many years after ruling equestria.
Here exists discrimination against non-ponies.

There's a war going on and Luster Dawn is sent to pay a visit to a secluded monster.

Read Prologue first! It's from another story but it serves as it
((Cover by me))

Published 2022-07-28 16:50:00 UTC
Last updated 2022-10-29 20:53:42 UTC

Unexpected visit

Luster Dawn, commissar of the Stable Oversight, was walking inside the caves connected to the Canterlot's dungeons. The path she followed was dimly illuminated by torches on the rocky walls. Her shadows spinned around her as she paced.

In front of her there was a pony wearing a white shirt. He was leading the way. The unicorn had a cinch-belt around his barrel with a cantie-rantie, a communication device, hanging on one side.

"How're you holding up? Over", a male voice spoke from the cantie-rantie.

"We are almost there. Over", the pony in white answered , pressing the device's button with his magic. He briefly turned his head to see Luster walking behind him.

"Copy that. Over".

They kept moving until they reached an intersection of tunnels. They stood in the middle of it. On their right and in front of them were two pathways that had torches illuminating them. On their left there was a black hole. Not even the torches nearby could dissipate the darkness that emanated from there.

The dungeon guard turned his body towards Luster. He looked at the dark entrance. His horn lit, grabbing the cantie-rantie with his telekinesis and holding it close to his muzzle. "We are at the entrance to the objective. Unlock the em-ess please". His voice echoed.

"Copy that. Unlocking of the magic shield in three, two, one..."

Faster than a blink, the darkness in front of Luster and the guard turned ivory white. There was a long hallway with ghostly white walls and a floor of chess tiles.

Luster and the guard started to walk again, heading to the new path. Luster's eyes then percieved the figure of a pony at the end of the hallway.

Behind a thick crystal was an all gray being.

As Luster and her companion got closer to the end of the way, the figure became clear. They stopped walking and found themselves in front of the prisoner held there.

It was the doctor Habel Canterlin. An ex-surgeon and a PhD in meta-psychiatry. A unicorn who was charged for many crimes: foalnapping, intentional ponicide and hideous ponybalism. His coat, eyes, mane and tail were all of grey color.

Canterlin was standing on his hinds there, very close to the glass. He smirked, locking his eyes with Luster's, who was only a few legs away.

The guard in white, who was standing next to Luster, looked at her. "This is him, comissar. Inmate Habel Canterlin".

Luster turned her head at the guard. "Thanks for bringing me here, good sire. You may leave now".

The guard nodded and bowed before her. "In Goddesses we trust", he said, turned around and started to walk. He left through where they had entered.

Canterlin cleared his throat, calling for Luster's attention. "May I know why I have been interrupted from my after breakfast reading of Hippograffes?"

Luster approached the crystal cage. Her eyes scanned Canterlin from head to hoof. "So beasts can speak. And do so sweetly".

Canterlin chuckled. "Hey, now. Let's start over! Hello, uhm, miss...?"

"It's commissar for you. That's all you need to know about me", she said. She didn't want to spend her whole maneday morning there. Her round glasses just wouldn't stop blurrying. It wasn't the first time she had entered the dungeons, but she couldn't help to hate the place.

The caves were all humid and smelly. The only exception was the sector in which Canterlin was held: all white and clean, with vents on the ceiling.

"All right, commissar, no need to rear up about it". He took a brief pause, and smiled. "Let me say, I can feel the magical honey that flows from your alicorn body. It's exciting!"

"Doctor Canterlin, if you say that you can feel my magic through this magic-proof crystal, you should also be charged as a serial scammer". She looked at Canterlin's horn. "Oh, and let's not forget you have a restrictor ring up there".

"Oh, this?" Canterlin tapped his horn twice with a hoof. "I don't need it when I have a degree in meta-psychiatry", he said. He started to walk in circles around his crystal prison. He had a bed, a painting of a beautiful castle hanging on one of the three rocky walls, a bale of hay, a toilet, a water tap, and a table with books.

Luster simply watched him pacing. She would have sat on the floor of white and black tiles, but she didn't need to, thanks to her resilient alicorn muscles. "Hey!"

Canterlin stopped his pace right when he was close to Luster. "Yes, dear?" He grinned. He had twice the canine teeth than a normal stallion. For his old age, his mane and eyes shone against the white lights coming from the ceiling.

"Look, doctor Canterlin, I totally respect your profession". She inhaled. "But, what you have done to the ponykind, your own species! I don't even dare to describe it". She had her eyes closed while speaking, and when she opened them, she found herself standing in her hindlegs, and her forehooves where against the crystal wall that contained Canterlin. She was just a few hooves away from his face.

"May I ask, hypothetically speaking: was there a need to say own species? Does that mean pony lives are more worth than the ones of other species?" Canterlin said. His face was so close to the glass that his breath blurried it.

Luster backed off and stood on all fours. "Well, let's just say you were not executed for all your grisly crimes thanks to the decision of ponies". She emphasized the last word. "Why do you think that was? Well because ponies must treat ponies as ponylized as possible. Does that answer your question?"

Canterlin put a hoof on his jaw. "Commissar, are you a pony supremacist?"

"Enough of roundabouts, doctor Canterlin. I just need answers from you"

"But, commissar! I have so much fun getting to know you better. Is that wrong?"

Luster Dawn sighed. "I'm on a mission. You better just listen". And she was on a mission. One given by the ruler Twilight Sparkle. She told Luster not to worry about the management of the Stablo. That she would take her place while she was investigating. It's not like Luster could say no. On the bright side, she didn't dislike solo missions at all.

"Alright, I'm all ears." Canterlin said and his ears indeed perked up.

"Doctor Canterlin, I need you to help me with a criminal prof...

"Excuse me!" Canterlin interrupted "I can't help, commissar, but to ask: what's with the reading glasses?"

"What the hay are you talking about?" Luster answered.

Canterlin laughed. "Why would an all-mighty alicorn need glasses? It doesn't make sense to me".

Luster snorted "Oh yeah? Well, I see you still shave your moustache even though you never receive visitors" She batted her eyes twice "Wait, how do you shave?!" She started to look with her eyes around Canterlin's cubicle for any sharp tools.

Canterlin's eyes looked at the floor. "Well, don't panic, commissar! I do not have a razor blade or similar here. I get it done on me. The shaving".

"How?" Luster inquired.

"Once a week, a team of brawny guards open this crystal, make sure I wear my magic restrictor ring, and then they sedate me. That's how they do it."

Luster sat on the cold floor and started to softly paw it with a hoof. "I understand". She sighed. "So you asked why I wear glasses, well, it's not that I need them, ; not since I became an alicorn; but I feel like they are part of my essense. My identity".

Unexpected Visit part two

"I can tell just how well you've been trained by your leader, Twilight Sparkle. But, as I like to say, foal-minded are never trained enough. Just an observation of how you can't let go of your past self. "

Luster snorted, stood up and got close to the former surgeon. "Don't think I've looked over your manipulation attempts. There's no possible scenario here that gives you the upper hoof. Not with me, atleast. If I was in charge of this place, which I could be at any minute by the way..." She inhaled deeply. "... I wouldn't let you have gotten such comfort. Because you are a criminal, and criminals must sorrow, physically and mentally".

Canterlin sat down on his bed with silk blankets. One hoof grinded against his muzzle and the other enjoyed the softness of the bed. "As far as I know, every inmate here could get the same treatment as me. See, commissar, I shall receive the best what the best attorney can get for me".

One of Luster’s eyes had a tic for a second. She smirked at Canterlin. “Your lawyer is just the best idiot here. Blech! Helping a monster like you".

“Is he really the top bullard here, Luster Dawn?” he asked with a grin on his face. “Yes, that’s your name. And, unlike you, he’s never shown his face or told me his name”. He laughed briefly.

“You better know my name, doctor Canterlin. I’ve been a public servant for over seventy years! Besides, I’m an alicorn. You won’t stand a chance against my magic. I’m not like your victims.”

“I’ve never killed a pony…” Canterlin started.

“Apeshit!” Luster interrupted.

“… With magic”, he completed.

“I had enough for now, doctor Canterlin”. She sighed and turned around.

“Oh, come on, filly Dawn! Heh, can I call you that, filly Dawn?”

“Buck yourself. I'll comeback when my patience recovers”. She started to walk away.

Canterlin couldn’t help to laugh, laugh and laugh, while Luster paced impatiently. “I just made a new friend!” He shouted, standing on his hinds and waving at Luster.

Luster went through where she had entered. The same guard from before was waiting for her there.

“You can lock it down again, sire” She said before turning right and moving through the rocky hallway.

The white guard nodded and, with his telekinesis, pressed the button of his cantie-rantie “Proceed to lock the em-ess. Over”.

“Copy that. Over”, the voice from the device answered. “Lock down of magic shield in three, two, one…"

The entrance to Habel Canterlin’s prison faded to black.

The Fillydelphian

An hour after the path was magically locked, the black portal faded to white again. That time only Luster crossed it. "Alright, doctor Canterlin!", she said before even getting close to Canterlin's cage.

Canterlin was training his abdominals on his bed "Thirty one. Thirty two...", he was counting. He briefly looked at the approaching alicorn then looked back at the ceiling. "One second! Thirty three. Thirty four. Thirty five. Alright!" He rolled over his body and got up from the bed. "Yes, filly Dawn? What is it now?" He exhaled a bit, exhausted from his workout.

Luster got close to the dividing crystal. She was staring at Canterlin. "Oh, sorry to bother you, sire!" She said in a mocking tone. Then, she cleared her throat. "Will you finally hear me out?" She had already sat on the floor, and, with her magic, was wiping her round glasses with a cloth she had got from one of her saddlebags. She exchanged glances between Canterlin and the object.

Canterlin smiled, standing only on his hinds. With a hoof, he rubbed his belly. "Well, since exercise clears my mind, I guess we could give it a shot". He approached the crystal. "You mentioned something about a criminal..., uh..., proof or profile?"

Luster's eyes opened wide. She put the cloth back to her saddlebag and put her glasses on. "Yes! A criminal profile!" She got up from the floor. She got closer to Canterlin. Her eyes locked with Canterlin's. Her mouth was slightly open, and she breathed through it.

"Oh, okay, commissar. This time, I'm really all ears". His ears perked up and pointed at Luster.

Luster inhaled. "You may not be aware of what's going on outside. But let me tell you, it's not pretty. Not when you have members of the same species..." She emphasized those two words. "...Killing each other when they are supposed to be protecting each other in these times of war". She took a seconds long pause after that. Canterlin had closed his eyes, still standing on his back legs. He smirked slightly. He nodded and Luster continued. "Alright. So, we have a case far away in Fillydelphia. We believe there's a lone serial killer. The case's name: the Fillydelphian". Canterlin opened his eyes after Luster finished speaking and looked at her.

"How are you so sure he or she is a lone one?" Canterlin asked, looking at Luster. He still rubbed his belly from time to time.

Luster sighed. "We hope he is. And I use the pronoun he because we believe he's a stallion. A unicorn one".

"Why do you assume that? Why do you even assume he's a pony at all?"

Luster hit the floor with a forehoof. "Let me get to that, Celestia dammit! You are making things more confusing if you keep questioning everything I say!" She sighed, looking down. Then she looked up at Canterlin. "I'm going to tell you everything I know about this case. Just hear me out, okay?"

Canterlin nodded. He ran a forehoof from one corner of his mouth to the other.

Luster exhaled and inhaled deeply. She took a look at the vents in the ceiling. They looked like they could be like the ones on a factory. They were of a beige metal. Then, her eyes fell on the painting inside Canterlin's room. It was the picture of a high castle on a mountain, surrounded by dozens of pine trees. The artist's signature was the one of Fleud Tahler. Then, her eyes fell back on Canterlin's. "Okay, here I go again". She cleared her throat. "So, in Fillydelphia there's a pony serial killer. And yes he is a pony that kills ponies. He's a unicorn, to be more specific. To make things clear, we know all of this thanks to the few witnesses that had a few seconds long encounter with him. And also, we are sure he's a male because he raped some of his female victims".

Canterlin had stepped back and sat on his bed. He kept looking at Luster. "Got it", he simply said.

Luster coughed once, and wiped her muzzle with the cloth from her saddlebag. She looked at Canterlin's beautiful sheets of his bed, and then back at him. "We believe he's a lone wolf because of his modus operandi. He commits his crimes mostly at night. He leaves the victims on the place he found them. But, if he acts during daylight, he first foalnaps the victim and then kills them in secluded places like abandoned stables or down the sewers". Luster took a breath and sat on the floor.

Canterlin lay in his bed. Looking at the ceiling, he spoke. "Who are his targets?"

With a forehoof, Luster softly rubbed her muzzle. "Well..., uhm..., one second..., if I remember correctly, my agents told me that his victims..."

Canterlin jumped out of the bed. He rushed to the crystal and put his front hooves on it. His eyes were wide open. "Don't you tell me you haven't even been there yourself!"

Luster's lower lip trembled for a second. "Uh, no. I haven't been there for like half a year". She pawed the floor with a forehoof once. "So what?"

Canterlin lowered his head, shaking it. He looked at the floor. "You don't seem to understand. In order to catch a wolf, you gotta go and enter his cave. Otherwise, your efforts to get him are useless. It's as simple as that".

Luster snorted. She tilted her head to a side. "Yeah, right. And then you're gonna tell me that it was a local of Canterlot who caught you".

Canterlin looked Luster in the eyes. He raised his head. He took his forehooves off the crystal, and stood on his hinds. "I'm actually from Ungulate Kingdom. But I've lived in Canterlot since I got accepted in the School for Gifted Unicorns".

"Wow, thanks for telling me something I don't care about. At all", Luster said.

Canterlin grinned. "Do you know who was the pony that brought me to justice?"

"Uh, I don't have time to remember that. Besides, that was like what, a decade ago?"

"Well, just for your knowledge: He is or was a private detective, originally from Vanhoover. Although he worked here in Canterlot. I helped him with criminal psychology", Canterlin said.

"So?" Luster raised a foreleg, shaking it back and forth.

Canterlin sighed and facehoofed. "Don't you get it, filly Dawn?! Vanhoover is next to Ungulate Kingdom. Let's call that my secondary wolf's cave. But he, just like I did, was living for years in Canterlot, my main wolf's cave. Do you get it now!?"

Luster stood up and approached the crystal wall. Her face was less than half a leg away from Canterlin's. She gulped. "So, are you suggesting me to go to Fillydelphia? To the wolf's den?"

Canterlin nodded once. "Come back when you've been there for atleast a day".

The Fillydelphian II

Luster, after flying for an hour and a half, she finally reached the west side of Fillydelphia. In the distance she could see a few buildings and the River Scheufill. She also could see the train tracks going north and then west. She reached the Girthens of Equestria.

Fillydelphia, just like Manehattan in the north and Baltimare in the south, served as the rearguard of the griffonian front. The city provided supplies to the ponies in combat against the griffons on the other side of the Celestial sea. There was a division of the Weapon stationed in Fillydelphia. The army, in order to raise funds, sold warbonds to the citizens, especially to the wealthy.

Luster passed by the Van Coat Library. She went north and started flying over the Mareket Street to the east. On the street there were a few ponies walking around. Some headed west and others south. She flew by the 10th Street Station; the train station. Many ponies were waiting there for a train that could take them further into Equestria. Luster landed on the Mareket Street. She was in front of the Mareket Bridge. Many ponies were there, crossing it. Some of them, when they saw Luster, stopped walking and stared at her; then resumed moving when Luster stared back. A foal, accompanied by his mother and pointing with a hoof at Luster, said: "Dammie, why is dat puwpwe pony haff wings and hown?" The mare shushed at her son and the foal looked away as they kept walking. Luster briefly smiled at the foal. She crossed the bridge.

After walking straight for ten minutes, Luster reached the City Stall of Fillydelphia. It was an enormous beige mansion. It had a high tower in the center. Also, it had dozens of windows. The style of the building was from the Gaithic era. Luster approached to the doors. Two Stablo agents were guarding them.

In Fillydelphia, the Stablo agents were colloquially called Ponice officers or simply Ponice. Also, following the hundreds of years old tradition, all the Stablo agents in Fillydelphia were only unicorns.

The unicorns looked at Luster with wide open eyes. "Go-good afternoon, commissar!" They said in unison.

Luster smiled warmly. "At ease, colts. May I come in?"

One of the agents looked down; then back at luster again. "We haff orders from de mayoress to not let anypony enter before two o'clock in de afternoon."

Luster batted her eyes. "I thought this was a building of the caval, not private property". The guards, looking at her, lowered their heads. She sighed. "Sorry, gentlecolts. I know you are just following orders". She cleared her throat. "Could you tell me what time is it?" She looked at the watch on one of the agents' forehoof.

The unicorn with the watch raised his left foreleg close to his face. "Uhm, it-it's a quarter to two, commissar". He took his forehoof close to Luster for her to look at the watch by herself.

Luster yawned, covering her mouth with a hoof. "Alright. Twenty minutes left". She stretched her wings, opening them widely. "Colts, do you know a good place to have lunch?"

The unicorn with the watch nodded. With a hoof, he pointed north east. "Yea, commissar. You follow the nord road; North Brayed street; for a block and den turn right. When you follow dat pad you'll see de Rearing Terminal Market on de left hoof. Dere, you can haff de Filly's famous: tofucake; or the roast soy sandwich".

Luster opened her eyes wide, listening to his accent. "Uhh, okay, thank you". She nodded at them, and they nodded back at her. "See you later, gentlecolts". She headed north of the city.

Luster passed by the City Stall. Before getting away from the building she looked at the north-west direction. From there, she could see the far away Filly's Museum of Art. To get there quick one had to take the diagonal road Benjamane Flanklin Trotway and walk past the Sway Memorial Fountain. Luster headed north for a block and then turned right. She started to walk east. She walked past minor buildings. After moving for a minute, on the left side of the street, was the Rearing Terminal Market. The building was a rectangular cube made of raw orange bricks. It probably had as many dozens of windows as the City Stall. Luster approached the doors and could see through the glass doors that the place was packed of ponies. She got close to the doors and with her magic she pushed them open.

The inside of the Rearing Terminal Market consisted of illuminated hallways with vents on the ceiling. Each one of the corridors was full of ponies grabbing products from the shelves on the walls. In the center of the place was a big kitchen with ponies selling food to the ponies on seats before the counter. Luster approached the counter and sat on a high chair. She had put her saddlebags next to her on the floor. She had to admit that she wasn't used to sit like that; the way like an ape would; but she wasn't uncomfortable at all.

A waiter from behind the counter approached Luster. He was a young earth pony colt with black hair and a gray coat. He was wearing a white shirt with a bow and a black vest. He smiled at Luster. "Good afternoon, ma'am. Would you like to order?" He put a menu card he had been holding on the counter.

Luster cleared her throat. She grabbed the menu and started to analyze it. She looked up at the waiter. "Uhm, well yeah. I was suggested to try the uh..." She looked at the menu and back at the waiter. "... The tofucake. That's what I'll have". She put the menu back on the counter. The waiter put a hoof on the menu and slide it off the counter. "Well, would you like a drink, ma'am?" He looked at her with a smile.

Luster rubbed her jaw with a forehoof. "Uhm, what do you suggest?" She was looking him in the eyes.

The waiter clicked his tongue. He looked behind him for a second and then back at Luster. "Well, would you like to try our regional beer? It's called Yearling". He winked at Luster with a smile.

Luster opened her eyes wide. She shook her forelegs. "No, no. I can't have alcohol now". She tapped the counter twice. "I'll have an alcohol-free apple cider, please", she said.

The waiter nodded cheerfully. "Perfect, ma'am. I'll bring your order as soon as possible". He turned around and started to head to the kitchen.

Some minutes later, the waiter came back with the tofucake and the apple cider. He put the food on the counter before Luster. He wished her bon appetite and went to serve other costumers. Luster took a bite of the new type of food for her. It was delicious. She devoured her meal shamelessly. She was an alicorn and needed to eat a lot after all.

Some minutes later, Luster called the waiter raising her forehoof. The waiter approached her quickly. "Yea, ma'am?" He said.

"I'd like the bill please", Luster said with a smile. With a forehoof she softly rubbed her belly. She had eaten a pony's brain size of food.

The waiter nodded. "I'll get it for you right away, ma'am". He turned to his left and approached a register. He started typing on the machine. A paper with printed data came out of the machine. He grabbed the paper with his teeth. He turned right and approached back at Luster. "Here it is, ma'am". He put the paper on the counter before Luster.

Luster grabbed the bill with her magic. She opened her saddlebag on the floor and took out a bag of bits. She took a look at the bill. On the paper was written:

~Tofucake: 1 silver bit(s)

~Apple Cider: 2 bronze bit(s)

~Service: 2 bronze bit(s)

~War tax: 1 bronze bit(s)

~Total: 1.5 silver bits

Luster looked up at the waiter. "Is it okay if I pay with gold bits?" She said.

The waiter opened his eyes wide. "O-of course, ma'am. Forch-nately, we have change for dat!" He said with a smile. Luster nodded. From her bag of bits she took out a single gold bit with her magic. She put the bag back in her saddlebag. She approached the bit to the waiter's reach. He grabbed the bit with his teeth. He turned to his left again and approached the register. After a minute, he came back to Luster with another bag of bits. He put the clothbag before Luster. He looked up at her. "Here's your change ma'am. Eight point five silver bits!"

Luster gave him a smile. "Well thank you, fine colt". She grabbed the bag of bits with her magic. Then, she opened her saddlebag and put that bag next to the other. She closed her saddlebag. She looked at the waiter. "Excuse me, do you have the time?"

The waiter turned around. With a hoof, he pointed at the clock above the doorframe to the kitchen. "Well, according to our clock, it's five minutes past two".

Luster opened her eyes wide. She got off the ape-seat, jumping from it and first landing on her hinds. "I really gotta go now". With her telekinesis, she lifted her saddlebags from the floor and put them on her back. She looked at the waiter for the last time. "Thanks for the excellent service, colt". She smiled at him, closing her eyes for a second.

The waiter smiled back. He raised both of his forelegs and rested them on the counter. "Danks for your preff-rence!"

Luster nodded and turned around. She passed the corridors full of ponies and pulled the doors to the exit. She was heading south west; back to the City Stall. "That mayoress better be there", Luster thought aloud.

The Fillydelphian III

Luster Dawn had gotten to the City Stall. The same guards of before were watching the doors. She was approaching them. She had a smirk on her face. The guards immediately noticed her presence. She looked at the left foreleg of one of the unicorns. Unlike the classic purple legband of the Stablo with the star of Twilight in a white circle; theirs were blue with a bell surrounded by a yellow circle. They were Filly's Ponice after all; they wore its symbols.

Luster stood in front of the guards. She cleared her throat. "So, gentlecolts, may I come in now?" One of the unicorns nodded energetically. With his telekinesis he opened one of the doors for Luster. "Thank you both", she said. She passed by them, but stopped just before she entered. She turned her body at one of the guards. "Hey, gentlecolt", she said. He looked at her. "Yea, commissar?" he said. With her magic, Luster opened one of her saddlebags and took out her cantie-rantie. She clicked the switch to turn the device on. "Before I forget; could you tell me what's the Stablo frequency used here?" She asked. The guard looked down at the floor. "Uhm, yea, of course commissar". He looked up. "It's dirteen-twelve-sixteen-dot-twenty-ten", he said. Luster had been pressing buttons on her device. She looked up at him. "Thanks again, gentlecolt!" She said. The guard softly nodded at her. She pressed the switch to turn off her cantie-rantie and put it back in her saddlebag.

Luster turned her body at the open door and walked inside. The door closed behind her. She sighed and shook her head. She looked around, from left to the right. On the waiting room of the City Stall were many pillows for the ponies to wait their turns. Although, nopony was waiting there at the moment. The place was almost empty; only a few ponies were sitting before desks. They looked at Luster. Two ponies got out of a hallway. They both turned their heads at Luster. One of them said something to his companion and started to approach Luster. She began to get close to him too.

"Hello ma'..." He looked at Luster. First at her horn and then at her wings. His eyes opened wide. "Oh, um, are you de commissar?"

Luster nodded once. "Indeed I am, sire. I'm looking for the mayoress", she said.

"Oh". The pony looked behind at the pony that was accompanying him. "Hey, Neighel, de mayoress mayaz well be in her office?" He asked.

Neighel rubbed his jaw with a hoof. He looked down and then up at him. "Yea, de jawn's dere".

While they were talking; with her telekinesis; Luster had taken the cloth out of her saddlebag. She had taken off her glasses. She was about to wipe them when she noticed the red stains on the fabric. Blood. She put the cloth back in her saddlebag and wore her unwiped glasses again.

The pony in front of Luster turned his head back at her. He pointed to the right side of the building; at the stairs. "Commissar, would you like to be guided dere? De mayoress is on de dird floor".

Luster nodded once. "Yes, I would appreciate it". She smiled at him.

"Right, right", he said cheerfully. He smiled too. He turned to his left and started to walk. Neighel had gone back through the hallway he came from. Luster followed the pony in front of her. "Follow me, please" he said. They reached the stairs and started to go up.

Luster and the pony got to the third floor. That floor, as Luster compared with the other floors as she went upstairs, was pretty much the same like every floor; there were desks, pillows and some ponies working on papers. They got out of the stairs. In the center of the room was another smaller room with walls and a wooden door. In a metal plate on the door, it was engraved: Mayor's Office.

Luster and the pony approached the door. The pony knocked at the door.

"Youse better not be bringin' Ponice's problems! You may come in if you bring an iggle's beak!" A female voice said, coming from the other side of the door. The pony next to Luster sighed. He looked at her. "You can go in, commissar". He smiled and nodded. Luster nodded too. The pony turned around and began to walk away. Luster opened the door.

Inside the office, the floor was carpeted. The navy blue carpet had mosaic yellow bells. Further inside, there were two large pillows; a big wooden desk; and a unicorn pony before it. That was the mayoress of Fillydelphia. Marey Muzzle Baley. She looked Luster in the eyes with her freezing light-blue eyes. Her orange mane, tied in two braids; and the red scarf she was wearing; contrasted with her snow white coat. She was sitting on a throne. Her eyes opened wide after she saw Luster's horn and wings; as Luster approached her. "Oh, my!" She stood up from her seat and circled her desk. She approached Luster until she was a leg away from her. "Co-commissar?!" She looked at Luster from head to hoof. She smiled. "Welcome to the Equaker city! Fillydelphia mane-to!"

Luster smiled at her. She cleared her throat. "Indeed, mayoress". She looked at one of the pillows behind the mayoress. "Can we sit down or..."

The mayoress shook her head. She smiled and closed her eyes. "No, no, commissar!" She opened her eyes. "You must get a tour around de city!" She passed by Luster and approached the open door frame. Luster had been following with her eyes. The mayoress looked behind her at Luster. "I assure you, we are a hundred percent free of iggles and drydroats!"

Luster turned her body at the mayoress. Her eyes were narrowed. "What do those words mean?" She asked.

The mayoress clicked her tongue. She looked at the ceiling and then at Luster. She smirked. "Well, iggles is our Filly's way to say eagles". She was gesturing with a forehoof. "And we call griffons dat way because they haff half of an eagle appearance".

Fillydelphia was originally a griffon colony. But back in time, ponies already lived there. Under griffon control. Centuries ago, the city had become independent from the griffons and then it was officially considered part of Equestria.

The mayoress moved her forehoof back and forth, signaling Luster to approach her. Luster obeyed and started to go back to where she had entered. The mayoress started to walk out of her office. Luster followed her. "Oh, and drydroats; widout our accent: drythroats; are de dragons. Dat's because, well, dey spit fire obviously!" The mayoress said. She and Luster were approaching to the stairs of the City Stall. They went downstairs; to the first floor.

Luster and the mayoress went to the exit. The unicorn mare opened the door with her magic. She pointed outside with a hoof, looking at Luster. "After you", the mayoress said with a smile. Luster nodded and crossed the threshold. She passed by the ponice guards outside. When the mayoress passed by the guards, she looked at both of them with a frown. Then, she pointed at one of the guards with a hoof. "Clop, you better give de commissar and I some space!" She looked forward and started to walk away, accompanied with Luster. One of the guards started to follow them. The other stayed guarding the doors of the City Stall.

While they were moving; heading to the tangent road Benjamane Flanklin Trotway; Luster looked at the guard a few legs away from them. For a second, Luster saw far away; behind the guard; a caramel coated pegasus walking on the same direction as them. She turned her head at the mayoress. "What was that word about? Uhh... Clop? Is that the Filly's way to say colt?" She whispered.

The mayoress looked at her sideways. She grinned. "Not quite commissar. It's actually another way to say cop. Get it? It means ponice".

Luster, the Mayoress and the guard were on the Benjamane Flanklin Trotway. Further away, on the north west direction, was an enourmous fountain. They were reaching the Sway Memorial Fountain. That fountain had a statue in the center. It was a green metal statue of an earth pony with a sway back. A sway back was a condition in which ponies had lordosis. Luster looked at it while they were circling the roundabout in which the fountain was. "What does this statue mean?" Luster asked.

The mayoress also looked at the statue in the center of the fountain. "It's an statue of de medical doctor dat achieved de surgical cure for de lordosis condition. As you can see..." She stopped walking for a second. Luster and the guard stopped too. The mayoress pointed at the statue with a hoof. "... He had de same condition. By de way, he was fillydelphian!" They both continued walking. They got out of the roundabout and continued on the Benjamane Flanklin Trotway, heading north-west. "Where are we going now?" Luster asked. Without stopping, the mayoress raised her muzzle, pointing north-west. Around three hundred legs away was an enormous beige building with dozens of steps before it. "Do you know our museum of art, commissar?" The mayoress asked. Luster shook her head. "I've been in Fillydelphia before, but I haven't visited that or any other touristic places".

After walking for almost ten minutes since they left the City Stall, Luster, the Mayoress and the guard reached the Fillydelphia Museum of Art. They were before the seventy-two steps to the museum. "Wow!" Luster expressed, looking up at the bronze statue and the flags upstairs. The two flags were different from each other: one was a purple flag with the star of Twilight surrounded by a white circle; and the other was the flag of Fillydelphia: two blue stripes on the sides and one yellow in the middle. They all started to go up stairs.

"Lemme tell you about de story of dat statue". The mayoress briefly stopped in the steps and pointed at the statue up there. "It is one of de most interesting dings we have here in Filly!"

The Fillydelphian IV

Luster, the mayoress and her bodyguard were standing on the middle of the stairs to the entrance of the Fillydelphia Museum of Art. They were legs away from the bronze statue. They went up and stopped before the statue. Luster looked at the metallic object with wide eyes. The statue was a pony standing on his hinds; with its forelegs raised; holding what it appeared to be an also bronze-made bag full of bits. Luster was next to the mayoress. The guard accompanying them stayed behind.

The mayoress cleared her throat. She pointed at the statue with a hoof. She looked at Luster. "So, dis statue resembles de appearance of Jockey Baleboa. He was a miniature eard horse". She gestured with a forehoof. "And I say horse because he was not a pony. Anyways, Jockey Baleboa was an entrepreneur dat went from extreme poverty to success in life. When he earned his first million bits, he ordered de creation of dis statue; he, holding a bag of bits; and donated it to the museum. Dat was almost fifty years ago". She turned her head and looked past the guard to the steps that went downstairs. She pointed at it with her hoof. Luster turned her head too and looked at the steps. "Also, dose steps, metaphorically represent de road from rags to riches!"

Luster nodded as she heard the mayoress. She batted her eyes and turned her head at the mayoress. "Woah. That's all I can say."

The mayoress looked Luster in the eyes. "Tell me: you, as an alicorn dat haff been living for almost a century; do you consider your life a trip to success?" She said with a smile on her lips.

Luster lifted a forehoof and rubbed her muzzle. She looked down. "Uhm, well, to be honest, I know nothing about entrepreneurship. I've been a public servant since I reached adult age". She looked up at the mayoress.

The mayoress slowly nodded. "Oh Ah-ite. I'm sure you feel awesome that you know you are serving your country, whatever you do!" She turned her body at the guard behind them. "Hey, clop, wait for us downstairs, would ya?" The guard nodded and turned around. He started going downstairs. The mayoress looked at Luster. "Commissar, we bod know why you haff come here".

Luster, turned her body at her. She sighed. She stretched her wings and neck. "I believe so too. I've come here to get the Fillydelphian".

The face of the mayoress, became even more white than it already was . She looked to the sky, and sighed. "I'm so embarrassed, commissar. To haff you here solving our problems". She looked down back at Luster.

Luster cleared her throat. "Well, I think the faster we solve this the better".

"O-of course, commissar!"

"First of all, I'd like to go to the Stablo headquarters installed here and meet the team", Luster said.

The mayoress nodded energetically. She pointed downstairs with a hoof; at the sidewalk on where the guard was waiting for them. "After you, commissar. Let us accompany you dere.

Luster nodded once and started to walk down the steps. The mayoress followed her. When they got on the sidewalk, they and the guard followed the street on the left. They walked down Fairsteed Avenue. The avenue was a wide street with trees in the middle. It was paved with hexagonal cobblestones. On the left side they walked past minor buildings and the Eastern Stable Penitentiary. That building occupied a whole block and was surrounded by tall concrete walls and barbed wires. The space between the building and the walls was caged; so that the inmates with wings couldn't fly away.

Next to the penitentiary was the Stablo headquarters of Fillydelphia. The architecture and the color was similar to the one of the prison; cubical and light gray. After walking for five minutes since they left the museum entrance, they got in front of the Stablo headquarters. On the building's front wall was a sign: Fillydelphia Ponice Department.

The mayoress, who was in front of Luster, turned around. She was smiling. "Ah-ite, commissar! Dis is when we say: see you later!" She pointed at the building with a hoof. She walked past Luster and got next to the guard. She turned her body at Luster. Luster also turned around. The mayoress put a hoof on the shoulder of the guard and slightly shook it. "If you need anyding, you know where to find me!"

Luster nodded. "Thanks for the tour. I'll do my best. I promise".

The mayoress waved at her with a smile. Luster waved back. The mayoress and the guard turned around and started to walk away from her. Luster, stood there, on the sidewalk, looking at them getting away. Then her eyes fell on the pony two dozen legs away; the one walking on the opposite way to the mayoress. A pegasus with a caramel coat and a chestnut mane; approaching Luster. Luster narrowed her eyes. The caramel pegasus stopped walking when he was a dozen legs away from her. The mayoress and the guard had already walked past him. He was standing still there; looking at Luster. The seconds passed and he and Luster wouldn't move. "Wait...," Luster opened her eyes wide. "..., I know you!" She started to gallop towards him. The few ponies on the street stared at her. The mayoress and the guard had already gotten far away.

The caramel coated pegasus, seeing that Luster was approaching him really quick, took flight. He flew over the incoming alicorn with speed. Luster looked up at him and took flight too. "You're not getting away!" She started to pursuit him in the air. The pegasus was heading east. He flapped his wings as fast as he could. Luster casted a spell. Her horn started to illuminate. It was a telekinetic lasso. She was about to catch the pegasus with it, but he suddenly turned left and went north. Luster stopped, drifting in mid-air. Her glasses slided down her muzzle and she, with her magic, quickly fixed them back to her eyes before they fell off. They were flying over North Brayed Street. She looked north, seeing him flying past the Public School of Fillydelphia. She snorted and went after him.

She was about to out-fly him. That time she didn't cast a spell. She attempted to grab him with her forelegs. They had already passed the populated area of the city. They were a hundred legs in the air; flying over a forest next to a sandy shore.

After chasing him for a total of two minutes; performing a front flip over the pegasus; her saddlebags hanging from her girth; she got in front of him. He crashed against her body in mid-air. She grunted out of pain, hugging him as tight as she could. The pegasus had stopped flapping his wings. She was holding him in mid-air. From the pose in which they were, she wasn't able to see his face; pressed against her chest. She looked at him. "Easy there! And don't even think about biting me! I have a bucking license to kill!"

Luster, holding the pegasus tight, started to fly down. She landed near a beach. She could hear the sea waves breaking on the shore. She had landed face down and could finally look the pegasus in the eyes. She was on top of him. Her face was only a hoof away from his. They both inhaled and exhaled from their mouths; their cheeks red for the effort and their bodies shaky from the adrenaline. "Now, you are going to explain what are you doing here", Luster said.

The pegasus batted his eyes quickly. "I don't know what are you talking about! I haven't done anything wrong! I-I...!" He inhaled. "...I live here!" He shyly pointed south with his hoof.

Luster snorted. "Don't you lie, you piece of dung! You don't even have the accent! I'm telling you, I saw you in Canterlot just yesterday!" She gritted her teeth; her eyes full of fury.

The pegasus looked down and opened his eyes wide. His caramel cheeks turned pitch red. "Uhhh..."

Luster felt something slightly rubbing her belly. She looked down and her eyes opened wide too. "Ew, gross!" She jumped away from the pegasus.

The pegasus sat on the sand and attempted to cover his business with his front legs. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry...!" He repeated.

Luster frowned. She was in front of the pegasus. Her horn started to illuminate. Ready to discharge. She pointed at him with a hoof. "You degenerate! This is your last chance to explain your intentions!"

"Wait!" The pegasus lowered his head, looking down. "I swear I can explain everything!" He looked up again. He stood up; his lower business already well hidden. He sighed. "Uhm, I-I..." He started to slowly approach Luster. His eyes were locked with hers. As he advanced towards her, she stepped back. She was looking at him with eyes wide open. "I like you!" He said. "I-I think you are pretty!" He stopped walking. Luster also stopped.

Luster scratched her head with a wing. She looked up the sky for a second and then back at the pegasus. The light on her horn was turned off. She pawed the sand with a hoof. "Woah, I'm really speechless right now".

"Yes! That's the truth! I followed you here because I was looking for a chance to meet you!" He said. His whole body was shaking.

"I don't know if that's ridiculous or cute", Luster expressed. She sighed. "What's your name, colt?"

"Uhh..." The pegasus looked down, at the sand, and then behind him, at his cutiemark. He looked back at Luster. "Sorry, I thought a crab climbed on my back. I-I'm Sa-Sandbar!"

Luster narrowed her eyes. "So, Sandbar..." She started to walk around him. Sandbar followed her with his eyes. Luster's eyes stopped on his flank; on his cutiemark. She stopped walking and pointed at it with a hoof. "I see your 'mark's a chocolate bar, huh?"

Sandbar nodded. Sweat was running on his forehead and cheeks. He breathed loudly by his mouth.

"That's either you prepare chocolate or are good selling it, right?" Luster asked. She resumed walking around him.

"Ye-yes! I sell chocolate!"

Luster stopped walking when she got in front of him. She pointed at his face with the tip of one of her wings. "Hey, you have green eyes. I could swear they were blue when I saw you in that elevator, back in the Canterlot Hospital".

Sandbar opened his eyes wide. His jaw dropped. "Uhh, I-I use contact lenses!" He spat out. He looked down.

"Oh, okay. Then, take them off so I can ma..."

"No, no! I mean I don't have my lenses now!" Sandbar explained.

Luster raised a forehoof and rubbed her muzzle. "And you forgot to put them on today?"

Sandbar looked up and nodded. "Yes!"

"Oh, okay. What vision problem do you have?" Luster inquired.

"Uhh..."

"Because you could see me pretty well from afar. I suppose", Luster continued.

"Uh, it-it's up close what I can't see well!"

Luster looked at him in silence. The seconds passed and none of them two were speaking. They stared at each other. Luster looked up and then back at him. "It's okay, I understand". She smiled warmly. She put a hoof on his shaky shoulder. "You can relax". She patted him. "I don't know why you remind me of myself when I a was a filly. I used contact lenses because I was afraid I'd be apied by the other ponies if I wore glasses" She looked up to the bright blue sky. There were some hours left before the sun setted. Then, she looked back at Sandbar. "One day, I stopped caring about what others thought and I started using these, which were a gift from my mother". With the tip of her forehoof, she tapped her round glasses. "And since the first time I used them; even though I am alicorn and don't need them anymore; I simply love them!" She briefly laughed. Sandbar chuckled a bit.

They stood in silence for a few more seconds. Sandbar lowered his head. Luster cleared her throat. "Well, friend..." She was saying. Sandbar looked up at her. "You are free to go, either Fillydelphia, Canterlot or wherever you want".

"Really, may I go?!" Sandbar smiled at Luster. He briefly skipped in place.

Luster nodded. "Yes, just don't ever stalk me again and we'll be fine". Sandbar nodded at her. In less than a second later he quickly took flight. He flew away. She looked up, at him leaving. Then, she looked down and sighed deeply. She stretched her wings. "I'm too old for these encounters", she told herself. Then, she took flight off the beach and started to head south.

The Fillydelphian V

Luster Dawn was flying over Fillydelphia. She passed over the public school, over North Brayed Street and then turned west and flew over Fairsteed Avenue. She flew past a block and landed. She was in front of the Fillydelphia Ponice Department.

She approached the doors. No guards were watching them. With her telekinesis she pushed them open. She walked in. The inside had white walls and a chess floor. There were stablo agents walking on long corridors. Many of them had already noticed Luster when she entered the cubical building. They saluted Luster when she walked past them. "Good afternoon, commissar!", one pony said, stopping walking when he saw her. "Commissar!" A pony that just got out of a room said. As Luster moved, following a wide hallway, all the ponies she saw were unicorns. That was because in Fillydelphia the law enforcement only consisted of unicorns.

Luster reached the end of the corridor. There were stairs on her left and right. She knew the way around the place because she had been there many times. The las time she had been there it was months before the Fillydelphian killer was known. She chose the stairs on her left and started to go upstairs. A pony that was going downstairs stopped when he passed by Luster. "Good afternoon, co-commissar!" He said. Luster smiled at him. "Good afternoon for you too, colt", she answered, nodding once.

Luster kept going up and got to the third floor of the building; which was pretty much the same as the first floor. She got out of the stairs and moved through another corridor. She walked past closed and open doors. As she walked she could see, where the doors were open, ponies before desks working on papers. She was about to reach the other end of the corridor. There was a door in the end with a plate engraved: Subcommissar's Office.

Two stablo agents were guarding the door. Their eyes fell on Luster approaching them and opened wide. "Good afternoon, commissar!" They said in unison. And three seconds after they saluted her the door of the subcommissar opened. A middle age unicorn was before the threshold. The subcommissar, chief of the Stablo in Fillydelphia; Pard van Coat. On his left foreleg, he was wearing a blue legband with a bell surrounded by a yellow circle. He looked at Luster and she looked at him. They were a few legs away from each other.

"Commissar, what a pleasant surprise! Fillydelphia mane-to!" Van Coat said with a smile.

"Good afternoon, subcommissar" Luster said. Van Coat gestured with a hoof for her to come closer.

"Please, come in and let's haff a talk!" He pointed behind him. Luster nodded and started to walk into his office. Van Coat turned around and headed to his seat before the desk. Luster crossed the threshold inside the office. With his telekinesis, Van Coat closed the door behind Luster.

"Haff a seat, commissar". He pointed over his desk to a pillow in front of it. Luster nodded and walked to the object. She sat. Van Coat cleared his throat. "Well, commissar, I assume de intel agent I sent to Canterlot gave you all de details about de case". He emphasized the last word. As he spoke he gestured with his hooves.

Luster nodded. She stretched her wings and flapped them once. "Yes, but I think I still need more details about the Fillydelphian killer". She looked at him in the eyes.

Van Coat looked down. His dark green coat seemed to become lighter for a second. He sighed and looked up at her. "It's an easy name to remember, isn't it? Even dough is like a stain on our city's name".

Luster chuckled. "I suppose it is. Anyways, subcommissar, who may I speak with about about the killer ?" She rested a hoof on Van Coat's desk. She drew imaginary circles against the black wood.

Van Coat stood up. "I haff already gadered a team of de Ponicide Investigation Department". He walked and circled his desk, passing by Luster and heading to the exit. Luster got up too and followed him. He looked behind at her. "It's a team of our top ten agents. Dey are expecting me downstairs". He looked forward and, with his magic, he grabbed the doorknob and turned it counter-clockwise. The door was opened. He crossed the threshold and so Luster did. They passed by the two guards that watched the office. Van Coat turned his head to a side and looked at the guards. "Dismissed", He pronounced. The two guards nodded and saluted before dispersing away. Van Coat looked at Luster, who was next to him. "Let's go. Please, commissar". They both started to walk and headed to the stairs on the other side of the corridor. They went downstairs and got to the first floor. They turned right and got into the hallway Luster had gone through a few minutes ago. Van Coat went ahead of Luster. "Here". He approached the first door on the right and opened it. Luster followed him inside.

South of the room, there was a big table and a dozen pillows before it. On the north wall was a white board with writings and photos on it. Ten of the pillows were already ocuppied by unicorns there. They were wearing blue legbands with a yellow circle on their left forelegs. They all looked at Van Coat and then at Luster. "Good afternoon, commissar!", they said in unison. Luster and Van Coat approached the non taken pillows. One was on the head of the table and the other on the opposite side. Van Coat had pointed at the pillow closer to the door for Luster to sit on it. He went to the other pillow. The ten ponies' eyes went from looking at Van Coat to Luster. The room was silent.

Van Coat cleared his throat. "Fillies and gentlecolts. As youse haff noticed...". He pointed at Luster with a hoof. The ponies looking at him turned their heads to look at her. "... De commissar is here wid us". He smiled, and rested his hoof on the table. He exchanged looks with some of the ponies there, then his eyes fell on Luster. "Commissar, I believe this is a good time for any questions". He raised his hoof and put it on the shoulder of the pony next to him. He looked at him. "Any of de ponies here can answer dem". He slight shook the shoulder of the pony. He then took his hoof off him.

Luster inhaled. She was also exchanging looks with the silent ponies there. She looked down and then up at them. "First things first, good afternoon for you all. You might already know my name but I'll still introduce myself". She put a hoof on her chest. "My name is Luster Dawn. I'm the commissar of the Stable Oversight. And yes..., ". She smiled. "..., I am ninety years old". She exchanged glances with the ponies as she spoke. Some of them shyly smiled back at her. She cleared her throat. "Well, I'm here to help you solve the serial killer case". She turned her head at the board on the wall on her right. She pointed at it. The title written on top was: The Fillydelphian. "I see you have been gathering information..." She gestured with her hooves. "... And I would like for you to share with me all you know about him". She looked back at the ponies before the square table.

Van Coat raised his foreleg again and put a hoof on the shoulder of the same pony. He looked at him and nodded. The pony nodded too and cleared his throat. He looked at Luster. "Commissar, what we know about de Fillydelphian is de following". He got up and approached the white board. He stood next to it. The ponies that were on the right side of the table turned their bodies at him. Luster and Van Coat looked at him too. With his magic, the pony next to the board grabbed a ruler. He pointed at the upper part of the board. "De Fillydelphian is a serial killer dat, as far as we know, only kills outsiders. Dat means he does not kill Filly's naturals". Luster nodded twice, closing her eyes. She softly hit the table with a hoof. "Oh!" She expressed.

The pony cleared his throat. With the ruler held by his telekinesis, he pointed at the photos. "Among his victims were business ponies, tourists and even ponitical visitors. Now, who he doesn't seem to care about or dare to attack are de draftees of de Weapon dat come to protect Filly's coast". With the ruler, he pointed at a photo of a female pony lying on the floor. He inhaled. "One of de most important reasons to believe he's is a he, is dat his female victims appeared dead and raped". He sighed, looking down. He looked up at Luster. "Aldough we couldn't determine which was first; either de murder or de rape".

Luster raised a hoof and rubbed her muzzle. She was looking at the pony. "What's his kill count?"

"Well..." The pony looked back at the board and pointed at the bottom part of it with the ruler. "... We haff until now twenty one victims. Seventeen males and four females. De first body we found was almost four monts ago". He turned his head at Luster. She had her eyes wide open. "And we started to suspect it was a serial killing pattern when we found de fifd victim dree months ago". He exhaled and cleared his throat. "Since de killing spree started, dere has been an average of two victims every ten days".

"Wow!", Luster expressed. "Continue, please".

The pony nodded. "He mostly kills his victims at night; aldough, if he does it during daylight he first kidnaps his victims and den kills dem in secluded places like abandoned stables; de Brayed or de Vertex forest near of here; or de sewers. We even haff found a victim floating in de center of the Middle Lake. Dis lake is between de two forests I mentioned before". He inhaled. "Anyways, when he kills at night he leaves de victims were he found dem".

"I remember being told part of that information", Luster muttered to herself. She raised a hoof. Van Coat and the other ponies looked at her. "Uhm, is there any description of the killer's appearance?"

"Unfortunately, we do have many descriptions. Each one different from de oders". While he spoke he drew imaginary circles with the ruler on the board. "Some witnesses said his coat was white; oders said it was gray; and we haff one dat said he had a black coat. As far as we know, de killer could be a changeling". The ruler stopped moving. The pony put it on the floor and his horn stopped illuminating. He looked down and then at Luster. "Dose were de descriptions given by witnesses dat saw him at night-time. De only thing they all have in common is dat he was a unicorn". The pony walked away from the board and went back to his pillow. He sat down and looked at Luster. "Also, we assume he's a unicorn because of de wounds found on de victims: Magical burns".

Luster nodded and rested her eyes closing them for a few seconds. Meanwhile, the room was in silence. Coming from outside, voices and clops could be heard. She opened her eyes. Van Coat and the other ten ponies were looking at her. She put both of her forelegs on the table. She looked at the pony that had been speaking, and then her eyes fell on Van Coat. "Okay, fillies and gentlecolts". She got up from her pillow. She had left her saddlebags next to it, under the table. She walked to the white board. The ponies followed her with their eyes. With her telekinesis, she grabbed a marker that was on the floor below the board. She cleared her throat. "This is what we're going to do..." She started to write on the board. Her voice was dimly mixed with the sound of the marker against the white surface. "So, there are twelve of us here". She briefly turned her head to a side and looked at the ponies before the table. They were all looking at her. She looked back at board. She kept writing. "And we'll form three teams of four members each, okay?" She asked.

"Understood", said Van Coat; the only one who answered the question. Luster nodded. "Each team will work eight hours a day. One in the morning, other in the afternoon and the last one at late night". She stopped writing and turned around. She swept the ponies with her eyes. "Since I am not familiarized with you all, I'm going to let you choose who you'll be working with". She pointed at Van Coat with a hoof and then at herself. She looked at Van Coat. "Who is the pony with the highest rank after you here?"

Van Coat immediately pointed with a hoof at a pony three pillows away from him. It was a mare with a dark blue coat. Luster and the other ponies looked at her. She shyly looked down. "She is not an officer but a sergeant. Still, she has twenty years of experience in Ponicide Investigation", Van Coat explained. He lowered his hoof back onto the table.

"Alright. What's your name?" Luster asked. She was looking at the mare with the dark blue coat. The mare looked up at Luster. "My name is Raven Coldblood. But everypony calls me: Ursa". Luster nodded. She looked at Ursa's cutiemark: a silver kitchen knife that contrasted with her dark coat.

Luster turned around and grabbed the black marker with her magic again. She started to write down. "Okay, Ursa, you are head of the team three. Subcommissar...". Luster looked at Van Coat. "... You are the commander of team one". She looked back at the board. "And I'll lead team two". She put the marker down. She got away from the board and approached her pillow. She sat back again. She looked at the other ponies. "Now, I'll need all of you; except the subcommissar and Ursa; to write below any of our names written in the board. You'll not write down your real names, but your codenames". She pointed at the board with a hoof. "Three ponies can write their names under each name. For example, if you write your codename below the Subcommissar...". She looked at Van Coat. He was carefully paying attention to Luster. "... It would mean that you'll be on his team. Remember, only three subordinates per group". She scanned the other ponies with her gaze. "Understood?"

"Yes, commissar!" They said in unison. They all; except for Luster, Van Coat and Ursa; stood up and started to approach the board. One of them grabbed the marker on the floor and started to write on the white surface. One by one, the agents wrote their codenames on the board. Three names below each of the leaders. After two minutes, all the agents had wrote their names. On Luster's team the names were: Tackio, Neighrobi and Stockolt.

The Fillydelphian VI

Luster Dawn was inside the Fillydelphia Ponice Department; specifically inside the meeting room. There she was with Van Coat, Ursa and the other nine ponies of the Ponicide Investigation Department. The room was in silence; the ponies sitting on their respective pillows before the grand square table. Luster stood up from her seat. She walked to the board. She spend a few seconds reading what was written there, and then turned around to face the audience. Everypony in the room was looking at her. She cleared her throat. "I see that all the teams are properly formed. Excellent". She took a step forward. She swept the seated ponies with her eyes. Her eyes fell on Van Coat; sitting before one of the heads of the table. And then on the dark blue coat of Ursa's face, sitting in the middle before the table. She looked back at Van Coat. "Okay, so team one; under the Subcommissar's command; stand up and approach him".

Three ponies got up from their pillows. They looked at Van Coat and got closer to him. They stood by his side. Luster nodded. "Great, now team three, you are under Ursa's lead. Present yourselves next to her", She said. Another three ponies stood up and walked until they were next to Ursa. They briefly exchanged glances with her. "Finally...," Luster turned her head and looked at the white board for a second, then she looked forward. She approached the table; the three unicorns left were before it; still sitting on the pillows. They were two stallions and a mare. She looked at them. "... I believe you three, uhm; Tackio, Neighrobi and Stockolt; belong to my team. Team two. Stand up and come closer".

They stood up from their seats and walked over Luster. The three of them were in front of her. Luster cleared her throat. She exchanged glances with Van Coat and Ursa. "Perfect. Three teams defined. Now..." Luster turned around and walked to the board again. With her magic, she picked up the marker from the floor. She pressed it and moved it against the white surface. "We'll define at what time of the day each team will work.". She looked behind her at the three ponies of her team. "Our shift; of team two; will be from late night to early in the morning". Her eyes fell on Van Coat. "Subcommissar; team one; which shift do you prefer? From morning to afternoon or from afternoon to night?"

Van Coat, who was looking at Luster, raised a hoof and rubbed his muzzle. He looked up at the ceiling and then back at Luster. "Well, I work better when de morning coffee hits. So, we'll be choosing de morning shift". He said. Luster nodded at him and then turned her head back at the board. She wrote again. She stopped and turned her body around. She looked at Ursa. "By de facto, Ursa; team three; you will have the afternoon shift". Ursa nodded twice, looking down shyly. She looked up at Luster and smiled. "Wid pleasure, commissar".

Luster nodded too. She was smiling. "Outstanding, teams. At this rate we'll solve this case quickly". She walked over to her pillow, passing by the members of her team. With her telekinesis, she grabbed her saddlebags from under the table and put them on her back. She looked at Van Coat and then at Ursa; at the ponies of team three. She turned her head and looked at the clock above the board. It struck twenty past three in the afternoon. She looked back at them. "Team three..." They all looked at Luster. "Since it's already afternoon, your shift starts. Under the direction of Ursa...,". Luster looked Ursa in her velvet eyes. "... You'll look for clues outside around the city; you'll interrogate and look for witnesses; and explore possible hideouts like the forest, the sewers or abandoned houses". Luster inhaled deeply. "All clear?"

"Yes, commissar!" Ursa and the other members of the team three said in unison. Luster looked at Van Coat and the rest of team one. They were looking at her. "You all; team one; are dismissed for today. Your first shift will start tomorrow morning. Understood?"

"Yes commissar!" The members of team one; except Van Coat; said in unison. Van Coat didn't shout. He simply nodded, closing his eyes. Luster looked to her right; at the members of her team; team two. They were standing a couple of legs away from her. "Team two, I suggest you to rest before our shift starts. That is ten o'clock post mareidiem. Got it?"

"Yes, commissar!" The members of Luster's team; team two; said in unison. She nodded and then looked at Van Coat. "Subcommissar, is there something you'd like to add at this meeting? So the dismissed may leave".

Van Coat shook his head and forelegs. "No, commissar. De dismissed shall leave and rest." He said with a smile. Luster nodded. "Alright, the dismissed please leave", she said. Some of the ponies sitting started to stand up. Luster looked at them. "Oh, wait! I forgot something!" With her telekinesis, Luster Dawn opened her saddlebag and took out her cantie-rantie. She swept all the ponies with her eyes. "We've got to set up a communication frequency. One private from the rest of the stablo".

Van Coat took out his cantie-rantie. It was hidden in his legband. The others took out theirs too; from their legbands. Van Coat looked up at Luster. "I suggest we use de emergency frequency. Even in dis wartime, it's rarely used." He said. The other ponies were looking at their cantie-ranties.

Luster looked at Van Coat. "Oh, alright, what's the frequency?" She asked. Van Coat looked at his device. "One second. Let me see". With his magic, he pressed a switch of the device and turned it on. The device of Van Coat and the other ponies started to make static noise. Luster also turned her cantie-rantie on. Van Coat looked up at Luster. "The emergency frequence is five-fourteen-four...-" Luster and the other ponies started typing on their devices with their magic. "... dot-twenty-nineteen. That's it, commissar".

Luster and the other ponies looked up from their devices. Luster turned off her cantie-rantie by pressing the switch. She put it back inside her saddlebag. She nodded. "It's all set, right?" She said. Van Coat nodded at her. Luster looked at the other ponies. "All set, everypony?"

"Yes, commissar!" They all, except Van Coat, said in unison. They all had put their cantie-ranties back in their legbands.

"The dismissed may leave now", Luster commanded.

The members of team one and two; except Van Coat, who remained seated; stood up and started to walk to the exit of the meeting room. The members of Luster's team walked past her. The door was opened with telekinesis and the ponies began to exit one by one. Luster looked at them leaving. She was smiling. Then, she turned her head forward and looked at Van Coat. He was before the opposite side of the head of the table. "Subcommissar..." Luster looked at the team three; Ursa's; still next to Ursa. They were looking at her. She looked back at Van Coat. "... Could I have some words with you outside?"

"Of course, commissar!" Van Coat nodded twice energetically. He stood up from the pillow seat and started to walk to the exit. Luster followed him outside the meeting room. The team three stayed inside the room with its leader; Ursa. They sat down on the pillows close to Ursa. Luster closed the door behind her. She and Van Coat were in the corridor of the first floor of the building. Luster looked down at the black and white tiles. She sighed and looked up at Van Coat, who was next to her. "Subcommissar, I need a favor", She said.

Van Coat smiled. "Anyding you need, commissar".

"Well I'll need to borrow the intel agents here. I have a mission for them", Luster said. "So, where can I find them?"

The commissar pointed with a hoof to his right; at where the corridor led to the exit of the building. "Dey are a few doors away from here, commissar. Let me take you dere". Van Coat turned his body to the right and started to walk. Luster followed him. They walked down the hallway, passing by doors. They moved for a few seconds. Van Coat, in front of Luster, stopped when they reached a door on the left hoof. There was a metal plate on the door. It had engraved: Internal Affairs. "Dis is it, commissar". Van Coat pointed at the door in front of him. He looked at Luster. She nodded. "Thanks, subcommissar. I'll handle things from here". She smiled at him. Van Coat nodded and stepped back. "I'll be in my office if you need anyding". He smiled back and started to walk on the opposite direction they had come. Luster approached the door and with her telekinesis turned the doorknob.

Nothing happened. The door didn't open.

Luster sighed. She raised a hoof and knocked on the door. She heard clops coming from the other side. After the sound of a lock being opened the door was pulled open. A unicorn with sunglasses and a headset on his left ear met Luster. Luster couldn't see his eyes. "Do you wish to enter?" He said.

Luster nodded. The intel agent stepped back from the threshold and gave way for Luster to enter. Luster walked inside. The door was closed and locked behind her.

Inside the room the walls were light blue; the floor was light gray; there were gray wooden desks used by intel ponies working on papers and sitting on pillows. They all looked up at her. All the intel agents there had sunglasses and earphones on their left ears. They didn't wear clothes or legbands; or any distinctive that indetified them as members of the stablo. The only thing they were seen wearing was their sunglasses and earphones.

An intel agent before a desk got up. He was a middle age pony. He looked at the other intels in the room. "All of you. Outside". He pointed the door. The ponies started to walk to the door. Luster moved away from the door and gave way for the intels to leave. With telekinesis, the door was unlocked and pulled open. The intels walked past Luster to get outside. The door was closed and locked again after the last intel subordinate left. Luster and the middle-age intel were left alone in the room.

Luster looked an the pony. "I assume you are the commander of the intel agents here".

With his magic, the intel took off his sunglasses. He batted his eyes twice. His glasses were floating surrounded by his magic aura.

"I'll take that as a yes", Luster said. She looked to her right and saw a pillow before a desk. She walked to it and sat down. Her saddlebags barely hung on her back. She looked at the intel, who was staying in place on the middle of the room. "I have a mission for you, intels".

The intel walked to the pillow next to Luster's. He sat down. He looked at her. "I suggest you to whisper", he whispered. Luster nodded. "Okay, walls speak, right?" She said. The intel batted his eyes again. "And also, you may turn off your cantie-rantie", he added. Luster sighed. "I just turned it off", she said. The intel perked his ears. Luster narrowed her eyes. "That must mean you are all ears".

They both stayed in silence for a few seconds. Luster cleared her throat. "Anyways, what I need of intelligence is for them to patrol the city and to watch the W. I need you to watch the perimeter; who enters and who leaves the city. Understood?" Luster whispered. She looked the intel in the eyes. The intel batted his eyes twice. Not a word came out of his mouth. Luster looked down and sighed. "I'll take that as a yes too". She stood up from the pillow. She turned around and went to the door. She turned her head at the intel, who had already gotten up and was behind Luster. "Would you mind to unlock the door for me?" Luster asked. Without saying nothing, the intel's horn illuminated. A metallic noise came from the door. It was unlocked. "Thanks". Luster looked forward at the door and with her magic turned the knob. She pulled the door open. She crossed the threshold. Outside; in the hallway near the door to the Internal Affairs office, were all the intel agents who had left the room minutes ago. Since they were wearing dark shade glasses, Luster couldn't tell if they were looking at her. When Luster left the room she moved away from the door. All the intels started to walk inside the room. One by one. When the last intel entered the room again the door was closed and locked again.

Luster stood in the middle of the corridor. She covered her mouth with a hoof and yawned. She turned her body left and walked to the meeting room. She got in front the door and opened it with her telekinesis. She walked inside and looked at the ponies there. She closed the door behind her. Inside the room was the team three of the Hunters of the Fillydelphian. The ponies also looked at her. Luster's eyes fell on Ursa. "Hello again, I'll be helping you while I'm here". She smiled. "Of course, commissar", Ursa said. She approached a pillow before the table. With her magic she took off her saddlebags and put them on the floor. She sat next to one of the ponies.

On the table there were papers, quills and inkpots. Two ponies were discussing about a map of the city and the other pony was asking questions to Ursa. "Where should we start looking for de killer?"

Luster cleared her throat. All the ponies stopped talking and turned their heads at her. Luster put both of her forelegs on the table. She looked at Ursa. "Hey, why don't you start looking down the sewers? I could accompany you". She smiled.

Ursa nodded shyly. She looked down and then looked up back at Luster. "I dink dat's a good idea, commissar".

"Great!" Luster softly hit the table with a hoof. She stretched her wings. "Shall we go now?"

The members of the team three exchanged glances with each other. "Yea, commissar". Ursa stood up from her pillow. The other ponies imitated her. Ursa walked until she was in front of Luster. "Alright". Luster grabbed her saddlebags again and put them on her back.

"After you, commissar". Ursa pointed at the door. The other ponies were behind Ursa in a line.

Luster nodded and turned around. "Let's go". She walked to the door. The other ponies followed her.

Sewer exploration

Luster Dawn, Ursa, and the other members of team three had gotten out of the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. One of the ponies closed the doors of the building behind them. They stood in front of the door. Luster looked up at the sky. It had an orange tint. She looked west. The sun was about to get behind the far away building of the Fillydelphia Museum of Art. It was a quarter to four in the afternoon.

Luster sighed. She looked on her right at the mare with the dark blue coat. "Lead the way to the sewers, Ursa", she commanded. Ursa nodded and stepped forward. She got ahead of the group and turned right. She started to move on the sidewalk of the Fairsteed Avenue. Luster and the others followed her.

They walked for five minutes down the road and got in front of the museum's Jockey steps. Instead of turning left and follow the Benjamane Flanklin Trotway, they went to the right. On a pole on a corner of the sidewalk, there was a sign: Cutie Street. They went north and then followed the road west. They circled the museum area. They passed by the Veterans Retirement Home. That building had a grass frontyard. There was a garden with flowers of all colors. They kept moving and after walking past two blocks they reached an entrance to the sewers. They approached the rusty metal gates.

The doors were locked with chains and a magical padlock. A magical padlock was an object that could be unlocked if one knew the metaphysical magical frequency. In order to unlock it, a unicorn, alicorn or other species with access to magic, had to use enough magical power but without exceeding with it.

Luster, Ursa and the three other ponies were on the sidewalk before the gates of the access to the sewers. Ursa stepped forward and got closer to the padlock. Her horn illuminated. Slowly, a laser beam approached the padlock and started to magically heat it up. The metallic object was starting to turn red. A sound was heard and padlock fell on the floor; unlocked. They chains fell too and the gates opened wide. Ursa stepped back.

A cloud of putrefaction hit the group of ponies, coming from the inside. Some of the ponies coughed and gagged. One of them, with his magic, took off his cloth legband; holding his cantie-rantie that was inside; and pressed it against his nostrils. Ursa looked at him with wide eyes. "Hey, show some respect! Put it back around your leg!" She called him out. The pony who had taken his legband off put it back on his foreleg and put his communicator back inside.

Luster sighed. "I'll go first". She started to walk, crossing the gates. The others followed. There were wide stairs after the gates that went down. Luster and the others began to go downstairs. The smell seemed to dissipate, as if opening the doors helped ventilate the place. They all illuminated the path with their horns as there wasn't a local source of light. Luster couldn't see three legs away from her hooves. She was ahead of the line of ponies that was going down the sewers. Ursa was behind her. "Commissar, be careful. De lowers steps may be wet", she told Luster.

After carefully going downstairs for a minute, Luster's hoof stepped on a puddle. "Ew!" Luster couldn't help to express. "Don't worry commissar, de water at dis level it's just from de rain", Ursa spoke behind Luster. Luster nodded. "I guess we are going to get dirty anyways". Luster and the others kept going down and the stairs ended. The floor was flooded and more smelly than before. Since Luster was an alicorn, the water only reached her pasterns. The other ponies were up to their cannons in water. Luster turned her head and looked at Ursa. "You may lead the way now, Ursa".

Ursa nodded and went a head of Luster and the three ponies behind. They started to walk but Luster stopped. "Wait everypony!" All the other ponies stopped walking. Ursa, just like the other ponies, turned her head to look at Luster. "All of you...". She exchanged glances with the ponies. With her magic she opened one of her saddlebags and took out her cantie-rantie. "... Make sure to turn on your cantie-ranties. In case we get lost here", Luster said. She pressed the switch on her device. With their telekinesis, Ursa and the others took out their communicators out of their legbands. They also pressed the switches and turned them on. A static noise echoed in the sewers. "Excellent. Let's carry on". Luster said. She put her cantie-rantie back in her saddlebag. The other ponies also put away their devices. They all started to walk again. Ursa led the single line of ponies. Luster was behind her and in the back were the other ponies.

They moved for three minutes on the sewers. Just like the stairs that went downstairs, the path was completely dark. They all were illuminating with their horns, but still it was hard to see what lay a few legs ahead. The sewer tunnels had a cylindrical shape. They were made of concrete. On the ceiling there were vents. Still, the smell was just bearable enough. Although, the water on the floor was clear. The tiles that were once white were visible.

Luster, and Ursa's team, got to a fork in the tunnels. Ursa, who was ahead, raised a hoof and pointed at the left way. She turned her head at Luster. She cleared her throat. "Commissar, de left pad would take us to de nord sector of de sewers". Then, she pointed right. "And de one on de right will take us soud". Ursa turned her body around.

Luster nodded. "Okay, so according to your knowledge of this place..." With her magic, Luster took off her glasses and put them close to her mouth. She exhaled at them and then rubbed them against her purple legband. She put her glasses back on. All the ponies, behind and in front of her, were looking at her. "... Uhm, do you think the killer have more chances to hide in the north sector or the southern?"

Ursa looked down and then up at Luster. "To be honest commissar, dis place is too big. Just as big as de city above. Besides, dis place has a standarized design. Dat means it's almost symmetrical". She said. Luster nodded and walked past Ursa. She went a few legs ahead of the group. She turned her head at the left way and then at the right one. She looked behind at Ursa and the others. "So, none of this ways would take us to the other side of the river?"

Ursa shook her head. She approached Luster, and the three ponies behind followed her. "De eastern sewers are not connected to de western ones. In order to get to de oder side of de River Scheufill we would have to get out of de sewers to de surface and cross; since we do not have wings; either de Mareket or de Industrial bridge". She said. Luster nodded. "Got it". She looked forward, at the tunnel on the left. She raised a hoof a pointed at the left way. "I propose the following: Let's go to the north sector of the sewers". She looked behind at Ursa. "There's an exit to the surface there, right?" She asked. Ursa nodded. "Yea, commissar", she answered. Luster nodded again and looked back at the left way in front of her. "So, we'll go north and get out of the sewers. Then, on the surface, we'd go south. Is there another entrance too?" She looked back at Ursa. Ursa smiled and nodded. "Great, then let's go!" Luster looked forward and chose the left way. She started to walk and the others followed her. All of their horns dimly illuminated the path.

The left tunnel's floor was more flooded than the one behind. The water reached Luster's cannons. Ursa and the other ponies were up to their knees and hocks in water that wasn't clear anymore. They all had to move their legbands and cantie-ranties higher on their arms to avoid getting them wet. Also, the smell was worse than before. Every five to ten seconds, a pony coughed or gagged. Luster and the others breathed as little as possible. "Let's hope this doesn't rot our hooves", Luster commented. She could have flown up close to the ceiling, but she rathered suffer with the other unicorns.

After half an hour since they took the path to the left, they got to the exit of the northern sewers. On their way, they had passed many intersections of tunnels and maintenance rooms. They had checked every corner on their way. They had found some ponies underground. Among them were maintenance workers, indigents and drugaddicts. Luster and the team three had arrested a unicorn that still had a needle hanging from his foreleg. But, Luster had promised him that they would look the other way and let him go if he showed them the most common hideouts in the sewers. The unicorn had obeyed and had given them a tour. They had followed him for a while and he had shown them discreet holes on the curved walls or even ladders connected to the vents on the ceiling. After some minutes after they had found him, they had let the drugaddict go. He had galloped away; his hooves splashing the water; on the opposite way. Luster, Ursa and the other stablo agents had found the stairs that went up to the surface.

Luster and the team three went upstairs. Finally, they had access to fresh air. Ursa was the first to get out to the surface, followed by Luster and the others. They all inhaled and exhaled deeply. The gates on the northern entrance to the sewers were open; no chains or magical padlocks in sight. They crossed the gates and went outside. Despite being outside; hit by the wind; the smell was still strong. Luster raised a hoof and smelled it. Her eyes opened wide and she gagged. "For Faust's sake! I stink!" She said. She exchanged glances with Ursa and the other ponies. They also had smelled themselves and seemed very uncomfortable. They were on the sidewalk. It was already half past four in the afternoon. The ponies walking on the street stopped and looked at them. Their nostrils flared and their eyes opened wide in disgust. They could barely keep on walking near the stinky group of four unicorns and an alicorn. Luster looked at Ursa, who was in front of her. "I think it was a bad idea to get out here and move on the surface". She looked down and sighed. Then she looked back at Ursa. Then she exchanged glances with the other ponies of team three. "We really need a shower".

Luster, Ursa and the team three moved away from the northern sewer entrance. They headed west, walking on the street. Everytime they passed by other ponies they were watched with wide eyes and given disgusted grimaces. Luster and the others heard ponies gag when they walked past them. On the corner between the street they were and Brayed Street there was a hardware store. "I have an idea. About something I should have foreseen". Luster looked at Ursa. "Hey, do you have rainboots in the station?", she asked. Ursa nodded. "Yea, commissar, we haff dem in lockers". Luster nodded and got ahead of the team three. Walking on the sidewalk she approached the store doors. Above them there was a sign: Manedy Hardware Store. She looked behind her, at Ursa and the others. "Wait here", Luster ordered. The ponies stood in the corner of the sidewalk. Luster nodded at them and then looked forward. With her telekinesis, she pushed the doors and crossed the threshold. She closed the door behind her. Ursa and the other unicorns exchanged glances.

A minute later, the doors of the hardware store opened again. Luster was by the doorframe. With her magic, she was holding a brown paper bag. She looked at team three and gestured with a hoof. "I've bought myself rainboots". She moved away from the door and closed it with her magic. She approached the ponies and looked at Ursa. "If my memory serves me right, there are showers in the headquarters. Right?" Luster asked. Ursa nodded. "Yea, commissar". Her nostrils dilated for a second. Ursa bit her lower lip in disgust. "Shall we go dere now?"

"Of course, Ursa". Luster chuckled. She turned around and pointed forward with a hoof. "Lead the way", she said. Ursa got ahead of the group and the others followed her. They crossed Brayed Street and went down Fairsteed Avenue. They walked past a block and on the right side of the avenue was the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. Luster pushed the doors open with her magic and all the group went inside. One by one.

Fifteen minutes after they crossed the threshold, they were back outside. They all, included Luster, had taken a hot shower with lots of soap to get the smell off their bodies, . They had rubbed the soap especially on their legs. They had put on their waterproof boots. Luster was next to Ursa. The ponies of team three were behind them. Ursa looked at Luster on her right. "Commissar, shall we walk on de surface and head to de soudern sewer entrance?" She asked. Luster raised a booted hoof and rubbed her jaw. She turned her head and looked at Ursa and at her two pairs of boots. Then her eyes went forward and swept the streets. Some of the random ponies walking on the streets stopped for a while and stared at the group. "I think we should move down the sewers. We have been given enough weird looks", Luster said. "The closest entrance is the one we have just gotten out, isn't it?" She asked, looking behind at Ursa. The dark blue coated mare nodded. "Yea, commissar. It's de northern one, closer to Manedy's store".

They turned left and walked down Fairsteed avenue for a block. They crossed Brayed street, and walked past Manedy's Hardware Store. They reached the northern entrance to the sewers. They had walked for five minutes since they left the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. Luster, who was in front of the team, sighed. "Here we go again". She turned her head to look at Ursa and the other ponies. "Please remind me; when we reach a fork; to follow the correct tunnel; in order to go south". She said. Ursa nodded.

Luster, Ursa and the other ponies went downstairs to enter the sewers.

At six o'clock in the afternoon Luster Dawn and the team three went back to the ponice station. They had explored the southern network of sewers. It was pretty much like the northern sector. Knee deep water for Ursa and the team three, and cannon deep for Luster. On that sector they didn't find anypony. It took them thirty minutes to get from the entrance of the northern sewer to the exit south. And then another half an hour to come back to the ponice department, that time walking on the surface of the city.

Luster, Ursa and the others approached the doors of the building. Luster looked at Ursa. "I'll see if I can explore the sewers on the other side of the river with team two", she said. With her telekinesis, Luster opened the doors. She entered first and then Ursa and the others got inside the Stablo headquarters of Fillydelphia.

Luster and the team three walked on the hallway of the building. They had taken off their rainboots and left them near the entrance. Ursa and the ponies of her team headed to the meeting room to work on strategies against the fillydelphian serial killer. The other ponies went ahead of Luster and Ursa. "Do you know where I can take a nap here?" Luster asked Ursa. She, in the middle of the hallway, pointed at a door at the end of the corridor. "Dat's de nursery, commissar. Dere are a couple of beds inside", she had told Luster. Luster nodded and headed to the end of the hallway. Ursa got inside the meeting room and closed the door behind her.

Luster approached the nursery's door. She had walked past the stairs that led to higher floors of the building. She knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the door was opened. In front of Luster, there was a nurse. She, instead of wearing a blue and yellow legband, was wearing a white one with a red cross. She opened her eyes wide when she looked at Luster. She put a hoof on her chest. "Oh, good evening, commissar. May I help you?" She said with a smile.

Luster nodded. She smiled at her and then looked down at the black and white tiles of the floor. She looked up at her again. "I was wondering if you have a bed free right now", she said. The nurse turned her head and looked behind her. Inside the room, a few legs away from them, a completely white bed was visible. The nurse turned her head forward, back at Luster. "Yes, I've got a free bed commissar. Would you like to use it?"

Luster chuckled. "Uh, yes. I'd like to take a nap". The nurse nodded and moved away from the door. She pointed at the bed. Luster stepped forward and got inside the room. The door was closed behind her by the nurse's magic. Inside, there was a desk, some pillows, a metal cabinet and two beds. The nurse went to sit on a pillow before the desk. She smiled at Luster and pointed at the vacant bed. Luster looked to her left, at the pony lying on the other bed. She opened her eyes wide. It was the Stablo agent she had seen guarding the doors of the City Stall four hours ago.

He looked at Luster and he raised his head a little. "Good evening, commissar. Sorry for not getting up", he said weakly. Despite he had a white coat, he looked sickly pale. "Nonsense. Don't worry about it", Luster answered. With her magic, she took her saddlebags off her back and put them on the floor next to the bed. She approached the free bed and got on top of it. The beds were two legs of distance from each other. Luster lay in the same pose like the other pony; lying face down. She stretched her wings, opening them wide. She turned her head at him. She smacked her lips and yawned. "What happened to you? I just saw you earlier today guarding the doors of the City Stall".

"Uhm, well, it seems I have a back condition and I shouldn't stand still too much", he said. He was also looking at Luster. "What about you, commissar? Are you okay?"

Luster, with her eyes narrowed, nodded. "Yes, totally okay". She yawned again. "What's your back condition?"

He looked up at the ceiling. "It's called sway back. It's something really common for us fillydelphians and..."

"Oh", Luster said softly. She stopped paying attention to what he was saying. She closed her eyes.

Everything became dark and silent.

Interlude

Everything became clear and noisy. The clopping outside the room was disturbing Luster's sleep. "Commissar..., commissar..." Somepony was whispering. Luster opened her eyes and sat on the bed. She looked to her right and saw the nurse next to the bed. Also, the other bed was no longer occupied. The Stablo agent that had been lying there was gone. The nurse was looking at Luster. "What time is it?" Luster asked her. "Sorry for bodering you, commissar. It's half past nine", she answered. Luster opened her eyes wide. "Dung it!" She jumped out of the bed and faced the nurse in front of her, who had stepped back to gave her way. "Did I seriously slept over three hours?!" She said. The nurse nodded. She pointed with a hoof at the open door. Luster turned her head to the left. By the door, there was a pony with sunglasses and a headset on his left ear. It was an intel agent. "Oh", Luster expressed. Her eyes narrowed.

The nurse looked at the intel on the threshold and back at Luster. "I'll go outside and give youse some room." She smiled sheepishly and headed to the door. The intel stepped aside to let her leave. After she left, the intel stepped forward and closed the door behind him. She and the intel were alone in the room.

Luster, standing between both beds, was looking at the intel. With her magic, she had already grabbed her saddlebags and put them on her back. She couldn't see the intel's eyes. She looked down and sighed. Then she looked up back at him. "Tell me the bad news already", she said. The intel, who was before the door, stepped forward at Luster. "Cee-em-cee-two-kay", he pronounced. Luster's eyes opened wide. Her jaw dropped. "Soldiers from de Mareshal's Escort Regiment haff come to de city. Dey are gadering backup to send to Canterlot", he added.

"Move!" Luster galloped to the door. She passed by the intel. If he hadn't stepped aside Luster would have crashed with him. With her telekinesis, Luster pulled the door wide and opened it. She crossed the threshold. The doorknob hit the wall. She strided past the nurse, who was waiting outside, and went down the wide corridor of the first floor of the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. She dodged Stablo agents on her way. Luster stopped, drifting, before the door of the meeting room. She opened it with her magic and rushed inside.

Inside the room were members of the team two and three of the Ponicide Investigation Department. They were sitting on the pillows before the large table. When Luster stormed into the room, they all looked at her with wide open eyes. "No time to lose! Make sure to clear the western and eastern sewers of the city! Lock them down! Understood?!" Luster shouted at them. The ponies exchanged brief glances with each other and then looked up at Luster. "Yes, commissar!" They said in unison. Luster nodded, turned around and got out of the room. She left the door open. She quickly galloped down the corridor again, that time heading to the exit of the building. She reached the doors and pulled them open with her magic. She went to the street and took flight.

She was heading west. To Canterlot.

After flying for fourty five minutes, Luster could already see the mountain in which Canterlot was behind. She had just passed by the Foal Mountain sierra. She flapped her wings as fast as she could. A normal steady flight from Fillydelphia to Canterlot took an hour and a half. But Luster was about to break a record of speed. In her way, when she was just leaving Fillydelphia, she had passed by the Weapon soldiers also heading to Canterlot.

She reached Canterlot. Flying close to the buildings, she looked at the streets. They were empty. She paid attention to the noise. The sirens were on. "They all must be in the dungeons", Luster told herself. She flew past the train station, the Stablo press and the headquarters. She turned left and flew over the Artisan Crops Farmland. While she was flying, with her magic, she had taken out her cantie-rantie out of her saddlebag and configured it with the frequency of Canterlot. She was about to reach the Canterlot Castle. She reached the plaza of the sisters.

Her eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped. There was total mayhem. Green fire burning the wood structure of the Farmer's Market to the south. Dozens of roasted black figures on the paved ground. Changelings. And in the center of the plaza there was an enormous purple beast lying dead. Spike. The stench of death made her cough. She advanced flying and then landed before the castle doors. Even though she had seen changelings still alive flying or galloping around, they didn't seem to care about or hadn't noticed her presence. With her magic, Luster pushed one of the big doors and opened it. She couldn't see what was inside. It was all dark. She crossed the threshold. "Hey, somepony is coming!" She heard somebody say from the inside. "I'm Luster Dawn! Don't shoot!" She said, walking inside. The doors closed behind her. She turned her body around and saw a familiar pony with a purple mane with light blue stripes, and yellow magic aura. Flurry Heart was there, ready to discharge a laser beam from her horn. Since she was the mareshal of the Weapon, she was wearing a black shirt. "Prove you are not Chrysalis again!" She told Luster. Luster, who was illuminating with her horn, looked down at the black and white tiles. "Okay. I'll prove it". She sighed. "Twilight won't admit it, but between you and me, I'm her favorite". She looked up at Flurry.

Flurry snorted, decasting the spell and using her horn to illuminate. "So it is you". Flurry chuckled. "You missed the rodeo, neighrd". With a hoof, Flurry drew imaginary circles around her eyes. Luster smiled, and looked behind her.

Before the stairs of the hall that led to the throne room, horns of unicorns started to illuminate. They were soldiers of the Mareshal's Escort Regiment. Basically, Flurry's bodyguards. There were five unicorns, one earth pony and eight pegasi. They were resting on their haunches. Their black uniforms and helmets were stained with a green liquid, and with blood that shone illuminated by the unicorns' magic auras.

Luster looked back at Flurry. "I still got here before it ends". With her telekinesis, she opened her saddlebags and took out the cloth she used to wipe her glasses. She looked at it. It was still stained with her own blood. Nevertheless, she took off her glasses and wiped them with it. Flurry, looking at her, pointed with a hoof at the doors. "Hey, I've still got to swat some bugs out there. And since we are short-hoofed here, I believe you could lend us four". Luster approached Flurry until they were really close. "You shouldn't worry about being short-hoofed. Your backup from Fillydelphia is coming", she said. Flurry pawed the floor once. "Thank princess for that! It turns out I forgot that the Weapon division in Cloudsdale was sent to defend Las Pegasus". She pointed at the ponies some legs away behind Luster. "I sent six pegasi there for nothing. I'm just glad they came back unharmed". While Flurry was speaking, Luster had walked past her towards the door. Flurry's eyes had followed her. "Shall we go? We really gotta find Twilight", Luster said.

"Of course. Just give me a second", Flurry said. She turned her head forward and looked at the soldiers. "Attention platoon!"

Flurry and Luster had gotten out of the castle. Flurry had ordered her team of soldiers to hold their position inside the castle and wait for the backup from Fillydelphia. Outside the castle, they took flight. They went to fight against the remaining changelings. Although, the changelings didn't seem motivated anymore. Luster and Flurry shot laser beams from their horns at them but they didn't even retaliate. They simply were trying to escape or hide from the two alicorns. Luster Dawn had separated from Flurry Heart. She circled the Canterlot castle and went back to the plaza. She approached Flurry in mid-air. "I can't find Twilight! Do you think she's okay?" She asked. Flurry sighed. "If she's still alive, she'll get here no matter what". She answered.

They both, as it seemed that there weren't more enemies alive around, flew down and landed before the large body of Spike. They were surrounded by the beast and dozens of black bodies. There was a pool of red and green blood on the floor. Flurry and Luster looked at the massive dead dragon. "Can you believe this beast; Spike; helped us in the battle?" Flurry turned her head at Luster. The other alicorn nodded.

Luster looked behind and with her eyes swept the area full of charred changeling corpses. "I have no doubts about that", she answered. Luster's eyes were wide open. Still, She and Flurry could barely breathe without retching.

The smell of death and fire was just bearable. They looked up the sky and saw, coming from the east, atleast a hundred pegasi with black shirts and helmets. "Cavalry is here. A little bit late, but is here", Flurry said with a smile. The backup of Weapon soldiers had come from Fillydelphia.

Luster sighed and looked down. She closed her eyes, trying to escape to the happy corner in her mind. Suddenly, Flurry tapped her shoulder. "Look! It's Twilight!" She said. Luster opened her eyes. With a hoof, Flurry was pointing up at north. Luster looked up and saw Twilight in the distance. She was being pursued by Chrysalis and three changelings. They shot green laser beams that Twilight could barely dodge. Flurry and Luster took flight, going after them.

After flying for ten seconds, they were about to reach them. They were behind the changelings, flying around the right side of the castle. They attempted to shoot at the changelings, but they dodged their strikes. Besides, Flurry and Luster were careful not to shoot Twilight by mistake. "I'll go behind them!" Flurry shouted briefly, looking at Luster as she flied next to her. "You go to the other side of the castle and wait for them there!"

Luster nodded, stopped in mid-air and turned around. Flurry kept pursuing the group from behind. Luster rushed to the other side of the castle, in hopes to met Twilight and the others on the other side. She flew close to the wall of the building. Coming from behind the castle, they appeared in front of Luster. They were all in mid-air, flapping their wings without going anywhere. But something was odd. There wasn't one Twilight, but five. Flurry was behind of them, with a confused look. "What the hay?!" Luster said. Her eyes fell on Flurry. "Who is the real Twilight?! You were going after them!" she asked. Flurry cringed and shook her head. "There was a sudden green flash that blinded me. I can't tell who is the one".

Luster looked back at the group of Twilights. She scanned them from head to hoof. They all looked sweaty with a messy mane. They were flapping their wings in front of Luster, staying in place. Luster sighed. "Okay, you're gonna prove you are the real Twilight. I'm gonna ask you something you would only know if you were the real one" she said. The Twilights stared at her. "Tell me why..." Luster cleared her throat. She looked at Flurry and then back at the Twilights. "Tell me why I'm your favorite and Flurry is not".

The Twilight in the middle opened her mouth. "Because... agh!" She said and was shot by Luster. There was a sudden green flash that blinded everypony. Chrysalis was falling. She landed with a loud thud on the Royal Garden. There were four Twilights left, but three of them were also surrounded by green light. Three changelings. They striked laser beams at Luster but she dodge them. Flurry, Luster, and the real Twilight shot down the three changelings left in less than a few seconds. Twilight flew down to the garden. Flurry and Luster followed her.

When Twilight landed, next to the unconscious Chrysalis, she started to shoot at her vulnerable body with laser beams. A dark smoke was coming out of the body. Flurry approached Twilight from behind. She put a hoof on her shoulder and Twilight almost bucked. She had stopped shooting from her horn and turned her head at Flurry. "Aunt, she's dead already. Calm down", she told Twilight. Luster, who was the last one to land on the Royal Garden, approached the other two alicorns. They all surrounded Chrysalis body. "Are you okay, Twilight?" She asked, looking down at Chrysalis and then up back at Twilight. Twilight sighed. She turned her head forward and looked at Luster. "How did you know it was her, the one imponyating me?"

Luster looked down at the body of Chrysalis again. She chuckled and then looked up back at Twilight. "Well, I supposed that her minions wouldn't dare to speak. Also, I know you would never admit I'm your favorite". She smiled. Flurry and Twilight smiled too. They exchanged glances with each other and briefly laughed.

A noise of static came from Luster's saddlebag. She turned her head and looked behind at her saddlebags and with her magic took out her cantie-rantie. She pressed a switch. Flurry, Twilight and she were looking at the device. "Attention, all Stablo agents! The dungeons have collapsed with the ponies inside!" The voice coming from the communicator said. The three alicorns opened her eyes wide. In the background, the sirens were still heard.

Interlude II

Luster, Twilight and Flurry were around Chrysalis body. They were in the Royal Garden. "We gotta go help the ponies get out of the dungeons", Twilight said. She turned her head to the left and looked at Flurry. "We need the Weapon's help, Flurry. Go talk to them. Also, tell them to turn off the sirens", she told her. Flurry nodded and immediately took flight heading east. Twilight turned her head forward and looked at Luster. She looked her in the eyes. "You and me are going to head to the dungeons entrances. I'm going to the one in the town centre and you'll go to the one near the train station. Understood?"

"Yes, Twilight", Luster answered. They both took flight from the garden, leaving Chrysalis's body behind. They flew over the castle plaza. Luster looked down at the mess there. An enormous dead dragon surrounded by dozens of changeling corpses. Luster and Twilight went separate ways. Twilight headed east while Luster went south east.

After flying for three minutes, Luster got to the entrance to the dungeons, near the gas mines. She saw a crowd of ponies. They were getting out of the dungeons. Stablo agents were guiding them in an orderly fashion. They were silent. Luster landed near the crowd. Seconds after, stablo agents approached her. She exchanged glances with them. "Gentlecolts, what's the situation?"

The unicorn in front of Luster spoke. "Commissar, the dungeons have collapsed in the central area. Even some buildings on the surface fell on us", he said. Just like the other stablo agents, he was dirty with dust and dirt on his coat and mane. Luster nodded energetically. "Alright, no time to lose. Let's get inside the dungeons and help everypony we can. Got it?!" She said, exchanging glances with the three ponies.

"Yes, commissar!" The others said in unison. Luster and them rushed to the entrance to the dungeons. They, as fast as they could, moved within the crowd of ponies getting out of the dungeons, and headed downstairs.

Underground in the dungeons, Luster and the other three stablo agents galloped. They dodged the ponies on their way. As the moved further into the dungeons they could already see the damage of the collapse. There were collapsed walls and parts of the roof. The metal gates of the vents on the ceiling had also fallen. Rubble and dust were scattered on the floor.

Luster and the stablo agents coughed every few seconds. The air was full of gray particles. Many torches on the walls had gone off or even fell on the floor. Some sections of the dungeons were in total darkness, still with ponies coming out from then. Luster and the other unicorns around had their horns illuminating, helping the pegasi and earth ponies see. The brick walls and the roof had fallen on some parts. There were ponies beneath them, covered in blood.

Luster and the three stablo agents stopped before a collapsed area. There were ponies beneath it. "Help me lift the debris off these ponies!" Luster ordered. With their telekinesis, she and the unicorns started to move the rubble off the ponies lying on the floor. The stablo agent that was a pegasus moved the objects with his wings and hooves. Only one of the ponies beneath that collapsed wall was still moving. He screamed in pain, only stopping to cough or snorting the dust out of his lungs. Luster looked down at him; at his chest. It was clear he had broken ribs.

Finally, in that small section of the dungeon, Luster and the other agents freed the ponies off the debris. Still, only the pony from before looked conscious. The others didn't move. Luster approached and unconscious pony. She was lying face up; her eyes closed and her mouth opened. Luster looked down at her, pointing her with her horn. The other stablo agents were looking at Luster. "Commissar! What are you...?!" One of them was saying. With her magic, Luster shocked the pony on the ground. The pony on the ground started to convulse. Luster stopped her magic.

The pony on the floor opened her eyes and inhaled deeply. She sat on the floor and started to cough. Luster turned around to face the stablo agents. Then her eyes fell on the other unconscious victims of the collapse on the floor. "Listen, gentlecolts!" Luster looked up at the two unicorns that were stablo agents. They were in front of her. "All of these unconscious ponies!" She looked down again and swept the ponies on the floor with her eyes. "You'll shock them in an attempt to restart their hearts and lungs!" She looked up at them and exchanged glances with the two unicorns. "Understood?!" She asked, shouting. The other stablo agents exchanged glances with it each other.

Then they looked forward at Luster. "Yes, commissar!" They said in unison. Luster nodded energetically. "Waste no time! I'll go ahead of you and see if I can help more ponies!" Without awaiting an answer Luster turned around and galloped away, getting further into the dungeons. Her horn illuminated her way. The stablo agents left behind looked down at the unconscious ponies. From their horns, magic came. They shocked the bodies hoping to revive them. Also, the pegasus stablo agent sat on the floor and pressed his wings against the chest of an unconscious pony.

Luster had gotten away from the stablo agents. She was further inside the dungeons. On her way she found more ponies under debris and helped them out. Although, despite the determination to revive the ponies with magical shocks, many of them didn't make it. Moving further, she looked up and saw the night light. From there she could see the sky and stars. Her jaw dropped. There was a hole in the roof, a hole that led to the surface of Canterlot. Luster flew up, crossing the gap, and landed on the surface. She was on the street of the hospital block.

She turned her body around and swept the hospital area with her eyes. That building and a few others had collapsed. Parts of the inside of the buildings, still standing still, were visible. She looked south and saw the Sun Memorial; the statue of Celestia. She looked down and sighed. In the background she could hear clopping and shouting. Atleast, the sirens around the city had been turned off. Luster looked up at the sky. She could see the Weapon soldiers flying around and shouting orders to the subordinates.

There was a lot of chaos in Canterlot until three in the morning. It took atleast five hours to help all of the ponies alive get out of the dungeons. Although there were lots of ponies dead or still missing. Since the only hospital of Canterlot collapsed, makeshift medical tents were set up on the streets. All the Weapon soldiers in town were helping, either providing paramedical care or donating blood. There were over five hundred injured ponies, and atleast two hundred missing. The toll of fatal victims was over a hundred, and they still hadn't found all the bodies still in the dungeons. Flurry Heart, Twilight and Luster used all of their alicorn magical power in order to lift the collapsed buildings. They also had donated blood, which was like an elixir that could help really injured ponies.

Around five in the whinniesday morning, Luster went again down the dungeons through the hole on the street she had gotten out before. She went east to the entrance of the caves. She could see that in the caves there wasn't a lot of damage from the collapse. Only a few rocks had fallen down. The torches on the walls were perfectly illuminating the path. Luster walked forward and after five minutes she reached the junction that led to Canterlin's prison entrance. The magic shield was on, meaning that the black hole was there. But, Luster came prepared. She had found the guard of the caves outside. She had found him injured lying inside a medical tent on the street. She had borrowed his cantie-rantie. With her telekinesis, Luster took the communicator out of her saddlebag. She pressed a switch and put it close to her muzzle. "Hello? Over", she spoke.

"Commissar, yes? This is the comptroller of the magic shield. Are you there already? Over" A voice coming from the device said. The sound was mixed with a static noise. "That's right, comptroller. Unlock the em-ess, please. Over and out", Luster answered. "Copy that, commissar", the voice from the cantie-rantie said. "Unlocking of the magic shield in three, two, one..."

In a millisecond, the dark path turned white.

A foe in need

In front of Luster Dawn, there was a long hallway with white walls, and black and white floortiles. With her magic, she put the cantie-rantie back in her saddlebag. Luster stepped forward and crossed the threshold. It was like going through a portal. She walked down the corridor. At the end of the path Luster could see Canterlin's crystal cage. As she walked ;she didn't dare to run; she narrowed her eyes, looking forward. Her eyes fell on a gray figure lying down.

"That's it! He's dead!" Luster muttered to herself. She was about to reach the crystal barrier. "Doctor Canterlin!" She started to gallop. "Hey, are you asleep?!" She got before the crystal. She could see Canterlin's back. He was lying on the bed. Suddenly, A smell of manure invaded Luster's nostrils. It was coming from the tiny little holes of the crystal, which served as an oxygen provider for the inmate. Her eyes fell on the toilet not so far away from the bed. "Ugh, bucking smell!" With her telekinesis, Luster took out the cloth out of her saddlebag and covered the end of her muzzle. She looked back at Canterlin.

"Have you come this early to unclog my toilette?" Still lying on the bed, Canterlin had turned his head at Luster. Then, he sat up on the bed. He raised his foreleg and pointed right at the toilet. "Commissar, I know you have a killer to hunt down. But, if you want my help, I'll require some favors". He lowered his hoof. With his other hoof he had been covering his muzzle too, with the silk sheet of his bed.

Luster nodded. She put the cloth away. "Alright. I'll see what I can do about the toilet issue". She turned around and started to walk. Then she stopped and turned her head, looking at Canterlin. "By the way, don't take it as a compliment, but I'm kinda glad you weren't killed by the dungeons collapse", she said.

Canterlin, that was looking at his toilet with aversion, turned his head and looked at Luster. He raised a hoof and shook it back and forth. "Likewise, commissar. We'll talk about that later. Now, could you hurry?"

Luster nodded again. She turned her head forward. She trotted a few steps and then stopped. She facehoofed. "What am I doing?" She asked herself, sighing. She turned around and moved back before the crystal.

"Commissar, are you teasing me?!" Canterlin looked at her. He was still covering his muzzle with the sheet. Luster shook her head. "No, doctor. I just realized I could call a service team with my cantie-rantie", Luster said. While she was speaking, with her magic, she had taken her communicator out of her saddlebag. She pressed its switch and put the device close to her muzzle.

"Comptroller, do you copy? Over" She looked at the device. "Copy that, commissar. This is the comptroller. How may I help you? Over" A voice coming from the cantie-rantie said. "Uhhh" She exchanged glances with Canterlin and then her eyes fell on the toilet inside the cage. "I need a team to unclog inmate Habel Canterlin's toilet. Is that possible right now? Over" She looked back at the device. "Uhm, commissar, I'll go there myself" The male voice sighed. "But I'll need your help to open the crystal. Okay, commissar? Over".

"Huh?" Luster expressed. She was looking at Canterlin, who was trying to flush the toilet. That only made the toilet spit out the water, splashing Canterlin's coat. He looked down at his chest. His jaw was dropped in disgust. Then, he turned around and wiped his body with the sheets. Luster laughed briefly, seeing the mess he was into. She quickly looked back at her cantie-rantie. "Sorry, comptroller? Why can't you send a team for the job? Over", she said.

The device produced a sound again. "See, commissar, right now the jailors are either dead, injured or missing. That's because of the dungeons collapse". The voice sniffled once. "Right now, I'm the last of us", he finished.

Luster, listening to him, opened her eyes wide. "O-oh copy that, comptroller. If you may come here I'll help you open the crystal. Over." Luster looked at Canterlin's cage. Canterlin had climbed on his bed. Black water was coming out of the toilet. The water was starting to flood the floor and got the Canterlin's table legs. Also the wooden supporters of the bed were getting wet. His bale of hay on a corner of the room was soaked with dirty water.

The cantie-rantie resonated. "I'll go there as fast as I can, commissar. Over". The voice said. "Hurry, the cage is starting flood". Luster warned, looking at the water on the other side of the crystal.

Canterlin, standing up on his bed, looked at Luster. He uncovered his muzzle and smiled. "I've never been this humiliated in my life!" He said. Luster looked at him, narrowing her eyes. "Oh yeah?" she asked. "Yeah! This is worse than being found guilty when you aren't!" He covered his muzzle again, pressing the sheet against it with his hoof. Luster, after hearing him, smirked. "Not even you would fall for that statement, doc!" She laughed briefly. Canterlin snorted, the sound muffled by the sheet against his mouth and nostrils.

Ten minutes later, the comptroller crossed the threshold that led to Canterlin's prison. Luster, who was before the crystal, still covering her nostrils just like Canterlin, turned around and looked at him approaching them. It was a brown male unicorn. He wore square glasses and his blond mane fell on his forehead. He trotted until he was close to Luster and the crystal cage.

With her magic, Luster was holding the cloth against her muzzle. "So, comptroller, right?" She asked, putting the cloth away from her mouth. "Yes, commissar, nice to meet you". He answered. His nostrils dilated and he opened his eyes wide. He looked at the inside of the cage.

Canterlin, who was still standing on the bed, looked at Luster's back and then at the pony in front of her. "Hurry!" He said. In those ten minutes since Luster had asked for the comptroller's help, the water had swallowed his bale of hay on the floor completely. The black liquid was about to reach the mattress of Canterlin's bed.

"Right!" Luster had turned around to see Canterlin and the state of his prison. Then, she looked at the comptroller, who had walked until he was next to her. They both exchanged glances. "So how do we open this?" Luster looked forward at the crystal.

The comptroller quickly rearranged his glasses with his magic. He cleared his throat. "Okay, so we'll obviously do this with our magic only". He raised a hoof and pointed forward. "I'll pull from this side". He pointed on the left end of the crystal, then he moved his hoof to the right. "And you'll push from that side, commissar". He lowered his hoof back on the floor and looked at Luster. "Was I clear, commissar?" He asked.

Luster turned her head at him. Then looked forward. "Uh, yeah. I understand. You'll pull left. I'll push right", she said. The comptroller nodded. Luster looked up at Canterlin with wide eyes. Canterlin had taken the silk sheets off his already wet mattress. He was standing on his hinds, holding the bundle of sheets with his forelegs in an attempt to save them from the sewer water. He was looking at the two ponies on the other side of the crystal. "So?! Do something!" He pleaded.

Luster, still with her eyes wide open, looked to her side at the comptroller. "Hey! What about him?!" She raised a hoof and pointed at Canterlin. Canterlin was looking at them with wide eyes too. He closed his eyes and sighed. "I swear in the name of my mother, who I did not kill..." He opened his eyes and locked them with Luster's. "... That I will not try to escape or attack any of you, good ponies", he finished.

Luster, who was looking at Canterlin speaking, looked back at the comptroller. "Seriously, how do you ponies open this crystal and deal with him?" She asked. The comptroller looked down. He sighed and then looked up back at Luster. "Normally, this is a five or six ponies job. All unicorns". He looked forward at the desperate Canterlin. "Even then, we are scared of him. Even when we know he's wearing a magic restrictor ring on his horn". He turned his head at Luster. He smiled. "You, dear commissar; an alicorn! You are worth atleast ten unicorns!" He said.

Luster batted her eyes at him. "Okay, uhm..." She looked down and then forward. She exhaled. "Well, let's carry on with this operation". She looked at Canterlin, up on his bed, in the eyes. Flames were coming out of her eyes. "Doctor Canterlin, I swear in the name of princess Celestia and Luna..." She raised a hoof and pointed to the ceiling. She closed her eyes and then lowered her hoof. "... That if you try anything funny when we open this thing, I will kill you and then I'll eat your heart so your soul would never rest in peace". She opened her eyes and looked up at Canterlin. His eyes were wide open and his ears perked up. Also, his jaw was dropped. Luster looked at the comptroller next to her. He was with his eyes wide open too, looking at her. Luster looked back at Canterlin. "Understood? And here's my witness!" As she told Canterlin she tapped the comptroller's shoulder, who was shaking.

Canterlin nodded, closing his eyes. He frowned when the water started to wet his hind hooves, which he was standing on both two. The mattress of Canterlin was not visible anymore. He opened his eyes and exchanged glances with Luster and the comptroller. "I've given you my word, commissar and comptroller", he promised. "Besides, don't forget that I have a restrictor ring on my horn". He looked up at his own horn. It had a golden ring on.

Luster looked down and sighed. Then she looked and turned her head at the comptroller. She cleared her throat. "Alright. Let's open this barrier", she said. The comptroller nodded. "We should do a countdown, commissar, in order to sync our attempts. Still, it'll be harder for me since I'm not that powerful with telekinesis". He chuckled, looking forward at the crystal. Luster looked forward too. "You do the countdown, comptroller". She positioned herself closer to the right wall. The comptroller, doing the opposite, approached the left wall. He exchanged glances with Luster, and Canterlin, who was skipping on his bed and splashing the water. He gulped. "Okay, here goes nothing". The comptroller prepared his horn. His aura started to illuminate. Luster prepared hers too, her white magic aura illuminating her face. "In three, two, one..." the comptroller was saying.

"Now!" Both magic auras surrounded the crystal; telekinesis at work. The massive clear wall was starting to rotate horizontally on its axis. Also, the water was escaping by the edges of the crystal. Then, the hallway started to flood. Fortunately, there were sewer holes there. "Blech!" Luster expressed. The dirty water was wetting her hooves and the ones of the comptroller. She could have flown up, but she didn't. In addition, for Luster and him, the stench was worse than before.

A foe in need II

A loud screech sound invaded everypony’s ears. The crystal wall was turning. As it did, it was spilling from the edges all the black water that had been gathering inside Canterlin’s cage. Even though the water directed itself to the sewer holes, Luster and the comptroller were up to their pasterns in the liquid. With their magic, they kept opening the crystal more, pushing from the right side and the pulling from the left edge.

Canterlin was still standing on his hinds on the bed. The water level had dropped. The bed was visible again, just like the bale of hay on one corner. The crystal barrier was open enough that it allowed a pony to cross the threshold. Canterlin could escape if he dared. “Commissar, that’s enough. Stop pushing!” The comptroller shouted, turning his head at her. He had stopped his telekinesis. Luster stopped hers immediately after he told her. They stepped back a few legs from the crystal, looking forward at Canterlin’s prison.

In front of Luster and the comptroller was the nasty cage of Canterlin. Open. Canterlin, still standing on the bed, exchanged glances with them. Neither Luster nor the comptroller dared to move a muscle for a few seconds. They both were staring at Canterlin. Canterlin smiled. He was holding his silk bedsheets with his forehooves. He raised one forehoof and pointed at the toilet. The metal fixed receptacle was still spewing out dark liquid. “Now, who’ll do the honors of fixing my toilet?” He looked at it, and then back at them.

Luster and the comptroller exchanged glances; their eyes wide open. Luster looked at the comptroller’s body. He was trembling. She sighed, closing her eyes. Then, she opened her eyes. She looked down at her hooves for a second. Instead of purple like the rest of her coat, her lower legs looked brownish. “I never save myself from the sewers”. She looked forward at Canterlin. “I will, doc”, she said. Canterlin nodded at her. She looked back at the comptroller. “I’ll get in there. You’ll watch my back from here, okay?” she said. They were side to side, just about six legs away from Canterlin. The comptroller nodded energetically; his body still shaking a bit. “I won’t let you down, commissar!”

Luster looked forward; at Canterlin in the eyes. He was still on the bed, smiling. She stepped forward. “Doctor Canterlin, you better stay right there”. She took another step; her eyes scanning Canterlin from head to hoof. Canterlin was standing on his hinds, still holding his silk sheets with his forehooves. Luster took another step. Her hoof splashed the water on the floor. “Did you understand?” She was getting away from the comptroller and closer to Canterlin.

“Yes, commissar, like I promised”, Canterlin answered, closing his eyes and nodding. In front of Luster, there were two possible entrances. One was by the left face of the crystal and the other by the right one. She chose the left one; the furthest away from Canterlin. She walked forward. She stopped when she was a leg away from the threshold; her eyes locked with Canterlin’s. Then she looked forward, at the toilet on the corner of the room. She gulped, and looked back up at Canterlin. She, raising a hoof from the dirty water, pointed at him. “You’ll stay right there”, she ordered. Canterlin grinned. “Of course I will, commissar”.

Luster looked and stepped forward. She crossed the threshold into Canterlin’s rocky cage. She was inside, so close to Canterlin. Her breathing was loud. She inhaled and exhaled deeply. She couldn’t help it despite the terrible smell coming from the toilet and the waste water on the floor. She was looking at Canterlin with the corner of her eye. As she slowly moved forward, he turned his body at her. She walked past a table with books.

Canterlin was just a leg away from her, on top of the bed. He could have jumped on her if he wanted. Finally, Luster reached the toilet on the corner of the cage. The metallic furniture wouldn’t stop puking water out. When the water hit the semi-flooded floor, it splashed her legs. Luster turned her head to the right and faced Canterlin. He was staring at her with a grin on his lips.

Luster's eyes fell on his teeth. He had eight canine teeth. As impossible as it looked, Canterlin had double the tusks than a normal stallion. She cleared her throat. “As you know, doctor Canterlin, we ponies have a blind spot right behind us”, Luster said. Canterlin nodded once at her. The dozen of wrinkles on his face looked worse when he smiled widely. “So, if you try to attack me from behind, I swear I’ll buck all of those fangs off your silly mouth. Got it?” Luster said. Her eyes were locked with his. Canterlin stopped grinning and closed his mouth. “That sounds fair, commissar”. He pointed at the toilet that was in front of Luster. “Now, please, carry on”.

Luster sighed. She had gotten used to the smell, so she didn’t gag anymore. For a second, Luster’s eyes went and fell on the comptroller six legs away behind her. He was looking at them. His eyes were wide open and his jaw was dropped and trembling. Luster turned her head forward and looked at the toilet. Still, she could see Canterlin with the corner of her right eye.

Luster’s horn illuminated. She lowered her muzzle and pointed her horn at the vomiting toilet. From her horn, a slow and curved white laser beam came. It was approaching the toilet pit. It pierced through the water, evaporating some of it, and started to get through the sewer hole. Luster’s forehead was sweating. Every few seconds, with her ears pointing at Canterlin, she looked with the corner of her eye at him. He was still on the bed, standing on his hinds.

After a minute since Luster casted the unclogging spell for the toilet, there was a sudden suction sound, coming from the metal object. The water coming from it fell back. Luster’s magic aura turned off and she immediately turned around to face Canterlin. The flood was over. The water that reached Luster’s pasterns started to quickly go down, escaping through the sewer holes outside on the hallway.

“Excellent, commissar, you saved the day! Or the night, I don’t really know what time it is”. Canterlin chuckled, looking down at Luster. She also was looking at him. She snorted. “Now, it’s up to you to clean this place out”. She turned right and walked forward, leaving the cage. Canterlin briefly laughed. “So long, commissar!” He said. He, that was still holding the bedsheets with his forelegs, dropped them down and sat on the bed. His eyes followed Luster, who had already left the cage.

Luster walked until she was next to the comptroller. “Thanks a lot, commissar”, he told her. Luster turned around and looked at the open crystal of Canterlin’s prison. She turned her head at the comptroller. “I think it’s time we lock him up again”, she said. The comptroller nodded energetically. He looked forward, just like Luster, and approached the crystal until he was a few legs away from it.

Canterlin was inside, sitting on his bed. He waved at them. He looked at the comptroller and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, comptroller! I love to see new faces once in a while!” The comptroller looked down. He chuckled and turned his head at Luster. She looked at him too. “I’m so scared right now”, the comptroller whispered. Luster smiled at him and then looked forward. “Alright, let’s do this, comptroller”, she said.

The comptroller nodded and looked forward. Canterlin exchanged glances with them. Luster approached the right wall of the hallway and the comptroller the opposite one. “Okay”. Luster looked to her left, at the comptroller. “I’ll do the countdown this time. You’ll push and I’ll pull, right?” she said. The comptroller nodded. Luster looked forward. “In three, two, one…”

“Now!” Luster shouted. Her horn and the comptroller's started to illuminate. Magic aura surrounded the crystal barrier. That time, both Luster and the comptroller had to do the opposite effort they had done when they opened the crystal. Luster pulled and the comptroller pushed. The crystal wall rotated clock-wise, closing itself with a shriek noise. Canterlin, sitting down on his bed, watched the scene.

After thirty seconds of magical effort, the crystal was in place again, preventing the escape of Canterlin. Both Luster and the comptroller were panting; their cheeks red for the effort. Luster turned her body left at the comptroller. “This crystal must weigh more than a herd of shires together!” She expressed. The comptroller smiled at her. He approached her until he was a leg away from her. “I’d like to thank you again, commissar. I wouldn’t…”

Canterlin loudly cleared his throat. Both Luster and the comptroller turned their heads to look at him. Canterlin jumped out of the bed and stood on all fours. He exchanged glances with them as he approached the crystal he was trapped by. “I think you must leave, now, comptroller. The commissar and I have confidential things to discuss”, he said.

The comptroller looked back at Luster. “I’ll let you two alone, commissar”, he said. Luster looked at him, smiling. “Yes, I would appreciate it”. Reflexively, Luster put a hoof on the comptroller’s shoulder but quickly put it away as she was staining his coat with her filthy still wet hoof. The comptroller looked at his then wet shoulder. He looked up at Luster with a smile. “Don’t worry about dirtying me, commissar. I’m going to take a long shower after this!” He said. Luster nodded. “Off you go, colt”.

The comptroller nodded too and turned right, heading to the exit of the hallway. He crossed the open threshold that was the unlocked magic shield of Canterlin’s prison. Luster had turned her head left, looking at him while he was leaving. Then, she turned her body to the right and looked at Canterlin. He was before the other side of the crystal. He was smiling. Luster approached the crystal until she was a couple of legs away from Canterlin. “I hope you’ve done your homework, commissar”.

Luster smirked at him. Then, she looked up, at the beige vents and the white lights on the ceiling. She sighed. She looked forward, at Canterlin. “Indeed, doctor Canterlin. I believe I deserve an a plus!”

The Fillydelphian VII

Luster Dawn was in front of Canterlin. The crystal barrier prevented any physical contact. Her eyes were locked with his. Canterlin was smiling. He raised a forehoof and shook it back and forth. “So, tell me, commissar, why shall you believe you deserve a nine?” he said. “Remember this has nothing to do with your plumbing skills!” He chuckled, looking down for a second.

Luster snorted. With a hoof, she was pawing the floor. “You should be thankful we didn’t let you drown in there.” While she spoke, she raised a hoof and pointed forward. Then she lowered it back on the filthy wet floor. Canterlin closed his eyes and his smile widened. Luster looked down and sighed. She stared at her lower legs. They were stained by the black water. She lowered her head more; her eyes focusing on her barrel. Her chest had dark stains too; courtesy of the splashing of the black water that had come from the before clogged toilet. She closed her eyes and sighed again. Then, she looked up at Canterlin. He was staring at her with a smile.

“Anyways, doctor Canterlin, I have been in Fillydelphia for half a day; just like you suggested”. While she was speaking, her eyes fell on the bed behind Canterlin. The mattress, which once was beige, had turned dark greenish. Then, Luster looked at the bale of hay further away from the bed, on the corner. It looked wet and like it had swelled, absorbing the water around it. Nopony would dare to eat it in that septic state. Still, in Canterlin’s room, the things that still looked somehow immaculate were his table with the books on top, and his painting on the rocky wall.

Luster eyes met Canterlin’s again. “Let me start from the beginning of my stay in the city. So after ten minutes of walking on the main street I reached the…”

“Who did you speak with?” Canterlin interrupted.

Luster sighed. She looked down. Her wings opened. With the tip of her wings, she massaged her temples. Her wings folded again. She looked back up at Canterlin. “Tell me something; is this going to be like the second time we met? Are you going to interrupt me at every sentence?” Canterlin's smile fell. He looked down and then back at Luster. “I just wanted to show impetus, commissar. I promise I’ll listen.” He raised one forehoof and, without making actual contact, ran it from one corner of his lips to the other. His ears perked up, pointing at Luster.

Luster looked up at the ceiling and then forward back at Canterlin. “Okay, you have to be patient as I explain because right now I’m mad and stinking”. Her nostrils flared for a second. Canterlin slowly nodded at her. “Right” Luster continued. “As I was saying, I reached the City Stall, right, and at first they didn’t let me in!” She said. Canterlin, silent, opened his eyes wide. “They made me wait until it was two in the afternoon and then I was allowed to enter”. Luster inhaled. “So before of that I went to the, uh, reading, no, it was, uh, the Rearing Terminal Market, that’s it! I had food and so waited until it was past two”, she said. Canterlin, looking at her, softly pawed the still wet floor with a hoof.

“Then, I was finally allowed into the City Stall. Inside, I think I stumbled with alderponies, yeah. Two unicorns they were. So one of them approaches me; we talk for a bit; and then he guides me to see the mayor, uh, mayoress”, Luster said. Canterlin opened his mouth but no sound came from it. He closed it again and nodded. Luster, who was looking at Canterlin, looked to one side and stretched her back, also straightening her hind legs. She grunted and then stood still. She looked back at Canterlin. “Okay, so we got out of the City Stall; a guard was accompanying us. The mayoress showed me a bit of the city; a fountain and a museum; then we went straight to the Stablo Headquarters there”. She narrowed her eyes, looking Canterlin in the eyes. “Hey, did I mention they have a unique accent there?”

Canterlin smiled. “I know. I remember that”. He finally spoke after a minute of being silent. Luster smiled too. She cleared her throat. “So, the mayoress with her guard took me to the Stablo headquarters of Fillydelphia, which is called Fillydelphia Ponice Department; for traditional reasons I believe”. She inhaled. “Before I could enter I had an encounter with a pegasus from here; from Canterlot”, she said. Canterlin narrowed his eyes. Luster nodded at him energetically. “Yeah, and I chased him down and well…” She looked down. Her purple cheeks turned red. “And let’s just said he confessed he followed me there”. She looked up at Canterlin. “So I ask you, in these times of war, what do you think when somepony stalks you like that?”

Canterlin looked up at the ceiling, then forward back at Luster. “Well, if he couldn’t justify his reasons, I’d assume he was a spy of the enemy; a traitor. It could be a spy of the griffons, zebras, changelings…,” He inhaled. Luster’s eyes opened wide; her blush had faded away. “… Kirins, dragons, hippogriffs, or etcetera”, he concluded. Luster pawed the floor with a hoof. She closed her eyes. “Of course, how stupid could I be?!” She expressed. She sighed. She lowered her head. “If only I had known he was a spy, I could have alerted Twilight about the changeling invasion!” Luster thought aloud.

Canterlin opened his eyes wide. He approached the crystal barrier. In less than a second, he raised both forehooves and rested them against the crystal. He was standing on his hinds, looking at the crestfallen Luster. “Hold on, commissar, was there a changeling invasion, here, in Canterlot?! Besides the one almost a hundred years ago?!” he shouted. Luster nodded once. She sighed. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. “Of course, you didn’t notice; neither I until it was almost too late”. She sat down on her haunches on the already dry floor. The vents up on the ceiling did a great job; absorbing the moisture left by the sewer water that had flooded the floor ten minutes ago.

The prison was silent for a few seconds. Luster was looking down. Her round glasses had slipped down her muzzle. Just like the saddlebags on her back, it barely hung. Canterlin put his hooves away from the crystal. He stood on all fours. “Commissar”, he called with a smile on his face. Luster looked up at him. Her gamboge eyes looked dry; they had dark circles around, and bags under them. With her magic, she rearranged her glasses. “Would you like to continue telling me what happened in Fillydelphia?” He said.

“Sure”, she muttered. She cleared her throat. “To sum it up, I met the stablo agents there and we formed teams; three teams to hunt down the Fillydelphian. Also, we explored the sewers thoroughly. Not completely though.” She sniffled, looking down again. A few seconds later in silence, she looked up at Canterlin. “So, what’s your opinion, doc?”

Canterlin nodded once. He closed his eyes. “I still don’t know who the killer’s targets are”, he said. Luster, looking at him, batted her eyes quickly a few times. “Oh, right. I remember now that I haven’t told you”. She cleared her throat. “The Fillydelphian’s preys are outsiders; say business ponies, visitors, and etcetera. He does not kill other fillydelphians. Also, he has killed more males than females”.

Canterlin, who was serious, smiled. Then he smiled wider. And after he grinned he started to laugh. And laugh. And laugh. Luster looked at him with wide eyes. Her jaw had dropped, as she witnessed Canterlin’s freak show. She stood up on her four alicorn-long legs. She rushed to the crystal, raised a hoof and hit it with it once. “What the hay is so funny, you mad pony?!”

Then, Canterlin stopped laughing. He had stood up on his hinds, holding his belly with his forelegs. He opened his eyes looked Luster in the eyes. “Commissar, what you have to do is as easy as pie!” He gestured with his hooves. “All you need is a bait!” he indicated. Luster lowered the hoof she had put on the crystal. Her eyes were narrowed. “A bait you say, doctor?” She asked. Canterlin nodded cheerfully. “Exactly!” He lowered his forelegs and stood on all fours. Then, he turned to the right and approached his table. Luster’s eyes followed him.

Canterlin raised his forelegs and rested them on the table. Using his forehooves, he grabbed a book on the table and opened it. He turned his head to the left at Luster and then back forward. He looked down at the open pages. He quickly turned them. “While you were gone, commissar, I took the trouble, without magic…” He emphasized the last two words, and with a forehoof he tapped his horn twice. “… To prepare strategies on the hunt of the Fillydelphian”. He sighed and stopped turning the pages.

With a hoof, Canterlin tapped the page he was looking at. Then he turned her head at Luster, who had gotten closer to the left edge of the crystal. He was smiling. “One of my theories was that he aimed at outsiders. Look…!” He lifted the book with his forelegs and showed its pages to Luster. She, two legs away, narrowed her eyes. Seconds later, Canterlin put the book down on the table. “It’s okay, commissar, you don’t need to read it”. With his forelegs, he pushed himself away from the table and stood on all fours. He turned his body to the left and faced Luster. She was looking him in the eyes.

“This bait…” Luster was saying. Canterlin nodded once. He smiled. “It can be a business pony; a tourist; whatever you want!” He gestured with a hoof. “I suggest you to ask your, uh, your Stablos here in Canterlot for help, perhaps?” he said.

Luster snorted, pawing the floor with a hoof. She raised a hoof and pointed at him. “It’s Stablo agents for you, doctor”, she warned. “Besides, in times of war, who would fall for a tourist, huh? I don’t think the Fillydelphian is that stupid”, she said. Canterlin shrugged. He raised his right forehoof and pointed at the book on the table. “I understand you don’t like the tourist idea, commissar. Believe me”. He looked up at the ceiling, raising his head. Then, he looked forward back at Luster. “So, how about a journalist?”

Luster looked down at the floor. Her eyes opened wide. She looked forward at Canterlin. “That’s it, doctor!” She pawed the floor with a hoof once. Then, she raised a forehoof and put it on the crystal. She smirked. “If you weren’t a monster I’d let you out and hug you!” She expressed. Canterlin smirked back. “A wink would be enough. If you know what I mean”. He batted one eye twice. Luster smirk dropped. “Ew, gross!” She stepped back, raising a foreleg and shaking it. Canterlin laughed.

Without saying more, Luster turned around and started to leave down the hallway of white walls, walking on the black and white floor tiles. Canterlin kept laughing for a few seconds, and then stopped. “Commissar, don’t forget that the bait must not be from Fillydelphia!” He shouted when Luster was already on the middle of the hallway; about ten legs away.

After walking for ten seconds, Luster crossed the portal that led to Canterlin’s prison. She was again surrounded by the rocky walls of the cave. She turned around, facing the entrance, and looked forward. She could see the Canterlin’s gray figure waving at her. She closed her eyes and sighed. With her telekinesis, she opened one of her saddlebags and took out the cantie-rantie. She put the brick shaped device close to her muzzle. She opened her eyes and looked at it. She pressed the switch on one its sides. The device made a static noise. She pressed a red button. “Comptroller, are you there? Over” she spoke. There was silence for a few seconds.

“Copy that, commissar. How may I help you? Over”, the male voice coming from the communicator said. Luster, who was looking at the device, looked beyond; at Canterlin in the distance. Her eyes fell on the device again. “Proceed please to lock down the magic shield. Over”, she said. “Copy that, commissar. Lock down of the magic shield in three, two, one…”

A few seconds later after the voice spoke, the entrance to the white hallway was swallowed by darkness. Luster, in front of the dark hole, sighed. Then, she turned left and headed to the exit of the caves.

Disposals

Luster, after walking for ten minutes, got out from the dungeons through the hole on the street. She was on the back street of the hospital. She turned around and saw what remained. Rubble, lots of rubble. She and the other alicorns had cleared the area around the collapsed buildings, opening the streets blocked by debris.

Luster took flight. She was flying over one of the main streets of Canterlot. She was heading west; to the castle. On the paved roads she could see dozens of white tents. Those were medical tents. She passed over the town center. There, a crowd of hundreds of ponies was gathered. Basically, they were the majority of the ponizens of Canterlot. They were the lucky ponies who came unhurt out of the dungeons. Within them, there were stablo agents, wearing anti-riot equipment; helmets and visors.

Luster, after flying for five minutes, reached the castle plaza. She could see dozens of soldiers of the Weapon there; most of them were pegasi. They were cleaning the mess left by the Night of the Hundred. They were taking the changeling bodies away. They were taking the bodies south of the plaza. The smell of death and burnt, combined with Luster’s sewer stench, made her gag. Luster looked south and saw the burned remains of the Farmer’s Market. She looked north and saw the Stablo barracks. On the roof of purple tiles, there were dead changelings too. Then, still in mid-air, Luster looked down forward.

On the center of the plaza, was the massive body of the purple dragon, lying face down. It was Spike. The blood around him had coagulated and formed a dark red thick layer on the floor. Twilight, Flurry and a middle-age pegasus were close to his body. Both Flurry and the pegasus wore black shirts. Twilight was closer to Spike’s face, while Flurry and the other pony, who were talking, waited behind. Luster landed close to them.

Luster approached the group. On her way walking, she dodged a few changeling corpses. For a second she looked up and saw a couple of pegasus flying over them, taking a changeling body away. Luster was about to reach Flurry Heart and the pegasus. “Blech! The smell is suddenly worse than before!” Flurry expressed. She turned her head to the right towards the pegasus, but her eyes fell on Luster, who was behind them. She opened her eyes wide. Luster cleared her throat. The pegasus next to Flurry looked behind at Luster too. They both turned their bodies around, facing Luster. They exchanged glances for a few seconds. Luster stepped forward. “Twilight!” She called.

Twilight, who was before Spike’s head, turned around. Luster looked beyond Flurry and the pegasus, at Twilight’s eyes. They looked dry and red. Twilight was looking at Luster, scanning her from head to hoof. Her eyes stopped on her legs. She opened her eyes wide and rushed closer to Luster, standing between Flurry and the pegasus. She looked Luster in the eyes. Then her eyes fell on Luster’s lower legs. They were stained black. “Luster, what happened to you? Did the dungeons or the caves flood with sewer water?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, tell us. You stink worse than all of these bugs together”, Flurry commented, sweeping the area in front of her with her eyes. Despite the Weapon soldiers’ effort, the area of the plaza was still full of changeling corpses.

Luster sighed, looking down. “Not quite, Twilight”. She looked up at her. “Uhm, may I help you with anything?” she asked. Twilight, closing her eyes, nodded. “Actually, yes. We’ve got to take Spike out of here”. She opened her eyes and looked to the right at Flurry. She smiled at her. The pegasus, on Twilight’s left, remained silent, looking at her. Then, Twilight looked back at Luster. “It’s a three alicorns' job”. Luster nodded energetically; her glasses sliding up and down a bit on her muzzle. “Of course, Twilight”, she answered.

Flurry turned her head towards Twilight. She tapped her shoulder once. “Hey aunt, don’t forget about the stablo agent”, she said. Luster looked at Flurry with her eyes narrowed. Then, she looked back at Twilight. “What stablo agent?” she asked. Twilight, who was looking at Flurry, looked Luster in the eyes. She softly pawed the floor with a forehoof. “Luster, follow me”. Twilight raised a hoof and shook it back and forth. Then she turned around. She turned her head left towards Flurry, who was looking at her. “Flurry, oversee the clearing of the plaza, please. Oh, but come back here in a few minutes”, she asked her. Flurry nodded energetically and turned her body towards the pegasus next to Twilight. “Let’s go, Pommel”, she ordered. The middle-age pegasus nodded and also turned his body towards her. She and the pegasus took flight, getting away from Twilight and Luster. They headed south.

Luster and Twilight were left alone near Spike. They were alone if one didn’t count the dozens of corpses on the ground, and the weapon soldiers flying over them. Twilight started to walk and Luster followed her. They were going around the massive dragon’s body. They got to the other side; first Twilight, and then Luster behind her. They were close to the neck of Spike. From that side they couldn’t see Spike’s face. Twilight raised a hoof and pointed forward. Luster looked at the body a few legs away from them. It wasn’t the body of a changeling. It was a pony pegasus with a mustard coat. He was lying face up on the floor of the plaza. Some of his broken ribs were visible. He had two holes the size of a hoof on his chest. He was stained with blood. Luster sighed, lowering her head and closing her eyes. “Do you recognize him?” Twilight asked. She was next to Luster and was looking at her.

“It’s the director of the Canterlot Royal Newspaper. His name is Kalby”. Luster opened her eyes and raised her head forward. She turned her head to the right and looked at Twilight. “Did the changelings kill him?” she asked. Twilight, looking at her, shook her head. “Well no, but actually yes”, she said. Luster turned her head forward and narrowed her eyes. Twilight also turned her head forward and cleared her throat. “Let me make things clear” She looked at Luster. “Chrysalis imponyated you. While she still was doing it, she killed him”. She raised a forehoof and pointed at Kalby’s body. Then, she lowered her hoof back on the floor.

Luster looked at her. “Well, now I understand why Flurry asked me if I was the real Luster”, she explained. Twilight nodded once. She looked up to the sky. Luster imitated her. Since it was around six in the morning and they were near the end of spring, the sky was still a bit dark. Slowly, the dawn was coming. Luster and Twilight could see atleast a dozen of soldiers of the Weapon, wearing black shirts and helmets, flying over them. By two, some of them dragged changeling bodies away. Twilight sniffled. She looked forward, and then at Luster, who also looked at her. “I think it’s time we see what we’ll do with Spike”, Twilight smiled at Luster. She raised her right forehoof and put it on Luster’s shoulder.

Five minutes later, the castle plaza was much cleaner than before. The changeling bodies were taken to a mass grave south of the castle. On the plaza, there were only left the bodies of Spike and a dozen of changelings. Luster, Flurry and Twilight were around Spike’s body. Twilight was near his head; Flurry near the dock of his tail; and Luster near the middle of his torso. “Now!” Twilight shouted. Their horns started to illuminate. White, purple and yellow auras surrounded the body of the great dragon. With their telekinesis, they were slowly starting to lift Spike. As the massive body floated up, the three alicorns took flight, staying close to the body. The weapon soldiers, that were on the ground in formation, looked up at the alicorns taking the dragon away.

“Let’s rotate him!” Twilight commanded. “Until his tail points south!” She added. The three alicorns flew clockwise; Spike being the axis; until the tail with scales pointed south. “Alright, stop right there!” Twilight indicated. “Now, forward!” With her telekinesis, she pushed forward. Flurry did the opposite effort. She was flying backwards, pulling Spike towards her. On the other side, Luster held his belly with magic. The veins of their necks and forehead were swelled; their cheeks were red. With the body of Spike in the air, they were heading south.

After slowly flying for forty minutes, Luster and the other alicorns reached the center of the Everfree Forest. They had flown over Ponyville, but at a really high altitude. “Okay, stop!” Twilight exclaimed. “Now, we’ll land, understood?!” she asked. From the angle they were, Flurry and Twilight couldn’t see each other. Nevertheless, Luster could see both alicorns. She turned her head at Flurry and saw her nod. Then she turned her head at Twilight. “Understood, Twilight!” The three alicorns started to fly down; the dragon’s body doing per se.

Luster and the other alicorns landed on the Everfree Forest. The body of Spike had no option to crush down the trees below him. The noise of wood breaking resonated in the forest. The dragon finally was on the grass. Twilight and Flurry approached Luster. They were in front of Spike’s body and surrounded by trees and a few rocks. Twilight, turning her head and body around, scanned the forest. “I remember this section of the forest. It was close to Zecora’s hut”. She exchanged glances with Luster and Flurry, who also exchanged them with each other. Flurry raised a hoof and rubbed her muzzle. “I think I remember her. She was a zebra, right?” Flurry said. She was looking at Twilight who nodded. Luster turned her head to the right and looked at Flurry. “I saw her once, when I was around ten years old. At home I think. In the Crystal Empire”, Flurry said.

The three alicorns stood in silence for a few seconds. They could hear nature surrounding them. There cricket sounds and birds singing. Twilight cleared her throat. Luster turned her head to the left and looked at her. For a couple of seconds, Twilight looked up at the sky. It was a bright blue one already. Then, she looked forward, exchanging glances with Luster and Flurry. “Let’s go back to Canterlot, shall we?” she said. Luster and Flurry nodded. “I really need a shower”. Luster chuckled, shrugging. Her nostrils flared for a second.

Twilight and Flurry, looking at Luster, laughed briefly. “You need that and I need to go back to the Crystal Empire”, Flurry said. Twilight looked at her with narrowed eyes. “For the Crystal Faire, I suppose”, she said. Flurry nodded. “Exactly, it would be an offense to the crystal ponies; and, by extension; to the crystal heart, if I don’t show up”. Flurry inhaled. “I have to get there before noon. Of course that first I must dismiss centaurion Pommel and the backup from Fillydelphia”, she explained.

Twilight nodded. She exchanged glances with Luster and Flurry. “Alright, let’s go”, Twilight said. She turned around and unfolded her wings but felt somepony put a hoof on her shoulder. She folded her wings and turned her head to the left, looking behind her. It was Luster. “Twilight, may I ask what happened to Chrysalis’s body?

Twilight turned her body around and exchanged glances with Flurry. Then, she looked Luster in the eyes. “She has been buried” she answered. “Oh, is she with the other changelings?” Luster asked. Twilight shook her head. She softly pawed the forest’s grass with a forehoof. She closed her eyes and sighed. Then, she opened them again, looking at Luster. “I’ve decided to bury her in the Royal Garden”.

Luster eyes opened wide. She dropped her jaw. She exchanged glances with Flurry. She looked down and then forward back at Twilight. She raised a forehoof. “Are you sure about that?” She gestured with her raised hoof. “Don’t you believe her spirit could haunt the castle? Or atleast that garden?” she asked and lowered her hoof. Twilight smiled at her. She raised her right foreleg and put her hoof on Luster left shoulder. She looked Luster in the eyes. “You know I don’t believe in the afterlife, Luster”. Twilight looked up at the sky and sighed. She put her hoof away from Luster. Then, she looked forward back at Luster. “I don’t think there’s a special place for ponies after they die”.

After a few seconds in silence, surrounded by the forest noise, Twilight cleared her throat. “I’ve got some research to do; some books to read and…” Twilight eyes fell on Luster, who was yawning. She paid attention to her face. It had dark circles around her eyes and bags under them. For a second, Twilight looked at Flurry’s face. She didn’t look half as sleep-deprived as Luster. Then, Twilight looked back at Luster. “Luster, when we get back to Canterlot, I think you should have a warm bath and then go to sleep”.

“Yeah, you look like one of those cookie-eating zombies from the movie Twenty-eight Pranks Later!” Flurry said. She was pointing at Luster with a forehoof. Luster briefly looked at her and then back at Twilight.

Luster smiled at Twilight. She chuckled. Her nostrils flared. “I admit I’m pretty filthy right now”. She looked to the side at the background of trees. “On the other hand, I’m not used to sleep in the late morning”.

For a few seconds, they stood in silence. “Okay, let’s go!” Twilight indicated. Twilight took flight and the other two alicorns followed her. They were heading north. They had left Spike’s body in the Everfree forest.

Disposals II

After flying for thirty minutes, the three alicorns were about to reach Canterlot and its castle. They flew over what was a mass grave of changelings. While flying over it, Luster looked down. Surrounded by grass, there was a big square hole with the bodies piled up. Luster and the other alicorns reached the castle plaza. The place was clear. There were no more changeling bodies, although there were red and green bloodstains all over the place, and the body of Kalby was still on the floor. Luster looked down at the remains of the Farmer’s Market. The two bodies of the unicorn soldiers of the Weapon, that were killed there, in the Night of the Hundred, had been taken away.

The soldiers of the Weapon, that had come from Fillydelphia, were in formation on the north part of the plaza; in front of the Stablo barracks. Luster and the other alicorns landed before them. Flurry approached the commander of the soldiers, that was in front of them. They started to talk. Twilight and Luster looked at Flurry for a few seconds and then at each other. “Twilight, I’m going to take care of the body”. Luster turned her body around and looked at the corpse near the center of the plaza. She raised a hoof and pointed at it. Then, she lowered her hoof. Twilight turned around and walked until she was next to her. “Alright, Luster”, she said, looking at her. Luster turned her head at her. “Then, I’ll take a long bath”, she indicated. Twilight smiled at her. “I’ll be in the castle, researching about changelings, and, uh, about riot control! Just come over if you need me!” For a few seconds, she raised a hoof and put it on Luster’s shoulder.

Luster and Twilight started to walk. They went separate ways, getting away from Flurry and the Weapon soldiers. Luster headed south, to the center of the plaza, and Twilight turned her body to the west, to the castle doors direction. Luster walked until she was a leg away from Kalby’s body. Her nostrils flared and she gagged. “You smell worse than me”, she thought aloud. She narrowed her eyes, leaning her head towards him. She was looking at the two orange-size holes in his chest. Something little there, something white, no, many things tiny and white; they were moving. Luster's eyes opened wide. There were larvae crawling in and out Kalby’s body. Luster took her head away from the body. She looked around, turning her head to the sides. She looked behind her. About thirty legs away north, Flurry was with the soldiers of the Weapon. She turned her head forward and looked down at the corpse. She closed her eyes and sighed.

“I hope you don’t have a family, director”, Luster pronounced in a whisper. She opened her eyes. Her horn illuminated. With her telekinesis, Luster lifted Kalby’s body. The corpse, surrounded by white aura, dropped some of the larvae on the floor. “Yikes!” Luster expressed. She unfolded her wings and started to flap them. She took flight, holding the corpse with her telekinesis. At the sudden effort of starting to fly, Luster’s stomach growled with hunger. “Ugh, not now!” she spoke to herself. It was half past seven in the morning, and Luster hadn’t had breakfast that morning, or dinner last night. Besides, she didn’t get to sleep more than about three hours in Fillydelphia yesterday. She had been active for ten hours.

Luster flew up, the body floating, surrounded by her magic aura. She headed south. She flew over the remains of the Farmer’s Market and the curved walls that circled the plaza. When she got to the other side of the wall, she landed on the grass. In front of her, there was the mass grave of changelings. It was a pit for the dead. Luster stepped forward and looked down the hole. One couldn’t see its bottom as it was full of changeling bodies. Luster, holding Kalby’s corpse with her magic, put him in the hole, atop the changeling bodies. The magic aura of her horn faded away. She looked at the pit for a few seconds. She stepped back and turned around. She started to walk. With her magic, she opened her saddlebag and took out her cloth. She took off her glasses and wiped them. Then, she put the cloth away and put her glasses back on.

Luster reached the castle plaza’s wall. Jumping to gain momentum, she took flight. She flew over the wall and the plaza. She landed near the stablo barracks. She looked at the Weapon soldiers, also near the building. There were atleast a hundred of them. Flurry was in front of them, next to the middle-age pegasus from before. “Understood?!” The pegasus said, looking at the formation of soldiers. “Yes, centaurion!” The group of soldiers answered. “Go!” the pegasus added. A second later the soldiers, except for Flurry and him, took flight, heading east. Flurry, who was looking forward, looked at Luster, that was ten legs away and also looking at her. She raised a forehoof and waved at her once. Luster waved back and then turned her head forward and kept walking, heading to the Stablo barracks. Flurry, who was next to the pegasus, turned her head towards him and started to exchange words with him.

Luster approached the barracks doors. Unlike the last time she entered it, there were no agents guarding the doors. With her magic, she pushed one of the doors. She crossed the threshold and closed the purple door behind her. She yawned, raising a hoof and covering her mouth. Then, she lowered her hoof and smacked her lips. She lowered her head, looking down at the polished black and white tiles. She could see her reflection. She opened her eyes wide. Despite being a tall alicorn, she looked too skinny. Also, her face was of a sleep-deprived pony; dark circles around and bags under her eyes. She took a look at her lower legs. They were still stained black. She sighed and looked up.

Luster went to the left side of the building and went up the stairs to her personal room. With her telekinesis, she opened the door. The inside was dark; its only window was behind the curtains. Luster crossed the threshold. She had left the door open. Her horn illuminated. She opened the curtains, letting the morning light inside. Then, as she walked further into the room of golden and orange walls, she took off her saddlebags and left them on the floor. She approached her desk. She took off her glasses and left them on the wooden furniture. Also, she took off the purple legband from her left foreleg and threw it next to her glasses. Then, with her magic, she opened a drawer of the desk and took out a brick-shaped soap. She closed the drawer and put the soap on the desk. She turned her body to the left and approached her wardrobe, which was next to the window.

Luster opened the wardrobe doors and her eyes fell on a photograph on the inner part of one door. It was one of her with her family; she, as a foal, being hugged by Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst. Luster closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m still alive, mom and dad. That is, whether I like it or not”. She opened her eyes and looked forward. Her horn illuminated again. She took a towel out of the wardrobe. With the towel floating next to her, Luster closed the wardrobe doors. She turned around and, before leaving her room, she took the soap she had left on the desk. She crossed the threshold and closed the door behind her.

Stress

Luster was standing outside the stablo barracks. She was near the doors. She had put her glasses and her legband back on. Also, she had put her saddlebags on her back. She had taken a long shower with lots of soap, and eaten some hay she had in her room.

She was looking forward. It was ten past eight in the whinniesday morning and the plaza was almost clear of ponies. Flurry and the other soldiers of the Weapon were gone. To the south, she could see the burnt wood remains of the Farmer’s Market, that was around eighty legs away from the Stablo barracks.

Luster looked to the right, at the castle. Its doors were being guarded by two Weapon soldiers, the same ones as yesterday and the day before it. After that, she turned her head towards the Royal Hedge Maze. Some of the bushes that were its walls had been turned to ashes. She looked forward and then up.

Somepony, flying over the plaza, was approaching her. He had sunglasses on. He landed a few legs away from Luster. It was the same intel agent that had told her about the dragon incident.

They were standing in front of each other. The intel cleared his throat. “I have news”, he pronounced. Luster, looking at him, nodded. The intel turned his head around, looking at all directions. Then, he turned his head towards Luster. “So I have two things to say”. Unfolding a wing, the pegasus put his glasses with the tip of his wing up on his forehead. He had eyes like the sky. He folded his wing again “First of all, the Royal Newspaper house was vandalized”. He had his eyes locked with Luster’s.

Luster narrowed her eyes. “By whom?” She asked. The intel looked down, then back forward at Luster. “We don’t know exactly, but we assume it’s the draft-ponies hoofwork. Anyways, graffilli was painted on the outside walls”. As he spoke, he softly pawed the concrete floor with a forehoof. With her magic, she opened her saddlebag and took out a clean cloth.

Luster took off her glasses and started to wipe them. “What was the graffilli about?” she asked. She put away the cloth and put her glasses back on. The intel batted his eyes quickly a few times. “Well, they were all words; Liars, Lap ponies, uh, Blinders, Corrupt, Censors, uh,‘Damagogues’;and etcetera".

Luster Dawn was looking at the intel speak. She closed her eyes and sighed. “What’s the second thing?” She opened her eyes. The intel looked up at the sky and then back at Luster. “I’m afraid to say there are rumors. We heard them from the ponies that are gathered in the town centre”. He raised his right forehoof. He pointed east.

“The ponizens are angry with the authorities. They say someponies are setting up a riot. The stablo agents are barely preventing one from breaking out. Also, the working class is on strike. You could say nobody is working right now; except the law enforcement and the medics, of course”. The intel lowered his hoof back on the floor.

“What about the poniticians?” Luster asked. She looked beyond the intel, at the remains of the Farmer’s Market. Then, her eyes fell on the intel again.

The intel was pawing the floor softly with his forehoof. He looked at the doors of the Stablo barracks beyond Luster, and then back at her. “As we’ve heard from the crowd in the town center, some of the aristocrats and alderponies praise the idea of a riot”.

Luster slowly nodded. She batted her eyes quickly for a few seconds. “Alright”. She sighed. She looked down and then back at the intel. “Nothing else?” She asked. The intel, with his sunglasses up on his forehead, batted his eyes twice. “Dismissed”, Luster pronounced. The intel pegasus turned around and took flight. Luster started to walk, getting away from the Stablo barracks' purple doors.

She was walking in the castle plaza, heading west to the castle. She went up the steps and approached the doors until she was a few legs away from them. Two Weapon soldiers were guarding them. They stared at Luster. The pegasus stepped forward. “Password?” He said. Luster turned her head slightly to the left towards him. She looked down. “Uh, eff-aitch, um, cee-aitch-pro”. She looked up at the pegasus. He turned his head to the left towards the unicorn soldier. He nodded. With his magic, the unicorn opened one of the purple doors, pushing it. The pegasus stepped back from Luster. She walked forward and crossed the threshold. The door was closed behind her.

Luster was standing on the red carpet inside the castle. She was on the hall of the building. She started to walk. She, looking down at the black and white tiles and the red carpet, turned left and headed towards a hallway. She looked forward and walked down the hallway. After walking for ten seconds she reached doors on the left hoof of the corridor. With a hoof she knocked on the purple wood. “Twilight? It’s me, Luster”, she said and stood before the door. A few seconds later the door was opened. Luster went inside. She closed the door behind her.

On the left side of the room, Twilight was reading a book. She was holding it with her telekinesis. She was before a tall bookshelf. A pile of books was on the floor next to her. Luster, near the door, looked forward. The three windows on the wall opposite the one of the doors brought light to the room. She turned her head to the left towards Twilight.

“Have you had breakfast, Luster?” Twilight dropped the book on the pile and turned around. She looked at Luster. Luster looked down and then back at her. “Uh, yes. I’ve eaten some hay. And, of course, I’ve taken a bath”, she said. Twilight smiled. “You are worried, I know”, she said. Luster opened her eyes wide. “Yes, Twilight”. She raised her left forehoof and pointed east. “Out there, anarchy could be triggered at any minute”. She lowered her hoof.

Twilight closed her eyes and nodded once. Her horn glowed. With her telekinesis, she picked up the pile of books on the floor. In a matter of seconds, she put them all back on the shelf in an organized fashion. She opened her eyes. Luster had approached her until they were a few legs away from each other. Her eyes were locked with Twilight’s.

“You may not sorrow, my eternal protégée”, Twilight said. She stepped forward. Since she was taller than Luster, the later had to raise her head to look at her in the eyes. Then, Luster muzzle fell down. Twilight raised a forehoof and put it on Luster’s shoulder. “I fear neither riots nor mayhems. It was for a reason I was the All-team Organizer during the winter-wrap-ups of Ponyville”. She moved her forehoof from Luster’s shoulder to her muzzle. She raised it up and looked Luster in the eyes. “I want you to focus on your criminal case. Please”. She put her hoof away from Luster.

Luster, with her mind lost in those two shiny purples, nodded. Her mouth was half open. “Yes, Twilight”. She smiled. “I’ll do my best!” She skipped in place for a second. Twilight laughed breafly, stepping back. She stopped moving until she was a couple of legs away from her. “So, Sherclop, what’s your next move?” she asked. Luster looked at her with eyes wide open. Then, she looked down at the floor.

The red carpet they were standing on covered the room’s entire floor. Luster looked forward back at Twilight. “Um, well…” She unfolded a wing and, with the tip of it, she combed her hair. It was smooth and silky. She folded her wing again and cleared her throat. “I-I’ll set up a bait for the killer, yeah. For that, I’d need a third party”, she said. Twilight opened her eyes wide. She smiled. “Ooh, I like where this is going! Tell me more!” Then she was the one skipping in place.

Luster chuckled. “Well…” she was softly pawing the carpet in Twilight’s room. She looked down for a second and then back at Twilight. “The bait will play as a journalist, uh, from here, Canterlot, yeah”, she said. Twilight, smiling, nodded once. “If I find a lucky volunteer I’d send them by train today”, Luster added. She chuckled.

“That sounds excellent, Luster!” Twilight said. She raised her right forehoof and pointed at the door. “Now, I must go to give a speech in the town centre”. She lowered her hoof. Luster, looking at her, nodded. “Of course, Twilight. I’ll go to the Stablo headquarters”. She turned her body towards the doors.

Both alicorns were heading to the doors. With her magic, Twilight opened it. Luster came out first and then was followed by Twilight, who closed the door behind her. In the hallway, they turned right and went down the hallway to the castle hall. Once they got there they turned to the right, to the exit of the castle.

They were standing before the castle doors. With her telekinesis, Twilight pulled both of them. Luster and she crossed the threshold. Luster looked to the left and saw the unicorn soldier of the Weapon standing there. Twilight closed the doors behind them and exchanged glances with the two soldiers guarding the castle doors. She smiled at them. Then, the alicorns stepped forward, going down the few steps of the stairs before the entrance to the castle.

Luster and Twilight were walking in the castle plaza. They reached its center and stopped moving. Twilight, who was next to Luster, looked at her. “I’ll see you later”. She smiled. “That’d be if you haven’t gone to Fillydelphia already”, she added. Luster, looking at her, smiled back. “Yes, Twilight”.

Twilight took flight. She was heading east.

Luster, on the floor of the plaza, was looking at Twilight getting away. Then, she lowered her head down and sighed. She raised her head, looking forward, and took flight too.

After flying for two minutes, Luster landed on the street. There wasn’t anypony around. Still, Luster could hear clopping and shouting far away. She was in front of the light-gray building of the Stablo headquarters. She looked forward, at the closed doors. Nopony was watching them. She closed her eyes and sighed. She walked forward and got close to the doors. With her telekinesis, she pushed one of them. She crossed the threshold and closed the door behind her.

Inside, in the background, a single pony was working on papers before a desk. He was a unicorn; the same unicorn that went with Luster to help the ponies get out of the dungeons after its collapse.

Luster was walking towards the unicorn. He looked up at her when she was a few legs away from him. He immediately got up, circled his desk and stood in front of it. “Go-good morning, commissar” he said. His mane and coat were dusty. His eyes were red; they had dark circles around and bags under them. Luster stopped a few legs away from him. She looked at him. “Good morning”. She looked beyond the pony at the desk with papers. “What are you doing?” She asked, looking back at him.

“Uh”. The unicorn looked down for a second, and then back at her. “I’m working on the death toll of the dungeons collapse”. He softly pawed the floor. Luster nodded. “Alright”. She cleared her throat, looking down at the black and white floor for a second. Then, she looked forward back at the unicorn. “How many ponies have died?”

He gulped. “Um…” He lowered his head. “The count goes around two hundred and fifty, Commissar”. He looked up at Luster. “And there are still about fifty missing”. He had raised a forehoof and was gesturing with it.

Luster, looking at him, nodded. “I understand”. She inhaled. She looked him in the eyes. “Could you follow me to my office?” she asked. The unicorn nodded energetically. “Of course, commissar”, he said. Luster smiled and turned her body to the left. She started to walk and the unicorn followed her. After walking for a few legs, Luster and the unicorn took a turn to the right and went to the stairs.

They were going to Luster’s office up the stairs. They reached the last floor of the building, which was the fourth one. On their way, they hadn’t seen a single pony. “Are they all in the town center?” Luster had asked. “That’s right, commissar”, the unicorn had answered. When they got out of the stairs they turned to the left and, when they could, they turned right and walked down a corridor. On the end of the hallway, there was a door. Luster and the unicorn approached it. They could read on a plate on the door: Commissar’s office.

With her telekinesis, Luster turned the knob clockwise and pushed the door. She, in front of the unicorn, crossed the threshold. The unicorn followed her inside. She advanced further inside the room and circled her desk. She sat on a pillow before the wooden furniture. Her horn illuminated and she closed the door behind the unicorn. “Come closer and sit down, please”. She raised a hoof and pointed at the pillow on the other side of the desk. The unicorn moved away from the door, approaching Luster. He sat down on one the free pillows. He was in front of Luster.

Luster cleared her throat. “Alright, colt. I’ve got a mission for you”. She raised both of her forelegs and rested them on the desk. She looked him in the eyes. The unicorn, without breaking eye contact, nodded. His ears perked up.

Win

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.

The Fillydelphian IX

“I’d like some context, please”. Luster was standing in front of Van Coat and Ursa. They were in the meeting room of the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. Van Coat exchanged glances with Ursa, who was to his left. Then he lowered his head, looking down. “Commissar, I’m embarrassed to say…” He looked up at Luster. “De crime happened just a block away from here; in an alley west of de Eastern Stable Penitentiary”. He had raised his forehoof and pointed west. Then, he lowered his hoof.

Luster closed her eyes and sighed. She nodded once. She opened her eyes and looked at Van Coat. “When was the body found?” She exchanged glances with Ursa, who was softly pawing the floor. She looked back at him. Van Coat cleared his throat. “Around two in dis whinniesday morning, an indigent pony came to de station to report de dead body of a changeling”. He inhaled. “So we, as a precaution, arrested him. Den we went to de place he had told us; which was, like I said before, in an alley a block away from here; in de west”. He said. Luster and Ursa had their eyes on him.

“Then, what did you find there?” Luster asked.

“We found an actual changeling; a dead one, of course”. He chuckled. “Even in dese wartimes it’s hard to find one”, he commented. Luster, in front of him, quickly batted her eyes for a second. She looked down and sighed. Then, she looked forward back at Van Coat and Ursa. “What was the state of the corpse?” she asked.

Van Coat looked up at the white ceiling. “Well…” He raised a forehoof and rubbed his muzzle. He looked forward back at Luster. “It seems dat changelings haff green blood…” He said and lowered his hoof. Luster nodded energetically twice. “…I mention dat because dere were green stains on de sidewalk; and de trail of blood led to de alley”. He cleared his throat. For a second, he turned his head to the left towards Ursa. She was looking down at the chess design floor. Her ears were perked up; the right one pointing to the right at him, and the left one pointing forward at Luster. Then, Van Coat looked forward back at Luster. “Anyways, commissar, de broncoroner determined de body had a hole in its back because a magic laser beam struck it. It had magical burns all over its back. At two in de morning, de body was already dead for fife hours”.

Luster nodded once. She closed her eyes and frowned. “This pon-, this indigent pony you arrested…” She opened her eyes and looked at Ursa. “… Was it one of the few we found down the sewers, Ursa?” Luster asked. Ursa looked forward at Luster. Van Coat opened his eyes wide and turned his head to the left towards Ursa. “Um…” She expressed. She exchanged glances with Luster and Van Coat. She was softly pawing the floor with a forehoof. She looked Luster in the eye. “Yes, commissar, if my memory serves me right, he was in de sewers when we explored dem. Besides…” She looked down; her nostrils flared for a second. “He smells dat way”.

“Is the indigent a unicorn?” Luster asked. Ursa looked forward at her. “No, commissar, he’s an eard pony”, she answered. Luster frowned. “So he couldn’t kill the changeling. Unless…” She looked at Van Coat. He nodded. “Dat’s right, commissar. As you can imagine, we also believe he could be anoder changeling”.

“Alright, take me to him”, Luster ordered.

Luster, Van Coat and Ursa were walking down the corridor of the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. They had left the meeting room seconds ago. Van Coat was leading the way, with Luster and Ursa behind him. When they reached an intersection of hallways they turned right. Then; after walking for ten seconds, passing by a couple of doors on both sides; they took a left turn. They reached a dead end, on the ground floor of the building. They approached the last door, which was made of beige steel. Next to it; at the end of the hallway; there was a unicorn before a desk. He looked at Van Coat and the others and got up from a pillow. “Good morning!” He saluted.

Van Coat approached him. “Good morning, sergeant. We need de indigent to go to de interrogation room”, he said. The sergeant turned to his right and walked to the door. With his magic, he turned the knob and pushed the door. He crossed the threshold. Luster and the others, who were a few legs away from the open door, could hear yelling and neighing coming from the inside; atleast ten different male voices.

After two minutes, a strong stench started to invade Luster, Van Coat and Ursa’s nostrils. The gagged and coughed. Followed by the sergeant, an earth pony came out of the room. His coat was brown but his lower legs were stained black. Just like his hindlegs, his forelegs were chained to each other. As soon as he got in the corridor his eyes fell on Luster, who was between Van Coat and Ursa.

The sergeant closed the door behind him. He seemed to be holding his breath; with the indigent pony next to him. He raised a forehoof and shook it. Luster, Van Coat and Ursa stepped to a side towards the west wall. “Move”, the sergeant ordered, looking to his left at the indigent. They started to walk down the hallway. When they passed by Luster and the others, they followed the indigent and the sergeant. They all were walking down the corridor. Luster, with her magic, had taken a cloth out of her saddlebag and was covering her nostrils with it.

After a few seconds, they turned right on the intersection. They walked a few more seconds and then stopped in the middle of the corridor before a door on the north. Before the door was opened by the sergeant, Luster read what was engraved on the metal plate on it: Interrogation Room. The sergeant pushed the indigent inside and went after him.

Van Coat, who was in front of Ursa and behind Luster, raised a forehoof and put it on Luster’s shoulder. Luster turned her head to the left and looked behind at him. “We’ll be in de next room”. He said. He took his hoof off her shoulder and pointed at a door to the west of the interrogation’s one. Luster nodded and then looked forward. With her magic, she put the cloth back in her saddlebag. She stepped into the interrogation room. Van Coat and Ursa headed to the other door.

Inside the interrogation room, there was a metal table in the center of the room. Although, there weren’t pillows around. West of the room, there was a rectangular mirror-like glass. Luster closed the door behind her and stepped forward towards the table. With her telekinesis, she took her saddlebags off her back and put them on the floor next to her. She sat before the table, opposite to where the indigent pony was sitting. Luster turned her head to the right towards the sergeant, who was looking at her. “You may leave now, good sire”, she said.

The sergeant nodded and turned to his left. He headed to the doors. With his magic he turned the knob and pulled the door. He crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him. Luster and the indigent were left alone in the room.

Luster turned her head forward, towards the indigent earth pony. Just like Luster, he was sitting on his haunches on the white tile floor. He was looking at her with wide eyes. She inhaled and then coughed loudly. Her nostrils flared every few seconds. “Okay…” She exhaled, looking the indigent in the eyes. “First of all, sire, what’s your name?”

The indigent pony lowered his head, looking down. “No remember”, he said. Luster batted her eyes quickly. “Alright, a horse with no name”. She raised her forehooves and rested them on the silver-like table. She cleared her throat. “How about I call you, uh, anonymous, huh? No, how about Anon?”

“Dunno …” Anon said, looking up at Luster. A fly came out of his ear. He raised his chained forehooves and with one of them he scratched his ear. Then he lowered them on the silver table. The chains only allowed him to separate them no more than a leg from each other. Luster sighed. “Anon, we need to talk about the dead changeling you found early in the morning”.

Anon opened his eyes wide, he started to shake his head. “No, no, no, not me!” The chains on his forelegs clanged against the table, just like the ones on his hindlegs did against the floor. “Easy there!” Luster said. She lowered her forehooves on the floor and stood up. Anon stopped moving. She looked him in the eyes. “I just need to know how come you find him before anypony else”, she said and sat back down on the floor.

“Uh, dey kick me out de sewers! Movin’ ‘round city. Was just lookin’ for place to sleep! Got to an alley. Cha-changelin’ was dere!” Anon explained. He took his forelegs from the table and put them on the floor. Luster stared at him.

They were in silence for a few seconds. Luster sighed. She looked up at the white ceiling. For a second, her eyes were lost in the square beige metallic vent in the center. Then, her eyes fell back on Anon. “So, you were purely lucky to find him? Or her? Whatever its gender”.

Anon nodded energetically. Luster stood up. With her magic, she lifted her saddlebags and put them on her back. She started to walk. Anon followed her with his eyes. She was heading to the door. When she got before it, she turned her head to the left and looked behind at Anon. “You, sire, deserve nothing but a long hot shower” She raised a forehoof and shook it back and forth. “Come with me”, she said. She lowered her hoof. Anon, slowly, stood up and walked towards Luster. She looked forward and, with her magic, opened the door. Anon was next to her. She stepped aside. She raised a forehoof and pointed outside. “After you”.

Anon crossed the threshold and got out of the room, followed by Luster. Van Coat and Ursa were in the corridor, looking at them. “Commissar, what are you…?” Van Coat said. Luster, who was next to the indigent, turned her head to the right towards Van Coat. She raised a forehoof. “You two can go and have lunch. I’ll deal with this”. She turned her head to the left towards Anon. “Follow me”. She stepped forward and then turned her body to the left. She started to walk. Anon followed her. At every step he took, the chains on his forelegs and hindlegs clanged against the floor. They were getting away from Van Coat and Ursa; who stood in the middle of the corridor, looking at them.

Luster and Anon crossed the intersection of hallways, heading to the east side of the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. On their way, stablo agents stared at them and coughed and gagged after Anon walked past them. After walking for ten seconds, they turned left and got to a dead end. On the left hoof there were two doors. Luster, who was next to Anon, raised a forehoof and pointed at the furthest door. “That’s the male showers. Go there and wash yourself, okay?” She looked at Anon.

Anon nodded. He stepped forward, his chains clanging against the floor, and headed to the door. He reached the door and put a forehoof on the knob. He turned his head to the left towards Luster. “Danks”.

Luster smiled. “Don’t thank me yet. Take your time. After your shower, we’ll talk. I have a mission for you”

X

Luster was sitting on her haunches on the chess pattern tile floor, before the door to the male showers in the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. Next to her, also on the floor, were her saddlebags. She was staring at the white ceiling. Her breathing was slow and steady. Ten minutes had passed since she let Anon enter the shower room.

The doorknob was turned. Luster looked forward. The door was pulled from the inside. Anon stepped out of the room; he was in front of Luster. His lower legs were of a clear brown, just like the rest of his coat. Also, the smell that stalked him around was gone. Even the chains, that were still attached to his forelegs and hindlegs, shone against the light coming from the windows on the east wall.

Luster smiled at him. “Alright”. She stood up. With her magic, she lifted her saddlebags and put them on her back. Anon was looking her in the eyes. Luster raised her left forehoof and pointed west. “Let’s go and get the key for those shackles”. She looked down at Anon’s lower legs. Anon nodded energetically. “After you”, Luster said. They turned south and started to walk. When they reached the intersection of hallways, they turned west.

Luster and Anon were walking down a corridor of the building. They had crossed the main corridor of the building that led either to the exit or the stairs. When they reached the west wall and windows of the building they turned south. They walked forward and stopped before the desk of the sergeant.

The sergeant had immediately gotten up from his seat when he saw them. He exchanged glances with Luster and Anon. “Good afternoon, commissar”. He raised his right forehoof and pointed at the metal door to his right. “Do you wish to return the prisoner?” He asked and lowered his hoof. Luster shook her head. She raised a forehoof and put it on Anon’s shoulder. The sergeant narrowed his eyes.

“I actually wish to free him from the shackles”, Luster said and lowered her hoof. The sergeant opened his eyes wide. He looked at Anon, who was looking down, and then back at Luster. “Are you sure, commissar? He’s not charged with any crimes, but I was told he is a suspect”. He raised a forehoof and put it on his desk. Luster nodded twice. She turned her head towards Anon, who was by her side. “I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt”. She turned her head forward and looked at the sergeant. “Would you mind to unlock his fetters, please?”

The sergeant closed his eyes and nodded. Then he opened them and looked down at his desk. He lowered his hoof from it. With his magic, he opened one of its drawers and took a big iron key out of it. Holding the magic with his telekinesis, the sergeant circled his desk and approached Anon. He brought the old rusty key close to the shackles. Anon stood still, breathing slowly and looking at the object surrounded by the sergeant’s magic aura. Luster watched.

The key, floating, got inside the hole of one of the forehoof shackles. The sergeant turned the metallic object and there was a click sound. The shackle opened and fell to the floor with a clang. There were three left to be opened. Anon slightly shook his free hoof for a second; a contracted pastern was heard.

After a minute, the last fetter; which was on one of the hindlegs; was dropped to the floor.

The sergeant backed off; his eyes wide open looking at Anon’s. He also exchanged glances with Luster too, who was next to Anon. The sergeant hit the edge of the desktop with his rump and softly jumpscared. Holding the key with his telekinesis, he left it on the desk. He looked at Luster. “Commissar, do you wish me to escort him outside?” He pointed south-east and, by extension, at the beige metal door that was the jail for males.

Luster shook her head. She was standing next to Anon. “I’ll make sure he goes the right way”. She emphasized the last two words. Anon gulped. “Understood, commissar”. The sergeant nodded and circled his desk. He was before the table, with Luster and Anon in front of him. He sat down on the pillow. Luster smiled at him and at Anon. “Let’s go”, she said.

Luster and Anon turned around and walked north down the black and white tiles. When they reached the intersection they turned east. They passed by the doors of the observation and interrogation room. They got to the main intersection of the building; the same that could lead them upfloors or outside. They turned south. From fifteen legs away, they could see the brown doors of the exit. Luster walked with her head held high while Anon was crestfallen. On their way down the corridor, they moved past stablo agents that stared at the duo, especially at Anon. They reached the door, and Luster, with her telekinesis, pulled them both open.

Once outside, on the upper steps of the Fillydelphia Ponice Department, Luster could see the tallest trees of the Brayed forest. That forest was behind of the block that was in front of the Ponice station. On the street, there were a few ponies either doing courier jobs or draught ponies pulling carts. Luster turned her head to the side and looked at Anon, which was looking at her. “Alright, mister Anon, time to equip you”. She raised a hoof and pointed east. “After you”. She smiled at him. Anon nodded shyly and started to walk down the few steps of the building. Luster imitated him. They got to the side walk and turned east.

Luster and Anon were walking down Fairsteed Avenue. After walking for three minutes they reached the intersection of that avenue and Brayed street. They crossed Brayed street and got to a corner on the street. They were before the doors of Manedy’s Hardware Store. Luster, who was next to Anon, put a hoof on his shoulder. She looked him in the eyes. “My friend, if you prove to be useful for me, you’ll be fairly rewarded”, she said. Anon nodded once. Luster looked forward, at the glass doors of the store. “Let’s go”, she commanded.

Luster and Anon walked forward towards the doors. With her telekinesis, Luster pushed the transparent doors. They both got inside the building and she closed the doors behind them.

Place

The crystal doors of Manedy’s hardware store were pulled from the inside. Luster and Anon crossed the threshold.With her telekinesis, Luster closed the doors behind them. They were on the sidewalk in the corner of the street.

Anon, who had gotten inside Manedy’s completely bareback, came out wearing a pair of saddlebags that seemed full of content.

Luster, who was standing next to Anon, put a hoof on his shoulder. “Okay, Anon, you are packed now. I’ve gotten rainboots, a camera device, and a miner hat with a flashlight for you”, she said with a smile, gently shaking his shoulder and tapping the closest side of his saddlebags. Then, she lowered her hoof.
Anon gulped, looking Luster in the eye. He lowered his muzzle and looked down.

“Aw come on, Anon! Cheer up! Just think about all the good you’ll do to this city! To your home!” Luster said.
Anon, still looking down, snorted “Ahm dirty year ol’. Been in prison fo’ fife year. Been useless sin’ den. Ah won’ do gud”.
Luster Dawn closed her eyes and sighed. “You do know you just made a quick assumption right there, don’t you?”. She opened her eyes. Anon looked up at her. “Huh?” He expressed.

With her telekinesis Luster opened one of her saddlebags and took a cloth out. She took her glasses off and started to wipe them. “When I was younger I used to jump to conclusions often too”. She turned her head at him and locked eyes with him. She put the cloth away and put her glasses back on. “Come on”. She raised a forehoof and pointed east. “Let’s get moving”.

Both Luster and Anon were walking down the street perpendicular to Brayed street, they were getting away from Manedy’s and the Fillydelphia Ponice Department.

After walking for five minutes; having passed by three blocks; they reached the northern entrance to the sewers.
The gates which Luster and Anon were before were closed but there weren’t any padlocks or chains blocking it. With her magic, Luster pulled one of the gates. A cloud of putrid dust invaded their nostrils. Luster coughed twice and then looked at Anon; his face showed no emotion; he was looking forward to the entrance.
“I’m so glad ponies can’t puke!” She commented.

Anon turned his head at Luster; he slowly batted his eyes a few times. “Whaddya wan’ me do?” He asked.
Luster smiled. “Take all the equipment out of the saddlebags. We’re gonna suit you up”.
Anon opened his eyes wide, he looked around, moving his head. In the street there were a few ponies walking or pulling carts. He looked back at Luster. “Uh, here?”

Luster nodded energetically twice. She raised a hoof and shook it. “No offense but, I’m sure you’re used to being looked down by ponies”. She lowered her hoof. “Besides you’re just gonna wear work equipment”.

A few minutes later, and with the help of Luster’s magic, Anon was prepared; black rainboots up to his knees and a red helmet with a flashlight. “Like they explained at the store, this is how you turn the lights on or off”. She was in front of Anon. She had raised a hoof and put it on the helmet, pressing a button on its side. After she lowered her hoof, Anon also played with the button for a few seconds, and then he turned the white light it produced off.

Anon was standing before the open gate. Luster was by his side. In front of them there was a black void that went downstairs.

“Oh, before I forget”. Luster, with her magic, opened one of her saddlebags and took a cloth bag. That object, surrounded by her magic aura, produced a metal rattle as it was shaking; floating around. Anon looked to the side at Luster and the bag. The cloth item had sewn: Rearing Terminal Market. “This is for you”. Luster brought the bag close to Anon’s face. “It’s not much. I guess it has around eight silver bits”. She chuckled. Anon opened his eyes wide, looking at the bag in front of his face. He turned his head towards Luster.

“I’m gonna put the bag on one of your saddlebags, okay?” Luster indicated. Anon closed his eyes and nodded. “Dank ya”. He turned his head back forward.
“Oh! Let’s not forget!” As she put the bag of bits inside Anon’s saddlebag, she took out the camera device. She left the device floating in front of them. She turned her head towards Anon and he did the same towards her. “You do remember how to use it, right?” She asked. Anon nodded. “Yea. Press button’n’left”. He answered. Luster smiled and nodded. “Excellent! Now…” She turned around, facing the other side of the street; the camera surrounded by her magic followed her. She raised a forehoof and shook it. “Come on, let’s take a picture”. She turned her head towards Anon, who was almost behind her. He turned around and walked until he was next to Luster. They both had their eyes on the camera floating in front of them.

“Say Whinny!” Luster pronounced. There was a flash of white light that, despite being a whinniesday noon, surpassed the sunlight. “Okay, that’s enough roundabouts”, Luster said. “Let me put it in your saddlebag”.

Anon stood still. Luster, with her telekinesis, opened one of his bags and brought the camera inside. The saddlebag was closed and her horn stopped illuminating.

Luster turned around and so did Anon. They were before the gates to the northern entrance to the sewers. Luster, who was next to Anon, put a hoof on his shoulder. He loudly gulped. She looked at him. “I wish you luck”. She tapped his shoulder twice. There was a smile on her face. “If you find anything interesting down there, I promise you more bits! Remember, we are looking for a serial killer! A photo of him would be nice”.

Anon nodded. He stepped forward and crossed the threshold. He started to go downstairs. He stopped for a second and raised a hoof to turn on his flashlight-helmet; then he continued going down.

Luster watched Anon from behind, and from above too.

She, before the gates of the sewers, closed her eyes and sighed. “This is for you, Twilight. No wonder why you gave me the title of Princess of Persistence”, she thought aloud.

Brainstorm

Luster was walking down North Brayed street, one of the main roads in Fillydelphia. She was heading south. She had led Anon down the sewers ten minutes ago, and had walked past Manedy’s a couple of minutes ago. As she paced, she looked at the forest to the west. It was the Brayed Forest. It had atleast fifteen acres and between it and the Vertex Forest there was the Middle Lake. After two more minutes of walking, she reached the corner of the street in an intersection and turned east.

Then, after walking for two blocks she reached the Rearing Terminal Market. On the sidewalk, she passed by its orange raw brick walls and windows, heading to the entrance.

When Luster, with her magic, was about to push one of the crystal doors, a light blue aura surrounded both of them and pulled them.
The mayoress and the unicorn with the sway back from back in the nursery were in front of Luster. With a smile, the mayoress opened her eyes wide. “Commissar, so we meetin’ again! Jawn bless us!”

Luster stepped closer to the doors and, by extension, to the mayoress and the bodyguard. “Hello there, ma’am…”. Luster’s eyes fell on the bodyguard “Hello sire”. She cleared her throat, exchanging glances with both the mayoress and the guard. “I was just going to have lunch”. She chuckled.
The mayoress nodded energetically. She moved to the side. She looked at her bodyguard. “Giff her way!” The bodyguard obeyed, placing himself to a side away from the doors. The mayoress, with her magic, was keeping the doors open. Luster nodded and stepped forward. She crossed the threshold and turned around. The mayoress and the bodyguard had also entered the building again and were staying behind her. The mayoress closed the doors behind them.

“Need help?” The mayoress asked, rushing to Luster’s side.

Luster smiled and shook her head. “Don’t worry, I know exactly where to go and what to have”.

The mayoress’s smile dropped. She softly pawed the floor. “Commissar, dere’s someding I really need to speak wid you about”. She moved her head and swept the market around with her eyes. There were ponies either sitting before stands or carrying around their shopping carts. Then, the mayoress looked back at Luster. “After you order, could we haff a chat in a more secluded area?”

“Of course, ma’am”, Luster said. While the mayoress was speaking, Luster had advanced further inside the market. The mayoress and the bodyguard were following her; the mayoress was next to her and the guard behind them. They approached the center of the building which was where the ponies sat before the counter and were attended by waiters.

“Commissar, commissar!” The mayoress whispered. She had a hoof raised and was pointing at three seats away from the crowd. Luster moved her head towards where the mayoress was pointing. “Oh? Let’s go there, right?”

Luster, the mayoress and the bodyguard advanced and reached the three seats. They were on one of the furthest corners from the exit. Once they reached the three high chairs, the mayoress picked the middle one. Luster and the bodyguard sat on the side ones. Luster had taken her saddlebags off and left them on the floor next to her seat. The three of them were sitting like apes would; with their backs and haunches’ weight against the cushion and their hindlegs suspended in the air.

A waiter, who had gotten out of a door of the central kitchen, looked up at the three of them and rushed to them. “Welcome! It’s an honor to haff youse here!” He said with a smile.

Luster and the rest stayed in silence for a few seconds. Then, Luster cleared her throat. She looked the waiter in the eyes “Hi, I’ll have, uhm…” She looked down for a second. “... The-the Royal soy sandwich, please”

“Its name actually is Roast Soy Sandwich”, the mayoress chimed in. She exchanged glances both with Luster and the waiter.

“Alrighty”. The waiter was smiling at the three of them. His eyes fell on the mayoress. “Ma’am, would you like someding too?”

The mayoress shook her head. She raised a hoof and put it on the shoulder of her bodyguard. “We’re fine, danks!” She said. Then, she lowered her hoof and rested it on the counter.

The waiter nodded twice energetically. “I’ll bring your order as fast as I can, ma’am”. He turned around and went straight to the kitchen.
“It’s fife horseshoe service, isn’t it?” The mayoress said.

Luster, who was looking down at the counter, turned her head towards the mayoress and looked her in the eye. She smiled. “I couldn’t deny it. It’s the second time this colt is serving me”. She moved her head forward. She raised both of her forelegs and rested them on the counter. Then, she yawned, but not before covering her mouth with a hoof.

“Commissar, I know you must be tired from all your duties but…” The mayoress brought her head closer to Luster’s. “... I need to know what happened last night”, she whispered.

Luster opened her eyes wide and looked at the mayoress out of the corner of one of them. “Uhm, Would you mind to specify what event exactly?”

“Well…,” With a forehoof, the mayoress was drawing imaginary circles on the counter. “Since Pommel’s been so silent about it, I hope you’d clear things out for me”.

Luster turned her head towards the mayoress. Their muzzles were a hoof away from each other. Luster had her eyes narrowed. “Who’s Pommel?”

The mayoress’s hoof on the table stopped moving. The mayoress jaw dropped. “Uhm, I’m talking about Irwing Pommel, he’s got de rank of Centaurion of de Weapon”. She softly hit the counter with her hoof. “He’s a commander of de Rearguard of the Griffonian front!”

Luster opened her eyes wide. “Oh, isn’t his coat light gray and he’s got the cutiemark of a fox face?”

The mayoress nodded once. “Yea! You’ff seen him yesterday or early dis morning, right?” As the mayoress approached her muzzle to Luster’s, the latter backed her head away.

The mayoress smiled and backed off to her seat. Luster also rearranged herself on her chair. She turned her head forward. She cleared her throat. She had both of her forelegs resting on the counter. “Mayoress Baley, you and I know the same information. We both share what our intel agents get for us”.

The mayoress snorted. She, who had her head towards Luster, turned it forward. With the corner of her eye, she looked at the bodyguard sitting next to her. “No offence, commissar, but dis secret ponice business isn’t much my style. It just seems so impractical”.

“So you are against it? You think information should be free for everypony?” Luster turned her head towards the mayoress.

The mayoress turned her head towards Luster with her eyes wide open. She raised her forelegs and shook them. “Let’s not get radical, commissar! Dat was just my opinion!”

Coming out of the kitchen in the center of the building, the waiter was holding a dish with his teeth. He was approaching Luster and the others.

The mayoress, who was pronouncing words, stopped when she noticed the waiter coming towards them from a few legs away. Luster, the mayoress and her bodyguard rearranged themselves on their seats, still like apes would sit and resting their forelegs on the counter.

When the waiter reached the counter, specifically in front of Luster. He tilted his head forward and left the dish before her. On the plate there was a white bread sandwich with toasted soybean sprouts. Luster, who was looking at her meal, looked up at the waiter with a smile. “Thank you, colt”.

“You are welcome, ma’am” He exchanged glances with her and the others. Then, he looked down. “Enjoy and excuse me, please”. He turned to a side and went towards other clients away from the trio.

The mayoress turned her head towards Luster. “Commissar, with all due respect, I’ff made an oad dat I'll protect dis city. If I ask about de Weapon and its members it’s just because I care about deir wellbeing”. The mayoress inhaled. “After all, dey did us de favor of kicking all de dragons out of de city!”

Luster was looking at her with the corner of her eye. Then, she looked down at her meal. “I understand, mayoress. I’m afraid I shall not add more details to this conversation”.

The mayoress smile dropped. She lowered her head and looked down. “It’s okay if you want to remain silent, commissar”. She hopped off the high chair and circled it until she was behind it. The bodyguard imitated her. Luster turned her head towards the mayoress.

The mayoress smiled “Bon appetit!”.

Luster raised a forehoof from the counter and waved at her. “Thanks. Goodbye, mayoress”.

“See you later!” The mayoress turned around and started to walk. The bodyguard followed her. They started to get away, walking down a hallway that led to the exit of the building.

Luster, alone with her meal, sighed. “If you care so much about this city, why don’t you help the homeless?” She thought aloud. “Hay, I could use a dozen of them and the killer would be brought on a silver platter”. She opened her eyes wide. With her telekinesis, she grabbed the sandwich and ate it in ten seconds flat. She swept the area with her eyes and saw the earth pony waiter. She raised a hoof and waved it.

The waiter looked at Luster from afar and rushed until he was in front of her. “Need anyding, ma’am?”

Luster nodded energetically. With her magic, she opened her saddlebags which were on the floor next to her and took a cloth bag out that clinked. She raised the bag and put it on the counter; the dish there had already been put away by the waiter.

Luster looked the waiter in the eye. She put a hoof on the bag and there was a metallic noise. “Here inside there are ten gold bits”. She moved the bag across the counter, closer to the waiter. “I’d like for you to charge me the bill and exchange the remaining gold bits for silver bits”. She batted her eyes repeatedly. “Is it possible?”

The waiter nodded energetically. “Uh, of course, ma’am! I’ll proceed right away!” He grabbed the bag of bits with his teeth. He turned to the side and walked away from Luster.

Luster opened her majestic wings and, with their tips, she massaged her temples. She had her eyes closed, still sitting like an ape on the high chair. “It won’t be mindless charity. It will give these poor homeless ponies atleast a short-term purpose in life”, she thought aloud.

Under the rug

Luster was sitting on a high chair before the counter, inside the Rearing Terminal Market. She had given the bag with gold bits to the waiter five minutes ago and he still hadn't come back. Looking at the void forward, she was whispering a song. “My Little Pony… My Little Pony… Why is this taking oh so long…” She turned her head towards the incoming waiter. She opened her eyes wide.

The waiter was walking towards Luster. On his back there were saddlebags which seemed packed. “Danks for your patience ma’am”. Using his back as a slider to take it off his back, he left his saddlebags on the floor. “One moment please”. With a hoof, he grabbed the saddlebags and put them on the counter before Luster, who had taken her forelegs off the counter and was looking at the object.

The waiter raised a hoof and opened one of the saddlebags. He took a bag that rattled out of it and put it on the counter. Then, he opened the other saddlebag and at that time took two jingling bags out of it and also put them on the counter. After the process, he took the saddlebags off the counter and left them on the floor hidden behind the counter.

Between Luster and the waiter there were three cloth bags who had the words Rearing Terminal Market sewn on them. The waiter put a hoof on top of one of them. He was looking Luster in the eye. “Dere are two bags here with dirty dree silver bits each”. He gently pushed the three bags across the counter towards Luster. “De dird bag is de one included with de bill. Inside dere are dirty one point seven silver bits”.

“Excellent”. Luster smiled at the waiter. With her magic, she took the three clinking bags. She opened one of her saddlebags and put the bags inside. Then, she closed it. She hopped off the high chair. She lifted her saddlebags and put them on her back. She looked at the waiter. He was smiling at her.

“Thanks a lot, colt”.

“You are welcome, ma’am”, he said. “Excuse me, please”. He turned to the side and started to walk. He approached other customers. Luster watched him for a few seconds and then turned her body south. She could see a corridor that led to the exit. It was twenty legs away. She began to move, heading towards the crystal doors. When she was a leg away from the doors, with her magic, she pulled one of them to open it. She crossed the threshold and closed the door behind her.

She was standing a few legs away from the entrance to the Rearing Terminal Market. She was sweeping the environment with her eyes: A few ponies walking around; some dams with their foals; and draft ponies pulling carts.

Instead of going to the known west, she turned her body east and started moving.

After walking three blocks, Luster stopped in the corner of the street and turned her body north. A block north, there was a big sign: Dragon Town. She started to walk north.

When she was a few legs away from the enormous sign, she couldn’t help to open her eyes wide and drop her jaw.

On its entrance there was construction: Two statues of dragons; one on each corner of the street. A roof of tiles supported by two pillars; one opposite to the other.

The place was full of graffilly. The statues were broken and stained with pigeon droppings. There were only a few tiles left on the roof, which made it useless as a cover against rain or worse.

Luster approached the entrance to Dragon Town. She sighed. “This must be the forgotten part of the city”. She looked at a graffilly on a wall: Buck off, cateyes!

Luster looked forward and narrowed her eyes, looking beyond Dragon Town’s entrance. There, she saw a pony lying on the street, asleep or dead, cause she saw him lying next to a trashcan.

She sighed, looking down and softly pawing the paved street. She looked forward and stood still. “Here we go”. She stepped forward into Dragon Town.

Dragon Town

Luster was walking down Dragon Town’s main street. By her sides, almost all of the buildings were less than five floors tall. Many had their windows broken and there were wooden planks on their doors. Also, the amount of ponies was a couple or one of them around every thirty legs of distance.

Since she entered that area of Fillydelphia, Luster stopped before everypony she found and offered an opportunity: Silver bits for information about the serial killer. After the ponies there told her information, she would give them a single silver bit.

“Watcha train station and de inn dat’s in front of it”, one of them said.

“De gurnment here is involved. Lemme splain. Dis is a wartime. Perhaps Filly wants to be independent and dis is de way to lure outsiders away”, another said.

“If de killer was after us, I bet de mayoress would do sumdin’. Anyways, if it’s daylight, watch de touristic places”, the last one of them said.

Then, Luster proceeded further into the neighbourhood, walking in the middle of the street. She reached an intersection and stopped. She looked both west and east. The buildings and decorations there were similar to the ones on the street Luster had passed by: matte orange walls adorned with yellow dracon language characters.

She went to the center of the intersection. She was on top of the sewer metallic cover.She opened her wings and stretched them. With her telekinesis, she opened one of her saddlebags and took out the light blue cloth. She took her glasses off and started to wipe them.

Suddenly, the sewer cover was moving, trying to go up against the weight of Luster. She jumped away from the cover, dropping her glasses and the cloth on the floor.

With no weight against it anymore, the cover was opened. Luster was watching from a few legs away. A unicorn wearing black overalls and rainboots came out but freezed when he noticed Luster.

“Who in Celestia’s name are you?!” Luster inquired, hitting the floor with a hoof. With her telekinesis, she had grabbed the cloth and her glasses from the floor. Her nostrils flared and she had her eyes wide open.

Slowly, the unicorn moved away from the sewer hole. He stopped when he was a leg away from it. He was in front of Luster. She looked at his brown eyes. He was slowly breathing. He cleared his throat. “I’m from maintenance”. Brown bangs covered parts of his face. His straight mane was long enough that it reached his shoulders.
“Oh, really?” Luster started to walk in circles around the unicorn. “So, what’s your name?” As she walked, he followed her with his eyes and was turning his body towards her.

“Neighel Mareson”, he answered. Luster stopped walking around and turned her body towards him. “Is Neighel a common name around here?” She snorted. “Cause it’s not the first time I’ve heard it”.

Neighel shrugged. His light blue coat seemed to absorb the sunlight, instead of shine against it. Luster narrowed her eyes, scanning him from head to hoof. “So Neighel…” Her eyes fell on his. “First of all, why did you get out of this hole in this abandoned part of town?”

Neighel looked up at the sky. Then he lowered his head towards Luster. “It’s de closest exit dat leads to de Rearing Terminal Market. I’d like to haff lunch”.

“Huh?” Luster frowned. She raised her left forehoof and looked at the watch around it. It struck ten to two. She lowered her hoof and looked back at Neighl. “Hasn’t lunchtime ended for workers almost an hour ago?”

Neighel snorted. “It’s like if you weren’t an outsider”. He was pawing the paved floor with his covered hoof.

“What are you talking about?” Luster left her mouth semi-open, looking him in the eye.

Neighel lowered his head. “I don’t trust outsiders”. He looked forward to Luster. “May I leave now?”

Luster stood in silence for a few seconds; her eyes were locked with Neighel’s. “You are free to go”, she said. Neighel turned south and started to get away from Luster.

Luster stood where she was, and with her telekinesis she properly covered the sewer hole a few legs away from her.

She inhaled and took flight, heading south-west. She had flown over the Rearing Terminal Market and was about to reach the City Stall.When she got there she landed near the steps that led to the doors. She looked up at the doors and saw two unicorns guarding them. One of the guards was the same one who had been escorting the mayoress.

She went up the steps and approached the doors. She exchanged glances with the guards. “Hello, sires, must I wait until two o’clock to enter?”

One of the guards shook his head. “Dat was only yesterday's measure , commissar. You are free to pass”. With his magic he pushed one of the doors of the City Stall. “Thanks!” Luster said with a smile. She crossed the threshold. The door was closed behind her.

With her eyes, Luster scanned the inside of the City Stall. In the waiting room, to the south-west of the building, there were many pillows; although most of them were unoccupied by ponies. In the background of the room there were stall-tables with ponies working on papers or speaking with ponies on the other side of them.

Luster walked across the room towards one of the cubicles. The pony in there looked up from her papers and opened her eyes wide. “Co-commissar?!”

Luster smiled and nodded once. “Indeed”. She approached the table but stopped before the pillow. “I need a registry of names of the alive ponizens of this city”.

The pony batted her eyes quickly for a second. “I’m afraid I’m going to need de mayoress’s permission to enter de archive”.

Luster sighed. She spread her majestic wings and stretched them. She looked the pony in the eye. “Do you perhaps know somepony called Neighel? Neighel Mareson?” She brought the tips of her wings to her temples. She closed her eyes and massaged them.

“Of course, I know him, commissar. He’s an alderpony after all”, the pony said.

Luster opened her eyes wide and retracted her wings. “He’s a what?!”

The beginning of the end

Luster was on the first floor of the City Stall of Fillydelphia. Her muscles were tense and her eyes wide open. She was looking at the pony on the other side of the small table.

The pony gulped and nodded twice. She had her forelegs resting on the table. “Yea, commissar, dere’s an alderpony called Neighel Mareson. He works here, of course”.

Luster sighed, narrowing her eyes a bit. She stepped forward and sat on the pillow before the table. She had taken her saddlebags off and put them on the floor next to her. She cleared her throat. She looked the pony in the eyes. “What does he look like?”

The pony looked up at the ceiling for a second. Then, her eyes fell back on Luster. “He’s all green, literally, and his cutiemark is a letter wid a red seal”

Luster batted her eyes rapidly. She raised a hoof, and facehoofed and sighed. She closed her eyes. “Are you sure that’s Neighel Mareson? Couldn’t his mane be brown and his coat light blue?” She opened her eyes and looked at her.

The pony shook her head. “I don’t mean to brag commissar, but I know everypony here and nopony falls into dat description”

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Luster murmured, looking down. She had raised a forehoof and was rubbing her muzzle.

“Sorry, commissar, what did you say?” The pony asked.

Luster looked up at the pony. She brought her hoof from her muzzle and put it on the table. “Tell me something, do the sewer workers use black overalls?”

The pony, with both of her hooves on the table, was drawing imaginary circles with one of them. “I-I…”

“No, no…!” Luster stood up and had both of her forehooves on the table. “Does any unicorn work down the sewers?” She was looking at the shrugged pony.

The pony shook her head. “To be honest, I’m not sure, commissar. I don’t mean to be classist but unicorns wouldn’t take a job down dere. De only ding I know dey’d do is interact wid the magical padlocks. Eard ponies do most of de work down dere”. She inhaled. “About de overalls ding. I’f only seen orange and green ones”.

Luster was smiling. She put her forehooves down on the floor. “I think I’ve found the Fillydelphian!” She said. The pony was looking at her with wide eyes. Luster, with her telekinesis, grabbed her saddlebags and put them on her back. She turned around and rushed to the exit of the City Stall.

After a minute of flying north-east, Luster Dawn landed before the doors of the Rearing Terminal Market. She approached a stablo agent that was by the door. He opened his eyes wide when he saw her. “Co-commissar?!”

“Hello! I’m in a hurry”. She looked him in the eye. “I need to know if a unicorn with a brown mane and light blue coat has entered this building. He must stink like the sewers!”

The stablo agent batted his eyes quickly for a second. “Uh, I’ve been guarding dis entrance for almost two hours and I don’t remember anypony wid dose traits”

“Dung it!” Luster looked down and pawed the sidewalk with a hoof once. She looked up at the stablo agent. “Does this place have another entrance?”

The stablo agent nodded. “Yea, commissar, but dat entrance is being watched too”. From his legband, with his magic, he took his cantie-rantie out. He pressed a switch and the brick size device made a static noise. He approached the communicator close to his muzzle. He pressed a red button. “Haysin, do you copy? Over”.

“Copy dat, McColt. Over”. A voice coming from the cantie-rantie said.

McColt looked Luster in the eye. “Haysin, has a unicorn wid a brown mane and light blue coat entered drough the employees’ in the last two hours? Over”

“In de last two hours, I’ff only seen dree ponies come in. None of dem match dose traits. Over”, Haysin answered.

Luster sighed. She unfolded one wing and facewinged. She closed her wing back and looked at McColt. “Thanks for the assistance, sire”.

McColt nodded, closing his eyes. “Fillydelphia Mane-to, commissar” He smiled at her and she smiled back.

“Excuse me now”. Luster turned around and took flight.

After two minutes of flying north-west, Luster Dawn landed in front of the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. She trotted to the doors. With her magic, she turned the knob and pushed one of them. She crossed the threshold.

She was trotting down the corridor, passing by doors and dodging stablo agents on her way. When she reached an intersection, she kept walking north. When she was about to reach the double stairs she stopped before the door of the meeting room.

With her magic, Luster opened the door. “Attention everypony!” She said as she rushed inside and closed the door behind her.

In the room, there were Ursa and the members of team three. They were sitting on pillows before the large table, but stood up and looked at Luster when she spoke.

“Listen, fillies and gents, no time to lose!” Luster approached the board north of the room. With her magic, she grabbed a marker and started to write against the white surface. “I think I have identified the Fillydelphian!” She kept writing as she spoke. “He’s got a brown mane and a light blue coat!” She put the marker down and her magic aura disappeared. She turned around to face the audience of four ponies.

Ursa gulped. She was a few legs away from Luster. “Excuse me, commissar, I haff someding to say…”

“Speak up, Ursa. Please”.

“In my neighbourhood dere’s a family with light blue coats”, Ursa said.

Luster opened her eyes wide. She exchanged glances with Ursa and the rest of team three. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go to that neighbourhood!” She rushed to the door and, with her telekinesis, turned the knob and pulled.

The team three, hunters after the Fillydelphian, followed Luster to the exit of the Fillydelphia Ponice Department.

The five of them were on the sidewalk. “Lead the way, Ursa”, Luster commanded. Ursa nodded and the group started to follow her. They were heading south-west down Fairsteed Avenue.

Just for the reference

Luster, Ursa and the other three unicorns from team three, were trotting down Fairsteed Avenue. They were heading west. They had left the Fillydelphia Ponice Department a few minutes ago. Ursa was in the head, leading the group, with Luster and the other three behind.

They had passed by the Eastern Stable Penitentiary and then three blocks. When they were four blocks away from the ponice station, they turned right, heading north, getting off the avenue onto one of the armstreets.

After advancing for a block of that street, they stopped in the corner of the sidewalk.

Luster, just like the others, was sweating and panting. Ursa looked at her. “Commissar, dis block to de left hoof…”, she said, raising a forehoof and pointing to the block that followed. “... Dis is my neighborhood’s block”.

Luster, who was next to Ursa, nodded. “Alright, just take us to the house of those with light blue coats”. She swept the streets with her eyes. At that time, they were the only ones on the streets in that residential area.

“Understood, commissar”. Ursa advanced and the group followed. They kept moving north. They crossed the street perpendicular to the one connected to the avenue.
Luster, at some point, looked west and saw the Veterans Retirement Home from afar.

When they reached the middle of the blockstreet, they stopped. They turned their bodies towards the house on their left. “This is the house”, Ursa said.

The building had an orange tile roof and light blue walls. It had a plain paved frontyard. Nopony besides them was on sight.

Luster stepped forward from the group, she turned her head and looked at them behind. “Wait here, understood?”

“Understood”, Ursa and the other three ponice officers said in unison.

“Great”. Luster looked forward towards the house. She inhaled and advanced. She got inside the property by putting her hooves on its concrete floor. She was heading to the wooden door a few legs away. She rushed her pace and, in a few seconds, found herself in front of the door.

She gulped. She raised a forehoof and knocked. The next seconds went silent. She lowered her hoof and waited.

Then, clops coming from the other side of the wood could be heard. Somepony turned the knob. The door before Luster was opened.

Luster stepped back. There was a pony in front of her. It was a light blue coated pegasus with a light gray mane and blue eyes. He was old and his forehead and muzzle had many wrinkles. Also, he was tall enough that his withers reached Luster's shoulders.

They looked at each other. In silence. For a few seconds.

Luster cleared her throat. “Good afternoon, sire”.

The old pegasus narrowed his eyes, scanning Luster’s tall body from head to hoof. He looked at her horn and then at her wings.

He opened his eyes wide. “An alicorn?!” He slightly smiled “Well, good afternoon for you too, princess”.

Luster chuckled, raising a forehoof and shaking it. “Oh, of course!” She smirked and lowered her hoof. “I tend to forget these formalities are still current in these modern times! But no…” She shook her head. “I’m not a princess. Not exactly. I’m the commissar, leader of the Stable Oversight. My name’s Luster Dawn. What’s yours?”

The old pegasus smiled even widely. “My name’s Silverhead. Silverhead Pot. It’s a pleasure to meet you, commissar”. He raised a forehoof and offered it to Luster.

Luster looked at his hoof. “Uhh… Oh!” She raised her forehoof too. They shook hooves. Then, they both lowered their hooves. Silverhead had his eyes locked with Luster’s. His eyes went further from Luster to the group of ponies waiting on the sidewalk. “Hello there!” He waved at Ursa and the other three.

They only stared back.

“Sire…” Luster softly pawed the floor with a forehoof. “Are you the only one in the house right now?” Her eyes explored what she could see of the interior from the opened door.

Silverhead looked back at Luster. He nodded. “Yea, commissar”. With his hindhoof, he pushed the door wide open. Luster’s eyes rushed to examine more of the interior. “My wife’s visiting her friends at de ole’s and my son is at work. You came with dose ponice officers I suppose?”

Luster nodded. “Indeed, mister Pot”. She lowered her muzzle and sighed. “We need to search your house” She turned her head and looked behind at Ursa and the other three. Luster raised a forehoof and waved. “Hey, come over here!” She shouted.

Ursa and three unicorns, who were wearing their blue and yellow legbands on their left forelegs, approached Luster and Silverhead.

Luster looked at Ursa as she approached them. “I need you to search the house while I have a talk with mister Pot, alright?”

“Yea, commissar”. Ursa exchanged glances with the other three ponice officers. “Come on”. She and the others moved forward towards the door.

Silverhead, looking down, moved away from the door to the frontyard.

Ursa’s team three entered the house one by one.

Luster was in front of Silverhead. They had moved further away from the door. In the background, coming from the open door, clops inside the house could be heard. “Sire, look…” She gestured with a hoof. He, crestfallen, looked up at her. “We are looking for a male unicorn; light blue coat; brown mane and eyes. Does this description fit any of your relatives or somepony you know?” She said.

Silverhead spreaded one of his wings, and with the tip of it, he rubbed his muzzle. “Well, if you must know, let me say dat my son has a mane just light gray as mine”. With the tip of his wing again he scratched his ear. “Also, none of my relatives alive are unicorns. Well, dat’s as far as I know”. He folded his wing back to normal.

“I understand nopony in your family matches the description, sire”. She looked down and inhaled. “Still, don’t you know anypony with those traits?”

Silverhead looked up at the bright blue sky. His eyes stopped at the only cloud in sight. “Well, dere was dis young colt, in his twenties perhaps. I saw him about two years ago. Here, in town. I remember him well because I dought he was kin of mine.” He looked down back at Luster. She was staring at him in his eyes.

“Tell me more, please, sire”, Luster asked. For a second she looked at the open door of the house. She could see somepony approaching the threshold. It was the members of team three. They crossed the doorframe one by one. Ursa was the last to leave the inside of the house. When she got out, she looked at Luster. “The place appears to be clear, commissar”.

Silverhead closed his eyes and nodded.

Luster raised a forehoof and pointed to the street. “You can go and wait for me on the sidewalk. Please”.

Ursa nodded and exchanged glances with the other three unicorns. “Let’s go”.

Ursa and the others moved away from Luster and Silverhead. They headed to the street.

Silverhead opened his eyes and looked at Luster. “Like I was saying, commissar, dere was a stallion. His mane wasn’t brown but blond. And his eyes were blue or green, can’t really tell now. What I’m sure is dat he was a light blue coated unicorn”.

Luster nodded. She was tapping the floor with a hindhoof. “Where did you see or meet this stallion, sire? At the sewer entrance perhaps?”

Silverhead shook his head. “No, dat day I was heading to pay my taxes. At de city stall, of course. I even approached him and asked him if he wasn’t my lost nephew”.

Luster opened his eyes wide. She stepped forward towards Silverhead. “At the city stall you say? What did he reply?” Their eyes were locked with each other.

“Well, uh, he kind of freaked out and said he was waiting for his aunt or moder to get off de office. I left him alone after dat. Haven’t seen him since den”.

Luster narrowed her eyes. She stepped back. Her breathing slowed down. She stopped tapping the floor. “So he was waiting for a relative, by the City Stall?”

Silverhead nodded. He cleared his throat. “Dat’s right. Like I said, dat was two years ago”. He looked down, raised a forehoof and rubbed his jaw. “I dink dat was before…, no, wait, Marey Muzzle Bailey was already mayoress…, Uh, yeah, dat stallion was her nephew”.

Luster’s jaw dropped. “I beg your pardon? Did you just say the Fillydelphian is the mayoress’s nephew?!”

Silverhead frowned. “Well I don’t know if he was from Fillydelphia. Like I said, I’ve never seen him again. But he had someding to do wid de mayoress. I suppose”.

Luster closed her eyes and sighed. She spreaded both of her wings and with their tips she massaged her temples. “Alright, that’s good to know”. She opened her eyes and folded back her wings. “Thanks a lot for your time, sire. I know trespassing without a warrant is forbidden by Equestrian Constitution. My apologies. Now, I’ve got to go” She turned towards the street and started to walk.

“I don’t mind, commissar. Farewell!” Silverhead said. He raised a forehoof and waved. Then, he turned towards the house and walked to the door. He crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him.

Luster approached Ursa and the other three. They all were on the sidewalk. “We’ve got to go to the City Stall. I really need to see the mayoress. Let’s go”.

“Understood, commissar”, Ursa said.

The five of them started to walk, heading south down the street that connected to Fairsteed Avenue. That time, there was no rush.

Evidence

"It seemed like his coat was recovering from being bleached", Luster said as she, Ursa and the rest of team three walked down the Benjamane Flanklin Trotway. They had left Silverhead's house about five minutes ago. Luster was looking at Ursa as they moved. "I know it sounds crazy, but I know it's him! He also said he didn't trust outsiders!"

From afar, Luster could already see the enormous mansion with the tower that was the City Stall. They got to the Sway Memorial Fountain and circled the rotunda. They kept moving, heading south east.

Five minutes later, they were in front of the City Stall. Luster turned her head at Ursa, who was next to her. "I need your colts to make a perimeter around the City Stall", she whispered in Ursa's ear and then looked forward. There were two unicorns guarding the big doors of the mansion.

"Understood, commissar", Ursa replied and exchanged glances with the three unicorns from team three. Then, she looked back at Luster. "Do you wish me to follow you inside, commissar?"

Luster had stepped forward, moving away from team three. She turned her head and looked behind at Ursa. She shook her head. "No. Stay here with the team. Also, make sure nopony enters or leaves the City Stall without you noticing, okay?"

Ursa nodded twice energetically.

Luster turned her head forward. "All set then". She started to walk towards the doors of the City Stall. Behind her, Ursa was giving directions to her team. Luster kept walking and reached the doors. She exchanged glances with the two guards. They were looking at her. She nodded at them and they nodded back.

With her telekinesis, Luster opened one of the double doors of the City Stall. The heavy wood shrieked as it moved inwards. She crossed its threshold and closed it behind her.

She was in the waiting room. She walked past dozens of unoccupied pillows. She looked east and saw the reception; ponies behind the small tables. Before reaching them, she turned south and headed to the stairs. On her way, she passed by many ponies that stopped and stared at her.

She started to go upstairs. As she was going, she could heard a few clops coming from ponies either going up or downstairs. On her way up, she almost crashed with a cream colored pony that was trotting downstairs. That unicorn, distracted by the almost collision, dropped the papers he was carrying with his black magic. Luster had stopped and was looking at him. "Forgive me, sire!" She raised a forehoof and gestured with it. She was looking at the unicorn's blue eys.

"No problem, uh..., commissar!" He replied, starting to gather all the papers on the floor. "I'm just nervous about dese, uh..., dese tax papers!"

Luster battered her eyes a few times. "Alright, sire". She cleared her throat. "Uhm, do you know if the mayoress is in her office?"

The unicorn froze in place. Slowly, he raised his muzzle and looked up at Luster, locking eyes with her. "Uh, yea, yea. I'm just coming from seeing her, commissar". He looked down, raised a forehoof and scratched his ear. "She's not in de best mood dough".

Luster, smiling, closed her eyes and nodded. "Thanks for the information, sire". She turned her body and started to walk upstairs. "Have a nice day!" She said without looking back at him.

After being for three minutes on the stairs, Luster reached the third floor of the City Stall. From far away, she could see the door of the Mayor's Office. She started to walk down the hallway. At that time, that building's floor seemed to be clear of other ponies.

Luster's pace increased as she was approaching the mayoress's office. "What the hay?" She asked herself aloud as she was moving. She looked at the door from a dozen legs away. It was slightly open and there was light coming from the gap within the doorframe. Also, there was smoke coming out of the room. "What the hay?!" She asked herself again, galloping down the corridor.

As she was approaching the door of the room, a stench invaded her nostrils. She gagged and coughed as she was reaching it. "Celestia damn it!"

There was a smell of burnt flesh. Also, there was a strong stench of bleach all over the place.

With her magic, Luster pushed the door to the mayoress's office. Light coming from the inside of the room shocked her eyes for a second.

There was fire all over the room. Black magical fire. A body was burning in the center. Without wasting more precious seconds, Luster casted an extinguisher spell from her horn. She shot a white laser beam towards the fire. "This can't be real!" She thought aloud.

After almost thirty seconds of fighting with the flames, Luster finally managed to cease the fire. She was now in a room with the ceiling, walls and floor burnt black. The navy blue carpets, with the small yellow bell mosaics, had been consumed and turned to ash. Then, Luster's eyes fell on the body, which lay on th desktop of the mayoress.

Luster slowly approached the body. With her telekinesis, she had taken a cloth out of her saddlebags and was pressing it against her nostrils.

The body, which seemed to belong to a mare, had a thick layer of ash covering it. The corpse was lying face up on the desk. Also, its coat wasn't really consumed by the flames. Beside the black burns, it seemed very intact.

Luster's eyes opened wide. "Mayoress?!" She stepped forward. Something caught her attention. She looked forward, at the wall beyond the desk. There, burnt with magic, was engraved: Traitor

"Commissar!" Somepony said behind her. Luster almost bucked from fear. She turned around to see who was there. She narrowed her eyes. "Ursa, what the hay are you doing here?!" She approached her. "No time to lose! We have a suspect to pursue!"

Author's Note

Hello, fellow readers and writers. I just wanted to say that the next chapter will be the last. Then, it will probably be followed by an epilogue.

Cheers!

Before leaving

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.

The Fillydelphian VIII

Luster was flying over the eastern part of the Foal Mountain sierra. She was heading east. She had left Canterlot an hour and a half ago. She was about to reach the city of Fillydelphia. She had overtaken the Victory Express, back when the vehicle was still going down Canterlot’s mountain; the train was also going to Fillydelphia. In the distance, Luster could see the soybean farmlands bordering the west outer part of the city. She could see some buildings and the River Scheufill, that splitted the city in two. She reached the west part of the city.

“I don’t understand how I’ve never bought myself a watch”, Luster thought aloud.

She was flying over Mareket Street. She flew past the soy plantation and the train station. As she flew over the city, she gradually lowered the height of her flight. She crossed the river and flew straight over the main street. After flying for five minutes, she reached the City Stall. Flying at a height of twenty legs, Luster could see the two Stablo agents guarding the doors of the building. She didn’t stop flying there; Instead, she turned left and flew north over North Brayed Street. Two minutes later, she reached her objective. On a corner on the right hoof of the street, there was Manedy's Hardware Store. Luster landed on the sidewalk, before the doors of the building.

She was standing in front of the building. Its doors were of clear glass. From outside, Luster could see objects like safety helmets, rainboots and saddlebags. She stepped forward, and with her magic, she pushed one of the doors. She crossed the threshold and closed the door behind her. After three minutes, she left the store.

On the sidewalk, Luster was looking at her raised left foreleg. Besides the purple legband on her knee, she had a watch above her pastern. It struck twenty to twelve. She lowered her hoof and looked forward. From where she was, looking west, she could see the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. It was two blocks away from the store. Luster moved forward.

She crossed Brayed Street and went down Fairsteed Avenue. After walking a block, Luster was before the doors of the Fillydelphia Ponice Department. The brown wooden doors were closed. Luster stepped forward and, with her magic, pushed one of the doors. She opened it and she crossed the threshold. She closed the door behind her.

She was walking down the main corridor of the building, heading north. She was on the ground floor. On her way, she passed by a few stablo agents that stared at her when they noticed her presence. “Good morning, commissar!” She heard many of them say. She replied back with a smile or a nod. As she walked, she looked down at her reflection on the polished black and white tiles. She looked up and stopped before she reached an intersection of hallways. She turned her body to the right. She was before a gray door. On the wood there was a plate with words engraved: Internal Affairs.

She was standing before the door. She raised a forehoof. She knocked twice on the wood. She lowered her hoof. After a few seconds, a metallic noise came from the other side; the door was opened. A unicorn, with sunglasses and a headset on his left ear, was standing on the threshold. Luster couldn’t see his eyes. The intel agent stuck his head from the doorframe and turned it to the sides. Then, he turned his head back forward towards Luster. With a hoof, she was quickly tapping the floor. “Would you like to enter?” he asked. Luster nodded energetically. “Yes, I’d like to”.

The intel stepped back and then to his right. Luster stepped forward and crossed the threshold. The door was left open. In the back of the room, a middle-age unicorn got up from a pillow before a desk. Turning his head, he swept the other intel agents in the room. “Out. Now”, he pronounced. Luster moved further into the room. The other intels passed by her side, heading to the exit. When the last of them got outside, the door was closed. Luster and the middle-age intel agent were left alone.

Luster was standing in the center of the room, looking forward at the intel. She approached his desk and sat on a pillow before it. The intel had also sat back down. She was in front of him. She cleared her throat. “I require your services. Again”, she said. The intel, with his magic, put his glasses up over his horn. He batted his eyes twice.

Luster sighed. “There’s a pony coming by train today; he’s arriving in five hours approximately”. She raised a hoof and gestured with it.. She had her eyes locked with the intel’s. “I need the intelligence here to keep an eye on him”. She inhaled. “For as long as he stays here”, she finished.

The intel’s eyes fell from Luster’s to his desk. On top of it, there were an inkpot, books, , and quills. With his magic, he opened a book on a blank page; and grabbed a quill, and dipped it in an inkpot. He, holding the quill, looked up at Luster. “Description”, he pronounced.

Luster narrowed her eyes. She looked down for a second. “Um, oh, I understand”. She looked forward back at him. She cleared her throat. The intel, with his magic, took the quill away from the inkpot and brought it over the blank page of the book. Luster looked up at the white ceiling. “Uh, he’s a, uh, he’s a unicorn. He is blond and has blue eyes…”, she said, an looked forward back at him. The quill, surrounded by the intel’s magic aura, had started to move against the paper, writing words with black ink. “… His, uh, his coat is white, and, uh, his cutiemark is a pair of gray forelegs, uh, yeah, performing a hoofshake. That’s it”, she ended. With the hoof she had raised, she softly tapped the desktop once. The quill, ridden by magic, stopped writing. The intel put it away, back with the others. He closed the book and looked up at Luster.

Seconds after, Luster and the intel were sitting in silence. Luster, with her hoof on top of the desk, was drawing imaginary circles. “So?” She lowered her hoof. “Did you understand everything?” She asked. The intel batted his eyes twice. “Perfect”. Luster stood up from the pillow, still looking at the intel. “Just one more thing”. She raised a forehoof and put it on the desk. “The intelligence should not interfere with this pony’s whatdoings, unless…” She emphasized the last word. “… His life is in danger”. She tapped the desktop twice and then lowered her hoof. “Understood?” The intel agent batted his eyes twice. Luster nodded. She turned around and walked across the room, heading towards the exit. With her telekinesis she turned the knob and pulled the door. She crossed the threshold. Outside in the corridor, she was surrounded by intel agents. She couldn’t see their eyes. When she stepped forward, away from the entrance to the room, the intels started to head inside. She turned around and watched them enter the room. When the last intel crossed the threshold, the door was closed. Luster, a few legs away from the door, could hear a metallic noise come seconds later.

Luster was walking down the corridor, passing by stablo agents and heading north of the building. When she was about to reach the stairs, she stopped before the door of the meeting room. The door had been opened and a green figure was crossing the threshold. Luster looked at him. It was Van Coat. He, who was looking down, turned his head to the right and looked at Luster. His eyes opened wide. “Commissar!” He walked outside the room and approached her. Behind him, by the door frame, was a unicorn with a dark blue coat. Luster’s eyes fell on her. It was Ursa. “Good morning, commissar”, she saluted Luster, and also approached her. “Good morning for you two”, Luster replied. “What’s with the look on your faces?” she asked. Van Coat, who was next to Ursa, exchanged glances with her. Then, he looked forward at Luster. “Commissar, you must know someding”. He raised a hoof and pointed behind him. “Please, follow us inside de room”, he said. Luster exchanged glances with both of them. She nodded. “Alright, let’s go”, she said. Van Coat turned around and headed to the open entrance. Luster stepped forward and followed him. The last pony to cross the threshold was Ursa. She closed the door behind her.

Once inside, Van Coat pointed at the closest pillow before the table. “Please, commissar, have a seat”. Luster approached the object. She took her saddlebags off her back and put it next to the pillow. She sat down. Van Coat and Ursa walked until they were opposite to Luster before the table. They sat down on pillows next to each other. Van Coat looked at Luster, while Ursa looked down. “I hate to ask, but…” Luster looked Van Coat in the eye. She raised both of her forelegs and rested them on the brown wooden table. “… Is it bad news?”

Van Coat nodded. He cleared his throat. “I’m afraid to say, commissar, dat dere has been anoder victim". He sighed, looking down. "We pin it to de Fillydelphian", he said. Luster opened her eyes wide. Van Coat looked up at Luster. "It's not only dat". He got up from the pillow. He turned to his left, stepped forward. He, passing by Luster, walked to the exit. Luster and Ursa, still sitting down, had their eyes on him. Van Coat stopped before the door. He turned his head to the right and looked at Luster. "... We haff de pony who found it under arrest". He raised a hoof and pointed forward at the door. "Do you wish to go and interrogate him?" He gestured with his head, tilting it to a side.

Luster was looking at Van Coat. She stood up from the pillow. Ursa did the same. "Why do you refer to the victim as it?" Luster asked. With her magic, she lifted her saddlebags from the floor and put them on her back. She turned her body to her right towards Van Coat and the door. She also looked at Ursa, who had walked until she was next to Van Coat.

"Well..." Van Coat exchanged glances with Ursa. Then, he looked Luster in the eyes. "... Because it's a changeling".