Mirror of the Moon

Charcoal Flame strode quickly as he spotted the heights of tall buildings like he had never seen before. The city of Vanhoover was large and full of ponies, and though some aspects of it matches his map, it was far larger and different than what he had been expecting. As he moved closer he observed the denizens, they were all quite well dressed and seemed well off compared to those that lived in Tall Tale.

He stopped and observed the ancient Luna Light Tower that stood just outside the city by the point where the ocean flowed inward becoming a salt water river. was surprised to find such a structure still standing despite Celestia's long reign. He then turned and traveled further into the city, past all of the ponies with their carts of wares. Some of the buildings were old, but most seemed new. Buildings that reached high up into the sky with rows of glass windows reflecting the sun.

The city was far more populated than he had been expecting and while most ponies here appeared to be unarmed, he knew that each one would surely cooperate in opposition against them if given the chance. That could not be allowed. Trotting past a large park he was drawn to the centre of the city, there stood a large town hall, amazingly the structure had largely unchanged from its historical appearance, a large crescent shape symbolizing the power of the moon.

He gazed upon its round blue tinted windows and the statues of stars dotted around it. It was glorious, a perfect prize for his satiated curiosity. Then his ears perked up. Crying could be heard nearby. he turned his head to see a blank flanked filly sitting on the footpath crying. Her mane was blue and her coat white and her eyes were oddly green.

Charcoal cautiously approached, in a strange land one always had to be prepared for a trap. He gazed down at the filly uncertainly.

"What is the matter?" He asked, at first his words rough and uncaring.

The filly looked up at him with tears falling down her eyes. She then looked back down at the street as if she had no interest in answering his question.

"Do you wish for help?" He tried a little more compassion in his voice.

"Who are you?" The filly asked as she held back her tears.

Charcoal wondered just how to answer that and considered the question. "I'm just a traveler from out of town. But if you need help, I can provide it."

"Like an adventurer?" She asked as a smile formed on her face. "Ive always wanted to be an adventurer."

"Why were you crying?" Charcoal asked hoping to distract from the convenient misunderstanding.

"I'm lost." She said looking around as if she were as confused as he was.

"Your parents must be worried sick about you." Charcoal said offering her a small smile. "I'll help you find them if you like."

The filly quickly bolted upward onto four legs. "Gee, thanks!"

"Do you know where you live?" Charcoal hoped the filly had some idea of where her parents were.

"Uh, no." She said with a worried expression crossing her face.

"But you do remember which way you came?" Charcoal asked.

"Uh, that way." She pointed towards the city exit that he had come from.

"From outside of the city?" He asked.

"No, the park." The filly answered.

"Walk with me." He commanded the filly as he walked toward the park.

The filly had suggested she had come from the park, which means she must have wandered off from the park. it was strange a filly would chose to stray so far from such a location as to go completely down and across the road. What was also strange was instead of looking for her parents, she instead seemed to be keeping her eyes on him. But he guessed she was just depending on him.

"What do your parents look like?" He asked once in the middle of the park with his hooves on the well cut grass.

"Uh..." The filly looked around.

Charcoal leaned down and looked into her eyes. As he studied them he saw no sign that she was looking for anyone, no sign of the tears that had once been.

"Is this some kind of a trick?" Charcoal asked trying to remain calm for the moment.

"No, it's no trick." She said glancing down at the ground. "I just, I don't remember where I came from."

"So you lied?" Charcoal's curiosity grew.

"No." She replied. "This is where I remember appearing."

"And before then?" Charcoal looked around for anything that looked out of place.

The filly's face contorted into one of fear. "I remember only a few moments of total darkness, and then I was here."

"Do you remember anything else?" A name, a location?" Charcoal found this mystery puzzling.

"I remember... being cold." The filly said shivering at the memory despite the sunny day.

Charcoal shook his head. "Then I have little choice, i will have to give you to the local authorities."

"Authorities?" The filly seemed uncertain about that. "What does that mean?"

"The ponies who live here will likely be able to take greater care of you than I." Charcoal also had to move on.

"What will you do?" Her question coming seemingly from out of nowhere.

Charcoal considered an answer to her question but then shook his head. "You have no need to know."

The filly simply looked down at the ground with a sad expression. Charcoal regretted he had to be so cold, but it was safer for her the less she knew. He figured it was a simple enough task to hand her over to the local guards, even though he had no trust for those serving under Celestia.

For some time he felt perplexed at the lack of guards in the city. Until he identified the strange blue ponies with caps as being what this city counted as guards.

"Excuse me." Charcoal said getting the attention of two of them that were walking together.

"Can we help you?" The officer responded with an annoyed expression.

"Listen, I found this filly lost in the park, and she seems to have no idea where she is." Charcoal motioned his hoof down at the filly. "I was wondering if you could take her somewhere for help."

The second officer stepped forward and looked her over. "Are you alright, dear?"

"I'm okay, thank you." She said taking a step back.

"Alright, we'll take her from here." The first officer said pointing his hoof down the road. We'll take her to the station and see if we can find out who she is."

"I appreciate that." Charcoal then leaned down to the filly. "I apologize, but I must be going, it was nice meeting you."

"You too." She responded with a tone that left a feeling of regret in his throat.

He began trotting though did not go too fast. As he turned the corner a strange sight caught his eye from across the road.

A white mare with a yellow mane and green eyes dressed in a black dress and a black fedora over her head walked across the road towards him. Her eyes seemed to glimmer a shade of blue. Charcoal would have ignored it had the mare not turned the corner from where he had come, quite a coincidence.

He paused for a moment. Something felt off As if he had sensed a powerful field of magic. He slowly turned around, following his senses he quickly began to run back the way he had just came. The first thing he noticed was the ponies around begin to turn, their faces stricken with horror, assuring him that his instincts were correct. His hoof found his blade.

The two officer ponies lay upon the ground, backed up against the wall was the unicorn filly.

"Stop!" He shouted as his blade extended to face his opponent.

The mare in black slowly turned toward him, her eyes looking him over to access the threat he posed. She smiled as she realized that he was worthy of her attention.

"Not your standard guard?" She then tilted her fedora with her hoof. "The last thing I was expecting in a place like this was some hero."

"I do not know who you are but this filly is under my protection." Charcoal stated sternly.

The mare in black merely smiled at him as she turned to completely face him. She continued studying him as if he were entirely strange to her.

"It's strange, I should run into one of your caliber at a time like this." She then slowly stepped closer to him. "My name is Silk, what might yours be?"

"Charcoal Flame." He replied sensing that something was quite off about this pony.

Silk then walked up and around him studying him from the side and even walking around his back. He stood in place and allowed her to examine him, hoping she would simply back off without a noisy fight being necessary.

"A fine specimen, definitely not a local denizen." She said stopping finally in front of him and moved her face close to his. "You have very little smell of this city on you."

"Be gone, or I will be forced to act." Charcoal was unsure what the mare was playing at but he did not like her lack of fear in him.

"Unfortunately, the filly belongs to me. But if you like you could come home with me too." Her horn began to glow a sickly shade of green.

"Fine." He knew then that a fight was unavoidable.

Charcoal swung his sword at the mare as she leapt out of the way. A bolt of electricity then shot out from her horn but Charcoal was already dodging, charging toward her again with his sword raised high. Silk spun around and kicked up with her rear legs, Charcoal forced to step back, lost his momentum.

The green glowing horn fired more bolts of electricity at him, his sword was able to easily absorb the shocks as he again attempted to approach her. Silk then created an aura of green glowing energy around herself, she then charged him head on, the power of the electrical field around her was the first to hit. Charcoal felt his body shake violently from the energy coursing through his muscles, his grip tightened on his sword as he lost control of his hooves. The final hit was the mare's head colliding with his own.

Charcoal was thrown back against the ground, his sword sliding away from him. Silk prepared another attack with her horn but Charcoal was ready, throwing up a small purple magical barrier to stop the attack in its tracks.

Her horn then faded as the same curious glint in her eyes returned. "I see your magical potential is quite high. Perhaps there truly is a place for you to join us?"

"Who?" Charcoal said standing ready for another round as his horn glowed red.

Silk might have answered had her attention not then been diverted by more officers appearing across the street, about eight in total now charging toward them. Instead of focusing on him, she instead projected a wall of green electrical energy across the road, a couple of the officers fell but the rest kept coming, pushing through the pain.

"We will meet again." Silk then performed the strangest trick and simply ran up the wall, heading for the top of the building.

Charcoal noticed the newly arrived ponies were just as intent on attacking him. He leapt over to his sword and sheathed it. He then used a spell to summon a wave of water, as to slow them down for only a moment. He then grabbed the filly and through her over her back, she seemed unharmed but the ordeal had effected her mentally, she simply closed her eyes.

Charcoal then used a spell to jump past his opponents and then took off down the street. Ponies were stopping and staring in shock but he could do little to avoid attention now. He dived head first into the first large building that he could find. The large stone building he found looked ancient by comparison to those around it. As he entered he noticed it was full of ponies, but such ponies were blissfully unaware of what had just transpired outside. Quickly doing his best to control his rush of adrenaline, he slowed his hooves and tried his best to take the few moments he had to blend in with the crowd.

"Where are we?" The filly said finally opening her eyes and looking at the exhibits.

"I'm not sure." Charcoal looked up at the large sign on the wall.

"Vanhoover Town Museum." Charcoal could read the word but he knew not what a museum was.

He looked around and sure enough he recognized many of the displays were full of ancient artifacts, many of which he recognised from long before his time. Suits of armour, preserved scrolls and even artwork depicting Luna in her full majesty adorned the building. It was the most like home he had seen since coming here.

"They're coming." The filly reminded him as a stream of officers began to enter the building.

Charcoal considered his options diligently. Fighting his way out would only raise more attention, he preferred that he got out without a tussle, but he had no idea if the building had a back exit. Instead he made a brisk pace toward the nearest staircase that spiraled upward.

The second story presented a greater view of some of the larger exhibits, especially the large tapestries that depicted Luna's rule alongside Celestia. The number of officers piling in quickly became over a dozen and more were probably on their way.

"Don't worry I have a plan." Charcoal just needed the right artifact.

He spotted exactly what he needed, a brass jug with artwork of Princess Luna and the moon depicted upon its surface. The perfect size and durability.

"I need you to promise me something." Charcoal said pointing towards the jug. "I am going to cast a spell on that jug, promise me no matter what happens you wont look at it, keep your eyes completely closed if you have to, and be ready for a commotion."

The filly nodded with a determined glance. "Understood."

Charcoal's horn glowed blue as she got a spell down from the second floor and across the room, a simple yet effective spell. The want it need it spell began to work almost immediately. At first there were shouts of happiness and joy and then bouts of anger. And then ponies began to rush toward the jug. The officer ponies at first attempted to calm them but it was already too late as the jug became their only obsession, quickly they began pushing and shoving over one another to get to it, the officers now had their hooves full.

"Now." Charcoal grabbed the filly and threw her over her back again.

Teleporting back down to the first floor was dangerous with a rampaging crowd, but it was better and quicker than trying to run through them. A few consecutive hops and he was behind the officers and charging back out the way he had come in.

He attempted a few more teleportation spells but the street was still full of ponies gazing his way, and he could not charge fast enough to get out of the city. Luckily he didn't notice anypony following him, which was a relief in of itself.
He moved past the lighthouse again and continued on, knowing that if he stopped, he would risk failing his mission. The city was no place for him and so he continued, without stopping until the city was as distant as possible.

The museum was a total mess, the city's healers had a lot on their plate to heal the bruises and scrapes but luckily nothing too serious had befallen the populace. Chief Red Swift was still trying to compile the eyewitness accounts of exactly what had happened. A pony had reported a missing filly, likely not from here. And then almost immediately an unidentified mare had proceeded to attack two of his officers in an attempt to kidnap her. On top of that the stallion that reported the filly missing had chosen to resist capture, and had now run off with the filly in tow.

"I need to know who these ponies are!" He yelled to those following his orders.

"Chief Red Swift?" Came the voice of a mare from behind him.

The staunch brown stallion turned to see a pale blue mare with a grey mane approach him. The fur on his body stood up as he realised what the mare was.

The mare was mostly normal, but two large bat like wings stuck upward from her sides like that of a pegasus. Her ears were pointy and raised up like that of a bat and her eyes shined like a full moon with a narrow pupil that was narrow and sharp enough to cut through his soul.

"A bat pony?" He stammered in shock.

The bat pony mare stopped and smiled before flopping out identification. "Special Agent Lavender Glow."

"Ah yes, I was told this case might attract outside attention." Red Swift pointed to the mess the museum was now in. "I trust you already have the basics, eyewitness accounts report all suspects have fled the city, I see no reason to suspect they were working together, however their magical power was alarming."

"Thank you, the Princesses will be informed." Lavender said glancing around the room. "Are you certain there are no eyewitnesses of the filly entering the city?"

"None, most ponies are reporting that she simply appeared in the middle of the park." Red Swift considered the possibilities. " A simple teleportation spell perhaps, but the filly seems to have come alone."

"Don't worry yourself, Chief Red Swift." Lavender said turning around. "The Princesses have instructed me that these suspects are to be found quickly and brought to justice."

The old stone fort was in rough shape, worn from its great age. But Silk appreciated the darkness that it was kept in, out of the light of the hot sun and hidden by the forest. The gargoyle statues that lined the hall was also appreciated, making her feel like she was home again.

She cared not for the dark robed ponies that surrounded her, each one exactly the same. It was her that stuck out and that was the way she liked it, a reminder that she would never consider any of them true kin, but there was one that she felt differently about.

"I am to understand you failed." Came a voice she recognised from the side.

"I have no time to quarrel with you Broth." She said already annoyed that the zebra would approach her.

Broth was a messy zebra, with various tribal magical items adorning his body. He had chosen to abandon his own kind on the search for wealth and power, but had stumbled his way into their group more out of reverence for their lord's grand plan.

"No time to quarrel with me perhaps, but answer you will for your failures." Broth said followed with a smirk and a deep almost silent laugh.

"Silk!" Came a loud voice booming from the darkness.

A purple stallion then emerged from the shadows, he wore a white robe with a blue necklace around his neck. His image was odd but that was its purpose, a pony that stuck out like none before him. He sat upon the old throne that had ancient words of the centaur language carved into its base. His long dark purple mane flowed down his body.

"Silk, I have been informed that there was a set back?" The grand pony asked.

"Cepheus, I regret to inform you that the rumours are true, the spell worked successfully, but the target was lost." Silk bowed her head in shame, her expression however was hidden by her hat.

"Was the local population too much trouble for you?" Cepheus asked.

"No, of course not." Silk considered her explanation carefully. "There was somepony else."

"Who?" Cepheus asked likely already considering which adversary had discovered their plan.

"I am uncertain, but I do not believe he was cooperating with our enemies, he seemed naive of both my identity and our intentions. However his power was far beyond that of an average pony, my guess is he was far from home." Silk sensed that Charcoal had been just as out of place in that city as she had been.

"Silk, we cannot have random travelers foiling our plans when we are so close. The target must be reacquired and returned." Cepheus looked to Broth. "Perhaps Broth would be more suited..."

"No!" Silk shot up. "Please, Cepheus, allow me to finish my work."

Cepheus put his hooves together in front of his face and seemed to weigh his options for a moment. "I will grant you another chance, however I think it best you took help with you, I am willing to overlook this inconvenience as it was outside interference that none of us could have foreseen, however fail again and I will be forced to administer punishment."

"Understood, thank you, Cepheus." Silk bowed before turning back around and leaving.

"Lord Cepheus?" Broth knew that there were too many unanswered questions.

Cepheus nodded. "Follow her, I wish to know who this mystery stallion is and why he has stumbled upon my plans."