Mirror: Book I - Mind

Noon struck the clock tower, and its chime bellowed across the skies. The shadows of clouds passed over a couple of ponies trotting back north towards Ponyville as they made their departure from the cottage at the edge of the forest.

For the longevity of the short yet oddly lengthy walk, not a single word was spoken between the two as they came to terms with the images embedded into their minds and what was to come next of yet another mystery plaguing the ponies and their humble, homely village in the valley. Ronin had begun ahead of Amethyst trotting over the bridge when she stopped to look over the waters passing through, eyeing the horizon while a million questions a minute were swarming her brain. The young foreigner took notice to her odd behavior and stopped to gaze beside her. It was as though in that moment that a sense of instinct overtook the stag, knowing deep down in his mind that the young mare beside him had a dozen sentences and more to get off of her chest, yet she would never utter a single word unless he were the first to spell.

Ronin took a deep breath, looked over the sights with his partner, and began.

“Back in my home village, we had a neighbor who used to own a chicken coop. He and his wife must’ve had a few dozen hens in there, not to mention a couple roosters. Every morning when the roosters crowed the wife would wake up and go collect the eggs, and the husband would be in the market later that day selling their stock. My uncle always bought two, one for each of us.” Ronin reminisced, and continued. “One day the husband wasn’t there to sell any eggs, so we all figured he might be sick, and went to his house to wish him well. When we arrived not only was the husband well and healthy, but he and his wife wanted us to leave as soon as possible. Nopony knew why they were acting so strange, until word got around. One of the chickens had gone missing. The next day two had gone missing, and then four. Everypony thought their flock might have fallen sick, but still they refused to let anypony in. It wasn’t until one day, everypony finally understood what was going on.”

Amethyst continued to stare along the trail of the stream, her ears perked and content as they listened to Ronin’s story.

“One of the children came running out of the forest and said they saw blood and feathers everywhere. The village picked up their tools and spears and charged into the woods to find out what was the matter. My uncle told me to stay at the house, but I snuck around to see what they would find.”

He hesitated, and Amethyst looked to him. “What was it?” She wondered.

“It was a griffon.” Ronin spoke. “I had never seen a griffon before, I was so scared. I nearly ran to my uncle screaming and crying, but then I took a closer look at the creature. I could see its ribs, its limbs were so thin and its eyes were sunken into its skull. It may have looked mean and vicious, but deep down I could tell it was in pain.” He turned and looked to Amethyst. “It was hungry. It was so weak it couldn’t even fly, and it could barely run.”

His partner took a moment to look back over the bridge, resting a pair of hooves over the edge as she begun to think more slowly and clearly now. It was almost as though the very sound of Ronin’s voice is what calmed her mind and dissipated the disturbing scenes filling her mind. “So, the husband and his wife were feeding the griffon?”

“Out of pity, it seemed.” Ronin nodded.

“What happened next? Did they ever get back to the market to sell eggs?”

“I can only wish that were true.” Ronin sulked. “Eventually, the village ponies ran the griffon further back into the forest until it dared not to return. Soon after, the couple moved out of the village, and the coop never housed another hen nor an egg ever again.”

Amethyst simply could not understand the entire ordeal, simply as though her mind were trying to ignore the outcome. It appeared that nopony had won that battle, no matter how hard anyone of them might have tried. Not the husband nor the wife, not the village ponies, not Ronin nor his uncle, and not even the griffon. When everyone was trying their best to be in the right, they only turned up enough stones to realize that in the end they might have been wrong. Ronin and his uncle weren’t able to celebrate with eggs any longer, the village had lost a good stock, and the griffon had ran off elsewhere, Celestia knows whether or not it survived. All that effort, all that struggle, and for what? To lose? Now the mare had felt that the story only made her feel all the more depressed.

“I just don’t get it.” Amethyst buried her face into her hooves. “Why do we have to lose all the time? Why can’t we all just live together in harmony?”

“My uncle had told me once…” Ronin began. “There will always be something or someone above you, and that also means there will always be something or someone below you as well. In order to live the lives that we do, others must live the lives that they do. That is how the world works.”

Immediately, Amethyst’s mind wandered back to the Doctor and his many words. The way in which he had been a mentor and even a father figure to her all these years struck a similar chord when ever Ronin had went on to talk about his uncle. It was from this that Amethyst began to look upon her partner in a more respected and serious light, briefly glancing his way just in time to catch a few gorgeous rays of sunshine layering over his tough yet young and mildly attractive complexion.

Mildly. Amethyst harshly reminded herself, attempting to shield her blush. Only mild.

The stream beneath the river was calm and quiet, the birds chirped elegantly about the air, and the warm, late summer breeze had fallen still. A distant shriek from around the corner of a nearby building was the next thing to hit their ears. Ronin and Amethyst looked to one another and knew what they had to do, springing from the bridge and in the direction of the shrill.

Several dozen ponies were busy swarming the space at a broken in fence stationed in front of somepony’s home. Two mares sat upon the garden bed within as they seemed to cower and plead in fear, the one being a bit fiercer yet lazier than the other. Amethyst directed Ronin to the front of the crowd as she hopped over the side of the barrier and trotted up to the two ponies.

“It wasn’t her fault!” A blonde maned, pink earth mare held the second pony in her hooves. “She’s innocent, I tell you!”

“Just calm down and tell me what happened, miss…?” Amethyst started.

“Cherry Berry.” The blonde sniffled. “This is my sister, Berry Punch. She must’ve wound up drunk last night and fallen into this garden bed, but now everypony’s calling her a criminal.”

Amethyst began to blink in realization and looked all around her. Berry Punch was covered hoof to hide in mud and dirt, and the remains of flowers were trampled to bits and petals everywhere she laid. She couldn’t have. Amethyst thought quickly. Not on this scale.

“That smelly brood cost me first place in the floral competition!” A haggish mare howled from the crowd.

“Lock her up!” The ponies demanded. “Send her to the Mayor!”

“All right, break it up, everypony!” Sam came trotting in. “Disperse, all of you!”

Ralph followed from behind and flared his big, black wings about in attempt to get the crowd to back down, but the angered ponies persisted.

“Don’t worry, we’re going to get you two out of here.” Amethyst reassured.

“Oh, thank you so much!” Cherry smiled past wet, bleary eyes.

“Not so fast.” Ralph stepped forward, staring upon Amethyst through his black shaded visor. “These two are being taken into custody for suspect of a crime scene.”

“My sister’s not a criminal, I swear!” Cherry Berry pleaded.

“You have the right to remain silent.” Sam ordered, and grinned. “Hey, I always wanted to say that one, too.”

“I’ll have you know that this so called ‘crime scene’ just so happens to fall under my investigation.” Amethyst retorted. “Mine and my partner’s, that is.”

“So, you two are the floral raid investigators assigned by Mayor Mare?” Ralph furthered. “Where is your proof?”

“Well, we…” Amethyst hesitated.

“I can vouch for them.” A mare emerged from the crowd.

“Rose Luck?” Ronin stepped back, looking her up and down.

“These two had arrived at my shop the week prior asking questions concerning their investigation, and Ronin here had received a record of my shop’s transactions to document its history. Would you like to see the fine print?”

“If you’re willing to vouch and show us the evidence then you’ll have to come with us as well.” Ralph nodded in her direction. “For now we’ll need to remove these two from the scene, as they’re causing quite the stir.”

“Right.” Amethyst obliged and crouched beside Cherry and her sister. “Ronin, come help me with this.”

As the two unicorns helped to escort the earth mare and her drunken sister from the dishevelment of the garden bed, Ralph and Sam ordered the crowd to clear a path as they retaliated with their cries of shame and misfortune upon the sisters. Ralph could only think in that moment to shield them with a wing draped over their backs, and Sam offered up his helmet to Cherry Berry whom calmly refused. Berry Punch happily snagged the helmet from his grasp and adorned it onto her head, backwards.

“I know it’s hard to imagine that a humble, small town such as Ponyville would be plagued with any manner of crime to begin with, but we must remain vigilant.” The stallion’s tone slithered about the walls and bounced back to the occupants’ ears. “Especially you most of all, Royal Equerry.”

The ambassador’s gaze hovered from David’s crossed arms and up to his face, a tense yet inquisitive pinch to the boy’s complexion as he remained as calm as he could manage.

“So, what’re you supposed to be? The antagonist of Rush Hour 3?”

“Call me Mikado.” He calmly placed his hooves together, laying them on the desk.

“Alright then, Mikado.” David started. “Who are you and what are you doing in Ponyville?”

“Why, I was invited here by your dear Princess, of course.” Mikado reminded. “I do not believe I’ve been acquainted with your kind before. Might I ask where you come from?”

“Well…it’s complicated.” The boy scratched his head.

Mikado simply responded with tightened eyes and a slow nod, that confident grin still plastered to his face. The two occupants adjacent to him had dawned themselves with tired yet focused gazes, the boy refraining from blinking so much in response to the thumping which had returned to his head only recently, thanks to the help of the Crusaders just outside the door. Starlight sat next to the human with a harsh, serious gaze, playing her usual “professional stare” whenever in the presence of an official or a diplomat. David dared a brief gaze around the room, taking to note the intricately designed silk curtains and banners with designs of finely woven flowers and cherry blossom aesthetics. The old unicorn seemed adamant on redecorating. The very instant Mikado moved an inch the boy’s eyes returned their attention.

“I take it that your role as Royal Equerry has been a daunting one?” Mikado ventured.

“What makes you say that?” David returned.

“We all know the uproar outside wasn’t just for show. If anything, the townsponies appeared adamant to work against you.” Mikado revealed a tinge of dismay. “Some even rumor of driving you away.”

“Not on my watch.” Starlight rose and stamped a hoof to the desk. “As long as Twilight and I are around, David’s not going anywhere.” She declared. “Except home, of course, but we’re working on that. In the meantime, Ponyville is where he belongs.”

“Starlight…” David breathed.

“Be still, mare, I know the boy is not to blame.” Mikado elaborated. “I plan to exonerate him of these petty outcries as soon as he leaves this building. The last thing we need in this town is yet another hindrance blocking our path to a common goal.”

“And what goal might that be?” Starlight tried. “Do you and the Mayor have something planned?”

“We shall say that an asset had wandered upon my doorstep to opportunity.” Mikado barely hid his grin. “Ponyville is an old establishment, one of the first to grace this extravagant country. Alas, age has revealed its wear and might I add its true colors as well. Surely a young, intelligent unicorn such as yourself must understand that with age, change is inevitable.”

Mikado delved into Starlight’s sights with crystal blue, gleaming eyes, causing the mare to go silent for a short spell before considering another approach. “Just what exactly is your purpose here anyway? Why are you in Ponyville?”

“I’m quite glad you asked.” Mikado was all but enthusiastic. “I don’t blame you for failing to recognize me at first, given that my company originates from my home land in Neighsia, but it is there that most of my colleagues and assets have dubbed me as ‘Mr. Mikado.’ You see, the Mikado Construction Co. has expanded past their borders and taken on contracts abroad, including Ponyville, of course. When I had accepted Princess Twilight’s invitation it came in tandem with the contract your Mayor and I had signed onto concerning the development of this year’s night time festivities, better known as Nightmare Night.”

“But you’re also an ambassador, an emperor in fact.” Starlight emphasized. “If you’re here then who’s taking care of business back home?”

“Remote management is no fantasy, Miss Glimmer.”

“Even so, why travel all the way to Ponyville for such a small scale project? Sure, Nightmare Night is a popular event, but you must have bigger fish to fry.”

“’Why?’ indeed.” Mikado grinned again. “Perhaps it doesn’t hurt so much to keep a few ponies wondering, now does it?”

It was enough for both the unicorn and the boy to widen their gazes in curiosity, and the ambassador went on.

“I’ll have you know I’ve taken a peek at your record, Miss Glimmer, and I must say your statistics were more than worthy for the position of the Royal Equerry. Tell me, do you resent your teacher’s decision to adorn your friend here with the role instead?”

Starlight remained silent.

“Don’t be shy now, I’m sure the two of you have had more than enough time to talk it out between each other.”

“There was nothing in my power I could’ve done to overrule her decision. As you said, she is my teacher after all, whatever her plan may be I am bound to it.”

“A safer answer than sorry, I suppose?” Mikado had to stifle a chortle. “I understand if you may not show your true colors to those you do not trust. We’ve only just met.” The foreigner seemed to leave it at that as his gaze hovered across the room and over to David. The old stag took a lengthy sum of seconds to study the boy’s figure once more, the human feeling a tingle of discomfort beneath the curved-horn unicorn’s stinging, blue eyes. “And what of you, young Equerry? Do your feelings toward the Princess waver?”

“I’d have to ask, why so inquisitive?” David kept his arms crossed. “I’m beginning to think I know what that pony meant by ‘hiring for the circus.”

“Your aim’s all over the place, buddy…” Starlight groaned.

“Do my questions bother you so? I do apologize-”

“No, it’s not that.” David interrupted. “In fact, something else has been bothering me this entire time. Something I’ve been thinking about since the moment I heard your name or laid eyes upon you.”

“Do tell.”

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

What had surprised Starlight was not the boy’s sudden, offensive demeanor, but rather the lack of a retort or response escaping the stallion’s lips is what had shaken the young unicorn so. For every phrase and every mention she and the boy could think to utter, Mikado had always lashed back just as fast, perhaps even faster. The stag always had something to say, something to inquire about, but this time he simply fell silent. It was in this sense that the unicorn knew, or rather feared, David might be on to something.

“I’ll admit my memory is a little foggy, but even I should know a character out of place when I see one. Every other pony I’ve met in this town blends into the background like a piece to a puzzle, like they’re supposed to fit somewhere, all except for you. I’m not saying your appearance is the problem, not even your role. It’s your name, your very being here. As far as I’m concerned you probably shouldn’t even exist.”

“And do you realize I could very well say the same about you?” Mikado returned.

The boy paused his momentary thought to consider the unicorn’s retort. Some part of him deep down in his mind told him that Mikado was right, perhaps even more in the right than David could possibly be in this moment.

“Earlier I had asked where you come from and you refused to answer, thus giving the notation that your origins could be considered controversial, mysterious even. You are the one and only of your kind to grace this town and not any one of its citizens entail a single clue as to where you had come from or how you had wound up here. But now that I have you here, I believe it is in my right to ask you, are you supposed to be here?”

“Y’know what’s funny?” David said. “I can’t tell if those words coming out of your mouth are supposed to be my own mind’s words talking back to me, or if I really am talking to a technicolor, ponified version of Jack Frost. Either way, it’s not like I really want to be here.”

“And yet here you are.” Mikado told him straight. “I will tell you this: Questioning one’s reality is only half the battle to truly discovering where they belong.”

Mikado’s glowing blue eyes gleamed for a final time, and as his lasting words echoed around the chamber they sat within, the conversation died down into a quiet, serious tone. For a long moment then no words were spoken, no glances nor looks were sparred. The ambassador mimed a deep, lengthy sigh as his gaze turned to the outdoors, almost as though he were missing out on something that he wished to attend or was expecting an asset of his a few minutes or so too late on their arrival. Those blue eyes blinked once and returned to the two occupants in the chairs across his desk.

“Much talk for a simple delivery task, isn’t it?” He began. “I believe you have something for me from the Princess?”

The boy recalled the item within his possession and withdrew it from his pocket, slowly hesitating to hand the scroll over to the stallion, but alas he had already begun to flare his horn to life and bring the piece to his hooves. Mikado gave a wide, warm grin that only produced goosebumps and chills of uncertainty for both the mare and the boy, as they stared back at him in wonder of what the scroll might entail.

“I acknowledge your forthwith and honesty, young Equerry. Ponyville has plans, and those plans require your adherence.”

“And what-”

“Oh, but of course I won’t tell you all about them, I have a scroll to read.” Mikado waved a hoof in front of their faces. “Now, begone with you.”

The double doors sealed themselves and shut the two out, leaving them to discuss their experiences in the hallway. Starlight and the boy walked slowly down the corridor and descended to the middle of the curving staircase before the human finally spoke up.

“Well, that sure was a waste of breath for a whole lotta’ nothing.” The boy mused.

“That’s where you’re mistaken, my friend.” Starlight grinned devilishly. “An eye for an eye, as they say.” And the unicorn flared her horn alive, bringing forth a deep blue print rolled and bound up in a tight white band.

The boy stared upon the paper with perplexity. “The heck is that? Did you steal it from him?”

“Shh! Not so loud.” Starlight hissed. “I took the opportunity when he grabbed the scroll out of your hand, most unicorns have a hard time tracking other agents when they’re casting their own spells.”

Their gazes wandered curiously back to the big, blue scroll, crouching near the base of the stairs and looking upon the texts as they unfurled the parchment. For the first ten seconds, they weren’t sure whether to flip the paper upside-down or look upon the back for instructions.

“What’d you steal, his manga?” The boy commented.

“I have no idea what this says…” Starlight struggled.

“It’s Japanese.”

“You can read that?”

“A little, I recognize the hiragana.” David pointed out. “That’s katakana too. This says ‘na’ and that says ‘to’.”

“’na-to’, huh?” Starlight wondered. “Night, maybe?” And she looked back upon the print once more. “This must be Mikado’s copy of the Nightmare Night construction blue prints…”