Two days left, those words rung in the minds of Everypony in Equestria. Only two days left until Hearths Warming Day. There was a mixed feeling on the streets, songs and laughter echoed as usual, colts and fillies threw snowballs and rode sleds, and the decorations on all of the buildings in Baltimare struck a special chord in most ponies. But many were much more frantic, ‘last minute’ types who had either procrastinated or had simply been saving down to their last bit to buy gifts zipped back and forth, eager to raid all the remaining shops before the best gifts had disappeared.
Among the frantic, worried ponies, was a green Pegasus stallion, had anypony the time to look at him for more than a ‘happy hearths warming’ they would have seen more than worry on his face. Flushed red and wet, the Stallion clearly bore the marks of distress, enough to reduce him to sobs. Naturally however, no one truly felt they had the time, and the stallion hardly stayed still long enough for them to address him at any rate.
Staggering rapidly through the shopping crowds, the stallion found what he was looking for, a simple, nondescript office building, home to a local Equestrian Ministry of Agriculture office. He pushed open the doors and galloped to the receptionist desk inside.
The pony at the desk looked up and smiled. “Hello sir, and happy hearths warming, is there something I can-”
The stallion cut her off, speaking with a mild south Anhalter accent and with an urgency that very nearly belied the fear in his eyes.
“Please, I need to speak to an RIB agent.”
The receptionist looked confused. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, the Royal Inquiries Bureau-“
Again he cut her off. “Please, please, I know there’s one here, it’s how they work. I can’t go to the police; I need to speak to an RIB agent right away!”
The receptionist looked at him, unsure of how to act. Of course the RIB did have an agent in this office, but there was no way this frightened Stallion could have known that. She hesitated for a moment, though the signal for security was right next to her hoof, she only hovered over it. As if through precognition, the stallion gave her a pleading look and spoke again, this time raising his voice.
“Go ahead, call them, but please, please, let me speak to an agent, I don’t care if I get arrested I need to tell somepony what I know!”
The receptionist was a little shocked, never in her career had she dealt with anything like this. Of course the security briefs had covered Emotionally Disturbed Ponies, but ones asking for secret agents?
After a moment’s deliberation, she took a chance on the terrified Pegasus.
“And what is it that you ‘know’ sir?” She asked cautiously.
He choked back tears and spoke back to her. “In two days, a Pegasus Nationalist cell is going to commit a major terrorist action against a civilian target. I know who they are, and I know where they’re hiding.”
“And how do you know these things?” The secretary continued to question.
“Because I helped them.” The Pegasus began to sob. “I’m a part of the cell.”
*****
Cobalt stretched out his legs and smiled. The two fillies were out sledding with their big brother, and his wife sat next to him reading the paper. Hearths Warming decorations strewn about the house and a hot mug of coffee were a lovely change of pace from what he had dealt with earlier this year.
Cobalts work took him around Equestria and the world beyond on the best of days, and the worst of days. The best of days he went to tropical paradises like the Gallopagos, or exotic lands like Saddle Arabia. On the worst of days he wound up in absolute wastelands like Samarkand and Transvaal. This year had been particularly bad. He had spent a whole four months in Transvaal chasing down an armed group of bandits that it had ultimately turned out didn’t exist. The Boerperds had thrown Equestria through a loop demanding that military forces be allocated to track down and capture some raiders that had been burning crops and kidnapping livestock, but it had really been an unsubtle ruse. The Transvaal government had committed the raiding themselves and made every effort to ensure that the Equestrians believed that the Zebras had been the culprit, thus encouraging a conflict.
Cobalt shook his head remembering it. Some ‘allies’, making him dredge about in the sand for weeks chasing shadows all so they could start a war they couldn’t win. He pushed the thought from his mind, however, and turned to his wife.
“Anything interesting in the paper, dear?” He said warmly.
Sugar smiled at him. “Oh, just the usual. It’s Hearths Warming so they’re talking about the pageants and the sales records. They’re talking a lot about the big pageant in Canterlot though, apparently this year the Elements of Harmony are going to be the cast!”
Cobalt did his best to act as if he was surprised. He had overheard two ‘Ministry of Information’ (propagandist) ponies talking about it months ago. So soon after Discords return it was exactly what the public needed to restore faith in their government.
“That’s an excellent idea!” Cobalt said. “Oh, if only I’d heard sooner, we could have bought tickets.”
Sugar laughed. “Oh there are only so many times you can watch Commander Hurricane declare war on cloud cover. Besides, you’d probably have to be a noble to get a seat where you could see much of anything.”
Cobalt laughed. “I suppose so,” he then put on a mischievous smile. “Speaking of Commander Hurricane... have the founders been to the store yet?”
Sugar leaned back as well, putting her hooves behind her head. “Just yesterday, in fact. They waited in line for an hour to get two of those new dolls the fillies all love. Did you know Blue seriously thought that he could get a practice sword this year? He’ll have to settle for some of those little model soldiers he loves.”
Cobalt looked at her. “Come on, he’s sixteen, where’s the harm in getting him a practice blade? It’s not like he’ll swing it at the fillies or go around being a delinquent, he just wants to learn the feel of the thing before he enlists.”
Sugars smile faded, she had always hoped her sons martial interests were a fad. Purely a historical fascination, and some romantic notions that he had gotten from adventure books, rather than a real desire to join the army.
` “So you really are fine with him being a soldier?” She said rather melancholically.
“You aren’t?”
“Oh come on, Cobalt, he’s my baby colt, no matter how big he gets. The last thing a mare wants is to see her son march off to war. I couldn’t stand it when he got hurt playing rough sports, how do you think I’ll take him getting shot?”
Cobalt laughed again, which prompted a less than friendly glare from his wife.
“I’m glad you find my parental concerns funny.” Sugar said, annoyed at her husband’s flippancy.
Cobalt stopped laughing and shook his head with a smile on his face.
“Sugar, when I was in the REA, do you know what I did? I ran through obstacle courses, fired weapons at scarecrows, and marched in a pretty uniform. Probably the most dangerous thing I ever did was clean the bathroom.” (A lie, his company had once clashed with protesters while aiding local police)
Sugar rolled her eyes. “That was twenty years ago. That bathroom was probably the most dangerous thing in Equestria back then. Now? With Discord and Nightmare moon, the Griffins acting up, and all these awful nationalist movements, not to mention the war in Transvaal, it just... the world doesn’t seem as safe as it used to.”
Cobalt looked at the window a moment. “I suppose you’re right. But if it’s what he wants, there isn’t a lot we can say about it.”
Sugar sighed. “I know... I just, I just wish we weren’t growing up so fast, all of us.”
Cobalt cocked his head to the side a bit. The word choice was... strange.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked.
“Nothing, it’s just... just a thought.”
They were both silent for a moment, and Sugar Heart wore a subdued, almost mournful expression. Cobalt wanted to say something, anything, but no words came. He wasn’t even sure what his wife had just said to him, let alone how he should respond. Before he could summon up a reply, his wife spoke.
“I’m happy you’re home Cobalt. I really am. I know I already said it, but when you were on your business trip, we all missed you so much.” She leaned in towards him, meeting his eyes with her own. Cobalt could see the tears welling in her, and did his best to try and give a warm smile. She continued. “Having you back for the holidays means so much to me... to all of us. I feel like we really needed it this year.”
“Now why do you feel that?” Cobalt said.
“I don’t know,” Sugar said. “It’s... just a feeling. But I suppose it’s a good one.”
Cobalt and Sugar both closed their eyes and drew closer to one another. They could each feel the warmth of each other’s snout, and were mere centimeters from kissing, when a knock came at the door. As if snapped from a trance, the two opened their eyes and pulled away from each other. Sugar gave an annoyed sigh and Cobalt smiled.
“Timing right out of a bad movie,” Cobalt quipped. He kissed his wife on the cheek and stood up. “I’ll take care of this and then we can... pick up where we left off.”
“Oh bugger off, the moment’s gone.” She said, irritated.
Cobalt laughed and walked up to the door. He opened it to see, (as was expected around the holidays) the mailmare.
“Morning there Mr. Crescent!” She said jovially. “Got a letter here for you, express post. Somepony really wanted to make sure you got this one in time for the holidays!”
Cobalt smiled. “Thanks Swifty, Happy hearths Warming.”
“You too Mr. Crescent! Say hello to Sugar Heart for me!”
Cobalt silently fumed over the ruined romantic scene as he tore open the envelope, but his thoughts quickly shifted to the letter. Few of his friends could really afford express post, and even fewer hadn’t sent a card already.
As Cobalt unfolded the letter within, he noticed the seal of his ‘office’ and froze. The contents of the letter caused him to grimace, filled to the brim with anger, and terror.
Major emergency. Need you at office ASAP.
- Management.
