December 28, 1011 C.S.
11:04AM, Canterlot Royal Time
Celestian Kingdom of Heaven Cemetery
Wispy Shadows: "COMPANY.. ATTEN-HUH!"
The 6th Tactical Team, chosen as the Honor Guards, stood to attention with their parade rifles. Dusk was in the front. It was very hard for him to maintain his stone face of discipline.
Wispy Shadows: "SHOULDER ARMS!"
The 6th Tactical Team all raised thier rifles to their shoulders in absolute unison.
Wispy Shadows: "TAKE AIM... FIRE!" *Gunshots* "FIRE!" *Gunshots* "FIRE!" *Gunshots* "SHOULDER ARMS! STAND AT EASE!"
Wispy then went to Dusk's feet and retrieved the three casings from his rifle. As the 4 people at Echo's casket started to fold the Equestrian flag, she placed the three spent shell casings into the fold. The Pallbearer Leader stood to attention, and passed the flag to Wispy. She accepted it, turned smartly on her heel, and marchd to the feet of Princess Luna.
Wispy Shadows: "My Liege of the Night, this flag represnts the courage and sacrifice of your fallen Nightwatch Guard, Subaltern Echo Sphinx." She bowed to her, looking to the ground, and holding the flag up and before her.
Princess Luna bowed to the flag, and accepted it.
Princess Luna: "It is with the greatest honor that I accept this token on behalf of the Most Revered Moon." She.. had a tear forming in her eye. Dusk could see it.
This was the first time the Equestrian armed forces had performed a funeral ceremony for a member that fell in battle in over 300 years.
Princess Luna took the flag, and proceeded to walk with somber grace over to Bushel and Chime. She bowed before them.
Princess Luna: "On.. behalf of.. a grateful nation, and.." She had to stop, and gather herself. "..with the blessings of the Moon that your kin so freely and devoutedly worshipped, please accept this token of our remembrance." She held it up to them, grovelling before them both.
Bushel: "Th-thank you.. my Princess." He reachd out with shaky hands, and managed to take the flag, before his tears got to him.
Chime: "Mommy's flag is so pretty!" She smiled.
Wispy Shadows: "Company, HAND SALUTE!"
The 6th Tactical Team did just that, raising their rifles, and raising a salute with the rifle as the termination point.
Echo's casket was slowly lowered into the ground by the Pallbearer Detail.
Chime: "Daddy..? Why is Mommy.. going in the ground?" She blinked, her small mental gears turning.
Bushel was too broken to answer.. the tears were flowing down his snout.
As she was lowered down, a lone Bugler played Taps. As the story goes, one thousand years ago during the War of Unification, a brave knight of the Earth Pony Kingdom lost his son in battle. As they were surrounded by Unicorns, his commander spared him only a lone Bugler to send him off as he buried his son. These notes were what the knight composed.
Once she was fully lowered into the Earth, the Pallbearer Detail was replaced by the Gravedigger Detail. They began shovelling dirt over her casket with military precision.
Chime: "DADDY! DADDY! MAKE THEM STOP! MOMMY CAN'T BREATHE IF THEY PUT DIRT ON HER! DADDY!"
Not a single person there was able to maintain military bearing. Dusk felt hot tears crease down his own snout at her little protests.
Astral Sky, standing at attention behind him, started sobbing quietly.
Even Shining Armor, in a wheelchair, but in formal uniform, and escorted by his sister and parents, started breaking down.
Princess Luna, just barely able to maintain composure, went back over to Chime, and hugged her tightly, whispering into her ear. She started to cry into the Princess' shoulder.
Once the Gravedigger Detail was partly finished, Wispy called orders again.
Wispy Shadows: "COMPANY.. DISMISSED!"
At that command, the Nightwatch March was played by the Military Band.
The 6th and 7th Tactical Teams made a sharp right face, and marched slowly in procession away from the grave. Dusk had to keep blinking, as he was leading the formation, and with his tears, he could barely see.
Once they were far away from the grave, Dusk went over to where Trixie, Rarity, and Starlight were.
Rarity: "That.. was very hard." She slid her arms around him.
Starlight: "I'm sorry, Dusk." She did the same.
Trixie: "Oh, Dusk." She slid in from the front, and they all hugged him tightly.
For his part, Dusk let the tears come.
His father's funeral was tomorrow. Unlike the overt display here, his father's funeral would be very small and private. It would be him and these three girls. Caramel promised to show, since Dusk was a friend, and Goldie would try to show up, too. The crying wasn't just for Chime, it was because he realized how BAD his father had gotten over the years, that no one wanted to come and mourn his death.
That hurt him almost as bad as Chime's little protests.
It took him a while to get his bearing back, but once he did, he went over and set his parade rifle on the rack in their truck.
Astral: "..I.." She lowered her head.
Dusk: "Me, too." He shrugged. "That hurt."
Astral: "It really did." She frowned. "Can we meet for drinks, later? I need.. to.." She gestured.
Dusk: "Six?" He asked.
Astral: "Yeah." She nodded.
He put a hand on her shoulder, and gripped it, giving her a small smile. After that, he walked over to Shining Armor.
Dusk: "Commander." He nodded.
Night Light: "Ah.. Dusk, yes?" He stuck out his hand. "Night Light."
He shook hands with him.
Shining Armor: "Dusk.. I never.. thanked you." He smiled weakly.
Twilight Velvet: "I'm Twilight Velvet." She gave Dusk a quick hug. "Thank you for saving my son." She smiled, holding both of Dusk's shoulders, tears of gratitude in her eyes. "The doctors say he wouldn't have lasted another day."
Minister of Magical Affairs, Twilight Sparkle: "Subaltern. I'm grateful, too." She bowed her head to him.
Dusk: "Minister." He nodded to her. "Shining was always there for us, in training, encouraging us to be better. Pushing us to be the best. He's always been a fantastic leader. I'm grateful to be one of his officers."
Twilight Sparkle: "We're grateful for you, too." She bowed again.
Dusk: "Looks like the whole family is circling the wagons, boss." He leaned down a bit, and patted his shoulder, soldier to soldier. "But, if you need someone to spring you for a night of suds and friends, you let me know." He gave him a shaky, emotional smile.
Shining Armor: "Y-You know it. Altern." He fumbled for his tunic, and pulled out a small case. "Forget.. the promotion list. I'm the boss. I'm promoting you. You earned it." He handed him the small case.
Dusk: "It's my privilege to serve our Princesses, boss, and follow your orders." He sniffled a bit, still, and took the case. "Like I said, boss, any time. Anything." He nodded to him. "Sir, ma'am, Minister." He addressed his family, and managed to squirm away before things got even more emotional.
That, there, was one of his problems. His emotions were reserved for the ones he cared about the most. Rarity.. Trixie.. Starlight was worming her way in, too. Not his Boss, not his Boss's family, and NOT the Chosen Disciple of Princess Celestia.
He must not show that kind of.. weakness.
12:16PM
Dusk's Apartment
Astral was here, too, since she lived right next door. She was kinda numb. Curled up on his loveseat, munching some leftovers. The mood was somber, the television was playing some Christmas film or another. Trixie, Rarity, and Starlight were moving around the kitchen, cooking.. something.
Dusk stared at the TV, but he wasn't paying any attention to it.
Astral: "..if only we hadn't been blinded." She sighed.
Dusk: "If only I'd been six inches to the right." He frowned.
The looked at each other. In an instant, the whole.... charade of being soldiers, the whole paegentry of it, the uniforms, the formation marching, chasing drunks, occasional actual criminals that often gave up with little fight.
It was all gone. All washed away. The gritty REALITY of what it meant to be a soldier was driven home. Both of them saw it in each others' eyes. They didn't need to say anything to each other. The glitz, glamor, and gilded vision was gone.
Astral: "Dusk. Do you think we have what it takes?" She asked, softly.
Dusk: "Yeah. We HAVE to. We wear the uniform. Whatever problems lurk in the darkness, the Nightwatch.. HAS to stand against them. No matter what they are." He shrugged. "I guess the risk seemed silly until now."
Astral: "It did. This hasn't happened in hundreds of years." She frowned. "Conflict like this.. just doesn't.. hasn't ever happened."
Dusk: "Yeah." He curled up a bit. "We.. have a duty.." He leaned over and looked at his kitchen, and the girls trying to juggle cooking things. "..we have to protect the ones we care about." He sighed.
Astral: "It's such a big deal." She frowned. "Neither of us.. ever thought.." She blinked, and rolled on her back, letting her wings extend. "..you're right, though. Ready or not, we have to do this. No one else can."
Dusk: "I'm right there with you." He nodded.
Astral: "So.. what do we do next?" She shrugged her wings.
Dusk: "Go to work, do our thing. Stand in the way." He said the words numbly.
Trixie: "Go out for Khyangese Food." She leaned over the couch. "We.. uhhh.. kinda got in each others' way and made a mess. Beef broccoli? Chow Mein?"
Astral: "Chop Suey. Beef." She held up a 10B coin.
Dusk: "Beef Broccoli." He nodded. "Pick up a bottle of Baiju, too, huh?" He just forked over his Bitsbag.
Trixie: "Gotcha." She slump-hugged him. "I.. know you're hurting. I wish I could do more for you." She squeezed tight, and slid out, getting her coat.
Trixie wanted to help him the way she used to. Fuck him stupid. He loved that. He loved the hot, raunchy, lustful release of emotion they used to have. It helped him vent, it helped him work through things.. especially cuddling in bed afterwards. Sex had been a big part of their relationship during its "on" times, and moreso, that it had been the thing that often caused them to end up in each others orbit again.
She still wanted him. Not for his dick, she wanted to fill that hole she knew he had. She grimaced as she got to her car, she'd have to trust Rarity to handle that. And it didn't sit right with her. Not that she didn't trust her, just.. she KNEW.. how Dusk wanted it.
Oh, well. He wasn't hers to worry about any more.
12:33PM
Khyangatown, Canterlot
She drove to Kahn Wah Khyangese. THE spot in the city for takeout. It was a hole-in-the-wall sort of place, but it was popular enough. This being the holidays, traffic would be low. She got to Khyangatown, and found a spot to park. Getting out, she smiled, seeing the Khyangese foals running around.
She had to walk a block and a half to the restaurant, but it was worth it.
She went inside, while digging around in her shoulder bag for her phone, to check everyone's orders.
Trixie: "Hey, Park? I need..." She was still looking at her phone. "...two chop suey with beef, two Dzungarian (Mongolian) Beef, three Beef Broccol-" She looked up, realizing the restaurant was empty. "Park..?" She carefully walked through the serving area, and to the front-of-house counter that separated the restaurant seating area from the kitchen. "Park? Mae Song?" She moved slowly towards the kitchen, and immediately stopped.
She felt something. Something odd. Cold. Terribly cold. As though something with no soul at all had just moved through the room. She heard the clank of a knife clatter to the ground. One peek into the kitchen told her all she needed to know.. Park and Mae Song had been literally butchered and were halfway into being turned into various Khyangese dishes..
She turned and ran. She wasn't unused to panic or fear, she'd been in tight spots before, like with her stepdad. She jsut ran right outside, and hit the emergency call button on her phone.
911 Operator: P> "9-1-1, what is your emergency?"
Trixie: P> "I'm at Kahn Wah! T-The owner and his wife were murdered! I just saw them! The killer got out the back, but I saw them dead! SEND COPS! LOTS OF COPS!" She tried to hold it together, but this was a mark different than her usual dangers. She had to RUN back to her car, get in, and lock the doors. "PLEASE HURRY!"
911 Operator: P> "YES! A-Ah, police are on the way! Did you see the assailant?"
Trixie: P> "Maybe for a split second. Just get the cops here!" She stammered, as she pulled her phone away from her ear, and swiped over to the text messages, and texted Dusk.
{Text Message: Trixie (12:37)} - OMGOMGOMG PARK AND MAE SONG WERE MURDERED I CALLED 911 PLEASE COME OVER IM SO FUCKIGN SCARED
911 Operator: P> "Is it safe for you to stay on the phone?"
Trixie: P> "Y-Yeah, I think so. I'm in my car and I have the doors locked." Just in case, she pre-prepped a Fireball spell in her mind.
Who needs guns? Really, though, "offensive" magic was treated like guns - you better use it with a good reason. Being charged with misuse of magic could get you a Restrictor on your horn, like Starlight.
911 Operator: P> "The first units should be arriving in a couple of minutes. Do you see anyone suspicious? Is-"
Trixie didn't, in fact, see it. Her driver's side window was suddenly shattered, though, and she screamed. She fired her Fireball spell at the same moment, and ducked down.
911 Operator: P> "Are you alright?! What happened?"
Trixie: P> "Something shattered my window! I-" She heard the police sirens getting closer, and there was a lot of shouting on the streets as well.
When she looked up, there was no one there.
1:02PM
Khyangatown, Canterlot
Dusk had arrived. Armed, of course. So did Astral Sky. The police got there as well, and while at least one witness stated that there was someone near Trixie's car when they heard the window shatter, they were gone after the fireball was shot off.
Dusk: "This is crazy. Who would do this?!" He frowned.
Trixie: "I-I don't know.. I felt.. this presence. Dark, creepy, almost soulless." She rubbed her face. "Then, I saw the Songs, and.." She shook her head. "I swear I got a glimpse of them, but I just can't remember!" She whinnied frustratedly.
Astral: "First a terrorist attack, and now a murder?" She frowned. "And Davenport getting violent?" She crossed her arms, and her wings flicked a little. "Dusk, call me crazy, but I think something's happening." She shook her head. "NOTHING like this has happened in our history like this. At least not as far as we commonly know."
Dusk: "Above my pay grade." He shrugged.
Astral: "We have the same pay grade, now." She smirked. "I'm serious. Things are getting crazy, and I don't understand why."
Dusk: "Beats me, too." He shrugged. "Come on, Trixie, we'll go get something else."
Trixie: "..broke my window, too.." She muttered.
Dusk: "I'll call a tow." He shrugged. "Astral, can you take Trixie somewhere and get us lunch?"
Astral: "Sure thing." She smiled. "Come on, Trixie." She patted her on the back.
Trixie: "I can't believe this. I just wanted to get lunch." She whinnied pitifully. "I don't understand how I keep ending up in situations like this."
Astral: "Eh.." She shook her head. "..don't let it get to you. Things really suck right now, but we can get past it."
Trixie: "You think so?" She got over to Astral's car - it was an older Mercury, but in fantastic shape. "Oh, nice."
Astral: "It was my dad's. It's a Monarch." She shrugged.
Trixie: "They closed the Mercury brand this year." She frowned, but got in. The seats were like easy chairs. "Ohhh... so nice."
Astral: "Right? Come on, girl, let's get some grub." She patted her thigh once she got in, and started the car.
They drove around a bit, looking for some place that was open, given the holidays. They found a Marwari (Indian) restaurant..
Trixie: "I think I've had Marwar food... like.. once." She shrugged.
Astral: "Eh, it works." She nodded, and parked.
They went inside, and were greeted with a very cheerful, orange-coated pony with long dark hair.
Saffron: "WELCOME! Svaagat!" She cheered as they entered.
Astral: "Well, hi there!" She smiled. "I'm Astral, this is Trixie." Astral was dressed down, now, in jeans and combat boots, with a black tanktop and red-and-black plaid shirt.
Saffron: "I am Saffron Masala!" She bowed, flowingly. She was dressed in a flowing orange skirt, cream top, and an orange neckerchief around her neck. Everything was adorned with a little gold or bells. Her hair was done up with a gold fabric band. "Welcome to The Tasty Treat!"
Astral: "Ahh. Nice place. It smells incredible." She nodded.
Trixie: "I've never really had Marwar food before.." She was immediately enchanted by the smell. "..it smells heavenly."
Coriander Cumin: "Daughter!" He trotted out - he was a larger man. Much larger. "We have guests?"
Saffron: "Indeed!" She cheered. "See? I told you. Stay open when no one else is, and you get customers." She bowed a bit to her father.
Coriander Cumin: "Ah, how rude of me." He bowed a bit. "Coriander Cumin." He ushured the girls to a seat. "Please, sit." He handed them menus.
The two of them conversed in Hindi. They seem to be happy with the situation, and care about each other. There's a hug in there, and Saffron fetches them iced water.
Trixie: "This all looks so good.. um.. can we get like several orders to-go?" She tilted her head.
Both of them looked at each other like they hadn't considered that before. They fast-talk in Hindi, and Coriander goes in the back to root around for something.
Saffron: "We.. don't usually get requests like that! We have small to-go boxes, but.." She blinked, and shrugged.
Coriander: "Daughter! I have some boxes!" He shouted from the back. "Ask them to order what pleases them!"
Trixie: "Oooo! Okay. And, really, you should set up a take-out menu. This all looks amazing. It smells even better." She smacked her lips, her mouth was watering so bad.
Saffron: "A fantastic idea!" She chipperly grinned at them. "Take your time, I will help father prep the kitchen."
Trixie: "Thanks!" She giggled.
Okay, her fear was gone. The temptation of food.. really good food.. had her attention, now.
Astral: "Oh, my. ALL these choices look good." She pondered the menu...
TIME: 1:24PM
Khyangatown, Canterlot
Dr. Moon Dancer: "Oh, get out of my way." She shoo'd a couple of crime scene technicians.
Dusk, seeing this, stepped on over.
Dusk: "Hi, there. Altern Dusk Seeker." He nodded to her. "Nightwatch 6th T-"
Dr. Moon Dancer: "Ah, yes, one of the palace thugs." She smirked dismissively, and shrugged. "Dr. Moon Dancer. Canterlot P-D Forensics."
Dusk: *Chuckle* "Palace thugs?" He smirked.
There was a bit of a rivalry between local police agencies and the Guards. Since the Guards had looser rules, they often went in at lower levels of provocation, and had a, thus, thuggish reputation to some. But, it was one with respect.
Dr. Moon Dancer: "Yeah." She shrugged, and went in to the crime scene. She started examining everything, very slowly, very carefully. "..mhm." She nodded. "Well, I can tell you, Altern, that the killer is a unicorn, likely female, and likely educated." She shrugged.
Dusk: "And how did you arrive at that conclusion?" He tilted his head.
Dr. Moon Dancer: "The precision of the cuts, the fact that this was all done simultaniously, and quickly, and the angle of the cuts and stabs indicates a shorter stature and suggests a lack of physical strength. So, yeah, it all fits." She shrugged wide.
Dusk: "Interesting." He nodded. "Alright, well, pass that along to the detectives, I guess." He shrugged wide.
Dr. Moon Dancer: "Actually, I've already requested the Nightwatch be assigned to this case." She handed him a small, dark purple envelope. It's the kind that contains orders.
He took it and opened it. Inside was an official communique from Wispy. He knew that she would be going out of town for the New Year, along with much of the Senior Staff. Astral and Dusk were assigned as Primary Duty Officers until the 6th.
The communique simply stated that he was the lead Nightwatcher on this case, and to relay information to Dr. Moon Dancer.
Dusk: "..got it." He nodded. "If Trixie remembers anything, I'll let you know."
Dr. Moon Dancer: "Eh, it'll probably be a couple days, but she will recall it." She shrugged, wide, arms open. "Pretty normal."
Dusk: "Understood." He nodded. "I'll be in touch."
Dr. Moon Dancer: "Same. I'll let you know if we find anything more." She nodded to him, and shoo'd him out. "Until then, I have a crime scene to finish processing..?"
Dusk: "Right, right." He nodded, and departed.
The whole thing bothered him. The idea that all this negativity was coming up. It wasn't normal. This was a peaceful society. Yes, they'd had a very gradual increase in problems as the nation grew, cities got denser, and people started living closer to each other, but nothing... nothing like the last two weeks had happened in the last 300 years.
He DID get the feeling something was off. So, instead of going home, he took a turn, and went to Shining Armor's place.
1:57PM
Goldship Estates, North Canterlot
He drove into the area, and immediately felt out of place. This is what executives in the Government had. Big budgets, big houses. It reminded him, a bit, of some of the happier days when Mom was still alive - how rich he felt, with his own decently big house.
That reminded him - he was still his father's only living heir, he'd have to see what to do about his business. And his house. That was Tomorrow Dusk's problem, though.
Shining Armor's address was 11 Kingdom Court. Driving up to it, he was impressed with the structure. It looked like a stone manor house of older Ambleonian (British) design. It wasn't a facade, though, and he could tell. Very solid.
He parked on the street. His old beater didn't deserve to share the driveway with what was clearly Minister Twilight's personal Jaguar (it had a few purple stickers and things on it), or Shining's Land Rover. Or the Executive Limosine.
He went to the door, and pressed the buzzer. He half expected a butler. Night Lite answered the door after a couple of minutes.
Night Lite: "Ah, Mister Seeker." He nodded. "Here to check on my son?"
Dusk: "Actually, I'd like to talk to Minister Sparkle, if I may?" He shrugged. "It's Nightwatch business, sir, but I think it's very important. National security."
Night Lite: "Oh.. of course." He knit his brow, and motioned for Dusk to enter.
Considering Dusk was in jeans, a nice button down shirt, and clean combat boots, he felt very under dressed here. Night Lite was in a suit, still, but a different one, with an ascot instead of a tie. He was led to the study, where Minister Twilight was reading some old, ancient tome, he figured. He was a little surprised to see she was reading a dime store Cowboy Romance novel.
Dusk: "My fiancee has that book." He nodded. "Minister."
Minister Sparkle: "OH!" She about jumped out of her skin. "Ah, sorry, Altern." She stood up from her desk, and extended her hand. "What's the matter?"
Dusk: "Minister.." He shook hands with her. "..I'd like to ask your advice. In your brother's stead. Since I'm the Nightwatch Duty Officer for the next several days. I'm afraid there's something going on here." He shrugged, and paced around the room. "Think about it, Minister. A terrorist attack. A rape attempt. Now, there's been a senseless murder of a restaruanteur downtown - the Song family, from Khyangatown." He turned to look at her. "Something very strange is going on. Nothing like this has happened in at least 300 years." He shook his head. "And 300 years ago, it was a small incident - the Smooze Outbreak."
300 years ago, there had been an outbreak of something called only The Smooze. It infected ponies and turned their hearts dark and spiteful. It led to some fights, several riots, and about 30 dead directly from the violence. It was solved by a group of powerful unicorns using magic to dispell the Smooze, or so the stories went.
Minister Sparkle frowned, and rubbed her chin, going for a few books on the shelves in the study, and pulling them down, flipping through them. She was lost in thought for at least half an hour, pondering his question. Dusk.. just sat down on one of the chairs, and let her rumiate on the question.
Minister Sparkle: "..I think you're right, Altern. Something's up." She shook her head. "I need to research this." She shrugged. "I would advise you be on your guard. And make sure the rest of the Nightwatch is, too. This is very strange, and I'm really not sure what this might be. It might just be a small, temporary outbreak of really bad luck in a cosmic sense." She sighed.
Dusk: "Alright, then." He nodded, and got up. "I'm going to go check in on Shining, and I'll be on my way."
Minister Sparkle: "You know, it makes me really happy that Shining has people that care about him, like this." She smiled a bit, with a small blush. "When we were kids, it was kinda just him and me. I was the smart but tiny sister, he was the tough but big, brother." She looked out the window, wistfully. "When he almost died.." She lowered her head. "..I'll be forever in your debt, Mister Seeker."
Dusk: "If Her Honorable would prefer, just Dusk, ma'am." He put a hand to his chest, and bowed his head a little.
Twilight: "Then call me Twilight." She nodded, turning to him, with a smile. "Friends are important." She tapped an ancient tome. "In the olden days, thousands of years ago, it was said friendship was magic." She looked at the book. "I like to think it is."
Dusk: "As do I, Twilight." He smiled a bit, and waved good bye to her. "Until next time."
Twilight: "Yes, of course, Dusk." She smiled brightly. "Next time."
3:18PM
Dusk's Apartment
He finally got home, after talking to Shining Armor and getting a more personal update on his health. He was going to be out of action for several months, that was clear, and he instructed the commanders of the Royal, Solar, and Nightwatch guards to coordinate when it comes to defense of the kingdom. He, too, felt something was greatly amiss.
And then there was the Changelings. A more direct threat. Shining was concerned that they might still have designs on the Kingdom, and perhaps, a hand in some of the recent misfortunes, given how they seem determined to undermine Equestria, destroy it from within as they had Tarpangoslavia years ago, and instead of Balkanize it, conquer part of it outright, and expand.
Dusk also met young master Spike, Twilight's ward, a young Dragon boy of about 14. Nice enough lad, too, and certainly very smart. It was very unusual to see a Dragon outside of the Dragonshire nation, but he seemed to be just part of the family, with Twilight Velvet adoring him like one of her own.
Finally, Dusk got home, after Twilight Velvet shoo'd him out, so her son wouldn't be bothered with the affairs of state.. and he came home to incredible smells.
Dusk: "WHOA! What did you guys get? Doesn't smell like pizza!" He moved over to the.. tupperware containers?
Trixie: "Here. Try this." She stuffed a lamb kebab in his muzzle.
He chewed.. and he smiled.
Dusk: "Okay. New favorite take-out place." He nodded, and got himself his own serving. "Tupperware?"
Astral: "They want us to bring the containers back in the morning, they didn't even THINK about being a take-out place until we said something. It's Marwar food!" She beamed a grin. "Made with lots of love."
Dusk: "I can taste the love." He nodded. "Curry.. real curry." He munched at it. "My word, this is good stuff."
Astral: "What took you so long?" She tilted her head and flicked a wing.
Dusk: "I... went to Shining's." He blushed a bit, and made some hand gestures. "I was worried about him, and I was worried about what was happening in the kingdom, so, I spoke to Minister Sparkle.. Twilight."
Rarity: *Tinge of Jealousy* "A first-name basis with the Minister of Magic, are we?" She sat next to him, and almost on top of him, possessively.
Dusk: "Ah-er-eh-I-It's not like that!" He got defensive, and blushed.
Trixie: "Oh, bullshit." She spat, teasingly. "It's all over your face. Trixie knows when her lovely Ex has an eye for a girl." She cocked a brow. "She's pretty, she's smart, she's powerful, and she's shy and reclusive. Much like.." She wagged a fork between all the women in the room.
Starlight: "..us, G-Man." She giggled. "You seem to collect strong women with problems."
Astral: "Eh, don't count me." She shrugged her wings. "We're bros." She nodded at Dusk.
Dusk: "Yeah, and when we got our NATO assignments, you volunteered to take Trixie's pla-" He blinked. "-oops."
Pillows thumped him from several angles.
Astral: "YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T TELL!"
Trixie: "DEPLOYMENT PUSSY!? REALLY!? TRIXIE WAS TAKING VERY GOOD CARE OF YOUR NEEDS AT THE TIME!"
Rarity: "HOW UNCOUTH DARLING!"
Starlight: "PILLOW FIGHT!!"
After a few seconds of Dusk pretending to squeal, they all broke down laughing at the whole thing.
Astral: "Really, though, Dusk and I aren't like that." She shrugged.
Rarity: "Oh, I'm quite aware, Darling! It's why I really want you in the Wedding Party as a Bridesmaid." She beamed.
Astral: "REALLY?!" She bugged her eyes out. "No one's ever asked me that before! Oh, Rarity, thank you!" She leaned over and hugged her.
Sisterly bonding.. a beautiful thing.
Dusk, however, had his mind on other matters.
Dusk: "Still. That murderer is still out there." He looked down at his plate. "I don't think they'll stop at the Songs. Call it a crazy intuition, but it feels like.. they want to kill. They like to kill. And they'll kill again." He sighed a bit.
December 30, 1011 C.S.
2:35PM
MegaManga Comic Book and Game Shop
Dr. Moon Dancer and Astral Sky were staring at the body of a young man named Button Mash. He was 17, and had just started working here just before the holidays. He was now dead, with a controller cord from a classic Coltendo 64 wrapped around his neck. The display next to him was knocked over, with magazines spread everywhere.
The strangulation had not killed him, merely took the fight out of him. He was disemboweled, with his entrails stuffed into a VCR machine. He'd died of exanguination. His death had not been fast, or easy.
Just as with the Songs, there was a bit of a ritual here. His death, like theirs, had been based on where he was and who he was. In life, he had loved video games, old TV cartoons, and comics books. He was killed in a comic shop, with a game controller and a VCR.
In the corner, seated on one of the benches, was Trixie.
Trixie: "...and I just wanted to get Dusk something to cheer him up!" She protested, as Officer Thunderlane took her statement.
Sgt. Vigilance: "This is the second killing, Doctor." He frowned, stepping in just inside the door, so as not to disturb the crime scene.
Dr. Moon Dancer: "I'm aware, Sergeant." She frowned. "And, Trixie, did you get a glimpse of them again?" She turned to the traumatized blue mare.
Trixie: "F-For like.. an instant.." She whinny-whined. "It feels like it was the same one that killed the Songs." She threw her head into her hands. "WHY does EVERYTHING that I TOUCH just TURN to SHIT?!" And she cried.
Astral: "Well.. I hate to say it.. but I think we have what's called a Serial Killer on our hands. The last recorded case was Jacknife the Ripper in Ambleon about a hundred years ago." She shook her head.
Dr. Moon Dancer: "I'm afraid you're right." She frowned. "Radical an idea as that might be. We can't let this get to the Press - the public will panic, and the killer will get scared off." She shook her head.
Astral: "I'll wait for Dusk to get her to pick up Trixie, and I'll start the paperwork." She frowned.
Trixie: "I hate this.." She whined again.
Dr. Moon Dancer: "Oh, it's.. worse than you think, Trixie. If I'm right, the serial killer should be aware of you by now. You'll be a target." She shrugged.
Trixie: "Trixie does not want to be cereal killed.." She grumbled.
Astral: "Well, then we'll have to catch the killer before that happens.." She nodded.
TO BE CONTINUED - END OF EPISODE FOUR
