[FWM] Game of Ponies

[Kelvin360]

"As you wish. I'll be easy enough to find once you've selected an honorguard you can trust."

Riposte takes a minute to look towards the pathway that leads to the library instead of the living quarters and garrison. However, she stops for a moment.

"Did you collect the film from the officer, or are we going to let them develop the pictures and then collect them?"

"The latter. We both saw the crime scene - if it comes about that they are tampered with between now and then, we will be able to tell, and we will have a further lead."

[Grif]

Solar Eclipse sipped at her tea, colecting her thoughts. "Hate and hurt in equal measure." she replied softly. "The Stouthearts still have not forgiven for the pain of the Summer. Their once-legendary hospitality is but a shell of its former self, existing in name only. They cannot walk five steps without checking for a knife in the dark, and they will not wait to strike if they think they spot one. They are so afraid of being hurt again that they hurt all around them, and themselves greatest of all."

"Still," she continued. "There are good ponies there. Ones who are as tired of the hate as I. Ones who want nothing more than to live and to care for their own and their fellow pony. But they are few, precious few, and the House is still great..." She fell silent, staring into her tea.

"Ah..." Luna responded with a thoughtful hum. "The rot... is deeper than I thought. Unchecked..." the Princess let the thought hang in the air. "... well, we should find a way to bring them about. But I fear they are not the only one, and that we might already be too late..."

[MCerberus]

"The latter. We both saw the crime scene - if it comes about that they are tampered with between now and then, we will be able to tell, and we will have a further lead."

"Shall we meet in two hours to discuss further plans?"
Unless the answer is something rather interesting, Riposte would make her way to the library to try and find a librarian.

[Grif]

"Shall we meet in two hours to discuss further plans?"
Unless the answer is something rather interesting, Riposte would make her way to the library to try and find a librarian.

Incidentally, Riposte would find the head librarian of the Royal Library inside his sanctum, though it was rather unlikely he'd actually go out to meet her unless summoned urgently. Perhaps one of his lesser staff would be more amenable...

[MCerberus]

Incidentally, Riposte would find the head librarian of the Royal Library inside his sanctum, though it was rather unlikely he'd actually go out to meet her unless summoned urgently. Perhaps one of his lesser staff would be more amenable...

The library is generally a place where tact pays off. Riposte walks calmly towards one of the staff, making sure to walk in a way to reduce the rattle of metal on metal, still dressed in full armor. At least that should make her requests seem more important.

"Excuse me, I need to speak with someone with clearance. Either the head or someone who can point me in their direction."

[Grif]

The library is generally a place where tact pays off. Riposte walks calmly towards one of the staff, making sure to walk in a way to reduce the rattle of metal on metal, still dressed in full armor. At least that should make her requests seem more important.

"Excuse me, I need to speak with someone with clearance. Either the head or someone who can point me in their direction."

The full battle armour getup raised the middle-aged librarian eyebrows. Though she appeared to have seen enough that this sort of request from these sort of ponies didn't really faze her. She lowered her glasses and spoke in a thin, reedly voice. "All the way to the Exceptional Magicks section, take a left, then the right at the very end. Head Librarian Covers sanctum is there." She glanced down at Riposte's coverings. "And try not to disturb the library patrons too much. We already had another like you passing by today."

[MCerberus]

The full battle armour getup raised the middle-aged librarian eyebrows. Though she appeared to have seen enough that this sort of request from these sort of ponies didn't really faze her. She lowered her glasses and spoke in a thin, reedly voice. "All the way to the Exceptional Magicks section, take a left, then the right at the very end. Head Librarian Covers sanctum is there." She glanced down at Riposte's coverings. "And try not to disturb the library patrons too much. We already had another like you passing by today."

Although 'like you' could mean a couple of different things, Riposte decides not to prod. Having a decent relationship with the different factions in the castle is important, and now is not a good time to annoy them. There are a few guesses though. Either a certain griffon she doesn't get along with has been around or somepony's around that can be described as an "agent".

"I thank you, and I'll try to keep quiet."

The hippogriff makes her way down the path prescribed, trying to keep silent...ish. Metal, you know?

[Grif]

Although 'like you' could mean a couple of different things, Riposte decides not to prod. Having a decent relationship with the different factions in the castle is important, and now is not a good time to annoy them. There are a few guesses though. Either a certain griffon she doesn't get along with has been around or somepony's around that can be described as an "agent".

"I thank you, and I'll try to keep quiet."

The hippogriff makes her way down the path prescribed, trying to keep silent...ish. Metal, you know?

Eventually, he'd arrive at a nondescript door at the far end of the corridor. Were it not for the specific instructions, one could have mistaken this for a storage closet or something equally innocuous. Clearly Head Librarian Covers valued his privacy very much.

[MCerberus]

Eventually, he'd arrive at a nondescript door at the far end of the corridor. Were it not for the specific instructions, one could have mistaken this for a storage closet or something equally innocuous. Clearly Head Librarian Covers valued his privacy very much.

Riposte gives a short and courteous knock on the door, trying not to draw too much attention or seem too forceful. Just in case though, she speaks at any party listening. "I'd like to discuss tonight's events under the moon."

An awkward way to casually declare you're a royal loyalist, but it should do.

[Grif]

Riposte gives a short and courteous knock on the door, trying not to draw too much attention or seem too forceful. Just in case though, she speaks at any party listening. "I'd like to discuss tonight's events under the moon."

An awkward way to casually declare you're a royal loyalist, but it should do.

"Oh, what now?" came the curt, annoyed reply. Then a heavy sigh, as the door creaked open, and through the crack, the face of a weary, bespectacled unicorn peeked through the door. "Yes, how may I help you?" His piercing eyes studied the hippogriff with some intensity.

[MCerberus]

"Oh, what now?" came the curt, annoyed reply. Then a heavy sigh, as the door creaked open, and through the crack, the face of a weary, bespectacled unicorn peeked through the door. "Yes, how may I help you?" His piercing eyes studied the hippogriff with some intensity.

"I was wondering if you had time to discuss a sensitive matter going on in the city," Riposte replies calmly. The bookish types seem to get a little stubborn when annoyed. Canterlot librarians and mages being about equal to the most bull-headed of Runecasters she had to deal with in previous years. And as such, there's no real point in keeping the pitch subtle, as the 'come out and just say it' would hurt her odds.

"It seems that there are ponies in several organizations that would owe you a favor if you're able to help with a mysterious old-equestrian script." Hopefully the 'get something for doing something you find interesting' is a good enough angle.

[Grif]

"I was wondering if you had time to discuss a sensitive matter going on in the city," Riposte replies calmly. The bookish types seem to get a little stubborn when annoyed. Canterlot librarians and mages being about equal to the most bull-headed of Runecasters she had to deal with in previous years. And as such, there's no real point in keeping the pitch subtle, as the 'come out and just say it' would hurt her odds.

The first part had the librarian rolling his eyes behind his heavy spectacles. "Look, sir. I don't have the time—"

"It seems that there are ponies in several organizations that would owe you a favor if you're able to help with a mysterious old-equestrian script." Hopefully the 'get something for doing something you find interesting' is a good enough angle.

"... what sort of old script are you talking about here?" he ventured cautiously, letting a glimmer of interest spark. The mention of favours didn't seem to affect him one way or another.

[MCerberus]

The first part had the librarian rolling his eyes behind his heavy spectacles. "Look, sir. I don't have the time—"


"... what sort of old script are you talking about here?" he ventured cautiously, letting a glimmer of interest spark. The mention of favours didn't seem to affect him one way or another.

"Partial writing found in mysterious circumstances. Like I said, there's some circumstance around it. May I come in to speak?"

[Grif]

"Partial writing found in mysterious circumstances. Like I said, there's some circumstance around it. May I come in to speak?"

The librarian hesitates, then lets out a low stream of grumbling under his breath, before swinging the door open. "Very well. Don't touch anything, please, I implore you." The dimly lit office resembled more a storage closet, except for books and various ancient scrolls, stacked as far as the eye can see against the wall. A small desk was propped against the corner, and this was where Dusty Covers made his way, his horn lighting up to shuffle some books out of the way as he moved to sit again.

"Now. Explain." he said, as soon as Riposte made herself comfortable. Or as comfortable as she could be under the circumstances.

[MCerberus]

The librarian hesitates, then lets out a low stream of grumbling under his breath, before swinging the door open. "Very well. Don't touch anything, please, I implore you." The dimly lit office resembled more a storage closet, except for books and various ancient scrolls, stacked as far as the eye can see against the wall. A small desk was propped against the corner, and this was where Dusty Covers made his way, his horn lighting up to shuffle some books out of the way as he moved to sit again.

"Now. Explain." he said, as soon as Riposte made herself comfortable. Or as comfortable as she could be under the circumstances.

Everything seems standard for most librarians around here. Comfortable is something that would be rather awkward for pony-sized furnishing. Instead of finding a seat, Riposte finds the most open space to stand.

"You may be aware of a series of crimes in the city at large. These seam random and without motivation. However, at the most recent crime scene, a portion of text in old Equestrian was discovered. From appearances, that perpetrator attempted to destroy this text. It is, of course, damaged and partial. It would take a very cunning pony indeed to glean meaning from it."

[Grif]

Everything seems standard for most librarians around here. Comfortable is something that would be rather awkward for pony-sized furnishing. Instead of finding a seat, Riposte finds the most open space to stand.

"You may be aware of a series of crimes in the city at large. These seam random and without motivation. However, at the most recent crime scene, a portion of text in old Equestrian was discovered. From appearances, that perpetrator attempted to destroy this text. It is, of course, damaged and partial. It would take a very cunning pony indeed to glean meaning from it."

The librarian chuckled dryly. "You can drop the flattery, hippogriff. I have no patience for such, and neither do you, I'd wager. You guard types never do flattery well, by and large. So let's drop the pretense." He narrowed his eyes. "Yes, I heard of the murders. Nasty business, there. Should I assume you have the text with you now?"

[Kelvin360]

Lunatic House - Interior

"Absolutely, unequivocally no."

The gaze of Lord Sanctified Eclipse is hardened at the best of times, but in matters of his own house, nothing can soften him out of a fully-established glare. The victim now being the mare already on the poor side of his mind this month. The small room is not suited for this, and the improvisation of this meeting has put them all on edge.

"Lord Eclipse..." Moonshine manages past a mouth gone suddenly dry.

A hoof strikes the floor, flooding the chamber with a shock of noise. "No. Even if I HAD the resources to place at your beck and call, you are hardly at the top of any list that contains individuals worthy of those means."

Feathergrin's jaw twitches, and only Moonshine's presence has kept from from starting a brawl. "Which of us exactly are you talking to? It's not her."

Eclipse slices the air in front of him in a call for silence. "You are compromised, not just emotionally, but by your Code. Not every random murder is cause to ignite a bloody crusade. There is already rampant mistrust of your kind, and if you jump at the slightest discomfort..."

"Loss of life is not a SLIGHT discomfort, LORD." She growls.

Eclispe takes a dangerous step forward, pressing Moonshine into a seated position. "Don't ring me with your supposed moral high ground. Ponies. Die. An inability to recognize and properly deal with this fact has always been the highlight of my issue with your ilk."

With a snap of his hoof, Feathergrin pushes the noble away from her. "And an inability to give a flying buck when anything happens that doesn't personally inconvenience you has always been the highlight of OUR issue with YOURS."

"That's enough. All of you." The room floods with darkness, and when the torches reassert themselves, all three of them are a rather vast comparative distance from one another. Moonlight stands in the middle. "Moonshine, we've made this clear before. We aren't allowed to allocate house resources to your pet projects."

This strikes Moonshine dumb, and Feathergrin answers for her, incredulous. "Pet-?"

A tendril of darkness erupts from the floor and smacks Feathergrin across the face with the force and shock of a wet noodle. "Shut up, Daniel. If you want to turn this into a legitimate issue, you need more than a vague connection that exists primarily only for you. Give the eyes something to see."

Feathergrin rubs his cheek and affixes a death glare on both the other stallions. "Tch. So we're in a Catch-22 that keeps us conveniently out of your mane? Is that it?"

Eclipse smirks. "Disbarring you from badgering us for once is a monumentally favorable side effect."

Feathergrin takes a step forward and raises his hoof again. "You are so full of SH-"

"Feathergrin, please!" Moonshine cries desperately, trying to fight down some kind of nausea and keep focus on the conversation at the same time. "I can't...I can't do this alone."

Moonlight sighs. "As much as it causes me physical pain to agree with Eclipse, this just isn't something we're obligated to put our power into. We have something close to a civil war to contain, Cadance on our backs, prison riots and more vampire activity than we've seen in more than two decades. When I say that we need to prioritize, I say that taking into account a level of favoritism I'm not even allowed to give you."

"Perhaps you should consider instead of condemn the why of it," Eclipse says. "Have you stopped, in the middle of feeling unjustly persecuted, to ask exactly why the same issue that sends you into an outrage doesn't even register as something that we need pay attention to? Frankly, you should be thrilled that your lack of responsibility is so abundant."

He points with finality at the door. "Now if you don't mind, we have matters to discuss that, shockingly, do not pertain to you."

Moonshine does not move. She looks pleadingly at her father, who slowly shakes his head. Only the blinding sunlight alerts her to the fact that Feathergrin has led her away.


Lunatic House - Exterior

"-always knew Eclipse was a snake, but Moonlight kicked us to the curb just as hard." He offers a glare to a confused noble as they pass. "What do we do?"

Moonshine pushes him away and straightens, some of her father's hard edge seeping into her manner. "WE do not do anything. I am going to find the guards and ensure nothing happened to the evidence. And you are going to go home."

Feathergrin turns his head to the side and leans in, kissing her. "Don't you cut me out, too," he murmurs. "I'm all yours. You need me, so say the word."

There is a moment between them as though she might persist, but she knows that she is dealing with a master of ignoring orders. "How many eyes do you have?"

He shrugs. "It's a city. Someone always sees something, even if they don't know what it was."

There is a pause. "Find them. If this is going to be my responsibility, I need representatives, which I suppose makes you my first spymaster. Get me a lead, and we'll go from there. This can only get worse for the investigators - they're the only ones I know to be in danger."

"And...what about you?" He seems suddenly reluctant to proceed if it might place her in danger.

She adjusts her blade's hilt and a cobalt aura flares to life around her. "Becoming the primary target is exactly what I want. This has already gone on for too long."

"Let them come."

[TheAmishPirate]

"Ah..." Luna responded with a thoughtful hum. "The rot... is deeper than I thought. Unchecked..." the Princess let the thought hang in the air. "... well, we should find a way to bring them about. But I fear they are not the only one, and that we might already be too late..."

"By one pony's actions, we were thrust into this dark age." Solar Eclipse put down her tea, and gazed up at the sunlight streaking through the colored glass. "...can one pony bring us back out again?"

[Grif]

"By one pony's actions, we were thrust into this dark age." Solar Eclipse put down her tea, and gazed up at the sunlight streaking through the colored glass. "...can one pony bring us back out again?"

"If there can be one pony, I fear..." Luna followed Solar Eclipse gaze upwards, her voice both wistful and distant. "I fear I'm not the one."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

(This might be slightly further into the future.)

[For Feathergrin]
For the eyes and ears of the redoubtable bard, there would be frustratingly little useful clues to be picked up the following weeks, amidst the sea of raw data that would be picked up. But soon enough, like the investigators before them, they would establish a few salient facts: there was a pattern to the attacks. Or more specifically, there was none to be found. While the victims were all mostly adults, in their prime, the similarities ended there. Both male and female were targeted, with no regards to race or affiliation. At times, their homes were forced open. Others, there was no sign of any struggle.

For their latest victim, nothing new was found. Everything matched up with the report the officer read to them. Prior to the murders, Iron Worth had tended to his smithy the whole day. On his way back, he was seen entering a toymaker shop, ostensibly to buy toys to celebrate his nephew's birthday. Speaking of nephew, the brother, Silver Shine, had arrived in Canterlot and had been interviewed by the investigators of the crime. Probably by the same detective as well. Perhaps they could speak to him as well.

[MCerberus]

The librarian chuckled dryly. "You can drop the flattery, hippogriff. I have no patience for such, and neither do you, I'd wager. You guard types never do flattery well, by and large. So let's drop the pretense." He narrowed his eyes. "Yes, I heard of the murders. Nasty business, there. Should I assume you have the text with you now?"

"The guard is currently making copies in protection against accident... or other causes. With your agreement my compatriot will be here a bit later to deliver the text."

[Grif]

"The guard is currently making copies in protection against accident... or other causes. With your agreement my compatriot will be here a bit later to deliver the text."

"Egh. I see." The librarian seemed a little perturbed at the prospect, but appeared to be mulling the matter over. "Very well. Send your messenger over directly to me. Make no mention of this to any of my staff. They... need not concern themselves of such. You have the permission to invoke my authority if any should bar your way." He smiled thinly. "Let's hope this is actually worth my time and effort."

[TheAmishPirate]

"If there can be one pony, I fear..." Luna followed Solar Eclipse gaze upwards, her voice both wistful and distant. "I fear I'm not the one."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

(This might be slightly further into the future.)

"What would such a pony look like, I wonder?" Solar Eclipse mused, only mostly rhetorically. "Would we know them on sight, or in hindsight? Would they even know themselves? And what might happen to them, after they've made the world right again?"

[MCerberus]

"Egh. I see." The librarian seemed a little perturbed at the prospect, but appeared to be mulling the matter over. "Very well. Send your messenger over directly to me. Make no mention of this to any of my staff. They... need not concern themselves of such. You have the permission to invoke my authority if any should bar your way." He smiled thinly. "Let's hope this is actually worth my time and effort."

"I will ensure that you get what you need as fast as possible," Riposte politely replies. "However, since this is a sensitive subject and with the circumstance, would you wish for additional security?"

[Grif]

"What would such a pony look like, I wonder?" Solar Eclipse mused, only mostly rhetorically. "Would we know them on sight, or in hindsight? Would they even know themselves? And what might happen to them, after they've made the world right again?"

"So many questions. So little answers. Even after all these years." Luna offered a small smile, and sipped her tea thoughtfully.

"I will ensure that you get what you need as fast as possible," Riposte politely replies. "However, since this is a sensitive subject and with the circumstance, would you wish for additional security?"

Librarian Covers snorted. "Fret not. My quarters are in the castle itself. There are guards everywhere. This library has dozens of magical wards built into its very walls. I think I'll be safe. But it is imperative that any word of this stays here in this room."

[MCerberus]

Librarian Covers snorted. "Fret not. My quarters are in the castle itself. There are guards everywhere. This library has dozens of magical wards built into its very walls. I think I'll be safe. But it is imperative that any word of this stays here in this room."

"Of course. I meant no insult, just a natural caution considering events around this script. Is there anything else I can offer you?"

[Grif]

"Of course. I meant no insult, just a natural caution considering events around this script. Is there anything else I can offer you?"

"Not at all." He waved the hippogriff away. "Bring me the text and we'll see what happens after."

[MCerberus]

"Not at all." He waved the hippogriff away. "Bring me the text and we'll see what happens after."

"I will take leave and return immediately then. I thank you for the library's help."
Unless there's something else to stop her, Riposte would head out the door and towards the the exit.

[Grif]

Nothing stopping Riposte there.

Though the question remains as to where she'd go next. Would she go and meet up with Moonshine? Or perhaps do a little digging of her own before meeting the detective from earlier?

[TheAmishPirate]

"So many questions. So little answers. Even after all these years." Luna offered a small smile, and sipped her tea thoughtfully.

"Maybe we weren't ever meant to know." Solar Eclipse set her tea down. "After all, what would we do even if we did know? What more could we do?" For the first time, a strain showed in the mare's voice.

[MCerberus]

Nothing stopping Riposte there.

Though the question remains as to where she'd go next. Would she go and meet up with Moonshine? Or perhaps do a little digging of her own before meeting the detective from earlier?

Moonshine can be checked in on afterwards. The mare is probably off doing secret royal stuff. Well, slightly more secret royal stuff than the hippogriff is up to at the moment. Time being what it is, Riposte keeps the armor on and flies from the castle grounds down to the guard office to collect the images.