Chapter 15: The Hunt

Striding down the brightly lit corridor of Canterlot Castle, Daring can’t help but feel like she is walking to her own execution. The fact she is flanked by no less than six guards, all hoof-picked by Amber Dawn himself, and on the way to the dungeons below the Castle only makes it worse. If not for the fact she is wearing a finely tailored RAF uniform with her rank and the insignia of the Wonderbolts Reserve Corps, she would likely make jokes to the tune of being under arrest for some joke made about Commander Knight’s narcolepsy.

However, she is not being marched to the dungeons to be put in a cell. The soldiers around her are under her command, and they are escorting her to do perhaps the hardest thing she’ll do since taking over the Reserves in Canterlot; Talk to her cousin.

Coming to the large reinforced doors that block the entrance to the twisting staircase into the abyss below, Daring holds up a hoof to silently order a halt. The guard squad assigned to her stops, their training causing them to react instantly. Sighing heavily, Daring looks to a nearby window, and closes her eyes as she lets the mid-morning sun streaming through the shattered remains of the window warm her coat. She takes strength from it, as she had taken strength from the warm body of her husband as they had consummated their marriage last night. Taking one more deep, long breath, Daring opens her eyes and smiles slightly.

“We’ll, let’s go say hello to my dear cousin, shall we?” Daring mutters to herself.

“Did you say something, ma’am?” a guard asks from beside her.

“Nothing of importance, Private,” Daring sighs. “Lets just go get this over with.”

Nodding, a pair of guards move forward and push the reinforced oak door open, a low grinding sound filling the air followed by a muted boom as the door swings fully open. Once the guards return to their places in the formation, the group starts forward again, compressing down into a single file line to navigate the stairs once past the initial guardhouse just beyond the gates. The descent down into the depths steals the warmth from the air, each step down the worn and rough hewn stone steps echoing forward and backwards in the passage like a funeral march. By the time they reach the dungeons, Daring’s breath mists slightly in the air to mix with the hazy smoke of the torches and lanterns that grace the dark spaces below the Castle with their light.

“I’ll take two of you to the cell, the rest stay here in reserve,” Daring states calmly. “No point in having all of you down there, the corridors are too narrow.”

“Of course,” the senior guard in her detail, a weathered sergeant, agrees. “I and the new recruit will accompany you, then.”

Smirking, Daring nods. “Alright, you and Lode then, Sergeant Bulwark.” She starts off towards the door on the far end of the corridor, the rooms on this side of the door being the facilities for the guards and everything beyond the cells. She waits by the door for a moment for her reduced escort to catch up before opening the door and stepping into the actual jail part of the dungeon.

Their journey is swift through the dark cut stone corridors, the occasional torch and magical lantern casting flickering shadows as they advance to a cell not far from the guard checkpoint they just left. Truthfully, their destination could have been deeper in the dungeon, for the twisting corridors extend deep into the bedrock upon which the Castle is built upon, deeper still than the crystal caverns that are above their heads, but being a high valued prisoner Daring’s cousin was housed in one of the more… accommodating cells.

Stopping before a door like any other, Daring looks to the two guards with her and smirks.

“If you hear any shrieking inside, I’ll need you to come in and rescue my cousin,” Daring quips. “Celestia knows last time I spent more than five minutes in a room with him, I nearly strangled him.”

“Very well, Command Sergeant,” Bulwark replies with his own smirk. “Try not to kill him, though. A lot of us want a shot at him.”

Putting a hoof on the door, Daring sighs, “Oh, fine, ruin my fun.” She then chuckles and pulls a key out of a uniform pocket which she uses to quickly unlock the door. “Right, I’ll be back shortly.”

Not waiting for a nod from the two guards, Daring hands the key to Bulwark and steps inside. The door closes behind her, and the lock once more clicks into place as she stares at the form laying prone on the bunk in front of her.

“I was wondering when one of you was going to come and gloat,” the stallion on the bunk sighs, not turning over to look at her. “Honestly, I’m insulted, it’s taken you this long to come here and rub my defeat in my face.”

“That’s not why I am here,” Daring replies curtly. “And you know it.” She sighs and steps forward. “So turn over and look at me.”

“Why should I? I am the Archduke of Canterlot,” the stallion replies, his tone cold. “Imprisoned I may be, but I shall never abandon my dignity.”

“Blueblood,” Daring sighs. “Just as stubborn as always…”

“You’re one to talk,” Blueblood replies, rolling over and glaring at Daring. “Of all the lesser nobles, you and perhaps your godmother are the most infuriating. Always you forget your station when speaking to your betters.”

“Well, good thing I won’t have that problem anymore,” Daring shrugs as she pulls a stool over to sit in front of Blueblood’s cot. “My parents were advanced to Furst and Fursten in the wake of your uprising, my husband and I are now ranking nobles of the court.”

“You and your husband?” Blueblood asks, raising an eyebrow. “Honestly, you actually married your clumsy gardener?” He sighs and rolls onto his back, hooves folded on his chest. “At least he is of noble blood. Minor nobility at that, you two deserve each other.”

“I don’t know if I should be insulted that I have your blessing, or just smirk and make a witty comeback…” Daring muses with a frown. “Wait, no I know which one I should do. At least I’m married!”

"Well, I was going to marry… I guess Doctor Hour would be your sister-in-law now. Her position in House Grey and as my aunt's student are circumstances highly in her favor.” Blueblood states with a lazy wave of his hoof. “She would make a suitable wife for a stallion of my standing."

“I don’t think you’d survive the honeymoon,” Daring replies with a roll of her eyes. “And that’s assuming you make it to the ceremony!” She then smirks evilly and leans forward. “Besides, if I recall correctly, you found the perfect stallion years ago!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Blueblood growls, his face starting to turn red.

“Oh, I think you do,” Daring smirks as Blueblood’s face continues to turn red. “But, then, I’m not here to talk about you and him breaking down the back door or anything.”

“Good, because that’d never happen,” Blueblood grumbles, his face still a bright crimson as he turns his head to glare at her. “So why are you here?”

“To help you, actually,” Daring starts as she fixes Blueblood with a flat look. “You were working with someone from the Shadowbolts, and I need to know who.”

“Well, you’ve wasted your time,” Blueblood states sharply. “I’d never heard of the Shadowbolts until they blew up my house, and I’d never work with them.”

“Then who gave you the crystal?” Daring inquires calmly. “As I understand, they come from the Shadowbolts, so you have to have worked with them to get one.”

“I assure you, I never spoke with them,” Blueblood states forcefully, sitting up. “I would know if I was speaking to one of those pegasi!”

“Well, who told you the Wonderbolts and Royal Guard had taken over Canterlot?” Daring continues asking. “Which, you should have known better than to believe! For one thing, I am a Wonderbolt, as are quite a few of the minor nobility!”

“Then why did you keep us from the Castle?” Blueblood bites back. “And it was Secure Savings, he owns the Canterlot Bank and does a lot of business with the Castle. If anyone would know what is going on in there, it would be him.” Blueblood then pauses and narrows his eyes. “Are you telling me the Shadowbolts have more than just pegasi in their employ?”

“Oh sweet Celestia,” Daring moans, putting a hoof to her face. “Now you get it?” She lowers her hoof and looks at Blueblood. “Yes, the Shadowbolts have an entire network of informants, of all tribes, that funnel them information. And apparently, they also do field work.”

“They used me?” Blueblood growls, his eyes narrowing further. “THEY USED ME TO ATTACK MY CITY!?”

“Yes, they did,” Daring says calmly. “They used you to invade the city, and kill thousands, Blueblood.” She leans forward, her face growing somber. “Many were of the peerage, and many more still were common ponies who looked up to you to protect them as the Archduke of this city, Blueblood. Their blood stains your hooves as much as Janus’, and the mercs have already faced their justice.”

“I had wondered what that dreadful screaming was a few nights ago,” Blueblood muses darkly. “I take it somepony took it into their mind to make the world a better place?”

“You could say that,” Daring shrugs, “but, like I said, I am here to help you. I’d rather not any more of my family, no matter how distantly related, die. We’ve had too much blood spilled.”

“So, I tell you how to find Secure Savings, and what?” Blueblood asks, leaning back on his cot. “You make sure I don’t die a horrible, screaming, death from an assassin’s blade?”

“Twilight will,” Daring sighs. “Not me. But only if you tell me how to draw the bastard out of hiding.”

“I want a full pardon,” Blueblood states calmly.

“No,” Daring replies sharply. “You’re lucky we didn’t just leave you to the mobs. You’ll take what Princess Twilight gives, and you’ll be glad you’re not swinging from the gallows.”

“Fine,” Blueblood sighs. “Anything else?”

“Yes,” Daring smiles, “Twilight told me if you cooperate you’ll be moved somewhere more fitting for your station, or past station however you want to think of it right now.”

“Then, allow me to tell you what I know,” Blueblood smiles brightly, his eyes alight with the prospect of getting out of his cell.

-------

“To think that coin counter is the source of our troubles,” Gold Star sighs, shaking his head. “But then, I shouldn’t be surprised, I’ve never trusted ponies who hoard money like dragons.”

“They are needed to keep the economy going,” Twilight states calmly from where she is seated behind Celestia’s great desk. “His bank holds the payroll for many groups in Equestria, including the Royal Guard and the Wonderbolts.”

Once more, Twilight had gone to her teacher’s study to find escape from the press of ponies needing her attention as the sole princess in Canterlot. Yet, even here she found herself with paperwork and other administrative things. Not that she minds it, honestly paperwork is something she does everyday, but with the majority of it being forms on how to rebuild the city she finds she wishes she could just curl up with a book and do nothing for the day.

“At least he doesn’t hold onto my main source of income,” Daring chuckles from where she is seated in front of the large fireplace, the afternoon sun streaming through the open doorway behind her. “Though, knowing what I know now, I’m not sure I want to know where Prose gets the money to pay me.”

“We’re getting off-track,” Dawn, who has been standing beside the closed door to Twilight’s left. “Princess, we need to figure out what we’re going to do with this information. The Guard can’t very well storm the Equestrian National Bank without cause, and we can’t publically name Secure Savings a traitor lest he run.”

“Well, we could if we gathered the house of lords, and got them onboard with the information we’ve got,” Gold offers, gesturing to Daring. “Especially if it comes from her and Blueblood.”

“Why me?” Daring says with a start, sitting up straight with a look of horror. “They likely hate me! And… well Blueblood is likely still in good terms with some of them, but I just got my rank handed to me on a silver platter!”

“By me,” Twilight agrees with a sigh. “I won’t lie, I don’t know the first thing about Canterlot politics, even if I am a Princess, but I think Gold has a point. They might at least respect the rank, if not you, because I was the one to give it to you.”

“I’ll concede that point,” Daring grumbles. “Not that I want to stand in front of a bunch of nobles and explain to them why we have to attack the building they house all their wealth in.”

“Not if we tell them their wealth is under attack by the Shadowbolts,” Gold provides, a devious smile on his face. “Nothing gets those rich slobs off their flanks like a threat to their bits.”

“Well, then let’s go with that,” Twilight declares before sighing and lifting some papers off the desk and stacking them. “Now, as much as I’d like to talk, I need to get back to looking over these papers, otherwise nothing will ever get done.” She shakes her head and mutters softly to nopony in particular. “How did Celestia put up with all this paperwork?”

“By your leave, Princess,” Dawn says with a salute before he opens the door, holding it open for Gold who likewise salutes and walks out.

Daring, however, doesn’t move, and insteads looks to Twilight with a small smile. “Uhm, Princess, before you get back to that, could you spare a moment for a something slightly personal?”

Looking up from the papers at Daring, then back at the papers, Twilight smiles slightly and nods to Daring. “Of course, I can spare a moment, Daring.” She inclines her head to Dawn who nods and closes the door. “So, what do you need to talk about?”

“Well,” Daring starts, crossing over to stand in front of the desk. “It’s about Blueblood’s release to a room here in the Castle. I’ve got an idea, and I wanted to ask you about it.”

------

Walking past the checkpoint a block down the street from Canterlot’s main power station, Foxfire can’t help but wince as she starts to feel the magical energy in the air start to grow more dense and cause the part of her head directly around and beneath her horn to throb. The entire block around the power station had been rendered nearly uninhabitable in the wake of the power station’s explosion during the battle, as any unicorn living in the area was unable to perform even the most basic of magics.

As such, Foxfire has no doubt she is the only unicorn in the area. All the workers she has seen so far are earth ponies or pegasi.

Turning a corner and walking down the next street directly towards the entrance to the power station’s service tunnel, Foxfire smiles as she notices a familiar red pegasus break off from a group of workers and start over towards her.

“Well, lass, I didn’t expect to see you out here,” Miracle says with a smile. “Thought you’d be at the Castle helpin’ hold things together.”

“I’ve got a degree in science and magical theory, Captain,” Foxfire smirks. “I figured I’d sat on my flank long enough and should roll my sleeves back up and see about lending you stallions a hand out here.”

“We could use all the help we can get,” Miracle sighs, looking around. “Whole place is a right bloody mess. And it only gets worse once you get underground.”

As if to prove his point, a loud thumping sound echos through the air, followed by a discharge of magical lighting arching up from the center of the power station and into the sky. As it hits the clouds it arcs back down to touch a lighting rod secured a short distance away from Foxfire and Miracle with a muted pop.

“You all didn’t toss the emergency switch on those laylines?” Foxfire asks with a worried frown.

“Lass, there isn’t any emergency shutoff down there,” Miracle shrugs. “It’s all gone. We’ve been trying to tame the magical storms down there so we can get more unicorn personnel in, but it’s an uphill battle.” He turns and gestures for her to follow him towards the group he had been standing with is. “But I’ll let the stallion heading this operation fill you in.”

As they grow closer, Foxfire hears a gruff voice arguing in the group they’re about to come up upon, the tone causing her to frown further and her ears to tilt forward. “Look, I don’t care how many more rods we have to put up, we’ve got to get this damned storm under control NOW or you’re going to have to tell the Princess why the city is still without power!”

“Y-Yes sir,” another stallion replies before running off.

“Iron, you really shouldn’t scare them like that,” Miracle chuckles as he comes up to the group, which Foxfire now realizes is around a table. “They’re all afraid as it is.”

“As they should be,” Iron grumbles. “The entire city is without power, and we’re going to need it before the emergency failsafes start kicking out.”

“How long before that?” Foxfire asks, scooting in beside Miracle, causing everypony present except Miracle to blink. “How long until we start losing the emergency water and the limited power?”

“Week, week and a half?” Iron replies. “And who the hay are you?”

“Iron Anvil, this is Foxfire Prose,” Miracle chuckles. “She’s a friend, and a unicorn who specializes in magical and scientific fields.” He then looks to Foxfire and gestures to Iron. “And this, lass, is Iron Anvil. He’s the head of Canterlot’s Public Works, and an old friend from my navy days.”

“A pleasure,” Iron grunts before looking to the table, and the diagrams and schematics upon it. “Not sure what use you’ll be out here; you can’t use your magic.”

“I have my brain, Mister Anvil,” Foxfire answers with a smirk. “And that is all I’m going to need. So, what’s the situation?”

“You ever see the end result of a cascading magical implosion?” Iron asks bluntly.

“Not up close, no,” Foxfire states slowly.

“Well, now you have,” Iron sighs as he moves some papers on the table and points to a diagram of the Canterlot power system. “All the magic in the grid got sucked into the crater next to us when the station imploded. I’m not sure what they hit it with, but I’d love to beat the bastard who designed it.”

“Most likely the cannon outside the city,” Miracle provides. “It’s a nasty beast of a gun, shells are the size of a steam engine.”

“No kidding?” Iron asks, in disbelief, shaking his head when both Foxfire and Miracle nod. “Well, guess I should be glad I was underground when the battle was taking place.” He then looks back to the diagram. “But, that doesn’t help us solve this problem. We need to disperse the mass of magic down there so the grid can start back up, otherwise we’ll just feed more magic into it.”

“Have you tried isolating this area of the city?” Foxfire inquires, looking at the schematic in front of her. “If you cut the flow of power at these junctions it might allow you to isolate the magical feedback and starve it out?”

“We’ve tried, it’s drawin on the ambient magic of the area,” Iron says sadly. “We’ve cut it off like you said when we got here, but it just keeps drawing power,” he pauses as another magical lighting bolt shoots up from the center of the crater, “and it keeps getting bigger.”

“What about grounding it? Or even causing it to explode in a controlled way?” Miracle offers. “It’s how we deal with the magical engines when they go critical in the navy.”

“You blow them up?” Foxfire asks, a stunned look on her face.

“Well, no, we toss ‘em off the ship and pray it doesn’t blow us up,” Miracle chuckles weakly.

“Well, that doesn’t help us here,” Iron grunts. “And we’ve not been able to get close enough to get any kind of grounding instrument into the eye of that thing.”

“You try from the air?” Foxfire says, pointing up towards the cloudy sky. “Might be able to get one in with a couple pegasi, or an airship.”

“I’m not sending any of the foals working under me up there to try and thread that needle,” Iron states flatly. “And I don’t know any airship Captains crazy enough to put their ship over that thing.”

“Is Voyager still here?” Foxfire asks, looking over to Miracle.

“Why, lass, I think it is,” Miracle replies, a smile forming on his face. He looks to Iron and nods towards the way he and Foxfire had come from. “The Comms station out there still working?”

“Should be, why?” Iron inquires, raising an eyebrow.

“Because I know a Captain crazy enough to sail into that maelstrom.” Miracle laughs as he moves away and gallops down the street.

Blinking slowly, Iron looks back over at Foxfire who is continuing to smile. “Right, so I guess we wait to see if he can wrangle your Captain,” he clears his throat and points towards the diagram again. “In the meantime, let me go over some things with you, seeing as Miracle likes you you might be worth your salt.”

Nodding, Foxfire settles in and listens to Iron detail out everything she’ll need to know if she wants to help. It’s fairly technical, and somewhat beyond the level of engineering she is used to, but she is able to understand the majority of what she is told, and even contributes a little to the discussion via insights into magical theory.

In all, Iron talks for nearly an hour, and stops only when a large shadow and the low hum of airship engines fills the air above them. Breaking her attention away from the papers in front of her on the table, Foxfire looks up and smiles as she spots the familiar shape of HMS Voyager floating above her. Her smile widens as a hatch opens up and Miracle flies down towards them. He lands a short distance away, slightly unsteady because even pegasi magic is slightly disrupted by the amount of magical feedback in the area, and walks over to the pair at the table with a wide grin.

“I got her to agree to help us,” Miracle declares proudly. “She even has a mithril-core rod aboard her ship, should do better at channeling the ambient magic than a steel or iron cored rod.”

“Mithril-cored rod?” Foxfire says slowly, her eyes wide. “Where the hay did she dig that beauty up?!”

“Wouldn’t say, but she was more than willing to dispense of it if it meant helping the city,” Miracle chuckles with a shrug.

“And how, my old friend, is she going to deliver it? Can’t just drop it out of a door into the crater. And she can’t magically place it,” Iron states, looking up at the airship. “And I honestly hope she isn’t planning on shooting it out of a cannon.”

“Nah, nothin’ like that, Iron,” Miracle smirks. “She’s loading it into a ballista on the bottom deck. She’ll angle her ship a little, and shoot it in. Won’t be a clean, straight, shot but it should do the trick.”

“I’ll take it,” Iron sighs. “Worst case it doesn’t work, and we’re back to square one.” He then smiles and looks over at Miracle. “But, if you taught me anything, you old bag of wind, it’s that sometimes the stranger solutions work best.” He then looks around and shrugs. “And, honestly, after this past week I’m a stronger believer of that than I ever was.”

“Well, glad one of my students took my teachings to heart, and used ‘em for good things,” Miracle sighs before looking back up at the airship. “She should be firing any moment. Perhaps we’d best put some distance between us and the target.”

“Agreed,” Foxfire nods, turning and looking down the street. “There a bunker near here, or should we go out to the radio station?”

“There is a bunker, but it’s currently closed off due to artillery damage,” Iron replies as he starts off down the street, prompting the others to follow. “Lets get to the station on the edge of the contamination area, should be safe from there. We should also be able to speak to Voyager from there.”

The three head towards the outskirts, turning down the street Foxfire had come from when a loud siren starts blaring in the area prompting all remaining personnel to evacuate towards a safe distance. The evacuation is orderly, and Foxfire can’t help but smile as they pass other groups making their way out as if it was their lunch break.

Upon reaching the radio station, which is a sandbagged storefront that Foxfire assumes had served as forward operation post during the riots, Iron stops and shields his eyes with one arm as he looks up towards Voyager, which is starting to move towards the raging clouds in the center of the damaged power station.

“I hope they know what they’re doing,” Iron says flatly. “We’ll be the ones to have to scrape them off the pavement if that ship goes up.”

“Don’t worry, Captain Noire’s crew knows what they’re doing,” Miracle replies, patting Iron on the shoulder. “And that ship is built to withstand far worse than that magical storm.”

“I hope so,” Iron grunts as he turns back towards the radio post and walks to the door. “But, let's go listen in, might prove entertaining at least.”

Following Iron and Miracle inside, Foxfire sits down next to the large, and mostly broken, window that had once been served most likely as a cafe window, she watches Voyager as it floats almost lazily towards the dark clouds. She keeps one ear turned towards the radio which is sitting on the large bar-like counter on the other side of the room, smirking slightly at the chatter between the operator and the Tactical officer aboard the airship. Most of it is inane banter, but every minute or two the officer gives a status update on the airship’s progress, until they’re directly over the eye of the magical storm.

“Alright, we’re ready to launch the rod,” the tactical officer’s voice declares. “I hope everypony’s clear of the area, no telling what this’ll do!”

“Area is clear, Voyager,” Iron says into the microphone. “Launch the rod at your discretion.”

As soon as Iron finishes, Foxfire watches the airship start to tip slightly so the left side is facing slightly down towards the eye of the storm.

“Risky maneuver, that,” Miracle says softly as he comes up next to Foxfire to watch. “They’re increasing the thrust on one side of the ship, and decreasing it on the other. Whole ship tips to one side, but anything not nailed down will fall across the deck.”

“Not much choice, though,” Foxfire comments as a port on the side of the ship opens and a large ballista pokes out. “Just hope we’re right about Voyager.”

“Me too, lass,” Miracle admits.

Further conversation is cut off as the ballista fires, the rod loaded into it streaking down into the center of the ruined power station. For a moment, nothing happens and everypony holds their breath as the airship quickly rights itself and starts out of the storm. However, right as Voyager reaches the edge of the stormclouds, lightning suddenly fills the sky and arcs down towards the center of the power station. A good deal strikes Voyager, arcing off its hull on the way down towards the power station, causing it to lose some altitude, but the airship manages to stay in the air as the loudest clap of thunder erupts into existence and assaults the area.

The thunder is so loud and powerful, that Foxfire is almost afraid it will shake the building she is in apart. But, after a few moments of rattling, and no small amount of glass breaking in the already ruined window, the world returns to normal.

“Anyone injured?” Iron calls from near the counter where he had taken cover under a table. A chorus of replies calling out no injuries quickly answers and Iron grunts as he stands up and heads for the window. “I’m getting too old for all these loud noises and earthquakes. If it’s not artillery, it’s the damned magical power stations trying to tear themselves apart.” Stopping at the window, he offers a hoof to Foxfire who had crouched down to avoid falling glass. “But, it looks like that stunt payed off a bit.” He nods towards the skies above the power station, a smirk on his face.

Accepting the hoof up, Foxfire follows his gaze and smiles warmly. The sky above the power station, though not completely clear, is free of the dark clouds that had gathered in the wake of the magical explosion.

“Well then, looks like the real work can start,” Foxfire comments, looking between Iron and Miracle, who is likewise getting up from where he had taken cover. “And we’re going to have to buy Captain Noire a round, otherwise I’ll never hear the end of it when I get back to the Castle.”

Author's Notes:

Hey, look, a new chapter so quickly after the last!

I hope you all enjoy this short chapter.

Feel free to find me in LoE this weekend and talk to me about it ;3