Canterlot General Hospital
11:00 AM
====

Lyle stood on a rooftop balcony, overlooking the massive complex that was Canterlot General Hospital. He had been the first to deploy on Standish's orders to determine the identity of the Blueblood's child, and the clock was ticking.

"Here goes." Lyle said, rappelling down and landing through a window. As he activated his cloak and set out, his hand rested on his Survival Axe.

====

As Lyle stalked through the hospital, he noticed that the buzzing of patients had died down in this area of the building.

"Pfft." Lyle scoffed. "More time for me, and less chance of detection."

As he rolled into a corridor and deactivated his cloak to recharge, he looked up and nearly burst out laughing.

"Records Area." he smiled. "Just my luck."

As he opened the door with a Lockpick, he quickly searched for and found the maternity records, which were kept in a large filing cabinet.

"So, you were named Majesty Blueblood…" Lyle said. "Born an alicorn, And you were taken as soon as you were born? Interesting...but what's an acceleration spell, and why is your species type marked out?"

Seizing the files and sliding them into a go-bag, he retraced his steps towards his entry point. As he approached, he noticed a cleaning mare stop and stare at the broken glass on the floor from the shattered window.

"Nope." Lyle said, knocking the mare out and setting her down, making it look like she passed out. "Can't have you blowing my cover."

As he rappelled out the window and cloaked once more, a smile formed on his face.

"Wait till Standish sees this." he chuckled. "Also, note to self: ask Twilight about an acceleration spell."

====

As Lyle returned to the palace and headed back to the library, Twilight and Spike greeted him.

"Hey, Twilight?" Lyle asked. "I retrieved the birth records, but what's an acceleration spell? It kept coming up."

Twilight paled.

"I take it that's bad?" Standish asked.

"Yes, that type of spell is illegal." Twilight said. "It, like its namesake, speeds up a pony's bodily systems by a thousandfold. It literally makes you age years in seconds. If the Bluebloods are using that on their child, it's bad, very bad."

"You mean worse. Their kid's an alicorn." Lyle added.

This time, Twilight cursed.

"Damn it!" she cried. "How old are those files?"

"Right here, it says...three months…" Lyle replied.

"She could already be about seventeen years old, if that spell is constant." Twilight said. "And if she's an alicorn, that makes the spell even more potent."

"Why is she an alicorn, though?" Lyle asked. "I thought you became one after you earned your wings."

"I did, but there's an infinitesimally small chance you can be born one." Twilight said. "The Bluebloods must've rejoiced, since now they have a claim on the Throne."

"That's a problem." Lyle said. "We need to find out where this Majesty is, and take her out of the equation."

"You mean kill her?" Twilight asked.

"No, get her to join us." Lyle said. "If she does, we'll have a spy on the inside who can supply us intelligence, and throw a big wrench in their plans. We just need to find her."

"Right." Twilight said. "Give me those files. We've got work to do."

====
Blueblood Manor, Canterlot Forest
Outskirts
====

As Jacobs cloaked up and approached the colossal estate, he scoffed at the guards manning the gate, armed with spears.

"Amateurs." he whispered. As he approached, he hurled a rock towards one of them. The stone flew true, and nailed one of the guards in the head. As he fell, the other guard advanced…

Only for Jacobs to combat-roll behind him and knock him unconscious. As he opened the gate, he rolled his eyes.

"Right, check the bodies." he said. He dragged the two unconscious guards into the foliage, then he then entered the estate grounds. From what he could see, it was reminiscent of a Versailles-Era palace, with dark oak wood and stone framing with tinted glass windows..

"Jesus Christ." Jacobs said. "Some do like it big."

As he pried a window open with his Axe and slipped inside, he began his search. As he prowled through the corridors, he could eventually hear voices from the inside courtyard.

"...Majesty's training goes well. Her prowess in magic surpasses the false Princess." said Prince Blueblood, from around the corner.

"Good." said Amadeus Blueblood. "Have her ready by tomorrow night. If we are to succeed, we must eliminate both the false Princess and her new guards at the same time."

"As you wish, father."

As Jacobs ducked into a wardrobe, Amadeus and Prince Blueblood walked past, deep in conversation. Once they were out of earshot, Jacobs made his way to Amadeus Blueblood's office.

"Now, here we go." Jacobs said, diving into the Blueblood patriarch's files, securing them in his go-bag. "Oh, jackpot!"

As he looked over a set of files marked "Disposals", he opened the cover to see a list of names and locations written.

"So Amadeus, you're going after the Elements of Harmony once Twilight's gone…" he said quietly. "And a copy of your own proposed laws for the Legislature...this'll help us and hurt you to lose these…"

As Jacobs secured the remaining critical files, he then got a clever idea. As he attached a Seeker Mine to the floor below the file drawers and set it to the Airburst function, he smiled and moved to the window.

"Let's see how you like watching your plans...go up in smoke."

Chuckling, he made his exit after setting the Seeker Mine's remote fuse to three minutes.

====

As Jacobs made his getaway, Amadeus entered his office to find everything was as it was. Setting down at his desk and picking up a quill pen, he then heard a faint set of beeps from below him.

Peering down, he saw a small orb, about the size of a three-pound weight, humming below his desk.

"What are you?" Amadeus asked himself, only for the beeping to stop…

And a fiery explosion to take its place, setting a multitude of objects on fire and blowing his desk apart into pieces of debris. As Amadeus extinguished the flames with his magic, he scowled and roared angrily.

"Damn it!" he cursed, looking over his ruined desk and files. Then he saw a piece of paper on his windowsill. Unfurling it, he raised his eyebrows in fury at the message inscribed on it.

It was a blast seeing your all your secrets, Amadeus. Your house is quite nice, by the way.

If only you didn't live in it, you son of a bitch.

Amadeus roared in fury and incinerated the note as Jacobs, laughing all the way, headed back to the Castle, captured intel in hand.

Author's Notes:

Update!