Stories in Stone, Capricorn's Curse

by TDR

Poison [9]

Stories in Stone
Capricorn's Curse
By TDR

Poison

[ Crystal Empire, late afternoon. Great Diamond Hotel ]

“Okay are we good?” a mare asked in the darkness.

“We moved between three hotels before staying at one we shouldn't be able to afford if I hadn't tapped into the Royal account while we were in New Canterlot. We wore disguises that were good enough to fool one of my uncle's top ponies last time we used them. We told everyone we were going to visit Spike and Bleu and told Spike and Bleu we were going to visit the north mountains to check up on Daring's expedition to search for the source of the Smooze, we then told Daring we changed our minds and were going to head back to New Canterlot. We used cash, assumed names and we know both Mom and Twilight are busy with something. We also know your parents are on tour in Japony right now with the rest of the Wonderbolts.” lists a stallion.

“And the rest?”asked the mare.

“Two forms of protection, chocolate syrup, whip cream, and strawberries, plus a decent wine. Room's ready to be warded for sound, flame, and explosions with a spell scroll built to withstand a Disaster Rating of at least two. Soon as I activate it not a soul will be able to find us nor interrupt us........again.”

Scootaloo sighed nodding. The pair of them had really only managed to get together every so often because for some reason their assignments were always on other sides of the country from one another. They wrote each other a lot and the pair had actually managed to develop the relationship beyond a couple of awkward dates. Still forces seemed to be conspiring against them which made the pair of stubborn ponies grow that much closer. Scootaloo blamed her dad while Pip was certain it was his mom, of course when they brought it up both Luna and Soarin fervently denied any sort of tampering at all, the whole time suggesting that they should perhaps think about dating someone else in twenty or thirty more years.

Jer'rahd and Spitfire were both useless in terms of assistance, as both of them thought their significant others actions were hilarious. Still they at least confirmed that the Changeling Queen and the second in command of the Wonderbolts were up to something.

“I can't believe we need to go this far just to have some alone time.” Pip grumbles.”Your dad is nuts. Every single break we have and he rigs something to block us.”

“Your mom's not much better. Remember the sudden emergency that turned out to be little more than a bunny stampede? The paper work alone killed all our time off.” Scootaloo sighed flicking her wing and lighting one of the candles in the room before moving to the next. The mare moved around the room wearing a large robe that had holes cut in it for her wings. Pip was sitting on the edge of the bed looking over the scroll and a few other items nearby.

“But enough about that. “Scootaloo purrs. “Nothing is gonna interrupt this time.”

“Maybe unless you count that big robe of yours.” Pip chuckled.

“The robes not important, it's what's underneath it.”

Pip grinned.”I do hope it's nothing....I rather enjoy it when you wear that.”

“I usually wear that.” Scootaloo chuckled “Along with nearly every other pony in Equss.”

“You say that like it's a bad thing.” Pip smiled.

“Not really, but I do know how you keep looking at me while I'm in uniform.. so I got an old one … I’m sure you can help me take it off, or at least the parts that matter. Now activate the damn scroll before....”

“HELP!!”

Pip and Scootaloo freeze at the scream, ears perking up as they slowly looked around.

“What was that?” Pip asked.

“I didn't hear anything” Scootaloo commented.

“Yeah me neither.” Pip nods getting ready to cast the scroll again.

“SOME PONY HELP!!”

“Buck,” Pip muttered.

“Seriously it's fine some one else will help.” Scootaloo stated.

“WHY WILL NO ONE HELP!?!?”

“It's probably something we aren’t trained to deal with....” Pip suggested.

“SOME ONE PLEASE HELP! THERES FIRE EVERYWHERE!!”

“Fire departments issue?” Scootaloo sighed.

“SOME ONE PLEASE HELP, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS BUSY WITH A FIRE ACROSS TOWN!”

“How does he even know that..... Any way there's fire exits he can get himself out.....” Pip groaned.” The scroll would keep us safe if the fire spreads....”

“THE FIRE EXITS ARE BLOCKED AND THERES FOALS AND SMALL ANIMALS IN HERE THAT I CAN'T RESCUME MYSELF DUE TO MY BROKEN LEG!”

The pair of ponies look at each other and lowered their heads in defeat.

“My uniform?” Pip asked.

“In the closet. I'll just wear this for unfun non sexy time....” Scootaloo growled tossing off the robe and pulling the Wonderbolt hood on over her head.

“Well you were right it does look good on you.” Pip grinned grabbing his weapon harness and Guard Id from the closet, slipping it on as he and Scootaloo head out of the room to see ponies rushing past talking about a building across the street burning.

“I swear by Twilight's mighty wisdom hoof if dad set this up I will kill him.” Scootaloo growled.

========================================================

[Manehatten, late afternoon]

This infiltration was far easier than he had expected. Getting into the city was almost a joke. He had secured a few more of the coin purses without any effort and had purchased a small room in a inn near the water front for a few days. He had sent his first missive back to his master via a seagull he had caught and killed in an ally a few hours ago, the bird was far too used to ponies and thought he had food. The information he sent Grogar wasn't likely to be very useful, but it showed a number of promising leads for those who could be targeted first to leave the nation in disarray. He had yet to find a library, but he had stopped looking after finding a seedy little establishment by the dock. Poking his nose in he found something else he was looking for.

A bar.

He got glares and scowls from the sailors and longshore ponies in the run down place as he came in, but he couldn't care any less about what they thought of him at the moment. Besides after a few free rounds for them all, most of the bar was acting like the noble looking Donkey had been their best friend all his life.

Bray smirked a little from his table, the alcohol was weaker than he recalled, though this sort of pub clearly watered it down. Still the two tavern wenches pressed up on either side of him and the group of burly looking ponies gathered around was just what he needed. He knew they only were close because they thought he had money, he did, but not the amount they thought he had.

Still in this state it was easy enough to weave a spell to turn their false friendship into real loyalty. Enough so that he was certain one or both of the mares could easily be convinced to warm his bed that night, something else he had not had the pleasure of in a long long time. Bray knew he could do better than a couple of tavern wenches, but with as little time as he had it was better to take what he could get, and it was not if they were bad looking, particularly the light green pegasus. Though she could do with less makeup.

He was considering on what he was to do with his new 'friends' when the door to the bar was flung inward with enough force to send scraps of the wooden door across the floor all the way to the far wall, along with a sizable portion of the wall that the hinges had been attached to.

In the doorway was what appeared to pony dressed in a red robe with a hood that hid the figures face in shadow. As the figure shifted it's gaze to look around, Bray could see there was a mask covering it's muzzle under the hood as well as a pair of red tinged goggles. The legs were all wrapped in some sort of red leathery looking material as well, save the front left one, that one was wrapped in back.

The bar had gone silent and Bray was of the opinion that they didn't know who it was either. The pony turned it's head slightly giving the impression of scanning the bar room, before it's eyes seemed to lock on Bray.

Of course who ever it was was after him, he couldn't be lucky enough that it was after some one else.

He didn't recall stealing this ponies wallet so it was likely something else. Bray shifted uncomfortably as the figure advanced towards him shoving a table out of the way without so much as a glance. There was an air of menace around this figure that made Bray wary and more than a little fearful. Still he had not been in town a full day yet, there was no way any one would know who he was.

“You are Bray?” the figure stated coldly, the voice husky but clearly feminine.

Well shit. Still she wasn't certain so a quick lie could fix this.

“Yeah so what if he is, what do you want?” one of the bigger and dumber of his 'friends' stated turning to glare down at the hooded mare.

Bray slapped his forehead with his hoof. Bad idea using his real name, so much for the trickery option. Still he didn't know what she wanted yet....

“I've been authorized by Princess Celestia to bring you back alive for questioning, or in a bag.” The mare stated completely ignoring the pony as she focused soly on Bray. “ This is the only time you get this choice.”

Oh buck, Bray thought.

“Lady I don't think you know who you're messing with..” Another of the brutes stated, a griffon this time. The mare shifted her head a little looking over the crowd.

“Glassy eyes, faint odor of pickled beats fully defensive of the Donkey rather than the damage to the bar..... I know exactly what I am dealing with. I'm dealing with a swarm of magically en-scrolled ponies, and one very much under arrest ass.” the mare stated with a snort.

“Keep her away from me.” Bray stated suddenly as a few more of his new friends moved forward surrounding the mare.

“I see. Option two then. Just so you know, all I have on me is a sandwich baggy, so I’m gonna have to be real creative to fit you in it.” The mare stated flatly with no hint of humor in her voice despite the joke.... at least Bray hoped it was a joke, the mares tone made it seem she was simply stating a fact.

The largest pony who was the first to speak to her was also the first to act. The large earth pony brute swung a rather large hoof at the mare with a surprising speed for one of his size. The mare ducked under the hay maker and slammed both her fore hooves into the stallion’s belly, knocking the air from him and then using his own forward momentum to fling the brute overhear shoulder into the ones who had gathered behind her.

The brute hadn't even impacted the others before the mare was moving again. She pivoted on one rear hoof using the other to lash out and catch a griffon across the beak, dropping him like a sack of potatoes.

The others finally started to react and a pegasus rushed her scooping up a bar stool to swing her way. The mare side stepped the swing and lashed out with a hoof, a silver cord flung out from within the black wrappings on her leg and wrapped around one of the stool's legs catching it for her to yank backwards hard. The pegasus found his impromptu weapon yanked out of his hooves and smashed into his own face as he too dropped like a rock.

By this time the brute had gotten back up and rushed her again rearing up to tower over her as he brought both his fore hooves down in a ax handle slam.

The mare didn't even lift her head , but she turned and shot one fore hoof up , stopping the blow dead. Both bray and the brute gaped in surprise as the mare whirled about swinging around the brutes forearm and slamming both her rear hooves into the side of his head sending him flying across the room into a table that shattered under his weight, this time down for the count.

Bray's eyes narrowed, the brute's foreleg was as big as all of this mare... how...? Bray closed his eyes briefly muttering a spell opening them a little scanning the mare for magic. He yelped loudly shutting his eyes tight and trying hard not to scream at the massive flare of light that hit him the moment the spell activated. This mare was a walking armory of magic.

Bray blinked back the spots from his eyes feeling a wing on his arm guiding him off, a pair of forms pressed to either side guiding him away from the table. The bar wenches it seemed opted to help him escape rather than try and fight, a wise move. He followed along his vision swimming as they led him behind the bar towards a door leading to a back room.

A sudden yelp and a crash as something shoved into his side made him look down ,his vision blurry. Evidently one of the Diamond Dogs had been flung over the bar and crashed into the unicorn mare that had been guiding him, knocking her out cold.

Bray cursed glancing to the light green pegasus still trying to guide him away from the brawl. They managed to make it to the back door and Bray paused sparing a glance back at the fight.

The mare barely seemed touched, he could see a curl of her mane had come loose from under her hood, dark blue and pink in coloration, though she didn't even seem winded, and at least eight of his followers lay scattered on the floor around her. They were all clearly alive however, so it seemed she might be some servant of the law, unwilling to kill, he could use that if he faced her again.

Her head turned suddenly staring right at him,her goggle covered eyes locked with Bray's giving the impression of sudden anger. She shifted flicking her red wrapped tail suddenly. The motion was thrown off by a unicorn trying to blast her with a energy bolt,forcing her to dodge mid attack.

Bray knew that the attack was thrown off, because one of the daggers nicked his ear and ripped his new hat from his head along with a few strands of his mane and a bit of his scalp before sticking in the wall above the bar pinning the clothing to the wood. The second blade launched from that tail hit the only other part of him that was exposed, his right leg, sticking into the bone just below his knee.

He sucked in breath wincing as he glared down at the dagger, his eyes widening in terror as he saw the orange glow of runes getting brighter on the hilt of the blade. He didn't hesitate and quickly formed a shield around part of his leg and the weapon dropping to the floor to hide from the one above his head.

He barely manged to do so as both daggers suddenly exploded in explosion of spell fire.

Bray screamed as he shoved himself through the door behind the bar, the remains of his leg trapped in the bubble shield he had put around the weapon was little more than crimson mist and chunks of gore, everything below his knee was gone as was a fair sized section of the wall over his head and his hat.

He was wrong, this mare could very much kill, and if not for that unicorn she would have done so.

Bray cursed half laying over the green mare as she helped him rush out the back door into the alleys behind the bar. Bray cursed as he hobbled down the ally with her forcing himself to become calm. He had to fix this and he didn't have time to waste, the mooks in the bar wouldn't hold her long.

“Stop here a moment.” He commanded looking over to the mare as she let him down. It was a pity about this next bit, he had been hoping to bed her.

=====================================================

Sweetie Drops heard the scream as she broke a stool over the head of the last of the bar patrons. She had not been gentile,but she had refrained from being lethal. Most would recover with only minor injuries, the rest might need a hospital trip, but they would live.

The scream was not her doing however.

She darted out the way the Donkey had gone, bursting through a small kitchen and into an ally that ran around the back of the bar.

There was the target running out into the street at the far end of the ally. She took a step towards him looking to catch up when a whimper drew her attention. Laying in a pile of refuse was the green pegasus mare that had helped Bray escape. She was alive and swearing after the Donkey between whimpers, but she was covered in blood. Sweetie Drops winced noting that one of her legs had been completely severed just below the knee and was gushing blood all over the ally. She glanced up as Bray rounded the corner running at top speed.

She switched her gaze between the two and bit her tongue lightly.

“Dammit”

She dropped down next to the mare tapping her com as she did so, she tore a section of her cloak free for a tourniquet. She flinched noting the color fading from the mare as she went into shock.

“Control this is Agent Drops. Code alpha four two, mission code ,'Wide Load' copy? ”

“Control here Drops, Code identified and acknowledged, counter code 'shut the hell up Kaisur' This is Green Two, I'll be your handler this mission, what do you need?”

“Have you been filled in on my mission parameters?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good Bray has been confirmed in Manehatten, I had eyes on, but lost him. New data on subject he is a spell caster and at the very least knows a level three mind control spell. There are twenty one injured in the Bannered Mare at dock side at the south end. I'll need a level two team to fix their memories from the charm and a EMT for injuries and for a pegasus mare behind the bar, she was under control as well, though Bray removed her limb for some reason. She is currently going into shock I am bringing her back into the bar's kitchen after I make sure she isn't trapped.”

“Confirmed agent, EMT and Guard detail will be there in five. Recommend you get what info you can from the bar and vacate before they arrive unless you want to answer questions.”

“Acknowledged, Drops out.”

The mare looked over the injured pony a moment more before picking her up and carrying her back into the kitchen, She set her down and sighed. Same coloration almost.... cutie mark looked more like an anchor than a harp but at a glance she couldn't help make the connection between the pegasus mare and Lyra. That was sloppy. She let her emotions get in the way of stopping Bray. That wouldn't happen again. Saving this one mare's life might cost others theirs later on. Still despite her flash of anger she was supposed to take him alive, despite Guard Captain Kaisur's orders the Donkey might have information on how to get Lyra back..... and the Princess and the others...

She sets the mare on the counter in the kitchen , shoving everything aside to lay her down. She pulled a small crystal from her cloak , breaking it over the mares stump. The minor healing spell wouldn't stop the bleeding fully, but it would slow it more. The mare would be crippled, but she would live.

Sweetie Drops moved back through the door way into the bar. Her eyes drifted down to the bloody mess that had fallen on the floor ,the remains of Bray's right leg. The blood and goop had turned black and solidified into a jello like substance that reeked of death. The mare considered it, scooping some up in a small baggy and tucking it away before heading back out of the kitchen hearing the sirens in the distance getting closer.

Sweetie Drops took note of the missing right fore limb of the pegasus and frowned recalling Bray running, not limping.

She toggled the com again as she darted out the door, slinging a line to the top of a nearby building and pulling herself to the top of it.

“Control, another add on to Bray's file. He is a confirmed necromancer.”

===================================================

Bray swore loudly as he ran, keeping his head down and shucking off his cloak and the fancy clothes the mare had seen him in. He needed to get far away from that place and that mare. She had stopped to help the pegasus, something he had bet on when he left her alive after he got what he wanted. Still he needed to make it to the water before she caught up with him. He knew there were River Ponies patrolling the water way, but he only needed to move further along the city and perhaps find a place to hide out until he could rest and get used to his new leg.

The donkey ran on, hobbling on a new green right leg, one slightly too tall for his body. It wouldn't be the first time that he needed to replace a body part. Bray had been around much longer than Grogar and had taught the Capricorn a number of things before his student surpassed him by leaps and bounds. Still when he was king he had raised the abandoned Capricorn foal like his own son, and there was still some of that feeling tying Grogar to Bray. So long as the donkey did what he was told, Grogar and the island were content to let him live.

Of course this current situation was new. He was being hunted, by some one excessively powerful with access to items and strengths he had never even seen before, at a power level unheard of in his time. The spell latices around her alone from the bit he was able to decipher were the work of a master with skill far beyond anything he had seen. The mare clearly had no qualms about killing him, and he doubted he would be able to use the same trick twice.

Bray made it to the water dropping down into it river and swimming down under the docks. The gills he had grafted in from a seapony years or eons ago still functioned, but the waters pollution burned them. Maybe those of this day were used to it, but he certainly wasn't. Still he quickly found what he was looking for under one of the docks. An old drain pipe that lead up into one of the abandoned factories on the waters edge.

He followed the pipe cutting though or moving the few rusty grates there were before emerging from the pipe into a dry vat of some kind, there didn't seem to be any way in or out of the vat save some small pipes at the top and the way he came in.

While resting in a waste disposal tank was not his idea a good time, it was better than nothing, and he had slept in worse places. Besides it was safe.

Still he needed to find a way to keep the mare and who ever she worked for off his back while he learned more about the new world.

And he had a good idea of how to do that.

====================================================

[Crystal Empire]

Scootaloo landed, dropping off another load of small kittens that were in the apartment above the bakery.
The room's owner and the foals he had there, were the first ones out of the building. She had also rescued an iguana, three rabbits, the six kittens, and a giant dog named Princess Little Piddles. She stopped short of saving anything that wasn't alive, mostly cause the floor was about to give out and parts had fallen into the apartment below already. Luckily there didn't seem to be any one else home this time of day and those in the bakery had all seemed to have gotten out already.

“Oh thank you Ma'am... I didn't know what I’d do if any of the fluffies were harmed....” stated a neon blue and pink crystal pony. The stallion looked surprisingly like Aloe from the Ponyville spa right down to the flowery cutie mark which turned out to be a 'blooming onion' and not a flower according to him. “I am sorry about your partner though.”

“Hmm? What about Pip?” Scootaloo demanded.

“He ran into that fire ten minutes ago and he hasn't come out yet. He can't have survived that... poor brave thing.”

Scootaloo snorted in annoyance.

“Oh is that all. Yeah he's fine.” Scootaloo stated.” It's only a fire, the structures not collapsed fully and doesn't seem in danger to do so also most of the smoke is being filtered out. Though all the open windows.”

“But.....” the stallion began, blinking as a figure walked out of the flames with a large bundled form on his back.

“Lieutenant are the Crystal Guard here?” Pip demanded.

“Not yet. But every pony's out of the building.” Scootaloo stated walking over to the earth pony who shook the soot out of his mane. “What's this then?”

“The cause of the fire I’d assume. Look's like one of the bakers left the stove on, and then passed out. I found him there on the floor still asleep. He needs medical attention from smoke inhalation and some mild burns, he's lucky the fire went up the wall instead of down over the floor. If the Guards not here soon I’ll need you to fly him over there while I handle things here.” Pip grumbled.

“I take by the fact you are addressing me by rank we are not getting back to our room anytime soon......” Scootaloo muttered as Pip nodded with a sigh.

Scootaloo groaned, the pair were the same rank, though Pip generally had the better logistics, while Scootaloo had the better instincts and on the fly planning. In action he followed her lead and the reverse was true with premission or post mission situations. Still they two of them worked very well together and rarely stepped on each others hooves

“Alright lieutenant..... “ Scootaloo sighed lifting her head to shout to the crowd. “Hey where's the bakery's owner?!”

“That would be me!” A fairly thin mare with a white mane and tail runs up to the pair of them wincing at the sight of the figure bundled in the curtains on Pip's back. “I'm Red Velvet... Is that... is that Maple Walnut? He's the only one of my bakers missing.”

“Not sure, brown mane and tail, unicorn, tree and a nut as a cutie mark.” Pip lists as the mare nods.
“He's alive, but barely breathing. He's suffering from some burns and smoke inhalation. Lieutenant there's the Guard, good they have a flying chariot, take him over there while I ask a few questions.”

“Right.. Scootaloo sighed gently lifting the pony off Pip's back and gliding the bundled figure over the crowd towards the ambulance chariot.

“Fire proof curtains? Pip commented looking at the mare.

“Worth every bit if they helped save him.” Velvet responded.

“They helped. I don't suppose you know if anything was wrong with him?”

“I don't think so... I mean he said he wasn't sleeping much, something about horrid nightmares, but a few of us have had that lately, stress from several large orders I assumed. No pony has been getting much sleep for about a week now. Other than that no I don't think so.”

“He looked like he had passed out and left the stove on, what ever he was cooking likely caught fire and broke the fire crystal in the stove. There will be a full investigation, but that's just what I assumed from a glance. Don't quote me on it, my jobs not investigation.”

“ I won't .. but … how are you not burned you were in there quite a while...?” Red Velvet asked as Pip reached up, absent mindly rubbing one of the metal studs in his ear.

“Nothing to worry about miss. Let's just say I deal with fire quite often and have protection from it.” Pip commented his gaze shifting around the crowd gathered. His eyes narrowing as he noticed a number of ponies yawning, and nearly all of them looked tired, some with rather dark circles under their eyes including the Guards and rescue workers.

What was going on around here?

=======================================================

[ Tamberlane, outside the shield]

“Two hours? For bucks sake we should have given the fool twenty seconds.” Jer'rahd snarled pacing across the sand as Celestia sorted through the fallen train cars.

“Keep in mind Kaisur there is the small matter of the bell. While I doubt that was it around his neck we need to make sure that that bell does not get rung or we will lose those he has trapped. We might vanish as well along with the island.

“He can't ring it if I take off his head before he moves a hoof.” Jer'rahd snorted.

Celestia ignored him pulling out a few pieces of luggage with a small sigh. “ Looks like they went through the cars out here as well. There's a few letters and some ponies clothes. “Celestia stated pulling out a purple cape covered in stars and moons.

“Why are you going through the wreckage any way?” Jer'rahd demanded.

“To see if there might be any bodies on this side. We know five ponies were on that train and I want to know if he has them all or if some didn't make it.”

Jer'rahd nodded lightly leaving her to it as he moved to study the shield again. Something about this thing seemed odd. A shield of this size should have been using quite a bit of energy. Grogar showed no signs of strain or even that he was casting it, his magic also seemed two tone which was very odd, granted so was the Capricorn casting spells at all. He knew Ram's could cast some basic spells, but their skill was mostly shamanistic.

He paused his ears perking as he turned his head looking back at his side to the sheathed Waning Moon. The weapon seeming to tremble against his side with a rage of it's own. Jer'rahd frowned, there was only one time his weapon did that sort of thing, and he didn't like what it might mean. He turned away from the shield moving closer to one of the train cars half in and half out of the shield. Feeling the shake of his sword grow stronger Jer'rahd poked around in the sand and debris finding a box half buried in the sand. He cursed lightly yanking the box free, black sand pouring off it with a hiss.

“Shit.” Jer'rahd stated recognizing the box.

“What is it?” Celestia demanded moving over next to him and spotting the case, cursing under her breath as well.

“Twilight's not as well off in there as I hoped.” Jer'rahd growled as he opened the case.

Celestia's eyes narrowed as the open case revealed a silvery sword, the weapon was doubled bladed like the Waning Moon, but the twin blades were straight and double sided on either side of the white grip. The weapon glowed softly as a soft gold flame danced around the blade.

“The Brilliant Dawn.” Celestia stated flatly. She closed her eyes a moment exhaling. “ She wouldn't willingly leave this. “ She looked up at the shield, her jaw setting as her magic gripped the blade and pulled it free of the case, the golden flame around the weapon becoming a raging inferno of light as Celestia lifted the sword. The weapon recognizing it's co creator, much as the waning Moon did with Luna.

“I think perhaps that this may work out to our advantage any way.” Celestia commented looking over the blade.

“Provided you remember your training and don't manage to stab yourself with it.” Jer'rahd grumbled.

Author's Note:

Title is Poison by Bell Biv Devoe Granted ... I like the cover

Comments

[Jirodyne]

“Provided you remember your training and don't manage to stab yourself with it.” Jer'rahd grumbled.

Well, that wouldn't be a bad thing, would it? She'd finally be off the throne and no longer a thorn in his side for a while as she heals.