Things that lurk in the dark (Patreon)

 Okay it's time to get back to scheduled Equestria dreamscape postings. 

  
  The sounds of Manehattan nightlife rose from the streets below and seeped into the dingy hotel room through the cracks in the grimy windows that made the outside world look like some disturbing impressionist painting.

 
  However the pony writing away at a rickety old desk wasn't there for the decor. By the quavering light of a battered oil lamp Phoenix wrote her latest report to Princess Celestia. Her main line inquire was getting results, but as was often the case when one went looking for things that lurk in the dark one will discover more than what one was looking for. Tonight Phoenix had found what she was looking for but she had stumbled upon something else. Something very, very nasty.  

 
  The mare instinctively lifted the fountain pen away from the paper as her body convulsed and expelled what she hoped was the final bullet from her body. It made dull 'clunk' as it hit the wooden floor accompanied by sound of a dribbling blood. Phoenix would clean up once she was certain all projectiles and pieces of shrapnel were out of her. She sat in the chair panting for a few more seconds before resuming her report.  

 
  As a side note your Highness please inform Quick Silver that her comment about her latest fuses having a five second delay is a load of crap! Phoenix added this as her final tagline.

   
  Reviewing her report one last time she slid into a plain Manila envelope along with a smaller sealed envelope. Closing the larger envelope the unicorn retrieved a piece of dark green sealing wax candle from her leather carrying harness. Then from another pocket on her gear she levitated a cheap, tin, boardwalk charm. Lighting the candle she let it dribble several large drops of molten wax on the edge of the envelope. Then she pressed the token against it as a seal. Confirming that she'd gotten a good impression she extinguished the candle and returned it to its pocket. She paused and looked at the token as floated in front of her. It was just a shoddy, mass produced piece of pot metal that were made by the millions with various vapid, useless, platitudes stamped on it. This one said. 

  Good health and a long life to you!  

 
  Quick Silver had given it to her after their first assignment with Blood Feather 3 years ago. Blood Feather had considered it tacky and in bad taste at the time while Phoenix had just accepted the black humor as a sign that her and Quick Silver were going to get along just fine.  

  
   Stowing the token on her gear she closed her eyes and focused her magic. In flash the envelope vanished, and was already appearing in Celestia's secured mail box. 

   
   Phoenix stared at the wall and pondered what she'd stumbled upon tonight. Slowly she removed another pendant from her web gear. Unlike the cheap token this was a finely wrought piece of gold jewelry. A large disc about an inch and a half across engraved in the center was scale with its arms evenly balanced with a white pearl in one pan and a equal size sphere of black jet in the other. Above the scale was Celestia's sun symbol. Beneath the scale were engraved the words. 

   
  Those who can decide life or death should always weigh the options before acting. 

  Phoenix hadn't needed to weigh any options when she acted tonight. All 8 of those ponies deserved to die. Actually the final number had been 9. The ninth one didn't deserve to die, but it was all she could do for the mare. Phoenix had seen too many ponies and animals die. Many due to her. She knew when even with magic the best thing you can do is release them from their suffering, and that's what she'd done.

    
   The only thing she regretted was her inability to bring that mare's body back, but the fire had engulfed the building too quickly for her to try that. It wasn't that Phoenix couldn't have survived the flames, but the evidence she'd found that evening would've been destroyed, and that ultimately was more important if the madness she'd discovered tonight was to be stopped. 

   
   The unicorn levitated a bottle of rye whiskey over and took long a swig from it. It was cheap and burned as it went down her throat. 

   
  With hindsight it was probably for the best. If that mare had any friends or family in this city at least they've been spared the nightmare of trying to identify what was left of her body. Thought the mare. At most they'll find some charred teeth at the scene of the fire. 

    
  Phoenix almost dropped the bottle as her body convulsed once again. Closing her eyes she felt herself vomit. Amongst the sounds of splashing liquids and various semi-solid objects splattering on the floor there was a distinctive clink sound. Looking down the mare saw something silver and metallic in the pool of her bodily fluids.

    
   Setting the bottle back on the desk she reached out with her levitation and picked the object off the floor. Gently shaking off the remainders of her dinner and blood from it she brought it up to eye level and stared at it. It was the broken tip of a knife. About two inches in length. She stared at it for a moment; then with a quizzical look on her face she removed one of her fighting blades stared at its broken blade. Carefully she levitated the two pieces together. It was a perfect fit. 

   
   "Huh? When did that happen tonight?" Muttered the mare. 

 
   Celestia looked up from her morning itinerary as one of her secretaries brought her the priority letters and dispatches that had arrived over the evening. After dismissing the secretary she poured herself a cup of coffee and started sorting them into their degree of importance. Spying Phoenix's report she gave it priority as she levitated a sugar cube and a dollop of cream into her cup. Giving the contents a good stir. With this accomplished she broke the seal and removed the contents from the envelope. She noticed the smaller envelope inside but she focused her attention on the letter. Taking a sip of her coffee she began reading the report. 

 
   The Co-Ruler of Equestria knew that they were investigating some very deep and dangerous, but as she read further into Phoenix's report it was apparent that the mare had stumbled upon something that indirectly connected to their investigation that was equally disturbing. Finally the mare's report got to the matter of the smaller envelope.

    
  In the smaller envelope accompanying my main report is collection of photos I retrieved from the scene of last nights operation and a small contact book found at the same place. BE WARNED! The photos are particularly gruesome in nature! I will try to send you a follow up report tomorrow night.

   
  Your ever loyal subject.

Phoenix. 

  
  Celestia considered Phoenix's last comment. Of all of her Mares-in-Waiting Phoenix was the most cavalier when it came to violence and discussing the subject, so a warning from her caused the princess to pause for a moment. Gingerly, Celestia attempted to opened the envelope however just as she gotten it open the contents of it spilled onto her desk.  

  
   Having lived and ruled for over a thousand years had given Celestia greater self-control than most would ever possess. Even so the images now scattered across her desk caused her heart to jump a beat. Phoenix had come across something truly dark and evil. Calming herself she looked through the photos; by the end of looking at the photos and surveying the contact book her shock and disgust had been replaced with something else. 

   
   Rage and indignation.

   
   Celestia came storming out her office and walked to up the desk of her head secretary True Note. The mare had never seen her highness look like this before. 

   
   "True Note! Cancel all my appointments for the morning! Have the Gleaming Shield in my office in 10 minutes! Where is Captain Firewing?" 

   The mare flipped through her organizer for a second. "He is in Neighpoles your Highness he's suppose to speak at the conference of Regional Governors tonight." 

 
   "Recall him immediately! Also get me the list of all available operatives and bring it my to office immediately!" 

 
   "Of course your Highness." 

   
   With that accomplished Celestia turned and walked back into her office and closed the door behind her. For several seconds the office was quiet then dozens of voices started speaking at once.      

       "You can gossip later!" Said True Note. "Right now we have a job. Let's do it, and quickly!" 

 
  To be continued.