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Thanks to Local Sugar Provider for their inspirational horse racism.
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Evening Silvershade glared at the stallion standing on her doorstep.
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"What do you want?"
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"Resonant Harmonic, Equestrian National Security Department," he stated. "I have reason to believe there is a thaumological hazard on your property."
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Her eyes narrowed. "Sorry, I don't speak unicorn."
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"Look, I'm just doing my job."
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"Well, do it somewhere else."
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She tried to close the door, but it didn't budge.
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"Get your magic off the hinges, hornhead."
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"I have a warrant."
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"Oh, /really/?"
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He telekinetically pulled a form from his bags and presented it to her. She scrutinized for a minute.
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"... Fine. Just make it quick."
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"I don't intend to stay if you continue to be like this."
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She huffed indignantly and closed the door behind him.
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Harmonic returned the warrant to the bag it had come from and retrieved a device about the size of a hoof from the other. It resembled a brass gyroscope, albeit with a narrow hexagonal crystal in place of the flywheel, and was held upright by a wooden handle inset with two buttons and a gauge.
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Evening eyed it with suspicion. "What kind of doohickey is /that/?"
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"Thaumological isolator-locator. I give it a signature, and it orients towards the most prominent match."
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"Again, I don't speak unicorn."
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"If I tell it to find thestral magic, it would point towards you."
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"So it's useless unless you're blind and deaf."
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"Or up to ten kilometers* away." He held one of the buttons down and turned in a circle.
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"You look like an idiot."
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"I have neither inquired nor expressed interest in doing so." The button was released; the crystal swung toward a hallway on the right. "That way."
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"You better not touch /anything/."
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"Hooves or horn?"
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"Both."
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"Lead the way, then."
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Evening pushed the door open, and Harmonic entered the study. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books of every subject and time period.
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The device swiveled as he walked past a stately wooden desk, fixated on one of its sides.
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"Could you open this drawer?"
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"I'm not your servant."
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"You told me to not touch."
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She groaned. "Just don't break it."
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"I'll keep that in mind."
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He pulled the handle. Nothing.
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"... Give me a moment."
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His horn glowed. Half a minute later, several soft clicks emanated from inside the desk, and the drawer slid out.
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Evening stared at him, a brand new irrational fear burned into her mind.
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Harmonic levitated a head sized object out of the drawer and set it on the desktop. It was a glass tube with a spherical bulb at its center, sealed with a cork and wire on each end, and filled with what appeared to be swirling tar.
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He leaned over and inspected it for a moment, then whispered a single word.
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"/Sentinel/."
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An unsettling red glow burst from the tar, illuminating the room, before slowly fading.
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"... Where did you find this?"
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"What, you think I've seen it before? It's probably been here longer than me."
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He sighed. "That is ... irresponsible, to say the least. Being in possession of something this hazardous is a federal offense."
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Her eyes widened. "Wha - I didn't know it was in there!"
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"I'm not saying I don't believe you. It's been missing for almost 250 years."
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"... Oh. Well, I don't want to be associated with it. Or you."
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"Are you this hostile to all your guests?"
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"Only the unworthy ones."
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"What makes me unworthy?"
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"You wouldn't understand."
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"Because I'm a unicorn?"
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"Correct."
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The room was instantly filled with silence so intensely suffocating the container of darkness was barely audible.
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"... Figures."
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"What's /that/ supposed to mean?"
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"Listen, my time here has been decidedly less than pleasant, so packing this and leaving in an expedient manner would be mutually beneficial."
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"So do it."
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"I will if you stop insulting me."
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"You're on my property. I'll do what I want."
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"Vocal harassment of a public service member is also a federal offense."
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Evening didn't say much after that.
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Dense fog had enveloped the mansion by the time Harmonic stepped back outside, double checking the straps on his bags.
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"... As much as I'd prefer to say you were cooperative, I am contractually obligated to be transparent."
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"You insult me."
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"Then we're even. Good day."
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Evening watched him leave toward the wrought iron gate at the edge of her property. Just before he stepped out of earshot, she called to him.
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"Don't come back here with any of your Sentinel busi-"
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Shattering glass.
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A piercing, otherworldly scream.
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Something dark and amorphous burst from Harmonic's bags, flying upward and disappearing into the mist.
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He stared at the shredded fabric hanging from his side for a moment, then turned to a visibly startled Evening.
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"... Are you fucking serious?"
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"Don't you dare blame that on /me/," she snapped. "You unicorns are all the same, thinking you're so special and important with your magic, but something always goes wrong because you're too stupid to understand how stupid you are, and then you have the audacity to blame anyone but yourself ..."
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Harmonic closed his eyes, took a long breath, exhaled, opened his eyes again, and calmly walked back to her.
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"... that damn horn is stuck in your head like a lobotomy pick, even the dirt your food grows in is more competent -"
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A glob of yellow magic wrapped around Evening's muzzle.
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Her eyes went wide.
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"I've had enough of your attitude, leatherwing," he hissed. "One more word, and I'll press charges. Got it?"
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A nervous nod.
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"Good."
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And with that, he turned to give chase.
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* 6.21 miles (furry number lmao)
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by Guest
by Guest
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