Saddle Arabian's Treasure

[AuroraSoul]

http://www.canterlot.com/topic/22086-saddle-arabias-treasure-open/

 

 

Aurora Soul sighed a little, she had been standing in the middle of the Pharoah's Vale for nearly an hour listening to the tour guide. He kept droning on about how great the ponies were, Aurora, however, had already read up on the lore of the place and new everypony here nearly by heart. She kept to the back of the tour group and tried to look as inconspicuous as possible, it wasn't easy as her green cowboy hat hid her face and her overall demeanor was bored while everypony else was eager to get to the front and hear the tour guide.

 

She glanced up every now and again looking at the old signs pointing out what was where, she didn't know the layout of the place and many things were kept from the general public and she wasn't exactly looking into the 'general public' area. She made this journey simply to start looking for the fabled Pharaoh's treasure, a brilliant hidden treasure trove of a very famous pharaoh (king tutenmaren, or simply king tut). The problem was that many ponies believed the treasure to be cursed, as all that went looking for it simply vanished. This, of course wouldn't deter Aurora Soul from finding a long lost treasure. She grumbled to herself as the tour guide stopped once again to talk about, which pony was it this time? She couldn't exactly hear and she didn't want to anyway.

 

Looking around again for some sign or exit to where she needed to be, she saw a sign up above the wall that read "The Pharaoh's Treasure"

"Finally" Aurora muttered. She looked down again and also saw the sign hanging in the way that said "no admittance" in various languages. Making sure nopony was looking, she stealthily slipped into the passage and headed to find what she came for.

[Bogle]

Maenad Descent had pulled her shemagh over her head and up over her snout, hiding her expression nicely. It was just as well as she was sporting a very prominent scowl beneath the folds of her tactical scarf. Tourist traps were simply not her thing.

But she did have a purpose to being at the Pharaoh’s Vale. Curses, after all, very much fell under her purview. Maenad could easily dedicate the explanation and story behind the curse—if it was real—to a volume all its own in her series. Most specifically, she was interested in the curse on the Pharaoh’s Treasure. She could care less about the monetary value if she did find any treasure, but in any case it seemed like the best place to start her quest.

She slunk past the other ponies nearby and down the so-called restricted passage (as if some signs would actually deter anypony) and made her way in. Maenad quickly realized she wasn’t alone as further ahead of her was another pony.

Her first thought was the obvious—it had to be some poor pony being operated like a puppet by one of those vicious flatworms. Their plot to take over the world and eradicate all life was picking up speed over the years and they knew she was on to them. They knew she was a threat to their evil plot. But then it could be staff or even a treasure hunter. Maenad Descent liked her first idea more, though, so it was with that in mind that she flared her large bags wings out and let out a low growl. She wouldn’t let one of the evil flatworms deter her from uncovering the truth behind the curse.

[Lyipheoryia]

Agile Speeds hated his job.  Really, really hated it.  Granted-it wasn't his usual job...but...still.  Going to Saddle Arabia with Prune, his marefriend, for a news leak?  Sure.  Actually going there?  No.  Just...no.

 

He grumbled as the tour guide droned on and on.  He lingered near the middle of the group, and spotted a long ranger hanging at the back.  Huh...strange.  As Prune picked up on every bit of information as she could, his mind wandered off to his real job.  Flying into the open skies and soaring with beloved Captain Spitfire, guarding equestria and watching the lands from a bird's eye view.  That was what he really liked to do.  His mind drifted off:

~the speed~

~the wind~

~the companionship~

~the scenery~

~the strange mare leaving the group~

 

Wait...what?  If there was one thing he was known for in the corps, it was his keen sense of observation.  Many pegasi had mastered it, flying and watching and learning and memorizing.  He?  He didn't just do that...he watched everything, all.  The.  Time.  He patted his focused marefriend and gestured away.  She gave a nod and turned back to the group.

 

"Hey!" He called after the mare.  He froze for a moment, before diving into the passageway after her.

[AuroraSoul]

Aurora Soul froze and quickly turned around hearing a growl. Frowning as she couldn't very well see in the dim light she tried to make out what made the sound. After a few seconds she heard a voice as well, along with a "Hey!" from somepony. Thinking it was guards or somepony else of that nature she took out a fake replica of a guard badge, it wasn't spot on but it did the trick.

 

Before she could see who was running after her though, she saw what made the growl and froze as well. Bat pony...instantly Aurora began to size up the pony and her chances. Large wings, easily outflight and outmaneuvered. Dang, somepony else?! She waved her ID around in an attempt to throw both ponies off balance

 

"What are you doing down here?! This is a restricted area!"

 

She really hoped this would work. Otherwise, she was in deep trouble.

[Bogle]

All the best lies were constructed of truth, dressed and trussed up in whatever fashion best suited the situation. It was with that in mind that Maenad Descent snarled back "I'm doing my job! And if you're here to keep me from it, we're going to be having some problems 'tween us two." She stopped, not because she didn't have more to say, but because two wasn't correct. "Between us three," she corrected without the snarl. 

Maenad flexed her wings like the giant webbed hands they truly were and reared her head back slightly. The flatworms didn't ever infect ponies in pairs and they also didn't shout things as superfluous as "hey" or try such a misdirecting tactic as waving around an ID. So. Okay, neither pony was likely to be possessed-by-worm.

​Confidently, and solely for the theatrics she was fond of, she bellowed out: "My quest is of great import here! You will let me continue through!"

[Lyipheoryia]

He sighed as the scene unfolded, staying silent.

"Chief Master Sergeant Agile Speeds of the Wonderbolts reporting here.  I can have you both detained and arrested for up to 48 hours if I don't have an explanation for why the both of you are down here in a clearly restricted access area in the next five seconds," He took out his Royal Guard badge, and gave both of them a stern, authoritative look.

[AuroraSoul]

Aurora Soul grimaced a bit great, a rival and a royal guard to boot. She was never great at listening to authority, or respecting it really. Still she stepped forward and showed both ponies the fake ID hoping it was good enough to fool both of them.

 

"I...work here and am doing routine checks on all the tour groups as per MY job description" She turned to the bat pony for good measure and frowned

"As for you, I should have you detained for not staying with your group."

 

She looked between both ponies with what she hoped was a dissatisfied look, it wasn't hard as she was dissatisfied that these two had interrupted her. Either way, she began to size both ponies up.

[Bogle]

Maenad Descent was thankful for her goggles and shemagh effectively covering her expression. A cousin of hers had once likened her expression when being foiled to being constipated. Her pride thus protected, she let out a loud snort at the both of the ponies with her. “I’ll have you know that I am a very respected pony. Not a grave robber or a saboteur of some sort.” Well, she had done some sabotaging and anything she had taken over the years she’d handed over to the locals once she was done with the items. “Respected and therefore very busy. Ponies to save, curses to stop—my day never ends.” She folded and tucked her wings against her sides, her weight shifting back in preparation in case she needed to sprint forward. “And I really can’t be held up. I, the great Maenad Descent must uncover the Truth behind the curse!”

[Lyipheoryia]

He turned to stare at each pony in turn.  He then turned to the mare, "You can't have me detained, because I have a pass," He took out his VIP pass that allowed him to visit the restricted access areas of the tomb.  Prune has enlisted it for the two of them, and it was approved for them.  It would prove very valuable to her research on the news article.  It would also prove very valuable right now.  "All the workers today were supposed to be notified of our visit, and our tour guide was to be Mr. Valmur, the manager of the tomb,"

 

He then turned to the other stallion, "Sir-an attitude will do you no good at the moment.  Can I see a valid piece of Equestria I.D., please?"

[AuroraSoul]

Aurora Soul sighed and looked down "Must have missed the memo, my mistake" she stayed like that as if in shame.

 

she then looked over at the bat pony. Pushing all focus onto another as she usually did

"I'd like to see that too." She didn't believe that this bat was high up on the social ladder, she knew high class and this pony had none of what was required. Besides, she'd rather die than loose such an enormous treasure to a newbie who couldn't even come up with a valid excuse for being down here. Stallion knows what he's doing, pretty high up on the ladder. Batty there doesn't know how to do a decent lie though, I can still come out of this ahead.

[Bogle]

Maenad blinked several times behind her goggles. She should be dashing off towards the treasure room to look for any indications of a curse, but then again, "Sir? ​Sir. Well, now. I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted by that. Very much female over here." The scarf over her face did muffle her voice a bit, though. It wasn't that outlandish of a mistake. She quickly pulled out her passport from the folds of her scarf. She'd never bothered with any other form of ID on account of constantly travelling and it'd yet to fail her. "And have neither of you heard of me? Really?" In a lower voice, "I was sure my last book did just fine in sales," then, louder, she turned her head towards the other mare and tucked her passport away again. "And what's a staffer doing wearing a cowboy hat? Not professional, that. Not for staff. It's extremely out of place." Maenad Descent then lowered her head as she crouched slightly. "Maybe you're not being piloted by one of those blasted worms, but you're not right for here either."

[Lyipheoryia]

There was something off about both these ponies.  And he could tell.  Maybe it was the horrid acting and the clearly fake I.D. from the mare; maybe it was the oddly snobbish attitude of the stallion.  Who was also apparently a mare.  He tried to hold back his gawk.  "We've all got our secrets for why we're down here...but this is too uncanny," 

 

By looks of it, it seemed that one was a thief, and the other was a...he couldn't really name it, "I'd like you to usher me to the nearest station-or to your manager-for your sake.  If you truly are what you claim to be, then you will have no problem telling your manager that a well-known author in Equestria was visiting the Restricted Access Zone,"

[AuroraSoul]

Aurora Soul grumbled a bit and huffed, she couldn't do what the stallion said and the bat was obviously ready to jump her.

 

"Alright fine, so I'm not supposed to be here." She turned glaring at the bat the way only a mother could "YOU shouldn't be down here either miss bat, and insinuating a fight isn't going to help your ploy!"

 

Things had fallen apart, she sighed internally great.  Aurora started toward the stallion

"Just take me away officer, but please do us both a favor and take miss darkness as well" She gestured to the bat pony.

 

Things had indeed fallen apart, but she knew ways around the law, and if she couldn't do that, she always had money. Perhaps, a private tour would be a better choice next time, have another pony show me around.

[Bogle]

​Miss darkness, ​Maenad was torn between snorting or preening at that. She would never turn any new monikers, cliché or insulting as they may be. Still, "You should remember my name: Maenad Descent. That way you can go purchase some of my books. Or rent them at your local library. Whichever." 

As she saw it her options were to either sprint towards the treasure or coming back at a later time. Abandoning her current goal wasn't an option. True, it wasn't time sensitive per se, but she had already made it there. And she could always tell ponies that it was, in fact, time sensitive. She might as well determine the Truth of the curse. She was hoping that the story and particulars behind the curse would be able to fill up a whole volume, even if it turned out to be some distraction while a private group went about sneaking the treasures out for profit.

​Then there was option three. "Look, ponies. All I want is to test the validity of the so-called curse. If it's real, I want to find out who cast it, how it works, and how to dispel it if possible. If it's a conspiracy I'll be after the why's and who's. If you," she dipped her head towards the stallion, "Want to play escort to make sure I don't buck anything up, that's quite fine. And if you," she then swiveled her head to the other mare, "Want to steal whatever treasure the so-called curse is protecting, it doesn't matter to me what happens to it so I won't stop you." Maenad Descent leaned her head back so that she was clearly speaking to the both of them. "Fact of things is, if it's not a real curse, then that means somepony or ponies are doing something illegal, like stealing the treasure all for themselves. We don't have time to go back. We've got to deal with this mystery quickly." 

[Lyipheoryia]

He froze.  Wut.  

 

You know what?  Maybe I'll tag along in this absurd journey...if you can't beat the thief, you gotta join the thief.  Then-you can learn about the thief and turn on 'em later.

 

"Very well...I shall play along and entertain you.  Now that everyone's roles have been so nicely laid out by Mr. Descent...let's go.  If you do intend to steal it, I shall keep my vigilant duty...perhaps.  Stay on my good side, and-if there truly is a curse-I'll let you both slide for this one,"  

[AuroraSoul]

Aurora huffed a bit, like she would steal something. She wasn't a thief, she simply wanted the treasure, however, she didn't trust the stallion nor miss Descent.

"Thief?! Like I would steal something from a freaking museum. I'm not a monster" Aurora scoffed at both. She had no time for somepony who talked about curses and worms, nor did she like guards, they always got in her way. Worse, they always accused her of being a thief, even though they never had any proof that she stole anything.

 

"If Miss Descent gets a private viewing, I would like one as well." She started down the hallway again, obviously peeved at being accused of trying to steal something.

[Bogle]

"Mister, miss--you know," Maenad Descent tugged her shemagh off of her snout and sloppily pushed it down from her head. She threw her long hair back over the scarf and trotted forward to match the other mare's speed. "I find myself not minding which address is used. I wonder if that says something about me. Minor possession by a male spirit, perhaps? Or something else? All the same I'm glad to be ​entertained. Most aren't up to that sort of task." Frankly, most ponies just called her crazy or told her they loved her "fiction".

The stallion may be operating under the assumption that he could simply arrest them later, but Maenad never turned back because of a challenge. She could make sure that both the ponies with her learned the value of finding the Truth in the end. And she could also make a run for at a later time.  

She smiled widely at her de facto companions. "I'm glad that mess was all cleared up. Did you know that there's supposed a full moon tonight? Best time to check on these things. Wouldn't have wanted to wait a whole month to sneak back down here. Anyway," Though her eyes couldn't be seen beneath her goggles, she narrowed them at her companions. "We've got a Chief Master Sergeant here but what should I be calling you, miss? Can't exactly trust that ID after all."

[Lyipheoryia]

He gave the cleverest of the smile to the thieving mare,"Come along then! If you're truly here to steal...well, I can use force at that time,"

It was truly a change in attitude for him, but his mindset was easily adaptable. To Ms. Descent, he said, "Sergeant Speeds will do, you don't need to call me by my entire title. In any case, I'm a bit more concerned over the current existence of you-m'am-over Ms. Descent. Authors, especially those well-known, are generally given a bit of leniency in situations like this,"

[AuroraSoul]

Aurora gave a wild laugh as and turned her head back to Speeds "I'd love to see you try to take me down Speedy, I'd just love to see you try."

 

Aurora turned to Descent and smiled, she didn't trust either of these ponies yet, so she of course made up a name. "As for the question, you can call me Honey for now. Also, I need to ask what you are talking about with worms and possessions and all that?" She frowned a bit as she looked at Descent. Her mane was so...messy, it was practically falling apart. She of course didn't register her shock. While her own mane and tail were pretty much perfect, she knew at the end of this adventure it probably wasn't going to look any better. Still she was a mare that took care of herself and enjoyed helping others look better too, especially when they looked that Descent did. Just another thing she took with her from her childhood

 "Certainly an...interesting comment"

 

As all three ponies headed farther down into the Pharaoh's Vale, it got darker and a lot mustier. Mold could be seen growing on the walls and a putrid smell permeated the air.

[Bogle]

Concerned over her existence? Had she fallen into a parallel dimension where she didn't exist? It wasn't impossible. Rather, she hadn't heard anything against the possibility, but... perhaps that was a bit too off the wall to posit, leastwise out loud.
 

Prompted as she was on more stable subjects, Maenad Descent smiled. She had awareness of how others viewed her theories and findings, but that only made it a challenge and challenges were to be faced boldly. “Flatworms, in large groupings, build up a sentience. An arrogant, vile, sentience. They wish to be rid of all other living things. They want to be the only ones left and can infect the living and puppeteer them. However, they’re not very good at it, for the time being. I mentioned them some in my fourth book when I was explaining how many large candy companies are being used for evil ends... I apologize if my first assumption of you being controlled by one is offensive.”

Her smile widened further, painting a manic look on her muzzle. It had grown dark enough that it would be fine for her to look on things properly. She pushed her goggles high on her head and widened her eyes carefully. The whole passageway lit up in her own vision. Maenad could note every bump and clump of mold along the passage walls gleefully. Truly, this was the sort of place where she would excel. The mystery of the curse would be solved soon.

“And minor possessions are commonplace. Some souls, they hang around because they still want to experience things and play piggyback sometimes. Never a bother, not for the everyday minor possessions. Just curious to suppose I’ve got a tagalong.” She didn’t mention the idea of having company on her quest was a nice thought. Her “companions” were there for their own agendas and were just as likely to be a hinder to her as be helpful. But a minor ghost riding her senses—that would have to be honest interest in the Truth and that was a comforting notion to her. "There's a whole world that most people never see, you know. They can't, they're not equipped for it." She turned her reflective gaze onto each of the two ponies in turn. "But uncovering that world is my purpose."

[Lyipheoryia]

((I'm going to skip, just because all Agile is going to be doing is silently following the group until something happens that requires his attention.  Typical Royal Guard training procedure.))

[AuroraSoul]

Aurora Soul nodded slowly at the words of Descent. She did think the mare was crazy, but not exactly crazy, she kind-of reminded Aurora of herself at least the whole bringing things to light. She wasn't at all crazy, or maniacal, she thought as she noticed the creepy smile on Descent's face.

 

"Okay" she said simply to make it known she was listening.

 

As the trio moved farther down into the passage they come across an old wooden door with a lock on it. Aurora digs into her mane and takes out two hairclips, before her companions can say anything she has the lock picked and is walking inside, her focus shifts to the large, golden urn in the center of the room. It's lavishly decorated with pictures of kings and gold, along with ancient scrawling's that's supposed to be writing. The rest of the room is bare, there are no other doors except the one Aurora had just opened.

 

Aurora replaced the hairclips and began to circle the urn taking in as much detail as she could, all she did was whisper a "wow" as she gazed at it. It was a beautiful piece and even better was what it led to. She also lit up a torch, which she took out of her old, worn and green saddle bag so she could see better.

[Bogle]

Maenad found herself thinking of the mare as being very useful after "Honey" had picked the lock. Though Maenad Descent could pick a lock, it always took her a while to manage it.

The presence of the lit torch had her wincing slightly and pushing securing her goggles back over her face. "Do either of you feel any tingling or noticeable change in temperature?" She moved over to the urn as well, but with a decidedly less impression. "Receptacles don't make for the best ​curse​ laying objects or spell anchors and," she trailed off, instead turning her attention to the empty walls. "And it's suspicious. There should be some form of writing floor to ceiling here." Maenad let out a short breath from her nostrils and focused back on the urn. "You want to translate that or should I have a go?" She flexed her wings at her side anxiously as another thought struck her. "Sargent Speeds, on the off chance we have to… tamper to get further, are you going to pitch a fit or will you help?”

[Lyipheoryia]

He watched as the scenes unfolded before him, and stayed silent.  That was the way he was...the way he was trained.  Sure, this was no Royal Procedure, but his core values were the Royal Guard rules.  The hallway ended, and he wondered if that was the end of their little journey as well, Well-I would be glad to say that it ended early.  Instead, Honey went to the only seen door, and picked the lock with a master hoof.  He watched her perform her art, and realized just how little he knew about lock-picking.

 

They entered a room, like the antechamber to the tomb.  He was amazed by it's natural beauty, staring at the urn which was its centerpiece, "Beautiful, isn't it?"  He turned automatically towards Prune, thinking that his marefriend would be most intrigued in writing about the urn.  He turned to empty air, remembering at once that he was not here with Prune Rose, but rather with a lock-picking thief and an egoistic jerkhead of an author.  

 

Ms. Descent began to blab away at her lingo, and he stood silently as he did, observing the scene.  What he was observing though, was the state of the urn itself.  It was in strangely good condition, despite being here for ages and ages and withstanding the grasps of time.  It truly interested him.  Ms. Descent's questions shook him from his trance-like state of observation, but he did not hesitate to put forth a reply, "Tamper?  Well...I'll stand quietly to the side and see what happens,"

 

He made a small pact with himself: If this journey proved fruitless to him, he would arrest the two for going into a restricted access zone and tampering with natural artifacts.  If they did discover something-an amulet or something of the sort-he was try the case and probably leave them both be.  It was a greedy thought, but it was his pact-and he was loyal to all pacts that he made.

[AuroraSoul]

Aurora looked up and blinked a bit as if seeing the two ponies before her for the first time. After another five seconds she finally let out a "You can read this?" She giggled a little and stepped back. "Go ahead" She hadn't heard the first question as she was too busy inspecting the urn. It really was a magnificent piece in near perfect condition for the age?...Hmmm, she filed that away.

 

As Descent read what she could she looked over to Speeds, he was being awfully quiet, and that always unnerved her. Not to mention that strange look he gave toward...air? With a noticeably...interested look. She smiled inwardly, she knew the look all too well. "Who are you thinking about?"

 

The urn had talked about three other urns and how they led to the treasure, however, she didn't know where the other urns were or what they looked like. She supposed they looked similar to this one.