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// 39 - By the Sun// Story: Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone// by David Silver//------------------------------//

Fast strode through the city. It was a fine city, though not of the style she preferred of Viljatown. They didn't like stately marble or pillars, instead buildings of firm stone for the rich and wood for the less so. They seemed a people ruled by pragmatism, using whatever was close to them at the time.

Tree walked beside her, accompanying her in in her wandering of the city. "It's like a totally new culture, dude."

"Hmm..." Her mind was elsewhere, but it was brought back as a human dressed in cleric's vestments approached them from the crowd. "Good day, sir." She could see he wore a large symbol of the sun. "May the sun smile on you."

"And you as well." The human dipped his head. "Word spreads quickly that you too walk in the divine path of the sun." He gestured towards her head. "You make no real attempt to disguise it."

Fast colored faintly in her nose. "I didn't mean it to symbolize that, but I am loyal to the sun's teachings, as much a lay worshiper can be."

Tree looked over the man. "Hey, dude. So you're a sun singer? That's groovy. I sing to the trees."

The priest looked to Tree and nodded. "Ah, a druid? We are both guided by faith, though it is of a different sort." He formed a round O with his hands brought together. "The sun has no displeasure for other men and women of the cloth, if they shine brilliantly."

Fast gestured at Tree. "Well then the sun has no quarrel with Tree. She shines quite brightly for us."

Tree colored softly through her fur. "Oh stop that! I'm just trying to do what I can."

"Is that not all we can do?" The man smiled gently. "I must confess, my reason to approach is not entirely one of idle friend making. Fellow hailer of the sun, are you aware of what rests on your brow?"

Fast glanced upwards a moment before she thought better of the futility of the action. "That is a complex answer, but I hope it will prove helpful to my people."

"Mayhaps it is..." He rolled a hand. "But do you know what it is?"

Tree tilted her head slowly. "The sun shines nice and clear."

The man seemed taken aback by that. "Oh... you're right. I should be more concise. I could be mistaken, but I am fairly certain that is the lost crown of the Sun Emperor. A legendary item, to be certain, lost long ago, over a thousand  years ago, possibly several."

Fast jerked her head back. "I've never heard of any 'Sun Emperor'. Were they human?"

"Yes indeed."

"Then it can't be." Fast waved a hoof. "This was found in a pony crypt, without a doubt."

The priest held up a hand. "Hold, I'm being impolite. We should at least exchange names before we argue over this. I am Father Redtail." Both ponies leaned in opposite directions as if to see if the human had a tail where they wouldn't have expected one. "It's a family name."

Fast nodded lightly. "Right. I am Fast Shadow, and this--" She gestured at Tree as she nodded in turn. "--is Tree Hugger. Pleased to meet you."

"Yoink!" A hand yanked the crown off of Fast's head suddenly. She spun towards the theft, lowering her lance as she turned and driving it into the leg of the thief as he bolted down the road.

Tree reared up and clapped her forehooves. "Green beneath us, grasping and binding!" The small potted plants and rough weeds of the road suddenly grasped for the man, pulling him down roughly even as his injured leg gave out. He hurled the crown rather than clutch to it. Another man, garbed entirely in black, caught it and ran off down an alley with it, vanishing from sight.

"Bright, follow him!" Bright launched from Tree Hugger's back and flew off like a bolt from a crossbow, lost over the roofs of the houses beside them.

Redtail frowned severely. "To trespass against another, so brashly. This is not the sort of shining we had in mind. We must move quickly, as fast as light itself." Power thrummed through them all. Filled with a new sort of divine energy, this one golden yellow, they ran with speed beyond themselves.

"Possibly!"

Tree pointed. "This way." She hurried through the maze of tiny alleys with her friend at her side.

They turned the corner to see Bright Feathers pinned to the ground with an arrow through one of his wings, the other flapping uselessly. Tree's eyes widened as she approached her injured friend quickly. "Dude... That was so uncool." She put her mouth around the shaft and yanked it free with a loud squawk from Bright for the effort. Tossing it aside, she nodded. "Sorry, had to do that. Are you alright?" He waved the injured wing at her as if to question the validity of her request. "I'll help." She channeled green force into him, sealing the wound.

Fast stomped the ground. "Can your companion say which way they went? There's tracks everywhere, there's no way I'm going to be able to follow this..."

"Well? Feathers so bright, did your sharp eyes spot which way they ran?"

He thrust a healed wing out. Redtail frowned. "That may be accurate, but with the twists and turns, they could be almost anywhere..."

Fast clenched her teeth. "It was my fault. Blaze take it all. Why was I wearing that out and about?"

Redtail clasped his hands together. "I will not have an artifact of the sun itself so casually abused. You have my service until it is again in your care, Miss Shadow."

Fast let out a slow breath. "Right, thanks..." She turned to him. "Do you know where to start looking in this city for something of incalculable value?"

"No." He crossed his arms. "But I know who would. One does not provide guidance for a place like this without making a few contacts. Come, the sooner we move, the better." He turned away, back towards the main roads.

Tree turned with him, and Bright landed on her back silently. "We should get the others."

Fast glanced over. "I hate to ask so much of your friend, but he could reach them far before we could in this maze. Can he do it?"

Tree looked up at her friend as he hopped up onto her head. "Well? Extra snacks later, promise."

This seemed to draw his attention. He made a little whistle before nodding. "Possible." He launched off of Tree's head and quickly turned back to the tavern they had rested in the morning before.

Fast shook her head as she followed after Redtail. "For having the one word, he certainly gets his coin's worth out of it."

Redtail slipped past the edge of a stand to enter one of the larger thoroughfares. "You are blessed by the divine in your own fashion, and those that bond to you share in this connection. Now then, will your friend be able to find us again if we move too far?"

Tree frowned a little. "That's a good question, man..." She looked to Fast. "Maybe we should wait a moment?"

Fast dig a metal-clad hoof into the ground. "No point rushing off without the rest of the party. Braver ponies than me have found their end that way. It's already stolen, let's... be calm and be smart."

Redtail nodded. "Well put. He scanned along the road and wandered towards one of the stands. "While we wait, have you sampled some of the local fares? No time like the present."

Tree smiled and trotted after him as he moved for a food stand, but Fast moved with less certainty. "Is now truly the time for that?"

"As good as any other, my child."

Fast raised a brow in her helmet. "There would be many strange words about town were I your child."

Tree put a hoof over her mouth. "Naw man, it's like when I call Maud sister. Sister, child, mother, father. Sometimes they're just, like, names."

She pulled her helmet free and shook out her mane. "Right, of course. It still sounds a little silly."

Redtail offered a skewer to Fast and Tree both. "Put that aside for the moment. Your friends will be here soon, then it's off to see mine. We'll get that back for you, as sure as the sun is bright."

Tree sniffed at it lightly before she sat on her haunches and took it carefully between her hooves. "Thanks, Redtail was it?" She sampled it and found the collection of grilled veggies and fruits to her liking.

A caw brought their eyes up, but it wasn't Bright Feathers. He wouldn't arrive for several minutes more, with Maud hurrying along behind with the speed they could only match with the cleric's help. "Did you need me?"

Fast nodded at her. "Good. Where's Paul?"

Maud pointed where she came. "He's right behind me."

Right behind proved to be another minute's wait, and he emerged from the crowd, heaving for breath. "Damn... Maud... How do you even do that?"

Maud shrugged. "I ran."

"You don't bleedin' say!?" He straightened himself out and noticed the new person. "'Ello?"

Redtail offered a hand. "Good day, and may the sun shine on you."

Paul looked taken aback. "Another sun priest?"

"Another?"

Fast put a hoof over her face. "We ran into one between cities, fallen from grace with some ruffians. We tried to set him back on the path."

Redtail gave a soft noise. "I see. Well, let's return that kindness with what we can manage. Come, time's a commodity we only have so much of."

Together, they set off with him. They didn't go to any gleaming sun temples, instead off into the alleyways to what seemed to be the less opulent portion of town. One of the many doors that was embedded in stone drew his attention and he rapped on it twice, paused, then three more times. The door swung open into darkness.

Unable to see much of anything, the group ventured forth into the unknown, to claim their lost artifact.