Nocturne wiped a her forehead with a dirty maintenance cloth as she went outside, mopping up sweat from her exertions down in the core of the house, and the immense maintenance still required for the Corona Star to function. The doctors creations had assisted greatly in putting the machine together, but sometimes they required a guiding hoof in preparing the systems, and dealing with some of the finer points of the schematics. More than once they had installed a portion of the device only for her to have them remove it so she could fix some minor oversight that they had failed to take into account. 

Still, they were good, tireless workers and she couldn’t fault them for their enthusiasm, even as she assisted the doctor with her rudimentary training in the electricals of the device they were learning, progressing, becoming more efficient in their duties. In less than a week the empty factories the doctor had created many years past had suddenly awoken in the howling of steam, the heat of furnaces and the ordered whir and clank of tools as more and more worker Drones manned the workshops, machines and furnaces of the great underground construct.

The entire venture had probably been the most exciting time of her life, and the most strenuous. The doctor was a wondrous person, half scientist, half magician, all occultist. His work was inspirational and a symbol of innovation and discovery in these dark times, and the progress he had made over the years until this point showed in the sparks and sinews of his children. Already he was preparing for something of infinite complexity, something she didn’t entirely understand, but which would be something Equestria had never seen before, and might never see again.

Yes, she was glad she had joined with him. 

Under his unofficial tutelage, her understanding of many things had grown immensely, in ways she could have never perceived before. Perhaps it was the blessing of studying in practice, not under the guidelines of a university or curriculum, but in the wild world of the maddest kind of people. 

Yes, It had been a blessing really. 

She trotted down the gravel pathway, little pebbles skipping in front of her lithe dark grey limbs, and the smell of wildflowers all around her as they bloomed upon the hill surround the mansion and laboratory of Silver Scalpel. She stretched her wings out from her side and revelled in the feeling of the a slight breeze on her wing membranes, she had been cooped up in that dark house for far too long and she was itching to flap her wings and rise into the sky.

Changing her trot into a light jog she gave a huge flap of her wings and rose into the air, soon enough she was circling the town on the air current, smiling as her aching joints slowly eased away and she enjoyed the miracle of flight once more. For a time she simply enjoyed the little things, the sun, the warmth of the breeze, the picturesque view, but soon she felt a rather poignant thirst take a hold of her.

She could do with a pint. 

Ever since moving to main Equestria from her mountainous homeland she had enjoyed the flavour of the native alcoholic substances. She wouldn’t say she had a drinking problem, although the local Woodswatch barpony definitely thought so, but she did enjoy a good drink now and then. Unfortunately due to her work with the doctor she hadn’t managed to grab one in the past week or two, occultism, ressurectionism and old magic had taken precedence over such luxuries.

As she swooped down from above, she landed just before the inn, pausing at the town fountain to pick out any imperfections in the clear waters. As she stared into her reflection she took in her slightly frazzled bright creamy white mane, tutting at the the memory of it being hit by a rogue electrical charge, still it was functional. Her green slit eyes peered at her brightly despite the time of day. Normally she would have been asleep during this time, but due to the doctor’s schedules she had adapted for daylight hours, well, that and the miracle of coffee imported from Zebrica. Her dark grey fur was relatively clean asides from a few minor oil stains, and she was wearing clean clothes of a black shirt and a red waistcoat and tie, making her seem quite polished overall, despite the occasional rough patches here and there. 

Satisfied that she looked presentable, she shouldered her way through the inn door. The place was near deserted asides from a few ponies here and there, she recognised Pathfinder from the night watch and a few other denizens’ of her drinking establishment in the vicinity. As she made her way up to the bar and took a stool she noticed two other ponies in the place, a very beautiful looking mare and another mare who was curious bald. Vaguely she recollected that these were some weird god cultists the doctor had mentioned.

“Mornin’ Nokky!” the barpony, Foamy Tankard exclaimed, a big smile on the earth pony’s face as he worked his way over, a dishcloth and mug in hoof as he did so, “Surprised to see you back here again, figured you had left town when you packed up. What was it, miss being our special town drunkard and resident bat pony?”

Nocturne smiled and shrugged, “Found myself a bunk with an old friend, Tanky. Better than living in this pisshole you call an Inn, it actually has running hot water for example.”

Tankard let out a barking laugh at the counter to his ribbing, “Fair enough Nokky! I take it will be your usual?” with a nod of affirmation he headed back to the spouts and began filling up a large foaming mug of beer and returned to her with it. She tossed him a few coins on counter. 

“So Tanky, what’s the local news?” she asked raising her glass as she queried and exclaiming “Skal” before taking a large draft of her brew, “Can’t be much I imagine, quiet little town like Woodswatch.”

Tankard settled his elbows on the table and frowned slightly, “Well ever since you hitched up and left with that friend of yours there have been a lot of little odd things going on. Nothing terribly alarming, but the woods seem a lot emptier of wildlife than before, and the travellers from other parts are saying there are a lot less bandits on the road than there should be, given our location. Lots of noises from the woods at night too, very loud, and now this strange figure seen by them Baldies-” Here he gestured towards the bald mare across the bar, “-getting carted away tha’night before, ‘parently could just have been a deer and a wild animal, but they found a bit of hoof this morn, can’t tell what it is though.”

Inside her mind Nocturne heard her hoof smack her forehead in a grumble, she and the doctor had told them to stay away from the town, and she guessed that a bandit had managed to get the slip on one of the packs. Well… she thought, at least they didn’t let him stay alive. Nocturne shrugged and took another deep swig of her beer, “Was probably an animal goin’ for a meal, we haven’t had anything weird up this side of the country since the war began. I figure at worst it could have been a stray laughing dead, although that’d certainly be unusual” she shrugged again, “Doubt its anything to worry about.”

Tankard nodded in agreement, but still a slight frown creased his brow. “You sure you’re not going to join up with the Night watch again? The lads there really miss you it seems, and I am sure they could use an extra pair of hooves.”

Nocturne snorted, “the only thing they want back is a pony that can see in the dark so the lazy buggers can unload the job on me again, I don’t get paid enough to offset the boredom of flying in circles seeing nothing Tanky, they can handle that themselves.”

Tankard gave her a small grin, “Suit yerself, nice to see you again Nokky, the Inn ain’t the same without your catatonic drooling face plastered over the counter.”

Nocturne chuckled, “Same to you, you daft earthy bastard, now let me enjoy my pint before it gets warm.”

Grabbing her pint with an outstretched wing, she balanced it as she headed over to one of the corners of the room, settling at an untaken booth near the two other ponies, and began taking in the outside scenery as carts and villagers passed quietly through the town. More than once she eyed up the two mares across her way with some level of suspicion, they definitely didn’t seem like locals that was for sure, Nocturne would have encountered them long before this if that was the case. Suddenly her mind was lit up with a flash of recognition, she recognised the other more scholarly looking mare from what the doctor had told her about their visitors deal the day before. 

Dr Solar Lens. 

Suddenly an immense sense of suspicion settled over her, and she had to stop herself from rising and going back to the house to inform the doctor. 

After all, what was a scholar of her type doing fraternising with new god cultists?