Transcription of Session 15: Verdant Vines, Head Investigator
Date: May 4th
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Interviewer: Doctor Blue Sky, PhD
We once again had copies of the conversation with Twilight Sparkle at hoof as we began talking. I shared my notes where applicable as well. Miss Vines also gave me a letter she received, from White Clover in Canterlot.
Blue Sky (BS): There are a lot of things here to be concerned about, Miss Vines.
Verdant Vines (VV): I know. I’m just not sure what to talk about first.
Miss Vines was fidgeting in her seat, hoof tapping on the floor quickly as she scanned over both the transcripts from the interview today, as well as some reports from her staff members and the letter once I returned it to her.
BS: Perhaps from the beginning is best.
She sat aside the letter and reports, picking up the transcript.
VV: Alright, so we got clearer information from Twilight about this place she was taken to, how it works—assuming she’s correct—and what exactly she can see or feel from there. I guess it all makes the messages we found in our transcripts a little easier to understand, though some of them are more threatening now. Things like "we will not stay buried" and "lights and lives going out" are more unnerving when you know it wasn’t a prank from somepony with no sense of tact.
BS: I think that fact would be something to hide from everypony else, if you can, at least for the time being. Tension and stress are already fairly high from what the rest of my team reports.
VV: That was my hope. I’ve kept the fact we even have this line of communication open a secret so they don’t start making up worse stories than reality. We also know exactly what kind of help she’s looking for from us.
Miss Vines had stopped tapping her hoof, eyes scanning two pages over and over again.
BS: You’re still worried about the validity of what she says?
VV: I’ll admit, I’ve swayed from cautious pessimism to cautious optimism, but the caution is still there. Maybe when Celestia arrives she can verify Twilight’s identity for certain and make a final judgment on what to do about her plan. Meanwhile, I did post two guards to Town Hall. They won’t be there all night, but it will be past the curfew.
BS: I'm concerned with her blazing ahead without a full commitment from our side, but if she says that it’s only a test, and it turns out well, our concerns could be eased.
Miss Vines looked up suddenly to me, fixing a steely glare. Her body was entirely tense, as if she were about to leap forth from her seat at the faintest sign of danger.
VV: And if something terrible happens?
BS: Then it’s out of our hooves, our control. If she, or “They,” do something without our knowledge, outside of our control, can we blame ourselves for not acting?
Her expression and body softened, tension seeping out of her. Her head lowered as she looked back at her transcripts.
VV: I suppose not.
BS: It’s perfectly fine to be concerned, Miss Vines, but just as Twilight was overly worried about things far out of her control, I feel you should practice the same tempering of your reactions.
VV: It’s my job here to protect these ponies, Doctor. I’ll shoulder some blame. We’ll need to put in an adequate request for medical personnel if we do go forward with any plans to recover these ponies. There will be a lot of them to rehabilitate. How many ponies can the local hospital handle?
BS: Well, I’d wager given the size it normally handled maybe 20 or 30 ponies at once. That said, at most I think it could house and treat up to 60 with a proper staff and good use of quarters and rooms.
VV: Ponyville had a population of 308 on April 16th. 282 was the town population, plus 23 members of the agency and guard on-site and 3 tourists we found in the ledgers at the hotel. Of course, that wouldn’t account for any guests staying with the locals, or those that may have been away, like the ponies we’ve stopped at the perimeter.
BS: That means some that are returned would need to be treated and housed elsewhere. Besides the train line to Canterlot, we could also make use of Cloudsdale for the pegasi if an airship could be secured.
VV: I’ll make sure to mention it all in any report I give. Do you think your talk with her helped?
BS: It seemed to, at least letting her express what she’s likely had to keep bottled up for some time. I still feel she’ll need more direct counseling, in addition to any medical attention when she returns. It is possible she could never recover from what she’s gone through, that any of them could. It will be my job, and the job of many others, to do their best to help them.
Miss Vines stood up abruptly, walking over to the stove. Before I could ask, she put on the kettle again.
VV: I’m sorry, I just really need something for the nerves. Will you want any, Doctor?
BS: No, I’ll be fine.
We sat in silence as the kettle finished warming, which Miss Vines took off just as it began to hiss. She was quick to pour herself a cup and then walk back to her seat.
VV: I don’t know how to react to two things from our discussion with her.
She took a long sip from her cup and I waited for her to finish.
BS: And those are?
VV: The first is the news that she knew about Pendant, and that what Twilight did affected her. Assuming there was no malicious intent, I’m thankful. Still, it’s hard not to feel that one of the members of my team was personally attacked. The same for her reaching out to Lantern. He talked about how “They” were coming and “she” was already here. What if he meant Twilight?
BS: It’s a possibility, but we cannot know for certain unless Lantern volunteers more information. Given his condition, that may be soon if he continues to improve.
VV: And that brings me to the second thing: she mentioned that distance might be able to help those affected. Lantern sounds like he’s improving, but Pendant doesn’t seem to be. Then there’s the fact that these dreams are spreading in Canterlot too. Either Twilight has no real idea what will happen when these ponies return here, or she knows more and isn’t saying anything.
BS: Why would she not?
Miss Vines finished off her cup and began to pour another.
VV: Fear that we won’t help her with this plan? Hope that we’ll fall for whatever she really has planned? Again, I’m optimistic, but I can’t help my mind from racing. That’s not even including the fact that Princess Luna can’t see these dreams at all, or that Clover and I seemed to have a near identical one. She didn’t even go to see Lantern until today. Could the letters I send her be responsible? The transcripts that were already touched? If it’s information, did Lantern say something to these other patients? If not, could it be proximity?
Miss Vines stopped her rapid line of questioning and downed her entire second cup of tea before pouring a third.
VV: I just want answers, but every piece of information we get seems to only give us more questions. It’s hopeless. We’re like a dog chasing our own tail.
BS: Then we can only move forward on what we do know. Do you have an estimate of when Princess Celestia will arrive?
VV: If I had to guess, early. I wouldn’t be surprised if dawn was an hour or two ahead of schedule tomorrow.
Miss Vines chuckled and sipped her third cup of tea more slowly. She looked down at the cup for a few moments.
VV: Have you had any more dreams, Doctor?
BS: Nothing like what your team has reported. Then again, I have been on-site for less time. I will be certain to report anything that doesn’t seem normal. I still dream about Pendant, however, and Lantern. Both events have… shaken me, I believe.
VV: I can sympathize, Doctor.
We both sat in silence for a few minutes. I took my time going over notes and transcripts as Miss Vines focused on her tea until she broke the silence.
VV: I should write something to Clover, before it’s too late. I’m not sure if it will reach her in time, or what to say, but it would get some things off my mind.
BS: I’ll just keep looking over these a bit longer, if you don’t mind. You’re welcome to take your lette—
We were interrupted by a guard walking into the tent. It took me a moment to recognize him as Gilded Cage.
Gilded Cage (GC): Vines…
He took a moment to look at me.
GC: … Doctor. We found something at Town Hall.
VV: What is it?
GC: It’s a pony, we believe it’s Solace.
VV: You recognized him?
GC: Barely. We could only make out the cutie mark on his flank, as faded as it was. I left Aegis behind to guard him and sent Truffles to get water.
VV: Doctor, are you trained in first aid?
BS: Some basic training, yes. I can’t do anything substantial.
VV: Then come with me. Cage, get one of the medics and then join us there.