//------------------------------// // 11. "Name." // Story: "The Pink Theory." // by PrincessLunas Assistant //------------------------------// Nate left the office with a smile and found Pinkie in the hallway talking about odd recipes for cup cakes. Twilight Sparkle had just come up the stairs and was walking towards them from the end of the hall as Nate came out of Celestia's office. "What the?" Twilight said to herself. "How did you get here so quickly?" she asked Nate as the two of them came within talking distance. "We drove." Nate said as he stopped next to Pinkie Pie and wrapped a hoof around her. Pinkie turned her head and met eyes with Nate. The two of them brought their head together and kissed, deeply. Twilight's jaw dropped like a cinderblock off a tower on a planet twice the size of Equestria. After the two of them stopped kissing, she and Luna simply stared at the happy couple. "Ummm.....Pinkie Pie.......can you, the Princess, and I talk in Princess Celestia's office?" Twilight asked walking towards the double doors and pulling her away from Nate. Pinkie showed some reluctance to the idea and tried to stay with Nate, but he encouraged her. "Go ahead. I've got some work to do." He said waving Pinkie on. "Meet me in an hour, in the uhhhh.....is there a dining room where I can some coffee or something?" "Yes. Down stairs. Just walk east through the hallways near the entrance and you'll find two very large glass doors." Luna said as she took the two mares towards Celestia's office. "Okay. Meet me there Pinkie!" Nate said as he walked towards the stairs. He smiled at Pinkie and started going down the stairs. Pinkie, Twilight Sparkle, and Princess Luna entered the office and shut the door tight behind them. Celestia was at her desk scribbling away at papers with one pen while she read another. "Hmm?" Celestia said from her desk as she noticed the visitors and her sister. "Is there something we need to discuss, sister?" she laid then pen and papers down and turned to fully see them. "We just needed a place to have a private discussion with Pinkie Pie. She and that 'Nate' are an item." Luna said. Celestia raised and eye brow and smiled. "Is there something wrong with that? He is an adult...I assume......yes he's probably billions of years older than Pinkie, but as a citizen of Equestria she is entitled to the freedom that allows her to date whomever she wishes." "But he's a God! He can create and destroy things with a simple gesture or thought. If Pinkie were to..." Twilight began but Celestia cut her off. "He's not a baby with a death ray. He's an ancient being with eons of learning and memories." Celestia said in Nate's defense. "He's in exile! He's proven himself incapable of proper judgement in some way to deserve being sentenced here." Lune stated. "If Pinkie and Nate ever fought one another we could be looking at some sort of dooms day." All the while during this argument Pinkie just sat and listened. While she listened she realized, they were arguing over whether she should be allowed to date Nate. When this thought went through her mind, she broke out into tears. The argument stopped before it could get out of hand. As Pinkie cried and left the room in a hurry. "Oh no! Pinkie!" Twilight called down the hall as Pinkie Pie galloped away. _____________________________________ Nate found out from one of the guards that Cadence and Shining Armor currently had a room in Canterlot while they were enjoying a brief stay. It was in the shortest tower, second to top floor. Nate found it was the first door on the left once he had climbed sever flights of stairs. He stood at the door and gave it a knock. "Coming!" A feminine voice called. Nate gently hummed to himself as he waited. He heard the door unlock and saw it as it creaked open. On the other side of the door was a pink Alicorn with her mane in a tight tail behind her head. "Hi, I'm Nate. Do you mind me asking you a few questions?" This alicorn grew a tad cautious. Nate could feel her caution. Part of being a god is being able to read thoughts and feel emotions. He didn't like doing so, but he could easily at just about anything. The only reason he refrains from using this ability is it is the greatest breach of privacy one can have. However, he wanted to be absolutely sure during this little investigation. "I'm Princess Cadence. You may ask me anything." She said leaning against the door. "Have you noticed anything unusual lately?" Nate asked shifting on his hooves. "Not besides the coffee tasting awful." Cadence said with a tone-less voice. Nate found it, she had just lied. "Don't skimp on anything, darling. I've got a pretty good sense for lies and you're settin' off a red flag or two." Nate said his eyes narrowing slightly. He sent signals to Cadence's mind, thoughts like 'Just tell him! He probably know!'. "Stop trying to put thoughts in my mind." Cadence growled. "I don't know what you want from me, but I'm not going to say anything to you." "Then you do have something that interests me. Tell me, now." Nate growled back in response. His eyes narrowing even further. His mental barrage continued, now he wasn't playing as subtle as a thought here and there. He was trying to gain full access. Cadence stumbled back as Nate pressed on. Her face became ashen, her eyes uncertain. "I-I...." "Tell. Me." Nate commanded as he began to take control of her mind. "I-I.....my....name......I forgot my name! Who am..........." She mumbled as she tried to balance herself on the door. Nate took a step forward and put a hoof under her chin and lifted her face to keep her at eye-level with him. "Tell me everything you know or else I keep your name." "Okay....please.....just tell me my n-name." Cadence begged growing weaker as Nate sunk his mental claws into her memories. "Fine, Cadence." "Th-thank you. I-I saw a shadowy figure a few nights ago....when I was on a walk through the castle. Came from Celestia room....galloped faster than I could. Looked like a light blue pony......didn't have time to get a good look, though." Cadence said weakly. "Good. Now go get some rest and forget I even came her." Nate said as he wiped the memory of this little chat from her mind. Nate closed the door and smiled as he walked down the hall. Nate never liked going dark on anyone like he had, but when it comes to weapons you never really want to joke around.