Chapter Forty Five
Chapter Forty Five
"This just isn't right," Rainbow Dash muttered as she paced in the hallway. Despite being separated from Twilight only for a couple of minutes, it felt like they'd been away for hours. Why did time have to be such a fickle thing to deal with? "Right now, Twilight's alone in there, watching that dude actually... kill another pony. How come I'm the only one that's not okay with that?" she asked as she turned to face the others, who were currently all too content to just sit or stand in place like it was nothing. "And how come none of you made a good argument against it? How come you didn't try and talk her out of actually doing this?" she asked them with equal parts confusion and hostility.
"As I said, Rainbow Dash, this is something that Twilight needs to sort out for herself. We can't make her decisions for her, simply because we wish to spare her what we consider to be avoidable hardships," Celestia explained calmly from where she stood, simply waiting much like everyone else was.
"But you two are the Princesses in charge of Equestria. It's your job to govern ponies. Couldn't you, like, order her not to go?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"You present an interesting argument for consideration, Rainbow Dash," Luna spoke up, "it is true that we do govern the land. And we do offer guidance when it is sought. But we do not govern the day-to-day events of our subjects and what they go through. We are not dictators, we do not step in and stop behavior on the simple basis that we do not like it. And there is certainly much behavior going on in Equestria proper that we do not like... such as mismatched socks being seen as acceptable."
Nopony said anything in response to Luna's statements. None of them were really certain what sort of a comeback to offer up to what they'd just heard, finding it to really come out of left field.
"Say... wha' now?" Applejack asked, too confused to think of anything else to say.
"Did I say something wrong?" Luna asked as she turned to Celestia for clarification on the matter.
"No, Luna, but perhaps making an attempt at humor wasn't the best option right now," Celestia replied. Even if she did find the notion a bit humorous, and a fine tension breaker. But sometimes laughing just wasn't appropriate. "The point remains, however," she continued as she turned back to face the others, "that we don't oversee every single aspect of an individual's life. We don't stop them from making bad decisions, just as we don't make them choose good decisions. It's not our place to say. The best we can do is offer our guidance when advice is sought. And although we could advise Twilight to not make this decision, there's nothing we could do to actually stop her from such," she explained calmly.
"Okay... that makes sense I guess," Rainbow Dash slowly replied, turning her attention away from Celestia and Luna, and more towards the others. "But that still doesn't explain why none of you gave her a reason for why she shouldn't be doing this. Rarity, you said Twilight was a sheltered pony, how come you didn't object? Won't something like this break her, leaving her a crying, drooling, babbling mess?"
"Really, Rainbow Dash," Rarity huffed at her friend's own brand of theatrics, "simply because I said Twilight was sheltered, that doesn't mean she's as fragile as the glass to a light bulb. She's not so delicate that she'll shatter at the slightest unsettling disturbance she meets with. Twilight's a mare of a refined strength; she'd have to be in order to serve as Celestia's student. I daresay, after everything that's happened in the past week, she's far stronger than we give her credit for; stronger than even she may give herself credit for."
"Alright, alright, I'll admit that's a good point," Rainbow Dash relented, knowing that she couldn't win this argument with Rarity. She'd seen what Twilight had been capable of before, and categorizing her as weak really didn't seem appropriate. Somepony who was weak certainly couldn't blow apart a wall, floor, and who knew what else that was behind it. Or shake the castle by yelling. "But I still don't get why nopony tried to argue against it. How come there wasn't one single reason offered up for why Twilight shouldn't go see it happen?" she asked. She'd made the best argument against it that she could have at the time, but why hadn't the others? Why hadn't they explained to her why this was a bad idea? Why hadn't any of them been able to relay the downside of watching an execution take place?
"Prob'ly 'cause o' what Twilight said, 'bout somethin' tryin' ta kill us. Like she said, we're prob'ly gonna be seein' a lot more death before everything is said an' done. This might be somethin' we're all gonna have ta face at some point down the line. She's jus' pickin' when she starts confrontin' the ugliness of everythin'," Applejack replied. Right now it seemed like the most logical answer she could give. At least the one that was most logical to her.
Rarity nodded in response. "I'm afraid I must agree, no matter how much I wish I could do to the contrary. This is a beastly situation we find ourselves in, and we may be forced to confront some utterly horrifying concepts and realities that we never before had to even consider."
All of the others more or less nodded in agreement to Rarity's statement, but contributed nothing further to the discussion, each of them with their own reasons for refraining from such, beyond the obvious reason of the whole talk being rather depressing.
"So... how come I'm the only one who's not alright with all of this? What is it? Am I... am I the sheltered one of this group or something? How does something like that even happen?" Rainbow Dash asked. How could something like that even be possible? She was the one who could utilize the Sonic Rainboom. She was the one destined to be a future Wonderbolt. She was the one who not only kicked a dragon in the face, but faced down Ulquiorra. So how come she was the one most disturbed by the topic of death?
"Ooh, ooh! I know, I know!" Pinkie stated as she bounced excitedly, before landing on her hind legs and rearing herself up, folding her forelegs over her chest in the process, and clearing her throat before she spoke up again. "A literal case of having your head in the clouds," she stated in a low, completely serious, deadpan manner. Before eventually devolving into barely suppressed snorts and giggles.
"Another impression o' Mr. Cifer?" Applejack asked as she cocked an eyebrow at Pinkie's antics.
"Yep!" Pinkie replied before setting back down on all four hooves again. "How was it? Pretty good?"
"Almost intelligent."
They all jumped in surprise at the unexpected voice, turning to see Ulquiorra and Twilight approaching as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Perhaps the most surprising matter was how Twilight looked... reasonably alright.
"Citing pegasus abilities to manipulate not only weather, but the clouds themselves, in order to reference an old saying about one not being grounded in reality," Ulquiorra elaborated as he approached, hands still tucked into his pockets. "However if the ultimate goal is to imitate me, considerably more work will be needed before any measure of success can be had."
Rainbow Dash knew that she could say something in response, but right now her mind was on something more important. Without a word she glided over the short distance and landed to hug Twilight around the neck. After everything her friend had gone through -or might've gone through- she was probably in need of a hug right now. Or at least one at the very minimum. She was very thankful when the hug was returned, as that indicated Twilight had enough brain functioning to be aware of her surroundings, and how to respond.
"You okay, Egghead?" Rainbow Dash asked her. But right after she asked the question, she thought better of it. "No of course not, not after that. What I mean is-"
"It's alright, Rainbow Dash," Twilight replied, cutting the cyan pegasus off before she could try and stammer about aimlessly. "It's done. And it was... almost peaceful actually, as strange as that might sound. Just one tap and it was over," she explained. She didn't really know just why she felt so calm after witnessing what she had. Was it shock and the gravity of the situation hadn't fully set in yet? Or maybe it was something else far more pressing. "I'm... I'm alright, right now. But Ponyville might not be."
"Say what?" Rainbow Dash asked as she pulled back and disengaged the hug to look at her friend. "Is this about the manticore attack? But the dude said he broke its neck," she pointed out.
"The manticore may have been terminated. But that doesn't mean any threat has been stopped, or that any mysteries have been solved. And we find ourselves with yet another mystery that must be addressed," Ulquiorra replied from the side.
"Another one?" Rainbow Dash asked in disbelief. There was just no way this could actually be happening. It was starting to seem like every single time they turned around, there was another mystery just waiting to slap them in the face and catch them off guard. "Do I even want to know what the details are to this one?"
"There is a strong likelihood that you won't. But it will need to be done regardless," Ulquiorra replied calmly, unaffected by the theatrics before him relating to her exasperation. "However that is a task best dealt with in a more secure location, such as the library, and after Spike has been reacquired. All those that are informed should be present for this briefing."
Cheerilee tried not to sigh. She really, truly, loved her students. All of them, from the very bright like Twist, all the way to the other end of the spectrum, occupied by those like Snips and Snails.
That fact aside, however, love did little to calm her current exasperated nature, the result from having had to try and clean five very dirty fillies who had run into the Everfree Forest unsupervised, and came back covered in dirt, mud, tree sap, and a host of other substances. All of which had to be washed and hosed out of their coats, manes, tales, off their hooves, and just about everywhere else it could hide. And being one of the temporarily assigned caretakers at the moment, that task befell her primarily, as Spike's small size served to be more of a hindrance than anything else, despite his best efforts.
And at the moment, he appeared to be suffering the torture best known as the pre-sneeze purgatory, trying to alleviate his suffering by attempting to force it to happen.
Cheerilee could certainly sympathize with the young dragon. That was a measure of misery she'd experienced all too often.
However that was doing little to answer a specific mystery. Apple Bloom and her two friends venturing off into the Everfree Forest, she could understand that. Anytime there was a yell of "Cutie Mark Crusaders" there was bound to be trouble to some degree. But how in the world did Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon get involved in this mess? The two groups really didn't get along at all, making it seem unlikely at best that the two would work together on anything, unless they were made to do so by an outside force.
"A-a-a-"
"Uh oh. Y'all might wanna duck," Apple Bloom stated and promptly dropped to the floor without any further discussion. Anypony who'd been around Spike long enough to see what it was like when he had to sneeze, knew to keep a healthy distance away from the front -and sometimes the sides- of his head.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle didn't need to be told twice, or even have the situation explained to them. Seeing Spike about to sneeze, both dropped to the floor just as a flash of green flames erupted overhead.
"Bless you, Spike," Cheerilee stated after seeing the display, and being thankful nopony had been anywhere nearby at the time. "Are you catching a cold?"
"No," Spike sniffed, "somepony's probably just talking about me."
"Say wha' now?" Apple Bloom asked, pausing momentarily before finally standing back up again. "How's that even work?"
"You know how the old superstition is a pony's ears are burning if they're being talked about? Ulquiorra says where he comes from, the superstition is you start sneezing if somepony's talking about you," Spike explained.
"That's just ridiculous," Diamond Tiara commented from where she sat, bored out of her skull with having to be stuck at the school, and desperately wanting to get home and take a proper bath with the proper mane shampoo her family bought. The only shining spot of this whole mess was the fact that she wasn't sticky right now. "Ponies talk about me all the time, and I never sneeze."
"Maybe it only works if somepony has something nice to say," Scootaloo mumbled to herself, just loud enough for some eavesdroppers to hear. As expected, Diamond Tiara immediately fell for the presented bait. Sometimes that filly was easy to predict.
"You've got some nerve, blank flank, don't forget that I was the one that saved us. When that timberwolf came after us, I-"
"Fell down and tripped it with your fat flank, making it smash its head against the tree. Some rescue mission on your part," Scootaloo interrupted, further angering the uppity earth pony bully, and causing a nice shade of rage red to appear under her coat.
This wasn't happening. This simply wasn't happening. Cheerilee sighed and grumbled to herself, pinching the bridge of her muzzle as she tried to remain calm. She might love each of her students, but love only went so far. Right now these girls were testing her patience, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her cool before she did something she was certain she'd regret.
However before things could get too far out of hoof there was a knock at the schoolhouse's door, serving as a much desired interruption to the constant back and forth squabbling.
"Thank Faust," Cheerilee thought as she approached the door, currently locked for safety purposes; a necessity when she had to be out back and clean up those five. "Who is it?" she asked.
"Miss Cheerilee. If you could open the door."
It certainly wasn't the answer she was expecting. But the voice was easily recognizable to her. Walking over, she undid the latch bolt and opened the door, allowing her to look out and see that it was indeed Ulquiorra standing on the other side. With everything that had been happening so far, his presence was comforting to see.
"Mr. Ulquiorra, it's good to see that it's you. What news do you have to report?" she asked.
"Spike's presence has been requested at the library, in order that we might sort out this matter, and determine not only what occurred here today, but why it occurred," he explained calmly through the narrow opening he was presented with.
"I see," Cheerilee mumbled, not exactly keen on the prospect of losing the only one who'd been present to assist her through this all. "So is there any information about those that were caught in the attack? Any prognosis on how they're doing? Is there any word on Pipsqueak's condition?" she asked as Spike approached.
"The hospital staff report that they are optimistic Pipsqueak will survive. However regarding the others, I haven't been authorized to say as of yet. A final confirmation of survivors and fatalities has not yet been taken, and there is no point in preliminary speculation," he explained.
"Oh..." Cheerilee replied, trying her best to sound neutral, although uncertain if her efforts were successful. "What about my students? Is there any word on when it'll be safe to let them return home?" she asked.
"Not as of yet. But with the manticore disposed of, and no others detected in the immediate area, it, will likely be safe to release them once their families come to pick them up," he replied. He could to some degree understand her desire to be free of her charges; it was something he too had experienced when the ponies around him reached some of their more nonsensical levels of behavior. However he wasn't there for the purpose of relieving her of her misery; her suffering would have to be dealt with on her own.
"Mr. Cifer? Can we come too?"
It was a question from Apple Bloom as she stood just a few paces behind Miss Cheerilee, along with the other two of her organization. Their approach was slow, and the look in their eyes being one of hope.
"You're going to be talking with our sisters and their friends, right?" Sweetie Belle asked as they approached closer. "Couldn't we come with you and Spike and meet up with them at the library, rather than waiting around for them to come and get us? Just waiting seems rather... pointless."
Of the three who made up the Cutie Mark Crusaders, each of them possessed their own respectable level of intelligence for ones their age. However Sweetie Belle appeared to be the most intelligent at the moment, recognizing the futility of the situation at hand. Him traveling to the school to pick up Spike, return to the library for the discussion, then the others coming here to pick them up and take them back home, would indeed seem like excessive travel and waiting.
However that wasn't his problem. At the moment there were more pressing matter at hand than pointlessness and futility.
"That will not be possible. The matter needing to be discussed is of a sensitive nature. And despite your efforts in the Everfree Forest being beneficial to Ponyville, it isn't a matter appropriate for ones so young," he explained. The last thing needed were three potential leaks that would let sensitive information out into the general populace.
"Say what?" Scootaloo asked and blinked in confusion. What did he mean about their efforts being beneficial?
"Our efforts? You mean us going in and getting you the antidote from Zecora?" Sweetie Belle asked. Was he saying... what it sounded like he was saying?
"Are ya sayin' that... that we mighta actually saved Ponyville?" Apple Bloom asked.
"It's not out of the realm of possibilities. Being unfamiliar with poison joke affliction, I can't say for certain how things would've progressed," he explained. He then paused momentarily in thought. It was certainly not within his character to do what suddenly came to mind. But if he intended to keep up the appearances he had been maintaining upon his first arrival, perhaps it would be appropriate. "With that fact in mind, perhaps your presence would be most beneficial here, in assisting Miss Cheerilee with the others until such time that their families can arrive for them."
Cheerilee wasn't quite sure how to react to these words. On the one hoof, the idea of Apple Bloom and the others thinking that they played a part in saving Ponyville could lead to disastrous consequences. But on the other hoof, what Ulquiorra was presenting seemed like a novel and ingenuitive way of keeping the girls under control and attentive. If they felt that if they had important role to fill right now, they might actually buckle down and be serious in what they do.
"You... you actually want us to do something with actual responsibilities? Like we're actual adults and not just foals?" Scootaloo asked. She never saw something like this coming before. Even before Ulquiorra could get an answer out, Sweetie Belle squealed with excitement at the prospect.
Near the back of the school, where they watched everything unfold before them, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara groaned.
"Woohoo!"
Having been around Ulquiorra for so long, it made sense that the booming static-y echo of his sonido would eventually become a commonplace noise, and no longer disturb those around that heard it, catching them off guard and leaving them momentarily confused.
Spike's excited yell upon arrival, was an entirely different matter, and caused a fair amount of surprise as it disturbed the relative silence of the eight ponies currently in the library, even amongst the diarchy. And more confusion when they saw Spike actually being carried under Ulquiorra's arm like a piece of luggage.
"That's awesome!" Spike cheered.
Ulquiorra simply said nothing in response, having heard Spike's cheers of excitement beforehand earlier in the day, and simply set him down on the floor. Now that this impromptu group was assembled, they could begin.
"What's awesome, little guy?" Rainbow Dash asked as she hovered on over.
"Traveling via sonido. Talk about an adrenaline rush!" Spike stated.
And then again, perhaps not. He could already feel just how this conversation was going to proceed, and it was going to be a waste of time. He would need to head it off before anything could actually come of it, and amount to a distraction to why they were actually here.
"Let's try and stay focused, shall we?" Twilight spoke up, cutting Rainbow Dash off before she could say anything in response to Spike's statement. She understood that time was of the essence, the day beginning to stretch into the late afternoon and all, so it made sense that they might travel by way of the Espada Express and... Espada Express? Great, now she was starting to think like Pinkie. Nevermind, they had more important work to deal with right now. "You two can discuss sonido all you want, but only after we get to the bottom of what's going on around here."
Ulquiorra paused at Twilight Sparkle's words. This was the second time today that the unicorn's words had compared to his own thoughts. He was seriously starting to wonder if she possessed telepathic abilities, or if she was simply like-minded to him. But it was something that was best saved for another time. For now there were more important matters to address.
"Ulquiorra? Do you want to take the lead on this one?" Twilight Sparkle asked as she looked at him.
"I believe I'll allow you to take point on the matter at hand. Perhaps you have observed something that the rest of us have not," he replied. However if he were being completely honest, his decision had more to do with keeping the unicorn focused on important matters, rather than allowing her the opportunity to become distracted by less important issues, and potentially become of a reduced capacity in terms of usefulness. For now he would simply stand back and observe.
"Alright," Twilight breathed, a little taken off guard at basically being given the reigns in this one. But she wasn't about to disappoint. With a flexing of her magic, she brought over a large rolling chalkboard behind her, before she began speaking again. "So everypony remembers how, five days ago, Ulquiorra discovered some very disturbing news that pertains to us. Two attempts on our lives with potentially lethal results, both of them within the space of barely more than a week. And as we discussed, both of these events have three things in common. Both events resulted in us being targeted, and directly involved in a manner that could cause the Elements of Harmony to become unusable, and render Equestria defenseless. Both events also occurred within a period of less than twenty four hours that coincided with each of Ulquiorra's two visits to Ponyville, and meeting with us. And both events didn't occur until after Ulquiorra arrived in Equestria. And ever since that revelation, we've been attempting to discern some type of pattern that could be used to predict future events. Unfortunately we haven't discovered anything. We're no closer to being able to recognize danger now than we were last month! The way things have been going, it's a miracle that we're still even alive to wield the Elements of Harmony! Despite our best efforts we have absolutely no information to go on, as we attempt to protect ourselves from one day to the next. We've attempted to analyze everything from variations in temperature, to the position of the moon in the night sky, all the way down to inconsistencies in hoof traffic in and around Ponyville, and we don't have the slightest piece of information to go on. This is absolutely pathetic."
As he listened to Twilight Sparkle speak to the others, he would admit to himself that he was mildly surprised by the subject matter being discussed. He hadn't expected her to basically be beating them over the head with the fact that they had no information to go on, and to do so in a manner that could be considered hostile. Even knowing everything that he did about her character, that still seemed uncharacteristic for her to engage in. Perhaps a well timed interruption was needed, before she began to berate them in depth for their shortcomings, and render them uncooperative.
"Twilight Sparkle," he interrupted, "a simple statement regarding the lack of information would have been more sufficient. However such a statement would be inaccurate, as we do possess new information with which to work," he explained.
"Wait, we do? Seriously?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Correct. However a map of the layout of Ponyville, as well as the surrounding territory, will be necessary for a proper explanation to be given," he replied.
A map? Twilight really wasn't certain just what he needed a map for, but she didn't ask. Instead she picked up one of the pieces of chalk and went about sketching a map of Ponyville. Not an overly accurate or particularly to-scale interpretation of a map, the chalkboard simply wasn't big enough for that, and she really didn't like that fact. But anyone with even a basic understanding of some of the landmarks could use it to triangulate their position on it.
Finally, after several minutes of quick sketching, she was done, the chalk stick worn down to nearly half of its original overall length. "How's that?"
"Serviceable enough," he replied as he looked over the end results. Saying nothing more, he took hold of the chalk stick, and began modifying the drawing. His movements were much quicker than Twilight Sparkle's consisting of quick, rapid, precise movements as he would move in to make a strike, before moving to a new location and repeating the process until he was finally done. At which point he stepped back, allowing the others to see the inclusion of X's, five-pointed stars, and check marks across the map of Ponyville.
"And what exactly are we looking at here?" Celestia asked as she studied the map in confusion. She knew there had to be some meaning to it, as Ulquiorra wasn't the type who engaged in pointlessness for whatever reason. But right now that meaning was lost to her.
"A map of today's incidents. The stars indicate buildings and locations that I visited during my time here today. The check marks indicate which buildings were damaged during today's attack, and the X's indicate where each victim was located in the immediate aftermath," he explained as he turned back to look at them.
"Ah really don' see jus' how this is supposed ta help us," Applejack commented as she looked at the map.
Ulquiorra ignored the comment before continuing to speak, addressing the group overall rather than any individual member. "During a significant portions of the day, I was outside the borders of Ponyville. During this time, I was escorting Zecora back to her hut, with her supplies in tow," he explained as he drew a line into the area designated as the Everfree Forest on the map, stopping to mark it with a capital Z. "During this time, I was away for a period of more than one hour, and unable to respond should an attack be launched. The distance between here and Zecora's hut is significant in relative terms. This would have been the optimum time to strike. Instead an attack didn't occur until I had returned, and was brought to Sweet Apple Acres to attend a party. What's more, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were also in attendance. This presents us with a significant mystery-"
"Ah think ah know wha' this one is," Applejack interrupted. When nopony immediately spoke up in response she continued. "That bein' jus' why did this happen when ya were within spittin' distance o' Ponyville, instead of when ya were further away an' not as able ta respond."
It was a rather simplistic interpretation of the events that had transpired here today. But nonetheless it was at least accurate in what was covered. Once again Applejack was displaying her intelligence.
"Partially. However the mystery goes far deeper than the simple fact that it occurred so close to our presence. There are a number of facts that are inconsistent with both of the previous events we've faced up to this point. First and foremost there is the fact that none of you were selected as targets this time around. As the holders of the Elements of Harmony, it goes without saying that you six would be considered a prime target for attack, due to the delicate nature of your continued existence being tied to the safety of this world. Should something happen to any one of you, the Elements of Harmony would become useless. And yet none of you were put in a position of danger this time. Instead," he paused and glanced back at the board, the others following in the direction he was looking, "this was the scope of the damage, and the targets on the receiving end of the attack."
Rarity raised her hoof, much like a foal would when asking a question in class. "I'm sorry, but couldn't this simply be explained as a matter of timing? Perhaps we were the intended target, but were saved by Pinkie's idea of having a party at Sweet Apple Acres?" she asked.
"Theoretical but unlikely. If you six were the intended target of an attack, I fail to see the logic in simply attacking random ponies and locations in an incoherent and unguided manner. Nothing beneficial could come from such a tactic of approach. Once it was determined none of you were present in Ponyville, the logical course of action would've been to proceed to Sweet Apple Acres in hopes of locating, isolating, and exterminating at least one of you," Ulquiorra explained.
"Wouldn' that be pretty much like walkin' right inta a death trap er wood chipper er somethin'?" Applejack asked him. After he'd pointed out how he, Celestia, and Luna were all present at her farm at the same time, it just didn't seem all that logical that something would just walk up to them and start a fight.
"It would be. However, I have failed to witness anything that would suggest whatever third party we're facing holds any regard for the wellbeing of those that are utilized in attacks. If the primary goal was to eliminate one or more of you, and thus render the Elements of Harmony useless, then it wouldn't matter what the cost of such was; especially when the cost is but a proxy," Ulquiorra replied.
"Wait a minute, that doesn't make any sense," Twilight spoke up. There were a number of confusing points coming about, and she felt that if she didn't say something now, then she was going to get lost. "We've been discussing how it seems strange that this attack occurred while you were at Sweet Apple Acres rather than on the way to Zecora's, even though Sweet Apple Acres is closer in terms of distance. So if the loss of a proxy isn't considered a major loss, why would it matter just where you were when the attack was launched?" she asked.
"A matter of timing and opportunity," Ulquiorra replied, "the loss of a proxy wouldn't be considered a significant cost. However the loss of an opportunity to strike would be. Should the objective be achieved, whatever was used would likely be discarded after serving its purpose and outliving its usefulness. However if the objective is interrupted before the goal can be obtained, then it's another matter entirely. An attack on you six at the time was likely not launched due to the proximity of a superior force that could cut short whatever would be attempted, rather than out of any measure of concern. It may also have been due to efforts to maintain secrecy; efforts that we will determine once an autopsy is performed on the manticore."
"Which brings us back to one of the original questions. If this was an orchestrated attack, why was it launched when the three of us were so close by? Even if we were distracted at the time, it was a risky gamble to take," Celestia pointed out. "Even more curious is the question of why Ponyville was attacked in the first place, when Twilight and the others weren't present. If they're the primary target of everything, then why did everything unfold in the way it did?"
Celestia hadn't wanted to admit it outright, but she had maintained some small measure of doubt about Ulquiorra's theory ever since first hearing about it. The report about Chrysalis suffering from insanity had given her some reason to believe that the Espada was simply being paranoid in his beliefs; there was always room for some measure of hope. But today's actions seemed to do little more than confirm that his theories held merit. Two incidents in close succession could theoretically be possible. But three incidents was far too many to be a matter of coincidence. Like it or not, she would have to fully accept that something was up, and very wrong. And that thought left her very uneasy.
"A very good question. One that presents us not only with an excellent theory, but also another mystery," Ulquiorra replied. He was interrupted only briefly by the groaning, grumbling, and statements of disbelief at being confronted with this statement. He used the interruption to glance over to his left. "That glass display case by the stairs. The one that holds and proudly displays the Elements of Harmony. How many are aware of its presence here?" he asked.
"Anypony that makes use of the library," Twilight replied, uncertain of exactly what it had to do with whatever theory he had in mind.
"Then their location isn't a national secret, nor are they apparently treated like a national treasure. Which presents us with two inconsistencies," Ulquiorra stated and glanced back at the board again briefly. "Our attention was focused on protecting those that were chosen to wield the Elements of Harmony, keeping them safe from what might seek to harm them. In the process of doing that, however, all of us left the actual Elements of Harmony unguarded and vulnerable. In essence we were taken in by the equivalent of a shell game," he explained.
Nopony said a word in response to Ulquiorra's revelation. At least not at first. This was a blow they hadn't been expecting to encounter. So much focus had been on them, none of them had stopped to think that the Elements of Harmony might be treated as a target rather than themselves. It was something that made so much sense it had to be blatantly obvious, and yet at the same time it was something that hadn't been considered.
"So what exactly is this first inconsistency that you have noticed?" Luna asked, being the first to speak up.
"It's the location of everything," Twilight spoke up, "look at the map. All the places that were attacked. Everywhere that a pony was injured. None of it was anywhere near to the library. There's nothing to even indicate a systematic approach to trying to locate the Elements of Harmony. There's no rhyme or reason, the entire layout is completely random. It's like the objective was just to kill and terrify. To show that there's no predictable or detectable pattern," she explained.
"Correct," Ulquiorra replied, noting how Twilight Sparkle continued to remain focused on the matter at hand. Her focus would keep her competent during this time, and not allow for a breakdown to occur. "From what I've been told, the Elements of Harmony have been housed in Ponyville, and on display for all to see, ever since Discord's reformation. This openness means their exact location is known by at least some of the residents; possibly all, based on the nature of gossip and word of mouth travel. And yet this location remained untouched by the manticore, while all other locations were struck. The music shop, the bowling alley, Quills and Sofas, Barnyard Bargains, etcetera. All out of the way locations, devoid of any significance, with no connection or pattern. Even the ponies themselves that were attacked, there is nothing to suggest any sort of connection between them. It is nothing more than indiscriminate and inconsistent damage," he explained.
"So what exactly does all of this mean?" Celestia asked bluntly, wanting to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible.
"At present time I'm uncertain of exactly what this new information means. The only thing I'm certain of is that we now have five new theories that must be considered and addressed," Ulquiorra replied.
"Oh my," Fluttershy mumbled.
"Oh dear," Rarity added, not liking where this was going at all.
"Here we go again," Pinkie stated as she pulled a hoofball helmet down over her head, struggling some to get it down past her unkempt mane before it finally slid into place with an audible pop.
Rainbow Dash regarded her friends before shaking her head and turning to face Ulquiorra. "Alright, we're not getting any younger, let's hear them."
"I agree. Let us not hesitate due to our own discomfort. Speak, Ulquiorra Cifer," Luna added.
"Very well then," Ulquiorra replied. At least some of these ponies weren't afraid to face the ugliness of what this world had in store for them. "The first theory relates to today's attack, as well as our efforts over the last five days. We have attempted to analyze and recognize some discernible pattern that would give us indication of future attacks. Some telltale sign to serve as an early warning system. And yet we haven't been able to do that. The random nature and lack of organized structure relating to today's attack, gives us the theory that there is no pattern to recognize, and it will be necessary to remain on high alert due to the fact that anything can happen at any time," he explained.
Silence. He expected as much from them being informed that they were in constant danger; such news was always disturbing, no matter who was informed. Undisturbed he continued.
"The second theory is that the randomness of this attack was deliberate. It's possible that whatever force is at work has become aware of our efforts, and is responding in turn, by making an effort to hide any potential warning signs, and leave us guessing wildly."
"Ya think that maybe we managed ta spook whatever's pullin' the strings?" Applejack asked curiously. That at least sounded like what he was saying.
"Unlikely, but it can't be said for certain. A change in tactics might suggest the ability to become startled at being detected. But it could equally suggest a mindset that views everything as a source of entertainment," Ulquiorra replied. "The third theory deals with the timing of the attack, as well as the location. The fact the attack occurred just a short distance away from us, could suggest either arrogance or professionalism. Perhaps the entity responsible for everything took this course of action to demonstrate that it's fully capable of causing death and devastation at any time and any location, and is not deterred by a strong presence. Basically instituting terror in an effort to make everyone afraid of their own shadows."
"What about bad timing? Isn't it possible that whatever it is, it just wasn't aware of your proximity at the time?" Twilight asked.
"Again it is a matter that's unlikely. I can't believe that whatever force is responsible for everything, it could be outwitted by a simple party, regardless of how random the timing was," Ulquiorra replied, shooting down Twilight Sparkle's own theory in short order, before he continued speaking as if he hadn't even been interrupted. "A fourth theory would suggest that this entire attack was a display of superiority. To suggest to us that the Elements of Harmony are not an inhibiting factor, and would not amount to an effective defense. Considering the lack of secrecy regarding their location, it would be foolish to believe that this entity is ignorant of their location, and simply missed them due to oversight."
"That... that just can't be," Pinkie Pie stated in disbelief as she pulled her hoofball helmet off her head. "The Elements of Harmony can't be useless, they just can't be! They're like the most powerful force in Equestria, the only thing capable of stopping Discord! How could they possibly be useless!?" she yelled.
"It's merely a theory that must be considered. My knowledge of the Elements of Harmony is limited to what I have been told by others, and that information is lacking in nature. Has any effort been made to scientifically understand not only what the Elements of Harmony are, but how they operate, and what limitations even they must abide by?" Ulquiorra asked as he turned his attention to Twilight Sparkle, seeing as she appeared to be the most scientifically inclined present. The only response he got was a shaking of her head from side to side, and incoherent mumbling. "The simple fact is that we possess no hard knowledge of their nature. Is their source of power finite? Do they need to recharge between uses, and if so for how long? Do they cause harm to the body when used? Why did they succeed in purifying Princess Luna of the malevolent Nightmare Moon entity, but Discord could only be imprisoned? Exactly what is the definition of "evil" that they work against?" he asked, listing off the various points for their consideration. These were all questions that needed to be answered, and they needed to be answered quickly.
"At this point I'm not sure if I even want to know what the fifth theory is. The other four have been terrifying enough," Rarity commented.
"Ah don' think we have much choice in the matter, Rar'," Applejack replied and turned her attention back to Ulquiorra. Not that she was really comfortable hearing these theories being laid out, as it was reminding her a great deal of last week's conversation. But like it or not it had to be asked. "Wha's the fifth theory ya got on this?"
"The fifth theory regarding today's attack is the most unlikely, but it can't be discounted. It's the possibility that today is completely unrelated in any way, and is simply a matter of coincidence. The laws of probability dictate that at least some unexplained events are unrelated and have no connection. Nature is predisposed towards being wild and unpredictable, it would be foolish to assume that absolutely every animal attack is somehow relevant," he explained.
The fifth theory was one that he truly didn't buy. It seemed very unlikely, and relied too heavily on the concept of coincidence for his liking. The notion that a wild animal could break established patterns and venture into a village so far removed from its usual territory, and attack random ponies in an unprovoked manner, simply didn't seem possible. And its seemingly indecisive nature when he'd confronted it, had been a matter of great curiosity. The only reason he'd included the theory in the first place was for the sake of completion, as he didn't want to rule it out simply because it was weak in nature.
"Hold up," Rainbow Dash stated, "let me get this straight. After you take the time to lay down these theories, and scare some of us half to death with the possibility that the Elements of Harmony are actually useless... you just throw out this last one that everything was just a random animal attack?" she asked him, clearly not happy with the whole idea. She didn't even give him the chance to explain himself before she started talking again. "Are you such a jerk by nature? Or is it just with regard to us?"
Ulquiorra remained silent in response to the outburst. It was no concern of his how he was regarded by these ponies. More than once the cyan pegasus had informed him of how she considered him to be a jerk. Did she truly believe he was unaware of this fact? Or did she even remember her declarations against him? Either way it wasn't a matter of any importance.
"RD, now really ain' the time ta be gettin' inta this. There's ponies dead 'cuz o' wha' happened here today, an' we don' know squat about why. So jus' save the bickerin' fer another time, a'right?" Applejack snapped. Was she the only one remembering that gruesome fact right now? Rainbow Dash should've at least remembered that fact, especially after the fit that she'd raised at the hospital. Simply because she hadn't objected to what Twilight had done back there, didn't mean that she was alright with everything. "Now we got a tough question facin' us. Exactly wha' are we gonna do about this?"
The room became quiet after Applejack's statement, none of the ponies having anything foolish to offer up after being reminded about the severity of the situation. At least she was somewhat grounded in the reality of the situation, again emphasizing the fact that he'd found her interesting enough to continue basic interaction with.
It was at this point, that Princess Celestia stepped forward and cleared her throat to get their attention.
"Perhaps the time has come for a different approach, my little ponies," she spoke calmly, before turning her attention towards him and speaking again. "Ulquiorra, before I say what I have to say, I have an important question to ask. During your time here in Equestria, what have you learned about friendship?" she asked.
He remained silent as he regarded the strange nature of her question. She was selecting now of all times to ask such an off topic question? He significantly doubted that she was so scatterbrained in nature, that she would actually ask such, unless she had something specific in mind. Perhaps this was another test of hers, and she was goal oriented at the moment. Perhaps the question she was presenting, was the intellectual equivalent of a carrot on a stick, and if what he had to say pleased her, then perhaps there was something in it for him that could be regarded as beneficial in nature.
With that thought in mind, he began to consider everything he'd been made aware of during his time in this strange world, in an effort not only to formulate an adequate answer to give, but also give it in a tactful manner, and see how things progressed from there. With a cautious approach, he began speaking in response.
"To the best of my understanding of all facts in evidence, the concept of friendship is not only a matter of tolerating the idiosyncrasies of others, but also a matter of trusting them to behave in an efficient and appropriate manner when it's required of them. Friendship amounts to knowing who has your back when everything has gone to hell around you, and who is loyal to the cause you support, who is willing to lend you their strength when your own is inadequate. Friendship is providing assistance to others even when you have no binding obligation to do such, and not asking to be compensated in return for services rendered; however there is nothing to prevent the providing of compensation to others as a form of gratitude or kindness. Friendship is being honest with others, but not honest to the point of seeming cruel, even if the facts support your position and degree. Friendship is knowing when to be supportive of others in their endeavor, and when to withdraw support when their endeavors can have serious consequences if allowed to go through unhindered. Friendship is looking out for the emotional wellbeing of others. Friendship is refraining from exploiting openings that are presented amongst one another. Friendship is also being willing to forgive others for actions that would be considered stupid or hurtful, and moving on from that point, rather than lingering on what happened and can't be changed. But perhaps the quintessential aspect of friendship, is the existence of bonds and relations with one another that can't be adequately explained to outsiders, but are regarded as important regardless of that fact."
It was a culmination of information drawn from not only the various explanations he'd been given over the course of the day, but also things that he'd observed through various interactions around town. Some had been very straightforward and easy enough to understand. Others had been less than clear in nature and were the result of assumptions and guesswork on his part.
However simply because he was relaying this information didn't necessarily mean he agreed with it. Everything being covered made it easier for him to understand the concept of friendship, but that didn't necessarily mean he understood friendship itself. He could see how some may have a need for it, but that didn't mean he had a need for such. Simply because some of these ponies believed that he was their friend, didn't mean he believed the same was true for him. The concept of friendship might have its uses to others, but to him it seemed far too fragile in nature to truly regard as a viable option.
Then again he had never been ordered to actually form friendships. The extent of his orders in this area had been to learn about friendship and how to form it with others. And he had indeed educated himself with what he regarded as being the most important aspects involved with the formation of such bonds. As far as he was concerned right now, he had done just that. And in the process of his learning, he had given these ponies reason to believe that he had taken their notions seriously, thus removing whatever motivation they might've held to try and further socialize him.
Regardless of his own inner feelings, however, he thought he saw something resembling a smile on Princess Celestia's face. Perhaps his answer was what she'd wanted to hear after all.
"That's a very good answer, Ulquiorra, you've managed to learn far more than I believed possible. And that makes what I have to say next, so much easier to actually say," she explained. In truth his answer was a relief to her. "When Discord first brought you to our world, Ulquiorra, I admit that what I saw of your memories was disturbing; terrifying actually. Yours was a world so alien to ours, it seemed inconceivable that you would be here. Where you came from, death and violence was the norm for everyday life. It scared me to think about that being introduced to Equestria. But then you surprised me, asking to be assigned a new purpose in life to justify your existence. It was then that I saw the possibility of hope. I saw an opportunity that I hoped could be used, to try and retire you from your old ways, to assign you a more peaceful purpose in our world. I truly believed that I could decommission your violent past, and provide you with a new opportunity to go along with the new world. But in light of everything that's been going on recently, I believe that my initial assumption was premature," she explained.
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to say something, confused by exactly what Celestia was saying, and attempting to ask for clarification. But before she could even get the first word out, she was effectively silenced by Applejack unceremoniously stuffing her hoof into her mouth, cutting off what she was about to say, and leaving her to mumble around the foreign object.
"What I'm about to ask of you Ulquiorra is something that goes against the teachings of Equestria, and I don't do this lightly, but it's something that must be done, that much is clear. Due to everything that's transpired over the past few days, I must ask you to take on a new assignment. I need you to take on the role of a protector to our subjects, and keep them safe from whatever it is that's trying to harm them. Luna and I are rulers, not warriors, and it's simply not a role we're very well suited for, despite our own strength. Compared to you, Ulquiorra, we're quite soft in nature, and there's not much that we can do about that; at least not without terrifying our subjects in the process of trying. As unpleasant as it may seem to consider, we find ourselves in need of someone with your qualities," Celestia explained calmly.
This wasn't something that she wanted to admit to. But it was something that needed to be admitted to, she realized that fact. Whatever was responsible for this siege on Ponyville had chosen to attack practically in their presence, whatever the reasoning was. Depending on how one looked at it, it could practically be considered a declaration of war against them. Such a brazen act, it practically defied all logic. And if her little ponies were going to be made into targets right under her very nose, then these were times that called for desperate measures. And right now she couldn't really think of anymore desperate a measure than giving the Espada permission to return to his old warrior ways, and use whatever measure was necessary to actually protect the ones important to her.
Ulquiorra remained silent as he considered Princess Celestia's words. He was all but certain that he knew what she was talking about. But was she certain of what she was talking about? That was the question at hand. Perhaps it was best to approach with caution to try and determine the exact nature of the statement.
"If I understand what you're saying, you need me to return to my old ways -ways that you hoped could be put behind me- due to these new developments. And you're making this statement, understanding full well that there will be situations where lethal force is the only option that will be available to prevent a greater loss of life to your subjects. Am I correct?" he asked her pointedly, wanting to make sure she knew exactly what she was asking of him; as well as wanting to know if he was understanding her correctly. From what he was hearing, it almost sounded like she was publicly condoning his previous behavior in following her orders; that being to not harm her subjects. An order that he'd interpreted in a manner that supported the use of force.
Celestia nodded slowly and solemnly in response to the question. "You are. As I said, I'm not asking this lightly. If I had reason to believe that this matter could be addressed any other way, then I would insist on doing so. But sadly I don't believe we have that option, otherwise I wouldn't be asking this of you. I understand that there are going to be times when killing will be necessary, and all I can do is ask that you try and refrain from such whenever possible."
"That is understood," Ulquiorra replied, being the only break in his continued silence. He would admit that this wasn't a development that he would've predicted; at least not in the immediate future. Whatever had happened with Princess Celestia over the past few days must have been significant if she was willing to let him handle matters as he saw fit, and no longer insist that he abide by some silly notion relating to the concept of friendship. Perhaps his explanation has satisfied her to a sufficient degree. But whatever the reasoning, if her only instruction was to refrain from killing unless it was necessary, then he wasn't about to argue with her. She was leaving much to his discretion in her reinstating of him as a warrior. "I will do my best in this matter, Princess Celestia."
"I have no doubt of that," Celestia replied, "as the first detail of your new assignment, I'd like you to remain in Ponyville for the next few days. Possibly for a week, just in case. The manticore that caused today's attack might have been dispatched, but if one of your theories is correct, there's nothing to suggest that was the end of it. And if that's the case, I'd rather have you present where you can provide the most immediate response, rather than in Canterlot and waiting for a distress call," she explained.
Spending a week in Ponyville, waiting to see if disaster was going to strike again sometime in the next few days. He could think of worse ways to be spending his time; matters of far less productivity. But he could see the logic of being present. At the rate things were happening around them, one week might be more than sufficient to intercept whatever was coming next. And then there was the practical reason for him being present; the Elements of Harmony were also present. Six individual artifacts, and six individual ponies chosen to wield them. That added up to twelve targets that had to be protected from whatever was working against them.
The Elements of Harmony themselves could realistically be relocated back to Canterlot palace and kept under lock and key, rendered inaccessible to whatever was out to render them useless. But as for the ponies themselves, that wasn't as easily done as said; not without significant disruption and possibly causing greater suspicion. These six were far too integrated in the day-to-day activities of the town to make it possible to relocate them. His relocation, however, would present considerably fewer headaches to deal with.
"I'm going to help out, too."
His attention turned from Princess Celestia to Twilight Sparkle. And apparently the attention of everyone in the room did as well.
"Twilight?" Celestia asked, confused by her statement.
"I said that I'm going to help out too. However I can," Twilight repeated.
There were a lot of things that Ulquiorra could say right about now regarding Twilight Sparkle's statement. There were also a lot of assumptions he could draw, and conclusions he could reach. But he decided to refrain from such until he gathered more information about exactly what she had in mind.
"Ulquiorra's going to be in town now, that's fine, but what about when he leaves? We can't expect him to stay here all the time just because we might get attacked, it's simply not a possibility. And we can't expect him to come running when things go bad; if something happens to Spike we couldn't even get word to Canterlot in an orderly fashion. We got lucky this time, but what about next time? Or the time after that? The minute Ulquiorra leaves to return to Canterlot, we're as good as sitting ducks as it is. We can't consider this acceptable anymore, we need to take responsibility for ourselves, so when Ulquiorra isn't here we aren't as good as dead," she explained, doing her best to present her case is as a calm and rational manner as possible. "We got lucky today, but ponies still died. And there's no telling how many more are going to die before everything is said and done. And I know that there's nothing we can do to stop that from being a possibility, but that doesn't mean we have to just sit back and take it. If there's anything we can do to prevent a loss of life, then I think we should do just that."
"That's a very pragmatic outlook, Twilight," Celestia replied cautiously at hearing her words. Had this all come about from her decision to observe Ulquiorra's actions at the hospital? Perhaps something born from a sense of guilt? Or had this been a long time coming, as her student learned that the world wasn't always a nice place? "What did you have in mind for this new strategy of yours?" she asked.
"Well..." Twilight replied a bit hesitantly. Having the courage to speak up was one thing, but the courage to elaborate was something else. "I can't speak for the others. I can't even ask them to help out on this. But for myself, I want to learn more effective spells, more advanced spells. Spells that can repel a dragon or a hydra in case we encounter one. I... I'd like to see some of the books in the restricted section of Canterlot's royal library, like "Advanced Arcane Arts of Magic and Defense"," she explained.
Celestia remained silent. Did Twilight know the full extent of what she was asking right now? To those that didn't actively use magic the request might not seem like much. But the tome she was referring to wasn't exactly known for passive defense spells. This was offensive magic she was asking about, usually reserved for those who engaged in high-risk missions, and who had to go into dangerous locations on a regular basis, where confrontation couldn't be avoided. This was magic that would be used against large, powerful dragons to drive them back or... permanently cripple them at the very least. This wasn't anymore of something to enter into lightly, than her own course of action with Ulquiorra.
Unfortunately it wasn't something she could flatly deny. She could try and ease their worries by explaining how the royal guard could be diverted to Ponyville to guard everyone, or how she and Luna could spend more time in town. But ultimately it wouldn't do anything to address the point Twilight had made; they were pretty much on their own when one of them wasn't here. And if they didn't exercise responsibility for themselves, then who would?
"I'll see what I can do about having it sent as soon as Luna and I return to Canterlot, both to return to business as usual, and to have the manticore thoroughly examined to see if there are any clues that can be found," she stated. It went without saying that the book itself was highly important and needed to be guarded carefully; she knew she could count on Twilight to exercise extreme caution, and not simply leave it laying around where anybody could find it.
Anybody? Ulquiorra's dialect was continuing to rub off on her. He hadn't even been here for a month, and already his manner of speech was slowly but surely beginning to offset and replace their own in certain situations.
Ulquiorra was of mixed opinions on this matter. Twilight Sparkle wishing to assist was something that he could easily predict, as it was a basic part of her nature. Currently her ability to assist in a matter such as this was limited in nature, best reserved for a passive role by providing intelligence, and allowing the more skilled to handle it. She likely seemed aware of that fact, as she was requesting access to the restricted sections of the library in order to address her own shortcomings. Whether or not she could advance her own usefulness would require patience to determine.
"Ah'm in too," Applejack announced, "ah might jus' be a simple farmpony who can't do magic, but ah'm not gonna let that slow me down any."
"Well if Applejack and Twilight are gonna be stepping up then so am I. I'm not gonna sit on my flank during all this," Rainbow Dash stated.
Ulquiorra observed as all around them, the others present made similar declarations, to varying degrees of bravado. He had significant doubts that the majority of them could contribute anything beneficial beyond the role of intelligence gathering. But attempting to tell them that right now would likely be a waste of effort.
This was likely not going to end well. Of that he was quite certain.
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Hello???...........................................................Am I first? I don't see why people like being first to comment, its lonely
....... But all in all nice chapter explaining things
I just thought of something….could a pony hollowify. i mean humans do, but can ponies? I also wonder can that be relevant to the plot? A hollow pony, could explain much do to hollows' dark nature.
This seems like a tamer break the cutie mixed with trial by fire. I'm sill loving it and can't wait for the next update.
Something tells me they may or may not find something inside of the manticore...
Thus the plot thickens with five more theories, one of which could debunk the entire set if dwelled upon
This is becoming a murder mystery mixed with a deadly game of chess. But who is the king?
I'll have to wait and find out...
Below are the edits for this chapter:
Good night.... 
*of you made made a good - of you made a good
*is you're sneezing if somepony's - is you sneeze if somepony's – or - is you start sneezing if somepony's
*that they had important – that if they had important
*assembled they could begin. – assembled, they could begin.
*the type who engage in - the type who engaged in – or - the type to engage in
*However I have failed – However, I have failed
*way to Zecora, even - way to Zecora’s, even
*rather than them. It - rather than themselves. It
*turn, my making - turn, by making
*concern of his with how - concern of his how
*another time, a'right?" she snapped. – Nothing wrong with this sentence itself, but the paragraph it’s in. While it can be inferred from the dialog that the speaker is Applejack, you never out right state so in the paragraph.
(Nerd mode) Twillight will finally upgrade her magic! Sweet! I would go for a 30% increase in protective shild spells, and a 75% upgrade in offensive attacks and she should vary between beam attacks and elemetal attacks!!
Lol, I bet Rainbow and AJ are gonna ask Ulquiorra to teach them how to fight. XD
It'd be entertaining to see how they would react to him teaching them about brutality...
This is awesome!
Great chapter, Ulquiorra is now free of the metaphorical leash to go and kill things as he sees fit. Not that he really had one to begin with.
Looks like everyone is starting to step up their game, I ma rather interest to see where this will lead to.
I thought It should be said that inquiries is considered a master of hand to hand combat and swordsmanship if the ponies were willing to learn.
I'm gonna stick by my theory that the unseen threat working behind the scenes is the world itself trying to get rid of Ulquiorra.
Unless it's Sombra after gaining a bit more of his mind back and is more capable of reason and planning, or someone from Ulquiorra's universe.
Good
4150237
That sounds more like Grogar's thing.
4156781 myby the worlds finally rebelling aginst all that order to try to get into balance
4158112
Or maybe order is trying to reassert itself against all the mayhem instituted by Discord.
4158171
My reaction:
4155443 A theory I have maintained since the Dragon showed up, as the timing was impeccable. When the Changling Invasion occurred, it lent much more credence to the idea, as, given the vast range of powers Hollows posses, like the octopus like Hollow who attacked Inoue Orihime, it is possible a Hollow was in control of Chrysalis through targeted brain damage, could be the same for the Dragon, who may have had regenerative capabilities, rendering it temporary. If the Manticore has brain damage as well, it'll provide proof to myself, and the audience as a whole, and allow Ulquiorra to formulate a theory stating just as much, which will cause a brand new level of complexity to be added to the story, and no small amount of distrust, as now, even ponies they knew their entire life could be an enemy in disguise, simply because they may have been subjected to nonmagical mind control, which until scanning spells for just such damage are invented, means that to figure out if a pony or anything else is under this Hollow's control, the subject must have the cranium opened, which at the level of technology Equestria is at, would be lethal every time, rendering this option impossible, meaning the Elements may even begin to mistrust each other. See where I'm going with this? Not to mention, it's not unlike Hollows to have a plan in place that is way too complex, but still go for random death and destruction, especially if said Hollow has a method of coalescing the souls of those killed for consumption in order to gain power an effective distance away from danger. This distance could also mean that the entity would, in fact, be delayed knowing about Ulquiorra's departure and return, or even that hesitation in the Manticore could mean that it was resisting the effects. Maybe the entity used the dragon on a split second decision to destroy Ulquiorra, but failed, and all these attack since were slow to come to fruition. Maybe it rushed with the dragon, leaving itself vastly weakened, but took it's time with the others so it would not be so weak? Maybe the others were set up before Ulquiorra even arrived, but were only in place after he got there? And as for the Manticore's seemingly random destruction, maybe it got hit in the head after the targeted brain damage got it hating ponies in general, but that blow triggered it before the prime targets could be set? Before it could begin to hate the Mane Six in particular? We shall just have to be patient, as all shall be revealed in time.
4159608
That's a very interesting theory for consideration. But if that were the case wouldn't Ulquiorra be able to detect the traces of true reiatsu from a Hollow, either in the wild where it's hiding, or from ponies and other beings that have been made into puppets?
But the idea of laying the seeds of distrust amongst the ponies is absolutely beautiful to consider. Neighbor turns against neighbor, mother turns against daughter, there's just so much that could potentially go wrong in the little town of Ponyville.
>>>Nopony said anything in response to Luna's statements. None of them were really certain what sort of a comeback to offer up to what they'd just heard, finding it to really come out of left field.>>>
Son Gohan pops up, "Luna! Too soon!"
Krillin looks smug, "At least it wasn't me this time."
4159608 Actually, most Hollows are piss-poor at planning anything.
The only ones who've shown an advanced strategic capability are a minority of the higher-level Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde.
Most of the complicated planning was done by Aizen. And yet it could not be him, because his plans do not leave much to chance. He infiltrates and directly sets up situations where his enemies are pitted against and distrust each other. Simply sending random attackers would only be of use as a distraction from the REAL objective... and that is the only logical conclusion I can draw from these events.
They are too frequent to be chance, but they are not directly related to the antagonist's actual goal. They're a red herring while he/she/it goes about the real plan in a totally different location, with all the pony investigative resources tied up with the analyzing the attacks and preparing for more.
4155916 Piccolo: Ulquiorra
Gohan: Rainbow Dash
Training is not working that well...
4157670 Grogar brings dead ponies back to life THEN molests them. Tirek molests them WHILE they're dead.
See the difference?
4160069
Yes, this is what happens... XD
4159977 Unless this Hollow can fully suppress it's spirit energy. Like when Ulquiorra thought Ichigo was dead, and Ichigo got back up as a Hollow himself. Or the Hollow could be on an entirely different level, or even using this world's version of a Garganta to pull it's victims into another, unfamiliar version of Hueco Mundo. Remember when Ichigo found he could not detect Aizen's energy? And I think Ulquiorra said something to that effect as well. Maybe this is something on that kind of level. Or, maybe true Spirit Energy in Equestria is so different, he cannot sense it as anything more than magic, and being near such powerful beings while not distracted has clouded it, like trying to pick out a white LED in a room illuminated on all sides by stadium lights, the sheer intensity blocks lesser lights from being noticeable. Or maybe it's just so weak he hasn't taken notice of it, like the sound of a mouse compared to a lion? In any case, it's your story, I'm just along for the ride, and enjoying ever word of it!
4160029 True, but when Hollows do plan, even short term, like the Octopus Hollow who planned on using Orihime's friends to kill her, or the Hollow who was chasing that kid who he stuck in a cockatiel, they leave so much to chance. And I also believe that these attacks are likely either a red herring, or they are the plans of someone who is... just... starting out... Wait a minute... These plans... The level of effort... The targets... Trixie Lulamoon! Maybe she has turned into a Hollow, which is unlikely, or she got her hooves on an artifact that can do all this while remaining undetectable! She would want Twilight to suffer, and knows how important her friends are to her, but seems unaware of the Elements! She jumps the gun with half baked plans and leaves things to chance all the bloody time! This... actually makes sense, in a terrifying sort of way. She would even underestimate Ulquiorra or overestimate herself!
4160930 >>>True, but when Hollows do plan, even short term, like the Octopus Hollow who planned on using Orihime's friends to kill her,>>>
Things like that aren't really that clever, they're obvious utilizations of the Hollow's blatant abilities.
If you can take over a person's mind, it's rather a natural progression of thought to use that ability to turn someone's friends against them.
However, lacking that ability to merely mind-screw someone, it becomes a true 'plan' to befriend your enemies' friends and use your influence to gradually turn them against your enemies. The first example is merely overpowering someone, the second is truly strategy.
Using a small child to lure in victims is also a basic trap.
A complex scheme utilizing/directing many specific and nonspecific variables and turning circumstance to your advantage is far more involved, and outside the capacity of all but a handful of Hollows.
4161837 True, both plans were child's play, but then again, given how weak the Hollows were, and given, say, Ulquiorra's strategic abilities, and the fact Baragon laid low for so long, maybe planning abilities have to do with the power level and ability to form rational thoughts with Hollows. Like I said, it is just a theory, just one possibility. But after thinking on it a while, it seems it could, in fact, be Trixie's doing. If the first attacks were sloppy, as they were, maybe she's behind it, and learning on the fly. At the same time, if it were a Hollow, it could be staying away, and keeping itself hidden, perhaps behind some Seki Seki stone? It does block Spiritual Pressure. It may have swiped some before getting to Equestria.
4155443 Possible, but unlikely. This world has no afterlife, or at least none Ulquiorra could use via Garganta, which means that if they can undergo Hollowification, they do it on a different plane than Ulquiorra. There's also the possibility their souls don't even go to and afterlife, and simply shatter like glass in this world, meaning they have no afterlife in the first place, and the 'souls' Luna claimed she ate 1000 years ago was simply the spirit energy of living things.
4159977>>4160029 Good to note. Another good thing to note is that Enemy X has to use psychological warfare just now, assuming these attacks are being guided by some sort of entity. They did not attack anything of value, and this was simply to show that they are in complete control of the situation… or they accidentally let the manticore go wild and it hit things it wasn't supposed to… either way, Enemy X now has the cast believing they are against an enemy who does not deem the princesses, the Elements, or Ulquiorra Cifer a threat… unless that's what it wants them to think. And it's trying to make itself seem bigger than it really is. Possibilities are endless, now… the only thing to do is wait… and see...
4163370 If it didn't deem them a threat, it would show itself and attack directly... and either win, or be overconfident in its estimate of its power and lose.
No, what this looks like is a strategy of distraction. The focus of the ponies is now drawn heavily to Canterlot, Ponyville, and the surrounding area.
What better way to keep eyes off the real prize than to have everyone looking the other way, awaiting the next attack?
That was the strategy employed by Gandalf in the knowingly futile assault on Mordor by the tiny force in "Return of the King". It was simply to draw Sauron's eye away from the true threat to the Dark Lord.
4164324 Maybe it's both of our ideas. Enemy X is too busy trying to accomplish any specific goal, and deems the cast mere flies, and uses his/her/its minions to simply keep them occupied and away from its work, because he/she/it may be Genre Savvy enough to realize they could become Spanners in the Works if left unchecked. Enemy X might even be able to tank Ulquiorra, but there might be an element to his/her/its plan it needs to keep the cast away from… or close to… DUN DUN DUN!
For those who still don't get it, let me simplify with an example (not what I think is really going on, just the gist): Enemy X wants to keep the cast away while Enemy X is working on an experiment. Enemy X could easily beat the cast, but they could still screw over the experiment. Mainly by blowing it up. Well, whatever may be happening, that's probably why Enemy X needs the cast away from his/her/its work.
4164789 It's a very indirect method, though. One would think if Enemy X was powerful enough, he would simply eliminate any threats before proceeding.
The distraction mode would suggest that the diversion is necessary, either because the Mane 6/Elements/alicorns are a threat (or Spike would wreck his plans with a leaf or something) or Enemy X is unable to directly act due to some inhibitory mechanism involving one or more of them or the Elements are a natural barrier to X's physical presence/powers and so it must act via indirect attacks.
4164971 … See, I could continue to argue the logic in this, or I could just post this instead:
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/723/908/df7.gif
4164971 4165045
You're both presenting very good arguments for your theories. And I really don't want to spoil what's coming down the line, or when it's coming.
But one thing to keep in mind. Whatever is going on, the ponies need an unrepentant mass murderer around to truly feel safe. Think on that for a minute. They feel safer hugging the one that could break their neck so easily, than they do being left on their own to face whatever's out there.
4165079 I don't believe they'd feel as safe around Nnoitora or most of the rest of the Arrancar. Except maybe Stark and Halibel. They weren't psychos.
They need an intelligent and emotionally detached unrepentant mass murderer in order to feel safe!
I am quite skilled at ascertaining the method of attack of beings with various powers, having fought quite a few of them in the accursed, demon-filled Pine Barrens in which I dwell.
4165980
That'd be pretty funny, if Nnoitra had been brought to Equestria instead, and found himself saddled with the same responsibilities as Ulquiorra.
Upside, more willing to curse in all situations, and far more willing to fight whatever threat comes along, with a rabid desire to be turned loose on the dragon.
Downside, no gentle character moments, possibly never being let out of the palace, and he can't get inside places like the library because he's so damn tall.
Seems kinda hard for an earth pony to do with hooves .-.
4166630 … and there would be ridiculous amounts of innuendo, too. Remember the scene where he implied that Ulquiorra should rape Orihime to make her listen? Now I want to see how other Espada would survive in Equestria… Barragan would probably rip the royal sisters a new one with his time powers, for sure. He's the only one with the drive, and ability to take those two down with minimal trouble. His aging power would mean that any magical attacks would run out of fuel before they even hit him… but I wonder how his Respira would hold against the Elements… can you even age 'friendship'? Well, then again, he only has to age just one of them, and then he wins, hands down.
4166630 Not to mention he'd be constantly trying to fight the Princesses, and likely killing ponies just to piss them off.
Then he'd have his emo moment where he's all like, "I just want to die... because emo."
Zomari would be tough. He's fairly fast... he can turn into a giant pumpkin... he takes over people's bodies and minds.. But beyond that, we've little idea of his drives. He spent most of his time ranting about Kuchiki Byakuya and his control issues and stuff.
Aroniero would be kinda like a Hollow version of the Smooze... which would suck balls. So, no.. Never him. Ever.
4168712 Problem is, what if the Princesses ARE immortal?
How can you age to death that which is infinite?
And then there's Discord... how can you age that which defies reality itself?
4169544 Well… Hollows are timeless, and they can be rotted to dust. Probably the same case for Celestia and Luna. The affected body parts would become wrinkled, and then they would be turned to bone, then dust. As for Discord… I don't know if it would work. Theoretically, it's possible that it might work, same as Celly and Lulu… but he could just magic away the wound… chaos and whatnot. But what I'm also quite concerned about is if Syazel were here instead. I mean, just… damn. The sh*t he'd do…
4169533 4168712
If I went with Nnoitra I'd have to take further cues from Journey to the West, and have Celestia, Luna, or Discord mount an enchanted ring on his head, and have it cause him excruciating pain anytime a certain word was said in order to force him to behave himself.
4169625
The shit that'd be done to him. Being around Granz might bring out Twilight's mad scientist potential to a disturbing level.
I could see him being like "I need an adult!" at some points.
4169625 Syazel would have to be killed quite rapidly, or else ponies would be tormented horribly.
Unless Discord went full-on evil, I don't think he'd send Syazel there.
Of course, sending Kurotsochi to Equestria would net the same result. So many dissected ponies.
4169643 4169632 Agreed. So… neither of them would come around. But who else? Maybe… Grimmjow?
4169671
Grimmjow's reaction to meeting Rainbow Dash: "Fuckit, this bitch is just as bad as I am. We've even got the same color hair."
Grimmjow's reaction to meeting Maud Pie: "... Ulquiorra? Is that you? What the fuck happened to you?"
Grimmjow's reaction to meeting Twilight: "The fuck??"
4169692 Grimjow's reaction to meeting Pinkie Pie, "I like cupcakes tooooooo! Yaaaayyyy!" Grimjow squees and dances with joy.
Pinkie broke him.
4169692 More like:
1.) You think you're so bad? Imma shove my foot up yer ass!
2.) …wat…
3.) Syazel? OH, GOD NOT THE TOMATO SOUP EXPERIMENT! I CAN'T GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN!
4182854
It's a good theory. But in reality it's just acknowledging the inconsistencies of Kubo's art evolution of Ulquiorra's character. My own paying of tribute to the source material.
4159977 upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e7/NeedfulThingsBookCover.JPG
now that would be a VERY interesting crossover to read indeed :D
and BTW there's always so much talking and theorizing going on! I've seldomly seen a fanfic where i actually had to concentrate to fully understand what's going on... It's like sitting in class all over agian xD
Awesome story!
And it's getting rather long too ^^
Charlie I think you should also under stand that the elements of Harmony only work against "Chaos" or "Neutral" on the 3 by 3 scale. Due to the fact that they return order to the being, Luna being traumatized and split in half, and Discord being chaos, only a being on the Lawful alignment would be immune to its effects.
The elements only work against anything that isn't lawful.
God damnit NO! ANOTHER BUFF FOR MAGIC USERS?! HOW MUCH MORE OVERPOWERED CAN THEY GOD DAMN GET?!
It's not like magic in Equestria can be dodged, and if you get hit once, you're fucking dead!
Anyway, Ulquiorra is still gonna have a high kill/death than Twilight, the Filthy Magic User.