Chapter Sixty Six
Chapter Sixty Six
Ulquiorra could smell the distinct odor of coffee. It made sense when one considered the relatively early hour of the day, and the current position of the sun in the sky. By now the rest of Applejack's family would be waking up -or already had woken up, and were now getting around- and making themselves ready for what work had to be done today. And if theirs was anything like the cup of coffee Spike had offered him, it would certainly be more than adequate at waking them up.
He still didn't understand how Twilight Sparkle could so easily suck that concoction down, and do so with an apparent regularity.
But that was neither here nor there at the moment. The scent of coffee, being carried from the house on the current southbound winds, was nothing more than a distraction from what he'd come here for.
Unfortunately it was failing to distract him from anything that was actually important. Ever since he'd arrived here last night, and located the territory designated as the southern apple orchards, he'd spent the entirety of his time going over said territory from one end to another. Whereas the general saying was to leave no stone unturned, he had left no tree unexamined; from the base of the roots near the soil, all the way to the top of the canopies. And other than noting how the trees had been laid out in a proper grid-like pattern of straight rows, and the varying concentrations of reiatsu belonging to Applejack and Big Macintosh to be found on various trees, there had been nothing unusual to find out here.
And it was for that reason, that he immediately became aware of the familiar reiatsu of the approaching pony.
"Morning Mr. Cifer," Big Macintosh greeted as he approached.
"Greetings Big Macintosh," Ulquiorra replied back without turning around. Not that there was anything to actually continue focusing his attention on, however.
"Wha' brings ya by so early?" Big Macintosh asked.
"In truth I've been present since late last evening, scouring the southern orchards for signs of anything that could explain what happened to Applejack. But so far the search has yielded no result," Ulquiorra explained, before finally deciding to turn and face the stallion.
Even with his timely arrival, and locating the southern orchards, it had made little difference in the matter. As noted earlier, there were no detectable traces of foreign reiatsu present that would give some indication of what had happened. Nor were there any physical signs to go by. But then again he wasn't known for his tracking skills when it came to matters like footprints.
Not that there were any footprints actually present, other than the prints that had been left by the ponies who frequented this area. The ground itself was rather firm, and didn't seem to yield with any particular ease that he was aware of. If there was another physical presence that had been here, then it had to be one with a lesser concentration of weight than what Applejack possessed. Whether that was due to having less mass, or simply a better method of dispersing its own weight over a wider area, he wasn't yet certain.
Even in the grass itself, there was nothing particularly outstanding to catch his attention. That which had been trampled down possessed so many latent reiatsu traces, and in varying concentrations, that any number of ponies could've come and gone over the past week, with no way of discerning just who had been here. Not even the dying patch of crabgrass held any clues that he could detect.
"If ya don' mind me asking, Mr. Cifer, just what exactly are ya lookin' for?" Big Macintosh asked. Maybe if he had some idea, he might be able to help Applejack out as well. It would certainly be better than simply standing around, doing nothing but tending to the farm, and all the while agonizing over his inability to be useful where it mattered most.
"That's something I'm unable to elaborate on. I can't adequately define just what I'm looking for in this matter, as that would require limiting my focus only to what I believe should be present. Doing so would mean overlooking possible clues, simply because I'm not looking for them," Ulquiorra explained.
"So wha' yer sayin' is ya don' know squat," Big Macintosh elaborated. Granted it sounded harsher than he'd meant it to. But the lack of answers, and the inability to help Applejack, was starting to quickly wear on his nerves. Being useless wasn't his cup of tea anymore than it was his sister's, and he didn't deal with it well.
"Precisely," Ulquiorra replied, completely unfazed by Big Macintosh's bluntness. He really didn't know anything in this case; nothing that was of any actual use anyway. "Whatever is going on here, it's unlike anything this world has ever seen before. Neither Princess Celestia, nor Princess Luna, have any clue as to what is taking place around us. And the royal library of Canterlot is equally devoid of anything useful. We're quite literally on our own right now," he explained.
It was an undesirable situation that they currently found themselves in. That much was blatantly obvious. No clues to go on, even after devoting the entire night to searching for them. Whatever had happened here, there were no trails to follow up on. So whatever it was, it likely hadn't come out of the Everfree Forest.
Then again, he wasn't detecting anything from within the Everfree Forest, despite Fluttershy's animals asserting that there was. He could simply assume it was due to them being prey animals, but that assumption was easily undone when he remembered even the grizzly bear was fearful; and not necessarily of himself.
He didn't care to admit it, but he had considered returning to Fluttershy's cottage in the night, to enlist her help in venturing into the Everfree Forest, in search of whatever this mysterious presence/entity/whatever was. Not being able to detect what was amiss within the forest's confines, he would need a guide, or else he'd be wandering around aimlessly for days. But it had been a notion he'd abandoned entirely, when he realized that Fluttershy's timid nature would limit her usefulness. If she did accompany him, she would likely need to be carried on his back, due to being too afraid to walk on her own. In the end he'd simply abandoned the idea entirely, and opted to continue his investigation of Sweet Apple Acres.
The only things that could be found at Sweet Apple Acres, were the things that one would reasonably expect to be there in the first place. There was simply nothing foreign to detect here. Nothing anymore foreign than what would be found in Ponyville at least.
"Jus' wonderful," Big Macintosh grumbled. So much for him actually being useful.
Ulquiorra paid the stallion's grumbling no mind, as it ultimately served no beneficial purpose. But then neither did his standing around here any longer. If there were any clues out here to be found, he was failing at doing just that. If he hadn't found anything in the last ten straight hours, it was highly unlikely he would find anything with further effort. His presence would be better utilized back in Ponyville with Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and Spike. At least there he could better question Applejack, and potentially discern something.
But before he could depart, he was greeted by a scroll materializing right in front of him, which was quickly snatched out of the air before it could fall to the ground.
"What's it say?" Big Macintosh asked as he watched Ulquiorra unroll the scroll.
Ulquiorra Cifer,
The matter is of far too great an importance to waste time detailing it within the confines of this letter. Your presence is required back in Canterlot post haste.
Princess Luna
"Apparently an issue has arisen, and my services are required," Ulquiorra replied after having read the scroll, before stuffing it into his satchel. "In simple terms, I've been ordered to haul my ass back to Canterlot at once."
Big Macintosh watched at Ulquiorra disappeared from view, utilizing whatever it was that let him simply vanish without any trace left behind. For a fellow that claimed he couldn't do magic, he sure had some mysterious ways of doing things.
But right now there was something else bothering Big Macintosh, something even more than the fact that Ulquiorra had disappeared in such a curt manner.
"When exactly did Mr. Cifer go an' make friends wit' a mule anyway?" he asked himself.
Luna didn't know what to do with herself right now. Should she pace about? Should she sit down? Should she unfurl her wings and hover above the floor? Should she take it outside, and scream hysterically until she finished getting all of her anxiety out of her system, in order to focus better?
No, she couldn't do that. Not the last one anyway. If she did that, then she'd risk destruction of a significant number of windows. Her sister, as well as the entirety of the palace staff, would have her flank in a sling if she vocalized her current emotional instability, and in such close proximity to the palace itself. If she wanted to do that, then she'd have to travel farther out.
And unfortunately she couldn't do that right now. She had to stay where she currently was, and wait for Ulquiorra's arrival, just as Celestia had instructed her. That left her with precious few outlets for relieving her current emotional state.
She had to calm down. She had to find some -safe, as well as responsible- way of calming herself down. There was far too much excitement to deal with right now. Too much excitement, on top of the fact that not even a half hour ago, she had been ready to go to sleep for the day, and turn over control to her sister. But now the notion of sleep was just a distant memory of something that seemed impossible to even comprehend.
"Calm thyself, Luna, calm thyself. Thou art an alicorn, Thou art royalty. Thee shouldst be above such pettiness of the mortals," she told herself as she ultimately opted for pacing in the limited space. She had to get herself to calm down. She had to try and focus. If she just kept panicking then nothing could be done. Losing her head would help nopony right now.
There were some relaxation techniques of an ancient nature that she could partially remember right now. Maybe that was what she needed at the moment, in order to get her mind properly focused on what was important.
However she never got the chance to engage in those relaxation techniques, as her ears picked up a sound that she had become quite familiar with. And that got her excited all over again.
"Ulquiorra Cifer! At the present moment, you are indeed a pleasant sight to behold!" she announced excitedly as she turned around to face him standing there.
"What happened?" Ulquiorra asked, not bothering with the usual exchange of pleasantries. Now wasn't the time for such uselessness. Nor was it the time to ponder on why she was so excited with him being present.
In hindsight, Princess Luna being glad to see him really wasn't all that unusual, or out of place. Ever since the issue with the changelings, the lunar sister had become a surprisingly devoted ally to him. They had a certain chemistry about them that he had noticed, that allowed them to work together with impressive smoothness; like well oiled gears in a machine.
Princess Celestia was an entirely different matter. She had a far greater understanding of his nature. Her hesitancy around him was natural and fully understandable. Even though she trusted him to a much greater degree than previously, he could tell that there was still reluctance on her part. And she was wise to maintain that reluctance, rather than abandon caution entirely, like so many others had done already.
"What has happened is that Rainbow Dash has made a second escape. And this time from the watchful eye of the very best medical staff that Canterlot General Hospital has to offer. We know not as to how it happened, only that it did happen. And after escaping custody of the hospital, she made her way back to the palace, destroying one of the stained glass windows in the process, as she crashed right through it," Luna explained, her tone slightly calmer than just a moment ago.
Ulquiorra remained silent, showing no sign of surprise at what Princess Luna had to say. He had noticed the lack of the window when he arrived, and the copious amount of broken glass that still littered the throne room's floor. He had also noticed a significant amount of blood smeared about, indicating that the crash had caused a number of injuries.
Reaching out with his pesquisa, he began to scan the castle for Rainbow Dash's presence. And while he eventually managed to find it, he couldn't pinpoint her location, as it was currently being overshadowed by the close proximity of Princess Celestia. The cyan pegasus could easily be standing right next to her, or as far as a city's block away from what he could tell.
Why exactly was Rainbow Dash even still present?
"Where is Rainbow Dash currently?" he asked, wanting to get to the bottom of this quickly.
"In the infirmary, being tended to by our physicians, so that she may be stabilized for eventual transport back to the hospital. To say she was cut to ribbons by crashing through the glass, would not be much of an exaggeration I fear. I am amazed the filly was still even alive after that. There was so much broken glass sticking in her body, and so much blood spilling from everywhere. It was..."
Luna couldn't bear to continue any further with her explanation, finding the story too difficult to openly recount. She had been there when it had all happened just minutes ago, and she was still shaking like the proverbial leaf, a copious amount of adrenaline saturating her system, as it coursed and surged its way through her alicorn veins.
"Is Rainbow Dash expected to survive?" he asked simply. He could see that Princess Luna was growing visibly agitated. A well timed interruption was certainly warranted in this particular case.
"I do not know," Luna replied and shook her head uncertainly, trying her best to remain calm as she spoke. "Sister disappeared with Rainbow Dash almost immediately after we realized what was going on. While they went for the infirmary, I was informed to send word for you, and remain to explain the situation to bring you up to speed on what has transpired," she explained.
Ulquiorra maintained his silence as he observed Princess Luna. She was growing calmer, but only slightly. If she was to be of any use to him, he would need to approach cautiously, and respond accordingly. He would need to pick up on whatever subtle cues she might give, that would indicate her current mental stability.
"How long ago did this happen?" he asked, casually returning his attention the evidence around them. The blood that was present on the floor still looked like it was fresh. And the significant amount of glass would suggest that cleanup efforts had not yet been made. That just raised more questions. Why was there an absence of guards in the throne room at the moment?
"Truly I am uncertain. Ten minutes perhaps? Maybe five? It was not long before I sent word to you, alerting you of the situation," Luna replied, not the least bit happy about any of this. Right now she was feeling jittery all over. But not the pleasant jittery that went with having too much coffee, in an effort to fight off the exhaustion that the sun brought with it. Instead this was the jittery that only terror and uncertainty could bring with it; the same jittery she'd felt when Twilight had been sent to the crystal empire the first time around to face her ultimate test.
"Sister told me that Applejack has been affected as well. But she did not elaborate on what she experienced," she spoke up, hoping to draw some greater measure of information from Ulquiorra himself. If Celestia had failed to tell her, in an effort to shield her from the details, then she seriously doubted the Espada would extend the same courtesy. Or whatever it was called. "What horrors was she forced to experience?"
"Losing trust in herself," Ulquiorra replied simply.
He couldn't say for certain, but Princess Luna's physical reaction almost look like she was about to trip while standing still.
"... How do you mean?" Luna asked, doing her best to keep herself calm. It was an endeavor made much simpler when her curiosity was piqued in some way.
"Rainbow Dash was made to believe the others had betrayed her. Applejack, however, was made to believe that she betrayed the others," Ulquiorra replied, giving slightly further elaboration. "The exact details of just how that belief was reached is of no importance. Only the conclusion that can be drawn from what we know so far."
"And what is it that we know?" Luna asked. Her curiosity was getting more and more piqued as he continued. Right now the buzz in her mind was far more prominent than the jittery nature of her nerves just a moment ago.
"At the moment it is little more than mere speculation and guesswork. What we know for certain, is that an element of sadism is in play here. Which, in turn, would suggest that a sapient mind is at work. And if this is truly related to the Elements of Harmony, I believe we can safely conclude that we are dealing with someone who is a firm believer in the overkill way of doing things," Ulquiorra explained.
"Ulquiorra Cifer," Luna spoke firmly, her left eye beginning to twitch. "I do not have time to engage you in mind games. Since everything has come to pass, I have not had a full day of rest to myself, and I have yet to develop the same stamina that my sister doth possess. I am tired, I am agitated, I was informed that Applejack has been affected by whatever we are facing, and just minutes ago, I had to watch in horror as Rainbow Dash lay cut and bleeding on the throne room floor! I do not have the patience for you to speak in observational statements! If you have something that is worth saying, then simply say it, and do not test my patience further," she commanded in a low but forceful tone.
"Very well then," Ulquiorra replied. If Princess Luna wished for an extensive information dump to contend with, then he would give her such. "When Rainbow Dash was lead to believe she was raped by the others, the Elements of Harmony were rendered useless, as her beliefs of victimization would prevent her from being able to work alongside the others in a harmonious manner, thus taking the Element of Loyalty out of the equation. In simple terms, Equestria was rendered all but defenseless over a week ago. There would be no additional need or justification in going after the others in a similar manner. But instead of choosing to exploit this opening, the one responsible has chosen to go above and beyond the call of necessity, and turn its attention on Applejack instead, filling her with doubts as to her dependability, and further inhibiting their ability to utilize harmony. From this we could reasonably conclude that the one we're facing is overconfident, and potentially arrogant. Someone who believes that victory is already theirs, and is merely toying with us because it amuses them. And considering the nature of the attacks themselves, it is reasonable to conclude that we're facing someone with enough knowledge about their personalities, to specifically tailor the attacks to cause them the most harm possible. If that is truly the case, then the other four will be targeted for attack in a similar matter. And we have no way of knowing the how, the who, or the when."
He stopped and examined Princess Luna's current demeanor. In the course of his explanation she had gone from being angered, to being horrified, and eventually to being scared by what she heard. Whether or not her reaction was amplified by her own reported lack of sleep, he wasn't certain. Nor was he particularly interested.
"These are the facts that we know, and the theories we can draw from such," he concluded. "Are there any questions?"
He watched as Princess Luna remained mostly stationary for approximately one minute, not uttering a single word in response. If it was because she couldn't handle the significant amount of information laid before her, then it was her own fault.
"Who..." Luna asked slowly, "whom do you suspect of being behind this?"
Ulquiorra considered whether or not to tell Princess Luna about the conversation shared last night with Princess Celestia. At present it was nothing more than theory. And from what he had seen up until now, Princess Luna tended to rely more on emotion by default than Princess Celestia. If he revealed what they suspected, it was entirely possible that she would respond in a blatantly illogical manner, and significantly complicate things.
But at the same time he had little choice in the matter. She already suspected that he had a name in mind. And if he refused to answer, there would be nothing to stop her from probing his mind to get the information that she sought. And given the option, that was something he could rather avoid.
"Preliminary suspicions would suggest Discord. But the preliminary evidence used to reach that conclusion is circumstantial at best. There are a significant number of inconsistencies present that must, but cannot yet, be adequately addressed. Among them is my presence here in this world," he explained.
The concept of trying a less than straightforward approach to explanation seemed strange to engage in. But under the present circumstances, it was quite necessary.
"And why should your presence make any difference in this matter? What do you have to do with anything?" Luna asked as she quirked an eyebrow, not seeing what he was saying. Why should his presence make any difference on this matter?
"Because I suspect Discord of being responsible. And because we have established that I can spot matters that would otherwise go completely unnoticed. Furthermore I can reach conclusions that you and the others cannot. If anyone would have reason to suspect Discord of being responsible, it would be myself. Therein lays the complication in laying blame at his feet. If Discord was the responsible party in all of this, why would he bring me here in the first place, knowing that suspicion would fall on him?" Ulquiorra asked, laying out the groundwork as to why the theory of Discord being responsible for everything was lacking in nature. But then he stopped and thought about how Princess Luna might not be aware of the details that he knew of.
Further elaboration was warranted.
"When we first met in the void, Discord stated that he was aware of me. He was familiar with the details of my existence. This means he was aware of my skeptical nature. He had reason to know that I would be suspicious of him, especially with my inability to detect his presence, unless he wishes to allow himself to be detected. It would be utterly illogical, even by Discord's own skewed standards on the subject, to bring me forth if he was simply planning to spread chaos throughout the land," he explained.
"But..." Luna slowly began in trying to form a response. Exactly how did one reply to such a theory? That was an answer she didn't really have. "Would... would not Discord have thought of such, and proceeded regardless, knowing that such a lack of logic would give reason to doubt him being behind such?" she asked him.
"Has Discord engaged in such extensive thought exercises before?" Ulquiorra asked. Silence was the only response he received, indicating that either Princess Luna didn't know herself, or she did know, and the answer was simply no. "All accounts suggest Discord's default method of operation is far more open and obvious. Subversiveness doesn't seem to be his style. What we can assume from this is... numerous. And potentially an exercise in futility to lay out theory after theory on what someone may be doing, simply because we can't prove what they are doing," he concluded.
There were far too many possibilities open to them right now. When anything that was about be the answer they were looking for, it was simply a matter of insanity. Trying to get a bead on anything would be an impossibility, and border on a descent into utter paranoia. Just considering the idea of doing such things was enough to make his head hurt all over again.
"Then ultimately what does this mean for us? Where does this situation leave us?" Luna asked uncertainly.
It was a fair question to ask. But ultimately it was a question Ulquiorra had no answer for. What he knew was of a limited nature, and without the proper context to make sense of it all, it was worth nothing to them right now.
"It leaves us in need of far more help than I'm able to offer right now," was all he had to say in response.
The infirmary was hardly the most ideal of places to be carrying out actual invasive surgery. That was the current opinion of Celestia, as she sat and watched everything unfolding, her wings twitching anxiously at her sides. In her mind right now, it didn't matter if the palace's infirmary was stocked like a small hospital -which, technically, it really was- or that they had both day and night shifts for whenever care might be needed. Nor did it matter to her that, in addition to two general practitioners, they also had a skilled -although offically retired- surgeon on call in case of emergencies that couldn't wait for a trip to the hospital. In her current frenzied state of mind, not a bit of it made any difference at the moment. Her primary concern was for Rainbow Dash at this moment, and nothing else. And if she had believed she could've gotten to the actual hospital quicker, she would have.
But the physicians, and the rest who were currently on staff, however, really were some of the best in the field. She wouldn't deny that fact, as it would do them a great discredit. And in a crisis, they weren't about to let something like inadequate facilities -real of imagined- slow them down any, or prevent them from dealing with the task at hoof to the best of their abilities, while using whatever they had on hoof that was necessary.
Medical magic was always fascinating to observe in action. That was a fact that Celestia couldn't deny, as she sat by the doorway, and watched the doctor and nurses going to work behind the sterile magical field that had quickly been erected, signified by the circle of glowing blue runes laid out into the floor, and the ceiling. And behind that field was a smaller, green, suspended animation field in which Rainbow Dash was currently contained, preventing her condition from worsening.
Between the two fields, the doctor, with two competent nurses, went about performing their duties. She watched as a combination of magic, and other techniques, were used to address the injured pegasus. Shards of glass were carefully removed and dropped into a hastily grabbed basin, lacerations were checked for any foreign debris that needed to be cleared away before suturing could begin, and blood vessels were checked for damage that would need to be addressed.
Watching all four participants going about, playing their individual parts together, was almost like watching a morbid dance being performed in front of her. That was the best way Celestia could describe it right now. She could muse on the symbolism of everything, being representative of the constant cycle of life and death. But she didn't want to do that right now. Such thoughts were far too morbid to be giving consideration this early in the day.
Instead, she simply opted for continuing to watch in silence. Watching as the cuts in Rainbow Dash's body were sutured shut. Watching as the limp pegasus was levitated and carefully wrapped in layer after layer of bandages and sterile gauze over the site of her sutures. And, finally, watching as the suspended animation field was cancelled, and Rainbow Dash's limp form was delicately placed within the magical hold of Nurse Goodwill, as she proceeded to lay her in one of the empty beds for observation.
And just like that, it was all over.
One ordeal had been addressed, and laid to rest. But many more still remained, and she had the feeling that, unlike this one, the others wouldn't be quite so easy to deal with.
"Will she be alright?" Celestia asked as the doctor -surgeon, she corrected herself- stepped away and removed his mask, before easing himself into a chair next to the desk, letting out a tired grunt in the process.
The lack of decorum was of no concern to her. If she had been tasked with performing the same surgery without advanced notice, she would've been exhausted as well.
Beyond that simple fact, there was also the fact that the one being addressed was a good friend of hers. Mandibular Malar had been a practicing general surgeon for fifteen years, before eventually being signed onto the palace staff to fill the role of their last chief surgeon. And for the fifteen years that had come after that, he'd been overseeing the infirmary duties quite... dutifully, thankful for the stability it had provided him. And she didn't hesitate to consider him a friend after all they'd been through together; he was still the only one who actually thought it appropriate to give her a raspberry lollipop after completing her annual physical.
"We've done everything we can for her. I believe she'll make a splendid recovery, given enough time," Malar stated with a tired sigh, before glancing at himself. He was going to need a change of clothes, that much was for certain. "But she's going to be unconscious for a good while. It may be hours, or even a day, before she's able to answer any questions as to what happened," he explained.
"I understand," Celestia replied and nodded.
"And if you wouldn't mind, Your Majesty, there are a few questions that I'd like to ask her myself. There are a number of things that simply don't add up," Malar replied.
"Oh?" Celestia asked and blinked. That was... unexpected. "Like what?"
"For starters, the fact that she was still alive when you brought her here. You said she came crashing through one of the stained glass windows of the throne room, before slamming into the marble flooring, and rolling to a stop. She should've died from this series of events transpiring in such a short amount of time. Even just breaking the window should've killed her, with glass shards cutting her so deep we never would've been able to save her. Not that I'm complaining about her still being alive, but it strikes me as a mystery," he calmly explained.
What so many failed to understand was that glass was very hard, very brittle, and very sharp. One couldn't simply go crashing through a pane of glass, and walk away with no consequences. It was something he'd seen a number of times in his line of work before coming here, and he knew from experience what was supposed to happen. A lot of these modern authors could benefit from taking a tour of the hospitals, and asking the expert advice of fully trained medical professionals, before sitting down to quill out their latest high-adrenaline best sellers, that sacrificed physics and logic in the name of flash and excitement.
He certainly understood that they were meant for entertainment rather than education. But was it really asking too much that the works have at least some corresponding relationship with reality?
"Also, there are traces of some unidentified magic sticking to her wings. Unfortunately the sample is too degraded to positively identify. I'm hoping that once she regains consciousness, she might be able to shed some light on just what transpired," he continued, laying out the mysteries that were on his mind right now.
"And so the mystery deepens," Celestia muttered to herself as she moved to stand back up. "Feel free to ask once she regains consciousness, Doctor. And be sure to send word once she does. In the meantime, I'm going to send word to Canterlot General, and bring them up to speed on the situation," she explained as she turned to leave. There was nothing more that could be done here. No reason to justify her continued presence for possibly hours on end. She knew that the assembled staff would take care of Rainbow Dash; and she knew that if they didn't, Malar would have their docks in a sling. Simply because he was kind, didn't mean he wasn't stern.
Right now there were royal duties that had to be tended to, one way or another. Some had to be seen to and simply couldn't be postponed. And then there were other duties that could be postponed, much to the chagrin of those that had been waiting to see her today.
This wouldn't be the first time in the past thousand years that she'd postponed the day court for a day. Or even two. But it was something that was occurring with an ever-increasing frequency, as this crisis continued to develop. And she honestly didn't know how much longer this could be kept up before the populace started to panic.
The only thing working in their favor right now, was how big of a mess the throne room was with all the broken glass on the floor. Very few ponies would care to walk through such a hazardous area with their bare hooves. The odds were good that most would likely be willing to wait another day to seek her counsel. That would buy her a little more time.
Unfortunately all the time in the world was useless to them, if they didn't know how to actually make use of it. And right now that was one thing she didn't know how to do. There were simply no leads to follow up on. And unless Ulquiorra had gained some useful information at Sweet Apple Acres, there was little more they could do, other than twiddle their hooves right now.
"You'll be alerted immediately, Your Majesty," Malar replied and nodded, as one of the nurses reappeared with an IV stand in tow.
Celestia returned the nod, before making her way out of the infirmary. Much as she hated to admit it, there was simply nothing more she could do here. But she could go find Luna, and let her in on these developments; as upset as her sister was right now, leaving her in the dark would be cruel. And she could also see if Ulquiorra had made his way back to Canterlot for conference.
And if the Espada had indeed returned, then perhaps he would be able to help shed some light on these new mysteries. Maybe, just maybe, they could finally figure out what the hell was going on around here.
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The Nightmare, at least as demonstrated in the comics, could explain all of this. And were it not for a few inconsistencies I would be expecting the story to go in that direction. Additionally I don't believe they ever bring this up as a possible suspect. But that could also just be attributed to the comic universe not being canon to this story.
Anyway, the problem is the brutal nature of these incidents. The Nightmare has never done anything close to this before. But that could easily be explained as her/it's new host being more in line with Ulquiorra's kind of behavior and knowledge than the ponies. Which would suggest that Ulquiorra is only partially correct. It is both an entity from another universe, but also one from the universe he is in now.
But that's under the assumption that this is the Nightmare. Which it could very well not be. I'm just assuming that Luna at least suspects this, based on her reactions in this chapter.
Mac/Luna needs to be canon.
And things just keep on getting more complicated for everyone with little to no leads and a flying suicidal speed/adrenaline junkie crashing through windows and making things worse. Nice poke at the unrealistic aspects of action scenes in literature, most would think that going through a window at hight speed would result in less imbedded shards. Then again a story would be rather short when the hero ends up dying from jumping through a window or some other over dramatized action scene, it would actually be kind of sad.
Cool chapter.
Say it isn't so Charlie_K.
Say it isn't so that Ulquiorra, Quanto Espada- under the former command of Sosuke Aizen- Primero Espada- under the command of Princess Celestia- has no idea what's going on!
Out of all the worst possible things. This. Is. The. Worst. Possible. Thing!
5275987 Nightmare you say? th09.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/138/e/b/kirby_vs_nightmare_by_luigikirby64-d65nkou.png
) and the author could believably make Nightmare more cruel than it appears to be simply because the cannon portrays it in a kid friendly light. That's partly the reason why you never see a villian physically strike one of the main six. If this is accurate, we could assume that this is Nightmare just interpreted in a more mature light.
Just kidding, that's a good idea! I forgot about the whole Nightmare Rarity thing. I've never read the story, but I assume there is a difference between what we see in a comic or episodes, vs the real world the ponies live in. The comics and episodes are probably made kinder for any children who may be watching, (just look at what they did to Derpy
Ooooo I wonder who's pulling the strings. I still think Sombra is a possibility due to part of him surviving the crystal heart and his door of despair/cruelty. Discord is a possibility, but as they said, it just reeks of someone else. This kind of behavior is not his style. It could be someone from Ulquiorra's world, or a new villian even. Whatever the case, this villian's fighting style is fantastic merely because the mind is easier to attack than the physical form sometimes. Just ask Iago from Othello.
Oh snap. I just thought of this. What if it's Nightmare Discord?
If Discord knew it would happen, then he could call in Ulquiorra to set himself up.
5276164
Until the Tirek battle where he and Twilight were throwing mountains at each other.
Although, didn't that red dragon smack them (sans Fluttershy) out of his cave and into the boulder Flutters was hiding behind?
Oh, and the changelings were certainly beating on them. AJ had half a dozen of them jump her at one point.
And then there's the notion that if NMM was MORE evil than shown, she would have just killed the Mane 6 before they even got to the castle. I mean, why wouldn't she? She had physical form. She knew they were going after the only things that could stop her. Just smash them all with rocks or blast them or whatnot...
No, for the events of the first two episodes to occur at all, there must have been some smidgin of restraint in NMM's mind, something which made her hesitant to outright kill anyone. I do wish we could have seen where Celestia was that whole time and if she faced NMM again. That might have cleared up quite a bit. (Poor Lauren had to compress the story so much. Her idea initially was for the entire first season to be a single adventure arc devoted to stopping NMM, which would have allowed for far more plot structure, backstory, and characterization all around of NMM and Celestia as well. I hope one of the movies is a more theatrical re-telling of the story, with better fleshed-out and fuller event structure and expositional dialog.)
Damn, Rainbow Dash doesn't know when to quit, does she? Unless the foreign magic found on her being suggests different theories...
5276164
Now that, is an interesting idea, Discord has the ability to mind screw any of the ponies in any way, so he would be the one who could do it, we also know Ulquiorra can't sense his reiatsu if he knew he was eventually going to turn it would make bringing Ulquiorra to equestria make sense if he wasn't turning evil out of choice. I like this theory.
5275987 The Nightmare isn't blatantly sadistic, that much is sure. I think Enemy X COULD be a creature from another dimension entirely, not Bleachverse, or Equis. That would make sense, because then it's free game on what its limitations are. But, let's say that we're keeping the assumptions of what Enemy X is to the Bleachverse and Equis. With Equis, there's still leg room for any other kind of creature, maybe a changeling offshoot that can attack memories. With the Bleachverse, nothing. Many might say 'Oh, it's Aizen!' But no. His Kyoka Suigetsu can only make illusions, and while he IS enough of a bastard to do this, remember that, according to the timeline, he's in the fake Karakura Town fighting off the shinigami, about to get his ass whopped by Ichigo, or has been imprisoned. There was no time for him to do any interdimensional extravaganzas. And I'm sure that during his prison time, they would've noticed if he got out. And Kyoka Suigetsu was destroyed by the- Hold on a minute…
Well, I've been thinking, and I came to a rather harsh conclusion: THe Hogyoku didn't destroy Kyoka Suigetsu. The Hogyoku is an Almighty Idiot. It's little more than a marble genie version of Ulquiorra. It does what it's told, when it's told. Aizen wanted it to merge with him, so it did. Aizen wanted it to make him a creature beyond Shinigami or Hollow, so it did. But never, EVER, in that evolutionary sequence, was destroying Kyoka Suigetsu a requirement. It would've been a step BACKWARDS, for God's sake! The Hogyoku would've noted that! So, why did it get rid of the zanpakuto? Simple: The zanpakuto wanted out. See, in the anime filler arc where Muramasa appeared, he showed that most zanpakuto evolve remarkably similar personalities to their masters. Byakuya is a chill badass, so is Senbonzakura. Matsumoto is a raunchy flirt, so is Haineko. Et cetera, et cetera. Which means that, by that logic, there's a pretty good chance that Kyoka Suigetsu is a manipulative, cold asshole like its master. And that means it would've wanted power. And it knew that it couldn't have lasted long if Aizen kept calling the shots. So, when Ichigo whopped Aizen's ass, Kyoka made the decision to have its master lose his power, and then it packed its bags and ran. Of course, it didn't predict the Hogyoku sending it to EQUIS. Maybe that's why Discord noticed them. The connection made by Kyoka Suigetsu tethered the two universes together, and because the void between worlds has a fucked-up sense of time, Kyoka arrived BEFORE the fic began, so when Ulquiorra was rejected by the universe for being an Arrancar, an artificial abomination with no place in the natural universe, he went along the pathway to Equis' outer rim, where Discord pulled him in.
At first, I wondered 'how would Kyoka Suigetsu have altered RD's memories, if his powers aren't about memory alteration'? Then it hit me: Kyoka Sugietsu's Shikai allows it to cast an illusion on its victims' physical senses, right? What if its BANKAI allowed it to attack its victims' MENTAL senses? Memories, and emotional perceptions? That would explain everything. Kyoka would've used its power to remove RD's memory of the past 3 days, and then it would've made RD see the suffering and rape and whatnot. That also explains why Ulquiorra hasn't noticed it, yet. Kyoka is using its Shikai abilities to alter Ulquiorra's pesquisa, so he can't sense its reiatsu. That would also explain the startling lack of tracks: Kyoka is just flying. And it can just regress into nothing but its zanpakuto form, making it nigh undetectable, even if it can't cast illusions on the enemy. It would also explain how Chrysalis lost her mind: Kyoka's Bankai assaulted her mental stability, which also explained why she became so power-hungry and devoted on winning to notice Ulquiorra's Twilight-level acting skills. Sorry to say it in such a harsh way, but there is no better comparison.
Also, this made me realize something: Aizen, even after 100 years of being a captain, never unlocked his fucking Bankai. He made everyone think Kyoka Suigetsu was a water-type, and he unlocked its 'Bankai'. Maybe if he actually trained, he would've realized just how EASILY he could've conquered the world. No wasting time on long, convoluted plots that remove every single enemy. No dealign with individual targets. Just walk into the Captain's meeting, use Bankai, and have every Yamamoto go apeshit on everyone with his Bankai. Then, just walk away calmly.
Of course, for those who think it's the Fullbring user Tsukishima, remember that his Fullbring, Book of the End, revolved around him planting memories of himself in others' minds. For example, if he hit RD, he'd probably replace her father, or some sh*t like that. If he hit Applejack, he'd probably replace HER dead dad. Et cetera, et cetera. In short, while Tsukishima DOES have some requirements necessary, he lacks the sadism, cunning, and the ability to hide himself. As well as the ability to manipulate others in such a manner. His memory altering has several terrible holes, and even HE can't sweet-talk a dragon into sleeping in a particular area, much less send a pissed-off manticore into town, or send a hive of changelings, for that matter, into a second invasion when the first was an obvious death trap, much less make the changelings operate at a higher level of stealth than before.
Also, if Kyoka is canon, I hereby petition that Kyoka Suigetsu be female. For the lulz.
You've got me freakin OUT, man!
5276233
Second.
Honestly, I've been waiting years for that joke.
Now to me it is certain that both Discord and Aizen are behind this. By the way the mule bit was hilarious.
5276233 I completely forgot about Kyoka Suigetsu's bankai. I always did wonder why Aizen never used it.
Well that's a bit of a head scratcher, has the enemy simply decided to coerce RD into committing suicide? Or did she fight off some form of possession? AND WHERE THE HECK IS DISCORD! Sic Fluttershy on him Tia, she'll make him talk!
Below are the typos for this chapter:
*few outlets for her relieving - few outlets for relieving
*more help, than I'm - more help than I'm
*thoughts were too, too morbid to be giving - thoughts were far too morbid to be given
*gauze over the sight of her - gauze over the site of her
*understand that glass - understand was that glass
*"Also, there's are traces - "Also, there are traces
*seen to and, simply - seen to and simply
*them, if you didn't - them, if they didn't
*before making he way - before making her way
What a disappointing chapter. I thought we were supposed to finally find out who the freaking coward is. How boring.
5276233
Filler arcs are non-canonical, so none of their content holds any weight.
Also, who said Aizen doesn't have Bankai? For all we know, he simply never needed it. The reason he faked his Zanpakutou as a water type was because he didn't want anyone knowing at the time what it really did so his plans could go more smoothly. Or rather, that's what I take away from it.
5276038 "Quanto"?
It's Cuatro Espada, officially.
Grammatically correct, it would be Cuarta Espada.
5275987
Well it's a good theory and all, but I never read the comics. So it'd be a little hard to reference them and their plot in this story.
5275994
The joke was just begging to be done.
5276022
That sort of depends just how fast she was flying at the time of breaking the window.
A better question is just what happened at the hospital?
5276038
It's so. He's as much without answers as everyone else is right now.
5276164
What happened to Derpy in the comics?
5276202
Poor Lauren indeed. It would've been interesting to see that play out.
5276217
Theories abound.
5276228
Discord's mind is a bag of cats.
5276233
Now that's a genius theory right there. Somebody update the WMG page with the idea that Kyoka is behind everything.
And so long as we're speculating, what if Aizen didn't use his bankai because even he couldn't control it?
5276236
It's all buildup to next week. And next week, be sure to have your pitchforks sharpened. I promised everyone a villain, and a villain you shall have.
5276254
Aizen being outdone by his manipulative bitch of a sword. Thirded.
5276255 5276465
Yeah it was pretty good.
5276626
Maybe his bankai was so strong and dangerous, even he couldn't control it.
5276637
Just have to wait until next week. I promised a villain, and I intend to keep my promises.
5276640
One incoming coward is promised. Be prepared to unleash hatedom on target.
derpicdn.net/img/2013/2/6/235369/full.png 5276164
CHRYSALIS KILLED A RABBIT IN FRONT OF THE CMC IN THE COMIC.
it aint for kids.
Tell me about it, I remember helping my aunt move some boxes at my grandparents house when I just happen to set a box laden with pictures on a rickety shelf lined with old glass lanterns. Next thing I knew, the entire shelf came down and there was broken glass everywhere. Amazingly, only three small shards got into my arm and nowhere else. The amazing bit is I wasn't wearing any footwear so my feet should've been mincemeat.
I can't see the next button. Pls fix
5276645 Alright. I didn't know that.
On a completly unrelated note.
"Execute Order 66!" XP
5277263
Never tell Ulquiorra to execute anything. Because he'll go right out and do it.
5276919 I somehow expect that next chapter will just continue to beat around the bush, dropping clues that don't actually point to anyone, etc. That's all that has been happening lately.
I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but I feel like making a "mystery" out of the villain is extremely forced.
Normally, there would be numerous clues that point to multiple people, leaving everyone to speculate just who it really could be, then having an interesting twist. In this story, the "clues" don't point to anyone, and the characters just come out and say it might be Discord. I understand that you mentioned this is your first serious, long term story, but this is just something to consider.
Good Chapter.
5277690
I'm aware, and I've actually considered a number of red herrings to implement. Unfortunately show canon has done a great deal at wiping out possible villains already. As Ulquiorra said back in the previous chapter, Nightmare Moon, dead. Chrysalis, dead. Sombra, dead. Tirek's still far too weak to be a credible threat at this point in the story, leaving Discord as the sole remaining villain, since I'm not going off of comic book canon from having never read any of it. And pointing to an OC villain is an incredibly difficult thing to pull off when you're just making up your own canon, and none of the readers are going to pick up on any of the hints that will be dropped. It's basically referring to the noodle incident, without letting on that it is a noodle incident.
If all of this were being done, sans Ulquiorra, it would be simpler, because I could work in a mention about the janitorial staff, or one of the servants to have fans guessing. But with the Espada there, and confirmed as able to see and detect things the other ponies can't, that makes things more difficult.
I've got plans to get things moving. It's just going to take a little more time for them to actually come into play. Expect things to actually get moving next week as some mysteries are finally addressed.
5276919 Nothing that I'm aware of. I was referring to the change in the episode she was featured in to make her "less offensive to kids with disabilities". I was using that to prove my point that the cannon universe is changed to be inoffensive to their audience; hence if Equestria were an actual place, some of the events in the show might not have happened the way the episodes or comic displays it.
And my apologies to people saying the comic is not for kids. As mentioned, I have little knowledge of them, and perhaps assumed too much. Though killing a rabbit doesn't sound very convincing, I mean an animal is an animal, if a PONY gets killed then we can talk.
I feel the story may be getting a little too cruel to Dash. I mean the mental torture is one thing but the amount of physical abuse she is taking in reality, self inflicted or not, is a bit much. Not only because it is pretty much the only scenes she is getting but because the story would have us believe that she has literally nothing left to live for now that she has had one traumatic fictional experience. Of course, there could be other things influencing her actions but just to my perspective, this was the first time I found myself questioning whether something in the story could be better served differently.
5278045
There are many things in the show "edited for television". Naked ponies and animals have no visible genetalia. Nopony swears. More females are shown on screen than the population mandates.
None of that alters the plot or characterizations and settings that form the basis of canon.
"Derp" is a potential slur against people with mental disabilities, and Tabitha made the voice xtra goofy because she thought she was voicing a male. That is not changing "canon". It is correcting a mistake.
5278846
Next week things are going to start looking up for Rainbow Dash. Although I don't want to say how just yet, as it would spoil the surprise.
5276233 Problem: Zanpaktou have reitsu.
It would leave traces behind Ulquiorra could detect.
5279346 She talks with her inner self and becomes a Vizard?
5276164 The Nightmare in the comic was sitting on a throne of pony bones eating foals.
5279576
Damnit I've told you ponies to quit getting into my notes!
5279593 I'm such a powerful telepath I can't help it!
I'm like, a P12,000,000 by Babylon 5 terms!
I SEE AND HEAR ALL!!!! IT DRIVES ME MAD I TELL YOU!!!
5279346
Good to hear. I am just not a fan of the "the farther they fall the higher they bounce back" philosophy. Some have much farther to fall than others. I feel that Dash is one of those. Bring her too low and her recovery might not be believable. Or her fall might not be believable because she falls too far too fast and misses opportunities for recovery.
For instance, while her friends are probably one of, if not the most important thing in her life, they are far from the only important thing.
Regardless of her angst about her sanity and the rift with her friends, she still has many ponies who care for her, including one she was willing to endure that nightmare to protect. And regardless, the simple knowlege that what happened didn't, should give her solace that she does not live in a world where such things actually happen.
Also, it doesn't help that this story is 50% introspection and exposition yet Dash's suicidal urges seem to be entirely fueled by self-doubt rather than a genuine desire to escape pain, emotional, psychological, or physical. She could fly away somewhere she would never be found. Instead she pursues the one she blames for her pain (which is IC). She feels she is protecting herself and those she cares for.
Then she simply becomes chronically suicidal? No hope or reason left at all? Her reasons are that she is traumatized and doubts her own sanity?
What about guilt for attacking her innocent friends? Conflict over her feelings towards them? Anger at being played? A desire to protect others from the same pain? The drive to be a future Wonderbolt?
None of this stuff seems to be coming up. I don't know if it's her lack of perspective scenes or oversight or plot railroading. It could be an outside influence but if something can make her depressed and irrational enough to kill herself, why bother with the farce? Just make her fly into a volcano.
Of course this is with the assumption that Dash's latest mishap is in fact actually a suicide attempt and not some other plot element at work. Which, with the anomalies, may be the case.
That doesn't change the fact that she is easily the most compelling character in the story currently and seems to be relegated to the role of plot device side-character latelty. She's driving the story but is rarely in it.
...although I can understand if this is for the sake of secrecy before a reveal.
That said I also don't understand why that Dr. is so surprised by Dash's resilience. She has kicked through solid walls and living trees, broken the sound barrier, caught huge stone statue on her back, breaking the statue in half, and carried loads several times in excess of her own body-weight, and defeated dozens of changelings while unarmed. She was probably only cut because stained glass is set in assembled metal frames meaning that stained glass windows are also barred windows. They are pretty solid, see:
img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110917180549/mlp/images/archive/3/38/20130102192314!Rainbow_Dash_crashes_into_the_stained_glass_S2E01.png ?
5276233 Nah man you are way off.... it's Chin-Chin
And he has come for Equestria's chromosomes...
5279800
All very good questions. So allow me to start explaining.
This is true. But the problem for Rainbow Dash is false memories being conflicted by an investigative method revealing things that she shouldn't be able to feel. When Ulquiorra presented for her consideration, the results of their investigation of all relevant parties in Ponyville, his Solita Vista technique also impressed upon her what he sensed at the time, so she could feel the same mana fluctuations that he was feeling, and know what they meant. And she was subjected to hours worth of this information, as they systematically searched everywhere, and questioned everyone involved. That a LOT of information to try and digest in just a few seconds passage of time. So that's part of what's wrong with her.
In all fairness, there was only one confirmed suicide attempt the day after. The day after having her senses assaulted by something that a pony isn't meant to experience -Solita Vista's total immersion properties- adding to her psychological trauma. This was sort of done intentionally to show that even though Celestia, Luna, and Ulquiorra are all experienced, none of them are psychologists trained in matters like this.
The guilt over her actions was mentioned, briefly but it was still there. I agree that it could've been better addressed, and I may need to go back and write more on the subject. But at the time I was trying to address multiple issues that would be contributing factors, like her sense of loyalty being ripped out of her, and alluding to her believing that she's not viewed as a pony in need of help, but just a weapon that's no longer working like it should. That was the reason for her yelling that she's not the Element of Loyalty. And all of this on top of the mindfuck done by Ulquiorra forcefully showing her that her entire perception and recollection was wrong.
If I wanted to go with another, more believable, suicide attempt I would've had the situation set at the hospital, rather than setting up an escape from the hospital, just to return to the palace.
It's something I'm working on. But like everything else, it's a work in progress.
First, that's assuming Equestria uses the same technology for making stained windows, rather than coloring solid sheets of glass.
Second, that's one of my little quirks about subverting common action tropes whenever possible, and showing that there are real world consequences involved when doing what might be considered awesome stuff.
5279573 I already said: Kyoka would be using its powers to screw with Ulquiorra's reiatsu. Hey if it could be used to make Toshiro stab Momo, then it could be used to cover up a reiatsu signal.
5279573
Yes but Ulquiorra explained to Rainbow Dash back after her suicide attempt that even his pesquisa wasn't immune to the hypnotic effects of Kyoka Suigetsu. That's pretty much the closest he's ever come to admitting to the fact that not only can he get scared, he actually has been scared, since he understands that his mind, no matter how analytical he might be, can still be vulnerable.
5280909
Thank you for your replies. It's about what I thought but I felt like voicing my issues might be constructive.
As for the last bit, I just assume most ponies are preternaturally powerful due to inherent magic. I mean both Twi and Rarity were shown to be carrying a rock that easily weighs over a ton and they're unicorns. Ulquiorra should still be stronger due to his hollow nature and Espada rank, of course.
5282498
Well if you see something that needs to be addressed, bring it up. Replies and reviews help with the creative writing process, and actually inspires parts of future chapters. That was how Ulquiorra more or less came to own Luna's ass when he called her out in the throne room on his first night back from Ponyville. Do you have any idea just how much readers like you and the others have inspired the development of this story?
As to Ulquiorra being stronger, there's still many things in play. Just keep in mind that he noted how he could easily lift forty pounds of weight to every pound he weighed. That's not saying that his upper limit, just what he can do without actually putting a lot of effort into it.
5286988
Wait and see.
Our villain is starting to get sloppy...
An unfortunate case, seeing as I was enjoying the elaborate nature of the villain's actions, but at the same time, I am happy answers are starting to finally be given
5275987 Interesting idea. Despite thinking of just about every other possibility I am familiar with, I had not considered the idea of the source of Nightmare Moon as an option, rather than Princess Luna herself. Possibly because I was thinking that the being was, after the incident of Nightmare Moon being found out, eradicated, or at least turned over to the side of good again as its servants had been, because I was mistaking it for all those servants. XD
Either way, an interesting idea indeed. I will have to take that into consideration. Perhaps the Nightmare has taken control over Spike, and has been using him to commit these acts when others weren't paying attention to him? I dunno. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.
vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/dragonball/images/9/94/Ulquiorra_hardcore_bleach_facepalm.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/640?cb=20130217001021
...I sense this meme will be getting a lot of use before the end.