Chapter Sixty Nine
Chapter Sixty Nine
Celestia sighed to herself as she laid on her bed. It was late, and she really wanted to be asleep right now. But sadly, sleep wasn't for her this evening. Instead of blissful rest, the immediate future held lots of paperwork for her to look over. And it was no exaggeration to say the amount she still had to get through came up to her fetlocks; a daunting proposal if ever there was any.
In making the decision to take over care for Rainbow Dash, she had known that it would mean complications to the everyday routine. But she hadn't been aware of just how much would become complicated as a result. She had no idea just how many hours would have to be cut from the day court, in order to assist in providing the necessary care of this case. And although she could get away with announcing that she would only see the petitioners of greatest need, while everyone else was seen by her councils instead, that hadn't exactly done much to lessen her workload. There was still so much that she herself had to oversee throughout the day.
"Note to self: reintroduce for consideration, the notion of elections for all public officials at all levels of government," she told herself. It was an idea that had been introduced numerous times over the last few centuries. And each time it was rejected by the public who were content with her being in charge. In a way it was touching. In other ways, not so much. And right now it was feeling like one of those latter times.
And then there was a knock at the doors to her chambers. Along with other muffled commotion carrying on from behind them.
"What now?" Celestia sighed and muttered to herself, groaning as she stood up and climbed off the bed, before placing the paperwork atop her writing desk, and making her way to the doors to see just what was the latest interruption to her day. She really didn't need this right now.
With a flick of the horn, the door on the left was open, and in slipped the commotion from the outside. There was an argument going on in front of her chambers. What sort of insanity was this?
"What's going on out here?" she asked as she poked her head out of the room and looked around at everypony present. Much to her surprise there were two of Luna's night guards present, in addition to her own day guards.
And in the middle of all of them, was a very disturbed, and upset looking Rainbow Dash, who currently looked like a foal who had been sent to the principal's office for committing some educational transgression. It was a look she knew well enough from managing her school for gifted unicorns. And it was amazing how the look just seemed to transcend both species and circumstances.
"Our charge wished to speak with you, Your Highness," one of the lunar ponies replied in answer, his tone of voice velvety smooth as he spoke.
"However our solar counterparts have informed us that such won't be occurring," the other lunar pony replied and frowned towards one of her guards in response.
Celestia didn't need this. She really, really didn't need this right now. She tried not to sigh in response to the territorial dispute that was unfolding.
"It's quite alright, my ponies. I'll see her," she replied as as gentle a tone as possible, as she opened the door further to allow entry. She observed as Rainbow Dash stepped forward, with the guards following right on her tail. It was at that, that she put up her wing in a halting gesture.
"Would you mind waiting outside for a moment? I'll be sure to call you if needed," she stated, doing her best to not let her annoyance shine through right now. She was perfectly capable of tending to Rainbow Dash by herself in this situation. She really didn't need her bedchamber being invaded at this hour. Fortunately they didn't object, and allowed the cyan pegasus to enter on her own, before the door was closed behind her.
"Thanks," Rainbow Dash muttered uneasily as she moved away from the door.
"So what brings you by at this late hour, Rainbow Dash?" Celestia asked as she turned to face her.
"Princess? Could I... could I sleep with you tonight? Please?" Rainbow Dash asked shakily.
Celestia blinked in response. Had she really just heard what she'd thought she heard?
"Pardon?" she asked, seeking clarification.
"I don't wanna be in my room tonight. It's dark, and lonely, and the guards won't quit staring at me," Rainbow Dash stated, "please? I promise I'll be good. I'll stay in the corner on the floor, I just don't want to be by myself tonight. I don't wanna be alone in the dark..."
Ah. So that was it. Celestia would admit that, for just a moment, she had thought that Rainbow Dash had meant something else. Something that would've been entirely inappropriate for her to consider, even under the best of circumstances. She'd chalk it up to the amount of fatigue she was currently experiencing.
But still, there was the little matter of just how to respond. Rainbow Dash was in a fragile state right now, thanks to what that insane physician Thrush had done to her. Every one of their decisions that related to her, had to be approached with great caution, otherwise they risked exacerbating the whole problem to an unacceptable level.
And as she looked at the cyan pegasus who sat nervously on her haunches before her, all the while fidgeting with the small gold band around her foreleg just above her hoof, she had reason to believe they were already close to reaching that point. There were some things that were just instinctual, and couldn't be readily explained, but were still recognizable.
"That won't be necessary, Rainbow Dash. There's no need for you to sleep on the hard floor like you're some sort of stray dog," she stated, doing her best not to sigh in frustration. The fact that Rainbow Dash was willing to prostrate herself so low, was not good. Humility was fine and all, but this was neither humility, nor fine. This was somepony who was broken, and had no sense of self worth about them. And that was something that had to be remedied. "My bed should be more than adequate."
"Your... your bed?" Rainbow Dash asked, caught off guard by the offer that was being made.
"I still have much in the way of paperwork to catch up on, before I'll be able to turn in for the night myself. One of us might as well get some use out of it," Celestia explained, wanting to clarify what she was saying so there would be no misunderstandings between them.
"But... where're you gonna sleep?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Being an alicorn, sleep is something I don't really need. This certainly wouldn't be the first night I've had to go without rest. And I sincerely doubt that it'll be the last either. And considering what I need to get through," Celestia paused to gesture to the stack of papers to emphasize her point, "I'll likely be up all night. But I do appreciate the thought and concern."
Truth be told, Celestia was glad that Rainbow Dash was present. Usually when it came to late night paperwork, it was a lonely proposition, done in the absence of others. Occasionally Luna would drop by to see her, but she had her own duties to tend to, and could never stay for long. But this time around it was a different matter entirely. And although Rainbow Dash likely wouldn't spend much time talking to her, she would at least be present, and serve as a physical reminder that she wasn't alone.
She just wished the whole thing could've been under better circumstances. Yes she would enjoy having company on lonely nights, but not at such a cost. She would much rather the company be had out of friendship, rather than desperation brought on by whatever had happened.
She was glad that Rainbow Dash was present. But it was the sort of gladness that usually came from trying to make the best out of a bad situation, and finding some small way in which to achieve that goal; bittersweet really.
"Oh... alright then. I-if you say so," Rainbow Dash replied, not entirely convinced by her assessment. But there wasn't much she could do about it. So, with a shrug, she made her way over to the sizable bed, and climbed up on it. And it was wonderfully, wonderfully comfortable; nearly as much so as her own bed. Almost immediately she sank into it, and sighed contentedly. "I'll... I'll stay over by the edge, just in case you change your mind..."
Celestia pondered on what to say next. Or if she even should say something next. But right now nothing all that profound was coming to her mind. She knew that something probably should be said at this point in time, but there was nothing that felt appropriate.
"Try and sleep well, Rainbow Dash," she replied. Right now that was probably as good as anything else that could be said.
Once she was certain that Rainbow Dash actually was going to sleep, she'd be sure to dismiss the two lunar guards. She was more than capable of keeping an eye on her for the time being. And there was no sense in having them standing about, if there was nothing for them to actually do.
Thursday, June twenty seventh, second year of the new calendar: After Nightmare Moon
Observational notes pertaining to progress made in the operation dubbed "Rainbow Reparation"
Day One
Today Rainbow Dash's physical recovery has reached the point, where Doctor Malar has seen fit to discharge her from the infirmary. According to his medical expertise, the healing magic weaved into her bandages, has allowed the majority of her injuries to heal to the point they no longer present the risk of being torn open, should she grow physically agitated. According to him, those that yet to fully heal are not consequential enough, to warrant further bed rest in the infirmary.
Answers pertaining to the presence of the opioid and hallucinogenic substances in her system continue to elude us. Despite the lack of continued accusations to the contrary, Rainbow Dash continues to maintain a steadfast denial of engaging in the use of any such substances. Why this is, when we have accepted it as being the truth, I'm not certain. The possibility of their administration being from an outside source has yet to be either confirmed or denied.
Latest blood work has confirmed Doctor Malar's earlier observation on the matter; for whatever reason, the substances in Rainbow Dash's system are not being metabolized, and broken down as they should be. They continue to remain in the same concentration as they were when first discovered. Answers as to both how, and why this is the case, continue to elude us. Unfortunately the level of medical technology for this world remains hopelessly inadequate for determining what level of tampering may be in play.
Dialysis has been suggested as a possible course of treatment. In theory the suggestion is good. However the practical application is limited, again, due to the current stage of technological, and medical development of this world. Dialysis is still in the stage of infancy for much of Equestria, and the currently existing prototype machines are far too cumbersome to be readily accessible here in Canterlot, when they are currently located in larger cities such as Manehattan, and Las Pegasus.
There is currently contemplation of attempting to build an ad-hoc dialysis machine, here in Canterlot, by ourselves. But at the moment it is merely contemplation. None of us have the knowledge of how to go about such a project. For that reason, other alternatives are currently being explored. The technique of utilizing medical magic for the purpose of purifying the body of toxins, as mentioned by Twilight Sparkle on the twelfth of this month, is currently being studied and researched, to determine its viability under these conditions.
As of yesterday, details pertaining to the suicide watch have been finalized, and approved for implementation.
Twelve guards, six solar, and six lunar, have been selected to provide around the clock observation for Rainbow Dash, each group broken up into sets of two, and assigned a four-hour shift. They will also serve as reinforcements should she grow confrontational and refuse to comply with whatever medical procedures have been deemed necessary, with instructions to approach cautiously, and not rely on force to exert compliance as a primary response. Whether or not they can abide by these instructions remains to be seen.
An open-door policy is currently in place. Privacy will be restricted in order to prevent any further attempts at suicide being made on her part.
Strangely there was little objection on her part to this condition of her treatment. Whether this is due to recognizing the futility of objection, or another underlying matter, I can't say for certain as of yet.
The room designated to serve as Rainbow Dash's quarters for the duration have been prepared accordingly. The windows are shielded by a force field of similar structure, to those currently used to guard the Elements of Harmony. The original elaborate light fixture has been removed, and replaced with a new-styled recessed fixture set into the ceiling, with the bulbs placed behind a layer of impact-resistant, polycarbonate sheeting; something relatively new to this world. The door has been removed, as have any objects that could be used to inflict harm upon herself or others. The only exception is a bed made of cloud material; according to an explanation I still don't fully comprehend, referencing obscure mechanics I don't adequately understand, the material used will be inadequate for anything other than resting, no matter how hard she might try at using it for some other purpose.
A golden wire bangle has also been affixed to her foreleg, and fitted with two specific spells. The first is to prevent any form of tampering from taking place. The second is an instant sedation spell with a one-hour duration that will activate immediately, upon either an attempt being made at self harm, or being more than fifty feet away from another bearing a complimentary charm. Those currently holding these charms are Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Doctor Malar, Nurse Goodwill, and the twelve guards that were assigned this mission. After extensive discussion, it was determined that outfitting all palace staff with these charms would serve no beneficial purpose, and may actually complicate matters to an unacceptable degree.
Whether or not the orderly Corners should be provided such a charm has been discussed. However a definite answer has not yet been arrived at. As to be expected, regardless of what Princess Celestia has told her otherwise, Rainbow Dash still doesn't readily trust the orderly after what she went through. As of yesterday, she has forgiven him for what part he played. But forgiveness and trust are not necessarily the same thing.
There is also the matter of whether she has truly forgiven Corners, or if she is simply claiming to have done such.
I myself have turned down the offer of the charm, as it serves no beneficial purpose in my case.
A choker necklace was discussed prior to the implementation of the bangle. However it was determined that it may pose a choking hazard, should Rainbow Dash discover a random hooking implement to attach the necklace to, and use it to hang herself, thus triggering the sedation spell as a method of ending her life. Even though the chances of such a possibility are minute, they have been considered, regardless of their unlikelihood.
Security, for lack of a better term, is rather lax in comparison to what could be implemented. There are still a number of improvements to the suicide watch that could be made. But such recommendations were overruled in favor of an approach that would allow for some measure of dignity, not only to maintain physical health, but also encourage mental health development.
T-
Ulquiorra stopped his current writing, and looked up from the notepad as he sensed the approach of Princess Luna, coming down the hallway, and towards the library where he currently stood.
"What news is there to report?" he asked simply, not bothering to look up from what he was doing.
"A great deal," Luna replied with a huff as she approached, unfazed by how he had known of her approach. It'd been going on like that for so long, it'd become routine. And right now she was far too tired to be concerned about trying to sneak up on him. Right now she was far more preoccupied, with far more important matters. "The medications," she paused and yawned, "that were preventing Rainbow Dash from dreaming, have finally been purged from her system. And for what I am about to say next, I feel I will need to punish myself. But I almost wish she were back on the medications. Along with her ability to dream returning, so have the nightmares, picking up right where they left off. She was right back in the basement, caged like an animal, and subjected to countless, gruesome abuses."
Luna stopped talking and groaned at this point, using her hoof to pinch the bridge of her muzzle. She really did hate to make such statements, but with everything taken into consideration, leaving Rainbow Dash dreamless might actually be the kindest thing they could do for her right now. There was only so much that they could do for her right now. And despite her dreamwalking capabilities, she couldn't guarantee that the dream setting she had left the cyan pegasus in, wouldn't warp back into that retched basement once again; not without being there throughout the night. And there was only so much time that she could devote to one single pony, when there was an entire world that needed to be addressed, with so many other ponies in need.
Under these circumstances, she couldn't help but consider possible alternatives; even if some might seem drastic.
"What of Applejack?" Ulquiorra asked simply.
"Twilight Sparkle reports that her blood tests came back positive for the same substances found in Rainbow Dash's blood," Luna replied. If this was the Espada's way of moving along the discussion to other subjects, then he was quite good at it. "And much like Rainbow Dash, Applejack has denied the usage of any such substances. Whether this is of significance, or merely coincidence, I do not yet know," she explained.
"Their denial of such may be reasonable," Ulquiorra replied after a pause, stopping momentarily to write something down, before eventually continuing. So much for the theory that Doctor Thrush had drugged Rainbow Dash, in order to discredit whatever accusations she might make against him. "So far we've made no effort to determine the exact method in which the substances were administered. Their exposure may have even been unintentional. But that merely raises more questions than answers," he pointed out.
As he'd intended, the matter had been brought up during their first real meeting, as they discussed the various ins and outs of how they would be tending to both Rainbow Dash, and her needs. Some had reacted better than others to the notion of their patient being drugged against her will, by an unrecognized source. Others had reacted poorly, and wondered if the administration had occurred at the hospital itself, in an effort to break her stubborn nature. Unfortunately all they had was speculation to go on; not hard answers.
"No! Ulquiorra Cifer, as thou's listening audience we art begging thee; please do not introduce new theories for consideration!" Luna screeched. But as the words left her mouth, she immediately regretted them; both the outburst itself, and the slip back into the old world dialect. Clearing her throat, she continued speaking in a calmer tone. "I apologize. My outburst was uncalled for. But I am tired, Ulquiorra Cifer, I cannot properly keep up with the theories we are already facing. Please do not introduce more theories, unless you have something to serve as some form of proof," she pleaded.
There was too much going on right now as far as she was concerned. Countless theories, along with countless worries. Wasn't he aware of such facts? Or did he simply not care?
"... Fair enough," Ulquiorra replied. There was nothing saying that Princess Luna had to be read into every theory that arose, or every refinement of such. There were more ponies willing to help him if necessary. There was nothing to prevent him from running this theory by one of them more thoroughly, should the opportunity present itself.
It was true that, out of all the ponies he had to work with, Princess Luna was one of the most dedicated to assisting him, even when others weren't. She was, more or less, the closest thing he had to a confidant right at the moment. However that didn't mean she was the only one suitable for running these theories by; she was simply the one most convenient, for the majority of the time. But if she was in need of a break, he would simply find another intellectual who was closely associated with the case.
"Thank you," Luna replied as she closed her eyes and sighed. She really didn't need the added stress right now. "There is just so much going on right now, without bringing anything new to the discussion. I do not even know where to begin with attempting to cover it all."
On top of the worries that the Espada induced with his random speculation, there were also the worries that came about from her own experiences. Simply because they had discounted the possibility of disease, didn't make things any easier for her. She was the one tasked with the dreamscape, and who saw what went on in the heads of their subjects. She was the one tending to the nightmares of both the afflicted, and the general populace who had been terrorized by the manticore attack. And all of it while trying not to go to hysterics with Rainbow Dash's care.
And that was to say nothing of the issue pertaining to the recovery process Pipsqueak was undergoing, and the nightmares he was going through. Her heart so yearned to be with him right now.
Again, Ulquiorra said nothing. The order of the day had been less than orderly for the past few days, and he was sure that he hadn't been made aware of everything developing around them. He'd been distracted with his own research, only available when his attention had been called upon for one thing or another. It would be foalish to believe that things hadn't been developing without his knowledge or involvement.
"I cannot remember. Were you briefed about Rainbow Dash developing a fear of the dark, and small enclosed areas, due to what the physician Thrush did to her?" Luna asked.
"I was not," Ulquiorra replied, before turning his attention back to the notepad to scribble down this new information. That would certainly answer one or two questions that had arisen.
Slowly but surely, and one by one, the mountain of questions that they were facing, was being brought down to size.
The only downside was that the important questions were the ones that weren't getting answered. That meant having a very long way to go, and quite possibly not enough time to actually do it in.
Silence. However that was unsurprising. Ulquiorra assumed that once Princess Luna had filled him in on the relevant details, she would take her leave for the evening, and return to whatever duties she had to tend to. There was certainly no reason for her to remain present if there was nothing more to be said.
"Twilight Sparkle also reports that Rainbow Dash and Applejack are not the only ones being afflicted in such a manner. A number of other ponies have recently come forward, and admitted to being subjected, to what have come to be referred to as day terrors. Whatever it is that we are facing, it is impossible to deny that it is spreading outward. And as best as we can determine, there is no recognizable, nor predictable pattern being used. It is... purely random," she stated.
Ulquiorra stopped what he was doing, and turned to look over at Princess Luna. Information like that should've been presented immediately, rather than being brought up in the manner that it had been. He considered pointing out that fact to her. But doing so would serve little functional purpose, would do nothing to change the sequence of events that had occurred, and only detract from getting any actual answers out of her. He would simply write it off as a symptom as her reported lack of sleep.
"Even as we speak, Twilight Sparkle is trying her best to place a handle on the situation, in hopes of bringing it under control," Luna added, now that she knew she had his full attention.
"It may prove wise to dispatch reinforcements to Ponyville, to assist in bringing the matter under control; such as a number of counselors, and various psychological experts," Ulquiorra suggested.
"We have considered that. But so far we have not even been able to find an adequately skilled counselor for Rainbow Dash. General trauma is the best that we have come across. I am not certain if there is even a field of psychological study that pertains to what is going on right now," Luna stated, utterly disgusted with the fact. And if they couldn't find the proper psychological help for Rainbow Dash, how were they supposed to go about doing it for all of Ponyville?
"A fact that I'm aware of," Ulquiorra replied. He'd been through enough psychology books to have concluded -with reasonable certainty- that what they were currently facing, was not an extensively documented field; not yet anyway. "But while addressing Ponyville might not be a possibility, they would at least be able to address Twilight Sparkle herself."
"... I do not understand," Luna replied and blinked. What was Ulquiorra talking about.
"According to the others, Twilight Sparkle is the type of pony who believes that, because she's the personal student of Princess Celestia she must shoulder far more levels of responsibility, than anyone would ever ask of her, or even reasonably expect of her. By your own admission, she's trying to bring the situation in Ponyville under control; presumably by herself, due to that belief of responsibility. Under ideal circumstances, this would be unwise. And these are anything but ideal circumstances. She has already been forced to watch, helplessly, as two of our friends have been attacked by some unidentified force. What sort of psychological damage will occur, if the others fall in turn?" he asked. There was no immediate response given to his question. But that came as no surprise to him. If he had to speculate, the silence was due to the details being allowed to sink in, along with the potential gravity of the situation.
"I... I did not consider that possibility. But now that it has been brought up, I will speak with my sister on the matter in the morning. Right now it is far too late to do anything useful," Luna replied. Right now she was thankful of the fact that she wasn't on her own. There was far too much going on right now, for her to be able to keep track of it all on her own. If she had to try and keep everything balanced by herself, she might be falling to pieces right now.
Once again, silence settled over the library, broken up only by the sound of pencil against paper.
Princess Luna's continued presence, however, was serving as a bit of a mystery to Ulquiorra. He was certain that, once she had finished briefing him on everything, she would finally take her leave, rather than continue to remain present. He was about to press the matter, and ask if she had anything else to say. But before he could, she was already talking again.
"Might I speak to you about a different matter, Ulquiorra Cifer?" she asked. When he didn't object, or otherwise say anything, she took it as a sign to continue speaking. "How... how do you feel about the matter of adoption?"
Once again, silence settled over the library, engulfing the both of them. But this time around, it was due to Ulquiorra not knowing just what to say in response to the question, rather than having nothing relevant to say. Just where in the left field had that come out of? Was she actually propositioning him? And if she was, then ultimately for what purpose of said proposition?
"Pardon?" he finally asked in an effort to get the matter clarified.
"What was discussed on the balcony last week, is a matter that is still weighing heavily on my mind," Luna began. "As was said then, a great many of us draw a sense of strength and security from your presence. Your lack of fear, even in the face of overwhelming dangers, is a source of comfort for others. But after giving this matter some thought, I have arrived at a conclusion. I do not consider such to be an arrangement that is fair to you. We all draw upon your strengths in our own ways, relying upon you for much. But you, in turn, do not have anyone to do the same with; you are left with nowhere to turn, and no one to share your burden with, while all of us are free to count on you," she explained as calmly as she could.
Ulquiorra listened silently as the matter was explained to him. Or -more accurately- as Princess Luna attempted to explain the situation from her point of view. So far he wasn't seeing anything that would amount to even a remote correlation between the two points. The way things were proceeding, it was almost like she was reading from pre-scripted notes that had gotten scrambled, and didn't realize that everything was out of order.
Perhaps he should ask her to get to the point of whatever she was saying? Or maybe he should simply let her talk, and hope that she would eventually start to make some degree of sense?
"It is not fair by any stretch of the imagination, Ulquiorra Cifer. Yours is a past filled with just so much suffering and pain. It is a pain and suffering that no one should ever have to experience; not in a group, and most certainly not on their own. But regardless of that fact, it is a fate you find yourself saddled with, as not a single one of us ever stopped to ask you just how you are feeling. Or if you by chance might need something from us for a change," she explained, pausing to sigh. "Even more unfair is the fact that you are not alone in your isolation. It is sadly a fate that too many are forced to suffer, even in this world," Luna explained and sighed. She considered whether or not to sit on her haunches, before finally opting to remain standing, as she looked him in the eyes. And all the while, he didn't blink once. Undaunted by such a fact, she continued with what she had to say.
"I acknowledge that, by all standards, you are certainly an adult. Just as I acknowledge how there is nothing I can do to change what you experienced before coming here; attempting such would be equally impossible, and pointless. But that does not mean I cannot make an attempt to change what has yet to be experienced. And while it is unorthodox, I believe it may be the solution to such. If you have no objections, Ulquiorra Cifer, then I would like to propose adopting you as my son."
Ulquiorra would willingly admit that, in his time, he had encountered a number of things for which he had no explanation for making sense of them. Even before he was brought to Equestria by Discord's intervention, there had been developments for which he had no reasonable explanation. And upon coming here, he had seen things that, at more times than not, left him scratching his head, as he tried to make sense of it all. And he had more or less made peace with the fact that he would likely continue to encounter such things during the duration of his stay in this world.
All of that said, however, Princess Luna had managed to take him completely by surprise with her statement. He was left not only uncertain of what to say, but also of what to think. It felt like his mind had suddenly gone completely blank.
"What?" he finally asked. Nothing else really seemed appropriate right now; not without more information to go on first. This was all too... strange.
"I am offering to serve as your mother, Ulquiorra Cifer. To give you the love, and support, that you have been denied, and deprived of, for so very long," Luna stated as she stepped closer to where the Espada stood. And, much like she had done when she'd taken him to his newly assigned quarters, she brought herself to a standing position, in order to hug him around his neck. "I wish to end your isolation in this world; to give you what you have lacked all this time, and that which we have been too blind to realize on our own. All that you must do is say the word, Ulquiorra Cifer, and I will do my best to take care of the rest. You have my word, that you will have a family that cares for you."
Ulquiorra remained silent, uncertain of what to say in light of this unexpected statement that was being made. Nothing was really coming to mind, as a great deal of his focus was being spent on analyzing just what was being proposed. Along with the broader implications that would naturally go along with the offer.
And there were a great many implications, that had to be taken into account. There was absolutely nothing simple about any of this. Was Princess Luna even aware of the gravity of her statement, and what all it would entail? Did she truly understand just what she was saying? He doubted that she did, as even he was having trouble grasping everything in the here and now. there was just so much to try and get straight.
"I am currently being hugged, by a talking pony, who has expressed a desire to take on the role of my mother," he thought, trying to process the wordy explanation he'd been given. How exactly had it all come to this? Where exactly had everything gone so utterly insane?
"Discord... just what the fuck did you put me in the middle of?" he mentally asked himself.
"Nnnngh..."
It was a subdued commotion that caught Celestia's ear, causing it to twitch in response. But it was commotion enough to distract her from her work, and look over to the bed where Rainbow Dash currently rested; a term she used lightly, lacking any other term that would be more accurate to describe what she was currently going through.
Much as Rainbow Dash had said she would do, she was keeping to the edge of the large bed; like she was terrified of taking up too much space, and wearing out her welcome. And as she laid there, she twitched uneasily. A leg here, a wing there, her tail swishing every little bit. Telltale signs of experiencing a nightmare; something she suspected was going to be a common occurrence for the foreseeable future.
She looked back down at the stack of paperwork that still needed to be tended to, before looking at the stack that had been adequately addressed. And then she looked back over at the fidgeting Rainbow Dash, listening to her whimper like a puppy. And in her mind -and heart- it was no contest. With a tired sigh, she set the unfinished paperwork aside on her desk, and quietly made her way over to the bed, before carefully climbing atop the vacant portion.
"Shh... it's alright, Rainbow Dash," she whispered gently as she lowered herself down onto the mattress. She reached out with her left wing and ran the downy feathers along the messy and unkempt mane, and down her back, in a soothing manner.
There would undoubtedly be those that would claim her actions were inappropriate. That they were uncalled for. That they would complicate an already sensitive situation, and cause significant psychological scarring. But right now her only focus was on doing what she could to help a friend who was obviously in need. Rainbow Dash was in need of a comforting touch right now, to let her know that she wasn't alone. She didn't care if somepony would possibly consider her actions undignified, because right now their opinions simply didn't matter. They weren't here to contribute, and take care of the mess that was currently present, so they didn't have a say in the matter.
"It's alright," she repeated, leaning down to gently kiss her forehead.
Celestia was greeted in response by a mumble, as Rainbow Dash rolled over against her, pressing her back against her side for comfort.
"Sleep well, my friend," Celestia whispered, draping her large wing over the cyan pegasus like a blanket. "Sleep well," she repeated, flicking her horn to dim the lights in the room to a more appropriate level. She already knew that getting up again wasn't going to be much of a possibility. So she opted to just settle in, and make herself as comfortable as she could under these circumstances.
Was it inappropriate? She really didn't know one way or the other. All she knew for certain at the moment, was the fact that Rainbow Dash was no longer squirming in the grips of a nightmare. And for the moment, that would have to be enough. If she couldn't even comfort a friend during their time of need, then what good was she to anyone?
Stats
Page generated in 0.045 seconds
Total duration
983 users online
1,924 hits today, 2,244,100 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
amplifyyourvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/say-what-nc.png
cdn5.raywenderlich.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/What_Meme.jpg
static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_super/11113/111131862/3338768-tyrone-bigs-meme-generator-say-what-003017.jpeg
encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQIt6bV8IzLB3QnLYw2FD0W8vwzO1kP_zuHCPcCAm-bamT7Bxm1
Hmmm is Ulquiorra going to agree to get adopted by Luna. well Iĺl just have to wait till the next chapter. Keep up the good work
Well that was....interesting I guess. I'm with our good friend Ulquiorra...WTF!? Seems rather fitting for this turn of events and such...just WTF.
Okay, I don't care how serious the atmosphere was supposed to be, Luna's proposition for adoption was the highlight of this chapter
I just love how Ulquiorra's completely thrown off by this turn of events.
And to think, I shipped these two in my own story
As much as OOC it would be, I genuinely hope Ulquirra does take Luna up on her offer.
Charlie_K, how do you do it?!
Someone should draw that please just please? o luna <3 im gonna gak on the wtf giggles and d'waa there.
… Say WHAAAT!?
Seriously, there are so many problems with this that I can already see… and apparently it's so bad Ulquiorra cursed on his own… Wait, does that mean that his emotional deficiency is actually fading? Is… is he really learning how to feel? *imitating diehard fanboys who hate change* No, that's not possible, right? *nervous chuckling* That's impossible! No way in hell would that happen! His brain probably lacks the parts needed for raw emotion entirely! Maybe they were chopped off or something and he can't regrow them because the brain's a vital organ! *maniacal laughter* He's not able to feel! Ulquiorra can't feel!
In all honesty, I'm not sure what's going on at this point...
...Alright. This was a weird chapter. Rainbow getting more dependent and touchy-feely with Celestia. Luna wanting to adopt Ulquiorra. The possibility that whatever was done to them wasn't intentional was raised.
Ulquiorra just cursed. To himself quietly, but he still cursed.
Ulquiorra used a swear word?
Also that situation is probably the closest to a nightmare he is capable of. So he is probably being attacked by that unknown enemy right now.
Of all the possible things that could have occurred during this chapter, adoption was the last thing I was expecting. I'm somewhat speechless in that regard.
But seriously there might be a few more pressing matters at hand. It's interesting how these psychological attacks occur, suddenly and with little to no lead up. If I had to make a guess as to how the drug is being introduced, I'd say that it was aleady present in the bloodstream previously before the attack. In fact I believe that every citizen in ponyville might have it in their systems waiting to be activated and controlled.
Perhaps it would be prudent to take blood tests of a few of the citizens yet to be attacked, might also want to check the water supply...
"If you have no objections, Ulquiorra Cifer, then I would like to propose adopting you as my son."
1) ...Even the fuckin' CRICKETS are goddamn speechless!
2) No. No, no, no. NO!! I refuse to accept Ulquiorra having any type of familial connections with anyone who isn't Orihime!
Yeah, I fuckin' said it, I'm a UlquiHime fan, sue me.
I have but one reaction to Luna's proposal and Ulquiorra's reaction to it.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
I haven't dropped any comments lately because I am having trouble working up the will to read anymore. I still can't even get past the supplemental chapter. Still, I'll ask: Do we have our villain yet? Or is he still hiding like a coward and dragging everything on?
I'm trying to figure out where everyone could have possibly been drugged and I keep thinking it was at that party everyone attended at Applejacks several chapters ago.
Somepony must have spiked the punch. The only way I can think that the drugs are not metabolizing is there must be something inside the ponies that is continuously releasing the drugs at a fixed rate. Like nano-machines or something.
Also Luna adopting Ulquiorra...
...
WHAT THE FUCK!!!
So someone had to have spiked the punch from that party, all the ones affected were at attendance, and I'm guessing by the sounds of Luna's proposal, she and Celestia are probably affected as well but in a different way.
5380719
Ulquiorra is a bit of an unreliable expositor, when rainbow said she didn't think his apology was sincere he flat out said it wasn't, but no one else has asked if he was sincere about what he is doing, he could just be faking niceties because there is a crisis, and his current assigned purpose is to protect against said crisis, its easier to pretend they're making headway in friending him so they continue helping with the crisis rather than fighting them the whole way.
5380442 5380452 5380474 5380483 5380500 5380568 5380770 5380874 5380880 5380925 5380928
Now you can see why I was so uneasy about this chapter being uploaded in the first place. Even by my own standards, the content was really weird.
But at the same time I felt some of this stuff was necessary, regardless of how weird it seems. Rainbow Dash's discomfort and seeking out Celestia is from getting released from the infirmary, and suddenly being put under these new and unfamiliar restrictions for her own good. It's also intended to show that she is starting to trust again, and she isn't holding the whole hospital ordeal against Celestia.
The matter pertaining to Luna was meant to be ridiculous from the start. I've been pointing out for numerous chapters how she isn't getting nearly enough sleep, and how she's not as skilled at going without as Celestia is. I think the the issue of adoption serves as a good example of how dopey she's starting to get from not only the lack of rest, but also the increased workload she's under from so many ponies having nightmares, and all the worries she's carrying around with her; like the unstated level of knowledge she referenced about Pipsqueak.
5381369 5381250
Sleep deprivation does terrible things to your mind. Anybody who's had to stay up for even a couple of days straight can tell you about that. It only seemed reasonable to have Luna start to make very little sense during this time, with all of the daylight sequences I've been keeping her in.
Some writers portray Celestia and Luna as goddesses. I'm going with two very overworked ponies who are trying to keep their sanity for the sake of their kingdom, and starting to fail miserably. You could even say it's a symptom of the unseen enemy attacks, being carefully orchestrated to wear them down, and throw the country into chaos.
5381177
The villain is still hiding like a cowardice bastard, and hurling long-ranged attacks at the diarchy, like the annoying kid at class launching spit balls at the back of your head. But the fallout from their work is becoming more visible, as Celestia and Luna are barely keeping it together.
5380920
Yes and even Ulquiorra was gobsmacked by that development. If he were more like a human, imagine a reaction similar to the Angry Video Game Nerd.
5380719
Right now the only thing he's feeling is confusion, as his brain tries to boot back up, and process this new information.
come on man this is entertaining and all but its going in circles and giving me a headache are we at least getting close to the grand scheme of things or atleast to a point were the others at least visit Rainbow and she dosnt freak out
5381426
By the sounds of it speeding up would be very welcomed. Maybe something to show the audience the big bad and how he is doing this whole thing, but not the characters, so we know who they are dealing with, but they don't. I don't know, I just know arc fatigue puts people off.
Thinking about it, a tournament arc after all this is done would probably be best, as its more action oriented than mystery.
5381426 Im not saying I dont like it Im just wondering how Ulquiorra is gonna respond
5380880 No shame. I ship them outside of the MLP fandom
Can you try leaving replies in the same chapter I left mine in? For some reason I'm getting absolutely no message about anyone replying to me, so I apologize if it seems like I've been ignoring your responses. Also, it makes looking for your replies rather awkward, as all the comments at the end are filled with spoilers.
5379486
See, the difference between what was in the story and Flat Earth Society (which, again, is completely unrelated) is that Flat Earth Society is a joke. I'd say only a couple of people there actually believe what they're saying, and everyone else is just there for laughs. More than that, it's a small website that no one takes seriously. In this story, Celestia seems serious about a movement gaining strength and which is being taken seriously. That's the difference here; something which amounts to a joke is gaining strength and being taken serious.
I can see that being the case were it done very rarely. The problem is that this is not even close to being the case. There are a ridiculous number of times in this story where someone does/says something, and then the narration just tells us they did/said something one sentence later. Unless the people reading this have the attention span of a rock, there is no reason to keep restating absolutely everything.
5381582
One chance to guess something else that started as a joke and gained serious traction.
And the point being you said that everyone knows that celestia moves the sun, and no one would say otherwise, just because something seems like a joke doesn't mean it can't be taken seriously.
EDIT: The redundancy I can concede you have a point on, I probably never noticed because I have that problem, though when it comes to Ulquiorra seeming odd about being calculating and thinking twilight could be a murderer, remember he is from a completely different universe, and worked under Aizen. he isn't thinking like normal people would but he is thinking like a war vet trying to adapt to civilian life would with a bit of paranoia.
But I would say you should go ahead and stop reading, this doesn't seem like your thing.
As far as awkward goes this is one of those situations that just hits the high marks of the scale. Does it make it worse that she acknowledges that Ulquiorra is an adult? Cannot argue that the whole ordeal is humorous, although he might disagree being the one subject to such confusion.
Great chapter.
5381582
Alright, perhaps the Flat Earth Society isn't the proper analogy. That's why I mentioned those that believe the holocaust never took place. Or those that don't believe the Kennedy assassination was really as clean and neat as the official government account says it is. Or those that believe the twin towers were rigged to blow because two airliners couldn't have possibly brought them down on their own. Regardless of how official or true something is, there are always going to be those that believe otherwise.
5381656
Hence why I was so concerned about this week's update. Now you can see why I said that I'm going to need help managing what comes afterward. I need ideas for what's logically going through Ulquiorra's mind after hearing the offer, and what all it would entail. Like, if he were to accept, if he would by extension become royalty, if his position would be official, what bureaucratic headaches would be involved with such a position, and so on. I need help crafting his mental dissection of all the ins and outs, to show what was going through his mind once he could start thinking again, when it's time to revisit the issue later on. Try as I might, I just don't feel that I can do it justice, as I have so little understanding of how royalty works in relation to government.
Edit: Uh, sorry for the overly long comment.
5381997
Well, I doubt I'll just drop it. See, I don't really want to just stop reading, because I can see you're a very good writer. Yeah, you have a pretty big issue with redundancy, and sometimes the story gets a bit carried away with the fanon and head canon being included, but other than that everything seems great. You do a good job of showing instead of telling, and I've noticed more and more emotions are being shown through body language and other minor details instead of just outright stating it, and for the most part the characterization is spot on. Not only that, but the quality is good as well, and either I'm not seeing many mistakes, or they're so minor that I don't even notice them.
Really the only reason I decided to stop at that point was due to a build up of pet peeves that I started seeing (some of the fanon stuff, the redundancy getting a bit overwhelming, etc.), but that's really a matter of taste instead of actually being a mistake (well, except for the redundancy). That said, I'll probably come back and continue reading because curiosity will drive me crazy if I don't. And as far as I'm concerned, the fact that your story has made me want to see what happens to the characters even though other parts has kind of irritated me just shows that it's done something right!
Ah, I think I see the issue. Since the start of the story (and the description) seemed true to canon up to Ulquiorra showing up, I expected the characterization and the plot to also be true to canon up to him showing up (since nothing up to that point had any reason to change, as he was the only crossover element). The story you mentioned being inspired by is one I never read, so I wouldn't have recognized any elements from that. What I was familiar with, however, was the seemingly never ending stream of complaints after that episode aired. It was another case of the fandom taking something way too seriously to the point where they seemingly missed the entire episode except for a few moments. In this case, for all the complaints I saw I don't think I ever noticed more than a handful of people actually bother to mention the fact that Rainbow's actions in that episode put several others at risk.
Again, I think this is an issue of reading too much into stuff. Remember, as far as pretty much everyone was concerned NMM was just a legend told to scare kids. That's what Zecora was doing; telling a scary story on a scary night in order to scare/entertain a group of kids. Just because someone says something in the show, that doesn't mean the viewer has to sit there and over analyze every last bit with excruciating detail. In other words, sometimes a story is just a story.
This is basically confirmed in season 4 when it is revealed that NMM was banished in the very first encounter between her and Celestia. So unless she had time to suddenly become a cannibal with a liking for children half way through their fight, I think we can safely say that it never happened.
5382044
Yeah, I will grant you that much. Still, I think my issue was that the way she worded it made it sound more serious than it really is. Instead of a small group of ponies who are apparently being delusional (which from your posts seems to be the way they're regarded in Equestria), it seemed more like a large group of ponies gaining even more followers due to advances in fields like science during the time Luna was gone. In other words, the story made it sound like the pony equivalent to the heliocentric movement that occurred in our history. Anyway, I'll drop this issue since it's clear I just misread things.
5382159
Well, I have doubts Ulquiorra would accept.
[INCOMING WALL OF TEXT]
I think how royalty is involved in government is different for pretty much any country that had a monarch, by how it sounds with previous things that happen in the story, and some canon don't know if anything is expanded upon in season 4 still haven't watched, is that country wide decisions are made by the royalty but there are town representatives who are elected, like mayor mare for ponyville. So it seems like its a limited monarchy. Instead of an entirely fuedal one, with lords and dukes, which was how Lauren Faust wanted it, with Duke Blueblood instead of prince.
It also seems as though that Princess Celestia can make decrees without conference, like when the day court is convened and anyone who wanted to speak had to do so without clothes. So it could be like a senate and executive, with the day court being a senate and the executive split in two with both the princesses. with the possibility of the senate being split in two with the night and day courts
So I would say this is a limited Diarchy, but does have the power to supersede the senate in case they find it important or if it involves the senate structure itself to avoid bureaucratic obstruction, probably with some repercussion, with all final decisions going to the Diarchy, depending on the time convened being Luna or Celestia. From the first chapter it sounds as though the Judicial system is separate from the princesses, with the law books being kept outside the palace, unless that was a lie to bait Ulquiorra to leaving the palace. Could probably go into extremely deeper detail if you want me to work that out, I'm good with history and I know a bit about government and ideas surrounding political structure. Probably not the best but I'm not that bad.
5381479 I know, right? I've pointed out that exact thing before, but the author is dead set on slowing plot progression to a snail's pace. Perhaps the biggest reason why I just can't be invested in reading anymore. I'm three chapters behind now.
5382159
I can help! I love politics, so a bit of research won't be too much work.
5382354
Actually, Equestria is ruled by an oligarchy, or, currently, a tetrarchy. (Before Twilight, it would have been a tritarchy, and before Luna's return, it would have been a diarchy.)
In Ponyville, and, assuming Ponyville is not unique, in other towns and cities, ponies have local governors. Ponyville has a mayor, which implies election, and this follows earth pony tradition (President Pudding Head). I think towns follow local tradition, with pegasi being more military and unicorns being more worshiping, but even if this holds true, it doesn't mean much for new towns. However, I doubt all the cities have the same governments, and I doubt any of the cities have no government and rely on Celestia, because both of those would be horrendously inefficient. (Imagine setting up a polling booth in a military city where everyone assumes the strongest leads, or trying to run against someone worshiped as all powerful.)
5382652
Cadance is in charge of the crystal
city statevassalsempire though which I was under the impression it was separate from Equestria. Unless you mean Discord, in which case yeah that would make it a triarchy, though in the story it is referred to as a diarchy. Everything else I pretty much agree with. Its hard to put a name on it since the system seems pretty screwy compared to earths more simple systems.Edit: So each town is able to choose its overseer for lack of a general term, by however they choose, in ponyville's case implying elections, with the Princesses in charge of country wide matters, and controlling the sun and moon. the economy seems to be laissez faire with the individual ponies deciding the product price. So a local semi-democracy/(whatever they choose to do for a town's mayor mare equivalent) with centralized Oligarchy ruled by royalty.
Of course assuming that, wouldn't that make it a confederacy,
According to google, a confederacy is an alliance of people or groups formed for an illicit purpose.
I don't know, if you assume the towns run by a different pony group runs it in a different way kind of is. so a local level confederacy which is centralized by an Oligarchy of royalty
5382291
Redundancy is a weakness of mine. It's something I'm trying to work on. But that's easier said than done when I don't even notice it. I'm often too busy looking for typos and punctuation marks, than redundant sentences. Sometimes the redundancy is done because I'm trying to transition between the perspective of the general area, to the perspective of a particular character. It doesn't always work out.
Yeah having your fandom inspired by someone else's fandom can make things wonky. That's sort of why I had Rainbow Dash talking about how nobody talked to her before the ruse. Maybe I could've done it a little better. Maybe someday I'll go back and revise it for a different flow, make it more ambiguous about who was at fault.
As for Nightmare Moon. Yes it was just a tale by Zecora. But I still couldn't help but think about what if it were true? Or at the very least, inspired by true events? We saw in season 4 how Luna transformed into Nightmare Moon. But that doesn't necessarily mean she didn't suck out their souls in the time leading up to that pivotal moment, allowing Nightmare Moon to finish exerting total control over her.
It also gave reason for why Luna would take such a personal interest in Ulquiorra's development, even if it might get her in trouble as a result.
As to the issue of the ponies favoring science... that was irresistible considering just how many junk science studies spring up, and are touting by their supporters as being perfectly accurate. They're used by the EPA, by environmental extremists, by politicians, etc. If you look long enough, and care to invest enough money, you can find/make science that supports your position, no matter how ludicrous it might be.
The mention also served to reinforce the point that Celestia's not out to control the content of what ponies say. She just lets them have their beliefs since no harm is coming of them.
5382354 5382652
Alright, if you two would like to take a crack at supplying what thoughts Ulquiorra will have to weigh before giving his answer -even if it is likely going to be no- then feel free. I'd like to see what you come up with.
5382862
Alright, I'll take a few days to think on it so it makes sense in the context of the story.
5382467
Action is coming in the next few chapters. Some is going to be subdued, some is going to be more outright. There's going to be explosions too.
5382882
Much appreciated.
5380500 I think that Ulquiorra would say yes purely because it would be strategically smart, if he became a prince he wouldn't need shown authorization for nearly anything.
I've seen Ulquiorra placed in fanfics a lot, and not ONCE have I ever even thought of this being a possibility, so I would love to see what happens next. I doubt Luna has discussed it with Celestia, so that will make for an interesting scene, and a bit awkward since earlier they had to fake him killing her and taking over equestria. I wonder how twilight will react???
5383079
Thought about that as well, but it may hinder important things
If royals are expected to attend functions, which would cut into his time to search for the big bad, protect ponyville, and keep an eye on rainbow dash.
He is also unambitious example being he did not show Aizen he has a second ressurection which may be the arrancar equivalent of bankai
Left field called and they don't even know where that came from.
5383079 5382882 5383113
Potential complications that are coming to me right now include: ponies having a new reason to be uneasy around him, and a reason that's completely unjustified from his perspective. Finding himself saddled with a complement of royal guards, who are utterly useless in providing actual protection, and who would better serve as lackeys to do the leg work when he needed something from a specific location. Having to learn about the geopolitical situations in Equestria, and potentially be obligated to deal with foreign ambassadors. Ponies having a newfound reason to look up towards him for guidance and leadership, when he's not the leader type, and doesn't want the added responsibility.
On a more humorous side would be the familial aspect. Having Luna as a mother means having Celestia as an aunt, and potentially putting the two at odds with each other, serving to interfere with the group cohesiveness they have already. Further complicating the matter is Cadance being the niece of Celestia and Luna. Depending on how that familial status is interpreted, it would mean she would become his cousin, and Twilight would more or less be one step removed from being his cousin through marriage by Shining Armor to Cadance. And knowing Twilight as well as he does, that's news he wouldn't want making its way to her ears, as it would significantly complicate everything to a point where damage control might not be possible.
5383223
That as something started back in chapter 60 when Luna was seeking advice from Ulquiorra in how he maintained his calmness. Instead she learned that there was nothing joyous in his past, and he's known nothing else. This was further complicated by a lack of sleep on her part... and my having read Princess Luna's Suicide Solutions around the time I was writing that.
5383321
I sent you my observations, counting that, I would say he'd say no.
5383113
I'm pretty sure him not showing his full power to Aizen was more of a call for self-preservation than lack of ambition.
5383360
Why would he kill him for showing him that he could achieve a second release? He most likely used kyoka suigetsu on him so even if he became on an equal level to Aizen, he still couldn't touch him, but that power would be at his call for when he invades Karakura town and fights the soul reapers.
5381426 Ah.
Well when ya put it that way, I suppose Luna thinking that Ulquiorra would make a good son is a... 'reasonable' idea given the stress and lack of sleep...
*Cue face shadow with glowing red eyes and demonic voice* But I will not accept them being family *Returns to normal* Ulquiorra is an adult, he doesn't need a mother figure.
... Fucks sake now I'm wondering how Equestria would react if the Espada turned up as children...
Anyway, moving on...
Rainbow Dash seeking comfort like that is actually a rather reasonable response, as well as her attitude; she's been literally mind-raped, forced to question who her friends are and abused by an asshole of a doctor. Kinda hard to keep a brash attitude under circumstances like that. So, seeking company from someone she trusts the most is pretty logical.
Emotionally speaking, I damn near felt watery-eyed when Celestia cuddled Dash. Congratulations, takes a good bit for a story to do that.
5383379
Ulquiorra seems to be the type of person who only does what is necessary to survive, no unnecessary risks, unless ordered to take them. He could've easily killed Ichigo long before hueco mundo, but there was the possibility that ichigo's hollow self might take control and kill him. If there was even a fraction of a percent that Aizen might kill Ulquiorra for being to powerful, he would avoid telling him that.
5383415
I see your point then.
5383402
It's more like thinking she could possibly make a good mother to one she sees as being in need. Because she, much like the rest, keep applying their pony morals to a completely different concept.
I can't cite it right now, but when I was writing this, I was reading up on horses and herds, and how it's supposedly not unheard of for outsiders to be considered a part of the herd by the lead horse. So there's at least some basis in reality for the notion.
Again, I blame Princess Luna's Suicide Solutions.
Hell the majority of them were already acting like children to begin with.
Yeah. Crowning moment of heartwarming scene right here. Plus it was done to show that Rainbow Dash doesn't hold the hospital situation against her, even though she could; sort of to show that there is hope for her recovery.
There was just no other way the chapter could be acceptably concluded. It just had that feel to it, that made it seem right. And as many times as Celestia has been portrayed as a mother figure to Twilight, why not do the same for Rainbow Dash?
5383415
Interesting theory. But how does it apply when Ulquiorra knows about Barragon's powers, and how his ability to accelerate aging is so strong even he isn't immune to it? Ulquiorra can blow the shit out of anything, but Barragon could literally age the Lanza Del Relampgo into nothing in just seconds.
Another interesting theory. What if Aizen knew about Segunda Etapa from the very beginning, and he simply used Kyoka Suigetsu to make Ulquiorra believe he'd never unveiled it?
5383668 interesting theories on your part as well, however the Lanza del rampelago wouldn't need a few seconds to rip the guy apart, I also mentioned that he didn't take unnecessary risks unless ordered to. I neglected to mention that unspoken orders also apply in most situations, and not killing your ally just because he could hurt you, is probably one of them.
With aizen's power , I bet Ulquiorra already thought of that and figured that if Aizen already knows, then there's no point in the redundancy, of informing him again.
Two words: Completely. Blindsided.
Wow, I bet Ulquiorra feels like someone just strode up and slapped him in the face with a fish.... I actually had a brief vision of him just standing there repeating the word "what" no matter what Luna said or asked, then of her going to Celestia and having to explain that she "broke" him.
As to what his response would be.... I look at it two ways, or three.
1. His canon personality would fit exactly as how some of the others put it, not really putting in any unnecessary effort that didn't tie in with his survival or his orders... which he followed (and still follows under the Princesses) due to his survival instinct. So he'd most likely decline as he would see it as unnecessary.
2. As per his final moments in Hueco Mundo, his continued desire to learn about "The Heart", and a little comment I caught him saying this chapter (Which I annotated below) which shows he is actually trying to better understand the emotions the ponies are explaining to him. He'd take the offer so as to learn more about the emotions Luna is stating she'd help him with.
.....3 He'd either think something was wrong with either Luna or himself. What with the contamination spreading amongst the ponies it wouldn't be hard for him to speculate that he or the Princess may be affected. And the whole him being affected by the poison joke would support the idea that he was susceptible to drugs.
I'd say that which option he'd choose would depend on how you wish to portray him. As either not wanting to deal with the foolishness presented to him, or take the chance he did when accepting Twilight's friendship one step further. Honestly, I think if he stuck to his logic he'd choose option number three and would then make a choice once that had either been proven or disproven.
Below are the edits for the chapter:
*still had go get through - still had to go through - or - still had to get through
*circumstances. She's chalk - circumstances. She'd chalk
*but this wasn't neither - but this was neither
*arrived at. As the be expected - arrived at. As to be expected
*needed to be address, with - needed to be addressed, with
***as two of our friends - as two of our friends Oh my Faust, he actually said "our" friends. Slip of the typewriter there Charlie or are the ponies slowly starting to infect him with their pastel colored goodwill?***
*almost like was reading - almost like she/he (not sure which in this instance) was reading
*naturally go along the offer - naturally go along with the offer
What the actual fuck.