//------------------------------//
// Ceremony 
// Story: The Search in Winsome Falls 
// by Comma Typer 
//------------------------------//

Inside that royal hallway once more with its stained glass windows, its towering columns, its hanging banners, its shiny floor, its red carpet, its stately throne, its fragrant lavenders.
The morning sun pierced through the windows, bringing upon the room—once more—a colorful dance of light, still, reflected on the shiny floor.
Princess Celestia sat on the throne, watching her sister and Princess Twilight Sparkle as they both stood on the carpet. She smiled as her gaze shifted from her sister to those four ponies.
Princess Luna's horn glowed blue once more, levitating four small yet polished medals which contained a detailed engraving of her face.
Besides the guards that were stationed there—one of them with a snarl on his face as he eyed Watts Onion with half-closed, angry eyes—there were several press ponies as could be seen by the cameras, the notepads, and the pencils they brought along; already, two of them had their cameras ready. Alongside them were several more ponies who were attending the ceremony—among those ponies were Onion's family, with Electric Arc crying tears and yelling "You did it!"
The rest of the family looked on her and smiled—including Watts who turned around for a short moment and grinned.
He turned back round towards the Princesses.
The four ponies stood tall and proud before them.
"It appears that you have done an excellent job in fulfilling the task I have sent you out to accomplish," Princess Luna began. "From what I have heard, this is all there is to what was bothering me in Winsome Falls—nothing more than dishonest and underhoofed business conducted by known crooks. I did not expect you to be apprehenders, but that was what happened and you were forced to be so in order to solve the mystery—if you could even call it a 'mystery,' but I digress."
She smiled. "For your unwavering endurance to keep to that royal mission despite all that they have constructed to hinder you, you are rewarded with these Medals of the Third Bravery."
With that, she floated the medals to each of the recipients.
Watts held the medal with his hoof—not even using his magic to receive it. He turned it around, did his best to stifle a shout, and was shaking—his eyes focused on that precious, golden medal.
Isobar eyed his medal. Then, he saluted the Princesses with a wing. "It's a privilege and an honor, Princess Luna. Thank you."
She nodded at him.
Wakey handled her medal, rotating it to inspect it further. Looking up to the Princess, she said, "I don't know what to say, Princess. I've never gotten something like this before and I don't know what to do with it."
"You can keep it inside a cabinet or drawer of yours," Luna suggested, "or put it on display on your wall. I do not think that there is much else that ordinary ponies do with these medals—but it is not what one does with the medal that matters to me. It is the fact one deserves it in the first place."
"Then, thank you, Princess," she said, bowing down.
Dally levitated the medal with her magic, changing its glow from blue to green. She said no word before she bowed down as well. "Thank you, Princess Luna."
Luna nodded. "Your work is very much appreciated by me."
Twilight Sparkle took a step forward. "And, with the arrest of Flim and Flam, they'll finally realize how much hurt they've wrought on other ponies." With a downcast look, she said: "Too bad that all our efforts to show them sincere and honest friendship appeared to be all for nothing." Then, she straightened herself up—resolve. "Hopefully, they'll remember all the friendship that we've extended to them—maybe prison will finally wisen them up as they remember those times."
A pause.
"If they do end up seeing the evil of their past actions," Twilight went on, "then leave it to us to help them start a new life—a life built on friendship and helping others. We're willing to give these conponies a second chance."
The three ponies nodded.
Watts twitched an eye—and nodded late.
"I am sorry if I have troubled you with too much danger or risk," Luna said. "I was not expecting Flim and Flam to be performing their business operations over there—and without our permission as well. But, not only do I say 'You're welcome' to your thanks, I also thank you for clearing up my mind from all that has ailed me concerning Winsome Falls."
A pause.
"You are free from your royal duty. Go back to your occupations, your homes, and your families and friends—I am sure they are more than eager to see you again after all this time."
She stretched a hoof out and pointed at the gathered ponies nearby, closer to the door.
The four ponies rushed to their families and friends.
Hugs. Kisses. Laughter, shouts of names.
"Onion!"
"Isobar! Good to see you!"
"My Wakey Wakey! I've missed you so much!"
"How was it, Dally?"
The Princesses—and the guards—looked upon this simple, humble display of love, of friendship.
"Aww, it's so cute!" Twilight exclaimed.
Celestia giggled at that.
Twilight covered her mouth and eyed her former mentor with a cautious attitude. "Uh, what did I say?"
"Don't worry, Twilight," Celestia said. "It's more than alright with the both of us."
Twilight smiled.
"We believe that it is cute, too."
Twilight and Luna giggled at that.



Luna looked out at the morning sky with the sun still early—it was still quite cold and the rays of the sun were still somewhat bluish-yellow as if tinted by a cool window.
The smell of lavenders filled the hallway.
"Sister."
Luna turned around.
"I am glad that it turned out well," Celestia said, walking to her. "All that is unclear to you about Winsome Falls has been revealed. It is good that the ponies you've sent have not been harmed too much."
Luna nodded.
"By the way, Luna, I'm curious as to why you've chosen Watts Onion. I have a thought-out guess as to why, but I don't want to presume."
"It is somewhat elementary, sister," Luna said. "I could send out the best of detectives—Natural Deduction and his friend Modus Ponens—and they would have solved it much earlier and with greater efficiency. But, he has had such a string of successes that it is getting difficult for even him to enter a case without more than several criminals knowing about his whereabouts. I could say that it is up to ponies' over-reliance on him that has disadvantaged him severely."
"What you're saying is," Celestia began, "you chose Watts Onion to lower any suspicion?"
"Yes."
"Exactly what I had in mind, sister," Celestia said, smiling. "To be honest with you, that wasn't the safest of routes you've gone for that, but I won't bicker with you about something that's already done."
Luna chuckled.
"And, are you completely happy with the results?" Celestia asked.
Luna's smile slowly faded away with that—turning to the window.
Celestia's smile faded away, too.
"It was...unexpected," Luna finally replied. "I expected there to be something grand—a mystery that would reveal itself after a long stretch of time and after much thought. But, maybe I should've known better than to worry too much over what  might really be a small thing."
"I understand," Celestia said. "The old way of thinking is hard to remove once it's been stuck inside your head. You do know that Equestria is a much more secure place than before."
"I know, sister. Maybe...maybe it is hard to truly stop that."
"You mean the old way of thinking."
"Yes."
"Well, I'm here to help and so are many other ponies." She smiled and placed a hoof to her sister's chin—raising her head up. "Besides, you've given four ponies an adventure that has certainly brought them closer together—and, even without the medals, that would've been more than OK."
Luna slowly let go of that grip.
A pause. Silence.
"I truly am happy that there is nothing too serious happening in Winsome Falls," Luna said. "My worries have been quite unfounded and unnecessary, then."
"You have been assured that everything is alright," Celestia said, placing a hoof around her sister's neck. "And, with what has been done today, things are even more alright—all thanks to you, sister."
The two alicorns hugged. Closed eyes, flowing ethereal mane shining all the more brilliantly under the sun's light.



"And, what better way to celebrate than by treating ourselves to a restaurant in Restaurant Row!" Dally yelled as she opened the door.
Out wafted an aromatic mix of smells unheard of—or, rather, unsmelled of—at least to the average pony's nose; curries, with their smorgasbord of spices and other scented edibles, permeated the dining area with its many round wooden lanterned tables (several already filled to the brim with a mess of plates that themselves contained an organized chaos of multi-colored food ranging from hot to freezing) and its many customers just enjoying themselves—talking, eating, drinking not only water but spiced yogurt blends as well (some garnished with a fruit slice) or coconut water or lemonade.
What was the food that could be seen there? There was the famous flat noodle soup—other than the flat noodles themselves and the scalding broth they were in, there floated some mushrooms and vegetable slices. Besides that, however, there were also these: rotis, flatbreads on which various spreads were placed on; hot orange rice mixed with beans and spices and served with salad; curry soup with leaves and beans (and, for one novel-minded customer, lots of garlic chives sprinkled on it); full platters of rotis or rice (or both) and vegetables, soup, curry, spices—the entire selection of tastes all collected into one neat dish; sticky rice cakes with brown sugar on top.
Aside from being on the tables, lanterns were also hanging from the ceiling. The brick walls were half uncovered and half painted and covered; wooden planks on the floor made the restaurant have that cozy feel, as if one were inside a house of modest ponies. Curtains were drawn, giving those inside a good view of the Canterlot street outside—bright, though somewhat empty; a few lively ponies trotted about on the sidewalks, with two giving a quick glance to the eatery. A nice wide purple couch served as comfy seats for the ponies who managed to get there (before the rest).
"This is the Tasty Treat, huh?" Onion said as he and his friends walked inside, beholding what was in front of them around them—the sights, the sounds, the smells, the flavors that were just within reach if they could find an empty table for the four of them.
Which they did.
They sat on the wooden stools in front of their table. Like all the other tables, this one had a lantern on it.
Isobar let out a sigh. "What's the agenda?" He placed his forehooves on the table, leaning closer to his friends. "Are we going all out? Feast, anypony?"
"My treat," Dally said, nodding. "I've saved up some bits for a special occasion—and, I thought, 'I'll let this be the special occasion!'" And, she smiled.
"Great!" Onion exclaimed.
Which caught the attention of more than a few ponies nearby, some who gave mad stares at him.
"Whoops! Sorry!" Onion then hid his shameful face away from everypony else, revealing it only to his friends—shivering.
"I wonder where's the waiter?" Wakey asked, scanning the room.
A unicorn mare in eyeshadow and white-yellow clothes—also wearing an earring—walked up to them; she had somewhat curly mane and curly tail, both of them dark purple or violet, and her coat was orange.
"Good morning!" the waitress greeted as she hoofed out a hoofful of menus to them—two were grabbed, others glowed and magically levitated. "I'm Saffron Masala, one of the two chefs here at the Tasty Treat! What would you like today?"
"I'd have a few apple pies," Onion blathered in a casual way, raising a hoof.
His friends and Saffron Masala looked at him in askance.
"What?"
"Uh, as much as we would love to cater to your tastes," Saffron began, "we don't serve apple pies here."
Isobar raised his hoof next, smiling—though a little jittery as he looked at Onion for a moment. "We'll just let you decide for us. I have no idea what most of these dishes mean—sorry to be blunt, Saffron Masala." He bowed slighly down, withdrawing a little.
The mares at the table nodded with Dally smiling more than Wakey. "Actually," Dally began, "I am very curious about the food here since it's so exotic."
"That's what separates us from the rest of the restaurants here," Saffron said. "You won't find cuisine like this for many miles in Equestria!"
"Oh!" Dally let out, fixing her glasses with a hoof. "Is that so? That's cool."
Saffron nodded. "Now, since you're trusting us to give you what we think is the best of the best that we can offer, do you want me to give you a description of your breakfast or do you want to surprise yourselves?"
"We'll surprise ourselves," Wakey said. "I like it when we don't know what we're going to get."
Saffron chuckled and closed her eyes at that. "Well, I hope that you will be pleased with what you will eat! Enjoy your time here!"
She levitated the menus and left, disappearing into a backroom from which clatters and fryings and fizzles and other cooking sounds.
That left the four ponies with themselves and the table and the lantern.
"That was unusual, Onion," Isobar said, looking at him with concern on his face. "You do know that they don't serve apple pie here."
"Maybe they do but—"
"Isobar," Wakey said, placing a hoof on one of his wings, "he hasn't been in such a place before. Neither are we."
Isobar softened up at those words, smiling once more. "Yeah, misunderstanding. OK, I get that."
Onion smiled and the rest did as well.
"To pass the time," Isobar said, clasping his forehooves on the table and wearing a restless face, "what about I tell some jokes?"
Onion groaned. "No, no, no, no, no, no—a million times, no!" He stressed the final "No" with a broad sweep of his forehooves aimed at the pegasus.	
"Three out of four here like my jokes," Isobar said. "So, the majority rules you out, Onion."
"That's because you included yourself in the majority!" Onion accused.
"I've got to be honest with myself, OK?" Isobar asked, pointing to himself.
The pegasus then picked up the light on the table. "Everypony, what do you call a trainee working with lasers and lights?"
"What?" Onion inquired in a rugged voice, head resting on a hoof.
"A lantern. Get it?"
"Ugh!" He plugged his ears with his forehooves.
Wakey and Dally didn't laugh—but, they smiled.
"Come on, Onion!" Isobar said as if ordering him rather nonchalantly. "You've gotta give me credit that it takes creativity to think of those puns!"
"I'm not listening."