You and Lyra sat there, tense, as Bonbon went to work testing the hairs. She was deliberate with every movement, mixing a few liquids together before very slowly dumping the hairs into a vial of green liquid. This was it, it was going to explode, wasn’t it? You ducked your head, ready for some sort of explosive reaction.
But as you heard Bonbon murmur to herself, you realized there was no explosion. You slowly remove your hooves from the top of your head and slowly stand as you peer over at Bonbon. She seemed frustrated as she continued to slowly mix some chemicals. Lyra, who just stood there, not knowing what to expect, still had to ask what was the matter since Bonbon seemed tense. “Bonbon, you ok? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, and that’s exactly what’s wrong. Are we sure this belongs to the Storm Ravager? There’s barely a reaction. I even tried some other chemicals to test for it being an insect or reptile and I’m getting nothing from that at all. If that’s the case, then… I don’t even know. Anon, are you sure the porcelain came from you?” Bonbon asked.
“Yeah, it did. And from everything Chrysalis told me, it has to be from the kitchen sink I dropped on the guy. The rocks and dirt probably came from the planetoid it came from too. And, well, who else could the hairs belong to? Animals would have just torn through the baskets and apples right? That has to belong to him and-” Wait...WAIT. You stop yourself. Maybe there was an explanation, there was, wasn’t there? Yes, it had to be that! “And… It’s possible that he may have lost all his magical power, which explains why he hasn’t run amok yet! Ha! Yes! It makes sense!”
Lyra and Bonbon just watched as you began to laugh maniacally, feeling creeped out by it all. But how could you not laugh? It explains everything, doesn’t it? The XX-Captain losing his chaotic form, and the power that went with it. It happened for a reason, right? You didn’t know what that reason was, but it seems it happened to the Storm Ravager as well. That explains why Discord couldn’t find him! BWHAHAHAHAHA! YOU’RE IN THE CLEAR!
“E-er, Anon, are you ok?” Lyra asked, but you just didn’t respond, caught within your own mad cackles. Lyra slowly backs up to Bonbon and whispers to her. “Uh, is he ok? He didn’t break, did he?”
“No, more like there’s something he isn’t telling us. Anon!” Bonbon yelled out as she stomped her hoof hard to the ground to grab your attention.
“Wha, huh? O-oh, sorry… Er, I was just thinking of something funny.” You say with a sheepish chuckle as you snap out of your victorious haze.
“Uh huh, sure. So, wanna explain what you meant by him losing his power? How are you so sure that happened?” Bonbon asked. And yet, despite asking this, she had this feeling that you definitely knew something that confirmed what you said.
“Oh, uh. It’s something I’ve observed before. Chaos magic just seems to have an effect to those not really vested in it, just jumps right out of them.” You explain. That wasn’t the truth, or wholly the truth, as at least Discord’s magic would eventually wear off if not kept in check. But the transformations were caused by a chaotic force not done by him, which you thought were permanent until the XX-Captain changed back to his former changeling self. The only question is why did that happen? It only really did after fusing him with the Storm Ravager. But why? And who cares! The important thing is he wasn’t a threat! “But hey, who cares? The guy is now stupid weak! Anypony can take him now, which means…” You wink towards Bonbon and point your hoof at her “You know.”
“Uh, no, we’re not done here yet. Until we have confirmed that he can be easily dealt with, I’m still going to give my findings to Princess Twilight.” Bonbon tells you, stern as ever.
“Oh, come on, Bonbon. If the guy isn’t a threat then why is there a reason to worry?” Lyra asked, just wanting the situation to be good for everyone involved.
“We’re talking about a guy who conquered and toppled kingdoms even before he transformed. It’s a big risk to just let him roam free when we know he can still do some damage.” Bonbon explains.
“Yeah, but is he doing that though? Doesn’t look like there are any baskets for today, or yesterday, or even a few days before. I think anyway, they could have rotted differently. But still, isn’t there a possibility he’s already gone? Maybe somepony arrested him already or something.” Lyra suggested.
Which made you think for a moment… Hmmmm… “Well, if the baskets are here, then he couldn’t have gone far. I mean, we have to be right on top of where he was staying for the baskets to be here, right? Maybe he got eaten, or pummeled to dust, or something. I say we check things out a little more, huh? Y’know, to make sure?” Or more, you had to hope to find some clue as to whether he was eaten or where his location was. Because if you can deal with him yourself, you’d have no trouble using your last charge to decimate him.
“I mean, I was already going to do that. But… Thinking about it, he doesn’t have an army anymore. If his current hideaway is here, and he’s still using it, then we should have no trouble taking him down between the three of us. My fighting skill is up to snuff, and with Lyra supplementing your magic, I highly doubt we’d lose. I suppose I could pull a few strings afterwards to have his arrest go as smoothly and quietly as possible.” Bonbon said as she rubbed at her chin, pondering on it.
“You’d do that for me, Bonbon, really?” You said, your tail wagging as your eyes lit up.
“Only if we can pull it off. Right now, we have to find out where he’s-” But before Bonbon can finish, Lyra makes a call out.
“Foooooooound it!” Lyra cheers in a sing song way, her head in the bushes from where she found the first basket.
“...I’m not even surprised anymore.” Bonbon said, at first astonished, until a warming smile appeared across her face, “But I guess I don’t need to be, given how amazing you are, Lyra.”
“Awww, Bonbon, I’m not that amazing. Well, maybe a little, but for this? Naaah, I just figured looking a little deeper into these bushes might be a good idea. I mean, it's where the baskets were, so, y’know.” Lyra said with a slight blush, rubbing the side of her right foreleg with the other.
“But what exactly did you find, Lyra?” You asked. How did she know she found it? What was in the bushes?
“Oh! There’s a tree behind the bush, see? And I think somecreature hollowed it out and made it into a hiding spot, I think I also saw some stuff there too!” Lyra said, chuckling a little nervously, feeling just a tiny bit embarrassed at you seeing such affection between her and Bonbon.
“Well, that’s as good a lead as any. Alright, I’ll give it a closer look. You two keep an eye out in case he shows up, ok?” Bonbon asked as she already began to go into the bushes, going in deeper to investigate the tree.
So close, so damn close. You were still tense, there had to be a way to make sure Bonbon is willing to keep everything under wraps with-G-guh! Suddenly, Lyra sat behind you as she rested her head on top of yours. She was still keeping an eye out, but also felt the need to be cute with you. “Soooooooo, Anon, I’m pretty scared right now. Are you going to stay super duper close to me and protect me?” She then gently blows into your ear. “You’re gonna do that, right?”
Your face turned red as you began to blush, you didn’t even have to look at her, just her actions were heating you up. “U-ummm, I-I mean…”
“Gaha! You’re so easy to tease, Anon! Everytime!” Lyra giggled as she raised her head and gave you a pat. “Or maybe I’m just that beautiful of a mare. That’s good though.” Lyra looks towards the bushes, longingly. “Makes me feel like I’m good enough.”
Hm? What did she mean by that? “Lyra? Are you alright? What do you mean by making you feel like you’re good enough?”
“Oh? Oh, nothing, nothing, haha!” Lyra laughed nervously as she gave you another pet “Just talking to my-GYAH!” Suddenly, there was an intense yell coming from the bushes. “Bonbon! Bonbon! Are you ok?!”
“Y-yeah! I just… Don’t come into the bushes, ok? I found something that’s really off putting.” Bonbon said with a shaky voice.
“Off putting? Bonbon, what did you find in there? Can I come look?” You ask. Maybe Lyra couldn’t handle it, but given the world you’re in, you certainly could.
“Er… I don’t know if either of you should. It’s kind of… Gruesome.” Bonbon said. What the hell did she mean by that? What got her so spooked?
“Bonbon, it can’t be that bad, how gruesome can it possibly be? What, is it bug guts or more rotten apples?” Lyra asked, curious, wanting to make sure her friend was ok.
“Um… Look, let’s just say I found the Storm Ravager’s hiding spot. But it’s been raided, there are definite signs of a struggle, torn up baskets, and er…” Bonbon stopped herself, she had no idea how she could just plainly say that last part.
“Bonbon, I’m gonna come in there, ok? Whatever it is, I can handle it. Trust me, I’ve seen a lot of gross stuff.” You tell her as you begin to step through the bushes.
“Me too! I mean, not the gross stuff part, just wanting to see if you’re ‘ok’ part. Here I come!” Lyra said as she stepped in from behind.
“No! Don’t! I don’t think you’re bo-GYAAH!” Bonbon is already startled, nearly falling back as Lyra lets out her own shrill scream upon entering and immediately seeing what got Bonbon so spooked..
Here you were, in the hollowed out hidey hole of the Storm Ravager. There really wasn’t much to it. Seems he was using a cape with his insignia on it as a carpet, although it has been torn to shreds. Rotten apples utterly devoured, leaving very little left. Scratch and claw marks all over the walls. And finally… “Holy geez! Is that… An arm?!” Indeed, in the center of the tiny hideout was the rotting right arm of the Storm Ravager.
“Lyra! Lyra!” Bonbon rushed up and held Lyra’s mouth shut to keep her from making too much noise. “Quiet, ok?! Whatever it is that attacked here, we don’t want it to come back, ok? Alright?” Lyra nodded her head slowly as Bonbon slowly removed her hooves. “Thank you. A-and yeah, Anon, that’s… That’s an arm.”
It’s an arm. It’s HIS arm! YES! HE’S FUCKING DEAD! Holy shit! What luck! Whatever didn’t get a chance to eat him back in the chaos dimension, something in the forest certainly did! “Haha! That’s his arm! I can tell! It’s over! Wow, hah, I guess we don’t need to tell anypony now, huh?”
Lyra and Bonbon looked at each other. To them, this was the darkest you ever acted in front of them. Bonbon, as curious as she was shocked, comes up to ask “Uh, Anon, you know this is a bad thing, right? He lost his life.”
Oh no… Pony sentimentality. Considering Bonbon was an agent of… Whatever she was an agent of, retired or otherwise, she should know that you never feel sorry for a villain. “And? Look, I’ll be straight up honest with the both of you. The guy was evil, was gonna kill my aunt, was gonna turn Canterlot into a crater, and he loved every second of it. He was a tyrant that had zero love in his heart. And before you mention Chrysalis, in her defense, the fact changelings have a loving form proves there’s a whole other side of her we haven’t seen yet.”
“I… Ok, I can understand your feelings on that. But he still should be able to face trial, and then face whatever punishment the princesses would have for him. No one deserves to go out like this.” Bonbon tells you, trying to live up to some moral code.
“Ok, hold on. Let me ask you this, er, Lyra. Let’s say this guy just eviscerated Bonbon, I mean, totally gutted her while you were forced to watch, no way to save her. Wouldn’t you want to see him gone?” A harsh question and terrible visuals, but you were curious to see how she’d react to it. You couldn’t ask this question to Bonbon, as she seemed less reliant on emotion than Lyra in these kinds of situations.
Lyra’s eye twitched for a moment, she then felt a heaviness to her as she put a hoof to her heart, she seemed unsure. “I… I don’t think that’d ever happen.”
“And if it did? Would you honestly care to capture him and have the princesses deal with him? I mean, he just used Bonbon’s intestines as a necklace.” C’mon, Lyra, really? Just say it, don’t hold back.
Lyra’s eyes went wide. Such visuals, it clearly made her upset. “No! No! I… Grrr, I wouldn’t let him! I’d t-tear him apart first! I-” But before Lyra could go any further, Bonbon raises her hoof at her, then looks at you, annoyed and a tad angered.
“Ok! You got your point across! It’s not something we Equestrians are really used to, it’s definitely not something we think about.” Bonbon sighed, and made her own admittance. “But if you want to go that far, and if it was happening to Lyra instead of me. Well, nopony would probably hear about what I’d do.”
“Bonbon…” Lyra looked to her, with shimmering tearful eyes.
“Relax, Lyra. It’s fine, alright? L-let’s just focus on wrapping up this investigation. Which, actually, there is an oddity about this arm.” Bonbon said as she gently and carefully rolled the arm over.
“What’s that? Looks like clear cut evidence that whatever ate him chomped through his arm and left it here.” You said, confident that the Storm Ravager simply got obliterated.
“Yeah… Except this arm has been rotting away for weeks. Not only that, but aside from said rot, there were no injuries, cuts, or bites to it at all. It’s almost as if he detached his arm from his body and never put it back on.” Bonbon said as she looked a little closer at it. “It’s like he kept it around as a memento. Or maybe, somepony else found his arm, and his body never escaped the chaos realm.”
“Well, that last part doesn’t make sense. Who would honestly do that?” Lyra asked as she slowly came out of her emotional haze.
“I… Don’t know. His few loyal soldiers were driven out of Equestria, and even then, there’s no sign any of them were in this hole. In fact, there’s no indication anypony other than the Storm Ravager lived here. It’s so bizarre. Anon, you know more about his mutation then we do, any thoughts?” Bonbon asked you.
The arm, it was his right one, right? The one that fused with the staff after he stabbed the wings Discord had given you. Is it possible that when he changed back, that his arm did too? If it did, it seemed it didn’t want to stay attached to his body. But then, what about the staff? Was it gone? It certainly wasn’t in here. Hm, given the struggle, it could be that whatever creature attacked and ate the Storm Ravager ate the staff too, if the staff ever came back to existence. “It’s like I mentioned before, he seemed to have changed back to normal. I guess his arm was so screwed up from the transformation that it didn’t reattach to his body. Maybe he really did keep it as a memento?”
“That’s so weird. But I guess it explains why the animal didn’t eat the arm. It got all gross and stuff.” Lyra said as she stuck her tongue out, making a groan at how nasty the arm looked.
“Possible… If a little sad. Well, I guess the investigation is nearly over. I’m guessing whatever did all this damage snuck up on the guy when he was sleeping. Although, that does leave the mystery of the apples. There were no samples to take from any of them. Is it possible he was getting them all himself? The apple orchard is right outside the forest, even if it is a good distance from this particular spot. Hard to imagine the Timberwolves even leaving him alone with how much travelling he’d have to do.” Bonbon said as she pondered.
“And why did he need so many baskets? Maybe he just stole baskets of apples instead of just taking the apples himself.” Lyra said as she herself thought about it.
You didn’t really care, you had your victory. “Bah, guy probably did that. Whatever, case closed, he’s gone. This means nopony has to know about this, right?”
“Anon, the case isn’t fully closed until we find out about the apples.” Bonbon reminded you.
“I mean, look, I can ask the Apple family myself. Keep it discreet, ask if anything odd had been happening around the farm or if anything was stolen. If anypony is gonna know, it’s going to be Applejack… Or Scrappy, I guess, he’d pick up on that real fast.” C’mon, Bonbon, forget about it. It’s over, you won! You can forget this ever happened and get on with your life.
“Can I actually trust you to do that? Considering this whole thing is your fault, I’m not so sure.” Bonbon replies.
“Look… Ok, I get it, I screwed up. But asking isn’t gonna be too hard, ok? I’ll even tell you everything I’m told. Alright?” That should settle things.
“Yeah, but, what if none of the Apples know anything? If that happens, wouldn’t we still have a mystery on our hooves?” Lyra added, thinking deeper into it as well.
“We would. But as it stands, the evidence we have here is that the Storm Ravager was getting the apples himself. That, or whoever was bringing him the apples knew ahead of time to not leave any evidence on them.” Bonbon said, still pondering.
“Yeah… But, who would do that? They’d have to assume somepony would find the Storm Ravager and investigate the baskets. My bet is he was getting them himself. Probably screwed up and got caught by whatever ate him. Look at the rotten apple cores, his arm, any animal with a good sniffer is gonna find him easily. He wasn’t being careful and it was only a matter of time.” That, right there, was probably the best theory. Thought up by you of course. As tropey as it could be that he might be alive, you also knew that the fucking arm was gruesome. And if you can find something not age appropriate in this forest, then he probably had a not age appropriate death.
“That… Is also possible.” Bonbon said, reluctantly agreeing with you.
“Then until something new comes up, can we just please PLEASE not tell anypony about it, please? It’s over, he’s gone, and he isn’t a threat. There’s no reason to let Twilight know.” Come on, she pretty much said as much. No threat, no need to let anyone know. Fluttershy already knew what you had done so far, she didn’t need to know you essentially led the guy to a horrible end.
“I… Alright, alright. Given the evidence, what we know, and the fact the threat is neutralized, I guess we can keep this all to ourselves… For now. But Anon, you have to be more responsible. I shouldn’t have to tell you that your situation with Chrysalis should be taken seriously, right?” Bonbon said, trying to lecture you, to make you understand the weight of your actions.
“Trust me, I know, and I understand. She’s still kicking, right? It means she hasn't hurt anypony. All I have to do is stop whatever plan she enacts and it's a done deal.” You tell her, confidence in your voice.
“And if she decides to continue her ways anyway? To be evil?” Bonbon asks.
Your ears suddenly fold and lower as you flinch from her question. “...I-I’ll… I’ll send her to Tartarus. I know… Like I said, I got this…” You said in a much less enthused, more hurt manner.
“Awww… Anon, I know everything's gonna be alright.” Lyra said to you in a motherly tone, giving you a bright smile.
“And yet, it might not. But…” Bonbon let out a sigh, and showed a bit of a smile herself. “I’ll be hoping for it to happen.”
“Yeah, me too…” You say, still downtrodden. B-but hey, victory for you anyway, right? This meant Chrysalis was your sole focus now.
With everything done, you use your last charge to send yourself and your party back to Ponyville. Perhaps the case of the apples will never be solved, perhaps it really didn’t matter. And really, who cares? You had some basking to do in not only your relationship, but also from your new hippogriff friend. All that should certainly cheer you up.