//------------------------------// // A Proposition // Story: The Ties that Bind // by the7Saviors //------------------------------// Paperwork. Sitting before Celestia's eyes atop the desk in her private office just behind the throne room, were piles and piles of paperwork. Grievances, legislation, resignation forms, transfer requests, investigation reports, reform requests, and the list went on. Sorting through it all would've driven any normal pony to drink, and really, it was work that should've been divided amongst several ponies. Indeed, there was a time when the Princess would delegate the work to other ponies—to both common citizens and nobles alike as part of one large council, but those times had long since past, with only one exception remaining in the form of her royal aide, Raven Inkwell. Oh certainly there were other ponies whose day-to-day jobs entailed dealing with some of the paperwork before it reached the Princess' desk, but Celestia had taken it upon herself to look over each and every one of these documents, finalizing them if they met her approval and meeting with said ponies or denying those forms outright if they didn't. Normally this much work, as crushingly taxing as it was to any normal pony, was well within Celestia's ability to handle. With Raven there to take care of anything that might've slipped through the cracks, it was a workload that was more than tolerable... at least under normal circumstances. Over the course of many years, Raven Inkwell had proven herself to be exceedingly trustworthy on top of being capable to an almost frightening degree. Celestia could honestly say she'd never had an aide as brilliant as the bespectacled unicorn mare, but these trying times had pushed both Celestia and Raven nearly past the breaking point. Canterlot was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and it was all the Princess and her aide could do to keep a lid on things. The drastic increase in EUP patrols combined with the media's continued sensationalization of the murders that had taken place within city limits had put everypony on a razor's edge. The Princess' leadership had been thrown into question more than once and though there hadn't been any outright riots or protests, the citywide tension was so thick as to be almost unbearable. And all Celestia could do was sigh in frustration and frown bitterly at the paperwork sitting on her desk. Inspector Bottom Line and his admittedly small team had been working themselves ragged trying to solve both murder cases since the beginning, and Celestia appreciated their efforts; the problem was that those tireless efforts had barely borne any fruit whatsoever. The answers they had managed to find only brought about more questions—namely that they were certain the first two murders were carried out by two ponies and that the third was a solo job. They'd also deduced that there had been at least one unicorn involved in all three murders thus far. That was about all they could glean in the time they'd been investigating the cases. There hadn't been any headway in finding the two lost siblings of the murdered couple, nor were they able to verify the identity of the third victim—a griffon who'd only recently rented a 1-bed 1-bath flat in the poorer district of Canterlot. After asking around and a bit more research, Bottom Line had only gotten the name of the griffon—one Abern Hoary Coat—and that he'd lived alone, but that was it. Nothing else came up regarding the griffon and it was assumed for the time being that the name was an alias of some sort. Celestia grimaced as she thought back to the photos the forensics team had taken of the crime scene. There wasn't any evidence connecting the first two homicides and the third save for the excessively gruesome manner in which they were slaughtered and that each victim had been killed in their respective homes. This wasn't even mentioning the fact that the motives for both crimes had yet to be determined. The foals were missing, presumed foalnapped, but there hadn't been any kind of demand for a ransom from the killer. This led Celestia to wonder if the foals themselves had been the aim of the first two homicides, and that possibility worried her more than anything else. After all, there was a chance that her plans had hinged on one of those kidnapped foals. The thought also gave her hope, hope that the goal she'd been working so hard towards could still be accomplished. At this point, however, it was still merely suspicions and speculation. There was no concrete evidence that the filly or colt was the one she needed, but still, when Celestia thought back to her conversation with Discord... Celestia was jolted out of her grim musings by a short and abrupt knock on the door to her office. Briefly startled, but quick to recover, she cleared her throat and mind and spoke aloud, already knowing who it was. "You may enter, Raven," she called out, returning her attention to the passport applications she'd been looking over, "the door is unlocked." "Y-Yes, Your Highness," came the nervous yet respectful reply before the door handle was wrapped in a pale raspberry-colored glow and the door pushed open, "if you'll pardon the intrusion..." Celestia's ear twitched at Raven's tone and she looked up from her work with a bemused frown. To hear Raven so flustered and nervous was far from the norm. Raven Inkwell had her soft side Celestia knew, but when she was on the clock the mare was practically a machine. And yet, as if to prove the Princess otherwise, her aide trotted into the small office, brown mane and tail wrapped in a tight bun and her posture immaculate as always, but clearly on edge if her expression was anything to go by. Gently closing the door behind her, she stopped to adjust her red neckerchief and thick horn-rimmed glasses before moving forward towards the desk and giving a quick bow. It was a stiff and jerky sort of bow that made Celestia wonder if the stress had finally gotten to her aide. Honestly, she hoped that's all it was, because if not... "You look rather ill-at-ease, Miss Inkwell," Celestia observed as she set aside her work to focus on the mare in front of her, "is something amiss?" "Well... not as such, Princess," Raven replied hesitantly, "in fact I bring good news... or rather I suppose you could call it good news... but..." Celestia raised a brow as Raven trailed off and bit her lip. For having brought good news, the mare was certainly reluctant to share, which only put Celestia further on edge. The Princess found she couldn't quite suppress the sinking feeling in her gut, but she pushed past it, putting on a soft and encouraging smile as she urged her aide to continue her report. "It's not like you to falter, Raven, and with good news no less?" Celestia said, attempting to lighten the mood a bit, "come now, we need all the good news we can get our hooves on, yet I'm getting mixed signals from your words and expression." "I'm sorry, Princess, it's just..." she cast a wary glance behind her, looking back to the door as though somepony just past it was watching her. She shuddered slightly before composing herself and turning back to the bemused Princess, "there's... somepony here to see you, a mare calling herself Moon Gazer." "Moon Gazer?" Celestia muttered, her smile falling into a frown, "Moon Gazer..." Something stirred in the back of Celestia's memory at the name, but she couldn't quite pull it to the fore. Instead, she raised her head and addressed Raven once again, "I take it this mare is the source of the 'good news'?" "It's as you say, Your Majesty," Raven affirmed with a nod, "she requested a direct audience with you a short time ago," her brows furrowed slightly, "she claims to have new details regarding both homicide cases... as well as other information that 'may be of use to Her Majesty'... or so she says," her frown deepened with worry, "the mare has made it clear that she'll speak to you and only you on the matter." "I see..." Celestia leaned forward over the desk and steepled her hooves. She closed her eyes a moment to make a show of thinking on the current situation, but in reality, her mind was already made up. This had trouble written all over it, the Princess was certain. It hadn't been the first time somepony had so brazenly demanded a direct audience with the Princess outside of normal Day Court hours, or even so late in the evening that she'd long ago set the sun below the horizon. It didn't happen nearly as often as it used to, but on rare occasions, Celestia would get some foolish noble with a bloated sense of self-worth demanding her attention at ungodly hours of the day. Far more often than not it was about some trivial matter blown out of proportion and the Princess would have the guards see the pony out with one warning and one warning only. It was usually sufficient to deal with the entitled cowards, but Celestia knew—even if she couldn't quite put her hoof on who this mare was—she knew this case was different. This mare, Moon Gazer, didn't hold a noble title, but more than that—despite the sense of foreboding, she felt she needed to hear what the mare had to say. That, and she had to concede to herself that she was rather desperate at this point to get the situation fully under control, desperate enough to take help where she could get it. "If I may, Princess..." Celestia opened her eyes to see Raven shifting somewhat uncomfortably where she stood. Her mouth was turned down in a troubled scowl as she spoke. "Go ahead," Celestia nodded for her aide to continue, "what do you think, Raven?" "To be frank, I don't trust this mare," she stated curtly, "Your Majesty may not remember, but a mare by the name of Moon Gazer came to visit you several times before in the past," her expression turned stony, "before I came to see you, I checked the records and verified that this mare has made no less than seven requests to have the Crown fund her... questionable research." "Ah, yes," Celestia nodded again and leaned back in her chair with a weary sigh, "now I remember. Quite the character, that one..." Yes, Celestia remembered Moon Gazer; she was surprised she'd managed to forget in fact, but the last time that mare had demanded an audience was years ago. She was a brilliant pony as far as the Princess could tell, but words and phrases like 'passionate' and 'eccentric scientist' didn't even begin to cover her personality when she got going. She hadn't delved into any strictly taboo topics when making her pleas, but Celestia had dealt with ponies like Moon Gazer before—ponies who wanted to push the equine form to its limits in order to bring the species closer to perfection. She knew that problems would arise if a pony like Moon Gazer were to gain a hoofhold in her research. Still, the mare had been respectful and was always quick to back down once she made her case. She'd had somepony keeping an eye on the mare for a while after her last request, but nothing had come of it, so she let her be and eventually forgot about her entirely. Now the mare was back and just so happened to have the answer to all her recent problems. Odds were, Moon Gazer would try to use the information she'd obtained as leverage to get a research grant, or so Celestia assumed, though it was a safe assumption in her opinion. Still... I'm so desperate for answers that I may very well take her up on her offer... depending on the information she has to give. I told Discord I'd be willing to do whatever it took to bring peace back to this city and my little ponies after all, and I meant what I said... She raised her face to the ceiling and closed her eyes before exhaling through her nose in a quiet show of resignation. If a research grant is all she wants, then that's a small price to pay for peace. I'll just have to make sure to keep careful tabs on her work in the future. Who knows? Perhaps her work may end up benefitting ponykind in the long run... Having thoroughly convinced herself that she'd made the necessary decision, she spoke up without looking at her aide. "Send her in to see me, Raven." Raven opened her mouth to object but stopped herself short, instead giving a quiet sigh of her own before straightening her posture. "As you wish, Princess," she replied with another courteous bow, "I'll bring her in at once. If you'll excuse me..." With one last quick bow, she turned on her heel and pulled the door open before stepping outside. Celestia watched her go until the door snapped shut once more, then gathered the paperwork littering her desk and set it all to one side. Well, if negotiations break down, I have other ways of getting what I need from Moon Gazer, so whatever the outcome, I'll have made some kind of progress here tonight... assuming the mare has any useful information to give... With that thought in mind, Celestia sat and waited as Raven retrieve her late-night guest for a private audience. She didn't have to wait long before the door was once again pushed open, revealing a grim-faced Raven as she stepped back into the room. She'd only taken a few steps inside before stopping and lowering her head in another, more graceful bow. "I've brought Moon Gazer to see you, Princess," came the aide's somewhat clipped, but no less respectful announcement, "she's waiting just outside." "Thank you, Raven," Celestia nodded, "please, bring her in, then you may leave for the night," her stoic expression briefly gave way to a soft, appreciative smile as she spoke her next words, "I've worked you hard enough today I think, and please, Raven, there's no need to worry, I have the situation here well in hoof." The mare before the Princess held her solemn gaze for another second, but it crumbled a moment later as she gave a tired sigh and a weary smile. "I know you do, Princess," Raven replied in a soft voice to match Celestia's final words, "still, I must insist that you tread carefully with this one," she frowned again, "something about this mare doesn't sit right with me—" "If you're going to badmouth somepony, at least try not to do it within earshot of the pony in question, hm?" Raven's frown only deepened at the snide voice coming from behind her but moved aside nevertheless to make way for the mare who'd just spoken. The mare—another bespectacled unicorn nearly half Raven's size—took the opportunity to stroll right in, not bothering to give the royal aide a second glance as she passed. The Princess' aide took note of the slightly oversized lab coat covering the mare's miniature golden yellow frame—a coat that looked as though it hadn't been pressed in ages. There was in fact, a general air of frumpiness and a lack of self-awareness about her that Raven personally took issue with, but didn't say anything about. She did, however, stop to give Celestia a customary bow, her cascading magenta mane briefly falling over her face as she did so. When she looked back up, she gave the Princess a smile that only made Celestia want to grimace in distaste. At first glance, the mare looked as though she hadn't slept in days, but Celestia could see a strange sort of spark in the sunken violet eyes sitting just behind those horn-rimmed glasses. They were practically brimming with life in fact, but there was something else there as well—something the Princess didn't like. "I'm pleased to see you in good health, Your Majesty," Moon Gazer greeted, "and doubly honored that you've chosen to give this simple scientist the time of day," she chuckled lightly, "or the time of night, I suppose." "The pleasure is all mine, Moon Gazer," Celestia replied with a paper-thin smile of her own. Her horn flashed with bright golden light and she gestured to the elegant wooden chair that appeared before the desk an instant later, "please, have a seat, won't you? It appears we have much to discuss." "Oh, I wouldn't want to impose," Moon Gazer replied with a look of modest surprise, "but if you insist, Princess, then I'd be glad to." There was a beat of silence as the small mare made her way over to the offered chair and sat herself down in front of the Princess. Raven, who'd been scrutinizing Moon Gazer closely as she stood idly by near the entrance, took that moment to address Celestia. "Well then, If you don't mind, Princess, I'll go ahead and take my leave," she said, bowing for the last time that night, "I wish the both of you a pleasant evening." With that, she turned and left both the Princess and the scientist to their own devices, closing the door behind her. Silence reigned again for a few moments as Celestia waited for Raven's presence to fade, and it was only after it had that the Princess finally spoke. "Well, this certainly does come as a surprise," Celestia began, "it's been some time since we last met, Moon Gazer. I trust you've been doing well?" "If you'll forgive me for being forward, Princess, I'm a busy mare, and I have no doubt you have much to do as well," Moon Gazer replied bluntly, "so I'd rather skip any more pleasantries and get to the meat of the matter," she eyed Celestia intently from behind her thick spectacles, "I'm sure your secretary has made the reason for my visit clear?" Celestia's brow furrowed and her paper-thin smile gave way to a slight frown, but she remained composed otherwise. "...Very well then, if that's what you wish," she conceded, "I can't deny that I do have some rather pressing matters I still need to attend to even this late at night," she steepled her hooves over the desk, closed her eyes and sighed before returning Moon Gazer's intense stare with one of her own, "yes, Raven has informed me that you've come across some information regarding the ongoing investigation into the recent murders that have taken place within Canterlot." "Correct," Moon Gazer allowed a sly smile to cross her face, "in fact, you could say I've already solved both cases." "And you do realize that there are proper channels you can go through to divulge this information?" Celestia asked with another sigh and an unimpressed frown, "well I'm sure you have your reasons for coming to see me personally so I won't bother asking why you haven't spoken to the ponies investigating these cases, but I do wonder whether or not you have the evidence to back these claims. I take it you have something if you've gone out of your way to demand a private audience with me." "Naturally," Moon Gazer scoffed, "what kind of scientist would I be if I presented a theory without any supporting data?" she refocused her gaze on the Princess and her sly smile to widen a touch, "I have the evidence to back my claims, Princess, but you were right in assuming I came to you for a reason," she leaned forward in her chair and Celestia could see that strange spark in her eyes brighten considerably as she continued, "there's something I want, Your Highness—something only you can provide me, and I'd be willing to provide anything and everything I know in return." Celestia said nothing in return. Her expectant expression remained unchanged as she waited for Moon Gazer to continue. Moon Gazer frowned in response, flicking an ear in annoyance as she sat back in her chair. "You already know what I want, Celestia," Moon Gazer sighed, an edge of irritation and impatience creeping into her words, "but fine, I'll spell it out for you if I must," she paused and adjusted her thick frames before staring the Princess straight in the eye, "I want to continue my research with the approval of the Crown, and in return for that and a royal grant, I'll give you not only the identity of the killers responsible for those gruesome murders but their locations as well," another smirk crossed her face, "...along with the locations of the missing foals and some information regarding a few other... creatures of interest." It took a bit more effort to remain composed than Celestia would've liked, but she managed to maintain her stoic frown despite the gears rapidly spinning in her head. Benefits, consequences, and alternative solutions fought for dominance as she though on Moon Gazer's proposition and through it all, Celestia could see Discord's stony smirk in her mind's eye; she could practically hear his mocking chuckle, challenging her to try and fix what she broke so long ago. It infuriated the alicorn to no end, and in the end, it was that very provocation that pushed her to act. Her decision made, she straightened up in her seat and finally broke the silence that had fallen between her and the grinning scientist. "Very well, Moon Gazer, you have my approval and the grant to go with it," the Princess graced the scientist with a small, indulgent smile, "and with that settled, I'd like to see this evidence of yours, along with every bit of information you can give me about these 'creatures of interest'."