//------------------------------// // Chapter One Hundred Eleven // Story: HiE - A Hollow in Equestria // by Charlie_K //------------------------------// Chapter One Hundred Eleven Among the staff of Canterlot Palace who were tasked with the general upkeep and day-to-day cleaning that went into keeping the palace presentable, Holly Leaf had been unfortunate enough to draw the short straw for pulling library duty today. It wasn't that library duty was a particularly bad assignment per se as far as cleaning went. The enchantments carved into the shelves ensured a postively-charged ion field kept dust and various mites at bay, so it wasn't necessary to take each and every book and/or scroll off the shelves to wipe them off/down. Honestly, in all the years she'd been working at the palace, and all the times she'd drawn library duty, she couldn't remember something like that ever really needing to be done. No, the real problem that came with the assignment, was within the room itself; more specifically its occupant. For reasons that none of them really knew -as none of them really dared to ask- the Espada had essentially, for lack of a better term, come to take up residency within the library itself. Really, that was about the only way to actually describe the matter in anything resembling a coherent sense. How else could one go about describing an extended presence that continued for days on end as if it belonged there? He, she mentally corrected herself. Not an it, but a he. The Espada, for all he was capable of doing, rumored or otherwise, was still a sentient/sapient being and demonstrated conscious thought, rather than a beast that was guided mindlessly by blind instinct. It wasn't that the Espada was particularly unpleasant to be around. He was... well, he was reasonably polite in his interactions with others whenever there was reason to converse, but the politeness and courtesy he exercised was of a cold, clinical, detached sort of manner that could be really off-putting in its own way. It was kind of like talking to a toaster, or something like that. No, the biggest problem that came from dealing and interacting with the Espada, stemmed from what he did without even trying. He was, without doubt, an apex predator in a world full of prey species, and they were all very aware of that fact, either consciously or subconsciously. His mere presence just seemed to silently broadcast this fact to everypony in the area, and generated an unpleasant -even frightening- air around him that practically radiated down into their bones; into their very souls as it were. Simply being in the same room with him was enough to play on primal instincts, leaving the afflicted feeling like they were in near-imminent danger, as if they were presently being stalked by something that wound pounce upon them and devour them if their guard was lowered even a little. Constantly looking over their withers, trying to catch sight of the phantom presence that seemed to be just on the edge of their peripheral vision, even when there was nothing there but their own taxed nerves... She should've picked a different straw. Then it wouldn't be here on this day. But it was far too late now. She had her assignment, and she had to do it. Even just setting hoof into the library was intimidating in itself. But whether that was due to the presence of the Espada somewhere in the room, or just her own mortal anxieties getting the best of her, she honestly didn't know. Moving through and about the library was like a perverted game of hide and seek; creeping along the shelves in an effort to remain hidden, peeking around the corners, occasionally whipping her head around at something that may or may not have actually been there as the hairs in her ears stood on end. And upon sight of nothing in the immediate area, quickly moving to a different hiding/vantage spot to restart the process. She knew it was silly, and foalish, and even unprofessional to act in such an undignified manner, especially when she was carrying out official palace duties. But at the same time, it was the Espada they were talking about. The standard rules of engagement and conduct were never drafted by those who had to contend with such a terrifying entity. Surely she would be forgiven for such, under the circumstances. The recently implemented lounge area, much like various other locations around the library she'd crossed so far, was absent any evidence of life. Or occupation. Or whatever it was best referred to as; the point being that he wasn't here. So she set to work, fluffing the pillows on the couch, adjusting the beanbag chairs, and wiping down the surface of the coffee table, before moving on to continue with her duties. The feeling of being watched, however, persisted regardless of such. No matter where she moved, or how much she tried to focus on cleaning, or what section of the library she entered, the feeling remained present, despite there being no sign of the one that could be responsible for it. Maybe he was in the restricted section, for which she didn't possess appropriate security clearance to enter. That would certainly explain a few things. Or it could just be her imagination was running wild with her. "I'm being silly," she muttered to herself and shook her head. Even she knew it. "Are you looking for something?" The voice came from directly behind her, where she had been just two seconds ago. Understandably, she shrieked and jumped in response, whirling around in surprise. She didn't come specifically face-to-face with the Espada as he stood there just a few precious feet away from her, but it was still close enough to count as such. "Where did you even come from!?" she asked, perhaps a bit more forceful than was appropriate. But with the way her heart was pounding right now, it felt very appropriate. "From the realm of Hueco Mundo," he replied simply as he stood there with an open book held in his hands. "N-no, I mean just now! I was just standing there and I didn't see you anywhere!" she stated, in absolutely no mood for any nonsense right now. "I was referencing a book located on a higher shelf." At that, all she could do was groan and shake her head. The lack of wings made it so easy to forget that the Espada could actually fly. Or levitate. Or air-walk. Or whatever it was called that allowed him to get around without having to come in contact with the floor. If nothing else, that at least explained why she felt like she was being watched; because she most likely had been. Oh well. On the bright side -if there was one- him being out here in this part of the library meant it would be easier to clean the area he was usually standing in when he read. His ability to remain in place like a statue for hours at a time while reading, well enough to rival even the guards, was positively disturbing to witness firsthoof. Whenever he pulled that, the only indicator he gave that he was still even alive, was whenever he'd have to turn the page of what book he happened to be reading at the time. Never a random sigh, or a throat clearing, or anything one would expect to encounter. The books he read made more noise than he did, and- "What are you reading about anyway?" she asked, her train of thought interrupted by curiosity, and an inability to read the title of whatever presently had his interest. "Research and methods pertaining to the recollection of memories and dreams," he replied as he turned the page. That definitely wasn't the sort of answer she'd been expecting to hear out of him. It'd been so far out of left field, she felt the urge to tilt her head to the side in confusion as she tried to make sense of it. Was he reading a self-help book? She honestly didn't have him pegged for the type who would read something like that. "Wouldn't it just be easier to ask Princess Luna for help on that front? I mean, dreams are sort of her specialty, after all..." she cautiously pointed out. "If anypony would have knowledge of how to go about recalling lost dreams, surely it would be her, right?" "Under normal circumstances perhaps. But these are not normal circumstances. The memories in question are crystal clear, but the experiences behind them are not," he continued in cryptic explanation. "I'm... not sure I follow?" she replied uncertainly as she tried to make sense of what he might or might not have been saying. Was it really too much to ask for a simple explanation that didn't have to be pried loose like teeth? It really didn't help that his face was so flat compared to a pony's, making it difficult to tell just what he might've been thinking at the time. Not that she was actually skilled in anything like that, but the point remained the same. For a moment, she wondered if he was simply ignoring her. It was so difficult to tell. If he didn't want to explain, was it asking too much that he tell her such, so she could go back to her duties? "During the battle with Nightmare Moon, I was subjected to something. Whatever it was that occurred on that night, I can't even begin to make sense of what transpired. I experienced sensations, and thoughts, that seemed to make sense at the time of the event. But in the aftermath, that sense of understanding is now absent, and I'm left to ponder why this is," he eventually explained. "What I can recall of the events in question is lacking. Brief, phantom-like flashes of something related to memory, tantalizing and teasing by their presence like something at the very edge of one's peripheral vision, yet never enough to grasp hold of and bring clarity to the mysteries at hand. And the more I try to recall them, the more they seem to slip away; almost as if they aren't intended to be remembered in the first place. They seem to exist only so long as they aren't actually disturbed by conscious thought; much like a reflection on the surface of a still pond." In the silence following the explanation, Holly found herself sitting down without really realizing she was doing such. When she'd gotten her assignment for cleaning today, this wasn't how she'd envisioned it going. If asked what she'd thought might happen, this turn of events was quite possibly the furthest away from what she might've considered being a possibility. She had planned to get in as quietly as possible, do her work without drawing any attention to herself, avoid any interaction with the Espada if at all possible, and slip back out the same way she'd come in. If such wasn't possible, maybe inquire if there was any truth to the rumor that he'd doughnut-holed the dragon with a single punch if she could work up the nerve to speak in his presence. But that plan had gone straight to Tartarus from the moment she stepped hoof inside. Instead she presently found herself sharing a... surprisingly understandable conversation with him, as her apprehension and discomfort slowly evaporated. The... he wasn't just some Lovecoltian abomination like she and so many other ponies had initially assumed after hearing tales about his exploits. Even though he technically was, he was apparently much more than just that. He was someone who was surprisingly relatable, as he shared his thoughts, and even his frustrations on being unable to recall his own thoughts on something he didn't properly understand. She doubted there was a pony alive who didn't experience that sort of thing at some point in their lives. Having been around Twilight sparkle more than once during the course of her employment, she knew what it was like to lose track of a train of thought and not being able to recall it, or otherwise feeling like her head was spinning from being verbally assaulted by things she couldn't even comprehend, while still trying to follow along in an explanation. "Oh," she mumbled, it being the best she could present on such short notice, until she got her own thoughts straightened out better. "So... have you found anything yet that might be of some use in this?" "Not as of yet, unfortunately," he concluded, before returning his attention to the book he currently held. "What is being sought may not even exist as a field of research in this world." The more he talked, the more he shared, the stranger it felt to converse with him. Despite his foreign outward appearance that could be so off-putting, and the sheer scale of his reputation -be it factual or not- there was a surprisingly equine-ish quality to him as she listened. It was less like talking with a monster capable of mass destruction, and more like conversing with a fellow member of the palace staff. "... I'm on break in another hour or so," she found herself reluctantly -perhaps even surprisingly- admitting before the resulting silence could reach the point where it would seem stifling to experience. "Would you like to go to the palace cantina for a drink?" Why she'd even asked such a question, she honestly didn't know. At the moment it'd seemed like a good idea, but now as the words were out there for actual consideration rather than just rattling around in her head, she suddenly found herself wondering why she'd even done that! It'd been so forward, and presumptuous, and, and... Before she could even get an answer to the poorly thought out question, there was an eruption of fire as a scroll materialized out of thin air right before him, before falling into the open book. Even her own question and apprehension were forgotten about as she watched him tuck the book under his arm, and open the scroll to read what it had to say. "What's it say?" she finally asked. Whatever the answer was, she never received it. In a flash he'd vanished from the room, allowing both the scroll and the book to fall unceremoniously to the ground as she was enveloped by some unseen breeze. "Goodness, what was that all about?" Her curiosity on this sudden turn of events ultimately proved to be more than she could resist, and she picked up the scroll read what had gotten him out of here so quickly. "Oh no..." As she read it, her eyes went wide at what it meant. She now understood, and she was horrified. It'd only contained a single word -one she'd needed to reread a second time just be sure- but it'd been more than enough once the realization set in. The first thought that came to mind was informing Princess Celestia about this. Even if she was in conference with important diplomats, this warranted a timely interruption. She needed to be made aware of the situation. The open scroll fell to the ground as she immediately exited the library to make her way to the throne room. "We didn't party nearly hard enough when we had the opportunity," Pinkie commented in a tone that was far more bitter than anything Twilight could remember hearing her use before in the past. "Now look at the mess we've gotten ourselves into." Much as she hated to, Twilight had to agree with the assessment of the matter. They knew the situation was bad when they left Sugarcube Corner, as they observed more and more ponies engaged in what could best be described in polite terms as disagreements. Although they didn't know just how bad it was until now. The anger demonstrated by Bonbon was one thing, and easily explainable as a side-effect of her grief. But what they witnessed outside the bakery with other ponies couldn't be explained away as the result of such; certainly not when Mr. Rich and Big Macintosh were actually engaged in an all-out, profanity-laced shouting match right outside of Barnyard Bargains, fueled by disagreements over prices, profits, and discounts. And much as in the case of Pinkie and Bonbon, words quickly gave way to physical violence. Had they not intervened when they did, Mr. Rich would've likely wound up having his skull ground into dust under Big Macintosh's hooves. Although in doing such, they nearly got dragged into the squabble as both earth ponies viciously turned their anger on them, ungrateful for the intervention, and unwanting of outside assistance. Their little group had actually found it necessary to retreat, before the two warring parties united against them. And it'd just gotten worse from there, the further they went. They knew the situation was bad. But the true weight of the situation hadn't fully registered until it was literally bearing down on top of them, as the signs made themselves known. The first sign was a sharp, howling wind that came out of nowhere, and struck them with the force of the frozen north. The second sign were heavy, dark clouds rolling across the sky, and easily shutting out the light of the sun like an impenetrable blanket. The third sign was the ghostly, piercing neighing that demanded the attention of all. And then the fourth sign of just how truly and utterly fucked they were. Windigos. Actual, plain as day, windigos currently circling overhead and screeching incessantly. What had long been thought of by many, as nothing more than creatures of myth and legend in tales of times long ago, were proven to be very much real on this day, neighing and screeching incessantly, as they became fully visible to the naked eye. No matter how angry anypony had been at the time, their appearance had been enough to immediately drive them out of the public square, back into the perceived safety of their homes. Although whether or not the bickering and fighting while inside was anypony's guess at the moment. "Nightmare Moon was sowing the seeds of strife and general ill-will for months, and we were all totally unaware," Pinkie continued as she began to pace back and forth in the main room of the library, it being where the three of them had taken shelter at the appearance of the windigos. "It must've been just the bare minimum of group anger necessary to sustain them, and let them return to power and start making things worse; just like a crack in a dam. And without Nightmare Moon around to act as the top dog of evil ponies, they had no competition they needed to hide from, meaning they could freely and actively work on furthering discourse to increase their own strength even further. And we didn't even realize it until they were breathing right down our necks with their arctic wind breaths, because we're all too stupid to see the truth right before our eyes." Turning around for another pass, she stopped as she saw both Twilight and Spike looking at her in surprise. "What? You were going to say it," she added. "I probably would have," Twilight admitted and gave a weak nod. "If my mind wasn't a jumbled mess of panic right now..." She might've left out the part about them being stupid. Or she might not have. She didn't know right now. She paused to glance out the window at the outside world, or what there was to it that she could actually see. The snow was coming down fast and heavy, and visibility was poor at best; anything past a few feet required a great deal of effort just to make out. How far was the snow really spreading? Had it reached beyond the borders of Ponyville into the surrounding territories? Was this going to negatively impact Applejack and the other farmers in the area? Or had the windigos not gathered sufficient strength for that yet? Was this even natural snow, or was it something produced by their magical influence on the world? The scientist part of her mind was reeling with questions that desperately wanted/needed to be answered. But right now that part was being overridden by the sheer amount of fear and concern she was experiencing. Anxiously, she glanced over at the glass case housing the Elements of Harmony, ready at a moment's notice should they be needed. It was a small comfort to see each of the six stones shining vibrantly in their respective colors, reassuring her that they could indeed be used once again. Although it was a small consolation when those tasked with bearing them weren't actually here to do just that. She was reasonably certain, eighty nine percent in fact, that she knew where Rarity, Fluttery, and Applejack were in case she needed to go and get them. Rainbow Dash, however, she didn't know about. Even after all the time she'd spent with her friends, learning about them, the cyan pegasus remained an outlier. She could quite literally be anywhere right now, so going out to find her would be overwhelming difficult. But even if she could find her, she wasn't certain if she should; not yet anyway. Her return from Canterlot had only been a few days ago, and whether or not that was enough time to jump back into the excitement of things remained to be seen. But there was far more to it than that. If she was right, Applejack was currently at Sweet Apple Acres. Assuming the influence of the windigos hadn't reached that far yet. She knew that she could easily teleport to there in order to find Applejack, but getting back was a different matter entirely. Her teleportation skill was at maximum only when she was traveling solo. If she tried to return with somepony else in tow, they could easily wind up adrift in the snow, and be encapsulated in ice before they could get to safety. That would just make a bad situation all the worse. She was willing to risk it for her friends. But she wasn't willing to risk her friends. "Alright, that does it," Spike spoke up, breaking her out of her own distressed thoughts. "That does what, Spike?" Pinkie asked and quizzically tilted her head to the side. "The windigos feed on strife and negativity, right? Well we're gonna give 'em just that. They're gonna see just how much strife and negativity a dragon can generate when they've been pushed too far by all of the shit going on around here. They're gonna get all they could ever want," he practically growled. "I'm going out there to lure them in close. And when they get close enough to feed off all the anger I'm putting out, that's when I'm gonna let 'em have it. I'm gonna release all the fire I've got in one massive, whites of their eyes, point blank, right between the eyes, full-spectrum BURN!" Twilight was a mix of emotions at Spike's explanation of what he planned to do. Excitement, fear, pride, and a number of other feelings were all churning in her, leaving her unable to do much of anything to express herself except smile weakly in response. "I appreciate you being willing to do that, Spike, but I'm afraid it's just too dangerous to actually do something like that." "As opposed to, what, exactly? Just sitting here like we're useless?" Spike pointed out. "If you feed them as much anger as you're boasting about, Spike, you might actually wind up giving them even more strength before you can burn them. They might be able to freeze you solid before you can actually exhale. And the resulting power boost you might wind up giving them, could increase the area of coverage they can maintain, letting them reach even more ponies in an all-consuming cycle of destruction," Pinkie spoke up. "Just like how Nightmare Moon used the fear caused by Ulqy to return to power even faster." "Add to that," Twilight continued from where Pinkie left off, "we're dealing with spirits in this case. Not physical beings. I know your fire is hot, Spike, but windigos don't actually have bodies. It could just pass right through them like nothing. These are entities shrouded in more myth and legend than fact, that until recently we didn't even know for certain if they existed or not. We have nothing to go on but old tales that may or may not reflect historical fact. It's too big of a risk to take for something that may not even work. I know you want to do something; I do too. But doing something, just for the sake of doing something, can wind up making a bad situation worse." As much as Spike wanted to protest, as much as he felt he needed to protest, even he doubted he could truly muster anything meaningful to present. The thought of unintentionally making things worse, or being frozen in a solid block of ice, really didn't sit all that well with him. And the fact that Pinkie had been the first to point these facts out, rather than Twilight, sort of made them hit home a lot harder than he'd expected to be the case. Had it been Twilight, he could've at least made an effort to argue his position as valid. But Pinkie had hit him with a simultaneous one-two combo of facts and concern for his well-being, leaving him unable to mount a protest in response. "Add to that, we need you here more than out there," Twilight stated as she moved closer and pulled him into a firm hug. She was willing to risk a great deal for her friends. But she wasn't willing to risk her friends. Like it or not -and she really didn't- the best course of action right now was simply to hunker down, stay put, and hope that their message had actually reached Ulquiorra. Out of anyone in their world, he was the most suited for when it came to dealing with spirits of a vengeful nature. Or at least she hoped he was. Windigos. That had been the extent of the message Ulquiorra had received from Twilight sparkle, with her reiatsu all but physically staining the piece of paper it'd been hastily scribbled on. All of it taken together, had been enough to warrant an investigation of the matter, to determine just what the problem was. Upon his arrival, hovering high above Ponyville, he found both the problem and its source. The raging winter storm wasn't any of his concern, as he was more focused on its epicenter; three ghostly figures currently whinnying in an eerie manner as they flew in a counter-clockwise formation. It was safe to conclude -and operate on the assumption- that these were indeed windigos. However their appearance differed significantly from the illustrations he had seen. These were not the sleek, angular, artistic representations that the books had shown. They were vaguely equine-ish in terms of appearance, roughly the size of Princess Celestia, but it was more appropriate to describe them as emaciated, skeletal wraiths, with their lower bodies consisting of a specteral tail. Just as it was safe to conclude these were windigos, it was equally safe to assume all the representations that had been seen were sanitized depictions, meant to make the tales less frightening when told to impressionable children. Whatever the reasoning behind the discrepancies in terms of appearance was, it didn't particularly matter. He was here to do a job, not ponder about the mysteries behind pony psychology. And since he was here to do a job, that being dealing with a dangerous threat, he proceeded straight to doing just that with the discharge a bala. Impact was achieved, forcibly knocking one of the windigos right out of its travel path, and startling the other two to the point they were no longer circling. Only now did they actually seem to become aware of his presence, floating in place as they regarded him, seemingly uncertain of just how to respond, and potentially even bewildered at the fact they'd just been physically assaulted. Try as she might, Celestia found it difficult to focus on her work, in light of the news that'd been brought to her by one very disturbed maid who'd burst into the throne room as if all of Tartarus was in hot pursuit of her. Although considering just what the news had consisted of, that analogy wasn't too entirely far off from the truth. Windigos. Malignant beings that predated even her and Luna. Beings that were steeped in legend and mystery even during their own time, to the point nopony knew where they came from, how they came to be in the first place, or any other relevant details like that. And now all out of the blue, they had apparently returned, and set their sights on Ponyville? She remembered Discord saying their reality had been shifted off of its axis, and steered in a direction they hadn't been destined for, making the future quite uncertain. But even with that sort of information taken into account, this still seemed so difficult to comprehend as actually happening. "In the future, when a situation arises where my particular skills are again warranted, stay out of my way." Those words of Ulquiorra's rang clearly in her mind as she paced in the currently unoccupied throne room. And they rang continually whenever she contemplated the notion of venturing out to Ponyville to investigate the matter for herself. As much as she wanted to, as much as she wanted to make sure her subjects were safe, deep down she knew it was for the best if she didn't. Venturing out there right now would do nothing more than serve as an effort to sooth her own sense of uselessness. And she knew that. Twice now, she'd forcefully inserted herself into situations that Ulquiorra was involved in, firmly believing that she knew better in how to deal with matters relating to Equestria, as she had far more experience than him when it came to such matters. Believing it was possible to avoid -or at least greatly minimize- the amount of bloodshed that would be experienced. And where exactly had that sort of cavalier attitude gotten them? The ensuing damage and suffering that'd been experienced on the part of her subjects, and even her friends, had arguably been far worse than what might've been experienced, had she simply allowed Ulquiorra to proceed with killing the threat outright. She already had two such debacles to her name. She was in no rush to add a third one to that list. Like it or not, and she really didn't, it seemed like the wisest course of action available to her was to simply defer to the Espada, and let him do as he felt was needed. But still, it'd been three hours since he had apparently left to resolve the matter on his own. That wasn't particularly comforting to consider. And with each passing minute that he was absent, it just served to make her feel more and more uneasy. His absence meant a lack of information, and a lack of information meant the mind scrambled with approaching panic at the possibility of the worst possible scenarios coming to pass. Not that she believed Ulquiorra couldn't take care of himself. It was just... the uncertainty of it all. If she was there, she could at least observe how things were going. Even venturing out to the throne room's balcony, and glancing through the telescope towards Ponyville didn't reveal any information that would help sooth her worries. "Ulquiorra," she said in defeat, knowing there was nothing to do but sit and wait like everypony else, "please be safe." "If you insist." At hearing the familiar monotone voice she looked up, and saw him simply standing there, in midair with his hands tucked into his pockets as he looked down at her. Whether it was more appropriate to feel annoyed or relieved, she didn't know yet. She'd figure it out later. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked. "Long enough to hear you mention my name," he replied in a non-answer fashion, all the while slowly descending until he touched down on the balcony just a short distance away from her. Annoyed. Definitely annoyed. "Should I ask for details about what went on in Ponyville? The note said windigos, but didn't offer anything more than that as an explanation," she eventually replied. "And if at all possible, a short explanation would be preferable," she quickly added, knowing just how long-winded he could be if given adequate room to go in-depth. Ulquiorra paused for only a moment, before beginning his explanation. "A pack of windigos besieged Ponyville. Precisely why is unknown, but the running theory is that they were an after-effect from the damage caused by Nightmare Moon during her extended campaign to reclaim control over Equestria. Whatever the precise reason, it's ultimately of no importance, as they have been adequately dealt with." Celestia would admit, it was a short, precise summary. How truthful it was, was another story. But it was one she'd get to later. "I see. And you're certain about that last point? You don't believe they'll return, at some point in the future when we least expect it?" she asked. "Quite certain," Ulquiorra stated firmly. "I devoured them myself, to ensure they wouldn't be able to cause anymore trouble for anyone." Celestia's eyes went wide at hearing this. "You... you devoured them?" "In the same manner you devour entire cakes," he clarified. "Oh, now that's just rude," she objected reflexively, before shaking her head and continuing. "I mean... honestly I don't know what to mean; I'm afraid you've managed to catch me off guard with that statement of yours. Was... was that really a wise course of action?" "That much is unknown. But at the time it was the only course of action that seemed logical. So long as the windigos remained free to continue, there was no telling how much damage they could cause if left unchecked," he explained. "A decision had to made made, and it was done." "Should I ask about the Elements of Harmony, and why they weren't used?" Celestia asked. "In simplest terms, Twilight Sparkle choked under the pressure," he stated. "Whether or not this will be a problem in need of address in the future remains to be seen." Celestia could do little more than frown at this. But at the same time she couldn't help but agree with Ulquiorra's assessment. After everything that'd happened recently, all the strain Twilight had been under, and likely still was under, real or perceived, they would need to keep a close eye on her, rather than assuming she was perfectly capable of going back to her old life as the local librarian. Waiting for her to reach out and ask somepony else for help also wasn't a viable strategy, as she knew -perhaps better than anyone- that Twilight wasn't the sort of mare to do that. She'd try and do it all on her own, and likely succumb to even worse stress and mental strain as a result. "Thank you, for being able to do what was needed of you," she stated softly. "Did they give you any trouble? The windigos, I mean?" "They attempted to resist, and even managed to do so. For thirty seconds, before finally meeting their end." "I'm... sorry, I think I misheard you just now, did you say thirty seconds? You've been gone for over three hours. If it only took you thirty seconds to, er, dispatch them, what took so long for you to return?" she asked. "Er, I mean, it's not that I was actually expecting you to come back upon completion of the mission like you're obligated to. I'm just curious as to what exactly happened back in Ponyville." "A combination of cleanup and damage control efforts," Ulquiorra stated. "First, it was necessary to scour the area to ensure no other windigos were present. When the first one was devoured, the other two attempted to flee, but failed to succeed. It would be unwise to simply assume only three were present, so an extensive search was performed of the surrounding territory to ensure all had been taken care of. Second, coordination with the citizens of Ponyville to address the presence of the snow. The members of Ponyville's weather team assured that it would melt if given enough time, but it was still determined best to move as much as possible to non-critical areas of the town to minimize potential environmental damages caused by its presence. Third, a snowball fight instituted by Pinkie Pie." "You took part in a snowball fight?" Celestia asked, uncertain if she'd actually heard right. "Not by choice," he clarified. "But their cooperation was deemed necessary for the cleanup efforts. So their eccentricities were indulged. For a time and up to a point anyway." It was only through many decades of effort spent developing the perfect poker face, that Celestia didn't smile in response. The idea of Ulquiorra actually going along with something as immature as a snowball fight, for the sake of others, simply to motivate them to work, was entirely unexpected, yet at the same time touching in an odd sort of way. The thought of him, in all his down to business, straightforwardness, deeming something so ridiculous as a worthwhile use of his time, was somewhat silly, and perhaps even a bit heartwarming to consider. "If there's nothing else to discuss, I'll be taking my leave now. There's still much research left to do," he announced, breaking her out of her thoughts. "Oh, right, of course." What else could she really say in response? If such an answer did exist, it was proving to be quite elusive right now. Perhaps it was best just to let the matter end there, rather than trying to drag it out any further.