Meanwhile back in Canterlot, Princess Celestia was answering questions at a press briefing concerning that morning’s raid on the Equestria Daily News. Captain Quartermane had just been handed an urgent notice. He read the note and then left the room without a word.
“Captain?” Celestia asked. The gathered press and nobles murmur among themselves. “One moment,” She said to the press and then followed after him. She found him talking with Detective Columbine and Twilight Velvet who'd a memo in her magical aura.
The Detective was known to Celestia, and might even be considered an actual friend. But aside from her being one of the few ponies who had access to Princess Celestia, Detective Columbine was not remarkable in any way save one. No, she wasn't anything like the typical hangers-on. Columbine was an off-white earth pony with auburn mane and tail who’d a penchant for trench coats. She is also notable for having risen in the ranks by tenacity alone. Word was, once Detective Columbine was on the case it was time to throw in the towel and hope for a lenient legal system.
“Captain, what’s going on?” Celestia asked.
“There’s been an incident in Cloudsdale," Mrs Sparkle informed her.
"The Neighpon Consul to Cloudsdale’s son was foal-napped," Captain Quartermane added. "Nova captured an air pirate ship and threatened to pillage, plunder, and otherwise pirate her weaselly black guts out. Apparently, she was trying to warn the base but the flight controller wasn’t taking her seriously. At least that’s what has been relayed to us. Mrs Daisy Bellis Woods is alive, well, and was taken into custody along with a number of pirates who’d been dressed as Cloudsdale guards. And finally, a number of foals were rescued along with the consul's son. It seems Princess Luna played a part in the rescue of some of the foals as well. Details are a bit sketchy right now.”
“Daisy? Alive?” Celestia asked. “Nova seemed to think she might still be alive, but I thought she was just being cynical.”
“Something tells me she’d be a good investigator,” Detective Columbine droned. “We should have made more of an effort to determine if Mrs Woods had indeed fallen as was presumed. You see, the thing is, one should never make assumptions concerning the sort who would flaunt the legal system.
“Princess Celestia.” Officer Columbine had a bad habit of taking forever to get to her point. “According to the preliminary investigation, Mr Rich Muddock and Daisy Bellis Woods have been quite the item. They sent a lot of correspondence to each other. There was one confusing aspect about a number of the letters she’d sent him which aren’t quite so confusing anymore. You see, being that every pony just assumed she was deceased, the assumption was that the more recent correspondence had for whatever reason been delayed within the postal system. Prior to getting postmarked.”
“That she faked her own death is rather evident,” Celestia offered.
“From what I gleaned from some of the correspondence, she wasn’t interested in just escaping justice,” Detective Columbine suggested. “The thing is, I kept seeing the same turn of words over and over.”
“And that was?” Captain Quartermane asked.
“Turn the screws,” Detective Columbine supplied. “Those two were undeniably fellow conspirators and if I were to hazard a guess at their motives it was-”
“Me. They wanted to make me miserable,” Celestia cut in.
“It would seem that way. And not all out of spite either as there was money to be made as well.”
“Princess Celestia, what we are being told concerning the incident," Mrs Sparkle cut in. "Is that certain parties to include Mrs Woods was actively engaged in gathering foals. And their base of operations is General Gideon Pillow’s base quarters where they drilled through the rock of the sky island to build an airship dock and took advantage of the cloud layer underneath to keep everything hidden. The stallion I’m told is completely unapologetic. Princess Nova and two other foals somehow managed to penetrate the cloud layer and found the airship. No pony is quite sure how they did either.”
“I’ll be sure to ask her,” Celestia mused.
“Princess Nova captured the airship, Drumlin Hay. A vessel that had been listed as having gone down over the Everfree with all hands. She’s claiming salvage rights.
“Princess Nova proceeded to the nearest gap in the cloud layer while attempting to get the Cloudsdale Tower controller to take her concerns seriously. I’m to understand that when the controller failed to take her seriously she began to antagonize them. This was happening around the same time the Consul's son was spotted being taken away by individuals dressed as Cloudsdale City guards. Princess Cadance on learning of the foal-napping slammed up a shield bubble around the base presumably to prevent their escape without first clearing her action with any of the base leadership. The Drumlin Hay nearly slammed into the shield at this point.”
“She manages to pull away at the last moment?” Celestia asked hopefully.
“No, she went right through it," Captain Quartermane offered in a tone that sounded almost proud. "Not really sure how she managed to do it, and I’m to understand she is being tight-lipped about it.”
“I’d imagine she would be,” Celestia stated astonished. “We certainly wouldn't want that sort of information getting out.” Celestia had a good idea it wasn’t Nova, as clever as she was the culprit was likely Moonie.
“Around the same time they were passing through the shield, members of the crew boarded and attempted to wrest control of the ship only to be rebuffed by Princess Nova with that fun little headache inducer of hers. Elements of the Wonderbolts got involved, and at least one member of tower control was relieved of duty,” Captain Quartermane explained. “The information suggests that there is a bit of a shake-up due to the Cloudsdale rank structure.”
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Princess Celestia returned to the press room a short time later to discover both the wings and back of the hall were now full to capacity.
Questions began flying. Princess Celestia said nothing until they quieted down.
“It would seem that we have all been the victims of a rather nefarious scheme,” Princess Celestia offered once things had quieted down. “This afternoon’s events in Cloudsdale, of which we are still getting reports, seems to be just one more aspect.” She waited a moment. “I’ve been informed that Mrs Daisy Bellis Woods, who every pony had assumed perished, driven to her death by the CCG, did in fact fake her own death and is now in custody. Along with a number of her co-conspirators who I’m to understand had begun to gather foals. We don’t really know why just yet.
“It’s looking like everything hit the fan shortly after the Neighpon Consul to Cloudsdale’s son was foal-napped. His abduction did not go unnoticed. Around the same time, Princess Nova and two other fillies somehow managed to find themselves under the Cloudsdale cloud layer. Something that needs to be addressed considering how dangerous it is for a foal to get trapped down there. While down there she and her companions discovered an airship by the name of Drumlin Hay. The ship had been listed as missing over the Everfree. The three assessed the situation they were in, identified the ship and took into custody the former Mrs Woods.
“Unable to get the Tower controller to take them seriously they ascended up through the cloud layer via Zephyrus Boulevard.”
“Your Highness, there was a report of the presence of Shadowbolts!” shouted a reporter towards the back.
Princess Celestia looked to her Captain and the detective. Neither had an answer.
“I’m afraid that is still under investigation. I can say that a number of foals have been recovered and I’ll let you know the headcount just as soon as that information is available.”