//------------------------------// // Turn It Around // Story: The Visiting Team -- Part II // by Lets Do This //------------------------------// With a pair of Royal Guard ponies escorting her, Moondancer trotted nervously through the main doors of the Canterlot Archives. As she walked in, the richly-robed research ponies at the various desks and reading tables looked up from their tomes and scrolls. Not with annoyance or even curiosity, just seeing what the disturbance was. Moondancer paused, looking at the guards with her. "I think you may be a little noisy in here, sirs, with that armor," she said, "Would you mind waiting here by the doors? I can yell if I need you." The guards glanced at each other, then bowed compliantly, and took up station as requested. And Moondancer advanced alone into the room, glancing around. The research ponies were already getting up from their tables and carrels, and gathering together to face her. Then Moondancer abruptly froze, swallowing nervously. At the head of the group she could see the Head Researcher, Paradigm Shift, himself. The scholar of scholars, dry as a twig and sharp as a whip, who almost never budged from his garret study. And here he was, as if waiting for her. The white-maned pony came to a halt, facing Moondancer. His associates quickly fell into line behind him. "Yes?" Paradigm Shift said gently. "May we be of assistance?" Moondancer thought quickly. It's like Trixie said: there's one act on the stage. So... She gave a respectful bow. "Honored researchers, my name is Moondancer, and I'm Princess Twilight's Minister of Research." She glanced around at the robed ponies. "But that doesn't make me an expert, not by any stretch of the imagination. I just really love reading. Ahem." Smiling sheepishly, she drew herself up again. "I need your help in finding a book." "Ah, what manner of book?" Paradigm's tone was perfectly even, neither amused nor condescending. Just asking clarification, as if on a minor detail. Moondancer almost smiled. Here was a pony that she could relate to. "A book," she replied with similar calm directness, "that might well help us to save all of Equestria." Paradigm's bushy eyebrows lofted at this, but he said nothing. Moondancer pressed on. "May I call upon your expertise and knowledge in this matter, sir? You and your entire research team? It is that important." "Well! This is most unusual." Paradigm glanced briefly around at his fellow researchers. They in turn stared back at him, gravely awaiting his judgement. Moondancer gritted her teeth and kept looking at the head researcher, as he turned back to her. She looked him square in his calm gray eyes... Then Paradigm smiled, honestly pleased. "Princess Celestia has oft come to us in search of guidance. On some detail of Griffon or Zebra culture, some fine point of law or history, even on --" He made a distasteful look. "-- crossword clues. But to my knowledge, the Princess has never, not once, asked us to assist her... in saving the day." Paradigm Shift bowed deeply. Following his example, the assembled researchers hurriedly did likewise. "You shall have every resource we can offer, Minister Moondancer," he said. Then, looking her in the eye, with a twinkle in his own, he went on. "How shall we begin?" Moondancer allowed herself to breathe again. "Well..." She glanced around at the innumerable galleries filled with books. "I usually just start with the A's and work my way through the lot. But I don't think we have that kind of time. So we should start by trying to identify the vine or weed, or whatever it is, that's invading the city. Maybe there's something about it in one of Botanical Garden's monographs on thaumotropic plant life. Also, we should see if we can determine the nature of the dark magic it projects, try to find a counter-spell. I should ask my friend Starlight to help us with that. She's really good with spellwork." Paradigm nodded. "Quite so. And, if I may suggest, Minister," he added gently, "we should also see if there are any historical precedents for the situation we find ourselves in. Any party or parties who might hold a grudge against Equestria or its Princesses. That could help us narrow down the search substantially." Moondancer blinked, her mouth open. Then she nodded quickly. "Just what I would have suggested, sir. If I'd been swift enough to think of it." Paradigm laughed. "My dear Moondancer, I have met with ministers and potentates, officials and royalty of all stripes. But it's a rare occasion, a rare one indeed, for me to encounter a pony in such a posting whom I might readily welcome as a colleague." Moondancer stared at him in astonishment, taking that in, as Paradigm Shift turned to his fellow researchers. "Fellow scholars! We have been called upon to assist in saving Equestria. And she shall not find us wanting. This has top priority, all hooves on deck as it were. Let us get to work!" As the group conferred on strategies for dividing the effort, with Moondancer right in their midst, she couldn't suppress an ear-to-ear smile. A colleague, she thought. Paradigm Shift, the pony who had to stop accepting prizes for learning and discovery only because he ran out of prizes to accept, called me a colleague... She wanted to laugh out loud. Wait till I tell Twilight that! ------------------------------ The Ponyville group, Zecora included, had regathered in Fluttershy's cottage. And Sunset was pacing back and forward angrily. "What was that?" she demanded loudly. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" "Beggin' yer pardon, Sunset," Applejack said in an injured tone. "But that's kinda harsh, ain't it?" "Yeah!" Rainbow added. "I mean, we're with ya a hundred percent. But we're not exactly a magical commando squad, here." Sunset looked up at them in surprise. "Oh, I wasn't talking about any of you," she said. "I was talking about me." She stamped a hoof in frustration. "I'm so used to having five other overpowered unicorns backing me up, I didn't even think about what I was getting us into!" She gazed out through the window next to her, at the green wall of the forest. And then sighed, helplessly. "How does she do it?" she asked. "Twilight, I mean. She wouldn't goof up like this. Somehow she knows just what to ask of each of us, without even thinking about it. Because she knows us, knows what we can do, knows our strengths and weaknesses. Because... she's such a good friend." She looked sadly around at the others. "I'm sorry, gang. I wasn't paying attention, and I nearly got us all hurt. Some leader I turned out to be, huh?" Applejack trotted over, put a hoof around her. "Don't beat yourself up, sugarcube. All of us walked into this with our eyes open. What matters now is we're all safe, and we've got another chance to get it right." The others nodded readily. "Absolutely!" Rarity agreed. "Though if we can possibly choose a path that doesn't involve running into those walking compost heaps, I would be more than gratified." She wrinkled her snout disgustedly. "Yeah!" Rainbow agreed. "We're with ya, Sunset -- totally! So, what's the plan?" "Just... gimme a minute here, gang," Sunset said, putting a hoof to her head and shutting her eyes. "I gotta rethink this a bit..." And then she suddenly looked up, staring around at all of them. Five ponies, five personalities she already knew, all so well... from their counterparts at CHS, on the other side of the mirror. "Okay," she said. "I think I've got it now. Fluttershy, you're crazy good with animals." "Um... yes?" "Can you ask the birds and squirrels and other creatures in the Forest to act as lookouts? To let us know if there's anything dangerous in our path, or sneaking up on us from the sides?" She nodded in surprise. "Of course I can." "Rainbow," Sunset went on, "you're wasted flying low. So fly higher, where there's less underbrush. Keep watch for anything coming at us from above." The pegasus nodded. "Can do!" "Rarity," Sunset said, "You're good with pinking shears." "Afraid it's about all I'm good with, my dear." "That's okay, it's just what we need. Can you help clear a path for us? Trim back the branches and creepers in our way, so we're not distracted with struggling through them?" Surprised, she nodded willingly. "Of course, darling!" "Applejack, you're the strongest of us. So you bring up the rear. You watch our six, and keep everypony safe, okay?" "Not a problem, Sunset. Be glad to!" "And Zecora, you and I will take point. But I'll let you lead, since you know your way better. I'll focus on keeping the group together." The zebra smiled, nodding in approval. // One who follows // // leads best, they say, // // from taking time // // to see the way. // Sunset smiled in return. "And Pinkie," she said, "you're, uh..." She waved a hoof, not sure how to put it. "You're our wild card, our ace in the hole. The pony they'll never see coming. You do whatever's needed, okay?" Pinkie was somehow suddenly wearing full tactical gear, including night-vision goggles. She snapped to attention, saluting. "I... am...on it!" The others laughed, and Pinkie stared around, surprised. "Whaaaat? I'm just getting into character!" Sunset laughed with them all, then stared out through the window at the green wall of the Forest. "Okay, gang," she said determinedly. "Let's do this..." ------------------------------ "Wow, I'm glad that's over with," Twilight said. She and Starlight had retreated to the quiet of the audience room. And Twilight had her head resting in her hooves, her elbows on the table. "I mean, I don't know how many more ways I can say 'I don't know' without sounding like a complete idiot!" "You did just fine, I thought," Starlight said. "And maybe now we can get back to dealing with Ponyville, huh?" "Maybe," Twilight said. "But we still don't know what to do yet." "Excuse me, Your Highness?" Twilight looked miserably at Raven. "Tell me there isn't something else?" "Afraid so. But this should be quick." She consulted her clipboard. "We need you to witness the signing of the latest trade accord with the Griffons, on behalf of the realm." "Um, not an expert here," Starlight said, "but... priorities? Is now really the time to be worrying about trade negotiations?" "In this case, yes. We've been working on this for months, and have finally gotten all parties on board. We just need to meet with the ambassador to ratify and sign the treaty." "Fine," Twilight said. "So, where is it?" Raven looked puzzled. "Highness?" "This treaty? I'm not signing anything on behalf of Equestria until I've read it first." "That... may take some time, Highness." "Why? It's just a trade agreement, right?" Several minutes later, Twilight and Starlight were staring at multiple stacks of paper and numerous scrolls, piled on the table before them. "Seriously?" Starlight said. "What are we trading here? Whole continents?" Raven shrugged. "There were many details and nuances which needed to be carefully spelled out. The griffons can be... picky about such things." "Well, all right," Twilight said. "Let's get to it, then." Starlight reluctantly nodded. "Sure. Can't be much more complicated than cramming for a final exam, right?" Half an hour later, both of them were already bleary-eyed, and they'd only put together an outline of the agreement. "I'm still not entirely clear on what we're agreeing to here," Twilight said. "I mean, this section here --" She pointed at a passage midway through a stack of paper. "Is this even Ponish?" "And this scroll," Starlight said, unrolling it. "on the boundary demarcations with Trottingham. Who wrote this thing? It looks like the Griffons are ceding half a township here, and getting nothing in return. That doesn't make sense." Twilight glanced through it herself. "You're right, that has to be some kind of clerical error. Maybe somepony didn't read it through properly." She stared around at the rest of the documents. "In fact, they're all like that. It feels like a wordy, half-finished rush job. Maybe... maybe as long as we're reading through all this, we might condense it a bit, put it into some kind of order. That should help in the final sign-off." "You think we should?" Starlight said. "Raven said this took a while to put together." "I don't feel comfortable signing something I can't even follow myself," Twilight said. "We can at least make it easier to read. Spike, help us out here. Starlight and I will summarize things. You copy them down for us." "You got it, Twilight!" He picked up a new blank scroll, and held up his quill. Starlight shrugged, and willingly helped Twilight sort the scrolls into a useful order. An hour and a half later still, Twilight and Starlight were just putting the finishing touches on a single, carefully-lettered scroll. "Ha!" Starlight said. "It is like doing the final roll-up on a School project." "Ow..." Spike groaned, kneading his claw and making faces, "just like, from my point of view." "You did great, Spike," Twilight told him. "Now let's talk to Raven and show this to her." But when they requested Raven's assistance -- Twilight utterly refused to think of it as summoning her -- and proudly showed the administrator the single, compact scroll, Raven began making the uncomfortable-looking faces of a pony trying very hard not to say something career-limiting. "It's just that," she finally said, "negotiations with Griffonstone have taken so long, and been so tortured, even over seemingly minor details of wording. If we change anything now, it's likely to set the entire effort back to the start." "So, you don't think this is a good idea?" Twilight tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. Raven winced. "It might be best at this juncture to retain the treaty's original composition. Any issues can be ironed out in the periodic reviews, which are spelled out in an appendix to the agreement." "Oh." Twilight looked at the mountains of paper on the table, then at the simple, almost spell-like document hovering in her magic. And then she set the summary scroll on the table. "You're right, Raven," she said. "I'm only in charge temporarily, so I shouldn't disrupt work you and the staff have put so much effort into." Raven smiled gratefully. "Rest assured, Highness, we do appreciate the leadership you and your friends have shown. If you're ready, I'll work on scheduling time with the ambassador and his party. Say, in a couple hours, if that's suitable?" "Sounds good to me," Twilight said. As Raven departed, Starlight shrugged. "Well, at least we tried, huh? So, what do we do in the meantime?" Twilight considered it. "We could help to search for the Princesses," she suggested. "But the guards must have already thoroughly quartered the Palace by now, looking for clues." "Maybe," Starlight said, "though you know, there's one place they likely haven't searched all that thoroughly." "Where?" Twilight asked, puzzled. And then looked uneasy. "Oh..." ------------------------------ Meanwhile, down in the Palace's celebration area... "Thank you, Canterlot! You've been a marvelous audience, ah... today. Yes, definitely today. And don't worry! The Grrreat and Powerful Trrrixie -- aided by her great and powerful friends -- has matters well in hoof!" There was an agreeable, if muted, round of applause. Trixie aloofly trotted down the stairs of her wagon's fold-out stage, and then into the crowd of autograph-seekers, with Guard ponies accompanying her to keep back the more enthusiastic fans. "A wonderful show, my dear!" said a portly matron with a gilt-frosted mane. "Simply wonderful. My little niece and nephew here adored it." The filly and colt with her obligingly smiled on cue. "Well," Trixie purred, chucking each of them under the chin, "we aim to please!" "How do you manage it, Miss Trixie?" asked a pudgy delivery pony, scratching his tan mane. "I can't tell whether you're using real magic or not." "Oh!" she replied mysteriously. "One never knows, with the Great and Powerful Trixie. Is it real magic, or simple illusion? Is Trixie faking it? Or does she have extraordinary powers, beyond the ken of mere mortal ponies?" Trixie dimpled, then giggled mischievously. "Trixie likes to keep her adoring fans guessing." A nervous-looking businesspony raised a hoof. "Do you know if they've found the Princesses yet?" he asked. "Twilight and the others, I mean?" "They will find them, won't they, my dear?" the matron asked, fearfully. "The children do worry, you know..." Her niece and nephew looked up at her in confusion. "I used to complain," mused a lordly-looking noble, "about Princess Celestia's confusingly progressive tax policy. But right now, I'd give anything to have her back on the throne again." "I feel the same," sighed the delivery pony. "They'll find Her Highness soon, won't they?" Now the matron's niece and nephew looked worried. "I miss Celestia," whimpered the colt. His sister nodded sadly. "Well," Trixie said, a little testily, "my friends and I are hard at work on that. And rest assured, the Great and Powerful Trixie -- and her capable friends -- shall not rest until the Princesses are restored!" This prompted a small, though encouraging, round of applause. But there were more questions along the same lines, as Trixie continued to sign autographs. Everyone wanted to know about Celestia. Celestia, Trixie grumbled to herself. Always Celestia. Finally tiring of the constant questioning, the demands for reassurance, Trixie turned away, claiming a prior engagement, and closed up her wagon. Then she headed for the Palace, the guards in tow. And as she went, she looked up at the two tallest towers of the Palace -- in particular the one to the left, which held Luna's private suite. It's like they've forgotten all about you, Trixie thought to herself crossly. Well, Trixie hasn't, that's for sure. She trotted up the front stairway and through the doors into the main entrance hall. And here she found Cheese Sandwich, conducting an impromptu call-and-response singalong for a group of the guards and staff. Trixie shook her head, amazed despite herself. Somehow, with just a wheezy accordion and a mind like a butter churn, the party pony had the entire crowd belting out the chorus to Chancellor Puddinghead Fell Down The Stairs like it was Hearthswarming Eve. Huh, Trixie though proudly. At least I'm not some kind of song-and-dance pony. I'm a miracle worker! And if nopony else is going to trouble themselves to look for Princess Luna, then I guess it's up to the Great and Powerful Trixie! Jamming her hat tighter onto her mane, Trixie turned and headed for the stairs leading up to the Royal Residence wing of the Palace. ------------------------------ Back in Ponyville, Sunset's party again approached the Forest, this time by the path near Sweet Apple Acres, which was broader and sloped up a short rise before diving into the vine-strangled shadows. With Fluttershy's animals keeping watch ahead of them, and Rainbow keeping watch overhead, and Rarity efficiently clearing brush out of their way, they made much better progress this time. Of course, every now and then they had to wait impatiently until Pinkie Pie returned from whatever covert operation she'd assigned herself to, rambling like a hunting dog through the underbrush around them. But they made their way without incident deep into the Forest's dark interior. They came at last to a large, gnarled elm tree, with a wooden door and windows set into its base, its trunk decorated with traditional masks and its gnarled branches with hanging bottles. The door stood open and then windows were dark, making the tree look abandoned and lonely. And it was thoroughly enmeshed by the black, coiling vines. Zecora gazed at it miserably as they passed. "Is that your home, Zecora?" Sunset asked her. The zebra nodded. Then her normally placid expression turned darkly stern. // To magic of all kinds // // this plant seems drawn // // Spell, potion, and chanter, // // the list goes on... // // So, perhaps towards its magic // // out paths should now roam, // // to drive back this menace // // from hearth and home! // "We're with ya on that, no question," Applejack said. "But these vines are all over the place. How do we follow 'em back to their source?" Sunset tapped her horn with a grin. "This thing isn't just for looks, you know." She swung her head back and forth, one eye closed, her horn faintly glowing. "You're right, though. It's hard to pin down exactly. The dark magic of these vines, it feels strongest... thattaway." She gestured with a forehoof. "Oh, do let me guess," Rarity said, dryly. "That way will lead to the darkest, muddiest, most dangerous part of the Forest, yes?" Zecora smiled. // The heart of the Forest // // is dark, it is so. // // But if I recall rightly... // // I know which way to go. // Unhesitatingly Zecora set out along a smaller, winding track, leading away among the surrounding trees, and after a moment the others uneasily followed her. After what felt like over an hour of tramping, single-file, along the narrow track, it opened out into a relatively thin part of the Forest. The trees were spaced father apart here, large swathes of night-dark sky visible overhead. The ground was mostly bare, with patches of scraggly underbrush. "Huh. Don't look nearly so bad here," Applejack said. Zecora shook her head warningly. // Appearances can deceive, // // mislead, and mislay. // // And this place has always // // felt wrong in some way. // "It might have something to do with that," Sunset said, pointing. Ahead of them, and stretching as far as they could see in either direction through the trees, was a vast thicket of the black, thorned vines. The vines erupted from the ground and then spread laterally, like a banyan tree: rising, branching, then plunging back into the ground, in an immense, impassible tangle. "Yep," Applejack said, "This looks like the source of them weeds, all right." "Ohhh, how are we going to get past all that?" Fluttershy whispered. Rainbow waggled her wings. "Duh!" She leapt into the air. "Rainbow, wait!" Sunset called. But the pegasus simply blasted past her, arcing upwards over the wall of vines. The pegasus had only gotten a few yards, however, when a large frond on one of the vines snapped open, like a clawlike mouth, and then launched at her. "Woah!" Rainbow yelled, as she dodged it. She jinked away from another of the fronds snapping at her, and then evaded a third. "Okay, that's not gonna work," she muttered, turning back. But now there were more of the mouth-like fronds, rising from the underbrush all round the group. "Back to the path, gang," Sunset called. "We'll have to go around." "Sunset! Behind ya!" Applejack shouted. Sunset turned and found one of the fronds gaping right before her, hissing angrily. It suddenly expelled a puff of blue, swirling gas right in her face. Sunset coughed and choked. She felt dizzy and light-headerd. She turned away from it... and another frond blasted her in the face with more of the gas. Sunset blinked in confusion, on the verge of passing out. The landscape before her swayed drunkenly. The frond spread wide, like a huge mouth, closing in viciously, implacably... ... until a lasso of black creeper looped over it, yanked tight and hauled it down out of the air, to slam hard into the ground. "Listen here, ya rabid rhodadendrons!" Applejack yelled. "Ya mess with one of us, ya mess with all of us!" "Yeah!" Rainbow added. She darted upwards into the air, waving tauntingly. "Up here!" Turning in midair she took off like a shot, one of the fronds chasing her. "Come and get me!" Pinkie Pie shouted merrily, leading another frond in a different direction. "Don't forget me!" Rarity called lightly, with a frond chasing her in a different direction. Still dazed, Sunset looked around herself in increasing amazement. She wondered if she was dreaming. The five ponies from Ponyville had somehow completely forgotten their fears. Applejack was fashioning lasso after lasso from the creepers, and steadily roping and hog-tying the plants, left and right. Rainbow and Fluttershy were darting about through the air, leading the fronds into helpless knots. Pinkie Pie and Rarity were doing the same on the ground. Applejack leapt over and under the increasingly stymied vines, leading the remaining fronds into weaving themselves into hopeless snarls and tangles. Very quickly the attacking fronds were reduced to a helpless, wriggling mass, struggling on the ground. "Ta daaaa!" shouted Pinkie Pie. And somehow she made confetti fall out of thin air, all round her. "Wow..." Sunset shook her head to clear it. "That was just... amazing work, gang. Great job!" Pinkie Pie waved a hoof. "De nada! Anything for a friend, Sunset!" And then, right behind Pinkie, a loose front reared up. It roared angrily, then flung itself down upon the pink pony, catching her unawares. It slammed tight shut on her, engulfing her on the spot. "Pinkie!" Rainbow yelled. Arrowing down out of the air, she slammed into the frond, knocking it to the ground. But when they'd finally pried its jaws open, there was no sign of the party pony. They all looked around, hoping Pinkie had pulled one of her strange jaunts out of harm's way in time. But there was neither sign nor sound of her, anywhere they looked in the silent clearing. "She's just... gone," Rarity moaned. "Pinkie..." Sunset gasped.