“But these are same exact same procedures in which you had employed today!” I cried. “You already knew that there had been no murder of Rainbow Dash, no criminalized Pinkie Pie—but why had you still done such work upon a completely fabricated case? Furthermore, why did you even still work on it?”
“As I have already said, Watcolt, I wanted to play along with the game, where the Changeling would least expect for me to know what it truly is. I had planned to catch it so off guard in order for it reveal to me its true form as I fooled it fooling me. I planned at the basement phase, where I would be regaining my consciousness, to say that I knew what it truly was thus revealing its true form out of surprise. Then, upon doing so, taking advantage of his surprise, demand what was the political crisis in which it wishes for me not to interfere with. It was here, upon executing this, Watcolt, I realized the gravity of the situation in which I found myself in.”
“What is it, then?”
“I have committed a great blunder, Watcolt.” said Pones gravely.
I frowned.
“How—in what way?” said I.
“For I had still fallen victim to the master schemer! Look—as it had been previously deduced, the sole purpose of this manufactured case was to retain me in Ponyville solving a non-existent crime for an entire day in order for the crisis—whatever it may be—to occur without my interference. And wanting to know what it is, I had still waisted an entire day in doing so, instead of simply going to Canterlot and ascertaining the crisis myself and saving not only myself from trouble, but to also prevent a possible catastrophe.”
“But why have you had to wait for the following morning? Was it not possible to alter the appointment’s occurrence? It would certainly save you a lot of trouble and perhaps even prevent the attack!”
“For if I were to do so, Watcolt, it would rouse Pinkie Pie—or the Changeling’s suspicions that I’m onto it, which would cause it to call it off. And thus, ruining any hopes for capture. I was, therefore, compelled to accept if I wished to extract a confession—”
“But doing so led you to neglect your brother’s urgent plead and had nearly caused the demise of the Equestrian Monarchy!”
Pones pursed his lips as he concurred the remark with a grave nod.
“Sweet Celestia, Pones!” I cried. “Why had you done this?”
“For I have been to conceited—too sure of myself—I wanted to make a big splash of the dramatic. It is my most fatal flaw, Watcolt—to be dramatic—I couldn’t resist employing it! I wanted to install fear upon the Changeling and extract a confession of the truth instead of simply going to the very place itself! Thus, ultimately, leading to the result of the crisis to still take place! I had still wasted an entire day, as it had been originally planned by the schemer. That is why I had been called by Myclop, to lecture me upon this point that if I hadn’t been too foolish, the entire fiasco could’ve avoided entirely, and that the Monarchy had been blessed by Twilight Sparkle for acting the way she did. He had done certain alternatives to snuff the Queen out and guaranteeing the protection of the Monarchy while waiting for my appearance—such as the Royal Guard’s protocols in search for a Changeling (in which we had been ourselves questioned), dispensing his most elite members to participate in the search, and ordering for a protective barrier to be cast in order to prevent any Changelings either entering or exiting. These, unfortunately, all was for naught. Though I was pardoned, I made a vow to refrain myself from ever revealing this to the public if I wish to avoid a public outrage.”
I leaned back in my chair.
“But who is this master schemer?!” I cried.
“When I had gotten a confession from the Changeling that it is indeed one—much to his surprise—and demanded what awaits me at Canterlot, this is where I realized my grave error. The Changeling had probably seen the look on my face as I reeled in fully to the horror of my situation, for it gave a hearty laugh. Then it mocked how I still practically lost to them. This then had me thinking—whoever designed this ingenious case, knowing that my taste for the dramatic would betray me and benefit him for his plot. But what is that plot?
“Since I had confirmed the presence of a Changeling and of criminal activity, it is safe to say that whatever the plot may be involved the Changelings. And since Myclop contacted me to deal with speaks its severity. But in order to assure its success by preventing my interference with it, another plot is schemed to divert my attention. But who schemed that other plot?
“Their leader—the Queen, I thought, couldn’t be the designer of this ingenious device of the red-herring case, for in order to do so, she must be well acquainted with my methods and traits in order for the appeal of the concocted case to work. But in order to be well acquainted of my nature, she would have to study my previous cases. But before she could do so, she would have to learn of my existence. But due to fact that she is a Changeling and that her kin remain isolated in the outskirts of Equestria, she couldn’t possibly know of me. And yet, she employed this ingenious device to drive my attention away from what they have in stored for the Monarchy--that is, if she were indeed the one who had crafted this device. With this doubt, I surmised the possibility that they received assistance from an exterior source from Equestira—one whom is actually well-acquainted with my methods.
“As I heard yours and Trotkins’ steps from above, I asked if they did indeed receive assistance from one, to which it admitted. I nearly learnt who that exterior source was till you and the young D.I came in.
“But when you had it pinned down, I was, at the last minute, got it out from it—”
“The Professor,” said I.
“Precisely; upon learning this, as you may remember, taking advantage of the earthquake, the Changeling escaped the scene. I then followed it with my intention of bringing it to Canterlot via teleportation in order to reveal the plot himself to me. And as you remember, we arrived there well disoriented—partly because teleporting from Ponyville to Canterlot is quite the Herculean task, which proved to be exhausting upon my powers. Due to our disoriented state, the Changeling chanced it and escaped. And once we regained our mental ground, we had only begun to realize full horror of the situation—a Changeling attack—that was plot in which they desired for me not interfere.”
I shivered upon recalling those memoires.
“But how?” said I. “I mean, why do they fear that their plans will come to naught if you did interfere? And how they did they fear you would do so?”
“I had thought of that,” said Pones. “In order to ascertain it, my first step was to confirm my theory that they—the Changelings had indeed received help from an exterior source known so romantically as the Professor in order to assure success of the ongoing attack.”
“That would explain why we tackled that Changeling down that alley!” said I, well-remembering its affirmation. "But why had you let it go?”
“For if I were to detain him long enough, we would waste time in doing so instead of spending it in making up for my mistakes by collaborating with the Mane Six. Therefore, I did what I did and released him. We then arrived at Canterlot Castle for the purpose in which I already stated—and to give answers to the question how came I to be mixed up with the matter. But as we fought our way through the horde, it was when Twilight Sparkle saved us and the Monarchy as well from our troubles—”
He waved his hoof round the air and gestured it at the heroine, adorned in youthful feminine grace so prominent in the academic.