Time skip one week, Pov: Princess Celestia
Day court, possibly the worst form of torture to ever exist. And I'm currently taking part in it, whoopee. "After that big headache inducing incident with Aizen and his little friends I've got to think of a plan to deal with that and by all accounts I should've confiscated that device that Aizen used to summon Twilight.G... But for right now I shall just try and relax while these boring day court hearings take place." As I continue my line of thoughts a small cough is heard from the voice in front of me.
"Princess, did you get all of that?" Frozen Account asked with a tilt of his head.
"Pardon my rudeness Mr. Frozen Account but I did not, if you'd please repeat your previous request that'd be delightful." I politely tell the unicorn stallion.
"That is alright princess. My request is that we simply make it so that those without insurance be able to afford damage costs at a reasonable price if one's account is low on funds-" A guard rushes into the throne room with a panicked look on her face.
Quickly pacing herself towards me the mare does a short bow before immediately speaking up. "This is Pollen Dust reporting from the station at Appleloosa. There's an urgent situation that needed to come to your attention."
"Oh I hope this isn't another drought hitting the Appleloosians." I internally beg that it isn't as she suspects but responds nonetheless. "Excuse us Mr. Frozen Accountant but I must take this. Please reschedule your next day court arrival or if you wish my sister would happily accept a night court request."
Frozen Account is saddened by this revelation but bows his head and walks out of the throne room, also adding. "I understand princess, and I send my wishes that all is well with whatever's going on."
Swiftly exiting after that I turn back to the guardsmare. "Pollen Dust, what's your report on the state of Appleloosa?" Not sounding all to pleased with the disruption I stare at her, waiting for an answer.
Nervously clearing her throat, Pollen Dust looks up at me with the same discomfort as she's shown before. "There have been reports about a mysterious string of murders in Appleloosa. Several autopsy reports indicate that there was a piercing weapon involved, but whenever we checked the surrounding area there was no signs of any ammunition being used. However we have found traces of magic around the bodies, closely resembling a branch of holy magic but nothing that's been documented before."
My boredom is long gone by now and is instead replaced by an unending sense of uneasiness. "When did the first murder occur. And are there any lead suspects for this case?"
"The murders first started occurring around four weeks ago. As for suspects? There's also been sightings of an unidentifiable pony wearing a strange white uniform that's been lingering around the scenes of the several crimes days prior."
Narrowing my eyes I silently sigh into my hoof before cracking my neck. "Pollen Dust, I need you to write a letter for me. Somepony needs to get moving. He'll know in the report that they're back again..." I ominously lead off, confusing my guard but she complies nonetheless.
"First, write down that they..."
Pov:Spike
"I still can't believe all that shit Aizen was spouting. It felt like he was telling the truth but still. That entire speech had made me feel like I was floating in mid-air." Laying in the air I start to get a closer view of the sky itself. I decide to turn over and look at my big sister. Who's currently on a cloud right now, laying down next to me.
"Hey Twi, don't you sorta miss when our lives weren't so crazy? It really feels like reality is just breaking apart sometimes, don't you think?"
She turns her head over to look at me. Putting a hoof to her chin, Twilight nervously chuckles. "I get what you mean Spike sigh it feels like everything as we know it is collapsing in on itself. It felt like just yesterday me and my friends were taking down Nightmare Moon, but now look at us. We've sealed away Discord and live with somepony that's been alive for for a thousand years."
Okay well when she puts it like that it does kinda sound cool. "Pfft, Twi if you told me that two months ago I would've thought you were smoking something." Rolling my entire body over to Twilight's side, I get a better look at my relaxed sister.
Giggling, I watch my sister wave her forelegs back in forth in the air. "Spikeeeeee, c'mon don't say things like that. You know that you're too smart to be stuff of that nature. I can't say that you'd be wrong about that though." Gently sighing she rolls over to see me too.
That signature sisterly smile that she always uses whenever it's just us two. That smile always makes me feel better, more reassured of myself, which makes me feel lucky to have Twi as someone that's so close to me. "I love you Twi, more than you'll ever know. You're the best big sis I could ask for, and it feels like nothing could happen from here on."
"Y'know I can't believe we've never done this before. Cloud watching is one thing but actually being inside the clouds is something else entirely." This actually does make me wonder why we never hung out like this before.
Twilight snorts before moving some hair away from her face. "I can't risk having you fall out of the clouds Spike. But I guess since you can step on air this is the next best thing."
Letting out a small 'hmph' I turn back to the sky, sometimes catching pegasi fly above us. Almost all of 'em were surprised though, which isn't surprising given the circumstance. "Huh, speaking of pegasi, when will I get my wings? Being able to walk on air is cool but I know it wont feel as amazing as flying with my wings." Deep in my thoughts about growth, I sudden let a large belch. I end up getting a scroll hovering in the air for a few seconds before landing down and smacking me in the face.
"Ew Spike, say excuse me." Twilight lectures me with a semi-disgusted face but also some amusement. "Anyways what's in the scroll?"
Grabbing the scroll from my face I open the seal up and look at the contents. "Well first off you're excused, and secondly it says that the princesses are requesting that Aizen comes to Canterlot for an emergency at once."
I sour up from how out of the blue this is.
“On the upside, nothing in the letter has anything to do with me and Twilight so we’re both good.” As soon as I finish that thought another scroll materializes in front of me, coming from my fire.
“What is it now?” I mumble to myself, tearing the seal off and chucking it to the ground. Swiftly reading it I nearly throw the scroll itself somewhere else.
“Hey what’s wrong Spike?” My sister asks with a concerned look.
Instantly facepalming I lean over and give the scroll to Twilight. “...The princesses are saying that if need be, Aizen can request for me to come with. Which is out of the blue for Celestia to do.”
Twilight shrugs her shoulders. “That’s alright all you’ve gotta do is- wait what did you say?” Finally registering what I said my sister starts freaking out. “W-why would Princess Celestia say that you would have to go with Aizen for some type of emergency down in Canterlot?!”
Seeing my sister’s distress I scooch over closer to her, trying to reassure Twilight. “Hey don’t sweat it, the princess only said that I’d have to go “if” Aizen asks me to come with. And plus it could just be some type of diplomatic issue she needs our help on.”
Thinking it over for a second she shakes her head. “No. That wouldn’t make any sense, I get why Aizen would go for something like that but you’re still inexperienced with controlling your emotions and being a proper diplomat… No offense.” She adds on. But considering what Twilight’s getting at? She’s right, so now I’m just left to wonder what exactly Aizen’s being called in for.
“The probability of it being that serious is kinda low. Heck we won't know till I get the note to Aizen. So wait here alright Twi? I’ll be back before you know it.”
Taking an affirmed gaze with Twilight I give her a resolved nod. And it almost completely breaks apart the anxiety she gained within such a short amount of time. “A-alright, just be sure to let me know okay?”
“You got it Twi.” I cooly respond before stopping the flow of Reiatsu on myself, falling through the sky and opening a Garganta underneath me, traveling through the space in between.
Pov: Sōsuke Aizen
These past six days of constant training on and off have been a pain in my ass, I’m really gonna need a proper break one of these days. Nonetheless, Kyōka Suigetsu and I both decided to have a break today and simply talk. And for such talks I can really let loose and let my true personality come out.
“Okay hold on Kyōka, just hear me out really quick!” I excitedly ask him.
Putting a hand to his mask he slowly allows it to slide down in mock-annoyance. “Please Xavier, every time the words ‘hear me out’ come from your mouth it’s usually something I do not wish to hear but please, proceed with your usual idiocy.” He reluctantly wavers to my joy.
“Alright, alright, so get this. If there’s other displaced people out there, right? And they’re all of different characters like Grima, which to this day I’ll never understand Fire Emblem, if they all exist do they realize the fact that… They’re kinda busted?” The question I’ve asked has been one that’s been stewing inside my mind for quite some time now so I’m relived to finally get it out of my system.
Kyōka Suigetsu, for a couple of moments, only stares at me. Almost pity-like too. “Xavier. That is so fucking stupid on so many levels. Do you not realize what you said only moments ago?”
“Wait! I swear just hear me out on this. There’s gotta be some sort of Anti-Spiral displaced out there, or some Cole MacGrath that’s at maximum potential, time traveling and shit, or maybe! Maybe there’s a Madara out there.” Rapidly spitfiring random Displaced possibilities slightly grabs Kyōka’s attention.
“Hold that thought for just a moment Xavier. Those are indeed possibilities but I have a feeling they are very scarce in their probabilities of happening. And even then, we’re unstoppable, nothing short of Yhwach could stop us let alone some other displaced… But then again we can’t rule out the fact that there could be one displaced person out there who’s collected an assortment of gifts from other displaced as well.”
Now it’s my turn to be unamused. Kyōka tends to always make normal topics into serious ones. “Ugh, you always say shit like that.” Turning around I tap my finger onto my chin. “Since you turned Displaced into a sore area to cover. Do you remember the Griffon empire? Man, now they know how to take risks. I wonder how they’re doing now?”
A small chuckle emanates from Kyōka Suigetsu. “Ah yes the griffons. They took too many risks if you ask me… Ah but the alcohol they procured came second place, right after the Minotaurs. Which I feel as though that was one of the only reasons we ever did visit their lands. We were more foolish back then.” The living zanpakutō admits.
Getting offended by this call out of my past self being ‘foolish’ I can’t help but open my mouth to retort. Yet as I’m about to, I feel a small tap on my shoulder. It ends up jolting me out of my inner world and looking around inside my room, only to find my lone student in front of me.
“Dude are you okay? You were just sitting down while staring at the wall. I tried to call your name six different times and you didn’t answer.” Spike explains to me.
It’s abnormal for me to not have sensed his presence even if I was inside my inner world. I suppose Kyōka Suigetsu must’ve blocked out his existence so we could talk for a little while longer. “Yes, I’m fine, I was merely meditating. Now what is it that you’ve come for on your day off?”
Reaching into one of his pockets, I watch Spike pull out an opened scroll with its seal broken. “You’ve got a request from princess Celestia. It says there’s an emergency and you need to come to Canterlot immediately. But for some reason it also says that you can bring me with you if you need to.” Handing me the scroll I read it over.
Sigh even on a day off I can’t catch a break for more than a month here. “I’ll see what this is about then. Stay right there, I might actually need your help if Celestia is the one who suggested it.” Popping open a Senkaimon I travel through it to Canterlot, right inside the palace where Celestia’s throne is.
Walking through the sliding doors I find a very expectant solar diarch in front of me, both of her forelegs crossed over each other. “Ah Sōsuke, I was wondering exactly when you’d come. Glad to see that you weren’t hiding off somewhere running your usual shady experiments.”
Grunting in response to her clear superiority complex I still keep my composure. “Still calling me by my first name? I told you that you could just call me by my last one. But that’s enough chit-chat. What exactly did you need me for?”
Seeing I’m not in the mood for pointless banter and being impatient about this. Celestia clears her throat and meets my eyes with her own. “Sōsuke, I’ve gotten a report from Appleloosa that there have been a series of murders in that tranquil town. At first it may not seem like much but based on the report I got this all could be in ties with the first Quincy attack we’ve seen in ages. And I’m left to wonder why they’d attack my little ponies out of nowhere. Which is why I need you to investigate and stay for at the very least, two days to be sure, this one included.”
”Of course, of course there had to be something that involved me on such a relaxing day.” This feels like I’m being called back into work even if I said I wouldn’t be coming in. Getting mad however? Won’t do much for me in the grand scheme of things.
“Fine, but Spike is coming with me. I guess you already knew I’d say that considering you explicitly put it down on the message.” Rolling my neck around, I mentally prepare myself for what’s up ahead. “Anything else you wanted to tell me princess?”
Celestia appears to think for a moment, unfolding her forelegs and smiling before using her magic to grab a letter from her arm rest with her signature seal on it and handing it to me. “Here, and no nothing else Sōsuke. Well no that’s not entirely true. There is something, as you know Hearth’s Warming is coming up and I’d like for you to spend it with those you call family. Think of it as another step towards your rehabilitation.”
I’m left dumbstruck by her request and even she can see it as I don’t try to hide my emotions this time. “I’m… Whatever, I suppose we should discuss that later. I’ll go grab Spike and we’ll report our findings within a reasonable amount of time.” Too confused to purposely keep the conversation going without real reason to do so. I re-open a Senkaimon and travel through it. Not before hearing Celestia’s calm words one more time.
“Please Aizen at least consider the thought. It will be healthy for your growth as a spirit.”
And as I suspected, Spike was pissed off, to say the least. I did explain to him that this would be detrimental for his training as he’ll get on the field experience. That did calm him a little. He was still angry however even when he teleported us there. Mentioning how it wasn’t fair.
“Spike I don’t know how many times I could possibly say ‘I’m sorry’ so I won’t.” I tiredly tell the drake.
“Okay I get why you brought me with you Aizen but dammit man, on my day off? And I still can’t believe that was you when you went up to me as a pony dude.” Spike says for the fifteenth time.
Loudly groaning we walk down the dirt paths as we travel through towards the sheriff’s office which is only a few hooves away now. Thankfully we don’t get as many weird looks as we would’ve had it not been for Bakudō #28. “The sooner we get this done the sooner we can both leave, so let's go in and ask our questions.”
Pushing open the sheriff’s office myself with these hooves I can see exactly what I thought would be in a place like this. An old western styled sheriff’s office that you’d see on an old television show.
“If ya came because you’re concerned ‘bout the entire ordeal then ah can’t tell ya nothin since ah’m already doin all ah can.” A pony behind a desk with their hind legs kicked up, wearing a cowboy hat on their head, tipped forward so that it obscures their view tells us in a nearly automated response.
“Um actually, we’re both here on half of princess Celestia to conduct an investigation on the recent crimes being committed here.” I clarify. “And this is my student, he’s here to help as well.”
The pony’s ears perk up with speed befitting of someone who’s hearing good news for what feels like the first time in forever. “W-wha?” Tipping his hat back up he gets a good look at both of us. “Y’all don’t seem like the solar guards I asked for- wait a minute. Ain’t you that one dragon kid that was with Applejack and the rest of ‘em. Yeah y’all know what? It was you. Please, don’t make me laugh about things like that. So go on and get out.”
My impatient student immediately tries walking out. “Welp, you heard him, lets get going Aizen.” I quickly grab a hold of Spike’s outfit and use my other hoof to hand him the letter Celestia gave me. After swiftly reading it over he looks at us and back to the letter several times before putting a hoof to his head, sighing.
“To think y’all weren’t kiddin. First thing’s first then, I’m sheriff Silverstar, and you are?”
Letting go of Spike, he stops squirming around and huffs before looking the other way. “I’m Tempered Glass and this is Spike, you’ve already met him however.”
Sighing, the stallion continued. “Ah won’t question how illegitimate this all seems so lemme give y’all the rundown. These crimes been happening since the start of this month with one murder per week. The townsponies haven’t felt safe since the first one had happened.”
“Can you just show us where this happened? I don’t wanna sit here all day with you both going back and forth, I’d like for the case to be solved as soon as possible.” Rotating my neck around I glare heavily at Spike for his rude interruption but he’s unapologetic for it. Oh well what are you going to do?
“...He’s right, it was rude as tartarus for him to up an say it like that but he’s right. Oh and just so you both know, the murder took place only a day ago so the body hasn’t been moved yet.” Moving out of his chair and cracking his back, Silverstar goes between both of us and heads out the western style doors. “Are y’all comin or what?” Turning back and glancing at both of us he snappily taps his hoof on the floor, waiting for us to come with.
Spike gives me a snarky look. “See? Told you being impatient could get you to places faster.” Jogging to catch up to Silverstar, Spike leaves me to follow behind him for a change.
Before long we do end up at some rudimentary looking crime scene. The ponies has seemed to improve their technology by a little, I can tell a chalk outline of the rather recent kill. Both eyes have dark gaping holes through them that exit out of the back of their skull. I trot over to take a closer look at the unfortunate pony.
Spike, surprisingly, walks up to the still fresh victim right next to me and whistles. “That shit is gruesome…” Silverstar looks towards Spike with a surprised look of his own.
“Kid, ain’t ya a little too young to be comfortable around bodies like this?” The sheriff questions.
Shrugging, Spike leans over to inspect the body closer. Still not even sure what he should be looking at. “I’ve actually never even seen a corpse before. Yet I feel calm, I guess it might be some of my training kicking in..”
Silverstar narrows his eyes at Spike. “Hmmm… Anyways, why do ya got them ridiculous clothes -” Silverstar trails off, seeing a glimpse at what I’m doing.
“W-what in tarnation are ya doin to the body?” My poking and prodding with my physical ‘hooves’ must’ve caught the sheriff off guard if he shouted like that.
“How else am I supposed to see what happened here? Which I’m nearly one hundred percent sure I already figured out how this all did occur but I’d like to know one last detail so I’ll be taking this.” Producing a small vial from my Arrancar wear, I grab a small amount of blood from the pony and put it into the glass container.
Rubbing his eyes, the tired sheriff watches me with a small amount of dismay. “Y’all know what? Ah don’t care, this is a tomorrow’s problem.”
“Good, for your sanity I mean. Aize- I mean Tempered here is really unorthodox about their methods. As long as you let them work their magic thing’s will be chill.” Spike chimes.
“My student is absolutely correct, also this is the only sample I’ll be needing. If I’m correct then the potency of the… ‘magic’ should still be here.” Punctuating magic in air quotations with my hooves I motion at the sheriff to relax.
Staring at the two of us, unblinking, the sheriff manages to regain his composure for our unusual pair. “A-anyways, y’all will be needin rooms for the rest of your stay right? Well there’s a nice lil inn down the street for ya both to hunker down in. It’s called “Tap Water’s creek.” The big sign should be a dead give away too.”
A large and overly exaggerated sigh, one that I’ve been hearing for the past hour or so comes from my favorite drake. “Finally! I was getting tired of watching this dead guy. I really wanna lay down now.”
Raising an eyebrow from his childish antics I look up to the sky and back down at Spike. “It’s only 5:43 P.M. and it’s a summer day, you usually stay up until eleven o’ clock at the very least.”
“Pfft, you of all people should know you don’t need to be tired to wanna lay down.” Spike retorts, and he isn’t wrong about that either.
“Either way.” Silverstar butts in the conversation. “There was a curfew placed a few weeks ago, y’all can’t be out past seven thirty so ya better get movin.”
Twirling the small vial of blood with my magic I safely secure it into my pocket. “Don’t worry, we were going to be out of your mane regardless. Also thanks for the help sheriff.” Confidently smiling I trot forward. Spike, somehow already in front of me. Guess he really was desperate to leave.
Cracking my withers I take in the view of what’s in front of me. An old, slightly run down western inn with a homie feeling to it. “This is our last stop for today, sigh. Aizen, dude I really wish Applejack was here-”
“Did somepony mention cousin Applejack?” A voice behind me inquires.
Turning around along with Spike we both see a yellow earth pony with a leather-like vest and a cowboy hat which isn’t too dissimilar to the sheriff’s.
“Mah apologies for askin that outta the blue. But ah thought… Hold on a minute, Spike is that you?” Trotting closer to the both of us he tilts his head questioningly.
“Is this one of Applejack’s relatives? Oh who am I kidding of course they are. And I suppose Spike knows them too? Hm, yes I suppose I can work with this.” Darkly chuckling I move closer to him as well.
“Nice to meet you sir, I’m Tempered Glass, your friendly samaritan.”