//------------------------------// // Chapter Twenty Eight supplemental // Story: HiE - A Hollow in Equestria // by Charlie_K //------------------------------// Chapter Twenty Eight supplemental "And I really need to get back to my animals and make sure they're all alright. They've been on their own for two days and I'm scared to think of how terrified they must've been with that changeling playing as me," Fluttershy added. At that she slowly turned her attention in Ulquiorra's direction and looked up to make eye contact. "I never did get the chance to say it before everything seemed to get out of control. But thanks for saving me. If it weren't for you I'd probably still be in that pod with everypony else and nopony would've known until it was too late." "Yes I must say your timing was quite impeccable. To think that so many changelings were running about and we didn't know it," Rarity replied and shuddered. Ulquiorra remained silent at their words, submerging himself in deep thought. Impeccable timing and coincidence didn't seem like a possible solution to the question before him. There had to be something more to it. "Mr. Cifer?" Applejack spoke up, bringing his attention back to her, "ya got that look on yer face like ya got some deep thinkin' goin' on again." "How can you tell?" Pinkie asked, confused at to how Applejack could come to such a conclusion when the look on his face never changed. "At present time I'm uncertain..." Ulquiorra replied slowly. Whether they knew it or not these ponies had just assisted him in uncovering a most perplexing mystery. In contrast it was even more perplexing than his own missing abilities right now. One that had him quite intrigued right now; intrigued enough he would be willing to amend his earlier evaluations regarding their worth. At least some of them anyway. "Mr. Cifer... jus' so ya know, it's perdy darn hard ta put a lie pas' me, bein' the Element o' Honesty an' all," Applejack pointed out. Something was definitely up with the Espada that he wasn't sharing, and she could tell this for a fact. Problem is she just couldn't tell what. "And yet Twilight Sparkle did just that for two days straight," Ulquiorra thought. Perhaps the standard didn't work when dealing with another one of their group? If so how did that explain Rainbow Dash? Did anything explain Rainbow Dash and her constant switching of position based on outside stimuli? If it did then how did that explain Pinkie Pie? On second thought, he'd rather try and avoid that can of worms for the time being, as it would just prove to be a significant distraction. Trying to figure out Pinkie Pie might wind up being a task that would result in insanity. Perhaps it would be best to simply address Applejack directly, since she seemed to know something right now, and wasn't willing to let it go. "I was brought from my own dimension to this one through the direct interference of Discord himself. That event occurred twelve days ago," Ulquiorra began as he looked over each of them, "you're all more familiar with this world than I am. Was there anything that occurred twelve days ago that you're aware of? Anything that would seem strange to the everyday run of the mill happenings you wouldn't consider out of the ordinary?" he asked them. All of them were silent, looking between themselves and each other as if the one standing next to them had the clue that they were looking for, each with a confused and uncertain look on their face. "Let's see!" His attention was brought to Pinkie Pie as she spoke. Somehow during the time it took him to shift his focus away from the five to Princess Luna and then back again, the pink earth pony had sat up on her hind legs and was now wearing a translucent green visor usually seen in a poker match and was looking over what appeared to be a yellow legal pad with a pencil tucked behind her right ear. Where had all that come from and how had she gotten it without him noticing? "Twelve days ago? That was... the twenty sixth of last month. Let's see..." she said as her clear tone began sounding more mumbled, "baked cinnamon raisin cupcakes... went to the park for a picnic... watched Rainbow Dash trying to perform her new Corkscrew Rainboom thingy... dug Rainbow Dash out of the trench when she crashed-" "It's a work in progress," Rainbow Dash muttered defensively. -went to Sweet Apple Acres... Cutie Mark Crusaders came home covered in tree sap and pine needles, still no cutie marks... Colgate broke a tooth... Zecora came into town to pick up a bag of oats... the Cake twins Pound and Pumpkin got sick on bad formula, yuck... yadda, yadda, yadda... nope sorry Ulqy, nothing out of the ordinary happened!" A rather strange overview to be sure. "What about in the days leading up to my arrival? Were there any events that occurred that seemed to be out of place no matter how minute?" he asked. "Well... now tha' ya mention it..." Applejack spoke up slowly, "'bout three nights ago the timberwolves were raisin' an awful ruckus, even more than they usually do. Like they caught wind o' somethin' in the Everfree Forest they didn' like one bit, an' jus' couldn' get away from. Ah swear ah've heard 'em raise a load o' commotion before on some nights, but never anythin' like this." Rather strange. Three nights ago wasn't too far away from when it was suspected Fluttershy might've been kidnapped, and replaced by a changeling. A connection perhaps? "Ulquiorra Cifer we art most curious. What doth thee suspect?" Princess Luna asked. Ulquiorra turned his attention away from Pinkie Pie's searching through her ledger of events she felt were worth writing down in order to address the alicorn. "How common is it for a dragon to awaken so early into its nap, when a century is not an unheard of stretch of time for them to rest?" he asked her. "We art... not certain. 'Tis certainly strange, but not unheard of. Why doth thou ask?" Princess Luna asked again. "In the twelve days I've been here, a number of strange and unexplainable incidents have occurred. I have met those tasked with protecting Equestria from danger. In two separate incidents I have been dispatched to the town of Ponyville, and within one day at most of each visit, a situation has arisen that would have proven disastrous, if not for my presence, and my interference. First the dragon being awake, and unwilling to listen to Fluttershy, and who would have likely killed the Elements of Harmony if left to its own devices. Eight days later, coinciding with my second visit, a changeling invasion has been uncovered, and it is discovered Fluttershy has been replaced with a changeling, the act of which rendering the Elements of Harmony powerless should they be needed," Ulquiorra elaborated. "Yeah? So?" Rainbow Dash asked, utterly confused at what he was getting at. "Two separate incidents in which those who hold the Elements of Harmony have been directly attacked, happening within an eight day period? I'm aware you're not Twilight Sparkle, but what are the statistical probabilities of such occurring?" he asked her directly. "Uh..." Rainbow Dash replied and scratched at the back of her head with her hoof. "One in three million?" Pinkie suggested. "It was a rhetorical question. The fact remains, however, that such an occurrence has indeed happened with no logical explanation as to the timing of the events. One incident could theoretically be written off, and simply considered par for the course for this strange world. Two incidents occurring in such close proximity to one another is far too coincidental to be ignored, and attempting to do so would ultimately prove to be dangerous," Ulquiorra explained. "Whoa," Rainbow Dash breathed. That was quite a revelation to be hit with. "Oh my," Rarity replied and blinked at hearing his words. Why hadn't she considered this before? "What do you suspect is going on?" That was a very good question to ask indeed. What precisely did he suspect was going on? Unfortunately he didn't have enough information to give a sufficient answer just yet. He would need to gather more information before he could supply any answer of his own. "Prior to my arrival, how many similar incidents occurred since you came to be the bearers of the Elements of Harmony? How many times have you been either directly targeted, or made a target, and threatened with the possibility of death when something went wrong?" he asked. Silence once again as they began looking at each other in confusion, Princess Luna remaining silent and looking quite concerned at his words. Pinkie Pie however was the exception, once again scouring over her ledger in search of answers to the questions presented. "Since we got the Elements of Harmony? There's been four separate incidents we were involved with over the past two years, but those were more matters of opportunity than anything," Pinkie stated, her tone sounding highly professional rather than barely restrained hyperness. "There was the first dragon we chased off, but it just smacked us around some before Fluttershy made it leave. After that it was Discord's escape, but he just trolled us and raised chaos. Next was the first changeling invasion, but we were just in the area at the time because we were invited to the wedding. Then it was the Crystal Empire, but then again, we weren't the primary target, and King Sombra wasn't really interested in us, we were just there when everything happened," she explained, checking off the list of events as she read along. "I really don't see how the Elements of Harmony could've been involved in any of those events. Well except for Discord, he stole them first and hid them away. And we really weren't threatened with outright death either." "Fascinating," Ulquiorra stated simply as he began considering the information Pinkie Pie had supplied. Normally such records would seem likely for Twilight Sparkle to keep. These ponies were indeed full of surprises. Back to the matter at hand however, and trying to sort out the data. "Ya mind lettin' us in on some o' that fascinatin' an' tellin' us what yer thinkin'?" Applejack asked. "Based on the information supplied by Pinkie Pie it's safe to assume that as the bearers of the Elements of Harmony you six face adventures somewhat regularly that in my world would best be reserved for elite troops trained rigorously in matters of great difficulty and a potential for danger. From this it could be suggested that the two recent incidents are nothing more than par for the course and not indicative of anything in particular. However the timing of the last two incidents seem jarring in comparison. Four incidents over the course of two years is considerably more spaced out than two events in just over a week; two incidents that occurred only after Discord chose to bring me to this world. Two incidents that occurred only after I became aware of the Elements of Harmony, came to know a number of the residents of Ponyville and had the chance to familiarize myself with information in the library regarding the various intelligent races in this world and some of its history," Ulquiorra explained. "Doth thou suspect Discord's hoof in this?" Princess Luna asked curiously. What he was saying was... she didn't know what to think. This was all quite... strange indeed. "Discord can't be ruled out as a possible culprit. Being the spirit of chaos would logically mean being unpredictable, and likely without reason to explain his acts. It's certainly a possibility," Ulquiorra replied as he faced Princess Luna. Perhaps that was why he'd been so unwilling to assist with the changeling issue. There had to be a reason he didn't simply remove them from existence on his own. That was a question he'd ask another time, however. He then turned his attention back to the others before speaking again. "However if we assume that Discord's involvement extends no further than simply bringing me to this world, then we must ask why; both with regards to the timing of his decision, and why I was specifically chosen. There are millions of individuals who die in any given year. Billions... even trillions, if we factor in the existence of possible alternate world dimensions. This presents us with four specific questions for which we have no answers," he explained. "An' what're those four questions we got?" Applejack asked, finding herself very curious at the prospect. Just by looking around she could tell the others were curious as well. "The first question is whether or not Discord knew of these events and how they would transpire if they were allowed to play out uninterrupted. Did he know that you six would die or that Equestria might fall if something wasn't done to change the events of the future?" Ulquiorra asked. "I'm almost afraid to ask what the other questions are after hearing the first one," Rarity commented. She really didn't want to consider the possibility that she and her friends might've died at some point in the last week... or that she might owe Discord her thanks for actually saving her life. "I'm not. What's the second question?" Rainbow Dash asked, having a lot more guts than her friend when it came to curiosity. "Assuming the first question is accurate, and he was taking preventative measures, the second question is why Discord chose me specifically. In my world alone, four other Espada died before I did, along with countless other Arrancar. Not knowing how much time had passed between the time of my death, and my arrival here, I can't say for certain how long I spent in the void, or what happened during that time. For all I know all of the Espada had been killed. I don't even want to consider what the available stock was, if the spirit of chaos was actively browsing through who knows how many other different worlds. What exactly was it about me specifically, that caused him to decide I was right for the job?" Once again more silence as the ponies looked between themselves in trying to formulate an answer. Without waiting for a prompt he continued. "Assuming Discord was indeed taking preventative measures in order to protect Equestria, the third question is why he himself is not able to act in a direct manner. From the research of Equestria's history regarding his last appearance, it seems safe to assume Discord's powers and abilities, are limited only by the boundaries of his own imagination, and self restraint. If Discord's abilities are as vast as they seem, why would he be unable to directly interfere with future events that would soon transpire? Why would he need the help of an outside party, if a simple snap of the fingers, and the will to do something, were all that was needed?" "And the fourth question?" Princess Luna asked hesitantly. Each new question installed new fear in her, and left her with a great many questions, each one worse than the last. She dreaded what the last question could possibly be, and yet she was driven by a morbid curiosity to ask regardless. "Assuming Discord did know of the events that were about to occur, and needed an outside force to act in order to save not only Equestria, but those that hold the Elements of Harmony, the fourth and final question is how much he knows. Specifically, what events does the future hold that he himself is incapable of dealing with, despite his vast powers? If the spirit of chaos was incapable of dealing with either a solitary dragon or the changeling invasion, then what will the third event be that he's powerless to affect?" Across each of their faces the looks of confusion became looks of absolute terror and fear at the prospect he'd just mentioned. With just words he'd managed to accomplish in these six, that he'd failed to accomplish even with his Segunda Etapa when concerning a single Shinigami. He observed that Fluttershy's legs were the first to give out as she fell into a sitting position on the floor; hardly a surprising development. "W-w-wha' makes ya think there's gonna be a third event?" Applejack asked as she tried desperately to steady her nerves. "I foresee no reason to assume the past eight days were the entirety of it. It would be dangerous to assume that simply because the changelings have been stopped that there's no further danger to be cautious and aware of. From what I've gathered, dragons and changelings are hardly the only threats to face Equestria. We have to assume the possibility of something else coming in the future. It's not a matter of if that must be addressed, but rather when and what that must be considered. Furthermore, if the timing of my arrival was selected for a specific reason, then we must assume what has happened up 'til now is only the beginning of what may come," Ulquiorra explained calmly. Various measures of terror from around the hallway, ranging from Pinkie Pie's efforts to duck behind Princess Luna and use her as a shield -the ledger and poker visor disappearing from view in the process of crossing the small distance- to Fluttershy's attempts to bury her head in her pink mane, and pretend no one could see her. "With that in mind I must depart," Ulquiorra stated and calmly walked past the group, leaving them to their own devices. "Now hol' on there jus' an apple pickin' minute there Mr. Cifer!" Applejack stated quite firmly and moved to intercept his path. "Ya tell us all these things an' get us more scared than a hen house wit' a fox creepin' about, and then yer jus' leavin' us behind like that?" she asked as she looked -or rather glared- up at him. "You were the one who asked me to share what I was thinking at the time," he pointed out in response to the question. If they were currently terrified it was their own fault. "At present time, what was said is nothing more than speculation and unsupported theory. Two separate yet similar incidents devoid of corresponding evidence to formulate a pattern is quite weak to go on. There's very little that can be done without further information. Right now the library is the most likely source of useful information for determining this mystery properly. Two of your group have already stated that they have other matters that need tending to," he explained. No rebuttal. At least no rebuttal that came in the time he remained silence in wait for a reply. "Furthermore your group would be far more useful in Ponyville than here." "Yeah?" Rainbow Dash asked from behind him. "How so?" "You and the others are more familiar with Ponyville and the surrounding territory than I am," Ulquiorra stated as he turned to face the cyan pegasus, "the range of my pesquisa is limited and can't reach where you reside. To gather information, I will need eyes and ears in Ponyville to keep me informed of any strange and unexplained occurrences, any information that could possibly correspond to a future incident and may serve as a warning sign. Sights, sounds, smells, sensations, anything that would raise suspicions." "Just wait a minute. You mean that you, the one who could actually punch a dragon and bring it down, and make it bleed in the process... you actually need us for something?" Rainbow Dash asked, amazed and shocked at the very idea. That was... actually it was kinda flattering in a way! "Indeed. Once you reassemble, I will need you to inform Spike and Twilight Sparkle of these developments, as it pertains to all of you. Because of the circumstance I find myself in, coupled with the potential severity of this situation, I will need you seven..." he paused mid sentence, carefully weighing what he was saying. Was this a route he truly wanted to go down? The answer to that question was a very obvious no. But what he wanted, and what he needed, were two entirely different things. After a moment, he continued with what he had to say, knowing that there was no other choice currently available to him. "To fill a necessary role. I need you to serve as my fracción, as it were," Ulquiorra explained. The sheer irony of it all. "Yer wha' now?" Applejack asked. Where was he getting all these new and fancy words? And more importantly, what did they all mean? "My fracción. In Hueco Mundo each member of the Espada was allowed to assemble a group of Arrancar to serve in various roles, and carry out various tasks. While I'm confined to the palace, I will need you seven to fill such a role in gathering information, and being alert to the surroundings. In simpler terms, I need your help in this matter," he explained. "Wow..." Rainbow Dash replied. "So lemme see if ah got this right. Ya jus' need us ta keep ya up ta date on wha's going on 'round town? No dishonesty or sneaky stuff, like bein' disloyal ta Princess Celestia, or anythin' like that? Nothin' like payback fer bein' used an' tricked?" Applejack asked, wanting to be clear on exactly what was being asked of her. "Correct," Ulquiorra replied and nodded briefly. Attempting a rebellion wasn't called for now, nor did he want there to be any belief he was trying to instigate such, simply because he made it known that he disagreed with Princess Celestia's method of doing things. "There will be no need for secrecy or deception. Merely observation and alertness to your surroundings. What you do otherwise is left to your own discretion." As much as he disliked the idea, he actually found himself in a situation where he needed these ponies right now, even if it was just to serve in a passive background role. He needed more information than what he currently had access to, and these seven were those best able to provide just that. Hopefully they could that properly. "You can count on us Ulqy!" Pinkie Pie stated as she came out from behind Princess Luna in order to salute him. "I'll... do my best..." Fluttershy whispered as she peaked out from behind her long mane. "Before I commit to anything I've gotta get something clear first," Rainbow Dash spoke up, bringing Ulquiorra's attention back to her. "A lot of what you said earlier on when you were fooling Chrysalis... you said that was all part of the act. But you also said part of what you were saying was true too. Now there's a lot of stuff I could ask you about what you did mean, and what you didn't mean, and all that other stuff. But right now, there's only one thing that I really wanna know, more than anything else I could ask about. You wanting us to help you in keeping an eye out for weird stuff... does this mean we're good?" He suspected the pegasus wasn't asking if they were "good" in terms of the quality of their work, and what they could offer him in his quest for information. This wasn't truly the first time he'd heard a question worded like this before, where it could be easily misinterpreted to mean something else. It seemed more than likely she was asking with regard to their standing with each other after his deep level deception. "For lack of a better term," Ulquiorra replied. "So..." Rainbow Dash paused as she flapped her wings and hovered off the floor, "no hard feelings?" she asked as she extended her right foreleg in his direction. "No grudges for Sonic Rainbooming you in the face during that chase?" A very strange pony indeed. But strange or not, he unfortunately needed her, and the others, to assist him on this mission if it was to be successful. If reassurance was needed then it was a small price to pay. "If there are none on your part, there are none on my part," he replied in agreement and reached out to take her leg in his hand, much as he had Twilight Sparkle upon their first meeting. It truly made no difference to him whether or not these ponies were willing to forgive him for his earlier actions; either those when he still resided in Hueco Mundo, or during his supposed defection to serve Chrysalis. And he really didn't see a logical reason for why it would be necessary, as they understood the reasons behind his actions. But for the time being he found himself dependent upon these strange ponies, despite their numerous shortcomings. He had little choice but to tolerate their idiosyncrasies and foolish beliefs. Then again, perhaps it was best that Rainbow Dash wasn't willing to hold a grudge against him for his choking her into unconsciousness during the pursuit. The fact she was willing to let the issue go just like that, suggested she didn't see this matter as similar in nature to Mare Do Well. And he was going to need all the help he could get for the time being. "And how might we be of assistance to thee in this case?" Princess Luna asked as the two broke their contact with each other. She'd more or less been listening silently as Ulquiorra laid out a theory of a most disturbing nature, recruiting the Elements of Harmony to help him gather evidence to support his theory, and making peace with them over past instances. Now she wanted to prove useful as well. As Princess Luna drastically outranked him in authority, there was very little he could expect from her in any capacity. Whereas the Elements of Harmony seemed eager to assist in this matter, as it directly pertained to them, the same couldn't be said for the alicorn. These ponies might be her "friends" but that didn't mean she had the ability to assist in the matter. It was likely she couldn't come and go as she pleased without raising suspicion. However... "Chrysalis is still alive I assume. I will need to speak with her directly, and determine what information she has to contribute. Perhaps she has answers we're in need of," he replied. If the changeling queen was still alive she could prove to be quite valuable. "She is. Currently she is in the dungeon along with her hive, awaiting her fate. We shalt take thee there, after we arrange transport for our friends back to Ponyville," Princess Luna explained. "Before you do there is one more thing that must be mentioned," he said before turning his attention to the other five, "it goes without saying that this matter is of a sensitive nature. The best course of action is to not involve anyone else back in Ponyville. The more that become involved, the greater the risk of panic and hysteria, generating false reports, and potentially losing valuable clues," he explained. Another reason to avoid sharing these theories with the town of Ponyville, and the surrounding territory, was the matter of his own existence; in her current mood Princess Celestia would likely have his head if a panic were caused. "Don't worry Ulqy! We'll be the best frankfurters you ever saw!" Pinkie Pie stated. Ulquiorra remained silent. The sooner the holders of the Elements of Harmony were allowed to depart, the sooner this matter could be sorted out appropriately. "We shalt arrange transport back to Ponyville now. Wait here, please," Princess Luna spoke before taking her leave from the group... ... leaving him alone with the five remaining ponies. Perhaps this presented him the opportunity he needed to get to the bottom of another mystery, although one of a significantly smaller scale. "Before you five take your leave, and reunite with the others in your group, there is another question that must be asked," he stated simply, bringing their attention forward again. "You were all exposed to the same degree of trickery equally. All of you were utilized for the purpose of convincing Chrysalis to bring her entire hive to Canterlot, where they could be properly contained. All of you were lead to believe that I murdered your ruler without second thought, and that I wouldn't hesitate to do the same to each of you. The reveal of the truth does nothing to erase what you experienced after your arrival, and before Princess Celestia's return. Yet only Twilight Sparkle responded in a manner I could foresee. You have taken everything in greater stride than I would believe possible. Why is this? Why are none of you upset with Princess Celestia and her actions?" The following silence from the ponies wasn't unexpected to encounter. They were being presented with a question bound to cause them unease. The looks they gave, back and forth between themselves, as well as towards himself, were also to be expected. "Well..." Rainbow Dash finally spoke up as she moved forward, "I can't speak for the others and what motivates them. But, as for me? I guess it's because I was never Princess Celestia's prized student. I'm not as close to the matter as Twilight is," she replied. Applejack nodded. "Tha's perdy much it fer me too. But..." she paused and sighed, "don' go blabbin' this all over the place, but... ah ain' too happy with what happened. Ah don' appreciate bein' used an' lied to by the Princess, no matter what the reason is. Ah get wha' was at stake, safety o' the whole country an' all. But it jus' leaves a bad taste in mah mouth all the same." "I dunno," Pinkie replied, "what happened might've been kinda mean. But what could've happened would've been a whole lot meaner. I don't like the changelings, but I don't wanna see anypony suffer and die, even if they are changelings. And Princess Celestia did what she needed to keep that from happening. So if I can help, even indirectly, I'm alright with it." "I for one don't see anything wrong with what Princess Celestia did. Anypony knows managing government is difficult even in the best of times. Were we used? Of course we were, I don't deny that. In matters of great security, that's par for the course. But at any given time, aren't we already used by others when we agree to help them when we're asked to help?" Rarity asked them. Nopony said anything in response. "I agree that I would've appreciated a little notice beforehoof, but I'm not going to hold it against her if that wasn't possible. There are some things simply too important to be shared openly. I'm just thankful everything was resolved." "Hold up! Are you serious?" Rainbow Dash asked in disbelief and stepped closer to Rarity. "Rarity, how can you say that so easily? Did you forget what we said back in the holding cell?" "That was more our fault than the fault of Princess Celestia, darling. She didn't know how we'd react at the time. She can't be faulted for not knowing how we'd behave in our absence. She had to look out for the wellbeing of Equestria as a whole, just as we've had to do at times and put our own feelings aside. Besides all of that, we recognized where things were going, and stopped before they got there. To me that means no harm done," she pointed out. Rainbow Dash mumbled some, before finally giving a noncommittal "I guess" in response to Rarity's point. However she soon continued. "Look. If we're being honest, I guess I can accept why Princess Celestia did what she did. I get that this was a great big, huge issue we were all facing. But that doesn't mean I appreciate it. If I'm gonna be used, I'd at least like to know what it entails first. If Applejack asks me to help bring apples to market, that's fine, I more or less know what the afternoon is going to consist of. But if you're going to make somepony into a tool, at least let them know. Seriously, you don't use a hammer to... to..." "Mop a floor?" Applejack offered upon seeing Rainbow Dash more or less stuck in the mud of her own analogy. "Yeah that'll work," Rainbow Dash replied and nodded. "And I'm not saying that you're wrong, Rainbow Dash, I'm merely recognizing and acknowledging the facts of the matter, as well as the gravity of the situation," Rarity replied. "I'm just glad that everything is finally over," was all Fluttershy had to say. "But what about Twilight? She was crying her eyes out when she ran off," Pinkie pointed out, oblivious to Fluttershy's soft statement about her own position. Rarity sighed and used a hoof to massage the bridge of her muzzle while pinching her eyes shut. This wasn't going to be easy. "I don't want to be mean, I really don't. I love Twilight as much as I do any of my good friends. But if we're being totally honest, she's possibly the most sheltered of any of us, and has the least life experience. The five of us have all worked for a living, have all experienced time and time again what it's like when the real world doesn't match up with our ideals. We've met other ponies who don't meet our expectations. But Twilight, being Princess Celestia's protege, was more than likely sheltered from such everyday occurrences as she buried herself in her studies to make her teacher proud of her. Princess Celestia was more or less Twilight's entire world for a good portion of her life, and became idolized by her. This revelation has more than likely stirred up considerable unpleasantries she simply wasn't prepared to encounter, and now she has to grapple with the reality of the situation," she explained. "Now hol' on jus' minute there, Rar'," Applejack spoke up, "somethin' don' make sense. If Twilight is Princess Celestia's protege an' all that, then wouldn' she've studied up on stuff like government work an' all this cloak an' dagger stuff? Wouldn' she... wouldn' she know that somethin' like this could maybe happen at some point?" she asked. "One would certainly think that would be the case, but nopony can say for certain just what Twilight might or might not have studied. One would certainly think she'd submerse herself in matters pertaining to government, but if she were selected for magical aptitude, it's possible that's all she focused on," Rarity replied and sighed. "I feel sorry for Twilight, just as I'm sure everypony does. But as I said, I understand the gravity of the situation. Princess Celestia is a government figurehead, tasked with keeping Equestria running, and running safely. I'm sure she's had to make a great many decisions the rest of us could never have considered making on our own." "So is anypony at fault in this matter?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I'm afraid that's a determination I'm not able to make. There are far too many complexities involved in the matter," Rarity replied, not wanting to become too heavily involved in this discussion. Anytime ponies talked about government and the like, simple discussions tended to get ugly. Very strange. He wasn't certain what to make of their given response. For whatever reason, they seemed to understand that the matter was of a significantly greater scope than their own personal feelings on what took place. Out of all of them, Rainbow Dash seemed to be the most upset, due primarily to not being informed of what was being asked of her, rather than what actually took place. Out of all of them, it was surprising that Rarity was the most level-headed, and most on the side of Princess Celestia. She spoke as if she knew about the ugliness of government work and what would be expected from it. Perhaps being the high society type had made her privy to more information than he'd expected. And out of all of them, she was the only one to recognize the implications of Twilight Sparkle being sheltered in her tutelage. Perhaps they weren't as hopelessly dominated by emotions as he first thought they were. Perhaps that meant there was hope for them yet. His own thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of Princess Luna's reiatsu approaching again. It would be prudent to not be having this conversation in her presence, as she might take offense to his asking them why they weren't more upset with Princess Celestia and her actions. "Princess Luna is returning," he stated simply in an effort to silence this line of questioning and discussion. Hopefully the thought of returning home would be enough of a distraction to them. The wait for the holders of the Elements of Harmony to be seen off to Ponyville was blessedly short, spent waiting in the same spot in the hallway as the conversation that'd been had with them concerning everything. To Ulquiorra it seemed logical to wait in an easy to locate spot, since only he could detect the various reiatsu patterns around him, while Princess Luna couldn't. At least he assumed she couldn't. If he left, she wouldn't be able to find him in a different location. Fortunately he could feel her coming around the corner... and looking quite disturbed. "Our sister doth not wish to be disturbed at present," she said in explanation to the unasked question. She attempted to fill her sister in on Ulquiorra Cifer's theories on everything that'd happened up to this point, and she'd wound up being subjected to a highly unexpected, and much undeserved, verbal assault. Her sister was intent on staying parked outside of Twilight Sparkle's door, and waiting for her student to emerge, and had no intention of getting involved in anything else until that happened. Ulquiorra said nothing. He'd been on the receiving end of such a message, and understood what she meant. That fortunately saved time on discussion, as there were more important matters to tend to right now. "Where is Chrysalis currently?" he asked, wanting to get to the bottom of this mess. "Of course. 'Tis this way, follow us," Princess Luna replied and proceeded to walk down the hallway, Ulquiorra following close behind, his hands tucked into his pockets. The walk down the halls was passed in silence, with the exception of the footsteps and hoofbeats echoing off the stone walls. For Ulquiorra this was no problem. For Princess Luna however, the dense silence was unnerving and had to be broken. "'Tis quite wonderful how thou hast actually befriended the Elements of Harmony so easily," she commented. "I have done no such thing. Their fate, as well as the fate of Equestria, may be in jeopardy as we speak. I have merely made them aware of this fact, and told them to keep me informed of any new developments, that could point out a pattern of events in order to discover the reasons behind everything. The simple fact that I have found myself forced to rely on them, doesn't mean I consider them "friends" or anything else along those lines," he replied as they continued walking along. It was due to the incompetence and inferiority of the other Arrancar that he didn't have any fracción to begin with. And now he found himself in a position where he was forced to rely on incompetence and idiocy, by making six ponies and one dragon into his fracción. The utter irony of it all. "At best we are allies, united for a common goal." Princess Luna huffed. That was quite unsettling for her to hear. Despite everything, his opinions of them still hadn't changed? This was not going to be pleasant to deal with. "So what doth thou intend to find out from Chrysalis while she is still present in Canterlot's custody?" she asked curiously, hoping for a change of subject. "Anything of relevance in order to determine the answer to the fifth question," Ulquiorra explained simply. "Fifth question? Earlier thou didst say there were only four questions," Princess Luna stated in surprise. "The fifth question was discovered only after the holders of the Elements of Harmony were in the process of leaving. I foresaw no reason to recall them simply to inform them of such a fact," Ulquiorra explained as they walked. "And what is this fifth question that thou didst come across?" Princess Luna asked curiously. "The entire time we have been operating under the assumption that the two incidents over the last eight days were separate incidents, the only connection being those that hold the Elements of Harmony being targeted and threatened. We cannot ignore the possibility that this hypothesis is incorrect. We must consider the possibility that these two incidents are indeed connected. If such is the case, we are presented with the fifth question; is another party involved in the matter? If so, then we must ask who or what this other party is. Further, we must ask how this party relates to Discord. Specifically, what type of entity has sufficient influence, that Discord himself cannot directly interfere with whatever plan has been put into motion? And if this is truly the case, then how is my involvement beneficial?" he explained, noticing that Princess Luna faltered in mid-step, to the point of nearly tripping over her own hooves and planting her face against the hard floor. "Thou... thou doth believe that a single entity is behind both incidents? And that they art more powerful than Discord?" she asked, almost scared to hear the answer. After all of her experiences, this possibility was truly a terrifying thought to consider. She immediately began to wonder about Ulquiorra Cifer's earlier statement. Had he truly only thought of this frightening possibly after Rainbow Dash and the others left to return to Ponyville? Or had he known of it the entire time, and he made the deliberate decision to withhold it until after they left in order to spare them the frightening aspect of a being more powerful than Discord possibly existing and turning its attention against them? Had he truly done something nice of his own volition? "It is a theory that can't yet be ruled out as a possibility. If there is another party involved, and actively orchestrating threats to Equestria's safety, and targeting the six that hold the Elements of Harmony, then we must consider the possibility of such. There are too many things occurring that simply do not add up if we write them off as either coincidence, or natural occurrences. A dragon takes up residence in the caves for a possible century's rest, at close enough proximity to attract our attention and put Ponyville at risk of toxic death, only to be awake twelve hours after its discovery, which just so happens to coincide with our arrival at the scene?" he asked. Princess Luna was left speechless and unable to respond, barely able to walk alongside him on their journey to the dungeons. Seeing as she had no response to offer he continued. "Eight days after this questionable event occurred, the changeling invasion is discovered, at a point when the dispatched force is only a portion of Chrysalis' overall strength, one of the earliest targets being Fluttershy specifically. If she were serious about retaking Canterlot, and Equestria, for herself she would've dispatched more than a mere one hundred and fifty drones between Ponyville and Canterlot." "And... thou doth believe Chrysalis holds the key to this mystery?" Princess Luna asked. The things he was saying were... they were unpleasant to think about. She didn't want to consider the possibility that there was a being present in Equestria, worse than Discord, more powerful than Discord, and orchestrating attacks against them and her friends. Even more unpleasant to think about, was the possibility that none of them wouldn't have discovered this if not for Rarity's comment about impeccable timing. "Another piece of the puzzle would be more accurate. It's unlikely someone as weak as Chrysalis would be anything other than an unwitting pawn. Whatever information she may hold would likely be limited to what role she was supposed to fill, and little else," Ulquiorra explained. What stood to be gained was likely of limited value. But it still had to be investigated. "And if Chrysalis doth have nothing?" Princess Luna asked. "Then if she was truly involved by an outside party, it would be safe to conclude we are dealing with someone or something intelligent enough to not leave any loose ends, which would be so easily discovered should its pawns be captured alive," he stated as they came to a stop. They had finally arrived at the doors that lead to the dungeon levels of Canterlot palace. "Might we make an inquiry before we enter?" Princess Luna asked him. When he turned to face her she continued. "The scenario thou doth present is one that does cause us much concern. Is there a phrase native to thou's world that would be appropriate under such circumstances?" Twilight Sparkle wishing to learn more about his dialogue made sense to him. She was naturally curious about the unfamiliar and wanted to gain a greater understanding of it. Princess Luna on the other hand was more of a mystery. But nevertheless, he was willing to present her with what she was looking for. "Under present circumstances I believe the phrase "scared shitless" would be closest to appropriate."