//------------------------------// // Chapter Twenty Seven // Story: HiE - A Hollow in Equestria // by Charlie_K //------------------------------// Chapter Twenty Seven "... Chrysalis..." Where had everything gone wrong? What had they done wrong, that lead them to their current position of hopelessness? What had happened, that had allowed the overwhelming odds to actually overwhelm them this time, and reduce all of their efforts to utter trash? All of their planning, struggling, teamwork, and resistance, hadn't amounted to so much as spit this time around, and none of them could seem to recall a time that appeared so dark and hopeless. Nightmare Moon, Discord, King Sombra, they'd all been walks in the park compared to their current situation. Princess Celestia was dead. The Elements of Harmony were scattered across the Everfree Forest. The changelings had taken over Canterlot without opposition, and death was waiting for them and couldn't be escaped. It was enough to make them give up and... Wait. Wait just a minute... Farewell Chrysalis? Was that what they'd just heard Ulquiorra say? "What?" Chrysalis asked in utter confusion as she stepped forward. What was she hearing? The next thing the changeling queen knew, the back of Ulquiorra's left hand landed square center with her muzzle, dislodging the crown from atop her head, and sending her flying back, and crashing into the base of the throne with a loud, cracking thud. The pain of the impact ran up and down her spinal cord, blurring her vision terribly, and reigniting the misery of her injured horn. She hadn't even seen the attack coming before it landed. "What's the meaning of this? What's going on here!?" she demanded to know, her voice already being distorted by the swelling in her muzzle. Without warning there was a bright flash of light that made her look away. It quickly faded and allowed her to look back, only for her eyes to go wide at what she saw. Princess Celestia was standing in the middle of the throne room, minus the royal adornments, but completely unharmed. Like a dog fresh out of the bath, she shook her entire frame, as if trying to rid herself of water that wasn't even there. "What's going on here is you've been duped, my queen," Princess Celestia replied in a sarcastic tone. Upon seeing Princess Celestia's return, Ulquiorra turned to face Chrysalis directly. "Did you truly believe I would willingly serve someone such as yourself? Or even succumb to your mediocre attempts at mind control? You're even more gullible than I was informed," he stated. Chrysalis looked around the room with her eyes wide. Her drones would be of no assistance to her here and now, not against the likes of Ulquiorra and Celestia together. Escape was necessary in a situation like this! Quickly, she bolted for the window... unfortunately Ulquiorra was much quicker, and cut off her path of escape by appearing before her, and nearly causing her to slam into him in her haste. "Escape is quite impossible for you," he stated simply as he looked her in the eyes. "Indeed," Princess Celestia agreed, before turning her full focus to her little ponies in the middle of the room. With a flex of her magic, the drones currently on top of them were sent flying wildly and crashing into the walls, thus allowing the others to get back up again. "I'm so sorry, my little ponies, but there's no time to explain," she told them in a soft manner, right before Chrysalis went charging for the throne room doors, and blowing past her. "Ulquiorra she's getting away!" "That is what she thinks," Ulquiorra stated calmly as he resheathed his zanpakutō. He could detect the reiatsu in the area, he knew who was present and waiting. Chrysalis was at the doors quickly and wrenched them open physically, the residual throbbing in her horn from Rarity's bite still interfering with her magic. Unfortunately the doors didn't lead to her escape, but rather a confrontation with the Princess of the Night herself. And she looked very, very upset. "DIDST THEE TRULY BELIEVE THAT THOU COULDST ESCAPE OUR WRATH AFTER PULLING THE SAME STUNT A SECOND TIME? THOU ART INDEED MOST FOALISH!" Princess Luna bellowed, the force of the royal voice being delivered right in Chrysalis' face, being more than enough to send her toppling, and skidding across the slick marble flooring like a foal's toy, before crashing into a decorative pillar and coming to a stop. In the center of the room where the Elements of Harmony lay captured, there was much confusion to be had as events unfolded before them, each of them finding it hard to wrap their heads around what was happening. Princess Celestia was alive? Ulquiorra was betraying Chrysalis? Princess Celestia was alive!? Everypony's head was swimming right now as things developed, especially in the case of poor Twilight, who could do little more than simply stand there and stare with her mouth hanging open in disbelief. She hadn't even noticed the absence of the changelings keeping her restrained. However the others certainly had, and were taking full advantage of the fact that they were free again. "Twilight, what's happening?" Rainbow Dash asked as she came over to her. However there was no response to be had from her, not even when she waved her hoof in front of her face. "Looks like the Egghead is scrambled," she commented. "RD that ain' funny," Applejack stated, shortly before the booming voice of Princess Luna shook all of them, as Chrysalis went skidding into a pillar before coming to a stop. The sound of the impact was more than enough to make her flinch in response. "Tha' had ta hurt..." "So good of you to make it, my dear little sister," Princess Celestia stated with a smile as she looked away from her student and her friends, and toward the doorway. "We wouldst not miss this for all the cake and sweet tea in Equestria, dear sister; not after what this one didst dare to pull the last time," Princess Luna stated as she stepped into the room and smirked evilly at Chrysalis, and her pathetic attempts at getting back up again. "Thou, however, will so dearly wish that we wouldst have not been invited to this gathering!" Chrysalis grunted in pain, hacking and coughing up a puddle of blood on the floor, before getting back up into a standing position. "You think I'm beaten just because of this turn of events? Hardly! My entire hive is present in Canterlot, and outnumbers your guards ten to one. Even you can't argue with such numerical superiority!" she laughed, before coughing again, but remaining undeterred in her belief that victory could be achieved. Ulquiorra's response to her statement was to appear behind her in a flash of sonido, followed up by slapping her on the back of the head with the back of his hand. The force of the impact sent her toppling forward, and easily flooring her once again, her chin slamming against the marble floor with a crunch as she landed. "You spend far too much time talking," he stated simply as he looked down at her. Did she even possess an understanding of how easily he could've killed her at any point during which she was talking, and rambling on endlessly? Most likely she didn't, and was too blind by her own arrogance to consider such a possibility. She'd been blind to everything that'd been unfolding around here, even the most obvious things he was certain she would've spotted a mile away. And yet she hadn't. She'd been so obsessed with the notion of taking Equestria for herself and her hive, she'd allowed herself to be afflicted with tunnel vision, blinded by the crown, and throne, and ignoring everything else, her own drones included. Whatever happened to her, happened because it was her own fault, and hers alone. She had no one to blame except herself for her own stupidity. His attention was drawn back to Chrysalis' prone form, as she laid on the ground and groaned in obvious pain, making no effort to get back up from where she lay. Somehow it seemed highly appropriate for one such as her to be defeated in a whimper, rather than in a bang. "Whether or not you know it, Chrysalis, all your drones are being rounded up and detained as we speak. Their superior numbers are doing little to aid their resistance. And everypony they've captured has been located and rescued. Your attempt at taking our kingdom away from us, has come undone by your own shortsightedness," Princess Celestia told her as she lowered her head to the changeling queen's ear. "I was really, truly willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, and believe that after you were defeated the last time, that you were trying to maintain a peaceful existence with the rest of Equestria. But it seems I believed wrong about you. Based on your actions here today, I truly don't see any hope of redemption for you. You've forced my hoof this time." Princess Luna nodded as she approached the changeling's prone form. What was to be in store for her was most assuredly not a pretty fate. If anything, death would be the merciful option for her. "Dear sister we shalt deal with this problem from here on out. Thou wouldst be better at elaboration than we. We sense there art many questions that must be answered." Everyone present watched as Chrysalis' form -as well all the other unconscious drones that were laying about- was enveloped in an aura of Princess Luna's magic and lifted up off the floor, before being escorted out of the throne room, certain mutterings coming from the younger alicorn that left the others more than a little uncomfortable, and not really wanting to consider what awaited the deposed queen. "Princess Celestia?" It was a tiny whisper that was heard, but it wasn't from Fluttershy this time. Rather it was from Twilight as she stood there, with eyes wide and legs trembling as she looked up at her mentor. Twilight approached cautiously until she stood directly before her. This couldn't be real, it just couldn't be. Princess Celestia was dead and turned to dust, she'd seen it herself! This had to be an illusion, nothing but a simple illusion, brought about by a nervous breakdown, by a feverish mind so desperate for some source of comfort, that it hallucinated what it wanted, in order to compensate for it simply not existing. She slowly, cautiously extended her foreleg to reach out and touch the figure before her. The contact was so, so light, so delicate, guided by a fear that the slightest disturbance would cause it to fade from existence, like a stone disturbing the serenity of a lake, and sending ripples out to distort the image. Firmness. Her hoof didn't pass through what stood before her, but stopped on contact. Fur, muscle, skin, and bone. Actual heat, and the sensation of a pulse just below the surface. This was no illusion that stood before her, but a physical construct. And if it was a physical construct, then that could mean one thing and one thing only; it was really Princess Celestia in the flesh! She was alive! "Yes, Twilight, it's me. I'm here," Princess Celestia replied with a gentle smile, confirming what her student wished to know. She watched as Twilight stood dead still for a moment. She could practically hear all the little gears and cogs turning as her mind tried to process everything. She gave only the briefest of flinches at the sound of the breath Twilight took, her eyes beginning to water, and her mouth beginning to quiver. The next thing she knew, her student was instantly on her, holding onto her for dear life and crying openly. She only hesitated momentarily out of surprise, before sitting down on her haunches, and wrapping her wings and a foreleg around her shaking frame. "Uh... Princess?" Rainbow Dash asked as she approached cautiously, bubbling over with curiosity right now. So many things had happened so quickly, she didn't even know where to begin. "Forgive me for being blunt and all, but just what in the FUCK is going on around here?!" It was a word Rainbow Dash had no idea what it really meant. It'd been one of a number of strange, foreign words she'd heard mentioned by Twilight in the past week or so. But despite not knowing exactly what it meant, it still seemed somewhat appropriate to be using under these circumstances. Rarity nodded. "I'm quite inclined to agree, even with the bluntness, to say nothing regarding the rudeness, of Rainbow Dash's question. There have been more twists and turns present, than I can hope to wrap my horn around. First Ulquiorra kills Fluttershy, but Fluttershy turns out to be a changeling, which leads us to discover a second changeling invasion taking place. Then after we find everyone that's missing, we learn that Canterlot was besieged in the same manner. Then when we come here, we're greeted with the development of Ulquiorra defecting to serve Chrysalis, and escorted her and her hive back to Canterlot. Then Ulquiorra does battle with you, and transforms into... something... before killing you before our eyes. And then after much running around, and a great amount of struggle and drama, we find out Ulquiorra actually betrayed Chrysalis' trust, and you're still alive and unharmed?" Rarity paused a moment to catch her breath. "Forgive me if I'm being rude, Princess Celestia, but... I'm having trouble understanding just what went on here." "Yer not the only one Rar', ah'm more lost than a penguin in Saddle Arabia," Applejack added. "Yes, I believe that I have much explaining to do," Princess Celestia replied and nodded while she stroked Twilight's shaking back, pausing briefly to softly whisper words of comfort and reassurance in her student's ear. She'd never expected her to react like this. "Just one question before you start, Princess," Rainbow Dash spoke up, bringing the attention to her. "Can he really be trusted, after everything that happened?" she asked as she gestured a foreleg in Ulquiorra's direction. Rather curious, Ulquiorra noted. Out of everything that had occurred, the one who held the Element of Loyalty was just now questioning whether or not he could be trusted? These ponies were even stupider than he first thought. It was possible they were even stupider than Chrysalis. They had no reason to trust him upon their first meeting, but had still done so regardless. Even after learning the truth of his nature, they still seemed to trust him; to the point some of them were willing to share matters of great personal secrecy with him. Now that he thought about it, it didn't make sense. The acting on his part, as well as his overall performance, had been atrocious in nature. The dialogue he'd spoken had been cliched and over-the-top by any measure, and his course of action had been stiff and inarticulate. And that was to say absolutely nothing of the poor logic of everything that'd taken place, all for the purpose of fooling Chrysalis. Did they truly believe he would kill the one who supposedly regulated the natural cycle of the sun, and maintained life on the planet? Did they truly believe he'd been convincing in everything, and assumed he was truly the villain? If that were truly the case, then these ponies were indeed quite stupid. However he kept his observations to himself, and simply allowed Princess Celestia to do the talking. She was better able to explain the situation than he was. Princess Celestia considered Rainbow Dash's question concerning Ulquiorra and his trustworthiness. It was a very, very good question. To be perfectly honest, there were a great many aspects she couldn't be considered pleased with, when regarding the whole of Ulquiorra's actions; particularly how he'd been keeping such a huge secret as his release still being accessible and operational. And that was to say nothing of how he'd used Twilight as a pawn, and put her in such peril in the process. The simple fact that nopony had died, seemed to be the only blessing she was consciously aware of right now. But she couldn't dwell at that at this point in time. Not when her subjects were looking for reassurance that everything was alright. They were scared, confused, and in need of stability right now. She would have to swallow her concern, and do what she'd done so well for the past thousand years; fake serenity for their benefit. "I can assure you, Rainbow Dash, Ulquiorra is trustworthy. He was actually the key to everything working out as well as it did," Princess Celestia assured her, as she used her feathers to stroke Twilight's quivering frame along her spine. The lying... so much lying... "Everything that's happened here today, since the discovery of Chrysalis' actions, has been a carefully thought out, organized, and executed plan." "Everything?" Pinkie asked curiously as she tilted her head to the side, finding it hard to believe that everything that happened had been planned out in advance. "Well... almost everything," she admitted, "there were indeed a few curve balls that even I didn't anticipate. And even I was as surprised as everyone else," Princess Celestia elaborated and turned to Ulquiorra to look at him directly. "I was certain your resurrection form was thoroughly sealed and inaccessible. How did you break the restraining enchantment you were under?" she asked. She needed to figure out that mystery if she hoped to be successful the next time. "As I stated, my resurrección has always been accessible. I simply chose not to use it, and allowed you to believe your spell worked in the desired manner. It was unlikely from the very beginning you would be able to manipulate something you didn't fully understand. It would be no different from Applejack attempting weather manipulation. However, when you instructed me to make my betrayal appear convincing to everyone, it became a matter of utter necessity to reveal the truth," Ulquiorra explained calmly as he slid his hands into his pockets. "Despite everything being an act to fool Chrysalis, there was a deal of truth in my words, regarding how my actions were motivated by self preservation; something I'm certain you can understand quite well. However that is a story for another time; a time when your subjects have been properly assuaged of their fears, and curiosity about everything." Princess Celestia nodded slowly, almost absentmindedly. Despite her own inner turmoil, born from the newfound questions about everything, there were other important matters to tend to first; such as the six ponies before her, who had been put through so much in such a short amount of time. Right now they had to be her primary concern. She'd deal with the Espada later, after the situation and their fears were addressed. "Make yourselves comfortable, my little ponies, this is going to be a rather long explanation of events..." Princess Celestia advised them. Looking between one another briefly, the five sat down on the floor to listen, hoping for clarification on what had taken place over the course of the day. +++ "The circumstances have changed since my initial arrival. It is necessary to react and respond accordingly," Ulquiorra replied. "Right now the circumstances must be addressed. We know the location of the changeling hive. We know an invasion is in the process of being carried out. The only question is what course of action do you wish to take? Shall I depart and destroy the hive and all that are present? Or do you wish to maintain the ideological belief that a peaceful solution can be attained?" he asked pointedly. What was she supposed to do in this situation? She knew the changelings were a threat to the safety of her kingdom and her subjects. They'd already been spared once by Shining Armor when he'd jettisoned all of them from Canterlot, but the interruption of their invasion didn't seem to slow them down much. But on the other hoof, she really didn't want to see any further killing going on. Allowing Ulquiorra to exterminate the hundred or so that were present in Canterlot, in order to avoid them bringing reinforcements that would lead to an even greater loss of life, had been hard enough. But the entire hive? Possibly the entire changeling population? Could she really go through with that? Some days it really, really didn't pay to be a Princess... She closed her eyes and took a breath, only to open them and see Ulquiorra was still standing there and looking at her, waiting for her instructions. She briefly found herself wondering just how long he'd stand there if she simply said nothing, before his patience finally ran out and he chose to act on his own in a rogue manner. Wait. That gave her an idea. "A moment of your time, Ulquiorra, there's something that needs to be discussed before any course of action takes place," she explained as the tip of her horn began to glow as she stepped closer to him. "What is your intention?" Ulquiorra asked. Princess Celestia said nothing as she stopped before him and lowered the tip of her horn to his forehead and closed her eyes. "Can you hear me, Ulquiorra?" It was Princess Celestia's voice but it wasn't being registered by his ears. Was this mental telepathy she was engaging in right now? "In case you're wondering if this is mental telepathy, it is. But you need to concentrate if you want to communicate," the voice stated. This reminded him a great deal of his initial experience with Discord, back in the void he'd found himself in after the battle. In a way it was disturbing to experience all over again. He wasn't even aware such a feat was possible. However there were more important matters to tend to, than simply dwelling on such facts. "You are indeed full of surprises. For what purpose did you choose to engage in this exercise?" he asked. "I wish to discuss matters with you in private, and this seemed like the most secure option available. How certain are you that there aren't anymore changelings in Canterlot at the moment? How do you detect them, and tell the difference between who is who and what?" she asked. "My pesquisa allows me to detect the differing reiatsu patterns. While a changeling may be able to replicate a pony's outward appearance, they are incapable of hiding this fact from me. The inability of the low level drones to communicate in a normal verbal manner adds to their detection," he explained. "That said, I cannot say with absolute certainty that there has not been a subsequent infestation in the city, while my attention has been directed elsewhere. Furthermore there have been several instances in the past, in which my pesquisa has not been one hundred percent accurate. It is theoretically possible that there could be changelings I failed to exterminate." "And each one of those could be relaying information back to their queen without our knowing it. That's why this conversation requires secrecy," Princess Celestia replied. "The changelings have to be dealt with accordingly, I don't deny that. But even if I agreed with your motives, and allowed you to exterminate the hive, along with every single changeling present, that still wouldn't guarantee success. If even two or three changelings currently in hiding remain, they could still rebuild the hive, and the species, and it would only be a few years before they become a significant threat again," she explained. "My knowledge of the species is rather limited. Explain," Ulquiorra replied after a brief pause. How exactly did two drones go about rebuilding an entire species into a sizable force? "Like social insects, the role of the changeling queen is to ensure the continued existence of the species, although Chrysalis' goals go far beyond simple existence. Regardless, if she should die, the hive would sense her absence, and respond in seeking to create a new queen. Several prospective, sterile female drones, would be submerged in large vats of royal jelly to cause the necessary changes, to trigger evolution to queen status, and allow them to repopulate the species. And there's no telling how many changelings could be hatched in the course of a single year. Hundreds possibly," she explained. He could see the difficulty in this situation. Total eradication of an entire species specializing in trickery would be difficult, even for him to pull off... at least without mass casualties among those that could be considered innocent in nature. Rather like cockroaches. And the possibility of spies relating information back to their commander could not be ruled out from the equation. "What would you suggest as the proper course of action?" he asked. If she was bringing up these points, then surely she had something in mind. "Chrysalis is hardly the most intelligent around, and likely would not extensively plan contingencies for her own downfall. But the selection of a new queen is entirely instinctual to the species, according to observations carried out over the decades. To prevent that, we'd have to take a course of action likely to draw every changeling out of hiding. We'd have to do something to make her believe they can be out in the open without fear... something that would make her believe total victory can be hers..." Princess Celestia explained. Even though her voice was a mental projection, he could still hear the tone she was taking, and imagine the change to her facial features that would likely accompany such if she were actually speaking. The fact that her face remained neutral the entire time, spoke of her skill in hiding her emotional status when around others. She was up to something, but he couldn't yet tell what. "Tell me, Ulquiorra, how skilled are you in the art of deception?" He blinked, mentally as well as physically. That was a question he never anticipated before. "My ability to perform theatrics is quite poor. I'm genuinely surprised my performance was bought by the changeling in the first place," he explained. Surely Princess Celestia had something in mind when presenting the question. But what was it? "What exactly do you have in mind?" "Something of a very unorthodox nature. It will be tricky to pull off properly, and will require the help of others, but I believe the rewards are worth any difficulties that might be encountered. You already know the possible location of the hive. Would you be opposed to traveling there, under the guise of defecting to Chrysalis, in order to serve her instead of myself?" she asked. When she received no immediate answer she continued. "Chrysalis is quite proud of herself, and egotistical in nature. She'll likely boast about how she defeated me in the past through an example of trickery, and how the rules of nature dictate that she's the only one who should rule Equestria, or something along the lines of such rubbish. If she were to believe she had gained an ally... someone who would willingly assist her in gaining what she wants, and believes she deserves... she might bring her entire hive with her to Canterlot, and they'd all be in one area where they could be dealt with accordingly," she explained. "... One moment while I properly organize my thoughts," Ulquiorra replied slowly and paused, analyzing her words, and trying to properly structure them. "You wish for me to feign treachery, and deceit, under the assumption there are changeling spies infesting Canterlot that I haven't found and subsequently exterminated, for the purpose of tricking this Chrysalis into coming to Canterlot, and foolishly bringing the entirety of her available forces, all for the purpose of ensuring their nest is cleaned out, in order to prevent a new queen from emerging from whatever survivors lay undiscovered. And you wish me to do all of this, without killing them? And all of this in the hopes that this Chrysalis will be so short-sighted, and hungry for power, that she will trust me immediately after our first meeting, simply because I defect at the first instance of her bragging of defeating you... assuming she brags of defeating you in the first place?" he asked. Was she quite serious in this elaborate and overly complicated scheme? And if she was quite serious, to the point she believed it would work, then just how stupid was the changeling queen if she were to actually fall for such a ruse? "Essentially that's correct," she replied and gave a physical nod. "I can understand if you have doubts about the likelihood of success, as it does sound somewhat convoluted and based on speculation. But I've had a history with Chrysalis over the years, I've come to have somewhat of an understanding of how she thinks and reacts. That's why I believe this plan will work as desired." "And what of Twilight Sparkle and the other Elements of Harmony? Will they be made privy to this grand plan of yours, or will they be left in the dark? Assuming they are even involved to begin with..." Princess Celestia suddenly went very, very silent at his words, nearly breaking the telepathic bridge in the process out of surprise. "How and when?" she asked once she finally regained her focus and her voice. She didn't see any reason to elaborate further on the question, since he more than likely knew the finer details of the matter. "The moment the earth pony called Applejack chose to inform me of their status as the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, and how they have been used in the past. In the future, you may wish to speak to your subjects about how much they trust others, and their willingness to talk. If such a revelation had been made to any other Espada, those six would have been killed almost immediately," Ulquiorra replied. "I suspected shortly afterwards that you had ulterior motives in sending me to Ponyville, shortly after this discovery. I suspected that it was your intention to put me within striking distance of this world's greatest weapons, should I prove to be a significant threat to you or anyone else," he explained, noticing the minute flinch at his words. And at the flinch, he proceeded onward. "Regardless of those facts, and the fact that should one die, the Elements of Harmony will cease to function, you will notice I have made no effort to harm any of them in any way. Quite the contrary actually." Silence on her part. She had no immediate reply to the revelation he'd just made. Taking this as a cue, he continued yet again. "That said, I don't believe this revelation will bolster your trust in me to any greater degree than currently. I merely wish to know what variables will be in place that will need to be addressed, and how well you wish for me to present this defection to the enemy. Do you intend to leave them ignorant of the facts that are transpiring, or do you wish to bring them to Canterlot where they may see things unfold in the event one of them has been replaced in my absence?" he asked. She'd underestimated his intelligence far more than she'd originally thought, it seemed. His deductive reasoning, and the speed at which he'd arrived at the conclusion of her motives based on nothing more than a conversation with Applejack, was quite impressive, and enough to impress and disturb her all at the same time. And despite possessing the knowledge that Twilight and her friends could present a threat to him, he'd made no effort to bring any harm to them; to the contrary he'd actually protected them when a mission had gone bad. He hadn't even criticized her for her actions when he had every opportunity. She really didn't know what to think about all of this right now. She'd have to put this issue aside for later, and address it when the kingdom wasn't under the threat of siege. "I think having them close at hoof would be best. But I fear leaving them in the dark will be necessary for the time being, until we can properly determine if the plan can be shared in a secure manner," Princess Celestia replied. "A logical conclusion," Ulquiorra agreed. The Elements of Harmony being present would indeed be the best solution as far as he could see. Those six were the greatest defense this land had, and if this plan of Princess Celestia's failed, they may be needed. "Assuming Chrysalis plays her part as anticipated, and is as gullible as you would have me believe, to what degree do you wish for me to sell my defection once I bring her to Canterlot? She will likely flee if the facade is dropped immediately," he pointed out. "That's something I've given consideration to. It's very unorthodox... but do you believe you could make an assassination attempt look believable?" she asked. He was silent for nearly a minute at her words before finally replying. "I'm beginning to question your sanity for multiple reasons. The further you delve into this plan, the more I have doubts about your critical thinking skills. Despite the sheer difference in our levels of strength, you wish for me to launch a failed attack against you, in the hopes of tricking what is essentially a highly evolved cockroach, for the purpose of vacating her hive's contents and bringing them to Canterlot. This plan will fail the moment she sees my zanpakutō fail to cut through your skin, even after making direct contact," he pointed out, finding the entire proposition ludicrous. Ludicrous didn't even begin to go into the full depth of the stupidity of it all. Twilight Sparkle could formulate a more coherent and streamlined plan than this; of this he was absolutely positive. Even Rainbow Dash could possibly do better than Princess Celestia in this instance, and she had forgotten that the Elements of Harmony wouldn't work without Fluttershy being present. He didn't even give her the opportunity of a chance to respond, before pressing onward to make it perfectly clear that he doubted her. "There are no attacks or techniques available to me that would even be capable of harming you. In the course of my studies I've read about your exploits, both prior to, and during Princess Luna's one thousand year banishment. I have a very good theory as to what your true strength is. None of my Ceros would even be capable of scorching your fur, but would rather cascade off of your body like water. And even if your physical body could, by some miracle, be injured by what I'm capable of, history's accounts of the strength of your shields, utilized for protecting entire groups during times of conflict and disaster, would suggest it would be futile to even try and overpower you..." She really hadn't expected such an articulate rant to be delivered in such a short amount of time. And she really hadn't expected Ulquiorra to go into such detail to reveal that he'd studied her out. He was incredibly detail oriented in his explanation of why her plan wouldn't work. But at the same time, he'd been focused on the wrong aspect entirely. "Despite your assessments, I still have reservations about the sincerity of your statement concerning the differences in our respective degrees of strength. But assuming it's accurate, you just need to leave the matter to me. I know a few instances of slight of hoof and trickery, a few teleportation spells that will leave Chrysalis convinced of my untimely demise, and her unopposed rule, if you simply sell it properly. She won't know the difference, and as long as you don't let on, neither will anypony else," she said as she did her best to assure him. "Assuming everything goes according to plan what then? How will it be determined if this trickery has been successful, and how long will I need to play the part I am being dealt?" he asked, curious to see just how far out she'd planned this ruse. If those who held the Elements of Harmony were going to be present, did Princess Celestia even care if they were traumatized by her supposed death? There were ramifications to her actions that she wasn't considering. "Once Chrysalis believes I'm out of the picture, I'll depart to the assigned coordinates, and conduct an investigation of the nest, along with a few specially selected guards. Once we've determined that all the changelings are in Canterlot, I'll deliver a signal that everything is going according to plan. After that, we'll return in full force, and deal with them in the appropriate manner," she explained. Ulquiorra remained silent as he considered what to say next. He had lead her down this line of discussion to gather what he believed was relevant information, to get a feel for just what she was plotting out. He was already out of his element enough as is, and jumping to uninformed conclusions would only aggravate the situation. Now it was necessary for him to analyze everything he'd gathered up to this point, weigh it, and measure it out to arrive at the proper conclusion. On top of that it was necessary to determine what he could say, what he should say, and what he wanted to say. There were many areas in Princess Celestia's plan that amounted to gaps in logic, lapses in judgement, and so on. If Twilight Sparkle and the others were present, odds were good that they would be in possession of the Elements of Harmony, unless Princess Celestia planned on taking a course of action to discourage them being brought along. If they were used, there was no telling how he might be affected if he was within range. Had that fact been accounted for, and addressed accordingly? He didn't believe she would intentionally sacrifice him, but he couldn't be absolutely certain of that. Another issue was Chrysalis herself. He possessed very little information on the changeling in question, and couldn't determine the nature of her character. If things proceeded in the manner Princess Celestia had hypothesized, what would happen once she wasn't there? How far would Chrysalis go in attempting to judge his supposed loyalty? Would she require him to harm one of the ponies to prove he was on her side? Amputate a limb? Sever a spinal column? Gouge out their eyes? Or would she possess a measure of sadism so significant, that she would demand he perform tasks on them that even Nnoitra would find distasteful? And would she truly be foolish enough to want him to try and kill Princess Celestia, if she were truly the one who raised and lowered the sun each day? Or at the very least, was believed to be the one who did such? Then there was the matter of his supposed treachery, in the presence of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Princess Celestia had instructed him to study and try to understand the concept of friendship; something that had occurred with those six ponies more than any others. Despite the Mare Do Well incident, he highly doubted that deceit was among the core lesson plan, regardless of what the intention was. Did she understand that this plan could jeopardize her other endeavors with him? And that was to say nothing of the bearers themselves. Princess Celestia's plan, in order to trick Chrysalis, involved the staged display of her apparent death, and all in front of possibly the most important and influential ponies currently alive, and possibly with no forewarning of what they should expect. These ponies, unlike himself, were living beings prone to emotional instability, and not ruled by logic. The potential for mental trauma was considerable under these circumstances. Had she even considered that fact? Did she care that she may be scarring this world's best defense, all for the sake of stopping a single enemy without significant bloodshed? When all was revealed, would they be capable of understanding her intentions? And if not, what repercussions would be had? Not that he truly cared about the ponies themselves. Despite what they might believe, they weren't his friends. If they were traumatized by this plan, it was their fault for being highly emotional in nature, and incapable of understanding what the bigger picture was. He considered bringing all of these points up, one by one, and poking holes in Princess Celestia's plans, forcing her to see things from his perspective. If he so desired, he could easily put her in such a position, and make her agree that total eradication of the entire changeling species was the best course of action available. He could indeed go with such a route. Simply refuse her plan on the grounds of absent logic. He could. However simply because he could, didn't mean that he should. Was it really his place to explain to a supposed immortal just why her plan would fail? Or should he allow her to learn these facts for herself? If she was forced to experience the consequences of her actions for herself, she would be less inclined to do so again in the future... assuming they all lived through this. Then he would be able to remind her of this incident in the future, and potentially use it as leverage against her. Logically speaking... perhaps the best option available was to simply keep his mouth shut, and play along with what she wanted. If everything went to hell at some point, it would simply be necessary to respond as he saw fit. He couldn't be faulted for abandoning the charade if the situation became drastic in nature. "I want you to know that I possess significant doubts concerning the wisdom of your plan. There are many factors that can go wrong. I predict this situation will not end well, regardless of what you may have in mind. Your subjects may not receive your plans as well as you hope. They are emotional in nature, prone to short sightedness. The fact this is so poorly presented does not inspire confidence," he stated firmly. "To make this grand charade of yours convincing, I can make no guarantees of what I will be required to do in your absence. If I'm ordered by Chrysalis to injure your subjects, to solidify her belief in me, the best I will be able to do, is ensure whatever injuries they receive are not permanently debilitating in nature," he continued before she could even get a word in edgewise. Going out of his way to harm others was not something he had any particular desire for. This was a conflict of interest she needed to be aware of. Briefly mentioning the previous considered complications couldn't hurt, should something occur during it all; at the very least it would absolve him of a responsibility to warn her of what could occur. "But regardless of those facts, I have been assigned a duty, and it is mine to carry out, regardless of how distasteful I find them. If you wish me to "sell it" that I have defected to serve this Chrysalis, then I will indeed sell it, and leave her totally convinced of what you want her to believe. There will be no doubt in her mind that you have been killed off, and she may rule free and clear. I will allow you to do things your way, regardless of my own personal doubts, and observe how they develop. But I will act accordingly if necessary, to carry out your original orders," he replied, seeing little other option available to them. The conversation was interrupted by a groan coming from the holding cell, signalling the changeling was coming around after passing out. "Excuse me a moment. If I'm to "sell it" with my defection, then I will start now," he stated. Princess Celestia broke the telepathic link between them and stepped back, watching as Ulquiorra wordlessly turned around and drew his zanpakutō as he stepped back into the holding cell. She had a suspicion of what was going to happen, but she really had no desire to see it confirmed. There was a startled yelp from the changeling almost immediately after. "If you can communicate with your Queen at this distance, then relay this message to her. I am coming for you, Chrysalis, and it is my intention to kill you for what you have done here today." That had been the entirety of the message before a sickening noise of flesh being pierced by steel silenced the changeling's outburst. After which Ulquiorra stepped back out, sliding his blade back into the sheath. "Let us begin then..." +++ Over the course of the next hour, the assembled ponies were made aware of all the intricacies of Princess Celestia's master plan for dealing with the changelings. Everything had been laid out for them. How Ulquiorra's defection had been a gamble to convince Chrysalis to assemble her entire hive in Canterlot, and how such had been motivated to prevent a secondary invasion should some of them escape their detection. How their combat had been staged for the purpose of selling his defection. How they had been brought to Canterlot to ensure they weren't targeted again. How her death had been a carefully orchestrated effort between herself and Luna, to replace her body with a replica made of ash, the slight of hoof performed at the last possible moment to ensure it was convincing. How their detainment in a low-level holding cell had been deliberate, to ensure they would escape. And how during the time after her supposed death, and her reappearance, they'd been at the changeling's hive, scouring every last inch to ensure it was completely empty; a significant feat considering how extensive the hive itself was. "... And that's what brings us to now," Princess Celestia finished, her mouth feeling rather tired after such a long explanation. The assembled audience had been mostly silent and captivated by the tale that was spun for them. None of them, with the exception of Ulquiorra, had even noticed as Princess Luna returned to the throne room. And over that time, Twilight had quieted down almost completely, other than the sound of her own breathing as she continued being held gently. "Whoa..." Rainbow Dash breathed in amazement, being the first to find her voice in response to the extensive details they'd been provided with. Princess Celestia had really gone all out in her planning of events that'd occurred since their arrival. She wouldn't have even considered half of the things that'd come up in the explanation, like a drone evolving into a new queen, or the possibility of spies or anything like that. Things like this made sense as to why Princess Celestia was the one in charge, she had the foresight to think these things out. "I must say... that was all certainly quite an endeavor to engage in," Rarity stated, uncertain of what she could possibly add that was of any relevance. "Not ta be second guessin' ya er nothin' Princess, but couldn' ya've given us at least some warnin' on what ya were plannin' on doin'?" Applejack asked curiously as she stood up from the spot where she sat. "Ah know ya did wha' ya did 'cause ya had good reason an' all, but ah nearly had a heart attack when we all thought Mr. Cifer turned ya ta dust back there," she pointed out, doing her best to remain calm. And to not give consideration to the fact that she and the others had more or less been lied to on a massive scale. She could understand the why, but that didn't mean she appreciated it any. "I apologize for the concern I caused you and the others, Applejack. I truly did want to involve you all on the plan, and please understand my decision to not do so, wasn't reached lightly. I had to operate on the possibility that one or more of you had been replaced by a changeling. Only Ulquiorra can really tell the difference, and he was away carrying out the plan," Princess Celestia apologized. If she'd known for certain that they hadn't been compromised, and that there were no changelings to hear her plan, she would've told them in a heartbeat. But Ulquiorra's appearance had prevented that from occurring. "It was all a matter of absolute necessity. I had to ensure that Chrysalis would assume she'd won, and had no contingency plans in place, otherwise everything would've been for nothing. And as much as I despise Chrysalis I really didn't want her entire hive wiped out of existence..." "Yeah... well..." Rainbow Dash muttered, "it still doesn't excuse him of the fact that he beat the tar out of us! Seriously, first he targets us with that black Cero of his and could've killed all of us, then he kicked Twilight right in the ribs, and punted her like a hoofball in the process. That's just taking it way too far!" she stated and angrily gestured in the Espada's direction. "And that's to say nothing of what he did to me..." "You're quite foolish," Ulquiorra commented, speaking up for the first time since Princess Celestia began her explanation of everything. From the way the cyan pegasus was talking, she hadn't paid attention to what she'd been told. Now it was up to him to rectify that matter. "Did you truly believe that my Cero Oscuras would have been allowed anywhere near Canterlot Palace, if Princess Celestia was incapable of stopping it? She was given more than sufficient time to respond. If her strength wasn't capable of such a feat, she would've simply changed its trajectory, in the same manner as Fluttershy when the dragon was dealt with, rather than choosing to intercept and block it," he pointed out. When no rebuttal was offered, he continued with his explanation of their own shortsightedness. "As for my actions regarding the rest of you. Neither of you were in any danger of being seriously injured. You yourself were merely swept aside, while Twilight Sparkle was simply rolled over. If you were observant, you would notice the lack of any bruising around her ribcage, and even your neck," he pointed out. "Didn't you find it strange how you could so easily pick up and transport her, during your escape, without causing her significant pain?" he asked. From the look on her face, it was safe to conclude that she indeed did not consider such inconsistencies. Perhaps she could give Chrysalis a run for her money in the stupidity department. "Everything that occurred here today, occurred for the purpose of carrying out the assignment. As I stated, I was merely following orders. And my orders were to be convincing to everyone in my supposed betrayal; you included," he explained. "That said, I must admit my surprise at how easily Chrysalis fell for everything. It hardly seemed like anything approaching a convincing performance. I'm not a skilled actor capable of such. With the speed at which I agreed to serve Chrysalis, and retake Canterlot for her, I was quite certain she would've seen through the numerous glaring errors in logic that were present. The entire time I was playing the treacherous lackey, I was certain she would discover the truth, and respond accordingly. The fact she didn't, does not speak favorably of her." "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! What about the Elements of Harmony!?" Pinkie asked quickly, "Ulqy said they were scattered throughout the Everfree Forest, don't we need to find them before somepony else does?" "Did you really believe that in my efforts to be convincing, I would go so far as to genuinely compromise the actual defensive options of this world? Either through harming you directly, or by directing my focus on the Elements of Harmony themselves?" Ulquiorra asked as he directed his focus on the pink earth pony. "Merely another falsehood for the purpose of tricking Chrysalis, and luring her into a false sense of security. However unlike the other falsehoods, this one became necessary due to your own actions," he explained. "Say what now?" Rainbow Dash asked in surprise. "Princess Celestia's plans for events that transpired were rather extensive, including the matter of locking you six in a cell you would have the greatest chance of escaping, due to a combination of Twilight Sparkle's magical aptitude, and the lack of outside factors that would negate such. She believed that you six would launch some type of counterattack against the changelings, possibly keeping them occupied for an extended period, in order to buy time for the hive to be located, secured, and searched. But the possibility of trying to retrieve the Elements of Harmony was not considered. Once Chrysalis discovered your escape she was the one to make the assumption, and nearly dispatched a squadron of drones to intercept you. With these developments, it became necessary to hastily concoct the story that I could reach the Elements of Harmony first, and dispose of them before intercepting you. It was quite fortunate that she didn't choose to question my false sincerity. Otherwise everything might've been ruined. The bloodbath Ponyville experienced today would've been nothing compared to what could have potentially happened." The whole room was silent after Ulquiorra's explanation of the events that transpired and what motivated them. At least until Rainbow Dash decided to open her mouth. "Now just an apple picking minute here!" she stated. "Tha's my line RD," Applejack objected. However the cyan pegasus didn't seem to pay her any mind as she focused exclusively on Ulquiorra. "Are you saying that you're the one who saved the day, and made sure everything went according to some great big, convoluted plan?" she asked him as she hovered in front of him. "Such a statement is not necessary for me to make. If you think back to before the elaboration, Princess Celestia made the statement herself, when you asked whether or not I could be trusted," Ulquiorra responded calmly and flatly. Rainbow Dash frowned an growled in response. Here he was claiming responsibility for their victory status, and he was doing it in the most nonchalant manner she'd ever seen anypony ever brag in. She didn't know what was angering her more right now; his claim of victory, or the subdued manner he was claiming it. But either way it was infuriating to have to put up with. "Jerk!" "It was your own brash actions that forced me to act. Had I not, it would've been you that put all of Princess Celestia's work in jeopardy," Ulquiorra explained pointedly, all the while maintaining his even tone despite his annoyance. He was finding himself highly annoyed by his interaction with Rainbow Dash, even moreso than usual. Her act first and ask questions later approach to doing everything, had nearly cost Princess Celestia the desired results. Had Chrysalis even been the slightest bit suspicious of him as he tried to defuse the situation, the entire incident would have ended with many, many more deaths than what had already taken place. Not that such results were entirely unfavorable to him. Had the matter been left to him, he wouldn't have had any problem with such a genocidal approach if it were deemed necessary. But for whatever reason, Princess Celestia had wanted the situation resolved with as few deaths as possible. He possessed serious doubts about the logic of her actions and motivation, knowing that if the changelings remained alive they would present a significant threat to Equestria's wellbeing, no matter what was done with them. But it hadn't been his call to make. It was Princess Celestia's command, and it was his role to carry out orders... just as it was his role to convince the human woman to come to Hueco Mundo through whatever means necessary... just as it had been his role to protect Las Noches at any cost. Up to and including his own life. His thoughts were quickly interrupted by the flapping of wings, as an armor-clad pegasus guard flew into the room, and set down before them, before turning to address Princess Celestia. "We have good news to report, Your Highness, all of the missing residents of Canterlot have been located, freed, and are doing fine. Furthermore, all the present changelings have been rounded up and secured," the guard stated. "Most excellent news indeed. Thank you for the update," Princess Celestia replied before dismissing the guard. "So what about Discord?" Rainbow Dash finally asked, deciding to change the subject. Arguing with the Espada wasn't going to get her anywhere, she was certain of that. "Did he play any part in this?" "Oh. About Discord..." Princess Celestia said and paused in thought... +++ "I don't like it, 'Tia, I don't like it one little bit," Discord stated as he paced back and forth across the floor of Celestia's private chambers. Being summoned for a conference was one thing. But what the alicorn was suggesting, what she'd summoned him from a particularly nice nap for, this was something else entirely! "You want to utilize my chaos powers, for something that ultimately amounts to just one big joke?!" he asked as he came to a stop and faced her directly, his left eye twitching as he spoke. "Nope, nope, nope, not gonna happen, nuh-uh, count me out! I refuse! I don't like the changelings anymore than you do, but this is distasteful even by my standards! And THAT is saying something! What you're planning is a wasteful endeavor for my abilities!" Celestia flinched as Discord bellowed, quite thankful she had soundproofed her quarters prior to the meeting. If there were any changeling spies nearby, they'd most certainly hear him if she hadn't. This was a development she hadn't anticipated. Discord was actually turning down the opportunity to engage in chaos and practical jokes? That was strange even by all standards associated with him. Next to her stood Ulquiorra, his hands in his pockets, completely unimpressed by the volume or the display Discord's tirade. "This coming from the draconequus who once turned Applejack's entire harvest into cubes," Ulquiorra commented dryly in response. Discord's priorities were as strange as his appearance. "Now you listen here, lad," Discord stated as he stepped closer and looked Ulquiorra in the eye, "cube apples pack and travel better than round apples. They don't roll off tables, you can stack more in crates... I was just doing Applejack a favor in the course of my reformation," he explained. "Based on her accounts of events that unfolded, she was unappreciative of your supposed favor," Ulquiorra replied, unimpressed by Discord's defense of his actions. "As I recall, none of the ponies would buy her wares after you tainted them." "Now you listen here, I-" Discord began, only to be silenced as Ulquiorra grasped him by his throat, pulling his head back down to his own eye level. "Do you intend to assist on this matter or not?" Ulquiorra asked simply. He was in no mood for long discussions, when he could instead be off, and dealing with the changelings by himself. If he didn't have to entertain Princess Celestia's plans, the threat could over by now. If Discord was going to be of no assistance, then it was better to dispense with him immediately, rather than continue wasting time on him. "If not, then stop wasting our time and say such, before I attempt to force a definite answer from you." Discord laughed in response to the threat, too amused to keep it to himself. "And what could you possibly do to me?" "That is something you don't want to find out," Ulquiorra warned evenly, "that fact aside, you said yourself that you were aware of me. And as such, you are best likely to understand exactly what I'm capable of if necessary..." Why her? Why now? She could feel a migraine coming on again. Seeing Ulquiorra and Discord at each other, Celestia sighed to herself and used her magic to forcefully pull them apart before they could come to blows. And knowing what she did about these two, those blows could be devastating. She'd seen what Ulquiorra could do to a grown dragon without even exerting himself. She'd seen what Discord could do with a snap of his fingers and a little imagination. And right now she really needed the both of them. "Gentlecolts, we really don't have time for this," she explained as calmly as she could. With that said she turned her attention to Discord, since he was going to be quite needed for everything to work. "Discord, currently I'm very furious with you, and how you lied to me about Ulquiorra knowing about the Elements of Harmony. And don't try and worm your way out of the truth. But that's for another time. My own anger aside, I'm willing to forgive you, and your shenanigans, in exchange for your assistance. I truly don't understand what your objection to this matter is, and why you don't wish to help. But whatever it is, I need your help on this. Perhaps now more than ever before," she explained, "all I need from you are two things. First and foremost, I need you to shield Ulquiorra's mind to protect him, in the event Chrysalis attempts to brainwash him. I don't know how her spell might affect him otherwise, and I really don't want to find out." Sound logic indeed, Ulquiorra noted. If Chrysalis truly possessed the same ability as Kyōka Suigetsu, then Discord's assistance would indeed be required. "And the other thing?" Discord asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. In response a letter was plucked from under Celestia's right wing and hovered in front of him. "I need you to place a passive enchantment on this document. One that, as the letter is read, Twilight and the others will feel a sense of calm. One that will motivate them to not bring the Elements of Harmony along with them. Too many things could go wrong otherwise. If they were to bring them, Chrysalis might direct an assault against them, and jeopardize everything. There's also the fact that, should they be used, I have no idea how Ulquiorra might be affected by them, not being native to our world," Celestia explained. Ulquiorra remained silent at her words. Princess Celestia had given this matter more consideration than he had anticipated. However there were still other matters that she didn't seem aware of; matters that he would stay silent about, and observe how they played out. Discord scanned the document, his eyes moving from left to right as he read it over. Finally he let out a disgruntled sigh and straightened up. "Alright, 'Tia. I'll do these two favors for you. But keep in mind I'm not your own private galactic reset button. After I do these two things, I'm getting the buck out of here. I don't want to be present should everything go south. Once I leave you're on your own. And for your sake, I hope you have everything planned out properly. Otherwise I wouldn't want to be in your shoes once the smoke has cleared," he stated and snapped the fingers of his lion's paw. +++ "... Discord was... not involved in this matter. He wanted to be well out of Canterlot, on the off chance the Elements of Harmony were used," she replied. She still had absolutely no idea why Discord didn't want to be involved in this matter. It was really most unusual. But that was another question for another time. "Tha's ta be expected ah guess. Being' chaos an' all, he mighta gotten swept up along with Chrysalis an' the others if we'd brought 'em," Applejack commented. She really couldn't blame Discord for wanting to save his own flank in all of this. "Oh my," Rarity spoke up, "I just realized something. Now that Chrysalis and her hive have been captured, what's going to become of them? If they're not going to be... executed... then what fate awaits them?" she asked. "Yeah tha's a mighty good question there, Rarity," Applejack replied and turned to face Princess Celestia, "wha's gonna happen, Princess?" It was certainly a fair question to ask. To be truthful it was a matter she'd been considering as well. What to do with an enemy that was a threat to the safety of her subjects, while at the same time not condemning them to death? Perhaps she should've devoted more time to thinking about the aftermath, than actually getting to this point. "You don't need to concern yourselves with what the fate of Chrysalis and the rest of the changelings will be. Their punishment will be firm, but it will be fair," she assured them. For the time being the dungeons would work at keeping them from going anywhere or trying anything, and it would allow her time to better think things over. But for the time being, there were more important matters to tend to, such as the wellbeing of those who held the Elements of Harmony. Everything that unfolded here today would be a lot for anypony to deal with. "I've gotta say, Princess, it feels weird not being the ones who saved the day and all. But at least in the end, everything turned out alright," Rainbow Dash stated in an effort to change the subject. She was really tired of the talk being about the changelings and all. And she really didn't want to think about the broader implications of everything. Of course that still didn't mean she fully trusted the Espada after everything that happened today. Princess Celestia said he could be trusted. She'd explained why he could be trusted. But that didn't mean she did just yet. Even with his explanation, still nothing. Maybe she would sometime in the future, but right now she really didn't feel up to it. Just because he served as a pawn for Princess Celestia, didn't mean she wasn't still sore with him. "Other than that big hole in the wall Twilight made when she tried to blast Ulqy," Pinkie pointed out, bringing everyone's attention to the aforementioned area of damage. "A rather impressive show of force, to be certain," Ulquiorra commented dryly. "Yes... well..." Princess Celestia replied slowly and looked back at the hole. That was a development she truly hadn't taken into consideration. Part of the wall, the balcony and even the royal telescope was completely obliterated from existence, to say nothing of the section of floor itself, cut out by her student's beam. She'd always known Twilight's potential for magic was strong, but this was surprising even to her. "Compared to what could've happened, the damage is little more than a divot. It shouldn't prove too difficult to repair," she replied reassuringly. "Celestia..." It'd been a whisper so soft and so quiet her ears almost didn't even register it. To be truthful she'd felt it more than heard it, when she felt the movement of Twilight's jaw against the feathers of her wings when she spoke. Most curious. "Twilight?" she asked as she looked down at her student's still frame. "Don't touch me..." Another soft whisper. This time she'd properly heard what was said, but she had no idea what she meant. "Twilight?" she asked again and leaned in closer. "Don't touch me!" It was a shrieking scream this time instead of a whisper, as Twilight fought and kicked her way out of Princess Celestia's embrace to stand before her, her eyes filled with conflicting emotions and hurt. "You used us! You lied to us! You lied to me!" she shouted through her hoarseness. "I... I hate you!" Without saying another word, or even waiting for a response, she turned tail and ran out of the throne room, crying all over again, and leaving the others in stunned silence. "... Wow..." Rainbow Dash replied, too shocked to say anything else. "Oh dear," Rarity added. Princess Celestia couldn't say anything as she watched her faithful student run off in pain; a pain that she herself seemed responsible for causing. What had she done? Ulquiorra said nothing as he watched Twilight Sparkle's exit, uncertain what exactly to think about how events had unfolded. While Princess Celestia's plan had played out very close to how she had anticipated everything -much to his surprise at such a fact- the aftermath had proven to serve as a possibility he'd predicted. Five of the six had responded rather well, and taken everything in stride -or at the very least, were more skilled at hiding their hurt and sense of betrayal, at realizing they had been nothing more than pawns to further a ploy- while the sixth did not. It was hardly surprising that Twilight Sparkle would be the one most traumatized, considering the bond the two shared with each other. Slowly he turned around to face Princess Celestia directly. From the look on her face, he could easily tell that a verbal "I told you so" was entirely unnecessary, as she was fully understanding he'd been right all along, about how things could so easily go so wrong. This would lead to interesting developments. Of that he was quite certain.