Chapter Fifty Three
Celestia looked down at the page before her and frowned, deeply upset with what it had to say.
June 14, 0002 ANM June 18, 0002 ANM
.
This wasn't a report that was sent to her for inspection and consideration. It wasn't a part of the everyday headaches involved with running a country. Instead it was something of a considerably more difficult nature; her own private journal. She had been -unsuccessfully- trying to maintain these daily records, detailing what happened throughout her day. It had been a naive endeavor from her youth, back when the kingdom had been much smaller, and much simpler. Back then she could easily keep pace and fill pages each night with so little effort. But as the kingdom grew, both in size and complexity, that task wasn't as easily filled due to more and more time needing to be devoted to the intricate details of keeping everything running smoothly.
She knew it was a foolish notion to try and make up for her laxness. She knew that there was no realistic way she could ever keep a running journal going. Even when it came to important details, her ability to write about the day's events escaped her.
Case in point was her latest journal entry, consisting of nothing more than the date, and a dot of ink that was intended to be the start of a capitalized letter. She'd intended to write about bringing Rainbow Dash to Canterlot to oversee her wellbeing. But after four additional days she still hadn't been able to do just that. And even if she had the time to actually sit down and try to write, she simply couldn't figure out just how to write such. How exactly did one go about detailing the events of five days ago, and what she had to sit through one of her friends accusing her other friends of doing to her?
It was questions like that, that provided further and further motivation to drop this foolish notion of trying to maintain a journal for her own benefit.
She wasn't entirely sure why, but Ulquiorra's opting to remain in Ponyville just seemed to add to the difficulty she was experiencing.
According to what she'd grasped, Twilight had managed to lasso him into assisting with a plan she had concocted; a plan that she believed would somehow help Rainbow Dash's recovery. However her student had been in such a manic state at the time of explanation, she'd truly only understood about half of what had been said. And being pressed for time, she couldn't seek clarification if it ran longer than a few minutes.
However that inability to seek clarification only extended to being in the flesh within Ponyville. She had sent a letter asking for better detail of just what Twilight had been planning, but so far she had received nothing back. She was literally in the dark as to what was taking place in Ponyville, as her entire attention was focused on what was occurring inside the palace.
"Forget it," Celestia sighed to herself, returning the sorry excuse for a journal to its resting place in her chambers. Who was she foaling? Herself? This was a useless endeavor. With a grumble she stood up from where she sat on her bed, and walked out of the room, the double doors swinging shut and locking themselves behind her. There were far more pressing matters to tend to right now. Matters that could actually benefit from her presence and involvement.
"Princess Celestia."
She stopped dead in her tracks at the dull, monotone voice that came from her left. Turning her head, she came face to face with Ulquiorra as he stood in the hallway several paces away, his hands tucked into his pockets as usual.
"Ulquiorra," Celestia replied in exchange of greeting, "you might find it strange, but I'm actually glad that you're back," she stated. Perhaps his calm, logical approach to things could prove to be beneficial in this matter.
"The matter at hand has truly become that serious, then?" Ulquiorra asked, mildly curious by the announcement. He never considered the notion of Princess Celestia actually being glad for his presence. Seeing him as beneficial in certain circumstances was one thing, but glad was another. He wasn't exactly certain how to interpret such a statement, unless it was in relation to a situation getting out of control and needing swift -and potentially brutal, all things considered- intervention to stop it from spiraling any further.
"Sometimes I have grounds to wonder," Celestia replied. These past few days had been so difficult. "Can you tell me what's been going on in Ponyville the last few days? Twilight has been... less than clear on everything, and I'm not sure why."
"An extensive investigation of Ponyville and the surrounding territory, utilizing my ability to detect residual traces of reiatsu to determine the locations Rainbow Dash was present at on the thirteenth of this month, and gathering any relevant eye-witness testimony to corroborate the evidence," Ulquiorra explained, giving a simplified account of what had happened ever since the departure. When Princess Celestia didn't immediately speak up, he continued with his explanation. "The purpose of this endeavor was two-fold in nature. To determine if anything unusual occurred that would explain the unpredicted change in not only behavior but also thought, and to thoroughly debunk Rainbow Dash's preconceived notions of what she experienced five days ago and prior, while also proving the innocence of those she considers to be her friends," he finished, filling her in on exactly what had been taking place for the past five days on his end.
"I see..." Celestia replied slowly as she took in the details of the story. She wasn't certain whether the idea was the result of Twilight's mind being at work, or Ulquiorra's. If the two were working in tandem with each other then either one of them could have come up with this strategy. But at the moment it wasn't important. Whoever was deserving credit for the approach could wait for another time. She also suspected the "proving the innocence" angle was about proving it to Rainbow Dash rather than anyone else. "So what did you find out in your investigation? Anything beneficial?"
"Unfortunately no. Despite the thorough nature of the search, nothing conclusive was found. I've been unable to detect anything that would be out of place from the very first time I visited Ponyville. Other than the damage caused by the manticore attack, nothing out of place could be found. Whatever unexplained event is responsible for warping Rainbow Dash's mind, and turning her against her friends, I have been unable to find any trace of it. This unfortunately raises numerous questions. Was this unexplained event present prior to my arrival in your dimension? Did the encounter occur in the air where there would be nothing for residual reiatsu to cling to, and thus rendering it undetectable to my pesquisa?" Ulquiorra asked, more rhetorical than anything in order to elaborate on the difficulties that had been encountered. Those were just some of the questions that had to be asked, some of the possibilities that had to be considered. Truthfully those were some of the less disturbing possibilities that had been entertained over the past few days.
"Then ultimately you've come all this way to report that you've found nothing?" Celestia asked, unsure of how to interpret such. Surely if that was the case, Ulquiorra would've done the more practical thing and simply submitted a written report via Spike, rather than taking the time to actually travel such a distance; especially since his presence here left Ponyville unguarded.
"To the contrary, I have found something. Essentially a map of every single land-based location Rainbow Dash has visited over the course of a week. Every location in which residual traces of her unique reiatsu pattern was located has been documented and mapped out," Ulquiorra explained.
Celestia blinked in confusion at Ulquiorra's statement. "But I thought you said you couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. How does knowing where Rainbow Dash has been help us in this case?" she asked.
"It doesn't. Our situation does not benefit from knowing which trees appear to be preferred napping locations to a lazy, opinionated, egotistical pegasus. However it may benefit her by serving to discount her false beliefs about the timeline of events, by forcing her to confront actual, irrefutable facts, corroborated by multiple eye witnesses willing to testify not only to seeing her, but also interacting with her, and being aware of her general demeanor," Ulquiorra explained.
Back in Ponyville he had refrained from picking apart Rainbow Dash's recollection of events from her point of view, simply because he was uncertain how his actions might affect her mental stability. He had chosen to refrain simply due to a lack of relevant information, and an inability to make an educated decision.
However that caution of approach had been put to an end when he'd witnessed Princess Celestia not refraining from pointing out the inaccuracies of the tale of events. She had exercised no concern in the matter of potentially causing trauma when bringing up the inconsistencies of memory, and the impossibility of the events occurring in the way they were described. And if his restrained method of approach to the matter was unwarranted, then there was sufficient reason to abandon such.
"While your approach does have merit at first blush, I'm not certain of its validity. What we're dealing with isn't a simple matter of Rainbow Dash experiencing amnesia," Celestia replied with a sigh as she stepped forward. "We haven't exactly been sitting on our flanks here back in Canterlot the past few days, being waited on, and fed sweets. Both Luna and I have been putting a great deal of effort into looking after Rainbow Dash's wellbeing, and trying to help her however we can. Unfortunately we have nothing to show for all our efforts," she explained.
Ulquiorra considered asking just what the diarchy had been attempting in order to address the situation at hand. For some reason the immediate images that came to mind involved lots of hugging and kind words, hugging her while she cried hysterically. If coddling was their idea of help, then Rainbow Dash would never get better. If anything it might only serve to deepen her current state of being.
"And what specifically has the regimen of treatment consisted of up to this point?" he asked.
Celestia tried not to frown at the question being asked, and the exact tone in how it was presented. It seemed innocent enough in nature, but how things seemed and how things were, were two entirely different matters. With that doubt in mind, she wasn't entirely certain that she liked the question being asked, or what he might be alluding to. But at the moment she really didn't feel up to having an argument with him. She'd let it slide for the time being, as there were more important things to address.
"Apart from assuring her that she's secure here at the palace, we've been attempting to address the matter of her memory. But so far we've run into... complications. Whatever it is that's affected her recollection of events, it's unlike anything either Luna or I have ever experienced in our time. And not knowing what we're dealing with, it's too risky to attempt any memory-related spells. Attempting to suppress or otherwise wipe the false memories could have serious, long-term consequences. If we don't exercise extreme caution on this matter, we could accidentally wipe everything from her mind. And removing knowledge is far simpler than attempting to return it," she explained, leaving Ulquiorra to figure the rest out for himself. It went without saying that a total mind wipe was a terrible idea to even give consideration to, seeing as it more or less killed the individual it was performed on.
And making that matter all the worse, was the fact that such an approach might not even work at removing the source of the issue. For all they knew those retched, implanted memories could still remain, and continue tormenting what was essentially a foal trapped in an adult's body. The potential for psychological harm was far too great to give any serious consideration.
"If such serious measures are being considered, am I correct in assuming that simpler options such as hypnosis have been considered, and subsequently discounted?" Ulquiorra asked evenly, more out of curiosity rather than concern.
Once again Celestia shook her head. "The notion of hypnosis possessing any therapeutic value is highly misleading. It's a party game, meant to entertain guests as the hypnotized is convinced that a piece of ice is as hot as lava, or that a feather weighs hundreds of pounds. But in the realm of therapy, its use is limited. Under the right conditions it can be valuable, but not when it comes to the matter of memories. It could be used to reassign certain reactions to certain stimuli, but not to make someone forget what they experienced, or believe they experienced," she explained.
If only things were as simple in real life as they were in fiction books. If hypnosis truly worked in the manner so many authors believed it worked, it would've been attempted already. But sadly that wasn't the case, and they had many, many difficulties in front of them to address.
"Then precisely what methodology of treatment has been utilized during my absence?" Ulquiorra asked bluntly. The way things were being described to him, he began to wonder if anything was being done at all. Were they even addressing the problem? Or were they simply waiting to see what would develop on its own?
"A number of varying approaches, intended to keep Rainbow Dash's mental state stable. Canterlot palace provides the perceived safety of distance from the others, and a number of royal guards who are always on duty to fill her with a sense of security. Rainbow Dash knows that she can turn to either Luna or myself anytime she needs to talk, regardless of what she has to say, no matter how vulgar it might be at the time. During her waking hours, we provide emotional support. And Luna has been tending to the matter of her dreams when she sleeps, preventing the formation of nightmares based on these questionable memories, and instead presenting her with dreams based on pleasant memories with her friends. The idea is to let her recover under her own power, while providing the support she believes she needs, while subtly trying to guide her back to where she needs to be," Celestia replied calmly, laying out what the plan had been since their departure from Ponyville.
Or more accurately, what they had switched their plans to, after learning how they couldn't adjust the malicious memories Rainbow Dash was unwillingly harboring. If directly dealing with those implanted memories wasn't a possibility, then they had to go about doing it in a different way. If direct intervention on their part wouldn't prove beneficial, then they would provide supportive care, as well as provide Rainbow Dash with what she might need to overcome the trauma herself.
"If you don't mind my asking, Ulquiorra, what're you doing back in Canterlot? I didn't believe you'd be leaving Ponyville unattended unless so ordered. And I don't believe any serious matters have developed that would warrant you coming to fetch me, otherwise you would've mentioned them immediately, and only if Spike was unavailable to send an alert. So I can't help but wonder what brings you here, after everything that's happened already," Celestia pointed out. She knew that something was out of place, and she was growing curious as to just what that something was.
A correct observation on her part, Ulquiorra noted. As was to be expected from one who held her position.
"An accurate assessment of facts. Leaving Ponyville and its inhabitants unguarded for any extended period of time would be unwise," he replied. Despite all efforts made over the last few days by a handful of individuals, motivated to prevent another incident similar to the manticore attack, and motivated strongly enough to put their own natural fears aside in the name of a greater good, the results were still lacking. For all intents and purposes, Ponyville was still soft. Comparatively speaking, the difference made by these motivated individuals amounted to using suede work gloves in a fistfight, as opposed to going at it bare knuckled boxing style. "The intended purpose of my presence was to submit my findings for consideration, and to verify Rainbow Dash's current state of wellbeing, due to the mounting curiosity being expressed through town. The sooner these tasks can be addressed, the sooner I can return before something happens in my absence." he explained.
Normally standing around and talking was something he wasn't opposed to. But the more time spent here, the more time he spent away from Ponyville and the vulnerable targets located there. And despite numerous investigations of the territory that surrounded Ponyville, in an effort to scour the countryside for anything resembling a conceivable threat, and turning up nothing concrete, his extended absence was still unwise.
How simple things would be if he still had access to his Descorrer. All the more reason to interrogate Discord, should the spirit of chaos ever choose to make himself known again.
"I see then," Celestia replied calmly, understanding what he meant. However there were still questions at hand to address. "I certainly don't mean to take up anymore of your time than necessary, but I have to ask. Why didn't you simply submit your findings through Spike? His fire is much more effective for long distance communication, than making the journey, even at your speed," she pointed out. She knew that he must've had good reason to engage in the course of action that he did. But she just wasn't seeing them right now.
"An accurate assessment of facts. However sending reports through Spike would be insufficient in this case. Merely submitting a written report for her to read would do nothing to motivate Rainbow Dash to consider that her recollection is incorrect. Instead a more persuasive argument will have to be made. One for which the explanation of such would best be given while traveling in order to save time," Ulquiorra pointed out.
Celestia could easily pick up what he was getting at; the basic message of stop wasting time. With a nod she began walking, with him accompanying her.
"So how exactly do you intend to present this "persuasive argument" of yours to Rainbow Dash, so she might understand what it is you've found?" she asked now that they were underway.
"Unlike the other Espada, I possess a unique talent. Solita Vista, which allows me to give a visual display of what I have witnessed and experienced. A written report may be easily disregarded during a period of emotional instability. But witnessing a televised account of everything is far more difficult to ignore," Ulquiorra explained, referencing the same technique that had been used when submitting his first report on Ponyville.
"Televised?" Celestia asked, unfamiliar with the term, and curious with what he meant.
"A series of moving images projected on or against a flat surface. More specifically, a firsthand account of my findings, witnessed through my own eyes," he elaborated, giving a simplified account in order to avoid having to explain the human concept of television. That was a conversation for another time, far removed from now.
Celestia remained silent as they walked. Now she had a proper name to apply to the technique Ulquiorra had sprung on her a good while ago. Unfortunately knowing what it was called, didn't make it any less painful to remember watching how he'd plucked out his own eyeball, a crush it into a fine dust like it was nothing. She didn't know what was the worst part of it all; watching the display itself, or how he just carried on with that empty socket until his eye grew back.
With that thought in mind, she really didn't know just how the Solita Vista technique would affect Rainbow Dash. But if there was the chance of it working, it had to be given consideration. A visual recount would certainly carry more weight than some coldly written report dealing in statistics, or whatever it was.
"It certainly sounds like an interesting approach to attempt," she commented as they walked along, not knowing what else to say at the time. It was hard to properly comment on the unknown. "So what can you tell me about the state Ponyville was in when you left? Reports on everything have been sparse the past few days," she explained, hoping to change the discussion to something she would have an easier time discussing.
"Cleanup has been completed, and reconstruction has begun. Ponyville General Hospital is still being tight-lipped as to the official figures regarding victims of the attack. In exchange for my focus on the matter pertaining to Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle has been focusing almost exclusively on better learning the spells found in the tome you delivered. She expends large amounts of mana to the point of exhaustion, then initiates a recharge spell to allow for the collection of large amounts of mana, and then repeats the process," Ulquiorra explained, giving the highlights of the past few days on his end.
"That certainly sounds like one of Twilight's method of doing things; repetition to the point of utter exhaustion," Celestia replied and tried not to smile too much at the nature of her student's -correction, her friend's- efforts. "Can you elaborate on which spells Twilight is trying to learn?" she asked.
"I'm unfamiliar with what the proper names are. But the spell that has received the majority of her focus is for the purpose of summoning lightning. What began as ten minutes of effort to cast it once has, through constant repetition and practice, been reduced to two minutes of effort. It would seem Twilight Sparkle's talent for magic is more considerable than even I could have anticipated," he explained. However to save time he'd opted not to inform her of the other efforts Twilight Sparkle had been engaging in.
One endeavor she had expressed interest in undertaking -and he suspected, likely the reason she had requested this specific tome- was attempting to recreate Princess Celestia's mana sword on her own. But it was a highly complicated process; far more complicated than generating raw lightning. Giving raw mana a defined form outside the body required constant and intense concentration in order to hold the shape, and the power requirements were considerable. If there was too little mana in the area, then it needed to be provided by the caster. And according to Twilight Sparkle's expertise, the required density of the mana particles needed to be of the same density of tungsten alloy in order for it to be effective at cutting or blocking.
The very first time the lavender unicorn had tried to cast the spell, the results had been lacking. The construct had barely qualified as a dagger in terms of size and appearance, and the duration of its existence had barely been two seconds before it violently shattered and dissolved, leaving Twilight Sparkle mentally and physically exhausted, collapsing where she'd stood.
After that unfortunate development, she had decided to stick solely with the lightning, until she reached a level of skill that she believed was adequate in its casting and deployment.
Nor was he entirely certain that he should be informing her of the activities of other Ponyville residents. However that was a matter more of saving time, rather than operating in secrecy. There was no reason for her to not know what was going on, but it didn't necessarily have to be him that brought the matter to her attention. She likely had her hands full enough as it was with what was already on her plate.
And with that thought in mind, now it was time for him to ask a few questions, and for Princess Celestia to act as the source of information.
"Along with information pertaining to the condition of Rainbow Dash, there is growing curiosity pertaining to the manticore. Has any relevant information been discovered yet?" he asked.
"I'm afraid not. Despite the thoroughness of the medical examiners, nothing new has been garnered. No latent magical signatures to indicate an outside involvement, no physical abnormalities to suggest genetic modification, no brain lesions, no signs of viral affliction, and no signs of a fungal infection that would explain its actions. As far as the finest medical professionals available are concerned, what we have on our hooves is nothing more than an everyday, run of the mill manticore, with a broken wing and a broken neck from when you brought it down," Celestia explained, bringing him up to date on their discoveries, and the lack thereof.
He had no hard proof for support, but based on the tone Princess Celestia used, Ulquiorra believed that she disagreed with the diagnosis of the medical examiners who had been tasked with the examination. He too had reason to disagree with those who were in a position of authority for making such a determination. But without the ability to detect actual magic, and having absolutely no idea just what to be looking for that would be considered out of the ordinary, he was limited to relying on others for help; regardless of how revolting such a thought was.
"And what is the state of Rainbow Dash?" he asked simply, opting to steer the conversation into a more relevant topic of discussion.
"To be perfectly honest, I'm not one hundred percent certain about her current state. Physically she's alright, but mentally it's another story. Even after the inconsistencies in her memories were pointed out, she's still convinced beyond reasonable doubt that she went through everything she remembers experiencing, and that her friends have betrayed her in the worst possible way," Celestia replied and let out a tired sigh. "We're doing our best to try and help her, but I don't know if we're doing any good. To say she's deeply upset would be a serious understatement. I could try and explain the situation to you, but I have the feeling that seeing her for yourself would work far better than anything I can articulate in my own words," she explained.
Ulquiorra said nothing in response. A great deal of information could likely be gained from observation on his part, rather than listening to the secondhand accounts of an untrained observer. He could more easily discern things that others couldn't, and make observations about her state that others would miss.
The only information he could truly gain from further questioning of Princess Celestia, was just how she could tend to Rainbow Dash while simultaneously tending to her royal duties. But at the moment he had no interest in such information; bureaucracies and their managing was an acquired taste. So he instead opted to maintain his silence, and continue his walking as he was escorted to where the cyan pegasus was.
The gardens of Canterlot palace were certainly not the location Ulquiorra had expected to find Rainbow Dash in. Considering her condition, he had expected her to be isolated in the infirmary and subjected to round the clock observation in order to prevent her from harming herself. He had expected professional medical staff with degrees in psychology and psychiatry being called into to address the matter, and try to aid in her recovery.
Instead of a professional, clinical approach, Ulquiorra was met by sunshine, gentle pre-summer breezes, and wide-open green spaces.
The sheer number of things that could go wrong with this approach were limitless. He was aware of that fact from even before they stepped out into this area. Was Princess Celestia aware of the same facts? Did she even care about such possibilities? Or did she have countermeasures in place, should something either go wrong or appear to go wrong?
"The first few days here, she spent crying and screaming, breaking down, and scrubbing herself in the hottest showers possible; hot enough she eventually burned herself, and we had to magically cap the maximum allowed temperature of the water supplied by the plumbing. The past few days, however, have been marked by a lack of crying, and instead have been replaced with a great deal of negativity. She's swung away from sadness over believing she's been betrayed, to outright resenting the others for what they did to her. In her mind she was robbed of her dignity, her pride, and her dreams. She's convinced that she's nothing more than an empty shell of her former self, and there's nothing left to her but bitterness," Celestia explained as they stepped into the gardens, doing her best to give him an idea of what he'd be facing here.
"And knowing this, you deemed it best to allow her access to an unsecured area, and by herself?" Ulquiorra asked bluntly as he turned to look at her directly. Surely she couldn't be this foolish, as such would defy the logic of even basic physics.
"Despite your doubts as to my intelligence, Ulquiorra, I'm not as stupid as you might have concluded," Celestia replied simply, letting his covert insult slide. She had no need for being petty right now. "It's all a part of the treatment, getting her out into the sun and fresh air for at least one hour every day, instead of letting her brood in her room, isolated and in the dark. Plus she's not unsupervised, as one of our best nurses is accompanying her, and ready with a sedative spell should it prove necessary to prevent her from doing something harmful," she explained.
She knew full well that so many things could go wrong out here in the garden if she wasn't careful. But she was careful, and hadn't allowed things to be left to random chance. There were security measures in place for various circumstances and locations. So it was highly unlikely that Rainbow Dash would be able to hurt either herself or somepony else.
Ulquiorra said nothing in response. He doubted that the cyan could be stopped from doing anything by just a single nurse, regardless of what magic was possessed. Twilight Sparkle had proven incapable of stopping the cyan pegasus from beating Rarity due to a sudden blow to the face, and it was only through Spike's timely -and surprisingly overpowering- intervention that she'd been stopped. One unicorn, taken by surprise, would likely yield little more than a speed bump to a motivated pegasus.
"Per chance do you know where in the garden the two might be?" he asked, not able to pick up any signs of any pony present, with the exception of who he assumed to be a gardener, who was in the process of tending to a wild rosebush.
"Hmm..." Celestia mumbled as she rubbed her chin and scanned the area with her eyes, trying to find some sign of the two mares. "Truthfully I don't. But I don't believe we have any reason to worry. Nurse Goodwill usually reports that Rainbow Dash spends her time sleeping in one of the trees. And she would report to me if something should happen," she explained, having great confidence in her selected nurse. She had served the diarchy well in her time, and it wasn't likely that she would be unable to do the same here and now.
Ulquiorra said nothing at first, opting to scan the area with his pesquisa, as it was far more thorough than any eyesight might be.
"This Nurse Goodwill you speak of. It goes without saying that she's a unicorn, correct?" he asked her.
"She is," Celestia replied and nodded.
"As I thought," Ulquiorra replied, "I believe I have located her position. But I cannot say the same about Rainbow Dash," he elaborated as he turned to face her. "Rainbow Dash is nowhere to be found in the royal gardens. Nor is she anywhere that is within range of my pesquisa. In simpler terms, she is nowhere to be found within the palace," he stated.
It took a moment for Ulquiorra's words to register with her. But when they did, they hit with all the force of a ton of bricks landing right on top of her. That simple statement had hit with an incredible degree of bluntness, with greater force than any browbeating he could deliver for her perceived foalishness.
"You're... y-you're certain?" she asked, unable to think of anything else to say.
"Quite certain. Rainbow Dash is gone, and your contingencies have failed to keep her safe and secured. Because of your approach, we have no idea where she has gone, no idea when she left, or even if she left of her own volition. What we do have, however, is another mystery, and a missing mare that must be located as quickly as possible. If we fail to do so in a timely manner, there is absolutely no telling what could happen," Ulquiorra stated bluntly.
In simple terms these developments placed them squarely up shit creek. The only thing that prevented them from being devoid of a paddle for maneuvering said creek, was the fact that he could tell Nurse Goodwill was still alive, and that meant she could possibly answer questions as to what had become of Rainbow Dash in the first place.
And while the number of questions they were facing were quickly becoming significant in nature, he could think of one in particular that was facing them imminently. Would they be able to find Rainbow Dash in time, or would they be finding a body?