It’s a long walk back to Castle Blueblood, but an uneventful one. Dot Dash fills most of the way with stories of the group’s daring do, heedless of the fact that you were all there. She tells it very well, and makes the whole thing sound terribly exciting, though you don’t quite remember Azure back-flipping over two diamond dog guards to kick their leader in the face.
Upon your arrival, you’re given a chance to rest and recover, but the break is not long. Soon enough, Sir Blueblood calls you back to the audience chamber, to discuss the outcome of your little adventure. The good knight is there, along with Up Turn, and of course, Dot Dash sitting by his side. Virtue's place is left open for her as before, but there is a new figure there now. A unicorn that Virtue does not recognize, not a regular feature at Castle Blueblood.
Clad in heavy barding, shined to an almost mirror finish, this silver pony looks out with a look of some curiosity, a shield and short spear by her side. A small insignia hangs from her neck, marking her as a student of Harmony. She's got golden eyes and a golden mane, and a bright gold sunburst can be seen on her flank.
Virtue finds her to be very metallic.
"—and then, Azure lept up with her wings and was all, 'grrr!' and kicked the big dog so hard he hit the ceiling!" Dot Dash is enthusiastically saying as the group enters the room, never once pausing for breath. "And the really funny part was after, when Virtue got all blushy and sw—" Her train of thought is interrupted when Virtue swats her in the back of the head.
Azure Charger coughs loudly, looking out the window.
"Uh..." Dot Dash furrows her brow, studying the floor. "Blushy and... what other words start with swuh?"
"Perhaps we should give you some time to think of one,” Sir Blueblood says, his tone amused, before he turns back to the group. "It is good to see you all again. I've been hearing quite a bit about your heroics. A pity that the prize was not there, but, I understand that Virtue has already informed you about the real objective of your quest?"
"Getting back something Celestia used to wear!" chimes Moonlight.
“An object of great value,” Silver Shine agrees.
"Indeed, she has, Sir Blueblood," Azure says with a respectful bow. "With your leave, I intend to follow up on the rumors given to us by the dogs."
"A knight of your skill and gallantry does not need my leave, ma fleur d'acier," Blueblood answers Azure, with a smile that is at once, respectful and amused. "Though I may be of some help to you on your quest. There is more to what you have become a part of than Virtue has told you, and it is only fair that you now know.
"She has told you the object of your quest, but not why it is valuable, or how it came to be lost. Celestia's raiment is no vanity set, but artifacts of great power, that predate even old Unicornia. I do not know how she came to posses them, but I do know that even for one such as she, they are quite irreplaceable. The boots bestow ultimate mastery over all forms of earth pony magic, as the necklace does for the pegasi's arts, and the crown for unicorn magic. Together, as she, they embody the unity of all pony races.”
"Many have attempted to steal them, through the ages, but all have been thwarted. Her raiment is a thing of harmony and pure intentions, and only the most heroic of ponies can touch it. Any other creature that tries is seared at once, as though by the sun's own fire. Only an earth pony can lift the boots, only a unicorn can lift the crown, and only a pegasus can lift the necklace.”
Sir Blueblood nods to the ponies before him. "Which brings us to you, and why I assembled you here. I had hoped that the raiment would still be in the dog-creatures’ caves, but I knew it was unlikely."
"Mmm." Azure draws her lips tight at that.
"Retrieving the artifacts will require an extended journey, and at the end, if those who undertake the quest are not pure of spirit, it will all have been for naught. I have done many great things in my life, but I am under no illusions as to the purity of my own heart.” Sir Blueblood stares off at the far wall for a moment. “I cannot lift the crown. But, Virtue, perhaps you can. And for the rest of you... well. You understand, I am sure."
Virtue gives a respectful curtsy. "You flatter me, Sir, but if there is any way in which I can continue helping the Princess, I shall."
Azure Charger nods crisply. "As will I."
"This quest is of too great an importance to abandon only half done.” Silver Shine nods to Sir Blueblood. “I shall remain so long as the party can use me."
Moonlight Meadows is tapping her chin with her hoof, a puzzled expression on her face. "Why do we need really good brandy to complete the quest?"
Sir Blueblood considers Moonlight's question for a moment. His expression is hard to read, but there’s a hint of amusement in there.
"Brandy?" Azure blinks, and gives Sir Blueblood a puzzled look. "Is that what's meant to counteract the sacred force of the raiments?"
"Yes," Blueblood says after a moment. "We'll go with that." Azure nods and flips through her bit-purse. "I'm sure Virtue can clear up any other questions you may have. Later. Now, this bring us to the matter of your lead—"
Up Turn gives an indignant huff. "A description of an earth pony from eighty years past is not a lead."
Sir Blueblood shares a look with his sister. "Discovery, then. A cold trail, given, but I think I have discovered a means by which you might make use of it." He beckons to the new unicorn. "Dawn, please! Do not lurk in the shadows. Step forward and introduce yourself."
Dawn Star nods and steps forward, regal and deliberate motions. "A pleasure to meet all of you. I am Dawn Star, a member of the Princess’s Court." She bows deeply.
"A colleague of Moonlight's, one might say,” says Sir Blueblood with a knowing smile, “and among other talents, gifted in finding that which is many years lost."
"Ah, what luck then." Azure gives a respectful nod to Dawn Star. "We are honored by your assistance in this matter."
"I've never actually been to Canterlot," Moonlight muses.
Virtue eyes Dawn for a moment before lowering her head… slightly. "It seems we're fairly inundated in curious talents of late."
"My brother attracts that sort," Up Turn says, less than pleased with that fact.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Blueblood says, complete with roguish grin.
Moonlight Meadows leans over to Azure. "He probably likes there being so many mares around, too," she murmurs, too low for anyone else to hear. Azure Charger winces slightly, giving Moonlight a half-hearted shrug.
"Still, on more than one occasion, she has been able to find items years or even centuries lost,” says Sir Blueblood. “She has been unable to find the raiment pieces themselves, but perhaps she will have more luck with this mysterious stallion of yours."
"Then we welcome her into our midst.” Virtue nods to her. “Miss Star, as the expert, how would you recommend we begin?"
"I will need something from you to begin," Dawn Star says, stepping forward from behind Sir Blueblood, and giving a light bow.
"And what might that thing be?"
"A description of what it is I am to seek, and something tied by time and circumstance to the object of the search. In this case, a description of the stallion and an item from the treasure hoard should suffice."
Azure nods. "Well, items from the hoard, we can certainly help you with. As for the description..." She taps a hoof under her chin.
"Moon with a chain across it for a cutie mark," she muses, stepping forward a bit to look more closely at Dawn Star.
Dawn Star nods. "And an earth pony, Dot's message said. Was there anything else? The more detailed the better."
"He burned his hoof really bad,” Moonlight adds. “I remember Fire Opal saying that."
Dawn Star nods again, reaching back into her saddlebags and producing a small item—a glass sphere that gently rests inside her hoof, delicately held up to the air.
"Right, that. And he was a ‘he’, right?" Azure's ears fall flat. "Was a bit distracted during the description bit."
"Yes. He." Moonlight frowns, brow furrowing and eyes crossing. "Also black with blue hair. Black coat and blue mane probably I think."
"That shall do. If I could have something from the treasure pile, then?" Dawn Star asks, opening one of the windows at the back of the room and letting a shaft of sunlight stream in. The glass ball in her hoof catches the sun’s rays, splitting them into a thousand little beams that sparkle and dance across the audience chamber.
"Ooooooo," Moonlight says, as the lights play over the room. And her.
“Silver Shine?” asks Azure. “Could you assist Dawn Star here?"
Silver Shine eyes the strange sight of the crystal ball. "I'm not sure how, exactly."
"I need an item from the treasure pile,” says Dawn. “Something that this mysterious stallion may have touched, perhaps. The closer the connection to him, the more closely I will be able to locate him."
"Oh yes, I recall. Something from the hoard, you said?" Silver Shine looks up in thought. "Something he may have touched... hmm, quite a quandary we have ourselves. We know too little about the stallion to know what he might have touched or once possessed. We know too little of his motivation."
"Aside from touching one of the hoofboots," Azure deadpans with a sigh.
Silver Shine strokes his chin. "If I may go out on a limb, my hypothesis is that the stallion was after more than the material value of the raiment. It's possible he was seeking its magic."
Virtue nods. "That would be almost certain."
"If so,” says Silver, “he may not have been interested in the other valuable objects we have found."
Dot Dash reflexively covers her shiny new anklets.
"Mmm. Although... He might have dug through the pile, looking for the raiments." With a cough, Azure adds, "Out of desperation."
"Let us make a best guess then, and see where that takes us," Dawn Star says.
"Very well." Silver digs into his saddlebags.
"If need be, we can take a few days for you to examine what we have." Virtue half-shrugs. "It's not like we haven't waited eighty years."
Azure frowns and fidgets at that.
"Mmm, true. But much as it would bring me joy for dear Dot Dash to present the Princess with her things on our behalf, I might prefer it if we retrieved them while we were all still alive," Sir Blueblood jests. "So, if you would, Silver?"
A coin appears in Silver's hoof. "Use it wisely," he mutters as he flips it to Dawn Star. She catches it in her teeth—grinning a little that she managed to pull it off without either getting hit on the muzzle or swallowing it.
After a moment though, she turns back to the little glass ball in her hoof, focusing on it as the sun’s rays shine out into the room. She tilts her hoof this way and that, gentle motions making the ball roll, the hundred shards of light in the audience chamber fracturing, rejoining, and then fracturing again. It's a dazzling display. The sun’s light is cast against every shiny object in the room, losing none of its radiance in the process. Still, not much seems to be happening.
Until, against one wall, a pattern can be seen, little motes of sunlight assembling themselves in recognizable shapes. The vague outline of a roof, then, the rest of the building. An earth pony town, little houses crudely outlined in dots of light. Shapes that must be ponies jerkily move along the image with every wiggle of her hoof, the town slowly coming into recognizable focus.
"Well look at that..." Azure murmurs.
"That's as good as I can get it," Dawn says, frowning as she concentrates. "The link is very weak." After a moment, the image fades, and she puts the crystal ball away.
"Equestrian. Fairly cosmopolitan. It can't be too far..." Sir Blueblood says, thoughtfully.
"There were... earth ponies, I guess?" Azure offers helpfully.
Moonlight Meadows frowns, trying to think of which one, exactly, it could be.
"I have seen this place before... Yes, it must be... the town of Rambling Ridge. It's not too far away, to the southeast." Silver frowns for a moment. "Although what connection there may be between our quest and this little town, I have not the slightest idea."
"Oooo, yeah, that sounds about right.” Moonlight nods rapidly in agreement. “I knew that town hall looked familiar."
Azure lets out a low whistle. "You recognized that off that? Not bad..."
"Yes, it has a particular vernacular style, doesn't it?" says Silver. Virtue eyes him sideways, and hides a smirk.
"We should look into getting caramels while we're there. The confectioners are really, really, really good at making those.” Moonlight licks at her lips. Up Turn frowns sharply at Moonlight, while Sir Blueblood chuckles.
Azure clears her throat. "Whatever the reason, it sounds like it's our best lead, at this point. Shall we?"
"Yes, as soon as you are ready." Sir Blueblood puts a leg out to one side, pulling Dot Dash a hair closer. "My niece, however, will be staying. After the events of your last excursion, well… Dawn Star is quite qualified to keep me apprised of events from afar."
Dawn Star simply nods. "If you'll have me, of course," she directs to the group.
"I've no objections. Undoubtedly your"—Azure idly looks over Dawn's spear— "knowledge and study will be of use."
Virtue touches Dot Dash's mane briefly, smiling. "I'll be sure to bring you back something."
Dot Dash scrapes at the floor with a hoof, blushing a little as she smiles and an embarrassed smile. "I wanted to go, just, you know. Mom is so overprotective."
Azure smirks lightly. "She means well. Do take care of yourself, Dot Dash."
"I will,” she replies. “And you take good care of Virtue, okay? She's really, um. Nice."
"And prone to swooning over feats of valor," adds Moonlight. Virtue swats at her with a hoof, and blinks in surprise as her hoof gets caught within the curls.
"That's mostly what I was—ow! Mom!" Dot Dash says, as Up Turn pulls her away by her ear.
"That's quite enough of that," Up Turn chides her.
Azure Charger's coat starts to turn from light blue up to red. "Yes, well. I assure you, Dot Dash, no harm shall come to anypony."
Sir Blueblood chuckles—a deep, reverberating sound. "On your way then. May fortune smile upon you."