The rest of the story was told to a rapt audience. It felt good to get Synchrony off my shoulders, even if it wasn’t to anyone who would understand the full picture of Synch and Synchrony. The princesses stopped me here and there for me to clarify a few points but overall they allowed me to convey the majority of my story while politely listening.
As I ended with my furious but ultimately futile attempts to combat Synchrony, the princesses eyes were surprisingly wet with unshed tears. I guess I didn’t expect sympathy from the princesses and I was pleasantly confronted with empathetic gestures.
“I had constructed a final plan to combat Synchrony with Black Box but when I get to the part where I talk to Angel about it, my memories draw a blank…” I finished, swallowing back a lump in my throat.
The room was silent after that and the two royal pony sisters (which I had gleaned from a hasty side introduction) glanced at each other, communicating something silently.
I was dismissed, but today was full of surprises so instead of going to the dungeon I was generously shown a small but comfortable-looking room.
-----
Celestia addressed Luna almost immediately as I had left the court.
“It seems that this null being is more complex than we once thought”, Celestia sighed, gazing down at her hooves. She idly clinked her hoof covers together.
Luna was equally perturbed.
“Yes, this is not a matter of simply imprisoning or containing, such a thing would be grossly unjust”, Luna offered. “I sensed not a shred of dishonesty from him.”
Celestia nodded, agreeing. She watched how her mane flowed for a while before speaking again.
“Now the question that remains is”, Celestia posited, while glancing sideways at her sister. “What shall we do?”
Luna went to chewing her mane, her legs twitched as if she had the urge to pace.
“That interesting device he mentioned, ‘Synch’ he called it, I think that his arrival was timed to perfectly with his world’s growing problems”, Celestia reasoned thoughtfully.
Luna found herself stamping her hoof in agreement.
“Yes. Hmm. Yes, the null being did mention that and the coincidence was a little too uncanny”, she responded, with a frown.
Suddenly, a random thought occurred to Luna.
“Calling him null being is a little rude, don’t you think?”
Celestia started.
“Come to think of it, what was his name?” she wondered out loud.
Luna stamped a hoof again, but this time in agitation.
“Why had we not the presence to ask him?” she snorted.
Celestia nodded.
“I wonder if anypony had the same problem with him?” she asked herself.
-----
Earlier in the week, a train from Ponyville pulled into Canterlot and six excitable mares had gathered at the castle gates.