Chapter Seventy Six
Rainbow Dash stood stock still, uncertain of whether or not to believe what she was seeing. She was equally uncertain of whether or not she was actually seeing, what she thought she was seeing. Everything about her, was currently telling her that it was Rarity standing in the doorway, and addressing them. Or more accurately -more likely- addressing her specifically.
"R... Rarity?" she asked. She had to be imagining this. Or maybe she was dreaming it. Maybe this whole thing was just a dream, like it was on the night of the changeling invasion? Was Luna bringing them together for a meeting, since they couldn't all be together physically?
Right now that theory had some credibility to it from what she could tell. She wanted to believe that this was all real right now, but it being real just raised so many questions. How did Rarity get here in the first place? How had she known to come here? Had she come by herself, or were the others with her? Was Luna behind this, and the bathroom break was just a convenient excuse? And why was her snow-white coat still so pristine, when she would've had to cross through the Everfree Forest -certainly not a location known for being the cleanest in Equestria- to get here?
And those were just the questions that she could immediately think of at the moment. She was sure there were hundreds more that she wasn't even consciously aware of.
"Oh, darling, it's so good to see you right now!" Rarity exclaimed as started stepping through the doorway. "Everyone back in Ponyville has been so worried about you!"
That tore it, Rainbow Dash thought to herself. There was no way in Tartarus that she could bestow that much melodrama on any hallucination she was having, it was just an impossibility. That left them with only one available option, and that was the fact that she really was staring at Rarity, and not some figment of imagination brought about by her broken mind.
"Stop!" she stated and held out her right hoof as Rarity was halfway across the room now, causing her to pause in her tracks.
"Darling?" Rarity asked as she tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Whatever is the matter?"
"Let... let me come to you," Rainbow Dash stated as she set her hoof back down on the floor, before slowly making her way over to where Rarity stood. But as she did so, she was learning that this was actually harder than she first thought. Already her heart was beating faster, and her wings were twitching with every step taken. She was starting to feel agitated like she did when explaining things to Luna earlier in the morning, but it felt a lot more intense right now. She was... her fight or flight response was kicking in hard right now, and it was a lot harder to resist it, than she first thought it might be.
But regardless of that fact, she pressed on, closing the gap between them, with each step taken being jerky, as she had to force herself to see this though. Her efforts finally culminated, with being just a foreleg's distance from where Rarity currently stood, and looked at her with not only confusion, but also concern. With great hesitancy, she reached out with her foreleg, and trailed her hoof along the unicorn's cheek.
"I promise you, I'm not going to bite," Rarity remarked as she tried to break the tension that was almost palpable in the air at this point.
Rainbow Dash nodded slightly, and moved a bit closer, before throwing both forelegs around her, and pulled her into a tight hug. Rarity closed her eyes and smiled, before reciprocating the gesture, and doing so with far less aggressiveness on her part.
"Is... is that offer of yours still good?" Rainbow Dash asked hesitantly as she held onto Rarity, idly noting the firmness of the unicorn's muscle structure, and the feeling of a heartbeat; further confirming that this was actually happening. Even if she could do melodrama, there was no way her mind could trick her into imagining the warmth and everything else that was being detected.
"But of course, dear," Rarity replied as she brushed her hoof against Rainbow Dash's unkempt mane.
Again, Rainbow Dash nodded, rubbing her chin against Rarity's wither in the process.
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“You’ve been a naughty mare, Rainbow Dash..."
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Rainbow Dash froze, eyes flying open at the memory popping into her head unexpectedly. That raspy voice, and a tingling sensation creeping over her limbs, along with the phantom sensations of a cramp in her right foreleg from being prone for too long. And along with it, her heart was starting to beat faster.
+++
“First rule, you are not allowed to speak."
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She couldn't breathe. Or rather she was feeling like she couldn't breathe right now, with her throat feeling like it was trying to seize up on her. The aching feeling of her jaw being restrained was coming back to her, and not helping the case either.
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"The first order of business is to test out my new toy..."
+++
The burning ache from being viciously whipped was reemerging against her hindquarters. It was hurting like she'd been set on fire. Her heart was beating so hard right now, it felt like it was going to bust out of her chest. She couldn't breathe now, despite how hard she was trying to suck down air.
Stop remembering! Stop remembering! She was repeatedly yelling that in her mind, trying to make herself stop recalling the flashes of details playing out just behind her eyeballs. They weren't real! None of them were real, they didn't happen! She'd never been tied up, or whipped, or stood up on a block of ice, or anything else like that, she knew that for a fact!
So why... why in Equestria couldn't she get that fact through her own skull, and stop remembering these horrors like they'd just happened yesterday? Why couldn't she shake the sensation of being drenched in a cold shower?
+++
“So, Rainbow Dash, let the real fun begin...”
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"Rainbow Dash, what's wrong?" Rarity asked, surprised and frightened by what had developed in the span of just a few moments passing. What had driven her from uneasiness, to outright panicking in just the space of a single hug?
"Lemme go. Lemme go! Please, please let me go!" Rainbow Dash screamed as she squirmed and wriggled about in an effort to break loose from the now unwanted embrace she found herself trapped in.
Rarity didn't have a clue what was going on. All she knew was that, somehow, she was responsible for her friend's plight. Without a word of protest, she withdrew and set back down on her forelegs, and watched as Rainbow Dash immediately backtracked away from her, the panic plainly -and quite painfully- evident.
"Darling, whatever's the matter?" she asked, but daring not to step any closer just yet. She knew that her presence was playing some part in all of this, but she didn't know just how much of it all she was responsible for.
"They won't stop... they won't stop..." Rainbow Dash grunted as she squeezed her eyes shut, and feeling the desire to slam her head against the floor in response. "I know it didn't happen, I know it. But... b-b-but I can't stop thinking that they happened! I-I can't stop hurting!" she yelled as she sat down on her haunches in order to grip the sides of her head. Her brain felt like it was going to explode from all the strain it was being put under right now.
Rarity reached out to Rainbow Dash with a hoof, but the realization that this was beyond her meager degree of skill, set on her like Big Macintosh's heavy yoke, and brought her hoof back down to the ground. There was nothing in her repertoire that was going to do any good here. She was going to need something new, something different something random like Pinkie Pie. This was going to call for a certain... je ne sais quoi...
"Rainbow Dash, please listen to me," Rarity spoke up as she looked the disturbed pegasus right in the eye. "I need you to pay attention to what I have to say, it's most important. I want you to hit me," she stated.
W... what?" Rainbow Dash said in between gasps for air, before setting her hooves back on the ground, certain that she would've tipped over if she didn't do so.
"You're obviously hurting from something that you subconsciously believe that I did, something you're convinced happened, even if it didn't. So it's only fair that you hurt me in response. It's the only thing that I can do for you, darling, so please do it. I want you to hit me, in the face, as hard as you can," Rarity explained, bracing herself for the coming impact that was going to be landed against her.
"... No..."
"What?" Rarity asked and blinked, confused by what she'd just heard. Looking at Rainbow Dash, she could see that the disturbed pegasus was seething right now, sucking in air through grit teeth, as she glared furiously at the floor in front of her, her body heaving with each forceful breath being taken. It was like watching a cross between the aftermath of a most strenuous workout, and being overcome with a most unbelievable rage, but having no way of expressing it.
"I'm not gonna do it," Rainbow Dash panted, her chest heaving as she spoke, and even after. "I'm not... going to... hit you! You don't deserve it!" she stated more forcefully in between pants, as she squeezed her eyes shut. With her lips tightly pursed, she started breathing in through her nose, pulling deep breaths as she did, before finally exhaling through grit teeth.
The flashes in her head weren't real. They were nothing more than a load of utter horseshit! She had seen things that contradicted what she was remembering and flashing back to. She had felt things she'd never felt before, that told her the memories weren't real. She even remembered things that contradicted the memories that were giving her so much grief. Every intellectual fiber of her being was telling her that none of it had ever happened, and she knew that for a fact!
But regardless of how much she knew that none of it had happened, she couldn't shake the feeling of it actually happening. She could tell herself that she was being foalish, and stupid, and unreasonable. But no matter how hard she tried to tell herself off, none of it was having the desired effect. Something about her was convinced, beyond all reasonable doubt, that her friends had not only betrayed her, but also brutalized her.
Whatever that part of her was, however, she was determined to not let it win out in the end. She couldn't let it win out. And it was for that reason, that she had to force herself to calm down.
It was a very slow, tedious, and involved process to engage in. But finally, after much effort at slowing down her breathing, it was finally done. She was once again calm, no longer feeling the primal urge to upchuck her waffles, and she didn't feel like she was about to suffer a heart attack if she couldn't escape from the area. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and looked back up at where Rarity was now sitting, and looking back at her.
"That's better. I'm... I'm alright now, I think. Just... just keep your distance for a while, just in case, okay?" she asked in between shallow breaths. She might've been able to get herself calmed down enough to deal with this situation, but that didn't mean she was fully rested. She was still incredibly uncomfortable with the circumstances of her surroundings, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle at the moment. Or at least she didn't think it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. If she could keep herself calm, she could triumph over whatever was fucking with her mind.
"If you insist, darling. But whatever happened just now? What was that?" Rarity asked. Seeing a friend almost go completely to pieces, and all from being on the receiving end of a hug, was something that just didn't make sense to her. There had to be something more to it, and she wanted to know what it was, as not knowing was starting to make her feel frantic.
"Exactly the same thing that's been happening to Sweetie Belle, and Applejack, and all the others," Rainbow Dash replied as she sat up straighter than before. "But I've got it under control now. I think," she said as she stood back up again, before letting out a relieved sigh. That had been a lot harder than she thought it would be, but she'd done it.
Unfortunately the matter was far from being resolved, and she knew that for a fact. Simply because she'd managed to avoid beating Rarity to a bloody pulp, or descend into a crying mess on the floor, didn't mean they were done here; not yet anyway.
"What about the others? Are they here too?" she asked.
"I'm afraid not, darling," Rarity replied and shook her head slowly. "I was the only one who could make the journey on such short notice."
"Oh..." Rainbow Dash slowly replied. "That's alright. That might be for the best anyway."
"Pardon?" Rarity asked.
"When I first saw you, I almost pounded you into the ground, because I was remembering you doing things that didn't happen. That was after just one hug with you. What do you think might happen if it was Pinkie Pie instead?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"... Oh..." Rarity replied slowly, the realization dawning on her. She could certainly see how that might be an ugly situation to be in, considering how aggressive Pinkie could be in physical displays of affection. She really didn't want to imagine what sort of reaction Rainbow Dash would have, if she were to suddenly be besieged by the pink party pony. "So you don't want to come back to Ponyville, then?"
"It's not that," Rainbow Dash quickly stated and shook her head, "I really do. I just..." she paused as she tried to find a way to explain things. "I know that I can be calm if I really try, but I don't know if I can stay calm. And I really don't wanna wind up hurting anypony if I can't. It's... it's gonna take time," she explained as best the could.
Trying to calm herself down had been hard. Really, really hard. Hard like trying to perform the Sonic Rainboom the second time around. It was physically taxing to try and choke down all that anger, and not simply let it all out. And the worst part of it all, was the fact that it hadn't gone away, but rather she was just doing her best to ignore it. The urge to pound Rarity was still there, even if she wasn't consciously acknowledging it, and it was a struggle to not let it get out of hoof, or look for any excuse to unload on her.
But considering everything she'd gone through before this whole mess started, it wasn't exactly a new concept to wrestle with. She knew that she could do it, but it was going to take time to ensure that she not only had herself under control, but also that she wouldn't be posing a threat to the others. She needed to figure out a way to not simply suppress what she was currently feeling, but stop feeling it entirely. Rarity and the others were supposed to be her friends, and no friend should feel like this towards another.
She saw Rarity opening her mouth to say something. But whatever she was about to say, was halted by the flash of a flame appearing in front of her face. That startled the both of them, as a scroll materialized out of thin air, before falling to the ground at Rarity's hooves.
The sudden appearance of the fire and scroll wasn't as much surprising to Rainbow Dash, as it was simply unexpected. She'd seen the same happen before when Twilight got correspondence from others. Or rather she saw the flames come from Spike when the correspondence came. What truly was surprising to her, however, was that for one brief moment after the flash of fire, she saw Rarity's appearance fade away, and be replaced by that of Luna as she stood back up, before immediately switching back to Rarity again.
"Luna?" she asked in surprise. And while she was no expert at reading expressions, she was pretty sure that the look she was getting right now, was the same guilty expression ponies tended to give when they were caught doing something that they didn't want found out.
"Rarity" didn't say anything in response, instead opting to sigh, close her eyes, and hang her head in shame/defeat. Rainbow Dash watched in confusion as her entire body shifted from white and indigo, to completely blacked out like a silhouette, before growing and expanding in size, and the black fading away to reveal Luna standing in place.
"What in Tartarus is going on here?" Rainbow Dash asked/demanded as she glared at the lunar princess standing before her. But she didn't wait for an answer, before whirling around to face Celestia next. "Did you know about this? Is that why you didn't speak up when I thought it was Rarity coming through the door?"
"I did," Celestia spoke firmly from where she sat. "And if you'd cool your hooves, rather than getting excited, I'll explain why," she stated.
Rainbow Dash was surprised by the sudden authoritarian shift she heard in Celestia's voice as she spoke. She didn't know what was up, but it must've been pretty important if she was doing that. Without a word, she sat down on her haunches to listen to what she might have to say.
"As I said, it's true that I knew about what Luna was planning. She contacted me during her absence to brief me on what she had in mind, so I wouldn't be alerted when she walked through the door. As incessant as you were about returning to Ponyville to see the others, we knew we had to do something. But we also needed to properly control the situation in case something happened. This seemed like the safest option that was available to us under the present circumstances," Celestia explained, deciding that the best course of action they had right now, was to give Rainbow Dash the full truth. Otherwise she might wind up assuming something wrong, and setting back whatever progress had been made.
From behind, Luna nodded in agreement, even if Rainbow Dash couldn't see the gesture for herself.
"You said it yourself, that you wished to know if you could be around the others, without experiencing the desire to kill them over what you remember them doing," she spoke up as she approached, and stepped around to the front to face her again. "As we have learned, this is not yet the case. However you were able to resist acting upon your impulses, and you even managed to make yourself came down. It is quite a commendable feat on your part," she explained.
Tricking Rainbow Dash had not been pleasant on her part, even if it had been for a good cause. Utilizing her illusion magic to make herself look -and sound- like Rarity had left a poor taste in her mouth, especially after her illusion had been broken by the sudden -and unexpected- arrival of the scroll. It certainly hadn't been how she would've wanted the truth to come out, but there was nothing to be done about it. Now it was just a matter of damage control on their parts.
Rainbow Dash remained silent, not sure of what to say. She could've commented on how it was a dirty trick that they'd pulled, but that really didn't feel right. She could see how it made sense, since none of them knew how she was going to react when she saw the others. And if she hadn't been able to get a hold of herself, and actually punched Luna in the face when she thought she was Rarity, she doubted she'd be able to forgive herself.
She really, really wanted to say something about all of this right now. But try as she might, she just couldn't think of anything that felt right to her. Nothing really struck her as being appropriate. It was annoying actually.
All that aside, however, Luna had raised a good point. They had managed to accomplish what she'd wanted to set out and do this morning, even if they hadn't gone about it exactly as she'd intended. So like it or not, they still had a lot of work that needed to be done, and even she was aware of that fact.
"So what's Ulquiorra have to say anyway? Did he catch the murderer yet?" she asked, deciding to change the subject entirely. Moping about her own shortcomings wasn't going to do any good, so she might as well inquire about something new.
The only bright spot to all of this, was that she could feel her agitated state melting away. Maybe it was something triggered by sight and sound, meaning it stopped when Luna changed back to herself.
"Let us see," Luna muttered as she levitated the scroll off the ground, and unrolled it to read whatever updates had been sent to them.
The investigation has been concluded. It is safe to return to Canterlot palace in order to be briefed on the details that have been uncovered.
It would also be wise for Rainbow Dash to return as well.
Luna frowned as she turned away from the scroll. She understood that Ulquiorra was quite good at what he did, and he wasn't shy about letting others know about such. But the fact that he took the time to inform them that he was aware about Rainbow Dash's absence, just seemed to reek of arrogance to her. It was quite annoying really.
"So what's he say?" Rainbow Dash asked again.
"Not a great deal, other than telling us to return to the palace. I assume that is his way of informing us that his findings are either too numerous, or too complicated, to properly share via the mail," Luna replied as she rolled the scroll back up again.
That, or the Espada was simply flexing his jerkitude muscles. She wasn't positively sure as to which was the case.
Whatever the case was, they would likely not be getting any answers, until they actually returned.
"Then let's not delay on this matter. Ulquiorra has answers, and I want them," Celestia stated as she stood up from where she'd been sitting. Whoever had murdered Ready Stance, she wanted them not only found and identified, but also restrained. As agitated as she felt right now, she couldn't say with absolute certainty that she would object to whatever treatment Ulquiorra might have seen fit to administer in the course of those duties.
She certainly hadn't objected to how rough he'd gotten with Thrush when the stallion had refused to comply with the guards when he was placed under arrest. But when it came to this case... this case had managed to cut so much closer to home for her, and there was no telling how things might proceed. The way she felt right now, she might even let Ulquiorra do whatever he saw fit on this case, so long as the guilty party was still able to talk when it came time for questioning. As agitated as she was right now, she doubted that she would be able to object if their quarry had four broken legs, just so long as she could get the answers she was after.
The return trip to Canterlot had been weird as far as Rainbow Dash was concerned. Sure she'd been teleported before, so that was nothing unusual. But never had the teleportation been done, while she was riding on the back of one of the Princesses. She really didn't get the whole reasoning behind why Luna insisted that she settle in on top of her in such a way for the journey, but she'd insisted it regardless.
Maybe it was for safety's sake, since Celestia had been so agitated at the time, and the fewer free-floating bodies to focus on, the better? Or maybe it was an effort at further making up for everything that had gone crazy since last night? She certainly wouldn't put that past them at this stage in the game. But whatever the reasoning, she really wasn't going to waste too much time in over-thinking everything; simply because the position was just plain cozy to ride in! Luna certainly wasn't anything like cloud material, but the combination of furry and downy in this particular case was hard to beat. Maybe she was a little hasty in rejecting the offer of access to those fancy shampoos, if this was the type of results they got.
Unfortunately the comfort of the ride was ended far too soon, and before she knew it, they were in the gardens of Canterlot palace. With a sigh and a grumble about just getting comfortable, Rainbow Dash climbed down off of Luna's back, stepping down onto the grass.
All things considered, however, the grass of the outside wasn't bad either. It'd been so long since her hooves had touched anything natural, it was a welcomed change from the marble and carpet that she'd been stepping on for days on end. She knew that officially she was allowed to visit the gardens, so long as the guards escorted her, but it felt really odd having them follow her everywhere. And it was that odd feeling that more often than not motivated her to stay inside most of the time.
"So how come we set down in the gardens, and not inside the palace?" she asked as the three of them began walked towards the doors that lead inside.
"At present the palace is still on lock down. The safeguards in place ensure that nopony can get in or out without authorization," Celestia explained, before coming to a halt in front of the large glass pane doors that lead to the inside.
Rainbow Dash stopped when they stopped, and watched as Celestia's horn flickered to life from concentration. Immediately before them, she saw the shimmering appearance of a force field becoming more readily visible in front of the glass doors, before just sort of... flickering out of existence like it was nothing. Thinking back, she really couldn't recall actually witnessing that many force fields being deactivated. Sure, she'd seen some defeated through brute force, but she'd never paid attention to them getting shut down by the willingness of the user.
But her thoughts on the matter of the force field came to a halt as the doors were pulled open from the outside, and revealed Ulquiorra standing there as if he'd been waiting for them the whole time.
"How'd you know where we were coming from?" she asked without even thinking. Considering how many doors, windows, and balconies that the palace had to it, him being able to find them so easily left her curious.
"Through the process of elimination. With teleportation throughout the palace being inhibited, the garden was the most likely point of arrival to focus on," Ulquiorra explained.
What detail he didn't go into with the explanation, however, was that the gardens were the most logical location for them to arrive at, primarily due to her presence. Regardless of everything that had happened, Rainbow Dash was still subject to a suicide watch, and security bangle. Should she have attempted to make a break for it at some point, no matter how unlikely it was, she would've been rendered unconscious during her attempt at escape, and gone into free fall, putting her at risk of killing herself. With the space afforded by the gardens, that would be much less likely, than if the arrival point had been the balcony outside of the throne room. He had been aware of that fact, and they had likely been aware as well.
He certainly wasn't opposed to explaining how it was her unpredictable nature that warranted such an assumption of what actions would be taken. But that could always wait for another time.
"I'm sure it's all very interesting," Celestia replied curtly as she stepped forward, "but at the moment I'm more interested in your findings. I want to see the guilty party immediately," she stated.
"That will have to wait until later. For the time being, your presence is needed in the throne room. And I would recommend all three of you being present together," Ulquiorra replied.
"... What?" Celestia asked. Had he actually given her the brushoff in that statement? Had he just dismissed her out of hoof, like she was some sort of foal?
"Your presence is needed in the throne room," Ulquiorra repeated. "Princess Luna and Rainbow Dash will need to be present as well for this."
And just like that, Ulquiorra was gone from view in a burst of sonido, leaving Celestia blinking, and incapable of asking for clarification as to what he meant. If she had to guess, she'd say that was his way of telling her to shut up, and stop asking him anymore questions.
Turning back around to look at Luna and Rainbow Dash, she could see that they were easily as confused as she was.
"Well then. It looks like the throne room is our next stop," she replied, not knowing what else to say on the matter. Nor was she certain that it would be wise to continue wasting time talking.
"Then let us be off," Luna replied and stepped forward. The sooner they could get answers, the better off they would all be.
The walk back to the throne room took far longer to achieve than it should have. That was Celestia's take on the whole matter. She knew that they could've reached their destination in a matter of just a few minutes when traveling on hoof from the gardens. But under present circumstances they were metaphorically shackled, as they had to maintain a pace that Rainbow Dash could keep up with.
In hindsight it was a really unkind way of looking at the situation; downright mean, and even cruel, if she thought about it. Even in her own mind, Celestia really didn't want to make it seem like she resented any one of her little ponies, because she simply didn't. She knew that it wasn't Rainbow Dash's fault that they had to keep her physical limitations in mind.
While it was true that she had fully recovered from the injuries she'd sustained in her escape from the hospital, she still had a long way to go in her recovery. Her weight was significantly below the ideal range for a pegasus of her age. And being deprived of her usual exercise regimen for so long had certainly done her muscles no favors. Celestia sometimes found herself wondering, if the only thing that kept Rainbow Dash up and moving, was the sheer amount of stubbornness that she seemed to possess.
It was for reasons like that, that she didn't want Rainbow Dash to ever believe that she was frustrated, or displeased with her. All she was, was frustrated by this turn of developments, slowing down their progress in getting the answers she so desperately craved right now. Why Ulquiorra had insisted that they go to the throne room before answering any questions, she couldn't fathom. And why the insistence that Rainbow Dash accompany them, was even more mind boggling to consider.
But whatever the case for Ulquiorra's unusual behavior right now, there was little they could do about it, other than play along.
"I swear, if this is his idea of some kinda joke, I'm gonna flying kick him right in the face."
Revise that. Play along, and try not to let on that she was amused by Rainbow Dash's statement of displeasure with how things were shaping up. She just hoped that, on the off chance that she was being serious, she'd exercise less force than the last time; she really didn't want to think that Rainbow Dash would actually go and break her leg a second time, and in the exact same manner.
"Something tells me that such will not be the case, Rainbow Dash," Luna replied as they continued walking along. "I cannot quantify it in round terms, but I suspect Ulquiorra Cifer has good reason for wanting us in the throne room," she explained.
Rainbow Dash's only response was a noncommittal grunt. However it was a sentiment that Celestia fully agreed with. She believed that Luna was right on the matter, that Ulquiorra had a good reason for what he was doing, but she still didn't like it. She was as anxious as a foal on Hearth's Warming Day right now, and was doing her best not to simply gallop ahead of the others. And she just grew more anxious as the distance between them and the throne room grew shorter with each step taken.
By the time the final fifty feet was crossed, the wait was bordering on excruciating; like a phantom toothache being exposed to ice-water. And she could feel it starting to affect her in the same manner. She was just about to start barking out orders for Ulquiorra to start explaining himself and his actions as she crossed through the large doorway. But then she stopped, and looked, and realized that the four of them weren't alone. In fact there was a significant number of ponies present in the room, and looking at her as she stepped inside.
Some of those that were present and assembled, she recognized immediately; such as Challons, Malar, and Corners. Others, not so much. It was hard to look at a sea of faces, and readily pick everyone out just right off the bat; a fact that was especially true when it came to her guards, and how most identifying features they possessed were hidden by their armoring. She knew each and every one of those present, but couldn't immediately recall their names if questioned.
Complicating the identification matter was how a good portion of those present were from Luna's division of the palace staff. And from what she was seeing, the majority of them looked quite exhausted. Looking over them as they tried to remain awake and alert, she couldn't help but wonder if Ulquiorra had actually dragged them out of their beds in the course of the investigation, in order to question them about what their involvement was.
"What exactly is the meaning of this?" she heard Luna ask as she walked up beside her, voicing the question she'd intended to ask, but had hesitated before she could actually get it out.
"The results of an exhaustive investigation," Ulquiorra replied simply as he stood and faced the diarchy, his hands tucked away in his pockets as he did so. "Challons has approximated the time of death for the guard, as being within the same time window as that for Thrush. These ponies that are present, are the ones that have no corroborating alibi for the time frame of the incident, or who were otherwise witnessed to be within the vicinity by other staff members," he explained.
Celestia stopped before saying anything else, and looked over the present ponies again, scanning their expressions, and -this time around- noting how uneasy they all were. But then again that was easy enough to understand, considering what was currently being discussed. Them all being assembled together, all being informed that their circumstances made them prime suspects in the death of one of her most trusted of guards... it had to be nerve wracking for them to consider.
But then again, it wasn't all that easy for her either, to consider the possibility that one of these ponies was responsible. She knew these ponies. She trusted these ponies. The mere thought that one of them -or even worse, a number of them- could be responsible for what took place, left her feeling quite sick to even consider.
"I see..." she began slowly, mulling over how to proceed. Suddenly the idea of getting her answers, was seeming less appealing. "And, in your professional opinion, which among them, is responsible for the death of Ready Stance?" she asked, noting how they tensed up at her words, and the implied meaning that was behind them. There was also the fact that, from their perspective, she was asking someone they might perceive as being of dubious loyalty, for what he thought regarding their credibility, and integrity. She could certainly understand the uneasiness that the circumstances might cause them.
"My opinion has no bearing on the case, only my findings. And having scoured the entire palace thoroughly, I can conclusively state that the one who perpetrated your guard's murder is nowhere to be found, and has been absent for at least ten hours now," Ulquiorra explained.
Celestia blinked, uncertain of what facial expression to be using right now with this revelation, and the revelation that it brought with it; without actually saying it outright, Ulquiorra was saying that this entire morning had been nothing but a gigantic waste of their time.
"Now just one butt rutting MINUTE here!"
Off to the side, Rainbow Dash nearly erupted with laughter at the sudden, and highly unexpected, outburst that'd come from Corners of all ponies. Regardless of how serious the situation was meant to be, there was just something about not only what he'd said, but the manner in which he'd said it, that had managed to tickle her funny bone, after leaving her utterly stunned, and get her snorting, as she tried hard to bite back a roaring laugh that was just begging to be let out.
"I've been standing here for the last half hour, just about pissing myself in terror that I'm going to get banished to the moon, accused of a crime that I didn't commit, and you're telling us just now, you knew all along that none of us was the guilty party!?" Corners continued in his outburst, terror quickly being washed away by the fury brought on by this revelation.
From the others in the throne room, a chorus of disgruntled agreement sounded in response to the question that'd just been presented by the unicorn orderly, his sentiments being echoed with a significant and vocal force. And that force increased as the lunar guards, greatly displeased at realizing their sleep had been interrupted for no reason, began adding angered obscenities to the mix.
It was at that point, that Rainbow Dash's efforts of keeping her laughter suppressed utterly failed her, and she was sent to the floor at hearing some of the things being hurled about so freely.
It was also at this point, that Celestia had finally had enough, and decided to intervene.
"Everypony just shut up already!" she barked at them. And all at once, the chorus of angered voices went silent, as all eyes turned to her, with a number of them shrinking in response to being yelled at. She noted how even Rainbow Dash had grown quite in the aftermath. Now that there was silence again, she took a calming breath to help steady her nerves, and re-don the mask of serenity she was forced to wear so often. "My little ponies, I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you might have experienced today. Those of you that have business beyond the palace walls, I assure you, the lock down procedures will be disengaged momentarily. For the time being, you're all dismissed, and free to leave," she stated softly.
Stepping aside to let the others pass by them in whatever direction they were headed, Celestia -as well as Luna and Rainbow Dash by extension- watched as the room slowly emptied, until only Ulquiorra remained behind. With this fact firmly in mind, she stepped forward to address him.
"I trust you believed you had good reason for hauling them all in here, and proceeding in the manner that you did?" she asked him, deciding to cut straight to the matter, rather than asking him what the big idea of it all was.
"Correct," Ulquiorra replied simply.
"Is it a lengthy explanation as to the motivation behind your actions?" Celestia asked.
"Moderately," Ulquiorra replied in the same simplistic manner.
"I figured as much," Celestia replied and closed her eyes momentarily, before opening them again to look back at the Espada. "Perhaps you can dispense with explanation as to why, and devote the time to the explanation of the what?" she suggested, having little tolerance for otherwise right now.
"Very well then," Ulquiorra replied. If Princess Celestia preferred a straight to the point briefing of what he'd found, rather than how he'd gone about finding it, that was alright with him. "When I carried out an examination of the guard's body, I discovered an anomaly being present. In basic terms I would categorize it as being nothing more than static; simple background noise as it were, whose sole purpose for existence, is filling in what would otherwise be dead air silence. This could easily be explained as the result of traipsing through any unexpected area where countless others have been, and the lingering reiatsu patterns are far too degraded and weak, to be identifiable. However this particular pattern of static has absolutely no reason for even being present in Canterlot, as the only time I ever sensed it before, was during the times I was present in Ponyville," he explained.
"Wait, say what!?" Rainbow Dash immediately asked, not even waiting for any elaboration as to what he was talking about. All she got out of his explanation, was that something belonging in Ponyville -other than herself- had been found to be in Canterlot, and was connected to somepony's death.
"I am inclined to agree with that question. What you are saying, Ulquiorra Cifer, is difficult to properly comprehend," Luna replied.
Ulquiorra, in response, said nothing that would clarify what he was saying. A more direct approach was going to be necessary. With that fact in mind, he withdrew his left hand from his pocket, and reached up for his left eye.
Having bore witness to the Solita Vista technique before, Celestia, Luna, and Rainbow Dash each knew what was about to happen. But even that didn't properly prepare them for actually witnessing as Ulquiorra plucked his own eye right out of his head, and crushed it. Nor did it give them time to respond before the cloud of crystallized particles overtook them all.
What immediately followed was them being besieged by what they could only assume, was what Ulquiorra had sensed, seen, and felt, during the course of his investigation. Mana patterns and textures were flashing before their eyes, and in their minds, as they were presented with comprehensions they never would've been able to make on their own, detailing his findings with every single pony that had been present in the palace at the time. For a moment, they came to understand how Ulquiorra could identify various ponies without having to actually see them; the uniqueness of each texture that they were presented with, was a lot like the uniqueness that they would use in determining who a pony was based on appearance and memory of previous meetings with them.
Then came the "static" as Ulquiorra had referred to it. As best they could tell, it was certainly a reiatsu texture that was being dealt with in this case, but it wasn't one that struck any of them as being familiar from Ulquiorra's perspective. Whatever it was, and wherever it had come from, there were certainly traces all over Ready Stance's body; not to the same degree of Ready Stance's reiatsu being on Thrush's body, but it was still a significant level that was present.
And then came the answer to the unasked question that had developed in their minds, of just how Ulquiorra couldn't locate something if he could still seemingly identify it. The next revelation brought to the forefronts of their minds, as an overhead view of not just Ponyville, but also the surrounding territories, came into their mind's eye. And along with that overhead view, that showed how the entire area was positively saturated in the identified reiatsu; it was quite literally everywhere, and in varying concentrations. It was found on buildings, on trees, benches, on the ground, in the dirt, in the air... it was almost like they were looking at a wholly integral portion of Ponyville itself.
The revelation was downright terrifying to even consider. Whoever -or whatever- was responsible for the death of Ready Stance -and quite possibly the death of Thrush as well- had apparently been lurking around Ponyville with such frequency, that it had managed to just about blanket the entire area in its taint. Even worse than that, it had been lurking about freely for well over a month; likely long before Ulquiorra had ever arrived in their world, going by the varying concentrations that were all over the place, and Ulquiorra's included understanding on the natural degradation rate of such things.
With such facts in mind, it was no longer a mystery to any of them why Ulquiorra had never detected anything out of place in his time here in Equestria. Things had been out of place since before he'd first arrived, and he didn't know any difference. How could they expect him to be finding the source of this mess, when it was actively camouflaging itself, by making all of Ponyville one big suspect?
And just like that, as fast as it had come, they found themselves free of Ulquiorra's... well, they found themselves free of just whatever that had been a moment ago, informative as it was.
"That doesn't get any easier," Rainbow Dash mumbled and shuddered, feeling creepy all over from the whole experience. But at the moment her mind was focused on more than just her own discomfort. "What... what was that anyway?" she asked, trying to vocalize all the questions that were coming to her mind, but finding it utterly impossible.
"My findings," Ulquiorra stated simply as he tucked his hand back into his pocket, before opening his newly grown left eye, and turning his attention back to them. "What it means, I haven't yet been able to determine. All that I know for certain, is that we face significantly more questions than we did previously."
"Oh come ON already!" Rainbow Dash yelled angrily at hearing Ulquiorra's statement. All eyes might've been on her right now, but she didn't particularly care. She was beyond frustrated with the idea of them not having any answers available, and she was going to make that fact known. "This is horseshit!" she continued as she reared up on her hind legs in order to throw her fronts hooves up in exasperation. "How can we not know anything? How? After all that, how do we still not know which end is up?" she asked as she set back down on her front hooves.
"I most heartily agree," Luna agreed, but with far greater restraint on the matter. Not that she didn't want to hurl about obscenities to emphasize how upset she was right now, but since Rainbow Dash had beaten her to the punch, it was up to her to exercise a sense of decorum now. "How is it, Ulquiorra Cifer, with all the information you have been able to gather, that we are still unable to garner any answers as to what is going on around here?" she asked him pointedly.
"Because these are circumstances unlike anything I've ever encountered before," Ulquiorra replied with equal pointedness. There wasn't a situation like this, that he could readily recall ever being experienced in the past; not in his own world, and certainly not in this one. And that was a fact he didn't like, as he had no idea on how to proceed with the investigation. "At this point in time, all I have is speculation."
"Then speculate," Celestia spoke up, not mincing words on the matter. "I don't care how random the notions may strike you, Ulquiorra, tell us what theories you have. At this point I'm desperate to hear anything," she stated.
Ulquiorra paused in thought. They... actually wanted him to go about random speculation, based on what little information they had available to them? They -in essence- wanted him to just guess as to what was going on?
Every theory that he had been presented so far, had been carefully thought on, examined, and based upon what he believed amounted to sufficient evidence to warrant putting them forward. From the theory that they were facing an enemy who had sent the dragon after them, to the theory that the enemy was aware of their suspicions, and had switched its standard pattern to mix things up. Everything had been based on what he believed was tangible evidence. But this... what they were asking for, was wild mass guessing, fueled by hysteria, and paranoia. He was... he wasn't comfortable with taking such a route of doing things. And yet, that was exactly what they were asking of him.
He felt the slight -but still noticeable- urge to groan in response to this undesired turn of events. Oh this was going to be fun indeed...
"Circumstantial evidence would suggest that what happened here last night, is connected to what's been occurring in Ponyville over the last twenty three days, if not even longer than that. The presence of this unidentified reiatsu would certainly suggest that as being the case here. But whatever the connection is, I can't see it. I'm as without answers as anyone else present, as to how Thrush factors into everything. To the best of my knowledge, the forensic accountant isn't anywhere close to finishing the audit of the hospital records, to determine just what crimes Thrush could've been charged with. Although now that point is entirely moot, unless we're attempting to identify co-conspirators, such as whatever psychiatrist was responsible for prescribing the anti-psychotics Rainbow Dash was put on in the first place," Ulquiorra explained. That was something else that they may wish to look into. Or perhaps it wasn't. Either way he'd put that fact out there, for them to worry about on their own.
For the time being, there were other points that needed to be raised. And it was quite fortunate that they hadn't interrupted him during the momentary pause he'd given.
"Back to the main point, however, the question of how Thrush is connected to what has been going on. Could he have discovered something during the time Rainbow Dash was at the hospital? If so, why was he murdered last night instead of sooner? The number of possible questions raised is significant, and possibly endless," he further pointed out.
"Tell us something we don't know," Rainbow Dash mumbled in response, not really liking all the discussion that involved Thrush. And she really didn't care for the suggestion that he might've somehow stumbled across an answer that they were lacking. To her it just suggested that he might've had some actual credibility in how he'd been handling her case.
"Very well then," Ulquiorra replied. If Rainbow Dash wished to hear something else, then she was about to do just that, as his mind was already formulating that something else. "For all of the questions that have been raised, there is one possible theory as to what exactly is going on; that this unknown entity we find ourselves facing, is not only aware of our endeavors, but is actively -and deliberately- screwing with us, and our efforts. When everything that has happened so far, is examined from a logical perspective, such a possibility seems to be the most likely explanation. Thrush being murdered inside his holding cell, and his body being left out in the open to be discovered. The guard responsible for the murder, being murdered in turn, and his body left to be discovered in an area that the palace staff would have reason to frequent. Usually a murderer would take steps to try and conceal the evidence of their crime, unless they were deliberately boasting about their ability to kill, while simultaneously being able to avoid the authorities. This turn of events would suggest arrogance on their part, and hint at a superiority complex," he explained, before pausing to give them time to properly digest everything he'd just given them.
It wasn't exactly the freshest of theories that had been presented for consideration. It was more or less a rehash of one of the theories he'd presented on the twelfth of June, after the manticore attack. That had been based on the utter randomness of how things had unfolded. But this was based on a number of varying factors that were too coincidental for them to ignore. This time around, the theory bore a more careful examination, as there was more circumstantial evidence that would support it being a possibility. There was more that grounded it as a very real possibility.
"Furthermore, while the reiatsu on the guard's body could be regarded as a sign of carelessness on the entity's part, it may prove more prudent to regard it as a deliberate decision on this entity's part. If it's been able to successfully avoid detection for this long, it seems unlikely at best, that it would've actually screwed up, and made such an otherwise rookie mistake just now," he continued.
Celestia remained silent as she thought. She heard Luna and Rainbow Dash speaking up, and saying something, but she wasn't paying enough attention to actually decipher what was going on around her. At the moment she was too busy thinking about the possibilities of what Ulquiorra had said. And the possibilities were indeed, very grim to give actual consideration to. The notion that they were being toyed with was disturbing even under the best of circumstances, but it was just so much worse when ponies were actually dying as a result. And if that wasn't bad enough, the victims were being killed right under their noses, and there was nothing they could do to prevent it from happening.
But she also realized that there were far more disturbing aspects as to what was going on, than the simple fact that ponies were being killed around them. If Ulquiorra's theory was correct, and this entity was indeed toying with them, as well as exercising awareness of what they were doing, then there was the distinct possibility that it was potentially trying to manipulate them into doing certain things that would benefit it. What if it was trying to herd them into a trap through its efforts, and they were too blind to actually see it?
And if the mystery entity was really making an attempt to herd them into a trap, then ultimately what was that trap?
"There's also the question of why Thrush was murdered, but Rainbow Dash was not."
"What!?"
That short exchange, however, had managed to cut through Celestia's own dark thoughts, and bring her right back to the here and now. No longer was she focused on the notion of them being played into a corner, as the excitement in the room was taking center stage.
"Just what's that supposed to mean anyway?!" Rainbow Dash yelled at Ulquiorra.
Ulquiorra, in turn, never broke his characteristic stoicism. And instead of facing Rainbow Dash, he faced her instead; much as he had done when questioned by the guards previously in the day.
"The deceased guard's name was Ready Stance. What was his previous assignment?" he asked simply, seemingly ignoring Rainbow Dash and Luna entirely.
"Providing a security detail for-" Celestia started in answering, only to pause as the words stuck in her throat. The realization suddenly fell on her like a ton of bricks at just what Ulquiorra had been talking about a moment ago. "For... Rainbow Dash..." she finished as everything started fitting together.
"Great Faust," Luna breathed, unconsciously unfurling, and extending her right wing to cover her mouth in an effort to muffle the gasp.
"What? What's going on?" Rainbow Dash asked, completely lost about what they were saying. What did one of the guards she'd been stuck with, have to do with Ulquiorra wondering why she wasn't being murdered? What weren't they telling her? And more importantly, why weren't they telling her?
"Rainbow Dash," Celestia began slowly as she turned to face the upset pegasus, and explain things to her in a way that she would understand. "Ready Stance was one of my most loyal of guards. When it came to assembling your protective detail, he was at the very top of my list of picks, due to his integrity, and his long record of distinguished service. I knew that he would take his duty seriously, when it came to keeping you safe from harm," she explained. She paused to evaluate, and it looked like her explanation was being understood, but she couldn't say for certain. Undaunted, she continued.
"The fact that this mystery entity... possessed... Ready Stance?" she asked, pausing as she turned her attention to Ulquiorra to see if that was the proper word in this case. His response was a simple nod, indicating that it was. "This proves that it could've gotten to you at any time it so pleased, and there would've been nothing we could've done to stop it from happening. If Ready Stance was possessed, then any member of the palace staff could've been possessed in his place; including any one of the guards assigned to you, regardless of what shift they pulled. You could've been killed right under our noses, and we would've never known about it, until it was too late," she explained.
"Whoa..." Rainbow Dash replied breathlessly, suddenly finding it very necessary to sit down after hearing this. This was some seriously, seriously heavy shit they were now facing. Right now she was starting to wish she hadn't asked any questions.
"What... whatever does this mean?" Luna asked as she turned to Ulquiorra, hoping that he would have answers. She wouldn't even waste time as to hoping what those answers might involve, just so long as there were answers to be given.
"A significant amount of complication on our parts. In addition to the various questions this naturally raises, and furthering the theory that we're actively being screwed with by an enemy we can't identify, we now have to address the fact, that this leaves the entirety of the palace staff significantly compromised. Of the several hundred ponies currently employed to work at Canterlot palace, only the three of us would appear to be immune to the entity's influential abilities," Ulquiorra explained. And even before any of them could open their mouths, to question him as to how he had arrived at such a conclusion, he was already explaining the reasoning behind it.
"According to Challons' medical expertise, time of death occurred between the hours of ten and twelve PM last night, both for Thrush, and Ready Stance. And they both occurred while we were far away from the palace, investigating another, more serious matter at the time. This would -theoretically at least- suggest that we either possess a resistance that can't be readily overcome, or that we might have detected the presence at arrival, and been able to respond in turn, thus thwarting whatever its plans were. And I don't believe that the timing of it all was a matter that could be explained away by pure coincidence," he elaborated.
"Wait, are you actually saying that what happened last night was..." Luna paused, thinking over what was Ulquiorra saying. Was he actually saying what she thought he was saying? That was... that was... "What kind of degenerate would deliberately utilize one murder, in order to facilitate yet another?" she asked, equally baffled, and horrified, at the very idea that was being put out for consideration. What sort of depraved monster had they managed to piss off this time!?
"Most likely the kind with enough intelligence to realize it needed us away from the palace, in order to carry out the plan -whatever it may have been- and escape being detected in the process," Ulquiorra replied simply, unfazed by the idea of it. Diversion was a very valid approach to battle when it came to divide and conquer tactics. And it had worked quite well, to the point where even he couldn't deny it. The diarchy, himself, and nearly a third of the ponies who made up the royal guard, had all been absent from the palace over the course of several hours, in the course of tending to the S.U.D situation last night.
The timing of it all was far too suspicious, to be written off as coincidence. Something like this had to be orchestrated in advance. And if they were dealing with someone that could possess others, and take control of their physical actions, it stood to reason that anything was possible. That was the only thing that made sense to him right now.
"Hold it, hold it!" Rainbow Dash spoke up, wanting clarification about what they were saying. "There were three murders last night? Who was the third one?"
"We don't yet know. The circumstances surrounding the death, which is what made it noticeable to us in the first place, have rendered identification an impossibility. Only the aftermath remained by the time we arrived," Ulquiorra explained, giving as much information about last night's events, that didn't appear to be classified. If Rainbow Dash wanted to know more details, then she would need to ask the diarchy herself.
There was also the fact that nothing beneficial could come from devoting the time that would be necessary, in briefing Rainbow Dash about Spontaneous Unicorn Disintegration.
"Ulquiorra," Celestia spoke up slowly. There were a lot of things going terribly wrong around them, and if they didn't tread carefully, it might only get worse from here on out. Before they went any further, or start coming up with effective strategies, they needed to gather more information. "That mystery reiatsu you detected on Ready Stance's body. Have you been able to detect it anywhere else, either in, or around, the palace?" she asked him.
"Unlikely at best. I scoured the palace quite thoroughly after discovering its presence. I found no other traces, either on the physical structure of the palace, or on any member of the staff. If it is present anywhere else, it's in traces so minute that even I can't manage to detect it; and considering both my level of skill, and the timing of everything, this is all but an impossibility," Ulquiorra replied. Had he been able to detect any faint traces, he never would've sent word for them to return, until he had tracked down every available lead. The fact that he'd told them to come back, should've been enough to tell them that he had gained nothing. "None of the other staff members were affected. But that doesn't mean that they won't be targeted, at some point in the future."
Celestia had been afraid of that being the case, but had still hoped that it wouldn't be such. This presented them with just so, so many complications that would need to be addressed, and quickly as well. Already her mind was going over what this meant for them, and how it changed everything; that being primarily how it affected their ability to care for Rainbow Dash. Up to this point, they'd been counting on the cooperation of the palace staff to provide that care to her. But in light of these developments, that no longer looked like it was going to be a viable option. Several hundred of the most trusted ponies, specifically selected for working in one of the highest positions in Equestria, could apparently no longer be trusted.
No. That wasn't the case, she reminded herself. It wasn't as simple as the staff no longer being trustworthy; not through their own devices anyway. What was at issue, was apparently that at any given time, any one of them could apparently be exploited by whatever this entity was, and used in whatever manner it deemed fit. And there was nothing they could do to stop it. They could no more keep one of the guards from beating Rainbow Dash to death, than they could stop one of the cooks from poisoning her.
And with that thought came another revelation that had Celestia inwardly groaning. What with the possibility of the kitchen staff being suspect, any and all cooking duty that related to Rainbow Dash was going to befall to them. And neither she, nor her sister, were particularly well known for their culinary skills. And she highly doubted that Ulquiorra had any past experience working in a kitchen.
This entity that had attacked them might not even get the chance to do anything further. They might wind up poisoning Rainbow Dash on their own.
There were just so many complications that they had to take into consideration now, in light of these developments. Not the least of which, was how this would be affecting not only the suicide watch itself, but also Rainbow Dash's overall recovery. How was she going to be getting better, if none of the ponies present could be trusted? What good were all of the psychiatrists, counselors, and therapists to them now, if any one of them could be exploited at any given moment?
"But with you being present, this entity will not be able to pull a fast one on us again, correct?" Luna asked as she faced Ulquiorra. If he'd been able to detect the presence on the body of Ready Stance, then surely he could do the same with a living pony. Right?
"In theory. But in practice it would be easier said than done. The only reason I was able to detect anything, was because you and Princess Celestia were absent. With you being present, and the amount of reiatsu that was present at the time, detection will be next to impossible, even when I am here, intermittent as it might be. With this development, my presence in Ponyville may be even more necessary than before," Ulquiorra explained.
"How?" Rainbow Dash asked bluntly, not bothering to flesh out the question any further.
"The attack that occurred here, suggests two equally valid -but unprovable- possibilities of how things will be proceeding in the near future," Ulquiorra began as he directed his attention to where she currently stood. "The first possibility is that this attack was intended to distract us from what's occurring in Ponyville, by making us think that Canterlot will become the next target, and focus our attention accordingly. The second is that Canterlot really is the main goal for this entity, and it's trying to confuse us on the matter, by making us think that it's merely a diversion to keep us away from Ponyville," he explained, summing up why his attention would be required in both locations.
"I should've just kept my big mouth shut," Rainbow Dash mumbled to herself at hearing that. She really wished she hadn't thought to ask the question, as she really didn't care for the answer that'd been given. "Sometimes I'm afraid of how your mind works," she admitted.
It was a statement that both Celestia and Luna could agree with wholeheartedly. With all of the other horrors going on in their minds right now, they really didn't need yet another one to contend with. But whether or not they needed it, it was now out there for their consideration. And having to consider actually being put in the position, where they might be forced to choose between which location to focus their attention on, in the name of protecting the subjects located there, was simply horrible.
Horrible, but not entirely unexpected, considering everything that'd happened up until now.
"Wondrous," Luna grumbled to herself, before returning her attention to Ulquiorra. "What is the recommended course of action under these circumstances, Ulquiorra Cifer?" she asked. If there was a plan of attack to engage in, she wanted in on it.
"Under these circumstances, there's little that we can do, with our numbers being reduced to just the three of us. Looking after Rainbow Dash falls squarely on our shoulders from here on out. There's also the need to keep constant vigilance on both Ponyville, and Canterlot simultaneously, to try and determine what can be learned about the next incoming attack," he explained. They'd been successfully divided, and conquering might not be far off at this rate.
Things were so much easier back in Hueco Mundo. See threat, kill threat. He missed that simplicity. Most Hollows didn't care for all this cloak and dagger shit, and didn't bother exercising it with any degree of regularity.
"Hold it! Don't I get to have any say in all this?" Rainbow Dash asked as she stepped forward past the diarchy, not liking how she was being addressed in an indirect manner, almost like she was an object instead of a pony.
In hindsight, however, maybe she should've just kept her mouth shut. Now that the words were actually out of her mouth, she didn't know what she could've added to the conversation.
"And what might you have to say about the current matter?" Ulquiorra asked as he turned his gaze to her.
"Well..." Rainbow Dash paused as she tried to think up something that she could add to the conversation. Something other than the confused stammering that she was doing. "Well for starters, I want this thing off of me," she stated as she turned around, and raised her right foreleg to display the bangle she'd been wearing for so long. "Because the way you're talking, having that sleeping charm in place is probably a bad idea if I can't trust the guards," she pointed out.
"You... you actually knew about that?" Celestia asked and blinked in surprise. At the time of affixing the wire-thin charm around her pastern, she'd been told that its purpose was simply to alert them of her presence if she'd ever gotten lost, either in the palace, or elsewhere. That had been the cover story to justify its presence, without making her believe that she simply couldn't be trusted with her own well being. And now it seemed their ruse had been for naught. The only questions now was how she'd found out the truth, and when.
"I've heard other ponies talk," Rainbow Dash replied and shrugged, before setting her hoof back down. "Look. I get that this really isn't the best time to be bringing this up. But I don't think the circumstances are gonna get any better. If somepony gets brainjacked and tries to come after me, I'm gonna have ta book it outta there quick, and I can't do that with this thing on me, making me fall asleep if I have to bolt," she stated.
Celestia opened her mouth to respond, but before she could even get the first word out, Rainbow Dash was already speaking again.
"Look," she said again, "I get that I'm still on suicide watch and all. But I don't think we have much choice here. I'm a sitting duck like this," she pointed out again, trying to make it clear just how much of a risk this supposed safeguard was presenting right now. "I get that you don't have reason to believe me. But I'm not gonna try and kill myself. For the first time in weeks, I finally feel like I've got some control over things again; like I can actually take my life back, and not just in stupid theory either, but for real. And that's what I want, more than anything."
Celestia remained silent in the wake of Rainbow Dash's statement; both to see if she was going to say anything else, and to mull over everything that had to be taken into consideration. She'd sat through this performance once before, so she had some idea of what was being said, and what might be said.
Rainbow Dash had certainly been right when she said that there was no reason to trust her. If they were to take the bangle off, there would be nothing to stop her from finding some way of killing herself five minutes later. She really didn't want to believe that such was a possibility, but it still had to be taken into consideration; as did many other things. The bangle's purpose was to keep Rainbow Dash from hurting herself, and sedate her if she attempted it. But that was put into place when the guards -and the rest of the staff- were readily trusted, and they didn't suspect anything. What if she were attacked, and the spell misinterpreted her defensive efforts as an effort at hurting herself?
There was also the fact that, if the spell remained in place, she would need to be in their presence at all times. And while they could certainly do that, it limited what duties they could attend to; she certainly couldn't tend to the day court with Rainbow Dash sitting on her lap... even if, under different circumstances, it would be amusing. And leaving Rainbow Dash in Luna's care during the day while she slept, simply wouldn't work.
They really did have very few options at their disposal now. And the look she shared with Luna and Ulquiorra, pretty much confirmed that fact for her. There were no easy answers to be had here today, no matter what decision was made. And, once again, it was a decision that was going to be left up to her to make.
"Very well, Rainbow Dash," Celestia spoke as her horn began to glow. "In light of what's occurred today, I see fit to trust you on this. You're released on your own recognizance as it were."
The bangle fell to the marbled floor with barely a clatter at the charm being released. But it was loud enough for Rainbow Dash to notice. With the band now gone, she proceeded to rub her fetlock against the crook of her other leg, grateful for the irritation of its constant presence to finally be gone. Having to wear that thing was like having a constant itch that just couldn't be properly scratched, what with it rubbing up against her for so long. But now it was finally, finally over, and she could actually relax for a change; it was like holding her muscles tense for so long, and then finally being able to just unclench.
"However," Celestia spoke up, interrupting her thoughts, and making her look up to pay attention. "That trust is something that has to be maintained. It can't just be recklessly abandoned," she pointed out. And she'd done it in such a way, in such a particular manner of speaking, that Rainbow Dash knew she could be wearing the bangle again if she did something that would disappoint Celestia. How she went about cramming so much meaning into just a few words, that was a mystery right now.
"Right," Rainbow Dash replied, figuring that at least something had to be said, to acknowledge that she understood.
At the moment, after all of the excitement they'd had, all Celestia felt like doing was sitting down for a while to catch her breath. With everything that had been going on since last night, it was easy enough to feel like she'd earned the respite, no matter how brief it might be.
But she knew that wasn't to be the case. With an inward sigh, she steadied herself in preparation of the coming workload. First was lifting the lock down, and allowing for ponies to come and go as needed. She also needed to see that the bodies of Ready Stance and Thrush were delivered to the coroner's office, that the janitorial staff was alerted to the areas that needed to be cleaned, and the dishes retrieved from Rainbow Dash's quarters. All of that would tend to the light duty that they were facing.
Then they seriously needed to sit down, and discuss what security measures could be implemented in light of today's developments. And if Ulquiorra was going to continue traveling between Canterlot and Ponyville, they needed to determine what they could do on their own during his absence. On top of all that, they needed to devise some way in which to tell if anypony else became possessed, and how to adequately address them, should they be present in the palace.
Maybe once the lock down was lifted, they should take a page from Twilight's usual playbook, and devote some time to making a checklist of the many things they had to keep track of. With everything going on around them, they were going to need all the help they could get. Even factoring in Ulquiorra, and his impressive -and numerous- skills, there was only so much that he could do to help out.
Night had once again fallen over Equestria. And with the night, there were many complications that needed to be faced.
Celestia sighed to herself as she laid on her bed. It was late, and she really wanted to be asleep right now. But sadly, sleep wasn't for her this evening. Instead of blissful rest, the immediate future held lots of paperwork for her to look over. And it was no exaggeration to say the amount she still had to get through came up to her fetlocks; a daunting proposal if ever there was any.
In addition to the many, many, many details that had been covered in the course of the day -and still in need of being adequately executed- there was still all of the paperwork that she needed to get through, that had accumulated today while they were busy with other matters. Not even a crisis could stop the bureaucracy from moving; nor did it motivate the powers that be, to exercise common sense, and just quit bugging her with little details of insignificance.
Her left wing twitched, providing a momentary distraction from the paperwork she faced. Nestled under the appendage like a downy blanket was Rainbow Dash, snoring away as she pressed up against her side. In light of everything that had happened in the past twenty seven hours, there were few safeguards left open to them, that could successfully ensure Rainbow Dash's safety. At the top of that very small list, was constantly being in their presence. The shortcomings of such an approach were numerous. But for the short term, it was the best they had, and they would have to make use of it.
Now if she could just do something about this mountain of paperwork she was facing.
"Tia, Tia, Tia..."
Celestia froze, quill hovering just inches away from the piece of parchment she'd been staring at through bloodshot eyes, as the etched ink started to move and change. She watched as words blurred, and blurs merged into the sketching of a face. A face that was smiling cheekily up at her.
"Your mind is always on your work. Such is very unhealthy," the face stated.
"Discord," Celestia groaned, pausing to pinch the bridge of her muzzle. "I'm in no mood for your games right now..."
The face frowned in response.
"You would refer to your own sister as Discord?" it asked, one eyebrow cocked incredulously. "Really, dear sister, I am offended. Where would such a notion come from?"
"... Luna?" Celestia asked and blinked. What was going on here?
Rather than a spoken response being given, the sheet of parchment flew from the stack and hovered off to the side, before proceeding to fold itself up in many different twists and turns, until it was just a small crumpled up ball. A crumpled up ball which proceeded to unfold itself at an accelerated rate of speed, and in a flash of subdued light, transformed itself into Luna.
Celestia watched everything, her mouth slightly open in disbelief, before closing as a frown formed at her sister's antics.
"Luna, unless this is important, I have no time for fun and games. I have important work to tend to," she stated firmly.
"Oh yes, of course. I apologize for my untimely interruption, dear sister, please forgive me," Luna replied quickly, but without so much as an ounce of sincerity to her words. "I didn't realize how a proposal to declare the chocolate cake doughnut, as Equestria's national pastry, to be important work."
Celestia blinked, her stern look quickly fading away in confusion at Luna's words. Which in turn just seemed to cause Luna an intense amount of amusement. What was going on here!?
"I would say that you are dreaming, dear sister, but such does not seem like an adequate term for what you are currently experiencing," Luna chuckled, before calming down, and laying down on the floor to better face her. "Your mind is obsessively on paperwork. 'Tis not healthy to focus on work at all times," she commented.
"No, I suppose it isn't," Celestia replied as she set the quill back down in the ink well that had rested next to the bed, only to watch as it evaporated from view, and was joined shortly by the stack of parchment. "But how do I know you're telling the truth, and this isn't some big prank you're planning on playing on your sleep-deprived sister?" she asked curiously.
"Because you had enough wisdom to determine that Rainbow Dash sleeping in your bed nightly would not be a good idea. The real Rainbow Dash is currently dreaming away on the cloud bed that was moved into your room for the night, and embracing Tank, who is also dreaming away," Luna explained.
Celestia thought on Luna's statement for a moment. She remembered that decision now. So that would mean the Rainbow Dash currently tucked under her wing was nothing more than a dream construct, like everything else around her.
"And what do turtles dream of?" she asked, deciding to change the subject.
"Tortoise," Luna corrected, "as to their dreams, most being able to go ten miles an hour. Except for Tank, who is a most daring reptile; he dares to dream of land speeds clocking in at twelve miles an hour."
Celestia couldn't help but laugh at the comment. Whether or nor Luna was being truthful, the manner in which she delivered it had been hilarious regardless of her intention.
"Luna, you're terrible," Celestia stated as her laughter died down. "But I'm so lucky to have you."
"Indeed you are," Luna replied smugly. However the smugness quickly died down, as Luna allowed herself to relax. "I wish we could spend more time being silly, dear sister, but there is unfortunately business that must be tended to," she explained.
"Has something happened since I turned in?" Celestia asked curiously, wondering if she needed to wake up.
"No. At least nothing of significance anyway," Luna replied, trying to put her sister's mind at ease. "I merely wish to clarify a few matters with you, before finalizing anything. And it seemed wise to do so now, rather than waiting until the dawn," she explained. She waited to see if Celestia had anything to say in response, but nothing came. She decided to take that as a cue to continue. "As we speak, Ulquiorra Cifer has once again immersed himself in the royal library, looking for any records pertaining to long-range possession of the mind and body. He believes that if he can come across such records, and determine what degree of magical aptitude would be necessary for such, or a list of recorded practitioners, we can begin compiling a list of potential suspects to narrow down."
"A novel approach to the current problem. Certainly more constructive than what we're doing now, which is basically nothing," Celestia replied. Novel, but she had doubts as to how effective it might prove to be. There were no compiled lists of which unicorn knew what spells. Nor were their lists that details the various levels of magical aptitude experienced by said unicorns; such standards were constantly in a state of flux, and would require daily monitoring and list compiling. Records could more or less prove out of date by the time the ink had fully dried. Ultimately it would be a waste of resources to even try such a database.
But she would leave Ulquiorra to his own devices for the time being. Perhaps he was aware of something that they weren't.
"I have also come to submit a request on the Espada's behalf; access to the restricted portions of the royal library," Luna stated. But before Celestia could even get her mouth open to say otherwise, she was already talking again in explanation as to why. "You have already entrusted Twilight Sparkle with some measure of access to the information contained within such sections. She has even been allowed to check out a book from within. Ulquiorra Cifer, on the other hoof, possesses no magical aptitude, and could benefit not at all from access to the spells housed with the restricted sections. And if there really is information housed within that could benefit from his keen insight, I fail to see why he should be denied access to it. He has proven his trustworthiness several times over, has he not?" she asked.
Celestia wanted to offer a rebuttal to Luna's statement. But try as she might, she found it to be impossible to get the words out. That left her wondering if Luna had deliberately muzzled her during the time she was speaking, in order to insure that she could state her case without interruption.
As much as she hated to admit it, Luna had raised a few good points. As best as they could determine, Ulquiorra really couldn't perform magic, so him finding the spell books housed in the restricted section would do him little good; assuming he could even make sense of them to begin with. As to the other sensitive information housed within... well he was hardly the gossiping type, and didn't go around talking about anything unless it was actually necessary; making it unlikely he'd go around revealing Equestria's secrets, even if he were placed under extreme duress. And as for trust... well she really couldn't comment much on the issue; not after everything that had been going on around them. It would be rather hard to point to anything that would adequately suggest Ulquiorra couldn't be trusted. Nor was she certain she even wanted to try at this point. After all they'd been through, searching for reasons to not trust him just felt counterproductive to her.
It also struck her as being a disservice to him. Not that she had doubts that he'd ever say such if asked; he'd likely just make some snarky comments about the inconsistency of her ability to trust him.
"And this is something that needs to be done tonight, I assume?" she finally asked.
"It would be preferable, as Ulquiorra Cifer intends to return to Ponyville tomorrow. He believes that what was uncovered today, will yield better results in his attempts at determining where this entity may be hiding, now that he knows what to look for," she explained.
"If you believe that it would be in everyone's best interest. Proceed as you see fit, Luna," Celestia replied simply. There was very little she could do to argue otherwise right now, even if she were in a position to do such. Besides all that, she knew that Luna wasn't stupid. Granted her sister had a tendency to charge headlong into certain situations without thinking them over, and without consulting her first. But that didn't appear to be the case here.
"In that case, what I have to say next, may now be easier to say," Luna replied as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "When Ulquiorra Cifer departs for Ponyville, I intend to accompany him on his journey. While his intention is to look for whoever is behind everything, my intention is to see what is holding up the medical record of the victims of the manticore attack. The amount of time that has passed between then and now has been more than sufficient for us to be briefed on what the final tally is. There is something undeniably wrong about this entire situation. It is... leaving me pondering if certain events are connected..."
Celestia knew that when it came to dreams, Luna was the one in charge. Despite that fact, however, she could still tell that something was weighing heavily on her sister's mind as she spoke. But Luna could be a bit peculiar at times, and would actually refrain from speaking the problems that disturbed her, unless someone attempted to approach the subject, giving her a reason to actually speak her mind.
Why this was, and why it was so intermittent at times, she couldn't even begin to understand. But regardless of such facts, she was the elder sister, and knew what her duty was.
"And what type of connections is it, that you're drawing?" she asked. Granted it was a simple question, but sometimes they worked best.
"Do you remember something Twilight Sparkle said in the aftermath of the manticore attack? About how the randomness of the attack appeared orchestrated to terrify others?" Luna asked. Celestia nodded in response, so she continued. "Everything that has happened in Ponyville since them, seems to be following that same pattern. Nightmare and day terrors, no clear pattern as to who is being targeted, or even why, leaving us with no clear way to predict where this will go, or how to respond. And then today, something that Ulquiorra Cifer said. I have not been able to stop thinking about it since then, and how it might be related," Luna replied. When she saw that she still had Celestia's full attention, she continued speaking. "The first documented incident of Spontaneous Unicorn Disintegration occurred well over one thousand years ago. Well before the time of my banishment. And in all that time we have never found anything to even suggest an origin of the phenomenon. Even with the advancement of science, and discovering the existence of various illnesses, we still know nothing."
"I'm aware of such facts, Luna," Celestia replied. This was very common knowledge, so it left her curious as to why Luna would waste time rehashing such details. Was there some relevance to be had here?
"And I am aware, dear sister. But now I am wondering if all of our efforts at finding answers have been misguided. What if it is not a naturally occurring phenomenon at all, but something else entirely? What if it is the result of some outside party who is deliberately causing such results to suit their own twisted purposes?" Luna asked. She wanted to go on to speak of what possibilities she'd envisioned as being responsible for so many violent deaths over the decades and centurties. But simply considering those options made it sound more like she was engaging in an exercise of speculative fiction, rather than serious hypothesizing as to what could possibly cause a unicorn to suddenly explode.
"That thought isn't exactly exclusive to you alone, Luna. I've been considering it as well, ever since Ulquiorra presented his findings and theories. And to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure which of the two possibilities is more disturbing to me," Celestia replied and closed her eyes.
For so long, they as rulers had been doing constant battle with unicorns being violently disintegrated -sometimes with devastating results- by their own cores; it was like some sick and twisted magical version of an autoimmune disease. And in their time they had faced so many possible theories to explain the phenomenon, devoted fortunes to researching in hopes of finding not only a cause, but also an effective -and reliable- cure to stamp it out of existence. So much had been done to try and combat this menace, always lagging three steps behind it since it was first documented.
And now... now they were faced with circumstantial evidence -and even speculative notions- that gave rise to the possibility that they'd been looking at this case from the wrong perspective. Unexplained phenomenon, unidentified virus or other possible illness, recklessness on the part of the unfortunate victim in trying to advance their own skills through risky efforts, infusion of dark magic... those and so many others had been considered through history. But now it was the possibility that perhaps there was another party involved, and potentially blowing her ponies up for reasons they couldn't even begin to understand. And that just opened a new series of questions they couldn't even begin to answer.
"There's just one problem with that theory. The first recorded incident of disintegration dates back well over one thousand years ago. Who exactly, outside of a number of dragons, would be sufficiently long-lived, to still be carrying out these... incidents... in this day and age?" Celestia asked. That was the one spanner that was in the works right now, preventing them from categorizing everything as being the fault of one particular individual, even if they did have a suspect in mind. Try as she might, she couldn't think of any notable figures that were currently around, that had been way back in the past. That wasn't to say someone hadn't arisen over the passage of time, but she just couldn't think of anyone.
"... Perhaps it is a consortium then? Perhaps some shadow organization, whose membership is continually refreshed with each successive generation?" Luna suggested. The idea struck her as viable an option as anything that had been proposed up to this point, even if the notion was a touch preposterous in terms of responsible parties. "I am not in the habit of invasively looking through the thoughts of various ponies when they are unconscious. I know only of what they dream. It is not entirely outside of the realm of possibilities," she pointed out.
Celestia said nothing, as she tried to come up with an adequate response to Luna's theory; a response that she could give, without betraying her efforts to hide just how badly the notion disturbed her. Had it really, really come to the point, where their fear drove them to distrusting their own little ponies, and suspecting them of committing unspeakable acts against one another?
If that were truly the case, then it was a sad state of affairs for Equestria to find itself in, and harmony in general.
"Then the Equestria we've known, and worked so hard to protect, may seriously be in danger of ceasing to exist," she responded grimly and closed her eyes.
Luna could tell that what she'd mentioned had upset Celestia. And that fact left her upset as well, as that had never been her intention. It just sort of... happened.
She opened her mouth to speak, to apologize for what she'd said, and the harm that it had caused. But before she could even get a word out, she was interrupted by a deep, thrumming-type sensation running up and down her spine; the warning of when a nightmare had been detected in another, and required intervention. And that would unfortunately mean having to depart from here, before she could adequately resolve what torment she'd unintentionally stirred up in Celestia with her theory. That wasn't how a guardian of the dream world was supposed to conduct themselves. And yet here it was, playing out right before her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. With each passing second, the thrumming was getting stronger, warning her that the nightmare was progressing. If only she had more time...
"I apologize, sister, but duty calls me away," she explained, before flashing out of existence.
Evil organizations, and countless other theories to contend with. Just wonderful. Celestia sighed as she opened her eyes again. Was it really asking too much that she be allowed just one good night's sleep, in an effort to get her mind straight, and properly ready for whatever the coming day might bring? She really should've not even bothered with asking Luna about what was bothering her.
Eventually her attention was drawn back to her surroundings; more specifically, the snoring of the fake Rainbow Dash that rested on her bed. She weighed her options briefly, before turning around, picking the figment up, and hugging it to herself. She knew that in realistic terms it made little difference, but as far as the dream itself was concerned, this was the real Rainbow Dash that she was hugging. In the dream, the figment felt real to her. And for the time being, until this dream finally came to an end, it would have to do. Come tomorrow morning, there was no telling what might be happening...