"You are so certain of this, Rainbow Dash?" Princess Celestia's voice rang.
"Grfff..." Rainbow gnashed her teeth. The constant rocking of the Stardust threw her off-balance, and she had to cling to the edge of the port-side railing in order to keep from rolling across the deck. "Just... looking at the p-pattern of things, Your Highness!" She tilted her pendant towards the stars while gazing across the choppy waters. "All of the things that have led me to and beyond Starkiss have also led my biggest adversary in Rohbredden to certain despair."
"What makes you so certain that this... 'Commander Seraphimus' would still be in pursuit of you?"
"Why wouldn't she be?!" Rainbow blurted. She then rolled her eyes at herself and muttered: "Since I first set-hoof on dry land, she's been strategically, emotionally, and spiritually driven to capture me. The only thing she ever cared about was the lives of her husband and kid. Now they're both dead—and the only pony that the entirety of Rohbredden has to blame is me. How could she possibly know the truth behind Verlax?! I'm convinced, Your Highness, that she won't stop at anything until she makes me suffer for what's happened to her family."
"That seems highly illogical," Princess Celestia remarked. "After all... a military veteran of her standing would strike me as well-accustomed to loss. Even if she falsely accused you for the deaths of her loved ones, how could she be expected to gain anything from ending your life now that the damage is done?"
Water splashed violently against the ship's hull. Thunder rolled, and Rainbow Dash spoke towards the silvery sky. "With all due respect, Princess... not all the ponies in this world see things as sensibly and harmoniously as you and I did back home." She gulped. "This crazy, bent world is chock-full of idiots, and even an awesometastical trip to the Midnight Armory isn't a straight-forward guarantee to fix all the stupid."
There was a slight delay in Celestia's response. "I believe you, Rainbow Dash,"she said. "You would think I would learn from that attempt I made to reason with Axan so many months ago." The enchanted air shuddered beneat the thunder. "I've been so fixated on maintaining the chaos here in Ponyville that I find myself having to be constantly reminded that discord and malice is widespread beyond the influence of my sister and I."
"Hey... you've had your job and you've stuck to it," Rainbow Dash said. She took a shuddering breath. "And I've got a job to do as well, Your Highness." She gulped. "And... and if Seraphimus gets in the way by threatening that—"
"I see the nature of your dilemma," Princess Celestia said. "And, quite frankly, I can understand the reasoning behind your most recent contemplation."
All of a sudden, Twilight Sparkle burst through Rainbow Dash's chest and shouted ghostily: "But Princess Celestia! You can't possibly excuse actual murder!"
Rainbow groaned. "The Princess can't hear you, Twilight..."
"My good and faithful student?" Celestia's voice rang. "What troubles you?"
"I think she's about to give one of her usual moralistic speeches on the depravity of murder—"
"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight frowned. "Don't downplay the severity of this matter!" She gazed skyward with quivering eyes. "I know that Rainbow Dash has had to do several questionable things to get where she is now! And... and..." She took a deep breath. "I've forgiven her for the Quade. After all, I think she's suffered enough for it. But the line has gotta be drawn somewhere!" She spun to face Rainbow. "Just because Verlax has arranged so many things up to squeak like a well-oiled machine doesn't mean it's necessarily perfect! In the end, your decisions are still yours, Rainbow! And just who says that Seraphimus can't find a better, more prosperous life for herself—free of anger and vengeance—now that her Queen and Family are gone?! If Seraphimus tracks us down, she's in your hooves! Not Verlaxion! I refuse... utterly refuse to believe that every single blasted thing that we do from here to the Midnight Armory will have somehow been pre-determined by that accursed Divine of Frost!"
Silence. The ocean crashed and the thunder roared.
"I trust that it was a good speech," Princess Celestia's voice said with no small amount of amusement.
"Eh..." Rainbow waved a hoof. "The usual stuffy, eggheaded affair."
"Rainbowwwww!" Twilight pouted.
"Twilight, will you just chillax?" Rainbow droned. "Okay, so maybe I was just... speaking in the moment. Y'know?" She gulped. "The stuff that Echo had to say... it really hit me in the gut. Soooooooo... maybe I got a bit passionate."
"Rainbow, darling..." Rarity phased through a metal bulkhead, staring evenly with her. "I get passionate from time to time, but when the moment hits me—I come up with a dress pattern." Her eyes hardened. "Not a recipe for murder."
"Ohhhhhh... come off it!" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "We're not talking about stabbing a defenseless puppy in its sleep!"
"Don't make light of it, Rainbow!" Rarity's eyes narrowed. "We are not out here to play 'goddess.' I don't care how many roguish lives you've torn through before."
"Now Rarity, that was uncalled for." Fluttershy floated in with a frown. "Has Rainbow done unthinkable things? Yes—that cannot be denied. But as much as I deplore something as cruel and unkind as killing, it's obviously not something that Rainbow delights in doing. She's been led to distressing positions with no alternative."
"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie floated in, hovering just alongside Fluttershy. "And think of her friends! Where would most of them be if Dashie hadn't carried the burden?" She pointed at herself. "Where would we be if she hadn't gone against the rough?!"
"I don't believe that Rarity is trying to paint Rainbow Dash as cold or heartless," Twilight said.
"Of course n-not!" Rarity stammered. "I just believe that Twilight is right to say that we mustn't accept a no-win situation! Rainbow, after all, isn't the kind of pony who likes to lose!"
"Yeah?" Pinkie raised an eyebrow. "And what's she to do when she has to lose to move on?"
"What are you even talking about?!" Rarity sputtered. "Now's not the time to be nonsensical!"
"Now with the 'nonsense card?!'" Pinkie barked.
"Ah-ah-ahem..."
Rainbow and her spectral companions spun towards the bow of the ship.
Kepler smiled down at them. "Arre you sufferring a moment of philosophical conundrrums, my frriend?"
"Uhhhhhhhhh..." Rainbow fidgeted on the lower deck. "...maybe?"
Kepler shook the water droplets off his glasses. "Because you've been standing idle forr the past minute, starring into the abyss. I also fearr you've left yourr beloved monarrch frrom home rreeling. Ha-Hah!"
Rainbow winced. "Uhhhhh..." She glanced into the thunderous sky. "Your Highness? Would you... uh... would you mind if the girls and I had a little chat below deck where it's quieter?"
"I perfectly understand, Rainbow Dash," Celestia said. "Please. Deliberate among yourselves as you see fit. But—whatever you all may or may not agree on—do know that you've more than won my trust and confidence after all these months."
Rainbow Dash smiled as she trotted through the open door and into the cabin. "That's a good start for once..."