BPT: The Coup of Avarice

by Wolven5

Chapter 6. Investigation

In the throne room, Celestia, with Twilight and Spike at her sides, faced Midnight and over a dozen Hoods he'd gathered. She'd asked Sombra to oversee public order and do all he could to prevent a panic. Applejack and Thunderlane volunteered to help him while Soarin and Rainbow Dash helped air-lift patients over the city.

"Thank you all for coming," Celestia welcome them, "It should be no surprise as to why I've initiated Code Eclipse - Our nation is under siege from an unidentified enemy, and as my covert operatives you are all the only ones I can trust to investigate this matter. There is no time to waste, which is why we need your help. Twilight?"

Twilight nodded then signaled Spike to step forward as he carried a tray with sealed envelopes and several familiar disc-shaped devices.
"Each of you will be given a special communication device called a Communecho, or Echoms for short. They are a means of direct communication. In addition, the envelopes contain lists of locations and possible suspects you should investigate."

"This must be a closed-loop affair," Celestia instructed as Spike handed out the Echoms and envelops to each Hood, "Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of our citizens across the nation have been poisoned. Our friends, our neighbors, our families, and our foals! They need our help, and we must determine who would dare to poison innocent people and see them brought to justice! Thank you, let's get to work."

The Hoods all nodded solemnly as they took their Echoms and their envelopes before departing, although one stayed, standing beside Midnight, who lowered his hood.

"Where shall we begin?" he asked.

"I want for you, Twilight, and Spike to investigate the schools," Celestia instructed, "The number of foals poisoned in comparison to adults suggests that the foals are at greater risk. I must remain here. Though I've agreed to postpone the Summit, I cannot trust Cheap not to stir up any more trouble."

"We understand, Princess," Midnight gave another wing-salute, "but in the meantime, I'm leaving my second-in-command with you."

He looked to the Hood standing behind him and nodded. The Hood stepped forward and lowered his hood, revealing himself to be a unicorn pony. He had a gray coat that had a very faint blue sheen, his mane was so black it looked blue aside from an orchid purple highlight, and his eyes were a pale emerald green.

"Twilight, I would like to introduce you to the second-in-command of the Brotherhood, Shadow Lock," Midnight introduced, "My cousin."

"A pleasure to meet you at last, Princess Twilight," Shadow Lock gave a respectful nod and demure smile. "Though I wish it were under better circumstances."

"The pleasure is mine," Twilight smiled kindly though she looked confused, "But... I didn't know Midnight had any more relatives besides his parents, brother, and Prince Sombra."

"We are only distantly related," Shadow Lock clarified, "though we do share a common ancestor, just not Prince Sombra. I am at your service, Your Majesties."

"Shadow Lock will be in direct communication with the other Hoods," Midnight explained, "and he will be close by to aid you, Princess Celestia."

"Very good, but please," Celestia gave Midnight and Twilight a warm and worried look, "Be quick, and be careful."

"Don't worry, Princess," Twilight promised, "we won't let you down. C'mon, boys!"

Twilight hurried out of the throne room, Midnight and Spike following, and Celestia watched them go as never before had she felt the weight of the crown.

Recalling the names of some of the foals at the hospital, looking up their school was easy, and the principal was happy to welcome them. To be thorough in their investigation, they'd asked Doctor Steady Hoof to accompany them.

"Thank you for allowing us to inspect the school, Principal Weather Bee," thanked Twilight as she, Midnight, Spike, and the principal walked into the school's cafeteria.

"My pleasure, Princess," responded the portly balding pegasus stallion, "It is deeply disturbing that so many of our students have fallen ill. I've already sent the rest of the student body home until further notice. I just can't imagine how this happened! The afflicted students seemed fine this morning, but then, it wasn't long before colts and fillies in different classes were suddenly coming down with ailments; coughing, headaches, stomach pains, or even fainting on the spot!"

"And I know why."

They looked to see Steady Hoof come their way as the yellow unicorn levitated a slice of bread.
"This bread is tainted with some kind of foreign substance."

"What?!" Principal Weather Bee was aghast. "Impossible! This school has ordered that brand of bread for years, and nothing like this has ever happened."

"It's not just the bread," Steady Hoof elaborated, "all of the food on the school's menu that contains wheat has been contaminated with the same substance. I cannot identify it however."

"What?" Midnight echoed as something in his mind clicked... and he realized, "Rarity drank wheatgrass tea before we went to the hospital and suddenly became sick!"

Gasping, Twilight replied, "You're right! She was the only one of us at breakfast who drank it!"

"And maybe if we figure out where the wheat foods came from, we can find out more," Spike suggested.

"The school office keeps all records of imported food," Principal Weather Bee stated, "Follow me."

"In the meantime, I shall have this tainted food sent to Doctor Miracle Cure," Steady Hoof said, "Perhaps she can analyze what the contaminant is and create an antidote."

Mareston Burner grumbled irritably as she examined the contaminated food Steady Hoof had sent to Miracle Cure, and the good doctor had... asked Burner for her help. Now, the old scientist was doing the word of a research aide, but at least Cure had complimented her skills in chemical analysis.

After painstakingly dividing the foodstuff from the poison, Mareston Burner was finally examining the substance through her microscope... and it wasn't long before a look of horrified realization spread across her face as she whispered, "That's... that's impossible!"

What she was seeing could not be possible, but it was there.

Miracle Cure continued to direct nurses and other doctors in the hospital. They were still overwhelmed with patients, but it appeared that the number of them coming in was decreasing. Either that was really good or really bad. To her deepest gratitude, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich were doing all they could to entertain the sick foals, which greatly reduced their stress, Fluttershy, bless her kind heart, had the makings of a great nurse.

She also seems to have a very certain glow, Miracle Cure thought with a smile as she wondered if her husband knew. Maybe I should ask her, give her a proper examination.

"Doctor Cure."

Miracle Cure turned around and saw Mareston Burner coming her way, carrying a folder and a promising look on her face.
"Doctor Burner, I take it your examination provided some answers?"

"Indeed. I isolated the foreign substance in the poisoned food," Burner explained while giving Cure the folder, "It's not a known poison. If I had to hazard a guess... I would some somepony concocted it."

"That's disturbing," Miracle sighed fretfully, "what else did you determine?"

"The ailments we've seen are consistent with the chemical make-up of this poison," Burner elaborated, "I believe I can synthesize an antidote, but I'll need to work fast. The properties of the poison suggest that though treatments will slow it down there will come a point of no return and..."

"I see," Cure now knew for certain, they were running out of time, "I'll have as many pharmacists as I can spare assist you in creating the antidote. Work fast, Doctor!"

"I will," Burner replied, "Have them meet me in the pharmaceutical lab! I'll be getting things started!"

As the two doctors split up and hurried off, Miracle Cure missed the look of tearful regret in Mareston Burner's eyes.

Back at the school, Principal Weather Bee was looking through a filing cabinet while Midnight, Twilight, and Spike waited. Twilight began to hang her head, which her husband and assistant both noticed and shared a worried look as Twilight stepped away.

"How could this have happened...?" she asked softly, to nopony in particular.

Midnight raised his wing over his Twily's withers, "Nopony could have predicted this. What matters is how we deal with the problem and fix it. We'll get through this!"

"I appreciate that, Midnight," Twilight smiled at him but still looked troubled, "Even so, for an outbreak this serious, I'm starting to fear where this investigation will take us."

"That's strange..." They looked to see Principal Weather Bee as he gazed up at them, "The import log in the school records isn't here!"

"Who keeps track of the records?" asked Spike.

"That would be my secretary, Miss Read, a moment," the Principal went to his desk and pressed a button on an intercom, "Miss Read, I'd like a word with you in my office, please."

They waited for just a few moments before a unicorn mare stepped into Weather Bee's office, and she was stunned to see two alicorns in there as well.

"Miss Read, I've just gone over the school's import log," Weather Bee held up the papers, "and everything seems to be in order. Everything except... the record for this week's recent shipment of food for the students' lunch periods seems to be missing. I assume you can answer this little conundrum?"

Midnight gave Weather Bee a look, A little on the nose...

"I... I'm not sure, Principal Weather Bee," Miss Read replied, though she peered out the corner of her eyes towards the door behind her, "I'm certain I placed it in the log book. I-I know I did, just a few minutes after the order came in."

Midnight, Twilight, and Spike all picked up on how tense Miss Read seemed to be feeling, as Twilight asked, "Miss Read, is everything alright?"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, it's... I have to go!" Miss Read turned for the door.

"Miss Read, we are not done here," Principal Weather Bee said with a warning edge in his voice.

"I'm actually on my way to the hospital, my best friend's daughter is ill," Miss Read quickly said as she opened the door, "I have to go!"

"After her!" Midnight yelled as they pursued.

They followed Miss Read out the school as she had begun running. Midnight noticed some guards on patrol and called out, "Stop that mare!"

Hearing his order, the guards quickly intercepted Miss Read and she was quickly cornered as she nervously turned around to see Midnight, Twilight, and Spike approach.

"Explain your actions or we continue this conversation with you behind bars!" Midnight threatened.

"Midnight!" Twilight admonished as she put her hoof on her husband's shoulder.

"Twilight, please," Midnight gestured Twilight to let him handle this before glaring at Miss Read, "Where did you get the wheat?"

Sighing, Miss Read began to tear up, "Please, I never meant for anypony to be harmed, I- You see... I needed to cut costs. The school's budget was too low!"

"The schools receive ample government funding," Twilight corrected, seeing through that little lie.

"Look, they offered me a great deal," Miss Read finally came clean, "I could even keep a little of the money for myself, and all I had to do was destroy the import record. But I swear, I had no idea the food was poisoned!"

"So it's not just you destroyed school records, you're also greedy!" Spike accused.

"I'm not the only one who benefited from this! Th-the importer who contacted me, I'll give you his name!" Miss Read offered, "Just... please."

She sighed, her guilt and sorrow finally catching up as she began to tear up, "I-I didn't mean for any of this to happen!"

"So long as your intel is good, I'll consider showing you leniency," Midnight warned, "The importer's name and his location! Now..."

The intel from Miss Read led them to the Canterlot Institution of Trade, where they spoke with the importer, a stallion named Breakwater Quay.

"Sure, I bribed the school secretary," Quay admitted rather casually while leaning back in his office chair, "I don't see what the big deal is."

"What you've done is illegal!" Twilight admonished, "And not only that, it's resulted in hundreds of ponies being poisoned, most of them foals!"

"As long as I get goods and merchandise to and fro, most folks don't care what I do," Quay waved it off.

"We are not 'most folks', Quay!" Midnight snapped.

"My corporate contracts protect me, Your Royal-ness, but I'll play your little game," Breakwater wasn't cowed, "Look, I'm sorry there're sick kids, truly I am. But I'm just a middle-pony. I didn't know that food was poisoned any more than that secretary did."

"Where did the wheat come from?" Midnight demanded.

"From Vanhoover, specifically from the Unicorn Range, where you'll find the biggest wheat farm owned by the Galloping Grains Agricultural Society," Quay answered as he brought out a ledger, "Here, I've nothing to hide."

He opened the ledger, turned to some recent pages and pointed, "It's all there, black n' white, clear as crystal."

"Galloping Grains... Where have I heard that before?" Twilight wondered aloud.

"It's a collaborative group of farmers led by Breadbasket, the Duchess of Agriculture and Nutrition," Midnight answered, "but she can't be involved in this. She's a modern Chancellor Puddinghead when it comes to politics, but there's nothing she values more than her heirloom crops and providing quality food. Quay, does a customs official report these shipments to the government?"

"As far as I know," Quay shrugged, "but you might find it interesting that another shipment from them is coming in tonight. I can even tell you which dock."

Midnight, Twilight, and Spike shared a determined look as Midnight declared, "It's time for a sting operation.

As the sun was setting, Blueblood watched, alongside Sweetie Belle and her parents Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles, as Steady Hoof a syringe into Rarity's IV. Shortly after Rarity had been settled into a hospital room, Blueblood had sent word to her sister and parents, and they'd come straight away. They'd been so upset, but were so thankful to Blueblood for staying by Rarity's bedside.

"The antidote should kick in soon, but she needs to sleep through it," Steady Hoof informed them. "I know that you are all worried, but you should all head home and get same rest. We'll call on you if there's any change."

"Thanks, Doc," Hondo shook Steady's hoof, "we'll head back to our hotel room and... Well, you will call if anything happens, right?"

"I give you my word," Steady assured.

"Alright, let's go, everypony," Hondo said to hsi wife and daughter while also giving Blueblood a friendly look.

"If it's all the same, I... I would like to stay here a while longer," Blueblood responded.

Hondo and Cookie shared a look and nodded, "We understand, son. Come when you're ready."

"Wait!" Sweetie Belle hopped up onto Blueblood's lap and threw her hooves around his neck, surprising him. She whispered, "I'm so happy Rarity found somepony like you... big brother."

Blueblood felt so touched as he hugged Sweetie Belle back and then let her go. She followed her parents and Steady Hoof out the door while giving him one more loving look. The door closed, and Blueblood was alone with Rarity, who remained unconscious, as her IV drip worked to send the antidote into her system. It had seemed touch and go, but even though it seemed Rarity was going to be alright, Blueblood had come to realize how he'd been in real danger of losing her. He'd been planning to propose, but never found the right time. Or perhaps... he wasn't making the right time.

Sighing, he cast a summoning spell, and a velvet box appeared in his hoof, which he opened, revealing the elegant engagement ring he'd bought for Rarity some time ago. He'd considered buying a larger diamond, but none of the larger gems looked right. Finally, he'd settled on a smaller gem with a more pristine design. The ring was made of the purest white gold with a diamond as clear as ice. More than once he had fantasized putting it on his beloved Rarity's horn, and now he realized the time to finally pop the question was nigh.

Looking upon his resting muse, he remembered a song that somehow seemed to fit this moment and he took a deep breath.

Never told you
But I meant to
Before I could begin

Even then
I loved you even then

See my heart is
Scared of places
That it's never been

But even then
I loved you even then

If my voice should
Start to tremble
If I am shaking
I love you now
Like I loved you even then

As she followed her parents to the hotel room, a song seemed to fill Sweetie Belle's heart and mind.

Even if it's uphill now
(See my heart is scared of places)
Even when I can't say how
(That it's never been)

Even when

My heart won't stop pounding
Even then

Even then

I'll keep on even then

I loved you even then

Even if it's uphill now
Even when there are no words how
When my heart pounds this loud
Even then

If I left you
(Blueblood gasped to hear her voice as his beloved Rarity's eyes fluttered open... and then gazed up at him with a soft warm relief)
I never meant to
And I won't pretend
Even then
(She reached to him with her hoof, which he gladly took into his own)

I loved you even then

If I just knew how to show you
Let me try again
I love you even now
Like I loved you even then
Even then

Even then

Blueblood leaned forward, placing a warm and tender kiss upon Rarity's forehead... before he held up his velvet box for her to see, and then opened it!

The sight of the simple yet elegant engagement ring drove Rarity to tears of joy.

Author's Note:

Shadow Lock is a character from the MLP comics, and a descendant of Stygian; this makes him a distant relative to Midnight

Principal Weather Bee is a nod to the Archie comics character, and Miss Read to the "Captain Underpants" books

I do not own "Even Then"

Comments

[Southern Wing]

I bet I could place a bet on who’s the next of the harmonic twelve to get married. Good chapter, the sting op’s gonna be fun to read.