Chapter 19 - The Sanguine Effect
Arc and Luna look out the window together in his quarters.
“Would you like to return to the Aviary, Luna?”
“Not until it’s safe.”
“What of all that talk of being immortal?”
Luna sighs as she looks at Arc’s hand. “My Honor Guards aren’t.”
“Well then, I guess you have the afternoon off then, huh?”
“I… suppose so.”
“Anything you want to do? Read a book? Take a nap?”
Luna shakes her head. “I was never much of a reader, nor am I tired at the moment. You?”
“I could go check on security if you want some alone time.”
“No. I… feel alone too often these days.”
“When I was Lord Regent, I was seldom alone.”
Luna gestures to the couch behind them. “Yes well… it’s not that kind of alone.”
Arc nods as they sit down together. “I see. If you don’t want to talk about it, I understand.”
“Actually I would. You’re the only one whom truly understands how I feel.”
“What about Cadance?”
“She’s a bit young and very… innocent. It’s hard not having my sister around to talk to.”
“I can imagine. Sometimes we all just need a little company. And a bit of a snack.”
Reaching into his ring Arc pulls out a box.
“Cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner.”
Luna looks to him quizzically. “How did you know…?”
“I didn’t.”
“Then why do you have…?”
Arc laughs. “I always have cupcakes!”
Luna gives him a small smile. “Well, I am a bit hungry.”
He reaches into the box and hands her a pastry. “Try this one. It’s my favorite!”
Luna takes a small bite.
“This really is quite good!”
Arc chuckles. “I’ve come up with many of my plans while munching on these very cupcakes.”
“Like what?”
“Such as my idea to propose a treaty with the Griffon Kingdom.”
“Really?”
Arc smiles at her. “I never said they were necessarily GOOD plans!”
Luna laughs. “Well, I believe you made the right choice!”
“Maybe. But now that we’re this close, I wonder if I went about it the right way.”
“I’ve been down that path before. Don’t go there.”
Luna sighs.
“That cupcake really did loosen me up.”
“Me too. Not sure what exactly Pinkie puts into these things that make them do that. But in any case you should probably rest now, Luna.”
“Yes. We both need to be at our best for tonight. That is assuming the king doesn’t call it off due to what’s already happened.”
Arc shakes his head. “He wouldn’t dare. That would be acknowledging the rebels are a threat that they can’t handle.”
Luna frowns. “I’m not sure if that’s reassuring or not.”
“Just being honest.”
“While we’re on the subject, what’s the king like?”
Arc shrugs. “I’m not sure.”
“You didn’t meet him?”
“I did not. He’s in the Aviary somewhere, but…”
Luna frowns. “Then who did you negotiate with? Just the Council of Lords?!”
“Right. I’m assuming they talked it over with him at some point though. It sounds like the council is the real power here in the Griffon Kingdom.”
“That sounds rather foolish to me! A king needs to be in control of his land!”
“One might also look at it this way, Luna. He’s not burdened by his position as you and Princess Cadance are.”
“I suppose you are right. But there are very few I would entrust my power to, Arc. You being chief among them, of course.”
“I appreciate the faith you put in me.”
Luna smiles at him. “You’ve certainly earned it!”
They go back to looking out the window together. A short time later Luna begins to nod off. Her head rests on Arc’s shoulder. Arc puts an arm around her.
“Rest now, Luna. You deserve it.”
He strokes Luna’s mane for a time as she sleeps. Eventually he nods off himself. Sometime later Arc awakens to his earring chirping.
“Sunburst to Arc! Can you hear me?!”
Arc touches his earring and responds quietly. “Standby.”
He gently nudges Luna. She slowly opens her eyes before bolting upright.
“A-Arc! I’m so sorry! I just…!”
Arc points to his ear. “It’s fine. Sunburst is on the line. Hopefully he’s figured something out.”
He touches his earring again.
“Go ahead, Sunburst.”
“Sir! I’ve discovered some truly horrifying things from the data that was sent to me! Princess Luna really needs to hear this!”
“Would you like to call me back on the telephone then?”
“That would probably be for the best, sir!”
“Alright. We’ll wait for your call then. Arc out.”
Arc touches the earring and severs the connection as he stands up. Luna looks to him.
“Is something wrong, Arc?”
Arc picks up the phone and walks back to the couch with it. “It sounded like it. Sunburst is going to call us back so we can both hear what he has to say.”
A few minutes later the phone rings. Arc pushes the speakerphone button.
“We’re both here. Go ahead.”
“Yes sir! I’ve analyzed the material the bolt shaft is made of! It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen! It’s chemical makeup is absolutely fascinating!”
Luna rolls her eyes. “Let’s stay focused, Sunburst.”
“My apologies, your highness! This just has me so flustered!”
“Break it down into components for us. Start with the shaft.”
“Yes sir. It’s some kind of composite containing an unknown metal and organic compounds.”
Luna sighs. “What is this organic component?”
“Forgive me, Princess Luna, but it’s identical to the plant that put you and Princess Cadance into comas!”
Arc’s eyes grow wide. “Sanguine Azolla?!”
Luna frowns. “How?! Arc already killed Captain Decimus!”
“I guess what Tempest said was right. He IS alive, Luna!”
She frowns. “I thought you said he was killed quickly!”
Arc nods. “Of that I’m certain! He was vaporized! How he keeps coming back is beyond me!”
Luna sighs. “Anything else, Sunburst?”
“Yes. The data shows that the bolt tip was also coated in Sanguine Azolla extract.”
Arc’s pupils shrink. “What?!”
“That bolt when through Arc’s hand! Will he be alright?!”
“I’m not sure, your highness. Tell me, how do you feel right now, sir?”
“Um… okay, I suppose.”
“Any pain or swelling of your wound?”
“No. I mean, it does hurt. Just not that bad.”
“That is reassuring. I suggest getting some bloodwork done as soon as possible though, sir!”
“I’ll do that. Anything else?”
“No sir. I’ll keep researching this. Just let me know if you start having health problems. We still have some of the cure from last time here in Canterlot.”
Luna nods soberly. “Thank you for all your hard work on this, Sunburst. I’ll escort Arc to the Infirmary now.”
“Very well, your highness.”
“Goodbye.”
Luna pushes a button on the phone as she and Arc head for the door. She shudders.
“I hope everything will be alright, Arc.”
“As do I. What the…?!”
Flash Sentry and Rose are standing on either side of the door. Arc turns to them.
“What are you two doing here?”
Rose holds the Spear of Righteousness soberly as they leave the room. “We wanted to make sure no one else got anywhere NEAR you two!”
Flash Sentry nods as they follow Arc and Luna toward the Infirmary. “The ship is completely secure, sir. All that’s left is see to it Princess Luna is kept safe.”
“Thanks you two. Any trouble out there?”
Rose shakes her head. “Nothing since the Dining Room incident. The griffons are still investigating the attack, but as of yet haven’t discovered anything.”
She looks at his hand.
“Is it hurting you, Arc?”
“Not really. But I need some bloodwork done right away.”
Luna nods. “The bolt that pierced Arc was poisoned with Sanguine Azolla.”
Flash Sentry frowns. “Not good! Feeling sleepy, sir?!”
“I nodded off earlier. But otherwise I feel fine.”
Rose looks him up and down. “My scanner’s don’t show anything out of the ordinary. But let’s get you some help.”
They enter the Infirmary. Redheart hurries over to them.
“Something I can do?”
Arc nods. I need some bloodwork done on me. Lead Sage Sunburst says that bolt was poisoned.”
Redheart leads him over to an examination table. “Yes sir. I’ll check your blood against all known poisons.”
Luna follows Arc closely. “Check it against exotic poisons as well. We believe it to be Sanguine Azolla.”
Redheart nods as she removes an empty syringe from a nearby drawer. “Yes, your majesty.”
A sample is taken and put under a microscope. Redheart looks through the eyepieces carefully.
“Hmm… well I certainly see impurities in here, sir.”
“Should I be worried?”
Redheart turns and opens a binder. “Let’s see what this is first.”
Flash Sentry shakes his head. “It probably won’t be in there, ma’am. Sanguine Azolla is kinda a new… rediscovery.”
Luna walks over. “It’s in there. I ordered it added.”
Redheart points a hoof. “Here it is”
She looks over the pictures and data before looking back through the microscope. When she looks up, her face is grim.
“No doubt about it, sir. There’s Sanguine Azolla in your blood.”
Rose gasps. “What can we do?!”
“First we have to see how much the toxin has taken hold. How do you feel, sir?”
“Totally fine. Other than the dull pain in my hand, that is.”
Redheart looks at the book again. “Hmmm… well, it does say that it took quite some time for it to take ahold of you, Princess Luna.”
“Yes. I didn’t even notice its effects until I it was too late.”
“Can you tell me exactly what you went through, your highness?”
“Certainly. The plant dulled my senses at first. “
Flash Sentry frowns. “Like you were intoxicated, your highness?”
Luna sighs. “That’s one way of putting it. At first I just thought it was from overworking myself. By the time I knew something was truly wrong it was too late for me to think rationally any longer.”
Arc nods. “Twilight went to check up on you two.”
“I have no memory of her visit. What did she say?”
“That she believed you and Princess Cadance were just happy to have Captain Decimus back.”
Luna puts a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “Twilight is a clever young mare. It’s disturbing to think that our act was enough to fool her.”
Rose turns to Redheart. “Is Arc going to go… crazy?!”
“We’ll do our best to help him. However according to this, the poison takes quite some time to work. And that’s with constant reapplication.”
Redheart looks up and smiles at Arc.
“It is possible that you’ll be fine with just a single dose, sir. If you start feeling funny or display any symptoms come right back though.”
Arc nods. “I will.”
Flash Sentry puts a hoof to his chin. “I suppose worst case scenario you could teleport back to Canterlot Castle for some of the antidote, sir.”
“Not this time. My armor is currently in Dodge Junction with Cherry inside it. Besides, we don’t have a limitless supply of that stuff.
Luna nods soberly. “You’re worth that medicine and then some, Arc.”
Arc stands up. “I’ll be fine.”
“Do be mindful of your condition, sir. The effects of Sanguine Azolla on humans are completely unknown.”
Arc nods. “Thank you for your help, Nurse Redheart.”
They leave the Infirmary. Rose frowns.
“I’ll monitor your vitals, Arc.”
“Thanks. Let me know if I start acting weird, will you? That goes for all of you.”
Flash Sentry raises an eyebrow. “Weird, sir?”
“Just… I don’t know. Keep an eye on me.”
Luna sighs. “Perhaps you should rest this evening, Arc. I’ll be alright with these two by my side.”
“I’d like to be there myself.”
Flash Sentry shakes his head. “I’m sure the griffons will understand given what transpired…”
Arc turns to his lieutenant angrily. “I said I’m FINE!!!”
“Yes sir.”
Rose frowns. “Arc, there was a sudden spike of activity in your brain’s frontal lobe.”
Luna looks to her. “Is he okay?!”
“Yes. It’s subsiding now.”
Flash Sentry nods. “Could it be the Sanguine Azolla?”
“Unknown, as I have no point of reference to base a theory on.”
Arc puts a hand to his head. “Yes, well… I’m sorry for the outburst, Flash Sentry. Not sure what came over me.”
“Nopony is perfect, sir.”
Rose looks concerned. “Arc, your blood sugar levels are falling.”
“What? Why?”
“Unknown.”
Arc smiles. “Well, why don’t we all just…”
He stops and puts a hand on his stomach. Luna looks over to him.
“Arc?”
“I… I… be right back!”
Arc runs down the corridor toward Luna’s room. The Royal Guards minding the door are forcefully pushed away as Arc rushes into the room. Luna hurries after him with the others.
“What in Equestria…?”
Flash Sentry turns to Rose. “This can’t be good!”
Rose sighs. “Trust me. It’s not.”
Entering the room they look around. Arc is nowhere in sight. Luna frowns.
“Where did he go?!”
Flash Sentry shrugs. “With the commander’s magic he could have teleported anywhere on the ship!”
Luna’s eyes grow wide. “Or even anywhere nearby!”
Flash Sentry heads for the cabin door. “I’ll get a search party started your highness!”
“Good! He must be found!”
Rose shakes her head. “That won’t be necessary, Princess Luna.”
“What?”
Flash Sentry looks back. “Is he invisible?”
Rose sighs. “No. He… um…”
She points nervously toward the bathroom. Flash Sentry walks over to the door and knocks.
“Sir? Are you…”
“OCCUPIED!!!”
Luna turns to Rose. “Is he alright in there?”
“Um… kinda.”
Flash Sentry looks confused. “Can you elaborate, miss?”
“Just before Arc ran off, I detected a rather disturbing internal… issue.”
Luna turns to Flash Sentry. “Oh no! Lieutenant, call for Nurse Redheart!”
Rose shakes her head. “That will not be necessary.”
“It won’t?”
Rose shakes her head. “No. It… merely has to run its course.”
A terrible sound comes forth from the other side of the bathroom door. Luna and the others turn to one another.
“Oh… I understand now.”
Luna knocks on the bathroom door with a hoof.
“Arc? Is there anything we can do for you?”
“Yes! Pray there’s enough toilet paper in here!”
Another round of terrible sounds fills the air.
“F-Flash Sentry! Are you out there?!”
“Yes sir!”
“There’s a bowl of fruit on the table! Get it!”
Luna raises an eyebrow as Flash Sentry hurries to carry out his instructions. “How can he be hungry at a time like this?”
Flash Sentry retrieves the bowl and rushes to the bathroom door.
“I have it, sir! Shall I bring it in there to you?”
“Dump the fruit and toss it in here!”
“Sir?”
“HURRY!”
The lieutenant does as he is told. Opening the door just wide enough, he tosses the bowl inside and again closes it. Luna looks confused.
“What could he possible need that for?”
Fresh sounds of liquid exiting Arc’s body from the other end sound forth from the bathroom. Rose turns back to Luna.
“I guess that answers that, ma’am.”
“Should we give his some… um… privacy?”
Flash Sentry nods. “Yes. He’d probably like that right now.”
Rose sighs. “I’ll stay here and monitor his condition.”
“Very well.”
Luna knocks on the door.
“Arc? We’re… um… going to head over to the Observation Deck and give you some time alone. Is that okay with you?”
Arc coughs as he finishes another round of vomiting. “Just… go away!”
Luna and Flash Sentry leave the room and walk down the corridor together.
“I apologize for my commanding officer’s behavior back there, your highness.”
“It’s fine. Cadance and I probably did and said things during our own time with… that plant.”
“What do we do now, your majesty?”
“Nothing we can until Arc gets that out of his system.”
Flash Sentry looks to Luna, concerned as they enter the Observation Deck. “Do you think he’ll really be okay?”
“You should know better than anyone the strength and tenacity of the Hero of Light, lieutenant. He’ll be…”
The sound of groaning and vomiting can be heard from down the corridor. Luna sighs.
“Although I suppose everypony has their limits.”
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Find Decimus phylactery and intoduce it to the sun?
Arc might have had a Purge, but thats a lot better than many options possible, especially magical.
Wonder if Decimus can be affected by Poison Joke.. turn from unkillable to all the target?
10240741
Arc's REALLY got to find a way to finish Decimus off for good!
A purge from both ends I might point out.
But this isn't the end of his troubles. 
Pinkie’s cupcakes have a frickin’ LAXATIVE!? Nope, nope. The Pink zone’s machinations lie the path of madness.
10241183
Fortunately not. Arc had a personal emergency due to the poison now present in his system. The fact he had eaten cupcakes was purely coincidental.
Apparently the plant disagrees with him. Oh well at least he wasn't knocked out.
10240741
Phylactery? You think he's a necromancer or litch?
11368827
I can categorically say that he is not either of those things.