• Published 7th Jan 2012
  • 28,860 Views, 2,735 Comments

Phoenix Wright - Turnabout Storm! - Firesight



A famous racer is found dead in the Everfree, and Rainbow Dash stands accused of his murder. Can an Ace Attorney from another world uncover the truth and prove her innocent, or will Rainbow Dash be banished to the sun for a crime she didn't commit?

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Part 33 - Griffons of a Feather

Town Hall
June 10th, 2:15 PM

Twilight and Apple Bloom arrived at Town Hall shortly after leaving the park, stopping only briefly at her library home to check with Spike to see if Phoenix was there.

Told he was not, Twilight was relieved she didn’t have to speak with him yet, but found herself also starting to worry, wondering where he was and what trouble he might be getting into given his demonstrated ignorance of Equestria. Whatever he’s doing, I just hope somepony is keeping an eye on him! she thought, allowing herself a moment of concern for the human lawyer as she and Apple Bloom entered the seat of Ponyville government.

Looking around, Twilight couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu, thinking back to the events that had happened the first time she had stepped inside those walls. Kind of funny, but I haven’t actually been in here since Nightmare Moon attacked. I wonder why we don’t hold more events in this place? she pondered as she cast her gaze about the spacious and well-lit grand hall, noting several seasonal banners hanging from the ceiling, and a stepladder that seemed almost randomly placed in the middle of the floor.

“Heeeeeellllloooooo!!! Lenora!!!! We have a letter for youuuu!” Apple Bloom bellowed, her voice echoing throughout the cavernous interior.

“Apple Bloom!” Twilight quickly shushed the young filly with a hoof over her mouth. “This is Town Hall; you’re supposed to be quiet!

“Oh! Sorry.” Apple Bloom cringed, realizing her mistake when she saw other ponies glaring at her.

“We should probably ask the mayor where this ‘Lenora’ is,” Twilight decided.

As the two began to head for the mayor’s office, Apple Bloom noticed something. “Hey, look, Twi! A ladder!” she said, pointing to the one Twilight had seen earlier.

“That’s a stepladder,” Twilight immediately corrected her, noting the folding design and A-frame. Why don’t ponies ever know the difference between the two?

“So? What’s it matter? You need to stop judging things based on narrow-minded cultural assumptions, Twi! What if we missed a big clue because we were too absorbed in small semantic distinctions like that?” Apple Bloom asked out of nowhere, making Twilight drop her jaw in surprise.

Wha-? Where did she learn all those big words? “Uh, I’m less concerned with what it’s called and more concerned with why it’s just sitting in the middle of the room like that,” Twilight countered, seeing no possible purpose for it being there given it wasn’t near a wall and the ceiling was far out of reach from it.

“Wrestlers use ladders like that one all the time,” Apple Bloom noted, remembering a recent FTW [Federated Tour Wrestling] ‘Rumble Royale’ circuit event she, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had snuck into on the outskirts of Ponyville several weeks earlier. She couldn’t help but wonder again about the identity of the big masked russet-colored stallion with the green leotard who said very little but clobbered everypony who challenged him in the ring, taking home the championship belt and prize money. Simply calling himself “Big Red,” both he and his signature “Cider Press” and “Hayseed Haymaker” moves had quickly become fan favorites, and the CMC had promptly spent the next several days after school trying to copy them.

Twilight gave a sigh, rubbing her head in exasperation. “Don’t tell me you actually watch that garbage, Apple Bloom? It’s all staged and fake!

The comment stopped Apple Bloom in her tracks. “Hey! Don’t call wrestling garbage, Twi! And so what if it’s fake? Most of the books you read are fake!” she retorted with a stomp of her hoof, sounding genuinely offended.

Twilight took offense herself to that statement, stopping and turning back to face the young earth pony. “There’s a big difference between reading a well-written and engrossing work of fiction and watching two ponies barbarically beat each other senseless with a stepladder!” she insisted while Apple Bloom just rolled her eyes and snorted, before suddenly getting a very knowing and evil grin.

“A ‘big difference’, huh? Is that why you been reading all those mushy ro-mance novels Sweetie Belle says Rarity gave you, then?” she challenged, giving the older unicorn mare a mocking look.

Twilight’s eyes went wide and her cheeks flushed hard at that, suddenly and somewhat frantically wondering how Sweetie Belle had found out and who else she might have told. “That’s… just for my friendship research!” she stammered out.

Apple Bloom’s grin got even more lopsided. “’Friendship research’, huh? Sure it ain’t ‘cause they’re ‘well-written’ and ‘in-grossing’?” she all but taunted, making kissy sounds and causing Twilight to flush even harder.

Finally! I have been waiting here forever,” a female voice said from behind them, ending the conversation to Twilight’s great relief.

Startled, Twilight’s jaw dropped again, her embarrassment instantly forgotten as she beheld the exotic creature before her. The newcomer wasn’t much bigger than an average pony but could never be mistaken for one, given her massive brown-feathered wings and large eagle-like head and beak, the former covered with white feathers and capped with an oddly-adorned red headband. Her upper torso and the talons at the end of her forelegs were avian but her hindquarters looked like they belonged to a lion, brown fur covering powerful, muscular haunches and large feline paws, all complemented by a long tufted tail trailing behind her.

Ohmygosh! A GRIFFON!!! Twilight realized as she gawked at the creature in front of her.

“So, where’s the Princess at? Are you two her messengers or something?” the blue-eyed griffon female—they referred to themselves as eaglesses, Twilight remembered from her visits to the Kingdom—asked curiously, looking back and forth between them.

“Um… not really,” Twilight admitted, finding herself a bit flustered, having not expected to encounter one. Despite her predatory appearance—griffons were hunters and meat-eaters, which was an occasional point of contention and mistrust with the herbivorous pony races—Apple Bloom stepped closer for a better look, her orange eyes wide.

“First a human, and now a griffon? Reckon Ah’m seeing a lot of new creatures Ah ain’t never seen ‘fore today!” she said in amazement.

The eagless looked down at Apple Bloom and smiled warmly, the corners of her beak turning upwards. “Can’t say I’ve seen any humans around, but I’m glad to see I don’t frighten you like some other foals I’ve seen.” She rewarded the young filly’s curiosity with an affectionate scratch behind the ears. Apple Bloom’s smiled and closed her eyes in enjoyment, the young earth pony pushing her head up into the griffon’s finger-like talons. She turned her attention to Twilight, only to raise an eyeridge in mild concern. “You okay?” The eagle-headed creature asked Twilight, who was still staring at her open-mouthed.

“Oh! S-sorry, yes. I-I’m just a little surprised. Griffons come in and out of Ponyville shipping stuff sometimes, but it’s rare to meet one except in passing,” she explained. Okay, except for that one time, she conceded, though she’d done her best to forget the visit of Gilda, Rainbow Dash’s ex-flight school classmate and now-former griffon friend.

“Shipping? You mean the ‘Griffon Express’? Funny you should mention that, since I work for them!” The eagless drew herself up proudly, closing her eyes and scratching her chest with her talons.

“You work for the Griffon Express?” Twilight asked in surprise, remembering what Derpy/Ditzy/Bright Eyes had said about them losing a package around the time of the murder.

“Yup, but I’m sort of on vacation right now. My name is Lenora,” the griffon female introduced herself, offering her forefoot in greeting to the two ponies in front of her, holding her paw level but curling her talons inwards so as not to appear threatening.

Twilight politely bumped the eagless’ closed talons with her hoof, knowing from her visits to the Kingdom with Celestia that griffons normally greeted each other with a mutual clasp of the foreleg but modified the gesture for dealing with ponies, who had no talons with which to clasp or defend themselves with. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, and this is Apple Bloom,” she introduced back.

The griffon gave them both a nod of acknowledgment. “Very pleased to meet you, Twilight Sparkler and Apple Bloom,” Lenora said in response, sitting back on her haunches.

“It’s, um, Twilight ‘Sparkle’,” she corrected, making Lenora stare at her in silence for a bit. “Oh! Hey!” Twilight abruptly remembered something, taking out the pamphlet that The Judge gave her earlier and opening it. Her eyes scanned the race roster again, stopping at contestant #4. “I knew I’d seen your name before! You’re on this program for the Equestrian 500!”

Lenora grinned at that, flaring her large brown wings and sketching a small bow. “You didn’t think it would be all ponies flying in that race, did you?” she asked with a coy grin.

“Actually, I did. I don’t usually pay attention to the race,” Twilight admitted, having never had much time or patience for competitive affairs in the past, detracting from her schoolwork as they did.

Lenora chuckled at that. “You and your little pegasus pals may be faster and more nimble, but we griffons have much stronger wings and a lot more stamina,” she boasted. “It’s why we’re the only ones who can act as overnight couriers. We can cross entire oceans to deliver small packages without stopping.”

Twilight shrugged, idly wondering what they did in the middle of a long flight when nature called but quickly deciding she didn’t want to know. “I never said I was faster. I don’t really care either,” she responded, then motioned with a hoof to her head. “Did you not notice the horn protruding from my forehead? Or my lack of wings?” she pointed out somewhat dryly. What does she think I am, an alicorn?

Lenora gave her a reproachful look. “Well you should! It’s a gathering of the best aerial athletes from not just Equestria, but all over the world! You don’t have to be a pegasus to show a little patriotism, Twilight Sparkler!” Lenora scolded her, once again saying Twilight’s name wrong.

But Twilight let it go, not wanting to get into another argument over names so soon after dealing with Derpy/Ditzy/Bright Eyes. “I’m too busy to be concerned about the race anyway. I’m a lawyer!” Twilight announced, drawing herself up a little straighter.

“You’re a lawyer?” Lenora repeated, giving her a wary look.

“Yeah,” Twilight confirmed.

There was a period of silence as Lenora and Twilight exchanged stares, until the awkwardness was finally broken by Twilight. “What’s the matter?” she finally asked.

Lenora blinked and looked away. “Oh, sorry. I just had the strange feeling you were going to obnoxiously flash something in my face to prove it,” she explained in some relief.

Twilight’s cheeks warmed again. Actually, I WAS going to do that, but then I remembered I don’t have a badge yet! she admitted to herself somewhat sheepishly, belatedly remembering that the badge was that horrid heart-shaped trinket Phoenix hadn’t looked too pleased to wear.

“So if you’re a lawyer, I’m betting you’re defending that newbie racer who killed a pony the other day?” Lenora speculated.

Twilight’s mane would have started smoking again if she had more power. “She happens to be my friend, and she didn’t do it!” she snapped back, causing the griffon to glare at her for a moment.

“Geez, chill! I’m only going off what I heard,” Lenora said, letting some annoyance seep into her voice.

“Uh, sorry.” Twilight bit her tongue at her flare of temper, realizing that between her encounter with Trixie, her conflicted feelings for Phoenix, and her fear for the fate of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, her mind was still in some turmoil. “I apologize, Lenora. It’s just… it’s my friend on trial, and I’m trying to defend her,” she explained, relieved when Lenora gave an understanding nod.

With that, Twilight remembered why they were at Town Hall in the first place. “Anyway, the reason we wanted to speak to you was this…” Twilight went for her saddlebag, shrugging it off her back so she could look through the pocket manually—she didn’t trust her magic to lift anything bigger than her quill or a piece of scroll paper at that moment.

“Yeah! We’ve got a letter for you!” Apple Bloom announced, jumping up in excitement.

Lenora perked up and smiled. “Really? Thanks! Though you two don’t exactly look like mail carriers?”

“We’re not—the local mailmare accidentally gave us a letter posted to you,” Twilight explained, wondering how any mail got delivered properly with Derpy/Ditzy/Bright Eyes around.

Lenora closed her eyes, tsk-tsking as she gave them another smug look. “The ‘G-E’ would never make a mistake like that. We’re proud and reliable! We’ve even got a poem we recite at the beginning of each day. Please allow me:” Lenora stood up straighter and cleared her throat.

NO! Not another half-baked mail carrier poem! Twilight begged mentally, to no avail as Lenora began to speak:

“Carrying your mail upon reliable wings!
Jumping into action whenever duty sings.
The Griffon Express will greet you with a smile
When your doorbell rings!”

Lenora stood up tall and sketched a salute as she finished, standing at attention and placing a paw over her broad feathered chest like she was posing for an advertising poster, flaring her large wings for good measure.

“Wow, that was even better than the last one!” Apple Bloom clopped her hooves with glee upon hearing such a masterpiece. Ah think Ah need to make a poem for the Cutie Mark Crusaders! she decided with her thoughts, her yellow brow furrowing as she started to think of what their poem might sound like.

Twilight relaxed a bit as she finally pulled the sealed message free of her saddlebag. It was still pretty bad, but at least this one actually rhymed? “Here’s your letter, Lenora,” She passed the scroll to the other female with her still-weak magic.

***** Letter given to Lenora *****

“Thank you,” Lenora acknowledged as she sat back to free up her forelegs. Once both paws were available, she broke the wax seal and opened the envelope. “Let’s see here… ‘Sorry, but the Princess is in another castle.’ Huh?” she tilted her head in confusion.

“Wait—‘The Princess’? As in Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked suddenly.

Lenora didn’t answer immediately, looking deep in thought as she scanned the rest of the letter. “Hmmm? Hmmmm... Oh. Oh! So that’s it, then. Works for me!” she shrugged at length, returning the letter to its envelope.

“Huh?” Twilight waited expectantly. “Is something wrong?”

“Not anymore,” Lenora answered slightly cryptically, then saw the confusion on Twilight’s face. “Well, you see, there was a bit of a dispute over the race route this year. Due to some unresolved diplomatic issues, Queen Molyneux doesn’t want the course going through our territory,” the eagless explained. “I personally don’t mind because I’m flying in the race anyway, but there it is.”

“I see. But what’s this have to do with Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked further, sitting down on her haunches.

“As the most notable griffon entrant in the race, I was to meet her to negotiate a compromise. Her schedule was uncertain, so I’ve been waiting here in Ponyville to meet her for the past three days. Your Princess was kind enough to let me stay at Town Hall, though I think I make the Mayor and some of the other ponies nervous,” Lenora noted with a chuckle.

Twilight frowned a little at that, wishing more ponies would look past superficial appearances and diet—as far as she could tell, the griffon eagless was very friendly and personable. I wonder if everypony’s avoiding Lenora because they remember how obnoxious and bullying Gilda was, so they assume Lenora’s the same way? “So technically, that would make you some sort of ambassador?” Twilight mused.

Visibly surprised by the suggestion, Lenora considered it and nodded. “Never thought of it that way… but yes, I guess I am. The Griffon Kingdom may be Equestria’s friend, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have some points of friction,” she noted, causing Twilight to remember some reports of recent tensions between the kingdoms, centered mostly on various trade and weather disputes—for as much as she enjoyed research and studying, geopolitical intrigue had always been a topic she avoided, seeing how little Princess Celestia enjoyed dealing with it.

History was another matter, though—the two nations had fought a bloody war some seven hundred years back; she’d been stunned by what she learned about it when Celestia had asked her to research it as part of her studies.

“So, what does the letter say?” Apple Bloom asked curiously, breaking Twilight’s train of thought.

“Apparently, the Princess is in Germaneigh on some other official business, so she can’t come here right now. She offered me her regrets about that. However, she also went ahead and ordered the Equestrian Racing Federation to re-route the race. It goes around Griffon territory now, so I guess that means I’m a free bird,” Lenora said with a smile as she stowed the scroll in her side-mounted satchel, which was somewhat similar to pony saddlebags.

Sounds like Celestia! Twilight couldn’t help but smile. If she can take care of something quickly, she will! “That was nice of her. I take it you’re going to practice for the race, then?” Twilight asked as Lenora started to stretch out, flaring her large wings filled with oversized brown feathers.

The eagless nodded. “Probably. To be perfectly frank, I’ve been going stir-crazy being cooped up in here for so long, and I could use the exercise. I have been competing in the Equestrian 500 for four years now, you know,” she said, making some flapping motions, briefly hovering off the floor before alighting again, her large wings generating a notable breeze beneath her.

“Wow! Are you any good?” Apple Bloom wanted to know.

Lenora beamed at that. “Of course! I got second place last year,” she announced proudly, giving the young filly another quick scratch behind the ears.

“Not bad! I’m guessing Ace Swift came in first?” Twilight guessed, but at his mention, Lenora’s expression turned from a pleasant smile to a brooding and bitter frown.

“Yes. But can we not talk about him please?” the griffon female requested with a sudden edge to her voice, her blue eyes glinting with anger.

Her change in demeanor was not lost on Twilight. Is it just me or do not many racers—whether ponies or griffons—like Ace? she asked herself, regretting having said Ace’s name in front of her. “It’s okay, we don’t have to talk about him if you don’t want to,” she quickly backed off, but then thought of another pony she had met recently. Hmm… they’re both racers. So maybe she knows something about him?

“Lenora—what can you tell me about this other pony in the race named ‘Cruise Control’?” Twilight asked.

To her surprise. Lenora’s ears and mood perked up instantly at his mention. “Cruise Control? He’s here?” she said in some surprise, the timbre of her voice suddenly approaching excitement. “Oh, I’ll gladly talk about him!” She smiled like she was being invited to reminisce about an old friend.

Though Twilight thought Lenora’s reaction was a little odd, she let it go. “Great! What can you tell me about him?” she asked as she took back out her quill, ink and a fresh sheet of scroll paper, holding them at the ready to take notes. She found it nearly impossible to keep it all floating at once in her low-power state, so she laid the ink and paper on the tiled floor and concentrated her remaining magical energy on the quill.

Lenora gave the arrangement a confused look, but didn’t ask. “I know a lot about the other racers. I’ve competed against just about all of them before. But Cruise—” she paused, her blue eyes going visibly misty for a moment “—he has a pretty depressing story.”

“I don’t think ‘depressing’ is the right word. I think ‘off his rocker’ is what you’re looking for,” Twilight suggested, vividly remembering the young stallion’s constant ranting and raving.

“Oh. That.” Lenora sighed and rolled her blue eyes, sitting back down on her haunches, her head low. “That’s all just a façade. I suppose he thought if he was to become a loser, he might as well act like one.” She shook her head in disappointment.

Twilight was surprised. “Wait—you’re saying that whole self-berating thing is just an act?” she asked, wondering if Cruise was faking a dual personality as an escape or an excuse. And either way, from what?

Lenora nodded almost grimly. “Yes. Don’t let that routine of his fool you. He’s actually good—really good! I can personally vouch for that,” she said wistfully, her eyes going distant for a moment. “He’s a very gifted flyer who did exceptionally well on the Manehattan racing circuit. Even the Wonderbolts were interested in him once,” she remembered, causing Twilight and Apple Bloom to gape in surprise; Twilight especially having a hard time seeing him as Wonderbolts material given his frequent self-berating outbursts, feigned or no.

“You mean he tried out for the ‘Bolts but didn’t make it?” Apple Bloom asked, but Lenora shook her head.

“I mean, he didn’t try out for them at all,” she corrected, a sly smile on her beaked face. “They recruited him, but he turned them down flat because he just wanted to race and didn’t want to be away from—” she cut her own sentence off abruptly, as if catching herself from saying something she shouldn’t.

Twilight caught her hesitation. “Away from what?” she prompted as she finished writing a note.

“Nothing, sorry.” Lenora shook her head and looked away, an odd smile on her face at which point Twilight’s vision went dark again. A few chains then materialized in front of the griffon eagless, guarded by a single red lock.

Twilight looked at it in frustration. Okay, I have GOT to find out what these things are! She knew, realizing she increasingly had no choice but to find and talk to Phoenix again, regardless of whether she felt ready to or not.

Lacking answers about the locks, Twilight moved on. “So if he’s so good, why does he do so badly in the Equestrian 500?” she asked, her quill starting a new line. “He says he comes in dead last every time.”

Lenora turned downcast again, the lock disappearing with the change of subject. “It’s not because of lack of ability, believe me. He hasn’t been the same since the accident his sister had.”

“Accident? His sister?” Twilight repeated, her quill going motionless.

“Yeah. He has a little sister. A bit older than her, actually.” Lenora nodded towards Apple Bloom, who was sitting back on her haunches listening.

Twilight wasn’t certain she should ask her next question in Apple Bloom’s presence, but did so anyway. “What happened to her?”

Lenora hesitated for a moment as she glanced at Apple Bloom as well. “She was pushing her limits, flying at a dangerously high altitude near Cloudsdale. But she was too young and her wings weren’t strong enough so… well, she fell,” the eagless said sadly, choosing her words with care.

“Is she alright?” Twilight asked, a concerned look on her face.

Lenora tried to phrase her response so only Twilight would understand. “She’s been in a deep coma ever since. No one knows when she’ll wake up,” the eagless said carefully.

“That’s terrible,” Twilight said, instantly understanding why Lenora was reluctant to say more in Apple Bloom’s presence, suddenly feeling deep sympathy for Cruise Control as she came to understand his awful plight.

“After her fall, Cruise took her to a hospital in Canterlot. I’ve heard it’s the best one there is,” Lenora noted. “She’s been in the Extensive Care Unit ever since.”

Twilight was caught short again. “Wait a minute—I used to live in Canterlot, and you’re right. It is the best hospital in Equestria, with an ECU second to none. But it’s only open to nobles and Canterlot citizens, and he said he’s from Manehattan. So how did he get her in there?” Twilight wondered aloud.

Lenora’s expression turned angry again, a frown creasing her beak. “I have a pretty good idea how he pulled that off,” she said under her breath but didn’t elaborate, and something in her blue eyes warned Twilight not to ask. “Like you said, that hospital’s medical practice is the best in Equestria and if she’s transferred to a lower class facility…” she trailed off meaningfully, afraid to say more in Apple Bloom’s presence.

Twilight fell silent at that, understanding what had been left unsaid only too well. “So how do you know him, then?”

Lenora sighed heavily again. “I met him several years ago when he was still a courier himself, only just starting to compete on the Manehattan racing circuit. We met on our respective delivery routes and hit it off. We used to be… very good friends, but he’s grown quite distant from me since the accident,” she noted sadly; when she turned away for a moment, Apple Bloom caught a sudden glistening in the other female’s blue eyes.

Twilight hesitated, but decided she had to ask. “Lenora? I think Cruise Control may have some information that can help my investigation. My friend’s on trial for murder, and her fate may depend on what he knows. Do you know how I can get him to talk to me?”

Lenora sighed and shook her head. “Like I said, he’s become pretty distant from me. I wish I could help you, Twilight Sparkler.”

“Sparkle,” Twilight corrected reflexively, which only made Lenora sigh again. Her expression turning thoughtful for a moment, the griffon female went for the small satchel she wore on her left flank.

“Here. I can offer you this, at least,” Lenora began, rummaging through her satchel’s contents before plucking out a single photograph with her talons, staring at it mournfully for a moment. “I don’t know how much help it will be, but this is a picture of him and his sister that he gave me some years back,” she announced, passing Twilight and Apple Bloom a small photograph of two ponies, one of whom was a younger, happier-looking Cruise Control.

Twilight accepted it gladly, silently vowing to repay the eagless for her kindness another day. “You think this will get him to talk to me?” she had to ask.

“I really don’t know. But it’s worth a shot, right?” Lenora’s answer was carefully noncommittal.

“I guess so.” Twilight nodded, deciding it was better than nothing. Long shot or no, I’ve got to take every opportunity and chance I’m given!

“I wish you luck. I hope you find a way to help your friend,” Lenora said solemnly, offering Twilight a parting bump of her talons.

“Thank you,” Twilight nodded her head, returning the gesture with a grateful smile. “I’ll get this picture back to you if I can.”

“Thanks, Twilight Sparkler,” Lenora smiled back, then looked longingly out the large back window. “Since I don’t have to stay in Town Hall any longer, I think I’m going to mingle around the starting line and take a few aerial laps around Ponyville once the rain shower has cleared. If you need to find me, I’ll be bunking at the Hay and Stay with the rest of the race participants from here on out. Come by and tell me how your conversation with Cruise goes, if you can?” she requested, turning towards the door.

“Will do! Goodbye!” Twilight waved at her, lost in thought as she watched Lenora leave. She was a bit shady on the details, and I’m pretty sure there’s at least one thing she’s hiding from me. But I think I’m beginning to understand what’s going on here, she thought to herself with a nod.

Turning to Apple Bloom, she noticed the farm filly looking sad about something. “What’s wrong, Apple Bloom?” she asked, hoping the young earth pony hadn’t understood too much of the conversation about Cruise Control’s sister.

Apple Bloom looked at her, then back down. “Oh. it’s just… Ah couldn’t imagine if Applejack was in the hospital like Mister Cruise’s sister,” she said with a sniffle.

“I know.” Twilight pulled the young filly close and hugged her tightly. “It makes you appreciate the things you have now. You never realize how important somepony is to you until they’re gone…” she trailed off, tears welling in her eyes as she contemplated the possible loss of Rainbow Dash… and Phoenix, not understanding why she was getting an increasingly uneasy feeling about his safety.

She shook it off, telling herself it was just her imagination, though more and more she was realizing that she was going to have to talk to him sooner rather than later. “Hey, let’s try to cheer up. I’m not going to prove Rainbow Dash innocent, and you’re not going to get your private investigator cutie mark sitting around feeling sad!” Twilight noted, tilting the young filly’s chin up.

Apple Bloom perked up at that. “You’re right, Twi!” She agreed, her orange eyes looking up at Twilight’s purple ones in renewed determination. “Let’s go!”

That’s my little pony!” Twilight grinned, ruffling Apple Bloom's red mane. “Alright! No more delays. We’re going into the Everfree, for real this time!” Twilight proclaimed as they started to walk out of Town Hall.

“Alright!” Apple Bloom agreed in delight, falling in beside Twilight as they left for the forest together.

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