New Moon Rises (MLP Quest)

You don't bother arguing with the diarch, "Trixie would be happy too, your highness," you reply with a polite bow, "With Twilight's help, Trixie will be able to answer all of your questions."

The princess blinks at that a couple of times before saying calmly, "Twilight?"

'Hah! She wasn't expecting that!' the Shadow quips, but you ignore her as you bring your model out in front of you.

"Trixie needed to show Miss Sparkle this anyhow," you state simply, "And Trixie is certain that you will be interested in whatever she can tell us as well about summoning the Nightmare."

Celestia chuckles softly, "Miss Lulamoon, no matter what those cultists might have done, I doubt they actually managed to summon...her," before you or your passenger can comment on her brief hesitation at the end, Celestia calls out to her student, "Twilight? If you would be so kind as to join us?"

Twilight gives a little 'eep' but nods and falls into step behind her teacher as you give Chromia a nod to follow you. The four of you make your way through the castle and into one of its gardens, where a tea setting for four already awaits you. "Now," Celestia begins as she takes her seat and gestures for the rest of you to do the same, "Miss Lulamoon has something she would like to show you, Twilight."

"Just something Trixie found in the warehouse," you reply as you set the model to levitating over the table, "Crates of stonework and the like – after Chromia pointed out that the floorplan was chalked out on the warhouses floor, Trixie managed to assemble this little model."

"I see..." Celestia studied it intently before turning to her student, "Do you recognize it, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Huh? Oh! I, um..." Twilight snapped out of whatever nervous introspection she had been lost in and turned her attention to the model, "It's, uh… Late Platinum Kingdom, based on the ante-chamber layout I would say temple but the main structure looks more in line with a royal residence…" suddenly, her eyes light up, "Wait! This is the central hall for the Castle of the Two Sisters!"

"Castle of the what now?" you ask.

"Supposedly, the final resting place for the Elements of Harmony," Twilight elaborated.

"...Weren't those the things that sealed away Nightmare Moon, according to that book?" Chromia asked.

"They were," Twilight said with a nod.

"Which lines up with what we were already suspecting," you say with a nod as you turn to the Princess, "Your Highness, Trixie imagines that Twilight already informed you that we have reached the conclusion that the Cult are Nightmare Moon worshipers, are attempting to free the Mare in the Moon – who is the Nightmare – and most probably help her take over the world. Whatever they were trying to do, it involved unicorns and got whatever Trixie has in her head… ending up in her head. Has Trixie missed anything?"

Celestia took a sip of her tea as she studied you, "...No, I don't believe so."

"Ah!" Chromia cuts in, "the timing."

"Oh, right," you nod at the bat pony before turning to Celestia and adding, "Also, we think that Nightmare Moon will return during the next Summer Sun Celebration. Now that's everything."

"Miss Lulamoon," Celestia says as she sets her teacup down, "You do realize you just told me that you have what may be part of an… incredibly powerful entity of myth in your head. Most would be concerned for their future at such prospects."

"Which is why Trixie is still planning to hunt down this cult," you reply, "Most of what Trixie has learned has been about the cult or what they think. They worship the Nightmare. They think they can summon her back and Trixie imagines they think they at least partially succeeded. Whether or not they succeeded in any way is more your concern, your Highness."

"I do not think they did," Celestia replies, "But – given their goal, we must take precautions."

you nod, "Which is why Trixie will be aiding Captain Armor in-"

"No such task," Celestia interrupts you, "I have already determined that whatever now resides within you is not in and of itself malicious, but I cannot rule out that this cult has designs that could change that – or you. You are being hunted and in light of recent events I fear that current measures are not sufficient to ensure your safety."

It didn't take long for you to piece together what she was saying, "You intend to lock Trixie up."

"You will have full run of the castle," Celestia replies solemnly, "But until we can divine the nature of this ritual or eliminate this cult, you are in grave danger."

"She's been in grave danger for the last week!" Chromia suddenly cut in angrily, "What's changed now?" Everyone stared at her, and as she realized who she was speaking to, she shrunk back into her chair and meekly added, "I mean, um, your Highness..."

"What has changed is that it is becoming more and more apparent that this cult is far more then just a small cabal," Celestia replies, "They have extensive resources, contacts and reach. And, it seems, the knowledge to actually summon..." her gaze turns to you, "...something."

"Shining told you about the cellar?" you ask.

"He had a report passed on, yes," Celestia says, "He seemed willing to attribute it to whatever magic they had potentially infused you with or something similar, but given this new information..." Celestia trails off with a sigh, "I imagine that this is not what you want to hear, Miss Lulamoon, but as the matter currently stands you seem to be key to whatever this cult's plan is – and we cannot risk them actually succeeding."

You want to argue. Even without your passenger's egging on, you want to argue. You want to point out that you were the one who took out the cultists in the cellar. That you had come out on top of multiple ambushes and encounters. But you realize that in all likelihood it would just strengthen her point. After all, just how did you manage to come out on top all of those times?

"You will, of course, continue to help Twilight with her research," Celestia continues in the wake of your silence, "As well as aiding Shining Armor with his questioning of the prisoners. You have proven surprisingly adept at this sort of work so far, Trixie, and I have no intention of taking you out of the loop now. But please believe me when I say that this is for your own good."

"...of course, your Highness," you reply somewhat lamely. For a moment you consider telling her about just how vocal your passenger is now, after touching that altar, but you decide not to – no reason to make the damage worse, after all.

You don't bother saying anything else as you rise from your seat, give a polite bow, and leave the garden.

You need to go find Silver Spoon now.


Where do you find her?
[ ] Your wagon, searching through your props
[ ] Your room, reading some big old book
[ ] The library, sorting through research material
[ ] Write-in

What next?
[ ] Go meet with Shining, as planned – you might be palace-bound, but you can still scheme.
[ ] Try to figure out a way to get your palace-arrest lifted
- [ ] How?
[ ] Research with Twilight – if you can work out the ritual, maybe that will convince the Princess
[ ] Talk to Chromia about the Silver Murder – a former spy should be able to get you the case files.
[ ] Meditate – you need to get closer to your passenger if you're going to get through this.
[ ] Write-in

((A/N; Really wasn't expecting Tia's response either, at this point. I guess we ran out of passes...))

After checking the Library – and scaring the tar out of Sunburst when you pointed out Silver was gone – the garden, and your wagon, you end up finding her in your room, laying on her stomach as she reads a book that looks to be larger than her head. "Of course Trixie would find you in the last place she checks," you say with a sigh as you close the door behind you, "Silver, what are you doing?"

"Reading," she replies simply, not even looking up from the book as she flips to the next page.

"Why aren't you reading in the library where Trixie left you?" you specify as you seat yourself on the bed next to her, "And, for that matter, how did you get away without Sunburst noticing you?"

"Told him I was going looking for a book," Silver replies as she taps the tome in front of her with one hoof, "Found it too."

'Sneaky filly is sneaky – I wonder what she'd get up to with some instruction from Chromia?'

You sigh, ignoring the Shadow once again and leaning over to examine the tome, "An… antique guide?"

"One of my father's favorites," Silver explains as she stares at the book with a small smile, "He told me that it was written by the curator of Equestria's first museum – a catalogue of every treasure and bauble he could find. My father said the stallion had never finished it."

"I would imagine not," you say with a scoff, "That would be quite the list, Trixie imagines – though she guesses this book would be on the list itself, now. Still, Trixie can't imagine why a pony would try and do such a thing."

"That pony wanted to make a museum in book form, I think," Silver says as she closes the book, "An easier way of making sure all of these things survived, somehow," She gave a small chuckle, "My father always said he was missing the point, as much as he appreciated to book."

You arch an eyebrow at that, "Oh? What do you mean?"

"Because an antique is more then just it's details," Silver explains as she looks up at you, "It's the story of its creation, the way it was made, what it was made of, the state of whoever was making it, where and when it was made… all sorts of little details that you could never hope to capture in writing."

further discussion is cut off as your door swings open and Chromia walks in, "Hey! Sunburst just busted into my room – and I was asleep, by the way, since its been a long day and I'm nocturnal, you know? - and he was panicking about Silver being missing so I thought I'd..." she trails off as she spots Silver on the bed, "...How long are you going to let him flail about as punishment?"

You shrug, "Until he decides to come in here. Or dinner – whichever comes first."

'Wow, you're evil,' the Shadow quips with what you swear is a cackle.

You ignore her and focus on your pet spy, "While we wait for Sunburst to figure things out, Trixie would like to talk to you for a moment." You leave the 'alone' off the end, hoping she'll get the hint.

Chromia glances between you and Silver before giving an exageratted yawn, "Fine – but in my room; I was all snug and comfy and getting settled back in will take a while."

You give her a nod before hopping off the bed and turning to Silver, "Trixie will be back before dinner; if Sunburst shows up before Trixie returns..." you shrug as you turn and follow Chromia out, "get creative – just no maiming."

A soft 'kay' follows you out into the hall and you make sure to close the door behind you before following Chromia across the way into her own room. As you expect, all the lights are doused or turn very very low. Being across from your own room with its windows, Chromia's chamber has none – probably how she likes it, you imagine. "So," Chromia asks as she flops onto her bed, "What do you want to talk about that you don't want Silvie to hear?"

"Trixie needs your help looking into a murder," you reply without preamble.

Chromia freezes on the bed, mid-roll, before slowly sitting up and looking at you, "The Silver murder?"

"Indeed," you reply with a nod, "If Trixie is going to be trapped in this castle for the time being, then she has no need to worry about cultists for the moment. That leaves only one matter to attend to."

"Yeah, but," Chromia leans forward, "What happens when you confirm what we're both thinking and the murderers turn out to be cultists?"

"Ah – so you made that guess too?" you take seat in an open chair.

"Well, everything else that's happened happened around you has been due to them, so why not this?" Chromia says with a shrug, "And hey – there's even some evidence for it too!"

You nod at that – the location and timing of their deaths was too strange to be coincidence. And that they had been asking about you as well, from the looks of things… "We need the files on the murder if we are going to work – Trixie was hoping you might be familiar the protocol to obtain them."

"Sure," Chromia replies, "But there's a problem – you aren't a guard, so you don't have permission."

"Trixie was told she would be kept involved!" You scoff, "Surely that means-"

"That just means that they would let you know what they found," Chromia says, interrupting you as she props herself up with one hoof, gesturing lazily with the other, "And take you with them when they go poking around – though I suspect that has more to do with the cultist hunt. As her current guardian, you have a conflict of interests in any sort of investigation, you know?"

You study her for a moment, "You seem oddly relaxed."

"Like I said," she rolls over onto her back as she speaks to you, "I'm tired – anyway. There's still a chance you can just ask for the files and they'll be given to you – you have been working with the princess, after all. The other option is I could… borrow the files."

"And risk getting in more trouble?" You ask, "Why would Trixie risk that?"

"Because even if they hoof over the files," Chromia says, "They might not hoof over everything – especially if they think you're… whatever the Princess thinks you might be."

Your retort dies in your throat. She is, unfortunately, right. If you are going to move forward on this, you'll have to make a choice.

[ ] Ask for the files; Might get some or none of them, and no matter what just taking them will become harder
[ ] Have Chromia borrow the files; This is one puzzle you can't afford to back down from.
[ ] You and Chromia will retrieve the files. As the saying goes, if you want a job done right…
[ ] Write-in