Thundershock

Fantasy watched him go, internally debating but ultimately deciding not to try to talk. She turned around only to come nose-to-nose with Copper.

"There you are!" she exclaimed, her voice an octave too high. "I've been looking all over for you! Red Ribbons wants to see you right away! Where have you been?!"

At least that question was probably real, and honestly Fantasy was wondering the same thing about Copper. "Uh... walking." she said dumbly. Then she whispered through unmoving lips, "Where have you been?! I've been lost as heck and looking all over for you!"

"Well, come on, then! Before the sun sets!" Copper giggled, then fell to Fantasy's side, or rather a little behind. Fantasy slowed down to match her pace until Copper gave an urgent nudge to her hind hoof, which sped her up again. "Well, you didn't do a very good job, then." Copper whispered back, struggling to be heard over the ponies in the street but only by Fantasy. "I'm the one with the brown coat. Even for an earth pony, brown is a rare color!"

"I'm rather aware of that." Fantasy responded. It didn't exactly do wonders for Fantasy's confidence that she was one of those few ponies in Equestria with such a color palette. The mane she could deal with- heck, she liked her mane. A lot. The problem, she felt, was her coat: off-white freaking beige, one of the most uninteresting colors in the world when paired with brown and more brown! Compared to the typical pastel ponies, she was just... bland. Dull. Unappealing, and unattractive.

And no, thinking like this didn't make her an asshole! After all, she thought, look at Copper! Fantasy bet if she were fully saturated, and allowed to grow a mane, she'd be gorgeous. She certainly had a nice face.

"Left." Copper whispered, and Fantasy went left and out of North's sight.

Speaking of North: a royal messenger pony, identified by regal golden horseshoes, flew down to meet him. "The princesses desire your presence in the royal council."

North would raise an eyebrow at the messenger pony as he descends in front of him. He'd listen intently before nodding. "I'll go see them right away. Thank you." He'd take to the skies, flying off towards the royal council hall in the Pegasus sub-city, moving at a hurried pace.

"Good afternoon, Northern Wind." Princess Ordinance greeted him with a nod of acknowledgment. The other princesses followed Ordinance's nod, some giving bigger and more genuinely courteous nods than others. "We only need you briefly, then you shall be able to continue your search.

"We need to know more about this Penstroke mare. You spent the most time with her, and even conversed with her-"

Princess Tempest growled.

"-so it should stand to reason that you know the most about her. Even if nothing of what she told you is true, you have an idea of her behavior."

"But we need everything." another princess added.

"Yes." Princess Ordinance confirmed.

North looked up a bit as he tried to remember everything they'd talked about.  After a few moments he'd speak up.  "She seems... incredibly timid, your Highnesses.  Now maybe it was just a show, but I'd bet it wasn't.  I honestly don't believe she killed the night-watch guard.  Somepony must have helped her.  Even if she was putting on a show about being shy and timid, she in no way could overpower the guard, given her... physique."  

He'd pause for a moment before continuing.  "She also told me this story... about how the sun and the moon are controlled by two... alicorns?  I think that's what they were called.  It sounded insane, but she seemed to really believe it.  She also told me she hailed from Equestria, some... continent on the surface."

He'd pause again.  "We truly didn't talk much more than that.  Though, when we originally met she tried to lie to me about being from the city, for which she didn't keep up long before spilling the truth to me.  I... couldn't tell you why she told me the truth."

"Perhaps she trusted you." one of the princesses suggested.

Princess Tempest snorted. "Don't tell me you'd fall for it, too?"

"What are 'alicorns'?" Princess Ordinance asked.

"Probably some bullshit form of ultimate unicorn." Tempest snarked. Then seriously, "That's not it, is it? If that's what she was talking about, I swear to Cerulea I'll throttle her."

North takes a moment to recollect everything in as much detail as he can. "They were like Pegasi... but with horns like a unicorn. I'm guessing they can both fly and use magic. It sounded... crazy, your highnesses."

"Wow. She's a horrible liar." Tempest commented, an expression of disgust and contempt on her face.

"Errr- I wouldn't dismiss it so readily." the historian princess said. "That sounds... very out there for a lie."

"You believe it?"

"I didn't say that!" she defended, "I'm only saying that there are far more believable lies, easier lies, that she could've used, instead of tales about... horned pegasi. Or would they be winged unicorns?"

"Maybe she's just stupid." Tempest suggested.

"What about Equestria?" another princess asked. "An entire continent? Is that possible?"

"What's a continent?"

"It's like an island, but they usually take up at least an eighth of the world's surface, at least."

"What?!"

"How can those exist?! There'd be no room for oceans anywhere on the world!"

"Do none of you ever visit the library?"

"Only for important things."

"Well it's rather thundering important now, isn't it?"

"Foals!" Princess Ordinance boomed. The room was silent immediately. "Really." Ordinance muttered, shaking her head. "So, to review: she seems timid, is of weak physique, possibly too weak to kill a guard-"

"I'd hope so." Tempest muttered darkly, "I'd hope I have better soldiers than that."

"Tempest, I will strike you if you interrupt me again with your foalish behavior." Tempest slouched, but didn't respond. "Yes, she's probably too weak to kill a guard, and she claims to hail from a land- a continent called Equestria, where there are tales describing things like horned pegasi... that move the sun and moon."

A few princesses snorted, snickered, or scoffed.

"I'd say," Ordinance continued, "That this mare is lying about most if not all of what she'd told you, Northern Wind. However, I do believe a few things: she's weak, physically and probably magically or she would've tried to escape by force by now, and she's either naive or stupid, trusting you so readily and telling such tales.

"Something tells me she's not as stupid as we might believe. After all, she has not been caught. I believe she is either receiving help, or has the brains to disguise herself and lay low, possibly both."

"Do you think she's getting help from the earth ponies?" a princess asked.

Silence. Then Ordinance said, "Possibly, although I do not know what good she could do for them. However, I also do not know what she is capable of."

"Wait a minute." Tempest spoke up, "She's an outsider, right? Why don't we just question unicorns about Pegasopolis? We'd find her fast enough."

North would remain deathly quiet as Princess Ordinance talked. He'd remain at attention and motionless as she speaks, looking and acting like a guard should in this situation, even though he's constantly questioned about his ability to actually be one. He'd open his mouth to comment on Tempest's idea, but quickly closes it, not wanting to speak out of line while the Princesses debate what to do next.

"That's assuming she's even out in the open. For all we know, re-... earth ponies are hiding her."

"Then just search Earth. We were already searching Earth-"

"The earth ponies might not have taken her there. Think about it, it's the first place we'd search, given... the current events. They've probably taken her to Unicornia."

"Then Tempest's plan is probably the best one, coupled with searching every dark corner of Pegasopolis."

The princesses nodded and murmured in agreement.

"It's settled, then." Princess Ordinance announced. "Granted, our plans aren't changing much, but it is still an improvement."

"Didn't even need the guard here." Tempest grumbled.

"Tempest, I swear to Cerulea..."

"What? What did I say this time?!"

"Ugh, nevermind." Ordinance said, draping her hoof over her muzzle. "If nopony has any other concerns, then I believe this meeting is over."

The princesses all started to leave. "Northern Wind, get back out there! We need every pony we have looking for that outsider!" Tempest ordered.

---

"She's sticking to her story." Shrubbery argued, "The details are all staying the same. And there are a lot of details..."

"She's a writer, Shrubbery, of course her story's going to be convincing." Copper countered, "And all those details mean is more for us to keep track of, so we're too busy to question the truth of her word."

"But-" Shrubbery began.

"I'm not entirely dismissing the idea of Equestria." Copper said, "I'm just... it's a big risk. I'm only trying to be careful."

"You are being careful." Shrubbery assured her. "We're not all going." She giggled. "I don't even think we could if we wanted to. We couldn't get a ship that big."

"We'll be lucky to get a ship at all now." Copper sighed. "That's just the least of our problems, too..."

"What are we going to do about the Thunderbird?"

Off some way's away, too far to hear their whispering, Fantasy was nibbling fruits; she'd stuffed herself earlier and now was just enjoying herself (she wasn't allowed near Copper or Shrubbery until they were done talking); Fruit Gardens were amazing! Why didn't they have these in Equestria?

---

When Copper and Shrubbery were finished, Copper had to leave them to finish her day's delivery duties and go dumpster diving. Shrubbery had to leave Fantasy too, because her duties were hedge maintenance and the hedges in the Fruit Park were already mostly done, so Shrubbery really only had a few minutes there before she had to move on. She promised to be back as soon as possible.

Fantasy wandered the Fruit Park for about an hour before settling down under an apple tree, where she began to wonder where Pegasopolis had gotten such diversity, not only in flora and food but also art. She'd have thought such diversity would require some cultural mingling.

North would appear over the sky, flying slowly and scanning around the park as he arrived. He'd land near a rather large apple tree, not far from the one Fantasy is sitting under. He'd look around at the few ponies in the park before spotting Fantasy. He'd perk his head up before flying over to her, landing right beside her. He'd speak in the same soft tone as before, laughing lightly. "Hello again! You seem better!

He'd have a smile on his face though it quickly fades as he remembers his job. He'd clear his throat. "I'm going to have to ask you some questions. Is that alright, miss?"

Fantasy's mind had been wandering, and only snapped back to reality when North was right in front of her, chuckling. She gave a brief, nervous smile in return.

Her face was blank for a moment, but then she gave a casual, "Sure", momentarily forgetting her fake nasally voice. She wasn't nervous about questions. Probably just more about her own whereabouts, and she'd answered those today already.

North would raise an eyebrow at the lack of a nasally voice, before shrugging. He'd return to smiling as he begins his questioning. "First off, what's your name, miss?"

Fantasy blinked. Odd question. Was it? Eh, reasonable that he'd want her name. "Chocolate Caramel." Fantasy answered.

North nodded before asking his next question. "What part of the city do you live in, Chocolate Caramel?"

Mother. Fucker. Fantasy's smile faltered. She didn't know any streets, or any of the sub-sections of Uni-...wait. Oh. Duh. Her smile was back up in a second, though it was a confused one. "Um... Unicornia?" she answered as if it should be obvious.

North tilted his head for a moment before nodding, accepting her answer. He'd think for a moment before speaking again, segwaying into his next question. "Alright. What are the current names of our Princesses, Chocolate Caramel?"

And that was where it fell apart. Fantasy's smile disappeared, and by the time she thought of anything to say at all, her pause had been too long to dismiss.

Panic flickered across her face, but then her ears drooped and her expression turned guilty as well as scared. "I... I can explain. Pleasedon'tyell."

North would lose his smile, a scowl growing across his face. He'd look around real fast before speaking in a hushed tone. "Well explain fast, 'Chocolate Caramel.' He'd inch closer to her, his wings seeming to be ready in case she tries to run.

Fantasy backed up half a step. "I..." Alright, from the beginning. "I woke up because an earth pony was killing the guard- the- the night guard, and she was doing that because she saw that he was about to slit my throat in my sleep so she tackled him and choked him and took me- took me out of Unicornia for a few hours but brought me back and disguised me- very thoroughly I might add, I'm impressed." Probably not helping. "And she- she told me that I shouldn't try to talk to you because you'd probably turn me in and then I'd be executed and so would she... even... even though we haven't done anything wrong; she saved my life." Fantasy finished.

North would lean in closer, his scowl not disappearing though he remains completly quiet as she explains. He'd lower his head for a moment, sighing before lifting it back up, the scowl mostly gone and instead replaced with a blank expression. "Why should I believe you? How do I know you're not just telling me that to try and save your hide?"

Fantasy opened her mouth, then closed it. Her gaze dropped, moving a bit as she considered her words, but then forfeited and looked North in the eyes. "You don't." she admitted.

North looks away for a second; thinking. He'd look back to her speaking in a soft voice. "You know what I have to do now, right?"

"...yes." Fantasy said quietly, her ears drooping. She'd been hoping he'd let her go.

North shakes his head again before a thought crosses his mind. "I could... possibly make you a deal. If you tell me the name of the earth ponies you mentioned, and we bring them in instead. You'd be spared. They're criminals anyway, even if they did saved your life." He'd sound serious as he speaks.

Fantasy frowned. North would see she was upset by this, and even... a little offended? Just for a moment, though, as Fantasy's expression quickly softened. She couldn't be mad at him for the beliefs he was raised with, even if one of those beliefs said that earth pony lives were worth less than a unicorn's or a pegasuseses pegasus's.

"No." she said simply.