Eleventh Note: They're Coming to Take You Away [Private to Princesses, the Flutters, and Kreutzer]

[tinkertytonk]

[As soon as they’re out of Tartarus, Bertie goes for his scroll. Why they can’t do this while in Tartarus when it’s so important is a bit of a mystery, but Kreutzer and the Flutters are insistent about getting him out. So, he’s got the pair of them flanking him when they turn up… where are they? It’s not near the mines. In fact, they appear to be standing atop a clocktower in a dusty little town. Bertie's never been to Appleloosa, but the Flutters might recognize it. That doesn't matter now. What matters is that there's some sort of demon from Tartarus after the Princesses.]

Your Highnesses! You've got to be on the lookout. There's somepony from Tartarus coming to get you. It's the nana of some blighter named Ms. Helios... Halitos... Hallie! Ms. Hallie's nana has got a pomegranate cutie mark, and she's coming after you at the princess party.

Comments

[blamemysister]

So wait. Are we trying to prevent someone's nam from getting her kneecaps broken by some kind of secret evil society, or is this the other way around? Because I have a power up soup recipe that does double damage and I'm not afraid to use it.

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie had been wondering if ponies even had kneecaps, but that would seem to answer the question. It's not important right now, though.] What? Soup? ...What? No! The nana's the evil one. I-I think? [Luna has him confused thinking about soup and society now.]

[blamemysister]

So an evil nam.... I see.

Oh SISTERS. WHAT THOU HAST HIDDEN FROM US?!

[tinkertytonk]

I'm not sure they've hidden anything, M'am. Ms. Hallie seemed to think she belonged down there. If, well, if Princess Celestia and your, er... counterpart haven't been down to Tartarus...

[blamemysister]

How odd. The only one back home is... [Luna grew silent as she started to gather some things.]

Pray, where is the entrance to Tartarus in this world? We would very much like to go there.

[And check to see if a certain someone was still down there.]

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie frowned, looking back over his shoulder.] I-I don't know, M'am. It was just behind us, but it's gone now. It was near the mines outside Ponyville when I came in.

[He looks to Kreutzer and the Flutters.] Where did you two come in?

[blamemysister]

How odd. The entrance back home was not... mobile, last we checked.

[tinkertytonk]

[The fact that she had an entrance at all is a step up from Bertie.]

I've never heard of aught like it. Usually you've got to, well, pass on to get to the other side of the veil, as it were.

[blamemysister]

Well it's a part of our history as well.

[pirateponyprincess]

Hm. I assume this figure is headed for Canterlot, then. Where are you located now?

[tinkertytonk]

I don't know. We just walked out of Tartarus. [He looks to the mares beside him for an answer.] This isn't where I came in.

[shy_kindness]

Um. This... isn't where we came in, either. We're in, um, Apploosa...

[pirateponyprincess]

If she is coming from Apploosa, then she will be passing right through Ponyville to get to Canterlot. This will work in my favor.

Do you know what she intends to try to do to us? Or should I play it safe and run Pulsar here through her face?

[Celestia shows her cutlass to the scroll. She said that sentence entirely too cheerfully.]

[She's joking, honest.]

[shy_kindness]

[Uh, Celestia? Do you realize who you're talking to? Don't you see this horrified face? It is horrified.]

[ponykreutzer]

She may be an assassin, but we've no proof. I'm more inclined to suggest squeezing a few answers out of her first, but if push comes to shove...

...Well. It's not murder, if it's self defense.

(Kreu, are you really encouraging her right now)

[tinkertytonk]

No, no, no! She's already out. She's been out. [Bertie shakes his head.] Ms. Hallie said she thought it was a month 'til the Gala and her nana had left before that.

They really must get a clock and calendar down there.

[pirateponyprincess]

[Celestia really needs to stop freaking out Fluttershy like that.]

So she intended on heading to the Gala, in that case? Or is there something more? You need to be clearer about this sort of thing.

[solequus]

'Hallie?'

[tinkertytonk]

There's somepony down in Tartarus who looks like a little filly, M'am. But she's... there are monsters down there, too. Her nana just left her there with them. She said it wasn't safe for her to come out. [Probably it isn't safe for them.]

[solequus]

...Most peculiar. I can't recall anypony by the name of "Hallie" as being confined in Tartarus in any way.

You say...her grandmother is out of Tartarus?

[ponykreutzer]

Apparently so. Considering Bertie found himself in Tartarus by complete accident, it's possible someone could just as easily break out. Frankly, I don't like that the realm of the dead is so easily accessible, but I digress.

Fluttercruel and I will continue our investigation in Tartarus once Bertie is brought home.

[solequus]

All right.

[She looks thoughtful.]

Just be careful. The magics that cause it to change location is designed to ensure ponies can't easily find it.

[shy_kindness]

All of us promise to be as careful as we can.

[ponykreutzer]

We have our ways of tracking it down. We'll manage.

(Wow, Kreu, way to be all ominous.)

[solequus]

If you need my assistance, just inform me. There are monsters that will try and trick you into taking them out.