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

[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.

[tinkertytonk]

[He'd just been in Tartarus with a demon child. Give him a moment, Captain!]

She isn't headed for the Gala, Captain. I asked, and Hallie said she was going to the princess party, not the Gala.

[ponykreutzer]

A party that apparently took place before the gala...a party, if it happened, has already come to pass. She may still be out there...

[pirateponyprincess]

Ah, yes, that. I had forgotten about it; it has been far too long.

Do you not have any leads on her position, in that case? This will make things much more difficult.

[ponykreutzer]

I'm afraid not. We only learned of this just now, so details are scarce.

[pirateponyprincess]

In that case, we will need to set up patrol around Canterlot. Not difficult, considering its location, but I am not about to take chances with somepony from Tartarus. Kreutzer, I'll need a-

[A pause. Right, this isn't the same Kreutzer that's served her.]

...Nevermind, my apologies. I'll see to it that checkpoints are set up in the area, as well as watches in surrounding towns.

[tinkertytonk]

[Well, that's a relief.]

Have you ever heard of anything like her, though, Captain? A pony from Tartarus with a pomegranate cutie mark? Sounds like something out of the stories those Greek chappies wrote. [He's fairly sure a Hades and a pomegranate had featured prominently in one of them, but he's dashed if he can remember the particulars of the tale.]

[ponykreutzer]

(She knows her by name? And so casually, too. How odd...but that is a matter for another time.)

You're thinking of Persephone. As the story goes, Hades was in love with Demeter's daughter, Persephone, and he forcibly took her with him to the underworld. In her anger, Demeter brought about Winter until the gods decided to get her back. Hades begrudgingly complied, but before Persephone left, he fed her several pomegranate seeds, which then obligated her to spend several months of each year in the underworld with him.

In Greek mythology, pomegranates are considered the fruit of the dead.

[pirateponyprincess]

I recall being briefed on matters concerning Tartarus before I took on the role of Princess, but, as I heard you encountered previously, I was not the type to pay attention to those things. Tartarus rarely makes contact with us, in either case, so there is little I know outside of stories like that one.

[tinkertytonk]

Per-whatsit, that's the one! [Bertie nods.] Hold on a moment, but if Hallie's nana is the one with the pomegranates, does that make her Hades or the girl? [That might make all the difference in sussing out her motives.]

[ponykreutzer]

If this is anything like the story, then I don't think we'll like either answer.

[pirateponyprincess]

All the more reason to catch this pony, either way. We should spread the word to other towns, keep them on the lookout. I don't like where this is going.

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie nods.] We'll let everypony here in Appleloosa know to start.

[ponykreutzer]

Ponyville deserves to know, as well. Captain, please inform them of this possible threat. The other offworlders are quite good at dealing with threats, when they're not creating a ruckus.

[pirateponyprincess]

It would seem you have done that well enough already by using the scroll. Nonetheless, I will fill in the details where I can and arrange for inquiry to other places. Information gathering is one of my specialties.