Symphony of Peril

Octavia yearned that she'd finally get the answers to all of her questions.

Of course, knowing how such investigations and interrogations worked, Octavia figured that the odds of closing the case right there were merely a fraction above zero. Wind Rider likely wasn't the type of pony who'd confess everything he knew without a fight. Somehow prying it from his mind required more than just a sharp wit.

Heartbeats filled her ears as she formulated how she'd question Wind Rider; his suspicious behavior during the Twilight Ball and why he disguised himself were among the topics Octavia wished to cover, though the Princess Amore connection captivated her attention most of all.

At least the journey toward where Wind Rider was being held consisted of dazzling sights. It always struck Octavia as unusual that fewer ponies appreciated the night a thousand years ago. The twinkling stars in the night sky were always a visual treat, the lamps and buildings lighting the typically dull roads of Canterlot breathed new life into the environment. It was a spectacle and one perfect for viewing atop a balcony.

However, the cobblestone roads being flooded by an endless stream of pastel ponies was one such thing to never change. Most of the residents were quieter and there was actually room to wiggle about for once, though hearing the crickets' chirping or dancing across empty streets was impossible in Canterlot. It was a minor miracle how anypony managed to sleep as well.

As Octavia and her friends arrived at the ornate structure where Wind Rider was being held, a small itch formed at the back of her head. Perhaps Wind Rider was merely a pawn in a much bigger game, the possibility constricting Octavia's throat. She'd rather not deal with such intense dilemmas. With everything Rarity and her five closest friends had gone through in the past, Octavia wondered how they managed solving everything so often whilst not going insane. Some of the messes were days she wished were just nightmares, others merely surprises or nuisances.

Now was not the time for worrying.

"You'd think this place would be a bit more—macabre," said Rarity. She swiveled her head about, scanning the white and purple walls that decorated the section of the castle. A small fountain rested in the middle of the field, short hedges surrounding it. Some flowers also bloomed off to the side. It was rather surreal given what the place housed. "Seems more like a luxury hotel than a place where ne'er-do-wells are questioned, but I can't complain about such exquisite beauty."

Octavia shrugged. She wished she could've retorted by mentioning how tacky the golden trim was, though doing so seemed rude in her mind. Merely nodding and donning a smile was Octavia's only response, though Vinyl couldn't be pressed to respond with an emotion, real or fake. It was the same story for Spitfire, the Wonderbolt's attention glued to the door one second and the surrounding world the next.

And standing by one of the doors were two ponies of the Royal Guard. Their golden armor and stern expressions defined who they were. From what Octavia had learned, they were more for scowling and intimidation. Nevertheless, their bulky stature and armor signified them as ponies not to mess with. They still specialized in bruises should anypony be foolish enough to ask for one.

"Excuse me!" Spitfire called out. The two guards turned toward her, expressions unchanging. "We're here to question Wind Rider. As the Captain of the Wonderbolts, I'm requesting permission to enter."

The rightmost stallion trotted up to Spitfire. He squinted at her, examining every last detail down to each individual strand of her mane. Nopony uttered a syllable for a minute, the slight breeze all Octavia noticed. At least Vinyl knew how to spend the time, silently tapping her hoof and bobbing her head. It was always her method of coping with boredom. It was something Octavia never understood, however.

"Checks out," the guard said in a gruff voice. "Sorry for the wait, ma'am."

"It's fine," Spitfire replied. Nodding, she then ruffled her wings a bit. "Anyway, what room is Wind Rider being held at?"

"Room 116. Take a left upon entering and trot down the hallway. It'll be to your right and labeled, so don't worry about missing it or anything."

"And can we come along as well?" asked Octavia, gently waving her hoof at the guard. "We're all related to the case in some manner and have our own questions." She trotted up to him and made eye contact. "If you could let us in, please, that would be much appreciated."

The guard glanced back to Spitfire and tilted his head. "She and the others are a part of your group, right? Just making sure."

"They're with me," said Spitfire.

The two guards then shuffled their hooves away from the door. Both of them assumed a tall, straight posture like before upon halting, muzzles scrunched somewhat.

"The door is unlocked, so go ahead," the other guard said. "We'll stay here for the time being."

Spitfire pressed her hoof against the wooden frame. Upon pushing it, a slight creak rang in the air, Octavia's ears aching a little. As she followed Spitfire into the building, a spine-chilling current swooped past her. Octavia shivered; her teeth clacked for a moment and the hairs of her coat stood up.

While Wind Rider was involved in the scheme to harm her, a vast array of unblinking eyes must've been focused on him. The tension lingering in the air and wrapping around Octavia didn't loosen up, however, the consequences of screwing up or something going awry tucked in her mind.

The group followed the guard's orders, Octavia counting each room she trotted past. All of the white walls were somewhat weathered; such a heavy contrast earned an arched eyebrow from Octavia, though Rarity's cheeks became a pale green in response. Octavia occasionally rubbed her eyes or blinked whenever she glanced at one of the bright red doors.

"What monster thought this was a good idea for an interior?" Rarity muttered under her breath. "If I had to spend one day in here, I'd probably go crazy. There aren't even any windows to show the marvelous architecture outside, but those would probably be covered in the nastiest drapes if they existed." She exhaled and then rubbed her forehead. "Focus, Rarity. This is paltry to the matter at hoof."

"Yeah, keep focusing on that," said Vinyl. She adjusted her shades. "Tavi needs our help."

Octavia nodded. "True." Rubbing her muzzle, she noticed the door numbers slowly approaching 116. Questions swelled in her mind, lips pursed for a moment. "But what kinds of questions are we going to ask Wind Rider? I've never done anything like this before, and even though I have an idea of what to ask, what if he refuses to comply?"

"Well, we have to coerce him to reply," Spitfire replied. She peeked behind her shoulder and gazed into Octavia's eyes. "This may seem random, but are you somewhat familiar with psychology? I only ask because if we play our cards right, we can get Wind Rider to spill the truth. As you may imagine, I know a lot about what makes him tick, but I'll need all the help I can get."

Octavia bobbed her head, then shrugged. "A little, but are you sure it can better ensure Wind Rider will tell the truth? I mean, we have enough evidence to assume he was an accomplice based on the sign in the cave, among other things. Beyond that, there's the puzzling matter of whether anypony else aside from PA is involved. There's a few strange ponies trotting about, but are they merely coincidences?" She tapped her hoof on the floor, clacks polluting the air. "We can't just assume they're involved."

"That's right." Spitfire pressed her weight against the wall and crossed her forelegs. "Anyway, looks like Room 116 is right over there." She pointed to her right. Directly next to her extended foreleg was a door with '116' emblazoned on it. Faint hums echoed from within the room as clicks occasionally followed. "As for my theory, the idea is that if we can better reward Wind Rider or reduce his punishment for telling the truth and actually follow up on it, we're more likely to get at least some evidence. Furthermore, we have to be respectful, even if he's slimy. But the question then becomes whether we can differentiate what's a confession and what's a lie."

"Wind Rider likely won't make friends with any of us, so that's out," said Rarity as a matter of fact. "How troublesome, and it's not like all ponies are a friendship speech away from redemption." She blushed, snickering for a moment. "I don't know how Twilight does it, but I'll gladly admit her skills are envious."

"She's the Princess of Friendship for a reason," said Vinyl.

"True, though we can't just expect her to show up right away," Octavia added. "I'd imagine she's quite busy being a princess and helping with the investigation. Maybe we should head on over to Ponyville one day and ask if she's made any progress." Pressing a hoof against one of the walls, she sighed. A downcast expression adorned her visage. "I don't want to interrupt or nag her."

Rarity donned a faint smile. "She'll answer, dear. Even when she's a little busy, she'll set aside some time to help her friends when they need it most."

"Perhaps." Octavia trudged toward the door. Gulping, she then straightened her posture and puffed her chest out. It was now or never when it came to interrogating Wind Rider. "Is everypony ready?"

Rarity, Vinyl, and Spitfire all nodded in unison.

"Okay." A deep breath left Octavia's lips. "Here goes nothing."

Pressing her hoof on the door, Octavia pushed it open as harsh creaks had split the air. She winced, the beating of her heart speeding up. Before her was a surprisingly lush room complete with a fireplace and a red, fluffy carpet. The scent of ashes flowed into her nostrils and it was the same story for the flowers' aroma. And even the tables, chairs, and decorations exuded opulence, Octavia struggling to avoid rolling her eyes at the sight. It wasn't as though it wasn't fitting for an interrogation room, the building was probably a hotel at one point for all she knew, but the gaudy decorations which surrounded her seemed more for satisfying one's ego than having any real purpose.

Octavia loathed such displays.

And sitting on one of the chairs was Wind Rider, his body sinking into the green cushions. A stern, wrinkled expression decorated his face. It was a familiar expression as well and just like the one Willow Wisp wore during the Twilight Ball.

"Wind Rider, we're here to question you," said Octavia. Her throat tightened. "Can you guarantee that you won't lie to us?"

Wind Rider slowly peeked behind his shoulder, gazing into Octavia's eyes. "I can't promise anything, and you know that. The only reason why I'd tell the truth is if it benefited me in some way, either that or it doesn't hurt me." He cleared his throat. "Look, I know I've done some rotten things before, but I'm not a part of your little story."

"Is that so?" Octavia arched an eyebrow. "How about you truthfully answer the questions and we'll see about that."

"If that's how you want to play, then we'll play!" Wind Rider waved his hoof, muzzle scrunched. "Have a seat and we'll get started. Your friends can join as well."

Octavia nodded. Making a beeline toward one of the empty couches, she plopped onto the cushions and sensed as though she sat atop a cloud. Vinyl, Spitfire, and Rarity had done the same, beads of sweat dripping down Wind Rider's forehead upon noticing the latter two sitting down.

"So I have to deal with you again," Wind Rider scoffed. He scrunched his muzzle. "Snooping around other ponies' business won't win you support, you know."

"We're here for a valid reason," said Rarity. "And I think you know why."

"Get on with it. I'd rather have this whole discussion be over with."

Spitfire crossed her hind legs and made eye contact with Wind Rider. "Sounds fair to me," she said. "First, where were you on the night of the Twilight Ball?"

"The Twilight Ball?" Smirking slightly, Wind Rider then feigned a chuckle. "Yeah, I was there minding my own business. Just because I was kicked out of the Wonderbolts for framing somepony and something bad had happened at that event doesn't mean that I'm to blame. You know better than that."

"Some witnesses and I saw you fleeing the scene of the crime. A number of guests and patrons reported spotting you flying across the sky mere seconds after the stage broke. And I'm pretty sure all of the Wonderbolts and I would instantly recognize you. For somepony who was once seen as a living legend and now stands on a—" Spitfire gulped and pursed her lips "—a broken pedestal, I'm pretty sure most ponies would've recognized your face and body. And us Wonderbolts sure aren't forgetting anytime soon."

"Fair point. I may have flown away shortly after the event, but that doesn't connect me to the crime."

Octavia shook her head. "In most cases, you'd be right," she replied. "However, I don't think you were being truthful at the Twilight Ball."

Wind Rider leaned closer to Octavia. "Explain."

"Does the name 'Willow Wisp' ring a bell?"

"Not at all!" Wind Rider shuddered, his forelegs trembling somewhat. Either Octavia poked a nerve or she'd opened the book to Wind Rider's deepest secrets. She couldn't help herself from cracking the faintest of smiles as gibberish left Wind Rider's mouth for a few seconds. "What are you talking about?"

"It's relatively simple. Willow Wisp, or Wind Rider as he's mostly known as, gave me a business card, though it wasn't what one would call—" Octavia rubbed her muzzle "—professional. It just had the pseudonym scribbled on the back in a fine marker. Most ponies would've probably considered it a hastily made identification card instead of something serious. It was obvious the business card was a fake, though I never questioned why until after the incident took place and during the initial investigations. As they say, hindsight is twenty-twenty."

"T-that could've been anypony's fake card!" Wind Rider extended his foreleg and pointed at Octavia, scowling. "You don't have a shred of evidence to say that! You're just bluffing."

"Then what's with the stuttering?" asked Spitfire. "I've seen plenty of ponies wear the same kind of look you're wearing. The pursed lips, tautened cheeks, and the sweat falling down your face like a waterfall tells me everything I already need to know. There's no use in hiding it, Wind Rider. You're Willow Wisp. And let's not forget about a sign we saw within one of the caves beneath the castle."

"What?"

"I'm pretty sure PA and this secret project you're involved in ring a bell, Windy."

Wind Rider bit his lip. It soon became a question of not if he'd confess, but when. Octavia couldn't help but realize how smoothly everything had turned out so far, not even having to resort to psychological tactics. A few questions and some evidence were all that she and her friends needed to confirm part of the story.

The problem then became whether Wind Rider would admit to everything he was involved in.

"No need to act surprised," said Rarity, twirling her mane. "There was a new sign attached to the wall, and with everything we've uncovered so far, there's little doubt that it referred to you. The oddities and disguises mentioned before would normally make us suspicious, but with how you've reacted to these claims, I think there's something you're hiding from us." Rarity assumed a slight frown. She glared at Wind Rider. "You can tell the truth whenever you want. We've got all day."

With a deep sigh, Wind Rider lowered his head. He ruffled his wings a tad and adopted a glum visage. "You want to know the truth?" He looked up at the group. "I know I can't beat you. We'd be here forever if I kept on trying to evade the truth. There's too much evidence pointing at me to continue denying it."

"How can we be certain what you'll say next is true?"

"You can't." Wind Rider released a nervous snicker, fading away seconds later. "But I can tell you that I was involved in the scheme to hurt Octavia. I know what PA wants as well, but if you're looking for a name or a face to search for, you're out of luck. She wears this long robe that's decorated in a lot of colors. I can't even describe it." He caught his breath. "She can use magic as well, but that's all I have when it comes to appearance."

"And why did you want to hurt me?" asked Octavia. "What have I done that would warrant such measures?"

"You've done nothing wrong. However, it's your personality that's of PA's concern."

"Personality?" Vinyl blurted out, head tilted. "I know Tavi can be a bit bossy at times, but—" Octavia glanced over to Vinyl. Blushing, a series of soft chuckles left the latter's lips. She then took a quick breath and regained her composure. "There's nothing bad about Tavi. She's one of the best ponies one could ask for."

Octavia cracked a smile. While hearing such words from Vinyl was commonplace, especially during troublesome times, they always warmed her heart like a blanket. And while the blaring sounds of Vinyl's techno music occasionally poked her nerves, she felt the same way. Some ponies were adamant that opposites couldn't be attracted to each other, Octavia understanding why such claims were often uttered. But Vinyl was a bit different; she had enough in common to where Octavia strengthened her friendship with the DJ in some conversations.

Blinking, Octavia then escaped her brief trance. She squinted at where Wind Rider sat.

"I think I can answer this," said Wind Rider. He cleared his throat, then shimmied a bit in his chair. "Octavia, are you fond of learning? Would you consider yourself intelligent? And as an aside, did you know a little about Nightmare Moon's tale before the legends were deemed true?"

Shrugging, Octavia rubbed her muzzle for a moment and arched an eyebrow. "Well, if you must know, I'd say that I do enjoy learning new things," she replied. "As for whether I'd call myself intelligent, I feel as though I'm nowhere near qualified to determine that. I think I'm adequate in some fields, but have much to learn in those I'm not familiar with." She took a quick breath. "However, even I'd have to admit that I'm gifted in the art of music. And as for your last question, I was aware of Nightmare Moon's legend before its confirmation just over a year ago. I never thought much about it, though Twilight Sparkle apparently knew the history of it better than anypony else."

"That's what I was expecting to hear."

"What do you mean?" Octavia donned a bemused expression.

"I doubt you'll believe me, but this next part will require some explanation. Are you willing to listen?"

Octavia and her friends all nodded together.

"Good." Wind Rider pursed his lips for a moment. He glanced behind his left shoulder and then his right shoulder. And after rolling his shoulders, he brought his attention back to Octavia and company. "Listen up, because I'm only going to say this once. Ever since I was kicked out of the Wonderbolts, I've been looking for ways to find some quick money. Call it greed if you want, but that's the truth."

"It is greed," Vinyl muttered in a blunt tone. "I'm pretty sure you're already rich. What part of your motive isn't greed?"

"I know, but I just couldn't help myself to having a bit more." He sighed and gently shook his head. "But that's beside the point. Anyway, it was a few days after I was caught framing Rainbow Dash that I was approached by an old mare. She never revealed her name, but I wasn't forgetting those glassy eyes anytime soon?"

"What did she want?" asked Rarity.

"She's the leader of a group of bandits, though what they do isn't by the book. More specifically, this mare and PA were both obsessed with a treasure said to have been a lost relic of Star Swirl the Bearded. It was rumored that this artifact could explain all of the strange happenings recently. Nightmare Moon and Discord's return, the swarm of parasprites from a while ago, the reports of the—" Wind Rider gnashed his teeth "—the Sonic Rainboom, and much more."

"There are a lot of rumored artifacts ponies claim are connected to Star Swirl the Bearded," said Spitfire. She raised an eyebrow and crossed her forelegs. "What makes your ally so certain that this treasure even exists? Furthermore, what does this have to do with your earlier questions and the efforts taken to hurt Octavia? Everything you've said so far just leads to more questions. Are you going to tell us or not?"

"Persistent as always, Spitfire." Wind Rider released a chuckle. "There's a reason why you're lumped into the same group that Octavia was."

"So your little group was after me as well. Can you elaborate further?"

"That plan already happened. That's what the old mare said at any rate."

Spitfire's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"If the old coot is telling me the truth, the incident at the Best Young Fliers Competition a year ago was something she'd been expecting."

Gasping, Rarity's cheeks turned pale. She almost leaped out of her chair as her body shivered. "What are you talking about, ruffian? My egotistical behavior and constant flailing was all my doing! There's no way somepony else could've been working behind the scenes! You've got a lot of explaining to do, mister!"

"Easy." Wind Rider gently waved a hoof. "It'll all be explained, so just be patient."

"What are you waiting for?" Rarity leaned closer to Wind Rider; she was on the edge of her seat. "Explain, please."

"First of all, there are other pegasi involved in her group, and when you entered the competition—somehow—everypony knew something would go wrong. The mare hurried over to Cloudsdale just before the show, waiting patiently for what she felt was inevitable."

"Why was this mare certain something bad would happen? Did she somehow control destiny?"

"No." Shaking his head, Wind Rider then adjusted his seating posture. "It was more of a gamble if anything. They saw you as reckless and if somepony tried to catch you, they'd probably get punched in the head first."

A deep breath left Rarity's mouth. She ruffled her brow and scowled. "Excuse me, but I'm graceful instead of reckless. What gave your little friends that idea?"

"From what they said when I asked about you and the Wonderbolts, the old coot claimed your pride and consistently dramatic attitude were the perfect recipe for making trouble. Add to the group being bigger than you think and that all adds up to us covering all of our bases. We could be anywhere." Glowing specks formed in Wind Rider's eyes. He adopted a slight frown. "That's how the group keeps on going."

Rarity pouted, twisting her head to the left. "I should take offense at such slanderous claims, but I guess the second part is somewhat true. I'm dramatic, but only when something truly harrowing is before me. A stained dress deserves panic, but messing up breakfast only requires a more marvelous touch for next time." She waved her hoof. "You may continue with the story, but don't you dare skip over anything important."

"Anyway, the old mare supposedly knows a spell that can insert messages into the minds of other ponies, but if the subject is sleeping or unconscious, sending the message becomes effortless. I know it sounds like something that would be more suited to somepony like Princess Luna, but she was adamant it was true. And when everything at the competition went according to her predictions, I think you can figure out the rest."

Spitfire shuffled away from the other ponies on the couch. Sulking, a slight frown adorned her face.

"Were the messages negative?"

"They were," Spitfire muttered. "And I—I believed them. I've tried fighting back against those feelings, but it hasn't been easy."

"That's the mare's power. In other words, the old mare wanted Octavia knocked out so that sending the message would be almost effortless. And as for why she resorts to such tactics, it's because she's trying to discourage others from looking into Star Swirl's treasure." In a flash, Wind Rider brought his focus over to Spitfire. "Isn't that right?"

"It's true. I was told something about avoiding an old treasure. The voice referred to it as the Platinum Staff, though it was so ill-fitting that I simply never thought much about it." Spitfire straightened her posture and lifted her head up. "I guess it's the artifact that you mentioned earlier. And now that this staff is a part of the investigation, I can't ignore it any longer." Pausing for a moment, she then took a deep breath. "But I have one more question related to that incident."

"Fire away."

"How was the old mare able to submit those messages into my mind? Even if she was in Cloudsdale at the time, there couldn't have been an easy way for her to know that I was unconscious for a while. And since she's a unicorn, she must've cast the same spell as Twilight in order to traverse over clouds."

"She's a powerful wizard. It was after you returned above the clouds that she used the spell where nopony would notice her." Wind Rider shrugged, peering up at the ceiling for a moment. Other than the gaudy chandelier dangling in the room's center, there wasn't anything particularly noteworthy. Octavia wondered if Wind Rider was attempting to piece together the mare's identity, though such an action didn't require such stressed wrinkles. "For the record, she's not somepony you've encountered before, Rarity."

"What do you mean?" Rarity questioned, head cocked to the left. "Does that mean she's not—"

"She's not that Starlight Glimmer some ponies have been gossiping about. These things aren't hard to discover if you pay attention."

"True," said Vinyl. "I've noticed Starlight out and about more often."

"And one more thing." Wind Rider rubbed his forehead and scrunched his muzzle. "That PA and the old mare are different ponies. However, their voices sound somewhat similar, so maybe they're related or one in the same. It's not like I'd know for sure, however. There are too many differences or uncertainties to know if they're the same pony." He sighed, pausing for a moment. "That's all I know. Anything else?"

"If that's all you have, I'm more than content with the new information," said Octavia. "At least we know of two new suspects, though finding them will be the tricky part." She gazed into Wind Rider's pupils. "Do they often spend time somewhere? It'd help us in finding her."

Shaking his head, Wind Rider pursed his lips momentarily. "Sorry, but if you're looking for them, you're out of luck. They rarely ever show up in the same place. They could appear anywhere, especially if one of their cohorts needs them. Furthermore, PA and the old mare rarely ever show themselves. The only times I've seen them together are in a few photographs, but those won't help."

"Figures." Sighing, Octavia stood upright, her friends following suit a second later. "Thank you for your cooperation into this investigation."

"Not a problem. However, there's one thing you should keep in mind."

As the group all trotted out the door, they froze in place at once and brought their attention back to Wind Rider. Octavia pursed her lips and her cheeks tautened. The grim visage decorating Wind Rider sent chills down Octavia's spine, the latter squirming a little. The pair made eye contact.

"Watch your back," said Wind Rider. "PA, her old friend, and everypony else involved in that group know how to stir up trouble. For the record, I've never had a chance to learn their names, but what I do know about them is that they'd do almost anything to have a chance at the treasure. There are some rumors flying around about each member thinking of betraying the group and snatching the treasure for themselves. Just—don't do anything stupid."

Octavia arched an eyebrow. "And why would you be concerned for us?" she asked. "We're part of the reason why you're being held by the Royal Guard."

"My connections with that group are pretty much over now." Sighing, Wind Rider rubbed his forehead. "It's complicated. Either way, I'm not returning. There's no way I'd miss their company."

Nodding, Octavia crept through the open doorway. "We'll be careful as usual."

Rarity gently closed the door once everypony but Wind Rider was out of the room. And once a soft click rang in Octavia's ears, the group released a collective sigh, their postures straightening out a little. It was as though the weight of the world had been lifted off of Octavia's shoulders. For the first time in what felt like forever, her muscles no longer ached. The soft smiles Vinyl, Spitfire, and Rarity all wore told a similar story. Yet Spitfire's smile tickled Octavia's coat, but the reason why was lost to her.

However, prodding Spitfire for an explanation would've been more trouble than it was worth.

There was a more important investigation in progress, after all.

"What should we do from here, dears?" asked Rarity. Leading the way down the hall, the rest of the group followed close behind. "We know a little about the group Wind Rider was a part of and their plans, but all it does now is raise further questions. Should we discover what's so important about this Platinum Staff?"

"We should, and the Royal Canterlot Library may provide the answers we're seeking," said Spitfire. "While they may not have everything, as I've learned recently, it's worth a shot."

"You really are similar to Twilight, aren't you?" Rarity chuckled, everypony else following a second later. "But that does sound like a marvelous idea. I'd imagine there are some clues in books related to artifacts or archaeology."

"It all kinda sounds like something from a Daring Do book," Vinyl teased. "Maybe we should track down A.K. Yearling and ask if the Platinum Staff was based on something real or an artifact she made up."

"That sounds more like a last resort if there's a book titled Daring Do and the Platinum Staff," said Octavia. "I've always been more focused on the classics and historical books, so forgive me if my knowledge on those novels is limited." She shrugged. "I've read and enjoyed the first two, though I've been meaning to read the other eight books."

Vinyl waved her hoof. "It's fine."

"But we agree that the Royal Canterlot Library is our next stop, right?"

Everypony else all nodded in unison.

"Let's waste no time."

There was something about having more evidence that warmed Octavia's heart a little. Even if it was just a small piece of a colossal puzzle, anything which proved useful in the journey was something to be cherished. Even as a filly, Octavia viewed such occurrences in a positive light.

However, with Wind Rider's warning and the oddities revolving around this group of bandits fresh in her mind, Octavia's chest tightened as well. Investigations were bound to have perils and challenges awaiting those who rummaged through the clues; such a fact was unavoidable in Octavia's eyes. She just wished said challenges weren't too troublesome.

Much to Octavia's dismay, guaranteeing nothing troublesome would occur was something beyond her control.