Rarity
Let it never be said that I didn't answer the Princess's call.

Luckily I'd had the forethought to pack a very warm (yet still stylish) set of winter clothes before we departed upon this frigid trip and managed to secure myself a position upon the chariot with the dragon capable of breathing fire.

Who is currently assisting me in the brewing of a pot of Cinnamon tea.

"I'll try though I can't promise I won't melt the pot" Spike says while eyeing up the teapot.

"It's a very sturdy pot, and I've seen you control your fire before. I'm sure you'll be great at it, Spikey Wikey." I say, though in the back of my mind I'm ready to sacrifice the pot in the potential for a hot cup of tea.

Turning my head to the front of the chariot, I see Twilight reading a map and notice that she seems to be marking dots after looking at the landscape

Feeling a warm sensation behind me, I turn back towards the now fire-breathing dragon, whom I notice is now breathing out a calm and controlled flame.

"Well done Spikey!" I say with a positive tone "I'll see if Twilight would like some."

Spike tries to nod but then remembers, before he burns the floor, to stop himself.

Taking a few steps toward the front of the chariot, I stop while looking at the details that Twilight had been marking on her map.

Looks like absolute nonsense to me, she appears to have made an additional key that is lacking in details and while I can tell there are some tracks being marked, she seems to be using different symbols to distinguish between… something.

"How's your work, Darling?" I say to be alert of my presence.

Twilight seems to jump slightly but turns to me and says "Not so great to be honest, I thought that it'd be worth with our birds-eye view that I could try to map potential avenues of entry against the topological charts into the town as to work out how Blue was able to get here but I've been having some issues."

I nod and say "What is the biggest issue then?"

"How much she was carrying for one, some tracks I think a pony could probably walk over while travelling light but…" Twilight says while motioning to a relatively high hill "If she wasn't travelling light then a hillside like this in the snow would be nearly impossible for a pony to walk down safely."

"I can't imagine she was travelling light, we've only managed to get away with our smallish bags as we have these fine guards making the journey easier but as you said at the castle, no chariots have been booked to the town in at least six months meaning that this Blue must have had to trek, requiring heavier supplies and tools." I say while pondering the issue.

"Good point, that helps filter down the potential routes at least, thanks Rarity." Twilight says while beaming at me.

"Of course Darling, I'm glad to provide assistance. I was wondering if you'd like some cinnamon tea, Spike is brewing some as we speak and I think it will be just the thing we need to stave off this biting co-"

*hiccup*

Turning on the spot, I bear witness to the last embers remaining in the spot that my poor tea pot was previously inhabiting.

"I'm sorry Rarity" I hear Spike say "I'll replace it."

"It's fine Spike" I say while withholding an internal sigh "this is why we bring easily replaceable teapots when travelling, they are expected to break."

Tilting my head towards Twilight, I say "Sorry darling, I'll have to rescind that offer unless you take your tea in the evaporated state."

"It would certainly be a new experience at least, maybe we can boil off some sugar to enhance it" Twilight says with a smile.

"Sounds like something Sweetie would do, some of the stains that filly can leave still perplex me."

"You're not worried about leaving her at the carousel ?" twilight says teasingly.

"Perpetually, but she's staying with the apple family at the moment. I wanted to send her to our parents but when I sent a letter to Cherilee asking if it was okay, she told me that they had a pretty important school project" I say.

*burp*

Twilight and I turned our attention back to Spike who was now holding a scroll.

He unwinds it and after we watch him reading for a few moments, he looks up from the scroll bashfully and says "The Princess thanks us for the tea, she says it was delicious."

I am unable to stop myself from letting a sigh out this time.

I look up towards the sun through overcast skies and wager that it's hit about 10 o'clock in the morning.

Looking back down, I can see the small town precariously planted on a plain on the side of a mountain and I wonder what resources the inhabitants had sought after when deciding to plonk a settlement in this very cold part of the world.

Glancing to the right, I see the two other chariots carrying the rest of our merry band to this rustic spot, or more accurately I hear them first.

"I'm telling you if you'd let me fly by myself, I could have been here long before you all. Maybe could have done some scouting of the team in case any of these ponies might be part of her evil entourage." I hear Dash's abrasive voice pierce the fog.

"And Ahm telling you that Ah ain't disputing your speed, compared to the armour wearing armed guards lugging an incredibly heavy chariot, if there were some members of this 'evil' entourage here then you'd be stuck in this town by yourself and tired from trying to outpace us there " Applejack returns.

"I could have taken them, I'm an accomplished fighter at this stage especially after what we've fought."

"Ahm sure, but we can leave your fighting prowess till we get to the town, which luckily we are here."

We find our chariots landing on the outside of town on a grass patch connected to a building I can only presume is a tavern.

The guards allow us to step off the platforms, unhitch themselves from the harness and then turn to us "We are going to organise a room at this tavern and get some rest, if there are any issues please come and get us."

With several nods and utterance of agreements, the guards make their leave.

Twilight looks around to make sure that we are speaking in private and says "Okay girls as agreed, Rarity, spike and I will go find and speak to the doctor for any information and you four try to find out what you can elsewhere."

Twilight, Spike and I separate from the group as they start discussing which direction to head in fist and we start heading down the street.

Similar to Blue's mother, we've come up with a few questions and game plans depending on the doctor's reactions but from what we've gathered in regards to the doctor from his employee file, he seems to be quite prideful and if he's been upstaged from a young doctor then maybe we have an avenue of information.

"I think we are close to the northern dragon tribe" I hear Spike say as we walk along the main street.

"Really? Did you want to try and visit them?" I earnestly respond
"Probably best to avoid it, from what I've read they are a lot more territorial than most of the other tribes. Just was bothering me why I'd recognised the town name when we researched it but then when we landed I spotted that mountain" Spike returns while pointing into the distance.

I squint my eyes and just about make out the shape of a peculiar looking mountain.

"It's called Dragongem mountain, according to legend the first dragon to settle in these lands claw-crafted it using all of the tools it had managed to secure in raids and its supposed to not have any rock angles below 34 degrees."

Twilight, who had been sorting through her notes, decides to start paying attention to the conversation, "Why? That seems like a waste of time."

"According to witnesses at the time, the dragon said and I quote 'good you do recognise it as my clawi-work, that means you have got no reason to be in there'" Spike says, trying to emulate a gruff voice while quoting the dragon in question.

"Oh, I was expecting something less… uncouth" I say.

Spike shrugs and says "Dragons gotta horde"

As the conversation comes to an end, we find ourselves in front of a white-stone building with timber supports and a sign that has long since needed retirement marked Dr Scalpel.

We give each other a look of comfort and then knock on the door.

"One minute please" a masculine voice echoes from within the door frame.

We hear sounds of movement within the building for some moments and after hearing the door latch lift, we see a stallion emerge from the doorframe, adjourned with brown fur and a tweed jacket.

"Sorry for the delay, I wasn't expecting any clientele today. Is it a critical issue or would you like to step in?" the doctor says in a deep but learned tone.

I can feel both Twilight and Spike give a glance towards me as I have apparently taken the frontpony role in these situations and so I say "Nothing critical luckily Doctor, we'd take the offer to come in though. This cold is almost cruel."

We are promptly let into the property and noticing an active fireplace, I surreptitiously make my way over while trying to distract the doctor with conversation.

"So what brings you three into…" I notice the doctor starts saying after organising himself although he seems to falter when seeing Spike.

"Questions mostly, though your lovely company also drew us in." I say and notice my flattery seems to have alleviated any fears of Spike.
Doctor Scalpel pulls his jacket down with one hoof and says in an interesting tone "Questions? I should be able to help with that at least, unless it's anything too ill-moral."

I notice that Spike has already started taking notes, and Twilight seems to be both keeping an eye on the conversation and looking around for clues.

"I hope we don't come off as the immoral sort good doctor" I say while holding a hoof to my chest "in fact you could say we've come for the opposite reason, we've been charged by Princess Celestia herself in the investigation of a character of disrepute and we have some reasons to believe that she might have sundered this town's good nature."

The doctor seems to gain a slight frown on his face and says "of disrepute? I am not sure I understand what you are talking about."

I try to put my most sympathetic face on "A medicinal swindler or closer to a snake-oil merchant in my opinion, this particular character goes to towns where a case seems impossible to solve and even puts a professional doctor, such as yourself, in doubt with their diagnoses."

I can see waves of recognition as my description seems to strike a nerve within the doctor.

"I think I know what this is about, and while what you are saying is concerning, I don't think I can give you any information without breaching doctor / client confidentiality" the doctor says while pulling myself into a guarded pose.

"And I wouldn't expect any doctors to do so, I am sure that the townsfolk respect your discretionary talents but in this case the confidentiality might be void. The swindler in question promises an extraordinary talent when approaching her clients, the ability to resurrect."

Doctor Scalpel acquires a doubtful face and says "Resurrection? Are you being serious?"

"Indeed, it's a troublesome topic and I can tell from your doubt that you are an astute fellow but it's of our opinion that all this mare is doing is an advanced form of puppetry, tell me this patient of yours based on your previous analysis, should they be alive?"

"No, by all accounts she was dead. I declared the time myself." the doctor says with a troubled look.

"Then if she is truly dead, then her loved ones are being forced to keep care of what is essentially a doll. Do you think that this poor patient deserves this? They deserve a peaceful funeral and to be left to rest." I say, trying to draw him over the edge.

The doctor stands quietly for a few minutes after hearing this but just as I am about to ask a subsequent question I hear him speak up.

"Okay, you're right. What do you want to know?

I give him a smile and say "thank you doctor, let's start with what you can remember about this other doctor…"

We finish off collecting the information that the doctor can remember about Blue and manage to get some details about the filly and her mother as well as collating it with what little information we knew.

I look around at my two companions as they sort out the last of their notes, for which I'm glad to seem to understand the medicine aspects at least, and then I turn back to the down-trodden doctor.

"Thank you again for this Doctor Scalpel, at the very least it confirms our theories and we can get started in trying to sort this mess. "

It takes a few moments for the doctor to respond but then he says "what do you plan on doing next?"

Twilight speaks up as she clips her notes together "We need to go and see Starbloom and tell her the truth first, she deserves to know it. We also need to bring back Nightbloom to Canterlot, there is a research team dedicated to cases like this that could help with preventing this from happening again."

The doctor nods and says "I shouldn't have let her near the body, felt wrong when I did it. I am sorry for causing this mess."

"From what we can tell Doctor, you are not the first and you shouldn't feel guilty about it." I say.

"I'd prefer to hang onto it as a reminder, but if you are going to Starbloom's house now, I'd like to join you."

I hesitate in my answer as I am not sure whether we should or not but luckily my decision is taken out of my hooves when Twilight agrees.

Afterward, the four of us leave the building and start heading to Starbloom's house and while we are walking along, we luckily manage to spot our traversing friends talking to various ponies as well as looking around the area.

Rainbow gets back to us first and after a brief introduction to our temporary companion, says in a hushed tone to both Twilight and I "Looks like a few ponies did recognise a pony as per the description but nopony saw any blue hair, so probably a wig or dyed it. Otherwise, the only other thing that stuck out in the ponies' minds is that she got here on a small sled."

"A sled?" I ask.

"Yeah like the ones we use for snow days, apparently she came flying down the mountain on it."

"How odd, I would imagine that she'd prefer a quieter entrance."

I see that Twilight is half paying attention to the conversation but is more focused on her notes formed from the doctor.

After our little group is coordinated, I notice that we seem to have drawn the attention of a crowd keeping an eye on us. I suppose they must be somewhat wary of strangers and after what Spike had said about the dragon in the area.

We manage to get to the house without any issue and we watch the doctor take a few steps in front of us and address us.

"I'll knock, she's not going to be happy to have strangers coming to the house in the first place."

I notice that the rest of our group takes up differing positions in case of anything and then I notice that Pinkie's tail starts twitching more furiously, I'm not sure if the rest of our group has noticed anything about it but Pinkie has been hiding it since she's came back to Canterlot, but no one takes any particular action yet.

The doctor knocks on the door and after a few moments we see a mare open it.

"Doctor Scalpel? Is anything the matter?" she says.

The Doctor seems to falter slightly under the question but is able to catch himself.

"Hi Star, I'm sorry to have to do this but these mares are from Canterlot and are here about Nightbloom."

Starbloom gives us an inquisitive look at first, turns her attention inside for a moment, and I notice as she turns back her look of confusion rapidly changes into suspicion.

"Sorry I don't think I have the time to talk to you all today, if you come around tomorrow it would probably be better."

Starbloom tries quickly to close the door but the doctor is able to catch it before it closes.

"Please Star, we can resolve this peacefully. They just want to help." I hear the doctor say.

"Take your hoof off my door" Starbloom says sternly.

Sensing that tension rising between the two, I watch Twilight take a step forward and say "I'm sorry to interject but for now all we want to do is talk, we think and your own doctor here agrees that you've been the victim of medical fraud."

"I assure you that I'm not the victim of anything, now I must insist that you let go of my door. I am very busy and need to sort some things out."

I start to hear some murmuring in the crowd that had followed us but try to keep my attention on the situation in front of me.

Then I watch Twilight continue "Please Starbloom, we cannot leave and we really need to talk to you and Nightbloom. I think from your reactions, you know why. We are not sure what she has told you but we've got evidence that she is wrong and if you do not talk with us, I am going to have to get the royal guard."

I internally wince as Twilight finishes speaking, I suspect she meant that in a less threatful way but those were the wrong words.

The increasing tension in the crowd seems to concur with me.

A voice then calls out "Leave her alone!"

I turn around at this and notice that the rest of our group does as well.

While trying to formulate a quick response, Rainbow steps forward.

I try to step forward to stop her speaking but she gets her words out first.

"We are trying to help her! She's the one being stubborn."

Voices of discontent start raising but I do notice that Rainbow's words have swayed some others.

"She said she's busy" "Well the purple one said royal guard, they are here from the Princess" "Princess Candance?" "Well that doesn't give them the right… wait a minute, who assumes Princess Candance when you hear Princess?" "Well she's a princess ain't she?" "So is the 'purple one' you two idiots" is what I manage to hear before the crowd turns discordant.

Twilight, still focusing on Starbloom, says "Please, I don't want to do this."

Starbloom just shakes her head.

I watch Twilight sigh, and turn her attention down the street as the guards who accompanied us come down.

I presume she magically contacted them at one stage but without that context it looks like an eerie sense of timing.

Twilight walks over to them and says something I can't quite catch and afterward they both nod while walking to the house.

This crowd isn't going to be any happier about this.

The three guards come to the still held open door and the lead guard says in an authoritative tone "Ma'am, open your door please, otherwise I am going to have to restrain you."

Starbloom attempts to push the door closed with more force, but the guard prevent it from happening.

The lead guard makes a motion to the other two and then pulls Starbloom out of the house.

The crowd behind me get louder as well, seemingly fighting about what's happening amongst themselves and then I see something fly in the air towards the house and as I recognise it as a bottle, it smashes against one of the windows.

As the lead guard places the hoofcuffs on Starbloom, one of the other guards hurriedly gallops to our position, pulls out his weapon and shouts to the crowd "DISPERSE NOW, IF YOU DO NOT THEN WE WILL BE FORCED TO PLACE YOU UNDER ARREST."

I frown at the particular phrasing, but before I get concerned over the implications the crowd does hesitantly disperse, though I do notice a few silent observers staring at us.

As our commotion was going on, apparently a guard had gone into the house and retrieved Nightbloom.

As Starbloom resists against the bindings on her hooves, she starts screaming "NO LEAVE HER INSIDE, DON'T TAKE HER FROM ME AGAIN"

I notice that the dispersing crowd have stopped again, though further and now more spread apart and with the screams now emanating, I honestly believe we might get stampeded.

Okay, time for a more delicate touch.

I step towards Starbloom, and say "We wouldn't dream of it darling, this situation has got out of hoof due to some wrong words" I say while looking around "if you'd talked to us earlier, we would have told you we had some concerns about your daughter and wanted to take yourself and her to Canterlot to be checked by some specialists. We won't take her away and I can assure you that she will not be hurt."

Twilight gives me a look but honestly we cannot stick to the original plan here of just bringing back Nightbloom, the ponies will start rioting, and I personally don't see an issue.

Starbloom looks at me with suspicious eyes, trying to see if I am lying.

Time to gain her trust hopefully, I say to the guard to take off her hoofcuffs.

The guard does so and she stretches her hooves after being released.

She looks at me again though I notice the fire has gone down slightly at least, and says "And what now?"

"One of these fine guards will accompany you back to Canterlot, there is a specialised research team that will house you temporarily. Though we will need access to your house here for a short time, it's the only conditional we are going to have to put" I say.

Starbloom seems doubtful for a moment, I notice her looking around for anything she can use, then dejectedly sighs and says "I don't think I have any other options, my key is inside."

I give a nod to the guard and he takes both Blooms away to the chariot.

Looking around the street, the crowd seems to actually get back to business.

I let out a sigh of relief as Twilight makes herself to me and says "Thank you, I wasn't sure what to do there."

"Remind me to teach you the more delicate side to speaking when we get back to normal life, sometimes a mob can be tilted either ways by some words. Now we have a house to investigate!"

We spend a good few hours going through everything in the house, I think it's even nighttime outside, and aside from a death certificate that was hidden behind a cabinet we get stumped until Pinkie notices a document in the night stand.

"Pinkie it's just a letter with a weird symbol on it, that could even be a logo for a company." Rainbow says.

"Not the symbol, the text on it. It looks like a letter but someone's written the response on it Aaand it's not been folded like you would when putting it in an envelope."

Twilight's attention has been piqued by this sentence and comes over.

After looking at the document for a few minutes and casting some spells, Twilight says "This symbol is runic magic, good find Pinkie."

"Runic magic?" Fluttershy says.

"A very old way of practising magic, ponies haven't tried for millennia. I think a few races still use it, but it's very specialised. Even my detecting magic didn't pick it up and it looks like this particular rune is a two-way communication device, though I would need to read through some books back at the castle to confirm."

"So we could talk to her right now?"

"I think so, though not sure if there is any particular thing we need to do but I'd imagine not. If this was designed to be simple, maybe Blue thought the rarity of Runic magic was defence enough."

"Tell her to go to the castle then! We can have this adventure finished tomorrow" Rainbow says.

"No that won't work, no way would she volunteer going to the castle and we have only got one chance with messaging her if we are"

I watch Pinkie look at her twitching tail for a moment, nod for a second and say "If she thinks that this message is coming from Starbloom then why not have her come here?"

Twilight thinks on it for a moment and says "Actually, that's a good idea. It's not like she can run away in this snowy mountain range easily and we can still investigate through messengers anyway. What does everypony else think?"

With group of affirmations, I watch Twilight start writing

Dear Dr Place Bo,

I think we might require your services again…

Author's Note

Well thanks for reading this monster of a chapter,
probably could have trimmed it down but I felt it was more relevant and I wanted to fit under Rarities' Point of view.
Next chapter might potentially be fairly long as we finally, after like 8-9 years , might have something happen.

Thank you to AlcoholEnjoyer for the assistance with the chapter names, multiple chapters have been renamed as to fit the tone better