Canterlot Academy Trials

Meanwhile, back in Canterlot…

“Nebula, what exactly do you think is happening here? Shouldn’t we tell Twilight?”

“No good,” the stallion replied as he trotted over to his desk and used his magic to flip through a book, “You know she’s not gonna listen when she’s knee-deep in studying something.”

Luster Dawn couldn’t argue with that. “...fair point. So what exactly are we doing here?”

Atomic Nebula would levitate a container that housed a small piece of the tentacle monster’s body. “I snuck a bit of this away from Twilight and I’m gonna study it. See what makes it tick.”

“...” Dawn raised an eyebrow. “...you’ve been spending way too much time with Grimrose.”

“Oh don’t be like that,” Nebula scoffed as he placed some goggles on his face, “She’s got nothing to do with this. I’m my own brand of crazy today--”

Dawn smacked her forehead with her hoof, “Oh my--for Celestia’s sake is everyone here insane?”

“Do…do you really want me to answer th--”

“No!”

Nebula chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t worry. I got this. See the issue with this corrupted monster is that it feels and looks--even smells unfamiliar,” he explained as he removed the lid to take a quick sniff before recoiling in disgust.

Dawn leaned over his shoulder with narrowed eyes. “Okay genius. Enlighten me with your wisdom, if you would,” she asked with a sarcastic tone--though it wasn’t out of malice.

“Gladly--see this feels like something that was put here by an outside force. Someone who wants to cause trouble for us, don’tcha think?”

“It’s possible, yeah. But who would…?”

“Beats me,” Nebula shrugged his shoulders as he leaned back in his seat. “Best we can do is put together what we know about what’s been going on around here lately. Maybe corporate espionage or something.”

“Really? That’s your big scary theory?”

“Well let’s see you come up with one, Lusty.”

“Do not--”

Nebula simply snickered as Dawn rolled her eyes. “Sorry,” he added, “Come on. Let’s study this.”

During the afternoon when everyone had finished their tea, Lee and her newly formed team were on their way towards the Shu Region’s palace. However, what they didn’t account for was the fact that Bullet was on his way to the palace as well.

“So they’re here as well, huh? Great…may as well make use of them in any way I can,” he thought to himself as he watched the group from a tree.

From where she stood, Lee glanced over in the direction of that very tree. It was to their right within the garden of the palace. “...”

“Ms. Lee, is something wrong?” Chang asked.

Lee shook her head. “No. Sorry, my liege. Just got distracted by the wind.”

“...right. Anyhow. Is everyone ready?” Chang looked at the other members of the group.

They all nodded. From the front, Thiasus had joined Lee and Chang to pose as an ambassador to the deerfolk. Meanwhile, Mistwalker had snuck into a nearby river and had floated along until she was close enough to sneak into one of the palace’s fountains through the ground. Lastly, Blue was stationed high in the sky, flying above everyone and everything else in the city where no one would notice him.

The emperor primate then approached the palace building where he was able to bypass the guards stationed there due to his authority. It wasn’t long before Hei answered the door.

“...Lord Chang? And…” The monkey man glanced at the young woman next to the emperor--his daughter. “...Lianhua.”

“Father, I’m here to have a talk with you.”

Meanwhile from that nearby tree…

Bullet watched as Lee and Chang entered the palace and bit into a mango he held with his foot while twirling his pistol in his right hand. “Well…this should be fun. Something on the level of one of Wukong’s escapades even.”

Inside the palace…

“You…want to come back?” Hei asked with a concerned tone.

“...yes,” Lee lied to her father’s face with a convincing, shy shuffle back and forth as she held her hands together, “I’m so sorry for all the trouble that I caused you and mother. And above all else…I truly do hate that pathetic commoner that tried to force himself onto me.”

Hei patted his daughter on her back. “That’s good to know. Give me a moment and allow me to see if I can find your mother. She’s going to want to hear this as well.” The monkey man left the room for a moment…

…and Lee and Chang would exchange a knowing smirk with each other.