“Cooperation and compromise are the foundations of civilization. In order for society to advance, we must look past individualism and look at the whole picture. Individuals and the private sector must compromise their values and cooperate with the government at their fullest capabilities to ensure proper progression. In turn, the government must be truly united and working as a single entity with a single goal to build society as it was meant to be. Any act of defiance on any level can hinder progress and Harmony's perfection.”

-Brisk Wind- Essay on Perfecting Harmony

“Jackie Susan 'Applejack' Apple,” reads Warden Frost aloud as her hoof skims the said profiles. “Thaumaturgist and labeled as top priority by Director Brisk Wind for reasons of conspiracy to overthrow the government and promote widespread disharmony.”

Nebulous smirks at the pale blue pegasus while Meriaclock remains making his boredom as obnoxiously obvious as possible. Starting with spinning an antique globe on its stand and watching the world spin with a deep frown.

Warden Frost looks at Meriaclock and clears her throat, her intent working with absolute perfection since the pegasus instantly stops. The annoyed look given to her, however, is something she could do without. But now that Meriaclock is no longer messing with her globe, she meet Nebulous' smirk with a neutral gaze.

“Professor, I'm going to be frank, I don't like her being here,” begins the Warden. “If word gets out that there is an Element is in my prison then I will be getting a lot of unwanted attention.”

“I understand your concern, truly, I do, but Thaumaturgy is an exceedingly rare and dangerous gift,” says Nebulous brightly, which visibly annoys the mare in front of him. “The art of matter manipulation is one that very, very, very, very-”

“Only half of one percent of the population can do it and if left unchecked it can surpass most highly trained unicorns,” interrupts Meriaclock impatiently, now looking at a picture of a group of pegasus fillies posing for a picture in front of the Cloudsdale Orphanage. Next to a filly Warden Frost Flower is the all too familiar EIB Director Brisk Wind.

Nebulous turns to Meriaclock, his smiling flickering for just a moment, whereas Warden Frost stares at the pegasus, still unamused.

“I am well aware of Thaumaturgy's rarity and the danger it possesses,” states the Warden flatly.

Nebulous turns back to Warden Frost, his smile as bright as before. “I suspect that you are aware of what Applejack was able to do as a filly, then, and why we are so... cautious? Yes, cautious sounds like a nice word for this.”

Warden Frost exhales and rests her head against her hoof while the other one taps impatiently on her desk in the hopes that the unicorn will get the hint. Unfortunately for her, Nebulous is either oblivious to the message or he is purposefully trying to annoy her.

“Applejack needs to be contained in an isolated, but still somewhat easily accessible location for effective research,” continues Nebulous. “Your prison just happens to fit the bill and has a nice tradition of imprisoning Thaumaturgists. Besides, you have nothing to fear since the royal government has contracted the Starswirl Society to study Applejack's ability as well as took every necessary precaution for a smooth sail. And another thing! The one in charge will be yours truly, so you really have no need to worry.”

To make his point clearer, Nebulous closes his eyes, presses his hoof against his barrel and tilts his nose up snobbishly. Warden Frost just stares at him with the same annoyed scowl that has been growing ever since that cooky unicorn stepped into her office, and when he opens his eyes and sees her face, she almost smiles from seeing his disappointment. The Warden's eyes flick to his jacket when he takes a breath and levitates a manila envelope with the Sun of Equestria on its resting spot, and she follows it down to her desk. Once there, Nebulous uses his hoof to slide if forward and she grabs it with her hoof and drags it closer to her.

“All the details are in there, and if you have any questions, comments or concerns you can always contact me, Major Glimmer Fuller, Director Brisk Wind or Princess Celestia,” says Nebulous.

Warden Frost uses her teeth to tear open the envelope and pull out the packet, then, as she reads the introduction letter, her eyes pop wide for a second before they narrow at the demands poorly disguised as requests.

“Just so we are clear, Professor, no prisoner of mine will become your lab rat, regardless who they are or who stamps this,” says Warden Frost, her tone razor sharp.

Nebulous waves his hoof dismissively. “Oh, relax, Warden. I will be doing equine things towards her. Standard questionnaires, physical examinations, and study of the markings under her hooves. No physical harm will come from these tests.”

Warden Frost hums, now turning the page and squinting her eyes and leaning in closer, trying to decipher what the heck the higher ups are trying to tell her as confusion overtakes her anger. She looks up seconds later, failing to hide her lost look with her stern demeanor. “Professor, I don't know what kind of game you are playing, but my camp is not a hotel! I will not be housing you or anypony from the Starswirl Society or the royal government unless they have a prison sentence!”

Marialock snorts, prompting the the scholar and warden to look at him with mixed expressions. The sharply dressed pegasus is now sitting against the wall, eyes closed and hooves folded across his chest and stretched out across the floor.

“I told you she wouldn't like it,” comments Mariaclock.

“I'm sorry, are you bored?” asks Nebulous, some annoyance now creeping in his tone.

“Very.”

Nebulous sighs and turns to Warden Frost. “Is there any way you can entertain him?”

Warden Frost's eyelids drop halfway. “Sorry, but I don't have a play-pin.” She presses a red button on her desk and the speaker box next to her buzzes. “Lieutenant Club, my office, please.”

“Yes, ma'am,” says a stallion over the speaker.

Seconds later, Billy enters her office and snaps at attention, keeping his blue eyes locked straight ahead. “Ma'am.”

Warden Frost waves towards her two guests. “It appears our guests are getting bored. Please escort them off the premises.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Billy does an about-face to look at the two stallions and stomps his hoof. “Gentlecolts, follow me.”

Meriaclock rolls his eyes, but gets up nonetheless while Nebulous takes a step back with his hoof raised.

“Now hold on, my dear boy, I am not bored. I am actually enjoying myself, here. I do quite enjoy talking to a fine mare like your Warden.”

“Charming,” murmurs Warden Frost now skimming the delivered packet as Billy stares at Nebulous. “Escort him and his friend out, anyway, Lieutenant.”

“Yes, ma'am,” says the Lieutenant. His eyes narrow on Nebulous and he points at the door. “Move.”

Nebulous blinks, eyes wide and jaw set. “Alright. No need to be pushy about it. Come on, Meriaclock.”

Nebulous turns around and sees Meriaclock is already waiting in the hallway for him, tapping his hoof impatiently on the lightly dirty tile. The Professor chuckles and starts to the door with Billy following close behind, but when he reaches the door, he stops and turns, much to the annoyance of everyone, as marked by their groans.

“How does dinner at eight on Sunday sound?” asks Nebulous to Warden Frost.

The Warden's eye twitches. “If I say yes will you go away?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. Yes. Go away.”

Nebulous does a hoof-pump. “Yesss!”

The Professor is then shoved out the office by Billy, who quickly shuts the office door, giving the Warden the peace she desired so very much.

Out in the hallway, Nebulous smiles innocently at Billy as the larger unicorn trots ahead of him and his pegasus companion, giving both of them an equal dose of hateful glares. When the prison guard is a good pace away, Nebulous and Meriaclock walk after him, with a skip in the former and the latter sporting a miffed look on his face and dragging his wings and tail along.

Nebulous spots his companion's unpleasant look out of the corner of his eye and speaks with his usual light tone as he wipes his glasses with a cloth without removing them. “What has your feathers gunked up, Meriaclock?”

“What is bugging me is between you and me. Nopony else has to hear it,” replies the pegasus hostilely.

Billy glances over his shoulder, eying the two suspiciously, only to look back ahead when Nebulous offers a sweet smile. Once their escort looks away, the Professor's smile falters slightly and he gives his pegasus friend a small nod.

“Very well. We will discuss your issues when we are alone,” says Nebulous

“Good,” grumbles Meriaclock.

The two fall silent, with only the clip-clops of their hooves on tile and the occasional page to breach the silence. But with each passing second, a little bug starts chewing on the back of Nebulous' mind, and he can't shake what it is after, until he reaches the elevator and realizes that he forgot to ask the Warden where she lived or where she wanted to eat. With that thought in mind, his smile flips and he stomps the floor with an annoyed yell.

“Oh, doodle muffins!”

Meanwhile, back in the office, Warden Frost sits at her desk, hooves placed in front of her like a steeple and eyes glaring straight ahead at the door. The room seems darker to her for some reason. She thinks it might be because of her mood, or maybe it has something to do with the vibe she got from her visitors and the events surrounding her special prisoner.

Her eyes drift towards the profile of Applejack and the packet describing the cooperation between her prison and the Starswirl Society in regards to the imprisoned Element. The Warden's brows scrunch as she flips through the pages, taking note of all that is being “requested”. From a near complete takeover of her largest medical and employee housing facilities, to free reign and more soldiers being allowed on her prison. She does not like it in any sense and her thoughts push and turn on each other like gears of a clock. She goes back and forth between the seals of the Starswirl Society, Research and Development and the Equestrian Investigation Bureau, trying to figure out why all three would be working together for something as ludicrous as what she truly suspects to be live pony testing. Especially since their other resident Thaumaturgist did not get this kind of treatment when he arrived.

Though, abominations aside, a part of her does have an understanding as to why the Starswirl Society and Research and Development would be working together, but the EIB's involvement is something she cannot wrap her head around. The more she thinks about it, the more she wants to pick up the phone and have a civil conversation with Brisk Wind about the matter. Or at least as civil as the EIB Director will allow. Thinking about Brisk Wind and her absolutely charming nature quickly makes Warden Frost reconsider her contacting the EIB in regards to their role in her prison, and instead she looks back at the other two seals.

Her ears and eyes twitch with the ticks of her hanging clock and her mind goes silent for a few minutes as it comes to a standstill. Despite her not feeling any form of comfort of having her prison being turned into a research lab, she knows that in this day and age, she cannot just phone a complaint with any government branch. Doing so will create a bureaucratic nightmare, and she really does not want to get on the bad side of a branch that has a direct connection with the military. Leaving only one other choice to get to the bottom of what is going on with her prison. It is a choice that leaves a feeling of hungry worms rolling around in her gut, but it must be done.

Warden Frost presses her hoof against the speaker's button and she speaks without breaking her eyes off of the Starswirl Society's seal. “Officer Pie, my office, please.”

“Yes, ma'am,” says a mare on the other end.

As Warden Frost patiently waits for the mare to arrive, she scribbles on a piece of paper and rips it off, and when the minute mark passes a quick pair of knocks fill the quiet room.

“Door's open,” says Warden Frost.

The door opens and Limestone walks in and snaps to attention once in front of the Warden's desk.

“You wanted to see me, ma'am,” says Lieutenant Pie.

“Yes. I have a very special task for you,” says Warden Frost quickly.

“Ma'am?”

Warden Frost locks eyes with the earth pony. “First off, I want you to catch up Lieutenant Club. He is escorting a couple of guests out of my prison, and one of them is Professor Nebulous Dust. A unicorn.” She slides the paper forward. “I forgot to give him my address and where I wanted to eat for our date.”

Limestone blinks in confusion, breaking eye contact for just a moment to look at the information on the sheet before resuming her original position. “Ma'am?”

“Secondly, I want you and Lieutenant Club to keep an eye on me while I have my date. Record every ounce of audio you can get and make sure I am not stabbed to death in an alley. If Lieutenant Club has a problem with that, he can suck it up and deal with it. Dismissed.”

“Is something wrong, ma'am?”

Warden Frost narrows her eyes. “Dismissed.”

Limestone salutes. “Yes, ma'am. Thank you ma'am.”

And with that, the Officer scampers out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Warden Frost remains in her seat with her hooves steepled in front of her with her harsh gaze aimed at the door. But from behind her hooves, her lips curve to a small smile and a devious glow lights up her eyes.