//------------------------------// // Episode 102: Far From Healed // Story: Equestria Girls: Friendship Souls // by thatguyvex //------------------------------// Episode 102: Far From Healed Grave silence hung between the two girls. A sensation of falling into a cold, winter river splashed across Sunset’s senses. Somehow, before Twilight said another word, she already knew what was coming. The way Twilight’s face twitched and struggled to contain the pain that was spilling from her eyes told it’s own tale without Sunset’s friend having to go further than she already had. Twilight suddenly looked far from confident or assured, but rather like she was teetering on the edge of breakdown. The facade of controlled command she’d put up in front of the other girls, both her friends from Canterlot High, and her friends from the Quincy, was slipping rapidly in that weighty silence. “Twilight-” Sunset began, but Twilight cut her off. “Let’s go somewhere else. I don’t want to wake anyone who’s asleep in the trailers,” Twilight said, her voice struggling to remain level, collected. Sunset just gulped and nodded. Twilight led her away from the field lab, and went down the trail briefly until it reached the nearby stream. It’s gently flowing waters created a painfully peaceful atmosphere for what Sunset knew would not be an easy conversation. Yet she cared about Twilight and wasn’t about to flinch away from this. She squared her shoulders and looked for Twilight to set the pace, but kept her expression open and understanding. Twilight looked at the stream, and slowly sat down on the grassy bank. Sunset took a seat next to her. It wasn’t much different from how they sat together on the beach, the other day. “I... don’t really know how to do this...” Twilight said, her voice strained, like a lost child calling for help, “I thought I’d cried so much already that it was over, and I could at least pretend things would be okay. But I just... now that I’m here, and I want to tell you, I... I can’t even get anything past the... the...” Sunset could hear the lump there in Twilight's throat, the grief choking her friend. There was no more doubt in Sunset’s mind what had happened. At this point it really was all done, except the crying, and letting Twilight tell the details at her own pace, but even Sunset was shocked at just how much Twilight’s pain spilled over right into her. She didn’t even know Twilight’s mother well at all, yet her friend’s pain hit as hard as any physical blow. She saw the break coming, and felt it herself, and scooted closer to Twilight. “Here,” she said, voice filled with simple, clean empathy, and wrapped her arms around Twilight. That was all it took, and Twilight broke entirely. Her glasses fell from her face as she buried it in Sunset’s chest, and let the sobs come with uncontrolled, unbridled torrents. Sunset held her firm through it all, whispering quietly that it was okay, and to let it out. The babbling of the stream nearby swallowed the sobs, and Sunset found her own face getting wet with tears as she shared the sensations wracking her friend.  ---------- Gloriosa was pacing rapidly around the camp center. Timber Spruce had just gotten back and told her what had happened. Her own worries and fears had now skyrocketed. Those creatures she seen were dangerous, after all. Despite Twilight’s apparent assurance that her Quincy would protect the campers, Gloriosa was tempted to go to Principal Celestia right then and there, and ask that camp be postponed. She couldn’t stand the thought of any of those kids getting hurt on her watch!  “Twilight said it will be okay,” Timber Spruce said, “And I trust her.” “It’s not about trust,” Gloriosa said, more snappish than she meant to, and instantly felt bad when she saw Timber flinch away from her from where he was sitting on one of the camp center’s long tables. “It’s just...” Gloriosa took a deep breath, clutching her necklace, “It’s about doing what's best for Camp Everfree and the campers. This place is meant to be safe.” “I hear you, but what would we even tell the campers? That magical creatures from another world have invaded the forest? Look, both Twilight and those counselor girls seem like they have things under control. But, if something else happens, then fine, I’ll back you on calling off camp. I don’t like seeing you worked up like this Glori.” “I’m not worked up, I’m... I’m just tired. And stressed,” she said, taking a few calming breaths as she forced herself to stop pacing and plopped down next to her brother, “I just want our home to be safe, and whole. And lively. This camp is everything to me. It and you, Timber. People should be able to come here and have fun exploring nature and all the beauty that’s around here. I’m... wondering if I made a mistake agreeing to let the Quincy use it.” “Well, they did say we could still run it like a summer camp when they’re not training here.” “I know, I just don’t like our home being at the center of all this weirdness. If anything happened to one of our campers. Or if anything happened to you...” Gloriosa’s hand clenched tightly around the necklace of geodes, and for a second her eyes started to swell with darkness, “I don’t know what I’d do.” Timer couldn’t see the literal dark that had entered his sister’s eyes from the angle he was sitting at, and when she turned to him, the darkness had already fled. Timber smiled reassuringly at his sister and patted her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, Gloriosa... huh, what’s that?” “What’s what?” Gloriosa asked, and followed his gaze to look down at the necklace. “Huh?” One of the geodes, the firey red one, was glowing brightly, like a lit lantern.  ---------- In the depths beneath Everfree, she stirred. Something was wrong. Her host was growing ever more desperate and fearful, and that was good. The host was all but prepared for her intended purpose. And the magic she carried, it had remained a strong, steady pulse, a source of fuel and strength as long as the host bore it.  Yet something was amiss. She’d sensed a spark of something off earlier, but had dismissed it. But now that ‘spark’ was growing more powerful, and drawing the warm, potent magic away from the host! No, I must have that power!  She called to the other, her ‘partner’ across the barriers of reality. She forcibly drew the other’s attention to her and got an annoyed response. What is it now? I’m rather busy with matters of my own at the moment. She seethed. The other may be facilitating her return, but so often acted with such incredible arrogance. She all but shoved the other’s mental perceptions towards the link to her host, and the magic she carried. Look, fool! The magic is seeking another bearer! She felt her partner observe, then made an almost dismissive gesture. This is to be expected. That magic never belonged to your host, so now that others are near it that are more compatible, it will seek to go to them. Raged seethed through her, Unacceptable! I’ve waited too long to wrap my vines around Chrysalis’ throat to be denied now! She felt the other mentally snort, Calm yourself. My servant on your end has already gathered much of the magic you need, and your host will still serve her purpose. And if it happens you require more magic, well... let’s just say I will soon have guests of my own who may provide all you need and more by the time I’m through with them. Just remember your end of the deal. She forced herself to calm down, to think rationally. It’d been so long, what felt like a grinding of ages, since she’d even had enough consciousness to think. Chrysalis had taken so much from her. If she was to take vengeance, she needed to remember what patients was. I will wait, but only a fraction longer. The response of her partner was carried along with a deep, echoing cold laugh, It will be enough. ---------- Sunset didn’t bother trying to keep track of how long she held Twilight for. Maybe minutes. Maybe hours. Well, probably not hours, given the moon’s position in the sky hadn’t changed that much, but still, Twilight took some time before her sobs had quieted to soft, tired breathing and she slowly raised her head from Sunset’s admittedly somewhat soaked chest. “I’m sorry...” Twilight said, pulling out a handkerchief from a breast pocket on her Quincy uniform and trying to dry Sunset off. “It’s okay, Twilight. Don’t worry about that,” Sunset said, still keeping her hands on Twilight’s shoulders in a firm, supportive gesture as she stared her friend in the eyes, trying to will her desire to help to be felt through her own gaze. “I’m here for you.” “I know, and... and I need to talk, not just... just cry.” “There’s nothing wrong with crying. Nothing at all.” “You’re right. Still, however much more of that I have in me, I still need to get this out in words, too. To tell you what happened.” Her left hand reached over and held her right, “You already know I lost my hand in a recent battle.” Sunset nodded, but said nothing, in order to let Twilight proceed at her own pace. It took another minute or so, Twilight taking several deep, steadying breaths in readying herself. When she finally said the words, they came out like lead spears.  “I lost my mother in the same battle.” Sunset had known it was coming, but it still hurt to hear the words. What does one even say to a friend to comfort them in a situation like this? It was impossible for any gestures or words to take away her friend’s suffering, despite how much she wanted to do exactly that. All she could do was say what she could, express in whatever way she could, that Twilight was not alone and didn’t have to bear the pain by herself. “I’m so sorry, Twilight.” The were simple words, but their purpose was sometimes underestimated because they couldn’t erase the pain of the one they were spoken to. But they did what they were meant, which was convey how much the speaker wanted to take whatever share of the burden of pain they could. Fortunately Twilight understood this, and hugged Sunset once more, this time not to cry, but to just be close to a friend. “Thank you, Sunset. I have to tell you more, all of it...” “If you’re okay with that. I don’t want you to have to do it if it’s too much.” “It... will hurt, hurt more at least, but I want to do this. I was there, Sunset. Right there.” Twilight looked away, and Sunset could see her friend was seeing it all again, the events of the battle that took her mother’s life. She felt Twilight shaking in her arms, a hard shivering from her core. Twilight’s voice grew distant, and quietly clinical. “Everything happened faster than I could have calculated. There was nothing I could do. I tried everything I could think of, and it just wasn’t enough. All it would have taken was a few more inches. That’s it, and my hand would’ve reached her, and I could have teleported us to safety. But I lost her, Sunset. My hand, then her. All I could do was watch. Feel her blood on my face. Then...” “You don’t have to keep going.” “No, I do, because I want you to know everything, Sunset. The whole of it. After I saw my mother die, right there in front of me, something happened. A part of me that I didn’t know was there came awake. This is important, so I need you to listen carefully. Out of everyone I know, you’re one of the few I feel I can really, honestly trust. So while I don’t know if Sombra would want me telling you this... it’s my choice to trust you with the whole truth, at least as far as I understand it so far.” What followed was a story Sunset had a difficult time grasping, which perhaps spoke more for her silence than anything else as Twilight told her of what Sombra had revealed to her. The Soul Queen, the distant and muddled history of the world, including the apparent rebellion against the Soul Queen and her Consort. Then, finally, the fact that Twilight bore a piece of the Soul Queen inside her, which had awakened upon seeing her mother killed by the Espada, Lament.  To say it was a lot for Sunset to take in was an understatement, but she did her best to absorb it all and get her thoughts together in the unsteady silence that hung between her and Twilight afterward. Whatever Sunset might have thought of the situation, what mattered to her most was that Twilight knew she was there for her.  “I don’t really know what to say, Twilight. It’s a lot to process.” That almost got Twilight to smile. Almost. It was more like the remembered phantom of a smile, but it was something. “You’re telling me?” “Heh, I guess it’s even harder for you. So, Sombra reasserted the seal on this Eye?” “Yes, and Midnight’s studied it. As far as she can tell, it’s holding. It was just... seeing my mother die like that,” Twilight closed her eyes, and Sunset reached out to take the other girl’s hand, squeezing it tightly. Twilight squeezed back, “I guess the stress, between that, and the battle, it all just... shook it loose.” “What about now? Remembering it all. It can’t be easy,” Sunset said, voice soft and gentle. “It isn’t, but Midnight is observing the seal on the Eye right now, and it’s still intact. I think it failed before because it’d been gradually losing strength over time. Now that it’s renewed, it might be years before it’s weak enough to break again,” Tiwlight said, then winced. “What is it?” Sunset asked, and Twilight rolled her eyes. “Midnight. She said she could always look for a way to open it if we ever want to let the Eye out intentionally. I think I’m going to give her a firm answer of ‘no’ on that for now. I went a bit crazy last time. It was like the Eye had a mind of its own.” Sunset just shook her head in wonderment, “If it's a piece of this Soul Queen, who knows what kind of powers it might have? And this rebellion that took place... you don’t remember for sure who started it?” “No. I’m sorry, I don’t remember much. A beautiful palace burning, a sword stabbing me from behind. It’s too blurry. Sombra said it could have been anyone. Anyone the Soul Queen would have trusted enough to drop her guard around.” Seeing Sunset’s expression, Twilight peered at her in curiosity, “Do you know something?” “Maybe. I can’t be certain, but I know that some of the problems caused by Soul Society are because of a certain group that’s been pulling the strings from on high. The Zero Division. Has Sombra ever mentioned them?” Twilight gave a stiff nod, holding Sunset’s hand even tighter, “He has, although he hasn’t said much. You believe they’re the ones that turned on the Soul Queen?” “It’s looking that way. Which doesn’t mean anything good for us, if they’re really the ones responsible for what happened to Starlight Glimmer’s friend,” Sunset said, her mind churning. She ran a hand over her head, “For now, I think we just need to focus on getting Ember out with as little collateral damage as possible. Once that’s done... I want in on whatever arrangement you and Adagio have going on. We need to keep sharing information with each other. Stay in contact. Me and the girls, you and your team, Adagio and her people. I feel like we’re the only ones who truly want this war to end. And personally, I think if we all joined forces, we’d be strong enough to stand up to any of the other factions.” Twilight’s eyes showed a combination of uncertainty and hope mixed into an inner light that helped push back her melancholy and sadness. “You might be right. It won’t be that easy, of course, but if we can show that Quincy, Soul Reapers, and Hollows can cooperate towards a common goal, maybe it’d be enough to get others to listen. I feel like I can get Sombra to look at diplomacy as an option, and through him, the other quincy. What about you? Do you think you could get the Soul Reapers to consider a cease fire?” “I don’t know. I don’t have anything with Scorpan like the rapport you have with this Sombra guy. Adagio isn’t exactly friends with Tirek, either.” Twilight let out a quiet laugh, “From what she’s hinted at to me, she has... other plans for how to deal with Tirek. If things work out like she hopes, the Hollows might not be that big of a problem in the future. It’d just be the Quincy and Soul Reapers we’d have to get to stop killing each other.” “And I’m not sure how well that will work if the Zero Division is up there, breathing down Soul Society’s neck to keep forcing them into pursuing the war,” Sunset said, then with an extra dose of frustration, added, “And to make things worse, we still have to get to Equestria to stop Starlight before she does any more damage over there.” “We can do it,” Twilight said, a sense of simple, pure strength entering her voice that was at odds with the pain she’d been venting just minutes earlier. It was as if letting go of holding in all that pain and allowing Sunset to share the burden had given Twilight newfound energy and purpose, her eyes lighting up as she said, “I know we can. You, me, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Adagio, even Clover and Discord. We can make it right. We’ll stop Starlight together, then after that, we’ll do whatever it takes to stop the war, even if that means going all the way to the Soul Palace and facing the Zero Division ourselves.” Sunset couldn’t help but smile at Twilight’s sudden enthusiasm, “And before that, we pull off rescuing Ember.” She raised a fist towards Twilight, who looked a bit taken aback at the casual gesture that was a bit outside Twilight’s norm, but then with a rather dorky smile, Twilight bumped her fist to Sunset’s. The moment passed quickly, however, as Twilight lowered her fist and cast a gloom filled look towards the stream, as if seeking answers within its bubbling waters. “I want to stay positive, but there’s a lot of ways this can go wrong.” “I know,” agreed Sunset, “Believe me, I’ve got so many doubts in me I feel like second guessing my own shadow. At least we’ve got a working plan.” “It won’t last. Plans tend to fall apart fast,” Twilight said, “We need to adapt. I just... I’m scared of who else we might lose. Especially considering whom Adagio wants to use as additional muscel.” This was the first Sunset of heard of this, and she immediately felt a foreboding sensation tense her muscles. “What do you mean?” “Adagio has an... alliance, of sorts, with the same Espada that killed my mother-” “What?” Sunset said, feeling a sense of disbelief flow through her. How could Adagio be so crazy as to work with someone like that!?  Twilight, as if sensing Sunset’s thoughts, looked towards her with a disturbingly calm expression, “She wouldn’t have done it if I had asked her not to. She came to me first, and gave her reasoning. I... actually agreed with her.” “Why would you do that? If this Espada killed your mother, I’d think you’d want nothing to do with him.” “I don’t,” Twilight’s hand clenched, her voice tight with the lid containing the shaking emotions beneath, “But the alternative is a different Espada who would likely cause even more havoc and damage. Lament... killed my mother, because he perceived her as a threat to his home. I still can’t deny I... I hate him for it, but I’m not so irrational that I can’t understand that my mother’s death was the result of two soldiers facing each other in a war, not some personal vendetta. Adagio fears our rescue efforts will face unknown dangers, and so wants Lament on standby as a trump card, and I can’t fault her logic on that. If I could, I’d have backup of my own, but I don’t trust any of the other Sternritter enough for that, not even my brother.” “I’m so sorry, Twilight,” Sunset said, at a loss for anything else she could say. “I really wish things were different.” That ghost of a smile returned to Twilight’s face, “So do I.” A thought struck Sunset, “We should talk to Adagio as soon as we can, though. Not only to confirm the plan, but I need to let her know her suspicion that things could get diceier than we thought is right on the money.” At Twilight’s questioning look, Sunset explained about Sweet Cider. Twilight's face grew paler in the moonlight, it was clear she understood the gravity of what Sweet Cider’s presence in Canterlot City meant. “This... is bad. Potentially very, very bad.” “Tell me about it,” Sunset said, “If Applejack’s mom comes to blows with this Lament guy, this could really escalate out of control. But it’s not like we can change the plan that easily. Adagio and those other Hollows still need to cause a big enough distraction for the rescue team to get Ember out.” “And if Applejack’s mother is as powerful as you suggest, then Adagio would almost have to call in Lament as backup. She’s assured me she’s spoken with him about the plan and he’s agreed to avoid casualties, but against someone as strong as you say Sweet Cider is, I can’t see how he could afford to hold back. And if he loses control like he did with my mother...” Sunset cut in, clasping a hand around Twilight’s arm, “We won’t let another of our friends lose a parent, Twilight. I promise.” Twilight nodded, her face a mask of deep thought. Slowly she said, as if the words came piece by piece as an idea assembled itself in her head, “There’s too many variables in this scenario for us to control all of them, Sunset. I learned from the Quincy attack on Las Noches that there’s just no accounting for every possibility in battle. We just have to adapt however we can, and make the best choices we can in the moment. I won’t hamstring Adagio by saying she can’t summon Lament. That’s just asking for her to put herself in danger. She’s done enough for me that I trust her to make the call on her own on how to handle Sweet Cider.” It didn’t entirely sit well with Sunset, but she understood what Twilight meant, “If we’re lucky, me and the girls can break away from the situation with the Kraken to get in there and do something to help. Maybe Applejack can keep her mother from going too far, and Adagio can keep Lament from going too far. I don’t know what else we can do.” “Nothing, which was my point, Sunset. We just can’t control this. Once its started, this battle will take on a life of its own, and we just have to stay focused on our objectives first and foremost, otherwise anyone who does get hurt in this... or killed, will be doing so in vain.” ---------- “Here’s the readiness report ya wanted, Captain,” Silverstar said, approaching Sweet Cider from across the table set in the office of an ‘abandoned’ warehouse, one of two that the Tenth Division had appropriated in Canterlot City as their base of operations while in the living world. While abandoned on paper, the warehouse was actually quite clean and well appointed, looking far more like a large and brightly lit barracks than the disheveled affair it might have appeared on the outside.  Tenth Division Soul Reapers relaxed and chatted in the warehouse proper, below, while the office Sweet Cider and Silverstar were in was situated in an overlook reached by a simple set of stairs and a catwalk. Sweet Cider dwarfed the chair she was sitting in, and with a tense nod accepted the report that Sivlerstar handed over and casually looked it over. It contained mostly what she expected to find, a well written and concise patrol and watch schedule, along with evaluations on the company’s overall morale and combat readiness. Silverstar was always efficient and precise, never going into too much detail or skimping on the details that did matter. The report also covered Lieutenant Posey’s squad of Eleventh Division Soul Reapers also stationed in the city, and accounted for their own patrol situation.  It wasn’t normal for so many Soul Reapers to be assigned to one city in the living world like this, but Sweet Cider imagined Captain Commander Scorpan didn’t want to take any chances with the research on the portal getting interrupted. Not to mention those girls her daughter hung out with were still a prime target for Hollows. Sweet Cider’s only major concern was whether the Quincy would view her and her Division’s deployment as a provocation. So far they hadn’t seen any clear indication of movement from the Vandenreich, but that didn’t mean the Quincy weren’t doing something. Luna’s report on the battle at Las Noches suggested the Quincy had taken a mauling, and given one in return, but casualty estimates still weren’t high enough that the Quincy couldn’t field formidable force if the wanted to. Then again, several of their intelligence gathering resources suggested the Quincy were also dealing with some kind of internal strife, tying up some of their Sternritter. So perhaps the Quincy were too busy to take note of a company of Soul Reapers taking up additional garrison duties in Canterlot City? Besides, with the ‘school year’ done, Crystal Prep wasn’t as important to the Quincy as it otherwise would be. As for the Arrancar, Sweet Cider couldn’t guess on what they’d do next after the hits they took in Las Noches, but given the report on one of the newly appointed Espada taking a crack at Sunset Shimmer, it seemed likely they were shifting their focus to the living world.  Well if they dumb bastards come fer a brawl, me n’ my Reapers’ll give ‘em one, she thought with grim satisfaction as she set the report down. “Looks good. What don’t ya take a break an’ go git some grub, Lieutenant? I’ll join ya, soon as I finish writin’ this report back ta Captain Commander Scorpan that we’re all settled in here.” He saluted, but didn’t immediately move to leave, instead taking a seat across the desk from her. At her questioning look, he cleared his throat, “Permission ta speak freely, Captain?” It wasn’t often he asked something like that, and Sweet Cider set aside her writing to lean back in her seat, well muscled red arms crossed as she said, “If there’s somethin’ ya want ta say, ya know yer always welcomed ta say it.” Silverstar might have been a plain enough looking man, with simple, light brown skin, and a well kept and short cut head of brown hair, and equally well trimmed moustache, but that plainess could convey a surprising amount of emotion, transmuting him into a lively firebrand in an eyeblink. “What’re ya still doin’ here, Captain, when ya oughta be checkin’ in with yer family?” Caught off guard, Sweet Cider took a few extra seconds to respond to that, her voice incredulous, “What do ya...? I mean, ‘course I can’t just pop in on ‘em outta nowhere! An’ I still got some responsibilities here ta take care of.” “O’ course ya can. An’ ya know full n’ well any o’ yer responsibilities here could be delegated ta me fer a day,” Silverstar countered, his expression set in a frank and hard stare, “So what’re ya hesitatin’ fer? It ain’t like you ta pussyfoot around.”  She felt her anger rise, heating her face. “I ain’t hesitatin’.” “Then what’s the problem?” He didn’t flinch from the rise in her tone, and kept looking at her straight on with those earnest eyes of his that wouldn’t give her anything but the truth. This was part of why he’d lasted as her Lieutenant. He rarely beat around the bush, and Sweet Cider knew she wasn’t going to be able to deflect this with her usual terse or angry response. It didn’t help that ever since Applejack had freed her memories, and removed the seal on her Zanpaktou, Sweet Cider’s moods had started to shift a lot.  Starswirl said it had to do with how her Fullbring and Zanpaktou were fused together, and he was working on a solution to the problem. He also said she’d likely experience more intense mood swings as time went on, but she had time yet before it became a problem.  Taking a deep breath, she met Silverstar’s gaze with what she hoped was an equally level look, “I told Applejack I’d see ‘em, and I meant it. It’s just... hard. I’m worried if I go home an’ see all o ‘em, my ma, my boy Big Mac, an’ my little Applebloom, all together like that? I don’t know what I’d do, or say, or... or anythin’. Most o’ all, I’m scared I won’t wanna leave. That I won’t have the strength ta leave ‘em all again. Last time I didn’t have no choice.” “Captain Commander Scorpan did say if you truly wanted to leave the Gotei 13, it could be arranged-” “No, dang it!” Sweet Cider’s fist slammed the table hard enough to crack it. A few Soul Reapers down below might have glanced up at the noise, but wisely chose to pretend they heard nothing and went back to what they were doing. Sweet Cider sucked in a calming breath and let it out slowly, “No. I decided the dead gotta stay dead, an’ I got a job here with the Gotei 13 that I don’t only want ta do, but am good at doin’. Besides, after the stunts the Central 46 pulled, an’ just how much I don’t trust this ‘Zero Division’, I’m thinkin’ I want ta stick around ta keep this Soul Reaper business an’ honest operation. Point is, I decided, together with Applejack, that it wouldn’t be right fer me ta come back. It’d just make a mess o’ things. An’ even just seein’ my family again, I wonder if I’d be strong enough ta walk away from ‘em?” “I can see how yer worried, but that still don’t mean ya shouldn’t see yer family. Captain, you’ve earned that. You deserve ta look at ‘em, even if it’s just one last time, an’ say yer proper goodbyes. That ain’t somethin’ ya ought ta fear. It’s just... closure. Closure ya’ll deserve ta have, from where I’m sittin’.” The fire rose in him, his voice growing heated, “An’ ta be quite blunt, Captain, ye ain’t no coward, so stop actin’ like one. I git bein’ scared, but you ain’t that kind o’ woman, er, Captain, ta shy away from what’s hard. So if ya don’t mind me sayin’ so, Captain, you take the next day off. I’ll look after thing’s here. An’ you, you go see to yer family.” “...Well, I did tell ya ta speak yer mind. Guess it’d be right hypocritcal o’ me ta git mad at ya fer sayin’ what I probably need ta be hearin’,” she replied with a snort of consternation. Soon she drew in a resigned breath and let it out, along with the tension and trepidation that had been nesting inside her. She offered Silverstar a slight smile. “I’ll do it, so ya can stop given me the third-degree. I’ll go ta see ‘em tomorrow. My littlest, Applebloom, is with my other daughter at that summer camp. Guess I’ll see them first, try n’ catch ‘em around noon, then after drop by the homestead ta see how ma an’ Big Mac are.” The decision made, she somehow felt... lighter. Still nervous, but with a course set she no longer had that twisted up feeling of uncertainty clawing at her. Silverstar gave her a nod and sharp salute. “Very good, Captain. Then, just ta make sure ya don’t got nothin’ ta worry about, I’ll finish up that letter ta the Captain Commander, and let ya get some rest.” “Hmph, yer gonna need some time off yerself if ya keep takin’ on all my paperwork like this. I can appreciate a good worth ethic in a’ man, but only if he ain’t so foolish as ta overdo it. Lost track o’ how many times I had ta smack Hard Nail upside the head and dang near force him ta come ta bed when he was on a project.” Silverstar coughed, glancing away, “I’ll try not ta worry ya like that, then, Captain.” “See that ya don’t. Welp, guess I’ll hit the hay. Give a yell if Hollows attack or somethin’.” ---------- It still amazed Discord how tiring it could be to sit in front of a monitor for hours on end. In his case it was about five monitors, all strewn about his workspace, within the hidden lab built inside his store. When he hadn’t been going out to check on things, he’d been cloistered in here. There were just too many things still left to do, and he somehow knew, with growing certainty, that time was running out. For the girls he’d tried so hard to guide. For the wayward Twilight and Adagio, who were in more danger than they knew. And for himself and Ditzy, for he knew the Zero Division was watching.  Not enough time and too many angles to cover. If I didn’t thrive on this kind of chaos, it may well drive me a tad batty, he thought with a huff as his eyes scanned the monitors and his spidery fingers flew over multiple keyboards. Some of the monitors were displaying the results of the latest tests on the new Hogyoku, still encased in its cylindrical tube in the center of the lab. He knew he’d rushed things, but there wasn't much choice. The girls needed this, if the Zero Division was really on the move. The Hogyoku wasn’t “complete”, per se, but it was as close to “ready” as he could make it. The rest was going to be up to Sunset Shimmer and her friends.  Another monitor showed the progress the cultivation chamber was at in concerns to the gigai he’d agreed to create for Adagio. She’d been rather... specific on a few of its features, and while a few challenges needed to be overcome, he’d actually enjoyed the tweaks he’d made. Adagio was an odd duck, but he rather liked her, and had ever since she and her sisters had first stumbled into his shop. The last monitor was blank, but active, showing a plain blue glow. At least until it flickered with an image of a gray, cartoon cat prancing across it, making a musical ‘Nya!’ sound. Discord chuckled as he turned to the monitor, clicking a key to accept the incoming transmission. The screen changed to show Ditzy Doo’s face filling up most of it. It was hard to tell where she was, but Discord could make out a few elements. A wood panel ceiling, some kind of carved stone pillar in the background, laden with alcoves.  “Heya Discy. You said to contact you as soon as I had the info.” “I think I said to contact me as soon as you had the info and were in a secure location,” Discord replied, leaning back in his seat, “Are you? I don’t recognize where you are.” “Don’t worry about that. Even Luna doesn’t know all the hidden tunnels I had put in around here back when I ran Second Division,” Ditzy said, “Heck, there’s places down here even you don’t know about. Look, I’m coming back ASAP, so I can get back to snuggling my Time Turner and see how my little muffin is doing, but this couldn’t wait. I found what Starlight Glimmer discovered in the Central 46 archives, and wanted to contact you immediately. So I came to the closest secure terminal I could to transmit to you. I’m sending some data through now. You look at it, and tell me what you see.” Discord felt his mouth go dry. This was what he’d risked sending Ditzy Doo back to Soul Society for, all while having her play the role of being on ‘vacation’ with her paramour and daughter. If Zero Division was watching, they’d have seen Ditzy spending time with Time Turner and Derpy, and then not paid as much attention for a day. A day Ditzy could then use to slip back into Soul Society, infiltrate Central 46, and look for whatever had triggered Starlight’s action. Discord of course knew about Sunburst’s unfortunate circumstances, but Starlight had said things to Ditzy during the battle in Hitsyo-Aku’s depths that hadn’t made sense. Or at least hadn’t made sense to Ditzy, and when she’d talked about it with Discord, he hadn’t been certain what Starlight had been talking about either. He’d always wondered what the tipping point had been, for Starlight. She’d worked under him in the Twelfth Division for some time, and even after Sunburst had died and been dragged to Jigoku, Starlight hadn’t gone crazy all at once. It’d taken some time, and she’d grown more and more erratic. Or rather, perhaps, more driven.  Her split with Soul Society had been her attack on the Twelfth Division’s labs and Hitsuyo-Aku itself, stealing the Hogyoku, and infecting Screwball and Screwloose with Hollow energies. Yet Discord wasn’t sure what triggered that desperate move on Starlight’s part. There was nothing in the Twelfth Division’s own archives, or even in Hitsuyo-Aku itself that explained it. Then Discord considered the possibility that Starlight had used Firefly’s portal rods to infiltrate Central 46 even prior to the events that happened most recently in Soul Society. It was possible Starlight had studied Central 46’s security measures extensively before acting, and knew Firefly’s portal rods couldn’t be detected. The same methods used to steal the Queen’s Key might have also been used to get into the depths of Central 46 earlier, seeking answers. If she’d gone looking for the reason why Sunburst had been taken to Jigoku, perhaps the truth of that was what had caused her to steal the original Hogyoku and set this whole chain of events into motion in the first place. And among all the Soul Reapers Discord knew, no one was better at infiltration than Ditzy Doo. So he’d asked her to get into Central 46 and see if she could find the truth. He knew it was a terrible risk, but time was short, and with Zero Division looming, there might not be another chance to do this. Fortunately, it looked like Ditzy had succeeded.  Data came in over the monitor, and Discord’s felt an unsettling chill creep over him. He looked at the information carefully, making sure he wasn’t mistaking things. When he spoke, it was in a very quiet tone. “I’m surprised Central 46 kept this information.” “They probably were told to keep a copy, in case Zero Division ever needed it. I doubt anyone figured it’d come out, or better yet, knowing those guys, they didn’t care. Who would stop them? Scorpan?” Discord closed his eyes, feeling himself nodding in numb agreement, “You’re right. Glory wouldn’t have even thought it... wrong.” “What do you plan to do, Discy? With this, I almost want to say Starlight was right.” “She’s still throwing too many lives into jeopardy with her actions.” “I did say ‘almost’, didn’t I? But at this point if we had any doubts about who our real enemies are, they just went up in smoke,” Ditzy said with firmness.  “Yes, and I wish Starlight had just told me about this in the first place.” “From the way she spoke to me, she clearly thought you were in on all this. I mean, Glory did offer you a position in Zero Division. You ran Hitsuyo-Aku, and let’s be honest, this kind of BS is exactly the kind of thing that would’ve been a project for them.” Discord slapped a hand to his face and rubbed at it, “Ugh, I deserve that, don’t I? I’m never going to really make up for all the mistakes I made with that place? Oh well... at least I can try and make sure nobody else has to pay for old errors.” Ditzy looked at him with flat seriousness, “Are you going to tell the girls? They deserve to know.” “I will, but not until they finish up their rescue operation. They don’t need this dropped on them while their minds need to be focused on that. I need you to get back here immediately, Ditzy. I’m afraid this is going to get much worse, and if Medley moves, only you and I can give the girls a chance to survive it.” At that, Ditzy gave him a feral smile, “Are we finally going to go toe-to-toe with Zero Divison? Because, quite frankly, I’ve been wanting to stick my foot up their keisters for awhile now. This latest bit of utter craptastic douchebaggery has really cinched my need to deliver some well deserved smackdown.” “Timing, Ditzy. It’s all going to come down to timing. Believe me when I say that just taking on one of the Zero Division is going to be... hard, even with both of us. Our only goal is the safety of the girls. And if the worst happens I need you to promise me that you’ll keep guiding them-” “Whoa whoa whoa! You hold that death horse right the hell up, mister. You’re not dying, and neither am I. We fight, we kick butt, and that’s all there is to it!” Ditzy said with flat conviction, “We’ve been through way too much for you to go all martyr syndrome on me!” Discord couldn’t help but laugh, “Well, when you put it like that, perhaps I’m being a bit melodramatic.” “You think!? Geeze, I really do need to get back there, quick. You go without me for too long, and start getting all doom and gloom. I’m heading out now, and I’ll be back by tomorrow night, best case scenario. Don’t do anything stupid until then! Or after then, for that matter! Ugh, you know what I mean. Ditzy out!” The monitor with Ditzy’s face cut out then, leaving Discord to look at the remaining monitor with the displayed information she’d discovered. Discord stared at it, and then shook his head in puzzled disgruntlement. It explained Starlight’s actions to a degree, but he still had to wonder what Glory’s ultimate game plan really was. She couldn’t possibly think this was what the Soul Queen would want. Then again, Glory and the other members of the Zero Division lived in their own ideal bubbles. Maybe they really did think what they were doing made sense. To Discord, it just left him feeling like he’d definitely made the right choice in declining the offer to join them. If he had gone along with it, and learned this was part of their grand design? He’d probably be in Jigoku right now too.  Briefly he considered whether or not to take this information to the Gotei 13 as a whole. He doubted any of the Captains were aware of what was really going on, at least none of the newer ones. Starswirl was old enough, from the time when Soul Society itself was being set up, that he might have known, or at least suspected. Then there was Captain Commander Scorpan, who truly was ‘old guard’, as in, one of the Soul Palace’s garrison prior to the formation of Zero Division. Could he truly not know what Glory and the others were planning? Discord had long imagined Scorpan was giving Zero Division the benefit of the doubt, doing his ‘duty’ to the Soul Queen, because Scorpan believed the Soul Queen was still in charge.  Discord might have believed that once as well, but if there was any doubt to the contrary, it was gone now.  Then there was Central 46. Discord knew the counsel was largely in the pocket of the Zero Division, but to what extent he’d never been sure. Most were drawn from the nobel families, either from the Five Houses or the familiest most closely associated with them. It seemed unlikely too many of them actually knew about Zero Divison’s grander designs, but the fact this information was kept in a secure archive meant at least a few of Central 46’s members had to be in on it. In all likelihood they thought they were ‘favored’ by Zero Division, destined for great rewards for their loyalty. It made Discord feel sick to his very guts.  He was no saint. His life had largely been spent looking for ways to make the world around him more interesting. His work in the Twelfth Division had largely been his way of keeping boredom at bay and testing out new theories on what made people tick and sparked growth, often through directly applied chaos. It wasn’t even until the events with Xcution that he’d really started to understand just how irresponsible he’d been, and that there was a much larger threat to everyone’s freedom in the world. He’d been self-assured, arrogant, and hadn’t acted nearly swift enough, and as a result lost the trust of Starlight, failed to help all of Xcution in time, caused subordinates under his command no end of grief, and even now Sunset and her friends were in danger due to events he’d been a part of.  Despite his ruminations, he was still left with the question of what to do with this new information. If he took it to Scorpan, it was entirely possible the consequences would spiral well out of control. Assuming Scorpan was ignorant of this, and not in on it, which was a terrifying thought. Best case scenario was that, if Scorpan didn’t know, then it’d trigger rebellion, and Discord didn’t think the Gotei 13, and especially not Sunset and the girls, were ready for that. Zero Division would crush them all without a second thought. Glory might have pretended to a desire to resolve conflicts with minimum use of force, but Discord knew she’d order Seireitei burned to the foundations if she thought it was necessary. And that was before he had this data that showed just how far Zero Division’s plans really went. Again, he lamented that Starlight had fled with this knowledge rather than tell him, but he couldn’t really blame her for not trusting him. He’d dug that grave himself by his previous actions. He fumed over it all for a minute, but soon enough squared his shoulders and went back to work on the new Hogyoku. Whatever mess he’d helped create, he was going to do his damndest to make it right, whatever it ended up costing. ----------  By the time Filthy Rich arrived at the lab Twilight had long since parted ways with Sunset for the night and had gotten her mind sorted out. Midnight remained an ever present sensation close to the surface of her thoughts, as if her alter ego was keeping vigil. Twilight wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or to find the fact somewhat unsettling. Either way she had regained her focus after pouring her heart out to Sunset. It had clearly been the right call, and she felt foolish for having not done so sooner with Sunset and the rest of the girls.  The pain of her mother’s death was still a raw wound, but by letting that pain out she felt the lightness within that suggested the healing process was starting, if far from finished.  Filthy Rich was dressed in his usual business attire rather than his Quincy uniform, which Twilight understood. He probably wanted to look familiar to his daughter and not overwhelm her with too much oddity right off the bat. As he entered the camp, he looked to her with weary eyes that turned swiftly grateful as he came up to her and offered a direct hand, surprising Twilight. As she took it, he shook it firmly. “Twilight Sparkle, let me get this out of the way first; thank you for looking after my daughter. I wish this had happened differently, but I’m grateful you and your team were there to keep my Diamond safe. If there’s anything you need, any kind of backing, consider it done.” “I...um, thank you, Filthy Rich. To be honest I didn’t do much of anything, and by all accounts it was actually Silver Spoon who did the most to protect Diamond Tiara.” Filthy Rich smiled warmly, “Best decision I ever made was to suggest to Gladmane that my daughter and his pal up. Two daughters of such good breeding would complement each other, and since Gladmane was always more of the sort to believe his kids ought to be brought into the fold early, I thought Silver Spoon would be a good bodyguard for Diamond Tiara, given I wanted her to have a more... normal life.” His tone shifted to one of resigned acceptance, and Twilight could well imagine he wasn’t happy with the fact that his daughter was now exposed to the truth. At least in part.  “I understand this isn’t how you wanted to do things,” Twilight said, “But I did suggest you tell her everything sooner rather than later.” “Yes, yes you did. I won’t even be bitter over that. You called it, and a good businessman doesn’t get mad over someone else calling the shifts in the market. I ought to have seen that this was coming. It’s spilt milk now. All that’s left is to see to Diamond Tiara’s education now as a proper Quincy. By the way, where is the rest of your team?” “Out hunting those creatures right now,” Twilight replied swiftly, “In fact I got a report from Sugarcoat barely five minutes before you arrived. Soarin has joined up with my team and they’ve... dealt with the surviving members of the pack of creatures that attacked the children. They’re performing a wider sweep now to ensure a kilometer wide perimeter is secure.” “Good, very good. We don't want any further disturbances to the camp’s activities. So what’s your take on where these creatures are coming from, Sparkle? I read your report on that Kraken. Things are getting rather hot around Canterlot City. Between these beasts and the arrival of more Soul Reapers, I’m starting to think three Sternritter is not enough of us present here.” “I’d argue the opposite. I think it’s only because there’s so few of us here that we’ve managed to go unnoticed thus far,” Twilight said firmly, “If Sombra were to deploy more Quincy to the city, it’d just trigger an unnecessary fight. As for the presence of such unusual creatures, I don’t have enough data to give you a solid hypothesis. The best guess I can provide with the information I currently have is that something similar to the events that occurred during the Friendship Games is taking place, but I haven’t discovered what that may be.” Filthy Rich gave the field lab a concerned look, “Given rampant magic was the cause of the incident back then, couldn’t it be your experiments here are the cause? Not to say that I disapprove of your work. From what I’ve seen, these M-Cells you’re developing have great potential for the future of the Quincy. I’m just wondering if you’ve considered that all this magic is causing the issue?” “Of course I have, and believe me, we are being exceedingly careful in our experimentation. I don’t have reason to believe my lab is responsible for the presence of these magical creatures. That said, I’m making it a priority to find out.” “Very well, I won’t press you on it. At any rate, I’d like to talk to my daughter now.” “Will you be taking her home?” “She did seem eager to come and enjoy the camp, but she might feel differently now. I’m not sure where she’d be safer,” Filthy Rich replied with hesitance, “In the city there’s just too many Soul Reapers around, I’m afraid they might go after a young, nascent Quincy. Sure there’s magical critters running around the forest, but your team already seems to have that well in hand. It might be safer for Diamond Tiara to stay at camp for now.” “It’s your decision either way,” Twilight said, “But before you wake her to talk to her, I have something I wanted to ask you. Several somethings, actually.” “Name them.” “First of all, I know that the power of our Schrifts are something we Sternritter sometimes prefer to keep secret, but I need to know if there’s a Sternritter out there who can imitate the form of someone else.” Filthy Rich’s face twitched into a frown, “Does this have anything to do with the attempts on your life?” “Yes, now please answer me.” “There is one of us who can do such a thing, although it’d be useless for an assassination attempt because while he can change his physical form, he can’t alter his reiatsu. You’d know him by his spirit energy, no matter what form he wore.”  “I see. You won’t tell me which Sternritter?” Filthy Rich crossed his arms, “First of all, explain to me what this is about.” “I will, because I need your help, and I suspect I may come under attack again very soon. I’m trusting you, Filthy Rich, because I don’t think a man who cares about his daughter like you do would target someone else’s daughter.” “Damned straight I wouldn’t. Night Light and I haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I respect your father and your family. I appreciate the trust. Now what is this about?” “Well, I still don’t know who’s trying to kill me, but I have an idea, and I need your help to make it work. Do you think you’d let me take a closer look at the model of the city you have in your office?” ---------- The second day the student’s trip to Camp Everfree dawned with the vast majority of them being none the wiser of the strange events occurring around them. Some might have noted that some of the younger campers looked oddly sleepless, and that specifically Diamond Tiara was being rather quiet, as opposed to her usual bossy self. Other campers might have noticed that Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were both acting more distracted than usual. The students of Canterlot High took these oddities in stride. These were the same kids who’d gone through multiple magical incidents at school, including one of their number turning into a she-demon, a magical rock-band battle, and portals to another reality being torn open by a completely different she-demon. So if a few rumors were spreading around that “something weird” was going on around camp, it didn’t do much to actually concern anyone. However the extra tension in the air wasn’t lost on Sunset as she oversaw her morning activity with a group of the campers. They were climbing an artificial rock wall set up on the camp’s south end, and Sunset’s job was mostly making sure everyone was putting on their safety gear correctly and keeping watch in case anyone slipped. As it happened the Cutie Mark Crusaders where in her group, and Sunset noted that all three of the young girls were acting much more subdued that morning. While she was helping Applebloom put on her climbing vest, Sunset asked, “How you three holding up?” Applebloom licked her lips, suddenly quite focused on the straps of her climbing vest, “Why d’ya ask?” “Just checking. I know what it’s like...” Sunset lowered her voice to a whisper so as to not be overheard, “First fights, I mean. You don’t have time to think about it when it’s happening, but I can tell you girls didn’t sleep much last night. Want to make sure you’re feeling okay.” “I... guess I’m alright. Wasn’t actually our first fight,” Applebloom confessed, “Me n’ the gals had a tussle last week when we were tryin’ ta train ourselves.” “Oh?” “Y-yeah,” Applebloom said quickly, waving the question off, “Don’t really wanna talk ‘bout it. Anyhows, it’s weird. I ain’t that worried ‘bout me or my friends, but... an’ I know this is gonna sound weird, but I’m worried about Diamond Tiara.” Sunset could see that the group of climbers currently on the rock wall were going to finish climbing back down soon, so she didn’t have a lot of time to talk with Applebloom, so she said quickly, “That’s not weird. You two might not get along, but she’s still a schoolmate.” “Heh, we don’t not ‘get along’, she’s made me n’ my friends' lives miserable since we got here. Don’t know why I oughta care what she’s feelin’, but I guess I just don’t like seein’ her be all quiet n’ stuff. It’s easier when she’s bein’ all mean n’ arrogant, ya know? Easier ta not like her. But all she did this mornin’ is stare around camp like a lump. I couldn’t git no rise outta her.” “She’s had her whole world turned upside down last night. That’s not easy to deal with, and she’s probably feeling very confused and alone right now,” Sunset said, offering Appelbloom a small smile, “I’m not saying you have to become besties, but right now she could probably use another friend.” Applebloom made a face, “That’s a’ tall order, but... I’ll run it by the girls, hear what they think.” She then patted her cheeks as if to psyche herself up, “Okay, ‘nough worrin’, I’m gonna have a blast climbing this thing!” Sunset spent the next few minutes getting Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle ready as well, and watched as the three Cutie Mark Crusaders raced each other up the rock face. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted the lake, and saw the numerous canoes lancing across the waters. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were in charge of the canoers, and she could actually hear Dash cheering on her team, urging them to row faster, as if it were a race. She knew Applejack was overseeing a game of football taking place in the camp’s main area, and by the sound of things it was getting pretty intense. She never knew Snips could run that fast, although that might have had something to do with having Bulk Biceps being the one trying to tackle him.  She knew Clover was still down in the lab beneath the lake, working with Lieutenant Meadowbrook. She wasn’t sure if she’d have time to join them that night, but she figured she’d be able to get ahold of Clover before anything kicked off. It might even but useful to have Clover in and around the lab, just in case.  Fluttershy and Rarity were leading campers on a scavenger hunt on the west trails, with Timber Spruce helping out. She had to give the guy credit, for having nearly gotten mauled by Manticores last night, Gloriosa’s brother was in good spirits and showing a cheerful demeanor to the campers. Speaking of Gloriosa, Sunset hadn’t seen her that morning. Timber had taken care of pretty much all the organization for the morning activities. Where was Gloriosa then? Perhaps with Twilight? Sunet had not seen Twilight that morning yet either, but they’d agreed that during lunch time Sunset would slip away and the pair of them could get in contact with Adagio. Before she’d gone to sleep last night, she’d spoken with Celestia and Luna about how soon they could enact the plan to trap the Kraken, and both had agreed they could do this whenever Sunset and the girls were ready for it. Celestia had even planned ahead, picking an isolated cove several miles north of the beach they’d faced the Kraken at already, and had the Rainboom band’s instruments moved there, along with a hastily set up stage and speakers. That meant they could pull the trigger on this plan at any time, which was perfect by Sunset’s reckoning, since that meant she, Twilight, and Adagio could essentially pick what day of the week to do this.  Including that very night, which was what Sunset was considering. Better to do this as soon as possible, before something went wrong. Almost as soon as she had the thought, she spotted Gloriosa. The owner of Camp Everfree was coming right towards her, walking rather swiftly and with a harried look in her eyes. Gloriosa’s right hand was almost reflexively holding that odd necklace of multi-colored geodes she wore around her neck. “Hey there, Gloriosa. What’s up?” Sunset asked as casually as she could, trying to keep her curiosity and concern from showing. Gloriosa stopped in front of her, glancing around, almost nervously.  “Sunset Shimmer. Hello. Um, look this is going to sound strange, but can we talk? Alone?”  Why does she look so agitated? And those dark circles under her eyes? Did she sleep last night? Showing none of the clenched worry in her gut, Sunset said, “Sure, but is it alright to leave the campers like this? I mean, giant rock wall. Somebody ought to supervise.”  She pointed a thumb towards the big rock wall, which the Cutie Mark Crusaders had finished scaling, for emphasis. Gloriosa looked at it with blinking eyes, as if only just now seeing it. Her magenta features heated and she said, “Oh, yes, of course. Good point. Maybe Principal Celestia can keep an eye on things for a moment?”  Suddenly a voice spoke from behind both of them, startling both Sunset and Gloriosa into nearly jumping out of their socks. “I can watch the students,” said Luna in a dry tone. By the slight sparkle in her eyes, it was fairly clear Luna knew she’d snuck up on both of them. Gloriosa looked around as if trying to figure out where the ‘Vice Principal’ had come from. Sunset, more in the know, just gave Luna a sardonic look that all but flashed the word ‘Really?’.  Luna just smiled and stared at them, until Gloriosa, shaking off her surprise, said, “If you could, that would be great.”  With that taken care of, Gloriosa led Sunset away. Sunset expected her to go for the camp center, but instead Gloriosa walked north out of the campgrounds and started taking the path towards Twilight’s hidden lab. Only instead of taking the off-shoot trail towards the lab, Gloriosa just stopped at the cross area between trails and turned off the path itself, going and leaning her back against a tree as if exhausted and needing a rest.  “So, what did you want to talk about, exactly?” Gloriosa looked around, as if trying to confirm that no one else was present. Her hand had never once left the necklace of geodes.  “Twilight told me about you girls, you know,” she said, and Sunset wondered why it was Gloriosa sounded so distraught when she said that.  Keeping her cool, Sunset said, “She let us know last night about that, after the incident with the creatures in the forest.” A strained smile played across Gloriosa’s face, “Thank you for that. Protecting the campers. I... I don’t know what I'd do if one of them got hurt.” She paused, clearly struggling with her thoughts, before she said in a voice brimming with conflicting emotions, “I can’t begin to guess what you and your friends have gone through. I don’t even come close to understanding everything that’s going on around me. All I want is to keep Camp Everfree, to keep my home. There’s so much happening that’s just... out of my control.” Sunset took a step closer to the woman, offering a sympathetic look, “I know how you feel. Wasn’t long ago I was in the same place you were. But, Gloriosa, has something happened? Why are you telling me this? You don’t know me that well, and you’ve spent more time with Twilight...” “I already talked to Twilight. It's because of that, that I’m talking to you,” Gloriosa said, taking her hand away from the necklace. Now Sunset knew why Gloriosa had been holding it. It wasn’t just a compulsive thing. Gloriosa was trying to hide the fact that the gems were now glowing, vibrantly pulsing with magic!  The refractions. The portal experiments! They’ve been refracting off of these gems! But... what are they? Sunset looked at Gloriosa, straight in the eyes, “How long have you had these?” “Some time, now. Before all of this started. Twilight thinks they’re tied to the magic from... from your world,” Gloirosa said, “She said there’s a strong chance these geodes are tied to you and your friends, somehow. Last night, one of the gems, the red one, lit up brightly. When I told Twilight this morning, she said it's very possible that had something to do with either you, or one of your friends, because the six of you have magic inside you as well.” Sunset didn’t know what to make of that. She wasn’t blind to the magic within the geodes, or the fact that each one had a suspiciously color coded nature to it. She wasn’t stupid, she could see the corelation between the colors of the Elements and what she was looking at. But that still didn’t explain where the geodes had come from, or why there were seven geodes, but only six Elements that she was aware of. The last time the power of the Elements had been used, Sunset had been the focal point, and she’d assumed at the time that she was acting as a proxy for Magic, but she couldn’t account for why there were seven gems.  Maybe she was overthinking things. Maybe the necklace wasn’t actually representative of the Elements. For all she knew, this was an Equestrian artifact that somehow got tossed here, or it was some kind of naturally occurring set of magical crystals that resulted from Equestrian magic spilling into the human world.  “Okay, I’m not sure what these gems are, but again, why are you telling me this? Did Twilight ask you to?” “No, not specifically. She suggested it might be a good idea, but I wasn’t sure I should,” Gloriosa’s hand went back to the geodes, although this time she just touched them lightly. Suddenly Sunset felt a surge of magic, like a warm prickling on her skin, and saw strands of green light flow from Gloriosa.  Her instincts nearly made her jump back, but she saw this wasn’t an attack. Gloriosa was using her other hand to touch the tree behind her, and for a moment nothing happened. Then the bark started to sprout flowers, and the grass beneath Gloriosa’s feet grew in size and luster. It faded quickly, and Gloriosa sighed. “It’s just, now that I have this magic, I don’t want to let it go. I don’t know if you and your friends are actually tied to it, but it felt like the magic was trying to... to go to you, last night. But this magic is the only thing I have that’d let me protect my home. My brother nearly died because of those Hollow creatures that are stalking the city. Campers nearly died last night because of creatures from your world. Should I really just give up the only means I have to defend them?” Sunset looked at Gloriosa, feeling a surge of understanding course through her. She remembered sitting with Fluttershy in Twilight’s manor, nearly breaking down with worry over how she’d protect her friends. She knew what it felt like to feel powerless in the face of looming dangers, and to want to stand between what she loved and those threats. She approached Gloriosa and despite the woman’s obvious tension, she just put a hand sincerely over her heart. “Gloriosa, I promise you, I’m not your enemy. Me and my friends, we’re dedicated to protecting people just like you, your brother, and the people of the city from harm. I don’t claim to understand what this magic you’ve found is, or why it reacts to me or my friends, but I also promise you we won’t forcibly take it from you. That said, just please promise me in return you’ll be very, very careful with this magic you’re holding onto. Believe me when I say magic can be dangerous, and it doesn’t take much to go from you use it, to it using you. If Twilight’s helping you, great, she’s got plenty of experience with magic by now. But you’ve also got me now to help out too, and I’m on your side. I want to protect this came too, you know?” Gloriosa’s look of worry and outright fear slowly relaxed into something closer to calm, and she smiled, “You really know how to talk to people, don’t you?” Sunset shrugged, “I just try to see where everyone’s coming from.” Both of them glanced down as a warm, red glow suffused the area, stemming from the red geode among the gems, which was now pulsating brightly like a miniature star.  ---------- Fluttershy let out a tension relieving breath as she took in the raw splendor of nature around her. Up and down the gentle forest trails west of Camp Everfree, campers were happily going about searching for "treasures" hidden around the trail and nearby forest in a scavenger hunt. Apparently Gloriosa and Timber Spruce had set this up well prior to the campers arrival, as the scavenger hunt involved some clever riddles and clues as to where to search along the trail, and the "treasures" themselves were the ingredients for s'mores that the campers would get to cook up that night. Fluttershy and Rarity were there to help things along, but Timber Spruce himself was doing a lot of the actual work, heavily encouraging the campers and giving hints when a team looked particularly stuck. Despite his brush with death the other night (his second in as many weeks), he looked to be in good spirits and was standing near Fluttershy on a small hill by the north end of the trail as they watched students pick around the treeline. "Its a beautiful day," Fluttershy said, smiling brightly as a flock of birds alighted on a nearby tree and started chirping away, and a family of squirrels scampered across the grasses, "This is exactly what a nature camp should be all about" "Heh, minus the times campers almost getting eaten, right?" Timber said with a good natured wink. Fluttershy chuckled, but there was a hint of worry in her as well. "I know it was scary, but I wish I'd been there. Maybe I could have calmed those poor creatures down. If they're really from Equestria, they must have been so lost and confused. Oh, its so sad that some of them got hurt." She was trying hard not to think about that, in fact. She knew that animals could be very dangerous to humans in the wrong circumstances, but it wasn't their fault. They were just following their instincts. Although it was odd. Animals rarely attacked humans in groups. Granted she knew little of the nature of Equestria's fauna, but they couldn't be that different from Earth's, could they? it near broke her heart to think some of them had gotten hurt or killed the other night, although she couldn't fault the girls for protecting themselves. It was just all so very unfortunate. There was some concern still that more magical creatures might be out there, ready to attack, and Fluttershy was resolved to make sure nobody, human or animal, got hurt. Which might be difficult because Twilight had sent some of her own friends out to "escort" the campers. The Quincy were wearing those uniforms that prevented normal people from seeing them, but Fluttershy could still spot them; Sour Sweet and Lemon Zest were following the campers and paroling up and down the trail, both with their unique Quincy bows out. Sour Sweet was the closest, and seeing Fluttershy watching her, the girl gave a grin and a thumbs up while shouldering that giant crossbow of hers. Hm, Fluttershy didn't know Sour Sweet very well, but wondered if she always seemed so friendly? Putting the thought out of her mind Fluttershy went back to enjoying the general smells and sounds of nature, until her nose picked up an odd, acrid stench in the air. "What is that?" she asked, glancing around. Timber looked at her. "What's what?" "You don't smell it? It... oh, kind of smells like something that's, um... died." Timber's nose twitched, and he shrugged, "Your nose must be better than mine because I don't smell anything." "I'm going to go check," Flutteshy said, feeling a distinct unease rise in her, "It might be nothing, but it could be some poor creature in trouble." "If it smells like it died, I'm not sure you can do much to help," Timber said, but since Fluttershy was already walking out down the hill, heading deeper into the woods, he threw up his hands and said, "But since it seems to be my destiny to follow people into random danger, I guess I'll just roll with it." Fluttershy picked her way through the underbrush, Timber following close behind her. Her nose kept twitching as the smell grew stronger. It wasn't just the smell of death, but of general decay and rot. Then, after another few moments, her spiritual senses started to pick up on something nearby. She nearly froze in place. Was that... a Hollow? It was odd. It felt like a Hollow, but it was so weak. Weaker than even the lesser Hollows she was used to sensing. Should she go and get the two Quincy girls or Rarity? Well, at least she could see what it was first. None of them were far away, but she'd better warn Timber. She glanced at him, "You might want to go back. This might be dangerous, and I don't know if I'll be able to keep you safe." "Hey, smart money says me and my sisters should've packed up the left the city, let alone be trying to run a summer camp with all this weird stuff going on," he replied, "So way I see it, I'm in for it no matter where I go. Might as well keep close to the gals with the super powers." Fluttershy smiled sheepishly at that and nodded, continuing on. After just another hundred or so feet, she found a steep gully, at the bottom of which a collection of mossy stones surrounded the entrance to what looked like a small cave, probably no bigger than a closet. The smell was coming from there, along with the faint spiritual signature of a Hollow. Looking at the gully, Fluttershy saw that the grass around it was all dead, and that there was a distinct trail of near blackened earth leading into the cave. She gulped, and motioned for Timber to stay at the top of the gully as she climbed down to investigate. She approached the mouth of the tiny cave cautiously. She didn't activate her Fullbring yet, for fear of alerting whatever was inside. Carefully reaching into a pocket, she withdrew a small flashlight and shined it down into the cave as she knelt in front of the entrance. The light stabbed into the dark, and she saw something move. Whatever it was, it didn't move towards her, but rather seemed to shrink away from the light, as if afraid of it. She heard a low moaning noise, followed by a sludge-like dripping. "Um... h-hello? Can you understand me?" she asked, not even sure what she was doing. If this was a Hollow, she should probably just get Sunset and the girls here. Yet whatever this Hollow was, it felt so... so weak, and it sounded like it was in pain. Against all of her logical brain's better judgement, Fluttershy's kind heart told her to try and communicate. "I'm not going to hurt you. Please, can you come out?" she said, using the same voice she did when talking to a frightened or wounded animal. Her words seemed to have the desired affect. The shadowy shape stirred again, and moved very slowly towards her. She tensed, just in case, ready to dodge attacks or activate her Fullbring at a moment's notice. She was kind, not naive. What emerged into the soft pool of light from her flashlight surprised her. It... might have been a Hollow? It was so tiny. No bigger than a infant of maybe two or three years. Its shape was vaguely humanoid, but its body was made of a deep purple, sludge-like substance that hung off a barely discernible skeleton of mismatched bones. It's head was a bulbous shape containing a partial skull, with two, small pin-prick eyes of deeper purple light. It crawled on hands and knees, leaving behind a trail of slime behind it. From the fresh wave of smells, the death and decay was coming right from this small Hollow. It tensed upon seeing her, raising a dripping hand to its face as if to shield itself from the light. To Fluttershy's shock, it spoke, in a staggered, gurgling voice. "H...e...lp...too...m...uch...pain. Ple..ase...sto...p...stop...the...pa...in..."