//------------------------------// // Episode 121: A Fine Line Between Ally and Enemy // Story: Equestria Girls: Friendship Souls // by thatguyvex //------------------------------// Episode 121: A Fine Line Between Ally and Enemy A brief time ago... There was little to contend with on the way back to what was left of the lake, despite the constant necessity of keeping the water pressure high on the spherical ‘prison’ that Adagio was keeping Luna held in. She and Thorax were able to move through the forest uncontested. The overwhelming number of conflicting spiritual pressures still in conflict in the area blanketed most of Everfree Forest in a haze of unsteady reiatsu, making stealth significantly easier than it otherwise would have been. About halfway to the lakeshore, Adagio’s body briefly shimmered with blue light as the elongated siren tail and smooth armoring of her Resurreccion form faded and streams of energy from it poured back into her Zanpaktou trident, which also reverted to it’s sealed state. “Conserving energy, are we?” asked Thorax, and before Adagio could give him more than a look, his own body gleamed with green light as he too disengaged his Resurreccion and resumed his more humanoid form, “A wise choice, in fact. It may not be often I get to cut loose with that form, but it can get tiring to maintain it over a long period. You’ve certainly picked up on the basics of being an Arrancar quite quickly.” “If I’m not a fast study, I have no chance to keeping up with the other Espada,” Adagio replied, navigating the densely packed trees with grace and ease, careful not to let the floating sphere of water holding Luna bump into anything either. Luna remained quietly glaring at both of them, the wager gag binding her mouth still in place.  Thorax cast a glance at Luna, eyes lidded and hiding thoughts that Adagio couldn’t discern. Just why was he so keen on getting his hands on her anyway? It clearly wasn’t simply because she was a Soul Reaper Captain. There was a history there, between those two, and if Adagio was any good at judging the behavior of others, Thorax’s interest was personal. His body language didn’t indicate anything creepy or lecherous, however, which was strange given his gregarious behavior in the past. Whatever Thorax’s intent was, it was serious. Which meant it would be difficult to simply let Luna go. Adagio wasn’t entirely sure what to do with Luna yet, although Thorax’s offer was tempting on multiple levels. Access to Equestria via whatever secret means Chrysalis possessed would be a powerful advantage. Worth the risk, however? The last thing Adagio needed were Soul Reapers making the same kind of smash and grab rescue effort for Luna that she’d been doing here for Ember.  As she pondered this, they reached the edge of the forest and arrived upon the lake shore on the northern side. It was easy to see clear across the muddy crater that now consisted of what had once been a lake, and Adagio’s senses scanned the area quickly. She felt multiple reiatsu signatures in the center area, some of them her own people. Others were obviously Soul Reapers, and... was that one of Sunset Shimmer’s friends? Adagio wasn’t incredibly familiar with their spiritual energies, so she wasn’t certain which one it was, and didn’t have a clear line of sight either. “Feels like quite the gathering down there,” Thorax noted, “Although none of the Soul Reapers are nearly as strong as we are. I don’t think your vassals are in any serious trouble yet, but should we go assist them? I can resume my guise as Greta easily enough.” “Wait,” Adagio said, holding up a hand, her eyes narrowing as she felt a sudden, unnaturally large spike of spiritual energy nearby, as well as... magic? Out of all those in the human world, it might not have been a stretch to say Adagio Dazzle was the one most attuned with her magical senses. Certainly Sunset Shimmer could claim similar levels of experience with magic, but Adagio and her sisters had literally used magic as a source of nourishment and power for the better portion of their lives. Adagio knew magic. It was as much a part of her being now as her Hollow reiatsu. So there was no mistaking it when she sensed the incredible burst of magical might from somewhere in the center of the lake-bed. Or rather, below the center of the lake-bed. It made her skin tingle and her legs shudder, for the raw amount of magic was like the rupturing of a dam, allowing massive rivers of magical energy to flow out in a relentless torrent. The last time Adagio felt this much magic in one place at one time was when Sunset Shimmer and her friends had defeated the Dazzlings. In fact it felt like the same kind of magic. Something primal and unbelievably powerful. It brought Adagio back to that moment of defeat, and the sense of utter helplessness against a power too great and massive to fully wrap one’s head around, let alone contend with. Without realizing it, Adagio had slumped against a nearby tree, breathing heavily as she stared towards the center of the lake.  “Adagio? What’s wr-” Thorax began, but then the ground began to shake, and a deep, roaring rumble could be heard emanating from the entire lake-bed. The eldest son of Chrysalis gulped visibly and looked around in concern as he too started to sense what was happening. He couldn’t sense the magic, no, but there wasn’t just magic present, but an gargantuan flow of spiritual energy was gathering down below the lake-bed's center as well. Thorax’s senses were keen, his Pesquisa quite refined, so he knew full-well how large the flow of spirit energy was. And it was a flow, he realized. The reiatsu was gathering in one place, but was coming from somewhere else. He and Adagio both could sense it, as if a huge underground conduit was sending a flood of spirit energy from somewhere far to the west and pooling it at a single point beneath the lake.  Luna was trying to speak now, her words little more than garbled grumbles beneath the water gag, and she was struggling in the prison. Adagio realized her momentary shock at sensing that primal, harmonious magic had caused her to slacken her control on the water, and she quickly resumed control, pushing herself off the tree and turning to raise a hand towards Luna to constrict the water. “I don’t suppose you have any notion of what’s happening here, Adagio? Because I confess I’m a bit... flummoxed by this,” Thorax said, slowly regaining his composure. “I don’t know,” Adagio admitted, “But I sense Equestrian magic, and...” she focused for a second, eyes closed, “It’s flowing away from here. It’s following the same path all of that spirit energy is coming from. Almost as if...” “As if it’s being exchanged,” Thorax noted, his own expression growing curious, “And this reiatsu, it’s odd. It’s spirit energy, but it feels slightly different from what I’m used to. It’s not quite the same flavor, if you follow.” “You’re right,” Adagio said, able to sense the same thing Thorax was. The spirit energy pouring into the area from the west was clearly reishi, but it felt subtly off from what she’d grown accustomed to. Almost like the difference between two similar brands of soda. They might be going for the same flavor, and they’re both soda, but you’d never mistake one for the other.  The shaking in the ground intensified, and even Adagio and Thorax had to struggle for balance for a second. But only for a second, because in the next moment it was impossible to keep balance and both Arrancar had to hop off the ground and stand a few feet up in the air while a sound like a collapsing skyscraper filled the air. Adagio saw the lake-bed bulge upward, and for a heart stopping second she saw her vassals. Di Roy and Gaw, along with Ember, along with a group of Soul Reapers. They were nearly at the epicenter of the lake, and then there was a golden flash of light. Adagio couldn’t make it all out, but she thought she saw Sunset Shimmer’s friend Fluttershy extend what appeared to be a swarm of gold arms of energy that encased her and everyone around her in a protective dome. In that same instant the lake-bed erupted upward as if someone had planted the world’s largest  bomb beneath the ground.  However an instant later Adagio was left awestruck as a truly enormous tree grew up from the center of the lake and speared up into the sky, like some mythical depiction of Yggdrasil given life. She saw roots thicker than some houses stretched out like fingers across the lake and smash into the forest. She, Thorax, and Luna narrowly avoided being crushed by one as one of the gigantic roots flew by no more than ten feet to their left, extending deep into the Everfree Forest. Within moments the tree grew to a towering height, forcing Adagio to crane her neck upward to see the thick branches and gigantic leaves, all forming a large dome-like structure at the giant tree’s apex.  As the noise and dust began to settle, Adagio turned a look towards Thorax, who looked back at her with a clearly dumbfounded expression. It was almost priceless to see the usually composed Thorax looking utterly at a loss as he held up a hand and pointed at the tree. “So... I take it this wasn’t in any part of your plan?” “No,” Adagio replied with a sarcastic drawl, “No I didn’t account for random World Trees appearing out of nowhere! I don’t suppose you have any notion what this is about?” “None, although...” Thorax looked thoughtful for a moment, stroking his chin. Adagio could see his eyes twitch narrower as he appeared to think over something. “This is ringing an uncomfortable bell or two. Mother did once or twice mention how she’d utterly destroyed a rival, and encased her remains in the living world. While this rivalry happened when I was very young, I still recall it. You would know of it too, in fact. You recall the sad tale of the Queen of Thorns?” Adagio did, although it wasn’t as if she knew much beyond the fact that Chrysalis had brought the Queen of Thorns to ruin and that it’d never been confirmed one way or the other what the former Second Espada’s final fate had been. “I do, but what makes you think this has anything to do with that?” “Focus on the top of that tree with your Pesquisa,” Thorax said, “You’ll feel it. I may never have met the Queen of Thorns personally, but this reiatsu...” It didn’t take Adagio more than a second to sense what Thorax was and realize he may well have a point. Somewhere around the giant tree’s uppermost reaches she could feel the pulsating of a powerful Hollow reiatsu. It was absorbing the spirit energy still pouring into the tree from the distant west, growing stronger by the second.  It’s already strong enough to make me worried about taking it on myself. It might even be closer to Lament's strength... or... no, stronger? Could this really be the Queen of Thorns?    As if reading her like a billboard, Thorax said, “Admittedly I’m just basing this presumption upon the raw power I’m sensing up there, which measures up to  former Second Espada, even if it’s still less than mother’s. That, plus the skyscraper sized tree. The Queen of Thorns did have a thing for nature. Regardless, I don’t plan on going up there to find out. By the way, are your vassals alright?” A damn good question. Adagio refocused her attention on what was left of the lake-bed. The Soul Reaper research area had been utterly destroyed, with only a few tattered remains of the laboratory tents strewn about. Something about that triggered a nagging sensation of worry in Adagio’s brain, but she couldn’t pinpoint why, as she was too busy trying to sense her people. She felt Fluttershy’s reiatsu keenly, and could see the protective dome of joined arms and hands of raw golden light that had formed around the girl and everyone that had been nearly at ground zero.  Even as Adagio watched, those hands retracted, the dome fading away to reveal that Fluttershy had managed to protect the entire group of people, Soul Reaper and Arrancar alike. Furthermore, a mere moment later Adagio sensed the familiar reiatsu of Sunset Shimmer, and saw the girl arriving at Fluttershy’s location. She was soon joined by another Soul Reaper, one Adagio recognized as Clover. Adagio tensed slightly as there was a brief standoff between her people and the Soul Reapers, but thankfully it looked as if Sunset Shimmer was keeping things from turning into a fight. Even better, her vassals exercised excellent common sense and soon a Garganta portal opened. After a few more exchanged words, including some kind of personal exchange between Di Roy and Gaw, Adagio breathed a sigh of pure relief as she saw her trusted vassals, along with Ember, go through the Garganta portal and safely back to Hueco Mundo and Las Noches.  “I am going to have to find a suitable way to reward them, once this is all over,” Adagio said, amazed at herself for just how relieved she felt to know her people were safe and Ember’s rescue was successful. No matter how else this situation turned out, she’d accomplished the mission she’d set herself and her people on, and Ember could return to her father.  “All’s well that ends not quite yet, eh?” Thorax said, his shrewd gaze looking towards where Sunset Shimmer was talking to her friends and the gathered Soul Reapers, “An interesting group of young women, that bunch. I can see why they caused such a stir in Soul Society. Especially that admirable redhead.” “I wouldn’t recommend trying your usual moves on her,” Adagio warned, half jokingly, “Sunset Shimmer has a low threshold of tolerance for BS.” “Oh, you wound me. I’d never dream of trying to corrupt such an innocent flame. Unless, of course, she wanted me to,” Thorax replied, then gave a wicked smile that was all but basted in carnal charm. Charm that Adagio was mostly immune to. ...Mostly.  Luna was still making noise, nodding towards where Sunset Shimmer was. Adagio looked to where Luna was jutting her chin, and saw Sunset was now flying up at high speed, followed closely by Clover. Both Soul Reapers were heading towards the top of the towering tree. Meanwhile it looked as if the other Soul Reapers were regrouping towards Camp Everfree, while Fluttershy had taken to the air as well, leaping across the sky to head north back towards where Adagio and Thorax had come. “She can’t be serious?” Adagio found herself saying as she watched Sunset and Clover reach the upper boughs of the tree and vanish from view, “Sunset, you thick skulled, stubborn hero,” she spat ‘hero’ like it was a foul curse, “Do you honestly think you can take on whoever is up there!?” “Given the enthusiasm with which she and that green haired Soul Reaper went flying up there, I imagine they must think they have a chance,” Thorax said, shrugging, “Which means I might need to reevaluate their intelligence, even as I admire their moxie.” “Fools are going to get themselves killed!” Adagio growled out, to which Thorax gave her an appraising glance. “Perhaps, but is that really our business?” Despite the question, the tone of his voice suggested he didn’t actually like the notion of Sunset Shimmer meeting an untimely end either, but rather he was testing to see how Adagio would respond. Not particularly in the mood for games, Adagio straightened up to her full height, matching Thorax’s gaze. “We may not be allies, Sunset Shimmer and I, but we’re not strictly enemies either. She may even prove useful, down the road.” Her eyes flicked towards Luna. Presumably the Captain wasn’t aware of the precise nature of Adagio and Sunset’s alliance, alongside Twilight Sparkle. Luna wouldn’t know that Sunset and her friends had directly aided in the plan to rescue Ember. Which was the real reason Adagio was now concerned for Sunset Shimmer’s life, despite the fact that they couldn’t really be considered friends. Sunset hadn’t needed to help Adagio at all. She could have let Adagio figure out how to save Ember, offering now assistance. Heck, helping probably put her and her group of gal-pals into far greater danger than if they’d stayed out of this mess. Sunset Shimmer might not have been a friend, but Adagio owed her now. The problem was that Adagio couldn’t be seen openly giving Sunset Shimmer or her friend’s help. Even if Thorax might keep his mouth shut, there were still possibly a handful of Guto’s warriors hanging around, and more importantly Grogar was still out there. Where was the despicable goat anyway?  Adagio focused her Pesquisa and searched. The last she’d sensed him he was somewhere to the east, fighting Celestia. However now she couldn’t sense either Celestia or Grogar. Had they somehow killed one another? That seemed unlikely. Grimacing, Adagio started searching elsewhere, starting with the north, where she’d last left Lament and Sweet Cider. “What...?” Adagio breathed, and Thorax frowned. “Something amiss?” “Lament and that Sweet Cider woman are miles north of where we left them, and... both are considerably weakened,” Adagio said, her expression turning even more dour as she felt out more spiritual pressures. There was a huge number of conflicting pressures from Twilight Sparkle’s direction, but Adagio put that out of her mind for the moment to focus on the area Lament and Sweet Cider were in. “Applejack is there? Oh hell, Fenice is too!? When did she even-!? Wait... and this is... the annoying pink one? She’s not quite there but she’s heading that way, and... DAMMIT!” Thorax, who’d started to sense in that direction with his own Pesquisa felt the same thing Adagio had, his voice souring, “Old man Grogar. It looks as if he’s given Celestia the slip and is heading towards the family get-together. I don’t imagine he’s planing anything cordial.” “Really!? You think!?” Adagio hissed as she gripped her trident and pierced a nearby tree with it in pure frustrated rage, “That shriveled bastard is always planning something underhanded! I’m not about to let him get away with it. Not this time!” “You’re going to openly fight a fellow Espada without Lord Tirek’s sanction?” Thorax questioned, and Adagio waved him off, yanking her trident out of the unfortunate tree, which split in half and fell.  “Of course not. I’m not stupid like some bacon headed nitwits around here! But I can ensure he doesn’t get whatever he’s after over there, and drag his sorry ass back to Hueco Mundo if I have to.” Luna was making considerably more noise now, all but thrashing in her water prison and eyeing daggers towards both Adagio and Thorax, who looked to her. Thorax cleared his throat politely, “It seems Captain Luna wishes to speak.” Adagio rolled her eyes, “Fine. We don’t have time for this.” She removed Luna’s water gag with a gesture, “Spit it out, whatever it is.” “You have to let me go!” Luna gasped, “Right now! You’re correct that there’s no time to waste! Free me, and I’ll help Sunset Shimmer and Third Seat Clover face whatever Hollow has awoken!” As if to emphasize what Luna was saying, there was a burst of differing spiritual pressures and magic from atop the tree, and Adagio sensed that a battle had begun up there, even if she couldn’t see it past all of the many gigantic and thick branches.  “You may be right...” Adagio said, but Thorax stepped into her view, expression suddenly like hard marble. “What about my deal, Adagio Dazzle? I need Luna taken to Las Noches.” “Do you?” Adagio asked sharply, “Why?” “Because...” he hesitated, a slight flicker of doubt in his eyes as he glanced back towards Luna, “Because I need her where she can’t just walk away from me. Where I can make her listen to what I have to say.” “I don’t care to hear anything that comes out of your lying mouth!” Luna said with a heated tone, but Adagio didn’t miss the strained hint of something else there. Hurt. An old wound giving off fresh pain.  Strangely... or perhaps fittingly, Thorax’s voice carried the same hint of pain as he said, “You see my point, Adagio? She won’t listen unless I have her as a literal captive audience. Adagio... I don’t do this often, but I’m begging you to give me this chance. This might be the only opportunity I’ll ever have to force Luna to hear me out! Once it’s done, I will free her immediately to return to Soul Society, you have my word.” “She’d  be a fool to trust you,” Luna said, “You’re just like your mother. Deceit flows from your every breath.”  “Do you actually believe that, Luna?” Thorax asked, stepping closer to her and putting his face so close to hers they could have likely felt each other’s breathing. “That I’m no different from Chrysalis?” Luna didn’t immediately say anything, her open mouth ready to spit spite suddenly arrested by Thorax’s eyes, which she couldn’t look at directly for long before looking away silently.  Adagio, observing the body language of both, was getting a clearer and clearer picture of things. Only former lovers or family could cause quite this much injured feelings, and these two certainly weren’t related so that only left one other possibility. Adagio nearly exploded into a sigh at the absurdity of it all. Well, she had a solution, albeit an imperfect one. But it was either going to be her way, or no way at all, because there was zero time to screw around with this lover’s quarrel. She approached the sphere of water and floated it away from Thorax, circling it and Luna so that she was between the pair as she spoke. “Before either of you say another word to each other, listen to me instead. I have a deal of my own, for both of you.” That got both Thorax and Luna staring at her, Luna with her mouth open as if to say something but was clearly too perplexed to think of what to say, while Thorax crossed his arms over his delightfully toned chest and eyed Adagio with wariness flickering across his gaze. Having both of their attention, Adagio continued swiftly, knowing at this point each passing minute was key. “Luna, I will release you so you can go aid Sunset Shimmer, on two conditions. Condition one; you do not engage myself, Thorax, Lament, or any Hollow still present in the area who isn’t Grogar or whoever it is doing battle with Sunset. Condition two; you agree to meet with Thorax and hear out whatever he has to say to you on a mutually agreed upon neutral territory, at a time of his choosing.” “But-” Thorax began, but Adagio turned to him with a whip crack in her eyes. “I’m not finished. I have a condition for you as well. You swear to me right here and now that when you meet with Luna, you do nothing except talk. No tricks, no ambushes. You want her to hear you out, then you talk to her openly, on equal footing. That sound reasonable to you?” “I’ll... give my word, but even if you believe me, Luna has made it clear she doesn’t trust me, so what reason would she have to agree to this deal?” Thorax said, but Luna cut in almost immediately. “I accept.” “You do?” Thorax blinked, but then frowned deeply, “Or are you just saying you will so Adagio will release you without any intention of actually following through?” “You are the one who treats the truth like a canvas you can paint over at your leisure,” Luna said, “I keep my word, when given, and I swear it now, Adagio Dazzle, that if you release me, I shall fulfill my end of this bargain and meet with Thorax. Neutral ground, at a time he chooses. I will come alone, and hear out whatever he has to say.” Her eyes shot a flash of heated anger towards Thorax, “But nothing more.” For a second Thorax and Luna stared each other down, then Thorax sighed and nodded, “I believe you. Very well, Adagio. Deal struck. I note you said nothing about the means to get to Equestria i spoke of earlier.” “It intrigues me, but right now I needed this argument over and done with, so I wasn’t about to squabble with you over that detail,” Adagio said, “If you truly want a favor from me, we can negotiate on that matter once the present mess is cleaned up. For now, you’ll get your chance to patch up your bizarre relationship.” “We are not in a relationship!” shouted Luna, cheeks flushed. “It wasn’t quite like that,” Thorax said, at about the same time. Adagio looked between them and chuckled without much humor in her tired tone, “Whatever you say. Not my business. Now then...” She gestured, and relieved the water pressure on the sphere containing Luna, and the water splashed to the ground in an instant. The soaked Captain landed on the ground nimbly, and stretched her legs. Her Zanpaktou had hit the ground, and she retrieved it. Adagio and Thorax watched her, both somewhat on guard, but Luna just looked to Thorax with a carefully schooled expression of calm. “Neutral ground, is it? Should it be... that place?” Thorax actually looked vaguely nostalgic as he said, “That will be suitable. Only you and I know of it. I don’t know how long the fallout of today’s events will take to simmer down, but give me, say... five days, and I will be there. Say, at midnight?” “Very well,” Luna said, pausing a moment to look at Adagio, “Keep in mind this doesn’t mean we won’t be foes the next time we see each other.” “Never imagined otherwise,” Adagio replied coolly, then cracked a wry smirk, “Try not to die before then, Soul Reaper... and make sure Sunset Shimmer doesn’t, either?” This elicited a small, rough chuckle from Luna as she turned towards the soaring heights of the tree dominating the center of the lake, “I shall do what I can. That appears to be all any of us can do.” With that, Luna vanished, demonstrating once more the insane speed of her Flash Step. Adagio barely even caught a flicker of her soaring up towards the top of the tree, and towards the distant sound of roaring flames and explosive blasts of wind from clashing reiatsu. Whatever battle was taking place up there, it was certainly an intense one. Adagio just hoped Sunset Shimmer was sensible enough to prioritize survival over foolish heroics... oh who was she kidding? Sunset was going to Sunset.  For now, Adagio had other goats to fry. Figuratively, if unfortunately not literally. “So what do you intend to do now?” Thorax asked. “I have to go deal with Grogar. You’re free to assist me, or return to Las Noches in your Greta disguise. Then again, you might want to go look for Gilda. Not entirely sure what’s happened to that one.” “Ah, I’d near forgotten about her myself,” Thorax said, “Last I saw, she’d been dealt a sound defeat by that rather pretty peach of a girl named Fluttershy. Still alive, from what I saw. I suppose I could go see about finding her, but then assisting you with Grogar sounds so much more... entertaining.” “Do as you like, but follow my lead,” Adagio said, “For once I’d like to get the drop on Grogar.” ---------- And oh was it a sweet feeling to do exactly that.  Arrival at the mountain valley that was desolated by the battle between Lament and Sweet Cider had been a bit delayed as Adagio and Thorax had passed the area Twilight Sparkle had been battling in, but all that could be sensed there now was a strange mass of reiatsu that was clearly of Quincy origin, but that was all Adagio could sense without getting closer to get a visual. And she didn’t have time for that. Twilight would have to just take care of herself. Adagio could only be in so many places at once, and Grogar was the larger issue at the moment. So it was that she and Thorax had arrived to witness the commencement of the battle between Grogar and, of all people, Pinkie Pie! Adagio had needed all of her self control to keep from bursting out laughing at just how readily the pink madwoman’s unique powers were frustrating Grogar. She and Thorax remained hidden amid the treeline just outside the destroyed valley, planning and waiting for the right moment. Sweet Cider and Lament were both there, and while Adagio was worried about how badly Lament appeared to be injured and drained, she was more concerned about igniting another immediate fight if she didn’t plan out her actions just right. Weakened or not, Adagio didn’t want another brawl with Sweet Cider. It still confused Adagio how Fenice was here, but at least the girl was looking after her father, taking Lament away from the center of battle while Pinkie Pie and Grogar traded... well not blows so much as insults and random sparks of insanity.  There was also another Hollow present that Adagio didn’t recognize at all, but even as she surmised it might be one of Grogar’s “experiments”, the creature was all but torn to shreds by Applejack, who was sporting an impressive new set of armor and a ridiculous lance-gun that left Adagio shaking her head in wonderment. Regardless of how silly the weapon looked, there was no doubting Applejack’s newfound power. Sunset Shimmer’s friends were all gaining impressive abilities, and if Adagio wasn’t misjudging the reiatsu coming off Applejack then the Espada and Soul Reaper Captains had some new competition on the block. Well, good for them. As long as I and Sunset Shimmer maintain an understanding with one another, this group could prove worthy allies when the time is right, she thought. Then most of her thoughts consisted of numerous variations of “What the hell?” as Pinkie Pie had some kind of emotional pow-wow with her doppelganger self, upon which the pair appeared to merge together and, amid a pillar of light and explosion of reiatsu, evolved into the world’s most insane and overpowered jester. Once more, some satisfaction was had at seeing Grogar’s day worsen, and furthermore it provided the precise opening that Adagio and Thorax were planning for. The entire time of observing Adagio had not failed to notice the shining red orb that Grogar seemed so keen upon and kept referring to as a ‘Seed’. She didn’t know where it came from, precisely, but the fact that it radiated an incredibly powerful spiritual pressure that held flavors of Lament’s energy, Adagio had some unpleasant guesses. So getting her hands on this ‘Seed’ became the focus of her plan, and opportunity presented itself while Pinkie Pie, with her fully evolved Fullbring, kept Grogar distracted while at the same time the Seed had ended up in Applejack’s hands. Now, granted, with Sweet Cider also present, there was a great deal of risk in what Adagio planned to do, but at this point the reward far outweighed the risk in her mind. With Thorax given his marching orders, Adagio watched carefully  for the precise moment that Applejack and Sweet Cider were both fully invested in watching Pinkie’s fight with Grogar, just as Pinkie was trying to hammer the old goat with some kind of charged up baseball. Adagio had moved instantly, with the fastest Sonido she could muster, while summoning a wave of water from her trident. Applejack, who’d been holding the Seed, had been taken completely by surprise, and Adagio had been able to sweep the orb up with ease, using her water to toss the Seed into her waiting hand as she blew past both Applejack and Sweet Cider.  A brief quip later and Adagio was left as the center of attention, orb in hand. The Seed pulsed warmly in her palm, it’s surface having a faint organic sensation on her fingers, almost like touching a piece of fruit rather than a gem or other hardened mineral. The power inside it had a tantalizing sensation, but Adagio wasn’t about to do anything drastic with it just yet. If this power was stolen from Lament, she’d be a poor ally if she ignored any chance of returning it to him, especially after all he’d gone through to help her today. “Adagio!” Applejack shouted, looking as if she wasn’t entirely sure whether to level her massive lance towards the siren or not, “Give that back! Ya don’t know what it is!” “Oh hey! It’s Adagio! Hi!” Pinkie Pie said, giving Adagio a rather uncomfortably wide grin as she waved. The odd half mask on her face shifted positions and colors, going from white to black, and Pinkie Pie’s eyes turned strangely serious, while still somehow retaining a mischievous glint, “Hope you’re here to make things easier to wrap up. Just don’t take too long, because I’m still pretty hungry.” Adagio blinked at Pinkie Pie, trying to figure out what was up with the girl’s body language. She was as tense and rapid as a starving badger while still somehow retaining that airy, bouncy quality of unrestrained energy that was so similar to Sonata. Well, no matter, she was more annoyed that Sunset Shimmer’s two friends were being a tad too familiar, considering their respective roles in the plan. We’re not supposed to be on the same team, you two, so try to play your part a bit less familiar, would you? These girls have no acting chops whatsoever. Then again given the stress they were under after having to deal with Grogar, Adagio could forgive them for not being able to fully maintain the facade. Making a dramatic gesture, Adagio pulled off an amply skilled laugh that conveyed a decent mix of satisfaction and amusement. “Oh ho ho ho! You shouldn’t let your guard down so easily, Applejack. And why would I give this back? It looks so important, and Grogar was fighting ever so hard to get it back...” she shot a razor thin smirk towards the Espada in question, who was descending from the sky to land nearby, “Then again since he was losing to a mere human, perhaps he doesn’t deserve his little prize, whatever it is.” “The human is right in one regard,” Grogar said in a tone so cold it was practically arctic, “You don’t know what it is you’re holding.” He held out a hand towards Adagio, it’s smooth blue skin intermixed with bizarre machinery giving Adagio a moment of pause. She’d never witnessed Grogar’s Resurreccion form, for she had to assume that’s what this was, and the appearance of it only reinforced her disgust towards him. Even with his flesh revitalized with youth he still came off as something less charming than a freshly dug-up corpse, the wires, gears, metal plates, tubes, and bolts crossing over his flesh making him look like some wretched techno-zombie. And it still rankled Adagio to no end to see the false siren gem pulsing inside him, seemingly even stronger than what she’d sensed from it earlier.  There was no way in Tartarus, Hell, or any other lower plane one cared to name or invent that Adagio was going to let Grogar get his filthy hands on this ‘Seed’.  “No, I don’t, but I just somehow don’t feel quite comfortable with you touching it, Grogar, so I think I’ll be holding onto it for safekeeping,” Adagio replied in a smooth tone, and before he could reply she turned to look at Sweet Cider and Applejack. Sweet Cider was tense, her hands clutching two blades now. Adagio recognized the massive slab of Kizuna, but she didn’t know what the odd, rock formed bladed was. And Kizuna did look different now, which struck Adagio as odd. Just what had happened here, between Sweet Cider and Lament? No matter, she had to make this quick.  “Captain Sweet Cider, Applejack... my orders from Lord Tirek were clear; test Canterlot City’s defenses. Well, all things considered I believe I’ve fulfilled that order quite thoroughly. Captain Luna is alive, if you must know. Sadly she escaped my clutches, being the clever Reaper that she is. Oh, curse those unpredictable shadow powers of hers. I’m merely here to retrieve my fellow Espada and effect a withdrawal to Hueco Mundo. Given we all seem quite at our limits, can I trust you won’t interfere with this?” “Now hold on just a’ second there,” Sweet Cider said, “I don’t know what yer playin’ at, but don’t change that I need ya to give that red ball there ta me! My husband... ugh... that thing was yanked outta the guy ya call ‘Lament’ by that piece o’ trash behind ya!” “Oh?” Adagio cast a look back to Grogar, “You harmed a fellow Espada?” Grogar’s expression twitched, but his tone was smooth as glass as he said, “Lament lives, and its possible his power will recover. You have no leverage here, Adagio Dazzle. This action, to complete my experiment, was authorized by Lord Tirek, who is most interested in seeing the results.” She didn’t like the sound of that, but kept her emotions in check as she pinned Grogar with a hard stare, “I wonder how much you told Lord Tirek about this ‘experiment’ of yours, and whether it might cost him the power of an Espada far greater than the mere Ninth’s? If Lament cannot recover, you’ve cost Las Noches much to complete your science project.” Grogar kept up his poker face, but Adagio could see the tick of nervousness in his eyes, even if he wasn’t quite sweating bullets, “Rest assured, Lord Tirek will see the value of my research, and he will be quite displeased by anyone who interferes with my completing it. So, give me the Seed, and I’ll forego any mention of your ‘alliance’ with the Quincy.” “The alliance with Quincy!?” Sweet Cider blurted, and Adagio, knowing she needed to take control of this conversation, threw her head back and laughed. “Oh Grogar, are you actually trying to threaten me with that? As if my manipulation of our enemy is something I should be ashamed of rather than proud? I was planning to inform Tirek of my great success in turning our enemies against one another anyway, but if you want to sing my praises, by all means, I won’t stop you.” “What?” Grogar said, and Adagio took advantage of his momentary confusion, thrusting her trident to the south to point the direction of both Camp Everfree and Twilight Sparkle’s battle. “Look, you old fool! The Quincy fight the Soul Reapers and each other! Chaos ensues, costing our foes and buying us time to retreat. All according to my design. Even if you hadn’t been here, I had everything thought through. I used the Quincy, used the Soul Reapers, hah, I even used Sunset Shimmer and her collection of misfits to orchestrate the ideal scenario to test this city’s defenders while maximizing the damage they’d do to themselves. Do you think Tirek is going to care if I pretended to befriend a young, naive Quincy girl to help me rescue Torch’s daughter while snubbing some of the most powerful Soul Reapers in the city, defeating one of them in the process? Fool, Tirek will shower me with praise if he has half a lick of sense in his head.” The thing about natural schemers and deceivers is that they’re always more willing to believe someone else is just as they are. Of course Adagio hadn’t planned all of what had occurred today, but she didn’t have to in order to make it sound like she had. All she had to do was point out the parts the benefited her and make it seem like those were the only results that she’d wanted, while carefully ignoring any mention of the numerous ways things could have turned out differently or didn’t benefit her, and a mind like Grogar’s, or indeed Tirek’s, would string together their own conclusions. She could all but see the dots being connected in Grogar’s mind as his eyes first narrowed, then grew thoughtful, then slowly widened. “An... actually decent scheme. Yet it does not change the fact that the Seed is mine, and Tirek will not allow you to keep it. Only I know the secret to unlocking its potential power.” “Perhaps that is so, but for now, I shall hold onto it. We’ll see what Lord Tirek has to say on the matter upon our return. Speaking of which... Lament! Fenice!  Get over here if you would! We are leaving!” From the far edge of the valley she could see Fenice emerge from the tree-line, Lament still draped over her shoulders. It actually caused an unexpected pang of regret and worry in Adagio's heart to see the Fourth Espada in such condition, especially as Fenice drew closer and the full extent of Lament’s injuries became apparent.  Ignoring what anyone present thought of it, Adagio went up and placed a hand on Lament’s shoulder as the main raised his head weakly towards her. “Lament, you truly went all out here, didn’t you?” He offered her a small wisp of a smile, “It was... a more personal matter than I was expecting. Did you rescue your friend?” Adagio nodded, closing her eyes briefly as she smiled, “Yes. Ember’s safe, largely thanks to you. I won’t forget the fact, you can be certain of that.” “Heh... good,” he said, then turned his eyes towards Sweet Cider, their depths filled with such a swirl of emotions that Adagio couldn’t make all of them out, but love shone brightest among them.  “It may be awhile before we see each other again, hun,” Lament said, and Sweet Cider gave him a slow, saddened nod. “I know, Hard Nail. Ya got some things ta work out. When yer ready, ya know how ta get ahold o’ me,” she then shot a fiery gaze at Grogar, “An’ you better not think o’ messin’ with my family, ‘cause even yer high n’ mighty ‘Lord’ Tirek wouldn’t stop me from bustin’ down Las Noches’ doors an’ chopping yer filthy head in two. Only lettin’ ya crawl back now cause...” “Because you’re drained to the point of barely being a threat,” Grogar provided with a scoffing noise, “And I’m only letting you go because... oh wait, I don’t have a reason, do I? Adagio, remind me again why we shouldn’t be killing a nearly dead Soul Reaper Captain? Care to explain to me how that fits into your plan, once we report it to Lord Tirek?” “Oh, that’s easy,” Adagio said, already gesturing to open up a wide enough Garganta portal for all of them to step through, “Because Celestia is back and on her way here.” “...Wait, what?” Grogar said, only a few moments before Captain Celestia appeared in the sky above and then landed in front of Sweet Cider and Applejack with a rather dramatic pose, hand sweeping out before going to the hilts of her Zanpaktou. “Don’t fear, Captain Sweet Cider, young Applejack and Pinkie Pie, for I am here!” Adagio suppressed a grimace and turned to Grogar quickly, eyes sharp, “Unless you want to face her and whatever reinforcements she’s brought, flee now. Or stay here and die. I’ll gladly be rid of you.” As if she didn’t care at all which decision he made, she stepped into the Garganta and for good measure aimed a lazily charged Cero back towards Celestia while shouting, “Lament, Fenice, into the portal, now!” While Lament gave Sweet Cider and Applejack one last look, as if trying to imprint the images of them on his mind, Fenice helped him into the Garganta while Adagio discharged her Cero. The thick, ruby beam swept towards Celestia, who clashed with the beam with both her Zanpaktou, dispersing the energies without any apparent difficulty. Grogar hesitated a moment, but then eyed the Seed Adagio still carried, and with a growl of frustration followed her into the Garganta, his face a scowling visage that promised retribution upon those who had interfered with his plans that day; Hollow, Soul Reaper, and Fullbringer alike.  Adagio showed no concern for his rancor. If anything she smirked at him without hiding any the the delight she felt as his frustrations. Indeed, Adagio was drinking in Grogar’s spite like it was the finest aged wine. While matters were far from settled between them, she was enjoying this victory, however precarious it might be. If she played things right, she could erode Grogar’s favor with Tirek, bit by bit. Sooner or later, she’d be able to enact her final vengeance, without worrying about retribution from the ruler of Las Noches. It was just a matter of time, now... As a sneering Grogar moved further into the Garganta, Adagio turned a final look to those still standing outside it’s precipice in the world of the living.  She didn’t like having to step out of things before it was all truly resolved, but she had... well, not ‘faith’ per se, but a sense of a decent bet that Sunset Shimmer and her band of odd-balls would survive. She held similar feelings towards Twilight Sparkle. Whatever trouble that Quincy girl had run into, she was smart enough to get herself out of it.  But for now, Adagio’s part in these affairs was over, for better or worse. It was time for her to return to Hueco Mundo and start making what she could out of the results. Granted, there were a few loose ends, such as Gilda’s whereabouts, and the true identity of the powerful newcomer and just what they were doing sending all that magical power out west. Adagio would just have to trust in her new accomplice to continue being as competent as he made himself out to be.  So, with a final wink to Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Sweet Cider, Adagio closed the Garganta portal. ---------- With the abrupt departure of the Espada, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Sweet Cider were all left to equal measures of relief and exhaustion. Applejack slammed her lance’s tip into the ground, more to make it easier to lean on it to catch her breath than to express anger, although her voice was still heated, “That dang Adagio better figure a’ way to heal up pa, otherwise...” “They seem ta be allies in Las Noches,” Sweet Cider said, breathing heavily as she wiped sweat and blood off her face with a torn sleeve, “I just hope Hard Nail knows what he’s doin’, trustin’ her like that. At any rate, thanks fer the save, Captain Celestia. Ya had perfect timin’ there.” “But of course,” Celestia said, turning with a very... un-Celestia-like strut that flowed into a bow as she sheathed her Zanpaktou, “It went precisely as Adagio hoped it would, and I do so love to play the ‘hero’ on occasion.” “Uhhh... what?” Applejack said, and Pinkie Pie walked over, shouldering her hammer and smiling at ‘Celestia’. “Heeey, you’re not a bad jokester, but don’t stretch out the punchline too long. The Apples are really all about the honesty, you know? Of course...” she ran a finger on Celestia’s neck, which seemed to take Celestia by surprise as Pinkie Pie licked said finger with a grin, “You weren’t hiding your flavor very well. You’re lucky Grogar was too panicked to notice.” “Well well well, it looks like one of Sunset Shimmer’s friends might make for an excellent party guest someday,” said Celestia, and in an instant a wash of emerald fire flowed over ‘her’, only to reveal an onyx skinned man with sinfully well structured proportions, flowing green hair, an Arrancar’s skull fragment in the shape of a beetle-like helmet, and a smile that made Applejack both want to punch him and find out if he was available that Saturday night. Applejack was amazed by the fact that even the Arrancar's reiatsu had shifted with the change. When he'd been disguised, he'd even emitted spiritual pressure that had felt like Celestia's. “You!?” Sweet Cider sputtered, readying her Zanpaktou and Fullbring, but the man just bowed again, nonplussed. “Thorax, madame Captain. I do have a name, you recall? I do hope we can avoid any further unnecessary fighting, given I just helped Adagio ensure Grogar didn’t try any further violence. He likely wouldn’t have left unless he felt sufficiently threatened, so I took Celestia’s form for a bit. Don’t tell her, okay? I’m not keen on being roasted alive.” “Ugh, was what Adagio said ‘bout Captain Luna true?” Sweet Cider asked, not dropping her guard. “More or less. She’s no longer in our custody, and is currently helping Sunset Shimmer and another Soul Reaper do battle with a rather frightful new enemy. If you weren’t so drained and focused on Grogar, perhaps you’d be sensing it?” Thorax said, and the Soul Reaper and two Fullbringers all exchanged looks before stretching out their senses back south, across the many miles towards Camp Everfree. Soon enough they all felt the waves of powerful reiatsu that now clashed there, including the potent Hollow pressure from something easily stronger than Grogar had been. “Whan n’ tarnation is that?” Applejack breathed. Pinkie Pie’s half-mask fluctuated back and forth across her face several times as she appeared to have a conversation with herself. “Oooo, that’s not good. I’m getting some serious toe twitches and tickly tongue vibes from there! Sunset and Clover are in real trouble!” “This reiatsu smells like a Hollow but I’m getting a taste of magic in it. Mmm, a lot of magic. Say, doesn’t this kinda smell like that Gloriosa chick?” “Yup, and it’s making me real hungry, too. But we’ve got no time for snacks while our friends are in danger.” “Speaking of which, got something stale and antiseptic smelling in that direction too, thinking it’s Quincy.” Applejack held up ah and and waved it in front of Pinkie Pie’s face, “Whoa, hold up there, let’s try n’ focus on one crisis at a’ time. Also, what’s goin’ on with you, Pinkie? Is Pinkamena still in there, or what?” The black mask took over for a second as Pinkie Pie licked her lips, “Think of it like this, Applejack. Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie were living in two different ‘buildings’ and had to split their resources playing utilities and rent for them. But now we’re living under the same roof, which is how it should be. More cost efficient. We’re basically roomies now.” The white mask took shape and Pinkie Pie giggled, “She’s already moving furniture around any everything. Maybe I should get a pinball machine installed? But it’s okay, me and Mena are together, and that’s all that matters.” “And,” she said as the black mask flowed back, “When we feel like it, you know for funsies, we can do neat stuff-” “-like this,” her voice whispered in Applejack’s ear, followed by a wet lick that made the other girl jump and whirl about to face what looked like a while barbershop quartet of Pinkie Pies and Pinkamenas. She could see dark pink shadows stretching from the ‘main’ Pinkie Pie, forming upward into the duplicates.  “We can make more of ourselves,” one of the duplicates said, “Not many, mind you. Just enough for a good prank or two, but could be fun-” “-or deadly-” said another. “-or super sexy,” said a third, who got weird looks from the other three, “Whaaat? C’mon, do you have any idea the things we could do with this and a decent supply of Nutella!?” “Pinkie Pie, Pinkamena,” said Applejack, “Could ya do me a huge favor an’ just pretend I never asked?” The four duplicates all chuckled and were reabsorbed back into Pinkie Pie, who bounced her reforged hammer over her shoulder and said, “No promises.” Sweet Cider looked utterly baffled, but also adopted the look of something who’d decided it wasn’t worth questioning and said, “Both of ya girls listen up. If there’s still a’ fight ta be had, and Captain Luna’s already engaged alongside yer friends, then we got ta git movin’ ourselves. You,” she turned to Thorax, “Ya ain’t gonna be no more trouble?’ “I have one or two bits of business to wrap up here before following Adagio back to Hueco Mundo, but you have my word I have no intention of interfering with any further Soul Reaper business this day,” Thorax replied. Sweet Cider gripped her blades tighter and looked ready to argue, but Applejack put a hand on her mother’s arm, drawing her attention. “Ma, let ‘im be. We ain’t got time nor energy ta be dealin’ with extra trouble. Yer hurt, barely standin’, and quite frankly I ain’t certain I even want ya followin’ me n’ Pinkie inta the fight.” “Girl, ya ain’t ‘bout ta start coddlin’ yer own ma-” Sweet Cider began, but Applejack cut her off. “Ain’t coddlin’ and ya know it! Took everythin’ ya had to fight pa to a’ standstill! I ain’t ‘bout to ruin us gettin’ him back by lettin’ you git killed in a fight ya got no energy for. Me n’ Pinkie are still... well we ain’t fresh, but we ain’t used up as much as you have. I know you can sense it, so don’t be mule headed ‘bout this!” Applejack said, giving her mother a hard poke in the shoulder to emphasis her words. Given the poke was hard enough to actually make the massive, muscular woman back up an involuntary step, her weakened body swaying, Sweet Cider was forced to concede her daughter wasn’t wrong. Didn’t mean she had to like it. Her face was sour as she grumbled, “Just cause yer right don’t mean ya got ta go pokin’ yer ma when she’s injured. Coulda swore I taught ya some manners, hayseed, or is Granny slackin’ off?” “Pfft, as if Granny would ever slack off on manners,” Applejack said, “Now are ya gonna keep arguin’ with me ma, or are ya gonna wait here n’ rest while me n’ Pinkie go take care o’ business with our friends?” “If I’m restin’, I’m still doin’ it in eyeshot o’ the action,” Sweet Cider huffed, “I’ll follow ya ta Camp Everfree, then we’ll see what’s what, an’ that’s final missy!” Applejack bit her lower lip for a second, then with a gruff sigh she nodded, “Fair ‘nough. Pinkie, ya good ta go?” “Ready, steady, betty!”  “...I’ll assume that’s a’ yes,” Applejack said. She then canted her head as she heard something that sounded like the rapid approach of a fighter jet, but the sound of roaring wind turned out to be no hyper-sonic plane, but Rainbow Dash. Appearing amid a flash of lightning that cut a blinding, cobalt line of light across the sky, Rainbow Dash hammered a ground-shattering landing into the valley floor, her lighting spear crackling in her hands. “Okay where’re the Hollows at!? I’m here to...” the girl blinked confused magenta eyes upon only seeing her two friends, Captain Sweet Cider, and one Arrancar present who instead of looking ready to fight just smiled and waved at her. “Hello,” said Thorax. Rainbow Dash blinked again, sliding her gaze towards Applejack as she edged towards the farm girl, her spear pointed at Thorax. “AJ... is he cool? I don’t know which ones we’re supposed to treat like bad guys right now,” Rainbow Dash tried to whisper, but did so loud enough that everyone present could hear her. Sweet Cider’s eyebrow shot up, and Applejack ran an armored hand over her face. “He ain’t a threat fer now,” Applejack said, eyeing Thorax, “Right?” He held his hands out to his sides, palms out. His eyes twinkled with amusement, “I prefer not to repeat myself, but for the sake of your newly arrived friend, I’ll reiterate I have no desire to have any further unneeded engagements. I merely wish to take care of a few loose ends I told Adagio I’d look into, and then I’ll be gone. Chances are none of you will even notice I’m here while dealing with your more pressing concerns.” Rainbow Dash eyed him carefully. This guy was giving her distinct impressions of some of the more snooty guys she’d met from Crystal Prep during the Friendship Games, including a few pretty-faced playboys that had tried hitting on her. She got the impression that this guy was going to rub her the wrong way, but she glanced to Applejack, shooting the farmgirl a silent question. She’d trust Applejack’s lead on this. “Fine then,” Applejack said, more or less taking charge of the situation, “Then git goin’ and don’t make me regret trustin’ ya, ‘cause believe you me, it ain’t my ma ya got ta worry ‘bout if you go breakin’ yer word to an’ Apple!” A fresh wave of hot, potent reiatsu rose inside Applejack, covering her in a golden glow. Rainbow Dash let out a low whistle of appreciation, impressed with what she was feeling. She’d been getting tired of being the only one with her Fullbring complete. It felt good to see her friends catch up, and it renewed Rainbow Dash’s confidence that they could get through today. Thorax appeared equally impressed and offered a last bow, “Consider me warned, Miss Applejack. I hope the next time we meet, it will be under more pleasant circumstances. Well then ladies, I bid you all adieu, and good luck.” He blinked out of view, the buzz of Sonido filling the air as he departed.  “I like that guy,” said Pinkie Pie, and a moment later as her black mask formed, “He’d be fun to unwrap, but maybe a bit rich for even my tastes. Probably better to let people like Adagio deal with guys like that.” “Ugh, Pinkie, what are you even talking about?” asked Rainbow Dash, “Dudes like that are the worst! They’re always so full of themselves. Like, ‘oh, look at me, I have abs, fall at my feet’. Not my type.” “So what is your type, Dashie?” asked Pinkie Pie. “I dunno, someone awesome, but doesn’t have to show it off all the time!” “Should I even be tryin’ ta point out the irony o’ that statement, Dash?” said Applejack, but she shook her head and added, “We ain’t got time fer talkin’ ‘bout our preferences anyhows! Sunset’s in trouble!” Rainbow Dash’s eyes flashed with remembrance, “Oh crap that’s right! Me and Rarity were coming to get you guys, but we ran into this weird sphere thing that’s got Twilight trapped in it fighting another Quincy! Like, a really powerful Quincy!” “Where’s Rarity then?” asked Applejack, and she saw a paleness come over Rainbow Dash’s face. The athlete immediately became dodgy as she looked at the ground, her entire body tensing up. “Y-yeah, well, Rarity stayed by the sphere to keep an eye on things. Said I should come get you guys and we’d all meet up there and figure out what to do.” Something was wrong. Applejack could see right through Rainbow Dash, almost as if her instincts for detecting falsehoods had become sharper. Her friend wasn’t lying, exactly, but she was hiding something. Something very important, about Rarity.  “Dash, what’s wrong?” Applejack asked, and she could all but see Dash’s breathing increase and her brow start to break out in sweat droplets.  “Nngg... nothing... l-look Applejack, please don’t ask about it, okay? I promised Rarity I’d keep my mouth shut, so I’m keeping it shut,” Rainbow Dash said, gulping, but also looking determined. Loyal. A girl who would not betray a promise. “Y-yeah there’s something wrong. But it’s not my place to say it. Okay?” Applejack didn’t know what to make of this. She’d never seen Rainbow Dash quite this nervous about something, yet equally determined not to talk about it. Then Pinkie Pie’s entire body shuddered like she’d been hit with an electrical charge. From the tip of her toes all the way up to her poofs of pink hair, Pinkie Pie shuddered, her eyes dilating rapidly and her mouth popped open into a shocked ‘O’. “Pinkie?” “...No way...” Pinkie Pie said, sagging down like a deflated balloon, “Nononononono, whydidn’tIfeelit? Why didn’t my Pinkie Sense warn me!? I would’ve gone over there instead!” “Pinkie what n’ tarnation are ya goin’ on ‘bout!?”  “Rarity, she’s-” Pinkie Pie stiffened, the mask shifting back and forth across her face, going white to black and back again several times before it finally settled on black and Pinkie Pie calmed. Her body stopped shaking and she stood, now holding her hammer tight in her hands as she fixed Rainbow Dash with a hard, mad light in her eyes. “Rarity told you not to say anything?” Pinkie Pie said in a careful tone, and Rainbow Dash, looking a tad shaken, nodded. Pinkie Pie heaved out a sigh and looked at Applejack, “Trust Rarity, then. She’ll talk about it when she’s ready. We should get going now. We’ve used up enough time on playing catch up with the plot.” Confusion warred inside Applejack, alongside a cold fear at what she was starting to suspect. But ultimately Pinkie Pie was right, and so was Rainbow Dash. Whatever was going on with Rarity, if she didn’t want anything said about it, she needed to trust her friend’s call on that. Right now, they had bigger problems to deal with. “Right the, first we link up with Rarity, n’ figure out if we can do anythin’ ta help out Twilight. Failin’ that, we move on ta find Fluttershy, then help Sunset deal with whatever is goin’ on back at Camp Everfree,” she said, hefting her lance and looking between those gathered, “So let’s git ta movin’!” Moment’s later the devastated mountain valley was empty save for the scars of the fierce battle that had been fought there.