"Look at me."
Sunset unfroze. "Huh?" She turned towards Wallflower, who was sitting at the other end of the gulf between Sunset's hospital bed and the awful, lumpy chairs.
"Hey." Wallflower had something to say. The words. Those impossible words that rang in her head and weighed her jaw down. But with disturbingly little effort, she swallowed them, as new ones swept in to take their place, almost faster than thought.
"You were spacing out while I was talking. Again." Wallflower said. Her smile barely reached her eyes.
Sunset pinched her nose. "Sorry. Must be the painkillers or something." A wistful smile. "...and I guess there's a lot on my mind." Her gaze drifted to a roll of bandages on a shelf. A raging storm. Pale, milky eyes, dead as gemstones. Her.
Wallflower leaned on her armrest, hands in fists. "It's okay. You've been through some shocking things recently."
Sunset raised an eyebrow. Her burn wounds, though supposedly mild, still ached underneath the bandages. That girl's magic was something to be feared.
"Sorry. Poor choice of words." Wallflower bit her lip. "So... what's the last thing you heard me say?"
Sunset closed her eyes. Something about that girl. Something severe. Something... bad? Her eyebrows stayed furrowed. "Something about Fizzlepop. But I don't-"
"You seemed like you wanted to do something. To..." Wallflower bit the inside of her mouth, "...to help Tempest. And there is something."
"There is?" She pushed herself up straighter in bed, eyes sparkling.
Wallflower shifted in her seat. "Yeah? I don't understand magic that much, but while you were recovering, I, uh..." She mumbled something.
Sunset held her hand to her ear. "What? You'd better speak up or come closer." She only looked eager. "I know which one I'd prefer."
"Um..." Wallflower tensed and put her hands in her pockets. She got up a little too fast and walked to the bedside like she was on the moon.
Sunset smiled. So causally. So comfortably. "Usually, nervous people will do anything but make eye contact. So it's kinda weirding me out how much you're staring at me right now. Not that I mind that much."
Wallflower cracked a grin in spite of herself, moss-green hair falling over her eyes. The floor stared back at her. Judging. The smile died on her lips.
"Come on, it's fine. I'll tell you something embarrassing about me first, if you want." Sunset said. "One time, when I was a little filly and the sun was going down-"
"No. You don't need to do that. Besides, I already heard that one." The clock ticked. The words came back. She swallowed them again. "I... I used your friendship journal. When I was alone. The one where you talk to the other Twilight." She hid her hands in her sweater sleeves.
Sunset tilted her head and rubbed at her chin. Invisible beard. "Well, I should be upset that you read my super-personal private diary from another dimension..."
Wallflower's fingernails dug into her thumbs.
"But it's more of a mobile penpal than a diary. So you're good." Sunset gave Wallflower a pat on the shoulder. The shy girl flinched at the touch, but tried to play it off by running her hand through her messy hair.
Sunset blinked. "Hey, it's okay, really. It's better that we just tell each other the truth. 'What would Applejack do?' And all of that friendship stuff. No need to be all tense."
Wallflower still couldn't relax, but at least she stopped quivering. Mostly.
"What did you find in the journal anyway?" Sunset asked.
"Well, I used it. As in, I talked with the princess. About what happened. It seemed like that stuff between you and Tempest-"
"Fizzlepop. That's her real name, if you didn't know." Sunset said.
Wallflower knew.
"...between you and Fizzlepop. You're right. We should do something to help her. It doesn't seem right to just let her... go on like that." Wallflower said.
Wallflower hadn't been present during the invasion, but it was her understanding that Tempest Shadow, or "Fizzlepop Berrytwist," had only been involved in order to regain her sight that had been severely damaged in a childhood incident. Tempest was actually somewhere in the hospital right now, which made the whole building feel kind of like a set piece in a horror movie. Not that she was evil or vengeful or anything anymore. Just intimidating.
Sunset seemed to brighten, if only a tiny bit. "Are you saying there's a way we can help fix her sight using magic?"
"It's only a theory that the princess had, but yes, there's a chance. A small one. Tiny. It's also kind of a hike-"
"No problem. You know I've wanted to go on a trip since forever."
"I know. You've told me. Many times." Wallflower said.
The clock ticked.
Sunset was discharged that night, on orders to take it easy for the next few days. Nothing to make her heart work too hard for too long. She insisted on visiting Tempest's room, but it turned out she too had been discharged earlier that day.
Wallflower loosened her fists.
Five steps from their front door, Sunset put up her hand, speaking in a hushed whisper.
"Wait. You go first."
"You think they're already here?" Wallflower asked, pointing at the door.
"I know they are. Five bucks. Bet?"
"We'll see about that." Approaching the doorway, Wallflower puffed up her chest. Sharing a glance at Sunset, who nodded solemnly in return, she reached for the knob. A single drop of sweat ran down her temple as she gripped it, turned it, turned it-
"SURPRISE!" The door swung open inward, unleashing a flurry of balloons, streamers, six colorful girls...
"Hey guys." Wallflower laughed and returned the group hug. Happy. Right?
"Told you." Sunset said, shimmying past her.
A handmade Welcome Back Sunset and Wallflower! banner presided over the party. Thankfully, Pinkie was conscientious enough to keep the volume at no-headaches-guaranteed levels, and Sunset assured everyone that she was totally down for a Pinkie party, as long as it was mild.
"Don't worry guys, my heart will be fine. Just as long as I don't do the cha-cha slide for over an hour straight."
"No problem! I've got enough dance for you and your girly-friend put together!" Pinkie said, immediately breaking into some dance moves that surely defied the laws of nature.
Wallflower scratched at her fingers. They weren't itchy before, but they were now. As always, she clung to the edge of the party, watching the others mingle and whatever else it is normal people do at parties.
That is, until Sunset inevitably pulled her closer and closer to the center with her gravitational pull. Her glowing smile. Shining confidence. Hot playfulness. It reminded her of the first night they called themselves a couple. It wasn't very long ago, but it sure felt like it. No matter how she looked at it, Sunset seemed just the same. What changed since then?
Before she knew it, the two were in the middle of their living room, AKA the dance floor. Somehow the gang had brought in mood lights, bathing the couple in a shifting haze of deep red and gold.
Wallflower snapped out of her daze as her girlfriend took her hands and locked eyes. "Unfortunately, I can only do slow, romantic dances for about a week. Doctor's orders." Did she just wink?
"Care to join me?" Sweet, sultry, orange Sunset.
Wallflower blushed.
Later that night, after the cakes were eaten, confetti swept up, and party cannons sent to the hold, Wallflower lay in bed, still as stone. The world was silent, save for Sunset's sleeping, rhythmic breathing. It felt right.
Right?
Dawn came too soon. Sleep teased Wallflower with nonexistence like a held breath, making her quietly gasp awake to her partner's steady breathing. Again and again. Then after restless hours, the sun rose to steal away the comfort of shadow, though she tried in vain to cling to it underneath the sheets. Alas, there was breakfast to be had.
Okay, more like brunch. They did dance a lot that night.
"So, where did Princess Twilight say we should go?" Sunset poured a glass of sultry, sweet orange juice. "Ancient South Amareican temple? Pyramids of Whinnygypt? Public library?"
"Something in between those three. Kind of." Wallflower said, taking a bite of toast. Plain toast. No butter, no jam or jelly. "Apparently, there's a mystical fountain that suddenly dried up in Equestria, but it might still exist in ours. Maybe."
"The fountain of youth? That could work temporarily, but I doubt Fizzle wants to be a little kid again. She would be cute though." Sunset scratched her ribs, texting with her other hand.
"I was actually talking about the other mystical fountain." Wallflower said. "The fountain of truth. It can return things to the way they are meant to be. Supposedly." She lingered at the description, tracing the curvy words with a finger. "You know, I'm impressed at the princess' handwriting. Or hoofwriting. Hornwriting? If I didn't know better, I would have thought that human-world Twilight wrote this. But I do know better. What do you call it?" She blinked. "Sorry. Tangent. Seemed more relevant in my head."
Wallflower's sideways smile fell into a frown. She felt those words again, simmering. Sunset was busy in her own world. Again. Small talk, but it was their small talk. Don't make a big deal out of it.
After one last text, Sunset dropped her phone into her unicorn-patterned pajama's pockets. "Fountain of truth, huh? It wouldn't happen to be in the vicinity of Sweet Apple Acres, would it? Because that would make a lot of sense."
"Not exactly. Not at all, actually. The map Twilight drew here looks a lot like Phoenix Falls Forest, which shares a border with the Everfree. I think."
"Attagirl." Sunset put her arm around her girlfriend, holding her close. "Good thing you love nature, and other... stuff."
Wallflower was unamused, but more importantly, being held. Physically. She coughed, pushing Sunset away a little harder than she meant to.
"Uh. You okay?" Sunset said.
Keep it casual. "Sorry, I think I'm just kind of sick. Maybe from being in the hospital." Wallflower made it a point to grab a napkin, noisily blowing her nose. Nothing came out, but she balled it up and threw it in the trash. "Probably best if we keep a little distance."
Sunset downed the rest of the juice in one gulp and sauntered back inside of her girlfriend's personal space, which admittedly is larger than most people's personal spaces. "Don't worry about me. I get sick like, once every two dozen moons. Want me to check your temperature?" She reached for Wallflower's forehead.
"N... No, that's okay," she said, backing off. "It's not that serious."
Sunset rolled her eyes. "Okay, sure. You want to stay home and rest while I go look for the fountain?"
No, I want you to stay here. With me. You could have offered that, you know.
"No, I can come too. It's not that much of a trip anyway. Besides, I don't want to leave you alone while you're still healing. Really, it should be me going alone."
Sunset shrugged. "I would be fine doing it myself. But if you say it's alright, that's great! I'll just grab a couple backpacks and water bottles." She paused. "Are there any natural hazards we need to prepare for, particularly of the magic-variety?"
"There shouldn't be. Phoenix Falls isn't due for another burn for months. Who were you texting before?" Wallflower asked. She tried to sound casual, but she kept repeating it in her head afterwards and it sounded nervous and paranoid in there.
"Fizzlepop." Concern. Confusion. "Figuring out where we should pick her up." Sunset said.
"I didn't realize she was coming."
"What? But the whole point of finding this fountain is to help her, right?"
Don't look at me like that. "Yeah, you're right." Wallflower said. "I just thought, you know, maybe we'd go and see if it was even there first. Just you and me. No need to, uh, get her hopes up or anything."
"Well, jeez. Not a lot of faith, huh?"
"I'm just saying, it's possible it won't work out."
"Then it's also possible it will work out. We've gotta put our best hoof- I mean foot- forward. And even if this fountain doesn't work out, we'll find a way eventually." Confidence.
Wallflower was green with envy.
Light morning drizzle pitter-pattered on the windshield. It smelled vaguely like mold. Sunset turned on the radio to some rock song that made Wallflower's head hurt even though it wasn't that loud. She didn't say anything.
"You're sure you can drive?" Wallflower asked.
"I will if I have to. Just as long as you point the way. After we pick up Tempest from Twilight's, anyway." Sunset said, reaching for the seat belt. "Safety first!" Click. Click.
Wallflower never enjoyed riding in Sunset's used hatchback. It wasn't that it was kind of messy (which it was) and smelled like wet hay all the time (which it did). It was because stuff like the lights, air conditioning, and seat adjusters kept breaking down and Sunset refused to get a different car, even though it would actually cost less in the long run in terms of repairs. But she could never say that. What did she know? She didn't even own a car. She didn't even have a driver's license. How could she let her girlfriend from a pony dimension get one before her? They don't even have hands there!
She really wished the seats would recline now. She settled for sinking in her seat.
One uncomfortably quiet-yet-loud-yet-quiet half-hour later, Wallflower watched from the passenger seat as Tempest stepped down the lawn path with Sunset in tow. A black umbrella was held between them, looming overhead.
Tempest, now completely blind and magic-less, still possessed a power beyond Wallflower's comprehension. She walked with her chin held high. Although she knew she wouldn't actually be seen, Wallflower shrunk from eye contact, holding her breath until she realized what she was doing. Maybe it was the leather jacket. In the late summer. Terrifying.
"Hello, miss Blush." Tempest said. Click.
"Hi." Wallflower said, with a tiny wave. "You can just use my first name. If you want to."
"All right!" Sunset slammed her door shut and started up the old engine. "Need anything back there Tempest? I got water, fruit snacks-"
"Turn the music down, please." Tempest said.
Wallflower sighed, pushing her hands into her pockets. Which, by the way, is hard to do subtly when sitting upright in tight-ish jeans. Inside, she clutched at a small rock. She wanted to crush it into a powder finer than sand, finer than ash, so it would disappear in the wind. Instead, she pressed her nails into it until it hurt. Just a little.
Phoenix Falls Forest, most notable for having scattered forest fires every several years, was not a popular destination for happy picnics or camping. Most of the time, it is a scar on the land, trying desperately to hide itself under quick-growing pioneer plants. One step closer in, and the scorched bones of trees make themselves known. Smoke, baked into the very dirt, seeps out after the rain, covering the region in a grey haze. Wallflower scrunched her nose at it.
"Should be a couple hour's walk from here, according to that map." Sunset said, shutting the trunk with a backpack slung over her shoulder. "Anyone want a granola bar? Water?"
"No." Tempest said. "Let's get this over with. I have friendship lessons to attend with Twilight and the others as part of my penance." It was then that the afternoon sun breached the thinning clouds, beaming onto her severe, serene features. And those aimless eyes. Eyes that could peer into one's soul, into infinity, from the reaches of the fields of black spears pointed up at the sky like javelins cast down by airborne demons. Very dramatic.
Sunset looked to Wallflower, who was struggling to fit the umbrellas into plastic bags.
"Need help?"
"No."
"...want a granola bar? Maybe the extra energy will help you with this brain-teaser." Sunset said with a gentle laugh.
"No! I just... this bag... is too... small!" Rip. Wallflower's eyes widened as a metallic tip poked out the end of the bag. Then the whole bag ripped in half. "I'll, uh, just hold on to this while we walk."
Sunset's sigh was almost parental. "It's fine, just toss it in the back seat. It's not supposed to rain anymore today. I checked with Rainbow before we left. Her judgment is pretty good about that kind of stuff."
"But I don't want to get your car wet. Inside it." Wallflower said. "It already kind of stinks. Oops. Did I just say oops out loud?" Did I just say that out loud too?
"I'll get some air fresheners then. Sorry if it was bothering you the whole time. You could have said something."
"It's not about the smell. Well, it is. But it's really about the mold smell. Caused by mold. You know?" Wallflower didn't want to go down this pointless road, but it was too late. She muttered something about the music but Sunset was already speaking.
"Just because the car's old doesn't mean it's moldy. Besides, that would be kinda funny. It almost rhymes. Moldy-oldy. Gosh, Pinkie's really been rubbing off on me lately."
"Doesn't it bother you?"
"What's wrong with Pinkie rubbing off on me?"
Tempest opened her mouth as if to speak, but changed her mind.
"Not that. The smell thing, I mean." Wallflower said. Though, she did worry about Pinkie sometimes.
"There are more important things to worry about right now, okay?" Sunset said. For the first time in a while, she sounded stern. But she didn't look it. Still impossibly casual. "The sooner we find this fountain, the sooner we start figuring out a cure. Then we can talk about my car."
It seems like everything's more important than me these days. But she's right. I'm worrying about nothing. Stupid. Stupid!
"...you're right." Wallflower said, massaging the stone in her pocket. She looked around at the treeline, marked by small patches of desolation. "Hey, where did Tempest go?"
"I'm still here. Are you two done?" Tempest asked. A voice that could command battalions.
'Done?' Wallflower glanced at Sunset.
Something seemed to flicker in her cyan eyes, but it was gone in a blink. "Yeah. Let's get moving, I want to be home before it's dark." Sunset said.
"It's always dark for me." Tempest said.
"Looks like we gotta cross this trench." Sunset kicked a rock forward, sending it tumbling over the edge.
Wallflower peeked over the edge. It wasn't deep at all, only about half her own height, she approximated. But it was lined with harsh brambles that somehow persisted through the latest burn, tangled like barbed wire. Fortunately, a tree had fallen across the gap, forming a natural bridge. The wood was a bit charred around the edges, but so was everything else around.
"Is that safe to cross?" Wallflower asked.
"I don't know." And without a moment's pause, Sunset was halfway across the tree bridge.
"Whoa, whoa! Be careful!"
The tree groaned and shifted, but Sunset extended her arms to the sides, regaining balance and deftly leapt the last few steps to safety.
"Now that wasn't so bad." Sunset put her hands to her hips.
"Hey, good for you. Now how are we supposed to cross?" Wallflower called out. It wasn't that far to the other side but she kind of, sort of wanted to yell a little bit.
"Just do what I did. Trust me, it's not that hard. Just a hop, skip, and a... step. If you fall, I have a first aid kit in my bag here. Somewhere. You'll be fine."
Easy for you to say. I've seen these brambles before. But never this many in one place. Purplish coloration. mildly toxic, barbed pokers. Really sharp... Wallflower gulped.
Tempest cleared her throat. "Point me in the right direction and I'll show you how it's done."
Wallflower gulped again. Was she about to let herself get shown up by her? She felt like a sack of grain next to a fox. The chicken looked back across the trench, curious.
"We can go together." Wallflower said. "Considering your... condition."
Tempest shook her head. "That doesn't matter. From the sound of it, the log could barely withstand one person's weight. Unless Sunset has been eating a lot of cake lately." She scratched her neck.
Wallflower's mouth hung agape. "Are you... making some kind of mean joke?"
"Yes. It was supposed to be a joke. But I admit, I've been having trouble with the lessons on laughter."
"No kidding." But Wallflower smiled. Not in a mean way.
The distinct shriek of a bird's cry pierced the air. Crows, perched atop the spiky trees, scattered away.
"Are you guys gonna come over here sometime soon?" Sunset called out through a mouthful of fruit snacks.
"Yeah! Yes. Absolutely." Wallflower jittered over to the log and took a deep breath. Okay, I can do this. Just do what Sunset said and not look for some way around this or back out like I want to. Just get up on there. Okay. Now take one more step. And one more. Another. Okay, I should be almost there by now. Don't look over the sides.
She glanced up. Not even a quarter of the way across. She glanced down.
"Eep!" Leaping back, she fell into Tempest's arms. It was like falling into a rock column.
Tempest sighed and dusted off Wallflower. There wasn't any dust and she couldn't see, so it was kind of awkward but it seemed to calm the startled girl. "You'll be alright. Here, take this."
She took off her leather jacket, revealing an equally cool-and-black tank top and...
"Oh my gosh. That's a lot of... of..." Wallflower regretted saying anything but couldn't find the words to backpedal. "I'm sorry."
Tempest's scars ran deep and gruesome. Celestia knows what battles they were earned in, what sort of trials she had been through to reach this point.
"Don't be. It's fine. Wear this, and the brambles won't pierce it. I'm certain." She held it out in offering.
"I can't accept this from you. Not because it's you. Maybe a little. It's because of me." Wallflower shifted her sneakers in the dry dirt. "I have to be strong enough to do it on my own."
"You don't have to be." Tempest said. It was hard to tell, but there was something resembling a mildly comforting look in her face. Vaguely.
"You looked pretty awesome in that jacket, you know. A real bad-girl vibe." Sunset said. She playfully elbowed Wallflower, who just laughed nervously.
"It's not really my style. Besides, I think it was way cooler to see Tempest come across the bridge." And by cooler I mean terrifying.
"Please, that was nothing. In training, I would balance myself on tightropes over crocodile-infested waters in a thunderstorm." Tempest said.
Sunset and Wallflower stopped to stare at the veteran. "Seriously?"
Tempest grinned, as twigs crackled beneath her boots.
The first hints of orange started to appear in the sky as the trio crested a small ridge, marked by vibrant new growth bushes.
"We should start heading back." Wallflower said. "I know we really wanted to find this fountain, but we've been looking around for a while now." She sat down on a mossy rock, not caring how it might stain her pants.
"Not yet. The map says it's close by, right? It's gotta be right here somewhere." Sunset peered into the distance. Miles of darker thicket was just down the slope.
"I don't know about that. The layout here is different from Equestria. Just a little." Wallflower said. Her knees were killing her.
"Knowing the way magic works, I'd say it's as close as possible to the Everfree border." Tempest said. "Just a thought."
"Wait, you're right. We're practically there already. Besides, I think I see something down there!" Sunset said. "Come on, let's go!" She held out her hand to Wallflower.
"Um. You should help Tempest down. I can take care of myself."
Sunset didn't say anything, sliding down the slope, knocking a few rocks down with her. Tempest followed without a word.
Yikes. Maybe I'm pushing this too far. I should just tell her the truth. Wallflower reached in her pocket.
And felt nothing.
The Everfree is notorious for being a wild and spooky forest, home of chupacadabras and bigfoots. Bigfeet? Even in the human world, accounts of all sorts of magical occurrences are said to originate there.
"Where's Wallflower?" Tempest asked.
"She's coming." Sunset pursed her lips. "It feels like she's been avoiding me today. This is kind of awkward of me to ask, but has she been acting weird around you too?"
"I haven't spent time with Wallflower outside of this little journey of ours, so I couldn't tell you if she was acting more or less weird. If it helps, she does seem weird."
Sunset looked down. "Yeah."
"In a good way." Tempest said.
Sunset was about to go on, but something bright caught her attention. It was reddish and yellow and getting closer, really close and wow!
With the fury of a meteor, a fireball flew right past them, screeching its way into the forest.
"What in Equestria? There are real phoenixes here in Phoenix Falls? I thought it was just the name!" Sunset said.
"You'll find there's a lot in a name." Tempest said. "We ought to follow its path." The veteran was already walking away.
"Yeah! Yes. Absolutely." Sunset said, getting over the shock. Even this far from home, magic had found its way back into her life.
Soon, the two came upon a tiny clearing. In the center, within a fairy ring of mushrooms, was what appeared to be a marble birdbath. It was occupied by a sleek, crimson-feathered bather.
"Well, I'd bet bits to bananas that's the fountain we're looking for." Sunset said. "This is great!"
Tempest wasted no time. Nudged by Sunset, she walked a remarkably straight line to the fountain. The sounds of splashing water and flapping wings probably helped. Upon gripping the dirt-speckled rim of the bowl, the phoenix shook itself off, spraying Tempest's face, and flew away.
"Feel anything yet?" Sunset asked from not far behind.
"Just wet. What do I do now?"
"I think you just dunk your head in it, I guess. Eyes specifically. Maybe Wallflower knows. Hey, Wall-"
Sunset looked around. "She's not here. I thought she'd be right behind me. Wallflower? Wallflower!"
Crickets.
Tempest laid her face down in the bowl and lowered her head, her thoughts plagued with uncertainty. Up until now, she had been composed, but now she felt herself getting oddly excited. And light. A feeling of something she hadn't felt in a while.
Hope.
Then she felt Sunset tapping her shoulder. With a gasp of air, she brought her head out of the water, magenta hair slick across her face.
"Something's wrong. I think Wallflower got lost." Sunset's voice was giddy with worry.
Tempest wasted no time. "Let's go find her."
She still couldn't see a thing.
Wallflower stood at the edge of the little ravine. Her finger wiggled through the hole in her pocket where the tiny rock had slipped out. The wind whistled, and it was chilly.
Down there, in the dirt, the stone fragment glowed it's emerald aura.
I have to go down there. Oh man. I wish I had Tempest's jacket. Or her confidence. Or any confidence. Wallflower suppressed a sob. She didn't even remember when things got like this. She remembered being so surprised when she asked Sunset out on a date, and being even more surprised when she said yes. But this, this had to have been inevitable. She couldn't just explain this away. Or could she? With enough effort. Maybe.
In a near-trance, Wallflower walked to the center of the scorched log and hopped down into a clear patch in the trench. It really wasn't a big fall when nobody was around to see it. What was she so scared of earlier? It's not like it mattered if she got hurt.
Bending over, she picked up the stone fragment and stared at it.
The last fragment of the Memory Stone. It still worked. Just not as well. Well enough.
Now to get back to the others and...And what? Keep on smudging over these bad moments? They're going to find out sooner or later and the more you do this the worse it'll be. It's already too bad to stop now. I just need to find the right time. I just need-
The thought was cut short, as a sharp pain flared at her shins. Two tendrils of bramble branches wrapped themselves around her legs, poking through the denim. She cried out in surprise, dropping the stone and falling forward in the mud.
A bramble reached out to the stone, coiling like a snake around it.
The ambient magic of the stone must be affecting the wildlife! Wallflower tried to grab the stone back, but the sharp spines hurt too much to fight against. The spines around her legs dug deeper, piercing her legs further and further.
"Help! Someone help me! Sunset!" Wallflower pawed at the ground in front of her in horror, eyes wide.
At the spot where the Memory Stone lay buried under a bird's nest of thorns, the bushes started to converge and sprout. Legs. Head. Tail?
A wolf's cry echoed through Phoenix Falls Forest. Lesser humans would have shrunk into a hidey hole like prey. Sunset and Tempest did just the opposite, as hot blood rushed through their veins and the world sharpened to be ten times clearer. Sunset didn't notice, but Tempest bared her teeth ever so slightly.
"Did you hear that? It sounds like it was that way!"
The pair ran, leapt, and dove through the dimming forest. Sunset didn't even care to ask how Tempest was able to keep up or dodge the myriad obstacles. Duck under a branch here, slide down some gravel there. Get whipped in the face a couple times, that's fine. It might hurt later, but not doing anything now would be a lot worse. I can't put off these things any more!
She skidded to a halt at the sight of familiar territory. The bridge. "Hello?"
"Sunset! Watch out, there's a wolf!" Wallflower's panicked voice came from below.
A wave of heat hit Sunset, which she thought was some sort of primal urge to protect, or rage, until a sizzle of blue energy arced its way past her, blasting a dead tree into even deader bits. She turned to see Tempest, aglow in a blaze of blue energy. Clouds of dust radiated from her feet like ripples on a pond.
"It seems that the fountain restored my magic stolen by the Storm King's Smartphone of Sacanas." Tempest said, with a sparkle of electricity at her fingertips.
"That's cool." Sunset said, confident, but still a little nervous. "Can you not do that again though?"
The bramblewolf snarled at the arc of electricity that sailed overhead. It would prove to be a decent distraction, as the vines restraining Wallflower's legs loosened their grip enough for her to tear her way out of their clutches. She tried to stumble away, but whatever toxins were in the spikes were amplified by the magical influence, acting as a sedative to her nerves. It was like walking on stilts, on stilts. She didn't make it far before falling into the dirt again, this time with the wolf stepping closer. Closer.
The green glow of the Memory Stone's magic shone into Wallflower's eyes. It opened it's thorned jaws, and Wallflower felt her memories and thoughts start clouding. Magic wrapped around her mind, crushing and piercing it, leaving behind only the worst, most painful thing she could remember.
"We have to do something!" Sunset shouted. The bramblewolf was emitting some beam of energy into her girlfriend's head, sending tears streaming down her face. The beast seemed to enjoy the torment, glowing brighter and brighter with a sickly green energy. "I think it's feeding on her somehow!"
"I would attack, but it may cause more harm than good right now." Tempest said. "If that creature is making a magical connection between them, destroying it may cause a harmful feedback effect. You'll have to separate them before I obliterate it." She cracked her knuckles as sparks blossomed forth.
"That's reassuring, but how will I do that?"
"Magic, of course."
Sunset nodded. "Of course."
Taking a running start, Sunset jumped down into the pit no worse for wear. At least, there wasn't any time to worry about her rapidly beating heart. The bramblewolf was far too preoccupied to notice the new combatant, as Sunset carefully inched towards the creature's mesmerized prey.
"Wallflower. I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm coming in."
Hand met hand as the world faded to black.
Wallflower fell into her own body, sitting next to that hospital bed. Her heart felt so light and fluttery, in the worst way. Like it was made of roiling winds and wire mesh and tumbleweeds. She had so much to say.
And she said it. Boy, she said it.
"There you go again, trying so hard to be everyone's savior when you don't have to be. Tempest even said she doesn't want your help." Wallflower ground her teeth. "Tempest Shadow." She spoke the name as if spitting it onto the floor. "What kind of name is that, anyway? Sounds like a... brand of mascara or something."
"That's just because she's got pride. And trust issues. Kind of like someone else I know." Sunset's attitude was a lit match, and Wallflower was feeling like a barrel of TNT.
"She hurt you! Really bad!" Wallflower raised her voice unnaturally loud. She was practically speaking at normal conversation level.
"You hurt me too." Sunset said. Wallflower didn't know what to think of that but it hurt. It hurt bad.
Sunset went on. "Besides, it's just a part of who I am. I can't just let someone stay hurt like that. Even if we had our problems." Her eyes were bloodshot and drooping.
"So is that why you agreed you'd be my girlfriend? Like I'm broken or something, and you're just spending time with me to pick up the pieces?"
"No, no way! Is that all you think of us?"
"I don't know what you're thinking. But you can know what I'm thinking." Wallflower turned away. "It's not fair." What isn't fair is that Sunset never used her empathetic magic at any point in our relationship, but I'm holding this against her anyway.
"I'm going to help Tempest, okay? I have to. It's... it's the right thing to do. Not just for a friend, but for anyone. If you disagree with me, that's fine, I guess. Maybe-"
"Fine? Fine!" Wallflower threw her hands in the air. "Well, maybe things just w-won't work out then." What am I saying?
"What are you saying?" Whoa.
"M-maybe things just w-won't work out then. For us." Now she was crying. I didn't mean to say that. Why did I say that?
Now Sunset was staring. Staring. Not crying.
Just disappointed.
"If you say so, Wallflower." No, don't say that! I didn't mean it!
But it was too late. Wallflower was already running out the door in tears, to go home. And grab a very special stone.
And then she was falling back into her body, sitting next to that hospital bed.
Sunset, the real one, watched from outside the window as she saw the scene play out a second time. But this time, when Wallflower came running in tears, she was caught in gentle arms.
"Hey, no running in the halls."
"Sunset! You shouldn't be out of bed." She looked back. "And there shouldn't be two of you. What's going on?"
"Hey. This really happened, didn't it? You breaking up with me?"
The scene surrounding them flickered and glitched. The busy noises of a hospital suddenly went silent, save for the steady beeping of the heart monitor.
"How did you-"
"I used my empathy magic on you. But you're being held captive by some kind of timberwolf that forgot to shave. I think it's going to find out what's happening soon, so you'd better fess up."
"Fess up? Wha- Who are you to tell me how to live my life?" Wallflower pushed Sunset away, in the process causing one of Sunset's arms to dissipate like mist. The empath clutched at the stump instinctively, but it wasn't like a wound. It was like the arm was never there.
"I'm sorry! I didn't- that doesn't hurt does it?" Wallflower reached out toward Sunset.
"No, it's fine. I can still feel it. But we gotta break you out of here, and usually that means finding some kind of catharsis or exit sign or something. And I'm right here, the real me, so you can just tell me what's been bothering you all day and just get over it, instead of dancing around the subject and erasing my memories like you did before!" Sunset hadn't noticed she was seething until she noticed Wallflower's teary eyes.
"But it's so hard." Wallflower said. The fluorescent bulbs started to wink out from far down the hall.
"You're just so perfect. I know you had a bad past, but you were always strong and determined. I... I can't help but feel like that made it easier for you change into someone so honest and generous and loyal and all that other stuff. Stuff that I've never been good at." The lights in the building shut off completely, only to buzz alive again with a neon-blue aura.
"And then that girl Tempest showed up and she almost killed you! And you wanted to help her afterwards just because she switched sides at the last moment. I was angry, and you were being the bigger person. Of course that made me angrier." Wallflower kicked at an empty gurney, sending it rolling down the hall.
Sunset nodded. "So what about you thinking that I'm just in this relationship to fix you? How come you think I'm proud to call you my girlfriend? Do you think I'm the only one who notices you?"
"It’s not just that you notice me. It’s that you notice everyone. How you can care about everyone, even the ones who have hurt you so badly. Or people you don’t really like. You care about them all. I don't know if I'm jealous or selfish or whatever. Tartarus, I don't even know who or what I'm so mad at!” As mad as she was, there was a certain feral excitedness about her.
"Does saying it loud make you feel better?" Sunset was being so, very gentle.
Wallflower took a deep breath. "If saying it in this freaky mind-palace counts as saying it loud. Yeah, I guess it does."
"Good. Then let's get you out of here and blast that timberwolf into toothpicks!" Sunset did a fist-pump with her one arm, which apparently was too much for her body to handle, as it began fading away into nothingness.
"But how do I get out?" Just as she spoke, a glow came from her pockets. She fished out the stone fragment, pulsing with power.
"I think it should be pretty obvious what to do here." Sunset's head said before vanishing into the blackness of the hospital.
Wallflower clutched the stone and bit her lip. Then with a determined cry, she crushed it beneath her heel. It shattered like glass.
Back in the real world, Tempest could only listen as the bramblewolf growled in a demented, animalistic sort of laughter. It was so engrossed in its sick feast of memories that it seemed to ignore her completely, to her partial chagrin. She was bored. Crickets chirped all around. An owl hooted somewhere behind. The wind was cold against her skin. But still she stood vigil.
Then finally, there was a pop, and a strange slurping noise. "Fizzle, we're out! Do it now!"
The bramblewolf snarled in protest as it's claws scraped the earth. Tempest could hear it tensing up, rearing back to strike. Each twig rubbing against each branch. The whistle of wind through the tiny gaps. The whine of a mosquito.
The bramblewolf didn't stand a chance.
With a surge of immense power, Tempest launched herself towards the beast in a nova of wild electrical energy. Like a shot fired from a gauss rifle, she slammed into the bramblewolf, crushing it like a bunch of twigs under her boots. It let out a one last whelp before crumbling completely into sour-smelling ash.
"Oh, that's foul." Sunset said, gagging. She looked around for the Memory Stone, but there was nothing left of it.
"Help me up?" Wallflower said.
In an instant, Sunset was there. Hand in hand, they climbed their way out of the now-cleared trench.
Coughing, covered in awful soot, Wallflower felt better than she had in ages. Not great, but not awful. For the first time in a long time, she squeezed Sunset's hand tight.
"Looks like those bramble wounds went away when the bramblewolf died." Sunset inspected Wallflower's bare legs, as her jeans has gotten torn up pretty bad. "Convenient, huh? Never got to use that first aid kit."
"What are you talking about? You should see yourself." Wallflower said, using her phone to show Sunset her own reflection. She had cuts and scrapes aplenty, a big bruise on the cheek. Bloodshot eyes.
"Don't tell the doctors, please." Sunset said.
"Kind of irresponsible, don't you think?" Wallflower opened up some bandages, applying ointment to the biggest of the cuts.
"Yeah. Uh. Speaking of doctors. And hospitals." Sunset said. "I think you can tell what I'm trying to segue into here."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Wallflower looked at the ground. It stared back.
You know what, ground? You win the staring contest all you want. I'm tired of you. There's someone else I'm gonna look at right now.
"Sunset. I really do love you, and I'm so, so sorry for what I've done. I'd understand if you never trust me again after this. But I want you to know, I'm trying to learn from my mistakes. I guess... I guess the lesson is that it's okay to be imperfect and that I shouldn't lash out at you because you are, because you're not. Um."
Sunset was trying to hold in laughter, and it was really obvious.
"H-hey! Are you laughing? I'm trying to open up to you here-"
Sunset silenced her with a quick kiss on the lips.
Wallflower wiped her nose. "Eww. You got ointment on me." But she was smiling.
Sunset brought the shy girl in for a hug. Wallflower held her in return. Gently. As if she could fade into mist at any moment.
"It's okay." Sunset cooed.
"I just don't know why you love me back." Wallflower whispered.
"Maybe it doesn't matter."
Seated on the hood of the old hatchback, Tempest listened in silence to the reconciling couple. She felt a warmth, first from within, and then on her skin. Her breath caught in her throat.
It was faint. Fainter than a forgotten memory. But it was there. She could see it. The sunrise.