//------------------------------//
// Chapter 05 - The Night of Shadows 
// Story: Game of Fate 
// by ZekeDraco 
//------------------------------//

    Repairs on the cloud factory began immediately after the big fight was declared over with and the loose cannons were dishonorably discharged. Even with Spitfire's thanks, Dash still felt guilty that she and Elise might have been responsible for her heroes being kicked out of the Wonderbolts and did her best to avoid any encounters with her. Elise understood the decision that Dash had made, silently she agreed not to purposefully encounter her, and give her time to cope with the events.
They went off in their own directions, Dash to her home and Elise to Sweet Apple Acres. When she arrived she was relieved to see that there was no evidence of a flood on the farm. Applejack waved at her from down below and she landed close to her. 

--------------------
----[ Sweet Apple Acres | 5pm
-----
Elise folded her crystalline wings closed and they vanished, "Was there any trouble?"
AJ smiled, "Nope, them Pegasi kept the skies pretty clear, only got a little extra rain before th' clouds stopped formin'."
Elise smiled back at her, "Good."
"So, what all happened up there?"
"Fate."
"Him ag'in? Sounds like he jus' wants ta cause trouble."
"That's an understatement", Elise grumbled, "This was malicious."
AJ raised a brow, "What makes ya say that?"
"He used some sort of control spell and turned two Wonderbolts against me and Rainbow Dash. It was a ruse to get them dishonorably discharged.", Elise looked up briefly, "Tell me, how well do you know Spitfire and Soarin?"
AJ thought for a moment, "Thanks ta RD, ah know that they are a couple of the higher rankin' ones, or judgin' by what ya just told me, they used ta be."
Elise nodded, "Do you know what ranks they used to hold?"
AJ shuffled a hoof, "Honestly I don't remember. Been too long since RD went on 'bout 'em 'round me. Either way they oughta be lookin' fer work now."
Elise looked up again then behind herself, "I suppose."
"Well, if ya pardon me, Apple Bloom wants ta spend the next few nights in her clubhouse with her crusader friends."
"Have they had luck with their crusade lately?"
Apple Bloom walked up behind her, "Not this time."
Elise noticed that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were covered in something familiar and sticky, "Tree sap again?"
Scootaloo frowned, "Tree sap again."
Sweetie Belle nodded, "I don't know how I got covered in it, I didn't go on the zip line."
Apple Bloom laughed nervously, "Well, we did hit that tub-a sap pretty hard."
AJ facehoofed, "Well, let's at least get ya cleaned up before we--"
"We can stay in th' clubhouse tonight, right?", Apple Bloom interrupted.
AJ looked at her, "I'd rather ya didn't, those dark critters have been pokin' 'round the farm again, and ah don't want them to go after ya like they did Big Mac."
"Awww, Big Sis..."
AJ mussed Apple Bloom's mane, careful not to get any more of it into the sap, "Ah don't want ya ta get hurt."
Elise looked at AJ, "I could watch their clubhouse."
She looked at her, "Elise? Don't ya need yer rest?"
"The last few days I've been here are really the only ones in months where I've slept every night. If anything, I will be able to watch them all week."
"Ah don't know..."
Apple Bloom looked at her older sister, "Please Applejack?"
AJ looked between her sister and Elise a few times before she closed her eyes, "On one condition."
The three fillies smiled.
She looked at Elise, "If so much as one of them varmints shows up, you take care of it. If a whole swarm of 'em show up, you make sure Bloom an' her friends get to th' farmhouse safely."
Elise nodded, "Of course."
The fillies jumped up and cheered, "Yay!"
AJ looked back at them, "Now about you three. We need ta get y'all cleaned up, 'specially you Sweetie Belle, ah don't think yer sister'd like ta see you like this."
Sweetie Belle grinned nervously, "She already did."
Big Macintosh walked up with Rarity fainted on his back, "Eeeeyup."

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----[ Ponyville Outskirts | 2:50 am
-----
Soarin and Spitfire had managed to fly their way to Ponyville, their discharge was made worse by Windholm who completely cut off their pay and forcefully evicted them from their homes, they had no choice but to pack up a few things and leave Cloudsdale. The town was mostly closed down and even the street lamps were off, only a small inn was still lit up and had an open door. The two walked inside and to the front desk, Soarin rang the bell and waited for the innkeeper to show up. Spitfire looked around, suspicions formed as she noticed that even the cider bar lacked the expected rabble, "Odd."
Soarin leaned over the desk and looked to see if anypony was hiding out of sight, "Hello?"
"Hm. Something happened."
A voice came from one of the tables, "You two look like you could use some work."
Spitfire looked back at the tables and noticed a lynx sitting in one of the chairs, "Cute pet, where are you?"
The lynx grinned, "I'm not a pet, I'm the one offering the job."
Soarin looked at him, "Where is everypony?"
"It's weird, you would think in a world filled with such colorful ponies living in a civilized society, that they might expect a lynx to walk in and ask nicely for something to drink."
Spitfire smirked, "You're right, you don't see a lynx do that very often."
The lynx laughed quietly, "Exactly.", he looked at their saddle bags, "Moving on, I can tell both of you aren't here for a vacation. Those saddle bags look a little light for that, and a little heavy for just visiting."
"Yeah, we hit a bit of a snag in our old line of work."
The lynx held up a newspaper, "Yes, the Wonderbolts, some sort of military group from what I could understand."
Spitfire looked to the side, "Yeah."
"Which means that you two would likely have the skills that I need."
Intrigued Spitfire looked at him, "What use do you have for us?"
"I could use a couple of ponies that can get some jobs done for me."
"Like?"
"If what I heard was right, the two of you know how to do some aerial combat, a bit of stealth and if necessary a few ground jobs."
"What do you have in mind?"
The lynx placed a nugget of solid gold on the table, "Something light to start, I need help keeping tabs on a half-breed. Half dragon, half fox."
"Alright, who?"
"Her name is Elise."
Soarin looked over, "Elise? The one who freed us?"
"Yes, I want to make sure that she hasn't done anything too serious, I don't need to lose the best assistant I've ever had."
Spitfire looked at him curiously, "Assistant? Who are you?"
The lynx smiled, "Name's Lusce."

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----[ Outside the clubhouse | Sweet Apple Acres | 3am
-----
Elise moved between different spots around the clubhouse and kept a vigilant lookout, she was used to seeing in the dark and noticed a few different things around the area that moved sporadically. Applejack was not kidding, there were shadowy creatures that roamed the fields, and at night they were active. At least they seemed to steer clear of the guardian every time she locked her sights onto their wirey and pointy forms. The leaves in the trees barely moved as a gentle breeze blew through the area and kept things cool. Elise looked inside the window of the clubhouse and checked on the fillies as they slept on top of large pillows while underneath their Cutie Mark Crusader capes. Apple Bloom had hung her ribbon on the wall and slept soundly, Sweetie Belle seemed to snore melodically, and Scootaloo seemed to twitch on occasion with a grumble. She heard something land behind her and turned to see what. Princess Luna looked at her for a moment, "Are you the one called Elise?"
She nodded, "Yes, who are you?"
"I am Princess Luna, ruler of the night."
"Ah.", Elise kneeled, "I didn't mean any disrespect."
Luna shook her head, "There was none to be taken."
She stood up, "Do you mind if I ask why you are here?"
"I came to see the interloper who has made her presence known."
Elise scratched her head, "Sometimes you can't avoid doing that, I'm sorry if it has caused alarm."
"I'm not here to reprimand you over your actions."
Her eyes widened, "Huh?"
"I'm here to see the one whom a false god is toying with."
Elise slouched forward a little and sighed, "You've heard about Fate then."
"Of course, he's been more of an annoyance than Discord."
"I'll take your word on that."
Luna grinned, "Yes, it seems that some things in Equestria are still unknown to you. However there are things that have appeared in Equestria that our unknown to both me and my sister."
"If I would guess, the Leviathan outside the farm?"
"That is one of many things that have appeared in the last months. These creatures that prowl this farm are not of Equestrian origin neither."
"I've seen them before but not in such a massive number, they are supposedly the shadows of lost souls that have been given form by malevolent magic."
"Where did you see them before?"
"I knew a summoner who called on them to defend a castle he took for himself."
"I see.", she stepped to the side, "Behind you."
Elise turned and caught a creature that leapt at her, "You don't.", she threw the creature away.
Luna smirked, "Seeking the non-lethal means of tending to them?"
"I've seen at least forty different small shadows tonight, killing one runs the risk of sending them all into frenzy against the one who attacked their own."
"It seems there is a benefit of knowledge between the two of us."
"I guess."
"Especially since you seemed to know what that Levithaen was."
"Leviathan, Levithaen is a spear I have seen."
"Hopefully meant to slay it."
Elise imagined that spear in the hands of the owner she knew as it turned some poor sap into a red smear on a wall, "Erm...Possibly. A Leviathan is a serpentine creature with elemental origins, Ice and Water both working in tandem with one another. Since Fire is negated by the Water Element, that leaves Electricity as the only true weakness to bombard the summon with. Magic is recommended since its scales are slick and sturdy making it hard for most cutting, piercing, and blunt physical attacks to have any effect."
Luna looked to the East as the Leviathan's roar echoed in the night, "Elemental Origins? I take it that is how it manages to swim through even the dry air."
"Yes, it has a layer of water it sustains around itself to move and through elemental absorption recover from injury."
Luna smiled at Elise, "Not very many folk of any sort knows about elemental weaknesses and strengths. I'll admit, I'm impressed."
"Exploiting weaknesses, whether they exist to begin with or you create them, is the way to quickly remove enemies."
Luna looked around, "Well, speaking of enemies."
Elise looked around and noticed the two were completely surrounded hundreds of the shadowy creatures, "Uh oh."
Luna formed a barrier around the clubhouse and grinned with anticipation for the approaching fight, "Thus we shan't worry for the fillies. Let the foes come!"
Elise quickly turned and slashed a creature with her claws, it vanished as a plume of black smoke. Luna got into stance, "They are too weak to directly attack."
Elise nodded, "Area Sweeps and magic, got it."
Luna reared up and her magic formed a sharp edge that slashed through a wave of creatures that were advancing on her. Elise performed a wide slash with her claws against another wave, followed by a return slash with her other paw. Luna followed Elise's second slash with the magic edge as a thick wave of the creatures advanced close enough to be hit. A slightly larger creature leapt at them, both dodged to the side and counterattacked as it came to a stop, their attacks against it sent it barreling back through some of the smaller ones. Luna smiled, "Ha! 'Tis been too long since I fought beside a worthwhile warrior."
Elise grinned, "Makes the two of us."
Another larger creature rushed forward intent on slashing Elise, she jumped back then straight up as the creature stumbled and slid to a stop behind Luna. Luna pulled back and bucked the creature clear back into the swarm. A small group of creatures ran for the barrier Luna had created and tried to attack it. The barrier reacted to their presence and repelled them with a surge of electricity. Elise altered her stance and pulled one of her front legs back. She raised the leg high as crystals formed on it, then launched them into the air, "That will support us!"
Luna charged through a group that came after her, and trampled them until she met with another larger creature where she reared up and kicked it into the ground, "What will?"
Crystals started to rain down slowly and hit different creatures as Elise shifted back into her previous stance. Luna grinned, "Support at its finest."
Elise leapt onto a larger creature and shredded it with her claws, "I'm only getting warmed up!"
A much larger creature advanced towards them, Elise grinned, "Luna!"
Luna nodded and rushed at the creature with Elise. Elise jumped up and got a grip on the creatures arm, Luna used her wings to fly up above it. The creature tried to slash at Elise, she evaded with a quick twist of her body that allowed her to release her grip and flip up over it. Luna dove down for her, "Grab my hoof!"
Elise grabbed hold of Luna's hoof, the princess quickly rolled around and Elise let go at the right time to dive down. The momentum Elise gained as she dove down into the ground was preserved by her landing. She launched forward right into the creature's midsection which made it double over from the impact. With a shift of her momentum and an upward kick she leapt into the air with a solid grip around the creature and suplexed it into its fellow creatures with enough force to make the ground underneath shudder. The large group vanished in black smoke thick enough to obscure Elise's vision. She jumped out of the plume of smoke as Luna focused her magic, she released a sphere of energy that moved into a group of creatures and exploded. The crystal rain stopped as Elise ran forward, she jumped over a larger creature, which caught its attention. Luna dove down and landed next to Elise, "Your crystals, can they refract magic?"
Elise grinned, "Yes, what do you have in mind?"
The creatures started to close in, "How well do you think these can defend against darkness?"
"Not one bit."
Luna's form changed, her coat turned pitch black and her eyes became slitted, "Good. On my cue!"
The creatures moved even closer, each one was snarling as they readied their attacks. Elise motioned her fore legs.
"Elise!", she focused on a very potent spell.
Elise formed crystals all around the two, "Luna!"
Sound ceased to be as the supercharged magic was forced through the crystals. They acted as a catalyst and created a black dome around the area that absorbed every little bit of light that tried to pass by. Inside the creatures tried to move and collapsed under their own weight, their bodies getting heavier by the millisecond until they collapsed into themselves. A minute passed before the dome cleared away leaving only the half-breed, the lunar princess in her alternate form, a very flat picnic table, and the safe clubhouse within the barrier. The ground was slightly flatter as the remainder of the gravity field dissipated with the combined smoke of all the creatures. Luna reverted to normal and both of the fighters heaved a sigh of relief as their battle ended. Elise looked at Luna, "Impressive."
Luna brushed herself off as the barrier around the clubhouse faded away, "That is the power of the moon!"
"Darkness used as a weapon for good instead of evil."
"Rather poetic if you think about it."
AJ ran up, "Good golly, Princess! Fer a second there ah though ah was gonna hafta run back to Ponyville and get the others."
Luna looked a little nervous, "Well, the form of Nightmare Moon is mine to wield as I see fit, thanks to the purification the elements of harmony performed on that day."
AJ smiled, "That's good ta know, but there's somethin' else I really need ta know!", she ran up to the clubhouse and went inside.
Elise looked around and saw nothing moving, only the leaves of the trees fluttered in the breeze as it returned. Applejack stepped out a moment later with a look of relief on her face, "Still snoozin'."
Luna nodded, "Of course, I placed a barrier around their clubhouse to ensure their safety."
"Thank you, Princess.", she looked at Elise, "I saw most of th' fight from the farmhouse, me 'n Big Mac were 'bout half ready to charge out an' get the fillies ta safety."
Elise grinned, "Well, the area is clear, I can stay here and keep watch still."
"Well, jus' ta be safe."
Luna looked at Elise, "I will also stay for a while."
"Fair 'nough, Princess. If y'all be needin' anything, let us know."
"We will."
AJ bowed and walked back to the farmhouse. After a minute passed Luna sat down next to Elise. The gentle breeze blew through the area quietly, for the first time that evening the only sounds that could be heard were the drifting leaves and the soft snores of three fillies.

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----[ Silent Horseshoe Inn | Ponyville | Meanwhile
-----
The Cider clerk had come out of hiding when he caught sight of Spitfire and Soarin, he figured that if the wildcat tried anything they would handle it. Lusce followed them over to the counter and paid for drinks for the three of them. Spitfire gave Lusce a close look, "So, you really want to hire us after what happened?"
Lusce thought for a moment, "So far, I've only heard one side of the story. Honestly, I don't trust any form of press unless I've had the chance to trace their funds or find out who runs it."
Spitfire grinned, "Smart choice."
Lusce took a sip of cider, "So, what's your side of the story?"
"We were sent to stop somepony who had forced the cloud factory in Cloudsdale to go into overdrive. What we didn't know is that the Pegasus who had taken control of it had some sort of magic that let him control our movements like we were puppets."
"Magic can do that?"
Soarin nodded, "Yeah, it was magic he used from some sort of weird crystal."
Lusce took another sip, Crystal?
Spitfire continued, "So, we fought to resist his control until Rainbow Dash and Elise showed up. They managed to wear us down enough that the control was broken. Then Windholm showed up and ordered us to return to base, where he discharged us."
Lusce looked between the two almost analyzing them.
"You don't believe us do you."
"Actually, I've seen my fair share of crystals, so I believe you."
Spitfire took a sip of her cider, "Alright, that makes five of us."
Soarin looked at Lusce, "So what kind of jobs do you need us to do right now?"
Lusce took another drink, "Right now, the two of you should get some sleep. In the morning though, I want you to keep an eye on Elise and tell me what she's up to."
"Why?"
"Like I said a few minutes ago, she's the best assistant I could ever ask for. Once you get me enough information on how she's acting we'll see what happens."
Spitfire looked at Soarin, "Well, we aren't Wonderbolts anymore. And I'd like to see where this goes, I'm in."
Soarin nodded, "Me, too."
Lusce smiled, "Alright, get some rest and in the morning we'll get started."

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----[ Outside the clubhouse | Sweet Apple Acres | 4am
-----
Luna had read through at least half the pages of a book she teleported in from Canterlot. While Elise continued to check for any activity in the surrounding area. She walked over to Luna, "Still nothing."
Luna looked away from her book, "Good."
Elise paused for a moment, "Princess?"
"Yes?"
"Why did you choose to stay?"
"After such a rousing fight alongside a competent warrior, why wouldn't I stay?"
"I suppose, but it feels like there is a different reason."
Luna looked at her, "Well, perhaps there was."
"What?"
"Well.", she closed the book, "Before coming here I got into an argument with my sister."
"Over what?"
"Lately our power has been waning, as though something was sapping it away at the very source of our power. I keep suggesting that we should work to strengthen ourselves through other means, but she refuses to."
"Do you know why?"
"She keeps telling me that our unbinding would let us become bound to a new source for our power. It's foalish, and all of this is happening because of Fate!"
"It doesn't make sense, how does going after the power you and your sister have anything to do with making me struggle to stop him?"
"Pardon?"
"When Fate approached me the other day he explained that I'm part of a game, a game that cannot be won and only exists for the entertainment he would get out of watching the struggle. The second time I encountered him, he upped the ante by suggesting that I spread the poison within my body so that my friends would share my fate should we ever fall."
"Deplorable!"
"The third time we met was in the cloud factory, where he turned Soarin and Spitfire against me and Rainbow Dash using magic through a fragment of my own crystal armor."
"Why would he go to such lengths to do this?"
Elise sighed, "He wants me to give up or fail, to surrender the thoughts and feelings I have. He wants me to become a weapon."
"A weapon?"
"I won't let that happen, not again."
Luna smiled, "It seems we both have a common ground, both of us have a past we'd prefer not do discuss. But one question must be asked."
Elise looked at her, "Hm?"
"How do you know Fate, why would he be after you?"
She hesitated, "I was the last among hundreds of powerful warriors to attack him, it was my claws in his synthetic throat that finally killed him."
"Hundreds? Why that many?"
"His power rivaled that of a god, he could will it and it would happen. We had help from an interloper that made it so that Fate couldn't simply will us out of existing, which gave us the ability to fight him."
"That made it easier at least."
Elise rubbed her forehead, "It made the fight easier but earning the favor from the interloper to have that immunity was what made it difficult. We had to make peace with the dimension traveling cult that we were hunting down before then, and form an alliance with them. Then we had to assist them in setting up an enormous military convoy in the ruinous realm we called the Roads Between. Then we finally had to fight against strengthened versions of tough enemies we had defeated, or in my case, our group had defeated before I joined."
"That sounds rough."
"I lucked out in one of those fights, turns out a few good friends of mine knew how to handle an anger driven fox."
"What were their names?"
"Gear, Blade and Arc."
Luna's eyes widened, "How curious...Can she...?"
"Hm?"
"I once knew a mare named Arcana Stream who used the nickname Arc."
"What happened to her?"
"No more than five months ago she was sucked into a portal. A tragedy to say the least, while my sister has Twilight Sparkle as a student, I had Arc as mine. I enjoyed reading her letters on research she did on magically powered machines."
"Etherwork?"
"Yes, I believe she called it that."
Elise just stared for a moment, "So this version of Arc is organic?"
"This Arc is organic? Why would you say that?"
Elise hesitated, "Erm... nevermind."
"You don't need to hide it, we...erm... I already know you aren't from here. So, go on."
"The Arcana Steam I know is an Etherwork machination that has her own sentience, and extensive knowledge of Etherwork systems."
Luna looked at her with worried expression, "She endured some transformation from the portal? Is there a way to change her back?"
"The one I'm talking about is not the same one who vanished from here. As far as I could figure, someone Draconic built her."
"One of the dragons."
Quietly something landed behind them. Elise nodded, "Yes. The humans aren't that capable with Etherwork, neither are the Vixaen."
"The fox race, though, what are humans?"
"I'm not sure how to describe them."
"Why not?"
Elise looked to the side, "I'm an infiltrator, not a scientist. Either way, a lot of them I knew were friendly and knew how to take care of themselves in that grand battle."
"Infiltrator, you sneak into places?"
"Only if I have to."
"And if somepony were to ask you to?"
"I'd think about it, only between me and the one intent on hiring me.", Elise motioned her head.
Luna looked and stood up, "Sister?"
Celestia smiled, "I see you've made a friend, Luna."
She smiled back, "Of course, it seems like we have some similarities that make for a good friendship."
"That's wonderful! Perhaps the two of you could meet again once we move the bodies above."
Luna looked up, "What time is it?"
Celestia looked at Elise momentarily, "It's almost 4:30. We should be able to arrive back at the palace in time for the sunrise."
Luna nodded, "Of course sister. Go on ahead, I won't be too far behind."
She gave a warm smile and with a light giggle, "I'll hold you to that.", she spread her wings and flew away.
Luna watched for a moment then whispered to Elise, "Why don't we meet again tomorrow evening, I might have use for that sort of skill."
Elise nodded, "I'll either be out here again, or in the guest bedroom."
Luna nodded, "Just do me a favor, don't let anypony else know I borrowed that form once more.", she smiled nervously before she took flight.

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----[ Clubhouse | Morning
-----
Morning greeted the sleepy eyes of Apple Bloom and her friends as the sun shone in through the clubhouse window. The crusaders rubbed their eyes and stretched out any kinks in their little bodies as they yawned. Apple Bloom wandered over to the window and looked outside. Elise looked at her from outside, "Good morning, did all of you sleep well?"
Apple Bloom smiled, "Sure did, Elise. Thanks fer volunteerin' ta watch th' tree house."
Elise yawned, "You had your heart set on it."
"Sure did, do ya need some rest?"
Elise shook her head, "I'll manage."
Scootaloo moved to the window, "Did anything try to come after us?"
Elise quietly tallied large number of creatures that were dispatched, "Oh, just a few things."
"And you fought them off?"
She looked to the side, "Those are permanently gone."
"Cool."
AJ walked up to her, "Ah was wonderin' if anythin' else showed up."
Apple Bloom smiled, "Mornin' Applejack."
"An' how are ya doin' this mornin', Apple Bloom?"
"Great! Ah can't wait fer the train ta get here."
Big Macintosh walked up, "Eeeeyup! Braeburn oughta be gettin' here 'bout an hour from now."
The fillies went back in and stepped out the door wearing their capes as Big Macintosh started looking at the flattened table, "Now, what happened here?"
Scootaloo walked over to it too, "Hey, what happened to the table?"
Elise looked over and remembered Luna's request, "Oh, uhm... it's not meant to support anything too large. Sorry."
Big Macintosh looked at her, "Too large? That shoulda been able ta hold onto all of us ponyfolk here stacked on top a each other."
"I used some intimidation to keep some of those creatures away."
Scootaloo looked at Elise, "How'd you do it? Did you roar at them?"
Apple Bloom looked at her, "A roar can't flatten a table!"
"Yeah it can!"
Sweetie Belle looked at them, "Wouldn't a roar wake us up?"
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both paused.
"It would've right?"
Apple Bloom scratched her head, "Might've.", she turned to Elise again, "So how did ya flatten th' table? How'd ya get too large?"
Elise formulated different lies to try and get out of this predicament, finally she sighed as she had to go with her lie, "I can alter my size at will."
Scootaloo kept a straight face, for only a second before she fell over laughing so hard she closed her eyes, "Yeah, and Fluttershy's a tree."
Elise's voice seemed a little louder, "I suppose she is then."
Scootaloo rolled back onto her hooves and looked at AJ and Big Macintosh, who were both looking up. Big Mac had a shocked expression on his face which made Scootaloo curious, "Huh?", she looked at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle who were more awed than shocked, "What're you looking at?"
"Look up."
She did so and noticed a now enormous Elise sitting next to the clubhouse, taller than it. It took a moment for her mind to get past the amazing sight as she smiled and slowly muttered, "Cool."
Elise shrugged and looked around nervous before she reduced her size to normal, "I'm not that fond of using that ability.", her stomach growled, "Especially since my stomach was full a moment ago." That couldn't have been a better timed growl for food.
Applejack looked at her, "Ah, don' suppose that you could get smaller'n that, could ya?"
Elise smiled at the reference, "I could, why?"
"It'd make it easier fer ya to fit in the kitchen, that much is certain."
Elise laughed nervously, "Why not..."
"Why don't ya do that when we get back to th' house, Granny Smith is cookin' up some breakfast right now."
"Sure."