Chapter 10: Every Step Forward
A burst of Darkness within the observatory put a smile on Adagio. The cold mountain air was an illusion. Her hunger was satisfied on the spot. Energy filled her limbs when they had laid limp at her side. She couldn’t get off the ground soon enough. The Darkness was intense. It wasn’t a tingle in her head, but a drum beating alongside her heart.
Aria called out to her. It was a dull sound that was beaten over the drums. Adagio reached the double doors and threw herself onto them. Darkness seeped through. It was honey to her senses. She could press herself against the observatory for eternity to never forsake the feeling again.
“Did you forget how to open a door?” Sonata asked.
Gone. Her voice had punctured the Darkness, and like a vacuum, it was sucked out. Adagio scraped her nails against the metal to stop her from pouncing on her.
“Is that a yes?” Sonata asked. Her hands covered her ears, grimacing.
Aria hurried to Adagio and took hold of her shoulder. “What’s gotten into you? If it’s that Darkness you never shut up about, can we get on with it?”
It took a lot in Adagio not to shove her off. There was no repercussions if she did. She was in charge. The Darkness still lingered, like a blip on the radar. She couldn’t lose it by yelling at the others.
“She’s back,” she growled. It had Aria retreat back and clutch her wrist. Even to Adagio, it came out wrong. It didn’t matter. She latched to the handle and lurched back. The door flung to the side, bounced off the wall, and swung back to her open palm.
The spiked vines bristled. They had retracted their hold of the walls to reveal panels and boards covered in astronomical algorithms and diagrams. It allowed the lights to peek through. The vines cast gnarled shadows on the floor. The telescope still had Darkness dance across its surface. It hid the emblem from sight.
Maleficent hunched underneath it. Her breathes came out in exasperated gasps. One hand reached out to grasp nothing, the other clung to her chest. The energy from before pushed Adagio on. She wasn’t dealing with an arbiter of Darkness but an old witch. Laughter rumbled from her throat.
“The Heartless prey on the weak,” Adagio said. There was an echo that didn’t carry far. Maleficent turned enough to drive her gaze into her. “You had grand plans for them. And how did those plans go?”
“Do not speak as though I am beneath you,” Maleficent snapped. She towered over them before kneeling again. Her staff was missing. Her hand still reached for it.
“For the moment, you are beneath me,” Adagio smiled. Her hands hung behind her as she strolled inside. “Let me guess. A group of girls you underestimated toppled you just as you tasted victory?”
“It was that boy that toppled me,” Maleficent huffed. “The girls would have fallen if not for his interference.”
Adagio sashayed from one side to the next. Each one brought her closer. “A boy?”
“A keyblade wielder,” Maleficent said. “A weapon more powerful than any ridicule you could produce, Siren.”
“A Siren you’re going to rely on,” Adagio said. She ran a hand under her hair to push it up with a flare. “No excuses. You were defeated by a group of seven girls. We’ve dealt with them, and we know where to strike to cripple them. Give us the power of Darkness and we help you.”
“It’s a fair exchange!” Sonata said with a swing of her arm. Adagio regretted bringing them along.
Aria shuffled up to Maleficent. “Where’s your staff? Lose it? I’m guessing because of the ‘power of friendship?’ I’m pretty sure you know what tears apart friendship.”
Maleficent hummed. The telescope had her attention. Adagio would have smashed it right there and then, put the focus on them, but there was a glint in Maleficent. A glint they needed to take advantage of.
“Come on, witchy-dichy,” Sonata said in rhythm. “Choose now-”
“Shut up,” Adagio snapped. It came out like before. Raspy with an edge that pricked Sonata enough to jerk back. Even Aria shivered. She refused to meet her eyes.
Maleficent studied her. Adagio crossed her arms. There wasn’t enough give in Maleficent and her crochity ways. She had stood up straighter, no longer grasping out.
“Give us a test,” Adagio said. It stung to hear it as pleading. Like the beggars they had to become. That wasn’t who they were anymore. “Maybe get you whatever you’re reaching for. Something you need badly.”
“Yes, a test,” Maleficent said softly. Her nods were subtle before picking up speed. “More than enough to rid myself of you. But if you succeed…”
She was back to her full self. A spire of Darkness that permeated the world. “Very well. You want a test? I shall bestow you one.”
Sunset peeked through a door propped open by a plank of wood. The broken handle rattled when her foot pushed it aside. Every visit to Principal Celestia's office had her on edge. The aftermath of the Heartless made it worse. Debris lined the carpet. The smashed window framed the mass of first responders outside. The desk sat crooked in front of it. Dings and scratches sprinkled its polish. Principal Celestia herself leaned against it.
With the power out, Sunset had to squint to make out the torn sleeves and thousand yard stare on Celestia. She didn’t move, but still watched them take careful steps inside. Sora slid around Sunset to examine a picture frame cushioned between the texts from a fallen bookcase. A whistling breeze chilled the air. A reminder of the tunnels left behind by the vines. Sunset rubbed her arms.
“Who was it?” Celestia asked. It was reserved. Sunset wasn’t sure if she wanted to answer. “Who attacked my school?”
“Maleficent,” Sora said. It was straight forward with no hint of malice. Sunset was glad there wasn’t. It wouldn’t suit him. He crouched to brush off the dust on the picture frame.
Celestia shifted to pull up a scabbard as long as her arm. Her fingers ran across the leather. It was enough for Sunset to drop her urge to drag Sora over to Celestia. Half a dozen magical instances within the school, and this was the first Sunset had seen her with a sword.
“From another world, I assume?” Celestia asked. She slid up the scabbard to clench the hilt.
Sunset and Sora exchanged glances before he returned to the picture frame. It tested her patience, though it did give a gist of his thoughts. Enough discussions about the topic would have her shy away too.
Celestia sighed through her nose. “I always thought my master was exaggerating. Darkness arriving to enter the portal. Poisoning the other world. Cutting the threads connecting friends. It should have stayed that way, an exaggeration. A tall tale to keep us on guard through the years.”
“Master?” Sora asked. His spine snapped up as the frame fell apart in his hand. The clatter of wood and glass masked his string of apologies. His frantic attempt to save it had the photo slip out of the matting.
It sent Sunset into a tizzy. Sora swiped the air to catch the fluttering photo taken by the breeze. The whole ordeal had her clamp her mouth and eyes shut to stop herself. He handled things his own way. She should understand that. Celestia on the other hand...
“What master?” Sunset asked. An avalanche of questions revitalized her tired muscles. She gestured to Celestia. “You knew about the portal and where it went. What the other world meant to ours. For how long?”
“Twenty years?” Celestia sneered. The sword swung out. Sunset jerked back. Its metal sheen was bright even in the dim lighting. “He came to train us to protect the portal, to protect another world. Were we supposed to trust him? Expect the worst because he said so? We were kids!”
She dropped her sword to cradle her stomach. The blade reverberated with a dull thump against the carpet. It mixed with her suppressed groan. Sunset was torn whether to comfort her or to demand where the sword came from.
Celestia pursed her lips. Her head lowered to gaze at the blade. The steel was dulled enough to appear foggy. Scratches criss-crossed the surface. It was bent an inch above the hilt at a small enough angle to miss. Embossed where the handle met blade was an emblem of a key. A huff escaped Celestia.
Sunset found herself drawn to it. Certain dimples and cast lines looped around the key emblem as though a rush of water had formed it. Her fingers traced over the details. Smooth to the touch, despite the handful of blemishes. She slipped a hand under the handle and blade each to bring it up with her
“Half the school is gone,” Celestia said. Her breath hitched before she grunted to hide it. “Over a hundred students, all the faculty but one, and... Luna.”
Her voice was level, but her eyelid twitched.
“Sora can help us,” Sunset said. Hearing her had him jump up. He pocketed the photo before hurrying over to Celestia. “He says we can get everyone back.”
“That’s right,” he said, raising a fist. “I couldn’t do much as a phantom. Now, I can search for the source of the Heartless and take it out. That should do the trick, don’t you worry.”
Celestia saw him, recognized him, but at the same time, it didn’t register in her. Until her head jerked back.
“You were the phantom,” Celestia muttered. Her hand ran across one of her torn sleeves to fiddle with the cloth. “The one from the sightings. You’re a keyblade wielder?”
“Yep!” Sora said, puffing out his chest. It deflated when a question struck him. It was easy for Sunset to tell when he had one. “Wait, you know about keyblades too?”
Celestia pushed off the desk to hug herself. The sword held her attention. Sunset tightened her grip on it without cutting herself.
“It seems there’s a lot we need to share,” Celestia said. She rounded on Sunset, and for the life of her, she couldn’t meet her eyes. “You withhold this information, even after a prior incident, if I’m not mistaken. I may not be versed in the world you’re from, but surely you could have sought my council. My sister and I have been involved in enough of your magical instances to warrant it. So much could have been avoided!”
Sunset didn’t want the sword anymore. She balanced it back and forth between her hands. It didn’t distract her well enough. Seeking advice from Princess Twilight had always been her go-to method. It was sound reasoning to her. Though she hadn’t tried all of her options. Go to Celestia to enforce the right measures. Keep the school and portal safe. Do everything in her power. She had only stuck to her usual resources.
“Sorry,” Sunset mustered. It was pathetic. Like one little word could fix things.
Celestia burned her gaze into her. Sunset could do nothing but shrink and shrink until she was a misbehaving child before her.
“Hey, don’t blame her,” Sora said. Celestia laid off at last. Sunset took a gulp of air as though she had been holding it in. “You could have sought her council too. She was smart enough to bring me back.”
Celestia relaxed back. She had never lashed out at Sunset like that before. Plenty of scolding sprinkled with disappointment, sure, but never worse than that. It gutted her to hear it regardless. It thrusted her back to confronting Princess Celestia again. Trembling in the throne room in Canterlot. Sunset took the blade in one hand to loop a lock of her hair around her finger.
They just had to be the same person.
“It’s not like you’ve been open either,” Sora said. It was a challenge. He wasn’t going to take those words back. The first time Sora was upset with someone other than Maleficent. It had Sunset stare at him as though he would wink at her. “You know about keyblades and whoever this master is. Why didn’t you bring it to her, huh?”
“That’s not necessary!” Sunset said. She sprung at him to tug at his arm. He shot her a look with big puppy dog eyes. It reminded her of her mother. All she could do was strain a smile. “I’m sure you have your reasons, Principal Celestia.”
“The World Order,” she said. There was a pause as though it explained everything. It left Sunset in a storm of emotions. She dropped her arms back to her side.
Sora set his hands on his hips with a drawn out groan. “Now you sound like Donald.”
For once, Celestia strayed from her temper to search for the words to respond.
“What’s the World Order?” Sunset asked.
“One cannot involve themselves in the affairs of other worlds,” Sora recited. His finger swayed like a conductor. “That includes telling others about it.”
Sunset tapped a finger to her chin. “So, kind of like my position? Everyone knowing about Equestria would cause fear and confusion.”
Not like Canterlot High didn’t know about her world.
“Yeah, like that,” Sora nodded.
Celestia sagged her shoulders. “Since Maleficent broke that rule, I guess I have no choice.”
She snatched something off her desk and held it out to Sora. He made to approach, but flinched as though stricken. Recognition flickered in the fine movement in his brow from a glint in her grasp.
Sunset pushed him forward. She knew he wouldn’t hold it against her. His grin back at her was proof.
His hand extended to reach Celestia’s. A trinket fell into his palm. When he held it up, Sunset could make out a keychain marked with jewels. It ended in a pendant of a star.
“Shooting Star!” Sora cheered with a small hop. The trinket floundered in his grasp. He never took his attention away from it. He whipped to Sunset and held it so close she saw more of his skin than the keychain. “See? It’s one of my lost items! This can help me fight the Heartless.”
“Yes, yes, I can see,” Sunset chuckled, bringing his hands down. They were soft to the touch. It still astounded her that she hadn’t thought about stuff like that.
“Luna found it.”
The mood dropped like an anvil. Sora and Sunset stood stock still. It was easy to forget what had happened in the school. Sunset wanted to blame Sora and his joy. His childlike frown reaffirmed she could never do that.
Celestia walked around her desk to plop into her office chair. Her exhaustion hit her as she slumped into the cushion, hair flowing around her shoulders. It ached Sunset to see it. The attack on the school was an intense hour that felt like a day had crammed itself into it.
“Our master came out of the blue to train us. He refused to give his name, deduced my sister and I were capable to wield a keyblade, and showed us the existence of other worlds. All to protect the source of all friendship. I can’t even remember how he ever convinced us to accept his training.”
“Wait, wait,” Sunset said. Her hands patted the air. “Let me get this straight, a keyblade master came down to have you and Vice Principal Luna use keyblades to protect my home? Does that mean…?”
She lifted the sword up. Its existence answered her own question.
“I didn’t leave to become a keyblade wielder when he denied Luna admittance.”
Sunset clenched her jaw shut. It dug up memories in Celestia better left buried. Sunset shared that sentiment all too well.
“Now,” Celestia trailed off, her shoulders hunched, her brows knitted together, one hand folding over the other. “I wish I hadn’t refused.”
A flash of light broke through. Sora brandished his keyblade with the subtlety of a bus. The smaller parts still stood out to Sunset. There was nothing significant in them, like the leather grip or the three-circled keychain. It was the proximity and authenticity that projected its aura. It was real.
Celestia leaned forward, sitting up to square her shoulders. Sunset braced herself for another rebuke.
“You’ll assist us?” Celestia asked. “Repayment for returning you to your form?”
Sora winced. “It’s a little more than that, but it wouldn’t be me to stand aside and watch.”
“He could learn a thing or two from you,” she muttered before sighing. “Do what you can, Sora.”
The built up tension released like a balloon. To have Celestia fall back to her usual collected self left Sunset on guard. It wasn’t enough. They didn’t need Celestia’s permission. There was so much more to address.
“What about the school?” Sunset asked. The sword slipped from her grip. She jerked back as it tumbled back onto the floor. Her pulse spiked. “What happens to our classes? The clubs? The events?”
“All canceled,” Celestia remarked with a shake of her head. “A weekend isn’t enough to rebuild, rehire, and regain our reputation. The superintendent contacted me personally. Besides the lack of time, we don’t have the funds nor students to start up again before the end of the school year. You might want things to return to normal, Sunset Shimmer, but our hands are tied.”
Maleficent had taken the one thing Sunset never thought she could. The loss of Fall Formal, her school work, her future put a pit in her stomach. It didn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. The fate of her home and other worlds were at stake. Her school life was nothing in comparison. Sunset had to clench her hands to keep them from trembling.
Why was she trembling?
“We need rest,” she said. It came out monotone. Her insides were hollow. Pins and needles coursed through her veins. She wanted out of the office.
“Very well,” Celestia said. Her jaw tightened as she stood back up. “Don’t throw your lives away. I already lost enough students.”
Sora hummed. “I actually had some other questions.”
Sunset grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him to the door.
“Uh, I’ll ask later!” he called out as Sunset released him.
Principal Celestia had shown more concern than Sunset had ever heard her express. It was pointless. She held her hands together to stifle the trembling. Sora raised a hand to her.
“You can keep it,” Celestia said. Sunset and Sora faltered at the doorway.
“Excuse me?”
“The photo. You can keep it.”
Sunset searched for anything to clue her in on what Celestia felt about it. Maybe a twitch in her eye or a scowl or even a good natured grunt. Nothing.
“Thanks,” Sora nodded. She had an itch to ask who was in the photo, but her nerves got the better of her. A walk was what she needed.
Sora was quick to recap their discussion with Celestia and the attack in the hallway. Sunset listened, tried hard to keep up, but there was no insight to gain. It put her mind in a rut when she recounted the day. Sora as a phantom, the Heartless, Maleficent, the mysterious master, the protection of her world. The worst was a trivial observation that gnawed at her gut.
Principal Celestia never once thanked Sora.
Stitch held up a bundle of flowers to Fluttershy.
“Oh!” she said. They were dandelions. Yellow and bright. The gift reminded her of the number of times she had done the same with her mother. It warmed her heart to see Stitch present them as though he had done a huge favor. “Thank you.”
Stitch nodded fast enough his ears couldn't keep up before sprinting across the lawn to the ambulances and police cars condensed at the front of the school. The blinking lights made her eyes water, and she had to pull away back to the flowers. It was a miracle they didn’t take Stitch away.
“Ugh, done,” Twilight groaned. She collapsed on the steps next to Fluttershy. Her ponytail splayed across the concrete as she faced the sky. “I swear, if another officer asks me a question, I’m directing him to Pinkie Pie.”
“Should we get her?” she asked. A tuft of fluffy pink hair zipped above the crowds. It vanished before popping back up in another part of the yard.
“I don’t feel like chasing after her,” Twilight said. A groan escaped her lips as her arms curled close to her chest. Fluttershy admonished herself. Of course Twilight was tired. She used her powers until her energy dried up.
Pinkie held up a tray of cupcakes to an officer who waved her off. A kneeling EMT declined one as well. Pinkie squirmed when he raised a flashlight at a classmate’s eye. It went on for a while. Each person, from police officers to onlookers behind the tape, refused to have a cupcake. Even a small child hid behind her mother when Pinkie approached her. Fluttershy was sure one person yelled at Pinkie for it. Her bright smile never dampened.
A twitter broke Fluttershy away to a robin landing on her knee. His chirps were fast with nary a pause, but Fluttershy had spoken to him before to know how to catch the important bits. What he had to say was enough for her to hold a hand to her chest with a nice, easy breath.
“Mr. Robinson says Applejack and Apple Bloom made it home A-okay.”
“Then that accounts for everyone,” Twilight said. She wiped her brow and shifted to sit up straight. “Hopefully Sunset and Sora will finish up soon so we can all go home.”
It should have been a boon to know they were close to leaving. To find some sanctuary away from the hectic day. The pit in Fluttershy’s stomach didn’t reflect any of that.
“Gabba?”
Stitch stood with a handful of worms. They wriggled in his grasp until one slipped and plopped onto the concrete. He sidestepped to scoop it up before thrusting them close to Fluttershy. Mr. Robinson hopped back with a shrill chirp. The toothy grin on Stitch was bigger than before.
“The birds could use this,” Fluttershy said. She set aside the flowers to take the worms in her own hand. They were still moist. Mud clung to their skin. Her first thought was to wash them off, but the birds wouldn’t mind. “Do you want to grab your friends, Mr. Robinson?”
A begrudging tweet was his reply before he flew off.
“You know, Stitch here is something else,” Twilight said. She reached out to scratch behind his ear. He leaned into her hand as his tongue hung out. “His agility alone is faster than any animal I know. And he figured out to have Applejack toss him up to catch Rainbow Dash. That’s a faster reaction time than I had.”
Twilight forced out a chuckle. Her energy was still drained. Stitch stepped closer to rub against her like a puppy demanding affection. It should have had Fluttershy melt at the sight, but a frown tugged at Stitch. He knew what he was doing.
“You should have seen him in the library,” Fluttershy said. A shiver passed through her spine. The Heartless still scared her. “He and Sora made a good team.”
“Fluttershy good too,” Stitch added. His eyes drilled into her until she looked away. She wasn’t even sure keeping him in her backpack was a good thing.
Twilight petted the top of his head, and he was lost in her hand again.
“You all helped the girls too,” Twilight said with a shake of her head. Her glasses drooped before pushing it back up her nose. “Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, none of them would have made it without you.”
The seconds before they had hidden behind the desk were still a blur to Fluttershy. The most she could recall was someone dragging her back there. Her shoulders hunched as she tilted her head to hide behind her hair.
“It was Sora,” she whispered. Her hand brushed through her hair. It was still soft after everything.
“Oh yeah,” Twilight said with a hasty nod. Her hand dug into Stitch to scratch the top of his head. He collapsed on the spot with a content sigh. “He was really effective against the Heartless. His keyblade tore right through that… He called it a Demon Tower. Right. I can’t imagine what would have happened if Sora hadn’t taken off to find you.”
Sora had bailed them out. Stitch had supported him to pull it off. Cheerilee had kept the girls away from danger. Fluttershy had cowered. Twilight danced around it, but Fluttershy knew deep in her heart what she had contributed. A handful of callouts, one or two that were meaningful. It wasn’t enough, even if no one said it.
The entrance swung open. Sunset walked down in stiff strides. Patches of her jacket were in tatters. The sight clutched her insides before Fluttershy remembered all of them had a few tears. There wasn’t any more Heartless. Nothing to fear. It did have her hold herself for fear getting the best of her again.
Sora held the door open at the top of the steps. There was no wear on him. He looked like he could jump into another battle.
“Hey, guys,” Sunset said. It was stilted. She glanced between Fluttershy and Twilight. “Did the others get home safe?”
Twilight pulled her hand away from Stitch, who snapped to attention.
“The Apple family are all together,” Twilight said. She counted on her fingers. “Rainbow Dash dropped off Scootaloo. Rarity and Sweetie Belle swung by their parents work. Pinkie Pie is off doing what she does best. Everyone else is getting checked by the paramedics. We were lucky they haven’t detained us for questioning. Darkness and Heartless isn’t something that would go over well.”
“Good,” Sunset said. “That’s good.”
Her head dipped low, but she scanned the scene. Sora still hadn’t moved from his spot in the back. It was as though he had something to say.
“School is cancelled,” Sunset said.
“What!?” Twilight said, surging back up to her feet. It made Fluttershy jump. Her energy had returned faster than she thought.
Sunset sighed as she crossed her arms. “Did you really expect the school to stay open?”
“I-it make’s sense,” Twilight said, adjusting her glasses. “Logically, there’s no way a school can bounce back after something this tragic. Emotionally, it… sucks.”
Fluttershy couldn’t sum it up better. She wouldn’t have come back for a week after the attack if it did resume classes, but to have it closed down made her wish she had done more.
“W-what…?” she said. Tears threatened to break free. Lives were lost, the school cancelled, the terrible witch still at large. Sunset dropped down beside her to drape an arm around her. “What do we do n-now?”
Sunset was unreadable. It wasn’t the first time Fluttershy couldn’t make out what went on in her head, but it was the first time it made her squirm.
“We take a break,” Sunset said. “Recuperate. There’s a lot to process.”
Twilight rubbed her arm and tried to make herself small. Fluttershy would have done the same, but waited for Sunset to continue. The pause stretched on and on until Fluttershy turned away.
A phone rang in Twilight’s bag. She pulled it out and answered it in one fluid motion.
“Hello?” she asked. Someone spoke on the other side, masculine. The way her face dropped was enough for Fluttershy to smile a little. “Yes, I’m fine, Shining. Tired, but fine… I nearly destroyed reality a few months ago, and this is the time you…? Okay, okay, I’ll wait across the street. It’s packed at the school right now.”
She hung up with a groan. Everyone looked at her expectantly.
“Shining Armor is picking me up,” she said. Her thumb flicked through her phone. It loosened her scowl enough to fall back to that drained self from before. Fluttershy swore her skin was paler. “After we rest, we need a plan of action. Maybe we can get together-”
“I know!” Sunset shouted. She shoved herself to her feet and paced away. “We’ll get a plan. Let’s just process that we won by the skin of our teeth and might not be so lucky next time.”
Fluttershy sat up stalk straight. Her legs tensed as though she was about to break off into a run to hide away. The outburst was like Sunset before they were friends, before Princess Twilight of Equestria had set things straight. It was for a moment until the present came rushing back. Sunset wasn’t a bully. She was stressed. Fluttershy repeated that in her head too many times to count.
“I’m leaving,” she said. Yet another stilted response. Fluttershy opened her mouth to have her stay a little longer. Her voice never emerged.
“I’ll catch up.” Sora descended to stand at the bottom. He threw his thumb over his shoulder. “I want to let them know about the meeting with Celestia.”
Sunset flinched as she frowned at him. A heavy sigh escaped her as she ran a hand down her face. Fluttershy still couldn’t find her voice. It cowered in her throat. Instead, she lifted herself up to shuffle closer to Twilight.
“Meet me at the corner when you’re finished,” Sunset said. It was tired, maybe sad. Her face didn’t reflect that at all. She left without hearing a reply.
Sora spun around with his arms on his hips. “Is something wrong with Sunset?”
Sunset had barely reached the edge of the lawn. There was no indication she had heard him.
“Something wrong?” Twilight asked. She held her bag in both arms, hugging it like it was a stuffed animal.
“Yeah,” he said. “Celestia told us about a keyblade master that trained her a while ago. But when Sunset brought up school and classes, it really upset her. She didn’t say a word to me when we made our way here.”
“Keyblade master?” Twilight muttered before she shook it away. Her grip shifted on her backpack to keep her balance. “Maybe she’s upset that a lot of people are gone, some of her friends included. Wallflower Blush was one of them. Trixie too.”
“Maybe,” Sora said. “But when we got back here, you guys seemed, I don’t know… different.”
“Everyone takes tragedy differently, Sora,” Twilight said. “I can’t say what’s going through her head, but I can say that your concern is important and welcome. It’s what friends do.”
He smiled. “I’m still sticking to my promise. No matter what. I just wish-”
“Promise!?” Pinkie tackled Sora to the ground. Her arms and legs pinned him down. A long tuft of her hair tapped against his face. He scrunched and blew it away. “You guys made a promise and didn’t consult me!? I am the connoisseur of promises! I have a patent on Pinkie Promises!”
“Pinkie, settle down!” Twilight hissed. She tightened the hold of her bag so hard a pained groan emanated from it.
“Settle down!?” Pinkie jumped up. The sight of the crowd lingering behind the tape had her swallow. “Yeah, you’re right. Settle down.”
It came out as a whimper. It calmed Fluttershy more than worried her. It was a wonder why Pinkie couldn’t stay that way for a minute or two. Fluttershy shifted closer to Twilight after that thought. Spike grumbled inside her bag.
“What was the promise?” Pinkie asked. She glanced to Twilight as though she would snap at her again.
“It’s…” Sora said. He got back to his feet, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s hard for me to say.”
Twilight nodded. Her ponytail swished across the top of Fluttershy’s head.
“I’m not sure what to do.” Sora tapped his toe against the pavement. “I figured she would bring it up if it was serious. She knows we would understand.”
“Bring it up to her anyway,” Twilight shrugged. Pinkie offered a smile.
Sora shook his head. “I can’t do that. That would force her to talk about something she isn’t ready to talk about.”
“Don’t make this a conundrum, Sora,” Twilight said, pointing to him. “You compared her to Riku, right? Just think about how you would handle the situation if she was Riku.”
“Have her spar with me?”
“Without fighting.”
“And if that doesn’t work,” Pinkie chimed in with a wink and a thumbs up, “spar with her anyway.”
Several flaps of wings broke Fluttershy to the sky. A half dozen birds - Mr. Robinson included - fluttered onto her shoulders and arms. A smile pushed against her cheeks as she cupped her handful of worms. They pecked at them in sharp, erratic movements, and their exclamations put butterflies in her stomach. The good kind of butterflies.
The others watched with a few tilting their heads. Fluttershy felt her face burn up, but her smile still remained. It cooled a little after Sora beamed. A soothing expression. It had her forget the terrible attack, if for a few seconds.
“I think I know what to do,” Sora said. He stared at the birds hopping around with cheerful chirps. Fluttershy didn’t think his mind was on them.
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Golden Flare · 27k words · 189 11 · 16k views
- Superdale33 · 125k words · 305 20 · 11k views
- Mr Curious Writer · 349k words · 318 28 · 12k views
- Golden Flare · 48k words · 328 24 · 17k views
- indigohue · 120k words · 156 14 · 9.1k views
- steel soul · 1.8k words · 83 1 · 3k views
- Yelilia · 4.2k words · 15 4 · 1.4k views
- Sora Sentry · 242k words · 91 23 · 8.6k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.186 seconds
Total duration
962 users online
303,133 hits today, 2,782,760 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
The master of masters is my guess who tried to train Celestia and Luna to wield the Keyblade or it could have been Eraqus for all we know
9996226
Could also be Yen Sid. He definitely looks a lot like Starswirl.
Another great chapter. Nice.^^
9996251
True or it could have been Xehanort for all we know
Adagio is gonna become Heartless, I can feel it.
9996226
9996251
Since twenty years is just a few years before Sora was born, and he accepted Celestia but rejected Luna, it was most likely Erequs since he rejects anyone with even the slightest amount of Darkness. Maybe he trained then just before he found Terra and Aqua.
9996602
So to be straight, Eraqus is a “dick” to anyone who wields the darkness.
Man, Riku’s lucky since he can actually control darkness without becoming insane.
9996733
Both Eraqus and Xehanort were massive dicks and the entire Kingdom Hearts plot could be summed as a "hold my beer" between the two of them gone out of hands.
9996839
True plus let’s not forget about what Re:Mind will bring
9996839 Spoilered because some internet dwelling people are dumb and don't read warnings about Heavy Spoilers.
Yeah, only at the end there, Sora brought out a damn keg n' hose and just outclassed the both of them on how to abuse their power. Like for real, he broke the cycle of life and death just to make sure his friends were okay enough to fight Xehanort's 13. That's impressive on its own.
Yes Celestia, Sunset should’ve totally consulted you. You were so much help when she was evil, and even more help when the sirens were around (trying to spin it as Sunset going back to her old ways), not to mention how you and Luna completely dropped the whole figure out how to stop magic before the Friendship Games thing on her. She had every reason to believe you’d be a ton of help and we’re hiding a massive secret that never came into play.
Seriously though, while I do get why Celestia is acting this way, I hope she gets called out on it down the line. The last thing Sunset needs right now is another holier than thou mentor figure, especially one that has such a bad track record. I do have to say though, it’s a really neat way to account for how she didn’t bat an eye at Sunset or Twilight randomly showing up from another world.
Another great chapter, though I am hoping Sunset will get a win without a massive asterisk attached soon. Poor girl needs a break more than anyone here.
9996602
That's possible.
9996544
Or at least wield them.... or...ORRR...
Well done!
Ok wow this story is awsome and a little bit dark but I feel bad for everyone they don't know what's going on and sora is trying everything he can do but jeez.
The dread is palpable. Good job!
Hi, do you mind update the story? Cause I find it intriguing and full of curiosity so I wonder if you will update it since it is fun to read if I may add^^
10234455
I'm glad you enjoy it. I've been trying to get around to it, but a lot of things have come up. Apologies! I'll get to it as soon as I can.
10234528
Any luck with chapter?
I have been having a debate lately. I want to write my next crossover fan fiction, bit I don't know which one to pick. There are either:
Kingdom Hearts x My Little Pony x Pokémon (takes place in Zeusdemigod131's "A New World, A New Way" universe and after Kingdom Hearts 3)
OR
Hot Wheels Acceleracers x Zelda: Twilight Princess (takes place after Zant attacks Link and Midna after the Water Temple and after the Water Realm)
Which one would you pick?
Welp it was good while it lasted
Hoping to see this get picked back up eventually. It's an amazing story and it's hard to find someone who can properly write Sora. Good luck to you.
Man I can’t believe how insanely good this story is and honestly I can’t wait for the next chapter but I’ll practice patience and wait.