Sun Never Sets

by CrownofDissonance

15- The Changing of Direction

"Starlight, I'm detecting multiple enemies approaching from the street level."

"We're going to lose her, Spike!"

"I know, but-" Spike jumped the gap between two buildings to trail their unidentified assailant, but another mechanized hound would shoot up from the gap and crash into him, taking him back to the rooftop.

It was similar in shape to Spike, though it was painted in a robust red and gold color, and had a longer, spear-shaped blade affixed to it's tail. Larger and more angular than Spike, it was a much more aggressive variant, built for faster and dirty combat. One of its claws raked against Spike's plated face, and in response he bit down on the appendage with his single-edged, toothless jaw. The other mech lacked the ability to bite things, its head being just a smooth rectangular piece, and it was unprepared for Spike to so readly grab onto it.

Another wolf mech climbed up from between the two buildings, cutting off Starlight before she had the chance to cross. This one was bigger than the first, with dark brown armor and a much wider, spiked ball on its tail. It lacked the sleekness of Spike, but also the angles of its partner, instead it was big and bulky, with a rounder, wider chest and smaller head, and much larger front claws.

"Reprogrammed CANIS mechs?" Spike rolled back to his feet and whipped his tail defensively at the one that targeted him. "One assault variant, one bruiser!"

The bruiser zig-zagged its way to Starlight as she took aim with her revolver, shooting off quick shots that only glanced off its sturdy frontal armor. She threw a punch with her mechanical fist as it got close, denting it's shoulder but taking a hit from its clubbed tail. The heavy, blunt weapon knocked her off her feet, allowing the mech to jump on her and holding her still as it pulled its tail back to finish her off. Pulling her arm close in to her hip, she fired her revolver straight up into the mech's underbelly, three bullets hitting it at point blank and opening it up for her to drive it up and off of her with her knee.

She grabbed it's face, bashed the butt of her revolver into it and then twisted it until she was throwing it off the top of the building. Destroying it completely wasn't important right now, they needed to just get through.

Spike had the same idea, as he clashed tails with a mech that outclassed him in straight combat, he prioritized attack patterns that would give the fastest takedown possible. Metal scraped together as their bladed tails wrapped around each other, bringing them both into a close, furious grapple.

As he butted heads with the larger mech, Spike was surprised to find there was an AI personality onboard it, one that spoke in a rough, challenging tone.

"Little bitty scout drone thinks he's tough, does he?" The assault mech taunted him, overtaking him during their grapple and getting another solid scrape in on Spike's body.

"Wow, they're putting voice synthesizers on the disposable ones, now?" Spike gave a sarcastic reply as he took another hit.

"Who do you think you are? We're specialized, independent units. Free thinkers!" The assault mech's tail overtook Spike's and his claws shoved Spike down into the rooftop.

"Yeah, following attack orders blindly really gives you a chance to think for yourself, doesn't it?" Spike let himself get pushed down, pressing his shoulder into the larger mech put him into a hold.

"Shut up! You're some obviously just some defective little-" The assault mech suddenly was cut off from his insult as electricity suddenly surged through his body. The lightning cannon on Spike's back had partially deployed and was fired with its barrel shoved right up against his aggressor. He released Spike, reeling back, and in his daze Spike tackled him and drove his blade through the mech's hind leg, detaching it and leaving him pinned in place.

AI personalities allowed units to act fairly independently, but were prone to the same personality failures organic beings were. Spike was a fringe case, having his personality developed over a long time, he was more reserved and adverse to conflict, but this assault mech was clearly a hothead and a jerk, a common personality of mechs that were mass-produced for combat.

Having dealt with the attackers, they continued running, hoping to eventually catch up with their kidnapper.

"You little- Hey! Get back here!" The mech angrily called out to him, but Spike paid him little mind.

Meanwhile, Starlight was looking ahead to see where they were being led.

Sounds of smashing, gunfire, and shouting all pointed her attention towards the Canterlot City police station. As they neared it, they could see something was definitely going on in the courtyard. A demon spire stretched into the sky, and before it, there was their SRAPH agent tossing Applejack into a portal made by it. Not good.

A big, burly demon flew into the scene from inside the station, tossed by some kind of super soldier in a suit of power armor, and then there was Flash, wounded and running away from it all. Spike jumped down first, going from a tall truck and then to the street, and Starlight followed his path. They ran straight into the danger, ignoring the demon and soldier to go straight for the hostile SRAPH agent, helping up what appeared to be one of her allies.

The agent saw her raising her revolver as she approached, and as shots rang off, the agent became a blur, blinking out of the way and giving her ally time to escape. Surprised, Starlight shifted her aim to accommodate for the sudden teleportation, but the agent just warped away as she fired again. One more shot and the agent was right in front of her, holding her arm out right in front of Starlight as she ran past.

Her Bullet Reflex engaged, just barely ducking over the attempted clothesline and rolling to a stop, reloading her weapon and bringing it back to bear.

"Ah..." The agent said, the same sly smile on her lips that she had before. "You've got a trick up your sleeve..."

"You look like you're playing for keeps..." Starlight said. "But if it's a trick you want, try this!"

Her Reflex activated again, and she snapped off six shots in quick succession, tracking with the agent as she repeatedly blinked in and out of reality. The agent could keep up with her, but Starlight saw that she wasn't actually teleporting, she was really spinning and flipping out of the way of her bullets at speeds faster than the eye could follow in normal time. Starlight put her empty revolver away and drew her chainsaber while the agent was still dodging, closing the gap between them and bringing her blade down on her.

With both hands, the agent caught the edge of her blade, stopping the impact completely and bringing them both back to real time. Starlight was ready for this, just revving the blade up, and as the chainsaw teeth began to shred her hands the agent recoiled, a surprised look replacing her smug one. She quickly blinked away again.

A red hot blade flew in towards her new position, and she'd vanish once more as Spike moved moved in to attack her.

She circled around the courtyard, letting the fight between the soldier in power armor and the huge demon play out, until eventually the demon was pummeled into the ground and tossed aside again. The soldier set their sights on the agent, and it was clear that it was time for her to leave. Taking aim with a shotgun, the soldier fired away, forcing her to relocate herself further until the weapon ran empty.

Ending up near the doors of the station, two more very beaten and bleeding agents met up with her, one carrying the other over her shoulders. The orange-haired agent, the leader, pointed to the spire, and they both ran towards it, ignoring the soldier as they moved.

Spike and Starlight both moved to intercept, but their leader would cut them both off. She grabbed Spike's tail and flung him at Starlight, sending them both tumbling to the ground as they collided. They didn't recover in time to stop her and her companions from activating the spire and making their escape through a swirling portal, disappearing completely. The soldier almost caught them, slamming their fist against the spire just as the portal closed, tensing in anger at their escape.

Shortly after, the soldier would also open a portal and step through it, leaving Starlight and Spike alone in the courtyard. She sat up, taking a moment to catch her breath after the fight.

"What... What just happened?"

"We lost her," Spike said. "This isn't good, we have no idea where she took Applejack."

"Yeah, no kidding..." Standing, Starlight brushed herself off.

"I'm trying to get a hold of Twilight, but... she's not responding. I hope she's okay."

"Come on, let's go find Trixie so we can get out of here."

"You want me to come with you?"

"Of course," Starlight nodded. "We're still good as long as I don't have to go after Twilight, right?"

"Yes, technically," Spike said. "I want to help you... help Twilight."

"Right, if that's how you have to say it."

"That woman, though. The Order had records on her. She's an ex-Seraph operative, a scientist who has a vendetta against the organization."

"A scientist, huh? She's awfully slick for a brainy type. Does she have a name?"

"Dazzle," Spike said. "Adagio Dazzle. According to Order records, she died several years ago, but apparently the reports were wrong."

"Huh. Does Seraph know she's gone rogue?"

"Not as far as the Order was aware. Her last mission was a Burning Ground-style operation at Sire's Hollow, a fitting mission to disappear after."

Starlight's eyes opened, startled and concerned. "A Burning Ground was done on Sire's Hollow? And the Order didn't tell me?"

"Well, technically Seraph doesn't call it that but it's essentially the same thing..."

"But the Order knew? Spike, Sire's Hollow was my hometown, my dad still lives there!" With a frustrated huff, she put a hand to her head. "Ugh... I'll have to figure that out later."

"I can only imagine what Adagio would want with Twilight's friend..."

"We'll catch them, don't worry."

Down the street, Starlight could see Trixie's RV coming around the corner.

Hopefully they could somehow get a lead on where this Adagio went.

-----

The Castle of the Two Sisters had a strange set of thick, thorned vines around it's entrance that Twilight couldn't bypass. They must've appeared recently, as Celestia entered the castle presumably without problem. The vines were unnatural, magical in nature, something was causing them to be there. The walls themselves reached too high for her to jump or climb over, unless she wanted to cut herself up on the thorns of a vine. Maybe there was a way to get rid of them.

With the castle inaccessible for now, she took out her magic tracker, and found it pointing her back into the forest. She now walked a narrow path through the Everfree, heading deep into it to find what she hoped was the source of these vines. Through the thick trees surrounding her, they were present along the ground, popping up quite commonly, with many having strange pink flowers blooming from them. A calming scent permeated the air around the flowers, something Twilight figured to be some sort of suppressant they released. She kept herself alert despite the forced relaxation actively felt while breathing.

Perhaps she needed to relax for a moment, to better think about what she was doing. Right now, the only thing that mattered was taking care of Nightmare Moon. If Celestia's words were true, the sword was not the last piece of the puzzle needed. So, Twilight decided to let the resentment towards her mentor go. Maybe she even needed to let her resentment towards Sunset go, too. Maybe she wasn't the only one who could deal with Nightmare Moon...

She violently shook her head clear. What was she thinking? Of course was the only one that could deal with this, all of this was her fault, her responsibility-

Wait, no- Her fault? It couldn't have been her fault, this was all going to happen anyway.

"Rrhh!" Twilight let out a frustrated sound to nobody in particular. Her thought process had been altered, thanks to her Inner Demon. She couldn't hear her voice anymore, she thought for certain she had control over her. In the moment, it very much felt like she had control, it felt like she was commanding her own actions, but now... It was as if the foreign thoughts had silently merged into hers, rendering any separation of herself from her demon impossible. Her left hand tightened around the katana sheath it carried.

She took another deep breath in, and felt another rush of relief set itself upon her. It was simultaneously welcomed and rejected. The aroma of the flowers quelled her inner turmoil, but she had no wish to be pacified.

As her mind was made to relax again, a disturbing theory crept into her mind. Maybe the voice in her head didn't just become her own, but instead it had always been her own. What if she was, and had always been, a demon? Any attempt to counter that thought was only suppressed by the now intrusive scent surrounding her. It wasn't a hypothesis she was willing to test, nor did she know what to do if it turned out to be true.

The mere suggestion terrified her, but she couldn't shut her mind off to it. She'd already accepted her Inner Demon as a part of herself. She needed its power.

'She needed its power.' There was that dependent line of thinking again, but the acquisition of power was what Twilight had sought from the beginning. Of course she needed her Inner Demon, its power was her power.

And again, she was back at that disturbing possibility.

Wanting something else to think about, she released her hold over the other demons in her head, those of Rarity and Applejack. The control was effortless once her own demon's presence left. The two had long since dropped their argument, and sounded quite concerned with the state Twilight was in.

Are uh... Applejack's demon started. Are you gonna be okay, sugarcube?

I don't know. Twilight replied.

Rarity's demon sounded very contemplative. Applejack and I took some time to think about it, and given everything that's just happened... I think it's best if we... all try to work together? At least for the moment. All of this fighting, it's... well, it's not doing us any favors.

What do you care? Twilight asked. She knew Rarity's demon cared only for herself in the long run.

If you die, I don't know what's going to happen to us. She replied. I know you don't exactly like us, but maybe we should set our differences aside for the moment?

Wow, Rarity, Applejack's demon said. I didn't think I'd hear that from you.

I don't trust either of you, but... Twilight thought about how easily she could suppress them now. If they tried anything, they would be at her mercy. I can benefit from you, so... perhaps we should cooperate.

One thing, though. Applejack's demon continued with a question. When we're through with this, will you let us back to your pals? Y'know, where we belong?

I... yes. Twilight nodded. I never meant to hurt them, but I thought...

I know what you thought, but you've had a lot more to think about since then.

Yes. I have.

There was a short moment of silence. Applejack's demon wasn't looking to hit her point home any more than she already had. She would break the silence though, as Twilight came to a clearing in the forest bordering a lake. It was instantly familiar, this place was once the site of a summer camp she went to in high school. The buildings in the area had been removed some time ago, save one, the two room log cabin that used to serve as the camp's main office. It'd been repurposed, serving as an outpost for a group of wildlife researchers.

Looking out across the lake, Twilight saw a full view of Dark Sister's castle. She didn't realise how long she'd been walking, but she had come all the way around the lake without noticing it. It didn't feel like she'd been walking that long.

So where are we going now? Applejack's demon asked. What are we doing back at Camp Everfree?

One more Element of Harmony remains. Twilight said, taking out her magic tracker and activating it. It didn't point in a specific direction, though, instead, it flashed in all directions, unable to choose just one. And I'm certain that it's the cause of these vines.

There was the sound of sudden movement near the treeline. Branches snapping, and feet stomping against the ground. Three large creatures jumped out, wolflike predators composed completely of wood, with desne leaf patches resembling fur, and greenish-yellow eyes that shined with an otherworldly light.

Twilight's sword came out and cut through the first of three as it attempted to pounce on her. Once severed it broke apart, and the other two began to circle Twilight from either side. They wouldn't come at her though, instead, a set of the same thorny vines would shoot out from the ground just before the closest trees and attempt to wrap themselves around her. She cut through them as well, but more surfaced closer to her, forcing her to give up her position and retreat.

A backflip and a roll put enough distance between her and the emerging vines and surrounding wolves, but as she readied herself to fight again she heard something else shifting behind her. From the treeline in the other direction another figure came, walking slowly, and accompanied by another three of these wooden wolves. A woman approached, just shorter than Twilight with an all too familiar magical glow around her. With flowing, light pink hair and soft blue eyes, she looked at Twilight with hesitance and curiosity.

What little clothes covered her were complicated crossings of what seemed to be green plant growth, decorated with flowers growing directly off of them. As she neared, Twilight saw that they were actually growing from her body, covering her chest and hips and spreading into thinner vines that covered her arms and legs. Getting a better look at her eyes, Twilight could confirm her suspicions. Her pupils were elongated slits; this woman was a demon, the demon of the only friend she hadn't dealt with yet.

"Fluttershy." Twilight said. From the way she hesitantly approached, Twilight thought that her friend might've still had some control of herself, in the same way Applejack did. Normally, she was kind and compassionate with a timid heart, meaning she might be willing to let Twilight take her magic without a fight.

"Is that you, Twilight?" The demon responded. Her voice, calm and sweet, carried an uncharacteristic sense of firmness to it. She didn't sound hostile, but Twilight wouldn't describe the tone as friendly, either. "Why have you come here?"

"I need your magic to defeat Nightmare Moon," She replied.

"My magic is the magic of the forest itself," Fluttershy said, having her wolves step aside as she spoke. "It's not mine to give, nor is it yours to take."

"There might not be an Everfree Forest if Nightmare Moon wins, Fluttershy, this is important."

"I know what you've been doing, Twilight." Fluttershy looked away, sighing with a distraught look on her face. "You're stealing magic for your own ends."

"It's not like that! At least... Not anymore, I mean-" Twilight could see Fluttershy very much did have control of herself, though she clearly stated her priorities. "I have to do this, Fluttershy. I'm trying to ask nicely."

"It's not like I could stop other demons on my own, but... Oh..." Fluttershy paused, seemingly having a moment of uncertainty with herself. After a moment, her tone became much more cold and dark. Her soft, curious expression faded, replaced with one of harsh apathy. "No. No! You trespass in my forest expect me to hand over what isn't yours? I know where you've been, what you've done, and even as a friend I can't bring myself to care."

Twilight sighed, shoving any regret she had to the back of her mind. Fluttershy's demon raised one of her hands, and pieces from the wooden wolf Twilight destroyed began to reassemble in it. The wood joined and reformed with itself, taking the shape of a long staff that she held behind her back, in line with her forearm. She now approached aggressively, calling upon the other wolves to join her.

"No?" Twilight asked. "Not even for our friends?"

"It's your fault our friends are even in danger to begin with," Fluttershy's demon replied, very plainly. More vines began to break through the ground at her feet, lifting her up above her minions and giving her a height advantage over Twilight. "I'd be doing them a favor to strike you down right now."

Even if Fluttershy would compromise, it was obvious her demon was beginning to overtake her. Eying the wolves circling her, and looking up to the elevated demon, Twilight locked her sheath to the magnetic clip on her belt and took her sword in both hands.

"I guess I gave you a chance..."

Her boots kicked off the ground as she leapt into the structure of vines Fluttershy's demon stood on, slicing them apart with her sword. Following the jump, Fluttershy's demon landed in front of Twilight, thrusting her staff downward and stopping her in her tracks. The edge of Twilight's katana struck against the solid wood, but even her enhanced blade couldn't cut through the enchanted wood.

In quick, controlled motions, Fluttershy's demon whipped the other end of her staff around, using Twilight's blade as a point of leverage. As Twilight moved to block, one of the wolves ran in low to the ground and went for her legs. Turning her torso away from the main threat, Twilight cut into the wolf, then summoned Applejack's gauntlets to her, using the stony fists to punch it apart as it recoiled.

The staff's end suddenly drove itself into her cheek before Twilight could turn back to her, hitting her in the middle of her punch's recovery. Backing away, Twilight activated her Demon Reflex, but another of the wolves leapt in to intercept her before she could focus in on the forest's stern guardian. They were reduced to twigs, but as Twilight exited her Reflex Fluttershy's demon was right on top of her again.

She blocked two staff strikes off her sword, then one with the back of her gauntlets, but caught a blow right beneath her ribs, shoving her back and nearly knocking her over. The staff was longer than her sword, and she couldn't readily get within striking distance.

Sheathing her katana, she focused on Rarity's magic, summoning the long weaponized sewing needle to her. It wasn't as long as the staff, but it's point was much easier to direct than the katana's. When another wooden wolf closed in Twilight found it wasn't quite as suited for close combat either. Striking the wolf with the blunt side of the needle only knocked it off course, and she needed to pierce it through to take it out, an action that left her open for Fluttershy's demon to make another attack.

"Look at you..." The demon said, scowling at her. "Using the magic of our friends to cause destruction! Did they willingly give it to you? Did they know what you'd do with it?"

Twilight knocked the staff aside as it was thrust at her again, and followed up with a thrust of her own, puncturing the greenery covering the demon's body and drawing blood. Backing away in pain, she adjusted her stance and allowed her body to heal, both her skin and natural clothing reforming.

"They understand now, Fluttershy. We've come to an agreement!" Twilight said, keeping her needle in line with the demon's weapon.

"Well, if you want mine, you'll have to take it!"

Twilight let out a disappointed breath. It really was going to be like this.

"So be it."

-----

"Well, well... I didn't think I'd be seeing you two together."

"Do you know who I am, Discord?"

In the back hallway of the church, Selene and Sombra both stood before the petrified form of the Lord of Chaos. He was the one she initially came to see, the one who would know where the sword was. Seeing as Celestia had it now, Selene figured Discord could at least tell her where the old demon hunter was headed.

"Why, of course." Discord paused, holding it out for just a moment too long. His eyes couldn't move, but Selene was certain she felt herself being closely scrutinized. "Time may have changed you, but I'm not as forgetful as you may think, dear. Tell me, what do you call yourself nowadays?"

"Selene."

"Ah. Of course. So... what brings you here? Surely, you haven't come around to the so-called truth of the Sister of Light."

"The Platinum Knight. Where is she going?"

"Oh, I'm sure you know the answer to that. She has her little sword, she's off to settle things with Nightmare Moon."

"To the Dark Sister's castle?"

"Mhmm... In fact, she should be already there now. All of those anchors around the city, they all relay back to the Everfree Forest, you know."

Discord was surprisingly forthcoming with this information. Selene knew him to be tricksy and conniving, she was expecting him to answer with a cryptic riddle, at least. He followed through with a question.

"You came here for the sword, but missed it. So what's next for you?"

Selene thought about that. Being separated from Twilight and having Celestia in the picture complicated things. Skilled as Celestia was, facing a demon like Nightmare Moon at the apex of their power after just coming out of retirement was a huge risk.

"Nightmare Moon has become far too powerful. The Platinum Knight won't be able to stop her this time, but..."

"But your plan to send her student in to fight her fell through."

"Yes. I suppose it did."

Selene was silent at that. She felt her skin crawl as she gradually came to the realisation that Discord was aware of her intentions. How much more did he know?

"Your little mistake may be the end of them, you know. The end of you, too."

Her little mistake. She asked if he knew who she was, but that statement suggested he knew more than her identity. He knew her intentions as well. Truly, to how much more was he privy?

"Perhaps I should address that, then."

"Facing Nightmare Moon, you mean? Just you and your untrusty steed?" Discord asked, talking with a tone of feigned concern. "You wouldn't stand a chance. At least, not without help."

"What, are you volunteering to assist me?"

"I don't do volunteer work, sweetie. But, I'm certainly more of a threat than shadow boy over there."

Sombra glared at the statue, baring his fangs in clear resentment of the comment.

"Also, if you want to get there some time today, you'll need someone to activate that anchor for you... Which, I can. Sombra can't, he'd have to haul you all the way out there on his back."

"You're offering to help..." Selene began. His assistance would be useful. However, Discord never acted out of generosity, rather, he was motivated purely by his own interests. He was like Sombra in that regard, only he talked more. "But at what cost from me?"

"Simple. Get me out of this skin tight sarcophagus! I can't do anything in this form anyway, so if you want my help..."

"How do you think I could set you free?"

"Oh, easy, you'd just need something else to bind me to, say... oh, I dunno, a magical amulet?"

An amulet? Selene took her surprise in through a controlled breath. He was referring to a specific item on her person that she purposefully kept hidden. Could he really possibly have known about that? She sighed internally. Yes, of course he knew. What didn't he know?

"You'd have to bind Sombra to something to get him to follow anything other than his own foolish ambitions," he said, enjoying the look of quiet bewilderment on Selene's face. "And 'enchanted jewelry' is a recurring theme with you demon hunters."

Reaching beneath the ruffled breast of her top, she felt for an item suspended from a thin chain around her neck. It was a silver, metal amulet in the shape of a crescent moon, with a blue gem placed in the centerpoint of its two curves. This amulet was intended to contain the power of a demon, and though it currently held Sombra's within it, it had plenty of space for another.

"Binding you to my command would only restrain you further. What do you have to gain from that?"

"I have interest in seeing Nightmare Moon defeated too, you know. The deal is this: I give you my aid for the duration of this little adventure, and you release me when our business is through."

While bound to her, he could be controlled, but fully releasing Discord was dangerous, and she didn't trust his intentions for a single moment. She would need his help, especially if he could activate the demon anchor to bring them straight to the Everfree. Perhaps there would be a way for her to subvert her end of this bargain. He most certainly would have this rigged on his end somehow.

"Very well." Selene said, after a moment of thought. Sombra gave a small sound of disbelief and looked at her quizzically, but she wouldn't notice or respond. She held the amulet out towards Discord, invoking its power, causing both it and the surface of his body to glow a dark blue. Cracks formed in the stone, shooting up the surface of his body until the colored light burst from them. Shortly after, the lifeless depiction of the demon was blasted apart from the inside, scattering bits of it across the room as it was replaced by the furry, feathered, and scaly grab bag of living, breathing creature parts that was the Lord of Chaos.

The glow surrounding him was drained away into the moon amulet, which flashed once in its blue color as the binding process completed. There was a moment of Selene just watching him, unsure of what his first actions would be now that he was free of his confinement.

He blinked, and then his face contorted, following an entire uncoiling of his curved, serpentlike body.

"Ooooh!" He exclaimed, shifting his shoulders and stretching out his legs as far as they would go, bending back much further than a creature's spine should've been able to bend. Crisp popping sounds could be heard throughout his body, slightly startling Selene, and continued on as he flexed his claws, paws, wings and tail. More internal cracking sounded off as he bent everything back in the opposite direction, this time curling impossibly inward on himself to elicit as many more pops as he could.

While Selene was trying to process what exactly he was doing, he would finish it up and give sufficient explanation.

"Goodness, you have no idea how much I needed a good stretch after fifteen hundred years of holding that pose and that pose only!" With a pleased sound of relief, he gave his shoulders another roll. "Stiff as a statue, I was. Whew!"

He relaxed, and his body fell back into its twisted, curved shape, and an oddly content smile would fall on his face as he looked down to Selene. With his body slightly curled like it was, he was at least two feet taller than her, but the dimensions of his body often fluctuated. He didn't go out of his way to ensure his body length ever stayed consistent.

"I can only imagine," Selene replied. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, yes, let's get on with- Ooh! What's this?" Dropping his dismissive tone for immediate curiosity, he floated himself towards Selene without any part of his body touching the ground. As part of his strange, levitating locomotion, he partially wrapped around her, eyeing rifle on her back, particularly the curved piece of blade fixed to the end of it. "Is this what I think it is?"

He poked at it, getting a vaguely magical glow to become apparent around it, but Selene turned and gave him a nasty glare, one that clearly conveyed that she wouldn't be answering that question.

"O-kaay!" He recoiled, unwinding from her and making sure he was floating at a respectable distance. "We can save questions for later."

"Good. I won't hesitate to stick you through with it if you become too bothersome."

"Mhmm," Discord replied, smiling at the threat. "Understood."

Sombra gave their new party member a distrustful look, and as Selene led them out through the church's main hall, he would stay in the back of the group and continue to keep an eye on Discord. He was not at all pleased with this choice.

As she walked, Selene adjusted the rifle strap over her shoulder and pulled out her leather-bound book, flipping through it and reading through the writing within. It would have most of her attention as they walked through the center aisle, out the doorway, and into the main entryway. The words were ones she knew very dearly, the sentiments they carried an affirming comfort in dark times, the illustrative metaphor through meter a release for a troubled mind. As she read over them, internalizing their meaningful reminders of hope, she let a soft smile show through.

"What's that, a storybook?" Discord's voice, dead set on being a nuisance, was enough to take that smile from her.

"A journal. Of poetry, mostly." She flipped a page. "Some self-written, some not."

"Poetry? What good is that going to do us now?"

"Just something to keep my spirit up. To lighten my mood."

"Read me something then."

"What?" Was he being serious, or was he just trying to further annoy her. She actually didn't mind reading aloud, but if he wasn't being genuine...

"I'm in a bit of a bad mood myself. Read me something."

It seemed reasonable, unlike his insistence of poking through her past. She turned her pages back, finding a short passage, and began to read.

"And you need not fear, there's no need for tears

I will take all your sorrow to keep
And all good that it mine, I'll share with you, dear
I'll hold you, and sing you to sleep.

Though life leaves us hurt, and strife's like a curtain
That cloaks how we feel deep inside
We're in this together, I say this for certain
In me, you can always confide.

And eventually, things will be right."

Discord smirked, not fully expecting Selene to oblige.

"It's very... touching, I suppose," he said. "Who wrote it?"

"My sister." She didn't realize at first, but saying the words made her heart feel heavy. Her expression fell noticeably, something Discord picked up on, and surprisingly... he didn't press it.

"Seems like a touchy subject," he said. "I'd rather skip the water show."

"Indeed," Selene nodded, and just flipped back to where she was reading before.

They exited the church, stepping into the parking lot. The anchor was there, but it was already glowing, activated from elsewhere. A portal was being opened, but not as an entryway. Something was stepping through, something huge, nearly the size of the spire. Another demon, this one a giant, four legged creature possessing the body of a horse and the torso of some kind of humanoid creature. Selene wanted to call him a centaur, a man-horse, but his skin was a dark, bloody red, and his facial features were very much like some sort of hellish bull. Two curved black horns sat just above down-folded ears, but a white, almost goat-like beard that ran the length of his chin and jaw. A black, sleeveless top covered his well-defined torso, whatever fabric mesh it was made of looking a bit too small for his wide chest and powerful arms.

Blackened eyes scanned his surroundings, completely overlooking Selene and her companions as he drew his attention to the dark sky. The centaur's expression shifted to a grim kind of excitement, a malicious and evil relief.

"Finally... thousands of years of waiting, and I've finally gained enough power to escape my prison." His voice was deep, and his tone firm, even while talking to himself. "Now... To introduce this world to its rightful ruler."

"Do know you have some competition." Selene took a few steps forward, looking up from her book for a moment. "With such plans for world domination, The Sister of Darkness may want a word."

"Eh?" The centaur turned his head around, surprised to hear someone else speaking. He squinted, the human addressing him a third his height and hard to identify at first, but upon seeing the demons following behind her he recognized all three of them right away. "Ah... so the band of the banished has come to challenge me?"

Before she could reply, Discord leaned in close and hushedly spoke into her ear. "Are we really gonna mess with this guy?"

"To 'root one weed is to 'root a thousand, lest we let our garden ruin."

Discord rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah..."

"A traitor, a fool, and a broken king." The centaur addressed them in a calm yet threatening manner. Turning fully to them, he tensed his fists, rolling his head in a circle as he exhaled. "Three vessels of such powerful magic, dropped right into my lap. I will drain you dry, your power will make an excellent addition to my own."

Selene gave a hint of a challenging smile. She shook her head, and her two demons spread out, readying themselves for battle.

A subtle yet confident smile formed on Selene's lips. "Not in this lifetime."

Between the centaur's horns, a sphere of orange magic formed, charging an attack.

"Lesser creatures..." he growled, raising his voice to a shout. "Bow before Lord Tirek!"

Looking down at her journal for a moment, she gave her response in meter.

"When power is sought, all trouble and woe come uncovered to find it,
And all will be drowned and inevitably blinded..."

Sombra prowled outward, slowly approaching their new foe in a circular manner, while Discord lifted himself up above Selene, approaching the coming fight from an elevated angle.

"Uh..." Discord looked down with concern, as Selene didn't seem to be preparing herself to fight. "This isn't really the time for a reading!"

The centaur, this 'Lord Tirek', lowered his head, allowing his horns and the orb between them to point fully forward, dragging one of his hooves along the ground in an aggressive manner.

"Your strength measures not, when you are eternally destined to mind it..."

Finally looking up, Selene smiled in full anticipation for this battle. Her tone was soft, but she read the selected piece with full intention of it being a threat. Snapping the book shut with a single hand, she recited the rest of the line from memory.

"Without it, you're nothing, and will be reminded."

Comments

[Pinklestia]

Now if Tirek has just been released he should be at his weakest.

This is gonna be interesting.

Discord: Oh I figured it out! He is one of those types that steals power from others and just power, not like those two of Celestia students that also get charming personalities included with the power they "borrowed" from their friends. Unfortunately he probably has forgot a key detail about taking power from another.

Selene: What key detail?

Discord: If it was that easy to take away what belongs to others, anyone would do it. I may be a fool like he calls me, but if he continues that path he is gonna end as the greater fool. In other words, he is a very naughty boy and we are gonna spank him!

[zachary12]

nice work

[Danbrixton]

I know Selene being the V analogue was never suposed to be a big secret, but this chapter seemed real bent on getting that across. And now that she has a shadow and a griffon, if she's going to complete the set who could be her nightmare?

I am excited to see what's next.

[CrownofDissonance]

10292270
It was more vague before, especially since I wasn't bringing much attention to Selene and her role in the story. Only people that have played DMC5 would've been able to figure out what was going on with her via association, but now that she's away from Twilight and the others, I have the space to properly fill in Selene's character like I have for the rest of the cast. I think you'll enjoy how the story develops!

[Wysteria]

I feel I forgot if something has happened to Sunset.

[redsopine]

Hahaha omg you got tirek as the cocky centaur demon from DMC4 I can't wait to watch his but get kicked