//------------------------------// // Chapter 11- The Tunnel's Light // Story: Equestrian Psycho // by BlakeCorman //------------------------------// Chapter 11- The Tunnel’s Light A white flash signified the computer booting up. Chris’ face appeared on screen, but unlike the usual upbeat look he wore, he instead looked very tired. His eyelids drooped and bags had formed under his eyes and his hair was a mess. He lifted a mug in his hand and took a quick sip. A bit of color returned to his features and he let out a contented sigh. He put the mug down and typed in the command to start the recording. “Howdy, everyone,” he began. “I’ve finally given up on trying to keep track of all these journals, so that’s great. It’s been about… two weeks? Yeah, two weeks since Mean Screen reared his ugly face, and things have been so slow.” He wiped his face with his hands as he said the last words. “During that time I’ve discovered some pretty amazing things. First off, I’ve completely unlocked every core element in the ‘spectrum,’ as Starlight calls it. Well, almost every element. The chart that Starlight gave me shows three other elements that I don’t have access to; light, shadow, and darkness. How those are elements, I have no idea, but Starlight insists that they are important, so I guess I’ll just keep looking.” He started yawning with the last word and reached for his coffee and took a quick drink. “Anyway,” he said as he put down the glass. “I, or rather, we, being Sam and I, have found out through a very sudden world jump that, when we travel to other Displaced realities, we switch places. It was actually kind of strange…. Anyhow, while we were there, we met three Displaced; Kirito, Asuna, and Craig. Albeit, our first meeting was a bit… heated.” He rubbed the back of his head at the memory. “Luckily, they didn’t hold it against us very long, and Craig even gave us a bit of a boost.” Chris paused, his eyes bright before his features fell into boredom. “Then I get home and everything is an absolute pain. Turns out, the Council spent the first week in session. Nightmare finally got the Council’s approval for Ranger Operations and put me in charge. I was then reinstated as a Councillor.” Chris stopped, rubbed his face, and blew air out from between his lips. “And I have spent the last several days in meetings. I’ve barely been able to keep up my fitness with Sweetie, and forget any chance of looking into those three elements.” He let out a long sigh. “On top of everything else, we haven’t been able to sleep.” He stopped and rubbed his hands together nervously. “Sam’s been having nightmares. He’ll wake up in the middle of the night screaming and it takes a while for him to calm down…. But that’s not all. I’ve been… angry. I’ll go into states where I’m just so upset that I shouldn't even be around anyone, but I can’t help but walk around the castle like I’m looking for a fight. Sam usually snaps me out of it, but it takes a lot and I can’t always hear him.” He stopped and just stared at the camera. Finally, he took in a breath and continued. “Something is messing with our connection and the only one I know that can help is Nightmare. I’ll talk to her after we make the announcement tomorrow, but right now it’s late and we need some rest. Until the next one,” he gave a short salute and turned off the recording and computer before standing up. He made his way over to his bed and unceremoniously flopped down onto it without turning out the lights. He was instantly asleep, despite the caffeine flowing through his system. Artemus kneeled on one knee in a bright landscape. A soft, authoritative, and melodious voice rang out. “Rise, my child.” Artemus stood to her full height. She raised her eyes to meet a figure cloaked in bright white light. “Why do you come, Artemus?” The being asked, a hint of worry in its voice. “It is the human,” Artemus began. “Chris’ brother, Samson, is being afflicted by terrible nightmares. Night after night I sense them and yet there is nothing I can do about them. And Chris seems so… agitated, and I don’t know why. I’m not sure even he knows.” Her eyes had been drifting away but she focused back on the figure. “I don’t know what to do.” She admitted in desperation. The white being was silent for a long moment. “What of the demon?” It finally asked. “I cannot sense him,” Artemus answered. “He is still sealed away within Chris and Sam.” She stopped and looked down at the ground in thought. “You don’t think he has anything to do with this, do you?” “There is only one way to truly tell,” it answered. “Bring him to me tomorrow, as soon as you can. I fear the longer we wait, the worse his condition may become.” The figure stopped and was silent as if in thought. “Yes, we must hurry,” she finally concluded. The being seemed to look directly at Artemus and shined a bit brighter. “It is always good to speak with you, Artemus, no matter how short these conversations must be.” The mare smiled at this. “I enjoy them as well,” she admitted. “But it seems our time comes to a close.” She said sadly. “Until tomorrow, my child,” the bright figure said as it began to fade. “Until tomorrow,” Artemus agreed as the landscape around her began to brighten. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again her surroundings were dark and she was back in the form of Nightmare Moon. She unfolded her legs from under her and stood. She lifted her teal eyes and looked to the seemingly withered, yet beautiful tree in front of her. A worried frown formed over her features, and she turned and left the cave, leaving the Tree of Harmony to itself. Chris let out a yawn as he took another step sideways, tray in hand. He waited another moment and the diamond dog in front of him moved away. He took another step and looked up at Heavy Ladle. “Good morning, Miss Ladle,” he started with a smile as he held out his tray. “Good morning, Chris,” she replied tiredly, a half smile on her face all the same. “The usual?” “Yes, please,” he replied before his smile faded. “How are you doing?” He asked, concern clear in his voice. Ladle frowned a little as she portioned food out onto his tray. “Some days are better,” she admitted. “It just feels so different without him.” Chris nodded in understanding as he took his tray back. “Do you still need help this afternoon?” “I’m fully capable of doing the task alone,” Heavy Ladle said stubbornly before she let her smile come back to her face. “But thank you.” “I’m always happy to help,” he told her with a smile. “I’ll see later, Miss Ladle,” he said as he began to walk away. “Miss Heavy Ladle!” She called after him, a bit of laughter in her voice. Chris simply let out a small chuckle as he crossed the cafeteria towards his usual table. The table in question was already occupied by the Elements. “Well, look who finally came in to eat,” Rainbow teased as he approached. “What, are you getting butterflies?” Chris let out a laugh as he sat down. “I may be a little nervous, but that wouldn’t be enough to keep me from a good meal.” “Oh,” Sunset chimed in. “So what would?” Chris’ attitude fell a little and he threw a look at Sweetie. “I’ve, uh, been having nightmares for the last few nights. That with all the meetings we’ve been having has worn me down pretty good. I just needed a chance to catch up on sleep.” “You’re having nightmares?” Fluttershy asked. “Doesn’t Nightmare regulate everypony’s dreams.” “Maybe it’s different for humans,” Pinkie spoke up. “I mean humans probably don’t dream about cupcake mountains and bubblegum trees.” “Pretty sure that’s just you, Pinkie,” Chris said with a smile. “But you make a good point. Maybe it does have something to do with me being human.” “Equestria’s magic is making you physically stronger,” Sweetie pointed out. “Maybe its adverse effects are finally emerging.” “You could be right, Sweetie,” Sunset added before looking at Chris. “If that’s the case, maybe we just need to stabilize your own magical field.” “Are you sure?” Chris questioned. “I mean, I didn’t even have magic before I came to Equestria.” “It’s worth a shot,” Sunset said with a shrug. Chris let out a short sigh. “You’re right. But it’ll have to be later. I’ve got the announcement for Ranger Ops. after this, then I’m going to go help Heavy Ladle move some things.” “If that’s the case, you may want to get going,” Rainbow pointed out. “I don’t have to be anywhere until eleven, I’ll be fine,” Chris replied, waving his hand as he took a bite of his food. Rainbow cleared her throat and pointed at a nearby clock. It read ten forty-five. Chris chewed slowly and swallowed. He suddenly began shovelling food into his mouth as fast as he could before jumping out of his chair. “Gottagoguysseeyalaterbye!” He screamed as he ran out of the room. Everyone in the room stared at him in silence. Cobalt walked next to the Element’s table with a tray in his hand and stopped. “What’s wrong with him?” He asked before he looked at Sweetie. “He’s late,” she replied simply before taking a drink of water. “Ah.” “Scheisse, scheisse, scheisse!” Chris raved as he sprinted down the hallways. Run, Forrest, Sam teased with a snicker. “Halt deine Fresse,” Chris growled out as he took a sharp right. Ooo, full german, Sam pressed laughter still in his voice. But you may want to take the next left. The quickest way to the auditorium is through the side door, Chris argued. Not if we’re the ones speaking, Sam replied matter-of-factly. Chris let out another low growl and took the sharp turn, never slowing down. He ran for a little bit longer, took another right and stopped in front of a set of heavy double doors. He bent over and put his hands on his knees as he panted to regain his breath. A plate in the door slid open to reveal a set of yellow green eyes. “Name,” a voice rumbled out. “Chris Scott,” Chris answered, still trying to catch his breath. “Scan,” the voice growled again. Chris lifted his arm and scanned his communicator on a panel beside the door. The eyes looked away from him for a moment then looked back. The plate slid back into place and, after a few loud clicks, the door opened revealing a large diamond dog. “Welcome, sir.” “Thank you,” Chris replied with a nod as he walked through the now open doorway. They sure are heavy on security, Sam commented. A lot of them are absolutely terrified, Chris pointed out. The security makes them feel safe. Too bad it’s false. Chris didn’t respond. He walked through the backstage area and finally found Nightmare. “So, what’s the plan?” He asked as he came to a stop beside her. “I will introduce you, then it’s all up to you,” she replied before looking towards him. Her features lifted up in a smile and she gave a small laugh. “What?” Chris asked giving her a questioning look. “Is this really how you want your new recruits to see you for the first time?” She asked, a mischievous gleam in her eye. Chris looked down at his black combat boots, dark jeans, white t-shirt, and leather jacket. He looked up slightly with an arched eyebrow. “I’m not wearing a tux.” Nightmare let out a laugh. “Alright,” she said after she finished. She started moving towards the stage. “Wait for me to look at you then come on stage.” “Got it,” he said. She nodded and walked towards a podium. “Mares and gentlecolts,” she began as she looked out over the crowd. “The past few months have been unlike anything we have seen in years. King Mondo is sending more forces into the Everfree than ever before, and they are getting closer. However, we are not without a counter measure. At the same time as Mondo began to escalate his assault, a new warrior appeared with weapons and abilities unlike any we have ever seen. Time and again, he has fended off the Machine Captains that threaten to take away our freedom. But he cannot continue on alone. The Council has instituted a new division of our forces for the sole purpose of aiding this man in his fight against the Machine Empire. Without further ado, I present to you, Captain of Ranger Operations, Human Councillor Chris Scott.” Nightmare finished and looked towards Chris as those present gave a low applause. Chris took a breath and stepped out onto the stage, making his way towards the podium. Nightmare stepped back out of the way and Chris gave her a quick nod before he faced the assembly.The crowd was made of every race in the Resistance, and they were all locked on to him. Chris took another breath and steeled his features. “As Head Councillor Nightmare said, Ranger Ops. is a new division of of the Resistance. As its leader, I am wholly devoted to ending this war, but I will not sugarcoat it. If you join the Ranger Ops., I can’t guarantee your safety. The Council has given me complete freedom over how we operate, and I will be taking the fight to Mondo. You may not agree with this, and, if you don’t, this is not the place for you. I am looking for five members to join me in my fight. You may all apply for a position on my team, but you will all be tested mentally, physically, and morally. A Ranger must be able to think on their feet, keep a good conscience, and, above all else, keep up with the group. This will be a dangerous mission, and I will not have unnecessary loss.” He looked out over the silent crowd. “I need a team that will follow me to Tartarus and back. I want this war to end, and I’ve been here for less than two months. Most of you have been fighting for close to ten years. Help me end this. Help me defeat Mondo once and for all. Thank you.” Chris finished and stepped away from the podium, wondering if his words had reached any in the audience. Then it started. It was slow, a single, solitary noise, but it gradually grew into a roaring applause. He looked out over the crowd and recognized several figures. Sweetie and the Elements stood near the back, each of them clapping, some more vigorously than others. He found Cobalt nearer the center of the crowd, clapping along with everyone else, his face unreadable. Oh, we’re going to have fun with him, Sam commented. Chris let a small smile touch his lips in response and continued to scope out the room. His eyes finally settled on a shadowed corner of the room. A single dark figure leaned against the wall, clapping her hands slowly as her usual half smile showed off her fangs. He finally looked away from Chrysalis and looked off to the side of the stage to see Shining, Starlight, and Trixie all clapping for him. He let his grin complete itself at this sight. Nightmare also clapped as she walked up to the podium to speak once again. She let the assembly clap a little longer before she raised her hand for silence. “The tests Councillor Scott referred to will be held in a week's time. You have until then to register, fill out the required paperwork, and prepare yourself however you need. We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you, you are dismissed.” Nightmare turned and began to walk off stage, Chris following behind as those present filed out or stopped at a table to pick up the required packets. The moment Chris stepped off stage, he was clapped roughly on the back. “Heh, thanks, Shining,” he said, recognizing the stallion’s signature greeting. “Wow, you are getting tough,” the unicorn stated with a grin as Chris turned to face him. “I remember you falling over the first few times I did that.” “You mean the whole first week?” Chris asked in a joking manner, a smile on his face. “Yeah,” Shining agreed. “But you hardly flinched that time.” “What can I say?” Chris replied as Trixie and Starlight walked up. “I had some great teachers.” Trixie and Starlight both gave him proud grins, but before they could say anything, Nightmare approached the group. “Chris, there is something I need to speak to you about.” Chris throw a curious look towards his former mentors and turned to face his leader. “O~kay, what’s up?” Nightmare seemed to hesitate for a moment. “Have you been having nightmares recently?” Chris hid his shock. What do I tell her? Sam was silent a moment. The truth. Chris took a breath and looked at the alicorn. “I have for the last little while now,” he admitted. Nightmare was silent, her eyes searching before she straightened up. “I need you to follow me. There’s someone who would like to speak with you.” “Um, that’s… okay,” Chris answered. “But I promised Heavy Ladle that I would help her after this.” “I understand,” Nightmare replied. “However, this is not something that can wait. If it makes you feel any better, I will escort you and personally seek out Miss Heavy Ladle and explain the situation to her. I know she’ll understand.” Chris was hesitant a moment, but the way she said the last part convinced him. “Alright,” he finally said. “Who is it that wants to see me?” “...It’s better if you see for yourself,” she replied cryptically as she turned to go, Chris following behind. Chris followed behind Nightmare down a staircase cut into the side of a deep gully. Looking familiar yet? Sam asked as they continued their trek down. Yes, it is, Chris answered. You don’t think all the fan theories are true, do you? That Celestia and Luna’s mother became the Tree of Harmony and is now housed within, watching over the world and giving aid when needed? Sam asked rhetorically. Dude, we’ve fallen out of how many portals and you’re still questioning things? Chris rolled his eyes. I just never expected stuff solely from the fandom to show up, that’s all. Chris was silent for a moment. What do you think she’s like? We won’t have to wait long before we find out, Sam replied. Chris lifted his eyes and spotted a cave entrance bored into the earthy walls, Nightmare waiting patiently beside it. Chris made his way down to where she stood, and she turned and entered the cave, Chris not far behind. It wasn’t long before their eyes fell upon a silvery tree. “Chris, Sam, welcome to the-” “Tree of Harmony,” Chris and Sam gasped out together. Nightmare stared in surprise before she let out a small laugh and smiled. “Should’ve known this wouldn’t be a surprise to you.” She looked up and took a few more steps towards the Tree. “I guess the story of how the Tree and Elements came to be is not unknown to you then?” “Eh, I know a little, but most of it was just speculation by the fans back on Earth,” Chris admitted with a shrug. Nightmare gave a small smile. “Then allow me to give a bit of history. Four thousand years ago, a great evil attacked our world. Many heroes rose up and tried to defeat the evil, but to no avail. Our mother was forced to take action. She and this being clashed time and again, but neither could be called a victor. Then, the villain did the unthinkable. He permeated the entire world in poisonous gas. Many of our little ponies feel sick, and some died. Our mother was furious, and made it known. They fought once and this time it did not end until only one stood. My mother sealed him away, threw his tomb through the Pit of Tartarus, a place of torture, and finally banished him from this world.” Nightmare’s tone turned sad. “However, the poison still persisted. To save us and the populous, she took in all the poison herself. It killed her slowly, and she shrivelled away. When my sister and I finally got up the courage to go to the battle field, we found a small, withered sapling sprouting from the ground. We wept there before we ran and hid away in fear of the evil returning.” Tears had carved dark trails into her cheeks, and she wiped her eyes. “What happened after is a story for another day.” Chris stared for a moment, before he looked to the ground with a sad look. “I know all too well the pain of losing a loved one.” Luna turned just in time to see a droplet fall to the ground. Chris sniffed loudly and wiped his nose before looking up with a smile on his face. “On the bright side, you can still see her.” Nightmare stared for a moment, then slowly approached the young man, wrapping him in her arms. “I’m sorry, Chris.” Chris hesitated a moment then returned the embrace. “Yeah,” he replied, his voice shaky. “Me, too.” They stayed like that for a moment longer before they released one another and Nightmare turned back to the Tree, wiping away a final tear. “We can wait no longer. The nightmares Sam has been having are not natural, and we believe that your… outbursts are similar in nature.” She turned and looked Chris in the eye. “I am powerless to stop them.” She turned back to the Tree. “But she is not. She will help you rid yourself of whatever it is that plagues you and your brother. Although, I doubt it will be simple.” Chris stepped forward. “How do we do this?” He asked, clearly eager to rid them of their afflictions. “You will sit before the Tree and open your mind to it. She will take care of the rest.” Chris looked at the Tree of Harmony and took in a breath. “Alright,” he said stepping closer to the Tree. “Let’s do this.” He got within a few yards of the Tree and sat down, crossing his legs in front of him. He began to slow his breathing and closed his eyes. Nightmare watched silently for a moment before she felt a surge of magic fill the air. Recognizing this sign, Nightmare turned and took her leave. She had a mare to see, after all. Chris felt his mind relax, then a surge of energy pass through him. When it passed, he felt different, like he was completely weightless. He opened his eyes and found himself standing in a landscape of white. His jaw dropped in amazement. “Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Chris turned around to see Samson standing behind him in his usual outfit, a grin spread across his face. However, Chris frowned when he spotted the tell-tale signs of exhaustion written all over Sam’s face. “What’s happened to you?” He asked in concern as he stepped towards his brother. Sam’s grin slowly faded and he let out a heavy sigh. “The nightmares are… a lot worse than I’ve admitted,” he explained. Chris continued to look on in concern before his features hardened into something more akin to determination. “We won’t have to worry about that much longer.” “No, you won’t,” a feminine voice said from behind him. Chris turned once more to see a figure shrouded in light approach them. Chris and Sam were forced to bring their hands in front of their faces to block out some of the light as the being approached. “I’m sorry,” the voice said as the light began to dim. “I’m used to my daughters being able to see through the Shine.” The light continued to fade until Chris and Sam could see clearly. When they moved their hands, they stared in awe at the figure before them. She had the appearance of a unicorn with purple tinted white fur and a messy lavender mane that was pulled up, white flowers decorating it. However, near the end of her horn, it split into two and branched out slightly and the fur on her wrists grew out longer, looking like natural sleeves that somehow managed to look elegant. She wore a light blue sleeveless dress that darkened into a deep purple near the bottom. Around her neck she wore a silver necklace that looked like a combination of Luna and Celestia’s cutie marks, but there were five little stars within the moon and a larger one in the sun. But what stood out the most was the golden crown she wore. It had five empty slots across the base and a final one in the shape of a six pointed star at the top. “Hello, Chris, Sam,” She said in a regal voice, a smile in her crystal blue eyes. “I am Eternal Harmony, but I’m sure you both already knew that.” She flashed a soft smile that warmed them. “No doubt you have questions regardless.” “Um,” Chris stuttered looking to Sam who only shrugged and shook his head. “Maybe we should just cut to the quick,” Chris finally said, turning to face Harmony. “What exactly is causing me and Sam to have these episodes?” Harmony let out a small frown. “I have a theory, however I hope I am wrong. But to be sure, I need you both to step forward.” The brothers threw each other a look before stepping closer. Harmony raised her hands and placed them on each of their foreheads, closing her eyes. They felt a tingling sensation run through them, their eyes widening in surprise. As they stood their, Harmony’s frown deepened. She released them and took a step back, her eyes opening to reveal the worry within. The brothers exchanged worried looks. “Give it to us straight, doc,” Sam said, chuckling nervously as he tried to defuse the situation. “Unfortunately, it is just as I feared,” she responded. “My daughter’s attempt to seal away the monster within you did not work as she intended.” Chris and Sam were visibly shocked at the news. “What exactly does that mean?” Chris asked, fear beginning to creep into his voice. “Psycho, as you call him, was locked away within your consciousness. Artemus even split his power into two and sealed the halves separately within each of you. However, she made a miscalculation. Psycho is growing in power far faster than the two of you. With every weapon, spell, and form you unlock, he grows stronger. Artemus had hopped that the rate at which your strength increased would be enough to keep him locked away, but you are not progressing fast enough.” Chris and Sam shared a glance as they processed the information. “So what you’re saying is that we need to get stronger faster?” Chris concluded only to have the goddess shake her head. “That is not the case anymore,” she answered sadly. “He has grown strong enough to begin breaking the chains of his prison and has found a way to begin influencing the two of you.” She looked in Sam’s direction. “He has been pressing nightmares upon you, strengthening your fear and panic until you come to the point where you will no longer be able to function.” She turned to Chris. “And he is igniting your anger, stoking the flames so that when he breaks out you will be that much easier to control and, eventually, possess.” The brothers shared a scared look before turning back to Harmony. “What do we do?” They asked together. “There is only one thing you can do,” she replied with a dark undertone. “You must release Psycho from his prison and face him once again.” Chris and Sam jerked in surprise but before they could say anything, Harmony continued. “In doing so, you will be able to access all of your latent Ranger abilities.” “Time out,” Sam said suddenly, making a “T” with his hands. “You said ‘Ranger abilities’. Does that mean there are powers we have that don’t involve the Psycho Morpher?” “That it does, however,” she replied, holding up a hand, “that is something that will need to wait. Right now, stopping Psycho is our number one priority.” “O~kay,” Chris said slowly. “So how much stronger has Psycho become?” “You and Sam have increased by a little more than ten times that of what you were.” Chris and Sam looked at each other with proud grins. “His has grown by a factor of three.” Their smiles instantly dropped away. “How are we supposed to compete with that?” Sam asked worriedly. To this, Harmony smiled. “Because this time….” Bright light surrounded her and the pair were forced to cover their eyes for a second time. When the light faded and they lowered their hands, they stared in wonder. Harmony stood before them in golden armor, her mane undone and flowing behind her, a long golden scepter in her hand. “You will not be alone.” She declared. Chris and Sam stared dumbly before Sam spoke up. “Well, I feel better,” he said lifting his hands and rubbing them together. “So, how do we do this?” “That is…,” Harmony began, wincing slightly. “Going to be painful.” “Heh, you’re kidding, right?” Sam asked a nervous smile on his face. When Harmony only shook her head, he slumped forward. “Oh, f-” Chris clapped his hand over his brother’s mouth, earning him a cold look from Sam. He removed his hand and looked up to Harmony. “We can take it,” he stated matter-of-factly. Harmony gave him a worried look. “I hope so, but, before we begin, we need to make a change in our scenery.” She lifted her scepter and the crest on top, a golden disk with five empty slots for jewels protruding from it with a star indent in the middle, began to glow. The white of landscape began to roll back like mist and finally disappeared, revealing the world for what it really was. The ground was completely flat and reflected the light blues, pinks, and pale yellows of the sky. “Well, that’s just disorienting,” Sam said as he glanced down at the ground, saw his reflection and quickly looked up, blinking his eyes rapidly. Chris threw a look to his brother. “So…,” Chris began to ask as he turned back to Harmony. “On a scale of one to ten, how bad is this going to hurt?” He started when he found her right next to him. “You don’t want to know,” she said softly. Chris gasped as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. His eyes widened and he looked down to see Harmony’s hand thrust into his chest. He looked up, his gaze questioning as he looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. The pain intensified as Harmony dug her fingers in deeper, and Chris began to scream in pain. Sam’s eyes widened in shock. “What the hell are you doing!?!” He shouted as a glowing green naginata appeared in his hands and he tried rushed forward, only to stop dead. He looked down in surprise to find that his feet had sunk down into the ground. He looked up to see Harmony’s scepter pointed at his feet. His eyes narrowed in a glare. “Why?” He growled out as Chris continued to scream. Harmony glanced at him, sadness filling her eyes. “Because it’s the only way,” she answered and began to drag her hand out of Chris’ chest. Chris only screamed louder as she drew a large, smoking orb of purple energy from his torso. The orb came loose and Chris slumped to the ground in a lifeless heap. Harmony straightened up and lifted the orb to the top of her scepter where it floated. Sam only stared as Harmony turned towards him. As she looked at him, his frown deepened. “Don’t even think-” Harmony appeared in front of him, and the last thing he saw before the pain shattered his world was her hand rushing towards his chest. Chris groaned as he began to stir. He started to move but stopped when his chest started burning and his head throbbed. He let out another groan of pain. “You should lay still.” Chris completely froze at the sound of Harmony’s voice. He stopped moving and stayed as still as he could. He kept his eyes closed but used his other senses to gather whatever info he could get. He heard a crackling and a few metallic clinks, and could feel faint vibrations in the ground not far away. “I said lay still not play dead.” Chris heard the clank of armor then footsteps growing closer. His eyes flew open and he flipped onto his back, ignoring the pain in his chest. Harmony was making her way towards him, and he began to backpedal away before he doubled up as the pain flared, engulfing his body in an intense burning. “I gave that advice for a reason,” Harmony murmured as she kneeled down next to Chris, putting something on the ground beside her. She reached over and moved one of his arms away from his torso and moved her other hand to hover over it. A white glow filled the space between his body and her hand, and a cool feeling washed over him, extinguishing the burning pain he was in. He relaxed and rolled onto his back. At first, he only looked up at the sky, catching his breath, but eventually his eyes moved to look at being beside him. “What did you do to me?” He asked. “A simple soothing spell,” she answered simply, moving to pick up whatever it was she had set down. “That’s not what I meant and you know it,” Chris said his eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Why did you attack me?” “It was not an attack,” she replied, moving a small, steaming cup into view. “It was the only way to remove the demon from you. Here, drink this.” She held the cup out to him. He eyed it for a moment before he slowly sat up, reached his hand out and took the drink. He lifted the cup to his lips and took a slow drink. As he took in the liquid within, the throbbing in his head faded away and the pain drained away as a comforting warmth spread over him. He finished the small glass, throwing his head back to get every drop. “Ah,” he said , both in contentment and to get back his breath. “What was that?” He asked as he handed the cup back to Harmony. “Some would call it a health potion, or a healing draught,” she said as she stood up, Chris following suit before she gave a mischievous smile. “I just call it cherry tea.” “You have cherries in here?” Chris asked in surprise as they began to walk towards a nearby fire with a teapot hung over it. “I’ve had four thousand years to myself,” she said, her smile never fading. “You could say I’ve learned a lot about gardening in that time.” “I guess you need something to occupy your time,” Chris replied as they took seats that seemed to grow out of the ground itself. He looked over to his right and saw Sam lying on the ground near where he had been earlier. “I’m guessing he got the same treatment?” He asked with a small frown. “Unfortunately, yes,” Harmony answered. “Although, I believe his pain was made worse by which of his emotions was being twisted around.” “His fear,” Chris stated before he turned away from his brother and looked to the guardian. “But I’ve never thought of Sam as the type to be afraid of anything. What could Psycho have used against him?” Harmony was silent for a moment, appearing to be deep in thought. “It is not my place to say what fears afflict your brother. That is for him to tell in his own time. However, I will say that what started it was when he thought he’d lost you.” “Lost me?” Chris parroted questioningly. “When did he think that?” “When you went through the portal and met Craig, Kirito, and Asuna, you woke up after he did. When he woke up and couldn’t hear you, he panicked and Psycho latched onto that fear and has used it against him ever since.” Chris looked over to his brother once again. “I knew he cared, I guess I just didn’t know how much….” Sam suddenly let out a moan of discomfort. “Ah, he’s coming around,” Harmony said standing up and pouring another cup of tea. As Sam began to squirm, Harmony moved over to his side. Her hand lit up in a glow again as Sam tried to sit up. She placed her hand on his back and lifted the cup to his lips. He reflexively reached his hand up and took the cup, drinking deeply. “Oh… what happened?” He asked as he handed the cup back to Harmony. “Nothing much,” Chris answered as he came to kneel beside his brother. “Harmony just ripped a very malevolent being out of us in the only way she knew how.” “That all?” Sam replied, rubbing his face. “We must be having a good day.” Chris smiled at the joke. “Well, it’s not over yet,” he stated as he stood up. “We still have to defeat him.” He held his hand out to his brother. “Let’s not waste any more time then,” Sam said as he grabbed hold of his brother’s hand and got to his feet. “Where is old doom and gloom, anyway?” “His prison,” Harmony answered, gaining both their attention, “is over there.” She pointed a little ways away towards a dark, metal coffin, several chains hanging off of it as purple mist poured out of it. “Huh,” Sam huffed as he stared at the seal. “Always imagined it’d be bigger. You know more…,” he made a cage with his hands and motioned them together, “secure.” “At one point,” Harmony began, “it was much more formidable. However, it seems he’s been absorbing its power to increase his own.” “Um, what exactly does that mean?” Chris asked. “It means that he may be much stronger than I originally thought,” she answered. Chris and Sam shared a look. “Great,” Sam said throwing his arms and letting them fall. “No point worrying about it now. We’ve come this far, might as well get it over with.” “He’s right,” Chris stated in agreement. “It's either move forward or make things worse. Let’s get it done.” Harmony searched their faces and smiled when she found only conviction. “Alright then, you might want to stand back.” She turned back to the metal box and raised her scepter over her head. The crest began to glow white and she made a sharp slashing motion. The remaining chains shattered and the lid began to open with an eerie creak. The tomb opened and shadowy clouds poured out. The group stared into the shadows of the coffin, waiting. Suddenly some of the shadows raced back to the coffin and a pair of boots came into being. The right boot stepped down and out of its prison, the leg materializing more and more with each second. It hit the floor and the left followed, the body visible up to the waist. A hand appeared and gripped the sides as the arm began to form. The boot finally hit the ground and the hand let go of the confinement, and Psycho straightened up. “Hello, boys,” he began in a sinister tone. “Did you miss me?” “Not even a little,” Sam replied as he and Chris stepped forward, Harmony standing to their rear right. Psycho let out a wicked chuckle. “I have to thank you both,” he said. “If I hadn’t been sealed in that stupid prison, I would have been stopped long before I could gather this much power.” The twisted Ranger lifted his hand and clenched his fist in front of him. “For that I am grateful.” “Don’t get used to it,” Chris called, “‘cause we’re going to send you right back after we beat you down a peg or two.” The brothers looked to one another and nodded before facing Psycho once again. They raised their fists up and tensed their bodies, making their auras flare out around them, orange for Chris and light green for Sam. “Let’s end this!” They shouted together, stepping back into a stance and summoning their respective weapons. “Oh, but I thought we were having a nice chat,” Psycho falsely whined, lifting his hands up to his shoulders, palms up. “Oh, well.” He dropped his arms back to his sides and stared at the brothers. “Let’s get this show on the road!” The casket suddenly shattered behind him, shifting into white energy that flowed into his body. When the last of the light vanished, shadows covered the evil Ranger’s body until he was nothing more than a shifting mass. Clumps of shadow slid away from the main body, moving across the ground and settling in “V” behind it. When there were ten black circles on the ground, new masses began to grow up out of them. When they grew to a certain height, they began to solidify. The trio stared wide-eyed as eleven Psycho Rangers formed before their eyes, each with a different color armor. “Oh scheisse/shit.” Chris and Sam said together. The Psychos let out a collective laugh that sent shivers down their spines and charged. None of the trio flinched, only ran forward, their weapons raised. The eleven shown with electricity and split into three groups. Each group bounced into the air and came down, engulfing each of the three and separating them out. Chris was thrown backward and slid across the ground before he threw out his left hand and dug his buckler into floor and ground to a halt. The group that attacked him split up and surrounded him, casting five different colors over him. Chris got to his feet and squared his shoulders as the electricity faded from the figures around him. “Never thought I’d end up fighting you five,” he said, switching his gaze from one to another. “But two of you are going to be really boring to fight.” He suddenly dropped his weapons and threw his hands out towards Psycho Red and Black, his aura flowing into the palms of his hands before exploding outward in beams of energy that engulfed the Psychos. They let out unearthly wails as they shifted into shadows and dissipated. The light faded and his aura returned to flowing around him, his weapons reappearing as the remaining three started in shock. They turned and let out growls, their weapons appearing in their hands. Chris only nodded his head to the side and dropped into a fighting stance. “Let’s dance then.” With that, Chris charged forward his buckler raised as Pink and Yellow readied their weapons and Blue ran towards him. Sam whirled his naginata around and blocked the trident aimed for his side. The weapons slid and Sam came eye to eye with Psycho Aqua. Sam allowed a grin to spread over his face. “You know, that Trident of yours is really fun to use.” Agua let out a growl and shoved Samson away. Sam continued to grin as he slid backward. He threw his weight behind him and flipped as the Silverizer swept by over him. He completed his flip and landed on his feet, a smug grin on his face before a force slammed into his chest and he was thrown onto his back. He looked up to see Psycho Green lowering his hand. “Oh, I am going to enjoy kicking your ass,” Sam growled as he jumped back onto his feet. His aura flared around him and he rushed forward. Harmony slid backward, a field of lavender magic thrown up in front of her. White energy built up around her scepter and she dropped her shield and threw the ball of energy at her opponents. The ball flew forward and split into three, flying at each of her opponents. The two on the sides split away, one emitting a shadowy aura, the other showing misty light. The energy balls bent their paths and homed in on the figure in the middle. The figure hefted a large lance and swept the attack away, black ash billowing from the weapon’s blade as it moved. The two that sped away stopped a short distance away on either side of Harmony. To her left was a golden figure wielding a fan axe, and to her right, a dark gray figure with a scythe. “You three are persistent, aren’t you?” She asked rhetorically, her eyes shifting from one target to another. The pitch black figure in front of her let out an evil laugh. “We have to be if we’re going to snuff out the light of this world,” he replied darkly. Harmony let out a huff of laughter. “Ironic, seeing as two of you need light to exist,” she stated, her eye flicking to the figures to each side of her. The front figure lifted its axe. “Once I end you,” the figure muttered in a dangerous tone. “I will have no use for the two of them.” With that, all three converged on Harmony. Chris brought his shield up and deflected Blue’s Axe as it came down. He quickly thrust forward with his short sword, spearing the clone. The Psycho gave a ghastly wail and burst into black mist, dissolving away. Chris didn’t stay put, instead following through his thrust and rolling forward as a pink arrow flew past where he was standing before. Chris came to a stop in kneeling position and he brought his buckler in front of him, its edges quickly spreading out as several bolts of yellow slammed into to the shield. I can’t keep this up, Chris thought as he took a short breath before he spun back to his feet and slashed an arrow out of the air in front of him. Need a new plan. Suddenly he looked down at his buckler that had shrunk back to normal, and let out a smile. “That could work.” He turned moved his buckler around quickly to block the rain of steady bolts being fired by Yellow. He let his senses expand and could feel Pink maneuver behind him and draw her Bow. Now or never, he thought, still blocking projectiles. He heard a twang and whistle and leaped into the air. He twisted his body until he was horizontal and spinning. As he spun he locked onto Pink and just before he landed, threw his buckler. The small disk flew through the air and slammed into Pink’s helmet, knocking her head back. She brought her head forward just in time to see Chris falling through the air. She brought her Bow up to block the incoming blow. Seeing this, Chris twisted his body and flooded his aura into his arm and sword. The orange energy swam over his body and condensed around his arm. Pink took a step backward to brace herself, as Chris swung his blade. The Bow stood no chance and neither did Pink’s armor as the sword passed clean through the weapon and her neck. He bent his knees as he landed, ending in a kneeling position as the Psycho’s body fell backward and disappeared in shadowy smoke. Chris jumped to the side, and rolled to his feet, sprinting in a single direction as yellow energy slammed into the ground behind him. Small explosions detonated behind him as he ran, the bolts never ceasing. He looked towards Psycho Yellow and corrected his path and began closing in. He thrust his sword into the ground as he ran, throwing up a cloud of dust. The cloud grew as he got closer to his target, and soon he was engulfed in it, hiding him from his opponent’s sight. Yellow stopped firing as the cloud closed in and took a step back, throwing her head back and forth, trying to catch sight of the human. “Looking for me?” His voice said from behind her. She turned her head in surprise before her body suddenly lurched. She looked down to see Chris’ blade protruding from her midsection. She let out a hiss as she disintegrated. Once she was gone, Chris stood tall and swiped his sword through the air, blowing the dust away. He held his left hand out and his buckler flew back onto his arm. He turned and saw Harmony battling three new Psychos and rushed forward to help her. This ends now, he thought as he raced toward the group. Sam swung his blade down only to have it caught by Psycho Green’s kamas. Sam pushed down on his weapon, gritting his teeth. “Would. You. Just. Die!” Sam shouted. In response, Green stepped to the side and pulled away his weapons. Sam’s eyes widened in surprise as he stumbled forward. A blur of motion caught his attention to his left. He took his left hand off the staff of his weapon, twisting around and throwing up his hand and arm to create a barrier with his aura. Aqua’s trident slammed into the barrier, causing cracks to spiderweb out across the green field. Alarms went off in his head and he threw up his naginata just in time to catch the blades of Green’s weapons. The Psychos continued to force their attacks and cracks continued to spread out over his barrier and staff. Sam switched his gaze between each of his opponents until a golden glow shown over the area. He threw his focus forward to see Psycho Silver charging the Silverizer. His eyes shot open in shock and his mind began to race to find a solution. Finally, he came up with one. Oh, this is going to hurt, he groaned inwardly. Without warning he jumped into the air and drew his limbs in, crossing his arms over his chest as his shield and staff disappeared. He felt the Trident tear through the front of his jacket and shirt while Green’s kamas scraped lightly against his shoulder and side. Silver fired just as a light green bubble began to form around him. The blast slammed into the force field and blew Sam backward. The beam died down and Sam landed hard on his back, sliding a few yards before throwing his legs over his head, flipping backward and planting his feet. He ground to a stop before straightening up. Blood dripped down his arm from the scratch in his shoulder. He huffed for breath, staring defiantly as the Psychos grouped up together again. He lifted his chin towards them, his glare never dying. “You guys wanna play rough?” He called out. The Psychos took a step forward in response. Sam stopped huffing and lowered his head. “Fine then,” he growled, “let’s play rough!” He threw his arms down with his fists raised as he stood to his full height. His aura poured out around him, rushing out with a roar. The Psychos started in surprise and Sam rushed forward. Silver raised the Silverizer only to be surprised as Sam blurred into life in front of him, his fist reared back. Sam threw his fist forward, slamming his knuckles into Psycho Silver’s helmet. Cracks appeared in his visors, and Sam followed through with his punch. The helmet shattered into black shards that dissipated. Aqua and Green reacted quickly, both slashing with their weapons, Green downward and Aqua up. Sam disappeared from view and their weapons got caught against one another. They attempted to pull them apart when Sam reappeared in the air between them. He spun and kicked out, launching both Rangers in opposite directions, their weapons staying behind. Sam disappeared from sight again and appeared beside Green as he flew through the air. Sam twisted around and delivered an axe kick to the Psycho’s torso that slammed him into ground, forming a small crater lined with cracks. The armor on Green’s chest was cracked and dark vapor flowed from the cracks. Green raised itself up onto his elbows only to look up and see Sam standing in front of him. Without hesitation, Sam lifted his and launched a beam of light green energy at the Ranger, disintegrating him. He lowered his hand and looked over his shoulder at where Aqua was picking herself up off the ground. His eyes narrowed and he disappeared again. He appeared next to the weapons the pair had left behind when he’d kicked them and picked up the Trident. He hefted the weapon before spinning it into an underhanded hold. He looked towards Aqua, who was still dazed, and his aura flared. He pulled his arm back and focused all of his aura into the projectile itself. He launched the weapon, throwing it forward with incredible speed. It ripped through the evil Ranger and impaled her into the ground. The Psycho’s body slowly turned to ash and blew away. Sam huffed and looked around, finally spotting Harmony fighting three Psycho Rangers. He quickly ran forward, once again summoning his naginata to his hand. Harmony dodged out of the way as the dark gray figure swung his scythe down. The blade dug into ground and Harmony took the chance to swing the sharpened crest of her scepter down at the spectre. Just before she made contact, a pole came into view and caught her weapon. Her eyes widened in surprise and she flipped backward as the blade of the fan axe swung over her body. She performed a few more flips to gain some distance and slid to a stop in kneeling position, trying to regain her breath. However, she didn’t get much of a chance as the pair raced towards her, their weapons poised to strike. She quickly raised herself up and launched backwards. The golden Ranger reached her first and swung the blade of his axe towards her. She intercepted the blow with her scepter and deflected the attack only to block the swing of the scythe. Harmony continued to be pushed back as their weapons blurred through the air. Harmony came to a sudden stop and swung her scepter in a horizontal slash. The Psychos jumped away to either side and a ball of black energy slammed into Harmony’s chest and detonated. She grit her teeth as the force of the explosion forced her backward, right into the waiting arms of the gold and gray figures. They each grabbed an arm and pried it back, holding her at the wrists and shoulders. Harmony’s eyes widened and she struggled a while only to have the pair jerk her arms back roughly. Her head jerked up and she let out a gasp of pain. Her head lowered and she looked forward, spotting the figure in black as he stalked forward, his lance held down at an angle. “I’ve always wanted to kill a god,” he taunted as he approached. Once he was within a few feet he hefted his lance and pointed it at her chest. “Any last words?” He hissed. Harmony only stared defiantly at the dark being, who gave a laugh. “So be it,” he said and began to draw back his weapon. He thrust his lance forward but before his attack could make contact, two beams of energy slammed into his chest, exploding and throwing him backward. The gold and gray figures looked down at their chests to find smoking holes. They both collapsed and began to vanish in black smoke. Chris and Sam took the place of the two Psychos, Chris to Harmony’s right, in place of the golden figure, and Sam to her left in place of the gray. “We can’t let you do that,” Chris said in a low voice. “So, you can either pack up,” Sam added, “or die.” The Psycho clutched his chest and rose to his full height, supporting himself on his lance. “I’m going to make you pay for that,” the figure growled out. “And you’ve made a mistake.” “And what would that be?” Chris asked as he and Sam stepped forward, putting themselves between Harmony and the evil force. “You killed all my clones before me.” The figure lifted his hand and lance and multicolored shadows began to build up around him. The mists vanished into the figure. Chris and Sam tensed up as the air grew heavy. The last of the shadows vanished back into the dark Psycho Ranger. An ominous light glowed behind the visors on his helmet as wisps of multicolored light drifted around him. Chris and Sam stared in horror before their faces hardened and they stepped forward again. They looked to one another and nodded before looking back at the Ranger. “You’re not the only one with cool parlor tricks,” they said together as they raised their arms, Chris his left and Sam his right. They slammed their fists together and their auras erupted around them like wildfire. The burning colors traveled down their owners’ arms and mixed together. Each brother was surrounded in dual auras, orange stacked on green for Chris and vice versa for Sam. “Now that we’re all powered up,” they said simultaneously, "let’s end this!” Their eyes flashed and they dashed forward, their respective weapons appearing in their hands. “Fools!” Psycho yelled as he ran to meet them, his lance drawn back. Sam disappeared from view and reappeared in front of the shade. Psycho launched his lance forward, intent on skewering the human, only to have Sam catch the weapon with his own. Sam knocked the attack away and sidestepped, revealing Chris as he slashed with his short sword. The Ranger reacted quickly, and jumped up and over the pair and landed behind them. He aimed a strike at Chris’ back and lunged forward with his weapon. A field of green veined with orange slid in front of the attack and Psycho’s lance collided with it. Sam stepped in before Psycho could recover and slashed with his naginata. Psycho jumped back to avoid the blow, but Sam left his grip loose so that the blade slid forward. The weapon caught on the spectre’s knee, and Sam strengthened his grip and forced his aura through the weapon. He followed through the attack and cut a gash into the front of Psycho’s knee. Psycho let out a cry of pain before audibly snarling and rushing forward. Sam’s eyes widened in surprise and blocked the thrust that the Ranger sent his way. Before he could counter, Psycho attacked again and again, faster and faster until he was forcing Sam back. Then he caught movement in his peripherals and swung his hand up to knock away the attack Chris had aimed at him. Psycho spun quickly and jabbed with his pike. Chris attempted to twist out of the way but felt a sharp pain in his side as the blade scraped past him. “Chris!” Sam yelped in surprise before he snarled in anger and rushed the Psycho Ranger. Psycho simply turned and began to block each of Sam’s attacks. Eventually, Sam’s naginata caught on Psycho’s partisan, causing Sam’s eyes to widen in shock. Psycho brought his right fist back and launched it forward. Sam blurred out of sight just as the fist reached him. Psycho paused and lowered his stance. Suddenly, he spun around his right hand outstretched as black energy flooded into it. He spotted Sam helping Chris to his feet and unleashed a beam of black and purple light. Sam’s eyes widened as the beam hit them. After a few seconds, the beam died down, showing nothing more than a smoking trench carved into the ground. Sam reappeared next Harmony, supporting Chris. She raced forward and waved her scepter over Chris’ wound, closing it quickly. Chris got his feet back under him and Sam removed his support. Both humans were trying to regain their breath as they looked towards the dark Ranger. “We can’t beat him,” Sam stated. “Yes, you can,” Harmony argued following their gaze. “How?” Chris questioned. “Everything we throw at him he throws back.” “Then do the same.” Chris and Sam looked back at Harmony with confusion on their faces. “Huh?” They asked together. “You forget that the same power he uses is a part of you as well,” she answered. “The Psycho Ranger powers are just as much yours as they are his. You need only apply them.” The pair stared for a moment before looking at one another. After a while, smiles spread over their faces. “Ready for round two?” Sam asked. “You know it,” Chris answered. The pair slapped each other’s hands together and their auras flared again. They straightened up and faced Psycho once again. “Finish this, you two,” Harmony told them as she patted both of them on the back. “Right!” They shouted as they rushed forward, their eyes briefly flashing a myriad of colors. Psycho settled into a stance as the pair approached. Chris unexpectedly disappeared, causing Psycho to start. The human appeared in front of him, his fist reared back. The Ranger brought the staff of his weapon up to block the blow. Chris smirked and threw his fist forward. His knuckles collided with the solid weapon and cracks spider-webbed through it before it shattered. Psycho didn’t have time to react as Sam raced in to his left and threw his own punch. The shade reacted quickly and used his arm to divert the blow only to have to immediately block another attack by Chris. The brothers continued to throw punches at breakneck speeds, Psycho blocking, catching, or deflecting each blow. The specter began to retreat and the fighters pressed their advantage. They continued to throw combinations until Psycho managed to catch their fists in each hand. The brothers smirked and grabbed hold of Psycho’s arms before forcing their knees into the Ranger’s midriff. He doubled forward and the pair twisted their bodies, slamming twin spinning roundhouse kicks to his torso. Psycho slid back from the force of the attack. When he stopped, he fell to one knee before slowly standing back up, clutching his chest. When he was standing again he moved his hand to see cracks in his armor. He let out a growl and clenched his fists. “You’ll pay for this-” He was cut off as he looked up to see Chris and Sam already on top of him. They swung their arms, their knuckles busting through the damaged armor on Psycho’s chest. “You made a mistake,” Chris mocked. “You claimed that all this power was yours alone,” Sam added. “But it’s ours, too!!!” They shouted as their auras raced down their arms and into Psycho’s body. Psycho let out a wail as cracks spread out over his body as light shown through them. His scream increased in volume until it was almost deafening, before Psycho’s body finally shattered. Eleven different wisps of light flooded out and began to flow towards the brothers. The lights flowed into their bodies, their eyes closing in response to the power flowing into them. Finally, only one wisp remained made up of shifting black and purple colors. It drifted closer to the pair but was snatched out of the air. “That was impressive, you two,” Harmony said with a smile. “And you deserve every reward you received. However,” her eyes shifted to the dark mass in her hand, “I believe we should take extra precautions with this one." “What is that?” Chris asked as he looked more closely at the shifting substance. “The element of darkness,” Harmony replied. “The one element that holds Psycho’s true nature and the final piece to the puzzle.” “If that’s ‘essence of Psycho,’ how are we supposed to keep him contained?” Sam asked leaning back and eyeing the element. “I will put a new, stronger sealing spell on the element,” Harmony explained. “You won’t be able to access these powers, but you will be able to harness all of your other abilities as if you could. So long as you do not use the powers of darkness, Psycho cannot escape.” “If that’s the case,” Chris said glancing briefly at his brother, “let’s do this.” Harmony nodded her head and brought the crest of her scepter over the mass. Harmony’s horn and hands lit up in a light blue color as the scepter shone white. There was a bright flash and when it faded Harmony held the element up again. It had turned almost solid black, with purple chain-like patterns moving across it as it shifted. Harmony released it and the element lifted into the air and floated towards the pair. As it approached, it split into two and a piece glided into each of their chests. Chris and Sam felt a surge of power flow through them and tensed up in surprise, their eyes widening. They looked towards one another and stared before grins broke out on their faces. There was another flash and they looked back at Harmony to see that she was once again garbed in her dress and crown. “You have both shown great courage here,” she began. “Not many can face down their demons without horrible after effects. You two are very strong and it makes me happy to know that you are the ones protecting my little ponies. I thank you both.” She gave a short bow that both humans quickly mirrored. “We should be the ones thanking you, Harmony,” Chris stated. “Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t stepped in to help,” Sam continued. Harmony let out a soft chuckle. “You are both such good people,” she said. “I would like to spend more time in your company, but you must return. I believe there are some things you need to address on the outside." “What kind of things?” Chris asked with a raised eyebrow. Harmony let out another chuckle. “You shall see,” she replied with a mischievous gleam in her eye. “Until next time, my friends.” She bowed again and spread her hands out to her sides as her horn began to glow. “Until next time, Eternal Harmony,” Chris answered as the area began to shimmer white. “We’ll see you again,” Sam promised with a smile. Harmony let a smile touch her lips. “I know you will.” White light blinded the brothers and they raised their arms to protect their eyes. When Chris blinked and lowered his arm he was back in the cave with the Tree of Harmony behind him. He turned and gazed at the tree for a moment. He let out a breath. “That was fun-” He was cut off by the sound of his communicator going off. He quickly lifted the device up and opened the call. “Chris here, what’s up?” “Chris? Oh, thank Celestia,” Sunset’s voice said. “I know you’ve been gone a while but we’ve got a group of cogs headed our way. Do you think you can handle them?” “I’m on it,” Chris answered shutting off the call. He shook his head and started to make his way out of the cave quickly. Just another day on the job, Sam muttered. Chris cracked a smile. “Yeah, no rest for the wicked,” he joked. Neither of them notice the brief flash of orange and green that passed over them as they raced towards their next battle.