//------------------------------// // Episode 49: Thunderstruck // Story: Equestria Girls: Friendship Souls // by thatguyvex //------------------------------// Episode 49: Thunderstruck Rainbow Dash tore across the night sky, not even bothering to look anywhere else but at her intended target, the fast approaching warehouse where the fireworks were contained. Stealth wasn’t really her forte, but speed was, and in this case she hoped she could get this job done so fast that no one would have a chance to spot her before it was too late. So far things seemed to be going alright. She didn’t hear any shouts or banging alarm gongs as she landed atop the slanted, tiled roof of the warehouse. Taking a deep breath, she slid to the edge of the roof and glanced down, where there was a smaller, slanted tier of roofing alongside numerous wood panel window shutters. Hopping down, she quickly tried to pry the first window she came to open, only to find it latched shut. Well, no problem there! Cracking her knuckles, she charged up her first with a fierce glow of blue lightning, and with a solid punch blasted the shuttered window open. Doing so made plenty of noise, but she didn’t care. She’d be in and out in no time! Jumping through the window, Rainbow Dash found herself in a large room that looked like it took up almost the entirety of the building's interior, save for a few side rooms behind barred doors. The chamber was filled with numerous stacked crates and barrels, lined up in neat and ordered rows and stacked high enough that some of them nearly reached to the roof. Rainbow Dash flew down to land on the floor, eyes alert for the sight of any barrels marked as Nocturn had described to her. Wasting not a single second she started zipping around the rows of crates, a blue blur of motion as she rushed around, seeking the barrels of fireworks. It took her less than a minute to find them, nearly twenty barrels stacked high alongside the southeast wall. “Sweet!” she grinned, eyes twinkling with mischievous delight. Once she lit these barrels with some lightning she’d just zip right back out and let the explosions commence! Sparks of electrical energy licked between her fingers as she prepared to zap the first barrel. Just before she discharged the electrical blast, however, she sensed a sudden pair of spiritual pressures close by. She hadn’t been specifically concentrating on sensing any reiatsu, so this pair was all but on top of her before she felt them. Her pony ears twitched as she heard muffled chanting from outside the warehouse. She turned just in time to see the warehouse’s front doors, tall wooden affairs crossed by wood beams, blasted open by what had to be some kind of attack Kido, and two forms darting inside. Rainbow Dash saw two Soul Reapers standing before her, staring her down from across the warehouse, and recognized them both. One was that gentlemanly fellow with the blue mustache, Schmancy Fants, or something like that. Captain Platinum’s Lieutenant. The other was that weird Fluttershy lookalike who apparently went balls to the wall crazy and was responsible for Nocturn’s current lack of a limb. Also an Lieutenant. On one hand, Rainbow Dash wanted to swear under her breath, because a pair of Lieutenants might seriously cramp her style. On the other hand, she was filled a competitive buzz of excitement, because taking on two Lieutenants might be a nice challenge for her. Beating up lower ranked Soul Reapers hadn't given her much of a stretch of her wings, and Hurricane had been way too overbearing, so maybe these two would give her a good gauge on just how strong she was. “Ah, Miss Rainbow Dash, I knew had to have been you.” said the dude with the blue hair, “I do hope you remember me?” “Uhhh...Pantsy Schmants?” The Fluttershy clone choked out a clearly unintentional laugh as mustache man sighed heavily and gave Rainbow Dash a flat look. “Lieutenant Fancy Pants, if you would be so kind as to remember from now on. And my associate is Lieutenant Posey.” ‘Um, hi?” Posey said, hand on her sword, but her other one giving a nervous wave. “Yo.” Rainbow Dash said with a front of confident and casual bravado, crossing her arms over her chest and flaring her wings out, letting the wings buzz with arcs of streaming electric light. “So where’s the rest of your posse? You two don’t seriously think you're taking me down by yourselves, do you?” Fancy Pants smiled thinly, “I’d prefer not to involve the lower ranks in a battle between peers. It's heartening to see you so confident, as I felt a strain on my honor at the notion of battling you two on one. However if you feel your skills up to the task then I’ll consider my honor satisfied and have no qualms taking you down alongside my fellow Lieutenant.” “Good to know.” said Dash, cracking her knuckles and getting into a combat ready stance. “‘Cause I wasn’t planning to take it easy on you guys anyway.” Fancy Pants and Posey both drew their Zanpaktou with cold steel echoes of ringing metal. Rainbow Dash watched them both tense, and she found she could read their balance, they way they were holding themselves, to gauge what they were about to do. When both Soul Reapers Flash Stepped, Rainbow Dashs’s eyes darted left and right, following their movements. After training with Ditzy Doo, and facing down the likes of Hurricane, these two didn’t seem all that quick. Rainbow Dash found she had little trouble ducking under Fancy Pants’ slash that went high for her head, while throwing herself into a horizontal spin that let her jump over Posey’s low swinging sword. While in mid jump she flared out both her metallic wings, while her four lightning wings discharged electricity down their metallic counterparts’ length. The wings’ sharp, electrified edges caught both Soul Reaper’s blades and sent a burst of lightning down into them. The shock of electricity knocked both Fancy Pants and Posey backwards, throwing the later into a stack of cracks while the former managed to keep his feet under him as he skidded along the ground. Rainbow Dash didn’t slow down for a second, touching off the ground with one foot to launch herself headlong into flight straight at Fancy Pants. She saw his eyes go wide with surprise as she threw a straight punch at his face. Fancy Pants barely stepped back from the blow in time to avoid getting his face smashed in. Dash didn’t let up, flying back and forth at greater and greater speed, until she was leaving indigo after images of herself as she launched speedy punches and kicks at Fancy Pants. He struggled to keep up, visibly taken off guard by Rainbow Dash’s speed as he flickered around with rapid Flash Steps to try and avoid or parry her blows, and only barely managing to do so. Then Rainbow Dash kicked up her speed another notch, and this time landed a solid punch straight to the Lieutenant’s gut, discharging a dose of electricity in a blue jolt down her arm into the Soul Reaper, the strike sending him flying into the side of the warehouse wall hard enough to leave a spiderweb of cracks in it. Fancy Pants coughed, almost falling, but caught himself and remained standing as he blinked at her. “You’ve improved...” he said between gasping breaths. Rainbow Dash grinned and held up a fist, lightning crackling around it. “I ain’t even busted out half of what I can do, buddy. Wanna keep going?” He returned her grin with a thin smile of his own, brushing himself off. “As it happens, yes. After all, we haven’t shown you all we can do yet either. Neither I or Lieuteanant Posey can feel satisifed with ourselves if we do less than our best to defeat you. I, for honor’s sake, her for more personal reasons.” There was a thud as the crates Posey had been tossed into got pushed aside, and the young woman stood up from the mess, shaking herself off of dust. Posey looked nervously at Fancy Pants. “Sh-she’s really strong. I might have to release Kyoki again. Oh, I wish I didn’t have to do this.” “Hold, Posey.” said Fancy Pants, “Don’t release your blade. Allow me first, at least, so you might spare yourself the strain. I know what Kyoki does to you.” “O-okay...” Posey said, but her eyes narrowed at Rainbow Dash. “Just as long as we don’t let her get away.” “Feels good to be popular.” Rainbow Dash muttered. She’d have just lit the fireworks by now, fairly confident these two could escape the blast in time. But she didn’t think she’d be able to shake them before reaching the secret entrance Nocturn would led the others to. She had to knock these two out to be in the clear. She flared out her wings and charged her fists with more streams of cobalt lightning. She rushed Fancy Pants again, not intending to give him a chance to unleash his Shikai. Competitive or not, this wasn’t the time or place for playing fair. However before she could reach him Posey ended up appearing next to the onrushing Dash in a blinking Flash Step, forcing her to veer away from Posey’s thrusting blade. Rainbow Dash wheeled around and sent a punishing blast of lightning at Posey, forcing the Lieutenant to Flash Step away as the arc of electricity burned a destructive path up the wall, tearing great chunks from it. The moment had given Fancy Pants enough time to hold his Zanpaktou aloft, the katana glowing bright yellow light. ”Keep thy promise; Seiyaku.” (Oath Bound) The katana was covered in a yellow and silver sheen of light that extended and warped the blade’s shape until Fancy Pants was holding a tall spear with a small, leaf shaped point. From the upper shaft of the spear, just below the spearhead, was an elegant blue banner edged with gold and displaying a complex Japanese kanji in white that Rainbow Dash didn’t know. She dug Japanese cartoons, but couldn’t read the language at all. Rainbow Dash looked the transformed Zanpaktou up and down, “So, what’s it do? I know these things get all sorts of freaky powers. What’s the deal with yours?” “I’ll allow you to deduce that for yourself.” Fancy Pants said, both hands gripping the length of the spear as he flourished the weapon, the banner rippling. “I swear to defeat you within the next five minutes with Lieutenant Posey’s help, but without her releasing her own Shikai.” Rainbow Dash tilted her head in curious wonderment as Fancy Pants words seemed to resonate with his Zanpaktou, and the banner started to slowly vanish, starting with the very tip sparkling away in slow motes of gold light. Her confusion was matched only by her surprise when Fancy Pants threw himself at her at easily three times the speed he’d been moving at before. “The heck-!?” Rainbow Dash grunted as she deftly avoided his first wickedly fast thrust, the spear grazing her cheek, and then used her left hand to quickly redirect the shaft as another thrust went low for her sternum. She flew up, planning to flatten him with lightning, only to find Fancy Pants Flash Stepping to keep up with her, leaping into the air and twirling his spear. The banner flapped along with it, trailing gold light from the very slowly vanishing fabric. They clashed in mid-air several times, Rainbow Dash a flying streak of electric light and Fancy Pants leaving a trail of golden motes as he jumped after her. Each time the spear of his Seiyaku reached for Dash’s vulnerable flesh, but she battled it aside each time with well timed parries of her electrically charged fists or her shining metallic wings. Posey joined in the fray, biting her lower lip in clear frustration as she tried to help Fancy Pants box Rainbow Dash in. Stacks of crates were tossed around like a child's play blocks as the trio jumped and flew in blazing, clashing flickers of motion around the warehouse. Still, while Fancy Pants was moving much faster now, and his strikes came with a lot more power behind them, Rainbow Dash realized she was still able to hold her own. As she blocked another of his hefty strikes, both arms crossing to absorb a slam from the spear’s shaft, she said, “Ugh, so you just got way stronger, and that banner thing is slowly fading away. So, what, you set a time limit to beat me and that gives you a power boost?” “Something like that.” Fancy Pants said, reversing the grip on his spear and spinning it around fast enough to catch Dash in the ribs with a blow strong enough to nearly send her flying into the wall of the warehouse. She caught herself at the last second, bruised but still very much in the fight. “Neat, so what was with the bit with Fluttercopy not using her Zanpaktou? Seriously, you guys don’t need to hold back on me.” Posey visibly looked stricken, holding her Zanpaktou in an unsteady grip. “F-Fluttercopy? Please, um, call me by my name. Posey. I... I don’t even look that much like your friend. Do I?” Rainbow Dash just looked at her flatly, and pointed while stating dryly, “Lady, aside from like being two shades off color you could be Flutter's sister. That aside, why doesn’t Fancydude want you using your Shikai? Not that I’m minding, really, I just don’t get why. If you both go all out you guys might get me.” Fancy Pants interrupted any response Posey might have given by leaping at Rainbow Dash once more, his spear flickering in a blue streak that forced her to quickly twist aside, and even then Fancy had moved fast enough to clip her side while the rest of his spear impacted the wall and tore a huge chunk out of the warehouse’s side in a shower of wood and plaster. “Focus less on our own reasons and concern yourself with defending your life, Miss Dash!” he said as he landed on the wall from his earlier jump, then leaped from it and drove his spear once more at Dash in a flurry of swift thrusts almost too fast for her to see. Dash ducked and wove between the seeking blade, bursts of electricity building in a growing arc among her six wings, turning even the metallic ones a bright cerulean blue. “Defense?” she muttered, “Dude, you’re still underestimating me. I haven’t been defending myself, I’ve been building up energy.” Her evolved Fullbring had drastically increased her speed from what it had been before, and had also expanded the ways in which she could use her electricity. One of those methods was building up a charge through constant movement. She hadn’t unleashed any large bolts of lightning specifically because she’d been spending all of that time dodging Fancy Pants’ attacks to charge herself up, not bothering with counterattacks until she had enough for one decisive blow. In a dizzying display of speed she moved through Fancy Pants spear, her blue afterimage seeming to be impaled, but the real Dash slipping through his guard until she was right in front of him, both fists pulled back as so much electricity surrounded them that they looked like swirling blue spheres of raw power. Fancy Pants had no time to respond besides a single, shocked eyeblink before Dash thrust both fists into his stomach. ”Lightning Fist Flash!” she cried, discharging her stored lightning into Fancy Pants from both of her impacting fists. Thunderous noise split the air, and a torrent of lightning cracked the warehouse’s north wall, filling the building with pure white light that spat from every window. When the light faded there was a good fifteen foot hole blasted through the warehouse, leaving a scorched trail about twenty meters down the street outside that still crackled with fading tongues of electricity. Fancy Pants was at the end of that line of cracked street, remarkably still standing, although he was marred by burn marks and his hair frizzed on its ends, still sparking with remnant lightning. He was leaning on his spear, shaking. “Lieutenant!” Posey shouted, rushing out to him while Rainbow Dash remained where she was, glancing at the barrels of fireworks. Now’s my chance! Dash realized, and rushed to the barrels while Posey and Fancy Pants were temporarily outside the warehouse. She shoved a quick, small discharge of lightning into one of the barrels, and in seconds smoke started to fizzle out of it as she heard multiple fuses get lit up. Not hesitating for a second Rainbow Dash flew out of the hole she’d blasted Fancy Pants through, and an instant later there was a rolling series of calamitous explosions of light and color as literally hundreds of fireworks started to go off inside the warehouse. Within moments windows were bursting open and the roof was exploding outward as flashing colors of bursting fireworks rose into the night sky with screaming whines and shrieks of noise. Rainbow Dash was about to fly off as fast s she could, hoping that Fancy Pants would be too injured to follow her, and Posey too distracted to do the same, but she only got a fraction of the distance out of the courtyard before something wrapped around her leg and yanked her to the ground. She glanced behind her to see a blazing orange line of crackling spirit energy wrapped around her left leg, the binding Kido held by Posey as she stared with hard eyes at Dash while Fancy Pants struggled to remain standing nearby. “Lieutenant Posey,” Fancy Pants said past clenched teeth, “Stand down. I...I shall... finish this...” He wobbled on his feet, barely holding his spear up, and by now the banner itself had all but vanished. Posey looked at him, eyes shining with worry, but also resolve. “I’m sorry Fancy Pants, but I can’t do that. You’ve done all you can. She’s just too much for you alone, and only I’m left to fight. I know it's dangerous, but we can’t let her escape. Just, um, be ready to hold me back, to bring me back to myself before I hurt her too badly, okay?” Fancy Pants shook his head, “Posey... don’t. Your blade, it costs you too much.” “If I can better serve my father, it’s worth it.” By now Dash had charged her right hand with a flare of lightning and gripped the rope of binding Kido energy wrapping her leg, tearing through the bond to free herself. Just as she was standing up, Posey raised her Zanpaktou and Rainbow Dash felt the sudden, violent rise of spirit energy from the Soul Reaper. ”Frenzy, K-” Fancy Pant’s spear shaft ended up smacking into the back of Posey’s head. She went out like a light, Fancy Pants catching her with one arm and gently lowering her to the ground. Rainbow Dash just blinked. “Uh, the heck was that about?” Fancy Pants, still shaking from his injuries, brushed some of Posey’s hair from her face, and then stood to face Rainbow Dash. “Her Zanpaktou is more dangerous than she realizes. Not just to her enemies, but to herself. Every time she releases it, the way it twists her personality, it leaves her mind just a shade more warped even after the blade is re-sealed. It will take many years, perhaps as long as a century, but in time the kind girl she is will slowly vanish and only a blood hungry monster will remain. Since her father doesn’t seem to care about that fact, I take it upon myself to mitigate the damage where I can, in hopes that she can be saved before it's too late.” “That’s... okay, I’ll admit that both sucks to be her, but kind of awesome of you, Fancy Dude. I really don’t know what to think of you Soul Reaper types. Some of you seem like total jerks, while some of you seem alright.” “You’ll find that no matter the group, be it Soul Reapers, Quincy, or even Hollows, things are never as simple as black and white.” Fancy Pants said, looking sadly at Posey’s unconscious form. “Regardless, duty makes warriors out of even the gentlest souls.” “Yeah, had no idea your crazy sword powers could come with a nasty price tag like that. Seems pretty cruddy she got the short end of the stick.” Rainbow Dash said, then sighed, “Sadly, also not my problem. With her out, and you on your last leg, I’m just gonna call this my win and jet outta here, dude.” With a grunt of pain Fancy Pants drew himself up to his full height, “Not so fast, my dear. I still stand.” Rainbow Dash stared at him flatly, “Man, you’re like, waaaaaay to dedicated to this honor thing. I mean, I can kinda dig it, and it's awesome the way you look out for your friend, but this fight’s pretty much done.” “Not yet.” he said, widening his stance into a bracing pose as he held his Zanpaktou spear at the ready. “You failed to grasp all that my Zanpaktou’s power entails. Allow me to educate you.” The banner, which had been slowly losing its very last threads to motes of golden light, finally vanished entirely. The moment it did the entire spear lit up with blinding yellow light. “When Seiyaku’s banner vanishes, and I still haven’t fulfilled my oath, the Zanpaktou enters its ‘Punishment’ mode.” The light of pale yellow radiance spread to his body, and the moment it did Fancy Pants started to grit his teeth, his eyes becoming bloodshot with pain. “The agony it inflicts is comparable only to the increased power it grants me for one final strike to atone for my failure.” Rainbow Dash just shook her head in bewilderment, “Wow, you and that Posey chick are just peas in a pod aren’t you? Self-sacrifice is cool and all, but feels kind of wrong when it's getting forced on you like that.” “It is not a matter of it being ‘forced’, as you say, Miss Dash.” Fancy Pants said past clenched teeth, raising his spear in a ready throwing stance, bracing his legs as Seiyaku’s light increased to a blinding yellow blaze, “Only that we both have reasons to accept the price our Zanpaktou ask of us to have the power necessary to keep our promises. Would you do any less in our position.” “Dude, let’s skip the high-brow talk. Neither of us got time for it.” Dash said as she thrust her hands out and her electric wings called down thunderous bolts of lightning from the sky, charging her larger metallic wings with a incandescent, wild storm of arcing electrical arcs. “You said you got one strike left, right? So let’s finish this, Fancy Pants. Hit me with your best shot!” Between her out thrust palms a sphere of lightning took shape, the streams of pure azure energy flowing from her wings, down her arms, and into her palms in a crackling waterfall of power. The sphere expanded to the size of a beach ball, arcs of energy gouging chunks of ground from around it as it shimmered with the power of storms. Meanwhile Fancy Pant’s spear reached a peak of flaring light, and the man himself put on a dour, solemn look of pure concentration as he met Rainbow Dash’s eyes. “Shokuzai!” (Atonement Strike) He threw the spear, a mach cone forming and instantly shattering around the spears golden flight, a pure yellow streak of piercing power that ripped the stone courtyard apart in its wake as it flew straight for Rainbow Dash. She, in turn, eyes streaming with electrical sparks and her prismatic head of hair rising as if in a harsh wind, cried out her own challenge. ”Thunderburst!” The sphere of lightning in her palms fired off like a cannonball, careening right towards the path of Fancy Pant’s oncoming spear. The two collided between the two combatants with a unimaginably loud crack of noise that even drowned out the sound of the still exploding fireworks that now covered the sky, bathing the whole scene in a wash of scintillating colors. The spear of Seiyaku pierced into Rainbow Dash’s lightning sphere, thrusting through it like a needle through a bubble. But then, that had been the part Dash had expected. The moment the spear tore through the sphere, the sphere burst like a balloon, expanding in mere seconds to prodigious size. Fancy Pant’s eyes shot wide as the expanding sphere slammed into him, whips of electricity tearing into him. The lightning also hit Posey, but Dash wasn’t too worried. She’d designed this attack to be non-lethal. The Thunderburst was her idea of a “crowd control” attack, the sphere concentrating vast amounts of electrical power, but with a simple trigger that allowed the sphere to burst and expand the moment it contacted anything. She had sensed how powerful Fancy Pant’s spear strike was going to be, and hadn’t been sure if she could outright stop it in its tracks, so instead she’d chosen to use an attack that would take Fancy Pants by surprise and knock him out no matter if his spear wasn’t stopped. As for the spear itself, Rainbow Dash had nothing but her reflexes to rely on, but her Fullbring gave her speed in excess of any of her friends, and she dodged as hard as she could in a streak of indigo light as the spear bore down on her, barely slowed by her Thunderburst. She felt a piercing anguish in her left arm, and found herself being carried along by massive force as the spear pierced her forearm and proceeded to nail her to the far wall of the warehouse courtyard. “Ooff! Ugh...” Rainbow Dash grunted, teeth grinding at the pain that shot up her arm like a burning snake. She glanced down to see Seiyaku’s form impaling her arm, literally pinning her arm to the wall. “Owwww... guess I underestimated him a bit too. Gah, this smarts!” Then an instant later the spear glowed with pale blue light, and transformed back into a mere katana, subsequently removing itself from her arm as it clattered to the ground. Rainbow Dash glanced at it, blinking. “Huh?” Further away, Fancy Pants rolled onto his back, his body still smoking as he sucked in breaths of air. “Seiyaku... reverts to normal after... that attack. She cannot be used for... another day afterward.” Rainbow Dash, clutching her bleeding arm, strode towards him. She first stopped to check on Posey, who was a tad singed, but still breathing strongly. “Whew, good. She’s still fine. Looks like Thunderburst did exactly what I wanted it to.” Fancy Pants tried to raise his head, but it seemed to be too much effort and he settled back down. “A non-lethal attack. Heh... you young ladies are... so soft. I’m sort of... glad for it. I don’t think Soul Society could... withstand you if you were harsher in nature.” A pleased grin crept onto Rainbow Dash’s face, “We’re pretty awesome. Sorry, Fancy. You gave me a good run, but you’d need to be a Captain to take me down.” “I imagine that’s so.” he said, his eyes fluttering closed, “Be careful... Miss Dash. Captain Platinum does not share you and your friends non-lethal bent.” With that he lost consciousness, leaving Dash to catch her breath for a second as the fireworks from the warehouse continued to explode in the night sky above. She estimated the fight had only lasted a few minutes more after she’d lit the fireworks. Soul Reapers would be on their way, but it looked like she was still in the clear. Her arm was starting to twitch with an agonizing amount of pain, now that her adrenaline was wearing off. Rainbow Dash, being an athlete who was looking to go pro one day, had an above average understanding of the human body. The spear had pierced the fleshier part of her forearm, and missed her bone and major arteries, but the muscle damage alone was going to be an issue if she didn’t get it looked at soon. At least long experience with spot related injuries, including numerous broken bones, left her with a high pain tolerance, so she wasn’t doing more than wincing hard as she took a few seconds to use the mantle of her outfit as a makeshift bandage. She heard distant shouting just as she was finishing covering the wound, the Soul Reapers on their way to check out all the commotion. Not wasting another second, Rainbow Dash took to the air in a blinding, blue streak. Mere moments after she was gone, the still form of Posey suddenly gripped her fists, shuddered, and her eyes shot open, flashing with righteous anger. ---------- Colors bursting across the sky, accompanied by the rapid echoing bangs like distant cannon fire, signaled to Fluttershy and the others that Rainbow Dash’s distraction had begun. Nocturn peeked out from the street tile of their hiding place to observe the way the Soul Reapers guarding the main entrance to the headquarters fortress all turned their attention west towards the vibrant display of exploding fireworks. Within minutes more than half of the guards had formed into squads and rushed off towards the scene, and among the ones left behind most were still staring at the explosions of sparkling colors filling the air. “That’s our cue, let’s move!” Nocturn said, and Fluttershy gulped. She was understandably on edge, given all that had happened so far. She was certainly worried about Rainbow Dash, but her fears extended to all her friends, and the Soul Reapers helping them. As much as she’d been projecting an outward calm as best she could, she still felt incredibly out of her depth being here in Soul Society, battling strange and powerful supernatural foes. One would think she’d have gotten used to it by now, but she still had a hard time believing how much of a strange and terrifying turn her and her friend's lives had taken. Strangely, whenever she had her Fullbring active it was much easier to focus and stay calm, but she’d deactivated it for the time being because it... well it glowed, so it wasn’t very conducive to the group being stealthy. She missed the sort of relaxing aura of ease having the Fullbring active gave her. Right now her nerves were returning full force. Not to mention the back of her shoulder where Hurricane had injured her ached with a constant dull pain, despite Pipsqueak’s healing Kido and Fluttershy’s own attempts at healing with her Fullbring. The wound was just too deep to just heal up that easily, and while she could walk she could barely move her right arm without harsh pain filling her. “Do you need help going up the ladder, Lady Fluttershy?” asked Pipsqueak, sounding quite stately and courteous despite his young age. She smiled at him, despite the pained twitch in her expression. “I’ll be okay.” He looked at her with a surprisingly mature expression for such a young boy, “A brave heart cannot always ignore a tired and wounded body. At least let someone support you.” "I got ya covered Fluttershy." said Applejack, "Go ahead o' me an' I'll keep ya steady." “If you insist.” she said, and above them Nocturn had moved aside the street tile entirely to expose their hiding spot in the tunnel. “Hurry, fast!” he said, and with surprising agility for a man with one arm managed to pull himself up onto the street. Clover turned to Fluttershy and Pipsqueak and offered a helping hand to get Fluttershy onto the ladder. “I’ll bring up the rear.” Clover said, “Do be careful, and follow Nocturn as close as you can.” She got on the ladder, and Applejack got on behind her. It was difficult with her injury, but Applejack helped Fluttershy by putting a steadying hand on Fluttershy’s back to help her keep balanced as she pulled herself up using just her one arm. Pipsqueak came behind them, and Clover brought up the rear. It took only a minute or two for all of them to reach the street level, but to Fluttershy it felt so much longer. They all crouched together with Nocturn on the street as he replaced the stone tile covering the entrance to the hidden tunnel. The fireworks were still going off in a series of flashing, flower bursts of light and sound, and as near as Fluttershy could tell no one was looking in their direction. “This way.” Nocturn said, “Stay low and think stealthy thoughts.” “Yeah, real helpful. I can see why yer the expert.” Applejack said with a wry half-smile, to which Nocturn ran his one hand through his hair. “It's a curse to be as talented as I, but it's a burden I bear with pride. Seriously though keep low and follow my lead.” They moved as a group, Nocturn taking them close to one of the walls alongside the side of the street, which soon turned into the wider, open area beside the massive stone steps carved within the walls of the plateau’s cliff face. Someone had done a little landscaping around here, adding some long patches of grass and a few trees and shrubs in a line along the wall, which gave the group some cover to work with. Fluttershy all but held her breath as they moved, expecting to hear the sharp cries of alarm any second. Applejack kept pace with her, keeping a steady hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder. Every now and again Fluttershy saw Applejack glancing west, towards the warehouse and fireworks, no doubt just as worried as Fluttershy was about Rainbow Dash. The wall ended perpendicular to the side of the cliff, the plateau's sheer rock walls leading hundreds of feet up in a looming, shadowy mass. Fluttershy could see the way white stone towers and buttresses were built up from the side of the cliff, all accumulating together into a giant fortress that jutted up from the top of the plateau to a dizzying height. Something about this huge, imposing fortress in the very center of Soul Society felt both appropriate and sadly disappointing to Fluttershy. This was the very center of the afterlife, and it wasn’t a comforting looking place at all. It spoke of power and authority, but not much of kindness or compassion. She felt as if she could almost sympathize with the Quincy. Something about the Soul Society as a whole just felt...off. Nocturn had them halt, crouched amid a few bushes at the foot of the cliff, his eyes narrowed at the distant forms of the remaining Soul Reaper guards. “What’re we stoppin’ for?” asked Applejack. “Someone’s coming.” said Nocturn, “This could be bad.” Fluttershy didn’t see anyone, and she was hesitant to try to use her spiritual senses in case it might make her easier to detect, but she didn’t have to because in the next moment there was a loud bellow from the stone stairs. “What is the meaning of this racket!?” A huge mountain of an imposing man strode down the steps. He was by far one of the tallest, broadest individuals Fluttershy had ever seen, with a chest broad enough to park a battleship on, and arms to match. His skin was a dark, dusky brown, and he had a head of hair of a similar dark shade that fell in thick, bushy spikes down his back. Thick sideburns merged into a short beard on his chiseled, stony face. Covering his bulk was not only the black robes of a Soul Reaper, but the unmistakable white overcoat of a Captain. Clover swore under her breath, “Captain Thunderhooves. I was sincerely hoping we wouldn't run into another Captain.” “He’s as distracted as the others.” said Nocturn, “We should be able to make it.” “What about Rainbow Dash?” asked Fluttershy, and Nocturn swallowed a grimace. “I rather hope she has the wherewithal to not seek a glorious but no doubt futile battle and instead realizes the need for stealth with a Captain around.” he said, and took a deep breath, “Let us see if Thunderhooves himself takes the bait.” Fluttershy’s heart beat swiftly in her chest as she feared the Captain might rush off in that direction and possibly catch Rainbow Dash. Then again, him sticking around was just as dangerous. She wasn’t sure their rag-tag group was up to a fight with another individual on Hurricane’s level. If he did go to investigate the fireworks, perhaps Rainbow Dash could slip past him without being noticed? Certainly if Thunderhooves stayed nearby then it’d be all the harder for Rainbow Dash to get to the secret entrance they were making their way towards. After another half minute of questioning his subordinates, Thunderhooves narrowed his eyes in the direction of the fireworks, and gestured one of the other Soul Reapers present, a young woman. She was much shorter than Thunderhooves, but quite stocky and well muscled regardless, with a curly head of sandy blonde hair, rusty brown skin, and a serious expression. Fluttershy couldn’t hear what Thunderhooves said to the young lady, but she bowed to him and then he leaped off with great bounding strides in the direction of the fireworks display, while the young lady he left behind took charge of the other Soul Reapers and started to direct them to tighten up defensively around the stairs leading into headquarters. “Ah,” said Nocturn, “He’s leaving Lieutenant Strongheart in charge here while he investigates himself. Lucky us. Let’s move.” Only a tight hand squeeze from Applejack helped Fluttershy settle her nerves as Nocturn began to move swiftly and quietly along the edge of the cliff. They followed him, Clover still covering the rear of the group, and Pipsqueak huddling right behind Fluttershy and Applejack as Nocturn lead them at the head of the group. They were all but soundless shadows, largely helped by the fact that the last of the fireworks display was still providing enough distraction that nobody was even looking their way. But Fluttershy could tell the fireworks were trailing off. One second there were dozens of explosions of flashing sound and color in the sky, and the next there was only half as many. Then another few seconds saw there only being half a dozen erratic firework bursts. Fluttershy’s heart rate increased with each notable decline of fireworks. They didn’t have much time left! Where was Nocturn’s secret entrance? That question got answered as Nocturn stopped at a piece of cliff wall that looked as indiscriminate and plain as the rest of the rocky surface.  He reached out to the smooth stone and traced a symbol upon it in swift, deft motions of his finger. A kanji symbol glowed with a brief blue light, and then a small, person sized opening exposed itself in the cliff without making so much as a noise or tremor. “In we go. Just take the ladder down.” he said, and stood aside to offer them a clear path in. Fluttershy slipped inside, finding a short corridor leading to a opening in the ground with another ladder leading down about ten paces ahead. Applejack and her could barely fit in shoulder to shoulder, and Fluttershy stood aside to let Applejack go ahead. “Sugarcube, I know ya wanna wait fer Dash. I do too, but ya oughta go down first, ‘fore anybody spots us.” said Applejack. Fluttershy glanced back at the entrance as Clover, Pipsqueak, and Nocturn all moved inside one by one. Nocturn stayed at the entrance, peeking out to keep watch for Rainbow Dash’s return. She felt Applejack squeeze her arm, and looked over at her friend, Applejack’s green eyes standing out in the dark of the corridor as they swam with worry. “We gotta trust her, Fluttershy. She’ll make it back. She's smart enough ta sneak past that big lump o' a Captain. 'Sides, I kinda figure Soul Reapers ain't too used ta lookin' up.” Fluttershy swallowed her fears and nodded, turning to head for the ladder- In that instant a cloaked figure slammed into the entrance, blasting right into Nocturn and sending the startled Soul Reaper flying down the corridor like a sack of grain. His passage brushed past Applejack and Fluttershy, bowling them both over. Clover grabbed Pipsqueak, but before she could even react the cloaked figure sent a leg clad in dark violet armor kicking out to catch Clover in the side of the head. She was sent sprawling to the ground, utterly dazed. In the next moment Pipsqueak was grabbed and dragged outside, the cloaked figure seeming to fly on waves of purple light emanating like thruster fields from her cloak. “Aaaaah!” Pipsqueak cried as he was taken outside, leaving a shocked Applejack and Fluttershy standing there, blinking. Nocturn was down, slumped over the ladder leading deeper into the secret entrance. Clover was groaning, but not getting up quickly, blood streaming from a head wound. Everything had happened in mere seconds, leaving little time to react. Yet react Fluttershy did, not even thinking about it as her body lit up with bright, soft white and blue light. Wings, pony ears, and tail formed along with her brilliantly glowing third eye and halo, the shroud of pale cloth appearing around her shoulders from the center of the halo. She rushed outside, and saw Pipsqueak being hauled up into the sky by the cloaked figure, and without thinking about it Fluttershy took to the air herself, her wings beating quickly. She was nowhere near as fast as Rainbow Dash, but the cloaked figure clearly hadn’t expected immediate pursuit, nor was Pipsqueak being an easy captive, struggling and kicking at his captor. The cloaked figure had been rising up the side of the cliff, and Fluttershy saw something was glowing with purple electric light a dozen meters up, some object like a spike embedded in the stone. The cloaked figure saw Fluttershy, and she caught sight of purple eyes widening in surprise from inside the cloak’s hook. “You!?” the cloaked figure said in a surprised, female voice that was oddly familiar, just as Fluttershy reached her and gestured with one hand. “Return Pipsqueak, now!” Fluttershy commanded, her spiritual energy reaching out in a wave into the cloaked woman. Fluttershy felt resistance to her power, but also the strength and conviction of her will hit the other woman’s will like a hammer on an anvil. “Ugh...” the cloaked figure halted in mid-air, less than half a dozen meters from the odd glowing spike in the cliff face. The cloaked woman let go of Pipsqueak, who made a startled cry for a second before Fluttershy caught him. In response the cloaked figure shook its head, “Alright, that was weird. You have mind control powers, Fluttershy?” “How do you know my name?” Fluttershy asked, slowly flying back from the cloaked woman as she held Pipsqueak close. The woman’s voice was so familiar! She was sure she’d heard this woman speaking before. It brought back such odd, nostalgic feelings, but why? “Why wouldn’t I know your name, kiddo?” said the woman, who then raised a hand clad in dark purple armor that flowed with lines of pink energy, and pulled her hood back. “You hung out with my Dashie for, like, the entirety of kindergarten.” Fluttershy hovered in the air, dumbstruck. The woman’s violet eyes complimented a pink skinned face that had every bit of confidence and snark in its expression that her daughter Rainbow Dash had. Even her head of cobalt blue hair had a similar length and style to Rainbow Dash’s, with a lighter tone of blue streaking down its center. She removed her cloak with a flourish, revealing that underneath she was wearing a suit of armor the color of deep violet, streaked with circuit-like lines of pink energy. The armor didn’t cover her whole body, more like a frame that encased her upper chest, back, arms and legs, with boots sporting wide fin-like wings that matched the even larger series of blade-like wings that expanded from the back of the armor frame. Both the boot fins and blade wings exuded a haze of purple light that seemed to be what was keeping the woman aloft. A visor covered her eyes in a line of purple glass, attached to small circular nodes around her ears. “Mrs. Firefly!?” Fluttershy gasped. Firefly chuckled, “Long time no see, kid. How’s my Dashie? You two still close? Had a bet going with my husband that you would would've hooked up by now, so fess up, just how close are you? Third base? All the way?” “Whu...what?” Fluttershy just blinked, face blazing to red. “Yikes, still stuck in that shell, huh? Guess my Dashie has a lot of work to do to crack you out of there. Hmm, or is she more into that farm girl? I admit I haven’t exactly been keeping tabs as close as I should.” Firefly said, still talking as casually as if her and Fluttershy had simply bumped into each other on the street or at the supermarket. Before Fluttershy could respond to that, there was a shout from down below. “Hey! Who are you two intruders!? Identify yourselves!” It was Lieutenant Strongheart, her and the majority of the remaining Soul Reapers guarding the area having gathered below them, all staring up them. They had all drawn their Zanpaktou, and it looked like more than a few were preparing Kido spells from the way they held their palms up. “Hey, do you mind!?” shouted Firefly down at the Soul Reapers, “Trying to have a conversation up here, you dimwitted little pissant Reapers!” Strongheart’s face visibly colored, her whole stocky frame bristling, “What was that!? Oh, never mind! You’re all under arrest! Take them down, men!” Firefly rolled her eyes and winked at Fluttershy, “Just a sec, kid. Lemme take care of this real fast.” Firefly gestured with her right hand, and an object formed into her hand in a series of pink flashes of light, like building blocks appearing from thin air to assemble into a more complex form. That form being that of a giant, high-tech looking cannon with a hexagonal barrel, a long handle, and a scope that rose from the center of the weapon. Without preamble Firefly took aim, and pulled the trigger. The cannon immediately discharged a wide lance of purple lightning that tore down into the Soul Reapers in an explosive line, tossing most of them aside like ants. Firefly wasn’t done with that, however, and made another gesture with her left hand, where a set of projection rose from the armor of her left arm and fired off a series of streaking, miniature missiles that rode down upon the Soul Reapers on purple jets of light. Violet colored explosions pockmarked the area below them, throwing Soul Reapers around like rag dolls. When the smoke cleared, most of them were down, save for Strongheart herself who looked to be barely standing. “There, now where were we?” asked Firefly. Fluttershy looked at the casual destruction caused in just seconds, and shivered, her mind immediately going to the need to get down there and start healing critically injured Soul Reapers. But she still held Pipsqueak in her arms, and for some reason Firefly had just tried to take him. What was going on!? “W-what are you doing here!? Where... why..?” Fluttershy couldn’t even get her questions straight, she had so many! “You know, I totally get why you’re confused, but I literally have no time for twenty questions, Fluttershy.” said Firefly, sighing as she aimed her cannon at Fluttershy. “And I really don’t want to have to hurt you, so could you please hand that boy over? Nowish?” “What do you want with him?” “Yes, I’d quite like to know that too, you brutish woman.” said Pipsqueak. “Brutish? I was trying to play nice with you guys, ‘cause you’re all pals with Dashie.” said Firefly, sighing before eyeing Fluttershy with a hard stare that left Fluttershy feeling suddenly rather... exposed. “And I can’t explain things right now. I need the boy. Period. Otherwise years of work are going to go straight down the crapper. So hand him over. If not...” The barrel of her canon started to glow with baleful violet light. “I can’t promise to hold back.” Taking a deep breath, focusing on the calm feeilng stemming from her Fullbring, she hardened her voice and pushed out with her Fullbrings' spirit energy. "Leave us alone." The command hit Firefly like a wave, but Fluttershy felt much stronger resistance this time, Firefly's own spirit energy rising up like a current, pushing back against Fluttershy's own power. With a hard shake of her head, Firefly smirked and said, "Sorry kiddo, not going to get taken in by that power twice. Now that I know you can do it, I can harden my own defenses. Nice try though. Pretty impressive for a still incomplete Fullbring. Once you mature fully you'll be a real knockout." Fluttershy gulped, and glanced down at the secret entrance, which was still open. Without another second of hesitation she dove for it, flying at full speed. Firefly made a ‘tch’ sound and said, “Bad move.” She fired a lance of powerful purple lightning into the cliff face above the entrance. In a shower of rocks the entrance was blocked by a pile of rock rubble. Fluttershy skidded to a halt in mid-air, gasping. Applejack and the others had still been inside there! Were they okay!? The collapse didn’t look bad, only the entrance itself, but she couldn’t be sure. Still, the bigger problem was that now Fluttershy was trapped outside with Firefly. She landed on the ground and set Pipsqueak down, turning to face Firefly as the woman lowered from the sky as well, landing a few dozen feet away. “Can’t have you running off, girl. I need the boy. Make this easy on both of us and just hand him over, then you can go scurry off hiding somewhere. Seriously, it's amazing you girls have had the power and spine to invade Soul Society, but you can’t stop what’s coming. Just trust me and give Pipsqueak over to me. I promise you I won’t hurt him. No harm at all will come to him... in fact giving him to me is the only way to save his life.” Fluttershy opened her mouth to respond, but Pipsqueak beat her to it, stepping forward, “If you promise not to harm Lady Fluttershy then I will accompany you.” “Wait, Pipsqueak, you can’t do that!” Fluttershy cried, but he turned to her, smiling with wane reassurance. “I would rather be the captive of a ruffian than watch harm come to such a kind and pretty young lady. My honor as a nobleman would be tarnished beyond repair if I allowed you to come to harm defending me.” he bowed to her, and then turned to Firefly, “I shall go with you willingly.” “H-hey! I’m...ugh, I’m still here!” shouted Strongheart, “Stop ignoring me!” Firefly glanced at Strongheart, “Oh, you’re still conscious? Lemme fix that.” She aimed her weapon, but Pipsqueak shouted, “No, you shan't harm her either, or I will not cooperate!” “Oh for the love of... fine, but if the good Lieutenant makes a move, I’m blasting her.” “Lieutenant Strongheart, please remain where you are.” said Pipsqueak, “As a Lord of one of the Four Great Noble Houses, I command you to stand down.” Strongheart blinked a few times, then slowly nodded. “Y-yes, my lord.” “Well, okay then, guess that’s all settled.” said Firefly, running a hand over her hair as she raised her cannon away from Strongheart, instead just casually pointing it up as she leaned it over her shoulder. “This job has been nothing but a giant pain in the butt. I hate all this cloak and dagger crap. C’mon, ‘lord’ Pipsqueak. I’m on a seriously tight schedule, and it's taken too long already to do this.” Pipsqueak nodded, and despite a frightful look from Fluttershy, he only shook his head at her and approached Firefly. Once he reached her she offered him a hand and he grabbed onto it, and she put her arm around the young boy. Her other hand, still occupied by the cannon, flashed pink and the cannon vanished back into component blocks of light, freeing the hand to reach instead to the hip of her armored frame. From there a slot opened up and a strange metal spike extended, which she withdrew in one fluid motion. It looked just like the spike that’d been embedded up on the cliff face. Fluttershy wasn’t sure what it was, but then again she wasn’t sure what to make of the entire armored suit Firefly was wearing. There was no doubt it was her Fullbring. Fluttershy could tell that much just by the feel of its spiritual energy. Yet it seemed so much stronger than any of the Fullbrings she or her friends had. Was this what a completed Fullbring felt like? “Use this to get yourself and Dashie to safety.” said Firefly as she flicked the spike into the ground a few paces from Fluttershy. “Before Thunderhooves gets back. It’ll lead you to where your friends will be going, and one of them already is. Sorry we had to meet again like this, Fluttershy. Please take care of my daughter, okay? And tell her... tell her her mother’s sorry she’s had to be gone so long. Things’ll be confusing for a while, but in time, I hope she’ll understand why I’m doing what I’m doing.” With that she flew up, as fast if not faster than her daughter had ever flow, and went right for where the spike in the cliff face was. At the same time the spike at Fluttershy’s feet began to glow with purple electric streams of energy. From the top of the spike a circle of the same purple electric energy extended, to about the size of two or three people standing side by side. The same thing occurred at the spike on the cliff face, and at the same time both circles of light snapped into shimmering portals in the air. Fluttershy couldn’t see where the portal Firefly took Pipsqueak through led, for they vanished through it and the portal snapped closed too fast for Fluttershy to see. The one in front of her opened up into a well lit underground room, where lanterns hung on the wall showed a rather comfortable looking area filled with a few beds along one wall and shelves of supplies lining another. And shockingly, Rarity poked her head towards the portal, looking rather surprised. “Fluttershy!? Darling, what is this portal!?” asked Rarity, “Did you make this?” “R-Rarity? Where are you?” “Why, I’m in a Second Division hideout Ditzy Doo direct me towards. Where are you?” “Um, just outside the main entrance to the Soul Reaper’s big scary fortress?” “Oh my, where is everyone else then? And how are you making this portal?” Rarity asked as she tentatively stuck her hand through it, wiggling her arm about. “I didn’t even notice that odd spike in the floor until it started glowing.” “I-I didn't make it, Rainbow Dash’s mother did.” “Excuse me, did you say Rainbow’s mother?” There was a sound of cracking thunder as Rainbow Dash herself suddenly landed beside Fluttershy, battered, bleeding from a deep wound in her arm, and looking around in confusion. “Hey guys! Wait, what about my mom!?” Fluttershy felt her head going light. It felt as if entirely too much had been happening and she felt overwhelmed, but she took a deep breath, her active Fullbring doing wonders to help her keep her mind in order, as if a stream of cool water poured over the fires of her fears. “I’ll tell you in a moment, Rainbow, but let’s get through this portal first, and once we’re all safe we can talk.” Rainbow Dash grit her teeth, but nodded, and they both turned towards the portal, when a terrifying shriek of rage echoed over the courtyard. “Ryyyyokaaaa!” They all turned, even Strongheart who’d been standing in utter confusion at the turn of events, and beheld a bloody phantom of a figure charging into the courtyard. Looking like a raging she-demon, Posey rushed the portal, her pink hair a disheveled mass, her eyes blazing with murder, and her deadly Zanpakatou Kyoki already released to Shikai form in her hand. Its serrated blade whined with high pitched death as she leaped at the girls, snarling with spittle on her lips. “Rip apart and die Ryyokaaa!” Fluttershy again acted on instinct, her Fullbring supporting her calm as she moved. She pushed Rainbow Dash through the portal, knocking her into Rarity and both girls went tumbling away into the room beyond the portal’s threshold. Posey struck, still aiming for Rainbow Dash through the portal, but Fluttershy stepped in, raising her hand and widening her legs into a ready martial arts stance. She caught Posey’s arm and turned the blow of that deadly, spinning Zanpaktou blade away from Rainbow Dash. However the sheer strength in Posey’s arm was incredible, and even redirecting as much of the force as she could, Fluttershy wasn’t able to completely control the direction Kyoki went. The chain blade severed through the portal spike, which then flared with bright purple light. Fluttershy threw herself away, as did Posey, as the spike exploded, taking the portal with it in a shimmering fade. Fluttershy saw Rainbow Dash and Rarity on the other side, safe and sound, but the portal cut out and left Fluttershy alone in the courtyard with an injured Strongheart and an extremely irritate Posey facing her. Posey snarled, then almost just as quickly giggled with menace. “Oh, volunteering yourself to be carved up in that blue one’s place? Hehehe, fine, fine, fine, you’ll bleed and scream just as much as her!” Fluttershy gulped, and was infinitely glad that her Fullbring was helping her keep calm, even as she got into a ready stance and faced Posey as the crazed Soul Reaper charged her with nothing but murderous carnage shining in her eyes. ---------- She crawled up from the depths of a nightmare that she couldn’t remember, only the small fragments of visions of her friends in danger and the clawing fear that came with it. Awaking sweat soaked, Princess Twilight Sparkle sat up from the cot she had set up at Canterlot High, and squinted at the digital clock on the counter near her cot. It was the middle of the night still, and she’d probably only been asleep a few hours. Yet she didn’t think she could get back to sleep. Restless, she got up and went out into the hallway, heading for the restroom to wash her face and calm her nerves. Once that was done she headed for the cafeteria, intending to brew some coffee. “Can’t sleep?” “GAH!” Twilight jumped, and spun around to find Flash Sentry leaning against some of the lockers in the hallway. He smiled boyishly as she glared at him. “Sorry, forgot what ‘mode’ I was in.” he said as he gestured at himself, and Twilight realized he wasn’t in his normal school clothes, but instead was wearing the black robes and white sash of a Soul Reaper. His Zanpaktou was sheathed at his side, a curved hilt wrapped in blue cloth. “Did you float through the wall?” she asked, curiosity overcoming her irritation, and other more complicated feelings. “Yeah.” he pushed his hand through the lockers, the appendage disappearing through it as if the solid matter wasn’t there. “Wait, if you’re in a spirit form at the moment, how come I can see you?” He gestured at his legs, which started to disappear for a moment, then became solid once more. “Soul Reapers can make ourselves visible if we want to be seen, it's just that we’re not supposed to. It's just a matter of pushing a little reiatsu out to surround my body, same way I might raise it to defend myself against attacks. Heck, I could physically touch physical stuff this way too.” “Interesting. I wonder if that’s at all similar to how Aurora Sage’s Insubstantius Animus spell phases the matter of the caster to allow them to pass through solid objects.” Twilight wondered aloud as she leaned forward and poked at Flash’s chest, blinking in fascination as her hand passed through him. “Does that feel strange at all?” A soft chuckle huffed out of him as he stepped aside, “Tingles a bit. Kind of like how living people get goosebumps when a spirit passes through them.” His expression became serious as he said, “Are you alright? You should be sleeping. You’ve been working on the portal for hours, and that was after spending an entire day getting those siren girls situated back in your world. How’d that go, by the way?” “Oh, Aria and Sonata seem to have adjusted well enough.” Twilight said, “Without their siren gems, I mean. A part of me hoped they’d regenerate upon their return to Equestria, but no such luck. Their natural siren bodies need energy siphoned through the gems to survive, unlike their human bodies which can survive on normal food. Luckily the other Princesses helped me create a workaround, enchanting spell gems with energy that Aria and Sonata can feed on to sustain themselves. They’re not as effective as the siren’s natural gems, but as long as the supply holds out they should be fine.” Flash frowned thoughtfully, “Not really a long term solution is it?” “No...” Twilight said, glancing away, “But it buys them time until a more permanent solution can be found. They seem more interested in researching magic to help their sister rather than worrying about themselves. They spent the whole time tearing through my library. Even Sonata seemed focused beyond what I imagined her being capable of, from what little I’ve observed of her.” “Hope that works out,” said Flash, then eyed Twilight seriously once more, “But about my first question; you okay?” “Yes. I’m just worried. The few times I’ve slept, I’ve had dreams about my friends. N-nightmares really. I can’t shake the feeling they’re in serious trouble.” Twilight held herself, a pained look casting her face in shadow. “I feel so useless. All I can do to help is continue working on the portal, while they’re throwing themselves into mortal danger. I should be there with them.” “Twilight, trust me, where they’ve gone, you couldn’t help.” Flash said, and at her wince he quickly added, “Not that you can’t do anything, it's just... I know what they’re up against. You’re right to be worried, but at the same time if you’d gone with them I don’t think you could be doing anything more useful than what you’re doing here. If Sunset and the others are smart they’re avoiding any battles, especially against any Captains.” “Are your Soul Reaper Captains that strong?” she asked, perhaps a bit too much accusation in her tone, because Flash held up his hands defensively. “Hey, I got one Captain, and her name is Celestia. As for the others, well, yeah, they’re strong.” he said, sighing, “Sorry, I guess this isn’t helping allay your fears much, is it?” “It’s okay, Flash, I know this isn’t your fault.” she said, her heart heavy with a lead weight that seemed to hang between them. “None of this is your fault.” “But you haven’t forgiven me either, have you?” he asked, “For not telling you what I was when we first met.” “No! I mean, yes! I mean... I don’t know...” she said, looking away from him, “I understand you had perfectly good reasons to hide what you were. You’re not the only one, after all. This world’s Celestia and Luna also hid their identities, and Cheerilee as well. It makes sense that when getting visited by a strange being from another world that you’d have been sent to investigate me, to figure out if I was a threat or not.” She looked back at him, her expression still hurt, “But even so, if you were just looking to keep an eye on me you didn’t have to pretend to be... interested.” She realized it was sort of silly, given all that was happening, to focus any of her time on being emotionally distraught over this. There was literally next to no real connection between her and Flash. Just a brief sense of attraction that even Twilight wasn’t so dense that she couldn’t recognize. And it hurt to think that the first time she even had a flicker of feeling like that for anyone, it might have been built on a lie. Flash looked at her with an even stare, and he let out a long, slow breath, “You have every right to feel that way. Even if I told you I hadn’t been pretending anything, what reason would you have to believe me? I’ve already hid who and what I am from you, it's a fair question to ask if you even know who Flash Sentry is at all.” He held out a hand to her, “So how’s this? Let’s start over. Hi. My name is Flash Sentry, I’m a Lieutenant in the Gotei 13, Thirteenth Division, serving directly under Captain Celestia in a never ending quest to be amazing at battling Hollows, guarding a portal to a world of magical ponies, and if you’re interested I’d love to learn all about you, Princess Twilight Sparkle.” She looked at his offered hand, and the sincere look on his face, and she let out a genuine laugh of relaxed ease. “You’re kind of a dork, you know that?” He returned the laugh, “Says the Princess of Dorkness.” “Hey, I’m not a dork, I’m just very, very well learned!” she said, and took his hand, finding it now solid and warm. “At any rate, I was going to go make some coffee and get back to work on the portal. Care to join me?” “Lead the way.” As the pair walked down the hallway towards the cafeteria, turning out of sight, another figure moved out from where it’d been hidden down a side hall. A pointed hat and cape fluttered as the figure rushed down another hallway, quiet as a puff of smoke.