Equestria Girls: Friendship Souls

by thatguyvex

Episode 59: Ripples

The air was pleasantly cold against her skin as Rainbow Dash soared high above the shining streets of the Seireitei. She couldn’t go too high otherwise she’d run face first into the dome-like ward that encompassed the Soul Society’s inner sanctum, but her spiritual senses were sharp enough now to easily feel where that barrier was and she avoided it while enjoying stretching her new wings. Celestia had told her that if she wanted to go flying outside the barrier all she had to do was ask and she’d be supplied a ward pass, but Dash didn’t want to go too far away from the other girls for now.

She still didn’t fully trust that the more jerkish Soul Reapers might not try to pull something. Maybe that was paranoid, but what her mother had told her still sat at the back of her mind like a sharp pebble stuck in a shoe. She’d kind of hoped that once they’d put a stop to all the nonsense around here with the attempt to execute Celestia and Luna that things would settle down and make life simpler. Instead it only seemed that everything was even more complicated than they’d known and Rainbow Dash wasn’t really sure what think.

She let out a short laugh into the wind, doing a lazy roll through the sky to fly lower over a set of small hills dotted with trees that hugged the north western corner of the Seireitei.

Dash figured she was thinking too hard about all of this. She just needed to stick by her friends and keep them safe. As long as she did that, the rest would shake out alright. Even if she had to scuffle with her mother again, she only felt a surge of confidence, and even some anticipation. A lot of her anger was gone, and while confusion remained, she figured it wouldn’t last.

Casually looking around below her she noticed that the small hills were dotted with tall, white markers of stone, perhaps four or five per hill. Curious, she flew lower, intending to get a closer look, but pulled up short as she saw someone was already standing atop one of the hills. Hovering, she frowned as she recognized the heavily muscled man with dark blue skin and stormy gray hair. Hurricane was wearing his robes and Captain’s overcoat, but also carried a large gourd in one hand and Dash could smell the thick odor of alcohol even from thirty feet up.

“Either fly off somewhere else, or quit staring and land, Ryoka.” Hurricane grunted, tilting his head just enough to cast a flat glare at her.

Normally Rainbow Dash would’ve been just fine leaving this grade-A butt-nozzle to drown in whatever it was he was choosing to drown in, but morbid curiosity about the stones and what Hurricane was doing out here gave her pause. The idea that she could annoy the crap out of the bastard that tried to off her and her friends and rub his face in the fact that they were all still alive got her to actually land next to him, arms crossed over her chest.

As she did so Hurricane continued to eye her, then almost with a reluctant glower, he offered her the gourd that smelled like whatever it contained it had enough alcohol in it to knock out an ox.

“Dude,” said with a wrinkled nose, “I’m like, totally a minor.”

“No age limit in Soul Society.” Hurricane said bluntly, still holding the gourd out. “What, you afraid of a little drink, oh mighty Ryoka?”

Oh, so that was how it was going to be? Rainbow Dash’s jaw clenched and she snatched the gourd from his hand. “Gimme that. Afraid of a little drink, pfft, stuff is probably so watered down I won’t even feel it.”

She took a swallow before she could second guess herself. To her credit she managed not to sputter as the liquid burned a path down her throat to land in her stomach like a ball of hot coals. Through sheer will and determination she didn’t even cough as she glared and handed the gourd back to Hurricane, who was smirking at her with an exceedingly punchable look.

“Hmph, seems like I keep underestimating you Ryoka.”

Ignoring the burn of the drink Dash glowered, “The name is Rainbow Dash, you thick skulled musclehead! Drop the Ryoka crap already.”

Hurricane took a long pull from the gourd, some of the faintly red tinged liquid staining his chin and robes as he chugged from it. Finishing with a bored wiping of his mouth with a sleeve he muttered, “You still bark loudly for such a short, skinny thing. Has gaining that new form increased your arrogance further?”

“You’re the last jerk around here that should be talking crap about being arrogant.” Rainbow Dash shot back, smirking herself, “And hey, anytime you want to test me out, I’ll kick your butt all over this place!”

She wasn’t sure it was smart to pick a fight by herself, and literally just after they’d already stopped the fighting elsewhere, but damn did Hurricane have a way of getting under her skin that made her want to plant a fist upside his jaw. Could she actually take him, one on one, even with her complete Fullbring? She didn’t know. But she was sure as hell willing to find out if he kept provoking her!

However Hurricane’s expression turned withdrawn as his scoffed, took another drink and said, “Much as that might be entertaining, I have my orders. A good soldier follows orders, yes? Besides, even without orders, to fight here would be in poor taste. The dead don’t need us breaking anything around here.”

Rainbow Dash’s scowl turned to a brief look of bemusement as she glanced around, “The dead? Huh?”

Hurricane nodded to one of the nearest standing stones. Looking closer at it, Dash saw that what looked like names were chiseled in small but clear letters upon the sides of each stone, hundreds of them if not thousands. She started to notice now that other, smaller stones were situated between the hills a well, score upon score of them.

“What, do you think ‘death’ is a concept exclusive to you of the ‘living’ world?” Hurricane said, gesturing at the graveyard, “When a soul ‘dies’ we still have our own funeral rites to perform, ways for us remaining to mourn those lost.”

“Yeah, but... it mean, it's all part of this big reincarnation cycle or something, right?” Dash said, looking around at the stones, wondering just how many names were carved into the multitude.

“Certainly. We deal with death as our trade. It is our purpose to maintain that cycle of reincarnation so it may perpetuate unto eternity.” Hurricane swallowed some more of his drink, approaching the stone he’d been standing in front of and running his other hand over it. “Doesn’t mean we don’t mourn in our own ways. A soul, upon ‘death’, leaves a body for only a limited time before it will be absorbed into the ambient reishi of the Spirit Realm. We use cremation to hasten the journey to reincarnation, so we don’t bury our dead. We just carve remembrances of them. After all, they won’t, or at least shouldn’t look or act the same upon returning here after living their new life in the living world...”

He tossed the gourd aside, which Dash noticed was now quite empty. “They shouldn’t look or act the same at all...”

The light of realization flared up in Dash’s eyes. “You’re talking about Fluttershy.”

Rainbow Dash saw Hurricane straighten himself up, as if he hadn’t realized he had slumped at the grave marker. His look towards her was challenging, clearly angry. “Yes, what of it? I have no desire to speak with that girl. She isn’t my wife. We have nothing to do with one another. In fact I seem to clearly recall burying one of my blades through that girl’s shoulder, quite nearly killing her, so I rather think that precludes any notion whatsoever that I view her as anything other than a stranger at best, any just another enemy at worst.”

Despite his rather vehement words, Rainbow Dash detected a hint of guilt when he recounted how badly he wounded Fluttershy in their battle. Of course remembering that same thing made Dash’s own anger flare up hotly, but one look at Hurricane’s drunken face and the empty gourd on the ground told her he was more bothered by Fluttershy than he was trying to let on.

Unsurprisingly she found a name near where he’d first touched the grave marker.

“So, her name was Pansy?”

The glare Hurricane gave her could likely have cut diamond, but Rainbow just kept her arms stubbornly crossed and glared right back at him. After a few moments his glare cracked into an annoyed but relenting glower. “Yes.”

“Well, tell me about her.”

“And why should I do that?” Hurricane shot back.

To this Rainbow Dash kept matchings his challenging look, “Listen dude, you want to sulk here by yourself be my guest, but you’re the one who invited me down. I’ll jet on off and forget I ever saw you here drowning your butt in cheap booze, but if you want to friggin’ talk, then talk. Far as I’m concerned this Pansy chick must’ve been a damn saint to put up with your moody ass, but if Fluttershy really is her reborn or whatever, then that figures, doesn’t it? Only by what you’re saying I’m getting the feeling it's not supposed to work that way.”

He almost seemed ready to draw his Zanpaktou, the way his hand twitched and a vein pulsed on his forehead, but it seemed that Rainbow Dash words sunk in at least somewhat because instead of attacking her or tossing more harsh words her way he simply turned back to the gravestone, eyes contemplative.

“It's not. People are not supposed to retain much between cycles. Some traits, perhaps, but not nearly so... so close to who they were. Yes, your friend is so much like Pansy it is hard to not see her in everything that girl does. I ignored it, because to do otherwise would interfere with my duty, and I didn’t want to believe it either. I even choose to strike her down, hoping to remove that damnable confusion from inside me. It doesn’t matter at any rate. Your battles here are done and soon all of you will return to the living world, taking that girl with you. Neither I nor Posey will have to see her again, and the better for it.”

“Yeah, I’m not big on you and my friend having history either, buddy.” Rainbow Dash said bluntly, “I know she’s got this thing for being all compassionate and wanting to help people, but yeah if there’s one thing you and I agree on it's that it's waaaaay better if you and that Posey girl just kind of keep your distance from Flutters. We got enough on your plate without adding that kind of baggage to the mix.”

“Hmph, then yes, at least we are agreed upon one thing, Ryoka... Rainbow Dash.” He paused, then shrugged, “A shame we won’t likely face one another in battle again. You and your friends were the first decent fight I’ve had in far too long. With your increased strength I imagine I might break a sweat, if we were to fight once more.”

“Break a sweat? Yeah right, I’d be impressed if you even kept up with us.” Rainbow Dash said with a short laugh, then her eyes got serious once more. “So you didn’t answer my question. What was she like?”

Hurricane gazed at the gravestone, unblinking. “The worst soldier I ever knew, but by far the bravest. She would drive me to madness one moment with her endless acts of kindness, even to the enemy, and then leave me in blind awe to the lengths of courage she’d display to aid her comrades. In moments of peace there was no gentler soul, yet when properly riled I knew no woman more fierce in pursuing her convictions. How could I have not fallen in love with her?”

He closed his eyes. “How could I have let her fall?”

Rainbow didn’t speak, only waited patiently.

“I blame the defensive stance we’ve taken in the war.” Hurricane said, jaw tightening. “We should have been on the offensive, pushing the Hollows back into Hueco Mundo’s depths, not merely seeking to hold ground both here and in the living world. It's a fundamentally defeatist strategy. We will never beat the Hollows by attrition. I have told Scorpan this, but he believes our role as protectors also means we shouldn’t partake in an offensive war. So of course our strongholds are the target of raid after raid, and the Eleventh Division shoulders the burden of repelling these attacks. In such a situation casualties are only a matter of time. Especially when an Espada becomes involved.”

His hands clenched to fists, “One of these days I will destroy that Espada, but until today I had felt nothing but frustration at my fellow Soul Reapers for accepting the passive state of affairs. If nothing else I am grateful to Starlight Glimmer and you other Ryoka for shaking things up so much around here. Maybe finally Scorpan will consider taking the offensive. He seems convinced enough that he must render you human girls all aid, so perhaps my Zanpaktou will finally drink of Hollow blood upon Hueco Mundo’s sands.”

“Is that why you were so into being a giant jerkface during this whole fiasco? You wanted Soul Society to get riled up?” Dash asked flatly.

Hurricane chuckled, retrieving his gourd and slinging it over his back. “Perhaps. Or maybe I was just bored. I didn’t care if Celestia and Luna were traitors or not. Seemed ridiculous, but if it meant trouble, then at least I’d have something to carve my blade into. On the off chance it’d lead to the Captain Commander changing his stance on the war, I saw no reason to interfere with the course of events. Hate me if you want, but I don’t regret it. I got to cross blades with Sweet Cider, something’ I’ve wanted for some time, and I found a few more worthy foes where I least expected it. I suspect, even if I don’t see you girls again, that you’ll leave enough of an impact around here that the change I wanted may well come.”

He turned and started to walk away, speaking over his shoulder, “As for my departed wife, she remains a memory to me, and nothing more. My daughter might feel differently, but that is a foolishness I can’t correct. I imagine it shall be up to your friend Fluttershy to do that.”

----------

Fluttershy discovered that it wasn’t at all difficult to find where Lieutenant Posey was. Despite the fact that just a short twenty four hours ago she’d needed to sneak across the Seireitei alongside her friends, now she could walk the streets openly. Word had not only spread about what the now former Ryoka had done in general, but Fluttershy herself seemed to had earned some regard for her efforts to heal the wounded.

A few simple inquiries had lead her to where the Eleventh Division’s headquarters and barracks was located. It wasn’t far from the southern gate into the Seireitei, just off of one of the widest main streets cutting through the area. The Eleventh Division headquarters was second only to the massive central fortress in terms of size. A large stone foundation rose up over fifty feet tall, as wide as a city block. From this sprang a feudal pagoda fortress no less than ten stories tall. The thick main gates had the cross and slash kanji symbol for the number eleven stained in black calligraphy across the gate’s huge wooden doors.

Fluttershy felt a touch of nervousness as she spoke to the Soul Reapers guarding the gate, sensing that tense air surrounding the Reapes of the Eleventh Division. Few of them seemed happy to see her, in fact at best she got neutral looks or a few grudging nods of respect from those she passed while being escorted to Posey’s office on the top floor of the fortress. She supposed it made sense. While most of the other Soul Reaper Divisions had only had minimal contact with her and her friends, the Eleventh Division had fought them directly, including their Captain. It made sense that distrust was still a factor here, whereas most the rest of the Soul Reapers were more easily accepting of the humans in their midst.

Much of the lower levels of the fortress had seemed given over to training halls, or large, common sleeping and eating areas. Everything was darkly lit by hanging paper lamps, but she couldn’t help but notice that among the barrack sleeping areas there were actually quite a number of wounded being tended to within. When she asked her escorts why they were here and not being treated at the Fourth Division hospital the sullen Soul Reapers refused to answer and only continued to take her further up into the fortress.

On the top floor she was taken to a simple, humble room that already had its sliding wooden door open. One of her escorts paused at the door’s threshold and offered a salute to the person inside. “Lieutenant, you have a visitor. Its one of the Ryoka.”

From inside Fluttershy heard Posey’s voice respond, “I do? Um, which one is it? And please stop calling them Ryoka. They’re no longer our enemies.”

The other Soul Reaper stood more stiffly, his face a stone glower. “Yes, ma’am. It is the one named Fluttershy, ma’am.”

The response was an almost immediate noise of a chair nearly being knocked over and rapid steps to the door as Posey appeared there, bowling over the escorting Soul Reaper in her enthusiasm as she appeared with a wide smile. “F-Fluttershy!? Oh do come in! Please! Do you want some tea? I could have some sent up to us if you like.”

Politely coughing and smiling, Fluttershy said, “That would be lovely, but, um, you’re kind of standing on your subordinate.”

Posey blinked, and looked at the pour Soul Reaper she had essentially body tackled out of the way and was now partially standing atop. Her face reddened and she hid part of her face behind her dark pink hair. “Oh, um, sorry about that, Eighth Seat Ironhelm. Are you alright?”

“...Quite so, Lieutenant. Can I assume you would like for me to send for tea for you and your guest?”

“Yes, please.”

Once Posey got off of him the dour looking man got up and dusted himself off, managing another salute before leaving with stiff shoulders. Fluttershy watched him go for a second, but was quickly pulled into the office by Posey, who was still smiling from ear to ear. The interior of the office was fairly humble, with sections of soft interwoven straw mats rather than hardwood flooring. Either wall held several shelves for scrolls or books, flanking a plain desk and chair behind which was an open paper door that led to a short balcony with a commanding view of the eastern half of the Seireitei. Fluttershy noticed that on that balcony were several pots with plants blooming from them, what she recognized as small bonsai trees, each one well cared for.

The walls to either side of the balcony door had wall scrolls hanging from them, upon which were the careful and gracefully curved lines of calligraphy, none of which Fluttershy could read but found herself strangely drawn to. Seeing this, Posey said, “You like them?”

“Yes, they’re very pretty. I can’t read them but I can tell a lot of practice must have gone into such careful lines.”

This seemed to please Posey as her face all but glowed and she went behind her desk to stand by one of the calligraphy scrolls. “I’m so happy to hear you say that. Um, you know you’re the one who taught me calligraphy?”

At Fluttershy’s look, Posey quickly glanced away, saying in a quieter voice. “I mean, you know, my mother taught me. The bonsai trees too. She showed me how to properly care for them. I’d always hoped to show her how far I’ve come since then...”

The quiet pain in Posey’s voice stung Fluttershy’s heart, but she’d come here to help and she wasn’t sure it was a good idea to allow this poor girl to keep feeling confused. “I don’t doubt she would have liked that. May I sit down? I’d like to talk with you, if that’s okay?”

“Yes! Yes, of course.” Posey said, quickly taking a seat behind her desk, awkwardly shuffling some papers aside and putting away pen and inkwell. Fluttershy took a seat from one of several available before the desk and took a second to smooth out her clothing before meeting Posey’s nervous gaze.

“Um, well, first of all how are you and Kyoki doing? Do you remember everything that happened?”

Posey’s face blazed with rosey bashfulness as she patted an unsteady hand on her Zanpaktou’s hilt. “I remember. Not all of it, but I remember trying to defeat you and then falling asleep. Then... then seeing you inside Kyoki’s Inner World. I didn’t hear everything you said to him, but I remember you so kindly sitting over me and waking me up. It’s when I realized who you were...or had been.”

Fluttershy nodded slowly, trying to be encouraging in a way, but not too much so. “I just wanted to know if Kyoki was still bullying you or not.”

“Oh, uh, I don’t think so?” Posey glanced at her blade curiosity. “Something is different about him. During the last of the fighting I faced Third Seat Inkwell from the Thirteenth Division. I called out to Kyoki, but when he transformed it wasn’t like normal. U-usally I get really angry and violent as Kyoki and I go kind of... blood lusty. This time, though, Kyoki felt distant and I couldn’t feel him clearly. Even his blade wouldn’t spin. I don’t know what’s happening. I’m hoping I can get him to talk to me so I can find out what’s wrong.”

“Hmm, sounds to me like he’s sulking.” Fluttershy said with a frown, “I gave him a very stern talking to about how he was treating you.”

“A-and I’m grateful.” Posey said, her face showing a conflicted tide of emotions. “I never liked the way I would lose myself every time I used him to fight. I don’t like being that kind of person. B-but it made me so strong! I could match anyone in the Division besides father. Now... now I don’t know if I can fight nearly so well. I relied so much on that change in mindset. Without it, I feel like I’m of no use to father at all.”

The self-deprecation and crippling lack of confidence in Posey’s voice was a tone that Fluttershy herself knew entirely too well. She herself had spoken in that faltering, unsure manner countless times before when faced with frightening and difficult situations. She’d been fortunate to have friends who’d so often given her reasons to dig for wellsprings of confidence she’d never suspected she had, and the recent trials of battle against Hollows and Soul Reapers alike had slowly been forging a new sense of calm and purpose inside Fluttershy.

She couldn’t stop an upwelling of deep affection for and need to help Posey. Fluttershy didn’t question whether these feelings stemmed solely from her own kind nature and desire to help or from something altogether deeper and more maternal. Either way, she reached out and placed a warm hand over Posey’s and looked at her with comforting eyes.

“You know that’s not true at all. You are far from useless and never let anyone tell you otherwise. And if your father is even half the man he claims to be he would never treat you as useless either! Maybe Kyoki is acting different now because he’s starting to see he doesn’t need to make you act in such a dreadful way in order for you to be strong. Show him the confidence and courage I know you’re capable of and he’ll come around, but you have to believe in what you can do, Posey. Trust me, I’m talking from experience, nothing comes from moping around and doubting yourself.”

Posey shuddered upon hearing Fluttershy’s words, and for a moment Fluttershy feared she may have said something wrong, because Posey looked ready to break into tears right then and there. With a visible effort of will Posey composed herself and managed a halting smile, slowly grasping Fluttershy’s hand before letting go.

“I’m sorry. You’re trying so hard to be nice to me, yet it sometimes hurts so much to hear the way you talk, because you sound like her. Everything you say, even the way you held my hand just now...” she wiped at her face, before any tears could get out. “It’s like having her alive in front of me again. Which I know is wrong, but I can’t help it! I look at you and all I see is... is you, mother.”

The raw pain and need in Posey’s voice tore at Fluttershy, only increasing the want to go and wrap the girl up in a calming, parental hug, but she knew she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t keep feeding into this unhealthy obsession. Only she wasn’t sure how to stop it, either, save to separate herself from Posey, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it in such an abrupt and harsh way. Closing her eyes, she spoke in an understanding but firm tone.

“I’m sorry too. I don’t mean to hurt you this way. It isn’t fair of me to keep reminding you of someone you loved so much, especially when I can’t really be her anymore, even if in some other life I was. All I can do is say, from the bottom of my heart, that if your mother was still here she’d love you every bit as much today as when she was with you and she’d want you to live your life as free and honestly as you can, without hurting yourself with all of this self-doubt. I’m not her, but I hope that someday when you look at me you see a friend in the present, instead of a ghost from the past.”

Posey gulped and gave a gradual, tiny nod, clearing her throat in an attempt to keep any sobs down. “I... I hope so too, Miss Fluttershy. I think I would like having a... a friend like you. Its just going to take a long time, I think, before I stop seeing my mother in  you.”

Fluttershy took that with quiet acceptance. Just a moment later Ironhelm returned with tea in hand, respectfully pouring for both ladies and retreating from the room in silence. After a few minutes of quietly taking sips of tea together Fluttershy ventured to ask, “I saw a lot of wounded people downstairs. Um, may I ask why they’re here and not at the hospital?”

Posey blinked, “Oh, it's just that the Fourth Division is so short staffed right now, with all the casualties they took in that surprise attack. Because Eleventh Division is the most experienced front line combat unit many of our members have at least a little training in field medicine, so we can handle the bulk of our own wounded, a long as the injuries aren’t so bad.” She frowned in concern, “Although we do have a few cases we can’t properly treat. We can only make them comfortable until there’s room available at the hospital.”

“Well, I have some healing powers of my own. Maybe I can help your worst cases, until they can be sent to the hospital?” asked Fluttershy, to which Posey looked momentarily worried.

“I don’t see why not, but some of the soldiers are still touchy about having who they still see as enemies nearby. Still, that’s foolish of them, and maybe if you’re seen helping... yes, yes I think that’s a great idea moth...um, Fluttershy.”

Not long after they finished their tea, Posey and Fluttershy went down to the barracks level where the majority of the wounded were being tended to. Most of the injuries had been suffered either in the fight with the Thirteenth Division, or during the final clash at the First Division headquarters. Terrible burns from destructive Kido or deep sword gashes from Zanpaktou were the most common, and while some were lighter than others more than a few Soul Reapers were bedridden with injuries that would have killed a normal human by now. The area reeked of blood, sweat, and dull antiseptics. Fluttershy girded her stomach, forcing down her ill ease at seeing all the horrible wounds, and went to work.

She transformed into her Fullbring, which gained nervous or hard glares from many of the Soul Reapers present, but Posey kept them in check and made it clear Fluttershy was there to help. So Fluttershy went from wounded to wounded, targeting the most injured first. She would speak soft, kind words, even to the unconscious, as she let her power flow into them and willed their spirit energy to start mending their bodies while boosting their recovering ability with her own power.

Progress was slow. Hers was not a healing power that worked fast, but it did work relentlessly and very efficiently. One by one she took terrible wounds and transmuted them into less serious injury. Soul Reapers pale with fever started to grow colored and healthy. Blood soaked bandages were redressed over freshly scabbed over cuts. Without realizing what she was doing Fluttershy had begun to sing a simple, gentle tune as she worked and healed. A lullaby she’d known since childhood, even if she couldn’t quite remember where she’d heard it from.

“Hush now, quiet now...”

As she sang and did her work among the injured, the mood of the room changed, even though she was too wrapped up in what she was doing to notice. More and more of the Eleventh Division’s Soul Reapers looked at her with their expressions of distrust and anger waning into looks of mutual confusion, then surprise, then respect.

Posey stood to the side, watching, eyes wide. Fluttershy couldn't have known it, but the song she was singing, that old lullaby, it was something Lieutenant Pansy had sung to the troops when she’d been looking after them. While Pansy had not had Fluttershy’s healing powers, she had been the Division's best battlefield medic, and had used this song to soothe many injured warriors over the years.

Now, just as Posey had seen, every member of the Eleventh Division was seeing this human girl didn’t simply have Pansy’s appearance, but her soothing and healing heart as well.

----------

“Oh my, this tea is just pure divinity in a cup!” Rarity exclaimed, settling in contented ease in her seat at one of the few occupied tables of the inn and tea house’s large common room. It was the very same inn she and Captain Blueblood had battled in the courtyard of, and all she had to do was turn her head to look out one of the open windows to the pond with the small island and single cherry blossom tree.

Damage from that fight still littered the inn, from holes in the ground to bits of debris from broken parts of the walls, but the staff were working swiftly and diligently to affect repairs. Rarity had partially come here just to make sure that the inn was being taken care of. Fortunately it sounded as if the cost of repairs was being soaked by the Gotei 13 and the inn proprietors weren’t being charged anything. The business oriented part of her mind had eagerly engaged the inn owner in a bit of financial talk. She was curious how Soul Society’s economy worked, and as it turned out it wasn’t so very different from the world of the living. People performed tasks, offering services and goods in trade for pay or barter. The biggest difference was in what was valued and why. Basic needs like food and shelter were less of a concern because spirit bodies normally required less of both than living ones did, but comforts, luxuries, and entertainments were highly prized as the biggest commodity of all were ways to alleviate boredom.

The inn itself was much more a place for creature comforts and entertainment than a place of rest for those visiting the Seireitei, hence its reputation as serving some of the finest tea available in all the Spirit Realm. As she sipped upon the marvelous beverage, with its near perfect blend of flavors, she could hardly dispute the claim. The inn proprietor, a kindly and elderly lady by the name of Lotus Wiles, seemed delighted to have Rarity as a guest and had even recommended a hot spring bathhouse and massage parlor that was supposedly of as high quality in its reputation as the inn.

Rarity sincerely hoped some of the girls would join her there later, although everyone seemed to have their own things to focus on. Rarity wished the all luck in tying up their own loose ends, but Rarity was mostly just feeling the need to relax after all they’d endured over the past few days. She wanted to enjoy some peace and quiet with no interruptions-

“Is this seat taken, my lady?”

Upon hearing that voice, Rarity pinched her eyes shut and set her tea down with a faint shudder. “If I said yes, would that make you go away?”

Standing across from where she was seated, Captain Blueblood’s eyebrow twitched but he maintained a polite smile as he spread his hands in a passive and universal gesture of peace. “Come now, dear lady, surely with the hostilities at an end we can enjoy each other’s company without the need for any lingering grudges. After all I do recall you saying that if I worked on my attitude you would at least consider giving me a chance.”

“I believe I said that would require a lot of work...” Rarity said under her breath, but gave the man a considering look. There was still a very clear and present aura of arrogance about him, and a certain hint of frustrated petulance... yet the smile he wore seemed genuine enough and his expression was not without a certain earnestness. And once again, much as she hated to admit it to herself, he was painfully handsome. As long as he kept himself civil she supposed there was no harm in sharing some polite company.

“That said, it would be rude to toss your offered olive branch back in your face, so if you wish you may sit. Just don’t think this entitles you to any further liberties than my company. I expect nothing short of gentlemanly conduct, Captain Blueblood.”

His smile flashed with equal amounts warm pleasure and a boyish cocksuredness that Rarity couldn’t yet decide was charming, or worthy of a good slap. “Perish the thought that I would overstep my bounds, my lady.”

With a simple and yet elegant flourish of his Captain’s coat he sat opposite her and quickly called for the innkeeper. “Miss Wiles, please bring me my usual, plus a bottle of your finest sake.”

At Rarity’s immediately raised eyebrow, Blueblood held up a forestalling hand, “Only for myself and in moderation, I swear. I am aware that by the standards of modern mortal law you are ‘underage’.”

“Yes, well, don’t tell anyone this but I have tried a nip or two of wine on certain occasions.” Rarity said with a small, clandestine smile. “My part time job at Miss Prim Hemline’s boutique sometimes involves helping her host parties for numerous important people among fashion circles. I intend to build myself a future career and in order to do some networking I need to blend in with the older crowd. Heh, most of the people at those parties have no idea I’m as young as I am.”

“Quite industrious of you. I’m impressed. Are any of your friends so keen on building their careers as you?”

Rarity gave the question a moment of thought, “I don’t consider it my place to judge, really. We’re each different. I imagine Rainbow Dash will end up in one professional sport or another. Applejack has her family’s farm, and I don’t see her ever wanting to do anything else. Fluttershy is a shoe in for becoming a veterinarian, as long as she learns how to handle people better. I have no idea what Pinkie Pie might end up doing, but she seems happy doing anything, really, so I don’t really worry about her. As for Sunset and Twilight, why they’re both so incredibly bright that I find it hard to imagine them not working in some field of science in the future. Why do you ask?”

A momentary look of seriousness crossed Blueblood’s features as Lotus Wiles brought both more tea and a bottle of sake. Blueblood carefully poured himself a cup from the tea, offering Rarity the same. The smell was of a distinctly more spicy flavor than what she was already drinking, and out of curiosity she accepted the offered cup. The tea was quite warming and soothing, despite the sharp spice of it. After a moment of taking a sip himself, Blueblood answered her question.

“I was only wondering about whether recent events have given you any pause in considering your career options. Surely your lives have become far less... mundane than before. Not that there is anything to look down upon in, say, pursuing a fashion career, but with your powers and skills, combined with how unlikely it is that you or your friends will ever be entirely safe from the dangers the Hollows represent, have you thought about the possibility of working with Soul Society in a more official capacity.”

Rarity licked her lips and slowly set down her tea, turning her eyes towards him, her thoughts sharp and pointed. “I recall Platinum talking a similar tune before all this unpleasantness. Are you just parroting what she said then?”

His face colored, “No! Not at all. Trust me when I saw no one is more... ashamed than I am that Platinum turned upon Soul Society.” A frustrated sigh exploded from him as he hunched down in his chair, lips pursing as he drummed fingers on the table. “Her family and mine were allies for generations. We still are, technically. Even with her and Lord Pipsqueak gone, the Platinum Noble House has other members who will need to work hard to recover from the loss of honor from Platinum’s actions. As the head of the Blood Noble House I could either sever my ties with them, or work to help them recover. I have decided honor dictates I ensure the family recovers as best it can. Which may cause my own family some trouble, but that seems a fair price for allowing myself to be so easily taken in by Platinum.”

He grimaced, offering her a helpless shrug, “I only ask what I did because regardless of how you or your friends feel about Soul Society right now, it is in everyone’s best interest to be allied against a common enemy like the Hollows.”

It also probably helped that such an alliance would afford him the chance to continue to be around her to one degree or another, Rarity mused. In fact she imagined that might be Blueblood’s sole motivation for wanting to encourage her towards the idea of focusing her life on combating Hollows and working with Soul Society, as that would mean they’d likely see much more of each other. Of course Rarity didn’t entirely disagree with his logic. It was impossible to think that with the changes that had happened to her and the other girls that they could entirely return to their normal lives. Which weren’t all that normal even before they’d awakened their spiritual powers. Rarity had no intention of giving up on her fashion career, but it would be naive to think she could have a totally normal life at this point.

And would it be so terrible to have allies against brutes like Grogar, or the more extreme Quincy like Fleur De Lis? Clearly not all Soul Reapers were zealots or muscle heads like Hurricane. Indeed with a few exceptions most of the Soul Reapers Rarity had met seemed fine enough people. Having them as friends to count on in helping in future battles was both sensible and even appealing to a degree. After all, Platinum was gone now.

There was that slight tripping point of the Zero Division, but Rarity imagined that was a rather massive bridge to be crossed when it came up. Hopefully at a much later point.

Sipping her tea again, Rarity said, “I don’t entirely disagree, Captain Blueblood. Of course some of my friends may feel differently, but I like to think of myself as practical girl, and there is some practicality in us working with Soul Society. As long as we maintain our own freedom, of course.”

“Of course.” Blueblood agreed, “After what’s already transpired I can’t see the remaining Captains wanting to try to control you or your friends.”

She knew Celestia had warned against asking too many questions, but she hadn’t said they couldn’t ask any questions. Rarity gave Blueblood a shaded look, slowly sipping her tea before asking, “Does that also apply to the Zero Division?”

His pale, marble skin went practically ashen before Blueblood quickly recovered his wits, looking at her with wide eyes. “You are a well informed woman, Miss Rarity.”

“One picks up things.” she said coyly, “I’m afraid I know little else than their name and that they are a tier above on Soul Society’s totem pole of authority. Which is of course why I’m curious what they might think of all this.”

Nervously Blueblood reached for the sake bottle and poured himself a generous cup, downing it quickly. A  moment later he seemed to consider taking another shot, but then set the bottle and cup down. “I can’t say much, my lady. They very rarely interact with the Gotei 13 directly. No doubt they will take an interest in what’s happened down here, but what they will do, I can’t even begin to guess. They may do nothing at all. That’s usually their response to things down here.”

“I see. That’s not terribly encouraging, but thank you for answering honestly.” Rarity said.

Blueblood seemed hesitant before he spoke again, yet there was a strange light in his eyes, and a note of sincerity. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you more, my lady. I don’t believe you or your friends are in any danger, but... on the very off chance something were to happen in which the Zero Division took on untoward interest in you ladies I give my word as head of the Blood Noble House that you will be defended to the utmost of my ability.”

She offered him a small smile, “Quite the turnaround, given our first meeting, Captain Blueblood.”

He settled back in his seat, “It was a meeting that gave me much to think about. These past few days have been... humiliating in more ways than one. On one hand I won’t lie, I hate having to partake of any slice of such humbling pie. I am not used to accepting fault. But following Platinum blindly was a mistake, and I have but myself to blame. My defeat at your hands, however much as it stings me to admit, was also my own doing. On the other hand, I am trying to look at this as an opportunity to do as you suggest and... work on myself. I intend to make myself more worthy of this Captain’s rank I bear, and perhaps of one day being equally worthy of turning the eye of a certain stunning lady who’s passion for fashion seems equal to her skills in battle.”

“I suppose we’ll see.” Rarity replied, hiding her smile behind another sip of tea.

The rest of their time passed with far more idle talk, mostly Blueblood easing into talking about the various delights of Soul Society with not so subtle hints that he’d very much enjoy showing her the sights, while Rarity enjoyed providing coy evasions while taking mental notes on anything that sounded genuinely interesting. Before long a messenger from Blueblood’s Division arrived with a missive summoning the Captain away on business, to which he made a grumbling but polite exit while giving her a final forlorn look. Clearly he’d much rather continue relaxing and working on wooing her than going back to work, but he did go, and Rarity surmised that was probably as much a sign of progress as anything else where the man’s attitude was concerned.

As she finished off her tea, Lotus Wiles started to clear her table and gave Rarity a measuring but smiling look.

“It seems you’ve certainly lit a flame underneath that boy’s feet.” the elderly woman commented.

“Apparently he was in a thorough need of a proper whack upside the head to get it done.” Rarity replied, tapping her chin thoughtfully, “Honestly I can’t yet tell if his claims to turn himself around are genuine or merely a temporary mask he’s putting on in hopes of impressing me.”

Lotus Wiles nodded solemnly, “If you want the take of an old woman who has known that boy for some time now, I can say this much. For many years I’ve seen little Blueblood come into my teahouse, always making himself the center of attention, and never taking anything seriously. Often he’d have a girl or two attached to him, and yes he would certainly put on masks as he played with them.”

Rarity frowned, easily imagining the young Captain acting like the foppish playboy that Lotus Wiles described.

“However,” Lotus Wiles said, “He never looked at any of those girls like the way he was looking at you.” At Rarity’s questioning gaze the elderly woman shrugged, “I’m not saying he’s going to be a changed man overnight, or perhaps ever at all, but you’ve certainly sparked something in him. Take that as you will, as the simple observation of an old woman.”

After a moment Rarity gave a dainty shrug. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

----------

“Hey there Troubleshoes.” Applejack said with an embarrassed chuckle at the tall and bulky Soul Reaper, whose head was still wrapped up in thick bandages. “How’s the ol’ noggin’?”

With a deadpan stare Troubleshoes said, “Been better. Been worse.”

They were talking at the front steps of the Tenth Division’s headquarters, which was bustling with Soul Reapers heading in and out in work crews being assigned to help with rebuilding and repairs to the various damages done during the fighting across Seireitei. It was hard not to see her mother’s stamp of hard, honest work imprinted on the focused faces of the Tenth Division's Soul Reapers, not a one of them slowing down or wasting any time as they set about their tasks.

Even the wounded like Troubleshoes seemed too eager to work to let little things like injuries get in their way, although Troubleshoes was regulated to easy administrative tasks on account of his head injury made him dizzy if moved around too much. Applejack was a little regretful she’d had to give him such a hard thrashing, but at the same time she accepted that he hadn’t given her much choice. Still, she could at least not give him a hard time about it.

“Sorry ‘bout the lump on the head, but hope it’ll be water under the bridge. Don’t suppose ya seen my ma about?”

“Sure did. Just my luck she had a mountain of paperwork to hand off to me. Was just going to get some more ink to deal with it before you showed up at the door.” he said in a gloomy tone before gesturing to the interior of the building. “You’ll find the Captain at the end of the main hall, first door on the right. Try not to kick anyone into a coma on your way there.”

“Gee, ain’t you just full o’ sour apples? I didn’t kick ya that hard.”

“My concussion says otherwise, but guess you’re right, I shouldn’t take it personally. You were just doing what you had to. Shoulda figured I couldn’t stop the Captain’s kid in a straight up fight.”

“Everyone ‘round here know ‘bout that then?” Applejack asked, having already noticed some of the looks she was getting. Far from hostile, many of the Tenth Division Soul Reapers were looking at her with equal parts curiosity, awe, and respect. More than a few of them had paused in what they were doing long enough to bow to her as she’d passed by, which really just served to make Applejack feel extremely awkward.

“Yup. Once the word got out, wasn’t like it was gonna stop, and the Captain ain’t the sort to hide things from us.” Troubleshoes said with a shrug, “Anyhows, I got to get back to work.”

As it turned out she hardly needed Troubleshoes directions to find her mother, as she heard Sweet Cider almost as soon as she entered the headquarters building. Her mother had quite the booming, commanding voice, and Applejack simply followed it to the source.

“Don’t care what them Kido Corps fellows are bellyachin’’ over, tell ‘em we’re sendin’ the materials over fast as we got bodies ta carry ‘em!” Sweet Cider was telling to a group of Soul Reapers, who quickly bowed and rushed off while next to her Silverstar was carrying a rather long list from which he was scratching off items.

“Next up we got requests from the Academy that are needin’ repairs ta the grounds ya’ll tore up with yer daughter, Captain.” Silverstar said, just as he spotted Applejack rounding the corner. “Speak o’ the devil.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow, “That a thing? The devil?”

Sweet Cider huffed out a laugh, cracking a half-smile at her daughter. “Y’know I thought o’ askin’ the same thing, but figured I ain’t needin’ ta get worked up over theology. If there is a’ fellow who match’s ol’ Scratch’s description, he’s probably on the Hollow end o’ things.”

Silverstar glanced between the two women and coughed politely, “Actually, if yer talkin’ serious-like, then reports on the First Espada peg ‘im as a kinda large, red, an’ horned.”

Sweet Cider rolled her eyes, “Well there ya go. I’ll add the bastard ta the list o’ people I need ta apply my boot ta their backside, although he’s got ta git in line behind Hurricane and Platinum.”

“Fer now, Captain, I’m suggestin’ we focus on more productive things, like finishin’ our work here.” Silverstar said, then stroked his moustache as he looked at Applejack, “O’ course I figure ya can take a break an’ I’ll handle the paperwork fer a spell, ma’am.”

“Thank ya Silverstar.” Sweet Cider said, then turned and clapped a hand on Applejack’s shoulder, “Well girl, ya wanna go fer a walk? Figure ya need ta get some things off yer chest, right?”

“Somethin’ like that.” Applejack said, “A walk sounds mighty fine, yeah.”

“I’ll leave you ladies to it then.” Silverstar said, “I’ll be in yer office once yer done, Captain.”

With that Sweet Cider led Applejack back outside, seeming to choose a random direction down the streets beyond the headquarters. Both Apples were silent for a time, not uncomfortably so. Applejack remembered plenty of times wandering around the orchards back home with her mother, just enjoying the day. It was almost possible to imagine that’s what she was doing now, but Applejack was just too stuck in the reality to fully get lost in the memories. The white washed, clean streets around them, with the otherworldly air of the Seireitei being drawn with every breath, combined with the constant reminder of her mother’s position from the Soul Reaper robes and Captain’s coat she wore to the large Zanpaktou sheathed at her side all kept Applejack rooted in the now.

Eventually she broke the silence.

“Ya decide what yer doin’ yet, ma?”

Not one to mince words, Sweet Cider replied quickly. “Yeah. Weren’t as easy as I thought it’d be. I’m still angry somethin’ fierce towards the old man fer keepin’ my memories locked up, but after talkin’ to him I also get it weren’t as simple as just lettin’ me run loose. This Zanpaktou o’ mine is mixed up with my Fullbring powers, an’ he don’t know just how that’s gonna shake out without a seal. I’m gonna have ta let Starswirl tinker with it a bit ta see if a’ better solution can be found ta keep them Hollow powers from messin’ with my head.”

“Still don’t figure why they had ta keep yer memories locked up.”

“Didn’t want ta risk the danger I’d go rogue like Firefly did, I’m figurin’. But seems like the old man has learned from that mistake, an’ he ain’t plannin’ ta try an seal up my memories or my Fullbring no more. An’ he told me straight up that if I wanted ta walk away, he wouldn’t stop me.”

Applejack was sullenly silent for a moment, “...But yer not gonna, are ya?”

“...Eenope.”

They’d reached a wooden bridge passing over a small canal, and Applejack paused there, leaning on the rail. Her mother stopped, watching her. After a second Applejack’s hands gripped the railing so tight they cracked the wood, but she otherwise showed no other sign of what she was thinking as she looked at her mother.

“Will ya at least come back fer a bit? Ta see the farm, an’ the family?”

“Was thinkin’ ‘bout it.”

“Just thinkin’?”

Sweet Cider turned with a heavy look, leaning against the bridge rail beside Applejack. “Guess I’m just a’ bit scared. I know if I see ‘em again its gonna be hard ta do what I got ta do when its time to come back. I wanna see ‘em though. How big my baby Apple Bloom’s grown. What kind o’ handsome young man my Big Mac is now. An’ o’ course how well ma is. Couldn’t be easy on ol’ Granny takin’ care o’ things with me an’ Hard Nail gone, an’ it’d be good ta see her one more time ‘fore she ends up on this side.”

“Then come back with us!” Applejack said emphatically, waving a hand, “Don’t have ta be long! Ya don’t even need ta use one o’ them fake body things, ya can just come as ya are!”

“I know, hayseed. I just wonder if it’ll hurt ‘em more than if I didn’t. I already know Granny’s got a’ hint o’ the truth, an’ I don’t know how much they already know ‘bout you an’ yer powers.”

“After Grand Fisher, they know pretty much all I know, save fer what’s gone down here in Soul Society.” Applejack said. “They’d wanna know ‘bout you one way or another, an’ I’ll be tellin’ them the truth anyway. So why not come an’ at least let ‘em know in person yer doin’ alright?”

“Heh, yer as stubborn as yer pa when he knows he’s right ‘bout somethin’... ah, ta heck with it, yeah, I’ll come.” Sweet Cider said, but her expression was still serious. “But only fer the once. The afterlife might not be what I thought it oughta be while rasin’ ya, but the dead got to stay that way, an’ much as there things I ain’t likin’ ‘bout Soul Society this is where I belong now. I got people here who depend on me. The Tenth Division is full o’ decent folk, and I’m thier Captain. Might not’ve come by the job in the way I would’ve liked, but it's still mine an’ there ain’t no Apple who shirks a job once she starts it!”

Applejack sniffed, blinking back a tear. “Ain’t that the truth? I’ll tell ya this much, ma, I ain’t keen on the idea o’ trustin’ Soul Society, but long as yer here keepin’ ‘em honest then I’m thinkin’ I can give this place another chance ta earn my trust.”

Sweet Cider nodded firmly “Ya better believe I ain’t gonna tolerate no shenanigans ‘round here. If they thought I was a hardcase before, they ain’t met the real Sweet Cider yet.” She paused, looking up at the sky with a suddenly subdued and wistful, yet uneasy expression. “An’ if you an’ yer gals are plannin’ ta go to Hueco Mundo, then yer gonna need backup. Don’t plan nothin’ without tellin’ me first, ‘cause there ain’t no way I’m not going there with you lot. We Apples got unfinished business with them Hollows.”

Applejack swallowed past a suddenly dry mouth. “Pa...”

Sweet Cider’s hand rested calmly upon the hilt of her Zanpaktou. “As a Soul Reaper I got a’ responsibility ta set his soul ta rest. If he really is a’ Hollow now... me n’ him will need ta sort it out.”

“Do ya think that he... that he remembers us? He didn’t get no memory seal like you did.”

“True, but if he’s a Hollow, that’s a whole ‘nother bag o’ snakes ta deal with. Ain’t no way to know what state o’ mind he’ll be in ‘till we find him. An’ even if he does remember...” Sweet Cider’s expression turned sullen but determined. “Don’t change what I gotta do. I ain’t lettin’ my husband spend eternity as a devourer o’ souls.”

Applejack was slow to respond, but when she did it was with a firm, agreeing nod. “Just promise me, ma, that ye’ll let me be there when it happens. Ya won’t try ta shield me none.”

Sweet Cider looked at her evenly and offered her hand, spitting into it. “Ya got the word o’ an’ Apple, girl.”

Without hesitating Applejack spat into her own palm and clasped it with her mother’s.

“Then it's a’ deal. We’ll save pa’s soul together.”

----------

Pinkie Pie happily bounced along the busy street of Rukon District 72. Hundreds of people filled the street, many of them wearing a colorful mix of clothing from various eras ranging from ancient Rome to the Middle Ages, all the way to modern European fashion. Pinkie Pie had half listened to Cheese Sandwich describing the way the different Rukongai, or Wandering Soul City, was broken up into different Districts based off a combination of real world cultures and subcultures, but also historical periods. Of course there was a lot of mixing between Districts, and some Districts were actually built to be cross-sections of these mixed cultures or time periods. Pinkie Pie didn’t really get it, but she loved how upbeat and colorful everything was compared to the grimy and gloomy District she and the girls had seen when they’d first arrived.

“Why do all those people live in that grumpy place if there’s cool Districts like this?” Pinkie asked as she giggled, poking at a merchant booth where a woman in a toga was selling various sweet smelling pastries.

“That’s a bit of a conundrum, and mostly our own fault.” Cheese Sandwich said with a sigh, hands lazily resting in the sleeves of his Soul Reaper robes as he followed behind her. He wasn’t wearing his Captain’s coat, so he didn’t attract too much attention while escorting Pinkie Pie around the Rukongai. “There’s so many souls that end up here and we can’t regulate every District as well as we’d like. Just don’t have the Reapers to spread around, especially with the war and all. So some Districts get taken over by souls who aren’t as content with the afterlife as others. Crime skyrockets, things don’t get as well regulated or maintained, gangs start to rule the streets, and not enough Soul Reapers to enforce peace. As a result we get some nastier Districts that pretty much are all full of the dregs that seem attracted to that kind of lifestyle. Doesn’t help that, as you might have noticed, these Districts are pretty crowded already, so some souls just don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“That’s sucky. We oughta find a way to make those other places less frown filled and brighten things up!”

“Love to, and if we weren’t in a state of war I could probably get my Division focused on its real job of maintaining morale and functioning as peacekeepers.” Cheese Sandwich said.

Pinkie Pie picked out a pastry, a rather large honey cake stuffed with fruit, and paid for it with a few oval shaped copper coins provided by Cheese Sandwich for this little excursion. Munching away, Pinkie Pie walked on down the street, her mental wheels twirling along in their own unique ways. “Huh, there’s so many people here I figured you could just hire a whole bunch of them to be like a party patrol, going around putting smiles on faces and cracking down on any grumpy gusses. I mean, it's not like you need snazzy Soul Reaper powers to make someone else smile or stand up to a meanie pants.”

Cheese Sandwich actually took that with a thoughtful expression, “Not a bad idea, if there weren’t pretty strict rules against there being armed groups besides the Gotei 13.” He snickered, “Guess we could get around that rule by not ‘arming’ this party patrol of yours, except with sweets and jokes. A well timed pun can be just as effective as a sword strike.”

Pinkie Pie turned to him, walking backwards with a wide grin. “Are you saying they can be quite punishing?”

Cheese Sandwich immediately stumbled in place, pretending injury as he clutched at his chest. “Oh! The pain! That was so horrible I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut!”

Pinkie giggled, “And if I delivered it with better timing it’d also be puncutal.”

Abruptly pink mist flowed out of Pinkie Pie, forming into Pinkamena who with a sour grimace on her face proceeded to walk away from the laughing pair, “Okay, that’s it, I’m out of here. Even hearing that from your subconscious was painful.”

“Don’t you mean punful?” Cheese Sandwich asked, and Pinkie Pie clutched her gut with laughter. Pinkamena shuddered like a frazzled cat.

“I think I liked you better when you were trying to kill us.”

Cheese Sandwich’s face went from jolly to grimly serious in an eyeblink, his voice not unkind but oddly edged. “I was never trying to kill you girls. Trust me.”

Pinkie Pie’s own expression turned a bit uneasy and crestfallen as she hung her shoulders, sighing. It was easy to forget what had happened between her and Cheese Sandwich because he seemed to have such a relaxed and friendly attitude, and Pinkie really didn’t want to dwell on her fight with him. She’d lost, and that stung, because she really wanted to be helpful to her friends and some part of her felt like maybe she was falling behind them, but at the same time it just wasn’t worth it to get depressed. Especially because of the dynamic between her and Pinkamena that meant that any negative feeling she had would get shouldered by her other half. She wanted to take on those feelings and get even closer to Pinkamena.

Bouncing over to her doppelganger, Pinkie hugged her from behind, “It’s okay, Mena. Cheese ain’t a bad guy, and the fighting is done.”

“Which means you don’t need me right now.” Pinkamena said, but Pinkie shook her head into the doppleganger’s back, hugging her tighter.

“No way, I want you around even more when we’re not fighting! In fact, new rule, I want you hanging out as much as possible from now on! You don’t have to go vanish into my headspace.”

“Hmph, what makes you think I want to hang out here?”

“Weeelll, I mean if you’re in my head you’re stuck hearing all my silly puns and jokes, right? But this way we can hang and have fun, but if you want to go do things for yourself you totally can!” Pinkie said, turning Pinkamena around and sweeping her arms out at the town around the, “In fact if there’s anything you want to go do, you’re totally free to do it! Let’s go do what you want to do to have fun!”

Pinkamena licked her lips, flashing her sharp teeth, “Ooooh? You remember my idea of fun usually involves screaming and bloodshed, right?”

“Uhh, well, maybe we can find some MA rated video games for you to play to work out those feelings in a constructive way?” Pinkie Pie asked, then blinked and looked over her shoulder at Cheese Sandwich, “You guys have those, right?”

“Maybe? Honestly if your violent other wants to get her headbashing in, we are in a District with Roman ties, which means there is a Coliseum around here somewhere. Killing isn’t allowed, but there’s plenty of folk around who enjoy a good maiming for fun and profit.”

Pinkamena’s face split in a lip stretching grin showing all of her teeth. “You don’t say?”

----------

Sunset found the Fourth Division’s hospital even more busy than she suspected it’d be. It was clear the fighting between the Soul Reapers during that final clash at their primary headquarters had been intense and left many wounded to look after, ensuring practically every room at the hospital was filled to capacity. She wished she could do something to help, but it seemed best to just keep out of the way as much as she could while looking for Clover.

A little questioning yielded where Clover was visiting Lieutenant Meadowbrook in the south wing of the compound, and Sunset carefully made her way there while avoiding any of the many beleaguered Fourth Division members rapidly moving about to take care of the many injured. The groans of pain that haunted the air alongside the ever present coppery scent of blood was an unsettling reminder of the chaos Starlight Glimmer’s plans had caused. Whatever her motivations, that woman had much to answer for. It was also a cold reminder of what Starlight could unleash on Equestria if not stopped.

Finding the room she was looking for, Sunset paused outside as she heard Clover’s voice in soft conversation with several others.

“Captain Starswirl might find a way to restore damaged soul sleeps. It’s been a branch of research he’s talked about before.” Clover said, and Sunset saw she was standing between several beds with wounded Soul Reapers laying in them. One of them she recognized as Clover’s immediate superior, Lieutenant Meadowbrook, but the other two were people she’d never seen before. One, a beige girl with a head of long, straight hair of a plain red color streaked with a line of purple, looked at Clover with a waning, barely enthused smile that was more like a pained wince.

“That’d be nice, but I’m not going to get my hopes up. Even if you guys in Twelfth Division were going to give that research a shot, you got more important things to focus on, like getting that portal working.”

“Moon Dancer, don’t just give up like that.” said Meadowbrook, sitting up in his bed while grunting in discomfort. His body was almost completely covered in bandages, and it was clear any movement hurt him, but he made it a point to sit up and look at Moon Dancer squarely, although she looked back at him with with sharp pain in her eyes.

“It's not giving up, it’s just accepting the reality of things. I don’t want to fool myself into believing in a miracle fix that might never come. It’d just... depress me even more. I’d rather just focus on finding other ways to be useful, even if I can’t serve as a Lieutenant anymore.”

The other injured woman, darker of skin and with a short clipped blonde set of hair, closed her eyes and said in a measured tone, “Our duties don’t change merely because we lost our Zanpaktou. It is unlikely replacements for us as Lieutenants will occur any time soon, Lieutenant Moon Dancer. Our work emcompaces more than the powers of our blades.”

Moon Dancer let out a huff and rubbed a hand over her face, “If you say so, Lieutenant Smart Cookie, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t replace us in the ranks if we can’t actually fight as Soul Reapers. Even Clover and Meadowbrook are better off than us, because their Zanpaktou were just stolen. They still have their spiritual powers, and not only might be able to get their Zanpaktou back, but they can still use Shunpo and Kido. You and me can’t even do that anymore!”

A heavy quiet came over the group then, and Sunset decided she couldn’t just eavesdrop anymore, and politely cleared her throat while giving the doorframe a short knock. “Um, sorry to interrupt, but may I come in?”

All eyes turned to her, Clover quickly shaking off her surprise and saying, “Sunset! It's okay, you can come in. I don’t think you’ve formally met anyone yet.”

“I believe I briefly saw you in the living world.” Meadowbrook said with a weak, apologetic smile, “Not that there was really much time for introductions back then. I’m Lieutenant Meadowbrook, Twelfth Division. And please, before anything else, just let me thank you for looking after my subordinate during all these recent troubles.” He bowed his head to her and Sunset just held up her hands.

“Hey, it was nothing. Clover and me are friends, and she’s been as much a help to me as I have to her. Without her to teach me about being a Soul Reaper I’d have been totally lost.”

Clover offered a self-conscious smile, “I’ve done the best I can. I’m not sure if I have much left to teach you at this point. You’ve achieved Bankai of all things, and defeated a Captain in single combat. Not sure there’s any lessons I can still give.”

“Hey, Bankai or not, I still have plenty of gaps in my knowledge. Kido especially.” Sunset said, and then gave a flickering glance towards Moon Dancer and Smart Cookie, “But we can talk about that stuff later. I just came to check on you Clover, see how you were. And, uh, didn’t mean to butt into what sounded like a heavy conversation.”

Moon Dancer’s brooding look faded as she let out a long sigh like a hiss of steam. “It’s fine. I was pretty much done grousing about what can’t be changed, so feel free to chat with Clover about whatever.”

Sunset’s expression softened along with her voice, “I’m sorry about what’s happened.”

“It’s not your fault.” Moon Dancer said, a sad lightness coming over her face as her anger slackened and she looked over at Meadowbrook. “We were trying to find the truth, and I guess we got close enough that we were a problem. Never got a look at her face, but I’m going to guess it had to be this Starlight Glimmer who took me and Meadowbrook down.”

Meadowbrook nodded, “From what I understand Platinum was elsewhere at the time, and I don’t think the Espada Chrysalis could use Kido spells, even if disguised as Captain Zecora.”

“What did you two find?” Sunset asked, “I mean, to warrant attacking you like that.”

Moon Dancer made an off hand gesture, “Enough evidence to suggest someone, probably Platinum, maybe the disguised Chrysalis, took a book from the Daireishokairo that provided critical info on the Queen’s Key. Also there’s a strong chance that they used the library’s security system to siphon spirit energy from any previous Soul Reaper who used it, which might have allowed them to fake the ‘proof’ Platinum supposedly had to suggest Captains Celestia and Luna were traitors.”

Sunset frowned, thinking, “Wasn’t Chrysalis impersonating Zecora, though?”

Smart Cookie jumped in then, “While that’s true, if anyone tried to double check the evidence, regardless of what ‘Zecora’ said about her Zanpaktou confirming it, then there would have needed to be a genuine sample of Celestia and Luna’s spirit energy to create a convincing fake. Taking that from the Daireishokairo’s system for checking out materials may have worked. I imagine had Moon Dancer and Meadowbrook managed to get to the Captain Commander with that information it may have blown the lid off of Starlight Glimmer’s plans before they fully came to fruition...” She briefly touched a point on her chest, where bandages covered her wound. “As with me, had I gotten to Captain Commander Scorpan in time to relay what I and Starswirl had suspected. That’s why she intercepted me and removed me as a threat.”

Sunset filled the following somber quiet with her own determined voice, “I know it doesn’t make up for anything you people have lost, but I swear I will stop her. And if I can, I’ll get back the Zanpaktou she’s taken, too.”

Meadowbrook nodded his thanks, “I hope you can. If anything Clover has told me about you and your friends is true, I think you girls might even pull it off.”

“Speaking of which, have you heard I’m being assigned to Canterlot City for the long term?” asked Clover.

“Celestia told me about it.” Sunset said, cracking a quick grin, “I hear we’re to show you the ropes of being in high school.”

A nervous laugh escaped Clover as she ran a hand through her hair, “I’ve read a few texts on the subject and I have gone through the proper training for blending in while using a gigai, but I get the feeling those texts were at least a generation out of date.”

“No worries, me and the girls will walk you through the basics.” Sunset said.

“I’ll trust myself to your instruction.” Clover said with a formal bow, “It’s going to be busy. Between working on the portal issue, maintaining a cover identity at the school, and my new studies I’ll barely have time for rest.”

“New studies?” Sunset asked with a quizzical gaze.

“Ah, my suggestion to her.” Meadowbrook said, “Since we’ve both had our Zanpaktou stolen, I had my own plan to make up for the loss and pitched the idea to Clover as well.”

“I don’t know if I ever mentioned the Kido Corps.” Clover said to Sunset, “It's a relatively small group compared to the Divisions, but as the name implies they are a branch of the Soul Reapers singularly dedicated to the development and use of Kido spells. They barely even use their Zanpaktou, and some don’t even know Shikai. Meadowbrook intends to train with them, and while I may be stationed in the living world, I plan to request as many texts on Kido from the Corps as I can so I can study advanced Kido as well. It seems the most sensible way to ensure I can still be of help in battle right now.”

“I think that’s a great idea!” Sunset said, feeling a warm wash of relief to see that Clover was focusing on how to move forward despite the loss of Chishiki. “If there’s anything I can do to help, just say it.”

“Well, if you want to learn more Kido too, we could study together when time permits.” Clover suggested, and Sunset found she rather looked forward to the idea. She was eager to learn, equally eager to help out a friend, and she did enjoy having Clover as a teacher. The idea of spending some time together and helping each other learn had plenty of appeal.

“Ahem.”

Turning, Sunset saw a woman with faded pink hair tied back into a bun, with marble white skin and blue eyes standing in the doorway behind her. Sunset noticed the woman wore the wooden arm badge denoting her as the Lieutenant of the Fourth Division.  “My apologies, but visiting hours will end shortly. I merely came to ensure our patients would be ready for rest.”

“Hey Redheart,” said Moon Dancer, “Been doing nothing but rest, thanks. How’s Radiant Hope doing?”

“Calmer, now that she’s been able to see her Captain.” Redheart said, glancing at Sunset with a note of professional guard, “I don’t think I can say much more than that. Now, normally visiting time would be over at the end of this hour, but I can give you some more time if you all wish it and can keep quiet enough not to disturb our other patients.”

“It's okay.” said Sunset, “I was mostly catching up with Clover. I can head out anytime.”

“Besides, Lieutenant Redheart is correct that we need our rest.” said Smart Cookie, “Although it was good to meet you in person, Miss Shimmer. On behalf of my Captain Commander I feel as if I should offer my apologies for all the trouble that’s been caused to you and yours.”

Sunset shook her head, “I appreciate it, but I don’t blame any one Soul Reaper for everything that’s happened. Starlight screwed with all of us, and she had plenty of help to do it. Right now all I want to do is get stronger, get to Equestria, and make sure she doesn’t cause any more damage.”

“A goal I think I can safely say everyone in Soul Society now shares with you.” Meadowbrook said.

With that, Sunset and Clover spent a brief time longer in the room so Clover could bid her wounded comrades a proper farewell, then together they left the hospital and headed out onto the streets of Seireitei. Sunset noticed Clover’s overall mood seemed to slump somewhat now that she wasn’t trying to keep other’s spirits up, and Sunset was swift to pipe up with, “So Rarity wants to get together for some mutual pampering. Spas, hot springs, general decadent laziness for the evening. Want to give it a go?”

“Heh, I’ve never been to a spa or anything remotely close.” Clover said, “Always seemed a bit much, and I’ve always had work to do. Not sure I’m in the mood...”

“I won’t force you, Clover, but I think it’d be good to give it a shot.” Sunset said, her look encouraging but her voice gently understanding, “But I get it if you don’t want to. You got to have a lot on your mind. Just so you know, I’m glad you’re not giving up. Studying advanced Kido is a smart move.”

Clover gave the barest of nods, looking at her empty hand with a faraway look. “I know Chishiki would lecture me judiciously if he saw me standing still during a time like this. I’ve relied on his quiet wisdom for getting me through all sorts of difficult moments. It's just so... so strange to think I can’t speak to him, and hear his calm and powerful voice in my head when I need to.”

“We’ll get him back.”

“I know. Your word means a lot to me, Sunset. When you say you’re going to do something, you always put everything you have into seeing it done. Makes me feel like I can do anything too, as long as just throw all I’ve got into it.” Clover said, her sallow look brightening somewhat. “Of course it won’t be easy. Kido spells get ever harder and more complex with each tier. I can go pretty high, as long as I do a full incantation, but many of those spells are only useful if you can do them without the incantation and that is a feat usually only Captains have the experience to pull off. Yet I need to match that power, if I’m to keep being of use to you and the others in the battles to come.”

Clover’s eyes grew heated, like bonfires. “Next time I face that woman, she won’t be able to take us so lightly.”

“You got that right.” Sunset said firmly, and held out a fist to Clover, who after a moment of confused hesitation held out her own fist to tap it lightly off of Sunset’s.

“So, spa?” Sunset asked encouragingly, to which Clover gave a relenting nod.

“Spa.”

----------

Dusty and dry winds swept across hundreds of miles of barren, sun cooked desert. What Equestria referred to as the Bone Dry Desert was vast, and inhospitable region of land where few thing lived and fewer still traveled across. Its only known settlement was the patchwork trading hub of Klugetown on the desert's southern border, where a few intrepid and brave caravans stocked up on supplies to make the arduous journey to Equestria and back, hoping to make a tidy profit on rare goods from the pony inhabited lands. But not many in Klugetown saw ponies very often at all, to the point where most of the various species and subspecies of beast people, from the bulky fish-men and lizardfolk to the scampering rodent folk ever saw one of the colorful quadrupeds.

So more than a few eyes had watched with curiosity as a pegasus pony with a soft pink coat and light blue mane traversed the town, circling it several times before flying off eastward along the desert edge. As Firefly left behind the ramshackle sights of the trade city she flew lower across the desert, adjusting her wings carefully, still getting used to the natural limbs. Once she was certain she was out of sight of any prying eyes she tapped into the core of her power, summoning forth the armor and bladed wings of Ace of Sky. The smooth, dark purple armored plates of armor conformed to her new pony shape, and the mechanical looking wings swept up and over her natural ones like a sheath, essentially replacing the pony wings.

In this state she rocketed off at supersonic speed, her form blurring into a purple streak of light as she zipped a booming path across the desert that kicked up dust in a trail behind her. She ate up the miles ahead, turning gradually north until she was flying into the heart of the Bone Dry Desert. Less than an hour later she arrived at a set of deep fissures, massive canyons that stretched like the spiderweb cracks of a broken piece of glass for miles in all directions.

Inside one of the deepest canyons she flew down and found the tower of the Hitsuyo Aku research facility, both the tower and its many underground chambers now occupying the canyon surface and displacing the area beneath the cold stone during its transport here via the Crossgate. Sunlight from a noontide sun managed to beam down into the otherwise gloomy canyon, reflecting of the top of the Hitsuyo Aku tower. There, Firefly spotted Starlight Glimmer, sitting on the edge, awaiting her arrival.

Firefly landed easily, dismissing her Fullbring and ruffling her natural pony wings. “Think I’m getting used to this whole mini-horse deal. Didn’t have any problems flying at all today, even when I wasn’t busting out Ace.”

“What did you find?” Starlight asked while Firefly settled down next to her, dangling her hind legs off the edge of the tower.

“We’ve got ourselves a town a few hundred miles away, and then a whole lot of nothing in all other directions. Sand, more sand, then just to break up the monotony there was totally a skeleton that I think might've been some kind of cow person. I thought about naming him Mr. Bones.”

A smooth chuckle rose from Starlight, “So about as isolated as we could have hoped for short of dropping ourselves in the middle of the ocean. Good. Were you seen?”

“Oh yeah, definitely, but that’s part of the cover I’m going for. Skyflame, intrepid explorer and adventurer! What do you think? Gives me the right excuse to be wandering around, asking about artifacts.”

“Better than if you were trying to keep a low profile.” Starlight agreed, “That’s just not your style, and it’d look even more suspicious than an adventuring pony seeking fortune and glory. So far everything is going smoothly. Still, we can’t expect that to stay the case forever. The powers of this world will be looking for us. Fortunately Trixie is in position.”

“Oh I bet she’s just loving the attention.” Firefly smirked, and Starlight shrugged.

“I think she didn’t expect to lose so quickly. She wanted to face the alicorn sisters, even had a grand entrance she wanted to make in Canterlot. Instead she was taken down by the newest alicorn, one of her friends, and one of the Soul Reapers that came through the mirror.”

Firefly sniggered, “I would’ve liked to see how that went down. Trixie getting her butt whooped by the Princess of Friendship. Must have poked some holes in her ego.”

Starlight’s sidelong look was touched by a ghost of a smile, “Take it easy on her. Trixie has lost as much as we have, and I didn’t give her an easy job. She’s putting a lot a risk to be our eyes and ears close to the ponies. There’s always the chance that this world’s Celestia will surprise me by being harsher on her than I expect.” Starlight brushed some hair from her face with a hoof, her face twitching with a slight wince. “There have a been a lot of things I haven’t anticipated already.”

Noticing a slight trickle of dry blood trailing down Starlight’s scalp, Firefly nodded towards the other mare. “The fight rougher than you expected?”

A look of consternation crossed Starlight’s features, “I think I managed to play it off as easier than it actually was. Your daughter actually made my hand go numb.” She shook her hoof as if for emphasis, “Then Ditzy went all out on me for a second, and that was as harrowing as you might expect. I’m lucky we fought in such an enclosed area, forcing her to scale down somewhat. As for those girls, it’s rather shocking to see how far they’ve come, even though that was part of the plan. Call it another point of luck in my favor that Platinum forced Sunset Shimmer to use up her power and she couldn’t use Bankai against me.”

Firefly just laughed and slapped Starlight on the back, nearly knocking the woman off the tower, to which she gave Firefly an annoyed look. Firefly just held up her hooves, still laughing. “Hey, I just find it funny how sulky you get even when everything goes off without a hitch. Relax, Starlight, we made it. We’re in the land of magic and friendship. So far, so good, right? We knew from the get go this plan was going to be like riding a roller coaster on a greased up track and missing half its wheels. The fact that we haven’t crashed and burned yet is a miracle in and of itself.”

“Gee, your confidence is inspiring. But, yes, I suppose you’re right. Things have gone rather well, and those girls, as long as they see that gap of power between us, will continue to push themselves to grow stronger.” Starlight said musingly, “They’ll make a good backup in case we fail. Assuming they aren’t the reason we fail.”

“You did push the megalomaniacal villain persona a bit far, Starlight.”

“Hmm, from some perspectives it's not a persona. We’re here to steal power from this world, Firefly, let’s not kid ourselves into thinking we’re clean and innocent in our intentions.” Starlight replied cooly, then glanced at the mare next to her, her voice turning concerned. “Aside from succeeding in completing her Fullbring, how did things go with Rainbow Dash?”

A soft grumbling sound came from Firefly as she frowned deeply and laid down on her back, staring up at the sky beyond the gloomy edges of the canyon. “I figure it went better than it could have. I think she understood, but not sure if she’s really forgiven me yet for leaving.”

“How much did you tell her?”

“Enough, I think. I mentioned Sunburst, and what happened to him, but not why. Honestly not sure I should’ve told her that much, because it might get the Zero Division’s attention if she and her friends start asking questions of the Soul Reapers... but I had to say something Starlight.”

Starlight nodded in understanding. “No, I get that. I approve, in fact. I wish you could have had more time with her.”

“Meh, I suck at being a mom. It's awkward and leaves me feeling totally off balance. Geeze, Starlight, I couldn’t even talk to her straight without framing it around a freakin’ fight! What kind of mom can’t talk to her kid without giant energy blasts and explosions being involved!?”

“Seems to fit your style, you have to admit.”

“Blargh. I sometimes think, even things hadn’t gone the way they had and I could’ve stayed with her... I still would’ve sucked at being a parent. She might have had reason to hate me just as much, even if I hadn’t left, only it’d be because I couldn’t do any of the stuff a mom is supposed to do. Make lunches for school, or pick her up on time from soccer practice, or remembering what she wants for her birthday... all that responsibility. Feels easier to jet off with you on a crusade to fight the powers that be than to be a stay at home mom. Man, I suck.”

Starlight, giving Firefly a sharp look, lit up her unicorn horn with a wash of teal light, picking Firefly up with a glittering wreath of magic until she held the mare upside down and bonked her head on the tower roof.

“Ow! Hey what was that for!?”

“Because you’re being depressing. Cut it out.”

“Hey, I can brood if I want to. You’re not the boss of me!... Oh, wait, guess you are. Fine, fine, you win. Now put me down. And when did you learn to do this magic stuff?”

As Starlight set Firefly down she took a deep breath, wiping a bit of sweat off her brow. “You’re not the only one who's been practicing her new form’s innate abilities. That said, I’ve only figured out the levitation, and it's a lot harder than I just made it look. I keep getting these headaches when I use it, too. Not sure what that’s about.”

“Its due to you using too much energy for such a simple task.” spoke a creamy smooth and amused voice from behind the pair, and both Firefly and Starlight looked to see the approach of a tall, dark equine figure with emerald eyes, a faded teal mane and tail, and distinctive insectile wings flowing from her back. Yet Chrysalis still retained elements of her Arrancar form, as well, including the bone white horn contrasting with her black chitin, and the spiked crown-like crest of bones rising from her brow.

Much like with Starlight and Firefly, Chrysalis’ clothing had adapted to her new shape, the black edged dress of white conforming to the Espada’s body with tight fitting curves.

“Been practicing as well, have you?” Starlight asked, “I’m surprised you’ve stuck around, Chrysalis. Do you not need to return to Hueco Mundo soon?”

Chrysalis licked her lips with the darting of a forked tongue and purred out, “Oh, there’s no rush. My precious Thorax knows his job well, and will keep things well in hand for a few days more. I rather like the idea of spending some time in this world to get a proper... taste for it. I think I’d like to bring some of my children here for a vacation. Or orgy of violent feeding.”

“They’re one and the same for you, aren’t they, Chrissy?” asked Firefly sardonically, “You remember the bit where me and Starlight told you we’d kick your ass thoroughly if you went on a murder spree, right? We’re here to jack power, not slaughter the locals for fun.”

“More to the point, I’d like us to keep our heads down in this world.” Starlight said diplomatically, “At least until we’ve gained our footing and have  better idea of just what defenses they have here.”

“Sounds positively boring.” Chrysalis said, yawning, “Yet I suppose there’s a certain pinch of sense in not spooking the hens until the fox knows the farmer isn’t packing a rocket launcher. I’ll leave the mind numbing task of reconnaissance to you, Firefly, since you seem to be so good at gathering heaps of generally useless information. As for me, I think I’ll go look for my own amusement before returning through the Crossgate. I wonder if the me of this world is anywhere to be found? I’ve always wondered what my own soul might taste like.”

“Chrysalis, don’t make any moves that will compromise us.” Starlight said, “Seeking your counterpart is too risky at this stage. Consuming her would be doubly likely to draw unwanted attention from others.”

“You’re just determined to suck all the fun out of this, aren’t you?” Chrysalis said with a smirk, then waved the question away, “Oh don’t bother giving me that look Starlight, I understand your concerns. I’ll find more subtle ways to enjoy myself, without causing a scene. Just understand I am not under your command. I do as I please. Our alliance is based upon mutual desires, not one of us commanding the other.”

“As long as you keep your amusements subtle and don’t consume any souls.” Starlight said with deathly cold seriousness, turning to approach Chrysalis with a hard stare that the Espada matched. “We don’t want to create a trail that could lead to this location. In fact I’d prefer it if you didn’t do anything that might clue the local powers into realizing we’re here. Do as you will, I know your appetites and I understand the nature of our relationship, but do not test my patience by breaking this one rule; no souls are to be consumed by you or any of your brood while you’re here. Am I clear on this?”

There was a flare of reiatsu from Starlight, one that clashed evenly with a burst of power from Chrysalis, the two facing each other with unbreaking stares for several long seconds. Then Chrysalis laughed, and with a flutter of her insectile wings she rose into the air and floated back towards the doors to the interior of the tower. “Oh do calm yourself, Starlight Glimmer. You’ll give yourself stress lines. You can keep what little virtue you think you have in the firm knowledge I won’t brutally and voraciously eat the poor innocent souls of the local unsuspecting population. I might find other amusements with them, but I won’t cross that particular line, just for you.”

She paused, eyes gleaming with emerald fire in the shadows of the doorway as her voice gave a cold tickle to the air. “For now.”

Once Chrysalis was gone, Firefly hung her head and groaned. “Why did we have to team up with that bat-shit crazy bug?”

“Because the plan wouldn’t have worked without her.” Starlight said simply.

“Yeah, in Soul Society, but do we still need her now? We could take her down together easily enough, Starlight. You know she’s going to turn on us eventually, so why keep her around?”

“She won’t turn on us until she can get the maximum benefit from it. Or at least when she thinks it will benefit her the most.” Starlight replied, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, “Until then we can still use her, the same way she believes she’s using us. We still need a line into Hueco Mundo, and she’s it. The fact that she’ll inevitably betray us is just... part of the package deal.”

“Grreaaat. So we’ve got a soul eating bug who’s going to eventually turn on us, and a one-armed sullen Soul Reaper who is about as much fun to hang out with as a bag of frozen crap.”

Starlight rolled her eyes, “When you put it like that if almost makes me think you don’t approve of my choice of allies.”

“Nah, it’s all good Starlight. I just like complaining. Chrysalis is a giant pile of creepiness in a can, Platinum is so angsty right now I can’t get two words out of her that don’t make me want to shoot her, her kid is still unconscious and I’m thinking that’s probably for the best, and Trixie is stuck playing prisoner to the ponies. And this is when everything is going according to plan. Remind me again why we’re doing this?”

“...Because one of our friends is still in Hell, and the people responsible will do the same to us and countless others if we don’t stop them, no matter the cost.”

“...Oh, right, that. Okay, nevermind then, complaints shelved. What’s next?”