//------------------------------//
// Theories of the Mind. 
// Story: Equestrian Eeveelution. 
// by Symphonicdysonince 
//------------------------------//

[Third]

Apple Bloom really set the bar high. Sweetie Belle mused, taking her turn outside the auditorium. She fidgeted in place, doing anything to keep her mind off the waiting. She didn't bother checking her reagent bag. The recipe she had chosen was simple, and she knew she had everything. That Dodaitose was huge! Good thing the University had the paired rings stockpiled, from what Runic said, they're difficult to make. One of said rings had been clamped around the left horn of Triphyle, the matching ring hidden in Apple Bloom's bow.

Thinking back on the red and white design, Sweetie couldn't help but think on why they were so hard to make. Can't be the materials. Cinnabar and White Quartz are fairly common, and any unicorn with a gem finding spell, like Rarity, would have no problems finding them. The only issue material wise is that they have to be natural. Maybe it's the runes that need to be carved in them? And why do they only work on bonded summons?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Runic poking his head out. "You ready?"

"No." Sweetie squeaked out without thinking.

"Need more time?"

"Maybe?" Sweetie thought back to the last few hours. "No, the waiting was starting to get to me."

"Fair enough." Runic offered Sweetie a hoof up. "Now, remember, Gemini will be with me and Porter in the observation room."

"I know." Sweetie smiled. "I don't think I'll need your help, but you and Twilight taught us to plan such contingencies."

Runic chuckled, turning to lead Sweetie into the room. "That we did. Come on, Steel doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Like I don't? The filly silently huffed, but complied anyways. She waited for Runic to take his place on the other side of the window.

Porter popped into existence on his master's back, and then they both vanished. A minute later, Runic entered the observation room from its door, scowling at the mop entangling his back right hoof. Sweetie couldn't help but giggle, while both ponies missed Steel's slight smile.

With a roll of her eyes, Steel tapped the crystal, and informed the filly she could begin.
Oh? What's this?
Making sure that the floor was properly clear, Sweetie sighed at the amount of walking she would need to do. It's not that she didn't trust the ponies that set the room up, she was just following the steps she was taught. It helped with her nerves.
Wait... Oh, you clever bastard.
Starting at the northern most part of the circle, she began laying down a set of old tarot cards, binding them in place with ofuda. She had hoof-made the ofuda herself, with Twilight, Moon Dancer, and Rarity supervising her. The cards came from Pinkie. Apparently, she had spent some time as a fortune teller, and had kept the deck. Sadly, the deck was unusable, a couple of cards were burnt to ash when... She quickly finished the set up.
How did I not see this before? No matter, I know just what to do.
With one final look over the area, Sweetie felt ready to begin chanting. She was glad she decided to go for a tier one summon, they required shorter chants. This one just so happened to have one of the shortest. That's not to say that that was the only criteria, but it was part of the deciding factor. And it wasn't like Sweetie was bad at speaking, her extensive vocabulary can attest otherwise, she just had a hard time with the arcane syllables used in the chants.
I know what you're trying to do.
"Ywc itzmilg svwe epg Q'u kittqvo."
Here. I know you can help this one.
The expected flash of light came, then cleared. Sitting in the middle of the comically large circle was a mostly white figure. Thin arms hugged what Sweetie assumed were knees to its chest, its face hidden by its legs and thick green strands of hair. A flat, red horn separated the bangs, while a smaller one could be seen in the back. Sweetie shifted, wanting get a full body view, but the summon flinched, teleporting to the far side of the circle.

With a frown, Sweetie softly called out, "Ralts, could you come here please?"

Another flinch, another teleport. This time, the Ralts appeared in front of Sweetie. She was still a couple of hooves away, but close enough for what Sweetie needed. "Could you stand up, please?" A shiver, and it did. No, wait, this ones a she. Sweetie mentally corrected. Now that the Ralts was standing, Sweetie could easily tell that they were roughly the same size. Sweetie could clearly see the Ralts shivering. Hmm, I don't think I've ever heard of a summon acting like this before. I think I need to take a closer look. "Please don't."

"Could you sta-"

The moment she lifted her hoof, the Ralts screeched and teleported to the far side of the circle again. "NO!"

Sweetie's ears flattened against her head. She's gone and huddled up again. Sweetie frowned. What happened before I summoned you? She slowly stepped around the circle, keeping every movement slow and smooth. "Go away. Please, just leave me alone."

When Sweetie had a quarter of the circle left to go, she saw the Ralts begin to shuffle away from her. She stopped and lay down, doing everything she could to present herself as non-threatening as possible. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." "They all said that."

Sweetie's ears twitched, looking for the whisper she kept hearing, although the filly herself never looked away from the summon. "You can take your time." Sweetie murmured. "I'll wait here." "Please, I just wanted to be left alone."

Filly and summon sat like they were, waiting.

Steel carefully darkened the observation room, so that Runic and her wouldn't be seen, before grabbing a couple of cushions from the cupboards. She placed one down for Runic before lying on her own. "We could be here for a while." She sighed. "Best get comfortable."

Almost an hour passed. Sweetie would sometimes catch a glimpse of one of the Ralts' pink eyes watching her through the summon's bangs, but every time the Ralts caught Sweetie looking, she would flinch and look away. Eventually, Sweetie tried to shuffle forward.

The Ralts didn't try to move or teleport away, but she did try to shrink into herself. Sweetie stopped when she was as far from the Ralts as the Ralts had willingly gotten to her. "Are you okay?" She whispered.

"Why?"

Sweetie blinked. "Was, was that you?" The summon nodded. "Well, I'm a summoner-"

"Yes, but why me?"

"I don't know." Sweetie confessed. "We don't know who gets summoned, just what." The Ralts seemed to sniff. "Are, are you crying?"

"No!" The droplets hitting the floor betrayed her.

"Why are you crying?"

Steel shared a look with Runic. "The summon's crying?" She mouthed.

"Please, just send me back." The Ralts tightened her arms around her legs. I don't want to go through this again.

"But," Sweetie shuffled a bit closer, "I want to help..."

"That's what the last one said."

"The last one? You've been summoned before?"

"No, but you are all the same."

"But I'm not!" Sweetie insisted. "You can read minds, right? See memories?" The Ralts nodded. "Then read mine." For a minute, nothing happened. Then, Sweetie felt something gently brush against her mind. The filly didn't fight it.

Suddenly, Sweetie watched as her whole life seemed to flash through her mind, pausing on seemingly random moments. These moments seemed to linger on her friends. The first time she met the other Crusaders, some of their misadventures, the first time they summoned something, the fire, all were paused on, and then lost to the onrush of memories. After only a few moments, the images stopped, and the feeling withdrew.

"A trophy. Figures. You really are just like the rest." The Ralts stared dejectedly at its knees. A thin red line appeared on its arm. "Just send me back. And stop halfway. I don't want this anymore."

"You're bleeding!" Sweetie squeaked.

"Why do you care?" The summon asked, not even looking as another line grew beside the first. She blinked as something brown was wrapped around her arm. "Ra?" She stared at the strip of cloth, torn from the nearby bag, that was substituting for a bandage. Somethings white wrapped themselves around her.

Sweetie pulled the summon into a gentle hug. "I care because I want to be your friend. I care because you're hurting. I care because I don't like seeing my friends hurt." Sweetie squeezed a little harder. "I don't want to rush you, and I won't force you to, but, if we bond? Nopony else can summon you. Nopony else can hurt you." She blinked away tears of her own. "Please. Just let me be your friend. If nothing else, just stay here for a while."

They stayed like that, silently crying, one's emotions feeding into the other. Hours passed, and neither wanted to move or break the silence.

Sadly, Sweetie knew that she was running out of time. "I guess... I guess this is where we say goodbye?"

The Ralts flinched, eyes widening in alarm.. I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back. It hurts it hurts it hurts."

Sweetie stood, leaving the circle. With a sigh, she started the dispelling chant. Or at least, tried to. The words kept dying in her mouth.

"No no no no no no no no no no no no NO NO NO NO!"

The Ralts launched herself at the filly, bowling her over. Her arms were doing their best to fit around Sweetie's neck as she cried into her shoulder. "Let me stay, let me stay, let me stay, dear Arceus, let me stay..."

Sweetie stared at the wall ahead of her. "W-why? Did... didn't you want to go home?"

"... You make me feel safe."

"Then I won't send you back. Ever." Sweetie returned the hug. "I'll do everything I can to keep you safe, Eros, I promise."

Runic nodded to Steel. "It is done."