//------------------------------// // Life in the Halidom // Story: Equestria Lost: Dragons beyond time // by Tythen //------------------------------// It has been a day since Rarity, Big McIntosh, Sweetie Belle, and Flash Sentry stumbled across the Halidom, a mysterious castle hidden by magic, home to two particular non-humans. One was Adagio Dazzle, a Siren banished from Equestria and one who had butted heads with Rarity and her friends. She was under the care of a Sylvan named Cleo, a sub-race of people that have rabbit ears instead of normal human ones. Ever since their fateful encounter, the four particular students from Canterlot High could not help but come back whenever they were available as a group, and constantly kept in touch with their former enemy and her caretaker while eager to discover the remnants of a historical era that, according to Flash, was never found in the annals of Equestrian history. Cleo was happy to allow their curious minds to roam free and dive deep into the knowledge of her time. Rarity spent her time sketching out drawings of the various casual clothes and armour that was worn by Human and Sylvan alike, hoping that she can implement the unique features into modern fashion. Sweetie Belle was happy to snap pictures all around the Castle. Any painting, any building, and the various breathtaking views of the Castle (and herself with it) understanding that these photos should only be shared between trustworthy friends, as this place was hidden for a reason. Flash dove into many adventurer biographies and weapon blueprints, passionate to learn all about those who were courageous to wield their life in service to a nation that was constantly surrounded by threats, and how they were able to fight back with the military power they had. Big McIntosh was one who volunteered on helping Cleo with the garden today alongside Adagio. And they somehow struck a rather interesting conversation. "Mah Goodness. You have a massive garden..." Big Mac noted as they came across a field that expands across an entire area level of the Castle Grounds, filled to the brim with brushes, plants and trees, each teeming with vegetables and fruits respectively. "An' almost prepared for every season too! Ya know, if yer willing to find more people to buy yer stock, ah can put in a good word for the Juice Bar mah first Lil' sister works in. Especially the carrots!" "That's very kind of you Big McIntosh. But we aren't really much strapped for funds in the case of survival. The Halidom does have an abundance of currency, but only for my time. I have no clue if they're viable in this day and age." Cleo answered, "Yeah," Adagio laughed, "Might as well give the lot to a museum!" "I shouldn't be the one taking the entire credit of the garden's design. You should thank Alberius, as well as the Gust Drake's guidance and advice." Cleo added, "Gust Drake... Ya mean a dragon?" Big Mac raised an eyebrow, "Yes." Cleo nodded, "Where dragons were considered the mightiest in the world, this is shown through simple meagre tasks that humans and sylvans themselves do to survive or make their place in the world. The Gust Drake is one of them; she worked her own farm, and her ways had given produce to the most delicious carrots. As you said, they are amazing!" "Hmm... so even little ordinary things that humans do, dragons do too. And much better from the sounds of it. They sound pretty much like nature personified." "As I said two days ago, they are responsible for the blessings of nature, added to the fact that they can also govern mana. A simpler term is to say that Dragons are the personification of nature itself." "Well Ah'll be..." Big Mac made a long sigh. "... Hearing all this is making me question mah own existence, and a whole lotta world views too." "What do you believe then McIntosh? How have you been living your life?" "Big Mac's jus' fine, Ms Cleo. In any case, mah family and ah have been farmers. Our life of livin' is making sure the rest of the world are well fed and all. Not a lot of chances to live an' relax, unlike others. Sad to say, that kinda veers us to only relying on our hands and each other. The only thing we sorta have to rely on faith or luck is the weather, cause even the forecast ain't accurate all the time." "Luck and faith aren't synonymous." Cleo shared, "You put faith and trust in Lady Luck, or so I heard from a gambler who threw his lot in with us." "The Prince really likes inviting the oddest people to his party, does he?" Big Mac gulped, "But yeah... In yer time, with you relying so much on, or even being assisted, by all-powerful dragons, kinda makes me jealous and makes me lose some faith in humanity ya know? For the sake of our own lives and others, we'd be fixin' to literally put food on the table, make sure everythang's under control." "I understand entirely, but even Dragons have hearts and feelings. They know when they'll be taken for granted, and the retaliation would be catastrophic. But don't be so hard on you and our kind as a whole. It's true that people can do so much, but we can't do everything. We'll always need a helping hand, whether its another person or a dragon. Isn't it like that with technology?" Big Mac laughed heartily, "Alright, ya got me there. But ah... Dragons... is it me or do they not come around anymore?" "It's because of the Prince's passing. Most, if not all, had made a pact with him and only through him do they lend their aid uniquely. Now that he's gone, they see no reason to come around here. I haven't heard from them ever since they left, and it has been a terribly long time." "Mah condolences Cleo. Ah take it that you've considered Dragons like yer friends." "They are. But they remain forever a positive memory. Now? I have Adagio to take care of, and you to share stories with." "Thanks for sharing your stories to a guy like me. Never really did get to talk one-on-one with others cept for mah family." "Speaking of one-on-one..." Cleo gave a small smile, "Since both of you are here watering the garden, I wonder if you guys can take over for me? The written language in my time is different from yours. I need to give Sweetie Belle a translative guide for the choir book I gave her." "Wait what? Don't leave me here!" Adagio jumped. "Sure thing. We can take it from here." Big Mac smiled. "See you!" Cleo walked off, winking as she waved goodbye. "Heh..." Big Mac snorted "That's what you're up to..." "Up to what?" Adagio demanded. "So... Adagio..." Big Mac slowly turned around, "Why don't we properly introduce ourselves?" "I... you should know who I am, don't you? I'm the one who almost took over your school and controlled your classmates to be aggressive and negative!" "Ah know. Heard from both mah sisters, one of 'em being part of 'The Rainbooms' but never found out for mahself due to not bein' in the battle of the bands. Besides, something's bound to change in you after a few months; it happens to everyone. Reckon Ah'd know you properly now." "So does that 'everyone' include sirens as well?" Adagio asked, "Fraid' Ah'm not well versed in mythology names and other dohickeys of the sort, but yes. Animals can do it, so can you." "We're the kind of beasts that feed off the negative energy of people and get stronger from it. Our voices and magic? That's the sign of our power." "And once ya lost to Applejack, Rarity and the others, you must've lost yer powers and voice." "Yes. Without those, I lost what makes me a siren, and I'm stuck in this magicless human body. It's... It's embarrassing and humiliating... It's sad and pathetic." "Ah see..." Big Mac mused, "You really have no idea on what your sister has been through. Do you?" "Ah'm graduating soon. Less socialisin' fer me. That being said, ah ain't one to let a lady mope. Ah know somethin' that can help yer major issue." "My magic?" "That's more up Ms Cleo's alley. Ah'm lookin' at yer singing. Jus' because you lost yer magic as a siren don't mean you can sing no more. Even humans learn to sing too, like the Rainbooms. Don't see how you can't try learnin'." "What... you mean take singing lessons?" Adagio raised her eyebrows. "You betcha. As we grow old, even we would lose something meaningful to us. But... We still have the chance to get it back. That's somethin' ah learned from the farm... and thanks to doctors and health specialists. If you ever fear that it won't bring yer magic back, then that's okay. Treat it as a different goal. If you can sing, you can still be a siren again right?" "... Are you an idiot?" Adagio lashed out. "I will cause so much trouble if I get my powers back. You do know that right? I gather the negative energies from others so I can rule Equestria!" "Ah. No wonder why you failed." Big Mac chuckled, "But ever since Ms Cleo entered your life, and yer sisters left it... perhaps you have second thoughts?" "Well... I just hate being indebted to someone. Even a Siren like me can understand that." Adagio uneasily spoke, "Then Ah'm sure you can change yer goals and ambitions too huh?" "Ruling the world seems like a good ambition." "Lots of humans have that ambition too, not just sirens. Ah think that it's up to you to define who you are, no matter if yer human or not." Big Mac finished. Adagio paused for a moment to stare at the boy with the watering can. "So say I follow your idea. How am I going to find a music teacher?" "Yer never too old to learn new tricks. Even adults enrol themselves in singing class, ah know mah Granny does. As fer me, Ah'm a singer mahself, and Ah'm with Rarity as a part of the Pony Tones. We're a vocal quartet, quintet if you count Fluttershy. Ah'm the bass singer of the bunch, Rarity's the soprano. Ah've also seen Rarity's sister sing, but Ah dunno 'bout Flash." "Huh... I'd never strike you to be a singer." "Never judge someone by their appearance. Even if they may be an idiot." Big Mac joked, Adagio rolled her eyes and returned to watering the plants. But as she swung the can around, her body and her movements felt a little lighter than before. Inside the Halidom halls, Rarity was going in and out of every bedroom, quickly making a quick sketch of the clothes of each former inhabitant. "Some clothes seem awfully risque." Rarity mumbled to herself, "Francesca's clothes have really short shorts, others like to display their thighs... Heck, those that seemed to be preachers wear risque outfits for battle! Even Estelle's! Her shirt's so long, that even it seems to act as the shortest skirt!" As she kept on mumbling to herself, the next bedroom she entered had a blue-haired boy sitting on a chair, reading a book. "Flash, what are you doing here?" Rarity asked, "Whilst you were shopping for ideas, I was shopping for ways to fight," Flash answered, lowering his book to face Rarity, "I'm looking for the adventurers who are proficient in using Lances. Such examples include a blacksmith who made an armour of gold for himself, a mercenary who's on the silent side of words, a man who took care of two infant dragons, a circus ringmaster, a pretty humorous but dangerous old man of the cloth, and the inhabitant of this room and those clothes. I haven't touched them by the way, they're still on the bed." He gestured with his head and eyes. "Ah, thanks." Rarity noted as she approached the clothes. The clothes of this inhabitant had gloves that almost reach up to her shoulders, leggings that fully cover up her legs, armoured shoes and wrists, and a vivid blue vest fitted with a white and green collar, and had two long cape-like ends hanging from the bottom. Rarity was quite impressed with the clothes, and how 'un-risque' it looked. The moment she turned to the back of the vest, however, the lack of any fabric or material for the top upper part of the body made the dignified impression short-lived. "Okay, seriously. What is with these clothes? If I wore this, I'd be showing off my entire upper back! And..." She spotted a very large piece of white fluffy cotton sewn in near the bottom part. "... What is the point of that!? It reminds me of that bunny onesie Applebloom had to wear!" "Right on the mark Rarity!" Flash replied, "Aside from reading her lance training, I learnt more about the owners themselves. Would you like to know more about the wearer of these clothes?" "Well... sure then, I've got enough time for that." "This place belongs to Elisanne, The Anointed Lance." Flash read, "And her occupation is a Paladyn with a 'y' instead of an 'i', except they've got the same job description: Servants and Knights to the Goddess Ilia. Don't ask 'Y' they decided to change a letter. Different history, different rules." "O-Okay then..." "More on her, she's very devout on the Word of Ilia, and it's because of that faith did she end up leaving the church. How should I say it... Most churches may be rigid about their doctrines and scriptures. When changes in society come, it can paint a controversial scene, and such things are very uncomfortable to be in. However, the Church seemed to have changed by outright accepting a statement regarding Ilia's history being connected to the demon... a family connection to be exact." "What!? A Goddess, related to a demon!?" Rarity spat, "that's blasphemy!" "Anyway, the Church branded her a heretic and vice versa to her, and she ended up on the run. That's when she bumped into the Seventh Prince of Alberia and became his first of his many travelling companions. There's another deeper story on how the Prince began this journey, but that's for another time. Just to let you know that she's one of six important figures whenever the Prince is in an existential crisis. She's also got... feelings for the Prince herself." "Interesting... Very Interesting!" "Now regarding the white cottontail, this devoted Paladyn has a big weakness for cute things, and bunnies are one such. Heck, look at the chair next to her bed. It should be a stuffed rabbit." Rarity looked for the lone chair, and sure enough, there was a pink rabbit with brown eyes staring peacefully back at Rarity. On one of its ears was a blue ribbon that matches the exact design the Paladyn had on her attire. "That is Matilda, Elisanne's secret friend. Whenever she gets lonely, she'd talk to the little fella. Even bought that ribbon for her. Elisanne made sure that NO ONE should know about this side of her... but out of carelessness, a few people found out. Oh yeah, there's also a painting of her in the hallways too, aptly titled 'Secret Friend'. A painting of Matilda I mean, NOT Elisanne." "Well isn't that adorable?" Rarity blushed, "I'm sure you've got loads of secrets about your best friend and the Prince, Matilda!" "You betcha because this isn't Elisanne's only combat attire. Check the closet." Flash continued, gesturing to the closet opposite the side of the bed with his eyes. Rarity marched over and swung it open. "Wha--" Rarity was taken aback at the sight of two distinctively coloured and heavily symbolic articles. One was similar to Rarity's normal attire, but coloured in orange and purple, alongside some bunny ears with a jack-o-lantern pumpkin and plastic black cobweb. The other was a long white gown with a light blue dress with pink linings. There were even some white high heels below it. "Those are... Elisanne's other battle costumes?" Rarity pointed, "one is a Nightmare Night costume, and the other is unquestionably a bridal gown!" "Heh, like I said... she's got a little love going on inside her head," Flash chuckled. "Incidentally, she's not the only adventurer to have more than one battle attire. Would you like a list?" "N-No thanks." Rarity shook her head, "but... I am a little more interested in the story of Prince Euden, and how he ended up here." "We can ask Ms Cleo later. Why don't we finish what we're doing?" "A good idea!" Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle's picture tour went through the closed up mines, the moss-covered statues, a mysterious shrine, and now up towards a magical flight of steps. "Aw man," Sweetie giggled as she stood on the Island of summoning. "If only there was a dry path so I can look out from the edge, It would be the perfect selfie moment!" "I'd advise against that if I were you." A firm ethereal voice responded, "I have seen great people lose their lives from the most embarrassing of deaths, such includes 'accidentally' falling." "Oh!" Sweetie Belle turned to the podium. There, she saw the blue image of a woman materialise in front of her eyes. "It's you!!!" "Furthermore, any form of photography is prohibited." The woman continued, looking straight at Sweetie. "Aww... Don't be such a stick in the mud! I promised Ms Cleo that my photos will only be between friends... I'll even take a picture of you if you want!" "An interesting offer to a demand that doesn't require Wyrmite... very well then, If you insist." The woman responded, changing her mind. "Thanks for being so sweet and understanding! Here, I'll take your picture first! Would you also like the dragon's statue to be fully in as well?" "Yes. That would be the ideal photo for your gallery." The woman agreed with a small cheeky tone. "Funny. You seem to know a lot about photography, and the right words for it too. Aren't you from past or something?" "In the history of Grastaea, mankind sought to advance whatever knowledge they would grasp on, and developed constructs that would greedily use nature and mana to fuel their own machines. One such machine could capture an image from what it sees. Is that not what photography is?" "Oh! I completely forgot about that history... Oopsies..." Sweetie Belle chuckled, "Well? I am still waiting for my picture!" The woman reminded, striking a pose. "Sorry! Say cheese!" Sweetie Belle signalled and snapped a picture. "Well? How did it turn out?" "It turned out..." Sweetie Belle was about to exclaim it out until she peered carefully at a completely black screen. A bit worried, she scrolled through her previous photos of the Halidom, all completely fine. It was just the picture she snapped, "... For some reason, nothing turned out at all!" She gasped, "Good," The woman huffed, "As I said, no photos. As long as you're on this island, you're in my presence. There are many things that I can affect in my presence, except for the actions of living beings." "Argh! You trolled me!" Sweetie growled, "If you really wish to procure a photo... Perhaps you'd be willing to do me a favour..." The woman started, "Really? Sure!" Sweetie gasped, there was still hope! "What do I do?" "You should remember the last time you came here, this pool has received damages from summoning after so long. It is possible to fix the damages, however, so if you contribute to the process of repairing the pool, then I may grant you one photo of these grounds. I may even reveal my presence on your photo if you so desire." "Deal!" Sweetie snapped up, "Very good then. Allow me to lay out what is required..." "Hmm..." Cleo mused to herself, sitting in the confines of one of many bedrooms. As mentioned, she was writing up a quick translation guide, using the reference of a choir book similar to the one she gifted Sweetie. "It's a wonderful thing that we have two former members of the Harmonia Choir who fought with us," Cleo mumbled again as she finished up her page. "Done. That's another tick on the checklist. Now..." She pulled out a notebook, "there's a few more weapon blueprints and materials that I need to show Flash, a few sewing materials that Rarity can use for an example, some more socialising for Adagio, and then there's the Summoning Pool to take care of." She exited the room and into the hallway, "Now which one should I tackle first???" "Ah! Ms Cleo! There you are!" Sweetie Belle cried, running down the hallway, "there's something I'd like for you to do, pretty pretty please?" "Really? Let's hear it then. But before that, I've managed to create a quick translation guide for the Choir book I gave you. It should help," She offered her work, "Really?" Sweetie gasped, taking it quickly, "Thanks so much, Ms Cleo!!!" "Ms Cleo?" Rarity called, walking towards her with a serious gaze. "There's something I'd like to ask. Why is it that most of the females wear clothing that exposes well... a lot of their skin? I swear that one of the revealing ones actually belonged to one of the many preachers here!!!!" "Specifically, a preacher bent on vengeance." Flash, who was behind her, corrected. "Her name, I believe, is Cibella. She's a lance user, so I went into detail into her bio. Pretty tragic if you ask me, but the same can be said for many." "Are there any adventurers here who dress decently for battle?" Rarity continued, "Do men count? Because the lancer named Zace bears his entire upper torso with two straps and six bones." Flash asked, "Granted, what he wears is tribal gear. I'm just saying not to forget men," "Zip it Flash! You're not helping in the slightest!" Rarity retorted, "Really? To me, anything that crosses the line would be wearing nothing but their undergarments into battle. I mean, some of our adventurers are occasionally barefoot." Cleo reasoned, "But if you're talking about fully clothed, then yes. There are plenty of women who dress suited for battle." "I want to know who they are!" Rarity snapped, "C-Can you hold on a moment?" Cleo asked, "your sister asked me for something first!" "Hey Ms Cleo, we're done with the garden watering." Big Mac and Adagio, "Anything else ya need us to do?" "Come on Ms Cleo! Just hear me out!" Sweetie Pleaded, "I'm not in the mood to wait. Ms Cleo, please?" Rarity tapped her foot, "Will all of you be quiet!?!?" Cleo roared, slamming her foot down, "I demand we take this one at a time! Haven't your parents taught you any manners!?!?" Sweetie stopped pleading, Rarity stopped complaining, and Big Mac was taken aback at the sudden outburst. "Now, let's take this outside. There are some chairs we can use on the balcony." Cleo offered, "S-Sure." The teenagers responded and headed for the exit with Cleo leading the way. "I see." Cleo nodded as she listened to the concerns of everyone over a table. "Then perhaps we can do all of our chores and needs today. Is everyone clear on what's happening?" "All interior Halidom responsibilities, such as Rarity's clothes shopping, are minor compared to the task of fixing that pool. If you guys want to protect this place from any further fiend attacks, then getting more adventurer essences is necessary." Flash answered, "I agree." Cleo responded, "Now Sweetie, what did the summoner need?" "She said she needs Mana, Wyrmite and Eldwater. Mana I know of, but no idea about the other two." "Then let me fill you in." Cleo answered, "Wyrmite are valuable yet common stones that can be seen all around Grastaea. They are but of one material required to use the summoning pool. Eldwater, on the other hand, is a by-product from summoning. You see, summoning the essences of our adventurers is well... Left to chance." "WOW, that is SO unreliable you know that?" Sweetie dropped her jaw, "I won't argue about that." Cleo continued, "Now, there is also the chance of summoning the same essence as before. And to prevent that from happening, the summoner will convert the duplicate essence to Eldwater. Take it as the water of the summoning pool enchanted by the Wyrmite. The Eldwater also has its own purposes. Should anyone ingest a certain amount, their potential will grow immensely. It's also a good material to restore the paintings you see in this castle." "Huh... sounds better than any lottery in the world if you ask me. You at least get somethin'!" Big Mac shrugged, "Like Wyrmite, Eldwater can also be found outside the walls of the Halidom." "And where exactly can we find them?" Sweetie asked, "There are some special pools in each of the five areas that can provide you with Eldwater. I've sent Adagio on that job before so she can be a witness to that." "But if you want the little and easy way," Adagio continued, "Defeating fiends are another way to get materials." "Really?" Flash's eyes widened, "Yep. Bust them up, and they'll drop all sorts of materials after once they bite the dust." Adagio explained, "Mana and Rupies mostly. If you take out more than a few every day, they'll drop Wyrmites and Eldwater. Sometimes, they may even drop a weapon or a painting!" "That sounds nice, can I--" "No Flash." Rarity and Adagio spoke together, "You're not going in to fight them." "B-But I'm fully equipped!" Flash reasoned, "I've got an actual weapon this time!" "What you found was just an Adventurer's Lance." Cleo clarified, "This is the most standard of all weapons that's been mass-produced and mass-disposed. You can find this almost anywhere. As you are right now, you'll need a lot more before you can bring you and your weapon to battle. After all, since you are interested in smithing, perhaps you'd like to craft a better weapon first." "Okay then..." Flash moped, "In that case, perhaps this would be a good time for you to work out with Estelle, Rarity." Cleo suggested, "You and Adagio should be able to go on a small 'quest' on clearing out some fiends. Meanwhile, the rest of us can handle indoor chores." "About that ma'am," Big Mac raised his hand, "Ah'd like to volunteer to go with the girls on Fiend huntin'." "What?" The group jumped in shock and surprise. "I thought you said you weren't a good hunter!" Sweetie Belle remembered, "Ah also said ah wasn't good at being hunted either." Big Mac countered. "Bein' the oldest, ah spent most work on the plains and farm. Sometimes, Ah had to chase away any critters that would do harm to our chickens and livestock. Thanks to extended family, Ah learned how to track these wild thangs through their footprints, root out their hiding spots, and git 'em out of the farm fer good. Course, most of 'em were small foxes, wild dogs, owls, and snakes. Believe it or not, Ah scare the livin' daylights out of 'em whenever Ah'm around, or so the others say. A big size, a sharp pitchfork, and a merciless face are enough to tell 'em never to set foot here. Even fiends can't hide their tracks, but Ah do know that they can fight back. Ah'll be happy to help track 'em, but Ah promise to stay a distance." "Hmm... what do you think? The choice is yours." Cleo turned to the girls, "That... That can actually work." Rarity agreed, "Sure, welcome to the team." "What!?" Flash stood up in protest, "That's not fair! Big Mac can't fight, but he gets to go!?" "I agree with Rarity." Adagio shrugged, "As for your question Flash, it's because Big Mac understands that he can't fight, but he proves to be helpful in the back lines. You on the other hand? You're more willing to throw your life away than be useful!" "You still don't believe that I can fight!?!?" Flash bellowed, "Flash, calm down." Cleo responded, "Given your experience with the fiends two days ago, their reasons for not letting you join is justifiable. That's why I asked you to train just a bit more, and I'll help you with that." "Grr... Fine!" Flash gave in with a frustrated look, "Speaking of which," Rarity grinned, "Do you want to come along Sweetie Belle? You are the one who seemed motivated to do this after all! I know of you to keep safe!" "Nah," Sweetie Belle chuckled as she refused, "I know you three can do it!" "Then it's settled," Cleo nodded, "Flash, Sweetie and I will deal with your request, Rarity, and other things. As for you and Adagio, you will be off fighting fiends, with Big Mac as your scout. Is that clear?" "Done!" Rarity agreed, "No issues," Adagio smirked, "Eeyup." Big Mac grunted, giving a playful wink to Cleo. Cleo saw it, and she smiled. "Flash? Sweetie?" Cleo turned to the last members of the party. "All good!" Sweetie gave a thumbs up, "It's clear..." Flash disappointingly sighed. "Rarity? Adagio? Do you have your essences with you?" "Yep! And the clothes this time too!" Rarity replied, "This would be my first time trying them out!" "Let's get changed, Rarity," Adagio spoke, "Please do it privately," Flash added, "Let's not have any accidental charges for Peeping Toms." "Hey, WE should be telling you not to be a Peeping Tom!" Rarity snapped, "Early bird catches the worm." Flash chuckled, "Alright. Are you girls ready?" Cleo asked once the Dazzling and the girl of Generosity got into their 'unfitting' clothes. "Argh..." Adagio grumbled, holding her upper shirt together, "to think I have to hold my upper clothes together just because my chest doesn't fit!" "Huh... Estelle really seems taller than I am." Rarity responded, looking at the sacred raiments she was wearing, and trying to jam the peculiar hat of Estelle onto her hair. "Ah'm ready mahself," Big Mac spoke up. "So where will we be going?" Rarity asked, "Originally, the destination was going to be the Lake since fighting fiends over there is a breeze for me, but since you, a healer, is in the team, we're going to a more challenging place. It's where you four first entered this hidden area of the world." "Rovetelle Forest. Seems easy." Rarity optimistically grinned, "Now, your essence." Adagio continued, pulling out a blue marble-shaped orb. "Here," Rarity replied by pulling out an exact identical orb. "It's pretty amazing how you can easily hide its presence!" "Then you know how to un-hide it," Adagio responded, as her orb turned into a silver dagger in a blink of an eye. "Use your mind, I know." Rarity laughed, as her orb transformed into a familiar silver staff. "Here goes!" The girls spoke as they placed their silver weapons onto the hearts, and sent forth another blinding light. As the light died down, the girls were now in familiar bodies. Adagio in her short-haired and sylvan-hiding merchant body, and Rarity in her twin-tailed and Loving Preacher body. "Ah..." Rarity experienced the feeling of Estelle's Body in Estelle's own set of clothing, "Now THIS is a perfect fit! Now that I'm wearing this, I really do like the contrasting feel of the gauntlets and cotton-like shoes, with the preacher's raiments!" "Before ah forget..." Big Mac remembered, "This is yours, Rarity." And presented her the Loving Hand, "Wonderful! Now I truly look like the Loving Preacher in the flesh!" Rarity laughed, "Hmm... Since you like the body so much, why don't we go by the names of our adventurers whenever we take their body?" Adagio suggested, "Ah, so like what Mym did?" Cleo clarified, "Sure. I'm fine with that." "Mym?" Sweetie asked, "Oh! She's a former ally of ours. She's a special shapeshifter, and she took the form of one of Alberius' companions and followed her namesake." "We'll try it out then... right, Francesca?" Estelle cheekily asked, "Only if I get to call you Estelle!" Francesca retorted, "You got it, Big Mac?" The two girls turned to the big boy, "Ulp! Yes ma'am!" Big Mac jumped, "A-Ah mean, Francesca and Estelle!" "Good! Now without further ado..." Francesca furrowed her eyes, "Let's start the quest!!!" Estelle announced at the top of her lungs.