//------------------------------// // Catching Up // Story: An Interesting Arrival // by Moongaze14 //------------------------------// Catching Up “And then the Cutie Mark Crusaders got their cutie marks! And I also helped the yaks befriend the ponies! And there was this party I made yesterday!” The group was now on Statice’s room, eating some treats that Pinkie somehow produced out of thin air. The pink pony decided to let Statice know what he missed since their last encounter by going on a rant of every little thing she considered worth celebrating, which was pretty much a lot. Statice lost interest in what Pinkie Pie was saying, only listening to a couple of things that caught his attention. From the looks of it, Pinkie Pie succeeded with the diplomacy with the yaks. It was a surprise as he expected Twilight to be the one who do it since friendship was her thing. I guess I underestimate ponies a little too much. He smiled as he realized that Cadence won’t have to worry about the yaks and she could relax with Shining Armor about their baby. He also felt happy about the Crusaders finally getting their cutie marks. He didn’t listen to Pinkie’s story, believing that it was the Crusaders who had to tell him the tale of how they obtained their marks. It’s gonna be an interesting tale considering how those three have been working their tails off to get those marks. “Pinkie, darling, I think you should let Statice talk,” Rarity intruded in Pinkie Pie’s long rant as she noticed the green unicorn spacing out. “Oops,” Pinkie Pie smiled awkwardly. “Sorry about that,” she gave a grin that made a squeaky sound. “It’s okay,” Statice shrugged his shoulders. “I haven’t done much to talk about.” “Nonsense,” Rarity scoffed. “You went to some vacations on the Crystal Empire! That’s nothing to dismiss!” “Princess Luna noticed that I had sleeping problems because I was tense,” Statice summarized his troubles as little as possible. “She sent me to the Crystal Empire to relax and see if that would help.” “Oh my,” Fluttershy was concerned regarding his sleeping problems. “Did you vacations help?” “I got to meet my brother during a family visit, so I’d say it help,” Statice smiled a bit as he recalled meeting Meadow Tails. “I sleep better now.” Though I wish I could dream without having to borrow Luna’s dreams. Twilight gave Statice a glare. She knew that he was hiding something from her friends, but chose not to say anything about it. After all, it was his dreams they were talking about. She decided to focus on something else instead. “How is Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns?” she asked, feeling nostalgic for her alma mater. “I can give you a few pointers now that you’re a student at my old school.” “I nailed the first test so I skipped a few grades,” Statice smiled confidently for a few seconds before giving Twilight a note. “You mind telling me which age group belongs to this grade.” “This school grade is filled with teenagers,” Twilight answered immediately. “They are mostly in the intermediate level of magic.” “Are you kidding me?” Statice asked, dismay evident in his voice. “Teenagers are the worst. They’re a bunch of arrogant know-it-alls, they’re constantly thinking about boys and girls, and they make a big deal about everything.” “I don’t think that my peers were like that when they were teenagers,” Twilight rolled her eyes at the green unicorn. “How would you know?” Statice scoffed at the purple alicorn. “You spent most of your life with your snout on a book. I bet you weren’t even a real teenager by the time you grew out of it.” “Burn!” Rainbow Dash yelled at the offended face Twilight made. “And what were your teenage years like?” Twilight challenged. “Learning how the world is, that’s how I spent them,” Statice smirked, eating a cupcake and then summoning a glass of cider from Hammerspace. “I’ll admit that my life as an adventurer made me go through some things I never wanted to do, but let it not be said that it wasn’t productive.” “I know almost every spell ever created in Equestria, most of them learned when I was a teen,” Twilight stomped a hoof in resolution. “I wouldn’t call my teenage years a waste.” Seeing that the purple alicorn and the green unicorn were about to get into an argument, Spike decided to be a mediator. “So, how is your brother, Statice?” he asked with a nervous smile. “He’s cool, nice, and kind,” Statice smiled proudly. “He’s pretty much the opposite of me.” “Not a jerk,” Rainbow Dash intruded. “He’s pretty much everything I don’t want him to be or become,” Statice continued, ignoring Rainbow Dash. “Sounds like a nice fellah,” Applejack smiled. “I’d love to meet him someday.” “Maybe someday,” Statice smiled. “In the meantime, how about we just have a normal talk.” “What part of our conversation is normal?” Rainbow Dash asked with a raised eyebrow. “It’s either you ignore what either of us has to say, get into arguments with us, or barely say anything at all.” At Rainbow Dash’s argument, the whole room got quiet. It was a really good point to make. Neither he nor these girls knew how to make a conversation with each other without it getting awkward or turning into a fight. I hate it when Rainbow Dash makes a point. I wish something would happen to break this mood. The door opened to reveal Emerald Statice levitating some books next to him and ready for a study session. He took a look at the girls, who stared at him and then at Statice before looking back at him. “Did I come at a bad time?” Emerald Statice asked. “CLONE!” Pinkie Pie yelled at Emerald Statice. “Get him, Twilight!” Emerald Statice didn’t get to say anything before Twilight blasted him with a purple bolt of magic. Seeing his clone get apparently destroyed caused Statice to tackle Twilight to the ground. “What’s wrong with you, mare?” Statice yelled at Twilight. “Why did you vaporize my study partner?” “Study partner?” Twilight asked as she teleported out of Statice’s hold to look at him in the eye. “That was a clone! They are very dangerous to make!” “Technically speaking, I am a collection of thoughts and memories shaped like my creator designed to fulfill a purpose,” Emerald Statice’s voice boomed across the room as tendrils of green magic collected themselves into a ball before turning back into his physical shape. “Did you just reconstruct yourself at the magical molecular level?” Twilight asked Emerald Statice with a mix of horror and fascination. “I cannot be destroyed until I fulfill my purpose,” Emerald Statice stared at his creator as he levitated the books and put them on a desk. “What is your purpose?” Fluttershy asked. Despite the first impression, she was concerned about Emerald Statice’s fate regarding him fulfilling his purpose. “I have to help Statice study so that he can graduate this school,” he answered simply as he opened books and started recording them on his Archive. Hearing the answer got the girls to look at Statice with mixtures of horror and disgust. They all stared at Statice accusingly. Oh sure, they vaporized him at first sight, and it’s okay. Then they met him and I’m the monster? “Don’t look at me like that,” Statice glared back at them. “You guys vaporized many Pinkie clones and you don’t see me judging you.” “The Pinkie clones didn’t develop personalities and were out of control because the Mirror Pool didn’t allow them to fully become their own ponies,” Twilight glared at him as she recalled the hard decision of terminating them. “You pretty much created a clone to dispose as soon as you’re done with him.” “Oh please, clones try to kill you no matter how nice you treat them,” Statice rolled his eyes at Twilight. “You treat them like brothers or sons and eventually they start trying to destroy you to become the real Statice. That’s why I don’t care what happens to them anyway.” “Dang, Statice, how many times did that happen to you?” Rainbow Dash winced at the green unicorn’s callousness and the fact that some clones tried to kill him before. “More times that I care to count,” Statice sneered. “How about we spend time with the clone?” Pinkie Pie suggested. “This clone appears to have more personality than just randomly doing what you told him to do when you compared them with the clones I made.” “What was that?” Statice and Emerald Statice asked in unison. “Well, I find it sad that he will disappear once he helps Statice graduate so why not help him have fun on the way,” Pinkie Pie smiled as she proposed the idea. “You’d do that for me?” Emerald Statice asked, his voice sounded on the verge of crying. “Girls,” Statice sighed. “Do what you want. But you’re going to be disappointed when Emerald gets to leave.” “I’ll help Statice study with the books you brought and you girls have fun with Emerald Statice,” Twilight declared. The girls stomped their hooves in agreement, leaving the two stallions perplexed. “Go have fun,” Statice told his clone. “Might as well enjoy your limited lifespan, Emerald.” “Thank you, Statice,” Emerald Statice smiled at his creator and left with the girls with reluctant gratitude. “Are you ready for the study session?” Twilight grinned so hard she made a squeaky sound. “I’m gonna be here for hours, am I?” Statice asked Spike. “You’re gonna be here for hours,” Spike clarified. “Should have gone with the clone,” Statice deadpanned. “I knew that you had a second boutique coming up, but I never expected it will be so beautiful.” As a memory construct, Emerald Statice had all of the memories of his creator. He knew that Rarity was planning on building a boutique on Canterlot for a while. What neither of them expected was how beautiful it was going to be. “Oh my, are you sure you’re a clone of Statice?” Rarity teetered as she wiggled her eyebrows playfully at him. “You’re much too nice to be his clone.” “I was born not too long ago,” Emerald Statice avoided her gaze in shyness. “I’ve only been at the school, the library, and the castle.” “Well, that’s no good,” Rarity stomped a hoof disapprovingly as she summoned a beautiful yellow suit for the clone. “If you’re going to disappear someday, you might as well live every day to the fullest! Sassy, dear, you mind bringing more fabric to help my guest here?” “Oh, Rarity, of course,” a light blue unicorn mare with two shaded orange mane came out with the fabric. She was wearing a specialized purple vest and dress with a saddle on top, a sign that she definitely had the fashion sense to work for Rarity. “ Emerald Statice, I’d like you to meet my assistant and the one in charge of Canterlot Boutique when I’m not managing the store, Sassy Saddles,” Rarity gestured with dramatic flair and Sassy responded by extending her hoof to Emerald Statice. I guess I should kiss it. Gently, Emerald Statice kissed the mare’s hoof, earning an approving giggle. “Oh my, he’s such a gentlecolt,” Sassy Saddles covered her lips and bashfully turned her head away. “It’s rare to find them nowadays. I can see why the two of you are a couple.” The last statement got the two ponies blushing hard. Surprisingly enough, despite Rarity’s white fur making her blush more evident, it was Emerald Statice who blushed the hardest out of the two. His whole body turned red as he was not used to so much embarrassment in his short existence. “We’re not dating!” Rarity finally answered. “We…broke up, but still remained friends when we realized we had too little in common.” “Oh,” Sassy Saddles gasped at her faux pas. “I didn’t know that you two broke up. I want to give you my sincerest apologies. I’ll leave you two alone while I work on the new suit.” “I’ll work on the new suit with you,” Rarity laughed nervously. “Emerald Statice, you’re free to take the other suit with you as a gift. I was thinking of making something that matches the emerald you’re wearing.” “Thank you,” Emerald Statice bowed, already back to his original color. “Well, at least Sassy will tell Fancy Pants that Statice and I are not dating anymore,” Rarity sighed. “Rumors travel fast in Canterlot.” It’s a shame that I started this one. “This study session sucks!” “It doesn’t suck!” “What kind of teen would cram all that information on their head?” “I did!” “That’s adult-level stuff! You were a messed up teen, Twilight!” “Who are you calling messed-up, Statice?” Spike was sitting on a couch, eating gems that Statice generously provided as he witnessed the study session. It had gone fine at first when the two were studying the books that Emerald Statice had brought. So far so good. Then Twilight decided to bring the flashcards she made for those lessons back she was in that grade many years ago. And this brings me a bad feeling. Sure enough, Twilight’s flashcards pretty much contained so much information that they might as well have been the books themselves. Not only that, but Twilight’s attention to detail was so great that it bordered on obsession, so there was no way that an average student was going to get the answers right unless they had a passion for knowledge or a great memory like hers. And then chaos unfolded. “What’s the point of making flashcards if you’re gonna ask me the whole cursed book?” Statice levitated the book and slammed it on the floor in frustration. “I’m not asking you the whole book, but the most important parts of it,” Twilight growled at the green unicorn for not appreciating her efforts. “You act as if you summarized, but I’m pretty sure you just read the book and made a question for each page you read,” Statice scoffed as he levitated a bunch of flashcards next to an open book and compared them for each page he was turning. “NO CHEATING ON THE SESSION!” Twilight tackled Statice, making him drop the book and the flashcards. Spike watched with lack of interest as Twilight’s neurosis for studying kicked in and led to her engaging Statice in a ridiculous wrestling match to get him to take his studies seriously. “I wonder how the girls are doing with Emerald Statice,” he wondered to himself as he took a much of his gems. “What are we doing?” Emerald Statice asked Rainbow Dash. “Chillax,” she replied as she brought some hammocks in between two pairs of trees for the two of them. “We’re gonna rest in these hammocks and watch the garden as the day passes.” “You can also have fun with the animals,” Fluttershy chimed in as she brought some woodland critters with her. She gently placed a bunny on his chest. Emerald Statice stared at the bunny. It wiggled its nose at him before nuzzling his face. He gasped at the gesture of affection. “You’re supposed to pet and cuddle it,” Rainbow Dash instructed him. “You know how to do that, right?” “I think I do,” Emerald Statice gently grabbed the bunny with his hooves, stroking its head with one hoof and nuzzling its face with his cheek. The bunny returned his ministrations with its own. “Feels nice, doesn’t it?” Fluttershy asked with approving curiosity. “I think I like this,” Emerald Statice replied. It’s the first time I’ve had something soft and warm rubbing against my cheek. It feels wonderful. “You should try taking a nap,” Rainbow Dash suggested. “Can you tell me what’s a nap?” Emerald Statice asked. “I cannot sleep because I’m a being of magic so I have no idea what nap is even if know the definition.” “You don’t sleep?” Rainbow Dash asked in horror. “That’s harsh. I can’t spend a day without taking an afternoon nap.” “Have you tried to take a nap?” Fluttershy asked. “You won’t know unless you try. I can help you. Close your eyes and forget anything about today or tomorrow.” Help Statice study for his graduation. Help Statice study for his graduation. “It’s easier said than done,” Emerald Statice complained, and yet he still closed his eyes, doing as the yellow pegasus asked him to do. “If your head can’t stop thinking then let your body make you forget,” Rainbow Dash cut in. “I always fall asleep when I exhaust myself from flying too much or when I’m too happy from being so awesome.” “But I’m not tired,” Emerald Statice protested. “This has been the best day of my short existence. I’ve done more than just being Statice’s study partner. I got a suit, I petted a bunny, I’m gonna take a nap.” “And Pinkie Pie and Applejack will make you dinner,” Fluttershy added helpfully. “Let those thoughts and feelings act like a blanket that will make you fall asleep,” Rainbow Dash grinned. “Trust me. Sleeping is one of my many talents.” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy laughed between the two of them, but he didn’t listen to them. He was once again stuck with his thoughts. Help Statice for his graduation. Help Statice for his graduation. Help Statice. Help Statice. Help… Help… H-… The thoughts were gone. And Emerald Statice was asleep. Seeing this, Rainbow Dash decided to join on the nap and Fluttershy took the bunny from his chest so that she could go back to cuddling with the animals. “Okay,” Twilight spoke with a frazzled look on her face. “Since theory didn’t work, maybe we should try doing practice.” “What should we practice?” Statice asked, using a brush to comb his ruffled mane from his earlier altercation with Twilight. “Spells are categorized into arcane and elemental,” Twilight lectured, already entering into her teaching zone. “I noticed that you are good with lightning and earth magic. I personally have an affinity with fire magic. Do you want to try it?” “I already did elemental magic in my previous exam,” Statice complained. “It doesn’t hurt to be prepared if it comes again,” Twilight warned him. “They may ask you to do other types of elemental spells.” Neighsay does look like the type of pony to throw curveballs like that. “I think I made a fire spell once, but it was mainly for the purpose of having a fire spell,” Statice joked as he remembered the days on which he and Digitalis were trying to find their elemental affinities. “So you can cast a fire spell despite not having an affinity for it?” Twilight inquired with curiosity. “That’s not uncommon. Princess Celestia said that it is common for unicorns to learn any kind of elemental magic even if you don’t have the affinity for it.” “Really?” Statice asked. “I only made sure to just make one or two elemental spells for each category and only for special occasions.” “Well, affinity just makes sure that you’re more proficient in using them,” Twilight explained. “It can make your spells more powerful or easier to cast.” Now that I think about it, lightning magic doesn’t feel as draining when I use it. And I always feel that I know what I’m doing when I use earth or plant magic. “I am recently studying how to use crystal magic,” Twilight added cheerfully. “It’s a sealing elemental spell and Cadence taught me the basics.” “I think you should go back to the fire magic, Twilight,” Spike cut in on the conversation before the purple alicorn could get in on a tangent. “Oh, sorry,” she blushed as she realized she was getting off topic. “Mind if you show me your spell, Statice?” “It’s already there,” Statice lighted his horn on magic. Next to Spike, a green flame, similar to the ones he made, was levitating next to him. The baby dragon, despite his natural resistance to flames, yelped in surprise and jumped away from it, but he was amazed upon giving it a farther look. “Is that flame yours, Statice?” he asked in amazement. “It looks like one of my own flames. Except that this one is floating.” “I used my Fire Ignition Spell to ignite a flame from flammable materials,” Statice explained. “I can use oxygen, but the spell is a lot easier if there is wood or other stuff that burns easily.” “This is so practical!” Twilight flew to the flame so fast that Statice turned it off out of fear that she was going to burn her face off. “I’m pretty sure that even if you lack an elemental affinity, you can actually create controlled fires as long as you use scientific principles like combustion.” “Yeah, not a good idea,” Statice winced. “I started a fire by accident the first time I used this spell so I mainly use it for little flames or where the fire won’t spread.” The mention of fire spreading killed Twilight’s enthusiasm and got Spike wincing, mainly because he had experience burning stuff by accident. “Can we change the subject to another element?” he suggested helpfully. “How about we try some water magic?” Spike added emphasis by flashing a glass of water in front of the purple alicorn and the green unicorn. “I think that will help,” Statice filled his horn with magic and transferred it to Spike’s glass. “Pay attention to the contents.” The water inside the glass turned to ice. Then the ice melted back into water, which evaporated into steam. Finally, the steam condensed into a cloud that rained water inside the glass. Twilight and Spike witnessed the spectacle with dumbstruck looks on their faces while Statice was grimacing for each event that was happening around the vase. “That was my Water Phase Change Spell,” Statice explained as he rubbed his head from the strain. “I can change water, steam, or ice to any phase of the water cycle. That being said, the changes are very difficult because I have to take into account temperature and mass for each phase I’m shifting.” “Sounds like a drag,” Spike winced in sympathy. “I think you went through all of the phases of the water cycle.” “I did,” Statice explained. “I think I demonstrated enough elements for the day.” “Are you sure you can’t try to do one more after a short rest?” Twilight asked, feeling a bit curious about what Statice could do after seeing the previous spells. “I can run on wind currents with my Air Walking Spell, but you can ask Rainbow Dash for that one,” Statice added as he went to bed. “I think that covers for my wind element spells.” “Maybe,” Twilight relented comprehensively. “But I think you should try some basic elemental spells regardless of whether or not you have an affinity for them.” “I will,” Statice groaned. “I’m just a bit tired. I’ll take a nap and then we can check on it. In the meantime, can you check on Emerald Statice?” “Fine,” Twilight groaned. “But I’ll leave my flashcards here to help him out. Come on, Spike.” “Hey, Twilight!” Statice called out as he got on top of the bed. “What do you want?” Twilight asked, feeling curious now. “Did Shining Armor and Cadence talked to you while they tasked you with dealing with the yaks?” he asked, wondering if she knew about being a future aunt. “No,” Twilight shook her head. “But I’m glad that they trusted me with such a great honor. Yak culture was so interesting to know. I’ll tell you all about it once we’re done studying.” Guess she doesn’t know yet. I wanted to bet with her regarding the baby’s species and gender. Emerald Statice was in the dinner room, stuffing his face with apple treats made by Applejack and sugary treats made by Pinkie Pie. “This is the best food I’ve ever tasted,” he munched voraciously. “It’s probably the only food I ever tasted since I’m a magic construct, but still!” “Ah’ll take that as a compliment,” Applejack decided to only focus on the first part that Emerald Statice said and ignore the sad part of him being a magic construct. “Have some more!” Pinkie Pie appeared carrying a three level chocolate cake for Emerald Statice. “Ah don’t think that he can…” Applejack begun, stopping as she watched the green unicorn construct start eating. “Never mind,” she deadpanned. “Ah must say, that he’s a lot nicer than the real Statice.” “Statice is nice too…when he wants to be,” Pinkie Pie tried to defend the real deal, but noticed that he had a hard time showing it. “That Arcanum Ball game was a sweet game.” “It has nothing against buckball,” Applejack scoffed. “Ah’ll show ya the game someday.” “How are you doing, girls?” Twilight asked as she entered the room. “He’s a lot nicer than Statice,” Applejack answered bluntly. “How are ya doin’ with him.” “Not the best student I had, but not the worst either,” Twilight sighed. “But I think I can manage. If I managed to teach Rainbow Dash in time for her Wonderbolts test, then I can help Statice with his test.” “I resent that,” Rainbow Dash flew into the room with Fluttershy following in. “I’m sure Twilight didn’t mean anything bad with that,” Fluttershy chimed in, trying to pacify her brasher friend. “Besides, she did make a point, darling,” Rarity join the conversation with a bag containing the suits for Emerald Statice. One of them was the yellow suit and another was a forest green suit. “Mind if I talk with him?” Twilight asked her friends. “Go for it,” Rainbow Dash cheered her on. “I’d say he’s a lot cooler than Statice.” “Rainbow Dash!” Rarity scolded her. “What?” Rainbow Dash protested. “He’s less of a jerk than the original.” Twilight went on, ignoring the argument Rainbow Dash had with her friends, who were trying in vain to defend Statice. I might as well get to meet him. If my friends say he’s a good pony then I can trust him. It won’t be like the case with Pinkie Pie and her clones. “Hi,” Twilight sat next to Emerald Statice. “Hello,” Emerald Statice greeted her back. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship,” she greeted with an open hoof. “I am Emerald Statice, clone of the original Statice,” the green unicorn construct kissed her hoof. “I’d love to be your friend.” The gesture caught Twilight and her friends by surprise. The sight of Statice, even if he was a clone, respectfully kissing her hoof was so out of this world that it felt like a dream. “Am I still on my bed on Ponyville?” Spike asked the girls as he already reached the scene. “Because that did not just happen.” “You’re awake, Spike, and that just happened,” Rarity answered, having witnessed the clone kiss Sassy’s hoof not a few hours ago. “Did I do something wrong?” Emerald Statice asked. Twilight stared for a while and then smiled. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Emerald. Let’s talk.” The last few hours were the best moments of Emerald Statice’s life. He talked with these lovely mares who treated him nicely. Nopony has ever treated him like that in his short life, or even in the memories before that. He never wanted it to end. But it had to end when a gray pegasus mare with blonde mane and golden eyes pointing at both directions came with a letter. Apparently, there was a random crisis at Ponyville…again. “I’m sorry we have to leave,” Fluttershy apologized. “But we promise to visit you during the graduation in a few months.” “Don’t forget to treat your clothes with the utmost care,” Rarity instructed. “I’ll have Sassy give you instructions.” “You have to chillax, dude,” Rainbow Dash playfully punched him in the shoulder as she flew beside him. “Life is too short and you need to enjoy it.” “If yer just like Statice, then Ah can recognize he ain’t a bad colt after all,” Applejack smiled at him. “Have a treat for him and ya.” “Don’t forget a treat from me,” Pinkie Pie brought a slice of pie from her mane and gave it to Emerald Statice. “I’m pretty sure Statice would appreciate it.” “Tell Statice that I’m sorry that I couldn’t help as much as I wanted in the study session, but that I will try to help the next time I see him,” Twilight placed a comforting hoof on Emerald Statice’s shoulder. “See you later, Emerald,” Spike smiled offered his closed fist for Emerald Statice to bump, which he reluctantly did. With all farewells done, Emerald Statice watched as Twilight and her friends vanished with a teleportation spell. He was left behind with the pies that Applejack and Pinkie Pie baked, the suits that Rarity sewed, and an unsettling feeling in his heart. I don’t want this to ever end. It was evening when Statice woke up. Dinner was going to be served and Twilight and Spike had not yet returned. I’ll have to meet them in the dinner room. To his surprise, Emerald Statice was already in the room, holding two slices of pie and a bag with two suits inside of it. “The girls left after dinner,” Emerald Statice informed him. “But they made pie and they left a few slices for you.” “And you didn’t think of telling me that dinner was ready,” Statice voiced his displeasure passive-aggressively. “You’re the one who overslept while I was being a good friend to those nice girls,” Emerald Statice countered. “That one was on you.” “Give me the pie,” Statice growled at the clone. The slices of pie were given on plates with forks. They were delicious. Statice was wising there were more pies for him to eat once he finished the slices. “They’re a little sweet with a hint of sour,” Statice hummed for the apple pie. “The other pie is pure concentrated sweetness that can be balanced with the other pie.” His vision was getting blurry as his sleepiness was returning. It was a good pie that relaxed him. Wait a second! Why am I feeling sleepy? I just came out of a nap! And why am I feeling this after eating those pies? He casted a Biofeedback Spell. As the magical energy traveled across his body and was then cast out of his horn, a message was revealed in a single word. Statice: Poisoned. Reading the words, Statice turned to his clone and gave the only words that he could only say at the moment before he could pass out. “You miserable jerk.”