Tails of Innocence

by CommanderX5


Chapter 7 - Fox the Exorcist

Tails of Innocence

-

Chapter 7
-
Fox the Exorcist


It had been two weeks since the potions incident. Due to the damage to the school's property, and the amount of injured students that needed time to heal, a temporary shut down of the school was granted. At first, Rosey thought to salvage their new purified healing potions, but it turned out there was a slight effect that none of them learned about until later. Apparently, the boosting effects weakened overtime, making the potions less valuable with each passing day. It was a bit disappointing to the group, but they still had some positive effects nonetheless so it wasn’t a complete waste. 

However, Kyuubi was widely credited for helping to save the school and the teachers did promise a reward, but she turned it down, stating she didn’t want any of the attention. Nevertheless, word of it had spread and she was getting more favorable looks from ponies when she passed by. Her mentor certainly thought so and held a small private celebration for Kyuubi’s efforts with some of the staff and her friends. One of them included the new friend she made, Sunset Shimmer, who was delighted to attend. 

Apparently, Princess Celestia knew of her as a rising star in the school and was pleased to meet and thank her for helping Kyuubi. A praise that made the younger filly nearly squee with joy upon hearing such a compliment. Over the next few weeks, she slowly fitted in with the group with Rosey happy to have another friend while Nightbright wished they had more boys.


27 Years before Nightmare Moon’s Return


With the school closed on the weekend, Rosey decided to go exploring around Canterlot. It was a big city, and there was always something to do in the capital.

“Slow down, I can’t catch my breath!” Nightbright shouted, galloping behind his friends.

“You need to work on your shape. From now on less teleporting and more running.”

Nightbright’s breathing became heavy, and his hooves ached, while the distance between them kept increasing. He looked up at the stars as the moon was slowly descending behind the horizon. While he didn’t like physical activities, the view at this hour made up for it.

“Why do I get the feeling you wake up early just to drag me on morning exercises?”

Rosey turned her head, winking. “Well duh… how else can I get a night pony like you to move your flank? I’m looking after your health.”

He ignored the empty streets and the lines of homes as his attention focused on the castle in the distance. “Say what you want, but I bet you just want to ride on Kyuubi. Her fur is very comfy and perfect for cuddling after all.”

“True, but to be fair, she could use more outdoor activities. Some exercise will do her good, like a game of tag. What do you think?”

Nightbright smiled sheepishly, wishing he could rest for a moment to restore his stamina.

“The last one to reach Kyuubi is a rotten potato. There, one, go!”

Nightbright watched his friend getting ahead, turning and vanishing into a nearby street. He slowed down, allowing his hooves to rest while charging magic for teleportation. In a flash, he appeared a few hundred meters closer to the castle, his legs trembling and head aching as he massaged his forehead. While quick and convenient, it was still a difficult and draining spell.

“Teleport all you want, I’ll beat you anyway!”

He yelped and leaped to the side, left in the dust by his energetic friend.


“Giddyup, giddyup!” Rosey cheered, her hooves wrapped around kitsune’s sides. A wide bright smile was present on her face.

“Rude,” Nightbright said, perched further back.

Rude? Not really. Also, even if the memory of my youth may be lacking, I think humans were the ones riding horses, at least in a book I read. Ponies of Equestria sure resembles them.

Rosey giggled. “Oh please, we ponies ride each other all the time. Nothing new.”

“It’s a dying trend, especially in Canterlot,” Sunset pointed out on the back, before struggling to stay on Kyuubi’s rear end. “Why do I have to sit next to the kitsune’s behind? No offence, Kyuubi, but I don’t like the idea of riding next to your rump.”

Hey, now that was rude! Kyuubi said, but Sunset stuck her tongue out to show it was a joke. Unfortunately, the large fox failed to notice. Still, I find it kinda odd for ponies to be riding each other.

“I have been kinda curious as to how it works myself,” Nightbright asked, rubbing his chin.

“If that’s the case, tomorrow I should let you ride on me to school, Mr. Rotten Potato,” Rosey said, winking one eye at the colt which made him blush. “We need to keep it alive,” she added, shaking her forehoof.

If that’s the case, how about I ride you for a change, Rosey, You ponies are really strong after all, Kyuubi joked, giggling.

“We’re not that strong you massive fox,” the filly responded. “Unless I use my levitation to aid me, then it may actually work.”

I was kidding. The kitsune sighed. Can we take a break? My paws hurt.

“Already? You’re almost as bad as Nightbright, so little stamina and no endurance." She patted kitsune's neck. "That's what you get for giving up on exercises at the barracks.” Rosey jumped, now running side by side with the kitsune, taking five steps for each two of hers. “We’re in the park, a good place for you to take a nap. I’ll visit the market area in the meantime.”

Market, why? Kyuubi asked, looking away from the trees and grass. There were a few stone roads leading out of the park, but one in particular led to a gathering of shops and stands. Is anything open at this hour?

“Of course it is. Best stuff always sells at night.”

“That’s true,” Sunset said, getting off Kyuubi. “I often come here myself when it's close to sunset, and no that’s not a pun. They’ve got good stuff at a good price.”

“Oh! You can show me! Let’s go shopping together!” Rosey said, grabbing Sunset’s forelegs and holding them while squealing. Sunset looked at Rosey with a raised eyebrow, still getting used to her hyperactivity, and shrugged. 

If you say so. Kyuubi slowed down, trotting towards a nearby tree. She lowered herself for Nightbright to climb down onto the grassy ground as they both yawned simultaneously. We’ll just be here if you need anything.

The two wanna-be enthusiastic customers nodded before making their way in the direction of the market area not far away. With them by themselves, Nightbright nervously looked at his large friend and asked, “Hey, Kyuubi? Can I ask you a question?”

Of course, what is it? 

“... how do you know if you really like someone?” Nightbright asked with a sigh.

Kyuubi’s eyes widened as she coughed into her paw before asking, What brought this up?

“Well, ever since the contest, I’ve felt... weird around Rosey,” Nightbright explained. “Like I really wanted to protect her. Even if it meant I got hurt. Just seeing her safe made me feel so happy. And I’ve known her for a long time. Practically grew up together. Mom and Dad say I got a crush, but I’m not sure. Do I?”

You’re asking the wrong fox, Kyuubi said, shaking her head. I’ve never had such feelings before. I mean, kinda hard to do when you’re a kitsune in a land of ponies. And no, affection towards my mentor doesn’t count.

“I’ve heard that some ponies are actually marrying others outside their race these days. Mostly griffins, but I have heard of a few marriages to minotaurs and donkeys,” Nightbright pointed out. “Those are just rumors that I’ve heard though. I’m yet to see it with my own eyes.“

Smiling sadly, Kyuubi said, Yes, but how many of them are long lived near immortal beings? And no, Her Highness doesn't count considering we are both females.

“Ah,” Nightbright realized. “Yeah, I guess that would pose a problem.”

It’s alright. I’ve kinda come to accept that I’ll outlive most of my loved ones, Kyuubi said, lowering her head. There are no more multi-tailed foxes. Just me. If I ever pass on that will be the end of my race and I’ll have no chance to give birth to new ones.

“Well, I’m sure there are other long lived species out there. I mean, maybe there is a male alicorn in the world. Or maybe there are other multi-tailed foxes in hiding,” Nightbright said, shrugging his shoulders. “Heck, for all we know you could end up dating a dragon.”

I doubt it, Kyuubi giggled. Dragons aren’t known for being kind to others, even among themselves, or so I heard. She smiled at Nightbright and put a tail on his shoulder. But back to the topic at paw. If you really like Rosey, then I’ll support you all the way. If you want to wait to tell her that’s fine. 

“But what if it ruins our friendship?” Nightbright asked.

This is Rosey. I don’t think anything short of murder will get her to hate you.


Rosey and Sunset had been looking at the stalls for some time, but so far there wasn’t anything super good for her to choose. Sunset had chosen a few old books, but Rosey was looking for something exciting. Something amazing.  

“Excuse me, Young Lady. Are you a student from the School for Gifted Unicorns?”

Rosey turned towards the speaker. “I am, how did you know?” She looked up, seeing a unicorn salepony with grey fur and tail mane. A shiny necklace with a big ruby decorated his neck.

“Only a pony with a gift for magic would appreciate the night market in Canterlot. I actually have a wonderful product for sale that may interest you.”

“Go on,” Rosey said, looking at the jewelry and trinkets displayed for sale.

“Hey, Rosey, what are you looking at?” Sunset asked, walking over.

“Ah, a friend. Good thing I have two!” the unicorn said as he levitated over two necklaces from behind his desk, both similar to the one he wore.

“Looks pretty, but I’m not into fashion. Is there any cool feature or legend behind them?” Rosey asked.

“Oh, there is a rich legend regarding these amulets. In fact, it’s too much to tell, so in short, they were created to enhance a unicorn’s raw power.”

“Really? You’re not pulling my leg?” Rosey asked as her ears perked upward.

“I wouldn’t dare. Why make up stories when I can simply demonstrate.” He levitated the amulets over to the fillies. “Go on and see for yourself. Demonstration is free of charge.”

“How can I say no to that?” Rosey snatched the amulet with the help of her magic, smiling cheerfully as she placed it on her neck. The topaz-yellow gem shone brightly in an instant.

“Well, I guess trying it on wouldn’t hurt,” Sunset said, as she put it on. The flame-orange gem radiated with utmost heat a moment later.

“Anything heavy I can levitate to test my raw power?” Rosey asked as she looked around, only for her head to refuse to turn. She tried to move her forehoof to touch her aching head, but it refused. In fact, she started walking forward towards the stallion even though she didn’t want to. What the heck is going on? Her eyes flashed yellow for a moment.

My deepest apologies, but I’ll be taking control of your body.

What? Why? Who?

She turned her head and tried to gasp but her mouth wouldn’t work. Sunset’s eyes were glowing red and she was as still as a statue. Was the same happening to her too?!

’Who’ is unimportant. Why? To experience freedom. It's nothing personal.

Oh no you won’t! Get outta my head! Rosey screamed, fighting for control. She was walking shakily, struggling to maintain balance. She stopped paying attention to her surroundings, focusing everything she had to tear away the cursed amulet. If that thing, whatever the heck it was, thought it could tell her what to do, it had something different coming.

One hoof did one thing, while the other did something else. In a moment her both hooves ended up wrestling each other, one trying to prevent Rosey from tearing away the amulet. On the other side, Sunset was growling and trying to shake the amulet off her head. Apparently, she realized what was going on as well and was trying to fight off her spirit. A blast of magic erupted from the orange unicorn’s horn, firing into the air.

Stop resisting. You’re just making it harder for yourself, the voice spoke to her.

You mean ‘making it harder for the both of us’ you stupid ghost possessor. I don’t care what the heck are you, I’m not becoming your puppet you meany!

Rosey leaped to the side, slamming into the wooden stand with a weak thud while causing a few pieces of porcelain to fall, shattering against the ground. She grit her teeth, sweating and wriggling as if she was a restrained animal fighting for freedom.

Sunset was doing a bit better, having regained all of her limbs to try and push amulet off, but the unicorn who sold it to them had managed to stop her with a stasis spell. A blue and white field of energy surrounded Sunset as she tried to move her body but couldn’t.

Give it up! You may not realize it yet, but you can’t stop me. You’re just delaying the inevitable.

“Shut up!” Rosey shouted, groaning as she once again tried to reach for the amulet, struggling to overcome her possessor. Now listen here. Be it minutes, hours or even days, I’ll fight back! You may not realize it yet, but I’m one of the most stubborn unicorns in Canterlot, maybe even in the top three, and when I want to do something, I won’t hesitate to crawl from exhaustion to reach that goal. You have no idea who you’re messing with!

Rosey jumped in the opposite direction, slamming into another stand as more noise started to attract attention from around.

“Hey! What’s going on here?” asked the stallion from a nearby stand, only to fall unconscious after being struck by a magical beam and crashing his head against the counter. 

No one is going to help you. Stubborn or not, you’re wasting time.

I don’t care you stupid ghost. My friends will save me! They’ll purify you and I’ll buy as much time as I can.

“Resisting, you’ve  got quite the willpower,” the unicorn salespony said, using a stasis spell to immobilize Rosey as well. He took both of them with his telekinesis and glared at them. “You’re making a scene. I better take you to…”

“Hey, what's going on?!” Nightbright voice shouted which was music to Rosey’s ears

“Help please!” Rosey shouted in desperation, tears in her eyes obscuring the view of her friends. Whatever was going on, her friends would make it better.

Kyuubi growled, taking a fighting stance as Nightbright followed her example, though with less intimidating results.

The marketplace seemed nearly abandoned at this hour while another shopper withdrew quietly, not wanting to get involved.

“Wait, is that the princess’ student? Ponyfeathers!” The unicorn cursed, his magical aura and his eyes flashed red as he summoned a wall of flames, which spread and surrounded Kyuubi and her friend, heating the atmosphere.

“Your shielding spell would be really useful right now,” Nightbright suggested.

On it!

Surrounded inside a magical bubble, she grabbed the unicorn colt and jumped forward. Her barrier held the scorching flames at bay.

Whatever you are doing, you will free her this instant! Kyuubi mentally shouted as she released the colt from her paw and dropped her barrier. She slammed her forepaw into the stand with jewelry and trinkets with a firm stomp. She walked forward over fragments of broken wood.

“We need to clean their memories. Don’t stand there!  Help me out!” The hostile stallion shouted in panic, summoning more flames with his horn while forcing the kitsune and the unicorn colt to shield themselves.

“N-no… I… I won’t!” Rosey yelled, turning her head forcefully whenever her horn aimed at her friends. Bolts of electricity sparked from her horn. “You’ve… got some nerve… telling me to… to hurt my friends! Not happening…” She grit her teeth, her eyes narrowed as her frustration kept growing by the second.

“You still resist? We have no time for this.” 

The stallion grit his teeth, unleashing a fireball which exploded upon contact with the barrer, scorching some of Kyuubi’s fur while leaving burns on her body.

“You won’t… hurt my friends... nor take... me and Sunset!” Rosey shouted. She tapped into the power of whatever ghost or spirit tried to take control of her, using its magic to cast an empowered spell.

The stallion yelped in pain as loudly as the large fox when a small lightning bolt struck his side. “You’ve got a lot of willpower, young miss, but you can’t resist forever.”

Rosey kept giving her foalnapper a challenging glare, seeing him charge a spell she recognized as a teleportation. My friends will find me… I know they will..


Kyuubi summoned her healing magic, hastily healing her burns. Despite her large size, she proved less durable than a grown pony.

“Rosey, no!”

Kyuubi looked ahead, seeing the foalnapper teleporting away with their friends in his grab. She looked around in panic as her friends were taken away, leaving her with no idea where to go…

“Get us to the airport. They probably want to use a blimp to make their getaway,” Nightbright said as he pointed towards the edge of the town.

How do you…?

“Tracking lessons on how to detect where another pony teleports… Actually, there’s no time to explain, just get us there, quickly!”

Kyuubi nodded, concentrating magic into her second and third tail. Drops of sweat fell down her face as the portal grew in size before them. Nightbright jumped first, leaving Kyuubi behind as she  needed several seconds to grow her magical gate to fit her size. Before the gate was ready, she added a defensive spell, surrounding her fragile body with magical armor for extra durability.

Once she walked into her portal, stepping out at the airport, she yelped in surprise, seeing Nightbright slam the hostile stallion with his levitation into the side of the nearby blimp, leaving a few cracks in the blimp and bruises on the stallion's shoulder as a result.

Rosey seemed to be in the hold of another pony, who quickly struck Nightbright with a miniature tornado. 

Kyuubi jumped to catch him in mid-air, only for the wind to toss them both, rubbing against the hardened airport platform. She tried to heal her newly acquired wounds, but her healing magic paused whenever her third tail rubbed against the stone.

“What the heck is going on!?”

“Unexpected witnesses. Help me deal with them.”

“Great, one problem after another.”

“Another?”

“That sun marked filly you brought? She broke free and destroyed our fellow spirit. She damaged the blimp when I tried to restrain her.”

“Fellow spirit? You don’t mean… Oh, I’m going to kill her!”

“Calm down! Revenge will get us nowhere!”

“Do I look like I care?”

Kyuubi whimpered, struggling to stand as her fur was stained with her own blood, while numerous stains decorated her surroundings. Even magical armor wasn't good enough. She released her friend, who found a decent shelter between her paws and chest.

She and Nightbright could see the two ponies argue with each other, both wearing necklaces. While one was fiery red, the other had a green gem instead.

Nightbright shot a beam of magic, aggressively trying to free his friend, showing aggression and boldness which caused Kyuubi to gasp. Unfortunately, a shield of intense wind scattered the beam before pushing the colt away, smashing him against Celestia’s statue.

Nightbright! Kyuubi shouted mentally, growling at the foalnapper.

“There she is!”

The firebending enemy unleashed a wall of flames towards the staircase leading to the nearest blimp, aiming at Sunset who seemed to be now fully in control of her own body.

Watch out! Kyuubi warned, concentrating magic in her fourth tail, but Sunset didn’t wait to be shielded and counterattacked with a watery whirlwind, exhausting the flames in mid-air. Then followed up with a beam of magic, striking the stallion’s chest.

“Ouch, that hurt,” Nightbright said as he pushed away a broken fragment of the statue's rear leg while the princess made of stone now lacked one and gained a few cracks. “Hey, Kyuubi, mind healing my back? Feels as if a hundred needles pierced into my spine.”

S-sure… The kitsune nodded. She ran towards her friend, placing her large paw on his back before sending healing magic into his fractured bones. Her attention quickly shifted towards Sunset, who despite being smaller than the rest of them, was actually putting up a solid fight.

“We have to help them!” Nightbright shouted, taking a moment to teleport closer to Rosey. “Hey, snap out of it!”

“Get away from her,” said the wind-caster, glaring at the colt with narrowed eyes. Being struck on the cheek by a levitated leg of Celestia’s statute only angered him further. “You want to save your friend, I get it, but this bravery of yours just makes it harder than it needs to be. Actually, maybe your body will be easier to possess. I’ll be more than happy to let you take her place.”

Seeing as Sunset and the fire mage were engaged in intense combat, exchanging spells as neither managed to get the upper hoof, Kyuubi focused her magic on shielding Nightbright.

“I could break this shield of yours, but…” 

Kyuubi flinched as the wind-bending stallion jumped towards her. She felt the wind coming from the stallion, rubbing against her fur due to the side-effect of the wind-related speed-boosting spell. With her tail supporting a shield over her friend, she was unable to protect herself, feeling the stallion’s hooves sink into her massive chest. Aside from hard hooves and a decent amount of strength, she ended up being pushed away by a powerful wave of wind.

She lay on her side, which hurt from rubbing against the stone so much, and she still felt leftovers of pain in her kicked chest. She watched as the stallion approached, her breathing and heart-rate quickening while her forepaw trembled in fear. Her male friend was too weak and she wasn't a fighter. 

“Time to go to sleep, and don’t worry, you’ll wake up not remembering any of it even happened,” the stallion said, approaching as his horn was lit with green windy aura. The gem on his necklace flashed with power.

Kyuubi grit her teeth as she charged magic into her tails. Even if she couldn’t win, she still knew spells that could buy her time. She pushed herself to stand and raised her tails into the air, summoning ‘Holy Flash’ as a bright light assaulted stallion’s eyes.

Kyuubi knew she needed to act fast as the blinding effect wouldn’t last long, or so she thought as a low-pitched screech reached her ears.

The amulet with green gem lost its color and brightness, returning to plain grey.

Her eyes grew wide as she couldn’t take away her gaze from a little tornado emerging from the jewelry. The weirdest part was that the wind seemed to form a body of sorts, because tornadoes certainly shouldn’t have limbs and glowing lights resembling eyes.

The stallion collapsed unconscious as the creature of wind hovered over it.

“F-f-free?” The other enemy ceased his attack on the orange filly, evading a counterblast before running towards the kitsune.

Stay back! Kyuubi yelled mentally, walking backwards while expecting an attack, ready to raise her shields. What she wasn’t ready for was her enemy kneeling and begging in front of her paws, his voice like a dehydrated traveler asking for water in the middle of the desert. “Free me, I beg you, please! I’ll do anything, just free me!”

Kyuubi started back with a confused glance, feeling hooves touch her large paw. 

“Free us, please,” Rosey said, her eyes still wet from tears. “Your friend, I’ll give her back, just free us!”

Free? You mean free you from posesion? Who’s speaking anyway? she asked, unsure what was happening. Were the ponies speaking to her, or whatever took control of them? Why would the enemy even ask her to remove them from their hosts when they fought so fiercely to keep them?

Too focused on her friend, she failed to notice as the limbs of the wind creature touched her forehead. She yelped and leaped backward, but the windy limb just stretched, not letting go of her forehead for a second.

Kyuubi’s eyes flashed as she saw images of a swamp, seeing a blurry vision of hooded creatures walking between trees and mud. As the image sharpened, she noticed that many of them had horns, though a few were walking on rear legs while holding long wands. She couldn’t tell what other species were among this group, not that she knew many besides humans, some animals and four species of ponies… and maybe that one time she saw a goblin. 

She saw how this group faced creatures made of fire, stone, wind, water, ice and electricity, capturing them and trapping them inside jewelry with the help of a mysterious sorcery.

One unicorn’s eyes were flashing red all the time as he addressed the crowd while standing atop a fallen tree.

“With the power of these spirits our magic will become way more powerful. Soon our order will show the world our might and bend all lesser beings to our will. Not even alicorn magic will be a match for us, my fellow disciples!”

Kyuubi kept seeing this mental image, noticing a large amulet on the stallion’s neck the moment he took off his hood.

We were trapped, enslaved, used as power source… so we rebelled.

She heard the mental message, its tone calm and motherly. The disciplines wearing necklaces with trapped spirits went on a rampage, attacking and injuring their leader who hasty teleported away, barely surviving as his blood mixed with the swampy waters and dirt.

Be wary of the ‘Alicorn Amulet.’ It was the cause of our tragedy and many other tragedies over the centuries, and until this day we have still failed to find and destroy it.

Kyuubi watched as the hooded creatures started examining their amulets, casting random spells with no desired effect. One lizard-like creature took off his jewelry, only to run away in panic and vanish among the swamp’s fog. The group picked up the amulet, staring at the gem in pity.

No matter what we did, we couldn’t free ourselves from those cursed gems. We were bound to them forever, aware of our fate as if trapped in ice and unable to move or blink, another mental message went through Kyuubi’s mind as she watched the possessed creatures walk into pony towns, this ones filled with basic wooden homes. 

The fate of being stuck inside an unmovable object for us is a fate worse than death, and destroying the amulet kills the spirit inside. To avoid either we used our hosts, but unlike us, those hosts had limited lifespan.

So you seek new hosts to take over? What happens with the minds of those you take over? Kyuubi asked with a worried tone, still trapped within mental images.

We were trapped and used by those creatures, we cared not what happened to them. We decided to live among ponies in secrecy, changing old hosts for young ones as we searched and failed over and over to find freedom from those cursed gems.

Kyuubi blinked, now once again seeing her surroundings as Rosey and the fire-mage knelt before her, staring at her with pleading eyes. Nightbright and Sunset kept their distance, clearly confused about the situation.

The wind spirit added one final message before withdrawing its limbs from her forehead. But your magic, it purified the pony and the cursed gem, freeing me without erasing my existence. I beg thee, grant us the freedom that was denied to us for centuries.

The kitsune took a deep calming breath, suddenly feeling as if her inconsequential being accidently took part in something very big. Her magic was unique, never seen before by the pony race. If she could use it to end the cycle of possessing the innocent and the torment of the spirits, and if it meant saving her friend, she was more than happy to oblige.

Her second tail flashed with magic as she spoke a mental message, I shall grant you freedom if it's indeed in my capability, but in return I ask that you at least try to forgive ponies and not seek any revenge. If I free you, will you not harm anypony ever again?

“We won’t seek revenge or harm anypony!” The stallion spoke in haste.

“We swear,” Rosey said, nodding as she stood up from her kneeling position.

Kyuubi closed her eyes and concentrated. While she could use purifying magic on the ponies before her, she wasn’t sure if it would free the spirit without harming them. Instead, she summoned ‘Holy Flash’ once more, using what had already proved effective. She smiled upon seeing a spirit made of fire and a spirit made of electricity float before her.

She knelt to Rosey, gently placing her paw on the filly’s forehead while sending waves of healing magic, waking her friend from her forced slumber. She yelped in surprise the moment Rosey hugged her neck in a vice-grip.

“Thank you! I was sooo scared! And it felt weird, like, really, really weird. It was like I was but also wasn’t myself, as if I struggled against my own body, as if something constantly tried to do something that I didn’t want. It was a battlefield, I tell you!” 

“You make it sound like a dog’s eye view of getting a bath” snarked Nightlight.

Kyuubi felt her friend’s hooves sink into her neck, but she ignored the pain, letting her friend vent her emotions. Before she knew it, Nightbright joined the hug as well while Sunset just rolled her eyes. Kyuubi raised an eyebrow towards her which made Sunset blush before joining in.

She looked up at the hovering spirits as the one made of electricity touched her forehead, only sending a little accidental bolt from time to time so that it barely hurt. We shall inform the rest. They’ll come to the castle seeking your aid. Our hosts may take days to recover and will feel odd after regaining their freedom, so we suggest taking them to the closest hospital.

Kyuubi felt heat on her forehead as a limb made of fire touched it. We have long forgotten where our home was. We may find it one day, but until then we’ll move to the Everfree Forest. This environment will grant us a semblance of the freedom that was denied to us for centuries. Should you ever need our aid, seek us there.

That’s it? No apologies? No ‘we’re sorry for trying to take control of your friend?’ she asked, giving the spirits a disapproving glare.

Wouldst thou be satisfied with fake apologies? We are beyond grateful for freeing us, a debt  we’re more than happy to repay any way we can. Guilt however is alien to us. After what has been done to us, we feel no sadness about taking over the bodies and minds of ponies.

Kyuubi raised an eyebrow as both Rosey and Nightbright sought shelter among her embrace, wary of the elemental spirits. As a few ponies started arriving at the airport, looking at the damaged surroundings and burned marks in confusion, the spirits departed, retreating from the unwanted gaze of ponies.

“Where are they heading?” Nightbright asked.

“I don’t care, as long as it is far away from us,” Rosey stated.

“I couldn’t agree more.” Sunset answered,

“Excuse me!”

The group of fillies and their foxy friend looked at the group of stallions, most less than pleased by their facial features.

The smallest stallion, an earth pony with nails as a cutie-mark gestured over the area, and then at the damaged blimp. “I expect an explanation, and for your own sake, kids, it better be a good one.”

Sunset and Rosey hid behind Kyuubi, leaving her and Nightbright to face the crowd of angered adults.

Both Kyuubi and the colt smiled awkwardly. ‘Our friends were foal-napped by unicorns possessed by spirits trapped in gems centuries ago,’ how does one explain that?