//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Simply....Intrigued. // Story: Equestrian Girls Buddyfighters // by NinjaMare //------------------------------// The blaring sound of an alarm clock started to sound out, as the digital face read 7 am. Slowly waking up from her sleep, Twilight Sparkle tries to turn it off, but her uncoordinated hand flops just couldn’t make it. But after her fifth attempt, she was able to stop her alarm clock’s blaring beeps. Once the alarm clock was dealt with, Twilight slowly sat up in her bed and stretched as she gave out a long yawn. “Morning Twilight.” Spike said from the foot of the bed as he watched his owner get out of bed, and made her way to the door, giving him a small pat on the head. “Morning Spike.” Twilight said groggily, as she was still partially asleep. Leaving her room Twilight headed to the bathroom of the house to take a nice shower, as she was getting the shower ready, Twilight started to think back to yesterday. After she and her friends took Adrian to the movies, the group spent the rest of the day just hanging out, and of course constantly barraging the young man with questions. Rainbow & Pinkie were always asking if there was any way for them to possibly get a buddy monster, but as Adrian stated before the only way that would happen, if there world had access to the Buddyfight Card Game which acts as a catalyst for not only the monsters, but the spells & items of the other Monster Worlds. Twilight was just fascinated by everything that Adrian was explaining about his world, and the Monster Worlds. To think that Adrian’s world has various peace treaties with other worlds, worlds that have their own economics and people, it all sounded so fascinating! “I wonder if Adrian would take us to his world so we can see what it is like?” Twilight mumbled to herself as the hot water cascaded over her body. “Although, considering that he’s not an official Buddy Police Officer, I doubt he has the authority to allow that. Also…” Twilight then thought back to Adrian’s female friend, Liam. She seemed to be a very by the books kind of person, not only that, but she seemed pretty intimidating. Granted Twilight has only meet Liam when she initially came to their world, and later on when she came back from her solo patrol across the city, but even then Liam didn’t really interact with her or the others, and just talked to Adrian and Mander. “I don’t think she would allow us to visit.” Twilight concluded as she finished her shower, and was drying herself off. As Twilight finished drying herself, she headed to the sink to comb her hair, brush her teeth, and other cleaning priorities. But she jerked back when she saw something in the mirror…a face! turning around, Twilight saw nothing but the door. Looking back over to the mirror, the teenage girl didn’t see anything aside from her own reflection. “What was that?” Twilight muttered under her breath as she tried to figure out what it was she saw in the mirror. That’s when something came to her. “…could’ve that been…one of the illegal monsters?” Twilight had to tell Adrian about this, so she quickly finished her prep, and went back to her room for a change of clean clothes. Spike noticed the somewhat frantic state that Twilight was in, and asked what’s wrong, when Twilight told her puppy that she saw a strange face in the bathroom mirror, Spike left the room as Twilight was finished getting dressed. Taking a look around the bathroom, Spike sniffed around to see if he could pick up any unusual scents, and he did. At least, he thinks he has, it’s hard to explain. Aside from Twilight’s own scent, and the smell of the shampoo that she used, Spike could pick up…the VERY small hint of another person’s scent. But the thing, it wasn’t like a complete scent, more like someone left something in the room for a second, before quickly taking it away before it could linger in the room. “Spike, did you pick something up?” Twilight asked her puppy as she stood in the bathroom doorway. “I think so?” Spike said unsurely. “It’s like someone was here, but…I don’t know if I can put it into words.” Twilight bent down to pick Spike up, and held him closely while giving him a pat on the head. “It’s alright Spike. I do appreciate you looking after me, but I think Adrian might be able to help with this.” Twilight then made her way down stairs, where she said good morning to her parents, and her brother, before leaving the house. Course they asked why Twilight was in a hurry, but she simply told her family that she in a hurry to go meet up with her friends. leaving the house, and putting Spike down so he could follow her, Twilight started to make her way to the motel where Adrian was staying at. But as she ran through the city streets, passing by whatever people were awake this early in the morning, Twilight started to feel like she was being, watched. And every know and then she would stop, and simply look around, but nobody, or anything stuck out as unusual, but she still felt like she was being watched. Even Spike was starting feel like someone was watching Twilight, but was unable to see anything out of the ordinary himself. The pair continued to walk to the motel, trying to brush off the strange sensation of being watched, they eventually made it to their destination after twenty or so minutes. Going to the main office, Twilight asked the owner which room Adrian was in. Now the older lady looked at Twilight with slight suspicion, but ended up telling the teenager which room was Adrian’s. Leaving the office Twilight made her way across the main courtyard of the motel, and started to climb the stairs to where Adrian’s room was situated, but after reaching the top steps, Twilight saw a shadow on the wall. But the shadow had the outline of someone wearing a witches cap. Looking to where the shadow was originating from, Twilight saw nothing. Ignoring the shadow for now, Twilight and Spike found the door to Adrian’s room and began knocking on it. “Give me a second!” Adrian’s voice called out from the other side of the door. A few minutes go by and the door finally opened, revealing Adrian in loose black shirt, and a pair of grey jeans. “Twilight what are you doing here, especially this early.” “Actually Adrian, I think…I’m being, stalked.” Twilight said in a hushed voice, but she continued as Adrian gave a curious look. “And I’m not sure, but I think it’s one of the illegal monsters.” Looking around for a brief moment, Adrian ushered Twilight and Spike into his room, before giving one last look around before closing the door. After entering Adrian’s motel room she had a quick look about. It was a decent size place, really clean to her surprise, it even had a small kitchen. When the door closed Adrian guided Twilight to the only table in the room, where she sat as Adrian fetched them something to drink. “Where’s Mander?” Twilight asked as she waited at the table. “He’s still asleep, but he’s in his card form.” Adrian replied as he sat down at the table, handing a cup of water to Twilight, while he had a cup of coffee. “So Twilight, what made you think there’s an illegal monster stalking you?” Twilight began telling Adrian what has happened through out the morning. From seeing a strange face in the bathroom mirror, always feeling that there was someone watching her, and then telling him about the shadow with no physical source that was just by the stairs. “Hmmmm. Well, it does sound like something is up.” Adrian looked away from his cup of coffee and over to Twilight, who looked be really nervous. “I’m guessing that this isn’t a normal thing, despite all the magic stuff that tends to happen sometimes.” The teenage girl could only shake her head. “Whenever something magical happens, it usually pretty direct, and mostly obvious. Sometimes.” Twilight tried to clear up. “Well in that case it could be an illegal monster, but whenever one shows up, they don’t usually do something like stalk someone.” “So what do think Twilight should do?” Spike asked, feeling more worried for his owner now. Adrian leaned back in his seat a bit, and began thinking as he drums the fingers of his left hand on his right forearm. “…I think for the time being, you should stick close to your friends and me. I’ll let Liam know that some strange activity is going on. Then will have a look around, and see if me and Mander can pick something up.” Adrian said as he got out of his chair and began putting his socks and shows on, giving Twilight some comfort as she lets out the held in breath she was holding. “Oh, thank you Adrian.” Twilight said as she looked over at Adrian…and noticed that he was stuck in mid stride. “Adrian?” The young man didn’t respond to her words. Slowly standing up from her chair, Twilight took a step forward, and almost tripped on something. When she looked down, Twilight saw that Spike was also frozen. Now slightly panicking a little, Twilight looked around the room and noticed that the wall on the clock, and the digital clock on the counter was also stop. Walking over to the window, Twilight looked out and saw that cars where stopped in odd spots, and that a few birds looked like they were about to land on the fence, but were suspended in midair. Stepping away from the window slowly Twilight turned to face Adrian, but when she did, she gave out a high pitched ‘eep!’ as she saw a new person in the room. Seamlessly floating in the middle of the room, was an older looking woman, somewhere around Cadences age. Her skin was a pale color, and her long flowing head of hair was also a pale blue coloration, with a pair of steely cold blue eyes staring at Twilight. The woman was wearing an outfit that looked like something a witch would wear, pure black, and looked really tight fitting, but it also had various blue marking all over. She was also holding a metallic looking staff that looked more sci-fi than fantasy based. The woman gave a small smile to Twilight as she crossed her long legs, and re-adjusted the position the staff she was holding, all the while never taking her eyes of Twilight. “W-who…who are you?” Twilight asked nervously as she just sat there on the floor. The woman’s smile grew just a tad before she spoke, her voice calm, yet hollow in a sense. “I am Witch of Destruction, Hearty the Devastator my dear.” The woman then rested her chin in her free hand. “But you may address me simply as, Hearty.” Twilight slowly got up to her feet, never taking her eyes of the strange woman. “Y-you’re one of the illegal monsters, c-correct?” Hearty nodded. “And you’re the one I saw in my bathroom mirror, and the shadow I saw?” Hearty nodded again, never loosing the smile she was sporting. “Why are you stalking me.” Twilight asked nervously. “…” Hearty didn’t immediately answer Twilight’s question, but after a brief delay, as if she was pondering on how to actually reply. “Because my dear, I find you…Intriguing.” Twilight raised an eyebrow at that, getting some level of confidence back. “What do you mean, intriguing?” she questioned. Hearty’s smile grew just a hair before replying. “Ever since I came to this world of yours, something about it has been giving me this strange, vibe, I think is the right word to use.” Hearty summarized before continuing. “Yes, Something about this world is giving me this strange vibe, as if two sets of different magics are, scrapping against each other. naturally, my genuine curiosity got the better of me, which why came to investigate. And as I was studying the two forces of magic their independent signatures lead me to the school…and you and that fiery haired girl.” Hearty said as she leaned slightly forward. “Something about you two is setting off my inquisitive nature, and I would very much like to find out. However, since he’s here—” Hearty abruptly said while pointing at Adrian. “I would undoubtedly be sent back to Magic World before I can figure out why you, and that other girl are generating two different kinds of magic, that are like fighting dogs.” “So…your just, stalking me, because I have magic.” Twilight said as she tried to figure out what Hearty is really after. The woman however just gives a nod. “I can sense that the magic in you is not natural…and yet, there is a natural magical force surrounding you.” Hearty said as she began to lazily circle Twilight, like a shark. Which is only causing the violet girl to squirm under the scrutinizing gaze of the woman. “So tell me girl…what. Is. You’re. Secret?” Hearty said, her voice now sounding a little more foreboding, her hat obscuring her facial features, causing her eyes to glow an ominous glow. All the while Twilight shakes under the monster women’s no unsettling presence. But then in a flash of light, Mander erupted from Adrian’s deck case, in his full form. Claws outstretched and mouth wide open. Hearty was able to react in time, and teleported away, while Twilight was able to duck just in time as the large Armordragon burst through the door…and part of the wall. Mander looked around the area, where time seemed to have resumed. Adrian finally grabbed his deck case, but when he looked back to Twilight, needless to say he was shocked at what he saw. “What the heck just happened?” Adrian asked in a baffled manner as he looks at Mander, and the busted wall. “It was the illegal monster!” Twilight quickly said. “What?” Adrian replied back. “Some kind of witch was hovering around Twilight. I only just managed to break out of the stasis field that was somehow placed on the deck case, so I could grab her.” Mander said as he shrink to his mini form. “But she got away.” Adrian walked over to Twilight. “Are you alright?” he asked worriedly to which she nodded. “I’m fine, she didn’t hurt me, just…just frightened me is all.” Twilight said as she took Adrian’s hand to help her up, and as she got to her feet she looked at Adrian with a slightly worried look. “We need to find Sunset.” The group left the motel and made their way to Sunset’s apartment, while some of Adrian’s neighbors left their rooms to begin their days, only to freak out at what they saw of Adrian’s doorway. High above in the sky, overlooking everything, and watching the group leave the general area, was Hearty sitting on her staff. “Don’t think you’ve seen the last of me girl, you will answer my questions. So that I maybe able to further my own magical research.” Hearty muses to herself as she slowly starts fading away, like mist clearing up over the land. ~~~~~ In Downtown Canterlot, near where the main train station is where a good amount of stores and shops were, people could been seen, or more predominantly heard, screaming, and arguing with one another. And as the people argued with one another, veils of green mist could be seen drifting off their bodies, and slowly wafting over the ground. standing in a parking lot, by a van, with four people playing instruments, were the Dazzlings, their musical voices back to being perfectly in-tune. The mist that’s being generated from the arguing mob, were slowly being drawn to the three siren sisters, absorbing it, and feeling the nourishing power that it gave them. But the amount of mist being generated is becoming more abundant than what the sirens would normally get from people. If they had to guess, it was probably due to their new friend Asagi, and her Mystical Knight friends, as their music not only complements their voices. But seems to be empowering their own magical abilities. After performing for about five or so minutes, the sirens absorbed the last of the mist, a satisfying sigh left their lips as Asagi and her fellow Mystic Knights finished their songs. Before turning back into cards, and flying back into the white upside-down pyramid core gadget. “What do you think girls, did I deliver good on my promise.” Asagi said as she strummed her bass. “Oh yeah you did!” Aria said, sounding actually thrilled and not snarky for once. “We finally have our magic back, and we were able to eat more of these peoples strife.” “I forgot how good it all tasted.” Sonata said as she rubs her stomach, and licks her lips. Adagio turned to face Asagi. “So…you’ll help us do whatever we want, as long as we keep you and the others in here—” Adagio said as she pointed at the core gadget. “Safe and away from people who would send you back to your world?” Asagi nodded as she leaned against the van, still strumming away on her bass. “That’s the deal girls.” Asagi said as she looked at the three. “So. Is our deal finalized?” the sirens looked at each other, all three of them having smiles on their faces. They turned to face Asagi who was still waiting for their response. “We have an accord, Asagi.” The monster girl smiled a little wider. “BUT!” Adagio said abruptly, causing the smile to falter slightly. “We also want your help to get a little payback, on a few people that nearly ruined our lives.” The smile on Asagi’s face grew into a more wicked grin, teeth showing as her eyes glowed with power. “A revenge scheme, huh?” the sirens nodded in unison. “Interesting.” Asagi was lifted off the van by a few wisps of blue fire, before fully facing the three sisters. her smile now looking a little sinister, as the light of the wisps of fire illuminated her face. “Tell me about these people you want revenge on.”