Somewhere in the shadow of the Tree of Mothers...
“Rnnnngh...” Shriike growled at her wit's end. “Why am I the only one paying attention, you... you...”
“Here it comes—” Ariel yawned.
“Nimrods!” The Gibbous Sanctum clerk grabbed her belongings and marched angrily beyond the training area that immediately surrounded Bloodwing Central Operations.
Rainbow arched an eyebrow in her direction. “Where the heck are you going?”
“To go lose some weight!” Shriike huffed.
Seraphimus pointed elsewhere. “Latrines are in that direction.”
After an obstinate delay, the clerk followed the former Talon Commander's gesture. “Stenographer to a minstrel show. I swear to Goddess.”
As she departed, Rainbow looked at her fellow Heraldites. “Y'know...” She smirked. “For a haughty little fluffball of pretense who's lived in sheltered luxury all her life, she's handling this pretty well.”
Ariel looked worriedly in the direction of Shriike's exit. “Shouldn't we... I dunno. Look after her n'shit? This isn't exactly a cozy neighborhood.”
“Eh...” Rainbow waved. “She isn't too far off.”
“Ya sure?”
Seraphimus spoke: “About forty meters at most—as the Wildcard flies.”
“H-hey!” Ariel smirked at the Desperado. “Ya hear your former boss, Dubya?! You're confirmed for crow! Doesn't that make you salty??”
Wildcard merely brushed the notion off, leaning against a stack of supply crates and sharpening his daggers.
As Ariel and Seraphimus quietly observed the training motions of the Bloodwings nearby...
...Rainbow Dash reclined lazily against a sack of materials and gazed up at the hazy starlight above. She tongued the inside of her muzzle before eventually muttering: “I suppose it wouldn't hurt to do a bit of review.”
There was a ghostly groan echoing from all around her.
Rainbow blinked crookedly. “What?” She frowned left and right. “You guys, I'm serious!”
“Rainbow, darling...~” Rarity floated closer with lethargic eyes. “...don't you think that's terribly redundant at this point?”
“Yeah!” Pinkie rolled her googly eyes. “Nothing's changed in batty batty bat town!”
“Girls, honestly,” Twilight Sparkle interjected with a stern expression. “There's an awful lot on the line here, and Rainbow only wishes to play it carefully. Besides...” She perked up. “We should be thankful and glad that we can bounce off each other like a living check-list at the drop of a hat!”
“Dun ya mean an 'after-living checklist?'” Applejack drawled.
Both Rarity and Fluttershy shivered.
“Please d-don't say it like that,” mewled the latter.
“I just don't see what the point is,” Rarity bawled. “It's not like anything has changed in the past few hours!”
“I've been startin' to get mighty rustled in my bustle about that.” Applejack frowned towards the nearest cluster of sarosian warriors. “Just where in the hay is our host, anyway? He's makin' Rainbow wait an awful long time.”
“Yeah!” Pinkie scowled. “Lexxic's lousy hospitality is fixin' to bake us all some frownie brownies!” A beat. She drooled ghostily, performing the inevitable opposite of a frown. “Mmmmmmm... brownies...”
“You do know—of course—that he's doing this all on purpose.” Rarity's eyelids hung heavy. “It's clear that he doesn't approve of Rainbow's presence and is simply attempting to waste our time—a-and hers, of course.”
“To what end?” Twilight shrugged. “Lexxic's no fool. We can't expect him to believe that he might actually throw off Rainbow's attention!” She looked at their anchor. “What do you think, Rainbow?” A pause. Her brow furrowed and she barked: “Rainbow!”
Rainbow jumped in place—nearly dropping the dragonstone of Axan that she had been casually rolling from one forelimb to the next. After a brief juggle, she slid the orb neatly into her saddlebag and gazed at Twilight with a casual—albeit crooked—grin. “Throwing off my what now?”
Twilight face-hoofed with a sigh.
“One thang's for sure,” Applejack remarked. “He's heck-bent on hidin' whatever it is he's doin' from Rainbow Dash.”
Rarity blinked at the ghostly farm mare. “I thought you couldn't read Lexxic.”
Applejack fidgeted. “I can't... but...” Her ears flicked. “...call it a gut feeling.”
“Well, speaking of guts... let's roll through the usual numbers, shall we? The sooner we get it over with, the sooner we can talk about... I dunno... less stuffy stuff.” Rainbow rubbed her forelimbs, ignored the repeated groans of the ghost-friends, and looked at the brightest of the banshee bunch. “Pinkie. You feeling anything? Any twitch-a-twitch at all?”
“Fudddddddge browniessssssssssss...”
“... … ...right. We'll get back to you. Rares?”
Rarity sighed, but nevertheless stood—or floated at attention before their inquisitive anchor. “I've continued observing the Central Operations Building with my senses from afar. I'm convinced that—yes—the structure is comprised almost entirely of wood. Very ancient wood. It's the only structure of its kind. Outside of the Tree of Mothers, of course. However...” She gestured at the dusty stone earth beneath them. “...judging from the foundations lying adjacent to the structure, I think there used to be other buildings much like it in the past.”
“What—were they burned down in an enemy assault or something?” Rainbow asked.
“I... do not think so, darling,” Rarity remarked. Her delicate features shrugged. “There's no scarring of the earth immediately surrounding this spot. If I was to hazard a guess: I think the Bloodwings may have dismantled and repurposed the wood from other structures in the past.”
“And they were left with this one building.” Rainbow turned to look at the circular structure. “The headquarters of Central Operations.”
“That would appear to be the case. Yes.” Rarity waved at the building in question. “Three stories tall. Four inner chambers, circularly arranged. One inner sanctum. A deep and complicated basement layer. And—from what I can guess—several intricate catacombs, densely arranged.”
Twilight cocked her head aside. “Where they bury the dead?”
“Considering how long this infernal war has gone on, I doubt it's a fully-committed mausoleum.” Rarity took a breath. “I suspect it could house only a choice few remains. You know: honored saints and noble warriors and so forth.”
“You reckon all of that from just yer spatial sensory whatsitmahooey?” Applejack remarked.
Rarity tried not to look bored. “I've gotten a feel for graves since I was resurrected with this ability, darling. I learned appropriate pony entombment from...” She fidgeted a bit. “...from the Quade. But we... uhm...” She looked awkwardly at Rainbow. “...we won't dwell on that, now, will we?”
“Nope. Sure won't.” Rainbow looked at Twilight. “Twi? Whatcha sensin', girl?”
“Well, you might be pleased to know that I've finally gotten a good read on our Imperial assistant Shriike.” The lavender ghost-mare smiled, tall and proud. “Well enough to detect sarosian unicorn signatures.”
“Yeah... and?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “How many more Shriikes are there?”
“Dun waste yer breath,” Applejack droned. “Reckon she's one of a kind.”
Ignoring Applejack's remark, Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat and dictated: “I sense multiple signatures all across the surrounding encampments. The instances are far too few in number to even come close to matching the sheer mass of soldiers training and transporting materials all around us. But—considering how evenly-spaced the unicorn sources of power are, I would venture to guess that a magically-empowered clerk—yes, much like Shriike—is respectively assigned to separate companies of Bloodwings.”
“We've seen these sarosians' caste system,” Rarity interjected. “Maybe there's a functioning group of unicorns who work on the ground level to help supply and keep tabs of the winged soldiers.”
“They'd have to be dudes, right?” Rainbow said. “Cuz—like—most of the workers we saw in the lower Tree were mares.”
“It... would stand to reason that they're stallions, yes,” Twilight said. “But—until we see more unicorns for ourselves, it's difficult to guess.”
“Still, that's a pretty nifty read, Twi,” Rainbow said with a nod and a smirk. “Well done.”
“Oh, I'm not finished.” Twilight floated closer, gesturing towards the tree. “I'm detecting a huge swell of unicorn signatures in the center of the Tree!”
“In the center of that big ol' thang?” Applejack gawked at the ginormous structure towering over them. “I mean—land's sakes, Twi—we've been inside it! Rainbow and the whole heapin' lot of us! We only ever seen one unicorn! And she's the annoyin' varmint assigned to us!”
“We've only seen specific chambers within it,” Twilight Sparkle emphasized. “If you recall, even Gibbous Sanctum was just an outer layer within the hollow.” Twilight pointed at the same massive tree everypony else was staring at. “What I'm sensing is located about a third of the way up and within the centermost section of the tree. What's more, I think this power is at a low energy state... one that can increase at any moment.”
Rainbow looked at Rarity. “You sensing anything to match?”
Rarity nodded. “Well, we've known for a while now that the center core of the tree is hollow. Seems... odd to me that a large bulk of the unicorn citizenry would be specifically situated there.”
“Have we all forgotten about their moon?” Applejack stated.
“It's not a moon, darling.”
Applejack rolled her green eyes. “Their mini moon.” She looked at Twilight. “Reckon they can't just lift the thang by runic magic alone.” She waved a hoof, charading a “horn.” “But a buncha unicorns with the right spell'n'such...?”
“That'd make a lot of sense, actually,” Twilight said, nodding. “But I still can't figure out how the artificial beacon works.” She looked anxiously at the others. “Not unless I sense it being summoned in action.”
Rarity shuddered visibly. “I hope it never comes to that...”
“If it does, at least we're on the safe side of its big... uh... pew-pew-ing,” Applejack said with a nervous smirk.
“I wonder just how many unicorns it would take to channel energy through that thingy.” Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy. “Flutters? You got anything to add?”
The mare's head was hanging low this entire time. When she braved a look at Rainbow Dash, it was through tired eyes. Her muzzle grimaced—as if weathering nausea from all angles and at all times. “I... really do not like this place...”
“Oh Fluttershy...” Rarity hovered over and side-snuggled the sickly pegasus in question. “Sweetie...”
“Take your time, girl,” Rainbow Dash said, focusing an earnest gaze on the mare. “Let it out slowly.”
“Mmmm... s-so much death here...” Fluttershy shook from head to tail. “Both the act and the preparation f-for it...”
“Erhmm...” Applejack gestured to the landscape surrounding them. “No offense, sugarcube, but if ponies were dyin' all around us, wouldn't we be seein' some of that pink'n'purple mist floatin' around as it likes to do this side of the plane?”
“There's death. But.” Fluttershy gulped, as if fighting down bile. “It's not here here...”
“Then... where here?” Rainbow asked, eyes narrow.
Fluttershy nodded her head towards the Tree of Mothers.
“In their Tree?” Twilight asked.
“No. Past it. Uhm...” Fluttershy's head furrowed, as if fighting a migraine. She struggled to put the sensation into words. “...what's the term we've chosen to use? Edgeside? Omega?”
“Got it.” Rainbow nodded. “So past the tree, closer to both edges.”
“There's... … ...something I've never quite felt before,” Fluttershy said with a cold shudder. “Closest thing I have to compare it to is... th-the deaths at Red Barge. Only... here, it's... more concentrated. And colder.”
Applejack blinked. “Colder?”
“I'm sorry. I know it doesn't help anypony understand it better. But... it's a different kind of suffering than I've ever sensed before. It's... concentrated... sustained... but also—in a lower state?”
Twilight and Applejack exchanged glances.
Rainbow looked at Rarity. “Anything different about the landscape beyond the tree?”
“There's a spot... quite distant... likely beyond eyeshot...” Rarity gulped. “...where the ground dips down savagely.”
“'Savagely?'”
“A sharp drop, darling. Similar to the lower reaches of Abaddon's Lair—although not nearly as large.” Rarity stroked Fluttershy's ghostly hair as she murmured: “And there's something very... very different about the composition of earth right before the drop. I wouldn't be able to get a better read unless we went closer.”
Fluttershy gnashed her teeth. “I-I'm not sure I want to go closer.”
“Can't say I blame ya,” Rainbow muttered.
Applejack looked at their anchor. “I wonder if that could be the 'pit' that the bat-folks around here keep name-dropping.”
“If so, then there must be a connection to what Fluttershy senses,” Twilight said. “They mention that place constantly. It must be very important.”
“Mmmm. Right.” Applejack nodded. “Important to Lexxic.”
Rainbow flashed her a look. “Is that also a gut feeling?”
Applejack opened her mouth to respond—but lingered. A blink. “No. No... that's right on the bushel.” She looked at Rainbow. “There's this intense feelin' of importance whenever Lexxic's lap-dogs mention the place. Like... their bodies lock up whenever it's mentioned around Rainbow Dash.”
“Could there be something in there that they don't want Rainbow Dash to see?” Rarity asked.
“Yes. But also no.” Applejack took a contemplative breath. “I think they just don't want any outsiders figurin' out what the 'pit' is all about. Feels like it's very... very important to their whole whiz-bangin' operation here.”
“Whew... day in and day out, I thank my friggin' stars we pulled you out of Verlax's ice,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “Anything else you've gleaned from the murder-chumps that I should know about?”
“Well, they dun particular like you.”
“Pffft.” Rainbow tossed her prismatic bangs and smirked. “Yeah? So?”
“T'ain't just about the whole 'avatar of Luna' thang.” Applejack looked Rainbow Dash up and down. “You're... well...”
“I have an innie while all of Lexxic's buddies have outties.”
Applejack winced. “'Fraid it's carved in deep into their hearts, sugarcube. They dun take kindly to mares in power. And they're havin' to bite their tongues super hard over the fact that you're a guest whom the Elders demand entertainin'.”
“Well, damp doilies to them!” Rarity cursed, hugging Fluttershy tighter while pouting. “Their entire society is built on a matriarchal covenant! So they can just learn to grin and bear it! Hmmph!”
“Rarity, y-you're squeezing me too tight,” Fluttershy wheezed.
“We're ghosts, darling. We don't breathe.”
“... … ...oh right.”
Twilight spoke up: “Clearly, a lot has changed among the warrior class.” She squinted at the soldiers training just a few stone-throws away from where they hovered alongside their anchor. “Countless generations of sacrificial combat under command of their matriarchal superiors—and to what end?”
“What I dun understand is how come there're only stallions fightin' the good fight.” Applejack scratched her head under her ghost-hat. “That dun make sense, given the history of stuff, right?”
“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Looks like somepony was actually paying attention to all of my lectures concerning the Solar Civil War and the Dark Vigil!” Twilight chirped.
Rainbow's eyes were already rolling. “Oh here we go...”
“Historically, there's always been a majority of mares and a minority of stallions—at least where Equestria is concerned.” Twilight looked at the group as a whole. “This remained true with the sarosians—even at the initial point when Luna drew them out from the dreamwalk. As a result, it wasn't all that much of a stretch for the matriarchal system of Equestrian governing to extend to sarosian culture.”
“Yes, but a lot of time has passed,” Fluttershy said quietly. “Hasn't it?”
“Right. But what's important to remember is that during the full extent of the Solar Civil War—even up to the Siege of Whinniepeg and the ensuing Exodus of the Dark Vigil—the Lunar Empire functioned as a matriarchy. It's safe to assume this carried over throughout most of the exodus.”
“Which is why Bleak's Plummet functioned under a group of female elders,” Rarity added. She gesture towards the giant tree looming over them. “And the mares ruling the roost overlooking all, as t'were.”
“Point is... somethin' changed,” Applejack said. She turned to look at Fluttershy. “Time sure has passed... and a lot of shufflin' around of the chores, so to speak.”
“What could have brought that on?” Rainbow Dash remarked. “Like... everything about these sarosians is so extreme.”
“By that—you mean the extreme polarization of gender norms and strictly-enforced caste system?” Twilight asked, blinking.
“... … … sure.” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. “But something had to have happened to have forced these melon fudges to have resorted to this new way of living.”
Applejack blew out the side of her muzzle. “You ask me—it's a new way of dyin'.”
“That too.”
Twilight's eyes were narrow. “I don't think it's just one single thing that happened to them, Rainbow Dash. It's more likely a whole slew of events... stretched out and stress-tessed over time.”
“The war,” Fluttershy declared, looking at Twilight. “It's stretched these poor ponies so terribly thin.”
“Reckon Lexxic's stretchin' 'em even thinner,” Applejack muttered.
“Yes, but to what end?” Rarity asked.
Twilight shrugged. “The soldiers appear to believe in him.”
“Yeah, but the elders?” Applejack's muzzle twisted. “They ain't so fond of the feller.”
Rainbow looked at Applejack. “Is that a gut feeling?”
“Do ya even need me to sense that?” Applejack scoffed, slicing the air with a ghostly fetlock. “They're all cramped up there in their hoity-toity branches! Scared to bits over him!”
“Is it all fear?” Fluttershy asked.
Applejack started—but hesitated. After a bit of fidgeting, she blurted: “No.” A tilt of the hat as she gazed contemplatively into the earth. “Reckon it's shame too.”
“Shame?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I mean... think about it, Rainbow.” Applejack looked at their anchor. “At some point in time, these batponyfolk began relyin' on stallions to do all the nasty work. And now the war's gotten so desperate that a stallion—not a mare—is leading their entire army.” She slowly shrugged. “Seems like a bitter pill to swallow.”
“That can't all be it,” Rarity stated. “The Dark Vigil has only one goal in mind: that's to claim the Harmonic Prism within the Midnight Armory and use it to—somehow—restore Nightmare Moon and ensure everlasting night!” She took a deep breath after exhaling all of that. Her eyes blinked. “... … … they should be glad that Lexxic is making progress for them, as vague as it may seem to us thus far. He's a means to an end! Why would they be ashamed of that?”
“I'm tellin' you, they ain't happy about him,” Applejack grumbled. “And what's more, they ain't entirely 'fessin' up to Rainbow Dash just why that is.”
“In the meantime, they're perfectly happy to have me snooping around him,” Rainbow Dash muttered. She paced in a tiny circle as her ghostly friend watched. “I doubt they want to sabotage Lexxic and his campaign... but they obviously aren't happy with all the freedom he's earned for himself. Being a Commander and all.”
“They sense the power of Luna within you, Rainbow,” Twilight said. “Her spell. Her wisdom. Her blessing.”
“Right. I'm the Avatar of Luna. Whoopty-buckin'-doo.” Rainbow Dash sighed, ears drooping as she scuffled to a stop. “Like it or not, I've become the wildcard for Mistress Faatail and her sarosian sorority.”
A certain Desperado glanced over, curious.
Rainbow waved him off. “Not you,” she mouthed, then turned back to the girls. “Question is... what are they expecting of me?”
“I think you should play it safe, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said timidly. “Baby steps. Make your moves cautiously.”
“She's right, darling.” Rarity nodded. “While it isn't fair to be placed in this uncomfortable position, it's still a thing you have to deal with. Make too bold of a move, and it might jeopardize any hope you have of working with the Dark Vigil.”
“Yeah... I know that. And don't fret.” Rainbow waved with her wing. “I've been through enough crazy straits. I know how to be cautious. But in the end... it may not be up to me...” She turned to look at Applejack. “...this all will likely come down to how far the elders are willing to deal their new wildcard.”
Applejack could only shrug at that.
Rainbow blinked. Hard. She ran a hoof over her face, groaning into her fetlock. “Rnnnnnghhh...” Pulling at her face muscles, she turned and threw a lazy glance at the silent friend. “Whatever. Pinkie? Back to you. Any senses?”
“Mmmmmm... chocolate rain,” droned the party mare.
“... … ...what.”
But before anypony could say anything else...
...all five of Rainbow Dash's friends vanished. It was a brief flicker—but long enough for a serpentine persona with antlers to waft by, grinning slyly in Rainbow's direction.
“...game face on, Sparky.”
Rainbow blinked. And in that blink—her friends had returned.
“Uhhhhhhhhh...” Applejack fidgeted uncomfortably.
Twilight looked at their anchor with an expression of alarm. “Rainbow—!”
“Yeah. I sense it too.” Rainbow galloped up to the Heraldites. “Lexxic's back.”
Seraphimus and Wildcard looked over. Ariel jolted in place.
“He's back?” The pegasus blinked. “Back where?”
“... … ...” Rainbow slowly pivoted about... until she felt a touch of dizziness. Her eyes flickered red-on-yellow... and she trotted briskly in that direction. “This way.”
“That's... where the clerk went,” Seraphimus remarked.
“Very observant of you, Sera!” Rainbow rushed ahead of the group as they clambered to follow. “Move aside, Jordan! There's a new parrot of the year!”
A brief batty encounter later...
In a lavender blip, Twilight Sparkle reappeared.
Then did Rarity.
Followed by Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Applejack.
The five female spectres blinked all around—absorbing their surroundings. They discovered Rainbow Dash trotting casually back towards the Bloodwings' Central Headquarters. Wildcard, Ariel, and Seraphimus followed close behind. Shriike—the Imperial Clerk—scrambled to catch up from a distance.
“Rainbow...!” Twilight flew closer to their anchor. “We... uh...”
“We all got Vanilla Zone'd!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
“It began the moment you flew in to intercept Lexxic,” Rarity declared. “What happened just now?”
“Did we vanish for you too?” Fluttershy asked.
“Mmmhmmm.” Rainbow nodded. “That you did.”
Ariel threw Rainbow a look.
Rainbow looked briefly at her, mouthed “the girls”, and resumed trotting towards her destination. “Had a brief chit-chat with Lexxic.”
Applejack's freckles scrunched. “What kind of a chit-chat.”
“Oh, y'know...” Rainbow shrugged in mid-trot. “We found him skulking around Shriike like a creepy bully. Then he made some veiled threats over the fact that a clerk from Gibbous Sanctum was gonna be recording everything he says. There was some grandiose posturing, a few more creepy smiles slid beneath that tombstone hat of his... then he laughed it all off and... uhm... invited us to a get-together at the Hall of Honor.”
“What kind of get-together?” Twilight asked.
“And what's the Hall of Honor?” Pinkie Pie blinked. “I'm scared to see what kind of party these batty-bat-bats throw!”
“I guess I'm gonna find out...!” Rainbow smiled crookedly. “Y'know, if Verlax really wanted to 'prepare me' for this kind of Dark Side stuff, she should have thrown me a dinner somewhere between Kihutaja and Frostknife.”
“Serious hats on, sugarcube,” Applejack said. “Was there anythang different about this encounter you had with Lexxic?”
Rainbow looked at her. “In what way?”
“Well, darling, we were gone for the whole time,” Rarity declared. “Did something happen? Did he approach you?”
“You weren't in danger at any point, were you?” Fluttershy asked.
“No... I mean... I don't think so?” Rainbow blinked ahead as she trotted. “It didn't feel like we were closer together. I mean... if that happened... I-I'm pretty sure all that chaos-crap on his noggin' would have conked me out super hard.” A clearing of the throat. “Besides, I had Wildcard with me.”
“Don't forget Seraphimus and Ariel!” Pinkie beamed.
“... … ...like I said, I had Wildcard with me,” Rainbow muttered. “I was fine. But... funny enough...” Rainbow looked aside at Twilight. “At one point, Ariel dared Lexxic to step closer to me—and the whole group, I guess.”
“Did you smack her?” Twilight asked.
“The point is...” Rainbow's jaw clenched. “...she caught him off guard.”
“You mean he didn't take Ariel up on her dare?” Applejack asked.
Rainbow shook her head. “He didn't take a step towards me.”
“Lexxic is a commander of the entire Dark Vigil's army,” Rarity stated. “He knows better than to risk a confrontation with the 'Avatar of Luna.'”
“Also, he seems... uhm...” Fluttershy fidgeted in mid-hover. “...less likely to be egged on than the stallions who answer to him.”
“Hrmmm...” Applejack rubbed her chin. “Perhaps. Reckon there's more to it than that, though.”
Rarity blinked. “Like what?”
“Darned if I know. Dang it! If only we was there with ya, Rainbow.”
“Wouldn't have made a difference,” Rainbow stated. “You can't seem to read Lexxic even when you're not in the Vanilla Zone.”
“Still, it's quite alarming,” Rarity said. “If it's the will of Mistress Faatail and the Dream Council for you to remain close to Lexxic...”
Pinkie Pie interjected: “We won't be there to provide moral support!”
“In spirit, we will be.” Fluttershy braved a faint smile. “In one way or another, we're there by Rainbow' side.”
“... … ...comedy relief!” Pinkie spouted. “How's Rainbow Dash supposed to function without us to banter on in the background!”
“Chillax, Pinks,” Rainbow droned. “I've flown continents without you gals' counsel.” She blew out the side of her muzzle. “What—am I coasting by on easy mode forever? I can handle crap myself.”
“It may be that you won't have much of a choice, Rainbow,” Applejack said. “If yer gonna be bumpin' elbows with Lexxic, t'ain't much that can be done to equalize matters.”
Rainbow gulped. “Guess I'll have to wait and see.”
Twilight perked up. “What about Discord?”
The rest of the group gave her double-takes.
“Uhhhhh...” Rainbow squinted at the ghostly unicorn. “What about him?”
Twilight blushed slightly. “S-sorry. Didn't mean to blurt his name out so excitedly. I just had a curious thought.”
“Yeah...?”
“I mean... did you see him at all?”
“... … ...Discord?”
“When we all went to...” Twilight looked at Pinkie. “... … ...the Vanilla Zone... … ...” She looked at Rainbow again. “Did he appear?”
“It is chaos metal that's making us vanish to you, after all,” Rarity said. “That much is certain.”
“Well... not gonna lie...” Rainbow couldn't help but shudder. “He... did kinda sorta appear.”
“Just now?” Fluttershy blinked. “While you were confronting Lexxic?”
Rainbow exhaled. “Yup.”
“Wowie zowie!” Pinkie blinked with concerned. “Just what did he have to say?”
“... … ...” Rainbow gazed up into the stars.
“You wish to learn more of the disappointing legacy of Malaak?” Lexxic spoke menacingly while pacing. “So be it. But I, the First Son of Nightmares, am far from a gracious host...”
Rainbow stood by Seraphimus, Ariel, Shriike and Wildcard. She listened to the words coming out of the Bloodwing Commander's mouth.
Or at least... she tried to. It was a difficult task, considering the cacophonous music and yodeling going on just a few ghostly feet away.
Trying not to wince, Rainbow aimed her ruby eyes to the side.
“~¡¡¡Mañanero besa tiernamente tu mejilla y el aroma del café te hace cosquillas, seguro sueñas que estás en el Lado Oscurooooo~!!!” Discord ululated to the heavens. A pair of talons strummed wildly away at a cuatro while two mutant hands sprouting from his shoulders shook noisy maracas left and right. He paused only to tilt back a hat made out of palm leaves and wipe a tear from his furry face. “Snfff... This is just so sad!” He stretched his head upside down towards the monologuing Bloodwing. “Hey Lexxic! Play Despasarosiancito!” And he resumed shaking the maracas in earnest.
Rainbow clenched her eyes shut, composed herself, and focused once more on what Lexxic was saying:
“I do not say this out of spite—but rather to inform you that I demand tribute in the form of honor...”
“... … …” Rainbow gazed back down from the stars. “Nothing, really.”
A cough, and she looked back at Twilight Sparkle.
“Anyway, now that we know what's likely to happen once I have future meetings with Lexxic, I think I'm gonna have to rely a whole lot more on these little sideline pep talks.”
“We believe in you, Dashie!” Pinkie cheered, pumping a forelimb. “We'll keep the ghostly bench warm for you!”
“Mmmmmm...” Fluttershy was already fidgeting nervously. “I wonder... just what you'll be expecting from this 'Hall of Honor' he's invited you to.”
“If his attitude just now is any indication, he's probably gonna go out of his way to try and shock Rainbow Dash,” Rarity suggested.
“I dunno.” Applejack folded her forelimbs. “Seems like the feller has an awful lot on his plate. Ya reckon he might just try to carry on business as usual?”
“It... would be very proud thing to do,” Twilight remarked, thinking out loud. “Acting as if having the 'Avatar of Luna' around means nothing.”
“Suits me.” Rainbow shrugged. “I wouldn't mind seeing how Lexxic and his buddies run things around here.”
“Are you certain of that, darling?” Rarity remarked. Already grimacing. “All we've seen so far has been absolutely dismal and horrid.”
“Plus...” Twilight pointed beyond the tree. “What about all we've sensed beyond the camp? What about the pit?” Her voice rattled off with the familiar cadence of a frazzled bookworm. “Wh-what about all that vaguely frustrating business with the Fourth and Fifth Roots?”
“These are all things I'll have to deal with as I face them.” Rainbow took a huffing breath. “I mean—for Pete's sake, girls—it's either get accustomed to what the Bloodwings bring to the table or I go nowhere.” Her nostrils flared. “I mean—what else am I to do? Approach Tchern? The Night Shard? Go tackle the Midnight Armory alone? In the middle of a never-ending war?!?”
“Dependin' on just what Lexxic throws at ya...” Applejack bit her lip. “...what if those options do end up more appealin'-like?”
Rainbow's ears drooped... and her body followed suit as she approached the shadow of the Central Operations Building. “I just hope there's enough of Luna's blessing for me to glide on...”