//------------------------------// // Interlude 4 // Story: Danganronpa: In Harmony's Wake // by Dewdrops on the Grass //------------------------------// INTERLUDE 4 Twilight adjusted the positioning of the final bracket, securing the detector with a few quick turns of a screwdriver. “Phew,” she muttered as she wiped her brow with the back of her leather glove. “Three down. About fifteen more to go.” “Thank you again for helping us with this, Princess,” said Moondancer, still wobbling about on her unfamiliar two legs every now and again as she puttered about the observatory grounds. Occasionally her glasses slipped down the bridge of her nose, and she had to fix them back in place. “I think this would’ve taken forever without you.” Twilight stood back up, brushing dirt off of her comfortable--and far more practical--pair of blue jeans and t-shirt she’d had purchased for her by one of Spitfire’s officers. Her wings still stuck out the back, through slits cut in the shirt, but at least she wasn’t stuck wearing that ridiculous evening gown. “Of course,” she said with a wry half-smile. “It’s the least I could do, after… well, at least Trixie forgave me. Sort of.” “I’m not sure locking herself away in a room and screaming, ‘you won’t take me alive!’ constitutes accepting an apology, Twilight,” Starlight Glimmer said, walking by carrying another detector for the array. Unlike Moondancer she was perfectly competent with her legs, owing to prior visits with Sunset. “Well, she let me in after a while and we had a talk, so she’s not as scared now,” Twilight said, her cheeks flushing. She closed the distance between her and Starlight, and whispered to her, “How’re you holding up? Any better than me?” Starlight paused in her walk, sighed, and set the detector in her hands down. She faced Twilight, her eyes twinkling with unshed tears. “Not really,” she admitted. “They were my friends too. I didn’t know them as well as you did, but it…” she took a deep, shuddering breath, and leaned against Twilight. “It’s not easy.” “No, it’s not,” Twilight said, wrapping an arm around Starlight to hold her tight. Her own breath quivered in her chest, right along with her heart skipping a beat every once in a while. “Celestia, I can barely stand it. All this meaningless death, and here we are messing around on a mountaintop.” Starlight reached an arm around Twilight’s shoulder, barely managing to reach it given the height difference between them. “Hey, at least I didn’t have to watch myself get executed?” Starlight said with a wry grin. Twilight gasped, squeezed tighter on Starlight, and almost fell over. “D-don’t remind me, please!” she begged in a ragged voice, her breath so rapid and shallow she risked falling into a full blown panic attack. “Sorry, sorry!” Starlight said, her mouth contorting in an apologetic frown. She quickly rubbed a hand up and down Twilight’s back, right between her wings. “Easy there, Twi, easy. I’m sorry. That was stupid. I shouldn’t have said that.” Twilight held a hand up to her breast, took a breath, then forced it out as she pushed her hand away. She repeated this motion a good six or seven times before she felt her heart rate slow to normal, her breath easing rather than feeling like her lungs were wrapped in razor wire. “It’s okay,” she murmured. “I know you were trying to help with a joke.” “Iiiii should probably leave that kind of thing to Pinkie Pie, huh?” Starlight said, her own cheeks turning pink. Then her frown turned dark and she muttered a curse under her breath. “Sorry.” “No, no, it’s fine, it’s going to happen,” Twilight said with a sigh. “I haven’t told any of them what’s been happening.” “Not even Rainbow Dash?” Starlight asked, her expression turning quizzical. “I figured if you’d tell anyone it’d be her, since she just started leading the Wonderbolts after Spitfire retired.” Her gaze shot to the sky in a thin-lidded glare. "Like she likes to remind us. Constantly." “I’m not bringing the Wonderbolts into this,” Twilight declared firmly. “I won’t need them when I cross over. And If I could’ve avoided involving you and Trixie, I would have. I don’t want to burden anyone with the knowledge of this, this killing game. It’s tearing me apart inside as it is.” She fixed her gaze onto Starlight and filled it with the full force of her personality. “Can you imagine how Rarity would react to hearing her little sister’s alternate killed Apple Bloom’s alternate? Or worse, how Apple Bloom might feel about Sweetie Belle afterwards? It’d ruin their friendship!” Starlight’s pupils shrank to the size of pebbles as she contemplated that. “They’d never trust each other again.” “Exactly!” Twilight threw up her hands in frustration then let them clap to her sides, irritated further by the fleshy smack of her palms against her jeans. “As soon as I get back to Equestria, I’m putting a moratorium on this whole affair. Nothing gets shared outside of those who need to know. Eventually I’ll have to tell them something, but I’ll come up with a good cover story. I don’t want my friends’ trust in each other to fall apart.” “Hey!” Moondancer strode by, carrying another detector while glaring at them. “We’ve got to get this array built before dark. What’re you standing around for?” Twilight shouted a quick “Sorry!” and ran over to the truck. The police had provided her with this truck as part of overall efforts to assist her with the search. They’d cordoned off the observatory up on Mount Canter, allowing them to use the grounds for their array. It was the tallest mountain in the area, and their best bet for trying to pinpoint the cruise ship’s signal. Their driver, a tall man with skin the color of mud and hair the color of sticks who seemed oddly familiar, sat inside on the driver’s seat, thumbing away at a mobile device of some sort. He briefly glanced her way and she smiled at him politely before moving on. She rushed over with the latest detector and began screwing it in place on its mounting brackets. They’d set up a large network about the size of a regulation football field of platinum and gold-plated piping--sourced from Equestria, naturally--laden with various gemstones, and spaced out the detectors about twenty feet apart on all sides. Everything was hooked into a master control console, which would have to be plugged into the observatory’s electricity via a special adaptor.  Twilight rushed through getting hers mounted, and assisted with the others, until soon enough all were ready. Together the three women made their way over to the control console, where Starswirl sat checking the controls. “I must say, this is far more complicated and complex than anything we could’ve built in my era,” Starswirl said as they approached. “All these new buttons and gizmos. And this flat screen display! It’s just like the device that shows the game.” “I made some improvements to our tech after my first visit here,” Twilight said. “Is it ready to go?” “Just about.” Starswirl fidgeted with a few of the controls, and then declared, “It’s ready. I’m switching it on now.” He turned a large knob all the way to the right, and the entire array lit up with dancing lights as the crystals hummed to life. A peculiar, almost musical tone wavering between several high and low notes filled the air as it got to work. Every so often a louder note dinged, reminding Twilight of the sonar dishes she once watched a video on at Canterlot High’s library. “It seems everything is in working order,” he said. “If this performs the way everypony says it will, we should have an answer as to their location within 72 hours.” “Good. Starlight, will you and Moondancer be okay staying here at the observatory? I need Starswirl back in Equestria finalizing the spells to bring the ship through.” Moondancer and Starlight exchanged a look, then Starlight nodded. “Sure. We’ll be okay. They brought us plenty of snacks.” She pointed over to the second vehicle the police had provided, a small RV. Lackluster in features, but it was better than squatting in tents. “All right then,” Twilight replied. She gave them both a sad smile, and embraced them each in turn. “Stay safe. Let us know the instant you have their location.” “Will do,” Starlight replied. Twilight and Starswirl made their way to the truck, and gave the other two one final wave as they drove away, heading back down the mountain into town.  They stayed quiet on the journey, heedful of the fact their driver knew little about them, and they wanted to keep it that way. They reached the high school in less than an hour, but just as they entered the tent around the statue’s base, Spitfire stopped them. “Hey. Your highness. We just got word from your side.” Spitfire’s face held a substantial amount of contempt for Twilight as she continued, “Two more are dead.” Twilight held herself upright, refusing to show an emotional reaction in front of the chief of police. Inside, however, another small piece of her soul crumbled to dust.“Who was it?” Spitfire arched an eyebrow, then scoffed in disgust and stood up from her chair to look Twilight in the eye. “Rainbow Dash and Flash Sentry. That’s nine people dead on that ship, Princess.” “I’m well aware of that,” Twilight replied in a harsh tone, biting off the furious words she wanted to say. “Thank you for letting me know.” “‘Thank you for letting me know,’” Spitfire repeated in a mocking tone. “That’s all you have to say? I thought these kids were your friends.” “What else do you want me to say, Spitfire?” Twilight growled, her decorum rapidly disintegrating as she whirled to stare down the police chief. The fact that even standing she dwarfed Spitfire by well over a foot and a half seemed not to bother the older woman a whit. “I know they’re my friends. I know they’re dying. I’m doing everything I can to rescue them!” “Yeah, while keeping your precious secret,” Spitfire retorted, her eyes twitching with rage. Twilight seethed on the spot, her whole body flushing with heated anger. “I thought we already agreed this would work out.” “We did, yeah. But now I’m not so sure anymore. Not after losing Dash. Did you know she asked me to sponsor her as a police officer, after she was done with her term at Canterlot U? In case her soccer career didn’t work out for her.” Spitfire balled up a fist and clenched it so hard her knuckles turned white. “That kid looked up to me. I was like an aunt to her. I was her hero.” “You were?” Twilight gasped, most of her anger evaporating on the spot. “Why didn’t you say anything?” Spitfire leaned in closer, her teeth bared in a furious snarl. “Because it’s bad enough my head detective had a personal stake in this. I didn’t need to bring up my own.” Before Twilight could respond, Starswirl placed a hand on Spitfire’s shoulder, carefully and considerately so it could be easily removed. “Please, Spitfire, you must understand, there’s far more at stake here than just those lives on the ship. Our world has millions upon millions of souls dwelling upon it, of all different species, each with unique magics and culture all of their own.” He smiled at her like a kindly grandfather. “I know the feeling of loss you are suffering right now. I’ve lost many in my time, especially after… well, that’s not important right now. What matters is that Twilight Sparkle is doing everything she can to rescue them, within the limits she has to abide by as ruler of Equestria. I’ve seen how she’s reacted to every loss in this game. She cares for these people dearly, and it is killing her on the inside. I know if she could, she would rescue them in an instant, and damn the consequences. But she cannot do that.” Spitfire tensed up at first, but as he spoke, her tension eased considerably, till finally she faced him. “I know what you’re saying,” she replied, her voice quiet and low, with more shame than ire. “And I know in my head you’re right. I’d be a complete asshole if I ignored your Princess’s wishes. No, more than that. If I’d caught one of my officers ignoring such a thing for their own personal whims, I’d fire them on the spot. I have to hold myself to that same level of accountability. But it’s not easy.” “No, it isn’t,” Twilight said, injecting as much sympathy into her voice as she could muster. “Believe me, Spitfire, I get it. Even if we rescued them right now, we’d all be bearing the scars for a long time to come.” She held out a hand, and after a moment, Spitfire took it. “I promise you, I will rescue every person I can, and I’ll make sure the families of those who died get whatever they need, as we agreed.” “I guess I can’t ask for more than that,” Spitfire allowed, shaking Twilight’s hand once before dropping it. “Excuse my outburst, Princess. It was unprofessional, and I apologize.” “Apology accepted,” Twilight said with a small smile. “Don’t worry, you’re far from the only one the stress has been getting to.” She held up a hand to her mouth and cleared her throat. “Anyway, we need to get back to Equestria. We’ve got the array up and running, so we should get something within the next few days. They’ll keep you apprised.” Spitfire nodded, and the two entered the portal. As soon as she was back on four hooves, Twilight called for a guard. “Get my airship ready to go. As soon as it's ready, I’m departing for Baltimare.” “Yes, your highness!” “So confident, are we?” Starswirl inquired as they walked together towards his research lab. “You know I’m not finished yet.” “You’ll have to complete them on the way. I want the H.E.M.S. Avenger ready to leave port the instant we have a signal.” Starswirl nodded. “I suppose that’s fair. Are you certain about that name, by the way? It feels a little… harsh for Equestria.” Twilight halted in her steps and stared at him, a burning intensity in her eyes. “I’m certain. Vengeance isn’t a virtue in our society, but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to avenge the deaths of my friends.” She turned away to resume walking, but paused when she felt Starswirl’s hoof touch her shoulder. “Twilight, I haven’t known you as long as many of your friends, but I can tell when you’re hurting. And to be frank, you’re falling apart at the seams. Are you sure you’re up to this? You know we could always call upon Celestia and Luna. They would be more than happy to assist.” “No!” Twilight declared, stomping a hoof on the marble with a loud clack! “I won’t do that! Monoponi made this personal. Whatever the reason he began this, it’s tied to me. Not Celestia. Not Luna. Not my friends. Me. I have to be the one to face him. I have to be the one to rescue them. Besides,” she said, turning to walk once more, “we can’t risk losing anyone else. You’ll be staying behind when we leave port.” “I will?” Starswirl frowned deeply, stroking at his beard as he walked. “I’d assumed I’d come along for magical support. You need someone watching your back.” “No. What I need is for you to stay in Equestria.” Starswirl stopped in place, forcing Twilight to stop in turn and face him again. “I will not!” he declared, stomping his own hoof to echo through the corridors. “Twilight, you need to think! What if Monoponi proves too strong for you on your own? Even my best estimates suggest the spellwork I’m performing will only give you fifty percent of your magical ability. You’ll only be as strong magically as you were when you first ascended. At that level--” “Even Starlight would’ve overwhelmed me. I know.” Twilight’s tail whipped in the air as she tried to control her frustration. “I know all of this. I’m prepared to do whatever it takes.” Starswirl remained silent for a moment, as the tension in the corridor grew till it was so thick it could be bitten off and chewed. “What precisely do you mean by that?” Twilight’s heart hammered in her chest as she struggled to control her breathing. She hadn’t said a word of this to anyone since she first concocted it, but it was the only thing that made sense to her. “I’ve been thinking, a lot, about why Monoponi’s targeting me. I think he’s trying to lure me out. He wants to make Equestria vulnerable. So he’s probably expecting me to bring all my friends with me, to try and take him on that way. And if I were to do exactly that, and fail? I’d leave Equestria defenseless. So I can’t risk it. I have to go alone, and face him alone. And if I can’t beat him, then I’ll… I’ll destroy the ship. Both ships, if I have to. I won’t let him escape.” “You’re talking about the deaths of everyone aboard, yourself included!” Starswirl roared, a back hoof raising in his anger as if he was prepared to buck sense into her with his bare hooves. “Equestria needs you to rule it, not perform a pointless suicide!” “It’s not pointless!” Twilight shouted back, her wings extending to their fullest as she unconsciously tried to make herself look bigger. “If it stops Monoponi, then--” “And what if it doesn’t?” Twilight took a step back, her jaw falling open. “What?” “What if it doesn’t?” Starswirl repeated. “What if he’s planned for that? What if he expects you to do something that stupid? Or worse, what if he’s armed that ship to the teeth, and blows you out of the water the instant you show your face? You know better than I how much more advanced technology is on Earth. Without extra help, all you’ll achieve is your own death, in the end. Do you really want to die?” Twilight fell to her rump. Her heart stilled in her chest, like it’d stopped working altogether. A deep yawning emptiness opened up in her soul, the same nightmarish abyss of nothing she’d felt pulling at her from the moment this whole affair began. Like a black hole consuming its companion star, it tore her apart, piece by piece, sucking down every morsel and giving nothing back. Had Starswirl asked this question at any other time in her life, she’d have said no, of course not. The thought of such a thing would never have occurred to her. But now? As his words echoed through her ears, there was only one answer she could give. That she knew was correct. And Twilight did not give incorrect answers. “Yes.” Starswirl said nothing. He stared down at her, slowly shaking his head, and then suddenly walked off, leaving her alone in the corridor. Alone, like she deserved. The cold marble underneath her rump soothed her nerves, enough to make her sink down onto her belly and lay flat on it, allowing its cold to leech her body heat away. Just like the hole in her soul consumed her bit by bit. Ever so slowly, her magical mane lost its sparkles, until it shifted back into the hair she’d grown up with, long enough to be a blanket, but still hair hair. Her eyelids fluttered closed as sleep suddenly called to her, luring her down. She didn’t feel the vibration of hoofsteps and claws on the marble. She didn’t smell the scent of her older and younger brothers, twin odors of brimstone and pressed starch. She didn’t hear their voices calling to her, asking if she was alright. But she did notice when they both embraced her, and tried to pull her up to her hooves. “What?” she murmured as she opened her eyes. “What’re you doing?” “Twily,” Shining said, his voice echoing with every bit of the caring authority he was supposed to have as an older brother, even if he was technically her duplicate’s brother and not hers. “Starswirl told us you weren’t doing so well.” “He said you’re really depressed,” Spike added, carefully wrapping his claws around her so he didn’t pierce her skin by mistake. “Not that I can blame you,” Shining admitted with a bitter laugh. “I’m not doing so hot myself.” “Me neither,” Spike said. They managed to pull her up into a sitting position, and sat down on either side of her, propping her up between them. “You guys,” she muttered. “This is… I don’t even have words for what I feel anymore.” “Then let me try to give you them,” Shining said. He held out one forehoof and poked at it with the other like he was trying to count on his currently non-existent fingers.  “One, you’re traumatized because of the loss of friends. Two, you’re feeling guilty because you think it’s your fault this is happening. Three, you’re… innocent when it comes to things like death. You’re not human.”  He gave her a wry smile when she glared at him over the last comment. “Don’t take that as an insult. It’s not. Humans, we have a pretty hard time dealing with death as it is, and we see it way more often than you ponies do. Hell, the only reason I’m not a completely useless mess right now is because I’m working to save what lives we can. Soon as this is all over? I’m going to have to take a lot of personal leave to deal with it. I’m suppressing it right now and that’s not healthy, even if it’s necessary.” He glanced down at his hooves and rolled his eyes, then held them up. “Well, that, and being a pony’s so weird it’s a pretty huge distraction all on its own.” “Wow,” Spike said, gaping at Shining. “You’re a lot more insightful than our own Shining.” Shining shrugged. “Psychology courses. Had to take them to be a detective. Aren’t there similar things required for being a, what was it, royal guard?” “No, but there should be,” Twilight said with a bit of a hitch in her throat. She’d started to emerge from the abyss, beaching herself on the proverbial shore, and in the process her emotions were rolling back in. She teared up at the same time she quietly laughed, and hugged the two closer together with her long forelegs.”Thank you. I think I needed this.” “You need a lot more than just a quick hug and a few words,” Shining said with a sigh, “but it’s about all we can do right now. Starswirl did say one other thing though. He said--” Twilight raised a hoof. “I know Starswirl’s objections. And why. He’s right, but he’s also wrong. I still have to do this myself.” She smiled grimly. “But I just came up with a better way to enact my backup plan. Spike, I need you to run a quick message to the labs in Bronco. Ask the director to deliver the prototype to the Avenger in Baltimare as quickly as possible.” “Prototype what?” Spike asked quizzically, cocking his head at her. Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, Spike, this one’s above even your head. Just tell him, okay? This needs to happen right away. We can’t risk leaving without it.” Spike arched a scaly eyebrow at her, but nodded. “Okay, Twi. I’ll do it.” He turned to leave. “Oh, and Spike,” Twilight called after him. “Don’t take anything he says personally. He’s a bit… forceful.” “Twily,” Shining said, narrowing his eyes into a stern, brotherly glare. He crossed his forelegs over his chest. “What exactly is this prototype?” Twilight looked right back at him, not as a younger sister, but as the Princess she needed to be. “Something I hope I won't have to use.”