//------------------------------// // Shadow's Return // Story: Equestria Girls: Love Is Magic // by onekface //------------------------------// Chapter 66: Shadow’s Return (Ezaquatel) Sunburst couldn’t believe it. No, it was more like he didn’t want to believe it. But there was no mistaking it. The peering shape, the accuracy of the brushstrokes, the wavy hairlines, coloring and demonic stare. It was… it was absolutely definitely…… him. It was the Pony of Shadows. After witnessing such power, such raw magic first hand… that kind of thing becomes engrained in your mind. His first encounter with the most powerful creature in all of Equestria was not an experience he was likely to forget any time soon. Heck, he doubt anyone would be able to forget such a monster after seeing what he was capable of doing. The raw power it emanated alone was probably capable of causing untold destruction throughout the realms. It was only through the combined effort of the Old Pillars of Equestria and the Council of Friendship and the near sacrifice of the Elements of Harmony, were they able to save its fragile host from darkness and banish the creature back from to the prison it so rightly deserved. But… that should’ve been it. That should’ve been the end of the story, the grand finale, the last chapter in a series that had gone on for too long. His portrait here… doesn’t make a lick of sense. “It… it can’t be.” Sunburst muttered, rasping in disbelief. “That’s not possible. He couldn’t…” “Sunburst!” A hoof punched his face whacking the boy off his stunned stammering. “Will you please stop speaking in disjointed sentences and start talking sense? I did not follow you through a magic portal, get chased by creepy weird living statues, only to have you mumbling incoherent words on me.” “R… right right. Sorry. It’s just that… the creature at the center of this mural. It looked sort of like… the Pony of Shadow.” “That giant monster that you and Twilight brought back?” Yeah… that. “It’s… complicated. Oh boy. I haven’t thought about that day since… forever. Which is why this mural here doesn’t make any sense. We… we defeated the Pony of Shadow. We banished it to Limbo for all eternity. It shouldn’t even be possible for him to return at all.” Trixie shrugged. “Well… maybe it’s not him.” “Are you kidding? Look at that!” He pointed at the raw figure of the creature. “You don’t create something that detailed and not think it to be the one and only, Pony of Shadow! I mean… what else can it be?” “Hold it. Let me explain.” Trixie hushed him. “These ‘Other’ worlds, as you call them, are like reflections of our own, just… distorted and different, right?” “Yeah? That’s what Princess Twilight described it anyway.” “But that also means that there are counterparts, like me and you. What if this Pony of Shadow is the Pony of Shadow of this world?” That…… that strangely made sense for Trixie. Starlight told him before that she met plenty of this world’s counterpart with the human world. So… it could mean that this mural was depicting events happening in this world. Yeah… that… that made sense, right? If there can be two Princess Twilights in multiple worlds, then there can be multiple versions of the Pony of Shadow. Yeah. That’s right. Ha! Totally! Haha! Right? “Yeah. That has to be it.” The young stallion let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks Trixie. For a moment, I was imagining the worst case scenario.” The blue mare waved it off casually. “You’re very much welcome. I may not be the smartest Pony, but I can offer some great suggestions and advice sometimes.” “Yeah. You are amazing.” “And powerful.” She reminded. “Those two are mutually inclusive when it comes to me. Don’t forget that.” He laughed. “Absolutely.” “So… what now? I don’t see anything else here. And just how big is this temple anyway? I haven’t even seen the land or the sky yet.” She complained with a hearty huff. “When I came to visit a new world, I was expecting to see exotic animals or be turned into another creature entirely. I wouldn’t mind a nice transformation. My mane could use a redo.” …! Sunburst froze. “Wait… what did you say?” “My mane needs a redo. I’ve been trying out this new shampoo from the store, and I think it’s making my hair all sticky.” “No! Before that!” “Exotic animals?” “After that!” She paused in thought. “Oh… you mean turning into another creature? Starlight told me that when you step into another world, you change.” …! How could he have been so blind? Why didn’t he noticed it earlier when he too first step into the portal? His power of observation must’ve been lacking to not realize such a simple thing. The magic of different worlds did not allow traveling of creatures to another realm. They always changed you corresponding to the world you visit. It was like… the first thing Starswirl told him. That must’ve been why Starswirl looked so confused earlier. He must’ve expected to change into his own reflection in this world. Sunburst looked to the mural again and saw the many figures kneeling before the Pony of Shadow. They all looked to be humanoid. Perhaps even actual humans like the ones Starlight visisted. If they were to be believed – they too should’ve changed into their counterparts here. It was like… the law of the universe. And the universe often liked to keep everything neat and tidy. But they didn’t change. Why was that? “That… is weird.” Trixie rolled her eyes again. “Are you going to start spouting in broken senses again? Because I will hit you again.” Thankfully she didn’t need to as an eerie growl echoed from nearby. It sounded like one of those statues. The tremor of their stomps can be felt. And that meant that they’ve outlived their welcome. “I think it’s time we head back.” Trixie couldn’t have agreed more. (Flash’s House) (Backyard) Flash peered through the afternoon sky, feeling the warmth setting in the air. The birds in the aviary were all chirping louder than usual. Many of them were leaving the glassed dome, flying north. With the melting of the snow, the lack of clouds in the sky, and the green leafs growing on the branches. That can only mean one thing. Spring was here. The first weekend of a new semester, and the true end of winter. If he was a poetic man he’d write a song about it. Something colorful and soothing. Something heartwarming and possibly even romantic. Meh… maybe later. *Woof!* His attention rolled over to Bananas who began chase around the yard rolling around like nothing ever mattered. It made him laugh a bit. Though right now his attention was focused on his scarred hand. The source of his wonders. He could feel it now. Slowly pulsing inside like an energy that matched the rhythm of his heartbeat. Magic. Pure magic. “This is so cool.” He muttered once more, analyzing the thing like it was the greatest gift ever given to him by a Greater-Power. It would’ve been even better if the darn thing worked like he wanted instead of being completely… random. The magic he had was great but it was also flawed. The experiment he performed last night confirmed it. He was expecting a cool power like one of those superheroes in the comics or cartoons. The ability to fly, breathe fire, laser hands, or maybe even Pony-Up like Sunset and her friends. But instead the power he wield was one of chaos and mayhem. It got so bad that his whole room turned into a mess of gelatin and bubbles. Thankfully Edmund was able to replace all of his furniture. Dad bought the excuse of it being a science experiment gone wrong. Still… this can’t stand. If he was to take his place beside those girls who save the city from constant magical danger, he needed to put the rein on this magic. Have it obey his command rather than putting everything in bubbles. He tried calling Twilight and Sunset for aid but it seems like those two were busy investigating the origin of yesterday’s earthquake. Can’t really blame them for having their priorities straight. His second choice was Adagio. But from the looks of it, she doesn’t seem to be in the mood to hang out with him. He wondered if it was a girl thing. But then… someone else might be able to help out. “Edmund.” He called out to which the butler responded by appearing from the corner. “You called, sir?” “Get my car ready. I’m going out today.” (Freefall Island) Sunset had been lost in thought all morning when she eyed the island from afar. While the whole ordeal with Hoity Toity was just a few weeks ago, it felt like forever since they returned to this place. The whole island reminded her of her team’s accomplishments. A sign of how far they’ve come as both wielders of magic, and characters. All of their strength and knowledge pooled together to stop a maniac from taking over the city. And to think that a bunch of teens and a wandering unicorn from another world could achieve so much. *Caw caw!* Ugh… dang crows and their annoying caws. Go bug some other sailor! “Alright ladies. We’re here.” Quibble Pants declared, mooring his tugboat by the old rickety pier that was once his shop. From the looks of it, the place had seen better days. Sunset walked down the ramp with Twilight and Luna in tow. Thanks to the VP’s connections and research, she was able to find a loophole in the restriction. Apparently, while the island was technically still in lockdown since their magical bonanza, and the common folk were barred from entering, construction workers and official inspectors were given the exception. Building materials and heavy equipment were being transported here through the city’s old ferry system. And to their luck, Rainbow Dash’s acquaintance happens to run one such barge. “Thanks again for giving us a ride, Quibble.” The slightly older gentleman waved it off naturally. “No problem. Any friend of Rainbow Dash is a friend of mine. Besides, that lady over there is giving me a little extra for my work.” He gestured to Luna who returned a coy smirk. A rough guess would say she bribed the man. “Sorry about your shop.” “Meh. It was bound to happen.” He shrugged back, sighing lowly to the rickety building just over the pier. “With the whole island on lockdown, there was no tourist coming, and that means no business. But thankfully I had a backup job to cover my rent.” He then let out an attentive cough. “Now remember: I got a few shipments to deliver this afternoon but I pass through here every now and then. My last trip is in the evening. So you have to be here by 3 o’clock or you’ll have to swim back home.” “We got it.” “Anything we need to look out for?” Luna inquired just as a precaution. “Well… other than my buddies at the construction company, I did recall hearing about a private security firm being hired by the big wigs. Something about extra muscle for some project. But they’re mostly concentrated around the old resort. So if you steer clear of that place, you should be fine.” Sounds easy enough. Investigate the magical anomaly, avoid people, steer clear from the wrecked resort, head back to the pier before evening, and be home by dinner. All in a day’s work for the Canterlot Investigation Club, as long as there was no fighting involved. At least now they were sure that they won’t be dealing with any shadow monsters or golems. With a final wave, Quibble Pants sped up his boat and headed off to the main docks hopefully keeping his cover maintained. “It’s really amazing you were able to find someone to bring us here, Vice-Principal Luna.” Twilight stated earning a humble shrug from the woman. “Just Luna.” She insisted. “And please. Finding cracks in rules and regulations is one of my favorite pastime. Besides, we’re not breaking the law. Just bending it. Just consider this little venture to be a… special fieldtrip. And as your club supervisor, I’m permitted to be here. If we get caught, we’ll just tell them that this is a school activity. Works all the time.” “You make it sound like you’ve done this before.” Sunset noticed to which the lady returned her a coy smirk. “I wasn’t always a Vice-Principal, girls.” She hummed, without a hint of regret in her voice. “Before I became the paragon of virtue you see today, I was quite the rascal myself. Why I must’ve broken more rules in my school years than all my friends combined. The detention room was pretty much my second home. Ha! The things I did and the pranks I performed were legendary. There were even a few pranks that they can’t trace back to me. The trick is to destroy the evidence and…” She paused when she noted the two girls staring curiously at her. “Ah… ahem. To summarize the whole thing: I had a whacky childhood. Not so much different from yours.” “That’s one way to put it.” Twilight whispered earning herself a chuckle. “You think she’ll tell us the rest of the story back at your place?” “One way to find out.” Sunset said. “So where do we start off first?” Twilight laughed. “That’s the easy part. The only place here that ever resonated with magic, would be none other than Castle Hoofbeard. Thankfully it should be relatively abandoned after our initial… uh… engagement with Hoity Toity.” “You mean you girls wrecked it. Just like you destroyed the resort.” Twilight began to sweat when Luna turned a daring glare. “Ahehehe. I… can neither confirm nor deny that claim. The former one… not the latter. Or maybe both.” Luna’s eyes rolled over. Just say yes Twi. Dodging the question just makes you look even guiltier. But Luna wasn’t wrong. They did technically destroy both the castle and the resort during their adventures. Not intentionally of course but still… *Caw! Caw!* A black feathered creature cawed from within the tree line. Its deep red eyes locking onto them like a beast possessed. (Sweet Shoppe) Flash heard the rocking of the doorbell when he entered his favorite haunt. The old place was brimming with customers, which isn’t much of a surprise considering how popular it was to students. He wouldn’t be surprised to see this place standing after a hundred years or so. But he wasn’t here for pastries right now. His target was there, standing by the counter, flipping a finger over her phone, looking bored as hell. He approached the counter and opened his mouth to speak only to have her beat him to it. “Welcome dear customer. What can I get you today? Can I recommend you our new dessert? The Rosema—” Her sales pitch cut off when she realized who it was. The forced smile she wore fell off, replaced with a scowl as deep as the ocean itself. “Oh… it’s you. What do you want? If you’re here for the bear-claw, you’ll have to wait for 10 minutes. The next batch will be ready then.” “Actually I was… here for you.” Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Uh… not like that.” He corrected hastily enough. “Honestly, I wasn’t even sure you’d be here at this hour. I uh… need your help with something.” “And I’m still on shift.” She reminded, poking his chest. “If you want help, why don’t you go over to your friends?” “They’re uh… busy.” The boy grumbled. “Anyway, it’s a problem. I just need a few minutes. Please.” Aria leaned back, cocking one brow at him. That girl had the eyes of a predator, and the attitude and power to back it up. She looked like she was about to tell him to shove off but something stopped her. Perhaps… a deeper conscience? Her eyes drifted to the side where Mr. Cake stood, casually talking with a close acquaintance by the table, laughing cheerfully at some joke that was said. “Order something.” Flash blinked. “What?” “I can’t leave the cashier unmanned without a reason. Order something and pick a table by the window. I’ll come to you.” Oh…… OH! That sounded like a cool spy rendezvous. “Oh… okay. I’ll have… today’s special.” He handed her the exact change and bolted off to the table that recently became available by the window. He waited for a moment, taking a quick glance over to the girl as she casually prepared his order, putting them on a tray and then casually walking over to him like he was just another customer. Judging from her natural posture, she must’ve done something similar to this plenty of times. “So what’s this problem you have for me?” “Well… it’s magic related.” “So?” She shrugged. “Don’t you have that nerd gal of yours?” She must be talking about Twilight. “Like I said, they’re busy. And honestly I didn’t think I’d see you this early. I figured you only took the night shift.” “Only on the weekdays.” She explained. “I take double-shift on weekends. I get more cash that way.” “That’s… a lot of shifts.” He noted taking a sip from his coco. “You guys having money problem?” Her eyes sharpened. “What makes you think that?” “I’ve never heard anyone willing to take so many shifts willingly. Not unless they’re short.” He should know. There was this one time Sandalwood’s family flower shop was in the red because of some error in shipping. The guy had to work an extra shift part-time to help make ends meet. Thankfully they got through it. Flash could see Aria’s expression curl to a tightlipped frustration. Guess he hit the head on the nail there. “Look. We’re here for your problem. Not mine. Now out with it. You said it was magic related?” Guess she wasn’t gonna open that easy. Still… she was willing to help. That was something. “It’s…… this.” Flash hesitantly offered his scarred hand which she eyed boringly before they shot up when she saw it glow with magic. “That’s… magic.” She muttered, clearly not expecting that. “How did you…!” “Shhh! Not so loud.” Aria closed her mouth, returning to her usual moody expression – if just barely. “How? When did this happen?” “Yesterday. Right around the time of the earthquake.” He retracted his hand afterward. “It came out of nowhere. I’m not really sure how it came to be… but it’s there.” “And you came to me for advice?” “Well to be honest, you weren’t exactly my first choice.” He answered, which didn’t really insult her. “I just needed someone who can show me how to use it properly. After seeing all the magic going around the world, I didn’t want to end up like the usual bunch.” Aria shrugged, glancing over his hand. “Have you tried using it?” “A couple of times. But I’m not really sure what it does exactly. Every time I use it, it just does something completely random.” “That’s because you’re using raw magic, you idiot.” The boy blinked back, confused. “Ugh. Come on. Have you been following those girls around without learning anything? Humans are incapable of using magic. It just doesn’t work. They need ‘Mediums’ to convert magic into a spell.” Mediums. Twilight said something about that before, but he can’t seem to recall when. “Take those girls for example.” She took his silence as a chance to continue. “They have magic on them, but it’s their crystal thingies that makes them convert it into a spell. It’s how they all Pony-Up and do what they do. Kind of like the three of us with our amulets.” She gestured to the red gem dangling on her neck. “Or those black gemstones Hoity Toity used!” “Correct.” Aria grabbed his drink and leaned back, taking a quick sip. “Without those things, your magic will simply do… pretty much whatever it wants. You need something to focus it, mold it.” “And how does that work?” A small smile found itself on her face. “This’ll go a lot faster if I showed you.” She rose from her seat waving to Mr. Cake. “Hey boss. I’m taking my break.” (Freefall Island) Ugh… not again. “Haven’t heard from you in a while. Anything going on?” Twilight couldn’t help but curl a small smile as she read the text on her phone. Timber had been sending her more and more ever since their New Year date. Thankfully he was forming full sentences this time instead of using those gosh darn emojis. “Just the usual magic investigation.” She responded. “Nothing dangerous.” It took a moment before an answer got back. “Gloriosa told me about that new addition to the Rock Quarry. It was awesome. The kids love it.” A picture popped up afterward with Timber doing a selfie in front of the lifeless golem, which was now even decked with even more decorations than before. No doubt Gloriosa’s doing. “Hey. Wanna go to the beach tomorrow? I got a day off from lifeguard duty. I can teach you how to surf.” Ha… that sounds… pretty… cool… I supposed. But at the same time, really… mundane. It’s like… the same routine all over again. Ugh… this can’t be good. She can’t really say no without a good reason. And she doubt that ‘Magical incidents’ would be overused at this point. To be completely honest… she didn’t feel like going at all. Like… it didn’t interest her one bit. Could she be… getting bored of Timber? No no. That can’t be right. She was probably just tired of all the physical activities they’ve been doing. Perhaps a change of pace was in order. “Can we do something else? The weather really isn’t that warm yet.” Yeah… that sounded like a valid reason. Neither of them would want to be swim in freezing temperature. Even though the snow had already stopped, it would take a good while before the surrounding land warm up again. And quickly enough, the guy responded. “How about a dinner date? Remember that restaurant you always wanted to try out at the mall?” Uh… surprisingly she did. Though… it was actually with someone else. The Tasty Treat. Heh. Thinking back on it now, she really did like that place. The food there was exquisite though a bit too pricey for her liking. The ambience there was warm, pleasant, and reminded her a lot of that desert village she visited with…… Flash… The boy was practically her anchor that week. Keeping her sane and calm while she was spiraling out of her mind. And even after all that, he even got her a VIP reservation to the Tasty Treat. Heck the whole time there was pretty much a long enjoyable date with a movie and shopping combined. It was an ordinary outing yet… it somehow felt… special at the same time. She wasn’t sure why, but she was definitely looking forward to the next one. Heck, she wouldn’t even mind getting trapped in another corner of the world with him around. Wait… Flash? Oh horse flank! How could she have forgotten!? The boy wanted to talk with her about something yesterday. Something viably important. But the whole earthquake incident blanked that memory off her brain. Dang it. Ugh… maybe she should just text him and schedule an appointment. For tomorrow maybe? No. Timber will be expecting something. Maybe afterschool? “Twilight?” She jolted up from her phone when Luna called her name. “Come on now. You’re supposed to be the one leading us.” “Right right. Sorry.” She tucked her phone away, making a mental note to text back later. “Ahem. According to my estimation, we should be arriving at the old castle grounds just over this ridge.” “You sure?” Sunset asked, not really convinced. “We’ve been going through the woods for a while now. How can you tell?” “Trust me. I’ve done hikes before. Just use a compass, check for wind draft and keep heading north. It’s all calculated.” “You mean you’re winging it?” “It’s all calculated!” She repeated. “Just watch. The castle is just right over… here.” And true to her words, the moment they stepped out of the ridge, the castle was there. Though not in the way they expected. Castle Hoofbeard had seen better days, that much was certain. The fortress looked like it was split, with a large chunk of it sunk beneath the ocean waves. A third of it lay on the open plains while what was left it tried to cling to what remained of the hill it was standing on. But what got the trio more shocked was the large dig site beneath it. “What in the…” Luna gawked. … There were people there. Dozens of them. Maybe even more, along with heavy equipment and digging tools. Judging from their vests, hard hats and heavy loaders, Twilight would say that they’re some kind of excavation crew. “I don’t get it.” Sunset ducked down, watching the folks below. “Quibble Pants said that this area was supposed to be clear. What are the construction crew doing here?” “Those aren’t constructors.” Twilight corrected. “They’re not building anything. They look more like… an excavation. Look at their equipment.” She pointed to the giant digging machines. “I think they’re clearing the rubble. Probably cleaning up the place.” “And what in the world is that?” Luna asked pointing to a certain tent where a bunch of rubble gathered. Twilight gasped in shock. She recognized the larger object. While it looked pretty dented from the earthquake, there was no way she could mistake that… arch… for anything else. “That’s… the portal!” “Portal?” “You mean the one you and Flash jumped in during the fight?” Sunset recalled. “You and Flash? Fight? What?” “It has to be.” Twilight nodded in confirmation. “It must’ve somehow broke from the hidden chambers during our fight.” “You think it could be related to the earthquake?” “I’m almost certain of it. The kind of magic stored in these portal are very sophisticated. I tried powering one back in the desert village and it nearly blew me up.” “Blew you up!?” Luna choked. “Then it looks like we know what happened.” Yeah. The gist of it can be surmised. When the portal broke from its hidden chamber deep underneath the castle, the power stored inside must’ve gone haywire and sent a powerful shockwave throughout the city. The excavation crew must’ve dug it up not realizing the energy that they unleashed. Heck, they probably don’t even know what they have in their possession. “Well… that was surprisingly easy.” Sunset chuckled. “I figured things would be a heck of a lot harder with our recent track record. I think we can wrap up this investigation.” “Not so fast.” Twilight grabbed her. “We still need to get in there.” “Twilight. We already know what happened. There’s no point going in there.” “If the portal survived the fall, there’s a good chance that the Portal Stone did so too.” Sunset’s eyes jolt upward in realization. “You mean… those keys that activate portals?” “That’s right. Those are the most powerful artifacts that the Yaztec people ever created. And if it’s in there, we have to get it - before it falls into the wrong hands.” And by wrong hands, she totally meant the Black Stone Order – or to be more specific… Neighsay. “As much as I like to agree with you, Twilight. You’re asking us to look for a very small object inside a camp with beefy security guards.” A rather adequate description on her part. “That’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.” “Thankfully we have a magnet for that.” She added, reaching into her necklace. “Our geodes react to magic. So all we need is to get close enough to find it. Something as powerful as the Portal Stone will radiate magical pulse. Then we grab it and head back to the pier without anyone noticing.” “Ok… but how do you intend to get through security? This won’t be like us sneaking into the museum.” “You snuck into where!?” Luna gasped reminding them of her presence. “Oh… right.” Sunset tried to laugh it off but failed. “We may have… done a few things when this whole adventure started.” The Vice-Principal opened her mouth to berate them but decided to swallow it in for now. She certainly had a list of questions long enough to fill a toilet paper roll. “This is getting way more than I bargained for. But… I suppose we can discuss your wrongdoings… later.” “Yes ma’am.” Twilight nodded. “And to answer your question, I have the answer… right here.” She then reached into her bag producing the familiar Invisibility Cloak of Clover the Clever. “They’ll never see me coming. Mwahaha!” (Sweet Shoppe) Flash was led to the back of the store which looked like your usual street alley. A single corner path squeezed by three buildings. Two large dumpsters decorated the area along with a single manhole cover that stank up the place. Flash had seen similar locales like these in detective movies before. This is where an illegal transaction usually takes place, or maybe even a crime. He hoped that it wouldn’t be the latter. Aria looked pretty much at home in this environment. She had the appearance of a criminal who’d shank you if it’ll serve her purpose. Perhaps it was the attitude she gave off. Maybe it was that gothic style clothes she wears that gives her that atmosphere. “Ok. Firstly, we need to find out what kind of powers your hand has.” She explained as she ruffled through one of the dumpsters, pulling out an old soda can, placing it over the corner like a target. “You say it does thing at random, right?” “Pretty much.” He nodded dumbly. “It bubbles things, turn it into jelly. My whole room pretty much turned into a madhouse overnight.” “And that’s your first mistake.” She jabbed a finger at his chest, scolding him. “This isn’t like one of your lame water balloon fights. Magic is serious business. You can’t just toss it around without thinking. That’s an easy way to get someone or yourself hurt.” Yeah… Fluttershy said the same thing. “Now before we start, you have to know two things. 1) Magic isn’t just an energy. It’s also a force. You use it to manipulate the world around you. Objects, water, earth, fire, even space and time.” Flash’s eyes beamed. “Space and time? You mean I can time travel?” “Baby steps first.” She grunted. “2) Willpower is a factor. While you can manipulate objects, people and animals on the other hand are a little more… difficult.” The boy tilted his head in silence which she took as a sign to explain further. “Think of it as your natural defense against magic. If you cast your spell on someone, that person can break your spell if his willpower is stronger.” “Like… when you try to put someone under mind control?” “Exactly. But that part can also be tricky. If you use a spell against someone who isn’t aware of it, they’re more viable to fall under your influence.” So pretty much like a sneak attack. Flash nodded again, allowing her to continue. “Now before we start practicing magic. We need to get you a medium. Something you can use to focus all that magical energy.” “Yeah~~. I don’t think they have those for sale around here.” Aria rolled her eyes at him boringly before pulling her pendant off and handing it over. “Use this.” Flash jerked back, looking at the thing like it was a holy grail. “Isn’t that important to you?” “You’re giving it back, genius.” She brushed off his hand and then casually tied the pendant around his neck which fit surprisingly well. “Now. Try using your magic on that can. Lift it up and bring it towards you.” The boy touched the new accessory around his neck and felt a sudden tinge on his hand. He could feel the power coursing through his body again, but this time more focused and controlled like they were being directed in a certain path. Was this how people feel when they use magic? To have such power running through their veins? He wasn’t entirely sure, except for the fact that it felt good. Really good. So good in fact that it made him all tingly inside. Like an incredible bowel movement. Following the girl’s instructions, he thrust his hand forward again towards the can expecting it to do something. But instead the boy found himself being blasted backward from the recoil. His body slammed against the wall, hard, leaving a crack before falling face first to the pavement. “Ow…” “Not all of it at once, you moron!” Aria face palmed at the sight. “What kind of idiot throws all that power at a single can?” Me… apparently. “Get up and try again.” Flash groaned. (Freefall Island) (Excavation site) Whoa… this place looked a lot smaller from a distance. Twilight snuck through the main entrance of the fenced off area, slipping pass the security guard and the many workers tending to the grounds. There were a heck of a lot more people here than she initially saw. They walked around like ants carrying buckets full of dirt and tools specialized in accurate digs. This felt a lot more like a real archeological dig site. It was a real shame what happened to the castle. The place had such a great historical value to the city. To see it torn to pieces like this was a symbolic disaster. You’ll probably never see anything like this again in their lifetime. But alas, time erodes all of our history. But now was not the time to be mourning. She was on a mission and she couldn’t afford any distraction. The Portal Stone was here. She was certain of it. If the portal itself survived the cave in, there was a good chance that magical artifact did too. You wouldn’t be able to break something that powerful without a special tool. The invisibility cloak worked like a charm giving her the perfect cover for infiltrating the dig site. It reminded her of the time she and Rainbow Dash infiltrated the resort to stop Hoity Toity. It felt almost too easy. Now first thing first. She had to think. If this was an archeological site, they wouldn’t mix up arts and miscellaneous objects with the usual rubble. They’d have a very specific place for that for appraisers to look into. They wouldn’t leave such precious relics out in the open either. They’d put in a tent or a sealed environment. Someplace temperate, safe from the degradation. Somewhere like… that. Her eyes shifted to the large tent at the very edge of the dig site. There weren’t a lot of people coming in or out but there was a whole security team guarding every angle. A number of tubes and pipes protruded from it, probably regulators to keep the temperature inside stable. There was no mistaking it. That had to be the place. If the extra security detail and expensive equipment weren’t enough indication, her geode was also pointing towards it. Taking a deep breath, Twilight hastily made her way to the fancy looking tent, tiptoeing around the bulky guards like she was ghost. And thankfully she was right on the money. Science and logic wins again. The whole tent was a literal treasure trove full of artifacts. It was practically a gallery full of some of the most significantly historical objects that can be found in this corner of the world. One might even consider it a find of the decade. Twilight couldn’t help but linger a bit, looking at each of these relics like a kid in the candy store. If only she could bring a few of these back with her to study. She could feel magic lingering in many of them. “Very impressive.” Twilight’s heart nearly leap out of her chest when she heard someone spoke. For a second there she thought she was caught, but instead found her own doppelganger leaning by the pile with an intrigued look on her face. “Midnight!” She called out just barely above a whisper. “How many times do I have to tell you to not do that!?” “You can say it a hundred times over and I still wouldn’t obey.” The fiery angel let out a bored sigh, reaching out to one of the trinkets only to have her hand whisk through it. “Ugh! Stupid ghost body. All this magic around us and I can’t even interact with them. What a waste.” “You can mope about your condition later. You can’t be here.” “Oh relax. It’s not like anyone else can see me. Though I got to admit, you surprise me.” Her grin widened. “Didn’t think you’d stoop to stealing so soon. Figured you’d take a lot of growing before you delve into crime. Oh! Am I becoming a bad influence on you?” “Ok… 1) I’m not stealing. These relics were owned by a pirate long gone and these people just happened to dig them up. We’re just… um… requisitioning it, for… their safety. 2) You are not influencing me on anything.” “Pfft. I beg to differ.” Her evil twin hovered over to the next rack, admiring the many objects that seemed to radiate with magic. “What a haul. I wonder how much these things are worth. If you humans knew half of what you dig up from ancient runes and temples, you’d be building palaces and temples.” “Look. If you’re gonna be annoying, at least help me find the Portal Stone. It has to be here. And the faster we find it, the faster we can get out of here.” “So… stealing?” “Not stealing. Requisitioning.” Midnight scoffed lowly, but not before her ears perked up to footsteps and voices approaching the tent. “Someone’s coming.” Twilight quickly returned her cloak and stuffed herself in a corner, closing her mouth to keep others from hearing. “No no no! Absolutely not. We hath discussed this before last fare season, and that’ll be the end of it.” The first one gruffy stated as two figures entered the tent. From what Twilight can hear, it appears to be a man and a woman having something akin to a heated argument. “You’re not even considering the option!” “Because there is naught to consider. This company prides itself on true, trusted and tried methods of excavation. Bringing all that technology to cut through soil and rock will lead to more damage on the foundation!” The woman groaned like a housewife who’s had this argument before. “We’ll be turned into fossils by the time you finish with your true and trusted methods. All I’m saying that this dig can use a little extra effort. Why not try new things for a change?” Odd… those two sound strangely familiar for some reason. “Because those ‘New Things’ are what’s killing our business to begin with.” He argued back. “If I start relying on machines rather than the competence of my workers, I’ll be laying many of them off just like everyone else. No. We’re doing this the way my forefathers did. With blood, sweat and tears. And no mechanical oil driven machine is ever gonna replace us.” “Ugh. Igneous. This is the reason why your company is struggling as it is. You can’t follow the trend of the world. Try to see reason here. Not all technology is bad. Some of it can be of use to the company.” Oh… oh! Twilight finally recognized them. She was shock that she didn’t realize it sooner. It’s Igneous Rock Pie and his wife, Cloudy Quartz. Those are Pinkie’s parents. The owners of the Pie Quarry, Mines & Co. They must be the ones in charge of the whole excavation. “My decision is final. And the answer is no.” The older gentleman put his foot down, sternly. “It’s pickaxes and drills and nothing else.” “Our workers are breaking their backs trying to dig through old stone! It’ll take months before they can even reach the caves before not to mention the danger. The whole area is unstable ever since that earthquake yesterday! We can’t ignore that.” “Confound it, woman. You’re driving me insane.” “If it’ll get you to reconsider, I’m gonna badger you all day if I have to.” Uh oh. This sounds like something she shouldn’t be eavesdropping. But there was no way out. Those two were blocking the only path out. She’ll just have to stay hidden until they were done. “My friends. Please lower your voices.” A third figure interjected, entering the tent hastily as if he was trying to catch up. “I can hear you screaming all the way to the dig. Let’s be reasonable and discuss this properly. There’s no reason to shout.” …! That voice… “My… sincere apologies.” Igneous lowered his head in shame. “It’s just that my wife is being overly stubborn.” “Stubborn!?” Cloudy spat. “If anyone around here is stubborn, it’d be you. Sticking to the old ways forever like you’re some kind of cave man. If it weren’t for me, you’d still be eating gruel and salted corn for breakfast.” “Oh not this again. This is about our company, not our livelihood!” “Well it should. I’m tired of cooking through that old stove in the house. It’s high time we got ourselves a new one.” “Don’t use this argument to twist my arm for a new stove. That’s my great grandfather’s stove! It’s been passed down through the family for generations!” “Then it’s time to pass it on to the dumpster. Otherwise the next meal you’ll be having is a coal sandwich!” “Well your cooking is…” “Enough!” The third man roared, silencing the two. “This is not the time or place for your domestic disputes. Lunch break is almost here. Once we finished loading the next batch of these artifacts to the mainland, we can have a proper discussion in the main tent. So… please. Hold this off until then.” The two Pies glanced at one another angrily but kept it contained. That sounded very much like a marriage dispute. But the second gentleman who came in was what Twilight was focused on. His chiseled form and face was easily recognized from her corner. You couldn’t possibly mistake him for anyone else. It was Flash’s dad.