Fear. That was the emotion one would feel if they walked through certain hallways in Crystal Prep. While many of the students and faculty would attribute it to the school's tense environment, the truth was something far more sinister. A black fox wandered the empty halls with mild interest. Normally, when the halls were full, a student would walk near him, go suddenly pale, and quickly flee to their next class. The fear and anxiety his presence forced out of the students was like nectar to a bee, the bittersweet emotions making him lick his jowls as it filled his belly. It was enough to keep him fed, but it wasn't anywhere near as satisfying as a true hunt would've been.
Memories of past hunts slowly flashed before his eyes, most of them being from a time long before Crystal Prep was even a thought. HIs favorites were from when the land was a wild forest, Canterlot City nothing more than a humble hamlet out in the far distant wilderness. Back then, his fox form was more appropriate, his prey seeing nothing but a fleeting shadow slipping between the trees and underbrush as they crept aimlessly through his hunting grounds. Men, women, children, it didn't matter to him; any that wandered into his forest became his meal, driven mad with fear as they ran blindly through the foggy expanses of his territory. They would hear his laugh, his steps, see his natural form standing just outside their line of sight in the fog before their panic finally broke them.
They always found creative ways to end themselves, a curiosity in his early years as a Wraith that turned into a perk as he aged up into an Archwraith. Most flung themselves off of cliffs at the forest's heart, while others used whatever tools they had on hand to end themselves. He smiled when he remembered what a woodcutter did when he was done ripening him, the fool making the fatal mistake of trying to cut down the tree his Nest was bound to. A few whispers here, a flood of his aura there, and the brave fool was screaming like a banshee as he ran in circles. Eventually, the Wraith aimed the man's attention towards his ax. It took five minutes for the man to bleed out, but less than a second for Belfry to devour his ripened soul. A woman wandered into the forest a few days later, only to be driven so mad with fear that she clawed her own throat out a few hours into her capture.
When a pair of children wondered in, he made sure to pace himself.
He made them wonder his forest for days, always making sure to use his control over it to guide them to food and water when needed. He planted seeds into the strongest predators, making them see the children as threats big enough to intimidate, but too strong to attack as the children retreated. He scrambled their senses, making them wander in random directions as he crept around them in the fog. He didn't bother trying to conceal his presence, always taking whatever form would scare them just outside their sight-range in the fog.
They would cry, beg for their parents, and tremble in pure terror in whatever shelter they could find in the forest. All the while, Belfry happily savored their fear. After a week of being toyed with, the two children were completely broken. They wandered the woods, faces blank and eyes dead to the world around them. Belfry watched them with a small smile from the shadows, dropping his hold on the forest to see just what would happen. Just when it looked like the children were about to make it out of his grasp, a bear wandered into the children's path. The bear let out a roar, ready to charge at the lost siblings.
They stared blankly at the incoming predator, then sported dead smiles as they spread their arms out, and waited for their demise. It was also around that time that the humans became suspicious of his forest, spreading legends of a dark spirit that haunted the wood. While the rumors did cut down on his hunts, it didn't ward off those far too foolish to heed them, nor the occasional Gifted that thought they had the power to end him.
A bitter frown marred his muzzle when he remembered what did end up changing his hunting practices.
Belfry's form started to fade, the Wraith no longer in the mood to wander. All the while, the memory of a well dressed noblewoman flickered through his mind and the accord that stood between them. A noblewoman that looked so similar to the mother that now held the contract. So much like the daughter who would soon inherit it should she claim the school.
A deal was made, he bitterly relented, his form already nothing but mist in the wind as he returned to his nest. A deal I must follow to be allowed to feed.....for now.
After a brief moment of weightlessness, both his form and surroundings changed.
A jet black hallway greeted him, the walls towering over him all the way to a vast gray vaulted ornate ceiling two stories above him. Black and white marble tiles covered the floor in a polished checkerboard-like pattern, adding to the gloomy atmosphere of the nest. Adorning the walls were ornate oil lamps, each styled to resemble wilting roses with dim white light emanating from the heart of the flowers. The Archwraith smiled, the cold chill of fear that flooded the hall filling him with ease as he advanced.
The Archwraith was now a teen, his appearance sitting squarely on the physical age of nineteen and strikingly handsome. He had a lean, yet toned build, a body type further emphasized by the black tail suit he wore. HIs matching dress-shoes clicked lightly on the tiled floors with each step he took, his pace slow and his poise proper in a way that only years of practice could achieve. Like all of his kind, his skin was a grayish white, his short straight hair a jet black, and his eyes a glowing gold surrounded by ebony sclera.
As he walked, he passed several ornate doors, each seemingly crafted from black oak with a floral lamp stationed at its right. He barely spared them a glance, already aware of what kind of treasures laid within or which Seed was assigned to occupy them. One such being exited one of the rooms ahead of him, brining him to a stop and a small smile to his lips.
From the neck down, the Seed looked like a traditional butler, his uniform as black as night and free of any kind of filth. Instead of a human head, the creature sported the head of a raven, two glowing read orbs taking the place of his eyes as he met his master's gaze. A pair of jet black wings where tucked in tightly on his back, each individual feather preened to perfection.
With deep voice that held only the tiniest trace of a Braetish accent, the Seed placed a white-gloved hand onto his chest, bowed, and said, "Welcome back, my lord."
"Thank you, Nevermore," Belfry chuckled, stepping past him.
Without saying a word, Nevermore tailed his master, keeping a respectable three-foot distance as they walked. As they walked, they entered new halls and passed various rooms of specific use. A grand library, a massive ballroom, several studies, a mid-evil armory, and a fully stocked kitchen being the most relevant rooms in question, all holding a mid-evil aristocratic styling that would fit perfectly in a renaissance period film or painting. All of it was ignored by the pair, both of them walking with resolute purpose, only stopping when they came to a pair of massive black wooden double-doors.
With a passing thought, the doors opened to reveal a massive throne room. Ten gray marble pillars as thick as ancient trees held the room together, the domed ceiling they supported decorated with hundreds of mother-of-pearl carvings shaped like human eyes. Snarling snake carvings decorated the pillars, the vipers all seemingly ready to lash out at anyone foolish enough to get too close. Tall windows lined the sides of the room, each showing the edge of the cliff Belfry crafted his manor on. Past the cliff's edge was a bird's-eye view of the fog-choked forests below and the dark sky above, a massive full moon the only source of light in this world. At the far end of the room stood a vast throne, ornately crafted seemingly from human bone and bering stuffed cushions made from bear hide. the beast's perpetually roaring head decorating the seat's toprail. Golden skulls decorated the throne's arms, each glowing with an eery light while black smoke leaked out of their otherwise empty eye-sockets.
Belfry took in the room with a pleased sigh before he casually made his way towards his throne. With practiced grace, he took his seat and smiled coldly at his servant. Nevermore stood before his master at a respectable six-foot distance, crossing his left arm over his chest before kneeling down on one leg.
"Rise," Belfry casually intoned, waving off the Seed's sign of fealty.
"As you wish," Nevermore nodded, gracefully rising back to full attention.
"Now then," Belfry smirked, has anything changed since I've been away?"
"No, master," Nevermore intoned. "All is as you remember it."
"Good," the Archwraith nodded. "The less distractions I have to deal with, the better."
As he said that, he waved his hand in front of himself. A shimmering portal appeared before him, no wider than a soccer ball and just as thin as a sheet of glass. Through it, he could see five teenage girls sitting at a kitchen table, all of them talking amicably amongst themselves as their breakfast was being prepared. Two of them in particular held his attention, that being his presented sacrifice, and the Wraith mingling with her true food.
He smiled haughtily at the display before him, his head propped up casually on one of his throne's arms with his hand.
"Has the Newborn tried anything yet?" he asked, conjuring a filled black goblet with his Miasma.
"No, master," Nevermore stated, a hint of disappointment entering his tone. "It seems she is fond of your offering. Too much so to indulge in direct feeding or ripening."
"I see," he mused, still watching the group as he took a sip from his cup. "I suppose she doesn't need to feed all that much yet. Pity. If she were to eat the girl herself, it would've made things a lot easier for me moving forward."
"Quite regrettable," Nevermore nodded.
"Indeed," he sighed. "While we are on the topic, what can you tell me about the Newborn that has befriended my offering?"
Nevermore's posture straightened at that and in a confident militaristic cadence said, "I am afraid that their is not a lot of information to present. Her Miasma does not match any nearby nests nor is there a trail leading to her previous one. The only Wraith in the area to sire any Newborns recently was Lily Bouquet and both her and her children were slain by a group of Gifted not too long ago."
Belfry's brow raised at that.
"Elder sister was slain?"
"Yes," Nevermore somberly nodded.
A deep scowl graced his lips as he growled, "Who-" then hastily cut himself off with a huff as, in a forcefully calm voice, he said, "No. That can wait. Continue."
"As you wish," he nodded. "What I have been able to learn is that she also seems to be fond of the group surrounding the girl, including the newly awakened Gifted."
"Ah yes, the loud one," Belfry chuckled. "Quite the surprise that she would want to have anything to do with her after the hit she took."
"Indeed," the Seed nodded. "Aside from holding an unsightly attitude and being fairly protective of the small group of humans around her, the Newborn is rather unremarkable."
"I see," he mused, his eyes lazily taking in the younger Wraith's form. "Unremarkable, but still useful."
Nevermore cocked his head at that.
"Master?"
Belfry chuckled, eyes never leaving the one-way portal as he straightened his posture.
"Whether she kills the human or not, so long as I am denied a proper offering before the Friendship Games, I still win."
Nevermore's eyes dimmed, the closest thing to a confused squint his glowing orbs could manage, before they glowed brightly in understanding. Belfry nodded, sneaking a quick glance at his servant to see the unspoken understanding in his glowing eyes. A shimmering black aura surrounded the Archwraith, a quagmire of excitement and anger bubbling in his core as he stared at the portal.
"A deal was made," he spat, a twisted grin marring his handsome face like a scar. "A contract forged and shackles joined, the clasp passed from one of blood to the other. Should those links be broken, one shall bear the consequences in full."
His jaw clenched in his rictus grin as a single spiteful thought echoed in his mind.
I hope you're watching this, Fine Point, because the things I have planned for your descendants will be the stuff of both legends and nightmares!
***
Twilight Velvet moved like a woman possessed, singing a happy tune to herself as she worked the whole kitchen to a level equal of a fully trained staff. Twilight's friends watched the mother work with slacked jaws and wide eyes as she prepared five tall stacks of pancakes, waffles, and french toast with practiced ease. Once they were loaded onto plates and placed onto the table, she went to the fridge, pulled out a few packages of bacon and sausage, and went right back to work.
"Twilight, is your mom a robot?" Sugar asked, just barely managing to regain her pokerface as she watched the woman work.
"No," Twilight, blinked taken aback by both the question and her mother's behavior.
"Are you sure?" Lemon asked, still watching as a glass of orange juice was set in front of her. "I mean, its cool if she is, but is she?"
"Nope, she's human," Petal chuckled, casually taking a sip of coffee. "Trust me."
"More like super human," Indigo snorted, looking from Velvet to the tall stacks of food filling the table with trepidation. "Uh... we don't have to eat all of this, right?"
"Not exactly," Velvet giggled. setting plates in front of the girls. "I got a call this morning and, let's just say, we're going to have company in a few minutes."
"Who's coming?" Twilight asked, then gasped in excitement and asked, "Is it Shining and Cadence?"
"Nope, but you're on the right track," Velvet giggled, putting together three more place settings at the table.
Everyone watched with renewed shock when Velvet added something to the new settings that put stars in her eyes and a wide smile on her lips. Two camo-covered mugs and a small yellow sippy cup. Not even a second after the cups met the table, a knocking came from the front door. A happy squee and gust of wind was the only thing her friends registered as Twilight shot out of her seat towards it.
When Twilight flung the door open, three figures greeted her. One was a tall gray man with short black hair, brown eyes, and a fairly strong build for someone pushing close to fifty. He wore a silver T-shirt under a thin camo-print jacket, black pants, and brown leather hiking boots. At his side stood a gold woman with wavy silver hair that reached the middle of her back tied up into a ponytail, a lean yet toned build, and sharp orange eyes. She wore a short-sleeved light blue blouse under a thin, well-loved black jacket, gray jeans, and black tennis shoes. The third member of their group was a small silver girl, her platinum blond hair coming down just past her neck bearing a small teal streak. Her dark blue eyes stared up at Twilight with cautious curiosity from behind the woman's leg, her white sundress adding to the toddler's innocent charms.
"Gold, Onyx, and Platinum!" Twilight cheered, pulling the couple into a hug.
They both chuckled as they reciprocated, the young girl coming out just far enough from behind the woman to hug Twilight's leg.
"Hey Twi," the man, Onyx, smiled. "Been a while, huh?"
"Too long," Gold chuckled.
"Yeah," Twilight giggled, pulling out of the hug. "Look how big Platinum is!"
As she said that, she reached down to pat the toddler on the head. Platinum gave her a small smile before shyly hiding her face into the teen's leg. Gold giggled at the sight, before she gently pried the girl off of the teen's leg.
"I know, right?" Gold smirked. "Say hi to Twilight Platinum," she lightly urged the girl.
"Hi," Platinum shyly stated, stepping behind her mother again.
Each of them smiled at the cute display, Twilight going the extra mile with a small giggle and a wave.
"So, are you gonna let us in, or are we camping out here?" Onyx playfully asked, crossing his arms and raising a brow.
"Yeah," Gold nodded, doing the same as she added, "The drive here was pretty long and I smell pancakes."
"Hungry," Platinum whispered with a nod.
"Oh! Right!" Twilight sheepishly chuckled, blushing slightly as she stepped out of the way. "Come on in."
The family chuckled at that as they accepted the invitation. Twilight gently closed the door behind them and led them towards the kitchen. Gold and Onyx took in the sight of both the feast and group of girls at the table with mild shock, before they rolled their eyes and took their seats. Twilight's friends watched the small family with a small bit of confusion then raised brows when a positively glowing Twilight retook her seat.
"I take it these are the friends you mentioned," Onyx inquired, nodding in thanks as Velvet filled his mug.
"Yep!" Velvet cheered, setting up her own plate and silver-wear onto the table. "In fact, they just had a sleepover last night."
"Really?" Gold asked, playfully staring each girl down. "I hope you all had a good time."
They all happily nodded, Twilight doing so with far more enthusiasm than the rest. Gold nodded in satisfaction at that, then went to work helping her daughter load her plate and cut up her pancakes. Said child gave each of the girls shy glances, seemingly unsure of what to make of them all. The others noticed, giving her small waves and smiles as they filled their plates. Each time they did, she would shy away from them or try to duck under the table, but the promise of food would always make her peek back up out of hiding.
"Is she okay?" Petal quietly asked, gently nudging Twilight in the side and nodding towards Platinum. "She seems a little jumpy."
"She's just shy," Twilight chuckled. "Give her some time to get use to everyone and she'll be fine. Until then, try not to make any loud noises around her, okay?"
"No problem," she nodded, taking a bite of her bacon and giving the toddler a passing glance.
Less then a minute later, she noticed something interesting about the girl. While she sensed caution from her each time she looked at her or her friends, she held a little bit more interest in Sugar Coat. Sugar seemed to notice this as well and was willing to let a small smile slip past her pokerface whenever their eyes met.
The reason became apparent when the toddler pointed at her and quietly said, "Teddy."
Everyone, Sugar included, took a moment to process that then chuckled or smirked at the blunt girl in question. Sugar, seemingly deciding to roll with it, pulled her hood up and gave her a soft "Roar". Platinum let out a small giggle and softly "roared" back at her. Petal and Twilight watched the exchange, fascinated in a way similar to two explorers watching the habits of two unknown animals. Meanwhile, the rest of the table just enjoyed the show, "Aw"-ing every so often in the case of Velvet.
"Looks like we might've found ourselves a babysitter," Onyx chuckled, sipping his coffee.
"I am not available ," Sugar stated, facing the couple and shifting back to her normal blank expression.
"That's a shame," Gold sighed. "Especially sense we're going to moving into the neighborhood soon."
"You are?!" Twilight gasped.
Platinum let out a startled squeak and clung onto her mother at the sudden cry, making the teen turn sheepish under the sharp frowns aimed at her.
"Sorry," she amended with an awkward chuckle.
"Apology accepted," Gold allowed, gently easing her daughter off of herself. "And yes. Onyx and I have been wanting to move for quite some time now and we just happened to find a place close by."
"How close?" Velvet asked.
"A few blocks down from here," Onyx shrugged. "About a ten minute walk."
"That's great," Twilight, beamed. "I'll be able to see you all more often. Maybe we could start up my training again."
"Of course," Gold smirked. "After all this time, it would be nice to have a competent student under my wing again."
"Amen to that," Onyx chuckled, helping Platinum eat.
Indigo's eyes widened at that.
"Wait, she's the retired Special Forces member you told me about?" she asked, pointing at Gold.
"Yep!" Velvet giggled, taking a sip from her mug. "They both are actually."
"Wait, they're what now?" Lemon blinked.
"Petal?" Sugar asked, raising a brow.
"This is all news to me too," Petal frowned, raising a brow at Twilight.
Twilight just gave a nervous chuckle at that, the girl not quite used to receiving so much attention. This went double for such a small detail in her life. Why were her friends acting so strange about this? Then again, Indigo acted odd when she mentioned Gold the last time they hung out together. Was she missing something? Then, with the grace and subtlety of a kick to the groin, Sugar asked a question the bibliophilic teen didn't know how to answer.
"Twilight, is there any part of your life that is normal?"
***
The Shimmering Leaf was one of a few cafés that could afford to set up shop in the city's more affluent upper districts. The ornate Prench architecture, dim lighting, and top quality imported products quickly made it a regular meeting place for the select few that could afford its services. At an outdoor table sat two such patrons, one with the poise of a noble while the other slouched sullenly in her chair. The prim one, Sunny Flare, lightly chuckled at the sight as she daintily took a sip from her tea cup. To match the warming spring weather, she had opted for a short-sleeved white blouse, a dark blue uniform skirt. and polished black dress-shoes. A light navy jacket was draped across the back of her seat like a poorly fit seat cover. Her friend, Sour Sweet, sat across from her with crossed arms and a frustrated glare decorating her face. The girl wore a red T-shirt, tan slacks, and gray tennis shoes.
"You know I hate coming to this place," Sour grumbled, her voice holding a faint echo.
"I know," Sunny giggled. "But this is the only place I can think of that we can talk freely in."
"I guess it beats a dark alley downtown," she shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee. "Promise we can do this at the mall next time and we'll behave."
"We?" Sunny frowned.
Sour flinched.
"I," she amended. "I'll behave. Sorry."
"It is alright," Sunny smiled. "Just relax. Find your center."
"It would be a lot easier if we weren't surrounded by tightwads," Sour mumbled.
Regardless, she followed her friend's instructions. Just as she had done several times in the past, she took a deep breath, held it, counted to ten, then slowly let it out. She repeated this process several more times until she felt both halves of herself finally synch back up again.
"I'm good," she smiled, the echo in her voice more pronounced than before.
"Good," Sunny nodded, a rarely seen compassionate smile gracing her lips.
Sour smiled back at that.
"I frick'n wish the pills could fix this," she sighed.
"I will find a cure," Sunny frowned. "I just need to find the right Gifted."
"Yeah, yeah," Sour ruefully chuckled. "Your juju powers."
Sunny scowled at that.
"My mother has the power. All I have are our ancestor's artifacts."
"Right," Sour flinched. "Sorry."
"Apology accepted," Sunny sighed. "Though I suppose that would be as good a segway into the reason for our meeting as any."
"Say what?" Sour blinked, almost dropping her cup.
Sunny's expression turned bitter, staring into her cup as if it had insulted her personally.
"I have reason to believe that Sparkle is a Gifted."
Sour stared blankly at her, her mind struggling to make sense of that. When it did, a frustrated growl crept past a pair of clenched jaws.
"That's just perfect," she sweetly stated, then bitterly added, "As if she didn't have a fatter head already."
Sour flinched, just realizing what had happened before she again tried to recenter herself. Sunny patently waited, her worry for her friend briefly eclipsing her animosity towards Twilight. Once that was accomplished, Sunny took a calming breath of her own and continued.
"Specifically, I believe she has the ability to summon a guardian."
"Is that what Petal Wasp is supposed to be?" Sour asked.
Sunny nodded.
"After hours of observation, I can confirm that their is no security footage of her entering the school at any point, yet there is countless footage of her leaving Sparkle's lab. In all said footage, she is rarely far from Sparkle or her new subordinates. Combine that with the overpowering presence you described at the mall, it is very safe to assume that she is a summon."
"So, now the Princess has a knight," Sour huffed. "Terrific."
"I also have reason to believe that Lemon Zest is a Gifted as well," Sunny added, taking a sip of her tea.
"Seriously!?" Sour exclaimed, ignoring the looks she was getting.
Sunny solemnly nodded.
"Both the footage and level of damage would suggest it, though the specifics of her ability are difficult to determine."
"So," Sour growled, "You're telling me some girl who thinks she's too good to work with others has a summon, a Gifted, and a few of the Elites under her thumb?"
Bitterly, Sunny nodded.
"Great," Sour spat, just a step away from throwing her cup at a wall. "Is there any way we fix this?"
"Yes, actually," Sunny allowed, a small smile finally gracing her lips. "Though, I do not believe you will like it."
"I already don't like this," Sour frowned. "So spill."
Sunny nodded, still sporting her patient smile as she met her friend's gaze.
"First, we need to gather as much information as we can about our targets' abilities. Yes, we know that Sparkle can create a summon, but we do not know what that summon is capable of or if she can create more than one. This goes double for Lemon, considering the destructive power she displayed at the school."
"Alright," Sour nodded. "But how are we going to figure all of that out?"
"Simple," Sunny stated, keeping her smirk as she sipped her tea. "We simply need to watch them."
"You mean like, stalking?" Sour blinked. "I...you're right. I'm not okay with that."
"Not stalking per se," Sunny amended, reaching into her pocket. "Though I suppose it counts as such under some definitions."
As she said that, she pulled out a small silver hand-mirror out of her pocket and placed it on the table.
"What's that?" Sour asked, cautiously leaning away from the mirror.
"Fine Print's Mirrored Eye," Sunny frowned. "When activated, it shows its user what the last person reflected on its surface is doing at any given moment."
"Okay, that's creepy," Sour cringed.
"Perhaps," Sunny shrugged, returning the mirror to her pocket. "At the same time, I fail to see how many other options we have."
"I guess," Sour frowned. "So, we get that thing to lock onto Sparkle and spy on her, right?"
Sunny nodded, wondering where her friend was going with this.
"Well, what do we do about her Summon?" Sour pressed. "I mean, you weren't there Sunny. That thing was really fucking scary!"
"I have something stowed away for that thing as well," Sunny nodded, smiling softly as she took another sip of her tea. "It will take some time to charge, but it should be able to make short work of the Summon."
"Are you sure?" Sour gulped.
Sunny nodded.
"O...Okay," Sour sighed. "I'll trust you on this."
"It shall not be misplaced," Sunny nodded.
"So, when do we get started?" she asked, taking a swig of her now chilled coffee.
"When classes start," Sunny intoned, her pitch holding a solemn weight. "Until then, all we can do is enjoy ourselves as much as we can before we go to war."
***
Hours had passed since breakfast and the house was alive with activity. Lemon and Indigo were in the middle of a computer game with Twilight in her room. A game that, given the colorful muffled voices, was not going well for the sporty girl at the moment. Meanwhile, Sugar was in the living room playing with a much more animated Platinum, the sounds of fake roars and giggles adding a warm atmosphere to the room. Petal had decided to camp in the kitchen, the Wraith more than happy to let her human friends have some fun without her for a little bit. As hilarious as they could be, even she wanted to have some time to herself every now and then. Although, to say she was alone was not entirely true.
"So, you're the one Velvet was talking about, right?" Gold asked, sitting across from her at the kitchen table.
"Depends on what she was saying," Petal shrugged, nursing a glass of fruit punch.
"That you're the bad influence that got Twi to step out of her shell," Onyx smirked, sitting at his wife's right.
"Sounds like me," Petal chuckled.
"Yes," Gold smiled. "Why don't you tell us a little about yourself?"
Petal felt a slight pressure in the the couple's gaze, but ignored it and casually answered.
"Not much to say," she shrugged. "I grew up in a rougher side of town, live in a crappy apartment with my folks, and go to school at home. Not much else to say past that."
"I see," Onyx chuckled.
The pressure slightly grew.
"What do your parents do for a living?" Gold casually asked.
"Mom runs a liquor store while dad works as a computer tech at home," Petal shrugged. "It's not pretty, but it pays the bills, right?"
"Right," Gold nodded.
The pressure grew again.
"Do you have any hobbies?" Onyx asked, getting up to refill his mug from the coffee machine.
"Not really," Petal chuckled. "Can't really afford too much these days, y'know?"
"Ain't that the truth!" he laughed, making his way back to the table. "But I bet you do something to have fun, right?"
"I guess?" Petal blinked, raising a brow. "I mean, Twilight recently got me into D&D and it's not all that bad."
"I see," Gold snickered, "What kind of character do you have?"
Petal grimaced as she muttered, "A pacifist cleric."
Both of them gave her confused looks.
"Long story," Petal groaned. "Let's just say, she's going to have one hell of a faith change soon."
"Right," Gold chuckled. "I was put in a similar situation when Shining tried to bring us into a game, right honey?"
"Don't remind me," he chuckled. "That cutesy voice you gave your character still haunts my nightmares."
"Then I know my powers still work," she said, winking at him.
"And if we give Platinum a sibling, then I know mine still do too," he smirked.
"Honey," she blushed, playfully swatting his shoulder. "Time and place."
"And that's a nat twenty," he chuckled.
Petal watched the exchange with mild confusion, only to flinch when she was once again the center of attention and the slightly higher pressure returned.
"Anyway, I don't think you mentioned your parent's names," Gold casually stated.
"Oh, right," Petal chuckled. "Well, mom's name is Lily Dancer and Dad's name is Yellow Jacket."
"Huh, nice names," Onyx nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. "Wonder if I'll run into you're mom on the way to the gym. Where's her store, again?"
The pressure took a sudden small spike.
"She's, uh, in down town Canterlot. On the corner of Thorn and Rose," Petal nervously stated, struggling to keep her backstory straight.
"That's perfect!" Gold smiled. "We saw a gym not too far from there on the way here."
"Guess I'll get that chance after all," he laughed.
"I doubt it," Petal chuckled. "Mom's hours are a little speratic.
"I can imagine," Gold smiled.
The pressure took a sudden massive spike when the couple dropped their friendly demeanor. Petal gulped, the Wraith feeling no bigger than an ant under the cold stares they aimed at her. Not helping was the near emotional void she could sense from them. They were just so calm, with hearts calculated in a way that felt nowhere near natural to the Wraith.
"Now," Gold started, "Why don't you drop the act and tells us the truth."
"Wh-What are you talking about?" Petal stammered.
Onyx let out an exasperated sigh at that.
"Young lady, both of us have spent most of our adult lives around the best bullshitters the country has to offer. We know almost everything you just said was a lie, so don't even try to play us."
Petal flinched at that, both impressed and terrified by the couples' abilities.
"I do not want to turn this into an issue," Gold clarified. "You've been good for Twilight so far, but I don't want that to suddenly change. So, this is what is going to happen. I am going to ask one question and you are going to give me an honest answer. Do you understand?"
Petal nodded, frozen in place under the woman's crushing gaze.
"Good," she nodded. "Now then, what are you hiding?"
Silence greeted that question, the Wraith's mind running in so many different directions as she struggled to find an answer. These humans could see right through her lies so anything less than the truth would be a waste of time. At the same time, she couldn't tell them that she was a Wraith. Even if they would believe her, that was not a secret she was willing to spread around anytime soon. After a few minutes of frantic delberation she took a deep breath and gave the closest thing to the truth that she could manage.
"I can't tell you that."
A heavy silence hung in the air, neither of them willing to break it or the suffocating aura filling the room. Petal met their unreadable gaze head on, anxiously waiting for their response. Eventually, the pressure receded and her wait was rewarded.
"Alright then," Gold frowned. "I have another question. Do you plan to hurt Twilight or her new friends in any way?"
"Wha-? Hell no!" Petal snapped, almost spilling her drink as she jumped to her feet. "Are you guys fucking stupid? I'd sooner die that do something like that!"
Onyx and Gold simply stared at her, neither of them moved in any way that Petal could detect by her words. Petal met their cold gazes with fire burning in her own, every part of her ready to tell these two off the second they gave her the chance. They stayed like that for a few long seconds, before the couple lowered the tension with small satisfied smiles.
"Good," Gold chuckled, taking off her jacket. "Then I won't need to worry quite so much."
"No kidding," Onyx smirked. "It's hard to find good people these days. Even harder to find any worthy enough to call a real friend. Looks like Twi found a few when we weren't looking."
Petal was going to comment on that, but froze when she saw Gold's arms.
Dozens of scars covered them from her wrists all the way up to her shoulders. Each of them were faded with age, but still moved across her flesh in jagged, ugly angles. Petal's jaw dropped when she saw the edges of more scars around the woman's collar bones, signs that more old wounds existed that were likely just as brutal as the ones on her arms.
"With all of that being said," Gold continued, snapping Petal out of her shock. "When Twilight comes for lessons, I would not be against it if you decided to join her."
"Wha- really?" Petal blinked.
"I don't see why not," Onyx shrugged. "The more protection the better, right?"
"Right," Petal frowned, thoughts instantly drifting towards Crystal Prep and the possible Archwraith nesting there. "I think I'll take you guys up on that."
"Good to hear," Onyx smiled, raising his mug and taking a swig.
"I will let Twilight know when we are moved in and we'll take it from there."
"Sounds good to me," Petal sighed.
Jeez if all special force people are like this, I fucking hope none of them are Gifted. These two are seriously hard core!