Arc and Rainbow Dash return to the Town Hall together. As they approach, Twilight opens the door and steps outside. Rainbow Dash greets her friend warmly.
“Hey there, Twilight.”
“Welcome back, you two. How did it go?”
“It went alright.”
Arc chuckles. “Yeah. Turns out I already knew them.”
“What happened exactly?”
Arc groans. “Some patrons got a bit out of hand and started molesting them.”
Rainbow Dash grins slyly. “But the bouncers took care of the problem right away.”
“Fortunately everything was resolved even before we got there.”
Twilight appears relieved. “That’s good. However it’s in the best interest of everypony to have this matter handled swiftly AND correctly.”
“I’m going to ask King Felix to allow them to stay when we leave though.”
“Oh?”
Rainbow Dash shrugs. “Those two just want a fresh start in life. That and they already have stable jobs here in Abyssinia.”
“If you’re sure about this then carry on, Arc.”
“I am. But how is Celestia doing?”
Twilight sighs. “She’s… okay, I guess.”
Rainbow Dash raises an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean? Either she’s good or she isn’t.”
“Well, she went down for a nap as soon as I helped her lay down.”
Arc chuckles. “Nothing wrong with that.”
“The problem was what happened after that.”
Rainbow Dash grins. “What? Does she snore, or something?”
“No more than anypony else. But she did start sweating profusely and became restless.”
Arc puts a hand to his chin thoughtfully. “Bad dreams?”
“That’s what I thought, yes. So I got into the bed in an attempt to comfort her.”
“Did that work?”
“Very much so, yes. She calmed right down as soon as my coat touched hers.”
“That’s good.”
Rainbow Dash smirks. “Maybe she has a thing for you, Twilight.”
“A… thing?”
Arc chimes in. “Rainbow Dash was just making a joke.”
“I don’t get it.”
Rainbow Dash facehoofs. “I’m saying that maybe Princess Celestia loves you, Twilight.”
“She does, yes. And I love her too.”
“I’m assuming Rainbow Dash means more than something platonic.”
“What else could there… oh…”
Rainbow Dash giggles as she sings. “Twilight and the princess, sitting in a tree…!”
Twilight blushes. “I mean… I really do like Princess Celestia, but…”
Rainbow Dash groans. “Twilight, I was joking!”
“Ah…”
Arc clears his throat loudly. “Celestia probably just holds you in high regard. More so than a friend but less than a lover.”
Twilight nods. “That’s how I feel about her too.”
“Do you think she’ll be up to seeing me when I get back from the palace?”
“I think so, yes. She’s taking a shower now.”
Rainbow Dash appears skeptical. “In the middle of the day?”
“Sweating from the dreams. It got pretty bad at one point.”
“Rainbow Dash, you stay here with Twilight. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
They part ways. An hour or so later Arc knocks on the wooden door to Mayor Mare’s quarters. The door opens and the mayor beckons him inside.
“Welcome back, sir.”
“Sorry for all the trouble. How are the princesses?”
“They’re in my bedroom at the moment. I think Twilight is helping Princess Celestia with her mane.”
“So you think it’ll be a while?”
Mayor sighs and nods. “If the time in the shower was any indication, yes.”
“Well, I guess I’ll have to wait until…”
There is a knock at the door. Turning, Arc opens it to see Ember and Hammer standing there. He looks to Ember and grins.
“What’s up?”
“We came by to see how things were going.”
“At the moment we’re at a bit of an impasse.”
Hammer frowns. “A what?”
The mayor motions to her bedroom door. “We’re waiting for the monarchs to finish making themselves look presentable.”
Hammer turns to Arc. “Oh. Then how about a stroll around town?”
Arc shrugs. “I guess it’s better than just standing around here.”
He turns to the mayor.
“By your leave.”
“Of course, sir. I’ll let them know you were here.”
Nodding, Arc leaves the room and heads outside with Ember and Hammer. They immediately latch onto him. He shakes his head.
“Clingy much?”
Ember grins. “You have that effect on us, Arc.”
Hammer pinches his cheek lovingly. “And we do love it!”
Arc sighs. “I suppose worse things could…”
The air in front of them crackles with magical energy. Hammer steps back instinctively.
“What the…?”
Ember groans. “Great.”
In a flash of light Brightwing appears. She smiles toothlessly at the trio before speaking.
“Brightwing back from the dead! Very happy!”
Hammer frowns. “Back from what now?!”
Ember sighs. “That’s what she says after a nap.”
Arc nods. “Oh.”
Ember turns back to the creature before her. “Feel better?”
Brightwing nods happily. “Yes, yes!”
Hammer looks to Ember. “Wanna bring it on our walk?”
“Not really.”
“Aw… Brightwing want to find yummies!”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “You’re hungry?”
“Very!”
Hammer gasps. “Didn’t you eat already though?”
“That before nap!”
Ember shrugs. “Brightwing eats a crazy amount for someone so small.”
Arc looks to her. “So you want some fruit, or something?”
“Brightwing want something… special!”
“Such as…?”
“Brightwing… not sure.”
Hammer turns to Ember. “Where should we start then?”
“The greenhouses would be my suggestion.”
Brightwing shakes her head vehemently. “Out in sand farms!”
Arc frowns. “That doesn’t make sense.”
Hammer puts a hand to her chin. “Where they grow the food?”
Brightwing grunts. “No, no! This way!”
Taking flight, Brightwing leads the group down the street. Arc sniffs the air and grins.
“Something smells good.”
Ember begins to salivate. “Meat!”
Hammer chuckles. “This what you’re looking for?”
Brightwing shakes her head. “Not at all! Looking for sand flesh!”
Arc rolls his eyes. “Again, that makes no sense.”
Ember sighs. “Where is this ‘sand flesh’, Brightwing?”
“Outside walls! This way!”
Heading toward the city gates, Brightwing flutters through them happily as Arc and his companions follow. Hammer looks up at the sky as she shields her eyes with a hand.
“Getting hot out here.”
Ember chuckles. “Really? I think it’s still kinda chilly.”
Arc shrugs. “It’s not bad one way or the other to me.”
Brightwing lands on a rock some distance ahead and sniffs the air. “Sand meat close by!”
Hammer points back the way they came. “Good! Cause if it’s all the same to everyone else, I wanna get back to that other meat in town!”
Ember licks her lips. “Me too. Say… do you think you could get us free samples, Arc?”
“I’m not a vending machine, Ember.”
Hammer shrugs. “Well, after all you’ve done to help this country would it be asking too much for some compensation?”
Ember nods. “In the form of meat, of course.”
Arc rolls his eyes. “I’m fully capable of paying for whatever you two want to eat.”
Hammer grins. “Great! Either way we get full!”
Ember gets all starry-eyed. “I smell a date.”
Hammer giggles. “Make it double!”
Arc looks to Brightwing. “You’d better find that sand meat fast. Not sure how much longer these two can hold out.”
Brightwing takes flight again. “This way, friends!”
They follow the small creature around the side of the city wall as it looks around hungrily. Arc sighs.
“Are we at least getting close?”
Brightwing nods. “Yes, yes! Soon we be feasting on…!”
Stopping suddenly, Brightwing looks around. Growling, she Blinks over a small dune and drops down. The sound of a scuffle rings out. Arc and the others hurry over to help. Cresting the dune they spot Brightwing sitting on a rock with something in her mouth as she smiles triumphantly. Ember gags.
“Ugh! What IS that?!”
Hammer groans. “Looks like a rat to me.”
Arc appears hopeful. “Is that the sand meat you were talking about, Brightwing.”
The creature makes some unintelligible sounds as Ember rolls her eyes.
“Spit that out so we can understand you!”
Doing so, Brightwing heaves the dead creature onto a rock nearby. Arc frowns.
“We came all the way out here for THIS?!”
Hammer points back toward the city. “Past all that good food, mind you.”
Ember groans. “If you’re hungry…”
“This not sand meat, friends! Is offering!”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “It’s what?”
“Offering! Brightwing show friends!”
Picking up the dead creature in her jaws, Brightwing flutters away. Shrugging, Arc follows her with Ember and Hammer in tow. They continue on for a ways away from the city. Ember turns back and frowns.
“We’re getting pretty far from civilization.”
Hammer ties her coat over her head to protect her head. “Yeah. And I do NOT want to get lost out here.”
Arc chuckles. “Not to worry. Remember, I can always open a portal and bring us back to The Equinox.”
Squealing, Brightwing points. Turning, the others see a crevice in the ground ahead. Ember looks at it suspiciously.
“What is that?”
Hammer shrugs. “Some kind of cave?”
Arc nods. “Looks like it, yes. Brightwing?”
Fluttering toward it, she vanishes into the darkness below. Ember turns to Arc.
“Um… should we follow her?”
Hammer folds her arms over her chest. “Nah. Caves suck.”
Ember raises an eyebrow. “What?”
“I just don’t like em.”
Arc chuckles. “Damocles Base was practically a cave, Hammer.”
“No it wasn’t! It was an underground facility!”
Ember shakes her head. “Yeah. Like a cave.”
“Oh really?! Then how did it house my Charger?!”
Arc facepalms. “I don’t really think that’s a deciding factor here. We should probably just let this one go and…”
Ember interrupts him as she looks Hammer in the eye. “No, I wanna hear her reasoning on this one. Go on.”
“Well… caves don’t have… electrical outlets for plugging in… stuff, do they?!”
Arc rolls his eyes. “No, I guess they don’t.”
“See! Not a cave!”
Ember puts her claws on her hips. “I see what you mean there. It’s not like it was below the surface, naturally cooled, or had a rugged looking tunnel leading out into a lake or anything like that.”
Hammer grins. “Glad you’re coming over to my way of thinking, Ember.”
“But I…!”
A loud roar echoes from the crevasse. Arc frowns as he turns to Ember.
“Uh… do you suppose that was Brightwing?”
Ember appears hopeful. “Maybe.”
Hammer frowns. “Really?”
Ember shrugs. “Echoes?”
Another louder roar rings out. Arc dons his armor and draws his spear.
“Come on!”
Groaning, Ember calls forth her own armor and spear as Hammer draws her gun. Arc hops down into the cave with the pair and looks around. Hearing the sounds of a scuffle he leads them deeper into the cave. Casting a Light Spell as they hurry on, the group soon comes to a large cavern. Spotting a massive plant-like creature in the center of the room, Arc points.
“There she is!”
Running toward the creature, they see Brightwing flying around the top of the plant. She dangles the creature in her jaws over the plant causing it to turn and snap at it. Drawing back, she appears to be fishing. Ember calls out.
“Brightwing! What are you…?!”
As Brightwing turns to look at Ember, the plant takes the initiative. Lunging upward it swallows both Brightwing and the dead creature. Hammer gasps.
“Great! Now what?!”
Ember groans. “We have to get Brightwing out of there!”
“But how?!”
Arc points. “There! Three roots! Let’s try cutting those!”
Ember grins as she charges forward. “Worth a try!”
Arc follows her. They each slash at a root as Hammer blasts the third with her gun. Crying out in pain, the plant falls over and slows as it turns a sickening shade of brown. Hammer laughs heartily.
“We did it!”
Ember looks around. “But where’s Brightwing?!”
Arc gasps. “Still inside!”
“Let’s get her out then!”
Arc and Ember slash at the creature’s body. In a few moments Brightwing comes into view. Ember tosses aside her spear and pulls them out of a vile green liquid.
“Brightwing! Speak to me!”
Shaking Brightwing slightly, the small creature spits out a mouthful of green slime in Ember’s face. Ember frowns and looks down at her armor.
“Can I assume that was your way of telling us you’re okay?”
Brightwing nods. “Yes, yes!”
Hammer grimaces. “What the heck were you doing here anyways?!”
“Looking for sand meat!”
Arc shakes his head. “Yeah, I don’t think plants have meat.”
Ember points a claw. “What he said.”
Brightwing looks over the plant’s corpse. “It must be here somewhere!”
She begins rummaging around, eventually hopping back inside the hole that Arc and company cut in order to reach her. Ember turns to Arc.
“What now?”
Arc shrugs. “No idea. Hammer?”
“Why are you asking me?!”
“I dunno. Just seemed like the right thing to do.”
Ember appears hopeful “Thoughts?”
“Well… it doesn’t appear that she’s in any immediate danger. With the creature dead and all, I mean.”
Arc leans against a wall. “All we can do is wait for her to find whatever ‘sand meat’ is.”
Ember walks over to Arc as she swings her hips seductively. “How long do you think that’ll take?”
Hammer grins as she joins in. “Hopefully awhile.”
“I hope she finishes so we can get out of here.”
Ember chuckles. “Why? So the three of us can have some alone time?”
“How is it ‘alone time’ with four of us here?”
Hammer grins. “I was talking about the cool temps down here. It’s nice after trudging through the desert.”
Ember shivers slightly. “Well, I think it’s kinda cold.”
She presses her body against Arc and smiles.
“Wanna warm me up?”
“You just never give up an opportunity, do you?”
“Nope.”
Brightwing suddenly jumps out of the creature. Shaking the slime off of her scales she looks to the others. Hammer sighs.
“Are you done yet?”
Nodding, Brightwing spits something out. Ember frowns.
“What the heck is that?!”
“Sand meat!”
Hammer squints. “Looks more like a gem of some kind.”
Arc shrugs. “Well, it IS green.”
Ember looks to Brightwing. “Where was that?!”
“In lower part of plant!”
Hammer gasps. “Wait, what?!”
Ember appears confused. “Is that a problem?”
Arc puts a hand on his gut. “I think I get it now.”
Hammer sighs. “Kidney stones?”
“Or the plant equivalent.”
Ember frowns. “What are those?”
“Something humans sometimes get in their bladders. They’re some kind of mineral deposit that come together into a stone-like form.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“Imagine a male trying to piss out a pebble.”
“Is it… painful?”
“Yeah. Or so I’ve heard.”
Brightwing giggles as she picks up the stone with a claw. “Brightwing wins!”
Hammer rolls her eyes. “Fine. You won. Can we go now?”
Arc nods. “We probably should, yes.”
Ember shrugs. “Yeah, I’m guessing Twilight’s getting a bit worried about where we went. That and we need to give Brightwing a bath.”
“Dragon Lord?”
“You’re taking one, and that’s that!”
Hammer grimaces. “Yeah! Especially after where you’ve been!”
“Okay, friend!”
They turn and head for the mouth of the cavern. As Ember and Hammer climb up toward the surface Arc looks back at the remains of the plant.
“Gross looking thing.”
Sighing, he begins his own climb upward as Brightwing follows him. Reaching the top, he looks over at Brightwing who is playing with her new prize.
“Interesting.”
Hammer frowns. “What is?”
“That stone.”
Ember gags. “Want me to tell her to leave it here?”
“No, no. But I would like to take a closer look at it.”
Brightwing gasps as she holds the stone away from them. “NO! It’s Brightwing’s!”
Ember clenches a fist angrily. “Give Arc the stone!”
“Please no, Dragon Lord!”
Arc smiles at her. “It’s okay. I’ll give it back.”
“Well… okay, friend.”
Hammer chuckles as Brightwing flutters over to Arc. “That was easy enough.”
Extending a gauntlet, Brightwing drops it into Arc’s palm. He holds the stone for a moment and examines it silently. Eventually Ember says something.
“See something you like there?”
“Kinda, yeah.”
Hammer gags. “That’s gross, Arc!”
“I mean that I think I’ve seen something like this before.”
Ember gasps. “Where?!”
“Rose’s chest cavity.”
Hammer raises an eyebrow. “Say what now?”
Ember frowns. “You mean that rock that powers her?”
“Her heart, yes.”
“But that was golden in color, wasn’t it?”
“Right. But it was created by compressing magical essence, right?”
“Um… I wasn’t really paying attention when it was explained.”
Hammer looks at the rock as she speaks. “Are you suggesting that the plant may have been naturally compressing its essence, Arc? Like an essential oil?”
“Exactly. But in solid form.”
Ember scoffs. “How would that even be possible?!”
Hammer puts a hand to her chin thoughtfully. “I suppose it may have been formed by years and years of compression. After all, a creature that advanced had to have at least some innate magic.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “How do you know that?”
“Mio told me about it.”
“The Organization has magical plants?”
“Nah. It was in regards to a study they did a while back. Mio was gushing about it over supper one night.”
Ember raises an eyebrow. “How did it work?”
“The idea was to purify magical essence to one hundred percent purity. After that it would be folded numerous times to increase potency.”
Arc chuckles. “So if it started at one hundred percent, after folding it would be two hundred?”
Hammer nods. “And four hundred after that.”
Ember shakes her head. “So how did the test end?”
“After the second folding the magical essence exploded.”
Arc gasps. “How?”
Hammer shrugs. “Probably couldn’t contain that much energy in such a small amount of mass.”
Ember frowns. “Then what makes you think this has anything to do with that?”
Hammer grins. “Because the experiment was done quickly.”
Arc motions to the stone. “While this was made over years.”
“It’s possible that the molecular structure may have been able to take it due to being compressed so slowly.”
“Do you know any more about the process?”
“Nah. The rest was over my head. Mio would know more though.”
Ember sighs. “Well, we can’t exactly call and ask her.”
Arc shrugs as he turns to Brightwing and holds out the stone. “I suppose not.”
Brightwing grins. “Thank you, friend!”
Ember snaps a claw as an idea comes to her. “I do know someone who could help us though.”
Hammer raises an eyebrow. “Who?”
“Auriel.”
“Why her?”
Arc chuckles. “She’s the one whom created the technology to compress magical essence.”
Ember nods. “It was used to create Rose’s heart, after all.”
Hammer points to the west. “But she’s still back in Canterlot, right?”
Arc shakes his head. “Auriel volunteered to help Cadance and Shining Armor reform the Crystal Heart. She was scheduled to return to the Canterlot Infirmary this morning.”
Ember raises an eyebrow. “To the Infirmary?”
“Yeah. There was some kind of accident when trying to fix the Crystal Heart.”
“To say nothing for her injuries during the battle.”
Hammer appears suddenly concerned. “She okay?!”
Arc nods. “I’m told she’s doing alright. The explosion just kinda reopened a few wounds.”
Ember grins. “Auriel’s a tough one.”
Arc sighs. “Right. I… wasn’t able to check up on her before though.”
Hammer puts a hand on Arc’s shoulder. “I’m sure she understands why though.”
“But I do want to check in on her as soon as we get back.”
Ember looks to the item Brightwing is playing with. “And ask her about that stone too, right?”
“That’s secondary. However that also presents us with yet another problem.”
Hammer groans. “What now?”
“Celestia doesn’t know that there’s a demon right under her nose in the Infirmary.”
Ember gasps. “And King Malevolence’s daughter no less!”
“Uh oh. Somebody better let her know before she figures it our herself.”
“Yeah. I’ll talk to Twilight later and see if she’ll help me break it to Celestia gently.”
Ember grins. “Good idea. Her and Twilight are pretty close, after all.”
Hammer grimaces. “And if the big oaf doesn’t like it?”
Arc clutches a fist. “Then I’ll get her to safety.”
Ember frowns. “Careful there, Arc. Celestia’s already taken a chunk out of you.”
Hammer nods soberly. “Or she might go after Auriel.”
“She’s welcome to try. But that will just earn her a knuckle sandwich.”
Ember grins wickedly. “I think I’ll come too then.”
Hammer grins. “You want a piece of her as well?”
Ember brandishes her claws. “If she gets nasty, yes.”
Arc sighs. “Thanks. But we need to do this right.”
Hammer gasps. “Why?!”
“Because Auriel, and by extension the entire demon race, deserves a fair chance.”
Ember grimaces. “And you worry they won’t get that?”
“Not if we start out with violence, no.”
Hammer pulls her gun. “What’s the plan then?”
“We return to Canterlot and speak with Twilight about the best way to approach Celestia about the whole demon matter.”
Ember shakes her head. “You might want to start with just Auriel though.”
Hammer shrugs. “Yeah. Her learning that the demons have returned to this land would be hard on anyone.”
“Makes sense. But for now let’s get back to Abyssinia.”
Stretching out a hand, he opens a portal and walks through it with the others.