//------------------------------// // The Ways Forward // Story: Equestria Girls: Love Is Magic // by onekface //------------------------------// Chapter 91: (House on the hill) (A few days later) Sunset couldn’t wrap her head around it. She’s been in the human world for a few years now and she’s gotten used to its laws and limits. There have been a few times she thinks herself to be far more human than pony. But just when she thought she had the whole world figured out, something like this comes along and pulls the rug down from under her, spinning the whole place upside down. The magic incident that happened in the park was a big one. With a capital B. People would definitely notice when their beloved park suddenly turned into a massive dying forest which spread it roots throughout two city blocks. Multiple buildings, cars, and other infrastructure were entangled with vines causing an enormous amount of damage. It was broadcast on every local news channel, published on every newspaper, and the internet practically exploded with videos and articles. Rumors and conspiracy theories appeared on every corner of the web making it impossible not to take interest in. The official statement from the authorities say that some kind of unknown chemical leaked into the park’s water supply causing a radioactive chain reaction which mutated the plants in the area. Not really sure if anyone would buy such a story but there have been worse cover ups. And with some luck, folks might just breeze pass this whole incident and move on to the next hot gossip… like a celebrity scandal. The whole place was now quarantined off for the foreseeable future leaving a lot of residents frightened and curious. But while the city looked prime to recover, the instigator of the whole fiasco was another matter. Timber got it bad. Like… really bad. Upon returning to his human form, he was… changed. The magic he used left some serious scars on his body. Probably permanent. It was unlike anything anyone or anypony has ever seen. Not even Starlight had a clue to what it was. And that was saying a lot. The human physique just wasn’t designed to withstand all that power. Not like unicorns, or pegasi. Unlike their geode which acts like a filter to magic, the spell went through him. The whole metamorphism process put a strain on his body, making changes that were dreadfully unnatural. There was no telling what kind of complications he might face in the future. Not even their healing spells had any effect. Gloriosa came by not long after he was subdued and rushed him to the hospital. He was placed in Intensive Care for the duration. Sunset wasn’t sure what doctors could do at this point. But modern medicine did have a way of surprising her. So… there might be a chance. As for that new magic they acquired. That was another story. What kind of psycho would create such an unstable power? The sapphire gemstone was pulsing with so much corrupted energy that was spreading out like wildfire. They had to lock it inside a safe to keep it from harming anyone else. As to who was responsible for it? No one knows. They’ve tried asking around, with Neighsay as the prime suspect. But the man denied it saying that they had no part in doing something so dangerous. And honestly, despite her misgivings, Sunset actually believes him. The man was creepy as Tartarus, but he didn’t seem like the type to lie. At least… she thinks so. And the magic they carried were completely different from the one they recovered from Timber. They were more refined, and control… unlike that awful thing. Thankfully, she and her friends were able to get out of that incident without getting caught. The last thing they needed was having their faces plastered all over the news. Principal Celestia and VP Luna would have a field day if that happened. But if there was a competition of people having the worst day of their lives, Sunset would say that Twilight takes the cake. Celestia only knows what she’s going through right now. She tries to act tough but anyone can tell that she was feeling terrible about herself. Breakups are never really that smooth or easy to deal with, but this one really does go on a whole other level. Not even her breakup with Flash was that bad. Argh… painful memories. Go away. Speaking of Flash. That boy was another puzzle to add to the mix. The magic in his hand seemed to have manifested into something entirely unexpected. At first she thought that the whole thing was nothing more but a phase. Something that would disappear as soon as she returned. But unfortunately she was absolutely wrong, and the thing was biting her in the cutie mark. Ever since her friends have done the, so called: Magical handshake, they’ve all seemed to have acquired new powers. Rainbow Dash with her lightning abilities, Applejack with her green thumb, Pinkie Pie can turn any surface to jello, Fluttershy can shape shift into animals, and Rarity can apparently walkthrough objects. And those were only her closest friends. There’s no telling what else can come of this. This is definitely not how she imagined things would be when she left for Equestria a few days ago. She thought that she was doing a bang up job of removing magic from the world. But instead more of it just seems to appear. Or… perhaps they’ve always been here from the start and she simply didn’t notice until now? Perhaps magic has always been a part of the world… but simply hidden from the naked eye. A theory to test out on a later date. “Hello? Anyone there?” The girl was brought out of her train of thought when a hand waved in front of her, attached to a cowgirl. “You awake?” “Oh… hey Applejack. Yeah. I’m awake.” She wiped the sand in her eyes. “How’s everything coming along?” “Well… we got most of the stuff you brought, set up.” Applejack gestured to the makeshift portal by the garden. “Starlight said that it should be ready by tomorrow.” Tomorrow? Already? That was fast, despite not having magic involved. The gang has spent the last few days building the mirror portal. After they were briefed on the whole situation they rightly agreed to help save their friend. They managed to get the parts quite easily too. Rarity in particular was more than happy to donate one of her mirrors for the occasion. The mission seemed straightforward enough. Open a gateway to Ezaquatel, use Discord’s magic to grab Sunburst, and close it before anything nasty comes through. Simple, right? Yeah… if only. “You look tired.” AJ noted. Sunset gave a mean glare. “Really? What gave it away? Was it my yawn, the bags under my eyes, or the fact that I’ve been working non-stop for the last three days!?” She paused, realizing her tone. “Sorry, sorry. I’m… a little cranky. Things just haven’t been going my way for a while.” “You don’t need to tell me. Fighting off one monster after another? And Timber of all folk? I think all these little scraps can turn just about anyone batty.” “It’s not just Timber that’s bothering me. It’s… everything.” The country gal gave a look which signaled her to continue. “Look around you. This whole place is a mess.” “Well… yeah. But I think Pinkie Pie making breakfast is always gonna be a mess.” Sunset stared at her. “I’m talking about the magic going around.” “Oh… right. That too.” “Ever since the Friendship Games, magic has been rampant all across Canterlot City. Then there was the whole thing at Camp Everfree, and the incident at Equestria Land. At first it was all manageable. We fixed and contain magic wherever it springs up. A little trinket infused with Equestrian magic here, a little relic there. But now it feels like I can’t take two steps around here without stumbling into even MORE magic! Then there’s the whole Black Stone Order, the Yaztec, and now this new strange… mysterious one Timber got. Ugh… I liked it better when this world had no magic at all.” “Now now. Don’t you burn your pretty little head.” Applejack patted her hair. “It ain’t the end of the world.” “Not yet.” She grumbled, gesturing to the portal. “And now, I’m endangering the world by bringing in more magic from my world. This is a disaster!” “Ok. So things aren’t looking swell. But that’s even more reason not to panic.” Sunset gave her another look which she took it as a sign to go on. “I’ll admit. Other than you and Twilight, magic just ain’t our element. We look to you guys for guidance and things we don’t understand. If you start acting like a headless chicken, we’ll all be going kookoo soon. I know it’s a lot of pressure, and we all wanna help however we can. But if you’re gonna crack like a walnut on a fireplace, I don’t think there’s much any of us here can do.” So it was all on her huh? That wasn’t helpful. Not that she can blame them. Even now, magic seems to be a foreign thing to them. They aren’t afraid, but it’s not exactly comforting either. “Uh… I guess you’re right. I’ll do what I can.” “That’s the spirit. Just remember you can lean on us too whenever you got your own problems.” AJ gave her a reassuring pat on the back. “And speaking of problems. Any word from Gloriosa?” “Not since her last call two days ago.” Sunset motioned to her phone. “She said that Timber’s condition is stable but he’s still out of it. Not sure when he’ll wake up – or… if he wakes up.” “He will.” AJ reassured her, though it was probably just for confidence. “Maybe we can go and visit.” “I tried that too. But Gloriosa is having none of it. I think she’s had enough of magic.” Kinda funny coming from a girl who tried to rule a camp using magic in the first place. “Besides, our healing spells can only cure light injuries. Not whatever he’s having.” “Hey. It never hurts to try. Just give it a thought. A rough patch is hard to work over but it’ll eventually cool off. “Thanks Applejack. And speaking of rough patches. How’s Twilight. I haven’t seen her since… forever.” “She’s at the lab in the basement, like always. She says that she’s doing research on that amulet we got from Timber. But honestly, I think she’s down there so she wouldn’t see Flash. I think deep down she feels a little guilty inside.” Ah… right. He’s here too. After the fight in the park, the boy asked if he could stay over for a couple of days to recover from his injuries which she was more than happy to accommodate. He probably didn’t want to return home looking like he had a fight with a grizzly bear and survived. If his old man saw him in that condition he’d flip so hard the whole world would turn one time over before the day is done. A part of her wanted to say ‘Good’. That’ll teach him to mess with powers beyond his comprehension. But another part of her was also glad that he was there that night. Because if he wasn’t, this whole story would’ve ended on a horrible note. She only hopes that this won’t become a habit. xxxxxxxxxx Evil… That was the only thing Twilight could say about the new magic she found. She had seen many forms of magic before, both good and the not-so-good. But they always took the shape of its user in some way. But this thing? This abomination? This was something else. And sadly enough, she couldn’t get a grasp of it. The gemstone that they recovered from Timber was a vile form of magic. A cruel perversion of techno-sorcery to the highest level. Never had she imagined something so foul could be created, much less used by mankind. The gemstone itself acted like their geodes. It had a fixed spell in placed inside of it. All that it required was magical energy to power it. Kind of like a battery for your cellphone. But this thing was formed… or created differently. Rather than await for magic to be inserted, it steals it. Takes anything equivalent to energy and converts it without permission. Every living thing that was within its reach was sucked of all life and used as fuel to run its foul sorcery. Even in its dormant state, the sapphire stone continued to spit out corrupted energy, as if it was trying to fight back against its captors. The person who enchanted this artifact was clearly inexperienced… or perhaps they simply had no care for the damage it could do. It was because of this… thing, Timber was in the hospital. It was because of this thing, Flash is… Flash… Oh gods. Twilight resisted the urge to dig her nails through her palm. Other than Timber, Flash had the worst of it all. The boy was brutally beaten bluer than usual. A single swipe from his opponent was all that was needed to put him down. She wasn’t there to see it, but Sunset described his injuries to be quite severe. It was honestly a surprise that the boy managed to walk away safely as he did. Not many could withstand a werewolf’s blow and live to tell the tale. Last she heard, the boy was resting, with Fluttershy being the self-appointed nurse. If Twilight had her way right now, she would’ve grabbed the closest hammer and shatter this accursed gemstone to a million pieces, scattering the leftovers to the ocean. At least then it would give her the satisfaction that she got her revenge in some way. But alas, cooler minds prevailed. Pouring all of her knowledge on magic, the girl used the basement of the house as her own personal laboratory. The equipment down here were outdated but they served their purpose. With enough time and effort, she should be able to crack the code and find out the source of this magic. She simply needed time… and perhaps more tools. “Twilight.” A whimper brought her out of her train of thought, turning over to the side where her silly mutt sat, eyes riddled with worries. “Hey Spike. Sorry… I’m kinda in the middle of something right now.” “Yeah. I know. You said that the last time.” He whined. “Why don’t you take a break? You’ve been staring at that thing for days now. How about a game?” “Not now, Spike. I’m so close. I just need to figure out how this thing works.” That’s what she said the last dozen or so times already. But the truth is… she wasn’t even close. The design of this artifact was unlike anything she has ever seen. It’s like staring at an alien technology and trying to make heads or tails of it. And while some of the aspect were familiar, most of it was foreign. Practically almost impossible to decipher without the proper logic. The whole thing would’ve been a lot easier if she had help from outside sources, but like always, Sunset has her priorities set in another matter. Ever since her return her sole focus was the construction of the portal in which she would use to rescue her friend from another world. Gods… it feels like this whole world itself was drowning in magic already. Maybe Sunset was right. Maybe magic really wasn’t meant for this place. She was pulled out of her train of thoughts when the sapphire sent an electrical jolt making her flinch. “Ah! Dang it! Not again.” “You ok?” Spike muttered worryingly. “Yeah… I’m fine. It’s just… another failure. It’s like whatever I try on this thing, it just keeps biting back. It’s like a defense mechanism. There’s no way I can bypass it without knowing the know-how.” “Maybe you should try taking a break. That always help me out whenever I’m in a rut.” She eyed him. “Since when are you ever in a rut?” “Hey, being a dog isn’t easy. It takes time and a lot of effort to be this adorable.” He laid with his belly up to show emphasis. “See? This kind of thing doesn’t come naturally.” Heh… that did make her throw a chuckle. She knew that he was just trying to be cheerful for her sake but it was the effort that counted. “Come on. Take a break. You’ll feel a lot better and your head will be a lot clearer. That trinket isn’t going anywhere.” “I…… supposed you’re right.” She admitted after a brief pause. “It’s not like I can do anything more. Maybe some breakfast will do me some good.” “Now we’re talking.” He giddily replied. “Besides, you’re not the only magic user here. I’m sure someone will be more than happy to give you a hand… or paw.” “Ha! If only. The girls are good at their own thing but magic isn’t one of them.” It was then a thought came to her mind. A thought that was practically foreign. “Unless…” Spike tilted his head. “Uh… Twilight?” “Of course! We aren’t the only magic users around here. Spike, you’re a genius!” “Well I wouldn’t be so…” His humility was thrown out the window when she began to rub his belly making him drool. “Aww… well if you say so. Wait… where you going?” Twilight hastily reached out for her jacket, smiling for the first time in days. “I’m heading out. Tell the gang that I’ll be back before lunch. If I’m lucky, I might be able to crack that magic artifact today.” But her enthusiastic mood was soured when she got out of the basement only to bump onto the last people she wanted. “Ow! Sorry… I was…… oh… it’s you.” “That’s not how you greet people.” Rarity replied, fixing her attire. The girl was dressed up gaudily like always. Though she did have an awkward expression on her face, like someone who was forced to be here. Twilight could probably guess why. “Hello there. How are things?” Twilight groaned, and folded her arms together, lips puckered in annoyance. “I’m fine. All things considered. Not that it’s any of your concern.” “Right right. Of course.” The fashionista nodded, forcing a smile. “I was just trying to… umm… anyway. Breakfast is ready.” “Not coming. Got something to do.” “Oh… I see.” Rarity sulked as she walked away. “Twilight. You’re not still mad at me, are you?” If she had to ask, she probably already knew the answer. “Oh I don’t know Rarity. How do you think people feel when some blabbermouth go about talking about other people’s secrets?” “Well… it’s not that bad.” “I told you about my breakup with Timber in confidence! And you spout it out to the first person who came along!” The fashionista’s mouth twisted and curled. “Well yes. That is true. But in my defense, the whole scenario turned out much better than I expected. If it wasn’t for my blabbermouth, things would’ve been much worse, don’t you agree?” And that was the only reason why she wasn’t being ghosted right now. “Is that really your only defense?” “Look. I understand that you’re upset with me. And you have a very good reason to be. I’m sorry. I was stepping beyond my boundaries. But you have to admit that none of us here would’ve expected Timber to come into possession of magic of all things. Especially one so dangerous.” That was true. “That still doesn’t excuse you for spying on me or telling others about it.” “I already said I was sorry.” She repeated with a loud groan. “What else can I do? Shave my head and wear a clown costume all week?” “Oh! Say yes! Please say yes! I’d love to see that gaudy gal taken down a peg!” The angel inside her head pleaded, pulling our resident genius to the dark side. And to be honest, Twilight entertained the idea. She could already imagine going around town wearing a goofy-puffy outfit with a shiny chrome. But… she wasn’t that cruel… yet. “Aww! Boo! You’re no fun.” She tried to hide her grin but failed. “I’m tempted. But no.” “Then all is forgiven?” “I didn’t say that either.” It was then a thought came to mind. “But… if you really are serious about making things up to me. I could use a favor.” Rarity’s eyes gleamed. “Yes! Anything! I’ll do just about anything!” Oh she so tempting. Twilight almost wants to take advantage of it. “I’m planning to move my entire lab here from my house. It’ll help me whenever we have another magical crisis. The equipment are heavy. And with everyone helping Sunset and her portal project, I’ve got no one to spare. So…” “Say no more. It’s done.” Well that was surprisingly easy. “Bringing all that stuff from your house is child’s play.” “It is?” The fashionista responded by pulling out her phone and began texting. “Absolutely darling. A friend of mine happens to own a small moving company. One little call and I’ll have your lab here within the hour. I might even settle for a small discount.” Not exactly how Twilight pictured it but if she could get the job done then she wasn’t gonna complain. “Besides. This is much easier than helping Fluttershy bandage our resident hero.” Twilight’s expression hardened at the mention of the boy. She knew that he was here, somewhere. But she never could muster the will to visit him. She couldn’t bear to see him in the state he was in. “H… how is Flash? Is he… alright?” “Sleeping like he has been for the last few days. Fluttershy is watching over him like a mother hen. Who would’ve thought that treating animals would be no different from treating people?” Twilight did. Fluttershy learned from the vet who visited the animal shelter frequently, she even managed to treat Spike when he was sick. It was a good skill to have. Though unfortunately their magic wasn’t up to par. “Oh don’t give me that look, Twi. Flash is a resilient boy. He’s far tougher than he looks. I’m sure he can pull through whatever injury he comes across. He’s been through… well… worse… situations? I think.” That’s exactly what I’m worried about. I’m worried that he might get into even more danger if he sticks his neck for them. He has a habit of throwing his life on the line just to help them out. At the rate he’s going, he’s going to lose more lives than a litter of cats. And that was saying something. “Is there anything I can do to help?” Rarity shrugged. “Unless you know how to stich a wound or set a bone, I’m afraid not. Fluttershy seems to have it covered though. Speaking of which, where are you heading off in such a hurry?” “I need to find someone to help me with magic. Someone who’s a professional.” “Wouldn’t it be better if you asked Sunset?” “I would if she wasn’t so busy with that portal. Besides, I need someone who’s used to the magic of our world. Someone who has more power than any of us.” “And this person is going to help us?” “Of course she will. At least… I think so. There’s no reason for her to say no.” (Canterlot Mall) (Sushi Restaurant) “No.” Twilight blinked at the answer. “No?” “No.” Adagio repeated with a blank and bored expression, taking a quick glance at her nails for affect. “There’s no way I’m helping you out.” “Welp… so much for that idea.” “Why not?” “Because I have no reason to.” The Siren sniffed, eyes rolling like she was being asked the obvious. “Why would I want to risk my own neck chasing over some volatile magic? One: It sounds dangerous. And two: It doesn’t profit me in the slightest. Something I hate to waste my time on.” “But this corrupted magic is far more dangerous than anything we’ve come across.” “And again: I fail to see how that’s ‘My’ problem. The way I see it, this whole magic thing involves you and your friends. Not ‘Us’. I’m someone who likes to cause trouble, not get myself into one.” Twilight panicked. She didn’t exactly expected Adagio to decline her offer. She was so sure that she’d pitch in that she didn’t even have a backup plan prepared. “But we’ve worked together before.” “I think you’re mistaking the fact that we’re ‘Friends’.” Adagio shrugged back without as much as a care. “Believe me. We’re not. And I don’t do charities out of the kindness of my heart. This is merely an alliance of needs. The first one with the old Cinch hag was because she hurt Sonata and tried to steal our magic. I had a bone to pick with her. As for that fiery fashion show, I went along because I owed blue boy some favors. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t owe you or any of your friends anything. And that means I don’t have to stick my neck out for your problems. God knows you lot get into more trouble than anyone else in this city.” Sadly enough Twilight had to agree with her there. The amount of deathly debacle their group goes through only a weekly basis could be counted on 10 pair of hands. No one would willingly put themselves in danger for them…… … well… except for a certain blue boy. “Is there any way I can convince you to help at all?” “Money is always a good motivator for me and my girls.” The Siren smirked under her makeup. “I already got my hands full with this job and that dreadful place you call a ‘school’. So unless you can come up with a way to make a lot of cash appear fast. Then no.” “But you’re the only one I know who has more knowledge of magic than anyone.” “Then why don’t you ask that redhead of yours for help?” Twilight snorted at the thought. “All my friends are busy on another project. It’s… too important for them to deviate.” “And that’s why you’re outsourcing your problems to me? I’m touched.” She shouldn’t be. To be honest she wasn’t even her first, second or third choice, if she had a choice at all. It’s just that the people who knew about the existence of magic are quite limited around here. And those that know… weren’t exactly up on par or reliant for that matter. “Well this was fun. But I have to get back to work. Lunch rush is coming and these tables aren’t going to wait themselves. So unless you have something to order, you’d better leave.” Twilight could do little to stop as the Siren slowly left the table, leaving her to ponder in thought. She was really hoping for Adagio and the Sirens to join them in their endeavors, but that girl does raise some good points. This whole corrupted magic screamed danger, and it only seemed to involve them. Asking anyone to join them in this search seemed unnecessarily risky. No one in their right mind would stick their necks out without something in return. She should’ve anticipated this. “It was worth the shot, Twi. No need to beat yourself about this. We both know that Siren isn’t gonna take a risk without profiting. Let’s head back for now and…” No… she won’t let this go. She can’t. There’s too much at stake riding on this research and they can’t afford another setback. Too many people got hurt because of her. Flash got hurt because of her. If she wasn’t going to compromise and give everything she had, she may as well wave the white flag. “Wait!” She raised her voice up, catching even Siren off-guard. The nerd girl huffed and took a breath, clearly anxious and agitated at the same time. “How about a trade?” There was a pause in Adagio’s actions. A brow rose. Something akin to interest. “A trade?” “You and Flash deal in favors, right? Then why don’t we do the same?” Twilight offered, hand clenched in a fist. “Help me find out who used this magic, and in exchange… I’ll do… whatever you want.” The grin on Adagio’s face curled to an almost evil-like nature. There was a wave of energy beaming from her skin, followed by an expression that was akin to a predator taking a liking to its prey. “Hmmm… interesting…” She admitted, one hand on her cheeks. “You must be really desperate to offer such a proposal.” The Siren returned to the seat, clearly amused. “What are the terms?” Yes! “Nothing illegal.” Twilight declared almost immediately like it was the first thing that came to mind. “And no hurting people or animals.” Adagio bobbed her head side to side, grin still in place. “Hmm… that limits things. But I’ve worked with worse deals before.” She then gave a brief pause, turning her eyes to the doorway where customers started to pour in. It was obvious that she made up her mind but thought to let Twilight stew for a while longer. “Alright… deal.” The Siren offered her hand forward, which now looked charged and electrifying. There was a moment of hesitation in Twilight’s mind. She even considered asking the angel in her head. But alas it came up silent. No… No more second guessing. She was getting to the bottom of this once and for all before anyone else gets caught up. With force, she grabbed it and nod. (Park) Neighsay plugged his nose with a handkerchief as he strode his way through what used to be the central city park. He remembered passing through this area a few days ago recording several hazardous infractions, planning to submit it to city hall for corrections. Apparently someone thought it would be a good idea for animals to roam around freely in the park without so much as supervision. The idiocy was beyond incompetence. It’s no wonder the city was in such a bad shape. Oh sure, it starts off harmlessly enough with a few birds nesting here, a couple of squirrels there. The next thing you know they’ll be hosting wolves and sharks, endangering people. The park is for people. If folks want to see animals they should go to a zoo. Either way, the case was resolved when the whole magical incident a few nights ago came and killed the place entirely. Now you can barely see even a single bird fly around here. Though the resolution hardly seemed better. The park was dead, like the life was sucked out of it. The earth had turned to dirt, killing off even the smallest weed, the trees were bent and misshapen – some even forming what looked like faces, and the lake at the center dried up as if a drought came by. The vampire wannabe strolled freely amongst the wreckage, taking in the sight. A plethora of police blockaded every entrance, keeping the people out while scientists scrambled the area in hazmat suits doing everything they can with their tools. They looked like they were doing something at least. But sadly, without proper knowledge of magic, they’ll most likely be scratching their heads till they grow a bald spot. The authorities are sticking to their story, saying that a dangerous chemical leak was the cause of the sudden decay. Thankfully the Order still had connections with people in high places, making sure that none of this would get out. The magical occurrence that night was undoubtedly strong. Strong enough to affect nearly the whole city. And it would’ve spread outside the park itself had it not been for the efforts of those girls. While he didn’t get the full story from Sunset, he can tell that those children got into a scuffle. The stench of the corrupted magic was embedded on them. The battle here must’ve been one for the ages. The man doubts that even he would come out unscathed. He can see why the Order had a hard time challenging them. And speaking of challenging. “You can come out now.” Neighsay spoke to his own shadow, as if he was scolding a peeping tom. “I know you’re there.” The shadow didn’t reply, instead made gestures contradicting the man’s stance. It darkened a bit, before finally protruding out of the ground, standing just about as tall as its source before forming a grin. “Awww… how’d you know?” ‘It’ crooned. “Because I was the one who taught you that trick. Now get out of there before someone sees you. You’ll need to do a lot better if you want to fool me.” The shadow sighed, its shape forming into a familiar figure. “Ugh… I was sure I had you.” “The thing about hiding in the shadows is that one must desire not to be seen. Which I suppose is difficult for someone of your character, Hoity.” The disgraced fashion designer scoffed at his lecture. “Well, I do so love to be noticed. Being on the sideline has never been my strong point.” “Of that, we both can agree.” Neighsay observed his fashionable companion noting the black mark under his neck. It pulsed like veins, forming what looked like chains digging into his skin. “I take it your presence here means that the Council has put you on probation.” “They released me for good behavior.” “More like they put you on a short leash.” “Oh please. One minor error and I’m the bad guy.” “You attempted to mind control the government of an entire city. So yes, you are the villain. You should consider yourself lucky that the Order allowed you to remain. Were it my decision, you would’ve been expelled immediately.” “Then thank god that decision wasn’t yours to make.” The vampire wannabe shrugged. “An easily rectifiable condition. Though I have to admit I wasn’t expecting you of all people to be my backup.” Hoity folded his arms in defiance. “Don’t be so smug. It’s not like I volunteered for this assignment. I’d rather be assigned to some backwater hole than this place. So…? What are we looking at?” “An epicenter of corrupted magic.” He explained, gesturing to the desolate wasteland before him. Despite wearing shades, he could tell Hoity’s eyes were shooting upward. “You mean… the same corrupted magic as before?” The gray man nodded. “But how? I thought we got rid of them all.” “Not all of them.” The shaded man swallowed nervously as he scanned his surroundings. “Does that mean she’s… here?” “Most likely.” Neighsay tilted his head ever so slightly. “And she’s most likely responsible for this catastrophe as well. Walking trees, draining spells and a werewolf to boot if I’m not mistaken.” “And you defeated her, alone? I’m impressed. Normally it would take a dozen of us to beat that woman.” “As much as I would like to claim credit, I was not the one to defeat her.” Again, Hoity’s eyes rose. “Then who?” A small hint of a smile crossed the unfaultable lips. “Those girls from CHS. The same ones who beat you.” Hoity’s eyes became saucers at this point. “Impossible! Those girls barely had the capacity or magic to fight me alone. They couldn’t have possibly fight such power.” “And yet they did.” He added, again glancing at the ground. “Perhaps we’ve underestimated their abilities. It’s no surprise they were able to defeat you and Cinch.” Hoity huffed but did not reply. “I have no doubt that they’ll prove a benefit to the Order.”