Tuesday, September 16, 6:30 a.m. Tokyo time.
Twilight and Sunset woke up to their alarm, snuggled together as the Tokyo sunrise greeted them through the large window wall of their bedroom. With their usual teasing and good spirits, they got ready for school, heading off for a normal school day followed by more work assisting as needed with the base buildouts.
At Toma and Index’s apartment, they too rose and prepared for school and their day ahead. Index planned on spending the day with their new friend while Toma went off to school.
After school, Sunset and Twilight excused themselves from their usual activities and teleported directly over to NASA headquarters, meeting with Dr. Long.
“Hello girls!” she greeted them with a hug, leading them into her office. “Busy day, some slight changes to the plan. Academy City is being quite insistent in getting their Lunar Base up and running, and have requested both of your assistance today. Do you two mind helping them out?”
“That means off to Mars for me,” noted Twilight. “I’ll need to craft two a base and receiver pair for them, and more safety fobs. Do they have a count of their planned base personnel so I know how many to make?”
“They estimated two hundred scientists and staff to start,” replied Dr Long. “They also requested one of you help them transport supplies and staff immediately so they can get started on the buildout right away.”
“I can help there,” agreed Sunset. “Where should I meet them, and where is the proposed base going to be?”
“They are currently staged in District 20 with their supplies, and their proposed base will be next to the original Chang’e mission landing site,” replied Dr Long.
Sunset laughed. “Chang’e will get a laugh from that,” she noted.
Getting the address of the warehouse they were in from Dr Long, she teleported to them directly.
Popping before the address she was given, Sunset rolled up to a guard shack beside a rather large gate in a large and barbed wire-topped fence. Introducing herself and showing her credentials, she was directed to a large imposing warehouse just beyond the front gate parking lot. Sunset rolled up to the structure, through the open loading door and into the middle of a rather large and well-stocked warehouse.
She rolled over to the nearest group of white-coated hard hat-wearing technicians.
“Hi! I’m Sunset Shimmer, you requested my assistance today?” she introduced herself in Japanese.
“Ah! Yes, thank you. We were expecting you. Come with me,” one of the technicians answered, leading her to an office hut set up in the middle of the warehouse. Knocking on the door, she entered.
“I’ve brought our assistance for the day, Ms. Sunset Shimmer. Ms Shimmer, this is Willie Dustice, he is the Director of our base operations. He can better inform you what assistance we require. Thank you!” With that, she left, shutting the door behind her.
Sunset rolled over to the director’s desk, bowing. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Director. Sorry for asking this, but didn’t you used to play professional baseball? You pitched for the Baltimare Horslieeos, right? Pitched the second no-hitter in major league history in a world series game, the first since Game 5 of the 1956 World Series?” Sunset smiled.
Director Willie Dustice smiled. “Yeah, that was a lifetime ago. Surprised anyone remembers that now. Haven’t picked up a ball and pitched in close to twenty years.”
“My foster father was a huge fan of yours. He even gave me a Willie Dustice Pitcher of the Year poster to hang in my room. I’m honoured to meet you, Mr Dustice,” smiled Sunset, holding out her hand.
“Always happy to meet a fan,” Director Willie Dustice smiled, shaking her hand. “Even if it was from a lifetime ago. You definitely don’t look old enough to have been watching when I was playing.”
“Like I said, Father was a fan. He had your greatest games on tape and we would watch them together,” informed Sunset. “So, now that you are in charge of this operation, how may I be of service to you?” she asked.
“Thank you very much for coming here to help us on such short notice, and for your time,” Director Dustice nodded back. “Yes, we were hoping you could assist us in moving our team and materials to the base location so we can begin building out our base. I understand your companion is working on the TACIT units we will be requiring?”
“That’s correct, director, she’s working on those now. And as for helping relocate your team and equipment to your base location, of course, I am happy to help. I understand you intend to locate the base next to the site of the original Chang’e mission. Is that correct?” asked Sunset.
“Yes, Ms Shimmer, that’s correct,” replied the director. “Follow me, and I will introduce you to our team.” He led the way out of the office and to a corner of the warehouse. A group of twenty space suite-wearing workers, their helmets sitting on the floor beside them, sat in chairs idly chatting as they waited their turn to begin working.
“Everyone! This is Ms. Sunset Shimmer. She will be assisting us in our build-out today. Ms Shimmer, this is the team that will be performing the initial build-out with the materials you will be transporting,” introduced the director. Sunset bowed as they bowed back.
Director Dustice pointed to several rows of shipping containers behind her. “And these are the materials we will be using. We can start whenever you are ready.”
“No time like the present,” agreed Sunset. She ponied up. Unfolding her angelic wings, she rose up from her chair to float before the director.
“We should start with the materials. I’ll begin with those, then I can bring over your staff. One moment” continued Sunset. She flew over to the first of the shipping containers. Placing a hand on it, she and it disappeared in a flash of teal.
Several seconds later, she reappeared, moving on to the next container. This process continued for the next several minutes as she worked her way down both rows of containers. When they were all shipped, she returned to the waiting crew, whom she saw had fastened their helmets and were heading into a final container on the other side of their waiting chairs.
“Okay, ready for… oh! Well, that’ll work,” she mused, heading over to the container. When they were all in, the last tech gave her a gloved thumbs up and sealed the container door. Sunset flew over to the side of it, then placing her hand on it together with the container flashed away in a teal pop to their new base location.
Finished with crafting the units, Twilight called her BFF.
“Hey Sparky! How’s it going?” answered Sunset.
“That’s what I was going to ask you,” smiled Twilight. “How’s the transfer going?”
“We finished that a while ago. They had everything ready to go so it went very quickly.
Hey, guess who the Director in charge of base operations is? Remember the old baseball pitcher Farther was crazy about? The poster still hanging in the corner of my room? Willie Dustice? He’s the Director! Crazy world, right?
“So, I’ve been helping Director Willie Dustice and his team build out the base for the last hour or so,” answered Sunset. “Are you coming over to help out?”
“You bet Sunny,” answered Twilight. “That’s funny! I bet you can’t wait to tell Father Steve.
“I’ve finished the units, and am almost done crafting the three hundred safety fobs. Give me a few minutes, then I drop off the base unit and come join you.”
“There are thirty technicians working here now. Maybe you can bring fobs over for them when you bring the transceiver?” suggested Sunset.
‘Good idea,” agreed Twilight. “See you soon!” She hung up, returning to her work of finishing up the safety fobs.
When she finished, they gathered everything up, then with the two new TACIT units she teleported to Sunset’s marker with a magenta flash.
She appeared in a large warehouse, next to Sunset, who just as promised was talking to Directory Willie Dustice. He still looked the same as the poster, same charming smile, just a few more lines and a lot greyer hair.
“Director Willie Dustice, I presume?” Twilight introduced herself as they turned to her, holding out her hand and smiling.
“You must be the cuter half of this dynamic duo, Miss Twilight Sparkle! A pleasure to meet you Miss Sparkle!” he laughed shaking her hand.
Sunset laughed. “Don’t worry, I didn’t brag about you too much,” she grinned at Twilight.
“Only that you are the brilliant mind that developed and made these TACIT units that made this all possible. I don’t think that can be undersold,” smiled the director.
Twilight blushed.
“Okay, enough flirting with my girlfriend,” teased Sunset, watching as Twilight turned several shades redder. “Love you, Sparky!” she smirked.
“Jerk,” Twilight laughed back, lightly punching her arm.
“So, what will you work on next,” smiled the director, coming to Twlight’s rescue with a smile.
“I’ll set up the units, then join you in working on the base,” answered Twilight. “Also, here are the safety fobs as requested. I made three hundred, but if you need more, let us know and we will get them to you. If anything happens, these can be the difference between life and death, as our recent experiences have shown.”
“Terrible business, that,” agreed the director. “And of course our full condolences to the grieving families.”
“I’m sure that’s appreciated. Thank you, director,” nodded Sunset. She turned to Twilight. “Okay Sparky, meet you there!” She disappeared in a flash of magenta, chair and all.
“So, where did you want me to install the TACIT unit?” Twilight asked.
“We have an area prepped for it. Follow me, Miss Sparkle,” smiled the director, leading her across the warehouse. Twilight followed, the TACIT units behind her wrapped in a magenta glow.
“So, if you don’t mind my asking, how did you end up here in Academy City, Director? It seems a huge change from World Famous baseball legend to Director of a scientific research center in Academy City,” asked Twilight in curiosity as they crossed.
“That’s certainly true,” agreed the director. “After I retired from baseball, the company that owned the team hired me on as a spokesperson for their games. It turned out I was also remarkably proficient in keeping operations on track and under budget on our shoots and commercials, a skill that was noticed and encouraged.
“When Capcom was bought by the board of Academy City, I managed the joint project to merge operations, and from there ended up managing several more projects for the board, the latest being this one. It’s been quite a rewarding experience, though yes, it’s certainly quite a change from major league baseball,” the director explained.
“That’s quite an inspiring story,” smiled Twilight. “I only hope someday Sunset and myself have such inspiring stories to tell.”
“I don’t think you have to worry much there,” laughed the director. “I’m pretty much certain that you could never do another thing of note again, and these TACIT units of yours would speak for you for the rest of your life.”
Twilight blushed. “That’s kind of you to say,” she stuttered. “Thank you.”
“Thank you,” returned the director. “So here we are. All the connections you need should be here, and if there is anything else just let me know and I’ll be happy to help get it for you.”
Still feeling slightly tongue-tied, Twilight just nodded and smiled, setting straight to work.
Several minutes later, Sunset looked up, alerted by a magenta flash at her side. Twilight appeared with the TACIT unit in tow, both in Sunset’s bubble of air.
“Hi, Sparky! Welcome to Chang’e base!” Sunset greeted her BFF.
“Heya Sunny! So, do you know where this one’s going?” Twilight smiled at her BFF.
“Yup. The head engineer can tell you… and here she comes now, she’ll take you there. We have the area already set up. I’ll come join you as soon as I finish up here,” smiled Sunset, nodding towards a female-esque spacesuited figure lopping across the lunar landscape towards them.
The woman entered their shield bubble, smiling through her visor at them both.
“Hi! I’m Mary Pinot, chief engineer on site,” she greeted, her voice coming from a small speaker on her helmet. “We’re so glad you’re here. If you’re ready, I can show you where we’re installing the base TACIT unit.”
Twilight smiled. “Lead on, Ms. Pinot.”
Still smiling, the woman passed back through Sunset’s shield, leading Twilight towards the base entrance. Twilight passed through Sunset’s shield, a magenta shield of her own forming as she passed the protection of Sunset’s magic. The TACIT unit followed her, glowing magenta a few yards behind her.
Sunset watched them pass into the base below, then returned to her work.
Several minutes later, her work completed, Sunset flashed away, teleporting to her BFF, appearing beside her as she was bent over behind the unit, working on the connections for the TACIT receiver.
“Hi Sunny!” Twilight called out over her shoulder. “I’m just hooking up the power and communications cabling to the unit. Almost done, then we can turn this base on.” She finished the last few connections as lights lit up on the network and power management equipment in the rack.
“And there it is!” she smiled, backing out from behind the unit and rising to stand. As she stood the lights turned on all through the base, fanning out from their central bay.
“Well, that’s a good sign,” smiled Sunset, watching as the base personnel cheered as the lights came on.
“Yes, it is,” agreed Twilight. Stepping back, she smiled at her BFF. “Want to do the honours and activate the base shield?”
“Sure!” agreed Sunset, rolling up to the unit. She placed her hands on the unit, hands glowing briefly with teal power as she activated and then powered up the protective spells laid into the TACIT crystal.
A teal shield rose over the base, tinting the stars overhead briefly then fading to near obscurity.
“We don’t want to interfere with your observations, so I’m minimizing any visible radiation absorption below the safety thresholds. If you need other wavelengths and energies adjusted just let us know.” Sunset informed the chief engineer.
The engineer nodded. “Got it. Thanks!”
Sunset rolled back. She and Twilight both looked up then to each other at the same time.
“Mikoto,” they both said at the same time.
“I got it. Go ahead and help them finish getting operational. I’ll go check it out,” said Twilight. She flashed away in a burst of magenta magic.
One of the spacesuited staff approached Sunset, NASA emblems on her suite. She stepped through her shield and walked up next to her.
“What was that all about, my dear prankster?” asked the NASA astronaut through her external speaker.
“Chang’e?” asked Sunset.
The speaker filled with gentle laughter. The figure raised her hands to her head and unlatched her helmet. Lifting it off, Dr Heng’e grinned at her friend.
“What? You do not think I would skip coming to greet new visitors to my realm,” she grinned.
Sunset reached out taking her friend’s gloved hand. “Certainly not!” she laughed. She turned to Ms Pinot, who was looking on in surprise.
“Sorry,” Ms. Pinot, exclaimed. “I wasn’t aware we had any NASA personnel helping out at this stage. And did I hear Ms Shimmer call you Chang’e? Or was it Dr Heng’e, as your nameplate reads?”
“Indeed, it is Dr Heng’e, NASA Scientist, specializing in Celestial Mechanics. And yes, my friends do indeed call me Chang’e. I do hope you will be among them?” she smiled at Ms. Pinot.
Ms. Pinot blanched and smiled. “So, uhm, are you really… uh… really…”
“Yes, dear, I am Dr Heng’e, NASA Scientist. Here to welcome you to the neighbourhood and provide whatever help I can. And, I am also Chang’e, goddess of this realm and your protector. And your friend, I hope? For as long as you are a resident in my realm, I am your guardian. And your friend,” Chang’e smiled, taking Ms Pinot’s hand in greeting.
Ms Pinot bowed deeply. “Thank you! For the welcome! And of course, for the protection. I’m honoured to meet you!”
Pulling the young woman back up to her feet, Chang’e gently hugged her. “The honour is mine, new friend. Welcome to my realm and thank you for your friendship.”
She looked into Ms Pinot’s eyes. “I am gladdened by your being here.”
Hugging them both, Sunset smirked.
“That’s supposed to be, ‘I’m glad you’re here!’” she teased her friend.
“You know I cannot follow your idioms,” Chang’e grinned back. “But yes, that is my sentiment.” She smiled again at Ms. Pinot.
Ms Pinot hugged her, then stepped back for a moment, still smiling.
“One second,” she smiled. “Let me check base containment, then we can pressurize the base. After that, I want to introduce you to everyone.”
She checked her tablet, flipping through several pages with a flick of her finger validating the values. Flipping back to the initial page, she flipped the setting.
Sunset watched as the lunar dust that had settled on the floor from their work rolled, shifted, and then whisked up into the air as the sound came rushing back around her bubble. When the dust finally settled, she heard the normal sounds of base operation all around her.
A klaxon sounded with warning lights flashing green shortly followed by a single sustained bell. At that everyone around them removed their helmets including Ms. Pinot.
Sunset dropped her personal protective shield.
The air was crisp and sweet, like a mountain breeze. Not at all like their other bases.
“Wow, how are you conditioning your air? This smells remarkably fresh,” Sunset observed.
“Thanks! It’s a new technology developed by Academy City. We found personnel respond better if the environment reminds them of a safe and friendly place. The somatic cues provided by the sense of smell were found to have an oversized impact.”
“Fascinating,” replied Sunset.
“So, Dr. Heng’e? Would you care to meet your new neighbours?” asked Ms Pinot, taking Chang’e by the hand.
Chang’e smiled and nodded. “Lead on, my friend. I cannot wait to meet my new neighbours.”
They left together, heading over to a group of technicians who were chatting and laughing, their suites now off and being stashed on custom racks in the bay.
Seeing everything settled here, Sunset pinged her BFF, intending to pop in and help out however she could. Before she could Twilight appeared beside her in a magenta flash.
“So, how is Mikoto?” asked Sunset as Twilight turned to her.
“She and her friends are fine. I guess there was some explosive kerfuffle at a concert they were performing at, but they handled it and no one was hurt. It looked like they were having fun with a new friend,” Twilight smiled.
“That’s wonderful. Always nice to hear they are making new friends,” agreed Sunset. “I got a ping from Toma too, what was up with that?”
“Same thing, probably the same mishap. He was walking and talking with some young woman, helping her back to everyone else,” answered Twilight. “I saw they were fine too, so I left them alone and returned here.”
“I wonder what caused the explosion?” mused Sunset.
“At Academy City? Who knows,” Twilight shook her head. “I’m sure we will find out when we get back.”
Together the girls walked over to join Chang’e and her new friends.
Sunset and Twilight were helping set up the hydroponics farms in a large bay. Sunset winced.
“I think Index is in trouble,” she said, looking over at Twilight.
“Hold on,” Twilight called out. Checking her phone, she pulled up Index’s biometrics. “She doesn’t appear alarmed. Probably Toma just did something to make her angry again.”
“Huh, maybe,” agreed Sunset. “I got more of a sense of concern from her than anger. Those two so act like brother and sister.”
“I’ll go check on her, just in case. One second,” called out Twilight, disappearing. She returned a few moments later.
“She was talking with a few friends. It looks like someone broke a window next to them, maybe that was why she was concerned. But whatever it was seems sorted,” she informed her friend. They both returned to setting up the massive hydroponics farm.
Several minutes later they both felt the next alarm. Sunset and Twilight turned to each other.
“Toma,” they both said at the same time.
“I got it,” called out Sunset. “You got the last one. Go ahead and finish here and I’ll go check it out.”
Sunset teleported away with a teal flash.
She appeared on a sidewalk in a newer section of Academy City just as a car sped past her on the street, Toma clearly visible in the passenger seat staring intently up ahead, while what looked like an eight-year-old girl drove, accelerating recklessly down the street weaving in and out of traffic.
“What the buck?” asked Sunset to herself.
She rolled frantically after the car to keep them in sight. Giving up less than a half block later, she stopped to call Twilight.
“Toma is in a car chasing someone with a crazy eight-year-old girl driving. I’m going to see what the heck is going on but wanted to give you a heads-up. This may take a while. Sorry Sparky,” she informed.
“Don’t worry, go take care of our friend. I’ll manage here fine,” agreed Twilight.
“Thanks, Sparky! See you soon,” said Sunset, hanging up.
Looking up, she realized she’d lost sight of Toma.
“Crab nuggets,” she muttered under her breath, teleported again to Toma’s location.
As she appeared next to the car for a fleeting moment as they raced past her on the superhighway. There was a horn honking and the screech of brakes.
Panicked, Sunset instinctively cast a shield around her and her chair just as she was struck by an out-of-control car trying desperately to stop but still travelling at high speeds.
Together, Sunset and her chair were sent violently tumbling, slamming through the cement guardrail to be launched ballistically into the city below.
Twilight’s head whipped up from the panel she was programming.
“Sunset!” she cried out in panic, disappearing in a flash of magenta.
Pitched from the freeway overpass overhead and launched ballistically into the city streets below, Sunset watched dazedly as the world spun and flew by below her. Concussed from the sheer force of the impact, stars and greyed darkness interrupted her vision of the world spinning beneath her.
She threw up repeatedly as she spun rapidly through the air. She tried to raise her hand to clear her hair and vomit away from her face as her hair wiped about madly, slapping and stinging her eyes. She gave up after two tries, the force of the wild rotations making movement near impossible. She closed her eyes just as her chair hit the road below, bouncing and slamming into a nearby building before ricocheting off and back into the road.
At that point, Sunset blacked completely out.
She and her chair continued sliding and tumbling madly, a misshapen teal ball of magic bouncing off of several buildings before coming to a stop in the middle of one of the lesser-used avenues.
As the chair slid the last few yards of its violent journey the teal shield surrounding it flashed out. Ejected from her still sliding chair, Sunset was tossed facefirst into the street, sliding and tumbling the final few yards of her journey by herself.
Moments later, Twilight flashed onto the roadway.
Sunset was sprawled out, bruised, bloodied, and battered unconscious on the roadway several yards from her wheelchair. All traffic on the street had stopped in surprise at the site of the girl tossed so suddenly, violently, and lifelessly before them.
“Sunset!” screamed Twilight as she ran over to her friend.
Falling to her knees next to her, she scooped Sunset up into her arms, holding her close and crying into her face.
“Sunset! Sunset!” she called out frantically. “Sunset, damn it, talk to me! Wake up Sunset!” she cried.
In her arms, Sunset stirred and groaned.
“What in the seven hells hit me, a truck?” she asked dazed, eyes still closed.
She lifted a scratched and bleeding arm to her bloodied face, rubbing her eyes.
“Buck me, I hurt all over,” she breathed. Taking a few slow breaths she opened her eyes to see Twilight holding her.
“Hi Sparky, what happened?” she asked, slowly coming out of her daze.
“You tell me!” cried Twilight. “I get a spike from your fob, then get here to find you covered in blood and lying in the middle of the road like you were dead. Dead, Sunset! When I saw you I thought you were dead!” she cried.
“Ugh… yeah coming back to me now. I thought I was dead too.” She closed her eyes again and took a deep breath. “Okay. Where’s my chair?”
“Right where you left it, apparently still at high speed,” Twilight pointed back behind her, tears still falling from her eyes and onto her friend.
Sunset sat up straighter, looking over Twilight’s shoulder at her chair sitting sideways in the street.
“Well, at least my instincts are still good. Thank Harmony the spell held. It looks like the chair and I are both intact,” she snarked weakly. “Help me back into my chair please, will you babe?” she asked.
“You should see a doctor! You’re concussed!” argued Twilight.
“Maybe later. I think Toma may be in some kind of trouble,” explained Sunset. Just as she said that the sounds of a battle echoed to them from further down the freeway.
Sunset looked to Twilight.
“I swear that kid has the worst rotten luck,” Sunset groaned.
Sitting up straighter, she held on around Twilight’s neck. “Please, babe. Just get me into the chair. We’ll go check out Toma and help him out. Then you can take me to the doctor and they can check me over. Friends first.”
Twilight glared at her friend, tears still staining her face.
“Please?” Sunset begged.
Twilight sighed.
Picking up her friend, she carried her over to her battered but intact chair. Righting it, she gently set her friend in her chair, then kissed her forehead.
“Fine. But afterwards, I am taking you to see the doctor,” she admonished.
“Sounds like a plan, Sparky,” Sunset agreed, still obviously fuzzy-headed.
Together they teleported in a flash of magenta to their friend.
They found Toma laying on the ground unconscious next to the burning wreckage of a car laying up on its side.
Twilight bent over and lifted Toma gently into Sunset’s lap. Placing her hands on the handles of Sunset’s chair she teleported them away from the freeway with a magenta pop.
Toma was in his hospital room again, once more laid out in the same bed. His head and arms were wrapped in bandages.
“I have the worst luck,” he muttered.
Sunset looked over at her friend from the guest chair by his bed.
“How you doing, Toma?” she asked kindly.
“I should be asking you that,” Toma smiled. “I wasn’t the one pitched like a pinball from the freeway.”
“I didn’t have to stand point blank next to an explosion,” she smiled back. “So, feeling better?”
“Yeah. My head still hurts, but I’ll be fine,” he answered.
“So they took your friend,” Sunset stated. “I swear sometimes this place sucks.”
“And I don’t know where. Academy City has her somewhere. I will find her,” he vowed.
Twilight entered with three drinks, passing one to Toma then another to Sunset before taking a seat herself.
“I spoke with the Director and explained our absence. He was disappointed but understood,” Twilight explained. “We take care of our friends first.
“He had no idea what was going on here or why. So I teleported back to get our drinks.
“Midnight’s right, this place sucks. I swear even at the top, no one really knows what’s going on. Midnight swears it and at times like this, I agree; Academy City is run by bigger idiots than I could have ever imagined,” Twilight finished.
“The longer we stay here, the more I think the same,” nodded Sunset.
Toma nodded in agreement as he sipped his tea. “I’ve thought the same thing more than once,” he stated. “But as long as Mikoto, Index, and our friends are here, so am I.”
Sunset and Twilight both nodded in agreement, then sat there in silence, sipping their teas deep in thought.
“How are you feeling? Feeling better yet?” Twilight asked their friend.
Toma frowned. “I’d feel better if I knew why Stiyl and his witches were so dead set against her. She’s not going to start a war or do anything to hurt anyone, even Kaori said as much. She’s just not like that.”
“Yeah, I don’t get it either. I’ll definitely be asking him about that next time I see him, or Kaori,” agreed Twilight. “That really doesn’t make much sense.”
Sunset slumped in the guest chair, exhausted and frustrated. “Just when I think we have this place figured out,” she sighed.
“So how are you feeling, Sunny?” Twilight asked Sunset.
“Still feel like a mile of really bad road,” said Sunset, sitting up. “But we got this to do and people to find. Help me up, will you?” she asked Twilight.
Twilight picked her up, holding her saddle style, legs wrapped around her waist.
“What’s up with the ride Sparky,” Sunset asked smiling, her face next to Twilights.
“I dropped your chair off at the apartment, so I’m taking you to it. See you later, Toma!” grinned Twilight. They disappeared in a flash of magenta.
Crossing the living room, Twilight set Sunset down gently into her chair for the second time that day.
“I could get used to this,” grinned Sunset.
Twilight stuck out her tongue at her friend. “I bet you could,” she laughed.
Grabbing her laptop Twilight sat at the dining room table then logged into her tools site. She pulled up her surveillance tools and entered the Academy network, connecting to the city video archives through the backdoor she had applied when they first arrived.
She started by searching for footage of the accident on the freeway. She found the spectacular footage of Sunset’s unfortunate ejection, wincing as she watched the flight and bounces ending with her BFF’s eventual sprawl into the street.
But once the other Academy team showed up all the footage for that section of the freeway was missing for several minutes. There was nothing until everyone had cleared out, with only the car and the snarled traffic remaining.
Stiyl, his witches, Toma, his abducted friend, and the Academy team, all were completely missing.
She branched out, looking at offramps to the freeway in the missing timeframe. There were no signs of the team but she did find thirty seconds or so missing on one of the offramps several miles up the road. Then from there, nothing.
She suspected whatever the vehicles were, they had stealth technology that was activated after that point obviating any need to doctor further video feeds.
“Well, that sucks,” groused Twilight. Sunset rolled up next to her.
“What’s wrong, Sparky?” she asked.
“The video feeds I need have all been redacted. And apparently, they have stealth tech, so not much chance of following them back to wherever they came from,” answered Twilight.
“So where did you see them last?” asked Sunset.
“This offramp right here, three miles up from the accident,” answered Twilight. The girls looked at the first still from just after the missing footage. The Endymion spire rose up into the sky in the center of the image.
“So much for tracing them then,” agreed Sunset.
“Hold on, I have an idea. Just a sec,” said Twilight.
The scene shifted to a view from one of the nearby buildings. The offramp was barely visible in a smaller corner.
As they watched, five oddly shaped armoured vehicles approached then raced down the offramp, shimmering then disappearing as they sped down the ramp. Papers and waste at the bottom of the ramp swirled and rose into the air, settling back to the street with nothing visible having ever passed by them. Then there was nothing.
“Well that confirms my hunch, they switched on their stealth tech,” observed Twilight.
“At least we know that was the offramp they took. Can you tell where they were headed?” asked Sunset.
“No, from there they could have gone anywhere. It’s a dead end,” replied Twilight.
“Crab nuggets,” sighed Sunset, resting her head in her hands.
They went to bed early that night, tired, sore and disappointed.