//------------------------------//
// Chapter 51: Old friends, New Fri-enemies 
// Story: The Arrogance of Man 
// by Johng117 
//------------------------------//

The morning sun hovered over the land as the citizens of Canterlot went about their usual business. Junior sat down on a bench in the castle's garden, alone. He yawned to himself as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He looked down at his lap and found Amber to be resting on him. She sighed to herself.
"You're so warm," said Amber.
"Yeah. Winter is coming soon. Ugh, I hate winter," said Junior in annoyance. Amber looked at him curiously.
"Really? But the few survivors of your kind after the cataclysm enjoyed the snow during the ice age. It was easier for them to cool down after consuming a lot of energy from the sea's thermal vents. I'm surprised you hate the cold," said Amber.
"It's not the cold; it's the freaking snow that piles up. I can't stand how it gets in the way and surrounds houses," said Junior as he scratched Amber's back. The fairy yawned in response as she stretched out her wings.
"Mm. Well, that's a shame. But, maybe talking to Shiragami and your former lover will take your mind off of it," said Amber. Junior scowled in annoyance.
"Amber, she was not my lover. There was never any love between us. We're just acquaintances/frenemies," said Junior. He then sighed in annoyance. "I wonder how the others are doing back in Ponyville. I hope not everybody is pissed at them."
"I'm sure it'll be fine," said Amber in reassurance. Her antennae twitched as she caught the sound of chains rattling. Junior's ears perked as he heard them as well. Junior turned and found Sunset Shimmer and Erika Shiragami being led by Koizumi and Inoue.
"Sup, dork?" greeted Koizumi as he held his rifle at his side. Junior scowled.
"Well that was uncalled for," remarked Junior.
"Don't mind him. His ass is still sore from being beaten," said Inoue with a smile. Junior chuckled in amusement.
"I bet," said Junior. Inoue cleared her throat.
"Well, here are the prisoners. Celestia said that you were OK with being by yourself with them but-"
"Inoue, I would honestly appreciate it if you two left," said Junior. Inoue looked at him in surprise.
"Come on, you aren't that stupid! You know what these two can do!" said Inoue. Junior pointed to Sunset's wrists, which were bound by light golden chains.
"Celestia placed a powerful spell on their restraints. They won't be escaping. Besides, we're just going to have a conversation," said Junior with a reassuring smile. Inoue sighed in frustration.
"I honestly don't get you. Fine, we'll go. Just let us know if there's any trouble, alright?" said Inoue with a worried expression. Junior smirked.
"Are you worried about me?" asked Junior. Inoue scoffed as she looked away.
"No! I uh...I just don't want these two causing trouble," said Inoue. Junior lightly smiled.
"OK, I'll let you know," said Junior with a nod.
"Oh, by the way, Takeshi. I think there's something that you might be interested in regarding the Changelings. It can wait till later," said Koizumi with a grin. Junior nodded.
"I'll keep that in mind," said Junior. The two rebels left the Transmutants alone in the garden. Koizumi glanced at Inoue, who wore a look of embarrassment.
"You were totally worried about him," said Koizumi in a teasing tone. Inoue shook her head furiously as she shot him a glare.
"He's growing on me, OK?! Don't tell him, either!" Inoue growled in annoyance.
"I'm pretty sure he already knows. After all, you were getting friendly with him when he lost his shit with the spider Transmutants," said Koizumi. Inoue sighed in annoyance but then lightly frowned.
"I just felt sorry for him. I've been pretty hard on him too," said Inoue.
"Hey, if you want to get mushy, go do it with him. I don't wanna hear it," said Koizumi in disgust. Inoue looked at him in annoyance. She sighed as she shook her head.
Back in the garden, Junior sat alongside Erika and Sunset. The three sat together on the bench in the garden where a few statues stood. Amber sat on his shoulder as she rested against him. The three remained in silence.
"I use to come down here to think. Sometimes to relax or just to be alone," said Junior, breaking the silence. Erika glanced at him.
"I can see why, it's pretty," said Erika.
"Well, it's not my ideal place but it's good enough," said Junior with a shrug. The crimson haired Elf looked at him curiously.
"Gojira, what's your ideal place to be in?" asked Sunset.
"Well, I think the ocean is a good place. It's vaster and gives the feeling of being able to fly. Something about being underwater makes me feel at home," answered Junior. Sunset lightly smiled to herself.
"I have to say, that does sound nice," said Sunset. Junior sighed to himself.
"Yeah," said Junior. Amber turned to look at Erika in curiosity. Erika glanced at her and stared at the fairy. The two were locked in a staring contest for several seconds. Suddenly, Amber opened her mouth and revealed a long pink tongue that flew out. Erika jumped in surprise and yelped as Amber leapt onto the back of the bench and shot her tongue forward.
"Ewww! Stop, what are you doing?!" whined Erika in disgust as the fairy's tongue licked her cheek. Sunset and Junior looked at Amber in confusion before Junior groaned in annoyance.
"Amber, stop it!" said Junior as he grabbed Amber and pulled her away. The fairy kicked her legs wildly as Junior held her by her sides.
"But she smells like a delicious flower! I want the nectar!" whined Amber. Junior sighed as he reached to his side for a bush and pulled off the head of a flower. He held it in front of the fairy's face.
"Here," said Junior with a scowl. Amber gasped in excitement.
" Azaleas! My favorite!" cried Amber in delight as she flailed her legs wildly. She shot her tongue into the flower's head and took in the nectar. Erika sighed in relief as she wiped her face. Sunset stared in amusement as Junior held the flower head for the moth.
"She's pretty cute," said Sunset. Erika scoffed.
"Yeah, until she starts using her long, freaky tongue to lick your face," deadpanned Erika.
"Ah you're just being dramatic. Moths and butterflies do it all the time with flowers. You must have given off a flowery scent that she couldn't resist," said Sunset with a wave of her hand.
"Yeah, you do smell like roses," said Junior in agreement. Erika crossed her arms as she sat back with a scowl. Amber sighed in satisfaction as she pulled her tongue back into her mouth.
"Thank you, Takeshi," said Amber. She nuzzled the Transmutant's cheek affectionately. Junior chuckled at the feeling of her fuzz ticking his neck. His eyes widened as he felt her tongue graze his cheek.
"What the-" Junior looked at her in confusion. Amber laughed in embarrassment.
"That was meant to be a 'thank you' kiss. Unfortunately, I don't have any lips," tittered Amber. Junior chuckled in response.
"Well, thanks," said Junior as he scratched her head. Erika and Sunset stared at the fairy with wide eyes that twinkled.
"She is so adorable," said Erika. Sunset nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, no kidding," said Sunset. Junior placed Amber back on his lap and continued to scratch her back.
"Well, your opinion about her didn't take long to change back," Junior muttered to himself.




Meanwhile in Ponyville

Mosura was sitting at a table with Twilight. The two brought their own plate in front of themselves with a meal on it. Twilight began to read off the language book that she had gotten to learn Neighponese. Currently, Mosura was her tutor while Junior was away. Twilight mentally pouted at the thought of not being able to see Junior again for two weeks.
"OK, so you're starting to get this down. I'm actually quite impressed, Twilight. You're a fast learner!" said Mosura with a smile. Twilight nodded to her.
"I have to be. I built a habit to quickly try to comprehend something if a test were to come on in a short time," said Twilight. Mosura smiled in envy.
"Man, I wish I could have gone back to school! I had to self-educate myself and the boys when we first escaped the facility MONARCH held us in," said Mosura as she placed her elbows on the table and leaned against her hands. She giggled to herself. "I think it'd be nice if...we all had gone to school together."
"Yeah, that would be nice," said Twilight as her face broke into a smile. Mosura shrugged in response.
"Oh well! Life goes on," said Mosura. Twilight looked at her in surprise.
"Huh. I almost thought this was going somewhere. Like we would visualize an alternate timeline of us being students in the same school," said Twilight.
"Yeah, Goji hates dwelling on those. I think he's got me on about not having an imagination about that sort of stuff. He can be a bit of a killjoy, am I right?" asked Mosura in amusement. Twilight reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"Well...yeah. But he's a serious guy. I can't fault him for that," said Twilight.
"Hey, don't be afraid to say anything about him if you're honest. We're girls, we're allowed to do that behind a guy's back," said Mosura with a wink.
"Sorry, I just don't want to say something about him that might sound mean. I agree that he should lighten up a bit more, but how would he react if he were to find out that I think that?" asked Twilight.
"He'd probably try something to lighten up. Besides, if he tries to give you crap about it, let me know and I'll set him straight," said Mosura as she took a sip of her water. Twilight giggled in amusement.
"I'll be sure to let you know," said Twilight. Mosura sighed as she leaned back in her seat. She smiled to herself.
"I think you girls are lucky," said Mosura.
"I'm sorry?" asked Twilight. Mosura turned her attention back to Twilight.
"You, Rainbow, and Fluttershy. You girls are lucky to have guys looking out for you the way they do," said Mosura with an envious smile.
"Oh, but they've looked out for you too. Right?" asked Twilight.
"Sure, especially Goji. But I think it's nice that you were all able to form that special relationship that you have with them. Aang and Fluttershy may need a push, but still. It makes me wonder, what it's like to fall in love. Goji's explanation doesn't sound like a full description of the feeling," said Mosura as she took a bite of her meal. Twilight looked at her with slightly wide eyes as Mosura sighed to herself.
"Mosura, is there a special someone in your life?" asked Twilight. Mosura shook her head.
"No. But that's alright. I think I'll meet that special someone, someday," said Mosura in a positive tone. Twilight lightly smiled.
"Well, I'll wish you luck," said Twilight. Mosura smiled to her.
"Thank you, Twilight," said Mosura. The Transmutant caught a few glares that were being sent from some of the people of the town. Twilight received a few as well. Mosura sighed in disappointment.
"I guess some went back to not trusting us," said Mosura. She shook her head. "What happened really discredited us. Goji is not going to be happy about that."
"It's alright. We're going to be there for you and the others, no matter what," said Twilight as she took Mosura's hand and held it firmly. Mosura lightly smiled as she nodded.



Moderate cyan eyes darted back and forth. Panicked breaths were drawn in as yellow feathers stuck out from stress. Fluttershy whimpered as she darted her eyes around in the dark Everfree forest. Her knees caved in together as she trembled in place.
"Uh...Fluttershy?" called a familiar voice. The Valkyrie yelped as she turned around with a panicked expression. She found Angirasu standing behind her with a look of concern.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay home while I gather the herbs?" asked Angirasu.
"N-No! No, I'm alright. I think," said Fluttershy with a nervous smile.
"You sure?" asked Angirasu. Fluttershy lamely nodded to him. The Transmutant sighed.
"OK. Just stay close and you'll be fine," said Angirasu. Fluttershy nodded as she rushed over to his side and took his arm while he scanned the area. The two walked down through the forest in silence. Only the sounds of birds and a few unknown creatures were heard in the forest. Fluttershy glanced at Angirasu.
"Thank you for escorting me into the forest. Barry Bear really needs these herbs for his medicine," said Fluttershy as she gave the Transmutant a smile. He nodded to her.
"It's no trouble. But is the Everfree the only place close enough to find the herbs?" asked Angirasu. Fluttershy nodded.
"Yes. But that doesn't matter. I'll do whatever it takes to help my animal friends," said Fluttershy with a determined expression. Angirasu nodded to her.
"Then we better not waste any time," said Angirasu as he and the Valkyrie began to pick up their pace. The two continued on through the forest where the sound of critters grew louder.
"Hm. I'm not familiar with this area. Have you come here before?" asked Angirasu.
"No, but this book had information on the herbs being around here," answered Fluttershy as she reached into a satchel and pulled out a brown book with a plant depicted on it. Angirasu hummed to himself.
"Then we ought to be careful. Who knows what could be waiting in the shadows," said Angirasu as he kept his eyes on any bush that they came across. Fluttershy gulped nervously as she searched the trees. The two continued on through the forest in silence, but with extreme caution. As Fluttershy stood closer to Angirasu, she bumped into his shoulder.
"Oops. Sorry," whispered Fluttershy, but Angirasu didn't reply. He merely stood still as his eyes scanned the area. The Valkyrie grew nervous as she watched his stare. His eyes were wide, as if there was a presence that only knew about. Angirasu slowly walked away from Fluttershy.
"Wait! Wh-Where are you going?" asked Fluttershy in a nervous whisper.
"Shh. Wait here, I smell something," Angirasu whispered back. Fluttershy's skin went pale as her body went stiff. Whatever it was that the Transmutant smelled, she hoped it wasn't dangerous. The Transmutant peeked over a bush, but he found nothing. He rubbed his nose as he looked on in confusion.
'I must be smelling things,' thought Angirasu. He made his way back to Fluttershy and took her hand.
"Come on, It'll be getting dark soon," said Angirasu as he walked with the Valkyrie. Fluttershy lightly blushed as she felt her skin make contact with the Transmutant's. Her heart raced in her chest as she walked at his side. The girl felt secure when being in the dark and dangerous forest with Angirasu. Her heart continued to pound in her chest as she stared at his face, which held no sign of fear. She smiled in admiration as she looked forward. Her heart was set on becoming courageous like his. She gasped to herself as her eyes caught sight of a bush that stood at the base of a tree. Fluttershy reached for her satchel and skimmed through her book. Her face brightened up into a smile as a squeal of delight nearly escaped from her mouth.
"Look! There it is!" cried Fluttershy. Angirasu turned his attention at the tree and smiled. He and the Valkyrie rushed at the base of the tree and found the bush sitting alone. Fluttershy began to look the page over.
"All we need to do is pick the herbs from this bush and we can go home!" said Fluttershy as she placed the book back into her satchel.
"Let's start picking," said Angirasu with a smile as he and Fluttershy harvested the herbs. The two placed them in the satchel and stood up to their feet.  As Angirasu began to walk, his nose caught the same scent from earlier. He stopped and turned as he found three staggering figures in the forest. Fluttershy gasped as she hid behind him.
"Something is out there!" whispered Fluttershy as she peeked over his side. Angirasu was unable to make out the figures that were hidden in the shadows. He squinted his eyes as he watched them stagger through the woods. Suddenly, one of the figures fell forward and landed face first on the ground. Angirasu stepped closer, filled with worry.
"Stay close," said Angirasu. Fluttershy frantically nodded as she trailed closely behind. The two walked over towards where the figure had fallen. As they came closer, they heard panicked whispers from the standing figures. His eyes widened as he recognized the voices. He rushed towards the figures, who gave gasps of panic.
"Eep!" cried Fluttershy as she tried to keep up with the Transmutant. As Angirasu came towards the clearing where the figures were, his eyes were filled with disbelief.
"It's you," said Angirasu in a soft tone. Before him were Adagio, Siren and Sonata. The three were huddled together with a look of shock on their faces. Fluttershy peeped from behind and tilted her head in curiosity. Sonata was on her knees on the ground, staring at Angirasu with wide eyes. Her face broke into a grin as she shot up to her feet and dove for the Transmutant.
"Angirasu!" cried Sonata as she wrapped the Transmutant into a tight hug. Fluttershy's widened as her turned to confusion. Angirasu grunted as of Sonata continued to apply pressure in her hug.
"Oh I missed so much! We were worried that MONARCH got you!" cried Sonata. Adagio and Aria stood up to their feet with a look of relief on their faces.
"What are you all doing here?" asked Angirasu in surprise. He was relieved to see the Sirens to be well. Mosura mentioned that they escaped from MONARCH, but it was a relief to see them in person.
"Yeah, we found Mosura injured a few months back and she told us where you guys were living. So, we decided to see if you guys were OK," answered Aria with small smile. Angirasu gave her a nod as he returned her smile.
"We are," said Angirasu. He then noticed the clothing that the girls were wearing. They were still wearing the abaya's that Junior and Mosura had shopped for them in Saddle Arabia, but their clothes showed signs of being dirty. The Transmutant was able to catch the pungent smell that radiated off of them. He was about to cup his nose but thought against it. Fluttershy however, visibly crinkled her nose.
"Hey, how long have you three been on land?" asked Angirasu. Fluttershy looked at him in confusion at what the Transmutant meant by his question. She assumed that the girls may have been sailors, which would explain their smell.
"Ugh. It's been days! We got lost in a town that's miles from here. Mosura said you guys were in Ponyville, but we ended up getting lost in this forest when trying to get there," said Adagio. Angirasu's eyes widened.
"Have any of you eaten?!" asked Angirasu.
"No! I'm so hungry that I think my tummy is eating itself!" whined Sonata as she slumped against Angirasu. Fluttershy watched the Siren as she held the Transmutant and found the sight displeasing. She shook off the thought and looked at the three with a kind smile.
"Um...we were just heading back to my cottage right now. You three are welcome to join us. I'll even make you all something to eat. If you want, that is," said Fluttershy in a timid manner. The Sirens' eyes twinkled at the hospitality offered by the Valkyrie. Their aching stomachs would be put at ease, thanks to this angelic girl. Aria slumped her shoulders.
"Wait, who are you?" asked Aria in confusion.
"Oh! This is one of the friends that from Ponyville that we were talking about," answered Angirasu as he pulled Fluttershy to his side. "This is Fluttershy,"
"H-Hello," stuttered Fluttershy with a small wave. Adagio looked over the girl curiously.
"So you know that he turns into a dragon-like creature?" asked Adagio. Fluttershy twiddled her thumbs.
"Um...yeah," answered Fluttershy. She shrugged in response. "Doesn't everyone know at this point?"
"Who cares?! Let's get out of the forest! It's freaking me out!" said Sonata as she tugged at Angirasu's arm. Aria nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I feel like we're being watched," said Aria as she nervously searched the area. Angirasu sniffed the air.
"Well, you're not wrong. Come on, there's a Manticore nearby. Let's get going," said Angirasu as he took Fluttershy's hand and walked with her.
"What's a Manticore?" asked Adagio.
"Something that will eat you alive if you're caught," answered Angirasu. The Sirens gulped nervously as they looked at their surroundings. They immediately chased after the Transmutant and Valkyrie. Fluttershy glanced at Angirasu curiously.
"Um...Angirasu, who are they?" asked Fluttershy.
"They're friends that I and the other Transmutants met in Saddle Arabia," answered Angirasu. Fluttershy nodded to him in understanding.
"So, they're all just friends. Right?" asked Fluttershy in a slight worried tone. Angirasu nodded.
"Right. That's what I said," replied Angirasu, oblivious to Fluttershy's state. The Valkyrie sighed in relief.
"Good," said Fluttershy with a small smile.



"Oh wow!" Sonata's eyes were bright with fascination as she stared at a blue bird that perched itself on a bird house that hung from the ceiling. The bird gave a few tweets, prompting Sonata to squeal to herself.
"It's so pretty! What is it?!" asked Sonata as she looked to Angirasu. The Transmutant was bringing over a large plate filled with sandwiches.
"That's a blue jay," answered Angirasu as he placed the plate on a small table.
"Oooh!" said Sonata in fascination. The Siren sat down on the sofa as she watched the bird with a smile. Meanwhile, Adagio and Aria watched reluctantly as Fluttershy knelt before a large, brown bear. Never had they seen such a burly creature on land. They stared nervously at his claws and sharp teeth as it ate the herbs that Fluttershy had given him. The Valkyrie ran her hand over the bear's head as he gave a low growl.
"You'll be feeling better soon, Barry. Just be sure to get some rest, OK?" asked Fluttershy. Barry groaned as he rolled over in the grass and splayed his limbs out. Fluttershy giggled in response as she kissed Barry's nose.
"Get well soon," said Fluttershy. She turned to face Adagio and Aria, who continued to eye the bear anxiously.
"So uh...he's..." Adagio tried to fish for the name of the species of the animal. She didn't want to risk revealing her ignorance to the Valkyrie, lest she would grow suspicious.
"Oh, don't worry! Barry is a very friendly bear," said Fluttershy in reassurance. Aria backed away as the bear stood up on his paws and stalked towards her.
"Why is he looking at me like that?" asked Aria in a nervous tone. The bear licked his snout as he crouched himself lower. Aria gulped nervously as her eyes widened. Aria suddenly fell back and fell on her rear. She attempted to crawl backwards but the bear was already on top of her. Aria trembled in the bear's presence as he lowered his snout towards her.
"EEEK!!" Aria screamed as she clenched her eyes shut as the bear bared his teeth at her.
"Barry! Barry, no!" said Fluttershy in a scolding tone as she rushed over towards the downed Siren and pushed the bear away, causing him to step back as he gave a growl. He gave a groan as he forced his way passed Fluttershy and sniffed Aria's face.
"Barry, be nice!" said Fluttershy in a scolding manner as she grabbed the bear by his shoulder. Adagio watched with wide eyes with a look of panic.
"He's gonna eat me. He's gonna eat me. He's gonna me!" muttered Aria as she trembled on the ground. Barry lowered his muzzle and brought it towards Aria's waist. He began to sniff at the pocket that was located on Aria's abaya. Fluttershy tilted her head in curiosity and decided to investigate. She brought her hand into the pocket and pulled out a paper bag. As she held it up, Barry forced his muzzle against the bag as he gave low growls. Fluttershy reached inside the bag and pulled out a sandwich with a brownish gold type of food in the center.
"What's this?" asked Fluttershy.
"A fried fish sandwich that Aria swiped," answered Adagio as she relaxed. Fluttershy gasped as she immediately dropped the sandwich on the ground with her eyes wide with horror.
"What?!" cried Fluttershy as Barry devoured the sandwich. He gave a satisfied grunt as he walked away and plopped down on the grass.
"We didn't have any money and we had to eat something," said Adagio with a shrug as she bore a nervous smile.
"That's...not entirely why I was shocked," said Fluttershy as she watched Barry scratch his belly. She shuttered to herself.
'Poor fish. Well, at least Barry has his appetite back,' thought Fluttershy. Aria sat up with a traumatized expression.
"I'm going inside," muttered Aria. She shot up to her feet and rushed towards the house. The Siren was about to enter the house, but the sound of Sonata conversing with Angirasu reached her ears. She leaned against the door and began to listen.
Inside of the house, Sonata bore a shy expression as she sat down near Angirasu. The Transmutant was eating a sandwich in silence. Sonata cleared her throat.
"So...that's awesome that you guys all got home safely," said Sonata. Angirasu nodded to her.
"Yeah, but it took a while. But I'm glad that you three made out safely," said Angirasu with a small smile. Sonata giggled.
"Dagi's smart. Thanks to her, we were able to get out of there alive," said Sonata. She then scooted closer to the Transmutant. The Siren turned to face him with a blush on her cheeks.
"I really missed you, Angirasu," said Sonata. Angirasu had stopped eating his meal and glanced at Sonata. As he caught her soft expression and the girl was growing closer to him, his mind played back to months ago. He recalled how the Siren planted a kiss on his cheek back when MONARCH's soldiers had arrived. Sonata took his hand into her own and held it firmly.
"I...I always wanted to tell you this. I-I have a crush on you!" cried Sonata. Angirasu's expression was neutral for several seconds. He replayed Sonata's words over and over in his mind. He lightly frowned as his eyes looked away from the Siren. Sonata's eyes slightly widened as he turned himself to face forward as he bowed his head.
"Angirasu?" called Sonata. Angirasu sighed.
"Sonata..." Angirasu hesitated to look in her direction. The Transmutant felt his stomach turn for what he was about to do. Angirasu turned to face Sonata with a sad expression.
"Listen...I really like you. You're a nice girl. But...I can't return your feelings," said Angirasu as he lowered his head. Sonata's expression turned to hurt as she lowered her hands to her lap. Her shoulders slumped as her heart was torn in two.
"Why?" asked Sonata in a small tone.
"I...I actually hold feelings for someone else. That's why I can't return yours," said Angirasu. Sonata's lip quivered as her eyes watered. She gave a small sniffle, which caused Angirasu to grit his teeth as he clenched his fist. He hated himself for breaking her heart. Sonata turned away as she kept her sobs to herself. Angirasu turned to face the Siren as his frown deepened.
"Sonata, I'm sorry," said Angirasu in a soft tone. The Siren sniffled as she took calming breaths. She wiped away a few tears that were in her eye and glanced at Angirasu with a sad smile.
"No. No, it's OK. I understand, Angirasu. I won't get in the way," said Sonata as she gave another sniffle. Angirasu looked down in sadness. He never wanted to hurt the young Siren. However, his feelings for Fluttershy were much stronger than they were for Sonata.
"Can I ask who she is?" asked Sonata.
"It's Fluttershy," answered Angirasu as he avoided eye contact with Sonata. The Siren looked out the window and found the Valkyrie encouraging Adagio to pet the ferret that she was holding. Sonata sniffled as she rubbed her arm. She turned to face Angirasu.
"She does seem really nice. But...do you think it would be OK if we were still friends?" asked Sonata. Angirasu brought his head up to meet her eyes. He smiled to her and nodded.
"I'm OK with it," replied Angirasu.  Sonata smiled brightly as she wrapped the Transmutant into a tight hug. The Siren pulled away as she tugged on her abaya.
"Ew. This thing is really starting to bug me. I wish I had more clothes," said Sonata in disgust. The door opened, revealing Aria to be wandering inside with Fluttershy and Adagio trailing behind. Aria's face was neutral as she sat in between Angirasu and Sonata. The Siren crossed her arms as she kept a neutral expression. Angirasu couldn't help but sense a small amount of tension building up.
"Hey, Aria!" said Sonata as she ate a sandwich slice.
"Hey," replied Aria in a bored sounding tone. She cupped her nose as she caught Sonata's scent.
"Ugh! I never realized how bad you smelled until now!" said Aria in disgust. Sonata looked at her in offense.
"Hey! You stink too!" retorted Sonata.
"We all stink, Sonata," deadpanned Adagio with a scowl. Fluttershy stood up to her feet as she looked to the Sirens with a smile.
"If you'd like, I can draw up a bath to get that smell off of you," offered Fluttershy. Sonata shot up to her feet with an eager expression.
"Yes! I want to get out of these nasty clothes!" said Sonata. Fluttershy led the Siren upstairs to the bathroom. Angirasu sat silently while Aria sat next to him with a neutral expression. Adagio lightly smiled as she scratched the ferret's head as it sat on her lap.
"I should deck you right now," said Aria as she kept her arms crossed. Angirasu turned to her in confusion.
"Wait, what?" asked Angirasu. Aria's brow twitched in annoyance.
"Screw it. I'm doing it anyway," Aria muttered to herself. She immediately turned to face Angirasu and sent her fist towards the Transmutant's cheek. Adagio gasped in shock while Angirasu's head was slightly forced to the side.
"Ow," said Angirasu as he rubbed his cheek with a small frown.
"Gah!" cried Aria as she clutched her fist as it ached in pain. She waved her hand to shake off the pain.
"Are you made of bricks or something?!" demanded Aria as she sent a glare towards the Transmutant. Angirasu shrunk back.
"Sorry! But why did you hit me?" asked Angirasu. Aria scowled at him. She turned away as she kept her arms crossed.
"That was for making Sonata cry," answered Aria. Angirasu lightly frowned.
"I didn't mean to. But you have to understand that I don't feel the same about her as she does about me. There is already someone else," said Angirasu. Aria sighed in response.
"You still made her cry," said Aria.
"I know," replied Angirasu as he lowered his head. Adagio gave him a reassuring smile.
"Hey, don't be too down about it. She'll get over it soon. There's more fish in the sea," said Adagio. Angirasu chuckled in amusement.
"Is that a saying that Sirens use too?" asked Angirasu. The conversation was interrupted as a sudden scream reached their ears. The Transmutant and Sirens shot up, startled by the scream.
"Fluttershy?!" called Angirasu as he shot up to his feet and rushed towards the stair case. His heart raced in his chest as he climbed the stairs. He turned and found the bathroom door opened with Fluttershy's back blocking the door. He rushed over towards her.
"Fluttershy, what's wrong?" asked Angirasu in worry. The Valkyrie stared with wide eyes as she looked towards the oval shaped bathtub. His shoulders slumped.
"Oh," said Angirasu with a blank expression. Sonata was in the bathtub, covered up to her neck in bubbles. But what the Transmutant and Valkyrie were staring at was none other than the fish tail that was sticking out of the water on the edge of the tub. Fluttershy shakily turned to Angirasu, who kept a calm expression.
"She...she has a fish tail?" asked Fluttershy in a disturbed tone.
"Yeah," answered Angirasu. Fluttershy looked at him with an appalled expression at how nonchalant the Transmutant was.
"Did you know?!" exclaimed Fluttershy. Angirasu nodded.
"Yeah. It has been a weird month for all of us," replied Angirasu. Meanwhile, Sonata giggled as she cupped her hands together and blew the bubbles off of her hand.  From the hall, Adagio and Aria came rushing in. Fluttershy looked at the Sirens nervously and then to Angirasu.
"Here, why don't I start from the beginning?" suggested Angirasu as he led Fluttershy out of the bathroom.




Meanwhile in Canterlot...

The noon had arrived. Junior was walking through the Canterlot garden with Erika and Sunset in silence. Amber remained perched on his shoulder as she looked on ahead. As they walked, Junior continued to hear the jingle of the magic chain links that bounded the ankles and wrists of the soldiers. It was a very unpleasant sound for him to listen to. The sound annoyed him, but it also caused him to feel a bit of sympathy for them. The two weren't intentionally doing wrong. They were merely following orders of a higher command. He thought it was a shame how it has landed the two into becoming prisoners, but he could not let his guard down. The Transmutant was still reluctant to fully trust the two.
Junior led the two soldiers over towards a statue that was hidden deeper into the garden. The statue was the Draconequs that had broken and released the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. Junior kept a firm expression as he gazed at the statue. Erika and Sunset Shimmer looked at the statue curiously.
"Hey, what's that?" asked Erika.
"Oh! That's the Draconequs statue! I don't remember that being right here," said Sunset in surprise. She then noticed how solitary the area was. There were several hedges around that stood tall, obscuring the statue from anyone's sight unless they were standing in front of it. She also noticed how the pose of the statue was different compared to the last time that she had seen it.
"Right. Turns out that Discord here was a Draconequs that was stopped by the princesses and turned into stone by the Elements of Harmony. Several months back, he was freed and attempted to take over Equestria and possibly the world with his power. But, he was imprisoned again by the Elements," explained Junior as he placed his hands in his pocket. Sunset and Erika looked at him at wide eyes.
"Oh, yeah I remember hearing about that! The sun kept rising and setting in just minutes instead of hours! I thought the world was coming to an end or something," said Erika as she looked over the statue.
"Yeah. Asshole was even my imaginary friend back when I was a kid," said Junior with a scowl. Sunset glanced at Junior and then at Discord.
"Why him? Why not any other statues in the garden?" asked Sunset. Junior sighed.
"I don't know. I guess it was the fact how unusual the statue was and I found myself relating to it because we were both branded as monsters. Celestia even told me the legend about him when I was a kid. She never knew that I made him my imaginary friend," said Junior. He shook his head in disappointment. "I guess power was mostly what he cared about. He didn't do what he did because he was hurt,"
"Gojira?" called Erika. Junior kept his gaze on the statue and the frozen fearful eyes.
"I wonder if he can hear us," Junior said to himself. Sunset looked at the statue and then back to Junior.
"Did you want to say something to him if he could?" asked Sunset.
"Maybe. But I don't know what to say. I can either say that I pity him, or I can say that I hope he erodes soon. But looking back on it, he's probably not the worst enemy that I've faced. No, there is someone who I hate the most, and Discord knows it. Isn't that right, Discord?" asked Junior as he kept his gaze on the statue. The statue remained silent. Erika and Sunset glanced at Junior with raised brows. Junior smirked.
"I must look really crazy right now, huh?" asked Junior as he looked towards the soldiers. They merely looked away with nervous laughs.
"Ah, whatever. I just came here to check on him to see if he hasn't escaped," said Junior. He then pulled his sweater's sleeve back and looked at the watch strapped to his wrist.
"Looks like our time together today is almost up. Let's head back," said Junior. The two nodded to him and followed the Transmutant through the forest. Junior glanced back at the two young women.
"Hey, not sure if I can get an answer out of you about something like this. But out of curiosity, do you know anything about that new mech that MONARCH has? The one that looks like me," said Junior. Sunset and Erika looked at each other in reluctance. Unsure whether if they should tell the Transmutant anything about MONARCH's weaponry or not. Sunset shrugged in response.
"Ah...well you're kind of asking the wrong people about that. We don't know anything about the mech other than it has more advanced weaponry. But I don't think we should tell you more than that. Otherwise we'd probably get court martialed," said Sunset. Junior nodded to her in understanding.
"Well, unless they come for you, I don't think you would have to worry about that. But, I won't ask any more about it. I was just curious since it's a lot tougher than the others," said Junior. Erika glanced to the side.
"To be honest...the thing gives me the creeps," said Erika. Junior looked back at her in surprise.
"Really? Why is that?" asked Junior.
"I don't know. I once was around that thing when it was broken and it started acting freaky. I just get a very weird vibe from it. I'm not comfortable around that thing," said Erika as she rubbed her arm. She shuttered as she recalled her nightmare of the machine. Junior turned forward with a thoughtful expression.
"It could be just the fact that you're a Transmutant. Those things seem to know that they're supposed to be killing Transmutants. You may be worried that it'll turn on you," said Junior with a shrug.
"Yeah, that's what I said!" said Sunset. Erika frowned as she heard the male Transmutant's response.
"But it's not just that. Something isn't right," Erika muttered to herself. The three continued on through the garden, nearing its exit. On the ground, they found Caesar lying on his belly with a couple of fairies on his back. He turned his head and greeted Junior with a smile.
"Ah. Junior, it is good to see you," said Caesar. Junior nodded to him as he stopped with the soldiers.
"Likewise," replied Junior. He then looked at the two soldiers that were with him.
"I see that you are getting to know these two. I hope it has been pleasant," said Caesar. Junior nodded.
"It's been fine," answered the Transmutant. Caesar's nose twitched as he caught a scent. He stood up and began to prowl towards the three. Sunset's eyes widened as she backed away from the Shisa as he directed his attention on her. She gasped as his nose was brought close to her head. Erika stood by anxiously while Junior stood in curiosity.
"Hmm. I can sense much power within you, my dear," said Caesar as he pulled his muzzle away. Sunset sighed in relief as the Shisa backed off. She then looked at him curiously as he stared at the ground. The Shisa looked back up to her with a firm expression.
"If you are not careful, that power can be used for evil," said Caesar. Sunset Shimmer gulped nervously as she heard this. Her expression turned to dejection as she thought back to her appearance when she had transformed. The sight was something that she could describe as being evil. She lowered her head.
"I'll keep that in mind," said Sunset. Caesar nodded as he walked away. Junior looked at him in disbelief. He turned and noticed Koizumi and Inoue to be approaching.
"Times up ladies! I hope you enjoyed your time outside, because you're gonna have to return to your cell for the day," said Koizumi. They both nodded as they turned back to Junior. Erika bowed before him.
"Thank you for this, Gojira. I hope we can do this again soon," said Erika.
"Yeah, thanks," said Sunset in a soft tone. Junior nodded to them as he gave them a small smile.
"Sure. Take care you two," said Junior. The two nodded to him as they turned and walked towards Koizumi and Inoue. The two rebels led the prisoners out of the garden, leaving Junior with Caesar. He sent a glare to the Shisa.
"Hey, what's the big idea?" demanded Junior as he approached the Shisa. "You potentially just ruined her day by bringing that shit up!"
"That was not my intention. It is something that she must know, otherwise it may cost her and all of us," said Caesar as he sat himself on the grass. Junior groaned in annoyance.
"Whatever," said Junior as he placed his hands in his pockets and began to walk away.
"Junior!" called Caesar. The Transmutant sighed as he turned to face the Shisa.
"What?" asked Junior. The Shisa began to approach him.
"The same goes for you. If you aren't careful with your gift, it can be used for dark purposes. Which is why you must learn to control the power that has been growing inside of you from the spirit essence," said Caesar. He gestured for Junior to follow him.
"Come. We will go somewhere further from civilization to help you control this new power that you have developed," said Caesar. Junior nodded to him.
"Alright. Lead the way," said Junior as he followed Caesar. The two continued on through the exit of the garden and out towards the castle grounds. Caesar looked towards one of the fairies on his back.
"Go and inform Princess Celestia that I will be taking Junior out of castle grounds to teach him important lessons. It may take a few days," said Caesar.
"Yes, Caesar," said the fairy as she fluttered her wings and took off into the air. Junior glanced at Amber as she sat on his shoulder.
"When will the others learn to control their power?" asked Junior.
"Well, soon they might be experiencing something that would pertain to their powers. Cornflower and Blossom will be there for them," said Amber. Junior nodded. They began to travel out into city grounds, drawing the attention of the citizens that they passed by.