//------------------------------// // Chapter 17: Separation [OLD] // Story: The Soul's Savior // by Dusty Old Qrow //------------------------------// Waiting by the portal was boring. The five girls all sat by the stone statue with dejected looks on their faces, sadly gazing around. Ever since the Fall Formal, students would be walking around with their friends, laughing and smiling. Now there was nobody. They were all too busy arguing with each other inside. Fluttershy tilted her head down solemnly, watching a ladybug crawl on her finger with sad eyes. “I can't believe they got to Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, too...” Indeed, whatever spell that had caused the students of CHS to hate each other had spread to the heads of the school- and the Musical Showcase was now a tournament. A Battle of the Bands. Applejack leaned against the statue, piling her hat over her eyes. “It don’t look good, y’all.” She said in a soft voice. “Not good at all.” “Those girls have gotten to everybody, darling. Everyone’s acting like...” Rarity started, but trailed off when she glanced in Rainbow Dash’s direction. The athlete sighed. “Like when Sunset was in charge.” The mention of the former tyrant caused worried looks to flash across the girls’ eyes. All except for Rainbow Dash's, who simply glared at the ground with her hands in her pockets. “And no, she hasn't responded to my texts or calls. I don't know where she went.” Her girlfriend had simply disappeared after their meeting with Celestia and Luna. One moment Sunset was walking with her group of friends and the next she had vanished without a trace. A search of the school grounds had proved fruitless, and so the remaining five girls had simply decided to wait. The mood had certainly dropped in comparison to everyone’s high spirits just hours ago. They simply sat in sadness, no one willing to break the quiet between them. But of course nothing remains quiet for long when Pinkie Pie is around. The girl’s eyes lit up suddenly as she jumped to her feet with a large smile on her face. “Hey! I just thought of something!” Pinkie exclaimed as her friends looked at her with bewildered expressions. “You said those girls got to everybody, right Rarity?” “I, well, yes...” “Then why aren't we all mad and junk? We were in the cafeteria just like everyone else, so if the new girls’ magic affected them all, shouldn't it have gotten to us too?” As Pinkie Pie finished her inquiry, Rainbow Dash and the others started at her with emotionless expressions. “She's not wrong.” Dash stated, glancing between each of her friends. “We should have been changed, too. But we weren't. Why?” “Ah’d bet that it has somethin' ta do with the factthat we grow wings and hair when we play music!” Applejack spoke up, earning a nod of approval from the other girls. “So, magic, then. And we have no idea how to use that magic to save everyone.” Dash confirmed. Disappointed mumbles from her friends were the only replies she received. Silence reigned over the group for a short while as they tried to think of solutions. Fluttershy groaned softly in frustration. “Oh, if only Twilight was here!” She cried. “She would know what to do!” Rainbow Dash scoffed. “That's not gonna happen. Portal’s closed.” To demonstrate, she picked up a nearby twig and threw it at the base of the statue. To the disappointment of all of them, the twig simply bounced off the stone instead of phasing into another dimension. Rainbow hung her head. “So yeah.” Silence once more washed over them as they resigned to think to themselves, each one holding their chins thoughtfully. “Why don't we search Sunset's locker? We could see if she has anything we could use.” Rarity questioned. Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement. “Or we could find out where she went. Either way, I'm game.” He sighed as he pulled open a drawer and placed a stack of papers in it, leaving it open as he stood from his desk to pull out his phone, which had begun ringing. “Hello?” Time Turner answered to whoever was on the other end. “Mr. Turner?” “Dinky.” He breathed, the sound of her voice almost making him drop his phone. “I-I must say, I didn't expect to receive a call from you. How are you?” He asked while his heart hammered in his chest. “You haven't had any problems with any of the other students, have you?” Turner was well aware of the recent hatred that had spread amongst CHS, and while he knew his daughters could handle themselves he still worried. “No, Mr. Turner. I called because I want to talk to you. In person. Today.” “O-Oh.” Last time he spoke to his youngest, she had broken his heart and denied him any right to call himself her father. But now she was calling him, asking to meet again. “When...” He briefly choked on his own words. “When would you want to-” She interrupted him. “In an hour, at the stadium. School will be out by then, and Derpy and mom will be there too. They, uh... They want to say a few things.” She coughed. “And I guess I do, too.” There is no way this is happening. No way... “I can assure you, Dinky...” Turner said, steadying himself so that his voice would stop shaking. “I'll be there.” “Thank you, Mr. Turner. We'll see you then.” With that, Dinky hung up the phone, leaving Turner sitting with his cell phone pressed against his ear with an empty tone playing in the place of his daughter's voice. After a few seconds of doing nothing, Turner slowly pulled the phone away and snapped it shut. Just then, the door to his classroom opened, revealing Luna and Celestia who stood with small smiles on their lips. “Hello, Time.” Luna greeted pleasantly. “May we come in?” Time Turner immediately jumped from his chair, fixing the collar of his suit and grabbing his trenchcoat from the back of his chair as he walked towards them. “Oh, by all means, ladies. Take a seat. I have wonderful news!” He gave Celestia a firm handshake and Luna a warm hug and a peck on the cheek. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” Celestia giggled lightly. “Well, Time Turner, we just wanted to chat.” “And we have some news of our own.” Luna added as Turner stepped aside to allow them entry. He pulled a spare chair out and plopped in it as the two sisters sat at some students’ desks. “Well,” Turner began. “I suppose I'll bite. You said you had some news, Luna?” He said, gesturing to her. The blue woman's smile grew and she laughed. “Oh yes, Time. I don't know if you're aware, but Canterlot High School has received three new students today.” she informed him. “And they would just love to meet you!” Time Turner raised an eyebrow. “They want to meet me?” He asked. “Odd, but not the strangest thing, I suppose. What are their names?” He leaned forward in his seat slightly. Celestia answered for her sister. “Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk. They're all positively charming. You'll like them, Time.” The women's slightly monotone voice had not gone unnoticed. The hairs on the back of Time Turner’s neck began to rise, but he ignored his concerns and smiled. “Well, who am I to refuse?” “Splendid!” Luna said happily as she clapped her hands together. “They should be here any-” She was cut off by a knock at the door. “Oh.” Said Celestia. “Here they are now.” The principal stood and walked over to the door. After she opened it, three girls strode in with sways in their hips and songs in their hearts... “You sure you know how to open that, Pinks?” “Of course, Dashie! There ain't a lock in the world that can keep me out!” “That’s disturbing, Pinkie.” “What? I need to be able to pick every lock- what if I'm trying to throw a surprise party but I can't because there’s one pesky lock that I can't open so then I'm forced to go home and leave the guest of honor all sad because I promised them a party but they didn't get one-” “We get it Pinkie! Thank you...” The pink girl saluted and kneeled down in front of Sunset’s locker, resting an ear near the lock as she turned it. A series of clicks followed, and the other four girls kept glancing around to make sure they would not be caught. “C’mon, Pinkie!” Applejack breathed as a single click sounded from the lock, different from the others. Pinkie turned from the lock to stare at the farmer. “This isn't as easy as it looks, you know!” She exclaimed, turning the lock in the other direction. “Honestly, some people...” The party planner added under her breath. Another click. Pinkie Pie’s grin returned to her face. “Almost done!” The entire group fell silent as the click of the lock continued to sound. “Got it!” Pinkie said in a sing-song voice as she jumped to her feet and hopped to the back of the group. “All yours, Dashie!” She cheered as she passed the athlete, patting her on the back. “Huh?” Rainbow said dumbly. “Why me?” “‘Cuz Sunset's your girlfriend, silly! So you should be the one to invade her personal privacy and rummage through her locker!” Pinkie said with a large smile, ignoring Rainbow Dash's eye roll. “Well when you put it like that...” Dash groaned as she opened the locker and bent down. There were some basic school supplies like notebooks and paper, but otherwise nothing to tell them Sunset's location. “Great.” Rainbow mumbled. Just as the rainbow haired girl was about to stand, she heard Fluttershy go “W-wait!” “What is it, Shy?” Everyone turned to look at Fluttershy, who squeaked and hid behind her pink hair. “It’s... It's just that, um... There's a... A book at the bottom, there...” “Huh?” Rainbow Dash turned back to the locker and sure enough there was a small brown book sitting at the bottom, covered in dust. “How in the world for I miss that?” She leaned down and grabbed it, noting that on the cover was a sun exactly like the one on Sunset's shirt. “I’ve never seen this before...” “It looks like it hasn't been touched in forever!” Ignoring the other girls’ mumblings behind her, Rainbow Dash slowly opened the book, coughing when the copious amounts of dust went into her lungs. On the first page was a long passage, written in elegant handwriting, but obviously faded with the passage of time. “My dearest Sunset, It is with great pleasure that I give you this journal. In all my time as a princess, I have only ever seen one unicorn with as much magical power as you possess, and he has long since passed. “My faithful student, this journal was one of his first creations. It allows communication with another pony over long distances. He called it a “phone book”, if I recall correctly. For the life of me I can't figure out why. But the important fact is that this journal has a twin- and it is in my possession. “Should you ever want to talk, and we are not within earshot, just write a message in this book and I shall receive it. I look forward to having all sorts of chats with you! “Yours Truly, Princess Celestia” The five girls all stood with questioning expressions, none sure of what exactly they had stumbled across. “This...” Rarity began slowly. “This seems very personal, girls. Maybe we should...” “Hold on!” Applejack interjected. “The other Celestia said that this here book can talk to the other one, and she has it back in Equestria.” The farmer took the book from Rainbow Dash and fished a pen out of her pocket. “So if we write somethin’ in here... “ Rarity gasped. “Then she can get a message to Twilight and help us with the new girls!” “And maybe find Sunset!” Rainbow said with a smile. “Alright, I'm down with this! Go ahead Applejack.” Somewhere in another dimension, in a newly formed crystal castle, a dull ringing sounded through the walls. A purple aura grabbed the ringing book and opened it to the ringing page, gasping as she read the words that were printed on the paper. “What is it, Twi?” Applejack asked, placing a hoof on her friend's shoulder. “It... It looks like a message from my friends at Canterlot High!”