Episode 5: Training Day
Monday morning started off normally for Sunset Shimmer. She rolled out of her crumpled, small bed, padded over to the bathroom while still working out kinks in her joints and yawning. A shower washed away most of her morning fatigue and she threw on a comfy white bathrobe while she brushed out her hair and went about making a quick breakfast of cereal and sliced apple, the sunlight filtering in through the windows to light up motes of dust in the air.
Quiet and peaceful, if not for the black clad Soul Reaper who was now perched outside her window.
“GAH!” Sunset nearly spilled her cereal as she scrambled away from the table, blinking at the window. Outside Clover just slide through the wall like it wasn’t even there, a ghostly spectre yet somehow still looking completely solid and real as she poked her head through the window.
“Good, you’re up. I was wondering how long you were going to sleep. We have a lot to go over today for training!”
“Look,” said Sunset, calming herself with a few slow breaths as she resumed her seat, “I told you I have school each morning during the week. Training will have to wait until after class.”
“But if a Hollow attacks-”
“Me and the girls will figure out an excuse to leave class and we’ll handle it together,” said Sunset calmly, “But there hasn’t been another Hollow since Saturday. We’re just going to take this one step at a time Clover, alright?”
Clover’s lips pressed tightly and her eyes flashed for a moment, but her voice kept its polite and upbeat tone, “If you’re willing to put in the extra work after school hours then I suppose there’s no problem with it. I can probably handle any Hollow issues during your classes anyway. As for your friends, I’m still not certain I approve of them going into combat against Hollows. The living shouldn’t have to deal with such things; that’s the whole point of the Soul Society and Soul Reapers.”
“It’s their choice,” said Sunset curtly, though a part of her rather agreed with Clover, “And since we’ve made that deal with Discord,” she shuddered a bit at that, “It only makes sense my friends continue to be involved.”
“Mr. Discord is a reliable enough ally,” said Clover as she floated into Sunset’s kitchen fully and landed in front of the table, standing straight and rubbing her chin with slim gray fingers, “At least as long as he gets his due. I’m not sure how he intends to help your friends fight Hollows, however. I suppose he might give them weaponry similar to what his servants use... well, I suppose we’ll see in due time. Just be prepared for the worst. This isn’t a game we’re playing here.”
“Believe me, I know,” said Sunset, mind flashing back to that slow, horrific moment she saw Adagio get impaled, “I more than know.”
As if sensing what Sunset was thinking, having heard the whole story already, Clover’s expression softened, voice easing with sympathy, “I guess you do at that. It could have turned out far worse for that girl. If she’d truly died you would have had to perform Konso on her soul.”
“Konso?”
“Soul burial. It is the process by which we Soul Reapers send non-Hollow souls, Wholes, to pass on to the Soul Society. It is a technique that is easy to perform, but I will have to show it to you... probably today, actually,” said Clover with a somber undercurrent to her otherwise energetic tone. “It is just one of many duties you will have to get used to as a Substitute Soul Reaper.”
“Yeah, about that,” Sunset started to put away her cereal bowl and then went to her room to get dressed for school, Clover following behind, “I’m still not clear on what that means. What, have I been drafted into your organization?”
“In a sense,” said Clover, leaning up against the door as Sunset threw on some clothes, “Its a rarely used title that...that...”
As Clover trailed off Sunset glanced up, wondering what she’d stopped talking, only to see Clover turned around in the doorway, cheeks flushed. “What’s wrong?”
“You, uh, you were getting dressed. I’m just being, you know, polite...” said Clover.
Sunset blinked, looking down at herself. She’d had on her bathrobe in the kitchen and hadn’t even thought twice about taking it off to fish out some underwear and other clothes for the day, leaving herself rather exposed in the process. It hadn’t even occurred to her that it’d be inappropriate. She’d lived most of her life as a unicorn pony from another realm, where clothes were optional and she’d rarely bothered. Even as a human she hadn’t much noticed or cared about the taboos against nudity, especially when she was alone in her own apartment.
But I’m not alone, and Soul Reaper or not, Clover has all the same hang ups humans have about this kind of thing, she thought as she laughed to herself and said, “Sorry about that. I’m not used to having company over. This won’t take but a minute.”
She hurriedly got dressed, her usual teal shirt skirt along with blue jeans and black boots, tossing on her leather jacket over it all.
“Okay, I’m decent. You can get back to telling me about this whole Substitute Soul Reaper business while we walk to school.”
Clover visibly gulped, saying in a suddenly mousing voice, “...okay...”
Before leaving her apartment Sunset retrieved her Zanpaktou and placed it inside her guitar case. She figured that would be the easiest way to carry it around until she worked out a better solution. Rarity had told her yesterday that she was working on something that would ‘compliment Sunset's new position and weapon with style’.
She and Clover were halfway down the first block of Sunset’s usual fifteen minute walk to the school when Clover resumed, “A-as I was saying, Substitute Soul Reaper is a title that’s only been used once before in the history of Soul Society, so the Captains did not come to this decision lightly. Oh, I ought to tell you that too... oh, there’s so much to go over! This is like having to teach basic classes at the Academy all over again.”
“Don’t worry about too many details, just give me the basic rundown about what applies to me. I don’t need to know everything on day one,” said Sunset, trying to give Clover an encouraging smile.
“Okay, well, basically your position is that of a temporarily recognized ally of the Soul Society who is allowed to use Soul Reaper powers; wielding a Zanpaktou, and...uh, well if you want, eventually learning Kido spells. Oh, and there’s things like Hoho techniques for fast movement, and Hakuda for unarmed combat. I’ll just be focusing on your Zanpaktou for now, and maybe if I can, maybe show you how to use Shunpo in time. Anyway, as this Substitute Soul Reaper you’re not part of any of the 13 Court Guard Divisions, just an ancillary individual under the blanket authority of the whole Soul Society. As it happens you’ll mostly be under my watch as a member of the 12th Division, which is in charge of research and development of any and all technology the Soul Society makes use of. I’m 3rd seat in the 12th Division, which puts me directly under Lieutenant Meadowbrook and Captain Starswirl-”
Sunset nearly tripped over her own feet, just barely catching herself as she stared dumbly at Clover, “Starswirl!? Starswirl the Bearded?”
Clover paused, blinking at Sunset, “Uh, well, he does have a beard, but I don’t think anyone’s ever called him by a title because of it. Wait, how do you know Captain Starswirl?”
“I, well, I don’t,” admitted Sunset, “I’ve just heard that name before. Historically speaking. Probably just a man with the same name.”
Definitely a man, or rather stallion, with the same name. There wasn’t a student of magic anywhere who didn’t know the name Starswirl the Bearded! There were conventions that still drew crowds that celebrated one of Equestria's most prominent mages. Perhaps she ought to be surprised that in this world he might’ve passed on, and then become apart of something like the Soul Society. Come to think of it, Meadowbrook was a familiar name too, another well known unicorn mage, albeit from the east and not as prominent in Equestria as Starswirl. It seemed this Soul Society attracted all sorts of historically noteworthy people.
Clover seemed to accept Sunset’s explanation with a nod and shrug, and Sunset figured that was for the best. Not that she thought the whole issue of her being from another realm entirely was going to be too much of an issue, but things were complicated enough already without adding that to the mix unnecessarily.
“Right then, as I was saying, you’ll basically be acting as a Soul Reaper for this town, performing the duties of protecting it from Hollows, with my help of course, until such time as the Captains make a decision as to your long term status. This matter of being a Substitute is only a temporary affair until they deliberate further, you see.”
“So what will happen to me and my friends in the long run?” Sunset asked.
“Worst case scenario is that they decide to remove your powers as a Soul Reaper and have you and your friends’ memories of these events erased,” said Clover, bluntly, but honestly, “There were several harsher minded Captains that wanted more... extreme solutions, but cooler heads prevailed. It's possible that, if you take to the role as a Substitute, that you may be allowed to keep the position for, well, as long as you want it. Until the Captains reach a decision we’re to do what we can to get you up to speed.”
By now they’d reached the street that Canterlot High was on and Sunset saw dozens of students passing by on their own way to class, buses stopping and unloading a colorful river of various young folk filtering into Canterlot High’s front doors.
“Well, suppose I’ll see you after...class?” Sunset glanced around. Clover had already vanished into thin air. Sunset gave a small, rueful smile, shaking her head and heading on into the school.
----------
The school day was as normal and uneventful as just about any of the many such days Sunset had faced in the past. Her essays due in Mr. Cranky’s class were turned in, albeit with a twinge of worry as to their quality as she’d had to basically do a rush job on them on Sunday, but given all that had happened Sunset could accept a B over her usual A grades this time around. If anything several of her teachers seemed more concerned with Sunset’s apparent fatigue and still present bruises, garnering a few questions if she was alright, which she brushed off with reassurances that she’d just had a bit too much fun camping over the weekend.
At lunch she had gathered with the girls and briefly gone over what Clover had told her, most of her friends accepting it with simple nods, or in Pinkie Pie's case playing with straws while not really paying attention.
“It's unfortunate that this ‘Soul Society’ could just decide t erase our memories out of the blue,” said Rarity in a tense tone, “Rather foreboding, really.”
“Clover made it sound like it wouldn’t come to that, but I know what you mean,” said Sunset.
“It worryin’, but a drop in the bucket compared ta what we already got on our plates,” said Applejack, “Speakin’ o’ which, Clover tell ya just what this trainin’ o’ yer’s is gonna be like?”
“Not really any details, but I’m not expecting it to be easy. Guess I’ll find out soon,” said Sunset, and felt Flutterhy’s light touch on her shoulder.
“Whatever it is, we’ll be there to support each other.”
“Yeah,” said Pinkie Pie, “And maybe soon with the help of Mr. Creepy Shopkeeper we’ll mysteriously one by one get super powers of our own, then form the center of a coalition of misfits from a myriad of different factions in a epic battle for the fate of the universe!”
At the stares Pinkie Pie shrugged, “What? Too much like the source material?”
After a second the girls decided to ignore Pinkie Pie and Rarity leaned in towards Sunset, “I can’t give it to you here, but as soon as schools over and we meet with Clover I have just the thing for your special sword. I’m just certain you are going to love it.”
Sunset laughed lightly, “I don’t doubt it Rarity, looking forward to what you’ve got.”
The rest of the day went by a in a blur of going through the motions, Sunset’s eyes always sliding towards the windows during class, as if expecting to catch a glimpse of either a black clad Soul Reaper going by, or the horrific form of a Hollow. She and all the girls had their Detectors on hand, just in case, but there wasn’t a single beep from them, and when the bell rang to let school out Sunset nearly jumped, half thinking the sound had been her Detector going off. Putting a hand on her chest and slowing her breath, she shouldered her backpack, retrieved her guitar case from her locker, and heading out towards the soccer field where she’d agreed to meet the girls.
Rainbow Dash was already there, kicking around a soccer ball, probably to work off some nervous energy Sunset imagined. Applejack and Pinkie Pie showed up next, joining Sunset in watching Dash do her thing. Before long Fluttershy and Twilight also arrived, leaving only Rarity as the last girl to show up. When Rarity did arrive it was with a long case wrapped in dark red cloth. She had a particularly satisfied smile on her face and had a happy bounce to her step as she approached Sunset and held out the case.
“Go ahead, look inside. I did some research to ensure I did everything correctly and I hope you’ll be pleased by the results. Come now darling, open it!”
Rarity’s giddiness was a bit infectious and everyone gathered around, even Rainbow Dash setting down the soccer ball to come over and see what Rarity had made. Sunset wasted no time, unwrapping the red cloth and opening up the black lacquered case within. Inside the case was a sword sheath, wooden and carved delicately from what looked to be deeply varnished wood that made it look like a smoky wine red. Upon the sheath a image was carved, wrapping the length of the mouth of the sheath almost halfway down. It was a phoenix, the noble beak and crest of feathers detailed in their carving, all the way to the flickers of its curled wings and tail that seemed to almost pop off the sheath as if alive. Beside the sheath there was a dark orange sash with a clear loop for the sheath, something Sunset could easily wear under her jacket with little obstruction.
Gulping, Sunset reached out a hand and gently ran her fingers along the smooth length of the sheath, “Rarity, it's beautiful. You did this in one day?”
“Oh of course not. I did it in two! I’d started as soon as I could Sunday, and finished today before school. Now I’m not entirely certain I got the length right, I mean, I’m good at eyeing my measurements, but I would like to see you try it out to make sure it's a proper fit.”
“Wow Rares, I mean, I knew you could belt out a whole line of dresses in no time flat, but didn’t know your skills extended to woodshop,” said Rainbow Dash as Sunset carefully removed the sheath and sash and began to put both on. She found the sash fit her near perfectly, loping her waist easily and holding the sheath on her left hip.
“I’m a creator Rainbow Dash, I learn what I must to create,” said Rarity with a happy gleam in her eyes as she watched Sunset, “Hmm, it rides a little higher than I wanted, but does it feel alright, Sunset?”
Sunset turned around, testing the balance of the sheath and how it rested on her hip. Her jacket could hide part of it, and the sash as well. She might still have to be wary of police driving by, but for just a practical way to carry her Zanpaktou it seemed just fine. “It feels great, thank you Rarity.”
Retrieving her Zanpaktou from her guitar case she slid it into the sheath, finding it fit perfectly snug. It felt like it belonged there, and she could almost swear she felt satisfaction from the sword, as if it approved. Rarity giggled, purely happy to see the results of her hard work. At that moment Rarity’s body was suffused by a bright blue glow, specks of magic wafting around her form. It wasn’t a surprise to the girls, they’d gotten used to this occasionally happening when they had a moment of truly showing their most harmonious inner traits. In a flash of light a pair of white pony ears sprouted from Rarity’s head, and a long, groomed purple tail extended from her back. The term Rainbow Dash had coined for this transformation was ‘ponying up’, and none of the rest of them had thought of a better term for it.
“Oh my, heh, I suppose I got a tad caught up in the moment,” said Rarity, looking herself over.
“I still find these transformations fascinating,” said Twilight as she examined Rarity, “I still want to determine if this magic is purely from this land of Equestria that Sunset is from, or if it is somehow linked to magic inherent to this world.”
“I’ve a few theories on that,” said Sunset, “But I’d need a lot more time to experiment and gather evidence before I’d feel comfortable sharing them. It’s all just shots in the dark at this point. The only thing I feel like I can say for certain is that magic changes between worlds. The energy is the same, but the shape and use of it seems to alter.”
Twilight seemed to brighten, a happy smile on her face, “Maybe we could get together sometime to run some experiments at the school this week?”
“Sure, if we can find time,” said Sunset, then thought for a second, “Hey, the labs at your home are pretty impressive, bigger than what we have at the school. Why not use those ones?”
“Oh, um, well,” Twilight glanced away, “My parents are back from their trip, and I’m not actually allowed to have company over, technically. I, uh, got chewed out a bit over letting you girls stay over the weekend. Turns out Mr. Robert did see you girls at some point, which is strange because I never saw him... well, regardless, we’ll have to use the school lab from now on.”
“I’m sorry if we got you in trouble,” said Sunset.
“Yeah, that’s a real downer,” said Pinkie Pie, “So I say let’s get those frowns turned around and have fun with today’s training! Whenever Clover shows up.”
“Actually I’ve been standing right here,” said Clover suddenly, standing atop the stands flanking the soccer field. The Soul Reaper hopped down in a single leap, landing in front of the girls. Her eyes looked at Rarity with curiosity, but not, Sunset noted, surprise. “I see. So this is what the transformation looks like.”
“You know about it,” Sunset said, statement rather than question.
“I was briefed before being sent back here to oversee your training. The Soul Society does have eyes on this school. So, yes, I know about your ability to transform into these forms with equine traits. It may explain why the Hollows are targeting you.” Clover gave Rarity a pensive look, “I don’t suppose you know how to switch back on your own?”
“Oh, y-yes,” said Rarity, “Just a moment.”
Rarity took a deep, calming breath, eyes closed, and putting a hand over her chest. After several more deep breaths the ears and tail seemed to slowly dissipate into white light. Sunset was impressed, actually. After the Friendship Games she and the girls had played around a bit with the transformations to get a feel for what did or didn’t cause them to happen, and if it was possible to end them at will. It’d taken a bit of time but they’d discovered that simply achieving a calm state of mind and focusing for a moment caused the transformation to end. Starting it up at will was still out of reach, needing either a triggering emotional moment or the use of music.
“Why’d you need her to go back to normal?” asked Rainbow Dash, “It's pretty awesome when we transform.”
Clover glanced at Dash, eyes sharp, “Perhaps, but that doesn’t change that the Hollows are after you girls, and that transformation might act like a beacon for them. Now, let us go. I’ve found a good spot to begin training. While this is mostly for Sunset Shimmer’s benefit, you girls can come along, and learn what you can. I’m responsible for all of your safety now, and while Discord might be able to help you in his own way, I still have my own work to do now.”
“Aww, just work?” asked Pinkie Pie, “Why not look at it like you’re hanging out with us, you know, like friends?”
“Friends?” Clover asked in surprise, blinking, “But, we don’t even really know each other.”
“Well, ain’t no time like the present ta remedy that, eh?” said Applejack.
“I’m sure we’d all love to get to know you better Clover,” agreed Fluttershy with a serene smile.
Clover seemed a bit taken aback by this, pausing a long moment before managing to say, softly, “Okay, I suppose that would be... nice. I mean, there’s technically no rules against it that I’m aware of and since none of you are officially part of my Division the rules against fraternization also doesn’t apply. Not that I want to fraternize! I mean, of course not, heheh, Clover stop talking you're digging yourself deeper... ” She shook herself, holding her head high as if she hadn’t just started babbling, “Let’s get going. Training officially begins now!”
----------
Half way across town, the long sinuous form of the serpentine Hollow glided amid the trees of a small garden park, ignoring the pedestrians around her, as tasty as a soul might’ve been right then. Then she raised her snake-like head with its fanged mask to the air and sniffed.
“That scent... yes, it's them. One of them at least. Hmm, yes, there will be no escaping my fangs, you tasty souls.”
The serpent Hollow opened her maw and let out a long howl, and in response to that howl, crawling from the shadows of the city, over a dozen lesser Hollows appeared to obey their master’s call.
----------
Aria grimaced deeply, an expression that was starting to feel default for her lately. As she and Sonata hauled the rather large packages into Discord’s shop she could see Screwloose lounging at the back of the room, the woman wearing a smile that said she was silently laughing at the pair of sirens. Well, trio. Aria had to remind herself to be grateful that Adagio was even alive, even in her... present state.
“Watch it! Watch it I said!” said Adagio as her plush, doll-body floated alongside Sonata, trailing another package that had been tied to her with rope, “If you keep jostling me Sonata I’m going to... to...” she’d been raising one flipper threateningly, but upon looking at its plush form Adagio just let out a huge sigh, “This sucks.”
“Aww, don’t be down, Dagi,” said Sonata, “And sorry for bumping into you, but you keep swaying right into me.”
“It's not my fault!” shouted Adagio, “It’s hard to control this body! It’s like trying to swim with three left flippers and a backwards tail!”
“That’s because you’re always so agitated, my squeaky little fish,” said Screwloose, yawning and scratching at her head almost like a dog with fleas, “Movement in that gigai is all about syncing the spirit to it, and if your spirit is filled with unrest then of course you’ll have difficulty moving right.”
Adagio just groaned and eventually all three sirens dropped off their loads inside the shop. Aria, giving her package a light kick, asked, “What’s in these things anyway? They’re way heavier than they should be. Also, what was with that pick up? You sent us to a completely empty warehouse that looked abandoned, except for these three boxes, and that was on the other side of town!”
Screwloose shrugged, yawning again as she stood up and with casual ease picked up all three boxes, stacking them one atop the other, “Boss gets his product from various sources, and where they drop the stuff off is between him and them. As for what’s in here, it’d take me forever to explain, and it's not like you piglets need to know. Just do your jobs and...”
With a frown Screwloose ceased talking and peered with narrowed eyes around the boxes at the open door. Aria and her sisters looked as well, but didn’t see anything in the front yard. Screwloose cocked her head, and twitched her ears, and she smiled.
“Well, there goes the neighborhood. Heh, sounds like the fun’s kicking off faster than we thought. Boss!? Hey, boss!”
As Screwloose went into the back, moving open the door that way with her foot, the sirens followed while exchanging looks of mutual bafflement. They found Discord down the hall, being trailed by Screwball.
“Boss, I just sensed a whole bunch of Hollows crawling out of the woodwork,” said Screwloose.
“Ah, yes, me and Screwball felt it too,” said Discord, a thin smile on his face, “Seems as if those poor girls are going to be in for a difficult time of it, even with their Soul Reaper watchdog.”
“Should me or Screwball go take care of it?” asked Screwloose, almost eagerly, “I do like to stretch my legs.”
Discord stroked his chin, looking up at the ceiling in thought, “Hmm, the contract for the girls’ protection technically ended the moment Miss Clover returned from the Soul Society, and yet I feel those girls are a worthy long term investment. On the other hand, if we give them too much help they’ll never find the strength they need for what might come. Always a precarious, knife edge balance, chaos and harmony.”
His eyes rested upon the sirens, and a wide smile spread onto his face, “How would the three of you like to earn some overtime?”
----------
The ravine was just off of one of the main highways connecting the city to the rest of the wider state beyond the mountains. Right on the edge of the south end of the Everfree Forest the ravine was just a smooth, grassy area flanked by two long hills, both of which were dusted by a light smattering of trees.
The seven girls from Canterlot High stood in a line in front of Clover, Sunset at their center, waiting for her to begin. It was a tad like being in front of recruits back at the Academy again, and it sent a stab of guilt through Clover as she remembered the events just a few nights ago. Routine training in the living world with the third year Academy students, just a simple patrol through a living world city.
It’d been her task to teach the students with her and keep them safe, and for nine of the twelve in that class she had. Three, however, had fallen to the Hollow ambush that’d assaulted them just outside the strip mall, and in the ensuing battle, though Clover had prevailed against the Hollows, the consequences of the fight were now staring her in the face. Not just three dead students, though her superiors had deemed that under the circumstances she’d done all she could, but the fact that one of the student’s Asauchi’s had ended up in the hands of a living human had cast quite the shadow over her.
If it wasn’t for the Captains of the 13th and 2nd Division’s vouching for me alongside my own Captain, and the Captain Commander’s merciful nature in the first place, I’d probably be done as a Soul Reaper. She thought, though she didn’t think that was anywhere near as bad as having lost the lives of students under her protection in the first place.
Being sent back here to watch and train Sunset Shimmer had come as a shock, but one she’d embraced because perhaps by doing this she might redeem herself, if only in her own eyes.
“Alright,” she said, calmly reaching into her robes and withdrawing something that looked very much like a pez dispenser, topped with a cartoon rabbit’s head, “The first thing to know about being a Soul Reaper is that you’re not truly at your peak while inside a living body. While living bodies that are permeated with enough spirit energy can interact with spirit entities, as you girls found out when you carried me to Twilight’s home to treat my wounds, those bodies of flesh and blood are still in a way a limiter on spiritual pressure. That is why if you are to learn how to fight properly as a Soul Reaper, Sunset, you have to leave that body first.”
She saw Sunset’s unease and that of the girls around her, Fluttershy putting a hand to her mouth and Rainbow Dash taking a step forward, “Whoa there, hold up a sec! Are you saying Sunset’s gotta die or something to be a Soul Reaper?”
Clover held up her hands, “No, not at all. While yes the vast bulk of Soul Reapers are human souls that have passed on naturally to the Soul Society, even we must at times use artificial bodies to interact with the living world. As such we have these-” she pressed the rabbit head and it dispensed a small green sphere, like a tiny piece of candy, into her other hand, “We call these gikon; artificial souls. Each one contains a pre-programmed personality that will take control of your body while your soul is ejected. You can climb right back in whenever you need to. It's all pretty simple, but to truly understand it it’s best to have you just do it.”
She stepped forward, but instantly recognized that Sunset was tense as a coiled spring, and none of the other girls were any better. A bead of sweat on her forehead, Sunset said, “You’re, uh, absolutely sure this is safe? I can get back into my body and this... gikon thing won’t just run off with it?”
Clover rolled her eyes, “Of course I’m sure it’s safe. Soul Reapers have used these for centuries. I understand if you’re a bit apprehensive, I mean, you haven’t ever been out of your body before I suppose, but really it’s easy as breathing. Trust me, as soon as you’re outside that body you’ll instantly feel the difference and understand why it’s critical for your development as a Soul Reaper.”
Sunset looked at the gikon in Clover’s outstretched hand and Clover watched the girl force out some of her tension with a gulp and she reached out to take the small green sphere. Sunset held it between them and forefinger, eyeing it. Twilight seemed equally curious, stepping forward and seemingly by habit pulling out her scanner to start examining it.
However at that instant a series of beeps issued from the pockets of each girl, and Clover looked around in surprise as they all pulled out different colored cell phones, flipping them open.
“Talk about bad timing!” said Rarity, then the girl’s already white face seemed to lose even more color as she looked at the phone’s screen, “Dear me, that rather looks like a lot of them, doesn’t it?”
“And they’re coming straight here,” said Twilight, frowning, “The last one had to search around a bit to find Sunset, but these ones are homing in from over a kilometer away. Something must be different with this group.”
“What?” asked Clover, but just as she did she felt it, multiple spiritual pressures approaching rapidly. The dark, aggressive feeling of the spirit energy indicated to her instantly that this was a pack of Hollows coming their way. Instantly she turned to the girls, saying quickly, “All of you hide, now.”
“Wait, you’re not planning to fight the Hollows by yourself are you?” asked Sunset, “We can still help.”
Clover’s mind flashed back to the loss of the Academy students, the way the Hollow ambush had mangled one of them before any of the rest could even react. Taking in a sharp breath she said, “This is too many for you, when you can barely handle one. Just hide, or do you want to see your friends die?”
The other girls exchanged looks, and Clover thought for a moment they’d argue, but Twilight stepped up and took Sunset’s hand, saying, “This is the job she’s trained for, let’s let her do it, and watch. We might learn something.”
Sunset’s jaw tightened, but after a second she nodded, then fixed Clover with a serious stare, “If you start getting into trouble, we’re jumping in regardless, but we’ll hide. Just be careful, alright?”
A little taken off guard by the sincerity of the concern in Sunset’s voice, Clover could only return the nod and say, “I will.”
----------
Sunset clenched the gikon tightly in her hand as she watched Clover remain standing out in the open of the raven while she and her friends found some bushes among the trees at the top of the hill to hide in.
“This is so lame!” growled Rainbow Dash, “We’re just stuck watching her risk her life for us!?”
“I don’t like it either, sugarcube, but what choice do we got?” asked Applejack.
“We could go kick some Hollows in the face, that’s what!” shot back Rainbow Dash, flashing teeth as she all but snarled in frustration, “I can’t stand being helpless like this!”
“I’m afraid I have to agree with Clover’s assessment in this case,” said Twilight, her eyes glued to her Detector, “If it was just one Hollow perhaps there’d be some merit in us trying to do something, but with this many it seems more sensible to leave this to the professional.”
“Yeah, and it should be fun to watch at least,” said Pinkie Pie, snacking on some popcorn which she idly offered around her to the other girls, none of which accepted because they were too busy staring at her and the manifested snack.
Rarity shivered, “I can almost feel them. It's just like that first night. Oh, nothing about these Hollows feels right.”
“We’ll probably be able to see them as well,” said Twilight, “Didn’t anyone else notice how easily and clearly we all so Clover today? Its as if our senses are somehow adjusting to the spiritual realm. I wonder if its making any physiological changes to our bodies? Oh, if only I could be monitoring our brain chemistry right now!”
“Easy there Twi’,” said Applejack, “Let’s keep frosty here. We may be hidin’ but them Hollows seem like they can sniff us out, so wait can’t be droppin’ our guard even with Clover takin’ the brunt of things this time.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened and she hunkered down, hugging herself, “I see them! They’re here!”
All any of them had to do was look to see it was true. Over the opposite side of the hill a hold cadre of Hollows emerged from the treeline. A few flew in the air, either on bat or insect wings, while most the rest crawled or walked along on various limbs. Each Hollow was different in its own way, often possessing some kind of animalistic trait. Some were bipedal while others looped along on all fours. Some had claws, others meaty fists. All bore the bone white skull masks that showed them for what they were, and each had a empty hole somewhere along their stomach or chest.
Clover stood completely still, her Zanpaktou drawn and her feet spread wide in a ready stance. Looking at the Soul Reaper’s calm poise, green hair slightly stirring in the breeze but otherwise unmoving, Sunset got the feeling that perhaps her worry for Clover was unwarranted. She stood as if she had complete control of this space.
It didn’t take the Hollows more than a second to spot Clover, and the moment they did they let loose a sickening chorus of howls that made Sunset want to clasp her hands over her ears. Then the Hollows were moving in a burst of speed, a dozen charging down the hill at the lone Soul Reaper.
When Clover spoke it was in a loud voice that carried over the sound of Hollow howls, and Sunset saw the girl leap into the air as she did so, “Hado Number Thirty Three: Sokatsui!”
Flinging out her free hand, palm straight up, a wave of blue fire crashed out from Clover’s palm and smashed into the lead Hollow. The blue wave of flame consumed the first Hollow, a frog-like creature that blackened and vanished in the cobalt fire. At the same time at the peak of her arc Clover slashed out with her Zanpaktou, a white line cutting across the face of a bat shaped Hollow that’d been diving at her, splitting its skull mask instantly and turning its body to vanishing ash.
“...Holy-” Rainbow Dash began, and Pinkie Pie finished, “Moly!”
Sunset was equally stunned as he friends. In an instant Clover had dealt death blows to two Hollows. Sunset recalled her deadly struggle with just one the other day and it occurred to her that perhaps she’d seriously underestimated Clover’s ability.
The Hollows didn’t even pause in shock at the lose of two of their number, the remaining flying ones slashing in from three different angles. Yet as their claws descended, Clover just seemed to vanish into thin air. Sunset almost thought she heard a gust of air as Clover disappeared, only to reappear behind one of the flying Hollows and thrust her Zanpaktou through the back of its head, slaying it instantly.
Abruptly something snapped upwards and wrapped around Clover’s leg, a long tentacle that extended from the mouth of a bipedal Hollow with a fat, puffy cheeked skull mask. It tugged at her, pulling her out of the sky to slam Clover into the ground. The hit wasn’t anywhere near as hard as the one that’d felled her that first night, but Sunset could tell it still rattled Clover as she rolled over and slashed at the tentacle, severing it in a gout of brackish blood.
The other ground bound Hollows charged in, eager for a swift kill, but Clover flipped to her feet and, Zanpaktou shimmering in the sun, took up a ready stance to meet them.
----------
“Oh wow, m-maybe we shouldn’t be doing this?” said Sonata, shaking slightly as she held up the camera that Discord had given them. She and her sisters were hiding in some bushes at the mouth of the ravine, having been led there by the rather unusual girl Screwball, who’d then given them instructions to record whatever they saw happen there.
“Hey, as long as we stay hidden it’s fine,” said Aria, “Not like we can even see much of what’s happening. All I can make out are hazy blurs.”
“I can see them,” said Adagio, floating between her two sisters, plushie face cast in a deep frown, “Clear as day.”
Sonata and Aria looked at each other, then back at Adagio. For her part Adagio didn’t respond to her sister's’ worried looks and continued to keep her eyes fixed on the battle before her, eyes gleaming with frustration and anger barely contained.
----------
Sunset was having a hard time keeping track of Clover’s movements. She was a constantly shifting form of gray and black among the Hollows that surrounded her. Fists and claws reached for the girl, smashing and cutting through the air, and each time Clover flipped or twisted away, just barely. However Sunset also noticed that Clover was so consumed with evading that she couldn’t counter attack, having not been able to even wound a further Hollow past the one’s she’d already downed at the start of the fight.
“Grrr, I can’t take this,” said Rainbow Dash, fists clenched, body shaking, “I just can’t sit here watching this!”
“It’ll be okay Dash,” said Applejack, “Just keep it together, girl. We can’t do nothin’ right now.”
The three remaining flying Hollows descended as well, circling the fight and cutting off any escape Clover might have from above, swooping and slashing any time Clover tried to just leap out of the pack of Hollows around her. Clover had to start blocking with her sword, deflecting and parrying attacks that she couldn’t dodge, and Sunset swore she saw sweat flying off of Clover’s face as she moved in a constantly dancing pattern of defense.
Then one Hollow, a beefy monkey-like creature, caught Clover across the back, sending her to the ground. The other Hollow’s pounced but Clover rolled away from their grasping claws, though one claw tore at her black robes and Sunset saw a stain of red blood on the ground.
Rainbow Dash must have seen it too because all at once she stood up from the bushes, her whole body suffused by a deep blue glow even brighter than Rarity’s had been.
“I’m done watching! I’m going to go help her! NOW!”
Before anyone else could say or do anything to stop Rainbow Dash, she rushed from the bushes like a star track athlete and rushed down the hill, the glow of magic around her intensifying even further, and changing. Normally when this happened Sunset would see Dash sprout pony ears, the rainbow colored tail, and a pair of wings from her pack like that of a pegasus, and that did start to happen. The ears appeared, through they seemed somehow sharper than before. The tail sprouted out, resplendent in its prismatic pattern. But the wings?
When the wings appeared it was not in a flash of light but an eruption of sparking lightning that tore up the ground around Rainbow Dash as she ran. By the time the girl leaped into the air what was flowing from her shoulder blades was not a pair of simple, blue feathered wings, but a wider pair of wings that looked as if they were forged out of brilliant white metal. Each wing sported a band of prismatic rainbow color along their fringes, from which poured forth crackling electric energy that seemed to propel Rainbow Dash faster along and left behind a azure trail of sparks.
The light show certainly got the Hollow’s attention, as they all turned their heads at once, one of them just in time to catch a kick straight to the face from the flying Rainbow Dash. Upon contact there was a blast of lightning, as if Dash’s kick transmuted a massive burst of electricity straight into the Hollow. It convulsed and Hallowed, mask cracking as it fell backwards to the ground in a heap.
Rainbow Dash flew upward, turning around as if for another dive, but paused as she finally realized what she’d done and what had changed about her. She looked at her hands, her body, eyes gazing at the metal wings on her back, still crackling with raw electricity, and her red eyes went wide.
But only for a second before the eyes narrowed in glee and she grinned.
“Right on. Right the heck on! Okay you Hollows, get ready to be- WHOA!”
Rainbow Dash had to dodge rapidly to the side as a massive shape burst out of the trees on the hill the Hollows had come from and nearly clipped her out of the sky. Clover had managed to use the distraction to escape the cluster of Hollows around her and appeared in the air next to Rainbow Dash, bleeding from a cut in her side but otherwise unharmed.
“Are you hurt?” Clover asked.
“Pfft, as if. What the heck just threw itself at me?” Rainbow Dash asked, and Sunset was wondering that as well as she looked at the massive cloud of dust that had appeared from the impact of the thing that had tried to tackle Dash from the air. As the dust began to settle a feminine yet raspy voice laughed.
“Heheh, so your souls really are something special. This must be why they want you so badly. Well, I won’t disappoint them. Your souls are mine, little girls...”
The dust cleared and a serpentine shape the side of a small house reared up, a huge snake of a Hollow with the upper body of a deadly praying mantis, talons clicking in the air.
“...And I’ll look forward to devouring them if you even think of resisting.”