Episode 11: Evaluation
“Is this necessary?” asked Sunset while standing across from Fancy Pants, not much more than fifteen minutes since first meeting the gentlemanly looking fellow at the front of the shop. They had since gone into the shop and the underground training area, where things had rather quickly moved along through introductions to where they stood now, with Sunset and Fancy Pants facing each other at about ten paces away while everyone else stood, watching, further off to the side.
Sunset hadn’t been sure, but Discord seemed agitated by the turn of events, though he’d been nothing but polite to the Soul Reaper Lieutenant, treating him with roughly the same courtesy he showed Clover. As for Clover herself, she was the only one standing closer than Sunset’s friends, hanging close on the other side of the training field while watching with a pensive look on her gray features.
Fancy Pants himself already had his Zanpaktou drawn, the blade seeming to have a slightly straighter form than either Clover’s or Sunset’s. The hilt was a slimmer oval shape with a small hook protruding from the side. He had a smooth, disarming smile on his face while still holding himself at a ready stance, one foot forward, the other back, akin to the fencing stances Sunset had seen in class.
“I’m afraid it is the most efficient means for me to evaluate your progress, Miss Shimmer. I realize that you have had little time to train with Third Seat Clover, but given the rise of Hollow activity, among other things, my Captain feels it prudent to test you now and if needed... step things up a notch, shall we say?”
“This should have at least passed through my own Captain, first,” said Clover in a voice that wavered slightly, as if she were unsure of her footing, “L-Lieutenant, I was to understand that the Twelfth Division had full authority over Sunset Shimmer’s training as Substitute Soul Reaper. Has this changed?”
“Not at all,” said Fancy Pants, “Yet any Captain has the right to request evaluations of other Division projects at any time there is cause to desire up to date information. Captain Platinum has a keen interest in how this new Substitute Soul Reaper is handled.” He smiled in a reassuring manner, inclining his head in a slight bow, “Rest assured I won’t do your charge any harm.’
“You’d better not buddy!” shouted Rainbow Dash from the sidelines, “Otherwise you’ll have us to answer to.”
“Darn straight,” said Applejack, a look hard as iron on her face as she looked at Fancy Pants with guarded, suspicious eyes, “Ain’t no funny business gonna be tolerated ‘round here.”
Rarity politely cleared her throat, “Please, girls, must we act so uncouthly? Offering threats to a man who has done nothing but be a gentleman thus far. Really?”
“It's quite alright, Miss Rarity,” said Fancy Pants, “I understand their trepidation. You young ladies have been placed under a great deal of stress, and I am a stranger pointing a blade at a friend. However much I may assure you that my intentions are merely to test Miss Shimmer, your unease is understandable.”
“S-so you won’t hurt her?” asked Fluttershy.
“It is not my desire nor intent. This is a test of ability, not a duel... although,” Fancy Pants turned his eyes to Sunset, and she felt a sweat break out on her skin as his friendly gaze turned sharp, “I request that she fight as if she were trying to kill me.”
Sunset’s mouth felt dry as she said, “Why would I do that?”
“Because, without the edge that comes from fighting to slay your opponent I fear I won’t get much of a glimpse-”
Fancy Pants suddenly vanished, the faintest brush of air flowing past her being Sunset’s only clue as to where he had moved. She spun around, her Zanpaktou flashing out of its sheath across her back and coming down to block, but she might as well have been moving through thick jelly compared to the speed of Fancy Pants as he put his sword cleanly to her throat before she’d even fully turned around to face him.
“-of your true ability.” He finished, making a small smile as he pulled his blade away from Sunset’s skin and took a step back.
Sunset just blinked, “How did...?”
“Shunpo, otherwise known as the Flash Step. I’m sure you must have seen Third Seat Clover use it already, battling Hollows,” said Fancy Pants as he held himself at the ready once more, body turned to the side, sword held up in his right hand, and his left hand now clasped behind his back, “It is a fundamental Soul Reaper technique for high speed combat. You’ll need to master it yourself, to truly function as a Substitute Soul Reaper.”
“I’ve only been able to just teach her proper control of her spirit energy,” said Clover, “If you use Flash Step she won’t be able to react to it, Lieutenant.”
“Hmm, yes... perhaps,” said Fancy Pants, “But she did react to it, just now. Most first year Academy students could not have even cleared their swords from the scabbard before my blade found their throats, but Miss Shimmer not only had her sword out, but was half turned around. She could feel where I went, which normally only second year students can accomplish, if that. Less than a week of training, and she’s already at that point. Let us continue. I’ll dispense with Flash Step, for now. Show me your sword skills, Miss Shimmer. Attack me.”
Taking a deep breath Sunset fixed her eyes upon Fancy Pants, narrowing her focus down to just him, letting the rest of the training area and her watching friends fall away to barely more than background elements. A part of her was getting angry, being treated so casually, but she tried to keep that spark of pride from clouding her thoughts.
“Fine, you want it, you got it,” she said, unable to keep a little of the rising heat out of her tone. Springing like a bunched snake she rushed Fancy Pants, lunging into a hard slash from the right that Fancy Pants parried while only taking half a step backwards. Sunset didn’t let up, lashing out again and again, alternating between striking high and low as she tried to break through his guard.
Every time Fancy Pants shifted ever so slightly, wasting no movement, only using the minimal motion needed to turn Sunset’s blade aside. After a minute it felt like attacking a wall more than attacking a person. No matter how Sunset slashed, no matter how she twisted around her strikes to try and feint or throw Fancy Pants off, every attack met an expertly timed parry of his slightly straighter Zanpaktou. All she’d accomplished was to get him to move back a few paces. She was sweating and breathing hard already, while Fancy Pants looked as fresh and composed as when they’d started.
His eyes twitched a touch narrower, “It seems you’re still holding back. I can feel there’s a good deal of spiritual pressure building inside you, but barely a whit of it is flowing through your blade.”
“Well, I’m already in my spirit form, so it’s not the physical body holding me back,” said Sunset under her breath, wiping some sweat off her brow, “I’m hitting you as hard as I can.”
“Yet there still isn’t any killing intent in your sword,” he said, lips turning town with a tinge of a frown, “Can you not muster up a single shred of desire to strike me down seriously?”
Sunset groaned, shaking her head, “Look, I don’t know what kind of po... er, person you think I am, but I wasn’t raised in a place where you could just decide to kill a person all casual like it was nothing. I just met you, and while you’re not exactly earning my trust as a fast friend here, I don't want to hurt you, let alone kill you!”
“From what I’ve heard you’ve had little trouble in battling Hollows with such intent,” Fancy Pants said.
“That’s different! Hollows are... they’re already dead, technically, and all I’m doing is purifying their souls or whatever to go to Soul Society, right? Top it off with the fact that they’re trying to kill me and my friends and, yeah, it's not that hard to hit them with everything I’ve got!” said Sunset, voice raising with her anger. “Why is it so important to you that I try to kill you anyway?”
“Only that is the most straightforward way for me to see what I need to see,” Fancy Pants replied, his eyes turning contemplative, “Hmm, you said it was easier when you felt your or your friends were being threatened?”
Suddenly Discord spoke up, his tone somehow quiet, calm, and warning all at once, “Lieutenant Fancy Pants, do be careful what paths your mind treads under my roof. These girls are under my protection.”
“Of course, I was not planning to actually harm the girl, but you must admit Mister Discord that as long as she doesn’t feel like she’s in danger, she cannot truly fight at her full capacity.” Fancy Pants said with a voice of complete assured confidence. Discord’s red on yellow eyes gazed with unreadable intensity at the Soul Reaper, but finally nodded, once.
“You do have a point, I suppose, but don’t take it too far.’
“Don’t I have a say in this?” asked Sunset with a grumbling tone, eyeing Fancy Pants warily.
Fancy Pants smiled, though the expression did nothing to reassure Sunset, “Do not fret, I’m merely going to turn up the pressure a bit. Instinct and intuition should take care of the rest.”
The moment he was finished talking Sunset felt a massive spike of pressure at the core of her being, and it almost seemed as if the air itself became denser, making it harder to breath. The source of the pressure was Fancy Pants, though he did not move or change his stance. This was just his spiritual pressure rising, crushing down on her like being buried under sand. She almost wanted to sink to her knees, but with a small growl and her anger flaring she held her stance and glared at him.
“Good, good,” said Fancy Pants, “Withstanding the spiritual pressure of a stronger opponent is key. Now then, shall we resume our dance?”
This time he came at her like striking cobra. Not as fast a with that Flash Step move, but faster than any Hollow had struck at her before. Sunset barely turned aside his first thrust, feeling the blow jar her entire arm down to the shoulder. The second blow, barely a fraction of a second behind the first, stabbed high, seemed to come straight for her head, and she backpedaled, swinging with wild abandon to try and parry. She did, though not in time to stop a lock of her fire hued hair from being cut off, the strands floating away as she tried to regain her balance.
He’s not really trying to hurt me, she told herself, despite the fear mixing in with her outrage like a sick slurry. He’s just testing me.
Yet Fancy Pants’ eyes were cold as iron now, and sharper than the edge of his sword as he relentlessly pressed her, strike after strike, forcing Sunset to retreat faster and faster until she was practically running from the man. Hot shame burned inside her, knowing her friends were watching this pitiful display. She wanted to counterattack, but she couldn’t find a single instant where Fancy Pants wasn’t practically on top of her, blade stabbing for her flesh. Her arms were starting to go numb and hot sweat soaked her now as she grew slower and slower with her parries. Now Fancy Pants’ Zanptakou cut her clothing, the black robes of a Soul Reaper that her spirit form wore, and she could almost feel its edge touching her skin.
In desperation she retaliated without a care for her own safety, shouting a wordless cry of fury as she lunged forward, Zanpaktou lashing out in a swing she put all her effort into. She did feel a welling up of her own spirit energy, pushing back against the tide of Fancy Pants’ own spirit pressure. For an instant she thought she’d caught him off guard, as his eyes did widen, but it wasn’t because she was able to strike him. Pain exploded in her arm and she realized Fancy Pants’ surprise was because her sudden lunge had caused his blade to cut a bleeding wound along the upper part of her left arm.
Yet despite his surprise he did not relent, having leaped up and over her swing to spin in the air and land behind her. In that moment Sunset felt his spiritual pressure increase and focus upon her, and it turned her sweat cold because she could feel killing intent from that energy, as if his whole being was focused upon striking her down.
Fear gripped her and she acted without thinking, throwing all of her energy into dodging backwards. It felt like the world shifted instantly and the movement caught her utterly off balance as she tripped and fell skidding onto her backside... a good twenty paces away from where Fancy Pants had been poised to strike.
Breathing hard, Sunset sat there dumbly, not sure what had just happened. Fancy Pants himself looked at her with appraising, curious eyes, and slowly his spiritual pressure receded like a tide and he calmly wiped a small trail of her blood fro his Zanpaktou and sheathed it.
“I see... most interesting,” he said, almost as if to himself.
Suddenly there was a burst of spiritual energy from elsewhere, two of them, and Rainbow Dash and Applejack were there standing between Sunset and Fancy Pants, both girls glowing with their own power as the golden and white boots encased Applejack’s legs and electrified white wings of metal sprouted form Rainbow Dash’s back. Both girls looked ready to pummel Fancy Pants into the ground.
“What the hay was that!?” growled Applejack, “Ya said ya weren’t gonna hurt her and then ya’ll go cuttin’ up her arm!”
“I hope you’re ready for a foot up the blowhole, because I’ve got a double serving of it coming right up, pal!” said Rainbow Dash, lightning arcing from her wings erratically.
If Fancy Pants felt threatened, he didn’t show it. Instead he put a hand to his chest and bowed deeply to the two wrath filled girls, “My deepest apologies. I accept full responsibility for the accident. I did not expect such a willful and daring counter maneuver, almost utterly ignoring all sense of defense. I should have pulled back my blade faster.”
“Please,” said Clover, appearing next to Sunset, kneeling down to check her wound while speaking loud enough for all to hear, “There’s no need for anger. This was a test, albeit one that wasn’t warranted in my opinion. The wound is shallow, and a healing Kido will fix it readily enough.”
Clover’s eyes met Sunset’s, her voice soft, “You are alright, aren’t you?”
“Y-yeah,” Sunset said, still trying to get her breathing under control. Fluttershy was there a few seconds later, while the others gathered around, only the sirens hanging back and watching the proceedings as if unsure what to make of any of this. Discord had a strangely pleased look on his face as he stroked his beard and eyed Sunset.
“An impressive feat, you just pulled there, Miss Shimmer,” Discord said.
“What did I do?” Sunset asked, feeling a tad lightheaded, “One second I was sure he was about to get me, and the next I was all the way over here falling on my butt.”
“Shunpo,” said Fancy Pants, still watching Rainbow Dash and Applejack with curious eyes, as the two girls had neither moved nor deactivated their powers, “That was a Flash Step. A sloppy, instinctual one, done in a moment of fight or flight response, but a Flash Step none the less. Learn to control those instincts and you may well prove a very promising Soul Reaper, Miss Shimmer.”
“I feel honored,” said Sunset in a voice based with sarcasm while Fluttershy got out bandages from a small first aid kit and began to clean her wound, Clover beginning a healing Kido incantation under her breath.
“You should,” said Fancy Pants, in a tone that said he knew Sunset was still angry with him, “At any rate, Third Seat Clover, I believe this shall be enough for me to make my report to Captain Platinum. I shall convey my appreciation for your cooperation in this matter to both of our Captains and ensure they know just how far along your student... and her friends, have come.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant,” said Clover, voice tight and coolly polite, but Sunset could sense the unease underneath it all. Already her arm was starting to feel better, but she knew the pain would linger for a time still.
“Well, I’ll be off then,” said Fancy Pants, bowing once more, “Mister Discord, ladies, it has been a pleasure and I look forward to our next meeting.”
With that he walked off as stiffly formal as he’d arrived, leaving Sunset to watch him go, and wonder just why the Soul Society had sent him in the first place, and why the way he’d looked at her friends once their powers had activated had left her feeling nervous.
Also, watching him depart left another thought rising to the forefront, “Huh... I wonder why Twilight hasn’t gotten back yet?”
----------
Twilight shivered under the cold air that blew through the secluded park. Whitetail Park was much as it’d been the first night she and her friends had encountered a Hollow, and just as empty as evening turned to dusk. She sat on a bench, and looked up as Shining Armor took off his dark purple Crystal Prep alumni coat and put her around her shoulders. She held the coat tight around herself and gave him a small smile of thanks, but soon looked away.
He wasn’t different. His smile was still kind, his eyes filled with brotherly affection. He hadn’t changed at all, yet... yet she couldn’t look at him the same way either. Not anymore.
“There’s still so much I don’t understand about what you’ve told me,” she said, “It’s hard enough to imagine you’ve known about Hollows and Soul Reapers practically all your life! And mom and dad, too! Cadence as well! All of you... all of you knew, and never told me a thing!” She tried to put some anger into her words, but they mostly just came out hurt.
“I’m sorry, Twily. I am,” he said, sitting down next to her as if this were one of those rare times she’d gotten an A- on a test and she’d needed consoling, “Try to understand the reason you were never told any of this is because I all but begged our parents to let you live like a normal girl, if only for awhile. I never wanted you to have to be a part of any of the... the struggle the Quincy must face. You don’t deserve to have to fight a battle that has nothing to do with you. I wanted to keep you safe.”
“Nothing to do with me? Nothing to do with me!?” Twilight’s voice finally raised, and she nearly lost her glasses as she whipped her head around to glare at him, “You’re my brother! My BBBFF! How could this not have anything to do with me!? You’re telling me not only you, but my whole family, including my babysitter have been part of an ancient secret society of humans who fight Hollows and that for all my life I’ve had this kept from me because it has nothing to do with me!? Shining, you are in serious need of a lecture on basic logical deduction! This has everything to do with me!”
Shining Armor stared at her for a few long seconds, then cracked that annoying smile of brotherly amusement he always had when he’d caught her staying up late past her bedtime to study, “Well, I guess you could’ve blown up at me worse than that. Hey! Stop hitting me! Twily!”
She was beating her balled up fists on his shoulder, which only caused him to laugh, which in turn made her try to flail harder on his shoulder. His impossibly hard, muscular shoulder, to which her thin arms did little but make her hands hurt. After a few moments she stopped, instead just giving him the stink eye. He looked at her with mock wariness.
“You done?” he asked.
“Maybe,” she replied with a puff cheeked frown, which soon deflated back into worried confusion, “I have so many questions, I don’t even know where to begin. Where did the Quincy originate from? How do their powers work? What are their powers? Why do you fight Hollows. More importantly, why to you fight Soul Reapers? Who’s in charge of all of this? Why-”
Shining Armor held up a hand, covering her mouth for a moment. As she glared at him he smiled apologetically and took his hand away, “Listen, Twily, I know you have a lot you want to know. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t have a million questions lined up. I don’t have time to answer them all now. Not even a fraction of them. The important thing at this moment is that you understand why I decided to tell you all of this now, instead of later, or never.”
His expression shifted, his whole stance while sitting next to her on that bench. It was the most serious she had ever seen him, and it left her heart feeling chilled.
“There are those among the Quincy that would insist you join our fight, no matter how you felt about it. Your potential is something that’s been talked about among us since the day you were born. You’d be a shoe in for the Stern-... well, never mind that. My point here is, I don’t want you to be forced into it, Twily. You’re my LSBFF, and it’s always been my job to look out for you. As of right now the only ones who know that you’re involved with Hollows and a Soul Reaper,” by his tone it was hard to tell which he felt was worse, “are me, Cadence because I can’t keep secrets from her, and one other, a trainee, Sugarcoat.”
“Sugarcoat!? What does she have to do with this!?”
“Not just her, but several of Crystal Prep's student body,” Shining Armor said, “That school has been a location for us to test potential among the bloodlines of various Quincy families for generations. Almost every student from Crystal Prep who participated in the Friendship Games were ones of sufficient potential that they were brought into the fold. They have already begun their training as Quincy and will likely rise to our highest ranks, in time. We... we’re at war, Twily. Wars need soldiers. Do you understand, yet, why I wanted to keep all this from you?”
“I’m starting to, but what happens now? I’m already helping my Canterlot High friends deal with the Hollows cropping up all over town, and then there’s Clover... she’s... she’s been nothing but a good friend to us so far. I can’t just start looking at her like an enemy.”
He nodded, a grim light in his eyes, “I know, Twily, I know. You don’t know the history yet. You don’t know how cruel and destructive the Soul Reapers can be. I’m also not like some of the Quincy who think all of Soul Society must be destroyed for the war to end. I know that they’re people, and there’s good ones and bad ones among them. Clover might be one of the good ones. But she’s still a Soul Reaper, and they prize order and loyalty to their laws above all else. I guarantee you that, friendship or not, if Clover is ordered to move against you and your friends, she will.”
“What do you want me to do, brother? I still don’t know what to think about any of this.”
He was silent for a long time, and Twilight could tell he was thinking, hard. While nowhere near as smart as she was, she knew Shining Armor was still a very bright man, even if he sometimes thought with his heart more than his head. More than that, she found she still trusted him. No matter what secrets he’d been keeping this was still her BBBFF. He’d never do anything to hurt her.
At last he answered, “For now, stick close to your friends. Don’t tell them anything I’ve told you, but stick by them. I’ve met them and I know they’re good people, even if Sunset is being trained by a Soul Reaper. As for being a Quincy, it’s up to you Twilight. I won’t tell any of my superiors about you unless you willingly ask to join our cause. Also, if you want me to, I’ll start to teach you what we can do. I wasn’t lying about your potential... but understand that if you reveal any of the powers you’ll learn to your friends, especially to Clover, it’ll complicate things. I might have to bring you fully into the Quincy, then. Do you understand me, Twily?”
“I... yes, brother, I understand,” she said, quietly, then looked at her phone as it started to buzz at her, “Oh no! I’ve been gone so long! I have to get back to my friends. They must be worried sick about me.”
“No problem. Just, like I said, keep this between us, okay? And we’ll start your training tomorrow, in the morning before school.”
“Yikes, that’ll mean getting up before dawn.”
‘Hey, if your friend Applejack can do it on the farm, I think you can handle it here,” said Shining Armor, grinning, “I’m not going to go easy on you just because you're my sister.”
She smiled at that, nodding, “Fair enough. You’ll answer my questions too, during training? About the Quincy?”
“As much as I can. Understand I can’t tell you everything unless you’re serious about joining us, but I’ll tell you all I can before that,” he said, to which she nodded, knowing her brother well enough to grasp that he wouldn’t allow any further information to be pried from him until he was ready to tell her. She’d learn the rest with time, but she had no idea what to do about the notion of actually joining the Quincy. She didn’t know enough yet to make an informed choice, and she had no liking for the idea of being involved in some war.
Even though she was technically already involved, her and all her friends.
Putting the troubling thoughts aside she collected Spike, who’d been waiting patiently nearby keeping quiet, but gave a happy bark as Twilight approached and led him away. Shining Armor gave her one last wave before walking off himself, likely heading back for the mansion. Twilight herself started back for the bus stop to the downtown area, only glancing over her shoulder once or twice.
“So, what’d he say?” asked Spike.
“A lot... and very little at the same time,” said Twilight, chewing her lower lip, “I have even more questions than before. In time, maybe Shining will answer them.”
“He smelled scared,” Spike said, wrinkling his nose, and Twilight glanced down at the dog in surprise.
“Scared?”
“Well, not piss yourself scared, more like he was expecting something bad to happen. Or still is. My nose is still twitching from it.”
That hardly did anything to set Twilight at ease, and she increased her pace, suddenly wanting to get back to the girls as soon as possible.
----------
Adagio couldn’t focus on anything. Events were occurring around her, but her mind wasn’t there. She barely watched Sunset Shimmer’s ‘evaluation’ by the other Soul Reaper, and afterward she went through the motions of training her soul via exercise under Discord’s supervision with little more than mechanical blankness. Her sisters tried to engage her in conversation, or rather Sonata would make some silly remark, inciting Aria to get irritated with her, and as the two shot quips at each other they would pause, as if expecting Adagio to jump in with her usual ire to tell the two to shut up.
But her mind was a world away. Sunset’s words had shaken her, leaving her thoughts drifting towards the past. She’d always been the strongest among her sisters, the natural leader of the trio. It’d been that way even when they’d been young, and the seas east of Equestria their home. Singing came naturally to sirens but it had been Adagio who had first mastered the magic of it among her siblings, she who had taught them so they too could draw power from the emotions of those they sowed discontent in. Adagio had seen the potential for power in such song, and knew the power gained was even greater when the songs were being sung by multiple sirens. Aria and Sonata had been easy enough to convince; Aria hated feeling weak and Sonata thought everything was a game. It’d been all too easy to set them on her path, and Adagio had felt certain that there’d be no height of power and adoration she couldn’t reach.
Then that unicorn wizard had thrown it all into disarray, and she and her sisters had ended up in this world of hairless ape things, the magic of the world so weak they could barely garner a trickle of strength using their usual methods.
She’d been miserable, but in a way she’d almost come to accept the exile, though the desire to return home had never left.
When she’d learned that there was a source of Equestrian magic in this world her confidence had surged like a rising tide, and Adagio had once more felt certain of herself. She had convinced herself that with her and her sister’s combined strength there was nothing to stop them from taking what they wanted, and with that new power forcing a path open back to Equestria, or failing that, at least take enough control of the city that life would be bearable here.
And it had all turned to dust in a torrent of harmonic magic, breaking the gems that were the core of any siren’s power. Where they even really siren’s, anymore, or were she and her sister’s truly trapped living as humans? The very thought should have ignited a pyre of fury inside her, but that anger had turned to smoldering ashes as Sunset’s words had driven home one very clear thing to Adagio.
They could have gone home, and Adagio had burned that one remaining bridge. Despite Sunset’s words Adagio didn’t believe for an instant that Princess Twilight Sparkle would ever forgive her or her sisters. The way home was shut, and they were now stuck here, forever, and it was her fault.
Oh, she was still angry at Sunset, but she was now equally angry with herself.
A pink face filled her vision, blue eyes wide.
“Hiya grumpy guss!”
“GAH!” Adagio floated back, started out of her funk as Pinkie Pie, having seemingly materialized out of nowhere, smiled at her.
“There’s a party with your name on it, I’m thinking,” said Pinkie Pie with an appraising eye, “Yup, we’re talking a Class 4, maybe Class 5 Emergency Party Deployment. I’ll need to go get extra cream cheese and at least a twenty foot wide inflatable swimming pool.”
Adagio looked at her with lidded eyes, saying in a flat tone, “What in the name of Celestia’s over sized, cake inflated flanks are you blabbering about?”
Abruptly she was bushwhacked over the other side by an excited Sonata, who snatched Adagio’s plushie body from behind and hugged it, “Why we’re talking about a Moving Out of Our Crappy Apartment Going Away Party! Me and Blinkie Cry-”
“Pinkie Pie.”
“Whatever. Me and the pink one that smells like cotton candy got to talking and I said that we were going to be moving in here out of our dumb apartment, and then she said-”
“That moving out requires a party, especially when one of the movers is super down in the dumps and could use some cheering up!” said Pinkie Pie with a pumping fist, practically buzzing with excitement that wasn’t exactly rubbing off on Adagio as she alternated glares between her and Sonata.
“When did we decide we were moving?” asked Adagio with a low, incredulous one.
“Duh,” said Sonata, “You were like, totally out of it all day Dagie, so me and Aria argued for a while and somewhere in between me telling her she ought to try something other than pigtails for a change and her throwing a rock at me I suggested we should just go ahead and accept Mister Discworld-”
“Discord,” provided Pinkie Pie.
“What are you, the name police? Anyway me and Aria agreed to accept Mister ‘Discords’-” Sonata made air quotes with her fingers, “-offer about moving in here and working for him full time! You were too busy being in a funk to disagree, so now here we are!”
“Yes, because that’s how decisions work...” muttered Adagio, closing her eyes and wondering why it was that plush toy bodies got headaches, “Okay, yeah, fine, whatever. So since it seems like I’m not being given a choice in any of this, when are we moving?”
“Sunday,” said Sunset as she walked up to the group. The girl was covered in sweat and was using a towel to wipe her face off. Adagio had to wonder why a spirit body sweated, but she was quite done trying to make any sense of how this world’s supernatural aspects worked. Honestly the world filled with magical ponies and dragons made more sense to her by leagues.
“Yup,” said Pinkie Pie, “We already asked Mister Discord if we could take the day off to help you guys move in and of course throw a party. He seemed pretty into the idea, actually, especially when I brought up the swimming pool.”
“Pinkie, I don’t know if an actual swimming pool is going to be necessary, especially because we were probably going to throw the party upstairs where there’s no room for it,” said Sunset.
“And you and your friends are okay with all of this?” asked Adagio, frowning, “Helping my sisters and I... after what we’ve done?”
Sunset tossed the towel onto her shoulder, taking a moment to look at Adagio frankly while brushing some hair out of her eyes, “I won’t say some of them still aren't’ sore over it, or that they all trust you. Applejack and Rainbow Dash especially seem on edge, but I don’t think that has anything to do with you guys. But we’re not trying to hold a grudge. I’m not asking you to be friends with us, but maybe you should at least consider us... acquaintances that don’t hate each other?”
“I... I can live with that for now,” said Adagio.
“And look on the bright side, our Twilight here wasn’t even there for the whole crazy rock anthem magic battle, so she’s got no reason at all to hate any of you,” said Pinkie Pie happily, to which Sonata said, “I thought she was totally there though?”
“Oh no, that was the Twilight who's a Princess in Equestria and is also a magical pony while the Twilight that’s here is a sciencey human person who wears glasses and used to go to Crystal Prep but then turned into a super magical raven monster but she got better and now hangs out with us even through the Princess Twilight also sometimes still hangs out with us and you should let me tell you about the time they both hung out with us at the same time. That was confusing.”
Sonata just stared blankly at Pinkie Pie with a wide smile on her face, eyes vacant of anything resembling understanding. She eventually said, “So tacos or pizza for the party?”
“Taco pizzas, obviously,” replied Pinkie Pie, to which Sonata’s smile only widened.
“I like the way you think.”
Sunset in the meantime was frowning, eyes gazing across the training grounds towards the floating stairway and door that led back up to the shop. “Speaking of Twilight, she’s still not back yet.”
“Oh, no worries, Dashie gave her a ring a few minutes ago. She’s on her way,” said Pinkie Pie.
“I wonder what kept her so long?” mused Sunset, to which Adagio sighed.
“Are you always this much of a worrisome nitwit when it comes to your friends? Maybe she just wanted some alone time? Or stopped to get food?”
“Hey, I worry about my friends, okay?” said Sunset with grit teeth, “Don’t you worry about your sisters the same way?”
To this Adagio could only silently fume, because Sunset wasn’t exactly wrong, and a part of Adagio thought that perhaps she hadn’t worried enough about the well being of her sisters. If she had, perhaps they wouldn’t be stuck in this mess to begin with.
----------
The night was late by the time Twilight had returned, and only long enough to set up her lab equipment before it was time for going home. Sunset wasn’t certain but it seemed as if Twilight was oddly quiet after she got back from the school. It was hard to tell, as Twilight was usually pretty introverted, but she barely said two words beyond belated greetings. Perhaps the most telling thing that Sunset noticed was that Twilight’s usual meticulous and well ordered lab set up was a lot more haphazard than normal, like she wasn’t paying much attention to where she was putting things. That was a red flag, but Sunset didn’t want to press Twilight if she didn’t want to talk about what was bothering her. Spike was also a bit more withdrawn than usual, but if Twilight wasn’t going to talk, there was no way Spike was. The recently sentient canine could give Rainbow Dash lessons on loyalty, at least where Twilight was concerned.
At the end of the evening of training Sunset along with all of her friends and the sirens tromped tiredly out of the shop while a waxing moon filled the sky. It’d be full soon, perhaps even by Sunday, Sunset thought.
Everyone seemed fairly relaxed, even the sirens for once, wearily stretching away the rigors of the day’s training. Clover was right behind Sunset and hung back, saying, “Sunset, a moment if you will?”
Sunset blinked back at the Soul Reaper, and waved for her friends to go on. Clover stayed on the steps up to the shop, and Sunset approached, one hand on her hip casually as she asked, “What’s up?”
“I feel I should apologize for what happened with Lieutenant Fancy Pants,” Clover said, voice filled with trepidation, hands fidgeting, “It wasn’t right for the Sixth Division to go over the Twelfth Divisions head like this to test you without Captain Starswirl’s permission.”
“Hey, it's okay,” Sunset said, patting her arm, only wincing slightly at the ache from the scabbed over wound, “It was just a scratch, and honestly the guy took it pretty easy on me, I’m guessing.”
“Yes, he did. A Lieutenant of the Thirteen Court Guard Divisions is not a joke, as you experienced. There’s actually a far cry difference in ability between a Third Seat like myself, and a Second Seat, a Lieutenant. Even more so between Lieutenants and Captains. Yet he wasn’t exaggerating about your progress. We haven’t even trained a week together and you’re improving by leaps and bounds. To pull off a Flash Step, even if just by instinct...”
Clover seemed to withdrawn into herself for a moment, face lost in thought, “I... I think perhaps I’ve been too hesitant. I don’t know yet what may happen in the future, Sunset. The Soul Society is still deciding, ultimately, what to do about you and your friends. I’m here as a guide, and observer, but I also consider myself your friend now. I hope you feel the same.”
Sunset smiled, letting out a small laugh, “Of course. Me and the girls couldn’t think of you any other way after you fought beside us like you have. You saved Rarity and Fluttershy’s lives that first night we met you, and I’m pretty sure if you hadn’t been there to deal with the brunt of the Hollows there wouldn’t have been any way for me and Applejack to save her family. Of course you’re a friend, Clover.”
Clover gave a strangely formal bow, “That means a lot to me to hear that. Thank you. I think tomorrow I am going to step up your training. It’s clear to me you learn best by doing, not by having theory explained to you. So tomorrow evening I shall teach you how to commune with your Zanpaktou.”
“Commune?” Sunset asked with a quirked eyebrow.
“Yes. Your Zanpaktou’s spirit still lies dormant. To awaken it you must commune with it, learn to speak with it, and in time, perhaps a short time in your case, given your potential, learn your Zanpkatou’s name.”
Recalling what that meant, Sunset’s eyes widened slightly, “Wait, you mean...?”
“Yes, I am going to teach you how to unlock your Zanpaktou’s Shikai.”
----------
Shining Armor lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, unable to get to sleep. His brain kept turning over the conversation with Twilight, and the consequences thereof. He’d just set himself on a dangerous path, a razor’s edge of secrecy that could spell serious trouble for both him and his sister. He’d teach her the powers and skills of a Quincy, but he would not bring her to His Majesty unless she fully and willingly accepted joining the Quincy.
Some among his peers would call what he was doing treason. Or at least severely insubordinate.
Even his parents couldn't intervene with His Majesty if it was decided Shining Armor had overstepped his bounds, but this was Twily. He wasn’t going to force his sister into something she didn’t want, nor was he going to try and force her to abandon her friends.
Her friends were a complication though. Good girls, all, far as he was concerned, but Sugarcoat’s report of the power Rarity had manifested was troubling. He knew of what kind of power it resembled, and if other Quincy discovered it, then Twilight’s friends would be considered enemies just as much as the Hollows or Soul Reapers were.
He rubbed his face, groaning, “Really stuck myself in a bind this time.”
“No kidding,” said Cadence and Shining Armor snapped up in bed, the sheet falling down from his bare chest. She was standing by his window, leaning against the frame and silhouetted by moonlight, wearing not her casual business suit by the stark white, tight fitting uniform and cloak of a Quincy.
“Cadence... usually it’s me sneaking in through your window,” he said with a small smirk, to which she rewarded him with a gorgeous smile, though her eyes held a different light, one of concern.
“I got to find ways to surprise you sometimes, don’t I?” she asked teasingly, striding over towards his bed and lightly sitting upon it next to him, leaning down towards him. They shared the briefest of kisses, and she leaned back, sighing.
“So you told her?”
“Some of it, yes,” he said, “I already told you what i intended.”
“I know, my love, and I agree with you,” Cadence’s voice was filled with affection lightly tempered with practicality, “I just wanted to know what she decided.”
“Not much, yet, other than agreeing to be trained by me,” Shining Armor said.
“That won’t be easy,” said Cadence, casting a worried look at the door, “Your mother and father are going to require more of your time as preparations are stepped up. They’ll notice it if you’re missing at certain times, especially if both you and Twilight are missing at the same time. I’ve already heard whispers in His Majesty’s palace that some are wondering why you have not been seen there as often of late.”
Shining Armor looked away, face a stubborn mask, “Let them whisper. I know a place I can train Twily that no one will find us, and as long as I do so at the right times no one can prove anything.”
“Shining...” Cadence grabbed his face gently, turning him to look at her. He felt her eyes on him, holding him with their loving depth, “Let me help you.”
“How?” he asked, and she leaned in, gracing his lips with another kiss, and he felt her arms slip around his naked shoulders.
“There’s no reason you have to be the only one to train her,” Cadence said, pushing him down to the bed and tossing off her cloak as she sat astride him, “Between the two of us, I might even be better suited to the task. So let us both take turns training Twilight, that way you still have time to focus on your duties without raising too much suspicion.”
“I don’t know, Cadence, Twily is pretty skittish about all this, I don’t know if she’ll...” he trailed off as Cadence started to unbutton her uniform, stealing his words.
“Don’t forget I practically helped raise her, Shining. She’ll trust me, don’t worry. Now... enough talking. I’ve had a long day, and so have you.”
That was the last complete sentence Cadence said for the rest of that night, and Shining Armor slept very well by the time morning arrived.