//------------------------------// // Episode 19: Without Hesitation // Story: Equestria Girls: Friendship Souls // by thatguyvex //------------------------------// Episode 19: Without Hesitation Sunset hadn’t time to consider the ramifications of all that had happened. The mysterious people bearing bows of light, and why Twilight and her family seemed connected to them. The sheer scale of the attack on her town, her friends, and the fact that it was likely just the tip of a much larger threat to come. The massive spiritual pressures she’d felt battling across the city up until a few minutes ago. Or her recently grown powers and the personal epiphany that the pride she’d feared since her failed attempt to steal Princess Twilight’s Element of Magic was in fact the core of her Zanpaktou’s power, and in essence, a part of herself she’d needed to reconnect with to start better understanding herself. All of that was regulated to a background buzz as she focused solely on what lay in front of her, leading her friends, and carrying a wounded Clover, to Discord’s shop. No Hollows stood in their path, though if any had they wouldn’t have been there for long. Sunset could still feel Hokori’s strength humming through her, the shield and blade all but vibrating with barely restrained energy. There was little to no talk among the girls. Each was coming down off of their own adrenaline highs, aches and pains from the battle starting to manifest past the haze of the fight, but none made any complaints. Sunset was proud of them. They’d taken on a grueling fight with little to no warning, and come out the victors. All the fear she’d packed inside herself over the past few weeks, the worry that this whole situation with battling Hollows would be too much for them to handle, it was melting away with the warmth she felt seeing her friends soldiering on despite their exhaustion and wounds. There’d be more fights, but Sunset felt certain that they could take them on. She was almost eager for it. They bypassed the wards around Discord’s shop without any trouble and went right through the front doors to find that gray cat that seemed to hang around the shop a lot waiting for them. Sunset paused as the cat spoke in a young, masculine voice. “Welcome back. Discord is this way.” “Dude, did that cat just talk?” asked Rainbow Dash. “At this point I’m not sure I can find anything surprising,” said Twilight, adjusting her glasses as she peered curiously at the cat. Fluttershy managed a small smile at the cat, but it was a testament to how much focus and tiring energy she was putting into keeping Clover alive that the normally animal loving girl didn't have a larger reaction than that to a talking cat. “We have wounded,” Sunset said, pushing aside any hesitation concerning a talking cat. She lived in Equestria for a fair chunk of her life. Talking animals wasn’t about to phase her. The cat just nodded, a somber look in its strange, gold eyes that stared in different direction. “Follow me quick, then, girls.” The cat led the off and they followed without further talk. Down the corridors of the shop’s back area they went, through several sliding paper doors until they reached a surprisingly large room with several leather couches and lounge chairs set up around a central sitting table. Almost every available space of wall aside from the doors in were lined with tall bookshelves, piled with a random and ill-organized explosion of random books, magazines, old VCR tapes and even vinyl records, not a single bit of it arranged with any sense of order. One corner of the room held an ancient looking record player and pair of speakers, while another had an equally old tube television and VCR player set up on a small wood entertainment center. The room was lit by few standing lamps and a single ceiling fan/light combination, the fan lazily stirring the dust in the room. Pinkie Pie’s mother and father sat uneasily on one of the couches, while Marble occupied a chair as if she was trying to disappear into the plush leather cushions, hands wrapped around her pulled up knees. Maud stood near the table, a seemingly impassive stone if not for the way her hands were undeniably balled into tight fists. Discord was pacing back and forth across the room, a gnarled walking cane in one hand making a loud ‘clack’ against the floor with each step as he stroked his beard. The moment the cat led Sunset and the others into the room all eyes turned to them. “PInkamena Diane Pie!” cried both Pie patron and matron at once. “Hi ma, hi pa!” said Pinkie Pie, while Pinkamena, being carried along leaning on Pinkie Pie’s shoulder said, “I hate it when you guys use our full name.” Pinkie Pie’s father, Igneous, looked equal parts worried and hesitant as he stood up, but Cloudy Quartz had no hesitation at all as she ran over to wrap both Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena up in a huge, tight hug. “Thank heavens you’re both safe!” Cloudy Quartz said past sniffing tears, “I couldn’t stand to think of what might’ve happened to you.” Her eyes turned towards Pinkamena’s injured stomach, and she gasped, “T-that wound! You have to get it treated immediately!” Pinkamena had a sour look on her face, as if the worry and affection was making her taste something wrong. “Its just a profusely bleeding stomach wound. It barely hurts...” “Nonsense, young lady! You lay down this instant and let us take care of that. Mister Discord, you have a medical kit, yes?” Cloudy Quartz asked. “That and more besides,” said Discord, eyeing all of the girls as they shuffled in, Rainbow Dash leading around the table with Clover carried carefully in her arms. Discord gave them all one quick look before saying, “I’ll go get what’s needed. Lay the wounded on the couches.” Space was made and in short order Clover was laid out on one couch while Pinkamena was all but strong armed by Cloudy Quartz to be made to lay down in the other. Meanwhile Sunset took stock of a very noticeable detail. One Pie sister was missing; Limestone. “Where’s Limestone?” she asked, and Pinkie Pie gave a shocked start, as if only now noticing that as well. “She was taken,” said a heated voice as Adagio floated into the room, the siren plush doll looking dirty stained and ragged as she looked at Sunset, “Along with my sisters.” “Taken!? By who?” asked Rarity, whose eyes then narrowed suspiciously, “Was it those dreadful people with the bows?” She blinked and glanced at Twilight, “No offense intended, Twilight.” Twilight just sighed, and shrugged as Adagio said, “No, it was a Hollow. Grand Fisher.” Applejack spat, one foot stomping the floor angrily, “Shoulda known that piece o’ filth woulda been behind all this!” “What happened?” Sunset asked Adagio, jaw tight, one hand clasping strongly around Hokori’s shield. Adagio eyed the transformed Zanpaktou with a hint of curiosity, but her anger was simmering beyond any other emotions on her small, dollish face, and she relayed the events that had transpired at the gas station. By the end of it Sunset shared Adagio’s fuming anger, though mostly because she felt she should have anticipated such a move on Grand Fisher’s part and sent someone to escort the Pie family and sirens. “I’m sorry Adagio, I should have expected him to pull a stunt like that,” she said, gritting her teeth, “An attack like this should have been an obvious distraction.” “Even if you’d sent someone it wouldn’t have mattered,” growled Adagio in frustration, “That Grand Fisher was strong enough to wipe the floor with any one of your friends. If Discord hadn’t shown up when he did, we all would have been taken.” It was probably true, but it still irked Sunset to think they’d been outmaneuvered. Now Grand Fisher was holding a strong position to set terms against them. No doubt he had plans for this arranged meeting at the dam tonight, and she and her friends were already pretty exhausted from the fight against the Gillians and horde of lesser Hollow. Again, no doubt a part of Grand Fisher’s scheme. She could feel the heat brimming from inside Hokori, and some part of Sunset’s mind said ’Oh, don’t worry, we’ll see to him shortly, just you wait.’ “So, uh, ma, you seem to be all cool with Pinkamena here,” said Pinkie Pie with a happy smile, “I was a bit worried I’d have to do a bunch of explaining, which I’m not too good at, heheh.” Cloudy Quartz smiled warmly, patting Pinkamena’s shoulder, which only seemed to make the doppelganger more uncomfortable as she grimaced. “Discord has explained much to your father and I. What has befallen you girls, the battles you’ve faced...” her eyes softly glanced at Pinkamena, without fear or judgement, “The transformation you’ve undergone.” “Ugh, stop looking at me, I don’t like it,” groused Pinkamena. “I’m sorry if I’m making you uncomfortable, dear child,” said Cloudy Quartz, “But you are, as I understand it, a part of-” “Pinkie Pie. Think of me as her ugly shadow that comes out to play when she needs someone to do all the nasty things she can't.” said Pinkamena with an sardonic bitterness, even as she grinned with a fang filled smile. Cloudy Quartz paused, then continued to say, “-A part of the family, I was going to say.” Pinkamena’s eyes narrowed, sliding towards Cloudy Quartz suspiciously, “Pfft, say what?” “It may be presumptuous of me, but you are like another daughter, one who was born from this strange power Pinkie Pie and her friends possess,” said Cloudy Quartz with complete earnestness filling her tone, “I don’t understand the details, but I will not question a blessing when it is given. So let me thank you, Pinkamena, for protecting your sister Pinkie Pie, and welcome you to the family.” “I, too, welcome you,” said Igneous, despite clearly seeming confused and near the end of his nerves with all that had happened, “However you may have been brought into this world.” After a second Marble gave a nervous, “Mmmhmm...” Maud stared at Pinkamena with fathomless eyes, then said, “We’ve met.” Pinkie Pie just grinned wide and gave Pinkamena’s hand a squeeze, “We'll have to throw you a ‘Welcome to Being Officially Part of the Family’ party when we got the time!” Pinkamena let out a sound somewhere between a groan and a whine, “I don’t even know where to begin with what’s wrong with you people. Pinkie Pie, I’m going back into the hole, now. I'll heal faster and I won't have to listen to any of your crazy talk.” Seemingly of her own will Pinkamena faded into pink mist and flowed into Pinkie Pie, causing Cloud Quartz to let out a startled cry, but Pinkie Pie quickly patted her mother’s shoulder. “Don’t worry ma, Pinkamena’s just being shy.” Not long after that Discord returned, carrying with him a cardboard box. The gray cat stirred from its spot on the arm of the chair Marble was sitting in and said, “Want some help with this?” Discord waved a hand, setting the box down on the table, “I’ll handle it. You’d best get back to the front. I sensed company coming. The wards won’t hold them if they want to come in.” The cat’s eyes flicked towards Twilight, “They're coming for her?” “Most definitely,” said Discord, who looked up at the confused looking Twilight, “Seems someone managed to slip a bug past all my neatly prepared defenses. I must really be slipping in my old age not to notice until I felt her family coming our way.” Twilight gulped, “M-my family is coming here, now? Wait, what do you mean ‘bug’?” Rather than Discord responding, the cat did, lightly leaping onto the table and walking over towards Twilight, its nose twitching as it sniffed at her. “Yup, I can smell it now that you’ve pointed it out, Discy. A real subtle tracer with that old hint of Quincy reishi. Whoever put it there really knows their stuff. Even knowing what I’m looking for I can barely sniff it out. Hey, you think they can hear us? Hey! Quincy! If you're listening, your ‘Majesty’ is a total jerkface!” Discord gave a quick cacklesnort, opening the cardboard box and pulling out several esoteric looking vials of luminescent green liquid alongside a more traditional medical kit. Fluttershy hadn’t left Clover’s side the entire time, but now looked somewhat more relieved to see that someone else with medical skill was finally doing something to help Clover. She did eye the bottles of liquid curiously, however, and asked, “What’s that?” “A little chemical and spirit particle cocktail I whipped up in my heyday that helps a spirit body recover from these kind of injuries,” Discord said while popping the top of one of the vials, letting a sickly sweet scent fill the room that reminded Sunset of something sugary left in the sun for too long. While Discord poured the contents of the vial down Clover’s throat, everyone else’s attention was largely rooted on Twilight. The girl was rubbing her arms uneasily as she looked between everyone, then at the cat, “Wh-what is this tracer doing on me? Who put it there?” “Probably one of the Quincy higher-ups that you’ve rubbed shoulders with in the past week,” said the cat, “Too bad I can’t remove it. It’s stuck there pretty solid, invisible, barely putting out a signal. Fine work, I gotta admit. Hey don’t feel bad, I’m sure you had no idea it was there.” “I didn’t...” Twilight whispered, gulping. “Wait, so what does this mean, Twilight? The whole bow thing?” Rainbow Dash asked, leaning casually against the edge of one of the couches while trying to hide her tension, “I mean, its awesome and all, but what’s your connection with those other dudes with bows? One of them was even your bro, right?” Twilight looked as if Rainbow Dash’s questions were physical blows, flinching with almost every word. She nodded quietly, then said in a soft voice that gradually grew more strained, “I wanted to tell all of you what was happening but I really couldn’t! My brother, my mother, my father... my whole family are Quincy. I only learned this after the night the Hollows went after your families.” “The arrow that saved you that night,” said Rarity, fingering her chin in thought, “That was a Quincy’s doing, yes?” “Yes. After that, Shining Armor told me about what my family is, and offered to teach me,” Twilight said, staring at the ground with guilt slumping her shoulders, “I wanted to learn. I wanted to know more about the true nature of the world, and maybe learn how to handle myself so I could help all of you. I never intended to lie or hide anything, it just... it was just that Shining Armor said I shouldn’t tell anyone, and it just seemed to make sense at the time to keep it a secret until I knew more, until I could learn more. But the more I learned, the more I was afraid to say anything-” “Twilight, it’s okay,” said Sunset, “You know we’re your friends and that we’re not going to jump down your throat because of this. You sound like you had this dumped on you out of nowhere and just tried to make the best choice you could with what you knew. Now, just what are the Quincy?” Twilight took a few deep breaths and slowly told them what she knew, which wasn’t actually all that much. Sunset wasn’t actually all that surprised to learn that there was a group of humans who’d developed powers to fight Hollows. It made perfect sense to her that something like that would happen, as it was only the logical response to a threat like the Hollows. If ponies faced a constant threat then they’d develop spells or something similar to fight back, so why wouldn’t humans do the same? She was just surprised it was this big secret and that the Quincy hadn’t made their existence and powers more publicly known. Humans were strange when it came to maintaining the status quo of ignorance about the existence of supernatural forces. Even with all the obviously magical events that had occurred at Canterlot High over the past year or so most of the students just sort of took it in stride. As for the war between Quincy and Soul Reapers, that was worrying. It put all of them, but especially Twilight, in a precarious position. Things had almost seemed simple when it was just Hollows they had to worry about. Being drawn in a supernatural blood feud that’d been going on for generations was a whole new level of headache that Sunset wasn’t eager to dive into, but it wasn’t as if there was much choice. Twilight was a Quincy, and her family was neck deep in it, all of them heavy hitters among the Quincy ranks. One of them had to have put that tracer on Twilight, and were now coming to Discord’s shop, no doubt to retrieve the prodigal daughter. “Twilight, when your family gets here, what do you want to do?” Sunset asked in a serious tone, arms crossing beneath her breasts, “Are you going with them?” Twilight’s pause was short, but thick with grave weight before she said, “I think I have to.” “Ta heck wit that, Twi!” said Applejack, spitting, “Lands sakes girl, they can’t just force ya ta join their dang war! I git that they’re yer kin, but ain’t nobody got the right ta jerk ya around by the collar like that!” “Damn straight!” said Rainbow Dash, pumping a fist into the air, “You don’t want to go, Twilight, you better believe we’ll back you up. They’ll have to go through all of us to get at you.” “Quite so,” said Rarity, managing to flash a smile, “You know you can count on our support, darling, no matter what.” Fluttershy gave a solemn, but solid nod, giving silent support while not taking her focus away from continuing to support Discord in healing Clover’s injuries. Pinkie Pie looked like she was about to pipe in her own supportive words as well but Twilight held up a hand, forestalling them. The girl’s eyes were misty behind her glasses. “I know you’d all protect me if I asked you to. You’ve all been such good friends, and I feel like I’ve barely done a thing to repay all of you, for just... just offering me the chance. But when my family arrives, I’ll be going with them, of my own free will.” “What!? Why!?” demanded Rainbow Dash. Sunset sighed, looking at Twilight with a level stare, “You want to complete your training.” Twilight looked back at her, slowly nodding, “I do. I know the Quincy aren’t precisely the ‘good guys’ in this war, but... but maybe...” she glanced at Clover, “I don’t know, maybe nobody is on the ‘right’ side. The Soul Reapers might not be in the right, either.” She clutched the silver cross on her wrist, “But when I was learning to use this power, Sunset, girls, it... it felt right. I feel like I’m discovering something inside myself that I’ve been yearning for all my life, but only just now got a glimpse of. This power, I can use it to learn even more about this world, and even help others, if I can. More than that, my family is always going to be important to me. I can’t abandon them, but at the same time I feel like I can maybe learn more about the reasons behind this war and maybe stop it from getting worse if I stay with them.” “Influence the Quincy from the inside,” Sunset said, running a hand through her hair, “You’re sure about this Twilight? Absolutely sure? Because if you go with your family, its possible they’ll never let you out of their sight again.” “I know,” Twilight said, the hesitation slowly leaving her eyes, her shoulders taking on a more resolute stiffness to them, “And I will find a way to deal with whatever happens. I won’t ever treat you girls as anything other than my friends, no matter what my family might end up telling me, or what what training as a Quincy pushes me towards. But I feel it's the right choice to stay among the Quincy and learn all I can. I know I can use it to help all of you, when the time comes.” There was silence for a moment, then it was broken but a chuckle from the gray cat, “Heheh, well said! You’ve got guts, Twilight Sparkle. I like you. A few more Quincy like you and maybe the war can be ended. What do you think, Discy?” Discord smirked, not looking up from his work, slowly switching Clover’s wound, “I think Miss Sparkle is exceptionally optimistic, but perhaps that will work to her advantage. There’s something to be said, for a lack of jaded cynicism in a world like ours. Now, to ask you girls a question I already suspect I know the answer to; what do you intend to do about Grand Fisher?” It wasn’t much of a question. There couldn’t be any doubt, really, about what their next move needed to be. Sunset didn’t feel a single flicker of surprise when she looked towards her friends and saw that each and every single one of them had equal looks of determination hardening their features, even Twilight. Sunset turned to Discord, “What are we going to do? We’re going to thrash that two-bit Hollow and rescue our people, that’s what.” Discord grinned, a wide, almost disturbing smile that seemed to make his oddly colored eyes glow. “Good to know. Now, while I’m no tactician, it would seem to me that doing exactly what Grand Fisher says, meeting him at the dam tonight, might not be the most advantageous move.” “Whatd’ya suggest we do then?” asked Applejack, “Ain’t like we know what rock he’s hidin’ under.” “Actually, I do,” said Discord, “I know he’s taken his hostages to Hueco Mundo, the Hollow World. I also know that Grand Fisher tends to haunt a particular spot there, a set of dark, stone mesas. I can get you girls there, although sadly I won’t be able to join you. However, if you move quickly you can take Grand Fisher by surprise, and perhaps beat him on his own ground.” “Won’t he be stronger on his own territory?” asked Rarity, while Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. “I’m all for some righteous butt-kicking, but how do you know where this jerk likes to hang out?” “Good questions both. To answer the first one, Grand Fisher may have a few more Hollows under his control, but I think he shot his wad, so to speak, with today’s invasion. If you hit him now, he won’t expect it. However I guarantee you that if you go to the dam as he wants, he’ll have some nasty traps prepared for you,” Discord said, then shaded his eyes with the edge of his white and green hat, looking down at Clover, “As to the second question, that answer will have to wait until you return. No doubt Clover has things to reveal as well, and when she’s awake perhaps it’ll be best for such revelations to come out then.” Applejack stepped forward, voice grave, “What’s Clover got ta do wit this? You sayin’ you got somethin’ ta do wit what she was lookin’ into fer me? Why do ya know anythin’ ‘bout Grand Fisher?” “Miss Applejack, believe me, I’d like nothing more than to tell you what you desperately want to know, but now is not the time-” “Horsehockey!” shouted Applejack, taking another step towards Discord, but ended up halting in place as the gray cat walked over to the other end of the table where Applejack was, and put a paw on the girl’s leg... somehow stopping Applejack in her tracks. “Trust Discord,” the cat said, “He’s a bit of a nutjob, I’ll be the first to admit, but he’s doing this for your own good.” “I don’t understand, what do you know and why won’t you tell us?” asked Sunset, frowning. “Its simple,” said Discord, “If you’re serious about tackling Grand Fisher, either in his own home, or at the trap at the dam, I can’t let you girls be distracted by things that would weigh on your minds. I promise you, my oath on it, that I’ll tell you all I know... after you defeat Grand Fisher and return safely with the unfortunate victims he’s taken. If I told you before, it’d just be needlessly putting you in danger.” Sunset thought it over for a moment. She’d always had a bit of a sense that Discord knew far more than he was ever letting on, that he was connected to events in ways she and her friends couldn’t begin to guess at. Yet despite that he’d done nothing but help them since they’d first come to his shop. In fact it probably wasn’t a stretch of the imagination to say that without Discord’s help they’d have never gotten as far as they had. Whatever secrets he might be hiding, Sunset’s instincts told her that he was on their side. Besides, it wasn’t as if they could force him to reveal something he didn’t want to. “Okay, fine, after we get back then,” she said and Applejack turned to her with a heated look. “Now listen hear Sunset, I ain’t lettin’ this go just like that-” “Applejack, we have to rescue Pinkie Pie and Adagio’s sisters!” Sunset snapped, “We don’t have time for an argument and unless you want to try beating answers out of the one guy that’s been trying to help us from the start, we don’t have any other options but to let him keep his secrets until after we’ve dealt with Grand Fisher.” “But... dangnabbit, I gotta know the truth...” Applejack said, fists clenched, shaking with impotent frustration, “I need ta know.” “If it helps ease your burden, Miss Applejack,” said Discord, “I will say this much; the things that Clover and I will reveal concern more than just you. They concern Miss Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy as well.” This earned him a series of confused looks, Rarity pensively saying, “Well, that’s quite ominous.” “Try not to concern yourselves with it,” said Discord, “Focus on the task at hand. Speaking of which, I do believe I’ve done all I can for Miss Clover here. Miss Fluttershy, you can cease using your power upon her now.” Fluttershy nodded tiredly, letting her eyes return to normal and closing her third eye, her transformation flowing away from her with a sigh. “I hope she’ll be okay.” “She will be, in time,” assured Discord, standing and dusting himself off, “Now, if you intend to go after Grand Fisher in Hueco Mundo, I must prepare a means for you to reach that plane and return to this one. However we first have guests to deal with.” “M.my family is here?” asked Twilight, to which Discord nodded. Only then did Sunset feel it too, the presence of several powerful spiritual pressures nearby. She thought she felt three. Now that they were close, she thought she could sense how the Quincy auras differed from that of Hollows or Soul Reapers, or that of her friends. There was a feral quality to a Hollow’s spirit pressure, like that of a hungry predator. Soul Reaper’s like Clover and Fancy Pants had a sharp, buzzing quality about them. These Quincy auras felt cold, yet solid, like stone. “Let us go greet them,” said Discord. Sunset and the other girls gathered around Twilight, giving her comforting looks as they headed outside. The gray cat followed, but the rest of Pinkie Pie’s family and Adagio waited back in the shop. Sunset could tell that Twilight was beyond tense, holding herself too stiffly as she walked. The look on Twilight’s face wasn’t too far off from the near panic of a kid who knew they’d driven their parent’s car into a ditch and was just now realizing how much trouble they were in. Coming out into the front courtyard of the shop, Sunset saw three people waiting for them. It didn’t take her more than a few seconds to recognize the family resemblance between these people and Twilight, especially evident in the middle aged woman who aside from some different coloring, was all but the very image of an older Twilight Sparkle. The woman was also noticeably wounded, holding a bandaged side that was still seeping blood that soaked her white uniform. Whatever fear Twilight was feeling seemed to flee her the instant she saw her mother’s injuries, The girl stumbled as she ran forward. “Mom!” The two men with the woman, one a blue skinned and haired middle aged man with broad shoulders and a stately manner, the other younger with white skin by the same blue hair as the older man, both moved to the side to allow Twilight to reach her mother. Sunset hadn’t really met Shining Armor in any official capacity, having only seen him once or twice before today. She knew he was the one who’d stopped Fleur De Lis from firing her final attack, and she gave him a simple nod of acknowledgment, which he returned after a moment. As for the older man, Twilight’s father no doubt, he was still as a statue, one eye on his daughter and wife, and the other on Sunset, her friends, Discord, and the gray cat which had taken a perch on the railing of the walkway around the front of the shop. “Discord,” the man said in a cool, controlled voice, “I thought it was your policy to not become involved in the conflict between Soul Reapers and Quincy, yet here you are... harboring Soul Reapers, training humans in strange powers, and interfering with our daughter’s life.” Discord stepped forward, seeming to emphasize his can with a simple hard tap on the ground, and he smiled thinly at the man, “Night Light, these girls came to me of their own volition asking for help. They are not directly connected to your continued schoolyard scuffle with the Soul Reapers, only wishing to know how to defend themselves against the Hollows that just seem to keep cropping up in this fair city. Your daughter just happened to be a part of the group, and I hardly did anything to ‘interfere’ with her. I told her nothing of Quincy, or taught her any Quincy techniques. I do believe you have your own son to blame for that.” “Yes,” said Night Light, shifting a cold gaze towards Shining Armor, who held himself stock still under the look, “And he shall be disciplined. I trust you have no objections to us taking our daughter and being on our way, then?” Discord made an off hand gesture, “She is free to do as she wishes. I have no intention of keeping her here... against her will.” Now Twilight’s mother reacted, having just been gently hugging her daughter up until then, but now looking up with daggers in her eyes at Discord, “You will not associate with her anymore at all, you snake! If I weren’t already injured I’d gladly tear your shop down around your ears!” “Ah, Twilight Velvet, as level headed as ever, I see. Are you sure you wouldn’t wish to purchase a healing salve or two? That wound seems terrible,” said Discord. “I wouldn’t buy anything from you if you were literally my last chance at life.” Twilight Velvet's voice held nothing but corrosive venom, and Sunset was honestly shocked at how much the woman seemed to genuinely hate Discord. There had to be some history there. “I know you must have had something terrible planned for my daughter, and probably her friends as well.” “I assure you, Twilight Velvet, my intentions are not at all erroneous-” Discord said, but Velvet cut him off halfway. “Save it, snake. Only a fool would bite into your poisoned apples,” Velvet said, and then looked at Sunset and the other girls with narrowed eyes, “I don’t particularly know any of you. But since you’ve been friends to my Twilight I shall give you this advice. Don’t trust this ‘man’ who claims to want to help you. He gave me and my friends a similar claim, once, and he betrayed that trust. He’ll do the same with you.” Sunset turned curious eyes towards Discord, as did most the other girls, except Pinkie Pie who seemed mostly just confused. Discord for his part just had a tired look on his face, somber but not particularly angry. Sunset noticed he didn’t deny anything Velvet said, instead just saying, “I am sorry for how things turned out back then, Velvet. I protected who I could, as best I could. It wasn’t enough.” “Cloudy Quartz is here, isn’t she?” said Velvet, frowning, “I can sense her, even with her power locked up. Have you told her anything yet?” “It wouldn’t matter even if I did. Her memory of those times is gone, and even my skills can’t undo that,” said Discord plainly. Confusion was only mounting among the girls at the turn of the conversation, Twilight Sparkle looking back between her mother and her friends with obvious puzzlement that was reflected upon the faces of every other girl as well. “Mom, what are you talking about?” Twilight Velvet glanced at her daughter, “I’ll tell you once we’re back home, young lady. You are still in trouble for keeping secrets from your parents and jumping into things you shouldn’t have. Your friends will have to fend for themselves, I will not let them drag you into any more of this business.” “It's inevitable,” said Night Light, “That the Soul Society is going to come for these girls, Discord. What do you intend to do when that happens?” “Protect them as best I can,” Discord replied with a firm grip on his cane. “Ah, because it went so well the last time you tried to protect a group of young women who’d gotten in over their heads, yes?” said Night Light, shaking his head, “You’ll understand if I see to it my daughter has no more to do with you or them.” “W-wait, dad, please listen,” said Twilight, turning to him with a desperate look, “I’ll go with you and mom, of course, but there’s this Hollow that’s taken-” “Enough,” Night Light said, cutting Twilight off with a gesture, “You will come with us back home, Twilight Sparkle, and I’ll hear no more excuses.” “Father,” said Shining Armor, “Perhaps we should hear what she has to say. It sounds important.” “Silence, boy,” said Night Light with a knife edged voice, “Whatever affairs these girls have gotten themselves into are no longer our concern. Twilight is coming home and that is all there is to it.” “But my friend’s family have been taken captive by a Hollow!” shouted Twilight, “I want to help them!” That caused a pause wherein Night Light and Twilight Velvet exchanged looks with each other, Velvet’s expression going still, “Who was taken?” “Two of them you wouldn’t know,” put in Discord, “Employees of mine. But the third that was taken was Limestone Pie, one of Cloudy Quartz's daughters.” This caused a pained look to mar Velvet’s features for a moment, but she only tightened her grip on Twilight and shook her head, “I’m sorry to hear that. This is the pain that comes from associating with you, Discord. Even now, with their memories gone, my friends still pay the price for trusting you. But that’s exactly why I won’t risk my daughter’s life by allowing her anywhere near you. I hate knowing my friend’s daughters are getting mixed up with you, but I refuse to get drawn into that. I have to look after my own, now.” “Mother, father, if a Hollow has taken humans hostage isn’t it our duty as Quincy to protect human lives?” asked Shining Armor, “At least allow me to accompany any rescue attempt.” Twilight nodded enthusiastically at this, but Night Light just shook his head, “If they’ve been taken, then they’ve likely been taken to Hueco Mundo. His Majesty has only authorized scouting in that plane, to keep an eye on Hollow activity. Anything more than that would be a violation of our standing orders.” “Then label it as a scouting mission!” said Shining Armor heatedly, “I’ll ‘scout’ for Hollows and if I happen to stumble across any human captives by accident, well then it’ll be my own initiative to rescue them and if His Majesty has an issue with that it’ll be me alone that’ll be responsible for my actions.” As Sunset listened she was taking mental notes. It seemed like the Quincy had some sort of king, a head honcho that called all the shots. She wondered just where Twilight’s parents fit into the hierarchy. She also wasn’t blind to the implications of Velvet’s conversation with Discord. What connection did her friend’s parents have with Discord and Velvet? No doubt this was part of what Discord wanted to tell them once they dealt with Grand Fisher, and was connected to Clover’s investigation into Soul Society’s connection to Applejack’s parents. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes here than me or the girls have even begun to guess at. I don’t like my friend’s lives being messed with. Whatever’s going on, I’ll get to the bottom of it, and protect all of them. Night Light and Shining Armor were having a little standoff, both men matching gazes with each other; Night Light cold and firm as the picture of the disapproving father, and Shining Armor matching the gaze eye to eye with the flashing defiance of a young man challenging his elder. However before either man could speak further Twilight Velvet, hand still firm on her daughter’s shoulder, stood between them and turned the most potent ‘mom stare’ that Sunset had ever seen onto Shining Armor. “No more foolishness, Shining. A Sternritter cannot enter Hueco Mundo without authorization from His Majesty. Even if you succeeded, you’d lose your rank, if not more. I won’t allow it.” “But isn’t it one of your friend’s daughters that’s at risk?” piped in Sunset, suddenly, finding a growing anger in her heart at seeing this woman seem to be so adamant about not doing, “You tear into Discord for screwing over your friends, but won’t lift a finger now to help one of those friends you claim to care so much about?” Velvet turned a withering gaze towards Sunset, “You don’t know a thing. Cloudy was... a long time ago I would’ve called any of them sisters, but that was before I had a family of my own to look after.” Velvet’s hand seemed to squeeze Twilight’s arm so tightly that Twilight winced in pain, not that Velvet noticed this. “I won’t lose my son or daughter. Not to the Hollows or the Soul Reapers. The only thing I can do to help my friend’s daughters is to tell them to get as far away from him-” she gave Discord a hateful glare “-as possible. I won’t risk more than that.” “We’re leaving, now.” said Night Light, giving Shining Armor one last hard glare. Velvet started to drag Twilight away, the young girl giving one last, miserable and forlorn look to her friends a she reluctantly followed. Sunset met Twilight’s eyes and gave her a comforting nod and mouthed the words ‘It’ll be okay’, to which Twilight gulped, wiping away a tear from her cheek and returned the nod. Shining Armor, shaking with impotent anger, clenched his fists, giving Sunset and the girls a final look of disappointment. “I’m sorry. I wanted to help. If you’re going to Hueco Mundo, be careful. There’s worse than what you’ve seen today lurking in that realm. And... thank you, for being there for my Twily.” With a final, frustrated shake of his head he stalked off after his family, and in a few moments the Quincy were gone. ---------- “I don’t like it,” said Rainbow Dash, about ten minutes later as the girls waited in the training area while Discord and his cat friend went to work on creating a portal that would take them to Hueco Mundo. “Don’t like what?” asked Sunset, “Stepping into a world we’ve never seen before to do battle with a Hollow stronger than anything we’ve yet faced? Or the idea that Discord has been hiding some mysterious past involving all of your parents?” “Can it be both?” said Rainbow Dash with a nervous smirk, trying to cover up her unease with her usual cockiness, “I mean, I’m fine going to this Hucowhatsit to kick Grand Fisher’s butt, but yeah, mostly I’m wondering what our mom’s have to do with any of this!” Applejack kicked at a rock, looking as if she’d rather chew the offending stone, “I ain’t a’ fan o’ him keeping secrets from us either, Dash. Not one bit. Was bad ‘nough thinkin’ my ma and pa were neck deep in this weird world o’ Hollows an’ Soul Reapers, but the rest o’ you too? It don’t make no sense! Why ain’t we learned nothin’ o’ this until now?” “Clearly because there are those who didn’t want us to know,” said Rarity, arms crossed pensively as she tapped one foot in thought. “I find it equally unsettling that our families have had involvement with these unpleasant supernatural affairs. If I’ve been reading between the lines it sounds as if our mothers all had dealings with Mr. Discord prior, perhaps, to even our births. Then something went terribly wrong, and their memories were removed. I do recall that Clover has used memory replacement on Pinkie Pie’s family once before.” “Yeah,” said Applejack, her frown deepening, “She didn’t use it on my sis or her friends, but she kinda made it sound like that kind o’ screwin’ wit memory is standard practice o’ the Soul Society.” “I don’t understand this,” said Fluttershy, looking at the ground, “My parents are both so quiet and kind people. I can’t imagine either of them, especially my mother, having some dark, secret past.” “For now there’s not much we can do about it,” said Sunset, “Grand Fisher is our problem, right now. Once he’s dealt with, we can get our answers from Discord and Clover.” “Can we?” asked Applejack with a sidelong glance, “Ya really thinkin’ we can trust him ta give us the whole truth?” “Do we have another option?” asked Sunset, to which Applejack looked away, giving the ground another grouchy kick. “Yikes, don’t you all look like a gloomy bunch?” said a chirpy male voice as the gray cat walked up to them, tail swishing and yellow eyes looking off in different directions. The cat smiled at them as it sat down, “Discy wanted me to tell you girls it’l take him another couple of hours to finish whipping up the portal, so you might as well grab some food and rest. Been a busy day already, and you’ll need all your strength for taking on the big bad Hollow.” “Thanks for the advice,” said Sunset, glancing around at her friends, “Might be a good idea.” Pinkie Pie’s stomach responded with a hefty growl, “Oooh, yup, definitely nom times. Summoning up Pinkamena really works up the munchies.” “I suppose we could stand to recover as much of our strength as possible before stepping into the unknown,” said Rarity, “There is a newly opened sandwich shop nearby that offers up these delightful baguettes.” “Yeah, I could stand to chow down. Can’t be awesome on an empty stomach,” agreed Rainbow Dash. That agreed upon the girls started to head back for the stairs, but Sunset noticed a small yellow figure drifting down from the entrance above. Adagio’s plush body floated along slowly, and Sunset paused at the foot of the stairs to meet the siren. “Something up?” she asked, and when Adagio met her gaze Sunset was surprised at how a small plush doll could manage to look that determined. “I want to go with you girls,” Adagio stated plainly. “To get lunch?” asked Pinkie Pie, to which Adagio just blinked. “No, to rescue my sisters.” Sunset blanched, keeping her voice level, “Adagio, that might not be a good idea. It's going to be dangerous.” Adagio scowled at that, “You think I don’t know that!? It doesn’t matter. I have to do this. I have to save them.” “Look, dude, its cool you want to help and I totally get it,” said Rainbow Dash, “But what are you gonna do? Make squeaky toy sounds to annoy the Hollow into submission? Just let us handle this. We’ll totally get your sisters back in one piece, no prob!” “I don’t care if you can ‘handle it’! They’re my sisters and I won’t just sit here waiting for someone else to bring them home!” shouted Adagio, the small head crest fin of her plushie form bristling, “They’re my responsibility! I’ve ignored that fact for far too long, and I won’t do it anymore!” “Not even if it kills you?” asked Sunset in a quiet voice, “Because if you come with us, that very well might happen, you understand that don’t you? This Grand Fisher isn’t a joke, and even if we take him by surprise this isn’t going to be anything other than a vicious, deadly fight, worse than what we went through already. Do you think you can be a part of that? Do you think you can help in any meaningful way without getting yourself killed? Adagio, I know how you feel about your sisters. You know I understand that. Will coming with us honestly help them?” Adagio was silent for a time, floating in front of Sunset with her look of hardened resolve not flagging. Finally she said, “I know the risks. Even if its something small, I have to try, Sunset Shimmer. They’re my sisters. I’ve used them all their lives, and if I’m ever going to be anything resembling a real sister to them I have to put my life on the line for them.” The small plush doll in the shape of a siren shook with pent up emotions, her voice heavy and cracking with the difficulty the next words took, “Please, let me come with you.” Sunset exchanged looks with her friends. Pinkie Pie seemed the most enthusiastic, giving a thumbs up. Perhaps with her own sister’s life on the line Pinkie Pie empathized with Adagio most of all. Fluttershy only gave the barest of nods, her expression frightened, grave, but keenly determined. Rarity seemed more aloof, only giving a shrug as if she didn’t particularly mind one way or the other. Applejack crossed her arms, frowning, but nodded her accent. Finally Rainbow Dash just sighed, laughed, and held her hands up, saying, “Well, its not like we didn’t warn her, right?” “Okay Adagio,” said Sunset, “You can come. On the condition that you follow our lead, and don’t do anything risky. Let us handle the fight. Understand?” The siren plush dolled nodded, bobbing up and down in the air, “Yes, I do.” “Alright, then, let’s go get some food, and rest girls. We’ve got a long day yet to go.” ---------- Sunset had needed to track down Chappy to get back into her physical body before going to get food. The artificial soul had been found in a back room trying on differing sets of clothes like Sunset’s body was some sort of living mannequin. Sunset suspected most of the clothes were actually Screwloose’s, as none of it was small enough to fit Screwball, and far as she knew Discord didn’t wear anything other than those dark green robes, clogs, and silly hat. After retrieving her body and getting it dressed back into something appropriate (and why did Screwloose have a leather bodice in the first place?) Sunset joined her friends outside and they went to lunch. It was a tense, quiet lunch. Most the girls weren’t talkative, only Pinkie Pie trying to get any conversation going, but it was clear everyone had their minds elsewhere as they chowed down on their overpriced, fancy sandwiches. Sunset knew she was sort of the odd one out in this situation, as her parents were back in Equestria, and she’d eat her jacket if they had any mysterious past connection to a secret spiritual war between different factions of ghost people. She couldn’t entirely imagine what her friends might be going through, wondering about the truth about their mothers’ pasts. It certainly made Sunset wonder. After all, wasn’t it far too much of a coincidence that the daughters of five women who’d gotten involved in a supernatural war would also get drawn into it, through sheer happenstance? This had all begun when Sunset had discovered the Asauchi in the crater, after all. Wasn’t that event too random for this to have been planned by anyone? No, that had to have been coincidence. Who could have planned for something like that anyway? I’m being too paranoid. There’s literally no one who’d guess that having Clover’s class of trainees be attacked by Hollows would led to her losing track of an Asauchi that would later be found by me, and that this would lead to me gaining Soul Reaper powers or my friends discovering powers of their own. Short of high end divination spells like what Celestia can pull off I can’t see how anyone in the human world could predict all that. And why would anyone set all of this up, if they had? Who has anything to gain by having wild cards like us appear in the mix? Sunset pushed the thoughts away. If she let herself get too wrapped up in that kind of circular, paranoid logic she’d start to lose her common sense. Besides, all she really needed to think about now was how to beat Grand Fisher. He’d been one tough customer when she, Clover, and Applejack had faced him on the farm, and if what Discord had said about his recent transformation into a partial Arrancar was accurate he was going to be even stronger. Possibly more so than the shark Hollow. That’s okay, thought Sunset, feeling the comfortable weight of Hokori strapped across her back, invisible to the local public, I’ve gotten stronger too. We’ll manage. Hokori had returned to it’s ‘sealed’ state on its own, though Discord had informed her not to be alarmed by that. Zanpaktou would return to a sealed state on their own like that, or a Soul Reaper could do so themselves, to make the Zanpaktou easier to carry and to not waste reishi by constantly maintaining the Shikai. All Sunset had to do was call out Hokori’s name and release phrase to get the Shikai out and be ready to rock and roll. It was with a nervous buzz that the girls returned to Discord’s shop. There was nothing to do but try to rest for the few hours it would take for Discord to finish preparing the portal. Each of Sunset’s friends spent the time differently. Rarity called her home, and spent some time talking on the phone with her little sister. Sunset could hear her in the other room, but not quite make out what was being said. Sunset was just lounging on the free couch in the room where Pinkie Pie’s family and Clover was, resting without really being able to sleep. Pinkie Pie sat with her parents and Maud, determined to enjoy some time together and take their minds off things with a board game she’d dug out from one of the shelves. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both argued over a movie to watch on the old VCR, eventually settling on a rather amusing little film that Sunset only paid half attention to; something about a truck driver in Chinatown getting into some big trouble with an ancient sorcerer. Rainbow Dash seemed to have seen the movie multiple times, quoting lines as they came up. Far as Sunset knew Fluttershy spent the time quietly curled up in one of the guest rooms, actually able to get some sleep despite the excitement of the day. Sunset was a little envious. Her thoughts drifted to Twilight Sparkle, and Sunset found herself missing her friend already. It didn’t feel right to not have her here. They’d started this mess together, and had gone through every step of this strange adventure side by side... now Twilight had been spirited off by her Quincy family and Sunset honestly didn’t know when, or even if she’d ever see Twilight again. What were the chances Twilight’s parents would let her off a tightly controlled leash in the near future? They might lock her away in that mansion permanently. Then again, Twilight had seemed determined to get involved on the Quincy end of things. Eager to learn, to acquire more knowledge. She’d been like that with magic too, almost obsessive. It just made Sunset worry more for her friend’s well being. I hope I see you again soon Twilight, and that you don’t get so submerged in trying to learn it all that you can’t come up for air anymore. Finally, about two and a half hours later, the odd gray cat arrived to inform them all that the portal was ready. Sunset and the girls gathered up and went down to the training area, following the gray cat as it led them to a spot between two rises of boulders where Discord and Adagio were waiting. Discord stood next to a pair of iron pillars, octagonal in shape that didn’t look naturally part of the local terrain. Both pillars crackled with flaring bolts of yellow energy, like big electrical conductors. Between the two pillars a shape had torn a hole in the air, like a gaping, black maw leading into darkness. “Hello girls, and say hello to Mr. Garganta,” Discord said, gesturing at the hole in the air, one that Sunset realized as identical to the portals Hollows used. “That’s gonna take us to that Huecoplace?” asked Rainbow Dash dubiously. “Hueco Mundo, yes. Garganta are portals between worlds that only Hollows can create,” Discord smiled a toothy grin, “Normally. I’ve spent some time developing my own method for replicating the technique, albeit nowhere near as efficiently as a Hollow can. Even the weakest, newborn Hollow could make a portal like this instinctively. In my case I have to simulate it with advanced Kido methods that require a lot of energy and concentration. Unfortunately that means that in order to keep this portal open I have to remain on this side to maintain the spell. I’ll even need my feline friend’s help with it to keep the portal open for any real length of time, otherwise they’d go with you to help.” “Kinda sucks I know,” said the cat, “It’s been a long time since I’ve planted my foot up the rear of some Hollows. But Discy’s right, I need to add my reiryoku to his in order to keep this artificial Garganta open for more than an hour.” “Just how long are we gonna have to pull off this rescue?” asked Sunset. Discord tapped his chin in thought, “I’d estimate we can keep the portal open for three hours, tops. I’ve given Adagio a sensor that should detect Grand Fisher’s spiritual pressure and lead you to him. This portal leads close to the location I suspect he’s hiding. You’ll have about an hour trek, I estimate. I can’t have the portal any closer, otherwise he’d no doubt sense it. Now, another thing to know about Hueco Mundo, spiritual planes like it and Soul Society are deadly for mortals to inhabit for too long. Your physical bodies tend to get broken down by the energies of a spiritual plane until your absorbed into it. For you girls it shouldn’t be a problem with your spiritual powers, but for those you’re trying to rescue it makes it all the more critical to retrieve them.” Pinkie Pie gulped, “Wait, so you’re saying me and Adagio’s sisters will get all absorbified into Huecosomething if we don’t get them outta there pronto!?” “Oh, a living human can survive a spiritual realm for, oh, a day I would guess, depending on the strength of their soul. The reason I’m saying this is because if you girls miss the window of time I can keep this portal open, I won’t be able to charge up another for at least another half a day, and given how long they’ve been held captive in Hueco Mundo already... well, just don’t miss the portal, okay?” Sunset took a deep breath. They’d have less than an hour to take down Grand Fisher, taking into account getting to and from the portal. Missing that window of time meant that Limestone, Aria, and Sonata would be dead, absorbed into Hueco Mundo, by the time Discord could open up another portal. So, no pressure. “No point in waiting then, let’s do this,” she said, popping Chappy’s gikon into her mouth to assume her spirit form. “We’ll be forming a walkway of spirit particles for you girls to cross on,” said Discord, nodding at the cat, “Don’t fall off, otherwise you’ll fall through the Precipice Realm, well, forever.” “Just keep that portal open as long as you can,” said Sunset, then looked at the girls lined up next to her, “Ready everyone?” Nods all around. The tension from her friends was a palpable thing, but Sunset was proud to see they all wore equal looks lacking hesitation. Applejack especially had a look of eagerness to come to grips with the Hollow responsible for her parent's death, her green eyes practically glowing with barely restrained anger. For better or worse, they were all ready to step into the unknown and face whatever danger lurked there. Sunset returned their nods, and as a group they stepped through the portal.