Episode 26: Crossroads
Episode 26: Crossroads
Sunset didn’t want to sit down, but one hard glance from Fluttershy was enough to have her gingerly parking her rear on the couch opposite the one Rarity had been lain down on. While the cut across her brow stung like a small line of fire, Sunset knew Rarity had to be in far greater pain. That wound to the shoulder was no joking matter, even with the healing support of Fluttershy’s power and Discord’s impressive medicines.
One by one her other friends shuffled to spots around the lounge, the spot Sunset was starting to think of as the main room of the living area behind the front of Discord’s shop. It seemed to be where they defaulted to going when it was time to talk, though most of her friends had a haggard, tired look about them. Not surprising, giving all that had happened. As everyone took seats, Discord remained standing, recovered from the sucker punch Applejack had given him and looking distinctly grave.
“Sooooo,” Pinkie Pie began, after a few moments awkward silence, “What’re we doing? Staring contest? Quiet game? I’m terrible at the second one, but a total champ at the first. Only person I can’t beat is Maudie.”
Applejack made a noise somewhere between a groan and a snort, “Yer nuttier than a basket full o’ woodchucks, Pinkie. After the day we’ve all had yer still crackin’ jokes?”
“S’what I do,” Pinkie said, smiling, “Seriously, what are we doing? My heads all fuzzy and buzzy and I can’t think real straight right now. Waaay too much stuff bouncing around upstairs,” she pointed at her head.
“It's a good question,” Sunset said quietly, leaning back in the couch, letting its cushy warmth embrace her. A part of her sorely wanted to just drift off and sleep for the next week straight, but she knew she couldn’t afford it. They might not have been certain of what to do next, but it was clear that resting on their laurels wasn’t going to be it. Celestia and Luna had been revealed as Soul Reapers, along with one of Canterlot High's top teachers, Cheerilee, and a student that all of them had considered a friend, Flash Sentry. How many more people might be Soul Reapers in disguise. Sunset frowned, and turned her attention to one more person who’d entered the room. Clover.
“Did you know? About the other Soul Reapers?”
All eyes turned to Clover, and she looked for a moment like the proverbial doe in the headlights, but managed to compose herself. She met their eyes each in turn, saying, “I did. Captains Celestia and Luna had been assigned to this city years ago, when we first discovered the portal to Equestria. Its not an uncommon practice, to have one or two Soul Reapers take up positions like that, but usually its reserved for larger population centers that need a more steady Soul Reaper presence to handle the flow of souls. However it's rarely a Captain, let alone two Captains along with their Lieutenants. The portal is that important.”
“Why didn’t you tell us about them?” asked Rainbow Dash, “I mean, it's cool and all that they chipped in on our side, but I don’t get the point of keeping it secret from us if you guys were on our side from the get go.”
Clover met Rainbow Dash’s questioning gaze, “It wasn’t in my authority to reveal the cover of fellow Soul Reapers, but please understand the intention of such cover identities is to protect the humans we watch over. No harm was intended in the deception, it’s just part of normal operating procedures. I’m certain Captains Celestia and Luna are genuine in their desire to help you, and certainly Lieutenants Cheerilee and Flash Sentry never did anything to harm you either.”
Pinkie Pie giggled slightly, “Heehee, it was kinda funny how dorky Flash was acting about it. Is he always like that, even when he’s being all Soul Reapery?”
“I don’t really know Thirteenth Division’s Lieutenant on a personal level,” Clover replied, blinking at Pinkie Pie.
“Don’t sit right wit me very well,” Applejack groused, tapping a foot, “All the masks and lies. Good intentions or not, the moment they figured out we was involved in this hot mess of a’ war, if Celestia and Luna really wanted ta help us, they should’ve come right out wit the truth from day one!”
“I’m sorry, Applejack,” Clover said, shoulders slumping, “All I can say is that we weren’t trying to harm you. My task was to watch over you girls and help Sunset train herself in her new abilities so she could control them without harming herself or others. I had no idea that Soul Society would send someone like Captain Platinum to try and force you to come with her like you were a bunch of common criminals.”
A shuddered passed through Clover, and Sunset could see she was struggling with her next words, “I never imagined Soul Society capable of something like what happened to your mothers. I want nothing more than to find a way to make things right with all of you. I understand if right now trusting the words of any Soul Reaper is difficult, but all I can say is that I consider you my friends Whatever happens between you and Soul Society, that fact won’t change.”
Despite the fact that the sudden rise made her head swim, Sunset stood and went over to Clover, placing a firm, comforting grip on the other girl's’ shoulder. “Hey, I can’t speak for everyone, but far as I’m concerned you and I are solid. Just because you’re part of Soul Society doesn’t mean you’re responsible for everything it’s done. For goodness sake I’m not dumb enough to assume that even most people in Soul Society were even aware of things like Xcution. I’ll admit it’s hard to believe that two principals I’ve trusted for years, a teacher I respect, and a guy I dated for a bit are also Soul Reapers. Kind of miffed, sure, that they didn’t tell us. But I can deal.”
She glanced back at her friends, “I think we all can deal. Right?”
Fluttershy smiled gently, “I just want everyone to get along.”
“I still think it's more funny than weird,” said Pinkie Pie.
Rainbow Dash shrugged, “I’m going to rib the crap outta them all when I get the chance, just to even the score. I mean, c’mon, its not cool that they were awesome sword-swinging death gods and held out on us for years. Sheesh. But am I gonna go flip out over it? Meh. We’ve got bigger tuna on the grill, like when are we going to go kick Gorgar’s butt and save Adagio?”
Applejack looked up at the ceiling for a moment and closed her eyes with a deep sigh, “Feel like my sense o’ right wit the world has been beaten black n’ blue. Thing is, I ain’t got ‘nough anger in me ta spread it ‘round ta everyone I feel like I oughta be mad at! I’m tryin’ ta tolerate Discord fer now, an’ can barely git my head wrapped around the folk at our school bein’ in on this whole Soul Reaper nonsense! Personally I’m gonna be keepin’ one close eye on Flash n’ Miss Cheerilee, just in case they decide ta stop bein’ on our side an’ it’d be better ta go full Platinum on us.”
“Snrk!” Pinkie Pie snorted, “Full Platinum. I like it.”
Sunset glanced at Rarity. “Rarity? Got anything to add?”
“...Blarg...” Rarity said, “My apologies ladies, I am far too tired and too stabbed to have a clear head for this conversation.”
Fluttershy worriedly stroked Rarity’s head, “It's okay, get some rest.”
Heading back to her chair to sink back into the comfortable cushions, doing her best to ignore the dizziness that came with the movement, Sunset said, “Which brings us full circle back to the original question; what now? Dash brings up a good point. We’ve got unfinished business with Grogar. Before this mess with Platinum I figured we were going to work on plans to get Adagio’s soul out of Hueco Mundo. On top of that there’s this other issue that someone out there has been manipulating the situation with Soul Society and that Celestia and Luna are walking face first into some kind of trap. Discord? Care to elaborate?”
As if he’d been waiting for just that moment, Discord strode across the room, stroking his beard the entire time. Click-clack went his clogs, until he reached the far wall, where he turned and began to pace the width of the room. As he did so he spoke, not looking at the girls, or Clover, or anyone. He looked off at nothing, red and yellow eyes staring intently at things only he could see.
“We find ourselves at a crossroads, my dear ladies. I’ve made mistakes and I cannot expect your full trust, yet I remain one of the few people in a position to help you. It is aid I give freely, with no more obligation to do me any favors. At any time any of you wish to walk, you may. I’ll even use whatever resources and influence I have left to ensure you and your family are protected.”
Click-clack, click-clack, the clogs tapped away on the floorboards as he paced, faster and faster.
“For those of you that choose to stay we face enemies on three fronts; Soul Society, the Hollows, and the Quincy. All three are aware of your powers, all three have reasons to seek you out in order to either eliminate or control you. Let us address Soul Society first. Celestia and Luna are likely to face a political trap, back home. Captain Platinum was sent to retrieve them, I’m near sure of it, and while I don’t know who or why, I can safely say that whatever happens won’t bode well for any of us if things proceed unchallenged. It may take weeks, or a month, as Soul Society’s bureaucracy is slow even when manipulated from the shadows. We have time before things reach critical mass there.”
“And just what is ‘critical mass’ going to look like? What’s our worst case scenario?” asked Sunset.
“Worst case? Our dear, favorite Captains will be charged with treason and executed, which in turn would severely weaken Soul Society and make it vulnerable to a direct assault from either the Hollows or Quincy.”
Clover shook her head, speaking quickly, “I just can’t see such an extreme situation occurring! Charging two Captains with treason and then having them executed? Nothing like that has ever happened in all of Soul Society’s history! The other Captains would never allow it, even if it was ordered by Central 46! It’d lead to civil war...”
“It may at that,” said Discord smoothly, but without mirth, or slowing his pacing. “I wouldn’t underestimate the level of corruption that may have taken hold of Central 46, and if Captain Platinum has been placed in someone’s pocket its not a stretch to think other Captains may be similarly compromised.”
“Hold up a sec,” said Sunset, “I think we need a bit more context here, for those of us who haven’t spent centuries in this Soul Society place. What is Central 46 and why does it have so much power to just hand out orders like that? I thought you guys had a ‘Captain Commander’ or something who was in charge?”
“Clover, would you like to field this one?” asked Discord.
“S-sure, but can I sit down first?” Clover said, swaying a bit on her feet. Fluttershy was almost instantly at her side, helping the Soul Reaper onto the couch next to Sunset. “Sorry, just starting to feel light headed is all.”
“You shouldn’t push yourself. You’re still wounded,” said Fluttershy, looking around with dismay at her injured friends. Clover gave her a small smile of thanks before putting on a more serious look, the lecturing look that Sunset had gotten used to while training with her.
“Now, Central 46 is the chamber of forty six individuals who are chosen to act as the central ruling body of Soul Society. It consists of forty ‘wise men’ who are elected leaders from communities all over Soul Society, including the four noble houses. The remaining six are judges whose task it is to actually proclaim judgments over the violation of laws within Soul Society, while the entire group of forty six debate policy and how such policies should be enacted. Central 46 has the authority to issue orders to the Thirteen Court Guard Divisions, or ‘Gotei 13’, which the Captain Commander must do all in his or her power to enact. However the Captain Commander can challenge and even overturn orders from Central 46 as long as they have the support of at least half of the remaining twelve Captains. This has... rarely ever happened, usually because Central 46’s orders have almost never gone against the general grain of what is best for Soul Society.”
“Right, so it's these guys that ordered Platinum to come here and bring us back to Soul Society, only we’re suspecting the real aim was to get Celestia and Luna to return with them to face some kind of manufactured set of charges,” said Sunset.
“Not manufactured,” said Clover with a sour look, “Unfortunately it is true that Celestia and Luna obstructed the mission of a fellow Captain, which could be construed as serious charges. Granted they both had just cause to interfere, but if what Discord says is true and someone is manipulating Central 46 from behind the scenes, then in any hearing it's very likely that Captains Celestia and Luna will find it difficult to convince Central 46 that they were in the right. However I still find it hard to believe it could go to charges of treason. Insubordination, perhaps, or dereliction of duty, but flat out treason... the Captain Commander would challenge such a ruling.”
“Which would lead to an increase in the tensions already thick in Soul Society,” said Discord, “No doubt distracting them from other threats. Ultimately the issue we face is that if things are left as they are it's only a matter of time before Soul Society descends into chaos.”
“Okay, but what do we do about it, huh!?” asked Rainbow Dash, frustration etched all over her features, “I don’t get all this complicated political stuff. So who do we punch to make things right again?”
“An auspicious choice of words, Miss Dash, as punching is exactly what I had in mind,” said Discord, to which many of the girls gave him incredulous looks, and Clover all but looked horrified.
“What are you suggesting?” asked Sunset.
Discord’s pacing abruptly stopped and he spun to face them, leaning on his cane with both hands clasped atop it, “I suspect our hidden manipulator is expecting us to remain here and lick our wounds. It would allow them to enact their plan and weaken Soul Society, likely by creating a split in loyalties between those who would seek to free Celestia and Luna from imprisonment and those that would support Central 46’s corrupt judgment. Sadly I doubt we can stop that chain of events from occurring... however what we can do is, when the split occurs, we launch our own support of the faction seeking to free Celestia and Luna. We come in on the side of the ‘good guys’ and see to it that any conflict is resolved quickly and with a minimum of damage done to Soul Society as a whole. At the same time we might also just unroot the ringleader behind the corruption of Central 46 and expose whatever real traitors are hidden among the Gotei 13’s ranks. If all goes well all of Soul Society will come through relatively unscathed, not to mention owing you girls a rather substantial debt of gratitude that you can then call in to gain assistance in tackling Hueco Mundo and rescuing your wayward siren friend.”
For a moment the sheer enormity of what Discord was proposing hit all the girls at once and they exchanged uneasy looks. However Rainbow Dash was the first to pound her fists together, an eager light entering her eyes as she grinned, “Hey, for once I actually understand the words coming out of your mouth. When things go screwy in Soul Society we show up, help the good Soul Reapers kick some righteous butt, and then after everyone sees how awesome we are they’ll owe us big time for helping them clean out the jerks hiding among them.”
“That’s the size of it, Miss Dash,” Discord said.
“B-but can we really do that?” Fluttershy asked with wide eyes, “Won’t that mean fighting a lot of powerful Soul Reapers, whoever decides to support Central 46?”
“An’ ain’t that just makin’ the civil war worse an’ leavin’ Soul Society even more open ta attack from the Hollows or Quincy?” put in Applejack, brow creased deeply.
“To your concern, Miss Applejack, I’m afraid it's likely impossible to avoid infighting among the Soul Reaper ranks. However if we move swiftly, in the right way, we can end things before it causes too much damage. I don’t expect everything to go according to plan,” Discord’s face twisted in a wry grin, “Its the nature of such chaos to throw well ordered plans into disarray. However with effort, luck, and a little controlled chaos I think we can save Soul Society from itself.”
He looked to Fluttershy, “As to your concern, its a well founded one Miss Fluttershy. I have no doubt all of you felt the power of Captain Platinum, yesterday. For Miss Rarity, Miss Shimmer, and Miss Applejack you all faced her directly. I don’t think I need to explain that as you are now you’d be no match for a Soul Reaper Captain, for as powerful as Platinum is, she isn’t the strongest Captain among the Gotei 13. Even the Lieutenants could prove dangerous opponents for you girls, as you are now.”
“Hey!” said Rainbow Dash heatedly, “We had that Fancy Pants guy on the ropes before Flash and Miss Cheerilee stepped in!”
“Did you now? Did he release his Zanpaktou?” asked Discord plainly, and Rainbow Dash grunted, crossing her arms and looking stubborn.
“Well... no. I mean he was about to, but got interrupted. I still say we still could’ve taken him.”
“Perhaps, but my point is that you haven’t truly faced a high ranking Soul Reaper officer at their full power. Even if you can match many seated officers, including Lieutenants, on level ground, it doesn’t change that a Captain would be beyond all of you combined. Not only are they potent without releasing their Zanpaktou, every Captain with the exception of one has the second stage of a Zanpaktou’s release; Bankai.”
He looked squarely at Sunset now, “You felt the power of Fuyukogo’s Shikai release. Remember that, and understand that a Bankai has easily five to ten times the power of a Shikai.”
Sunset sucked in a breath. Clover had told her a bit about Bankai already, but she hadn’t really understood what that meant until she had the frame of reference facing Platinum in battle gave her. The bottom line was that Sunset, despite her best efforts, hadn’t been able to touch Platinum. Her spiritual pressure had been nothing short of overwhelming. And she hadn’t even been going all out. It was a sobering thought.
“Right, so you’ve made your point that we’re not match for Captains, but your plan means we’d have to go in and fight against them in order to clean up Soul Society. I’m going to assume you’ve got a way to make this less suicidal?” Sunset said, leaning forward.
“As a matter of fact, I do,” said Discord, tone turning deathly serious, “However I need each of you girls, you included Clover, to understand the danger involved. While I was still a Captain of the Twelfth Division I had a number of side projects. Among those projects was developing new... experimental training methods. Methods designed to vastly increase the rate at which individuals might grow in spiritual power. Most of the methods were developed with Soul Reapers in mind, but during the time I was managing Xcution I also developed methods to accommodate Fullbringers. Your mothers used these methods. Its part of what allowed them to complete their Fullbrings in such a short span of time.”
“Sweet!” said Rainbow Dash, cracking her knuckles, “So we can use these super training techniques to get even more awesome!”
“Ideally. Your Fullbrings are only in their infancy, but the training should allow you to push them to the next level, if not outright complete them. As for the two of you, Sunset Shimmer, Clover... I intend to take personal charge of your training, and see how far I can push you both.”
“M-me!?” Clover said, blinking.
“Yes, you. Did you intend to sit on the sidelines during all of this?” asked Discord, to which Clover drew back, still looking stunned, but also reflective. She stammered.
“I...I suppose I can’t, can I? I’ve sworn to serve Soul Society, and if there really is a threat hiding in the shadows, manipulating the highest echelons of authority, then it’s my duty to see the threat ended. I just... this is hard to take in. You’re talking about outright treason, in many ways. Planning an assault upon fellow Soul Reapers, engaging them in open battle.”
“Clover, by the time we go there chances are Soul Society will already be poised for such fighting. All we’ll be doing is bringing the fight to an end faster, so Soul Society can survive,” said Discord, “But if you have any doubts, now is the time to voice them.”
Clover was quiet for a long time, and Sunset reached out to grab her hand, giving it a tight squeeze, which Clover returned gently. At last the girl shook her head and gave a helpless, small laugh, “Heh, I wouldn’t have conceived of doing something this reckless and crazy, but I suppose you girls have rubbed off on me. Count me in.”
“Excellent, now for the bad news,” Discord said.
“Oh, here it comes,” said Pinkie Pie, pointing at her left foot, “I had a twitchy toe that told me you had a catch incoming.”
“Indeed. The catch, as you say Miss Pie, is this; the training for all of its phenomenal potential carries with it grave risk. It is intensive and pushes your souls well beyond their conventional limits.” Discord's eyes took on a dark cast, a cold and serious sheen that made Sunset feel distinctly uncomfortable. “Make no mistake, dear ladies, that this training could prove fatal. If you falter, if you hold back, if you stumble even slightly you could suffer permanent damage to your souls. Do not take this lightly. If you accept to train under me using these methods, you can gain great power in a short time frame, but the risk involved in real and I can’t guarantee you’ll come through it unscathed.”
With a weak laugh Rarity said, “Ha! Because we’re quite safe from harm as we are now.” She winced, pale features twisting in pain as she used her one good arm to point towards her heavily bandaged shoulder. Her blue eyes shone with a passionate gleam that Sunset sometimes saw when Rarity was focused upon a creative goal. “Mr. Discord, it has been made painfully clear to me that if we are to survive the attentions of the likes of Grogar and Platinum that we cannot afford to be idle. Our lives, and those of our families, will remain at risk until we have the strength needed to take on all comers.”
She turned her head until she could meet Discord’s eyes, and said, “If your training can give us that strength, then I see no alternative course. I will not sit and wait for the next threat to rear its head and threaten those I care about. I will do all that I must, including risking my life, to defend what I hold dear. I would think each of my friends feels the same way.”
Sunset found herself grinning from ear to ear, “I couldn’t have said it better, Rarity.”
Even Applejack’s expression had softened and a smile graced her features as she tipped her hat, “Ain’t got nothin’ I can say ta object ta them apples. I might have some serious misgivings ‘bout Soul Society, but I’m likin’ the idea o’ bootin’ out whoever’s rotted it to the core an’ lettin’ some more decent folk a shot at runnin’ the show, an’ it does mean we gotta step up our game ta pull that off. What’s a bit more risk?”
“Heck yeah! We’ve already faced life or death stuff, so we can take some more, right girls?” said Rainbow Dash, pumping a fist eagerly, “I say bring on the super training!”
Pinkie Pie grinned at Fluttershy and gave her a playful punch on the shoulder, “C’mon Flutters, lets see some enthusiasm! It’ll be just like camp, only with more risk of bodily harm!”
Fluttershy laughed nervously, ‘Well, I suppose it's something we have to do, if we’re going to keep everyone safe.”
Sunset turned to Discord, smiling, “Sounds like it's unanimous. When do we start and how much time do we have?”
“I’d estimate we have a week at the soonest before things get out of hand in Soul Society, maybe two,” said Discord, “I’ll send one of my associates into Soul Society to keep watch on things and inform us when matters reach the point of no return. Until then we will spend all the available time we can training, starting tomorrow so that you have time to recover from your injuries. Rarity will need almost all my attention to have that shoulder in shape by tomorrow.”
“Then we train?”
Discord’s eyes all but glowed as he smiled thinly, “Like you’ve never trained before.”
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Twilight Sparkle had not known what to expect, exactly, once she’d agreed to make her joining of the Quincy cause ‘official’, at least as far as her family was concerned. Shining Armor and Cadence may have trained her on a personal level in the basics of Quincy abilities, but that told her nothing of what to expect from the rest of Quincy society or what would be expected of her. For the moment all that had happened was travel; a lot of travel. The very same day she’d spoken with her father and made her decisions to join the Quincy the entire family had packed up and along with Cadence and Fleur De Lis they had driven to a private airfield about twenty miles outside the city. From there they’d boarded a small jet liner of a configuration Twilight didn’t recognize, and seemed to travel far faster than she could have imagined across the country, then over the Atlantic. In four hours.
Guessing based off her general knowledge of world geography they crossed over the ocean and landed somewhere in northeast Europe. Somewhere in Germany or Poland, she estimated. The jet landed at an airfield that was nestled inside a large forest of tall deciduous trees, seemingly far from any major metropolitan area. During the flight over she’d been seated between her father and mother like sentinels, while Shining Armor and Cadence seated further ahead, while Fleur had remained in the back. Twilight Velvet’s injury had kept her moving slowly both in boarding and disembarking, but the older woman seemed determined not to show weakness, even when her husband had offered her an arm to lean on.
Conversation had been sparse on the way over, despite Twilight having many questions about where they were going and what was expected of her when they got there. Most of her questions had been answered tersely, her father explaining, “Until you’ve finished with your meeting with His Majesty we are only allowed to say so much. He specifically requested to meet with you while you were... free of any biases that too much information coming from us might create.”
A pair of limousines met them at the airfield. Fleur De Lis, Shining Armor, and Cadence went into one, while Twilight's parents steered her towards the other. The men and women driving the vehicles wore slick white uniforms, and carried themselves like soldiers more than simply hired help. Upon the side doors of the limousines was the five pointed cross of the Quincy.
“Where are we, exactly?” Twilight asked once the cars were moving along streets that twisted and wound their way through the thick forest, curving around steep hills. She thought she saw, off to her right through the treeline, the glimmer of a vast lake.
“North Germany,” Night Light replied, “This land has been owned by the Vandenreich for generations, and was part of His Majesty's original territory centuries ago. There’s a thick blanket of secrecy concerning the Quincy, and as far as anyone from the outside looking in is concerned the land is owned by a corporate conglomerate called Crosstech Industries.”
Twilight blinked. As a girl who spent ninety percent of her time studying up on the latest in scientific pursuits, Crosstech Industries was a name she knew well. The were at the very top of a short list of international companies responsible for some of the latest technological developments ranging from aerospace mechanics to pharmaceuticals and genetics. There wasn’t a single pool of scientific research and technology that the company didn’t have its fingers dipped in, and aside from a few entrepreneurs in America there wasn’t anyone who competed with Crosstech in terms of financial influence, worldwide.
“Is this where our family’s money comes from?” she asked quietly.
“Part of it. Crosstech controls a number of subsidiaries,” Velvet said, face still tight with the pain of her slowly recovering injury, “We hold stock in some of the American based subsidiaries, which generates a portion of the family wealth, while also supporting the Quincy. A practice built from generation to generation, solidified by alliances of marriage between Quincy bloodlines that each seek to control different businesses across the world.”
Nepotism, thy name is Quincy, “So, we’re basically super powered Illuminati?”
“Oh please,” said Velvet, “Let us not delve into conspiracy theory, daughter. Strictly speaking we don’t control the world. Merely a sizeable portion of its wealth. We don’t care about controlling government and politics, only in destroying the Hollows and breaking Soul Reaper control of the afterlife.”
“Although,” Night Light added, “There has been some talk in certain circles among us Quincy as to what should be done when the war is finally won and the Hollows and Soul Reapers defeated. Some of that talk is that we should start placing people in positions of political power, to better steer humanity as a whole towards a better future. Personally I’m not certain that’s possible, and ultimately it's all up to His Majesty to decide.”
“W-what is he like?” Twilight asked, “How should I talk to him? What does he even want to see me for?”
Her parents exchanged glances, worried ones, if Twilight was gauging their expressions right. Night Light turned to her, eyes tense, as he said, “We’ve already said more than we should. His Majesty is His Majesty. Nothing we can say can prepare you for speaking with him. Only know that you are our daughter and the Quincy blood runs strong in your veins. Follow your gut instincts, and be... polite. His Majesty can be... moody.”
Moody? She was about to meet with one of the most powerful men in the world, and the best her father could tell her was that he was ‘moody’? Twilight’s confidence was not boosted and she found herself staring out the limo’s windows nervously as they drove on. Before long the road went up and over a hill, the other side of which being a space where the forest opened up into a vast cleared area of well tended grass along the west shore of a huge, gleaming blue lake. Along the shore of that lake was... welll... a palace.
And not any kind of modern definition of the term, but rather something that looked as if it had been ripped straight from the cover of a high fantasy novel and made real. Brilliant white stone built a vast foundation with high walls and ramparts, marked by fluttering banners bearing the five pointed Quincy cross. The castle itself was built in the same pattern, with five wings spreading out from a multi-tiered central body, each of which had several smaller towers and spires spearing upwards into the sky. Yet all of this built up to a single, huge central tower that reached higher still, perhaps two hundred feet up, to where Twilight couldn't imagine such a thing could be kept hidden, yet she hadn’t seen this structure on the flight in nor had she seen any hint of it over the treetops on the drive up.
Some tingly sensation in her gut told her that they’d just driven past some kind of ward, a ward that probably kept this location hidden from prying outside eyes.
Her jaw must have been dropped because her mother said, “Close your mouth, dear, it's not becoming of you to gawk.” Her voice warmed slightly, “Though I suppose I can’t blame you. Silbern is an impressive sight, even if this is just the incarnation of it in the physical world. The one we have in the spirit realm is more impressive still.”
Twilight turned to blink at her mother, “There’s two of these things!?”
“Indeed. Well, technically just one. This palace exists in both the living world and spirit world simultaneously. What you see here is the part of it that is grounded in our physical world, but there is more that extends into the spirit realm via portals built long ago by the first Quincy. Inside you can cross a mere hallway or pass through a door and find yourself in the spirit realm portion of the palace.”
Twilight’s mind felt sufficiently blown, and she looked at the shining palace with newfound intrigue and respect. Now that the limousines drew closer she could see Quincy soldiers standing sentry on the battlements, still as marble statues. The road led around the west side of the palace and into wide gatehouse, the portcullis already raised for their arrival. Beyond the gatehouse was a sizeable courtyard, with the road going in one solid circle around a space containing a vast stone fountain. A set of large steps led up to opulently carved wood doors into the main building of the palace, and from those doors strode a woman. She wore a somewhat similar uniform to what Twilight had seen her family wearing, having the same white coloring and military cut to it. However this woman’s clothes clung to her tightly, consisting of a short miniskirt that barely covered her thighs, and a tied off halter top that exposed a fair portion of her generous cleavage. Her white boots went up to her knees, and atop her head of fiery orange hair was a military cap bearing the Quincy cross. Her skin was a golden yellow color, and as she approached the limousines her fire colored eyes shone brightly and matched her friendly grin.
Velvet sighed as she got out of the car, Night Light and Twilight following. Shining Armor, Cadence, and Fleur exited their own vehicle, Cadence beaming a smile at the new woman and saying with warmth, “Ah, Spitfire, come to welcome us home?”
The woman, Spitfire, spoke in a casual, somewhat scratchy voice, “Come to check out the new recruit. Soon as I heard Night Light and Velvet’s daughter was being brought in wanted to meet her face to face.”
She glanced at Velvet, then ant Fleur, “Also heard you guys got jacked up by some Soul Reapers. You alright? Been nothing but rumors flying around about that fight and I’ve had to bust a few lips that were talking behind your guys’ backs about how it was mistake leaving you in charge of operations in Canterlot City.”
Velvet took a deep breath, eyes cold, “Any rumors were highly exaggerated. It was a skirmish, barely a battle, and mostly we destroyed Hollows while the Soul Reapers... assisted.”
Fleur looked like she wanted to spit, almost reflexively clutching at her bandaged, burning arm, “We’re fine. We don’t need you defending our honor, Spitfire. If anyone wishes to discuss our performance they can speak their concerns to my face, after which I’ll happily educate them on the error in their judgment.”
Spitfire held up her hands, smirking, “We want to keep the palace intact, Fleur, so I don’t think I’ll be sending anybody your way. Besides they’re all smart enough to keep their mouths shut around you. I was just wondering what the hell happened. No offense but your arm looks like it got hit with the business end of some napalm, and the last time I saw Velvet limping was that scuffle years ago when she went to help those friends of hers against Soul Society bullshit. What was they called again, Xcution?”
“History,” Velvet said with a tired, sad look, “History that looks to repeat itself, but that is not my concern any longer. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we must take my daughter to His Majesty.”
“Just a sec, let me get a look at the little mite, eh?” said Spitfire, coming up to Twilight and leaning down. Spitfire had about half a head of height on Twilight, and seemed to not have much of a comprehension of personal boundaries, as she got uncomfortably close to Twilight, looking her over with a critical eye. Twilight, unsure of how to respond, just kept quiet and tried to stay still.
“Hmm, you look pretty green, but that’s to be expected,” said Spitfire, “I can also see you’ve been trained a bit. You’re holding yourself at a ready stance without thinking about it. This your work Shining Armor?”
“Yes, and Cadence helped as well,” said Shining Armor, “We both trained her in the rudimentary techniques.”
“Yeah, but can she catch up with the rest of my cadets?” Spitfire asked. “They’ve already moved on to the intermediate courses and it won’t be long before they start getting sent on active patrols with the more advanced students. I don’t have time to give her a crash course in the basics, so she’ll either have to keep up or...”
Shining Armor’s eyes narrowed but Cadence stepped forward, still smiling in a pleasant manner, “Twilight will be more than able to keep pace with the rest of your class, Spitfire. I understand you can’t take it easy on her. Your position as Academy mistress wouldn’t allow you to play into such favoritism. We only ask that you give her a chance to prove herself. She will live up to your standards, I assure you.”
“That’s for her to answer, I think,” Spitfire said, and turned her eyes back to Twilight, a rather intense gaze that set Twilight on edge, “How about it? You’re going to get tossed headfirst into my intermediate course with the rest of the new recruits, and I won’t be giving you any refresher lessons on the basics. My Academy is grueling, even to the initiated, and failure doesn’t mean a slap on the wrist. We do live combat exercises against real Hollows, and I’ve lost plenty of students who scrubbed out not by walking home, but by being shipped back in a casket. You up to it, rookie?”
Fear trickled down Twilight’s spine like a icy spider. She’d faced Hollows already, but she’d always had her friends there to support her, and she them. Twilight had no idea what to really expect from training at this Quincy Academy, but Spitfire made it sound just one shade short of physical torment combined with zero guarantees of personal safety. Yet she thought of her friends from Canterlot High School, and of the challenges they no doubt faced. She wanted nothing more than to be able to help them, and the only path she could see to doing so lay through becoming a full fledged Quincy, where she might be able to affect change from within their ranks. Or, failing that, she’d have the power she’d need to break away and return to her friends as a true asset in the battles to come. Either way, there was really only one choice, no matter how much it frightened her.
She gulped, and gave a solid nod, squaring her shoulders, “I am.”
Spitfire gave her a grin, “Good answer. I think I’m going to like you, kid. Don’t let it go to your head, though. Doesn’t mean I’m going to take it easy on you. Alright, go ahead and take her to His Majesty. Once that’s done I expect her at the Academy grounds to start her training first thing in the morning.”
Night Light nodded his head and put a hand on Twilight's shoulder, “Of course. Good day to you, Spitfire.”
With that Twilight’s family flanked her on either side and guided her up the steps and through the front doors of the palace, heading within. The grand entry hall of the palace reminded Twilight of the manor back home, if it was three times and size and twice as imposing. Everything was cast in a harsh white light, stemming from lanterns and chandeliers lit by chemical blue fire that Twilight knew was fueled by Quincy alchemy, the fires burning near perpetually and casting only light, no heat. White silk banners covered the walls, and tapestries within tall alcoves lit internally by pits of the same blue alchemic fire. The stairs at the back of the hall were ludicrously steep, and though they started wide, they narrowed almost to a single person’s width towards the top, near a single white door. Other doors were on the ground floor, evenly spaces around the walls, almost mechanically so.
The moment they were through Fleur De Lis began to stride towards one of the doors on the left, “I think I shall go find whoever has been speaking ill of us and have a discussion with them concerning proper etiquette.”
“I’ll join you,” said Cadence, “Just to ensure the discussion is... productive and doesn’t devolve into any unnecessary and regrettable actions by either party,” she paused briefly to smile encouragingly at Twilight, “You’ll do fine. We’ll speak again soon.”
As the two women strode off, Twilight’s parents and brother gathered close to her, Shining Armor placing a comforting and warm hand on her shoulder. “If you go up those stairs you’ll find an elevator that will take you to His Majesty’s throne room in this side of the palace. Just enter quietly and remember to kneel. One knee only will suffice. Don’t speak until given leave by His Majesty to do so. From there just... just follow his lead, I suppose, and be respectful.”
Twilight nodded, licking her lips, “I understand.”
“Cadence is correct. You’ll be just fine, Twilight,” said her father, looking at her with confidence. Twilight Velvet actually wrapped her in a hug, though Twilight could feel her mother shaking in pain from the action.
“We’ll see you when you’re done, daughter. Now go, don’t keep His Majesty waiting.”
As her family watched Twilight ascended the stairs. Her steps somehow felt heavier with each stair she passed, and she got a sense of brief vertigo at the height of the stairs where they were at their narrowest point. She opened the door at the top of the stairs, feeling the hold metal handle and frowning at it. The handle almost felt like ice. The door opened up into a luxurious looking elevator car, not unlike the kind she’d seen in high priced hotels. There were only two buttons; up and down. With a deep breath she pressed the ‘up’ button and silver doors slid closed.
The ride upward was smooth and quiet, and she got a prickly feeling along her spine, as if passing through some kind of energy field. She wished she had one of her magical scanners on hand, just to satisfy her curiosity. She imagined there might be a number of defenses in place to prevent this elevator from being used by intruders, as opposed to invited guests. Her mind tumbled with questions about what the King of the Quincy would want to see her for. Surely this wasn’t normal for just any recruit into the Quincy ranks? Her mouth felt dry and she was trying not to visibly shake by the time the elevator slid to a stop and the silver doors opened.
The room they opened to was smaller than she’d been expecting. Not much larger than the average living room, though the ceiling felt higher. A single silver chandelier with more blue chemical lights cast all in pale light. The floor was covered in smooth velvet carpet of a deep blue color. To either side of her the walls held open windows with white curtains billowing in a gentle breeze. She could hear birds chirping outside. At a casual glance she could see the throne room had to have been at the central tower’s apex. She could see the countryside for miles around, nothing but deep, untouched forest, and shining blue lake.
At the end of the room was a single raised portion of floor with a few carpet draped stairs that led to a throne of marble stone, with its back swept up and flaring like the head of a cobra. The Quincy cross, much as it was everywhere in the palace, was stamped in silver upont he head of the throne. Yet the throne itself stood empty.
Instead the man Twilight had to assume was the King of the Quincy stood by one of the windows, hands on the banister, and was staring out at the lake.
His skin had a dark, sooty quality to it, and his hair hung in thick charcoal strands to nearly his mid-back. He had strong, aquiline features, with a sharp nose and deep set eyes, red like twin drops of blood. The man certainly looked as if he belonged in the pseudo-medieval styling of the palace, for he wore iron dark armor in snugly fits plates over a broad shouldered frame that oozed athletic prowess, even standing still. A plain black circlet of iron kept his hair pulled back from his brow. The seeming only concession to the usual Quincy dress coat was the sweeping white cloak hanging from his back, sporting another silver rendition of the five pointed Quincy cross.
Following Shining Armor’s instructions Twilight took a few steps into the room, until she felt she was a polite distance from the man, and then knelt down on one knee, head bowed, waiting for the King to speak first.
When he did speak, it started with a boyish chuckle that somehow resonated with both frightening power and outgoing charm, “I see your family has impressed upon you the formalities. Unnecessary, in this case. I have no need of another obedient soldier. I have enough of those.”
He turned to her, and somehow without lifting a finger or saying a word Twilight felt herself standing as if it’d been a command, like a tug somewhere deep inside her soul. The King looked at her eyes, and only her eyes, and it kept Twilight transfixed.
“You’re most certainly your parent’s child. I can feel the potential inside you like a buried vein of gold, just waiting for the right tools to be mined, smelted, and forged into something beautiful and strong,” the King said, smiling at her, and it was the kind of smile that seemed like it could just as easily mean he was pleased, or that he was about to murder her.
At her continued silence the King chuckled again, waving a hand at her, “Oh, I forget myself. They probably told you not to speak until given leave. Well we can hardly have a conversation with you acting the mute. Speak, Twilight Sparkle, and ask your questions; for I know you must have many.”
Twilight blinked, opening her mouth, then closing it as she considered what to ask. She wanted to know why he’d wanted to speak with her in the first place, but perhaps before that there was a far more basic question that she felt needed answering.
“W-well, um, Your Highness? I can see you already know my name, but everyone has only ever called you ‘His Majesty’, which I suppose is proper and such but... um... could you tell me your name?”
If anything that disturbing smile that could mean a thousand things, or nothing, only widened, and the King nodded in agreement. “A good start, introductions. Most of my children prefer the old ways of showing respect, but I’ve never directly commanded they do so. Any are free to know and speak my name, the merely do not out of tradition.”
He swept his cloak over one shoulder and affected a deep, smooth bow, “Know then that my given name is Sombra Umbrum. I am the Father of the Quincy, and he whom they call King. You may, however, feel free to merely address me as Sombra for the duration of this conversation.”
“O...kay? Then may I be permitted another question, Sombra? Why did you wish to speak with me? W-why am I here?”
Sombra’s smile turned wry and he turned and strode up the steps to his throne. Instead of sitting in it, however, he turned and leaned against the side of it, arms crossed in an almost playful pose. “I wanted to take your measure. I’ve respected your parent’s wishes to keep you out of Quincy affairs, as they’ve been nothing but dutiful and capable servants to my regime. Yet now here you are, offering yourself freely to our cause. I’m well aware of your relationship with the young women from Canterlot City, and in particular the one who is not what she appears to be.”
His eyes took on a pale shine and the room seemed to lose a few degrees of warmth, “Tell me true, you have no desire to actually support the Quincy, do you?”
Twilight tried very hard not to shake like a leaf, but instead maintain a calm air about her. However almost any thought of lying or playing off his question as silly fled her mind under that hard, smooth gaze. She found herself speaking almost without thinking, “I can’t condone what looks like a pointless war, Sombra. I hate fighting. I hate seeing people get hurt. I don’t want to be a mindless soldier just fighting whomever I’m told. I decided to become a Quincy so I could prevent needless fighting. I wanted to understand the Quincy, understand the truth, and maybe find a way to change things so that Quincy and Soul Reapers didn’t have to fight anymore.”
The coldness of the room abruptly fled, and things felt normal once more as Sombra laughed, “I see, I see. Did you know your mother once told me something similar? Yes, in her youth she was such an idealist. She often spoke of finding a peaceful end to the conflict, to forge an end to the war through understanding. I admired her for it, and wept bitterly when the Soul Reapers, inevitably, proved to Twilight Velvet that they could never be trusted, nor worthy of peace. I suppose it is equally inevitable that you must learn the same lesson, yet I will not force it upon you. You will learn on your own, for I can see you are a bright young woman. Who knows, perhaps you may succeed where your mother failed, though my own long experience tells me otherwise.”
“But why!?” Twilight demanded, forgetting her fear for a moment under a torrent of frustration, “Surely after centuries of fighting both you and the Soul Reapers must see how futile the war is! You both desire to protect humanity, so why!? Why continue fighting!?”
“Ah, but that is where you fail to see, Twilight Sparkle,” Sombra said, slowly leaning off his throne and holding his hands out to his sides, shaking his head, “You believe that the Soul Reapers desire to protect humanity. I tell you now that this is a falsehood. It is a lesson I’ve had to learn through bitter, long years of dealing with them. What the Soul Reapers desire is control of humanity, control of our world in its entirety, including the very fate of all of our souls. Consider this, Twilight Sparkle. Every single Soul Reaper is just a normal human soul that has undergone special training to obtain vast power which they then use to control the nature of the afterlife. Does this not strike you as unfair? That were you to die your soul would be judged by another mortal soul, and you would then be told where you would go and what you would do in an afterlife you have no say over?”
“I... don’t know, but I’m willing to try to understand things from their point of view,” said Twilight, “Understanding has to come first, before reconciliation. That’s my desire, Sombra. To understand, and ultimately, reconcile the Quincy and Soul Reapers.”
She gulped, clenching her fists at her side and forcing herself to stand strong, “If that is not something you can find agreeable, th-then too bad. I won’t stop until I succeed in forging peace between Quincy and Soul Reapers!”
Since it seemed that lying would have been pointless, she figured she might as well stick to her guns. Or bows, or whatever Quincy stuck to. She refused to believe that the Soul Reapers were as bad as Sombra claimed, nor was she willing to believe that any organization her family was a part of could be wholly evil either. The only path then, for her, was one that walked the razor’s edge of loyalty to her family, and loyalty to herself.
Sombra, for his part, didn’t seem displeased by her words. If anything he seemed amused. “I do believe you will prove an interesting addition to the Quincy, Twilight Sparkle. You will clash horribly with some of your fellows, and I have a dire suspicion that in time your ideals will become tarnished, much like your mother’s were. Yet I am very interested in seeing just how you will affect the future of the Quincy. The war has stagnated for too long. It is time for something... new, to spark change in the future. I give you my leave to pursue your goals, Twilight Sparkle, as long as you remain loyal to Quincy and serve within the bounds of our laws. Seek understanding. Even seek peace, if you will, just as long as you don’t betray your kin.”
“I... I will, Sombra. Er, King Sombra?”
“His Majesty will suffice for when you are among others and must speak formally, but for when we are alone as this, Sombra shall do. Now, kneel.”
She did so gingerly, and Sombra approached her. He held out his hand, and in a glow of blue light particles of spirit energy flowed and formed into the shape of a glowing broadsword, with a cross shaped hilt. Twilight sucked in a breath, fearful for a moment, but he merely tapped the edge of the blade of glowing energy to her shoulder.
“Swear to me this oath, Twilight Sparkle; ‘Upon my honor as a Quincy I shall endure to serve the Vandenreich. My bow is my soul and it shall be the light that shields mankind until my blood is shed to the last drop. So I swear and so shall it be from this day until my dying day.’”
With a dry mouth Twilight spoke the words, and Sombra stepped back, allowing his blade to vanish back in a mist of blue spirit particles back into his body.
“Then rise, Twilight Sparkle, Quincy of the Vandenreich.”
----------
When the grinding noise reached Adagio’s ears she didn’t quite understand at first. Then she saw bright light pour forth from the wall of her cell, hurting her eyes for a moment before she was able to adjust to the brightness. She then just stared at the opening in disbelief for a time, unable to comprehend or trust what she was seeing. She floated up into the air warily, eyeing the opening in her cell. Surely this was a trick?
She knew not much time had passed since her... feeding. A day, perhaps. The hunger was returning, slowly, but had not reached overwhelming pains, merely an empty pang. She felt stronger than before, but it was a cold comfort when the screams of that poor woman still echoed dimly in her hunger fogged memory.
Adagio watched the opening for several minutes before letting out a growl. Fine, if Grogar wanted to play games, then she’d play. She floated forward, swimming through the air the same way she would have as a siren. Her pale, Hollow body moved with sinuous grace, and she almost found she liked the powerful strokes of it, until she felt sick remembering the price of that strength.
The light turned out to come from a brightly lit ceiling in a much vaster chamber than her cell. It was still confining, giving off the sensation of being underground, and consisted of little more than well polished gray stone. It was circular, with the ceiling domed and easily two dozen meters high. The overall diameter of the room was perhaps that of a football field, give or take. The floor was odd, however, not stone but instead filled with uneven, white sand. She also noticed the room wasn’t empty, but instead was filled with formations of stone ranging from small blocks, to square pillars, to unusual spheres and pyramids. If anything the collection of random formations made the room look almost like an..
Adagio’s eyes widened. An arena!
Grogar’s voice spoke in its drool, arrogant tone, “You’re awake. Good. Now that you have fed, it is time to familiarize you with your abilities. By now you may have considered yourself strong enough to form a Garganta once more-”
Adagio swore under her breath, realizing that was an excellent point and immediately tried to do just that.
“-You’ll find that I’ve installed penalties for such foolish notions.”
The moment she tried to open a Garganta, following her gut instincts just as she had when she’d done so for Sunset and the others, her body convulsed as horrible pain lanced through her. Arcs of red energy flowed over her body, waves of agony following them, and Adagio screamed, landing in the sand in a flopping mass.
“In fact you’ll find that I’ve installed countermeasures to ensure your cooperation in many matters, and to thoroughly prevent your escape. I wouldn’t advise continuing to open a Garganta. The pain will only be passing, but it will intensify to unbearable levels before long.”
Breathing heavily, face twisted up from the lingering pain, Adagio ceased her efforts to open a portal and slowly floated up once more, shouting, “Damn you! What do you want from me!?”
“To test you, to experiment upon you, to dissect the source of your most unusual power. While I could kill you and tear what knowledge I can from your corpse, I believe that I will learn more from using more extensive methods to observe and test your ability while you yet live as a Hollow. I shall push you to your limits, then past them. I will force you to develop your powers. In so doing I shall glean insight into the nature of that gem hanging inside the hole where your soul should be, and from that insight I may better strengthen myself. Cooperate and you may be treated well, like a well kept dog who understands her place. Show disobedience, resist, and you will know nothing but pain. Regardless, I shall still get what I want.”
Adagio’s fangs ground together as a deep growl rumbled up from the depths of her throat, “I hate you. I hate you so much.”
“Good. Hate is a potent tool for growth. Now that you have fed we will begin the next phase.”
More grinding noises filled the chamber, and Adagio saw at the far end of the chamber a portion of the wall rose, revealing darkness beyond. Yet from that darkness emerged shapes, crawling along on all fours, or walking tall on hunched legs. Hollows. Hollows like herself, yet Adagio could almost sense that that weren’t like herself. They somehow smelled weaker than her. Lesser. Tired and hungry as she was, she gained an immediate instinctual sense that she was the alpha predator in the room, and the realization sent a primal urge into the core of her being that said ’Rip, shred, and feed’. The feeling disgusted her, but she immediately recognized she’d have no choice.
The moment the small group of five or so lesser Hollows noticed her they immediately began to howl their own hunger. They were starved, and only not tearing into each other due to fear of Grogar who had given them explicit instructions. Kill or be killed. They knew it, Adagio knew it.
As one howling mass the lesser Hollows began to charge Adagio from across the arena, and with a feral howl consisting of all of her hate and rage for the one who was imprisoning and tormenting her, Adagio Dazzle threw herself into the fight. The first swipe of her talons cut a bloody swath through the chest of the first Hollow she reached, a tall baboon-like Hollow that even with several massive bleeding cuts in its chest still tried to pound Adagio with fists like cinder blocks.
Adagio flicked her tail, treating the air like water, and moving like a predatory fish she swam up over the baboon Hollow's blow and then took a chunk out of its shoulder with another claw swipe. However by now the other Hollows had surrounded her and she was tackled from the side by a Hollow with the body of a cockroach, but the head of a jackal. The Hollow sank its teeth into one of the fins on her right arm and bit down hard, causing Adagio to howl in pain as she was pulled to the ground. The other Hollows closed in on her, but she thrashed with her tail, the wide fin at the end of her tail not unlike a blade itself as it cut into a squat, toad-like Hollow that was about to leap for her head. Then in a feral rage she used her left talon to grip the head of the jackal Hollow and, while growling deep, she applied pressure. The jackal Hollow let out a frightened cry as its mask, then the rest of its head was crushed into crimson paste.
A fourth Hollow, akin to a cross between a gargoyle and a humanoid feline, spread its wings and flew over her, swiping with swift claws that cut painful wounds across her back, but Adagio retaliated with instinctively fast reflexes, snapping with her jaws and catching the Hollow by the leg. She then yanked the Hollow out of the air and spun around, throwing that Hollow into the baboon-like one that had been stalking up behind her. Both went down in a tumble and tangle of limbs, smashing into a stone pillar about two dozen yards away.
The fifth Hollow of the group sent to fight her appeared suddenly from underground, having burrowed down using its pincers. This centipede-like Hollow tried to catch Adagio with its pincers, grabbing her around her midsection. For a moment it looked like it had her, but in truth the centipede had only trapped itself close to the raging, hungry Adagio. Despite the pain of the pincers crushing at her sides, Adagio howled in pure savage anger and with talons and teeth alike tore into the centipede beneath her. Limbs and bits of bloody chitin went flying, and Adagio, despite some part of her that was sickened by it, she indulged the instinctive drive to gorge herself. With each chunk of the lesser Hollow she devoured she could feel a bit of its power flowing into her, adding to her own strength.
By the time she was down tearing the centipede to pieces the baboon and gargoyle Hollow had recovered, but their attitudes had shifted from one of aggression to that of outright fear, both backing away from the blood stained Adagio. Her eyes glowed yellow and turned narrow as a blade's edge. The growl that escaped her gore stained jaws was pure animal hunger. The bloodlust had risen up in her like a pure red tide, and her self control had checked out.
The remaining two Hollows tried to put up a fight after it became clear there was nowhere to run. Not that it made a difference.
"Yes," said Grogar's voice, "This is providing excellent data. I can tell your gem is absorbing as much power from the fear of your victims as your Hollow body is absorbing from devouring them. The gem itself has fused in symbiosis with your Hollow form. Still, I'll need much more data before I can determine how to replicate this power. Now that you've cleared the first wave..."
The grinding noise of more doors opening echoed through the arena, and Adagio raised her head from the remains of her last meal to see that now two more doors had opened up. From these doors twice the Hollows she'd just faced came spilling forth in a howling mass, and Grogar's voice echoed in her ears.
"Let us see how you handle wave two."
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Well, it seems shit is about to hit the fan in every room isn't it?
I'm kind of wondering where Chrysalis will fit into this universe... the Bount, perhaps? She did drain Shining pretty dry in Equestria, after all... I'm thinking either that or a Hollow under Grogar.
Is anyone else wondering if Princess Twilight will eventually gain spiritual powers to keep pace with the others, or is she strictly a side character like Tatsuki and the other 'norms' of Karakura?
I'm guessing that one would be the Kenpachi expy, right? My bet's on Commander Hurricane.
7578752
I think having Princess Twi gain spiritual powers would make Quincy Twi redundant. I can see Sunset becoming a Soul Reaper by chance due to her unique pony nature, but to do the same with Princess Twilight would stretch the suspension of disbelief.
Calling it now Applejack's mom is one of the entities if on a minor level that is manipulating the central 46. She probably remembers her past life thanks to being a fullbringer, remembered the kingfisher to be her killer due to him being on a wanted list that she saw during training and as Captain she would have the security clearance to access the files pertaining to him including what soul society did to her.
WHOOHOO! Wicked awesome chapter! I had a feeling Sombra would be His Majesty of the Quincy. And looks like Adagio is preparing to survive for as long as she can due to Grogar's cruel experiments.
Can't wait to see what happens next! Especially with the Humane 6's training!
As long as sombra doesn't provide ywach level bullsh*t. I hated him so much.
You know, I'm hoping that Sombra is more like his comic counterpart, rather than the show version.
They showed that he has a backstory filled with misunderstandings, perceived betrayals, actual betrayals, and literal 'whispers in the dark', all culminating in a misguided attempt to 'free his people' who were supposedly wrongfully accused and imprisoned as monsters, when in reality they were monsters, and lied to him about it to get him to unleash them upon the world.
Oh, and it ends with him reconciling with the main cast and getting a 'happily ever after' with his Bae... so yeah, that's a thing.
Looks like it's time for a montage. Someone cue up Eye of the Tiger or something else suitably fitting!
Nice development here. Looks like Soul Society is the only faction potentially tearing itself apart rather then building up it's forces. Makes me wonder what's happening there. The Hollows don't seem to be under a reaper's influence like in the source, which makes it all the more awesome, so I'm wondering what's up. Looking forward to the next chapters.
Heh, I wouldn't have imagined Sombra would be the Quincy King. And he seems somewhat less evil than I expected as well, though in fairness we haven't seem much of him at all yet. Poor Adagio. When the time comes I hope she helps bring Grogar down. Nice update!
I hope it didn't swallow; remember what happened to Di Roy,
7579261 I thought that only counts if they eat part of the mask?
7579318
Oh, I never thought of it that way; I assumed it was any body part, but the mask makes for a much more interesting and appropriate dynamic.
You know now that I think about it, the only translation I've read of that particular scene was a fan-translation done back when the manga was still fresh... maybe it didn't convey the message quite right and the official translations are clearer.
7579376 To be honest I'm not entirely certain that I'm right about that, but it makes sense when you consider that a Hollow's mask is formed from the remnants of their human soul, the spiritual 'core' that once resided in the place that their 'holes' now occupy.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU--
7579403
Yeah, let's go with that. Kubo had a tendency to just pull stuff from his butt as it suited him anyway; we might as well interpret it in whatever way makes for the most dynamic and coherent story,
I find I like Sombra more than Yhwach, but I bet deep down that he's just as much of an asshole and just hides it better. Was the oath he made Twilight swear a reference to the Night's Watch oath from Game of Thrones?
Actually there are at least 4 other kings I can think of that exist. 3 that have been revealed, Leo the Sealion and cousin to the princesses and the Deer King of the Everfree. The Yak prince obviously has a father who should be the ruling Yak King unless he stepped down. Tirek's father was the king 1000 years ago in their homeland and on relative good terms with the princesses as hinted by. Might be more though.
Be nice if he didn't have a stair fetish, though.
Eh, Sombra as Quincy king... Let's hope he won't go all "crystals and slaves" on Twilight.
And big, extreme training start before a new, exciting and kickassing arc!
Well, this might be like the plot in the new movie! The gang in the movie are going to train their powers to defeat the badguy. (with twilight hesitating and sunset determined to used her powers for good)
7579634 Don't forget the king pegasus in Chysalist's back story ( wait... was he a king? going to read it again later).
7578752 Based on something she says in an earlier chapter, I think that Chrysalis is the cat, playing Yoruichi's role; probably another former Captain.
7580229 From the cat's description (notably, yellow eyes and grey fur), I was under the impression that it's Derpy.
Wow and Wow! You keep on giving me more surprises. Keep it up.
Wait a second, I just thought of something. In the show, the pony Fleur and Fancy are almost always together right? But in this story Fleur is not only a Quincy, she's also a trigger-happy lunatic with a fetish for blowing holes in Soul Reapers... of which one happens to be her counterparts bae...
~Ooooh, the writing potential held in this scenario alone is delicious!
How many more people might
I consider you my friends Whatever happens between you
Its the nature of such chaos to throw
its a well founded one Miss Fluttershy
but the risk involved in real and I can’t
‘Well, I suppose it's something we
The were at the very top of a
What was they called again
the room look almost like an..
1. Extra spacing.
2. Forgot your fullstop in the in the middle.
3. It's.
4. It's.
5. Is.
6. Meant to be a opening quotation mark.
7. They.
8. Were.
9. Forgot one more fullstop to make an ellipses.
I double checked... and someone please pick up the phone, cause I called it. I somehow, in some way, called it. I'd buy the lottery but I think I'd rather buy it in hype for the training chapters and the eventual reveal of the former captain of Squad 2. I'd bet she'd ask if the cat got their tongue when she reveals herself. Yes, it's so beautiful. I've gone mad with pun glee.
That being said one has to wonder how far and fast Adagio's training shall be along with everyone else save for Sunset and Clover since we either don't know or have no clear idea on how they're gonna be trained. The show did try to help with the original gang but I guess it felt a little... shallow, if it makes sense. Even the one with Uryu was not explained too much after their initial invasion plan. Cheers for your excellent writing as always.
This is the kind of fic where I may partially enjoy it, but I'm more likely to quit reading it at some point. Remember, if I don't review, no news is good news!
I'm interested in seeing how discord will train the girls. Clover and Sunset may eventually get training similar to what Ichigo, but the others i'm not so sure. I'm excited to see what new powers Pinkie and Fluttershy gain; I feel their powers are a bit less straightforward than the others and can lead to amazing new abilities.
BEGIN THE MONTAGE!!!
7578752 Ironic that the magical unicorn-pegasus-pony princess is one of the 'normal' ones, here, isn't it?
I don't think she's gonna be sidelined, but I think she's definitely going to act as a... wildcard, of sorts. Her knowledge of magical theory by itself may allow things to get turned on their heads, and the fact that she's a double of Sci-Twi will DEFINITELY allow for some interesting shenanigans. I'm theorizing either a deliberate Parent Trap go-around, or a severe case of mistaken identity, possibly letting Flash get his BDH moment (seeing as how he's shaping up to be a pretty cool character in this).
Even her position in Equestria might come into play- I could see Equestria becoming a 'safe haven' for the Hu-Cru and their allies and failies, as Sci-Twi is probably going to be able to figure out how to lock the portal to passage by spiritual creatures, or key it with a whitelist as to who can join. Equestria's higher ambient magic might also play a role in rehabilitation of Adagio when/if she gets rescued- allowing her to substitute her Hollow hunger with feeding through the gem.
Heck, the fact that Pri-Twi is a Princess, her royal bearing (hehehe) and comfort/status around other royals might come into play as well. I could see her having an audience with King Sombra and/or the Gotei 13, and being "That uppity mortal who acts like she's our equal"- though in this case that would be because she IS their equal, albeit in a different realm. In that event, Equestria and the Crystal Treehouse Fun Castle Playset could act as a neutral ground for the Quincy and Soul Society to work out their differences in peace, as they would, in that situation, be under the sufferance of a being powerful enough to possibly take them on nonlethaly. Not to mention Chaos Incarnate Discord and Living Goddesses Princesses Luna and Celestia. Even without knowledge of Soul magics, Equestrian magics would, I imagine, be more than a match for most.
So Spitfire is a Quincy...didnt see that one coming,but i like it. Sombra as the quincy king i mean come on it had to be him i knew i choose correctly when making theories on who it could be.
Also everytime i imagine Twilight in a uniform i always think of Bambietta's outfit, i think it would look great on her.
So I've been reading this after it was brought to my attention in a Sunset thread... I'll be honest... I hate Twilight's family and everything the Quincy represent. That might have been your intention, but I honestly find them more despicable than Grogar at this point. A shame, since I like plenty of the characters otherwise.
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Why do you find them that despicable?
I wonder what Twilight will do...
Also, the fact that His Majesty is Sombra is disconcerting, though if Discord is a good guy, he might not be evil, too. Don't know if he's 100% benevolent, though.
P.S. I wonder what happens to souls entirely devoured by Hollows...
9851555
The thing about Bleach - and then this - is that it's quite capably a tragic conflict in its original sense: a fight of good vs good. Neither side is truly evil, and neither side is really wrong per se. Neither is right, of course - not entirely, there are shades to it. There always are.
The typical point, though, is that the two forms of "good" tend not to be compatible with each other, meaning that the solution of "cooperation" is often more practical as a short-lived cease-fire, or is outright impossible to begin with.
This sort of "good vs good" narrative is often strong and polarising - you can as easily justify siding with either side, and there's good cause for both affection and alarm. You often require the Hero - if there's any chance of solving this issue to the benefit of both sides - to be smarter and take a third option.
So yeah, he doesn't seem evil - and, much like Discord, he doesn't seem all that benevolent, either. So far he seems to be exactly what it says on his plaque -- a leader of a nation, with all that entails.
I think the key point to the resolution here would be the fact that they're already friends before being whatever else (Shinigami, Quincy, Fullbring). If they manage to hold onto that, they may as a group garner support from all three sides (four if you count Equestria), and become a precious gem of cooperation that all sides will want to protect.
At least that's what I'm hoping for.
...
Sombra!? Run, Twilight. Run as fast as you can at your first opportunity. I knew the quincy were shady, but holy shit.
Sombra, you've literally just described how civilization works. Granted, it's in more fantastical terms and gussied up to sound bad, but you have to take the good with the bad when you build societies. You can have objections to the details but not to how they fundamentally work.
I swear, if it turns out Sombra is a luddite as well...
Anyway, In going to guess that Faust is the Soul Queen who does nothing offscreen. I'm not sure who the captain commander is yet. Most of the big names are already taken. I'd just die laughing if it was Chancellor Puddinghead, but I suppose Commander Hurricane would make a lot of sense.
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But Sombra’s the most well known… despite having only a handful of lines and having his potential as a villain wasted twice.