Ranger
Chapter 193: Urgency
By Wanderer D
Luna followed Estella down into the lab. She knew her way around, of course, having walked the ship on her own on several occasions when Laetitia was too tired, or simply in pain. Her charge had communed with her as they had checked on Twilight, and thus the way remained familiar.
"Up until now, Twilight's lab has been only accessed by Sunset," Estella said. "She trapped herself in there, only coming out to eat and when she… made those things."
The human shivered uncomfortably. It was clear to Luna that Estella did not have the actual magical spark needed to command magic in this world, unlike Jane, who had been given it by Sunset, but her understanding of the theory was masterful.
"The other magical signature I detected came from within," Luna said in response, her eyes focused on the room.
"Could it be her diary?" Estella asked. "I still can't believe she has a magical diary."
Luna smiled. "It speaks of my sister's eventual plans for Sunset that she would give her such an artifact."
Estella stopped next to the lab's door, giving Luna a quizzical look.
"A method of communication such as that ensures both privacy between correspondents and instant magical messaging. It seems clear to me that Sunset was meant to be my sister's voice around the world." Her smile was a bit sad. "A most honorable and admirable position for anypony to fill."
"And she left to come here? I can't see the point."
Luna looked down. "Unfortunately, Sunset let herself become convinced of her own power: her own importance and the necessity to rule… a decision that haunts her still, and one of her greatest regrets."
Estella shifted uncomfortably. "Let's look inside."
Inside the room, Luna's eyes immediately noticed the two magical signatures. "I believe her diary will be inside that backpack. As for the other item…"
She walked to the desk, glancing briefly at the various designs and notes on it, before finding a pendant with a red ruby of some sort lying carefully on top of a notebook. It glowed from within with unknown magic, and a magical fluctuation reminiscent of her dream magic.
Picking the pendant, she put it aside and opened the notebook. Sketches and diagrams, theories and experiments were scribbled carefully inside. The very first page provided a very detailed sketch of the gem, along with notes on its previous owner, and more worryingly, comparing it to another gem that was apparently being created by Sunset herself.
"Aria's gem." Luna said, picking it up and holding it against the light. "It is said in my world, that a siren's gem is her soul, trapped forever and transformed into an item of incredible power."
She turned to look at the armor and weapons that Estella had taken out of the bag and organized on top of the small cot in the room, like mementos of a fallen warrior.
'For all I know, they might as well be.'
She inspected the blade and gun. "It seems that these were created with psychic boosting of some sort… I'm surprised that Sunset could use them at all…" she trailed off, then looked at Aria's gem. "Of course. That is why the Chosen did not die from magical exposure…"
Estella blinked. "Um, what?"
Luna showed Estella the gem. "It seems the siren's gem has several properties that match ambiance fluctuations between magic and psionics. It effectively protects the wearer from magical overflow."
"That's… very useful."
Luna nodded. "It is. Come, let us take Sunset's things to the Commander. I have a message to write for my sister and her student. We must get started post haste."
"How are you doing today, Elena?"
Elena sat down across from Counselor Luna. 'Is this what the princess would look like if she had crossed the mirror instead of whatever it is she did?' She shrugged. "I'm fine. The mission wasn't too taxing, although being teleported magically is not an experience I care to repeat."
Luna frowned. "I heard what happened to Sunset."
"Ah."
"Doesn't it bother you?"
Elena took a deep breath. "No." 'Yes.'
"Oh? Do you want to talk about it?"
'I was scared. It was a situation completely outside of my control. My training wouldn't help against Fugue. My weapons wouldn't stop her, even if I had them. I don't know if she's an enemy or a friend now. I'm terrified because she knows me and the Reapers so well. She knows everything. If she wanted, she could decimate our troops. If she wanted, she could maybe do to me what she did to Jane.'
"Not really," she said, tilting her head and looking at the counselor with passive interest. "We had a mission… we got our VIP and lost a member."
Luna nodded, and wrote down something, then she looked up at her, expectantly.
'What do you want from me!?' Elena remained quiet for a few more seconds. "Fugue… she's my enemy now." 'Weak! Never show weakness!'
"Sunset? I heard she was cal—"
"Fugue. Sunset is… a f—" she bit back the word. "A former ally."
"A friend?"
Elena closed her eyes. "Reapers don't have friends. We have allies. Comrades. Acquaintances… friends die or make you vulnerable." 'Like Natter.' "Friends and family make you behave erratically or demand additional investment. That's a Skirmisher thing."
Luna nodded and Elena tried to hide her irritation at the bland acceptance. She knew that Luna disapproved of that. She knew that she didn't believe that shit herself.
"Twilight told me," Luna spoke up, making Elena start, not realizing she had lost track of what was happening. "That in her world, friendship is magic. That it brings the best qualities of everyone. That it's universal."
"Twilight was a very optimistic person."
"Perhaps."
Elena grated her teeth as Luna wrote. "I-I cared for Sunset. She was a good leader. A good warrior. A bit of a hothead and had strange magical powers. And an alien. And she seduced a giant snake."
'Why. What the actual fuck. Why am I saying this?'
"She was… dangerous. In a good way. Someone I was proud to stand by. Someone that I could call… friend… in another life." Her hands curled into fists. "I'll… m—" she bit her lip. "When we take Fugue down, I will honor her memory."
"Interesting that you call her Fugue."
"There is a clear distinction…" Elena hesitated. "You should speak with Jane soon."
"She has an appointment—"
"Really soon, counselor." Elena said slowly. "We Reapers deal with things at our own pace. Even if this… helps me. Jane needs you more. And fast."
Luna's eyes narrowed. "What happened to her. Central—"
"Cares too much for Sunset to think straight. He is suffering. We all are…" she frowned, not wanting to admit it, but it was too late. "But Jane… how much did Central tell you?"
"Not much."
Elena stood up. "Then you need to talk to her. Now." She turned around, just as Luna was standing up to stop her. Elena shook her head. "Talk to Jane."
They crossed eyes and Luna lowered the hand she had raised earlier to try to stop Elena. She licked her lips. "I-I will."
"We can talk again at another time, counselor. I do enjoy our chats. But for now, my fri—fellow soldier needs more help than I."
"What happened to her?"
Elena shuddered. "I-I can't."
Luna sighed. "Alright. I will treat her as soon as she's ready. If you could tell her?"
Elena nodded, stepping out of the room. With Sunset out, and Central on a guilt trip, she'd step up to take care of them all now.
It's what Sunset would have wanted.
o.0.o End Chapter 193 o.0.o
Interesting chapter, I'm glad we're getting to see other characters get explored a bit more. I can't wait to see how Elena changes going through this new trial.
So the wheel turns...
You can do it, Elena!
9305530
Yes, as long as she dont shut others out or takes to much on her own shoulders.
It is now more then ever she will need friends and not meer acceptancess.
9305623
Indeed.
9305690
That line is correct, I am pretty sure.
*shoves artifacts together as if trying to make them fit like puzzle pieces* no no, siren gems aren't likely to be transferable.... The bond was already broken, that avenue can't be explored... She likely can't dream walk when clouded like that.... *grumbles continue*
hmm... so it seems I was correct Sunset used her studies of Aria's gem as a sort of template to create her own gem, rather than converting/transferring ownership/control of Aria's gem to her ownership/control
- Thunder
"Picking the pendant, she"
"Picking the pendant up, she"?
9305836
You know, it's stupid to use full soul gem to make phylactery for yourself.
9305970
That's why I said
i.e. a baseline to make her own completely new gem with help from both Aria's design and her own tome/tomes on Blood Magic
- Thunder
9305983
I only stated why this was obvious.
9306079
Indeed, as for my part I was expressing jubilation that my theory a few chapters back, on the method Sunset used to get her gem, was correct
- Thunder
That Soulstone would likely make a fine template/inspiration for basic protective measures for their psionic personnel. They won't be able to copy it's more advanced functions, but the filtering/insulating properties should be reproducible.
*New research project is available!*
Dragonova deals with being human. It’s okay to have emotional attachments girl, no man is an island. Or Reaper, despite anyone’s best efforts.
Elena really has a soft side she doesn't want others to know.
She may be dodging the appointment, but her point is valid. Jane needs counsel now.
Damn, Sunset might as well be the second most important person for the resistance movement, just behind The Commander. If she's truly lost, well... She'll eventually lose her importance, but will be a permanent mark on the effort of war.
I'd much rather she returns, somehow. I'd love to see an epilogue of her marriage with Angel, and how that'd be the weirdest guest list ever. Can you imagine any other event that would put Volk, Gheist, the skirmisher leader whose name I forgot, The Commander, resistance leaders, renegade aliens and extradimensional ponies in a single place?
Because you wanna be a part of the romance. SEDUCE DAT SNEK LADY!!!
9306330
RING THE WEDDING BELLS!!!
9305970
That’s why you clear it first, though I'm sure Sunset wanted her own anyway, and that would have meant killing what was left of Aria, which I don't believe Sunset would do.
9307293
you did notice Luna said that in equestria a siren's gem is said to actually be their soul right? if it's Princess Luna saying such a thing, it's safe to assume she means it literally. Furthermore it seems implied that a siren's gem is less of a phylactery/soul gem and more of a physical crystallization/manifestation of the siren's own soul, which would thus make recycling such an item to use as one's own gem impossible.
of course, it's best to wait for Word of God confirmation.
However If a siren's gem actually is their soul... I wonder what Sunset's Anti-magic Bullets would actually do to Sunset/Fugue if they did decide to use them on her...
- Thunder
9308051
Yes, and exactly what that means is not specified, so we're all free to speculate. However, didn't Sunset use Aria's early on? And I doubt Tirek made his own, indicating that they can be used as power sources by outside parties. With that said, I believe the distinction you're looking for is between the gem itself being a soul or simply housing it? I can already think of a few interpretations that go each way.
9308198
Indeed, speculating is half the fun after all. Of course in the end, the best way to get answers to such questions is to wait for a Word of God confirmation... though such waiting doesn't make speculating any less fun
Though I think there's are two questions we've all been overlooking and I don't mean "will Sunset eventually hook up with Angel?" (since that's not really an overlooked question) those questions are of course:
Firstly "will Sunset end up re-joining XCOM while retaining her new freaky-deaky demon-siren (or should that be siren-demon?) powers even if she can only use them for short periods of time?"
and secondly "what would Mox or Sunny One say if they could see Sunset(Sunny Two)/Fugue now?"
- Thunder
Just started finally reading and like what I'm reading so far. Right now I feel like you've been playing the game and then writing a chapter based off the mission you did or something similar.
9308654 It's less about playing and writing... I feel like I've played it so much that I have a good feel about how missions in XCOM work
If they could adapt this process into non-evil hybrid magical psionic tech, that would probably make for a huge leg up in the war.
It must be a giant pain being a therapist since apparently everyone you are counseling constantly lies to you.
Hooray for repressing feelings!
Not much good in the long run.
I think having someone basicly Specter/Mind controlling her is a lot worse if you consider it permanent. The dead don't usualy come back after all...
The mental damage is overwhelming. More devastating than any physical attack they received.