Chapter 10 - Out of Options
Arc, Tempest and Brightwing appear on the sigil in Arc’s quarters as the sun reaches its zenith. Brightwing looks around happily!
“Ohhh!!! Pretty room! Brightwing like! You live here, friend?!”
Arc nods. “This is my base. I’ll show you around later.”
Tempest steps off the sigil. “So, where do we go from here?”
Arc removes the compass from his ring. “We find the focus of this spell and see to it they can’t infect anyone else!”
Brightwing flutters around before landing on Tempest’s back. “Oh! But who could it be?!”
Tempest shrugs. “It really could be anypony!
“Well, it must be someone who gets around town! Sugar Cube Corner, Carousel Boutique, Town Hall and my base aren’t exactly close in proximity to one another!”
He holds the compass in front of him.
“Which way do friends go, friend?!”
He looks down at the compass and frowns. “Odd. It says the focus is somewhere here in Light’s Hope.”
“Could it be one of your guards?”
“Maybe. There shouldn’t be anyone else in here right now. This way.”
The trio makes their way to the barracks. Arc peeks inside to see his off-duty guards asleep in their bunks. He looks down at the compass as he closes the door quietly.
“Any luck, Arc?”
“I’m… not sure. There shouldn’t be anyone else here. But the compass says the focus is in the opposite direction!”
“Brightwing not understand!”
Tempest looks down the corridor. “Isn’t the Cafeteria over there? Maybe someone is having lunch!”
“It’s worth a shot!”
The three make their way down the corridor and enter the cafeteria together. Hearing a sound, Tempest turns her head!
“I hear someone in the back!”
Arc nods! “That must be the focus!”
As they enter the kitchen together, they see Arc’s squad busily making several plates of sandwiches. Max looks up as they enter.
“Sir! We… TEMPEST!!!”
All of them charge forward!
“HOLD IT!”
Arc’s squad screeches to a stop, bewildered looks on their faces.
Arc sighs. “I know this is going to sound bizarre, but she’s with me.”
Tempest smiles and nods at them. “That I am!”
Xenos glares at Tempest! “But sir! This banshee ruins LIVES! She can’t be trusted!”
Max nods. “I have to agree with Xenos on this one sir! She should really be locked up!”
Hugh looks daggers at her! “Yeah!”
Viktor snorts! “She doesn’t deserve to walk free!”
“Well, we don’t exactly have the facilities to hold her in Ponyville. And with the quarantine in place we can’t take her elsewhere for imprisonment.”
Tempest laughs! “You couldn’t hold me anyways!”
“That and… she’s infected.”
Max looks at Tempest. A distrusting look on his face. “How can you be so certain, sir?!”
“She has all the symptoms. And I… um… she attacked me earlier.”
Xenos scoffs! “How is that different than any other time?!”
“She… came after me.”
Tempest nods fervently! “Yes! I’m not ashamed to admit it! The things I’ve done would have made the old me sick to my stomach!”
Viktor’s eyes grow wide! “Wait! She tried to… what now?!”
Hugh appears sick to his stomach! “That’s a new low, matron! Even for YOU!”
Tempest smiles. “We all have needs!”
“Brightwing not understand!”
Arc’s squad notices the small dragon for the first time. Max points a hoof.
“Tempest has a pet now?!”
Arc shakes his head. “No. This is Brightwing. Equestria’s new… representative of the Dragon Lands.”
Viktor narrows his eyes. “You can’t be serious, sir!”
Hugh looks to Arc, concerned. “Are you sure you’re alright, commander?”
“I will be when we solve this problem! Tell me. Is anyone else in the base?”
Xenos shakes his head. “Just us and those resting in the barracks.”
Max nods. “We volunteered to bring some food to the others at Town Hall. Why?”
Tempest points a hoof at the compass. “Arc’s found a way to locate the source of our troubles!”
Xenos glares at Tempest! “Yes. I’m looking at it!”
“Brightwing thinks everyone should get along!”
“I don’t trust her either! That’s why she’s staying with me! But I have to admit, she’s a lot nicer now that she’s infected!”
Hugh looks confused. “Sir?”
“She’s a fairly nice mare now! A little TOO nice at times, but I’ll take it over the murderous special agent any day!”
“Thanks Arc!”
Xenos steps toward Tempest, angrily! “I still don’t trust her! Let me take care of this traitor for you, sir! After what she did to Miss Pommel, she could use a good thrashing!”
“No Xenos! As much as she deserves it, we’re not going to hurt her!”
“Yes sir…”
Tempest looks over to him, her ears drooping. “Arc? Is Coco Pommel in town? I… I think I owe her an apology.”
Xenos glares at Tempest!
“Stay away from Miss Pommel, you monster!”
Arc shakes his head. “No, she isn’t. And I too would appreciate if you didn’t try to contact her. She’s… still trying to heal. Mind and body.”
Tempest nods, looking downcast. “That’s all my fault! If I hadn’t…”
Arc interrupts. “Look Tempest. Just… leave it alone, alright?”
“I… but… okay…”
She sighs as Arc turns back to his squad.
“Get those sandwiches to the others as soon as you can! Remember, an army marches on its stomach.”
Max nods. “Yes sir!”
Arc, Tempest and Brightwing leave the kitchen at they return to work. Xenos stomps toward the pantry.
“I don’t like HER being in our home!”
Hugh nods. “None of us do! But it’s the commander’s call, not ours.”
As they make their way back to the hall Arc looks at the compass again.
“This thing can’t be right! It says the focus is still in the kitchen!”
Tempest thinks for a moment. “Hmmm… I wonder…”
“You have an idea?”
She nods. “More like a theory. Might I see that compass, please?”
Arc hesitates, but hands her the compass. She looks at it as she walks slowly down the corridor before stopping and returning.
“I think I know where the focus is.”
Brightwing jumps off Tempest’s back and flutters around happily! “Hooray! Is that good?!”
“Yes Brightwing. Where, Tempest?”
Tempest looks at Arc. “He’s right here.”
There is a long silence.
“…what?”
She walks in a circle around him. Right now the needle keeps pointing at you! YOU’RE the focus, Arc!”
“WHAT?! But… but HOW?!”
“I haven’t the slightest idea.”
She touches a hoof to her broken horn.
“I’d dispel it myself, but…”
Arc begins pacing as he talks. “That would explain a few things. Like why everywhere I turned mares kept throwing themselves at me! Why didn’t I see it before?! How could I have missed that?!”
“Throwing selves?! Brightwing confused!”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself! Anypony can make a mistake! I guess all we need now is a unicorn with a working horn to dispel it!”
Arc walks quickly down the corridor toward his office. “I’ll call Sunburst! He’ll be able to take care of it!”
Tempest sighs as she and Brightwing follow Arc. “Are we going to break quarantine AGAIN?!”
“Yup. Now that we know what it is we’re dealing with, the job’s half done!”
They enter the office together. Tempest looks around as Brightwing flies around the room.
“I never had an office like this!”
Brightwing flies over to the couch and perches on its back. “This place is nice!”
Arc sits down at his desk and dials Canterlot Castle. “Yes, well… I spend a lot less time here than I thought I would!”
“Oh?! Friend busy?”
“Most of the time I’m out doing… things.”
Tempest smiles. “Fighting evil?”
“There’s that! Actually, this whole mess started with a trip to Sugar Cube Corner for a snack!”
“Really?”
Arc puts the receiver to his ear as it rings. “I won’t be forgetting this one for a while. None of us will.”
The castle switchboard operator connects.
“Yes, Hero of Light?”
“I’d like to speak with Lead Sage Sunburst, please.”
“Yes sir! One moment please!”
A few moments later Sunburst answers>
“Sunburst here. Any news, sir?”
“Partially! We’ve figures out how to stop the spread of this condition, but I need your help! I need you to meet me in my room as soon as possible!”
“I can be there in about five minutes!”
Arc nods. “Good! One more thing, though. Come alone! See you in a bit!”
Sunburst hangs up the phone as Spike walks into the War Room with Twilight.
“It looks like you’re getting along just fine here, Spike!”
Spike nods. “Yeah! We’re making plenty of headway in finding Princess Celestia and all! Although I do wish you could be here!”
Twilight sighs. “So do I! But scrying is a very specialize form of magic! Sadly, its never been something I could do!”
“Don’t let it bother you Twilight! You’re great at plenty of other things! “
Her ears droop as they stop walking. “I know. But not the things that really matter! Like helping find my mentor and… and being there for you, Spike.”
“It’s okay Twilight! You did what you had to!”
“That doesn’t make it right!”
Spike nods. “True. But it also doesn’t make what you did wrong!”
“Look Spike! When you do come home with me, I promise to be a better friend to you! Think about how my actions affect you! You are my number one assistant, after all!”
“Hopefully soon, Twilight!”
Sunburst quickly makes his way out of the office! Twilight calls out after him.
“Sunburst! Any word on the situation in Ponyville?!”
“Yes, Miss Twilight! In fact, I just got off the phone with the Hero of Light! He asked me to meet him in his room!”
Spike looks confused. “In Ponyville?”
“No. Here in the castle.”
Twilight’s eyes grow wide! “But that would mean he has to circumvent the quarantine!”
Sunburst nods as the trio leaves the War Room and walks down the hall together. “I’m sure he has his reasons for taking such a risk. Tell me, how are the school foals taking this?”
“Better than I expected! The orphans, anyways. Those with a family are getting a bit homesick!”
Spike nods. “Hopefully this will all be over soon. Not that I don’t want you around, Twilight!”
“It’s okay, Spike! I know what you meant! I’m anxious to get home too!”
“How’s Auriel doing?”
Twilight frowns. “I’m not actually sure! What with taking care of the foals, I haven’t had time to call her!”
They arrive at Arc’s room. Sunburst turns to them as he opens the door.
“Would you two please wait out here? I’m not sure what he wants, but…”
Twilight interrupts. “But we’re his friends!”
“Yeah! We can help!”
Sunburst shakes his head. “I’m sorry, but he was most insistent!”
“Maybe he doesn’t want whatever is in Ponyville to get to anypony else!”
Twilight nods. “That must be it!”
“I’m sure he has a good reason for doing this!”
“We’ll wait out here.”
Sunburst enters Arc’s room. Meanwhile… back in Ponyville, Arc hangs up the phone and stands up.
“Hopefully this will solve one of our problems.”
Tempest nods. “And the other?”
“One thing at a time. With no new cases to worry about, we can focus all our attention on curing the infection… or whatever you want to call it.”
Tempest bites her lip. “Um, Arc? Do you… have to?”
“What do you mean?”
She hangs her head sadly. “Look, I know I’ve been a terrible mare in the past! I know I deserve to rot in a cell somewhere! And I know you don’t have any reason to trust me, but…”
Tempest sighs.
“…but maybe I shouldn’t be cured!”
Brightwing flies quickly over to Tempest and casts a small healing spell. “Friends, be healed!”
Tempest smiles at the little dragon as she lands on her back again. “Thanks. But… it’s not quite that simple.”
“Look Tempest. I think you’re a very nice mare as you are now! But… you’re not doing this of your own free will! At the moment you’re a slave to this magic and its effects. I won’t force you to undergo treatment if you really don’t want to, but…”
“But I’ll go back to being EVIL!”
Arc shakes his head. “No Tempest. You’ll go back to normal. How you choose to live after that is entirely up to you. Magic isn’t the solution to everything! It shouldn’t be! Sometimes… you just have to BE the solution!”
“That’s what I WAS doing!”
Arc nods. “Yes. But you were looking at it from an ‘everyone is expendable’ point of view.”
Tempest is silent as she looks down at the floor.
“Try thinking from the point of view of those you’re trying to save from now on. That should help tremendously!”
“I… I’ll try!”
“Good. Well we should get a move on them. Sunburst should have made it to my room by now.”
He calls forth his gauntlet and opens a portal. The trio steps through and finds themselves in Canterlot Castle. As expected, Sunburst is waiting for them.
“Good to see you again, sir!”
“Likewise, Sunburst. I need a bit of magical help.”
“What can I do for you?”
“I need you to dispel a magical… infection that has been placed on me.”
Sunburst looks confused, his horn aglow. “Very well.”
The spell is cast. Brightwing looks over to Arc nervously.
“Friend okay?!”
“I don’t feel any different.”
Tempest shakes her head. “If you didn’t notice the spell, it stands to reason that you wouldn’t feel its absence either.”
“Makes sense.”
Sunburst frowns. “Sir, if I may… what is this all about?”
“The Dragon Lord told us this was due to an ancient spell that makes those of the opposite gender be… attracted to the one who is the spell’s focus.”
“And you were the focus I take it?”
Tempest nods. “So it would seem.”
Sunburst frowns. “Were you not affected, miss…”
“Tempest. And yes, I was or am as it stands, I guess.”
“Hmmm… where have I heard that name before. Oh well, is there anything else to be done, sir?”
Arc nods. “Dispelling this was only the first step. While I won’t infect others, those who were affected previously still are!”
Tempest nods her head with conviction! “We’ll find a way to help them, Arc!”
“Brightwing help too!”
Sunburst thinks for a moment. “Sir, we should find a way to make sure my dispel worked!”
“Okay. Any ideas?”
“Your friend Miss Twilight and my assistant are in the hallway waiting for me. If I may say so, she was very upset that you wanted to see me alone.”
Arc sighs. “Very well. Go out there and explain the situation and risks to Twilight. If she’s okay with it, let her in.”
Sunburst nods and walks toward the door. “Very well.”
He leaves the room as Tempest looks to Arc, surprised!
“Arc! How can you risk infecting your friend like that?!”
“I don’t want to! But we have to try it out on SOMEONE! Twilight will know the risks before entering the room.”
He sighs.
“That and if she is infected, I can take her back to Ponyville to join her friends. I know she misses them.”
A few minutes later Sunburst re-enters the room with Twilight and Spike behind him.
“Arc? Miss Twilight has agreed to help.”
Arc sighs. “Good. Tell me, Twilight. How do you feel right now?”
“Nervous! But I’m willing to do this for…”
Twilight looks past Arc to see Tempest standing there. She blasts her across the room to smash against a wall!
“EVERYPONY! RUN!!!”
Sunburst’s eyes grow wide at the display! “Good heavens!”
Brightwing flies across the room! “Ohhh! Purple pony scary!”
“Stop it Twilight! She’s with me!”
Twilight’s horn returning to normal. “…what?!”
Arc sighs. “She’s one of the afflicted. I couldn’t leave her there though, for obvious reasons.”
Spike runs over to him. “But she tried to kill you, Arc!”
“I know that! But… one of the side effects of this has been her becoming… nice!”
Twilight looks to Arc, skeptically. “Are you sure?!”
“Yes! Trust me! She isn’t the same mare that attacked me before!”
“If you say so.”
Twilight looks apologetically toward Tempest.
“Sorry.”
Tempest slowly gets up and dusts herself off. “It’s okay. I… deserved that.”
Sunburst nods. “Well then, shall we continue.”
Twilight looks to Arc. “Yes. Ready when you are.”
Arc slowly walks toward Twilight. “Here goes nothing.”
He walks up to Twilight and kneels down in front of her.
“Still feeling okay?”
Twilight nods. “Yes. I feel normal.”
Tempest nods. “How about your mind? Anything strange running through your head? Or the feeling of scrambled thoughts?”
“Nothing like that. Look! How is everypony in Ponyville doing?! Are they okay?!”
“Last time I went to go visit them they had a relapse. I guess now we know why! Doctor Horse is having trouble leveling them out and making it stick for some reason! Pinkie Pie is in the worst condition.”
Twilight nods as she speaks in desperation! “Is there ANYTHING I can do to help?!”
“If you could keep the school foals calm, I would appreciate it. Derpy and Coco Pommel can use all the help they can get right now!”
“But…”
Tempest shakes her head. “Please miss! Let us handle this!”
Spike glares at Tempest. “That’s what has me worried! You’re more twisted than a wagon wreck!”
“Sorry Twilight, but I need you to stay here for now. I’ll come get you and the others when it’s safe. I promise!”
Twilight sighs. “Fine! But you watch your back! I don’t trust Tempest and her pet any further than I can blast them! “
Brightwing flutters over to Twilight. “Purple pony want be friends with Brightwing?!”
“Brightwing is not a pet. I’ll explain more later! Right now I need to figure out how to cure those who have already been infected.”
He turns to Sunburst.
“Thanks for the help. Any ideas how to reverse the damage done to our friends in Ponyville?”
Sunburst shakes his head. Not without knowing exactly how the spell cast on you works! This is beyond me, sadly. Did the Dragon Lord say anything more about it?”
“Only that there were numerous spells that could produce these effects!”
Spike frowns. “But how are you supposed to fix this?!”
Arc paces the floor. “I don’t know yet! But we are NOT giving up on our friends! There HAS to be some way to undo this!”
Twilight looks up! “Maybe Doctor Horse has come up with something!”
Arc turns to Brightwing and Tempest. “I sure hope so! Let’s go you two!”
They step onto the sigil. Twilight calls out after them!
“Arc! Call me the moment you know something!”
“I will!”
He calls forth his gauntlet and powers up the sigil. In a flash they are gone. Spike puts a claw on Twilight’s side.
“Don’t worry Twilight! Arc won’t let anypony down!”
Sunburst nods! “Indeed! He’s quite resourceful, after all!”
Twilight sounds worried. “I know. But I would feel a lot better if Tempest wasn’t with him!”
Spike shudders. “I’m with you on that one!”
Meanwhile, Arc and company appear on the sigil in the Ponyville Hospital’s Waiting Room. They quickly head for Doctor Horse’s office! The doctor appears as if he has not slept yet!
“Any luck?”
Arc closes the door behind them. “Kinda. There won’t be any new cases, at least.”
They bring the doctor up to speed on what they’ve learned.
“and Lead Sage Sunburst dispelled it! Any luck on this end?”
Doctor Horse shakes his head. “Very little. Your friends are, for the most part, stable. With careful monitoring they should be able to counter any ‘attacks’ in the future. I’ve instructed each of them on how to administer their hormone medication intravenously.”
Tempest frowns! “A lifetime of medication and shots?! What kind of future is THAT?!”
Arc nods. “Is that really the best treatment available?”
Doctor Horse removes his glasses and rubs his eyes with a hoof. “Yes. Without a cure, that is the best I can do for them. I’m sorry.”
Arc walks quickly to the desk and planting both hands firmly on it, looking the doctor in the eye. “Doctor! Can you think of ANYTHING?!”
“No. This is it. If we only knew more…”
Arc turns away angrily. He puts his hand to his forehead in desperation!
“Think… think… there HAS to be a way!”
Tempest walks over to him. “Arc. During my time as a Special Agent, I found that there were situations in which there really was no good way out. No… happy ending, as it were. Now I sympathize with your friend’s conditions, but… at least they’ll be able to live out their lives.”
She smiles up at him as he looks over.
“And… you’ve given me the greatest gift of all!”
Arc looks confused. “I have?”
Tempest puts a hoof on his side. “A second chance.”
“But you’re not yourself!”
“A fact I am perfectly happy accepting if it means the old me is gone!”
Arc sighs. “Well, I’m glad at least someone is happy about this!”
He turns to the doctor.
“How is Pinkie Pie doing?”
“Not very well. She’s the only case we’ve yet to rein in! We’re doing all we can, but it doesn’t seem to be enough!”
The doctor sighs.
“I’m sad to say, if something doesn’t work soon… she isn’t going to make it!”
“WHAT?!”
“We need to try different medications and treatments on her! However, all this is quickly taking its toll on her liver and brain!”
Tempest frowns! “Not good!”
Doctor Horse nods. “But if we do nothing, she’ll die for sure!”
Brightwing flies toward the door. “Friends be healed!”
Tempest shakes her head at the well-intentioned dragon. “If only it were that easy.”
“Have you told her friends?”
Doctor Horse shakes his head. “I have not. Their own cases have kept them quite busy. I’m concerned that hearing such news now would only serve to set them back!”
Arc quickly walks to the door. “They need to know! I’ll… I’ll break the news to them!”
He opens the door and steps out into the corridor. It is pitch black.
“Looks like we have a bit of an electrical problem Doct…”
Arc stops talking as he sees the office and its occupants have vanished into nothingness. Facing forward again, he finds the doorway itself is gone. Looking around into the empty void that now surrounds him he calls out.
“Hello?! Is anyone there?! Doctor?! Brightwing?!”
Silence.
“…I’d settle for Tempest!”
There is a sound behind him. Arc quickly turns to face it! As he does so a look of anger and confusion spreads across his face!
“What?! Y-you again?!”
“Hello again, Arc…”
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Wouldn't most people do that?
9844686
One would hope so. However, I've had a couple people message me about accidentally starting in the middle when I post a new volume's chapter 1.
Arc shouldn’t have entered the dark hallway by himself- It’s horror 101.
9844958
He figured it was a power outage, or something else easily explainable. That and he only took one step. However, that was one step too many apparently. :-)
It also occurred to me that Arc is being a moron right now, as everytime he's close to those who are infected, they suffer a relapse and their condition worsens.
To be blunt, without a great amount of training, his previous dream of being a detective would've been a hopeless pipe dream.
11778384
That part of the story was written back when I was still including lessons to be learned in many chapters. The lesson was... 'sometimes we miss seeing the obvious truths even when they're right in front of our faces'.