The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds

by Kamahido

Preface - Volume 20 - Misgivings and Meetings

In our previous volume Arc, who was ill due to poisoning from his most recent battle, ordered Sereb to cast a spell on him transforming him into a dragon. Not only Arc’s appearance was that of a dragon, but also his temperament.

The next morning Arc and Ember cook breakfast together. As they do so the pair share a conversation regarding relationships between Ember and his squad. Bringing the food down to the basement to feed the squad, Arc takes the opportunity to bring them up to speed on his new form before heading to the Channel 7 News building with Rose, Ember, and Sereb. Blinking the group up to the roof they settle in for a stakeout.

Meanwhile, Minerva drives to Angel Grove’s City Hall to interview the Mayor Hill. Cherry stays in her can an listens in via a radio. During the interview, the mayor announces his intention to step down after his current term is up as well as tell the real story behind the town’s founding.

Minerva leaves City Hall in high spirits. After picking up lunch from a local takeout place she heads back to her apartment to prepare for an interview later that night. Arc and his friends wait on the roof until the sun sets before returning to his house empty handed. Having consumed her energy reserves Rose weakens and is carried to Arc’s room. Fearful of being alone Arc comforts the android by staying by her side with Ember. Early the next morning Minerva heads to her office with Cherry to do some paperwork. As she does so Cherry does her best to explain to the young woman her relationship to Arc.

Leaving the office the pair head for the garage, pick up a news van, and leave the property. A short time later Arc and company arrive at the building to continue the stakeout. Minerva drives to The Rider hideout to investigate the inside of the ruined building. Cherry, fearing for the young woman’s safety, allows herself to be worn. Heading inside they explore the abandoned building. Finding more organization than thought possible for a group of thugs, the pair end their tour of the building in what appears to be Bloodletter’s office. Searching, they find an envelope with a piece of paper and a syringe filled with a strange rainbow liquid. Hearing a motorcycle approaching the building Minerva runs for the stairs.

Reaching the ground floor Minerva hides in a broom closet as several Shard members along with Stingray, Hammer, and Mio walk by. Heading back upstairs in an effort to put some distance between themselves and come up with a plan, they are forced to flee yet again as Stingray enters the third floor. Retreating to the last place anyone would look, the basement, they quickly find themselves in the morgue. Hiding on one of the slabs, Minerva listens as Mio and Hammer enter the room to collect some boxes. Discovering a magic robe on their slab, Cherry instructs Minerva to put it on. Focusing, Cherry is able to activate the cloak and hide them from sight as Snake, Jackal, and Wolf enter the morgue to collect the rest of their spoils. Overhearing the plan to blow up the building, Minerva hurries upstairs to the Main Entrance. She spots a blue cloaked figure working on a large black box on a desk. As they attempt to get past her the three lieutenants enter. Mio immediately spots the cloaked form and uses her magic to materialize her. Hammer shoots Minerva in the face, knocking her unconscious. Unmasking the newcomer they are surprised to see the young woman. Throwing back her cowl to reveal her face as being that of Diva, she orders her subordinates back to their vehicles as she activates the bomb.

As the Shards drive away Cherry wakes up Minerva. Informing her of their impeding doom, she instructs the woman to attempt to find a way out. Discovering all the exits are locked, blocked, or otherwise inaccessible Minerva collapses to the floor from her injuries. Cherry does her best to comfort her doomed friend before suggesting they attempted to escape via a tree that extends to the roof. Unable to climb down, Minerva drops her smashed camera into the helmet and throws it off the roof in a last ditch attempt to see to it the truth gets out. Unfortunately her aim is off due to her injuries and Cherry is caught in a branch not far from Minerva. Cherry convinces Minerva to attempt to use the tree branches to break her fall. She somehow makes it to the ground mostly unharmed. Crawling away from the building Minerva is blow away as the timer reaches zero. The helmet lands near the news van. Cherry calls out to Minerva, allowing the woman to find the van using the sound of her voice as a beacon. Climbing into the back of the now destroyed van Minerva grabs her cell phone, dials 9-1-1, and, using the last of her strength, drops it into the helmet. Scared, but determined, Cherry is able to explain their situation to the emergency operator whom sends the police and an ambulance to find them.

Minerva wakes up in the hospital. As a nurse enters the room she asks for her belongings. The doctor explains she’s been out cold for hours with concussions and other various injuries. Frantic to find Cherry, Minerva attempts to leave the room and has to be sedated. Meanwhile, Arc, Ember, and Sereb look over the ruins of the old hospital as emergency personnel crawl all over the scene. The next morning Minerva awakens in the hospital room. As a nurse enters to give her breakfast she asks for her belongings again. This time much more calmly. A short time later the nurse brings her a box containing her things before leaving to continue her rounds. Finding the helmet Minerva calls out to Cherry to verify her friends wasn’t injured before using her cell phone to check in with her office. After discovering the camera’s memory card is missing, Minerva, having reaches the end of her energy, takes a nap. Meanwhile, the doctor continued his rounds. Entering Frank’s room, he finds Diva waiting for him. Explaining that the young man’s condition is just as he had hoped, he reveals some rather cryptic information regarding the abuse Frank endured at the hands of Diva.

That night Arc and his friends stay on the rooftop long after the sun had set. Reaching the limits of his sanity, Arc collapses into hysterics as her screams out for Cherry. Rose jumps off the roof after signaling her intent to Sereb quietly. Returning home in failure yet again Arc heads for his parent’s room. Some time later Ember enters with a plate of food for him. Forcing him to eat it, she then reveals the sleeping drug that was mixed into it. Arc falls asleep with Ember, and the pair enter the Sanctuary together. Revealing his increased control over the dream realm, Ember is surprised as Cherry walks out of the farmhouse and over to them.

Arc reveals that the mare before them is not the real Cherry, but a collection of his memories of her. The pair return to the waking world as Minerva arrives back at her apartment via taxi. She laments her story being reduced to filler at she and Cherry take the elevator to her floor. As they enter the room the phone rings. Minerva answers it and is told to come into the office to fill out paperwork for the destroyed van and camera. Stepping into the shower she carefully cleans the helmet off before washing of the dirt and grime from herself. Meanwhile, Arc, Ember, and Sereb descend the stairs as Rose enters the house. Arc hurries over to her as she collapses into his arms. Carrying her to his parent’s room Rose reveals that she had continued the search through the night in an effort to pick up his helmet. As Arc takes care of Rose, Minerva dresses and sets the helmet on a table to look out the window. She hails a taxi and heads to the station. A short time after arriving she receives a phone call from her editor. Hurrying to the basement garage she meets up with the cameraman who explain as he drives. Informing Minerva of the latest tip from their mysterious informant the pair race to an abandoned mine outside town. Pulling over, they are forced to walk the rest of the way to the mine. Sometime later they discover a well worn path. Following it they come to the mouth of the abandoned mine. Dave begins shooting footage as Minerva walks them through the entrance of the mine and over to the elevator. Taking the lift down into the mine they find fresh footprints made with modern shoes. Spotting a light some distance away they had for it. Arriving at a large door they peek past it to find a factory and Shards running it. As they observe, they are seen by Diva whom exposes them.

Arc, Ember, and Sereb sit with Rose as she rests. Wiseman appears and informs them that Rose will be fine with rest. He then tells the group of the old mine and the Shard factory within it before revealing that Minerva is already there. Teleporting the trio there, Arc and company head into the mine. Finding the lift gone Arc uses his magic to slowly lower his group down to the lowest level. Spotting the light at the end of the tunnel they make their way over to it. As they arrive Stingray, Hammer, and Mio step onto a teleporter pad and leave. The signal is given to stop work as Diva steps out with Minerva and Dave. Both are tied up and appear to be roughly treated. Diva reveals to the Shards that the substance they’ve been producing will help make the world a better place before revealing her intention to kill Minerva and Dave.

Seeing the gang’s hesitance to allow the intruders to be killed, Diva reveals the existence of a bomb in the factory before shutting the large overhead door and teleporting away. Arc, Ember, and Sereb reveal themselves and offer to help. As he opens the bomb’s access panel the timer’s countdown speed increases. Diva taunts them via a radio and warns them not to be so rough with her bomb. After looking over the collection of wires Arc announces that the bomb is too complex to disarm. The Shards, having lost all hope, turn to one another and say their goodbyes. Ember does the same to Arc as Minerva walks over to tell him something. Arc interrupts her as he casts the Matter Compacting spell on the bomb. It shrinks down to the size of a pea and pops. As the Shards cheer, Diva’s voice again rings out over the radio. She announces her backup plan and directs them to look up. They spot a large number of red lights overhead as she informs the group of her contingency plan before signing off. Arc, taking command of the situation, orders those around him to gather certain items. He and Ember chip away at the base of the steel door until they find the bottom. Using their spears for leverage they attempt to pry the door open. Seeing what they are attempting to accomplish the other Shards do the same with pry bars. As the door raises a bit Arc crawls under it and lifts the shutter with his shoulders as the gang runs past. As the last person runs past Arc Blinks forward. The door crashes down, smashing the two by fours to splinters. Ember helps him onto Sereb’s back before climbing on behind him. They run to the elevator only to find it inoperable. Arc and Ember switch face coverings as Arc Blinks his way up the shaft. Upon reaching the top he finds the boiler fire doused and the fuse removed from it’s spot. Forcing his spear into the gap to complete the circuit Arc casts a Fire Spell on the boiler to raise the steam pressure. As the lights shine on the control panel below, the lift begins to move. However, as it nears the top, a pipe bursts knocking Arc into the shaft. Sereb lunges forward the catches him as the elevator begins to slow. Arc along with Sereb and Ember channel their magics to lift the elevator to the top. As the last of the Shards run off the elevator Ember grabs Arc and lunges off the elevator. It crashed back down the shaft as she and Minerva help the weakened Arc out of the cave’s mouth. An ear shattering blast is heard and felt. Arc pushes Ember aside as her throws himself over Minerva to protect her from the explosion. As they rise Ember helps Arc into the saddle. He turns to Minerva to ask about Cherry. Lying, she informs him that Hammer stole the helmet from her after the interview. Arc and his friends leave, as do the Shards. Dave and Minerva make their way back to their van. Sometime later Minerva returns to her apartment. Walking past the helmet as it continues to look out the window, she heads to the bathroom to wash away the evidence of her day and argue with herself regarding her choice to keep Cherry for herself.

Unfortunately, many questions remain unanswered. Will Arc’s squad have any lasting effects from the toxin? How will the town accept the retirement of their beloved mayor? What are Diva and Doctor Rieper up to? Will Frank ever recover? How will Arc’s mental health suffer from the loss of Cherry? Where did Rose go? Will Cherry learn the truth about Minerva’s deception? What is Diva’s endgame? What is so important that it was worth murdering the entire Shard gang? How will Minerva justify keeping Cherry from Arc?

Time will tell. Sooner or later… time will tell.