The Adventures of Peaches and Mandy

by marmalado

S1E28: Field Day

Being a spirit roaming around the world of the living had its many advantages and disadvantages, especially when it came to someone like Haruko.

For one thing, she couldn't possess other living beings or objects. Just for fun, once, she had tried to possess one of her fellow clan members, only to phase right through them like water through a bottomless cup. Perhaps it was just the nature of the Magical Grasslands that didn't allow her to have such a power. She honestly wasn't sure, but she knew well enough to not try again. And she knew her clanmates well enough to know that none of them had the same power, not even the clan's leader.

For another thing, Haruko could not have a physical body, or put on a fake appearance of one, outside of the Grasslands. When she wasn't roaming around her home turf, she existed as a spirit, though one made out of sheer light that was nearly blinding. When she was in the Grasslands, her body took on a more solid form, although she was still a spirit that could not feel any emotions nor feel any pain. It was a curse, because, if she was being honest, she much preferred having a physical form to take. But alas, as her time on the planet had come to a close, so did the privilege of being born with a body to call her own.

As she plodded through the Grasslands, her nature powers leaving small flowers growing in her wake, she got to thinking about Mandy, as she often did. Most of the time, she left the hybrid alone, allowing her to live her life as she so pleased without spirit guardian intervention. But fate had dealt its cards, and if Haruko wasn't careful, they would cut into Mandy's body and leave lasting wounds.

Mandy must get stronger. She must prepare herself for the turmoil that Vallea will inflict upon Odd Squad and upon Equestria. Her allies will be helpful, but even they may not be strong enough.

She closed her eyes.

Furthermore...she must prepare herself for the uncovering of her true origins. He...

All movement, aside from her breathing, ceased.

Almost every night, he is crying. He misses her. He wishes to find her. He wishes to reunite with her.

The thoughts running through her mind made one thing clear to her, which was that she had a lot to think about in regards to Mandy's future. She sat down, staring up at the bright blue sky and watching the clouds lazily drift by.

Oh, Annabelle...if only you were here. If only I had been able to save your spirit before it drifted away into the nothingness of what is up there.

But it is too late now. Mandy will have to move on without you. Such is the way life goes.

Her eyes shot open as she felt a sensation rocket through her body. She stood up and turned around, facing the large hill that loomed over a majority of the Grasslands.

Mandy is coming. I must meet her.

Stretching out her body, she took off in large strides, soaring over and down the hill before going back the way she had come.

---

The skies of Toronto were stormy. Not many people and ponies were out on the streets as lightning struck and thunder roared. Pegasi were nowhere to be found in the sky, while nearly everyone else either had shelter or were currently seeking it.

As usual, this weather did next to nothing for the underground-residing Odd Squad. Only very few lightning strikes had ever been so powerful as to shoot down through several layers of dirt and penetrate the concrete floors of bullpens, and even then, those had been attributed to the lightning being a side effect of some kind of oddity, like a vortex. Thus, agents considered themselves well and safe, although many were hesitant to go solve oddness in areas that weren't indoors.

Mandy, who certainly didn't enjoy the stormy weather, was busy doodling, having gotten all her work done. She often got the blahs during storms, and wanted nothing more than to stay curled up in bed and sleep the day away. But duty called, and staying in bed was a nigh impossibility in general, except if she was sick.

"Agent Mandy! In my office, now!"

The hybrid bit back a groan as she pushed herself away from her desk, got up, and began dragging her feet towards her boss's office. It was lucky for her that she hadn't been outside yet, and she hoped that this latest summons wasn't Oprah taking her out of storm range and throwing her directly into the eye.

"Yeah, you called?"

Oprah looked up from her craft. Mandy couldn't tell what she was making -- all she knew was that it involved pipe cleaners and googly eyes. "I’ve decided to reward you for your hard work as of late. So I’m giving you time off to take a vacation."

Mandy opened her mouth to speak, but just as quickly closed it. She definitely wasn't one to take vacations, so this generous reward seemed very much suspect. She narrowed her eyes. "A vacation? This isn’t gonna become like when Fluttershy made me take a vacation and you yelled at her for it, is it?"

"No. This comes from me." Oprah smiled. "You've been working so hard. You deserve it."

"And you're not doing this just because I decided to get my butt outta bed this afternoon?"

"Mandy. Don't be so suspicious. Have I ever steered you wrong?"

"Yes." Mandy reached above her and pulled down a giant list from out of nowhere. "I have over five hundred incidents and counting of you steering me entirely wrong."

Oprah scanned through the list, but Mandy yanked on the pull cord on the bottom and made it slip back up before she could even get halfway down the portion she was shown. She fixed the hybrid with a bemused smile. "Someone's a little cynical today, huh?"

"Oh, you know how I always get with big nasty storms. The blah-dee-blahs are in full swing for me." Mandy couldn't resist cracking a smile, even if it was just a short one.

"Please, take the vacation. I insist." Oprah encouraged. "You can stay wherever you want for two weeks."

That offer was a little more enticing to Mandy. "Really?"

"Really."

Having a feeling that her boss wasn't going to take "no" for an answer, the hybrid came to a decision. "All right. But only 'cause you're insisting!" She tapped her chin. "I just don't know where to go, though..."

A shimmering light caught her eye, and she turned to see Haruko, standing in the doorway and gazing at her with an unreadable expression. Before she could even call out to her spirit guardian, she was gone, dashing down the stairs and leaving a mass of sparkles behind.

"What are you looking at?" Oprah asked, squinting.

"Haruko."

Oprah's brows furrowed. "You know, I’ve always wondered why we can’t see her, but you can. She must have some kind of personal connection to you."

"Yeah...I'm..." Mandy began slowly moving towards the doors. "...gonna go. I'll leave right now."

"All right. Stay safe."

"Thanks."

Mandy took off for the stairs, briefly wondering if she should chase after Haruko before realizing that she still needed to pack and the kitsune would definitely be long gone by then. Still, she had confidence that she would wait, and so, she decided to take off for her room to begin packing for her trip.

---

It was lucky that Mandy hadn't taken any packing advice from Rarity. The mare always seemed to overpack for just about everything, but where Mandy was concerned, where she was going didn't need five suitcases that each weighed more than a sumo wrestler.

"I think I've got all my things packed." she mused, mentally running through her list and wondering if she was missing anything.

"Mandy."

The soft and velvety voice interrupted her. She turned and found Haruko standing in her doorway, gazing at her with intensity.

"Haruko?"

"Are you ready?"

The question threw Mandy off a little. "Uh..." She glanced at her two suitcases, each held in her corona. "Y-yes? I mean, I think so..."

"Then follow me."

In the blink of an eye, the kitsune was gone, veering a right and heading out of Mandy's line of vision.

"Wait!" Hastily, Mandy let her magic guide her suitcases towards her tail, where they disappeared in the brown poofy mass of fur and remained hidden. "Don't leave without me! Haruko!"

Using her wings, she was able to keep close tabs on the kitsune as she ran -- something that proved to be a bad idea when she was eventually thrust out into the thunderstorm and had to become wary of any stray lightning bolts. She looked like an utter fool, flying in such a dangerous storm, but she knew that there was no way she would be able to keep up with Haruko on foot.

"Haruko, ya really hafta take me out here?!" Mandy screamed, using her hands to feebly cover her head while also making sure to never lose sight of the bright light that illuminated the near-darkness. "You're lucky you're so bright, ya know!"

A bolt of lightning crashed and met ground, missing Mandy by several feet but still close enough to make her nearly spin out. "Please don't hit my wings, please don't hit my wings!" she prayed aloud, attempting to right herself as she continued to follow Haruko as best she could. The rain was pouring so intensely that she had no idea where she even was, and had no idea where, exactly, she was going. Still, if Haruko had wanted her to follow her, then she was sure it had to be important.

---

By the time Mandy came out of the storm, she was heavily winded, sopping wet, and frazzled every which way. "I...can't...breathe..." came the wheezes, as she began to descend.

Luckily, Haruko had stopped. "We are here, Mandy."

That was the cue for the hybrid to flop onto the ground, her wings buzzing slower and slower until they came to a dead stop and drooped weakly at her sides. She feebly attempted to lift her head off of the ground in order to get a good view of her surroundings, but what she saw snapped her out of her dazed stupor in an instant.

Immediately, the view of grass became familiar to her, even if it was without the barn, the fence, and the road. But unlike in the past, she had full control over her emotions and feelings. She could still feel the pain in her wings, she could still feel the dampness of her jacket, tie-dye T-shirt and denim shorts, and she could still feel the sensation of fatigue that still lingered.

Her mouth ran dry. The...the Magical Grasslands. But it's...it's a real place? I didn't... She glanced behind her. I didn't get hit by a lightning bolt and get knocked out, did I?

All this time, I thought the Grasslands was just a place that existed in my dreams. But it's real. It's really real.

She conjured up a glass of water, surprised that she could still wield magic in the Grasslands as she drank it eagerly. "Aah, much better!" she chirped.

"Come and sit by me." Haruko encouraged. "I will tell you all that you need to know."

Curious, Mandy obeyed, crawling over to her spirit guardian and taking a seat, letting her back rest along the rolling hill that loomed behind her.

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes as the breeze rustled the grass and the flowers and dried Mandy off considerably. To her, the Grasslands was as peaceful in real life as it was in her dreams, and the fact that she could actually feel things instead of being a spirit in all but appearance made it even better.

"Do you remember when I told you about the Magical Grasslands?" Haruko began. "When you broke up with Bradley Beli?"

Mandy nodded. "Yeah. I blacked out, and you said that my body was somewhere in...limbo."

"Yes. But the Magical Grasslands is no mere fantasy realm. It is very much real."

Even though Mandy had come to that conclusion already, hearing it from a denizen of the Grasslands itself still shocked her. "S-so that means you, and other kitsunes, and other creatures, and the Arcanes...they're all real?!"

Haruko gave a single nod.

In all honesty, Mandy had no idea what creatures had lived in the Arcanes, but knew that since many mythical creatures lived in the real world and were well-known to Odd Squad, she shouldn't be too surprised.

"But...if you're real..." She shook her head. Haruko wasn't real. She looked real, but she wasn't real. And now, the hybrid's head was spinning. "If you're real, then why do you appear as...well..." She tapped her chin. "I don't wanna say 'spirit-like', so I guess the next best way to word it would be..."

Haruko waited patiently with a small frown on her face as Mandy hummed in thought.

After a few minutes, Mandy shook her head, deciding to ask a different question that would hopefully provide her with some less complicated answers. "No, no. Why are you only visible to me?"

"You will find out, in time." Haruko glanced at Mandy. "But there is something I must tell you. There is a reason why I have led you here, and I feel that you are ready to face the truth."

"Face the truth?"

Steeling herself, Haruko took a deep breath, staring into Mandy's eyes intensely. "The time will soon come for you to learn about your true origins. Your true family. What happened to you that caused you to become taken in by Odd Squad."

That made the hybrid freeze. She hadn't thought about her true origins since a couple weeks after the Dream Weaver had dredged up memories of that woman who might or might not have been her actual mother. If she was being honest, she didn't want to think about her true origins. She had a happy life with Olive, Otto, Oprah, Peaches, the ponies...and she never wanted that taken away from her, ever.

But now, it was all about to come crashing down.

"M-my..."

"You cannot go your whole life without learning the truth, Mandy. I understand that Odd Squad has been your family for years. But your real family…"

Mandy's breath nearly caught in her throat. All she could do was stammer.

"They miss you dearly. They may not show it on the outside, but I can feel their hearts crying out in pain. Mourning over the loss of their missing loved one."

Recalling that Haruko had mentioned she could sense humans' true emotions, an odd sensation began worming its way into Mandy's gut.

"Mandy." Haruko murmured, in a calm but urgent voice. "What do you know about your origins?"

Something inside of the hybrid told her that the kitsune wasn't going to let her off easy. This was a conversation that needed to be had, and no matter how hard she tried to change the subject or divert it, it would still loop back around to the same topic. So, with that in mind, she yanked out a small clump of grass, held it in her hand, and began.

"My real family...I...I’ve never thought about where I actually came from. Olive has always been my mom, and...Odd Squad has been my only family. But...I remember Peaches saying to me when we first met…" She dropped the grass. "...how I was the child of some Aunt Kimi and Uncle Derek. Apparently, Kimi was a catgirl, like Peaches, and Derek was a human. But I don’t recall any of those names…"

"I do not recall those names either." Haruko shook her head. "Is it possible that Peaches was mistaken?"

"Mistaken...how?"

"Perhaps she has some details mixed up. Peaches comes from Vallea, does she not?"

"Yeah. She does." Mandy responded, confusion edging into her voice.

Haruko's gaze shifted to the sky. "I will admit, I do not know much about Vallea. But from what I understand, it is populated by catpeople, yes?"

"Yeah."

A silence fell over the duo that seemed to last for an eternity. Then, Haruko glanced at Mandy again. "Do you remember how Kimi and Derek met?"

Mandy shook her head. "As I said, I don't know them."

"Mandy...what do you think of Olive?"

The question was so sudden that it caught the hybrid off-guard for a moment. When she got right back to it, however, her face lit up. "Olive? She’s the best Momma I could ask for! Sure, she may be tough-as-nails on the outside, and all serious and frowny-faced and grumpy, but she’s got a heart of gold! She’s such a softie!" she explained, capping off her praise with a giggle.

Haruko smiled at the thought. "Do you appreciate her?"

"'Course I do!" Mandy said. "She cared for me for as long as I could remember. And yeah, she stumbled a lot, ‘cause she wasn’t used to raising a child and six fillies, but she got better with time! And with a lotta help from Otto, Oprah and Oscar, of course." She closed her eyes. "I’m really grateful to her."

Haruko placed a gentle paw on Mandy's leg. "Tell me about how she rescued you. Your earliest memories."

Mandy tilted her head. "My earliest memories?"

"Yes. I would like to hear it all, from you."

It had been a while since Mandy had thought about her rescuing when she was but a baby. But she could remember all of it, every painstaking detail of it. She didn't like to remember it, but she did it all for Haruko's sake, to satisfy her curiosity even if Mandy was sure she probably knew the story well enough already.

---

The first thing I can remember is the interior of Precinct 13579’s Headquarters. Somehow, I had wound up there, but I don’t remember how. What I do remember is seeing pies zooming back and forth, wind blowing so fiercely that it felt like I would be swept away. And this one persistent alarm kept going off, reciting a bunch of numbers I didn't understand.

I later found out that it would be the digits that comprised pi. And not the yummy kind of pie.

I saw agents running for their lives, screaming and crying and being whacked with pie from every angle. Being only a baby who didn't really grasp what was going on, I thought everyone was playing some kind of game, and wanted in on it. From a short distance away, I saw Olive -- or, well, to me, just another girl at the time -- running back and forth, hair blowing in her face as she wielded a rather bulky device.

Bodies were strewn all over the place. It was nothing but a pure disaster area. And I was so awestruck by it all that I didn't notice six fillies who had somehow gained access into Headquarters.

"What's going on?!" Pinkie cried.

"I-I don't think my Sonic Rainboom can fix this!" Rainbow called.

"This place looks simply dreadful." Rarity let out a yelp as she buried her face in her hooves, in an effort to make sure every inch of her stayed clean.

"I don't reckon any 'f y'all know how t' stop this, do ya?!" Applejack yelled, one hoof on her hat to keep it steady.

"I sure don't!" Twilight's tone was one of shock and surprise. "This is unbelievable!"

As for Fluttershy, she had already begun crying, attempting to make herself as small as she could, a mere speck on the battlefield.

"Hold on, who's that?" Rainbow pointed at Olive, who was taking shelter behind the slide that led to the sandbox and pulling out a small notebook and a pen.

"I'm not sure, but maybe she can stop this!" Twilight's tone showed hope, now, as she watched the girl at work.

It was then that I noticed the fillies, but drowned out whatever words they said next, as I made my way over to a girl who was laying deathly still, with pie littering her body head to toe. I didn't know it at the time, but it was none other than Oprah. There were other agents covered in pie who were laying just as still. Only later did I find out that they had fallen ill from contamination -- the pies had been laced with poison, but it wasn't the deadly kind of poison, just the kind that could cause long-lasting disease.

Worried for Oprah's health, I slowly crawled to her. I barely registered Rarity's cry, telling me to wait. This girl was laying down. Was she sleeping? Playing a fun game? Who was to say.

The other fillies rushed over to the girl, trying to wake her up to no avail.

And when they couldn't wake her up, I began to cry.

It was only a minute later that a wounded Olive, her backside splattered with pie, limped over, gadget in hand. One of her eyes was closed, and it was obvious that she was struggling to stay alive.

"Ma'am, let me help!" Twilight offered.

Olive's eyes widened. "No, you'll get hurt!"

Twilight didn't listen, trotting past Olive with her horn alight. "That's where all the pies are coming from!" she remarked, before lifting up the gadget in her corona, examining it, aiming it at the pienado's container blocked with seven green triangles, and firing it.

The eighth triangle hit, and the pienado container was sealed. The winds stopped howling, and everything, even the dying screams and cries, quieted. The only high-volume sound that remained within the bullpen was my crying, as I hadn't realized what had happened yet.

"Y-you..." Olive murmured. "You did it. You stopped the pienado!"

"The what?"

Olive opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it, shaking her head. "Are you okay?" she asked, examining the filly up and down. "You weren't hit, were you?"

Twilight shook her head, setting the gadget down onto the ground. "I'm fine!"

Turning to the other fillies, Olive asked the same questions. They assured her that they were fine and completely uninjured.

By this point, I had stopped crying and was doing nothing more but babbling in worry as I stared deep into the eyes of the one that had (partially) saved us all.

"How did you all get here?" Olive asked, shortly before she cried out in pain and knelt to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Twilight was quick to offer her support.

"These pies...they're contaminated with disease." Olive explained. "If I don't get medical help soon, I'll end up just like everyone else here!"

Applejack approached the girl. "Let us help, sugarcube!"

"Yeah, we'll get you all better in no time!" Pinkie nodded.

"All right." Olive slowly but surely extended a finger to another girl clad in a blue lab coat, lying flat on her back and, like Oprah, remaining deathly still. Since she had pie covering her body as well, it was no secret what had happened to her. "You see that girl with the blue lab coat, over there? Find other kids dressed like her. Those are Odd Squad Doctors. They'll help."

"Okay." Twilight turned to the others. "Applejack, Rainbow Dash, come with me. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, go in the other direction. Let's hurry!"

I watched as the six mysterious ponies took off running, in an effort to seek help before Olive died.

Right then and there, Olive started coughing. Her hand clutched her chest as she hacked, and I could see spittle landing on the ground in front of her.

Curious, I gave an inquisitive coo, crawling over to her and placing a hand on her foreleg.

Luckily, her coughing spree wasn't long. "And as for you..." She tilted her head. "Where did you come from? You can't be an agent here...you're not wearing a suit."

I gave a worried babble.

"You're worried about me, aren't you?" Olive said sympathetically, before she gave a soft moan that indicated the disease was beginning to settle in further and further. I watched her with a worried look on my face, my eyes welling up with tears.

"I'll be fine." Olive smiled. "I didn’t come this far...I didn’t save my precinct...just to fall here. That boy...he has to become my partner. I have to become the Director of my own precinct. I...I have to make sure Odd Todd falls."

With loud shrieks, I began to cry again.

"Oh...you're not convinced, are you?"

Not even the sensation of being picked up and placed into warm and loving arms calmed me down. I was just too worried about this girl's fate. I didn't want her to go.

"Shh, it's okay! It'll be okay! Uh..." Olive bit her lip. "Crumpets, I don't know how to take care of a baby..." Gently she rocked me back and forth. "Rock-a-bye-baby, on the treetop? When the wind blows, the cradle will rock?"

That was enough. My crying began to cease, and I giggled.

"Oh, thank odd." Olive gave a relieved sigh. "I don’t know who or where your parents are, but...we’ll try to find them. It’s the least we can do." She adjusted her position on the floor. "For now, let’s wait until those fillies come back. It’s weird, but they didn’t look like any horses I’ve seen. Maybe they’re from another world."

Hearing such determination made my heart fill with joy. I gave a few happy coos, my little hands grasping at her nose in futile attempts to grab it.

"My vision's growing hazy...the disease is settling in..." Olive turned her head to cough...no, hack some more. She set me down as I gave another inquisitive coo.

"Ms. O..."

Her voice was more strained, now. She hacked again, and looked at the girl who I tried to wake up earlier.

"I’m sorry. I stopped the pienado...I saved this precinct...but it came with a cost. I didn’t want to die here, but…"

Her hacking grew more violent in nature. At one point, I could swear I saw blood stain the floor, but I can't recall. I slowly began to crawl to her, giving worried babbles and coos.

"Doctors are on their way." Olive assured. Her face began to pale. She rubbed Oprah's shoulder. "Please don't die...you have to stay strong. For me. For all of us..."

The way she was hacking, it was clear that her fate was about to be sealed.

" I...p-please...take care of...this baby. And the six…fillies that came with her."

Olive collapsed onto the ground. Her eyes slowly began to close, her final words a mere whisper as they floated into the air and then disappeared.

"I...am deeply sorry. But this is goodbye."

Seeing Olive collapse in front of me like that was devastating. I don’t know why, but I was...drawn to her. She saved my life, and the ponies’ lives. To me, that was enough for me to believe that she was nice. The ponies weren’t back yet with the Odd Squad Doctors, and I knew that something had to be done. But my heart was too filled with sadness.

So...I cried.

I practically threw my lungs out, hoping someone would come and help. Anyone who was still alive and standing. Maybe, just maybe, there was still hope for Olive. She could still be saved. I just needed someone to come to me.

Eventually, the ponies returned with some Doctors. The rest of it was kind of a blur. I was crying too hard to notice a lot of what was happening, but I do know that most everyone recovered. There were...many casualties, though. The disease progressed too far in some agents. Some were never able to function again. Others...died.

Olive survived, thankfully. But she developed sensitive hearing from having pie in her ears. She also developed trauma from the incident, in the form of a pie phobia that would haunt her for a long while.

---

Haruko closed her eyes. "I see."

"I can tell you the rest, if you want..."

"No need." Haruko held up a paw. "I do not wish for you to continue if it bothers you. I am deeply sorry, Mandy."

Mandy bit her lip. Tears began dripping onto the dirt below, and she sniffled. "It's...it's fine." She slowly got to her feet. "I'm just gonna...go for a little fly and then take a nap, if that's all right."

"That is fine. Do whatever you wish."

The kitsune watched Mandy take flight through the expansive Grasslands. Although it wasn't visibly obvious to her or to anyone else, she was crying too. She was sure her heart was aching with pain and her lungs found it hard to take in air. She gave a soft exhale and laid down.

I can feel the pain in her heart. She loves Olive dearly. That attack...it must have hurt her as well, even if not physically.

If only I could make her feel better…if only I could help her.

The sound of the breeze winding through the air and the sound of the grass rustling tickled her ears, but neither of those pleasant noises were able to placate her and make her calm again.

---

"It's been two weeks!" Oprah cried out, pacing back and forth in front of her desk. "Where is she?!"

"Mandy taking a vacation? That's unusual." Otto remarked, sitting on the couch with Olive beside him. The girl shot him a knowing look, as though attempting to remind him that Mandy had, indeed, taken a vacation before, in an incident that had ended in disaster.

"Did she say anything about where she went?" Olive asked.

Oprah stopped her pacing and gasped in realization. "Now that you mention it...she mentioned seeing Haruko before she left!"

The sound of drumming hoofsteps ascending the stairs caught the three kids' attention, and the ponies all burst in with panicked looks on their faces.

"We tried using the location tracker." Pinkie explained. "It's not working!"

"Of course not, she doesn't have her suit on!"

Pinkie blinked as she stared at Oprah. "Oh. Whoops. Hehe."

"If she saw Haruko..." Olive gasped. "Maybe she went to the Magical Grasslands!"

"But that place isn't real." Otto pointed out. "It only exists in her dreams."

"Has anyone tried calling her?" Oprah's gaze moved towards the ponies.

"I did." Fluttershy raised a hoof. "She didn't answer."

Oprah groaned, heading back to her chair and flopping down in it. "If only I knew more about the Magical Grasslands...it's just as much of a mystery to me as it is to all of you."

"So what do we do?" Twilight asked.

"We don't have a choice. We just have to wait until Mandy comes back." Oprah reached for her apple-juice-flavored juice box and took a few swigs. "In the meantime, we can cope."

"No!"

All eyes turned on Olive, who had shot up from her spot on the couch.

"I’m not going to just settle with that! Who knows if Mandy’s run into some odd monster or something, or needs our help?"

Otto watched his partner move past the ponies, who quickly moved out of the way. "Partner..."

Olive turned around. "I’m going to do some research on the Magical Grasslands. And I recommend you all do the same." She threw her hands into the air. "That’s our...our friend out there! Our relative! We shouldn’t just leave her be!"

A pause lingered in the room as everyone considered the Director's words. It didn't last long, however, as the vote was unanimous in that she had a point.

"Olive's right." Twilight nodded as she turned around. "I'm going to do some research too. It doesn't feel right to just sit around and wait for Mandy to come back."

"Then we'll help too, darling!" Rarity turned and placed a supportive hoof on her friend's shoulder.

"Let's go get Mandy back!" Rainbow declared, performing a loop-de-loop before hovering alongside the other ponies.

"Let's head for the Odd Squad Library." Twilight suggested. "Maybe there's something there that can help us."

She, and the others, began to head out as Peaches and Otto rose from their seats.

"Peaches?" Oprah glanced behind her. "What about you?"

The catgirl heaved a sigh. "Well...I'll kill two birds with one claw swipe. I'll go look for the culprit that burned down Vallea, and find the Magical Grasslands."

Oprah nodded. "All right. Just stay safe. And call if you find anything."

"Will do."

With that, Peaches left the room, and its occupants were down to three.

"Otto?"

"I have to keep things under control at our precinct." Otto's gaze moved to Olive. "Besides, Olive was always better at doing research."

"True." Oprah responded, choosing to ignore Olive's prideful smirk. "I'll see you later, then."

As she waved Olive and Otto off, she gave a heavy sigh as she flopped back into her chair, beginning to feel a migraine coming on that no amount of kid alcohol seemed to fix. Regardless, she gave a few sips of apple juice and resolved to get back to work, hoping to do something to take her mind off of her beloved second-in-command having gone missing.

---

One thing that Mandy hadn't witnessed when it came to the Magical Grasslands was the beauty of nighttime. The stars, the moon and the tranquility of it all held a sense of wonder that one couldn't experience by viewing it in the hustle and bustle of a city, with its light pollution and tall obstructing buildings ruining the sight.

After making a fire and cooking about three dozen hot dogs (all with ketchup, of course), Mandy had fallen asleep with quite the distended belly and ketchup still smothered all around her mouth. Her snores, however loud they were, didn't seem to shake the foundation of the Grasslands, nor did they bother Haruko, who was sitting beside her and staring up at the sky.

"From the bags Mandy carried here...I would assume she is on vacation." she realized.

Just as she was about to speak her next thought, however, a sensation shot through her body. She stiffened.

Odd Squad. They are looking for her. A sigh made the fur on her chest ripple slightly. Time moves slower here than it does in the real world. By the time she returns, it will have been months. Years, perhaps. She slowly closed her eyes. She cannot stay here. But...

"Haruko."

The tall, dark figure approaching the kitsune bore eyes of an icy blue, which shone in the darkness. Smoke smoldered from his nostrils for only a brief moment as he stared.

"Huh?" Haruko turned to look at the one addressing her. "Skygaze? What are you doing here?"

"I roam around the Magical Grasslands as a spirit. The Arcanes lived here for a very long time. This is my home as much as it is yours." Skygaze's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Something is bothering you."

Knowing that Skygaze wasn't usually the all-too-perceptive type, Haruko asked, "How can you tell?"

"I overheard your talk with Agent Mandy. I could sense the pain flowing through your heart as she told you her story."

"I am Mandy's spirit guardian." Haruko countered. "Of course I share her pain."

Skygaze's wings ruffled. "Why did you lead her here?" he asked, in a tone that conveyed curiosity more than scolding.

"She needs to know her true origins." Haruko gazed into Skygaze's eyes with a sense of urgency. "I have been getting these...pangs, of sorts, for years. They are cries for help, Skygaze. From her real parents. They are looking for her. They miss her."

"I can understand. But did you consider if Mandy is ready to find her real parents?"

That caught Haruko off-guard. She glanced at Mandy, and then back at Skygaze, who was watching her expectantly. "If she is...ready?"

"This is simply not something you can force onto someone, Haruko." Skygaze explained. "You are, perhaps, correct, in that Mandy needs to know about where she really came from. But not only do you need to be ready, she must be ready as well."

Haruko had to admit that the raroh made a strong point. She had pushed Mandy to find her real parents and unearth her real origins without even considering her feelings, and it was that mistake that made her want to apologize right away. But as her head turned to Mandy once more, she found that the hybrid had rolled over onto her left side and was muttering something in her sleep about devouring every last crop on a farm in between her raucous snores.

So, she settled for giving an understanding nod to Skygaze, a way of silent communication that showed him that he was in the right and she was in the wrong. Still, she had more things on her mind that she figured she would share with her former leader, now that he had taken the time to appear in front of her.

"Skygaze, that is not my only concern." Haruko exhaled. "There have been creatures, catpeople, hailing from a land called Vallea, that have been coming to Mandy and attacking her and her friends. I have been keeping an eye on them during my travels in the real world. They want to take her and Peaches back with them." Her eyes shimmered with worry. "I do not know why...perhaps to torture, or even kill...but I do not want that to happen! And-"

"Haruko." Skygaze extended a wing to quiet her, wrapping it around her back. "When Mandy was born, you took it upon yourself to become her spirit guardian, just like you were to her mother. You know her better than anyone. Even when you were in the Arcanes, and even when you became a spirit...you never stopped caring for her." He smiled. "You have the power to help Mandy. To work together with her and help her when she is in trouble. As the former leader of the Arcanes, I believe in you."

He turned. Haruko, stunned by his words, could only manage a single utterance of his name.

"Sleep on my words. Although the Arcanes are long gone, I, and your clanmates, will always be here, in the Magical Grasslands." He gave a soft sigh. "I have given you all the advice I can give. Farewell."

"Skygaze, wait!"

The raroh did not answer. Light began to overtake his body. He spread his other wing and took flight, soon becoming nothing more than a shimmering speck in the sky that eventually faded away.

Haruko stared at the sky, uttering her former leader's name once more. After some time, she broke her gaze away and looked at Mandy again, who was sucking the tip of her thumb.

As much as I do not want to believe it...he is right. I have been helping Mandy all throughout her life. We are connected. If Mandy does not wish to find her real parents…

She laid down on the grass.

...then I must not force her.

She will be ready, in time.

Closing her eyes, she rested her head on her paws and drifted off to sleep, her mind swirling with thoughts on her conversation with Skygaze and on her past experiences with both Mandy and her mother.

---

The next day, Mandy and Haruko both awoke to the sun at its highest point in the sky -- a good indicator that it was around noontime.

Haruko woke up first, of course. She gave a soft yawn as she stood up and began stretching out her body.

A few seconds after that, Mandy woke up, her yawn more volumetric in nature as she rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes. "Mmm...that was the best sleep I've had in a long time!" she remarked, twisting her upper body from side to side to get the most pops and cracks out of her spine as she possibly could.

"Mandy. Good afternoon."

The hybrid's gaze flicked to her spirit guardian. "Oh! I didn't know you usually slept this late, Haruko! Good afternoon!"

Haruko shook her head. "Not usually." Her gaze grew steely. "There is something I must tell you."

"What is it?"

"About yesterday..." Haruko blinked. "I am sorry for making you share your origins like that. I may be ready to talk about your real parents, but it is clear that you are not."

"You're right. I'm not."

The answer was so sudden that it made Haruko do a double-take, her eyes widening slightly.

"But you’ve given me something to think about." Mandy stood up and stretched out her own body. "And when the time’s right, then I’ll come see you in the Magical Grasslands and we can talk!"

One thing that Haruko loved about Mandy is that the hybrid was very forgiving. Even though she had a tendency to hold long grudges and not take "sorry" as any kind of answer, when it came to the right someone and the right time, she could pour all of her forgiveness out into her words and communicate them well. The kitsune gave a warm, grateful smile.

"That would be wonderful." A sensation went through her body, and she perked up, giving a startled "Oh!" as she felt the grass begin to rustle and lap at her paws.

Mandy blinked and tilted her head in confusion.

"Your friends...no..." Haruko shook her head. "Your family...they are looking for you."

"You said that yesterday!"

"No. I am talking about Odd Squad." Haruko looked to the sky. "I can hear their worried cries. I can sense their strife. Much time has passed in the real world."

It hit Mandy right then. Her eyes widened, and her pony ears drooped. "Oh no. Because time moves slower here! Ohh, how did I forget?!" She sighed. "I-I need to get back. I'm so sorry!"

"It is quite all right." Haruko nodded. "Go and see your family. And please, remember, you are welcome here at any time."

"Can this place be teleported to?" Mandy blurted. "I mean, traveling is nice, but the Magical Grasslands is soooooo hard to travel to!" She ran a hand through her hair. "You took me through thunder and lightning! I was out of breath! It was such a long fly!"

Haruko couldn't resist giving a soft chuckle. "Yes, you may teleport here whenever you desire."

Mandy gave a relieved sigh, placing her hand on her chest. "Oh thank odd." She began packing her bags, levitating them in her corona. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

Haruko nodded. "I will always be watching over you, Mandy. Farewell."

Looking over the real-life Grasslands one more time, Mandy teleported away, leaving her spirit guardian alone in the expansive space with her thoughts.

---

Mandy managed to arrive back in her room, which was a good thing for her because she didn't feel like getting swamped by everyone. What was also a good thing was that she hadn't aged so much as a day, which meant that not as much time had passed as she had hoped. She had only stayed in the Grasslands for a day, but she was sure she had passed the two-week threshold Oprah gave her, which, compared to months, years, decades or centuries, was pretty solid.

"Ahh, I'm back home! It worked!" Mandy grinned. "Man, teleportation's a good skill to have."

She put her bags on her bed, opened them, and began to unpack.

"And now that I'm home...maybe I can take some time to think about what Haruko said. About my real family."

Her eyes grew misty.

"I'm not ready to find them. But..."

Memories began flashing in her mind. From Otto giving Olive advice on how to calm her down as a baby, to a teenage Rainbow Dash letting her watch her do all sorts of crazy stunts in the air, to Pinkie Pie teaching her the joy of baking for the very first time by letting her make a batch of cupcakes. All of them were precious, all of them were cherished, and all of them reminded her of one thing.

"This place...all these agents...they're the only family I've ever known." Tears began dripping onto her bedsheets. "If I find my real parents, they’ll probably want me to go back home with them. And I’ll have to leave this place behind."

She could see it now. Her mother and father, demanding she come home with them because they felt Odd Squad was unsafe or its members were untrustworthy. Dragging Mandy home by the ear. Keeping her in the home and never letting her see the daylight unless good old Mommy or Daddy went with her.

"I don't want that!" she yelled, furiously shaking her head and sending tears flying from side to side. She clutched her head and slumped to her knees, trying to scrub the thoughts out of her head. "No, no, keep it together..." she murmured, almost like a mantra to steel herself. She balled up her hands into fists. "I just...have to spend more time with them. As much time with them as I can!" Her expression brightened. "And there’s no time like the present!"

Smiling, she got to her feet and flung open her door, looking back and forth for any sign of life. There wasn't any, so she decided to make her way to the bullpen, which she knew had to have at least some of her friends and family hanging around. As she got closer, however, her pony ears picked up on the sound of someone crying.

"Partner, it's gonna be okay. We'll find her."

Is...is that Momma? And Otto!

A hiccup. "Otto, I've looked through the entire Library. There's nothing on the Magical Grasslands."

"Peaches is out looking right now. She'll find it."

"It's been weeks! I just..."

Mandy could feel her heart beginning to break in two as a pitiful, strangled wail left her mother's throat and she continued to cry. Although she couldn't see them, and they couldn't see her, she opted to peek around the corner and stay mostly hidden.

"I've never seen her in this bad of a shape before." Oprah remarked.

"Olive, we'll work together to find her. I promise."

"We'd better! And if we do, I'm never, ever letting her leave my side again!"

Mandy bit her lip. She knew Olive made empty threats from time to time, but this threat sounded ominously serious and one that she would definitely be keen on following through. Her stomach did a flip out of nervousness.

"Whoa, whoa. Olive, that's a bit over the line." Oprah warned. "Mandy is her own agent. Her own person. She can do what she wants."

In a snarl: "I'm her mother. She is a child."

"The hypocrisy that you yourself are a child aside, my argument still stands. You won't be there for every second of Mandy's life. I know you're worried for her health and safety, but you're acting hysterical."

"Come on. Let's go back to Headquarters." Otto urged. "You can sit down, drink some tea, maybe have a nap..."

"No! I'm not going back until Mandy is found!"

A pause.

"Olive..." Oprah's voice was on the edge of pleading.

"That's my daughter out there!"

"That's it. We're going back. Now."

In all the years Mandy had known Otto, he had never used such a serious voice. When you were fun-loving and kind enough, such a voice just wasn't stored in your collection. If she was being honest, it kind of scared her a little.

"No!" came the screech from Olive in response. "I'm going out there, and I'm not coming back until I find Mandy. End. Of. Story."

Mandy could hear the sound of quick footsteps, and then the sound of the automatic doors hissing as they opened, followed by them hissing again as they closed.

"She's a stubborn one..." Oprah said, with a sigh. Mandy could feel the facepalm from where she was standing.

"And an overprotective one." Otto gave a sigh of his own. Mandy, likewise, did the same, her body relaxing as he went back to his usual tone of voice. "Guess it's back to me running the precinct for...uh..." A pause, and then he continued. "Well, knowing her, it'll be weeks."

"Good luck. Just call if you need anything."

"Got it."

The sound of departing footsteps marked the separation of both Otto and Oprah. Mandy pulled herself back around the corner, leaning against the wall.

"Momma..." The name was a mere whisper on her lips. She knew, deep inside, that she probably should have gone after Olive. Who knew what "it's been weeks" constituted, after all, and she didn't want to leave Olive suffering over her like this. It was bad enough that Mandy was gone for only a day and a half and "weeks" had passed.

But at the same time, she just wasn't ready to face her yet. She needed more time to think about Haruko's words. She needed more time to think about how best to approach the subject when it came to her mother.

Her fist clenching, she left her spot on the wall and departed for parts unknown.

---

Olive's feet took her through the streets of Toronto, as she tore past ponies and people going about their daily lives.

"I have to find her. I have to make sure she's okay." she uttered in between pants, before slowing down just a little in order to call out without losing much of her breath. "Mandy! Mandy, where are you?! Please, answer me!"

"Huh? Olive!" Peaches' eyes widened as she hovered downwards to meet Olive and landed on the ground a little ways away from her so she'd have time to stop.

"Peaches..." Olive stopped, leaned over to catch her breath, and shot back up, all within five seconds. "Did you find the Magical Grasslands?"

Peaches shook her head. "No. I've asked around, too. No one's heard of it."

Olive bit her lip, a shaky sigh managing to eke out in such a way that it made a whistling sound. "It's hopeless. We're never gonna find Mandy."

"That's right. You're not."

The silky voice didn't come from neither Olive nor Peaches. Their eyes widening, the latter turned around while the former peered around her. Standing in front of them was a purple-furred unicorn mare with three different shades of pink in her mane and tail, her blue eyes holding malice within them as she stared.

Peaches gasped. "It's you! That villain from last week!"

"That's riii-iiiiiight!" the mare called in singsong. "I’ve already struck most of the town, blessing everyone with my fabulous singing! And now, I am here to soothe your aching hearts."

"Ha! Bold talk coming from the pony who lost to Mandy at that singing competition last year!"

The mare grimaced, her lips curling back to reveal two rows of pearly-white teeth. The nasty look only lasted for a few seconds, however. "Yes, well, there is always room for improvement." she remarked, polishing a hoof on her chest before shooting the two girls a wicked smile. "Now, let us get on with the show, shall we?"

As she cleared her throat, Peaches glanced at Olive. "Olive, cover yo-"

She didn't get to finish her warning. In one melodic, operatic note, the mare sang, her horn lighting up in pink to amplify her magic. Her singing produced rhythmic waves that washed over buildings and living beings, causing glass to break and said living beings to begin screaming in fright and pain. This, of course, included Peaches and Olive.

"I...can't take it!" Peaches screamed. "It's...gonna...make me..."

"Please, stop!" Olive cried out. "I have to find...Mandy..."

Both girls' eyes began to dull until they looked akin to sheets of glass. Their eyes slowly began to close as they slumped to the ground.

"Stop right there, Starry Song!"

The mare stopped her cacophony. Her magic died down. Her gaze locked on the hybrid who had dared stopped her and dared to oppose her. "Oh, look who finally came." She smiled. "Agent Mandy. You poor, unfortunate soul. I can hear your friends crying out for you. They are suffering because of you."

Mandy blinked. "Suffering?"

"I can feel it in their hearts." Starry Song approached Peaches and Olive, who, in their hypnotized states, hadn't noticed Mandy's arrival. She placed a hoof on Olive. "This one has been looking for you for a very long time." And then, she placed her hoof on Peaches. "And this one has not found...the 'Magical Grasslands'. Whatever that is."

A growl rumbled in Mandy's throat. "I'm not in the mood to banter. Give up before I make you!"

In response, Starry Song merely gave a plaintive laugh. "Oh, such an awful cliche this all is." She shook her head. "Honestly, I would think you would know better, Mandy."

Mandy reached behind her back and pulled out her hammer, throwing it into the air. It spun around three times exactly before she caught it with her hand, extending it towards Starry Song. "Final warning, mare."

"Oh no, I'm so scared! Woe betide me!" came the sarcastic response, followed by a chuckle. "Perhaps I should soothe your aching heart as well."

"Soothe my aching..." Mandy stared at her enemy for a few seconds before furiously shaking her head. "My heart doesn't need aching!" She faltered. "I-I mean, no...nngh, it doesn't need to be soothed!"

Starry Song shrugged. "Then that is, perhaps, your loss."

Regardless of the unicorn mare taking Mandy's refusal at face value, she simply stood there, as though expecting the hybrid to change her mind.

Which she ended up doing several seconds later as a plan began to take shape in her brain. "Actually...I changed my mind. Let me take you up on your offer." Dramatically, she clutched her chest. "Oh, my heart...it aches so! I have so many conflicting emotions!" Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. "Oh, please, please save me!"

"Wonderful." Starry Song smirked. "Now, just stand still and we may begin."

Mandy primed herself.

Starry Song's jaws parted.

"Perfect."

A hammer was rammed straight into the mare's mouth. She began to choke, her eyes bulging with each gargling sound she made. Her rump met the ground as Mandy pushed the hammer further down her throat.

"What's wrong? Hammer got your tongue?" Mandy mocked, as she gave a nasty snicker. "All it took was for you to open your mouth! You're still fallin' for that after all this time!"

The hybrid gave a laugh that sounded purely evil. She had given laughs that were evil before, but those were mostly for fun or to demonstrate a point. Here, it was clear that Mandy's intent was to bring serious harm to this villainous mare, and she absolutely knew it. Inside, said mare began to panic, though she didn't dare let it show on her face and instead began to choke harder.

"Careful there. Wouldn't wanna blow out a lung or two." Mandy gave a wink.

Right then and there, Peaches began to get up, a groan leaving her body before a gasp took air right into her lungs again. She shook her head in an effort to clear it, and her eyes were restored back to their normal states.

Mandy noticed. "Cuz!"

Peaches looked up and gasped again, this time in surprise. "Cuz?! Y-you're back!"

"Save all that stuff for later!" Mandy pulled the arm with the hand holding the hammer back, and then thrust it forward with a mighty "Hnngh-yah!" This allowed the head of the weapon to be released from Starry Song's mouth, as the unicorn gave frantic breaths of air and placed a hoof on her chest.

"Now let's take you back." Mandy's tail wagged slightly. "Oh, and one more thing."

Her horn lit up in an array of colors, allowing two strips of tape to be conjured into existence. Arranged in an X shape, they barred the mare from being able to sing any longer, and since it was magically enhanced, it took away her voice as well, for an added bonus. Gently, Mandy placed the tape over her opponent's mouth and made sure it was secure before her magic died down.

Starry Song, of course, began to scream, her eyes pooling with tears of panic as she stared at Mandy. Luckily for her, as well as the rest of the townsfolk, her screams were muffled.

"Don't worry, it's not permanent." Mandy assured, before turning to her cousin. "Peach, help Momma up. We need to take her back to Headquarters, now!"

Peaches glanced at Olive, noticing that she hadn't yet awoken from the hypnosis. On the contrary, as a matter of fact -- her eyes were closed, and her mouth hung slightly open. Carefully, she picked her up, slinging the girl over her shoulder.

Once Mandy had a good look at her surroundings and made sure everything was all right, she began to depart for the nearest tube entrance, encasing Starry Song in a magical bubble for easy transportation. Peaches quickly followed behind with Olive, unaware that two small dark figures were watching them from a bush situated on the other side of the street.

---

"Mama..."

The sound of an infant Mandy calling to her caught Olive's attention. Her head whipped around in every direction, her heart filling with hope as she tried to find her adopted daughter. "Mandy?! I can hear you but I can't see you!" she called out.

With every second that passed, an unsettling feeling began to edge into her heart.

"Mama..."

"Mandy, come to me! Please!" came the desperate cry, which accompanied tears of sorrow as she began to run in the expansive purple-walled space, her eyes darting back and forth.

The sound and sight of whooshing wind, manifesting as gray wisps, brought her to a stop.

There, in front of her, was none other than Mandy. However, something was off -- namely, she was a baby, clad in a teal onesie and a messy head of hair. She gurgled, called out "Mama!" again, and giggled, her hands outstretched towards Olive, her expression one that the Director had seen so many times before and had come to love and cherish.

"You...Mandy..." Olive took a step back. "You turned back into a baby?"

"Mama!" came the singular-word response.

Olive's expression contorted into one of anger, and she quickly jerked her head away so as to avoid eye contact with Mandy. "Is this what the Magical Grasslands does to people?" she said, her voice rising to a yell. "It turns people back into babies?"

"No. It does not."

The strange voice nearly gave Olive a heart attack. "What..." She turned around, only to find no one there. She quickly found out that no one was in the same vicinity as her, aside from Mandy, who was looking around for the sound as well.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Olive demanded, clenching her fists and steeling herself for a potential fight.

"You will know me when the time comes." the voice responded. "But for now, you may view me as an ally."

"How can I treat you as an ally when I don't know you?" Olive's voice dropped and quickly became coated in ice with her next question. "What have you done to my daughter?"

"I have not done a single thing to harm your daughter." The voice paused for only a moment. "But she is not really your daughter."

"Yes she is!" Olive snapped. "I saved her during a pienado attack and raised her! She was an orphan!"

"Only one of those things is not true. Mandy is not an orphan."

"She is!"

The voice had an edge of warning to it as it spoke its next words. "Do not argue with me...Olive."

That stopped the Director cold. Her eyes widened, and her lungs shrunk for a few moments as they found themselves without air. "W-what in...how do...you know my name?"

"As I have said, you will know that when the time comes." Olive could hear the voice taking a breath, which was a good indicator that it wasn't disembodied, but rather, it belonged to someone. And the Director had a feeling that if she asked, she wouldn't receive any answers. Still, the voice continued. "Mandy has parents. Real parents, that she must return to. She does not wish to find her real parents, not right now. But she will begin her journey to find her true origins eventually. You must not stop her."

Olive grasped the sides of her head. "No."

"If you forbid Mandy from finding out about her real parents, she may never want to be with you again."

The Director squeezed her eyes shut. "Shut up!"

"Fail to heed these words, and perhaps it will shatter everything you hold dear to your heart."

"Stop it!"

The sound of whooshing wind met Olive's ears again. When it died down, she found that the voice, or rather its source, had mysteriously disappeared. She straightened, glancing at Mandy once again, who giggled and clapped her hands. She hadn't been completely aware of what the de-aged girl had been doing when the voice had been speaking to her, but something told her she had been aware of its presence and knew what it was saying. Had she been crying, Olive would have heard it, but that hadn't happened.

Keeling over, the Director took deep, heavy breaths. "No. No no no. This has to be a dream." she said, with determination. "That stupid mare...she planted an illusion into my brain. None of this is real. I have to wake up." She looked at the only other being in the area with her. "Mandy…"

The baby gave a curious coo.

Olive's eyes grew steely as she narrowed them. "You will never find out about your real parents."

"Mama!"

The lone word echoed in the warped space.

It was the last thing the Director heard before she returned to the waking world.

---

With a yelp, Olive bolted upright in bed. She took in and pushed out breaths of air rapidly as her heart raced, trying to figure out what that nightmare was that she just had.

"Momma! You're awake!" came the familiar voice of Mandy. She exhaled. "Thank odd!"

"Are you okay? You're drenched in sweat!"

Peaches had a point. Olive suddenly became aware of moisture beading along her forehead and dripping down her face. She glanced around and quickly found that she was in Mandy's room, as evidenced by the posters and the colorful door.

"It...was horrible." she murmured, staring into Peaches' eyes. "I...this voice was telling me something about Mandy's real parents, and..."

She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence, but it delivered enough emotional impact to both Peaches and Mandy that it made the former do a double-take and the latter shut down. In fact, the latter didn't even notice Olive's eyes begin to well up with tears that were thicker than blobs.

"Uh..." Peaches looked from Mandy to Olive. "Are you two gonna be o-"

"Mandy!!" came the elated cry, as the Director feebly reached out a hand. She couldn't get close to Mandy no matter how hard she tried. "Y-y-you're..."

It was at this point that Mandy snapped out of her stunned stupor. She hadn't heard anything of what Olive just said, but knew that the girl was probably happy to see her back. "I'm back!" She nervously laughed. "Funny story, um...maybe we can talk about it over some food? I'm starving! All I had were three dozen hot dogs!"

That was the cue for Olive to cry harder.

"T-they were good hot dogs! The bestest hot dogs, even! Take it easy, I'm tellin' ya the truth!"

Peaches didn't bother to tell her cousin that Olive wasn't crying because of the hot dogs. "Okay, I can't take it any longer." Her gaze was fixed on the hybrid. "Why were you able to find the Magical Grasslands and I wasn't?"

Mandy blinked. "I'm not sure..."

"You were gone for months! Oprah said you were only supposed to be gone for a few weeks!"

Mandy's eyes widened. In an entirely flat voice, she said, "I was gone for huh."

"Months. Two months, Mandy."

Peaches watched as the hybrid's mouth swung open, and then watched as her bottom jaw landed squarely on the ground. Just as quickly, though, she picked it up and snapped it into place like a piece to a puzzle, moving it around to make sure it worked okay.

"You have an overbite." Peaches pointed out, causing Mandy to panic and readjust the lower jaw. "There you go. Much better."

"Okay, about that..." Mandy held a finger up. "Time moves slower in the Magical Grasslands than it does in the real world. Or, uh...o-outside of the Grasslands." She thrust her face into Peaches' own. "I-I didn’t plan to go there, I swear! But Haruko appeared and then ran off so so quick and I followed her until I got there! And then...I stayed there. It was too nice."

Her cousin's tone of voice implied that she was hiding something, which Peaches quickly picked up on. "You didn't have a good time there, did you?"

Quickly, Mandy scratched her arm. "U-uh...well, I did! But, um..." The itching grew faster. "Haruko brought me to the Magical Grasslands for a reason."

"And what reason was that?"

Mandy bit her lip. She knew that if she told Peaches about what went on, it would break her heart. But she figured her cousin was a better beginner point for broaching the topic than Olive was, and so, with a deep breath, she decided to go ahead and spill all.

"She...she told me that I'll have to find out where I came from soon."

Now it was Peaches' turn to be surprised. And although Mandy didn't notice, Olive was surprised as well, as she began to connect the dots regarding who had spoken to her in her illusion. She decided to tune the other two girls out for now, as she thought about how Haruko was able to enter illusions when she often appeared in Mandy's dreams and why she came to Olive specifically.

"Where you came from?" Peaches murmured. "B-b-but you were rescued by Olive, from the big pienado incident!"

Mandy shook her head. "Before then. What happened that caused me to wind up in Precinct 13579's Headquarters in the first place." She stared at Peaches with saddened blue eyes. "And my parents. My actual parents."

"Wait. Wait. No no no." Peaches shook her head. "Y-you're Kimi's and Derek's child. They were a couple who lived in Vallea, a-and King Ashero frowned upon them because they were a human and a catgirl!" She sat down. "At least...that's...that's what..."

Could it be...did Ashero...lie?

Peaches' brain began to dredge up a memory from childhood, of a time when she did something she shouldn't have and got punished for it in one of the worst ways possible. And unbeknownst to her, she verbally recounted every single detail of it.

---

Inside the castle of the all-powerful and almighty King Ashero, a tall, thin figure approached him. Donning a spiffy-looking red jacket outlined with gold buttons and pockets lined with gray threads, he looked rather professional, moreso than other citizens of Vallea. "I understand you wish to see me, sir?"

Ashero eyed the newcomer with an unreadable emotion. "Yes, Nekane. Please, have a seat."

"I'd rather stand."

Ashero chuckled. "Very well." He cleared his throat. "Now, I will cut right to the chase. We have an...outcast in our town." His lip curled back to reveal two rows of sharp teeth. "Do you remember when two humans came to Vallea looking for a place to stay?"

"Yes. I remember them fondly. Or, perhaps I should say...not fondly." Nekane fiddled with his jacket a little to make up for his slipup, and partially out of nervousness. "If I recall correctly, they had catpeople relatives and had come here in order to give their baby a better life. And we turned them away."

"You are correct. Of course, I am sure you are aware that humans are not permitted to enter Vallea."

Nekane nodded his head. "I am well aware. Humans are nothing but mockeries of the concept of life, full of bad intentions. One human could wipe out the entirety of Vallea!"

"These two humans gave birth to a catgirl they named 'Peaches' and left her in Vallea. We only took care of her because she was a catperson." Ashero scoffed. "But I am sure you know how she turned out."

"Yes. It was just as you predicted, Your Majesty. She did not follow any of our customs and traditions. She became an ostracized outcast."

Ashero gave a single nod. "I had threatened to have her punished for her misdeeds many times over, but she did not listen. And now, I may punish her properly." His eyes glowed in the dim light of the room. "Nekane. I wish for you to do something for me."

Filled with hope, Nekane responded with, "Anything, Your Majesty."

"Lately, Peaches has become rather...incensed about where she came from. She is not aware of her true origins, and I do not wish for her to be. The next time she asks you, send her to me."

"What are you going to tell her?"

Ashero hesitated, a rare occurrence for him. "I will...make up something." He chuckled, and a wicked grin spread across his lion-like face. "Kimi and Derek."

Nekane's eyes widened. "Y-you mean..."

"Yes. The most infamous couple in all of Vallea. One a catperson, the other a human. One a survivor, the other long since deceased." Ashero lifted a paw, admiring his claws. "I have no regrets, killing Derek. He would have killed us first when he had gotten the chance. I was doing what was right for my village."

From afar, a young Peaches gave a soft, ever so quiet gasp, her eyes beginning to water and her tail beginning to droop.

"But I digress." Ashero tilted his head slightly. "Did you have something to say, Nekane?"

"Hm?" Nekane blinked. "Oh! Yes, yes. I was going to say that you should be a...town crier, of sorts. Bring the entire village together and tell the story of how Kimi and Derek gave birth to the town’s pariah. Because Kimi and Derek are hated by most everyone, it will give them more reason to avoid Peaches."

A pause filled the room as Ashero considered this idea. And then, to Nekane's surprise, he broke out into uproarious laughter. "This is why you are one of my top assistants, Nekane. Always the one with the brightest ideas."

If one looked close, they could see the happiness shimmering within Nekane's eyes. "I'm honored to receive such a compliment, Your Majesty." he remarked, being careful to make sure his tone didn't sound excited. "I despise Peaches as much as you do."

The catgirl in question began breaking down into choking sobs.

"First thing tomorrow morning, at sunrise. I would like for you to be there by my side." Ashero ordered.

"Of course. Perhaps this will be the first step in driving out Peaches for good."

The last thing Peaches heard before running away to cry even more was the sound of malicious and volumetric laughter that seemed to fill the entire building. Her heart broke in two that day, and needless to say, she never fully recovered. It was partially that incident that made her want to appease to Ashero's whims, to get on his good side so he would love her again like she was sure she had long ago.

Sure enough, at sunrise the next morning, Ashero emerged from his castle with Nekane in tow and headed to the town square to make his announcement.

"And so, in conclusion..."

"Peaches is the daughter of Kimi and Derek." Nekane finished. "As you all know, all three of them went against the customs and traditions we have and uphold here in Vallea. Which should not be surprising, given how she...presents herself."

The last few words were spat with pure venom that certainly didn't go unnoticed by the large crowd, who began to give cries and shouts of disgust.

"She's the daughter of them?!"

"Disgusting!"

"Throw her out of town, now!"

Back when she stayed in Vallea, Peaches lived near the town square, in a quaint two-story house. As a result, she got to listen to the clamors of the other townsfolk, whom she knew hated her just as much as she was beginning to hate herself. She slammed the door closed and slumped down to the floor, burying her face in her hands and beginning to cry once more, something that would become a daily occurrence all throughout her life. She never had a day where she didn't have a daily cry, and before meeting Mandy and the others, she never knew what a day was like without one.

---

Peaches' body quivered as she gripped the wooden frame at the end of the bed. Tears began dripping onto the floor as she squeezed her eyes shut. "H-he...he...he lied..." She tried to swallow the large lump that was in her throat. "He l-l-lied to m-me!!"

"This had to have been long ago...he was a tyrant even then..." Peaches' story didn't surprise Mandy in the least, from what she knew of the king. As far as she was concerned, he was an evil being of darkness whom she would have no problem either seeing being eradicated or eradicating herself. She rubbed a hand along her cousin's back comfortingly. "I'm so sorry, cuz."

Olive, who had mostly calmed down by this point, gave a small sniffle as she began to wipe her tears away. "I'm sorry too. I..." Another sniffle. "I didn't know you-"

"Save it!"

The sudden cry brought both girls to a standstill.

And then, Peaches rushed out of the room, continuing to cry.

"Peach!" Mandy called, outstretching a hand towards her cousin before a soft hum escaped her as she debated whether she should go after her or not.

"D-don't worry about her. She'll be fine." Olive said, with a sniffle.

"And what about you?"

"I'll be fine too." Olive gave a small, but hesitant, smile. "I'm really just happy you're back alive and healthy. I thought you ran away again."

"Well I didn't. I'm back now!" Mandy said. "Can you stand?"

"Yeah..." Olive threw the covers off of her and placed her feet on the ground. Upon raising the rest of her body, however, she quickly began to wobble. "Whoa!"

"I gotcha! Hold on!" Mandy quickly rushed to her mother's side and draped an arm over her shoulder, then lit up her horn and teleported both of them away from the room.

They quickly arrived at the shared office that Olive and Otto shared. Otto, as well as the two agents who were facing him, turned around to look.

"Oh!" Mandy nervously laughed. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?"

"Yeah. I'm giving these two a case." Otto remarked dryly, before his gaze settled on Olive. "Partner, you okay?"

"I'm fine." came the raspy response.

"She just needs to lay down a bit." Mandy explained. "She got attacked by some vicious mare."

"Starry Song. Her name's Starry Song."

"Yeah whatever, I don't need to know specifics." Mandy waved her free hand and edged Olive's arm off of her shoulder. "Just lay down on the couch, okay? And try to get some sleep."

"Sleep? I'm not even tired!"

"Your face says otherwise!" Mandy snapped. Indeed, Olive's face looked sunken and tired, as though she had missed a few nights of rest. "Now go to sleep!"

Olive, knowing that Mandy couldn't be reasoned with, gave a resigned sigh and moved towards the couch, where she laid down and grabbed a Management-symbol-shaped pillow to rest her head on.

"Otto, keep an eye on her." was the only command Mandy gave before she teleported away once again, not bothering to exchange goodbyes.

As soon as she got back, the very first thing she did was give herself a stark reminder to improve her mood. The very second thing she did was go to the Breakroom to fix herself up a gigantic meal fit for a queen...a queen who could really rule Vallea in proper, the more she thought about it. Even if she wasn't a catperson.

---

With a full belly, Mandy sat down at her desk. "Much better." she purred. "Now I can get back to work!"

"Mandy?!"

The startled cry of her name made her jump in her chair. She swiveled her head to the right to find Oprah approaching her in a fast walk. "Oprah!"

"Where have you been?!" Oprah threw her hands into the air. "We've all been looking for you for the past few months!"

"S-sorry!" Mandy said. "See, when I saw Haruko, she took off, and I followed her to the Magical Grasslands."

Oprah blinked. "It's a real place?"

"Yeah! And I didn't wanna stay there, but Haruko brought me there for a reason."

"And what reason was that?"

Mandy hesitated. "I..." She looked around for any sign of the ponies. As they were the ones who had been with her during the pienado attack, she wasn't quite ready to hit them with the truth bomb of finding her real parents just yet, just like with Olive. When she didn't see any of them around, she pulled her chair closer to Oprah. "She told me that I have to find out where I came from. Before the pienado. Who my real parents are!"

Oprah gave a shaky gasp. She stood completely still in shock, like she had been frozen in ice. "Y-your...real parents...?"

"Yeah." Mandy held up her hands and put on a smile. "L-look, don't be upset. I don't wanna find my real parents right now, and I don't have to!" Her smile then turned into a frown. "But...eventually..."

A pause lingered in the air like a thick fog. Oprah's eyes began to well up with tears.

They fell. But no more tears followed.

"That's okay."

Mandy did a double-take. "Huh?"

"If I'm being honest, I knew this day was coming for a long time." Oprah placed a hand on her chest. "If you want to find out who your real parents are, then I won't stop you."

Slowly but surely, Mandy's eyes widened and gained sparkles within them. "Really?"

"Mhm." Oprah nodded and gave a smirk. "But you know I'll fight to keep you here."

Mandy couldn't help but grin at that. She gave a hearty laugh, filled with joy and relief. "Thank you! It's nice to have someone who understands." Instinctively, she leapt up and embraced Oprah in a hug. "But for now, I'm gonna spend all the time I can with you guys!"

Taken aback by the hug she was, but Oprah couldn't squish down the warm feeling that encased her heart as she hugged Mandy back in equal measure. "Sounds great." She pulled away and pointed to the medium-sized stack sitting behind Mandy's computer. "You can get started with the paperwork I’ve left on your desk. Pinkie completed half of it, but you should be able to knock it out."

Mandy eyed the stack. "How did I not see that?" She shrugged the question off. "Anyway, thankies!"

She watched as Oprah left for her office, giving a happy sigh. After having Peaches run off crying and Olive be utterly broken by the news, it was nice to see someone that was so understanding and took the truth at face value.

The sound of shimmering met her ears, and her gaze shifted from Oprah to a rather familiar figure, who wore a rather serious expression. "H-Haruko?"

"Mandy. Please come to the Magical Grasslands. Whether it is in your dreams or in the real world. We must speak."

This disappointed the hybrid. She wanted to stay in Headquarters, not go back to the Magical Grasslands. Or go anywhere, for that matter. Right now, she wanted to relax with some paperwork and maybe take a nap if she had the time for one.

"All riiiiiight..." she said, her words edging into a groan. "But I need to get this paperwork done. How about tonight?"

Haruko gave a soft sigh. "Fine. If you must. Then tonight. Meet me in the Magical Grasslands."

The kitsune dashed off, leaving sparkles in her wake.

Mandy's pony ear flicked. "Weird. She didn't even say what it was about." She gave a nonchalant shrug. "Ah well. Heh, it can't be that urgent!"

---

That night, Mandy awoke in the Magical Grasslands once more. After having gone there with a physical body that was capable of feeling emotions and...well, feelings, she couldn't go back to being more or less a spirit and lacking those things. But she certainly didn't feel like going all the way back to the Grasslands for what she thought was something of little importance, so she had to settle for the second-best.

"Haruko? Where are you?" she called. "You wanted to see me?"

"I did."

Instead of the kitsune seemingly materializing in the same way she usually did, her debut was marked by harsh wind billowing through the Grasslands, sending dandelion seeds flying. Wispy and gray in nature, it disappeared to reveal her shimmering, light-crafted form.

"This can't be good." Mandy uttered, an uncomfortable feeling worming its way into her gut.

"Please, come sit next to me."

Haruko's voice was eerie, and gravely serious. Someone might as well have told her that her entire family died in a fire. And the way Mandy saw it, she wouldn't be surprised if that actually was the announcement she had. Anything seemed to go with the kitsune. Still, the hybrid cautiously approached her and took a seat next to her on the grass, as instructed.

"So, uh...it's been a while, huh?" Mandy cracked, giving a bout of nervous laughter while also internally cringing at her lame attempt at a joke.

"This is no laughing matter." Haruko fixed Mandy with a glare. "It is about Vallea."

"Vallea? What about them?" Mandy gasped. "You're not working with them, are you?!"

"No, I can assure you, I am not. But this does concern your cousin. Peaches."

Mandy tilted her head. "Peaches?"

"You are aware that she was deceived about her true origins, yes?"

Mandy simply gave a single nod. Following that was a pause that seemed to stretch on into eternity, and she began to grow impatient as she wondered just what big whammy Haruko was going to drop on her this time.

"Mandy. You and Peaches are connected. Far more than you realize."

That took the hybrid for a spin -- literally, as she spun around on her rump. "Well yeah, we're cousins!" she chirped, in a tone that implied Haruko might not be in the sanest of states at the moment.

But the kitsune merely shook her head. "No. I mean more than cousins." She stared at the blue, cloud-filled sky. "Your bond with her is very strong. When the time comes, where you are ready to discover where you came from, you will be met with a great surprise. A surprise that may change the way you two see each other."

Mandy had absolutely no idea what her spirit guardian could mean by what she said. What was the "great surprise" that would change how she saw Peaches and how Peaches saw her? How could they be related any more than cousins? They were already pretty close-knit, so how closer could they possibly get? It all confused her and made her head spin.

"But I must warn you." Haruko raised a paw and made eye contact with Mandy again. "Vallea is also closing in on you. Their attacks will get stronger. Fiercer."

Of course, Mandy knew that already, if catpeople like Orino and SOHALC were any indication. But something else weighed on her mind. "Wait. I know they know about where Peach came from, but...do..." She gasped. "Do they know about me?!"

"No. Not before they began attacking you. They do not know of your origins."

Mandy gave a relieved sigh. "Oh thank odd."

"However, that does not mean you should not be careful." Haruko warned. "As lazy as King Ashero is, he will strike eventually."

Mandy opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it as she realized that the way things were going, things were falling into place and he really would attack eventually. "Oh. Yeah. That makes sense."

A warm smile came across Haruko's features. "I believe Odd Squad will win in the end, Mandy. And it is your job to aid them in this war of attrition."

"War of huh?" Mandy had never heard that word before. She figured it meant something like "hard" or "easily won". However, she pushed it off to the side to address another concern. "But...if I find out who my real parents are...I won't be able to help Odd Squad anymore." She hugged her knees closer to her body. "They're gonna take me away from them..."

"I would not be so sure of that."

Mandy's head lifted. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Haruko simply smiled and said, "Let me just say...you will find out, in time."

Disgruntled, Mandy's pony ears folded down, and she put on a frustrated expression. "Y'know, that phrase is really getting on my nerves, Haruko."

"Just because you are not a part of Odd Squad does not mean you cannot help them out." Haruko placed a paw on Mandy's knee. "Always remember that."

Truth be told, Mandy really couldn't argue with that. Polly Graph was already a stellar example -- she might not be able to join Odd Squad, but she was a valuable ally to the organization and had the smarts and wit to match even Twilight, especially in entrepreneurialism and graph creation. And her lemonade and hot chocolate was some of the best in Toronto. "Ya do got a point. Even clients can help out Odd Squad too."

Haruko nodded in agreement. "And do not worry. Even if you are taken away from Odd Squad by your real parents, I will always be by your side. Whether in your dreams, or in the waking world."

Her heart warming up, Mandy couldn't help but smile. "That's comforting to hear." she murmured, straightening out her legs.

"But for now, cherish the time you have with your family. Olive. Otto. Oprah. Peaches. The ponies. They love them just as much as they love you, and it would pain them to see you leave."

"That's what I plan on doin'!"

"Good."

For the rest of the time Mandy spent asleep, she and Haruko simply watched the clouds roll in the sky, the grass rustle about in the breeze, and the dandelion seeds that hadn't been touched fly past them. It took both of their worries away, and even when Mandy got sucked up into limbo, she felt a sense of peace that she felt like she had never attained before.

Things would be okay. She had plenty of time to spend with her friends and family. Even if it was going to come to an end eventually, Haruko wouldn't pressure her to discover where she really came from before she was ready.

For now, all she had to do, all she wanted to do, was just live in the moment.

---

The next day, Olive, having been fully cured of her hypnosis and feeling much better, resolved to spend as much time with Mandy as she possibly could, work and other responsibilities pending. In her eyes, Mandy's real parents could show up at any time, whether it was due to Haruko's intervention or it was just them finally finding their daughter after all this time. As a result, there was only one reasonable solution.

The most unreasonable solution was, of course, to have Mandy be literally attached to her hip.

But the most reasonable solution, the only reasonable solution, was to free up as much of her schedule as she could and spoil Mandy completely and utterly rotten. She wanted a new toy from Games R' Us? She got it. She wanted one of those new smartphones she had seen adults carrying around? She got it. She wanted to spend $50 on a deluxe meal at TFC? She got it. She would get all of it, and so much more.

As she roamed the halls of Precinct 13579, her nose began to grow stuffy and her throat began to close up. She sniffled. No...I shouldn’t get sad over what Haruko said. Mandy doesn’t have real parents. It was simply an illusion. And even if she did have real parents...I’m not gonna let her find them.

Her fist clenched as she stood outside the door to Mandy's room.

I have to divert her attention away from wanting to find her real parents somehow. Make her see that l’m the best and only fitting parent for her.

With her free hand, she reached behind her and pulled out a three-course meal, full of healthy foods that would make any fitness guru weep. A smile settled on her face.

And I know just how to do it.

She opened the door and walked inside, not being surprised in the least that Mandy was still snoring away in bed. She set the tray on the nightstand, then placed a gentle hand on Mandy's shoulder to shake her awake.

"Mandy? Wake up, it's almost 1 o'clock. I brought you lunch!"

The Director's only response was a leg twitch as Mandy let out an eardrum-shattering snore.

"Oy vey. Every time I think this is going to work, and every time it fails..." Olive muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose and mentally kicking herself for her brief moment in stupidity. An idea began to form in her head before long, though. "Ah! Maybe if I sing a song, it'll help you to wake up, hmm?" She cleared her throat, opened her mouth, and took a mighty inhale.

With a series of snorts, Mandy bolted upright in bed. "He'zz got three pencilzz in hizz backpack!!"

Olive had already known well enough by now not to question Mandy's non-sequiturs. Instead, she watched as the hybrid's head slowly turned towards her, her dull blue eyes gazing into her soul. Olive decided to start things off with a simple "Hi!" and see where things went from there.

In response, Mandy gave a loud yawn, with Olive veering her head away when she caught a whiff of her not-so-pleasant morning breath. "Oh hi, Momma!" The hybrid weakly waved a hand. "Whass' up, homie m' homie?"

"Well, your 'homie my homie' brought you lunch." Olive gestured to the tray sitting on the nightstand. "Your drink's already on the table, so I didn't bring one, but I can bring one if you want!"

"Nah, 'm fine." Mandy reached for the Chocolate Moo-Moo Surprise and chugged it, a happy sigh leaving her when the glass was empty. "Much better!"

"Did you have good dreams?"

"Uh..." Mandy nervously chuckled. "You could say that." She tilted her head. "Why are you here at Precinct 13579, anyway?"

Olive didn't answer right away, instead watching as life began to return to her adopted daughter's baby-blue eyes. It warmed her heart, mainly because she had never seen a freshly-awoken Mandy with her eyes dull. She had to wonder if her eyes looked like that when she was hypnotized. "Otto had to return a gadget to Oona and ask Oprah about some paperwork, so I figured I'd tag along."

"Hm." Mandy smiled. "Well, thanks for the food! Much appreciated."

As the hybrid grabbed ahold of the tray and began munching on her ham sandwich, Olive's expression lit up. "Hey, I have some free time next week. Would you like to go out? Just the two of us? For some mother-daughter time?"

Mandy tilted her head in confusion. "Well, I mean...sure, if you're up for it! But, uh, this is really sudden. You've never been this kind before." Realizing how awful that sounded, she hastily backtracked. "I-I mean, you've always been kind, j-just not...overly so, y'know?" She wasn't sure if that was any better, but proceeded anyway. "Did something happen?"

Olive's eyes widened. Crumpets, I'm gonna get found out. I have to be more subtle! "No, no! It’s just that, well...I feel we don’t spend enough time together outside of work, and I know we’re both busy, but...you’re my adopted daughter. It’d be a shame if I didn’t spend much time with you in case...something happens."

Raising a perplexed eyebrow, Mandy stared at Olive for a few moments. "Uh-huh..." she said, almost in a skeptical tone before she reverted back to her usual chipper one. "Well, count me in!"

"Great! See you then. And enjoy your meal! Just let me know if you need anything, okay? I'm only a call away!"

Mandy nodded as she watched Olive leave and close the door behind her, eating the rest of her sandwich whole as she kept her eyes on the door for a few seconds longer.

Olive did a fist-pump. Yes! Now if I keep this up, ever so subtly...she’s bound to see that I am the perfect mother for her. She’ll never be willing to find her real parents again.

Heh. Starry Song. Your silly little illusion didn't work on me.

A wicked-looking grin spread over the girl's features as she stepped into the bullpen, her face darkening.

"And it never will."