The unmistakable sound of a news anchor’s intro sounds off, accompanied by the logo of Fox News. The insignia then fades away into nothingness as the camera feed focuses on two well-dressed individuals seated comfortably at a large brown Italian maple desk.
“Good morning, America!” The blonde reporter greets, having taken a moment to look herself over before the camera focuses on her and her male co-worker. “I’m Katie Anderville, here with my good friend, Kurt Rennards, and you’re watching Fox and Friends - eight am.”
Katie’s pink dress was firmly pressed against her well-defined form as she held a stack of papers, tapping them on the desk to align them.
“Thanks, Katie; good to be here,” Kurt began, his blue and ironed tuxedo representing his and his cohort’s professionalism. And as the man turned his gaze to look at the camera, his brown hair danced as he moved.
“Getting right into the flow of things, we have yet another series of unexplained disappearances.” Kurt shakes his head, worry plastered on his features, “To think that this all began two years ago, and the phenomenon has had countries worldwide scrambling for answers.”
“Yes, Kurt, the very first incident was reported back in July 2019, and although the disappearances have died down since then, we are still getting reports of missing individuals—even entire groups, disappearing with little to no explanation.”
Kurt sighs somberly. “You know, Katie… My aunt was among those who’ve gone missing. I’ve been praying to God almighty for her safe return, and for those of you out there who are in mourning, you have our sincere condolences.”
“Oh my goodness,” Katie rests a hand over her heart in shock. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Kurt. Where was she last seen?”
“Incidentally, her disappearance matches up with an ongoing theory that has sprung up amongst the scientific community, many authoritative branches, and even all forms of media. Among the victims, the highest concentration of them was at some sort of large-scale gathering, like that convention my aunt went to.”
“Ah, yes,” Katie lowers her blue eyes to the sheets of paper in her grasp and shuffles through them. Having found her mark, she sets down a single sheet from the pile, resting the pile itself nearby.
“According to our most updated information, there have been perceived similarities between the disappearances and some fan works, which has led some people to dub the victims ‘The Displaced.’”
The duo shares a chuckle as Kurt shifts his gaze to the camera. “Who came up with such a goofy thing?” He inquired, arms spread out.
Katie giggles. “In any case,” She managed after recovering, “we here at Fox News urge our viewers to remain vigilant while heading out to such gatherings. And while attempts to ban such events have declined following a rise in protests, authorities still recommend safety practices, even advising Americans against it.”
As Katie finishes her report, Kurt plucks a water bottle from the desk and takes a quick swig. Setting the bottle down, he locks eyes with his cohort.
“My goodness, Katie. This- the world’s gone crazy! Well, crazy-er, anyway.” Kurt shifts his gaze to the camera lens. “Now, let us take a small break from these questioning times and focus on a more natural subject: the weather.”
……….
The sounds of many people chattering fill a bus’s interior as the Fox News broadcast shifts from Katie and Kurt to a weather reporter. A series of captions parroted what was being said on the screen, one of the few that were attached to every corner of the vehicle.
“I can’t help but feel conflicted about all of this, Tyler.” A man in his late twenties fidgets in place nervously, sitting at the very rear of the bus with an assortment of windows depicting the active streets of Los Angeles, California.
The brown-haired, dusty tan-skinned individual wore a black hoodie, the hood currently unfurled, with the words ‘BX Anime & Comics Expo’ boldly printed on the chest region. This paired well with the simplistic blue jeans and black Nikes that covered his lower body.
He turned his blue gaze to Tyler, the dark-haired individual sitting to his right and positioned closer to the window. “Don’t get me wrong - today’s your thirteenth birthday, and I just love seeing you happy. But…what if one or both of us just goes ‘poof’ without a trace? I can’t let that happen to you, Ty.” Worry practically leaked out of him, concern etched onto his face.
Ty tears his black eyes away from the window, causing his hair to dance in motion as his attire perfectly matches the older male’s. Excitement was still present on the 13-year-old’s face before shifting to worry.
“Everything will be fine, Drake.” Despite focusing on the sights beyond the window before, Ty still overheard Drake's paranoid words. “I think we’ll be ok as long as we’re careful. It’s kind of like riding a bike, you know? Lots of fun, but dangerous, too.”
Drake chuckles, lifting his right arm and shaking the teen’s hair before patting their head. “I guess you’re right, buddy.” A thought occurs to him as he clicks his tongue, “Also, you don’t have to call me ‘Drake’ every time, you know. ‘Bro’ or ‘Dude’ will do just fine. We got the same dad, after all. I mean, we didn’t call him ‘Daniel’ when we talked to him, right?”
Ty’s features faltered, shifting down to the floor, which was surprisingly well-kept for an average form of public transportation. However, he did take notice of the blobs of gum sticking to the underbelly of the seating in front of him.
“I’m sorry…”
Seeing Ty’s troubled state, Drake immediately jumped into action, wrapping his right arm around the teenager and pulling them in, earning a surprised gasp from them in the process.
“Hey now, enough of that,” Drake gently chides, Ty looking up to him. “Dad would’ve wanted us to enjoy ourselves, not get lost in sorrows. So whaddya say we have a good time and make our old man smile down on us from above?”
Ty’s expression changed instantly as if a switch had been flicked. “Ok!” He cried out, lunging forth and diving into Drake’s chest region, happily wrapping his arms around them.
“Thank you for doing this for me, Drake.”
“Heh. Guess we’ll work on the name thing later,” Drake laughs as he ruffles Ty’s hair. “It’s no problem. You’re worth it.”
A moment of blissful silence takes hold, save for the nearby voices of their fellow passengers and the constant humming of the bus itself.
“Hey, Drak- uh, I mean, bro?”
Drake chuckled. “Yeah, kiddo?”
“Do you think they’ll have some My Little Pony stuff there?”
“Maybe. ‘Friendship is Magic’ is still a big hit even after the show’s completion. The expo mostly covers anime and comic books, but MLP has its own comics, too.” Realization dawns on Drake. “Oh, that’s right. Who was it that you were missing from your collection again?”
“Discord!” Ty raised a fist into the day during his proclamation. “He’s so cool! He started out as a bad guy but became a good guy later on. But even as a good guy, he still has some, uh, moments. The best episodes are the ones that focus on him and Fluttershy.”
“That explains why his figurines are pretty difficult to obtain, at least from what you told me. He sounds like a favorable character.”
“More like the best character,” Ty corrects, followed by the duo sharing a good chuckle.
“You’re right, you know?” Ty began after recovering from his laughter. “I should ease up on the name thing. But I won’t call you ‘bro’, either. I guess…what I’m trying to say is,” Ty’s grasp suddenly tightens as his face dives in again, causing Drake’s eyes to widen with a low gasp.
“You’re dad, now.”
The effects of those words are instant, and as Ty remains buried in Drake’s chest, the appointed father shifts his eyes to the ceiling with a smile on his face.
Hear that, pops? Guess I got promoted. I’ll keep an eye on Ty for you, and I’ll keep him safe. That’s a promise.
The bus began to slow down before coming to a halt at the bus stop. The sounds of footsteps and increased chatter follow as the bus’s doors open.
Passengers began to gush out of the transport until the brothers emerged from the vehicle after waiting patiently for their turn in line. The California heat beat down on them, but a cool breeze offered relief with its frequent passing, fluttering the duo's hairs.
Both brothers take a deep breath, eyes closed, before opening and taking a good look at the convention center.
The building was dominantly adorned with tinted blue windows, with the structure itself shaped like a diamond with two rectangular extensions stretching out on either side. A large screen was plastered on the diamond’s face, displaying several shows, mangas, and comic books, drawing interest from the masses that formed stupidly long lines to wait for their turn to enter the building.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Drake asked, turning to his adoptive brother, who mimicked the action - eyes meeting one another as other expo attendees traversed around them. “Are we doing this or what?”
“Duh!” Ty jumped in place, looking skyward toward the building’s massive, rectangular screen. “I didn’t wait months for noth-” His eyes suddenly widened with a gasp, “Hey Bro, look!” He stretches an arm out and gestures, “Yes! My Little Pony’s IDW comics will be on display, too!”
Drake’s eyes followed his brother’s arm, and there, displayed in all their glory on the screen, were several volumes of the IDW comic books.
There was an issue starring King Sombra and his backstory, Princess Celestia and Luna’s childhood under the guidance of Starswirl the Bearded, the Element Bearers’ journey through the mirror universe, and even a crossover with the Transformers franchise.
Then, as if fate were listening to Ty’s earlier desires, the screen shifts again to depict a Discord figurine striking a pose as if he were in an opera.
“Well, well, well… If it isn’t Megan William’s descendants.”
A mysterious hooded figure observed the brothers from within the expo. The figure's voice was seemingly male, yet there were instances of feminine tones mixed in as if both sexes spoke in unison, with the male being the most dominant.
But the most interesting detail was that people walked through the figure as if it were a ghost. Or he, she, they…simply weren’t there. The figure watched as Ty excitedly jumped in place giddily due to the revelation of the expo possessing Discord figurines.
Of course, it wasn’t a coincidence.
“Looks like the pieces are falling into place, and my meddling is starting to pay off. Oh, how I look forward to meeting you personally, boys.”
The brothers bypassed security and melded into the VIP line without issue, thanks to their passes, which struck a significant blow to Drake’s wallet and savings. But seeing a smile on Ty’s face after the passing of their father made it all worth it.
Upon entering the building and asking for directions, they soon find themselves walking down a lively hallway, hand railings splitting it in half as pictures and screens depicting all manner of fiction—comics, manga, shows, and the like, are advertised in every direction.
“It should be just around the bend here,” Drake said as he and Ty passed several registration desks tended by personnel dressed for the appropriate event.
“Convention space B-1, right?” Ty asked for assurance.
“Yup. That’s the one. We just passed A-4, so B-1 should be-” They turn the corner, “Ah! There it is!” Drake shouts while gesturing at the room’s entrance, a line forming in front of the registration desk attended by two personnel. “Come on. Let’s get in line before it gets larger.” He lunges forward, “Race ya!”
“H-hey!” Ty called out, leaning forward into a sprint. “That’s not fair!”
“What’s that? Can’t hear you back there!”
“Urgh! Drake!”
“Hahahaha!”
Having won the abrupt race, Drake shuffles into and secures their place in line, with only six other attendees ahead of him.
“That was cheap, Drake,” Ty scolds, falling in behind the elder sibling.
Drake chuckled and shrugged, looking back to Ty. “What can I say? Gotta get warmed up for the main event, right?”
Ty dismisses his sibling’s antics with a roll of his eyes. “Whatever.” He suddenly becomes cheery as if a switch had been flicked, the brothers taking a step forward as the line progresses onward, and only five attendees remain in front of them.
“Anyway.” Ty leans to the side, trying to sneak a peek into the vast space beyond a pair of propped-open double doors. “I wonder if- oh, wow, some Street Fighter cosplayers are passing by in there.”
“Let me know if there’s a good Chun-Li among them,” Drake requested, moving forward with a goofy grin. “That girl can kick me anytime.”
“Dude, gros- oh! Hey, yeah, there’s a Chun-” Ty’s eyes shoot wide open, and he leans back into place, standing firm with a somewhat displeased look. “O-on second thought, never mind. I-I saw nothing.”
They step forward—only three more to go before they could check-in. “What?” Drake asked with some laughter. “Come on, don’t hold out on me,” he states while leaning to the side to peer in.
“Drake, seriously, I don’t think you should-”
“It can’t be that bad- and that’s a dude.”
Drake shifts back into place, the brothers staring forward with stunted and abhorred looks. A moment of awkward silence takes hold, which is then broken by the elder sibling.
“You, uh, got any Mind-Bleach, Ty?”
“Enjoy the event, gentlemen!” One of the event handlers at the registration desk waved them off as they made their way through the doorway, the roaring masses within becoming louder as they approached.
“We will, sir!” Ty waved back, Drake saluting with two fingers as they then looked forward in unison, paused, and took in their wondrous surroundings.
Booths and concession stands practically filled every nook and cranny of the large room and were organized in a way that made it seem like a whole city was shoved into the convention space. And like every great city, people flooded the streets, or aisles, in this case.
Cosplayers dressed as familiar fictional characters observed and passed by the booths while those who tended them advertised their wares and finalized transactions.
“Man, I-I don’t even know where to begin…” Ty comments in wonder, but his eyes slowly fall to the floor somberly, Drake taking notice as he shifts his head toward his brother during his sight-seeing.
“Hey,” Drake sets a hand on Ty’s shoulder, “What’s wrong, kiddo?”
Ty slowly looks up to his older sibling, “It’s just… I really wish dad was here…”
Drake clicks his tongue as Ty lowers his gaze, but the older sibling gently grabs the younger’s chin, lifts it, and turns their head forward.
“We’re here now, Ty.” Drake steps forth and spins in place to face his brother with outstretched arms. “Let’s enjoy ourselves. You wouldn’t want to make Daniel think he’s holding us back from having fun, would you?”
“O-of course not.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Drake turns away and walks toward the ocean of attendees, a look of conflict present on Ty’s face. “In any case, come join me when you’re ready to have a good time.”
It didn’t take long for the conflict born of remorse waging within Ty to fade away. “Wait, Drake!” He shouts, lunging forward to catch up with his sibling. “I’m coming!”
And so they began to enjoy what the event offered as the brothers disappeared into the crowd.
Meanwhile, in another world beyond time and space…
Princess Celestia, the current sole ruler of Equestria, sat on her throne quietly and reflectively as rays of her celestial orb crept in through the windows.
“And that, your highness, is why I strongly believe the current taxation laws should be reviewed again.”
“Your request has been noted, Sir. Trotsworth. I shall see what we can do, but I can make no promises.”
“Thank you, princess,” Trotsworth responds with a respectful bow before turning to take his leave.
As was the routine ever since she relocated Equestria’s capital from the Everfree Forest to a mountainside almost a thousand years ago, following the events of that night, she had to listen to yet another one of the nobilities’ obviously selfish or greed-driven requests.
Regardless, she had a way of dealing with it by simply filtering the words they spoke while simultaneously thinking about one thing… Something that made all these years bearable despite the throbbing pain in her heart.
“On the longest night of the thousandth year, the stars shall aid in her escape.”
Four years… She only has to wait for four more years until her sister returns. They would finally be together again, but before that, the solar alicorn’s relentless machinations had to be perfect. For this plan to work, one particular variable had to-
The double doors of the throne room are abruptly parted by a duo of guards that were stationed beyond the door frame.
A loving smile forms on Celestia’s muzzle. ‘Speaking of variables…’
“Princess Celestia! We’ve arrived as requested and with several minutes to spare.”
“Thanks to me, of course.”
“Oh hush, Spike.”
“Hehehe.”
A lavender unicorn mare, just barely considered to be an adult, greets Celestia with that same brilliant and faithful voice as she trots down and along an elongated carpet, followed by a particular purple and green dragon as they pass Sir. Trotsworth in the process.
“Good afternoon, my faithful student. And to you too, Spike.”
As Twilight approached, Celestia not only saw the student she had been melding into a fine mare and the dragon whose birth practically started it all, but every step her student took was a metaphor in itself.
Each step was a step closer to saving Luna.
“Thank you both for coming on such short notice,” Celestia said as they stopped a couple of feet from the ramp to the alicorn’s throne. “I apologize for any inconvenience my letter might have caused.”
“It’s no problem at all, princess.” Twilight shifts her gaze to Spike, “Spike and I were just finishing things up at the Canterlot Library.”
Spike grinned playfully. “If by ‘finishing things up’ you mean panicking because you thought you forgot to return a book.”
“But I have to keep my title as Best Book Burrower!” Twilight explodes in a panic and with a raised forelimb. “If I don’t, I’ll lose my picture on the wall!”
Celestia’s entertained laughter garners their attention. “And we can’t have that now, can we?” She finished with a wink.
“Heh. Who knows?” Spike asked with a playful shrug. “Maybe you’ll lose your place as the princess’s student, too.”
A horrified gasp is let loose from Twilight’s horrified frame. “Oh my gosh, Spike, you’re right!”
“A-actually, Twilight, that was just a-”
The purple unicorn starts to walk back and forth worriedly as she interjects, “Oh no. As Celestia’s student, I’m expected to be on top of things like this. I mean, If I’m careless with one title, how can I expect to hold the others?”
“But…you only have two-”
Twilight suddenly gasps loudly, stopping in place and shooting her gaze over to Spike. “Flashcards! Of course! Spike, once we’re done here, I need you to make me some flash-” Realization dawns on her as her eyes widen even further, “Oh no! I completely forgot about why we were here! Spike, do you?!”
“Well-”
“Wait! Don’t tell me. I think I can figure it out--maybe!”
Twilight turns to face Celestia in a panic, who looks down upon them neutrally but with hidden joy - a playful gesture on her part. And although Spike had long since caught onto the alicorn’s playful nature, it would seem that the princess’s student still had a ways to go.
This was a trait Celestia would quell during these four years. For now, though…
“That is to be expected, Twilight.”
The poor unicorn began to shake, her eyes darting around nervously.
“After all…” Celestia paused, letting it all build up so that her coming punchline would make its effect.
“I didn’t reveal why I wanted you to come here in my letter.” She giggles. “Only that I needed you to come and see me.”
Those words had an immediate effect as dead silence took over the throne room. “O… Oh…” Twilight finally said in realization after a moment’s pause, followed by sheepish laughter. “S-sorry, princess.”
“It’s quite alright, my faithful student. Now then, I’ve summoned you here because, as my student, there is something I’d like to ask of you.”
Both Twilight and Spike share a glance. “What is it, Princess Celestia?” Spike asked.
“I think you’re quite ready.” The inquisitive looks from the duo prompt Celestia to continue. “Twilight, I would like for you to organize the Summer Sun Celebration.”
“P-princess…” Twilight managed with shock in her voice; Spike, equally dumbstruck. “You would entrust me with one of Equestria’s most important holidays…?”
“I would, my faithful student. And I do believe that you are more than capable.”
Twilight looked on in pure disbelief, imitating a goldfish. “Of course, if you don’t feel up to-”
“No!” Twilight enthusiastically interrupts. She then clears her throat in embarrassment. “I-I mean, Princess Celestia, I'd be honored to do it! Yes! Please! Of course!”
“Then the matter is settled.” Celestia rises up to her full stature and spreads her wings. “I, Princess Celestia Sol Invictus, hereby grant you, Twilight Sparkle, authority and unhindered access to the Summer Sun Celebration’s funding. I shall inform my assistant, Raven Inkwell, of our arrangement, and she will be working with you until she’s certain that you can make the arrangements on your own.
That said, I just want to be sure here, Twilight. Are you certain that you willingly accept this responsibility?”
‘Please…’ Celestia pleads internally but hides this behind an unreadable mask. ‘Please say ‘yes.’ I know that you’ve already agreed, but It all comes down to-’
“Yes, Princess Celestia,” Twilight unknowingly interjects, earning a low gasp from the alicorn. “I know it won’t be easy, but if you believe I can do this, then I will!” She hopped in place, excitement overtaking her as she then began to bounce around Spike.
“Oh, Spike, this is incredible! We have so much to…”
Twilight’s words practically fade away as Celestia enters a trance, but one made from disbelief that rivals Twilight’s. It was all falling into place, and soon, in four years, the wonderful unicorn before her will…
‘Luna… My sister…’
Celestia’s gaze goes up to the ceiling in deep thought, and she is so lost and trapped in her trance that she hasn’t even processed Twilight and Spike taking their leave. Aside from herself, there was someone else who would be ecstatic to know of her sibling’s return.
Their adoptive father… The absolute wonder from another world…
‘I’ll have to pay you a visit soon, Daniel… My beloved father.’