Mall

Adagio's burial was a short one. I was there, along with Sonata, Johnny, and Alice.

"I didn't get to know her like my sister and Alice did, but... she sounded like an interesting character. She sounded like someone who made mistakes, and... and she was starting to make up for that. Just like me." I said.

I had no other words. I realized that we were more alike than I thought...

I was with Kyle, who was giving Adagio a burial speech, and I started remembering that day when he came over for tutoring. I was so stupid... How could've I not seen it, the way she was looking at him? The way he...

The way he acted.

After Kyle gave the speech, I headed down to the empty church nearby and came up with an idea.

I found a sledgehammer nearby and started breaking the chairs down.

I have a plan...

I decided to see Kyle. He was sitting near Adagio's grave.

"Hey." I said.

"Hey." Kyle sighed.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I just... I can't take care of a child on my own. She wanted me to do it, and... I don't know if I can." He said.

"Why? You've done harder things."

"Yeah, but those end. This, raising a son, doesn't. I'm not saying that I haven't thought about a family with Scootaloo, but this is an entirely different ballgame." I said.

I saw Henry come up.

"If you want, I could care for him until you've made your decision." He said.

"Thank you." I said.

"Of course. As hard as it is for me to stomach, Starswirl is my grandson. Nothing can change that." Henry said.

Starswirl was staying with my dad until I could make up my mind. I decided to check on Sonata and Twilight.

"How are you two holding up?" I asked.

"Good. I don't know about Sonata..." Twilight said.

Sonata was clutching a necklace and spinning the gem in the center.

"How did you find it?" I asked.

"Aria dropped it when... you can have it. I can't see that damn thing again." Sonata said.

I took the necklace and decided to put it on. I instantly felt a small rush, but it quickly died out.

"I'm going out on a run. Wanna come with?" Twilight asked.

"Sure, where're we going?" I asked.

Twilight grabbed her katana.

"The mall." She said.

I stopped.

"Wait, THE mall? The one we went to after school?" I asked.

"Yeah, that mall." Twilight said.

"I'll get the Changeling." I said.

We arrived at the mall and parked near the door.

"Shouldn't we do a perimeter check?" I asked.

"Already did." Twilight said.

"What? When?" I asked.

"When I went looking for you, I saw the mall. It was empty, by the looks of it. But, to be sure..." Twilight grabbed a pipe and tapped the door.

We waited for a few minutes, but nothing came.

"They must've cleared out a while ago." Twilight said.

I tried to open the doors, but to no success.

"Step back." Twilight said as she took the pipe and grasped it.

I stood back, and I heard the glass shatter.

"Let's go." Twilight said.

We walked in, and I felt 13 all over again.

"Wow... feels like yesterday we were here last." I said.

"Yeah, it does..." Twilight said.

"What is it? Why are we here?" I asked.

"Because I wanted to talk again. You know, without everyone else eavesdropping?" Twilight said.

I got her point.

"We shouldn't say here long. We should think on how to get Rin back." I said.

"You said you weren't their leader, that they make decisions without you." She said.

"Yeah, but they don't like to." I said.

"I found it." Twilight said.

We went into the oh-so-familiar store-Doughnut Joe's- and took a seat where we always did.

"Feels familiar. I already feel the bumps of old leather..." Twilight joked.

I chuckled, remembering that feeling.

"Yeah, there also was the occasional cockroach sneaking out." I joked back.

Twilight chuckled back.

"Wait, wait. Remember Joe's Special?" Twilight asked.

"Man, those were amazing. Made up for everything else. That's why I liked hanging out with you here." I said.

"Yeah, me too..." Twilight said.

I could tell that something was on her mind, but she wouldn't tell me.

"Hey, you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, it's just... I feel like I don't know you anymore." Twilight confessed.

"Yeah, it feels the same with me. I haven't seen you in such a long time, and here you are, hair down, no lab coat, sword on your back. What happened to you?" I asked.

"What happened to you?" Twilight asked.

I was with Nicholas with Starswirl. I decided to give him a visit.

"Kyle said I should care for him until he's made up his mind." He said, holding Starswirl.

"You ever had kids?" I asked.

"No. I was always traveling before all of this. Shows, tours, conventions..."

I forgot that Nicholas was a magician before this. He said he used to be the assistant, but after the magician, before he passed away, he took over the business.

"Scootaloo, I've been meaning to ask you something." Nicholas said.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Do you miss Kyle? You know, as a lover?"

I sighed.

"Sometimes. But, I know that I still have him as a brother." I answered.

Okay, I lied.

I miss Kyle. Every part of me does. But, I know that I need to see him as a brother now, but it's all the harder knowing that we...

That's a story for another day.

I was done with clearing the church. I grabbed some scrap metal- the organ pipes, the seat legs, whatever I could find- and put them in a pot to melt. I found some welding supplies from the armory and laid them out in front me. After hammering the windows, and then welding them shut, I started to make bars out of the molten metal.

We need a cell...