“Oh yeah! Looking good, Kicks!” Rainbow cheered as one of the fullbacks punted the soccer ball between two of the forwards during a scrimmage. She darted in and swiped the ball, heading back towards the other goal, feinting a shot before passing it to her fellow forward and letting Flitter take the shot against the boy’s team’s goalie.

Fluttershy gave a quiet cheer as it went in, ending the practice, before holding up a hand so Dashie would see her. Everyone had dispersed to do their own thing—even Sunset’s tutoring group was taking the week off—and it was the perfect chance to get her best friend alone to discuss her worries.

Dash jogged over after the team huddle ended, accepting the ice cold bottle of water Fluttershy held out. “Sup? What's eating you?”

Glancing around, she patted the seat next to her. “I’m very worried about Sunset,” she murmured. “She’s been upset and trying to hide it all week…and I don't think it's because of whatever is happening with the portal.” She waited for Dashie to disagree, but the other teen just made a ‘go on’ motion while chugging her water. So she did. “She was nervous the last few weeks, ever since her Crystal Prep friend got in trouble, but…this weekend…something changed. She’s scared and hurt. I hugged her at lunch and she flinched, Dashie, like she was afraid I was going to hit her, and sometimes she gets this look when she's staring at a wall, and it hurts me inside.”

There was silence between them, and she could tell that her best friend was trying to decide what to say. Finally, Dash asked, “What do you think happened?”

“I…think…Sunset has always reminded me of the dogs we get sometimes at the shelter who have been abused and neglected. Especially when she was a bully. And she’s told us some about what Equestria was like, how none of the ponies there wanted her in their groups, and made her feel like she was bad even before she was bad….” She rubbed her arm. “But ever since the Fall Formal, she's been getting better…except now…it's like she's back to being scared of someone hurting her again.” It made her angry and upset that someone hurt Sunset enough to take away the security she’d started to feel in the company of friends…

Rainbow Dash rose and tugged her to her feet. “I think something went wrong with her friend at CPA,” her friend said. “…but…I didn't ask because she’s got that ‘I don't want to tell people’ thing going on.” She hefted her backpack onto her back and they started walking towards the front of the school. “Probably doesn’t want pity or whatever—I know I didn’t when Gilda and I went separate ways back freshman year.”

Fluttershy frowned. “I don't pity her…but I’m worried and angry at whoever hurt her like that. Especially if it was a friend.” She looked down at her toes. “I know how that feels and it's awful. Sunset shouldn't have to go through it alone.”

Silence stretched as they rounded the building, cutting across the grass lazily. “I think,” Dashie said hesitantly, “that Shimmer knows we’re here if she needs us. We’ve all told her that, more than once…but some people…sometimes they just need to sort some shit out on their own, Fluttershy. Sunset’s…one of those. She’s had to be strong by herself for a long time, and she can't be weak with others around because she doesn't know how, and trying makes her feel worse.”

“So I shouldn’t do or say anything? Won't that be worse? She might think that means we don't care.” Fluttershy hunched in on herself a little. “And we do. I do. I care. She's my friend, and I want to help.”

Sneakers scuffed on the sidewalk as they reached it, and Dashie shrugged. “Maybe just tell her that. That you're worried about her and you're here to listen or help if she wants it, and…just leave it at that. Don't push or bug her. Tell her once and then be ready to respect her space. Sunset…she notices a lot of things, even if she doesn't say it, y’know?”

“Like you?”

“Kinda…but not? Sunset notices feelings. I just notice stuff.” A blue skinned hand rested on the back of the statue plinth as they watched the road. “Hard to explain…”

Brows furrowed, the teenager considered the advice and compared Sunset to Rainbow. They did have some things in common, so maybe a similar approach might be best, as Dashie had suggested. “I guess I can try that tomorrow—she left right after school. I think Rarity convinced her to go home and sleep.”

They fell into comfortable quiet for a bit, even as Dash began to bounce a soccer ball off her knee into the air, keeping count. At least until the athlete did a double take and dropped it. “What the—who the fuck is that?”

Fluttershy followed the gaze, and saw a woman getting out of a very pretty blue car covered in bumper stickers proclaiming a dozen different causes and affiliations scattered in between funny one-liners and silly jokes. Pride Flags, Pro-Choice, the ASPCA…they splashed across her vision among logos for several organizations, at least three stickers for CNTR 104.1–the local radio station that everyone loved—and various joke stickers meant to make fun of traffic, people following too close, and several about dogs and cats. The woman herself was wearing dark slacks and a pretty blouse that Rarity would have loved to see. It complimented the woman’s pink skin and tri-colored hair that was pulled back in a neat ponytail. She offered them both a smile as she approached, and when she spoke, her voice was…somehow familiar.

“Hello there! Do you know if the school is still open?”

Smiling brightly in response, Fluttershy responded, “Oh yes…It remains open until at least six…”

Dash narrowed her eyes. “Aren't you a little old to be a transfer student?” she asked suspiciously.

The woman laughed. “Oh much too old,” she grinned. “I’m here to see your Vice Principal all the same, however. Can you tell me where the office is?”

“How about we show you? It’s quicker.” It dawned on her that Rainbow didn't trust a stranger in the school, even as it niggled at her that she knew this woman’s voice from somewhere. Fluttershy nodded her agreement to her friend when she glanced her way. Given recent events, caution was a good idea.

If the woman noticed, she didn't show it. She just responded in that same chipper voice, “That would be great! Lead the way!”

Fluttershy took the initiative and took point, knowing Dashie would bring up the rear and watch the woman like a hawk. “It's this way, Miss…”

“You can call me Cadence.”

“Right this way, Miss Cadence,” Fluttershy said softly, and began walking back to the building, glancing back periodically. “Miss Luna and Principal Celestia usually stay until six thirty, but I think Principal Celestia left to go to a meeting earlier…” She kept up the stream of soft but pointless chatter as a distraction for both her own awkwardness and to cover for her best friend’s suspicious, watchful behavior, leading the way quite quickly to the office.

The woman—Cadence—didn't seem to mind, looking around with what her mother might call ‘polite curiosity,’ but otherwise not interrupting. The only moment of concern was when she paused by the big photos of Dance Royalty from years past, lingering on the ones of Sunset Shimmer for several seconds, a frown marring her face. Then she motioned to the blank space for the most recent fall dance. “You seem to be missing one.”

Dash grunted. “Yeah, well, having an explosion nearly kill our Fall Formal Princess kinda put a damper on things that night. We were more concerned with not dying to a giant fireball.”

Sharp eyes moved to look between the teens as Fluttershy completely turned around. “That sounds harrowing. The girl from the previous pictures?”

“Um…no. Someone new,” Fluttershy answered carefully. She could see Dash tense. “It…was…a very stressful night.”

“Yup, and we don't really want to discuss it. Oh look, the office is right here.” Dash brushed by the woman, and called out loudly, “Yo! VP! There's a supermodel here for you!”

“Really, Miss Dash,” came the vice principal’s voice from her office. “Are you so lacking in prank ideas that you are resorting to this now? Surely you have more important ways to spend your afterno—Cadenza?!” Miss Luna had leaned out of her office and caught sight of the visitor. “What are you doing here?”

All of a sudden, the sunny disposition became one of steel. “Lu. I need to talk to you—I need your help.”

Their vice principal responded with immediate concern. “Come in—why did you not call me?”

“I just got done talking to Mom about what to do about this. There wasn't time.”

Miss Luna nodded. “Alright. We will fix it.” She glanced at the teens. “Thank you girls, for showing Cadence the way here. You can go now—I will handle things from here.” She ushered the woman into her office and shut the door firmly.

Rainbow stared. “What the fuck was that all about?” she wondered.

Fluttershy tilted her head as she finally placed the woman’s voice. “…I don't know, but…I also think that's the lady from the radio!”

Her best friend stared at her. “Uhhhh…do what now?”

“The radio.”

Dashie shook her head and started walking again. “Shy, the only time I listen to the radio is when I’m stuck in the car with my parents and forgot my headphones at home.”

“Well, we have it tuned to Canter 104 at the shelter. They play music that doesn't upset most of the animals,” she explained. “And I think she was one of the DJs who also does lots of news and local interest stories.” Her eyes widened. “She was the one who advertised our park clean up project, I think. Do you think that's how Sunset got that to happen? Like…through Miss Luna?”

“Maybe…but that doesn't explain what a local shock-jockey was doing showing up here,” the other girl answered grumpily. “Or why she was asking questions about the formal. Even if she and the VP are pals, doesn't she have a cellphone? Why crash the school? I’m telling you, Fluttershy, something is up!”

Luna shut the door and pulled the blinds over the windows, leaving the room dim but ensuring privacy. Then she touched Cadence’s arm, guiding her to a chair. “What has Abacus done now?” she asked.

“How did you—?”

Her friend smiled and tugged on her ponytail. “You came here, seeking my help…at work, instead of calling ahead and arranging to meet at your place or a restaurant. You mentioned talking to Velvet first. And you're not upset as much as you are angry and worried. Ergo, it must have something to do with your Ladybug, and by extension either Crystal Prep and Abacus, or Sunset Shimmer and CHS.” She pulled her chair around so they could talk as equals without her desk in the way. “So what happened?” she repeated, sitting so that her knee bumped up against Cady’s.

“Have you ever known Principal Cinch to accept less than the best?” Cadence asked.

Luna snorted. “Not even a consideration. That woman has an overblown superiority complex a mile wide.”

She sagged. “Exactly. And Twily is the top student in her school, academically. Yet we’ve heard nothing about her being on the Games team…which makes no sense if the principal only accepts the best. So either Twily is hiding it from us, which…makes no sense given everything else…or…she doesn't know.”

A frown crossed dark skinned features. “And given that the Games are in two days…you think she's going to force her to compete at the last minute.” Luna’s brows drew together. “Preventing interference from your in-laws.”

It was nice to know she wasn’t jumping to ridiculous conclusions. Lu was not one to be prone to over the top assumptions, so hearing her reach the same idea she had was both vindicating and worrying. “That's precisely the conclusion I reached,” she answered, reaching out to squeeze her hand. “Which is why I need your help, especially because this is so last minute.”

Eyes the color of a stormy sea danced with humor despite the matter at hand. “As if I would turn down a chance to stick it to that foul, soul-sucking harpy. Of course I’ll help, Cady—I would never leave you to twist in the wind. Besides…I’m rather hoping that we’ll have Twilight here as a student next year, and my sister and I look after our charges like real educators. What do you need?”

This was the part she hadn't been sure on. “I need some kind of official press pass or something that lets me be here on Friday. I can spin it as an article for the Canter 104 news page on local interests, a fluff piece on an enduring tradition of cooperation and sportsmanship, or even do a vlog about encouraging a positive environment in high schools improving mental health in teenagers, and get some interview quotes from you and your sister, and a few student volunteers…I don't really care how I spin it…I need to be here when CPA shows up, and while the Games are happening.” Her words came out in a stressed rush, as she hastened to explain. “I’m on the file officially with Shining as one of the adults able to intercede with Twily in school matters. If I’m here , and Principal Cinch has her competing, I can remove her, or at least call a halt until her parents and authorities can be called.”

Luna was back to her ‘thinking frown.’ “And I would be obligated to contact at least the school board, if not the police. Even a principal must obtain parental permission in writing to remove a student from campus during the school day for any reason other than putting them on a bus to send them home as part of end of day dismissal or on an ambulance to the hospital in an emergency. If she brings her here, without them being contacted and giving permission…her family could do a lot with that…possibly even have Abacus charged with kidnapping. Her career would be over in an instant.”

“Not to mention the lawyers would have a field day,” Cady agreed. “She’s already been both overly interested and inappropriate with Twily for months.” She bit her lip, leaning forward. “You’ll help, then?”

Her best friend pulled away, which surprised Cadence, and stood to move to her desk, searching a filing cabinet. “Getting you a pass to be here for the day is easy enough,” she started, but something in her voice was off. “That’s not a problem…”

“Lu?”

The older woman took a long, deep breath, and Cadence could see how a faint shiver went through her. “…there are things you don't know,” she said in a rough whisper, “things that are not my place to say…”

Such a sudden change in attitude was more than a little unsettling, and Cadence felt herself shudder in response to the feeling creeping up her spine. “Is…will Twilight be in danger? Will Sunset?” The flinch at Sunset’s name gave away the answer, as did the oppressive silence. “Then I need to be here even more.”

Luna bowed her head forward, the silence stretching on and on, and in it, Cadence could feel the emotional turmoil lurking under her best friend’s skin. She was weighing something in her mind, some great and terrible choice that came from conflicting loyalties of some kind, Cadence decided, having witnessed this exact thing before.

She was having none of that, not today. Rising from the chair—which was fairly uncomfortable anyway—she moved to stand side by side with the woman who was closer to her than anyone but her Shiny, and hugged her tight. “I won't make you tell someone else’s secret, but I will not stay away when my sister…sisters, really…are in a dangerous situation…to say nothing of my best friend.”

Turning into the embrace, Luna returned it with a heavy sigh. “I know…but I cannot let you walk in ignorant. Not this, and not you, promises be damned…” A weak laugh was pressed into Cadence’s shoulder. “…and given what happened a few weeks ago, I have to think she would agree with me.”

“She? She who?” Cadence was starting to feel very out of her depth. “Your sister?”

“Sunset Shimmer, actually.” Luna stepped out of the hug, rubbing her face. “It all ties back to Sunset Shimmer and that damned Fall Formal.”

Cadence frowned. Twilight had mentioned the Fall Formal herself last Friday, and Sunset had gone white as a sheet. Sunset had acknowledged some kind of state secret that she wanted to bring the family in on…Now Luna was alluding to some great and terrible secret around the same events and Sunset herself…and all of it somehow tying into why the Friendship Games would be dangerous…

“Lu…” she started, praying she was wrong but knowing it was a vain hope, “…there was never a gas line, was there?”

Her friend met her gaze. “I’m sure there is somewhere on the property…but not involved in the formal disaster. That…was all Sunset.”

It was a sobering thought, considering the damage had been extensive and severe, but…how…?

An arm steadied her. “That's the part that…seems unbelievable,” Luna explained, making her realize she must have spoken aloud. “How much do you know about Sunset’s origins?”

“She was supposed to tell us something important last Friday, but…things didn't pan out. We know she was adopted by some royal…we think from one of those tiny European principalities…She’s told Twily about being an orphan, and we figured out she’s a runaway or a cast off in some fashion, with so much redacted in her file that it reads like a barcode.” Cadence ticked the things off on the list of things they knew about Sunset. “We know she lost her parents young and grew up emotionally neglected in the ways she needed. She mentioned being on good terms with one of the princesses from her previous home, enough that the woman cleared her schedule last weekend to talk to us before things…went completely belly up.”

Luna steepled her fingers. “Most of that is true…if you’re Ben Kenobi….but it lacks key context from one very important piece of information.”

“Sunset Shimmer didn't run away from a European principality.”

The pink skinned woman frowned. “Okay…?”

“Almost six years ago, Sunset Shimmer entered Canterlot by way of the base of the Wondercolt statue out front, after running away from the world on the other side of the dimensional gate housed therein. A world of powerful magic and living myths. A world she calls Equestria.”

Everything felt…surreal. Like Cadence had stepped away from reality into some quasi-dream realm where existence was…fuzzy at the edges. Yet Luna’s expression was serious, with none of the humor or playfulness that was present in her eyes when she was joking around. “A magic world and a portal in the statue?” Cadence repeated. “Sunset’s…an extra-dimensional alien?”

Her friend exhaled a slow breath. “Yes, an extra-dimensional runaway. She’s managed to make herself a life and identity here—and the less detail any of us know about that second one, the better off we probably are.” She walked over to the cabinet on the wall. “Last fall, she returned through the portal when it opened, and stole an artifact of great power from one of the rulers of her former home, fleeing here with it. In the ensuing snafu, the artifact ended up as the regalia for the Fall Formal, meant to be placed upon the head of the Fall Formal Princess, and Sunset Shimmer was pursued and challenged by the very princess from whom she stole the artifact. I will not bore you with the details, but suffice to say the princess in question, in a mere three days, dismantled Miss Shimmer’s social empire and united the students against her. And when Miss Shimmer made one last desperate gamble for the artifact after it had been awarded to her opponent, the princess who had replaced her in the eyes of her former guardian and teacher…well. It was a disaster, with the magic transforming Sunset Shimmer into a reflection of her inner self, I suppose, and turning into a fight against the princess and five girls who united behind her. In the end, the princess and her allies called upon the magic in the stolen artifact to defeat the creature Sunset Shimmer had become and return her to herself…a better version of herself, given the way the experience humbled her.”

From the top shelf in the cabinet, she retrieved a fist sized, dark colored crystal and held it out to Cadence for inspection. On the stone’s meticulously cut surface were glowing sigils that hummed faintly, symbols that seemed somewhat familiar, though not from any source Cadence could name…until she reached out to trace one with a finger. “Oh!” She fumbled with her purse, digging deep into one of the pockets. “I’ve seen this before…except…without the…glow?” Her fingers closed around the small, curious crystal she’d discovered in her purse a month or so back—she’d kept it because it was pretty, and it looked like someone had carved its surface…much like the stone in Luna’s hands. Surprise filled her when she realized the small crystal was hot to the touch and vibrating, and when she pulled it out, also glowing. “…it didn't do that before…what is it?”

“Sunset Shimmer made this as a defense for Celestia and me. It is meant to block dark magic. Ever since the Battle of the Bands events, where ancient magical monsters from Sunset’s world infiltrated the school, Sunset has been working with us to protect the school from the next magical incursion. This…Nightstone…she called it, is merely one example. Apparently she was quite the talented sorceress before she came here, and she is using those talents to train her friends in their acquired magical powers and help organize a way to remove others from the line of fire…We all hope it is something we never need…but we are not foolish enough to assume that.” Luna studied the shard in Cadence’s hand. “If I had to guess, she put that in your purse as a way to protect you from dark magic. I wouldn't be surprised if she has scattered them among the possessions of the entire family, now that we have confirmed that Pandora's magic box has been opened in our world.”

Cady marveled at the stones. “Is it…charging? Is that why it's hot?”

“I would assume nothing, but from what little I have come to understand…well. To quote Puck, ‘Energy is energy, be it science or sorcery.’ It is probable that your little shard is drawing energy from the environment, like a cellphone on one of those connection free chargers. Miss Shimmer has indicated that that is quite common for both entities and objects in her world.”

Setting the sliver of crystal on the desk, Cadence crossed her arms, trying to form her thoughts into a coherent understanding. “So this school…is…what? A hot spot for magic? A dimensional crossroads?”

“It might be better to call it a wellspring and a nexus. Miss Shimmer and her five friends are…as much as I understand…sources of powerful magic that has been feeding into natural channels for such power for half a year, including three rather large infusions that were the magical equivalent of benign nuclear bombs when it comes to energy output. The entire school is now steeped in that magic and we have been seeing the way it has affected students, staff, and local flora and fauna.” Luna rested the large stone on her desk next to Cadence’s smaller shard.

“Affected?”

The dark skinned woman wordlessly pulled up one of her sleeves and turned her arm. “All benign, at present, and nothing I feel the need to trouble Miss Shimmer with, but…”

“You…your scar is gone.” There had been a nasty, ropy scar that went deep into the other woman’s upper arm for many years, already healed and old by the time they had met, one that spoke to damage to both muscle and bone beneath. A lasting mark of some of Luna’s choices during her attempt to ‘find herself’ after high school.

She nodded. “As is the ache and limitations to the arm. It's…not entirely as if it never happened, but it has been healing over time back to what it was before, what it would be if I had gotten immediate medical care when it happened. And I’m not the only one. My sister had scars from the accident, and they are faded, now little more than marks on the skin rather than deep scar tissue. Some of our students and staff with chronic health conditions—asthma, allergies, arthritis, even autoimmune…seem to be showing signs of those things being reduced or outright eliminated. And it's not just us. The snake in one of the biology teacher’s classrooms was elderly and dying, but since Christmas, it seems to have shaved a few years off and is like a much younger animal than it should be, and the greenhouse and forest around the school shrugged off winter. We’ve had spring here since January, despite the weather.”

If anyone else had been telling her all of this, Cadence would have thought them in need of serious therapy, yet she knew her best friend, inside and out. She knew all of Luna’s warts and scars, idiosyncrasies and flaws, and she knew her best friend was not a liar, not prone to delusions or hallucinations. And the stones glowing and pulsing on the desk sat in mute testament of the truth. “That’s…no wonder you have been busy…I can't imagine what you’ve had to do to keep this from getting out!”

“Not as much as you might think, actually. The students aren't keen on telling outsiders—to them, having magic and magical heroines in their school is part of their collective identity as Wondercolts…and it makes them special in that way every teenager craves. After all, they experience magic regularly at pep rallies, band practices, and lunchtime gatherings. Plus…who would believe them? Teenagers claim outrageous things often, and most of it is bullshit.” Luna shook her head, tucking some hair behind her ear. “As for the adults…many of them came to the same conclusion Tia and I did: talking about it to others is a one way ticket to the nuthouse. ‘I was mind controlled by ancient magical fish horse demons from another world and they tortured me for a whole week’ isn't going to garner the sympathy they want.”

There was something in Luna’s tone that set off alarm bells, and Cadence focused on it. “Tortured?”

A shrug answered her, but Luna would not meet her gaze. She could see the way the muscles in her jaw clenched, a sure sign of the woman suppressing something. Again.

Nope. She was still not having that. Cady stepped in, violating Lu’s personal space, and took her face in her hands, turning the woman back to look at her. “None of that, dreamer. Do I need to bring you home tonight for ice cream and a cuddle pile? I will. Shining doesn't need to know why, if you don't want to tell him, but nightmares, real or imagined…we carry those together. You pinkie-promised, Lu, and there are no backsies on those.” She injected a bit of humor into the situation. “Unless all of this magic business has magically gotten you interested in a girlfriend—if that's the case, I will wing-woman for you so hard…”

It worked. Luna’s lips turned up slightly and she touched Cadence’s wrists. “No. Having a friend as involved in my business as you is more than enough for me…but maybe the first isn't a bad idea. I…haven't had anyone to talk to about the sirens and what they did to us—they were so cruel but Tia got the worst of it, and she hasn't handled it the best.”

Cadence smirked. “I can't help myself—I’m naturally nosy and your ‘business’ is in great shape.” That netted her an eye roll…which was a good sign. “Come to the apartment tonight,” she coaxed in a soft tone. “We’ll hit that Thai place you like, break open a few drinks, watch some bad horror films, and talk about what's wrong over ice cream. And when Shiny gets home, we’ll bunk down in a cuddle pile, and you can be in the middle this time.”

“Okay,” Lu relented. “…but let me focus right now on the matter at hand? I’ll…tell you about the sirens later. After I’ve got some alcohol in me.”

She nodded. “Deal. You need to explain to me how this all relates to the Games, anyway, and why Friday will be dangerous.”

One brow arched. “I would have figured it would be obvious by now.”

Her stomach sank. “What do you mean?”

“My dear Cadenza…you have the distinct honor of having graduated from Sunnydale. I will say I always believed Hell to exist, but part of me assumed it was in New Jersey or Texas…I guess my great-great-great-grandfather had it right.

Cady stared. “What?”

“Crystal Prep is evil. Full of powerful evil magic. That's why Sunset was wound so tight when we were all there, and why she looked ill by the end of it—she was keeping it from hurting us.” She took a breath. “And do you remember when you and Shining were ill for most of a week, after his fight with his mother?”

Unease gripped her. “…Yes…?”

Luna squeezed her hand. “I don't know for certain, but I suspect you were suffering the after effects of dark magic being purged from your systems…by Sunset Shimmer.”

She thought back to that horrible evening and awful week, suddenly seeing Sunset’s actions in a new light. “…She’s…she’s known all this time…but couldn’t say anything? Oh, Sunset…”

“In all fairness,” Luna said quietly, “I suspect the situation is a lot more complicated than just an inability to say anything, and it was not until very recently that we knew enough to mark Crystal Prep as a confirmed source of dark magics—and even then only by accident.”

Something didn't quite add up. “If this magic is invading from Sunset’s world and the princess you mentioned knows about it…why haven't they sent qualified adults over to deal with the situation? Instead of relying on a bunch of teenagers who have known magic is real…for a few months?”

The other woman made a face. “That is assuming there are experts more qualified than the two already working on it. The princess is the foremost expert on the particular poorly understood and obscure branch of magic in question, and from what I’ve pieced together, Sunset was…something of a sorcerous prodigy herself before she came here.” She waggled one hand in a maybe gesture. “There's also the matter of visibility. Sunset lives here, has an identity, and is enrolled in school here. The princess visits for short periods after school and is mostly providing research resources and what assistance she can. There is no guarantee additional people with no knowledge of our culture would ever be able to blend in while doing research on what's going on. They would have no legal identification, no paperwork, nothing to mark them as belonging, and you know how tightly controlled entry into a public school is these days. Couple that with a completely alien culture…”

Cadence made a face. “I hadn't considered that. It makes sense that they'd have a completely alien culture in another world…so you think something is going to happen on Friday?”

Fingers rubbed dark skinned temples. “We do. If the source of the darkness at CPA knows there's magic in the area, being at ground zero for the largest amount of it in the area is too good an opportunity to pass up. Especially if it's been lying dormant for decades or centuries to have magic to access.” She gave Cadence a long look. “Which is why I want you to be aware of the danger and prepared. Can you still shoot and hit what you aim at?”

“…yes…but a firearm on school grounds is a felony, Lu.”

“Normally, yes…but these are modified paintball guns. Customized to fire pellets of holy water, salt, herbs, and iron dust.” Luna put the dark stone back in its hiding space in the cabinet. “So are you still a good shot?”

“I wasted Shining last month in laser tag for a date night.” She gave Luna a grim smile. “And if Abacus Cinch tries anything, I’ll put a pellet right between her eyes. Nobody messes with my family, Lu.”

Author's Note

*chuckles* This was a fun one to write.

I will never get tired of the dynamic that is Luna-Cady-Shining. So fucking wholesome, no matter which way you look at it.

...So now Cady knows more of the truth. That magic is real. That Sunset is an alien.

And she cant really share it yet.

Luna only told her because...she wasn't going to let Cady come in blind. Not her best friend. Not Cady.

Coming up to the games my dears.

Hope you're ready for this shit.