Author's Note

I'M BACK, BABY!!! For those that didn't get the blog post, the reason I was MIA for the last few months was because my laptop completely died on me. Combined that with some IRL junk that needed to get done and it was a headache and a half to get back here. Welp, I'm back, and ready to entertain you all to the best of my abilities.

Ch.31 You All Meet in a Tavern

Twilight's mind swam in a drunken fog, colors swirling around her like thick rivers of random paint. She felt as if she was falling in slow motion, but the fog prevented her from feeling any particular emotion on the subject. Like the fog and the colors, the fall was just another part of this new experience.

After a few slow blinks, this odd peace was abruptly shattered.

She suddenly found herself sitting at a large round wooden table loaded with plates of food, a mug of strong ale set before her just past a book with a faded brown leather cover. All around her, beings both natural and fantastical sat at similar tables. The room had a classic tavern feel to it, the air filled with the clatter of silver wear, the cacophony of countless conversations, and the clanking of drinks. A thin mist that smelled of tobacco drifted loosely among the patrons, its presence mingling with the smells of food and aged wood.

Twilight took it all in, in stunned silence, the sudden shift in environment too jarring for her to do much else at the moment. When her mind did eventually catch up with what she was seeing, she noticed that she was no longer wearing the same clothes she had been just moments ago. Her glasses were now silver-rimmed and a hooded magenta cloak covered a majority of her form. Looking down at herself, she found that she now also wore heavy leather boots, gray slacks, a dark green sleeveless blouse under a brown vest, and a pair of thin dark brown leather gauntlets. When she looked to her right, she saw a rune-covered staff was propped up against the table.

"No way," she blinked, only to gasp and cover her mouth, stunned by the smoother and more elegant voice that had left it.

Three groans pulled her attention away from her new self towards her table mates. Teetering in her seat directly across from her, dressed in the silver and white robes of a cleric, was a very groggy Petal Wasp. To the left of her was an equally dizzy Lemon Zest, the bard wearing the same color-shifting long-sleeved shirt and lavender slacks that she described as her character's attire. Indigo wasn't much better, the black clad rogue clutching her head in a feeble attempt to keep the room from spinning.

"What the hell happened?" Indigo groaned, her voice coming off as a soft hiss.

"Why is everything spinning?" Lemon giggled, voice slightly higher in pitch than normal as she teetered in her seat.

"I am going to give that dragon a spanking," Petal huffed, her voice much softer and more refined than normal.

Both her and Twilight froze, their friends still trying to reorient themselves.

"Was, that-" Petal started, only to pause with a look of horror slowly sliding across her face.

Twilight grimaced, her memories drifting back to when Petal last talked like this.

"This cannot be happening," Petal whispered, her whole form trembling.

Twilight let out a soft groan.

It was around that time that their friends finally found their footing, taking in their new surroundings and outfits with growing excitement. When they eventually noticed the sulking duo, their wonder turned into concern.

"Are you-" Lemon started, only to pause with a flinch upon hearing her new voice. Shaking it off just as quickly, she asked, "Are you two okay?"

"Yeah," Indigo nodded, shoving the new whispering hiss in her voice to the back of her mind.

"I am fine," Twilight sighed. "As for Petal..."

"Shoot. Silence. Begone. Fornicate," Petal frowned, expression turning more desperate with each word.

After several more minutes of this, she fell back in her seat with a look of complete dejection.

"Petal, are you okay?" Indigo asked.

"I can not swear," Petal mumbled, true despair heavy in her distant eyes."I forgot to give her the ability to do so. Oh, by the gods above, please end my suffering."

All three girls gave her pitying looks, but had no idea how to help her. Letting out small sighs, they let their eyes fall back down to the table and the vast spred set before them. Fresh bread roles, well cooked cuts of beef, pork, chicken, and various other meats that Twilight could only vaguely identify, and an equally wide variety of chopped fruits and berries were all presented to the party.

The smells finally reached them, the shock of their situation now having run its course. Their mouths instantly watered, far past caring about the particulars of the matter. Cautiously, Twilight plucked a grape off of a plate and gave it a small nibble. The second the juice hit her tongue, her eyes shot wide before she popped the rest of the berry into her mouth with a happy hum. Taking that as a good sign, the rest of the group dug in. Happy hums and declarations of approval came out of them with each bite.

"By the gods, this is all so tender," Petal gushed, happily cutting into a large, juicy steak.

"So sweet!" Lemon cheered, biting into a bright red apple.

"Is this what ale tastes like?" Indigo balked, taking another swig from her mug.

"Rather poor manners , wouldn't you say?" a familiar female voice asked.

"Quite," a vaguely familiar female voice replied.

Halting their gorging, the group looked up to see a quartet of familiar faces.

Sunny stood before them dressed in brilliant silver plate mail with an equally vibrant golden sun set into the middle of her breastplate. A steal mace hung at her left hip while a bronze buckler was clasped onto her right arm. Sour wore a brown leather vest and matching slacks that reached her knees. Brown leather gantlets protected her forearms and shins, with a pair of heavy brown boots completing the look. The quiver and bow strapped to her back was the only clue Twilight's party needed to guess the girl's class. The ranger had her hair done up in a loose braid, putting her pointed ears on full display. Twilight brought a hand to her own ears to confirm that she had a similar trait while her eyes drifted to Stygian and Sugar.

The boy in question was dressed in a similar fashion to Sunny, only instead of wearing silver armor, his plate mail was black as night. He had no visible weapons, but the pair of amethysts on his wrist gantlets felt like they were more than mere decorations. Sugar wore a simple blue cloak over a plain lavender dress. Beyond the equally bland leather strap around her waist, the only other accessories she had on her was a large brown shoulder bag and simple silver ring.

Twilight's first impulse was to compliment her friends on their character designs, but when she opened her mouth, something much less kind came out.

"And who might your lot be?" Twilight asked, a cautious edge coloring her tone.

Twilight's party internally balked, but much like her, their actions didn't reflect their shock. Instead, they eyed Sunny's group with suspicion or caution in Petal's case. If Sunny's group was affected by the barbs aimed at them, they didn't or couldn't show it.

"My sincerest apologies," Sunny softly smiled, bowing in respectful greeting. "My name is Sunny Flare."

"Charmed," Twilight nodded, face still unreadable. "And your party?"

"Sour Sweet," the ranger nodded, a proud smirk resting comfortably on her face.

"Stygian," the dark knight simply stated, his demeanor just as cold and unreadable as his face.

"I go by Sugar Coat," the maiden nodded, a small ghost of a smile the only offering she was willing or able to give the seated party.

"And you?" Sour playfully snorted. "What do you and your party go by?"

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, but instead of a happy introduction, the same guarded tone forced its way across her tongue.

"Twilight Sparkle. Do make sure to remember it, for I will not forget yours."

"Very well," Sunny nodded, raising a brow. "And the rest of your party?"

"Petal Wasp," Petal smiled, her kind aura in contrast to the cringe twisting her guts into knots..

"Indigo Zap," Indigo stated, carefully studying the other party as she took a steady pull from her mug.

Lemon offered the group an easy smile, waving at them as she merrily said, "I have been called many names, but Lemon Zest is the one my folks gave me."

"It suits you well," Sunny nodded, offering a small warm smile to the bard.

Like a cold knife, Twilight cut into the moment with a ridged, "Now that introductions are over, what brings you all to our table?"

"Not the friendliest sort, are you?" Sugar frowned, raising a brow.

"I can be plenty friendly," Twilight huffed. "I simply refuse to beat around the bush. Especially when work is involved."

"Rather sharp, both in mind and in tongue," Stygian snorted, crossing his arms. "Though I find myself agreeing with her. Shall we cut to the chase, captain?"

As he said that, he aimed a pointed look at Sunny. His fellow knight leveled an equally sharp look at him, before letting her focus shift back to the other party with a tired sigh. Taking a chair from a vacant table, she set it at Twilight's table and took a seat. The rest of Sunny's party did the same, keeping their seats a reasonable distance from the table's original occupants. While they got comfortable, Sunny took in the group with an air of absolute authority.

Twilight's party met her with visible intrigue, while internally, they were sitting on the edge of their seats.

"As you have surmised, there is a reason for me coming to speak with you."

"And that is?" Twilight pressed.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she offered the elf a simple question.

"Tell me, what do you know about slaying dragons?"

***

As an elder Gifted, Somnambula was no stranger to tension. Whether it was in the heat of battle or in business negotiations, such a thing had become so much a part of her life, that she felt nervous without it. Because of that, the fury aimed at her by her two guests barely shook her.

Being the weekend, it was the perfect chance to gather Cadence and Cinch to fill them in on the new plan of attack. Given the short notice, it didn't surprise her that they had opted for a more casual dress for the meeting, though, calling Cinch's attire casual was a bit of a stretch. While Cadence had settled for a simple white t-shirt and blue jeans, the prim principal had chosen a pair of navy blue dress pants and a lavender blouse.

The room said meeting took place in was made from the same black marble as the rest of her manor along with the same golden hieroglyphics. Its dimensions were equally typical, being large enough to comfortably house a family of five. The furniture consisted of a pair of ornate love seats facing each other and an equally lavish coffee table occupying the space between them. Both were made from aged oak carved to resemble a pair of blossoming Neighgyption lilies while the table was made to resemble a crocodile with a layer of clear polished crystal covering its top. All of it was set before a large roaring fireplace seemingly molded out of the very wall itself into the shape of an open-mouthed cobra's head. A vast carpet covered the entire floor with images of cobras slithering across a sandy wasteland while the ceiling was painted to resemble the eventing sky. towering stone bookshelves covered the walls from top to bottom, each holding tomes so ancient, no one beyond the lady of the house could read them. The only gaps in the massive shelves came from the large crystal windows to the room's east, the door to its south, and the now lit fireplace to its north.

"I cannot believe what I am hearing," Cinch seethed, hands nearly clawing holes through her dress pants. "As if it was not bad enough that my daughter wants to be involved in this, but now you are telling me that she is working with a Wraith?!"

"I am just as shocked as you are," Somnambula sighed, casually plucking her tea cup off of the table. "Though, I believe there may be more to Petal than we know."

"What is there to know?" Cadence growled.

Somnambula locked eyes with the irate dean.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," she seethed. "I would think what we have to do is pretty obvious."

"If you are implying that we kill Petal Wasp, then I would highly suggest you change your mind."

Cadence froze, then, with a mix of horror and fury plastered across her face roared, "PETAL IS THE WRAITH?!"

Unfazed by her comrade's outburst, she nodded and took a sip of her tea.

In a blink, Cadence jumped to her feet and darted towards the study's door. Before her hand could touch the nob, her whole body froze in place, with her eyes and mouth being the sole exceptions. A faint red glow below her caught her attention. Her anger spiked when a quick glance within her limited field of vision revealed a single glowing hieroglyph perfectly sized to lock her whole body in its center.

Cinch moved to assist, but a warning glance from her hostess stopped her at the start.

"Let me go, Somnambula!" Cadence growled, trying and failing to force her way past her bindings. "I need to do this!"

"Do what?" Somnambula calmly asked, taking a sip from her cup. "Kill a valuable ally? I think not."

"She's not an ally!" Cadence roared. "She's a Wraith! A monster!"

"Yes," Somnambula nodded. "She is a Wraith. However, I hesitate to call her a monster."

That made Cadence pause.

She knew better than most how much of a dedicated hunter Somnambula was, a fact that became more relevant to her as her temper and fear cooled. She had heard her refer to their prey as monsters and demons on multiple occasions. To hear that very same elder Gifted say something like that about a Wraith was so foreign, it bordered on alien.

"What makes you so sure?" Cadence forced out, tone shaky.

Somnambula stared into her cup, thoughtfulness dominating her features before she gave her response.

"Monsters don't love their prey."

While Cadence's circumstances prevented her from doing so, no such restraints held back Cinch's shock.

Clearing her throat, Cinch cautiously asked, "Are you telling me that this...Petal Wasp cares about a....human?"

Somnambula nodded, then let out a tired chuckle and added, "I do not blame you for your doubts, but it is very much true."

"In fact," she continued, a small smirk blooming across her lips, "Twilight Sparkle is not the only human that she cares about."

"W-What do you mean?" Cadence forced out, anger and fear in her tone replaced by genuine intrigue.

"it would seem that she had grown attached to a few other humans beyond Twilight, my dear Sour and Cinch's Sunny Flare being among them."

"She has?" Cinch blinked. "When? How?"

"That is beyond my knowledge," she shrugged. "Though, if I were to hazard a guess, it would likely be around the time Dagon became active."

"Of course," Cinch snorted, rolling her eyes at the spirit's name.

"Um....can you unbind me now?" Cadence awkwardly asked."

"Do you promise to behave?" Somnambula asked, raising a brow at the woman.

"Yes," she grumbled.

"Then yes," she nodded.

Cadence let out a relieved sigh, only for it to turn into confusion when nothing changed.

After a couple minutes, she asked, "Um, aren't you going to to unbind me now?"

A wicked smile spread across the hostess's lips as she calmly stated, "You asked me if I could undo it. You never asked me to do so."

Even years of strict discipline couldn't keep the small smirk from appearing on Cinch's face at that classic jab.

At the same time, Cadence let out an irate breath before grumbling, "May you please unbind me?"

"Of course," she tittered, channeling some of her aether into the ground.

Cadence quickly regained her footing, only staggering a little bit before she turned to face her elders. After giving her hostess the stink eye, she returned to her seat with a huff. Cinch gave her dean a sharp look, but Somnambula let her smile become more impish.

"Now that all of that is out of the way, may I continue with my proposed battle plan?" she playfully asked.

"Please do," Cinch nodded, giving her hostess her full attention.

"Unless there are any other things I need to know about," Cadence sighed.

"Well, I suppose the fact that Twilight and Petal are sharing energy would fall into that camp," Somnambula mused, refilling her cup.

Both women's eyes widened at that, but just as quickly slumped in their seats with groans.

"Could I ask for something stronger than tea?" Cadence asked, massaging her temples.

Before Somnambula could respond, Cinch quickly amended, "May we have something stronger than tea."

Somnambula gave the pair a knowing smile, then said, "Later. After my report on Petal, I still need to present the finer details of my proposal and it would be best that we do so sober."

***

Twilight's head was on a near constant swivel, quickly alternating between tailing Sunny and taking in her surroundings. Her group was walking though a busy circular shopping center straight out of a fantasy novel, the afternoon sun lighting up the scene as various beings went about their business. Some of the venders they passed tried to tempt them with various wears and goods, but some respectively firm refusals kept them at bay. The fact that some of these sellers were towering Orcs or charming Tieflings added a bit of pride to those refusals.

All the same, Twilight couldn't keep her eyes from wandering, her inquisitive mind itching to learn as much as it could about the new world she found herself in. One of her passing glances showed that her friends were equally enamored, with Petal being the only one that seemed only mildly amused. Just as she had the last ten times she checked on the Wraith, a dark cloud seemed to hover over her. She was genuinely interested in the sights, cut it was obvious her inability to swear was bothering her.

I wish I could help her, she thought, her smile turning somber as she watched Petal step around a group of elves.

With that sobering thought, her mind once again drifted to the conversation her party had with Sunny's less than an hour ago.

***

The whole table stared blankly at Sunny, not entirely sure they had heard her. Technically, they had defeated a few dragons in the past, but there was no way such a thing was relevant now. To their shock, when Twilight tried to say as much, she said something that made their hearts drop into their guts.

"We have some experience on the matter," she evenly stated. "Why?"

Sunny let out another sigh, this one more somber than the previous one.

"My lord has given me and my party the task of defeating a dragon in a nearby dungeon. From what I have heard of it, both the dungeon and the beast are difficult to tend to, even with our varying skills."

"I see," Twilight nodded, silently screaming in her mind. "What kind of dragon are you attempting to slay?"

"An obsidian elder," Sunny frowned, a sliver of fear slipping past her cold countenance.

Cold dread filled every member of Twilight's party, Petal being the only one to show intrigue.

"That....would be a difficult hunt," Indigo nodded.

"How so?" Petal asked, internally cringing at the sound of her own voice.

"Obsidian Dragons are cruel intellects and masters of psionics," Twilight frowned, staring deeply into her mug. "Even an adolescent could pose a major threat for an unprepared party. An elder is beyond that by a significant degree."

"And now you see my dilemma," Sunny stated, glaring at the table. "If it was just the dragon, then It would be an acceptable challenge, but its dungeon makes this a godly mission, at best."

"And you think adding to your party will improve those odds?" Indigo asked, raising a brow.

"No," Sugar flatly stated, then gave them a small smile as she added, "Just you three is needed."

"Why us?" Lemon blinked. "I mean, we're pretty good, but I'm sure there are a few other strong parties looking for work."

"I don't think too many other parties have killed a demon lord around here," Sour smirked, winking playfully at the bard.

"I....guess," Lemon chuckled, leaning back confidently in her seat and returning the gesture.

"Where is the dungeon?" Twilight coldly asked. "Is it far?"

Sunny nodded.

"It has claimed the old coal mine twenty miles to the north as its lair."

"The one in the Scarshroud Mountains?" Petal asked.

Sunny reluctantly nodded, her bangs casting a grim shadow over her eyes.

"Figures," Indigo huffed, crossing her arms.

"Such a journey would require a great deal of preparation," Twilight mused.

"We already have a way to get to the mine," Sunny said, a small smile breaking past her previously dark expression. "We even have a contact in the town nearest to it that is ready to accommodate us. All we need is to prepare for the journey and your party's might."

"I see," Twilight nodded, calculated eyes locked with the paladin's faintly hopeful ones. "What kind of incentive does my party have to take on this task?"

"Is the greater good not good enough?" Sunny asked, astonishment plain on her face.

"It doesn't pay taps, sunshine," Indigo frowned, leaning menacingly towards her. "If we're going to put our necks on the line this hard, it had better be worth it in the end."

"She's got a point," Sour shrugged.

"Agreed," Stygian sighed.

Sugar said nothing, more interested in seeing the scene play out than add her own thoughts. Twilight was just as curious, wondering how Sunny was going to convince her character to take on such a crazy mission. While she couldn't show it, she was actually terrified of the idea of taking on this kind of adventure. Granted, her character had done gone on equally suicidal missions in the past, but there was a very big difference between roleplaying a character in a game and actually going on an adventure yourself. The fact that her control on the matter was limited only added to the dread flooding her veins.

When Sunny finally gave her answer, Twilight knew that there was no way Sparrow Hawk would refuse.

"Very well. We will give your party sixty percent of the reward, treasure, and any magical artifacts that you wish. Is that acceptable?"

Everyone in Twilight's party stared at her with wide eyes, Twilight herself being the only one able to hide her shock. For a long moment, a heavy silence settled between the two leaders. Twilight tried to say no, to refuse the offer with every fiber of her being, but it became painfully clear to her that it was not her choice to make. It was Sparrow Hawk's. With a smile she did not feel, Twilight reached out a hand for Sunny to shake.

"Yes. That will be more than acceptable."

"Glad to hear it," Sunny smiled, accepting the shake.

When their hands parted, Twilight asked, "Now, when shall we prepare to leave?"

Sunny took in the feast dominating the table, then, with a small smirk said, "Perhaps after a few round of ale. I fear it will be quite some time before we can have some so freely."

***

Stupid role play logic, she fumed, letting a dejected sigh slip voice her musings. Why did I have to make Sparrow Hawk brave? I could've made her a librarian, but noooo. Let's make her a cool sorceress that can blast people with fire balls! Brilliant! Way to go Twilight!

"Are you okay?" Lemon asked, concerned.

"Yeah," she grumbled, offering her companion a tired smile. "Let's just say, Petal isn't the only person that has regrets about her character."

"Right," Lemon cringed. "I guess this is all pretty....crazy, huh?"

Twilight nodded.

"You'd think I would be used to things like this happening, at this point, but..."

"How do you think I feel," Indigo huffed, putting her hands behind her head. "I was just barely getting used to the fact that there was a whole hidden world out there and now..."

As she left her sentence hanging, she briefly gestured to their surroundings.

"Right," Twilight sighed. "I guess we're all in the thick of it, in one way or another."

"Hey," Lemon smirked, playfully pumping her hip into Twilight. "At least we're all together, right?"

Not even a second after she said that, a vender further into the bazaar announced some kind of deal for their wears. Everyone made a mad dash towards the stall in question, quickly catching Twilight's and Sunny's party in a chaotic sea of color and motion. When it passed, Twilight found herself standing in the middle of the street, her party no longer in sight. With a series of frantic looks around, a cold dread filled her veins when she found that she was not entirely alone. Standing a few feet to her left, looking equally dazed, was a bedraggled Sunny Flare.

As the two girls stared at each other, a single thought formed in Twilight's mind. A thought that she was sure never would've come had she not spent so much time with Petal. Never before had three simple words ever been more fitting for her than it had in that exact moment.

Fuck my life...