The Chalk Prince and the Clover

Chapters

02- Begegnung
03- Boden
04- Rätin
05- Wissen
06- Forschung
07- Durchbruch
08- Gehen
09- Magie
10- Versprechen
11- Sämling
11.5- Rand
12- Freundinnen
13- Engel
14- Schwestern
15- Erholen
16- Treu
18- Lehrerin
18.5- Himmel
19- Prinzessin Part 1
20- Prinzessin Part 2
21- Prinzessin Part 3
21.5- Hilfe
22- Eisenerz
23- Vergnügen
24- Lösung
25- Bruder
26- Schmiede
27- Folge
28- Helfen
28.5- Erweitern
29- Uhr
30- Reibung
31- Natur
32- Replik
33- Lied
34- Reise
35- Geschichte
36- Antworten Part 1
37- Antworten Part 2
38- Antworten Part 3
39- Das Ende
01- Anfang
06.5- Freiheit
17- Feier
30.5- Rolle

02- Begegnung

The subject was perfectly in view. The way that it shined and glimmered in the distance was a spectacle to behold. A curious thing, unlike that of which he had seen before. A tree that was the color of numerous crystals. Though, it was not just a tree, for the upper half looked more in the shape of a castle. A door at its roots and banners floating from up high.

A sight like this was all that was needed to gain Albedo’s interest as the alchemist held his sketchbook in his left arm and began to carefully sketch what he was seeing. Carefully paying attention to the different features that made this sight stand out to him. Alchemy was the study of life, and the best way to capture that life was through art. Whether it was a simple sketch or a colored painting, he would put his focus into capturing what was in front of him and to study it in hopes that it would give him a better understanding.

Such was the case now. The alchemist was unsure of where he was now, but there was one thing he could tell right away. This wasn’t Teyvat at all… if anything, where he was now felt foreign to him. Even though the ground he walked upon and the fauna that was around him looked the same, it did not feel the same. Yet, even though how he had gotten here was by accident, the opportunity to study new life was enough for him to distract himself from that.

Though, he could not help but wonder… what was it that brought them here in the first place?

The faint winds blew past Albedo as he was walking up the eastern hillside of Starfell Valley, sketchbook in hand and curiosity on his mind. After the successful expedition into the Dragonspine Mountains to learn about the mountain’s secrets some time ago, it felt nice to feel the warm winds and the grass that rubbed up against his legs. Though, this walk wasn’t to simply just enjoy the breeze. For there was something that he was looking for in the ruins of the Thousand Wind Temple. Something that one of his students had worked rather hard on since they had returned from Dragonspine and had wanted for their teacher to inspect.

Though, the thing was, he wasn’t exactly ‘alone’ by any means. “Where are we going, brother?”

Klee, the little girl that was the daughter of the adventurer Alice and who Albedo saw as his little sister, skipped in place right alongside him. “Well,” he told her, “I was going to check on something that Timeaus had been working on.”

“Timmie?” Klee asked, “But the bridge is back the other way.”

That had Albedo chuckle as he looked back at the little girl, “No no, not Timmie. Timaeus,” he tried to help her, “One of my students. He’s been working on something recently and wanted me to have a look at it. Kind of like how hard you work on your treasures.”

Even though the subject matter wasn’t exactly something that a ten year old child like Klee would find as ‘fun’, Albedo had a way with words to keep her engaged. Just a mere mention of the bombs that she saw as her toys was enough in order to get her to listen to what he had to say. As long as she did not do anything that would have Jean, the acting grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius, send her to her room; Klee was allowed to join Albedo when he was exploring the wilderness outside of the city of freedom. Even though there were times where Klee’s curiosity would sometimes get the better of her.

When they arrived at the amphitheater like ruins, Albedo found what exactly he was looking for. In the center of the ruins stood a bronze spire, reinforced with metal plates and floating over a stone platform. The grates at the base of the spire look to be similar to that of the ones on a furnace to release excess heat. As for the top, it had three prongs of different sizes as an orb of elemental energy was circulating above it.

“This must be it,” the chief alchemist thought, approaching the construct as he began to analyze it. “This is definitely Timaeus’ handiwork. Even made some improvements from the first one.”

Albedo was somewhat familiar with the structure in front of him. The elemental crucible, or at least, that was what Timaeus called it. It was, in essence, an alchemical furnace that would not only store elemental energy, but generate elemental reactions. Something that wasn’t possible normally unless you were one of the many in Teyvat that harnessed a vision.

Of course, this was the second time that Albedo had seen this device. The first time he came to investigate it, Klee… ‘accidentally’ broke it when she threw one of her jumpy dumpty’s at a group of hilichurls that were surrounding it before. Luckily, Timaeus didn’t suspect her in its destruction, believing that a Mitachurl was to blame for it.

This time around, it seemed that the new elemental crucible was able to store more elemental energy than before, while maintaining its size. While this did seem… ingenious, Albedo noticed a particular flaw. If too much elemental energy was condensed in one place without a way to release it, the energy would become highly volatile.

“Let’s see if I can try to fix this,” Albedo thought to himself as he snapped his fingers and prepared himself.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans in store, “Brother, look out!!”

Before he had the chance to turn around, he felt Klee run over and push him. Time felt as it slowly crawled to a halt as he noticed something that he did not see before. A ruin guard, mechanical machines that wandered dormant and vacant ruins, had emerged from the rubble on the other side of the amphitheater and fired a bombardment of missiles. Even though Klee pushed him out of the way, the missiles struck the crucible instead.

That reaction was enough to cause the elements inside to go into overdrive, and before Albedo could do anything to stop it, everything went white.

“BROOOOOTHER!!”

The familiar childlike cry was enough in order to break Albedo from his concentration. When he turned around, he found Klee hastily running on the road that was behind the alchemist towards him with her arms full of fish, “K-Klee? W-what-?”

Immediately, Klee leaped towards him as the girl clinged onto his coat, dropping the fish that she was carrying, “B-brother! You have to help me!!”

“S-slow down, Klee,” Albedo said, trying to comfort the frightened child. From what he could tell and the fish that were by his feet, it looked as if she had found a lake in order to play her favorite game, fish blasting. Though, something must have spooked her greatly if she immediately raced back to him instead of cooking the fish that she had caught. “Are you hurt?”

Klee was quick to shake her head. Yet, before the little girl could answer, Albedo heard what he thought were hoofsteps coming from the nearby pathway. At first, the alchemist thought that his sister had ran away from a boar or another animal that she had accidentally startled while she was fish blasting. Though, as the sound got closer, what actually was heading towards the two of them surprised the alchemist.

It was three different creatures, all of whom appeared to be quadruped and had the characteristics of different species. The colors of their fur and feathers were as if they were picked by Klee if she was drawing in a coloring book. The first one was outright blue and they had the characteristics of a bird, but the paws of a cat. The second appeared to resemble a horse and looked like the color of seaweed and vegetation on the bottom of the ocean. As for the last one, they had some similar characteristics to the first one, but their fur was pink like a silk flower with a mane and tail that had the color of a blooming glaze lily in the night sky.

“What the-?” the blue feathered one spoke, “Who’s this guy?”

“These creatures… are capable of speech? Fascinating,” the alchemist thought to himself for only a brief moment. Even though this was the first time that he had encountered sentient life in this unknown place, there were some more pressing matters at hand. “Who are you? And why did you startle my little sister?”

“W-wait, sister?” the sea colored one asked, caught off guard by his question, “You’re siblings?”

“Indeed,” Albedo spoke calmly, looking to Klee for a moment before returning his gaze back towards them, “Yet, that doesn’t answer my question. Who are you?”

For a brief moment, there was silence. The three creatures all looked at one another, before they began to talk among themselves. Almost as if they were a gang of treasure hoarders trying to create a plan for how they would rob anyone that passed by. Though, before they had the chance to say anything, the alchemist happened to overhear something from his little sister.

“I’m sorry. Please don’t tell Master Jean.”

Now, Albedo was beginning to piece together what was going on. These three must’ve found Klee while she was out fish blasting. When she saw them, the little one must’ve immediately thought that they were going to get in trouble, just like back in Teyvat. With a reassuring look towards his sister, he gave her a small smile before looking back to the three creatures.

“So-”

“Apologies for interrupting,” Albedo interjected before the pink one could speak, “Yet, I believe I misinterpreted what happened.”

Again, all three of them exchanged rather puzzled looks amongst themselves, before looking back to him as the sea colored one spoke. “You did? B-but we didn’t even say anything.”

“My sister can be a… bit of a handful at times,” he replied back, before asking a question of his own, “Tell me, did you happen to spot her by a lake?”

“Yeah, she was throwing those weird explody things in the water!” the pink one now spoke up. To which, her words were enough to confirm the alchemist’s suspicions.

“Well, back where we’re from, she would get in trouble for doing just that,” Albedo replied, feeling Klee hold onto his back left leg as he continued to explain, “She must’ve thought that you were going to tell someone and ran back to me because of it.”

“W-wait… So Klee is… not in trouble?” she asked, puzzled by his words as the little girl looked back up at Albedo. “Ugh… this is making my head hurt.”

“We were just worried that somepony else might get hurt if someone found one of those things that she threw into Saddle Lake,” the sea colored one spoke again.

“You have my thanks then,” the alchemist replied, “Though, I do believe it would be best if I introduced myself. I’m Albedo, and this here is my little sister Klee.”

“I’m Sandbar,” the sea colored one introduced himself, before motioning a hoof towards their companions, “These are my friends, Gallus and Silverstream.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Albedo replied back to Sandbar, before looking back to the three of them. Though, as he felt Klee let go of his leg and start picking up the fish that were on the ground, one of the others asked a much different question. This time, the one known as Gallus.

“So… uh, not to sound rude or anything, but where are you guys from?” He asked, “We haven’t seen any creatures like you before.”

For a moment, Albedo paused. He began to ponder a bit about how to respond. For even though their question was a simple one, the answer to such a question was anything but simple. Nevertheless, the only thing that he could really do was try the best he could.

“To be fair, we had never seen any creatures like you three before. The same could be said for the tree in the distance,” the alchemist explained, pointing in the direction of the crystalline tree that was the subject of his drawing mere moments ago, “The only real thing that I can say is that we’re really far away from home.”

Author's Note

To study the art of alchemy is to study life and all living things. Though, what happens when the life you do encounter is something that you haven't seen before?

03- Boden

When Gallus had originally asked Albedo and Klee the question he had on his mind, the griffon was expecting a short and simple answer. He didn’t really ask anything that was too complex in nature. Just the simple question of asking where they were from. After all, if Professor Fluttershy’s lessons in kindness taught him anything, it would be better to ask rather than just simply assume. Though, the response that the griffon got in return left him and his friends with more questions than answers.

“The only real thing that I can say is that we’re really far away from home.”

That had Gallus look back at Sandbar and Silverstream, shortly before looking back at him. “What makes you think that exactly?”

“Well, let me ask you a question this time,” he countered, “Have you ever heard of Mondstadt? Liyue? Maybe Inazuma?”

Gallus was quick to shake his head in response to Albedo’s question. As he looked over at friends, they proceeded to do the same thing. None of the names that Albedo said really sounded like any place in Equestria at all. If anything, they sounded like the names of places that would only exist in the books that Headmare Twilight kept in her library. “Can’t say that we have.”

“I thought as much,” he sighed, noticing that Klee had picked up a few twigs from off the ground nearby, “Each one of the names that I mentioned is a country from where Klee and I are from. Your response to my question only verifies my original hypothesis. That wherever we are now, we are definitely not in Teyvat.”

“Tey… bat? What’s that, a strange animal?” Silverstream asked, sounding rather confused.

“Silverstream, I think that’s the name of where they are from,” Sandbar was quick to clarify, trying his best to explain it to the puzzled hippogriff in the most simplest way possible, “Like how you’re from Mount Aris?”

At first, the earth pony’s comment took a bit of time to process. Though, not long afterwards, the hippogriff finally had a response, “Oh I get it! So this… place you mentioned is like your home?”

Albedo folded his arms, noticing that his little sister was beginning to set up a small campfire with the sticks that she gathered before he looked back at the three of them, “More or less. Though-” Before he could continue, his eyes darted to the left as he looked farther down the road, “It appears that we’re going to have company.”

“Huh? What are you talking about? It’s just us here-” Just as he said that, Gallus saw three familiar creatures running over to them.

“Yona sees friends!!”

Shortly afterwards, three more creatures arrived to join Sandbar and his friends. Much to their surprise, it was the fellow classmates and friends from back at the School of Friendship; Yona, Smolder and Ocellus. They didn’t even seem to really notice Albedo and Klee as they approached the group. If anything, their attention was more focused on their friends.

“A-are you guys okay!?” Ocellus was the first one to speak as she looked at each one of her friends with a bit of concern and worry. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“N-no, we're fine,” Sandbar insisted, not knowing what exactly was going on or what prompted, “Why? What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” the dragon that was next to her retorted, “Are you serious? The three of us heard an explosion from all the way back in the student dorms. We came all the way out here to-!” Unexpectedly, the dragon paused, but not before she began to sniff the air around her and look around. “Do you smell that?”

“Smell what, friend Smolder?” Yona asked, confused by the way her friend was behaving right now.

At first, there was a long pause as Smolder sniffed the air again, trying to determine where the scent that she smelled was coming from. Shortly afterwards though, she had an answer for them, “It smells like… some creature is cooking over a campfire.”

“Oh Klee is just cooking the fish she has! Sorry about that.”

That single response was enough to have the dragon and the rest of her friends look back to where Klee and Albedo were. The dragon, changeling and yak were startled by their presence; not even noticing them originally until the little one spoke up. At first, they were all silent and didn’t speak a word. Though, after a couple of seconds, Ocellus took it upon herself to speak. “Um… h-hello.”

“Hello to you as well,” Albedo replied kindly, setting aside his curiosity for the time being, “You must be friends with Sandbar then?”

The changeling herself looked rather nervous, but before she could answer, she was cut off by the dragoness that was right next to her, “Yeah we are, but how do you-”

“Aside from what your friend... Yona I believe, said just mere moments ago?” he asked, which had their gaze be redirected towards the yak momentarily, “Well, it appeared that each one of you seemed rather close to your companions here. If I had to take a guess, the three of you raced over here out of concern for your friends well being.”

“Yona has question,” the yak quickly retorted, “Yak ask who you are?”

Before Albedo had the chance to provide the answer to Yona’s question, one of the yak's friends beat him to it. “This is Albedo and his little sister, Klee! We happened to run into them while we were at Saddle Lake,” Silverstream quickly interjected, “He was telling us that they happened to be really far away from their home when you guys showed up.”

“That answers one thing… I guess,” Smolder added on, “Though, that doesn’t really explain what we heard though.”

For a moment, Silverstream paused as she tried to come up with a possible answer for her friend. Though, before she had the chance to get the words out of her beak, Albedo spoke up, “Perhaps I can answer this one,” he offered, “When it comes to my little sister Klee, there are two things she likes to do. Exploring the world around her and playing with her… toys. One of the games that Klee loves to play is to see how much fish she could catch when by a lake or river. Though, her methods of doing so are… questionable at best.”

“Okay, but,” Ocellus now took a turn to speak, “How does that relate to what we heard-?”

“Oh, are you guys talking about when I was fish blasting earlier?” they heard Klee ask out of curiosity, “Klee made sure to use her best bombs in order to catch these! They’re gonna taste so good when I’m done cooking them.”

Despite how carefree and happy she was when Klee told them that, the reaction that she got from the creatures that had just recently arrived was anything but that. “So let me get this straight,” Smolder then spoke up as the dragon looked back towards Albedo, “The explosion we heard… was your sister using bombs to go fishing?”

“Pretty much,” Albedo sighed, noticing how his little sister was now humming to herself as Klee began to cook another fish she caught over the campfire, “Whenever Klee happens to see fish swimming in a lake or river back home, she can hardly contain herself. Though, most of the time, she would get in trouble for doing so.”

Even with what he said though, the dragoness was not entirely amused by that, “Okay, just… where are you guys even from that would make something like that remotely okay?”

“We were getting around to that, actually,” Gallus pointed out, which had Ocellus and Yona look back towards him with a puzzled look on their face.

“Yeah, we were asking Albedo about where he and Klee were from before you guys arrived,” Sandbar explained as the earth pony turned to face both siblings, “Did you want to continue where we left off?”

“Maybe,” Albedo took it under consideration as he scratched the bottom of his chin, “Though, perhaps a simple explanation might be better.”

“Yeah, you were talking about that one place that’s your home right? It was called… Tray Mat or something, right?” Silverstream added on to the conversation. Though, what she said only had Gallus smack himself in the face with one of his claws as he let out a low groan, “Is it a city? A place? What's it like?”

“Teyvat, actually,” Albedo corrected the overly eager hippogriff, “As for what it is, it’s bigger than any of those things actually. Teyvat is the name of our world. Our ‘realm’, so to speak. It is a world watched over by the archons. Though, given the current situation that Klee and I are in, I can safely say this. Even though the six of you see this world as your home, it is one that is foreign to the two of us. Everything is… different here.”

Moments after hearing that, Sandbar and his friends were thrown off guard by Albedo’s words. It was… obvious that they weren’t exactly from around here. Yet, to hear that they were from a different place entirely? That was something none of them were expecting at all, and this was taking into consideration the amount of crazy things that happened to the six of them just in their first year alone.

Though, after some time, one of them took it upon themselves to speak up and ask a question, “How so?”

Albedo blinked, surprised for a moment by the question as he looked back towards Ocellus. “Hmm?”

“You said that everything is different,” the changeling replied back to his question, before asking one herself, “How exactly is it different to you?”

“That is not an easy question to answer. Though, if I have to narrow it down to just one thing,” Albedo said as he closed his eyes, deep in thought as he had to try and come up with another answer for them. It took a bit of time at first, but eventually, he came up with an answer for them as he opened his eyes, “Ah yes, the essence of life.”

“Uh… what?” Ocellus asked, sounding a bit puzzled.

“Let’s just say that how everything feels is different to me, whether it be the ground under my feet or the winds blowing past me,” He explained further, trying his best to make things easy for the six of them to understand, “It’s something I have happened to pick up on throughout years of studying natural life.”

“So, hold on,” Gallus now interjected, “Let me see if I get this right? You’re a scientist?”

In response, Albedo shook his head as he folded his arms, “No, actually. My profession is that of an alchemist-”

“Wait, so you’re a potion guy?” Silverstream interjected abruptly, “Like some creature who would tell adventurers that they can’t handle their strongest potions?”

In response, the alchemist sighed. “While that may be true, that is only one aspect of it. Alchemy is an art that revolves around all living things and the study of life. From the plants and animals to the inhabitants that would call someplace their home, to the earth itself.” Even though what he said was true, it appeared that his words more or less confused them.

So, noticing something nearby, he decided that the best way to showcase what he meant was through a demonstration. “There’s a saying that my teacher told me. ‘From soil was birthed chalk’,” As the alchemist extended his right arm forward, a butterfly from the nearby forest was flying nearby and landed in the outstretched hand, “Soil being the origin of alchemy, the basis of all life.”

In a motion that shocked every creature that was watching, Albedo closed his hand. At first, it looked as if the alchemist had just crushed a butterfly. Though, instead, something different happened. A golden colored glow radiated from his hand and when he opened it, a robin took form in his hand before flying away, “While chalk is the blank canvas in which to paint life.”

The simple display of alchemy left Ocellus and her friends speechless. At first glance, Albedo didn’t look like he had any form of magical power at all. Yet, just now, he was able to transform a living creature with just a simple touch. That was something that could even rival Discord and he was a spirit of chaos! How exactly was he capable of doing such a thing?

“Was there anything else you wanted to ask me?” the alchemist asked calmly. Though, the simple question was enough to have each one of them shake their heads. Around this time, Klee had already finished cooking the fish that she had and proceeded to eat most of it. Though, she happened to save one for her older brother as the little girl walked over and tried to hand it to him.

“Here, big brother! I saved one just for you!”

Even though Albedo wasn’t entirely fond when it came to consuming meat, he was not one to turn down a gift from Klee. The alchemist accepted the small snack, though, he did not eat it just yet. For there was something else that he wished to say. “If you don’t happen to have any more questions for me, there is one that I would like to ask all of you… if you don’t mind.”

At first, Sandbar and his friends didn’t say anything as they were still trying to wrap their heads around what they had just witnessed. Though, when the earth pony was about to speak, Yona beat him to it, “What question?”

“Well, given that the six of you more likely happen to know a lot more about where we are than either Klee and I do,” the alchemist said as he looked at all six of the creatures in front of him, “Can you help the two of us try to find a way back home?”

Author's Note

The Universe- The sable essence of the starry void
Earth- The accumulative memory of time and being
Soil - The origin of all alchemy. The essence of all life
Chalk- The substance from which primal life is molded

From Soil was Birthed Chalk

So, How do we begin?

Well, just like how Albedo would put it, this fic is a bit of an 'experiment'. Since I have been playing a lot of Genshin Impact since it came out late September of last year, and I was very fortunate to get Albedo when his banner came out (Unlike Klee :fluttershysad: ) so I was wondering what exactly would happen if you have the two of them end up in Equestria. This fic is the result of that.

I really hope that you guys like what I have so far to start off the story. I would really like to hear what you guys think on everything I have so far and any ideas for future chapters.

See you next time. Stay safe out there.
-Frost

04- Rätin

“Can you help the two of us try to find a way back home?”

If this was a question that was said by any other creature who was struggling to find their way back home, Sandbar and his friends would be more than willing to help them out. However, when that particular was asked by Albedo; an alchemist from another world entirely, they weren’t so quick to answer. Not just because the brief demonstration of what he could do was enough to leave them all at a loss for words, but also because of other factors that had happened before the arrival of both him and his sister.

“Um… c-can you excuse us for a moment?” Ocellus was the first to speak as she looked back at each one of her friends. “W-we want to talk it over among ourselves first, i-if that’s okay.”

“That’s fine with me,” the alchemist told them, “In the meantime, I’ll be over here with Klee. Let me know once you’ve come to a decision.”

As he walked back over to join his sister, Ocellus and the rest of her friends stepped back and gathered around. As she looked back at each one of her friends, the changeling took a moment in order to try and compose herself first. Once her mind was clear, Ocellus was ready to speak. “So, what do you guys think? Should we help them?”

“Yona has question,” the yak asked, “Why must yaks friends meet?”

“I think Ocellus wanted for us to make the decision together, Yona,” Sandbar tried to help his friend understand, “That way we make a choice that everyone agrees with.”

“Yeah, but where would we even start?” Gallus then asked, “How are we supposed to know what could help them go back to their home? This sounds like something that’s way out of our league.”

“I’m with Gallus on this one,” Smolder was next to speak as she folded her arms and looked back towards Ocellus, “This sounds like something that Headmare Twilight and her friends would try to help out with, not us. If those two ended up here any other time, we could help them find the right creatures to talk to. Though, given what happened just last week.”

“Last week?” Silverstream asked, before realizing what her friends were referring to, “Oh right, Cozy… Wait, isn’t she in Tartarus? I don’t see why that would be a problem.”

Gallus let out a sigh as he looked back towards the hippogriff, “A couple of days after everything that happened, I overheard Headmare Twilight talking with that Mayor Mare lady. From the sounds of it, some of the parents of the creatures that were attending the school were concerned that they weren’t doing enough to keep the students safe. Especially since it was a student that caused last week's mess.”

“Okay, but how does this relate to helping Albedo though?” Ocellus then asked.

“Well, I’m not so entirely sure if she would be open minded to helping a pair of strangers, especially if they would pose a risk to every other creature,” Gallus replied, “I’ve seen the same thing happen all the time in Griffonstone, where griffons think more about themselves and their family rather than help those that really need it. It just feels like that all over again.”

“Yeah, but this isn’t Griffonstone though,” Silverstream reminded him as she walked up right next to him, “Surely, there’s some creature that can be open minded and help right?” Despite the hippogriff’s optimism, no creature had an answer to the question at the time. Headmare Twilight was usually the first creature to talk to regarding matters involving magic. Yet, trying to think of another creature who could possibly help them was much harder than they thought it would be.

“Yona has idea!”

That proclamation from the yak had the other five look towards Yona, curious as to what Yona had in mind. “What were you thinking, Yona?”

“If Yona and friends can’t ask headmare, then we ask headmare friends instead!” Yona said confidently.

It took a couple of moments in order for what Yona said to sink in, but eventually, one of her friends was able to catch on to what she was suggesting, “I think I get it,” Sandbar added, “We can’t convince Headmare Twilight to help by ourselves. Though, if we get one of the faculty to help us, then maybe they can vouch for Albedo and Klee. Is that right?”

His question was answered when the yak nodded happily. Since many of the faculty members were close friends with Headmare Twilight, it was more than likely that they would be able to convince her more easily. Yet, swiftly afterwards, a new question was asked by another creature. This time it was Silverstream. “Who would be the right creature to ask, though? I mean… there’s so many options.”

“We could rule out who wouldn’t work first to narrow down our options a bit,” Ocellus then added.

“If that’s the case, then I think Professor Dash is the first one to rule out,” Gallus interjected, “I mean, we know she is the element of loyalty. Though it’s more than likely that she’ll think Albedo and Klee are a threat before they even get the chance to say anything.”

“I can agree with Gallus on that, especially with how she interrogated us during Hearth’s Warming,” Smolder replied back, “Also, on a different note, we need to rule out Pinkie Pie as well.”

“What? Why?” Silverstream asked, looking back with a rather puzzled expression.

“I don’t know about you Silverstream, but based on what we’ve seen with Klee, it would be crazy to even consider leaving her alone with Pinkie for even a minute,” the dragon explained further, “Not to mention that we are trying to help Albedo and Klee. The last thing I think they would want is something to make their situation more complicated.”

That was a valid point. Professor Pinkie Pie was known throughout the campus and throughout Ponyville to be rather unpredictable and spontaneous. So leaving her alone with a little girl who saw high grade explosives as toys would not be a good idea at all. “Okay, that rules out two possibilities,” Ocellus scratched her chin, “Who else have we not considered yet? Maybe Professor Rarity?”

That suggestion just had Sandbar and Gallus shake their heads, “Might not be a good idea there, Ocellus. Remember when she got fixated with trying to get the costumes right for the school play?”

The earth pony brought up a valid point. In the days up to the school play that the students were preparing for earlier in the year, they ran into a complication when Professor Rarity was fixated on having the costumes they were going to use be ‘perfect’. It took a lot of convincing, and help from her sister Sweetie Belle, to actually get their costumes before they could even do their first rehearsal. It was more than likely that if they asked her to help with Albedo, Rarity would be focused more on the alchemist's fashion sense than anything else.

“Okay, so Professor Dash, Pinkie and Rarity won’t work,” the changeling asked as she began to think some more, “We do have Professor Fluttershy, but… I think she would be afraid that Klee would try to harm her animals if she learned about what you guys saw at the lake.”

“Definitely,” Gallus retorted before the griffon looked back to the earth pony and hippogriff that were next to him and witnessed Klee’s earlier fish bombing charade at Saddle Lake, “So, who does that leave us with?”

“Yona and friends ask Professor Applejack?” the Yak then suggested.

“That might be an idea,” Smolder said as the dragon looked back towards Yona and folded her arms, “But I see a problem.”

“What problem, friend Smolder?”

Before she could begin speaking, the dragon let out a small sigh as she looked towards all of her friends, “Well, even though Professor Applejack can tell whether or not some creature is lying and can verify Albedo’s story, it would be dangerous for Klee to be at her family’s orchard. One accident could lead to her family’s whole farm catching fire.”

Shortly after Smolder said that, the image of Klee running around in a burning Sweet Apple Acres while saying ‘la-la-la’ was stuck into the minds of her friends. It was not exactly what they wanted to think about, but the dragon had a point. “Well, that’s not good,” Sandbar now spoke up, “We just ruled out all the professors. Who else could we even consider asking at this point?”

“Well, if memory serves me right, then we have three options,” Ocellus now spoke, “First, there’s Rockhoof. Though, we haven’t seen him since he stopped by the school and when Headmare Twilight appointed him as keeper of equestrian tales. After that, we have Spike and Counselor Starlight.”

“So Yona and friends choose between headmare assistant and counselor?”

“Seems like it,” Gallus shrugged, “Personally, I wouldn’t know who to pick. What do you guys think?”

“Honestly, I would think Starlight is a better option,” Smolder replied, “Nothing against Spike, but he’s not good at keeping secrets. I mean, when he was going through his molt, Spike was not doing a good job of trying to hide his symptoms.”

“I would think Starlight as well,” Sandbar agreed, “I mean, if how Albedo and Klee got here had something to do with magic, then having somepony who’s good with magic wouldn’t hurt, right?”

“Yeah! And if she’s able to get Twilight to help, then we would have two creatures that are good with magic!!” Silverstream declared in glee.

“I agree with what Sandbar said,” Ocellus replied, “That just leaves us with Yona and Gallus being the only ones that haven’t decided,” Shortly after saying that, she turned back towards the yak and the griffon. “So, what do you think?”

“Yona agree with friends,” the yak nodded, “Yona and friends find counselor.”

With that out of the way, Gallus was the only one that was left as he looked back at his friends. At first, he didn’t really say what his opinion was. Though, after getting looks from each of his friends, the griffon could only let out a mellow sigh. “Oh, what the heck? Count me in too.”

“Alright, it seems like we got somewhat of a plan,” Sandbar said confidently, “Let’s go tell Albedo and introduce him to Counselor Starlight.”

As she sat in her office and organized the papers that were on her desk, the unicorn named Starlight Glimmer was in deep thought. It might have been only a week since the attempted takeover of the entire school by Cozy Glow, but everything that happened was still fresh in her mind. It felt like only a short time ago that the filly was in her office, admitting that she purposely failed the friendship test she took in order to let the Cutie Mark Crusaders attend at the school. Yet, with everything that had happened recently, Starlight could only wonder if there was something that she had missed. If there was some sort of warning sign that she did not notice or pick up on that could’ve prevented this from happening.

Even though no creature got hurt, Starlight still felt as if she didn’t do her job properly. The Unicorn was supposed to help creatures in need of guidance, much like how Twilight helped her when she needed it most. Was there not something else they could've done-?

Knock Knock!

The sudden sound at her door was enough to stop the mare’s train of thought as she trotted to the door. As she opened it, the unicorn found two familiar faces outside. “Oh, hello there Sandbar. Hi Ocellus.”

“Hello, Ms. Starlight,” Ocellus was the first to speak, “Are you busy right now?”

“Oh no, I’m fine. Just organizing some papers,” the mare insisted, conjuring magic to remove the papers she had on the table to tidy up and make some space, “Please, come on in.”

Shortly afterwards, both Sandbar and Ocellus proceeded to step inside and close the door behind them as the earth pony took a seat in front of Starlight’s desk. Though, the unicorn was a bit confused as to why Ocellus had not taken a seat as well. Yet, that was just an afterthought as she took a sip of Hot Cocoa from her mug using a levitation spell, “So, what brings the two of you to my office? Is there something on your mind?”

“Well,” the earth pony began to speak, “We wanted to ask if it was possible that you can help a friend of ours that we just met today.”

“Oh?” Starlight asked. When the two originally came into her office, she was under the impression that they had some questions regarding their studies or related to something personal that they were going through. The unicorn wasn’t expecting for them to be asking for a friend. Though, she wasn’t one to turn down some creature in need of help, “I think I can try to help-”

“Thanks,” Sandbar was quick to respond, just as Starlight noticed his eyes shifting to the windows, “Do you mind if we let them in?”

That question caught Starlight by surprise. She was sure that she saw only Sandbar and Ocellus outside her office when she first let them in. “Uh, sure-?

Though, as she looked towards the windows, what she saw out there almost had her drop the mug that she was holding with her magic. Outside the window were two human like figures that were standing on a crystalline flower that was elevated from the ground and floating nearby her window. One that was the size of a child while the other was a young adult.

Despite spending time on the other side of the mirror with Sunset Shimmer, these two looked nothing like the humans over there. Before she could even ask anything, Ocellus opened up the window with her magic and allowed the two of them to enter. With the young adult being the first one to speak. “Hello there. My name is Albedo and this is my sister Klee. Apologies if we startled you, but Sandbar and Ocellus said that you could possibly help us.”

Author's Note

If one is to make a decision that might affect the whole group, then it should be right that every creature has their say and play a part in making that decision.

Something small that I wrote up during the weekend, but hopefully enough to keep the ball rolling. I always pictured Starlight's office being on the second floor of the school, so hopefully that explains things... that and... well, I think you get what I mean

Insert Albedo Elevator Jokes here

Hope you guys like it.
-Frost

05- Wissen

After the original introductions, it took almost half an hour to try and bring Starlight Glimmer up to speed on the current situation. Sandbar and Ocellus were the ones who filled her in with most of the details from when Sandbar originally met Klee at the lake to when they met Albedo. Eventually, the little girl was provided paper and crayons so that she could occupy herself by drawing pictures while the conversation continued on. Something that was a relief to every creature in the room since they didn’t have to worry about her playing with her bombs while inside the campus.

By the time that both Sandbar and Ocellus were done speaking, it was now Starlight turn to say something, “So, let me see if I understand this correctly,” the unicorn looked to both of the students, “You and your friends happened to run into both Albedo and Klee here while you were outside, heard that they needed help… and thought that I was the right creature for the job?”

Both the earth pony and the changeling nodded their heads, “Yeah, that’s right.”

Starlight proceeded to close her eyes and take a long sip of hot cocoa, before looking back at the two of them. “And what exactly led you to make that decision? Couldn’t you have just asked for Headmare Twilight’s help or ask any of the other faculty members on campus?”

“Well, Gallus kind of told us about a meeting between her and Mayor Mare that he happened to overhear regarding how some parents had concerns for keeping their students safe at school,” Sandbar explained to her, “After he mentioned that, Yona came up with the idea that we try to ask one of the faculty members to help us.”

“From there, we began to narrow down who exactly would be the best creature to ask for help,” Ocellus continued shortly afterwards, “Each one of the professors wouldn’t work because there were concerns that either they would be seen by them as suspicious or it would be a bad idea to leave Klee alone with them. That and since we’re not ruling out the possibility that them arriving here was probably by magic, why not ask the unicorn that was once Headmare Twilight’s student?”

Some of this were things that Albedo agreed with. Though, some of it was also new information. Mainly, when the subject of magic was brought up. Back in Teyvat, the only thing that comes close to what they were talking about was elemental abilities. Though, in order to wield such abilities, your deeds had to be recognized by the archons. Was that not entirely the case here?

As for the unicorn herself, she just let out a small sigh, “While I do appreciate that you and your friends want to help those in need, I don’t believe it’ll be that simple,” Starlight explained, “Despite all that you have told me so far, there are still some unanswered questions that I think need to ask before I could really do anything to help. Otherwise, there would be a lot of missing information that could be important.”

“Well, where would you like to start, Ms. Glimmer?” the alchemist spoke plainly as he looked back at the unicorn.

“Just Starlight is fine. Hearing that makes me think I’m much older than I really am,” the counselor said briefly, before redirecting his focus to him, “More to the point though, my first question is this. How exactly is the world you’re from, the one you called ‘Teyvat’ any different than ours? Ocellus mentioned that everything in Equestria is different to you, but I want to hear it from you.”

Upon hearing that, Albedo asked one simple question, “Would you like for me to keep it brief… or do you prefer to hear specifics?”

“The latter, if you may please,” Starlight insisted.

That answer was enough for Albedo to start. “Alright, but if you do have questions, feel free to speak up,” the alchemist told them, shortly before he began to explain, “Our home, Teyvat, is a world where the seven elements flow and converge everywhere you look. A world overseen by seven gods known as the Archons, who were victors in the Archon war that lasted thousands of years ago. These seven Archons founded the seven nations of Teyvat, with each one representing a different element.”

After that, he paused, before looking to each of the Equestrians, “Any questions so far?”

“Yeah, I have a couple,” Starlight nodded, “First, what are these seven elements that you’re talking about? Are they similar to the Elements of Harmony we have, where they’re based on virtues?”

“Aren’t there supposed to be six Elements of Harmony though?” Ocellus pointed out.

“Yes, that is true,” the unicorn acknowledged the changeling’s question, “Though, what I’m asking about is what exactly are the elements he’s familiar with. To see if they happen to be similar or different to ours.”

Personally, Albedo almost expected that to be the first question to answer, “Well, in Teyvat, elements are more naturally occurring, per se. Like I mentioned, the seven elements tie to the seven archons. The order of the elements usually Anemo, Geo, Electro, Dendro, Hydro, Pyro and Cryo. Or in simple terms; Air, Earth, Electricity, Nature, Water, Fire and Ice.”

“And these elements… each one represents an Archon?” Sandbar now added.

“More like an ideal that they represent and the nation they reside over,” the alchemist corrected him, “Our home is of Mondstadt, which is known as the city of freedom. Since the kingdom of Mondstadt is the domain of Barbatos, the God of Freedom, then the Anemo element represents that same ideal. To be as free as the wind.”

At this point, things were… slowly beginning to make some sense. Though, it was far from being anywhere close to what Starlight had hoped. “Okay, but how exactly were you able to create what you did earlier to enter my office? That did not look like anything related to air at all.”

“Well, the answer to that goes into another subject,” Albedo replied back, “For you see, unlike what I have briefly seen in this world regarding what you call magic, our world works differently. Only those who have a Vision in their possession can wield the elements, and visions themselves are only gifted to those who have been recognized by the Archons. The vision that can be granted to you is not mutually exclusive. Meaning that even though you were born in one nation, you can receive a vision from one of the other archons.”

“A Vision?” Ocellus asked, “Uhm, what does a vision look like?”

“The appearance of the vision itself really depends on the person it was given to. When Klee received her pyro vision, I helped with fashioning it onto the pack that she carries with her everywhere,” As he said that, the alchemist pointed to the backpack that was next to where Klee was seated. On the outer flap, the three equestrians saw a red jewel with a burning flame in the center of it. Though, as Albedo continued, they also notice a similar gold color jewel around the collar of the alchemist’s shirt, “As for me, I keep my vision around the collar of my shirt as a means to make sure I keep it on hand in the instance that I need to use it. That way I can avoid misplacing it.”

As Sandbar looked at the jewel, the earth pony had a new question, “If Klee’s vision is Pyro, then what’s yours?”

At first, the alchemist let out a small breath before extending an outstretched hand. The vision around his neck began to glow as a golden colored blossom bloomed from his hand, “My vision is of the Geo element. A gift bestowed by that of Morax, or better known in the nation of Liyue as Rex Lapis. One day, I wish to uncover the secrets behind these Visions. Though, I will have to save that for another time.”

The alchemist then closed his hand as the vision stopped glowing and the blossom that he had curled up as if it was a flower that had yet to bloom. “Does that help answer your question, Starlight?”

The unicorn nodded her head, still trying to take what Albedo shared and piece it all together. “I-i… believe so,” Starlight replied, before she realized something, “Wait a minute. If Visions are given to those who are recognized by one of your Archons, then what exactly are they recognized for? If very few of your kind are allowed to wield visions, then what exactly did they do to get recognized by your Archons in the first place?”

“Unfortunately, that is something that even I don’t know,” the alchemist admitted, “What exactly an Archon looks for in a person is unclear, even to those who actually possess visions. There have been times where visions are bestowed to those who are in grief or had witnessed tragedy, while other times it just happens to show up randomly, as was the case with Klee. Outside of mere theories though, the only other way you would be able to find out is that if you actually met and asked one of the Archons.”

“And the chances of that happening are impossible?” Ocellus asked.

“Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it,” Albedo retorted, before noticing that Klee was wanting for him to see the drawings that she was making as he went over to see her, “But meeting an archon in the flesh? That’s a one in a million chance. It’s not impossible, but extremely unlikely.”

To Starlight, that answered all the questions that she had on the subject of visions. Yet, that was only one subject and that alone was a diversion from what they were originally discussing. “Okay, how about we backtrack a bit? Before you explained to us about Visions, you were talking about the Archons. Though, there was one detail you mentioned that kind of bothers me a bit.”

“Oh?” the alchemist asked, focusing a bit more attention on Klee first before finally looking back to the counselor, “What would that happen to be?”

“Well, to put it simply, you mentioned that there was an Archon War.”

From the start of the conversation, Albedo figured that this would be brought up eventually. Though, if he were being honest with himself, the alchemist thought that would be one of the first questions that Starlight would’ve asked him. Nevertheless, it would be rude of him to leave that question unanswered. “Well, just to warn you, the tale of the Archon War is a bit of a long and confusing one. Not only that, but it’s as old as Teyvat itself.”

“How… old are we talking about?” Sandbar then asked him, “Like hundreds of years? A thousand? More than that?”

In response, Albedo just simply chuckled as he looked back at the earth pony, “Much older then that, actually. The reason why it’s confusing is because there is no information indicating how long ago it started. Not only that, but the name Archon War in itself is more of a term used to represent the multiple battles that took place all across Teyvat. With different wars starting and ending at different points in time.”

“My goodness,” Ocellus gasped, “W-what could all of them be fighting for it to last that long?”

“For a time, many people were unsure as to why. For all that we knew was that the war ended about two thousand years ago and that was when the seven nations of Teyvat were founded by the archons. It’s why we see them as the victors of the war,” the alchemist explained further, “Though, there are some in Teyvat who believe that there was another factor involved. Though, it involves one of the more… stranger places of Teyvat.”

“Stranger than everything else that you had already mentioned?” Sandbar asked, only to receive a nod from Albedo, “Dear Celestia, what kind of place is this?”

“Well… you just said it, actually.”

At that point, all of the equestrians in the room were caught off guard. Both of the students exchanged puzzled looks with each other and Starlight, trying to make sense of what was just said by Albedo. “I’m sorry, but I think all of us are confused by what you mean? Are you referring to the Princess by chance?”

“Princess?” Albedo asked, before shaking his head, “No, no. Back home, Celestia is the name of a place, not a person. It’s a floating island high in the skies of Teyvat that’s unreachable by mortal means. Some say that it's the divine home of the Archons that watch over the world, while others believe that those who have achieved heroic feats can ascend to Celestia and obtain godhood. However, since very few people actually understand what it is, it's difficult to determine fact from fiction. All that’s known is that it exists, but we don’t know why.”

Now though, the alchemist had a question for Starlight this time, “Was there anything else in particular that you wanted to ask? If not, then there was something I wanted to ask you this time.”

The unicorn looked back at Albedo, puzzled by his choice of words, “Well, there was one thing. Though, what was it that you wanted to ask me?”

“Well, why was it that you wanted to know about Teyvat in the first place?” he asked, “At first, I thought it was out of curiosity. Though, the more that I continued to speak, the more that I noticed you asking rather specific questions. And how is what I shared with you related to you helping Klee and I find our way home?”

For a moment, Starlight was silent. She looked all around the room and towards the door, before looking back at both Sandbar and Ocellus, “What I’m about to tell you does not leave this room under any circumstances…”

“Um… is everything alright, Ms. Starlight?” Ocellus now asked, a bit caught off guard by Starlight’s sudden change in tone.

“It alright, Ocellus,” the counselor assured her, before looking back to Albedo, “The reason why I asked is because inside the Castle of Princess Twilight, the Headmare of the School, there is a mirror that serves as a doorway to a world parallel to this one except for the fact that everyone is human. When I originally asked you my question earlier, I was trying to determine whether or not you were from the other side of the mirror or another world entirely. After everything you shared, I can safely assume that it’s the latter.”

“Headmare Twilight has an artifact like that?” Sandbar asked.

“Yes, but only a few creatures actually know about it,” Starlight replied to Sandbar now, “There’s been incidents that have happened on the other side of the mirror because of Equestrian magic or artifacts that found their way over there. After what happened last week, I think the last thing that Twilight would want is some students finding out about it and causing trouble.”

“So you were asking me that question as a precautionary measure,” Albedo said, “I understand. Though, what do you mean by ‘last week’? Did something happen then that we aren’t aware of?”

At that point, Starlight felt as if there was no point in trying to avoid the subject any longer. After all, if Albedo was willing to share so much about his world, then the counselor should at least bring him up to speed, “I’m afraid so. Last week, one of the students that used to be at the school, a young filly named Cozy Glow, tried to attempt a hostile takeover of the school in an effort to destroy all equestrian magic. We were lucky that her plans did not come to fruition, but the fact that it actually happened in a place where many thought that they were safe from danger has made many creatures feel uneasy.”

That surprised Albedo a bit. He was familiar with the concept of rebellion, since Mondstadt’s history involved a massive rebellion against the god of storms, Decarabian. Though, unlike the past, where the people wanted freedom, this seemed different. “So, this was a mutiny?”

“Sort of,” Ocellus now spoke up, “Remember when I mentioned the meeting that Gallus overheard between Headmare Twilight and Mayor Mare? What they were talking about in that meeting was because of what happened with Cozy’s takeover.”

Now, the alchemist was beginning to understand the full story. This takeover and the subsequent meeting was the basis behind their decisions, including why they came to Starlight for help instead of the Headmare. “I see,” Albedo said, “That is rather informative. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

“No worries,” the counselor insisted, “Though, back to the matter at hoof, I had another question I wanted to ask. This time though, it relates more to your current situation. What exactly was the last thing that you remembered before arriving here? Was there anything specific?”

After hearing her question, Albedo began to think to himself for a moment. “Well, before all of this started, I was observing something that one of my students had been working on.”

“Wait, you have students?” Sandbar now asked.

“Two, actually,” the alchemist nodded, “One of them happens to have a vision, while the other doesn’t. Though, what I was asked to take a look at was something they had been working on. Do you remember when I told you that those who possessed visions could be able to wield elemental energy?”

All three of the equestrians nodded, “Yeah, but how does that relate? You said that this student doesn’t have a vision though.”

“That may be true,” Albedo nodded, “But he was working on something that could change that. A device that was not only able to store elemental energy, but create elemental reactions. Though, even though he had been making progress with his research, his creation did not come without faults. While I was inspecting his latest design, I realized that it was overflowing with excessive amounts of elemental energy, much like a boiling pot of water. When I tried to fix it, the machine… malfunctioned and the energy inside exploded outward. Next thing I knew, the two of us ended up here.”

Of course, Albedo knew that there was an external factor that caused the accident to happen. Though, he did not want to make the creatures that were helping him think that a Ruin Guard came with them and was wandering the fields as they were speaking. If anything, all signs indicated that only the two of them had ended up here and nothing else.

The vague silence was soon interrupted when Klee called out to him, “Brother, I finished my drawing. Come look!”

“Oh?” he asked, curious by what she said as the alchemist walked over to her, “What did you draw?”

“Klee tried to draw Sandbar and his friends!!”

Both Sandbar and Ocellus were a bit caught off guard by that as they went to go take a look themselves. True to Klee’s words, it was a drawing of all six of them. Though, it was as good of a drawing as you might expect from a ten year old child with a wild sense of imagination. Lines of different colors that resembled bodies and faces for them and their friends, with Klee being in the middle. Not exactly you would find in a Canterlot Art Gallery, but still a good drawing.

“That’s very kind of you, Klee,” Albedo replied, before turning to look at Sandbar and Ocellus as they looked at the drawing as well. “I think your friends here really like it too.”

The changeling and earth pony looked to one another in response, a bit embarrassed by the comment. Though, Starlight found it interesting. Ever since the two of them came in, Klee had been silent and focused on her drawings. Though, now that she got the chance to hear her interact with the students, the unicorn can understand her a bit. A young girl full of curiosity and joy.

Though, as Klee was talking with both Sandbar and Ocellus, Albedo redirected his focus back to the counselor. “Do you have any more questions that you would like to ask me?”

“Well, I had already asked you about where you’re from and how did you end up coming here,” Starlight replied back as she tried to think of what else to say, “I know that you want my help in trying to find a way back to your world, though where would we even start?”

She did bring up a valid point. Even though Starlight was going to help them as well as Sandbar and the other students, it would be difficult to figure out where to start. There were still a bunch of things about Equestria that he and Klee were unfamiliar with. So, before they get started with anything, the alchemist should at least know more about the world he was in.

“Does this school happen to have a library by chance?”

Author's Note

Otherwise known as the lore chapter. This one took a lot longer than expected considering that there's a LOT of lore in Genshin Impact and it was difficult to decide what exactly to focus on. So, I tried to keep things as simple as can be when it came to Albedo's explanations. For there are some things that even he probably doesn't know.

As always, thank you for the support. I really appreciate all the positive feedback so far and that is driving me to add more chapters. Also, Happy Lantern Rite!
-Frost

P.S. The rebellion that Albedo was referring to involves this, which reappears during the character quest for Venti in game

06- Forschung

In the land of Equestria, every creature knew that having a ‘normal day’ was just as much of a rarity as anything else. With the amount of crazy events that transpire on a day to day basis, it’s very rare to have a day where things did not go off the rails. No creature knew that better than Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and Headmare of the School of Friendship. Whether it was fighting a monster that threatened the town of Ponyville or stopping a villain from attempting to take over Equestria, there were a lot of times where things appeared to be normal, only for everything to rapidly spiral out of control. There were numerous times where Twilight thought that she had seen everything, only to be proven wrong sometime later.

Though, nothing could prepare her for when she and Spike returned to the school of friendship today. They had just finished having brunch with their friends and fellow faculty members earlier, only to come back on campus and find that several of the students were crowding the entrance to the library. Which was odd for two different reasons. The first was that the doors to the library would usually be open right about now and would only be closed after hours. The second was that even if the door was closed, a crowd of students wanting to look at what was inside was not exactly ‘normal’ by any means. If anything, the size of the group looked like the crowd you would see at an AK Yearling book signing.

Though, before she had the chance to go investigate, somepony caught her attention, “Oh, there you are Twilight!”

The alicorn turned her gaze away from the small group outside the library as Starlight Glimmer emerged from a nearby hallway. “Hello Starlight,” Spike greeted her, before tilting his head over towards the library, “Would you happen to know what’s going on over here?”

Twilight was quick to notice though that one look over to the crowd had the unicorn tense up. Like she knew the reason why, but was not wanting to say, “U-uh, can I talk to you about something real quick?” Starlight asked, which felt like an attempt in order to distract her from something she was trying to hide.

“Starlight, what’s going on over there?” she repeated Spike’s words, putting emphasis on them to try and get an answer.

“Well, that’s the thing,” the counselor replied, “What I wanted to talk with you about is… related to that, actually.”

“Really now?” Twilight raised an eyebrow, curious but also uncertain.

“Yeah, it happened while you were at brunch with the girls this morning,” Starlight began to explain, “Sandbar and his friends found a pair of siblings that really needed help and came to me to talk about it, though… their situation isn’t quite exactly ‘normal’.”

“With the amount of stuff that goes on in Equestria, what even is normal?” Spike said jokingly.

“Well, you see, the siblings that they’re trying to help, Albedo and Klee, aren’t exactly from here,” the unicorn tried to explain to both the dragon and the princess, “Not only that, but they’re… human.”

That statement had Twilight’s heart skip a beat as her eyes widened in shock, “H-how? A-any creature that would try to come here through the portal would-”

“They’re not from the other side, Twilight. Believe me,” Starlight interjected before the alicorn could say anything else, “Not only did I ask them where they were from, which is definitely different than on the other side of the mirror, but I even double checked with Sunset as a precaution and she hasn’t heard of them before either.”

At that point, Twilight herself was still trying to comprehend what the unicorn was saying. Though, as she was processing everything, Spike decided to ask a question this time, “How different are we talking about exactly?”

“Vastly different,” the unicorn answered, before trying to come up with the best possible comparison in order to help the two of them make sense of what she was talking about “Think our world, but overseen by gods that have fought wars against other gods, magic is only limited to those who have gifts from said gods and to them, Celestia is the name of a floating island above the world with no possible way to reach it.”

Now both the alicorn and the dragon stared at her in disbelief. Both of them, as well as their friends, were no stranger to weird things given everything that had happened in Ponyville over the last few years. Yet, what Starlight was saying right now sounded downright crazy. Though, the look in her eyes told the two of them that the unicorn was serious.

After a couple moments of trying to process all of this, a simple question broke her concentration, “Um, Twilight? Are you okay? You kind of spaced out on me for a moment.”

The alicorn could only blink as she looked back at her former student, “S-sorry, I just… the more I try to make sense of everything you told me, the more that I think that this is some kind of huge elaborate prank or something that Discord would try to do for fun.”

“Actually, he’s not here,” Spike pointed out. Something that surprised both of the mares as the dragon folded his arms, “Fluttershy told me at brunch that Discord was visiting a friend of his that he happens to know. He wanted to ‘redeem some of his reformation mileage points’, if I remember correctly.”

To the princess, she was relieved that the draconequus was not somehow involved in this particular situation. Though, that also meant that there were a few missing pieces to the puzzle that was this conversation as Twilight looked back towards Starlight, “Starlight, if what you say is true, then I have a couple of questions. First off, how did… Uh…”

“Albedo and Klee?” Spike then recalled the names mentioned earlier.

“Right,” the alicorn remarked, “How did they get here?”

“From what they told me, it sounded like Albedo was trying to fix an unstable machine in his world that generated too much elemental energy, their equivalent to magic. When it malfunctioned and and the energy building up inside it exploded outward, Klee and him were caught in the blast and found themselves out in the forest area by Saddle Lake,” Starlight explained as she recalled the information that the alchemist told her during their conversation, “Right now, they have no idea how to find their way back to their world and that’s why they asked Sandbar and his friends for help. Which in turn led to them coming to find me.”

To Twilight, that at least made some amount of sense compared to everything else she heard. Though, there was still another thing she had to ask, “Okay, and where exactly are they right now?”

At that point, Starlight could only say one thing, “Remember when you asked me what was going on by the library?”

A few moments prior…

When it comes to that of alchemy and science, experiments are done through a methodical series of steps. One of the first steps to do before going through with any experiment is to ask a simple question. Once the question has been stated, the next step is to conduct background research. Through research and observation, one gets an idea as to what exactly they’re working with as well as the size and scope of the potential experiment that they’re planning to conduct.

Such was the case right now with Albedo as he was studying the text of a particular book inside the library of the School of Friendship. Though, when it came to the situation that both he and Klee were in, there were several questions that were in his mind that needed to be answered before any progress could be made. Luckily though, each question he had revolved around one particular subject. Something that equestrians seemed to be fluent in, but was a mystery to an outsider like Albedo.

The particular subject in question was that of magic. To that end, Ocellus assisted him by trying to find the best possible books to start reading through while the hippogriff named Silverstream was with Klee. As he read through the pages of each book, there were three particular questions that he was trying to find an answer for. First, how exactly does magic work in this world? Second, what were the practical applications it could be used for? And lastly, what were the similarities and differences between equestrian magic and the elemental power from Teyvat he was familiar with?

However, finding the answers he was looking for was not really that simple considering how broad the subject was. Many of the books either confused him with unnecessary terminology or talked about anything but what the alchemist was trying to find. It felt like if you had to listen to Cyrus from the Adventurers Guild share tales about his adventures. He’ll go on and on about his heroics, but anytime you try to ask him for specifics, he ends up dodging the question before proceeding to continue rambling.

Eventually though, sometime after Albedo started looking, the alchemist found something that he found as beneficial. It was a large tome that was written by someone named Starswirl the Bearded. A strange name, but Albedo could tell that they were an expert on the subject matter. Not only did the tome provide an answer to his first question, but also added more context that the other books lacked. From it, he learned that magic was something that is mostly learned at a young age and that, like elemental energy, takes time to master. Unlike elemental energy though, how one uses magic is similar to that of a muscle in the body. The more you practice with it, the stronger it becomes… but if you only focus on one specific area, then you only end up limiting yourself.

Another factor was that some species have special traits that were natural to them and allowed them to control specific forms of spells. Something that made him a bit curious, before he looked towards who else was in the room with him. “Ocellus? Do you have a moment?”

The changeling’s ears perked up almost immediately, before she looked towards the alchemist. “Um sure, is everything alright?”

“So far, everything’s going well,” Albedo nodded, before turning the book around and moving it closer to Ocellus as he pointed at the pages, “Though, if you don’t mind, there’s something I would like to ask you. That way I can understand this particular section I’m on more thoroughly.”

At first, she was a little confused. Though, when she looked at the page that Albedo was pointing too and the section he was reading, Ocellus was beginning to piece everything together. “You want to know more about what I can do with magic?”

“More like I want to hear your perspective,” the alchemist clarified, “While I do like the author’s writing style and their attention to detail, I thought that it would be simpler to understand it if I asked for your perspective. That way I can see how accurate this information is.”

“I guess that makes sense,” the changeling replied, “So, what would you like to ask me?”

“Well, as this describes, it says that different species have particular traits when it comes to magic. They list a few examples, but some of them are rather… lackluster. Not sure if it's because of a lack of information or if they wanted to keep things simple,” Albedo explained some more, before he turned the book back around to face towards him, “To start though, which species would you happen to be?”

Ocellus was taken aback at first. This was the first time that she heard a creature ask her what her species was. Most of the time, creatures would know automatically just based on her appearance alone. Then again, Albedo wasn’t from here, so he wouldn’t entirely know. “Well, to start, I am a changeling.”

The answer had Albedo briefly look at the text in the tome, before looking back towards her, “I see. Right here, it says that Changelings are able to wield magic as exceptionally as Unicorns and other species, but they are most known for their shapeshifting abilities and being able to turn into other creatures.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Ocellus said, before giving a small demonstration as she shifted into the form of a female dragon that was different from that of Smolder. After she moved her arms a bit, the changeling shifted back to her original form as she looked back to Albedo.

“I see,” he replied as he folded his arms, taking a moment to ponder what Ocellus showed him before he spoke again, “You can change your appearance into another species at will. Now, is that something more along the lines of an ability you acquired or is it more of a biological trait?”

“It’s the latter,” the changeling told him, “It does more than just change how we look, it also changes some functions too. For example,” As she spoke, Ocellus used her magic again to transform herself. This time to look like of a male earth pony, “Appearance is one thing, but I have to use more magic to focus on particular details such as changing my voice or my size if they happen to be bigger than me,” she then switched back to her regular form as Ocellus let out a small breath, “Plus, it’s easier for me to change into forms that are more natural.”

“Oh?” Albedo now asked, a little bit curious by how she phrased that, “Care to elaborate?”

At first, Ocellus thought about telling him directly. Though, she then got an idea, “How about I show you with an example,” With that, she began to shift forms again. This time, the changeling decided to transform into that of the school’s guidance counselor, Starlight Glimmer, as the unicorn’s voice was heard instead of hers, “Now, do you happen to notice anything different?”

At first, Albedo was a bit surprised. Not just by the transformation itself, but by Ocellus’ test. Her appearance to that of the counselor that he only just met moments ago. Any other creature that saw her would think that she was exactly like Starlight herself. Though, as he looked over her transformation, one particular detail stood out to him.

“The eyes.”

Ocellus was a bit thrown off guard by that at first. Originally, she thought that Albedo would need some more time to figure out and provide an answer for her. However, he was instead rather quick and provided one to her on the spot. “Huh?”

“That’s my answer,” the alchemist told her, before he began to explain his reasoning, “When we met Starlight, her eyes were a moderate blue that would be a similar shade of color that's native to the desert country of Sumeru where I’m from. However, your eyes are more greyish blue instead and lighter in color compared to hers.”

In an instant, Ocellus changed back, stunned that Albedo was able to guess that correctly. Especially since her disguise was nearly flawless. “H-how did you figure it out?”

At first, Albedo was silent. Though, this time around, he decided to answer the changeling's question with one of his own, “What do you think is the one thing that an artist and an alchemist happen to have in common?” he then asked, which only led to Ocellus shrugging her shoulders in confusion, “Attention to detail. Like when an object doesn’t match its surroundings or when a color is out of place. Such details allow me to make note of differences others tend to not pay attention too or ignore.”

Ocellus then let out a sigh as she looked at Albedo, “I see. Well, as you might’ve noticed, changeling transformations are not always one hundred percent accurate. The longer you try to use it for, the more magic is needed to maintain the proper appearance of the transformation. In a sense, it’s more or less like being a body double. You can have your form look exactly like some creature, but any creature with a keen eye for detail like yourself can determine which one is real and which one is the double.”

“So you prefer to transform into forms that are more natural… in the sense that you picture yourself as that species?”

“That’s right,” Ocellus explained, “Not only does it not use up as much magic, but it also allows me to use my imagination. Which is another part of it since I have to picture the form I want to change into in my mind first before I can transform.”

To Albedo, he saw this as rather helpful. Not just because of how Ocellus’ magic worked, but how she described using it. All of this was rather informative, especially when he was trying to learn how each of the sentient species of this world differentiated from one another.

“I see. Thank you, Ocellus,” he told her, “What you shared was rather informative. I appreciate the help.”

“Y-your welcome,” the changeling replied as Albedo went back to reading. Though, after a few moments, Ocellus decided to ask a different kind of question. From where she was sitting, it appeared as if the alchemist was struggling to find something. So, Ocellus decided to speak up and see if there was anything that she could do to help him, “So… how’s the reading going? Are you making any progress?”

At that, Albedo looked back up from the text and flipped some pages, “Sort of. What I have read so far has been helpful in answering some of the questions that I have, but not all of them. There’s something I’m still trying to find, but so far, I haven’t had any success.”

“Oh?” Ocellus asked, “What would that be?”

“Well, I was first trying to learn about how magic works and how it can be applied, which was why I was asking you about what you were capable of doing,” he explained, “Now comes the harder part though. Trying to see if there are any similarities and differences.”

“Why’s that?” the changeling raised an eyebrow, “How’s that going to help you find a way back?”

“Well, the hope is that there is something between the magic of this world and elemental power from Teyvat that functions the same, despite them being two separate things,” Albedo clarified so that it did not sound as confusing, “Depending on what it is and how similar they happen to be, it may help with trying to piece together the specifics on how Klee and I came here… and more importantly, how are we going to get back.”

When Ocellus originally heard that, she thought that such a thing seemed rather unlikely. Just from the brief examples of seeing Albedo demonstrate what he can do showed that what he was able to do and the power he wielded was not like magic at all. So trying to find something similar between them sounded unheard of. Especially if the alchemist was having difficulty with it.

Then, a thought came to mind. It sounded a bit crazy when she first thought about it. Though, when looking back at things that she and her friends had experience over the course of the last semester, there was a possibility that it might work. “Um, Albedo? Can I… make a suggestion?”

“Oh?” Albedo asked, “What is it?”

“Well… it seems like you’re focusing your efforts on how creatures use magic,” she pointed out to him, “I can tell you that magic doesn’t just come from people. It’s all around us. Remember what you told Starlight about the elements in Teyvat and about how they flow and converge? It’s like that, but with magic.”

At first, it didn’t seem to do the trick. Though, the more that he thought about it, the more that he began to see what she meant. “Flow… and converge.” Immediately, Albedo flipped all the pages back to the front, before quickly scanning the table of contents. When he found what he was looking for, he quickly began to turn the pages until he found the exact one that was looking for.

Yet, before he could share what he found, a violet flash went off next to the two of them as another figure stood next to them. It was an equine similar to that of Starlight, but this one had a coat of fur that was light lavender with a pair of violet eyes and a mane that was purple with a streak of raspberry. She had a horn like Starlight, but also had a pair of wings that were folded at the sides with a mark that resembled a six pointed star. Alongside her was a dragon like Smolder, but had light purple and green scales and was notably smaller.

“So, you’re the one that got the whole school’s attention.”

Both of them were unsure what this figure meant at first, until they saw the faces of what appeared to be several other students in the small window that was on the door. Shortly afterwards, Starlight Glimmer hastily came in through the door before closing it behind her. “I’m so sorry,” she spoke to the alchemist apologetically, “I tried to tell her that you were busy, but-!”

“Not to worry,” Albedo spoke calmly as he looked towards the changeling that was across from him, “With Ocellus’ help, we might’ve found something.”

When Starlight looked at the book on the table, the words ‘Ley Lines’ could be found at the top of the page.

Author's Note

Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.
-Zora Neale Hurston

So, this was a bit of an interesting one to write. Not just because of creating a part of the school of friendship that I personally thought the school had, but wasn't shown in the show... but because I get to write Albedo in his element. That and... well, I kind of pictured Ocellus as his 'temporary assistant' since Sucrose is not with him, but also help him understand the world around him.

And probably to that extension, helping Twilight understand Albedo. We'll just have to see.

Hope you guys had a happy valentines day. Today was my birthday, but I thought that I would give you guys a gift with this chapter instead. Until next time.
-Frost

07- Durchbruch

When Starlight Glimmer had first told her about Albedo and Klee, Twilight was unsure what exactly to expect. The thought about two humans who weren't from where Sunset sounded almost impossible. Even more so when the unicorn told her and Spike about the world that they were supposedly from. Though, as the two of them arrived in the library and encountered them for the first time, the alicorn noticed that something about them seemed different compared to Sunset and her friends on the other side of the mirror. Not just in their appearance, but also when it came to their behavior.

Take for example, when she first teleported into the library. While most humans would be startled by having someone just flash in out of nowhere, Albedo didn’t seem phased by it at all. Not to mention that when Starlight came in and was apologizing, he was rather polite and wasn’t disturbed by them interrupting what he was doing. He even seemed thoroughly invested in the book that he was reading if he was able to get through two-thirds of the largest magical compendium to this date.

As for Klee, Twilight’s first encounter with her came shortly after she had arrived. Yet, unfortunately to Twilight at the time, the young girl was in the headmare’s blindspot when she felt a small hand brush up against her left flank. “Your fur looks so soft and super cuddly! Can Klee pet it? Please?”

That single question led to several different responses from just about every creature in the room. Twilight herself was baffled by the sudden question and by Klee herself. Even though Starlight did mention to her that she was Albedo’s younger sister, she wasn’t aware of how old she was until seeing her in that moment. Spike and Silverstream, the latter of whom was with the young spark knight when Twilight entered the room, couldn’t control the urge to laugh at the headmare’s predicament. As for Ocellus and Starlight, both of them were unsure how to respond to what was going on in that moment since everything happened so quickly.

Though, when it came to Albedo, he was surprisingly calm as he looked at his sister, “Klee, I believe this lady is here to help us with our experiment in progress. Though, we won’t be too long, okay?”

Shortly after hearing that, Klee moved her hand away from the alicorn, before pointing towards where her assistant was, “Can I play with the cute lizard while I wait?”

“Wait, what?”

“I’m sure he would love to play with you,” the alchemist smiled back, “Just make sure to use your indoor voice, alright?”

“Yay!” the little spark knight cheered in glee, before grabbing hold of Spike like he was a stuffed animal and carrying him with her as she and Silverstream left the alchemist with Twilight, Starlight and Ocellus. Who were rather caught off by both how Albedo was acting and how he was able to get Klee to simply leave the alicorn alone.

“H-how did you do that?” Ocellus then asked.

“Well, back home, Klee and I came up with a couple of what you might call ‘secret codes’,” Albedo explained, “To her, ‘experiment in progress’ means come back later while ‘use your indoor voice’ means don’t play with anything that can cause too much noise. It was something we came up with so that way she didn’t accidentally disturb me if I was in the middle of research. I just thought that now would be the right time to say it.”

Then the alchemist turned to look towards Twilight, “Though, I don’t believe I’ve introduced myself yet. My name is Albedo, and you already met my sister Klee. She gets rather excited when it comes to meeting new people, so I’m sorry if she made you feel uncomfortable in any way.”

“Oh, t-there’s no need to apologize,” the nervous alicorn replied, before taking a quick second to recompose himself before she focused her attention back to him, “I have a niece that also tends to get rather excited when I look after her… Though, where are my manners? I am Twilight Sparkle, princess of friendship and headmare of the school.”

Even though the alchemist was already aware of some of the details because of their meeting with Starlight earlier today, his response was more towards a specific detail of the alicorn’s reply just now, “Oh, so we are addressing each other by titles now?” Albedo stated, before responding back in kind, “Then I am Albedo. Chief Alchemist of the city of Mondstadt and captain of the investigation team for the Knights of Favonius.”

That surprised not only Twilight, but also Starlight and Ocellus. While he did mention that Mondstadt was the name of the city he called home and that he was an alchemist, they did not know that he was also a knight. These ‘Knights of Favonius’ sounded much like the royal guard back in Canterlot. Was it possible that they also functioned the same way?

Though, before any of the three equestrians could ask any follow up questions, Albedo redirected the subject of discussion back to the news that he had shared before Klee had decided to say hello, “Though, back to what I was saying earlier, Ocellus and I might have found something while going through the text in this tome.”

That had both Starlight and Twilight look at each other first, before turning their attention towards the open tome and the particular section that it was open to. “Ley Lines,” the unicorn read the topic aloud before looking to Albedo, “If I may ask, why this particular section exactly?”

“While the entire book is a rather well written work with a lot of essential information, the reason why I mention this particular section is because the concept described here is almost identical to something we have in Teyvat,” Albedo explained, before pulling out what appeared to be a clipboard from inside the left side of his coat as well as a journal. After tearing out a blank sheet of paper from the journal, the alchemist placed it on the clipboard as he took out what looked like a piece of black colored chalk from the pocket on the right.

“You may recall that I had mentioned how in Teyvat, the elements flow and converge everywhere you look. Such is the case with many areas in the world,” as he spoke, Albedo began to draw a few lines in different directions, “Though, no matter what direction they flow, there are places where all that energy converges at particular points. Whether it be old ruins, someplace out in the wild or in the domains of gods and monsters. We call these ley lines.”

To symbolize this, Albedo drew a circle in the middle of one particular line and the next few lines that he drew on the page would connect with the circle. Though, as he was doing so, Twilight had a question, “Um… If I may ask, how does that relate to this?”

When the alchemist finished his drawing, he then turned towards the princess, “I’m going to assume that you are already familiar with the accident that brought Klee and I here?” Twilight’s only answer was a nod of the head, which prompted Albedo to continue speaking, “Well, the construct that malfunctioned was built on top of a ley line and getting its elemental power directly from it. However, it had too much power stored in one place and before I could fix it… well, you probably have an idea of what happened next.”

“You mean when it malfunctioned?” Ocellus then asked.

“Precisely,” Albedo replied, “Though, to answer Twilight’s question. The reason why this relates is not only because your definition of the phrase is parallel to ours, but also because it mentions examples of places that were built on top of a ley line,” the alchemist then turned the book around to face him as he began to read an excerpt from the pages, “One of the most notable examples of a city utilizing a Ley Line is the capital city of Canterlot. Despite being the subject of invasions, villain attacks and ground zero for the Storm King’s attack during the friendship festival, the magic from the Ley Line was used to repair all the potential damages to the city within moments, whether it be a broken window or a collapsed building.”

After he was done speaking, the alchemist placed the book back on the table and allowed for the others to read the passage for themselves. While Twilight and Starlight were reading it for themselves, Ocellus had a question for Albedo, “I… think I’m beginning to understand this. You’re saying that this could be used to try and figure out your way back?”

“Almost,” he replied, “If anything, it’s more of a starting point.”

The changeling was surprised to hear that in all honesty. In her mind, Ocellus thought that what Albedo found was something vitally important. Though, the alchemist didn’t think that was the case. “W-what do you mean? Isn’t this what you were looking for?”

“While I was looking for a common similarity between your home and Teyvat and this does fit that description, only a fool would think that just simply recreating what happened will solve our problem,” the alchemist explained, “First, you would have to find a way to build a construct to harness the power of the ley line, which would take time and resources. Second, even if we were able to do that successfully, there’s no guarantee that it would bring us back to Teyvat. If anything, it might take us somewhere completely different. And finally, we would have to find a different ley line in order to do this.”

“A different ley line?” Starlight asked, “Why not just use the one in Canterlot?”

“The answer is simple,” Albedo replied, “Since we would be working with possibly unstable and volatile magic, if something were to go wrong, who do you think would be greatly affected by it?”

Twilight immediately realized exactly what he was referring to, “The citizens.”

The alchemist nodded his head in acknowledgement as he looked back at all three of them. “That’s right. Even though the city could mend the damages of buildings, I highly doubt it could mend the injuries of people. So, ideally, we would need to use a ley line in a place that does not have any civilians around. While my sister and I do want to find a way back home, I don’t believe either of us would want to have anyone get hurt in the process.”

It took a little bit, but what Albedo said was starting to make sense. However, as the conversation went on, Ocellus had a particular question pop up in her head, “Okay, but how exactly are we going to find another ley line? Where would we even look?”

“Well, there’s only one real difference that I can tell between our Ley Lines and yours,” Albedo explained, as he flipped the page over and began to do a simple sketch of a Ley Line from Teyvat, “That difference being that our ley lines converge and take the form of concentrated elemental energy, which we call blossoms since activating one has a plant like blossom emerge from the ground. While in the book, it says that when magic converges on a place that will end up being a ley line, it takes on a more crystalline form.”

Immediately, every thought that was going through Ocellus’ mind just stopped in its tracks. The mention of what Albedo called ‘blossoms’ and how equestrian ley lines have a more crystalline form only made her think of one possible thing. Something that she and her friends happened to have met a few weeks ago and aided them when Cozy Glow had almost accomplished her goals. However, she wasn’t sure if anypony outside of her friends knew about what lies beneath the school.

Fortunately, Starlight and Twilight were able to speak up and steer the conversation before the changeling could say anything, “Well, does a Ley Line have to be the sole focus right now? Is there something else that could be accomplished first?”

The alchemist let out a small sigh, “There could be other things that we can take into consideration. However, our efforts to make any significant progress would be lackluster without a source for our construct to draw from. It’s like trying to cook a dish without a vital ingredient. While some would try to find a replacement for it, I see that ingredient as necessary. Any potential substitutes would be somewhat of a downgrade and not meet the expectations of what we are trying to achieve.”

The room went silent as both Starlight and Twilight were trying to think of what could be used as a possible solution to the dilemma they were facing. Though, any time they thought of a possible solution, a complication came up moments later. Back and forth this went on, distracting the two of them to the point that they didn’t even realize that Klee, Spike and Silverstream had come back into the room. That was, until the hippogriff made their presence known.

“Hey! How’s everything going?”

The sudden question snapped both the unicorn and alicorn out of their train of thought, “W-what? Silverstream? Why are you here?”

“It got really quiet all of a sudden, so we thought that you guys were done talking and forgot to tell us,” Silverstream cheerfully answered the question, before noticing the looks of disappointment on their face, “Is everything alright? What’s got you all down in the dumps?”

“Well, to put it lightly, we’ve come across a problem,” the alchemist explained, before taking a moment to bring them up to speed. Unlike earlier, Albedo tried to keep his explanation simple and easy to understand. As for Ocellus, she was really hoping that when the alchemist was done explaining that her friend didn’t immediately say the first thing that came to her mind.

Unfortunately, her friend proceeded to do so anyways, “Ooh, I know!! Maybe the tree of harmony can help us!”

Author's Note

Just when you think everything is going well, things somehow find a way to get more complicated.

As with the last couple of chapters, and also this one, I sprinkled some small references here and there. If you want to take a crack at trying to find them, be my guest.

Until next time,
Frost

08- Gehen

Author's Note

Now we're getting somewhere... and Klee gets to have fun along the way

08- Gehen

While Silverstream might’ve been just trying to help Albedo and Klee with their situation, her suggestion on what they should just caused things to end up being more confusing. Not just confusing the two siblings, who had no idea what the Tree of Harmony was, but also Twilight and Starlight based on how the hippogriff phrased her answer. For all they knew, the tree was a magical tree that held the Elements of Harmony. However, when Silverstream said that they should ‘go ask the Tree of Harmony’, she implied that it was somehow sentient. That it was somehow able to communicate and talk to them.

Though, the first one to speak after the hippogriff’s outburst was not Twilight or Starlight, but instead Albedo. “The Tree of Harmony?” he asked, before looking to where Ocellus was, “What’s that?”

“It’s… an ancient tree that’s in the cave of harmony, not far from the Everfree Forest,” the changeling did her best to answer the alchemist’s question by recalling the lesson they had on the tree in class. Though, she was a bit worried that both the headmare and the counselor would get suspicious if she said anything regarding the encounter they had sometime ago.

“Oooh, a tree? Does this tree have apples?” Klee now asked.

“W-what? No,” Ocellus shook her head, “The tree doesn’t have apples. From what headmare Twilight taught us, the tree is where the Elements of Harmony originated from-”

“Forgive my interruption, but that is the second time that we’ve heard that mentioned,” the alchemist now spoke up, “Since these ‘elements’ sound rather important, could someone explain to us what they are so that way we are at least familiar with it?”

That question was enough to have Twilight take the initiative this time, “Well, the elements of harmony are a series of magical artifacts that were bestowed upon myself as well as my friends. There’s six in total and each one represents a value of friendship and harmony; Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty, Loyalty and lastly Magic. They’ve helped us stop previous threats from trying to take over Equestria and they were originally found by both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna on the tree.”

This intrigued the alchemist a bit. When looking through the tome on magic he was reading earlier, he did notice a particular section regarding elemental artifacts. However, given Twilight’s sudden arrival, he did not have the chance to review that section in more detail, “So, in essence, these elements are the ‘fruits’ from that tree?”

“That’s… one way to explain it, I guess-”

When Klee heard the mention of fruit, her eyes lit up as she was quick to interject, “Ooh, Klee loves fruit!! Just as much as fish! Do these fruit from the tree taste good?”

That, in turn, had Twilight stutter for a moment as she looked back at the little girl, “W-what? No! J-just because the Elements came from a tree doesn’t mean that you can eat them. They are not actually fruit.”

Unfortunately, the headmare’s explanation did little to help in that moment. If anything, it just made Klee even more confused than before. “So there’s fruit from the tree, but you can’t eat it at all? This is making Klee’s head hurt.”

“Klee, I think it’s more of a figure of speech,” Albedo told her, before an idea came to mind about a better way to possibly explain it to her, “Do you remember when you told me about that friend of yours from Wolvendom? The one who was raised by wolves?”

“Oh yeah! Razor’s one of my best buddies,” the little girl beamed before pointing at Twilight unexpectedly, “His hair is as soft as their fur!”

“Well, he isn’t a wolf himself, but he was raised by them,” the alchemist told his sister, “Similarly, the elements that Twilight was talking about aren’t fruit, but they came from the tree they’re talking about. They aren’t exactly what you expect, but they still came from there nonetheless.”

It took a little bit in order for Klee to somewhat understand what Albedo was saying, but the comparison that her brother made was making it a bit easier for her to understand. Something that Twilight herself was rather thankful for since it meant that she had one less explanation to give. Though, out of everything that had been said, there were still a few questions that haven’t exactly been answered yet as she looked back at Albedo. “So, where were we?”

“Well, you were mentioning more about the ‘Elements of Harmony’ to try and help clarify some things that I did not really understand,” Albedo replied, “Though, what does this have to do with our problem as well as what Silverstream said?”

“To be honest, that’s something that I want to know,” the alicorn admitted, before she and Starlight looked towards Ocellus and Silverstream, “Perhaps you can help clarify a bit on what you were talking about, Silverstream?”

While the question from Twilight was rather simple, both the changeling and the hippogriff were in an unsure state right now. While Silverstream wanted to tell them everything about what she and her friends had encountered sometime ago, Ocellus wasn’t quite sure if that was something that they should be sharing. Especially if some creature just happened to be listening in on their conversation. Though, lying to the headmare was also something that they didn’t want to do either.

“W-well, there’s… a bit of a story to that,” the changeling admitted, “Remember when you gave our class that lesson on the Tree of Harmony a month ago? The one that you said we were going to have a test on?”

“I remember,” the alicorn answered, before she tried to ask a follow up question, “Though, how exactly does that relate to-?”

“Well, this happened during one of our study sessions with the rest of our friends,” Ocellus replied, “While we were studying, we heard something in the back of the room and went to go check it out. When we went to investigate, we found a crystalline root that led into the caves under the school.”

“We have a cave system under the school?” Starlight now asked, hearing about this for the first time as she looked towards Twilight, who was equally surprised by the revelation.

“Trust us, every creature was just as surprised when we found out,” Ocellus answered back, “When we went down, we saw what appeared to be Headmare Twilight. However, when we saw her, she didn’t exactly recognize us and saw us as ‘not one’ with friendship. So, she split us all up and gave each one of us a test for us to complete. When we got back together and found what we thought was Headmare Twilight, we learned that the pony we were talking to was actually the Tree of Harmony itself, whose roots had extended to under the school. They had just used their power to conjure a physical form to resemble some creature we all recognized and her tests helped each one of us overcome doubts that we had inside of us. Though, before we could ask her any other questions, she brought us all back to the library. Almost like nothing ever happened.”

To Twilight, that was a lot of information to take in. Especially since what Ocellus just shared about the Tree of Harmony was new information to her. Not just because of how far the roots of the tree actually stretched out, but because of the extent of the tree’s power. Especially since it had been some time since she had last visited the tree herself.

To Albedo though, he thought of what Ocellus said a bit differently. The way that Ocellus and the others had described both the tree and the elements, plus the information that he had already read about, led him to come to one possible conclusion. That perhaps the extension of the tree’s roots led to the creation of some of Equestria’s ley lines. While there wasn’t a lot of evidence on that part, he was confident in the possibility.

There was only one way to know for sure though. “Ocellus, you said that where this tree was is close to a forest, correct?”

“Yeah, the Everfree Forest. Why do you-,” before Ocellus could finish her question, her eyes widened. Realizing what Albedo was possibly thinking as she shuddered in place, “O-oh no… You’re not thinking-”

“Given how we do not have any other options to go off of, I say that your friend was right in suggesting that we go pay this tree a visit,” the alchemist replied.

“The Everfree is a dangerous place though,” Starlight spoke up, a bit surprised by Albedo’s response and unsure if he should follow through on it, “It’s full of monsters like Timberwolves and Cragadiles! Surely, you don’t mean to go on your own now, do you?”

“Why of course not,” Albedo reasoned, “Ideally, it would be best that two of you accompany Klee and I. Preferably someone who knows where the tree is located and one of you who has met the tree’s physical form. As for the monsters, I’m sure that they are no different from the ones that Klee and I have handled before.”

The last part of that sentence had all the equestrians stare at him with looks of shock. To them, they thought that what Albedo was suggesting was crazy. Yet, to his little sister, Klee had a much different response, “We’re going on an adventure, big brother? Can I bring Jumpy Dumpty with me? Please!!”

It did not help that when Klee was looking towards Albedo, Twilight and every creature could see that she had eyes of desperation. Like if a puppy was begging to have dog treats. At first, the headmare wasn’t sure if this was the best idea. Though, considering everything that they have discussed and the very limited amount of options that they actually had, it seemed as if there was no other choice.

“If this is the only way, then I guess we have no other choice.”

“Yay!!” Klee proclaimed, “We’re going to have SO much fun!!”

When Twilight and Ocellus originally arrived at the Everfree Forest with Klee and Albedo, the two of them weren’t sure what to expect. For some reason, the monsters in the Everfree had been rather active after what happened at the School of Friendship a week ago and seeing them venture too close to town had been a common occurrence over the last few days. Not only that, but Twilight was unsure what exactly the two siblings were capable of. She had been told that they possessed abilities unlike that of magic, but had yet to see them for herself.

Yet, just as they were starting to traverse their way through the forest, the group stumbled upon an all too familiar creature. Timberwolves, beasts of living wood that hunted in packs and were rather active during Zap Apple season. One such pack blocked the road forward as three of them, including an alpha, stood in their way.

At least… temporarily.

“Jumpy Dumpty, GO!!”

When Twilight originally saw Klee toss out the Jumpy Dumpty, she thought that it looked like a rabbit that was inside a red linen sack. However, as it hit the timberwolves, it exploded on contact, before scattering a series of smaller rabbit-like balls with a red clover stem. They exploded shortly afterwards as the wood on the timberwolves began to catch fire, forcing the beasts to frantically panic and scatter into the wilderness. Just before they happen to explode as well.

“Yay!! No scary beasts will make Klee run away!!”

In the aftermath of the small encounter, Ocellus and Twilight just stared at Klee in shock. She looked so young and innocent, yet had so much power to make an entire pack of timberwolves run away in fear. Not only that, but she saw all of this as if it was a fun game that she loved to play. Just… how was this somehow okay?

Unfortunately, they did not really have the time to answer that as they heard Albedo speak up. “Let’s keep going. I’d doubt that those monsters were the only ones in here.”

09- Magie

When it comes to the Everfree Forest, it was deemed as a place that no creature would dare to venture into under any circumstances. It was a woodland jungle where danger lurked everywhere you would look. If the dangerous fauna didn’t get you, then the numerous beasts that roamed the forest will. Many creatures who lived in the town of Ponyville thought of the forest as a danger because of what would emerge from the Everfree. Which, in the past, had led to more than a few misunderstandings with those who actually take up residence along the forest's borders.

Though, when Twilight and Ocellus were venturing with Albedo and Klee through the Everfree Forest, what the two equestrians thought would happen turned out to be the exact opposite. At first, the Timberwolves they encountered thought of the two siblings as easy prey. Though, they quickly realized that was not the case. When they tried to go for Klee, she greeted them with her bombs and when they tried to go for Albedo, the alchemist had his Cinnabar Spindle at the ready as well as his alchemy to act in self defense against those that wished to do him harm.

After some time and several failed attempts to try and attack them, the Timberwolves that prowled the forest began to keep their distance from Albedo and Klee. Now, even though Albedo saw this as a relief, Klee didn’t really think the same way. To her, she saw throwing her bombs at the monsters as nothing more than playtime. If there were no monsters for her to play with, then playtime was over. Which was a disappointment to her since playing with the monsters in the Everfree ended up being much shorter than the usual time she spent playing outside the city of Mondstadt.

The alchemist’s attention was less focused on Klee’s disappointment, but more on both of the equestrians that were with them at the time, “Are you two alright?”

Both the changeling and alicorn nodded their heads, before Twilight took a chance to speak, “Y-yeah, but… why did Klee just-?”

“Immediately start throwing bombs with no restraint?” Albedo interjected, “Well, Alice did teach her from an early age to protect herself if she found herself in danger. Though, over time, she began to see this more like playtime with her mother than anything else. It’s probably why she keeps on doing it-”

“Alice? Who’s that?” Ocellus then asked.

That had Albedo pause for a moment, before letting out a small breath as Klee came back to him, “She’s… a dear friend. An adventurer and author that knew my teacher and helped me get started with being an Alchemist in Mondstadt. However, three years ago, she left Klee in the care of the Knights of Favonius and proceeded to go on another adventure… and hasn’t returned since.”

That response caught Twilight off guard. When he first mentioned Alice, the alicorn thought that she sounded like their version of AK Yearling. However, when she learned that Alice had not come back, Twilight couldn’t help but feel sorry for Klee. To not know whether or not her mother was okay for so long must have been devastating to a child as young as she was. Yet, Klee always happened to have a smile on her face anytime she looked at them.

Of course, Klee was also quick to notice Twilight’s reaction to what Albedo told her and she decided to try and put the alicorn’s mind at ease. “Don’t worry about me. As long as Klee keeps on blasting and does what she told me, mommy will always be proud of me no matter where she is! Klee’s a big girl!!”

Albedo smiled at that, before patting Klee’s head as he looked back to Twilight and Ocellus. “Perhaps we should continue our conversation while we walk? It would be better than just standing around and being noticeable to every creature that comes by.”

The alchemist made a rather valid point, all things considered. After all, they still had a bit of a ways to go before they actually reached the cave of harmony. Not only that, but Timberwolves weren’t the only creatures that roamed the woodlands this time of day. Mainly because Twilight didn’t want to have an incident on her hooves if they happened to encounter one of Fluttershy’s animals and Klee mistook them for a monster.

Unfortunately though, it took some time for them to make their way through the Everfree after they first entered the forest. Not because of the monsters, but because of obstacles in the forest. Some trees that had been sturdy for some time had fallen over and blocked the path forward. Though, before Twilight could even cast a spell, Albedo raised a hand, “Allow me. I’ll take care of this.”

The alicorn was unsure by what he meant, but as the alchemist touched the fallen tree trunk, a golden aura began to radiate from his hands and spread. As the tree glowed, it began to morph and change. In front of their eyes, the giant fallen tree began to shrink and straighten itself out, shedding away any bark that was on there before. By the time that Albedo was done, the obstacle that once blocked their path was nothing more than a walking stick. “There we go. Problem solved.”

“H-how… did you do that?”

The alchemist paused, before turning towards the shocked alicorn with a raised eyebrow. “Do what, exactly?”

“W-what you just did!”

“Oh this?” Albedo asked, motioning to the stick that was in his hand, “It was just a simple alchemical transmutation.”

“S-simple!?” the alicorn retorted, “You just touched the tree and changed it into a walking stick! How is that alchemy?!”

Now Albedo was beginning to see what the issue was. Much like Ocellus and her friends earlier in the day, Twilight must’ve thought that alchemy only involved crafting potions. “Where I’m from, the alchemy that you are familiar with is only one piece of something far greater. Though, this is not the ideal place to have such a conversation. After all, we have some more pressing matters to attend too.”

As he handed the stick to Twilight, the group continued to venture forth without too much difficulty. Though, the alicorn was still trying to make sense of everything that she had seen. Nothing that she knew about alchemy could explain what it was that Albedo just did. Maybe it was something along the lines of ‘gifts from the gods’ that Starlight had mentioned before. That would also explain how Klee was able to do what she did earlier when the Timberwolves tried to attack them.

Eventually, their trek through the forest came to an end as the group arrived at the entrance to the cave. From the outside, there didn’t really look to be anything that would really give the indication that something important was inside. Though, as they went inside, any doubts that Albedo and Klee originally had were dispelled at the sight of the glowing crystalline tree in the back of the cave.

“Huh. Fascinating,” the alchemist replied, “This was a lot different than what I was expecting.”

“W-were you expecting something different, Albedo?” Ocellus then asked.

“Well, hearing you telling Klee and I about the tree is one thing,” he commented, before slowly approaching the tree, “Though, actually seeing it in person is something else entirely… there’s one thing I am curious about though.”

“What’s that?” Twilight now asked.

“The markings on the tree,” Albedo said, pointing to the six pointed star in the center of the tree as well as the sun and the moon on the trunk, “If they were anything else, I would assume that they were carvings. Though, the star on the tree resembles the mark that you happen to have. Is that just a mere coincidence or is there more to it?”

“Well, from what we know, the star in the middle as well as the five gems around it represent the Elements of Harmony, since they resemble the same colored as the elements themselves,” the alicorn began to explain, “From left to right; it’s Honesty, Laughter, Loyalty, Generosity and Kindness with the star in the middle being magic. The sun and moon represent Princess Celestia and Princess Luna since they were the ones who originally discovered the tree and were the first ones to use the Elements of Harmony.”

“Luna?” Albedo asked, “Forgive me, but I was under the impression that there were only two princesses. That being Celestia and yourself.”

“To be fair, they’re not the only ones,” Ocellus spoke up, before noticing a particular glow from the tree as her ears perked up and she pointed towards the tree, “Though, we should probably save that conversation for later.”

As Albedo and Klee looked back towards the Tree of Harmony, they watched as a glowing ball of lavender light took form at the center of the tree, before floating over to where they were standing. As it moved closer, the ball began to grow and change in size and by the time that it reached them, it had taken on more of a physical form. By the time it had reached them, the magic from the tree had taken on the appearance of Twilight Sparkle as it looked at everyone.

“Well hello there,” it spoke, before turning its head to see all four of them, “A familiar face from the school, the princess of friendship herself and… some new faces. And to think I wasn’t expecting any visitors today.”

“Y-you’re… the tree of harmony?” Twilight stuttered, looking towards the projection of herself in shock and awe, “W-wow. I… don’t know what to say. It’s an honor to meet you… uh-”

“Harmonia,” it replied before the alicorn could finish her sentence, “It may be a simple name, but it works,” the projection then took a quick glance at the alicorn and the changeling, before noticing both Albedo and Klee, “Though, I don’t believe I’ve seen the likes of you two before. Would you kindly introduce yourselves?”

“Certainly,” Albedo spoke up, “My name is Albedo and this is my little sister Klee. As you probably might’ve noticed, we’re not from around here. One of Ocellus’ friends said that you could possibly help us.”

From there, the alchemist took his time to bring Harmonia up to speed on the current situation as well as why they seeked her help. He did his best to keep the explanation simple, but took it upon himself to make sure that he did not leave out any important details. After all, if Harmonia was going to help them, it would be best for them to know as much information about their situation as possible. At least, that was what Albedo had hoped.

“I see,” Harmonia replied, “So you came here to see if I can assist you with finding your way back to the world that you call home. Is that right?”

“Indeed,” Albedo responded, “I was hoping that you could help us find a ley line we can use that can allow for us to conduct our tests far away from where any civilians might be. While I do wish to find a way for Klee and I to return home, I don’t want to have anyone get hurt in the process. So, with that in mind, can you help us?”

“I could,” the projection replied, before the smile that was there before faded, “However, there is one complication.”

That surprised Albedo. He was sure to have explained everything to her perfectly and did not forget about anything. “Oh? What seems to be the problem?”

“Simply put, I don’t know if I can trust you,” they explained, “While I happen to know about Twilight Sparkle and Ocellus, I don’t know anything about you. Even though I am inclined to lend aid to those who need help, such as the case with Celestia and Luna all those years ago, it is not without probable cause. When I act, it is to either maintain peace and harmony or to defend myself from threats that want to misuse my power.”

What the manifestation said didn’t entirely sound hopeful. Though, Albedo wasn’t wanting to give up hope just yet. “I can assure you, my intent is not to misuse your power-”

“I understand. Yet, it’ll take more than just mere words to convince me. After all, one creature shows their true colors through their actions,” Harmonia told the alchemist, “Therefore, if you want for me to aid your cause, you must prove yourself through a test. If you happen to succeed and pass my test, I will help you. However, if you fail, I cannot in good conscience assist you in your endeavours. What do you say?”

That was something that surprised both Twilight and Klee when they heard Harmonia say that. Yet, to Ocellus, this just reminded her of when she and her friends first met the manifestation in the caverns under the school of friendship. When they told Harmonia that they didn’t think that friendship was in their nature, she gave them a test to overcome. At first, they thought it was impossible. Yet, they were able to overcome it by working together and helping each other.

However, there was no telling if Albedo was going to be given a similar test. That and, based on how Harmonia phrased their words, this was a test that the alchemist had to do alone with no help from any of them. It was a test to prove to the manifestation that if they were to help him, he would not misuse whatever aid they would provide. One that had no room for failure.

In response, Albedo only had one answer. “Very well. I will take part in this test of yours.”

“Good,” the manifestation smiled, before spreading its wings as its form began to shine brightly throughout the entire room, “Then let us begin.”

Author's Note

Finding what you're looking for is only the first step. Yet, trust does not come easy. To prove yourself, one must demonstrate their beliefs and dedication through their actions.

10- Versprechen

When they originally arrived at the Tree of Harmony, Ocellus thought that the talk they were going to have was going to be very simple. They go in, make their case to the Tree of Harmony and if all goes well, the Tree will lend their assistance to help Albedo and Klee with their efforts in trying to find a way back home. However, despite this, the changeling did not expect for Harmonia to have concerns after meeting Albedo in person. Concerns that would warrant for the manifestation to test the alchemist in a manner similar to that of when they tested her and her friends some time ago

“Good, then let us begin.”

Before Ocellus and the others could say anything, both Albedo and Harmonia disappeared in a flash of light. Leaving the changeling with now just the Headmare, but also Klee. The latter of which wasn’t entirely prepared for her brother disappearing right in front of her eyes. “Brother? Where did you go?” she asked, curiously looking around the room before an idea emerged in her mind, “Oh, are we playing Hide and Seek? Did you want for me to come find you, brother?”

The alicorn and the changeling were quick to look back towards one another, before diverting their attention back to Klee. After the two of them witnessed what Klee was capable of earlier on the way here, the last thing that either of them wanted was for the little girl to end up having the Tree of Harmony explode in search of her brother. Which meant that it fell on them to keep the little bombardier occupied while Albedo was doing Harmonia’s test. A task that wasn’t entirely something that they wanted to do, but they didn’t really have a choice on the matter.

“H-hey Klee,” Twilight spoke up to catch the little girl’s attention, “H-how about you come wait with Ocellus and I?”

“But brother is still hiding! Klee hasn’t found him yet,” Klee said, before running straight for the roots of the Tree of Harmony, “Brother! Where are you-?”

“Klee, he’s not hiding,” Ocellus took a turn to speak as the changeling recalled something that she remembered the alchemist sharing earlier while at the school library, “He’s… working on an experiment in progress right now. He’ll be back soon”

Klee’s tone soon changed as the little girl looked back towards the two of them with a tilted head, “Oh? Then why didn’t you say so? Klee can be a good girl and wait for him!”

As Klee skipped back over to Twilight and Ocellus, the two of them let out a simultaneous sigh of relief. Thanks to the changeling’s quick thinking, they were able to prevent Klee from potentially causing a disaster inside the cave that housed the Tree of Harmony. Though, there was no telling how much time this actually bought them until Klee would start asking questions again and wonder about her brother's whereabouts.

All they could really do now is just sit around and wait for their return.

When Albedo had opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in what could only be described as a never ending field of stars. A canvas of the starry void that some would use to describe the universe. While the sight of it all was breathtaking to see, Albedo thought that was another reason as to why he was seeing this. That it, in some way, was part of Harmonia’s test for him.

His assumptions were proven correct when he began to hear Harmonia’s voice echo all around him, “Beautiful, isn’t it? The night sky and the stars that shine brightly in the light of the moon. However, what many don’t see is that there is a deeper meaning to the stars in the night sky than just something nice to see as shooting stars pass by. So, what do you see?”

That was a rather specific question, and one that would be more fit for someone who studied the stars. Albedo had heard of an astrologist in Mondstadt that did so and they had met Klee before, but the alchemist never met them himself. “That is open to interpretation,” he answered, “There are some in my world that study the stars in the sky and read the constellations they form. Every person has their own constellation and can be seen differently by different people, whether it be something that brings them good fortune or speaks of misfortunes that they have to endure.”

“Then what is your interpretation?” Harmonia then asked, emerging into the room now. While the room around them looked like an endless nebula of space, that was because of the magic that Harmonia had placed around the room they were in. The manifestation masked the domain with a spell that had it reflect what the person in control of it was thinking and have it morph to their thoughts. “You speak of what others say, but not yourself. This test is about you, not them.”

It took the alchemist a little bit to think of the proper words to say. If this test was to understand him, then Albedo needed to take a different approach to how he answered Harmonia’s questions. “The night sky and the stars are part of the universe, and the universe is the sable essence of the starry void. One piece in a larger puzzle that is the truth of the world I’m from.”

“The truth of the world, you say?” the manifestation now asked, curious by the way that the alchemist phrased his words. To Harmonia, the fact that Albedo placed emphasis on that statement made them think that it was somehow important to him. It intrigued Harmonia, yet left them wanting to know more.

As for Albedo, he just simply nodded, “Yes. Though, I don’t believe my goals for back in my world relate to this test of yours-”

“On the contrary,” Harmonia interjected, “One’s goals and ambitions end up shaping their actions. For some, while their intentions might be noble, the method in which they carry out said intentions can be seen by others as the exact opposite. Some creatures over the course of history have learned this the hard way and have redeemed themselves for past actions.”

Yet, as the manifestation said that, three particular constellations formed in between the two of them. The first was a jagged crown, the second one looked like a demon with the horns of a bull and the last one looked like a rook on a chess board. “Yet, there are some whose intentions are too vile to ignore. A queen whose jealousy and desires led to the suffering of her own people and for her reign to come to an abrupt end, yet still schemes in the shadows. A centaur who desires to control all of Equestria with an iron fist led to them stealing magic from every creature like a leech and whose anger could shatter the world. A young soul who easily deceived those around her to steal all the magic in the world and tried to make themselves the ruler.”

From there, Harmonia now looked to Albedo, “Each one of them have been some of the greatest threats known to Equestria and were not just a threat to every creature in the world, but also to me and the balance. They wanted power for their own selfish desires and if they were successful, the world would be thrown into chaos. Now, you seek power from me.”

With a motion of her hoof, each of the constellations were gone as the manifestation’s eyes narrowed. “Now, for your test. To start, you must answer what I am going to ask you, and based on your answer, I will determine whether or not we move forward. Why is it that you seek power? What is your reason for trying to obtain something where others have tried to take by force and failed?”

For a moment, there was silence. The stars that were around them grew dark as Albedo closed his eyes, deep in thought and unaware that the manifestation had passed the ‘reins’ of the room to him. For a moment, Harmonia thought that he had nothing to say. Though, as time passed by, what looked like a sigil for a golden flower emerged under the alchemist. The room began to change and morph in ways that the manifestation wasn’t prepared for. Though, as Albedo opened his eyes, he had an answer.

“... To complete my final assignment.”

“Assignment?”

The room began to change again, though Albedo didn’t seem to notice as he spoke, “For most of my life, I had but one person I cared for the most. She is my only kin and my master, Rhinedottir,” he said, “She taught me everything that I knew about alchemy and about the study of life. Then one day, she vanished without a trace. The only message that she left for me was to complete the final assignment that she left for me. But it’s one that I can’t do if I’m not back in the world that I belong to.”

Then, Harmonia noticed something. A tear going down his cheek. Yet, Albedo showed no emotion whatsoever. Was it because he didn’t care… or because he couldn’t show emotion at all? “What is that final assignment you were given?”

The alchemist then looked to Harmonia and had one simple answer. “Show me the truth and meaning of this world. Her final assignment to me. For everything that my master had taught me and helped me get to where I am now, finishing her final assignment is my way of not only repaying her for everything she had done, but to hopefully find her again after so many years of being apart. And that is something I can’t do if I remain here.”

Albedo’s words had Harmonia split down the middle. The manifestation was having trouble telling if Albedo was being honest with them because of the lack of emotion on his face. Yet, the words themselves would move anyone to act. However, Harmonia had to be certain that he was speaking the truth. If that was the case, then there was only one thing that they had to do.

See that fateful moment for themselves. “Hold still. This will be only for a moment.” they said, before her form began to glow as the manifestation had placed a hoof on the Alchemist’s forehead as the flower sigil began to glow brighter.

“Master, I’ve returned-”

The laboratory that Albedo once called home was in disarray. Vials were broken, papers were scattered and debris was spread all over the floor. All things that belonged to his teacher and master, yet thrown around as if the place was ransacked. The place that, to him, was his sanctuary for learning the study of life was now gone and his master… his only kin, with it.

“Master? Master Rhinedottir, where are you?”

The young one did not seem much like his current self. For at this age, Albedo only had lived a simple and contented existence by his masters' side. Whether it was following through on orders or accompanying them on travel, Albedo felt as if his only goal in life was to meet his teacher’s expectations.

Among the mess, there was something that stood out to him. An envelope with his masters seal, an old classical text and a folded note. The note only had a simple message.

Albedo, go to Mondstadt. Find my old friend, Alice, and give her the recommendation letter. Complete your final assignment.

He stood silent as he looked at the note. All the assignments that he had been given before by his master were relatively hard, but this one… this one seemed beyond his own capabilities. Yet… if he somehow managed to do it, then there was the possibility that he would see his master again.

As he turned the note over, a single message was left.

Your final assignment: show me the truth and the meaning of this world.

Back in the present, Harmonia backed away moments after the memory had ended. It might have been short, but the amount of emotion that was in that single moment in the past was impactful to the alchemist.

“Excuse me, Harmonia. Are you alright?”

Albedo’s question had the manifestation snap back to reality as they looked towards him. “I-i’m fine. Just… a bit shocked was all.”

“How so?” the alchemist asked, “You only just touched my forehead.”

Harmonia sighed, “My magic allows for me to see particular memories if I happen to come into contact with them while the memory is on their mind.”

Originally, Harmonia thought that Albedo was going to get mad at her for seeing something that many other creatures would see as either personal or private. Yet instead, the alchemist was not upset… but intrigued. “Interesting… did what you see help you in any sense?”

“I only wanted to see that memory as a way to confirm your story and to see that you weren’t lying to me,” Harmonia assured him, “Though, even with what I had seen, there is still more that I wish to verify. Which will be the remainder of your test.”

To which, Albedo then folded his arms and said the first thing that came to his mind, “And what would that consist of, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Simply put, it involves the power that you possess. I may not have seen it for myself, but I surely have felt it. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve assumed that Discord had decided to take on a creature as his replacement,” the manifestation retorted, “So, for the last of your test, you are to not only demonstrate what you can do, but explain it. Prove to me that it’s different from his Chaos Magic.”

Despite Albedo being unaware of who this ‘Discord’ was supposed to be, Harmonia’s tone on the matter and choice of words led him to paint a picture in his mind. A being whose power was unbound by rules and how they use their power was enough to have the embodiment of harmony be disgusted by their actions. Much different from what he could do and how his abilities worked. Yet, it was going to take more than words to convince them.

“The power that I wield is how alchemy works in my world, along with the elemental power of the vision I was granted from the god of contracts in my world, Morax,” the alchemist began his explanation, “While there are many things with my power that I can do, there is also a lot that I can’t. For while alchemy is the study of life and all living things, there is a process to which it must be done.”

“A… process?”

“Opus Magnum, the process of transmutation,” He spoke, before pulling out his journal and taking out a piece of paper in order to draw something on his clipboard that he was going to need later. All while he explained the process from memory, “Nigredo, the first step, draws from primordial forms. As living beings, we must find our own meaning.”

With a motion of his hand, Albedo brushed away some excess chalk on the paper and continued to sketch. Though right now, Harmonia was beginning to wonder what exactly was it that he was drawing as they listened, “Albedo, the next step, is where change begins. Clearing away the excess so we can take on all the knowledge that is available.”

Now the alchemist had placed the drawing on the ground between him and Harmonia as the manifestation had a clearer look at what it was that he was sketching. Much to their surprise, it was the six pointed star of the element of magic, but with outstretched wings the likes of which they had not seen before. Yet, Harmonia did not have the time to comment as Albedo was speaking again, “Rubedo, the third step, is the refinement of feeling. To refine oneself of their emotions.”

Now, Albedo placed a hand over the drawing as a golden aura began to take form around his hand, “Then we have the final stage, Citrinitas. The meaning of the object being transmuted has been brought to life, revealing its true value.”

Before Harmonia had the chance to speak, Albedo placed his hand on the page and the aura from his hands seeped into the paper. The drawing itself began to shudder as if it was a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, before disappearing into dust. At first, the manifestation thought that his creation had simply faded away into nothingness. That his attempt had failed.

Then, Albedo extended his right arm forward, hand open as his power swirled in his hand. Followed by one simple statement.

“Arise! Lifeless dust of the universe and that within, thou are reborn!”

Harmonia could only watch as the energy that swirled in his hand took shape into the drawing that the alchemist made. Yet, when she looked down at the floor, she realized that the paper that was on the ground was now completely empty. A blank sheet, with all the color that was originally there missing. Almost as if he never made anything at all.

Though, as they looked towards the winged crystalline star in his hand, that was when Albedo realized something. A hidden element to his craft, one of which Albedo didn’t even share. Unlike Discord, who was able to materialize practically anything he wished with just a mere thought, what Albedo did was different. He wasn’t able to create something from nothing, but instead create something by giving something up in return that was the same value as what he created.

An equivalent exchange.

“Does this answer your question, Harmonia?”

The alchemist’s question led to the manifestation looking back to him. The space around them began to glow and shimmer brightly as their words began to echo all around Albedo, “It does. Not only are your intentions noble, but your power is one that doesn’t tip the scales of balance. Congratulations, you’ve passed.”

Author's Note

Sometimes, to move forward, you have to look back on the past... and what brought you to this point

As a heads up, a lot of this chapter was based on the character stories regarding Albedo as well as some of his voice lines. While I try to keep everything as accurate as possible, there is one thing that I must point out from the wikia for when he explains the transmutation process

In his Climax and Conclusion Ascension lines, the stages of the Magnum Opus Albedo speaks of are listed in reverse order; normally, citrinitas is the third stage while rubedo is the final stage. It is unclear whether this is a mistake owing to confusion regarding the words' associated colors (yellow and red, respectively), or if this is deliberate

On that note, hope you guys like the chapter and see you on the other side.
-Frost

11- Sämling

It had been some time since Albedo and Harmonia had left to conduct the manifestation’s test for the alchemist and around now, Ocellus was getting a bit nervous. Not because of having to babysit Klee with Headmare Twilight while they waited for them, but because of something else. The changeling was nervous about what the outcome of the test might be for a couple of different reasons. The main reason though, was because when she and her friends had done their test that Harmonia had given them, they were only able to complete it because they were able to stand together and help each other out instead of having to face it alone.

Yet, if Harmonia was going to give him the same test that they gave her and her friends, then the alchemist would not have such help. While Ocellus knew that Albedo was exceptionally talented and skilled, she was worried that it might not be enough in order to convince Harmonia to help them. After all, it wasn’t talent or skill that led to them succeeding in the test they were given. Though, there was one small thing not related to the test that the changeling had trouble with in regards to Albedo. Much to her surprise, it was actually something that changelings were normally good at.

That being emotion. More specifically, feeling the emotions of other creatures. When she was around her friends or any other creature, Ocellus had no trouble feeling whether a creature was happy, sad or angry. Even when around Klee, the changeling had no trouble. However, when it came to Albedo, things were different. He may look calm and composed on the outside, but to Ocellus, there was no emotion for her to feel. Almost as if he was empty or hollow on the inside. It didn’t make any sense to her because all living creatures have emotions or feelings, so why exactly was he different?

Her pondering on this oddity didn’t last very long though. For around twenty minutes or so after the two of them left, Albedo and Harmonia had returned. Much to the surprise of the others because they weren’t sure how long they were going to be away for. “Big brother, you’re back!” Klee proclaimed with joy, before running up to go hug the alchemist.

The alchemist smiled, taking a moment to pat Klee on the shoulder before he looked back towards Ocellus and Twilight. The latter of whom was the first to speak. “Are you alright? How did everything go?”

“A lot different from how I thought it would go, actually,” Albedo answered, before looking to Harmonia, “Would you like to tell them or should I keep going?”

“They asked you, so go ahead.”

“Right,” the alchemist said, before looking back to his companions as Klee returned to Twilight’s side, “So, the test went rather well. I had my doubts at first, but in the end, I was able to meet Harmonia’s expectations.”

“What was the test even on, if you don’t mind me asking?” Ocellus spoke up as she looked at Harmonia.

“Well, first, I was wanting to determine why he sought my power in the first place,” the manifestation began to explain, “All throughout Equestrian history, there have been villains that have pursued power for their own personal endeavours. So the first part of the test was to see why it was that he came searching for my help. Once that was done, we went on to the other half of the test.”

“Which was wanting to know more about my alchemy and elemental abilities,” the alchemist then interjected, “She wanted to make sure that my abilities were not the same as somebody else that I had heard about until now. Someone named Discord?”

That led Twilight to let out a small sigh, “Yeah, I can see why Harmonia might’ve been concerned,” the alicorn replied, “Discord is our resident spirit of chaos and mischief. Used to be a villain, but with my friends' help and a lot of patience, he’s found a way to turn things around for the better.”

“That… doesn’t really explain the concern though,” Albedo mentioned as he looked towards Harmonia, hoping that she could clarify on what was missing.

“Well, from what I observed, your alchemy only works where you create something by giving something up in return,” Harmonia replied, “Discord is more or less the opposite of that. His magic allows him to manifest pretty much anything at any given time with a snap of his paw. Have the clouds in the sky be made of cotton candy? Done. Make it rain chocolate milk? Simple. Pranking Princess Celestia by having a slice of cake cry out and scream ‘Why would you do this?! I have a wife and family’? To him, that’s hilarious.”

“The way you phrase that makes him sound like he’s a constant headache.”

“Trying to make sense in anything he does will do that to you,” the manifestation told him, “Though, I think that’s enough talk about Equestria’s chaotic troublemaker. There’s a far more pressing subject to address now that you have passed my test, Albedo.”

“Really?” Twilight now asked, “What subject?”

“I did promise that I was going to help you. Though, I didn’t share the specifics as to how,” the manifestation replied, “I was wanting to explain that after the test so that your friend can fully focus. Many creatures endure grueling tests because they know what lies at the end if they succeed. However, I only share what awaits them if they’re successful.”

To Albedo, that made sense given what Harmonia shared during his test. Though, there was now a different question in the back of his mind, “Makes sense to me. You wanted for me to prove that I was not a creature driven by greed or selfish desires. That I prove that my intentions were good not just through what I say, but also through my actions.”

Harmonia nodded as the manifestation looked towards the rest of the group, “Exactly. Now, as for how I wish to help you,” she said, before fixing her gaze to Twilight, “Twilight, would you happen to remember the story of how the Tree of Harmony came to be?”

“O-of course,” the alicorn stuttered, caught off guard by Harmonia’s request before she began to speak, “A long time ago in Equestria’s past, the Pillars of Equestria planted a seed in this cave that was imbued with the power of their elements before they went to confront the Pony of Shadows. That way the tree was able to protect Equestria from Darkness in their absence. It was something that we learned after we had rescued the six of them from Limbo.”

“Limbo?” Klee asked, “Like the game?”

“N-no, not that limbo,” Twilight quickly corrected herself just before Klee tried to demonstrate, “Limbo to us is the space between worlds. Remember how Starlight told you about the Mirror in my castle? Well, Limbo is the blank empty space between the two of them.”

“I see,” Albedo commented, before looking at the manifestation, “While the story sounds intriguing, how does that relate to you helping us, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Simply put, I thought that what the Pillars had done to bring me into this world could be replicated. Just with a few differences,” After Harmonia said that, she had spread her wings as a shimmering light began to radiate from the tree, before a root with a flower bud at the end emerged from the ground like the Ley Line blossoms Albedo and Klee were all to familiar with. Though, when the flower bud bloomed, a crystalline seed that was the same color as the Tree of Harmony lended in the alchemist’s outstretched hand.

“A seed?” Klee asked, puzzled by the sight as she looked to her brother.

“I’m not particularly one for fancy names, but since Equestrian culture has no shortage of them, you may think of that as a ‘Seed of Harmony’,” the manifestation said, “As for how it works, if you plant that in a place that’s rich with magic and give it a couple of days, you will have the Ley Line that you’re looking for.”

“That… can definitely work out,” Twilight now said as she looked to Albedo, “We can use the time to make any preparations that you need before you start conducting any tests.”

“Yeah, but where would be a good place to plant it?” Ocellus now asked, unsure as to what kind of place would be the ideal location for their tests.

“I might have a suggestion for that,” Harmonia replied as she looked to Twilight, “While some creatures might not see it as the most ‘ideal’ place in order to be at any particular time, the magic there still lingers. Not to mention that it’s considerably far away from town and many of the creatures of the Everfree have steered clear of it since your last visit there with your friends. Same could be said for Ocellus and her friends too.”

Both the alicorn and the changeling looked back at each other, puzzled by the manifestation’s words. Then, things began to click and fall into place as they realized where exactly Harmonia was talking about.

“The Castle of the Two Sisters?”

It had been only a few moments after they had said goodbye to Harmonia and left the cave of harmony, but Twilight and Ocellus knew exactly where they would be going. As they were walking, the two of them took the time to fill them in while a tired Klee was riding piggyback on Albedo’s shoulders. “That’s right. Both Princess Celestia and Luna used to have a castle they called home out on the far reaches of the Everfree before most of it was destroyed when Celestia had to fight Nightmare Moon. For a time, my friends and I were trying to refurbish it, but after Tirek attacked Ponyville, things kind of slowed down to a halt. Nowadays, the only reason why we would come here is because much of the knowledge inside the castle was still preserved, even after thousands of years.”

“As for why I know about it,” Ocellus spoke up, “We had an incident at the beginning of the year where monsters attacked the school that led to my friends and I bringing most of the students here. However, when some of them tried to attack us at the Castle, Headmare Twilight and the others found us. Though, I don’t remember seeing anything relating to what you just said about knowledge.”

“Or why Harmonia would have us come here.” Albedo added.

“That’s because the castle is full of secret doors and passageways,” the alicorn told Ocellus, before looking to the alchemist, “As for your question, despite being thousands of years old, the magic in the castle has pretty much maintained the castle’s interior. The books I found when my friends and I went were still in good condition, the organ in the castle is in tune and there were sections of the castle where fresh produce could be found, despite it being abandoned for nearly a thousand years.”

Now things were beginning to slowly make sense. It must’ve been this magic that kept the castle in proper order that Harmonia thought they could utilize by planting the seed that they gave him. Of course, they needed to find a proper place to plant the seed once they arrived, but that probably wasn’t going to be too difficult to figure out.

As they approached the front of the castle, the alchemist chose to set down Klee by the entrance and have Ocellus keep an eye on her while he and Twilight explored the interior. At first glance, the castle itself was much bigger than Albedo originally anticipated. Each room was a potential candidate as to where to plant the seed, but after looking through all of them, the alchemist had one ideal choice in mind.

The Chamber of the Elements. Where Twilight and her friends first found where the Elements of Harmony were stored. Though, it wasn’t the pedestal in the center of the room that was needed. It was underneath, for even though it had been so long since they were last here, the ground underneath the pedestal looked as if it hadn’t aged a day. A place that was ideal for when they were going to begin their tests.

After the alicorn used her magic to move the pedestal, Albedo got to work and planted the seed in the ground underneath and used his alchemy to seal it up. Now that the seed had been planted, all they had to do was wait and prepare.

Author's Note

Once the seed has been planted, time will be needed to see if it will grow or wither

11.5- Rand

“So, let me see if I understand all of this correctly,” Discord, the god of chaos and change said as he looked towards Venti and Jean. The two of them had recently brought the god up to speed on not just current events, but also why they were asking for his help. Though, he was still trying to make sense of everything of their current dilemma, “You’ve lost two members of the Knights of Favonius and after trying practically everything in order to find them, your last option… was to come to me?”

“If there were any other options, then we already had tried it with no success,” the dandelion knight explained, “From what Venti has told me, you’re the only one who can help us at least make some sense of everything that has happened.”

That got the god of chaos to chuckle in response, “Heh. Usually, I’m the guy who doesn’t make sense,” he replied, “Though, if you want my honest opinion, there are three particular possibilities as to what might’ve happened… and I’m not liking the odds of any of them.”

“What would those possibilities happen to be?” the bard now asked.

“The first possibility is that the people that you’re looking for ended up in the Abyss,” Discord told them as he held up one finger, “It wouldn’t be the first time that it’s happened in Teyvat, but since I haven’t really had any new neighbors show up at my doorstep recently, we can safely rule that possibility out.”

Next, he held up two fingers and continued right from where he left off, “The second possibility is that they ended up in another world entirely. While this might sound far fetched to a lot of people, after you told me about your ‘honorary knight’, it wouldn’t make sense to rule out the possibility.”

“Okay, I’m with you so far,” Jean said, “Though, what exactly would be the third choice?”

“The third possibility is a little more… grim,” the god of chaos replied, “In the sense that they might have somehow ended up on the border.”

“The border?” the dandelion knight asked, “But I’ve had patrols check along the borders between Mondstadt and Liyue. They haven’t found anything-”

“That’s not exactly the border that Discord is talking about,” Venti interjected as he turned to face Jean, “When Discord says the border, what he means is the boundaries between the world of the living and the afterlife. Where lost souls that have yet to depart from this world linger, whether it’s someone waiting for somebody to join them or someone who ends up wandering over there by accident.”

The thought of that alone was enough to send a shiver down the acting grandmaster’s spine. To think that Albedo and Klee would be on the border among the dead was a scary thing to think about. Especially if Klee was somehow scared and began throwing her treasures at the spirits of the departed. “Well, how are we going to narrow it down exactly? We can’t really be in two places at once-”

As she said that, the dandelion knight turned to see that with a hair from his head and a snap of his finger, an identical copy of himself stood before him, before leaving the same way that the god of chaos originally arrived. “Sorry about that. What were you saying?”

Jean was unsure about what exactly to say in that moment, but luckily, Venti beat her to it, “I believe she was asking what exactly are we going to do.”

“Oh, right! Well, as you might’ve seen, I’ve already gotten a head start on that,” Discord replied, before straightening up his clothes, “I used some of my power to make a copy of myself to go see if your two knights are somewhere in another world. That way, we can focus on the only remaining possibility here.”

“That being the border,” Venti commented as he folded his arms, “Though, where would you suggest that we start looking? While it is true that gods know about it, what many don’t know is where it actually is.”

There was a bit of silence at first. Mostly because out of all three of them, none of them seemed to have a proper answer to the question just yet. Though, after a couple of minutes, Discord finally had an answer. “You know… there is one place that might know about where we can look. Though, it’s a bit of a stretch.”

“When you told me that we were going to take a trip to Liyue, this was not what I had in mind.”

Those words to Discord accurately reflected Venti’s thoughts on the chaos god’s suggestion. The two of them were in Liyue to follow up on his ‘idea’ for where to look for the two missing knights while Jean had returned to Mondstadt. However, when Venti thought about places to go to in Liyue, he would think about going to one of the city’s scenic restaurants or the bustling markets.

Instead though, the place that Discord had in mind was much different. “Here we are.”

“So let me get this straight,” the bard said, “Your idea involves, out of all the places in Liyue, coming here?”

“Given the circumstances, I think they’re the most qualified for the job,” his friend replied, “What’s the matter? Are you scared?”

“Wha-? No, I just… wasn’t expecting for us to be here, that’s all-”

Before either of the two gods could say anything else, the doors to the establishment swung wide open and a young girl stepped out, “Oh, what do we have here? Future clients?” the young girl chuckled, before looking to Discord, “And what do you know? One of them’s an old timer. Thinking about making advanced reservations for that special date?”

“H-hey!” Discord snapped, “Who are you calling old, missy?”

“Well, I’m the director of course,” she said, before standing proudly, “I’m Hu Tao, 77th director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, where we put the ‘fun’ in funeral and our deals are to die for! Now, how can I help you prepare for that special day?”

Author's Note

So a bard, a god of chaos and the director of a funeral parlor arrive at Wanmin Restaurant...

12- Freundinnen

It might have only been a short while since the School of Friendship had opened, but the creatures at the school were quick to learn that on any particular day, something weird and obscene will happen. It wasn’t a matter of ‘if’ it would happen at all, but ‘when’ exactly it would happen. No creature knew this better than the ponies that were not just close friends of the school’s headmare, but also teachers at the school itself. They were all too familiar with the day to day phenomenon that happens not just in the town of Ponyville, but throughout Equestria.

Though, when two of them happened to stop by the school to check in on a friend of theirs, they were a bit surprised by what they found. “Dear me, what is going on?”

Those were the only words that Rarity said some time after walking through the doors of the school with her friend Fluttershy not that far behind. The two of them were at the school today to check on Starlight, who was absent from their morning brunch and wanted to see how she was doing. Though, as they began to look around and try to find her, they happened to overhear several of the students talking to themselves about some new arrivals at the school.

“Did you see those two creatures that were at the library earlier?”

“No, I could barely see them with the big crowd that was in front of the library. Though, they’ve now become the talk of the entire school. Seriously, like what’s the big deal with them?”

“Are they… t-talking about new students?” Fluttershy asked the unicorn that was with her, while Rarity could only just shrug her shoulders and tried to continue listening.

“The big deal? Whoever they are, Ocellus and her friends are helping them and they were even seen coming out of Counselor Starlight’s office! I don’t know about you, but considering what the school just went through last week with Cozy Glow, doesn’t that raise some red flags?”

“Personally, I think you’re just overthinking it. Unless we actually met them in person, I wouldn’t be so quick to jump to conclusions.”

As the two creatures that were talking walked farther down the hall, Rarity looked back to her friend, “Not sure if they’re new students, from the sounds of it. I think it’s too early for enrollment anyways, darling.”

“M-maybe we should ask Starlight, then?” the pegasus suggested, “It sounds like w-whoever they are, t-they did happen to visit her.”

Rarity could definitely agree with that. Though, as luck would have it, the mare that they happened to be looking for ended up finding them first. “Hey there girls,” the voice of Starlight Glimmer called out to them as she trotted over to join the two of them.

“O-oh, hey Starlight,” Fluttershy squeaked, “H-how are you?”

“I’m doing alright,” the unicorn let out a sigh, “Sorry that I wasn’t able to make it for brunch this morning. I had some paperwork I needed to go through this morning.”

“No worries, Darling. We understand,” Rarity spoke up afterwards, “Though, do you have a moment? We happened to overhear some of the students talking and there was something that we wanted to ask you about.”

The moment that she heard the fellow unicorn say that, Starlight immediately realized the sort of direction that this conversation was going to be headed in. “Would this happen to be about the two ‘new arrivals’?” The simple question was followed by a nod from both of her friends, which prompted Starlight to continue, “Yeah, Sandbar and his friends happen to find them not far from Saddle Lake earlier today. Sandbar and Ocellus actually came to me to see if there was anything I could do to help Albedo and Klee-”

“Who?” Rarity interjected.

Starlight paused for a brief moment, before taking it upon herself in order to try and help clear up some confusion, “Those are their names actually, Albedo and Klee,” she replied, “From what they told me, they’re… not really from Equestria. So, they asked Sandbar and his friends if they knew any creature that could help them. Which led to them coming to see me.”

“O-oh, I see,” Fluttershy replied, before a different thought emerged in her mind, “W-was it because of us n-not being at the s-school?”

“More like they had some personal concerns,” the counselor told them, “Apparently, Gallus overheard a conversation between Twilight and Mayor Mare earlier in the week and thought that Twilight was going to be a bit… overprotective.”

“How overprotective are we talking about, darling?”

“Like how Shining Armor is with Flurry Heart.”

“Oh… oh,” Rarity blinked, realizing what Starlight was implying and shuddering at the thought, “I-i see.”

“Point being, they were worried that Twilight and some of the other staff would immediately jump to conclusions upon seeing them,” the counselor summarized for them, “Fortunately, when Twilight did end up meeting Albedo and Klee, it wasn’t really as bad as they thought it would be. If anything, Twilight actually agreed to help them try to find the way back home. Though, it’s not really going to be easy.”

“H-how so?” Fluttershy now asked, “A-are they from another country outside of Equestria?”

At that, Starlight bit her bottom lip as she tried to come up with an answer. “It’s… a bit more complicated than that, I’m afraid. Like ‘you wouldn’t believe me unless you saw it for yourself’ complicated. That and Twilight left with Albedo and Klee a little while ago, so it may be a while before they come back.”

Ironically, just as Starlight said that, the doors to the School of Friendship opened and who she was talking about moments ago walked on inside, “Hey Starlight, we’re back!”

“O-oh, hi T-twilight,” the counselor stammered, caught off guard by the alicorn’s sudden return. Both Twilight and Ocellus looked alright, though Albedo himself was carrying a rather tired Klee on his back, “H-how did everything go?”

“Better than expected,” the alicorn replied, just before she noticed the other two faculty members that were right next to the counselor, “Oh, hi Rarity. Hi Fluttershy. Is everything alright?”

“Well darling, we were coming by to see how Starlight was doing since she was absent during our brunch banquet earlier-” Around that point, Rarity’s gaze had shifted towards where Albedo was. The moment that she saw him, her train of thought came to a screeching halt. Her gaze was fixed not on the alchemist himself, but his clothes. The patterns on his coat, the colors of his shirt, the details of his gloves and boots. Every square inch of him was of a style of clothing that she had not seen before. A style that amazed her as the unicorn stared in wonder and awe.

That was, until she heard a voice get her attention, “Professor Rarity, are you alright?”

Quickly, the unicorn snapped out of her temporary trance as she looked around the room, only to notice that Ocellus was now right next to Fluttershy, “H-huh? Ocellus? What’s the matter?”

“Well, you kind of were staring at Albedo, so-”

“W-wait,” the unicorn stuttered, looking back to the alchemist before turning towards Starlight, “That’s Albedo? The one that you were telling us about?”

At that, Starlight just nodded, before looking back towards Twilight as she began to explain, “Rarity and Fluttershy overheard some of the students talking about Albedo and Klee when they first arrived, so I tried to help explain to them what was going on. Though, before I could really get into anything, you guys came through the door.”

“I see,” Twilight replied, glancing over to Albedo before looking back to her friends, “I think we can help bring them up to speed, but perhaps we should continue this conversation elsewhere? That way Albedo can set Klee down and let her rest.”

Once every creature was in Twilight’s office, the headmare and the counselor began to bring their friends up to speed on what was going on, making sure that no important details were left out in the process. With Albedo’s help, they covered everything from the accident in Teyvat that led to their arrival to the steps that they were taking to try and come up with a way for them to return back home. They even went as far as to talk about their visit to the Tree of Harmony and the outcome of the test that Albedo had to take.

A lot of what was shared surprised Rarity and Fluttershy, especially when they were told about Albedo’s abilities. Though, once the explanation was done, a new question was asked. “S-so… w-what are you going to do now?”

“Well, even though we did plant the seed, it’ll be some time before it’s ready,” Albedo replied, “In any other circumstance, I would think more on what other preparations we could make in the meantime. Though, considering our trip into the Everfree tired out Klee, I think rest should be our first priority above anything else.”

“That’s a good idea,” Starlight said, before asking a question that immediately popped up in her mind, “Though, where would you guys stay? The school has dorms for students, but I don’t think that would exactly work for you and Klee.”

“I believe I have a room or two open at my boutique if that works-”

“Um, Professor Rarity?” Ocellus interjected, “I’m not so sure if that’s a good idea.”

“What do you mean? I think it’ll be perfect-” Before the unicorn could continue, Ocellus was quick to go over and whisper into Rarity’s ear. At first, it didn’t seem to be anything big. Though, it only took a few seconds to quickly change that, “Oh… Oh MY! Dear sweet Celestia, you must be joking… r-right?”

Ocellus’ only reply to her question was just shaking her head from side to side. Something that made Rarity’s eyes widen in horror just at the thought. To her friends though, they took that as a sign that the seamstress had thought twice about opening the boutique to the two siblings. “What about your castle, Twilight?” Starlight then asked, “I remember you telling me that it had a guest room.”

“That we do,” Twilight replied, “However, it’s still a mess after some dragon named Sludge tricked Spike into thinking that he was his father, only to actually be a con-artist. I’ve been meaning to get it sorted out, but my duties at the school and duties as a princess have been preventing me from making any significant progress.”

“I-if that’s the case, t-they can stay over at my cottage,” Fluttershy offered, “I’m always open t-to having a few extra creatures help out with the animals at the cottage.”

Now both Twilight and Starlight looked towards the pegasus with looks of uncertainty on their face. “A-are you sure about that, Fluttershy? F-from what Albedo told us, Klee can be a real hoof-ful-”

“I-i’m sure everything will be okay,” the pegasus insisted, “I-i mean… it can’t be that hard to look after her, right?”

Author's Note

Optimism can be a good thing... though, not necessarily if you have no idea what you're getting yourself into.

13- Engel

When Fluttershy had offered her home as a place for Albedo and Klee to stay during their time in Equestria, she wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. The pegasus was only aware of a couple of things regarding the siblings at the time. Mainly though, Fluttershy knew that they were very far away from their home, Albedo was working with Twilight to try and find a way back and the two of them were in need of a place to stay. Given their circumstances, it would’ve been wrong for Fluttershy not to extend a hoof in friendship and provide a place for them to rest while they were here.

Of course, there were still a few things that Fluttershy did not happen to know or understand at the time, but they were things that she could inquire about later. Preferably, once they had all settled in, “Here we are,” the pegasus said happily as she opened the doors of her cottage and let Albedo and Klee come inside, “Welcome to my cottage.”

As they all stepped inside, the alchemist set his tired sister on the living room couch while the pegasus made her way to the kitchen. “Would you like to have some tea? I can put on the kettle for you if you like.”

“Why, that’s very kind of you,” Albedo replied, before taking a seat right by Klee as his sister's head rested on his left thigh to serve as a temporary pillow to rest her weary head, “I think some tea would do quite nicely.”

Fluttershy nodded as she prepared the kettle and left the water alone to prepare a tray with an assortment of treats and condiments for when the tea was ready. This included various treats from Sugarcube Corner that her friend Pinkie Pie had given her along with some milk, honey and sugar cubes for the tea when it was ready. She happened to provide a lot of options, on the off chance that Albedo was either a picky eater or rather hungry after the events of the day. Yet, she was also uncertain as to what exactly he would like to have.

“You have a rather nice place here,” she heard the alchemist’s compliment, before he took only a single biscuit and placed it on a small plate, “Do you live out here by yourself?”

“N-not always,” Fluttershy replied, “I have some animals that stay at the cottage with me… though, i-if you mean live here with other creatures, then Discord does come here sometimes.”

“Discord, you say?” he then asked, “He was mentioned earlier today while we were seeing Harmonia. Something along the lines of being ‘Equestria’s chaotic troublemaker’ if memory serves me right.”

“T-that’s not… inaccurate,” the pegasus said, “T-though, he’s not the same as before.”

Albedo paused for a moment, a bit puzzled by her words, “Could you elaborate?”

“W-well, he u-used to be a bad guy who wanted t-to spread chaos throughout Equestria,” Fluttershy explained, “T-though, that was a few years ago. M-my friends and I reformed him and have helped him find a way to use his chaos magic for good now, even though i-it took a while for him to get there.”

“I see,” the alchemist replied, “To be entirely honest, all that was talked about with regards to Discord was the kind of magic at his disposal and how it was different from my alchemy. I did not know anything else until what you just shared.”

Fluttershy was a bit surprised to hear that. Though, before she could mention anything else, her ears perked up at the sound of a tapping noise in the kitchen. As she turned her head, the pegasus could see Angel Bunny on the counter. Though, happy wasn’t exactly the right way to describe his mood. “O-oh there you are, Angel. I was wondering where you were… Is something wrong?”

All the rabbit did was cross his front forelegs and tilt their head towards the guests in the living room. Almost as if he was asking ‘Who are they?’

“O-oh, that’s Albedo and his sister Klee. They’ll be staying with us for a while until they find their way home,” Fluttershy told the rabbit while trying to assure Angel that everything was going to be alright. Though, the rabbit wasn’t entirely convinced as he raised an eyebrow. Which, to Fluttershy, was seen as a sign of doubt, “Angel, there’s nothing to worry about. Now, I want you to be on your best behavior while they’re here, alright?”

That just had the rabbit let out a deep sigh, before leaping down off of the counter and hopping over to the living room table as the tea kettle began to whistle. Even though Fluttershy had been rather friendly with their guests and appeared to trust them, Angel wasn’t entirely convinced. He wanted to see what they were like for himself and determine whether or not they had good intentions. Otherwise, it would be just like when Fluttershy first brought Discord into her home.

Though, as the young rabbit made his way over to the table, the only thing that he really noticed that was on the floor was Klee’s backpack. A rather big satchel with a doll that had the face of a rabbit given its long ears and small face. Yet, Angel wasn’t sure what to make of it. If anything, it looked like the doll was somehow mocking him since it had the tail that resembled that of a raccoon on the end of it.

Of course, being fixated on the doll meant that the Angel wasn’t paying attention to Fluttershy’s guests as the pegasus arrived at the table while using her wings to hold onto the tray she was carrying. “Here we are. The tea is ready,” she said, before the pegasus noticed something, “Is something wrong?”

“Hmm?” Albedo asked, “What do you mean?”

“Well, you don’t seem to be eating very much,” the pegasus pointed out, “Do they not taste well? My friend Pinkie baked them herself-”

“Oh, the food itself is rather good,” Albedo tried to reassure her, “It’s just that I… dhave a rather small appetite. It’s nothing against you or your friend, but seeing large portions of practically any meal only end up in tragedy.”

Fluttershy was now a bit confused by how Albedo phrased his sentence just now, “How so?”

“Well, there’s always two scenarios I find myself in whenever this happens. Either I overeat and the taste that made a meal unique is lost to me or I don’t finish and the rest of the food ends up going untouched and being wasted,” the alchemist explained, before handing a cup over to Fluttershy so she could pour some tea for him, “It’s why I don’t typically go to restaurants back home. Though, in doing so, it also means I spend more time preparing my own food back home.”

“So, you like to cook?” the pegasus asked, handing the tea cup back to Albedo with an outstretched wing.

“Sometimes. I do find some aspects for cooking similar to how I would work with alchemy,” Albedo admitted as he took the tea cup that Fluttershy handed to him and began to add in some milk and sugar, “Both processes require ingredients, sometimes in particular measurements and you need to be careful with how you put them together or else the end result would be… poor.”

Fluttershy couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Though, before either of them could say anything, they heard a small yawn come from right next to the alchemist as Klee was slowly beginning to wake up from her nap. “Mmhmm… W-wha-?”

“Hey Klee,” Albedo said, gently resting his hand on her shoulder as she tried to rub away the sleep from her eyes, “Did you have a nice nap?”

“N-nap?” She asked, before readjusting her cap as she looked around to realize that they weren’t exactly in the Everfree like she thought they were and gave a disappointed pout, “Aww… Klee missed the rest of our adventure.”

“Don’t worry, Klee. There will be more time to play later,” her brother assured her, “Right now though, there’s someone I like for you to meet,” With that, Albedo had Klee turn to face towards Fluttershy as the pegasus sat in her chair, “Klee, this is Fluttershy. She’s one of Twilight’s friends and we’re going to be staying at her home while we’re here.”

As she heard that, the little girl looked around the room to try and take in her surroundings. However, her attention was soon fixed to the floor and what was nearby her own bag as she squealed happily. “So cute!!”

Unfortunately for Angel, they did not realize that the little one’s attention was directly focused on them. That was, until after Klee had picked him up and began to hug him tightly as if the rabbit was a stuffed animal. With his efforts to struggle and slip free of her grasp only being met with more resistance. It felt as if Angel were in a massive bear bug from Henry, only to come from a creature that was much smaller than the grizzly bear.

“Um, Klee,” she then heard Albedo speak up as she turned to face her brother, “I don’t think they’re enjoying that. Could you let them go, please?”

“Why? It’s so soft and-” The moment that Klee’s grip loosened, Angel took off as if the rabbit was being chased by a Roc, “Oh… Did Klee do something wrong?”

“U-um… Klee?” Fluttershy then spoke up, “A-angel Bunny d-doesn’t really like it when you grab him like that.”

“But Klee does it all the time with Diona and she doesn’t get mad,” Klee replied innocently, remembering her friend who worked as a bartender for the Cat’s Tail tavern back in Mondstadt.

That response had Albedo let out a sigh as he looked back towards Fluttershy, “Forgive my sister. She has a tendency to act impulsively at times. It’s… a bit of a habit.”

“I-i see,” Fluttershy replied, “That doesn’t sound… too bad.”

“Albedo, can I please go look around?” she then asked as both the pegasus and the alchemist looked back to the little one.

“Sure. As long as you stay on your best behavior, alright?”

That just had Klee giggle for a moment as she looked back at the two of them with a smile, “Hehe… don’t worry about me. Klee’s a big girl!”

After his near close encounter with the tiny crimson terror that squeezed him like a teddy bear, Angel was definitely convinced that there was something suspicious about Klee. For her to terrorize him and act so innocent, nothing about it made sense at all. It made just as much sense as about any time that Discord had happened to stop by to visit.

Though, as he was outside, something caught his attention. In one section of the backyard, a giant hole looked to have been dug up with a sign poking out of it. As he got closer, the rabbit could begin to make out what was written on it.

Klee’s super secret special hiding place for her most precious treasures! Please don’t take them like Mr. Fluffball did.

He had no idea who or what ‘Mr. Fluffball’ was, but Angel had a strange feeling about what Klee was hiding. The rabbit took it upon himself to investigate further to try and see what exactly the little girl was hiding. Though, when he finally finished digging, Angel only found what looked to be a vanilla colored spear, with the top half looking like a rabbit while the bottom half had the symbol of a clover.

At first glance, the rabbit didn’t really see what exactly made this thing a ‘treasure’ and just threw it over his shoulder. Though, as it landed in a nearby creek, the treasure let out a massive bang and before the rabbit could tell what was going on, several fish from the creek landed in the backyard just mere inches from him.

Followed by a joyful cry from a young innocent girl. “Big brother, look! It’s raining fish! Best day ever!!”

Author's Note

Poor Angel. Not even he can avoid Klee's shenanigans

14- Schwestern

In the bustling city of Canterlot, if there was ever a problem that its citizens felt the need to address, the place where you would usually do so is in the Royal Court. Whether it was during the early hours of the morning for Day Court or hours after sundown for Night Court, if some creature were able to make it, it allowed for them to voice their concerns to either Princess Celestia or Princess Luna directly. Which made it more likely for whatever the issue was to be addressed in a timely and precise manner. Provided that it was somehow meaningful, since there were some requests that even the royal sisters could not even fulfill.

“Thank you everyone for coming today, but unfortunately as of this moment, Day Court has officially been adjourned,” Princess Celestia addressed the remaining creatures that were in the hall of the elements. If Celestia wanted to, she would be more than willing to hear everything that every creature in the room had to say. However, if she continued on, the alicorn would end up having less time for any of the other tasks that needed to be completed, “We’ll be open up bright and early tomorrow morning. Though, as a reminder, Night Court will not be in session tonight. Thank you very much and have a wonderful day.”

Of course, Luna did not have any real or legitimately important reason as to why she wanted to take the night off. If anything, it was more than likely that the princess wanted a break. Especially after having to do meet and greets with a hoof-ful of public officials today, including some from the town of Hollow Shades. So Celestia decided to say that so that she could have Luna rest easy tonight.

Though, as she left the throne room and began to trot back towards her chambers, Celestia happened to have run into the alicorn of the night. “Oh, hello sister,” she spoke up, “How are you?”

“Doing alright,” the solar princess replied, “How about you?”

“Miserable,” Luna groaned, “Even though I was with the captain of the Royal Guard and we carefully explained to them the precautions that are being taken after what happened at Twilight’s School, they think that it’s not enough! If they think it’s that easy in order to just ‘deploy’ the guard at any given time, then they should try it themselves! There’s just no convincing them.”

“Do bear in mind that Hollow Shades was where the Pony of Shadows ended up re-emerging after being sealed in Limbo,” Celestia reminded her, “They have a right to be concerned, especially after what took place in their home town.”

“I understand, but-”

“Don’t let it stress you out,” the alicorn reassured her sister, “I went ahead and cancelled Night Court for you, so you can have the night off. Use the chance to clear your mind a bit.”

“Why thank you, sister-” Before Luna could go any further though, a scroll of parchment materialized in front of them. One with a lavender ribbon and a seal that resembled a six pointed star, “A letter from Twilight? At this hour?”

Celestia was surprised by this as well. It had been some time that she had received a letter from her former student. If anything, the letters that she would receive were either seen as progress reports going on with activities at the school or her asking for some advice. Though, as she began to open the letter, the two of them soon realized that the subject that Twilight was writing about was not quite what they were expecting.

Dear Princess Celestia

Today, we had a rather bizarre occurrence happen today at the school of friendship. Normally, many ponies would take this as ‘just another day in Ponyville’. Though, given everything that had transpired within the last few hours, I felt the need to write to you about the current situation immediately.

It started earlier today, when Sandbar and his friends encountered a pair of siblings, to which they brought to Starlight. They had no idea where they were and were looking for some creature to help them find their way back home. Seems straightforward, right? Though, from what Starlight tells me, that’s not the case. Especially since these two siblings, known as Albedo and Klee, aren’t exactly what I thought they would be.

For starters, they’re human. Not the humans that you would see on the other side of the mirror where Sunset Shimmer resides. I’m talking about humans from a different world entirely and who are able to have abilities akin to that of magic. When I first originally heard their story, I thought it was a trick played by Discord. Though, Spike told me that he happened to be on vacation, so that rules out that possibility.

Then there’s the two in question that I’m writing to you about. First, there’s Albedo, who’s an alchemist by trade and whose knowledge on different subjects surprised me. When trying to conduct research on how he and Klee were going to get home, he not only read through one of Starswirl the Bearded’s books on magic, but understood everything too. After that, there’s Klee, Albedo’s little sister. She’s… well… let’s just say that it would be beyond dangerous if Pinkie Pie and Klee were left alone in the same room together. Let alone if Discord was with them too.

There’s a lot of things that happened, most of which I can’t find a way to explain to you through just a simple letter. So, I wanted to ask if it was possible if you and Luna could come by the castle sometime so that we can talk more about this face to face. Not only that, but it might provide the opportunity to introduce you to both of them. Even though the task of trying to get them back to their home may seem challenging, I want to do everything that I can to help them.

Your fellow Princess,

Twilight Sparkle

P.S. I took the time to include a picture of both Albedo and Klee with this letter so you can put names to faces. Klee is the little one dressed in red while the one that is carrying her is Albedo.

“So, what’s it about, sister?”

When Celestia looked back towards her sister, all she could really do was let out a deep breath, “From the sounds of it, Twilight has her hooves full,” the alicorn replied, before levitating the letter over to her sister, “Take a look for yourself.”

Luna did so, though after looking over for a few moments and glancing at the photo, the alicorn of the night could hardly believe what she was reading. “Is she sure that Discord wasn’t somehow involved with this? Him being gone around the same time this happened seems… fishy.”

“Really, sister?” Celestia raised an eyebrow, “Just because some creature is absent doesn’t mean that they’re responsible for what happened while they were gone. For example, you were nowhere to be seen during Cadence’s wedding, yet you aren’t responsible for Chrysalis’ invasion of Canterlot.”

At that comment, Luna was going to say something. Though, she unfortunately couldn’t come up with a proper retort. “Point taken.”

“In any case,” the solar princess continued, “We should save our judgements for when we actually meet these two. Hearing about them is one thing, but actually seeing them face to face and conversing with them can allow for us to understand more about their situation as well as get to know them. After all, Twilight did say that the whole situation could not be explained with just a simple letter.”

“Do you have a date in mind?” Luna then asked.

“Perhaps tomorrow afternoon. I can have Day Court finish early and rearrange my schedule so we can make the time to go see them. Would that work for you?”

All her sister could do was nod in agreement. Though, as Celestia trotted away, a thought entered Luna’s mind. A thought that made her consider a change in routine from what she would normally do.

She wondered if seeing the dreams of this… Albedo and Klee could provide more insight into their situation. Or at least, help her understand who they are.

Author's Note

Said picture that Twilight provided:

Art belongs to u/_kiwiai on Reddit and was found here.

15- Erholen

After all the events that had transpired throughout the course of the day, Albedo was relieved when it was finally time for him to lay down his head and get some sleep. While the majority of the day had been a combination of both an investigation into the creatures and culture of this world and how to return to Teyvat, it had also been a stressful one. Especially since part of the day involved having to keep Klee’s antics in check and prevent her from causing an unnecessary panic. Fortunately, it was nothing that a couple pieces of Fish Flavored Toast couldn’t solve, with it being Klee’s favorite dish… outside of freshly blasted fish.

“Alright Klee, it’s time to go to bed,” the alchemist told his sister, helping her up and tucking her in so she was nice and cozy under the covers, “Get a good night's sleep, for we got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Aww,” Klee pouted, “Does that mean Klee can’t have any fun with Klee’s new friends?”

Albedo just smiled, before shaking his head, “No no, I don’t mean that Klee. I’m sure our new friends would be more than willing to play with you tomorrow. Maybe you might even make some new friends too.”

That statement was enough to have Klee’s eyes flicker as she looked back towards her brother. “You mean it? Klee can have even more friends!?”

“As long as you are a good girl and don’t cause any trouble with them, alright?” he assured her. Which only had Klee giggle to herself, before she closed her eyes and snuggled against the dodoco plushie she had beside her pillow. Once she was asleep, Albedo let out a small sigh of relief, before gently getting up to close the blinds and quietly step out the door. Leaving the little one to count jumpy dumptys in her sleep.

“Is she asleep?” Albedo now heard Fluttershy ask as he turned to face the pegasus that was waiting outside of her room.

“Yes she is,” the alchemist replied, “I should probably prepare to retire for the night as well. There’s a lot that I’ll need to do tomorrow, so the sooner that I get some rest, the better.”

“R-right,” the pegasus nodded, before having the alchemist follow her for a bit and stopped right in front of the room next to Klee’s, before opening the door with an outstretched wing, “The other guest room I have is right next to hers. F-feel free to use it however you like.”

“Why thank you. Your kindness knows no bounds,” Albedo told her as he proceeded to walk through the open door. The room itself was around the same size as the one Klee was given, and was rather neat and tidy. There was even a desk in the back corner nearby a window as the light of the moon illuminated the rest of the room.

As for Fluttershy, she just simply giggled at the compliment, before looking back at the alchemist, “If you need anything, I-I’ll be in my room across the hall. P-please do knock first, though. I g-get scared when somepony barges into my room.”

The alchemist nodded, before gently closing the door behind him and hung up his jacket on a nearby coat rack before he took off his gloves and put them in one of the open pockets. “Now, time for some much needed rest.”

Elsewhere

When she found the dream that she was looking for, Luna herself was filled with both excitement and curiosity. It had taken some time to find what she was looking for in an endless alley of doors with each one being the entry point that allowed for her to walk inside the dreams of her subjects. But after spotting a door with what looked to be a golden sigil with a design that was present on the picture that Twilight had given her and her sister in the alicorn’s recent letter, she was ready to proceed. Eager to see what awaited her on the other side.

Though, when she first entered, what awaited for her as the door closed behind her… was emptiness. Something that made the alicorn of the night shudder. This did not normally happen when she entered the dreams of others. Usually, the dreamers had already begun to picture a place in their mind and the world of the dream formed around that place. However, that was not the case this time.

Then, came a voice. “The universe is the dark essence of the true starry sky…”

Right before Luna’s eyes, stars began to shimmer from under her hooves on the surface she stood one. Some of those stars began to form what looked like constellations of grass and earth as if they were drawn together in a filly’s coloring book.

“… And the earth is the accumulated memory of time and lives. The Chalk: that is you.”

Now the stars began to form the constellation of a different shape. Immediately, Luna recognized that it was not a place, but a creature. One of the ones from Twilight’s picture that was dressed in white with a broach of topaz around their neck.

Then, a golden flower was formed from the ground as Luna watched, “The earth is where alchemy gets its name, and is the basis of all life. And this…” In a matter of seconds, the flower burst forth, having a flock of birds inside the dream take form and fly away. Something that Luna was caught off guard by as they flew past her head. “… This is new birth.”

As the shimmering stars began to glow brighter though, the figure resembling the one named Albedo turned around as the voice that was speaking echoed around the room. “Now… repeat it back to me.”

“Yes master,” another voice replied, which Luna soon realized belonged to him. At that point, the pieces of this puzzle were slowly coming together. She should’ve realized this sooner, but was only beginning to put the pieces together now.

This wasn’t a dream, but was instead a memory. A memory that was very close to him.

“The universe, the sable essence of the starry void. Earth, the accumulative memory of time and being. Soil, the origin of all alchemy. The essence of all life. Chalk, the substance from which primordial life is molded.”

In an unexpected turn of events though, the whole room began to grow brighter as Luna was forced to shield her eyes. She could only hear one last thing before the princess was forced out of the dream.

“From Soil was birthed Chalk.”

When Luna opened her eyes again, she was surprised to find herself back in the alley of doors that was here when she first arrived. Though, as she began to regain her senses, one thing was missing. The door that was used to see the dreams of the one named ‘Albedo’ was now gone. Almost like it was never there to begin with. Which was a rather strange predicament, but nothing compared to everything else that she had witnessed inside.

“Well… that was something,” she thought to herself, before noticing a different door that was behind her. A red door with cream colored clovers and what looked to be a strange rabbit-like creature on the front of the door, “Perhaps this one is a much simpler dream. No harm in looking, I suppose.”

“One jumpy dumpty boom! Two jumpy dumpty boom!! Three jumpy dumpty boom-!! Hey wait, you’re not one of Klee’s jumpy dumpty’s. Why haven’t you went boom yet?”

When the morning sun came through his window, Albedo was quick to rise from his slumber. The alchemist enjoyed his rest, even though it felt rather brief. His dreams being of one of his master’s most important lessons.

Though, he could not shrug the feeling that there was someone else aside from him. Someone else that was watching him.

Author's Note

Well, at least some creatures had a good rest that night.

Bit of a silly intermission chapter. Something to help keep things going while I try to think on ideas for how to proceed. Enjoy!

16- Treu

After his late night rest, Albedo’s mind was clear and ready to work today after everything that had unfolded the day before. It was still going to be some time before the seed that was planted the other day was to be ready, but that time allowed the alchemist to be able to make progress on preparations for when the seed was ready. Not only that, but it allowed for Albedo to learn more about the world that he and his sister were in. For the more that he learned about Equestria, the more that it could help him try to piece together a way to get him and Klee back home.

Of course, finding the solution wasn’t going to be easy. If anything, Albedo considered it as the hypothesis stage when it came to an experiment. It was more than likely that the first type of contraption that they would make would not be able to work out as intended. Therefore, the alchemist expected a lot of trial and error when it came to narrowing down what exactly would be possible and what wouldn’t even work at all.

Since he was up a couple hours before dawn, he had returned to the room that Fluttershy had given him and began to come up with some rough drafts. Prototype designs based on what he could recall from Timaeus’ own design on the Elemental Crucible. While they were only mere concepts, being able to visualize what he was thinking helped the alchemist figure out what was the best way to proceed. He was not thinking about materials or resources for how to construct it just yet, but instead was working on its appearance. Make it seem simple, yet try to not make the same mistakes that Timaeus made originally.

Though, as he was taking a break so he could come out of his room to get himself some breakfast, he heard a different voice echo from outside his room. It wasn’t Klee and it didn’t sound like Fluttershy at all. In fact, this one sounded… different. Loud, rambunctious, and some would even think egotistical because of their tone, “So Fluttershy, you did say yesterday that Discord isn’t here, right?”

“Uh, y-yeah, that’s right, Rainbow.”

“Then if he’s not here, then who’s staying in your guest room? You only have the doors to their closed if someone was staying over-” the voice, who Albedo assumed was this ‘Rainbow’, paused before they immediately began to make an inaccurate assumption, “Oh my gosh, your brother staying over here again isn’t he-!?”

“What-? No!” Fluttershy quickly replied back, “Last time I heard from him, he said that he was pursuing new opportunities in Canterlot. Though, he didn’t go into specifics.”

“But if Discord and your brother aren’t here, then who is staying with you-?”

At that point, Albedo opened the door. Something that caught the attention of both Fluttershy and the pony she was talking with. A cyan colored pegasus whose main and tail had all the colors of a rainbow and the marking on their flank was of a lightning bolt in shades of red, yellow and blue.

“Uh… good morning-?”

Despite the simple and polite greeting though, the newcomer didn’t exactly take it as such. “And who are you supposed to be?”

“Rainbow, be nice,” Fluttershy told her friend, before quickly trying to make introductions, “T-This is Albedo. He and his sister were found at the school of f-friendship yesterday and were asking for T-Twilight and Starlight’s help in trying to find a way home.”

“Uh huh…” Rainbow said, before looking at Albedo with a raised eyebrow for a brief moment, “How does that relate to them staying at your place though?”

“If I may,” the alchemist spoke up, “I believe Twilight had some issues that made her unable to accompany any guests at her home. So, Fluttershy offered to let us stay at her cottage for the time being.”

Fluttershy herself nodded in response, before looking back to her friend to confirm what he said. Though, as she did, the door to Klee’s room soon opened up as the little girl walked out in just her pajamas as she was still trying to wake up. Something that Albedo noticed as he turned towards his sister and smiled, “Good morning, Klee.”

“M-morning, big brother,” Klee spoke up, even though she was still a little bit sleepy, “W-what’s for breakfast? Klee’s hungry.”

“Klee?” Rainbow asked, a bit confused by what she said.

“That’s his sister's name,” Fluttershy said to the fellow pegasus, “She’s rather young too. P-possibly around Scootaloo’s age if I had to guess.”

The fellow pegasus could only watch as Albedo picked up Klee and carried her over to the kitchen. “So what? You think she would be good friends with the crusaders or something?”

Immediately, instinct kicked in as Fluttershy quickly looked back to her friend, “L-let’s not be hasty,” she insisted, “Klee’s nice, though some of the things that she does for fun are… well, dangerous.”

“Define ‘dangerous’,” Rainbow replied back, still a bit unconvinced by what her friend was telling her.

“L-look outside, by the creek in the backyard,” the pegasus then whispered before trotting into the kitchen to get some food ready for her guests. Rainbow herself wasn’t entirely sure what her friend was talking about when she first stepped outside to go look. Though, once breakfast had been prepared and they sat down to begin eating, the pegasus and her guests could hear Rainbow’s reaction from outside.

“Dear sweet Celestia, what the hay happened out here?!!”

“Klee… did you forget to clean up yesterday?” Albedo asked as he watched his sister put some butter and jam on her toast.

“No, big brother. Klee made sure to bring all the fish from last night with me and leave everything else alone. Just like back home!”

Of course to the alchemist, when Klee said everything else, she was referring to the blast zone from her bombs. While most of the time that she went fish blasting involved Klee throwing bombs farther out in the middle of the lake, there were times that some of her explosives would go off much closer to shore. When they do, the immediate area around the explosion gets scorched and burned to a crisp. It was more than likely that what Rainbow found in the backyard was the blast zone from the other night.

“Perhaps we should go look for ourselves after we’re done-”

“T-there’s no need,” Fluttershy spoke up now, “I-I can have some of my animal friends help fix it up. B-besides, it would be rude to keep Twilight waiting.”

“A valid point. Though, I rather not force you to clean up after our own mistakes,” Albedo insisted, before getting up from his chair, “Besides, this won’t take too long.”

Once they were done with breakfast and the alchemist had finished fixing up the mess left behind in Fluttershy’s backyard, Albedo and Klee were ready to go. The alchemist was planning to return to the school of friendship to share some of the ideas that were on his mind with Twilight and the others that were trying to help him. He hoped that with the rough drafts that he had, it would be enough for them to start coming up with potential prototypes to use for testing. As for Klee, she was eager to see the new friends that she made again, hoping that she could be able to play with them and maybe go on another adventure like yesterday.

Though, before they even reached the front door of the school, they were redirected back towards the castle of friendship by Spike. From what he told them, Twilight thought that the castle could provide them a chance for them to discuss these matters without having any students from the school overhear their conversation. That and Spike implied that Twilight was kind of worried about Klee accidentally blowing things up inside the school after their expedition into the Everfree yesterday.

Though, that also meant that the young dragon was the one responsible for keeping an eye on Klee. While it was easy early on, the young girl’s attention span was limited and before Spike could even finish talking about one thing, Klee would be wandering off somewhere else. Klee had nearly caused one of the bookcases in Twilight’s study to fall over because she tried to see if she could climb it. It got to the point that he would be horrified of what would happen if she somehow found a way into his room.

Fortunately though, someone else happened to get Klee’s attention before it came to that. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the ideal pony that he thought it would be. “Hi there, Spike!”

“O-oh,” he stammered, turning towards the door to find three familiar faces, “H-hi, Sweetie Belle.”

Sweetie Belle, the little sister of Rarity, had just entered with both of her friends Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. Together, the three of them made up what they called the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Originally, the three of them were focused on trying to get their cutie marks by any means necessary. After obtaining them though, they were focused on trying to help other ponies find their calling. Though, Spike wasn’t entirely sure why they were here right now though.

Though, before he could ask anything, Klee beat him to it, “Hi there! Are you Spike’s friends?”

All three of the crusaders first looked to Klee, before they all looked towards Spike. Each one of them with the same question on their minds, “Spike, who’s your friend?”

“Um, girls, this is Klee,” he nervously replied, “She and her brother are… not from around here. Twilight’s trying to help them find a way back to-”

Before he could even finish though, the three filly’s were quick to interject, “Not from around here?” Scootaloo asked, “You mean they’re new to Ponyville?”

“Sounds like it,” Apple Bloom replied.

“Hey girls, I have an idea,” Sweetie Belle then spoke up, “If she’s new to town, then why don’t we give her a tour of Ponyville! We can even have her see Pinkie Pie.”

Immediately, alarm bells began to ring inside the dragon’s head as he looked back at his friends, “Um, I don’t think that’s-”

“You want to bring Klee on an adventure?!” She asked, her eyes widening with joy as she looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“If by ‘adventure’, you mean a tour through town, then sure. Why not?” Sweetie Belle smiled before looking back towards the dragon, “Spike, you want to come with us?”

At that point, it was almost impossible for Spike to say no. Though, he had a very bad feeling that their tour through town was not going to end well. “S-sure… I guess.”

“Yay! Klee thinks you guys are the best!!”

Author's Note

Poor Spike... he just can't catch a break.

18- Lehrerin

“So let me see if I understand you correctly,” Twilight Sparkle said as she looked back at Spike, who had just taken a moment to explain what exactly happened shortly after the princess had tasked him with watching Klee. Even though there was technically a party going on by Pinkie Pie’s standards, the alicorn was trying to process what exactly led up to her and Albedo discovering the surprise that waited for them in the map room, “You were watching Klee, like I asked. Then, Sweetie Belle and her friends arrive.”

“That’s right.” the dragon nodded in response, with the Cutie Mark Crusaders sitting not that far away from him.

“From there, they met Klee and when you introduced her to the crusaders, they immediately thought that they should give her a tour?”

Spike shook his head at that, before looking to Twilight, “Not quite. I was trying to tell them how Klee wasn’t exactly from around here, but before I could finish, the fact that Klee was new to Ponyville got them thinking about taking her around town.”

“That seems simple enough,” the two of them heard Albedo speak now, who was not that far from Twilight and Spike while Klee was munching on a slice of Jumpy Dumpty cake nearby where Pinkie Pie was, “Though, if I may, how did we get from there to-?”

“Well, the part where I got concerned was when Sweetie Belle mentioned introducing her to Pinkie Pie,” the dragon continued, “I tried to tell them that having them meet wasn’t such a good idea, but Klee took the whole situation as a chance to ‘go on an adventure’. At that point, things began to quickly spiral out of control.”

“Klee didn’t destroy anything, did she?” Twilight now asked.

“Thankfully, no. But we had a heck of a time trying to actually keep up with her. Even with my wings and Scootaloo using her scooter, Klee was always ahead of us,” he explained further, “She only stopped once when she spotted Sugarcube Corner, before taking off again. By the time the girls and I got through the door, Klee and Pinkie had already met face to face at that point.”

By now though, that was when Sweetie Belle and her friends decided to speak up. “U-um, miss Twilight? W-why do you think Klee is dangerous?”

That simple question made Twilight eyes twitch as she just stared at the three fillies. Yet, before she had the chance to speak, that was when Albedo decided to step in, “That’s a bit complicated,” the alchemist replied, “Tell me though, did Klee happen to show you anything that she happened to have in her backpack? Anything at all?”

“Well, she did take out one of those ‘treasure’ thingies that she had out to show Pinkie Pie, but other than that, nothing else,” Scootaloo replied, “Why, did we do something wrong? What’s the big deal?”

That had the alchemist look towards all three of the fillies, before he began to speak, “Because what Klee calls her treasures are actually bombs. While most children her age play with actual toys, she plays with explosives that could possibly get others hurt. Even though Klee knows that, she still does it anyway. Mainly because whenever the opportunity presents itself, she can barely contain her excitement.”

All three of the fillies immediately stared at Albedo in shock. They had no idea that what they thought was Klee’s toys were actually bombs that could hurt somepony. So hearing Albedo say that startled them, “W-what the hay!? Why would she even think that playing with something that dangerous is somehow fun?”

If Albedo were honest, that wasn’t exactly a simple question to answer. Though, he still had to try nonetheless, “To really know the answer to that, you would have to know about Klee’s mother, Alice,” he explained, “She was an explorer at heart and a member of the Adventurers’ guild back where we’re from. Before Klee was left in the care of myself, Jean and the rest of the Knights of Favonius, there were times that Klee would end up going on some of her mom’s adventures. Alice wanted to teach her daughter how to survive in the wild, but the only way that she could really get her daughter’s attention was when Klee was playing with her toys.”

Once that was mentioned, Twilight began to piece together what the alchemist was talking about, “Wait… So you’re saying that she-?”

Albedo was quick to nod, before placing one of his hands in the pockets of his jacket, “At the time, Alice wanted to make sure that her daughter knew what to do to be safe on her own. So, on one of their trips together, she introduced Klee to a new toy. One that she could make by herself and would help keep her safe from any danger Klee might face. She even gave her the Dodoco plushie that she has attached to her backpack, what she refers to as her greatest treasure.”

“But her mother was going to tell her how dangerous they are, right…?” Scootaloo now asked, but was a bit hesitant

“I believe that was the case. However, that… never happened,” the alchemist took a moment to recompose himself, before he continued where he left off, “Three years ago, Klee’s parents left her with me before they went out on an expedition that she claimed to be rather dangerous. However, since that day, neither of them have come back. What happened to them is still a mystery and many people around Mondstadt have their own theories about what became of them. Though, Klee and I still wait for the day that someone either finds her or she finds her way back home.”

That simple explanation left everypony that was listening in a state of shock. For a child that always seemed to be happy wherever she went, they had no idea that Klee had to go through something like that. To not only have your parents disappear, but have no idea where they are or even if they’re still alive? How was it that Klee could stay so positive and upbeat, despite all of this?

“H-how?”

“Hmm?” Albedo looked over to Scootaloo, a bit puzzled by what she said, “Could you repeat that?”

“H-how does Klee… well, handle all of that?” the pegasus asked again, wanting to know what exactly does Klee do to stay positive despite the grim situation that the alchemist had just described.

“Well, she doesn’t really think about it too much. If anything, Klee thinks of everyone in the Knights of Favonius as family to her, as well as people she just met. Even though some of them… don’t really take it that well,” Albedo replied, remembering a time where Barbara, Jean’s sister and a deaconess from the church of favonius, had a major freakout because Klee called her ‘Auntie Barbara’, “To her, she thinks that if her family is all around her, then she wouldn’t have to feel sad. That way she can always feel happy.”

Ironically, at the moment he finished, Klee walked over and looked at the Alchemist, “Big brother, can I have my friends be with me? Pinkie Pie wanted for us to do some party games together and she told me I can’t play by myself!!”

Each of the Cutie Mark Crusaders looked back towards one another and looked towards Spike, before all four of them looked towards Klee. “S-sure, that sounds fun!”

“Yay!! Thanks!! Klee thinks you're the best friends anyone can have!!”

Even after the events that had transpired yesterday, Starlight was slowly beginning to feel some sense of normalcy as she trotted around the halls of the academy this morning. After everything that she, Sandbar, his friends and… anyone else that happened to meet Albedo and Klee had to go through yesterday, the unicorn had a feeling that today was going to be easier. No headaches, no chance of Klee having things explode anywhere on campus, no freakout by the student body. Everything was going to be fine.

Then, she heard a knock on the front door of the campus, “Huh… Now who could that be-?”

When Starlight opened the door, she found herself staring directly at none other than the diarch of the sun herself, Princess Celestia. “Oh, hello Starlight? Would you happen to know if Twilight was here today? There was something I wanted to-”

Immediately, Starlight fainted.

Author's Note

"Oh, dear me. I'm not intimidating now, am I?"
-Princess Celestia, 5 seconds later

18.5- Himmel

“We’re here!!” The director of Wangsheng funeral parlor let out a cheerful glee as she skipped around inside of the domain of souls known as ‘the border’. The last time that she was here was when a traveler was assisting one of the workers of the parlor send off the spirit of their friend. Now though, she was here with someone completely different… and for a completely different reason, “Now, who was it that you were looking for again?”

“These two,” her client, and unknowingly the god of chaos Discord, replied as he handed two sketches of who they were looking for to the director, “Shouldn’t my friend be with us though? I mean, I know you left him the care of your consultant, but are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Oh don’t worry. I’m pretty sure that your bard friend is in good hands.”

“Barkeep, I would like your finest ale please!”

“Sir, this is a restaurant. We don’t serve alcohol here,” the owner of the Wanmin Restaurant, Chef Mao, told the bard. Who was rather disheartened by the news

“My apologies, sir,” the bard’s companion and consultant to the Wangsheng funeral parlor, Zhongli, spoke up, “My dear friend is, unfortunately, rather fond of the taste of alcohol that you would find in Mondstadt. It’s a habit of his that’s hard for him to break.”

“I hear you. My daughter has a habit of trying to find the perfect ingredient for a recipe. Sometimes, it even takes her all the way to the border between Mondstadt and Liyue,” Mao replied, “Not to mention that, for a time, we also had that one zombie girl that works at the Bubu pharmacy come here and kept on asking if we had any ‘cocogoat’ milk.”

“Zombie girl?” Venti asked, his curiosity only heightened when he saw Zhongli let out a composed sigh, “And what’s a cocogoat?”

“… It’s a bit of a long story, and not one of my brightest moments.”

“Yeah, I’m not so sure if we should leave the two of them by themselves for too long,” Discord replied back, “So let’s hurry this up before either of them cause any trouble-.”

“Aiya, don’t be in such a rush,” the young director told him, “The spirits that are on the border might take your actions as a sign of you being disrespectful. Doesn’t really help who you’re looking for if you get shunned by the rest of the afterlife.”

In this moment, the god of chaos found Hu Tao’s retort rather surprising. Back in Equestria, there wasn’t anyone that was quite enthusiastic about the dead and afterlife as her. Heck, the mere mention of ghosts or anything scary would have Fluttershy shivering in a corner like a scared puppy. Though, Hu Tao was kind of the opposite since the spirits of the departed and the afterlife was basically her family business. She was rather proud of it too, although, the way that Hu Tao talked about her line of work would probably creep people out.

Eventually, after having to go through the equivalent of a looping labyrinth that would make anyone’s head spin, the two of them finally arrived at their destination. The border that was the boundary between the world of the living and the afterlife. Many of the souls that were here were those that had lingering regret that had them cling to the world of the living or were waiting for someone else to pass on with them, preventing them from going forth in peace. While others just need a bit of positive motivation to get them going in the right way.

Though, as Discord looked around, something did not feel right. Despite many of the faces that were here at the border, he could not see either of the two people that he was looking for. Asking around didn’t help either, for many of them either never seen them or heard of them. Not only that, but when one person did recognize Albedo, it was because he was the artist for a material arts book by some rich kid named Xingqiu. Which did little to help narrow down his search.

“So, did you find who you were looking for?” Hu Tao then asked.

The god of chaos just looked back at the director, before shaking their head. “Sadly, no. I did ask around, but I unfortunately didn’t really get too far.”

“That’s… unexpected,” the director replied, a bit surprised by Discord’s answer, “I know that you mentioned that you were hoping to at least find something that could help, but are you sure that you found nothing?”

“The only person that had anything to say just heard of them through some of their work, but never actually seen them before,” Discord explained, “Unfortunately, this means that my friend and I are back to square one for our search.”

“Aiya, well, if who you’re looking for isn’t here, then it’s more than likely that they’re still living,” Hu Tao told him in a rather positive and encouraging tone, “Besides, it would’ve been a real shame if they happened to pass on without coming to me to prepare for it first.”

The god of chaos could only mentally facepalm himself as he looked back at the director, “Well, I should break the news to my friend. The sooner, the better.”

“Yup! Ooh, hey, can I use that phrase as a new slogan? Has a real nice ring to it and it might help drive in some new customers!”

Much Later…

“So, the border was a bust?” the tone deaf bard asked as he had met back up with his friend along the outside cliffs overlooking Liyue Harbor. After Venti had shared his experience of being around Liyue Harbor and his unexpected reunion with an old friend of his, Discord was now bringing him up to speed on their situation. Mainly the fact that the trip he took to the border just resulted in him reaching a dead end.

“Unfortunately, that is the case,” the god of chaos explained to his friend as he recalled his trip from earlier in the day, “There were a lot of souls at the border, but none of them were Albedo or Klee. I even asked if they knew or met them, but the only answer I got was someone recognizing Albedo’s artwork in a book. So, safe to say, they’re still pretty much alive and kicking.”

“The only question now is where exactly they’re at,” Venti now replied as he tried to think of what to do now. Though, as this was going on, a thought soon appeared in the bard’s mind, “Hey, quick question? Remember that copy of yourself that you made?”

When that was mentioned, Discord just simply raised an eyebrow and looked back at his friend, “Yes I do. Why do you ask?”

“Do you think it’s possible that they might’ve found something?”

“… Now that you mention it, why don’t I go check?”

Fortunately for Discord, it did not take him long in order for him to realize what his copy stumbled upon.

“La la la!!!”

“Klee, slow down!! The girls are still trying to catch up-”

“A giant gingerbread house!! Can we go over there? Pleeease?!”

The god of chaos blinked, trying to refocus his attention back to the present after the short snippet of what his copy had seen. Though, that small snippet was more than enough. “Well… that escalated quickly.”

Author's Note

If one approach doesn't work, try approaching the situation from a different angle.

Small heads up, given how there have been some changes in my schedule, updates for this particular story would not be as frequent. I still am working on it, though I need some time before I figure out where exactly to continue from here.

In the meantime, have a cute Klee and Qiqi

19- Prinzessin Part 1

Author's Note

As a disclaimer, the Prinzessin that you're thinking of is not in this story. Though, do you think she would get along with Luna by chance?

19- Prinzessin Part 1

By the time that the party Pinkie had thrown for Albedo and Klee was finished, it had been nearly four hours. Four hours that Twilight would never get back and in turn, four hours that could’ve been used more productively. With that amount of time, she could already pin down where to find the resources that Albedo and her would need for the prototype crucibles that the alchemist had come up with the designs for. Not only that, but Twilight had made adjustments to her ever changing schedule to accommodate Albedo, not a Pinkie Pie surprise party from out of nowhere.

Eventually, when Pinkie Pie was done with the party and the castle was all cleaned up, Twilight thought that she had the chance to finally get things back on track with their earlier conversation. Though, as it so happened, another curveball was thrown at the princess when they heard a knock on the door of the castle. The first thought that came to her mind was that it was either one of her friends, the mail delivery pony named Derpy Hooves or one of those annoying door-to-door sales ponies that always tend to show up in Ponyville every so often.

As Twilight trotted over the door and opened to see who it was, she would soon realize that it was none of those possibilities at all. Even though, at first, it seemed like the first one of the three, “Oh, hello Starlight. How are you?”

“F-fine,” the unicorn replied nervously, “T-there’s somepony who would like to see you.”

“Oh really?” the alicorn asked, before taking a quick glance outside to see that the only ponies that were behind Starlight were some of the townsfolk, “You mean at the school or-?”

Starlight’s only response was to step to the side, for the pony that wanted to see her was directly behind the unicorn. They just couldn’t be seen because the door was blocking the princess’ field of vision, and when Twilight finally noticed them, she could not believe who she was looking at. For right next to Starlight was none other than her former teacher, “Why hello, my dear Twilight. How are you today?”

“P-princess Celestia!” Twilight spoke up, startled by the presence of the solar princess at her doorstep, “I-I had no idea that-”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Celestia interjected as she stepped through the door and walked inside, “After the letter my sister and I received from you just the other night, I thought I would make an impromptu visit to see you. Of course, I had thought that you would be at the school today, only to find Starlight instead.”

“Y-yeah, it’s not everyday that you would find a princess at your doorstep,” Starlight herself admitted, before looking to Twilight now, “Also, what’s this about a letter?”

At that, the princess of friendship just nervously looked at the unicorn, “I… sent a letter yesterday to Celestia, just so that she was somewhat aware of what was going on and not have any more random surprises happen. Though, this was not what I was expecting,” she replied, before looking at her former teacher, “On that note, what brings you to Ponyville, Princess Celestia?”

“Well, after my sister and I read your letter, I thought I would take some time to come here and meet them,” Celestia replied with a cheerful smile, “After all, a letter and a picture can only do so much. You could say that curiosity got the better of me.”

“O-oh, um… I see,” Twilight replied, the tone in her voice accurately matching how nervous she was. An unexpected party from Pinkie Pie, she can somewhat handle. An unexpected visit from one of the two sisters that ruled over Equestria, not so much. Not only that, but such a sudden arrival would also catch both Albedo and Klee by surprise and personally, Twilight would not want for Klee to be playing with her treasures in the presence of Princess Celestia.

“Is something on your mind, Twilight-?”

“N-No! Nothing! Nothing at all,” the alicorn of friendship immediately assured Celestia, despite the fact that it looked like she had a severe case of anxiety happening this very moment, “L-let me go talk to them real quick.” Before Celestia was even able to get a word in, Twilight was gone in a flash of her teleportation spell as the alicorn looked back to Starlight.

“Is it just me or does Twilight seem… stressed out?” she asked.

At that, the unicorn just shrugged, “To be honest, things have been… weird since yesterday. Not just a normal Tuesday afternoon weird, but a whole different kind.”

After the surprise party that Pinkie threw for them, Albedo was both thankful for the party, but also internally disappointed. Thankful for the act of kindness and for Klee to have the chance to make some new friends while they were staying in Ponyville, but disappointed because of the sheer amount of food that the party pony had prepared for so few people. Even though he has a preference towards foods that were sweet, his low appetite made it to where he would only eat in small portions. Whatever food would be left over would either remain untouched, which would spoil, or if he tried to eat more, the original flavor would be lost. Fortunately, Klee and her newfound friends had a lot of the food that he didn’t have, so he didn’t have to feel guilty about not eating too much.

Though, his temporary reprieve at the moment was short lived when a familiar flash happened behind him and the alchemist turned to see Twilight right behind him. “T-there you are-”

“Hello again, Twilight,” Albedo replied, noticing that the alicorn’s calm demeanor from earlier was no longer present, “Is something the matter?”

“Yeah,” Twilight nodded, “We got an unexpected visitor and… well, they were wanting to meet you.”

“A visitor?” he now asked, a bit curious now as to who the princess was referring too, “Who would that happen to be? One of your friends?”

“Actually, it’s… somepony else,” she admitted, “Do you remember what Starlight told you about Princess Celestia when the two of you first met?”

“She’s one of the rulers of your kingdom and also your teacher.”

“That’s right,” Twilight nodded, “She and her sister Luna are the rulers of Equestria. Last night, I sent a letter to her to sort of… inform her of everything going on. As a way to try and assure her that you and Klee aren’t a danger to us.”

“Would it be right to guess that she wasn’t entirely convinced?”

“It didn’t seem like that, if I have to be honest. In fact, she was rather friendly,” she told him, a bit unsure of what to make of Celestia’s behavior moments ago, “Though, Celestia really wants to meet you. As for why, I don’t know.”

In Albedo’s mind, there were multiple different possibilities as to how exactly this can go. Though, there was no way of telling until they actually met. With that in mind, there was only one thing that the alchemist could do to know for sure what Celestia’s intentions were.

“So, where is the princess right now?”

“I-in the map chamber probably,” Twilight stuttered, a bit caught off guard by the alchemist’s answer. “W-why?”

Albedo only had one response for her, “The only way we can really know for sure why the princess is here is by going forward with this meeting. So, it would be rude of us to keep her waiting any longer.”

20- Prinzessin Part 2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

21- Prinzessin Part 3

A long time ago, there was a creature called the Father of Monsters. At the time, no creature knew where they were from or who they were. Just that the magic they were able to wield and the power at their disposal was unlike anything Equestria had ever seen before. They were able to turn the most innocent of critters into the most dangerous of monsters. All while showing no mercy or remorse towards them. Many of the creatures of the Everfree were once harmless animals, until an encounter with the Father of Monsters changed them into the predators they are today.

His name was Grogar and in ancient times, he terrorized the land of Equestria, using his creations to spread fear and terrorize the world. That was, until the day he encountered Gusty the Great. With a small battalion of unicorns behind her, they bravely fought back against him. Yet, even with enough magic that was stronger than a thousand armies combined, they could not easily beat him. That was, until Gusty realized something. The source of his power was not from Grogar himself, but because of an artifact that was hanging freely around their neck. An artifact known as the Bewitching Bell.

With very little time to act, Gusty had her troops distract Grogar so that she could steal the bell while he was preoccupied. The plan, even though it was risky, worked and it robbed Grogar of his strength. Gusty’s bravery provided her and her comrades the chance to banish the Father of Monsters and in doing so, bring peace to the land.

“And yet, even though there is proof that such events did take place so long ago, many questions remained,” Celestia continued, “Even though Gusty had taken the bewitching bell, there was no telling what became of it after Grogar’s defeat. Not only that, but even though the Father of Monsters was gone, the damage he caused and the monsters he created could not be undone. The manticores, chimeras, Cockatrices, Cragadiles and Hydra’s that he created could not be changed back into the various animals that they once were.”

That was a lot for Albedo to process. Though, the story itself sounded vaguely familiar to something that happened in Teyvat’s past. Yet, before he had the chance to fully think about it, another pony at the table soon spoke up. “P-princess Celestia, are you sure that all of this is true?” Starlight asked, “I mean, if I remember correctly, the story of Gusty the Great and Grogar is but a fable.”

“That may be true,” Celestia replied, “But there have been times where many ponies realized that something that was ‘just a story’ turned out to be actually true. A long time ago, many would think that Nightmare Moon was just a story. Yet, that did not stop her from reemerging during the Summer Sun Celebration when Twilight first came to Ponyville.”

Twilight was starting to slowly understand what Celestia meant. However, there was still something that she was confused about. “But how does that relate to Albedo though? I’m… sorry, but I’m having trouble trying to understand.”

The solar alicorn gave Twilight a reassuring smile, before looking back at her former student. “Don’t worry, I was about to get there,” she assured her, before looking to Albedo, “The reason why I brought it up was because I was reminded of Grogar’s ability to take creatures and turn them into monsters when Albedo mentioned about his world and bio alchemy since he mentioned that it involved living things.”

“I can see why you might be reminded of that,” Albedo replied, “Though, personally, while bio alchemy is one part of alchemy as a whole, it’s not something I would want to research. Alchemy is a profession to study life and observe changes in the environment and evolution of species, not force them upon those who don’t want it.”

It was around the time that Celestia heard a door farther into the castle close. At first, she thought that it was Spike closing the door to his room. Though, as Albedo continued to talk and answer some questions that Twilight and Starlight had for him, she felt something brush up against her tail. When she looked down, the princess found herself looking at a young girl that was dressed in red with clovers on their dress and hat. The same girl that matched the description of the one in the picture that she had been given.

She had found Klee. “Hello! You’re so warm and cuddly!”

In that moment, Celestia could only respond with a giggle, “Why hello there, little one. You must be Albedo’s sister.”

“Huh?” the little girl spoke up, tilting her head in confusion, “You know big brother?”

By now, Albedo had noticed that Celestia seemed to be occupied by something, for they were not paying attention when Twilight and Starlight were speaking. “Is everything alright, Celestia? You seem… distracted.”

The solar princess could only turn her head and smile for a moment, “You can say that. While you were talking just now, I happened to have a little visitor.”

Shortly after she said that, the alchemist noticed an all too familiar face climb up onto Celestia’s chair and give off a cheerful smile while they were snuggling against Celestia’s mane. “There you are, big brother! Klee made a new friend!”

“K-Klee, what are you doing?!” Twilight asked as she stared at the young girl with a look of horror on her face. After what she had seen when they were in the Everfree Forest, she was afraid that the same thing was going to happen in front of the princess that was her teacher for so many years.

“Big pony’s mane and tail is so soft and warm like a blanket, so Klee wants to snuggle with it!” the young girl joyfully proclaimed, which just had Celestia giggle.

“She reminds me of you when you were her age, Twilight,” the princess replied now. Something that made Twilight pupils shrink with horror as the alicorn really hoped that anyone did ask about that.

Unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case, “… Okay, I have to ask. How exactly does Klee remind you of Twilight? I mean, there aren’t really a lot of similarities.”

“Well, she reminds me a lot of when Twilight was just a filly and I had recently taken her on as my student,” the princess answered Starlight’s question, “During the first couple of days, I noticed that Twilight herself was feeling rather homesick and it was affecting her with her studies and her sleep. So, I came to comfort her and, at the time, she saw my mane as a blanket and wanted to snuggle with it. Something that Klee’s doing right now.”

Immediately, Twilight’s face was flushed red with embarrassment. It was one thing to remember such a moment, but it was something else to have a memory that you would see as rather embarrassing end up getting shared by Princess Celestia to not only her guests, but also her former student. She was lucky that Spike wasn’t around at the time that they were talking about this, or else he would chime in and end up making the situation worse.

“Hehe!! Brother, look! Her face is red!”

Klee might’ve not used any of her bombs at that moment, but to Twilight, it felt as if any form of patience or self control she once had was blown to pieces and sent flying out the nearest window.

???

For too long, he had waited. For too long, they had waited for the right moment to break free of the chains that bound him. Centuries had passed since his power was stolen and he was banished, but now was the perfect time to return. He felt the power that he had used so long ago resurface, but from another creature. If he was going to fulfill what he desired though, they needed to reclaim the source of their power.

He needed the bell… he needed his vision.

Author's Note

21.5- Hilfe

“So, you said you said you had some news for me on what we were looking for?” Venti, the carefree bard, asked his friend as they were now approaching the border between Mondstadt and Liyue. After their trip to Liyue Harbor, the god of chaos named Discord had some news to share about their current endeavours. Though, Discord wanted to wait until they were closer to Mondstadt first before sharing the news. That and with the amount of times that the two had encountered travelers on the road, he wanted to not have their conversation be overheard by anyone that just happened to be passing by.

“Yeah, that’s right,” the god of chaos replied, “I have some good news and some bad news on that front. Which one did you want to hear first?”

“Well, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first. Your trip couldn’t have possibly been that horrible now, could it?” the bard asked optimistically.

“Actually, it was,” Discord deadpanned, “Not only did I not find anything at the border, but the director used the trip over there and back to try and give sales pitches for her funeral parlor to people that were passing by. Seriously, how she can be so upbeat about trying to pitch services for a funeral home is beyond my understanding… and back where I've been living at, it’s usually me who everyone else has trouble understanding.”

“That… is a rather unusual predicament,” Venti replied as he crossed his arms, “Though, you did say that there was some good news, so your trip wasn’t all for nothing now, was it?”

“Well, aren’t you the optimistic one.”

“Someone has to be,” Venti smiled, “Now, let’s hear it.”

“Well, the good news is that I did happen to find out where they are,” Discord replied, “Remember that copy of myself that I sent to see if they ended up in another world? Well, turns out it actually found something. When I went to check in on it, it found the little one… the spark knight, I think you called it, running through a marketplace.”

“Oh really?” the bard asked, even more intrigued now, “Well, where did you find them?”

“In the world that I arrived in after leaving Teyvat behind,” the god of chaos replied, “It’s called Equestria. Rather peaceful place, that’s for sure. Though, getting them back here in one piece is probably going to be more of a headache than we originally thought.”

“How so?”

“Are you forgetting about the effect that the Abyss has on humans?” Discord reminded him, “Prolonged exposure could lead to who they were before being twisted into something their friends and family no longer recognize. I believe the last time a human ended up in the Abyss, they ended up becoming one of the Harbingers for the Tsaritsa after being stuck in there for a few months. Last I heard, they take a bit too much pleasure if they have to take part in combat.”

“So… what you’re saying is, we need to come up with something that could grant them safe passage?”

“There’s more to it then that, so I’m going to try and keep it as simple as possible,” the chaos god replied, trying to think of the best way to explain it so that he would have his friend understand what he was talking about, “My copy also found out that this Albedo guy was working on something, possibly as a means to return back here. Though, that isn’t going to be enough… Are you familiar with the phrase ‘from Point A to Point B’? Because getting them home is going to be much similar to that if you ask me.”

“Really? How so?” the bard asked, trying his best to understand even with his friend trying to not sound too complex.

“Well, if what they’re working on is Point A, then we need to come up with a Point B in order to ensure their safe return. Otherwise, they’ll end up just floating aimlessly in the void,” Discord told him, “It could be possible for us to make it… however, we lack materials. And I doubt that anyone in Mondstadt would be open minded to help not just a bard, but his friend that comes off more like a freeloader than someone you can trust.”

It was at this point that Discord and Venti could see the Dawn Winery and where the god of chaos asked a question. “Would you happen to know anyone that could… well, lend a hand and not be too nosy about it? I’m pretty sure that Jean lady said that if word got out, it would cause a panic.”

That only had the god of freedom smirk as he looked back towards his friend, “You know… there is one person that comes to mind.”

“Traveler, Paimon, What a surprise! How have you been?”

Much to Discord’s surprise, when he thought that he was going to be able to meet ‘Mondstadt’s Honorary Knight’, he thought it would be some brave man in shining armor. Instead, he found himself looking at a blond haired teen that wore a scarf of every anime protagonist and a pixie of a traveling companion, “Tone deaf bard? What are you doing out here by the Thousand Winds Temple? Paimon thought that you would be at the Angel’s Share like you always do… and who’s the crazy eyed looking guy right next to you?”

“Crazy eyed? That’s a lot coming from someone who’s pint sized Emergency Food.”

“HEY!! Paimon’s NOT-” Before Paimon could continue, that was when she realized something, “Wait, how do you know that Paimon’s been called that before? We haven’t seen your face around here.”

“I have my ways.” Discord smirked.

“That… doesn’t really tell us anything,” The honorary knight replied back.

“Anyways,” Venti soon interjected, “I wanted for you to meet an old friend of mind. This here is Discord. I know that you might have some questions, but my friend needs some help and we don’t exactly have a lot of time.”

“Are you just giving us work because you’re too lazy to do it yourself? Sheesh,” Paimon grumbled.

“Actually, there’s a bit of a story to that. Why don’t we take a moment to bring you up to speed first?”

Author's Note

You asked for it, now they're here.

22- Eisenerz

Not long after the surprise and unexpected meeting with Princess Celestia, the preparations that Albedo were making continued apace. While the seed from the tree of harmony was continuing to steadily grow, the alchemist was focused on another important step. If he was going to go forward with constructing the ‘crucible’ that was going to be around the seed, then the alchemist was going to need materials. Mainly, materials that had a tolerance to magic, which in itself was kind of hard to come by. His first point of reference was the metallic frames that were used to hold the gemstones that were in the elements of harmony, however, that material itself was extremely rare to the point that it wouldn’t show up in any nearby mines.

So, with that being the case, the alchemist shifted his focus a bit. If those materials weren’t going to work, then perhaps he should look into other rock formations and materials that were able to tolerate magic as well. Which, in turn, led back around to what he was doing now. After Spike mentioned to him that he and Rarity would go on expeditions to find gemstones for clothes that the seamstress would work on, Albedo asked if he could join them the next time that the two of them were heading towards the caves. Since the unicorn’s magic was able to help them come across any crystals or gems in the earth, it would allow him the chance to see if some of the ores and metals that Equestria had were similar to Teyvat in any way.

Of course, Rarity herself was thrilled to have him along just for being there. “Oh, how marvelous of you to join us today, Mr. Albedo. Why, I didn’t think you would be interested in joining us on one of our expeditions.”

“Well, I’m glad that you agreed to my request,” Albedo replied back as he took a glance over at who else was with them. Klee might be back at the school with Sandbar and a few of his friends, but Spike was also here with the alchemist and the unicorn, “I’m sure that Twilight has informed you of our situation, so you must be aware as to how important this is for my sister and I in trying to find a way home?”

“I am well aware, yes,” the seamstress nodded her head, “While metals and ores aren’t entirely my forte when it comes to this kind of work, I actually know a couple of creatures that could help make your search easier. You could say that they are a business partner.”

Now Albedo couldn’t help but feel a bit curious at that. “Business partner?”

“Some time ago, one of Pinkie’s sisters named Maud Pie decided to visit Ponyville and her sister. Since then, she’s actually moved into a cave outside of town,” Spike now took the initiative to fill in the gaps, “While she may seem… blunt, Maud knows a lot about rocks and minerals. Heck, aside from Pinkie, most of her family lives on a rock farm in Rockville. Maud actually helped us find a couple of cave systems to find new gems after the places that we’ve tried looking at before weren’t exactly turning up as many minerals as Rarity had hoped for.”

“So what you’re trying to say is that if any creature would happen to know something about rocks, mining or metals, it would be her?” Albedo then asked, with Spike’s only reply to the question being a confident nod.

“Either way, it’ll be good to see Maud again,” Rarity replied with a smile as they arrived at their destination, “Alright, here we are.”

Once they had finished walking, Albedo found himself standing in front of an entrance to another cave. However, unlike the cave that belonged to the Tree of Harmony, this one was different and even had a ‘Welcome Home’ mat and what looked to be a mailbox in front of its entrance. Though, there didn’t look to be any signs of anyone living there.

“That’s strange… Are you sure that she’s home, Rarity-?”

“Hello.”

The sudden statement startled Spike as Albedo turned around and saw what looked to be a grey earth pony with a flat purple mane and teal eyes standing behind them. There were shades of purple over the lids of her eyes and she wore a dark navy dress over her clothes and had grey saddlebags as well.

“Oh hi, Maud,” Rarity spoke up now before trotting over to her, “How have you been?”

“Nothing different, just fine,” the mare said plainly, before noticing Rarity’s companions as they came over, “Oh. You brought friends it seems.”

“Why yes,” the unicorn told the earth pony, before pointing to her companions, “I believe you’ve already met Spike, but this is Albedo. He recently arrived in Ponyville and was needing some materials for his research.”

“Materials?” Maud asked, “From rocks.”

Albedo now chose to speak up as he looked at the earth pony, “What I’m looking for is in the caves where you would normally guide Rarity and Spike through. I’m trying to find strong metals that would be within the caves like Iron.”

“Iron,” the earth pony repeated, before looking to Rarity, “That can be found in caves, yes.”

“Marvelous!” Rarity proclaimed, before swiftly turning towards Spike and Albedo, “Wait right there, you two. We’ll go get the necessary equipment and then we’ll be on our way!” Shortly afterwards, both the unicorn and earth pony trotted off, leaving the alchemist and the dragon by themselves.

“Is Maud usually like that?” Albedo then asked the dragon out of curiosity, “I mean, for being Pinkie’s sister, I… didn’t really expect for her to be so blunt.”

“Yeah, that’s kind of normal for Maud,” Spike shrugged his shoulders, “She might come off as monotonous, but she means well. Heck, Maud’s the only pony that we know that’s rather knowledgeable when it comes to rocks and caves. Even has a Rocktorate to prove it.”

“Rocktorate?” the alchemist replied, “Don’t you mean doctorate?”

“What’s the difference?” Spike asked as he shrugged his shoulders.

All Albedo could do was fold his arms as he and Spike waited for Rarity and Maud to come back out. Though, while he was waiting, he began to wonder what his sister would be up too right around now.

“Whee!! This is so fun!!”

While her brother was out on a trip with Spike and Rarity, Klee took it upon herself in order to make an impromptu visit to see Sandbar and the rest of his friends. Of course, she didn’t quite tell anypony where exactly she was going and the only one of Sandbar’s friends that she actually ran into today was Yona. Though, if it gave her the chance to ride piggyback on top of the yak, then it shouldn’t exactly be too much of a problem now, right?

“Yona like that friend Klee is having fun!”

“Yona, what’s going on-” They heard what sounded like Sandbar ask as he and a couple more of his friends happened to run into her. Though, none of them were expecting to see the little girl that was sitting comfortably on her back. “K-klee, what’s going on? Is someone in t-trouble?”

“No silly! Big brother is doing something very important, so Klee thought that she could play with her friends!!” Klee proclaimed with a smile on her face. Though, despite the young girl’s enthusiasm, the other creatures didn’t exactly think the same way she did.

“… Are we going to get in trouble for this?”

“As long as the school doesn’t burn down, I think we’ll be okay… Right?”

Author's Note

So, who wants to go on an adventure with Klee?

23- Vergnügen

Out of all the possible things that Sandbar and his friends expected to potentially do today, having to watch over Klee while her brother was out of town was not one of them. He and most of his friends had just finished up with breakfast after going to the dining hall, only to find that the young girl was sitting cheerfully on Yona’s back. The only thing that they found out was that her brother Albedo had gone on a trip out of town with Spike and Professor Rarity, which in itself could have meant a lot of things. The only real way for them to know for sure though was to ask Albedo when he came back. Yet, there was no telling how long their trip was going to be for.

So, that left the young six with very little options as to what exactly they should do to keep Klee occupied. One wrong move and they would be blamed for whatever potential disaster that would result from losing sight of Klee at any given time. So, they need to find a way to keep her occupied for the time being until her brother was back from her trip or unless another creature, such as one of the staff members, wanted to watch over Klee for them. Yet, at this point, the latter was highly unlikely.

Luckily, it did not mean that finding such an activity to keep her occupied was impossible. For Ocellus did happen to remember something during their meeting with Starlight. While Albedo was explaining their situation to the school guidance counselor, he had given Klee some paper and what looked to be colored chalk to let her draw and create various pictures. Some of which she even showed to the changeling and her friends while she was waiting for her brother to finish talking.

So, with that in mind, all the students decided to take the young girl to the school’s art room. While it was normally a classroom that was used by Professor Pinkie Pie when it came to teaching the students of the school about art and creativity, Pinkie Pie also allowed for her students to use the room in their spare time whenever they felt the need to practice. Given the amount of space as well as the various materials, Ocellus thought it would be the most ideal place in order to let Klee draw to her heart's content. Which would be better than letting her play with any of her toys.

Of course, when it came to Klee, getting the chance to draw was only part of the fun. The other part was watching, “Wait, you want to watch us draw as well?”

“Mhm,” the little girl nodded with a giant smile on her face, “Klee wants to see what kind of pictures all of you can do! It’ll be fun!!”

“Fun for who exactly?” Gallus asked sarcastically in a low tone, before he felt himself get elbowed in the shoulder by Smolder, “Ow, hey! What was that for?”

“I think what Gallus meant to say is that’s a great idea Klee,” Sandbar added, before he trotted over to the classroom’s supply closet to grab some materials. Pencils, paper, crayons, paint and brushes and a lot of paper to go with that, “In fact, we have everything that we need right here.”

“Yay!! You guys are the best!” Klee said, before scrambling to get some paper and crayons as she took up a spot on the floor and started to draw. With that, mostly every creature followed suit. Well, every creature except for Gallus as he looked back towards Sandbar and the others.

“Look, I know that we all agreed that this was the best idea, but why are you trying to get me to follow through on this?” the griffon asked.

“Come on, Gallus. Just because we’re watching Klee doesn’t mean we can’t have any fun while doing so,” the earth pony told him, “What is there to be so worried about?”

“The last time that we had art class, Pinkie told me that my art came off as ‘dark and brooding’-”

“Were you trying to draw something you remembered in Griffonstone?”

“No, actually,” the griffon retorted, “I was trying to do the example she had on the board of a planted flower in soil.”

“Oh,” Sandbar replied, “Well, maybe this time around it won’t be the same. Besides, we’re doing this for Klee. You wouldn’t want to make her sad now, would you?”

The image of Klee being upset and the classroom getting burned down was imprinted in Gallus mind as he looked back over towards the little girl and her friends, before he looked back towards the earth pony. “I guess you have a point. Though, don’t try to expect me to come up with anything that you would find in a museum or anything.”

Sandbar could only smile at that as he looked at his friend. By now, every creature was trying their best to come up with a picture of their own to share with everyone else. From what the earth pony could tell, every creature was using a different kind of style to their piece. While Gallus and Sandbar just used pencils, others like Silverstream and Yona were using the brushes he got out of the closet as well as different colors of paint. As for Ocellus, she was using crayons with Klee and was the one who was keeping a close eye on her during the whole process.

Of course, some time after they got started, Ocellus noticed something. Unlike her friends, who were trying to draw or paint simple things such as objects, Klee was drawing what she realized was other creatures. At first, she thought that the young girl was drawing her brother or some of Ocellus’ friends. Though, their appearance looked to be rather different. After all, Sandbar wouldn’t exactly be wearing an eyepatch.

“Hey Klee,” she spoke up, “What are you drawing, out of curiosity?”

“Oh, these are some of my buddies!” Klee cheerfully proclaimed, before pointing at the first of what looked to be a few separate drawings. This one had the figures of a blue maned figure with an eyepatch, a brown maned figure with a red bow, one with a ponytail and a blond mane with the last one being a figure with what appeared to be a witch’s hat, “These are the buddies in the Knights of Favonius, including Kaeya, Amber, Master Jean and Lisa. Klee would’ve added Diluc, but… he’s one of the weirder grown ups. So grumpy all the time.”

Ocellus would’ve asked more about who she was talking about, but that was when Klee flipped her page over. This time, there was what looked to be a figure with a hood and silver mane and Klee among them. Ocellus could also notice what looked like dogs in the picture as well. “Here, we have one of my best buddies, Razor! He always knows how to fix things whenever a disaster happens! Even though… I’m the one who causes the disaster most of the time.”

“Are those dogs in the picture?” the changeling then asked, “Does he have pets?”

“Oh no, that’s Razor’s family!! Klee was told that they had been raised by them since he was little,” the young girl beamed, “Though, they seem to be scared of me. Yet, Klee doesn’t know why.”

Ocellus could possibly think of several reasons as to why that might be the case. Yet, it wouldn’t be ideal to say what those reasons were. Especially since Klee might not understand. Though, before the changeling could mention anything, the young girl picked up another paper she had. This one had a figure that resembled Albedo, but also had a different figure on there too. One with a green mane, what looked to be ears in that mane and they looked kind of timid. Almost like professor Fluttershy.

“This one is Sucrose and she’s the best!! Big brother has her work with him whenever she can and she told me that she learns so much from him!”

“Oh? Is this Sucrose a student of his?”

“I think that’s what she called it, but Klee can’t remember,” the little girl admitted, trying really hard to recall her encounters with Sucrose, but not coming up with anything. After a bit, she decided to instead flip the second page again to show what was on the opposite side. This time though, the image that Ocellus saw made the changeling shudder.

The next drawing depicted Klee with another small figure that had cat-like features such as a tail and ears. Yet, this time, it showed the two of them as if they were trying to destroy something as Klee had one of her jumpy dumpties and the other figure had a bow. “K-Klee? W-what’s this one about?” Ocellus nervously asked, not really sure if she wanted to know the full story behind this particular image.

“Oh this is me with Diona, she’s one of my best friends!” Klee replied with glee, “I always hear her say ‘No matter what happens, I will destroy Mondstadt’s Wine Industry!’ and I want to help her! Though, I don’t really know what a Wine Industry is… do you think it’s a monster of some kind?”

To be honest, the changeling… as well as her friends had no idea how exactly to respond to that. Especially in a way that Klee would be able to understand. So instead, Silverstream decided to speak up upon noticing that the young girl has one more picture left over that didn’t involve her potentially blowing anything up. Instead, this photo showed a blond maned figure with a sword with a smaller figure floating beside it, “Hey Klee, who’s this last one here?”

“Oh, that’s the honorary knight and Paimon!” the young girl replied with glee, “They helped me try to find one of my treasures when a mean Mr. Fluffball took it.”

“Uh… Mr. Fluffball?” Smolder asked, “Who’s that, some creature’s pet?”

“No, Paimon told me that they were the enemy of humanity… but I didn’t really understand what she meant,” Klee admitted.

“Yona confused,” the yak now spoke, “Who Paimon?”

“More like ‘what’s Paimon’ if you ask me,” Smolder added, before pointing to the smaller of the two figures in the picture, “I don’t really think the locals in Klee’s world fly around like that.”

“Is it some kind of weird breezie?” Silverstream asked, “And why does hearing that name make me hungry?”

“That happens anytime you start thinking about food, Silverstream,” Gallus deadpanned.

“W-we shouldn’t assume anything, though,” Ocellus spoke up as she looked towards Smolder, “T-there’s a possibility that things we see as strange are c-considered normal where Albedo and Klee are from.”

“How exactly?”

“R-remember when he showed his alchemy to us?”

At that point, the rest of Ocellus’ friends began to think on what she said, before they all came to the same conclusion and understood what she was talking about. After all, what the alchemist showed them on the day that they first met was unlike anything they had ever seen before.

“Yeah, that’s a fair point,” Gallus remarked.

“Back to what we were saying though,” Sandbar remarked, “These are some really great pictures, Klee. I’m sure that your brother would love to see these when he’s back.”

“Oh? But Klee’s not done yet! There’s one last one that I want to make first!” The little girl told him.

“Really?” Ocellus asked, “What is it-?”

“I can’t tell you just yet! It's a surprise!!” Klee giggled, before turning away so that every creature in the room could not see what she was working on. Originally, when they heard that, Sandbar and the rest of his friends got rather nervous. For when it came to Klee, hearing that she was working on a surprise for them didn’t really fill them with much confidence. Especially when it was possible that the surprise might’ve been rather… explosive, to say the least.

Though, when the little girl was done, the surprise that she had for them was much different from what they were expecting. “There we are! All done!! Come have a look!”

When the six of them turned around, what they found caught all of them by surprise. Klee had drawn another picture, but instead of drawing anyone that the little girl knew in Teyvat, she drew all of them instead with her in the middle. At the top, the words ‘Klee’s best friends’ was written in black crayon. “W-wow, Klee. You… decided to draw us?”

“Yep! You’re Klee’s friends, so Klee has to draw you!” She proclaimed happily, “Do you like it?”

“Like it? Klee, this is amazing!” Silverstream cheered in glee. Every creature gave similar responses, which in turn, had Klee’s eyes brighten up in joy.

“Really?! Thanks everyone, you’re the best!!” the young girl proclaimed. Though, shortly after saying that, they heard the sound of her stomach rumbling, “Uh… Klee’s feeling kind of hungry. Can I have something to eat?”

“Sure thing,” Silverstream was the first to answer, “I’m sure that there’s some extra food in the cafeteria that we can get for you.”

“Thanks everyone!” She beamed with pure joy, before following the hippogriff out of the room. Not even paying attention to the cups of paint that were on the table as they spilled out onto the floor. Leaving the mess to the rest of their friends to clean up.

Author's Note

Even when not present, Paimon is thought of as food. Who would've thought?

24- Lösung

“When you told me that you wanted to get some materials from the cave darling, this was… not quite what I thought you would want to bring back.”

By now, the alchemist named Albedo was already making their way back towards Ponyville alongside Spike and Rarity. The trio had a wheelbarrow full of not just crystals, but various other rocks and metals that they found inside the cave that Maud showed them. While the seamstress was still trying to process why exactly they were bringing all of this back, Albedo had his reasons for doing so. “Something wrong, Ms. Rarity?”

“No no, I’m just… surprised by how many you decided to bring back,” the unicorn replied back to the alchemist, “Are you sure that you’re going to need all of these?”

“More than likely, that’s for sure,” Albedo told her, “When it comes to conducting tests, the process for doing so is always trial and error. Though, before we can even do that, we need to find a smithy that can forge all the parts.”

“Uh… Smithy?” Spike now asked.

“Oh, right. I mean a Blacksmith. ‘Smithy’ is just a shortened expression used by the Knights of Favonius back home. I didn’t mean to confuse you.” He assured the dragon, before setting the wheelbarrow down for a moment, “The point being that having the materials itself is only part of the process. The next step is to find someone that can forge the pieces that we need before we can assemble it.”

“You want somepony to make pieces out of this?” Rarity asked, “Pieces of what exactly?”

“Twilight and I had been working on trying to come up with particular contraptions that could help us find a way home. However, since the size of the contraption is rather huge, the only way to properly assemble it is to have it be built in parts that connect to one another,” the alchemist explained, “ You can’t exactly build a home without a frame to support it. Though, I’m not sure if Twilight knows anyone that could help us with forging the parts and be… well, discreet about it.”

“While I see how important discretion might be, I wouldn’t be so sure as to why you would need it,” Rarity replied. Yet, her response just led to the alchemist stopping for a moment.

“In my experience, people will go to extreme lengths to try and fight back against what they don’t understand.”

“Uh… what?”

Albedo blinked, before looking back towards her. “Oh, my apologies, just thinking out loud. We should probably get going and let Twilight know that our expedition was a success.”

Yet, as Rarity watched the alchemist walk away, she couldn’t help but feel that he was alluding to something far greater than she or any of her friends for that matter would understand. Almost as if he was referring to something that he once had to go through. Though, she had to set aside that thought as the three of them approached the entrance to the castle of friendship.

After a couple of knocks on the door, it was soon answered as the princess of friendship herself opened it. “Oh, welcome back. How was your trip? Did Maud help you find what you were looking for, Albedo?”

“She did actually,” the alchemist replied as he set the wheelbarrow down, “We were able to harvest a lot of minerals, but not too much. Hopefully it’ll be enough in order to get started with construction.”

“Just, what exactly are you trying to build anyways?” Spike now asked, “I mean, you keep mentioning how you wanted some help to build the parts, but parts of what exactly?”

Both Twilight and Albedo looked to each other for a moment, before the latter of the two looked towards Spike. “Perhaps we can explain to you everything once we’re inside. I had left some sketches of what I was hoping to construct in Twilight’s care, so I can show them to you while we discuss this.”

As he said that, Albedo followed Twilight inside brought the wheelbarrow with him as Spike just shrugged his shoulders. Even though this might’ve been seen as strange at first, it would at least help answer any questions that he or Rarity might have. Especially since the two of them went out of their way so that they could help the alchemist procure these materials in the first place.

Once everyone was inside, Rarity and Spike walked over to the cutie map as Albedo had a few of his drawings on the table. Once they got close and Spike climbed up on the first open seat he saw, both the dragon and the unicorn found themselves looking at what appeared to be the sketch of a tower, with grates along the side and main compartment. At first glance, Spike thought that he was looking at some kind of outdoor oven or a detachable chimney based on its appearance.

“Um, Albedo? What… exactly is this?” the dragon asked, “Don’t get me wrong, it looks nice. But I’m having trouble trying to understand what it is.”

“That is a sketch based on what I could remember from my student’s original design, and our starting point,” he replied, “There were some flaws with Timaeus’ work and the instability from those flaws led to Klee and I arriving here. So, with our design, I wanted to make sure that we avoided the same mistakes.”

Around then, another picture was placed on the table for Spike and Rarity to see. Immediately, they could tell the difference between the old design and this one. For it wasn’t a singular tall construct this time, but a smaller one that was split in two and half the size of the original. Though, the new design also led to new questions being asked. “Why would you need two, exactly?”

“The original problem with the old design of the elemental crucible was that it took on too much elemental energy too fast without a proper way to release it if things got too dangerous. For a while, I was unsure of what exactly to do to avoid those mistakes,” Albedo admitted, “Then, Twilight told me something.”

“I told Albedo that one of the things in Equestria that we’ve seen before is that sometimes, the best solution comes in pairs. You don’t have to take everything on yourself if you got somepony else that could help carry the weight,” Twilight replied, a bit of glee chiming from her voice as she told the others.

“From there, I realized something. If we were to not only shrink the size of this crucible, but split it to where the amount of energy is stored is not solely in one place but two, we would have a higher likelihood of success,” the alchemist picked up where the alicorn left off, “Of course, building it was going to require more resources and also split everything into pieces so that way it could be carefully assembled when it was time for testing. Though, as unfortunate as it may sound, we can’t even begin testing until we find someone who could help us build everything.”

That was definitely a problem. Especially since Albedo couldn’t be able to make any significant progress on trying to find his way home until after everything was made. Right now, they were just stuck with blueprints and a wheelbarrow full of ore and crystals. If they couldn’t find some creature to help them, then there was no telling how long Albedo and Klee would be stuck here for.

Of course, that was when Twilight thought of something, “You know, there is somepony that I think I can ask.”

“Really, darling? I don’t believe we know of any friends who are skilled in such a profession,” Rarity spoke.

“We might not, but somepony else might,” the alicorn told her, before looking towards the alchemist, “Albedo, have I told you about my brother Shining Armor?”

Albedo, in turn, shook his head and folded his arms, “No, I believe this is the first time I’ve heard that name. Why do you ask?”

“Well, my brother is the captain of the royal guard. He himself might not be a blacksmith, but it’s more than likely that he knows somepony who does since they would have to forge all the royal guard’s equipment,” Twilight explained.

“Captain? Are you sure that he has that much influence?” Albedo then asked.

“Well, to compare it to something you told me when I asked you about the Knights of Favonius you were a part of, Shining’s position as captain is almost like the title of ‘Grand Master’ back in your world. The one that belonged to that lady you mentioned named… Jean I think.”

Now that made a lot more sense. After the unexpected visit from Princess Celestia, Twilight wanted to know more about the Knights of Favonius that he was a part of. So, he gave her a brief explanation as well as explained the fundamental roles of some of its most important figures, including the Grand Master. While it was a simple explanation at the time, it was helping tremendously right now since Albedo was unsure if this ‘Shining Armor’ was experienced enough or qualified for such matters since being a captain in the Knights of Favonius didn’t have a lot of weight behind it compared to if they were the Grand Master. Yet, when Twilight told him about his position in the guard and made that comparison, it put his mind at ease.

“Well, if he’s the best in his field, then we could ask him. It’s not like we have many other options,” Albedo replied, “Where would he be exactly?”

“Well, usually he’s either in Canterlot or the Crystal Empire. Though, sometimes I write a letter to verify where he is first before heading out anywhere,” Twilight replied. To which Spike let out a small breath as he folded his arms.

“Can’t you just ask him tonight?” the dragon asked.

That had the alicorn stop, before raising an eyebrow, “Tonight? What do you mean, Spike?”

“Twilight, I told you a couple of days ago that he was going to join Big Mac and I for Caverns & Chimeras tonight since Discord was on vacation,” Spike explained, with a look on his face that made it seem like he was annoyed that Twilight didn’t remember the first time, “If this is important, then perhaps Albedo could ask him while he’s here before we start our game.”

“It would save an unnecessary trip, darling,” Rarity added.

Albedo liked that idea, since doing so would allow him the opportunity to rest after their earlier expedition into the caves. Even Twilight looked to be in agreement with it. Though, there was one question that was on his mind as he looked back at the small dragon, “I agree with Spike’s proposal. Though, out of curiosity, what is this ‘Caverns & Chimeras’ that you mentioned?”

The simple question had Spike look back to him with a surprised look on his face, “It’s a fun game that I play with some of my friends. Though, it’s not exactly simple to explain. Seeing others play it usually helps-”

“Well, since I’m going to be here when Shining comes over, I hope you don’t mind if I watch. It would be interesting to see what you and your friends like to do for ‘fun’,” the alchemist said, “Mainly since my position doesn’t entirely give me a lot of opportunities to do things like this.”

“Hey, I don’t see why not,” Spike replied with a smile, before a question came to mind, “Say, now that you mention that, I need to ask a different kind of question. Not just to you, but to everyone.”

“Oh? What kind of question?” Albedo asked. Though, what the dragon said next wasn’t exactly friendly and more concerning.

“Has anypony seen Klee by chance today?”

Author's Note

"...... Oh dear."
-Rarity, five seconds after realizing that Klee was nowhere to be found

25- Bruder

“Mmm, this tastes SO GOOD!! Can you tell Klee what this is?”

While getting the chance to have a grilled cheese sandwich from the cafeteria didn’t seem like much to Sandbar and his friends, the little girl that was with them saw things a lot differently. Just a simple taste of a sandwich with melted cheese almost rivaled that of the Fisherman’s Toast and blasted fish that she was so acquainted to. Maybe if she was lucky, she could get one of Sandbar’s friend’s to teach her the recipe and try to make it herself. Though, right now, her entire focus was to try and finish the meal before it got cold.

“Wow, I’ve never seen any creature go through a sandwich like that so quickly,” Silverstream replied, before looking at her friends, “Did all that drawing earlier have her work up an appetite or something?”

“Maybe?” Sandbar shrugged his shoulders, “She seems to be enjoying it though.”

“That seems a bit obvious,” Gallus deadpanned as she looked back to the plate that was in front of Klee, “I mean, she hasn’t even opened up that juice box that’s next to her sandwich.”

“Or touched those carrots on her plate,” Smolder pointed out now as the dragoness was about to chew on a gemstone she had in her claws as she began to munch on the small snack.

“M-maybe she’s a picky eater, Smolder. W-we don’t really know,” Ocellus now told her, who decided to help Klee out by taking a couple of carrots off the little girl’s plate and decided to have them herself.

Once the little girl had finished though, she immediately began to ask them a particular question, “This is so good! Can you teach me how to make it?”

Of course, while the question was simple, Sandbar and the others weren’t quite so prepared to answer it at that moment. It was one thing to have Klee drawing, but trying to teach her how to make a sandwich in a kitchen full of objects that could be just as dangerous? That was a little more risky… and a potential fire hazard.

“Why do you want to know the recipe, Klee?” Ocellus asked.

“Since I like this so much, if Klee learned how to make it, I could make one for both Klee and big brother!” the little girl simply replied with the most innocent look on her face. Ironically though, the mentioning of this mere sentence was followed by a surprise. Someone that had just recently come through the front doors of the school, only to find Klee and her friends in the cafeteria.

“Klee! There you are,” Everyone turned to see Albedo walk into the cafeteria now, “Where have you been? We were worried that you ran off by yourself into the Everfree-”

“Klee was seeing her friends, big brother!” she proclaimed proudly, “We were having fun drawing so many pictures!” Klee would then pick up the other half of the sandwich that she had not eaten yet and show it to Albedo, “Oh, and this is so tasty!! I wanted to know if Sandbar and his friends knew how to make it so I could make some for you, brother!”

Albedo could only let out a small breath, before looking back to his little sister. Curiosity and eagerness were always a specialty of Klee’s and she never liked staying in one spot for an extended period of time, which wasn’t exactly a problem. Though, whenever his sister decided that it was ‘time to go out and explore’, Klee would always seem to forget actually informing anybody of where she was going. It was only part of the reason why trying to track her down gave him and some of the other Knights of Favonius no shortage of headaches.

“Is something wrong, big brother? Is Klee in trouble?”

The alchemist looked back to Klee, before shaking her head to reassure his sister. “No, it’s fine Klee. Just… make sure to tell someone where you’re going before you decide to go visit your friends. When I came back and found out that you were gone, I was a bit worried about you.”

“So I can stay with my friends a bit longer?”

Albedo took a quick look over to Sandbar and the rest of his friends, who mostly appeared to look rather positive with Klee nearby, before looking back to his sister, “As long as you make sure to come back to the castle when you’re done alright? Wouldn’t want to spoil your fun.”

When they heard that, the young six weren’t not entirely sure what to think. Some of them honestly thought that he was going to take them off of their hooves. Though, as they saw Albedo wave goodbye to Klee and the little girl returned back to her meal, they began to realize that they were going to have to keep an eye on her for a bit longer than anticipated.

So, they had to find the way to make the most of it, “So Klee… you said you wanted to learn how to make a grilled cheese sandwich?”

By the time that the alchemist got back to the castle of friendship, he found that Spike was already making some early preparations for what the dragon called ‘guys night’. If Albedo recalled correctly, two of his friends would be coming over later in the day and they would be playing some kind of game. Of course, the game didn’t sound like anything he was familiar with back in Teyvat, so Albedo was going under the impression that this was something brand new. Yet, even though it was rather early, Spike was already preparing everything that was needed from snacks to papers, pens and what looked like small ceramic shapes with a multitude of numbers that corresponded with the amount of sides it had.

He also noticed what looked to be figurines and cardboard cutouts too. The figures appeared to resemble equine soldiers, spellcasters and even archers as well, while the cutouts looked like that of various monsters and beasts from across Equestria. Some of them being ones that he and Klee had the unfortunate pleasure of encountering while they were out in the Everfree to visit the tree of harmony. Yet, how exactly was this important to the game that Spike was setting up? It left him rather curious and wanting to learn more.

Though, much to the surprise of both him and Spike, one of the ponies that was invited to partake in what was going on happened to arrive rather early. Much earlier than either the alchemist or the dragon had anticipated as the latter of the two answered the door, “S-Shining-?! I-I didn’t think you would be here so soon!”

At that, Albedo looked towards the door to find a white colored unicorn stallion with a mane and tail that consisted of different shades of blue. His cutie mark was of a shield and his eyes matched his mane and the hooves at the bottom of his forelegs. Based on Spike’s reaction just now, it was safe for the alchemist to assume that this was Shining Armor. Though, the only thing that was unknown at this moment was how exactly was the unicorn going to react when he actually saw him.

“Well, it looks like you’ve been busy getting things ready. Who else was it that was going to be joining us-” the unicorn was walking in from the hallway, but stopped upon noticing Albedo. Originally, the alchemist thought that he was about to act rather defensively upon first glance. Though, what came out of Shining’s mouth when he spoke again was rather… unexpected, “So, you must be the alchemist that I’ve heard about. Albedo, right?”

That surprised him personally. Twilight didn’t send out a letter or anything, yet he happened to know who exactly he was? Albedo couldn’t help but be curious as to why that was the case. “Yes, that is me. If I may ask though, how exactly did you hear about me?”

“Well, this the first time we’ve met face to face, but I’ve heard a lot of things about you from Celestia when she last visited Cadance and I in the Crystal Empire,” the unicorn replied back with a smile, “From what I was able to understand, you left quite an impression on her. Which in itself is rather rare, all things considered.”

“Really?” Albedo replied, a bit surprised on how Shining phrased his words, “How so?”

“Well, to keep things simple, Celestia told us that hearing you explain your situation and answer her questions reminded her of Clover the Clever many years ago,” Shining told him, “Which many ponies would see as an honor since not many creatures end up impressing Celestia during their first meeting. With Twilight being an exception, but that’s a story for another time.” The unicorn would pause for a moment to compose himself, before asking the alchemist a simple question. “So, what exactly brings you here? Because I doubt that someone like you has the time for games when, if memory serves me right, you’re busy trying to find your way home.”

“Well, that’s what I was hoping to talk to you about actually.”

From there, Albedo took the chance to inform him of what was going on. He and Twilight had come up with a design for a contraption that they needed to test and had the resources, but lacked the skill to craft it themselves. So, the first thought that came to her mind was to see if Shining Armor knew any creature that could help them forge it.

At first, it sounded like Shining had an answer for him. Though, there was a catch. “Why yes, I do happen to know somepony… However, what I can do to help is rather limited.”

“Huh?” Spike now asked, confused, “But you’re the captain of the guard. Shouldn’t it be easy to just go and ask?”

“Unfortunately, it’s not all that simple I’m afraid,” the unicorn replied, “When it comes to the guard, there’s a lot of politics behind it. Why yes, we serve the princesses and try to keep every creature safe, it doesn’t mean that the royal guard are automatically provided everything that they need on a silver platter. You need to pay bits to get these services and there are several high figures who are not exactly supportive of excessive military spending. Some would even assume that we would be planning the worst and take it as an act of aggression, even though we’re using the money to pay for equipment and training for the new recruits.”

“So, what can be done exactly?” the alchemist now asked.

“Well, it’s not all grim,” Shining Armor reassured him, “I can write up a recommendation letter and then have the Princess give it the royal seal to show her approval on the matter. If you show that to the blacksmith in Canterlot, Cast Iron, along with the design that you and Twilight came up with and the necessary materials, then he should be more than open minded to help. I’ll make sure to have the recommendation include a brief synopsis on your situation so it’ll be more likely for him to understand.”

That had Albedo smile as he looked back at the captain of the guard, “Thank you very much. I really appreciate your help.”

“No worries,” the unicorn replied, “The fact that Celestia is fond of your capabilities probably makes this seem easy. Though, when you do travel to Canterlot, do be careful. There are some ponies in nobility that aren’t quite so open minded to the sight of other creatures, even though the city as a whole is pushing towards being inclusive of all species no matter their background. One of which being the princess’ nephew. I’m sure he’ll try to find some way in order to make things difficult.”

“If it helps, you can bring Klee with you,” the dragon chuckled jokingly.

“Klee? You mean the little one that’s Albedo’s sister?” Shining turned his head to Spike in confusion, “How would that help?”

That only left Albedo with one answer. “Let’s just say that despite her appearance, she can be… rather intimidating.”

26- Schmiede

It took almost a day or so after the conversation with Shining Armor, but by that time, all the necessary precautions and preparations were completed for a trip to Canterlot. While Albedo might’ve wanted to strike while the iron was still hot, the risk of going to the capital city without a recommendation letter from Celestia outweighed the rewards. Especially with how Twilight’s brother had described the political situation in Canterlot and how the nobles would do anything to undermine his efforts if he ever did so much as look at them funny. Luckily, he wasn’t going to be doing this trip by himself.

After discussing it with Twilight, the alicorn thought that he should come along with her the next time she was in Canterlot. Whether it be to pick up something from one of the stores or there on official business, it would be hard for any creature to interfere with Albedo’s plans if they realized that they were a friend of a princess of Equestria. Plus, she had already helped him a lot with preparing him for when he was going to go there as well as left Klee in the care of Sandbar and his friends after seeing how well they kept an eye on her last time. Well, that and it wouldn’t exactly make a good impression if his sister chose to play with her bombs in the middle of the city and have someone get hurt. So having her come along was the least he could do to show his appreciation.

The trip to Canterlot though was a much different experience. Instead of traveling by foot, which was the most common method back in Teyvat, they traveled by something completely different. A complex mechanical contraption that was called a ‘train’ that was able to move on its own, guided by a set of tracks and powered by coal in the engine compartment. Such a thing would seem unimaginable in Teyvat, yet in Equestria, they seem rather commonplace. Many of the creatures that were on board were somewhat familiar with it, and were rather comfortable while they had food and drink brought to their seats.

Once they actually arrived at Canterlot, that’s when Albedo’s curiosity reached its peak. Even though he had read about it in some of the books that were at the school of friendship and Twilight told him a few more things, that failed in comparison to actually seeing it in person. The only time that he had seen anything that was remotely similar to it was the ruins in Dragonspine, and yet, that was small compared to the thriving city that was waiting for him and Twilight as the train was beginning to slow down.

“We’re here,” Twilight told Albedo with glee as she got up out of her seat, motioning for the alchemist to follow him with one of her wings.

“You seem rather excited,” he replied, “Is there something else you’re planning on doing while I’m here or-?”

“Well, Canterlot was kind of my first home before I moved to Ponyville. So, coming back here always feels like I’m returning home. Even though there are times where it’s only temporary,” the alicorn replied, “I still use it as a chance to check in with my parents from time to time to see how they’re doing. Though, that’s usually after any important stuff is done and out of the way.”

That had Albedo raise an eyebrow, “What important stuff exactly?”

“Y’know, going to the library, asking Princess Celestia for advice, solving friendship problems. The kind of thing where it’s handy to keep a saddlebag of stuff on you just in case,” Twilight summarized, before something else came to mind, “Speaking of bags, do you still have the one that I gave you before we left Ponyville?”

“That I do,” he replied, before pulling out a lavender colored drawstring bag that was in his coat pocket, “I’m still a bit surprised how you were able to get this to work.”

“Well, it’s nothing a bit of magic can’t solve,” the alicorn replied, “Now, who was it that you said we were looking for? Cast Iron?”

Albedo nodded as the two of them started walking towards Canterlot’s market district, “Yes, actually. According to your brother, his forge is not that far away from the Royal Guard’s barracks. Though, since the barracks is closer to the main castle, I assume we have a bit of a ways to go before we actually meet him?”

“That sounds about right,” Twilight told him, “Follow me. Based on what you told me, I think I might have an idea of where exactly this place might be.”

The alchemist nodded and let her lead the way. Though, as he was walking, he couldn’t help but look around at everything that was around him. The structure and layout of the city reminded him a lot of Mondstadt, but walking through Canterlot felt like a different experience. A bustling city filled with endless curiosity. If he had more time, Albedo would certainly want to explore it for himself. However, that would be distracting him from the main reason as to why he was here.

Yet, as he walked through downtown Canterlot, that was when he began to notice something. Several of the creatures in town, whether they be of ponykind or another species, were looking towards him. Yet, they did not entirely look like the expression of a creature that was curious or surprised by the sight of a newcomer. If anything, the look that was on their faces was something of fear and worry.

“I’m beginning to get the impression that Canterlot isn’t as ‘welcoming’ as you described it, Twilight,” he told the alicorn as they made a left turn and began to move up a set of stairs, “Just seeing the locals reminds me of when I first came to Mondstadt.”

“In what regard?” she asked.

“Well… there’s the sense of confusion, as well as fear,” the alchemist replied, “My master once said that people would go to great lengths to try and destroy what they don’t understand if they think it’s somehow a threat.”

“Well, it’s not everyday they see someone that’s not like ponykind,” she replied, trying to sound positive in the process, “I mean, ponies were hesitant when we had some of the leaders of different species over for diplomatic events, but now some of those species live here in Canterlot with everypony else. So, it might be more curiosity than fear.”

“Optimism is definitely a strong suit of yours,” Albedo complimented her, before he noticed a particular building that had a pegasus guard with a blue mane and orange fur standing nearby, “Would it be right to guess that this is the barracks?”

“Why yes, actually. Though, it’s actually kind of quiet,” Twilight said, before noticing the guard that was standing on duty as the two of them approached them. Though, their presence caught the pegasus by surprise.

“P-princess Twilight! I-i had no idea that you would be in town today-” they replied, before they immediately stiffened up and saluted her.

The alicorn giggled, before motioning her hoof to have them calm down. “There’s no need to be formal, just Twilight is fine. You’re… Flash Sentry, right? I remember that my brother assigned you to escort me a couple of times, but that was years ago.”

“T-that’s right! Are you looking for the captain? Because he’s-” It was at this point that he noticed Albedo and was caught by surprise. Especially since he was not like any creature they had seen before, “W-who-?”

“My name is Albedo,” the alchemist answered, “Twilight was actually helping me look for somepony that shouldn’t be that far. Are you familiar with someone named Cast Iron?”

The simple question had the guard nod his head. Though, his answer was a bit different than he expected. “Y-yes, though not for the right reasons unfortunately.”

“Shining Armor told me that there was a lot of politics behind it, especially with funding,” Albedo replied, “Would that happen to be the reason why?”

“Well yes, but actually no.”

Both Twilight and Albedo looked to each other for a moment, confused by what Flash told them. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that, yes, there is a lot of politics behind it, but not for the reason you might think it is,” the pegasus replied, “The nobles don’t have problems when it comes to spending money on anything that they want. Though, when it comes to actually doing something right, they only act when it benefits them. At least, that’s what I’ve been told.”

“How does this apply to Cast Iron though?” Albedo asked.

“As far as I know, he doesn’t trust them… at all,” Flash replied back, “Somepony that I used to go on patrols with told me that he’d rather move his services elsewhere rather than be in the back pocket of a greedy noble pony.”

“I see,” the alchemist scratched his chin, “Would you happen to know where his shop might be?”

Even after everything that he had just told the alchemist, Flash was surprised that Albedo still wanted to see him. Especially since what he said was supposed to be more of a cautionary warning. “Well, if you really want to go see him, his forge is farther down the street here,” the pegasus replied, pointing towards where the shop was with his left wing. “Though, do be careful. He’s rather… well, intimidating.”

“Thanks for the advice, but I’m sure it’ll be fine,” the alchemist assured him, before taking the initiative and going to the forge by himself. Which left the guard with the alicorn princess as an awkward silence began to set in. Though, despite the mounting feeling of social anxiety, Flash tried his best to make polite conversation.

“S-so, uh… h-how have you been?”

For the blacksmith named Cast Iron, it was just a normal day like any other. The earth pony rarely had visitors over at his shop unless somepony was over from the guard to request the standard gear for their deployment or any other creature in need of something. However, if it were anypony that considered themselves part of Canterlot’s political elite, Cast would shut the door in their faces.

The nobles might talk like he knew his business, but the truth was, they did not. What they did not understand was that in this line of work, it was quality over quantity. Each armament that was in his forge was tailored made to the particular soldier who requested it and the techniques used would make sure that the armor did not crack under pressure in case something were to happen when they were on duty. It wasn’t something that could be used and then thrown away if it didn’t work. Otherwise, the royal guard would have armor that was as durable as cardboard.

Though, as he was just about to open up shop, there was a knock at his door. The first thought that came to his mind was that there was an eager new recruit outside that had been waiting for him to get ready. “Darn younglings these days,” he grumbled before speaking up, “It’s open!”

As he turned away from the door to prepare some of his tools, he heard the door to his shop open up as the one who had knocked on the door came in. “Are you Cast Iron?”

“Yeah, that’s me. Now, is there something I can-”

When the earth pony turned around, he found himself looking at a creature that was not a pony. They were dressed rather oddly, though, something about this figure was a bit unsettling as Cast tried to look at him. They didn’t appear to have anything that would resemble a form of deployment on hoof. So, to him, that meant one other possibility. “Listen, I don’t know who you are, but-”

“Let me assure you, I am not in league with who you think,” the figure interjected, “My name is Albedo. I came of my own accord to seek your services as a blacksmith. If you wish to see proof, then let me provide this.”

The strange figure then pulled out an envelope from their coat and set it gently on the counter for him as Cast Iron went to take a look. He was skeptical of what it was, but after a couple of moments, the earth pony was shocked by what he was looking at. It was a recommendation letter, one that was authorized by both Princess Celestia and Captain Shining Armor. At first glance, he did not think that this ‘Albedo’ was anything special. Yet, this was something else entirely… and now, they had his attention.

“Well, this is unexpected,” Cast Iron replied, “What exactly brings you to my forge? You don’t look like the kind of creature who’s in need of weapons or armor. So what exactly brings you here?”

“You’re correct on that. Yet, perhaps a bit of an explanation is in order,” As he said that, Albedo unfolded what looked to be a blueprint of sorts. When the blacksmith took a closer look, it looked to be a schematic for some kind of contraption, “As you might’ve assumed, I’m not from around here. As an alchemist, I’m trying to come up with a contraption that could bring my sister and I back home. Yet, before I could be able to assemble this, I need somepony who can help forge the pieces to make it work.”

“And when you brought this up to either the princess or the captain, they referred you to me,” the earth pony finished for him, “Well, I wouldn’t exactly be one to refuse. Though, if I’m doing this, I’m going to need a few things-”

“If you mean materials, then here,” the alchemist told him, before pulling out what looked to be a drawstring bag. When he opened it up, Cast was surprised to see chunks of iron and crystal on the counter, “The bag’s enchanted to hold everything that I was able to acquire from a recent expedition. Would this be enough to suffice?”

“That’s materials, but what about payment?” Cast asked, “Just because you’re a friend of the princess doesn’t mean-”

Immediately, there was a loud banging on the door as the two of them heard an abrupt voice outside, “Cast Iron, I know you’re in here! Come on out, now!!”

“Oh for the love of-. Not this again,” the earth pony grumbled.

“Is something wrong?” Albedo asked.

“It’s that nephew of Celestia’s. He keeps coming here, thinking that his ‘authority’ will get me to do what he wants. Yet, all he’s doing is just harassing me and whatever little customers actually come here,” the stallion groaned, clearly annoyed by the sudden turn of events. Though, to Albedo, he saw this differently.

“Excuse me for a moment,” the Alchemist replied. Before Cast Iron knew what was happening, he turned to see that Albedo had stepped out the front door.

As the alchemist opened the door and stepped outside, he found himself looking at three stallions that were outside of Cast Iron’s forge. The first was a blond haired unicorn with white fur and a strange emblem as their cutie mark, while the other one happened to be an earth pony stallion dressed in armor and had some kind of spring loaded bow contraption holstered to their left flank. The first implication that came to mind was that the blond one was the ‘nephew’ that Cast Iron had mentioned, while the other was a bodyguard. Yet, what was certain was that all three of them were caught off guard at the sight of him.

“Is there a problem?” Albedo asked.

“Who the hay are you supposed to be?! Where is Cast Iron?” the blonde one demanded.

“He’s attending to another matter at the moment,” the alchemist replied back, “Now, as I said, is there a problem?”

“A problem? A problem!?” the unicorn raised his voice, “The stallion that owns this place has refused to do business with me on multiple occasions and now I’m getting talked down to by a filthy commoner!! This day just keeps getting worse.”

Albedo sighed, before folding his arms as he looked back at the stallion, “Have you ever considered that the reason why he doesn’t want to do business with you is because of your behavior?”

That made the unicorn twitch as he narrowed his gaze at him, “W-what did you just say to me?”

“Well, no creature would want to do business with someone that is rather rude or doesn’t appreciate their products or services,” he replied back, “Given your attitude now, I’d say that answers your own question-”

However, despite Albedo’s honest answer, the unicorn was having none of it at all. “How DARE you insult me!! Do you know who I am!? I am Prince Blueblood and I demand that you step aside at once!!”

“Really now? All I did was provide a solution to-”

“I said STEP ASIDE!!” the stallion interjected, “If you don’t move, I’ll have my bodyguard make you move!!”

“I wouldn’t advise that if I were you-” Albedo told him as he noticed the bodyguard was moving his foreleg to arm themselves with the contraption. When they lifted up to fire it, a small arrow like bolt flew past his head and landed in a wooden support beam out front. Yet, before they had the chance to prepare another shot, the alchemist channeled his power and touched the weapon as it took the form of a lyre used by bards instead of a weapon that could hurt someone.

“W-what the-!?” the unicorn stammered, “W-what did you do?!

“You intended to harm me, so I merely acted in self defense,” the alchemist calmly replied. “Though, I have no quarrel with you. If you leave now, then we can put this behind us and go our separate ways.”

Yet, despite Albedo’s peaceful solution to the problem at hand, Blueblood was having none of it. “You know what, forget this! I don’t care anymore about that stupid pony in there!! But you… You are going to regret this, you hear me!!”

With that, both ponies immediately left as the alchemist let out a small breath. He had hoped for a solution that didn’t cause any further aggression. Yet, now it appeared that he had become the sole focus of this ‘Blueblood’ and his anger.

Now he had a feeling that these encounters were just only a fraction of what the first Grand Master, Vennessa, had to deal with when overthrowing the aristocracy that took control of Mondstadt all those years ago.

Of course, his focus was redirected back to Cast Iron when he chose to go back inside and pick up where their conversation left off. “So, I believe you were asking about payment-”

“Forget it. If what you did would teach that spoiled brat a lesson and finally leave me alone, then I owe you a debt that can’t be repaid with bits,” the blacksmith insisted, before grabbing some of his tools, “Give me a few hours and I’ll have everything ready for you.”

Author's Note

Even when Albedo's calm, he can surprise you.

27- Folge

When it comes to making visits to Canterlot, Twilight would always hope that things would go smoothly. That things would work out and nothing would be blown out of proportion like if somepony trotted in on Rarity having one of her ‘therapy sessions’ involving a couch and a tub of Ice Cream. However, when she spotted none other than Prince Blueblood and his bodyguard heading towards Cast Iron’s forge and then departing in the opposite direction shortly afterwards, she couldn’t help but think that something bad had happened. Blueblood was infamously known for blowing little things out of proportion, but was not one to back down or leave so quickly.

Of course, when she got to Cast Iron’s workshop, it was around the same time that Albedo himself had stepped outside. “Oh, hello Twilight,” he greeted her, before looking behind the alicorn as if he expected for somepony else to be with her, “Where did that one guard go? Flash?”

“Still at his post actually,” she replied back, “What about you? I thought you would still be talking with Cast Iron and trying to get his help.”

“Actually, we finished that conversation recently,” the alchemist’s response surprised Twilight. For she would’ve thought that, based on how Flash described him, that it would take him a while to come to an agreement, “Even though we had an interruption at one point, Cast Iron has agreed to help forge what’s needed for the Crucible. If all goes well, then it should be ready within a few hours.”

“T-that’s great to hear,” the princess told him, before a thought crossed her mind, “Though, out of curiosity, what ‘sort of interruption’ happened?”

“Some noble pony was trying to harass Cast Iron into getting him to answer his demands. Though, when I went outside to see what the problem was, they lost their temper and had their bodyguard attack me. No one was hurt, though I did transmute the guard’s weapon into a lyre out of self defense. Rather than continue, they decided to run… but not without trying to swear vigorously about wanting to make me pay.”

At that, Twilight felt a chill run down her spine. Was he… talking about Blueblood just now? She had to be sure. “Who exactly was this pony, Albedo?”

“Well, Cast Iron said that they were Celestia’s nephew and the noble himself said that he was a prince… Blueblood I think it was,” Albedo told her. Yet, his answer was anything but reassuring to Twilight. If anything, the alchemist’s answer almost had Twilight go into full on panic mode. “Though, I’m not really sure if he’s an actual prince or not since he was just a unicorn. From what I’ve seen, royalty mostly consists of those who have both wings and a horn.”

Even with what the alchemist said, it did little to try and calm her down, “… This is bad.”

That had the alchemist fold his arms as he looked back to her, “How so?”

“Albedo, that pony was in fact Celestia’s nephew,” the alicorn told him while she was beginning to internally panic, “Y-you might’ve been doing that in self defense, yet he’ll find a way to twist the story around! If he tells the princess-”

“Wouldn’t she know already?”

The princess of friendship blinked, before looking back towards Albedo, “Huh?”

“Remember the recommendation letter? Celestia would probably know that we’re already here since we asked her for it before even coming,” the alchemist reminded her, “If anything, you could just send her a letter right now regarding what happened.”

At that, Twilight was a bit confused as she looked back towards him, “But Spike’s not here though.”

In response, Albedo took out what looked like a darkened phial from his coat. Inside of it, there were green flames that matched the color of the same flames that Spike would breathe. “I asked for Spike to breathe some flames in here and had Starlight enchant it to be heat resistant before we left. It was supposed to be a contingency for if Cast Iron didn’t think that the recommendation letter was legitimate and needed further proof to verify its authenticity. Though, since it never really came to that, perhaps we can use it now. I’d rather not drop this and have it break.”

That… was ingenious. In fact, Twilight was shocked that she hadn’t thought of this before until now. Though, that was something she could think about later. Right now, Twilight just wrote up a quick notice for the princess and used the flame in the vial to send it over to her.

“Alright, that should do it,” she replied confidently, “Now, we do have some time before Cast should be done. How about we go get a bite to eat while we wait?”

“That sounds like a good idea,” the alchemist smiled, “Lead the way.”

As Celestia sat on her throne in the hall of elements, the princess was trying to compose a list. There was something that she wanted to run by her sister, yet she wanted to have everything be fresh on her mind before Celestia would bring the discussion up with her. Part of her felt like it was the right time to act on such a possibility, while another part of her felt like it was too soon. That they should wait a little longer first before acting on such a possibility.

While she was trying to come up with the list, a small green flame erupted next to her as a scroll manifested next to her. “A letter?” she thought as the princess levitated the parchment closer to her, “Now, what could prompt Twilight to write to me at such-”

Yet, it was only after reading the first few sentences that the door to the hall of elements burst open. For her nephew, Prince Blueblood, and their personal bodyguard took it upon themselves to rush in. Not even considering knocking or having one of the other guards around the castle seek her out. Clearly, it looked like he was rattled by something and came all the way here to tell her about it.

Though, the moment that he started speaking, Celestia could tell that Blueblood was not being entirely honest with her. “A-Auntie, please help! It’s an emergency!”

The alicorn just sighed, before looking back to the startled unicorn and doing her best to try and humor him. “What seems to be the matter?”

From there, Blueblood tried to make his case by spinning a tale that a ‘monster’ had somehow gotten through Canterlot’s defenses and assaulted him while he was walking through the industrial district. To anypony that was listening, it would seem like a moving tale that anypony would believe. Yet, to the princess, she knew that what he was saying wasn’t exactly what happened. Not just because of Twilight’s letter, but because she had a feeling of who exactly this ‘monster’ was.

“I see,” the princess said once Blueblood had finished.

Yet, the stubborn unicorn wasn’t thrilled by her lack of action. “Well? Shouldn’t something be done!? We can’t just let a savage like that roam freely through our streets-”

“Twenty-six.”

The unicorn paused, before looking back to his guard briefly. Puzzled by his aunt's choice of words. “I… beg your pardon?”

“Twenty-six,” Celestia repeated, “It’s a rather important number. Would you like to know why?”

Yet, before the unicorn had the chance to reply, that was when the princess answered his question for him, “It’s the number of times where you’ve come to me and tell me about you had been wronged in some way; only to not entirely be truthful with not just your words, but your actions. And based on how you used the same tactics with phrasing your words that you did all those previous times before, that means there’s more to it… isn’t there?”

Blueblood was dead silent at that point. The fact that his aunt had not only seen through his words, but knew that he was trying to hide the truth stunned him. Though, before he had the chance to explain to himself, Celestia looked towards his bodyguard. “What is your name?”

“Corporal Colt Marshall of the Royal Guard, Princess,” the pegasus saluted her, “I was assigned to be Blueblood’s bodyguard by my commanding officer.”

“Corporal, could you describe the incident that occured today?”

The simple question, despite Blueblood’s own protests, was met with an affirmative nod. The guard explained that the reason why they were going there was because over the last few days, Blueblood had demanded the owner of the forge in Canterlot to give him a better suit of armor than the one that he already had. Even though Colt Marshall had insisted that such a request was not necessary, Blueblood refused to hear him out. Yet today, they encountered what Colt could only describe as a ‘furless figure’ who dressed in regal like clothes, had a blond mane and blue eyes. They tried to convince Blueblood to… be reasonable and consider why it was that Cast Iron refused to listen, but he didn’t want to hear it and ordered me to make him step aside. The result of this was that his crossbow was now nothing more than a musical instrument and Blueblood’s first thought was to come here to ‘warn’ her.

By that point, Celestia had heard enough. “How shameful of you, Blueblood.”

“Me!? How is anything I did shameful-”

“Not only did you try to solve a problem using the behavior that would typically belong to a spoiled filly, but you ordered your bodyguard to harm a friend of the crown,” Celestia snapped as she lifted the parchment that Twilight had sent to her, “That ‘creature’ is known as Albedo. He is a friend of Princess Twilight, and was here for a legitimate reason and yet, you saw him as nothing more than a monster. What he did was in self defense because of your provocative actions.”

At that point, Celestia just let out a sigh. “Blueblood, despite your time here, you have yet to learn the most simplest of lessons. Being a ‘prince’ is more than just a title, it’s a responsibility… and from what I’ve seen today, it appears you have yet to learn how to carry the weight of such authority. I am putting you under House Arrest for as much time as it takes for you to clean up your act and change for the better. No exceptions.”

Before Blueblood could even say anything, Celestia had cast a spell and in a flash, the prince was gone. Though, that was when she turned to Colt Marshall, “As for you, I’m going to talk with the captain of the guard to have you transferred. With somepony of your potential, you should deserve better than being stuck with my nephew and for that, I apologize.”

The pegasus was caught off guard by that. One moment, he was forced to be a Prince’s bodyguard and the next, he was now getting reassigned? While it felt like a relief to not be anywhere near Blueblood, there was still one question that was on his mind. “If I may ask, your highness, where exactly would I be transferred to?”

“That I will have to discuss with the captain. For now though, you are dismissed.”

As the guard left, Celestia went back to the parchment that she was trying to write on earlier… and made some necessary changes.

Things to Consider

~~Retirement~~
~~Possible Vacation~~
Discuss with Luna on what to do with the nobility. We don’t need another Blueblood.

Author's Note

Guess some of the things on Celestia's mind have to be put on hold

Side note. The next update is not going to be for a while. Writing is a bit difficult at the moment and I need the chance to regain my focus before going at it again. Which is why this chapter is a bit shorter than others.

Hope you guys have a wonderful day! Stay safe
-Frost

28- Helfen

Despite the amount of time that he had in order to see the sights all around Canterlot, Albedo knew that the time he had in Equestria’s capital city was rather limited. So, for the time that the alchemist was here, he let Twilight decide what they should do with the remaining hours they had while they waited for Cast Iron to finish with his work. Yet, to the alicorn, this wasn’t exactly a simple task by any means. After all, there was so much to do and so much to see throughout the city that it made narrowing it down to something specific rather difficult to accomplish.

Eventually, she was able to narrow down their little sightseeing venture to a few specific locations that came to her mind. The main stop on their makeshift tour throughout the city though was the Library of Magic. What was known throughout the city as one of the oldest and most renowned buildings in Canterlot that was much bigger compared to the school of friendship’s library. It was also home to some of the most important historical documents of ponykind’s history. Needless to say, it was rather significant.

Outside of the library though, the other places that the two of them went to weren’t as ‘groundbreaking’ by comparison. Such places included going through the commerce district to windowshop at some of the various stores as well as Restaurant Row. Some of the places they visited included the Canterlot branch of Rarity’s Boutique, Curio’s of Curiosity and one of Spike’s favorite places to visit; the House of Enchanted Comics. They even went past a toy store and stopped inside to see if there was anything that he could get Klee, yet some of their selection was unfortunately out of stock.

Eventually, the two of them found their way back around towards Cast Iron’s forge. At first, Albedo was worried that they had arrived a bit too early and that the earth pony had not finished his work just yet. Though, the alchemist was proven wrong when they entered the shop and found that everything had been finished and prepared for him. Cast even went as far as to use the enchanted drawstring pouch that Albedo gave him to store the finished product so that transporting it back to Ponyville wouldn’t be too difficult for them to handle

Though, it was as the alicorn and the princess were walking back towards the station that they happened to run into somepony who was quite surprised to see them. “Twilight?”

At the sound of her name, the alicorn turned back around towards the direction she heard it from. Though, when she saw who was trying to speak to her, Twilight was rather surprised. “Oh, hello Moondancer!”

This, in turn, surprised Albedo. Mainly because unlike some of the other ponies in Canterlot, something gave him the impression that Twilight knew this unicorn a little more closely than that of some of the other ponies that usually passed by. “Is that a friend of yours?”

Twilight nodded her head in response to his question. Though, Moondancer had a few questions of her own. Especially since this was the first time that she actually met the Alchemist or seen any creature like him before. “Um… I don’t mean to sound rude, but who-?”

“Oh, right,” the alicorn replied, a bit embarrassed that she forgot about introductions, “Moondancer, this is Albedo. He’s an alchemist that arrived in Equestria with his sister under… unusual circumstances.” While it didn’t provide much in terms of details, it generally summarized Albedo and Klee’s current predicament in a way that didn’t make things sound overly complex. “Albedo, this is my friend Moondancer. We were classmates together at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns for a time before I first moved to Ponyville.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Albedo politely greeted the unicorn.

“S-same,” the unicorn spoke, a bit nervous and caught off guard by the alchemist’s politeness as she looked at Twilight, “So, what brings you to Canterlot? I thought that with everything going on at your school that y-you would be busy.”

At that, Albedo looked towards Twilight and decided to make a suggestion, “Perhaps we should take a moment to tell her? We aren’t really in a hurry or anything.”

“Yeah, but it wouldn’t be ideal to be talking about this out here,” Twilight said, before an idea surfaced in her mind, “Oh, I know! There’s a donut shop in Restaurant Row that my friends and I always like to go to.”

“You mean Donut Joe’s?” Moondancer asked, before shrugging her shoulders at the sight of Twilight nodding her head, “Sure, I guess. I don’t really have a lot going on today, so I guess I can spare some time.”

Shortly after the unicorn agreed to her friend’s proposal, Twilight led both Albedo and Moondancer back over to Restaurant Row. Donut Joe’s, a pastry shop run by a stallion of the same name, wasn’t exactly a big restaurant by appearance. Though, it had quite a reputation when it came to drawing in a surprising number of well known creatures as frequent customers. Such customers included The Elements of Harmony and even Princess Celestia on occasion, something that the owner himself did not expect.

When they arrived, Albedo and Moondancer sat down at a table outside the shop while Twilight ordered some tea and biscuits. Once the alicorn had returned, she and Albedo started to answer any of the questions that the unicorn might’ve had for them. Some of the topics of their discussion included how exactly Albedo and his sister arrived in Equestria as well as their current attempts to try and find a way back home. The latter of which coincided with their trip to Canterlot.

“W-wow. That’s… a lot to take in,” Moondancer admitted, adjusting her glasses with a hoof before she looked at Twilight. The fact that Albedo was someone that came from another world was one thing. Yet, she was surprised that the alchemist had already started working on something to try and find his way back home. “May I ask something though?”

“Sure. What’s on your mind?” the alchemist now asked, a little surprised by the question at first.

“Everything you mentioned so far is just in the hypothetical stage, right?” she replied, “You haven’t had the chance to run any actual tests?”

“That’s right,” Albedo nodded, “Why do you ask?”

At first, Moondancer looked towards Twilight for a brief moment, before looking back to the alchemist, “Well, with the school’s summer break coming up, our professor is encouraging us in order to take up a field of study that we haven’t done before and try to learn more about it. With everything that you just said and how it definitely does not sound like any of the material that I study on a daily basis, I was wondering if you would need any extra hooves to help you.”

That surprised Twilight to the point that she was unaware that the tea and biscuits she ordered had been brought to their table, who only realized it after she felt the warm teapot against her left hoof. “Moondancer, are you… asking if Albedo needs an assistant?”

That was something that Albedo honestly didn’t expect, but should’ve taken into consideration. Given Twilight’s responsibilities as the headmare of the school of friendship and her role as the princess of friendship, there would be times where her duties would have her occupied and unable to help Albedo. So, having another creature that was rather familiar with what they were trying to do would be rather useful.

Though, the thing is, what they were doing was not something that would be ideal for the hooves of a mere novice. If he was to remotely consider bringing Moondancer on to help, then the unicorn would need to demonstrate to him that she was capable of taking on the tasks ahead. For even the slightest of setbacks could mean huge consequences if they weren’t careful. “What areas of study do you specialize in?”

At first, Moondancer was surprised by the question. Yet, after a moment, she soon had a response for the alchemist, “Well, my main field of study involves magic, mana and advanced spellcraft. Though, I’ve also been spending time researching other fields of interest such as alchemical synthesis as well as construction of magical contraptions. However, I haven’t actually tried to make anything because the faculty at the school get a bit… stingy when it comes to ponies trying to build such inventions. Mainly because for every time something works, there are even more times where it doesn’t and ponies get hurt because of it.”

“Wow… sounds like a lot of things have happened since the last time I came to visit,” Twilight commented.

“You would be surprised,” the unicorn told her. “My whole class almost got detention once because somepony accidentally misfired a transformation spell that they were practicing and turned that Chancellor Neighsay guy into a chicken.” At that point though, that was when Moondancer turned her head to face Albedo. “Though, if I may ask, what exactly prompted your question?”

That had Albedo let out a small breath, before he looked back to the unicorn to answer her question. “Well, if I were to take on someone that can help, I wanted to make sure that they had a clear understanding of what it is that we’re trying to do,” he said, just as an idea came to him. Shortly afterwards, he brought out the blueprint for the crucible that he kept on hand, before placing it on the table, “Now, in your words, what do you make of this?”

For a moment, Moondancer didn’t say anything and her gaze was focused on the blueprint. Albedo and Twilight watched as her eyes moved around, going between all the different sections of the blueprint and taking a look at each image. Some might’ve assumed that she was trying to commit this to memory. Though, to the unicorn, she was using a different method to reach her conclusion.

“Well, outside of the fact that I can’t make out any of the words on here,” the unicorn replied, “Based on this, it looks to be some kind of magical converter. Something that, if placed in a location where the magical residue in the environment is rather dense, can take it and have it changed into something else. Not only that, but it appears that there are two of them so that the amount of mana that it takes on can be split between them so that it won’t overwhelm it.”

A part of Albedo expected for her to have some difficulty trying to make sense of the blueprint. Since the words were written in the same script that he was accustomed to in Teyvat, it would be obvious for there to be some difficulty in trying to have an equestrian understand it. Yet, this did not stop Moondancer. If anything, she made her answer based on the different sketches on the page and tried to piece together every picture as if it were part of a puzzle. Pieces of something that was far greater when all the parts were combined together.

“That’s a rather impressive answer,” Albedo complimented her, before taking a biscuit and setting it on a saucer next to him, “You did not have a lot of information to go off of, but your response was rather close to what it is that I’m working on.”

“R-really?” Moondancer squeaked, a bit surprised by the alchemist’s answer, “I-it was just a guess.”

“A well educated one,” the alchemist insisted, “You remind me a lot of my own assistant back where I’m from.”

Now it was Twilight’s turn to speak. For the simple response from Albedo almost had her spill the tea that she was trying to drink. “Y-you have an assistant, Albedo?”

The alchemist nodded, taking a moment to eat the biscuit that he had before answering Twilight’s question. “That’s right, her name is Sucrose. She’s rather smart and eager to learn when it comes to alchemy, but is… well, very shy and nervous around people she’s unfamiliar with. Just the thought of talking to someone that isn’t me or Timaeus makes her shudder. Almost like your friend, Fluttershy.”

Though, that was also when he asked a particular question to the unicorn as he folded up the blueprint and put it away, “Though, with regards to you offering your assistance, may I take some time to think on it first? I wish to sort out everything from today’s trip first before making any decisions as to how to proceed forward.”

“S-sure, I’m not really in a hurry or anything,” Moondancer admitted, “Though, what would be the best way to try and contact you? Just in case something were to come up?”

“It would be ideal to send it to Twilight. Mainly since my sister makes a habit of using any loose parchment to draw and color,” Albedo replied, remembering one time where Klee accidentally used a letter that came from Jean to draw some of her favorite things on it.

“I think I can do that,” Moondancer replied, before asking one final question, “Is there anything else I should know? Like before-hoof?”

Albedo only had one answer to that kind of question. “Keep an open mind and be ready to expect the unexpected.”

The trip back to the Castle of Friendship was rather short and didn’t take up as much time as the way over. Though, as they left the train station in Ponyville and began making their way back, Twilight and Albedo got the impression that not much had happened since they had left. The whole town was quiet and everypony appeared as if they were going about their normal everyday business. There wasn’t a lot that stood out or made it seem like something else was going on that was out of the ordinary.

At least, that was until they came back to the castle.

Upon stepping through the doors, they found that the entire main hall was covered in what looked to be pieces of cake. Red frosting covered the walls and the chandelier that hung over the table as the two of them could see Klee sitting on the Cutie Map with the remains of a cake that looked like a Jumpy Dumpty. Pinkie Pie and Spike looked like they were talking among themselves, as if they were trying to come up with some kind of plan. Yet, anything they tried to discuss came to a grinding halt when Twilight saw the mess that was around her.

“W-what the hay happened here!?!”

At that, Pinkie and Spike nervously turned back towards them. “U-uh… We can explain.”

Author's Note

Even when left in the care of friends, Klee is still unpredictable

28.5- Erweitern

“So, let me gets this straight,” Paimon spoke as she and the traveler named Aether looked back at tone-deaf bard and his ‘friend’, “Master Jean actually asked for you two to help her with something. Yet, when you two realized that things were a bit more difficult than you thought, you thought that we could help with this problem that you two are dealing with?”

“Yup. When I was thinking of people that could help us out, you two were the first ones that came to mind,” Venti cheerfully told the two of them. Though, as he looked at the traveler, Aether had a different response.

“Sure we are,” he replied, “You do realize that we haven’t forgotten that stunt you pulled back at the cathedral with Barbara, right?”

“All’s well that ends well, right?” the bard replied, “Besides, this has nothing to do with the lyre or the cathedral. If anything, Jean wanted to keep this whole thing on the down low. Because if word got out, she was worried that there would be a panic.”

“What exactly are you two doing then?” Paimon now asked, her eyes narrowed as she looked at both of the gods, expecting an answer from them.

“Well, from what my buddy Barbatos tells me, some of the knights that this ‘Jean’ lady is in charge of have gone missing,” Discord now replied, “Since she had already tried every method in what I’m assuming is the Knight of Favonius handbook to find them, she asked for us to assist instead. Because… well, preventing a panic.”

“And who exactly is missing?” Aether asked.

“I’m glad you asked,” the god of chaos replied, before snapping his fingers as two index cards appeared in his hands. When the traveler looked at them, he was caught off guard by the pictures of both Albedo and Klee on them, “These are the knights that are missing. I’m going to guess that you two are somewhat familiar with them?”

“Why, that is Albedo and… wait, Klee?” Paimon now spoke up, surprised to see Klee after the last time she and Aether had seen the little spark knight. “Why the heck would she be with Albedo? Are you sure that Jean didn’t mistake her for Sucrose?”

“Wait, no one told you?”

At that, Aether just raised an eyebrow as he looked towards Venti. “Told us what, Venti?”

Both Venti and Discord looked to each other, before the latter of the two gave a look to the bard for him to continue where he left off. “I’m surprised that Jean hasn’t told you. Albedo and Klee are siblings. Not by blood sure, but still counts right?”

To the traveler, that response had a realization hit him like a hilichurl club to the head as he put his hand on his forehead, “Oh so that’s what he meant up in Dragonspine.”

“Huh?” Paimon was now confused, “You’re not surprised at all!?”

“Remember what he told us before we started helping him with his experiments in Dragonspine?” Aether reminded his travel companion (and Emergency Food, if the situation called for it), “That he had to occasionally look after a child? Now, how many children do you know are in the Knights of Favonius?”

It did not take long in order for Paimon to put two and two together. Still, she was still rather surprised by the whole revelation. Anytime she thought of Albedo, she thought of him as nothing more than just ‘the alchemy guy’. She had no idea at all that he would be the one having to take care of Klee, especially with the amount of times the little girl would find herself sent to solitary confinement.

Though, before she could say anything, that was when Venti took back the reins of the conversation. “Well, since you two are already familiar with them, we can get straight to the point,” the bard replied, “Some time ago, Jean told us that these two had gone missing and had already tried every possible method to find them, with little success. Though, after some looking around, we were able to get an idea as to where they are.”

“That we did,” Discord replied, “Though, that was just the easy part. The trickier part, which we’ll need your help with, is to figure out how to bring them back to Teyvat in one piece.”

“One… piece?” Paimon shuddered.

“You're probably already aware of this, but Venti had most of his powers stripped because of that ice queen that serves the Tsaritsa,” the god of chaos replied, “Which means that I’m the only one of the two who would be working with their power at full capacity. Plus, in order for this to work, we’re going to need someone who happens to have a wide range of elemental powers at their disposal. Someone like you perhaps?”

At that, Aether was beginning to question just what was the extent of how much Discord knew? Maybe when this was all said and done, perhaps he could tell him where his sister was… or what happened to Khaenri'ah. There were so many things to consider, but so little time. Because for every moment that they waste here, it was another moment that Albedo and Klee might be in trouble.

“So, what exactly is your plan?”

Well, the good news is that we at least know where they are. The two of them happened to have ended up in a world that I’ve called home the last thousand years. Many of its inhabitants call it Equestria, but I call it Harmonia,” the god of chaos continued, “Thing is, traveling between worlds is not exactly the safest of professions. Either you end up drifting forever in the abyss to the point that your mind becomes twisted or you have some other god throwing a hissy fit and basically block your path.”

“Wait, did he just-?”

“In any case, what I did happen to learn is that your friend is building something. From the sounds of it, it seems our alchemist is trying to recreate the structure that got them into this mess,” He then looked back towards Venti, “What was it called again?”

“I believe it was called the Elemental Crucible.”

“Huh… last time I heard of a Crucible, it was where a bunch of light infused people were fighting each other for some warlord’s entertainment,” Discord muttered, “The point being that his plan has a strong start right now, but if it’s going to work and he wants to get back here, we’re going to lend a hand.”

“How? From you told us, it seems that Albedo has everything under control,” Paimon pointed out.

“That may be true, however,” the god of chaos was quick to counter, “What our friend doesn’t know is that he’s unknowingly creating a gateway… Think about it like this. You’ve come across those teleport waypoints on your journey right? That help you get from point a to point b?”

Both Aether and Paimon nodded at that, knowing full well what he was referring too.

“Alright, now think of it like this… Albedo may be working on a point A, but if we don’t make a point B for him to return too, he and his sister could end up wandering through the abyss.”

“T-that sounds awful!!”

“So, how exactly are we going to build this ‘point B’?” Aether now asked.

Now was when the god of chaos smirked, before snapping his fingers as a collection of glass like cubes formed in his hands, “I’m glad you asked! I can start by building the kind of gateway we need. Yet, for it to fully function properly, we need condensed elemental energy. Fortunately, we have a potential source that’s easy to find and ripe with what we need.”

“That source being… me?”

“What? Oh, no no… you misunderstand,” Discord insisted, “The source that I am referring to are monsters. While some of them don’t appear to really ‘align’ themselves with anything, their very nature allows them to harness elemental power without using a vision. One of the easiest examples I can think of is the different kinds of slimes.”

With that, Discord moved the cubes over towards Aether and had them drop into the traveler’s hands. “Now, in order for this to work, you have to use the cube on them before you end up having to fight them. In doing so, it’ll siphon some of their elemental energy. The more we have, the better. If you happen to have a map, I’ll mark some locations for you to look into as well. Though, you might want to hurry. The faster we have those cubes filled up, the quicker we can bring your friends back safely!”

Author's Note

Now, for the traveler and Paimon, they got some work to do

For this chapter, I came up with the premise of a particular gameplay event much like how we've had previous events inside of Genshin Impact. The premise for this is that in order to have a gateway that could safely bring their friends home, Discord has provided the traveler with 'Siphon Cubes' that could be used to siphon the elemental energy of different monsters. Over the course of time, each day would require for the traveler to hunt different varieties of monsters to 'fill' the cube, with bosses giving a greater amount of energy.

Hope you guys have a wonderful day. Stay safe!
-Frost

29- Uhr

Whenever it came to keeping an eye on the castle while Twilight was away, Spike would always take it upon himself to make sure that everything remained just the way that the alicorn had left it. After all, it was his responsibility and that meant that the dragon had to make sure that nothing out of the ordinary occurred while she was away. Of course, such a task wasn’t exactly easy by itself. Though, what made today’s task a bit more challenging than other days was that Spike also had to babysit Klee since Albedo had left with Twilight to go to Canterlot today.

If that wasn’t enough of a headache, Pinkie Pie happened to make another unannounced visit. While on most days Spike could’ve been able to possibly handle Pinkie Pie by herself, having to handle both Pinkie Pie and Klee without any additional help was something else entirely. Though, much to his surprise, it seemed that the earth pony was wanting to actually help him with making sure the little bombardier didn’t cause any trouble. Heck, she even had a perfect idea at the time on what to do.

Of course, it was that idea… and everything that transpired afterwards that led to their current situation. One that Twilight was not happy about. “So let me get this straight. You were trying to bake a cake that looked like one of Klee’s jumpy dumpties. Yet, you forgot to tell her that it was a cake and because of that, she turned it into a bomb?!”

“And before we could tell her that wasn’t the case, she threw it and the cake exploded everywhere,” Spike told her as bits of cake that were stuck to the chandelier fell down and hit him on top of his head, “We’ve been trying to spend the afternoon cleaning it up, but as you can see, it’s quite a big mess.”

That, in itself, was a big understatement of what Twilight and Albedo were looking at. Much of the cake that was scattered everywhere was stuck higher up on the walls and even covered a couple of windows, which prevented any light from coming in. Something that Spike had to fly up to with a sponge and a bucket in order to wipe it off, while Pinkie was trying to clean up everything that was closer to the ground. As for Klee, she just looked at both the alicorn and the alchemist, an apologetic look on her face as she held onto Dodoco.

“I’m sorry,” Klee said apologetically, “I-I thought that they wanted to help me make Jumpy Dumpties! Klee didn’t mean to make a mess.”

“It’s alright, Klee. You don’t have to apologize,” Albedo replied. “I think Pinkie just wanted to surprise you, that’s all.”

“Still, Klee made this mess,” she proclaimed, pouting adorably as she looked at her brother, “Master Jean said that if I made a mess, I should help with cleaning it up since Klee is responsible! And Klee will not let something like child labor stop me!”

That last part had Twilight blink, before raising an eyebrow, “I’m sorry, what-?”

“Let’s just say that this isn’t the first time Klee has accidentally caused a mess. Though, the messes that have happened in Mondstadt are on a much bigger scale than this one,” Albedo admitted, “Klee really wanted to help, but there are laws in place where children are not to be hired as workers in any particular industry. So, many were concerned that if they had Klee helping them, they would practically violate the laws that were put in place.”

“O… kay then,” the alicorn blinked, still trying to mentally process everything that she just heard. As for Spike, he had finished cleaning along the upper half of the walls and was now moving over to clean the chandelier.

“So, how did your trip go?” the dragon asked in an attempt to change the subject, “Were you able to find who you were looking for?”

The alchemist nodded as he took the bag that was in his pocket and set it down on the table. “Indeed. Might’ve had a couple minor hiccups, but all and all, our trip was rather successful.”

“Minor hiccups?”

“Nothing too much to be concerned with,” Twilight was quick to interject, “Though, we actually ran into Moondancer while we were in Canterlot. So we got the chance to catch up with her.”

“Oh really?” the dragon asked, a bit surprised to hear Moondancer’s name come up since the last time that they actually saw her was when Twilight was doing a friendship presentation at Canterlot’s school for gifted unicorns, “How has she been?”

“She’s been rather well from the sounds of things. In fact, with the school going on summer break, she’s looking for something to do. So, I thought she could help Albedo out.”

“It’s an offer for the most part,” Albedo then spoke up to clarify, “Both of us have things that we need to clear up on our end first before we actually work on anything. I still need to assemble the crucible now that we have the proper materials and from what it sounded like, Moondancer had a few things that she needed to complete herself.”

“Is she a new friend, big brother?” Klee asked.

Albedo could only chuckle as he looked back at her. “Sort of. If all goes well, she might be somepony that could help us get back home. She’s a bit like Sucrose actually.”

“Does she like books?” The little girl now asked, “Klee remembers that Sucrose would read me bedtime stories if you were away or busy.”

“Yes, very much so,” Twilight answered. Though to Albedo, if they did happen to have Moondancer come to help them, he would think that she would more likely prefer to spend her time assisting him with research and discovery rather than babysitting his little sister. If Klee was able to slip away from Twilight & Spike and cause enough trouble for those who were keeping an eye on her, then she probably wouldn’t do any better with a close friend of Twilight’s.

Though, an opportunity came when Albedo noticed his little sister letting out a yawn. “Hey Klee, are you alright?”

“J-just a bit sleepy. But Klee can stay awake, big brother!” She tried to proclaim triumphantly.

“I think Dodoco would want you to get some rest,” the alchemist insisted.

“Really?” The young girl asked, before looking at the doll that was on the side of her bag, “Is that right, Dodoco? Do you think it’s nap time?”

The equestrians in the room just stared at her in confusion, but Albedo gave them a reassuring smile. He knew that Klee was more than likely to listen if he happened to bring Dodoco into the conversation. For while it looked just like a simple doll, Klee saw Dodoco as part of her family. A close friend that her mother gave her so she didn’t have to feel alone.

Shortly afterwards, Klee gave off a defeated sigh as she looked back towards Albedo. “Dodoco told me that a nap sounds like a good idea. So, Klee will go to her room.” Afterwards, she jumped off the chair that she was sitting on and began to make her way back towards her room to go take a nap.

Once his sister had gone into her room, Albedo picked up the bag he set on the table and looked back to Twilight and the others. “Anyways, since we have what we need, I’ll get started with assembly. I won’t start any testing just yet, but I'll make sure to get everything ready.”

???

For days, they had traveled with the intent to try and see themselves reborn. But before they could search for the bell, they needed to watch. To observe. To see the one who reinvigorated his pursuit and ambition to return back to Teyvat.

Inside the remains of the Castle of the Two Sisters, they found them. The one whose appearance in this world set off a chain reaction that they will lead to their return

No matter what challenges lie ahead, they will endure them all. They had too… for it was the only way that they; Grogar, the Father of Monsters, will be reborn.

“Huh… That’s strange. For a moment, I thought I felt someone watching me.”

Author's Note

Always remember to watch your back.

30- Reibung

It had been nearly a week since Albedo first assembled the parts of the crucible that were acquired from his trip to Canterlot. In that time, he had been making sure that all of the necessary precautions and safety measures had been taken to ensure the integrity and stability of the device, as well as the countermeasures he put in place. If something were to go wrong, the alchemist would want to make sure that they would be able to stop any experiments if necessary. After all, an accident was what brought him and Klee here in the first place, and they did not need to have any more happen unintentionally.

There was also the fact that today happened to bring along someone else to assist with his academic endeavours. Ocellus happened to have plans with the rest of her friends during Summer Vacation at the school of friendship, so Albedo had to rely on another creature to help him. Fortunately, one such creature happened to have her schedule rearranged and had gotten back to him just a few days ago. Now, today was the day when Moondancer would arrive in Ponyville so she could help the alchemist conduct the tests they needed to accomplish.

After her arrival at the Ponyville train station and a brief visit to Twilight’s castle, Albedo led Moondancer to where the crucible was set up inside the Castle of Two Sisters. The alicorn was kind enough to provide the alchemist some old monitoring equipment that she happened to have to conduct experiments during her first few months in Ponyville. Since they weren’t really getting used and gathering dust, it was more ideal to let Albedo use them for something more productive. Especially considering the kinds of tests that they were going to conduct today.

The goal for the tests today was rather simple, yet the most important going forward. While the design of Albedo’s creation was supposed to be split between two crucibles, they had to measure how much power one magical crucible can channel and store. That way, they can determine what would be a safe level of power for the crucible to conduct and also make sure that the safety precautions that were in place worked as they were supposed to. The outcome of these tests would then determine how the rest of the experiments would proceed.

“Alright, is everything ready?” Albedo asked as he looked towards the unicorn that stood by the machines.

“All good over here. Whenever you’re ready, we can begin testing,” Moondancer told him with a smile, eager to get started as she held a clipboard and quill within her levitation spell.

With that confirmation, Albedo began to channel some of his elemental power as it coursed through his hands and seeped into the crucible to kickstart the process. While everything seemed good to start, the alchemist had to be careful. If he were to give too much of his alchemy into the crucible too quickly, then they were going to have some problems and have to go back to the drawing board. A setback that he preferred to not have, especially after carefully putting many hours into the design of this crucible in the first place.

“Alright. I’m going to start out small. Tell me if you notice any changes,” he told her, before placing his left hand on his right arm to support himself.

As for Moondancer, her attention was on the readings that the constructs around her were beginning to register. From what she could tell, everything looked steady and there weren't any strange fluctuations that would cause much concern. Which seemed rather promising, yet this was only the beginning. There were still more tests to conduct, and it was unknown if what they were experiencing now would still be the same if Albedo did increase the amount of power he was channeling.

“Everything looks good right now,” the unicorn informed him, “You can increase the amount of energy whenever you’re ready.”

With that being said, Albedo took it upon himself to do so. While it was ideal for them to start small, they needed to gradually increase the amount of power in order to see if higher outputs caused any potential changes. Still, having the crucible take on too much power too quickly was one of the faults of Timaeus’ original design, and something that he wanted to avoid at all costs. Incremental increases were more than likely more efficient than just dumping everything he had and draining his energy in turn.

Now, the alchemist began to conjure some more elemental power as he felt some hot air coming from the vents on the contraption. Where the starting test would have the Crucible’s energy capacity be around five to ten percent of the way there, he was now increasing it to twenty percent. As Albedo was channeling, he felt a little bit of strain in his arms. Nothing too serious, but if he tried to push himself too far without taking a moment of respite, the consequences would’ve been far greater.

Once he had the Crucible reach twenty-five percent capacity, Albedo stopped channeling his alchemy, “How does everything look so far?” he asked.

“You… might want to come see this,” the unicorn told him.

“Why? Is something wrong?”

“Not really, but there’s some kind of pattern emerging here that I think you would want to see for yourself.”

Now that surprised Albedo. Patterns when it came to alchemy weren’t exactly rare, but this was the first time that he observed said patterns through a construct instead of seeing it in person. Teyvat did not have the types of mechanical contraptions that Equestria had at all. So this was allowing him to see their progress from a completely different perspective. Almost like seeing the world through a new pair of eyes.

Such was the case once he was right next to the unicorn and looked at what was on the display of the construct that was there. The mass of energy inside the Crucible was both taking shape and breaking apart at the same time. Constantly changing and never staying dormant in any particular form. This was something that was miraculous and left him at a loss for words.

“Well, this is fascinating.”

“What is?” the unicorn asked. She was familiar with the contraptions that were being used to record findings like this. Though, she was a bit confused as to why Albedo seemed so intrigued by what they had so far.

“The energy that’s stored here is in a constant state of change. It seems to not always stay in one form, but parts of it are deconstructing and reconstructing itself,” He said, pointing to one mass of energy that had just broken down into much smaller pieces, “Though, whether or not the form it takes is the same or something different entirely remains to be seen.”

“Something that we find out with further research?” Moondancer asked.

“Perhaps. Though, there’s only one possibility that comes to mind,” the alchemist scratched his chin, “Back where I’m from, if two different elements happen to ‘collide’ with one another or were combined in some way, it will trigger elemental reactions. For example, if lightning were to hit a small pond, all the water in the pond would be electrified.”

“What does that have to do with this though?”

“Well, my only guess is that another possible variable is causing these kinds of reactions,” Albedo clarified, “And since the only other variable happens to be the seed that the Crucible was built around, then it must be adding an independent variable that’s producing these results.”

As the two of them continued their tests and observations, they found similar results as they not only increased the amount of power that the Crucible was holding, but also prepare the second one to balance the amount of energy it was storing. It was only the first day of their research efforts, but the alchemist could tell that everything so far happened to be a resounding success. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary that would hinder any further progress.

Though, unknown to either of them, someone else had been watching their tests… and were planning to find a way to utilize the fruits of their research for their own plans.

Author's Note

Side question... Who's up for Inazuma?

31- Natur

It had only been a few days after he started to conduct his research alongside that of Moondancer, but in that time, Albedo and the unicorn had made some significant progress. In the tests that were conducted after they finished construction of the Elemental Crucible, the two of them had made a fascinating discovery with regards to the energy that the construct was storing and collecting. From what they could tell, the magic that resonated from the seed of harmony was one that did not remain dormant even after deactivating the Crucible. Instead, it continued to remain active and affect its surroundings, much to their surprise.

On the second day, Moondancer decided that in order to determine how it was best to contain the energy inside, they needed to determine two things. First, how much of an effect the seed’s magic had on their surroundings and second, what effects would happen if something new was introduced, such as the elemental energy from Visions. If they could determine these two variables, then it would help them piece together how to properly contain the necessary energy. After all, the last thing that either of them would’ve wanted was to have an accident on their hands much like the one that brought Albedo and Klee to Equestria in the first place.

For the first test, it was conducted using a series of potted plants that Albedo had the Young Six bring from the school of friendship’s garden. Of course, the plants that he asked for were a bit specific. The first set were plants that had only been planted just a week ago, while another set contained flora that had been growing over the last few weeks. The reason for this was because the alchemist had a theory he wanted to test, but the subjects for said test had to meet particular specifications.

“Is everything in place?”

“It is, Mr. Albedo,” Moondancer replied back, “Preparations have just finished, so we’re waiting to get started.”

Of course, it wasn’t just the two of them that were there today. For both Moondancer and Albedo happened to get a pair of surprise visitors before the two of them could begin tests. Those two being Twilight and her friends Applejack and Fluttershy. The princess of friendship had planned to come over to check and see how everything was going already, though her friends wanted to make sure the two of them were safe. After all, doing anything in the Everfree Forest always found a way to attract attention from the locals.

“So, what exactly are ya tryin’ to figure out here if ya don’t mind me askin’?” Applejack spoke up.

“Well, after yesterday’s assessment, we’re trying to see the kind of effects that this kind of magic happens to have on living things,” the unicorn turned around to answer her question, “Mr. Albedo thought that the easiest way we could figure it out was to use plants.”

“And t-this came from the tree?” Fluttershy asked as she looked at Twilight, only for the Alicorn to nod her head. “The same tree with the elements?”

“It would be unwise to take any chances and use a source of power without knowing its full extent,” Albedo remarked, “Like with agriculture, it is possible that the nature of the seed can change depending on its conditions.”

“Like if something new is introduced?” Twilight asked.

“That would be a later test,” the alchemist replied as he glanced over at the Crucible briefly, “For now, we just want to see how it is on its own without any additional influence.”

Moments after saying that, Albedo and Moondancer turned on the Crucible as the construct roared to life. The magical energy that was stored inside began to slowly build back up and release outward as the shockwave hit the plants that were in place. Yet, despite the way that everything was set up and all the planning that was put into place, something unexpected happened. Something that the alchemist and the unicorn did not expect at all.

Most of the plants did not undergo any particular changes at all… Except for two. The first one was one of the newly potted plants, where it had grown from that of a seedling to a blooming flower in the span of five minutes. The second plant also experienced a substantial boost in growth as well, but after a while, it began to wither and crumble away into dust. This in turn surprised Albedo and had the alchemist stop the experiment immediately as the Crucible was powered down.

“That was… not what I had expected,” he admitted honestly, before looking over to Moondancer, “Who was the one that placed those two?”

“I believe those were the ones that Sandbar brought,” the unicorn replied, before she began to ponder something in her head. “I would be surprised… but-”

“But what exactly?” Applejack now asked.

“Well, I was thinking that perhaps the reason why this happened the way that it did was because of how earth pony magic works,” Moondancer replied back, “We had Sandbar and his friends bring a pair of plants each that they planted themselves. Since earth pony magic has them be more attuned to the land under their hooves, I would think that’s the reason why this… well, happened the way that it did.”

“That sounds plausible,” Twilight added, “But we can’t know for sure unless-” At that point, that was when the alicorn noticed something. Albedo was going back over to where the plants had been set and moving them off to the side, before getting out his sword. “Albedo? What are you-?”

Before she could finish, Albedo had jammed his blade in between the crevice of two blocks that were on the floor, before pulling them off and moving them to the side. The alchemist did this a few more times, before breaking up the ground that was underneath so that it wasn’t stiff. As he finished, the chalk pince then looked back at the alicorn. “I might have an idea for a follow up test to conduct. Though, for it, I might need your friend's help.”

That simple response had Applejack and Fluttershy look back at one another, before the two of them looked back at Albedo with the same question on their minds. “Our help? How?”

As the question was asked, that was when Albedo took out some chalk from inside his coat and drew three symbols on the ground. Each one of the symbols being the cutie marks of Applejack, Fluttershy and Moondancer. “If we want to be certain that Earth Pony Magic is the contributing factor of what just happened, perhaps we should conduct a similar test? We’ll have each one of you plant a seed and then, if the same results happen again, we can safely say that Moondancer’s theory is correct. Only thing is, we’ll need some seeds and water to do this properly.”

“U-um, I h-happen to have some, i-if that’s okay with y-you,” Fluttershy tried to speak up, before pulling out a small packet of what looked to be carrot seeds out of her saddlebag.

“That… can work,” the chalk prince replied, before stepping out of the way, “Only thing that we’re missing is water-” As he looked back towards Moondancer and the others, that was when Twilight had teleported out of the room, before returning a few seconds later with a full watering can. “Well, I stand corrected. It seems that we have everything we need for this test to work.”

“So, how are we doing this exactly?” Applejack asked as she looked towards the alchemist, “Just planting a seed and seeing what happens?”

“For the most part, yes. Nothing too complex, I hope.”

Shortly after saying that, Applejack and the others got to work on planting the seeds that Fluttershy had and watering them properly. As they did, Albedo watched to see if there were any differences between the three of them that he might notice. Though, aside from Moondancer using some levitation magic to hold the watering can and Fluttershy trying to talk to the ground like it was a small animal, there didn’t seem to be anything noticeable. For a moment, he thought he saw something from where Applejack stood, but it was a bit difficult for him to make out what it was.

Once everything was prepared for the second experiment, all three of the Equestrians returned to where Twilight stood behind the Crucible as Albedo walked over to join them. “Alright, everything’s in place. Let’s begin.”

As the alchemist extended his left arm forward, the Elemental Crucible roared back to life as the magic from inside was released the same way as before. However, as the magical energy seeped into the soil of the improvised garden that was made, something strange began to take root. Not only was Applejack’s plant the first one to rise up from the ground and grow compared to the others, but as it did, what looked to be a symbol was glowing on the ground. A green heart with petals around the exterior. It was something that the earth pony was unfamiliar with… but one that Albedo recognized right away.

“Uh, can somepony please explain what the hay that is?” Applejack now asked, who was just as puzzled as some of her friends.

“That… is the symbol of Dendro,” the alchemist answered, “Back where I’m from, it represents the element responsible for nature and plant life across Teyvat.”

“Okay, but why is it doin’ that?” the earth pony then asked, “Ah just planted that seed like how ah’d normally would plant crops back at the farm. How is this different compared to that?”

“Maybe the Crucible sees them as the same thing?” That had everybody look back towards Moondancer now as the unicorn begin to clarify a bit on her statement, “I mean, from how Mr. Albedo described this… dendro and what we talked about with earth pony magic, there are some similarities between the two.”

“T-that kind of makes sense,” Fluttershy added.

Around this point, Twilight chose to speak up as she looked back at Albedo and Moondancer, “All surprises aside though, has this… helped with your research at all?”

“To an extent, it actually does. This helped us confirm some of the effects of the seed’s magic to its surroundings as well as reactions when new elements are introduced.” At this point though, that was when the alchemist folded his arms, “However, it doesn’t mean that we’re done just yet. Despite our findings here, it doesn’t help us narrow down what would be the best way to narrow down how to contain the seed’s magic so the Crucible doesn’t end up backfiring on us. The only way to know for sure would be to test this with other elements and possible elemental reactions.”

As he pondered this, a new question formed in his mind as the alchemist looked back to Twilight. Although he personally was unsure about whether or not this was a good idea, it was the only way for this to actually make any progress and try to get them closer to home. Because many of the elemental reactions he knew required Pyro as one of the elements. And there was only one person he knew with a Pyro vision that could help him right now.

“Would you happen to know where Klee is, Twilight?”

Author's Note

"Please, don't look at me like that."
-Albedo

32- Replik

Author's Note

Another event, another short chapter. Though, this time, it dabbles a little into the secrets that were unearthed during the 2.3 event. While the story takes place before then, this could be seen more or less as to hinting some of the things that happen.

Hope you enjoy it nonetheless.
-Frost

32- Replik

When Albedo had asked Twilight and her friends where Klee was, he was under the impression that either they or the students of the school of friendship might have an idea as to where she was or had someone keeping an eye on her. As it turned out, finding the whereabouts of his sister turned out to be a bit more difficult than they expected. At least, that was the case at first. For only mere moments after they left the old castle to go look for them, they happened to find her with three familiar fillies at a hut that was along the edge of the Forest.

It was also when they found them that Albedo happened to meet another resident of the Everfree Forest. A zebra shaman known by the locals as Zecora. According to her, she had asked for the assistance of Apple Bloom and her friends to find some rare herbs for a concoction she was brewing. While it sounded simple, the only catch was that it was farther into the Everfree Forest, where monsters would be wandering about and possibly attack if they even saw them.

Much to their surprise though, the very same monsters that the zebra told them about actually ran away at the first sight of Klee. Which, to her, was strange since the beasts that called the forest their home had never demonstrated such behavior before. To Albedo though, after their trip to the Everfree to visit Harmonia and Klee decided to have fun with the timberwolves they came across, he honestly expected something like this. Whenever it came to whatever mischief that his sister had gotten herself into, word traveled rather quickly.

After all, how else was it that a certain wolf boy and the pack he was raised in referred to her as the ‘red burny girl’?

By the time that they found her and understood the whole situation, the sun was already setting in the distance. Meaning that whatever Albedo wished to have Klee help with would have to wait until the following day. After all, it wouldn’t be a wise idea to have her try to have her help if she was half awake and hungry. Fortunately though, he and Moondancer had made a lot of significant progress today to go with the research they had so far.

If they were lucky, in a few more days, their combined efforts would possibly bear fruit. Still, that was a major if. While there hadn’t been any complications now, it would’ve been foolish to get their hopes up this early. The alchemist had to be certain that the Crucible would work before he would make any attempt to try and go home. For if something went wrong, there would possibly be greater complications.

Yet, seeing that elements from Teyvat could somehow exist in a completely different world like Equestria brought on a new set of possibilities. If Earth Pony magic represented Dendro, then what other elements could possibly be represented by other species? It was an avenue worth exploring, but at a later date.

For now, rest was the chalk prince’s highest priority. Rest for him and for his sister.

Once again, Luna found herself trotting through the realm that contained the numerous doors that represented her subjects. As she did every night, the princess of the night would walk through each one, watch over the dreams of the subject inside and intervene if she happened to find that the particular subject she was visiting was under the influence of a nightmare. Though, tonight was much different from other nights. For since the arrival of Albedo and his sister Klee, she had not had the chance to visit their dreams so often because of her duties.

Yet, tonight, Luna just so happened to be rather fortunate. For her subjects dreams showed no signs of being plagued by nightmares this evening. This provided her the opportunity to visit the dreams of the alchemist without being disturbed by more important matters. Plus, if her last visit taught her anything, it would allow Luna the chance to possibly learn more about Albedo and where he was from.

However, unlike the previous dream that she had visited, the princess found herself in the middle of a snowstorm as cold air churned furiously all around her on the side of a massive mountain. One that made the peaks that were to the north of the Crystal Empire pale in comparison. Yet, there was something about this place that didn’t feel right with Luna. Like something foul was festering in the ground under her hooves.

It was as Luna tried to look through the storm that was around her that the princess noticed a strange red glow farther out from where she was. Immediately, the first thought that came to her mind was that the glow belonged to a campfire of sorts and with it, a possible shelter nearby. Instinct soon kicked in as the alicorn tried to move closer and closer. She felt warmth and heat radiate throughout her fur as the outline of a cave soon came into view.

Yet, when she pushed forth into the cave itself, whatever Luna expected to find when she trotted in from the snow wasn’t there. Instead of a warm campfire, the crimson glow came from what looked to be red crystals that spiked forth from the ground. Not much snow was inside and the princess could see what looked to be rocks and plants. However, the plants gave off the same shade of red as the crystals and the rocks were actually giant fangs that had been broken off and left dormant on the ground.

However, what caught the princess’ attention immediately is what she saw at the end of the cave. Her pupils shrank as the alicorn stared at what was along the back wall. A crystalline orb with swirling crimson all around it as it would beat like a heart. Scarlet veins were outstretched among the wall and above it as well, with several stretching to the ceiling as if they were roots to a tree. Yet, the appearance of everything made the alicorn sick to her stomach. “Dear sister, w-what is this?”

If this wasn’t bothering Luna enough, it was shortly after this discovery that she began to hear a voice. “What is it that makes one a failure?”

“Wha-?” Luna turned around, expecting to find somepony there. Only to find that the cavern was empty, “W-who’s there?!”

“What is it that makes you different? What makes you the successful one? What allows you to experience the joys of being brought into the world, and leave me in the belly of the dragon?” the voice continued on as it sent shivers down the alicorn’s spine. It sounded exactly like Albedo, but the tone was venomous and chilling, “What makes me the failure in the eyes of our creator? What did Rhinedotter see in you that was absent in me?”

Many questions were beginning to bounce off the walls of Luna’s mind as she tried to make sense of everything. Who was this person and who were they speaking to? More importantly, how did any of this relate to Albedo at all? This was supposed to be his dream, so why hadn’t she seen him?

“You’re not even a real human, yet you somehow have become one of our master’s greatest masterpieces. Is it because she thinks that your existence will atone for the sins brought out by her and her creations? To atone for Durin, whose remains and blood soak into the ground and have turned this mountain into a cradle of monstrous possibilities? To atone for Khaenri'ah, where her actions led to the fall of a nation? What hope is there to atone the actions of ‘The Great Sinner’?”

As they spoke, the alicorn began to see images that appeared all around A laboratory that had alchemical notes and a chamber with what looked to be someone inside and someone watching them. Then, a monstrous dragon that was defeated by another, yet poison tormented the victor for eons. A disaster that laid waste to a prosperous dynasty and the nation it called home. With each one, Luna couldn’t help but think of one possibility that formed in her mind.

Were these burdens that Albedo was forced to bear? And if so, for how long?

“Wherever you are or not is not my concern. Yet, unlike you, I do not plan to wait and stand idly by.”

As that was said, it looked as if the scarlet heart had a crack that began to take form as more energy began to circulate around it. Luna was unsure of what was happening, but found herself backing away from it as the crack grew wider in scale. “If your conviction has been the driving force behind your will to survive, then I shall replicate it for my own. I care not where you are now, but once you step foot on this cradle again, you will not find a moment of respite.”

The alicorn watched as the crystalline heart now began to open like that of a cocoon as a new figure came forth. To Luna’s shock and horror, it was a being that looked almost exactly like Albedo… yet, what was missing was the star shaped marking around the neck. “As the one that was abandoned, and you the survivor of the Primordial Human Project, I will do everything in my capabilities to rid the world of your existence. For only then, will I experience the joy of being born into the world.”

As the lookalike turned directly at Luna, that was when everything began to go white and her vision began to fade, before her body was yanked forth from the dream.

33- Lied

While most locations in Equestria are known to have changeable weather patterns depending on the seasons, there was always one particular location that was much different from the previous ones. A mountain where the howling winds would come from all different directions and snow would rain down everywhere all year round. Even when the rest of Equestria was in the middle of a summer heatwave, the cold winds did not cease. Even more so, the dangers on the mountainside of Mount Everhoof were not something that could easily be avoided or ignored. For the only way to get higher on the mountain and make it to the peak was to go through the dangers that were waiting for any creature that attempted such a feat.

However, despite this, there was one that persevered. They trekked through the freezing winds and snow to try and reach their destination despite the conditions trying to interfere with their journey. The cold air that blew underneath their cloak and against their body did not phase them as they climbed higher across the mountainside. Any beasts that came across them looked fierce at first, before they whimpered in fear and horror as the beasts raced back into their dens in the wilderness.

What this one seeked in particular was a cave at the end of the pathway. A magically enchanted cave that protected an artifact that they seeked to reclaim. For only in reclaiming what they had lost could they be able to find their way back to where they belonged and lay low the one responsible for stranding them here as broken as they were. They knew that the alchemist was here in this place, and only in bringing them down will they be able to return back to the world they once knew.

After some time, they finally found the cavern that they were looking for and the prize that they seeked. However, it wasn’t exactly simple for them to take what was inside. For the entrance had been sealed by a barrier of equestrian magic. One that had some sort of familiarity to it as they grinned slightly. “Well now, Gusty. Even after all these years, you still are a thorn in my side. And I thought you were the only one that knew what was at stake.”

Why many in Equestria know the name Gusty the Great and see them as a mare who became a hero by tricking the father of monsters, there was another side to their story that wasn’t known to the world. For she was the only one who actually knew the true story of what power they were capable of. Yet, when seeing what they could do firsthand, the mare was horrified by the possibilities of what they could do and chose to take away his source of strength. Not to mention use any means necessary to prevent them from reclaiming what was stolen, given what they were seeing in front of them.

Yet, they had come too far to be stopped by mere annoyances such as this. Not when their vision was within reach. As they took a deep breath, they began to channel their magic into their forelegs and force their hooves onto the barrier in front of them to force their way through. Their actions led to the magical blockade pulsing back in an attempt to repel them.

However, the creature stood their ground and forced their hooves further in as the tiniest of cracks began to take form on the barrier itself. An opening that they wanted to see and exploit even more. The more pressure that was applied, the deeper the cracks became and the more that the magical blockade gave way despite its best efforts to maintain its form. Something that the creature wanted as they continued their efforts to break through. For no amount of resistance was going to keep them away from their most important possession.

For in that moment, nothing else mattered to Grogar but to regain everything that he lost. Centuries of power that had been severed and sealed away by somepony who just happened to get lucky. He had come too far to back down now and was not going to let this chance to make his creator suffer slip away.

Then, just as he was scratching the surface of what he could do, the seal that blocked him from his bell shattered. Pieces scattered everywhere like broken glass before fading away into nothingness as only the pedestal that held the bell remained. “Pitiful. To think that you rely so heavily on sealing magics such as these to keep dangerous artifacts away from those who misuse them, only for them to falter when you need it most.”

At this, Grogar couldn’t help but grin as the triumphant goat approached what he came all this way for. The Bewitching Bell, or at least, that was what the equestrians called it. In reality, the bell itself was only a frame to the true power that was inside it. And now that he had reclaimed what was his, it was time to re-familiarize himself with what had been absent over the last few centuries.

It was late in the evening back in Ponyville, with only a few hours until morning. Yet, for the alchemist named Albedo, he couldn’t sleep. He had only been able to rest for a few hours, before being awoken by what felt like a strange, yet familiar sensation. It was an alchemical reaction, yet he was nowhere near the crucible. Not only that, but Albedo couldn’t help but shake the feeling that there was something sinister afoot. For the kind of power he felt was almost the same as another entity he was vastly familiar with.

“Durin?” He spoke lightly, “No, that wouldn’t make sense. The Traveler has Festering Desire, not I. Yet, why would I feel their power here?”

Immediately, the Alchemist began to make preparations. If it were true that some of Durin’s power did find its way into this world, then there was no telling what kind of chaos would unfold if its corrupting properties began to spread quickly. He had to personally take action now, no matter the cost. As he sheathed his blade, Cinnabar Spindle, on his waist, Albedo turned to the desk in his room as he grabbed a piece of parchment and chalk.

“Hello? Mr. Albedo, are you here?” Moondancer asked as she opened the door to his room. The unicorn was a bit surprised that Albedo wasn’t around when Fluttershy opened the door to her cottage this morning. Not only that, but his little sister Klee had not seen him either. Considering how important their work was, it was odd to find that he was missing at such a turning point.

Though, as she looked around, the unicorn noticed what looked like a folded piece of parchment under one of the doors. Picking it up with her magic, Moondancer began to unfold it, only to find the message inside.

‘Moondancer,

Apologies for my sudden absence at this crucial moment of our research, but there is a disturbance that I need to investigate that’s of the utmost importance. If this isn’t tended to now, then I fear that the consequences of ignoring this will affect more than just our work on the crucible. Do not be alarmed and do not try to find me. I will return when I have finished my investigation.

In the meantime, please look after Klee for me. Even though she may be familiar with us having to be apart sometimes and being in the care of others, she may be confused as to why I am absent now. Assure her that everything is going to be fine, and if you do plan to continue tests, please be careful going forward. I have a feeling that our progress on our research may attract unwanted attention.

Your fellow researcher and friend,

Albedo’

Author's Note

"If one's master isn't around, then their responsibilities fall on the student. Or so the saying goes."

34- Reise

Shortly after she had found the note that was left behind, Moondancer wasn’t sure what to do. Even though Albedo’s letter didn’t say anything that would seem potentially too alarming, the timing of this note as well as the alchemist cautioning her when it came to the research they were conducting didn’t exactly feel right with her. Not only that, but if Albedo was investigating something, the alchemist should’ve had someone at least accompany him. Yet, instead he went off by himself. Even Klee, the young girl that saw him as her older brother, had no idea where he could be right now.

So, after a few moments, the unicorn decided that the most logical choice was to try and run this situation with one of the smartest ponies that she knew. If anypony could possibly make heads or tails of what was going on, it had to be Twilight. After all, Albedo occasionally left his sister in the company of Spike and his friends whenever they conducted tests. In her mind, maybe Twilight knew about something that could at least point them in the right direction. Or at least, try to figure out what exactly Albedo was doing.

Yet, when the unicorn informed her of what was going on, the alicorn’s first response wasn’t quite the kind of response that Moondancer was hoping for. “Wait, slow down a moment, Moondancer. Albedo’s not with you? I thought you two were making progress on the Crucible.”

“That’s what I thought too,” Moondancer told her, “Yet, I found this under the door to the guest room at the cottage this morning. I tried asking Fluttershy if she happened to notice him when he left, but she told me that he came back to the cottage and stayed pretty much like any other day over the last few weeks. Same goes for her animals as well.”

At that, Twilight took a moment to look back at the letter again and carefully scan over what was written. After a moment or two, she found a particular pair of words that happened to catch her attention. “So, based on this, Albedo is out somewhere investigating a disturbance. However, you have no idea what exactly he means and where exactly he might be headed. That’s a bit troubling, especially since we wouldn’t know where to start.”

“If I may make a suggestion,” the two mares heard Spike speak up as he was with Klee at the Cutie Map with parchment and crayons for her to draw with, “You could try asking Pinkie Pie. She would always know if something’s off because of that ‘pinkie sense’ of hers I think.”

At that point, her friend from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns was a bit puzzled by the dragon’s words, “I’m sorry, but… what?”

The princess of friendship blinked for a moment, shortly before looking back at Moondancer, “Yeah, that might take a bit to explain. But it could be a good starting point.”

“Maybe I should explain,” Spike said as he looked at the unicorn now, “Early on when Twilight and I first came to Ponyville, we learned that Pinkie has a strange … trait, one would call it.”

“Wouldn’t many ponies think that she’s strange when you first meet her?” the unicorn asked.

“Fair point, but I think after I’m done explaining, you’ll realize that this is stranger. For some reason, she’s able to predict events that haven’t happened yet based on involuntary twitches. Something she calls her ‘pinkie sense’. Almost everyone in Ponyville has practically accepted this by now, yet I say almost because I don’t know how some of the students in her class would think on the matter.”

“Woah woah, hold on a minute,” Moondancer interrupted, “You’re telling me… that she can somehow predict the future based on body language. How does-?”

“Moondancer, it’s easier just to accept it,” Twilight interjected as she looked towards her friend, “I tried to find an explanation into her sense. Needless to say, it did not go well for me.”

Unfortunately for her, her friend and former classmate wasn’t entirely convinced, “How exactly-?”

“Over the course of a few days that Twilight tried to understand her sense, Twilight probably racked up more medical bills with the Ponyville General Hospital than anypony else in town. Including Rainbow, and she’s a Wonderbolt.” Spike deadpanned, “Also, when Discord was asked about it, even he couldn’t provide an answer.”

“The only thing about it that we do know is that it predicts more… immediate events,” Twilight told her, “For example, a twitchy tail would mean that something’s going to fall and that could be enough time to pull a friend out of danger. It’s… complicated, though if Pinkie did feel something off recently, then maybe it can help us-”

Before Twilight even had the chance to finish speaking, a loud bang was heard as everyone turned to see Pinkie Pie herself come through the door with a cart of baked goods being dragged behind by her tail, “Good morning, everypony!! How is everypony doing today!?”

“Speak of Tartarus,” Twilight muttered, before she waved a hoof towards Pinkie, “We’re doing well, Pinkie. In fact, there was something we wanted to ask you.”

“Ooh, ooh! So you were the ponies talking about me! No wonder the fur stood up along my neck and I had a tickle in the knee. Heehee, gosh I sound like Zecora,” the earth pony giggled, “So, what was it that you and Moon-Moon wanted to ask?”

“Uh… Moon-Moon?”

“Well, that’s a nickname for you of course,” Pinkie told Moondancer, “I mean, Moon is just my little way of remembering Princess Luna, so I thought ‘Moon-Moon’! I got nicknames for everypony, like Dashie, AJ, Twi-Twi-.”

“Err, yes uh… Anyways,” A now rather awkward Twilight spoke as she tried to regain control of the current conversation, “We were wondering if you felt anything strange last night. Moondancer found a letter from Albedo this morning saying that he was investigating a disturbance he felt last night. Considering we don’t have any ideas as to what he meant, Spike thought we would ask if you felt anything. Like with your Pinkie Sense?”

For a moment, Pinkie began to scratch her chin with her right hoof to try and remember anything, all while moving her tail so that the cart could wheel over to the counter in the kitchen. “You mean like… a doozy?” she pondered, before looking back at Twilight, “No, I didn’t feel anything like that. The only thing I felt early this morning was an itch at my flank and my left ear twitching. Usually, that means that something or somepony is missing or out of place. Maybe it’s because Mrs. Cake changed the temperature on the Thermostat-”

“Albedo,” Moondancer interjected as they let out a deep sigh. Despite their best efforts, it seems that all this was doing was just confirming something they already knew. There wasn’t anything new to go off of or anything that could explain what’s going on. They were still stuck at square one without anything they could do. “He’s not here and left Klee with me.”

“Aww, don’t be so sad Moon-Moon,” the earth pony said as they tried to sound positive, “Hey, I know! Maybe we can ask around town! I’m sure there’s somepony that’s seen him. But who do we start with?”

As Pinkie was trying her best to help though, that was when Spike noticed something. One of Pinkie’s ears flopped, then her knee twitched and her eyes began to flutter. Immediately, the dragon stopped what he was doing and looked back at the alicorn in the room. “Twilight, doors!”

“Wha-?”

“You know, doors!” the dragon spoke again, motioning towards Pinkie and Moondancer. It took her a few seconds, but she was quick enough in order to catch what he meant as Twilight looked all around the room. Yet, she only had enough time to pull both mares away from the front door of the castle as they slammed open once again. This time though, the creature standing at the entryway of the castle was not who they were expecting.

“Really now? I come back from my trip only to find that many of my friends aren’t even here to greet me on my return! Talk about lousy hospitality.”

“Hey, it’s a strange looking lizard!” Everyone now heard Klee speak up in joy, before the little girl raced over towards where the draconequus was and tried to tackle/hug him, “Can we be friends, Mr. Lizard?”

“Uh… s-sure,” the draconequus that was now sweating bullets replied nervously, “Anyways, before you ask… I was on vacation. However, I got roped into helping a friend bring some companions back to their home. Lot to explain, so little time and-” At that point, Discord looked around the room and paused, before looking down at the little girl that was hugging him first before he looked back up, “Was I… interrupting something?”

“Well, first things first,” Twilight before looking at the unicorn that was not that far from her, “Discord, this is my friend Moondancer. Moondancer, this is Ponyville’s residential draconequus, Discord.”

“Uh, h-hi.”

“Second, we were trying to find someone that Moondancer was working with for the last couple of days that just went missing this morning,” the alicorn continued to speak after her friend's nervous introduction, “They just so happen to be Klee’s older brother, Albedo.”

“What a coincidence,” Discord grinned, “Those are the two I happen to be looking for. My friend was asked by someone they knew to help bring them back safely and we got some help-” At that, the spirit of chaos blinked, before looking back at Twilight, “Wait, you said that he’s missing? NOW of all times!? Everything is almost ready to go on our end and now he just dips like that?”

“U-uhm, M-Mr. Discord-?”

Before Moondancer could speak, Discord held up his eagle talon to his mouth to shush the unicorn, before making a fist with his lion paw. After he extended both the pinkie and his thumb, he placed it up to his mouth as a bit of magic was felt around it, “Hey, Tone-Deaf Bard? We have a bit of a problem. It seems that one of the friends you wanted for me to bring back decided to wander off and he’s nowhere to be seen. Could you call your little helpers back-?”

Those who were watching noticed that Discord paused for a moment, before moving his paw away from his head as he looked at it in disbelief. “Wait, slow down. They’re not here? Where could they have-?” Another brief pause, before the answer on the other end caught him off guard, “They went to INAZUMA already!? Are they that impatient?! … No, no, it’s fine. We’ll just find some other capable hands to help. Hold on a second.”

After another moment passed, he moved his eagle talon to Klee’s forehead and pressed it gently, before speaking into his paw again. “Alright. There’s someone who lives out in the woods… Not that far from Mondstadt, you say? Then that will work out perfectly. I’ll get back to you when everyone’s ready.”

Afterwards, he unclenched his paw and moved his talon away from Klee as Discord turned back to Twilight and the others. Which left one of them to speak up, “Uh, what was that all about?”

“Well, my little pony, you and your colleague weren’t the only ones who were working on trying to get them back home. It’s a bit a long story, but right now, I got some good news and bad news,” the draconequus cleared his throat, before using some of his magic to move Klee back to the Cutie Map, “Bad news is that the generous and possibly kleptomaniacal helpers that have been assisting my friend and I last time around have decided to travel abroad without so much as telling us. Good news though is that we were lucky enough to find a suitable replacement for the time being until they come back… I hope.”

“Wait, h-hope-?”

With a combined snap of both his talon and his lion paw, a new figure dropped from what appeared to be an opening in the fabric of existence as they landed on the table. This figure was a boy that looked to be younger than Albedo but relatively the same height, with scruffy gray hair and clothes that appeared disorganized and torn at some places. On their back was a gem similar to the one that Klee had on her backpack, only that it was on their back and was the color purple instead of red.

Needless to say, they were rather confused. “L-lupical-?”

Yet, to the little girl who knew him, she was beyond overjoyed. “Razor!! You’re here!!”

“K-Klee!?!”

Elsewhere…

As he wandered farther and farther away from Ponyville, Albedo didn’t look back at any point as the alchemist tried to focus and press on. Only relying on a map he happened to find in Fluttershy’s cottage as he left early in the morning, the chalk prince had only one singular focus in mind. To find what it was that he felt mere hours ago and not let it interfere with what he and Moondancer were trying to accomplish. Yet, to stay in Ponyville was the equivalent of welcoming this unknown threat into town with open arms.

This was the only way to assure that they stayed safe. For either he would find whatever this presence was, or it would find him. And if it were the latter, then Albedo would want to keep whatever they were as far away from Ponyville as possible. Even though Twilight had told him that she and her friends had faced numerous threats before and were able to defeat them successfully, Durin was his responsibility. It was his teacher that created the dragon, and therefore, it was the alchemist’s obligation to set things right. So the farther away that he was from civilians, the better.

However, even though Albedo was by himself, he had the feeling that he wasn’t fully alone. While he had not encountered monsters, the alchemist had felt a presence following him after passing the base of the mountain where Canterlot resided. He had taken it upon himself to avoid potential places where others could see him, such as train stations and small towns. Yet, the presence was still there… and very persistent at that.

Only when he was passing through some trees and heard the snap of a twig did Albedo actually stop and turn around, one hand holding onto the sheath of his blade and the other being mere inches from the grip. “I know that you’re there. Whatever tricks you use cannot hide yourself from me.”

At first, there was silence. Yet, after a moment or two, a new voice spoke up as a cloaked pony stepped out from behind a nearby tree. “Well, this is a first for me. I did not expect for this to happen, or perhaps I’m getting too old for this.”

That did little to ease current tensions as Albedo still had his hand ready if he needed to draw his sword. However, the mare in question was quick to notice and let out a sigh, “Woah, easy there. I don’t mean any harm.”

“Really now?” the alchemist asked, “Then why exactly have you been following me? Are you a thief? Because I don’t have any money to give you-”

“No, no. Dear Celestia no!” she quickly dismissed the motion with an outstretched hoof, “I wouldn’t stoop so low as to steal from somepony. Besides, you just so happen to be heading in the same direction that I am. For what reason, that I don’t know”

“Then why conceal yourself with a cloak?” The alchemist tried to reason with them, before going a step further and removing his hands from his blade so the mare could feel at ease, “It would do you much better if you don’t try to give others the wrong impression.”

For a moment, everything seemed silent and it didn’t seem like Albedo’s words really did anything to improve the situation. Though, much to his surprise, that was when the mare pulled back her hood and revealed herself to him. The pony that was speaking to him was a unicorn that had whitish-gray fur and a darkened aquamarine mane with a red stripe along the center. Not only that, but the color of their eyes matched that of a particular bard he had seen once or twice wandering around Mondstadt.

“Forgive me, but it’s been some time since I had last spoken with another creature like this,” the mare replied back, “You don’t seem to be like any other creature I’ve met before, aside from the obvious. Who are you exactly?”

“Well, my name is Albedo,” the alchemist simply answered, “I’m an alchemist by trade. Though, from time to time, my occupation involves me having to conduct investigations in the field. I was actually going to look into something that I felt farther north of here until I noticed that you were following right behind me.”

For a moment, the unicorn looked away, before the chalk prince happened to overhear something that they said in a whisper-like tone. Almost as if they were hoping that they didn’t hear it, “So, they felt it too? Then I’m not going crazy. The wards have been broken.”

As soon as she said that though, the mare looked back up and nervously scratched her head with a forehoof. “Oh, I’m sorry. My mind has been all over the place recently. It gets a bit difficult to-”

“It’s fine,” Albedo retorted, “Though, back to the matter at hand, you still haven’t answered my earlier question. Why exactly are you following me? Because despite what you have claimed, I doubt that me heading the same direction you’re going is mere coincidence.”

“W-what makes you say that?”

“Because when I mentioned where I was going, you hesitated a little, before trying to brush it off like nothing happened,” he said, folding his arms as he asked one more question, “Who are you, really?”

For a moment, everything was quiet. The only sounds that were heard were the chirps of birds and the wind flowing past the two of them. Albedo didn’t know why the unicorn was silent and wasn’t sure if they were just simply gathering their thoughts or refusing to answer. Though, he had a feeling that his inquiries would hopefully get him somewhere. Not only that, but perhaps they could relate to the investigation he had yet to start.

Then, he got an answer. “My name is Breezy Gale. However, history knows of both me and my deeds by a different name. One that I believe every creature has heard about once. Or at least, some rendition of it. That name being Gusty the Great.”

“The mare who stopped the father of monsters?”

“The very same,” she nodded her head. Though, despite what she said, the unicorn did not look rather happy to tell him that, “Though, the thing is, no creature knows the entire story of what happened and why I did what I had to do that day. If what you are hoping to look into ends up being what I fear most, then you may need my help. But in order to completely understand everything, I need to tell you the full story.”

Author's Note

Fun fact- This chapter sort of hints at when I decided to change up who I had on my team. Since for the longest of time, I had Razor as my main damage dealer, but I changed that to Kazuha when Inazuma was added to the game

35- Geschichte

It felt like it was only a few years ago that this happened. Yet, unlike what the stories say about me, I knew this creature. Not as the Father of Monsters that he was feared as around the world, but just simply as Grogar. I was much younger at the time when I first found him alone in the cold. It took a lot of time, effort and admittedly patience, but I was able to have him accept me as a friend, for I believed that friendship wasn’t limited to just equestrians, but to every creature.

Yet, over time, I began to have the feeling that there was something to him that he was afraid of. It wasn’t until much later that I learned that he was capable of magic. More specifically, creation magic. Yet, unlike that of many beings, he didn’t have mana to channel his power. Instead, it came from an artifact that he had that was in the shape of a bell. Something that he claimed to have been made with help from some creature he knew. At first, I thought that he could teach me such ways, since I was trying to learn various forms to help others in need.

However, such powerful abilities did not come without consequence. For at the time, he told me that the source of his magic was actually cursed. It was only later that I learned that what was known as the Bewitching Bell was actually the corrupting manifestation of his desires akin to that of a powerful dragon where he came from. Powerful to the point that if it wasn’t controlled properly or if the user’s own will was too weak, it could eat away at who you were and leave you as an empty shell for an embodiment of rage and hatred. Yet, it was something he fully embraced.

A fate in while I knew only when it was too late. For when my hometown was almost lost in the wake of the destruction left by the sirens and the Pony of Shadows, that’s when I saw the real Grogar. The side of him that he tried to hide from me for a long time. The one that reveled in destruction and calamity and used his power to create frightful abominations before my eyes. And yet… even then, there was a part of me that still felt that he could do good.

Yet, by this time, even the princesses at the time saw him and his power as a danger to his subjects. But I… couldn’t bring myself to try and hurt him, for even after the horrors I saw, I still saw him as a friend.

“And that’s when you tried to take the bell?” Albedo asked as he sat down on a nearby log stump. As for the unicorn that was with him, she was sitting on a fallen log across from him as a campfire was burning between them, “You couldn’t bring yourself to harm him, but you thought that by taking away the bell, that could do something to save him?”

“Almost,” Breezy admitted, “However, such a task in itself would either be seen as too daunting to some creatures and downright inconceivable to others. Like I mentioned, even the princesses thought that Grogar was a threat. After hearing that, I thought that any chances of saving him was a lost cause. Though, admittedly, there was one who actually took interest in my plight and offered his assistance. At the time, it was seen as taboo since he was seen as an enemy to the kingdom. Yet, nowadays, I’ve heard he’s changed his ways for the better.”

“Really now?” the alchemist asked out of curiosity as he scratched his chin, “Who would that happen to be, if I may ask? Are they another unicorn like yourself?”

The unicorn shook her head and chuckled at the thought as she used some of her magic to tend to the fire with a long stick, “Far from it, actually. Tell me, have you ever heard Discord before?”

At that, Albedo couldn’t help but nod, “Heard of him and what he could do, yes. Though, I’ve never actually had the pleasure of meeting him in person.”

“Oh, so you’re somewhat familiar with who I’m talking about? Well, that will make explaining this next part much easier,” the mare let out a sigh of relief as she smiled back at him and shifted her cloak. “After I tried to ask for help from everypony else to no avail, he… let’s just say that Discord took an interest in my conundrum. At the time, he was the only one who would actually listen to my plight with an open mind and I was desperate to save my friend. So, he helped me in stealing the bell away from Grogar.”

“Helped… how exactly? Anything specific?”

“Well, that’s where things kind of get a bit complicated. For after I took the bell, Discord took it upon himself to try and ‘fix’ Grogar. However, he found that it was too boring for him. So he instead chose to, in his own words, ‘lock up his real self and throw away the key’. Have it to where he had no memories of anything about him. A clean slate, one could say,” At that, Breezy paused as she let out a breath, “However, sealing away the real Grogar was only one part of his plan. For the whole ordeal was a destructive one and one that would not go unnoticed by even Celestia herself. So, he disguised himself as a chronicler of tales and transcripted a cover story to share to the public and to everypony who read it. That cover story became known as the Tale of Gusty the Great.”

She then tossed her stick into the fire as the story continued, “For the longest of time, that was it. They only knew the two of us by our tale and we were able to live our lives without intervention… However, not all things last forever. Over the course of time, the chains that kept the seal Discord put in place began to wither and break. Grogar would have nightmares of events that he caused when fully taken over and little by little did everything begin to fall apart. However, over the last few weeks, the withering of those chains began to accelerate at a frightening pace.”

“Wait, a few weeks?” Albedo thought to himself as he realized something, “That’s the same amount of time that Klee and I have been here though-.”

“Then, a couple days ago, those chains broke free and Grogar was gone. Not only that, but last night, I felt the seal that I placed on the cave on Mount Everhoof that contained the Bell I stole from him,” Breezy looked back to the alchemist, “I need to stop him from causing the same events from before to end all over again. Because if I fail, no creature would be spared at the havoc he would unleash.”

At this though, Albedo… was a bit confused. It felt that there were details that were missing somehow. Yet, they seemed to be details that even Breezy herself was not aware of. “Breezy, do you mind if I ask you a question? You said that you… found him when you were younger, correct?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Did he ever tell you anything about where he was from at all?” the chalk prince asked, “If it were me, I would think that whatever he told you all those times might’ve had a deeper meaning to him. You’ve had more experience with him than I personally, so perhaps it could help give me a better understanding as to what awaits us. Because I’m not sure if this ‘Discord’ is going to help us out this time around.”

“Y-yes, but not much of it really made sense honestly,” the unicorn admitted, “The only thing that I could remember was that he resented his… I think he said ‘creator’. Some creature that he called Gold. As for the dragon, Grogar spoke of him like they were a brother to him, yet they never said a name about them at all. I’m sorry if this doesn’t really help.”

Yet, much to her surprise, that actually was more helpful that she might’ve thought. For the chalk prince knew who ‘Gold’ was. Gold was the self same alias of the alchemist who was responsible for the downfall of Khaenri’ah; a nation that was home to the Eclipse Dynasty and was struck down by the gods in Celestia when monsters began to invade Teyvat five hundred years ago. To everyone who was familiar with the story, no one knew who Gold really was.

Everyone… except him. For he knew who Gold was, and as he feared, it tied back to him. For Gold was the alias of Rhinedottir, his lifelong teacher that disappeared one day. If this was the case, then the dragon Grogar must have spoken of was none other than Durin. Plus, if Grogar was able to create monsters, then it stands to reason that he could’ve been the entity responsible for making the monsters that invaded Teyvat all those years ago.

“That actually helped me more than you might think,” the alchemist replied back.

“How so? I couldn’t make heads or tails of it,” the unicorn said as the embers of the campfire began to die out.

It was then that the chalk prince gave her a smile, “How about this… since we’re both going to the same place, why don’t you let me tell you a story this time? About myself and where I’m from. For there are some similarities between him and I. Though, if you wish for me to tell you, then you must promise me something.”

“P-promise you what?”

“That if we reach Mount Everhoof and encounter Grogar, you run and leave him to me,” he said sternly, “Everything you shared just now confirmed a theory of mine… and if what I hypothesize is correct, then I doubt that the methods in which you were able to stop him last time would work again. For their resentment may still linger, even after so many years and they would be more focused on me rather than you.”

“So, let me see if I get this straight, Klee,” Spike said, while every creature in the room looked at the new arrival that Discord just happened to bring into her castle, “Razor here is… a friend of yours?”

“Yup, he’s one of my best buddies!!” the little girl proclaimed while nuzzling into the boy’s long grayish silver hair, “He can be a little grumpy at times, but not like Diluc. Razor and the big puppy that raised him are very nice and fun to play with every week.”

“Klee? Why are… ponies talking?” the wolf boy asked with a puzzled look on his face.

“Oh they’re Albedo’s friends, Razor! And any friend of Albedo is a friend of Klee!!”

That did little to ease how he felt. If anything, it just made him even more confused. Though, while the wolf boy and the red burny girl were focused on Spike and Pinkie, Moondancer and Twilight were talking off to the side with Discord. Despite the draconequus’ best intentions, all he did was inadvertently make things a bit more complicated than either of them wanted it to be.

“Discord, I’m only going to ask this once,” Twilight sighed, the alicorn looking over at the table briefly before returning her gaze back to the spirit of chaos that she wasn’t too happy with right now, “What exactly made you think that bringing someone else from their world was a good idea? For all we know, everyone that Klee knows might see you ‘trying to help’ as them getting foalnapped.”

“Well, obviously, that’s not why. I believe I’ve learned my lesson on that after Fluttershy got upset with me when I summoned her to me while she was talking with her parents,” Discord sighed, “Besides, at the time, I thought that he could actually… well, help.”

Moondancer couldn’t help but slowly look over at Razor, who looked to have been encouraged by Pinkie to pet her mane… and in turn, found candy in his hands before looking back to Discord. “In what regard?”

“Well, when I saw him in Klee’s mind and saw the wolves, I thought that he was part wolf. Only now do I realize that the little one’s friend is someone that was raised by wolves and not actually part animal himself,” the draconequus admitted, “I had this whole thing in my head where he could help us track down Albedo should magical means prove ineffective. Though, now I’m not entirely so sure.”

“Woah, back up a minute,” the alicorn spoke up, “Dare I ask what exactly you were thinking about? How could he-?”

Before she had the chance to finish, that was when they noticed Razor get up off the table and look around the room. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Though, as Moondancer looked closer at him, she couldn’t help but notice that his nose was twitching every so often. Even Klee noticed as well, for she was hurrying over to his side. “Razor, are you okay?”

At first, the boy said nothing. Though, after smelling the air around him a couple more times, he then had a reply for her, “… I smell rabbit.”

“Well, I guess that dispelled any doubts that I previously had,” Discord was quick to correct himself, “Seems like he can smell Angel, and I think he’s still at Fluttershy’s cottage.”

“Wait, let me get this straight,” Twilight interjected as she was trying to process everything that was going on inside her head, “You brought Razor here… because you thought that he could track down Albedo… through smell?”

“Well, you could always track down his magic… Oh wait, that’s right! He doesn’t have any,” the spirit of chaos replied with a sarcastic chuckle, “Come on, princess. I thought that you knew that magic can’t be used to solve everything. Didn’t your time during Winter Wrap Up teach you nothing?”

The princess of friendship couldn’t help but pause at that, before looking to Discord with a raised eyebrow. “How do you even-”

“Know? Well, your friends do sometimes visit Fluttershy and I when we happen to be having tea. You know how some of them like to talk, but can’t stop talking right?” That did little to answer her question, but before Twilight could press further, Discord changed topics again, “In any case, Moondancer was it? Do you still have that letter from Albedo?”

“Yes, I have it right here-”

With a snap of his talon, the letter flew out of Moondancer’s magic and into Discord’s paw, before sending it off as a folded paper airplane over to where Spike was as he caught it. “Spike, can you be a good friend and ask if Razor smells anything on the letter? It’s strange, I know, but it’s probably best not to ask too many questions.”

Despite having no context whatsoever, Spike did what was asked. He handed the letter to Spike and tried to ask him. However, the wolf boy was confused by the simple instructions. The only way to get it through to him was to have Klee say it to him, yet that took a couple of tries. Though, when their words finally got through, Razor had only one reply.

“ … Smells… familiar. Blonde one. Klee’s… lupical. Still lingers…”

“What’s a lupical?”

“Ooh, Klee knows this one!” The little girl gleefully cried out, “To Razor, lupical means family!”

Immediately, Discord couldn’t help but smile at this, “And with that, I think we’re now getting somewhere.”

Author's Note

So, with this, there's now another connecting piece of the puzzle. Yet, there are still more questions to be asked and more answers to uncover.

I plan to try and explain it all soon. Though, for those already familiar with Genshin's lore, you're probably already assembling the pieces right now and might have an idea as to what I'm going for.

The next update will probably happen in the new year or so, given how things are going. I hope to see you all them. Merry Christmas and have a happy new year!
-Frost

36- Antworten Part 1

The cold and frigid winds of Mount Everhoof thrashed around as Albedo and Breezy reached the mountain. While the cold air was nothing compared to the conditions on Dragonspine, the alchemist was doing his best to remain calm and alert for anything that could be unusual. If everything that was shared to him about Grogar was accurate, then the amount of power that he had at his disposal was enough to rival that of Archons. Creation was at their beck and call and if he wasn’t careful, the chalk prince could find himself at the mercy of an ambush.

Once more, there was another that learned of his story. For Breezy Gale, the mare that was known throughout Equestria as Gusty the Great, knew more about his story. Not the full extent of who he was, but the story of his teacher. For she was the one who created Grogar, and was the focal point of the beast’s fury.

As her student, it fell on him to resolve this matter and not let anyone else interfere.

When the two of them had reached the chamber where the bell was sealed, they found nothing but a mess of rock and rubble that had been left behind. As Breezy was trying to contemplate the situation and everything they were seeing, Albedo felt something that could only be described as a surge of warmth from nearby that lingered. With no signs of fire or heat anywhere, only one other possibility remained for what it could possibly be.

“Albedo? Is something wrong?”

At this, the alchemist looked back over to the unicorn, “For now, no. However, we shouldn't be here too long.”

“W-why’s that?”

“Call it a hunch, but I have a feeling that Grogar already knows that we are here,” Albedo told her, which had Breezy shudder in place, “However, it appears that he’s not coming straight for us. Rather, he’s… waiting.”

“Waiting?” she asked, “For what?”

“Well, only two possibilities come to mind,” Albedo told her as he cleared his throat, “The first one is that he’s waiting for me to be alone and attack me there. However, given what you shared about him with me, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The second possibility, and the one that I think is most likely, is that he’s wanting for me to come to him. He probably assumed that I could sense his energy, and Grogar wants me to come straight towards it. Like a moth to an open flame.”

“T-that sounds like a setup for an ambush!” she proclaimed, “W-we should-”

“Not likely,” The simple response from the alchemist confused Breezy as Albedo looked farther down the mountainside, “If what you told me about Grogar is true, then if he wanted to ambush us so badly, he would’ve done so already and make our ascent up the mountainside rather difficult. Instead, he’s being patient. If I had to take a guess, he’s waiting for the moment that he sees me to make his move.”

“T-Then, what are you going to do?” the unicorn nervously asked, only to watch as Albedo’s left hand shifted to his waist as a golden glow was seen. Moments later, the blade that the alchemist knew as Cinnabar Spindle took form.

“I plan to not keep him waiting any longer,” he simply replied, “Ms. Gale, if you remember our agreement, then I suggest you honor it and leave as quickly as you can. I know that you have seen your fair share of dangers, but this is one that only I can face. Grogar wants to face me and me alone, and will not care for anyone else. Do I make myself clear?”

Despite knowing this, Breezy was rather hesitant. She personally believed that Grogar was supposed to be her responsibility that shouldn’t be placed on anypony else. Yet, it felt as if the circumstances of the current situation were far out of her control. That any attempts to try to reason with the monster she thought was her friend would just be pushed aside. While Albedo assured her that he could handle this, the unicorn wanted to make sure that she was making the right choice.

“Are you sure this is the only way? That you need to destroy him?”

At that, the chalk prince just looked back at the unicorn and got down on her level, “Who said that I was going to do that?”

“W-Wait… you’re not going to-”

“Let’s not assume that yet,” Albedo informed her, “I have a plan in mind… yet, the only way that I can tell if said plan will work though is when I confront him face to face. I do not plan on ending any lives today, but I do plan to defend myself if conflict is the only way. Now, I suggest that you hurry before Grogar loses his patience.”

As the unicorn turned to leave and head back down the mountain, Albedo heard a simple response from her as the winds began to pick up. “Thank you, A-Albedo. For h-hearing my story… and for believing-”

The churning winds were now howling as Albedo looked in the direction where they came from. This was not a time for hesitation, because if he were to slip up and fail now, there would be dire consequences to everyone. Not just the Equestrians he had met and worked with, but also those that he called family. If he made a mistake, then Klee’s heart would be broken.

The alchemist did not make it this far just to let this creation stop him, and it was for that reason that he would not abandon everything he had worked on to help find their way home, he calmly pressed on and began to push forth towards where he felt the beast’s presence. Cinnabar Spindle was clenched firmly in his hand as he prepared himself for what awaited him farther up the mountain.

Eventually, he found himself in an open clearing. Despite the winds and snow that danced around him and any thought of being led astray, the energy he sensed led him here. Then, within mere seconds after he stepped foot, everything that blew around him was frozen in place, almost as if time stood still. A curious phenomenon indeed, but not one he had the time to ponder on. For it was in this moment that he heard a voice.

“Finally, you’re here.”

On the other side of the clearing stood what looked like a dark colored goat with the curved horns of a ram. Around their neck was a fractured bell and inside it was a dark colored vision that resembled the dragonic eye on Festering Desire, but it was the source of the energy that Albedo had felt throughout his trek up the mountainside as their eyes carefully narrowed. Yet, as they got closer, that was when the goat realized something.

“Wait, you’re not Rhinedottir,” he snarled, “Yet, their presence lingers. Who are you?”

At this, Albedo sighed. “My name is Albedo. I have been referred to by many titles in my travels, yet there is only one that only you would care about. For Rhinedottir is my teacher and I am her greatest creation.”

For a moment, Grogar’s expression didn’t change. Then, the goat let out a deep laugh that sounded like pure mockery, “Really? Does the Great Sinner really think that she can be forgiven for her past deeds by passing on her teachings to someone else? A mere mortal?!”

“And what does someone like you know of her?” the alchemist questioned him, “If you truly claim that you know my master, then why are you here?”

“Do you really not know the story? Or have the Archons decided to remove my existence from history altogether and have me rot here to the end of days!?” he retorted, “If you are her student, then you would know full well how alchemy works. In order to create, it requires a catalyst. Something to destroy first in order to be made into something new. I don’t care how long it’s been here, but five hundred years ago was my masterpiece.”

Then, it clicked. Only one tragedy from five hundred years ago came to mind, but the realization was a shock to him all the same. “Khaenri’ah. You were there.”

“I was more than just there. For the monsters that were created that fateful day, including Durin himself, were my handiwork. I was the catalyst made by Rhinedottir to carry out the devastation on that godless city. Yet, when the Archons came to wipe it off the face of the earth, she left me to be destroyed by their hand. Yet, instead of death, I was banished here… and since then, I’ve been searching for a way back. To make her pay for her betrayal, for my work is not yet done.”

At this point, malicious energy began to crackle and form around him as he let out a monstrous laugh. From the cold ice, two beasts made of ice and shadow took form and began to approach the alchemist, “You are my only ticket back, and if I have to make you submit, then-!”

Before he could finish, that was when Albedo raised up his free hand as his vision came to life and golden energy began to crackle around his hand and an earthen flower at his feet, “Moment of birth…”

From the ground around the Chalk Prince, several golden crystals shot up from the ground and skewered the ice constructs. Fatal blossoms soon took form shortly afterwards and within a matter of seconds, the beasts crumbled into nothing but ice and snow. A sight of sheer power that stunned Grogar.

“Are you planning to stand there and bicker, or do you have more to show than just mere threats?”

“YOU DARE INSULT ME!?!” Grogar raged as even more power poured out from his vision, “I brought the downfall of an entire nation, and if I had to bring down another so that I can finish what I started, then SO BE IT!!!”

All Albedo did was smirk, before he readied his blade, “If you think that I’m going to let you harm anyone else or be bested so easily, then you will be rather disappointed.”

Out of all the possibilities that Twilight thought of for trying to find out where the hay Albedo was, bringing in someone else from Teyvat that just so happened to know Klee and also had a good sense of smell was not one of them. Yet, much to her earlier dismay, this idea that was thought of randomly on the spot actually had some results. While Razor wasn’t exactly as cooperative as Albedo and was rather protective of Klee when he first arrived, his sense of smell made him an excellent tracker.

Only thing was, Razor was also rather impulsive. For once he got a hold of the scent from the letter that Albedo left behind, the wolf boy immediately raced out of the castle and outside of Ponyville as Klee, Twilight and Moondancer were having a rather difficult time trying to keep up with him. Even Discord, the spirit of chaos, was having trouble as well… although, part of that was because when he appeared next to Razor, he ended up getting smacked in the face by the blade he carried, Wolf’s Gravestone.

At one point though, as if on instinct, Razor stopped as he caught his breath and took a long sniff in the air and focused his attention far off towards the mountains. Something that had Klee go up to him and try to get his attention as she pulled on his pant leg, “Razor, what’s wrong?”

“Danger. Ahead.”

Klee just looked at her friend with a puzzled look on his face, before looking over towards what Razor was looking at. It was by this time that Twilight and Moondancer had caught up with them, just as the little burny girl pointed towards what was in the distance, “Miss Twilight, what’s that?”

“Huh?” the alicorn asked, before she looked over towards where Klee was pointing her finger at. “That’s… towards Mount Everhoof. Why do you ask?”

“Razor says that something scary is ahead, but Klee’s a brave girl,” the little spark knight replied, “But we haven’t found big brother Albedo yet.”

“Discord, any ideas?” Twilight asked, only to be met with silence as she let out a groan, “Figures. I rely on him for one moment and the moment he gets smacked in the face, he-.”

While Twilight was stuck in thought, Moondancer went with a different approach and trotted over to Razor. “Uh, R-Razor? Is… that where you think Mister Albedo went to-?”

The only answer she got was Razor extending his arm in front of her to prevent the unicorn from going past him. His gaze fixated on what’s ahead as he grit his teeth. “Blonde lupical… ahead. Danger Ahead.” he simply stated, before breathing in the air through his nose again, “Danger… close.”

That definitely had Moondancer on alert. They were far away from the Everfree by now, but this boy was able to feel that something had followed them. Yet, before she had the chance to ponder what exactly that was, the unicorn looked back towards Mount Everhoof and was shocked by what was happening right in front of her eyes. “U-Uh, Twilight!? What’s that?!”

From the peak of the mountain, thick smoke began to rise up into the sky and rapidly expand outward. Sparks of energy began to flicker in the sky as Twilight could only stare in disbelief. The last time that something like this had occurred, it was because of a dragon that stayed in a mountain and made it its new home. However, Mount Everhoof, wasn’t supposed to be a ‘home’ for any creature. So why-

“Pony, move!!”

Before Twilight realized what was happening, she felt herself being pushed out of the way as Razor put himself in front of her and brought forth his blade. When the alicorn looked back up to see what happened, she saw a massive creature come out from what looked to be some kind of temporal rift. A beast that took the form of a wolf, but had multiple moving pieces as its violet gaze was fixed on him and tried to push forward.

Yet, the boy didn’t give up so easily. “Grr… GET BACK!!”

With his left hand, a claw of electricity began to take form as he slammed it into the ground underneath as it released a powerful shockwave. It was enough to knock the monster back.

“W-what are these things?!” Twilight asked.

“Rifthounds. Not wolf… Monster,” Razor gritted his teeth as he watched the rifthound let out a howl. Soon after, several more tears in reality took form as a few smaller rifthounds began to emerge, “Klee, Razor need help.”

“Help?” She asked, before looking back at the beasts. At that moment, the little girl could only ask one question, “Is it playtime already?”

“Yes,” was the only thing that Razor could say as two of the smaller wolves lunged for him. In an instant, electricity began to crackle in the air around him as the boy let out a ferocious cry. Moondancer and Twilight could only watch as what could only be described as ‘The Wolf Within’ manifested behind him.

That was when the girls eyes began to go aflutter as she began to scramble through her bag and pull out as many of her bombs as she could. All while both of their visions began to burn brightly, “Yay! We’re going to have so much fun!!”

Elsewhere

“Note to self, never startle the wolf boy with the claymore,” Discord told himself as he stood alongside a tree in a forest clearing that was farther ahead from where Twilight and the others were. A bandage was now over his nose as he had to straighten up parts of his face. While he was still planning to help his friends with finding where Albedo went off too, the draconequus preferred to have himself look presentable. Yet, looking as if he had a broken nose was not exactly what he was trying to go for.

It was as he was cleaning up his face that he looked up and noticed the changes that were around the skyline. At first, he was a bit confused. Yet, when he realized where they were coming from, that was when his eyes widened a bit. “Oh dear. That… might complicate things-”

“Discord? Is that you?”

Immediately, the draconequus turned around to find himself looking towards a rather familiar face. The unicorn named Breezy Gale, or as the rest of the world knew her, Gusty the Great. She looked a bit tired out as if she had been running from something, but one thing that Discord happened to notice was that there were little specks of snow across the cloak that the mare wore.

“Well now, fancy meeting you here old friend,” Discord greeted them happily, before snapping his talon as his face was cleaned up and back to normal, “I didn’t think I would be running into you here of all places!”

“N-neither did I-” the unicorn nervously admitted, “W-what brings you out here?”

“Oh, just trying to help a friend,” Discord shrugged, “Someone left town without even explaining why and we’re trying to find them. Say, while we’re on the subject, have you seen a bipedal creature with a blond mane come through here? Stoic looking face, dressed strangely with a white coat and-”

“Y-You know Albedo?” the unicorn asked as her pupils shrank at the realization. “O-oh no, this is bad!! Discord, d-don’t let any creature get up on Mount Everhoof! Please-”

“Woah woah, slow down there Breezy,” Discord insisted, “What’s going on-”

“T-that guy you’re looking for… H-He’s fighting Grogar!! He has his bell again and-”

Immediately, any sense of mischief and playfulness evaporated from the draconequus as the words sank in. He now realized that this was far more dangerous than he originally believed, and to make matters worse, Albedo was doing this alone. Why would he do something this risky all by himself!?

“Breezy… do you remember our agreement from long ago?”

The mare stopped, before looking back to him with a puzzled glance on his face, “Y-yes, but why-? Are you-?”

“I’m not suggesting that we make a new one, but the principles of it can be applied here,” he spoke calmly, “I can go to them and make sure that whatever Grogar is doing doesn’t spread to every corner of the world. However, I’m going to need you to tell me everything you know about this. Anything about how Grogar is back to who he was before to what I assume is your meeting with Albedo. Do not leave anything out. The fate of Equestria depends on it.”

Author's Note

(Credits to Nanako Yae)

"All riseth and falleth at the whim of capricious fortune. Assume your marks upon the stage and brace the coming chaos!"
-Susano, Final Fantasy XIV

37- Antworten Part 2

Before he even stepped foot on the snowy terrain of Mount Everhoof, Albedo knew that the task at hand was not going to be simple. Yet, when Grogar revealed to him his origins and how he knew his master, and that he was the one for the tragedy that fell upon Khaenri’ah that the gravity of the situation began to sink in. The goat that stood before him was more than just the Father of Monsters, but a bringer of despair and destruction. The destruction of an entire kingdom was his doing and if he weren’t stopped here and now, the rest of Equestria and its neighboring kingdoms could be next. All the creatures that he had met and have contributed to help him and his sister find their way home will be caught up in the chaos.

Yet, the Chalk Prince had come too far to back down now. By the Archons themselves, he was not going to let the Father of Monsters turn this kingdom into another Khaenri’ah.

However, the alchemist was not one to just carelessly charge into the fray without a plan. Especially against an unfamiliar opponent with no knowledge of their full power or their capabilities. Much like conducting an alchemical experiment, Albedo needed to observe how Grogar used his power. Only then could he come up with a theory on how to counter it and test it to exploit any openings that his opponent might’ve left. Haste will get him nowhere and only through patience will an opportunity present itself.

Of course, the power that Grogar possessed was not like anything the alchemist had seen before. While there were traces of elemental energy, there was also something else to it. It was a malicious and twisted source of power that was fueled by the hatred, anger and pride of the Father of Monsters. One that allowed the goat to bend the laws of creation to his will and bring forth various embodiments of despair and agony to fight the chalk prince.

“Come into being!”

With a flick of his left wrist, Albedo drew forth his power and the elemental energy from his vision as he placed his hand on the ground. From the icy field, a Solar Isotoma bloomed forth from the ground as a field of light shined throughout the enclosed battleground. As the embodiments stepped into the field and the Chalk Prince swung his blade, golden colored crystals were scattered across the ground. When Albedo got close, the crystals hummed as a barrier of the same color took form around him to protect him from any unexpected and incoming strikes.

However, despite the number of opponents he was facing right now, the alchemist couldn’t help but think that Grogar was merely testing him. Only using a small amount of his strength to wear him down first before the goat would unleash the full extent of his power. If this possibility was true, then the chalk prince needed to be careful of what the goat could do once he started to take this seriously.

It didn’t take too long for Albedo to make quick work of the malformed creations that stood before him. Yet, as they fell, Grogar was not angry with the outcome. In fact, he looked slightly impressed, “Well, it seems I have misjudged you. I should’ve known that someone who claims to have the great sinner as their mentor would have the power and strength to match their words.”

Then, the goat grit his teeth as its eyes began to narrow and glow a harsh red, “Unfortunately for you, I don’t allow for mistakes.”

In an instant, the shadows behind the goat began to shift like smoke and take on a much different form as he jumped down from his perch onto the battlefield. The shadow’s front legs began to twist and morph into a pair of forearms that resembled that of a Mitachurl, but it had claws instead of hands and its head resembling Grogars. Its eyes were the color of bloodlust and rage as the energy from the vision began to surge wildly and have its power grow. And it did not take long for the Father of Monsters to start his advance.

“Now then, let’s see how strong your protections can last!!”

Immediately, Albedo was forced to act defensively as the smoky claws began to lash out towards him. Despite having a crystalline shield around him, Grogar’s strikes came at him swiftly and furiously. When the claws struck his barrier, small cracks began to form and with each attack and counterattack by the chalk prince to keep them at bay, the cracks began to grow. Yet, the goat wasn’t just attacking straight at him but also attacking from all manner of directions in an attempt to knock the alchemist off his feet.

Even the ground that Albedo stood upon wasn’t safe from his wrath.

Before Albedo had the chance to react properly, Grogar slammed his front hooves down into the frozen ground. At first, there was no telling what exactly he was doing. However, a darkened shadow soon formed underneath him and within an instant, spikes ruptured forth from the ground and shattered his shield to pieces. Some of the spikes even tore through his coat and left scratches on his arms and face as he was pushed backwards.

“Haha! Is that really the best that you have to offer? The moment I start to take this seriously, you falter and can’t even properly stand straight. What do you have to say to that?!”

“A slight miscalculation,” Albedo could only say, before brushing off the pieces of ice that clung to his clothes. “One that I will not make a second time.”

“Rather bold for you to claim such a proclamation. Yet, do you really have the strength in you to fulfill it?”

The alchemist could only give off a small grin of confidence as he looked over at the goat. “Want to test that theory?”

Grogar wasn’t sure if the alchemist was hiding something or trying to distract him. Yet, without any protections to keep him safe, the Father of Monsters saw an opportunity to deal some severe pain and make them submit. Without a second thought, he lashed his claws out again swiftly to prevent his foe from trying anything to form some matter of defense. As he furiously attacked from all directions, Grogar thought that he was getting somewhere.

However, when the dust had settled, what the goat saw threw him off guard, “Are you quite finished?”

Instead of a battered and beaten annoyance forced onto the ground, Albedo still maintained his strength as he kneeled close to the ground. With one hand on his blade and the other on the cracked surface underneath him, a wave of golden energy that matched that of his vision surged outward as the ice began to twist and crack underneath Grogar’s hooves. “How the-?! How are you even able to stand after that?”

“You seem rather confident in your own abilities. Yet, you don’t seem to take into consideration the full extent of my own,” Albedo told him, firmly gripping his blade as he pulled his hand off the ground and stood up straight, “Tell me, you seem familiar with alchemy. Are you familiar with the concept of transmutation?”

Before the goat had the chance to comprehend what the alchemist was saying, the ice shattered as pillars of earth erupted from underneath him. Grogar couldn’t react in time as two stone pillars struck him around the chest and barely missed his vision, while another hit him from the right side as he was sent tumbling into the ground. As he tried to push himself back up on his hooves, Grogar’s attention was still fixated on Albedo as he grit his teeth. “What in Tartarus did you do?!”

“Really, you did not notice?” Albedo asked, “While your attack earlier caught me off guard and broke my shields, you also provided me with an opportunity. Tell me, what do you think is underneath the ice?”

Then the realization hit him. His earlier attacks caused cracks in the ice underneath him, and in turn, exposed the frozen bed of rock underneath. Because of that, he was able to transmute some of the power from his vision into the ground and turn it into something that he could control. An extension of his power that would react at his beck and call.

Grogar despised this outcome and would not tolerate this outcome. Not after everything he had accomplished and everything he had done to get to this point. He did not bring forth the fall of a nation just to be laid low and outsmarted like this. Yet, Grogar had to give credit where credit was due. While the goat still doubted his claims that Rhinedottir was his teacher, he had to admit that Albedo’s way of thinking was similar to hers.

“Hmph, rather clever of you, I will admit,” the goat said as the vision in his bell began to glow brighter, “However, it will take more than mere tricks and luck if you intend to stop me where I stand. But perhaps in order for you to truly understand, a change of scenery is needed.”

Within the blink of an eye, the claws sliced at the space in between them, before they grabbed onto the edges of what looked to be a tear in the space. Before Albedo realized what Grogar was up to, they tore it open as the area around them began to flood in with a bright violet light that clouded his vision. Yet, even though he couldn’t see what was happening, the alchemist could feel that something had changed. The air around him wasn’t as cold as it was before, but now there was the smell of thick smoke. Almost as if something was burning.

When he opened his eyes, Albedo felt as if his heart had skipped several beats. He was no longer on Mount Everhoof, but in the ruins of a burning city. However, it looked nothing like Mondstadt. The smoke from the blaze was thick enough to block out the night sky as buildings crumbled and sections of the ground began to give way. Magma seeped from the cracks under the earth as masses of dark crimson cubes swarmed overhead like hornets.

Yet, that wasn’t even the worst part. Throughout the chaos, he saw people that tried to escape the chaos whether they be residents or members of the guard that were doing everything that they could to help them. Yet, all of their efforts were in vain. For as the calamity around them got worse, those who tried to survive were subjected to excruciating pain and suffering.

Then, the changes began.

Without warning, all the survivors were clouded in a liquid mass that had the same colors as the cubes that swarmed overhead. Anyone that was afflicted underwent horrifying transformations, coming off as something that didn’t even look remotely human anymore. Then, the monster that remained turned on their fellow countrymen and had them share the same fate. All the while, the chaos continued to rage forth and tear through the city until nothing remained.

Then, it hit him. This wasn’t just any place… this must’ve been a memory. A memory of Khaenri’ah on the fateful night of the calamity from 500 years ago.

“Magnificent, isn’t it? A city that prided itself on being protected by no gods brought low in a single night. Not even their resilient souls could withstand pure despair, and when they tried, this was the result of their endeavors.”

As Albedo turned towards where he heard the voice, the alchemist looked towards Grogar and realized that his form had also changed. No longer did he look like a goat, but instead looked more human-like. Older than he was, but many of the features from his remained. He still had goat horns on his head and his vision around his neck, now as part of a cloak that covered most of his body. Parts of his body appeared to look like it was being maintained by the abyss as the clothes he wore were tattered and torn apart at the seams.

“Here is where my story began all those years ago. Where I drowned a nation that put its pride above all else in endless despair… And this will be the place where your story ends,” Grogar smirked. However, instead of unleashing an attack, the Father of Monsters just folded his arms, “But first, I wish to hear something from you. An answer to a question that has been left unanswered in my mind for as long as I drew breath.”

Albedo was thrown off by this. He thought that his opponent was going to just throw himself at him and he would be forced to defend himself. However, that didn’t appear to be the case. “And what is that question then?”

“You’ve seen the lives of many creatures, both organic and synthetic, come and go. Teyvat is a world of gods, but gods come and go just as easily as the lives of any other creature. So, I ask you this,” Grogar said calmly, “What exactly gives their lives meaning if you know that one day, everything could be taken away in an instant? Death is meant to be a sweet release to relieve one of their burdens… So why force them to relive the cycle of life only to suffer and die again? Wouldn’t it just be simpler to have everything just cease?”

“Before I answer, let me ask you a different question,” the alchemist replied, “How is this relevant to your deeds? You said that your ‘work’ remains unfinished.”

“Because the destruction that’s around you was only the first step. What you see them turning into is the effects of a curse that was placed. A curse that made these people immortal, but made them lose everything that defined them as who they were. Whether they were soldiers that lost their honor or residents that lost their humanity, the burden that they carried was painful all the same.”

As Grogar spoke, he raised a hand and looked forward as the Father of Monsters continued, “Once they were stripped of everything, the curse was to spread to every corner of the world… and then, I would relieve them of their burdens. Shepherd them to their final resting place so they may die a final death and the cycle will be over. No more pain, no more suffering, just nothing. Yet, before that could be carried out, that was when Celestia and the Archons intervened. Razing this city to the ground until there was nothing left but rubble and ash.”

Then, Grogar’s eyes narrowed, “Yet, those who live such as you defy all reason. What point is there to press on and live if all you will go through is an endless cycle? Wouldn’t it be easier to relieve you of such burdens and not suffer anymore?”

For a moment, there was silence. The only sound that could be heard were the flames and the destruction all around as the alchemist thought to himself. There was no way that a logical answer would work here. Not when Grogar’s conviction to his beliefs was firm like iron. Yet, he still had to try.

“You seem to be forgetting something,” the chalk prince firmly told him, “While it is true that some would want to give up in the face of uncertainty and despair, there are many others who have the potential to find a way forward. To serve as beacons of hope and inspiration for others. And even if they die, their stories will continue to inspire others. To live their lives as they did and continue to press on, even if things seem hopeless.”

Then, the alchemist looked up as his vision began to glow, “Tell me. For someone who claims to be a creation of my master, you seem to forget the most important lesson from her teachings. While the end may be inevitable, you live on to entrust the future to those who come after. While your story might end, it would inspire another to follow in their footsteps. To hear, to follow, to feel, to wander, to think, to stumble, to teach, to listen.”

He let out one last breath and looked back towards Grogar, determination in his voice as the alchemist spoke one final time, “The only way to truly learn this lesson… is to live, die and know.”

For a moment, Grogar flinched. Anger and uncertainty plagued his face as he grit his teeth. Then, he extended his left arm out to the side as a sword hilt with two blades emerged from the swirling void. “Very well. Then let us determine if your words match your convictions. For only one of us will leave this place alive.”

Elsewhere…

For being the self proclaimed embodiment of chaos, Discord had absolutely no idea what he would be expecting as he reached the bottom of Mount Everhoof. After he unexpectedly reunited with an old friend, the draconequus learned of the recent events that had transpired, how the alchemist named Albedo was tied up in all of this and how he chose to go in alone and deal with the matter personally. While he did not know everything, the draconequus knew that Grogar was not someone to take on so easily. Albedo either must’ve had some kind of plan in place or was crazy to think that he could face the Father of Monsters alone and live to tell the tale.

As he got closer to the peak, Discord didn’t find a battlefield, but instead found what could only be described as a rift in reality. With Albedo and Grogar notably absent, and the chaos around the mountain not dissipating for even a moment, the draconequus could only assume that whatever was happening was occurring inside here. With the magic of the Abyss inside possibly spilling out in other places across Equestria, this was where it was coming from. If this were sealed, then the beasts from the rifts would no longer invade.

However, there was also a high possibility that who he was looking for was inside this rift and something was preventing them from leaving. So, before he did anything rash, Discord needed to be certain that who he was looking for was inside, “Well, here goes nothing.”

Author's Note

Thy Life is a riddle, to bear rapture and sorrow
To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow
In one fleeting moment, from the Land doth life flow
Yet in one fleeting moment, for anew it doth grow
In the same fleeting moment
Thou must live
Die
And know

-Answers, Final Fantasy XIV OST

38- Antworten Part 3

The moment that the god of chaos and change slipped through the rift and emerged on the other side, he was greeted by a horrific sight. People in excruciating pain, being forced to breathe fire and torment as the world burned all around them. The cubed masses that represented the wrath of the Heavenly Principles ravaged the land as the citizens of a once proud nation were ravaged and torn. However, this was not like any place in Equestria he had seen before. This was most surely Teyvat, and even though he had never been to this particular place, something about it seemed familiar.

However, that was the least of his concerns. Right now, he was focused on trying to find the alchemist, Albedo. Yet, with the way things were right now and the city falling into a very different kind of chaos from the one that he was familiar with, that was easier said than done. To make matters worse, he wasn’t sure what exactly this was. It didn’t look like Teyvat right now, since he had come back from there only some time ago. It looked like the past, but there weren't any temporal distortions in the space around them and unlike when Starlight tried to ‘fix’ the past back before being Twilight’s student, there weren't any traces of magic left behind.

Which could only mean one possibility. That this was a pocket dimension of sorts. One that specifically had the space around them be forged by a memory. Something that was confirmed only a few seconds later.

Immediately, Discord’s ears perked. The familiar voice came from none other than Grogar himself as he moved closer towards where it came from. For added measure, he used his magic to conceal himself and hide amidst the calamity that was brought upon this city. As he moved, the conversation continued to echo throughout the city as if the words were bouncing off of the walls. Yet, there was one statement with his words where he couldn’t help but stop for a moment to listen.

It was a response to a question that was posed by Grogar. Yet, the Alchemist’s answer was not what he had anticipated as the draconequus watched his vision come alive and glow. “Tell me. For someone who claims to be a creation of my master, you seem to forget the most important lesson from her teachings. While the end may be inevitable, you live on to entrust the future to those who come after. While your story might end, it would inspire another to follow in their footsteps. To hear, to follow, to feel, to wander, to think, to stumble, to teach, to listen.”

Then came the most impactful part, “The only way to truly learn this lesson… is to live, die and know.”

The moment those words were spoken, the horned humanoid being that had Grogar’s voice began to conjure its weapon and lower itself to the ground. Only one more sentence was said, before Grogar charged and their blades clashed.

Words and convictions were one thing, but now came the true test. If he was to emerge victorious against his foe, then the chalk prince needed to hold fast and stand firm against those who wished to lay him low. The hopes and thoughts of those who he called family and friends brought him to this point. If he were to fall now, then the alchemist would let down everyone he knew that trusted and cared for him.

No matter what it took, Albedo was not going to let that happen.

Same as before, the alchemist’s first actions were to be on the defensive to see what his opponent could do. However, unlike the previous engagement, Grogar did not stand idly by and summoned monsters to attack. Instead, he engaged Albedo directly with a twin bladed sword at the ready as the Chalk Prince was quick to block and parry his incoming strikes.

Yet, this time, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Grogar had caught onto what he was doing. Not just that, but it felt as if he was doing the same exact approach. For his opponent wasn’t swinging his blade recklessly like a Treasure Hoarder with a sledgehammer. Instead, Grogar’s attacks were calculated and precise. The Father of Monsters was testing how quick his reactions were and also where the possible weak points would be in his defense. A bold strategy, but an effective one nonetheless.

Once Albedo caught on though, that was when Grogar changed tactics. With one hand, he would wield his blade. Yet, with the other, he channeled his power as chunks of stone from the ground burst forth and flew towards the alchemist to hit him from his blindspot. Fortunately, the Chalk Prince didn’t have to worry about this too much. For when he swung forward and pushed Grogar back, his body was low to the ground and the rocks that were meant to hit him just flew overhead and landed a few feet away.

To him, two can play at that game and when his opponent charged back towards him, he conjured a solar isotoma to raise him upwards into the air. As the father of monsters looked up, Albedo leaped from the platform he created to plunge his blade down as it tore through Grogar’s cloak.

“Tch. You’re a persistent one, I’ll give you that,” his opponent said through gritted teeth, before pushing him back with a forceful blow as the edge of Cinnabar Spindle tore through the cloak. As the alchemist was knocked back and forced to regain his balance, Grogar charged in and swung forward, clipping the side of Albedo’s cloak just before the chalk prince channeled a shockwave of geo energy into the ground to keep his opponent at bay.

“And you are an opportunist, it seems,” the chalk prince remarked with a smile, just before he dashed in and thrusted his blade forward with one hand. Grogar was quick to raise his blade to parry the strike. Yet, the father of monsters was quick to notice that the alchemist had something glowing in his off hand. When he realized what it was, he had seconds to react as shards of geo energy that looked like petals of the alchemist’s other creation erupted from the ground and towards him.

Grogar though was actually amused by this, because to him, it meant that the chalk prince was beginning to take this seriously. That the abilities he demonstrated by himself on Mount Everhoof alone was not going to be enough to match his level of strength. Yet, by combining his swordsmanship and alchemical abilities together, Albedo was now on the same playing field as he was. Something that made his blood boil with excitement.

“Hehe, you seem to be catching on,” the Father of Monsters smirked, “Shame that it will not help you in the end.”

“And what makes you so certain of that?” Albedo asked as he brushed the dust off his cloak, “Do you think that my defeat is predetermined?”

“Don’t play dumb with me. The end is inevitable to all living beings no matter who they are or where they live,” Grogar proclaimed. “Even in the cold expanse of the abyss do beasts thrash about and hunt prey. No matter how you resist, you will fail to stop me. In a sense, it’s almost… disappointing.”

At that, the Chalk Prince couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Even though he still kept the tight grip on his blade to anticipate any moves his opponent might make. “Disappointing?”

“For someone who claims to have known Rhinedottir, you lack the same power that she had,” In the blink of an eye, Grogar was back in front of his face and swung again. This time, he had split the grip of his weapon to where he now held two swords as the blades began to extend. Not only that, but there was more power and weight behind his blows as Grogar swung wildly, “You may be able to stand against me, but there is still something that you’re holding back!!”

As Albedo tried to keep up with Grogar’s attacks, the Father of Monsters lashed out some more and kicked the alchemist in his midsection. A surge of pain shot through him as he was sent tumbling onto the cobblestone. When he tried to get up, the pain in his ribs made it difficult for him to stand as a trickle of blood came down on his face.

“I told you that only one of us is leaving this place alive from the start! I don’t care what it is that you’re trying to prove by limiting yourself, but that will only lead you to a swift death. Or is that what you want? To have the end come sooner than you want it to be?”

In that single moment, something in Albedo’s mind clicked into place. Even though he hated to admit it, Grogar was somehow right. He thought that by keeping himself in check with how much alchemical power he’d use, it would allow him to stay in control. For if he lost control, his power would end up destroying Mondstadt, the city that welcomed him with open arms and was his home.

Then again, he wasn’t in Mondstadt now. And he did not plan on bending the knee so easily.

“Nothing to say, huh? Well, I guess that means one thing.”

Just as Grogar was about to strike, a blooming golden sigil took form and immediately shot out a crystalline shard that struck his left wrist. The force of the impact made the Father of Monsters stagger and drop his blade. Yet, when he tried to move it, he began to realize that the single shot had now concealed his hand. Coated in a rocky crystalline substance that prevented him from moving it as he turned to see the alchemist rise back onto his feet.

“I know that all creatures will eventually reach the end of their days. Alchemy itself is the study of life, and to know of life means to know death as well.”

In a rage, Grogar swung his other arm in an attempt to hit the alchemist. However, just as the blade was about to reach him, two more sigils manifested on the side of a nearby fallen building and wrapped his forearm in chains. Inside his head, Grogar did not know what was happening at all. For a moment, it looked like Albedo was on death’s door. Yet, right now, he was able to not only get back up on his feet, but somehow stop his advance? That… was impossible.

“As a knight, I know that there will come a day where I will reach the end of my journey and hang up my blade,” Albedo spoke, before he placed his hand on the edge of Grogar’s weapon of choice as the blade glowed. In seconds, it transformed into the trunk of a tree as it withered apart and decayed. “But that day is not today.”

The Father of Monsters grit his teeth, before forcefully yanking his arm back in an attempt to free himself from the chains. In doing so, Albedo swung his blade forth, narrowly missing his neck as Grogar stumbled back. The alchemist watched as Grogar tried to pick up the weapon that was on the ground, but began to have difficulties as the crystals on his arm began to expand further.

“Grr!! What makes you think that you can defy the end!? This domain and everything here bends to my will! And I will not let-!!”

For a moment, despite his claims and his attempts to alter the space around him, nothing happened. Something that Grogar himself was shocked by as he looked around. “What? What’s happening?! Why isn’t it-?!”

“Are you looking for something?”

As the Father of Monster turned, his eyes widened in a panic. The vision that was hanging around his neck earlier was now on the ground, just a few feet from where he was. As he saw it, Grogar realized that the alchemist’s earlier attack was not to strike him, but to cut at the cloak that kept it hanging from around its neck.

“No!! How dare you-!!” he shouted, before Grogar leaped towards it in an attempt to reclaim it. However, Albedo had anticipated this. With a flick of his wrist, another sigil formed behind Grogar and shot a stone towards the vision, knocking it away from Grogar and underneath Albedo as he picked it up.

“How you came to have such a thing means little to me,” the alchemist said calmly, “But what I know for certain is that as long as you have this in your possession, you will continue to torment the lives of everyone who live here and in Teyvat. That is something that I cannot allow under any circumstances.”

“Grr. Do you really think that destroying that will be the death of me?! I will still remain and as long as I draw breath-”

“Do you think that I’m going to do that?” the alchemist asked, his tone being both calm and cold. Something that caught Grogar off guard, “For someone like you, who forces the endless torment of those afflicted by your ‘masterpiece’, you don’t deserve the same fate.”

Then, the alchemist raised his blade and aimed it at the vision, “Instead, you deserve worse.”

With a swift motion, Albedo took Cinnabar Spindle and with the elemental energy he poured into his weapon as he stabbed the vision. Its crystalline surface shattered instantly as the memory that was around them began to become distorted and fade. As for Grogar, an unbearable pain that he had never felt before began to surge through him as he felt his body burn and split apart.

“From that temptation, you have been sundered. Your body and soul will split apart, never to reform again. The tragedy that you caused will never be repeated. For all those who have welcomed me and accepted me as friends and family, I will take it upon myself to ensure this. For I am the Kreideprinz, and Rhinedottir’s legacy is my responsibility.”

As Grogar’s form ceased to exist and the ruins of Khaenri’ah were no more, the alchemist sheathed his blade and calmed his emotions as the cold air began to return. Though, as the realm around him turned white, he felt something on his shoulder and heard a simple voice.

Thank you

When Albedo opened his eyes again, he found himself back on the frigid cliffside of Mount Everhoof. Everything seemed normal and the darkened clouds that once surrounded the peak had now dissipated. Despite the incredible amount of pain that coursed through him and exhausting himself of a lot of energy, everything seemed to be over now. With Grogar's defeat, not only was Equestria safe, but there were no more interruptions. He and Klee could finally go home.

However, there was still one more thing that needed to be taken care of. Something that the Alchemist was reminded of when he heard a voice from his right, “Well, that was not what I expected… and you left quite the mess in your wake.”

When he turned around, Albedo was greeted by the sight of a creature that had the parts of multiple different animals and creatures behind. It was a bit to take in, but the chalk prince couldn’t help but feel as if he had either heard about a similar creature before.

“Um, hello. Who-?”

“We haven’t met before, but you probably have heard of me a bit… and I most certainly have heard of you,” the being replied, “My name is Discord. In this world, I am seen just as a spirit of chaos and disharmony. However, where you are from, I am known as the god of chaos and change. A deity, not like the archons, but still one nonetheless.”

A deity? That was something he didn’t really expect. Then again, from the stories he heard about Discord, there were some things that sounded like things only a deity could do. “I see. Out of curiosity, what exactly does a deity want with me?”

“Well, originally, I was going to bring you and the little girl you care for back home on the request of a dear friend,” Discord folded his arms, “But upon arriving, I realized that you caused a lot more trouble than I thought. Monsters don’t just randomly spawn from the abyss, especially ones that are only supposed to be in Teyvat. This is a big mess to clean up, and could have further repercussions if something isn’t done.”

It was at this moment that an idea surfaced in the alchemist’s mind. Something that might have seemed a bit cruel, but given the situation they face, it was necessary. “What if this was a story that only you and I knew the truth of? A story that we will take to the end of our days?”

That caught Discord by surprise, but also seemed to intrigue him as he scratched his chin. “Go on.”

“A friend of yours told me that you wrote the story of them and Grogar. So, as the god of change, I would see it as being well in your power to change the narrative of this story,” the alchemist proposed, “Over the course of my journey here, I have come to the realization that the secrets of Teyvat and its people are too dangerous for the creatures that call this world home to know about. So, wipe that slate clean and tell a new tale instead.”

“You… do realize what you are proposing, right?” the draconequus told him, “You are asking for me to not only have everyone that has ever met you in Equestria to forget about you, but for your sister to forget her experiences here too. Not only that, but to change the course of events of everyone in your world that helped you. This includes delaying the journey of your traveler friend and their floating companion as well.”

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take. Besides, even if memories are lost, with Klee, she can easily make new ones with everyone we know. After all, the truth of this is something that only you and I will keep.”

It took some time for the god of change to process Albedo’s proposal. To think that the alchemist was willing to go forward with this was something he did not expect, especially since humans were known to cherish memories. Yet, perhaps there was something to this that he could benefit from as well. To set a new stage and provide a new narrative for everypony to take part in. That was something that he could get behind.

“You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Albedo,” the god replied, “Yet, your proposal is better than any of the other ones that I could think of. The question is… do you trust me?”

“If the traveler was able to help you with making sure we can come home, then I trust that you could do that,” Albedo replied. Yet, at the corner of his eye, he turned to find that Klee, Twilight and a familiar wolf boy from Wolvendom had climbed up Mount Everhoof to find him. “Though, if you would be so kind, I would like to say goodbye to everyone, one last time.”

“That I can,” the god of chaos smiled, watching as the alchemist went over to embrace his sister in a tight hug, “It’s the least I can do for everything that you have done already.”

Author's Note

'As fragmented, imperfect beings, yours is a never ending quest. A quest to find your purpose, knowing your end is assured. To find the strength to continue, even if all strength has left you.'
-Final Fantasy XIV, Endwalker

39- Das Ende

It had been days after the incident that took place on Mount Everhoof and the departure of Albedo and those that accompanied him. The moment that they stepped through and arrived on the other side, Discord was quick to keep his end of the bargain. The creations that were made with Albedo’s guidance turned to dust, the memories of all those who had either met or seen him were changed and everything was now back in a state of how things were before their unexpected arrival on that fateful day. A clean slate, just like Albedo had asked.

Of course, the hardest part of the process involved applying the same changes to Teyvat. Yet, it was nothing that he couldn’t handle. All he needed to do was rewind the clock back to when the Traveler was only merely thinking about how to get to Inazuma and entice him and his little companion with something else to keep them busy. During his vacation, he learned that if there was anything involving the star shaped stones called ‘Primogems’ and other collectables involved, it could make the traveler do an unexpected detour for a bit. Even more so if the ‘request’ came from the little spark knight of Mondstadt, for she was so adorable that no one could refuse her.

Right now though, Discord had decided to pay both Celestia and Luna a surprise visit. However, the god of chaos was surprised to find that the two of them were talking among themselves inside the personal chambers of the castle instead of being in the hall of elements attending to their duties. As they were talking, that was when he decided to make his presence known. “Good morning, Celly. Lulu. How are you doing on this fine morning?”

“Discord!? Do you even-” the princess of the night groaned, before she looked back at the draconequus, “Is now really a good time for a spontaneous visit?”

“Why, is it better than any other time? Besides, we were supposed to be having tea today. Yet, when I arrived at our usual meeting time, I came to find that you two were nowhere to be found,” the draconequus told her, “It’s rude to ditch a guest. Not only that, but if there were any notices of you canceling, then I did not receive them.”

“My apologies,” Celestia replied, “This morning has been rather… difficult to process.”

“Sister, are you sure that you want to bring this up now? We can surely-”

“Luna, you know that if you try to hide things from Discord, he would then try to pry it open somehow,” the solar princess replied, “Besides, since we seem to be at a bit of an impasse on the matter, maybe he could help us see things from a different perspective.”

“Oh? Is something troubling you?” Discord asked in curiosity as he looked back towards Celestia.

“Well, as of now, Equestria is in a state of peace. Different species from around the world are coming together and all because of Twilight, her friends and the School of Friendship. Originally, we had considered the idea of possibly retiring and stepping down from the throne. However, after what happened with Cozy Glow, I’m unsure if Equestria is ready for somepony else to take charge.”

“So you want to hand off the reins to someone else then?” Discord asked, “Was there somebody in mind?”

“We thought that Twilight would be the best fit, since she has grown comfortable to the position of Princess for the last few years,” Luna added, “However, Celestia has doubts of whether or not she would be ready for such an undertaking. Being the ruler of Equestria is a big responsibility, after all.”

At this, an idea surfaced in Discord’s mind. Something that seemed clever to do, but he would need some assistance with it. “I see. I think I might have a possible solution, if you’re willing to hear me out.”

“What… sort of solution?” Celestia then asked, her eyes narrowing a bit.

“Nothing too dangerous, I assure you,” the draconequus insisted, “I was thinking that perhaps the best way to see if your ‘favorite student’ is ready for such a role is if we gave her a test. Not an academic one, but a test of character. Something that would go on over the course of… perhaps a season. I have it all thought out in my head and I think it would be a good way to solve this little conundrum.”

At this, both of the sisters looked to one another with puzzled looks on their faces, before Luna asked one more question, “What exactly does this plan of yours entail?”

“I’ll tell you, but I have a question for both of you first,” Discord replied as he had a book appear in his eagle talon, “Are either of you familiar with the tale of Gusty the Great?”

As soon as he returned from his ‘trip’, Albedo knew that there was a lot of work to catch up on back in his workshop in Mondstadt. Investigations to continue, reports to analyze and even tell Timaeus the results of his ‘changes’ to the Elemental Crucible that he implemented. It was a lot of work to catch up over the amount of time that he had been gone.

Then, there was a knock at his door. As he opened it, he saw what looked to be a young boy with darkened navy hair and red eyes greet him as a bag of envelopes was over his shoulder. “E-excuse me, are you M-mr. Albedo?”

“That I am,” he replied, “Though, I don’t think we’ve met before. Are you with the Knights of Favonius by chance?”

“Oh, no no no no! I c-can never see myself doing a-anything like that,” the boy replied, “I-i’m Aries. I-I work as a courier for the A-Adventurer’s guild. T-There was a letter that came in for you today and I w-was asked by Cyrus to g-give it to you.”

As the courier handed the letter to him, Albedo recognized a familiar sign on the envelope. A red four leaf clover. Something that he had only seen once before as he looked back at the boy, “Thank you. Have a good day.”

As he closed the door behind him and flipped the letter over, the alchemist let out a small breath as Albedo began to open it. “What kind of adventure have you planned this time, Aunt Alice?”

The End

Author's Note

Thank you everyone who's been with me on this journey since I started this story sometime ago. I felt that this was a proper way in order to end things on a happier note. I hope you enjoyed this journey through both Equestria and Teyvat.

Ad Astra Abyssosque!
-Frost

Artwork found here on Pixiv. Credits to the original artist.

01- Anfang

It was a calm summer morning in the small town of Ponyville as the sun rose in the distance. Things seemed rather calm today as many of the citizens in the small town carried on with their day to day lives, while others took advantage of the warm weather to relax and take a break from their duties. This included the creatures who attended the school of friendship. For after everything that had transpired during their chaotic first semester, they deserved to have the rest and relaxation that came with summer vacation.

Such was the case today for a few of the students as they were on their way to the lake that was northeast of Ponyville. Though, as time passed, some of them were beginning to express doubt, “Are you sure we’re headed to the right place, Silverstream?” the young earth pony that was known as Sandbar asked his friend, “This place seems kind of far from town for a place to swim.”

Silverstream, the young hippogriff that was ahead of the others nodded her head and smiled, “Yup! Professor Pinkie Pie told me that this spot is the perfect place to cool off on a hot day like today!! So, why not?”

“I can think of a few reasons,” the friend that was with them, a cerulean griffon named Gallus, interjected, “First, why is it just the three of us? Wouldn’t this be the kind of thing that every creature would want to do?”

“Well, I was going to offer if they wanted to come,” the hippogriff explained, “But then I remembered our field trip with Professor Applejack and Professor Rainbow Dash-”

Sandbar had a feeling of where she was going with this. On the field trip that Silverstream mentioned, they learned that Yona not only was afraid of water, but also couldn’t swim. It would be rather mean of them to invite her to take part in an activity that made her scared of the very thought.

Still, that only involved one of their friends. There were two other creatures that had yet to be mentioned yet. “Okay, but what about Ocellus and Smolder?” Sandbar now asked, “Surely, they don’t have anything going on now, do they?”

“Well, I did ask both of them if they wanted to join us, but-” Before she could say anything else, Silverstream stopped. Her ears twitched for a brief moment as the hippogriff looked around, “Did… either of you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Gallus then asked as the griffon looked back at her with a confused stare. Sandbar was just as puzzled as his friend, for he had no idea what the hippogriff was talking about.

“You really didn’t hear that just now?” she asked both of her friends, who only shook their heads in response as the hippogriff looked towards the lake that wasn’t that far away, “It sounded like a little filly singing to themselves.”

“Silverstream, we haven’t seen any other creatures on the way here,” the griffon pointed out to his friend, “Are you sure that-?”

Before he could finish speaking, all three of them felt a faint breeze pass by them and heard something in the distance. The sound of what appeared to be a young child’s laughter could be heard coming from Saddle Lake. “Da-da-da!”

Gallus blink, his jaw hanging a bit as he tried to process what he just heard, “On second thought, I think you might be onto something.”

“See? What did I tell you?” the hippogriff beamed. “Come on, let’s go see who it is!” Without warning, she took off towards the lake, leaving Sandbar and Gallus behind in the dust as her friends hastily tried to catch up to the eager hippogriff.

When the three of them first arrived at Saddle Lake, nothing really seemed too out of the ordinary. Though, as the three students continued to look around, they soon noticed something strange walking along the shore. A small bipedal figure that wore a red coat over a white dress with the symbol of a four leaf clover weaved onto their clothes. Their appearance was unlike anything the three of them had seen before, for they had pointed ears, sand like skin, a blonde mane and red eyes. The other thing that was rather noticeable was a rather large bag with a strange stuffed animal attached to the side and a red fire like jewel on the flap.

“Guys, what is that?” Gallus now asked as he and his friends looked at the figure from a distance.

“I… don’t know,” Sandbar admitted, the earth pony trying to get a closer look, “They don’t look like any species that we’ve covered in class.”

“Whatever they are, they look so adorable,” Silverstream commented, which had Gallus roll his eyes as the griffon looked back at the stranger. When he did, the strange figure had stopped walking along the shore and was now staring into the waters of the lake.

“This is the perfect spot!” they proclaimed with childlike glee. Before Sandbar and his friends could understand what the creature was talking about, the youngling had already opened up their bag and was rifling through its contents. Though, the three of them were puzzled by what they had in her bag.

It was a series of small spheres, but the ears on the, almost looked like they were stuffed animals. Each one with a stem with a red clover at the end. “Are those… supposed to be toys?”

“It looks like it,” Silverstream remarked as they watched the little one throw them in the water, “Ooh! Maybe they are water toys! That’s why they’re throwing them in the lake!”

“I don’t know,” Gallus said, taking his eyes off of the strange creature for only a moment as he looked at the hippogriff, “Those things don’t really look ‘cute and cuddly’ if you ask me.”

“Are you sure?” Sandbar asked, “I mean, whoever they are, they only seem to be a child. They don’t look dangerous-”

Before either of his friends could say anything, the sound of a loud blast redirected their attention back to the lake. As the young stranger cheered in childlike glee, what they threw into the lake exploded. Any fish that were swimming and got caught in the blast were sent flying out of the water as they landed on the shore. Only to be picked up by the young creature as she tried to hold as many as she could in her arms.

It took a moment for the earth pony to actually come up with something to say after all that they had just witnessed. Though, when he did, Sandbar started by stating the obvious, “Okay, I take it back. They definitely look dangerous.”

“B-but why would she do that?” Silverstream asked in disbelief, still horrified by what she had just witnessed, “W-what does she have against fish?”

“Guys?”

“I don’t think it’s like that, Silverstream,” the earth pony tried to assure the hippogriff, to no avail.

“I have friends back home that are fish! Why-!?”

“Uh guys,” Gallus tried again to get the attention of his friends unsuccessfully. Though, as the griffon looked back towards the lake, they spotted something that immediately caught their attention. So much so that he tried again to interrupt the conversation going on between Sandbar and Silverstream. “Hey, guys!”

When the both of them looked back at the griffon, all he did was just pointed back towards the lake. At first, they were confused by what Gallus was trying to tell them. Though, when they looked back at the shore of the lake, they immediately realized what he was trying to tell them. The little creature that was along the shore of the lake had spotted them, their pack was back on their shoulders and their arms filled with as much fish as they could carry. Though, they didn’t look rather happy.

If anything… they were scared. “Uh… h-hello-”

Before Sandbar was able to finish his sentence, the little one in red took off. Racing back down the road that Sandbar and his friends took to get to Saddle Lake in the first place. Even though they had just got here, the thought of what they had just witnessed at the lake happening in Ponyville was enough of a reason for them to give chase after the little one.

Yet, when the three of them found the little one again, she was with another figure. One with an ashy blond mane, pale skin and teal eyes. They wore a white coat with black and gold details over an indigo shirt, black pants and matching cloth over what looked to be strange claws. Though, what stood out to them the most was the amber colored jewel around the collar of the shirt.

“What the-?” Gallus spoke, caught off guard by the appearance of the newfound figure, “Who’s this guy?”

What was most shocking though… was when magic that was gold in color flowed to their hands as they looked back at the trio. “Who are you?” it asked, “And why did you startle my sister?”

Author's Note

A chance encounter from out of nowhere... is sometimes the beginning of something new.

06.5- Freiheit

Author's Note

Now for something from a completely different perspective...

Something of an 'interlude' chapter based on a particular line said in the previous one. Hope you like it
-Frost

06.5- Freiheit

In the world of Teyvat, the city of Mondstadt was no stranger to handling conflict and crises that would normally shake a nation. The history of the city had been written through the tales of rebellion and revolution. Yet these days, many tales have been lost to the passage of time, flowing away like dandelion seeds after a gentle breeze came through. Bards would sing songs about the legacies of heroes, but many folk these days see their words as just songs rather than tales of someone’s life.

Yet, even after what transpired with Stormterror and when unreconciled stars rained from the sky, Mondstadt endured. Not just because of the action of the Knights of Favonius, but an honorary knight who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Though, as of this moment, a different kind of crisis was taking place. It was originally thought to be rather small at first, but as time passed, the acting grandmaster of the knights, Jean Gunnhildr, grew concerned.

Two members of the Knights of Favonius have been missing for some time. Albedo, Chief Alchemist and the Captain of the Investigation Team and Klee, the Spark Knight. At first, she was led to believe that Albedo was looking for Klee after she had escaped her confinement cell to go play. However, when one of Albedo’s students informed her that the two of them went to go inspect a project that he had been working on in the ruins of the Thousand Winds Temple, the dandelion knight used whatever means she could in order to try and get some answers.

Unfortunately, her efforts to try and shed some light on the situation did not work out the way Jean wanted. When she had the outrider, Amber, go investigate the ruins to see if there were any signs of them, all she could find was the body of a ruin guard blown to pieces and whatever was left of Timeaus’ project. When Jean tried to talk with Albedo’s other assistant, Sucrose, about what might’ve happened, she was too scared to even speak to her. Lastly, when she tried to talk to Mona, the astrologist who had only moved to Mondstadt some time ago, her attempts at reading the constellations of both Albedo and Klee didn’t entirely fill her with confidence. Mona was able to see their constellations, but couldn’t get a reading as to where the two of them were at the present moment.

Though, the grandmaster of the knights was not going to give up that easily. If anything, there was one more person she had yet to ask. Originally, Jean had thought about asking them first, but decided against it because of the lack of information that she had at the time. Now though, she had a decent amount of information to go off of to explain everything a bit better. Yet, who they were looking for was not at the giant tree by Windrise.

Instead, they were on the first floor of the Angel’s Share tavern, face down at the bar as they were trying to speak coherently. “D-dear me! Another mug of you f-fine dandelion wine, if you please-?”

“You’ve already had more than enough tonight,” the grandmaster heard a familiar voice as she noticed that Diluc Ragnvindr was behind the counter at the tavern tonight instead of the usual bartender. Though, he did not seem to notice her presence yet, “If you drink anything else, you’ll end up making a mess all over my floor.”

“Oh, come on, just this one! Tonight’s already been so much fun.”

At first, Diluc was going to respond to the bard. Though, that was when he looked towards the door and saw Jean as she was walking in. “Well, if it isn’t the acting grandmaster. Didn’t expect for you to be here tonight.”

“Hello Diluc,” she greeted him, “Charles isn’t here?”

“Had to call in sick tonight, so I’m filling in,” the owner of the Dawn Winery told her, “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Actually, I was hoping to talk to Venti, if you don’t mind,” Jean’s words happened to surprise both the bartender and the bard. Though, the tone of the grandmaster’s words gave the implication that what she wanted to talk about was rather important. Much like when they were all gathered here with the honorary knight during the Stormterror incident.

Of course, Diluc just only replied with a groan, relieved that the drunken bard was at least someone else’s problem for the time being. “The upper floor is free for if you two wished to talk by yourselves. I still have customers to attend to down here tonight.”

The grandmaster smiled, before helping Venti to his feet. The bard was having trouble trying to walk on his own after all the drinks he had, so Jean took it upon herself to assist him up onto the second floor. Though, when they were out of the sight of prying eyes and the other patrons at the tavern, Jean felt Venti touch her shoulder. What she took that as a sign to let go of him as she sat down far away from the stairwell.

“It’s been a while since I last saw you,” the bard told her, his voice no longer trying to rhyme like he was singing a song as he looked to the Dandelion Knight, “I believe the last time I was here, we helped put together that thank you celebration for all your hard work.”

“That I remember and I appreciate everything that all of you did that day,” Jean replied, before looking at the bard, “Though, unfortunately, I’m not here to reflect back on good times.”

“Oh? Then what brings you to me this evening?” Venti raised an eyebrow, his overall appearance looking as if he just shrugged off the impending hangover that he looked to be in moments ago.

“Over the last couple of days, two members of the Knights of Favonius have gone missing,” Jean said, before pulling out what looked to be a rough sketch of two people as she handed it to him to take a look at, “Albedo, the Chief Alchemist of Mondstadt, and Klee, the Spark Knight. I’ve already tried various other means in order to try and find out where they were, but all of them have either ended up being dead ends or raised more questions than answers.”

Afterwards, Jean took a bit more time to explain the situation more in detail to bring Venti up to speed. Many would think that the grandmaster sharing this kind of information to a mere bard wasn’t the most ideal way to get to the bottom of this. Though, Venti himself was no mere bard. In reality, he was actually the anemo archon Barbatos. The secret involving his identity was something that he only shared to Jean, Diluc and the Honorary Knight that was with them when they were trying to stop Stormterror before he could attack Mondstadt again. In fact, the bard himself treated who he was in the eyes of others… and his true form as two separate entities.

Once Jean was finished, Venti looked back to Jean with a grin on his face. “I see,” he simply replied, “And what do you make of all of this?”

“That’s the thing,” Jean explained, “There are a lot of things that we still don’t know. Not only that, but the possibility of foul play cannot be ruled out, even if it’s rather unlikely.”

At that point, the windborne bard began to think. While the grandmaster’s concerns were justified, he did not think that someone would have intent behind this. If anything, what was described to him led him to come to another conclusion. “Well, personally, I think that the cause of the problem is different. Elemental energy can be vastly unpredictable when condensed in a rather small space. I’ve learned that from experience.”

“I understand what you mean,” the grandmaster acknowledged, “Though, nothing is really going to be done if we just sit here and contemplate what did and did not happen… Do you think you can help us get to the bottom of this? Or at least point us in the right direction?”

At first, the bard did not have an answer. Though, a thought soon came to his mind. If nothing about this situation made sense, then why not bring in a friend whose specialities don’t make any sense? “I don’t think I can… but I happen to know an old friend that might.”

Later…

“So let me get this straight,” the dandelion knight spoke as she and the bard walked up the path towards Thousand Winds Temple. While they were walking, the bard was explaining about who they were going to meet, and hopefully have them get to the bottom of what was going on, “You know a friend of yours that can help us… and this friend is a god? Not one of the archons, but someone else?”

“Yup, that’s right,” Venti replied.

“T-that doesn’t make sense though,” Jean told her, “Aside from the seven archons and Mondstadt’s four winds, weren’t all the other gods defeated in battle?”

“That’s where things get a little… iffy,” the bard let out a sigh, “While there were many gods that participated, there were also many gods that did not take part in the war. Each one of them had their own reasons for doing so, whether that be because they saw themselves as unworthy of the responsibilities that came with being an Archon or because they did not want to see their people get harmed. Though, there is one that even the archons were aware of, but refused to admit it.”

“Who would that be?”

“Well, instead of just finding a remote corner to sit down and hide, he instead escaped into the endless void. What is now more commonly known as the Abyss. Many gods choose not to venture inside there because of the fear that prolonged exposure would change who you are and twist your personality into someone you no longer recognize,” Venti explained, just as the two of them arrived, “But to him? It didn’t affect him. In fact, you might say that he calls the abyss his home.”

“D-doesn’t that mean he’s associated with the Abyss Order though?” the grandmaster asked, concerned that meeting this particular figure would do more harm than good.

“Actually, much to the surprise of everyone else, he hates them,” the bard replied, “He feels that everything they’re doing is pointless and that they ‘act like a bunch of children that desperately seek for attention’. His words, not mine.”

That left Jean with a lot of questions. Just who exactly was this god? How exactly were they going to help them? More importantly though, how exactly did they know Venti? These questions continued to bounce around inside their head as the bard looked around to make sure that the area was clear and that nothing was lurking around to ambush them.

Then, he brought forth the lyre at his waist and began to strum a melodic tune. Follow by the words that came with it.

From chaos comes change,

Where damaged scars can mend.

With this tune I arranged,

Hear my voice old friend.

At first, nothing seemed to have happened. Though, after some time, the two of them saw what looked to be a vortex in the fabric of reality open behind them. Jean was tempted to draw her weapon, but a motion from Venti had her reconsider.

Then, someone emerged. They looked human, but their choices of clothes were rather disorderly. They were a gray dress shirt with a brown vest over, with darkened slacks and shoes and no sign of a vision on their person. Their facial hair was a noticeable grey, but the hair on their head was pitch black. Yet, that was not the most notable detail. That would happen to be their eyes, where the sclera was a light yellow and their iris was red in color.

“Barbatos, buddy!” They said with glee as they went over to Venti, “How long has it been since I’ve last seen you? You look like you haven’t aged a day!”

All the bard did was smile as he looked back towards the figure, “Indeed, it has been too long since I had last seen you my friend. It’s good to see you again.”

“Same here,” the stranger replied, before noticing Jean and hesitating a small bit, “Oh… I’m so sorry, I was caught up in the moment-”

“There’s no need to apologize, my friend. She knows who I am,” Venti insisted, before turning towards the dandelion knight, “As for introductions, this is Jean. The current acting grand master for the Knights of Favonius. Jean, this here is Discord, the god of chaos and change.”

17- Feier

Out of all the things that Spike had to go through in his life, nothing could be more difficult than the kind of task he had to do now. For a dragon that had taken part in The Gauntlet of Fire, saved the Crystal Empire from a mad king and even fought against a Roc, he found that having to watch over Klee while the cutie mark crusaders were giving her an impromptu tour of Ponyville to be tougher than his previous feats combined. What made matters a bit more difficult was that they did not know about what exactly Klee was capable of. Something that he found out yesterday from Twilight when he asked her about their trip to the Tree of Harmony.

However, despite any attempt he made in order to try and tell Sweetie Belle and her friends what he knew, things did not exactly go so well. Not only because the dragon didn’t want to outright say to them that Klee likes to play with bombs and cause a panic, but because he had a difficult time trying to keep up with the little burny girl. Klee’s energy was off the charts and even when Scootaloo eventually caught up to her on her scooter, she went in a completely different direction and almost had the pegasus crash into a stall at the marketplace.

The only time that Klee was not running around the place was when Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were showing her some particular locations around town such as their school, Quills & Sofas, and the mayor’s office. Though, one particular location happened to catch Klee’s attention the most as they gasped and looked at it with sparkles in their eyes, “A giant gingerbread house!! Can we go over there? Pleeease?!”

“What, Sugarcube Corner?” Apple Bloom then asked, “Ah guess we can… Hey, Sweetie Belle, are they open right around now?”

“Pretty sure that they are, Apple Bloom. I mean, when is Sugarcube Corner ever closed?” the unicorn replied back, before turning to see that both Scootaloo and Spike were slowly catching up, “Besides, I think this might be the best chance to take a break. We haven’t even shown her most of Ponyville and yet they look like they were taking part in the Running of the Leaves .”

“That might be a good idea. Hey Klee, can ya-” Yet, as Apple Bloom turned around, that was when she realized that the young girl was already racing towards the cafe. Leaving all of them behind, “Ah hay-”

“We lost her again?!” Scootaloo panted, finally catching up with the rest of her friends, “Just how much energy does she even have!?”

“Way more than any of us,” Spike now spoke up, “Come on, let’s catch up before she ends up causing any trouble-”

“Wait, trouble?” Sweetie Belle now asked, puzzled by spike’s words, “What do you mean by-?”

“I’ll tell you once we get there,” Spike promised, before stretching out his wings as he took off towards Sugarcube Corner, with the rest of the girls falling not that far behind him. It was not just the concern of Klee potentially doing something dangerous that made the dragon worry, but the possibility of meeting a pony that had practically just as much energy as she did.

Unfortunately for him, the moment that the doors of the cafe opened, such a meeting was playing out right in front of him, “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!! Oh my GOSH!!! You look so adorable!!”

“Hehehe, you’re so pink and fluffy!! Can you be friends with Klee?”

“Oh dear Celestia, help me,” Spike cursed, personally thinking that this was NOT going to end well at all for anypony involved. Klee had just come face to face with none other than Pinkie Pie. Residential party pony, full time employee of Sugarcube Corner and the Element of Laughter. She was also one of Twilight’s closest friends and has been (in)famously known for her boundless energy and the smile that she always has on her face.

“EEEE!! She’s so cute,” Pinkie said before wrapping her hooves around Klee in a tight hug, only to realize Spike and the rest of his friends were by the door, “Oh hey there, Spike! When did you and your friends get here?”

At first, the dragon thought of some way to respond to that statement. Though Spike decided not to follow through on it because he had a feeling that whatever he would say to Pinkie would just go in through one ear and out the other. “We were just showing our friend here around Ponyville and… well, she immediately came here when she first saw Sugarcube Corner.”

“I love Gingerbread houses! But Klee didn’t think that she would find anything this big!”

For a moment, Scootaloo snickered to herself. Though, before she could say anything, Sweetie Belle gave her a friendly gut check to her chest in order to prevent the pegasus from saying anything stupid. All the while, Pinkie Pie had freed the young girl from her tight grasp as Klee straightened up her skirt and backpack. “So, what would everypony like? Milkshakes? Cupcakes? Maybe some cookies, because I have a batch in the oven that’s almost done-!”

“Can you make something like this for Klee?”

Much to the fear of Spike, Klee was quick to put down her backpack and pull out something from it. Though, when he actually looked at what she was holding, the dragon couldn’t help but feel a bit confused. Mainly since what she was holding did not look anything close to a bomb. If anything, it looked more like a stuffed animal. A small spherical rabbit with the symbol of a clover underneath.

“Ooooh, what’s that? A stuffed animal?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“No, it’s one of my treasures!” Klee proudly proclaimed, “I always love to play with them, even if Master Jean grounds me for it afterwards! Can you make something sweet and tasty based on them? Pleeeease?”

By now, all three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders were equally confused by what Klee was saying. After all, why would someone ground her just for playing? The only creature in Sugarcube Corner that had a clear idea of what Klee was possibly talking about was Spike. Though, he wasn’t sure if describing what Klee meant was the best possible idea. Especially since he didn’t want to cause a panic among everypony that was present at the bakery.

“Oh! OH! I have an idea,” Pinkie proudly declared, “I bet that I can make some special treats that look just like your special treasures!! This will be perfect!!”

“Really, you can!? Thanks, you’re the best!!”

Pinkie Pie just let out a small giggle, but before she could get started, something popped into her head and she had one last question for her, “Oh, silly me but I forgot to ask, is this your first time here?”

“Yup! My brother and I arrived here yesterday. Though, he’s busy with that light bright lady-”

“You mean Twilight?” Sweetie Belle asked, which only resulted in a nod from Klee. At this point though, that’s when Pinkie Pie let out a loud gasp.

“You know what this calls for? A PARTY!!”

By the time that Albedo and Twilight were done with their discussion, the two of them were already beginning to put a plan in place. From the Alchemist’s sketches and ideas, the princess was putting together a list of materials that they would need that could potentially withstand the magic from the seed of harmony. The only thing that would be left to do is to get those materials and build it for themselves. Which in itself was not exactly a small task, but one that they could be prepared for.

However, what they weren’t prepared for was what they found when they left Twilight’s study. The main chamber of the castle was decorated with party streamers, balloons and a giant banner that said ‘WELCOME TO PONYVILLE ALBEDO AND KLEE!!’. The cutie map was covered in various different treats and snacks, with some resembling Klee’s bombs and Jumpy Dumpty’s as they noticed that none other than Pinkie Pie was standing in the room along with Klee, Spike and also The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Not only that, but it appeared that Klee had been given a Cutie Mark Crusader cape, which she had tied to the straps of her backpack.

“W-what’s going on?” Twilight then asked, before she looked towards Spike. Who had a rather exhausted look on his face as he asked one question.

“Remember when you told me there was somepony that Klee shouldn’t meet under any circumstances?”

Author's Note

Who's hungry?

30.5- Rolle

Author's Note

Something as a filler while I figure out what to do next. Enjoy

30.5- Rolle

While it might have been only a couple days since Discord had arrived in Teyvat, it felt like centuries had passed by since he was last here. Not only had the lands changed dramatically and events that he remembered were now only seen as stories, but the ‘gods’ that he once knew had changed so much in the years since he left. While the Seven were still pretty much fresh in his memory, how they chose to live their lives since the Archon war was something that he still had trouble trying to process. Even when the so-called ‘Traveler’ and his floating companion returned and gathered the condensed elemental energy that the god of chaos had requested, the conversation that took place afterwards while they waited for the energy to attune with their creation was one that he had a bit of trouble trying to believe.

To Discord, the traveler wanting to meet the Seven to help find his sister was one thing. Though, when he began to hear about who they met and what happened in Liyue, that left him and Venti with a couple of questions. “So, hang on. You’re telling me that in the time that I had been away, Morax had decided to just call it quits?”

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” the traveler, Aether, told him, “When we talked with Zhongli, he believed that Liyue was over-reliant on him and that the only way the city could really grow was if he stepped away.”

“And everything that happened since the Rite of Descension was a test? To see if Liyue was ready to move on?” Venti now asked. Something that both the Traveler and Paimon nodded their heads to in response. “Geez, I knew that Morax was rather calculative, but this seems beyond him.”

“Well, he has been one to think more about others outside of himself… Unlike some other members of the Seven,” Discord crossed his arms, “Speaking of which, you said after the rite of parting, he talked to you about the next god you two want to go see?”

“Yeah, that’s right! The Raiden Shogun,” Paimon replied back. “Though, Zhongli told us that things in Inazuma aren’t so good right now.”

“Can you clarify on that?”

“He mentioned that Inazuma had closed its borders to the rest of Teyvat,” Aether added in response to the bard’s question, “That and the Vision Hunt Decree.”

“The what now?” both Venti and Discord responded almost simultaneously.

“Yeah, he told us that since last year, the Raiden Shogun had enacted a Vision Hunt Decree and started confiscating the visions of anyone who lived in Inazuma and putting them in some kind of statue,” Paimon picked up the conversation shortly afterwards, “Zhongli believes that Baal’s doing this to remove anything that could threaten her eternity, since word of his ‘death’ might have spread quickly to Inazuma.”

That had both the bard and his friend look back at one another, before they looked back at the duo. A look of doubt and concern was present on both of their faces as Venti began to speak, “That’s… rather concerning.”

“What do you mean?”

“Traveler, Paimon, let me ask you something… How much do you know about Visions?” the god of freedom asked as Venti folded his arms.

“Well, outside of what Zhongli said… there’s not a lot that Paimon remembers,” the floating emergency food admitted. Something that had Venti look back at his friend and ask him a question.

“Do you want to explain it or should I?”

“As if I want to spoil the surprise,” Discord chuckled, before he looked back at Aether, “In all seriousness though, there’s one thing I will say which might come up. The manifestation of one's ambition, recognized and given form by the gods.”

“That… doesn’t really explain anything,” the traveler remarked, “Can’t you just-?”

Before Aether could say anything else, a loud ‘DING!’ was heard as Discord’s ears perked up, just as he rushed over and had a chef’s hat appear over his head. “Hey, everything’s done! Let’s get back to it and explore the rest of that conversation later!!”

That just had Paimon scratch her head, before looking back at the Traveler. “The more that we help Venti’s friend, the more that Paimon gets confused. What does he even mean?”

“Ehe, you get used to it,” Venti snickered.

“And what’s THAT supposed to mean!? Hey, Tone deaf bard, Paimon asked you a question! Get back here!!”