Charlotte was stepping out of the shower when someone started furiously pounding on the bathroom door.

"Charlotte! We need to talk to Sunset, like right now!"

She quickly wrapped a towel around herself and cracked open the door. "What happened? Is something wrong with Empathy? Did he do something? Is he sick?"

"The elephant is fine," Andrea said breathlessly. "Do you remember any incident with a pie from when you were six? Right when we first arrived here?"

Charlotte frowned. "Vaguely…I dropped a pie on the floor or something, I think? Like you said, I was six, so you can't expect me to remember it well. I'm surprised I remember being upset about a pie at all. Why are we talking about this?"

"It was a purple pie from Porcupine Peak!" Andrea exclaimed. "Fucking Peculiar Purple Pie Man from Strawberry Shortcake!"

"Who?" Charlotte asked.

Andrea took a deep breath. "He's another cartoon character. I guess you wouldn't know. The cartoon was from around when I was in kindergarten, which means you would have only been a baby. You know who Strawberry Shortcake the doll is, right? There was a cartoon, and he was the villain. Empathy is not the first thing you brought through a portal!"

Charlotte gaped. "That's not possible. I couldn't have. I was six! I've been trying to get my magic to do stuff for years, and you say I did it at six! Someone would have seen. Someone would have known!"

"Phobia had the pie. Phobia knew!" Andrea said in a harsh whisper. "She's known this whole damn time what you can do and not said a word."

She still couldn't comprehend how this was possible or how she could have forgotten such a big thing. Why would Phobia withhold that information for years? Why had she never said anything?

"She told you?" Charlotte asked.

Andrea shook her head. "No, it was Arachne. She gave the pie to Arachne to have Arachne test it. Arachne is the head of the organization that the guards for the house come from; she's got resources."

Charlotte tried to think. "Someone else had to have seen me do it. I was never alone back then. Mom, Dad, you…Kristin! Kristin was always around me when we first came here. Kristin might remember something."

"Get dressed! We will go to Sunset first. Phobia hasn't said a word to her in all this time. We can't assume she'll start talking now."

Charlotte hurriedly did so. Rushing so fast, she tried putting her legs through the wrong holes of her panties and her head through her shirt sleeve. Correcting her mistakes, then stopping and remembering she still needed to put a fresh pad in, added more time.

When she finally finished dressing and opened the door, she found her sister fiddling with her phone.

"Are you messaging someone? Kristin or Sunset?" Charlotte asked.

Andrea shook her head. "Looking up everything I can about Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake. Taking forever because it keeps trying to take me to recipes, random right-wing political sites, and video game reviews. I have to remember to put in toys or cartoons."

"I understand the recipe, but why the other two?" Charlotte asked.

Andrea grumbled. "Carebear is used as a slang term, and the slang means very different things depending on the context."

"You are using lots of words I don't know again, Miss Andrea Glowing Pony, ma'am," Empathy spoke up.

"It doesn't matter," Andrea said quickly. "Lots of history on both. They both starting out as things from greeting card companies-"

"Greeting card companies?" Charlotte asked in confusion. "There were companies that made greeting cards?"

Andrea looked at her like she was stupid. "Yes, there were. Technically there still are some hanging around, but you have to special order them. Anyway, they transitioned to cartoons and toys after that. They went through many different animation studios and toy companies with lots of reboots. Most of those companies didn't survive the multiple economic crises that happened between 2008 and 2036, or they got bought out by someone else. The only one I saw that's still around is Hasbro. Hasbro actually bought out at least half the companies they went through. They have the rights to both properties again after previously losing them."

Charlotte followed Andrea as they walked down the hall to Sunset's office. "Why is any of that important?"

"Because someone knew," Andrea said briskly. "Someone knew about care bears and Strawberry Shortcake, took that knowledge, and used it for toys and cartoons."

"No one could have known. There was no magic back then," Charlotte countered.

Andrea shook her head. "Wrong! There were people with very low-level magic. ETS didn't infect those people because it wasn't designed to interact with someone who already had magic. What if some of them somehow saw into other universes?"

"That seems like a stretch."

"It's the only thing that makes sense!" Andrea insisted.

They reached Sunset Blessing's door, but it flew open before they could knock.

Sunset stood before them, looking concerned. "What is the only thing that makes sense?"

Charlotte and Andrea both started explaining at once, and that lasted about ten seconds before Sunset shook her head and directed them into the office. They shut up and walked in.

It was a bit cramped in the office now that there were four ponies, two humans, and an elephant in the room, with the elephant shockingly taking up the least space.

Martin and Wild Growth were in seats in front of Sunset's desk. Phobia was off in a corner. Charlotte's first impression was that the Dreamwarden was nervous that they would rat her out for never saying anything, then she remembered that Phobia had a…well… phobia about crowds and people standing too close to her. Very few people got to stand close to the warden. Typically, she had her bodyguards to keep others at bay, but they didn't have the privilege of attending this meeting.

Sunset returned to her seat at the desk. "Now, instead of talking over one another, Charlotte can tell me what the issue is."

Andrea looked at her, not seeming put off that Sunset had chosen her to speak for the two of them.

Charlotte took a deep breath. "Bringing Empathy through that portal isn't the first time I've done it. I brought a pie through when I was six, and Phobia knew about it!"

All eyes turned to Phobia. The warden didn't flinch and met all their gazes.

"I had suspicions. Nothing was confirmed. Before you ask why I didn't say anything, the reason why is the same. I couldn't confirm anything. If I had been sure of anything back then, Charlotte would be dead right now. It would sadden me and sicken me to give the order to have her killed, but I would not have allowed such a threat to exist. We are on the edge of oblivion. The Devourers are coming. They have eliminated every world they have attacked. They have never been beaten, and no civilization that ever faced them stood a chance. They have killed hundreds of trillions. The existence of someone who could randomly open gateways into other universes jeopardizes our ability to face the coming enemy and puts other universes at risk. I have spent the last thirty years doing everything I can to give us a fighting chance. I refuse to see it all crumble because Charlotte unleashes a new wave of chaos across the globe. Yet, I was unsure, which spared the child's life. I kept my mouth shut, and I took no action. I never gave the kill order because I will not kill an innocent child out of fear that I do not know the validity. I can be a monster if the situation calls for it, but I need to know for sure that it does."

Pandemonium broke out in the room. Everyone was shouting, but Charlotte couldn't tell who was saying what. Andrea had tried to charge Phobia, but Wild Growth was holding her back. Sunset and Martin were both yelling. Empathy had stepped defensively in front of Charlotte and raised his fists to the warden like he was challenging her to go through him. Phobia stayed in her corner, backing even deeper into it as she warily eyed Andrea. Charlotte was vaguely aware of dampness spreading in her pants, but it barely registered.

A Dreamwarden wanted her dead. She should be running, but who could escape a Dreamwarden?

"I know this will make no one feel better about what I just said, but I am not going to have her killed," Phobia said, at last, silencing the room. She didn't even raise her voice.

Silence followed for a few seconds before Sunset spoke.

"You could have spoken to me. I can help figure out how to minimize the impact. I could have ensured she wasn't a threat. Why leave me out of the loop? Why even consider such a heinous thing as your first option?" Sunset demanded to know. Her rage seemed barely contained, and her eyes were holding back tears.

Phobia gave her mother a sad look. "Because I have trusted you to contain threats before, it almost cost us everything. I knew about the danger you were holding in a cell at Riverview. You know why I couldn't speak up about that one. I could not risk another incident like Riverview or ETS. I'm sorry, Mom, but you are not someone I trust to contain such threats. The only way to be sure the threat was gone was to see her dead. Containing her was not good enough. We have contained threats before; they got out."

Andrea tried again for Phobia, and Wild Growth wasn't having it this time, and with one hoof, slammed Andrea down on the ground and pinned her.

"Stay!" Wild Growth ordered Andrea, then turned to look at Phobia. "If it weren't for the fact you barely ever joke, I would assume that was what you are doing. Unfortunately, I know you, or at least, I thought I did. I would have never pegged you for considering such an extreme measure. That's some goddamned Sha'am Maut crap, not you. You said you aren't going to go through with it. What changed?"

Phobia looked at her as if having to explain something simple to a child. "There's now a mage in that other universe which, from what was described, has alicorn level power who now knows how to invade our world. The damage has been done, and the only way we have, unreliable as it is, to mount a counteroffensive is the girl. Also, from what was described, he has used mind magic on an entire universe. I am a Dreamwarden first and foremost, and my oaths demand I counteract this perversion of will. I can not sit on my haunches and let that go, even if I wanted to."

"You released Sunset Blessing from her oaths. How do we know yours will hold?" Martin demanded.

"Don't be an idiot," Sunset scolded in a low voice. "The oaths the Dreamwardens take are part of who they are as Dreamwardens and cannot be removed. She's telling the truth. Her oaths override everything for her, no matter what the consequences."

Sunset turned her gaze to Phobia. "However, what's to stop you from going back to wanting Charlotte dead after your compulsion is satisfied?"

Phobia stared back at her mother. "I would still want her magic permanently removed from the field. Do you wish for an alternative that leaves her alive? I've been considering those for years and have two. I will not be satisfied with magic blocking apparatuses that can be removed, or her getting a better understanding of her powers and still potentially slipping up. Here are my alternatives. She can be banished to Equestria or this new universe permanently. This makes her their problem, potentially still a big one, but not one that will interfere with the matters here. Alternatively, you can permanently transform her into something else, changing her magic, so it is no longer a threat. These are options I am willing to accept."

"I could guard her, defend her. You can't take her out in dreams. She has broken no rules," Sunset countered.

"If it came to that, I would be willing to remove Wabash Manor and all its inhabitants to eliminate her," Phobia said coldly. "Do not make me have to make that choice. It would break me, but I will not let our planet be added to the list of the dead. I'm not playing politics. I'm not negotiating. I'm not keeping a hidden agenda. I am being direct and to the point."

Sunset grit her teeth and looked away. "I could call on the other Dreamwardens to censor you. I doubt they all have the stomach for this."

Phobia nodded. "You could indeed try. That just prompts me to take faster action before they can do that— if you can get them to vote. There's no guarantee the vote would go the way you want. I would argue my point, and I feel I have a strong case."

Sunset lowered her head. "She's family. She's me."

"She's a liability we can't afford," Phobia replied. "I'm sorry. This pains me too, but I have memories of too many worlds dying to let this go.

"This is heartless! You can't seriously be okay with killing my sister!" Andrea yelled from where she was still pinned beneath Wild Growth's hoof.

"I'm not okay with it, but the alternative I saw was the death of ten billion souls on this planet, combined with the hundreds of millions in Equestria and the rest of its world, not to mention however many live in this new universe or universe," Phobia said in a disturbingly calm voice. "And in that case, she still dies, only pointlessly, along with the rest of us. You may not appreciate what still seems like some distant threat, so I have given you an immediate threat to fear. Hopefully, that motivates you to resolve it."

Phobia finally turned and looked at Charlotte. "So tell me, what would you choose? I gave my alternatives. Would you take one of them, or would you force me to see you dead?"

"It's completely unfair that you ask her that. It's blackmail, extortion, it's wrong!" Martin yelled.

"Life's not fair, but we do what we must to persist," Phobia replied. "You need not answer now, but the time will come when you need to choose. Again, I'm sorry. I don't know if you believe me, but I am. I don't want this and am disgusted I have to take these steps, but hard decisions must be made."

"What if she becomes unnecessary because Sunset figures out this magic?" Wild asked in a worried tone.

"Then she had better choose from my alternatives quickly when that happens because she will no longer be necessary for me to fulfill my compulsion," Phobia answered.

"You and any killer you may send can be kept out of Wabash Manor," Wild Growth asserted.

Phobia shook her head. "Wabash Manor may keep out these radicals looking for my mother's blood, but I have access to far greater resources and have memories going back billions of years. We practically nuked Riverview with me, my family, and my friends in it to stop the last such disaster; we will not hesitate to do something similar here if you try to guard her."

Charlotte knew this was no bluff. The Dreamwardens themselves were frail and weak in magic. The most powerful Dreamwarden in the waking world was the Marshmallow, and the Marshmallow couldn't even touch anything. Despite that, they had knowledge, more knowledge than the whole world put together, and that made them more dangerous than anyone could imagine. Imprisoning them or killing them did no good— maybe making them only that much more dangerous. If Phobia wanted her dead, there was no stopping it. She didn't want to die. What were her choices again?

"It won't come to that. I'll choose for her if she can't before time runs out. I'm not letting her die, and there won't be another Riverview," Sunset stated firmly. "Phobia, I think you should leave for the time being. I'll contact you…or another warden…when we need one, and we'll need one eventually. We can figure out the rest without a warden standing around frightening people."

Charlotte finally mustered the courage to say something to the warden. "Why are you telling us this? Why not keep it to yourself and kill me with me not even knowing I was in danger?"

Phobia looked almost sympathetic. Although Charlotte didn't know how sympathetic anyone could be who just announced they intended to murder you. "I want your threat extinguished. Being very open with the full extent of what I am willing to do to see that done makes you more amenable to options you might not have otherwise. I don't want you dead, but the alternatives require your cooperation. I confess telling you the truth was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but it is hard to look you in the face and not give you a chance. I could have told my mother in private and had originally planned to just that, but the decision for banishment or transformation would have to be yours, and you should hear directly from me why you are making such decisions."

Phobia left her corner and made her way towards the door. She paused at the door and looked back at Empathy.

"I still need to verify your mind magic is not dangerous," Phobia said to the elephant. "When next you sleep, your memories and mind will need to be examined by one of the Dreamwardens. I will not do it myself since I expect you will not be comfortable letting me in. One of the others will have to do it. We require your permission to share what we have learned with others. Do you permit us?"

Charlotte licked her lips. "Will you hurt him?"

Phobia shook her head. "If his magic is dangerous, there are other ways of containing it. The only thing that would provoke us to take immediate hostile action is if the magic is dangerous, and he has both malicious intents with it and has already done malicious action."

Sunset took a deep breath. "Arbiter or Yinyu can do it. Empathy, I promise you they will not hurt you. She has to hear you say you are okay with it. This is how you prove you aren't hurting Charlotte or anyone else."

Empathy looked at Phobia and still understandably looked like he wanted to box her in the face. "I give permission as long as it is not you."

Phobia nodded. "That is satisfactory. It shall not be me. I will give your recommendation on who performs the task. I will gather my bodyguards and Moses and leave the premises quickly. I know you want me gone."

They watched the warden leave, and Wild Growth released Andrea and walked to the door after Phobia left. The earth pony stood in the doorway for a minute before closing the door.

"She's out of earshot," Wild Growth announced. "What the fucking hell? Has she gone insane?"

Martin growled. "We should immediately call on the justice department to arrest her and move to seize Dreamwarden assets in—"

Sunset cut him off. "We shall do no such thing. We need them. I'll keep their involvement to the minimum we can afford, but her demands will be met. We have to keep details of what is going on from reaching the general public to prevent a panic."

"She threatened my sister's life right in front of her!" Andrea shouted. "Why are you letting her get away with it?"

Sunset slammed a leg down on the desk. "I have no choice! You have no idea how formidable an opponent the Dreamwardens can be. It is impossible to take effective action against them. Luckily, Sha'am Maut is long since gone. Much as I feel betrayed by my own flesh and blood, Phobia is willing to be upfront with us and give us an out. Don't mistake me; I am furious she is doing this, but I understand why. I promise, I will not let them hurt Charlotte, and I'm not letting Denver turn into another Riverview!"

"Transformation…or banishment," Charlotte said slowly.

"Yes," Sunset replied. "I had been considering retirement to Equestria. It seems I might need to decide on that sooner and take you with me. We can figure out this whole thing over there."

Charlotte blinked and stepped back. "Don't I get a say in any of this? Or my parents? Wasn't transformation a choice? Why are we rushing to do this?"

"Because if something goes wrong, I want you out of their reach. As for transformation, if you want that option, we still need to go to Equestria. It is still the law that I can't perform a permanent transformation spell on US soil, and after Luster Dawn's debacle, I don't trust Equestrians to do it," Sunset replied. "We can move your parents too if they want, but they don't get a say on you, not when your life's on the line. Sneaky suspicion, but I think they'll agree with me. There'll be yelling and crying, but they'll agree."

Andrea sighed. "By the way. Charlotte didn't remember that incident she did before. Arachne told us about it. She had the evidence given to her by Phobia. She wanted us to tell you it came from her."

"What's she playing at?" Sunset mumbled, then shook her head. "Doesn't matter. If she's playing some game, she will get reminded I played these games while I was still helping change her diapers." She then sniffed and looked at Charlotte. "Go change your clothes and take a shower. You pissed yourself."

"Way to embarrass her by calling it out!" Andrea scolded.

Sunset waved it off. "Everybody here can smell it. It's a well-known fact I do the same thing when threatened. I doubt anybody is surprised Charlotte couldn't hold her bladder. She'll feel more embarrassed if she tries to wait for that to dry and learns that all the ponies she encounters can still smell it."

"This family could do with a little less honestly," Charlotte muttered. "I just got out of the damn shower!"

She turned and stalked out the door with Empathy following close behind. She was so outraged that Sunset had called attention to her lack of bladder control that she didn't even think about the conversation with the Dreamwarden. Nor did she see the brief look of relief Sunset gave her retreating form.

Author's Note

I know some long-time readers might want to murder me for what Phobia did here. I want to assure people she hasn't suddenly snapped.