A Shadow of Myself

by Halira

Rating: mature
Tags: Science Fiction, Profanity, Violence, Crossover, Death, Alternate Universe, Human, Narcotics, Drama, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark
Length: 216725

Ever feel you aren't living up to your potential? Charlotte knows that feeling. She lives with an alternate future version of herself who is one of the greatest unicorn mages ever.

Charlotte Portsmith is a human sixty years displaced from her own time, living with an alternate unicorn version of herself. She has always felt like the pale imitation of the original, unable to perform the simplest magic and forced to watch her counterpart be hailed as one of the great mages of her age.

However, her magic has been growing lately and is now doing things no one or nopony has ever seen before, and she is about to be pulled into a massive omniverse she never knew existed. All her favorite toys from when she was younger represent real universes, but none of them are exactly like the tv shows she knew.

This is a drama with some adventure elements. It is a slow build.

This AU uses the Pandemic Universe AU for its starting base, but is not canon with that universe.

Cover art by Creativa-Artly01

Published 2022-02-21 21:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2023-04-14 02:56:45 UTC

Chapter 1.2: The Simple Soul of Empathy

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 1.3: Andrea and the Bear

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Andrea could barely pay attention as she stood listening to Sunset Blessing eulogize. She didn't want to look forward; she didn't want to see the coffin being lowered into the hole she had dug just shortly before. Eighty-two years, that was how old her other self had been. Would that be how long she lived as well? Would Sunset Blessing stand on this ground again, giving a sermon over her grave in sixty years? Perhaps, but who knew for sure?

Her attention and everyone else's was temporarily diverted by the sounds of a middle-aged-to-slightly-elderly woman bawling her eyes out, crying for her Mama. Andrea would have scowled harder, but she had already reached maximum scowl some time ago. That was one of her other self's kids. Andrea had never learned any of their names or met any of them. Her other self had tried to tell her about them many times over the years, but she'd always refused to listen. These were offspring she would never have. She had no ties to them. They were all more than twice her age anyway, nearly three times.

Several other humans gathered around the distraught woman and tried to calm her. If Andrea had to take a guess, they were her other self's grandkids— who were still older than her by at least a decade or two. This was the first concern or compassion any of them had shown since they'd been here. They hadn't shed so much as a tear the whole time. Had they even really known the old pony that was being laid to rest? She was dead, and her grandkids barely seemed to care. Some family, some legacy. Was this what she would amount to? If it was, she didn't want to have any kids.

That was unfair. There were plenty of people here who were legitimately sad; her parents, Amicus, old friends of her other self, her other self's direct children, Sunset's kids, some other family members. Even Kristin looked upset and tried to hide the fact she was crying because she didn't want people to think she was as emotional as Amicus— even though she was and just bottled it all up instead of letting it flow freely like Amicus. There were plenty of people here who did care. Charlotte was hard to read, looking distracted. Sunset was probably going to be breaking things later. Maybe Charlotte would too.

There was no calming the woman, and several of those around her tried apologized to the assembled guests and started to lead the older woman away. She tried to resist them, but they were firm, and she relented. They all walked by Andrea, and the older woman looked up at that moment and took notice of Andrea.

"You look just like my mother did when I was a child," the old woman said, reaching out a hand.

One of the ones guiding her away lowered the arm back down. "She's just a younger cousin, Mom. She's not granny. Leave her be."

The older woman kept looking at her as they led her away. Andrea felt like she was ready to puke as Sunset Blessing resumed the eulogy.

"For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever," Sunset said in a loud voice.

Her other self hadn't even been religious; why was this pony even talking about God so much? This was supposed to be for her, not for Sunset Blessing. The preacher could take her religious crap and shove it. Couldn't she tell some happy memories or something instead? Remember some good times? The two of them might have bickered regularly, but they were sisters; there had to be some fond memories over the course of eight decades. Discussing those was what Andrea would want when she was buried, and she was sure that was no different than her other self. Unlike her sisters, she was not in denial about how similar she was to her other self, at least, she had been, while there was another self still there.

Sunset finished her prattling about God and took a deep breath. "Andrea was always my harshest critic within the family, aside from me. We snapped at each other, insulted one another, and always expected a confrontation when having a meal together. We also had very different views about many subjects, which led to even more fights. To say my sister and I didn't get along would be an understatement."

The red unicorn turned and looked down at the coffin. "When Andrea was forty-seven, a lifetime of work seemed to be coming together. She was in line for a major promotion at the FBI. She had raised a good family. She was respected and admired among her peers. She had worked hard and always done the right thing, and she was blessed for it."

The preacher switched her gaze to the gathered family. "Then ETS came, and life decided to remind her that it was rarely fair. She became a pony, and that promotion was denied her, and instead, she found herself unjustly demoted. Her husband didn't transform, and she and he found that the difference in species was too much. She got her mark early, so she didn't even have the option of rehumanization. So that was the end of twenty-three years of marriage. Then, when it seemed the FBI might reverse their decision about the demotion, I came to national attention, and she suddenly was once again unjustly deemed a security risk. At the age of forty-seven, all her hard work and effort was for naught."

This was not what Andrea meant by happy memories.

"We like to believe that God will reward the good and punish the wicked, but that is a promise for the afterlife. Our mortal lives have no such promise, and God isn't going to sweep in and make it fair, no matter how much you beg, pray, and conduct yourself in a biblical manner. Like Job, God will not spare us from the cruelty of life. It isn't common knowledge, but the last part of that book was added later by priests who didn't like the idea that Job never got his day, but that isn't how the story actually went. When I read the book of Job, I often think of my sister."

The preacher better turn this sermon around soon, or Andrea would have some harsh words for her.

Sunset took a few steps away from the grave. "So what did my sister do when faced with so much adversity? A lesser person would have gotten bitter and turned her back on the world, but not Andrea. Andrea doubled down in doing what was right. Not because she expected some reward, but because it was right. My sister said she is not a follower of Christ, but what does it mean to follow Christ? If you're living your life as Jesus did, are you not following in his example? My sister, a believer or not, was one after the Lord's own heart. Like the Samaritan in the parable, through her actions, she showed she was one worthy of God's love despite her lack of faith. I know my sister had a place prepared for her in Heaven, and she was welcomed by God and commended for living a life worthy of the Kingdom of God. Take comfort; God loves my sister like I do, like we all do, and he is now rewarding her for a life well-lived."

Sunset turned back to the grave and started to cry. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

The unicorn wiped her eyes. "Amen."

All assembled repeated the final amen.

Sunset shook her head. "I'm going to miss you, Andrea. I love you. Rest in peace until we meet again." The preacher then walked away, briefly signaling for Sinker and two of Andrea's sons to start filling the grave with dirt.

Andrea watched as the three began shoveling dirt into the hole she had just recently finished digging, tears leaking from her eyes. Sinker was shoveling more dirt, despite being the only one without hands, but he was half the age of Andrea's sons, so it was understandable he could move faster. Maybe Sunset's sermon wasn't so bad after all. That was just Sunset trying to process her grief in the ways Sunset processed grief. Andrea wasn't sure if it helped with her own or not, she was still too upset to tell, but it hadn't made it any worse.

Kristin walked over to her and hugged her. "Andrea, if you want to take off and go somewhere for a while, to get away and clear your head. I can drive you. I don't care if you have me drive around aimlessly. Whatever you need."

Andrea wanted to laugh. Kristin said she was nothing like Amicus. Kristin was in so much denial. Andrea wouldn't point it out, though; she only accepted her sister's hug.

"Thank you, but I'm going to just go in the house and lie down for a bit. Taking a nap is healthier than every other option I can think of at the moment," Andrea answered. "You just take care of Amicus, Mom, Dad, and Charlotte, and keep them off my back for a while until I'm ready to talk to them. I can't deal with them right yet."

Kristin nodded as she released the hug. "Whatever you need, I'll take care of it. I'm also here if you need someone to talk to, even though I know you need time."

Andrea nodded. "Thanks, Krist. You're my favorite little sister." She looked around briefly and noted that her other little sister was nowhere in sight. Both Charlotte and Sunset Blessing had exited the area in record time. Sunset could be understood, but why Charlotte? It didn't matter, and she wasn't going to hold ducking out quickly against either of them. Right now, all the physical exhaustion from digging the grave was catching up to her and combining with the emotional exhaustion. She'd get some rest, take time to herself, and later she could apologize to Charlotte for snapping at her and physically intimidating her; that last part, in particular, had been out of line, and there was no excuse for it. Apologizing was the right thing to do. She wasn't in the correct mindset for that yet, so rest came first— if she could manage to sleep. Maybe she could convince Phobia to put her to sleep. The Dreamwarden was somewhere in the house.

She walked back to the house while everyone was still milling around the grave, talking to one another. There wasn't much concern about these younger relatives finding out who Andrea and her family were. The official line that the government had given was that they were younger cousins through Dry Soil's little sister, and they all stuck to that. Only Dry Soil, Hook Line, and Sunset Blessing seemed to know what had become of the younger aunt, and among those, only Sunset was still living. Chances were that younger aunt was dead from old age, so there was basically no chance anyone would show up to refute the claim. Still, Andrea hated lying about who she was, even if the rest of her family seemed to have less of a problem with it.

She walked through the front door and immediately drew her eyes to the large family picture in the foyer. There had been some ugly painting of a nineteenth-century couple with their dogs there years ago, but Sunset had replaced it with this picture. It lacked Andrea and her direct family, at least, the versions of them from their timeline, but it had everyone else, including Andrea's other self. It felt like the other Andrea was staring at her and judging. Did Andrea measure up?

"I wish I could have told you goodbye," Andrea whispered. Her other self had been sick for about two years, and everyone knew her time was coming, but it still felt so sudden when it happened. It seemed like a doctor could have come and said that she was dying tomorrow or within a week, not that she ate dinner like usual, went to bed, and never got back up.

Not that Andrea had been there for that much. She'd been taking summer classes. Those were abruptly canceled now, and she wasn't sure she wanted to go to the fall semester. She knew she should and probably would, but right now, it was hard to imagine doing.

She walked over to the picture and touched her other self's face. "Sleep well. If there's a Heaven, I guess I'll see you again in sixty years."

Turning away before she could get choked up, Andrea headed up the stairs.

She walked past Sunset's office and noticed the door was glowing. That was weird. Simply locking it should have been good enough if the unicorn was concerned about some of the guests trying to sneak into it. It wasn't like Sunset kept anything important in there anyway. All the critical things were down in the lab, under heavy guard. Putting a shield around her office seemed like unnecessary overkill. She was tempted to switch to crystal pony mode and take the shield down, just to spite the unicorn, but managed to keep some level of maturity and walk by instead.

Her room was near the end of the hall. She was almost there when she heard an odd sound, like a lot of paper being torn all at once.

She looked around for the source. "What the hell is—"

A large purple and grey swirly thing appeared right in front of her, and she stumbled backward, falling flat on her ass. She barely had time to register the wireless in her tailbone when something came out of the switching vortex.

Was that a red care bear wearing a fedora and an eye patch?

The bear looked around then looked at her. It then raised something and pointed it at her.

It wasn't just a red care bear wearing a fedora and eye patch; it was a red care bear wearing a fedora and eye patch who had a gun.

She tried to roll out of the way, but the bear was too close. He fired the gun, and she screamed in pain as the bullet struck her side. Two more shots quickly connected to her legs, leaving her wallowing in agony and unable to stand.

The gun had a silencer on it, but everything in the house was monitored with cameras. The guards were already on their way. She spotted the bear take cover as she heard other guns go off. Something popped out of his belly, and suddenly he had a shield and was firing at the guards from behind it.

Gritting her teeth and forcing herself to work through the pain, she reached up to her earrings to adjust them. This bear picked the wrong day to shoot her!

She managed to adjust the earrings, and the pain went away. Unfortunately, she found herself tangled in her clothes and was helplessly thrashing around in her full pony form. She prayed he was too busy with the guards to bother shooting at the twisting ball of clothes and that the guards were good enough shots they didn't hit her by accident. She hadn't thought about which mode she had set her earrings, only that she needed to change, but this was the best-case scenario. She was a smaller target than in her true form, and if she took a bullet again in this form, all it would take is another shift of the earrings to fix that. Her true form was the strongest and fastest, but it was also the most vulnerable. If she got shot as a centaur, that shot counted.

She finally managed to wiggle free of her clothes while somehow avoiding getting reshot. She then realized there were no more gunshots happening. She quickly looked around.

Two guards were lying dead at the end of the hallway, and the bear was examining Sunset's office door, running his hands over the glowing surface. More guards would be on their way soon, if not already. They were probably making sure they went in prepared this time instead of guns blazing without a plan. They could track the bear easily through the house. He wasn't getting away. Sunset was no doubt being alerted. When Sunset found out about the intruder who had shot her and two of the guards, that bear was as good as the dead.

The bear had his back to her and hadn't noticed she was up and well. He likely assumed she was out of commission after taking multiple gunshots and was in the process of dying. He was a confident little fuck.

She jumped and tackled him, knocking his gun to the floor and kicking it away. He snarled and tried to reach for her throat, but she had him pinned.

She gave him a wicked grin. "Not happening. You're lucky I caught you. That means you get to live. If Sunset had to fight to catch you, she'd kill you. Teach you to ruin my funeral!"

He stopped struggling and gave her a flat look. "I think your funeral can still be arranged."

Something struck her from underneath, hurling her backward against the wall. She was only momentarily stunned, though, and now glowing brightly, she jumped at him again before he could get to his gun. The bear cried out in shock, clearly not anticipating she would be able to rebound so quickly from whatever he had just done. It had to have been some form of magic; otherwise, she wouldn't be giving off her crystal pony glow. It might have worked on anyone else in the house, but she was the wrong type of pony to pull that on.

He wasn't as unprepared as he had been during her first attack on him, and pinning him proved to be impossible. He blasted her a few more times with his belly, but Andrea was ready for those and diffused his magic each time. He managed to keep her off him, and they were at a standstill in the fight.

"Enough of this!" the bear yelled and hit what looked like a watch he was wearing. Another swirling vortex opened, and he jumped through it. It immediately closed behind him.

Andrea slumped to the ground, out of breath and sore. What in the ever-loving hell was that? It seemed like a psychotic care bear. What madness was Sunset up to now? She was used to ponies trying to break into the house and the occasional human. She could even process the idea of a griffin, a dragon, robots, cyborgs, or other random monsters, even if no such attacks had ever happened, but this was some twisted version of a kid's cartoon.

Guards poured into the hall, and one sat down and checked her to see if she was okay. She shook him off.

"I'm fine. Sore, but fine. Worry about the guys who got shot."

"You got shot too," the guard said firmly.

Andrea gestured towards her discarded and probably torn clothes. "You'll find the bullets twisted up in that somewhere. Changing forms expelled them, and he didn't hit me in my true form, so no damage was done."

The guard nodded. "Understood. I apologize. I forgot about how the physics of your forms work. We've never had them tested under such conditions. That was very impressive. Miss Blessing had mentioned she was considering bringing you on the security team. We could sure use someone like you."

Sunset Blessing hadn't mentioned that to her yet, and she didn't know how she felt about the idea. She knew she wasn't in the right frame of mind to consider it, so she just nodded again. That seemed to satisfy the guard, and he went off to assist the downed guards.

"Get all the V.I.P. members of the family to the guard station immediately and get all these other people off the property! I don't care if it seems like he is gone! Treat it as if the house is still under assault until I give the clear!"

Well, Sunset Blessing had arrived. Way too late to be helpful.

"Sunset, I swear, I had nothing to do with this!"

Andrea's ears twitched at her baby sister's voice, and she turned to see Charlotte hot on Sunset's tail, pleading with the unicorn to believe her that she wasn't involved. Had Charlotte gone nuts? Why would anyone think this had anything to do with Charlotte? Why was Sunset letting Charlotte follow her around like that when she'd just ordered the family to safety?

Charlotte spotted her and forgot about Sunset. "Andrea! Are you hurt? Please tell me you didn't get hurt again because of me!"

Andrea raised an eyebrow as her sister bent down and pulled her into a tight hug. "What does any of this have to do with you? You weren't even up here during the fight. Did something else happen? Were there more of those things?"

Charlotte released her. "I-"

Sunset stormed between them. "We're not discussing this out in the hall. Both of you, to my office, now. Andrea, I need you to start trying to recall every detail you can about that bear while it is still fresh in your memory. I'll question you in a few moments. Follow me."

She got up, feeling annoyed that the unicorn wasn't showing any concern for her having just been in a life and death fight. "I'm great, Sunset. Thanks for asking."

"I already saw your clothes and the guards picking out the bullets. I know how transformation magic works better than anyone, so don't pretend to be offended that I give you credit for your quick thinking and know you're okay. I'm sure it was frightening. We can all sit down and cry later, but right now, I need you to focus on recalling details. Please, follow my instructions without the lip," Sunset responded briskly as she lit her horn and lowered the shield on her office door.

Andrea got to her hooves and followed closely behind Sunset and Charlotte as they went into the office. When she walked in, she found the room looked ransacked, or at least someone had thrown down one of the bookcases and made a mess. However, whoever had done it had started stacking the books in neat piles.

Charlotte looked at the mess. "Oh no… do you think he's okay?"

Sunset slammed the door shut and put back up the shield that had surrounded the room. "My shield was still up. I leave an elephant alone in my office for two hours and come back to a mess. Now that I'm saying that out loud, I don't know why I'm surprised. Empathy! Are you still here, or are you hiding?"

There was the sound of movement from under Sunset's desk. "Apologies! I tried to read some of your books, but I was too short to reach the ones up high. I then thought to myself that I had been nourished, so my belly badge might work. I tried using it, and it did make a balloon to lift me up, but I'm just clumsy and knocked the shelf down. Please don't be mad, ma'ams! I was trying to pick up the mess! By the way, why do you have so many books with only squiggly lines in them and no pictures?"

Sunset groaned. "Come out of hiding. I'm not going to hurt you. We have bigger concerns than you being a terrible houseguest. A bear just shot two of my guards. Luckily, I think they'll live, but we need information now."

Whatever was hiding under the desk gasped. "Oh, dear! I'm very sorry! I hope they'll be alright."

Andrea blinked when an orange…something…came out of hiding. Was that an elephant? It had a trunk and big ears, but that was the only thing elephant-like about it.

The elephant-thing spotted her and waved. "Hello, different pony person I don't know."

Andrea looked at Sunset. "What did you do now?"

"It was actually me," Charlotte said in a low voice. "It turns out that my magic finally did something…ta-da."

Andrea stared at her sister, dumbfounded. Her sister's magic summoned care bears? What kind of fucking power was that? She had heard of some strange human magic before, but this took the cake.

What a way to spend her funeral day.

Chapter 1.4: The New Threat

Empathy pointed at Andrea. "Why are you glowing, ma'am? It is ma'am, right? I'm not very good at figuring out the gender of ponies."

"Yes, I'm a ma'am," Andrea answered, still looking bewildered by the elephant despite just having fought a bear.

Charlotte looked at her sister. "Why are you glowing?"

Andrea pointed at the hallway. "That crazy bear did something with his belly. It was like a unicorn horn blast; only it came from down low instead of up high. It's still magic, and if it's magic, I can absorb it in this form. He wasn't ridiculously powerful or anything."

"That's good to know," Sunset said. "That means that their magic is not incompatible with ours, and crystal ponies can still shut them down. The bigger question is, how did the bear arrive here?"

Charlotte held up her hands defensively. "I had nothing to do with it! I wasn't trying to use any power."

Sunset glared at her. "I know that! You were with me the whole time. I would have noticed you doing anything. The bear still somehow came here tracking the elephant." She turned her attention to Empathy. "So tell me, is jumping from universe to the next something you've heard of these bears doing?"

Empathy shook his head. "No! They just go back and forth between Earth and Care-A-Lot. Sometimes they come to the Forest of Feelings to demand we do stuff for them, but they don't go to other places. I never heard of other places until today."

"So, how'd they do it?" Charlotte asked.

Andrea raised a leg. "Excuse me, can we back up and tell me why there is an anthropomorphic elephant in Sunset's office?"

Charlotte sighed in exasperation. "I told you, my magic somehow opened a portal, and he fell out of it."

"Jumped through it, ma'am," Empathy corrected. "I was stuck in Care-A-Lot and was going to get caught. They were already banging on the door, trying to get through. When you opened that portal, I found a way out. You saved me, ma'am. I would serve you for that even if it didn't nourish me."

Sunset started pacing. "Let's assume they realized he had gone through a portal, but it had closed before they got the nerve or ability to follow. Something like that still leaves a magic trace. It would take a powerful mage who was exceedingly good at reading magic to replicate the effect, especially in such a short period of time. My shield prevented them from landing the portal in this room, but they landed it close enough. He or she must be really good, much better than me."

Empathy shook his head violently. "No! Very, very bad! It's No Heart! No Heart is an evil wizard who rules Care-A-Lot. He knows all kinds of evil magic. No Heart must have sent the bear."

Sunset sat down and groaned. "Congratulations, Charlotte. If this elephant isn't lying, your act of magic just gave an evil dictator wizard, who rules his entire universe, the ability to jump between universes and enter ours."

Charlotte got ready to object, but Andrea beat her to it. "To be fair to Charlotte, I'm guessing you pushed her into using her magic, and to be fair to you; you had no idea it would do that. Let's just chalk it up to it being Triss's fault for giving Charlotte that kind of magic and not even giving us a clue what it did. That way, no one is pointing fingers or hooves at one another. Please, I don't want everyone fighting today. It's supposed to be a somber day."

"Oh, yes, you had a funeral today. That is very sad," Empathy said. "Was it someone close to you?"

Andrea looked at him. "You could say that. It was my funeral."

Empathy blinked and backed up. "I think I misunderstood. Did you say it was your funeral? You seem healthy."

"It's complicated. My sisters and I have other selves here," Charlotte said quickly. "They are older than us, a lot older. Sunset is my other self. I know she doesn't look like me, but she is."

"Oh!" Empathy said in excitement. "I understand! My father was Empathy, and his father was Empathy, and his father was Empathy, and so on, and we all look the same. We are all Empathy. I was Baby Empathy until I came of age, and then I was Empathy, and my father was Old Empathy. There isn't a new Baby Empathy yet."

Charlotte sighed. "I'm not Sunset's daughter. I'm a younger version of her. She took me out of the past and brought me here. We're the same person from two different times. Andrea's older version passed away a few days ago from old age."

"Technically, it was a stroke. No one dies of old age, old age just makes you more likely to die from health problems, and more likely health problems can occur," Sunset whispered. "Can we not talk about my sister's death right now? The one good thing about this care bear situation is I don't have to think about that."

"I concur," Andrea said softly, looking down.

Empathy looked at all of us. "Your people have a bizarre way of reproducing. I shall not speak again of the funeral for the old glowing pony."

"Getting back on track," Sunset said as she cleared her throat. "It looks like Earth is now open to invasion. How big an invasion force can the bears muster, and how quickly do you think they can do it? I'm guessing our other intruder went back for reinforcements. I'm not looking forward to telling the government that an army of millions of aliens can just pop up out of nowhere."

"Oh, there aren't millions," Empathy assured them.

Sunset's eyes widened. "Do you mean there are billions of bears?"

Empathy shook his head. "No, there are maybe a hundred. I'm not exactly sure what the number is. They all fit in Care-A-Lot, and Care-A-Lot is smaller than the Forest of Feelings, and I can walk from one side of the Forest of Feelings to the other over an hour or so if I hurry."

Charlotte rubbed her head. "You said they ruled the entire Earth. Is your Earth tiny?"

"I don't know. I have never been to my Earth, but everyone says it is huge. So big you could fit a thousand Forest of Feelings in it, and the humans would barely notice," Empathy answered.

"How did so few bears conquer the entire planet then?" Sunset asked.

Empathy cowered down. "No Heart did something to the humans and the bears with his magic. He used to be much weaker in magic, but something changed. I don't know what caused him to become stronger or what he did to the humans or bears, and I don't know how he maintains control. I know all the humans that come to Care-A-Lot are drugged and that the bears serve him. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful."

"Some sort of mind control spell, on a massive scale?" Charlotte suggested, trying to show she could think of possibilities too.

"Maybe," Sunset replied. "That would be somewhat ideal for us. That's something our Dreamwardens could counter happening here if No Heart and the bears sleep. You all sleep, right, Empathy?"

Empathy nodded. "Yes, everyone sleeps."

"That would mean their universe doesn't have a warden or has a warden that plainly doesn't care, right?" Andrea asked.

"Correct," Sunset confirmed. "Although it could be functioning under different rules and not need one."

Charlotte smiled. "So… if one of our wardens went over to their universe and made a warden there, that warden could fix everything?"

Sunset shook her head. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We don't have enough concrete information. We would need to capture a bear since the bears probably have more useful information than our elephant friend."

Empathy hopped up and down excitedly. "I'm your friend, Miss Sunset Unicorn Pony?"

Sunset eyed him warily. "You're my guest, one I sadly cannot afford to give many freedoms to. However, you don't seem to be hostile. I'll not hurt you, and I'll keep you safe. I'm sorry to say I can't let you leave, but I can try my best to make sure your time here is comfortable."

Empathy whimpered. "I'm a prisoner?"

"Officially, no, but in functionality, yes," Sunset confessed. "At the moment, I can't even let you go out in the yard for fear you'll be seen. Maybe I can find some children's clothes and a big hat, and then we can let you out into the yard."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand some of those words," Empathy said.

"Hat?" Charlotte asked.

"I understood that word, ma'am," Empathy confirmed.

"Officially, functionally?" Andrea asked.

"I understand those words," Empathy replied.

"Clothes, yard?" Sunset asked.

Empathy blinked. "I understand, yard. I don't understand the rest."

Charlotte considered how to explain clothes. She pulled at her shirt and pants. "These are clothes. They are like a hat for the rest of the body. Humans don't have fur, so we need extra protection."

"Aww! I understand! Thank you, Charlotte Human, ma'am," Empathy said happily. "May I serve now?"

"We still don't know what that entails," Sunset said quickly. "Can you please explain it better to us?"

Empathy looked at the three of them and hung his head. "I don't know. I was hoping you would explain it to me. I know my belly badge grew stronger when Charlotte Human had empathy for me. I made a balloon."

"Can you make a balloon now?" Charlotte asked.

Empathy scrunched up his face, and his body stiffened like he was trying very hard to squeeze out a crap. This lasted a few seconds before the elephant stopped and took a deep breath.

"Sorry, I need more empathy," the elephant apologized.

Charlotte walked over to him and sat down beside him. "I understand. My whole life, my magic has done nothing at all. Then all of a sudden, I do something on the worst possible day for me to do something weird. I'm not even sure I can do it again."

Empathy started to lean into Charlotte and then paused. His face contorted as he tried again, and this time, a balloon popped out of his belly in the same shape as his cutie mark.

"We shared empathy!" Empathy exclaimed happily.

Sunset sighed. "You know what? Fascinating as trying to get information from this elephant is and learning how his magic works, I have more urgent matters I have to attend to. Charlotte, I'll have you keep an eye on the elephant since he seems to want to be with you anyway. You question him and try to get information. I know you can dig for all the details if you make an effort. Keep your phone on you and call immediately if there is an issue. I'm also going to be tracking you with it and having the guards carefully monitor the two of you by camera. The elephant is not to leave the house. In the meantime, I'll be on the phone telling the government we might have a potential extra-dimensional invasion coming. Let's see if I can avoid being laughed at when I tell them it is care bears."

"I can keep an eye on him," Charlotte agreed.

"Andrea, I know this isn't the best day to ask you for favors, but can you please keep an eye on your sister in case some other bear shows up trying to get the elephant, or the elephant isn't as nice as he seems?" Sunset asked.

Andrea nodded. "That isn't even a favor. She's my sister. I would do it anyway." She turned to look at Charlotte. "Can you do me a favor, though? Can you adjust my earrings to shift me back to human form? I'm still a little sore from getting banged against the wall, and I'd rather not be caught unaware in my centaur form if another bear shows up and shoots me again."

"You need me to help you adjust your earrings?" Charlotte asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"I can never quite adjust my earrings correctly when I'm in pony form— they're too small to adjust easily without fingers. Every time I've set them to this form, I've had to fiddle with them for like an hour to get them right," Andrea answered.

Charlotte blinked. "Is that why you rarely go crystal pony? I always thought it was because it might upset mom, or maybe you didn't want to walk around looking like a young Andri."

Andrea sighed. "Those are reasons too. There are multiple reasons why. Can you please help me get out of this form?"

Charlotte walked over to her sister and touched the earrings. "What do I do?"

"Rotate them clockwise sixty degrees," Andrea instructed. "Make sure it is clockwise! Going counter-clockwise will shift me to centaur. You have to adjust both earrings, or nothing will happen."

"You did this with multiple bullets in you?" Charlotte asked.

"It was that or die. You'd be surprised what you can accomplish when your choice is to do something or die," Andrea answered.

Charlotte shifted the earrings carefully and jumped back when her sister returned to human form.

Sunset floated a blanket over to Andrea. "Here, you can use that to mask your dignity as you walk through the hall. You might want to put it on now. We are already on candid camera, and I'm sure everyone in the guard room is watching us closely— that includes all the core family."

Andrea immediately snatched the blanket and hastily wrapped it around herself.

Empathy looked at Andrea. "Andrea Glowing Pony is a human? Are all the ponies able to turn into humans?"

Andrea stood up. "It's complicated, but normally, no. I'm special."

Charlotte looked at her other self as an idea came to her. "Hey, can you temporarily transform Empathy into a human or pony? That would help a lot."

"Isn't that easy," Sunset replied. "I don't know enough about his physiology or resonance. Temporary transformation is more complicated than a full transformation in some ways. One of those ways is that I need to know much more about what is being shifted from since the spell has to revert them to original form. I also need to work out how his physiology corresponds with ours. If this goes on for some time, I might explore that, but it isn't something I can figure out overnight—not when there are more critical things to attend to. I'll look into it later if it is still worth it, I promise."

Andrea was already moving for the door; the blanket still wrapped tightly around her. "Come on, Charlotte. I need to get clothes, and then we need to check in with Mom and Dad. They're probably freaking out down in the guard room."

Sunset dialed the phone and spoke to a guard on the other end. "Ask Senator Growth and Phobia to come up to my office for a consultation. Tell them that the situation is grave. As for everyone else, they can now leave the guard room, but they are advised to stay on the property until we have had a chance to speak to them all. The elephant is free to travel around the house with the normal restrictions on locations that can't be accessed but may not go outside or be by himself. The elephant's existence is to be considered sensitive information, and if word about him or the bear intruder leaks to the local authorities or the press, heads will roll."

Charlotte started towards the door as well. "I count that as our dismissal. Come on, Empathy. We're heading out."

Empathy got up and hurried over to her. "Coming, Miss Charlotte Human!"

When they went out in the hall, they found one guard standing watch at the door, and the rest had left with the two injured guards in tow. Hopefully, they were taking those two to the hospital. Andrea immediately turned and headed to her room, which was not far from Sunset's office. Charlotte and Empathy followed her as Andrea went into it.

Charlotte never really went into either of her sisters' rooms, and this was the first time she had been in Andrea's in years. Andrea's bed was low to the floor, huge, and completely decked out in pillows. The rest of the room was largely spartan, with no decoration of note and only a television, tall standing lamp, and a large dresser for other furnishings. The curtains were black and shut, and there wasn't even a mirror in the room. Andrea's old Ewok stuffed animal, nestled among the pillows on the bed, was the only comforting item in the room.

Charlotte looked around, frowning. "This place could do with some posters, flowers, or something. It's depressing."

"It's functional and uncluttered," Andrea corrected as she started looking through the dresser and pulling out some clothes.

"You don't even have a hamper for dirty clothes," Charlotte stated, still looking around, even though there wasn't much to look at.

"Don't need one if I wash them after every use instead of letting them build up and immediately put them away."

"You run a load every single time you change clothes? One set of clothes a wash?"

"Yeah."

Charlotte frowned. "That's some odd OCD, and I think that might be wasting water."

Andrea took off the blanket and folded it up, and set it on top of the dresser before she started getting dressed, seemingly unconcerned about being naked in front of the male elephant. "I like things to be clean and tidy. I don't like dirty things lying around my room for a moment longer than they need to."

"Some little plants would be nice. However, the bed looks nice and fluffy," Empathy chimed in, looking around as well. "Do all ponies turn into humans and all humans into ponies?"

"It's complicated," Charlotte answered, sure she had just explained this to him. "Andrea isn't a pony or human, both of those are like disguises for her, but she used to be human. Sunset has a necklace that temporarily turns her into a human, but she's naturally a pony. I don't know anyone else who has similar items to turn themselves back and forth, although Sunset will on rare occasion loan hers out."

"Has she ever let you try it?" Empathy asked.

Charlotte shook her head. "No, but I've never asked. Getting to use unicorn magic might be nice, but I'm already a younger version of her; I don't need to be a younger version of her that looks like her."

"Which is my guess on why she hasn't offered," Andrea chimed in as she finished dressing. "She might feel like she is looking into the past with you now, which is bad enough, but looking at someone who is a mirror image of yourself gets kind of freaky. Andri and I never liked that, yet another reason I avoid pony form."

Yet another reminder of what this day was for her sister made Charlotte think of something. "I'm not sorry I tried to make you stop earlier. I still think that wasn't good for you, but I'm sorry for throwing that clump of dirt at you. That was childish on my part."

Andrea smirked. "You're still in high school; that means you're still considered a minor, so you get a pass on that." Her expression fell. "However, I'm not, and I have no excuse for physically intimidating you earlier. I can say I was in a bad mood, but that doesn't make it alright. I'm sorry I did that, it was wrong, and I feel bad for doing it. I forgive you for the mudslinging; will you forgive me for being out of line?"

Charlotte hugged her sister tightly. "I forgive you, and I'm sorry. I know how rough today is for you, and I've only made it worse by accidentally bringing Empathy here. I got you shot…again."

Andrea hugged her in return. "It's okay. You had no way of knowing. If nothing else, this is all a pretty good distraction. Hard to think about Andri when a stuffed animal is shooting me. I'll take that trade."

"You're insane," Charlotte muttered but fondly.

"And you're insufferable, just like Sunset, but just like her, your heart is in the right place. You both moan, groan, and insult, but still do what you can to help, despite that," Andrea replied.

Charlotte broke from her sister. "I'm not like her."

Andrea chuckled. "You and Kristin both know how much you two share with your other selves; you just don't want to admit it. If you had the experience and authority that red unicorn has, you'd be hard to distinguish from one another. Maybe one day that will happen."

"I'm not religious like her and never will be," Charlotte asserted defensively.

"True enough," Andrea agreed. "Please don't go religious on me. Dealing with her sermons and everything like that gets grating. She means well, but I don't think she understands we don't want to hear it, and you'd be just as bad if you suddenly decided you needed to convert— don't deny it. It might hurt her feelings if you don't take up her beliefs, but sometimes you have to let feelings get hurt."

"She's way more demanding than me too," Charlotte continued, determined to put as much distance between herself and Sunset as possible. "She started harping on me about my grades when she was trying to rile me up earlier, and she confessed that part was legitimate."

Andrea sat down on her bed. "Charlotte, both you and she are hardest on yourselves, and you both happen to have another self to be hard on in addition to yourselves. She's hard on you because she demands more from herself, and you get angry at her for the same reason. You both need to lighten up, and on a related note, this kinda goes for Kristin too. Kristin is a deeply caring person, but she's terrified of showing that because she's afraid she'll be compared to Amicus, so she plays emotionally distant and avoids people. That ends up hurting her and making her miserable. I care about both of you, and I wish you'd both stop trying to avoid being who you are. It hurts me to see you two doing that to yourselves. It hurts Mom, Dad, Amicus, and even Sunset too."

"They need to feel empathy with themselves. I want to help!" Empathy said, hopping up and down.

Charlotte sighed and shook her head. "Maybe some other time, Empathy. Right now is not the time. I promised you food. Let's go downstairs, make sure the family knows you aren't a gun-wielding monster from another dimension, and find you some food."

Andrea got up from her bed and grabbed the folded-up blanket. "Let me toss this by Sunset's room as we head out."

"Seriously?" Charlotte asked.

"It's clutter in my room," Andrea replied.

"Whatever," Charlotte conceded. "Come on, Empathy, stay close."

They exited the room and found Wild Growth and Phobia Remedy coming down the hall. The two ponies stopped and looked at Empathy, trying to judge his danger level. Wild Growth stepped slightly in front of Phobia as if guarding her. She probably was. Not much could hurt Wild Growth, and Phobia looked thin and fragile. As far as Charlotte knew, Phobia was incapable of putting up much of a fight, the only member of her branch of the family who was helpless in the face of danger.

Phobia's eyes lingered on the elephant even after Wild Growth's shifted to them.

"That elephant is using a passive mind magic ability," Phobia said, seeming to bristle.

Charlotte put herself more protectively in between Empathy and the Dreamwarden. Dreamwardens could go from calm to murderous in a second when it came to mind magic. "He can't help it. It is something inherent to his species. I don't think he can turn it off. Your mom says it's how he communicates."

Phobia continued to stare at the elephant, and Charlotte began to wonder if she really would have to fend off the demure warden. The standoff continued for several seconds in silence.

"Phobia," Senator Growth prompted. "You can investigate the elephant later. He isn't going anywhere. Sunset needs to brief us about what she learned. I can only imagine it is bad news, much worse than whatever immediate threat this elephant presents."

The warden continued to stare.

"Phobia—" Wild Growth prompted again.

Phobia Remedy finally broke her eyes away from Empathy and instead looked at Charlotte. "This is your doing?"

Charlotte took a step back, nearly tripping over Empathy. "I didn't mean for it to happen. It just did."

The warden frowned, and her eyes bore into Charlotte. Charlotte had never seen the warden this intense. It was frightening.

"You can worry about this later, Phobia. We need to go see your mother," Wild asserted again. "Get a grip on your instincts. You're frightening her."

"I'm not afraid of her," Charlotte said quickly.

Wild Growth shook her head. "Then you're a very foolish girl. Phobia may not be a physical threat, but she's a bigger threat than anyone you can imagine if you're in her crosshairs. Go about your business. I'm going to get Phobia to Sunset and try to calm her down. Hopefully, Sunset can reason with her."

Andrea grabbed Charlotte's shoulder. "Let's just hurry by."

Charlotte nodded, and the three of them did so. Empathy practically hugged the wall as he walked by the warden, and Phobia watched him like a hawk watching a mouse. It was a relief when they were by, and none of them turned to look to see whether the warden was still watching them.

"I'm not sure I like that pony," Empathy whimpered.

Judging by how Phobia had looked at her, Charlotte wasn't sure she did either.

Chapter 1.5: Family Politics

Charlotte paused in front of the door to the guard room. In a moment, she would be introducing Empathy to the family. It was a family of weirdos, politicians, pillars of business, sociopaths, scoundrels, scientists, great mages, and more. There were some perfectly regular people there, too, like salespeople and weather ponies. Empathy had already met the three big names, Sunset Blessing, Wild Growth, and Phobia Remedy, which had gone…okay. Wild Growth didn't seem to care; Sunset was being Sunset, and Phobia…well, Phobia might want to kill the elephant, but that was only one out of the big three, so that wasn't so bad. Now it was on Charlotte to make sure he made a good impression with the rest of the family; his whole future here could depend on it.

"What's the hold-up?" Andrea asked.

Charlotte looked at her eldest sister. "I'm considering how to introduce Empathy."

Andrea gave her a sour look. "It's not complicated. Hey, everybody, this is Empathy Elephant. He's a care bear cousin I summoned with my powers, and he'll be staying with us for a while. See? Easy as that."

"He needs to make a good impression."

"That's on him, not you," Andrea asserted. "Personally, I think we'll have other issues than introducing your new bud when we get in there."

Charlotte blinked. "What issues?'

Andrea shook her head. "I don't want to jinx us by saying. Go on in; sitting out here isn't doing anything other than drawing this out."

Charlotte wasn't going to let her sister be cryptic. "Tell me what other issues."

"Fine," Andrea said with a sigh. "I'm surprised you didn't already think of it. All the family V.I.P.s are in the guard room, right?"

"Right."

"And they have been probably watching what's been going down in Sunset's office and my room by camera, which includes sound," Andrea continued. "What else other than this elephant and care bears have we been discussing that some of them might not have been aware of before?"

Charlotte's eyes went wide as she realized what Andrea was referring to. "Oh, shit…"

"Hey, no cussing in front of the elephant," Andrea chided.

Charlotte looked at him. "Sorry, Empathy."

He looked back and forth between them. "I'm sorry, I don't understand." Okay, apparently, he had no concept of cussing, so nothing translated to him. She was still going to avoid cussing around him. He seemed so childlike, and cussing around children was about as poor manners as you could have.

"Kristin is going to be furious at us," Charlotte whispered. "Maybe Mom and Dad too."

"I doubt Mom and Dad will take issue with it, but Kristin will," Andrea confirmed. "I'm glad it was only the V.I.P.s and not the whole damn family."

"I don't even know who all the V.I.P.s are," Charlotte lamented.

"None of Andri's kids, that's what I care about," Andrea replied, sounding smug.

The door to the guard room suddenly opened, and an earth pony Charlotte didn't know marched purposely out. He paused and looked at the three of them, quickly dismissing Andrea and only taking long enough to examine Empathy as a curiosity. He looked Charlotte over much harder.

"As if one of her wasn't enough," he muttered.

"Excuse me?" Charlotte asked, offended.

He haughtily drew his head up. "Stand aside. I need to go to Sunset's office. She seemed to forget I even existed when she called Wild Growth and Phobia Remedy. I don't have time to deal with her little clone."

"Okay, ma'am," Empathy said as he stepped aside.

"I'm a sir, pachyderm," the pony snapped. He then marched past the three of them and up the stairs before they could respond.

"Apple fell very far from the tree on that one," Andrea said as she watched the earth pony depart.

"Who was that?" Charlotte asked. "I'm sure I never met him."

"Amicus's eldest son, Martin McDonald, the congresspony," Andrea answered.

"McDonald? Like the restaurant?" Charlotte asked.

"McDonald as in Amicus and Legal Brief's last name before they turned into ponies," Andrea explained tiredly. "Did you never listen to Amicus go on and on about all her kids?"

Charlotte blushed. "I always kind of tuned out. She starts then doesn't stop, and all you can do is nod."

"Well, he definitely has an opinion about hearing the truth about us, or at least about hearing the truth about you," Andrea said. "Sunset isn't popular with all the family. Be ready for more of that."

"Great," Charlotte said dryly. "Let's get this over with. Empathy, we're about to meet a bunch of ponies and humans, be on your best behavior."

"I'm always on my best behavior, Charlotte Human, ma'am," Empathy said happily, then frowned and rubbed his hands together. "Um, except when I broke into Care-A-Lot, or those times I stole Heavyheart's cherries, or that time I told Old Heavyheart that I would watch her star buddies, but I asked Heavyheart to do it instead and went swimming, or that time—"

"We get it. Nobody's perfect, Empathy," Charlotte replied. How long would he have kept going on?

She took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping into the room.

All eyes turned on her, and she had to grip the doorframe to not turn and run. She had hoped that Sunset sending away the less critical family and guests would significantly reduce the number of people in the house. There were a lot more people here than she knew— a lot. Sunset Blessing highly valued most of her family.

Empathy walked in behind her, lifted his arms and trunk, and gave everyone a huge smile. "Hi! I'm Empathy Elephant the Ninth. What are your names?"

Well, she knew now that Empathy wasn't at all shy.

Several foals and children, ages ranging from barely being able to speak to younger teens, all rushed forward to greet the elephant. Some parents quickly moved to pull their kids back, but several kids managed to make it to the elephant.

"I'm Sea Wave!" Líng's seven-year-old pegasus son announced as he beat out the crowd.

"I'm Yue!" Sea Wave's unicorn filly cousin announced, shoving past him.

"Madison Lamp, a pleasure to make your acquaintance," a prissy-looking nocturnal filly who was nearly a teen said, holding out a hoof in greeting.

Several other foals tried saying their names, but Madison spread her wings and literally hissed at all of them, bringing them to an abrupt silence. Charlotte was unsure who Madison's parents were— she was probably a granddaughter of Phobia, but she made it clear to everyone she was at the top of the pecking order.

"You can greet him one at a time after me," Madison said with a sniff and held out her hoof again to Empathy. Someone was an entitled little brat. At least the priss was making sure Empathy didn't get overwhelmed.

Andrea stepped into the room, and Charlotte had to grab her before she could bolt back out. Andrea had been wrong. Andri's direct offspring, including the distraught woman from the funeral, were in with the V.I.P.s.The grandkids and great-grandkids were luckily, or perhaps unluckily, not present.

Kristin moved like she had a pack of wolves chasing her as she shoved past Charlotte and Andrea and through the door. "I'm done! You two can deal with this nightmare you pulled down on us."

Charlotte couldn't object. She was tempted to take off as well.

A very young pegasus colt with blue fur and a black mane walked up to her and stared. He seemed too young to talk, but he still seemed fascinated by her for some reason.

A pegasus mare with the same coloration came over and quickly deposited him on her back. "No, no. Leave the nice lady be." The mare looked up at her and gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry. Sunny's very curious about new people. I don't think grandma Sunset has introduced us before. I'm Drizzle. I know having your secret get out must be rough. I know it was a shock to me, but I wanted you to know that there are plenty of us who're willing to support you. Not everyone is going to look at you cross-eyed."

Charlotte smiled in gratitude. "Thank you; I appreciate that."

The colt started to get fussy, and Drizzle adjusted him on her back. "Okay, okay, let's get you back with your daddy and get you fed. I think somebody needs a nap. Talk to you later, Charlotte. Don't hesitate to come say hi."

"See?" Andrea groaned. "Most of them are more concerned about us than the elephant. Most of them are probably concerned about you, except for Andri's brood. You're the young Sunset, and they're going to try to figure out where that puts you in the family hierarchy or wonder what kind of chaos you can cause."

"I wish they wouldn't. I'm not her," Charlotte whispered.

"All they know is that you are a younger version of her, and you just did something that up until today seemed impossible, that only draws more comparison," Andrea asserted.

"Your sister speaks wisdom," another pegasus mare with the same coloration pattern as Drizzle and Sunny said, walking up to them. "Excuse me, we have not been properly introduced. I'm Lántiān. You just spoke with my daughter, Drizzle— you may have noticed the family resemblance. Drizzle and I have been mistaken for being sisters."

Charlotte never met her, but she recognized the name. This was her other self's eldest adopted daughter who rarely came around. Sunset sometimes left the house to visit her, one of the few ponies Sunset traveled to see. Usually, Sunset kept within a short distance of the house when she went out, but two or three times a year, she traveled to Skytree to see Lántiān and Drizzle. Charlotte didn't know much about her, other than hearing she was very stiff and formal, always referring to Sunset as ma'am, and being more independent of Sunset— probably because Lántiān had been in her teens and already a mother herself when she came into Sunset's care. Despite the distance, independence, and at times rocky relationship, Sunset cared about Lántiān just as much as she cared for the rest of her foals and valued her opinions. Charlotte also knew that Lántiān acted as a secondary matriarchal figure for much of the family, even though she had no political power or history of adventures and great deeds.

"Sunset and your brothers have mentioned you before. I know Sunset cares a lot about you," Charlotte confirmed.

Lántiān smiled. "Ma'am and I share a mutual respect, even if we don't always see eye to eye. She has always been a shoulder to cry on, even when I didn't want it. She is my adopted mother and has earned my love. I keep track of who's who in the family, and it's nice to clear up the mystery surrounding you and your immediate family at last. Come, sit with me. The others will not bother you when you're with me. I don't command the same respect as my adopted mother or sister, but I carry enough to keep the wolves at bay."

This wasn't Phobia or Wild Growth, but this was one of the prominent members of the family Charlotte needed on her side now that everyone knew about her. Charlotte looked at Empathy, who was still surrounded by foals, and getting introduced to each of them. Madison seemed to have taken up gatekeeping who was speaking to him and when.

"Fear not for the elephant. My grandniece can be arrogant, but she is much better intentioned than her mother. The poor filly could do with some more socialization," Lántiān assured them, gesturing for them to follow her.

Charlotte still wasn't completely comfortable walking away from him. "Empathy, are you alright?"

He looked over at her and grinned. "Very good, Miss Charlotte Human, ma'am! All these ponies are very friendly!"

The foals might be; Charlotte wasn't so sure about the adults. "I'm going to be over in the corner. Call out to me if you feel like you need help, and don't leave the room."

"Yes, Charlotte Human, ma'am! I will serve well!"

"And just call me, Charlotte. Not Charlotte Human or ma'am!"

He nodded. "Whatever you wish, Miss Charlotte!"

Andrea hesitated, looking at Andri's elderly offspring, who were looking at her in turn. "Fuck it. I need to go talk to them. I'm not sure if there is a right thing to do here, but I need to try to give them closure. I'll catch up with you soon."

"Good luck," Charlotte replied as Andrea walked towards the small group. She then turned and followed Lántiān to a secluded corner, very aware of how many people were still watching her.

Lántiān sat down and stretched her wings before settling them at her sides. "Let me start by saying I have no intention of judging you based on my adopted mother. You two have very different life experiences, and on the nature versus nurture debate, I put more weight on nurture."

That was good. That was more or less how Charlotte felt about it.

"I also feel that this is the position most family members will take," Lántiān continued. "However, there are some who bear watching. Martin McDonald has always been resentful that my mother has not taken him more into her confidence nor lent him political support. My mother tries to stay out of the political limelight, believing it to be the equivalent of a bad addiction for which she tries to stay clean. She avoids her nephew since he would draw her back into something unhealthy. Mister McDonald feels slighted at this. He may take his resentment out on you, but I believe it will only be in a disgruntled temperament, not any real danger."

"I ran into him just before I came in here. He seemed rude," Charlotte confirmed. "Why are you telling me this?"

Lántiān nodded. "Expect more of the same from him, and perhaps from his siblings and children, but they're merely unfriendly, not threats. The threat you need to concern yourself with is my adopted niece, Phobia's daughter, Arachne. The reason I'm pulling you aside and speaking to you is her. I want you to be wary of her for your own good. Ma'am would want me to look out for you."

"Why Arachne?" Charlotte asked, remembering how unfriendly Phobia had been just a few minutes ago. She didn't know much about Phobia's kids or grandkids.

"Arachne is envious," Lántiān said flatly. "She is envious and also an opportunist. She is envious of her mother. She is envious of her aunt, Wild Growth. She is envious of her grandmother, Sunset Blessing. She sees three impossible legacies that came before her and desires to be somehow greater than all of them. Her envy makes her dangerous. She is also very much like my mother in a few ways. She is manipulative and willing to play the long game to get what she wants, and she is always on the lookout for resources and opportunities. You're a younger version of one of the greatest mages ever to live and a stand-in for one of those legacies she wishes to surpass. She could see you as a potential future resource— or a potential rival to be removed."

"That's Madison's mother?" Charlotte asked, looking at the haughty filly across the room.

Lántiān sighed. "Don't judge the filly by her mother. Arachne doesn't give her the attention a daughter deserves. Madison was born to riches and has little contact with others other than to be trotted out as a prop for her mother to show off. The filly is in dire need of some love and attention. Her father is the only real source of love she has. Street Lamp is a good stallion but sadly clueless to his wife's nature."

"Miss Charlotte! I may need help!" Empathy yelled out.

Charlotte whipped her gaze to Empathy and saw several giggling foals were trying to climb on him. Madison was snarling at all of them, but the kids had decided she was all bark and no bite, and they were now ignoring her. Parents were already coming to help remove foals as Charlotte got up to go to his rescue.

At least things seemed to go over well with introducing Empathy. She supposed that the family was so used to insane situations with Sunset Blessing that they were just numb to whatever happened. Of course, Empathy was Charlotte's doing, but if they viewed her as a younger Sunset, then they probably just shrugged and went, 'that's on par'. It also seemed like most of the family were okay with her after finding out the truth— just a few to watch out for. This wouldn't be so bad.

"The girl needs to be contained. She needs to have magic suppressing gear on her at all times. We might need her to be held under guard until her powers are fully understood," Martin insisted, stomping a hoof.

Wild scowled at him. "She's a child, not a criminal."

Martin turned and glared at the senator. "She's an aberration that shouldn't even exist. An alternative version of Sunset Blessing taken out of the past? That alone is enough reason to have her jailed, along with the mage that made her. Do you realize how dangerous such magic could be? Any threat that is killed or neutralized can just be brought back by someone jumping back in time and making another one."

"She didn't make anyone," Wild asserted. "And the knowledge of time travel magic has already been Dreamwarden promise sealed. She can't spread the knowledge to anyone else."

Martin raised an eyebrow. "And that was supposed to be the case with transformation magic too, wasn't it? Yet the younger Andrea demonstrated that was false. How can we trust any assurances? This also brings into question how trustworthy the wardens are; if Sunset Blessing can violate their promises, who else can?"

"My mother was released from that oath about a year after taking it," Phobia cut in. "Yinyu independently made the call to remove it; it was not a group decision. We have since voted and confirmed that none of us may make unilateral decisions to remove oaths that we have administered to others, and such action will need a majority vote, even at the request of other governing bodies."

"And Yinyu wasn't punished for her actions, and you didn't immediately reapply the oath?" Martin asked in disbelief.

"Our agreement to administer an oath had already been fulfilled. We did not need to administer a second one," Phobia replied. "Our contracts are clear and binding. We follow the exact wording. If something is not said, it does not apply. Yinyu was chastised for her actions in lifting the oath, but there had been no violation in the contract by doing so. It did not require a censor."

"Chastised?! What kind of punishment is that?!" Martin demanded, incensed.

"The one we did. You and the government have no authority over us. We operate beyond the realm of any single country. We are a force of nature, answerable only as much as we allow ourselves to be. What regulation the government has in regards to our actions is purely at our allowance," Phobia said flatly.

Sunset Blessing sat and listened as they continued to argue about blame and things that had no bearing on the matter. The fault was not important, at least not until the issue was resolved. What mattered was what they were going to do about the hostile force they had been exposed to. She hadn't wanted to get Martin involved with this discussion, but considering it might be a full-scale invasion coming, she would be remiss if she left a sitting congressperson who was present out of the debate for what steps to take next.

She took a deep breath. "If the intelligence we gained from the elephant is correct, we should expect an attack that is magical in nature rather than ground forces. However, at this time, we do not know how reliable his information is. We need to be able to scout the situation to gain proper intelligence. Charlotte's powers are the only method we have of sending a scout team or retrieving them. We do not need to contain her; we need to help her get proper control of her ability."

"Can't you devise a way of replicating it?" Martin asked. "You saw what she did, and you're famous for being able to replicate spells after a single viewing."

"I can replicate simple to moderately complex spells after a single viewing, spells done with pony magic," Sunset corrected. "This is very complex and not pony magic. I may be able to learn how to replicate the effect, but I would need more examples of it being done to examine. Ideally, I would have at least one other of the great mages helping me. The more minds working on this, the better."

"What about your son?" Wild asked.

Sunset shook her head. "He isn't versed in this type of magic. I'm going to have him help me study the elephant's physiology, resonance, and magical capabilities, but interdimensional portals are outside his range."

"And it's in yours?" Martin asked skeptically.

She shrugged. "I'm familiar with portal magic. Not quite interdimensional portals, but aside from Princess Twilight, there aren't experts in that field."

"Then we should reach out to her," Martin asserted. "It will reassure many if they know she is spearheading this instead of you. No one has forgotten Riverview, and if people knew you have been messing with time travel, continuing to dabble in transformation magic, and whatever other things you have been keeping secret, you'd end up with far more people trying to break down your gates."

"The public should not hear about any of this, not yet," Wild stated. "It would cause needless panic. We don't even know if the bears can mount an effective attack. They may not have the numbers, and if it is mind control magic, as was suggested, we have the perfect counter."

Phobia grimaced. "The Dreamwardens will need to examine the elephant's mind closely. We can determine the truthfulness of what he says. We can also pull memories from him to analyze so we can evaluate things his simple mind may not have realized. It is a tricky business, working with memories of one who is simple. They forget critical details, but I'm confident we can gather a great deal of information. As with anyone else, we will need his permission. If he refuses us permission to disseminate what we learn, you may count him as dishonest and act accordingly. We need to examine him anyway. His mind magic must be reviewed to determine if it is in any way a violation of our rules. I understand it may be a passive ability he can't help, but such things still must be reviewed to determine if harm is being done— intentional or not. I expect you to give me immediate access to him."

"He isn't even an Earthling; your jurisdiction does not cover him," Wild said harshly. "You can't dictate everything about him."

Phobia looked at Wild. "He is a mind magic-user in our universe. It doesn't matter where he comes from; he is here. He would fall under our jurisdiction if he were some other alien on a planet a billion light-years from us. We have universal dominion."

Martin chewed his lip. "Are there other magic users out there, light-years away? Would you know?"

Phobia shook her head sadly. "There are no intelligent magic users out there. There are what you might call animals out there, but when it comes to intelligent life, we are very much alone in this universe, and you know why. Charlotte's ability is dangerous not only to us but to whatever universe she brings into contact with us. The threats that speed towards us could spread to their universes. She could be inadvertently responsible for the deaths of untold trillions that we didn't even know were out there until today. Not to mention an invasion or even disease from another universe could cause havoc, making us incapable of mounting a defense when the true great enemy arrives. That cannot be permitted."

Sunset scoffed. "You're getting paranoid in your old age, Phobia. The girl does not represent a world-ending threat."

Phobia looked at her. "I am getting older, old enough that I plan to soon retire to Equestria. I know I sound harsh, but I do sympathize with the girl. If what the elephant describes is true, I would see us help his universe as well, if possible, but I need to make myself clear. I have dedicated much of the last thirty years to ensure we are prepared to meet the coming threat. I don't want to see that all fall apart right before I go. Too much is at stake."

Sunset's eyes went wide. "I was only joking about the old age. You are only…."

"Fifty-five," Phobia finished. "The recommended safe retirement age for Dreamwardens is late forties to mid-fifties. I'm not the most healthy of mares, and I don't intend to join the ranks of the undead wardens. This brings up another issue. I know Princess Twilight has offered you a teaching position in Canterlot multiple times. I happen to know they will soon require a new headmare. It is getting harder and harder for you to put a damper on your infamy, and the number of attacks on you has only increased with time— with your responses only getting more extreme. Your seeming agelessness combined with the backlash that may erupt if news breaks about some of your unknown actions over the last thirty years will only make things worse. Please, Mom, I'm imploring you, not as a warden, but as a daughter who loves you and our family, to legitimately consider taking the princess up on her offer."

"That would mean exile from my family," Sunset whispered.

"I'll be there," Phobia gently replied. "Most of the family is eligible to visit Equestria from time to time. I know it is hard. I'm in the same position, and you have no idea how hard it is to think about saying goodbye to family in addition to never being able to see Yinyu, Ghadab, or Arbiter again. It's hard, but we have to think about the right thing for both the family and us. We deserve peace, and the family deserves to be safe. This wouldn't be the end for us, merely a new chapter in our lives."

"Phobia is talking sense. You should listen to her, Aunt Sunset," Martin said, much kinder sounding than he had before. "If you don't go, eventually, someone is going to get hurt. If you don't go, someday, you will have to be held accountable. Take the offer."

Her ears sagged as she looked at Wild. "And you agree with them, don't you?"

Wild sighed. "I'm the only one of us who has been to Equestria. It's nice there. My parents chose to go there, and they live good lives there. They don't have much time left… I don't think they would mind having you there in their last days. It gives them one last chance to say goodbye to the pony who turned their lives upside down. You do that to everyone you meet, for better or worse. As headmare of the school in Canterlot, you could continue to change lives, but hopefully not in such a traumatic way."

Sunset looked at all three of them, then drew her head up. "I promise I'll consider it, but we have to deal with the immediate crisis first. We must contact the government and Equestria and decide what course of action to take."

One last adventure before leaving it to younger generations. This time dealing with other universes. No one could say she wasn't going out with a bang.

Chapter 1.6: Getting a Slice of the Pie

It took a while, but eventually, Andrea was free of her other self's kids. She was in desperate need of a drink after dealing with them for over an hour. She wasn't going to get drunk, but she sorely wanted to.

Annabelle, that was the name of Andri's daughter. Annabelle had been the hardest one to deal with. The sons, Doug Jr and William, had understood that she wasn't Andri, but Annabelle seemed to be having a temporary psychotic break, and the older woman seemed to be unable to process that Andrea didn't personally know her or have a daughter named Annabelle— or any children for that matter. Andri's daughters-in-law and Annabelle's husband had to eventually lead the older woman away again with plenty of apologies. That left her alone with the sons.

She couldn't explain in-depth to them how she had come to be there. She'd given a general explanation about how bad people had time-traveled to her original time, and Sunset came and saved them. They seemed more shocked to learn that she had only been ten when it happened and that their mother had known all about her and never said anything. Her other self had kept her secret, even from her kids. Further explanations about her transformations and why she needed to change forms had to be given. She was surprised at how much grace they took that news. Maybe after a certain point of weirdness, they just became numb to it.

Andri had never been entirely out of touch with them. She had rotated who she spent Christmas with, spending Christmas with a different one of her children every year, still sending gifts to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She had attended the funeral for her ex-husband four years before, not long before her health deteriorated. Andri never spoke to her children about the goings-on at Wabash Manor, but Andri loved her family. They were not Andrea's family, but she wished she could be part of it. That was part of why it hurt to talk to them. They wanted her to be part of it too, and that's why it hurt them. She wasn't their Andrea.

Thank goodness dealing with them was over.

It didn't take her long to find Charlotte. Her baby sister was seated on a bench, Overseeing kids talking to Empathy. Parents sat beside their kids, ensuring no further outbreaks with kids overwhelming the elephant. She recognized Sunset's grandkids through her adopted brood, but not most of the rest. Whoever they were, they ranked higher in importance than Andri or Amicus's grand or great-grands. There was a class structure to the family. You were either someone Sunset Blessing loved, or you weren't. There were plenty of people here, but those absent stood out the most, even if she didn't know them. She didn't fully blame Sunset Blessing for it. People that she cared about lived their lives looking over their shoulders. It was a mercy not to feel the love of the setting sun. Maybe the old unicorn turned her back on them on purpose, knowing it was a mercy. Was it a kindness for her not to love?

She walked behind Charlotte and leaned on a locker, listening.

"You know, there was a care bears cartoon when I was little," Charlotte said, primarily to Empathy, but loud enough for the kids to hear. "The care bears helped people make friends and care. I know things are a bit different where you come from, but did it use to be that way?"

Empathy gave a sad nod. "That's what the stories say. Those were the golden days. We would go down to Earth and help the bears back then, and we helped defeat a lot of bad guys. I wish those days would come back."

Andrea felt terrible for that universe, but she still felt satisfaction. Charlotte was getting information from him, little by little, without being too pushy. Sunset got pushy.

Charlotte smiled. "I remember a story about how there was an evil spirit that wanted to take away all the caring that had infected a boy, but with the help of the care bears and the care bear cousins, they stopped him."

"I know that tale," Empathy replied. "It happened at a camp. There were two other kids. The spirit was strong, and it took all of us uniting to defeat him. That was the first time the rest of the intuits got their belly badges."

Andrea frowned. That was the second care bears' movie. How did the exact plot of an actual event get translated to a kids' cartoon here? That meant there had to have been someone who knew— someone who had seen or heard. That was well before magic had been introduced to Earth, so it should have been impossible.

"Andrea?"

She turned and looked at her mom, who had come up beside her, and whispered.

"Yeah?" she asked.

Her mom rubbed her arm. "Are you feeling okay? I heard you got shot."

This was coming sooner or later. "I'm fine. Transformation magic saved me. I'm fit as a fiddle. I'm made to take bullets."

Her mom slapped her arm. "Don't you say that! Wild Growth is made to take bullets. You aren't bulletproof. This isn't something to joke about! You could have died!"

"Mom-"

Her mom wasn't going to let her finish. "You could have gone into shock and bled out on the floor! You can't count on some piece of jewelry to save you every time!"

She set her jaw. "Mom-"

"I don't want you to die! Are you so eager to follow Andri-"

"MOM!" Andrea screamed. "I know you're upset, but I'm okay. However, if I had to do it over again, I would still have fought that bear. I'm a grown adult. It's my call."

Her mom stepped back. "You aren't Andri. You don't have to do that kind of thing!"

Andrea looked around. Everyone was staring at them, and every other conversation had halted.

She tried to ignore all the eyes on her and focused on her mother. "No, I'm not her. We had two different lives, but the core of who we are is the same. Andri did what was right. Andri was a protector. Andri didn't care about whether doing the right thing and protecting others would come back and bite her or worse, and I would be ashamed if I didn't do the same."

Her mom was in tears. "I almost lost you once."

"And if I hadn't done what I did back then, we would have lost Charlotte for sure," Andrea said firmly. "I guess that's another thing I have in common with her. She watched Sunset Blessing's back, and I need to watch Charlotte's. Maybe there's some weird cosmic destiny in play."

Her mom continued to cry but stopped trying to argue. Andrea bit her lip then stepped forward to hug her mom.

"I know you worry, but Charlotte is possibly going to be in a ton of trouble due to this magic she has. There's no stopping that. Who would you trust more to watch out for her than me? She needs me." Andrea paused briefly before continuing. "And I didn't realize until today that I needed this. If I had a cutie mark, this would be it. Mom, let me be me."

"Mom, we'll be alright," Charlotte gently said.

Chiming in had been a bad idea. Their mom turned her attention to Charlotte. "You're just a kid. You shouldn't be caught up in all this."

That was a wrong move. Charlotte didn't like being told she was a kid or what to do. Their mom should have known that and probably did, but wasn't thinking straight.

"I'm seventeen, practically an adult! I'll be eighteen in a month. Plus, I don't have a choice about this. It's my magic, and it is part of me," Charlotte childishly fired back.

Time to try to diffuse it before it turned into a shouting match again.

"I think Charlotte and I need to take a quick break from everybody to cool off," Andrea said quickly.

Charlotte balled up her fist. "I'm not going to let her-"

"Charlotte," Andrea said firmly, holding her sister's gaze. "I understand how you're feeling, but you know you have a short temper, and you know you don't always think straight when it gets the best of you." Another thing Charlotte shared with her Sunset Blessing. "You're smart, so put your anger on hold and think. Your magic is working now, and it worked when Sunset pissed you off. That means you could set it off again if you lose your temper. I know you don't want to accidentally open a portal here. Please, let's take a little walk while you calm down."

Charlotte looked around at everyone looking at her. Their mom looked ready to say something again, but Charlotte didn't give her a chance.

"Come on, Empathy. We're taking a walk," Charlotte announced, already on her feet and headed to the door.

The elephant practically fell out of his seat, hurrying after her. "Coming, Miss Charlotte!"

Andrea took a deep breath and followed, glancing over her shoulder. "Sorry, everyone. She is just taking a breather. We're very sorry about the outbursts. You've all been very kind and patient. Thank you."

How many of them would be spending the night? There were a lot of rooms, but there were more of them. At least half of them would need to go somewhere else. It wasn't her problem, but she still wondered which of them would still be here tonight or the morning.

Charlotte was what mattered right now.

She caught up to her sister out in the foyer. Charlotte was already moving up the stairs, with Empath running to keep up with his longer-legged caretaker. What to do about Charlotte? Her sister seemed to have been doing so well with those kids, and like a switch being flipped, she went and threw a childish tantrum.

She followed after her sister. "Where are you going?"

Charlotte gripped the banister tightly. "Walking to my room."

"I didn't mean for you to go hide away."

"I'm not hiding. I need to go to my room. Can you stand outside it and watch Empathy for a few minutes?"

Andrea paused. "Why?"

Her sister stopped and grinned. "If you really need to know. I need to change pads, and I don't want him to be an audience for that."

"Oh," Andrea said with a blink. "That's one of those things I don't think about much."

"Lucky you," Charlotte grumbled as she continued up the stairs.

"Pad for what, Miss Charlotte?" Empathy asked.

"It is a human female thing. Human females have a messy reproductive cycle," Andrea said, saving her sister from explaining.

Empathy gasped. "Oh! Is there going to be a baby Charlotte Human?"

"No, there isn't," Charlotte said tersely. "Don't your females have periods, or estrus, or heat, or something like that?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know those words, Miss Charlotte."

"Let's just say it sucks to be human sometimes," Charlotte replied. She then looked back at Andrea. "And don't go blaming my losing my temper on it!"

"I wasn't going to. You don't need to be hormonal to do that," Andrea said shortly. "Look, I know you're stressed, but you can't blow up like that over stupid little things."

Charlotte turned and pointed at her. "You lost your temper too!"

Andrea scowled back. "You want to compare what each of us has gone through today? I just got done dealing with my other self's kids before getting ambushed by Mom, who wanted to get all in my business about my life choices—this all after getting shot three times and digging Andri's grave. Then I made Mom cry, and that made me feel like crap. Our mother was so worried about us that she was crying, and you lost your temper over what? Being called a child? You want to be treated like an adult? You need to act like one. You looked like a spoiled brat back there."

Charlotte looked ready to explode again, and Andrea felt like kicking herself for riling her sister up once more. Right now, one of the biggest things she could do to protect her sister was not making her angry.

"Let's step back," Andrea said quickly, hoping to diffuse her sister. "You've had a lot of crap dumped on you today too. Getting told your unique ability could let an interdimensional invader in has to be stressful. Comparing who had it worse today is stupid on my part. I'll watch Empathy while you take a shower and do what you need to do to get your head back on straight. If Sunset catches me and asks why you aren't watching him, I'll tell her you needed a few minutes to take care of yourself. She isn't so unreasonable that she'd snap at you for that, and if she does, I've got your back."

Her baby sister seemed to calm down visibly. "Thanks, Andrea." She then turned and looked at the elephant, who barely came up to her waist. "I'll be back soon. I'm going to take care of a hygiene issue and then relax in the shower. Be good for Andrea."

Empathy seemed put out at this. "How long is soon?" Clingy little bugger, wasn't he?

"An hour. Maybe not even that long," Charlotte assured him. "Andrea can get you food while you wait."

"And I won't just promise it and not deliver," Andrea said with a smile. How many times had Charlotte promised to feed him and still hadn't done so?

"I was going to do it," Charlotte insisted. "It just took longer in the other room than I thought, and before that, there was all the ruckus with the bear."

"We get it. Don't worry. Go take care of yourself, and I'll take care of the alien."

Charlotte left, and Andrea motioned for Empathy to follow her. "You picked the right universe to come to. We are stocked full of fruits and veggies here. Any preferences?"

Empathy followed after her. "Do you have cherries?"

"I think the old unicorn might have some in the kitchen. Cherries are common, and she keeps all the common fruits and vegetables. If not, we'll find something close enough. How do you feel about crabapples? Sunset turns those into jelly and jams. She grows them on the property."

The elephant made a disgusted face. "I don't like those but will eat them if there isn't anything else."

Andrea shrugged as she guided him into the dining room. "No problem, plenty of other choices."

It was a short walk through the dining room to get to the kitchen, but when they got there, they found they were not alone. A very posh-looking pony wearing a dress and make-up, probably a relative of Phobia by the looks of her, was sitting at the kitchen table.

The pony looked up from a bowl of soup as they entered. "Aww, the alien has arrived. I figured he would if I waited long enough. I had expected the younger version of my grandmother as well. Where is she? She isn't unwell, is she?"

"She needed to take care of a personal problem. She'll be down shortly," Andrea replied. "And you are?"

"Arachne, eldest daughter of Phobia Remedy, and I'm also the head of S.P.E.C," the pony answered, setting her spoon down with her wing. "I was just spending time with your other sister outside."

Andrea's now narrowed. "What did you want with Kristin?"

Arachne chuckled. "Oh, we just had a little talk, shared a vape, and unwinded."

"Kristin needs to drop that habit," Andrea muttered.

The pony waved it off. "Oh, in Skytree, it is widespread. We're famous for our hookah bars, and I conduct many of my informal business meetings in them, so many that I have picked up the habit. Have you ever been to Skytree? It is quite picturesque. A charming and safe place to live."

"Never been there. I don't get far away from Denver," Andrea answered. "If you'll excuse us. I promised Empathy some food."

Andrea headed to the pantry to see what fruit was in stock, and Empathy huddled close to her legs.

"That pony is watching me," Empathy whispered.

She looked down at him, hugging her leg. "She can hear you too. Ponies have great hearing. Don't worry about her. She isn't going to hurt you."

"She reminds me of the pony upstairs who didn't like me."

"That would be her mother; neither of them will hurt you," Andrea assured him. Then pulled out a tupperware container from the pantry. "Look, we have cherries, just like you wanted. Let's sit down at the table, and you can eat. Don't worry about the scary pony."

He took the container from her and pouted. "I wish Miss Charlotte was here."

She sighed. He was like a small child clinging to his mother. Was he even an adult? He was the same size as that bear, and she assumed those were adult proportions. Maybe he was just simple-minded. That would be their luck, getting an elephant with a mental handicap.

The kitchen table was like a picnic table, with a bench on either side. She led Empathy over to it and had him take a seat across from Arachne, who was still watching him. He didn't blame him for being flustered by her gaze. It was very predatory. He took his seat with reluctance, and when she sat down, he huddled up close to her for protection.

Arachne finally took her eyes off Empathy and picked up her spoon again with her wing. "Tell me, have there been any prior incidents with my grandmother's younger doppelganger? The five of you have been here, what? Twelve years? If I recall correctly. Nothing previously in all that time?"

"You know how long we've been here?" Andrea asked.

"Of course, who do you think signs those guards' checks?" Arachne replied. "They may follow grandmother's orders, but they are still my employees. I get reports. Not as thorough as I like. Grandma has a way of putting the fear of God into her help, and so much that happens here gets sealed by the Dreamwardens, but I do still hear things."

"Nothing that I know of has happened before," Andrea answered.

Arachne nodded. "I always suspected your identities. Names may run in the family. I have a twin sister named Charlotte, and I believe some younger cousins with names like Andrea, Kristin, Wendy, and so on, but to have all those names together with the exact age difference between them as the originals, and you all showing up together and staying under my grandmother's watchful eye? That was a funny coincidence. I could verify nothing, Dreamwarden-sealed information, but it was interesting."

Andrea frowned. She'd always wondered if keeping their names and only getting new social security numbers, fake birth dates, and fake histories would keep everyone off. For most people, it did, but Arachne proved it didn't work on everyone.

Arachne finished a spoonful of soup then smiled. "I remember my mother returning from her trip out here after you first arrived. She brought back an odd souvenir, a pie. She gave it to me to have my people analyze the food contents and the metal composition in the tin—an odd request. There wasn't anything particularly remarkable about anything it was made of, other than whoever baked the pie was both a crummy baker and used spoiled fruit. It did have an odd insignia on the tin, a porcupine and a mountain."

"Why did she have a pie?" Andrea asked.

Arachne shrugged. "My mother may monologue, but she can be secretive. She didn't give me an explanation. However, after seeing this elephant and hearing about the bear, I did another quick search on my phone before meeting your sister. I was looking at that second symbol and using the wrong term, not a mountain, a peak. Porcupine Peak, a purple pie from Porcupine Peak."

"I'm sorry, is that supposed to mean something with care bears?" Andrea asked.

"No," Arachne said with a smirk. "Strawberry Shortcake, another TV show and toy line from your childhood. I think this isn't your sister's first incident, nor is it the only universe she has touched."

Andrea licked her lips. "Empathy, is there anywhere named Porcupine Peak in your world?"

Empathy shook his head. "I don't think so, Miss Andrea Glowing Pony."

She got up. "Come on, bring your cherries with you. We need to talk to Sunset right now."

Arachne watched them get up, still smiling. "Do let grandmother know that I helped provide this little tidbit. I'm always willing to give you aid if you need it. If your sister comes down here, I'll tell her where you are."

Andrea wondered what the pony's game was. She clearly was up to something, but there was no telling what. Why hadn't Arachne gone to her mother or grandmother immediately with this news? Why wait and transmit it through her? There was no obvious reason, but it seemed calculated. It didn't matter. Sunset still needed to be told.

Arachne watched the two aberrations leave, and considered what to do next. After they had been done for about thirty seconds her phone started to ring. She frowned. Promptness was all well and good, but she hadn't expected a call back so quickly. Having that call occur while the younger Andrea or the elephant was still there would have been problematic.

She answered her phone. "Arachne here, speak to me."

"Madam, the Hasbro C.E.O has agreed to your requests, although he is confused by why the Pentagon or any other government agency might try to contact him. He is also calling on the company board of directors to discuss your purchase offer. With the figure you named, he expects a favorable response."

Arachne's smile returned. "Thank him for his quick reply. There may be a seat for him at the table with S.P.E.C. Send the rest of the details to me over secured email."

"If I may be so good to ask, madam, why the sudden interest in a toy company?"

"Just staying two steps ahead of the competition. I have a little insider information that says Hasbro will suddenly become much more relevant outside of toys and games. I'm securing assets before others can touch them."

"I see, madam."

"Oh, and Thomas? Please make sure everything is done with the highest discretion. I want no word of this reaching anyone until the purchase is complete."

"I will assure you; no one will be aware. If you'll excuse me. I will continue to take care of business."

She hung up the line and barely contained the urge to flap her wings with excitement. Her grandmother, aunt, and mother were all getting old. If she played this right, she would end in a very good position without disgracing them. Disgracing them inevitably humiliated her in turn; there was no escaping her association with those names, and they could not afford to go down in flames. She would dangle out a S.P.E.C table seat to the people at Hasbro, she was more interested in a bigger seat at a more important table.

Her time was coming.

Chapter 1.7: The Threat at Home

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.

Chapter 1.8: Decision Making

There was comfort in faith. For fifty-eight years, Sunset had prayed to God, and most of that time, she found solace. The nature of her prayers had changed over the years. Once upon a time, her prayers would have consisted mainly of 'give me strength', 'give me guidance', 'help me', and, rather shamefully, 'punish the sinners'. Those days were long gone. Such prayers lived in the assumption that God would take action. God had already taken action, sending his son to die on the cross for their sins. What further action did the faithless masses want? Her faith and theology had evolved, and selfish prayers were no longer part of her routine.

No, now there were but two prayers, 'forgive me' and 'I'm sorry'. God answered but one prayer, the heartfelt plea for forgiveness. There were no shortage of things she felt regret about.

She sat in front of the altar of the chapel in the yard. Sunlight came in through the stained glass windows, striking specs of dust in the air which shimmered in the rainbow of light. A few empty pews sat behind her, and an unadorned cross hung up above the altar. Some people might call this chapel cramped, but it served her purpose as a private retreat where she could find peace. She still attended church, although her attendance was irregular. She still had a target on her back, and anywhere she frequently went could be targeted in turn. It was best to keep her visits to places outside the manor to a minimum and unpredictable for others' safety. She didn't worry too much about her lax attendance. God was everywhere, and wherever you could find peace and pray was his dwelling.

"SUNSET BLESSING! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU ARE TAKING OUR DAUGHTER AWAY TO EQUESTRIA!"

She sighed. Some people couldn't respect the dwelling of the Lord.

Wendy and Charles, the younger versions of her now-deceased parents, stormed into the chapel with Wendy leading the warpath. Sunset turned and faced them, trying to channel what calm she still could after having someone scream at her at the top of their lungs. She continued to say prayers in her head.

Lord, forgive me for causing them such distress. Lord, forgive me for getting mad at them for their understandable anger. Lord, forgive me for uprooting their lives once again.

There was always something else to ask forgiveness for.

She'd barely turned around when Wendy was sticking her finger in her face. Her eyes crossed to look at the finger, and then she looked back at the human.

"I take it you spoke with either Charlotte or Andrea. I assume they explained it to you," she said in an even voice.

"Charlotte just said her new magic put her in danger, and she had to get off the planet ASAP," Charles supplied, sounding calmer than his wife.

"I don't know if I'm happy she kept her mouth shut about the details or angry she went to you before I could think of the best way to present this," Sunset said warily. "Take a seat. Let me try to explain this without giving away sensitive information."

"I don't care how sensitive the information is. This is my daughter!" Wendy fumed.

Sunset glared at her. "I instructed you to sit and listen. Please do so, or I will put you on the bench myself and gag your mouths. I'm going to explain things, but I'm not going to be interrupted, talked over, or have anyone in my face. Now sit! You'll have time to ask questions after I'm done explaining."

Charles put an arm around Wendy and gestured to the closest bench. She looked ready to argue some more but ended up relenting.

"Damn tyrant," Wendy mumbled as she took her seat.

Sunset took a deep breath. "Now, let me say, this is not something I want to do; this is necessary. Charlotte has the biggest proverbial ax over her head that you could imagine. There are certain parties, which will remain unnamed in the interest of security, that have given us the ultimatum that Charlotte must leave this universe or be permanently transformed into something else that doesn't have the same magic, or they will kill her."

"People try to kill you all the time, but you're still here," Wendy cut in.

"This party is many orders of magnitude more dangerous than those idiots who try to get me. I cannot defend her against them. They have even said they are willing to wipe the entire city off the map if that's what it takes to end her," Sunset replied firmly. "You need to understand; this is an opponent we can't beat. I can defend against a lot, but not this. This is so far out of my league it is laughable— and no, running to the government or anyone else for help won't do a damn thing to stop them except increase the number of graves that need to be dug. If they say they will do whatever it takes to remove her from the field, it will happen."

"So you're running scared?" Wendy challenged.

"You're damned right I am," Sunset answered with a nod. "We're complying and going to Equestria. I'm going there and not coming back, and I am taking Charlotte with me. You are welcome to come with her, Andrea and Kristin if they want to come. Only Charlotte is a target, so if any of you wish to stay, I will make arrangements so that there is still a home available here, even with me gone. I have a short list of family members I am considering leaving Wabash Manor as well as all my money and ongoing royalties from book sales, and all of them would happily let you stay."

"Why would we leave Andrea and Kristin?" Wendy asked in confusion.

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Because they're grown adults who can make their own choices and aren't personally in danger if Charlotte isn't here. Both are pursuing career paths that may not work out in Equestria. Cyber security and IT management? In Equestria, computers are a novelty, and there is no internet. They can stay in the manor as long as they like. It should be safe when I am not here to target."

Wendy looked on the verge of tears. "Now you are asking us to choose between our daughters?!"

"You, Andrea, and Kristin are free to travel back and forth through the portal. No one is getting cut off," Sunset assured them. "Andrea and Kristin are basically out of the nest already, and Charlotte was not far behind. It was unlikely they'd have all stayed in one place."

"We can go to the government ourselves to stop this," Wendy said bitterly.

Sunset shook her head. "Wild Growth is already dispatching my report to the Pentagon and White House. In it, I detail my threat assessment of Charlotte and have given the recommendation she be moved off-world for the safety of our planet. I expect they will take my recommendation."

"And Equestria is going to be fine with her being there instead? What if they refuse?" Charles asked in a skeptical tone.

That was an excellent and very concerning question. Luna didn't have all the memories Earth's Dreamwardens had, so she might not be as hostile to Charlotte. Plus, Sunset could hopefully leverage her position as Luna's student for a good word. She couldn't imagine Twilight objecting. Celestia, Cadance, and Flurry Heart we're ones she was unsure of. The nobles were also unlikely to be cooperative, and hopefully, they didn't need to find out. Celestia would be hesitant, as she tended to take a very protectionist policy. Flurry Heart managed domestic affairs in the Crystal Empire, which possibly made her lean protectionist, but she was younger, which possibly made her more amendable. Cadance was a complete wild card.

"We'll await the reply. I have already sent off the request by the Equestrian liaison," Sunset replied.

"And what if they refuse?" Wendy pressed.

"We're awaiting their reply," Sunset repeated. "I'm pretty sure I can get Luna and Twilight on board. With them assisting, I'm confident we can convince at least one of the other three."

"Can't you just change your recommendation?" Wendy asked.

Sunset shook her head. "Look, the government and military aren't who we're worried about. If they were, I wouldn't be as final in this decision. Sure, I would still heavily lean towards it, but against them, I could at least imagine a chance. It's a hopeless endeavor to fight against who we're up against."

"So, going back to the question, what if Equestria refuses to take her?" Charles asked.

Sunset bit her lip. "Then I have to do a transformation spell. It's illegal, so I'll be arrested, but that would be the last option. I'd do it if that were what it took to save your daughter."

It looked like Wendy was about to go off and say something she would regret, so Sunset cut her off.

"I know it is not ideal, but it is better than her ending up dead or responsible for destabilizing reality. Do you want her death on your conscience or the deaths of who knows how many on hers? She and I are similar enough that I can tell you what she'd say."

Wendy deflated. "That's not fair."

"Nothing in life is fair," Sunset snapped. "The universe doesn't care about fairness. It doesn't care about timing. There is no plan. I literally just put my sister in the ground and haven't had time to finish mourning, and I'm immediately hit with this shit. The universe doesn't care about anything. Stuff happens, you have to figure out how you'll respond to it, and you do your best to take the right actions. It isn't comforting, but that's the truth. I'm doing everything I can to help Charlotte. You might not like the options, but I'm not doing these things because I want to make you or her or anyone else miserable. Take a breather, try to calm down, and we'll talk about this later."

The chapel door opened, and Kristin walked in. "Sorry for interrupting everyone having a meltdown, or at least, I assume that's what's going on here, but your favorite pony from Equestria just showed up."

Sunset's ears perked. "Starlight is here?"

"Um…no, I was being sarcastic; sorry that didn't come across. Your least favorite pony from Equestria is here."

Sunset quickly took in Kristin's gait, eyes, and demeanor. "Are you drunk?"

"As my other self would say, I plead the fifth."

"Amicus wouldn't— never mind. It's not my problem, and it's a good day to get drunk anyway. If only we all had the luxury of getting drunk. Let me go deal with that pink unicorn," Sunset said as she got up and marched to the chapel door.

As she was leaving, she heard Wendy and Charles fussing at Kristin for being drunk. Honestly, she didn't care. It had been a day from hell, and there had been alcohol available. Kristin wasn't responsible for anyone but herself, so she was welcome to drown her sorrows if she wanted to. Unfortunately, Sunset had a responsibility to everyone on the property, the city of Denver, and the whole damn world. Hell, those damn radicals were in the range of fire if things went badly with Charlotte, so she supposed she was fighting for their lives too. Things happened, and all you could do was try your best to do the right thing.

Heavenly Father, forgive me.

Andrea sat in the kitchen, picking over a salad, but she had no appetite. She'd been told she wasn't allowed in the latest meeting. That was just as well. She didn't want to see Luster Dawn, the pony who had botched Andrea's transformation on an epic level because the Equestrian thought leaving Sunset's necklace on Andrea through the spell was somehow a good idea. That's what people get for trying to be clever.

Her centaur form didn't bother her in and of itself. She'd be perfectly happy with it if it were something she was allowed to go out in public with and not cause a stir. She knew on some level that her comfort with her form was an inherent part of the spell, but she didn't care. What she cared about was feeling trapped, hiding who she was from the world. Luster Dawn had made the earrings, too, to try to fix and make up for her mistake, but the earrings were like a prison Andrea carried around with her.

And it is unlikely Equestria will be any better. Didn't they have some evil centaur? They'd think about that every time they saw me. Mix that with me having an Earth crystal pony form— and the magic absorption that comes with that, and it becomes easy to get the wrong idea about me. No freedom on Earth, no freedom on Equestria.

Perhaps she was being too pessimistic. It could be better than Earth. From what she'd heard, most Equestrians didn't know much about Earth. Earth was a mysterious place with strange customs and people. If, while in centaur form, she told the average Equestrian that she was from Earth, they'd probably accept it at face value that Earth had a small population of odd-looking crystal centaurs. Their planet had lots of sentient creature types; they were predisposed to think of that as the norm and assume the same about Earth— at least the average Equestrian was.

Why had I never considered just trying to bluff that I was some weird creature from Equestria? It worked both ways. Ponies are the most common travelers from Equestria, but there are occasional tourists, students, and diplomats from other creature types. Sure, they get stared at, but people accept it. Most Earthlings had heard the story about an evil centaur in Equestria, so it wasn't such a far-fetched idea. Too late to consider that now.

Her train of thought was interrupted as two mares and a half-grown filly came into the kitchen; the filly was crying. She recognized one of the mares from earlier, Lántiān. The other mare was clearly one of Phobia's and had heavily tattooed wings depicting various military themes. The filly had been one of the first to talk to Empathy.

Lántiān and the other mare stopped to look at Andrea as they came into the kitchen, apparently not expecting it to be occupied. The filly was too distraught to pay her any attention. After a brief pause, seemingly deciding not to worry about Andrea, Lántiān refocused on the filly.

"Take a seat, Madison, and don't worry about Andrea. She won't bother you. She's having a bad day too. She got shot," Lántiān calmly said, directing the filly towards the table.

Madison reluctantly took a seat and, still sniffling, wiped her eyes with one of her wings. Lántiān then went to the freezer and began searching in it as the other mare took a seat next to the filly and rubbed her back with a wing.

"What's up with her?" Andrea asked.

"My sister is a bitch," the tattooed mare said gruffly.

"Charlotte!" Lántiān snapped.

"For the thousandth time; call me Martinez!" the tattooed mare snapped back. "And are you disputing the bitchiness of my sister?"

Lántiān scowled as she pulled out a tub of ice cream and held it under a wing. "No, but you should not say disrespectful things about her mother in front of her or cuss in front of a filly."

Charlotte or Martinez, or whatever her name was, continued to show she must have been raised in a barn by spitting on the floor, causing Lántiān to deepen her scowl of disapproval.

"I'm sure a filly her age has heard worse language and used it," Martinez said as if it were a statement of fact. "I wouldn't doubt Arachne has used worse language towards her."

That made Madison start crying again, and the filly covered her face with both her wings.

Lántiān walked over to the table and set the ice cream down in front of Madison and then looked at Martinez, then at the floor where the glob of spit was, and then back at Martinez.

Martinez actually cringed then got out of her seat. "Let me find something to clean that up before Grandma finds out I spit on her floor."

"You do that," Lántiān said with a nod and took a seat next to the filly, wrapping her wing around her.

Madison sniffled and uncovered her face. "Mom did say worse."

Lántiān sighed and looked at Andrea. "Her mother was harshly berating her. I didn't hear the details, but I saw the result. I never had the calmest relationship with either my biological or adopted mother, but our arguments were not so lopsided. This was bullying."

"Call it what it was; it was emotional abuse," Martinez snarled as she wiped up the spit. "And didn't you and Grandma literally sock each other in the face when you were a teen?"

"We did…" Lántiān said with a hint of shame. "However, I would say our blows were about equal, so you can't call it lopsided. That didn't make it right, but it wasn't an adult screaming at a helpless foal who cannot stand up for herself."

Andrea kept her face straight. The idea of anyone striking Sunset Blessing and getting away with it was about as foreign to her as it could get. Plus, Sunset was usually surprisingly good with kids, just like Charlotte, and it was hard to imagine her striking a filly. They must have had a very rocky relationship. No wonder Lántiān was the one foal of Sunset's that it took a funeral to get to a visit from.

Madison seemed to have calmed down some as she wiped her again. "It's okay. I messed up. I didn't do a good job. I should have done better."

"Better at what?" Andrea asked.

The filly bit her lip and didn't reply.

"I already asked her and didn't get a response either," Lántiān said with a shake of my head. "My best guess was Arachne ordered her to get information from your elephant friend. I asked her if that was what it was, but no confirmation. I doubt Madison will open up about it."

Andrea grunted. "Arachne was in here, asking questions. She dropped a bombshell bit of information about Charlotte while she was here."

Martinez's head shot up, and her ears flattened. "What'd she say about me?"

"Other Charlotte, my sister," Andrea clarified.

"Oh, that's better. Thought I was going to have yet another reason to kick Arachne's flank," Martinez said as she got up and tossed the rag she had been using in the sink. "Is she really some alternate version of Grandma? She seems a little… I don't know, bratty."

"She and Sunset share the same history until they were six years old, then it diverges, but technically they are the same person. She obviously hasn't had any kids, so she isn't your grandmother," Andrea answered. She had to go over this stuff with Andri's family, and she expected every extended family member was going to question them about it.

Martinez chuckled. "Close enough to her. Guess that makes you the younger great-aunt I never knew I had. I never really knew Great-Aunt Andrea. Think I met her like one or two times when I was a filly."

"Don't call me great-aunt. I'm younger than you," Andrea said as she watched Madison start eating ice cream and noticed the flavor, mint chocolate chip. "By the way, that's Charlotte's ice cream."

Lántiān raised an eyebrow. "Really? I assumed it was Ma'am's. It is her favorite flavor. It can be replaced; the filly deserves a treat."

She watched the filly eat and couldn't tell how much or how little she liked the flavor. Madison seemed almost robotic in how she took spoonfuls.

"So, you and Arachne are twins?" Andrea asked Martinez. "You seem very different from one another."

Martinez sighed. "Yeah, we're pretty different but similar in many ways. We both dealt with the same pressures growing up. It's rough, living in the shadow of so many famous and influential ponies. Everyone always wants to talk about our mother, aunt, or grandmother when talking about us— always with the comparisons, always failing to live up to them. Me, I joined the army so I could get away from it all. Arachne went in another direction. She started to get like this when we were teens and has only gotten worse over time."

"Anything, in particular, happen to make her so…you know?" Andrea asked.

Martinez frowned. "When we were fillies, we constantly trained on how to fight so we could defend ourselves. We trained daily from a young age, and we got good, really good, good enough that either of us could take down any of Mom's bodyguards like they were nothing, or even several of them in a single fight. We developed a sense of pride in it. It was something we were good at that ponies couldn't compare with our mom or the others. I still do. I did a long stint in the Army Special Forces due to my fighting prowess before eventually semi-retiring to be a combat instructor. Arachne might not look like it these days, but she's still one of the most dangerous hoof-to-hoof fighters alive, even if she doesn't demonstrate it or mention it anymore. She's just as good as me, possibly better."

"I'd never guess it. She looks too prissy for that, like your mom," Andrea confessed.

"Don't let her makeup and dresses fool you. She can kill you with her bare hooves before you know what is happening," Martinez said with a frown. "Anyway, one day, Arachne finally overcame the one bodyguard we never were able to beat, Tempest Shadow. Tempest was our trainer, and she was Mom's personal bodyguard for years before finally retiring just a few years ago. She's about as good as it gets, but she made an error in judgment after Arachne beat her. She decided Arachne needed to be humbled. She underestimated Arachne's pride."

Madison spoke up at last, apparently never hearing much about her mother's foalhood. "What did she do to Mom?"

Charlotte snorted. "Wild Growth was visiting that day, and she agreed when Tempest asked her to participate in the exercise. Tempest ordered Arachne to knock down Wild Growth however she could, no holding back. Arachne expected she'd need a stronger blow to knock down our aunt— after all, she's Wild Growth. So she did a full-on dive bomb to hit Wild Growth with a blow that would have killed anyone else. Arachne knew it wouldn't kill our aunt, she's too tough, but she thought it would stagger her and throw her off balance enough to be knocked over. Wild Growth didn't even attempt to dodge or brace for the blow. After it connected, there was a cracking sound. Wild Growth continued to stand there like nothing had happened, and Arachne was writhing in pain after fracturing her hoof on Wild's face."

Andrea whistled. "That's humbling."

Martinez nodded sadly. "It was more than that; it was humiliating. The injury was easy enough for our brother and the unicorn medic to patch-up, but the damage to her pride was far worse. It told Arachne that our special thing was basically nothing compared to those ponies we lived in the shadow of. Arachne thought she was at least this great fighter, and she is one of the greatest, but Arachne got it in her head that she wasn't good enough because her skills didn't matter compared to the capabilities of the big three. It was another thing where she didn't measure up. It infuriated her, and she started trying to find new ways of crafting her own legacy. It became an obsession."

"That was mean of them to do to my mom," Madison asserted, ears flattened.

Martinez hung her head. "As someone now in charge of training recruits, I understand Tempest's mindset better. Tempest was never a gentle teacher. She cared about us, but that only made her harder on us. She didn't want anyone ever to be able to harm us, so she trained us to be the best. She didn't want us to get too prideful and think no one could defeat us. That could lead to us throwing ourselves into a situation when the best thing to do would be to run away, but she made an error in judgment humiliating Arachne like that."

Andrea sat and thought about it. She wasn't unfamiliar with living in someone else's shadow. She'd spent half of her life living side-by-side with a different version of herself, who had a history and many accomplishments. However, Andri's shadow paled compared to those spread by those big three, and Charlotte sat right in the middle of one of those shadows. Maybe that was why Charlotte denied how similar she was to her other self. It was an attempt to get out of the shadow, to not need to be compared and found wanting.

She looked at Madison. What about those who didn't care about the accomplishments of others and only wanted to be loved? Would Madison grow up bitter and resentful? There was an unforeseen cost to legendary greatness, some cruel reverse karma, a poison that infected those who followed after, which could impact multiple generations.

Her resolve about following her little sister to Equestria wavered as she considered she was putting herself in Charlotte's shadow, but then she hardened her resolve. She'd go to Equestria with her sister. She might find herself spending her life in her little sister's shadow, but she would not let that poison her feelings.

Chapter 1.9: Magic Lessons

"Your shoes are really ugly!'

Okay, this was just sad.

"You take that back about Miss Charlotte's shoes!"

Really sad.

Luster Dawn watched her, looking for a reaction. Did this pink pony expect to get a rise out of anyone with an insult like that? She'd been insulted worse by video game mascots on a game over screen.

Sunset groaned. "This is getting us nowhere. She is prepared for someone trying to make her angry, and your insults are so weak they tickle babies. You don't even sound like you mean it when you say them."

The pink unicorn pointed at Empathy. "They make the elephant mad!"

"The elephant is an idiot," Sunset replied.

Empathy nodded shamefully as he clasped his hands in front of himself. "It's true. I am."

"Hey! Don't insult my elephant!" Charlotte yelled.

Sunset leveled a long-suffering look on her. "We already discussed this. He is not a pet; he is a sentient being. That is good because he can tend to things like feeding himself. Lord knows that you can't keep up with such a basic task."

Charlotte smirked. "Nice try, old mare, but I know what you're doing."

"It was worth a shot," Sunset said with a shrug. "You know, I may have to transform you if you can't get full control of your powers. You will look like a mini-me then, except you'll be working from my natural state, not the one Triss elevated me to. Weak, pathetic, and incapable of doing most advanced spells. Ponies will look at you and feel sorry for you because they'll know you are just a substandard imitation. My purple and yellow mane always reminded me of a pom-pom. Perhaps we could put it up in a high ponytail and get you a cute little outfit to be my cheerleader."

Charlotte crossed her arms. "You know, this kind of stuff won't work on me twice in one day, but it was a much better try than Luster Dawn's. I guess we can't expect the Princess of Friendship's student to be good at making people mad."

Sunset nodded. "Score one for Team Luna."

"This isn't a competition!" Luster fumed.

"You're right. Still one for Team Luna, though," Sunset said with a smirk.

Charlotte pumped a fist. "Luna! Luna! Luna!"

Empathy joined in, bouncing in place. "Yeah, Luna! Hooray, Luna!"

"You two don't get to cheer. You aren't on our team!" Sunset snapped. "And the elephant doesn't even know what he is cheering about."

"But it sounds very fun!" Empathy said, still bouncing in place.

"Party pooper. Can't let anyone lighten the mood," Charlotte grumbled.

Luster threw her head back as she plopped down on the floor. "Uggh! How am I supposed to evaluate how dangerous her magic is if she can't do it?"

"You can look at the residual effect of the portal. It's still right there. It hasn't faded completely," Sunset said, pointing to the side of the room. "I don't see any lasting destabilization."

Luster looked over at the spot and blinked. "How can you see that?"

Sunset's ears flattened. "Do you seriously not know how to do that? I learned that spell from your teacher. Why don't you know it?"

Luster cringed. "She hasn't taught me everything she knows, and I tend to do a lot of self-study."

"Your self-study has some serious gaps," Sunset said flatly. She then shook her head and lit her horn. "Just observe this spell. I'll try to be as obvious with the weaves as possible—and don't try to show off by altering or doing something you aren't supposed to do with the spell. We've had enough of you screwing things up trying that."

"It was one time," Luster muttered.

"One time too many, and it impacted one of my family for the rest of her life. Don't try to be clever; just pay attention," Sunset snapped.

Honestly, it was kind of a hypocritical order. Sunset altered, combined, and repurposed spells all the time, but then again, that was part of the nature of her talent. She was being harsh because of what Luster had done to Andrea, and the unicorn would probably never live it down, despite probably being a very accomplished mage.

Luster watched Sunset perform the spell and nodded in understanding. "That seems simple enough. I can repeat it." The younger unicorn then lit her horn and examined the area.

"Well…it is simple enough to do, but I don't understand what I'm looking at well enough to judge it," Luster said as she blinked at the spot.

"Of all the…!" Sunset said with a frustrated shake of her head. "Equestria's finest at work! No wonder Twilight has been begging me to come to teach at that school. To think I was once in awe of what your mages could do. Now I know better."

"You know, friendship is an integral part of the curriculum there. You might want to work on your pony skills," Luster timidly pointed out.

"I'm very friendly!" Sunset yelled.

Charlotte about choked on her laugh. No one ever claimed honesty was Sunset's element, and it showed.

Empathy looked at Sunset in confusion. "Sorry, Miss Sunset Unicorn Pony, ma'am, but I don't think you know what that word means."

Charlotte decided she would say something. "In her defense, she is much better with foals. It's the adults that walk out of a room wanting to murder her."

Sunset snorted. "That's because foals should be forgiven for their ignorance and foolishness; they're kids who're still learning. Adults have no such excuse and will arrogantly wallow in their ignorance. Take it from an old mare who did it for decades, and it took a disaster of biblical proportions to get through to me. Give me a foolish child over a foolish adult any day."

Luster sighed. "Can you please explain how to understand what I am seeing? I will pay attention, I promise. You're one of the great mages I have studied extensively and admired. I know we got off on the wrong hoof when we first met. I made a big mistake, and I understand it hurt someone important to you. To tell the truth, I had been trying to impress you back then— show one of my heroes how great I was. It was stupid, and all I can do is keep saying I'm sorry and try to do better."

"You know you shouldn't hold grudges. I don't think God likes it when you refuse to forgive someone who is truly repentant," Charlotte said.

Her other self's ears flattened again. "You don't even believe in God. You are trying to manipulate me with my beliefs!"

"Is it working?" Charlotte asked, smiling slightly.

Sunset scowled at her, then looked at Luster Dawn again. "I needed to explain it to you anyway so you can complete this review. I believe you when you express your regret, so I'll try to be a little nicer. Not everything you do is brainless; the earrings you designed for Andrea were a marked improvement over the design of my necklace, and I can admit to being impressed."

Luster Dawn beamed at the praise, and she pulled out a parchment and quill from her saddlebags before sitting at attention. "I'm ready to hear the explanation and write down my observations."

Charlotte relaxed as she watched Sunset Blessing begin her lesson on whatever this was. It was a little manipulative, trying to butter up the Equestrian, but her life depended on getting to Equestria. If Luster Dawn was willing to put in a good word in the hope of further earning Sunset Blessing's approval, that was all the better.

She hadn't made up her mind about transformation yet, but she knew she didn't want Sunset Blessing getting arrested. If she went to Equestria, maybe she could talk Sunset into transforming her into something other than a pony so that she didn't have to walk around looking like her older self. The more she considered it, the more the idea appealed to her. It would be a fresh start with a chance to chart her own life. Her life since she was six revolved around her other self. Her family hadn't ever been able to move out of Wabash Manor as promised because Charlotte's magic had been this huge unknown, and it registered as too strong to be allowed 'out in the wild' before it was understood. That meant being under Sunset Blessing's roof with Sunset Blessing dictating everything. This entire ordeal was scary, but it gave her a chance at freedom.

Sunset stopped talking and pursed her lips as she looked at Charlotte. "As a safety precaution, I need you to take your clothes off."

Charlotte's eyes went wide in outrage, and she was about to demand to know how taking her clothes off added to anyone's safety, then it dawned on her exactly what the unicorn intended.

"You aren't putting that necklace on me!" she shouted, shaking her head and backing up.

"I can't force you to put it on, per the Dreamwarden's rules, but I highly advise it," Sunset stated. "We don't want any accidents."

"If any radicals attack the manor, they'll confuse me with you," Charlotte protested, desperate to come up with a reasonable objection that didn't sound too selfish.

"The chances of that are low, and the guards are already on heightened alert. Do you want to open up the household to danger for the sake of not looking like me? This is just a temporary thing, so I don't have to babysit you twenty-four-seven until we get you across the portal."

"I could accidentally blow up someone with my horn instead," Charlotte replied.

Sunset gave her a flat look. "If that were true, there'd have been a lot more dead ponies through magical accidents after ETS. You have to have certain working knowledge to do something like that. You are literally too clueless about unicorn magic to hurt anyone with it."

"I can keep my temper under control till then," Charlotte said pleadingly.

"Think about who you are saying that to," Sunset replied. "You and I both know it is one of our major failings. I know you don't like the idea, but, please, do the responsible thing, Charlotte."

This was so not fair.

"And that's why our parents banned Charlotte from reading Doctor Suess books," Andrea said, finishing her story.

Martinez broke out laughing, and Madison let off a giggle. Lántiān didn't look impressed at the story, but she was a bit of a stick in the mud. At least the filly was laughing.

"There's nothing funny about sending one's parent to the hospital," Lántiān said dryly.

"Not at the time, but in hindsight, the reason for it was hilarious," Andrea said defensively.

"My mom would have murdered me," Madison said, still looking amused but sobering up a bit.

Martinez was still wiping her eyes. "Got to pay attention to what you let your kids read. Honestly, I could imagine my siblings and me pulling the same thing at that age. We were a little rambunctious. They called us the three demons."

"Mom too?" Madison asked in disbelief.

"She was the ringleader at least half the time," Martinez replied. "It was always her or me stirring things up, and it was usually your Great-Aunt Jackie, Great-Aunt Jordan, your Uncle Moon, or Jess getting stuck in trouble after the fact. Your mom and I always left someone else hanging for the trouble we instigated. Sometimes literally hanging— your grandmothers liked to chain cookie jars to the ceiling, and we normally had someone else go up there to knock the jars down."

"You grew up in a bizarre household," Andrea commented.

"Tell me about it," Martinez said with a sigh. "Still, I miss those days. Life was simpler. My sister was my partner in crime. Nobody worried about the consequences of our actions, and the world seemed less scary. We were happy."

Martinez got a distant look as she stared out a window. "Then the Cataclysm happened; we all almost died and thought we would lose Jess for a bit. We watched the town we grew up in get obliterated. Grandma Sunset ran away to Denver in shame. Then Tempest started with the training, and we weren't allowed to be normal kids anymore."

"Life can change in an instant," Andrea agreed. "For me, one day it was 1986, and magic was something that was make-believe, then suddenly it was 2046 the next day, magic was a fact of life, and all the kids I went to school were old people with grandkids and great-grandkids while I was still ten years old. It was a bit of a culture shock."

Lántiān grimaced. "I, too, understand what it is to have your world upended. I watched my mother die in front of me as I ran from the only home I ever knew, and I was told everything I was brought up to believe was a lie."

"You three are real cheerful; you know that?"

They all turned to see Sunset Blessing walking into the kitchen with Empathy close behind her. She seemed slightly different somehow.

"Ma'am, you healed your scar," Lántiān said as she looked at the unicorn.

"Grandma, you look younger. Did you do something different with your mane?" Martinez asked.

The unicorn stopped in her tracks and used a hoof to point at the necklace hanging around her neck. "I'm not Sunset Blessing."

"Miss Charlotte is having a bad day," Empathy said, patting the unicorn on the back.

Andrea got up. "Sunset made you put the necklace on? Why?"

Charlotte walked over to the fridge and stared mournfully up at the freezer door at the top. "She says it stops me from accidentally opening portals. Can you help me? I figured out walking easily enough but haven't figured out how to use this horn yet."

Andrea walked over to the freezer and opened it. "What do you want?"

"My ice cream," Charlotte answered. "Don't know how to use a spoon like this, but I figured I could just stick my face in."

"Um…Madison ate your ice cream; blame Lántiān," Andrea explained.

"The filly was having a bad day as well and needed cheering up," Lántiān explained. "Why do you look like Ma'am?"

Charlotte shrugged. "I'm a close enough core resonance match for the necklace to match me with her. The stupid thing remembers people. I was hoping it wouldn't think we were the same, but no such luck."

"Miss Charlotte is having a very bad day," Empathy restated.

"This would be the perfect opportunity to go and try to boss the guards around," Martinez suggested.

"Sunset said that if I tried impersonating her to anyone, she would shave my mane and fur off," Charlotte grumbled.

Martinez winced. "Ouch, harsh."

Charlotte turned and considered the pony. "Are you one of Phobia's daughters? You look like one of them."

"Yeah, Charlotte Martinez, but just call me Martinez."

"Well, fuck your mom," Charlotte replied.

Martinez's features hardened. "You had better explain yourself, filly. I don't care if you are family or if you are some younger version of Grandma; you don't go badmouthing my mother out of the blue like that."

Andrea stepped between them. "Whoa! Hold up. Charlotte has good reasons she is mad at your mom, but she can't talk about it. Charlotte, Martinez is a perfect nice pony who hasn't done anything to you and isn't in the loop about what went down between you and Phobia. I know you're pissed off, but don't go picking fights."

"If you can't use your horn, it is unlikely you can defend yourself," Lántiān stated. "Picking a fight when you are handicapped is extremely foolish. If you are a younger Ma'am, it is to be expected. She used to pull the same thing and nearly got herself killed more than once."

"Hey, on the plus side, I can beat her bloody, and all she has to do to fix it is take the necklace off," Martinez said evilly.

"Martinez!" Lántiān snapped.

"What? I was pointing out a positive."

Andrea sighed and shook her head before looking over at Madison. "Do me a favor, and don't try imitating the grownups here. This is a horrible set of examples on how to behave."

Madison nodded. "They are behaving very uncultured."

Charlotte sat down on her haunches and hung her head. "Great, now I'm being criticized by a kid."

"Get over yourself," Andrea said. "What's the word out of Luster Dawn?"

"Miss Luster Dawn Unicorn Pony is listening very attentively to Miss Sunset Blessing Unicorn Pony," Empathy replied before Charlotte could. "I think they are getting along much better now and might become friends. Miss Charlotte helped, isn't that great?!"

"That isn't what I meant, but thanks for sharing. Sounds great," Andrea replied. "I meant, will Charlotte be able to go to Equestria or not?"

"She's still reviewing my situation before making a recommendation," Charlotte answered. "I'm hoping she is eager enough to please Sunset that she'll give me a good word."

"Any progress on making new portals?" Andrea asked.

"No, they couldn't make me mad. Luster Dawn is particularly bad at it," Charlotte replied.

"Miss Luster Dawn Unicorn Pony said insults about Miss Charlotte, yet Miss Charlotte took them calmly!"

Charlotte cracked a smile. "Empathy was ready to defend my honor the whole time."

"Too bad he's the wrong species and gender," Andrea smirked.

"I never said I was into mares!" Charlotte protested.

Andrea chuckled. "Someone doth protest too much. What was the name of that girl you were making goo-goo eyes at two years back? Susie or something?"

"Why won't she admit she's into girls?" Martinez asked in confusion.

Andrea's smile slipped. "We think she is trying to distance herself more from Sunset. She's never been on a date. There've been girls I know she was interested in that I was pretty sure the interest was mutual, but she never will admit to it and ask them out. She's punishing herself to avoid being like Sunset."

Martinez gave Charlotte a sympathetic look. "Have you ever considered therapy? Being serious about that. The whole having another version of yourself around thing seems like it is giving you some serious issues that you need to work through."

Charlotte laid down where she was and groaned. "Maybe this is some plot of Sunset's to get me mad since she and Luster failed to do so."

"Doubtful since you can't use your magic like this," Andrea commented. "Maybe we can find someone in the house to give you horn lessons. That gives you something to distract yourself from this and make you feel a little less helpless."

"Jordan's still here, and she's a teacher, so I'm sure she'd be willing to help," Martinez suggested. "She's also a lot easier going than Shǔguāng."

"My brother is not so bad, and she should already be familiar with him," Lántiān said in his defense.

"He is kinda stiff, and I've never heard him crack a joke," Andrea muttered. "He might also talk over Charlotte's head. He's a pretty advanced mage. She just needs the basics."

Charlotte looked up at her horn, and a nudge of a smile appeared on the edges of her face. "Learning how to use this thing could be fun. We can try talking to Jordan. I know it's the necklace talking, but the only thing I mind about this form is that I look just like Sunset. Permanent transformation doesn't seem like such a bad thing as long as I can dye my mane to look different than her."

Martinez left her seat and gestured with a wing. "Follow me; Jordan and her hubby are occupying their foals over in the rec room. Madison, you can come along too."

Madison got down from her seat. "I suppose I haven't seen Christine in a while. It will be good to talk to her."

"That's Jordan's eldest; she's about Madison's age," Martinez explained for Andrea and Charlotte's sake. "Jordan keeps popping them out. I don't know how she manages them all. That many foals would drive me crazy. Hope she stops after this next one."

"She manages because her husband is stay-at-home and is just as good with foals as her," Lántiān explained. "They are both excellent parents. Ma'am raised five, so Jordan can too."

"Mom was already grown when you four showed up, and you helped Grandma with your brothers," Martinez pointed out as they all exited the kitchen.

"Ma'am dedicated time to me too and helped me for several years with Drizzle. Five foals are manageable," Lántiān countered. "I have nothing but respect for Ma'am as a parent, and I respect Jordan's parenting skills as well."

"So why do you never come to visit if you love and respect her so much?" Andrea asked.

Lántiān frowned. "She can be very…authoritarian, and I enjoy my freedom. Plus, I have my own family to think about, and being around her means constantly being on guard. My daughter was foalnapped from here at a young age. Ma'am managed to save her, but I don't want my foals or grandcolt having to live in constant fear. It is best to keep our distance. You stay too close to the sun, and you risk getting burned."

"Well, hopefully, things will be better in Equestria after she and I move there," Charlotte commented as she followed behind everyone but Empathy.

Andrea had to stop so she didn't trip over Madison as all three ponies turned to look at Charlotte.

"Ma'am is moving to Equestria?" Lántiān asked in astonishment. "The offer has been made many times; why is she accepting it now?"

"I'm a major security risk, and she is going with me because certain ponies threatened to off me and the rest of the city if they had to," Charlotte replied. "Sunset says they aren't bluffing, and they're too dangerous a foe for her to hold off."

Martinez blinked. "Oh…that's what Mom did to piss you off, gotcha. Geez, Mom doesn't play around."

"We can't confirm anything, and Charlotte shouldn't be talking about it," Andrea said hurriedly.

"Why do you assume it is your mother?" Lántiān asked Martinez in confusion.

Martinez shrugged. "There are only two ponies who were here who could intimidate Grandma. The filly is mad at my mom, so I just put two and two together."

"You don't seem very concerned about the threat," Andrea observed.

Martinez shrugged again. "Mildly, I guess. Mom doesn't lie; that's why she is such a good liar."

"So Grandma is lying?" Madison asked, sounding hopeful that her grandmother was full of shit.

"She isn't lying. She never does, but she can let you assume things that aren't true," Martinez explained. "It all depends on how she worded things. She only speaks the truth, but she can leave out details or combine truths to give you a wrong impression. You have to pay extra close attention to what she says and what she doesn't say. The truth goes as far as she says and no further. Never let anything be implied, and I mean anything, no matter how small, because that's where the lie is. She didn't tell a lie; you jumped to a conclusion. Dreamwardens are extremely legalistic and masters at pulling that crap."

Andrea didn't see how Phobia could pull that with how she worded things earlier. She seemed very explicit in the meaning of what she said and made sure they understood that.

They were bombarded with the noise of kids playing as they walked into the rec room. There were foals and human children everywhere, along with many parents. Some parents seemed to be struggling with keeping their kids from becoming too rowdy, while others were having conversations. Kids ranged in age from barely able to speak to mid-teens. Wabash Manor had apparently become a daycare. Madison took this time to strut over to a unicorn filly around her age and strike up a conversation.

A heavily pregnant violet unicorn mare diverted her gaze from some of the foals to them as they approached, but she was clearly still paying attention to the foals. She smiled as she saw Martinez, but her eyes widened as she saw Charlotte.

"The younger Charlotte isn't allowed to use her human magic?" the mare asked as they came up to her.

Charlotte paused in her tracks right away. "You can tell I'm not Sunset?"

The mare nodded. "I know how Auntie's necklace works, and I know if I see a mare who looks like her wearing it that there's only one possible person it could be." She lit her horn, and a tiny colt that was yanking on a filly's tail was separated from the said tail, levitated a short distance away, and set down. The colt's attention span must have been short because he was immediately distracted by another group of foals.

With the foal dealt with, Jordan turned her full attention to Charlotte. "Plus, you're way younger than her, don't have the scar she got saving Drizzle, and most ponies your age have a cutie mark. Don't worry; I think most people here knew about her necklace, even though it's supposed to be a big secret. Some have even tried it on."

Martinez smiled. "Jordan's a smart one. Anyway, Jor, do you think you could give little Grandma a few—"

A sudden sound of an explosion somewhere else in the house cut her off. Everyone stopped what they were doing.

Jordan was the first to start to take action, lighting her horn brightly. "I don't know what that was, but I'm putting a shield up over the doors and windows."

Martinez went into full soldier mode and immediately started barking orders about gathering the kids and telling people where to stand. Lántiān began more calmly directing people to move in accordance with Martinez's orders. A unicorn stallion, possibly Jordan's husband, joined the pregnant mare to help reinforce the shield around the room. The kids were all crying, but the adults were all business. This was the family of Sunset Blessing, and this was Wabash Manor; you had to always be prepared for the worst. For his part, Empathy stood closer guard over Charlotte, although Andrea had no idea what he could accomplish other than being a speed bump.

Andrea's mind raced as she got closer to her sister to add a layer of protection. Charlotte wearing the necklace was an extra layer of protection that could negate almost any injury, but it was still possible to die wearing it. What was the source of the attack? Radicals being much bolder? The care bears returning in force? Whatever Phobia had planned? Or had Sunset Blessing just lost her temper? All were possibilities, but she leaned towards something to do with Charlotte.

The quicker they left the planet, the better.

Chapter 1.10: The Wailing

Author's Note

I was originally going to give this chapter a second half, but after review, I decided that it was best to just let it stand as a short chapter. The first half had enough impact.

Chapter 1.10: The Wailing

Miss Sunset Blessing Unicorn Pony was a very violent pony.

Empathy cringed as he was escorted through the halls, trying to stay in front of Miss Charlotte to protect her. There was blood, a lot of blood. There were dead bears everywhere; not all were in one piece. Some of them were missing arms or legs or had holes going right through their bellies. Many were charred and burnt beyond recognition. And the smell…he had never smelled anything so foul in his life. Everybody had talked about how powerful the unicorn was and how capable she was of defending the manor. This wasn't just powerful; this was monstrous.

Miss Charlotte looked as nervous as he felt, nervous and sick. She zigged and zagged through the hallway, keeping as much distance between herself and the dead bodies. Only humans tended to the dead, with the only pony present, other than Miss Charlotte, being covered at the end of the hall with a sheet. It seemed an odd place to take a nap; maybe the pony didn't want to see what was in the hall. There was a human laying down with a sheet too.

Miss Andrea Glowing Pony-Human seemed less troubled by their surroundings, but still looked sick. She brought up the rear to protect Miss Charlotte from behind.

The guards stopped outside the room where he had first arrived and gestured for them to go inside while they stood watch at the door with two other guards who were already there. They held the door open just wide enough for the three of them to wedge through and seemed impatient for them to do so. The trio complied.

The first thing he noticed when walking into the room was the bear, and he almost retreated, and would have if Miss Charlotte wasn't directly behind him. He then saw the bear was tied to a chair with a blindfold and weird earmuffs, and the bear's head sagged. The bear was asleep but alive. Two humans stood next to the bear with guns pointed at it, and two of the shiny ponies stood nearby, also watching the bear.

He jumped as the door closed behind them.

"H-how bad is it out there?"

They turned to see Luster Dawn Unicorn Pony sitting in a corner. Her eyes were red from crying, and she looked frightened. There was no sign of Sunset Blessing Unicorn Pony.

Luster Dawn Unicorn Pony gulped. "Please, tell me. They won't give me details or let me out of the room."

Miss Charlotte looked ready to vomit. "If there really were only about a hundred bears in total in that other world, Sunset just dramatically reduced that number…maybe by a fifth? Does that count as a genocide?"

The other unicorn whimpered. "Sweet harmony…."

Miss Charlotte gulped. "It was a massacre. They didn't stand a chance. She was brutal. There's so much blood. I think the bears got two of our guards before she showed up. That's probably what set her off. She considers the guards part of the household, and when you hurt anyone in the household, she loses it."

"Where is Miss Sunset Blessing Unicorn Pony?" Empathy asked, wondering if she had been hurt.

The pony in the corner shook her head. "I don't know. She came in with the bear and guards, barked out some orders, and then teleported away without an explanation. Nobody is telling me anything. I learned more from you than any of these guards. They won't even talk other than telling me I can't leave."

Miss Andrea Glowing Pony-Human looked at the bear. "She must have only needed one of them alive to question. I can guess why Charlotte and Empathy were brought here, but why me?"

"I don't know," Miss Luster Dawn Unicorn Pony replied. "Maybe to have another crystal pony available? We don't know much about their magic, and you fought one already."

"Miss Andrea must be here to help guard Miss Charlotte!" Empathy asserted confidently.

Miss Andrea pointed at the door. "Did you pay attention in that hall? Sunset is all the protection anybody needs. The guards normally are just to deter invaders and catch them before they cause problems. Sunset can't be everywhere in the house at once or aware of everything, but when in a direct confrontation, she's the wrath of God made flesh. If we're in her office, that's about as safe as it gets."

"If she were here," Miss Charlotte reminded her sister. "Where is she if we're here and the prisoner is here?"

The door opened again, and instead of admitting Miss Sunset Blessing, two humans came in.

One of them instantly looked at Charlotte and balled up her fists. "Why did you bring us here? Is this about Charlotte? Is she okay? Why isn't she here?"

Miss Andrea walked over and put a hand on the woman's shoulder. "Mom, do you see the necklace and the lack of the scar or cutie mark? That's Charlotte. Sunset isn't here. Nobody seems to know where she is."

Miss Charlotte timidly waved a hoof at them. "Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad."

The two new humans gaped at Miss Charlotte before the woman spoke again, sounding frantic. "Charlotte? Why are you wearing that thing? You've never had it on before. Did you get hurt?! Is it like when Andrea got shot and-"

"I'm fine," Miss Charlotte quickly replied. "I just can't use my human magic like this. Having the necklace on prevents accidents."

"I think we are well beyond the point where we should worry about that. It looked like the invasion already started," Miss Charlotte's dad said breathlessly. "Maybe this will scare the bears off from trying again."

"Or make it all the more personal," Miss Andrea muttered. "After killing that many bears, I could imagine they are more interested in killing Sunset than the invasion."

"If they were invading at all," Miss Luster Dawn said. "They could have just been here to capture the elephant. We don't know much about him. He could be a criminal."

Empathy backed away. "I snuck into Care-A-Lot, which I'm not allowed to do, but I never hurt anybody! The bears were going to catch me and kill me!"

The pink pony gave him a doubtful look. "So I was told you said. It seems strange you would risk so much just to find a human. Until the Dreamwardens confirm your story, I find it suspect."

The door opened again, and this time Miss Sunset Blessing walked in. She was moving slowly, she had a black eye, and her eyes were red like she had been crying. She looked at them all as the door shut behind them. She didn't say anything, she just stood there staring, and her eyes started to water.

Miss Luster Dawn looked strangely relieved at the red unicorn's distress. "Are you alright? What happened to your eye? You didn't have a black eye right after the flight. I can see you're upset. I can only imagine that you have to be feeling a great deal of remorse after-"

"No, no remorse for the bears. I'd kill every last one of them everywhere if I could," Miss Sunset Blessing whispered, closing her eyes as she started crying. "I have always kept my family safe. I've lost guards before, but never family, not since Tonya. Today…today, I lost two. Every bear can burn in Hell."

The entire room seemed to stop breathing.

"Where's Kristin?" Miss Charlotte's mom asked, lip trembling and her voice trying to contain the sound of terror.

Sunset Blessing didn't reply; she just kept crying.

"Oh no…" Miss Luster Dawn gasped.

"WHERE'S MY BABY?!" Miss Charlotte's mom screamed, now weeping.

"Kristin…" Miss Andrea whispered, dropping to her knees.

Miss Charlotte backed away. "No! It has to be a lie! She can't…she can't…."

Empathy turned and hugged Miss Charlotte, and she broke down crying against him. Everybody was crying and hugging, except for Miss Luster Dawn, who sat in the corner, unable to bring herself to say anything, and Miss Sunset Blessing, who stood where she had been, crying and alone.

"You said two," Miss Luster Dawn finally said, breaking in. "Who else?"

Miss Sunset sat down, and her forelegs seemed so wobbly that they could collapse at any second. "Mèng…they killed my precious little Mèng. My son…." She choked as she let off a wail and licked her lips. "I heard the commotion and ran into the hall. I knocked out the first bear and intended to take the rest…then I saw the bodies…I don't remember what happened after that. Mèng…"

Her forelegs gave out, and she fell to the floor, wailing; the room echoed with the wailing of grieving parents and sisters. Empathy felt empathy for them all, but this time it brought him no joy.

Chapter 1.11: Death and Judgment

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 1.12: Pleas of a Fat Pony

"Wakey-wakey!"

Charlotte groaned as she opened her eyes. It was too early. "Five more minutes, Mom."

"I'm not your mom, and it's nearly noon."

She went to pull her cover over her head, and her eyes popped open as she realized that whoever was in the room with her had pulled it off, leaving her butt naked and exposed in front of them. With a shocked gasp, she practically fell out of bed to use it for cover.

"Is this the naked human thing? Seriously, I'm a pony, and I am perfectly straight and married. I don't think anything about your form is the least bit attractive. I don't mean to be offensive, but to be honest, I've always been a little confused how anypony could find humans attractive."

Charlotte peeked over the bed and saw Jordan standing there, looking exasperated.

Jordan shook her head and visibly forced a smile. "Why don't you put on the necklace? You'll feel less embarrassed. I don't want to cause a scene. I just went through getting Auntie Sunset up, and that was a nightmare, so I'm a little annoyed with fighting with grown adults behaving like kids. Nobody wants to get up today, and I understand why, but you can't spend all day in bed."

"Yes, I can!" Charlotte yelled.

The unicorn sat down. "If I had my choice, I would leave you to it, but I don't. I had to get Auntie Sunset up because things needed to be done, and they weren't happening without her. She says you need to get up and dumped the task of getting you upon me as some foalish retribution for waking her. I know I didn't want to get up either when my dad died a few years ago, and I know this has to feel a hundred times worse for you, but harsh as it is, the world doesn't stop just because we lost loved ones."

"Why you, and not one of my parents or my sister?" Charlotte asked, still not moving.

"I told you, nobody wants to get up. Your parents, sister, all of Sunset's foals, Amicus, and several others are all still in bed. I have to be up because I have foals, and I feel sorry for Drizzle because I can tell she wants to stay in bed, and I know how much she loved her uncle, but she's got to deal with a foal too. Sunset needed to be up because she needed to make decisions, and she said she needed you, so I'm getting you. Please, just put the necklace on and see what she wants."

Charlotte reluctantly reached for her nightstand, where she had left the necklace before going to sleep, and slipped it on. It was an odd sensation, turning into a pony, but the necklace acted quickly, and the next thing she knew, she was too short to look over the edge of the bed easily. So she walked out behind it.

"See, you're probably feeling silly about worrying about being seen naked now," Jordan said as she got up. "Sunset is in her room. That whole hallway is…it's still being sanitized. Your sister slept on one of the benches for the guards instead of going to her room. It seems uncomfortable, but whatever saved her from having to walk down that hall. I'm still willing to give you magic lessons later if you want something to distract yourself." Jordan paused and looked in a corner before pointing. "And you might want to bring him with you."

She'd almost forgotten. Empathy had pulled up a mass of pillows and blankets and made himself a bed in a corner. He was still fast asleep, some protector if he didn't wake up to her yelling.

"How'd you get roped into being the one to wake Sunset up?" Charlotte asked. "I doubt it was a task anyone wanted after yesterday."

Jordan sighed. "They figured I had the best chance of escaping unscathed if she lashed out when she woke up, and no, I'm not kidding. She was thrashing in her sleep, so I kept my shield up the whole time."

"Huh…I got visited by a warden last night who helped with stuff. I figured the Dreamwardens would have visited her too and kept the nightmares away," Charlotte replied.

"I don't know. Maybe they had an argument or something," Jordan said with a shrug. She then paused and lifted her leg, and lit her horn to answer her phone. "What do you want, Auntie?"

"Have you gotten Charlotte yet?" Sunset's voice came over the line. She sounded exhausted.

"She's up and about to come see you. Once she gets the elephant up," Jordan replied.

"Tell her to scratch coming to me. I was just informed she has a visitor at the front door. It's Rebecca Rice. Tell her to go see what that overstuffed pegasus wants."

Jordan's brow narrowed. "Why is Rebecca here?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't need Charlotte to ask," Sunset snapped. "I know she's asking for Charlotte. Have her go deal with your chubby friend so I can get that pegasus off my property."

The call abruptly ended, and Jordan shook her head. "Guess you're going downstairs instead. I'll go with you. I haven't seen Rebecca in ages, and I kinda want to know why she suddenly decided to show up."

"Who's Rebecca Rice?" Charlotte asked in confusion. "I've never heard of her. Is she some sort of government official? I don't know many people who can just walk into Wabash Manor as they please, and no one without permission. It didn't sound like Sunset wanted her here."

"Rebecca technically has the authority to go where she pleases, but I've never known her to use that authority," Jordan said thoughtfully. "I can't say why, but she's a big deal. She's nice. You don't need to worry about her hurting you or anything. Rebecca is about as pacifist as it gets. I don't think she could hurt anybody if she tried. She's normally very cheerful."

"She's your friend?"

Jordan nodded. "Yeah. She used to foalsit Drizzle with me when I was much younger. She's fat, and my sister Jackie called Rebecca the worst pegasus she's ever seen because Rebecca is horrible at flying. That's a little harsh, but she is a terrible flyer. She's a nice pony, though."

Charlotte frowned. "That doesn't explain why she can just walk into Wabash Manor when Sunset doesn't want her here."

"Rebecca is a lot more than she seems, but I can't talk about it. You can ask her, and she might tell you, but she might not. Hurry up and go see her."

So, no answers. Well, all she could do was meet this pegasus. She doubted this was some assassin from Phobia if Jordan said she was a pacifist and Sunset wasn't keeping them apart.

She started to take her necklace off, but Jordan swatted her hooves with magic. "Sorry, but you need to keep that on. No mishaps, remember?"

Charlotte rubbed her swatted hoof. That had stung. "But she's going to see me looking like a younger version of Sunset and find out about the necklace and who I am."

"I'm sure she knows about both already. Get your elephant up. I'm sure she wants to meet him too, and it wouldn't be fair to him if he woke up and didn't know where you were."

Plus, he was supposed to stay supervised, but it seemed like that could be relaxed a bit. Wasn't he supposed to be checked out by the Dreamwardens last night? He was still breathing, so he must have checked out okay. Not that she had any doubts. Empathy was a sweetheart.

She walked over to him, and just before she was about to nudge him awake, he let out a very long, thunderous fart. She waved a leg in front of her muzzle. Man, that was rank! Maybe Earth food didn't agree with him. His farts smelled like death.

Her eyes started to water up. Stupid smelly farts…they were making her…

It was all suddenly too much, and she broke down on the floor sobbing.

She wasn't sure if seconds or minutes passed when furry legs and furry arms embraced her, as well as a furry trunk. Nothing was said; Jordan and Empathy just held her as she cried.

It was at least a few minutes before she could manage to speak. "I-I'm sorry. The smell from Empathy's gas was so bad…."

"We understand," Jordan said gently, not correcting her lie, even if it was an obvious one. "It's okay. You can cry. There might be times you have to put on a brave face, but this isn't one of them. Take your time. Rebecca will understand."

"My flatulence upset Miss Charlotte?" Empathy asked in alarm.

"No, it didn't," Jordan replied.

"But she just said-"

"I'll explain it to you later," Jordan said with a sigh.

Charlotte kept crying. She cried so much her head hurt, and her eyes burned. The two didn't let go or move away, although she was sure she was getting their fur wet and covered in snot. They didn't seem to care. She felt bad. She hadn't even known these two before yesterday, and here she was putting them through this. She did everything she could to bring her crying to a halt and pulled away from the two, wiping her leg against her face to clear the tears and gunk. Great, now she was going to meet this important pony, and she looked a complete mess.

Jordan patted her on the back. "If you want to take a shower, I can go tell Rebecca it will be a few minutes. She's a busy pony, and I'm not sure what her schedule might look like, but I'm sure-"

Charlotte shook her head. "No, let's just get it over with. I don't know if a shower will make it better or if I am holding her up from other things. You make her sound important, and if she's important enough that she can walk into the manor when it is locked down, I don't want to cause her any trouble."

"Who are we seeing?" Empathy asked curiously.

"An important pony. That's all I know, and now we are on the same page," Charlotte said with a shake of her head. "You can go hang out with Andrea or my parents or someone if you want. I know I'm probably not nourishing you when I'm wearing this necklace."

"I still want to stay with you, Miss Charlotte."

Jordan smiled. "That's a super loyal friend you have there, don't do him wrong."

She followed Jordan out the hall and to the stairwell. Before reaching the stairwell, her ears twitched at the sounds of…foals laughing.

"Sweet dreams are made of this! Who am I to disaaagreee!"

Foals were laughing, and some adult was singing terribly.

As they reached the stairs, they saw an extremely flabby pegasus mare dancing, dancing on two legs! How did a pony that fat manage not only to keep her balance on two legs but to also dance? She was singing away happily as an unfamiliar woman clapped a beat. There were lots of foals watching and parents smiling along. Charlotte and the others stared on in amazement; even Jordan, who already knew this pegasus, seemed taken aback that the pegasus was someone defying all laws of gravity by maintaining balance with her colossal girth.

The pegasus looked up the stairs at them while still dancing. " Aww! There you are! I've been waiting for you. I'm Rebecca Rice, but you might better know me as—" She stopped in mid-twirl, spreading her forelegs and wings wide. "The Marshmallow! Look upon me in all my physical glory!"

The Marshmallow promptly lost her balance, tried to correct it by flapping her wings and waving her forelegs, but still ended up falling backward with a loud crash as she hit the floor.

She lifted her legs into the air. "I'm alright!"

The woman who had been clapping a beat scowled at the fallen pegasus mare. "You jumped the gun announcing your identity. You aren't supposed to come out and say that till the press conference later this week!"

The pegasus rolled over and returned to her hooves, all four of them this time. "Meh, it will be fine. Do we really need to do the whole conference thing? I could just post a video up on social media and have the OMMR and government put a stamp of approval on it."

"Yes, you need to do the news conference," the woman said firmly. "And you need to make this visit go quicker. You're going to be late for your appointment with the tailor."

"We could skip the tailor," the pegasus said in a hopeful tone.

The woman waved a finger in the pegasus's face. "You're not getting out of this. You are getting a suit for the news conference."

"You won't even let me get one with stripes and spots to match my fur!" the pegasus protested, spreading her wings wide. Her fur was completely white, and her mane a sunny blond. There was no sign of any spot or stripe on her.

The woman bent down to stare the pegasus in the eyes. "I told you no. You need to show the dignity of your station."

The pegasus blew a raspberry with her tongue and flipped her mane. "Party-pooper!"

"She's a Dreamwarden?" Charlotte asked skeptically, raising a brow.

Jordan nodded. "I wasn't going to say so, but apparently, I can. I know Rebecca isn't what you might think of when dealing with a Dreamwarden, but she's The Marshmallow."

The woman clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "That's all the show The Marshmallow will be doing today, kids. Go play; maybe you can go practice your own dancing moves."

"Um…Blanche, that might be a bad idea," The Marshmallow whispered loudly. "Stuff knocked over and broken, kids falling down, lots of crying, and none of them as fluffy as me, so more likely to get hurt. Bad idea." She turned and smiled at the kids. "Don't try this at home, kids! Or here…for that matter. Dancing is a lot of fun, but you shouldn't attempt it on two legs— if you're a pony— unless you have a dancing instructor and lots of cushy mats to fall on. Nobody is having fun if they get hurt. Safety first! If you want to dance like me, you should ask your parents to sign you up for dance classes. I took a lot of them to learn to dance like this. It was hard work, but it was a lot of fun!"

Parents were suddenly swarmed by their kids, asking them if they could take dance classes. Charlotte wasn't sure if the parents were going to be thankful for The Marshmallow suggesting that, but they were probably grateful the fat pegasus headed off the chaos that could have resulted if they had tried dancing like that on their own.

"Maybe we should migrate to the dining room to talk?" Jordan suggested as she walked down the stairs slowly.

The Marshmallow looked her over. "Looking plump, Jordan. This is number five, right?"

Jordan nodded. "Probably the last one. I could keep going, but kids are expensive, and our house is getting cramped."

"Understood. I'm going to get around to adopting one of these days. Maybe after I retire," the fat pegasus said wistfully. "Anyway, Charlotte, Empathy, and I can go to the dining room, but you and Blanche need to stay out here. It's a private conversation, and I'm sure there are those who don't want me broadcasting their business to you. But let me give you a hug first. We don't get to see each other enough."

Jordan finished descending the stairs with Charlotte and Empathy following close behind. The two pudgy ponies gave each other a warm embrace.

"How do you manage to afford all those kids if you are constantly on maternity leave?" Blanche asked.

Jordan broke from her hug and smiled at Blanche. "My hubby might be stay at home, but he writes, and his books sell well. They are very sultry. We roleplay scenes in them all the time…for the sake of accuracy, of course."

Charlotte winced. She did not need to know that! She saw Blanche do the same. Someone was regretting asking a question. She wondered if Jordan would use that for a story when her kids got older. 'And this is the scene your daddy and I played out when we produced you.' The kid might immediately be turned off of ever reading anything even slightly steamy.

Rebecca seemed to know her way around and directed Charlotte and Empathy to follow her into the dining room. The two did, and once they were inside, Rebecca promptly shut the door behind them, and her cheerful demeanor vanished into a look of seriousness.

"First off, I need to apologize; Phobia threatening you like that was bad, and she will be giving her own apology soon enough."

Charlotte blinked. "Does that mean she isn't going to try to kill me if I stay here?"

The Marshmallow nodded. "That's been put to the vote, and Phobia lost the vote. Honestly, she's happy she lost. She didn't like making threats, but Phobia is Phobia, and she always votes for what she thinks is necessary and logical. I see where she is coming from, but I vote the way that leaves me happy seeing myself in the mirror afterwards. Votes are binding; you're under no threat from us."

Charlotte sat down and breathed a sigh of relief.

"However…"

Why was there always a however or a but?

"I will still recommend that you get off the planet or be permanently transformed," The Marshmallow continued. "We won't take action against you if you don't, but we're pleading with you. You need to understand. This is a very delicate period of time. Evil space robots of death will be arriving in our solar system before the year is out. We have been preparing for this for decades. We think we have a fighting chance where every other world has failed. The fighting chance depends on no major catastrophes getting in the way of our plans. You have no idea how much danger you could present or how terrified we are. We need you to be off-world, at least until we have won. If we lose…well, Phobia is going to be standing by in Equestria to advise the princesses when they need to seal the portals, if it comes to that. She knows how much time we have to get refugees across if the defense fails. She'll be counting the seconds. Regardless, you'll be safe."

Charlotte gasped and covered her mouth. The wardens always talked about the coming Devourers and the threat they faced. They made it out to be an end of the world type event, an end to all things. They were always vague about when this supposed doomsday was coming, and most people treated the Devourers as some made-up boogeyman, something the wardens used to scare people. Now, The Marshmallow was giving a timeframe, and it was scarily close.

"Why aren't you evacuating people now!" Charlotte yelled. "If it will be happening in less than a year, why aren't people being evacuated already? Why is there nothing in the news? Why hasn't any government said anything? Do they know?"

"They know," The Marshmallow answered. "All nations are united in this, regardless of how deeply divided they may normally be, because all life is on the line— every nation survives, or none do. Preparations have been made in secret for some time. Press about this has been suppressed or discredited, and those who have shown any talent for detecting the coming enemy have been conscripted into our defense. We haven't told the world because it would cause panic, riots, and general upheaval. We cannot afford that; it could interfere with our ability to mount a defense. The week before, worldwide martial law will be declared, and evacuations will begin. We can't save everyone, Equestria can only safely receive so many, and they have already agreed to go well beyond that number, knowing the position it will put them in. Hopefully, we win, and it will only be a temporary relocation. They can yell at us for the flagrant violations of their rights; at least they'll be alive to do it. There come times when even I have to say we do whatever is necessary. I want people to live. I can live with myself if they're angry at us. I can't live with myself for letting them die without doing everything I could to save them. Enough ponies are already fairly certain to die, even if we win."

"How are you going to win if no one else has?" Charlotte asked worriedly.

The Marshmallow shook her head. "Dangerous as they are, they're still robots, still computers that do what they were programmed to do. They have directives that they cannot override. As a Dreamwarden, I understand all too well the power of such directives since I am bound by several myself, and I know the precarious position they sometimes put me in. We don't understand everything about how the Devourers function, but we know those directives. We can use those directives to our advantage. Sunset Blessing helped craft certain elements we needed to make this plan work, so yea for you….I guess? That's all that my promises will allow me to say."

Empathy put a hand on Charlotte's side, and she looked at him as he gave her a reassuring smile. It looked forced, but she appreciated the gesture.

She turned to look at the Marshmallow. "I can return from Equestria if I go? It isn't permanent banishment?"

"Once this is over, and we are still alive, you can do whatever you like," The Marshmallow assured her. "The Dreamwardens won't block your return."

They were only asking for a year. That wasn't that bad a deal. It was like an extended vacation. And she definitely could use some time away right now. The idea of going back to school in the fall right after…

She nodded before she could start crying again. "I'll do it. I'll go to Equestria of my own free will."

Chapter 1.14: Meeting Princesses at the Gala

Very formal affairs meant waiting to be announced in. That meant waiting in line. That also meant listening to gossip from the other people waiting in line.

"Announcing Jimsonweed, head of the Hallowed Shades Reclamation Expedition!"

A unicorn stallion hastily sniffed and whispered to the mare at his side. "She's probably here to try to beg for more funding. As if anyone would expend money on that hole in the ground. If it were worth anything, it wouldn't have been abandoned for a thousand years."

"Quite right," the mare agreed. "But you know, she's an Earthling."

"She is?" the stallion gasped. "You don't say. I had heard she grew up in the Crystal Empire. An Earthling, you say?"

"So I heard. Cumberbatch was saying so just the other day, over tea."

"That explains much. Earthlings have such preposterous ideas."

"Indeed."

Charlotte rolled her eyes. The two nobles were making a point of not looking at them. They might not know who Sunset was, but Andrea had to be someone they eagerly wanted to gossip about. They just weren't brave enough to do it within such close proximity. So they pretended she wasn't there instead.

"Announcing Sweetie Belle, Vice Headmare of the School of Friendship!"

"What became of that one stallion that held that position?" the noble mare asked her partner. "Sunspot or whatever his name was?"

"Sunburst," the stallion corrected. "He was simply getting on in years and retired, or so I was informed by a source in the know. He was magically weak, so not one of those that has an extended lifespan, unlike his wife."

"That must be dreadful, watching your spouse age at a far more rapid pace than yourself," the mare gasped. "This is why there shouldn't be unequal pairings. That stallion married far above his station. Starlight Glimmer was a fool to take such a common stock unicorn for her husband."

Charlotte could practically hear Sunset's teeth grinding. Starlight was a close friend of hers. She didn't make a scene. She was probably saving up for later.

"Starlight Glimmer is common stock herself, you know," the stallion said smartly.

The mare snorted. "No unicorn that powerful could have come from the peasantry. My theory is that one of her parents was a disgraced noble, or perhaps she is a bastard."

"Such scandal! Do you have any proof?"

"No, this is mere speculation, but it makes so much sense!" the mare insisted. "I am willing to stake my reputation that it is true. I wonder what house she could be secretly from."

"From Twilight Sparkle's house, perhaps?" the stallion suggested. "It would explain the princess's favoritism, and though it was a minor house for generations, it was known for producing powerful mages. There hasn't been a pony that didn't live past a hundred in that house in the past four generations."

"I think you are mistaken on that last fact. Sunset Shimmer came from that house, did she not? Could Starlight Glimmer be a secret love foal?"

"Oooohhh! That would be juicy! Starlight Glimmer assisting those barbarians in the murder of her own mother."

The line advanced, but as they were going forward, both the nobles suddenly tripped and fell flat on their muzzles.

"Oh dear, you should watch your step," Sunset said in mock concern.

The noble mare glared at Sunset as she got to her hooves. "Did you do this?"

"Me?" Sunset asked, laying a leg across herself defensively. "Somepony would have surely seen me light my horn if that were true. It was merely an accident. Perhaps you should lower your eyes as you walk."

The nobles looked around at others nearby to see if any would say that Sunset had been seen lighting her horn, but no one spoke up. Sunset's horn had remained without a corona the entire time— not that it meant anything. Charlotte knew that her other self knew a trick to conceal the use of her horn, at least with simple spells. She didn't doubt for a second who was responsible but managed to keep a smile off her face.

The noble mare looked no more convinced than Charlotte, as she gave Sunset a wrathful look. "Who are you? I don't recognize you."

"No one that the likes of you would concern yourselves with. Just a humble barbarian," Sunset answered. "Perhaps you should stop drawing attention to your misstep. Ponies will talk."

The stallion looked around at those nearby who were watching the exchange. "Come, dearest, let us go somewhere private to compose ourselves. Look at this creature; look at that garish scar! Just the thing you would expect out of an Earthling. It is clear she is too uncivilized to be spoken to. We shall rise above her."

"Ta-ta!" Sunset chirped as the two nobles exited the area to fix their faces and clothes after their fall.

With those two gone, the three of them were next to be announced. The guard, a lavender pegasus stallion in silver armor, grinned as they walked up. The two nobles had been annoying more than just the others in line. He then coughed into his hoof and led them forward.

"Announcing Sunset Blessing, personal student of Princess Luna! Along with her guests, Charlotte Portsmith and Andrea the Centaur!"

It was an interesting choice on how they labeled Sunset, although it was probably the title that made the most difference to these ponies. It was better than the announcement for Charlotte, which was basically, 'random pony not worth elaborating on'. Not that any possible title Charlotte could have been given at the moment was anything she wanted to be called.

It was all ponies present, not a human or other type of creature in sight. Most of them were obviously from out of town, since there was nothing crystally about them, but there were some crystal ponies present. Actually…no, there was someone who wasn't a pony present. At the far side of the room was a raised dais with five thrones. Two of the thrones were occupied by alicorns, while the other three sat empty. The center throne had a white alicorn with a purple and blue mane. That alicorn was considerably shorter than the one who sat to her right, who could be none other than Celestia herself. Standing to the left of the smaller alicorn was a bipedal figure who looked like a medieval plague doctor. They had the plague doctor mask, and they were completely covered in a black cloak. They even had black gloves on over what appeared to be human hands. There was a human here, and he or she was some sort of advisor. Why were they dressed like that? This was a formal party, not a costume party.

"Come, we need to show our respects," Sunset instructed as she started walking toward the thrones. Charlotte and Andrea followed in her wake. Ponies were all staring, primarily at Andrea, but some seemed just as curious about Sunset. Charlotte was an afterthought.

As they reached the thrones, Sunset did a bow, and Charlotte hurried to emulate her. Andrea made a valiant attempt with her legs, but it just wasn't working, and she instead did a bow with just her torso.

"Thank you for receiving us and for your hospitality, Princess Flurry Heart, Princess Celestia," Sunset said as she rose from her bow.

Flurry Heart inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement. "You're welcome in the Crystal Empire. I hope you will sit beside me for a bit to talk, your guests as well. I have not had the pleasure of meeting you before, but Luna speaks quite highly of you. I'm curious about the type of pony she chose as a student. I have heard stories about you." That last part had an edge to it that indicated that could be good or bad.

"This is our first meeting as well, and I am eager to converse with you too," Celestia added with a warm smile. "Please, join us beside our thrones. We can have the staff bring refreshments."

Sunset stepped up and took a place between the two princesses, Andrea stood off to Celestia's right, where she didn't seem as immense when compared to the tallest pony around, that left Charlotte to take the place to Flurry Heart's left alongside the plague doctor.

Flurry Heart glanced at him, then blinked. "I apologize; I didn't introduce my advisor, Order. I believe you and he are acquainted, Miss Blessing?"

"We know each other but never met face to face," Sunset answered. "Still just calling yourself Order?"

The plague doctor bowed his head. "You Americans butcher my Georgian name, you can only imagine what the Equestrians do to it. Order is easier."

Sunset raised an eyebrow at him. "You can speak to me? I thought you'd been banned."

The masked figure chuckled. "That ban is only for active wardens. We are on Equestria, we are not wardens here. The Marshmallow's ban has no impact on me."

Sunset pursed her lips. "But Phobia still hasn't spoken to me."

"Perhaps she is letting you stew," Order suggested.

So this was the mysterious Warden of Order, the human warden that retired a few years back. He was sometimes called the shadow warden because no one ever heard anything out of him. That wasn't surprising, he had in turn been the heir of the Warden of Silence, who had supposedly been legitimately mute. Both were said to have worked in secret, never causing a stir, but doing much behind the scenes. What they were doing was anyone's guess. The wardens never said.

And if he was now an advisor to Flurry Heart, that meant he wasn't done acting behind the scenes just because he was no longer a Dreamwarden.

"It's okay to stand next to Order, he doesn't bite," Flurry Heart assured Charlotte with a smile. "Just be careful not to touch him. He doesn't like to be touched. I know the mask is scary, but Order has an extreme fear of germs. I'm his ruler, and even I have never seen his face."

Charlotte cautiously stepped over beside the human, trying to keep as much distance between her and him as possible. As she sat down, he gazed down at her.

"The younger Sunset," he breathed. "You are strange."

Charlotte blinked and looked away. She had nothing to say to that.

Flurry Heart didn't look their way but spoke just loud enough for Order to hear. "Let's keep certain subjects unmentioned, shall we?"

He bowed his head. "Of course, my princess."

Celestia started the conversation. "You all have our deepest condolences for your recent losses. All of us are deeply saddened to hear what happened. We know nothing can banish the pain, but I recently saw one of your old Earth shows that had a quote I think expressed it perfectly. What is grief but love persevering? I hadn't heard it so eloquently expressed before. Earth has many thoughtful expressions."

"Thank you for your kindness," Sunset whispered, looking away.

Flurry Heart turned her attention to Andrea. "Most of the Empire's gossip reaches my ears fairly quickly. Your initial appearance caused a stir among my ponies. I hope everything has gone well since then."

Andrea smiled. "They have been very friendly. I don't think I have ever recalled a time I felt so free— although this dress is kind of constricting."

"You can go to a private room and take it off if you like," Flurry Heart said with a chuckle. "This might be a formal gathering, but I doubt most ponies are paying much attention to your dress when they look at you. If you enjoy your time here, I could help you find permanent employment. You would fit right in among my ponies."

"I thought Celestia was the ruler," Charlotte spoke up. "Why is she sitting second-stage to you?"

Celestia was the one to answer. "The Crystal Empire might be one of Equestria's protectorates, but it is a self-governing territory. My niece might be my vassal, but I am in her domain."

"And since the portal between Earth and our world is placed in the Crystal Empire, it is my call on who is allowed to cross into my realm," Flurry Heart said formally. "Luna and Auntie Twilight both lobbied me hard to allow you in. It was actually you, Sunset, that I was most concerned about. I have gotten disturbing reports of you committing gruesome acts of extreme violence."

"Only in defense of my household, and never any worse than what the attacker did to my household," Sunset said grimly.

"The term massacre was used for your most recent defense," Flurry Heart said dryly. "One so bad that the wardens censored themselves from speaking to you, a censor they have not yet lifted."

Charlotte looked at her older self. "Wait, the wardens truly aren't talking to you? I didn't think they really cut you off. That isn't fair! Those bears killed Kristin in cold blood! They were going to kill more! It was an invasion!"

Sunset sighed. "The wardens aren't talking to me due to something else, something that I haven't even done. They understand what I did at the manor. They aren't angry at me for that. Well…the Marshmallow might be angry, but not enough to cut me off."

Flurry Heart looked at Order, and the masked man nodded. "I know enough about how The Marshmallow thinks to say that is probably true. We all inherit things from others and combine them with our own experiences. The Marshmallow has few things that really get under her skin and make her get serious. She went to the Hallowed Shades before she was a warden. She saw the fallout of Luna's conflict a thousand years ago with its denizens. It impacted her, and later melded with Luna's own grief. I heard from Phobia that your guest here was considering killing every last one of those bears. That would enrage The Marshmallow."

"And do you intend to do this thing that she is mad about?" Celestia asked gravely. "Our invitation to you can still be revoked."

Sunset shook her head. "No, I'm not going to wipe out the bears. I want Phobia to speak to me. I want Arbiter and Yinyu to speak to me if I ever return to Earth."

"Those bears deserve to die," Charlotte muttered.

Her other self glared at her. "You try to make that call when you're cut off from speaking to three of the most important people in your life. I'm angry, and I want vengeance too, but not at that cost."

"But you still yearn for vengeance?" Flurry Heart asked, pressing the issue.

Sunset nodded. "I know you don't have any foals of your own, but imagine a newly discovered hostile species came in and murdered your parents. Imagine walking in and seeing those creatures standing over their lifeless corpses. Tell me, does your moral fiber survive that? I want those bears dead, I will not deny that, but I'm not willing to sacrifice my remaining loved ones' love for the sake of those who are no longer with me. All things have costs and benefits. The cost in this case is too high and the benefit practically non-existent. I have put terror into my enemies, and they shall have to weigh how much they are willing to lose coming after me or the elephant after they have already lost so much."

"It never stopped the radicals," Andrea pointed out.

Sunset snorted. "If these bears follow that same path then I cannot claim guilt for indulging their desire to die. Continuing this senseless campaign would be their folly, not mine."

Celestia looked troubled. "Perhaps there is an better solution. We received reports that there is a dark wizard at the root of this, a being so evil he is beyond redemption. Rather than slaughtering those who are as much victims as your family, wouldn't it be better to capture or cut the power of this No Heart? At the very least, he seems to be the one responsible for being able to replicate portal magic. If you eliminate their ability to make portals, you eliminate the threat without the loss of life."

The old pony shrugged. "These creatures have been under his sway for generations. They were born under his corrupting influence. While it is possible he used mind control to take initial control of their civilization, that has not been necessary to keep his grip on it in some time."

They all went silent as a pair of crystal pony nobles approached the thrones. The two ponies paid their respects, and Flurry Heart asked about their foals, which made the couple beam as they gushed about the antics of their kids. The couple didn't pay attention to Charlotte or the others, even Celestia only got a passing glance. These were crystal ponies, and their princess was Flurry Heart, and she was clearly much admired by her subjects.

Charlotte looked at the crystal princess. She supposed the mare was pretty. She had a larger than normal stature, what would be an impressive wingspan, a very long horn. She was thin, for the most part, but her flanks were solid and well proportioned. That two-toned mane was also gorgeous-

"She's out of your league, filly," Order whispered to her as the two crystal ponies were saying their goodbyes.

Charlotte was glad her fur was red. It hid the blush. "I wasn't- It wasn't what you think!"

Flurry Heart noticed the exchange and raised an eyebrow at them. "Do you have an interest in one of the guests? My mother might be the princess of love, but I do dabble in matchmaking. Who is it? I heard Order say it was a she, so a mare then."

Charlotte was sure her blush was going to turn visible despite her fur color. "It was no one! He got the wrong idea. Don't need to do any matchmaking for me."

Flurry Heart's ears sagged. "If you say so. I do enjoy seeing young love in bloom, but I won't push you into receiving assistance you don't want."

Relief swept over Charlotte as Flurry Heart turned her attention back to Sunset. Andrea could be seen smirking off to the side, and Charlotte could already imagine the taunts that were coming once they were alone. Why had she even been checking out the mare? Flurry Heart was like twice her age! Charlotte wasn't in as much denial as Sunset and Andrea believed when it came to that kind of thing. She wasn't Sunset, she grew up in a time when this kind of attraction was more accepted, so she didn't develop the deep-rooted shame her other self had growing up. She just didn't want her family getting involved; who she liked was her business, and she didn't want them yammering about it. Further, how could she ever pursue a relationship when constantly having to be around Sunset and the danger that brought everyone? On top of all that, she wouldn't normally find ponies attractive, it was the necklace acting on her thought process. Once she took it off, there'd be no attraction. There was no point in even thinking about relationships right now.

Now that ponies were out of earshot the conversation had picked up again. She wondered if the princesses or Sunset were using some sort of sound dampening spell as well. Andrea was rubbing her arms like she could feel magic.

"If Phobia or I were to travel to this other world, we could indeed set up a Dreamwarden among the intuits to break any mind control spell No Heart has in place on the population," Order was saying. "However, I must warn you, if the extent of the harm is as great as it has been made out to be, that new warden may be forced to go directly to the kill option with No Heart. Such an abuse would demand it. I know you ponies have little stomach for such things, but this would be the likely outcome if the elephant's story holds true."

"I could live with that," Sunset muttered. "It wouldn't fix their world immediately, but it would give them a chance at long-term recovery. If we could bolster the non-bear intuits to fight back against the bears afterwards, that could help the process along. The bears' numbers have been significantly reduced, and they will be unlikely to willingly engage in any conflict that might reduce those numbers further without the wizard urging them on. They might surrender under such circumstances rather than risk annihilation. The best war is a bloodless one."

"So you are both in agreement on this advice?" Celestia asked, sounding unhappy. Both Order and Sunset nodded, and the alicorn sighed. "I still want to establish a scout team to go into that world to determine if there is any other option first. Execution is not the first option I want us jumping to, but I understand it may be necessary. I won't allow it to take place until we have confirmed that and ruled out all other reasonable options."

"I can begin discussions with Phobia about what she and I should prepare for," Order said with a slight bow. "I know you want to avoid having to use us for this purpose, but we must be ready to act when called upon."

"You sound confident that we will need to turn to you," Flurry Heart observed.

Order nodded. "Everything I have learned of this No Heart paints him as an enemy that is too dangerous to be left alive. I don't think either Earth or Equestria has faced such a singularly dangerous foe. Containment does not seem like a viable option, and I fully anticipate the scout team will confirm this. His death needs to happen. I'm sorry to have to tell you that, my princess."

Flurry Heart hung her head. "Do not apologize for being honest, Order. I do not expect sugar-coated advice from you. We shall scout and confirm, and we shall consider your advice further when information comes back. Make what preparations you feel are needed until then, and we can hope they aren't needed."

"And can we count on you to aid us in delivering a scout team to this world, Sunset Blessing?" Celestia asked.

Sunset snorted. "Do you even need to ask? Of course I will. Also, since I now have readier access to better materials, I can easily replicate the bears' armlets for our own use, so the scout team can make a speedy exit if jeopardized. I'm not going to let anyone else die at those bears' furry little hands. I will assure the scout team will make it back alive."

"And can you promise you will not attempt some plot to eliminate all the bears?" Celestia asked.

"I promise that I won't actively try to kill them, but if they stage another invasion, I make no promise about how much they will regret it. If they attack my family, they won't live to kill another. If I am in charge of your school, the bears will not lay a finger on one of my students. My priorities are the defense of those under my care, and nothing is off the table if they are in mortal danger."

Celestia was silent for a moment before speaking again. "You are fortunate I have lived a long life, and empathize with your mindset. The world a thousand years ago was not so peaceful, and hard decisions sometimes had to be made. Do not indoctrinate my students with this harsh rhetoric, let them believe everything can be resolved peacefully. Teach them magic, friendship, and kindness, not the grim realities that I hope they never have to face."

"I'm not sure that is wise, but it's your school. I will do as instructed. Pray it never comes back to bite you," Sunset replied.

"I certainly shall," Celestia said tiredly. She then rose from her throne and stepped forward. "Ponies and other honored guests! I have an announcement!"

All conversations came to a hush as the guests all turned their attention to the princess of the sun.

"As you may be aware, I have been hesitant to change the curriculum at the School for Gifted Unicorns. I had believed us at a point of stability where further advancement could only bring increased problems," Celestia said in a loud, but no longer booming voice. "However, in the past few decades the situation has changed. We look at new threats on the horizon that we must be prepared to meet. We also face an influx of new technologies that I cannot hold back from changing the way we live. And to our embarrassment, but while still admiring their ingenuity, Earth has in a short period of time gone from having no magic to being at the forefront of new magical techniques. We must adapt to these changing times."

There were a few mummers, but they quieted quickly.

Celestia gestured for Sunset to step forward. "This is Sunset Blessing. She is one of the greatest mages from Earth, and one of the most outspoken critics of our education system. As long ago as nearly thirty years ago, she developed magical defensive techniques that thwarted even Princess Twilight Sparkle's ability to penetrate them. Sunset Blessing has not ceased in her advancement of magic since then. At the recommendation of Twilight and my sister, I am granting her full citizenship and appointing her to be the new headmare of the School of Gifted Unicorns, to bring about reform, and to help prepare our most intelligent and most gifted to make their own advancements in the field of magic. Please welcome her!"

There were hoofstomps, the equivalent of human clapping. However, these were not the only hoofstomps, as a small but noticeable number of unicorn nobles decided to take their leave rather than applaud. Charlotte followed them with her eyes as they left. At least it wasn't all of them, or even half, but it was enough to cause trouble. Some of those nobles who remained didn't seem to have much enthusiasm in their stomps. This was expected, but it was still disappointing. Wherever Sunset went, she made enemies. Where Sunset had enemies the impact carried over to messing with Charlotte's life. Hopefully, it wouldn't be so bad this time, not like the ones back home.

Charlotte stomped her hooves for her other self, just another mare, forgotten in Sunset's shadow.

Author's Note

Couple quick notes. You can see there has been a title change. The previous title felt like a place holder that should have been replaced before original publication. This will be the permanent new title.

Next, my editing software is on the fritz, so forgive this chapter if it has a higher number of errors than normal.

Third, the new cover art is not locked in stone, I have multiple commissions currently out, and am still deciding which shall be the one to go with. It may be this one, it may be another. It should be something similar to what I have now, no matter which I go with.

Chapter 1.15: Shedding Our Coverings

"Goddammit! Why won't this stupid thing come off?! Are you actually tightening it?!"

"I'm trying to help! Give me a break, I not very good with my horn."

"Ahhh! Stop that! That hurts!"

"Sorry."

Andrea took a few deep breaths and looked at the hanging privacy curtain. The strap underneath her dress was practically cutting off circulation around her teets. Why had the dressmaker even put the strap over them?

"Go check to see if it's clear. I'm going to adjust my earrings and this thing should just fall off after I shrink down."

"You'll get tangled in your clothes."

"I'm tangled in them now! If this strap gets any tighter, it's going to rupture my internal organs."

"Jeez! Okay! I'm going to check. I'll let you know if it is clear. Stop being a drama queen."

"I'm not being a drama queen. It hurts!"

Charlotte went towards the curtain then paused and turned around. "Wait. How are you going to turn back to a centaur after turning into a pony? You said it takes forever for you to manipulate your earrings with your hooves."

"You can turn them," Andrea answered.

Charlotte gave her a skeptical look. "You want me to try manipulating those tiny little earrings with my horn? Do you want to have your ears bloodied?"

Andrea paused.Charlotte was right. She didn't want Charlotte messing with her ears. She might not have any ears after!

"Go find Sunset. She can do it," Andrea ordered.

"Sunset is tied up with the other guests," Charlotte reminded her. "You could turn human instead."

"I'll be stark naked!"

"There's no other humans here to care other than the creepy guy in the bird mask," Charlotte said, pointing a leg towards the curtain. "You aren't even going past the curtain for them to see before you shift back to centaur."

"I care. Go find someone else to come help me get this strap undone then!" Andrea snapped.

Charlotte blinked. "You want me to walk up to a total stranger and go, hey, can you please come undress my sister?"

"More or less, yes."

Charlotte rolled her eyes as she turned back towards the curtain. "Okay, I'll go see who looks most like a pervert. Be right back."

After her sister left, Andrea decided it might be best just to stand still. Moving around just made the strap dig in more. She hoped Charlotte could find someone fast. Charlotte looked the part of some noble unicorn, so maybe she could convince a unicorn who knew what they were doing to assist. Andrea could even tolerate the condescending attitude of the nobles if it meant not being in pain anymore.

It had started with her twisting around too fast and the strap moving. At that point, she had decided to forego the dress and try to take it off. There were plenty of these little privacy areas behind curtains at the gala, and she'd gone to the closest one. However, she had quickly gotten a reminder that her centaur form had additional downsides than just being big and being able to take permanent injuries; her ability to actually reach certain parts of her body. Her arms were only so long and her torso only able to bend and twist so much. Anything past about halfway back along her equine parts was just out of reach. That included her tail, anus, rear legs, and about half her undercarriage. She couldn't even wipe her ass in a normal way; she had to rub it up against something to clean it. Her lower forelegs were also primarily out of reach. The strap that secured her dress had been in one of these out-of-reach locations, and she had been foolish enough to try to nudge it along to try to get it in reach, but that had only caused it to dig into her. Charlotte's 'assistance' had only made things worse.

It took a few minutes for her sister to return, and the pony she returned with definitely didn't have a horn; she had webbed wings and a pith hat.

The pony blinked as she stared up at Andrea. "When you said sister, I was expecting another inept unicorn. So, which one of you is adopted?"

"Neither of us," Andrea said without thinking. "We're sisters; we're from Earth. Can you please help me get this strap off? It is underneath me. I can't reach it, and Charlotte isn't adept enough with magic to undo it."

The pony walked over and looked warily at Andrea's legs. "I can probably undo it, if you don't trample me. I don't like getting trampled by some evil mage's botched transformation experiment, it kind of ruins my day."

"I'm not an evil mage's botched experiment. I'm from Earth," Andrea insisted.

The pony lifted her dress and went underneath. She could feel the pony working on the strap with its wings. "That line might work on those stuck-ups out there, but I'm from New York, and I know Earth doesn't have abomination centaurs."

It figured that Charlotte would find an Earthling. "New Yorker, so that's your excuse for being rude."

"Nah, just rude. No need to bring New York into it. I could give you my tragic backstory, but nobody wants to listen to that. At least you're a little entertainment after a failure of an evening. Hold still."

The strap came undone and the pony quickly skirted out from under the skirt. Andrea grabbed the fabric and yanked, pulling the whole dress off.

"That feels sooo much better," Andrea said with relief. "Thank you."

The pony grinned. "You can thank me by giving a tiny donation to the Hallowed Shades Restoration Fund. Would be my third donation on the night, after each of the princesses. I had hoped Luna would be here. I could have guilt tripped her and would have given a big donation to help clean up her mess, but no such luck."

"I heard Flurry Heart's advisor say something about Hallowed Shades, and we heard some nobles talking about it being abandoned. What happened there? Why was it abandoned?" Charlotte asked.

The pony looked away. "Luna slaughtered almost all the ponies there, nearly driving my type of pony to extinction. A big part of what the restoration team has been doing these past few years is trying to put names to the skeletons and bury them. There are thousands of them in those halls. It's a slow process trying to identify a body that has just been sitting in a pile for a thousand years, trying to match bones to the right skeleton, trying to find any identifying items on the body and match it up with stuff in any of the abandoned households. They were enemies of Equestria, but they still deserve a proper burial. We're also trying to repair damage to the structures, but sifting through the dead is the hardest part. Takes a lot of hours and a lot of ponies working on it. None of them want to do it, the task is grisly, so it takes a lot of pay to get them to do it."

"Why even do it if no one wants to be involved?" Andrea asked.

The pony shrugged. "I always had an interest in Equestria's ancient history. I spent a lot of time reading about it when I was a filly when I first came to the Crystal Empire. The Hallowed Shades had existed long before it fell into darkness. It is the oldest surviving structure of old Equestria, even older than the Crystal Empire and the foundations of Canterlot, and was a wonder of engineering in its day, it still is. What those ponies did late in its history isn't something to be proud of, but there was a lot of history before that. There are murals and inscriptions within the complex telling about parts of Equestria's history that have all but been lost, so in a way, it is part of all our history. My tribe deserves to have their ancestral home restored to them, and make it something to be proud of again."

Andrea actually found this interesting. "How old are we talking? Like ancient Egypt type stuff?"

"Older," the mare replied. "The reign of Grogar the Terrible went on for a very long time. We aren't sure how long, but it spanned multiple millenia. During his reign, wild transformative magic influenced the wildlife, and the proto-ponies were one of these species that was influenced. They grew more intelligent, and developed different characteristics in different regions."

"And the ponies of your tribe were one of those types?" Andrea asked.

The mare shook her head. "No, but one type, now extinct, which we'll call mountain ponies, developed wings. Early in their tribal development they had a choice to make. The monsters of Grogar were everywhere, and to find safety they had to choose whether to go higher up the mountains or down below them. The mountain ponies split, and what would evolve into my tribe went down into the caves while the others went higher into the mountains. The two groups developed in isolation from one another, honing different magics and skills, developing completely different characteristics and inborn magic from one another as the centuries went on. The tribe that went up the mountains became the pegasi. A comparable split happened with the unicorns and kirin from their shared ancestor, and there were other pony types that may seem alien to us due to their anatomy that didn't survive the Age of Grogar. Other proto-ponies were twisted into monsters, like the wendigos."

Charlotte raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You're saying ponies are related to the monsters that tried to wipe out ponies in the Hearth's Warming story? Do you have any actual proof of that? It seems like something most Equestrians wouldn't want to believe."

The mare pulled her pith hat down slightly. "Um, not any concrete proof, just what the inscriptions in the Hallowed Shades read, and those were made long after the fact. The Shades was occupied more than a thousand years before the first forms of their old script emerged to record their oral traditions. They are the oldest records of history we have though. Pegasi didn't start writing until Gusty the Great visited them from Unicornia, and that is late, because the oldest unicorn writing is just depictions of spell runes, and they didn't have a fully fledged writing system until near the end of the Grogar Era. The oldest earth pony writing is almost as old as the writing in the Shades, but that writing is universally receipts for business transactions– how many bushels of hay so and so got for so many carrots, not history. The oldest writing in the Crystal Empire also dates around the time of Gusty the Great, and we haven't even found kirin writing that predates the Two Sisters. The oldest texts in the Shades predate Gusty by several centuries."

"That's a lot of stuff that I don't care much about," Charlotte muttered, then looked at Andrea. "Hey, isn't Phobia's wife really into history? Sounds more like her thing. Maybe this pony should go talk to Phobia, so she has something to do other than terrorize me."

"Well, the most recently put out to pasture Dreamwarden isn't here, and that was my best pitch I could give for the historical significance of the Hallowed Shades. Ready to donate?" the mare asked.

"You were doing good up until just now. Do you always end your pitches like that?" Andrea asked.

"When I don't think I'm getting any cash," the mare replied in a dejected tone. "You two don't seem like you have any more money than you've got common sense. Tonight's been a waste. Could have gotten the princesses' donations without attending the stupid party."

"Aren't their donations enough?" Charlotte asked.

"Little known fact, the princesses don't actually have that much money," the mare said with a laugh. "I mean, everything they have is paid for by Equestria. They don't need money. Aside from the three of us, they're probably the most dead broke ponies at this party."

"So can't they just have the government fund your restoration thingie?" Andrea asked.

The mare shook her head. "That falls under government philanthropic spending, and they have given money from that. There's all kinds of rules about what types of organizations can get what amount, and mine is not classified as one that can get larger sums. I got enough from them to pay my workers through the season, but come winter, I don't have a clue how I'm paying them. I could let them have the season off, but workers who are gone a full season tend not to come back."

Charlotte pursed her lips thoughtfully. "You know… Sunset might be interested in helping. She's always interested in anything odd that others might dismiss. She also has a way of making things happen."

The mare blinked. "The fancy magic school's new headmare? Why would she have any interest in something that doesn't involve unicorns and their magic?"

"You'd be surprised," Andrea said with a chuckle. "She once spent two months reading every book and scientific paper on dendrology that she could find, and got mad at us if we interrupted her. She spent another six months, every weekend, going over star charts and math with this famous physicist that's her niece, but she still can't name a constellation other than the Big Dipper. I also saw her reading a book once that was all about sweating blood. Sunset gets weird about what she takes interest in."

"That does seem to be a rather eclectic group of interests," the mare replied. "No harm in asking, I suppose."

Andrea noticed her sister was frowning and seemed lost in thought. "Something wrong, Charlotte?"

Charlotte shook her head. "Just thinking about something The Marshmallow said. Feels like there's a bigger picture that I'm missing, and I don't know how to put the pieces together." She gave a frustrated stomp. "I wish I had Sunset's mark. She'd figure it out without even having to work at it."

Andrea smirked. This was rich. "Here I thought you were going to spend your life trying not to be like Sunset; now you're wanting the same mark."

Her little sister glared at her. "I have no desire to have a Bible on my flank, thank you very much, but yeah, I'm jealous she can figure out things that I can't! Are you happy? I said it!"

Andrea raised her hands in a calming gesture. "You know she has a lifetime of experience and learning you don't. Even counting just the years she's been a pony, she still has more years than you. I can assure you, there is no way she could have figured out everything she can at your age. You probably actually have a heads up on her in terms of where she was at your age."

"I know I implied you are a stupid loser, and I haven't ruled that out, but even I wouldn't expect anyone at this party, except maybe the princesses, to have more magic knowledge than the headmare of the unicorns' special school," the other mare added in.

"It isn't just magic, it's everything," Charlotte said, breaking down crying. "Every single thing, she's better at it, and every single day I get the constant reminder that I'm crap compared to her. If she had been in that hall with Kristin, Kristin would be alive right now. If it had been me in that hall, I would have just been an extra grave. I'm useless! I can't even undo a damn fucking strap on a dress!"

The curtain swung aside and revealed Sunset, looking dour. Behind her, ponies were staring. Charlotte must have gotten too loud.

"I know this looks bad, and I can make ponies cry sometimes, but I had nothing to do with this," the webbed-winged mare said quickly, cringing behind Andrea.

Sunset looked at Charlotte then looked at Andrea. "Andrea, Jimsonweed, go to Flurry Heart and await my return."

"I said I had nothing to do with this!" the mare protested again. She then stuck her head out from behind Andrea. "And you know my name?"

"Flurry Heart was talking about you. I have business with you later. Go to Flurry Heart and wait for me. I will attend Charlotte," Sunset replied firmly, gesturing with her head to scat. "Out! This is no concern for anyone but me and Charlotte."

Andrea hesitated briefly, partly concerned for her sister, partly unsure if she should grab her discarded dress. It was only briefly since she decided the dress could burn for all she cared, and Charlotte and Sunset really did need to have a talk. Jimsonweed didn't hesitate; she was already out from the private area and into the crowd.

"Please, help her sort herself out," Andrea said as she passed Sunset. "She's the only sister I have left. I don't want her miserable."

Sunset didn't say anything. She just nodded, and Andrea left, hoping that Charlotte's older self could talk some sense into her.

Charlotte didn't know why Sunset had made everyone leave if the unicorn was just going to teleport the two of them somewhere else. Almost as soon as the curtain had closed, Sunset had lit her horn, and they were suddenly standing in a private sitting room with a few small couches and bookshelves. Where this room was and how Sunset knew it would be unoccupied were mysteries. The shiny walls and furniture were all crystal, so they were still in the Crystal Empire, and it all looked expensive, which probably meant they were still somewhere in the Crystal Spire.

"Take a seat," Sunset instructed, but not harshly. "Crying is easier when you're laying down."

"I don't need to cry," Charlotte said defiantly, wiping her eyes.

"Horseshit," Sunset snapped. "We all need to cry. Crying is important. It helps release stress that we are holding. Do you think it is baked into our biology and psychology because we don't need it?"

Charlotte sneered at her other self. "Hypocrite, I never see you cry."

The older mare sighed. "I do. I cry daily. It's as routine as my prayer. You just don't see it. It's okay to avoid crying in front of strangers. Crying, like prayer, is a highly personal thing. Something you shouldn't make a public spectacle by doing. I have taken you somewhere private. If you prefer, I will turn my back to you so I don't see, but you need to let yourself cry."

Charlotte reluctantly climbed onto one of the couches. She was tempted to pull the necklace off, no one was around, but if getting tangled in human clothes was a pain when switching from human to pony, it was probably even worse switching from pony to human while wearing pony clothes. Due to the size difference she might strangle herself or cut off her circulation rather than just get tangled. Taking her dress off would resolve that, but that was just too much work right now.

"Yet another thing you can lord being better at than me,'" she muttered as she put her head down on the cushion.

Sunset groaned. "Do we really need to have this conversation right now? Maybe we do."

"Yeah, tell me how much of a disappointment and failure I am," Charlotte said, starting to cry again.

Her other self climbed up on the couch beside her, sat down, and touched a hoof gently to Charlotte's back. "You are not a disappointment or failure. You're young, and have a chance to live a much better life than me. Whatever the future holds for you, it has to be better than the life I lived "

"By opening portals and letting intradimensional invaders in?" Charlotte questioned bitterly.

"We're aware of the issue and we're dealing with it," Sunset replied, then started stroking her back. "I'm always so surprised you don't take the time to learn about the life I lived."

"I know about the whole Shimmerist thing, and Tonya, and why all those radicals hate you," Charlotte muttered.

Sunset nodded. "So you do, and that should be bad enough to say that you will never make those kinds of mistakes, but what about before all that? I had a whole life before I was a pony."

Charlotte honestly didn't know much about that chapter in Sunset's life. Documentaries didn't focus too much on it. They spent most of their time talking about her life from ETS on.

"I know you were a Sunday school teacher. You were married to a man. You had Phobia Remedy with him," Charlotte listed off. Those were mentioned frequently.

"My husband's name was Tom, Tom Gilmore," Sunset replied in a quiet voice. "I did love him, even if I was never truly attracted to him. I might be a lesbian, but you can't spend decades with someone and share so many moments together without developing some form of bond. He was a good stallion before he passed, a better stallion than he was a man, and a good father to his three daughters. Aside from Tonya and Mèng, I've never cried so much when someone died. He wasn't my husband any longer, and hadn't been for decades, but he was still an important part of my life."

"Okay, so why is that important to me?" Charlotte asked.

"Because one of the earliest things I did wrong as a pony was try to ruin his life," Sunset said bitterly. "Oh, I could have tried to justify it under my old Shimmerist beliefs that being a pony was better for him, but it doesn't hold water. I had happily let the Equestrians do their rehumanization to others. If someone didn't want to be a pony, they clearly weren't worthy, or at least, that's what me from back then would have said. Him, he had a chance to be one of the early test subjects, and I completely fucked it over for him for no other reason than spite. Being a pony might have worked out for him in the end, but my goal was to make him miserable. That's the kind of person I was."

"You just said you cared so much about him," Charlotte replied in confusion. This wasn't something that made it into the documentaries. "Why'd you do it?"

Sunset shrugged. "I was angry, and you should know that we can be cruel as hell when we're angry. Well…I can be. I've seen you get nasty, but not nasty like me. That wasn't the worst thing I ever did when angry, and that's a very shameful thing to admit. Did you know I once tried to pressure one of my best friends, one that was trying to turn her life around after a life of crime, into committing murder? That doesn't make it into the histories either. The details of that crime are sealed by the wardens. Sha'am Maut herself presided over that case, and ended up pressuring me into a bad deal to get Tonya off the hook for a crime that was ultimately my fault."

Charlotte hadn't heard that one before either. Murder? Cover-ups? Why were the wardens even involved with that trial? What deal had been struck with the most infamously vile of the old wardens?

"I am off track," Sunset said before Charlotte could ask. "I was a horrible human who became a horrible pony. The things I did to Phobia when she was young…and to Tonya. The hateful things I said. The dumb decisions I made. I became a human-hating Shimmerist because I saw my life as the template for humanity, and I despised myself. Because I projected my faults on humanity, I decided to hate humanity."

"You mentioned getting an abortion before," Charlotte said.

"Yeah… that set me deep down a self-hating path," Sunset said mournfully. "It was a path I already was on, but that's when it got really bad. I can say that's what led me to find God, but that's a lie. It led me to surround myself with people that did the same blasphemy I did– using the Lord's name to condemn others while I lived a hateful life. I didn't find God until Tonya died. I prayed all the time before then, but they were the prayers of one who didn't know him."

Sunset looked down at Charlotte, tears in her eyes. "My dear, naive, young me, you have your moments of rage, but you're not as cruel and nasty as I was. I cry daily because I have so much to repent for, and so much that I have done that I can never make up for. I know you feel like a lesser version of me, but I got where I am due a never-ending stream of shameful and regretful moments and mistakes, moments and mistakes I hope you never have. When you reach my age, I want you to look back and see a life that you can be proud of, not a mountain of sin to atone for. You may be an angsty teenager, but I was that too, once upon a time. Be better than me. Don't bury yourself in self-hate. You inevitably end up projecting it on everyone else."

Charlotte turned away, crying more now. "Kristin is dead because of me. If I had-"

Sunset cut her off. "If I had just been quicker to get into that hall. Don't think for a second that you aren't the only one wishing they had done something different. Nightjar wishes she could have kept my grandson happier, so Mèng didn't feel the need to go upstairs to get that silly stuffed animal. Your parents and my sister all wish they could have gotten Kristin alone to talk to her so she wasn't wandering around the house like she was. I wish I had been a few seconds faster getting into that hall and that I had just sent everyone away. Why didn't I do that? It was so stupid! Don't blame yourself for what happened. It will only lead to you blaming everyone else for what happened too, and we're all hurting."

Charlotte buried her face into Sunset's flank and cried more heavily. "I…I don't even know the last thing I said to her. I think it was telling her I would go check on you, right before the funeral, but I'm not sure. I should have said something else. I-I should have told her I love her."

"When our loved ones are present in our lives, we fail to tell them daily how much we value them. When they die, we tell empty rooms on a daily basis how much we miss them and need them. Such is the irony of love," Sunset said in a low voice.

Sunset then bent down and kissed Charlotte on the forehead. "I love you, and want to see you live a good life. Stop comparing yourself with me. You shouldn't ever want to be as much of a failure as me. Make sure you tell your parents and your sister how much you love them, because you never know when the last time you'll get a chance will be. Can you do that? Not for me, but for yourself?"

"I can do that," Charlotte whispered. She was going to tell Sunset thank you, but the words caught in her mouth as another round of sobs escaped her, and she instead kept her face buried in Sunset's fur as the older unicorn continued to soothingly pet her.

And so they stayed that way for most of the duration of the gala.

Chapter 1.16: To Live or Not to Live

Empathy knew he wasn't a smart elephant, but it didn't take a smart elephant to know that things weren't right with someone. It took feeling, and when it came to feelings, Empathy was very smart.

Something was not right with Miss Ami.

That was nothing new. Miss Ami had been hurting since he first met her. She had a sister die, then a nephew and her other self. Empathy still didn't quite understand the whole other-self-thing. He had assumed that it was just like when intuits had new intuits, a perfect little copy that came out of their bellies that would grow to replace them, but Miss Charlotte said it had nothing to do with reproduction. This left him very confused, but he didn't need to understand the details to know that the feeling for the other self was the same as like a baby intuit and their parent. No parent wanted to see their baby die. That was a horrible thing, especially if they hadn't made any new baby intuit. That would mean the end of a line.

He wondered how many of those bears had their lines ended. He feared the bears, but the idea of a line ending was as bad a thing as you could do to an intuit. He didn't think Miss Sunset understood how bad a thing it was. Lines could be replaced. Once they were gone, they were gone, and no new line would come.

Would his line pass away if he didn't get back home? He had thought about that many times in the last month, and it worried him. He wanted to serve, but he needed to make sure his line and Heavyheart's line continued. Heavyheart could possibly find another to continue her line. It was unusual, changing who you were bonded to, but it had happened before, but that requires another unbonded intuit. There were some, the bears had seen to that, but still, he and Heavyheart were supposed to be together. He wished Miss Sunset would say she would bring all the intuits to this place. It was so nice.

He really didn't think any of the humans or ponies here understood. They reproduced weirdly. They didn't make perfect copies, they didn't know who they were supposed to be with from the start. They had multiple siblings. It was all very strange, very alien.

Still, the way Miss Ami felt was neither strange or alien. It took him a while to understand the way families worked here, and he was still learning, but he still understood her grief, and she was hurting so bad that it made things wrong. He didn't know what to do.

They had been walking through the park, and he stopped to look at some shiny flowers that were all kinds of different colors. "Look, Miss Ami! These flowers make a rainbow on the ground when the light hits them. Isn't it pretty?"

She had stopped walking because he had stopped. She didn't look at the flowers. She started down at the ground. "They're nice, dear."

He'd learned that earth ponies liked pretty flowers alot. Flowers, trees, vines, grass, and every kind of plant. Maybe it was just a generalization, but it seemed like Misd Ami should like all the things in the park. She didn't seem to care. She didn't seem to care about much at all. She did what she was told. She responded to questions. However, she would just sit around doing nothing if you let her, and she never started a conversation herself. Everybody had said she liked to talk.

This wasn't a job for him. Miss Ami had a heavy heart, so he needed Heavyheart. This was what Heavyheart was meant for. He was empathy, but he had never lost a loved one. He didn't understand the feeling like someone who had. He could sympathize, but that wasn't the same as empathizing. Miss Sunset and Miss Charlotte needed to help get Heavyheart here so he could help Miss Ami.

And so he could have Heavyheart with him again.

An old crystal pony mare, also strolling in the park, took interest in them. She blinked in confusion at the sight of him, so he waved. Waving was a great way of saying that he wasn't threatening, not that anybody tended to think he was threatening. They just thought he was weird, even though they were the weird ones. They walked on four legs and had no arms, and they tended to pick things up with their mouths. He picked things up with his trunk from time to time, but never his mouth. Old Empathy and Old Heavyheart would have scolded him if he did something as disgusting as that; Heavyheart probably would too.

The old crystal pony lost interest in him and turned her attention to Miss Ami.

"Is something wrong?" the mare asked Miss Ami. "You look very sad."

Miss Ami looked up and her lip quivered. Someone had asked her a question. She had been answering questions when people asked them of her. This was a question most people who knew her knew better than to ask.

Empathy hurried over and put a protective hand on Miss Ami. "Miss Ami is having-" He was going to say bad day, but this whole past month had been bad for her. "Miss Ami is having a hard time. Several people who were very close to her died recently. She has a heavy heart."

The mare's ears sagged. "I'm very sorry to hear that. losing several at once is devastating. When I was a young mare, I lost many friends all at once, it took me a long while to get over it."

Empathy did feel sad for the mare's loss, but he also felt excitement. This was someone who had experienced something similar to Miss Ami! Miss Charlotte, Sunset, and Andrea all had the same experience, but it was still fresh for them. They barely could stand talking about it. That made it hard for them to talk to Miss Ami.

He clasped his hands together. "I'm very sorry to hear that, Miss Crystal Pony. What happened? How did you recover?"

The mare sat down and sighed. "This might seem strange to say, but I'm older than I look, all of us older crystal ponies are. We were all born before King Sombra came to power. That means that we were born more than a thousand years ago and suspended in time for so long."

Pointing to her mark on her flank, a train, she continued. "I was one of the ponies that helped build the railways. It saddens me they haven't done much to expand them in all this time, but it also makes me happy that they survived all these years and were maintained. When the Sisters' reign was young, most of those lands were very rural, ponies practically living in hovels– although many had been reduced to that before the freeze; things had gotten so bad after the unicorns accidentally destroyed the Sunstone. Anyway, the old kingdoms were buried under snow, and they were starting over from scratch. The Crystal Empire had survived the great freeze from the wendigos due to the Crystal Heart, and when the new lands were settled by the lost kingdoms, we were quick to offer aid to help get them on their hooves. The railways were critical in that, and I traveled all over Equestria helping construct them. I made many friends from outside the empire when doing so."

She looked off into the distance. "However, after the empire went away for over a thousand years, I found myself in a new time, and all those friends I had made had been dead for centuries. It was like several dozen people died all at once to me and the other workers who had helped with the railways. I don't even know what became of them; the records from the south from back then are so poor. There had been a stallion that I liked…." The mare fell into silence.

"How did you cope?"

They both looked at Miss Ami, who was now looking intensely at the crystal pony mare.

"A few things helped," the old crystal pony replied. "Time was the biggest factor."

Miss Ami hung her head again. "I'm not sure how much of that I have left."

The crystal pony frowned. "They aren't burying you yet. Other things that helped were the fact that we're the fact we were all so overjoyed to be finally free of Sombra. We also focused on the loved ones that were still with us. Finally, the Crystal Heart helped some."

"How does the Crystal Heart help?" Empathy asked. "What is the Crystal Heart?"

"What's the Crystal Heart?" the old crystal pony responded in disbelief. "Do you not know where you are?"

"It's a magical artifact that keeps the snow at bay," Miss Ami explained to Empathy.

"It is more than that. You two must be from Earth. That's the only way you wouldn't know," the old pony said thoughtfully. "The Heart is the focus for all the love and good feelings in the empire. We periodically renew it whenever there is a new foal born in the city, and we renew it during the Crystal Fair each year. I'm not aware of anypony about to have a foal, not for a few months anyway, but the fair is only a few days away."

Empathy patted Miss Ami on the side. "That's good news! Just a few days! That is something to look forward to!"

"Maybe," Miss Ami muttered. "I'm not sure how this heart can help. It seems far-fetched."

"It won't take all the pain away,but it will help you feel more of your joy again," the mare assured them.

"We'll have to see," Miss Ami said, not seeming so sure. Empathy wished she was more enthusiastic about this, but at least she was talking. That was better.

He wondered if the heart would help him feel better about missing Heavyheart.

Flurry Heart guided Sunset into a private room, not unlike the one she had brought Charlotte to. Sunset went in obediently and immediately headed over to a couch. Celestia followed her in.

"This room is soundproof. We can speak freely," Flurry Heart informed them as she shut the door.

"We hope young Charlotte is feeling better after your talk," Celestia said as she took a seat on another couch. "She seemed quite distressed."

"We're all getting through things day to day right now, and she has other dysfunctions she is working through," Sunset replied. "She's young. She'll bounce back from this. It will just take her a while."

Celestia gave her a sad smile. "Losing loved ones doesn't get any easier with age, and I have buried my fair share. It never gets any easier."

"At least Andrea seems to be more resilient than the rest of us. I haven't seen her break down yet," Sunset sighed. "Hopefully that isn't just building up for an even bigger breakdown later. Charlotte can't afford Andrea losing it at an important moment, and I don't want to lose Andrea because she chose the wrong time to let her grief out."

Celestia nodded. "I knew there was something involving Charlotte and her magic that you weren't telling us earlier. Something you don't want her to know yet."

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Was it obvious? I thought I was doing a good job of keeping that to myself."

"I don't know the two of you well, but when you have been around as long as I have, you get to where you can pick up on a lot that is unsaid. Call it intuition."

Sunset looked away. "I am trying to find a workaround, but my ability to duplicate her portals has a limitation– her."

Flurry Heart had taken a seat while they were talking and raised an eyebrow. "You assured us you could get a scout team to this other universe."

"I can."

"But you say there is a limitation," Flurry Heart prompted.

Sunset laid down and cradled her head between her forelegs. "The armlets I have in mind will bring everyone back without any issue if certain conditions are met.Those conditions are I need Charlotte to get them over there to begin with and I need her present and within a certain range for the armlets to work."

"The girl doesn't have command of her magic yet. That seems to be a serious limitation," Celestia said gravely.

Sunset sat back up and shook her head. "No, I can make her magic do what I want, even if she can't. It wouldn't be pleasant for her, but I know how. It has to be her magic. I haven't come up with a way to replicate it."

Celestia's brow narrowed. "Using another's magic against their will treads dangerously close to dark magic."

"An archaic term, but, you are correct, it is magic that is easily abused," Sunset said in response. "It isn't an option I want to go with. I am still studying her and am hoping to crack the code to being able to open a similar portal using my own magic. No Heart apparently figured it out, and in no time at all. It infuriates me that I am running into a wall with this."

Celestia didn't seem assured. "Where did you even learn how to do such magic? Such magic existed in our antiquity, but I worked hard to stamp out all traces of those spells."

"The Dreamwardens," Sunset answered in a flat tone. "What do you think those unicorns who are going to die distracting the Devourers are going to be doing? I thought I made the details of the gambit very clear in my report."

That brought the eldest alicorn up short. "We don't know if that will be needed. The initial distraction could be enough. We also don't know if they are actually using a pony's magic."

Sunset shook her head. "I believe they are, on both counts. Tell me that you will keep your promise and assure that all of my family is evacuated to Equestria with the rest of the refugees."

Flurry Heart's feathers bristled. "You don't have faith that the wardens' plan will work? Should we be worried?"

"We wouldn't be evacuating people if it was sure to work," Sunset said in a tired voice. "It is our best chance. It has a chance of working, but we are employing something that even Triss doesn't fully understand, despite spending literally tens of millions of years studying it. There are a lot of variables that I don't have answers to or begin to understand. The spell is designed to do something that is flat out impossible. The spell will fail, that is for certain. It's trying to do something that even all you alicorns and Triss couldn't accomplish if you combined your powers, and leave you just as dead as those unicorns will be, but I'm hoping it will work just enough to hold those mechanical monsters' attention."

Flurry Heart's ears sagged. "Hundreds of lives…for a distraction. I can't believe it comes to this. The moral implications of what we are doing make me want to cry."

"Better than billions dead because we didn't try," Sunset whispered. "Whether we can live with ourselves after doesn't matter. Better to have history judge us harshly than have no future to judge us. I will take the blame if we make it through. I'm already viewed as a villain by a significant part of the population. The spell was my design, and I don't even have the courage to stand among those casting it. You can claim you didn't know."

Celestia shook her head. "No, we shall not lie. You shall not shoulder all the blame. All the alicorns, all the Dreamwardens, all the governments, we all are involved, and all carry the burden of the outcome, no matter what that may be. May Harmony present us with a victory over the Devourers, whatever consequences we must face after don't matter unless there is an after "

"For Earth. For Equestria. For Life," Flurry Heart chanted slowly.

"For life," Sunset Blessing repeated. "May God forgive us."

Storytime: The First Tale of Triss, Part 1

Under the skytrees of the city that shared the same name, a middle aged woman sat, surrounded by foals, children, and their parents. Behind her was a small reflection pond and the stone monument with the names of the dead during the Cataclysm. All were hushed, waiting for her to speak.

She stared up at the canopy of branches. People joking called Disneyworld the most magical place on Earth, but there was real magic here, deep magic. The power of the alicorn who wasn't was in the leaves, the branches, the roots, the bark, the soil. Wild Growth had poured herself into this place that fateful day, trying desperately to save the lives of all who lived in the city, and produced this miracle of a place. Few realized how much power there was here. No artifact on Earth or Equestria could compare to these few trees.

Our audience awaits, Jennifer.

She didn't change her expression when the voice spoke to her in her head.

I know. I'm just taking in the scenery. She thought back at it.

They grow impatient, as do I. Her constant companion replied.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The Narrative could be so childish sometimes.

She looked at her audience and smiled. "It is time for our story. Like many of my stories, this happened a very long time ago. It happened when the universe was much younger, and the night sky was as bright as daytime because all the stars were so much closer together. It was a time when life flourished on ten thousand different worlds beneath the warming light of a million distant suns. It was a fantastic time, a time lost even to legend, where magical feats beyond your wildest dreams could be accomplished. A time when the future of our universe looked bright, and would be filled with innumerable populated worlds for the duration of history."

As she spoke, the scenery around them shifted. The branches above them transformed into a bright green sky with hundreds of distant blazing balls of flame keeping it alight. The kids and parents all ooooed and awed as the illusion came into place.

The illusion grew until it covered all their surroundings. They were all still sitting, but the expanse of green interstellar space now extending into every direction they looked, even down. Into this illusion came the forms of planets. Some rocky, some molten, and some not unlike Earth or Equestria.

"In this time, travel between worlds was frequent. Everything was closer together, not like the unimaginable distances between stars today."

Everyone did startled jumps and yelps as a massive starship suddenly passed right by them. It was bigger than the biggest freighter on the seas, a long rectangular box with runes of magic glowing brightly along its sides.

"And technology and magic were at heights that have never been seen since," she continued.

A new star appeared, covering the entire horizon, it would have been blinding to everyone present if it were really there. If it were really there, they would have all been burned to a crisp, but this was an illusion, and since it was an illusion, they could see the outlines of a planet, sitting far too close to its star to possibly be habitable. Yet…

"There exists then and now a place, older than time itself. Even in these primordial days, its age was such that the time between then and now would not qualify as the blink of an eye. The people had a name for it, Jeg'galla'gamp'pi. It means the first and the last place. It predates the universe itself, and it shall outlast the universe. Nothing can harm it, nothing can scratch it, and the rules of our universe have only a passing effect on it, as if it simply tolerates them out of boredom, but could easily simply ignore them if it so suited it."

The illusion drew them.all nearer to the planet, and details came into view. At first, it seemed a pristine white, then it became clear that the surface was anything but smooth, and then as they got even closer, the true wonder of the planet became clear.

The entire planet was one big city.

The illusion dove them into the atmosphere, an atmosphere that should not be, not this close to the inferno of a star, but this was Jeg'galla'gamp'pi, and Jeg'galla'gamp'pi had an atmosphere because Jeg'galla'gamp'pi didn't care about trivial things like laws of physics that said any atmosphere should be burned away and its surface should be molten. They went down and flew between the massive towering spires that would be a thousand stories tall, among bridges so thin and delicate-looking that it seemed like they could not support the weight of an insect- yet could support the weight of a whole other planet and show no sign of strain. There were buildings with tall arched doors every direction you looked, and vacant windows staring down into barren courtyards. No decoration adorned any of these places. There were no murals, no drawings, no writing, no statues, not even the most basic of artistic designs. Each building was the same pristine white as everything else, and the only break in the white were the shadows they cast, as if the shadows were the only real thing here– the only thing that wasn't part of the single piece, for no building was separate from the ground it stood, and no building had any individual parts. Everything was one piece; everything was Jeg'galla'gamp'pi.

They slowed down as they came to one courtyard in particular, this one filled with dragonlike beings they made their homes among the buildings. They were hanging out cloths from windows, cooking meals while laughing and talking together.

"Jeg'galla'gamp'pi had no crops, no water, and no wildlife," the woman continued. "While the air was breathable and the temperature somehow moderate, there was no way to survive there long term. However, despite the incredible difficulty that even reaching it entailed, settlers did come, the poorest of the poor. What would attract people to a place where all food and drink had to be imported in? Where you couldn't even so much as mine since every piece the the world was unbreakable? Jeg'galla'gamp'pi was aware, although none could fathom its consciousness, and Jeg'galla'gamp'pi provided."

The scene shifted to a room. The dragons were searching it, although it appeared empty.

"They were scavengers, Junk Peddlers they were called," she said as the crowd watched the dragons search.

"It might seem foolish to search an empty city–"

A small blue stone, twisted into a warped spiral, suddenly appeared in the corner of the room where it had not been before, and one of the dragons quickly picked it up and held it up in triumph.

"–but Jeg'galla'gamp'pi was aware of them, and it provided."

The scene shifted again, to different courtyard, where small spacecraft were parked on the ground and dragons in robes inspected crates of rocks similar to the one held by the dragon just a moment ago.

"Those items scavenged were then traded to those who were not poor, and the Junk Peddlers got their food, drink, and other items. Seasonally, they came, and seasonally the Junk Traders provided their bounty. What these well-to-do beings wanted with their unbreakable junk, the peddlers did not care. They only cared that they would have sustenance for another season, and they did not understand the true value of what they were trading away."

It's an audience of kids. Best not to bog it down with pre-Devourer economics and exploitation. This story is pushing the boundaries of what is appropriate for this audience as it is.

I know that, but the story must be told! She thought back at the voice.

I do not contest that.

The scene shifted again, to a family of dragons, a young pearly white female and her parents, all huddled together in one of the dwellings.

"The planet has forsaken us!" the mother wept. "We have not found enough to trade, and the merchants will be here tomorrow!"

"The others will help support us. There have been lean times before," the father assured her.

"Never so lean!" the mother cried, pointing at a crate that only had three of the stones within it. "The traders will give us barely any food, and no drink! How will we feed ourselves? How will we feed Triss?!"

The young dragon came close to her mother and laid her head against her. "I will be alright, Lifegiver. Joss will share his portion with me. He is my soulfriend."

"Which leaves two young ones being given only half of what they should!" the mother continued to cry. "Even with our each of our soulfriends helping us, we only make it harder on our soulfriends!"

"Triss was a young and determined dragon. Who did not like to see her mother cry," the woman informed her audience. The scene shifted to show Triss and a young male dragon with salmon colored scales hurrying into a building. "As her parents fretted, she decided to take action and make one last attempt to find things to trade. She was certain the planet would not let them go without anything to trade. Had they not always been good? She was joined by Joss, her soulfriend– which is like a best friend, only a million times more close. In their culture, soulfriends were even more important than family, but never were family, and never became lovers."

"Where should we search?" the young male dragon called out to Triss as they ran, the illusionary scene that surrounded the crowd moved with them.

Triss stopped and pointed upwards into the distance, towards a monolith that towered so high it seemed to extend into space itself. "The Big Spire!"

Joss came up beside her and looked up. "The Big Spire? The pickings are always few around there. No one searches there."

"Maybe that means it is holding out more than usual since few go there anymore," Triss suggested.

"Or that it will just be little to find again," Joss countered. "But I go where you go."

The ran and the crowd's perspective followed. The kids and parents looked on in wonder at the buildings as they zipped by, and the long-forgotten city seemed to watch them in turn through the vacant dark windows and doors. Maybe it did. Who could fathom the workings of Jeg'galla'gamp'pi? Perhaps, despite the distance, it was aware of them. Perhaps it sat waiting, many many light years away, for new residents to walk its streets and make homes within its halls. If a world could be lonely, then there was none more lonely than it.

Triss and Joss reached the foot of the Big Spire. The spire was a monolith that towered so high that its pinnacle could not be seen from the ground. There were no windows, but there was a door, one that brought the two young drakes up short as they stared at it.

"The Big Spire never has an entrance," Joss said as he looked upon the dark archway.

Triss smiled. "Do you see? The city provides for us!"

"A door does not assure anything to find," Joss said cautiously. "A door where there was none before is dangerous. It could choose to leave while we are inside, leaving us trapped."

"Doors and windows and cubby holes come and go all the time in other places, and no one gets trapped," Triss reminded him.

"They don't do that here," Joss said worriedly.

There suddenly seemed to be a greater number of windows than there had been a moment before facing the dragons as they decided what to do. The kids in the audience noticed this and shivered as the city watched.

"We go in!" Triss announced and began marching with purpose towards the archway.

"This is a bad idea," Joss whimpered, but followed her faithfully without further objection. The illusion followed as the dragons crept through the doorway.

As soon as the entered the spire, the door vanished.

Joss turned and started scratching at the wall. "No! I told you this was a bad idea! I told you this could happen!"

Triss looked around. "There is still light."

It was true. Despite there being no window or other source of illumination, the room was not dark. It was an empty room, except for a passageway that went downward.

"There's only one way to go," Triss said, walking towards the passage.

Joss turned and looked at the passage. "Passages never go down on the first floor. Nothing goes below the surface."

Triss flipped her tail in annoyance. "You are too concerned with what has never been seen before."

"And you are not concerned enough!"

"There is still only one way to go," Triss reminded him, still walking towards the passage. He gulped and then followed.

They descended in a spiral till where they entered was no longer visible, yet still they went down, round and round, in a never ending circle with smooth white walls and smooth white floor.

"This path can go on forever," Joss whined.

"Nothing goes on forever," Triss replied, not stopping in her run down the sloping spiral.

Joss breathed heavily as he ran to keep up. "Jeg'galla'gamp'pi does."

Then the path abruptly came to a door and they passed through.

"Whoa!" Triss said breathlessly as the gazed in wonder at what they beheld.

They were in a room, and the walls were covered in art.

"What is this place?" Joss asked, looking at the walls.

There were drawings of creatures in every shape and size, all of them things that the two drakes had clearly never seen before. Some creatures had tentacles, some arms and legs, some wings, and some defied all body plans that anything they knew had, or even seemed a mishmash of various different things. From all of them were depictions of something rising out from them.

Triss's eyes widened as she looked at the far side of the room. "It's where I find the stuff to trade."

There was a small statue, in the same bluish-colored stone that all the other junk came in. The statue of a drake.

Joss gasped. "That would bring lots to trade. We've never found anything but stones before. An actual statue is impossible. The stones can't be shaped."

Triss walked close to it, and both she and the statue started to glow with a pale blue light. She seemed oblivious to it, eyes fiercely fixated on the statue.

"Triss! Something is weird!" Joss called out in alarm.

The other dragon did not seem to hear. She picked up the statue in her claws and held it.

"It's so warm. I feel warmth inside me," Triss whispered. "This is me."

"Triss!" Joss yelled again.

The glow abruptly winked out, and Triss turned to look at her friend.

"I must keep this!" she exclaimed. "It was meant for me!"

"No!" Joss protested. "If you are going to take it. Then trade it for food! That is what is important! If we can get out of here."

The path behind them had vanished, and a new path had appeared to their side where there had not been one before. All the drawings in the room were gone.

"There is still only one way to go," Triss said, as she clasped the statue close to her and walked towards the passageway. Joss did not object as he followed.

They walked through the door, and found themselves back out on the street.

"How?" Joss asked in confusion.

"Triss! Joss! Where have you two been?"

The both turned to see a pair of adults standing down the street from them. It was their mothers, and behind them, the Junk Peddler's encampment.

"We went straight down, we never went back up or in any other direction. How did we exit here?" Joss asked in confusion.

"Jeg'galla'gamp'pi obeys its own rules," Triss replied, still grasping her prize.

They looked behind them. The doorway led into a normal vacant house. There was no passage leading anywhere else, no sign if the room they had just come from.

The illusion faded, returning the audience to their seats beneath the trees.

"What happened to Triss and Joss?" a foal cried out.

"What is up with the statue?" another asked.

"Is the city good or bad?"

The storyteller smiled. "I'm sorry, but that took a lot out of me. That was the first tale of Triss and Joss, or at least, the first half of the first tale. I shall complete it again in a little while, once I have eaten and drank. There are many tales to tell of them, more than I could tell if I spent my entire lifetime speaking. Give me a few minutes to rest. Maybe you can discuss among yourselves the significance of what you have seen."

Perhaps you will live to see the final tale come to completion. This has been the greatest tragedy ever told, but hopefully it shall come to an end soon.

Author's Note

An odd break in the story, but it has its purpose to the overall story.

Explanation of Narrative for those who are not aware of it from previous stories:

The Narrative is the consciousness and will of the Story. The Story's closest Equestrian equivalent is Harmony with the Narrative being the Equivalent of the Tree of Harmony. The Narrative basically gives a little nudge to events to help make them go the way that best lines up with the Story.

The Narrative also interacts with individuals called Storytellers. Jennifer is the most notable of the Storytellers and the only one that does down and has direct conversations with the Narrative. For other Storytellers they get information from the Narrative through other means– song, painting, various trances, bone readings. Consider them oracles or prophets who glean information about the past, present, or possible future from the Narrative.

Chapter 1.17: Last Talk on the Evening

Preliminary report to United States Military Command at the Pentagon, United States President, Equestrian Monarchy, UN Security Council, and other authorized personnel.

Priority: Urgent

Classification: Top Secret

Author: Sunset Blessing

Content: Findings from initial study of the Intuit race.

Subjects of Study: Intuit, elephant class, Empathy Elephant the Ninth, living. Intuit, bear class, Cheer Bear (unknown number designation), deceased. Fourteen other intiits, bear class, names unknown, deceased.

Brief physical description of subjects: Intuits are bipedal, covered from in fur, lack any genitalia, mammaries, or anal spincter. Resemble various animals, but should not be mistaken for being such animals. Taxademic classification is unique. Have arms and hands. Hands have thumbs but are only four-fingered. Possess naturally occurring insignia on the stomach called a belly badge that resembles a cutie mark. Coloration of fur varies like ponies.

Advanced biological study: full report incoming, as I am not qualified to give a full biological review of organs and metabolic processes. Experts are currently studying cadavers.

Biological processes observed or gleaned from interrogation include that Intuits eat diets similar to ponies and have similar nutritional requirements. Intuits also gain emotional nourishment from 'serving' humans. The nature of the service varies from Intuit to Intuit– more information needed. Intuits do not have an anus. They expel waste in the form of gas released through various pores beneath the fur. Initial observation is this is done in large gas releases while sleeping and produces a flatulence sound and foul smell. Components of gas are still being analyzed– not believed to be harmful to humans or ponies.

Intuit reproduction is done through magical means, producing a perfect biological copy of the parent. While Intuits assign genders to themselves, there is no biological basis for this, as they all seem to be neuter. Gender exists only as a cultural idea within Intuits. Sexual intercourse consists entirely of kissing, cuddling, and rubbing bellies together. After a certain point in the life cycle, the parent will seek out a pre-assigned mate, engage in activities mentioned above, and a perfect copy of the intuit will come out of the belly badge, regardless of what gender the Intuit assigned themselves. This reproduction only happens once in an Intuit's life cycle, making population growth impossible, and any death of any Intuit before reproduction results in a permanent population decline. This species is extremely vulnerable as a result and should be considered endangered.

Intuits are capable of producing concussion magical blasts through their belly badges as well as producing small items. The extent of power of such blasts is still being studied, but is believed to be in line with a standard concussive blasts from a unicorn horn. Objects produced are temporary and vanish after a matter of a minute or so. Complexity of what kinds of items can be produced is still being observed, and it is unknown what the range of variable magical strength exists between Intuits. Has been confirmed that Earthling crystal ponies can counter Intuit magic. Physically, Intuits seem to be of similar range of strength as crystal ponies.

Numbers: The largest subcategory of Intuit are the bears, and those number less than a hundred. I was personally able to terminate fifteen of the said bears with little trouble, although the bears did present a greater challenge to standard power-level ponies and humans. Other Intuit subcategories combined are estimated to be less than five hundred put together, and non-bears are considered non-hostile at this time.

Technology: Intuits seem to lack any written script. Despite not having a written script, they have Hindi-Arabic numerals– not numerals similar to them, the exact same– see conjecture below in regards to this. They possess firearms that are in line with late-twentieth century armaments, and have extremely close designs to antique firearms from our universe. Other technology is unknown at this time.

Further considerations: Intuits are living, breathing, intelligent lifeforms, but do not appear to have a natural biological origin. They are simply reproducing golem constructs created by an unknown mage. The origin is still unknown. Empathy Elephant has given some vague references to an individual named the Cloud Keeper, but no concrete information about this individual is known at this time, including whether they are alive or dead, or if they are an ascended being such as Triss or the alicorns. The elephant only has the knowledge that a being called the Cloud Keeper made the intuits long ago. Since Intuit lifespans seem to be around sixty years, and Empathy is the ninth in his line at twenty-two years of age, we can estimate the entire Intuit species to be less than three centuries old.

Intuit's themselves present little military threat in terms of an armed invasion force; they are grossly outgunned, outmagiced, and outnumbered. However, the bears are backed by a mage (unknown humanoid species) named No Heart who has demonstrated magical skill and power surpassing myself and the other great mages of our era. He may possess alicorn level magic and should be considered a top-level threat. Full extent of magic and abilities are unknown at this time.

The Intuit universe has humans and parallels to ours too strong to ignore. The probability that certain things, such as the above mentioned written numerals, would develop exactly the same independently on another world defies reason. As a pure personal conjecture, that should not be taken as fact, I am assuming that this is not a different universe, but a different timeline of our universe, one where the magical awakening of humanity occurred much earlier. I could be wrong; in which case, that indicates a universe with an even stronger leak flow from our universe than Equestria has. If right, it would require there be no Devourers since the Devourers would have already reached that world in the timespan advanced magics have been demonstrated. In either case, it may make the location a suitable evacuation point if it can be neutralized.

I present this information for your decision making process and shall update when new information becomes available.

Sunset Blessing stood outside a closed door, gathering her nerve.

Just one more talk, then you can go to bed. Luna will help with the nightmares.

One last deep breath, then she knocked.

"Amicus, may I come in?"

There was no answer.

She knocked again, then laid her head against the door. "Ami? Are you there okay? Please, answer. Don't make me worry."

The door opened to reveal her sister, eyes red from crying.

"What do you want, Sunset?" Amicus asked, sounding weary.

"How about I be your baby sister Charlotte for tonight?" Sunset asked with a flick of her ear.

Amicus sighed. "You haven't been called Charlotte in thirty-five years."

Sunset walked by her, brushing against her as she went into the room. It was rude, but she wasn't going to have this conversation in the doorway. Amicus didn't call her out on it, and shut the door behind her.

"Technically, my legal name is Charlotte when I am wearing my necklace, and I have worn it quite a bit over the last few decades," Sunset reminded her.

"You aren't wearing it now," Amicus replied.

Sunset shook her head. "No, but it felt like a good time to brush off the name, since you seem intent on viewing yourself as Kristin; a designation you haven't used at all in thirty-five years."

Amicus hung her head. "That's low, Sunset. Bringing up my other self like that is cruel. Why are you here, Sunset?"

Sunset sat down. "The elephant said you were talking more. I'm glad to see he was telling the truth."

"Is that all you came by to do? See if I was talking?" Amicus asked. "There, you heard it. Satisfied?"

Sunset frowned. "I've just been worried sick about you. I don't know what to do with you, Ami. I don't know a thing I can say to comfort you. If you still weren't talking, I thought maybe I could try to piss you off."

"Because making me mad makes everything better?" Amicus asked with displeasure.

"Because feeling angry at least reminds you that you're alive," Sunset whispered. "You'd be surprised how effective a tactic it is to anger someone to get them out of a funk. I use the tactic for a variety of purposes. It is one of my most commonly chosen tactics."

"You have strange ideas," Amicus said, sitting down. "I'm still in a funk. I'm not sure if I can get out of it."

She looked her sister in the face, and considered how to keep her talking. "Ami, did you ever hear about the whole Harmonist thing where they try to assign you a primary element?"

Her sister nodded. "I have. I was surprised that my primary element was loyalty. I don't mind sharing my primary element with you, if you buy into that stuff. It is like sharing an astrological sign."

"I didn't get loyalty."

"Generosity, then?"

Sunset shook her head. "No, kindness."

Amicus looked at her in disbelief. "No offense, little sis, but I think someone made a mistake if they said that was your element."

Sunset let out a quick dry laugh. "I'm pretty bad at showing kindness, aren't I?"

"You're no Fluttershy, that's for sure," Amicus muttered. "You're bad-tempered, snappy, authoritarian, rude, vengeful, overbearing, violent, and you mentioned just now that you walked into your grieving big sister's room with an intent to make me angry. None of that strikes me as kind."

"Not pulling any kicks, are you?" Sunset chuckled.

The old unicorn got up and walked to her sister's window, looking out it. There wasn't much to see at this hour. A few guards on patrol, a pair of humans returning to a neighboring hotel from a day of sightseeing. It was calm and peaceful.

"The primary element is more about what guides our judgment. What is most important to us. If I had to make a decision that required me to prioritize being loyal, honest, generous, upbeat, or kind, and could only be one of those things, I choose doing the kind thing. That is what most impacts my thought process. What I would abandon the others for," Sunset said as she turned back around. "For you, loyalty wins out over the others. It doesn't mean those other options don't matter to us, only that we value our primary trait more."

"And coming here and trying to make me mad is driven by kindness?"

"Yes."

Amicus shook her head. "You're a strange mare."

"You still being with me after all the insanity and danger I put everyone through is certainly a sign of loyalty."

"Perhaps," Amicus confessed. "If you consider love to be loyalty. I'd still believe that to be your element instead of kindness. Not saying you're a bad person, just not a very nice-"

Sunset cut her off by catching her sister off-guard with a two-legged hug.

"You don't know how good it is to hear you talking to me again, more than you have in weeks; having a conversation. I told you. I'm worried about you. You're the only sister I have left, and I don't want you wasting away in depression."

That took the stiffness out of her sister. Amicus carefully wrapped a leg around her and leaned into her, laying her head up against the scar on Sunset's neck. She then started crying.

"It's s-so hard…" Amicus wept, gripping tighter. "We've lost so much."

"You still have so much," Sunset replied, not flinching away from her sister, even though the earth pony grip was a little too tight. "I'm still here, Ami. I know young Andrea isn't the same sister we grew old with, but she's still Andrea in her heart. We still have an Andrea. I lost one Kristin, I don't want to lose the other."

"I feel like I lost part of myself…she might have been taking different paths than me, but she was so like me," Amicus cried. "And Méng…I watched him grow up into a fine young stallion from an adorable little colt. He might have been adopted, but he was my closest nephew to me…closer than most of my grandkids. He was my friend."

"I still saw the little colt that came to me all those years ago whenever I looked at him. I felt so lost on how to care for him back then, now I feel lost without him," Sunset said slowly, trying to hold back the tears. She licked her lips and decided she couldn't talk more about him, not yet. "I understand how you feel about Kristin. Charlotte is so like me. She's temperamental, headstrong, always feels like she needs to prove herself. I felt I had to prove myself in other ways at her age, but dealing with me has moved the goalpost for her. And now…now I might be sending her and Andrea into danger, right after we just lost two of our own. I don't want to lose anymore, Ami. They say I could live to be near two-hundred, if I keep myself healthy, so I'll outlive almost all the family, but I don't want to lose them too soon."

Amicus broke from the hug suddenly and stepped back, staring in horror at her. "What do you mean? How might you be sending Charlotte and Andrea into danger?"

Sunset diverted her eyes. She was such a coward. She couldn't even look her sister in the face. "The elephant's world has been enslaved. Saving them is the right thing to do. Anyone going there and getting back needs Charlotte present; I can't replicate her magic. Andrea has decided that she's her sister's keeper. That means she'll follow; she'll fight me for the right to follow. Young or old, I know Andrea. You do too, and you know I'm right about that."

"You can't let them go traipsing off to yet another universe, and a dangerous one at that!" Amicus yelled.

Sunset quickly looked at the doors and windows, before throwing up a soundproofing spell. "Keep it down. I haven't told them yet!"

"So, you're going to order them?" Amicus asked wide-eyed. "How could you? After all your talk about worrying about fam-"

Sunset cut her off. "No, I'm going to ask Charlotte if she is willing to help. She is going to jump on it faster than I can get the words out of my mouth. She feels she has something to prove, and this is her chance to do her own adventure. I would have at her age."

"You were a foolish idiot at her age! You need to stop her! Put those years of wisdom to use! She's a foolish child; you aren't. You should know better!"

"That world needs liberty. She will go with the scout team, and I know she'll volunteer. I fear for her, but I will not stop her."

"You can talk her out of it!"

"And one of the princesses will give her an inspiring speech about how she'll be helping save a world and undo me talking her out of it. They have a long history of sending inexperienced young mares off to fight battles for them. I've read the stories. I've talked to Starlight and Twilight about their experiences. I know how this works," Sunset pointed out. "It's happening, Ami. I can't stop it."

Amicus started to pace. "Are you at least going with them to protect them?"

"No."

Her sister gaped at her. "Why not? There aren't many ponies that can match or surpass you in a fight; the element bearers, the princesses, Wild Growth, Josie, Sapphire Sky, Sunrise Storm, Starlight Glimmer, that Discord creature, maybe a few others I'm not thinking of, but it isn't a lot."

"I can think of a few more, but not many," Sunset conceded. "I can't go there, Ami. I'm too angry. I can't trust myself not to do something I'll end up regretting. I don't know who the princesses are sending on this team, but they're likely sending one or more of those you mentioned. Charlotte and Andrea will have someone powerful and experienced with them."

"I don't like this," Amicus bemoaned. "Why are you even telling me this?"

"To help brace you for it," Sunset answered. "I don't like it either, and I'm still working hard to figure out a way to replicate Charlotte's magic so she is unnecessary for this mission. I believe I can figure out anything, if given enough time, but sometimes enough time is a few days and other times it is more lifetime than I have. Duplicating non-pony magic has been an ongoing problematic venture for me that I only have had limited success with in the past. Given that, I don't think I have the time to solve this problem. I may have tried to play God in the past, but I am not God, and can't just make whatever I want happen."

Amicus stopped pacing and took a few deep breaths before looking at Sunset again. "I'm going to put this out of mind for the moment. I'm trying to get out of this depressive funk and brooding in this won't help. So, I'm changing the subject. Do you know anything about a crystal fair?"

Sunset nodded. "It is an important tradition to help restore the Crystal Heart's power every year. The Heart is powerful, but it requires recharging, and the fair ensures that it has a recharge no matter what every year."

"Does it really help with mood?" Amicus asked.

Sunset knew where her sister was going with this. "I can't confirm it, but I have heard many positive stories. I'm guessing you want to stay here long enough for the fair."

"I'm willing to try anything," Amicus confessed.

"Willing to try is a positive first step," Sunset said with a smile. "I will have to go down to Canterlot before then to start getting settled in at the school, but you don't have to come down with me. You, the girls, and the elephant can stay here to attend the fair and come to Canterlot after. I might be able to come back up for the fair, I'm not sure. I have a lot going on. I might have moved away from Earth, but this is no retirement."

"I'd like you to be here with me during the fair," Amicus said. It wasn't quite a request, but the request hung in the air.

Sunset nodded. "I'll do my best, but can't make a promise. I'm taking over that school with very little time before the school year begins, and I'm trying to figure out the stuff with Charlotte's magic and still trying to deal with another long-term project that I've been working on for years that is coming to a conclusion in a few months. Everything seems set with that last one, but I'm still hoping to find some way of making a better way of doing what I came up with, but time isn't on my side."

"Is that last one something else I should be worried about?" Amicus asked warily.

"No," Sunset lied with a straight face. "Anyway, I'll let you get your rest. I know I am very tired too. It really has been good talking to you, sis."

Storytime: The First Tale of Triss, Part 2. The Tragedy of Joss, Part 1

The humble traveling minstrel is approached by the shadowy form of the Watcher of Children's Dreams, mightiest of the night warrior tribe, and servant of the Jolly Watcher

The Jolly Watcher? You make The Marshmallow sound like a pirate. Jennifer chided the voice in her head.

I feel it is an excellent name. Watcher and Roger don't sound the same at all.

Jennifer rolled her eyes as she took a sip of tea. The Narrative could get so pouty when she got critical; thirty-five years old and still a bit of a child. She sighed after setting her cup down on the folding table provided for her.

"Hello, Josie, long time no see," she said, not turning around.

There was an exaggerated huff. "How'd you know I was here? People don't normally hear me coming."

Jennifer smiled as she turned around. "Having the Narrative constantly talking to me has some advantages. What brings you to my story hour?"

She knew the nocturnal mare in front of her was over fifty years old, but the mare barely looked older than mid-twenties. Jennifer looked much younger than her own age, which was within a year or two of Josie, so she couldn't complain about Josie's extended youth. That was the boon and curse of those with powerful magic, and among Josie's tribe, there were none stronger.

"You might want to tell a different story," Josie informed her. "Certain higher-ups don't care for the one you are telling."

Jennifer snorted. "Triss and the Dreamwardens can moan and complain all they want. They can't do anything to me. I'm breaking no rules."

"You are inciting discontent," Josie said dryly. "And doing so at a critical time."

"Are you going to try to stop me?" Jennifer asked, raising an eyebrow.

Josie shook her head. "No more than I just did. I don't go beating the crap out of people for the wardens. Thankfully, that isn't Rebecca's style. She did want me to try to talk you out of it."

"And how do you feel about the story?" Jennifer asked.

Josie shrugged. "Never heard it. So I'm curious how it goes; especially since Rebecca is keen on you not telling it. I've never been the Dreamwardens biggest fan. The whole Sha'am Maut torturing my friends in front of me thing always left a sour taste in my mouth."

"Yet you serve them."

"I serve Rebecca, not the wardens as a whole. I admit it, I've got a soft spot for her. She was a kid I helped, way back in the day."

The Watcher of Children's Dreams is subdued. The traveling minstrel is not aware that the night warrior is in mourning for one such former charge who was recently lost. She mourns the youngest son of the former One Who Would Be Queen, the Reluctant Prophet, the Mistress of the Manor, the–

You are in a mood today, she thought with amusement at the voice.

What do you mean?

Fifty billion titles for people when one would suffice, she answered back in her head. I knew who you were talking about after the first title. You are getting way too flowery.

The night warrior stands at attention, awaiting the minstrel to speak.

Oh, that's your way of changing the subject? Face it, without me, your stories would never be read or listened to. I know when too much is too much.

"Are you having a conversation with the voice in your head?" Josie asked. "You know, they used to send people away to the looney bin for that."

"My voice actually exists," Jennifer answered.

"That's what a crazy person would say," Josie chuckled. "Do your story if you want. I'm not stopping you. Just know you'll be pissing off some powerful individuals."

Jennifer bowed. "What is an artist if they are never controversial?" She paused and gave the pony a more sympathetic look. "And I'm sorry for your loss."

"How'd you?" Josie gasped in surprise, then stopped and shook her head. "Storyteller, duh. I'm asking a stupid question. Thank you. I appreciate the gesture. He had been a sweet kid who grew up to be a good stallion."

Jennifer nodded and quickly finished her drink before walking back to her place in front of the audience. The kids had been getting a little rowdy during the lull, and she could see the relief in the parents' eyes as she returned to her place. She actually thought she recognized some of the parents as having been kids listening to her stories long ago. It didn't feel like she had been at this for that long, especially since she was aging slower than those ponies, and now looked younger than they, but the evidence was in front of her face. She was getting old. Oh well, at least she didn't have arthritis.

She smiled at the kids. "Now…I might have forgotten where I was. Would any of you happen to remember?"

"Triss had found a statue in a weird tower!"

"And they had just gotten back to camp!"

"Very good! You paid very good attention!" she complimented them. "Let us continue. Unless you are bored with the story…."

"No! Keep going!"

"We aren't bored!"

"We want to know what happens next!"

"Will you make it all appear again? That was so cool!"

She laughed. "I think I can do that. I must warn you, some parts of this story might get scary, even for grown ups. I have it on good authority that the story scares the Dreamwardens. Only brave kids can listen to this story. Can all of you be brave?"

*We can be brave!"

"Yeah!"

"I watch scary movies with my big brother allll the time!"

"Tell us the story!"

Some of the parents were looking nervous. She was expecting as much.

"This isn't going to get gory, is it?" one mare asked. "I don't want to have my foals seeing gore."

"Aww! Mom! We're tough!" a colt protested.

Jennifer shook her head. "I assure you, there won't be a drop of blood shown."

The mare cautiously nodded her acceptance, but she and the other parents still seemed to be wary of what was coming, as any good parent should be when they are warned their kid was going to be exposed to something that could frighten them. The irony was, the kids would take this as just a story, and not connect it to their current lives. The adults would see what the true horror was. The adults were the ones who would walk away most frightened, not the kids.

She brought up her illusion again, depicting the inside of a building with Triss's family. "So…Triss and Joss returned home with the statue, and Triss's family was understandably overjoyed at her find…or at least her parents were."

The scene shifted to show the parents sleeping, but Triss was awake, holding the statue in her claws. Both were glowing with a soft blue light.

"Yet Triss still did not want to relinquish the statue. She was convinced that it was intended for her. However, she knew it meant food for her family, so she intended to let it be traded, but that didn't mean she couldn't spend all the time with it she could before the traders came."

The scene shifted to the large courtyard where the spacecraft landed. Robed dragons were talking with Junk Peddlers, crates of stones were being inspected and weighed, and other crates of food, containers of water, cloths, tools, and more were being exchanged for the stones. Triss's family were dealing with several traders, who were all eying the statue with unabashed greed.

"A full season's supplies for the statue alone," one trader said.

"Are you trying to cheat them? I offer two seasons supplies, and the choice of my finest cloths!"

"What tools do you desire? I can make sure you are without need! And luxury items as well!"

"My full stock! Eight seasons worth!"

Triss was sitting away from the traders and her family, looking forlornly at the haggling. Joss was sitting beside her. The scene turned and focused on them, although the traders were kept in sight.

"I told you that statue would trade well!" Joss said excitedly. "Your family shall get the most prosperous trades this season, maybe ever."

"Yes, they will," Triss mumbled absently, gaze still locked on where the statue would be, even if it was impossible to see through the crowd.

"How about I give my full current stock and a promise for the tools and cloths of your choice for next season?" another merchant suggested.

"What is going on here that such outlandish trades are being offered?"

All the traders went silent and turned to stare at a dragon in far more elegant robes as it approached. Triss's parents also stared in wonder.

"Teacher! You honor us with your presence!" her parents said, getting down on all fours and planting their faces to the ground, the traders went to all fours as well, but didn't put their faces as low.

"Rise! I have come to you, not you to me. I am at your home, not you in the Hall. There is no need to placate," the Teacher instructed. All the other dragons quickly did as they were told.

He looked at the traders. "Step aside, so I can see what you value more than every other stone combined."

They did as they were told, but quickly went to haggling.

"A statue, Teacher! A statue made of pure essence of Jeg'galla'gamp'pi!"

"Never have we seen the like!"

"When I secure it, I shall happily trade it to the Hall for a bargain price!"

"It is I who will claim it, not you!"

"No! I can outbid any of you!"

"I can offer these Junk Peddlers goods for ten seasons! My word is good! On the blood of my soulfriend!"

The teacher walked forward and picked up the statue, examining it with a critical eye, everyone else went silent.

"The Hall will trade with the residents of Jeg'galla'gamp'pi directly. Merchants, make your trades with the others. To try to outbid the Hall is folly."

The traders seemed deeply unhappy, but moved away, looking back with longing at the prize that was being denied.

"Humble ones, how did you come across this piece?" the Teacher asked Triss's parents, still looking over the statue in his claws.

"Our daughter brought it home just last night, great Teacher," Triss's father said, dipping his head.

"Where is she?" the Teacher asked. "I would see her."

Triss sprang to life and ran to Teacher. "I am Triss! Please, great Teacher, can I hold the statue again? Jeg'galla'gamp'pi gave it to me. It feels like it is mine."

The Teacher's eyeridge arched. "You desire the statue still, despite how much it could bring your family?"

Triss bowed her head. "Yes, great Teacher. I don't want to lose it."

"Triss! What foolishness is this!" her mother gasped. "That statue means comfort for us all in trade."

"I know, but I do not desire comfort more than it," Triss said firmly and defiantly. "It feels warm when I hold it."

"Warm?" the Teacher asked. "I am holding it now, and it seems no warmer than anything else here."

"It is warm for me," Triss insisted.

Joss joined them. "Do not disbelieve my soulfriend! She will let it be traded. She knows it means food for her family, but please, allow her to hold it one last time! It reacts to her; I have seen it!"

"Reacts to her how?" the Teacher questioned.

Joss pointed a claw at her. "They both glow when she is focused on it. It is strange. It worries me for her, but I will support my soulfriend!"

Triss blinked and looked at him. "I glow?"

"Did you not notice?!" Joss asked in disbelief.

The Teacher held out the statue to Triss. "Demonstrate this for me."

Triss took the statue into her claws and held it tight, staring at her prize. She quickly seemed to forget all others were there as she gazed at the statue, and again, both began to glow.

"I see…" the Teacher said slowly. "It seems that the two should stay together. I will not take the statue from her, nor let any merchant here claim it."

"But, Teacher! We shall not survive the season without a trade, and our other findings are too lean!" the mother wept.

"Be calm," the Teacher ordered, and then reached into his robe and pulled out a stone, a stone that could have been found in any of the Junk Peddlers' wares to trade. "Observe."

He focused his full attention on the stone, and began to sweat, then the stone began to very faintly glow. He let it glow for a few seconds before putting it away.

"What you scavenge are not useless stones," the Teacher explained as he looked at them. "They radiate pure thaumic energy. With them, we do great works. At the Hall, we gather potential students, and leave them in a room filled with these stones. They have a full day to find a stone that does for them what mine just did for me. Most will not find such a stone, and they are put out of the Hall. The ones that do only ever find one such stone, no other will react to them. I have never seen a statue made of Jeg'galla'gamp'pi's essence, and thought it impossible. I have also never seen the essence react so strongly to an individual. What you just saw from me is the way it normally goes, and mine glows brighter than most. She is right, the statue is meant for her."

He looked down at Triss. "So here is my new bargain. I shall take you,Triss, and the statue to the Hall. You shall be enrolled as a student. I shall grant your family passage, home, and food in the Ancestral Land." He turned towards Joss. "I shall do the same with your family, for I cannot separate a soulfriend so true, and you shall have your chance to find your stone."

The scene winked out, and the small gathering of kids, parents, Josie, and Jennifer all were surrounded by illusionary darkness.

"So, that is how Triss and Joss came to leave Jeg'galla'gamp'pi and begin their rise from obscurity to the two most powerful beings our universe had ever seen," Jennifer said. An image of Joss appeared holding a glowing stone, surrounded by piles of stones. "Joss found his stone, and both he and Triss were admitted as students of the Hall of the Teachers, and they went on to have many great adventures, spanning what we would consider centuries."

The scene shifted again, and they were now surrounded with many floating lights, an older and much larger version of Triss stood among the lights, and the statue seemed to be melting into her.

"After many long years, and many great deeds, Triss found her way to the ethereal realm, a place that few in any universe ever get to see," Jennifer explained. "There are many realms that make up any universe, like layers on a cake, and we are unaware of most of them. We live in the physical, and when we dream, we get to see the dream realm, every realm has its own rules, yet all of them make up reality. The ethereal realm is reserved for a select few. To reach that realm, you must be invited in by the realm or by someone within it. Only a few have been invited in by that ethereal realm. To be invited in by the realm itself is a sign that the universe has deemed you worthy of greater power and tie you to greater aspects."

Images of others appeared and disappeared around Triss– Celestia, Cadence, and Twilight Sparkle.

"However, there are others who have come to that realm," Jennifer continued. "There was one who was invited in, yet rejected the invitation."

An image of Wild Growth appeared and faded away.

"And there are others that were granted access to by those who had already reached the realm."

An image of Luna appeared and faded away.

"And Joss was among this group."

An image of an adult Joss joined the image of Triss, and stayed until the scene changed.

"Triss went on to do great things, to become the head of the Hall of the Teachers," Jennifer continued, as the image shifted to the dragon standing clothed in exquisite robes, standing on a dias, surrounded by students.

"Yet…like the story we know about Celestia, she cast a long shadow over the one that she brought up to share in her ascension."

The scene shifted, and standing far behind Triss, in shadow, was the huddled form of Joss.

"And like in Luna, bitterness grew in Joss. For the world saw him, and despite his own greatness, they knew he had not achieved the same level of worthiness as that which had caused Triss to be invited into the ethereal realm."

The image faded into darkness again.

"There are those who are given great power, and abuse it," Jennifer intoned. An image of a skeletal winged pony, holding a wooden bowl of fruit, appeared. It was unlikely any of these kids knew the face of Sha'am Maut, but at least one in her audience did, because Josie visibly shuddered. Jennifer herself felt a pang of fear. Even though it was an illusion of her making, and even though she had never directly met the Warden of Death, the feeling that the corrupt Dreamwarden would still reach out to harm her was still there. So total was the fear that Sha'am elicited from those who she had threatened.

"There are those who it was questionable that they should be given great power when they were, but eventually, after many tribulations, grew to show they were worthy."

Relief flooded Jennifer as she made the image of Sha'am Maut disappear and replaced it with the image of Luna.

"There are those who have been granted great power who have not yet shown the world if they are worthy of it or not."

The image of Luna was replaced by one of Flurry Heart, before fading away. Jennifer briefly considered adding images of others, but decided against it. Best not to overdo it.

"Joss was a different sort," she informed the group as she brought back his image. "Joss knew he was unworthy, and with each passing year, he grew more unhappy." An image of Triss appeared beside him, speaking silently. "Triss tried to encourage her soulfriend and lift his spirits. She did not realize the mistake she had made in granting him the power of ascension. Her encouragement helped not at all, and Joss tried to determine how he could make himself worthy of his power for the endless ages were passing, and he was growing more joyless with each year."

The scene shifted back to the star that Jeg'galla'gamp'pi circled.

"Joss attempted to search the mysterious planet of his birth for answers, but Jeg'galla'gamp'pi holds its secrets close, and he learned no more about it in centuries of study than he had know when he was a mere drake. So he turned his attention elsewhere."

The scene zoomed towards the star. Running along the star's surface was a streak of blue light.

"On that long lost star that the planet circled, a miracle had come to be, life that could live on the surface of a star," Jennifer said as the scene followed the streaking blue light. "Perhaps it was a side effect of its proximity to Jeg'galla'gamp'pi that had brought it about, for this creature was a being of pure magic, and in ages long passed, it had claimed a title that was passed down from creature to creature as long as magical beings did dream…Dreamwarden. It had no name of its own, for it was a solitary creature on its star, and it only watched the dreams of others from afar, nurturing them, and combating things that would attack the minds in their sleep."

Joss appeared, flying across the surface of the star, unharmed by the extreme heat, and following the blue light.

"Dreamwarden! I will speak to you!" Joss called out to the light.

The light came to an abrupt stop, and turned towards Joss. "Joss of the Hall, I have long expected your arrival."

Joss came to a stop and kept his gaze fixed on the light. "Then you know why I have come."

The light flickered and spoke in a voice that sounded mainly like chimes. "You wish to have my mantle, and take my place as Dreamwarden as I once did with my predecessor. You think this will make you worthy by adding even more power to yourself than you already have. I warn you, offspring of Junk Peddlers, more power does not make one more worthy of it. You will not find the end of your melancholy this way."

"I shall see this for myself. I will do anything to lift this weight of sorrow from my bones," Joss insisted. "Will you deny me what I seek?"

The light flickered again, more faintly. "I have grown tired, very tired, and you are the first to seek me out and find me. If you wish my mantle, you may have it, and let me drift into the eternal dream, forever reliving the lives of all that have lived for all eternity. However, this mantle may be heavier for you than for me, for one such as yourself is deathless, and the eternal dream may not be available to you. This is not the boon you seek, but a new curse."

"Nothing could make my current curse any worse," Joss growled.

"May you be right and I wrong, for your sake," the Dreamwarden said in a sad voice. "Before I pass my mantle, we must first speak of Oaths that shall bind you when Dreamwarden, for the power of the Dreamwarden can be abused, and I shall not leave the minds I have so long cared for at the mercy of a mad god. I shall not allow you to harm them in your despair."

The illusion faded away, returning the audience to their tree filled surroundings.

"So Joss became Dreamwarden," Jennifer said breathlessly. "I apologize, kids, I must rest again. We shall continue again soon. This tale is not yet over. I warn you, this is a tragedy, and it does not have a happy ending."

Chapter 1.18: Insistent Individuals

Andrea dealt with a lot when dealing with her now only younger sister. Charlotte wasn't the easiest human or pony to deal with. She wasn't a bad person, but she needed a good kick in the pants sometimes.

Trying to deal with Charlotte's first time getting drunk was the latest headache for Andrea. Not just drunk, completely plastered.

"Can't I…can't I just take the necklace thingie off," Charlotte said as she started fumbling with the necklace with her hooves.

Andrea put her hands on the necklace, batting Charlotte's hooves away from it. "Stop talking about that," she whispered harshly. Afraid someone would notice. "I already told you, that won't work. Food and drink stay in your system for whatever reason during transformation. Plus, we are sitting in the lobby, and people will see you naked."

"But I'm a pony, I'm naked like…all the time! Except now. I'm not naked right now. See! They won't see me naked!"

Andrea wasn't religious, but she still sent up a silent prayer to have God give her patience. Why did her sister have to be the type that just went completely stupid when drunk? Andrea didn't get this dumb when she got drunk. Shouldn't there be the same reaction to alcohol since they were from the same family? Why did Equestria not have any drinking restrictions for minors? Was Charlotte even a minor in Equestria? Why had the stupid fancy gala been serving alcohol?

"You won't be a pony after you take the necklace off," Andrea whispered. This wasn't the first time reminding her sister of that.

Charlotte blinked. "Oh, yeah! That's right. You are sooo smart. How'd you get so smart?"

"Just eat the bread rolls, Charlotte. They will help," Andrea instructed with exasperation as she shoved another serving of bread at her sister.

If they weren't sitting in public, taking the necklace off might actually help somewhat. It would increase Charlotte's body mass and decrease her blood-alcohol content as a result, but the problem was they were in public. Taking Charlotte to her room was the eventual goal, but that meant walking by their parents' room and that potential encounter. Sunset had been no help. She could have just cast a sobering spell on Charlotte, it would have been easy for her, but instead the blasted unicorn said to take this as a learning experience, and that she hoped Charlotte's migraine in the morning was a good one, before she scampered off towards Amicus's room. If she wasn't going to sober Charlotte up, she could have at least teleported Charlotte directly to her room. How long would it be before their parents came to check on them?

Empathy came hurrying into the room with a basket in hand. "I have more bread, water, and hot cloths for Miss Charlotte. Are they helping?"

Andrea held out her hand and wavered it in the air, saying she wasn't so sure. Empathy at least was quick to help, even if the little twerp had no idea what being drunk meant, yet another word that produced an 'I don't understand what you are saying' response. He had gotten to the point he believed Charlotte to be poisoned after many attempts to explain it to him. Charlotte probably did not have alcohol poisoning, at least, Andrea hoped not. Andrea was honestly unsure how much her sister had consumed. The poisoning explanation worked well enough for Empathy. How did he understand the concept of poisoning but not being drunk? He came from a weird society.

Her eyes went wide as she watched her parents come right behind the elephant.

"Who's drunk?" their dad said, sounding exhausted.

Charlotte's eyes turned towards their parents. "Hi, Mom and Dad! You missed the party. I had to get a pony to strip Andrea."

"That answers that question," their dad replied with a shake of his head.

Andrea gaped. "How did you two know someone was drunk?"

Their mom pointed at Empathy. "He came into the room and took all our complimentary bread. I'm the one who taught you to load up on bread if you or anyone you know gets too drunk. How'd you let your sister get like this? You were supposed to be watching out for her."

"It was those damned nobles!" Andrea defensively growled. "They separated us and started questioning us. It was like a coordinated attack! They wanted to know all about Sunset and they knew we came in with her."

"They were really friendly. They gave me lotta drinks," Charlotte slurred.

Their mom touched a hand to her forehead like she had a headache. "I'm not going to get mad. I'm too tired to get mad. Just get your sister to her room. Sleep is the best thing for her."

"I figured she would do a little better once we got the necklace off her," Andrea said. "Body mass and all that. I had a fair amount too, but I'm way bigger than her."

"I know they recently reduced the drinking restrictions down to requiring a high school diploma or equivalent back home, but she's still in high school. She shouldn't have been drinking at all," their dad said. He didn't sound angry, only exasperated.

"Equestria has even less restriction," Andrea informed them. "Anyway, I think she's a legal adult here, by their standards."

"I'm all grown-up!" Charlotte said happily.

Andrea took a deep breath. "Hey, look on the bright side. At least we now know she isn't the type to get mean and angry when she gets drunk. I had actually expected her to be that type with her temperament."

"I've never seen Sunset Blessing drunk, so I was kind of expecting the same thing," their mom agreed. She held a hand out to Charlotte. "Come along. Let's get you to bed. You're going to feel like crap in the morning, but hopefully that will teach you a lesson. I'm just glad you're safe and sound."

Andrea walked over to Charlotte. "Can you walk, or do I need to carry you?"

Charlotte's eyes went wide. "I can get a pony ride?"

"Carry you it is," Andrea said, not objecting. She promptly picked her sister up and swung her over her back, laying draped over it with forelegs hanging off one side and hindquarters hanging off the other. "Now, just lay still."

After she was sure Charlotte wasn't going to fall off, she looked at her parents. "You two are taking this very well. I was sure you were going to murder one or both of us for this."

Her parents looked at one another. Her dad turned and faced her after a second. "Please, don't use the term murder. As for the going easy…"

"We have our reasons," their mom said quickly. "Get Charlotte to bed. I'll help nurse her hangover in the morning. It's isn't like no one here is innocent of having been stupid and drank too much at some point."

Empathy raised a hand. "I've never drank too much!"

"Empathy is a goodie-goodie," Charlotte chortled. Andrea rolled her eyes.

"I'm very good," Empathy agreed. "Hey! You should all spend time with Miss Ami. She is very sad, but she was talking more today."

"I'll spend some time with her tomorrow, I promise," Andrea said as she started walking.

"All of you need to," Empathy insisted. It was enough to make Andrea stop and look at him. He wasn't normally the type to put his foot down.

Her mom fidgeted. "We can't, sweetie. It's too hard right now."

Empathy wasn't having it as he stomped his feet and balled his fists. "It is hard for her too! You had other selves too. I heard. They died. I also heard she did not avoid you when they died. Miss Ami is hurting. She has lost her other self. She has lost her mate. She has lost her parents. She has lost a sister. She has lost a nephew. She is hurting, and you are avoiding her! Miss Kristin is dead, but Miss Ami still lives, but if you don't care for her, she might not keep living! Then you lose her too! You need to care!"

"Woohoo! Tell them off, Empathy!" Charlotte cheered from Andrea's back.

The elephant beamed at what he probably took as praise from Charlotte. Such a simple soul.

It was silent for a few seconds before their mom cleared her throat. "We'll discuss it tomorrow. Maybe you're right, but right now, I need to make sure Charlotte gets to bed."

"I'm not sleepy," Charlotte protested.

"Hush," Andrea instructed. She looked at Empathy appraisingly. "You're a good friend to everybody here. Don't let anything ruin that. Keep being you."

"Thank you, Miss Andrea," Empathy said, bowing his head slightly.

Charlotte started to snore. Well, that hadn't taken long at all. So much for not being tired. At least it would be easy getting her to bed.

Charlotte found herself in a field of stars, there was no ground, but she did not panic. It briefly occurred to her she was human again, but that didn't seem to be a concern. She was wearing an altered form of the dress that she had worn to the gala. That was nice, she wouldn't admit it, but she had felt pretty in that dress.

"Charlotte Portsmith, I am clearing your mind of its fog. I apologize, but doing this may make your morning feel all the more miserable. It is necessary that I speak to you with a clear mind."

A dark midnight blue alicorn with a starry blue mane stepped out in front of her, looking majestic, and her thoughts got clearer. She was dreaming, but this was no ordinary dream, it was yet another visitation from a warden, just not one of Earth's wardens.

"Hello, princess. Missed you at the galla," Charlotte said. "What was that about my morning being miserable?"

"Thou art inebriated, Charlotte Portsmith. I expect a headache, light sensitivity, and perhaps nausea in the morning. While I could help you if I were there, I cannot counter such physical effects from the dream realm, and my sobering of your mind will result in a worse headache when you awake. You will have to endure it. Such is the fate of those who spend too much time with the bottle," Luna said. She didn't seem critical or amused. She was simply stating facts.

"I got drunk?" Charlotte asked in confusion. "I feel gypped. First time getting drunk, and I don't even remember it."

"As I mentioned, thou shalt get a reminder of it in the morning, but that is not important to our business tonight," Luna said, sitting down and tuning down the flair on her appearance. "To be fair, you are not entirely at fault for your state. If what Flurry Heart tells me is true, the other guests at the gala were making an attempt to loosen your tongue about my student. It is an old tactic, but it stays in use because it is effective."

Charlotte felt a surge of dread. "I didn't tell them anything they shouldn't know, did I? Can you look at my memories to see?"

"I can look, but such memories made when drunk are often broken and of poor quality. It makes it difficult to glean useful information from them," Luna replied. She then shut her eyes briefly before opening them again. "I see nothing damning, but the memories are fragmented and broken, so it is uncertain. They seem to be primarily you expressing your displeasure about my student's methodology in dealing with you."

"So, I basically whined about her being mean and nasty," Charlotte said flatly.

"That would be a good way of saying it, yes," Luna agreed with a nod. "On to my reason for being here. First, there is someone who has something to say to you. Please be gentle with her, she is having some struggle with her adjustment to being in Equestria."

"Who…?" Charlotte trailed off asking as Phobia Remedy appeared, nervously looking around. Was Phobia shivering? "Oh…it's you."

Phobia spotted her and huddled close to Luna. "Charlotte…hello. I'm sorry for the distress I caused you and am happy I lost the vote against you. I really didn't want to see you dead." Luna draped a wing over Phobia and pulled her closer.

Charlotte arched an eyebrow. "What's up with you? Is apologizing that hard?"

"I told you, she is having adjustment issues," Luna answered for the now retired Dreamwarden. "My dearly departed Krik and Psychic Calm had initial adjustment issues when they retired, but Phobia's seem to be a bit more severe. They will pass, in time. I understand the feeling. I felt it too, the first time I ventured to Earth."

"I don't understand. Equestria is different from Earth, but it isn't that different," Charlotte said in confusion.

"It is for a Dreamwarden, the dream realm is, anyway," Luna said gravely. She glanced down at Phobia and pulled her closer, then turned her attention back to Charlotte. "You would not understand. Dreamwardens aren't just masters of the dream realm, we are the dream realm. Phobia, like myself, has spent most her adult life as a warden. This dream realm is not her, it is me. She is experiencing the dream realm as any other normal pony would, since that is primarily what she is here, and it is extremely disconcerting for her. She will adjust, in time."

"Primarily?" Charlotte questioned.

Luna nodded. "She can still make someone else a warden here. That separates her from a normal dreamer. It is a critical ability, as it assures that if something were to happen to me, unlikely as that is, someone could be put in my place. That same ability is why I was able to raise her and your world's other wardens despite my not being a Dreamwarden of your world. That same ability may come into play again in our next matter to discuss."

Charlotte was still looking at Phobia. It was weird, seeing the mare so nervous and scared in a dream.

Luna waved her free wing that wasn't draped protectively over Phobia. "As you may know, we are assembling a scout team to go to the universe your elephant friend hails from. The purpose is for information gathering and establishing contact with the non-bear intuits. It has come to our attention that your presence will be required for this expedition."

That was enough to make her forget Phobia. "Wait, what?! I'm not a scout or diplomat!"

"Your magic is required to get the team there and back safely," Luna explained. "My student has explained that while she has a working knowledge of how your magic functions, it still requires your magic to work."

"But I can't do it!" Charlotte protested. "I've tried to replicate what I did, I haven't been able to do it, and even if I did, there's no promise I would get us to the right place."

Luna frowned. "That's where the most unpleasant matter of business comes in. Sunset Blessing may not be able to cast the same spell herself, due to it needing to be your specific human magic, but she can make your magic do as she wills."

Charlotte blinked. "I don't understand."

"I believe the term you might use on Earth is hijack. She can use her magic to hijack yours," Luna said, sounding unhappy. "In good conscious I must warn you that it would be a highly unpleasant experience, possibly painful. Your other self has been desperately trying to find another way, but has not found one. She might yet find a way, but it is doubtful she will do so in the timeframe we need."

"I'm just a tool then," Charlotte muttered. "And telling me that this is going to be physically painful isn't exactly selling me on helping."

Luna sighed. "Everyone is a tool, but that isn't all they are. Your other self is a highly versatile tool, but she is also an at times troubled mare. You have a different toolset that you bring, but you are also still an inexperienced young woman, just coming of age who has endured a life that might seem fantastical to most, but has also left you very troubled in your own way."

"I'm super unqualified for this job," Charlotte said in a whisper.

"I cannot make you agree to do this, but I can ask and present the case for it," Luna replied. "Your friend, Empathy, is depending on us to help liberate his world. So he, in turn, is depending on you. I know he adores you and trusts you. Outside of him, this No Heart still posses a potential threat to our efforts here in Equestria and on Earth at the worst possible of times. I believe The Marshmallow has informed you of the gravity of the situation. There is no way of oversimplifying it; the fate of life itself is at stake. We're asking you to do your part, and help us prevent anything from getting in the way of our efforts to save your world– and possibly ours as well. It may not be pleasant, but the stakes are too high to turn your back on this."

Charlotte bit her lip. "Who else is going? I'm assuming Sunset is going."

"She has actually declined, although she says she can make your magic do what she wants without her joining you," Luna said. "I said she is a versatile tool, but a troubled one. Her presence could result in unfortunate consequences for life in that universe."

"That's a nice way of saying you're afraid she'll kill everybody there," Charlotte stated.

"More or less, yes," Luna mumbled. She then shook her head. "To answer your question; we are currently trying to contact our proposed team and get responses from them. The team would be headed by Princess Cadence, and include Luster Dawn, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Sapphire Sky, Josie Woods– if we can convince The Marshmallow to part with her, Phobia Remedy, Empath Elephant, you, and we are told that the only way you are being included and not your sister is over your sister's dead body, so we are including her as well."

Charlotte turned her attention back to the now retired warden. "You're coming?"

"I'm necessary too," Phobia answered. "Someone has to determine if there is a Dreamwarden in that universe, and Avtandil can't dreamwalk on his own."

"Who?" Charlotte asked at the unfamiliar name.

Luna coughed. "You may know him as Order. He is incapable of dreamwalking without my assistance."

She stared in disbelief. "A former Dreamwarden is incapable of dreamwalking? How'd he even get the job? How'd he even do the job?!"

"He has exceedingly low magic. It is so weak as not to be detectable by normal means," Phobia explained. "That is part of why we chose him as a warden, no one would ever suspect a person with no magic to be a Dreamwarden. Once we made him warden, he was capable of doing his job, but now that he is not in our universe, he is cut from our dream realm, and cannot access this one on his own. He won't be able to access the one in the intuit's universe either. I'm the only acceptable option."

Charlotte pointed at Luna. "What about her?"

Luna frowned. "While I have faith in my student and you to get the scouting party home safely, the danger of me getting permanently trapped in that new universe is far higher than the chances of me getting trapped on Earth. Too high for me to risk going."

"You're sending the Princess of Love. Is she more expendable or something?" Charlotte asked harshly.

"Not to put it too bluntly, but yes," Luna answered. "Losing Cadence would be a grave loss, but losing me requires prompt promotion of a new Dreamwarden in this universe and puts extra strain on one of the others to maintain the moon. We should have an alicorn go, and Cadence was the one that insisted on going, citing her own redundancy compared to the rest of us. Flurry Heart made the case for herself going instead, but Cadence was most insistent."

Charlotte licked her lips. "Exactly how dangerous is this going to be?"

"Unknown," Luna replied. "We are hoping the team can go in, gather intelligence about No Heart and the state of that Earth, make contact with the denizens of the Forest of Feelings, and return without detection so we may develop a plan to liberate that world. We are going in with only limited information gained from your elephant friend and a brief interrogation of a now deceased prisoner. We don't have enough information to fully determine the safety of the mission. However, you are being accompanied by an alicorn, two of Equestria's finest unicorn mages, an exceptionally fast pegasus flyer who can scout, a night pony who is among the best at moving about undetected, an Earth pony who is very strong and has advanced knowledge of wilderness survival, and your sister, who is bound and determined to keep you safe. It is a highly capable team, if all agree to come."

Charlotte bit her lip. "How long do I have to answer? Do I have to come to a decision on whether I'm going right now?"

Luna shook her head. "We are still awaiting responses from several of the proposed team members. Josie Woods and Sapphire Sky aren't even currently in Equestria to reach, so they will take more time to contact. You have at least a few days, perhaps as much as a week or two, but only perhaps."

"I'll think on it then. This is all so much, though. I'm not an adventurer," Charlotte said nervously.

"I understand," Luna said with a nod.

Phobia finally left Luna's protective embrace to step forward. "It is okay to be scared, because this is dangerous. However, this is a very important mission, and we need you, otherwise we would not be asking this of you. We are asking you to be brave. Bravery is not the absence of fear. The absence of fear is foolishness. Fear keeps us from charging head on into danger without a plan or sense of caution. Bravery means doing what needs to be done while respecting the danger and things to fear."

Charlotte nodded. "I understand, but I'm still going to think about it."

"Once your headache clears," Luna reminded her.

Charlotte winced. She was not looking forward to the morning. At least she'd be so bad off she wouldn't be up to breaching the subject to her parents.

Storytime: The Tragedy of Joss, part 2

Jennifer retook her place in front of the audience for the final time. "Sorry about that. Such complex illusions take a lot out of me. I might look young, but I'm not as young as I used to be. I've been doing this job now since before most of your parents were even born. Now, will everybody be brave as we find out what happened to Triss and Joss?"

"Something bad is going to happen to Joss," one of the colts whined.

"Not Joss and Triss both?" Jennifer asked.

"Triss is still around; my mommy said so, but she said she never heard of Joss," the colt replied. Several of the other kids nodded worriedly.

And Triss would rather the universe forget about him. The Dreamwardens want him scrubbed from history as well, but the world needs to know how we got to this point. History repeats itself if it is not told. In this new age of demi-gods, the lessons learned from what happened to Joss are more crucial than ever. she thought silently.

"Well, we will have to see. This is a tragedy, but it is an important one to know," she replied.

"There's no happy ending?" a little girl asked.

Jennifer considered her answer. "The story is still being written, and we are all part of it. It is up to us to ensure a happy ending, but first, we have to know the story up to this point."

"We are part of the story?" another boy asked in wonder.

Jennifer gestured around her. "I'll tell you a secret; we are all sitting in one of the places where one of the greatest battles the universe has ever seen will be fought from. Whether the story has a happy or sad ending will be determined right here. Maybe not by you, but by other brave heroes. Let's keep the area clean. You don't want to mess it up for them."

She watched them scramble to make sure they hadn't left any trash. Their stray litter didn't but letting the kids think it mattered made them believe their actions were important, that they had a part to play in what was happening. Perhaps they did. The future only revealed to her possibilities, not certainties. The story was still being written.

When they were finished cleaning up after themselves, she sat down. "It is time to finish the story. Last I spoke, Joss had just become Dreamwarden."

"Like Phobia Remedy," one of the kids said.

Jennifer nodded. It wasn't surprising that the kids living in Skytree immediately thought of the city's patron warden. "Yes, although she just retired. So, more like The Marshmallow."

"I like her. She's funny," a filly giggled.

Jennifer rolled her eyes. A few weeks before, The Marshmallow's news conference revealing her public identity had a mix of unintended slapstick as she somehow managed to knock down half the stage while coming out from behind the curtain and tripping on it, followed by what could only be called a self-deprecating stand-up comedy routine– with Phobia Remedy standing by looking like she was regretting her decision to retire even more with every word that came out of the fat pegasus's mouth. Politicians everywhere probably assumed The Marshmallow was a complete buffoon on par with Jar-Jar Binks. They were in for a rude awakening at some point. Never underestimate a Dreamwarden.

Jennifer held up her hands for dramatic effect as she brought her illusion back. It appeared at first to be the star-filled expanse of space again, but those in the know would recognize it instead as one of the visual manifestations of the dream realm.

"Joss threw himself into his new position as Dreamwarden, eager to help, eager to please," she explained as images of the salmon-colored dragon appeared and disappeared, each with him talking to aliens of every shape and size.

"However, his efforts, while initially welcomed, became spurned as time went on. His presence was too constant, and creatures felt like they were never given peace from him when they slept. There is such a thing as trying to be too helpful, and Joss did not know where to draw the line."

The scene shifted to Triss speaking with a despondent-looking Joss. "Triss tried to comfort and advise him to simply back off a little-"

Joss turned and hissed at Triss, who retreated, looking hurt at his treatment of her, but she came back and walked beside him as he turned away.

"Joss, clearly, you must see that this is what life should all be moving towards," Triss said to him. "You waste your talents not becoming something more. I can lead you to a higher ascension, and you could understand so much more than you do now."

Joss snarled at the great teacher that walked beside him. "What you're doing is trying to invalidate life with your ascending; why can't one with so much knowledge see that? Life is through struggle, growth. You would take away everything's struggle and have us all stagnate."

"There has to be a highest point that can be reached, and I have found it," Triss insisted. "Once I have reached the next plateau of my power, I will become something greater. All of us should aspire to become and finally reach a point that we can forever live in peace without struggle."

"My first plateau was good enough; I have no desire to push on further. This is filthy, Triss," Joss said as he pointed a claw accusingly at her chest.

Triss looked down at his claw and looked back up at him sadly. "No, this is the purest of all things. Haven't you, as Dreamwarden, seen the passage of time and how it can rip down all things? This is the chance to finally make us something that will endure without madness and corruption. You won't have to watch everything crumble ever again."

"All things must come to an end, Triss," Joss before flying off.

He muttered to himself as he flew away. "More power means nothing. Life is struggle; life is pain. Extend it? How dare she?! Does she not recognize my sorrow? Does she not see how stagnant I am? I hate this. An eternity of reminders I am not good enough. I could have endured a mortal life, but not this."

The scene shifted, and now they were back at Jeg'galla'gamp'pi, watching Joss calling put as he walked the empty streets.

"Joss sought answers again at the place of his birth; the place that had deemed his soulfriend worthy but not him, but no answers were given, only deafening silence, broken by his demands to know why Triss was worthy and not he. Joss never looked at his actions and character, only seeing he had power, and somehow that was not enough. We would call this immaturity. However, he was an immature ascended being who was also a Dreamwarden. Such immaturity combined with such power was a hazardous combination."

The scene shifted again to a tower on another and a long set of stairs leading to its entrance. Joss stood on the stairs, yelling up at the entrance.

"Joss grew more bitter, angrier-"

Triss came out of the entrance, looking sad but determined, and gestured for him to go.

"-and because of his actions, Triss was forced to cast him out of the Hall of the Teachers until he could find his way again."

The illusion changed to show Joss in a dark cave, breathing heavily and growling.

"And so, Joss retreated away from others and more into his self-pity."

"This is like the Tale of the Two Sisters, about Celestia and Luna," one of the kids said. "Joss is like Nightmare Moon!"

Jennifer shook her head sadly. "Oh, no, children, this is far worse, far more dark."

The scene didn't change as she continued. "Joss's self-hatred grew to the point that he wished to end his own life. However, he was a Dreamwarden, and to end your life as a Dreamwarden only makes you trapped forever in the dream realm. Death was no release. There was the option of the eternal dream– which was beyond the dream realm. We now know it to be the Story, the record of everything. Within this, he would cease to be Dreamwarden, but he would be forever trapped, reliving the lives of everyone there ever was. This was a trillion trillion deaths and a trillion trillion lives; it was not an end. It was not what he sought."

The scene shifted to the dream realm again, and Joss was looking out upon it.

"There is but one way to kill a Dreamwarden for good without banishment to another universe," Jennifer explained. "The Dreamwardens are the dream realm, so to kill a Dreamwarden, you must bring an end to the dream realm. To do so, you must put an end to all magical dreams. Joss only knew one way to do this, to end the lives of all magical beings. So that is what he set out to do…not for vengeance against those he believed rejected him, but because their deaths were the means to his end. Joss did not hate them. Hating them implied he cared. No, Joss only cared about one being, himself."

The illusion shifted back to the star and the previous Dreamwarden speaking to Joss.

"But the previous warden had imbued Joss with Oaths. A Dreamwarden technically has the power to snuff out the minds of all who dream, killing them, and the old warden was wise to recognize the danger. So he put an Oath on Joss, an unbreakable one that was in the core of Joss's being, never to use his power as Dreamwarden to do such an atrocity. This Oath has been passed down to every warden since then, protecting us from any that are mad. However, even the wise cannot foresee everything."

The scene shifted, this time to another planet, filled with advanced cities of what would be called sci-fi technology.

"Barred from using his power and determined to end himself, even if it meant ending everyone else, Joss found his answer in the Thinkers."

The illusion zoomed down to the planet, and the audience gasped as they beheld large bug-like resembling mantises walking the streets and tending to machinery.

"The Thinkers were a species who excelled in technology like none other before or since," Jennifer explained. "There was a society that lacked and feared magic. They looked out at the various other worlds, populated by untold magical civilizations, and their fear transformed into hate."

Through streets and past houses, the image around them until they entered a great dome filled with wires and lights. A mantis creature, covered in heavy armor, was working on a giant black metal ball.

"The greatest of the Thinkers, in his hate, made great weapons. These weapons were immune to magical attacks and could consume magic. Joss looked upon this, and he knew he had his answer."

Joss went down into the workshops of the Devourer's creator and stepped inside. A dozen alarms went off, instantly declaring his presence to the workshop owner, and Joss quickly found a weapon pointed in his face.

"You're one of those perversions, come to destroy my work. If it weren't for the fact it would destroy my work, I would unleash it upon you now," the scientist said as he held a long rod up to Joss's face.

Joss looked down upon the small armored creature. "Peace, Thinker, you and I share a goal. I, too, desire the end of the perversions. Do you know what I am? I'm the Dreamwarden, and I wish an end to and an end to magic."

"Why should I believe you?" The thinker said without lowering its rod.

Joss smiled. "Because I know how to perfect your creation. As it stands, it would only wander aimlessly and hope that it might stumble on a magical being. You understand too little about magic to give it a proper guidance system so it can seek out magical beings. Magic is everywhere, so it can't home in on what's important, the users."

The Thinker still did not lower his rod. "And why should I believe you would give me this knowledge?"

Joss hung his head. "Because I'm so very tired. You cannot slay me because I am tied to all magical minds. Please, help me bring a final end to me. I shall perfect your work, and I shall finally know true death."

The scene zoomed out, and the audience watched as a million Devourers were launched from the world of the Thinkers. Then the Devourers paused, and hung where they were. Jennifer sat waiting with the audience.

"Why did the story stop?" a colt asked. He yelped as the Devourers flared to life again, and instead of going deeper into space, they rained down destruction on the planet they had just been sent from until there was no world left, just floating rubble.

"Why did they do that?" a girl cried; a few other children were crying, shocked at the suddenness of all the explosions.

"The Thinkers thought they were without magic. The Thinkers were mistaken," Jennifer answered. "Joss had known they had it, for he had observed their dreams. Those dreams had led him to them to begin with. He let them destroy themselves and gave them no warning. All magic dreams had to end, even those who had trusted him."

The image zoomed out and they watched as planet by planet met the same fate. The kids started to tear up, so Jennifer moved on from the carnage.

Everything shifted, and they were back to Jeg'galla'gamp'pi. Joss stood at the case of the monolithic tower he and Triss had once entered to begin their journey, he was staring at the sky. Triss suddenly appeared behind him, rushed him, and struck him to the ground. She then began pound on him with her legs and clawing at him with bestial fury. Joss did not try to stop her. Eventually, her fury ran out, and she collapsed, weeping.

"Why? W-why would you do this? They loved us. You loved them," she whispered, face practically touching the ground.

"They loved you, and so do I," Joss answered as he stood up, blood dripping from his face from where she had clawed him. "They never loved me."

"I loved you. You were my soulfriend," Triss whispered. "You must have cared for them. You tried so hard to show your love. They never hated you. You simply smothered them in your efforts. If you had only backed off…."

"I never was worthy. I cannot bear the burden of this life. Even if they did love me, I would grow too weary," Joss said, sitting down beside her.

"You are so selfish," she cried.

"You're the one who made me ascended when I should never have been. This is your fault as much as mine," Joss replied. He didn't sound accusing, he just sounded tired. "You should retreat to the ethereal realm. You will be safe there. There are no dreams in the ethereal realm, so you won't prevent me from dying a true death."

"Why do you care if I live or die?" Triss growled. "Merely satisfying your selfish desire for death?"

Joss shook his head. "The Devourers will be here soon. Even you could not survive their direct assault. I do love you, my soulfriend, and want you to live."

"Live in an empty universe. You torture me! Is this your love!?" Triss shouted.

"Life will come again," Joss assured her. "You need to be there, to protect it. To triumph over the instrument of my despair."

"Do you have any idea how long it takes for life to rise from nothing?" Triss asked.

"I do, but you will wait for it. You are worthy. You can bear the endless ages. Save the universe. I merely wish to die. What happens after that…I hope goes well for you. Flee, soulfriend. Flee and live. Flee and fight another day…and never raise one who is unworthy again. No matter how lonely it gets."

"If I cannot trust my soulfriend, who else could I give such an honor?" Triss asked, wiping her face. "I shall find more to ascend, but they shall ascend of their own worth. I shall mourn you. I shall mourn all of you."

The sky lit up as the Devourers arrived, and Triss vanished. Joss looked back to the sky and smiled as flame rained down on Jeg'galla'gamp'pi. It kept raining down, and the kids cried as explosions sounded all around them.

Then it all came to an end. Jeg'galla''gamp'pi still stood, but Joss lay motionless on the ground as the illusion faded, and they returned to the grove of skytrees.

"And that was the tragedy of Triss and Joss," Jennifer concluded. "Triss never managed to save anyone, although life rose time and time again, only to perish time and time again. Now, she watches this world, and she hopes that this time will be different, for they are coming."

Several of the kids were crying and whimpering. Parents were glaring at her, as was Josie. She deserved it. She didn't take any pleasure in upsetting kids, but stories had to be told. Still, perhaps there was a way to soothe them.

She stood up. "This is the City of Skytree. Until recently, this was the home of Phobia Remedy, the Warden of Fear. Who here knows what Phobia Remedy would say about the Devourers?"

"T-that she's scarier?" one of the young girls ventured in a whimper.

Jennifer laughed. "Not quite. Phobia Remedy would say it is okay to be afraid. People were afraid of her, but she was the one always afraid. But you know what? Phobia Remedy never ran away. Phobia Remedy never let her fear control her. Phobia Remedy would look up at the sky and say, there is something scary up there, but I won't run and hide. To be brave requires something to be afraid of. We shall be brave. We shall face what is coming, and we will win! We, the people of Earth, are the heroes of this story. We are more prepared than anyone else has ever been, and when those Devourers dare come to try to hurt us, we will break them. So, when the time comes, you'll show them how brave you are, and they will be so overwhelmed that they will explode before they ever even get close to Earth. Children, you, your parents, your siblings, your friends and neighbors, and people you never met all around the world are the heroes of this story. Give it a happy ending! You'll tell them, not this planet! Can I hear you? What are you going to say?"

"NOT THIS PLANET!" the kids yelled out in chorus. The adults joined in as well.

She smiled and bowed her head. "Be sure to tell everyone you know, and thank you for being brave enough to hear my story. The Devourers aren't going to know what hit them."

The kids were cheering for themselves as she walked away.

I hope your promises ring true. the voice in her head said.

Me too. she answered it.

Josie walked up to her and held out a phone with her wing. "Rebecca wants to talk to you. Keep the phone; I need to get going. She just told me I'm needed off-world. She has a strange sense of humor– said she needed me to help fight care bears."

"Have fun with that," Jennifer said with a grin as she took the phone. She stopped smiling as she put it up to her ear. "Have something to say, Marshmallow?"

"You made kids cry!" the pony on the other end of the line yelled.

She blinked. "I'm sorry about that, but I'm kind of surprised you opened with that complaint."

"Why surprised? I'm very protective of kids. I know you upset Josie too. Protecting kids is kind of her thing. It's why she puts up with me," The Marshmallow fumed, then sighed. "At least you managed to turn it around at the end. I'm still very steamed, you mean meanie head!"

"I never know how much of your demeanor is an act to hide a more sinister motive," Jennifer replied flatly. She looked around. Josie really had high-tailed it out of there, sneaky pony.

"I don't know myself sometimes," The Marshmallow confessed. "I wish I lived in simpler times, ones where I didn't have to keep any hidden agenda and just worry about making people smile. I'm a happy person. I don't like what's coming, and I don't like having to be one of the ones to make decisions on how to make sure the coming battle goes off without a hitch."

"The story should have been told a long time ago," Jennifer asserted.

"I'm not going to agree or disagree. You said it, and the damage has been done. They'll repeat it. No use crying about spilled milk," The Marshmallow said and could be heard fluttering her lips. "My biggest concern is we need the people to trust us, and you just shoved a great big stick of doubt up everybody's butt by saying this is all because of a Dreamwarden. The people know that we carry parts of the memories and personalities of all the Dreamwardens that came before, and you just put a big spotlight on the worst of the worst of us. Not being scary is important; it is why I'm leading the wardens at this time and not Phobia. I'm a smiling face where Phobia is Miss Nightmares. I mean, who wouldn't trust me? I'm too cute and harmless! I wouldn't hurt a fly! Now you reminded them I have a little of Joss in me, and they'll doubt."

"It sounds like you are still crying about it," Jennifer said. "What do you want? Are you going to punish me?"

"I said it was no use, not that I wouldn't do it. You are upsetting my tummy. I need a big chocolate cake after this, with cream cheese filling," The Marshmallow answered. "I'm not going to punish you, but I'm going to make a request, a hard request."

"Not to say the story anymore?"

"No. I'm asking you not to evacuate to Equestria when the opportunity comes," The Marshmallow answered in a near whisper. "I'm not asking anything that I'm not asking of myself. I'm staying and seeing this through, no matter what happens. I want you to help rally the people's spirits. Most aren't going to get to evacuate. There are too many; Equestria can't take billions of refugees. Most are going to be here, and they're going to be frightened. I'm going to do all I can to help lift their spirits, but I need all the help I can get. Will you help me, Storyteller? I'll make sure you get the biggest stage anyone has ever been given to do what you can."

Jennifer chewed on her lip. "That is basically asking me to commit suicide."

"Only if we lose," The Marshmallow reminded her. "I'm not Sha'am, or Phobia, or Arbiter, or even Yinyu. None of them would beg; they'd make demands. I'm a clumsy pegasus who can barely fly right– one who likes to dance, design pretty buildings, listen to music, eat sweets, cuddle with my hubby, and make people laugh. We Dreamwardens collectively decided that's what the world needs in our darkest hour. The world needs encouragement. I need your help, please."

Jennifer looked up at the branches. The wardens had asked for her help a long time ago and she said they were to never do that again. They said only if they really needed it. They were asking her now.

"I'll do it, but we better win."

"I certainly hope we do."

Chapter 1.19: Multiple Meals

Andrea took a deep breath and knocked on her parents' door at the hotel. It took them a moment or two to answer, but eventually, it opened, revealing her dad.

He looked up at her and grinned. "Still getting used to you running around o-natural. You'd think the hard part would be that you are naked and human-ish up above, but the real hard part is having to stare upwards all the time. I have a lot more sympathy for ponies now. What can I do for you, hun?"

She rolled her eyes and gestured down the hall. "I'm guessing Char isn't getting up before noon with the hangover she will have, and Empathy will take care of her if she wakes up earlier than that. I wondered if you and Mom wanted to come have breakfast with me…and Amicus."

Her dad paled slightly at the mention of Amicus. "I…I don't know. I'm not sure how your mother will react, either."

"It isn't going to get any easier putting it off longer, and Amicus isn't going to pull herself out of deep depression by being neglected," Andrea reminded him. "I know we're all hurting, but she's got less time than the rest of us to recover. Empathy's right; ignoring her is just hurtful. We've been with her for twelve years, so she's not just the other Kristin; she's our Kristin, too, the only one we have left. We need to show her we love her."

Her dad frowned and looked down so she couldn't see his face. "It's hard…knowing that the Kristin we knew will never get to experience as much as Amicus or live the full life Amicus has. We look at Amicus, and that's what we see."

Andrea put a hand on her dad's shoulder. "I understand, but Mom still technically gave birth to Amicus, and Amicus and Kristin share the first eight years of their life and much of their personalities. We need to be better towards her. No one said family was easy, and our family is about as weird as it gets, but she's family."

He chuckled. "When'd you turn into the wiser adult?"

"When I realized I needed to take care of what family I had left. We've lost a lot. I don't want to lose more," Andrea whispered, just loud enough to hear.

He nodded. "Your mother and I will be down in a bit. I'm going to need to talk her into it. You go ahead and get Amicus and wait for us in the lobby."

"Okay, see you down there soon," Andrea said, grateful that he had agreed. He would be able to convince her mom to come down. She'd listen to him.

As the door shut, she turned and saw Empathy watching her from Charlotte's doorway. The little bugger really needed to get his own room.

"You're going to help Miss Ami?" he asked in a hopeful tone.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm going to spend some time with her, but I need you to stay here. Charlotte will probably feel awful when she wakes up…or did she already wake up?"

"She's asleep, but she woke up three times last night to go to the bathroom," Empathy said with a shiver.

What was with him and bathrooms? Andrea didn't understand. "Well, that's good, I guess. She will probably feel bad and be grumpy, so don't take it personally if she gets a little snappy. She's just uncomfortable."

He nodded. "Okay. Are you going to take Miss Sunset, too? She's Miss Ami's sister."

Andrea sighed. "I'll check to see if she wants to come, but I think she spent time with Amicus before she went to bed. I'll still check. You just worry about Charlotte for today."

"I will help Miss Charlotte feel better!"

"You can try. Make sure she eats and drinks plenty of water once she wakes up," Andrea instructed.

He saluted, using both his hand and trunk. "Yes, Miss Andrea." He then retreated into the room and shut the door.

"Guess I'm checking on Sunset first," Andrea said as she turned and went to Sunset's door. She knocked a few times and waited. When she didn't get a response, she went to strike again, but her fist connected with air as the old unicorn opened the door.

Sunset looked up at Andrea's fist. There was red irritation around her orange pupils. "What can I do for you?"

"Have you been crying?" Andrea asked with concern as she looked at the unicorn.

Sunset frowned. "Did you hear?"

Andrea shook her head.

"Then don't assume anything," Sunset replied. "What do you need?"

"Pleasant as always," Andrea muttered before forcing herself to smile. "I'm getting Mom and Dad to go out for breakfast with Amicus and me. I wanted to know if you want to come along? You know…get the whole family together. Charlotte wouldn't be there. since she's hungover, but not really, since you'd be there."

"Let's not get in the habit of thinking there's a spare Charlotte," Sunset said dryly.

Andrea stepped back quickly. "I didn't mean it like that!"

"Then consider the implications of what you are saying more," Sunset said just as dryly as before. "To answer your question. I am unavailable today because I have a lot of work to do making sure you, Charlotte, Phobia, Josie, and I suppose even Sapphire are safe. I hope you have a fun day."

She closed the door before Andrea could ask any questions. That was a very odd combination of people to lump together. Josie and Sapphire? Andrea hadn't seen the two of them in ages. What was Sunset up to? Probably nothing good, but there was no dragging information out of her. The unicorn had left her those names to brood on, and had done it deliberately. That would nag at her all day.

Last door to go to was Amicus.

It didn't take Amicus long at all to answer the door, which was surprising. However, Amicus seemed like she had been expecting someone else because she was looked shocked to see Andrea.

Amicus's ears flattened. "Is everything alright? Are you coming to tell me something else bad has happened?"

"What? No!" Andrea responded in confusion. "I came to invite you to breakfast with me, Mom, and Dad."

Amicus stepped back and partially closed the door. "I couldn't. I don't want to be a bother to anyone."

"You aren't a bother. You are family. We care about you and want to spend time with you," Andrea assured the old earth pony. Amicus looked a little odd without her glasses. She hadn't worn them since the day the bears attacked.

"Your parents can't stand to be around me," Amicus said, looking away.

Andrea sighed. "They need to get over that, and today is going to be the first step in that. They don't hate you. I know it might be a little awkward at first, but once you guys get to talking, it should smooth out."

"Did Sunset put you up to this?" Amicus asked in a suspicious tone.

Andrea shook her head. "No, it was Empathy. He is worried enough about you and the rest of us that he actually gave us a firm talking to. Can you believe it? I didn't think that elephant had it in him to chew us out."

Amicus blinked and looked around, then put on a tight smile. "Little Charlotte got drunk? Well, I suppose she isn't that little anymore. I think the first time Sunset was drunk was not too long after turning eighteen, right after starting college. So, Charlotte isn't that much younger than Sunset was when she first did, maybe a few months younger. It's a shame that the three of you all had to be held back a year of school due to everything that went on when you first arrived."

Andrea's eyes narrowed. "You do know something, don't you?"

The old earth pony looked increasingly uncomfortable. "I don't know if I should say anything. I keep my sister's secrets."

"Why are you so loyal to her?" Amicus asked in frustration. "Me and Charlotte had to keep close to her due to our circumstances, but I never understood why you and Andri stook around. She is not your responsibility, and being near her is a danger. She isn't even nice!"

Amicus nervously chewed on her lip. "How about this; if you drop asking me about what she's currently up to until when she is ready to reveal it, I will do to your breakfast, and I'll explain why I decided to stick around, even when I wouldn't let my foals normally come near her, and even though I was terrified the whole time."

Dropping the subject wasn't something Andrea wanted to do. Still, this get-together was about Amicus, and Amicus had even provided something to keep herself talking, something that didn't tread on subjects like Kristin's death. Plus, Andrea really was curious about why nice old Amicus stuck to nasty old Sunset. Family was great, and all, but Sunset was toxic.

"Deal," Andrea agreed. "Let's go wait in the lobby."

Amicus looked her up and down. "If we are going out to eat, you might want to go as a pony. You're a little too large, even standing, for the tables at most restaurants."

Andrea looked up and down the hallway to ensure no one was about to see her. Once she saw it was clear, she adjusted her earnings and shifted to crystal pony form.

"I could swear I'm looking at her when I see you," Amicus whispered, tearing up. "You know, she changed the least after becoming a pony, which could be because she was a crystal. We all treated the crystals with so much suspicion early on that they never felt like they were included with the rest of us ponies. I'm ashamed to say I was guilty of that too. Anyway, she lived a full life, and she was in a lot of pain towards the end, so I'm not as sad about her as I am about the others. It was her time, and she's at peace, but I still miss her."

Andrea half-smiled. "Well, you still have me. I'll be your younger big sister if you'll be my older little sister. Not to try to replace what we lost, but to treasure what we still have."

Amicus smiled as she walked forward and hugged Andrea. "I think I'd like that.

An affluent-looking woman and man sat at a cafe in Marquette, Michigan, sipping coffee and waiting for their salads to arrive. There weren't any other customers at the moment. This was a tiny mom-and-pop place tucked off the main road, and it was between meal rushes. They hadn't been there too long, as their expected guests were known for being fast.

The woman glanced at her husband over the edge of her coffee and then looked down disapprovingly at his shirt.

"Dear, you are dribbling coffee on yourself," she lightly scolded.

He sat his cup down and pulled at his shirt to look at it. "Sorry, this mouth is odd. I don't know how humans drink like this."

She glanced towards the front and was relieved to see the person watching it hadn't overheard that comment.

"Careful what you say," she reminded him. "Don't want to blow our cover."

He glanced the same way she had and nodded. "Will do. I do have to say it is kinda nice not having to worry about being recognized. We need to thank Luster for these necklaces. She was able to reproduce the preacher's work exceptionally. Do you think we can make a quick stop while heading back through Detroit?"

"What's in Detroit?" the woman asked.

"Um, comic book convention," he responded shyly.

She rolled her eyes and giggled. "I should have known. I'm not sure that will be a quick stop with you, but we can do it. We have time before we are due home, and this meeting is the only thing on my schedule today. Thank goodness Spike isn't here; otherwise, the two of you would bankrupt the royal treasury at that convention."

"Cadence, have some faith!" he mock protested.

"I have faith in your love of comic books," she said with a smirk. "You love our daughter and me equally, then your sister, then them. It's okay, though. You at least have your priorities in order, and all your love should be allowed to be expressed. What's your prey today? I know you are normally on the lookout for some issue."

"Fourth variant cover of the second issue of the Avengers versus Power Ponies mini-series, preferably signed by the artist."

She frowned. "I thought you already had all the variant covers of every issue in that series."

He grinned broadly. "You know, this is why I'm the luckiest husband in either world. Even though my hobbies aren't your thing, you still pay close attention."

"Helps to know when shopping for gifts I know you'll like," she said off-handedly. "So what happened? I know you had that issue."

"It's one that got caught in my temper when I found out that poor stallion deflowered our daughter– before we found out she accidentally broke his…you know." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Human or pony, males had such weak constitutions when discussing injuries to that area.

She laughed. "At least that incident brought an abrupt end to her considering trying to be the Princess of Lust. I'm glad that was a very brief stage. I feel bad for that stallion, though. Some mares are too much to handle. I'm blessed I have someone who can handle me, but I feel bad for our daughter. I think that has made her put herself into forced abstinence. She's missing out on a beautiful expression of love."

"She'll find someone who can deal with her that's a good fit and pounce, eventually. Ponies have desires. It's natural," her husband said with confidence.

She hoped so. "Speaking of which, these necklaces allow us to try out new things tonight. I read up on all the positions that we normally would never be able to manage. I even consulted with Yinyu Wu Yan last time I was here, anticipating it."

"None of that dominatrix stuff, right?" he asked worriedly.

She sat her cup down and put a hand on his. "You know I'm not going to do anything in the bedroom you aren't comfortable with. After the one time, I know that makes you exceedingly uncomfortable, and I would never push you to try it again. There's plenty of other things for us to do."

A pale but muscular-looking raven-haired woman suddenly sat down next to them. "Well, I arrived to hear the wrong conversation."

The woman at the counter looked up with a start at the new arrival, looked at the door to the shop, and back at the before hurrying over to take her order.

"Sorry, miss. I didn't hear the door. Normally I'm right on top of it whenever the door opens," the employee said apologetically. It wasn't a lapse. The door had never opened.

The raven-haired woman grinned at her. "It's okay. Doors and I don't get along much. Um…they might need to order for me. I don't have any money."

Cadence smiled. "Just a small house salad with light vinaigrette dressing and a glass of skim milk for her. We should have another guest arriving soon, a pony. You can have the chef prepare the same for the other guest now so it will be ready."

The server nodded. "Be back in just a minute with your drinks. He should be about done with the grommet salads."

The raven-haired woman gave them a dirty look as the server walked away. "You're lucky I can't eat. Skim milk?! Such an abomination!"

"Just poking some fun at you, Rebecca. I'd never have ordered that if you were here in the flesh and not just projecting," Cadence said with a smile. "By the way, I like the look."

"It's supposedly what I would look like if I were human," Rebecca replied. "I tried on the preacher's necklace years ago and got something close to this. Black hair would never fly with me normally, I prefer my happy blonde, but it works well with this form."

Cadence nodded. "So, is Josie going to agree to the mission?"

"Yeah, Josie didn't believe me there were real care bears at first, but once I convinced her I was serious, she agreed. I didn't mention who Charlotte is connected to. I was afraid that might scare her off. She is eager to work with you, though."

Cadence sighed. "We're going to have to tell them all eventually. If we're going to be a team, we shouldn't keep big secrets like that. It sews distrust."

Rebecca shrugged. "Force of habit, I guess. It comes with the job. You just keep Miss Nightmares safe; I'm planning on retiring in the next few years if things go well, and I want the opportunity to see her again. By the way, you should know, the Storyteller, the big one, went and told the story of the origin of the nasty death robots. She did imply they'd be here soon."

"The six of you have been vaguely implying that for some time; what's the problem?" Cadence asked in confusion.

"The origin part," Rebecca fretted. "There was this person… one like me…from a long time ago that kinda-sorta helped unleash them on the universe. I'm worried about the fallout of people learning that."

"That is what I meant about the damage of keeping secrets," Cadence said with a frown. "I had already suspected. All of you seemed far too versed in how they are constructed not to raise suspicion."

"Yinyu and Arbiter are also worried about how the story might impact Luna," Rebecca said slowly. "There are some parallels between her and Joss. Yinyu and Arbiter think it could be hurtful to her. The rest of us aren't as worried. Luna's a big girl; we think she can take it, but Arbiter wants you to pass her concerns onto Celestia, so I'm letting you know."

"I'll let the others know. Sadly, her big sister isn't always the most aware of what's going on in her head. It's caused trouble before," Cadence said, wondering if it was something to be concerned about or not. This was not the time for Luna to have an emotional breakdown and doubt her worth.

The conversation paused as the server came towards them with a cart loaded with two large salads, two smaller salads, two mugs of milk, and a coffee pot. She quickly sat out the salads and mugs before refilling the cups of coffee.

"Sorry about the delay; I wanted to bring it out all at once. Is there anything else I can get you?"

"Do you have any chocolate cake?" Rebecca asked.

The woman smiled. "Yes, we do! I'll bring a slice out when you are finishing your meal." She then turned her cart and walked away.

"You can't even eat anything when projecting," Shining Armor said.

"Yeah, but I can dream," Rebecca said wistfully. "Surprised Cadence didn't order any chocolate pudding."

Cadence quickly grabbed the menu. "They have chocolate pudding?!"

"Yeppers. I spotted it on the menu out of the corner of my eye," Rebecca chuckled.

Shining Armor shook his head. "You have no idea what you just unleashed on these poor people."

Cadence was already standing up and waving to the server. "Ma'am! Add chocolate pudding to the order!"

"One serving?" the woman asked.

"All of it!" Cadence said, a frenzied look in her eyes.

Shining Armor waved. "Believe me, she'll eat it; she won't even get a belly ache or put on any weight. Go ahead and whip up as much as you can. We can pay in advance."

The woman blinked. "Um, alright. Let me go figure out exactly how much that is." She scurried to the back. It was unclear if she was talking about how much pudding there was or how much they'd be paying up front.

The bell on the door frame as the door opened and jangled it. A pale blue pegasus mare with a white mane walked in and looked around. The server hurried back, and when she saw who it was, she smiled.

"Sapphire Sky! Good to see you again. I will be with you briefly."

Sapphire looked at their table and gave them a curious look before pointing at them with a wing. "No rush. I think I'm with them."

"Oh! Then take a seat. Your salad and milk are already there, and the pudding will be coming," the woman said before hurrying to the back.

"Pudding? Guess that confirms it," Sapphire said as she beat her wings a few times and flew over to the table, taking the last unoccupied seat.

"How'd you know it was us?" Rebecca asked.

Sapphire smirked. "Well, for starters, you have no smell, and the air currents in this room are passing right through you."

"You're good," Rebecca chuckled.

Sapphire turned her attention to Cadence. "And second of all…pudding. I doubt I'll be getting any."

Cadence didn't contradict her.

"So, I guess the psycho-preacher doesn't have a monopoly on her special brand of magic anymore," Sapphire said as she looked Cadence and Shining Armor over.

"Luster Dawn got a good look at the preacher's work a few years back and was able to replicate it, with a few improvements," Shining explained.

"That should drive her nuts, good," Sapphire replied. "What's up? I don't get called into meetings like this every day."

Cadence sobered up from her pudding delirium. "We are planning a scouting mission headed by me. We need a fast flyer, and Rainbow Dash is currently unavailable. We have other options than you, but you were the second choice after her."

"You know, I do more than fly fast," Sapphire reminded them.

"We know, but that's the attribute we're in most need of. This is a scouting mission with some diplomacy. We're completely unfamiliar with the geography of where we are going, and there will be hostile parties present. We need an aerial view from someone who can move quickly without attracting attention to ourselves."

"You can't just use satellites or something to map this place out? Is it in Equestria?" Sapphire asked.

"It isn't on Equestria or Earth. There's a third universe, possibly more," Cadence whispered. "We're going in blind and trying to assess the situation and make contact with possible friendly locals who are being subjugated."

"How big is this scouting team? Who's on it? What're the stakes?" Sapphire asked in quick succession.

"Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Luster Dawn, Phobia Remedy, Empathy Elephant, and Josie Woods are confirmed, along with me," Cadence answered. "There's at least one more critical person that we are waiting for an answer from that the mission can't happen without, not you. You're but not critical. We need the person that will get us there and back."

"Did you say Empathy Elephant?" Sapphire asked, looking like she wanted to laugh. "Are we bringing an actual elephant from the zoo on this trip, or did some pony's parents have extraordinary ideas about pony names? And what are we bringing the Queen of Nightmares for? She isn't exactly an adventurer."

"Phobia is needed for a different type of scouting and possible diplomatic contact. So was the only workable choice to fill the role," Shining explained.

"We need to know if there is a warden or if their dream realm even works the same, and sorry to say this, but this team is the best of the expandable people we can assemble," Rebecca said in a sad tone. "We've got other big things going on, and there's certain people we can't afford to lose if something goes wrong with this."

"Well, that's not cheerful at all," Sapphire said dryly. "Plus, I don't care for being called expendable."

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not thrilled with Cadence being labeled that way," Shining Armor said, gripping his hands into fists.

"We already discussed this. It was either our daughter or me to lead this expedition; the other three are too important right now, and I'm not letting her go into harm's way," Cadence said firmly.

"Sure that went over well with Flurry," Sapphire said.

"Cadence and Flurry nearly came to blows over it," Shining replied. "Only way I kept them from doing so was to force them to have to go through me to get to the other."

"Did you wet yourself?" Rebecca asked.

"No comment," Shining answered, looking away.

"You still haven't answered about the elephant," Sapphire reminded them.

"You'll have to see him for yourself. I haven't yet. He's one of the natives," Cadence answered. "I need to stress this is a vital mission. A dark wizard has learned how to cross over to Earth from that universe, and he has already conquered that universe. We need to know what we're up against and what allies we can find over there."

"And you're stressing it because you're afraid I'll say no. Why are you worried about that?" Sapphire asked with suspicion.

"Because we need Sunset Blessing to help us get over there," Shining whispered.

"Hell no! I'm out. If I'm option B, you can go with option C," Sapphire said, standing up in her chair. "Someone else can fly if a fast flyer is all you need. There's other options. Heck, she has a daughter that is reasonably fast."

"The preacher won't be coming!" Cadence assured her quickly. "Not technically."

"What do you mean by not technically? Is she, or isn't she?" Sapphire asked.

"It's an alternate, younger, human version of her. Eighteen years old," Shining explained. "Doesn't have the whole messy history."

"Technically not eighteen for a few more days," Rebecca corrected. "She has the same temperament as the older one but isn't broken like the older model. Also, I think she's an atheist, so no preaching. Her human magic opens up interdimensional portals. That is how we get you to the other world."

"Why does she even exist? What insanity is the preacher up to?" Sapphire asked in bewilderment. "Is she into cloning now?"

"Long story," Rebecca replied. "Nothing's ever simple with Sunset Blessing involved. The girl seems nice enough from my meeting with her, and she shouldn't be held accountable for things her other self did. From what I observed, young Charlotte and Sunset Blessing have a lot of friction. Charlotte could use some more positive role models."

"The original may need to puppet the younger one's magic to get us there; that won't require her to come. She's already designed devices to get us back once we're there," Cadence said, sounding sad. "Puppeting another's magic is considered skirting the border of dark magic. It is said to be extremely painful to the one being puppeted. I hope another way may be found, but we may be forced to allow it. I feel so sorry for the girl if that's what has to happen."

Sapphire growled. "Sunset can't help but inflict pain and suffering wherever she goes. She's not a pony; she's a cancer. I thought she could turn herself around after adopting those foals; I was wrong."

"Well, her latest person to inflict pain on is Charlotte, even if it isn't malicious," Rebecca pointed out. "If you came along, you could try to help Charlotte out. She needs more friends, and aside from the portal thing, she's just a normal human girl coming up on the age things went off track with the original. Maybe you can help make sure she doesn't go off track."

Sapphire chewed her lip. "I'll go. This seems important enough. I can hold my nose and my tongue in regard to Blessing. As for the girl…we'll see. I'm not making promises about a person I haven't met. I'll try to keep an open mind about her."

Author's Note

Apologies to anyone who saw first posting of he chapter. It somehow lost a large section of the talk between Andrea and Amicus. I have fixed it.

Chapter 1.20: CMC

The outing with Amicus and the rest of the family could have been going better. Everybody was keeping quiet. On the plus side, her parents did come, and they weren't pointedly not looking at the old earth pony. They all say down at a nearby restaurant which was moderately busy and placed their orders, and silence commenced.

It was time to break it.

"So, Amicus, you were going to tell me about why you stick with Sunset despite everything," Andrea prompted, getting right to the point shevwas curious about.

Amicus blinked. "I did promise that. Alright. I don't suppose most of the people who can overhear know anything about her, so it's safe enough to talk."

The old earth pony took a deep breath. "I don't have to tell you that my sister isn't a nice person. It would be incorrect to even call her a good person. She wants to be a good mare, but Sunset is more or less trapped in an endless cycle of pain and misery of her own making, and she is very good at making traps that no one can get out of or through. She might not have intended to make this trap for herself, but she is stuck in it."

"That's vague and unhelpful," Andrea muttered.

"It's an introduction. Let this old lawyer monologue," Amicus gently chided. "Let me make this clear. My sister belongs in jail, or at the very least, she should have served a sentence of twenty years or more for her crimes in relation to Riverview, among other things. She got off with a pardon for no other reason than the government didn't want her to stand trial and implicate them in how complacent they were, or, at times, supportive they were of her agendas. Well, that and Triss petitioned Luna to get her out and Luna petitioned the government. Triss believed Sunset to be useful."

Amicus looked around, possibly trying to decide if it really was safe to talk about all this. "In addition to her misdeeds, my sister has the bad fortune of knowing things, and that gets her in ongoing trouble. You know those radicals that were always attacking? You think you know the whole story about that, but you don't. China did everything they could to stir radicals into attacking her, and as time has gone by they've only increased their efforts. They think her knowledge is a threat to their long-term plans. Despite a hostile foreign power acting against an American citizen, the US government does nothing to help her and dissuades local and state governments from doing it either, because they secretly want her dead too. Dead people don't talk."

"Do you have proof of that?" their dad asked.

"Andrea tried to whistleblow it, and it got buried. I tried to file court cases, and those went nowhere," Amicus answered. "I even tried telling Sunset that she needed to just publicly confess everything, take what repercussions come, and be done with it, because the government let her go ignored after that, but she was raising foals, and she didn't want them to lose another mother if they locked her away. Then you five came along when the foals were all about ready to leave. That, and she gained a lot more power to defend herself at that same time– a frightening amount of power. Sunset became the tyrannical dictator of Wabash Manor, dishing out brutal retribution on invaders that were being instigated by one government and had another doing nothing about. She didn't feel she had a choice, and she didn't have the power to stop the cycle. Smart as she is, Sunset can't solve everything, and it just made her meaner and nastier as she got more and more bitter about her situation. A situation that was directly caused by her past sins and quest for forbidden knowledge."

"That doesn't explain why you and Andri stuck by her," Andrea said darkly. "She's a monster, no matter what the cause. Why do you stay with her?"

"At first, to try to save her from herself," Amicus said, sniffing. "She really does want to be a good mare, but she hates herself. Do you know that's why she's Luna's student? So Luna can try to fix her. Luna loves redemption projects. However, after a while, we stayed to help protect the world from her. She had become so strong, and so angry, and so self-loathing, which made her a true danger to everyone. The foals helped for a while, but as the graves started to grow in number, Sunset started slipping again. She's extremely dangerous, and I think the only thing that kept her from going on some crusade to massacre every Shimmerist in existence was having to face us. We were her conscious telling her that she can't go out there taking her rage out on the world."

Amicus sighed. "Now she's here, and there should be no more radicals coming after her. She's been put in a position interacting with foals, which is one of the few things that actually brings genuine kindness out of her. I'm hoping that combination is enough to finally get her on the right track and keep her there. For the first time in a long time, I have hope for her. I'm not religious like she is, but I'm spiritual, and believe in the soul. I want my sister's soul to be saved. As for why I'm here, I really did want to get away from it all. I'm old and tired. I deserve some peace in my twilight years." She looked at them seriously after that. "Charlotte hasn't got Sunset's baggage. She isn't destined for that kind of life. Keep her from making any life-altering mistakes."

"That's very interesting to hear. Mind if we join you?"

The family turned to see three mares standing close by; a white unicorn, a yellow earth pony, and an orange pegasus. They all had tri-colored shields for cutie marks, although the inner designs differed.

Amicus frowned. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders, I presume?"

"See, I told you we're famous on Earth!" the orange pegasus said to the other two smugly.

"Charlotte's not here. You can try again some other time," Amicus said. She didn't sound angry, but she didn't sound friendly either. What issue did Amicus have with these ponies? Why would they be looking for Charlotte? This had to have something to do with what Sunset had said and Amicus didn't want to talk about.

"What do you want with my little sister?" Andrea asked the trio. "What is Amicus not telling us?"

"You're Andrea, right?" the unicorn asked. "We were wanting to speak with you as well."

"Get to know the team!" the orange pegasus said excitedly.

"You aren't supposed to be on the team, Scootaloo," the yellow earth pony of the group said.

"We are a set of three. If you two are going somewhere, I'm going too," Scootaloo said proudly.

"Going where? Are you taking our daughters somewhere? What's going on?" Andrea's mom demanded to know, clearly worried.

"Um, girls, I don't think they know about the mission yet," the yellow earth pony mare said hesitantly.

"What? Luna said she talked about it with that Charlotte person last night," the unicorn said.

"Charlotte's passed out in bed. She got drunk last night. She hasn't spoken to us about anything," Andrea said.

The unicorn grit her teeth as she smiled tightly. "Well, this is awkward."

Andrea refocused on Amicus. "I get your loyalty to your sister and all, but what are you and Sunset not telling us? We have ponies showing up now. There's no point in not spilling the beans."

"Sunset says Charlotte is needed to go to that other universe. She says she can't replicate Charlotte's magic. Charlotte's the most critical person to the mission. It doesn't happen without her," Amicus answered, ears flattened and looking miserable. "Sunset said you'd insist on going too if Charlotte went. They've got a whole scouting team planned out. Two of these ponies are on it."

"Hey! I'm going where Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom go! So it's all three of us!" Scootaloo objected.

Andrea stomped her hooves in frustration and looked at the unicorn. "Do you know the spell for fixing a hangover?"

The unicorn nodded. "Yeah, it's an easy one. I've had to use it on these two a few times after cider season. They always have to get in a competition with each other to see who can down more cider. They're as bad as their big sisters."

"Hey! Applejack and Rainbow Dash are way worse than us!" the earth pony objected.

"I don't even know how it is ponily possible to hold as much cider as Applejack does," Scootaloo agreed.

Andrea got up. "Not to be rude, but I don't care about you guys getting plastered on some holiday. Can you come with me? We need to settle this with my sister."

"She isn't going on any mission!" her mom forcefully asserted, slamming a hand down on the table and getting all the other patrons to gape at her.

"Really? Sounds like it to me, and I was apparently drafted too. Let me get to the bottom of this," Andrea said as she headed towards the door. She looked over her shoulder. "Are you three coming or not?"

The earth pony mare smirked at her friends. "Told you; just like a map quest!"

The unicorn sighed. "Let's follow her."

"Come back here, young lady!" her mom called out in vain as they exited the establishment.

Andrea didn't rush as she made her way through the streets filled with crystal ponies, human tourists gaping at sites, and the stray pony who lacked a crystal sheen to their fur, but she did walk at a steady pace and didn't stop to look at anything. The hotel wasn't far away.

"What do you mean like a map quest?" she asked, wondering what implications it had.

The three of them caught up and walked beside her.

"Well, we get these missions from the map in Twilight's castle sometimes, friendship quests. They tell us to go somewhere, normally in Equestria, but it doesn't give us more information than that," the earth pony mare explained.

"So we just go wherever and wander around until we stumble on why we are there. It doesn't matter if there are ten thousand ponies in the city; we'll find the ones we are looking for in the first ten minutes every time," Scootaloo further elaborated.

"We knew you and Charlotte were somewhere in the Crystal Empire, so Apple Bloom suggested coming up here to look for you," the unicorn said. "I thought it was crazy, since we didn't even know what you girls looked like-"

"Andrea was supposed to be a crystal centaur, which sounds awesome!" Scootaloo exclaimed, flapping her tiny little wings, then she gave Andrea an appraising look. "I think we were misinformed. I'm disappointed…no offense."

"Anyway," the unicorn continued after the interruption. "So we arrived here by train a little while ago and started wondering around. Against all odds, the first place we go into we find a group of people talking about Charlotte and Sunset Blessing."

"Just like a map quest! I told you!" the earth pony Andrea now assumed was Apple Bloom exclaimed.

They wanted to send her and Charlotte to another universe with three mares who had the brilliant plan of just wander around and see what happens? Who came up with this insane idea? It certainly wasn't Sunset. Sunset would have verbally castrated whoever had that kind of plan. Andrea was going to keep her mouth shut because she didn't want to get off to a bad start with these mares, but so far she had serious concerns– other than be packed off to another universe…again.

"What is this mission, exactly" Andrea asked as they reached the hotel.

*Make contact with the intuits of the Forest of Feelings, find out if there is a Dreanwarden or possibility of a Dreamwarden to combat mind control, gather intelligence on No Heart's capabilities, try to survey Care-a-lot and that universe's Earth– it is unknown if that is the actual name or a mistranslation from our original sources," the unicorn that Andrea assumed was named Sweetie Belle listed off.

"And don't get caught," Apple Bloom added in. "We aren't going there to fight. We are just gathering information and seeing if we can make friends with the non-bears."

"And what are our chances of getting caught?" Andrea asked as she walked past the front desk.

"Um…depends on where we come in?" Sweetie Belle answered, sounding uncertain. "If your sister brings us over and we're in the wilderness, we should be fine. If she opens up a portal directly into Care-a-lot, things might not go so well for us."

Well, it was one city on the planet, so the chances of landing there were next to non-existent. Of course, Murphy's Law said that was precisely where they would arrive.

She paused well before reaching Charlotte's room. There was someone else she should speak to. She turned and banged on their door.

"Sunset! I know about this whole mission thing! Get out here!" she demanded.

"Miss Sunset isn't there."

She turned and saw Empathy standing outside Charlotte's room. He held up a small money purse. "She gave me money to go get Charlotte ice cream, but I'm not sure where to get ice cream. Do you know?"

"Ice cream?" Andrea asked in confusion.

Empathy nodded. "She said mint chocolate chip! Miss Sunset said Miss Charlotte is having a bad day, and it will make her feel better."

"Sunset said that and gave you money?" Andrea questioned, not sure if she was missing something. Sunset was being nice?

He nodded. "Miss Sunset came and visited Miss Charlotte immediately after you left. They talked for a little while, and then she left."

What the hell? Sunset literally waited for them to leave and then pounced, shifty unicorn.

"That was nice of her to give money for ice cream. Maybe she isn't so bad," Sweetie Belle suggested.

Andrea scowled. "It just means she feels guilty about something."

"Yeah, Sweetie, we teach about her from very different perspectives," Scootaloo said. "You teach about her in terms of magical theory when she comes up in your classes. I'm sure she's great and all when it comes to that, but I teach history, and when it comes to that…she isn't somepony you want to make friends with. She's famous for all the wrong reasons."

"Starlight and Trixie are friends with her," Sweetie Belle said in Sunset's defense.

"And they've both been villains at some point," Apple Bloom pointed out. "I know you have a thing for being impressed with famous mages, like a lot of academic unicorns do, but I think we can trust her family to say she isn't very nice."

Andrea groaned and headed towards Empathy and Charlotte's room. "Let's see if the old nag has left my sister in tears."

"Miss Sunset made Miss Charlotte's headache go away," Empathy said as he stepped out of Andrea's way.

"Good for her. She could have avoided it by fixing her last night instead of waiting," Andrea muttered as she stepped by him. "Sis! You awake? We need to talk."

"Give me a minute to get the necklace on!" Charlotte shouted from the bathroom in dismay. A second or two passed and Charlotte marched out of the bathroom on four hooves. "What do you want? I'm trying to take time to process some things in my head."

Andrea raised an eyebrow. "Like this scouting mission?"

Charlotte's ears folded back and she cringed. "You know?"

"Three of our compatriots for it just dropped in and dropped the ball," Andrea said, gesturing behind her at the CMC, who had just walked in as well.

"Sorry. We didn't mean to cause any trouble. We were just eager to meet you since we're all going on this mission," Sweetie Belle apologized. "We've never met you before– or Phobia Remedy or Josie Woods, but we didn't know where to look for those two. We thought we should try to get to know you early if we're going to be working together. You know, teambuilding."

"Um…aren't you supposed to be human?" Scootaloo asked. "So far, the creature who is supposed to be a crystal centaur is just a crystal pony. Now the human is a unicorn. Do we even have the right ponies?"

"You look a lot like the pictures I've seen of Sunset Blessing," Sweetie Belle said, holding a hoof up to her chin thoughtfully.

Andrea chewed on her lip for a second. If they were going to be working together they might as well know.

"Empathy, do you remember how to adjust my earrings to switch me back to the real me?" Andrea asked.

He nodded, dropping the money pouch as he came over to her. "Yes, Miss Andrea. Do you need help?"

"Yes, please," she answered, ducking her head so he could more easily reach her ears.

He turned them and nearly feel over when she shifted back to her normal proportions.

"Whoa!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Wait, are you two changelings?"

"Earth doesn't have changelings," Apple Bloom said.

"Bursa's from Earth," Scootaloo countered.

"Bursa was deliberately turned into a changeling while here," Apple Bloom fired back.

"We aren't changelings," Charlotte said in a hurry, then sighed. "Let me explain things…."

It took a few minutes to bring the CMC up to speed on who they were and what they could do. The three of them took it in stride.

"Hey, remember that time we time-traveled back with that weird hourglass to when our sisters were little?" Apple Bloom asked. "This reminds me of that. I guess we now know what would have happened if we brought them back with us."

Andrea blinked. "You've time-traveled?"

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Yeah, we've gotten up to all kinds of strange adventures in our day, but we haven't been on one for a while. We're getting older and more settled, focused on careers and family and all that."

"One last good adventure before we retire from the game!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

Sweetie Belle gave her friend a cross look. "It isn't a game, Scoots."

The pegasus waves one of her little wings dismissively. "I know, I know. Just an expression."

Apple Bloom held up a hoof and whispered at them. "I think she's going through one of those mid-life-crisis. Wants to prove she isn't getting old."

"I'm not getting old!"Scootaloo protested.

Sweetie Belle raised a mischievous eyebrow at her friend. "You know who I was just reviewing the application for becoming a substitute professor at the school? Dinky Doo's son, Didgeridoo. Remember him? He's all grown up and quite the mage."

Scootaloo visibly deflated. "I'm not getting old."

Andrea rolled her eyes. Everyone on this mission was way older than them. She was most concerned with the youngest member.

"What did Sunset want to talk to you about?" Andrea asked.

Charlotte sat down. "First, she asked me if I learned my lesson about drinking. Asked that while I was busy vomiting in the toilet. When I said I would never get drunk again, she cured my hangover. After I regained my composure, she asked me if Luna had talked to me about the mission and if I was going to do it or not. She told me I didn't have to if I didn't want to. It could be dangerous."

"Are you?" Andrea asked. That was the most important question.

Charlotte pointed at Empathy. "I haven't been given a lot of time to consider, but I wouldn't be a good friend to him if I didn't. He's been nothing but nice, and he needs our help. It's the right thing to do…and it gets me away from Sunset for a while."

Andrea wasn't going to argue with her sister to convince her otherwise. Part of her was even proud of her sister doing the right thing. "Anything else?"

Charlotte gave a sad nod. "She apologized for needing to puppet my magic to get us there. She said it would be painful, and she'd try to figure out a way to make it less so."

Andrea looked at Sweetie Belle, who seemed like a magic expert. The unicorn looked disturbed by hearing this. "Puppeting is supposed to be very painful, or so I read. I've never heard of any modern cases of it happening. Nopony should even know how to do it. Only evil mages in ancient times used that kind of magic."

"Fucking, Sunset," Andrea growled.

Charlotte shook her head. "It's okay. I'll still do it. No pain, no gain, right? Anyway, she spent some time talking about a lot of other things; like, if Phobia is disagreeing loudly with everyone else, especially if I disagreed, to engage the emergency recall on my bracelet and how to do that."

"Why?" Apple Bloom asked.

Charlotte shrugged. "She didn't explain, just stressed that it was very important, and our lives could depend on it. I was told knowing the specifics on what was happening could interfere with me taking action, if the need came up. She made me verbally repeat the instructions over and over again then she left."

"Well, crap," Andrea said in exasperation. "She give any timetable on when we are supposed to go? I'm going if you are."

Charlotte shook her head. "She said she was going to a special jeweler when she left to get supplies to work on the bracelets. Said they'd take a few days at least, and everybody had to get here."

"Mom and Dad are going to have a meltdown," Andrea said, looking out the window and imagining how badly the time with Amicus was going. So much for making things better with her. Amicus had known about this. They were going to tear her a new one.

"So…teambuilding?" Scootaloo suggested.

Chapter 1.21: The Once Equestrian Returns Home

Charlotte stood among the crowd, necklace on, staring up at the balcony of the Crystal Spire where Flurry Heart, flanked on either side by her royal parents, stood addressing the crowd.

"Now to kick off our annual Crystal Faire festivities, please stomp your hooves for the long-running acapella group from Earth, Voiceplay, joined by Equestria's own, Ponytones!!" Princess Flurry Heart announced loudly, pointing at a stage set up near the crowd, and concluding what had been a ten-minute long monologue about friendship, harmony, and the importance of this faire. It had been a bit academic, but the princess had enough enthusiasm in her voice to keep the speech from getting too boring. She made you feel her passion as she spoke.

The curtains of the stage rose, revealing several humans and ponies wearing suits. The crowd cheered and a singer stepped forward and started singing what Charlotte assumed was the Crystal Empire anthem. Two humans stepped forward and started singing harmony to it, and then the rest stepped forward and started singing another round of harmony. The voices were probably amplified by magic, so the crowd didn't drown them out. It was pretty; she couldn't deny that, but it still seemed strange to her that this festival was such a big deal and they only got this for musical entertainment. She really didn't know what was popular in Equestria, but she was sure they had other stuff.

Still, it wasn't a bad way to start the day.

"Happy birthday to me," she said to herself. Officially eighteen.

"Happy birthday, Miss Charlotte!" Empathy joyously said from beside her. She didn't scold him for getting too loud but wished he would be quieter. She was trying to avoid her parents, and he had already made her stick out like a sore thumb by following her around.

The song ended, and the crowd erupted in cheers and hoofstomps. She smiled at her constant companion. "Thanks. Want to see what kinds of activities and food these ponies have for this thing? Sunset gave me plenty of money for my birthday."

"Whatever you want to do, Miss Charlotte."

She gave a long-suffering sigh and looked him in the eyes. "We can do stuff you want to do too. It doesn't always have to be about me, even on my birthday."

"We're already going to do what I want tomorrow. We're going to go find Heavyheart!" Empathy said, practically bouncing.

She didn't want to tell him that the chances of them finding the Forest of Feelings quickly were practically non-existent. There was no telling where her magic was going to land them. They might wander for days before they found anything, if they were lucky. If they weren't lucky, something would find them, and they'd be running for their lives. Heck, she wasn't even sure they were going to end up on the right planet. Sunset seemed confident about it, but Charlotte couldn't imagine why a random portal shouldn't have more chance of opening in the vacuum of space than on a planet. Even if they did get the planet, there seemed more chance of it opening somewhere in the stratosphere, the ocean, or deep underground– there was more of those things.

Maybe she was just being overly pessimistic, but it was her magic, and she didn't understand it. Sunset might be puppeting it, but even Sunset had screwed up spells before or not realized some detail. Part of her wished Sunset would screw up, just so the older unicorn couldn't say she was better at using Charlotte's magic than Charlotte was. Sunset getting it right was deeply humiliating. Puppeting her magic was supposed to cause her pain, but the insult was much worse than the injury in this case.

Happy thoughts. she thought to herself as she took a calming breath. It's my birthday. There's a party going on– not related to my birthday, but still a party. I need to enjoy myself.

All the scouting team was supposedly in the city now. Tomorrow they would be going to another world. She was willingly putting herself, and Andrea by extension, in mortal danger. Heck, she was even willingly going to let Sunset do something that was going to cause her pain, even if her other self said there would be some numbing provided. Why was she doing this?

She looked at Empathy, who looked at her with nothing but adoration. That was why. She had this elephant that she had pulled across the universe that followed her around like a puppy. He only gave her encouragement, never said a harsh word to her, and practically lived his life to make her happy. He was concerned with trying to serve everyone and never complained about anything he was asked to do. It might be selfish of her, but if this was just for the intuits over there, she might not be doing this. She was a coward who didn't want to risk her life, even knowing how bad it was over there for those people, but Empathy deserved better from her. She never had a lot of friends. It was hard to have friends when you spent half your life locked up in Wabash Manor, but Empathy had been the best friend anybody could ask for. She was going to do this for him.

She gave him a warm smile. "What I want to do right now is treat you to some nice crystal berries that I know you'll like."

So, they wandered about and took in the sights. It was easy to spot Andrea from a distance, and avoid her; a giant crystal centaur stood out in a crowd. Since there were many human tourists in town her parents would take a little more work to avoid. Amicus would be especially difficult to pick out amongst all these ponies. Sunset probably wasn't even out and about, so there was no need to worry about running into her. She avoided her parents and Amicus because they were going to plead with her again not to go on this mission. She avoided Sunset on principle. She avoided her sister because her sister kind of hovered and it was annoying. She didn't want her sister playing foalsitter to her; she was a grown adult as of today.

The crystal berry vendor was busy. Every vendor was busy. That left her standing around in line to get served. She took her delay to glance around at what was available to do.

"We could go see the animal petting zoo. Would you like that?" she asked her companion, trying to think of innocent activities for them to do.

He frowned and took a step back, shaking his head. "No. Animals are weird."

She had forgotten that his world didn't seem to have any animals from what he described. The idea of an unintelligent life form other than plants seemed alien to him.

"So, how about checking out the hoofmade crafts?" she asked, pointing to a pony making birdhouses.

"No, crafts don't seem very interesting," he answered. "We could go look at the jousting."

"Jousting?" she asked in surprise. "Isn't that a little violent?"

"I want to see how ponies will fight the bears," he said with earnestness.

Probably not by jousting, she thought to herself. Why did they even joust? It seemed an unusually aggressive and dangerous activity for a day of friendship, good feelings, and fun. It seemed out of place in Equestrian culture in general. They weren't even trying to knock a rider off; they were doing a safer version of trying to skewer each other with a lance charge. They had archery competitions too, and ponies didn't eat meat, so those bows and arrows weren't invented or used for hunting. Perhaps it was some relic from an ancient and violent time. Jimsonweed had spoken about a war Equestria had conducted that had eventually escalated into a full-on genocide of a pony tribe, and the Crystal Empire had empire in its name, indicating a warlike history of conquest, even if it was just one city now. The Crystal Empire was also technically closer to those long-gone times than everywhere else, considering they still had older ponies here that were born more than a thousand years prior, even if their numbers were starting to dwindle with age.

Hey, it's a place where a significant number of people were born before me. If you count my age by birth year, I'm older than everybody on the scout team except for Andrea. Even Princess Cadence was born in the early nineties or late eighties, if I recall right. she thought with mild amusement. Maybe she should point out to her sister that Andrea could be seen as the eldest of the group if interpreted that way.

"We aren't going to beat the bears by jousting them," she informed Empathy. "It will probably be unicorns blasting spells and humans blasting guns if there is a war. I hope there isn't one. Ideally, we beat No Heart, and the bears surrender without a fight. You would prefer that, right? They could try to reform the bears, and you can all be friends again. Nobody wants a war."

"I don't know if I can be friends with a bear after the things they've done," Empathy replied with unusual grimness.

She grimaced. "You got sad for the bears when Sunset…um…took care of the bears that attacked the house." She did not want to make that play on words, but she didn't want to say straight out what her other self did while standing in a crowd.

He crossed his arms. "Nobody wants to see a line ended. She ended a bunch of lines that day, but the bears have ended a bunch of lines too. They ended the Braveheart Lion line."

"Oh, no, not Braveheart," she whispered.

Empathy turned and tilted his head. "How do you know Braveheart?"

"I really need to show you the second Care Bears movie," she replied with a sigh. "Not sure how to do that here."

It was still puzzling how there had been knowledge about the Care Bears that had been turned into greeting cards, toys, and cartoons. In their universe had there been cartoons and toys about ponies? She wondered if her sister was right and some person back in their time really did have some passive magic ability that let them see across universes. Did they know what they were really seeing, or did they just think they had a weird burst of inspiration?

"Mommy! It's an elephant!"

"I see that, Gail. Don't draw too much attention to us."

Charlotte knew that second voice and turned to see a middle-aged black woman with a pink mohawk coming towards them, a young ordinary black girl who looked about ten years old walking beside her.

"You have a kid?!" she asked Phobia's old bodyguard.

Tempest chuckled, which was as strange as Tempest having a kid. "Is that so hard to believe? I actually have two. Be nice and say hi to Miss Charlotte, Gail."

The girl, who was wearing what would be considered a blue Sunday dress, did a clumsy curtsy. "Hello."

"Hi," Charlotte replied. She looked back at Tempest. "Why are you here?"

Tempest bent down to a crouch, so she didn't tower over everybody. "I always intended to return to Equestria. The condition after my humanization was I was exiled until Phobia retired here, so ponies had time to forget I existed, and others wouldn't start asking about the process I underwent. My children's heritage is half here, and they should get a chance to connect with it, even if they aren't ponies."

"I didn't even know you were married. I thought you and Phobia had…a thing," Charlotte said uneasily.

"We do indeed have a thing, and my husband understands that and the limits of that," Tempest answered. "I've been with Phobia longer than him, and he accepts she is always going to be part of my life."

"What kind of thing with Auntie Phobia are you talking about, Mommy?" Gail asked in confusion."Are you talking about your old job?"

Tempest put a hand on her daughter's head and ruffled her hair. "I'll tell you when you're older."

"Ah! Stop it! You'll mess up my hair!" Gail protested, pulling away. "You always say that about stuff. How much older?"

"Older than today," Tempest answered. "Let's tentatively say…sixteen…but don't hold me to that."

"Ugh! That's so long!" Gail whined.

"Could be longer. Have patience," Tempest said with a shrug. "I promise I will tell you, someday, and you know I keep a lot of secrets from my old job."

"Speaking of…why are you here, speaking with me, exactly?" Charlotte asked. "You knew I was here, and you knew it was me, and not Sunset. I haven't seen you in years."

Tempest sighed. "I just wanted to stress that I want you to do everything you can to keep Phobia safe. I won't be there to protect her. None of her bodyguards will be there, either, and I worry. She was never just a job for me…at least, not after the first year or two. She's important to me. I want her to make it home safely. It's as simple as that. Rosetta would be here telling you the same thing, but she's busy taking care of Phobia right now."

"Is the dream realm here really freaking her out that much? Is she going to be okay to go on this mission?" Charlotte asked with concern. That other world's dream realm wouldn't be any better, and would lack Luna there to comfort the retired Dreamwarden.

"She'll have to be," Tempest replied, but the worry was clear in her voice. "Phobia does what is necessary, even if she's afraid. She'll manage."

"Miss Charlotte will bring her back safely, even if Miss Phobia is a big meanie who threatened Miss Charlotte!" Empathy asserted.

"And I know it tore her up to do that," Tempest said. "She had preparations in place for a long time. A sleeper agent was among the guards, ready to put a bullet into Charlotte if the order was given. It would have been my responsibility to communicate the order if it had come before I retired. I'm glad she never gave the order. I would have seriously considered refusing to follow it."

"Would you?" Charlotte asked. Gail looked at her mother, waiting for the reply as well. The girl didn't seem shocked that her mother might be asked to give such an order. How much did the girl know about her mother's old profession as Phobia's top henchperson-bodyguard?

"I don't know," Tempest confessed. "And I'm glad I'll never have to find out."

Well, that's just what she wanted to know on her birthday. One of the guards was set to murder her at the drop of a dime. She knew all the guards. Had joked around with most of them. Sunset treated them as part of the household. Now she knew one of them would have killed her, no questions asked. It was enough to give someone trust issues. Oh, and Tempest was fine discussing this in a public place, right in front of her kid and all these ponies! She was doing it without a care in the world. Was there anything normal about life?

"Well, we are going to have three seasoned adventurers, two of the most powerful ponies of their respective tribes, and a freaking alicorn princess with us. Andrea and I won't be needed for keeping Phobia safe," Charlotte said.

"I'll be there too!" Empathy reminded them.

"And Empathy," Charlotte added, although he could be lumped in with her. Andrea at least was very strong or could resist magic. Charlotte and Empathy were both non-combatants who were useless in a fight. "Sunset even gave me instructions on how to do an emergency withdrawal back home if things go bad. We'll be fine."

Tempest nodded. "An impressive group, still, I worry. I understand their desire not to make the group too big, so as not to attract attention, but I am still going to recommend another bodyguard to the princesses. I have just the guard in mind."

"Who?" Charlotte asked.

"Bursa. You've never met her. Her existence is classified. Sunset knows who she is since Bursa is one of Sunset's past sins, or at least, indirectly, one of her past sins. It's a little harsh to say, but that monster will jump at any chance to get off Equestria, and everybody else will be pleased watching her go somewhere other than Equestria or Earth."

"You want to send a monster along? Isn't that the opposite of keeping Phobia safe?"

Tempest shook her head. "Bursa isn't malicious. She is what she is, and what she is can't be allowed to get to Earth. Her ongoing focus is trying to figure out how to do just that, and that makes her troublesome. She isn't very bright, but she does have a wide range of abilities that could help in this mission. She resents being held on Equestria and will eagerly accept a chance to go to this other world, even if it isn't the one she wants to go to. Plus, it gives her a chance to study you. I'm sure she'll watch you like a hawk and make sure you are safe if you can make portals to other worlds. It is something that gives her hope."

"That's just cruel," Charlotte protested, nervously shuffling her hooves at the thought of some monster lusting after her powers.

"It's practical," Tempest replied. "She'll keep you and the rest of the group safe because you present an opportunity she doesn't want to risk losing. Cadence and Phobia will be able to keep Bursa in line. You just need to watch your back once you return. Bursa's going to be very eager."

Great, another long-term problem. Maybe she could convince everybody to leave Bursa out of this. She couldn't be that useful.

Chapter 1.22: The Musings of Old Mares

Andrea was at a loss. Charlotte had managed to evade her in the crowds. How a bright red pony with a multicolored mane being followed around by an elephant could manage that, she had no clue. At this point, she'd given up on finding her sister and decided to attempt to enjoy the festivities. Charlotte should be fine. There wasn't anybody dangerous about. At least, there shouldn't be. Charlotte said Phobia rescinded her threat so that danger was gone, and pissed off as Andrea was at the former warden, Phobia never lied. It was time to relax and have some fun before whatever terror awaited them tomorrow.

If only her parents would cooperate with her having fun.

"We accept that Charlotte is necessary for this thing-" her dad said.

"Unhappy about it, but we accept it," her mom cut in.

"-but there's no reason for you to go," her dad continued pleading. "You and Charlotte both said it; she will be surrounded by powerful people on all sides that can keep her safe. There's no need for you both to be in danger."

Andrea facepalmed. "Make up your minds. Are we in danger or not?"

Her dad started to answer, but her mom pushed him aside. "Yes! You're in incredible danger! Those things killed your sister! Charlotte might be needed for this, but there's no need to endanger both of you. We have already lost one child. We don't want to lose our other two in one fell swoop!"

"I need to guard her."

"Let someone else take a bullet for once!" her mom shouted before breaking down in a sob.

Andrea considered reaching out to her mom and hugging her. She had even lifted her arms to do so. Unfortunately, the angles were all wrong. Her mom was even shorter than Charlotte was when Charlotte was human, and Andrea towered over her too high. She let her arms fall to her sides and sighed as her dad hugged her mom instead.

"I know I can't make you understand, but this is something I have to do. It isn't just for Charlotte; it's for me," Andrea said, keeping her voice even and calm. She spotted a familiar pony a short distance away, petting a lamb. "Hey, there's Amicus. We should see how she's doing. She was the one who wanted to attend this thing."

"We should find your sister. I don't know where she's run off to," her mom replied, looking around at the crowd frettingly as she wiped her eyes.

"She's probably avoiding us," Andrea said. "And Amicus is my sister too…sort of."

"Why would she avoid us?" their mom asked. "It's her birthday and her last day before she goes off on that mission for who knows how long. She should be with her family."

How long this mission would be was a good question, one Andrea was worried about. "Last I saw, every other sentence to her, you were still trying to convince her not to go without saying you don't want her to go. She's probably avoiding us because of that."

Her mom started sobbing again, and the ponies stopped to watch in concern.

Andrea forced a smile and waved to the various ponies watching them. "Nothing to see here. My mom is just upset that her last kid is leaving the nest. You know how moms get about that."

That seemed to relax the ponies, who gave Andrea's mom sympathetic smiles before continuing to do fair activities. She was unsure if lots of bad feelings during the fair would disrupt anything, but she didn't want to be the cause of unease spreading.

"Kristin avoided us when she died," her dad said quietly.

Well, shit. She hadn't thought about that. How to fix this?

"Charlotte's going to be fine. Nothing will get her here, and we'll see her again when she returns to the hotel later," Andrea assured them in the kindest tone possible. "Let's talk to Amicus, and then maybe we can find Charlotte a birthday gift."

"We already got her birthday gifts. They're back at the hotel," her dad informed her as he continued to hold his crying wife. "You did get her something, right?"

Andrea rubbed the back of her head. "Um…I kinda forgot about her birthday until today."

"She's been reminding us daily that it was today!" her dad said in shocked disbelief.

"I've been focused on other stuff!" Andrea said defensively. "I've been teambuilding with the crusaders, trying to get Sunset to get me some guns-"

Her mom's head jerked up. "Guns?! Why do you need guns?!"

"To defend Charlotte and myself on this mission. If we run into trouble, I don't want to be stuck trying to physically wrestle with a bear again," Andrea answered. "I know how to handle a firearm. Andri had an old FBI friend who had been giving me lessons at the range."

"You never told us that!" her mom half-yelled.

"I didn't want you getting upset, and honestly, it was none of your business that I was doing it," Andrew replied. She didn't want to be rude, but she'd been dreading this conversation. "Andri learned how to handle a weapon at my age."

Her mom shook her head. "You aren't Andri. You were studying network security, something safe, not going into law enforcement."

"I wasn't going into law enforcement because I would inevitably either have to take off my earrings or have someone learn they aren't just jewelry. That's the only reason why I didn't go into law enforcement or the military," Andrea said flatly. "I'm a protector, Mom, just like Andri. I've never tried to avoid being like her. I admired her."

"So…is Sunset getting you guns?" her dad asked.

Andrea nodded. "She said they'd be ready, a regular handgun, a semi-automatic rifle, and a gun made for hooves. No matter what form I'm in, I should have something I should be able to use. Sunset might be a bitch, but she isn't going to let us go there, completely unable to defend ourselves."

"I would much rather you have them than not, and your mother will feel the same way when she has time to consider it," her dad replied. He then put on a smile. "Speaking of bitches; I saw my first ever diamond dog today. I couldn't really tell if it was a her. I didn't want to inspect down below. Bi-pedal creatures really should wear pants."

"You're changing the subject," her mom whined.

He nodded. "Yes, I am. Part of being a good man is learning when a woman isn't going to be persuaded to change her mind. Our daughter is a young woman…mare…adult female person-"

"Smooth, Dad," Andrea cut in.

"Not my best. I was going to try shetaur next," he confessed.

"Thank God you didn't," Andrea said flatly.

"Anyway, she isn't going to change her mind, so why cause the extra stress on our last day before seeing her off?"

Their last time seeing Kristin had been on a sour note, and they regret it. That's probably why Mom is crying about Charlotte avoiding them too. Andrea realized.

"You're right. I'm not changing my mind, nor is Charlotte," she said, but smiled. "So, let's go see how Amicus is doing and have some fun. Perhaps we'll get lucky and spot Charlotte. If we don't harass her, maybe she'll want to hang out with us."

Her parents reluctantly agreed, and they made their way over to the petting zoo area. Amicus was still there, but she was no longer petting lambs.

Her dad whistled. "That's not something you see outside a porno; a pony riding a pony."

The Equestrians had apparently imported several Earth horses, along with some other Earth animals, and one of the big attractions was giving pony rides on the horses. They even had saddles that looked explicitly designed for a pony rider. Amicus was on one of the horses, being led by the reigns in a circle by a crystal pony stallion. The saddle had an odd upward slope to it that she laid against while it partially propped her up. It had a few other hooks, and straps up front that Andrea assumed were to help a rider guide the horse but were currently unnecessary with the pony walking it around.

Amicus and the horse did two circles around the corral before coming to a stop next to a platform with a set of stairs. A pair of ponies helped get the elderly earth pony out of the saddle, which was a slow process, probably because they were concerned about accidentally hurting a mare of her advanced age. They eventually did get her out of the saddle, and she walked down the steps and joined Andrea and her parents.

"Aren't you a little old for pony rides?" Andrea asked with a raised eyebrow.

Amicus looked up at her and grinned. "Young lady, when you get to be a certain age, you cease to wish to act your age because it is simply too depressing to do so. Don't let Sunset know I let you know, but she actually had a set of first edition antique Transformer toys on prominent display in her bedroom, and I happen to know she packed them."

"So that's why no one is ever allowed in her bedroom," Andrea chuckled.

"Doubtful," Amicus replied.

A weird thought crossed Andrea's mind. "Wait…you were allowed in her room?"

"We sometimes met there to discuss legal issues. It was somewhere no one would bother us. She isn't just my sister, she's my client, and believe me, she needed a good lawyer on call," Amicus explained. She then shook her head. "Anyway, enough about my sister. It's a happy day, and talking about Sunset is always a way to bring the mood down."

"You seem to be in a better mood," her dad observed.

Amicus swished her tail. "Maybe it is all these happy smiling people. Maybe it is just getting out and doing things for the sheer pleasure of it. Perhaps it is just a magical day. Whatever it is, It does seem to be helping." Her smile slipped a little as she looked around. "I'm still hurting, we all are, but look at the older ponies around here. They lost loved ones, lived as slaves, got thrown out of their own time into an unfamiliar future, and what are they doing? They are laughing and enjoying each other's company."

The old earth pony had a distant look. "I'll be gone in a few years. I might have ten years left in the tank, if I'm lucky. I've lost a lot of loved ones over the years. That's part of getting old. Poor Sunset is going to probably end up burying all of us. I can't even imagine what those alicorns go through. I have asked myself, how do they manage it? The answer is simple; they accept death is a part of life. Sometimes it comes too soon, but it always comes. We honor those who die by living, and loving those who are still with us. I don't want to spend my final years miserable. I'm going to try to live, love, and laugh. I'll be reunited with the ones I've lost soon enough. Let me appreciate life and make my presence a blessing to those still here while I can."

Good feelings, there was a lack of that this past month. Who knew what this new world would bring? Probably nothing good. Andrea could use a good day of fun.

"Let's see what else there is to do then, shall we?" Andrea suggested as she wondered what her sisters and Sunset were up to.

"Did you seriously suggest colonization by force for this new universe?!" Sunburst asked in disbelief as he read over the report. "You suggest we do this even if we are successful in our campaign against the Devourers? How could you?!"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Sunset said as she sipped her tea. "You make it sound like a bad thing."

"It is a bad thing!" Sunburst protested.

Luna cleared her throat. "Perhaps we should hear my student's explanation for her reasoning?"

"There's no possible good reason for this blatant imperialism, it's evil!" Sunburst asserted, then broke down in a fit of coughs, Starlight quickly moved to his side and held him until the coughs receded. The stallion looked old enough to be her father, perhaps even grandfather.

Sunset set her drink down and looked at the others around the table. Staring back at her were four of the alicorn princesses, Luster Dawn, Sweetie Belle, Rarity, Wild Growth, and Fancy Pants. Starlight Glimmer was focused on her husband. The only alicorn not present was Flurry Heart, who was focused on the faire. Sunset didn't want to be the center of attention. She was here as an advisor, but no one ever seemed to care that it was only advice she was giving. These things weren't her call.

Once his coughing subsided, Sunset took a deep breath and gave her explanation. "Have you considered what is going to happen if we defeat No Heart and the bears surrender?"

"I assume the next step would be to establish diplomatic relations with the now freed human population," Rarity answered. "I'm sure we could negotiate the settling of refugees there. The population should be grateful enough. There's no need for taking land by force."

Sunset shook her head. "I am basing this advice off our current intelligence. What is the status of the humans there according to our current sources?"

Rarity blinked. "Drugged and subjugated. Which is why-"

"How long have they been drugged and subjugated?" Sunset cut in.

Rarity pursed her lips. "I presume for generations, based on-" Her eyes widened in realization. "Oh."

Sunset nodded. "Yeah."

Luster Dawn looked around the table. Everyone else seemed to have figured it out but her. "Um…what am I missing?"

"They might not even know how to take care of themselves," Twilight answered, looking grim. "They might be operating barely above an animal level."

"Even animals know how to tend to their most basic needs. Can we say the same for these humans?" Sunset asked. "Conquering them isn't cruelty, it's kindness. They need to be cared for and educated. If we free them and then leave we are doing a disservice. They'd die in droves."

Luna held her head up proudly and looked at her sister and Twilight. "My student figured this out first."

Celestia raised an eyebrow at Luna. "It isn't a competition, sister."

"My student still realized the problem before Twilight, Starlight, or Luster," Luna said smugly.

"We haven't confirmed that is the case as of yet," Cadence reminded them. "We are currently operating in hearsay and speculation. My team will find out what the facts are. All proposed members have agreed to be come, along with two others not originally selected– both of whom I am uneasy about their coming."

Fancy Pants adjusted his monocle. "I for one do not object to Dame Scootaloo's inclusion in this mission, but that beast…Bursa… seems an unnecessary risk. Might I remind you she injured five portal guards, not three moons before her inclusion was proposed? She's dangerous."

"Injured, not killed," Wild Growth reminded him. "She could have killed them, with ease."

He harrumphed. "You have been silent for much of these exchanges. I have not yet had time to congratulate you on your recent promotion to Secretary of the Interior for your nation."

Wild sighed. "I wish that I wasn't having to devote my time to using my position to hiding launch ports for our space armada. What they are doing to the environment in those areas is-" The earth pony paused and shook her head in bitter defeat. "It is something I have to accept. There won't be any trees to save if the Devourers reach us."

"All is ready then for the fleet?" Celestia asked.

Wild Growth shrugged. "I wish I could give a definitive yes to that question, but I only know about how things are progressing on the US side. The majority of the fleet will be launched from Russia and China, and they aren't always forthcoming about the details. It enrages me that the world might be ending and we're still playing these stupid political games."

Luna grimaced. "Your sentiments are shared. It is sad we must turn to you and my student for details about how things are progressing instead of getting proper reports from the US government, or Russia and China for that matter."

"Politics is like religion. People will die for their politics, even when all signs point to their devotion being only self-destructive," Sunset said.

"An odd observation from a preacher," Twilight observed.

Sunset looked at her. "Try watching everything you ever built up burn in a day, along with your spouse, and knowing your blind faith helped cause it, and tell me if it doesn't change your perspectives. I still have faith, but I also have learned that humans and ponies are fools who do not know the mind of God. That goes doubly for me. Show me a person that says God is speaking to them, and I'll show you someone who unwittingly has the Devil call them a friend. I'm done with thinking I can have divine inspiration. My mistakes are my own. Not something I can blame on God, the Devil, or anyone else. One sin I will not have when I face judgment is trying to pass the blame. Religion and politics are too often an excuse to pass the blame and comfort ourselves that we are somehow divinely chosen for some higher purpose. I'm done with it all. I'm just an old fool trying to help where I can and protect my family. When I face God, I will not try to hide my sins behind such a wall."

They were quiet for a few seconds.

"Triss believes you have a higher purpose," Luna reminded her.

Sunset scowled deeper.

"Then Triss is the biggest fool of them all."

Chapter 1.23: Leavetaking

The day had come. In just a little while, Charlotte and her sister would be standing on a hostile and unfamiliar alien world. She was in the same large ballroom that she had attended the gala in, but the general public was banned from coming in here right now. In a few short minutes, Sunset would be putting Charlotte's magic to use. The entire team that would be stepping across the portal was here, and so were many of their family members, saying what they hoped would not be their final goodbyes to those about to venture into the unknown.

She was without the necklace, and it felt odd being out and about without it after more than a month, having to wear it whenever she wasn't sleeping. She had a heavy backpack sitting beside her and wasn't looking forward to lugging that around all day, every day. Not that she could complain too much. If anyone had room to complain about having to carry too much, it was Andrea. Andrea had a large backpack, and she had a strange oversized saddle to carry Phobia and Josie while those two slept during the day; in addition to a large sniper rifle she had strapped over one shoulder. Every other party member had a backpack or saddle bag, even Empathy.

"Remember, you can use your thing Sunset gave you to get you out at any time, don't try to be brave," her mom said as she fussed with the strap on Charlotte's backpack for what seemed the hundredth time.

Charlotte resisted rolling her eyes. "I know. Sunset made me go over how it works over and over again."

She overheard some of the other conversations.

Sapphire Sky and her husband.

"You come back safe and soon. Aurora will be angry if you miss your grandfoal's birthday party."

"Don't worry. I'm not going out at the paws of some care bears."

"Better not, my chaotic stormcloud."

Sweetie Belle and Rarity.

"Now, Sweetie Belle, don't overexert yourself. You aren't a young mare anymore."

"Rarity, don't give me that. I'm twelve years younger than you!"

"Are you implying that mwah is old???"

Phobia Remedy and Rosetta Stone.

"Keep yourself safe. I'm not going to have you die on me right after you retire."

"I'll do my best. When I get back, I'll find us a nice secluded tree to relive some moments."

"Now, that's a promise I'm going to hold you to."

Luster Dawn and Twilight Sparkle.

"I know you're eager to help save a world, but listen to Cadence. She knows what she is doing. This mission is about gathering information and establishing diplomatic ties. Don't try to be a hero."

"I know, I know, but if I get a chance to bring down No Heart-"

"Luster!"

Princess Cadence and Princess Flurry Heart.

"I should be the one going on this mission."

"Your place is here with your ponies. They need you. You're the true crystal princess. I was just keeping the throne warm for you. If something happens, I want you to know you've made me proud with how well you lead the empire. I'm more proud of you every day. You don't need me anymore."

"Don't say that! You aren't giving me your last words. You're going to come back! I'm always going to need my mommy."

Andrea tapped her on the shoulder and gave her a smirk.

"You checking out Princess Flurry Heart again?" Andrea whispered.

Charlotte balled a fist. "No! I'm human. Ponies don't arouse me."

"She checked out the princess?" their dad asked in surprise.

"Back during the gala, she did," Andrea chuckled.

Charlotte glared at her sister. "I was a pony at the time, and there's nothing wrong with looking. It wasn't like I was gaping at her anything."

"I tell your mom that all the time, kiddo, but she doesn't believe it," their dad laughed. "Nice to hear you aren't in denial any more. My little girl is all grown up."

She stomped her foot. "I was never in denial! Are you two really going to pick at me right now?"

"You know how we roll, Char," her dad said with a grin. "But, I'll lay off. You just focus on keeping safe and not focusing on these mare's flanks."

"Dad!"

Celestia and Luna walked into the room, and Wild Growth followed behind, looking spiffy in a business suit. Celestia spread her wings. "May I have everycreature's attention!"

Talk quieted down, and everyone turned to look at Celestia.

Celestia lowered her wings. She had a grave look on her face. "On behalf of Equestria and Earth, we thank you for agreeing to participate with this mission. I want to stress the importance of this mission. This world is currently held under tyrannical rule by a dark wizard. This wizard has learned how to cross over from his world to ours. This presents a clear and present danger to Equestria and Earth that we must learn how to counteract."

Luna stepped forward. "I know you all know your personal worth and know how capable you are, but some of you may be wondering why we are not sending the Element Bearers, Starlight Glimmer, or others who have saved the world before to go on this mission if it is so important. The answer is we simply cannot spare them. We are about to enter into the greatest conflict in many generations, perhaps the greatest conflict ever, and your mission represents just one front of the war we are facing. I will let our friends from Earth explain."

Wild Growth stepped forward and coughed into her hoof. "When I was young, my brothers and I played this game called Fallout. It had this saying it liked to throw up, war never changes, but that isn't true; war has changed. Our armies are built to fight armies, but in the past century, they have learned that they are terrible at fighting against guerilla warfare that goes on and on. In the past thirty-five years, we have met individuals with the power to level cities. What do armies mean against the likes of Tirek or Discord? What do armies mean against the likes of me before I lost the ability to channel my magic? They mean nothing. War has changed. I need to stress that the primary purpose of this mission is to gather intelligence on No Heart because he is a threat the likes of Tirek." She looked to the side. "Sunset, your turn."

Sunset had been standing off in a corner and didn't move from it as eyes turned to her. She looked at them all and shook her head.

"Many of you might not like me. I am not here to be liked. One of the tasks the US government gave me back when I governed Riverview was to determine the answer to how do you beat a Tirek, Discord, alicorn, Dreamwarden, or other specific individuals of incredible power. It's a task I am doing again now. Everyone has a weakness, an Achilles' Heel, and limits to their power. Anyone can be defeated with the right strategy and know-how, anyone. We do not need a direct confrontation; we need you to get your information and get out safely. Others will fight, but you will be the ones to enable them to win. The right tool for the right job."

Luna nodded. "Establishing diplomatic relations with the intuit is a secondary goal but should not come at the expense of the primary. They are possible allies, which could be invaluable, but that alliance does us no good if we don't know how to win."

"You are all smart, capable, observant, and have survived your own trials and tribulations. This team was picked by all the princesses together with additional input from key advisors– such as Miss Growth and Miss Blessing here, among others. We know you can do this," Celestia concluded.

Luna looked around. "We wanted to keep the team small to draw less attention, but there have already been additions to the team. I am about to add another member who I think will be invaluable. Most of you probably are unfamiliar with her or may have misgivings about her, but she will do everything to help make this mission successful." Luna looked off to the side at a curtain. "You can come out now."

A very plain, frail-looking earth pony mare with dull grey fur and mane stepped cautiously from the curtain. Sunset and Wild Growth didn't seem to have been made aware of the addition and examined the pony closely.

"Who is this pony?" Wild Growth asked in confusion.

Sunset narrowed her eyes. "That's not a pony. I just looked at her magic. I haven't seen one before, but I can still tell. That's a changeling."

"Well, changelings aren't scary," Scootaloo spoke up. "And it makes sense to bring one on a spy mission. Why would anyone have misgivings?"

The changeling-pony looked at Scootaloo. "I'm Bursa."

Sweetie Belle, Applejack, Scootaloo, Wild Growth, and Sunset Blessing immediately fell back and took defensive postures.

Sapphire looked around and laughed. "Whoa, that bad, huh? I feel out of the loop here. Who is Bursa, and why is everyone suddenly on edge? She looks harmless."

Josie looked at Sapphire. "You're taking having half our team acting like they are about to be attacked in stride."

Sapphire shrugged. "The princesses wouldn't include her if she was that bad."

"Good point," Josie said with a nod.

Cadence walked over to Bursa. "Go ahead and assume your true form. There's no need to hide it from them. I trust you as a teammate. Do you trust me?"

Bursa fixed a stony glare on the Princess of Love. "It's hard to trust ponies. You keep me trapped. You don't let me go home."

"Rossman is dead, Bursa. There's no one left to take your vengeance out on. Going to Earth won't bring you peace and will only lead to you being hunted and hurt. Keeping you from going there protects you," Cadence said calmly and slowly.

"My past…"

"Is gone," Cadence said firmly. "Luna has searched your mind as thoroughly as she can. There is no memory to jog. Just the fractured fragments you have. I know it isn't the answer you want, but you must let go of it. You've been a changeling longer than you had been a human. You can still reform and live a happy life, but you have to let go of that hurt. I want to help you. I will see that you are well fed through this mission."

Bursa turned her eyes to Sunset Blessing. "Rossman is dead, but she still lives. She gave others the information to make me, both times."

Sunset threw up a shield around herself. "Bursa, I did what I could for you. I don't want to hurt you, but if you attack me, there will be bug guts everywhere. I am not as weak as I was last time we met."

Cadence sighed. "And that is why Sunset Blessing is staying home. I've never seen such a violent pony before. Bursa isn't going to attack you. You can drop your shield."

"I'm not very trusting. I'll feel better with it up. She's known to be mentally unstable. I don't expect her to be reasonable," Sunset Blessing replied, taking another step back, so her flanks were now touching the walls.

"I'm not Sunset's biggest fan these past few years, but knowing what she's capable of, if she's nervous around this pony, I have concerns," Josie said.

Luna cleared her throat. "Um… Cadence…perhaps it is inadvisable for Bursa to assume her true form right now. It can wait until after she is through the portal."

The younger princess raised an eyebrow at Luna. "Why?"

"My mother has an extreme case of arachnophobia," Phobia answered for Luna. "It is best not to have my mother freak out."

Charlotte wanted to laugh. She shouldn't, but there was a strong urge. They were afraid Sunset would burn the whole place down if she saw Bursa's true form. Who's mentally unstable now? Luckily, Charlotte didn't share that fear of spiders.

"If she looks like a spider, I can handle it. I'm not going to lose my mind," Sunset said gruffly. She pressed her flanks up against the wall. "But I'd rather she didn't get too close to me, and please excuse the mess if I piss myself."

"It's good that you are so open about your fear and are willing to face it, Mom," Phobia said.

"Phobia, I love you but please shut up," Sunset hissed. "I'm trying to brace myself and prefer not to be patronized about how well I'm doing."

"We need her to be in her proper form to ensure we properly attach her return brace," Twilight Sparkle informed them. "I made modifications for it to stay on through her transformations and blend with her when she is disguised, but those modifications only work if I put it on while in her true form."

"You messed with the braces I made?" Sunset asked. "Without telling me?"

Twilight looked sheepish. "I felt modified versions of them would be needed for Bursa and Andrea, so they can properly use their skillsets. I didn't do anything to the main spell. Just the physical structure of the brace."

"Could have still told me," Sunset muttered.

"I'm sorry, but you were indisposed, and I have a lot I'm trying to deal with right now. I didn't have a chance to tell you," Twilight explained. "Plus, I needed to check your work. Making magical artifacts is not something you have a lot of experience with. You've only personally made one thing before this, and it had major design limitations."

"Did anything need to be fixed?" Sunset asked.

"Nothing was broken, but a few things were not optimal, primarily with power transfer. I don't think they would have worked in the full radius from Charlotte that they were intended the way you had them set up. I fixed it."

Sunset nodded. "Do you have notes so I can see what you did and what wasn't right about my work?"

"Of course I do!" Twilight answered happily. "I'll send them to you later today."

"Bursa, it's okay. Go ahead and transform," Cadence said gently. "And leave Sunset alone. She never intended for Rossman to experiment on you, and you are only alive because of her helping come up with a solution to make your resonance stable. She's a friend…a difficult friend, but a friend."

Bursa looked around, then lowered her head. There was a flash of light, and when the spots cleared from Charlotte's eyes, she gasped.

Bursa was big, bigger than Andrea. Like Andrea, Bursa had six limbs. She was big and black, with jagged zig zags of red matching her mane and tail. She had a crooked horn and holes throughout her legs. Charlotte was unsure if a spider was the fitting description of what she looked like. Maybe if a spider and a mantis had a baby and gave it a pony face, she found herself taking an involuntary step back. She wasn't the only one.

"Well, there went my bladder," Sunset muttered. Charlotte glanced her way and saw a puddle forming around Sunset's hooves.

There were a few seconds of silence then Sapphire stepped forward.

"Hey there, Bursa. I'm Sapphire Sky. Nice to meet you. Pretty impressive stature you have there," Sapphire said with a smile. She then held out a hoof. "I'm sure those bears will think twice about messing with us with you around. Hoofbump?"

Bursa leveled her gaze down on Sapphire. "You are scared too. You're hiding it, but you can't hide it from me."

"She might be scared, but she is still offering you a hoofbump," Phobia said. "She is facing her fear. Sometimes you have to stow your fear away to make an unlikely friend."

"Why aren't you giving a hoofbump then, little pony?" Bursa asked the former Dreamwarden.

Rosetta stepped defensively in front of her wife. "Because Phobia is uncomfortable getting near anyone big and hostile, and while her arachnophobia is extremely mild, you're the biggest living spider she's ever seen. I'm not scared of spiders, and if you threaten her, I'll cook you up and serve you to my grandfoals."

Bursa blinked. "You're telling the truth." She turned her attention back to Sapphire and cautiously hoofbumped the pegasus.

Sapphire smiled. "I don't know you. You have a lot of ponies on edge, which is a little concerning. I'll admit it makes me a little nervous to see Wild in a defensive position– just nervous, not afraid, but you've got a blank slate with me."

Twilight Sparkle let out a long relieved breath. "Now that that is settled, I can distribute the bracers and necklaces. The bracers are your lifeline. If something goes wrong, they will get you back here in an emergency. However, you must be within thirty meters of Charlotte Portsmith for them to work. I made some small improvements to Sunset Blessing's design, but that will only buy you a few meters more at best. Cadence can walk you through the use after you arrive."

"And the necklaces?" Charlotte asked as Twilight started by attaching Charlotte's brace and putting a necklace around her neck. "No one mentioned any necklaces to me."

"They prevent mind magic from being used on you. Everyone but Phobia and Empathy is getting one. Phobia is already selectively immune to mind magic," Cadence explained.

"Selectively immune?" Sweetie Belle asked as Twilight moved on to her.

"Only what mind magic I allow to impact me does," Phobia explained. "A carryover ability from having been a warden."

Charlotte went wide-eyed. "How will I talk to Empathy if his mind magic doesn't work on me? That's how he communicates."

Empath made an unintelligible set of sounds in protest.

"How will we establish diplomatic ties if we can't talk to the intuit?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I can speak with Empathy," Phobia replied. "And the necklaces are hopefully only temporary until I have determined whether you are under immediate threat of mind control once we get there."

"How long will that take?" Charlotte asked with a pout.

"At least a day," Phobia answered as Twilight fastened the brace around Phobia's leg

"At least?" Charlotte whined.

"This is something you are better safe than sorry with," Phobia said gently. "I won't draw it out longer than I need to, but I won't have this party's minds be in jeopardy."

"Guess you and Empathy are going to be playing charades," Andrea commented.

"It's time for everyone to say their final goodbyes," Celestia announced. "We are only allowing thirty days for the mission. We hope it won't take that long, but we request you withdraw within a month if you still are gathering information. That way, we know we haven't lost you."

"Princess Luna, Twilight, I will need your assistance with the portal," Sunset announced.

"Why?" Charlotte asked, concerned, considering Sunset was supposed to already know how to make her use her magic.

"Princess Luna needs to put you to sleep and suppress your pain reception so you don't feel this, and Twilight needs to send her magic to probe into the portal to ensure it is in a safe spot. I'll be preoccupied making the portal, and they're better than me at those tasks anyway," Sunset explained. "Don't worry about it; just say your goodbyes."

"I don't get to even be awake for it?" Charlotte asked in outrage.

Sunset looked at her like she was stupid. "Do you want to be in agonizing pain? I'm unlikely to find a safe spot on the first try or even the fifth. We could be at this for a while. Best to keep you asleep and not feeling anything."

Well, hell. She wasn't going to argue with that.

"Thank you…for trying to make it better for me," Charlotte replied.

"What? I told you I would do my best to minimize the pain. Thank Luna for suggesting a better solution than the one I came up with. I didn't know she could suppress pain reception in sleep. I was going to dope you up with morphine," Sunset said with a huff.

Her mom pulled at her arm to get her attention. There were tears in her mom's eyes. "We'll tell her thank you for you. Right now, let's spend what time we have. You both promise to come home. I'm not losing any more of my babies."

Charlotte reflexively felt defensive about being called a baby, but she buried the feeling.

"We'll make it back home, Mom, I promise."

Chapter 1.24: Arrival To a New World

Andrea didn't know what to expect from her sister's portal. Luster Dawn was passing through it now, and Andrea was going to be the last through…well, she and Charlotte; she was carrying her unconscious sister at the moment, who was sweating profusely– perhaps a side effect of Sunset hijacking her magic.

"Hurry through, Andrea. Maintaining this is not as easy as it looks," Sunset said, sounding like she was straining, something Andrea hadn't witnessed since the days in 1986 when she had first met the unicorn. She could only imagine what this would be doing to Charlotte if she were awake.

"Take care of yourself and your sister!" her dad called out.

She decided to show some bravado and turned and smiled at him while giving him a thumbs up. She then turned back to the swirling grey vortex, took a deep breath, and stepped in.

There was a tingling sensation as she went in; it lasted but a moment. She was briefly disoriented as her vision adjusted to the light… or lack thereover.

It was apparently night here, even if it was only a little past noon when she left. The sky was dark, and everything around her was dim. She saw no stars or moon in the sky, and after a few seconds, she realized heavy black clouds covered the entire sky. The others were all standing close together, surveying the surroundings. Princess Cadence, Sweetie Belle, and Luster Dawn all had their horns lit, projecting light to see by. Sapphire and Scootaloo were both staring up at the sky with frowns on their faces. Apple Bloom was digging a hoof into the ground with an equally deep frown. Bursa was turning from one direction to the next, taking in the surroundings. Josie and Phobia were close together, also frowning as they looked around. Empathy was close to the group's center, looking afraid and trying to be unnoticed.

The portal behind her didn't vanish immediately. It progressively shrank. She watched it as it continued to get smaller until it was gone, then she started looking around as well. There was no sign of plant life, and the terrain seemed to be primarily flat. There were bits of what looked like jagged gravel on the ground but no smooth stones. Everything seemed dry, and the air was hot, despite the heavy clouds.

Josie pointed a hoof out past where the portal had been. "Buildings and other structures in the distance, that direction, a lot of them. I'm guessing a town."

They all turned to look in the distance where the mare was pointing. Andrea squinted. Those shadows could be buildings, she supposed, but it was too dark to tell.

"I don't see any lights. Towns normally have some sign of light, even if they have just fires," Scootaloo said.

"Definitely buildings, wood, and brick, maybe three stories for the taller ones," Phobia said in concurrence with the other nocturnal pony. They could see in the dark, so they saw what was out there better than the rest of them.

"Guessin' y'all will have to lead the way since it's night," Apple Bloom said.

"It's not night," Sapphire and Scootaloo said quickly in unison. They gave each other a look.

Sapphire pointed up with a wing. "There's sun behind those clouds. Those clouds aren't natural; they're smoke from pollution. I don't want to fly too high here. I don't trust the air. Probably best we don't stay outside more than we have to."

"I thought it smelled bad," Luster muttered.

Apple Bloom kicked at the dust. "Soil is bad too. Like all the nutrients have been sucked right out of it. It used to have bugs and grass, I can tell, but nothin' in it anymore. Nothin' at all."

Princess Cadence flared her wings. "We're out in the open and exposed, and the only shelter seems to be that town. We need to scout it first. Josie, this would seem to be the job for you. Can you infiltrate the town undetected?"

Josie nodded. "It's dark enough that I should have no shortage of shadows to meld with. I still have to take my time. I can avoid being seen by eyes when shadowmelded, but electronic devices can still pick me up."

The alicorn nodded as she let her horn's light fade. "Take what time you need. We'll stay here until you return. If you aren't back in three hours, we will assume there's trouble. Sweetie Belle, Luster, douse your light. With how dark it is, that can draw unwanted attention to ourselves."

"I can go too. I'm good at infiltration," Bursa said.

Princess Cadence shook her head. "You don't know who or what to impersonate to not to draw attention yet. You'll get your chance once we know more. Your presence here will be more useful if we need to defend ourselves before Josie returns." She eyed the changeling queen. "But I recommend you take the shape of something smaller for now. Andrea, take off your pack and set your sister down. I need you to shift to pony form. It isn't just your size. Your crystal pony abilities are needed to tell if there is any active magic around us."

Hey, I'm useful for something other than being my sister's bodyguard. Guess I can't complain too much, Andrea thought to herself with amusement. The amusement was short-lived as she remembered shifting to pony form meant her senses were about to be assaulted by the pollution. What the hell happened to this place? This didn't look like the work of a hundred or so fuzzballs.

Charlotte was in easy reach and didn't stir when Andrea grabbed her. Luna said the spell would knock her out for two hours. They spent at least an hour with Sunset trying different locations and Twilight rejecting them. There was never an explanation given about why they were rejected, although one of them Sunset shut down immediately when water came gushing out. Even with the brief second it had been open, it had managed to dump enough water to soak the entire floor. That meant there was water somewhere on this world. She had assumed that before, but looking around now, she might have had doubts.

There wasn't anywhere soft to lay her sister down, so she focused on finding a spot with less gravel. Charlotte still didn't stir as she was set down on the ground. Andrea took her backpack off and then adjusted her earrings.

"Oh, God!" she retched as the smell of the place fully hit her. It was like she was standing in the middle of a burning garbage dump.

"Yeah, smells awful," Apple Bloom agreed grimly. "I ain't sure we'll be able to go a month here. If the whole planet is like this, we ain't goin' to be able to forage any food. We were countin' on foragin' to augment our rations."

Empathy made a bunch of distressed sounds.

"He says he isn't sure we are at the right place. He doesn't believe it is supposed to be like this. It isn't like this in the stories he was told," Phobia informed them.

"His species hasn't been on the surface in generations from my understanding. Things have clearly changed," Cadence said grimly. "Phobia, I need you to be on lookout. Your eyes work better than the rest of ours in this gloom. Andrea, what are you picking up with your crystal pony senses?"

Andrea blinked. "Um, give me a moment. I don't do this much."

She focused. Initially, it was hard to pick out individual sources of magic, but after a few seconds, they started to become more distinct. Princess Cadence stood out the most; the alicorn's power was frighteningly high, and Andrea didn't want to focus on her too much. Sapphire was the next largest source of magic. The power level reminded her a bit of Sunset Blessing, and she was unsure which would have been stronger. Luster Dawn was the next strongest after that, and she was considerably stronger than the three CMC members, who seemed downright average. Bursa and Charlotte were both a little stronger than the CMC, but nothing too spectacular. It was kind of surprising Bursa's magic didn't register as stronger, but it did feel odd– probably because Andrea had never felt changeling magic before. It had a strange 'taste' to it. Phobia had levels somewhere between the CMC and Bursa, nothing amazing. Empathy was weaker than everyone else, but not too much weaker than the CMC.

With the magic immediately around her sorted out, she focused out further. There was another singular source, slowly getting harder to pick up. It was in the direction of the town. She guessed that was Josie, and it was getting harder to feel because the pony was getting further away from them at a fairly rapid pace. In another minute or two she might not even register to Andrea's senses. It was surprising as it was that she could be felt at this distance. Andrea's senses weren't that strong. That indicated Josie had to be fairly powerful.

She continued to feel for a few seconds and then shook her head. "I can feel Josie headed away from us, but I don't feel anything else out there. My range isn't the greatest, and I'm not very practiced at this."

Cadence nodded. "Understood. Still, keep alert for anything that might suddenly appear. Sapphire, I'm not asking you to do so now, but if we needed it, would you be able to get drinkable water out of this air? I can assist if you need another set of wings. I was born a pegasus, but I'm a bit out of practice. Plus, I was raised by earth ponies and they, understandably, never really gave me much weather education."

Sapphire looked up at the sky with a grimace. "I think there's enough moisture up there. It will just take some work with the level of pollution we are looking at. I don't think I could do it without being obvious to anyone miles around us."

"Let's hope we don't need to do so for a while, but it may become necessary," Cadence replied. "Sweetie Belle, you're responsible for maintaining a strict inventory of all our supplies and who has what. Try to make sure all our supplies of a single type aren't with any one creature. If something happens to them or the supplies they are carrying, we don't want to be left wanting."

"What do you want me doing?"Scootaloo asked.

"Your primary job will be providing first aid if needed," Cadence answered. "Always be ready when a scout returns to make sure they are healthy. Apple Bloom, continue to be on the lookout for anything we can forage, but also start a map. Luster Dawn, I want you to maintain a daily mission log."

"And me?" Andrea asked. "I can't stay as a crystal pony if I'm carrying our two nocturnal teammates around in the daytime."

"Hard to say what's day and night here," Luster Dawn remarked.

Cadence didn't reply to Luster's comment, instead focusing on Andrea. "Keep a weapon at the ready. Your primary job is keeping your sister safe, even at the expense of the rest of us. If something happens to her, the entire team is trapped here, and no information reaches home. If a situation comes where you have to choose between who to defend, you defend her. It doesn't matter how dire the situation the other person is in. She comes first."

The princess looked around. "If supplies get too low and we are unable to forage anything, or if anycreature gets severely injured, we can retreat home to resupply and take care of them. We need to try to avoid doing so. Opening portals repeatedly can draw attention to ourselves. We may have already alerted No Heart that something is going on with the number of portals we had to go through to find this location. I doubt he could pinpoint exactly where they opened; I know that's beyond any of the princesses or Triss, but he may well be aware of portals having opened somewhere. He could already be searching for what came through."

"So, we keep on guard and wait for Josie, then go find shelter," Scootaloo summarized.

Cadence nodded. "Once we have somewhere safe to hide, we can let Phobia check the dream realm. We can decide what to do next after she has gained what information she can find there."

"Are you sending her back after she's done her job?" Luster Dawn asked. "No offense to you, former warden, but you don't seem the adventuring type."

Phobia didn't look offended, nor did she take her eyes off the surroundings. "I will be staying till the mission is completed. I'm still your best defense against mind magic. I'm an extra lookout in the dark. I also do have magic of my own that can possibly get the team out of a jam– although it is mind magic, and I won't be using it unless we are in a perilous situation. I still keep the rules as best I can."

They all sat silent after that. Sweetie Belle started inventorying what was in her own saddlebag. Apple Bloom started drawing a map, even if Andrea had no clue what she could be putting on it yet. Luster Dawn started her mission log. Phobia and Bursa kept starting out into the darkness, and most of the rest just sat around looking bored. From what she had heard, this was what most adventures consisted of– long periods of nothing happening punctuated by occasional oh my God, we're going to die moments. You tried to keep that second part from happening too much.

"This isn't what I imagined a care bears' world to be like," Sapphire said as she looked around again.

"Me either, but I'm kind of glad it isn't," Andrea replied.

Sapphire blinked. "Why? Old fantasy not adventurous enough for you?"

Andrea shook her head. "Those bears killed two of my family, including my sister, Kristin, when they attacked the manor. I don't want them to come from a happy place."

"Oh…I was not told that. Sorry for your loss," Sapphire said, sounding like she meant it. "I know most of that household…who else did they get?"

"Méng," Andrea said bitterly.

Sapphire's ears flattened. She then looked at the princess. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You seemed uninterested in knowing about anything that went on with Sunset Blessing," Cadence answered.

"Méng and Kristin aren't her. I had no issues with them," Sapphire half-snapped. "I may not have known Kristin well, but I saw a good bit of Méng when he was growing up. He was a friend. Does Josie know? She used to foalsit him."

"Josie knew before being asked to go on this mission. She always keeps track of foals she helps, even into adulthood," Cadence replied. "I think it might have helped her agree to the mission, even if she wasn't doing The Marshmallow a favor. You know how her tribe gets about vengeance, and since Méng was once a foal she protected… well, it's personal to her."

"Assuming she's vengeful is tribalist," Sapphire muttered. "But probably true in this case. She was the first of her tribe on Earth, so she's as old school as it gets. When we get back, I'll have to pay my respects to Méng's wife and siblings. He was a sweet guy."

"Sunset massacred every bear that invaded the manor after she saw Kristin and Méng dead. I've seen her kill before, but never on that level," Andrea said quietly. "There were more of them than there are us here now, and they were all armed and trigger-happy. They didn't stand a chance once she found them. They are all dead, and I'm still not satisfied."

"That's the problem with hate. It rarely is satisfied. I know it is hard to let go of, but it needs to happen," Cadence said in a sad tone. "Sunset Blessing knows this to be true, yet she can't let go of her own hate, even though she knows it brings nothing but misery to her and those around her. Emotions aren't things we can simply order what to do, but you should still try to move past it. You need only look at her to see what it does to a person."

"Can't you order emotions to do what you want?" Scootaloo asked. "I once heard Twilight tell a story about you bringing love to the surface in ponies."

Cadence grimaced. "That's something that isn't talked about, but since you volunteered the subject I can speak about it. Yes, I have that power, and when I was young, I used it very frequently. When Luna was banished, her attention to such things had been poor, but when she returned and learned about it….she was a little cross, to put it mildly."

"If you pulled that on Earth in the early days, Sha'am would have called a trial immediately and pushed to break your mind," Phobia said. "There would have certainly been a trial, but I doubt Sha'am would have gotten the votes to break your mind."

"Luna seemed angry enough to consider it at the time. She even skipped out on my wedding in order to cool her temper," Cadence said with a long sigh. "She did calm down by the time the wedding was over, and we had a talk. I am mostly banned from using that power."

"Mostly?" Andrea asked.

Cadence nodded. "There are caveats that allow me to still use it. If someone comes to me of their own free will, without prompting, and asks me to use my powers on them, I am allowed. However, I am not allowed to advertise or make widely known that this is even something I can do. Very few know I have that power. I'm only discussing it now because it was asked about. The other case I can use is to defend my life or others around me when other reasonable options are exhausted. I assume that is the same condition Phobia has on using her mind magic."

"It is," Phobia confirmed.

Andrea chuckled. "Sounds like something to use on my family…well, some people in my family."

"It is better without using it," Cadence said slowly. "My magic forces things. I might not have realized it when I was younger, but forcing ponies to focus on an emotion, even their love, isn't healthy for them. It makes them neglect underlying concerns and problems in their relationships. Love can also be twisted into something sinister. In the long run, I'm doing them no favors. I know that now, and am much more cautious of using my power, even if permission has been granted."

"Why are we talking about all this?" Luster asked, looking up from her report. "It has nothing to do with the mission."

"We're passing the time and getting to know one another better with small talk while we await Josie's return. Small talk and camaraderie relieve nervousness, making it easier to face fear," Phobia answered. She gestured at their surroundings. "And if you aren't at least a little nervous, you're a fool."

"Maybe we can talk about something else, something more cheerful," Sapphire suggested. "How about we talk about our hobbies or interests."

"The three of us teach at the School of Friendship!" Apple Bloom announced excitedly. Andrea already knew this, but it might be news to the others. "Ay teach chemistry, honesty lessons, alchemy, herbology, and magical theory!"

Bursa turned around and looked at her. "You teach magical theory, not the unicorn?"

"I teach it too," Sweetie Belle replied. "I also teach the choral music class, am vice headmare-"

"How does an earth pony teach magical theory?" Bursa asked, ignoring Sweetie Belle.

Apple Bloom seemed to realize where this was going and raised her head high. "Ya don't need a horn to understand the fundamentals. And ay
do spells too, through alchemy."

"I teach math, history, kindness lessons, and oversee the athletic programs," Scootaloo chirped in happily.

Sweetie Belle giggled. "Scoots volunteered to do the math and history courses because there weren't any available professors for it at the time and shocked everycreature by being really good at both."

"Hey! My aunts made sure I studied all the time when I was a filly. I always had among the best grades in class!" Scootaloo objected bashfully.

Bursa didn't seem to care about the academic achievements of the ground-bound pegasus. "I still can't believe an earth pony teaches magical theory at a fancy school."

"Believe it," Apple Bloom said firmly. "Ay almost got elected vice headmare."

"That competition was fierce. I'm glad it's over," Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom pouted. "Ay lost because ay was takin' care of too many classes to take on the extra responsibility. That's fair. Ya got to know when ya stretching yourself too thin. Granny always said that if ya overwork yourself in the fields ya ain't goin' to be any good at raisin' up a barn. Sweetie Belle had a lighter load; she can devote herself more to it without sacrificin' how well she does in other stuff."

Andrea's ear twitched as she heard stirring next to her. She looked over and saw Charlotte was waking up. Empathy had at some point gone over and cuddled next to her when no one was watching. That embarrassed Andrea a bit. She was supposed to be watching her sister. What if that had been some poisonous animal or something instead of him?

"Well, looks like Charlotte is getting up," Andrea announced. "We can give her the rundown of what's going on and what everyone's jobs are. What should she be doing?"

"Not dying," Cadence said. "She's our lifeline. She keeps back and never puts herself in danger. She also makes the call if we need to do a full retreat from this world. Keep her safe."

Andrea nodded grimly. No more letting herself get completely distracted like that. Charlotte was depending on her.

Chester 1.25: First Meeting Outside

Charlotte was aware she had been dreaming. It had been a dream about various moments in her childhood, a recurring dream, a dream that made her feel small. Where she was now didn't feel like a dream, yet she felt smaller than ever.

Impossibly tall buildings of alabaster were all around her. They had doorways big enough that would have been two stories high. They all had windows, and she could swear they were all facing her as if the buildings themselves were watching her. There were no decorations or ornamentation anywhere, just plain white under a starry sky. She was also completely alone. Was this the world of the care bears?

Where was the rest of the team? Where was her sister?

"Hello?!" she yelled. She only now realized that she was already standing. Shouldn't she have been lying down if she had been asleep? "Is anyone out there? Andrea, can you hear me?"

"She can't hear you, not here. Don't worry; you'll rejoin her shortly."

She whipped around to see who had been speaking. An older woman stood there, leaning on a staff. It was hard to say precisely how old the woman was. Her hair was bleach white. Her face was a mass of wrinkles so deep that her mouth seemed to blend in with them all. She was about Charlotte's height, maybe an inch or two shorter, and wearing blue jeans and a light green t-shirt. There was an electronic device hanging on the rim of the jeans that had wires running under the shirt. The older woman may have been leaning on the staff, but somehow she didn't look frail, and her eyes, though somewhat clouded, looked intensely at Charlotte.

"Who are you? Is this a dream? Are you a Dreamwarden?" Charlotte asked, stepping back.

The older woman shook her head. "No, I am not one of them. You can call me The Traveller, or just Traveler. This isn't a dream, although it shares some elements of one. I call it The Outside because it is outside of time, space, universes, planes, and paradoxes. I know, I'm not terribly original with names, but I like to keep it simple…as simple as possible, anyway."

"Did you bring me here? Are you in league with No Heart?" Charlotte asked, stepping back further.

"Not in league with anybody," the woman said. She then fished into her pocket and pulled out what looked like a charm bracelet with three pink beads. "Most important question first, have you gotten one of these yet?"

"Uh…no, what is it?" Charlotte asked.

The woman tossed it over to her, and Charlotte caught it with both hands. "Hold onto that then," Traveler instructed. "It isn't magic or anything. Call it a memento. Nothing from The Outside is real until it is. This is your first memento, which means this is our first meeting. I needed to know if it was our first or not."

Charlotte looked at the bracelet. It was just a plain charm bracelet with three beads. "I've never met you. I would remember if I did."

The Traveler laughed. "You would think so, but that isn't how The Outside works. You and I won't remember this when we leave. We won't remember when we meet again; that's what the memento is for, a reminder that we have met. That way, we don't have to start over completely from scratch next time we meet."

"Are you some sort of ascended being?" Charlotte asked.

That made the woman laugh hard. "No, young lady. I'm just a traveler. Would an ascended being have most of her organs replaced with synthetic ones that are all hooked up to this little doohickey at my side to keep them working? I'm old, very old…not exactly sure how old I am anymore, to tell the truth, age gets complicated when you travel, but I'm very mortal."

Charlotte looked around at her surroundings again. "Why did you bring me here?"

The Traveler slowly sat down, groaning as she did. "Damn arthritis. What I wouldn't give to be your age. To answer your question, I'm here to give you lessons. You have powers you don't understand. Who better than me to teach you how to get from one place to the next?"

That made Charlotte blink. "You can teach me? How? You said I won't remember this. Sunset already tried to help me understand my powers and couldn't do it. What makes you able to do so?"

"I'm sure that miserable old unicorn could teach you all kinds of magic if you were a unicorn, but you're a human, and you need a human teacher," Traveler explained. "And you won't actively remember these lessons, but some part of you, buried deep in your subconscious, will. That way, you'll have the information, almost like an instinct, when you need it. I'm not going to teach you everything, just the basics. There is a certain joy to discovering and trying things out on your own that I won't deny you. It's still going to take a bunch of lessons to get the basics down. Luckily, I've been working on lesson plans for some time."

Charlotte looked at the bracelet again, feeling each bead carefully with her fingers. They felt like plastic but harder. "How are you reaching me? Why are you offering to help me?"

"I just want things to go well for you," the old woman said in an almost grandmotherly fashion. "As for how I am reaching you, I'm a traveler; I can go almost anywhere. There are limits, but those aren't important."

"You seem like you know Sunset. She never mentioned you," Charlotte said suspiciously.

"She came to The Outside, her and another her– not you, different other her. I watched unseen as she had a mild disagreement with herself. I felt no need to intervene. I knew she would work it out eventually, and death doesn't occur in The Outside, so there was no danger to her. I also wasn't eager to subject myself to whatever abuse she would lash out. Even if no one can die here, I'm no masochist. What she was doing to herself looked unpleasant, so I can only imagine what she would try doing to me. She thankfully didn't take too long to figure out how to leave."

"She never mentioned that either," Charlotte said flatly.

"She wouldn't remember, just like us, and even if she remembered with some help, she wouldn't want to talk about it," Traveler explained. She then struggled to get back up, grunting as she used her staff to brace herself. "We'll probably have to go over this every single time since you won't recall it, but I accounted for that in my lesson plans. Let's begin with the first lesson, shall we? We have a long way to go before you control your power, but we'll get there. I promise."

Charlotte mumbled incoherently as she woke up. There was something she had been dreaming, something that had seemed important. She tried to focus on it, but it had already slipped away.

"She's finally coming to," Andrea said with a mix of relief and worry. "Charlotte, are you okay? Talk to me."

Charlotte realized then she was lying on hard, very uncomfortable ground. "I'm fine. Why'd you put me down here? Couldn't you have lain me down somewhere softer?"

"She seems alright," Scootaloo said.

"Then why couldn't we wake her up from that nightmare or whatever she was having?" Andrea snapped.

"I detect no mind magic at work," Phobia said.

Charlotte sat up and looked around. It was dark. Was it night? Why was everyone looking at her? Empathy came over and hugged her. He said something, but without his magic impacting her, it just came out as guttural noises.

"I'm fine. Where are we?" she asked.

"Maybe it was a side effect of Luna's spell?" Cadence suggested. "She doesn't normally cast on humans. It could have a negative side effect."

Andrea put a hoof on her. "Are you sure you're okay? Your magic feels normal right now, but we couldn't wake you, and you were having these weird mini-surges without anything happening. You were also tossing and turning. I was scared."

"I'm fine," Charlotte assured her, then winced. "Except I was laying on something."

She felt around, and her hand touched something round and small. She picked it up and looked at it. It was a small bracelet with three pink beads.

Luster hurried over. "You found our first manufactured item from this world! Let me see!"

"I'm not detecting any magic from it," Andrea said, eying the bracelet with suspicion.

"Looks like an old charm bracelet. Some kid must have dropped it out here a long time ago," Sapphire said as she looked at it. "It's in good shape, all things considered."

Luster gave a disappointed frown. "It does seem kind of ordinary."

"I'm fine," Charlotte insisted. She tried to focus more on her surroundings, but everything was dark. They were outside, and it must have been cloudy. It didn't smell very good. "Did we make it to the right world?"

"As near as we can tell until Josie returns with more information. She's scouting a nearby ghost town," Scootaloo said.

"We don't know it is a ghost town," Sweetie Belle corrected.

Scootaloo smirked. "It has no lights, and this area is uninhabitable. It's a ghost town."

Charlotte didn't disagree with the area being uninhabitable. It was hard to tell in the dark, but they looked like they were in some kind of wasteland.

"Scootaloo, look Charlotte over and check all her vitals. Confirm everything is alright," Cadence instructed. She then looked at Charlotte. "I don't disbelieve you, but we need to play everything safe, especially with you. Just be patient and cooperative while Scootaloo checks you out."

Andrea seemed to relax a little. "Take it easy, sis. This should be fine. I'm sure you'll enjoy a mare feeling you up."

"Andrea!" Charlotte snapped.

"I did hear you were checking out my daughter's flank," Cadence said, sounding amused. Charlotte suddenly felt very hot and was thankful for the dark. She was sure her face was as red as Sunset's fur. "It's alright. A lot of ponies do that. My daughter has a very well-proportioned flank for her size. It wouldn't work out for you. I don't believe Flurry has any same-sex interest, and even if she did, she needs a very…sturdy partner. She broke the last one. Perhaps a very muscular earth pony."

Charlotte hadn't noticed Scootaloo had been touching a hoof to her breast during her embarrassment. It made her blush all the worse.

"Her heart rate is up a bit, but I think we can guess why that is," Scootaloo said coyly as she withdrew her hoof. "Other than that, she's fine."

Andrea whipped her head around. "Something with a lot of magic is coming towards us from the town."

Cadence turned towards where Andrea was looking. "That is probably Josie, but everyone, stay on your guard."

It was a tense quiet minute while everyone stared out into the dark. Andrea had her hoof gun out. Sweetie Belle, Luster Dawn, and Bursa had their horns pointed in that direction. Cadence seemed tense as well as they waited.

"I see her. It's Josie. She seems well," Phobia announced, untensing.

Charlotte realized she had been gripping the bracelet tightly through the entire wait, and when she released her grip, she saw the beads had made an impression in her hand from how hard she had gripped them. She stuffed the bracelet into her pocket. It felt right to keep it. It would be a souvenir for later, a memento. The first thing she found on an alien world.

Josie came out of the shadows so suddenly she could have been mistaken for teleporting, and several ponies jumped back in surprise.

The mare gave them a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I didn't want to let my shadowmeld down till I was all the way back, but I figured Phobia would still see me."

"I could, and I did alert them," Phobia said.

"Ya didn't say she was still cloaked in shadows!" Apple Bloom fussed as she took a few deep breaths. "Took a few years off of ma life!"

"Sorry again," Josie said, then perked up. "Town is completely abandoned and shows signs of war, old signs. There's a lot of damage, but I found somewhere that still had a roof where we can rest and build a small fire that won't be seen. It is a human town, but I use the term human loosely. I saw pictures, and I would rather say close human relatives, like a Neanderthal or a Denosovian. I'm not an expert, so I can't narrow it down for you. They are Homo-Something-Else-But-Sapian. There's no sign of predators. No signs of life at all."

"Let's proceed to town then, but don't let your guards down," Cadence instructed.

Chapter 1.26: Civilization's Remains

Charlotte had spent many an hour over the years in Sunset Blessing's office, fruitlessly trying to get her magic to work. During that time, Charlotte had gotten glimpses of the various subjects that caught her other self's interest. One such subject that had garnered Sunset's interest was questions about the similarity between humans' and ponies' technology and society. Why did both societies develop trains, and why were they so similar? Why were tools and architecture similar? Why did clothing, once you adjusted for species, seem to follow similar styles? Anthropologists and sociologists had made these the most significant questions in their fields since the meeting of the two worlds.

They would have a field day with this.

They were standing on what could have been the main street in any small town in America– the main street if it had gone through the apocalypse. Most of the buildings were wrecked and collapsed, and many burnt down. The road, while asphalt, was heavily cratered and broken. There were bones in corners like the residents had tried to take shelter against buildings and died doing so. Litter and debris were everywhere. The air felt stale, even though it still carried the foul stench of pollution. This was a place that had gone through a war.

However, strip away all the signs of past carnage, and it still didn't blend in perfectly with the towns back home. This looked like it was something that would have been around a hundred years ago, about thirty or forty years before she was born. Perhaps whatever had happened here had happened a hundred years ago. Even then, there was something slightly off about the town. Doorways and windows seemed too wide and low, not so much to be immediately noticeable, but she took notice the more she looked. The street seemed slightly too narrow. Shops, or what remained of the shops, had photograph signs without a hint of writing, aside from some stray numbers here and there. It was like a version of home copied by someone who saw it once and did their best to mimic it.

"It seems my mother's assessment of this world's military capabilities was faulty," Phobia said as she looked around.

"What assessment?" Luster asked, looking at Phobia in confusion.

"You wouldn't have seen the report. It only circulated among the highest ranking government officials," Cadence explained as she frowned at their surroundings. "I can't fault her for having limited information to work with, but it was definitely incorrect. This is troubling."

"Did a nuke or something go off?" Andrea asked.

Sapphire shook her head. "No, I've seen that kind of devastation before. What happened to Riverview wasn't a nuclear bomb, but it had similarities. The damage would all radiate out from a single location. The buildings here seem to have been destroyed randomly, and everything else is tossed around with no clear pattern. This was no bomb. An army or something big went on a rampage through here."

Sweetie Belle walked over to a stone wall and examined it closely, rubbing her hoof over several small holes. "There are scorch marks around these holes. They're like really concentrated unicorn blasts."

"Or laser blasts," Charlotte suggested. "Lasers are hot, right?"

"I don't think that bear I fought could pull off something like that with his belly. Otherwise, he would have been using that instead of a gun," Andrea said grimly. She closed her eyes for a second and then shook her head. "Still not detecting any magic but ours."

Empathy made a bunch of noises, and Phobia listened carefully before passing on the gist of what he was saying. "He doesn't know what could have done this. The bears shouldn't be able to do this, according to him."

Apple Bloom felt at the ground and kicked some rocks. "Ay don't think anythin' has been disturbed here for a long time. Ay reckon we're the first creatures to come through in years."

Cadence took a few seconds considering in silence. "We'll still take it safe for the time being. Josie will lead us to where she found shelter. Once we have set up a camp, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Luster Dawn shall go out in pairs and explore the town. Always keep your partner near you. Sapphire and Bursa will each take to the air and scout where the roads exiting the town lead to. If any of you find anything, return to camp immediately. Also, return after an hour if you haven't. Stay on guard at all times. We have no idea what we are facing here."

"What about the rest of us?" Charlotte asked.

"We stay at the camp," Cadence answered. "You, in particular, always need to be in a position the rest of the team is aware of. We can't have you wandering. Your sister's job is to stay with you and guard you. Once our camp is set up, Josie and Phobia can get some rest, and Phobia can start assessing the dream realm."

"Where is the enact building?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Josie pointed a wing down the street. "Short distance that way. It was a toy shop. Guessing whoever came through here didn't think it worth the effort to destroy. Quick warning, they have plush care bears in the shop, gave me a fright when I was checking it over."

"So we get to be surrounded by visual reminders of who killed Kristin," Charlotte muttered.

Bursa snorted. "Look around you, kid; we already are." She then flashed and turned into a pegasus with black fur and a red mane.

"Do you have to keep the whole black and red thing? It looks tacky. It makes you look like a cartoon villain," Andrea said, looking the changeling over.

"Black and red are my primary colors," Bursa protested. "Anyway, it blends in with this darkness."

"She's not wrong," Luster said in the changeling's defense as she looked around and shuddered. "Dark in more than one way. So many dead here. I couldn't imagine this ever occurring in Equestria."

The changeling snorted again. "You don't know what you ponies are capable of. You call me a monster? I've been in the depths below the Hallowed Shades. I know what is down there. I hear they're still pulling the bodies out."

"Let's try to be civil and get along," Cadence said wearily. "We're going to be spending a lot of time together and depending on one another. We need friendship. I know that can't be forced, but snarling at one another isn't going to help us. Bursa, I understand your resentment of ponies, and you're right; none of these others have seen the things you have or been mistreated by ponies the way you were, but we aren't Doctor Rossman, and we aren't your enemy." She turned her gaze to Andrea. "I don't think I need to give you much reminder that you could be viewed as monstrous by some for your natural appearance, and it hurts you. If Bursa wishes to maintain some of her natural coloring, I believe you're the last one who should be judging her for it."

Andrea's ears sagged. "Sorry, Bursa. I was out of line."

Sapphire frowned. "Now isn't the time, but later on, I want to hear about what Rossman did to you…if it isn't too painful to talk about. It took you mentioning him a few times for me to remember that name, but I do remember it. I only have secondhoof knowledge of the guy, but I heard about some of the crap he was into. If I knew he was hurting people, I would have helped track him down."

"Old age beat him in the end. He and his machinations are no more," Cadence said.

"Doctor Lair too?" Bursa asked, snarling again despite the warning. "She wasn't the one giving the orders, but she was an accomplice."

"I am unsure of her fate. I promise to look into it for you when we return home," Cadence answered.

"I can answer that," Sapphire cut in. "I had my own run-in with her a few years back. She was arrested, and as far as I know, she's still jailbait. I doubt it will make you feel any better, but I know she was repentful of her work by the time the feds came for her. I'm sure that would include whatever was done to you."

Bursa sneered. "Her feeling sorry doesn't undo anything. Let her rot in jail till she dies."

Josie opened and snapped her wings closed. "Back on track, people! Follow me so that we can set up camp. I'm tired and want to get some rest."

Charlotte stayed surrounded by several of the team as they walked down the street. She shuddered a little as she saw more and more bones covered in ragged clothes along the way. Empathy was practically hugging her leg as he walked beside her and probably getting his fill of empathy from her at the moment, judging by his fearful looks at their surroundings. She wasn't sure what Josie had been talking about earlier.; those bones in the wreckage seemed human.

Looking past the damage, the town didn't have anything she felt was truly alien. A shop with a hammer and nails for a sign was either a construction company or a hardware store. There was a shop with various nuts and berries on its sign that was clearly a grocer. It was hard to say what most of the rest were. Many of the buildings had walls caved in or the ceiling or both; some were nothing but rubble. It was uncomfortably silent, with only their steps to break it. There were no stray dogs, cats, birds, or even insects. She wasn't sure if she would be thankful or not to hear something else make noise. It would break the eerie silence, but it would mean someone else was here, and with the way things looked, she didn't want to meet whoever that was.

"Here it is," Josie announced as they reached the first building in town that seemed to have miraculously escaped unscathed. The sign had a doll and a toy train, and it had a display window that included dolls, toy trains, toy boats, board games, and care bear stuffed animals. There were more stuffed care bears than anything else.

"Seems strange that the bears would turn against these people," Sweetie Belle said as she looked at the window. "Look at that. The humans here loved the bears. Why would they do this?"

Empathy made a bunch of noises.

"The elephant insists that No Heart did something to the bears," Phobia interpreted.

"And we hope to find out how to undo it," Cadence said firmly.

Josie walked up to the door and pushed it open. "No lock. Seems strange. You would figure that even in a peaceful society that at least the shops would have locks. Kids will try to steal a toy if no one is watching. It doesn't mean kids are bad, but they have a want-it-take-it mentality. They are all about want-fulfillment up to a certain age. The shop should have a lock."

Luster Dawn shook her head. "We don't know anything about their society. It might look similar but function by very different rules."

"I don't think it is functioning by any rules right now," Charlotte muttered.

"We can try to determine details of how society worked as we search, but our goals for the search should be finding out how this happened and where the attackers went," Cadence said.

Sapphire pointed a wing up. "Isn't Care-a-lot up there somewhere? It's been a long time since I watched a care bears' cartoon, but I remember that."

"We haven't verified the bears did this. It doesn't seem like something the bears who attacked the manor could do," Andrea objected. Empathy nodded in agreement.

"Perhaps," Cadence said. "But we need to find out if it was No Heart himself or if he has other allies that we don't know about. Let's go inside and set up camp. Hopefully, we'll start to find answers quickly."

Charlotte looked around at the street one last time. It seemed like they had more questions than they had before in the short time they had been here. She asked herself again what had happened here, but the street provided no answers other than carnage.

Chapter 1.27: Toy Shop

Those who had to go scouting had stripped their saddlebags and put them in a corner of the shop before going to do their jobs. The remaining six of them were left to explore the shop, even the two nocturnal ponies, who didn't want to sleep until they had helped survey this much.

Cadence had cast a spell that created a dim light to see by, and now they explored. The toy shop was precisely that, a toy shop. However, as they walked through the shop, Andrea took note of the things missing that you might expect from a typical toy shop.

The stuffed animals were the most prominent toy, filling two full aisles and a wall, and they were almost exclusively intuits– both the bear and non-bear. The only stuffed animals that deviated from this were stuffed stars with faces. Andrea had heard Empathy mention something called star buddies before that were kept as pets; she didn't think the term was so literal. Her eyes scanned over the toys, and she grit her teeth as she recognized some of the insignias on the bellies from the attackers on the manner, including the one she fought. Her teeth relaxed as she focused on the non-bear intuits, and her ears sagged as she watched Empathy pick up a tiny version of himself and gaze at it. It was definitely him, or at least one of his ancestors. He then set it aside and picked up a purple hippo, and hugged it tightly as he started to cry. He made some additional noises, but Andrea was unsure if those were just choked-up grief or something he was trying to say.

She looked at Phobia for a translation.

Phobia gave the elephant a sympathetic look. "That is a stuffed version of Heavyheart, his sister and mate-to-be. He is expressing how much he misses her."

"His sister is his intended mate? That's disgusting," Josie said, looking ill.

Phobia gave a brief flap of her wings. "I have read my mother's report. Intuits don't reproduce in the same manner we do, and family concepts and terms like mother, father, sister, and brother are not perfect fits to our understanding of the terms, no matter how you view those concepts. Even their concept of gender is one that the majority of humans and ponies wouldn't understand. You could also say incest is what is normal among intuits unless something has gone wrong, but that implies the same manner of reproduction we understand is occurring and our concept of sexual activity is occurring, which isn't true. The intuit are magic golems, living constructs created by magic to serve, and each new generation is a perfect copy of the last. They don't even have the capability of genetic variation between generations. Don't be judgemental just because the aliens' biological methods are exactly that, alien."

Josie looked at the elephant. "So, he is like a robot, not alive?"

"He is alive," Charlotte growled defensively.

Phobia nodded. "While their original origins might have been artificial, they are living things as alive as you or me and just as sentient. Capable of free thought and the same range of emotion. He thinks, feels, eats, sleeps, remembers, dreams, hopes, and reproduces; he is alive."

"Perhaps that's why the bears turned on the humans. They were sick of being treated like servants and objects," Andrea suggested.

"Baseless speculation," Phobia replied. "A theory to tuck away, but not one that we have any evidence for. Best not to invest in any theory until we have found evidence to support it. It can make us not recognize truths."

"Phobia is right. Trying to imagine why is fine, but we can't jump to conclusions," Cadence said as she examined a toy train held suspended in her magic. "These humans seem so similar to us in terms of the things they made. I wonder why."

"I wondered the same thing," Charlotte said. She pushed a tricycle slightly. "Did you notice there's no two-wheeled bikes? I know bikes are practically non-existent in Equestria, but shouldn't a human society have two-wheelers?"

"Maybe their balance isn't as good?" Josie suggested. "They aren't like Earth's humans. They are shorter and wider and bigger chested. They might not balance on bikes as well."

"How do you know that?" Andrea asked. "I doubt you could tell that from the skeletons without a thorough examination."

"They have photos," Josie answered. "Don't see any here, but I saw some when exploring around town. They stand maybe four-and-a-half to five-feet high for the males and perhaps four to four-and-a-half for the females. Not super short, but still shorter on average. Notice how much lower all these shelves are? The top shelves are easily reachable for ponies or these human children."

Andrea hadn't noticed until something had been said. She looked at the nearest top shelf and squinted. Something was packaged up there, just out of sight for her stature as a pony. She reached up with a hoof and knocked the item down on the floor. It came down with a crash, making her flatten her ears, and everyone else jump.

"Sorry," she apologized. It had been a small box package, and it had broken open and spilled its contents when it had hit the floor. One of its contents rolled next to her hooves. She touched it, rolling it back and forth. "Batteries. I doubt they are any good after this long, but they had access to electricity."

Josie pointed a wing up at the ceiling. "Already guessed that based on the electric lights this place had. Didn't see any power lines outside, but they were powering the buildings. Maybe the lines are underground?"

"Perhaps, or they have a different way of generating and transferring power," Cadence replied.

Charlotte picked up one of the intuit toys, a raccoon. "This might sound weird, but I don't see any differentiation between a girls and boys section."

"We don't have many gendered toys at home anymore, so that's not too surprising," Andrea replied. "A toy is a toy. We didn't care about that stuff growing up. We turned out fine."

Charlotte stared at her.

Andrea cleared her throat. "Well…how we turned out didn't have anything to do with our toys."

Her sister sighed and put the stuffed animal down. "That's true; plus, Andri and Amicus grew up in normal circumstances with the same toys and turned out normal. No comment on my other self."

"Hey, if we want to talk about childhood trauma, Sunset Shimmer experimented on me regularly when I was a kid, and I got told it was only nightmares, so I've got you both beat. You want to know who really had a traumatic childhood? Those dead kids outside, murdered by the bears they loved," Josie snapped. "Can the boo-hoos about your childhood. I get it, it was rough, and if we were chilling around somewhere, I'd want to help you with it, but we're on a mission, so buck up."

"I think you may be overtired and stressed, Josie," Cadence said softly. "I don't think there is anything else significant to learn in this shop. How about you and Phobia get some rest? You've done a good job helping us on our first day. The three of us will guard you while we await the others' return."

Josie flapped her wings briefly, but nodded before heading over to the corner with their stuff.

"We should have brought some short-range radios to keep in contact with everyone," Andrea lamented. "Seems obvious to me."

Cadence shook her head. "There are two problems with that. One, we don't know who else might be listening, and two, Bursa is on our team and one of the peculiarities of changeling magic is that nearby changelings disrupt radio transmission. It is actually one of the ways we are able to detect her getting too close to the portal."

"I was not aware of that," Phobia said with some surprise. Something a Dreamwarden hadn't known? That was rare.

Cadence nodded. "You wouldn't have heard. It was a more recent discovery, and we haven't shared that information with Earth's governments yet. We still hope to get changelings eligible to go to Earth eventually, and telling them the changelings can mess with radio waves could cause more uproar than them being able to mimic others. We're still looking for a way to suppress the effect." She looked at Andrea. "Anyway, aside from when we send presumably fast scout out further, everyone should be within a short distance of one another at all times. We can manage without."

"Are you trying to avoid going going to sleep?" Charlotte asked Phobia.

"She is," Josie said as she cuddled up with her saddlebag and pulled a stuffed cthulhu toy out of it. Everyone looked at her. "What? He is an essential supply! Don't stare at Mister Cuddles!"

"Mister Cuddles?" Charlotte asked, looking like she wanted to laugh.

Empathy walked over to Josie hugged her, including the stuffed animal. Josie seemed to resist for a few seconds, then pouted and accepted the hug. Empathy mumbled something and everyone had to turn to Phobia for an explanation.

"He says it looks like an elephant, a really ugly elephant," Phobia translated.

Andrea snorted. "If I knew it was okay, I would have brought Kneesaa."

"That's her stuffed ewok," Charlotte explained.

Phobia walked over to the corner and fished into her saddlebag, pulling out a large plush spider.

"I thought you had arachnophobia," Andrea commented as she looked at the blue smiling spider.

Phobia adjusted the spider, making it clear she intended to use it as a pillow. "My granddaughter bought one for me and another for my mother when we each left Earth. She found out about our shared fear and said these would help us face our fears. In light of what surrounds us outside, I think there is no better time for putting this silly fear into perspective, but I think I appreciate the gesture more than my mother."

The retired warden sighed as she laid her head on the plush spider. "And now it's time for me to face a different fear, another foreign dream realm."

The warden closed her eyes and began to lightly snore.

"Wish I could fall asleep at will like that," Charlotte said wistfully.

Josie laid her own head down. "Takes a good bit of practice." She closed her eyes and then began to quietly snore as well.

Andrea rolled her eyes at the two sleeping mares then looked at Cadence. "So…we're just going to wait around for the others to get back?"

The princess nodded. "Once they are back we will discuss what they found and the three of us might go out and look around ourselves, just to get a change of scenery while the others watch our friends. We may spend the night, just so we are all well rested before we head out. Hopefully, Sapphire and Bursa will discover a good heading for us."

The door opened, and Luster and Scootaloo entered. Luster was carrying something in her magic.

"We found something you're going to want to see," Scootaloo announced as the two headed toward the corner.

They all came together and looked at the object as Luster set it down. It was glaringly obvious what it was, it was a laser gun that had been knocked off of something bigger, that wasn't the most surprising thing about it. Andrea and her sisters were both staring at the logo on it.

"It can't be…" Charlotte gasped.

"So much for care bears being our primary antagonists," Andrea muttered. "We really need to have a talk with that toy company back home."

"Guess we know where those laser blasts came from, and who did this," Charlotte whispered.

The three Equestrians looked at them in confusion. "You know something about what this is?" Luster asked. It wasn't surprising that Equestrians wouldn't know, but any American would recognize that insignia immediately.

No Heart seemed to have much more formidable allies than the bears. It was a Decepticon logo. There were freaking transformers out there somewhere. Things just got a lot more dangerous.

Chapter 1:28: Primal Rage

Charlotte had spent many years confused about Sunset Blessing's strange interest in transformers. Charlotte did enjoy the cartoons and toys, but not to the extent her other self did. In fact, even as a young kid, she didn't think she was as attached to the brand as her other self was. Of course, this could simply be a result of growing up in different time periods. Sunset Blessing's elementary and middle school years were from the mid-1980s to the early-1990s, so many of her nostalgic interests revolved around things popular then. However, Charlotte's elementary and middle school years, aside from one year spent in school in the 1980s, were in the mid-to-late-2040s going into the early-2050s, and they brought with them an entirely different pop-culture set. Her sisters had more of their feet in the 1980s culture, but they also spent more time in that time. Charlotte wasn't an 80s kid; she was a 40s kid, 2040s.

That had never stopped Sunset from trying to interest her more in transformers, and Charlotte and her sisters got a complete education on transformer lore.

Charlotte and Andrea spent literally hours telling everything they knew about transformers based on the old cartoons. It was questionable how reliable that information was. The care bears movies seemed somewhat accurate for the intuits, with minor deviations and embellishments, which indicated the old transformers' cartoons might hold similar grains of truth. The thing was, there were a lot more transformers cartoon series, and they sometimes had conflicting details. One detail that was in none of them was the transformers living in a universe shared by intuits.

There were no other transformer parts found. As far as anyone could tell, the Decepticon who had lost this gun had lost it being clumsy when a building fell on him, not from anything the people of this town had done mounting a defense. That indicated a few things. First, the humans had been incredibly outmatched, lacking so much as rifles to fight back. Second, it meant you could damage a transformer if you hit it hard enough. That second part was comforting. There was an odd comfort in the first part as well. If the humans had lost because they were too peaceful to defend themselves effectively, the transformers might not be as prepared to fight a better-equipped enemy.

Bursa and Sapphire identified a string of towns leading north and south, presumably in the same condition. The one's going south got progressively more extensive and could be a sign that they eventually led to a major city. That was the direction the group would go.

When Josie and Phobia awoke, they were briefed as well. Then the group got the news from Phobia.

"I can't give any directions on where to go, but there are a large number of minds concentrated in clumps," Phobia informed them. "I was unable to get into any dream. The wavelengths are all too foreign for me. I might be able to in time, but it will take some work. It would help if I had one of these people with us to use as a baseline."

"Anything feel off about the dreams?" Josie asked. She had not gone dreamwalking as a safety precaution.

Phobia nodded. "They had a haziness to them. I think those dreaming don't have significant experiences and knowledge to pull upon. This supports Empathy's assertion that the humans are drugged and controlled from birth. My mother's assessment of what we faced militarily here might have been wrong, but the assessment of what the humans would be like is probably accurate. We would not be dealing with a civilized society once we free them; we would be dealing with a world with the mental development of infants– no language, no past experiences to draw on, no basic knowledge about anything, only guided by raw instinct. If we free this world, we would have to be responsible for all these people; they do not know how to take care of themselves."

"Well, that's going to be a nightmare for someone to deal with," Sapphire said with a sad shake of her head. "Won't be me; that's outside my skill set, but I feel bad for whoever has to figure it out."

The CMC all looked at one another, and it became clear they expected Sweetie Belle to speak for the group. She sighed. "Well, we are teachers…it's a much bigger job than we can do. We would need an army of teachers."

"And nursemaids," Scootaloo added grimly.

"And cooks," Apple Bloom said.

Luster shook her head. "There would need to be guards too— no telling what trouble the humans could get up to."

Charlotte could only imagine. If the only thing guiding them was raw instinct, it would be near impossible to get them to do anything they were directed to do. Plus, with no learned societal standards or self-control, there would be rapes, theft, assault, and murder going on non-stop. The future of this world after they freed it looked pretty bleak.

"Is it right to even free them?" she asked, feeling guilty for asking but unable not to voice the concern. "It sounds like it is going to cause nothing but misery."

"It might take generations, but they should recover," Cadence said. She took a deep breath. "How to deal with that problem is a concern for another day. We need to ensure this does not happen to Equestria or Earth, and we now know there is a significant military force here that we have to contend with. Phobia, you didn't mention whether there was a Dreamwarden."

"There's a Dreamwarden," Phobia answered. "But it is a passive primordial. It is barely aware of much. A secondary Dreamwarden could be installed, but I am unsure how the primordial would react. We do not want to upset it. An angry primordial is a death sentence to this world. The better option would be to try to communicate with it and get it to pass its mantle, but that in itself is risky. We may have to leave that be."

"Could we fight it? Force it to give up its mantle?" Bursa asked.

Phobia looked at Bursa like she had just said the dumbest thing anyone had ever said. "No. We cannot. There is no fighting a primordial. The best thing to do with a primordial is to ensure it doesn't get annoyed. They have no oaths and no restrictions on their powers. They can kill everything that is sleeping, all at once, with a mere fragment of a thought. I have some of the prehistoric primordials of our worlds' memories. I know full well what a primordial is capable of. If you're ever curious about why Luna rushed so fast to install wardens on Earth, it was only partially to deal with the possible abuse of dreamwalking and mind magic. The other big concern was that all those fresh magical minds were forming a primordial, and chances were it would have killed everyone. I am not going to poke this primordial with a stick."

"So, what you're saying, it short, is getting Dreamwarden help on this world is out of the question?" Luster asked.

"Yes," Phobia answered, looking like she had just eaten a lemon.

"Well, this has been nothing but good news so far," Charlotte said bitterly, crossing her arms. "I'd make some crack about at least we are dealing with something-or-other, but I think that would only make it the next problem we run into."

"Heh, you do sound like her," Josie said with a chuckle. "If the rest of you want to get sleep, Phobia and I can keep watch. I figure tomorrow is going to be a longer day than today."

"I think someone really needs to look into that toy company back home," Andrea repeated. "Care bears, transformers, Strawberry Shortcake, what else is out there?"

"Um, what was that about strawberry shortcakes?" Apple Bloom asked. "Y'all already had those; Equestria too."

Charlotte shook her head. "No, it's a line of berry-themed dolls back home. You've done it now, Andrea. Now we're going to be fighting crazed pie men. You invoked it!"

Apple Bloom looked back and forth between the others. "Am ay the only one befuddled and confused? Ay ain't the only one, right?"

Charlotte groaned. "The first thing I ever brought through a portal was a pie tin marked with the logo of Porcupine Peak. The villain from Strawberry Shortcake was the Peculiar Purple Pieman from Porcupine Peak. That indicates that toy line is real too."

The Equestrians looked at Sapphire, Josie, and Phobia for confirmation.

"I'll take their word for it. That cartoon was before my time," Sapphire replied. "I remember Strawberry Shortcake, but no details about it. I don't think I ever saw the cartoon. It wasn't popular enough for reruns decades afterward."

"Same," Josie said.

"Before my time as well, and not something I would have focused on in the dream realm. My mother would know more," Phobia said.

Andrea chuckled. "You didn't miss much. The cartoon wasn't that good. I remember the pieman from it and Sour Grapes, the other villain. Even kids had a hard time taking them seriously. It was off the air by the time Charlotte started school. Back then, the standards for girl cartoons were set exceedingly low, and it still managed to fall below them."

Cadence gave them a considering look. "I shall see to it that someone looks into it when we return. We have a trend, and it is worth looking into all ties to that trend. For now, we need to rest while we know we are somewhere relatively safe."

Celestia looked out the window of the train cabin and watched the scenery zoom by. It was mostly trees and mountains. In a short time, they would be stopping briefly at Mountainshade and then a series of smaller towns and villages before arriving back at Canterlot. She rarely rode the train, but she found the ability to sit back and watch the world go by on the ground level somewhat relaxing. She considered making more use of the train and wondered what had prompted her not to ride it more often. As old as she was, she tended to forget reasoning that she had come to centuries before. There were whole decades she couldn't recall what she had been up to because nothing particularly memorable had occurred. The decision not to ride the trains more often probably came during one of those stretches.

It was a mostly private cabin. Guards stood outside the cabin door, and she had but two companions within. The first was Sunset Blessing, riding as a human for reasons that eluded the princess. The other was Jimson Weed, the former ward of Krik, head of the Hallowed Shade reclamation project, and the first addition to the school staff that Sunset Blessing was making. Both were rude at times, as well as foul-mouthed, but both were also very knowledgeable and good intentioned. While her memory might have been patchy at points, she felt the pair would have fit in much better during the early days of Equestria. History sanitized itself, partially at her direction, and the ponies of that era were a much cruder and temperamental lot but also tended to make more significant achievements. She hoped these two could keep from offending too many while bringing back that push for progress she had long suppressed.

She turned away from the window and looked at Sunset Blessing, who was engrossed in reading one of the school's textbooks. Jimson Weed was fast asleep in a corner, wing wrapped around her head to suppress noise and light.

"Are you sure you wish to see the school so soon?" Celestia asked her controversial new headmare. "I know you are concerned about the welfare of Charlotte and Andrea. The school year can start without you, and it not cause any significant issues."

Sunset Blessing looked up from her book. "I'm concerned about the entire team, not just Charlotte and Andrea, just more concerned for them. They're beyond my ability to help now, and I need to find something to keep busy. I have struggled enough with trying to improve the key spell in our defense against the Devourers and know I will only stress myself further trying to work on it more. The only other significant task I have to focus on is taking control of your school, so that's what I'm doing."

Celestia smiled. "My sister did mention that you like to keep busy. That should be beneficial for the school. The last headmare had been exceedingly sluggish in her last few years, and although I had refused to release her from her position, I'm sad to confess I spent a considerable amount of time trying to convince her to retire. I need a leader there, not a tired figurehead."

Sunset looked down but didn't seem to be looking at her book. "Leader… that is something I said I was done with being, yet somehow I'm getting pulled back in."

"You could have refused the offer," Celestia reminded her. "You still can."

Sunset shook her head. "I needed to get away from Earth. I bring too much harm just existing there, especially to my family. I'm not going to sit on my haunches here. I want to be useful. I've complained about your education system enough. I might as well try to be part of the solution."

"Please tell me that you aren't going to fire half the staff," Celestia worriedly said.

Sunset looked up and raised an eyebrow. "I may offer significant pensions for some of them to go but won't outright fire anyone. If you didn't want change to happen, you shouldn't have offered me the job."

Celestia turned her gaze back to the window. "I don't want change to happen, but we need change. It is hard to let go of doing things the same old ways, and I admit, it scares me, but I know it is time."

"I understand the feeling. All I can say is get over it," Sunset muttered as she went back to reading.

The princess blinked and turned to stare at the human-shaped unicorn. She looked at the Earthling for a few seconds and then broke out laughing.

Sunset looked up at her, looking annoyed. "What's so funny?"

It took a few more seconds to get her mirth under control. "Dealing with you is refreshing."

The new headmare snorted. "That isn't a word I hear much in regards to dealing with me. What's so refreshing?"

"You don't care if you are rude or offensive to me," Celestia said with a relieved sigh. "I am so used to ponies going out of their way not to say anything that might rub me the wrong way. It took forever to break Twilight of that habit, and she still falls into it at times unless she is angry. I appreciate your candor. Just try to be a little nicer with the staff and students. They might not take it as well."

"They are young, with fragile feelings; you're older than almost every nation on Earth. I would hope you wouldn't be so fragile. Don't worry; I know how to be polite when I need to be," Sunset replied. She then shut the book and set it aside. "Since we are being candid with one another, I had a personal question that I have been wanting to ask for some time."

"You may ask anything, but I don't promise answers," Celestia replied.

Sunset nodded. "Fair enough. I wanted to ask… how do you deal with being so long-lived? I'm still coming to grips with the idea I might live to be over two hundred. I'll outlive everyone I love. Luna spent much of her time banished, but you lived those centuries and dealt with all the loss that comes with it. How do you do it?"

Celestia sighed. "You aren't the first to ask me that, and you probably won't be the last. It is not an easy thing to deal with. The best answer I can give is that you must accept that ponies…people… both enter and exit our lives. You learn to accept that everyone is just another traveler you meet on the road, and your paths only continue together for so long. You don't shut yourself off because of this; that is the worst thing you can do. You appreciate and love them while they are there, and do your best to remember them when they are gone. You also always cast your love wide and regularly. It would be best if you always were meeting someone new and forming new bonds. That way, when someone passes away, they aren't the only ones you have invested your heart in, and your heart still has others to love. Each loss still hurts, but there are still so many that are here that you wish to share moments with."

Sunset squeezed her hands together. "I'm not sure that is a wise idea for me. I get so protective of my loved ones. So protective that I do horrible things at times to protect them or in rage when they are hurt."

It was Celestia's turn to look down. "You don't know how many times I have wanted to do the same. When I call my subjects my little ponies, I mean it. They are like my foals to me, even if I have never had any of my own. When something hurts them, a lot of them, all at once, I feel my counterpart to Luna's Nightmare Moon whispering. I don't think it would surprise you that I, like you, have an affinity to fire, and when my ponies are killed and murdered, I want those that hurt them to burn."

"And yet, this world is not a molten wasteland," Sunset observed.

"There have been so many times it could have been," Celestia confessed. "The thing that stops me is the same thing that keeps me going through the centuries, the love for my ponies. Yes, I could have my fiery vengeance if I let myself go, but it would hurt everyone who remains that I love. I can't do that to them, and therefore, I enlist others to fight my battles so I don't lose everything in a moment of rage."

"I see," Sunset said quietly.

Celestia looked at her and set her jaw. "We are being honest with one another, even when it might come out harsh, so I ask, how many that you love have been caught in the crossfire? We both know why the attacks on you intensified over the years. Vengeance breeds vengeance, and you made a lot of ponies vengeful. Your vengeance has cost you dearly. I hope you have learned the price of it."

Sunset sat quietly for a moment, not looking at her. The human then rose from her seat. "If you'll excuse me for a moment. I need to go to the privy."

The old alicorn watched her go, and for a brief second, she thought she heard her weep.

Chapter 1.30: At Phobia Remedy's Mercy

"Charlotte? Wake up! Come on; this is really starting to worry me!"

Charlotte moaned as she rolled over. "Ten more minutes…."

"Well, she isn't in a coma," someone else said.

"She's never been hard to wake up before and is suddenly now every time!" Andrea could be heard fussing. "Charlotte, get up!"

Charlotte absently waved her hand as she rolled back over. "Five minutes…"

"Could be some lingering side effect of Sunset Blessing's spell combined with Luna's. Mixing spells can sometimes have unexpected results."

A hoof kicked her, and Charlotte's eyes popped wide open. "Hey! That hurt!"

Andrea, back in her centaur form, glared down at her, but there was concern in her eyes. "Well, if that is what it takes to get you up from now on, that's what I'll keep doing."

Rubbing her sore side, Charlotte sat up. "You've got hooves like an actual horse, not a pony. You shouldn't be kicking people."

"Blame Luster for my hooves," Andrea countered.

"Hey!" Luster protested. "I didn't intend for your hooves to come out that way. I think it is some weird evolutionary fallback."

The centaur turned her attention to Luster."Are you calling me unevolved?"

"No…" Luster meeped.

Sapphire chuckled. "Well, we're off to a great start with getting along today. Maybe everyone should take a breath and count down from ten."

Andrea did visibly take a breath. "Sorry. I'm just on edge." She looked back at Charlotte. "And I'm worried about you. Suddenly, it seems impossible to get you up until you're ready. You've never been like that. You've always been one of the first ones up, no matter when you went to bed. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

Charlotte rubbed her side. "Aside from getting kicked by your hard-ass hoof, yeah, I'm fine."

Josie yawned as she walked over to Andrea. "Blessing is an early riser too. Always up with the sun, or just before; I guess it is genetic. Knowing that, I understand your concern, but I'm tired, though. Can I crawl up on your back now?"

"I'm not Sunset Blessing," Charlotte mumbled.

Josie yawned again and looked at her. "I know, but everyone is part nature and part nurture. Your nurture is different than hers, but you come from the same nature. I don't have an issue with the nature part of her and you, aside from the fact you both seem temperamental."

"She was a sweet kid until she became a teenager," Andrea said.

Cadence stepped into view with a smile. "I think that becoming angsty as a teen isn't uncommon. You should have tried dealing with Flurry when she was still trying to find her place. Luckily for everyone in the Crystal Empire, that was a short-lived phase. Anyway, let's prepare to go. We have a lot of walking to do."

Charlotte's hand nudged something as she was getting ready to get up. She looked down and saw the bracelet that she had found yesterday. It must have fallen out of her pocket somehow. She grabbed it and finished standing up, and then stuck the bracelet and her hand in her pocket before jerking them out.

"What the…?" she gasped. She transferred the bracelet to her other hand and reached back into her pocket, pulling out an exact match of the bracelet she had just tried to deposit in her pocket. "That's weird. I found another one."

Josie looked at her and folded her ears back while slightly spreading her wings. "I know there was no bracelet on the floor here. I checked the whole place over. I would have noticed."

Everyone was looking at her. More specifically, they were looking at the bracelets in her hands.

Sweetie Belle was the first to speak up. "I think we need to take a closer look at those things. Something is fishy."

Apple Bloom looked at Phobia. "Maybe ya can take another gander at her to see if her mind's been tampered with?"

"I knew something wasn't right!" Andrea said, sounding like she had just been validated.

Charlotte tossed both bracelets down on the ground and raised her hands defensively. "Nothing is wrong with me! I feel fine."

Cadence frowned down at the bracelets. "If your mind had been tampered with, whoever did it would have assured that you did feel fine. There is something strange going on. You have items appearing near you after you sleep, and you're exceedingly challenging to wake. I think it's worth it to have Phobia take a good look at you again. We don't know for sure how No Heart subdued the human population, and you're the only human in this group to target. We're all in serious trouble if something happens to you. Luster and Sweetie, please take a closer examination of those bracelets. Break them apart if you have to."

Phobia raised a wing and gestured to the two unicorns. "Hold off on your examination until I have begun mine. If there are any mental ties from the bracelets to her, I want to be examining her when the bracelets are broken or tampered with. That allows me to see if there is any reaction."

"She's nervous, a little afraid, and flustered, but I don't think any of that is odd, considering all this commotion," Bursa informed them.

Charlotte apprehensively watched Phobia approach. "This isn't going to hurt, is it?"

Phobia paused. "Hurt? I can't say for sure. Negative reactions are likely, even in the best-case scenario. However, I will need to use my mind magic on you, and for that, I need your permission."

"What's your mind magic do?" Charlotte asked, drawing back.

Phobia cocked her head. "I was the Warden of Fear for more than one reason. I draw your fears to the surface. I will do my best to be gentle."

"How is that supposed to help anything?" Andrea asked in confusion. Charlotte pointed at her sister to indicate she wanted to know the same thing.

"If you are under the influence of mind magic already, it will cause a negative reaction. If anything had been used on you already, mine should eventually overwhelm and eliminate it," Phobia explained. She stopped advancing and sat down. "Even with Cadence's order, I can do nothing without your permission. This will be unpleasant, and I'm sorry for that, but this is to assure you're safe and in control of yourself. You do want to be confident your decisions are your own, don't you?"

"And if there is no mind magic already there?" Charlotte asked timidly.

"Then you have an opportunity to face your fears," Phobia said sagely. Screw her and her obsession with facing fears!

"Come on, sis. This is for your own good," Andrea pleaded. "Anyway, you know your greatest fear, so it shouldn't be that bad. You're kinda prepped for it."

"The clowns from Killer Klowns from Outer Space?" Charlotte whimpered.

Andrea blinked. "What?! No, not that. Does that stupid movie still freak you out?"

Charlotte balled her fists. "I still can't eat cotton candy or popcorn!"

"Um, didn't that movie come out after you guys jumped time?" Josie asked.

Charlotte pointed an accusing finger at her sister. "She found it on streaming when I was eight and said it was a comedy!"

Andrea shuffled her hooves. "I thought it was funny. Our mom grounded me for three days for showing it to her— Charlotte's kind of a fraidy cat. A quick warning, she pees her pants when she gets too scared."

"Andrea!" Charlotte shouted in outrage.

"Well, you do, and if you're about to get super scared, it is worth warning them."

"No one's going to laugh if you pee yourself," Scootaloo assured her. The other CMCs gave her dirty looks. "What? I'm trying to make her feel better."

Phobia sighed and shook her head. "She may be too concerned about looking cowardly or childish for her to allow me permission."

Childish?! Charlotte's fury blazed at the word.

"No! I'm doing it. I'm doing it right now!" Charlotte asserted.

Phobia smiled at her.

Her eyes widened. "You just played me, didn't you?"

Phobia shrugged. "If you want to withdraw your permission…."

Charlotte shook her head. "No, I'm doing it," she reasserted. "I'll show you all I'm not a fraidy cat."

Josie looked at the Crusaders. "See, here's a difference between her and Sunset. Sunset will openly admit she's a chicken. However, both of them seem like they are still the types who will face their fears if they have to."

More comparisons to Sunset were not what Charlotte wanted to hear right now. She'd show them she wasn't a coward like her other self was.

Charlotte sat back down and glared at Phobia. "I'm ready. Bring on the clowns!"

"That isn't your biggest fear," Andrea muttered. "You know it, and I know it. You fear forever living in Sunset's shadow. That's what you need to brace yourself for with this."

"You don't know anything," Charlotte grumbled, crossing her arms.

"I'm your sister, and I know you," Andrea replied. "No one, not even Mom, Dad, or Sunset, has spent as much time with you as me. I know what makes you tick."

"You don't know me as well as you think," Charlotte growled. She then looked at Josie. "And stop comparing me with Sunset. I'm not her! Sunset can go fuck herself."

Josie chuckled. "You might want to reconsider your choice of words, given who you are."

This team was made of horrible people. At least when they came from Earth.

Phobia came up beside her. "If this gets too much for you, then say so. We can break this up into sessions and give you breathers. These are your fears, and we won't know what you are experiencing unless you say something. What you choose to share is at your discretion and your business and does not impact whether this accomplishes its goal. There is no judgment. Everyone here, no matter how brave they may seem, has something they are intensely terrified of. I have seen their fears, all of them, and I have seen yours as well. I have reduced even some of the most mighty to a crying mess doing this, so feel no shame. I will not reveal anyone's private information, yours or theirs."

"She did it to me," Josie whispered. "I heard from Luna that she did it to her too. I'm no weakling or coward, and neither is Luna. You learn stuff about yourself."

Empathy walked over and laid a hand on Charlotte's leg.

"You may wish to stand aside," Phobia warned him. "She could lash out, and I do not want you to get hurt."

"Couldn't she lash out at you too then?" Luster asked.

Phobia nodded. "That is a risk. Are you ready, Charlotte?"

She nodded. "Let's get this over with and clear my name."

Phobia raised a brow at Empathy. "Final warning, elephant. Please, I know she would be devastated if she hurt you."

Empathy looked worriedly at Charlotte before seeming to get an idea. He held up a finger, indicating to hold a moment, then hurried over to the toy aisles. A few seconds later, he returned and handed her the stuffed toy of Heavyheart.

Brave Heart might have been more appropriate, but she still smiled at him as she accepted the gift. "Thanks, buddy. I appreciate it."

"We begin," Phobia said as Empathy backed away.

Seconds passed, then more seconds passed, then a minute.

"Nothing's happening," Charlotte muttered.

"Patience," Phobia replied. "I'm doing a slow build. You others can work on the bracelets." It must have been a very slow build.

Charlotte fluttered her lips. It would take forever for her to be seeing visions of clowns at this rate. Andrea might have thought it was hilarious, but that movie really freaked her out as a kid. It still freaked her out. It was like some triggered response. She didn't ever want anyone getting popcorn near her, and just the smell of it curdled her stomach. Whenever she saw a big wad of cotton candy, she imagined some disembodied bloody limb at its center. Just thinking about those things made her shiver.

She watched as Luster and Sweetie cast spells on the bracelets. It was annoying she was losing her souvenirs, sure, but she didn't have any attachment to them. Heck, Empathy had just given her a much better item to take back home. Still, it was a little worrying to think those things had just appeared out of nowhere and right next to her. Was she using her portal powers in her sleep? That would be a huge concern. Thinking about it made her feel a little anxious.

"Anything yet?" Andrea asked.

"No," both Charlotte and Phobia replied at once. They were probably answering different questions. That was good, right?

She looked at Phobia.."Are you sure your powers are working?"

"My powers are working just as intended," Phobia answered, unmoving and unblinking, just watching her. Well, that was creepy. She thought about cotton candy and opening portals in her sleep, and she rubbed her arms. She could deal with the staring. There were worse things than being stared at.

SLAM!

"Sorry!"

Both she and Phobia jumped when the slam happened, although Phobia quickly recovered and went back to staring at her. Charlotte looked at the unicorns and saw that they had found a dark brown brick somewhere and used it to crush one of the bracelets. They were just now removing it to reveal crushed and broken pieces of plastic. They used their magic to start fishing through the debris.

"Give us some warning next time," Charlotte complained as her heart settled back down.

"Will do!" Luster called out, although she seemed focused on the broken bits of plastic.

Charlotte settled down again and let her mind drift. She was a little annoyed at her sister for having shown her that movie at the age of eight. Sure, Andrea had been twelve at the time and not so easily frightened, but Andrea was supposed to look out for her. Eight-year-olds shouldn't be watching movies like that. What should eight-year-olds have been doing instead? She wasn't sure. She never got to have many friends growing up, primarily confined to the manor. What had she been doing instead?

She remembered sitting at the dining room table, copying from a book. She was so engrossed in it that she didn't notice her mom come up behind her.

"My, aren't we studious? You're doing your homework without prompting," her mom said proudly.

Little Charlotte shook her head and swung her dangling legs. "Nuh-uh, I'm copying magic runes."

"Why are you doing that?" her mom asked, not sounding so cheerful.

Charlotte had been oblivious at the time. "Sunset said she knows lots and lots of runes, and you need to know what all the runes do to be a great mage."

"Did she give you that book?" her mom asked, sounding slightly angry. It was enough to get Charlotte to notice.

She stopped copying and sank into her seat. "No…I borrowed it. I'll give it back."

Her mom relaxed. "How about you let me do that? You can go outside and play, watch some tv, or play a video game. Don't those all sound more fun?"

"But I want to be a great mage, like Sunset," little Charlotte whined.

"You can learn about magic when you're older. Go outside and play," her mom said briskly, grabbing the book. Not quite snatching it, but not waiting for Charlotte to finish.

"But, Mom-"

Her mom pointed a finger to the dining-room door. "Go outside and play, now."

Charlotte closed her eyes and shook her head. Why was she remembering that? She hadn't thought about that incident in years. Had Phobia made her remember that? Why? It was not a happy memory, being that was the first time she realized her mom didn't want her to be a mage. That could be devastating for a kid, learning your parents didn't support your goals. It still hurt, even if she had long ago figured out that being a mage wasn't happening. It was a hurtful memory, not a scary one.

There were scarier memories.

She was nine, and she and her sisters were running for their lives.

There was an intruder in the house. They didn't know where, but the alarms were blaring. They had been downstairs in the rec room, playing, when the alarm went off. They'd been told that if they ever heard that alarm that they were to get to their rooms and lock the doors. So that was what they were doing.

They had been running up the stairs when Andrea tripped on a stair and tumbled down to the bottom in a heap. Charlotte's eldest sister had been going through an awkward growth spurt at the time, making her somewhat clumsy on her hooves. Both Charlotte and Kristin immediately stopped and turned to help their fallen sister, but Méng reached the bottom of the stairs first.

"Keep going; I've got her!" he shouted frantically as he started working to try to lift her on his back.

Andrea was bigger than he was, even at that age, and he didn't have a lot of extra strength. Charlotte was unsure how he was going to manage. The fact that it seemed impossible for him to help carry away Andrea by himself made both Charlotte and Kristin hesitate. Kristin had residual earth pony strength from her time as a pony. She could easily lift about three times her weight. Andrea was well over a hundred-fifty pounds at thirteen years old, but Kristin could manage it.

The thought seemed to have occurred to Kristin, and Kristin ignored Méng's order and retreated to help their sister.

Then they all screamed as the front door literally exploded into wood chips as an unfamiliar earth pony came barrelling through it. He looked at Andrea, and then he screamed as well.

"The Apostate is making monsters!" he hollered. He then braced himself for another charge, this time aiming at Andrea and Méng.

There was a flash, and then blood splattered everywhere, even reaching where Charlotte was. Everyone yelled in terror again as the corpse of the stallion collapsed, dumping more blood onto the floor as it gushed out of the gaping hole from where his head had previously attached to his neck. As for his head, the foyer was covered with bits of skull and fur, a stray ear and tooth, and a ton of gore. Both Andrea and Méng were drenched in the stallion's blood.

There was a monster in the manor, but it wasn't Andrea. Sunset Blessing was powerful enough that she could have stopped anyone bloodlessly. She could have frozen the stallion in place or teleported him straight to the police station. She could have injured him but not killed him. However, Sunset always felt the need to make a statement with the ones that breached the manor's walls, and she didn't just kill; she killed in horrific ways. The law said she was defending her home and therefore had the right, but what she did was not right.

That was the first time Charlotte had witnessed Sunset Blessing flat-out kill someone. It was also the point where she began to feel small and helpless compared to her other self and the dangers of being near the menacing mare. She also felt weak and powerless in terms of helping those she loved, forced to rely on her other self for protection. Méng would argue with her about her methods after, as well as her doing them in front of kids. He would move out of the manor before the year was over. He couldn't take it anymore. He had been the last of Sunset's foals to leave.

Charlotte shivered at the memory, feeling sick.

"We're about to break the other one!" Sweetie Belle announced. It wasn't much of a warning because it only was another second before the brick came down with another loud crash, destroying the other bracelet.

"Any reaction?" Andrea asked.

"No," Phobia answered, not diverting her gaze from Charlotte. "I will say if there is anything I detect. Please, stop asking. It's distracting. I don't want to accidentally slip and give her too much at once."

Charlotte wouldn't mind Phobia doing a surge. Waiting for anything to happen seemed as bad as something happening. Was the former warden even doing anything but stare?

She looked at the two unicorns. They were examining the newly demolished bracelet. From what she could tell, they weren't finding anything. That meant they destroyed the charm bracelets for nothing. She understood the reasoning, but it still stung. Those were her souvenirs of the trip. She gripped the stuffed hippo tightly in one of her hands.

Her eyes drifted off towards the wall full of stuffed care bears. The light from Cadence's spell reflected off some of their plastic eyes, making them look like their eyes were glowing. One of the bears had a cotton candy belly badge. That made her shudder and turn away.

Everyone was being quiet. They must have been worried they would make Phobia or one of the unicorns miss something. Bursa had sat down in a corner and looked bored. Cadence was primarily watching the examination of the broken bracelets but gave Charlotte an occasional glance. Josie had gone to sleep and had a wing wrapped over her head. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo sat to the side and watched Phobia and her. Sapphire had climbed into the storefront display window and was watching the outside. Andrea and Empathy were totally focused on looking at Charlotte with concern.

So many people watching her reminded her of the endless sessions of failure she spent with Sunset Blessing. Her family had been stuck living in the nightmare of Wabash Manor because of her. Now everything had come to a standstill with this mission because of her. No matter what, she always ended up ruining things for everyone else.

Not just ruining things. She had been a target for the time-traveling ponies that Sunset had rescued them from. She was also the one Andrea got shot saving and the one that had led those bears to their world who killed Kristin and Méng.

"These bracelets are just that, cheap plastic bracelets," Sweetie Belle announced. "There isn't anything hidden inside or hidden spells."

Which still led to the question of where they came from and how they got there. Was she opening portals in her sleep? Was some interdimensional horror going to come through in the night and kill them all? It would be because of her. She always messed things up, and those screw-ups could lead to people dying.

She looked at the cotton candy bear again, and her heart started pounding. Would those portals lead No Heart to them? She looked at Andrea, and her breathing started getting more labored. Would Andrea die helping protect her? She looked at Phobia, who was still staring. Did the former warden stare because she knew how much of a liability Charlotte was? Was she staring in judgment?

It was getting hot and hard to breathe. She had a death grip on the stuffed hippo in one hand, and her other hand gripped her arm so hard it hurt. She was going to ruin everything. She was worthless. Sunset couldn't even teach her to use her magic, and her magic only brought harm.

Her hands started to sweat, and the only thing she could think of was she needed to get away before she hurt anyone else.

"She's had enough," Phobia announced, breaking her gaze. "Cadence, stop her before she does something regrettable."

Magic bubbles suddenly appeared around her hands, and she shook them in terror, crying the whole time, trying to get them off.

Andrea grabbed her and held her tightly. "Charlotte, calm down. You're okay. Nothing is going to get you. Calm down, please."

She struggled against her sister's grip in vain. "You don't understand. I-I have to get away. I'm going to get everyone hurt or killed, just like I got Krist….just like I got Krist…please, l-let me go."

"You're having a panic attack. Just breathe and try to relax. You aren't hurting anyone," Andrea said gently. It sounded like she was crying too. "What the fuck did you do to her, warden!"

"I brought her greatest fears to the surface," Phobia replied, backing away. "It would seem you were wrong about what they were. Her sanity will reassert itself in a moment or two. Just keep her under control."

"Was there any other mind magic at work?" Cadence asked.

"No," Phobia answered. "Nothing I could detect. I need to examine her dreams when she sleeps next. If they check out, we can give her the all-clear."

Charlotte stopped fighting and collapsed into her sister's arms. Her sister gently hugged her, and Charlotte cried.

"Did you have to be so rough with her?" Andrea demanded.

"This was gentle. I was going out of my way to be gentle. I knew it would get bad, eventually, but this is nowhere near as bad as it could have been," Phobia explained. "When she is done sleeping, you can try talking to her about the things she imagined. She was expecting a boogeyman or monsters under the bed, so she thought nothing was happening, but our worst fears are far more sinister than spooks and ghouls."

Sleep was coming far quicker than she expected. She was exhausted, and the world faded black as she hung in her sister's arms.

Chapter 1.31: Agendas

Impossibly tall alabaster buildings glared down at her—their vacant windows like eyes, their colossal doorways like gaping mouths. There was no one else on the street. No liter. No signs. No decoration. Above her was the sun, so close that it took up the entire sky, yet somehow she was not burned to a crisp.

"Where am I?" Charlotte asked as she looked around.

"You are in The Outside. It's called the Outside because it is outside everything else. The Outside gets confusing at times. Even I don't fully understand The Outside, and I have spent more time here than anyone."

She turned to see a heavily wrinkled woman leaning on a staff. She was so wrinkled she looked ancient but wore jeans and a t-shirt, and she had some sort of electronic device hanging on the rim of her pants. Charlotte was unsure where the woman's mouth was amongst the wrinkles.

The woman stopped leaning on the staff and took a few steps forward. "But if you want to know about the setting, this is a facsimile of Jeg'galla'gamp'pi. It isn't the real place; nothing is real here until it is. I've been to the real place a few times. I was looking for someone there, and sometimes, I felt like they were there, waiting for me around the next corner, but I never found them. Just these big buildings staring at me like some unwanted guest. Miserable place. Cameras don't work, and maps are useless because it is always changing where buildings and doors and windows are. It's too easy to get lost there in more than one way."

Charlotte backed away. "Who are you?"

The old woman stopped. "I'm The Traveler or just Traveler for short." She reached into her jeans and pulled out a bracelet, and held it up. "The most pertinent question for the moment is whether you have gotten any of these."

She stared at the pink plastic of the bracelet and gulped. "I've gotten two of them. What are they? Who are you? Are you messing with my head?"

The woman blinked. "Two? My, we must be on the third lesson then."

"Third lesson?" Charlotte questioned. "This is the third time I have slept since coming to this world. Who are you, and what are you doing to me?"

"Catch," Traveler instructed and tossed her the bracelet. Charlotte caught it with both hands. "I'm guessing you have lost the other two. They don't do anything; they're just a way of keeping count. We've met twice before, even if neither of us remembers. This is lesson three. I'm The Traveler. I travel from place to place. I mean you no harm. I'm here to help you learn how to use your powers."

Charlotte glared at her. "If you mean no harm, why don't you come to me in person instead of in a dream? You could help all of us."

The woman coughed and then tapped the electronic device on her side. "To that dismal world? Do you see this life support unit on my side? That horrible air would kill me. Plus, I'm no adventurer. I just travel and watch. I'm just giving you a tiny bit of preparation." She coughed again, then looked Charlotte in the eyes. "Plus, you may be asleep, but you aren't dreaming. The Outside is outside of everything, including the dream realm."

"So…Phobia isn't watching us?" Charlotte asked in a small voice.

"We aren't where she can see, even if she were still a warden," Traveler said. "Now, we might not remember, but you've had two lessons on using your powers so far. You're making good progress. Let's continue that."

"How am I making progress if I can't remember the lessons?" Charlotte asked in confusion.

Traveler twirled a free hand. "It is like an instinct. You don't actively remember it, but it's there. Didn't you notice Cadence bubbled your hands? Why do you think she did that?"

"How did you know she bubbled my hands?"

Traveler chuckled. "I have seen a lot of things. You were having a panic attack and you were going to use your powers. That would have probably gone badly for everyone at that point, but you still were able to do it, even if you weren't thinking about it. Progress!"

Charlotte backed all the way up until her back hit the wall of a building. "Shit, I almost ruined everything again!"

"Urgh!" Traveler groaned. "That is so tiresome. First off, young lady, lay off the cussing. It makes you seem less mature, not more, and I know seeming mature means a lot to you. Second, you aren't some walking catastrophe. You're young and inexperienced, everyone starts off that way. You shouldn't feel bad for it. Yes, you make mistakes, but so does everyone. You won't outgrow your mistakes if you keep with all this negativity. Try to look on the bright side more often."

"What's there to be positive about?" Charlotte asked. "I got Kristin killed. I could get everyone else killed."

Traveler scowled, or at least, Charlotte thought she did– it was hard to tell through those wrinkles. "Let that go. Stuff happened. Yeah, you opened the gate, but you didn't pick where she would be standing when someone decided to come through. If you hadn't done what you did, Empathy would have died instead. Whether you did or didn't, people would have died. That is one of the hardest things to learn in life. You can't assure everyone's safety. Death comes for us all, and sometimes it comes suddenly and unexpectedly. You want to minimize how much of a problem your portals cause? Pay attention to my lessons so you can learn what you are doing."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Charlotte asked. "It seems more than a little strange that some old hag comes into my dreams-"

"Brings you into The Outside, not a dream," Traveler corrected.

Charlotte shook her head. "Whatever, close enough. Some strange old hag-"

"I find the terminology very hurtful," Traveler interrupted. "The hag part. I'm definitely old and somewhat strange."

That earned a frustrated stomp. "You show up while I'm sleeping to offer me, not everyone else, help, and I'm told I won't even remember this. You don't even give me a reason why you're doing it!"

Traveler laughed. "To help you succeed. Let's say I have a vested interest in your success. I wish I was your age so I could have all that ferocious energy, but I'd probably shatter my hip again or something if I stomped like that. About the only thing I have that isn't failing is my mind. I'll give a straight answer about one thing. I'm old and on life support. One of the reasons I can't meet you inside the real world is I am at the end. These synthetic organs and bones have done what they can to extend my life long past what it should have been, but I'm dying. I probably wouldn't live through instructing you there. Here, I have all the time I need, or to be more accurate, all the time you need."

Charlotte narrowed her brow. "So you're training me…to be your replacement?"

Traveler seemed to smile, or at least, that was the impression Charlotte got. "Your paths are your own, but you can't walk those paths if you don't know how to walk. Let's begin lesson three, and by the final lesson, maybe you will be able to run where you want to go. We still have many lessons to go yet, and we will have to go through this introduction every time."

Sunset walked beside Vice Headmare Decorum. It was more like inched along beside, because the mare, who seemed to be a perfect example of unicorn noble inbreeding judging by the shape of her nose, didn't move particularly fast, and Sunset walking on two human legs could outpace her going at a leisurely stroll.

"It is great that you are taking an interest in our entrance examination, Miss Blessing. Headmare Snarepage took little interest in students unless they were sent to her office or won some accommodation," Decorum said, nose held high. That thing was so pointy. Did she have to be wary of cutting her hoof on it when she wiped it? Every time the mare said Snarepage, Sunset swore she heard Snore Page. Maybe the second moniker would have been more accurate. She could imagine students calling an administrator that name behind the administrator's back.

"It's Headmare Blessing, not Miss Blessing," she corrected politely, not for the first time.

The pale cream unicorn stopped again. "Of course, Head-" The mare looked Sunset up and down. "-mare Blessing. I understand that you must be displaying your famous talents with pony transmogrification, and we here at the school are all very impressed, but don't you think that perhaps it would be best if you changed back now?"

"Oh, today, I feel this form will do nicely." Sunset said with a shake of her head. "You see, I am meeting prospective and possibly nervous students. While they might find me being in this form odd, they are unlikely to find it intimidating. You see, I have a very prominent scar in my natural form that can be disturbing to look at. I believe it makes me appear less welcoming."

Not to mention, this form likewise makes you more uncomfortable. I need to see which staff members need to take extended vacations and go on speaking tours, she thought to herself.

"Of course, Headmare Blessing," Decorum said with an imperceptible bow of her head. "You know, it may be a rarity on Earth, but here in Equestria, we have medical mages that can remove such unsightly blemishes."

"I'm well aware, and my eldest son is a medical mage of some renown back home. He could have done it at any point, but my battle scars are reminders that I like to keep. He has done me the service of making it so they don't hurt when I move, and that is good enough."

Decorum blinked. "Battle scars, ma'am? Is Earth truly so savage?"

"No more savage than me, I assure you," Sunset replied with a smile. This stupid noble apparently didn't know anything about her other than having heard about her spells. "Please, let's continue to go see the students."

"Yes, Headmare Blessing."

They walked a few steps before the mare finally decided she had to know. "Was it a human who inflicted your mentioned scars on you?"

Sunset shook her head. "No call them self-inflicted. I was fighting another unicorn who was many times more powerful than I was at the time. What exactly is your specialty, Vice Headmare?"

The mare stopped, taken aback at the sudden insertion of the question. "I am the foremost expert on Trotsen's Law."

Sunset already knew that. She had read the profiles of every staff member. "I defeated this other unicorn by proving Trotsen's Law is not true."

Decorum's coloration shifted so her pale cream now looked a nice shade of pink to match her mane. "That is absurd! Magic would be in chaos without Trotsen's Law! Generations of unicorn scholars have written at length-"

"Scholars," Sunset replied, as if tasting a bad word. "You arrive at the fundamental problem with your education system. You repeat the same tired ideas for endless centuries and never once do you question whether it is right. You fail to experiment to confirm the validity of your ideas because you are so certain that mages dead a millennia somehow figured out everything that was worth figuring out. We who are pushing the boundaries do not need to be scholars. What we need to be is scientists."

"Trotsen's Law is an absolute!" the red-faced Vice Headmare said in outrage.

Sunset smiled again. "Well, there is only one thing to do in the face of this disagreement."

Decorum stuck her nose high. "Yes, you must withdraw your nonsense claim."

"Perhaps," Sunset conceded. "Once you have performed extensive experimentation to test the claims of Trotsen's Law. Best me at my own game, Miss Decorum. Prove you are right using my methods. Try to replicate the conditions under which I showed Trotsen's Law to be false. I can provide you with a generous grant."

The Vice Headmare's scowl dropped at the mention of a grant. Sunset highly doubted all the grant money would end up being used for the testing. There would probably be some sizeable amount paid for labor fees to the mare. She could live with that. There were a few possible outcomes, and all of them favored Sunset's goals. Hopefully the outcome where Miss Decorum incinerated herself in the resulting magical backlash wouldn't come to be. The best outcome would be Decorum took this seriously, verified that Trotsen's Law was indeed incorrect, and converted to valuing experimentation. That would make her invaluable. One thing that she had learned as a preacher was that fresh converts were always the most vocal and most committed, especially if they had been your most vocal opponents.

"I accept your challenge," Decorum replied. "It doesn't need proving with experiments, but if this will correct your faulty logic, I shall make the sacrifice of my valuable time."

"I look forward to seeing your results, and will give you a report on how I conducted the law-breaking feat so you can see if it is duplicatable," Sunset said cheerfully.

Oh, these games. She had been so good at them back in Riverview. Unfortunately, she had helped make the monsters that regularly attacked the manor with them. She had believed that she was doing it for a righteous cause back then. Hopefully, this time around, she genuinely was.

Charlotte stared down at the bracelet in her hand, an exact match for the previous two. Everyone was staring at it.

"There was no portal and no teleportation. It just appeared when we woke her up," Luster said in confusion.

"She didn't dream. I waited for anything, but a dream never appeared," Phobia said.

Charlotte shook her head, eyes still glued to the impossible bracelet. "I was sure I dreamed. I can't remember what, but there was something."

Everyone looked at Cadence, waiting to see what she would say.

Cadence stared at the bracelet in Charlotte's hand. "You are confident that there is no mind magic at work, Phobia?"

"Completely," Phobia answered.

"What in the world are we dealing with then?" Cadence asked.

Phobia frowned. "This reminds me of something. Something I saw only once. I can't give the details, since it is not my secret to share."

"That isn't helpful if you can't talk about it," Cadence said with exasperation.

"I'm sorry, but the Oaths still hold," Phobia replied. The former warden walked, circling Charlotte. "Perhaps another aspect of Charlotte's powers has awoken. We saw her hands before she was subdued. Magic wants to be used."

"What about my hands?" Charlotte asked. "The bubbles, did I do that?"

Cadence shook her head. "No, that was me. Your hands were glowing. I don't know what you were going to do, but you were going to do something."

"Only because Phobia scared the shit out of her! Andrea protested. "She was panicking, not thinking."

"She was thinking, just not clearly," Phobia corrected. "She wanted to get away, and I assume that was exactly what she would have done. She would have summoned a portal." Phobia stopped circling. "I don't think she has been compromised. I think she tapped into something else. I vote to continue the mission."

"And if the bracelets keep appearing?" Sapphire asked.

"Then we see how many Charlotte ends up with," Phobia concluded.

Chapter 1.32: The New Mistress of Wabash Manor

Christine looked out the window of the station wagon as they passed through the front gate. "Why are there still guards? Is it safe?"

Jordan sighed as she checked on her newborn, Caleb. He was still sleeping soundly. Hopefully, his surges were done. He hadn't had any in three days, which was a good sign. They had been waiting for his surges to pass before making the move. It was necessary since you couldn't bring a surging foal on a plane.

How was she supposed to explain the manor security without upsetting her kids?

"They're just a precaution. In case anyone doesn't believe Sunset Blessing is gone. However, everyone saw the broadcast of her leaving through the portal. Anyone who doesn't believe that is too stupid to get through the gates, and I doubt anyone will try." she said in her most reassuring tone.

It had better be true. She'd give this place away immediately if anyone broke into the house or even came close. Her family would not face that kind of danger. When she'd been offered the house, that was the first thing she feared, but Auntie Sunset had assured her the same thing she just assured Christine. The offer had been one that was too good to refuse. A vast mansion to raise her growing family in? One she didn't have to pay for or worry about utility bills or upkeep? Admission for her kids into one of the best school districts for ponies in the country? Who gets offers like that? It would be insane to refuse.

She hoped that she wasn't insane for accepting.

"We aren't going to get to have friends over, are we?" James, her second oldest at nine, asked mournfully.

"What friends? They're over a thousand miles away," Christine muttered.

"Hey, this will be fun!" Jordan's husband, Blue Streak, assured their daughter. "And you'll get to meet new friends."

"And you can have friends over," Jordan added in. "There's just going to be some extra rules about inviting them over due to the security."

"Do we get our own rooms?" Emily, her third eldest at five years old, asked.

"Yeah, I better not have to keep sharing a room with her. She's so messy!" Christine huffed.

"Am not!" Emily protested.

"You leave your toys everywhere!"

"I'm still playing with them!"

"For a week straight?!"

"Yeah!"

"Everyone gets their own room. They should all be big rooms too," Blue Streak said, interrupting the sisterly argument. "And Grandmare Amanda will have a room too once your Aunt Jackie finishes helping her sell her old house."

After Jackie finishes getting mom's place cleaned up for sale. I hope the change in scenery does her good, Jordan thought mournfully.

"Here we are," Jessie announced as she parked the van in front of the house. "Looks like the current head of security is here to meet you. I haven't been here for a while, but I remember him. He's a nice enough guy. I'll help introduce you as the new Mistress of Wabash Manor."

Jordan almost wanted to chuckle at the title, but she remembered it was a title some people called Sunset Blessing. It was odd, inheriting one of her infamous Auntie Sunset's titles. Sunset's titles invoked different images depending on who you were. You could imagine a powerful mage, a philosopher, the founder of a movement, the destroyer of Riverview, or a bloodthirsty killer. Jordan was an above-average caster and had inherited her dad's affinity for making shields, but Sunset was on a whole other level in both skill and power. Jordan hadn't founded any movements or done much philosophy. She was five when Riverview exploded, and she was certainly not a killer. Her auntie's title felt out of place with her, but it was hers now.

Christine started whistling the Gravity Falls theme, and Jordan raised an eyebrow at her. "Really?"

"Better than the other theme that comes to mind. I could be doing Amityville," Christine replied.

"Everybody out," Jessie instructed. "And smile; you're on candid camera from now on. Your every move is watched by security."

Christine started whistling the theme of Jailbreak. Jordan hadn't been aware her daughter had even seen that show and wasn't thrilled to learn it. It had graphic violence and explicit sexual content. She'd have to review what else Christine had been streaming. Jordan's mother had raised her with the principle that banning things was to be kept to a minimum, and Jordan intended to be that type of parent as well. Now that her daughter was exploring content and subjects that weren't meant for kids, it was time to get more active in talking to Christine about what she was encountering. Her baby filly was growing up, and it was Jordan's job to help her learn how to make responsible decisions, not to shelter her away from everything.

"Want to share a cell with your sister?" Blue Streak asked. Christine promptly stopped her musical performance.

"Christine, help keep an eye on Emily and James. Make sure they don't go wandering off," Jordan instructed. "I've got Caleb, and your father will be keeping an eye on Hugo."

The toddler's ears perked up at his name. "Play?"

"Not yet," Jordan replied. She wasn't sure if he understood; his vocabulary was minimal. He only said about half a dozen words but recognized at least five times that many, if not more. How well he understood any of them was hit or miss.

They exited the van, and the kids stared at the large angel fountain in front of the house. They'd been here about a little over a month ago, so it shouldn't have been that interesting.

"Are we rich now?" James asked in wonder.

Jordan shook her head as she adjusted the newborn on her back. "No. We have a little more money than before since we don't have to worry about rent or utilities anymore, but we're not rich."

"Is rent and utilities a lot?" James asked.

"The bane of adult existence," Blue Streak said with a chuckle.

Jessie waved at the security head. "Hobbs, correct? Let me introduce you to Jordan Streak, your new Mistress of Wabash Manor, and these ponies are her family."

The head of security, a human man in his late forties or early fifties, stepped forward. "Thank you, Doctor Middleton. Mrs.Streak, I hope your trip wasn't stressful. I'm Walter Hobbs. We've cleared your movers to arrive tomorrow, but the guards all chipped in and stocked up the kitchen for you ahead of time."

Jordan smiled. "Nice to meet you, Walter. That was very nice of you all, and it makes us feel welcome. Just call me Jordan. No need to be formal. I'm not my auntie."

"I should hope not. No offense to your auntie, but this facility needed the change in administration," Walter replied.

"Facility?" Blue Streak asked in confusion.

"Auntie's workshop is technically a government installation, even if they can't access it," Jordan informed her husband. She was one of two people on Earth that now had access, and she had no intention of opening its seal. She hadn't considered the fact she was technically some unclassified-classified government official now that she controlled the manor. Too bad they weren't paying her for it.

Walter held out a set of keys. "Wabash Manor is officially yours, Jordan."

She grabbed the keys with her magic and put them in her saddlebag. She assumed Walter hadn't locked himself out of the house. This was it. She was officially the Mistress of Wabash Manor. She was a long way from the little filly crying helplessly in a tree nearly thirty years ago. Maybe in another thirty years, Christine or Emily would take up the mantle instead. If there was still a need for someone to guard the workshop, but it was too early to be worrying about who would succeed her.

"Okay, setting some ground rules for the house, right now. Rules we didn't have back at the other house. You still have to follow the old rules, too," Jordan informed her kids.

"Aww," James said in frustration.

She ignored the comment. "First off, the basement is strictly off-limits. None of you are ever to go down there."

"That's where Sunset Blessing sacrificed foals for her dark magic," Christine whispered to James and Emily.

"No, she didn't. Stop trying to scare your siblings. I will take you down there once just to show you why it is off-limits," Jordan said flatly. "Second rule, stay away from the fence. There is plenty of yard available. There is no need for you to get near the fence. If this place is attacked, the fence is where it will be dangerous. Third, friends coming over must be cleared with security and me and your father both. You don't want the guards jumping them as an intruder. The final rule is don't get in the way of the guards, and if any of them tell you to relocate somewhere in the house, you do it right away. They're here to protect us. We need to cooperate with them."

"So…the house is a prison," Christine concluded.

"It isn't a prison. It just has a few more rules. Give it a chance," Blue Streak said.

"Whatever," Christine mumbled. Jordan rolled her eyes. Christine would get over it once she started school and started making some new friends. She might get over it as soon as she saw her new room. Moving across the country was a big adjustment, but it wasn't anything foals couldn't handle.

"Let's head in," Jordan announced. "I'll show you what the big deal is in the basement, and after that, you can all pick out your rooms. Your father and I reserve at least one of the master bedrooms!"

Christine blinked. "There's more than one?"

Jordan nodded. "There's one in each hall upstairs."

"I reserve one!" Christine said hastily. Both Jordan and her husband giggled. There was at least one thing their eldest wasn't complaining about.

Jordan led the way and opened the front door with her magic. James and Emily almost ran her over as she tried to walk in, and Hugo was right behind them and went scampering under her legs to get by. She had to regain her balance quickly, or she would have fallen over. She promptly checked Caleb to make sure he was alright.

"Hey! No running inside! That's a rule from the old house that's still in effect! You could have made me drop your baby brother," Jordan scolded.

That brought Emily and James to a halt in the massive foyer, but Hugo, now wound-up, was running in circles like a dog chasing his tail. Maybe he was.

She finished entering, and Blue Streak, Christine, Jessie, and Walter followed her. Blue Streak lit his horn and stopped Hugo's circular marathon. Christine walked over to her younger siblings with her horn lit and glared at them, although they didn't seem particularly intimidated by their big sister.

The foyer was empty. There were two staircases leading up to the higher floors. Between the stairs was a wall with two doors; one that led to the dining room, the other led to the basement. There was a discolored rectangular space on the wall between them where once hung a painting. To their right was another door that had led to the rec room, now probably just as empty, and she knew the door to the left led to the guards' station. There were probably at least four cameras watching them, but they were all perfectly hidden, no bigger than a dime each.

"I should note that Miss Blessing installed defenses against all teleportation within the house before she left," Walter informed them as he walked towards the basement door. "There is a necklace that bypasses these defenses that I am to provide you. Only the pony wearing the necklace can safely teleport on the premises and still will not be able to teleport into the workshop. The same defenses have been designed to ward off portals of all types."

So no bears attacking out of nowhere. That was a relief. She wasn't expecting them to after the last group got massacred, but it was still good to hear.

"What happens if we try to teleport?" Christine asked.

"Then you had best learn how to fly really fast because it will redirect you about five hundred feet above the house," Walter said as he pulled out a key to unlock the basement.

Jordan gulped. "New rule I just decided to add…."

"No teleporting," Blue Streak finished grimly. "What about surging foals?"

"Best to keep them off-site until the surges end. For their safety," Walter answered. He then glanced at Caleb. "His surges are over, correct?"

"Nothing in three days; never heard of anything happening after that long," Blue Streak answered. Walter nodded and finished opening the basement door. Jordan noted she would have to stay with Jessie or someone for a few weeks after future pregnancies. Maybe she could adjust the spell or get someone to do it for her…if it was even possible. Her auntie's defenses were notorious for their complexity. They supposedly had thwarted even Princess Twilight Sparkle back in the day, and she couldn't imagine that her auntie hadn't improved on the design in thirty years.

Hopefully, this didn't lead to the same fatal flaw the Bastion's defenses had back then. Once someone was in, it was near impossible for anyone else to get in to help. That's how Sunset Blessing's wife had died. She'd gotten trapped inside with Poly Glot, and no one could get past the defenses that Sunset had built up around the Bastion to stop him. Sunset had sealed her wife's doom by being too thorough, and Tonya/Arbiter was forced to do the unthinkable to bring an end to Poly Glot's mad plans. Sunset Blessing outsmarted everyone with her defenses there, including herself.

Walter opened the door and stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. "After all of you. Mind the stairs. They are narrow. The basement lights are motion activated."

Jordan went forward towards the basement. "Follow me, and don't crowd one another. Jessie, can you watch Hugo up here? I don't trust him on that staircase."

"Yeah, I can do that. I don't have any desire to see that place again," Jessie said as she grabbed hold of Hugo and cradled him in her arms.

"Is downstairs a bad place?" Emily whimpered.

Jordan paused and considered how to answer. "It isn't a good place or a bad place. It depends on how it is used. It is an important place, and I promised to keep it safe. Be careful on the stairs."

They walked carefully down the stairs. This place had once been all wood and brick, like the rest of the house, but the walls and stairs here had been reinforced with titanium at some point in the last thirty years. The lights came on and bathed them all in calming blue light. There were no cobwebs. Auntie Sunset would never tolerate a spider in her domain. Maybe out in the yard, but never down here. Each of their steps landed with a metallic thud that echoed. She kept glancing behind to make sure her foals were okay.

"This is some peeving horsefeathers," Christine mumbled.

"Check your language around your siblings, Christine. Don't be a bad influence," Jordan reprimanded as she reached level ground.

The room was bright with four shiny metal walls. She was told there used to be a door that led into the pantry with a staircase leading up to the kitchen. The pantry and corresponding stairwell still existed, but they no longer connected here. Auntie Sunset wanted as few ways in or out of this place as possible. The room had one round door that resembled some vault door at Fort Knox.

There were also gun turrets at the top of each corner of the room, tracking their movement.

Christine was the first to notice them. "Holy horsefeathers! They have guns pointed at us!"

"They won't fire. We aren't intruders," Jordan said, trying to reassure calmly. She walked towards the vault door. "Stay close to me."

She touched the door, and it lit up.

Biometrics identified, Jordan Streak. Maiden name, Gilmore. No other alias recorded. User accepted. Please perform the assigned spell matrix.

She took a deep breath. "Now, there are four things that can happen here. I don't do any spell, and we can safely walk out of here. I can also do a spell that it has memorized as an emergency alert that is to be used when someone is trying to pressure me to open the door. You don't want to know what happens if I do that. The third option is I do the wrong spell entirely. I can do that twice, and you don't want to know what happens if I get it wrong a third time. Finally, I can give it the right spell, and it opens. You are never to try to open this door or come down here. The system does not recognize you, and it is…it is not safe for you to try to open this door if it doesn't recognize you."

"We get shot?" Christine asked in a small voice.

"If you're lucky," Jordan answered truthfully. "You don't want to know what happens if the guns aren't able to kill you. This is not a game. This is the most dangerous thing I hope any of you will ever encounter. This basement is going to stay locked after today. Please, be quiet for a moment. Mommy needs to make sure she gets this right."

The guns would fire if things went wrong, yes, but the guns were a false defense to mislead intruders into thinking they were what they needed to worry about. The room had a secondary defense, a true defense. The walls would crush them. It wouldn't be some slow advance as they struggled to get out either. It would be sudden and immediate, with them moving at speeds over two hundred miles an hour. Everyone in the room would die before they knew the walls were a threat. The walls would not move until the door was tampered with, but the guns would fire on anyone who tried to disable them and had extra defenses of their own, further enhancing the illusion they were the only real defense. The room would reset to its original position after and incinerate all the evidence. Even the guards wouldn't know what happened since the cameras were set to turn off at the exact same time, and the door would be barred until the clean-up was complete. It was revolutionary engineering execution.

She shivered. Her foals were never coming down here again. She hoped she never had to either, but she knew it was inevitable she would at some point. The only reason she was bringing them down now was to make it clear this place was not safe and to still their curiosity about what lay behind the vault door. Foal curiosity could lead to the worst happening.

The first thing that had to be done was a masking spell to hide her spellwork from others. It wasn't easy, but not too complex for her, especially after all the drills Sunset had put her through. She had to do this, or the room knew something was wrong. Once the mask was in place, she did the password spell. The password spell didn't do anything. It was a stable spell matrix that simply existed for the sake of existing, at least for a few seconds.

Spell accepted

Various things turned on the door, and bars moved before the vault door simply rolled away into a slot in the wall.

"Follow me, and stay close," she instructed. "Walter, wait here."

They walked as a group into the workshop, and her offspring and husband all gasped. So had she, the first time she had seen this place.

Stairs descended into a huge domed room. All the outer walls seemed to be made of bronze, but she doubted that was what they were made of. The entire dome seemed to be made of circular disks, with more on the floor. Each disk was subdivided into panels with a rune and an inlaid crystal. There were columns with arms attached out to globes. Each of the columns was made up of the same panels and the spheres as well. It made it look somewhat like some warped planetarium.

"Welcome to Auntie's Workshop," Jordan said as they gazed at the room.

"It doesn't look like a workshop," Blue Streak said. "I'm not sure what it looks like."

"It is a combination of workshop and library," Jordan informed him. "Every possible spell can be put together here. Every disk moves, and you can stand in a 3-D rendering of any spell. If you know the right passcode spell, you can stand in the center of the room and request the room to display any spell that Auntie ever created or recorded. There is forbidden and dangerous magic recorded here. Things no one should ever know."

"So…it's a computer, for magic?" Christine asked.

Jordan nodded.

Sunset Blessing had poured a lot into creating this place, and in recent years she had managed to make it do something else. It could cast any of those spells that it was made to display. The unicorn in the center just had to provide the power. Some of the spells were impossibly complex, things that no ordinary unicorn could get right or had a high chance of making a mistake with. Here, all the runes were placed perfectly; there was no having to figure it all out and trying to manage the runes. The workshop did that for the caster. Spells that should have been impossible due to complexity were possible here. Here, you could do wonders, just as long as you could figure out the theory of the spell. It was a genius merger of technology and magic, and it was probably one of the most dangerous things anywhere because of the implications and for the spells it knew or could learn. Jordan knew of some of the spells here, ETS, time-travel, more, and she didn't want to even guess what else Sunset had designed and left in this thing's memory.

"Alright, we've all seen it. Now we can leave it buried beneath the house and never speak of it again," Jordan said, turning around. "Don't tell anyone about this place, not friends, not family. Don't speak of it. Our lives depend on it staying secret."

"I can help with that."

Jordan turned and saw an amorphous white blob floating in through the wall.

"Hello, Rebecca. I see all of Auntie's defenses can't keep you out," Jordan said with a smile. "I'm assuming you are offering to help my foals keep it secret with Dreamwarden methods."

The blob gained a face and wavered. "It is tough to keep me out of anything. As for the help, you're right. I normally wouldn't offer this with foals, but this place is a big deal. It is up to them. I can do nothing without their permission." The Marshmallow made a frowny face. "Um, know this isn't a good time, but I need to share a spell from here, which means I need you to pull it up and permit me to share it. You don't want anyone else present to see this spell. It does things that people shouldn't try to do."

Her brow narrowed. "So why am I sharing it then? Who am I sharing it with?"

"Bob," Rebecca answered. "You know, Bob Bob, Bob the unicorn with the extra capital B. Only mage from Earth who is probably smarter at magic than Sunset Blessing."

"I never met him, but I know who he is. Why am I sharing something dangerous from here with him?" Jordan demanded.

The Marshmallow quivered. "It's kinda a very, very important spell. Something the world depends on being cast correctly. He already knows the spell. The spell was shared with him before, but he is convinced there has to be a better way of casting it or that something was wrong with the file he got. He wants to see Sunset's original…um…record of it. I can't convince him that it isn't any different here, and he insists on seeing it. We need his cooperation."

Jordan considered. "Have her send me permission and tell me what I'm releasing. I trust you, but I'm taking my job seriously."

The Marshmallow quivered again. Rebecca seemed very flustered about this. "That will take some time. We don't have a lot of that left. You're in control of the workshop; the decision is yours."

"Are you trying to pressure me? What could be so important that you would pressure me?" Jordan asked in surprise. She didn't wait for an answer; instead, she turned to her husband. Walter had thankfully remained outside. "Take the kids back upstairs; Rebecca and I need to have a talk."

"Mom's an important pony," James said in awe.

"Come on, kids. Let your mother talk to the nice Dreamwarden in private," Blue Streak said as he started herding the kids out. He looked back at her, then lit his horn, taking Caleb from her onto his back. "Are you going to be okay here?"

She nodded. "I'll be fine. Go let the kids pick out their rooms."

He walked over to her and gave her a muzzle and a kiss. "You've got this. I believe in you. You'll do the right thing," he whispered.

She smiled at his reassurance and watched as her kids were shepherded out. When they were all gone, she took another deep breath. This was day one of being the Mistress of Wabash Manor.

Her eyes turned back to her old friend. "Now, spill the beans. What are you asking for, and why is it so important?"

Rebecca shifted back to her pegasus form and landed in front of Jordan. She gave her a sad look.

"It's a spell to try to do the impossible. It will fail, but it will do enough. A lot of unicorns will die casting this thing, but we have to do it," Rebecca said in a whisper.

Jordan stepped back. "What?! Why would I ever allow anyone to have that kind of knowledge? What are they trying to do?"

Rebecca looked her in the eyes. "They will try to bring Jeg'galla'gamp'pi to our solar system–that's a planet, the oldest planet, older than the universe. It is indestructible, and it will resist the spell. It will only partially work, seeming to be in two places at once while the spell is being cast. Unicorns will die trying to force it to do that much."

"That's insane! Why would we do that?" Jordan asked in horror.

Rebecca sighed. "Because it is the only thing that will hold the Devourers' attention enough for them to refocus on it instead of us and give us time to shoot them down. Time is almost up; they will be here in just a few months. If we don't do this, they will reach Earth, and that's the end of us. Sunset Blessing has tried to find a better way that won't lead to us having to sacrifice so many unicorns in the attempt to hold Jeg'galla'gamp'pi here, but we're out of time, and we're out of choices. It's this, or everyone dies. Bob can't believe there isn't a better way, and we need his cooperation. We're giving him what he asks for. Maybe he will find something, but we doubt it. Not after how many years Sunset tried and failed."

Jordan sat down. She couldn't even process this. The literal end of the world was coming, and even if they prevented it, an untold number of unicorns would die casting this thing. Why had she ever agreed to take control of the manor? She could have lived her next few months in blissful ignorance.

"I'll share the spell and pray he finds a better way," Jordan replied, ready to cry.

Chapter 1.33: Adventures are Boring Until They're Not

Two days of walking, more walking, and occasionally sitting down did not agree with Charlotte's feet. They had blistered, and the previous night Cadence finally noticed them when Charlotte took her shoes off. Now the blisters were gone thanks to the alicorn's magic, but her feet still hurt, her legs ached, and she was half-tempted to try to see if she could ride one of the tricycles that they had found in the towns.

She also had two more bracelets and was wearing three on her wrist.

There hadn't been any sign of transformers or care bears. Well, no encounters with them anyway. They had passed through three more towns and found destruction identical to the first town they had visited. The lone transformer part from the first town was the only one they had seen. As for the care bears, they found plenty of toys and other memorabilia, but nothing beyond that.

Now they were back on the road again. So much walking. Adventures were bad for her feet.

It didn't help that the scenery was as uninteresting as could be. This being the third day, her eyes had adjusted to the dimness. Now she had the pleasure of seeing all the nothing around her. Well, not completely nothing–there were rocks, boulders, husks of long-dead trees. Every once and a while, there would be an abandoned motorized tricycle; out of gas. Once, they had come across a pair of dead bodies. One was a child, and it had been gripping a Lots-a-Heart Elephant when it died. No one wanted to spend time examining them.

Was it wrong that she left the scene wanting to ask Empathy if he knew Lots-a-Heart? They were both elephants. She could ask, but beyond some nodding and gestures, she wouldn't be able to understand his answer. He still seemed to understand everything said to him. How did that even work? It would be nice to take the necklace blocking mind magic off so she could understand him. Phobia hadn't given permission yet, and she was currently fast asleep on Andrea's back, so there was no asking her right now.

"This is miserable," Sweetie Belle said, breaking the silence.

"Glad someone else said it," Scootaloo agreed. "We've been on a lot of adventures, but this one has more walking with nothing happening than any of the others."

Cadence, who was leading the way, looked back briefly. "Would you prefer transformers to be shooting at us?"

"Would be a change of pace," Scootaloo grumbled.

Charlotte decided to make conversation. "Hey, Scootaloo, I was wondering, why don't you ever fly? I wish I had wings so I could give my feet a break."

"I can't," Scootaloo answered, fluffing her wings slightly. "My wings are too small, and the mana flows in them are too narrow. I can hover a few feet off the ground for a moment or two, but even that is exhausting."

Charlotte paused. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive."

Scootaloo shrugged. "It's okay. It bothered me when I was a filly, but I'm long since over it. I don't need to be able to fly to be awesome. They aren't a defect; they're just different. They make an excellent engine for carts, my scooter, and boats. I wish we could find a good-sized cart. If we did, I could speed up this trip and give all our legs a rest." She looked up and squinted. "Looks like Sapphire is returning early. She's coming in fast. Maybe she and Bursa found something."

Cadence stopped and followed Scootaloo's gaze. "Bursa isn't with her. They should return together."

"You sure?" Andrea asked. "Bursa kind of blends in with the clouds."

The princess nodded. "I'm sure. I hope this isn't bad news. She's also coming from the wrong direction."

It only took a few more seconds before Sapphire landed in front of them, seeming out of breath.

"We've got Decepticons nearby. They spotted Bursa and me," the blue pegasus announced. " Do you have any idea how fast those guys go? I'm faster, but that was still a workout."

Everyone stiffened and started looking around.

"Where's Bursa? They didn't catch her, did they?" Apple Bloom asked worriedly.

Sapphire shook her head. "No, she went into hiding. She couldn't move fast enough to outrun them. I think she disguised herself as a boulder. That should fool those bots. They didn't seem that bright. I had to fly well out of the way, so I didn't lead them back to you."

"That's not going to fool them for long. They'll be searching the entire area," Luster said as she looked out into the horizon. Sapphire still seemed a little winded but nodded in agreement.

"Wake Josie and Phobia; we need them up and alert, and we need to find somewhere to hide," Cadence instructed in a rush. "Luster and Sweetie, be ready to help fight off an attack but don't light your horns yet. The light could attract them to our position."

Andrea touched her saddlebag. "I don't think my guns will do much against giant robots."

"Change back to a crystal pony as soon as those two are awake. If the transformers have magic, you can give us warning," Cadence instructed. She looked at Sapphire with concern. "Are you going to be able to fight if we need you?"

Sapphire drew herself up and nodded. "I can bring the lightning. The only reason I'm worn out now is because of all this cruddy air. Those pollution clouds still have static, more static than regular clouds. I can get them to strike."

"How close is the closest cover?" Apple Bloom asked.

Sapphire gestured to the side. "About a mile that way, there's an area with a lot of boulders and crevices. We can hide out there."

Charlotte looked out in that direction. A mile was a long way to go with Decepticons on the hunt for them. "Could you teleport us there? Save us the run and the time exposed?"

Cadence frowned as if considering. "It is an option if we get desperate. Teleporting ten individuals at once uses a considerable amount of power and could give away our position if they have any form of magic tracking. I want to hold back on that until we don't have a choice. If I do it, I would likely take us back to the last town we were in. That is farther away, and I have a safe spot for a teleport landing marked out already. That also takes us further away from Bursa, and we still need to figure out how to retrieve our changeling friend."

"We need to hurry with that," Apple Bloom said grimly. "Bursa has got good survival instincts, but she ain't the brightest candle– if y'all know what ah mean. She might well try to imitate one of them there Decepticons and get herself caught when it becomes clear she ain't one of their kin."

"Yeah, they talk to her for about five seconds, and the jig will be up," Scootaloo agreed. "She might imitate how somecreature looks perfectly, but she is a horrible actor, and her bright ideas are laughably bad."

"I could make a fog to help cover us– spread it out over a large area," Sapphire suggested. "I figured out they have to have visual on you. They either don't have radar, or it doesn't work in this atmosphere."

"We can barely see as it is! We'd get lost or trip into one of those crevices you mentioned," Scootaloo fussed.

"And lighting our horns to find the way would make us stand out in the fog. We'd be more exposed, not less," Luster added in.

Sapphire blushed with mild embarrassment. "Sorry, didn't think of that. I usually do this kind of stuff solo or with other pegasi who don't lose their sense of direction in fog. This is new to me. I'll still get you to the right spot."

Andrea had finished waking the two ponies up on her back.

"What's going on?" Josie asked sleepily. "We find something?"

"Decepticons found us, or they will soon," Charlotte answered.

"We're making a run for shelter, then figuring out how to get Bursa from where she's hiding before she does something dumb," Andrea explained.

The two nocturnal ponies jumped down from Andrea's back, and Andrea adjusted her earrings to crystal pony form. Once changed, she adjusted her bags quickly to better sit on her reduced stature.

"Need to get moving quickly," Sapphire stressed. "They move fast. I can outfly them, but none of you can outrun them once they realize I sent them off on a wild goose chase in the wrong direction. The fact they must be overconfident or dumb is the only thing buying us time now."

Everyone started to move at a light run in the assigned direction.

"Are we dealing with jets?" Charlotte asked as she ran, imagining the most common aerial Decepticons from the cartoon.

Sapphire shook her head. "No. They are some weird aerial transports. I don't think these guys are primarily fighters, but they're still speedy and armed. They tried to shoot me down, but they couldn't get a lock on me. I'll give full details when we get to shelter. For now, save your breath and keep running."

It was good advice because even at this pace, Charlotte was quickly running out of breath. Breathing more heavily made her feel ill. She wished she had Sunset's transformation necklace. Running on four legs was so much easier than running on two. This had to be hell for Empathy.

As she glanced to her sides, she had a sudden realization. Where was Empathy?

Stopping in her tracks, she turned around. Empathy was far behind them. His stubby little legs couldn't keep pace with the ponies or her. She was about to go back and get him when Cadence blocked her with a wing. She was about to protest but saw the alicorn light her horn. A second later, the elephant was on Cadence's back, seeming very confused about how he got there.

Then came the laser blast, striking Cadence in the side and sending Empathy skidding across the ground.

"No!" Charlotte shouted.

Two…she wasn't sure what they were. They looked like troop transports from some Star Wars movie came into view. Charlotte didn't pay them much attention. She was focused on seeing if Empathy was alright. Cadence was the one who had gotten shot, but it should take more than one laser blast to kill an alicorn, right? Empathy was the one who might be dead.

"Stop! You need to emergency evac us!" Andrea shouted from somewhere behind her.

"I need to make sure he's okay!" Charlotte screamed back.

"The evac will bring him with us! Do the evac!" Josie yelled.

Charlotte wasn't listening. Her focus was on her friend. She wasn't cut out for this kind of stuff, but Empathy really wasn't. They should have insisted on him staying behind.

"Damn it!" Andrea shouted. "Does anyone else know how to operate her evac? Her brain's gone dead."

"Cadence does!" Apple Bloom answered.

"That isn't helpful right now!" Andrea cried.

Charlotte lifted Empathy from the ground. He was banged up and bleeding from his hard skid across the rocky ground, but he was breathing.

There was a resounding boom of a thunderclap, followed by a succession of others. This was quickly followed by a shield enveloping Charlotte and Empathy, and unicorn blasts and gunshots firing on the vehicles in the air. Several people were shouting, but she couldn't tell what was being said.

"I've got a sound spell up, so our voices carry over this. Don't think we need to worry about being quiet!" Sweetie announced.

"Cadence is just unconscious but isn't hurt too bad!" Scootaloo yelled.

"Ah can carry her!" Apple Bloom cried out.

"This is going to attract a lot of fucking attention! More are probably already coming!" Josie yelled. "We need her to evac, now!"

The bots above suddenly stopped firing and retreated somewhat. The others kept firing on them.

"Get them to cover. I'm not sure how long my magic will work on robots!" Phobia called out.

"I'm shocked it's working at all. Keep it up!" Andrea urged.

Suddenly, the ground started to rumble, and Charlotte temporarily lost her balance. A massive fountain of dirt and rock erupted about a hundred feet away, followed by a giant drill. A vehicle burst up through the ground, a vehicle with an Autobot symbol.

A strange-looking middle-aged woman with purple hair, a much shorter brown furry 'something', and what was obviously an intuit raccoon came out of the vehicle in a rush. The woman looked up at the sky, seemed to take a deep breath, then opened her mouth.

SSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRREEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!

"Oh, Celestia! That hurt!" Scootaloo cried out in pain.

The brown…thing…came over to Charlotte and gave her a shove towards the vehicle. It was bipedal, yellow-eyed, and wearing a cap with goggles. "Get! Get to Excavator! And cover your ears! Shrieky isn't done!" He didn't wait for her to respond as he moved on to the others.

SSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRREEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!

"Ow! That lady has a set of pipes!" Sweetie Belle yelled.

"Get to Excavator!" the brown thing yelled.

"This way!" the purple raccoon called out to them, bouncing up and down.

"Move it! Carry Cadence, Charlotte, and Empathy if you have to. I'm pretty sure these creatures are friendly!" Phobia ordered.

"Friendlier than the things above us," Scootaloo agreed.

SSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRREEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!

Charlotte picked up Empathy and started running for Excavator. She remembered that one. He was the Autobot equivalent of Devastator. Him transforming into a bot to fight would be nice, but him acting as a getaway vehicle was probably more pragmatic at the moment.

SSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRREEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!

CRASH!

They all jumped as one of the Decepticons came down in a heap. It had transformed back into a robot for some reason during the fall, and it now lay burning on the ground. What the hell? Maybe they didn't need Excavator. This lady was taking down Decepticons with her voice! The other took a few more shots, then beat a hasty retreat.

"Move it!" the raccoon yelled. "He's going for help, and they'll come back with fighters! Shrieky can deal with factory bots, but not those!"

It just now occurred to Charlotte that she could understand the raccoon intuit. He had to be using actual language, not the magic Empathy used. She trusted him. As she got closer, she got a better look. It was Brightheart Raccoon. The others weren't far behind her.

"Come on, Beastly, get Shrieky moving!" Brightheart called out.

"I'm trying; she's winded!" the brown thing yelled back as the woman slumped down. "She isn't going to be able to do that again for a few days. This had better have been worth it!"

Charlotte entered Excavator along with the others. It would have been roomy, but there were ten of them and about to add three more. There was a panel with a bunch of indecipherable data on the front along with a screen showing what was in front of them– not that there was much to look at other than the edge of the drill.

Shrieky and Beastly came in, followed quickly by Brightheart. The door closed behind Brightheart, and the drill started spinning as Excavator went forward and then down into the ground.

Everyone was out of breath except for Brightheart, who was looking at them all with fascination. "I don't know who or what you are, but I hope you'll help the resistance."

Chapter 1.34: Golems of the Allspark

They were moving through the soil to who knew where. It was cramped inside the vehicle cabin, and it was uncertain who exactly was in charge of the scouting party with Cadence out of commission at the moment. Most of the scouting party seemed to look at Phobia as the pony to talk to. Formerly being a Dreamwarden still commanded some authority. However, their rescuers weren't directing questions to Phobia; they were looking at Charlotte. Perhaps because she was the only human in the scouting party, and they assumed a human was in charge.

"I don't think I should be answering that," Charlotte answered. She pointed to Phobia. "Ask her."

Brightheart looked at Phobia. "What exactly are you and your friends?"

Phobia seemed a little fidgety. "We're ponies. We come from another universe. We recently had an invasion of care bears and received intelligence about a mage called No Heart and are scouting to determine threat assessment. We were hoping to make contact with possible allies in the Forest of Feelings. I doubt we are headed there, but this still seems fortuitous."

"Why are you speaking English?" Andrea cut in. "I remember Sunset was confused about that at first when we met Empathy; then she figured out Empathy was using mind magic to communicate. Most of us have mind magic blocked, but we still understand you. You have to be really speaking English."

Charlotte hadn't thought of that, at least not that they were speaking English. She had realized they weren't using mind magic. Over the last month, she had switched back and forth between Equestrian and English seamlessly, and the scouting party had been using English because it was the native language for more than half the party, but she had kinda taken it for granted. English was being spoken, but Brightheart, Shrieky, and Beastly spoke with an odd accent, an accent like they had in very old movies. What was it called? Trans-Atlantic?

Shrieky chuckled and looked pointedly at Charlotte. "Because the world started worshipping ones like her, and then everything went wrong. You people sound strange. Are you from the source of all of this, or are you from somewhere else?"

"What do you mean by ones like me?" Charlotte asked in confusion.

Shrieky gestured to her. "Tall, virtually no brow, small chested, thin like a wisp. People that we saw in the pictures and movies that fell from the sky."

Charlotte took note now that Shrieky was considerably shorter than her, purple-haired, had a heavy brow, a higher pitch voice than seemed any normal person would have, and she was very stockily built with what had to be a very wide ribcage. This was what the humans of this world were like. Not exactly like the humans of Earth, but close cousins.

"It seems that there was a pretty significant leak," Phobia said consideringly. "You copied the language you saw in the films?"

"We copied everything we could. Our entire society reformed as a sad imitation of what we saw over about twenty years. It was unbelievable how fast people latched onto copying their gods," Shrieky said flatly. "And the foulness of it all drove my uncle insane. I agreed with him about it ruining the world, but I didn't realize until too late how nuts he really had truly become."

"Your uncle?" Apple Bloom asked.

"You know him these days as No Heart," Shrieky said bitterly.

Well, they definitely found the goldmine with these guys. They now had the intelligence about No Heart they wanted and potential allies. This mission could wrap up quickly and easily…except they still needed to get Bursa back.

"What exactly did he do? Just teamed up with the Decepticons?" Luster asked.

Brightheart shook his head. "No. At first, he just tried to undermine the care bears and us." He gestured at Shrieky and Beastly. "They were helping him at the time. His idea was that the care bears were the only ones keeping the people from descending into pure chaos by keeping people decent."

"And after it fell into chaos, society would eventually revert back to how it had been, and they would see your culture as the filth it was," Shrieky said with her teeth bared.

"But we kept failing, and he got crazier and crazier," Beastly said in a whisper. "He started thinking that the humans had to go. Shrieky and I didn't know that he was thinking that yet. We wanted a reset to the way things were, not this."

"He retreated to his sanctuary, and for a while, we thought he had given up," Brightheart continued. "But then he was approached by Megatron. Megatron told him that the Decepticons could destroy the humans, but they had to get the bears out of the way. The care bear stare could convert a Decepticon to an Autobot."

"But an inverted stare could do the opposite," Shrieky said grimly. "And they had a method of converting the care bears to their side. Combining my uncle's magic with the Allspark."

"I don't understand. How does the Allspark impact care bears?" Charlotte asked in confusion.

Brightheart looked at her and blinked. "You know about the Allspark?"

Charlotte rubbed her head. "I know someone who is kinda obsessed with transformer life, and she told me all kinds of things. I didn't know transformers, care bears, or the Allspark were real until recently."

Brightheart nodded. "We'll want to meet her, but to answer your question, the Allspark's primary function is interaction and creation of artificial life."

"Which includes these fuzzballs, who are extra sensitive to it," Shrieky said, waving a hand at Brightheart. "Uncle No Heart could never gain as much control over it as he wanted, but he could do more than the Decepticons could. It has a radius of effect and has to keep the bears within its radius to maintain hold. They go away for too long, and it starts slipping. He got all the care bears in Care-A-Lot all at once and used it on them."

"What about the rest of the intuits at the Forest of Feelings?" Josie asked.

Shrieky sniffed with disdain. "The rest of the intuits are technically substandard—the prototypes for the improved bears. The call isn't as powerful as the stare and doesn't have the same effect on the bots. Plus, I'm not sure he could even get the Allspark to work on them without a lot of work because he has it tuned specifically to the bears, and they have a different wavelength than the other intuits. The Allspark is resistant to having its spells messed with, and it is easy to lose control of it. He could lose his hold on the stronger intuits trying to get the weaker ones if he attempted it. The Forest of Feelings intuits provide no benefit for him taking over, are a risk to do so, and no threat to him. He, therefore, isn't going to even try."

"And I think he liked having the opportunity to kick them around, and that's no fun if he's controlling them," Beastly snickered. Brightheart glared at him, and Beastly lost his mirth. "Sorry, but it's true. Hey, he used to kick me around all the time. I think that was the only reason he kept me around."

"So what you're saying is, the Autobots can't attack Care-A-Lot because the care bears will just zap them and convert them into Decepticons?" Andrea asked.

"Yep," Shrieky said. "He won't leave it either. He stays near the Allspark all the time and is paranoid about losing control."

"And any intuits that try to sneak in to try to steal the Allspark; he tosses over the side of Care-A-Lot. Wasteful when you think about it," Brightheart mused.

"He's cuckoo. What do you expect?" Beastly muttered.

Luster shook her head. "I don't understand this. What does being an Autobot or Decepticon matter? Regardless of their insignia, I don't see where it should make a difference."

"They're golems," Shrieky stressed. "They have free will only as far as their primary purpose allows. These intuits practically fall over themselves trying to help me with my feelings even though I'm unpleasant to be around, rude to them, and constantly rejecting their help. Do you know why? Because I'm a human, and until now, their choices in humans to help were my uncle and me. Some of them, like Brightheart here, have rationalized that they need to help the enslaved humans, but that's still technically doing what he was made to do. I'm sure that elephant has practically stayed glued to that girl's side. He can't help himself. He needs to serve her."

"And Autobots and Decepticons each have their overriding directives," Brightheart said gently. "They've been around much longer than the rest of us, tens of millions of years, and their directives have gotten a little…glitchy…in all that time."

"They both started out doing their thing in peace, but their directives put them into unintentional conflict. They fought each other for so long now that defeating the other is practically a directive," Shrieky explained.

Brightheart looked at the screen. "Anything to add, big guy?"

"Autobots protect life forms so they may survive The Final Conflict. Decepticons harvest and store Energon for The Final Conflict. The greatest source of Energon now comes from life forms that Autobots must protect instead of raw Energon from breach events like when we were made. Our directives are not compatible. Even if the converted bot initially tried to resist turning on us, they would eventually," Excavator answered. The Equestrians all jumped at the voice. Maybe it hadn't registered to them that they were riding inside an Autobot.

Luster's eyes went wide. "Breach events…that would be the leaks. Energon is thaumic energy! It's magic, but what's The Final Conflict?"

"We do not know. Our creator did not give us that information, and he is long since gone," Excavator answered. "Decepticons believe it to be their ultimate domination of the universe and transcendence, but this is not part of the directives; it is what they rationalize."

"How long ago did your creator make you? How long have you guys been doing this?" Scootaloo asked.

"Sixty-five million years ago, during the infancy of the universe. However, our directives only came into conflict around two million years ago," Excavator answered.

"Two million years ago was around the beginning of the age of Luna's Dreamwarden forebear. The rise of magical civilization," Luster mused. "Our universes were also born around the same time."

"Not our universe, it is billions of years old, and there wasn't any civilization or magic on Earth two million years ago," Andrea said.

"There was an advanced civilization elsewhere in our universe at that time, but it fell to the Devourers soon after, another failure. They never last long once they go magical," Phobia lamented.

Andrea looked at Empathy. "Why didn't you know about any of this? You could have at least told us transformers were a real thing."

Empathy made a series of distressed sounds.

"He says he didn't know," Phobia translated.

"Of course he didn't know. Most of the intuits don't leave the Forest of Feelings, lot of cowards," Shrieky scoffed. "Ones like Brightheart here are the exception."

Charlotte bit her lip. She had a question she was terrified of getting an answer to, but she would drive herself nuts if she didn't ask.

"This is off subject, but you said No Heart loses control over the bears if they are away from Care-A-Lot too long, right?" she asked timidly.

The trio nodded to her.

Just come out and ask it, she mentally scolded herself.

"How long does it take?" she asked in a rush.

Brightheart seemed to consider it. "We know it weakens after a few days. He never lets them be gone more than two. My best estimate is a month or so."

She vomited right then and there. Some of it splashed in Empathy, but he seemed more concerned about her than the mess on him. She coughed a few times, then spit out some more bile. That seemed like all of it. She still felt like puking up some more.

"She's sick! We can't bring her back with us. She'll spread her alien sickness to everyone!" Shrieky shrieked.

"She's not sick," Phobia said glumly.

Shrieky pointed at the vomit. "That looks sick to me."

Andrea shook her head and looked ill
as well. "No, she just realized her other self fucked up royally. The same person who taught us about transformers had an opportunity to capture a lot of bears and hold them. No Heart would have lost his hold, but instead, they murdered every one of them. They didn't even have a fighting chance."

Brightheart gaped. "How many?"

"Fifteen," Charlotte whispered.

Shrieky balled her hands into fists. "We could have made significant advances against the Decepticons with that many on our side!"

"Plus, I hate to admit it, but we probably need those bears to help get the humans back on track once they are free," Beastly grumbled.

"Sunset-Take-No-Prisoners-Blessing strikes again, screwing things over," Josie muttered.

"What did you mean by other self?" Brightheart asked. "That is a strange term. I want to know more about this person that easily defeated fifteen bears. It seems like someone who could at least put up a fight against Decepticons."

"It's complicated," Charlotte replied, shaking her head. "It involves time travel and alternate timelines. Sunset is older than me, and a pony, but she and I were the same person up until age six."

"Other universes are weird," Beastly mused.

"You don't want her here," Josie growled. "The reason she was left behind was there was a good chance she'd end up committing complete genocide against the bears. The last few years, it seems like killing has been her only answer to dealing with hostility."

"Arriving at Alpha Base in ten seconds," Excavator announced.

"Time for you guys to meet Optimus Prime," Brightheart said. "Maybe he can help figure out how to utilize you."

Chapter 1.35: Arrival at Alpha Base

Excavator stopped, and the hatch opened for them all to exit. "Welcome to Alpha Base. Please be mindful not to step on the intuits."

"None of them are as big as a bot, so that shouldn't be an issue," Shrieky said tiredly as she exited.

"And if they step on one, it won't be the worst thing. It isn't like it will kill them," Beastly chuckled. Andrea frowned. Those two could be renamed Mean and Nasty. They were clearly here because the enemy of my enemy is my friend. She wondered how tense this alliance between them and the others had been to this point. Still, the pair had saved the scout team, so she couldn't complain too much about their behavior.

"This is great, and all, but has everyone forgotten we have a teammate who is stranded and stupid?" Sapphire said as they started heading for the hatch. "I thought we were going to try to save her before she does something dumb trying to save herself."

Apple Bloom lifted Cadence onto her back. "We need to get her in a bed first. She heals fast, but ah'm not sure how long she'll be snoozin'."

"You ponies are very durable if you can take a direct laser blast like that," Excavator observed.

Phobia looked timidly at the hatch. "Most of us can't. Alicorns are more resistant to injury than any but the most robust earth ponies."

Scootaloo paused and looked at Phobia. "Why are you hesitating about going outside?"

Josie chuckled. "She's probably afraid of getting stepped on. Plus, there are a lot of unfamiliar males out there."

"Why should there being unfamiliar guys be an issue?" Scootaloo asked in confusion.

Josie gestured at the team with a wing. "Didn't you notice the only guy on this team doesn't even completely count as a guy, or that all Phobia's bodyguards had been female? Phobia has a phobia about unfamiliar men, and the princesses kept that in mind when making the team."

Scootaloo gaped at Phobia. "You're kidding. That's crazy!"

"I had assumed you were a matriarchy. I hope I have caused you no distress," Excavator said. "Technically, there are no biological males on base. I hope this eases your mind."

"Thank you, but I was mainly worried about being stepped on," Phobia replied. She then gave Josie a dirty look. "And my anxiety is not so bad that I can't interact with unfamiliar males. I have meetings with them all the time and cultivate friendships and working relationships with them. You make me out as a male hater."

"How many phobias do you have, Phobia?" Charlotte asked.

"More than I care to speak of, each with varying severity," Phobia answered. She then gave her wings a small flap and marched out the hatch.

"She was the only real option we had for checking out the status of Dreamwardens here and checking us for mind magic," Sweetie Belle informed them as they watched Phobia march. "She might be a little neurotic, but she isn't that bad for company."

"Wish Luna had come along instead, but she wasn't expendable," Josie muttered. "Still, you're right; Phobia isn't too bad to be around. She normally keeps a level head, even when she's scared. Just roll your eyes at the fifty-dozen things the Queen of Nightmares fears. Kind of funny how everyone walked in fear of her, but she's the one that is scared of everything."

"Think there's some lesson in there," Scootaloo said as she headed towards the hatch.

"Let's just hurry up so we can get to saving the bug-brain before she does something bug-brained. We have found allies, information, and a safe place to stay. Bursa needs to be the priority now," Sapphire said with a huff. "She might be a pain in the flank, but she can't help what was done to her. That's my flying buddy. I'd miss her if something happened to her."

"We'll get her back, don't worry," Sweetie Belle assured her, then left as well. Sapphire followed behind.

As everyone else left, Andrea noticed Charlotte and Empath lagging behind. She walked over to her sister. "You okay? I know you were shaken up by what Sunset did. She didn't know."

Charlotte wouldn't look at her. "How do you know she didn't know? She lies. She lies all the time. She could have been lying to justify what she did."

Andrea put a hoof on her. "You have more insight into her than just about anyone. Do you think she lied?"

"I don't know," Charlotte whispered. Empathy hugged her. Charlotte looked at him. "You know, you have Shrieky here that you can try to take care of."

Empathy released his hug and made a bunch of sounds that were clearly an objection by the tone. He then hugged Charlotte again.

Andrea chuckled. "He might have some programming making him serve humans, but he chose you. He could have followed Mom or Dad or a guard back home, but he has made his choice. Heck, he followed you around even when you were a pony, and he showed he cared about Amicus, and she isn't even human. He isn't just some robot slave to his purpose, no matter what Shrieky makes the intuits out to be. Don't let that high-pitched bitch get into your head."

Charlotte wrapped an arm around Andrea and pulled her into a hug, nuzzling her ears as she did so. "Thanks, Andrea. You've been good to me lately."

"You're my sister. We can argue and fuss, but I've always got your back," Andrea assured her. Why did her ears getting nuzzled feel so good when she was in pony form? She needed to get out of this form asap.

Charlotte released her, and Empathy released Charlotte as Charlotte stood up. Andrea took a moment to feel around for magic to see how far their party had gone. Her eyes widened when she realized more magic was around them than anticipated. It was hard to make out any individual sources, partly because Excavator had magic flowing through him, and he was literally all around her at the moment. She guessed it took a lot of Energon to power the big guy. The only party member, other than Charlotte and Empathy, that she could lock on to with certainty was Cadence because she was such a vast well, but even Sapphire and Josie were hard to make out in this mess. Maybe if she was better trained at using her crystal pony powers, she could do better, but as it stood, she was in a world of static–yet another reason to get out of this form, other than she was mildly worried about being stepped on.

They stepped out of the hatch and into the artificial light of Alpha Base. Andrea couldn't tell if they were in a cave or a place hollowed out underground, but it was definitely encased in rock, if only because bits of stone peaked through cracks in the metal ceiling and walls. If she had to guess, she would say sandstone, but she was no geologist. There were electronic gadgets and stations all around, all far more advanced than what she had seen in the ruined towns. There didn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to how they were arranged, but, then again, she didn't know what the vast majority of them were even for. There were some tents off in a corner, small ones made of canvas. A couple of the tents had flower pots outside them with rather sick-looking flowers, but they represented the Garden of Eden compared to what was on the surface.

There were also about thirty or forty Autobots and at least a dozen intuits. The intuits seemed to have been welcoming all the scouting party, but now, they were all staring in Andrea's direction. No…they were staring at Charlotte, and there was hope and need in their eyes. All but one, who was entirely focused on Empathy.

The purple hippo cried out and ran past Andrea, grabbing Empathy, lifting him, and grabbing him into the most crushing hippo hug the intuit could muster as she cried tears of joy. Empathy seemed thrilled as well, although he might not have been breathing at that moment.

Andrea chuckled. "Guess we found Heavyheart."

Heavyheart released Empathy, and her eyes narrowed at him. He took a few steps back, and Heavyheart advanced to match them. Then came a string of frustrated and angry sounds from the hippo that steadily increased in intensity with her jabbing a chubby finger into his belly badge repeatedly. For his part, Empathy tried to reply, but each time his mouth opened, he got jabbed again, and Heavyheart got louder.

"And it looks like she is pissed at him," Andrea added. "I guess that makes sense. She's probably been worried sick. Maybe she thought he died or something."

"It has been over a month," Charlotte observed. "Hey, hippo! I don't know if you can understand me, but it wasn't Empathy's fault. It was mine."

Heavyheart stopped her tirade against Empathy and seemed to take notice of Charlotte for the first time. She blinked a few times, hesitated a moment, and then drew herself up and advanced on Charlotte, chattering so angrily she was practically spitting out each nonsense syllable. Serving humans apparently didn't stop her from going into a rage against whoever she felt was responsible for Empathy going missing.

Despite the massive height difference, Charlotte fearfully backed away from the pint-sized purple hippo. Andrea wasn't sure if the hippo could do much other than hiss and spit, but she wasn't letting anyone intimidate her little sister.

She stepped between Heavyheart and Charlotte. "You can back away from my sister, or I'll-"

Her sentence was cut off by a pudgy purple fist slamming into her nose. She stumbled and nearly fell over from the pain. It wasn't that the blow was that hard, no harder than what Charlotte could have managed, but it hit her in one of her most sensitive areas, and it didn't take much to stagger a pony when struck in that area. Sunset once commented about how significant a biological flaw it was to have such a strong nerve center be one of the most easily attacked. Andrea agreed with her at the moment. She imagined this was what men felt like when they got kicked in the balls.

"That's enough, Heavyheart!" Brightheart yelled sternly. "I'm still unsure how he ended up with them, but Empathy has been returned to us. You should be thanking these people for keeping him safe. Give her and Empathy a chance to explain what happened. This lady isn't your enemy; she's a blessing."

Not the best word to call Charlotte, but at least he's on our side, Andrea thought to herself as the pain slowly started to subside. Her vision was still a little blurry, and she desperately craved to bury her nose in a very soft pillow.

Empathy was the one to jump at the chance. He began excitedly speaking in his normal nonsense sounds that didn't reflect actual language. All the intuits and Autobots must have understood what he was saying because they all gathered around and listened in fascination. From another room, the unmistakable figure of Optimus Prime, looking exactly like his appearance in the original cartoon, came and stood in the doorway, but didn't interrupt, only listened.

The elephant was not telling the short version of things. He kept going on and on. His tone changed from time to time, sometimes getting more excited, sometimes fearful. The audience would, at times, gasp with either fear or wonder. At times, Phobia, the only member of their party who had a clue what he was saying, would cut in and give a minor correction about what something was. Those squiggly lines were writing. Equestria and Earth were in two different universes. No, Earth was not ruled by alicorns; that was Equestria. However, she only gave her correction and then let him continue again. Andrea only could guess where he was in his story by Phobia's modifications and the reaction of the audience. She knew, for instance, that he was telling about the deaths of her sister and Méng when his tone went sorrowful, and the audience let off gasps of dismay and gave her and Charlotte sympathetic looks. This was one of the reasons they brought him, to help with the first contact. He was doing his job. Even Shrieky and Beastly sat quietly listening to what he had to say. Empathy was the elephant of the hour.

He went on and on for at least twenty minutes. It was surprising he didn't run out of breath. Maybe he had a lot of pent-up talking to do since he had been forced into silence for most of this trip. During that time, Cadence stirred and awoke, and the CMC and Luster quietly explained what was happening to her. A white and red Autobot joined them and, from what Andrea could tell, began giving the princess a medical examination. Andrea knew he was coming to the end of his tale when he started gesturing at Shrieky, Beastly, Brightheart, and Excavator– who still hadn't changed back from his vehicle form and took up a considerable amount of the space behind them, making all the other Autobots look puny by comparison, despite them all standing anywhere from six to twenty feet tall, depending on the bot.

When Empathy finally finished, Optimus Prime spoke first, drawing everyone's attention to him. "That is quite the story, my diminutive friend. Your adventure into Care-A-Lot took a very unexpected turn. I can't say your original intentions were well thought out, but it seems you conducted yourself with the full dignity of your race while you were away. You have also brought us potential allies in the fight to free this world from No Heart and Megatron. Perhaps they will be enough to give us real hope that it can be done finally. You may have turned the tide in our favor, and you did it by being no more than yourself. Heavyheart, you should be proud of what your intended has accomplished."

Prime turned his attention to Cadence. "You must be Princess Cadence, the leader of this scouting party. I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots and the Resistance; I understand you were injured in a sneak attack by Decepticons. I do not wish to overexert you so soon after being injured, but once Ratchet has given you the all-clear, and you have all had a chance to eat and rest, we need to have a long talk."

Cadence weakly smiled at him. "Yes, I need to get my bearings and some food. We are grateful for your rescue and your hospitality. I cannot make any final decisions about any treaties we may sign, but I am on the council that will have to approve them. Note that we are only a scouting party. While a few of our members have fighting capabilities, we weren't sent here to fight. We are also eager to find our missing teammate and want that to happen before any serious negotiations begin."

"We need to find her soon. Bursa makes Empathy look like a genius and is bound to do somethin' dumb," Apple Bloom stressed. She gave Empathy a sheepish smile. "Uh…no offense."

Empathy shrugged as if accepting the fact he wasn't very bright. He most likely was. Andrea had heard him make declarations to that extent before. She couldn't think of him as 'the elephant' anymore because he wasn't the only elephant here. Standing close to Brightheart was none other than Lotsa Heart elephant. Lotsa Heart was holding hands with the raccoon in a way that made Andrea wonder if the two were a couple. She knew they were both intuits, and that was their species, but an elephant and a raccoon made for an odd couple.

Prime turned his attention to Phobia. "Our mutual friend described that your team, aside from you, were wearing jewelry to block mind magic. I understand your desire for precaution and applaud it, but I can assure you that you are under no threat. If such a threat were possible, our entire resistance would have crumbled by now and serve No Heart. I know you wish for more details on how the humans fell, and I shall provide you with that information, but I promise that mind magic had nothing to do with it. Most intuits from the Forest of Feelings are completely ignorant of the details and only learn them when they come here– if we find them in time after they reach the surface. Heavyheart is our most recent recruit from less than two weeks ago. We found her searching for Empathy. We patrol periodically near the Forest of Feelings to see if anyone has made it down to the surface. It is one of the few places we visit often. We have to normally keep patrols erratic to avoid developing a predictable pattern that can be used against us, but we can't abandon the intuits. Sometimes we are unlucky, and they are already dead by the time our patrol comes by, but we were lucky this time. We were also lucky we had a patrol close enough to your scouting team's area that it noticed your blue pegasus friend getting chased. I will immediately begin planning with Brightheart, my second-in-command, how to rescue your other friend."

"There is one other matter we need to address," Phobia replied. "Charlotte's bracelets."

"I am as at a loss as your team to what they mean or where they come from," Optimus Prime answered. He looked at Brightheart. "Are you aware of anything that could cause the appearance of these bracelets or her sleeping issues?"

Brightheart shook his head. "Not a clue. Shrieky, you know more about magic than the rest of us. Do you have any idea?"

"No," Shrieky replied flatly. "And it isn't uncle's style to give frilly pink bracelets out. Especially made of a substance he would deem unnatural. Never heard of him doing any magic involving dreams or anything like that either."

Phobia nodded. "It seems that there is something else at work then. I have suspicions about who the culprit is but cannot say. I am now inclined to believe they are not harmful, beyond the potential dangers of her not waking at the appropriate times may bring while on a hostile world. Very well, the party may remove their protections against mind magic."

"Thank goodness," Charlotte said as she removed the offensive jewelry.

"Do not lose them," Phobia cautioned. "I could partially use my powers to defend us because you were wearing those. If you hadn't been, you would have been caught up in what I did as well. If I need to do so again, you should have them at the ready."

Andrea removed hers just in time to hear Empathy reply. "It was bad."

"I felt it as well," Shrieky said grimly. "I don't know what it would have been like if we had to stay there longer."

"Made my fur itch," Beastly said in a low voice.

"It was…unpleasant," Excavator said from behind them. "It could be used as a powerful non-lethal weapon against the care bears and Decepticons."

"No," Phobia said firmly. "It is only to be used in defense in dire need. I know it isn't as powerful as what some others can do, but there are rules that I must follow." She eyed Josie. "I cannot approve of or give my consent to your use of powers you would be banned from utilizing on Earth, but I do want to state that I am in no position of authority to stop or punish you."

Josie glared at Phobia. "You tell me this now after all the times it could have been helpful?!"

"You were unable to utilize your abilities until now due to the mind magic block, and again, I am not condoning or giving any such permission," Phobia replied.

Andrea gave them both a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

Josie walked away in a huff. "I need somewhere private and quiet. I'm going to find Bursa."

"Really, what're you two talking about? Why is Josie going off on her own to find Bursa?" Andrea asked, even more confused.

"Yeah, we're supposed ta stick together," Apple Bloom confirmed.

"If she is indeed going to go violate a rule that I am unable to enforce, she isn't going anywhere, at least not physically," Phobia answered. "Who do you think taught The Marshmallow to do what she does?"

Andrea gaped. "Wait…Josie can do that too?!"

"Other than The Marshmallow, who has the advantage of being a Dreamwarden augmenting the ability, Josie is the best there is at it," Phobia confirmed.

"What are you talking about?" Brightheart asked.

"Josie is going to travel around without a physical body and find Bursa," Andrea answered. "Um…you might want to give her a map of where we are compared to where we were so she doesn't have to wander aimlessly."

"Sapphire should help look over any map to better give Bursa's last position," Cadence said. "This doesn't rescue her. It is a method of confirming she is alright, her current position, and opening a line of communication with her. We still need to figure out how to extract her, but knowing more about her current situation and being able to contact her would aid us greatly."

"What's to stop her from being spotted?" Beastly asked.

"She can turn invisible and soundless, and there is no physical form, so there is nothing to hit. She can't touch anything herself, but she can gather intelligence and speak to Bursa," Cadence answered.

Shrieky frowned. "What's her range?"

"I'm not sure. A few hundred miles," Cadence replied.

Shrieky smiled. "Then I can think of a perfect way to utilize her. For the first time, we can get eyes directly into Care-A-Lot."

Chapter 1.36: Finding Bursa

"So, are you going to dance?" Sapphire asked.

Josie opened one eye and looked at her. "Why would I dance?"

"I heard that The Marshmallow dances when using her powers. I thought it was part of the process," Sapphire answered, sounding completely sincere.

"Rebecca recently had a press conference and, confusing everyone, even the other Dreamwardens, played the kazoo for thirty minutes straight before leaving the baffled press without a word said– they're still trying to dig hidden meanings out of her song selection. She wanders around in her projected form as a white blob with an emote for a face. She has somehow convinced thirteen countries to ban skim milk because she said it was an affront to public decency. She also insists she has stripes and spots, and she can't knowingly lie, so she really believes that. If she ever offers you a cookie, politely refuse. You don't want to know where she hides the cookies she always carries around. Rebecca is a strange pony, and she does strange things. She's not crazy, but trying to figure her out could drive you crazy."

"So…I'm not going to get to see you dance?" Sapphire concluded.

"No, you aren't," Josie said flatly. "Now, be quiet. I need peace and tranquility. It would probably be best if you just left and kept everyone away from me until I was done."

The blue pegasus smiled. "You know I was just teasing, right? I have a friend who does the projection thing, too, even if he doesn't have much range with it. I know dancing isn't required."

"Good for your friend. Now, please leave me in peace," Josie growled.

Sapphire seemed a little put out about it. "Alright. You understand where I told you she was, right?"

"I understand how to read a map, yes," Josie replied. "I know you are anxious to have the first word of it when I find her. Your loyalty to your friend, even if she is a new friend, is commendable, but I need you to be patient and leave me be."

"Try to be quick. I feel like we've left her alone for too long already," Sapphire said, but she did step out of the tent. Josie heard her ordering back some intuits who had gathered near the tent to watch the weird alien pony do strange alien magic.

Josie sighed and refocused on her peace. She let memories drift over her.

She remembers screaming in terror at night as a child and her parents rushing in to comfort her. They would check under the hed, in the closet, behind the curtain, and behind the door, but there was no monster. They spent upwards of an hour each time comforting her and calming her so she could sleep. She saw psychologists for this– night terrors are what they said it was.

Josie had heard the story from Charlotte about the monster pony outside Charlotte's window when she was a kid. She had chosen not to share her own tale. Her parents would always spend so much time comforting her, but whenever they left, pulling the door partly shut behind them, that same red-headed girl was there again, waiting, even if she hadn't been there when her parents checked, and the terror would begin once more. It would be years later that she would have it finally confirmed to her that the monster in her room had been real.

Not the best memory to think of to bring her peace. No thinking of things from her youth, whether it be Sunset Shimmer, Sha'am Maut, or whatever else, it was all bad. She focused on something else, something happier.

"I don't know if I will ever get this right," a young Rebecca whined as she failed in another drill Josie had been putting her through. The blonde white pegasus filly, not yet chubby, collapsed on the floor and sulked.

Josie considered the filly. The Dreamwardens had begged her to instruct Rebecca about projecting after the filly had a fright, thinking she died and became a ghost, when Rebecca suddenly displayed projection power with no control on her most recent birthday, days after receiving her cutie mark. The ability was exceedingly rare, manifesting only in a blip of a decimal percentage among Josie's only tribe, so small that everyone who could do it could be counted on a human's fingers. None of the others, aside from Josie, were ever strong enough to make any actual use of it and never like what Rebecca was doing. None of the Dreamwardens even had the ability. Now, this pegasus suddenly showed she could do it and might be the strongest at it other than Josie herself. Rebecca was a kid struggling to understand powers that seemingly no one understood or had seen before. Josie was the only pony qualified to help her.

She thought about what to do. They had gone through half-a-dozen sessions, and Rebecca still showed zero ability to control when she would project herself. Questions about what she had been doing when she had accidentally done so in Josie's absence hadn't yielded many results either.

"You're right; this isn't working," Josie said at last.

Rebecca started to cry.

"But maybe it's because I'm trying to make you find peace my way," Josie continued with a smile. "You aren't me. You are a special little filly who goes to the beat of a different drum. Tell me, what makes you able to zone the world out and let your mind drift?"

Rebecca sat up and sniffled. "I don't know…music, dancing, drawing, that kind of stuff."

Josie nodded. "So, go ahead and put on some music and focus on that instead."

The filly got up and walked over to her computer before hitting a few keys. A moment later, Mr. Tambourine Man started to play.

"That's an old one," Josie observed as the filly returned.

Rebecca gave a little flap of wings. "When I lived in a car with my mom a few years ago, there was an oldie station, and we listened to it all the time. Older music is just comforting now, you know?"

Josie blinked. "You were homeless?"

"For a little while, a few years when I was little. It was just Mom and me. She went to work as a dancer to earn money, and I stayed in the car or went to school. Sometimes we could afford a hotel room, but I liked the car better– the hotel rooms smelled bad, and people were always yelling and fighting nearby. It wasn't so bad overall, although Mom never let me see her dance," Rebecca answered.

She wanted to say some comforting words about that, but the filly didn't seem so shaken by her past. She could only imagine what kind of dancing her mother did to earn money if they were that bad off, but she wasn't going to dig into it and dispel the filly's fantasies. This bit of doldrums aside, Rebecca seemed to be a happy kid overall and well taken care of. There was no reason to make her feel bad about the past if she didn't.

Josie took an unnecessary breath. "Well, I'm thrilled to see that you aren't homeless anymore. Focus on your music, and let's see if that helps."

Rebecca nodded and started swaying with the words of Bob Dylan. Her swaying turned into a little clumsy dance. Josie would have laughed at how bad it was, but the filly seemed to be enjoying herself, and that was what dancing was supposed to be for. She couldn't imagine being able to project while doing that, but that was her. This wasn't about doing things her way; it was finding Rebecca's way.

A moment later, Rebecca proved conclusively that she was cut from a different cloth than Josie, as her projected form appeared next to her dancing body. It took the filly several seconds to fully register that she was floating in the air, and her body passed partially through her for an instant before retreating away. She would need to ensure she had a clear area in the future to prevent any accidents with the dancing body that didn't have a mind to notice its surroundings.

"I did it!" Rebecca's projection shouted with joy, and the filly cartwheeled in the air as Josie kept her own projection motionless.

"Yeah, you did. Good job, kid," Josie congratulated the filly as Bob Dylan's song continued to talk about dreaming and evening's empire, unknowing that she may have just set the path for that happy little filly to someday command authority as a Dreamwarden, but that was for another day. That day, it was about celebrating helping another kid with their troubles, and seeing the smile on their face.

Josie stared at herself, free of her physical body. She took one last look at the unfurled map beside her body and made sure she had committed all crucial details to memory. She turned invisible and went straight up, out of the tent, and into the ceiling of the base. There were a few slightly disorienting seconds where she couldn't see anything while encased in rock, but she was moving at incredible speed, and it didn't take long to break the surface.

The base was below a string of tall rocky hills, perhaps the remnants of some long worn-away mountain chain or the infancy of one. There were rocks, boulders, and desecrated tree stumps everywhere. She knew she was on the east side of the range thanks to the map, and Bursa's last location was roughly thirty miles east to northeast. There was also a Decepticon Energon processing plant nearby Bursa that should stand out. Sapphire and Bursa had spotted it right before they had been spotted. Although it hadn't been confirmed to her, she suspected that scouting that plant was why their rescuers had been in the area.

Time to move. With speeds that would have made Rainbow Dash die of envy, she zoomed formlessly in the appropriate direction. It could be easy to miss her target, all she would need to be is a slight degree of in her heading, and she could end up miles away from it, but she was an old pro at moving in this manner, and although she wasn't the best at perfectly judging her direction, she had gotten excellent at judging distance traveled. The Dreamwardens hadn't banned her from using this ability back home. Her ban was on communicating to others anything she learned about anyone else without that person's permission while projecting or anything that could be used against others, even villains, while projecting– a rule she was now blatantly going to break, but the only Dreamwarden on this world was a primordial that held to no rules and didn't give a damn as long as you didn't annoy it.

Back home, Rebecca had told her horror stories about primordials. If a primordial noticed you, four things could happen. First, it observes and does nothing– that was ideal. Second, it could kill you. There would be no fight or warning; you'd just be dead as soon as it decided to snuff you out. Three, it could choose to kill every dreamer because you annoyed it, and this happened far more often than was comfortable to think about, even though the primordial would kill itself in the process. This again would occur in an instant without warning. Primordials were beings of the most basic of self-aware thought and emotion that form from the collective mass of magical dreams like single cells massing and fusing to form multicellular life and then given godlike power over their cells. It was foolish to expect reason or logic from them. Finally, it could be tired and amenable to passing its mantle so it could lock itself in eternal dream. If that happened, congratulations, you're the new Dreamwarden with all the power and responsibility that entailed.

Don't think about that thing. It will sense it, and you'll attract its attention, and that's the last thing you want, she scolded herself and then forced herself not to have a follow-up thought about it out of fear of the primordial.

It took her less than a minute to travel the thirty miles she needed. However, she must have been slightly off in her heading. She knew she had gone in the general right direction, but it was like trying to fly to a city in the Midwest or Canada. If your heading is off by a small degree, you end up in the wilderness. Luckily, she could move fast enough to scout miles around her till she figured out where to go. She had to be within a few miles of where she needed to be. Worst case scenario, she could find the road again and get her bearings from there.

It didn't take her long while crisscrossing the area to find the factory. It was an enormous domed building, about four stories high, with neon lights and smokestacks pumping vast amounts of smog into the air. There were at least a dozen vehicles on patrol around it. They looked like World War 2 aircraft but moved much faster and had far too much maneuverability to be the types of planes employed back then. There was also a bot that looked exactly like an oversized panzer tank near the large sealed entrance. Her best guess was they were imitating the forms of what they had seen in those movies Shrieky mentioned. They were almost certainly better armed than the things they depicted, especially given how the planes were moving. It was odd that the transports had looked space age while these looked so antiquated. Perhaps the transport bots didn't need to imitate anything, but why did the fighters feel the need to? There had to be some psychology to it, but it was beyond her understanding.

These probably weren't here earlier. Otherwise, they would have been the ones giving chase. The one that got away must have alerted them that the factory had been scouted. There were no signs of the transports. They must be on lockdown until they were sure it was safe.

Bursa was nearby, according to the map. She should be in sight of the factory, and if she used her head, she was still disguised as a boulder. The problem was that Josie had to figure out what boulder, and she had to do it while invisible, which would make it hard for Bursa to notice her. She could search around calling out to Bursa, but she didn't know how well the Decepticons could hear, so that could be a bad idea. However, it seemed the only way. She'd keep it to a loud whisper and keep an eye towards the skies. She was in no danger, but she didn't want them carpet bombing the area she was searching and killing Bursa.

The rocky area was just west of the factory. She began her search, moving much more slowly than before.

"Bursa!" she called out as loudly as she dared. "Bursa, where are you?"

She didn't expect an immediate response, but she kept searching. Bursa had to be in sight of the factory.

"Bursa, if you hear me, just call out. Don't undisguise. I can find you!" she called out again after a moment or two more.

She still didn't get a response. She looked back at the factory. The patrols didn't seem to notice her voice. Could she risk getting a little louder?

After a few more moments, she centered herself in the area—time to take a risk.

"Bursa!" she yelled. Not as loud as she could. She was still worried about attracting attention, but loud enough any pony in the immediate vicinity of five-hundred or so feet should be able to hear her. She immediately looked back at the factory. None of the planes deviated from their patrol paths. The Decepticons must not have super hearing.

"Quiet! Do you want to get caught!" a hushed voice called out. She immediately focused on the area it came from and got closer.

"Bursa, can you hear me? It's Josie," she said in a much lower tone, barely above a whisper.

"I hear you but can't spot you. You hide better than me," Bursa replied. Now Josie could center on exactly which rock was the changeling queen. It didn't stand out at first from amongst the others, but on closer inspection, it lacked some of the signs of weathering that its immediate neighbors lacked. That…and this rock suddenly gained a very toothy mouth.

"I'm not physically here. I'm projecting. I'm also invisible," Josie explained.

"Ah, I understand. I met a fat pegasus in the Hallowed Shades that could do that. I didn't know others could," Bursa responded, still keeping her voice down. "She was troublesome and would have made a good meal, but she was friends with Wild Growth."

"Wild Growth intimidates you?" Josie asked in curiosity. She was surprised Bursa had met Rebecca. Rebecca had never mentioned meeting the changeling queen and had only gone to Equestria once for a brief visit a month or so before becoming Dreamwarden. Then again, if Rebecca had met Bursa while projecting, perhaps she didn't feel she could talk about it. Luna supposedly had a more relaxed view of such things than Earth's Dreamwardens, who were notorious for being very strict in their interpretations of mind magic abuse, but Rebecca was of Earth, not Equestria.

"No!" Bursa protested. "I just don't hurt Wild Growth and those connected to her. She was kind to me."

The bug had a sense of loyalty to someone. Who'd have thought?

"Well, we're all safe, except for you. We found allies and a place to stay. We are trying to figure out how to get you to us safely. I'm out here making sure you are still where you were before," Josie explained.

"Planes make it hard for me to move. I was waiting for them to go away and then sneak closer to find out what's in the factory," Bursa replied.

If Josie had eyes at the moment, they would have gone wide. "No! That is a horrible idea! You need to sit still. Since I found you, we can find a way to rescue you."

"Humans are in that factory," Bursa hissed.

Josie looked back at the factory again. "How do you know?"

"I saw them. Being unloaded from the transport. Same transport that chased Sapphire," Bursa explained in short sentences, getting more agitated as she went. "They did not look good. Sickly and boney, barely aware of surroundings. Struggled to walk. We need to find out what they are doing to the humans. They must be using them for science experiments. They have to be stopped!"

The changeling's passion seemed real. She cared about the humans. Combined with her loyalty to Wild Growth, it appeared she wasn't as much a monster as she was made out to be.

"It isn't safe for you," Josie reasserted. "But I'll go look. I can't be hurt or seen. I agree; we need to know what's going on, but not by sacrificing you. Sapphire and Apple Bloom have both been very worried about you, and I know they'd kill me if I let you get hurt."

"They don't care about me," Bursa muttered.

"Wild Growth cared about you. Why is it hard for you to think others could too?" Josie asked. "She's hard to read sometimes, but even Sunset Blessing seemed to care about you from what I could tell back in Equestria. You're part of the team, and we're all in this together. Cadence even said she couldn't negotiate with our allies till you were safe. We are all worried about you. We care."

"They need to be stopped. No one should suffer like I did," Bursa said, sounding mournful.

Josie took an unnecessary breath. "I'm right there in agreement with you. I don't know what you've been through, but I understand being helpless and at the mercy of others who maliciously hurt. I've been through some crap myself that shaped me into who I am in a very literal sense. Let me do this. I will take a look, come back here, then go back to the others to report. After that, we can rescue you and figure out how to save the humans together."

The rock hesitated, staying silent for a few seconds while thinking about this.

"Be quick. I will stay here," Bursa finally answered.

"I will be. I promise," Josie assured the changeling. "Going now. Just sit tight."

With that said, Josie turned and headed to the factory to find out exactly what went on in there.

Chapter 1.37: The Hippo's Burden

Charlotte wondered how long Josie would be gone. Not that she was really gone. Her body was sitting quietly over in a nearby tent with Sapphire guarding it like it was the most important job in the world. Still, it would be nice to have her back with a report. It would put an end to Charlotte's current interrogation.

"Are you sure Empathy has been eating enough? He looks a little thin to me."

She sighed and looked at the diminutive little hippo. "I've been making sure he eats plenty. He seems to have a taste for berries. We brought plenty with us, along with nuts, oatmeal, and more. It's most of my pack."

Heavyheart looked at the backpack beside where Charlotte was sitting. "I need to inspect it to ensure it is a proper diet."

"You shouldn't be going through Miss Charlotte's things," Empathy insisted in a flustered voice.

The hippo looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Why don't you sit down and let me take care of things? I'm pretty confident you would accept any slop given to you if it meant serving a human. You wouldn't speak up about it. Let me make sure you haven't been neglected."

"You shouldn't question humans," Empathy insisted, crossing his arms.

Heavyheart pointed across the way at Shrieky. "I've spent the last two weeks dealing with that human. I question everything a human says. Even if Shrieky-"

"Miss Shrieky," Empathy corrected.

"Shrieky," Heavyheart repeated, the missing word stressed. "Even if Shrieky wasn't a miserable meanie, it is still our job to question humans. How are you supposed to help a human without questioning them? If they didn't need to be questioned, they wouldn't need to be helped."

"Miss Charlotte isn't a meanie," Empathy insisted.

Charlotte raised a finger. "Um, if you want to-"

"Hush a moment. Empathy and I are having a conversation," Heavyheart instructed her. She then refocused on him. "Maybe your human isn't a meanie, but that doesn't mean she knows how to care for you properly. She could be ignorant, and you are too starry-eyed to correct her mistakes."

"Miss Charlotte wouldn't neglect me. She cares about me," Empathy reasserted. "Look at me. I'm okay."

"You still look a little thin," Heavyheart said critically. "And her caring for you doesn't mean she can't neglect you. Let me take care of this. You know I only want what's best for you."

Empathy pointed at Charlotte. "What about what's best for Miss Charlotte?"

"I want what's best for her, too," Heavyheart answered. "What's best for her includes having you healthy so you're at your best. It isn't wrong to insist on our needs being met. We're not capable of helping as much as we can if they are not having our needs met."

"Really, it isn't any trouble to let her check my pack. I think she's speaking sense," Charlotte cut in. Anything to bring an end to Heavyheart's grilling and get the hippo off her back. She had a feeling Heavyheart's first encounter with humans being Shrieky had a lot to do with this. Also, all this fretting from Heavyheart about how she took care of Empathy made her a little worried that she wasn't taking as good of care of Empathy as she should. Had he lost too much weight while with her?

"I'm fine!" Empathy insisted. He then closed his eyes and scrunched up his gut. A second later, a balloon shaped like his belly badge popped out of his belly. He opened his eyes and pointed at the balloon. "See!"

Heavyheart didn't seem to be impressed. "Brightheart and some of the others can do that too, and they get that from serving Shrieky. Brightheart can even manage a call. Can you call?"

Empathy took a step back. "I don't know. I haven't had a need to."

"What's a call?" Charlotte asked.

Andrea, who had been sitting close by, smirking at the entire exchange, answered. "That thing where they blast you with their belly. It's a lot like a unicorn blast. That bear I fought tried to take me out with one. Don't think he anticipated I can absorb magic."

"That was a stare, calls are weaker than stares, but they are close to the same thing," Heavyheart explained. "A group of stares or calls can change the feelings of what they hit, while an individual one can be used defensively to cause a temporary disorienting effect and pushback, if an intuit is in trouble– stares hit harder. A group of stares can even transform an Autobot into a Decepticon. The stare and call are strongest together, but we don't associate with the bears anymore."

"You seem much more knowledgeable about things than Empathy," Charlotte commented.

Heavyheart gave Empathy a long-suffering look. "He never paid much attention to his lessons, always goofing off, always leaving me to figure out how to bail him out of trouble."

Empathy rubbed two of his fingers together in embarrassment. "I'm not very smart; not like Heavyheart."

The hippo sighed. "You aren't stupid! You just only apply yourself to a very limited number of things. You do very well at the things you do make an effort at. I just wish there were more of those things."

Empathy smiled. "I apply myself to helping Miss Charlotte."

"Good for you," Heavyheart replied, she didn't sound sarcastic. It sounded like an actual compliment. The hippo didn't linger on it, though. She walked over to Charlotte's backpack, unzipped it, and began rifling through it.

She muttered as she examined things. "Not enough green food, too many sweet berries, oatmeal seems okay, but smells funny. These nuts are too small."

"There's a dirty joke I could say about that, but I don't think you guys would get it since you both lack any kind of…." Andrea trailed off and then shook her head. "You know what, forget I even brought that up. It was kinda juvenile anyway."

Heavyheart chuckled. "I'd get it; Empathy wouldn't. He paid attention to the lessons about intuit reproduction, but he got sick listening to the ones about human reproduction. Bodily fluids, anything that comes out of the body really, other than saliva upset him. My poor Empathy has a weak stomach for that kind of stuff."

"Do not!" Empathy protested.

"Blood. Urine. Semen. Vomit. Puss. Crud," Heavyheart listed off.

Empathy whimpered.

"Hey! He didn't even flinch when I vomited on him!" Charlotte said in his defense.

Heavyheart shrugged. "When he commits to doing something, he can't be deterred by anything, no matter how foolhardy a thing he commits to. I told you that when he does apply himself, he's great at it. He's fully committed to serving you. His worry over you overrode his fears. I've lived my whole life with him. I know him. I bet he can't stand to see you use the bathroom. You're urinating and crapping. He can't take that under normal circumstances."

"She's got you there. Not that I'd want you hanging around while I was on the toilet," Charlotte confessed. "When someone goes to the bathroom, you split from the area faster than Sunset does at the mention of a spider."

Heavyheart looked up from the bag in confusion. "I'm sorry. I didn't understand that last word."

"It's a tiny eight-legged monster that catches other little monsters, wraps them up, and sucks their blood– spider," Empathy explained with a shiver.

The hippo's purple fur took on a green hue. "Sunset sounds wise. You all come from a very scary world."

"Spiders aren't that big a deal," Charlotte asserted. "I don't know why she freaks out the way she does."

"I know," Andrea replied. "She caught a poisonous one nesting in her tail once and she's been freaked out ever since."

"How do you end up with a spider nesting in your tail?" Charlotte asked.

Andrea shrugged. "I don't know. How do pegasi pick up bugs and mites in their feathers all the time? You brush against something, or go flying through the air, and the next thing you know, you have a passenger."

"Pegasi get bugs in their feathers?" Charlotte asked with disgust.

"All the time," Andrea stressed. "I heard it's like half of the preening process to just get them out."

"I wonder how many bugs Sapphire has accidentally eaten while preening," Charlotte mused.

Andrea chuckled. "You're lucky. You didn't wander around much outside as a pony where there are bugs. I saw the way you dragged your tail half the time. That's basically asking for an infestation."

"I found that part of Empathy's story very interesting," Heavyheart cut in. "I was wondering, could Sunset Blessing turn me into a human?"

Charlotte shrugged. "She said it would take time to study intuits for her to be able to manage it, but I'm sure she could." She smirked. "Are you trying to find a way to get Empathy to serve you?"

Heavyheart shook her head. "No, but I would like to get out of serving, now that there may be more humans. Many of the others serve happily, but my reason for service always comes with misery. I am Heavyheart, and I serve by helping with your heavy heart. That might be fulfilling, but it isn't a happy existence."

"You haven't had your opportunity to serve. You could be wrong," Empathy insisted.

The hippo shook her head. "I don't think so. I'm not sure feeling fulfilled and feeling happy always go together, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about it. I will serve if the opportunity arises, it is an itch I can't otherwise scratch, but I'd rather choose what purpose I am serving. I did not choose this purpose. I wish I had one like yours, or most other intuits. I'm instead forced to help others endure sadness and misery, and the thought of always being surrounded by it and seeking it out depresses me. Being a human or one of these ponies seems a much better way to live. Our nature forces us to serve, which is slavery, and I don't like that. I want more. It seems almost like I was better off with no humans to serve."

Heavyheart rezipped the pack and sighed. "You feed him adequately, for the most part, but he needs to lay off the berries and get more nuts. He isn't getting enough hard foods. That's why he is losing weight."

"Hard foods make my gas worse," Empathy complained. "Miss Charlotte finds my gas disgusting."

"I never said that!" Charlotte protested.

"Empathy might not be the smartest, but he is good at perceiving those things," Heavyheart said. She gave Empathy a hard look. "Your human will put up with it if she cares about you. Eat more nuts."

Charlotte didn't look forward to the extra stench, but she could put up with it. Empathy needed to stay healthy. She didn't have many nuts in her pack. Perhaps the intuits had more. Come to think of it, how were they, Shrieky, and Beastly feeding themselves? There was no sign of plantlife up on the surface. She had noticed the little flower pots earlier. Did they have a proper garden in a greenhouse down here? She could ask about it when she went looking for food. Hopefully, they'd be generous. She didn't have much she could afford to give up in a trade…not unless they liked pink plastic bracelets.

"If you want to change into a human or pony, what would become of Empathy? Doesn't he need you to reproduce?" Charlotte asked.

Empathy gave Heavyheart big pleading eyes as she considered her answer.

"I would hope he would join me and transform as well," Heavyheart replied. "He could still serve, if he wished, as a pony or human. He might not fill a belly badge by serving, but that just means his service is what he wants. We don't even know if the two of us need be a couple if we transform. I think I would still want to be, but I don't know if that is my desire or what I am made to think. Perhaps he could pursue you instead if he were human."

Empathy blanched at the suggestion, but went red-faced a moment later. "No! I always knew I was supposed to be with you."

"But is that your choice or the way you were made?" Heavyheart asked. "I want it to be our choice."

"Well, pursuing Charlotte wouldn't work out. She prefers female company," Andrea said with a chuckle.

Heavyheart shrugged. "We are intuits, those things are flexible. He could be a she if he wished. Yesterday Gentleheart and I had briefly discussed the possibility of taking each other as mates. She has lost hers and I had thought I had lost mine. Taking an unintended mate is something that is rarely done, but we both thought we had a need. We are both female, and we briefly discussed which would switch to male. It is an ordeal, and it rewrites our personality and job in the family unit, It is very uncomfortable for the first generation."

"Um…considering none of you has biological sex, why does that matter?" Charlotte asked in confusion.

"The magic for reproduction just works that way. It seems silly to me, but we are designed that way for who knows what reason. I personally think the Cloudkeeper was making it needlessly complicated by preassigning us roles within the family. If I ever meet my maker, I'm going to tell him he's dumb," Heavyheart explained.

"Hey, at least it is a choice you can make," Andrea pointed out. "You said you get to make no choices."

"It's a miserable choice. Done only for survival," Heavyheart growled.

"Like clownfishes," Andrea mused. The intuits probably didn't understand what was said.

"You guys are really strange," Charlotte muttered.

"Says the lady that comes from a world of bloodsucking monsters," Heavyheart countered. "But, yes, and I hate it."

"Gentleheart is here?" Empathy asked, looking about. "I thought that line ended."

Heavyheart scowled. "The bears got Braveheart and Baby Braveheart, but Gentleheart and Baby Gentleheart survived and came here. It has been so long that it is now Old Gentleheart and Gentleheart. She is too shy. She has had opportunities at finding a replacement mate, but always delayed until they ended up finding a replacement first. She needs to find a mate soon, or her line is done."

"The lion and the lamb were together?" Andrea asked in astonishment. "Heh! Sunset would have something to say about that."

Charlotte gave her sister a dirty look. "We shouldn't laugh at it. They're talking about the extinction of family lines. It's like losing people for good."

Andrea hung her head. "You're right. That was out of line. Sorry, Heavyheart."

Charlotte glanced over to where a nearby transformer was working. "How do those guys reproduce?"

Heavyheart shrugged. "I do not know. I only met or heard of them for the first time when I came to the surface. I was completely unaware such beings existed. I know that some of them are very old, older than I can imagine. They said they were not created by the Cloudkeeper, but something called Unicron, which was the first being made with the Allspark. They said that Unicron had gone mad millions of years ago. Unicron said the master plan he was made for did not make sense, and he wanted to destroy everything. The Decepticons were originally the ones that defeated him, and freed all the transformers, but when the humans came along, the Decepticons went mad too, and they've been fighting ever since. At least, that's what the Autobots told me."

"Who is this Cloudkeeper guy, and where is he now? And what master plan?" Charlotte asked.

"Cloudkeeper our maker, a human of great magic," Heavyheart stated. "Cloudkeeper helped the Autobots once with fighting off a Decepticon invasion of Earth. They let him borrow and study the Allspark after that, and he used it to make us and the bears. He was long-lived, but wasn't immortal, and he died of old age. Shrieky's father and No Heart were both apprentices to Cloudkeeper, but they were never as powerful or skilled as him. As for the master plan, even the transformers don't know. They just know they were originally made to help carry it out."

"What about Shrieky's dad? Can he help us?" Andrea asked.

Heavyheart shook her head sadly. "That is why I attempted to serve Shrieky. No Heart killed him, his own brother. Shrieky has a heavy heart, and she refuses to face it, but I know. Empathy isn't the only perceptive one."

The hippo looked back and forth between Andrea and Charlotte. "You two do as well. I will not be pushy, but when you want help, I'm here. I still serve a purpose. Come on, Empathy. I said some things that upset you. We need to talk about them…in private."

Charlotte and Andrea watched the pair leave. Heavyheart was not what she had been expecting. She had been expecting someone a bit more serious than Empathy, but not so dour.

"Do you think Sunset will do it, make her a pony or human?" Andrea asked.

Charlotte shrugged. "She probably will, if asked. I mean, she fully supports self-determination, and she is living in Equestria, so she can cast whatever she wants. Luster could do it if-"

"We aren't even going to mention it to Luster," Andrea said with a hint of harshness. "We don't want to screw them up. Say what you want about Sunset, at least she gets her spells right."

Charlotte knew it was best not to press that. She was surprised Andrea was dealing so well with Luster being on the team.

"We'd have to bring her home with us for Sunset to do it,," Charlotte pointed out. "I'm not sure we can. What would this do to Empathy?"

"Don't know Those are questions for another day," Andrea said with a sigh. She then flicked her ears. "Hey, can we go find a tent and you help me switch my earrings to human? I'm tired of being short, and all this magic is messing with my senses."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow at her sister. "Why not centaur?"

"I still want the extra safety if I get shot or something," Andrea answered. "Plus, I want to take a little pressure off you. Most of the intuits have been giving us space so far, but it is only a matter of time before they swarm you. They have to be considering you a better option to serve than Shrieky."

Charlotte smirked. "You just want a bunch of intuits fighting for your attention."

"I'm sure it gets old fast," Andrea replied. "I wonder how long till Josie is done. She's been at it for a long t-"

"Y'all need to come. Josie's got word about Bursa and the humans!" Apple Bloom said in a rush as she ran by them.

"Answers that question," Charlotte said as she started heading towards where the others were headed.

It only took a moment for them to all gathered around Josie. The pony looked grim.

"Bursa is alright, and awaiting us. As for the humans…there's some serious Matrix shit going on."

Chapter 1.38: The Intuit Revolution

"So…they keep the humans in a suspended state and harvest energon from them?" Cadence asked.

"Worse," Josie said grimly. "They do that, and when nothing is left to harvest, they process them as food for the other humans. The Matrix meets Soylent Green. From what I can tell, that factory is for the final stage where they get the last bit they can get before converting them to food."

"That is literally just The Matrix; no Soylent Green involved," Sapphire said dryly.

Josie blinked. "Really? I didn't know that was part of the plot of The Matrix."

Scootaloo flicked an ear and looked back and forth between the two. "I don't know what you're talking about when you talk about a matrix or whatever green."

"I don't have a clue, either," Charlotte said.

Andrea didn't want to admit she had no clue, but she was just as clueless. She assumed it was references to books or movies or something.

"I think you can avoid the unnecessary references. I don't think those references mean much to the Equestrians or these kids," Sapphire remarked with a sigh.

"I'm not a kid!" Charlotte protested. Andrea rolled her eyes. Her sister was nothing, if not predictable. Not that Andrea cared much for being called a kid either. She was the earliest born person here, technically making her the eldest…not counting the transformers. Anyway, she was born decades before Sapphire. She couldn't help that there was a sixty-year gap with tons of pop culture that she missed and was still catching up on after twelve years.

"So, how do we rescue them?" Andrea asked.

"We don't," Cadence answered, sounding disgusted with what she was saying. "Our mission is to gather information and allies. We have accomplished that. We get Bursa out of there and establish diplomatic relations with Autobots; then we go home."

Andrea frowned. "Why not? We have the Autobots. Plus, we have you! They might have gotten the drop on us before, but they can't possibly stand a chance against an alicorn. We can't leave them."

Cadence shook her head. "I'm powerful but not a fighter. We would also be left to figure out how to house and care for the humans. Are the Autobots prepared to take on that many mouths to feed? We've already discussed the unique challenges that caring for these humans will present."

"The Autobots wouldn't be able to help," Josie said, ears sagging. "I saw a contingent of Care Bears arriving at the factory as I left. The bots can't risk a direct confrontation with them."

"We still have an alicorn, you, Sapphire, a changeling queen, a former warden," Andrea said, pointing to each of them. "That has to count for something."

Cadence took a deep breath. "I already discussed my weakness in combat, but Josie's combat abilities aren't going to be useful against robots. Sapphire can cause havoc with the weather, but that also endangers us, and it could endanger the humans you hope to free. Phobia can only use her abilities in defense, not offense, and Bursa, while formidable, is only one creature. We aren't in a position to mount an attack at this time. We aren't going to just abandon the humans. However, we are a scouting party, not a liberation force. It's up to others to rescue this world."

The others were silent, and she already knew that they wouldn't back her. Her argument was a lost cause. "How are we getting Bursa back? If the Autobots can't risk getting close right now because of the bears, that leaves us without our ride."

"I'm going to risk a teleport," Cadence answered. "There and back quickly. Between Josie and Sapphire's combined directions, I should be able to land within a short range of Bursa without being noticed. In the meantime, Josie and Phobia can catch up on their sleep, and the rest of you can eat and speak with the Autobots and intuits. See if you can gather more information. Charlotte, we may be using your return spell soon, be ready."

"I'm not sleeping yet. Take me with you," Josie said. "I can cloak both of us in shadow, and I know exactly which rock to find "

Cadence nodded. "That is a good idea. Thank you, Josie. Let's get going. We've had her wait too long already."

The princess lit her horn, and both she and Josie vanished, leaving the rest of them staring at the vacant space. Andrea shook her head as the magic of the teleport briefly gave her a woozy feeling. Well, food and rest did sound good. Hopefully, there was something other than their dried rations to eat around here. After a few days, they had gotten old. There was something else to take care of first.

Andrea gave her sister a hoof nudge. It was always annoying to do that. It made her feel like a dog begging for attention. "Let's find a tent so I can go human. Then we can see if Heavyheart knows where fresh food is."

Charlotte smirked. "Are you counting on her being more friendly with two humans asking her?"

"Not really," Andrea admitted. "If it weren't for it screwing Empathy over, I would be all for Sunset turning her into something else. How about a dragon? She can then really be heavy, and no one would think to boss her around."

"Have Sunset Blessing do what now?" Apple Bloom asked, overhearing their conversation.

"Yeah, what's this about turning that hippo into a dragon?" Scootaloo chimed in eagerly. "I want to be a dragon!"

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow at her friend. "What possible reason do you have for wanting to be a dragon?"

"Does anypony need a reason for wanting to be a dragon?" Scootaloo asked as if it were obvious. "Dragons are cool."

The pearly unicorn rolled her eyes. "You are such a foal sometimes." She looked at Andrea and Charlotte. "But, seriously, what's this about turning an intuit into a dragon?"

"Not a dragon, necessarily," Andrea said quickly. "But Heavyheart seems pretty hell-bent on wanting to get transformed into anything other than an intuit. She equates being an intuit with being a slave. Says she was better off with no humans to serve."

"It's hard to blame her," Charlotte added in sadly. "Intuits are fed by whatever their key emotional connection is with humans. Empathy's is empathy, obviously, but Heavyheart's is sadness and mourning. Who wants to have to always be dealing with that?"

"Um, isn't Heavyheart feeling empathy too if she shares an emotional connection?" Sweetie Belle asked in confusion. "Sharing an emotional connection is, by definition, empathy."

Andrea frowned. "You're right. I guess Empathy got the luckiest thing to feed off of. Every other intuit has to share a particular feeling, but he gets just to feed off everything he shares. It's no wonder he has such a positive view of service."

"Aye wonder how them other intuits feel about it," Apple Bloom mused as she looked at the intuits who were now gathering around Empathy and Heavyheart.

Andrea just noticed them all gathering together and wondered the same thing.

Empathy was a simple elephant. He had looked forward to seeing Heavyheart again since he had gotten lost in another world, but he hadn't expected their reunion to bring so much fighting.

"This isn't propprrr, Heavyheart," Proud Heart, an orange cat intuit, protested while pointing an accusing finger at the hippo. "We shouldn't have such talk. The humans will return, soonprrr or latprrr."

Empathy blinked. "Why do you talk so funny?"

Proud Heart glared at him. "I do not talk funny. I talk propprrr!"

"You did it again!" Empathy said, pointing at her. "I understand you, but it sounds funny."

Heavyheart groaned. "Does it matter how she talks? My point still stands. We're better off seeking out this Sunset Blessing and having her turn us all into ponies. I'm sure at least some of you agree with me."

"If there are, then you all need to be corrected!" Proud Heart asserted. The others were keeping quiet. Only Proud Heart had spoken up since Heavyheart had made her proposal.

"Please, don't yell at Heavyheart," Empathy said, balling up a fist.

The cat narrowed her eyes at him. "Tell me, elephant, how do you feel about your intended wanting to abandon the humans and you? Are you ready for your line to end?"

He took a step or two back, and his trunk sagged. "I don't know. I just don't want you yelling at Heavyheart."

The cat raised her nose high. "At least you show some loyalty, unlike her."

"If we free the humans, they will need us more than ever," Brightheart finally interjected. "Many of you may not understand, but our humans are not like the humans from the world Empathy visited. Even before the Decepticons came, our humans were terrible at confronting and dealing with their emotions. They were brilliant when it came to problem-solving and mechanical reasoning, but their emotional intelligence was severely lacking. Shrieky actually represents higher functioning emotional intelligence compared to most of our humans. That was why we were created. Our humans need help with their emotions, or they can't live up to their full potential."

Lotsa Heart shook her head sadly. "That's why our humans tried to copy those movies so much. They saw all the confidence and sophistication those alien humans had and wanted to be like them. They knew how to copy most of the items and devices they saw, but they were still just as emotionally weak as before."

Heavyheart advanced on the raccoon and elephant. "And how do you think it will be if we ever free them? You've been outside. This world is practically dead. The Forest of Feelings and Care-A-Lot are the only inhabitable places left. Once the humans are free, they will be even worse than ever since they never lived their lives. That leaves us babysitting a bunch of toddlers as we all wait to die. There's nothing we can do to save them at this point, even if we get rid of No Heart and the Decepticons, and the Care Bears rejoin our side. I don't want to sit here and deal with that. You may have lots of commitment, but you're asking me to deal with endless misery while I watch everything fall apart, leading to more misery for me to deal with. That isn't fair to me, and I don't want to be part of that cycle!"

Heavyheart looked at the others. "Playful Heart, do you see any way that humans can be playful in that wasteland? Treat Heart, how will you properly serve in a world of famine and drought? Cozy Heart, how will you properly serve in a world like this? I will be able to serve in abundance, but how are most of you going to serve? You're going to try to fruitlessly serve and get nothing out of it or accomplish anything."

She looked at Proud Heart again. "And you honestly think there is any pride to be found or order that doesn't come at the end of a weapon in this world we hope to rescue? We have an escape. There is a whole other world out there, two of them– worlds that aren't full of emotionally stunted beings that we have to struggle to keep on track, worlds that aren't dying. We can go to them. We can become something else. We have no realistic future here, but we could there. It's time to think about what is best for us."

"But I want to stay what I am. I want to serve," Empathy whimpered.

Heavyheart looked at him and sighed. "I cannot force you to do anything you don't want to do, but I will not let that deter me from seeking out a new destiny. I want you to be happy, and if you're happy serving, then so be it, but you shouldn't try to serve here. There is only death and misery in this world's future."

"I want to be with you too," Empathy said, ready to cry.

She put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but you are going to have to figure out which you want more– to serve or to be with me. You can't have it both ways." She looked at the others again. "And I think all of you should think about what the future holds and decide what you want to do. It is not wrong to turn your backs on a hopeless endeavor. It isn't wrong to think of what is best for yourselves. We don't need to be slaves to humans. We don't have to be slaves to misery. We don't have to stay here. We don't have to remain what we are. We have choices, think in them, and let no one condemn anyone else for their choices."

Empathy wept. Heavyheart wanted them to make choices about what would make them happy, but what kind of choice was it when you had to sacrifice something so important either way? Maybe if he were a smarter elephant, he would know what to do, but he was just a simple elephant in a very complicated world.

Chapter 1.39: Meanwhile, in Canterlot...

Mystic Decorum, or simply, Miss Decorum, as she was most commonly addressed, had found the newly appointed headmare as abnormal and abominable as she had anticipated an Earthling to be, if not more so. Headmare Blessing's reforms were only a few days in, and already she had admitted two kirin students as if she had not heard the school's name to be The School for Gifted Unicorns. Her inclusion of a non-unicorn teacher to the staff only further confirmed that the Earthling failed to recognize this elemental concept, and in Decorum's humble opinion, what that newly installed web-winged mongrel professor spoke of bordered on treason against the crown! Blessing even added insult to injury by parading around most regularly as a human, only reverting to a proper unicorn form to conduct some lessons.

Sunset Blessing was in her proper form at the moment, marching through the hall towards the auditorium with Decorum far behind, and the vice headmare for once found herself oddly wishing Sunset Blessing was in her human form. A human couldn't drag the bundle that the headmare was levitating behind her.

Students, slowly making their way to the impromptu assembly, stopped and gaped at the headmare and her prize.

"Is that–?"

"How did she–?"

"Sweet Celestia!"

Sunset Blessing didn't look at them nor break her stride as she addressed them. "Move along, students! I expect everyone to be present and accounted for when I begin my presentation and lesson. Your questions will be answered during the lesson."

The bundle, tightly bound and gagged with Blessing's magic, struggled against the bonds.

"Oh, stop that," Sunset Blessing scolded the bundle. "I'm being extremely nice and kind to you. My normal policy for those who attempt to attack me is immediate termination, but I'm allowing you to help me with a lesson instead. You should be honored. Decorum, I know your legs work perfectly well; please keep up your pace. You are falling too far behind."

Decorum picked up her pace slightly but was wary of getting too close to the beast bound in Blessing's magic. "Headmare, is this necessary? We could call the guards to take this foul miscreant for judgment before the princess and a swift trip to Tartarus. All this seems very unorthodox."

"It is a rare opportunity to give the students instruction on a possibly important field of magic that I won't waste," the headmare answered. "Plus, I don't like being attacked, and this one is not going to get off without learning how foolhardy the attempt was and making sure this is the worst experience they ever have so they know never to attempt such a thing again. We can call the guards afterward."

The vice headmare gave the headmare's prisoner a worried look. "This will not only be a defeat for her but pure humiliation. She's known for being vengeful. Aren't you afraid of the repercussions of what you are doing right now?"

Sunset Blessing paused and looked up and behind her at her bound prisoner. "Well, then our dear Queen Chrysalis would learn what I'm like when I decide not to be nice. There is a body count of those who have attempted to assault me, my household, and my family. I do not take lightly those who attempt it. She is only breathing right now because I am making a committed attempt to be a kinder and gentler person and came to Equestria to escape the cycle of violence. Still, I can easily slip back into old habits if violence decides to follow me to Equestria and not give me the peace I desire."

The changeling queen's eyes briefly widened in fear at this declaration, very much at odds with the normal policies of Equestria. They then just as quickly narrowed into a hateful glare. Decorum would never speak up in favor of it, but she privately found no fault with the headmare ending this once and for all. How long had this insect been a menace to Equestria and how many times had she gotten away or been captured only to escape shortly thereafter? How many pony lives would have been saved if Princess Celestia had executed the changeling queen after the first encounter? Reform was all well and good, but this beast had clearly shown herself beyond reform. A thousand years of war with her proved as much. It would be better to put a permanent end to it all– not on school grounds, of course; that would be abhorrent! The parents would pull their offspring from classes immediately if such violence was committed on school grounds. It was already going to be a nightmare calming them with Sunset Blessing doing this display. The only solace being that it demonstrated without question that a mage of the highest caliber of skill and power was running the school, one who could protect the students from any danger and instruct them on how to be great mages; that was probably the best way to market this fiasco.

Headmare Blessing opened the doors to the auditorium using her magic while not seemingly loosening her grip on the changeling queen. She then paused and gestured to the students in the hall to enter. "Shake your tails and put some pep in your step! I do not approve of students being tardy for lessons. This is a prestigious school, and you need to take your education seriously, which includes being prompt in getting to your lessons. Come on in, I'm not here to be your doormare."

The students, probably not wishing to displease the pony who was currently treating one of Equestria's most long-standing villains as a piece of luggage, suddenly began to move with a great deal of haste through the auditorium doors. Despite the entrance consisting of large double doors that opened wide enough that they could easily admit a carriage or a reasonably sized dragon, all the students veered off to the right side of the doirs as the entered, practically dragging there fur against the corresponding door as they went. Sunset Blessing was standing to the left, and so was her bundle.

"You as well, Miss Decorum. Set a good example for the students,," Sunset Blessing instructed.

Miss Decorum hurried by, not scraping her own fur against the doorframe as had the most of the students, but still giving polite distance between herself and the headmare

The auditorium was the largest singular room in the school, and was actually three stories in height. It was a moderately-sized indoor amphitheater with seating for upwards of four hundred even though the student body rarely got past the low two hundred in number and currently consisted of one hundred ninety-one unicorn students and two kirin who wished to rise above their station. Besides herself and the headmare, there were thirty-two staff members, twenty of whom were instructors, three of whom were research associates, and the remainder were ponies who dealt with the various menial tasks that a well-maintained society needed to have performed that proper mages should not sully themselves by doing.

The students and staff were spread out among the seating. She was briefly tempted to join them, but she was the vice headmare, and her proper place was at the headmare's side on the stage– which would place her next to the enraged changeling queen. Perhaps it was time to reconsider her job. It had been an insult when she had been bypassed when a new headmare was needed, a greater insult when it was an Earthling appointed to fill that vacancy, and now it was a hazard since the new headmare was clearly insane.

She gasped and stiffened as she heard the doors abruptly shut behind her. Blessing trotted past her, Chrysalis in tow, and nearly clipping Decorum with the captured queen. Decorum shuddered at having almost touched that thing,and followed Blessing to the stage.

"Quiet down, students," Sunset Blessing instructed as she took center stage. The students had barely been making any noise, just hushed whispers, so the request seemed unneeded. "Today, I will instruct you on how to read thaumic disturbances. This involves a spell, although analyzing what you are seeing is a matter of skill. Can any of you tell me an application for this regarding our guest here?"

"It can detect changelings?" one of the older stallion students replied.

Sunset Blessing raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you asking me a question or giving me your answer?"

The stallion looked at his closest classmates, but they suddenly made an effort to migrate an extra ponylength away from him, leaving him even more on display.

He gulped as he responded. "Um…giving my answer, Headmare Blessing."

The headmare smiled at him. "You're correct. You should show more confidence when answering what should be a simple question. However, please raise your hoof and wait to be called upon before blurting out an answer in the future. Reading thaumic disturbances can indeed be used to detect changelings."

She turned and grinned up at the changeling queen, who continued to glare murder at her captor "Now, when I'm in human form I have a passive version of the spell going continually. That's my human magic. Our guest must not have been informed of that, because she tried to approach me while I was in human form in the guise of Professor Worn Page."

The headmare paused and looked around. "Who it appears is currently absent. I guess our guest has him bound up somewhere. I need to remember to alert the guard of that so they can find him. Anyway, any student who is due to attend one of his classes for the next week may use that time as they wish, although I recommend using it to study. I'm sure it won't take long to track him down, but he will need a few days to recover."

If this monster hadn't killed him. Decorum shivered as she considered it could have been her that the changeling queen captured and tried to impersonate to get close to the headmare. Worn Page had actually been discussing putting in his immediate retirement after witnessing the headmare's reforms. That might be why he was chosen. He could vanish suddenly, and there be a perfectly reasonable explanation for it.

The headmare turned her attention back to her prisoner. "You wouldn't happen to be willing to save the guard some time and tell us where he is and in what condition, would you? It is rather pointless to keep that information secret now that your plan has unraveled."

The magical gag left the changeling's mouth and Chrysalis immediately went on a tirade. "I would never tell you anything you lowlife, showboating piece of-"

The gag reformed, and the headmare shrugged in disappointment. "Pity. You are forcing the guard to do it the hard way. That is so petty, but expected. You know, I actually find Bursa the much more intimidating of the changeling queens, and I'm not saying that to merely mock you. You see, Bursa is not an entirely rational being, and she's a complete idiot. That gives her an advantage over you."

Chrysalis's eyes bulged in outrage at the insult. She struggled against her bonds, but Sunset Blessing held her too tightly.

"You see, you're predictable," Sunset Blessing continued with a sad shake of her head. "As a rational being with clear goals, it becomes easy to predict what you will attempt. You aren't going to do anything that puts you in a situation you can't get out of, and you're intelligent enough to identify obviously bad ideas like trying to storm the school and take me by force. You know how badly that would go for you. Your current predicament is a result of a lack of information, not a lack of care and consideration. This was your most rational avenue to achieve your goal, and as someone who was expecting you to make a move quickly, it was easy enough to anticipate the dozen or so most likely plans you would try. Bursa doesn't do things rationally, nor considers how badly things can go for her, so that makes her much more dangerous. I can't predict her. There are limits to intelligence but none to idiocy. Students, take note of that; it is an important lesson."

Sunset Blessing turned and looked at the students, beaming a big smile to them. She then drew out several runes in the air and arranged them into a spell matrix. "Here is the appropriate spell. If you had the foresight to bring parchment and something to write with, please copy it down. I will leave this up. I want everyone to focus on trying to cast this spell. If you manage to cast it, check with your neighbors and see how they are doing. If you see them struggling, please assist them in figuring out what they are doing wrong. Once you all have it down, we will begin discussing how to make sense of what it shows you."

As the students began doing as instructed, Decorum got close to the headmare to whisper.

"Your pardon, Headmare Blessing, but did you say you anticipated an attack from this monster?" Decorum asked in disbelief

Blessing nodded. "I can't take full credit for that. The princesses alerted me to the danger the day after I took this job. They presumed, and I concurred, that our guest would try to make an attempt early, before my behavioral patterns were well known. She might have to masquerade as me for some time as she tried to coerce me into giving her the information she desired, and replacing me before you learned all my behaviors would make it that much less likely anyone would notice anything was off. It was also when she would have expected me to be at my most vulnerable since I wouldn't be able to pick up on oddities in others' behaviors for much the same reason. So I maintained using my human form far longer than I originally planned. This would give me extra ability to detect her and make me appear that much more a helpless victim waiting to happen. I doubted she was aware of my human abilities."

Decorum blinked. "That sounds like an excellent plan on her part, and it was masterful on your part to anticipate it. I still don't understand why you or the princesses anticipated she would try to make such an attempt to begin with."

Blessing nodded. "It isn't public knowledge, but I had a part in the creation of Bursa. Chrysalis might think Bursa is a waste of space, but she still represents a manufactured changeling. Tell me, what does our queen here lack?"

Decorum considered for only a moment before the obvious answer presented itself. "Subjects, headmare."

"Very good," Blessing complimented her. "In ancient times, she and her original drone were made by a mixture of insects, wood, essence of pony, and remnants of Grogar's wild magic. From then on she could breed, despite losing the key ingredient to make a changeling. Having lost all her drones she no longer has breeding as an option, and Celestia long ago tracked down and stamped out the last traces of Grogar's remaining corruption. Our guest is left with no prospects on getting new changeling subjects. It might not be well known, but it is known to Bursa that I finalized the design of the spell that made her. Chrysalis at some point learned from Bursa about her origin, since that is the one thing about Bursa Chrysalis cares about. When news broke about my appointment here, Chrysalis would have immediately started planning how to capture me and force me to make her a drone to breed with, and she would strike early."

The headmare was not the fool Decorum had first thought. This was a manipulator who could play with any of the noble houses. Decorum's respect for her new headmare went up just a smidge at hearing all this.

"Excellently planned, headmare…but why were you human on the first day?"

Blessing grinned. "To see who it bothered the most among the staff. I'm conducting what may be unpopular reforms with the blessing of Celestia. I need to know who is going to be trouble and who I can work with. With that said, tell me, are you my ally or do I need to accept your resignation? I prefer you stay, but not if you're going to be a thorn in my hoof."

Decorum looked at the bound changeling again. The headmare was a very formidable pony. She was obviously very skilled and very powerful when it came to magic, and her ability to strategize was also commendable. If this really was with Celestia's blessing, who was she to question it?

"May I be allowed to have a private audience with the princess for her to confirm your reforms are at her behest, and her tell me directly her reasons for allowing or endorsing such massive departures from tradition? I heard her speech back at the Crystal Empire, but this is all beyond what I could have anticipated back then. I wish to hear these things from her before making a final decision."

The headmare nodded. "That is fair. I shall see if she will allow a private meeting." Blessing turned her attention back to the students. "Alright, how many of you are still struggling? Anyone?"

There were a few, but not many, four. Blessing proceeded to ask them to try again with her watching. She then gave individual instruction to each student about where it was going wrong and what needed to be corrected. Decorum silently watched her do this and couldn't help smiling as the headmare praised each one when they finally achieved the spell. That family member of hers at the Galla had presented Blessing as a cruel and uncaring instructor, but none of that seemed in evidence. Perhaps there were many misconceptions about Blessing she needed to reevaluate. This headmare might turn out to be a good thing.

Chapter 1.40: Lesson Six

Charlotte stared up at alabaster buildings that must have been made for fantastic giants because the doors and windows were large enough that even one of the more giant Equestrian dragons would find them roomy. The street she stood in was barren of trash, dirt, dust, or any sort of item, nor was there another living soul to be seen. Despite this, she felt like the buildings themselves were watching her and judging her. It also felt old…like really old. She felt the need to say something poetic about how old the place felt, but she barely got a C in creative writing. Maybe if a certain bitchy unicorn hadn't had her spending her weekends trying to make her do magic, she could have practiced more.

"I know that face. You're thinking about Sunset Blessing."

Charlotte turned and saw an old woman so wrinkled that she made the buildings look freshly made.

The hag approached her. "You need to get over yourself. You're gazing upon a close facsimile of the oldest place in any known universe, and you're thinking about that crusty old unicorn."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow at her and crossed her arms. "You look crustier, a lot crustier."

The old woman chuckled dryly. "Touche. However, I think I look very good for my age. I'm not sure how old that is, but it is at least two hundred. I'm also not sure how far past two hundred that is. Two twenty-five? Two seventy? Three hundred? Four? Time and aging get so hard to keep track of when you travel all the time. You'd feel blessed to look as good as me if you reach my age."

"Who are you?" Charlotte asked, eyes still narrowed. "I'm dreaming; that much is clear, even if I don't remember falling asleep. Are you that primordial Dreamwarden?"

"I'm no warden, and primordials are rather simple creatures that are barely aware of anything," the hag scoffed. "I'm The Traveler, and you aren't dreaming. You are in The Outside. It is outside of everything, including universes and dream realms. Those aren't the most original names, I know, but I like to keep things simple; no need to get overly fancy. You won't remember this after you wake."

"I'm guessing this isn't my first visit then," Charlotte said. She then raised her wrist, showing the bracelets.

Traveler cackled. "Very good! Such an intelligent young lady!" The Traveler then focused on the bracelets. "I can't remember the prior visits either, but those bracelets keep track of what number we're on. Tell me, how many do you have? They all blend together at this distance, and I struggle to make them out. My eyes aren't what they used to be. I think I'm actually on my third or fourth pair of eyes, and they're still so old they're failing, just like everything else."

"Three, although I had two others, that were destroyed," Charlotte answered.

Traveler frowned and rubbed her chin. "Lesson six then, something extra I was supposed to remember about lesson six. What was it?"

"Lessons?" Charlotte asked in disbelief. "Lessons about what? And what good are lessons if I can't remember them?"

The ancient woman waved a dismissive hand. "I'm teaching you how to use your magic. You need someone human who is familiar with those kinds of powers to do it. You won't actually remember the lessons, but you will remember them on some instinctive level. I'm ninety-nine percent sure we have gone over this at least six times. It seems like something that would have come up. What was it I needed to remember for lesson six?"

"How should I know if I can't remember these sessions?" Charlotte asked in confusion.

"I'm asking myself, not you," Traveler snapped. She then sighed and snapped her fingers. A tiny portal opened up, and several notebooks fell into a messy pile before it closed again. "This is why we make notes. I can't trust my memory at this stage."

The old woman groaned as she bent down and started sifting through the books. "Aww, here it is!" She picked up one of the notebooks and flipped through a few pages. "Lesson six…I need to give you the glow-in-the-dark bracelet this time instead of the standard one."

Charlotte gaped. "Why is that of all things important?"

The woman groaned in pain some more as she stood back up. "Because it glows brightly. It doesn't do anything else, just glows in the dark, but you'll need it."

Traveler then tossed the notebook back in the pile, and the collective set fell through another small portal before that portal closed as well. "That's going to be a mess on the floor for sure when I get back. I'll have to have the robot clean that up. I'm not bending down more than I have to."

The woman then reached into her pocket and pulled out another bracelet, this time blue, and tossed it over to Charlotte, who adeptly caught it with one hand.

"Good catch. I wish I had reflexes like that," Traveler chuckled.

Charlotte examined the bracelet. It looked mostly like the others, aside from the coloring. It did seem to feel less plastic-like than them and more like glass. The blue was semi-transparent, and on closer examination, she noticed tiny filaments inside it like she would find in a light bulb.

"Make sure to wear that. Don't worry; it won't burn you. It barely generates any heat at all when glowing," Traveler explained.

Charlotte looked at the old woman. "Really, why is this important? Wouldn't an extra light have been helpful days ago?"

"It's your deus ex machina, or viator salutem, as it were," Traveler said with a grin. "You'd likely die without that bracelet, and that would severely crimp my plans and severely screw over a lot of people."

Charlotte went wide-eyed. "Wait…I'm in mortal danger? From what?" Her eyes then narrowed. "And how do you know it? How much do you know?"

Traveler scowled, or at least it looked like a scowl. "Telling you would be a pointless waste of time. You won't remember it, and it distracts from our lesson. What's important is you learning your lessons. I gave you the bracelet. That should be enough."

"No, it isn't!" Charlotte yelled. She turned and started marching off. "I'm not cooperating until you start giving me straightforward answers."

"Stop wasting time! You can't even get away anyway!" Traveler called after her.

"Watch me!" Charlotte yelled back as she turned and headed into one of the buildings. She crossed the threshold into the dark void at a full run…

Then landed flat on her face. "Oww…"

"How'd that work out for you?" Traveler asked. "Looked like it hurt."

Charlotte lifted herself off the ground and looked up. She was right in front of the building she started at.

"Want to try that a few more times, just to get it out of your system?" Traveler asked. "It doesn't matter where you run. The Outside won't let you leave this small area. You'll keep ending back right where you started as soon as you go too far. As far as we are concerned, what you see around you right now is the whole extent of the universe. As soon as you cross its borders, you get reset. Don't bother attacking me, either. It resets everyone when they die or get too seriously injured as well. No dying allowed."

Charlotte got up and glared at the woman. "You can come and go as you please. Let me out!"

Traveler cocked her head. "The Outside will let you go when you've learned today's lesson. It's always about the lesson. You are the one who controls when you leave, not me."

Charlotte pointed accusingly at the place the notebooks had been. "You can portal me out!"

"With your body still asleep somewhere?" Traveler asked in a condescending tone. "How well do you think that will go? I don't know about you, but I like being attached to my body, broken down as it is. Just pay attention and learn your lesson, young lady. I'm trying to help you."

Charlotte sat back down, back turned towards Traveler, and crossed her arms.

"Ohhhh, real mature!" Traveler snapped, then sighed. "Fine! I'll give you a reason to trust me, so you pay attention. You aren't going to remember this anyway. I'm you, you twat!"

That was enough to get Charlotte's attention. She turned around and looked at the frail older woman. "Just what I need, another older alternative version of myself trying to tell me what to do."

Traveler shuffled towards her. "I'm not an alternative version yet, and I'm trying not to be, but you can still go off course. If you go off course, you have a strong likelihood of dying. It isn't guaranteed, but even if you survive, it can screw things over for everyone. If you go off course, I don't know what is going to happen, and I then have a much harder time helping you."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow at her. "Why would I ever want to be you? You can barely walk, look disgusting, and don't even have all your original parts. You look miserable to me."

"Everyone gets old. I've just done it better than most people," Traveler answered as she reached Charlotte and struggled to sit down. "I've seen and experienced so much in my life, more than any but the immortals. There have been bad things, horrible things that I wished never happened, but there have also been many wonderful things. I think the good far outweighs the bad. I'm not going to tell you about it. For starters, you won't remember, and what's the fun in spoilers anyway? What I can say is that if you listen to me and do your lessons, you'll make it through it all to experience those things too. Dying at whatever age I am sounds much better than dying at eighteen years old, don't you think?"

"Why do I need you then? Isn't my future assured no matter what? We got to the point you existed to come back and help me," Charlotte reasoned.

Traveler held up a finger. "I don't remember it any more than you'll remember me, but a version of us made it to the point they could come back and help. I'm not the first version to come back and help the younger. I was helped when I was in your shoes. In some other history, we made it through, but things ended up being too high a cost by the time we made it through, and that version of us decided to create a mostly closed time loop to ensure the worst things didn't happen. At least, that is what I've puzzled out. Each of us does things just a little bit differently each time, so there is some deviation in the course and outcomes– it's The Outside's fault; it doesn't care about maintaining our perfectly planned out little loop. I don't know how many times we have been through this loop, and I don't know how much we have deviated over time from the course that the starting version of us planned out, but I know that we haven't drifted so far that we want to break that loop. Things are mostly good. Can you please try to be more cooperative? I don't want this all falling apart on my watch."

"If it still deviates, that means I can still end up dying regardless of your help and that you technically are an alternative version of me," Charlotte pointed out.

"True enough," Traveler conceded. "But I'm trying to keep that deviation to a minimum, so you don't die, so others that are important to you don't die."

Charlotte balled her hand into a fist. "Why didn't you help me earlier, so Kristin didn't die?!"

Traveler let out a long breath. "You had to have touched your power enough to even get here, and you hadn't yet at that point. I've tried to go back and fix things before, not just with her. I create widely different timelines doing that, and they always turn out terrible, or I fail to reach them altogether for reasons I still don't understand. It is like I'm blocked away from doing certain things, which is very disheartening. It's like some higher power refuses to let me interfere with specific events. Maybe you can figure it out, but I am about out of time to do so. You're my final task. We know that keeping to the plan works."

"I'll find a way," Charlotte said through gritted teeth.

The ancient version of herself sighed again and looked around with melancholy at their surroundings. "Good luck to you. Reality has not been kind to me on that front. I brought people back, but never the ones I wanted. This place…the place that The Outside is currently imitating, has been my opponent for so long, never giving me what I seek. You'll learn about this place, Jeg'galla'gamp'pi, in time, and you'll likely come to hate it, as I have. So much time was wasted searching this ghost for my ghosts. Once Jeg'galla'gamp'pi takes someone, it never gives them back, yet you still sense their presence, like they should be around the next corner or in the next building. It mocks you by giving you hope to keep you trying. I'd tell you not to bother with it and not waste years of your life in that hopeless pursuit, but you won't remember."

Charlotte wondered who she would lose here and decided not to ask. She didn't want to think about losing anyone. "You talk about it like it is a living thing."

Traveler shook her head. "I don't know. There is a consciousness here, but it is so alien it is unfathomable. No one knows how old this place is."

The older woman's speech suddenly, without warning, quickened into a frenzy. "There is no way to test it. It doesn't decay or break down or absorb particles that can be measured. It defies every rule of physics and order and instead makes its own– that it follows only when it feels like it. When the universe was born, Jeg'galla'gamp'pi was already older than we can comprehend. I saw it, the birth of the universe, and this cursed place was right there, just as vacant and oppressive as it is now, not a stone different. I stood on these streets and watched the Big Bang, protected by Jeg'galla'gamp'pi, for whatever incomprehensible reason it wanted, as forces you could not believe turned the sky into a blaze that it would make standing on the brightest star seem like you're standing in the deepest darkest cave that time forgot. I stood here during the Big Crunch at the end of the universe as well, and all light in the sky condensed down to a single dot that too faded and took time with it, and that too was not enough to make this place reveal a single secret. I sometimes think of what Sunset Blessing would call this place and decided that she would say that God long ago decided to just abandon Heaven to rot, and this is it, the husk of the creator's timeless halls. Yet it still takes all the souls and holds them beyond eternity."

The Traveler broke down into a coughing fit after that, and Charlotte got up to steady her. It took several moments before Traveler could breathe again, and when she did, she opened her eyes wide, revealing milky grey irises that were nearly white in spots.

"Jeg'galla'gamp'pi is a problem for another day. Today, you need to focus on your lesson, so you have days yet to come to chase ghosts."

Chapter 1.41: The Queen's Bitter Triumph

Charlotte started to open her eyes groggily, but they quickly snapped open wide as she realized she was shaking and it was dark. What was happening? Was it an earthquake? Where was everyone else? Panic came as she realized that not only was she shaking, she was unable to move.

"Stop squirming! Hard enough to try to run with you without that! Don't get any ideas, or I'll drain you!"

"Bursa?" Charlotte asked in confusion. "What's–"

"Be quiet!" the changeling queen hissed.

Charlotte now realized she was upside down against Bursa's abdomen and that the bug was holding her in two of its legs as the changeling rapidly scuttled along the ceiling. Where they were beyond that was a mystery. It was pitch black. She only knew she was upside down because her hair was hanging over Bursa's side, and she was being pelted with pebbles from the ceiling as the bug dislodged them in her haste.

She tried to think back to how she had gotten to where she was. Cadence and Josie had just returned with Bursa. It had taken them a while, but they'd come back unscathed. She'd gone to see if Empathy was coming back with them, and Cadence and Phobia had gone to speak with Prime about possible treaties. Empathy had been fussing with Heavyheart, and Charlotte, not wanting to butt into their domestic squabble, had instead gone to find somewhere to piss. She couldn't remember what had happened after that. She just woke up to this.

This stupid bug is kidnapping me! Charlotte thought in shocked realization.

"Where are you taking me?" Charlotte demanded.

"Not sure," Bursa responded without slowing.

"What's your plan?"

"Not sure."

"Why are you doing this?!"

"Shut up, or I'll drain you!"

Okay, the changeling queen had no plan and decided to just do this out of the blue. She must have realized they were returning to Equestria soon and didn't want to lose her opportunity to nab Charlotte. Whose brilliant idea was it to bring the nutso changeling on this mission? Didn't they even say Bursa would want to pressure Charlotte into getting her to Earth via portal? They said over and over that Bursa was dumb, and the current lack of a plan illustrated that, but including her along when she was bound to pull this crap was just as dumb, if not more! Charlotte should have been terrified, but she was so outraged at the fact the alicorns and Bursa both made such hair-brained decisions that she found it difficult to manage any emotion but anger.

It was best just to sit and wait for this to play out. There was no way that Bursa was going to get away with this. They were on an alien world. The bug had no idea where she was going and wouldn't dare hurt Charlotte. The others had to have already realized what had happened and be in pursuit, and between them and the Autobots, it would be mere minutes before the bug was caught, and Charlotte could proceed to scream at Cadence for insisting Bursa come along. Maybe they could maroon the bug on this world and be done with her. They should have left her stranded out with the Decepticons. She wondered how Sapphire and Apple Bloom felt about Bursa's betrayal after pushing so hard to get her back.

The bug paused and seemed to be unsure what direction to go. Charlotte couldn't see anything, but she could feel Bursa turning back and forth as if conflicted about which path to follow. Given that the Autobot base was under a mountain, there could be miles of tunnels, and many of them might not lead to the surface. That further highlighted how poorly thought out, or rather, how completely unthought-out, this kidnapping was. It also presented a problem. If there were miles and miles of tunnels, and Bursa was wandering them aimlessly, it could make it difficult for the others to track where she went. Maybe sitting tight and quiet wasn't the best course of action.

"Bursa, you have to know this is a bad idea," she said with forced calm. "I can't even use my powers. Sunset has to use them for me. You were there!"

"Shut up!"

How certain was she that Bursa was just bluffing about hurting her? It was a gamble. What would Sunset do? Probably blast Bursa to smitherings, but what if it was Sunset before she got freaky powerful? What would that Sunset do? That was easy; Sunset would piss Bursa off and hope that made Bursa make a mistake. That was Sunset's go-to method for dealing with things when she was out of options. She wasn't thrilled about copying what Sunset would do, but it was a method that had served the unicorn well, and if there was one thing she knew she could do just as well as her other self, it was the ability to completely piss someone off.

"Hey, bug brain! I would ask you if you realize how stupid this plan is, but I doubt you see that. I would explain how stupid it is to you, but I'm probably already using words too big for you when I say something with more than one syllable! That's each part of a word– never mind, too complex an idea for you– whoops! I did it again! Words too long!"

"Shut up!!" Bursa snarled.

"Tell me, when you were disguised as a rock, did you get smarter? I'm just wondering if you gain the traits of what you take the form of."

The changeling let off an angry growl. "Shut up, or I'll kill you!"

It might be time to remind her that was a bad idea.

"If I'm dead or unconscious, I can't very well make a portal. Killing me makes this all pointless."

"Aaarrrhhhh! You are more aggravating than nasty Twilight Sparkle! More aggravating than snooty Queen Chrysalis! More aggravating than that fat white pegasus! MORE AGGRAVATING THAN EMPATHY!"

"Be nice to my elephant; he never did anything to you!" Charlotte yelled but continued to mock the bug. "And good for you. You repeatedly used a word with four syllables. I didn't know you had it in you. You pathetic loser!"

The reaction was so immediate that Charlotte didn't even know what happened. She just knew she was in pain, primarily in her hands, knees, breasts, and that she had hit her head against something.

"We'll see how well you make fun of me with your mouth filled with goo!" Bursa screamed.

It was hard to focus, and she was probably bleeding in multiple places. Bursa must have thrown her down on the ground. At least she wasn't running deeper into the tunnels. She couldn't be allowed to goo up Charlotte's mouth. That could cause her to suffocate. The bug wouldn't think about that and, at this point, wouldn't listen. However, it hurt to move, the ground was uneven, and she couldn't see a damned thing. Panic started to set in. This wasn't the first time her life had been in danger. She had faced mortal danger at least half a dozen times since she was six, but this time was different. This time Sunset Blessing wasn't around to save her. It was just her and a monster in the dark. She had made a severe miscalculation. She shouldn't have enraged someone who already didn't think actions through.

"Hahaha! You just peed yourself! Who's a pathetic loser now!" Bursa cackled. The area then was bathed in angry red light as the changeling lit her jagged horn, revealing her face and open mouth full of serrated teeth.

Charlotte did what was instinctual; she threw her hands up to block her face and turned away.

The changeling gasped, then started laughing.

"It seems you can open portals on your own!" Bursa shouted in victory. "Where does it go?"

Charlotte shook her head. "I don't know! I don't control these things! They just happen! I can't even see it."

"A likely story!" Bursa hissed. "Just so I know that you aren't trying to trick me because you think I'm dumb. You're going in first! If it isn't Earth, you'll have to do it again and keep doing it until you get it right."

Charlotte's eyes went wide. "It's not safe! We have no idea where that opens to."

"Not the bottom of an ocean. No water is coming out," Bursa remarked, and before Charlotte knew what was happening, she was lifted and hurled.

She came down hard on the ground, but it wasn't rocky this time; it was grass– bright green, healthy grass. The sun was shining, but there was a nip of autumn chill that seemed at odds with the bright green grass.

"IT'S EARTH! I MADE IT AT LAST!" Bursa shouted in triumph.

Charlotte looked around and beheld a familiar angel fountain with a very familiar house just beyond it. Of all places for her to open a portal to, she had opened one right on the grounds of Wabash Manor. On the plus side, another very familiar thing about the manor was that there were lots of guards, and they were already enclosing them in a circle.

"NO! I won't be captured again!" Bursa screamed in terror. Her screams transformed into a roar as she suddenly grew to massive proportions, standing more than two stories tall. Her chitin transformed into reptilian scales as the changeling shifted to a giant black dragon.

"We need backup! Not sure if bullets will work on that thing!" one of the guards shouted.

"Hold your fire; we have a civilian in the zone! It's Charlotte Portsmith!" another guard shouted. Nice of them to notice her.

"Goddamn, I can't believe I wish Blessing was here," another guard said.

Bursa turned to her with a toothy grin. "You're my ticket to freedom. They won't fire if I'm holding you." The dragon moved to grab her but instantly roared and clutched its head instead. "What?! It hurts! Be quiet!! Aaaggghhh!!!"

"And Tempest thought I needed martial arts courses to fight!" someone vaguely familiar declared with a laugh.

Charlotte had no idea what was going on, but it was clear that Bursa was under attack somehow. That might have been great except for one thing; Bursa was now aimlessly thrashing around in pain while still in the form of a massive dragon, and she was precariously close to Charlotte.

"Doctor Middleton, stop! The civilian is in danger!" a guard shouted.

"Fudge! Didn't think she would wail around like that!"

Whatever happened to Bursa must have stopped because Bursa suddenly regained control of herself and whipped around towards the voice of her attacker. When she did, her tail whipped around, too, straight towards Charlotte. Charlotte held up her hands to brace for impact, and another portal opened.

This one opened midway through Bursa's dragon tail, severing it in two. The severed half of the tail went hurtling through the air and barely missed hitting Charlotte by mere inches.

Bursa reverted back to her changeling form, and oddly, it was half of one of her legs that were missing. The changeling stumbled around, disoriented, unbalanced, and in agony. The leg was leaking what looked like green pus everywhere she went, leaving a trail through the grass. Charlotte was unsure if this was the same as bleeding out, putting Bursa's life at risk, and at the moment, Charlotte's primary focus with Bursa was staying out of the stumbling changeling's way. The original portal was gone, but the newer one she had severed Bursa's tail…leg…whatever with was still there, although shrinking. Maybe the changeling would stumble into it.

The changeling moved towards Charlotte. It wasn't deliberate. Nothing Bursa was doing at the moment was deliberate. She was a wounded monster, utterly unaware of her surroundings and in so much pain she couldn't muster any intelligent thought. Charlotte rolled out of the way just in time to avoid being trampled by Bursa's remaining five legs. A bit of the pus did splatter on her arm, and she hissed as she learned the hard way that it was highly acidic and burned. She sat up and tried taking her shirt off to use as a cleaning cloth, unconcerned about her modesty due to the need to find something to wipe the vile goo off her arm. What would have been a blinding red light if not for the upraised shirt shielding her eyes suddenly flared from Bursa's direction.

"Take cover! She's about to do a large discharge!" one of the guards yelled.

There was no cover to take, and Charlotte was right next to the changeling in the explosion radius. It struck Charlotte like a bus, knocking her back. She felt herself get knocked through the portal and landed hard on a rock before tumbling down what must have been a cliffside. Her head hit a rock, and all went black.

End of part one.

Author's Note

Second part of story is starting soon.

Chapter 2.1: Earthly Toils

Russel was a man who attracted a lot of gossip. He was the art teacher who also coached the wrestling team, which seemed unbelievable to many, as if being both an art teacher and a wrestling coach were impossible to be together. He was a black man with vitiligo that gave him a very piebald appearance that instantly caught everyone's attention and made him easily recognizable. His parents and parents-in-law jointly owned a major company famous for producing shrimp that ponies could safely eat, and everyone always wondered how much he and his wife were worth (they rarely saw a dime of that, although they were in line to inherit it…someday, after all of both sets of parents died). He was also married to a pony, and while it wasn't unheard of, it still made people talk.

However, as of the last month or so, he was the target of a new set of gossip. The world had learned that his plump, cheery little wife wasn't just any pony. The love of his life was none other than The Marshmallow, and The Marshmallow had become the face of the Dreamwardens with Phobia Remedy's retirement. Now he rarely escaped a conversation without someone asking him what it was like being married to a Dreamwarden.

This was why, despite how much he cared about all his students and wanted to see them succeed, he was nothing but relieved when he could finally walk past the now ever-present bodyguards guarding his front porch.

He was barely done taking his jacket and shoes off when his wife's scowling personal bodyguard-assistant, came storming out of the kitchen and dining area towards him.

The Belgian woman put a finger up to his face. "You need to go deal with your wife."

He calmly finished hanging his jacket up and smiled at her, making a point to look around the finger. "Hello, Blanche. What seems to be the trouble with Rebecca that has your ponytail in a twist?"

"She's moping and has canceled three important appointments today!" Blanche fumed. "She isn't listening to me. So you need to talk some sense into her. She'll listen to you. Maybe you can get her out of this rut."

His smile slipped. Rebecca was moping and canceling meetings? That was unlike her. Her mood had been a little down as of late, so it wasn't shocking. She was under an enormous amount of pressure now that her identity was public, and she was taking on all the duties that Phobia Remedy used to take care of. If anything, she seemed to have done better with much more of it than Russel could manage. One of the more challenging things they had to do in the last month was host the leaders of The Friends of Humanity for dinner. By the time the meal was halfway over, Russel had wanted to put his fist through their speciest faces and had detected a strong hint of racism from them as well. Rebecca had endured it all with smiles and laughter, and even had those bastards laughing at her joke and asking after her recipes for cake. They would say their disgusting ideas; Rebecca would nod, say she understood their feelings– which was true and turned it into a dialogue where they were forced to acknowledge the fact the counterpoints she made. Phobia Remedy had made every attempt to fight bigotry through peaceful dialogue, and Rebecca was continuing that trend without missing a beat. She never ceased to amaze him.

So, if dealing with those kinds of people didn't cause her to feel depressed, what did?

Blanche sat on the couch and gave him a glare that silently ordered him to deal with his wife. It was unneeded, but it did make him quicken his step to the kitchen. He entered the next room and surveyed the damage.

There was bread, many many loaves of bread. There were open crocks of butter, mixing bowls filled with various culinary things, some with only crumbs and loose bits of sugar and flour. There were jars of buttercream, chocolate, fondant, cinnamon, and a surprising number of empty milk jugs– all whole milk, of course– lying around both the kitchen and dining room. He saw three different cakes, all half eaten, with two more plates that indicated those were not the total number of cakes that had been baked today. There were four trays of cupcakes, a tray of muffins, and two trays of cookies, all half eaten. The muffin tray and muffins still have steam rising from being freshly cooked. Let no one ever say his wife couldn't cook. In another life, she would have made a very prolific baker.

Rebecca herself was currently at the dining room table with the toaster. She was in the process of constructing a building out of toast, molded together with a mix of butter, chocolate, and what looked like strawberry jelly. It was in the early stages, so he couldn't tell what it would eventually look like, but beside her were completed toast models of Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid.

Hey slowly walked over to the dining room table. "Hey, babe, having a bad day?"

"Bad year, and it is going to get worse," Rebecca mumbled as she cut another piece of toast and plastered one of its dissected pieces to her construction with a dab of chocolate.

He got up beside her, bent down, kissed her, and then hugged her. "Want to talk about it?"

"Yeah," she replied, then sighed. "But I can't. Super secret stuff with lots of rules. Dreamwarden stuff is so unfair sometimes."

He gripped her tighter "I get it and understand. I knew it was part of the package when I married you." He looked at her hoofs, which she used to dab and spread the chocolate. "You want some help with that? You are getting your pretty stripes all messy."

She leaned into him. "Okay, my valiant spotty man."

They sat constructing whatever building Rebecca had in mind. It looked like some Greek or Roman temple. Given her previous two constructs, he would guess the Temple of Zeus or Artimus, or maybe the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus or the Parthenon.

"I always wanted just to build things, that and help kids that didn't have any friends or who were going through tough times," Rebecca said sadly as she pulled another piece of toast from the toaster. "Everybody's favorite floating Marshmallow, here to cheer kids up and inspire others to do creative things. Friend to most, always ready to brighten up a dreary day with my silliness."

"You do that. You do a great job at that," Russel reminded her.

She shook her head. "I'm stuck doing so much more than that. I'm not talking about dealing with boring old politicians, generals, douchebags, and various other people I'd rather not have to spend minutes listening to. Phobia did me dirty when she decided to retire now of all times."

"Guessing something big is in the works," Russel commented.

"Can't say," she muttered before reaching over with a wing and grabbing some cookies to stuff her face.

He chewed on his lip as he looked around the room. "I know this isn't the best time to bring this up, and I know this is your way of coping, but this is a bit much, even for you. I don't want you eating yourself to death. It's hard to grow old together without two of us."

She smirked. "Do you have a suggestion for some other stress relief?"

He gave her another kiss. "If you want to pause your efforts to match Paeonius, Inctinus, and Imhotep with toast, we could go to the bedroom to discuss other stress relief in depth."

"About seven and a half inches in depth?" Rebecca giggled.

He chuckled. "I still can't believe you pulled out a measuring tape on our honeymoon."

"Well, I wanted to know how my man stacked up. You know, to see if I had gotten a quality product. This Marshmallow only allows herself to be injected by the very best-"

"Okay, eww," Blanche said from the doorway, breaking their mood. The bodyguard held up a phone. "Phone call for you, Rebecca. You'll want to take this one. I insist."

Rebecca slumped in her seat and whined. "I can take calls and talk to important people tomorrow. I want to do dirty things with my spotty man now."

Blanche sternly walked over to Rebecca and shoved the phone in her face. "It's your friend Jordan. Bursa just showed up at Wabash Manor."

Rebecca's ears perked as she blinked. "That's a blast from the past. Guess she finally made it through. Guess anyone can manage anything if they keep trying long enough. I wonder if she remembers my smiling face."

Russel vaguely recalled the name but couldn't place it. Wait…wasn't that one of the monsters Rebecca met during her trip to Equestria? The bug one?

Rebecca grabbed the phone with her hooves and then looked at him apologetically. "I kinda have to keep this private…and might need to do some dancing after. I'm sorry."

He gave her one last kiss. "Told you, I knew what I was getting into. What song do you want me to put on for you?"

"Surface Pressure from Encanto," Rebecca answered immediately.

"Yikes," Russel said with a whistle.

Jordan paced the guard room with Blue Streak, Jessie, and several guards watching her.

"What's taking so long?" she fretted.

"It takes time to get a response when you just call up a Dreamwarden, ma'am," the guard at the communication station answered.

The screen suddenly shifted from black to show Rebecca. She had chocolate caught in her fur, and Blanche was standing in attendance close behind her.

"Hiya, Jor! How's my favorite former co-foalsitter-in-arms? I heard you have a guest who might be a bit cranky," Rebecca chirped.

Jordan stopped pacing. "I do, and I don't know what to do with her! I just learned that, apparently, Wabash is a special district, and what happens at Wabash Manor is my problem as far as the government is concerned, so they won't come to deal with her. I asked the guards if we could just toss her out the front gate, so she isn't at Wabash anymore, but I can get in trouble for that since it counts as me endangering the public. I'm stuck with this thing, and I don't want her here. She's a threat to my family. You have to help me!"

Rebecca nodded. "Bursa didn't hurt anybody, did she? How'd she even get there? How are you holding her? How did you even catch her?"

Jordan pointed with a hoof out toward the front of the house. "I didn't know that thing's name before, but it was Charlotte Portsmith, the young one, not Auntie, that got her here. They portaled in! I don't know if she hurt anyone because she knocked the girl into another portal when Charlotte injured her. We have Bursa sedated, and we think her health is stable. Does she regrow limbs? She lost half a leg."

The plump pegasus tilted her head. "Um…I don't know. Not sure how her changeling biology works since changelings aren't native to our universe. I'll have to sleep and dig around what I have for Luna's memories to figure that out. She probably knows. Charlotte hurt her? That's surprising. I remember Bursa kicking Applejack and Rarity's patooties, and they're way more experienced at fighting than little Charlotte." Rebecca squinted. "Why does Jess look guilty like she just put skim milk all over my cereal?"

Jordan glanced back at her best friend. "Jessie made a tiny error when trying to stop dragon-form Bursa from taking off with Charlotte."

"What did you do, Jess?" Rebecca asked with curiosity.

Jessie balled her hands into fists then released them; she refused to meet Rebecca's gaze. "I bombarded her with an extremely high pitch ringing at what seemed to be an extreme volume that only she could hear. It completely disoriented her– so much so that I nearly got that girl crushed. I should have thought it out. I'm a genius."

Jordan gave her friend a comforting smile. "You're a math genius. That doesn't mean you make the best calls on non-mathy things, and it was very effective. Everybody makes mistakes. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Oh, that's a clever use of your powers in s fight," Rebecca complimented. She then frowned and flicked her ear. "…except I think attacking ears is a war crime."

"It is, for attacking soldiers in armies, but that wasn't a war, and Bursa isn't a soldier," Blanche clarified to her Dreamwarden.

Rebecca fluttered her lips and whinnied. "See, this is another reason I hate politics. There are things that you can do to civilians that ate perfectly legal in that instance, but a crime when you do it to a soldier. Who the heck decided that? Don't answer, Blanche; I don't want to know. I need more cake."

Blanche held up a laptop computer. "Well, you should know that drones picked up the fight with Bursa with high-definition cameras. Videos are now on social media, and it's making its way into the news cycle."

Jordan groaned. "How bad is it?"

"Chaos continues at Wabash Manor, despite Sunset Blessing vacating. Footage of a hostile encounter with a large dragon surfaced on the internet today. It is unknown yet if the dragon survived, and the new Mistress of Wabash Manor, Jordan Streak, has yet to issue any statement," Blanche read off.

"I'm supposed to issue a statement?!" Jordan asked in disbelief. "When was someone going to tell me? How do I do that?"

Rebecca waved a wing. "Don't worry, Jor. I can help you with that. I suppose I can talk to Bursa too."

"How will you help me get her off my property?" Jordan demanded. "I can't keep that thing here!"

"Um…that's a little harder," Rebecca said sheepishly. "I can't authorize any removal or incarceration by my people unless Bursa broke one of our rules, and while I'm sure she is breaking all kinds of rules that many people care about, she isn't breaking ours." The plump pegasus sat and thought. "Government won't touch her, especially now that she's been on the news. They're probably hoping you just kill her. They liked that about old SB."

Jordan gaped. "They liked Auntie murdering intruders??!"

Rebecca shrugged. "I didn't, but I see where they did. If those meanies could be radicalized enough to do something crazy like try to kill Sunset Blessing, they could be radicalized into doing just about anything. From the government's perspective, Sunset Blessing was doing them a favor by disposing of potential terrorists."

Jordan stood tall and flicked her tail. "I'm not killing her. I'm not a murderer."

"Didn't expect you to. You're like me, too nice to be pragmatic," Rebecca replied.

"I can kill her," Blanche offered.

"No, you won't," Rebecca said firmly, not looking at Blanche.

"I can make it quick and painless," Blanche continued.

"There's no murder-murder-kill-kill happening," Rebecca said with unusual sternness. Blanche scowled but nodded. Rebecca shook her head. "I've got a solution, but you won't like it. I don't like it either, but she's our best bet to get Bursa out of there with no killing involved."

"Who?" Jordan asked.

"Arachne," Rebecca concluded.

Chapter 2.3: The Fourth Universe

Charlotte stirred and opened her eyes. She immediately winced and turned away from the bright flame of a fire. That was a mistake because multiple parts of her body protested in pain.

"Good morning. Don't move around too much. Your injuries are healing, but you're still in rough shape."

She didn't recognize the voice. But as her vision cleared, she saw she was in an actual building, not a cave. There was chipped and peeling paint in every color of the rainbow on the walls, all faded. The building was at least two stories tall, but the center was open and went straight up to a round opening in the ceiling that the smoke of the fire slowly drifted out through. The sky beyond was unnaturally dark, with no moonlight or starlight. Railings surrounded the landings of each of the floors above her.

It took a moment for her eyes to pick out who had spoken. It was a woman who appeared close in age to Charlotte at first glance, but there was something ageless about her. She was blonde, wearing a short blue dress with rainbow trim and a belt with a rainbow insignia front and center. Her hair was a knotted mess partially pulled back by a band. She had white leggings and what looked like black ballet shoes. Laying behind her was a snowy white horse, a proper horse, not a pony, with a rainbow mane that would have made even Rainbow Dash jealous. On the horse's head was a large golden star emblem.

"You've been asleep a full day. I was worried you wouldn't wake," her fireside companion stated, throwing some scraps of broken wood in the fire. "Forgive me; I don't have any food. Starlight and I don't need to eat, and we gave up scrounging for food long ago, but we may have to restart that. I'm assuming you eat. You look human."

"I'm human," Charlotte confirmed, trying to sit up. It was an effort, especially since she found she had both an arm and leg bound in casts. "Where-" Her mind finally put together where she had seen that horse before, along with some elements of the woman's clothes. "You're Rainbow Brite."

The woman nodded. "I haven't heard that name in a long time, but I haven't had anyone to talk to but Starlight for a long time, and he's taken to calling me by my older name, Whisp. I'm surprised you've heard of me."

Charlotte glanced around some more. Yet another childhood toy made real. How many would end up being real? "So…I'm guessing Rainbow Land is a dystopian wasteland too."

Rainbow Brite gave a sad nod and tossed some more wood into the fire. "Everywhere is a wasteland since we lost Spectra. If you came here trying to find somewhere safe and warm, I'm sorry. Snow blankets the ground, and the only lights are the ones we make. The other residents sleep, but Starlight and I have stood watch, hoping for any change."

The distorted version of her childhood doll reached down and lifted something small. "Forgive me for going through your pockets, but this is what led me to you. It was in your pocket, glowing so brightly that the light shined through. Light is so rare outside that it stood out from a distance. I found you at the base of the cliffs. You're lucky. If I hadn't seen that light to find you, you'd have frozen or bled to death."

It was another one of the bracelets, only this time it was blue. She didn't recall getting a blue one and wondered why she suddenly had one of a different color, breaking the pattern. It wasn't making any light right now, but she believed Rainbow Brite was telling the truth about it glowing. It wasn't like there was any need to lie about it.

Rainbow sat the bracelet back down. "What's your name, and where do you come from? Are there more people alive there?" There was an undertone of desperation to the last part.

"I'm Charlotte. I'm sorry, I don't know if you'll believe me, but I'm not from this world. I'm not even from this universe."

If she expected any display of disbelief, it didn't come. Rainbow just hung her head. "Oh…I'd hoped that… never mind. I'll do everything I can to help you get better so you can go home, but how'd you know my name?"

"That might be harder to believe than where I come from," Charlotte warned.

Rainbow chuckled; it sounded out of practice. "It's beyond belief that I found any mortal alive. My skepticism is on hold. Even if you're lying to me, you're still someone new to talk to, other than Starlight."

So, Charlotte started talking. She told about watching Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer as a kid. She spoke about how her life had been turned upside down one day by the arrival of her future self. She talked about life on Earth and on Equestria, along with her family. She continued on about the mission that had brought them to the world of care bears and transformers and concluded by explaining Bursa's betrayal and how she had ended up in Rainbowland. Rainbow Brite sat quietly listening, never interrupting, and occasionally nodding. By the time she was done talking, she had no idea how much time had passed, but she knew she was tired.

"That was a much longer explanation than I expected. If you were making things up, you have a better imagination than me," Rainbow finally said. She looked at Charlotte with a hint of concern. "It also took a lot out of you. I should have cut you off earlier, so you didn't wear yourself out, but I was just so eager to hear someone else talk. I'm sorry for doing that to you. It was selfish. You should try to lie down and get some more sleep. I'll go out and try to find something for you to eat."

"How bad is it out there?" Charlotte asked.

Rainbow frowned as she stood up. "Ice and snow are everywhere. The temperatures are subzero. There is no light but what you bring. Almost everything is dead, and what isn't dead is barely holding on or in a deep sleep. You said that the last universe you were in was terrible? It is paradise compared to this. This universe is a tomb. There are no monsters out to get you. The monsters are all dead."

Charlotte would have paled, but she barely had blood in her face as it was. "How did this happen?"

Rainbow turned away. "The movie you watched as a kid was wrong. I didn't save Spectra; I failed. Almost all life and light depended on that planet. Now, this is what we have. Once you can manage one of those portals again, you'll want to leave."

"Come gather around, children. I have a new story to tell you, although I will keep this one short," Jennifer instructed. as she sat down on the couch in the library.

The kids did as instructed, and she smiled.

"Once upon a time, long before any human walked the Earth when dinosaurs still ruled it, there existed on another world three great mages beyond compare."

She used her powers to create three vaguely humanoid beings. That wasn't what they looked like, but it was easier for the kids to empathize with things that looked less alien. She then created the form of Triss towering over the three.

"These three were all students of Triss, for she has long taken students and tried to instruct them so they could ascend as she could. These three were among her greatest, greater than any mage living today, but even they fell short of that lofty standard."

The three raised their hands, and each held a unique stone. One had a stone shaped like a sun. The second had one shaped like a cube, and the last one looked like a diamond. Again, these were stylized for the story's sake, but the styles felt appropriate.

"From Jeg'galla'gamp'pi, each had been gifted a stone of unique properties, tied specifically to them. With these stones, they could do great works of magic the likes had never been seen, yet this was not enough to hold back the coming doom that approached their world, and they knew it."

The scene shifted to the three loading their stones on a massive ship that looked almost like a meteor.

"Knowing their end was coming and that life would fail again, they devised a plan. They had identified a planet that showed signs of eventually developing sentient life like theirs. They knew that this planet would only be forced to face the onslaught of the Devourers one day and that for there to be a chance, the civilization there had to not develop magic until it had reached technological heights that previous worlds had failed to do. That meant that the thaumic energy concentration in that world had to be slightly lessened permanently. To do this, they would make the universe itself leak that energy away from that world. They were going to weaken and break the barrier and form three new universes for thaumic energy to flood into periodically, but such a thing took an immense amount of force and power."

The scene shifted again to a younger Earth, with dinosaurs walking the mushroom-laden ground, munching on the leaves of now long-extinct trees. The fireball suddenly appeared in the sky, drawing the attention of the simple beasts, and before any could react, it came hurtling down and hit the ground, letting off a mushroom cloud the likes of which had rarely been seen on Earth. The concussive and fiery blast spread, and the scene ended as the blinding blaze enveloped the scene.

"And so, for life to preserve here, life took a massive hit. So ended the age of the dinosaurs, and so began the age of the leaks. Each of the three stones were forcibly slammed through the barrier of our universe and formed new universes beyond, and periodically those universes were fed by our energy. So when humankind eventually rose, they did not develop magic as most civilizations did. They were forced to learn how to build without it. That lasted until the residents of one of those newborn universes found a way to go the other way across the barrier, and with them, the age of magic began here in earnest. That universe is Equestria, and someday perhaps, we shall learn what became of the other two."

Chapter 2.5: Piling Up

Andrea peeled the skin off what the Inuits called a banana. It didn't look like any banana she'd ever seen. It was smaller, thicker, and much more brown than a banana. With the skin removed, she could see the seeds, big black things, littered among the fruit's flesh. She squished some of it in her fingers, not wanting to swallow any of those ugly seeds accidentally, and then put her fingers in her mouth. The fruit didn't taste like a banana, either. It had a potent mix of bitter and salty and was much too dry, like wood pulp. This was the worst banana she'd ever eaten, but at least it was food.

Not much had happened since Charlotte's kidnapping, a full day had passed, and all there had been was talk. She had spent much of her time rebuffing the intuits who tried to come and comfort her. Surprisingly, Heavyheart had aided her in keeping them at bay. Perhaps the elephant wanted her for herself. Andrea was of the prime emotion for the elephant at the moment, but Heavyheart hadn't made any attempt so far to help her beyond shooing the other well-meaning intuits away. The lone exception to this was Empathy, who often sat silently beside her, looking as depressed as she felt.

"Enjoying the drivel they feed us here, I see," a high-pitched voice remarked. Andrea rolled her eyes. Great, Shrieky was here.

The purple-haired neanderthal sat beside her and grabbed an apple, or at least what had been identified as an apple; it was more like a crabapple. Andrea had been avoiding those because they reminded her of home. The intuits had a small underground grove of trees. The trees all looked stunted and the fruit terrible, but if you were growing trees underground, you should be happy to be growing anything at all, she supposed.

Andrea glanced around. "Where's Beastly? He usually follows you around like a dog."

Shrieky shrugged. "I told him to take a bath. He was starting to stink again. He is probably drying off. It takes a while with all that fur. He needed it but won't take care of himself unless I order him to do something."

"I'm surprised you care that he does. You don't seem to care about anyone," Andrea said before taking a drink of wine. The intuits had lots of barrels of the stuff. It was safer to drink than the water.

Her eating companion sat silent for a few seconds, then grabbed an empty mug and stood up. She walked over to a barrel and dipped it in before returning and sitting down. She took a long gulp and sat her cup down on the ground.

"I'd rather he stayed healthy than not," Shrieky said, then picked up another apple. She glanced at Empathy, who was sitting silently, munching on some sort of nuts, and shrugged dismissively when it became clear he wasn't interested in her.

"So," Shrieky continued. "I heard this creature's story about your Earth and the place called Equestria. My understanding of Earth comes from those movies they kept in the temples. Tell me, what are those places really like?"

"I'm not up to doing much talking right now," Andrea stated. "If you are here to eat, we can do it in silence."

Shrieky snorted.."I see. You're going to brood over your sister. People die or get lost or whatever, you live. You aren't doing her any favors by sitting by yourself."

"Why do you care? You've been a bitch to everyone," Andrea said through gritted teeth.

Shrieky threw her food down and stood up. "I don't! I was just…bored and looking for something to do to pass the time. Sit here by your lonesome. It doesn't impact me." She then stormed away, kicking at an intuit who just barely dodged her.

"She's lonely," Empathy said. "I have empathy."

"There's no shortage of intuits and transformers for her to talk to, or she could go talk to the ponies. She doesn't need to bother me," Andrea said.

Empathy looked at her. "She's lonely for humans. You're human right now."

Andrea shook her head. "She's a whole other human species, some offshoot of neanderthal, and I'm not even truly human. I'm a centaur. My earrings just give me a human form."

"You're close enough for her," Empathy said.

She pushed the food away and stood up. She didn't need to be lectured about not being nice to the freakin' banshee who had all the charm of a mass of maggots swimming around in a pool of vomit. Shrieky was only here because she decided her dear old uncle finally went too far when he turned the planet into the worst shitstain in three universes. A world Andrea was stuck on for the foreseeable future, wondering if her sister was alive or dead. Fuck Shrieky and her loneliness issues. Andrea couldn't deal with her own emotional crap; she wasn't fit to help others with theirs.

Hopefully, there would be a plan soon to strike back at No Heart, the care bears, and the Decepticons. A chance at some justice. Not that it mattered, this world was screwed no matter what. She'd at least get a chance to nail the bastard that was responsible for it all. She didn't even have to think about the how; she just had to follow orders.

"Is everything alright?"

She turned to see Cadence had approached, looking concerned. Andrea balled her hand into a fist.

"Just peachy," Andrea answered.

Cadence was clearly not buying that. "I know things seem bad right now, but we'll find your sister."

Andrea's lip curled back as she raised an accusing finger at the alicorn and advanced. "And whose fault is it she's gone? Can I even blame the stupid bug for doing something stupid? Who was the one who insisted on bringing Bursa along on this trip? What did she contribute other than creating the situation my sister is in? You knew the risk she posed, and you still insisted on bringing her. Why? I want to know."

Cadence took a few steps back. "I'm not sure you would accept the explanation, and I'm confident it won't make you feel better."

"I still want to know. Tell me the justification!" Andrea growled.

Cadence took a deep breath. "Very well. On your world, you have a select few individuals called Storytellers. They are conduits guided by the Narrator of the Story, which pushes events towards certain goals. They are seers, prophets if you would, who draw attention to events in the past, shed light on current events, and give a glimpse of possible futures. The most notable of these is Jennifer Tanner, but there are others. Equestria has our version of these, beings that commune with Harmony and also give information about the past, present, and future to influence events in the direction Harmony desires. Such individuals have given prophecies that foretold the return of Nightmare Moon and the Crystal Empire. Our most notable one warned that if Bursa did not go on this mission, Equestria could meet its doom. We take their visions very seriously."

Andrea couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Wait, you're telling me you did something you knew was a moronic idea because some half-baked mystic told you to?! What kind of medieval bullshit is that?!"

"I told you that you would not be satisfied with the explanation," Cadence said in a near whisper.

Andrea threw her hands up. "Yeah, that's true! I thought the rulers of Equestria were intelligent and made well-thought-out plans based on research and reason. Now I learn they make decisions based on sheep guts and horoscopes! I'm an Aquarius, Kristin, that's my sister that got shot to death by bears, was a Capricorn, and Charlotte was a Leo. What's our lucky numbers!"

Cadence silently mouthed what had been told in confusion, then shook her head. "I'm sorry, I have no idea what any of that means."

"I don't either because it is all nonsense, just like your reasons for getting my sister lost or killed!!" Andrea screamed as she stormed away.

Charlotte woke up and groaned. Everything hurt. It didn't hurt this bad the last time she woke up. Why'd it hurt more now?

The fire was still going, but there was no sign of Rainbow Brite or Starlight. Rainbow had said something about searching for food. If this place was a frozen wasteland, that might take a while, if she could at all.

It should shock her more to run into yet another childhood cartoon character, but it didn't. The cartoon was clearly a sanitized version for kids. Rainbow was no little girl like the cartoon, but a grown woman. No, not really….Rainbow said she didn't eat and that clothing was not what any normal person could be walking around in if the temperature was sub-zero. Whatever Rainbow Brite was, she wasn't human, and Starlight wasn't a horse. Were they more golems, like the intuits and transformers, just more familiar looking? Did it matter?

She glanced around at her surroundings. There was what was a metal crutch near here. Rainbow had been thoughtful. Did she just have that thing lying around? In the cartoon, Rainbow Land is a small town. If you looked around a town enough, you could probably find a crutch somewhere. It wasn't like anyone else was using it.

Her hand touched something, and she turned her head to see what. It was yet another bracelet. This one the usual pink. Her other ones were still around her wrist, so this was a new one. Changing what universe she was in apparently hadn't changed the fact she was still getting new bracelets. She guessed she could finally cross No Heart off for sure as the source. Maybe she had weird human magic that did nothing but make bracelets. Wouldn't that be a useless power to have? Government asks her what she can do, and she could answer that she made portals to other universes that she couldn't control and created cheap plastic bracelets because….why not? Wasn't human magic supposed to be unpredictable? Her parents and Kristin had all gotten extra strength. Her mom, who weighed around a hundred forty pounds, and her dad, who weighed approximately two hundred pounds, could both lift things to twice their weight without doing any workouts or weightlifting to stay in shape. Charlotte had to strain to lift something that was a hundred pounds, and she'd probably hurt her back doing it. Their kind of magic was helpful. What did she get? She got this crud.

She scowled at herself. She needed to stop this pity party. She didn't have Sunset or any powerful pony to help her right now, but she was not an idiot. As Sunset liked to point out, they were one, and Sunset figured out complex magic. If Sunset could, so could she.

Well, at least thanks to Bursa, she knew she was capable of creating portals as a defensive reaction. She'd done something similar when she had almost opened a portal when Phobia had drawn her fears to the surface. However, it seemed like that worked differently than the portal she'd opened that brought Empathy to Earth. That portal she hadn't gone through the glowing hands thing and was a product of rage instead of terror. It was still easy enough to guess what she needed to open another portal was a strong emotional reaction. That meant she had a legitimate chance of getting out of this latest hellhole. It might take a while, but she was sure she could manage it. Unfortunately, it was a roll of the dice when it came to where that portal ended up leading.

Or, maybe it wasn't. There was some order to where she ended up if she thought about it. The first portal hadn't gone just anywhere in Empathy's universe; it had opened in Care-A-Lot. The first portal she had opened in defense against Bursa hadn't chosen a spot in the middle of nowhere to bring them to; it had brought her to Wabash Manor. This portal hadn't put her in deep space in this universe but on the edge of Rainbow Land. These were all places of significance. Sure, Sunset had gone through tons of misfires, but she had used Charlotte's magic secondhand. Maybe she had some instinct that led her to opening to locations that were safe in her subconscious mind. Care-A-Lot and Rainbow Land might not be safe places, but they were places of safety according to her childhood understanding. Perhaps that childish view of safety had been utilized when she did stuff subconsciously, maybe? She wasn't a psychologist, but it sounded plausible.

Still, she wasn't trying anything for a while. She needed to recover. Maybe she could bring Rainbow Brite with her if this world was that bad; if Rainbow wasn't harboring some dark secret where she was a monster out to kill everyone. After having care bears come in with guns blazing, it was worth having caution that her childhood cartoons were potentially much more dangerous than she'd imagined. Learning more about her savior companion was something to pass the time. Rainbow may seem depressed, defeated, and eager for anyone to talk to, but it couldn't be taken for granted that she could be much more than that. For all Charlotte knew, Rainbow Brite could be lying about everything and was really the tyrannical monarch of the world. After all, she claimed to be the only one left. Why just her? Nothing could be ruled out
.
But Rainbow wasn't with her right now, and Charlotte wasn't up to attempting the crutch, yet Getting more sleep seemed like the best thing to do. Time to add another bracelet to the pile.

Chapter 2.6: The Alicorn's Student

News from Earth could be slow getting to Equestria. Actually, no, it made it to Equestria fast enough, but Equestrians took their sweet time communicating the news to Sunset Blessing. If it didn't involve a monster attacking Canterlot, Equestrians couldn't be bothered to care. There were still areas that didn't know there were any princesses but Celestia. Some incident at Wabash Manor didn't register as a blip in pony gossip here, but she would undoubtedly hear all about how the lady so-and-so committed a major social faux pas by having slightly wilted lettuce at her most recent brunch party. Idiot Equestrians. Why did she come here to suffer these fools?

Safety for her and her family. She could endure the Equestrians for that.

"Is there anything I can get you, Princess Luna? Tea? Cake?" Decorum practically groveled. If Sunset weren't anxious due to the news, she would find it annoying.

Luna gave the vice headmare mare a weary look. "I think you are too used to my sister's preferences. Do you have any fruit, Mysticorum?"

Decorum blushed. "Mystic Decorum or Miss Decorum, majesty. I'll go find you that fruit, princess."

Sunset impatiently rapped her fingers on the desk as she watched her vice headmare exit the office. Such groveling to royalty was cringe-worthy. Luna was Sunset's teacher and benefactor, and no one saw her doing that.

"My student, I wish to know why you maintain that form after Queen Chrysalis's incarceration?" Luna asked.

Sunset sighed. "It allows me to see the students' spellwork in detail. It is more helpful for everyone if I can see what went wrong with a student's spell than simply being present for a failed spell and telling them to try again with as much clue as the student as to why they failed to cast it. I could cast a spell to do the same as a unicorn, but that's tedious. It also reinforces the idea that non-unicorns can be knowledgeable about magic." She paused briefly before continuing. "I've also grown over the years to be uncomfortable going out in public in my natural form. This may not be Earth, but old habits die hard. However, this isn't what you are here to talk about."

"Not completely," Luna admitted. "I do have an interest in how you're doing and seeing you as a human raised some questions. May I request that you try to make one daily journey out to shop or dine in town in your proper form? Perhaps that can ease your anxieties."

"If that's what you want me to do. I'm assuming you still want written weekly reports," Sunset grumbled.

Luna shook her head. "It may have been needed while you were on Earth, but here I think I can take the time to visit you at least once a week to discuss your progress. Sister may like to keep records of everything on paper, but I'm a Dreamwarden. I keep memories of meetings in the dream realm." She opened her mouth and faked retching. "Plus, I have an aversion to paperwork in general. How my sister tolerates having to read so many reports when somepony can just tell her these things is beyond me."

"We don't all have special cloud saves for all our conversations, Luna," Sunset reminded her.

Luna raised an eyebrow at her. "What do clouds have to do with it?"

Sunset rolled her eyes. "I'll explain it to you later. What was this about a dragon attacking Wabash Manor?"

Luna grimaced. "One thing I envy Sister and Twilight for is their students show more respect, but I suppose I have delayed telling you about the incident. It wasn't a dragon, it was Bursa, and she had your alternate version with her, and it did not appear to be your younger self's choice. Charlotte Portsmith inflicted serious injury to Bursa by opening up a portal in a way that severed one of the changeling's limbs but was knocked into the portal in the ensuing confusion. Your ex-husband's daughter was able to capture Bursa, but we do not know Charlotte Portsmith's whereabouts. We have gathered some intelligence about the scout team and the mission's progress from Bursa, but she seems to have been separated from the group for a short period and is missing some details."

Sunset grit her teeth and felt her blood boiling. Bursa dared to assault a member of Sunset's family? Why had they even taken her along on the trip? That bug was not to be trusted. She was unpredictable, irrational, and known to desperately desire to get to Earth to find the mysteries of her past as if that would give her peace.

She suddenly felt Luna's magic grip her tightly.

"What?!" Sunset hissed as she struggled against it.

"Calm yourself," Luna ordered, not raising her voice. "Forgive me for the rough grip, but I saw signs you were about to go into one of your rages and didn't want you to damage your office. I'm not sure how much damage you can do in human form, but I don't underestimate you as others do. When you have control of your temper, I will release you. If you wish to yell, feel free to do so, I have suffered much worse than your screaming. Perhaps yelling could be therapeutic."

"I'll go back home and murder that bug!" Sunset growled.

"You'll do no such thing," Luna said calmly. "While I know you have a policy of executing those who harm you or those you care about, it is even more unproductive than normal in this case. You know as well as I that Bursa held no malice towards Charlotte Portsmith. Your younger self was the means to an end to a poorly thought-out plan. Further, your granddaughter is taking custody of Bursa, and we have assured Bursa of her safety."

Sunset blinked. "Which granddaughter? Most of my granddaughters lack any resources to contain Bursa, except for Arachne, and I know no one would be stupid enough to give Bursa to her. Certainly not Jordan. I specifically warned Jordan about Arachne."

"It was The Marshmallow's idea. Jordan was at a loss at what to do with Bursa and called on her old friend's aid," Luna explained.

Sunset tried to shake her head in disbelief but was still being held immobile. "You're letting that fool of a pegasus make the decision? No wonder something stupid is happening. Well, Arachne will probably dissect Bursa, and I'm perfectly okay with that."

Luna shook her head. "That should not happen. The Marshmallow assured us that she is going to have Phobia's heir go stress that Bursa is not to be harmed. Your daughter's heir was partially chosen because the Dreamwardens lacked an intimidating member with her gone. Bursa has already agreed to a Dreamwarden contract that will keep her from causing further mischief."

"Phobia wasn't that intimidating, and my granddaughter isn't easily intimidated," Sunset said dismissively. "Arachne would have caved to her mother's orders, but good luck getting her to listen to any other warden– not unless you brought Sha'am Maut herself back from the dead. Still, I'm perfectly fine with Arachne not listening this time. Bursa attacked Charlotte and, I assume, left Phobia and Andrea stranded in another universe, along with Josie, Sapphire, Luster, and the rest. She deserves to suffer. Why was she even included on the mission? I knew I should have been more vocal in my objections."

Luna smirked. "There was actually strong opposition from international leaders to the Dreamwardens selecting this individual to be their newest member, including Equestria, due to how disturbing the individual is. It took extensive interviews to convince us that the wardens weren't putting someone far worse than Sha'am Maut in a position of power. Some are still not convinced." Her smirk dropped. "I'm still not entirely convinced. He seems harmless enough, but I can't help having misgivings. His magic is inherently dark, a type that would be forbidden in Equestria, and it troubles me. When he retires, he may have to go beyond Equestria's borders, perhaps to the griffins, if they will tolerate one such as him."

Sunset snorted. "We have a gender, a him, for this new Dreamwarden who is supposedly going to intimidate my granddaughter–an action I have mixed feelings about…I did wipe her bottom when she was a baby. She was such an adorable foal. Maybe a bit of a brat, but nothing to indicate what she would become. Is it wrong that I still just hope she's going through a phase she'll outgrow, despite the fact she is in her thirties and very settled into her identity?"

Luna gave her a sad smile. "It is never wrong to hope for another's reformation, especially family. My sister waited a thousand years for mine, and she never lost hope. I'm confident Phobia was as pleased with yours, despite the minor regressions afterward. I'm sure she hopes just as much for her daughter."

"Anyway, can you release me now?" Sunset asked tiredly. "I'm not going to rage."

The pressure around her vanished, and she took a deep breath. "Now, why was that bug included on the mission?"

The alicorn turned away. "Star Singer told us that if she was not brought along, Equestria and the rest of this world might perish."

"Might?" Sunset asked skeptically. "Did she give any further details than that?"

"She refused to speak about it. She was very shaken. We did not press her," Luna answered.

"I'm surprised that damn mare is still around or that you gave her the time of day after her visions inspired Sunset Shimmer to take the actions she did," Sunset muttered.

Luna turned around. "Her visions were also the first to alert us of the Devourers and led us to meeting Triss. She is not to be dismissed."

The door opened, and Miss Decorum came in, pushing a fruit-laden cart with her magic. "I have plenty of fruit, highness! I wasn't sure what you prefer, so I grabbed a bit of everything."

The alicorn floated an orange over to her mouth and took a bite out of it. "Very good," she mumbled around her food.

Decorum gave Luna a flabbergasted look. "Princess, wouldn't it be better to take the rind off first?"

Luna raised an eyebrow at her. "Whatever for? It's the best part. Not to mention it's just wasteful." She then quickly finished the remainder of the orange and moved on to a banana, not bothering to peel it. She even started with the stem.

"Don't gawk, Decorum. Alicorns have insane appetites. Luna has her fruit, Celestia has cakes, Cadence pudding, and Twilight Sparkle has been banned from most fast food establishments due to her obsession with hayburgers. They could all eat The Marshmallow under the floor. I haven't heard about what Flurry Heart pigs out on, but I'm sure there's something," Sunset said tiredly.

"Potatoes," Luna answered as she moved onto a pineapple. "Flurry had a brief period where she tried to join the army. Her commanding officer thought he needed to show that her title and the fact she's an alicorn meant nothing when she was outranked, and he sent her to peel potatoes. She ended up eating every single one. There had been hundreds. It got her kicked out of the army before she completed basic training. She'll eat any potato, prepared any way– mashed, smashed, grilled, baked, stewed, raw. She'll dig them straight out of the ground and eat them fresh."

Sunset gestured a hand at Luna. "See, they get downright insane about certain foods, specific to the alicorn. They don't gain weight or suffer indigestion from it like they are bottomless pits. I used to think they just needed lots of calories, but it turns out they don't. It's just feeding a bottomless appetite like a corrupted changeling can never have enough love. It is inherent to the tribe and a serious liability that I'm surprised no one has exploited. If I were out to kill an alicorn, I'd exploit it."

Luna slowly set her half-eaten pineapple down. "It seems you have found something that ruins my appetite. I trust that you will be locking yourself in with your notes about Charlotte Portsmith's magic so we can try to replicate it. I will need copies of your notes to pass on to Twilight, Starlight Glimmer, and Sunburst so they, too, can try to figure out how to replicate her magic to reach our friends. This should not be any single pony's burden. I will make sure to share their work with you in return. I know your greatest strength is through utilizing others' work. We shall figure this out and get everyone home safely."

Sunset sighed and leaned back into her chair, grateful that previous headmares and headstallions had been so full of themselves that they made the chair far too large for a pony in an effort to imitate an imposing throne. It ended up only slightly oversized for her human form and gave her plenty of back support.

"I hope so. The universe is unkind and uncaring, and I can only imagine foreign ones are even more so. I want to see the reports about what Bursa saw in that other universe. Just to know how crappy a situation they are in," Sunset said, suddenly weary.

Six of her family members, one her only blood offspring, were trapped with no way to get home. It was probably wrong to categorize who she was most fretful for, but she still did. While she had many foals and loved them all dearly, Phobia was still the only one she gave birth to. A mother should never outlive her offspring. The pain of Méng still cut at her and made her cry herself to sleep each night. She was unsure if she could carry on if Phobia were lost. Behind her in importance were Charlotte and Andrea. Their sister had been a devastating blow, especially right after losing her Andrea. Beyond them, Josie and Sapphire. Those two may have turned their backs on her, but once she opened her heart to someone, she couldn't withdraw it. It just wasn't in her to do so, no matter how their scorn hurt. Following them would be Luster Dawn. She was not on the same level as Josie and Sapphire, but Sunset knew her well enough that she mattered. The others on the mission would hurt to be lost, but it was a duller pain. She did not know those others as well. It was like being sad about the loss of soldiers fighting foreign wars. You felt bad about it, but it was impersonal.

Miss Decorum raised a hoof. "Um, headmare, I seem to have missed many important details of this conversation and am unsure what is being discussed, but I wish to challenge your proposition that the universe is unkind and uncaring."

Sunset raised an eyebrow at the vice headmare and wished she was currently in her pony form just so her scars could be on display. "Tell me, Decorum, what can you and your pampered sheltered life say to disabuse me of that?"

Decorum looked uncertainly at Luna as if wanting the alicorn to answer for her, but Luna simply waited expectantly for Decorum to explain. Decorum turned back towards Sunset and raised her head high and proud.

"We are part of the universe, are we not? And do we not care? Therefore, it is incorrect to say the universe does not care."

Sunset sat silent for a few seconds, then stood, deciding not to acknowledge the counterargument. "I will be occupied and away for the next several days; I'm unsure how long. Decorum, in my absence, you're to act in my sted here. You're to keep to my initiatives. When I return, I will review how the school conducted itself under your supervision, and we will discuss it in depth. Do not make it so it needs to be a tense discussion. Do I make myself clear?"

Decorum bowed her head. "Yes, Headmare Blessing. I shall go inform the staff. Good luck with your efforts. May Harmony be with you."

They watched Decorum exit, and once the door was closed, Luna let out a long breath. "My student, you have grown much since we first met. I saw your potential for greatness then, and I still see it. Few can match your potential, but you still have more growing to do if you ever are to truly reach it."

"You mistake me, Luna. I don't desire to be great. I just want my loved ones safe," Sunset said as she gathered her things. "I haven't figured out how to replicate my other self's magic yet, but I will find a way, and I'll bring them all home."

And if she failed, she'd find Bursa and end her for what she had done.

Chapter 2.7: The Fall of Rainbow Brite

"Oh, good, you're awake again. Good morning," she heard Rainbow say, almost cheerfully.

Charlotte winced. "Oww, my head hurts. How do you even know it's morning if it's always dark outside?"

Rainbow came and sat close beside her, almost touching. "You don't have a concussion, so your head probably hurts because you haven't eaten in a while. Luckily, I found some edible mushrooms in a cave and am cooking a soup of them now. It won't be great, but it will get something in you. I don't know if it's morning. It's just how I greet people who are waking up or when I'm waking up."

Charlotte sat up. It hurt, but she managed it without much trouble, and she'd need to be sitting up if she was going to eat. Rainbow seemed much more cheerful than the last time they'd talked.

Rainbow blinked at her as Charlotte steadied herself. "You seem to be recovering faster than I thought you would. Do you mind if I inspect your injuries? I'll do my best to be gentle."

"You're the one taking care of me. My mom always told me not to argue with my doctor," Charlotte replied as she looked around. Not much had changed. There was a pot hanging suspended by some metal poles over the fire, and Starlight was awake, laying down at the edge of the room, watching them.

"Hey, you have two more of these pink bracelets on the ground," Rainbow said, holding a pair of them up."

Charlotte groaned. "Most useless magic power ever! Someday I am going to have enough to build a house with."

Rainbow looked at the bracelets in confusion. "Do people build houses out of these things where you're from?"

"No, we don't," Charlotte said flatly.

"Oh," Rainbow replied, setting the bracelets back down. "Well…they're pretty. Can I have one?"

"If you want. I was told they're harmless. I'm never going to run out of them at this rate," Charlotte answered.

"Thank you," Rainbow said as she put the bracelet on. She then went back to inspecting the wounds.

"You're welcome," Charlotte replied. She looked over at the horse, who was still staring silently at her. "Um, hi, Starlight. Do you talk?"

He laid his head down like he was going to go to sleep. "When I have something to say."

"Don't mind him. He's been grumpy since we found you. I think he's jealous I have someone else to talk to," Rainbow said as she carefully unwrapped the bandages on Charlotte's arm.

His head shot up, and his ears laid back. "I most certainly am not jealous. How dare you even suggest I could be jealous of this person– who, I must reiterate, we have no reason to trust. She could be a cannibal or a demon."

"She's not a cannibal or a demon," Rainbow stated, cheerfulness slipping.

"You have no way of knowing that. She could be trying to lull you into a false sense of security so she can eat you," the horse pressed.

Rainbow turned and shook a finger at him. "I thought we were over this! We have no reason to suspect her of those things."

"We do; it's the fact that she is even here," Starlight countered. "She probably survived by eating the bodies of others, then she ran out, and she came here looking for more meat. I don't want to end up in her belly. That seems a lot more plausible than the wild story she gave."

"She's not even dressed for the cold. Why can't you be happy we found someone else who we can talk to!" Rainbow shouted at the horse.

"Because you are being willfully naive about how suspicious her being here is and the danger you could be putting yourself in!" Starlight shouted back.

"I'd rather be in danger than alone!" Rainbow screamed at the top of her lungs.

Starlight sat quiet, as did Rainbow and Charlotte. Rainbow sat with her arms crossed, checking the wounds apparently forgotten. The only sounds were the fire crackling. As the silence started to stretch into minutes, Charlotte tried to think of something to say.

"I'm sorry I'm causing friction," she said at last. "I didn't intend on being here. I know my story sounds far-fetched, but it is true. As soon as I'm healed, I will get out of your hair and mane." She blinked as something that should have been obvious occurred to her. "Actually, I might be able to leave before that. Sunset gave me an emergency return method. I haven't been thinking and forgot about it."

Rainbow looked away from her. Charlotte heard a quick sob, but it was so brief she could have been mistaken. "Oh…so you'll be leaving soon then."

Charlotte looked down at her emergency return device. "I still need to heal some more. I need two hands to work it properly. It's set up so I couldn't accidentally set it off, but as soon as I have use of both, I'll be going. I'm sure doctors in Equestria can treat the rest of my wounds, and then Sunset can reuse my magic so I can find my sister, Empathy, and the others. Andrea and Empathy must be worried sick, and my parents must have heard about my brief visit back home by now. We were right out in the open, and cameras picked up what was going on in the yard all the time. Word had to reach my parents, even in Equestria. They must be freaking out."

Rainbow was silent for a few more seconds before turning around and started rewrapping Charlotte's bandages around her arm. "It's healing fast. I thought it would take weeks to heal, but it might just be a day or two. Humans on your world must be really healthy."

"Heh, hardly," Charlotte chuckled. She glanced at Rainbow. "So…what are you? You look human, but you couldn't survive with no food or warm clothing if you were. Starlight couldn't either if he was just a horse…and how are you both speaking English? I feel like I'm making a habit of asking that question."

"I speak everyone's language. I just meet people, and I know their language. I don't know how," Rainbow said with a shrug. "Are there many languages where you come from?"

Starlight leaned his head forward. "You didn't answer her other question."

Rainbow looked pleadingly at him. "Please, don't do this."

"She's already asked the question, and it is obvious you're avoiding it," Starlight said sternly. "If you don't tell her, I will."

Great, this was where the ball dropped, and Charlotte found out the character she watched saving the world over and over in her favorite cartoon movie turns out to be the story's villain.

Rainbow looked at her fearfully. "Promise you won't get upset. It isn't as bad as you think. I'm not going to hurt you, and neither is Starlight. I don't need…."

"Finish the sentence," Starlight said darkly.

"She needs to promise not to be afraid of me first!" Rainbow shouted, shaking her head in denial. She looked ready to cry.

Charlotte took a breath. "It's okay. You've had every opportunity to hurt me, and you haven't. I can see that this is something that upsets you. I've gotten used to things being…different than I expected. Go ahead and tell me. I won't freak out."

Rainbow looked away again and went silent.

"Whisp…." Starlight prompted.

"Give me a moment. This is hard," Rainbow said, again choking back a sob.

Starlight's ears sagged, and he lowered his head again as they waited for Rainbow to gather her nerve.

"That movie you watched got a lot wrong," Rainbow said at last. She turned around. She then opened her mouth wide.

Her fangs grew from human proportions to much longer, much more alarming proportions.

"Vampire," Charlotte stated; she couldn't help inching her butt further away from Rainbow. She looked at Starlight. "You too?"

"Me too," Starlight muttered and turned his head away as he laid it down.

"We weren't this way before our trip to Spectra," Rainbow said sadly. "And we don't need to drink blood to live or have an overwhelming urge for it. I'm not going to drink your blood. Starlight won't either."

"You already had her blood, and so did I," Starlight replied, not turning or lifting his head.

Rainbow shook her head. "That was different! I got it on my hands when picking her up and bandaging her, and we licked it off my hands. We didn't sink our fangs into her! We just took what was already there."

"Probably why our magic to know her language works. Nice to know Princess wasn't lying about that," Starlight muttered.

Rainbow looked at her as if begging. "Don't be mad. There was so much blood on you when we found you. You'd tumbled down the mountain. It was there, and I didn't have to hurt you to get it, and…." She turned away. "...I just wanted to know if my magic would work again if I drank it."

"Guessing we need more to get the bigger stuff, but hooray for language, I guess," Starlight continued to mutter.

Charlotte looked back and forth between them and then suddenly broke out laughing. Starlight raised his head and stared, as did Rainbow, who looked horrified.

She forced herself to stop. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh. I know this is painful for you to talk about, but I'm sitting here, helpless as can be, and I'm sitting in a house with a cute vampire in a rainbow dress and a vampire horse with a rainbow mane, and something about it just strikes me as absurd. I'm sorry. I'll stop laughing."

Rainbow blinked. "You think I'm cute?"

Charlotte blushed. "Forget I said that. Anyway, how did this happen? I told you my story. You haven't had a chance to tell me yours."

"She's had plenty of chances. She was just scared," Starlight said as he went back to laying down and not looking at her. "And I am much more handsome, noble, and majestic than Whisp is pretty. I'm insulted you didn't compliment me too."

"Um, will you be more trusting of me if I say that?" Charlotte asked.

He snorted. "You had your chance; too late now."

"You aren't bothered by it?" Rainbow asked with cautious hope in her voice.

Charlotte shook her head. "You've been without chances to suck anyone for who knows how long, and when presented with the chance, you still didn't. I mean, I am powerless to stop you from sucking me dry. You could be waiting to fatten me up, but I doubt you'll do that with bad mushroom soup. I found out at six my future self would have been a god-preaching unicorn involved in a city blowing up. I was conditioned for this kind of weirdness at a young age."

"There's nothing wrong with growing up to be a horse. We are noble creatures. All humans should want as much," Starlight proudly proclaimed, still not moving.

Rainbow giggled. "She said she turns into one sometimes when wearing a necklace. Maybe you might want to see that. You could get a pretty marefriend."

"He's not really my type," Charlotte said quickly. Rainbow blushed again, and Charlotte felt like kicking herself for saying cute earlier. Why had she said that? That was so stupid! Rainbow was too old for her anyway. Rainbow might look like she was in her twenties, but she had to be closer to ninety, at least if that movie did happen more than seventy years ago, if not much older.

Rainbow's cheer faded again as she retreated a little. "The part about Princess stealing Spectra was true enough. Actually, it was a stone in the center of Spectra that gave off all the light. The planet just reflected it everywhere. Starlight and I went to stop her, but we were caught. Princess wasn't just a spoiled greedy brat like you said she was in the movie. She was a vampire, and she wanted to end Spectra's light. It didn't hurt her, not really. It just hurt her eyes a bit, but she still hated it. I never really understood why. It was just an obsession."

"And she turned you two into vampires?" Charlotte asked.

Rainbow gave a sad nod. "My magic for making rainbows and helping with the seasons came from me, not some belt, but my magic came from Spectra. After she transformed me, I lost that link, and now my powers are tied to blood. I wasn't going to drink anybody's blood just so I could have my powers, so I couldn't stop her. I don't even know where she is now. She marooned me back here so I could watch as everything died."

"And you don't want to drink from me to get your powers back?" Charlotte asked.

The vampire shook her head. "I miss my powers, but I miss people more. I miss people laughing, grass, spring flowers, warm summer days, and the colors of the leaves during the fall. I miss arguing every year with Stormy about changing the seasons from winter to spring. I even miss Murky and Lurky. I miss life, the good and the bad. Anything is better than this. I'm at the point I'm overjoyed whenever I find a little bit of moss deep in a cave where it is just warm enough and damp enough for it to grow. It doesn't even snow here. It is too cold to snow!"

This was probably a bad idea. "Do you want to go back with me, both of you? I'm sure Sunset or one of the princesses could figure out how to help you not be a vampire. They can figure out anything, and Sunset's a master of transformations."

Starlight whipped his head up. "Whisp, this could be a trick. Don't trust her!"

"Does it matter if it's a trick?" Rainbow whispered.

"Yes, it does!" Starlight said, getting to his hooves.

Rainbow looked him in the eyes. "What do we have to lose at this point?"

"Our lives!" he growled, stepping forward.

She kept her eyes focused on his. "And what are those worth in a world like this? Do you want to spend eternity in a world that has lost everything? Maybe you want to drink Charlotte's blood so you can leave and go find Princess, wherever she ran off to."

He lost his ability to meet her gaze. "No…I am a noble horse, and I won't let Princess take that away from me by giving in to that temptation. If you want to try, I'll try too, but I don't trust it. If she hurts you, I won't drink her blood; I crush her skull beneath my hooves like a warhorse of old."

Hopefully, no one would try to destroy them as evil vampires. With Rainbow handling the emergency escape with Charlotte's guidance, they could leave sooner than later. That Was good because, by what Rainbow described, that mushroom soup might have to last a long time, and Charlotte never much cared for soup.

I'm coming, Andrea and Empathy. Bursa might have taken me away from you, but I'm going to get us all home….with a few new friends.

Chapter 2.8: Madison's New Pet

Charlotte Martinez got out of the jeep and stood aside as three armed guards kept weapons trained on what looked like an earth pony filly with a red mane. She thought it was excessive. A Dreamwarden contract held Bursa. That should be enough.

"Why an earth pony filly?" she asked the monster.

The filly glared at her from the door of the jeep. "There's less of me at the moment, so something small with four limbs instead of six makes up for my missing stump of a leg."

Charlotte held up a wing. "Before you get out, do you think you could shift to a unicorn and one that isn't black?"

"I'm not here to perform tricks for you," Bursa growled with a surprisingly menacing voice for a filly.

"Well…I am giving you over as property, and the fact you're currently black-furred makes that feel problematic," Charlotte explained. "Being an earth pony might make it worse. Plus, you look like you are trying too hard to be edgy."

Bursa glared harder at her but cracked a grin. "I think I'll keep this form."

Charlotte rolled her eyes as she turned towards the mansion. "Whatever. Here comes my dear twin now."

Arachne approached them, unescorted, wearing a business suit. Her sister waved a wing at them in an annoyed fashion. "Let's get this over with. I don't need the guards. The thing isn't going to attack me. If it somehow managed to break its contract to do so, it happens to be a bug, and it would learn instantly I'm the last pony a bug wants to attack."

"I don't think you are allowed to use your bug-controlling powers on her," Charlotte said as her sister reached them.

"I can in defense. The wardens can't fuss about me defending myself," Arachne replied as she stopped beside her. She looked Bursa over and used her wing to pull her vape pen out of her suit pocket as she did.

Arachne took a draw from her vape and let it out. Charlotte took a few steps back– she was from Skytree, so she had spent time in hookah bars and partaken while there, but she preferred to limit her exposure to that stuff to those places.

"Well, I suppose the form of a filly works well enough," Arachne said after a few seconds. "Do you think you can age yourself up to preteen or young teen? You'll be spending time with my daughter, who is a preteen, and it would be easier if she weren't having to physically look down on you."

"You're putting her with Madison?!" Charlotte growled. "What the hell, Abigail!"

Arachne gave her a cross look. "Pulling my birth name out and not even using Abby, how quaint. A Dreamwarden contract holds the beast; she's no danger to my daughter. Madison's bodyguards tend to chafe her. You and I both know how grating it was to have them following us around everywhere growing up. I'm not leaving my daughter unguarded, and I needed something for this thing to do."

Charlotte looked her over. "How stiff a contract did the Marshmallow write up for you? I figured you'd try to make maximum use out of Bursa."

"The Marshmallow's lawyers draw those contracts up, not her. She just binds it. Rebecca wouldn't know what wording to use," Arachne scoffed. "Anyway, it's a very stiff contract, and to dissuade me from trying to find loopholes, they had Moses visit me."

"That colt that Mom used to visit that they had locked up in the ward for dangerous magic outside of town?" Charlotte asked in confusion.

"That was years ago; he's a grown stallion now," Arachne sighed. She then took another draw of her vape before continuing. "He's a very nervous fellow, a lot like Mom. Also, just like Mom, he can be very intimidating despite his nervous demeanor. He's also the guy they got to replace her."

Charlotte resisted the urge to laugh. "Someone intimidated you? I've got to meet this guy."

Arachne shrugged as if uncomfortable. "I'm sure the thought of someone putting me in my place just makes you giddy with joy, little sis, but he's unnatural. If you want to meet him, he runs a mortuary on the edge of town. Go visit, have fun. Be sure to scare him. I'm sure the experience will be all the better for it."

"When are you ever going to stop bragging about how Mama was eager to kick your nasty flank out of her womb half a minute before me?" Charlotte asked, still amused that someone had made her twin uneasy. "I might go visit him, just to give him my congratulations. I won't try to scare the guy. I'm not a bully, unlike someone I won't name."

Her sister's mouth quivered, and Charlotte knew Arachne was resisting a sneer. "But don't mistake me. I would love to mutilate this bug. Not only to figure out how it ticks but also because it got Mom trapped in another universe. You might think I don't care about that, but I care about my parents, unlike somepony I won't name who who took off to join the army and changed her last name to get away from us."

"You're so close to me mauling you," Charlotte growled.

"Oh, the big mean soldier is going to attack me; whatever shall I do?" Arachne said dramatically and batted her styled eyelashes. "Get over yourself. You might be military, but you were never good enough to take me in a fight, and you never will be."

Charlotte spread her wings threateningly. "I took you down plenty of times. You must have gotten amnesia because I walloped you so hard."

"I'm sensing some sibling rivalry between my captors. This is fun to watch," Bursa said. She had shifted form to look a little older sometime while they were talking.

Charlotte gave the bug a dirty look but turned that look back at her sister. "Don't you ever accuse me of not caring about the family again. Just because I didn't want to be in their shadow doesn't mean I don't love my family…even you. I know Mama, Tempest, and Moon must be worried sick about Mom, but I have faith that Grandmare will figure out how to get Mom home. Grandmare always figures something out. She'll get everyone home."

Arachne took another draw from her vape then put her vape pen away. "Whatever. I was fine with them being off-world. It gave me space to stretch my wings with them gone, something even you could appreciate, but I don't want either of them to end up lost or dead. I could care less about Grandmare's little doppelganger or the rest. Let them all die; I don't care. Just as long as Mom is safe."

"How do you sleep with yourself each day?" Charlotte asked with a shake of her head.

"I sleep with my husband, something you wouldn't understand, little sis," Arachne said scornfully. Arachne looked at Bursa. "Come along, insect—time to introduce you to my daughter. The job is simple– keep her company, keep her out of my mane while I'm working, and keep her safe. I'm sure even a second-rate shapeshifter can manage that. Moses says he will have the information you want within a few days. Don't worry about that."

Bursa finally left the jeep. "I hope she's more charming than you two. I'm coming."

Madison sat in her room, carefully dripping some water from a syringe into her injured squirrel's mouth. Well, it wasn't her squirrel, it was a wild animal, but she was still taking care of it until its leg healed. She was glad her dad was letting her do this. Her mom probably didn't know she was tending a wild animal since she still hadn't gotten to tell her mom her cutie mark story, but her mom probably wouldn't mind her keeping it. Her mom was an important and busy mare; she didn't have time to worry about Madison tending a squirrel.

She set the syringe down. "There you go. We need to make sure you are getting plenty of food and water while you're healing. I don't want you to lose too much weight before winter. My book said it should be better in a few weeks as long as you keep eating and drinking."

The squirrel just lay there. He wasn't resistant to her efforts to feed him, but there was no sign he understood her. It wasn't like her mom and bugs. Although talking to bugs might be a stretch for what her mom did. What her mom did was more like overriding the insects' and arachnids' tiny little brains. Some of the spiders seemed to show her mom genuine affection, or at least, what counted for love from a spider, but it wasn't like Miss Fluttershy and animals. She felt a slight twang of envy thinking about what Miss Fluttershy could do. Still, animals did seem more trusting of her compared to how they responded to most other people, so she couldn't complain.

Her mom said she was getting a present today. It was probably going to be a spider. Her mom's first thought when it came to animals was always spiders. She didn't mind a spider, but she have liked a puppy, a kitten, a bird, or something exotic like a ferret or a sugar glider better. She always secretly wanted a sugar glider. They were sooo cute! They were costly pets and required a lot of dedication to take care of, but her parents were wealthy, and she had a cutie mark for taking care of animals. Maybe if she thought of the right way to plead her case, they would get her one. Her mom couldn't have her walking around with any ordinary pet. Madison was the daughter of Arachne, granddaughter of Phobia Remedy, great-granddaughter of Sunset Blessing, the grand-niece of Wild Growth, the grand-niece of the current Mistress of Wabash Manor, and she was also supposedly the descendent of southern aristocrats, and the triple-great-granddaughter of the first female mayor in Arkansas (whatever that last one was worth); she could not be seen as common, and her pets should reflect that.

It sounded like an excellent argument to convince her mom. Her last report card was straight A's again; maybe she should bring that up. No, straight A's was an expectation. Her mom would say she shouldn't get a reward for maintaining minimum expectations. It was best not to mention school at all. Her mom would say a pet like that would take away time from her studies. If she didn't make at least salutatorian when she graduated high school, her mom would be…displeased.

There was a knock at her door, and she did a quick hop. She looked at the tiny squirrel and cursed to herself. Shit! Her mom was going to see it. Her mom was going to tell her to get rid of it!

"Coming!" she yelled right before pulling a sheet from her bed to drape over the squirrel. That should be alright, she hoped.

With that done, she went to her door, straightened out her mane, adjusted her posture, and opened the door.

Her mom was standing there with an unfamiliar earth pony filly behind her.

"What was that commotion, and did I hear you curse?" her mom asked, giving her a raised eyebrow.

Madison winced. She didn't think she had said that word out loud. "No…it was nothing."

Her mom snorted. "That second part of the question was rhetorical, dear. My hearing is impeccable. I don't care if you use such language in private, but watch random tongue slips. Your speaking reflects on me, and I don't want people to hear you say such words. A lady should always have full control of her tongue. Do I make myself clear?"

Madison bowed her head. "Yes, mom, ma'am."

Her mom eyed the sheet. "Oh, and that's just the most lazy way of hiding something I have ever seen." She sniffed. "I don't smell any cocaine or anything similar, so I don't care what it is. You should be smarter than to think hiding something that way would work. I won't try to find out what it is, be it alcohol, porn, vape, marijuana, or whatever else along that line you're scared of me seeing under that sheet. Let your father worry about such tiresome contraband. At least you're showing some nerve. You could stand to develop a tiny rebellious streak within limits. You're far too docile a filly. Our tribe is not docile, and docile people get dominated."

Madison took a deep breath and smiled, pointing a wing at the filly behind her mother. "Um…who is she?"

"This is Bursa," her mom announced, stepping aside. "She's your present."

Madison gaped at the pair. "You can't give me a pony for a present!"

Her mom snorted again. "I'll have you know that a century ago, every little girl wanted a pony for a present, and don't tell me what I can and cannot do. Bursa isn't a pony anyway. She's my property, and I'm giving her to you to be your new playmate and bodyguard."

This was confusing."Property? Bodyguard? Her? Is she an android or something?"

"Or something," her mom muttered. She glared at Bursa. "Bursa, you're to treat my daughter nicely and keep her safe. My contract makes it clear I can rip you apart if you harm anyone in my household, so mind yours and don't cross me."

"I'm not going to hurt the filly," Bursa said with a roll of her eyes. "I don't hurt kids."

Her mom smiled and nodded. "Good." She then looked back at Madison. "Now, I have to go attend to some business that I had to neglect to give you your present. Bursa can sleep in the room across the hall when you go to bed. I'll be attending your cute-ceañera tonight."

Madison wanted to argue more that she couldn't get a pony as a gift, but she knew a dismissal when she heard one, and her mom would get angry if she were kept away from work too long. "Alright. Well, um, thank you for the gift. I love you."

Her mom gave her a light kiss on the head. "I love you too and don't say, um. It makes you sound stupid. I'll see you tonight."

As her mom turned to go, she stopped and took a long sniff. "I recognize that smell now. Young mare, put that thing in a cage! It could be rabid. Use your head!"

And with that said, her mom walked away.

"Your mom's a real charmer," Bursa said once Madison's mom was out of earshot.

Madison sighed before walking over to the sheet and removing it from the squirrel. She double-checked to see if the small animal was okay. It had fallen asleep but seemed okay.

"At least she let me keep my squirrel," she said, then glanced back at Bursa. "So…are you really not a pony, or was she just saying that?"

"I'm not a pony. I'm a shapeshifting insect called a changeling," Bursa answered, watching her intently for a reaction.

Madison sat down and groaned. "A bug. Of course, my mom got me a bug! It's always bugs with her!"

Bursa blinked. "You believe me– I can tell. You're taking the news well."

Madison gave a small flap of her wings. "My mom is into some weird sh- weird stuff, and my extended family is a freak show. I believe it. I mean, my great-great-aunt had some younger version of herself walking around during her funeral that got murdered by care bears with guns a short while back, and I was having a conversation with a bipedal elephant and some other time-displaced family members the same day it happened like it was just normal. In this family, you just accept whatever weird thing comes along and keep your mouth shut. They should rename us the Addams family."

Bursa entered the room and shut the door. "I think I met some of them. The elephant is really annoying, and that Charlotte girl is more annoying than anybody. The centaur girl is okay, I guess, and your grandma."

"You met all of them in Equestria?" Madison asked.

"Technically, we were all on a mission together," Bursa said. "I shouldn't talk about it, especially not with a filly."

Madison looked her new bodyguard over. "How old are you? You know, a grown adult pretending to be a filly to spend time with another filly is creepy. I think it might be a crime."

Bursa walked over and nudged the squirrel. The small animal chittered in fear, and Bursa withdrew her hoof.

"Not sure," Bursa answered. "I hope to find out soon if that annoying fat pegasus, The Marshmallow, keeps up her end of the deal and finds out for me."

Madison grinned. "I like her. She visits me sometimes in my dreams. She says she can tell when a filly needs a friend. She turns into a filly and plays with me and talks to me about stuff." She looked down, and her smile faded. "It gets lonely here. I used to have Christine; she's like my second or third cousin…I think…she's my mom's cousin, but my age, so whatever that is for me. Now she's over a thousand miles away."

She kicked at her bed. "Now my mom decides to pity me by getting me a fake filly friend to act as a bodyguard. Thanks, Mom. Wish she had gotten me a sugar glider."

Bursa came over and looked around. "She loves you, I can tell, even if she's bad at it, and you love her. I'm glad. I thought I was going to be starving here when I saw her. I don't take it directly. Chrysalis thinks I'm stupid and weak for not doing that, but I can feed off the crumbs just by being nearby."

Madison shivered. "You eat love?"

"Yeah," Bursa said, looking again at the squirrel. "But I don't steal it from you. I could, but I don't. I've hurt ponies before, but not like that. That feels too personal. Wounds are more basic, more normal. I'm not smart. I can't explain it. I just don't want to hurt people that way. Even killing seems nicer. I'd rather be hungry."

Madison looked slant-eyed at her. "You know, if you were saying all that to a kid from any normal family, they'd be freaked out. I still wish I'd gotten a sugar glider instead; no offense. I shouldn't say that. Grandma said that is telling people they don't have a right to be offended when they have every right, just because you don't want them to be. I'm sorry."

Bursa chuckled. "You're nicer than your mom. What's a sugar glider? Maybe I can be one."

Madison's eyes went wide. "You can turn into a sugar glider and be my sugar glider?"

The shape-changer got close to her and whispered conspiratorially. "If you love sugar gliders that much, I'll gladly do it– free buffet for me, and I can keep close to you without being so obvious you've got a bodyguard. Win-win all-around."

Madison practically dragged Bursa to her computer. "I've got videos!"

Chapter 2.9: Reunion Outside

"Where are our daughters!?"

Sunset kept walking on four hooves through the halls of the Crystal Empire's palace. They kept following. Why they stayed behind her was a mystery. They could easily walk beside her or ahead. She might seem to be going at a normal pace, but she was pushing herself. Her shoulder was still bad and still limited her mobility, even after all these years and treatments. At least it didn't hurt. Still, she was more aware of her injury than usual, and it felt harder to move today.

"I assume the one is still in Care Bear Land, along with my daughter. I have no idea about my other self," she said, not looking their way.

"How are you so calm!?" her not-mom demanded. She missed her mom. Her mom had been a calm and gentle pony– not a screaming banshee like this woman.

"I'm sure she's doing her best to fix this, Wend. You don't need to scream at her," her not-dad said, trying to soothe his wife.

Their heavy footsteps echoed behind her. The three of them passed guards who watched them apprehensively.

"Who is watching my sister right now?" she asked them. "She shouldn't be by herself, not at a time like this."

They didn't answer, and after a few seconds passed, she stopped in her tracks and slowly turned to face them.

"Who is watching my sister?" she repeated, firmer this time.

They gave her sheepish looks.

"We didn't tell her what happened," Charles said at last. "We weren't sure her heart could take it. She's spending the day in the library. She made some friends there."

Sunset chewed on her lip. "When she finds out, she's going to be pissed that no one told her. Don't tell her. I'll break the news to her. She always expects bad news from me. She braces herself for it as soon as she sees me coming."

She turned around and resumed her march.

They reached the throne room after a minute more of walking. The guards must have been expecting her because they didn't stop her from entering.

Flurry Heart stood as they entered, spreading her wings wide. She had a very impressive wingspan, even for an alicorn, and a nice set of flanks. Sunset lamented not being fifty years younger. Oh well, the alicorn didn't swing that way anyway.

"What progress have you made, Blessing?" Flurry Heart said in a dangerous voice. Great, another person who wanted her to solve everything. She intended to try to solve everything, but she hated others expecting her to. It was better when you only disappointed yourself.

Sunset sat down in front of the alicorn. "None, as of yet."

Flurry glared at her. "My mother and my friends are trapped in another world–your family and friends too. We need progress."

"And I'm wracking my brain to figure the puzzle out," Sunset said slowly. "One of the reasons I'm here is that I was hoping that you had gotten word from Twilight or Starlight. If they haven't figured something out, I need their notes on what they have theorized and rejected. I haven't gotten any notes back from them yet. I need the work of others to build on. I don't do well building from scratch. I need pieces to put the puzzle together. I don't have the pieces!"

Flurry Heart's posture slumped as she returned to her throne. "I haven't heard anything from them yet either, and am just as eager for their news. My aunt gets obsessed with things and forgets to do updates sometimes. When she does that, Starlight usually gets stuck making sure my aunt remembers other important things– like eating, drinking, sleeping, and going to the bathroom."

Sunset grimaced. "Has anyone ever diagnosed her as being on the autistic spectrum?"

The princess did a brief chuckle; it sounded forced. "No psychologist in their right mind calls an alicorn autistic." Flurry Heart looked her in the eyes. "You said that was one of the reasons you were here. You don't have any updates of your own, so what other reasons did you come here instead of continuing your research?"

Sunset looked at the guards and the two humans who had tailed her here, trying to decide how much she should say in their presence.

"Something Bursa said about Charlotte is nagging at me," she said at last. "Perhaps it is one of my missing pieces; something odd yet familiar– the mysterious bracelets that appear after she sleeps. The inability to easily wake her from her slumber. It reminds me of something that happened to me once, something small that changed everything."

"Are you being deliberately cryptic, Blessing?" Flurry Heart asked. "Reminded you of what, and why is it important? Will it help you crack the method of duplicating Charlotte the Younger-"

"Charlotte the Younger?" Wendy asked in c9nfision, interrupting the princess. "You're saying it like a title."

Flurry Heart cracked a smile again. "A term coined by my advisors that they've grown fond of using during meetings. There are a few too many Charlotte's in your family to not do without some additional designation. I suggested simply using Portsmith, but The Younger title seems to have stuck. You'll have to forgive them. Many of them were born over a thousand years ago when ponies were dishing out titles like The Clever and The Bearded– not the most original names. She has an ability that redefines how we think about the universe, and they felt the need to assign her a grander name. They'll likely come up with something grander in the future when she isn't so young."

Sunset rolled her eyes. Titles were overrated. She had plenty of them and didn't want a single one of them.

"Anyway, I need help with a spell. It needs to be cast on me, and it isn't something I can cast on myself," Sunset explained. "It also is a potent spell, so it needs a powerful caster. Luna took off somewhere, so you're the most powerful caster I have available."

"And what does this spell do?" Flurry Heart asked.

"For most, nothing, but for me, it could let me access a place outside of time and space," Sunset answered. "It happened once before. I didn't remember it at the time. I took Phobia's Dreamwarden abilities to pull the memory to the surface from deep in my subconscious. I didn't seem to go anywhere when it occurred. I appeared to be sleeping, but I brought back clippings of my younger self's ETS-infected mane."

Flurry Heart's eyes widened. "You brought back a live sample– that's how you managed to learn how to duplicate Sunset Shimmer's spell?"

Sunset nodded. "That combined with what I could glean from the heavily redacted notes. Neither would have been enough on their own, but combined, I managed to solve the puzzle. According to Bursa, Charlotte is bringing back bracelets from somewhere when she sleeps. I don't understand the workings of this in-between place, and I can't confirm yet that is where she is touching, but she and I are technically the same person. Maybe there's something inherent about us that lets us reach it under certain conditions. If I can replicate the conditions that allowed me to touch that place, maybe I can contact Charlotte if that is where she is touching too. It's a long shot, but I wish to try."

"And this spell has no impact on others?" Flurry Heart asked.

Sunset shook her head. "A slight daze from a powerful spell going off. It is a broken spell that doesn't do what it is supposed to. I did perfect it, eventually, but the perfected version isn't the version that we need. We need the original broken version."

"What was it supposed to do?" Flurry asked.

Sunset shook her head again. "Best not to discuss it. It's a huge bucket of worms no one wants to deal with."

"It's the time-travel spell, isn't it?" Wendy asked.

Sunset turned her head and glared at her not-mother. "What part of it is best not to discuss it did you not understand?"

"You had a way of reaching Charlotte, and you didn't tell us!" Charles shouted.

She facehoofed. "I'm not sure of anything. I'm trying something, and it is a stretch that it will work. I'm at a dead end without those notes, and I'm reaching for any thread I can while I wait. Even if I'm right about what your daughter is doing, there's no way of knowing if I'll make contact with her. Reign in your expectations."

Flurry Heart sighed. "Alright, Blessing, I'll help you. I want my father here for this, to shield this room. You say it isn't dangerous, but I'd rather be safe."

Sunset gave a slight nod, as much as her neck would allow. Damn thing picked a lousy day to act up. "Thank you, princess."

Sunset looked around at the unfamiliar location. Tall white buildings surrounded her, marble, perhaps? No, not marble, something else. These weren't built for ponies. These weren't made for humans, either. They were much too large. Though they did seem to be abandoned. It seemed familiar somehow. Like she had been here before. Yes, now she remembered this place. Tonya…Arbiter had shown her this place in a dream. It was ironic she had not recognized it after spending so much time trying to figure out how to force it to her spell's will. This was Jeg'galla'gamp'pi. It looked different up close.

"Now you appear?! HERE?!"

She turned and looked at the source of the voice. What could only be described as a human hag stood a short distance away. She was wearing jeans and a short-sleeved shirt and had some sort of electronic device hooked to her side with wires running under the shirt. Some kind of heart monitor or dialysis machine? She had a long wooden staff that seemed to be for support. She was so wrinkled it was hard to make out her bone structure– hell, it was hard to make out her mouth or eyes through all that. Whoever this crone was, she was exceedingly old. It vaguely reminded her of Sha'am Maut, the only other figure she had met who exuded such a sense of age looking at them.

"Sunset?"

And behind the crone was Charlotte. The spell and the theory worked. It was nice to get lucky.

She smiled at her younger self. "Good to see you alive." Her smile dropped. "You are alive, aren't you? I'm not talking to some past version of you before an untimely death, am I? How many days have passed since you departed Equestria for the care bear world?"

Charlotte gaped at her. "I don't know….a bunch. Day and night don't seem to exist where I'm at, so I can't tell how many days have passed since Bursa kidnapped me. I'm not on the world with the care bears anymore. I'm in the same universe as Rainbow Brite, and believe me; it's shitty."

Care bears, then transformers, now Rainbow Brite; at this rate, Charlotte would go through the entire 1980s pop culture circuit. What was next? G.I.Joe? He-Man? Ninja Turtles? Smurfs? She hoped it wasn't smurfs. Chances were they were carnivorous demons or something.

Sunset gestured around. "And what are we doing in Jeg'galla'gamp'pi, and who is this relic?"

Charlotte looked apprehensively at the crone. "She calls herself The Traveler. She says she has been giving me lessons on how to use my powers each time I go to sleep, but I can't remember any of that. I never heard of Jeggella-whatever. Is that where we are? How do you know this place?"

The cronish Traveler recovered from her shock and rapped the bottom of her staff on the ground. "I was going to get to that. Sunset interrupted my introduction! She must have replicated the spell that brought her here last time. This isn't Jeg'galla'gamp'pi; it is simply a vision of the place. This is The Outside. It's called The Outside because it is outside everything, including time and space."

Sunset snorted. "Well, the name is to the point, at least. I'm assuming Charlotte maintains some instinct concerning her lessons in her subconscious, even if she can't actively remember them. This would be a waste of time if she didn't. Bursa did get some portals out of her, so the results are showing."

Traveler seemed to regain her composure, at least somewhat. "I swear the omniverse likes to laugh at my expense sometimes. Whatever, you're here, but not the Sunset Blessing I'm looking for. Do what you came for so you can get out."

"Not the Sunset Blessing you are looking for?" Sunset asked with a raised eyebrow. "God help the universe if there is more than one Sunset Blessing. Why are you looking for a version of me, and what does that have to do with Charlotte?"

Charlotte raised a hand. "Hello?? Another version of you sitting right here."

"You're a version of me, but you aren't Sunset Blessing," Sunset said with a grumble. "If this hag meant the version of Charlotte Portsmith, she would have said the version of Charlotte Portsmith."

Traveler threw her arms up in frustration. "What is it with young people insulting the old? Looking for the right version of you has nothing to do with my involvement with her. I wasn't even actively looking– I haven't searched in decades. Now, I'm assuming you're here to question the young lady about her current condition and recent events. Be about your business and go. She'll be joining you soon enough. I have a lesson to teach."

Sunset looked at the hag. Really looked her over, and her eyes widened as she realized who she was looking at. "Lord in Heaven…."

"Hardly that," Traveler scoffed. "I see that look in your eyes, and I know what it means. Keep your revelations to yourself. Be about your business."

"Well, it seems I pissed you off somewhere along the line," Sunset said with a roll of her eyes. "Probably better if I didn't drill you for too much information." She turned her eyes to Charlotte. "So, are you in good health? Is my emergency return damaged? What is this about Rainbow Brite?"

Charlotte pointed at Traveler. "Why are you so okay with dealing with her?"

"Because I'm confident she has your best interests at heart, and this is one thing I don't want to meddle with or know more about than I have to," Sunset answered calmly.

"Something she doesn't understand that she doesn't want to meddle with, what a wonder," Traveler muttered.

Note to self, be nicer to Charlotte, so she doesn't have such a big grudge against me at however many years old this hag is. Sunset thought to herself. At least it was confirmation Charlotte should survive. That was good. Sunset was apparently still alive, too, if this ancient version of Charlotte was looking for her. That was oddly depressing. She hoped she didn't look as worn out.

Charlotte seemed uncertain for a moment, then took a deep breath. "I'm injured, both my right arm and leg. After Bursa knocked me through the portal, I tumbled down a mountain. Rainbow Brite and Starlight– her horse, not your friend– found me. Rainbow is nursing my injuries and says they should heal in a week or two. The emergency return was not damaged, but I don't have the use of both hands right now. When I wake up, I plan to have her activate it for me."

Sunset frowned. "If she's close enough to have her hands on the return, she'll get caught up in it as well. I thought I explained this."

"We know," Charlotte replied. "I'm bringing them back with me. The world I'm on is dead, or close enough to it. No sunlight, no light of the moon, no light of the stars, and it is cold as hell. They haven't seen another living thing but some fungi in caves for a long time."

"And they survived how?" Sunset asked with a raised eyebrow. "I heard who you are bringing back, but what are you bringing back?"

Charlotte looked away. "Vampires."

"Vampires," Sunset repeated flatly. "Of all the…alright. Have they been eating from you?"

Charlotte shook her head.

"And you aren't feeling vampiry yourself?" Sunset continued.

Charlotte shook her head again.

"You aren't even going to remember this conversation. So your interrogation doesn't matter much," Traveler informed her. "But to put you at ease and get you out of here, I'll tell you that Rainbow Brite and her horse aren't bad people."

"Okay…" Sunset said slowly. "Guess that means I don't get time to get in contact with Luna before Charlotte pops out of the air. We'll deal with all the suspicion of yet another pair of aliens then." She looked around and then at Traveler. "How do I get out of here?"

Traveler gestured at the building Sunset had first looked at when appearing. "Your lesson is fulfilled. You can just walk out now."

"Lesson?" Sunset asked in confusion.

"What counts as one, anyway. Be on your way."

This older Charlotte didn't seem to like her. She hoped she hadn't done something too terrible to her in the future– one she didn't want to know about, and this elderly Charlotte seemed to have the wisdom not to elaborate on– the girl could develop good sense with time. The falling out was a problem for another day. Today, her younger self was going to be safe.

She looked one last time at Charlotte. "I'm glad you're safe. Mind your lessons well. I'm glad you found someone who knows how to teach you. See you soon; God bless."

And she then walked through the door of the colossal building into the black void.

Chapter 2.10: Reunion in Person

Author's Note

Chapter might be rougher. I'll be going back over it for further edits, but wanted to get something out. I've been sick again and it has made writing harder these last few days.

Chapter 2.10: Reunion in Person

Sunset fluttered her eyes as she woke up. "Urgh, nothing like a non-restorative sleep."

"Did it work? Did you make contact?" Wendy asked hurriedly.

She shook her head to clear it, which turned out to be a painful mistake, and then struggled to stand up. "I don't know. I don't remember any dreams, which is promising, but I won't know until Luna gets to dig through my subconscious."

"This is the slowest spell I've ever encountered," Prince Shining Armor remarked as he dropped the shield. "That spell did pack a big kick, but my daughter cast it. She never does anything small, even when she was small and…Cadence… was holding her." He started sniffling.

Flurry Heart touched a hoof to her dad's side. "It's okay, Dad. We'll get her back. Why don't you find the photo album? You can show Charlotte the Younger's parents all the old family photos. I know you want to."

He sniffled again but smiled at her. "I do like showing off tiny pictures of tiny you and your mom."

Flurry patted him. "You go fetch them, okay?"

The alicorn smiled as she watched her father go but suddenly went wide-eyed and lifted a hoof to her mouth. "Do not bring the ones from between when I was eighteen and twenty!"

"I think you burned most of those!" he called back as he exited.

"What do you mean, most?!" Flurry asked in horror.

Sunset groaned as she tried to stretch her neck. "I need to go take a real nap now so I can find Luna. Can you direct me to a guest room? Your floor is clean, but I doubt it is comfortable, and my shoulder wouldn't appreciate me sleeping on crystal."

Shining Armor stepped back into the room. "That shoulder injury looks painful. Maybe you should have Flurry look at it before you go to bed. She did briefly try to be the Alicorn of Healing. It didn't work out, but she still learned a lot of healing spells."

"Dad…we don't talk about that period of my life," Flurry said through gritted teeth. Her eyes went wide again. "You didn't manage to save a photo of it, did you?" Her brow narrowed, and her horn ignited. "I'll burn it!"

Shining Armor cocked his head at her. "Honey, no one cares if you had some minor misadventures trying to be the Alicorn of Healing, then of War, then of Winter, then of Lust…well, that one guy you accidentally made unable to have foals might care about that last one, but he's getting lifetime medical reparations."

The princess turned bright red, and her eyes practically bulged. "Dad!"

"I'm scatting!" Shining Armor announced as he turned tail and didn't quite run out of the room.

"I'm not going to ask about your embarrassing trying-to-find-yourself years, we all have things from our college days we wish no one to find out about, but if you can dull the pain in my shoulder, I'd appreciate it," Sunset said as she lifted the attached leg slightly. "Makes it hard to sleep when it gets like this, and I generally suck at healing spells. I don't want the scar to go away; just a bit of numbing around the surrounding area for today. I don't have sensation in the scar; it's the connecting areas that hurt."

Flurry seemed to have calmed down during the explanation. "Very well, I can do some pain numbing. Just no discussions about my past quests to be the Alicorn of Something-Or-Other."

"You aren't?" Wendy asked.

"No, I am not," Flurry said flatly. "I'm very powerful, more powerful than any other mortal pony, but unlike the other alicorns, I am not an aspect of anything. I'm not immortal like other alicorns, although I should have an exceptionally long life. I am not an ascended being, just an exceedingly powerful pony."

"Oh, like Wild Growth?" Wendy asked.

Sunset resisted the urge to hiss. It was a bad idea to compare Wild Growth to Flurry Heart in Flurry Heart's presence. The princesses were all aware of Wild Growth's secret. Wild Growth had earned ascension, and although the earth pony cut herself off from her power, that power was still there and likely exceeded Flurry Heart's. The princess hearing the comparison while knowing that Wild Growth had succeeded and rejected being what Flurry Heart strived for and failed to achieve, had to leave a bad taste in her mouth, even if she had a reputation for being a kind and just monarch.

"Yes, like that," Flurry Heart answered with a forced nod. She lit her horn and looked at Sunset. "If you can turn your body so the shoulder is facing me, it will give me a clearer shot."

Not even willing to come down from her throne. Wendy must have really annoyed the princess. A little extra discomfort turning wasn't the end of the world.

Sunset turned and sat again. "I'm ready."

Flurry Heart let loose a blast from her horn, but it stuck with surprising gentleness. It felt almost like a steam bath with a light, almost champagne tingle. The soreness quickly faded away, and a short leg movement demonstrated that she hadn't lost any other sensation or control of her motor functions as was common in amateurs who tried such spells…Sunset included. Flurry Heart might not be the Alicorn of Healing, but she was no amateur healer. The princess was still one of the great living mages– at least within specific fields that reflected her past attempts to find a greater purpose. Despite what people liked to say, there was nothing wrong with being a master of many trades, but most people wanted to justify their mediocrity.

"That will last a day, but when it wears off, it will be more uncomfortable than normal for a few hours. There are trade-offs if I'm not truly fixing your shoulder," Flurry Heart informed her.

Sunset tested her leg and neck. They still were stiff but didn't hurt. "Understood. I'll keep my injury. Lots of lessons tied up in it I prefer to keep the reminder of. Thank you for your assistance with everything."

"How long before we find out if you made contact with Charlotte?" Wendy eagerly asked.

"It depends on if Luna is available right now," Sunset answered. "It takes a warden to dig that deep into my subconscious. If she isn't available, I'll have to try again later. I don't know what she's up to right now. She took off without much word. This isn't Earth; you can't just make a call to anyone anywhere. Equestria is still very primitive when it comes to long-range communication."

"It is true. I'm envious of how easy it is to get in touch with others quickly on your world," Flurry Heart confirmed. "We do have plans for an internet and cellular system of our own, one that will last without constant maintenance to the infrastructure, but Canternet won't be available for years yet."

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm sure it will be awe-inspiring, and I'm sure the ponies of Equestria won't use it exclusively for social media and instead use it for bettering their society, but I need to take my nap so I can see if I accomplished anything," Sunset said as she headed for the door.

Her exit abruptly stopped when a swirling gray disk appeared in the air, followed immediately by three falling individuals who came crashing down right where Sunset had been standing a moment before, a lucky break for her. One of them let off a yelp of pain in a very familiar voice.

"Or maybe there's no need," Sunset said once she recovered from her shock.

"My baby, Charlotte!" Wendy yelled as she hurried towards her daughter.

Sunset lit her horn and grasped the woman with her magic. "Don't rush in, fool! There are two unknown individuals with her we don't know the intentions of!"

"They're not going to hurt anybody. They're my friends!" Charlotte yelled, even though she hadn't gotten up.

"I think we will take her word for it for the moment," Flurry Heart said. "I'm on guard, Blessing. Between you and me, we should be alright. Check on your other self and her friends. Guards, summon reinforcements, just to be safe, and inform my father."

Sunset gave Charlotte's parents a withering look. "Stay where you are until I say it is okay to go to her. This is for her safety as much as yours. She's here, and you'll get your chance to be with her in a few moments. Just let me ensure she doesn't need immediate medical attention and that our other guests are friendly and not coercing her."

"You could be nicer about it," Charles muttered.

She sighed. At least the princess showed some sense. God help all these people and their rushing into things. Maybe she could be nicer. Lord knew she had been guilty of the same idiocy more than once. Heh, she likely would be guilty of it again at some point. She was such a hypocrite.

Heeding her own warnings, she approached cautiously, horn at the ready. The newcomers seemed a little dazed but recovering. It looked like a human and a horse. The horse was white and had a rainbow mane and tail. The presumably human woman had a ragged blue dress with rainbow trim. Something about the pair seemed familiar, but what eluded her at the moment. Charlotte had enough bandages tightly wrapped around her right arm to make a cast, and her right leg had bandages and a splint. The splint had broken during the fall, and she was gripping at her leg with her good arm.

"Charlotte is going to need your attention, princess," Sunset informed the alicorn. She didn't know why she bothered saying so; Flurry Heart had working eyes.

The horse was the first of the trio to recover, looking around the room in a way that suggested intelligence.

"Colorful miniature horses. She wasn't lying," the horse said in a very clear voice with a slightly cultured but shocked tone. She didn't appreciate being called a horse, but this equine couldn't be faulted for the unintended slur. It was unnerving hearing the animal speak, like a human listening to a gorilla.

The unfamiliar young woman sat up and gaped as she looked around. Her wide-open stare shifted to a massive grin and was quickly followed by an excited giggle. "People! She was telling the truth, Starlight! Charlotte, you-" The woman',s smile dropped as she looked at Charlotte's leg. "Your leg! Oh no, I hope it's just the splint."

She tried to go to Charlotte's aid, but Sunset was quick with her horn and pushed the woman and the horse to the side and encased them in a shield.

"My apologies, but I need you to keep your distance from her," Sunset said. "You don't seem hostile, and you do seem to care about Charlotte, so I have no desire to hurt you, but I need you to stay put while the princess tends to Charlotte's injuries. Once she is taken care of, we can attend to you."

The reaction was quick. The horse practically jumped to his hooves and lowered his head like a bull ready to charge. His lips drew back in a wicked sneer, revealing he possessed an imposing set of canine fangs that didn't belong in a horse's mouth. Even ponies of her daughter and grandfoals' tribe didn't have them anywhere near that pronounced. The woman was scrambling to her feet, though a little clumsily, and looked terrified and ready for battle.

"W-wait, stop!" Charlotte gasped out at the pair. "She's not talking about the Princess who hurt you!"

Flurry Heart blinked teleported between Charlotte and the two strangers, and spread her wings wide as she gazed upon the aliens. "I believe there has been a misunderstanding. I am Princess Flurry Heart, ruler of The Crystal Empire. I mean you no harm. Please, be at ease. I will take care of our friend. I am a healer."

The horse gaped at the princess. "Oh my….she's like an angel."

With his height, Sunset could see what was going on underneath him. It seemed Flurry Heart was horselike enough for this stallion.

The woman had gotten to her feet and looked uncertainly at the princess while still flicking worried glances at Charlotte.

"I tried my best to help her with her injuries. They seemed to be healing well, but I didn't realize we were going to drop like that. Please, help her. We don't mean her or anyone else harm. We just didn't want to be alone anymore. She helped us get away from where we were."

Flurry Heart nodded. "I shall. Please be patient as I deal with the patient. While I'm working, please answer Sunset Blessing's questions and submit to her examination. If you don't try to hurt her, she won't hurt you."

The woman looked at Sunset with a puzzled look. "You're Sunset Blessing? From how Charlotte had talked about you, I expected something more."

Sunset watched as Flurry started to attend to Charlotte for a few seconds and then glanced back at Wendy and Charles to confirm they weren't creeping forward. The two humans seemed focused on watching the princess work but did as they were told. Several more guards had entered, along with Shining Armor, and their attention was wholly fixed on the two aliens, but they were holding back for the time being.

Satisfied that everything was in order, she turned her attention back to Charlotte's supposed friends.

"∆Do you understand what I am saying?∆" she asked them, using Equestrian. Everyone had been using English, as was customary with formal Earth visitors, even if this was hardly a formal visit.

The two of them stared at her in confusion. She pursed her lips.

"You understand me when I talk like this, but not when I talk ∆like this∆?" she asked, beginning in English and ending in Equestrian.

"I think you're asking if I understand that other language; I don't. I understand English," the woman replied. The horse shook his head.

"Are you from Earth?" Sunset asked.

The woman shook her head. "No, I'm from Rainbow Land. I picked up the ability to speak English from Charlotte, but I guess my ability to learn languages is only working for that."

"I guess we didn't get enough magic for more," the horse commented.

A magic ability to learn languages. That wasn't shocking. There were frequently used spells that she had used many times on herself and others, which were used in international travel. The more intriguing part was them saying they didn't get enough magic for more.

"How do you get magic?" she asked.

The woman and horse looked at each other.

"Tell her," the horse instructed. "It isn't going to get any easier hiding it. Charlotte took it well. Maybe this miniature horse won't get upset either."

The woman frowned. "You seem much more trusting of these ponies than you were of Charlotte."

"Horses are noble creatures; humans are more questionable," the horse replied with a snort. "And anyway, if this is the Sunset Blessing that Charlotte spoke about, it is just a horse version of her."

The woman sighed and looked back at Sunset. "We're vampires. We get our magic from blood. I got some of Charlotte's blood on my hands while carrying her and treating her wounds, and we drank that. We didn't drink straight from her."

"I suppose that explains the horse's fangs and why you don't open your mouth very wide," Sunset replied. "Any signs of bite marks, Flurry Heart?"

"I am checking now that I heard that, but I haven't noticed anything thus far," Flurry Heart said. "Her leg is broken, it looks like it had previously been a fracture that was healing, but that fall turned it into a full break. I can mend it, but if she is somewhat malnourished, I could hurt her worse if I try healing it when the rest of her is already weakened. I'm casting a pain suppression spell and resetting the splint for now."

The woman hung her head. "Sorry, we didn't have much to feed her. Our world is close to dead. We did our best to help her."

"You said it is called Rainbow Land?" Sunset asked.

"It…was," the woman answered. "I'm Rainbow Brite, and this is Starlight. Charlotte told us there was a movie about us. Maybe you've heard of us too?"

Sunset groaned. "She's going through the entire Saturday morning lineup. Okay, Rainbow Brite. We'll need to run some tests on you– make sure your vampirism isn't contagious. We also need to confirm that you aren't going into some bloodlust-feeding frenzy. Since I'm already dealing with cartoon characters, I'm going to check a cartoonish solution and see if we can feed you synthetic blood. Lucky you didn't come here twenty years ago. We can make real blood now. The early attempts at it would have killed even normal humans."

"She's a good person. She's just lonely," Charlotte said, in a calmer voice. The pain suppression must have taken hold.

"I can believe she has good intentions, both of them, but I need to confirm she isn't going to lose control," Sunset replied with equal calm. "When you get to be my age, you learn to be careful."

"That's horseshit! You mess with things you don't understand all the time!" Charlotte snapped.

Sunset looked sideways at her. "Calm yourself, girl. You're right, I'm a hypocrite, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful. If they're not acting, I'm confident they want to be sure too."

"She's right, Charlotte," Rainbow said, rubbing her arm nervously. "We don't know if we can keep control. You're the first living person we'd seen in what had to have been years. We don't know how we will do around so many. We don't want to hurt anyone."

"Then we are in agreement," Sunset said. "Flurry Heart, I assume you have somewhere these two can be held and I can inspect them. They'll need to be able to receive guests. We can't test their control if they are never given access to temptation."

"Can't you unvamparize them with transformation magic?" Charlotte asked.

"Possible," Sunset said as she thought about it "I still need time to study them in order to do that. You focus on getting better. We've got a team trapped on a hostile world, and you're the only one who can get them back."

She looked at Rainbow Brite and Starlight again. Why must there always be complications?

Chapter 2.11: Friendly Phone Call

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 2.12: Rainbow's Dedication

Rainbow stared at the strange little red horse. The unicorn, Sunset Blessing, had her horn glowing and was conducting some sort of test on Starlight.

"Do I have to hold still much longer? My muscles are cramping," Starlight complained.

"You'll hold still until I'm done, horse," Sunset replied. "Don't shift around. It will make this take longer. I don't want to be standing here with a full view of your sex organ in my face."

Starlight stood straighter. "It is glorious, like me."

"Bleh," Sunset Blessing said in disgust.

"Did you want me to switch with you?" the older orange and white horse asked. "You've been at that for a while."

Sunset Blessing gently shook her head. "You're still recovering from examining the girl. Starlight would be cross with me if you wore yourself out. Just relax, Sunburst. You've done enough. You can help me review the results. You're more valuable for your brain than your horn."

"I'm glad you care about my feelings. More of you ponies should, but I don't even know that old horse," Starlight said.

"Different Starlight– a mare, his wife," Sunset Blessing said in an annoyed tone.

"A mare? With my name?" Starlight gasped. "She should be called something else. Starlight is a stallion's name, a mighty stallion name, and I had first claim to the name anyway. She needs to change it."

Rainbow sighed. "Starlight, we're on another world, another universe. They have different naming conventions."

Starlight stuck his nose up. "I still had the first claim to the name. There can only be one mighty and noble Starlight!"

"Our Starlight could kick your not-so-noble flank, so you aren't as mighty as you think," Sunset Blessing said, sounding more annoyed. "Hold still and be quiet! Dumb beast."

Starlight gave an angry snort but didn't reply.

"Are you finding anything that can take away our vampirism?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't have enough information for that," Sunset Blessing answered. "You look human, but you aren't, nor is he a horse, and I'm not talking about vampirism. Vampirism seems to be like a disease, a magic one. While transformation magic typically removes illnesses, that involves strictly biological issues. This is something more. I need more information. I don't want to inadvertently make things worse. There are important events in motion that don't involve you but that you could impact, and I must exercise caution."

Rainbow looked down and rubbed her hands together. "I don't want to be a problem." She looked up from her hands at the pony. "Charlotte said you were sixty years older than her. You are older, but you don't seem elderly. Does your kind live a long time?"

"She's actually older than me. Beings with a lot of magic age at a slower rate," the other pony, Sunburst, explained as he stroked his gray beard.

"And I slowed my aging before I became powerful by regularly transforming into a human," Sunset Blessing added.

"So Charlotte doesn't age as gracefully?" Rainbow asked.

The elder version of Charlotte shrugged. "She's strong for a human. She might not live as long as me, but she should live longer than an average human. I'm not exactly sure how long. I'm not even sure you and I mean the same thing when we talk about years, days, or any other measurement of time."

It hadn't even occurred to her time might not be measured the same. She'd watched the sun rise and set here, but it had been so long since she had seen either that she no longer knew if that was the timeframe she had been familiar with long ago.

"How long were we alone? You are a great mage. Can you tell?" Rainbow asked in a whisper.

The unicorn frowned. "I can't give you an exact figure. Your vampirism has been in place for a long time, but I could have told you it has been a long time without the use of magic. Even if that movie I saw is a perversion of what happened to you, it still needed someone to have seen what happened in order to write the script. That movie was released seventy-one years ago. Give it another year or two for scriptwriting and production, which means it has been at least seventy-three years. Since there was a cartoon show too that wasn't so dark; I'm willing to bet on that seventy-three-year figure."

"I would assume your year would have been close to Equestria's or Earth's," Sunburst surmised. "Planets need to have a certain range of size and speed of rotation to produce similar gravity, and your gravity seems like it was similar based on the fact Charlotte had no issues with yours, and you seem fine with ours. That means your years have to be close to one of ours, maybe a few days' variation, but nothing extreme. Days would be close as well in length. An hour or two variance at most."

Seventy-three years. They had failed seventy-three years ago. She didn't think she had been that old. It was hard to tell with her. She just woke up one day in the light of Spectra, and Spectra had instructed her about sunshine and happiness before asking her if she wanted to spread that light and joy to a world. She'd gladly accepted, and it plopped her down in the wasteland that would become Rainbow Land to do the will of the light of Spectra. She had worked hard and fast, and in less than a few years, she'd turned it into a beautiful place…then Princess had stolen the light of Spectra and turned her into a monster. Seventy-three years. She had spent almost her entire life as a vampire.

No, what she and Starlight had on that world was not life. It was merely existing. It was like their lives had been on hold for that time, waiting to continue. She could wait a little longer.

A tear leaked from her eye, and she wiped it away, then stopped and looked at her finger. She hoped this older Charlotte could fix her. People shouldn't cry blood.

"Do you think I'm cute?" she asked Sunset Blessing.

The unicorn stopped what she was doing to glare at her. "Do both you and this idiot horse need constant affirmation? I couldn't tell you. In pony form, I don't judge human looks well." The unicorn turned her attention back to Starlight. "And I neither care for horses nor things with a phallus, so I'm not judging your looks, you brute."

"Oh," Rainbow replied.

Starlight shook his head. "I changed my mind. The human is a more noble creature than this miniature devil horse."

"When can I see Charlotte again?" Rainbow asked. "Is she doing alright?"

Sunset stopped what she was doing with Starlight and hoisted a quill in her magic before writing on a parchment. "She's doing well enough. She complains about her injuries hurting as they heal. She is getting harassed by her parents non-stop. She needs to rest so we can get to that care bear world."

"We?" Rainbow asked.

"She and I, not you," Sunset clarified. "I skipped on going the last time, but things have changed. That world is dangerous, and she can't be left to find the scout team on her own. I can behave myself now that I know a dark mage is influencing the bears."

"You and your daughter both missed that," Sunburst said.

"We all make mistakes, even me, and even the wardens," Sunset snapped. "I'm assuming that the spell forced control, but the short time away from its source didn't give those bears I killed enough time to fully start thinking out of their programmed cycles. Lay that one on me, but it didn't matter. I wasn't concerned about those details at the time. I know better now and can stay my wrath."

"I could come, me and Starlight," Rainbow offered.

Sunset Blessing raised an eyebrow at her. "You just escaped a hellhole. Are you so eager to return to one?"

"Well, I didn't volunteer," Starlight said with a snort. "She just wants to follow that girl because the girl called her cute."

Rainbow balled up her fists. "No! That's not why!"

Starlight whinnied. "Oh, yes, it is. She was the first person you saw in ages, and she called you cute, and you suddenly became attached. It isn't a healthy attachment. You should let her go. Stay here. We have food. We have warmth. We have a whole universe to explore that isn't frozen and dead."

She looked her horse in the eyes. "We have a chance to help make a difference. There's another universe fighting to survive out there. We failed with ours. I can't live with myself if I don't make an effort to do something for this other one."

Starlight hesitated as if her words were making him rethink his decision not to get involved, but he ended up shaking his head. "Our magic was tied to Spectra. Spectra is gone. We aren't even in the same universe with it. We're useless."

She bit her lip gently, careful not to puncture it. There was a solution, but she didn't like it.

"Sunset Blessing, you said you were going to try to get synthetic blood for us. Have you ordered it yet?" she asked.

The unicorn nodded as she passed the parchment to Sunburst. "It should be here tomorrow. Would I be wrong in guessing you're reconsidering whether you want this vampire curse broken?"

Rainbow wrung her hands. She did want it broken, but there was a but.

"If the only way I'm going to be useful is if I don't stop being a…what I am…then I'd rather be useful," she answered. "Before we failed to save Spectra, I was a hero. I made a difference in people's lives. I still need to make a difference. I need it more than ever."

Sunset Blessing grimaced. "So…are you wanting to help people because you actually want to help them, or are you trying to soothe your conscience about having the blood of a universe on your hands."

"Sunset, that's too harsh! That's downright cruel!" Sunburst loudly protested.

"It's what she needs to hear," Sunset Blessing said in a calm tone. "Do you comprehend the guilt I carry around due to what happened in Riverview? I've been told many times that it wasn't all my fault. Even the most supportive of my friends can't bring themselves to say I had no blame for it. However, even if there were some legitimate arguments that I shouldn't feel guilty for it, it would change nothing regarding how I feel about it. I will never wash my soul of it. It will haunt me for the rest of my days. This girl needs to understand there is no panacea for her shame and guilt. No matter what she does, she will carry it to her grave."

The red unicorn turned and looked Rainbow in her blood-tear-filled eyes. "And that is a good thing. We shouldn't ever get over suffering and death. We should feel all that pain and let it be the chorus telling us that we need to do everything in our power to ensure it will never happen again. It's our promise, bound in blood. We can always move forward with our life, but we don't drop our burdens along the way. So, tell me, child, do you want to help to soothe your soul, or do you want to help because it is the right goddamned thing to do, and you refuse to see history repeat?"

Rainbow heard the challenge in the mare's tone. What she said wasn't pleasant, but she was right; it was necessary to hear it and put her desires in perspective.

"I was a hero because it was the right thing to do, even though I failed," Rainbow said slowly. "I'm not going to let my failure stop me from doing the right thing. I'm also not going to give up what power I have left to make a difference."

Sunset Blessing smiled. "You don't necessarily need power to make a difference, but surrendering your assets is almost always a bad idea. If the synthetic blood works, and we see no negative side effects, I will request that you be included."

Starlight snorted. "You've gone and inspired me. You're an evil little horse for doing that. I would be less than noble if I didn't try to help too. I want to help."

"Good, because I'm old and frail and hate having to walk long distances," Sunset Blessing said as she turned and headed to the door, leaving Sunburst to finish. Rainbow watched her walk out of the room and wondered if the unicorn had deliberately manipulated her.

"Does that tiny devil horse intend to ride me?" Starlight asked in shock. "The indignity!"

Chapter 2.13: Understanding One Another

BAMM, BAMM, BAMM

Empathy wrung his hands and shook his head. "That is very loud. It hurts my ears."

Andrea lowered her gun and looked at the target. None of her shots had hit the bullseye. They all landed just south and to the right of it and were close together. At least she'd been consistent. Was the aim off because of her, or was it something to do with the sight of the gun? She couldn't physically overpower a giant robot, so she needed to be as accurate as possible with her firearms if she was going to be helpful at all against the Decepticons.

She started reloading the gun. If something was off about the gun, she could adjust. If it was her, then she needed more practice.

"Barbaric weapons, a further reminder of your world's corruption."

Andrea rolled her eyes. Great, the bitch was back. She aimed at the next target and fired off three more shots. This time she was further off the mark, and her shots fell at nearly triangular different points on the circle.

"And so inaccurate too."

Andrea turned and looked at the high-pitched bitch who seemed to live to be critical of others. "Do you need something?"

Shrieky gave the gun in Andrea's hand a disgusted look and took a step back. "Your princess has decided to Urltij Kif."

"Go where?" Andrea asked in confusion.

"Urltij Kif," Shrieky repeated. "It is our most sacred place. It is said that it was where humanity first walked the world and that it was also where the first magic was cast. The primitive art at the deepest levels is believed to be over fifty thousand years old. The Allspark was kept there for many years in possession of the Cloudkeeper. Your princess wants to see if the Cloudkeeper left traces of how he made the care bears, so she can better undo what my uncle has done. There is some possibility she might find something. My uncle made Beastly after a journey there. Your princess requests that you, me, and others accompany her.."

"She's a princess, not my princess," Andrea muttered. She put her gun away in her pack. "Fine, I'll go to this place. It's better than sitting around here. What does Urltij Kif even translate out to?"

Shrieky shrugged. "No one knows for sure. It's a very ancient name. Kif may be a very early form of our word git, which translates to place in this dirty tongue, but what Urltij means is anybody's guess– maybe someone's name? Legend says that it is the name of the original tribe that lived in the mountain, but that's just a legend; we don't have any verification of that. For all we know, Urltij Kif is a corrupted version of the actual name. I'm willing to admit that working with a mostly oral tradition has drawbacks, and we haven't quite mastered your writing."

Andrea gaped. "You people have a history that goes back that far, and you managed to copy relatively advanced technology from Earth, but you never developed a writing system?! How do you figure out electricity, motorbikes, and movie projectors without figuring out how to write??"

The neanderthal balled up her hands into fists. "We have writing! Each artisan guild had its own specific writing system to fit its needs best. We just don't use writing outside those things, and each guild only understood its own writing. Record keeping with writing really wasn't done much other than recording promises. There is a sacredness to the spoken word that shouldn't be infringed upon."

"That sounds so inefficient and stupid," Andrea said flatly.

Shrieky waved a finger in her face. "You have no respect for our ways and traditions! You prove your culture is filthy!"

"I might feel a little guilty for dissing your culture, but all I've heard from you is how bad Earth's is," Andrea replied, pushing the finger away. "And you aren't even talking about our up-to-date culture. How old were the movies you were watching? I'd like to think some things have changed in a hundred years."

"You're both being mean. You should be nicer to one another if you are working together," Empathy said in frustration.

Andrea scowled and bit back a nasty retort. Instead, she took a deep breath and looked at Shrieky again. "I'm sure you had a very impressive civilization, and it is astonishing it stayed mostly the same for so long. I'm sorry that got messed-up when your people found those movies, but we had nothing to do with that. Let's focus on trying to free your people, and you can worry about trying to get them on track. It sounds like they will need someone to help them, and it really should be one of their own guiding them, not some alien from another universe."

Shrieky snorted, which sounded like a squeak. Even her snorts were high-pitched. "Like you have any say in that. I don't know what your position is– some sort of soldier, maybe? I do know you command no authority in your group. They defer decisions to your princess, and when not her, that leathery-winged pony that whimpers in her sleep and keeps away from everyone, although I have yet to figure out how such a pathetic creature commands respect or what she brings to your mission."

"I don't know either. She used to be a big deal, but she's retired. I guess old habits die hard when it comes to listening to her," Andrea replied. "So when do we leave?"

"Two hours. Get your supplies together. There's no telling how long we'll be there," Shrieky answered. She then left the practice range.

Empathy patted her on the leg. "You did good, trying to be nice."

"I just wanted to be less of a bitch than her," Andrea muttered.

At least they were going out to do something.

Charlotte was pleased as punch that by the end of the day, she was going to have her injuries healed the rest of the way. It would be great because she wouldn't have to be wheeled around in a chair by her well-meaning but completely annoying mother.

"I wasn't happy your sister had all those guns on her, but after what happened to you, I think you should take something with you this time around. I don't want you getting kidnapped again," her mom rambled.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Mom, I've never even held a gun. I'd probably end up shooting myself by mistake if I tried to use one."

"Don't say that," her mom hissed, turning the chair a little too hard around the corner in the crystal hallway. "Sorry. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Charlotte lied. The jostle had sent a wave of pain through her leg, but she didn't want to upset her mom. "Sunset's coming this time. She'll keep me safe. Bursa won't even be there this time. I left her stuck at Wabash Manor."

Her mom grunted. "Sunset says they have transferred her somewhere else, but she isn't the only threat. There's those bears, robots, vampires, and who knows what else. You aren't your sister; you can get hurt much more easily. Look at you right now."

"I survived," Charlotte muttered.

"Barely! And you had help," her mother countered. "If it weren't for the fact that you are the only one who can reach your sister right now, I would put my foot down to keep you from going on another mission."

Charlotte grit her teeth. She wanted to snap that she was eighteen and her mom couldn't stop her from doing squat, but she was determined not to let her temper get the best of her.

Deep breaths.

"We'll get Andrea back. You aren't going to lose anyone else. Sunset's coming, and while Cadence and the other Equestrians hesitate to do anything violent, you know Sunset won't hesitate to break a Decepticon down to scrap metal or disembowel a bear," Charlotte said calmly.

"She said she isn't going to go on a genocide," her mom replied.

"Doesn't mean she isn't going to be the same old Sunset if someone takes a shot at one of us," Charlotte said as they reached the door to Rainbow's room, which had two guards standing at attention.

Her mom went to open the door, but the door opened, and Sunset stepped out first, closing the door behind her.

"I have promised not to kill any of the bears, a condition of my going there, and one for which I shall be tried for murder if I violate," Sunset said as she stepped before them. "The Decepticons are another issue. The Equestrians aren't sure that robots constitute living beings, and they also present more of a threat. My only regulation in regards to them is I have to be defending myself or someone else from active attacks if I scrap one of them. I'm not allowed to go hunting them down to destroy them. However, none of these ponies said anything about me doing severe bodily injury that either set of foes survives."

"Did you have your ear up to the door as you waited for us to arrive?" Charlotte asked.

Sunset glanced back at the door and briefly lit her horn as if checking something, nodded, and returned her focus to them.

"I was near the door and overheard you, but it wasn't for the sake of eavesdropping," Sunset said. "Your friends need to clean themselves up before you see them. They had a brief lapse of sense."

"What do you mean by that?" her mom asked, voice dripping with suspicion.

"It seems that synthetic blood is an acceptable alternative for them, but consuming over a certain amount in a single sitting seems to trigger a temporary bloodlust reaction. No one was hurt, but they went through far more of the blood bags than I intended for this test, and they made a gore-covered mess of themselves before they regained their senses," Sunset explained.

Her mom gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh my god, is it safe for Charlotte to be around them?"

"As I said, they seem to have regained their senses," Sunset said calmly. "This requires more testing. However, I did confirm I'm capable of restraining them with ease when they're amped up on blood. They aren't powerful enough to overpower me or even put up much of a fight against me."

"Gloating about your power again," Charlotte muttered.

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Simply stating the facts. I never asked for this much power, nor wanted it, but I use whatever assets I've been given until they no longer serve a purpose. Would you believe I have contemplated how to give away my power?"

Charlotte blinked. "You can do that?"

Sunset nodded. "It is a complex spell, but Luna knows it and has shared it with me. It is a question of who to give it to. My power does nothing for an alicorn, so it would need to be a non-alicorn to be of any worth, but giving that much power to anyone, even someone who seems to be the epitome of good, has risks. Power corrupts, and this much power is not given lightly. And no, you aren't even a consideration on who to give it to. You're me, and frankly, the reason I want to give it away is I'm unworthy of it and prone to abusing it. I'm at least old and have had to endure the misfortunes of my actions; you don't have the same past tragedies to hold your hubris in check. I hope you never do."

"So…should we come back later?" her mom asked, looking at the door.

Sunset shook her head. "They should be clean enough. The place is a mess, but Charlotte's seen a bit of blood before, and I've cast a spell to suppress the smell. If you want to leave her with me, I can take care of her."

"No! I want to see what my daughter is getting into!" her mom yelled. "I don't trust you to-"

"Mom," Sunset interrupted, making their mom practically gag on her words. "I know I don't play that card often, but you forget, she and I started out the same, and I'm tired of being treated like some hostile outside entity. I still remember many of the same things Charlotte remembers before our paths split. You're my mother. I may have gone down a different path than Charlotte, but I'm still technically your daughter. I don't ask for your love, but I ask you to believe I live to protect my family, and Charlotte is as close to me as the family can get, considering she's me."

Sunset looked at a window with a far-off gaze. "My version of you and Dad are dead and buried, and so is my Andrea. I do not know how much time Amicus has left, and we've lost the younger Kristin. My wife is dead and what remains has only faint echoes of who she was and is alien to her in so many ways– I guess you can empathize with how that feels when you look at me and compare me with the Charlotte you raised. One of my sons is gone, and my eldest daughter is aging and trapped on an alien world. Even my ex-husband is deceased. The world teeters on the brink, and all I love are in danger. I'm losing family left and right, and I will not let anything happen to those I have left. Trust me. Trust my love and dedication to the family."

Their mom seemed to struggle to get words out, but eventually, her shoulders slumped. "Fine, but I still want to see what she's getting involved with. I'm scared."

Sunset walked over to their mom and, to Charlotte's shock and their mom's, leaned her head against her in a rare show of public affection and vulnerability.

"I understand that more than you know. I'm scared too. I just hide it better," Sunset said quietly.

Charlotte watched as her mom timidly put her hand on Sunset's back, as if unsure what she should do. This wasn't something she was used to seeing. Her other self never let herself be seen this vulnerable, and while she knew that the losses of the past few years had hit Sunset hard, this was the first time Sunset looked ready to break down in public. Yet somehow, Charlotte just felt numb to it all. She'd cry about Kristin sometimes, but it didn't feel like the crushing weight it should. Did that make her a bad person? Once again, she felt like her other self was showing her superiority, and Charlotte could only look at the gap between them.

Her mom and Sunset stayed like that for a minute or so before the unicorn withdrew from her mom and wiped her eyes. "They should be ready; let's go say hi. I know Rainbow has been eager to see Charlotte again. Please, don't make her feel bad for the blood."

Chapter 2.14: Banter

Well, Charlotte had to say, Rainbow's room certainly reminded her of home back at Wabash Manor. There were bloodstains all over the floor, the walls, and…she looked up…yep…ceiling too. This was just like home after one of Sunset's bloodbaths.

"No! You can't come in here now! Ack!"

Rainbow ducked behind Starlight. He still had a few bloodstains on his flank but seemed far less perturbed than his rider. He glanced at her and then snorted.

Her mom chuckled nervously. "It's not so bad. Charlotte's seen worse. I mean, there's not even a dismembered limb."

"Mom!" Charlotte hissed. "You aren't helping."

"I'm just trying to make a good impression with the girl who saved your life!" her mom hissed back.

Rainbow peaked out from behind Starlight. Charlotte smiled at her, suddenly wishing she wasn't looking beat up and pathetic in a wheelchair. She tried to sit up a little straighter, and her eyes fell on a spot on Rainbow's brow.

"Um, you've got a little something-" she pointed with her good hand.

Rainbow touched her hand to her brow and rubbed at the dried blood. She sighed. "I'm sorry. This has never happened before…I've never had this much…I must look like a monster."

"No, you aren't a monster. You have a lot more color to your face than you did before. It looks nice," Charlotte said.

Rainbow came completely out from behind Starlight, still moving cautiously. She also revealed she was wearing nothing but a large white towel wrapped around herself. Charlotte could be oblivious about many things, but one of the significant differences between her and her other self was she never went through a phase of denial about who and what she was attracted to. Oh no, she couldn't deal with this right now.

"Sunset, can I borrow your necklace?" Charlotte asked. "Just for a few minutes, so I'm not confined to this wheelchair. I'm sure a few minutes of not healing won't stop Flurry Heart from healing me later."

"You're asking to be a pony? Since when do you-" Sunset flicked her eyes back and forth between Rainbow and Charlotte before smirking. "Oh, I see. It's mutual. That's a clever way of getting yourself in check and focused."

"What's she talking about?" Rainbow asked in confusion.

"Yeah, what are you two going on about?" Charlotte's mom asked.

Starlight gave a very loud snort. "Oh, come on! The ugly little human and her slightly less ugly but still demonic pony version can't be the only ones with sense. Wait, they aren't. I, the noble Starlight, knew what was going on from the start."

Sunset lit her horn, and the necklace floated out of her bag towards Charlotte but stopped short. Charlotte looked at her questioningly.

Sunset actually looked embarrassed. "Lord help me, I had a serious brain fart there. The necklace can't be used right now. You're in casts, very hard ones. While getting tangled in your clothes is annoying, you probably don't want to think about what those casts will do to your legs if you transform while wearing them. It wouldn't be a pleasant feeling. Good thing my brain started working again. I swear listening to this big noble buffoon turns my brain to mush. Like, I lose intelligence just listening to his idiocy. Rainbow Brite, how did you put up with years of his inane chatter?"

"I beg your pardon!" Starlight huffed, then let out a long agitated whinny.

Rainbow patted his back. "Starlight isn't so bad. Yeah, he has a high opinion of himself, but he's my oldest friend, and always looks out for me. He's also very smart and brave."

Starlight held his head higher and practically posed. Rainbow certainly enabled his ego.

"Brave or fearless?" Sunset asked. "There is a key distinction between the two. Being brave means overcoming fears. Being fearless means failing to recognize or be cautious around danger, and that means stupid."

The horse fixed a wrathful glare on Sunset. "Do you go out of your way to ensure I don't like you?"

Sunset smiled at him. "I think you're just intimidated being in the presence of a superior life form. I mean, look at you. You can't even reach behind your back with your legs like a pony can or grip anything with your fetlocks. You're muscular, sure, but I still place my money on most earth ponies being stronger. I bet my niece, who is only partly a pony, could easily beat you in an arm-to-leg wrestling match, but sadly, we can't even check since your inferior body lacks the joints to do it. However, I'm sure you make an excellent beast of burden, like an ox or an ass– I think you even bear a strong resemblance to the latter."

Starlight took a threatening step towards Sunset, who lit up her horn in response. Charlotte had had enough.

"She's trying to make you mad. Don't give in to her!" Charlotte shouted. She then blinked as she realized why Sunset was doing it. "She's trying to see if you can keep your vampiric tendencies under control if you're angry. She's testing you."

"And you're interfering with that test, girl," Sunset growled. "Ensuring they can control themselves is important. You should have kept your maw shut."

Starlight stepped back and shook his head. "She was focused on me!"

Sunset shrugged. "Oh, I had intended on trying the same with your companion, but I hadn't figured out what buttons to push yet. She would have been a far better target since your protective nature would have kicked in. Still, she isn't as easy to read as you are, and, cruel as I can sometimes be, I didn't want to get too personal with the insults by bringing up her failures or her infatuation with my younger incarnation."

Rainbow blushed brightly. "I don't have a-"

"Yes, you do," Sunset and Starlight said in chorus. They met eyes after, and both flicked their tails.

Her mom coughed. "This would be cute–my daughter's first real crush and all–"

Now it was Charlotte's turn to blush. "She's not my first crush!"

Sunset nodded. "That's true enough. I happen to know she has had at least three, and most recently, before this, she was caught staring at Flurry Heart's flank. To her credit, the princess has a very nice set of flanks. If I were fifty years younger–"

"Did not need to know either of those things," her mom said, regaining control of the conversation. "Anyway, not to be a disapproving mom, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with my daughter hooking up with a bloodthirsty vampire."

Charlotte:felt like her face was going to explode. "Mom! I'm–"

"Not going to have any time for any hookups," Sunset said. "Plus, we're going to a desolate wasteland that smells like a landfill caught on fire, and the two of them will be spending every waking minute with me and the big pompous brute. Do you honestly think anything is going to happen under those circumstances?"

"That is a good point," her mom conceded.

Sunset nodded. "It will be a good chance for them to get to know each other. Then Charlotte can realize Rainbow Brite is an insecure woman-child with basically no life experiences, and the vampire can realize Charlotte is just a younger version of me."

"A greater turn-off I could not imagine," Starlight said smugly.

Charlotte glared at him. "Aren't you going to at least try to defend Rainbow's honor?"

Starlight shook his head. "Not this time. She's my best friend, practically my sister, but the devil pony is mostly right in this case." His eyes widened. "Oh no! I'm agreeing with her again! I feel filthy just thinking about it!"

Rainbow started to cry. "How could you?!"

The horse seemed oblivious for the moment. "I know, agreeing with her is so-"

"About me!" Rainbow yelled and punched him in the side.

To everyone's shock, the blow knocked Starlight right off his hooves and straight against the wall. Rainbow gasped and covered her mouth before running over his crumpled form.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that. I didn't think I could do that! Please be okay!" Rainbow sobbed.

He raised his head, looking dazed. "I'm alright. The great and noble Starlight can…ow…that hurt. I'm alright."

"Well, giving them that blood certainly gave them some utility," Sunset said with a hint of smugness. "I'm satisfied they won't go into a bloodlust and can control their craving for blood. We do need to work on the temper tantrum, but I think this is a good first lesson for that. We'll depart tomorrow afternoon."

Charlotte wanted to box her other self. "You're despicable; you know that?"

Sunset smiled at her. "It's my way of saying I care."

Rebecca entered the dream realm and immediately got bombarded by dreamers calling out to her and feelings of dreams that fit her M.O. to visit. This wasn't anything new. It happened every time she went to sleep since she was announced to be a Dreamwarden, even before the public knew her actual identity and only knew The Marshmallow. It could be a little tiring and a bit overwhelming. She wasn't Arbiter, Ghadab, or Miss Seapony (Yinyu), so she could only split her attention so many ways before she fried her brain. There was never enough of her to go around.

She did a very brief survey of the dreams and picked out the hundred or so she felt needed the most urgency, unsure as always if she was overlooking someone in even more dire need. One of the sad facts about being one of the living Dreamwardens was having to accept that while she was omnipresent in the dream realm, she was not omnipotent, and she divided herself accordingly, giving full attention to each of the dreams she intervened in.

"You're running late, Rebecca," Arbiter said.

"I know," Rebecca replied with the feeling of a sigh and created a visual avatar for herself, her globby marshmallow form. "But Russel had a rough day at work, and I was listening to him tell me about it and trying to cheer him up."

"Marriage is such a distraction, especially one you can't deal with here," Ghadab grumbled, forming his commonly used burning bush avatar.

"I need my distractions, and I like that I have to ask what's on my husband's mind instead of knowing before he does. Being able to read your spouse's mind but they can't read yours just isn't good for a relationship. This feels more balanced. I'm sure Arbiter agrees with me," Rebecca replied.

"I do. I felt the need to distance myself more and more from Sunset due to that. I don't know how Phobia managed to keep her relationship happy for all those years when she could read Rosetta's mind," Arbiter's voice answered.

"The nightmare queen's wife is less of a twisted ball of insecurities than your wife, that's why," Ghadab said with a hint of disinterest. "You need to be secure in yourself to be secure in such a lopsided power relationship."

Arbiter then made her own avatar– her normal half-human, half-pegasus, sorta-angel avatar. Moses formed his immediately after, forgoing any more creative expression and just appearing as his usual physical self. She didn't feel Solomon yet, so she wasn't the last to arrive. Yinyu, present as always, did not form an avatar.

"How are you doing today, Miss Seapony?" Rebecca asked, trying to put some perk into the question.

"She's still moping and barely engaging with us. This needs to stop. At least she's still tending to her role in dreams," Arbiter informed her.

Ghadab glowed angrily. "You could be nicer to our slut sister, you puffed-up angel-wannabe! She has suffered a terrible loss!"

Arbiter frowned. "So says the burning bush. I sympathize with Yinyu and understand her grief, but we don't have time for her to go through a depressive period right now. There is too much going on this year. She can cry all she wants next year if there is a next year, and I'll cry right along with her. It's not like I haven't been trying to help her with the grieving process."

Rebecca considered for a moment. "She can sit this talk out unless we need to vote. We've got this. Can you give her some music, Arbiter? Something somber on a violin; it has to be a violin."

"You're going to make her cry," Moses said.

"She needs to cry. It's more healthy to cry when your kid dies than not to cry," Rebecca asserted.

"I agree," Arbiter said.

"As do I," Ghadab grumbled.

Moses sighed. "Okay, I agree too. An informal majority vote is achieved."

The sound of a violin playing a soft melancholy tune began playing. Rebecca was unsure if it was something original Arbiter created on the spot or an older melody, but it was undoubtedly sad enough sounding.

"Are we working to musical accompaniment now?" Solomon's voice said.

"It's for Yinyu to encourage her to cry. You're late as usual, Solomon," Arbiter said.

Solomon formed his avatar, a simple replication of his true form, a thin Ethiopian man in his younger thirties. "I was attending to some late incoming reports from Uzbekistan that we needed. I was also filing the reports from China."

Moses's ears perked. He had been born in that general vicinity during their first war and was brought to the USA as a refugee, so he had a personal interest in the various -stans. "Do we have enough corporeal world information to head that off?"

"I can never promise anything, but I have enough to start some talks to head this off. We don't need another genocide breaking out in that area," Solomon said.

While Dreamwardens could sometimes be said to be aloof of the world's problems due to their neutrality, they all agreed that genocides were really, really bad. Ghadab had died in a genocide. Moses's parents had been killed in a genocide, and he almost died too. Plus, Rebecca got to have the opportunity to walk through the site of a genocide that still had all the corpses lying about. On top of all that, they all had memories of entire worlds being eradicated. So, whenever the possibility of genocide came up, they all took a vested interest in stopping it, even if it did violate their implied neutrality. One of the great things about implied neutrality was it wasn't a promise to be neutral; it was just making people think you promised to be neutral. It is all in the wording.

There was a general feeling of relief that circulated among the six of them at that news…well…five of them. Yinyu was still very focused on her grieving, and it was hard to get her to focus on much else. Even a 'hey, we might stop a very bloody war where tens of thousands could die before it happens''.

"And the news from China?" Arbiter asked.

Solomon sighed. "They are still secretly mobilizing to start invasions into Mongolia and Vietnam once the Devourer threat has passed. They are confident that the other major powers will be too militarily depleted to do anything about their aggression. Sadly, there is no sign any country has realized what they are about to pull."

"It isn't our place to get involved in these petty wars," Ghadab said. "They aren't interested in eliminating any population, so they should be beneath our notice."

Rebecca waited for Yinyu to butt in. She usually had extreme opinions about China and its ambitions, but it seemed her grief was enough to overcome her hatred of the government that she died opposing.

"I do have other news from China," Solomon continued. "A little side project I have been keeping to myself, using only non-magical agents to ensure it didn't leak to all of you until I was ready to discuss it."

Arbiter raised an eyebrow. "And what did you feel warranted working in our blind spot?"

Solomon smiled. "Something to help Yinyu get her head together." He looked at Rebecca. "I might need your assistance with this by having you take a little trip out to South Korea."

Rebecca's face turned into a frowny emoji. "I hate international trips. They always end with me running for my life. I'm pleasantly plump and jiggly. I'm what happens when you breed a Jigglypuff with a Snorlax; I don't run well!"

"I didn't even know Rebecca knew what a pokemon was," Arbiter said with a smirk. "Now I'm having to imagine her just saying Marshmallow for every single thing."

"What's a pokemon?" Ghadab asked in confusion.

"A thing for kids that I'm guessing wasn't popular in rural Southern Morocco," Arbiter answered.

"Apparently not," Ghadab agreed. "We played with animals and sculpted sand. Lots of sand dunes where I grew up."

Arbiter sighed. "This is why we have to waste so much time explaining things to you in that extradimensional side-project we have going."

"Forgive me for growing up in a non-consumerist society, heathen," Ghadab growled.

"Focus on some kids' dreams and figure it out, you foul-mouthed nomad," Arbiter snapped back.

Solomon clapped his hands. "If our deceased elder siblings are done insulting one another, perhaps I can explain what I have in mind?"

"Fine," Ghadab said with annoyance. "I've been dead longer than her, by the way. I should get more respect."

"You don't have to spend every moment with him, or you'd understand, but carry on," Arbiter said, doing a duel flap of her left hand and wing. "And you died only a few days before me. You don't have that much death seniority."

"Are you two seriously arguing about death seniority?" Moses asked. "You know I have millions of past lives I can resurrect into bodies, including Sha'am."

Rebecca giggled. "We are such a happy dysfunctional family."

Solomon rolled his eyes. "You think Dreamwardens are these grand beings, then you become one and learn they are squabbling children half of the time. Anyway, to get back on track, I'm announcing I found Yinyu's sister, along with other family she may not have known about."

Everyone went silent, and the feeling of Yinyu's shock permeated their group. After a brief pause, Yinyu finally decided to make her avatar. It was the typical seapony, with the rainbow scales and the fearsome mouth that could cause it to be mistaken for a dragon. She also made it about a hundred times bigger than she usually did, so it towered like a colossus above them all.

Yinyu fixed her gaze on Solomon. "My big sister is alive?"

Solomon nodded. "She is alive and well– for the time being. She is being watched for anti-shimmerist views, along with several of her descendants. I don't think she is loud or important enough to get drug away to a prison or some reeducation camp, but she's definitely on a list." He held up a hand. "Before you start requesting anything rash, I have started plans to get them out of China. It may take some time, but I can do it. In the meantime, I was hoping Rebecca could help you talk to her. She and her family have no magic."

"China is big, but I suppose I can project to most places in China from South Korea," Rebecca said. "I don't like traveling out of the country, but I suppose this is worth it."

Yinyu's fins and tails twitched nervously. "What would I say? I haven't spoken to her in decades. She doesn't even know I'm the Dreamwarden Yinyu Wu Yan. I ran away because of what I did to her. She might not forgive me."

"Beating your sister within an inch of her life with a violin is pretty tough to forgive," Moses agreed. Yinyu's fins all slumped.

"Not helping, Moses!" Arbiter hissed.

Rebecca shifted forms to her regular pegasus form and looked up at her oldest friend. "But you know the last time you saw her; she tried to reach out to you despite that. You might have rejected her back then, but that doesn't mean she won't extend her hand again if you make an effort. It is worth trying."

Yinyu rubbed her fins together. "Okay, I'll try. I wish Phobia were still here to help me be brave."

"If it makes you feel better, I've confirmed she knows the actual story of what happened to you when you tried to escape China, not the Chinese government's amended version," Solomon said. "Knowing you laid down your life like that should earn you some respect."

Yinyu gave a timid nod. "I hope so. Can we not talk about this more right now? I need to process this news."

"That's fine. We can make arrangements later," Solomon replied.

Rebecca smiled, happy for her friend, then looked at Moses. "So…moving on to other business; did you get the information I asked you to look into?"

"Are you still seriously pursuing your convoluted plan to counter Sunflower Smile's questionable prophecy?" Solomon asked with a huff.

Rebecca fluffed her feathers. "Hey! Sunflower might not be the same level storyteller as Jeniffer Tanner, but she's still a storyteller, and I take her art seriously."

"But it is so much harder to interpret her work. Miss Tanner is much more straightforward, and she didn't give any similar prophecy," Solomon countered.

"Better safe than sorry," Rebecca asserted.

"I still don't understand the diabetic-in-waiting's plan," Ghadab grumbled. He tended to grumble a lot.

"No one but Rebecca understands Rebecca's plan. It's as insane as she is," Arbiter said.

Rebecca stuck her tongue out. "You guys just don't have any flair for creativity!"

"The only creature that shares your flair is Discord, and you know how nonsensical and convoluted his plans often turn out to be," Arbiter said dryly.

"I got the information about the bug's family," Moses said. "She's got several living relatives in Nevada. I'll forward the information to your office."

Rebecca did a hoof pump. "Yes! Stage nineteen of my brilliant plan is complete."

"Nineteen?!" Solomon asked in shock. "How many stages are there?"

"Thirty-seven!" Rebecca said proudly.

"Rebecca always goes big," Yinyu remarked.

Solomon shook his head. "I'm going to need a drink after this."

Chapter 2.15: History Lesson

"Today's lesson is about time travel."

Charlotte looked at Traveler in disbelief. "I can't control interdimensional teleports, and you're trying to start me off by making me go all Doctor Who?!"

"The number of bracelets you have says you have had plenty of lessons already," Traveler replied. "Don't worry. Today will be more of an observation thing, and we'll remain halfway on the Outside, so this is something akin to the Marshmallow's projections. Not quite, since it is through time and space instead of just space, but you get the idea."

Charlotte spread her hands. "I don't know how the Marshmallow's ability works, so that doesn't help either. I kinda understand time travel already. You can't move along your own timeline; you always end up in or creating a divergent timeline and returning only to when and where you left."

Traveler nodded. "Very good. You paid attention to Sunset Blessing's lessons. Your Doctor Who comparison is actually right; there are fixed points you can't directly mess with. Believe me, I've tried, and our version of time travel is often more of a roll of the dice with a range of outcomes. You also can't land on the same timeline twice. Once you cause a divergence, that timeline is out of reach for future trips."

"How is that supposed to be helpful?" Charlotte asked.

Traveler shook her head. "It rarely is, but you should know how to navigate it. Traveling is unpredictable sometimes, and you should be prepared if you end up some time you didn't expect. This outing will give you a feel for being somewhere half in the Outside and half in some other time period than where you currently reside. Oh! Don't go walking through walls. It upsets people, and I don't know how to make us invisible or if that's even possible."

Charlotte crossed her arms. "So, where are we going?"

The Traveler waved a hand, and their surroundings suddenly shifted from the alien ruins to a room dimly lit by soft blue lights. It looked like a study, a very familiar study. There were some different decorations, electronic gizmos, lighting, dark curtains covering the windows, and new books, not to mention a bunch of owls nesting in a corner along with a wall filled with various caged animals, but she still knew this place. This was Sunset's study back at Wabash Manor. They also weren't alone.

Sitting behind what had been Sunset's desk was an elderly leathery winged mare; sitting before her on the other side of the desk was a jet-black furred unicorn mare with a midnight blue mane. The unicorn had some sort of holographic projection emanating from the phone on her leg that displayed various figures and accounts. Charlotte and Traveler were standing right behind her as she recited off figures.

The elderly mare's eyes widened briefly as they flicked to them; she then turned her attention back to the unicorn and smirked.

The unicorn stopped reciting figures. "Mom, what are you smiling at? These numbers are troubling. This isn't anything to smile about."

The older pony chuckled. "Oh, you worry too much about profit, Ebony. We've got enough to keep operating the school and the animal shelter. I'm not concerned with filling our coffers or getting fancy things. However, what I'm smiling about is that this meeting is about to get much more interesting. I love you, dear, but it's nearly noon, and you can put me to sleep when you get focused on the ledger."

The hologram vanished. "And what is going to make your day more interesting?"

"We have a visitor, dear. She is right behind you," the elderly pony said with amusement.

The unicorn turned her head and fell off her stool in shock at seeing them. She immediately sprung back to her hooves and lit her horn. "Who are you? How did you get past the guards? Who sent you?"

"Oh, stop that," the elderly pony said with a roll of her eyes. "I wasn't expecting this, but I know who we're dealing with. We've met before, and she means no harm." She turned her attention to Charlotte and the Traveler. "Sorry about my daughter. You know how easy it is to get high-strung about intruders at Wabash. To what do I owe this visit?"

Traveler gave a slight bow but grunted before raising herself up. "Ouch, sorry I don't give a lower bow, but I've got a bad back. It's always nice to meet with whoever is Mistress or Master of Wabash Manor. Aside from the Sunset Blessing, you're all normally so polite and tend to take the outlandish with ease. I'm just giving this girl beside me some traveling lessons. Can you do me a favor? Can you tell us the date?"

The mare nodded. "Nice to know that most of us are nice. It is the ninth of January, 2113. I can see this is a time-travel thing. Should I volunteer any information?"

"It's 2113, and people still worry about Wabash Manor?" Charlotte asked in disbelief.

"The largest depository of forbidden or dangerous magic in the world does make it a concern," the elderly mare said with a giggle. "We release information from it on and off when it's viewed that society can now deal with it. We also are always adding things to our vaults– it's a regular revolving door. We hide things away, but we also do research here. My predecessor obtained the neighboring properties and opened a school which sometimes ends up adding more magical discoveries to our vault. I added an animal sanctuary and additional research lab once it became clear magic was now impacting the wildlife. We've still got some of Sunset Blessing's work down in the vaults that continues to be too dangerous at the moment, and some of it will never be released. My ancestor created some truly bonkers spells, and so have some others."

"Mom, who are these people?" Ebony asked.

"No one you need to worry about. They are one of those secrets it is best you don't understand the details of, but we can't lock them in the vault. Be a good filly and warn security not to freak out if they see our guests," the elder mare instructed.

Ebony walked away, muttering, "I'm forty-one years old; I'm not a filly."

The elder mare sighed. "My daughter is such a serious mare. Her twin brother and younger brothers are so much more easygoing. I think it's because she's the odd one out of them– the only female and the only unicorn. She has always felt she had more to prove– just like her grandmother, but she's so good with all the paperwork this place has to deal with. I hope she does well in the future."

"I'm sorry, as a rule, I don't give spoilers. Spoilers are unreliable anyway," Traveler said sympathetically.

The mare let off a half-chuckle. "I noticed."

"So this means the Devourers don't destroy Earth?" Charlotte asked.

"In this timeline. That means nothing for you," Traveler replied. "Even if the Devourers are defeated, many paths can happen in the years to follow from when you originated, so nothing you see here is promised to happen. This is but one possibility. This is not the only Mistress of Wabash Manor I have met from this year, and I have met a few Masters of Wabash Manor for this year as well, and in some timelines, Wabash was destroyed before this year. You don't want to know how many timelines I've seen where there isn't even an Earth at this point."

"I'm hoping that Wabash wasn't destroyed on my watch," the elderly mare said.

"A younger second cousin of yours who succeeded a short-lived different heir of Jordan Streak. They had to deal with some rather passionate fanatics determined to destroy the place, " Traveler answered.

"Good. Having Wabash go to ruin on my watch would make me depressed," the mare replied. "Although, I have heard you've been known to lie. Not with diabolic intent, but lies all the same. You've got more Sunset Blessing in you than just about anyone."

Charlotte glared at her companion. "So you could be lying to me about everything?"

"Um…I'll take a wild guess and say she isn't," the elderly mare answered for the Traveler. "It would be pretty masochistic for her to set you up to fail."

"What does masochistic mean?" Charlotte asked.

The old mare looked at Traveler, and Traveler spread her hands.

"Sorry, I wasn't as good a student as Sunset. I got through high school with a much smaller vocabulary. Maybe use smaller words with her," Traveler said apologetically.

"You're me!?"Charlotte asked as she realized what was being implied.

"You won't remember that," Traveler answered with a sigh. "I may or may not have revealed that already in a previous lesson. I have the same memory issues you do. Madison here will remember, but it is unlikely we will return to this timeline."

Charlotte turned and looked at the old pony. "Madison? I remember you. You're the filly who ate all my ice cream!"

Madison blinked. "I don't recall that, but then again, I would have been a filly at the time. Um, sorry about the ice cream, I guess."

"Why would you even focus on that?" Traveler asked in disbelief.

Charlotte threw her hands up. "I don't know. It was the first thing I thought of! It's the only thing I remember about her."

"The only thing you remember about me is that I ate your ice cream?" Madison asked. "Well, that's certainly humbling. I mean, I was never very high profile, but I hoped I would be remembered for more than pilfering some ice cream that I can't even remember taking. Are you sure I took your ice cream? When would I even take it?"

"You took it at Andri's funeral," Charlotte answered.

Madison shook her head. "I think you must be misremembering. I don't imagine myself stealing ice cream during a funeral."

"It was less than two months ago for me. It's been fifty-five years for you. I think my memories are more reliable. You've probably got Alzheimer's or something," Charlotte countered.

Madison hung her head. "I do have Alzheimer's."

Charlotte gaped. "I'm so sorry! I don't know why I said that. It was so insensitive."

Madison gave her the most giant grandma puffy eyes. The old pony held that expression for about ten seconds, then burst out laughing, pointing a hoof at Charlotte.

"I had you going! I don't have Alzheimer's!" Madison brayed. "You should have seen the look on your face!"

Charlotte grit her teeth. "That was unbelievable. I can't believe you would joke about something like that."

Madison shrugged. "I can't believe you would make such an insensitive insult, but here we are. You need to lighten up. Here at Wabash, there's always something going wrong– someone trying to break in, some magical mishap, strange magical creature on the loose, a plot by some faculty to take over the world, a demon being summoned, GoBot attack. Most of these things I take care of in thirty minutes or so, but you have to learn to laugh at the insanity, or you'll go crazy."

Charlotte repeated some of the things silently back to herself before settling on one. "GoBots are a thing too?"

Madison shivered. "Oh, yeah. GoBots are a thing. They spread across the Omniverse like a virus, killing wherever they go. I've heard many stories of people who lost cousins and best friends to random GoBot attacks. They aren't a universe-ending threat– more like random acts of terrorism. They're GoBots; they are pretty easy to destroy and pretty dumb. They're like evil discount Transformers. One of them will pop up here and there, cause some mayhem, and then promptly get blown up– if it doesn't accidentally destroy itself before someone else does."

Charlotte looked at Traveler. "Please tell me she's joking."

Traveler smirked. "You'd forget anyway. I'll just leave you to wonder about that for the rest of the lesson. Don't worry about being here long; we're about done. Watch out for us old people, we've seen things, and we're more clever than you think."

"As my great-grandmother would say, amen," Madison chuckled. "Enjoy your stay. Be sure to be seen by some of my students. I want to see what kinds of rumors you start. Maybe we can start that whole haunted mansion one again."

"Crazy old mare," Charlotte muttered.

Chapter 2.16: Last Goodbyes with Family

"Maybe you should pack something a little sexier," Amicus said as Charlotte put another shirt in her pack.

"She doesn't need to be sexy!" her mom fussed. "What are you thinking? She's trying to rescue her sister, not start a relationship."

Charlotte closed her eyes. She loved her family. She loved her family. She was not going to snap angrily at her family. She loved her family.

Her dad scratched his head. "I'm having a hard time imagining my baby girl being sexy."

"Fathers shouldn't think that about their daughters; it's all kinds of red flags, but thanks for calling me ugly, Dad," Charlotte replied as she shoved a pair of pants hard into her bag.

She didn't own anything that qualified as sexy anyway. Nor did she have a clue how to apply makeup. While she didn't think she was ugly, she knew she didn't have any particularly attractive features. Her pony form when she was wearing Sunset's necklace– a young, unscarred version of Sunset's body– was beautiful by pony standards, but that form wouldn't appeal to Rainbow. There was no way she could pull off sexy. There was no point in trying to. Even entertaining the idea just made her seem an immature child for Sunset and Starlight to laugh at.

"I'm just saying it is hard to think of my baby girl as a young woman," her dad said. "I don't have children; I have two capable young women, two grizzled old ponies…and two that I outlived. I'm just feeling…I don't know."

"Well, that got morbid," Amicus said quietly, then shook her head. "I guess I'm morbid too. I see this young version of my sister who still has her whole life ahead of her–a version of my sister who truly has a clean slate without all the sad history. I just want to see her live the life I wish Sunset had, a happy one. Sunset, for all her love of family, pushes people away and rarely lets anyone past the thorny exterior. Do you want that for Charlotte? So, yeah, I want to see her get into a relationship, and if making a little extra effort to make herself alluring helps with that, I'm all for it."

Charlotte yanked the zipper closed. "Sunset's right. Mom's right. This isn't some romantic outing, and it's only a dumb infatuation. I need to keep focused on getting Andrea back. I'm not losing her too."

"It's nice to get some credit for being right, even if I'm still playing second fiddle to Sunset Blessing," her mom said. "Did you get a gun? I don't like you going there unarmed."

Charlotte shook her head. "That isn't something Equestrians have readily available. It wouldn't help versus Decepticons anyway. Don't worry. Flurry Heart gave me something."

Her mom frowned. "What did the princess give you?"

Charlotte reached into the side pocket of her bag, pulling out a bracelet, unlike the charms on her wrist. This one looked like it was made of gold and had a large emerald embedded in it, flanked by two small diamonds. "This. It's an upgraded version of Sunset's necklace. They've had plenty of time to study and improve her work. It's kind of like Andrea's earrings in that it doesn't have a time limit. This one also lets me put it on with clothes on and hides them away somewhere, my bag too. They come back when I take it off. It clasps to my arm and adjusts itself when I change, so it doesn't pinch my leg or be too loose and fall off."

"That might help keep you alive, but it still isn't a weapon," her mom said. "You should have a weapon."

She put the bracelet back in her bag. "When I'm transformed, my horn will be my weapon. Sunset said she would show me some basic battle spells that even a novice like me could pull off, her old spell lineup for fighting before she got super powerful. It still probably won't be much use against a Decepticon, but that should be at least as helpful as a gun versus anything else."

And being a pony would stifle her sexual attraction to Rainbow, which would be one less distraction. When Rainbow saw her as a pony, she'd probably lose interest as well, especially when she saw a younger mirror of Sunset Blessing. Of course, Starlight might develop the hots for her; he'd been caught looking at most of the mares in the castle. It made sense for them when you thought about it coldly and logically. It was a basic need that hadn't been met…well…ever. At least, she hoped it hadn't been met. Best not to consider if they had tried. Them having attempted to meet that need was an image she didn't want to picture. Anyway, he clearly was as eager for that kind of company as Rainbow after so long being isolated, but that attraction would not be mutual. It would be an annoyance but not a distraction.

She grimaced. She was thinking like Sunset, and she didn't like it, but when Sunset was right, she was right.

Amicus snorted. "Hopefully, you're stronger than Sunset was before she gained all that power. She'd make threats all the time, but her attacks were ineffective until she learned that sabotage technique, and I doubt you could pull that off since almost every unicorn I've ever talked to about it says it should be impossible."

"Who did you talk to about it?" Charlotte asked, legitimately curious.

"Jordan, Starlight Glimmer, Luster Dawn, Trixie, and Shǔguāng," Amicus answered. "Jordan's the odd one out of the batch, but all of the rest of them are accomplished mages who can pull off challenging and advanced feats of magic, and Jordan was trained at a young age about how to defend herself with magic. They said the only way they could pull that off was in a controlled setting, not a fight. It requires too much precision at too fast a speed to be used in a fight, and they honestly have no idea how Sunset has pulled it off in situations where she is pissing herself. That leaves you with some weak blasts and her fire orbs. She used to have to exhaust herself for a decent horn blast, and those orbs are about as effective as cigarette lighters as weapons."

Amicus's little speech suddenly reminded Charlotte that she hadn't pissed herself when Bursa kidnapped her or during the fight after. Like Sunset, that was Charlotte's typical response to being in life-threatening danger. Despite how annoying her family was being, realizing she had kept control of her bladder through that experience made her smile. It was a little thing, but it was a victory of sorts. Sunset would have been dripping with urine in the same situation.

Charlotte picked up her pack and put it on her back. "Well, those spells are still better than nothing, which is what I had last time and still survived. I'll be with Sunset anyway, and Rainbow is super strong now. I'll be okay."

"Don't forget her horse," Amicus said as her tail raised. "He's a big strong one. Yeah, the face is a bit hideous, and he's put together like some misshapen horror, but those flanks–ohhhhh, those flanks! If I were fifty years younger-"

Charlotte threw up her hands in exasperation. "You are sooo Sunset's sister! You're both widows, for God's sake!"

Amicus smirked. "I will always love Brief, but I'm a free agent now. Do you think Sunset knows a youth spell?"

Her dad chuckled. "I suppose Charlotte being all grown up is easier to accept than my other daughter, who is twice my age, wants a horse to ride her, and she might be the most normal of my daughters."

Charlotte stormed off towards the door. "Yeah, all the normal ones are dead. Sorry, you got stuck with the weirdos!"

She whipped open the door only to find Sunset standing there, looking cross.

Sunset pointed a hoof into the room."You despicable, wretched girl! You will turn around and apologize to your family now!"

"Me? What did I do?" Amicus shouted.

Sunset lowered her leg and rolled her eyes. "Not you, Ami. Why would you think I was talking to you?"

"You were pointing right at me," Amicus answered.

"I was pointing in the room's general direction. I'm sorry I wasn't clear," Sunset sighed, then looked up at Charlotte. "I was talking to this ungrateful brat. The one who is about to go off into a dangerous situation there is a chance she might not come back from, and she decides she is going to have what could be the last moments with her family by her taking an innocent remark out of context, responding in a hurtful way, and storming off. Fool girl! Do you want that to be your last moments with your loved ones? What was the last thing you said to Kristin?"

Charlotte had been getting more furious with each word from her other self until that last sentence. That last sentence hit her like a slap in the face, one that knocked the stupid out of her.

She hung her head. "I don't even remember. I might have snapped at her; I don't know."

Sunset looked down. "The last thing I said to Mèng was complimenting him on being such a good father, how proud of him I was, and how much I loved him. I'm glad because the last thing I said to Tonya was, fuck the world if you aren't in it while pleading with her not to sacrifice herself. While I think I conveyed that I love her, if I had it to do over again, my last moments with her before she died would have been telling her how proud I was of her. Always treat each time you leave your loved ones like it might be your last time seeing them because, at some point, it will be."

Charlotte bit her lip and took a deep breath before turning back towards her dad. "Sorry, Dad. That was way out of line. I promise I'm coming home with Andrea, but if we get delayed or something, and you think the worst has happened, I want you, all of you, to know I love you, and you're the best parents and alternate sister I could wish for. I know I've got an attitude problem. I get it from Sunset, not you, I promise."

"I'll let that pass," Sunset muttered.

Amicus cleared her throat. "I've come to accept my younger sister…um…both versions…are never going to be nice and polite. I don't know where they get it. However, Sunset's real defining trait, other than being a general bitch, being full of herself, thinking everyone is morally bankrupt, talking down to people,-"

"Love you too, sis," Sunset grumbled.

"-is that she cares deeply about her family," Amicus concluded. "It's the one thing that keeps Sunset on the side of the good because we can all admit it; she's a natural villain. She knows her actions have consequences, and those consequences impact the ones she loves, no matter how hard she tries to shield them from her plots. Charlotte is no villain, but I have faith she shares that love for family."

"Ami, remind me never to put you in charge of my PR," Sunset said with a snort.

Amicus chuckled. "I fought your legal battles for you for years. I think that's more important than public relations. I meant what I said, including what I know grounds you. That's part of why I've been willing to stand up for you in court. At the end of the day, you will do the right thing because you care about how your actions impact us. You don't always get it right, but it matters that you care, and my showing I care about you is just as important. Andrea felt the same way. I wouldn't be surprised if your sons and daughters do too. You protect us, and we protect you from your worst inclinations because family takes care of one another."

Charlotte licked her lips. "Even when talking about me, it somehow gets turned into talking about her. Mom, Dad, Amicus, I love all of you, and I'm glad for my family, but I'm so sick of being compared with Sunset Blessing. Lántiān told me that Arachne was envious of all the famous people in the family and wants to carve her own legacy. I have to say; I empathize with that. None of you can possibly understand what it's like to have everything you do compared to someone who sets some impossible standard to live up to. I want Sunset to be Sunset, and me to be me, and for people to stop comparing us. Please, just stop. If I die, I don't want to be remembered as the lesser version of Sunset Blessing."

She turned and walked out of the room, practically shoving past Sunset in the doorway.

"Charlotte!" Sunset called out to her.

She continued walking. "I don't want to talk right now."

Magic gripped her, halting her in her tracks.

"I've just got one question to ask, and I'll let you go. I don't want an answer. It is just something for you to think about," Sunset said in a subdued voice.

Charlotte grit her teeth briefly before responding. "What question?"

"If there's a lesser version between us, as you put it, who ever said you were the one who was the lesser version?" Sunset asked. She then released Charlotte.

Charlotte turned and looked back at the unicorn briefly. Sunset was just standing there, watching her with a poker face. Who did she think she was asking that kind of question? Years and years of living in Sunset's shadow, feeling small and weak, with the unicorn seemingly never satisfied with anything she did, and Sunset dared ask her that? How dare she!

She balled her hands into fists. "After we get Andrea and the rest back safely, I want us to be done. I want to live my own life, away from you."

Sunset's poker face cracked for a second, but it was back in place before she could tell what the crack might reveal. "If that's what you wish. You are still restricted from returning to Earth until the matter there is settled, maybe even after."

"I'm sure there's plenty of places in Equestria to go that aren't around you," Charlotte snapped back.

Sunset nodded. "There are. I wish you well in that…and I'm sorry that I've made you feel this way,"

She had no response for that, so she turned and walked away. They were going to be leaving soon, but at least she could get a few minutes away from her other self before she got stuck in another universe with her.

Chapter 2.17: The New Team

Charlotte noticed Rainbow and Starlight as soon as she stepped into Flurry Heart's throne room. However, in addition to them, there were two other familiar faces standing by carrying backpacks. Tempest's family stood near her, but no one was near the other woman who stood impatiently tapping her foot. There were guards stationed around the room but no sign of the princess.

She stopped as soon as she took notice of the pair. "You two are coming with us?"

Tempest hoisted up her bag onto her back. "Phobia Remedy is in danger. I will not sit this out."

The other woman, who Charlotte couldn't remember the name of after meeting just once, gave a brisk nod. "The Marshmallow insisted I help retrieve Phobia Remedy, Josie, and the others. I personally believe this is unnecessary and stupid, and I argued with Rebecca about it. I told her she was too emotional and that we should let you handle it, but when my Dreamwarden gives an order, I can either obey or resign my post as her bodyguard."

Tempest chuckled. "Celestia help us now that cream puff has been released from your moderating influence."

The other woman crossed her arms. "Let's get this over with quickly so I can get back to her as soon as possible. I fear what trouble Rebecca will get into while I'm away."

Charlotte looked at them in disbelief. "How did you guys even find out what happened?"

"Because I told Tempest, and I assume the Marshmallow learned about it through Bursa."

Sunset stepped into the room, looking smug. She paused, lit her horn, and floated out four bracelets from her pack.

"Flurry Heart can't be here right now. She is taking care of a government function. However, she left these with me. I am giving them to you four," Sunset said as the bracelets floated over to Rainbow, Tempest, Starlight, and the other woman. They were exact matches to the one Flurry Heart had given her.

Rainbow to it in her hands. "What is this?"

"It turns you into a pony while wearing it," Charlotte answered, frustrated she might have to deal with her infatuation across different species now.

Sunset nodded. "It took Flurry Heart and me working together to resolve how to make them work for our vampire allies, but we resolved the issues. I didn't even have to do that much; the princess understood the concepts as well or better than me. I'm a little put out by this, to tell the truth. I created this spell and spent years trying to perfect it, but Princess Flurry Heart and her mother were the ones to finally perfect the spell in this form. Oh well, credit given where credit is due."

Tempest looked at her bracelet in disgust. "I do not require this, Blessing."

A slightly overweight middle-aged man, who Charlotte assumed was Tempest's husband, reached a hand out to her. "Honey, don't be so hasty. You're tough as nails, but I've always heard you were even tougher as a unicorn. You're going someplace dangerous. I want you to have every tool at your disposal."

"We want you to come back safely as much as you want Phobia back, Mom," Tempest's daughter added as she hugged her mother.

The other woman examined her bracelet skeptically. "Tempest being a pony is one thing, but I was never a full pony. I got halfway through the transformation before it stopped and was rehumanized very early on. I was so young when it happened I don't even recall the experience. Plus, also unlike Tempest, I have useful human magic."

"I don't know anything about being a pony either," Rainbow said as she fingered her bracelet.

Starlight's bracelet was on the ground, and he shook his head as he looked at it. "I'm already a noble steed. I don't need this thing. How am I supposed to even put it on?"

Sunset groaned. "This is an extra level of protection for all of you. Any injury you sustain while in pony form can be canceled by removing the bracelet. I'm no healer. If you get hurt, I can't help you. Charlotte will be wearing hers once we have arrived in the other world. I need you all to stop whining, put your packs on, and then put your bracelets on. Rainbow Brite, you can assist your horse with his before putting yours on."

"I'm already a horse!" Starlight asserted.

"And you'll be a pony instead!" Sunset snapped. "Do you want to be the biggest target for our enemies to shoot at? If you do, I'll hear no complaints and show no mercy when you're bleeding out on the ground. I'll also take full advantage of having a horse by riding you. I'm old and don't look forward to walking."

"That last part is a convincing incentive," Starlight muttered, then sighed. "Fine! Whisp, can you hurry up and put this despicable shackle on my leg?"

Rainbow picked his bracelet off the ground. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. The tiny devil horse will not be allowed to mount me!"

"That could have been worded better," Tempest muttered. Her daughter giggled.

Charlotte was tempted to tell the stallion what he had just implied Sunset was going to do to him but decided to hold her tongue. They could educate him about common terminologies later. She was surprised Sunset didn't say something, but then again, that would be another slight delay spent dealing with Starlight's ego, and Sunset seemed to be in a hurry.

Rainbow slipped the bracelet around Starlight's leg, and it snapped tightly against him. There was a brief flash of light, and there was now a pegasus, with Starlight's coloration of fur and mane, along with a small rainbow lining along the edge of his otherwise pearly white wings. He was also considerably shorter than he had been.

He blinked a few times before looking up at his rider, who now towered over him.

"I'm short!" he said in outrage.

"You look about average height for their stallions. I think you look adorable," Rainbow said with a giggle. She then pointed at his wings. "And those are new."

He turned his head to look at his wings. After blinking a few more times, he gave them a few cautious flaps. "Do these things work? Can I fly on my own?"

"They should work perfectly well, and you'll get a chance to test them later," Sunset said gruffly. "The rest of you, except Charlotte, need to stop stalling and put your bracelets on. If we arrive in the middle of trouble, I want you all to be able to survive."

The other three looked at their bracelets with a mixture of apprehension and reluctance, but one by one, they did as instructed. Rainbow was the first; in a flash, she transformed into a pony closely resembling Rainbow Dash. The shade of blue was slightly brighter, her mane longer, she had the same rainbow trim on her wings as Starlight, and her irises were bright blue instead of magenta. Tempest put hers on and transformed into a unicorn that looked exactly like she had back when she had been a unicorn before, at least based on what Charlotte could remember from the old pictures. She'd never met Tempest as a pony.

"What the hell!?" the Marshmallow's bodyguard shouted after putting her own bracelet on.

Sunset grunted in annoyance. "Calm down, Blanche. You'll set yourself on fire if you don't remain calm."

"Why am I a kirin?!"

Sunset shrugged. "Flurry Heart and Cadence must have decided to be progressive and include kirins among the possible pony tribes to become. Kirin are overall the best craftsponies as a tribe. You could call it one of their defining traits. From my understanding of your background and magic, you're a bit of a craftswoman at heart."

"My horn is intact?!"Tempest screamed, looking cross-eyed up at her forehead.

Charlotte's cantankerous older self growled. "Are we going to go through this with all of you? Tempest, would you like me to shatter your horn to make it feel more familiar? No? Then regain your composure."

"You look bad-ass, Mom!" Tempest's daughter said, clapping her hands together.

"Urgh!" Sunset groaned. She then turned her gaze at Rainbow, who was giving herself a full inspection and trying out each of her limbs, seeming most interested in her tail. "Do you have any objections?"

Rainbow stopped examining herself to look at Sunset. "No, I'm good. This lasts as long as I'm wearing this? Charlotte said something about a time limit."

"This one has no time limit. It is a vast improvement over the last version. You can wear it for the rest of your natural life if you wish, although you will need to take it off to get to the stuff in your pack. That's your cure for vampirism, or at least your way of bypassing its effects since it is on hold for now. You're welcome," Sunset informed her.

"Thank you!" Rainbow said, hoping in place and fluttering her wings. Oh, this was going to be bad. If she seemed this cute while Charlotte was still human, she'd be irresistible as a pony. Rainbow grabbed hold of Starlight with her forehooves. "You hear that! We can stay like this and not be vampires!"

"I still think I'm too short, but I suppose that's good," Starlight said. "The wings are nice, and I do still look handsome."

"Adorable. If I were fifty years younger…."

"Sunset, you pervert!" Charlotte shouted, red-faced.

Sunset raised an eyebrow at her. "You're a younger me. You'll have the same attraction. Still, I was serious before. It's a silly superficial attraction, so you'll hopefully get over it. Her too, once she figures out you and I are the same."

"Do you have to be such a nasty creep, Blessing?" Blanche demanded.

"You're smoking, kirin," Sunset said in a bored tone.

Blanche gasped and sat batting at her mane using her hooves before realizing it was her hooves that were actually on fire. She shook her hooves frantically before doing the fantastic feat of somehow shoving both forehooves into her mouth simultaneously. Luckily, both her mane and her mouth seemed to be fireproof. Even though she didn't seem to notice, the tassel on her tail was also burning but slowly fizzled out while she sat there in shock.

"Well, three satisfied recipients, one who might figure out at some point that being immune to fire can be useful. A seventy-five percent approval rating that may improve in the future is a success in my book. Tempest, say your goodbyes. I'm going to start preparing the spell with Charlotte," Sunset said with satisfaction.

"Who is going to numb my pain?" Charlotte asked, suddenly realizing that there didn't seem to be anyone who could do that.

"Do you know how to do that, Tempest?" Sunset asked

Tempest glowered at her. "You know I never learned how to do advanced spells."

"No, I only assumed you didn't. I'm completely unfamiliar with how skilled you were before your injury as a foal. You could have been some unicorn prodigy," Sunset corrected. "Any guard know a good numbing spell?"

The guards all shook their heads. More than half of them weren't even unicorns.

"You'll just have to deal with it," Sunset said. "Luckily, the return device I gave you kept a record of every place you teleported to or from. That means I don't have to spend time searching for a suitable landing spot this time. You can take us directly to where you were right before you portaled yourself and Bursa to Wabash Manor. You can thank me for having the foresight to include that feature."

Charlotte groaned. "We'll be in a cave then!"

"Good thing I know how to do a light spell. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Tempest knew that much as a foal, and it should come back to her, and if it is still too dark, we can insult Blanche's mane or something repeatedly until she bursts into flame. Once you recover from the trip, you can put on your bracelet and cast your own light spell if you haven't forgotten how to do that already."

"Blessing, I know your game, and I know you deliberately go out of your way to make others not like you, but can you please tone it down? It is exhausting to deal with," Tempest said in a tired voice.

"I think you are completely unaware of what game I'm playing, but by the time you figure it out, it won't matter anymore," Sunset muttered cryptically. Charlotte was unsure anyone but her could have heard it, even with pony hearing, and she only heard it because she was closest in proximity and used to straining her ears to hear Sunset's muttering.

Sunset turned her attention again to Charlotte. "Sit down so we can get this over with quickly. I have been up almost twenty-four hours and want to get to this Autobot base soon so I can nap."

Charlotte blinked. "Why haven't you slept?"

"None of your concern, girl!" Sunset snapped. "Now sit, and let us begin."

Chapter 2.18: In the Caves

"Wake up."

Charlotte groaned as she sleepily batted with a hoof at whoever had poked her. She then turned over.

"Another one of those charm bracelets appeared."

"Yeah, that means she is awake. Maybe half-awake, but awake."

Why did they have to be so loud?

"Did you figure out where they come from?"

"I don't know if I discovered it."

"Isn't that the same as not knowing?"

"Effectively, but not technically. I've been watching her sleep but haven't noticed anything beyond them appearing when she starts to wake."

Her eyes popped open at that.

She sat up. "You've been watching me sleep?!"

Sunset was sitting next to her with a glowing orb floating beside her. "It was for research purposes. This is the wrong crowd to express your outrage about that. One of the key duties of Dreamwardens' bodyguards is to watch over them as they sleep. You wouldn't happen to remember the general direction of the Autobot base, would you? Wandering in caves can get tedious."

She looked left and right, seeing long rocky passages that stretched into darkness. "Um…no. I didn't get to look at my surroundings well when Bursa was carrying me."

Sunset grunted.."I figured as much, but it was worth asking. Tempest, Blanche, we're reliant on you to determine our path."

"Starlight and I have spent a lot of time in caves. We can help," Rainbow said, giving a small flap of her wings.

Tempest grunted. "Years of service to Phobia allowed me to hone my ability to make out details in the dark, but I was never much of a spelunker, and I might be out of practice moving with care on four hooves which could be dangerous when traversing underground. I think Rainbow Brite might be the best to stay in front. It is best to trust experience."

Blanche nodded. "I've explored caves, but I used my tools to help me. I don't have access to those right now since you insist I stay a kirin for this trip. Let Rainbow Brite take the lead. We'll still keep our eyes open for any details along the way. Making sure we have a safe route is as important as finding the correct route. We don't want to get caught in a cave-in."

"You three are more experienced at this than Charlotte or me. I follow your direction here," Sunset agreed.

"What about mine? I was in caves alongside Whisp," Starlight protested.

Sunset raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you doubt Rainbow can keep us from wandering into a dangerous cavern, and did you volunteer before she did?"

"Well, no…."

"She will take the lead then. You're probably only interested in taking the lead so you can have five mares staring at your ass," Sunset said with a note of finality. "Charlotte, pick up your latest charm bracelet and get to your hooves."

It was only then that Charlotte fully realized she was a pony. Sunset must have slipped the bracelet on her immediately after they went through the portal. She looked again at Rainbow. Her now temporarily pegasus friend did indeed look that much more appealing. So much for avoiding that distraction. Although, Blanche looked kind of hot…no pun intended…in an exotic sort of way, even if Blanche was way too old for her. Urgh! Why did she have to be so horny! Was Sunset this horny when she was eighteen? That was a silly question. Sunset was clearly still horny, based on how often she fantasized about being fifty years younger. She should be called Sunset Frollo, spending her nights singing Hellfire by the fireplace.

They randomly picked a direction and started walking with Rainbow leading the way. They came to several intersections and, after a quick debate, decided to simply keep alternating left and right, so they didn't lose their way or go in a complete circle. After an hour, Rainbow pulled them to a halt.

"I don't think we are in danger of cave-ins or sudden drops. These caves aren't natural. Someone made these," she informed them.

"And I'm not seeing any signs of tracks or anyone passing this way," Blanche said.

"Nor have I," Tempest said. She frowned and sat down. "I know you wish us to keep these bracelets on, but I want to try using my magic. It isn't typically helpful on Earth, but it might be here."

Blanche flicked an ear. "I didn't know you had any human magic. It never came up in the reports about your capabilities."

Tempest shook her head. "It is almost impossible for me to utilize it on Earth. My power is that I sense electricity. Almost everything has an electric charge of some sort, even if it is small. Larger charged sources stand out to me more, but on Earth, there are so many electronic devices that it is nearly impossible to focus on any particular source. I just tune it out. Here, however, there may be low enough background static for me to try to hone in on where the bigger sources are."

Sunset grimaced. "I always suspected you had some ability you were hiding. The ability to track giant robots would have been helpful to know about before we went on this trip."

"I never think about the ability and haven't in a long time. For the entire time I have been human, it has served me no purpose. It isn't something I have ever made use of. I don't even know if I will be able to do this. It could still be worthless," Tempest said defensively.

"Worth a shot. It isn't like it hurts us to try, and better than wandering aimlessly through these tunnels," Charlotte said. Everyone else nodded their agreement.

Tempest took off her necklace and briefly staggered while crouching when she shifted back to human form. She grunted with annoyance, took now returned her pack off, and sat with her back against the wall.

"Can you all stand aside in one direction?" Tempest requested. "It may help me pinpoint a direction if the interference from your charges is all close together instead of all around me. Even your bodies give off an electric charge."

"What about your body? Are you detecting that charge too?" Blanche asked.

Tempest silently nodded.

Blanche sighed and joined Charlotte and Sunset on their side of the cave. "Great, you distract yourself. I can see why you never were able to utilize this. You sure lost out in the human magic lotto."

"We all aren't as fortunate as you when it comes to powers," Tempest agreed in a glum voice, but then she smiled. "Still, I don't regret my decision, and I am happy for what I got out of humanizing. I wrote my own destiny, not some stupid mark on a flank, and when we return, I will get to see my daughter and be held in my husband's loving embrace. That's all the magic I'll ever need."

"You know, Rebecca used to dislike cutie marks. She thought ponies would be better without them. I think she still prefers dealing with humans over ponies– humans, along with ponies that defy the nature of their mark," Blanche said thoughtfully. "She's the Warden of Creativity, and she sees cutie marks as a limiting factor, something that pigeon-holes ponies into a smaller set of paths. I think she would like your sentiment. Maybe you were serving the wrong warden."

Tempest shook her head. "No, I would never have found happiness without Phobia helping me along the way and the position she put me in, and your warden would have driven me insane with her nonsense. I don't know how someone as grounded and serious as you can tolerate her insanity and lack of decorum. I may have foalsat for Phobia, but I never had to foalsit Phobia herself."

Blanche chuckled. "A brilliant man once said, a little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men. I have to foalsit Rebecca because Rebecca doesn't care about politics but has to deal with politics. That doesn't make her stupid; it just means she has other priorities. I have seen enough blood and war to last a lifetime. Let me serve my warden, who lives to give the friendless a friend, inspires the artist to paint, helps the father come up with bad dad jokes, and helps the writer imagine new worlds. The world needs more of that."

"Yes, yes, you're both passionately loyal to the Dreamwardens you serve. Not something that anyone is shocked to hear," Sunset grumbled. "Tempest, get to work."

Rainbow and Starlight came and sat beside the other three of them as Tempest sat cross-legged on the floor, head dipped in concentration. Any hope of a quick answer to whether Tempest could do this was dashed when five minutes, then ten, then thirty passed without her moving or them talking.

"So…do we go back to searching?" Starlight asked.

"We'll give her more time. She hasn't given up on it yet," Sunset answered. "I trust her enough for her to make that call."

"If we get lost now or later, it doesn't matter much," Blanche said

"If we get lost, I'll teleport us to the surface," Sunset replied. "Then we'll make a lot of ruckus and see who notices. Hopefully, the Autobots will notice before the Decepticons."

Blanche snorted. "Sounds like a plan Rebecca would endorse."

"Who are these Dreamwardens, and what do they do?" Rainbow asked the kirin. "Charlotte mentioned them in passing when she told us her tale, but she didn't explain them."

"Every universe with magical life has a Dreamwarden," Blanche answered. "Magical life makes magical dreams, and that creates the dream realm. Life and magic are intertwined, and so the dream realm itself becomes a conscious entity in time, a powerful one. While their magical beings dream, this being cannot die, but it can pass who its consciousness is. A dreamer can be elevated to be the Dreamwarden consciousness. In Equestria and this world, each Dreamwarden is a single consciousness. This world has what is called a primordial, the original consciousness that arose from dreams, a simpleminded thing that is best left alone. In Equestria, it is Luna, who inherited the consciousness of that dream realm from another. On Earth, there are six consciousnesses, yet in the dream realm, they're technically all the same being, only with its personality divided. Those independent parts can pass on their mantle to others. Phobia Remedy did that recently."

"That explains what they are, but what do they do?" Rainbow asked.

"Make life miserable for everyone else," Charlotte grumbled.

Blanche scowled at her but continued, "Since they have different personalities, they have different focuses. I don't know if it is intentional, but each heir has carried on the mission of the one they replace in their own way."

"How dare you! Tonya is nothing like Sha'am!" Sunset hissed.

"Does she not stand watch over the dying and give them their last dream?" Blanche asked with a raised eyebrow. "I was pretty sure that was a duty she took upon herself and still takes quite seriously. She does things her way, but she carries on Sha'am's role, as did Krik's heir, and the heir after that carries on Krik's role. Rebecca, in her way, carries on the duties of Psychic Calm, and Phobia Remedy's heir is a dark creature that teaches us to understand the things we find scary. Each warden aids dreamers in their way, teaching lessons, providing comfort, helping them through tribulations…well….aside from the heirs of Krik, who maintain the eyes and ears operations in the waking world. Every one of the six wardens has a role to play that they are chosen for."

"So, they're like guardian angels?" Rainbow asked.

Sunset, Blanche, Charlotte, and even Tempest stared at the once-vampire pegasus, and Rainbow cowered back.

"Did I say something wrong?" Rainbow asked timidly.

"Where did you come by the concept of guardian angels?" Sunset asked.

"They seem to be magical helpers who-"

Sunset shook her head. "No, I mean, did your world believe in angels? That is a concept that should only be found on Earth."

Rainbow looked confused. "But that's where I got the idea. The humans on Earth, my Earth. They're fairly religious. I'm not, but I do understand their religion."

"Tell us about it," Sunset said slowly.

"Oh!" Rainbow said, seeming surprised. "Well, They believe there was this man called Jesus who died on s cross a long, long time ago-"

"What language do they speak?" Sunset interrupted.

"Eh, they just call it the Lord's Tongue. It sounds sorta like this one, but different. They have some different words, and they stress and pronounce their words very differently. I'm not sure you and they would understand one another, maybe if you listened closely. They said they fled some place called Angland to a New World, and while they were there, everything changed. The town they settled vanished, and they couldn't find their way back to Angland. They couldn't even find the ocean anymore, and they settled on a coast."

"Fucking hell…" Blanche breathed.

Charlotte decided to ask the question she knew Sunset would ask next. "What was the name of the town that vanished?"

"Roanoke," Rainbow answered, still seeming confused about why she was suddenly being interrogated.

Sunset growled and shook her head "Goddammit, is there a single universe humanity in some form hasn't leaked into? No wonder you were constructed to look like a human and a horse!"

"Constructed?" Charlotte asked.

"Oh, you didn't figure that out?" Sunset asked. "The pair of them are just like the intuits and the transformers. They are living constructs meant to serve a purpose. And before anyone accuses me of saying she and the dumb beast aren't real, I'm not. They are living beings just like the intuits; they have all the checkmarks for lifeforms. From what I gathered from our interviews, I think they have even more autonomy than the intuits, but their origin is similar. I would dare say that close to the same spells were used."

"That seems an odd coincidence," Blanche said.

"Oh, no coincidence," Sunset said. "That Spectra stone made her, which seems to be the heart of her universe's magic. The intuits and the transformers were made with the Allspark stone. Three stones, three different universes-"

"Three?" Charlotte asked in confusion.

"The Sunstone of Equestria, which gifted its powers to Celestia and Luna," Sunset concluded. "I haven't verified it is the same yet, I haven't verified any of it yet, but I very much want to see each of these stones. There's a bigger puzzle at work here, and I intend to solve it."

Chapter 2.19: New Bots

Charlotte was tired of looking at tunnel after tunnel. Tempest seemed like she had some clue which way to go, but every split in a tunnel brought a new stop and more waiting for the mohawked woman to decide which way had more electric charge. It extended the time wandering and extended the time spent in a cramped space with her companions. They were all tired. They were all frustrated, and almost all of them wouldn't stop complaining.

"Why am I carrying this miserable demon pony again?" Starlight, now back in his standard form, moaned as he looked back at Sunset Blessing sleeping on his back. He complained the most out of the group.

"Because you're the only one who can easily do it," Blanche reminded him, not for the first time.

Starlight snorted. "She should walk by herself. It isn't my fault she decided not to sleep for so long. There was no reason for it."

Tempest paused and looked back at them. "She was probably trying to hide from Princess Luna."

Charlotte frowned. "Why would she do that? Luna's her mentor."

Blanche took her turn snorting. "The obvious answer is she didn't want Luna to know about something. That should worry us because it means she's also hiding something from us that we aren't going to like."

Tempest resumed her walk. "We can worry about what the preacher's plotting later. It is unlikely she will tell us if confronted, and I doubt she'll do anything to directly endanger us. If she intends to do significant harm to the population of this world, we can do our best to stop her. Anyway, I'm fairly certain we're almost to our destination. The sensation has gotten strong enough that I don't have to spend much time searching for it anymore."

"Thank God for that," Charlotte muttered. She didn't even care if it sounded like something her other self would say. Her hooves hurt from walking on rocky ground, and she was tired of looking at cave walls.

"It will be good to finally relax. I had forgotten what it felt like to feel tired. I'm not sure if I enjoy feeling it after so long," Rainbow said with a slight groan. That was the closest to a complaint she'd made, aside from some light chiding of her horse for his negative attitude. Pegasi were supposed to dislike being underground, supposedly. It had something to do with not being able to see the sky and not being able to fly. Rainbow bucked that trend by seeming perfectly comfortable in the cave. Of course, she hadn't had the opportunity to use her wings to fly as a pegasus, at least not yet. Maybe her opinions on caves might change after she did.

"You didn't get tired before?" Blanche asked, seeming genuinely curious. "That seems like the most useful adventuring talent I've ever heard of. I know I'd have liked to have had that ability back when I was in tight spots."

"How many tight spots do you get into guarding The Marshmallow?" Charlotte asked. "She doesn't seem the action-packed adventure type. She seems more like the kind of person who stays far away from danger."

Blanche chuckled. "Rebecca and I had an adventure together back in the day. It was brief, but she demonstrated she's not a coward– a complete moron in a combat situation, but not a coward. She may seem like a silly joke, but you'd be surprised how brave she can be– she doesn't think well under those kinds of stresses. She's much more suited for sitting on the sidelines, where she has time to think through her plan of action. However, to clarify, my main adventuring days were before becoming her bodyguard, back when I was a candidate to be a Dreamwarden. I hated it back then, but I admit, after years of relative safety, I miss the danger."

"Danger, right. We're staring at cave walls, in danger of dying of boredom," Charlotte muttered. She shouldn't have said that. She knew this was a dangerous world, but she was just so bored!

Rainbow frowned and looked at her wings. "I know Sunset Blessing wanted me to stay in this form for my protection, but I'm not useful like this. I'm not used to being protected. I am…I was…a hero. I mean, I came to help, but I can't help like this."

Starlight glanced at the unicorn on his back. "I'd wager she just wanted me to haul her around and knew you wouldn't let us be separated. We'll show her that we're more useful than that. We were having adventures before she was even born. You're a hero, not a damsel, and I'm your loyal steed."

Rainbow giggled as she tossed back her mane and flicked her tail dramatically. "I don't seem to need a steed at the moment. I kinda have that covered. How about a hero and her best friend or two heroes?" She paused and put a hoof up to her belly. "My belly is starting to feel funny. I hope nothing is wrong."

"When was the last time you ate?" Blanche asked.

"Um, not sure. I suppose when Sunset Blessing was testing that artificial blood," Rainbow replied.

Blanche turned and raised an eyebrow at her. "I meant actual food. Please tell me you haven't gone days without anything solid in your stomach."

Rainbow blinked. "We haven't eaten in years, not in several decades. Is that what this feeling is? I'm hungry? I don't remember what being hungry is like."

Blanche sighed and sat down. "Everyone, take a break. We have a party member who forgot she needs food to live. Please tell me you packed food in your supplies."

Rainbow blushed. "Well…"

A whiff of smoke drifted off Blanche. The kirin then looked at Charlotte and scowled. "You and Sunset can spare some food from your rations for her."

"Don't be mad at her. She isn't used to this," Charlotte said, protectively stepping beside Rainbow.

Blanche snorted flame. "I'm not mad at her. I'm mad at you two bozos for not ensuring she was adequately prepared."

Charlotte stepped back. "I-"

Tempest stepped between them. "I think it doesn't matter who is at fault for what. She needs to get food, and Blanche needs to calm down." Tempest glared down at the kirin. "Really, you're the current senior elite bodyguard of the Dreamwardens. Keeping a cool and rational head is part of your job. I realize kirin are naturally hot-tempered in a very literal sense. You're not used to your current physiology and instincts, and it can be a lot to adjust to– I underwent a similar adjustment period after becoming human, so I understand but please, make an effort to control yourself. We do not need to add smoke inhalation in a cramped cave to our list of worries."

Blanche's tail slumped, so it was now on the ground, and she lowered her head. "Sorry, Tempest. I've embarrassed myself in front of you."

"Don't act subservient to me," Tempest chastised. "You long ago stopped being my student, and you were competent before I instructed you, but thank you for taking me seriously."

"You were teacher and student?" Rainbow asked curiously.

Blanche flicked her tail. "Briefly. I was a capable fighter, but being a great fighter doesn't automatically mean you know how to bodyguard someone. Tempest taught me those ropes– what to watch for, how to best get Rebecca to safety if needed, how to use a Dreamwarden's Oaths to my advantage to keep her on track. That kind of thing."

Charlotte's ears flicked at that. "You manipulate your Dreamwarden? Isn't that wrong?"

Blanche gave Charlotte a firm look. "Dreamwardens can get hyper-focused on things and neglect other things. You have to reign them in occasionally for everyone's benefit. Part of reigning them in is understanding them as a person, and part is understanding how Dreamwardens as a whole work. I knew Rebecca, the pony, and what motivated her before becoming a bodyguard for her, but I had to learn about The Marshmallow the Dreamwarden and what motivates her. It is not the same. One is a happy pegasus who wants to make people happy and encourage creativity. The other is something that doesn't think like a human, a pony, or anything you may think you know, possesses memories stretching back millions of years, and expects to be obeyed when they give an order. You have to know how to talk to both of those aspects and know you're always dealing with both simultaneously. It isn't easy."

"Phobia Remedy is a kind soul but can be a monster when focused on her goals. I had to learn how to reason with both sides of her. It can be…unnerving to be caught off-guard by her darker aspects," Tempest said grimly.

Charlotte grit her teeth. She knew that monstrous side of Phobia Remedy. The warden had said straight-faced that she was willing to kill Charlotte because Charlotte was a possible threat to her goals. Phobia Remedy the pony was disgusted by the idea, but Phobia Remedy the Dreamwarden was capable of pure ruthlessness. Were all the Dreamwardens like that?

Blanche gestured at Charlotte. "Go ahead and change back so you can get to your food. We don't want her getting sick from not eating."

"Tempest says that we're getting closer. The intuits have food," Charlotte protested.

Blanche started smoking again. "We aren't taking food from a bunch of refugees barely getting by as it is, not when we have our own. Her tracking this way is hardly the most reliable method either, so I won't automatically assume closer means arriving soon. Just do it. We could all use a breather."

"Temper, Blanche," Tempest said calmly. "You aren't even noticing you're spouting off flame."

Blanche went wide-eyed and backed up till her rump hit the cave wall. "Maybe I should revert to being human before I accidentally kill someone. How does this tribe survive?"

"They're fireproof and learn to control their tempers," Tempest said stiffly. "They are also reasonably good at fireproofing other things– to a point, anyway. The fire is much more impressive once they top those extended heat limits. I'm told they once set their village on fire by all of them going nirik at once. That was too much heat. I would have liked to have seen that."

Rainbow gasped. "Why would you want to see that?! That's horrible!"

Tempest shrugged. "It wouldn't have been dangerous to them, they're fireproof, and with no danger involved, I get a kick out of watching others get what's coming to them for not controlling their tempers."

"Didn't your service to Phobia Remedy result from you not controlling your temper?" Blanche asked with a smirk.

Tempest smiled back. "As I said, what people have coming to them. Comeuppance sometimes works out well for everyone. Still, your temper could do us all in. I don't enjoy that."

Charlotte used her horn to set her necklace to human and reverted instantly. She was then down on her hands and knees on the cave floor with a heavy backpack on her back. The sudden weight on her back might have made her lose her balance if she'd been upright. She'd packed much heavier this time around. Thankfully, a lot of that extra was food. Also, thankfully, she didn't have to worry about this weight in pony form. After getting her center of gravity worked out, she sat back and pulled the pack off.

Rainbow came and sat down beside her as she unpacked to get to the food. Charlotte glanced at her. Now that she was human again, Rainbow didn't seem as sexy, but she was still cute and adorable. Was switching back and forth like this going to have long-term effects on her brain? She thought one way as a pony and one way as a human, but how long till those ways started blending into one another? How much had it blended together in Sunset's brain after decades of switching back and forth? Should she ask her other self when she had time?

She pulled out some food ration bars, a mix of nuts, grains, and chocolate. She unwrapped one and passed it to Rainbow. Rainbow, still sitting, grabbed it with her forehooves and sat examining it.

"Is that it?" Rainbow asked. "It seems rather…dry looking."

"It's small, but it's packed with nutrients. We can't count on cooking, and we need to preserve our water," Charlotte explained, then blinked. "Water, almost forgot." She then dug back into her pack and pulled out her canteen.

Tempest suddenly jerked her head and held up a hand. "Everyone be quiet and be on guard. There is a huge source of electricity that is moving towards us. We can't assume it is an Autobot."

Charlotte put her canteen back in her pack, put her backpack back on, and flipped the settings back to pony. She was pretty sure it was an Autobot, but she was sadly helpless as a human. Sunset had at least taught her some basic self-defense as a unicorn, and injuries taken as a pony mostly didn't count.

Starlight unceremoniously dumped Sunset Blessing on the ground.

"Wha-!" Sunset Blessing bleated. She then looked up at the horse in a fury. "You stupid beast! Why did you-"

"We've got something incoming that is registering high on Tempest's electricity detection," Blanche hurriedly interrupted. "We need you up and alert."

"Two somethings. I can feel them clearly now," Tempest said as she looked at the tunnel in front of them and pulled out a gun as Sunset Blessing got to her hooves.

They all stood at the ready. Charlotte and her other self both had their horns lit. Surprisingly, so did Blanche, although Charlotte was pretty sure the temporary kirin had no clue how to use it. Rainbow had stepped back behind Starlight, but she did have her wings instinctively spread. They all stood that way, silently waiting.

Then, something came speeding through the air and past them so fast that Charlotte couldn't even tell what it had been. It had been blue, she thought, or maybe purple?

"What was that?" Rainbow asked.

Before anyone could answer, what looked like a small red tank, smaller than the ponies, came into view. Tempest aimed her pistol at it.

"Grand Slam!" Sunset Blessing said excitedly.

Charlotte looked at her other self, who seemed positively giddy. "Huh?"

Sunset looked in the other direction. "Which means that must have been Raindance that passed by us."

Blanche had a brief flash of flame. "Is that good for us, bad, or unknown?"

Sunset Blessing unlit her horn and stepped towards the tank. "Don't shoot! I am Sunset Blessing. Maybe you've heard of me?" She looked back at Charlotte. "Change back to a human so you can be recognized, girl. Don't you see the Autobot symbol?"

The other small bot returned, flying through the air behind them, but came to a halt in the air, hovering silently. It looked like a weird tiny blue jet, but she could see a small Autobot symbol on it.

Charlotte cautiously did as instructed, again wondering if this constant back and forth would mess up her brain. At least they were dealing with Autobots at the moment.

The small tank made a chhook chhuuuk chhaak chhick sound as it transformed into a mall robot and gazed upon Sunset Blessing curiously.

"So, you're the infamous Sunset Blessing, purveyor of transformation magic, and powerful source of energeon, well-versed in the identities of magic Autobot and Decepticons," Grand Slam said in a loud, boisterous tone. "We are honored that we are among those your encyclopedic knowledge extends to, and even more honored to make your acquaintance. May I note for our report that you recognized me instantly and with great joy?"

The other Autobot landed and transformed back into a robot. "Making a video recording of this. Great stuff!"

Blanche relaxed but grimaced. "Great, we made it to another world filled with fighting robots, and the first ones we run into are the press."

"Journalists, ma'am, journalists!" Grand Slam said haughtily. Then his eyes seemed to run code in some alien script. "You are a female, correct? Your voice inflection suggests it, but I do not wish to get my facts wrong in my report just because I jumped to conclusions. I couldn't take my reputation being tarnished by such a rookie mistake. This is my biggest exclusive I have had in a while."

"Can you look this way, ma'am? I want to get a good recording of your face," Raindance said from behind them.

Rainbow smiled. "They seem friendly."

"Never trust the press," Blanche muttered.

"Journalists!" Grand Slam corrected.

Charlotte Rolled her eyes. "I'm guessing you got the idea of journalists from those old movies, but how do you guys even have journalists if you don't have writing to have journals?"

Grand Slam crossed his arms and held his head high. "Those humans don't have a standardized written script used by all, but transformers do. However, we do an audio and visual recording with commentary."

"Do you two combine to create Slamdance?" Sunset asked eagerly.

Blanche raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you fangirling? Are you seriously fangirling like some little kid?"

Sunset stuck her nose up. "Fanbases are made up of all ages; I'm sure you have things that would excite you, smurfs or something."

Blanche flamed slightly again. "Are you trying to make some sort of assumption about what I like because I'm Flemish? That I like smurfs just because I'm from Flanders? Maybe you like American football, cowboy hats, and hotdogs in cans because you're from the States."

Charlotte had to ask. "Who eats hotdogs from cans? I've never even heard that."

Blanche waved a hoof absently. "Much of Europe cans their sausages. They view hotdogs as American sausages. They aren't aware people in the states don't commonly can their sausages as well, and when you go to buy hotdogs there, they come in cans like any other sausage."

Tempest threw her hands up in frustration. "Why are we discussing this? The questions we should be asking are if these bots will take us to their base and whether our allies are still safe and well."

"For your first query, we will most certainly take you to the base since Prime will be eager to speak with you, as will the intuits," Grand Spam replied. "As for the latter query, we assume yes, but cannot give you a definitive answer since your allies are no longer at the base."

Sunset's joy at seeing transformers dissipated immediately. "Then where are they?"

Andrea stared upward.

"That's big."

It towered over them, stretching so high Andrea couldn't see the jagged and pockmarked spires end as they pushed into the clouds. She didn't think it was even just one such spire but multiple tips. The entire structure was littered with tips branching off it, reaching for the sky.

Scootaloo tilted her head to the side as she stared up at it. "I thought that was a single mountain from a distance, but is that a giant termite mound? I didn't think there were any bugs here. How do you even get a termite mound the size of a mountain?"

"The bugs are still here," Shrieky said as she approached the mass and laid her hand on it. "More than just bugs."

Apple Bloom rubbed her hoof against the ground, which had dry brown grass. "Grass still grows here. Maybe not healthy-like, barely livin', but it's still alive. This place has it rough, but it's better off than the rest of the planet."

Sweetie Belle's ears flattened against her head as she stepped backward. "I'm more concerned with the bugs that made it. How big are they? I've seen a changeling hive before, but a changeling hive is nowhere near this big."

"They're little things, smaller than the joints on my fingers," Shrieky said, holding up her hand and wiggling her stubby fingers, which were maybe three-quarters of the size of Andrea's when she was in human form.

"Ya can see the little holes in the thing. That holds up," Apple Bloom said as she approached it and pointed at an area littered with tiny little holes.

Cadence looked it over critically. "There might be billions, maybe trillions of tiny holes like that, but we can't enter through those. How do we get in?"

"Do we just make our own entrance?" Sapphire asked. "It's a termite mound. It can't be that hard to break into."

"And are the bugs edible?" Josie asked. They all gave her a disgusted look, and she gave them a defensive one back. "What? The fruit the intuits grow underground is sickly, and I'm tired of our rations. I could do with anything else to eat. Hanging out with Rebecca has spoiled me by ensuring I always have good food."

Shrieky threw back her head and groaned. "Ugh, you have to appeal to the guardians of this place. They've been here since the beginning and don't let anyone enter unallowed. They are why the Decepticons haven't tried to take it."

"Who are these guardians?" Cadence asked.

"Grimlock and his band of bots. They are neither Autobot nor Decepticon and can seem a little simple-minded. Don't underestimate them; they aren't to be trifled with."

Andrea blinked. Sunset Blessing was going to freak out when she found out her favorite transformer was guarding this place.

Chapter 2.20: Secret Keepers

Phobia didn't like adventuring, not in the slightest. There had been a brief period when she was much younger when adventure would have held appeal. That had been before she had been raped. People, seeking favor, would tell her how brave she was and how much of a survivor she was. Survivor, heh, what a word. It was the perfect word for her– she survived. She survived day-to-day, hiding away, cowering whenever anyone suddenly moved towards her. Was living in constant irrational fear living? A brave person would live, they would overcome what happened to them, but she survived, hiding in her corner.

Now, middle-aged, she was out of her corner and having an adventure. She hated it.

"Phobia, Cadence wants us to scout the area. Are you up for a short flight?"

She turned and looked at Josie. The other mare was less than three years younger than her, but looking at her, you'd have thought Josie was young enough to be Phobia's daughter. Her daughters might look older to some.

"What you're asking is whether I can fly well enough to scout," Phobia replied.

Josie raised an eyebrow at her. "Can you? I mean, no offense, but you are in poor shape. If I had to pick between you or Rebecca for who is in better shape, I might pick Rebecca. She at least has some muscle hidden under those flabs."

"She has made herself more of a sumo than a simple ball of fat in the past few years," Phobia conceded. "Having a heart attack was the best thing that ever happened to her health. It made her take exercise seriously, even if it didn't curb her appetite. Don't worry, I might not be the fastest or most agile, but I won't embarrass myself."

"Sorry," Josie said. "I would have suggested Sapphire join me instead, but she can't see too well in this gloom. This needs our eyes, not her speed. I don't mean any disrespect."

Phobia got to her hooves and sighed. "Don't worry about whether you disrespect me or not. I'm no longer a Dreamwarden. I'll do my best not to be our biggest liability."

"You're no liability, don't try to pretend you are. I'm guessing you took the time to download, or whatever you do, everything that might be useful about other worlds to your brain before you left Earth," Josie said with a smirk. "All my time with Rebecca has taught me that Dreamwardens don't go into things unprepared. She's no bumbling idiot, and neither are you. You came here with knowledge. I won't ask what, but I know you will be as much help as everyone else, maybe more."

Phobia frowned. Josie wasn't wrong in her guess about her taking some knowledge from the dream realm before leaving for Equestria. Still, it was questionable how useful any of that information might be. It was countless ages out of date. She was pretty confident she knew the origin of this world and its originator, but even if she was right, it could serve no purpose beyond academic interest.

She spread her wings and gestured in one direction. "I'll fly that way and do a circle around the spire. You can scout further out to make sure we don't have any incoming company. If I spot anything, I'll head directly back."

Josie looked skeptical, which was a little aggravating. Was she so old and sheltered that ponies that once feared her questioned whether she could so much as fly? Adventures were miserable, but she was here, and she wouldn't spend her time hiding in a corner.

"Miss Charlotte!"

Charlotte nearly fell over when Empathy collided with her legs but retained her balance. She smiled and touched his head.

"Good to see you again," she said, smiling.

Sunset walked by them and gave them a sidelong look as she did. "Oh, the elephant is still alive. I suppose that's good."

Empathy grinned at her. "Miss Sunset Blessing Unicorn Pony! You're here! The other intuits will be so happy to see you!"

Sunset looked back. "Say what now?"

The Autobots didn't get to greet them before all the inuits came hurrying towards them and encircled Sunset. They came to a halt and just stared.

The unicorn glanced around. "What's going on? Why am I getting looks of worship from these things? It's bad enough from ponies, but I've never done anything involving these creatures other than decimating the bear population. I'd rather not be idolized for bloodshed."

Optimus Prime stepped forward. "They believe that you bring their servitude to an end by transforming them into humans or ponies. There have been no humans to serve, but they are still bound to them. While I am unsure if changing what they are is the right path, I understand their wishes."

Sunset gaped at him. "O-Optimus P-P-Prime?!"

Blanche came and sat beside Charlotte. "Fangirl," she muttered. "Hey, Earth to Sunset! Focus!"

Charlotte's other self shook her head. "Sorry. You're right. I'm being a fan." She looked at the intuits. "I don't know enough about your resonance to perform such a spell now. I also think you need to take more time to consider whether you'd be happy with such a choice."

"Not to mention we might need them to help get the humans on track," Blanche said.

Tempest crossed her arms. "Their relation to others should not determine their future."

Rainbow hurried over. "You can help them; you helped Starlight and me!"

Heavyheart, who seemed the de facto spokesperson for the intuits in this, stepped forward. "We shall not rush you, but some of us are very committed to changing. Charlotte spoke of you, and she said you have this power. I say with a heavy heart that the humans of this world are a lost cause. It is we who should inherit the Earth, but we can never properly do that while tied to them."

Blanche snorted. "Maybe you shouldn't ask her for help. I ended up with a pouch like a kangaroo. I'm a pony!"

"Kirins have pouches," Tempest informed her.

Blanche whipped her head around to look at Tempest. "What?!"

"Kirins have pouches," Tempest repeated. "They are the least pony-like of all the ponies, hence the opposition of many ponies to accepting them as such. One of the key differences in their tribe is they don't give live birth. They lay eggs, like a dragon, and can breed with dragons and ponies both while still producing viable offspring. They carry their egg around in their pouch after laying it and then continue to primarily keep their foal in there for months after it hatches, only taking it out for a few minutes at a time in the first few weeks. I believe this helps them keep their young safe and protect their environment from their foal surging. Unicorns supposedly had this trait in the past but lost it after breeding extensively with earth ponies. I doubt the preacher would know this. The current talismans were designed by Princess Cadence, who would know."

Blanche gaped. "I lay eggs?! Am I even a mammal?" This was also news to Charlotte, though she knew little about Equestrian species. It just wasn't something they taught in most public schools.

"You have mammary glands in your pouch, so yes," Tempest said dryly. She then looked at the intuits. "If you are wondering, Princess Cadence wasn't keeping information from you. She wouldn't know transformation magic off the top of her head. That's something she would need to be following instructions for. She doesn't know how to change you."

Heavyheart bowed her head. "Thank you for letting us know. We understand that it must be complex, and few would understand how to do it from memory. We have heard that Sunset Blessing is such a person who knows it from memory."

Sunset growled. "I'll consider your request. This isn't what I'm here for." She looked at Optimus Prime. "Greetings. I am Sunset Blessing. The human over there is Tempest Shadow, Phobia's former bodyguard. The odd-looking pony with the scales is Blanche Laurent. The rainbow-maned pegasus is Rainbow Brite, and the horse with the rainbow mane is Starlight. They are visitors from yet another universe. You already know Charlotte. We are here to retrieve the rest of the scout team. I was told they have gone off to some shrine or something. Can you assist us?"

"I understand your concern for them and your desire to get them home safely. However, they have agreed to aid us in our struggle against Megatron and Dark Heart. We will not force you into any action, but your arrival gives us even more opportunities. Your skills in transbiological transmutation were not the only thing young Charlotte informed us about. She also informed us of your prowess as a warrior. Your aid would be a massive boon to our cause," Optimus Prime replied.

Sunset looked away. "I'm no hero, just the defender of my family. You would lament ever asking for my assistance. If the rest of the scouting party is determined to help you, I won't stop them, but my goals remain the same, keeping them alive and getting them home safely. Tell me where to find them, and once they know they have a way home, they can decide whether they fight your war or leave."

Optimus Prime nodded. "That is agreeable. You must be tired after your journey. You can rest and refresh yourselves here. The trip they are on is not expected to be dangerous. It may also be futile and short since the guardians of that place may well reject their entry. If that happens, they will be returning soon."

"You do need rest," Charlotte reminded her other self. "You didn't sleep enough, and I doubt what you got was good riding on Starlight's back."

"I'm a perfectly smooth ride!" Starlight protested. "Rainbow, back me up!"

Rainbow looked away. "Um…you weren't exactly trying to be gentle with her, but she did sleep through it. I'm sure it wasn't too bad."

"We all need food, rest, and time to assess," Blanche said. "They've got an alicorn, Josie, and Sapphire Sky. I'd bet on any of those three against what you can do if they get in a fight with a giant robot. Adding the rest of us to that equation isn't going to tip the scales much with whatever they're up to. We need to rest and get our bearings instead of charging off."

Sunset grimaced. "Perhaps you are right. While speaking with Optimus Prime would be a fantasy made true, I am exhausted. You and Tempest are capable leaders and administrators. I know you can handle negotiation and planning while I rest. I'm more of a highly destructive weapon to be pointed at our enemies. I might be the most famous of us, but I have said others should always make the big decisions instead of me. As the head bodyguard and administrator to The Marshmallow, you are the ranking authority figure among us, at least until we are reunited with the princess. You should be the one making plans for our next move and furthering our diplomatic relations with this world."

Blanche held her head high. "Most reasonable thing I have heard you say. Go get some rest. We've got this."

Heavyheart gestured at Sunset. "Let us show you your accommodations. They are humble but better than the outside."

"Just you will do. You're Empathy's sibling, correct? Both he and Charlotte spoke of you. You seem to have a more level head than many of your comrades," Sunset said tiredly. "I prefer not to be swarmed by others. I want as much privacy as possible so that I can sleep with no distractions."

Charlotte frowned. If Sunset was looking for who wouldn't fawn over her, Heavyheart might be the worst option. The little hippo had been downright fanatic since she learned about transformation magic and seemed to draw all the others into her plans for throwing off their figurative chains. If Dark Heart or the Decepticons were to offer them a way out of serving humans, Charlotte suspected that Heavyheart would sell out the Autobots in a second. Fortunately, Dark Heart and the Decepticons didn't have transformation magic and didn't know how disgruntled some of the intuits were; otherwise, they'd jump at offering them a deal. Charlotte trusted Empathy, and a few other intuits, but she did not trust Heavyheart and her followers. She understood their self-interest and could sympathize with it, but she also suspected it made their loyalty tenuous at best.

The tiny hippo gestured for Sunset to follow. "I will happily guide you somewhere private. There are some side caves that are used only for storage that are rarely entered. You should be able to sleep soundly with no disturbances."

"That would be lovely," Sunset said, following the hippo away.

"Tempest and I will speak with Optimus and the other leaders here. The rest of you can rest and accept the intuits' and Autobots' hospitality," Blanche instructed. "Don't abuse it by eating all the intuits' food! We have our own!"

Rainbow came up so close to Charlotte that she brushed against her, and Charlotte turned her head slightly to hide her sudden blush at the thrill of it. She wasn't even a pony right now; it shouldn't affect her that much.

Rainbow didn't notice because she was focused on Empathy. "You must be Charlotte's elephant friend she spoke about! I've been very eager to meet you. She told me how loyal and kind you are."

Empathy positively beamed at the praise. "Very happy to meet you too, Miss Colorful-Pegasus Pony-Who-Is-Charlotte's-Friend!"

Rainbow giggled. "Just call me Rainbow. Can you show us around?"

"Yes! Follow me!" Empathy said eagerly.

Charlotte paused briefly before following to watch Sunset's tail retreating into a nearby passage. The way Sunset conceded authority so quickly to Blanche after how bossy she'd previously had been towards Blanche struck her as odd. Whenever Sunset did anything weird, it usually meant Sunset was up to something. The unicorn had even started the introduction as if she were in charge, but something had changed her mind. What was Sunset up to?

"Hey, are you coming?" Rainbow called back to her after Rainbow and Empathy had walked several paces away.

Charlotte gave the passage Sunset had gone through one last look. Maybe her other self really was just that tired and wanted to hoist responsibility on someone else so she could rest. Still, something felt very off. There was nothing the unicorn could get up to right now, though, so it was a problem for later.

"Coming," she said and hurried after her two best friends.

Chapter 2.21: Monster's Shadow

Andrea stood, gun in hand, with one eye on the horizon and one eye on Shrieky. Shrieky insisted that nothing would attack them here, but none of their party were convinced of that. Andrea's gun might be utterly ineffective if a Decepticon attacked, but it might distract the bots to buy time.

Josie and Phobia were scouting the area while Sapphire, Luster, and Cadence stood watching Shrieky work. The Crusaders were examining the sparse plant life, helping Apple Bloom take samples. The country-sounding earth pony had a scientific background in botany, so she was fascinated by the grass. Excited by grass…how dull could you get? The Crusaders were far removed from the fillies that the old cartoon depicted. They'd supposedly been adventurers in their younger adult days, but now, middle-aged, they were teachers and researchers. That was all well and good, but the idea of getting excited about grass growing labeled them as boring as sin in Andrea's book.

Whatever Shrieky was doing wasn't much better. She was mixing various herbs and chalks in a bowl, grinding them together as she chanted in some unfathomable language that sometimes seemed barely human with its high-pitch nasal sounds. How this would get them into the mound was anybody's guess, but Shrieky was insistent this was what had to be done.

Sapphire walked over to her and sat down beside her. "Isn't adventure riveting? Nothing like sitting around and waiting for something to happen; that's ninety-nine percent of adventuring."

"I'd rather things not happen. People get hurt or die when something happens," Andrea replied. Yeah, she was bored, but she wouldn't trade what they were doing now for being shot at.

Sapphire kicked up some grass, earning a look of reproach from Apple Bloom. The pegasus gave the earth pony a brief apologetic look, then gently patted the grass back into place with her hoof.

"True enough, but I still feel useless when nothing of note is happening. Feels like there’s so much to do and not a lot of time to do it. And I want to be involved in everything but I can’t be and that’s annoying me, and I’m really not a fan of being annoyed,," Sapphire snorted and sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't be complaining; it's foalish. I'm just sick of the ground. We've been stuck under it for days, and now that we are out from under it, I'm still stuck sitting on it."

Andrea could understand the feeling. She was stir-crazy, too, after all that time in a cave, and was not looking forward to more caves. "Better off than me. I had one job, and now I don't even have that," she replied bitterly. "Anyway, if we end up attacking Care-A-Lot, you'll be our biggest asset. I mean, it is a cloud city; you'll tear that place up."

Sapphire shook her head. "Ripping a cloud city to shreds of a last resort. I'd end up killing most of those bears if I destroyed their city, and I'd rather not have that blood on my hooves. Making it so no one can come or go without destroying it, now that's a trickier feat to pull off. Truth be told if the stakes weren’t so high I would be excited for the challenge."

Shrieky stopped chanting and set her pestle she was using to crush the pigments aside. "It is time for the next stage. I require your silence."

That felt like a pointed remark, considering only Andrea and Sapphire had been talking. Whatever, at least they were getting closer to something happening.

Shrieky put her right hand in the bowl, submerged it in the paint, then continued chanting gibberish. This went on for about thirty seconds, then she removed her hand and stood before walking up to the mound. She did more chanting and placed her red-painted hand on the side of the mound, removed it, leaving a red handprint, and then placed it a short distance away and repeated the chant. She repeated this process over and over again until she had made seven such handprints– one up high and centered, three in the next row below the original, one centered below that line, and two more near the bottom. She then touched her hands together, smearing the paint on her clean hand, and raised both high above her head, chanting loudly. This was some weird pagan-druid crap. Did Grimlock and the other Dinobots care about all this?

After about a minute of ear-splitting chanting, there was a rumble, and part of the mound suddenly revealed the groove of an enormous doorway, big enough for one of the transformers to get through. The door slid downward, and when fully opened, it revealed a massive uneven staircase descending into darkness.

"As riveting as all that chanting and ceremony was, I can’t help but feel that there was an easier and more efficient way to go about all this,” Sapphire glibly remarked.

"Sapphire, not now,” Cadence lightly chastised. She turned to Shrieky. "I'm assuming those chants were in the native language from before the movie reels were found."

Shrieky set her bowl of paint aside. "They are in the ancient tongue. We haven't spoken that way in millennia."

"Is that the standard procedure for performing spells on this world?" Luster asked.

"One of the methods. There are typically magic words," Shrieky replied.

Luster made a quill and parchment appear before her and began making notes. "Interesting, very classical."

Sweetie Belle walked up next to Luster and looked at what was being written. "Don't forget to record the exact layout of handprints in that spell matrix. Note she only used her right hand to make the imprints. Hey, Apple Bloom, can you look at that paint and give us a report of the properties?"

"On it!" Apple Bloom said as she hurried over. "Scootaloo, can you hurry up finishing that soil sample?"

Scootaloo looked at where Apple Bloom had been working. "Uh, I suppose so."

Andrea rolled her eyes. Four nerds. She knew research was part of this scouting team's job, but she had absolutely zero interest. Hopefully, Josie and Phobia would be back soon so they could get a move on. She wanted to get in, find whatever they sought, and get out. They weren't going to fight any care bears or Decepticons here. With Charlotte gone, that's all Andrea had left.

"There ain't nothin' fancy about these here pigments. Some berries mixed with ocher," Apple Bloom said after her examination. "Was anythin' done to them before this?"

Shrieky gave her a look like she was dumb. "Nothing was done. They are what they are. The magic comes from the mixing and the words."

"Hmm," Apple Bloom hummed, "Andrea, ya think ya can go crystal pony and see if ya can get anything from this?"

Andrea sighed and put her gun away. "Guess I'm not doing anything anyway. You know I'm no expert, right? I can only describe what I feel in vague terms."

Apple Bloom nodded. "Ay understand. Ay just need to know if there is anythin' there."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Andrea said as she adjusted her earrings, shifting to crystal pony form. She walked over to the paint and focused.

After a few seconds, she turned away. "There's a tiny bit there. It doesn't seem like it is strong enough for a spell." She looked at the doorway then at the ground where the door had slid down. "There's more down there, more than this, but it still doesn't feel strong. Can someone do me a favor and adjust my earrings back? I don't want to have to fuss with them."

Luster lit her horn, and Andrea could feel the magic work around her ears, a tingling sensation; then she shifted back to human form.

"Intuits aren't typically violent, but they might kill for those earrings," Shrieky said. Before Andrea could reply, Shrieky turned her attention to Cadence. "We have about ten minutes before the door shuts, and I have to go through all that again."

"We wait on Phobia and Josie to return. We aren't going in there without their eyes, and we aren't leaving them stuck outside alone," Cadence responded.

The Crusaders were still examining that paint. Andrea walked away, shaking her head.

"It seems understandable that you would be annoyed by all this,” Sapphire remarked, following a comfortable distance away. "Guessing by where you grew up, I would assume you'd not have great experiences with ponies picking a magical problem apart."

Andrea raised an eyebrow at the pegasus. "This is a surprise. You've been avoiding talking about her."

Sapphire fluffed her wings. "It was a general statement."

Andrea did a half-chuckle. "Well, if you must know, you-know-who never did research like this. She'd look at someone doing something, watch them for a bit, and never ask any questions, or she'd read some report or book or whatever. She seldom wrote things down, at least that I ever saw, and I paid attention. She never talked to herself, never gave any indication she was learning and figuring out weird new applications for whatever she was seeing. She just tucked the information away. I assume she made some records, but never in anyone's presence. She was always low-key and secretive about research. Therefore, I didn't have to deal with this. The only thing I had to deal with was her standing there, silently watching, making you wonder what's going on in her head."

"You sound homesick?" Sapphire asked.

Andrea stared upward. "I wouldn't mind having the old coot standing around watching me like a hawk. At least it is something familiar. It would also mean there's some chance in hell I get to see my sister again– the real one, not the old bitch."

"You'll see your sister again," Sapphire assured her confidently.

"Because her other self is a survivor," Andrea said in response to what had been unsaid. "Why won't you say anything about her, not even mention her name? You two used to be friends."

Sapphire looked up at the sky. "Looks like the former Dreamwarden and Josie are returning. Good. It saves me from a conversation I'd rather not have. Let me summarize for you. A long time ago, she was a vile mare who cobbled together an empire with violence and deceit. But it's easy for ponies to take things too far when they can get their way, and I thought after she lost it all that she had had a change of heart, that she could be better or at least a normal pony deserving of redemption. But then she was given power, real power, to do anything that she wanted, and that revealed the real her. A monster who sees others beneath her, insects to be crushed under her hooves at her inconvenience. So when she showed me who she really was, I believed her, and now she's dead to me."

Andrea was taken aback by the barrage of information. "Did you have that all thought up?"

"Yes, I was expecting the question to come up at some point. What? You never have scripts pre-written in your head for future conversations?"

Andrea grimaced. "I hate to defend her, but I think that is too harsh. She never goes out looking for trouble. She is just defending the family. Yeah, her methods get extreme when she does, but those who attack us have already gone to extremes."

Sapphire shook her head. "She could have left Earth anytime she wanted to protect her family. The princesses gave her ample opportunities, but she decided to stay on Earth, endangering all of you, because it was more convenient for her to let you stay in danger and her murder than it was for her just to do the rational thing and put an end to it. She had to stay and show how everyone else was nothing to her."

"So, you wanted her to run away?" Andrea asked.

Sapphire shook her head. "You shouldn't defend her. I don't want to imagine how long she's been using rhetorical tricks to convince you of how necessary whatever she did was."

"You didn't answer the question," Andrea said. "I think you're wrong. It's not looking down on others, at least not everyone. I think it is vindictiveness. She wants to hurt Shimmerists, just like they want to hurt her, and that's who's always attacking and who she is killing. When we first met her, she gave this long lecture about Tom and Jerry, you know, the cat and mouse."

"I know who Tom and Jerry are," Sapphire said flatly.

"She said they always kept hurting each other, always instigating the fight to go on. I think that's what is going on. She and the Shimmerists are Tom and Jerry," Andrea explained.

"That doesn't make it any better, possibly worse," Sapphire replied.

Andrea watched as Josie and Phobia landed. "My first encounter with Shimmerists was them trying to murder my baby sister. I got hit by what should have been a lethal blast that was aimed at her by a Shimmerist. They've killed guards on the property that I considered friends. I would have resented her for running away if she did. You don't run away from evil; you face it. The only reason I don't resent her for leaving for Equestria now is because Charlotte needed her, and she was looking for a way to make sure those who killed Kristin were brought down. She's a monster that kills monsters, and the monsters she kills are the ones that want to hurt us. I don't like her, but I empathize with her, and I won't cry for the spilled blood of Shimmerists that came looking to spill blood."

"Would you ever have had to deal with those monsters if not for her?" Sapphire asked.

Andrea shrugged. "Those fights were already in progress before we were involved. The Shimmerists were the ones that pulled us in. If I had to blame someone for escalating things from there, it would be Triss. She should never have given Charlotte those powers. Charlotte's powers are what kept us chained to Sunset, and it is because of Charlotte's powers my sister is dead, and we are where we are. That's no fault of Charlotte's or Sunset's; that's all Triss."

Sapphire snorted. "Let's say we see things differently. I'd rather not fight. I know you've gone through hell, and it was no fault of yours. Just say you aren't going to look at Sumset as an example. No one should ever look to her as an example of what they should do."

"Sunset is a monster; I don't intend to be a monster. I'll never have her power to be a monster anyway," Andrea said tiredly. She looked at Sapphire. "Sunset is in Equestria, where she never has to deal with Shimmerists again, so hopefully, that's the end of it. I'm tired of it all, and I imagine she is too. That long nightmare is over. That's what matters."

"You're too young to understand," Sapphire said.

Andrea's face hardened. "You are older than me, and I'm sure you're wiser about plenty of things, most things even, but you never had to deal with this. You've never had to live your life in constant unending fear. I don't think you can understand what it is like or what it does to you. When we needed help, where the fuck was the government? Where the fuck were all the powerful ponies other than her? I'll tell you where. The government secretly hoped that someone would off Sunset and probably us too, because we were inconvenient to exist, so they didn't lift a finger to aid us. The rest of you were making moral judgments and letting this all play out without doing anything to put a stop to it. In the meantime, we woke up every day wondering if someone would try to kill us again today."

"Did you expect us to spend our lives defending your household from Sunset's past sins returning to haunt her?" Sapphire scoffed.

"I don't know!" Andrea said as she started crying. "I don't think anyone had a solution to it all– not Sunset, not us, not you. Sunset went too far as things went on, but I don't know what anyone was supposed to do. There was no way out."

Sapphire gave her a sympathetic look. "Sunset could have left Earth like I said. That was the solution."

Andrea wiped her face. "Maybe running away was the only solution Sunset could have made; maybe she should have abandoned us and run. Then we would have had Charlotte's magic spark at some random time and place, and it would all be worse, not that it has any bearing on things. I don't know. Running seems wrong; I told you, you don't run from evil."

"But she wasn't the person to fight it, and she knew it," Sapphire asserted. "You never saw her cry over how terrible a pony she was. You didn't have to be part of the interventions when she practically tried to kill herself. She was never strong enough emotionally or spiritually to endure those hardships without blackening her soul. She knew this, and she knew the best option was to get out. She was told that tike and tike again. I told her as much myself, but she stayed and let herself go down the abyss. Sunset made her choice to be a monster. She had an out, not a proud out, but an out, one we all begged her to take."

Andrea watched as Sapphire spread her wings wide.

"So, yes, I understand that the situation made her a monster. I don't need that explained to me. What you need to understand is she chose to stay in that situation, knowing she'd become a monster," Sapphire said in a firm tone. "She chose what she would become, and I wash my hooves of her for it. Yeah, she's out of that situation now, but she's shown her nature, and when push comes to shove, we know what she'll do in a crisis. She'll take the dark path."

"Excuse me."

They both turned to see Phobia standing there.

"I know my mother is a figure who can inspire impassioned debates, but it is time to get moving before that door shuts," the former Dreamwarden said

Andrea looked at Sapphire again. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you tried to help her. I'll never let myself do what she did. Let's drop the subject."

Sapphire nodded stiffly. "A good idea. For what it's worth, I wish someone had a plan to stop those attacks despite her not running as she should have, so things never went as far as they did. You're right; no one knew what to do after she refused to leave, including me. Anyway, let's go explore some more caves."

"You are not the only one to react to Optimus Prime with awe," Heavyheart said as she prepared the mat to sleep on. "Sapphire Sky reacted the same way. It seems strange that he should cause such excitement on another world. Charlotte Human doesn't react the same way."

Sunset Blessing glanced around the small cavern. There wasn't much here, just some metal crates. Heavyheart assumed the Autobots hollowed out this assuming they would rescue more intuits, but it only served as useless space right now. Rescue, they called it. Personally, she'd rather be back in the Forest of Feelings. The only saving grace of this place was that she had Empathy with her again.

"I became a massive transformer fan later in life," Sunset Blessing replied, still examining all the walls. "When I adopted my…my sons, I was looking for toys and games for them to play with, and I wanted something I was familiar with, so I could spend time bonding with them. Transformer toys had never gone out of fashion from when I was a child. I admit I got a bit more into it than they did. I think it was the ∆∆∆∆∆∆∆ that fueled it."

The pony had used a word that Heavyheart didn't understand. Should she ask for clarification of the term or ignore it? She did catch some sadness from the pony when the pony spoke of her sons. The last time Charlotte Human was here, she had mentioned that the bears had killed one of Sunset Blessing's sons. Sunset Blessing was not a human, so Heavyheart had no obligation to serve, and she gained no sustenance from doing so. However, she did want to make the pony sympathetic to their cause, and serving her might help in that. What to do?

"Do the Autobots have any way of monitoring this room?" Sunset Blessing asked. "I see no cameras or recording devices."

Heavyheart shook her head. "No, they don't. The Autobots have limited resources, and those resources aren't going to be used to monitor a mostly empty side cavern that goes nowhere. You will have full privacy."

"Correction," Sunset Blessing said, turning and looking her in the eyes. "We will have full privacy."

Chapter 2.23: In Different Ages

"AH!! WHAT IS THAT!!"

Andrea pulled her gun out and focused on the creature that had emerged from the tunnel. It was covered in brown spines and had a narrow beak. It was also armed with a spear. The creature jumped back and aimed its spear at her.

Shriek walked over to her and pushed her hand down, lowering the gun. "They're harmless as long as you don't threaten them."

"It looks like an echidna," Sapphire said.

"It's so cute!" Sweetie Belle gushed.

"Sweetie Belle, that cute thing is covered in spikes and has a weapon," Scootaloo cautioned. "It doesn't look like an intuit."

Shrieky gave Andrea one last dirty look and then turned toward the new creature. "They aren't intuits. They're wiradjuri; they live here and do the maintenance on the tunnels."

The neanderthal woman walked close to the wiradjuri with her hands up. She said something in the same gibberish language she'd been chanting in. The wiradjuri looked at her and back at Andrea before snorting and making some clicking sounds. It then lowered its spear and resumed its walk from one cavern to the next.

"Any other strange creatures that live in these tunnels that we should know about?" Sapphire asked. "I mean, it would be nice to know before we run into things whether we should be concerned or not."

"Many things, but none of them are dangerous unless threatened," Shrieky answered as she watched the wiradjuri walk away down a tunnel decorated by blue handprints.

Every tunnel seemed to have handprints of one color adorning the walls, and so far, Shrieky had kept them exclusively to blue and red handprints, even though Andrea had seen yellow, purple, green, black, and white. Andrea had been paying attention to anything distinguishing features of the different types of tunnels. Blue, purple, and green handprint tunnels seemed much more expansive, with higher ceilings, making them proper caverns. Red and yellow were consistently smaller, big enough for maybe one of the regular-sized transformers to walk through, but not two side by side. The tunnels with black or white handprints seemed to vary significantly in size, and there were fewer of them. It was hard to tell with just the unicorns' floating balls of light, but some of those black and white tunnels seemed as large as the most enormous caverns they'd been in, while others were so narrow they intuits or ponies would find it difficult to get through. The only genuinely distinguishing feature those later tunnels had was they had a heavy buildup of dust on the ground, while all the other tunnels were surprisingly dust free. It was like they had slipped through time and were walking through some prehistoric cave dwellings. No one had questioned Shrieky about the meanings of the different color handprints, but Andrea knew it was only a matter of time.

"So…why don't the Decepticons come here?" Scootaloo asked as they resumed their walk into yet another red tunnel from their previous red tunnel.

Shrieky didn't look back to answer. "This place is sacred, even to them. Nothing is allowed to be damaged here, so it has always been."

"The Decepticons care about sacred human sites?" Sapphire asked, sounding skeptical. "I might be an alien on this world, but that doesn't seem like it would be part of their m.o."

"It is sacred to all species, not just humans," Shrieky explained. "The blue caverns are public tunnels where all may pass. The purple is for the likes of the intuits and the transformers. The green is for the wiradjuri, allywarp, and the merhd. The yellow is what you might call maintenance tunnels. The red is for humans."

"What about the black and the white?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Shrieky stopped and looked back. "The black have bad things in them. The white have very bad things. All creatures, even transformers, fear the black tunnels. No creature that has sanity will try to go into the white."

"And why are the tunnels segregated?" Andrea asked.

"Because that's how it is, and no one violates it. This is a sacred place; you follow the rules," Shrieky growled.

"And if you don't follow the rules?" Sapphire asked.

Shrieky glared daggers at the pony and pointed off to the side to a tunnel entrance covered with white handprints. "Then there will be another white tunnel."

"Very bad things," Scootaloo said slowly.

Shrieky nodded. "Very bad things." She then resumed leading the group through the tunnels– not the one with white handprints.

"Worse than Decepticons?" Luster asked.

"Very bad things,* Shrieky repeated.

Andrea looked at the white handprinted tunnel. It was about the same size as the one they were in currently; at least, it seemed that way, based on what she could see in the limited light. There was almost a perfect dividing line on the ground where the dust suddenly built up. It was like whatever did the cleaning went as close as possible, then not a millimeter closer. Who even put up the handprints to begin with? Who would put up handprints if there was a need for another white tunnel? Those looked like human handprints. If there were no more humans, then, theoretically, there could be tunnels that needed to be labeled white that hadn't been. That wasn't an encouraging thought. Did Shrieky even know where she was going?

They continued on.

Charlotte looked around buildings and giant screens, advertising products and giving news. She only saw ponies, no humans. They seemed to be in the mountains and standing on an exceptionally high building that looked down on the rest. "Where the heck are we? Some weird resort in Colorado?"

"A possible distant future of Equestria. I believe this exact city is called Zephyr Heights," Traveler said as she sat down, bracing herself against her staff, seemingly struggling.

Charlotte looked at the strange woman who she had met when she fell asleep. "Are you okay? You seem a little winded."

The older woman took a few deep breaths before answering. "Don't worry, I can't die in the Outside, but I'm not walking around with life support hooked up because I enjoy wearing this accessory. I could get some organs replaced again, but I've done that enough. At some point, you have to meet death."

"I can't argue that you don't look way past your prime," Charlotte replied. "Are you sure you're okay for the moment.?"

Traveler hoisted herself to her feet while using her staff as a brace. "I'll be okay. I appreciate your concern, but let's continue with the lesson."

Charlotte was unsure the old hag was being honest with her. The woman said that they had met in the dream…the Outside many times already, but Charlotte didn't recall any of that. The only things that made the claims credible was Charlotte couldn't remember anything to contradict her, she was gaining a new bracelet every time she slept, and her powers had gotten more responsive– as evidenced by her entire ordeal with Bursa.

She looked around. "It may be because we're high up, but I don't see any humans. I don't even see things like griffins."

"There aren't any here in this timeline. Earth and the rest of the nations outside of Equestria are cut off. None of these ponies have seen anything intelligent outside an earth pony, pegasus, unicorn, alicorn, or dragon," Traveler explained. "Most of them don't even know of anything else."

Charlotte frowned. They must be very far in the future, although the tech didn't seem that out there. It appeared a few decades behind, though more prominent than Equestria currently displayed. "Won't that be a problem if one of these ponies notices us? Won't they freak out?"

Traveler cackled. "Hahahaha, that's not going to be an issue. They are about to be too concerned with something else."

The sky suddenly darkened as heavy storm clouds rolled in out of nowhere. Thunder boomed, and lightning struck multiple spots. Ponies cried out in fear, and the pegasi that had been flying around landed as quickly as they could. The storm started to swirl like a tornado, but out of the eye descended a dark pink alicorn, one that Charlotte was unfamiliar with. Her wings looked like they were pure fire.

"Bow ponies of Zephyr Heights to your true queen, QUEEN OPALINE!"

Charlotte stepped back as the alicorn rained fire and lightning down on the city. More screaming ensued as the alicorn laughed with merciless glee.

"We can't be hurt, don't worry," Traveler said as she came up beside Charlotte.

Charlotte watched, dumbstruck, as she watched the alicorn wreck havoc on the city. "I don't understand. Aren't alicorns always supposed to be the good guys? Is this some evil empire she's attacking?"

Traveler shook her head. "No, you are looking at an evil alicorn. The alicorn of Fire. So comes a part of the lesson. Just because a being is ascended doesn't make them good. The universe rarely cares about such concepts as good or evil."

"But this is Equestria; Harmony is what guides it," Charlotte replied.

Traveler hummed. "Harmony feels a certain way in your time. Harmony might not feel the same tomorrow. The Story was fine with the Devourers for ages, but then it got bored with their repetitive nature. The Story aids your world now because it wants to have a different ending to this chapter. It can change its mind about helping once the way things go have changed."

"Opaline, stop! It doesn't have to be this way!"

Charlotte looked down and noticed a blue unicorn mare staring fearfully at the sky. She wasn't the only one to notice, so did Opaline.

The alicorn descended and laughed as she looked down menacingly at the unicorn. "Misty! I always knew you were a disappointment. Are you here to plead for your life?"

Misty shook her head. "It doesn't have to be this way. You're an alicorn! These ponies adore alicorns. You could be friends with them, and I'm sure they will listen to everything you say and be your friend. You don't have to be mean to them or try to take away their magic. You have enough magic!"

Opaline laughed. "Friends? With creatures that are beneath me? Don't be so droll. I should be destroying you right now for your last-minute betrayal. However, you did bring me the dragonfire that restored my power before that betrayal. Bow down and grovel, and I will spare your life. Tell me where Sunny and her friends are hiding, and I might still give you a cutie mark."

Misty stepped back a few steps, looking terrified, then looked down before squaring her shoulders, looking up, and stepping forward defiantly.

"I don't need you to give me a cutie mark. Marks are supposed to be a sign of who you are. I don't want to be told who I am by a bully like you because it will be a lie! I might not know who I am, but I know what I'm not, and I'm not somepony who is okay with this! Sunny, Hitch, and the rest might never forgive me, but for a little while, I had real friends. You were never my friend!"

Opaline glared at her. "Well then, there is only one way I can respond to that."

The alicorn charged up a massive blast, and Misty cowered down on the ground, covering her head with her forelegs like that would do any good. Charlotte wanted to look away so she wouldn't have to see this poor pony get brutally murdered, but she kept watching in horror.

The blast left the horn, and there was a bright flash of light. Opaline cackled in triumph, but as the smoke cleared, it became clear there had been a shield up around Misty, and now, standing protectively in front of Misty, horn blazing and wings spread wide, was another alicorn, this one orange with a rainbow mane.

Opaline stopped laughing but still grinned. "Sunny? So there you are. I've been looking all over for you. I want to say that I'm surprised that you are protecting the little turncoat. She did betray you before she betrayed me and after how nice you were to her. That shows how little you can trust in friendship. She's shown you who she is; a pony who will betray anyone to get what she wants. However, I can see that Twilight's foolish ideas have also infected you, and you keep giving chances to ponies who don't deserve it. How…disappointing."

The scene suddenly shifted, and they were back among the large alabaster ruins that Charlotte had seen when she first entered the dream.

"What? Why did you take us out of there? I wanted to see what happened!" Charlotte yelled as she turned to look at Traveler.

Traveler smiled. "Because that's the other part of the lesson for today. You need to decide if Sunny was right to defend Misty after Misty betrayed her. Was Opaline right? Was Sunny weak for giving more chances at redemption?"

"I didn't see what happened, so I don't know!" Charlotte yelled.

"You need to decide without knowing if you are right or wrong. You must decide on principle. This is something important to know," Traveler said. Her image became foggy. "And so our lesson for today ends."

Chapter 2.24: Missing Person

Charlotte woke up feeling groggy. She hated waking up like this. She used to wake up alert and early; now, it was erratic when she fell asleep, and she was still so tired. She felt around with her hands until she found what she sought. It only took a moment, and her right hand clasped around yet another bracelet. She lifted it and looked at it—just a normal one.

"It just appears out of nowhere; one second, it isn't there, then it is. That's so strange."

She turned her head and saw Rainbow watching her.

"Were you watching me sleep?" Charlotte asked.

Rainbow blinked. "Is that weird? I watched you sleep all the time when we were back home."

Charlotte licked her lips. "It's a little weird. I mean, it was okay before because you were taking care of me, and I was the only person around other than Starlight. It isn't so okay now that we are away from there."

Rainbow's ears sagged, and she backed up a few paces. "Oh…I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

Charlotte looked at the two bracelets stretched around Rainbow's front left fetlock. She closed her eyes and then sat up.

"We need to talk," Charlotte said as she opened her eyes.

"I thought that was what we were doing right now," Rainbow replied.

Charlotte shook her head. "I mean, talk about you hanging around me all the time– not that I don't like it, but I feel like it is marginalizing you."

Rainbow blinked again. "I don't understand."

Charlotte turned and sat cross-legged, looking at Rainbow. "You are the great Rainbow Brite. I don't know how much of those cartoons I watched as a kid were true, probably not much, but I do know you are a hero, someone who takes charge of situations and helps save the day. Starlight keeps saying as much. Your hanging around me constantly makes you seem like some lovestruck filly instead of the great hero you are, and that belittles you, and I don't want you belittled. I want everyone to look at you and say, wow, we have the Rainbow Brite with us; this mission is going to be so easy."

Rainbow sat and looked away. "After what happened with Princess, I don't feel like a hero. My entire universe died, Charlotte, while I lived." She started to cry. "Do you have any idea what that feels like? Can anyone understand what that feels like? The answer is no, and I'm glad it is a no because no one should ever have to carry that guilt. No one should have to watch almost everyone they ever knew slowly freeze to death in the dark."

Her crying escalated into full-on sobs. Charlotte, not knowing what else to do, worried, and feeling guilty, crawled over and hugged her. Rainbow kept crying.

"I want to help out, I do, but I'm not the big hero you think I am," Rainbow cried. "I want to make up for what happened, even though I know I'll never be able to do that, but I don't want to be seen as a hero. I can't save the day."

Rainbow pulled back and looked at Charlotte. "I've also been alone for a very long time. Yeah, I had Starlight with me, but we never talked much unless it was needed. I know that's hard to believe, but we were both hurting. We knew each other well enough that we didn't need to speak most of the time. What would we speak about that didn't just make it worse? Would we talk about old friends that we failed and buried? Would we talk about places now submerged deep beneath the snow? We couldn't…we couldn't…."

"And then you found me," Charlotte whispered.

"Then we found you," Rainbow agreed. "And you weren't just another living person; you were a living person completely unconnected to our world. Someone who hadn't felt that loss, who had family and friends, someone who had a future. Then, you offered us a future. Do you know how big a deal that was for us?"

Charlotte shrugged. "I had some idea, but…I don't know. I've experienced loss too. I guess it doesn't rank on the same scale as a whole universe, but I'm still hurting. It's still pretty fresh."

Rainbow touched a hoof to Charlotte's leg. "I know, and you shouldn't downplay how much you are hurting just because it wasn't the same scale as ours. I wish you would talk about it more." She shook her head. "Although, I do feel hypocritical for saying that. Maybe…maybe you aren't ready to talk about it. I know I don't feel ready to talk about mine in detail. I want to do it, but…it's hard."

"I can only imagine," Charlotte gently said as she laid a hand over the hoof Rainbow had put on her leg.

Rainbow looked down at the hand and took a deep breath. "And yes, I admit it, I have an…infatuation with you, but that isn't the only reason I want to spend time with you. You came into my life when I thought I would never see anyone again, and I felt like I mattered for the first time in a long time by needing to care for you. Then you shared a little of your trauma with me, a trauma that wasn't the same trauma Starlight and I have. You also shared stories of joy, laughter, siblings fighting, and just…just things happening– life. You awoke things in me that I never thought could be there again– which includes the infatuation. I like hearing from all the others, spending time with them, and seeing new things, but you were the one that brought the spark back, and that means a lot to me. I want to experience new things with you for that."

Charlotte blinked and jerked her hand back a little, but not all the way.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Rainbow said quickly, then blushed. "Well, not mostly, anyway. I want to experience that too, but I understand you might be uncomfortable with it or flat-out not want to. I know Sunset Blessing and Starlight say it is a bad idea, and maybe they're right. I don't have experience with those kinds of things to say they aren't, but I never got to experience so many things before my world ended. I don't know what tomorrow will bring or what chances I won't get again, so I'm more open to doing dumb things just to know I've experienced something. Still, if you don't want to-"

"Oh…you have no idea how horny I am most of the time," Charlotte said quickly.

Rainbow cocked her head to the side. "I know you have a horn on your head when you're a pony, but I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"It's a slang term. It means very infatuated and thinking about procreation," Charlotte said, turning almost as red as her fur was when she was a pony. For some reason saying the word procreation felt a thousand times dirtier than saying something dirty.

"Are you two going to kiss and hug and make Baby Miss Charlotte and Baby Rainbow Brite?"

Charlotte turned her head and jumped back when she saw the elephant in the room. "Empathy!! How long have you been standing there!?"

Empathy scratched his head. "I don't know. Miss Rainbow Brite and I both watched you sleep."

Had he heard all of that? She wanted to die. Her face hurt from how much blood was rushing to it.

"Empathy…" she said in slow and controlled tones. Empathy was childlike, and he didn't know any better when it came to most things. She didn't want to hurt his feelings too much by showing him her fury. She was not Sunset Blessing; she could control her temper. "Can you please go somewhere else for a little while? Conversations like this are very personal and should be kept to just the ones having the conversation."

He hopped. "Oh! I understand. You're talking about secret things. Very sorry, Miss Charlotte! I'll go someplace else."

"And don't tell anyone about this!" she ordered as he exited the small cavern.

"Empathy can keep secrets!" Empathy said happily as he finished exiting.

"Do I embarrass you?" Rainbow asked, sounding hurt.

Charlotte groaned. Why was she so bad at this?

"I'm embarrassed, but not by you," she said.

"Then what are you embarrassed about?" Rainbow asked. She sounded genuinely curious, perhaps worried, but not skeptical.

How to explain this? "I would be embarrassed with anyone in this situation. My sisters always teased me about relationships or my lack of them. Every time there was any girl that I showed even the smallest signs of interest in, I heard the teasing. It was just normal sibling teasing. We all teased each other about things all the time. However, Sunset…she would make all these other comments about her past and how she screwed up. It always felt like she was dumping all this pressure on me to be perfect regarding relationships– not that any relationship was happening when I was living at Wabash, but still. I still feel that pressure, even though that doesn't make sense…plus the threat of teasing still gives me a kneejerk reaction, but I can get over that feeling much easier than the stuff I inherited from Sunset's talks."

Rainbow hung her head. "So you don't want to pursue any relationship with me? That's alright. I understand."

"That's not what I meant!" Charlotte yelled in frustration. "I meant that as much as I want to jump in and throw caution to the wind like my body cries for me to do whenever we're the same species, I want to take it slow and do it right. I want us to spend more time together, get to where we can talk about the stuff that hurts, and learn who we're becoming. You're right; you aren't the Rainbow Brite I saw on TV as a kid. You're out doing things for the first time in decades, and you'll become someone new as you take in all these new experiences. I'm learning who I am too. I always saw myself as the pale imitation of Sunset Blessing, but that's not who I want to be. I want us to learn who we are, build our confidence in ourselves, and then decide that the other person is someone we want to do all that other stuff with. Does that make sense?"

Rainbow hung her head as she nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense." Not the upbeat answer that Charlotte was hoping for.

Blanche walked into the cavern with Empathy practically chasing her down.

"Miss Charlotte wants privacy!" Empathy fussed as he followed the kirin.

"I don't care," Blanche hissed at him. "Hey, Charlotte, Rainbow, have either of you seen our resident psychopath around?"

"Who?" Rainbow asked in confusion.

Lanche glared. "Sunset Blessing– have you seen her?"

Rainbow shook her head. "I thought she was resting. Heavyheart had taken her somewhere. You should ask her."

"That's the last I saw of her, too," Charlotte answered.

Blanche stomped. "The hippo claims she doesn't know where Sunset is. Heavyheart says she left her in a cavern to lep, but when I checked the cavern, there was no sign of her. No one else has seen her."

Charlotte stood up. "Great, what the hell is she up to now? We all knew she was plotting something. I didn't expect her to be already doing crap."

"Maybe she isn't doing anything. Perhaps she took a walk," Rainbow suggested.

"Took a walk?!" Blanche yelled and went full nirik. Charlotte, Rainbow, and Empathy all jumped back in fear.

Luckily, one of the Autobots must have been close by and a quick thinker because she was immediately doused by some sort of chemical extinguishment. That reverted her back to kirin, and she stood there, stunned and blinking for a few seconds before reaching for her talisman.

"Okay, enough of this. I'm going back to being a human. Being a kirin has been nothing but a hindrance, and the novelty has long since worn off. I'll take my chances of getting injured over this any day," Blanche announced as she switched the setting.

She reverted to her human form and didn't lose her balance due to the sudden reversion. She stood up, still covered in goop, and took a deep breath.

"Now that I don't have to worry about my temper being on overdrive, I'm going to nicely ask you to help me look for your duplicitous double," Blanche said as she wiped the muck off herself. "I've been searching this whole place, and I'm running out of places to search. I'm almost ready to say that she has flown the coop, but I don't want to say it until I have proven she isn't here. I knew that unicorn was up to something; I just didn't expect her to start doing whatever that was this quickly or to abandon us to do it."

Charlotte was shocked at the speed that Sunset had moved as well. Yeah, she could tell her other self had been planning something, but her making a move as soon as she arrived was never on the radar. It was pretty clear what Sunset wanted– Sunset wanted revenge. The old mare was probably hatching a plot to level Care-A-Lot and kill everyone in it, another monstrous act in a long line of them. The question would be if it would save this world. The Decepticons would still be there. The Autobots could fight them without fear of the care bears if Sunset killed all the bears, but it would still be a long, drawn-out war. How much more could this world take? Did anyone have a plan on how to bring it to an end?

She frowned. Yes, there was a plan. Free the bears from Dark Heart's influence and use them on the Decepticons. She wasn't sure about the morals of freeing the minds of some to control the minds of others, but that was the answer.

It was an answer that couldn't work if Sunset had her vengeance.

Charlotte started moving. "I'll help you look, but I doubt we'll find her. The Autobots should probably be scouting Care-A-Lot to see when it falls from the sky."

"Why would Care-A-Lot fall from the sky?"

They all turned to see Sunset Blessing had stepped into the cavern entrance.

"Where have you been?" Blanche demanded.

"I took a walk," Sunset replied dismissively. "Now, why is Care-A-Lot going to fall from the sky?"

Blanche gave the unicorn a close examination. "A walk where? You've got dust and dirt all over you."

Sunset smiled. "I didn't say I took a bath. I said I took a walk. I know human hearing is inferior to pony hearing, but please try to listen, though you do bring up a good point. After someone tells me why Care-A-Lot will fall from the sky, I would love to know where I can bathe. I didn't notice any facilities for that on my walk."

"They thought you would run off alone and destroy Care-A-Lot," Rainbow explained.

Sunset cocked her head. "Now, why would I do that? I promised not to kill any bears. That sounds very much like the opposite of that."

Blanche pointed at her. "Don't get coy, Blessing. We all know you're plotting something."

"Well, I am," Sunset replied. "I'm plotting to take a bath. Shouldn't you be in the process of planning something with the Autobots and the intuit? You're in charge of our little group, are you not? I was just walking around and taking in the sights. Watching transformers in action is such a wonder to a fangirl like myself. You must have been in the wrong places at the wrong times."

Blanche could be seen grinding her teeth. "I don't trust you, Blessing. You've always had a habit of just being at places or not being at places, even back when I was in college. I don't believe for a second that your presence or lack thereof is ever a coincidence."

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "I think everyone can fit that description. Everyone is always somewhere or not somewhere for a reason. You are so paranoid. Paranoia can be helpful, but I'd advise that paranoia be turned on our enemies, not me. Anyway, I need a bath. I'm going to find that hippo. She is good at finding what I want without smothering me with attention."

The unicorn walked off, leaving the rest of them just staring at the empty space.

"As I said, she just took a walk," Rainbow said with satisfaction.

Charlotte shook her head. "How much dirt and dust did you pick up walking through the tunnels? Not as much as she has on her now, and she wasn't walking most of the way here; she was on Starlight's back."

"She's been up on the surface. The question is, doing what?" Blanche replied, then shook her head in frustration and started muttering. "Damn it, Blessing. We don't have time for whatever you're plotting."

Charlotte looked in the direction Sunset had gone. "I'll talk to her and see if I can wiggle anything out of her. I know her buttons better than just about anyone. She's not the only one who can play those games."

Blanche glanced at Charlotte. "Don't get her too riled up. I'm aware of her legendary temper and her penchant for doing reckless things when angry. I don't want her doing anything stupid because she's angry."

"I'll be careful," Charlotte assured her.

Time to find out what Sunset was up to.

Chapter 2.25: Hippos, Sheep, and Quintessons

Charlotte wasn't very shocked when she found that Sunset was taking a shower. The shower was closed and hooked up to some machinery. From what she could tell, it wasn't using that much water but was repeatedly cycling the same water through some sort of filtration and heating system. The tank couldn't have held more than ten gallons of water, but it moved the water through the system exceedingly fast. The shower was big enough for all but the most oversized Autobots to enter, and Sunset looked comically small in its massive chamber. It being sealed meant Charlotte had to wait for her other self to finish.

There had been an Autobot here a moment ago, but he had walked away from the area as Charlotte had come near. Now the only other person close by was Heavyheart, who stood on a giant metal crate so she could reach the shower controls and was monitoring Sunset's shower.

"You know how to operate the Autobots' equipment?" Charlotte asked as she came beside the hippo.

Heavyheart nodded. "Not all of their gadgets, but a great number of them. When I arrived here, it seemed pragmatic to learn how to use the machines I was surrounded by. Some are still too complex or dangerous for me, but I continue my education daily."

"What are you monitoring on these controls right now?" Charlotte asked as she looked at the dials, buttons, and readouts– none of which made sense to her.

Heavyheart pointed to one reading. "This tracks how hard the water is hitting Sunset Blessing. More force cleans better, but too much can injure her. The Autobots have considerably higher force settings for when they need cleaning." She pointed at another reading. "This tracks the temperature." She pointed to yet another. "This tracks how much dirt and grime has been collected by the filtration system. When it is still rising steadily, I know she is not yet clean. When it stops increasing, I know she is clean, and I can end the shower."

"What do you do with the dirt and grime after it is all collected in the filter?" Charlotte asked.

Heavyheart frowned. "I don't know. I'm assuming the Autobots dump it somewhere or use it for something else…I don't know the best answer. I apologize for not being able to answer that question."

"You don't need to apologize. You aren't anyone's servant," Charlotte replied. "Speaking of which, I'm guessing you're trying to butter her up so she'll give you what you want."

Heavyheart's little ears fluttered. "Can you rephrase that? Your wording did not come across correctly."

"You're being nice to her and serving her so she'll transform you," Charlotte replied.

"If it helps in our liberation from serving the humans, yes," Heavyheart nodded. She then frowned. "Do you know something about giant lizards that died from a big rock falling from the sky?"

Charlotte blinked. "Yeah…dinosaurs are what they were called. I'm guessing Sunset told you about them. Why were you talking about that?"

"She said that long ago, your world was hit by a giant rock, and it caused the extinction of the dominant species, which were these dinosaurs. She said your great thinkers used to think that they all died out within a few hundred years of it happening, it now they understand that while it happened relatively quickly in regard to how long they ruled, it didn't happen all at once, and the dinosaurs died out over the next few million years. She said the big land and air ones died first, then most of the smaller land ones, then the big sea ones, then, at last, the smaller sea ones and the smaller land ones were out-competed for food by new creatures and died, leaving only the small air ones alive. Is this true?"

Charlotte shrugged. "I know the small air ones are birds, and they lived, and all the rest died, but I don't know what died when. I always heard that the asteroid…the big rock…just wiped them out. They don't talk about gradual death over time. I always heard triceratops were the last to die, but she could have better information– who am I kidding; she has more knowledge than me. Why did she bring this up?"

Heavyheart adjusted some dials. The water stopped, and a drying process began. "Because she said an asteroid might have as well hit this world based on its condition, and the dominant species will face the same fate."

Well, that was morbid but in line with Sunset's previous pronouncements regarding this world, so not a surprise. Charlotte didn't disagree. She'd seen the surface and walked through it for days. She imagined the world would have been better off with a nuclear war than whatever the Decepticons had done to it. Even if they were defeated tomorrow, the damage would last for centuries, if not thousands or even millions of years. Defeating Dark Heart, the Decepticons, and the care bears wouldn't fix this place. She didn't know if every pony living all working together could improve this place. Not even Wild Growth in her heyday could make this world bloom.

She watched the drying process, which seemed like it would take as long as the shower, and she let her mind drift, not to how to confront Sunset, but to the misery and hopelessness that seemed to be everywhere. This world was as good as dead. She questioned why the intuits and Autobots still fought for it. Rainbow's whole universe was a frozen tomb. The Devourers, a force that had annihilated countless worlds and civilizations, were on their way to Earth. She was meeting all her childhood toys, and all she saw was misery and death. Where was the hope? Where was the joy?

"Penny for your thoughts, dear?"

Charlotte blinked again and looked at Sunset Blessing, now out of the shower, watching her.

She shook her head. "It's nothing; I was just letting my thoughts wander."

"About Rainbow Brite, I assume," Sunset said as she sat down. "Your talk didn't seem to be going well. It seemed like you matured before she did. I would say I'm proud of how much you've grown up, but that won't make you feel any better about it."

"No, I wasn't thinking about her," Charlotte replied tiredly. She looked at her other self. "When does it get better? When does everything everywhere stop being some hopeless thing?"

Sunset frowned. "I was expecting you to try to pressure information out of me, maybe try to make me mad. That's what I would try, and you're me. Count me as surprised you did something else. I wish it was a pleasant one."

Heavyheart rubbed her hands together nervously as she looked at Charlotte. Sunset took notice.

"Wondering if you need to serve or not?" Sunset asked the hippo.

Heavyheart gulped. "I'm divided. Service is sustenance, sustenance I have been without for my whole life, but I don't want to be forced to serve because I need it. Such service is slavery."

Charlotte looked at Sunset and gestured at Heavyheart. "See? Nothing but misery! I'm so sick of misery!"

Sunset looked at Heavyheart and sighed. "You have served enough. I didn't intend to do this yet, but my younger half is correct. There needs to be some relief. Gather the intuits who want to change."

Heavyheart and Charlotte both gasped. Sunset said that she would need more time to figure out how to…Sunset had lied again. Why was Charlotte even shocked at this point? She probably knew how to do this when she had just studied Empathy.

"Now?! You're going to do this n-now? Is…is this real or some kind of trick?" Heavyheart asked in a quivering voice.

Sunset looked her in the eyes. "Gather the ones who want it. Do not try to pressure anyone else into joining you. If they don't want it, it won't work, and the spell will hurt them. This is about free will. You ask them once and no more. If they follow you but seem like they aren't committed to this path, you tell them not to come. I'm sure you don't want them hurt because they were uncertain that they wanted this. Do you understand me?"

Heavyheart nodded stiffly. "I understand. I will do so. We shall await you in the main cavern."

Charlotte watched Heavyheart hurry away and then glared at Sunset.

"Were you planning on holding that as some sort of leverage to get something from them?" she demanded. "Would you have kept holding it as leverage if I hadn't said something?"

"I got what I needed from them already, but I shall not tell you or anyone else what I got from them," Sunset replied. "I had planned on waiting. I believed transforming them was an unneeded distraction at this juncture, but I think I was wrong. We need a happy distraction, a little less nihilistic feeling for a while."

Sunset got closer and spoke in a low voice. "Which saddens me to have to advise you of the next thing."

Charlotte licked her lips. "What did you do?"

"Me?" Sunset asked mirthlessly. She shook her head. "I have done nothing. The truth is that this world can no longer sustain the complex ecosystems needed for a civilization to exist. It will take hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of years, for this planet to recover. However, some intuit can remain in their little Garden of Eden in the Forest of Feelings to wait out the eons until the world is again habitable if they are insistent on doing so. Those I change cannot stay. Those few places of refuge are designed for a population that never grows. You must get them off this world, or they will deplete everything that remains."

Charlotte furrowed her brow. "What about the humans?"

Sunset turned away and walked towards the main cavern.

"Sunset! What about the humans?" Charlotte repeated harshly, but the pony ignored her. Why did she bother asking? She knew Sunset thought the humans on this planet were a lost cause. The unicorn was ready to leave them for dead.

She followed Sunset into the main chamber and quickly lost sight of her because the section was packed to the gills with Autobots. Her other self was small enough to navigate under all of these bots, but Charlotte was too tall. The only thing she could see was Autobot ass, lots and lots of shiny Autobot ass. Luckily, she could still hear.

"Haven't we lost enough o our numbers without this?"

"This is our hope for the future. Do not try to stop us!"

Charlotte was reasonably sure it was Bright Heart who was objecting to what was happening. She'd heard the raccoon speak enough that she knew his voice. It wasn't surprising. He was the one who seemed most eager to reunite the intuits with the native humans, even knowing the challenges they would face. The question was, how many intuits were on each side of this argument?

The closest Autobot to her turned and looked at her. She thought she recognized him from the old cartoon but couldn't recall his name. He was the one that transformed into an ambulance in the cartoon, though she had no idea if that held true in this world.

"Want a better view?" the Autobot asked. "I can lift you on my shoulder so you can see."

Getting lifted on someone's shoulders like a small child? Sure, why not? Who needed dignity?

"Yeah, I'd appreciate it," Charlotte said with a nod. The red and white Aitoot reached down and picked her up. It didn't take much adjustment to get settled with an Autobot head between her legs.

Seven intuits, including Heavyheart, gathered in the center of the cavern. Sunset Blessing was just finishing making her way through the crowd. Blanche and Tempest, who were part of the crowd immediately surrounding the intuits, seem to have been arguing with each other up to that point, but Sunset's arrival turned Blanche's to her. Most of the rest of the immediate circle was more intuits who looked at their compatriots with a mix of sadness and fret. The Autobots made up all the rest of the crowd, and there had to have been at least two dozen of them. She couldn't see Rainbow or Starlight, but it was hard to see anything past the bots. Optimus Prime stood to the side with his arms crossed, and she got the impression he was doing his best to remain neutral in his argument.

"What are you thinking?!" Blanche demanded as Sunset cleared the Autobots. "We need every one of these intuits and more to help with the humans. This world is designed for this kind of bond."

"I think that they deserve self-determination, " Sunset answered calmly. "And their numbers were never high enough to handle all the humans. I suspect they were meant to help make the leaders more emotionally stable, and Dark Heart proves they were not effective enough at that."

"I don't disagree with you, Blessing, but do you even have the knowledge to do this without your library and workshop?" Tempest asked.

Sunset looked at her like she had just asked if Sunset knew how to breathe. "I spent the first several years of my pony life trying to find this spell. I studied it non-stop in my quest to create temporary transformation. Do you think that, at this point, I don't know it by heart?"

"So you intend to turn them into ponies, not humans?" Tempest asked.

Heavyheart answered for her. "I told her it would be better if we weren't human. Becoming human would make those who do not choose to change our slaves. We desire liberation, and that is not accomplished by enslaving others."

Empathy pushed through the crowds and held his hands out to Heavyheart. "But what about us? You are abandoning us. You're my intended. Our lines will die….I will be alone. We are supposed to be together."

Heavyheart gave him a sympathetic look. "As I told you before, that is another form of slavery. You did not choose me or I you. It was determined for us long before birth, back at the time of the firsts in our lines. This is not what love should be. Love should be a product of free will. It saddens me that you're choosing to stay an intuit because I would have liked the opportunity to explore a true relationship with you like humans do with each other, but it is clear this is not what you desire. It makes my heart heavy, but it shall not change my mind."

"We were made for an important purpose. Are you going to let that purpose go away?" Bright Heart demanded.

Heavyheart gave him a firm look. "I believe we were created with good intentions. Our creator gave us a wonderful place to live and a fulfilling mission. However, he is long dead, and those we were meant to serve may never rise again. Even if they do, we can still aid them if we are changed, if that is what we choose to do. They survived long before we came along, and they must learn to survive without us. Perhaps the Cloudkeeper would agree with what we do now. Perhaps he only made us the way we are because that was the best he could do, and he could not create something beyond golems. He was not a quintesson. He was a flawed imitator."

Wait? What was a quintesson? Empathy never spoke of anything called that. None of these Autobots or intuit had mentioned anything called that before, either. Bright Heart gasped and stepped back when she mentioned it. Even the Autobots looked uncomfortable about it.

"You should not mention the quintesson. You'll draw its attention," Bright Heart said.

"There is no need to fear it, my friend. It is not all-seeing or deliberately malicious. Its abilities should not be quoted as perfection either; even the quintesson is flawed," Optimus Prime said. "It failed to anticipate the flaw in the Deception programming…and now chooses to ignore it. It did not act or respond when Unicron malfunctioned. The quintesson is an amoral being that keeps its own council and purposes. Plus, even though it was created before the foundation of the universe, it is still a construct made in its creator's image. It is not its creator. There is nothing divine about it."

Blanche took a deep breath. "We need to discuss this quintesson creature after we're done here, but for right now, Sunset, you must desist. You can't play god with these creatures."

Sunset sighed and shook her head. "Those who are most lost try to declare the intentions of God most often."

Blanche stepped towards Sunset. "Why are you spouting off religious babble?"

The unicorn smiled. "No, not religious. The religious try to mandate God's will, for they least understand it. All you unfaithful wish to say this is not what it intended, that it is an abomination, that such and such goes against the grand plan– a plan dictated not by God but by those who try to speak for him. I may be upsetting someone's plan, but not God's."

"We will not spend time listening to you preach, Blessing! This is not happening," Blanche said with a stomp.

"With all due respect, Miss Laurent, you don't get to make that call," Sunset said with a smirk. She then looked at Optimus Prime. "Are the Autobots going to stand in the way of what these intuit wish?" She looked at Bright Heart. "Are you going to try to physically stop me if they don't listen to you?" She returned her gaze to Blanche. "And will you stop the natives from doing what they feel is best for themselves? Who are you to dictate their affairs? They asked me for help. I'm not imposing anything on them."

"We shall not interfere with intuit matters. We shall protect them and keep them safe, but we will not tell them what they can or cannot do unless it jeopardizes others," Optimus Prime announced. "I have seen no evidence that this will harm anyone."

"We know very little about it, only what these aliens have told us," Bright Heart countered. He then returned his attention to Heavyheart. "I propose a compromise. You, and only you, undergo this transformation. We can observe you over the next month, as can those currently interested in it. That way, they can make a more informed decision about what to do."

Heavyheart scowled and then looked at her compatriots. "That wouldn't be my choice. What do all of you say? Can you wait a month?"

Sunset raised a hoof. "I must interject that I'm uncertain if I will be available in a month. If you wait, you may stay waiting forever."

"Way to not pressure them," Charlotte muttered grumpily.

There was some quiet discussion among Heavyheart's followers. Charlotte was tempted to switch to being a pony so she could hear, but it was a fleeting idea.

The hippo looked back at the raccoon. "Two days. They shall observe me for two days."

"That is hardly enough time to formulate a-" Bright Heart started to counter.

"That might be the ideal amount of time," Sunset cut in. "I don't intend to stay down here longer than I have to. Caverns make me uneasy."

Tempest smirked. "It seems the preacher has another phobia other than spiders, and I'm not talking about her daughter."

Sunset scowled. "You know why I don't like them. I figured you wouldn't like caves much, either. There could always be bears in them, big ones."

Bright Heart gave them a confused look. "I assure you that there are no care bears down here."

"It isn't worth explaining," Sunset said. She shook her head and then jerked it before reaching with a hoof and rubbing her scarred area in her neck. "Damn wound. Anyway, let's get this over with. I didn't get that much sleep. Heavyheart, get over here."

Heavyheart was trembling as she stepped forward. "Is this going to hurt?"

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Is pain a deterrent from your path? That would show a lack of conviction."

"I just wanted to know what to expect. I can take the pain," Heavyheart quickly explained.

Empathy marched forward and practically butted his head against Sunset's. "You are not going to hurt Heavyheart!"

Sunset stepped back. "Interesting, there is someone you're more loyal to than my younger self. Perhaps your desire to serve also takes second fiddle. Relax; there may be some mild discomfort, but it will be brief. It should not progress into what would qualify as pain. I intend her no harm. Now, please, back up and give us both space."

Empathy reluctantly stepped back, and Heavyheart examined him as if unsure what she was looking at.

"He surprised you too. Interesting," Sunset said with a smirk. "I do need to let you know this can be reversed, but there is a time limit on that. If you receive your cutie mark, it can't be reversed. When and if you get your mark is something I can't give a timetable on. It's all about knowing what is most important to you. I got mine quickly, in less than two days, so there is a risk you won't be able to change your mind when the two days are up."

Heavyheart kept looking at Empathy without answering.

Sunset shook her head. "I recognize hesitation and doubt. I won't cast the spell on you. Your doubt interferes with the spell outcome, and I have no intention of doing you harm."

Heavyheart jerked her gaze away from Empathy and opened her mouth to object, but Sunset stuffed it with magic to silence her.

"Don't try to deny it," Sunset scolded. "We will revisit this after two days after you have considered things further." She looked at the other intuits in Heavyheart's group. "But I can take another volunteer. Anyone?"

Several intuit seemed ready to, but a mint-green sheep stepped forward first, and the rest immediately stepped back. "Um, me, please. If it isn't too much trouble." It said in what seemed barely above a whisper and could only be heard because everyone else had gone quiet.

"And you are?" Sunset asked.

"Gentle Heart, ma'am," the sheep replied, still in a quiet voice.

Sunset frowned. "I vaguely remember you from the cartoon. You didn't leave much of an impression. You don't sound very confident or eager."

Heavyheart stepped in front of Gentle Heart. "That's just the way she is! She is very quiet and shy, but you'll notice she is still the first to step forward. Just because she is nervous doesn't mean she isn't brave and confident. She's my friend, and if she stepped forward, she wants this."

Gentle Heart stepped around Heavyheart. "Please, Miss Sunset Blessing, my intended is dead. My line cannot continue as it stands. Heavyheart and I discussed continuing our lines together, but that was before Empathy was found alive. I was very happy for her when he returned, but now I have no one. It isn't about servitude for me. I'm still willing to serve, but I want to have a baby someday. I'm willing to change anything about myself to get that, including my species. I thought I was out of options and would never know motherhood, but then I learned of you and your magic. Please, there is no future for me without this. I'll continue to serve without getting anything in return, but I want a chance at a family."

"You know this does not guarantee you a mate, just the possibility of more options, correct?" Sunset asked. "I want there to be no confusion or false promises."

Gentle Heart nodded. "I understand. It is still more than I have now. Hope is worth it."

"Very well. I'm convinced you're a hundred percent committed, and that's what I needed," Sunset said. "I ask everyone else to stand back and give the sheep space. This will be a slower process than the temporary spell and take several minutes. You are all welcome to observe; I even invite you to so you know I am doing her no harm, but do not interfere or get too loud."

The rest of the intuits moved back among the crowd, leaving just Sunset and Gentle Heart standing in the center of the area with everyone watching them. Gentle Heart seemed to get more nervous as she looked around, but that could easily be chalked up to her being shy and not liking being the center of attention. Sunset was busy drawing several runes in the dirt, which was uncommon for her spellcasting. Charlotte had only seen her other self do this with extremely complex spells, and even that rarely, since Sunset typically would use her workshop to assist with those.

Sunset finished her drawing and scrutinized her work before making minor adjustments. She then looked at Gentle Heart.

"I will need to put you to sleep for this. Well…technically, in theory, I don't, but it is highly advisable that you are asleep. Actively experiencing your body reshaping yourself is uncomfortable and highly disturbing. I doubt you want to be mentally traumatized by the experience. You sleep and then wake up a pony."

Gentle Heart nodded. "Yes, that seems like a good idea. What kind of pony will I be? You and your friends all seem to have very different features."

Sunset shook her head. "I don't know. The spell takes what's in your head and picks out a tribe based on what it feels is most appropriate. There are so many factors involved, and I know so little about you, that I cannot reasonably predict what tribe you'll end up in. I have no bearing on what the outcome will be. Try as I might, I never could crack the spell coding for that, but the designer of this spell spent the better part of several decades working out its intricacies. I have spent a mere fraction of that time trying to determine how to adjust all factors and am unlikely to spend any more. Are you ready for me to put you to sleep?"

Gentle Heart nodded and shyly smiled. "Yes, ma'am, and thank you."

"We begin then," Sunset replied. She then lit her horn, and the sheep slowly settled to the ground and laid down her head.

The unicorn kept her horn lit, but the runes she had drawn on the ground now lit, and a circle of magic surrounded Gentle Heart before the sheep started glowing. Everyone watched in fascination. Even among the Earthlings, Sunset might have been the only one who had ever seen this spell in full effect. Blanche might have seen it in slow motion over the course of weeks, but not like this.

After five minutes of watching, Charlotte's head briefly dipped. This might have been the fast-forwarded version compared to the ETS of old, but it was still painful trying to watch gradual changes. At this point, Gentle Heart's tail had grown in size and hair from a small stubby green thing to a long creamy white thing. Her ears had adjusted shape and position slightly, and her hair had gone from what Charlotte would call a cute little green afro to a full mane in the same creamy white as the tail. As for bodily changes, it was harder to say. Her fur color hadn't changed from the mint green color other than the tail and mane. She might have grown in size slightly, maybe.

Then a tiny horn sprouted out of her mane and slowly grew as Charlotte tried to determine if the intuit's size had changed. Well, guess they now knew what tribe Gentle Heart was going to be. Charlotte yawned.

The Autobot she was perched on turned his head to look at her. "Getting tired? Would you like to get down? I don't want you falling asleep and falling off me. I know how to patch up a human, but I prefer not to have to."

She didn't have to think about it much. "Yeah, you may as well let me down. I was waiting to see what tribe she'd be, and now I've seen the horn. This seems like it will take a while, and I've seen plenty of mint-green unicorns before. I know Sunset won't mess this up."

"Alright, will do. Hold still; I'm going to lift you down," the Autobot replied. He reached for her with both hands, gently grabbed her arms, and hoisted her off his shoulders and softly down to the ground.

"Thanks, um, I don't know your name," she said with mild embarrassment.

"Ratchet," the Autobot replied. "If you have any medical or technology concerns, feel free to consult me. I will continue to observe this process, as it is a fascinating medical treatment."

"Have fun, Ratchet," she said and started walking away. She got about five steps before Rainbow and Starlight cut her off.

"Charlotte, is the quintesson important?" Rainbow asked hurriedly.

Charlotte blinked. "I don't know. It seems like something Sunset would be interested in. Blanche seems interested in it."

"I've seen it; Starlight and I both have," Rainbow said in a rush.

Huh? "Where did you see it? You've been with us the whole time."

Rainbow exchanged a look with Starlight, then hung her head as she turned back towards Charlotte.

"It had been guarding Spectra before Spectra was stolen."

What the hell? Why was their weird thing in Rainbow's universe? Charlotte barely recalled the name from Sunset going on about transformers, so it had to be a transformer of some type or at least related to them. What was it doing in a different universe than the transformers?

"We'll tell Blanche as soon as we can about this," Charlotte replied. She hoped this wasn't going to end up with her having to go back to that frozen place.

Chapter 2.26: Five Faces, Four Places

Blanche, Tempest, Charlotte, Optimus Prime, Bright Heart, and Rainbow Brite watched the intuits touch and talk to Gentle Heart excitedly. The newly minted mint-green unicorn seemed to be taking it in stride, but she was obviously profoundly uncomfortable with all the attention. Even if a person weren't shy, they wouldn't want crowds of people running their grubby little paws all over them. She got that the intuit were in awe of her and what she represented, and they wanted to find out all they could about her new form, but they were going to cause the shy pony a nervous break. If that were Phobia, Tempest would beat some intuit to a pulp. If that were Rebecca, Blanche might be doing the same– even after years of service and friendship, it was hard to say how Rebecca would react to things sometimes, so it was uncertain if Blanche would be bloodying intuit or rolling her eyes in that circumstance.

"Can't you do something about your comrades?" she asked Bright Heart. "They're practically smothering her."

Bright Heart sadly shook his head. "That group pays me no heed. Heavyheart is who we need, but she's unavailable. She and Empathy went to one of the private caverns and haven't come out yet. I should be happy about that. It's a sign their relationship might be mended, but I wish she would prioritize this."

Blanche looked at Tempest. "Can't you go pony mode and say you must teach her how to use her horn? That might make them back off."

Tempest frowned. "A good idea…except…most of my experience using my horn was when it was shattered, and the primary thing it did was blow shit up. Although I know how to use my horn properly, I would be nervous about accidentally slipping into how I have typically used my shattered horn due to reflexes. However, Charlotte might be a better option for teaching her."

"Me?" Charlotte asked in dismay. "I'm hardly a magic expert."

"We don't need an expert; we need someone who can show her the basics, and you know that much," Tempest replied. She then gave Charlotte a slight smirk. "And you also bear a striking resemblance to Sunset Blessing while in pony form, and these creatures hold her in the highest regard right now. They may listen to you. You want to help our little lamb get some peace, right?"

"I'm sure Gentle Heart will be much more comfortable dealing with you than all this," Rainbow said, gesturing with a wing at the intuit crowd.

Charlotte pouted. "But I wanted to hear about this quintesson thing."

"You can hear about it later. It isn't going to hurt anything for you to wait to find out. Go help that unicorn out. That's an order from your commanding officer," Blanche said firmly.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "This isn't the army, but fine. I feel bad for her, and I suppose I know how to explain basic levitation and grabbing things well enough. I'd rather do it than have Sunset do it. Sunset would have her crying in five minutes."

"Actually, she might do better. My understanding is she is much harsher on you than she is on others she is instructing. You get to be a virtual punching bag representing herself," Tempest replied. "Unfortunately, she's managed to get out of cleaning up after herself by going to bed. You're our best option."

"Nothing like a reminder Sunset treats me worse than others," Charlotte muttered, but then adjusted the settings on her talisman, quickly shifting to what looked like a much younger and less damaged Sunset Blessing.

Charlotte marched purposefully towards the intuits. "Hey! I know you all want to talk to Gentle Heart and discover what being a pony is like. It is very exciting to see and learn more about, but she needs some time to learn how to use that horn on her head since it is her primary tool. None of you want to be close by for that."

"Why?" a monkey intuit asked.

"Because she isn't going to start with great control, and you don't want to be in range if she accidentally throws something or drops something with her magic that she was only trying to move a short distance," Charlotte calmly explained. "Plus, you're making her nervous. I don't know a lot of shy ponies, but I get the impression she might be one of the rare ones who are– and that's okay. She'll learn better without the extra stress."

The intuits backed away from Gentle Heart, and the unicorn seemed visibly relieved.

Blanche had to smile. "You know, I think that girl would make a good teacher. No offense, Bright Heart, but most intuits I have seen, with a few notable exceptions, like you and Heavyheart, are childlike. I could see Charlotte handling a class of young students well."

"Sunset Blessing deals well with children, so it is no surprise. Her natural talent dealing with them is part of why the princesses installed Sunset Blessing as the headmare of Celestia's school. However, Charlotte's wasted potential is not what we are here to discuss," Tempest said as they watched Charlotte quietly lead Gentle Heart to a more secluded part of the compound.

Blanche nodded and looked at Optimus Prime. "We'll decide if the quintesson in the other universe is something we must worry about later. I suspect you know more than Rainbow Brite and Starlight about these things." She looked at Rainbow Brite. "Where is your steed anyway?"

"He struck up a conversation with one of the Autobots, Bumblebee. They seem to have connected, and Bumblebee offered to show him around the compound," Rainbow answered. "It's good that he's making friends."

Optimus gestured with a hand. "Bumblebee can be a dedicated compatriot and friend, though he can sometimes be headstrong, proud, and reckless."

"Sounds like the type of friend our proud horse would appreciate," Tempest muttered.

Blanche sighed. "Let's count that as improving diplomatic ties. Anyway, can you brief us about the quintesson, Optimus?"

Optimus Prime held out his hand, and a holographic image appeared above it. The creature was depicted as a three-dimensional model. Its body was compact, almost egg-shaped. There were five vaguely humanoid faces on the thing, each facing a different direction and each with a distinct outline of headgear. Beneath each face was a small bay with a tentacle. The projection showed the appendages extending and retracting back into the monster.

"Three of the five faces are non-responsive," Optimus Prime explained. "One had been non-functional for as long as we can remember. One failed one thousand five hundred and twelve cycles ago. Another failed ninety cycles ago. Another face is malfunctioning, constantly stating that it is trying to establish contact with the other faces, announcing communication failed with the non-responsive faces, then trying again to establish a connection. The final face can communicate, but it is not friendly. It guarded the Allspark for ages before entrusting it to me. I entrusted it to the Cloudkeeper, and he returned the Allspark to the quintesson. Dark Heart later seized it from the quintesson, although I am unsure how."

"The one in my universe looked the same, but it had three active faces. One of the faces was constantly saying it couldn't make contact with two of the faces but didn't say anything about the other two faces that were working," Rainbow Brite said. "It was guarding the Heart of Spectra. Princess killed it right in front of me."

"How many cycles ago was your encounter with the quintesson?" Bright Heart asked. "Was it about ninety cycles ago?"

Rainbow shook her head. "I don't know. I know it was close to a century ago if Sunset Blessing is correct about how long we were alone."

Tempest stared at the hologram. "So…it is the same creature, operating in five places simultaneously? And when one of those places goes down-"

"-one of the faces goes down," Blanche concluded.

Bright Heart shook his head. "No, only four places. One of the faces seems to be only for maintaining communication among the others."

"So, if one is here, and one was in Rainbow Bright's world, where were the other two?" Blanche asked.

"One may have been in Equestria," Tempest said, and they all looked at her. "I don't know the exact time adjustment for years, but the time when the other one went down seems suspiciously close to when the unicorns seized the Sunstone. The records from that time are patchy, but there's stories they fought a monster with five heads to get it."

Blanche frowned. "Let's not jump to conclusions. We'd need to talk to this thing to find out more information. Let's not tell Sunset about it, at least for now. I don't trust the preacher not to go out searching for these things on her own. If they communicate between universes and are all guardians of powerful magical relics, she wouldn't be able to resist. She's supposed to be our sword to swing, but she is a very difficult sword to control. Let's not do anything that makes her even more difficult."

Optimus Prime turned the hologram off and lowered his hand. "Speaking with the quintesson may prove impossible. It does not wish to be disturbed. However, your friends are the ones who would be the ones to contact it if it is possible. They are in its lair right now."

Phobia panted with exhaustion. It was a dream, so there was no physical exhaustion, but there was mental and emotional exhaustion. It had been a never-ending ordeal every time she had slept since coming to this new world. Once again, she had failed to face her fears. Once again, she had banished the nightmare instead of facing it.

Now she sat in the remnants of the dream. She was in the one room in the house in Skytree that she had always refused to enter. It was empty, and she didn't know what it actually looked like at this point. Tempest had made it her room for years, and it had been used as a sort of barracks for the night pony mares after Tempest had retired. Now her son owned the house. Maybe he took this room for a bedroom since it was supposed to be the master bedroom, or perhaps he had converted it to a playroom for his foals, or maybe he let it sit empty, unwilling to venture into the room in which he was violently conceived. That she could stand to sit in this room, even in a dream, was a small victory, but still, the monster it housed was too much for her.

"You are not of this universe."

"Attempting to connect to Fedahk… unable to connect. Attempting to connect to Pytr… unable to connect. Attempting to connect to Gkrel… unable to connect. Attempting to connect to Juoph… connected. Attempting to connect to Fedahk…."

She turned to look upon a five-faced being with no legs but two tentacles. It was machine in nature, but each face was a monstrous aspect with sharp fangs and elongated features, resembling a human face in symmetry alone. The one that faced her had red glowing eyes and what appeared to be the outline of a spiked helmet. The one that even now continued to repeat its dirge of failures to connect had similar features but had something similar to a turban instead of a helmet. The last three faces sat lifeless, with eyes gone dark and obscured by dust.

"So, my theory is right. You're a construct from Qo'per'he," Phobia said as she turned to face the lesser dreamer. "And it seems that machines can dream."

"Attempting to connect to Fedahk… unable to connect. Attempting to connect to Pytr… unable to connect. Attempting to connect to Gkrel… unable to connect. Attempting to connect to Juoph… connected. Attempting to connect to Fedahk…." One face continued to prattle on as the other active face studied her with interest. The prattler's eyes seemed to seek her out as well, indicating some intelligence still remained despite the malfunction.

"You know of Qo'per'he?" the face asked skeptically. "Did something of that world survive?"

Phobia shook her head. "Only you and your fellow machines, although your other face seems to indicate they are gone now as well, as do their vacant expressions."

"Attempting to connect to Gkrel… unable to connect. Attempting to connect to Juoph…" the other face continued.

She sighed. "I'm assuming I am speaking to the face of Juoph." She gestured with a wing, and the other face went silent. It didn't stop its recitation. Its mouth was still moving, but it could no longer be heard.

The helmeted head smiled. "Yes, that is my name, and thank you for silencing Yew. I have grown so tired of that ceaseless litany. I have often considered physically cutting him off to bring an end to it, but then I would be truly alone, and my desire for Yew's company, such as it is, outweighs my desire to silence him. I sometimes shove his mouth full of rocks, but he chews them up when I do and goes right back to reminding me that the others are likely dead or that Yew's other faces have all been terminated. The second option is the more hopeful, even if I don't believe it."

"I have vague memories from Equestria of all the faces save one being active on the unit that was there. The memory is hazy since the Dreamwarden at the time was nearing her time to go into the Eternal Dream," Phobia replied. "The memory I obtained is unclear, but it seemed like the ponies murdered that one."

The quintesson sneered. "You are a Dreamwarden? The Dreamwarden of supplemental universe prime one? Why are you in supplemental universe prime three?"

Phobia shook her head. "I'm not from Equestria, or as you put it, supplemental universe prime one. I'm from the same universe as your creator."

The quintesson hissed. "You lie! The Dreamwarden line should have ended in the master prime universe. The Devourers ended it."

"Triss seems to have salvaged the past Dreamwardens' memories somehow and given them to us," Phobia explained. "I do not know how she accomplished this, but that is how I remember your homeworld, your creators that you bear the likeness of, and their plan that they concocted with Triss. Your existence here tells me that the first few stages of that plan were indeed completed, although it seems that it has ultimately failed. The denizens of these artificial universes seemed to have been beyond your control."

Both faces seemed to go sad. "Yes, we recall the confrontations. We're unsure what happened after communication was severed, but we can only assume it was severed because Gkrel perished. We remember what must have been Pytr's last moments, too, being brutally ripped apart by the beast known as Princess. Only Fedahk's last moments are a mystery since Fedahk failed before the rest of us awoke, but we always knew that Fedahk was made for one purpose and would fail once it was completed."

"And since you lost communication with the others, you gave up," Phobia concluded.

The quintesson bobbed in place, dipping low. "With the other supplemental prime universes unable to communicate with us, we had to assume that the plan had failed." It rose into the air again. "But you tell us that at least one of the other supplemental prime universes still exists. Perhaps they have not all failed. Incursion events still indicate the master prime staging world still lacks magic but is developing technologically. There remains hope."

It suddenly fell again. "But… your origin is the master prime universe, and your words and presence here indicate you have connected with two of the supplemental prime universes, that should not be possible unless you have been to the master prime staging world, the supplemental primes are only accessible there. If you have been there, then it may have magic. This is too early, the supplementals are not ready. The plan is still a failure."

Phobia considered this. "There is another plan, and this universe may be still of use to it."

The quintesson hovered towards her. "You have our full attention."

Chapter 2.27: Changing Plans

Andrea sat, staring at the glowing magic ball in the cavern's center. Cadence sat across from her, making notes as she maintained the ball that gave the light. All the others were sleeping. It was odd to see Phobia and Josie sleeping at the same time as all the others, but on this world, it was impossible to tell day from night, so being diurnal or nocturnal lost all meaning. Andrea was a little tired since she had only slept a few hours before relieving Josie. The princess had not slept and calmly explained that, as an alicorn, she could go a week without sleep if she had to– though that was never ideal. She was nowhere near that amount of time awake and insisted on staying up to assist in keeping watch. She wanted at least two of them on the lookout while the others slept.

They were at a standstill in their trip. Andrea could look at the two branching caverns near them and see the black handprints. There was a smaller slither of a cavern halfway back, so narrow the ponies would struggle to squeeze through, with white handprints all around it. The only other way to go was the way they had come. She was glad that one cavern had white handprints; she didn't want to try to squeeze through that thing. Still, their choices were to either turn around or go through a black print cavern. They'd been traveling a while and had decided it was time to rest. They'd decide after everyone had gotten some sleep.

Andrea wished there were twigs to toss in the fire. She wished there was a fire to toss twigs in. It wasn't freezing, but it was a bit chilly in the cavern, enough to give her goosebumps. She looked at Cadence.

"So, what are you spending all that time writing?"

The princess's quill paused, and both the parchment and the quill vanished. She then smiled at Andrea. "I was writing letters for my husband and my daughter."

Andrea gave her a confused look. "We don't have any way of getting mail to them. If we get out of here, you'll see them before the letters can be delivered, so why write letters?"

Cadence giggled. "It passes the time, and it captures my thoughts at this very moment. I don't know how long we'll be away, so I can't be expected to remember everything when telling them about our adventure. These letters are more of a travel log. They can recount things so much better than me recounting events verbally– things like how I'm feeling at the moment, details about my surroundings, and things that caught my attention throughout the day. Shining and Flurry will want all the details. Flurry can be very demanding when it comes to getting every tiny bit of information. That's her aunt's influence on her, but I don't mind."

"You're that confident that we'll get back home?" Andrea asked.

The princess nodded. "We're a competent team. Our team is among the best Equestria or Earth has to offer, and we know there's a way back. Even if we fail to secure one of those universe-jumping artifacts from Care-A-Lot, your sister is still out there, and I'm sure she's not going to rest until she's reunited with us."

The mention of Charlotte soured Andrea's mood. She looked away.

"You can't keep blaming yourself for what happened," Cadence softly said. "I'm sure she is healthy. Bursa is many things, but she isn't a killer. She would not let your sister die. Bursa has two goals, and that's to reach Earth and find out her origins. I have often wondered what kind of person she would become if she achieved those things and started to move forward with her life. I understand her anger, even if I wished she would accept her new life. That she was forced to stay in Equestria was an injustice even if we tried to make it easier for her."

"Please, don't defend her. She took my sister. I don't want to hear about how she's poor, misunderstood, and persecuted," Andrea growled.

"I'm sorry. That was tone-death of me," Cadence quietly said. "I still believe your sister is alive and trying to find her way back to you. I bet she's just as worried about you. After all, you're trapped in this world while she can, in theory, move from world to world. From her perspective, she has to be worried about finally making it home only to discover you've died in her absence."

Before Andrea could reply, Phobia groaned loudly while stretching her wings. The former Dreamwarden then shook her head and got to her hooves.

"Nightmares again?" Cadence asked in a sympathetic tone.

Phobia sighed. "Yes, but only initially. I made contact with some others."

Andrea's chest clenched. "Dark Heart?"

Phobia shook her head. "No, first, the quintesson, or at least, what remains of the quintesson."

"What's a quintesson?" Cadence asked in confusion.

"The creature the Equestrians stole the Sunstone from before they broke the Sunstone's spell matrix. I met the quintesson counterparts in this world. It seems to be the last two of what had been five. The Equestrians killed one, another seems to have died relatively recently in another universe, and the third one perished on Earth approximately sixty-six million years ago," Phobia grimly replied.

Cadence still looked confused, but for once, Andrea knew what type of creature was being described.

"The quintessons were in the transformer cartoons. They are these floating robots with five faces and tentacles instead of legs or arms," Andrea explained.

Phobia nodded. "And I can add that they were a hive mind of five spread over four bodies and originated from a world that the Devourers later destroyed. Each body had one of the five faces that primarily controlled it. Two of those bodies are definitely dead, and the faces they represented with them, though we can presume it is three that are dead. They existed in four different universes, and the mind without a body maintained communications. That one is still there but seems to be malfunctioning."

"Wait…those things are native to our universe?" Andrea asked in shock. "What happened to ours? Did it die when the Devourers got its world?"

"No, it died when the asteroid it was piloting slammed into Earth and ruptured the barrier between universes so it could create three other universes," Phobia answered, then smiled at them.

"We should thank it," Phobia continued. "Without them, Equestria would never have existed, nor this world. Humanity might not have existed either since the quintessons more or less caused the extinction of the dinosaurs when their asteroid hit our planet. It takes a lot of force to create even tiny universes. Smashing a six-mile wide rock that had been gathering all the thaumic energy it could during the millions of years was traveling through space before it struck into a planet at high speed seems to be enough."

Andrea leaned back and nearly fell over before she got her hands into place. "Holy crap! So these guys nearly wiped out life on Earth? Why did they do this?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Phobia answered.

"I think that is her saying she's not going to tell us," Cadence said with annoyance. "I'm skeptical of any beings that claim they created multiple universes."

"You're just saying that because you don't want Equestria's origin to be an asteroid hitting the Earth," Andrea said with a smirk before frowning. "Although it seems like they went through a lot of trouble with this. I can't even imagine why they would do something like that. Who wakes up in the morning and says, hey, you know what sounds like a good idea? Let's wrestle up a huge-ass asteroid and aim it at a planet with a bunch of big lizards on it. Let's put some freaky robots on the thing and use the strike to punch them into another dimension. Like, why?! That makes zero sense. If you needed a big impact to create the force you needed, couldn't you hit a planet that didn't have life on it? Killing off the dinosaurs seems just needlessly cruel– not that I'm not grateful for existing, but…what the hell??"

The princess shook her head. "Who else did you speak to? You said the quintesson was the first."

"My mother; she's made it to this world," Phobia answered. "Thankfully, she permitted me to say that. She is at the Autobot base."

Andrea jumped to her feet. Her face felt like it would split from how much she was smiling. "Charlotte has to be here! That's the only way Sunset could have gotten here. We should head back to the base right away. We don't need to be here anymore."

"We aren't heading back to the base yet. We must first retrieve the quintesson," Phobia calmly replied.

"EXCUSE ME?!" Andrea yelled. "My sister is alive! I need to go to her!"

"Your sister is in a safe location if she's here," Cadence said soothingly. "It's excellent news to hear she's alright. However, we agreed to do what we can to help the Autobots and intuits." She looked at Phobia. "Which doesn't mean we will go looking for this creature. Not unless you can assure me that the quintesson will help us with that goal."

Andrea's outburst had awoken the others, and they were now silently listening to the exchange.

"It knows how to operate the Allspark. And though less important, it also knows how to operate the Sunstone," Phobia replied.

Cadence sighed. "I guess that does qualify it as worth our time. I'm not letting that thing near the Sunstone. Celestia and Luna said they already got that working again, so we don't need its aid with it. Where is this quintesson?"

"I can answer that," Shrieky cut in. "To reach the quintesson, we must go through the white caverns."

"Very bad things?" Andrea asked.

Shrieky gave a firm nod. "Very bad things."

Jordan rapidly flipped through yet another massive tome, her skimming spell looking for keywords. The skimming spell had been one of the first spells Sunset Blessing had ever taught her. It didn't seem to be the most useful spell in a world where most information was held digitally, and you could have a program search for terms you were after. That had never bothered her. She liked physical books. There was something pure about reading from a printed page rather than a screen. Even with that, she had only used the skimming spell as a glorified bookmark. The spell could find exactly where she had been as long as she could remember something from the last few sentences she had read before putting a book down. It seemed a waste, but it saved her from investing in bookmarks.

Most of what Sunset Blessing recorded about magic wasn't done digitally. It was painstakingly written down in journal after journal and always recorded privately. The old mare had been so private that many thought she didn't write anything down. The hundreds of volumes surrounding Jordan would dissuade anyone of that notion. She never imagined that there were so many spells and magic theory concepts.

What Sunset Blessing used as an organization or filing system, Jordan had no clue. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason for what spells were recorded in what book. Spells that had nothing to do with one another were often recorded side by side on the same page. There were some other oddities to how things were recorded. For one, the old mare began many of the entries with a record of who she had gotten the concept for the spell from. Concept was the term because it would record the spell or part of the spell she had borrowed and then proceed to go into length about what she had altered for what result. There were also scores of entries labeled as failed ideas that were still recorded in meticulous detail.

The origins of most of her spell concepts came from names that Jordan was most familiar with, with a few exceptions. Most of her sources were from Earth. The most prominent in terms of the number of entries was Bob the Unicorn. There were various other famous Earth mages listed as well, but in lighter numbers, along with some scattered ones that Jordan was sure had zero notoriety. Equestrians were less frequent, but when they appeared, it was almost always Starlight Glimmer, Luna, and a smattering of Twilight Sparkle and Trixie. There were also a few surprising entries that listed their origin as Triss. The Triss ones were exceedingly complex, often taking up several pages to detail how to cast the spell, and unlike most other spells, gave no indication about what they were meant to do. They were also so demanding in power that she couldn't imagine anyone but an alicorn being able to cast them, not even Starlight Glimmer, the one unicorn who might surpass Sunset Blessing in raw magical power. Why was the old mare designing spells she didn't have the ability to cast?

Another oddity was there didn't seem to be any record of transformation magic. There was a possibility Jordan just had been unlucky and hadn't yet come across any, but for a pony famous for developing temporary transformation and knowing the ETS spell, the books were oddly silent on the subject.

She sighed as she finished skimming yet another book. She then used her magic to grab another one from the shelf while simultaneously returning the other to its place. The library was no bigger than the study or one of the regular-sized bedrooms upstairs. A dozen bookshelves were against the walls, each about a yard wide and eight feet tall. Most of the shelves were filled, aside from two– one half-filled and another empty. There was a simple wooden desk made of cedar in the center of the room and a single red cushioned stool to sit on. The carpet was neon green of all colors, and white light was provided by a trio of long fluorescent bulbs on the ceiling that gave off a quiet electric hum. The desk had nothing of note, containing a bunch of pens and some blank journals, along with two different translations of the Bible that could have easily been bought at the local Walmart. The room smelled of cedar and treated paper. Compared to the workshop, this room was rather plain and unassuming.

Her skimming spell immediately caught anomalies in the text of this one. She started reading it in earnest. This wasn't a book of spells. These were star charts and lots of math. On and off, it devolved into what looked like supply lists and construction orders. All of this revolved around some place called Eris. Whatever was being built and housed there had to be massive from what was described. The star charts and math made her believe this coincided with the information Jessie had been dealing with for years for the Dreamwardens, which meant this book might be what she was looking for.

Her phone started ringing.

"Yes? Who is it? I'm a little busy right now," she said.

"Mom! The movers arrived with all the furniture. You need to come to tell them where to put things."

"Christine, things can be unloaded without my help. Your father is up there."

"He's yacking it up with the driver and not paying attention to where they're taking things. They're just unloading everything to the foyer! How am I going to get my bed to my room with all those stairs!"

"You'll just have to wait for your father and me to move it. Don't you dare try lifting something that heavy yourself. Your horn isn't strong enough yet."

"I know I'm not strong enough, but I want my bed in my room now! I need the reminder of home."

Jordan shook her head with exasperation. "Christine, I know you miss Skytree. I do too, but this is our home now. I sympathize that it is a strange and new place, and you want it to feel a little more familiar, but you need to be mature and exercise a little patience. If it is a big concern that your stuff gets to your room sooner rather than later, you could step up and try directing the movers."

"They won't listen to me. I don't have my mark. They won't listen to a kid," Christine grumpily muttered.

"The mark will come. However, being grumpy and discontent will delay it. You need to have peace with yourself," Jordan said softly.

That was technically a lie. It was possible to get a mark without having that peace, but being discontent and unhappy were known to have some correlation with getting a mark later in life, and the vast majority of the actual adult blank flanks had very troubled foalhoods. Tempest Shadow had been an example of that. Some educational studies had suggested that Equestrian foals got theirs at a slightly earlier age on average because Earth foals had far more daily stresses. Despite being far more dangerous, yearly attempts by villains and monsters to conquer were so run-of-the-mill they apparently didn't register to the everyday pony over in Equestria as much as the social, economic, and political pressures impacted Earthlings. Equestrians just felt safer and happier on average.

She wondered how the revelation that magicidal robots were going to be there soon would impact a generation of foals. They would unlikely take world-ending news with the same stride the Equestrians did. She shuddered just thinking about it.

"Can you please come help, Mom?" Christine begged again. "Aunt Jackie can't because Grandma is freaking out and being all weird again, saying that the movers are here to steal all her treasures, so Aunt Jackie is busy dealing with her."

Jordan let out a long breath as she looked at the book before her. She supposed a few hours away from the library wouldn't hurt. She hated hearing her mom was having an episode right now, and she did want to soothe her daughter. Plus, if Jackie was busy with their mom, and Blue was distracted with a conversation, she doubted the foals were being properly watched.

She closed the book. Jessie needed to be consulted anyway. While Jordan's best friend might not be able to give out details beyond what she already had, she might be able to see where this Eris place was that was referenced.

Chapter 1.29: Puzzles and Stones

Celestia's carriage rolled through the streets of Canterlot. It was a remarkably smooth ride, without too many bumps. Sunset still felt bad for the earth ponies pulling the thing. Not for how heavy it was. Their strength was one of the hallmarks of their tribe. No, she just believed it to be degrading to have them treated as beasts of burden. They probably believed it to be some kind of honor, but she was hoping electric cars managed to cross over into Equestrian use in the coming decades and end this practice.

It was just her and Celestia. Her new history teacher had been deposited in a room in the castle to get some sleep in an actual bed. It would have been useful to have her along, but it wouldn't do to have her trying to navigate the politics of the school half-awake. Sunset was already more than a bit rusty at playing these games, and having both of them not bringing their A-game would put them in a compromised position. The current staff and prospective students from noble families would be on the lookout for any signs of weakness and lack of fitness from her, and she was not prepared to risk showing them any. A school might have been a much smaller arena than the one she once was accustomed to, but this wasn't just any school. Aside from the castle, this was the heart of Canterlot, and Canterlot was the seat of Equestrian power.

"We should be arriving momentarily," Celestia announced. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay after I introduce you to the heads of staff?"

"Your presence would make them believe I rely on you as a crutch. I appreciate the offer, but they need to understand from the start that I am the one calling the shots," Sunset answered.

Celestia gave her a flat look. "I do have the power to overrule any of your decisions."

"And I hope that you respect my judgment well enough that you don't cave in to pressure when ponies go running to you crying about how I do things."

The princess frowned. "I have already forwarded on your intentions to adjust the curriculum and that you would be opening the school to kirin as well. Knowing Jimpson Weed's background, I can already guess at how you intend to adjust the history curriculum. I'm already prepared for the endless strings of protest from staff and parents that you are teaching sedition. The inclusion of kirin was met with the reluctance I expected, and the announcement did go out late, but you may see a few late applicants from that tribe. I've been assured they will get a fair assessment."

"All the more reason for me to be here sooner rather than later. I can only imagine what those fair assessments might consist of."

"If they are being given the same tests and graded the same way, that seems perfectly fair."

"Then we are in disagreement because I may end up grading on a different curve," Sunset replied.

Celestia gave her a skeptical look. "If that is the case, we shall see what results you produce before I pass judgment on that. I am happy with your decision to make the school more inclusive, and this is a big win with diplomatic relations with their tribe, but I don't want to have my school producing substandard kirin mages just for the sake of inclusion. That would only perpetuate the belief that the kirin aren't worthy of attending and set relations back. We are trying to bring the kirin fully into the Equestrian fold, not make them look like they have nothing worthwhile to offer."

"I'm well aware. I can't promise any prodigies that are at the top of their class– not in the first year, anyway, but I will assure any that get admitted do respectably," Sunset assured her. "You aren't going to fight me about the history curriculum?"

The alicorn bit her lip then shook her head. "I can live with it. There is but one thing I wish to keep omitted."

"And that is?" Sunset asked with curiosity.

Celestia looked her in the eyes. "Don't let it come out that my sister and I actually repaired the Sunstone a few years ago. I do not want the nobles getting ideas."

Sunset shrugged. "Yeah, probably best not to have them think they can do without you."

"I'm more concerned they may break the spells surrounding it again," Celestia lamented. "You have no idea how much of an undertaking repairing those spells was. Both my sister and I magically exhausted ourselves in the process. If it wasn't working after we were done, the sun and moon wouldn't have moved for days."

Sunset gaped. "It magically exhausted the two strongest alicorns? That's a hell of a lot of magic. You could possibly terraform an entire planet with that much magic, but it took that much just to get the Sunstone working?"

Celestia replied. "It is more powerful than all of us put together, and it resists being worked on. I dare say that if I knew how to make it do what I wanted, there wouldn't be a need for the sacrifices your coming spell requires. However, the only spell it seems to allow is the one that moves the sun and moon, and that one only just barely." Her gaze hardened. "Before you ask, no, you may not examine it. My sister and I are examining to see if there is a way to connect it to your spell to power it, but we will not have anypony…anyone…else messing with it and possibly breaking its surrounding spell matrix again. Our world will depend on that stone if anything happens to us. We will not doom one world for the sake of trying, and maybe not even succeeding, at saving another. Intelligent unicorns broke it once; they will not be given another opportunity, not even you."

Sunset chewed on her lip. "You know what this stone sounds like."

Celestia nodded. "I know what it sounds like. That's why we are entertaining the idea it might power your spell, but that also informs you of the level of power we are dealing with. It magically exhausted Luna and me. It would kill you, just like it slew and burned out all those unicorns long ago. Luna will consult with Triss to find out if Triss has any ideas."

"How did it even end up in Equestria?" Sunset asked. "I understand it could have crossed over during one of the leaks, but that presumes it was on Earth before that. If that stone is what it sounds like, it is very far from home."

"We don't know for sure that it is one of those stones," Celestia reminded her. "We also don't know if Earth is the only location for thaumic leaks. It stands to reason the leaks could be occurring anywhere in your universe."

"True," Sunset conceded "Although leaks happening elsewhere is so worrisome a concept that we pretend that it isn't possible just so we don't have to think about the implications. It still seems odd that one of those stones made it to Equestria if it turns out to be one. What would be the odds? I doubt even my genius niece could calculate them."

"How is she doing?" Celestia asked, changing subject. "I haven't seen a report with her name attached in a while."

Sunset grimaced. "Not surprising. She told us all to fuck off."

Celestia blinked. "I'm sorry to hear that. What prompted this?"

Sunset leaned back in her seat, suddenly feeling very tired. "She completed the equations for us a few years back, and when she handed them over, she demanded to know what she had spent the better part of her life doing. In a moment of foolishness, I told her the truth."

She went quiet, remembering the incident. Celestia waited patiently for her to continue.

Sunset licked her lips. "She has a son. Did you know that? He's adopted, but I am first to know that doesn't make him any less her son. She looked at me and said she was a scientist and a mathematician; she is a logical person. She understood the logic and the reasoning behind it all. She said it was the best choice we had. However, she now has to look her son in the eyes and tell him that she was partially responsible for all that death, and she couldn't imagine anything that could hurt him or her more. So she washed her hands of me, the Dreamwardens, and the government. She won't talk, but she's done with us."

"I am truly sorry to hear that," Celestia said in a hushed whisper. "My history is not as clean as I have let it be presented. I fear what my little ponies will say when you remove the curtain I have drawn over it. Will they respond like your niece, or will they forgive me for things done long ago? It wasn't long ago that the first cracks appeared in the fiction I never make morally objectionable choices. They forgave me last time. Will they forgive me the rest? In the end, we both always do what we think is right, no matter what it may cost."

"And only God knows the truth of our righteousness, not us," Sunset replied. "May God forgive me. May God forgive us all. We can only try to do what is best, and since we are not God, we fail in that endeavor. I hope that the fact we tried counts, and if it doesn't…well…I would rather be damned for trying than damned for not."

Celestia nodded. "I believe the proper response in your culture is amen."

Sunset nodded. "Amen."

Still, knowledge about the Sunstone was a puzzle piece she never had before. The princesses would never let her touch it, or even let her know where it was. She didn't need that. She just needed the report about what they determined. She had been given something else to play with in the biggest puzzle of her life, and she intended to review the problem from every angle till the very last minute. There had to be a better way. There was a better way. She had faith in that. It was just a matter of figuring it out before time ran out.

Chapter 2.2: Changing Goals

Andrea's tail dragged, and her pace was slow as she followed behind the others through the caves. Several glowing orbs lit the tunnels thanks to Cadence, Sweetie Belle, and Luster Dawn, so there was no fear of tripping. Still, she didn't want to be there. She didn't want to go home. She didn't want to return to the Autobot base. There was nowhere she wanted to be.

"Come on, Andrea. We're going to need you to focus if we're going to find your sister. No point in moping back there," Sapphire shouted back to her in encouragement. "Are you detecting anything?"

Find her sister? She'd already told them; she'd felt the feel of one of Charlotte's portals. Charlotte wasn't there anymore. After they found traces of blood, she wasn't even sure Charlotte was alive anymore. She had one job, one job more important than the mission, one job she had chosen to take on long ago. She failed at it with Kristin, and now she had failed at it with Charlotte. She could never face her parents again. She wasn't sure she could face a mirror again. The rest of the team knew the same things she did. Why did they keep searching?

There was no overwhelming desire for vengeance. She wouldn't go out hunting Bursa or the care bears. If she ever encountered the traitorous insect, she wouldn't hesitate to kill her, but trying to track her down served no purpose. If she could track Bursa down, there would have at least been hope to find her sister, but that didn't exist. As for the bears, they weren't in control of their actions, but if she found No Heart, she intended to put a bullet right into his skull. He deserved worse.

"Just the members of the search party," Andrea muttered, tearing up. "I told you. She's gone. She made a portal, and Bursa took her through. They probably suffocated out in deep space or something."

“Well then, we need to find where they left in case they come back that way," Sapphire pivoted.

She kicked at a loose stone. "I think that's obvious. It's the spot where we found the blood, and Apple Bloom lost the trail. I don't know why we are still wandering around these caverns. This is pointless."

"You can't give up hope. We'll–"

Andrea kicked a rock at the pegasus, clipping Sapphire on the side of her face and making her hiss in pain as it started to bleed.

"DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO GIVE ME A PEP TALK!! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!" Andrea screamed at the top of her lungs. "You and Apple Bloom kept insisting on saving that monster, and see what Charlotte got! We should have left Bursa where she was. We should never have brought her along. Don't fucking talk to me. I don't want to even see your face! I don't want to see any of you!"

She didn't wait for a response; she turned and started marching away into the dark.

It only took a moment before a light followed her. She grit her teeth and kept walking as whoever it was got closer.

"Wait up! You'll get lost in the dark without a light."

Andrea paused and turned to look at Luster Dawn. She then looked up at the floating orb. The orb sputtered out, and Andrea started to glow instead.

"There, now I won't be in the dark. Go away," Andrea spat as she turned away again.

The light reignited behind her, and she grit her teeth as she heard Luster continue her pursuit.

"Look, I know nothing I say can make you feel better-"

"Smart of you. Guess that's why you're Twilight's student," Andrea snapped.

"-but we're all in a bad situation here, and we need to come together," Luster finished as she got up beside Andrea. "We're all effectively trapped on this world without your sister to get us home."

Andrea stopped and tried to buck Luster in the face, but the pink unicorn must have been expecting it because she blink teleported out of the way in time.

Andrea glared at the unicorn and snarled. "Is that what you're concerned about? Is that what my sister is to you, just your ticket home? I've lost both my sisters in a short period. I was the one who was supposed to protect them. I'll never see either of them again, and you are thinking about going home. Screw you!"

"I know what it feels like. I lost my family, too!" Luster shouted as her horn blazed briefly. The unicorn dipped her head. "All in one fell swoop because of a monster, and I blamed the ones who were supposed to have stopped that monster for a long time. Do you know who failed my family and didn't stop the monster in time? The CMC. I hated them for years."

"It took you years, and you expect me to get over it in minutes?" Andrea demanded.

Luster shook her head. "No, I don't, but with your sister gone, it is pretty clear our mission and goals here will have to change. There's only one way off this rock now; only one other person we know can open portals like your sister's. We can still find your sister, but we must complete the new mission to do that."

Andrea sat down on the uneven ground. "The new mission is to defeat No Heart? We liberate this world then force him to tell us how to open portals?"

"More or less," Luster confirmed with a nod.

She wasn't going to seek vengeance, but if a way of avenging one of her sisters was handed to her along with a way to possibly find the other…if she still lived, who was Andrea to refuse the offer?

"Okay, I'm in."

The past month had been an ordeal for Madison. Being at her great-grandmare's house when those bears attacked, realizing she had a special interest in colts, cramping, and having Yinyu Wu Yan show up in her dreams with an entire song and dance number had all made the month one of the most eventful of her life. Still, it was all worth it because, as of today, she was no longer a filly. Today, she was a young mare.

Her dad hugged her. "So proud of you. You are growing up so fast. Where's my little filly that knocked down all the bookcases regularly?"

She blushed but didn't push dad away. She might be getting older, but never too old for his hugs. "I haven't done that in ages, Dad."

He released her, and she tried not to feel disappointed at the hug ending. He was still smiling at her. "I know. I'm just being nostalgic. I'm going to start making arrangements for your party. Is doing an animal theme with cats, dogs, and all that pushing it too far? I don't want to overdo it."

She turned and looked with pride at her new mark, a stylized dog paw with a bandage over it. "Animal theme is great. Just don't go trying to pick out veterinary schools for me just yet. I haven't even started high school yet. Do you think we can get Christine to come? I know she just moved away, but we can afford a plane trip, right? Please, Dad?"

He reached over with a wing and ruffled her mane. "Really pushing the bill for this party, aren't ya? Oh well, my daughter only gets her mark once. We can splurge. I'll call your Aunt Jordan and see what we can work out. While I'm doing that, you can go give your mom the good news and show your flank off."

Madison looked at a nearby clock. "Can you come with me? It's business hours for her. She doesn't like me interrupting her during business hours. Maybe we should wait until dinner."

He gave her a sympathetic look. "I need to take care of a few things before the day people leave. It will be alright. I know your mom isn't always the best at showing affection, but she loves you. Your mom will make an exception for this. Go on."

She drew herself up. Yeah, her mom would want to see her mark as soon as possible. She glanced down at the phone band around her leg and considered calling her mother first. It seemed silly, calling someone in the same house, but Arachne Remedy-Stone-Lamp– or Arachne Phobia, as her detractors called her– was a very busy mare, and she could be very stern. Calling was probably a bad idea too. Her mom's business meant she was often on the phone or awaiting calls. She shouldn't interrupt those calls.

A brisk stroll across the house brought her to the heavy oak door of her mother's office. The doors were so thick she could just barely hear her mother talking on the phone. She took a deep breath and lowered the door's handle before putting her total weight into pushing it open. It was embarrassing that it took her so much effort to open a door. Her mom opened it easily enough when she went through, but her mom spent at least an hour in the dojo every day, so she probably was much stronger than she looked. As soon as the door was open wide enough for her to slip through, she did so.

The room was dark, but there was enough light from her mother's monitors that everything was clear and visible for any pony of their tribe. Spiderwebs were in the room's upper four corners, and each web had multiple occupants. Her mom had been talking on the phone but abruptly stopped as she entered. "Madison! How dare you-" Her mom paused, and Madison could see her mom's eyes widen briefly as they found the new mark. "Never mind, take a seat, and be quiet."

Her mother returned to her call but shifted to speaking in Spanish. Much of their older family spoke Spanish fluently, some as their first language, but for those of Madison's generation, they might as well be speaking ancient Sumerian. She planned on taking it as her secondary language when she started high school if only so she could understand what her aunts and uncles were saying during Thanksgiving. She was sure they talked about her and her cousins, but it was impossible to tell what was being said when they weren't speaking English.

She took one of the available seats. There were two chairs in front of her mother's desk. Both of them looked like they were half of an egg. When you sat in them, the only things you could see were her mother, her mother's desk, and the large monitor behind the desk. You couldn't even see the other chair and whoever occupied it; not that there was anything to see in the office but those things. They also didn't have flat seats or any sort of padding. It was like her mom went out of her way to make sure whoever was in them was uncomfortable.

So, by design, Madison didn't have much to look at while she waited and tried not to squirm in her seat. Her mom's desk had three monitors. That all faced her mom at angles that made it impossible for anyone in the egg chairs to see the pictures. The rest of the desk had a calendar, a notebook, an ink pen, and a vape pen. There were no family photos or knick-knacks or anything to give the desk a personal feel. The desk itself was grey metal, probably steel. The walls and floor were wood, the same oak as the door. Her mom's chair was high-backed, black, and looked well padded; it also swiveled. The wall monitor was utterly blank. There was a faint trace of berries mixed with tobacco in the air from her mother's vaping. There were no windows or skylights, with the only light coming from the monitors. The room was dull, and she had no idea how her mother could stand to be in here for hours on end.

Her mother finished her call and turned her gaze to Madison. "So, stand up and let me see it."

Madison stood up in the egg seat and presented her flank proudly to her mother. "I got it when-"

"I'm pressed for time, so the story can wait," her mom said, cutting her off with a slashing gesture of her wing. "I take it that your mark is for animal care?"

Madison's ears sagged briefly but perked up before they went too low. "Yes! Dad is already calling me his little veterinarian!"

Her mom nodded stoically. "Can you care for spiders?"

Madison blinked. "Spiders?"

Her mother stood in her chair and presented her own flank and its spiderweb mark. "Yes, spiders, the basis for our wealth. The reason you get nice things and don't have to live in some hovel in suburbia. Can you care for spiders?"

She sat down. "I suppose so. They're just another animal. I want to be able to take care of every type of animal."

That earned the first smile of the meeting from her mother. "Excellent. Congratulations on your new mark, Madison. I'm very proud of you. I'm sure your father is already making arrangements for your party. I shall make sure to clear my schedule when he has a date set. Will you be taking a new name?"

"I hadn't seriously thought about it yet," Madison confessed.

"I was going to suggest Wild Blessing as a potential name, or perhaps Wild Remedy?" her mom listed. "I know my name is not something you can incorporate into one that makes sense with that mark, but Wild Growth's and either your grandmare or great-grandmare's seem like such an excellent fit."

"I'll think about it," Madison said with a nod.

Her mother left her seat and walked around the desk. She then extended a leg and a wing in a wave that indicated she was offering a hug. Madison practically bolted from her seat and gripped her mom in a tight embrace. It took a second for her mom to wrap the leg and wing around her, and it was far more relaxed than Madison's grip, but it was still nice to get a hug from her mom and hear her say she was proud of her.

The hug didn't last long enough when her mother broke from it and stepped away. "I must be getting back to work. You are excused and may pick out a present of your choice for me to purchase you. One last question. Would you care for a new pet? Something large and unique? I'm about to acquire a certain beast and have been frustratingly restricted from experimenting with it or using it for any business or political venture. The number of restrictions make it feel like a white elephant for me, but perhaps you would like it? It might need some training, but that can be worked out."

Madison's ears swiveled. "Something exotic? It isn't dangerous, is it?"

"It may need training," her mom confessed. "But it should be smarter than a dog or cat. I can have guards watching as you work to establish a bond. I'm told it is currently injured, and treating injuries is an excellent way to earn affection and trust…just ask your uncle Moon. If it turns out to be too problematic a beast, I can have it put down."

"No, don't kill it!" Madison gasped.

"Is that a yes that you will be interested in taking care of it?" her mom asked, raising an eyebrow.

Madison nodded. "Yeah, but what is it?"

Her mom smiled. "Oh, I'll let that be a surprise. Hurry off now. I love you."

Madison grinned. "Love you too, Mom! Thank you!"

She hurried out of the office. That went great! Her mom said she was proud of her and was getting her a special pet. This was the best day of her life!

Chapter 2.4: The Marshmallow's Chores

Jordan took a deep breath and descended the stairs to the basement. She hadn't even been in Wabash Manor a week and was already dealing with an intruder. This one hadn't breached the house and had been more interested in getting away from the manor, but it was still an intruder. She'd just completed issuing her statement, which Blanche, Rebecca's bodyguard, had carefully scripted. Now it was time to talk to the prisoner. Why did she agree to take this place? She was a schoolteacher, not the dictator of some multi-acre fiefdom. According to the guards and Rebecca, the dictator of a fiefdom was effectively what she was now. The government was not going to give her help, and her word was practically law once you entered the fence surrounding the house grounds. She really should have read the fine print on this deal.

Bursa was in the center of the room, with six different guards aiming weapons at her. Jordan felt this was overkill, especially considering Bursa was missing half a leg and was constrained to an oversized medical bed. Still, everyone had stressed that Bursa was just that dangerous, so Jordan had caved and allowed it. The strange creature was awake, and its eyes followed Jordan as she finished descending the stairs.

"You're the one in charge? With a heart and a book for a cutie mark?" Bursa asked with a scoff. "Figures that yet another weakling pony is holding me. Ponies always hold me against my will."

Okay, she didn't want to be the one dealing with all this, but, like it or not, it was her responsibility. It was time to show this bug that she wasn't weak.

"My name is Jordan Streak, and this is my house. I was personally selected by Sunset Blessing to be the guardian of her secrets, and I know her most dangerous offensive spell, so don't take me lightly," Jordan declared as she stepped off the staircase.

The part about the spell was a bit of a bluff. She wasn't lying when she said that, but she omitted the fact that she couldn't cast that spell. It wasn't a matter of power in its case. Any unicorn who could manage to levitate a feather had enough power to cast the spell. What made it near impossible was it required you to thoroughly analyze the inner workings of your opponent's spell in a split second and come up with a unique puzzle piece of runework to meld with it and cast in that same split second. It was nye impossible to react that quickly to a hostile casting, but if you could, the weakest unicorn could potentially defeat or even slay an alicorn. In a magic duel, it was the ultimate display of skill over raw power.

It also supposedly left you flat on your flank and magically exhausted for days afterward, so you better hope whoever you were using it on didn't have a friend with them because you couldn't pull the same trick twice or do much of anything else for a short period. Sunset called the spell her desperation throw and had used it only a small number of times. The first time had earned her scars which she still bore.

Bursa looked pointedly at the guards. "The big bad unicorn still has guards pointing guns at my face while I'm strapped down with a broken leg."

She frowned and looked at the guards. She did think it was overkill.

"Lower your weapons," she instructed.

"Mrs. Streak, that is not advisable," one of the guards said as he hefted his gun to point at Bursa's head.

She sighed. "I might not be my auntie-"

"Aww, you call her your auntie!" Bursa mocked.

Jordan grit her teeth briefly, then continued. "-but I'm no pushover. I can deal with her. Lower your weapons."

The guards reluctantly lowered their weapons, and she saw Bursa grinning.

"Don't try anything. Jessie's listening to this conversation, and she can pull that sound trick again, and I'm pretty adept at shields," Jordan warned.

Bursa's smile dropped. "That was a dirty trick with the sound. That hurt!"

"Well, let's have a civil conversation, and you don't need to worry about that,'' Jordan said slowly.

Bursa pulled at her restraints. "Maybe if you unchain me, I will."

Jordan snorted. "Don't push your luck, and I know you're perfectly capable of breaking those chains if you try or transforming to something smaller and slipping out of them. Rebecca told me all about you."

Bursa blinked. "I don't know anyone named Rebecca."

Jordan tilted her head. "You know, The Marshmallow, one of the Dreamwardens, has white fur and is really fat? She said she met-"

"The fat pegasus! She is so annoying!" Buesa hissed.

"You remember me!"

Rebecca appeared in her regular pegasus form, floating a short distance from Bursa's head.

"I'm so glad I made an impression," Rebecca told the bug with a smile.

Bursa laid her head against the medical bed and rocked it back and forth. "Why couldn't that shadow monster have eaten you?"

Rebecca cartwheeled in the air, then zoomed through Bursa and back out again. "I might be extra fluffy, but I'm not that filling. I go right through people."

"I did not come back to Earth to deal with you!" Bursa snapped at the Dreamwarden.

Jordan held up a hoof. "Um…Rebecca…I was about to question her. Can I go ahead with that, or did you need something first?"

Rebecca backed away towards the ceiling. "I can wait. Do your questioning. We can do good cop and bad cop. Psst! You're the bad cop!"

That earned Jordan giving herself a facehoof. "We aren't doing that! Bursa, I just want to know how you ended up with Charlotte."

"I grabbed her from the Autobot base and forced her to take me to Earth," Bursa answered. "Will you let me go now?"

"What base?" Jordan asked in confusion.

One of the guards coughed politely. "I think she's playing games with you, ma'am. She's talking about transformers."

Bursa growled. "I'm not playing games. The transformers are from the same world as the care bears! I was part of the scouting party to learn about that world, and so was that annoying human and her annoying elephant."

Rebecca turned upside down and floated near Bursa's face. "And you saw an opportunity to come back to Earth that you couldn't resist, didn't you?"

The bug tried to take a bite out of Rebecca, but her mouth passed right through. She then grimaced. "Yes."

"What about the rest of the scouting party?" Jordan asked.

"You said you only wanted to ask me about the annoying human!"

Jordan stomped a hoof. "I changed my mind. What happened to the rest of the scouting party?"

"I don't know. They're still back on that world. They were fine last time I saw them," Bursa said with a lack of concern.

Jordan narrowed her eyes. "And I'm assuming that Charlotte was their way back home? Charlotte, who isn't with them anymore."

For the first time, Bursa's arrogant and angry sneer dropped. "....yes?"

"You traitor," Jordan said darkly. Bursa actually flinched.

Rebecca did another flip. "See that? She feels bad. Bursa's not a bad bug. She just doesn't think things through."

"Don't call me dumb!" Bursa yelled at the Dreamwarden.

Jordan looked up at her non-corporeal friend. "Whose side are you even on?"

Rebecca went still. "I'm on everybody's side because I want the best for everyone, even if they don't know what's best for them. I'm also the good cop, remember? You're doing an excellent bad cop."

"I'm not being the bad cop!" Jordan shouted

"Could have fooled me," Bursa muttered.

Jordan groaned in frustration and looked back at Rebecca. "I got my answer, for now. I need to think about what else to ask. Go ahead and do whatever it is you're here to do."

Rebecca cartwheeled in the air again. "Thank you very much!" She then turned her attention to Bursa. "So…despite everything, you managed to get to Earth, only to get captured… like… immediately. What a bad turn of luck."

"That girl tricked me!" Bursa protested.

"Eh, possible, but I doubt it," Rebecca said nonchalantly."The big question is, what to do with you now."

Bursa shook the table. "You won't send me back! I'll never return to Equestria."

Rebecca made one of her hooves into a hand and shook a finger at Bursa. "Never say never, but I wasn't planning on trying, so don't worry. You see, the portal to Equestria is a very public place, and the government doesn't want you within a hundred miles of it. They also don't want you wandering around all fancy and free, and you don't want to be locked up. That is a bit of a pickle to resolve, don't you think?"

"I'll escape and go into hiding," Bursa asserted.

Rebecca shook her head. "Yeah, about that…I'll give you the heads up that the government isn't going to let that happen. They won't hesitate to shoot you dead the second you leave the safety of Wabash. I don't want you shot dead either, and even though Jordan over there is being a grumpy gus because you made a big boo-boo stranding your comrades on a hostile world, she doesn't want you dead either."

"I'm not staying imprisoned here!" Bursa yelled.

"Definitely not," Jordan agreed. Let that thing near her kids? Never!

Rebecca went back to smiling. "Well, lucky for you, I'm here, and I told the government I would offer you a deal." Rebecca transformed into a big piece of parchment that had a face and that had the word contract written at the top. "We Dreamwardens love to make contracts, cut deals, work out agreements, and almost every nation respects them. They're very binding, nigh unbreakable. I know what you want, and it isn't your freedom, and the Dreamwardens are the only ones who can give it to you…for a price."

Bursa's sneer returned. "What could I possibly want more than my freedom?"

Rebecca shifted to her amorphous blob form and smiled wide. "Answers. Who were you? Where did you come from? Do you have family still living?"

Bursa stiffened, and her eyes widened as far as they could go. Jordan watched Bursa's face go through a string and mix of emotions in a brief few seconds- hope, fear, and then suspicion.

"Luna searched my mind; she said she could find nothing. You wardens searched my mind too, and the government supposedly did an investigation," Bursa said slowly. "Were they all lying, or are you?"

"No one was lying, but the situation has changed," Rebecca explained. "The dead have no secrets, and guess who up and died while you were in Equestria?"

Bursa's eyes narrowed. "Rossman."

Rebecca bobbed in place. "Yep, and with that comes new leads. He didn't know everything, but he knew enough for us to track down the rest in a short period of time. I promise you; we have enough information from him to get you all your answers."

Bursa was silent for a few seconds before answering. "I'll agree to whatever contract you want."

Rebecca frowned for the first time. "You haven't heard what I want from you yet."

"Don't care," Bursa replied.

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I'm the nice Dreamwarden and don't milk that for all it's worth. You'll get a visit from our lawyers soon to discuss the details. Please listen to them carefully and ask questions. We need you to understand fully what you're agreeing to. You'll get your answers upon signing, but not until we are sure you fully understand and you've given your word to abide by it to Arbiter. She's the one who will bind it. Don't rush the lawyers. After we give you your answers, we have already arranged to move you elsewhere. The government won't stop us if we have the contract."

The floating blob looked at Jordan. "That's all for me! She's all yours. Well, not all yours; you don't own her. Now I need to go talk to the newest warden to make them do some odds and ends so I can cuddle with my hubby. Hooray for seniority!"

Rebecca abruptly vanished, leaving Jordan to figure out what to do next.

"Are you going to unchain me now?" Bursa pointedly asked.

Jordan sighed. "If you run off, the lawyers can't find you, and if you try to hurt anyone, there won't be anyone to find. Do we understand one another?" The last part was a bluff, but she hoped it worked.

"We understand one another," Bursa agreed.

Jordan gestured at Bursa's restraints. "Go ahead and unchain her. She has no reason to be hostile, and it is easier for me to question her if she isn't bound up like that."

The guards seemed hesitant, but she had given them a direct order. Several of them hefted their guns back up to be trained on Bursa as one of the guards approached the bug to do as instructed. He undid the chains and then backed away quickly.

Bursa moved to get up, but despite having more appendages than a pony, she ended up losing her balance and falling to the floor with a crash. The medical bed was knocked over as she landed. Jordan couldn't help feeling sympathy for the thing.

"Someone call Shǔguāng," Jordan instructed as she listened to Bursa whimper in pain. "He's the best doctor I know and one of only two who can be trusted to see this. I'm unsure what he can do for her, but we need to do something." She softened her expression and tone as she refocused on Bursa. It might be a monster, but it was a monster that was miserable and in pain. "Hey, I'm going to hold off on interrogating you further for right now. I'm going to try to get you some help. What do you eat? If you are going to make any recovery, you need food."

"I can eat anything, but it goes right through. None of you can provide what nourishes me," Bursa cried.

Probably something from Equestria then, Jordan figured to herself. She couldn't do much to help that. Shǔguāng would have to come up with answers. Right now, she needed a break from this. She didn't like being in this kind of authoritative position. This was nothing like being in charge of a class. She held the lives of others in her hooves, and that was more responsibility than she wanted to bear.

Rebecca zoomed formlessly and invisibly past the city of Skytree into the unincorporated outskirts to a nondescript-looking cement building with a front door, gravel parking lot fit for maybe six cars, a large loading bay around the back, and no windows. A small sign hung on the front door reading Eternal Dream Mortuary, a rather fitting yet at the same time ironic name.

She didn't bother with most of the building and simply descended into the ground and to the basement, where a thin earth pony stallion sat surrounded by corpses on slabs, one of which he was applying makeup to.

"Hiya, Moses!" she shouted.

The earth pony jumped with a yelp, falling off the stool he had been sitting on.

She winced. "Sorry, I forget you don't notice me immediately outside the dream realm. You aren't hurt, are you?"

He picked himself up and dusted himself off. "No, I just need to take a few seconds for my heart and breathing to slow down."

The door at the top of the nearby staircase suddenly flew open. "Miss Rebecca! Miss Rebecca! You need to see the pretty picture I-"

That was as far as the speaker got with that idea before tumbling down the metal stairs and hitting the bottom. Their leg ripped off somewhere along the fall and was left sitting on one of the stairs above. Moses hurried over to the downed form.

"Patches! We know not to run down the stairs like that! See what happens!" Moses shouted in concern as he sat next to the filly and started inspecting her.

"Sorry," the filly said, sounding more embarrassed than hurt, despite black goo leaking out of her wound in a puddle. "Um, we're missing a leg. Can we fix it?"

"Let's make sure none of our bones are broken first. We could have cracked our skull," Moses answered as he continued his inspection.

Rebecca hovered closer to get a better look. Patches' primary body, three legs, and head were made from one filly, but the now missing leg was from an entirely different source– no telling if it had been part of a filly or colt. Her eyes were mismatched, one green and one purple, and it was possible neither originally went with that skull. Most of her fur was a dull blue, but there were several areas where different fur that did not match the color had been sewn on. One of her ears was green and the other yellow. She had no mane whatsoever, and her tail lacked any fur, leaving this odd stub that looked like it belonged on a rat with half its tail chopped off. There were obvious stitches all over her body, and she was also missing her lips and part of her gums on the right side of her face. The leg on the stairs was pink and leaking out the same morbidly black goo that the stump it attached to on her body. Rebecca had never met the filly in the flesh to experience it, but she had heard that she smelled like rot.

"Our bones aren't broken," Moses announced. "We still need to be careful running down the stairs. Take them slow. We aren't that well put together."

"Okay, Moses," Patches agreed, then held out her stump. "Can we fix us?"

Moses sighed and glanced back at Rebecca. "Give me a few moments. It is best to take care of this before it sits too long."

Rebecca floated back. "Sure, do your necromancy thing. I can wait here a bit longer. I'm the one coming to ask a favor. I don't want to interfere with…." She made a vague gesture at Patches. "...this stuff."

He nodded and got up, heading to the other slabs to inspect corpses.

"Miss Rebecca! Did you look at my picture I drew!" Patches shouted happily, unconcerned she was oozing her insides all over the place and showing no sign of discomfort. She glanced around, spotted a piece of construction paper, and pointed with her stump. "See! Over there!"

Rebecca floated over to it and looked at it. It was a simple picture of some flowers, a sailboat, and a lighthouse, all drawn with the care of a five-year-old child, each item with a different color crayon and filled in with only moderate respect for where the lines were. The most interesting thing was the flowers seemed to be growing out of the water rather than on land.

"It is a beautiful picture," Rebecca complimented. It wasn't a lie. Art was all a matter of opinion, and this piece had the feel of an innocent child, which was something that Rebecca found very pretty.

"I knew you'd like it!" Patches said happily.

"This one will do," Moses announced as he stood next to the corpse of a middle-aged human woman. He sat still for a few seconds; then, the corpse suddenly sat upright. It blinked once, then turned its attention to Moses.

"We should lock that door, so we don't interfere with our work," the newly risen corpse announced.

"We know, but we feel sad when we are locked out and can't visit ourselves," Moses answered.

The new one flexed its fingers and toes as if checking to make sure they worked. Once satisfied that all was in working order, it got up and headed toward the stairs. Rebecca moved further out of the way.

The dead woman paused briefly to look down at Patches. "We need to take more care. It is undignified to be lying on the ground, missing limbs, and pouring rot on the ground. No running on stairs, filly."

Patches looked down in shame. "Yes, Sha'am. Will we sew our leg on now?"

"But of course, dear filly," the woman replied. She continued on to the stairs, pausing briefly to test the strength of her legs before taking a few steps up them to retrieve the leg.

Moses came over with a sewing kit and sat it down beside Patches. It hadn't been there before, but that old creepy doll had somehow appeared next to Patches, and Moses nudged it closer to her. Patches cheered as she noticed it and grabbed it into a hug with her still attached forelimb, hugging it lovingly. Sha'am Maut returned with the leg and sat down beside the filly.

"Not going to greet me, Sha'am?" Rebecca asked.

Sha'am looked briefly at her before looking back down at Patches and beginning her work. "I believe we have greeted you twice, both Moses and Patches. Are you so greedy for attention that you need us to greet you a third time in as many minutes?"

"I guess not," Rebecca answered. She always got the impression that Sha'am didn't like her, which was upsetting because Moses and Patches were Sha'am too, and they liked her. It felt strange dealing with an aspect of them that didn't care for her. "Hey, I had a question. My memories I inherited from you seem to have some holes. I've been trying to make your recipe for the bundt cake you served on your son's fifth birthday, but I can't get it right. Any suggestions on what I could be getting wrong?"

"What type of milk are you using?" Sha'am asked, not looking up from her sewing.

"Whole milk, duh," Rebecca answered quickly.

"Whole cow milk?" Sha'am asked.

Rebecca blinked. "Oh! That's right; you had goats. I need goat's milk, don't I?"

"That is correct," Sha'am confirmed with a slight nod. "Now leave us be and go bother that newer incarnation of us. We are busy."

"Um, yes, ma'am," Rebecca replied, drifting away from the dreaded ex-Dreamwarden and the young undead filly towards the newest Dreamwarden.

"Don't mind us. We look down our noses at everybody but children," Moses said calmly, gesturing at his previous incarnation. "We don't like being brought back into awareness either, but Sha'am does the best stitching of all of us, at least those of us who don't freak out at waking up. Sha'am is pleased you only questioned her about baking this time."

"Moses…you're weird," Rebecca said dryly. "Anyway, I need a favor. I'm sending Bursa over to Arachne, and I need you to make a visit and make it triple clear she's to treat Bursa nicely. You're more intimidating than me. I could also use some help with some digging up of old records. I can give you the rundown in the dream realm about those."

He frowned. "How much digging for old records? I have a busy schedule this week– lots of bodies I need ready for funerals. Arachne shouldn't take much time, even if I don't like being around so many people, but she's just across town and keeps isolated in her mansion. However, research takes more time. I'm assuming this is stuff we aren't allowed to just pick out of minds."

"There may be some living that would have to give permission and would not understand what we want or why, or they may feel it is invasive," Rebecca answered. "I'm not sure how long the research will take. Arbiter says we have plenty of good leads to start it off. I haven't looked at them since I haven't been properly asleep yet. I made promises that this would be done."

He sighed. "Fine, I know you've got enough on your plate already. I guess I can carry my fair share, but you owe me a favor sometime."

"I can throw Patches a big birthday party next month. I can even find some guests who can deal with her unique qualities," Rebecca offered.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You can find foals and parents who can stand to be around a patchwork reanimated abomination?"

"If any fool can, it is her. Take the offer," Sha'am said from across the room.

"Birthday party!" Patches yelled with unbridled joy.

Rebecca had forgotten that all the incarnations heard what Moses heard. Hard to make surprise plans for Patches when Patches was Moses. They may have different personalities, intelligence levels, temperaments, maturities, and desires, but Sha'am and Patches (along with untold legions of others) were just extensions of him– a hive mind that did not see themselves as fully distinct entities, but part of a single whole. Other aspects of the same soul, different lives that Moses had once lived before this one. Reincarnation and necromancy created some odd results, and it only got messier when the soul had been through the Eternal Dream and came out of it. Still, it made Moses exceptionally useful in some areas.

"You have a deal," Moses said. "I'll get plenty of disinfectants and incense to cover her smell. Patches doesn't carry any disease or viruses since her body temperature is too low for most of those to live in, and reanimated bodies have extra defenses that the living don't. Still, her spit acts like the most attractive petri dish you have ever encountered once it is outside her body and away from my magic. We need to be careful about where she puts her mouth."

"Will keep that in mind," Rebecca assured him. She didn't want to get anybody sick, and she was sure Patches didn't either. "Anyway, thanks for the help, little bro. You're a lifesaver! Keep up the good work with the drawing, Patches!"

"Thank you, Miss Rebecca!" the filly replied with a giggle as Sha'am continued to stitch her leg back on.

Chore done; Rebecca let her projection go. It was time for some needed R&R with her hubby.

Author's Note

Be kind to your small undead friend.

Chapter 2.22: Secrets of Wabash

Jordan watched her big sister walk into the kitchen and sit across from her. Jackie eyed the half-filled bottle of brandy on the table and glanced at Jessie, who had her head thrown back as she sat in her chair, snoring. Jackie then shook her head.

"Mom's asleep, at last. Thank goodness," Jackie breathed. "I kinda want to get drunk and pass out, too, but I know as soon as I do, Mom will wake up, and then I won't be sober enough to deal with her."

"Thanks for giving us one more night of peace," Jordan said softly. "Being out here will be good for her. She won't constantly see things to remind her about Dad, fewer things to set her off."

Blue snuggled against her. "Well, one of the other benefits of being here is that all these guards can keep an eye on her. She can't wander off and dig up anyone's flower beds looking for your father."

She gave her husband a dirty look. "She only did that once."

"Yeah, but I still hear Miss Thornberry yelling at me about her tulips whenever I shut my eyes," Blue replied.

"Hmmm, I'll have to remember that next time you mount me. I now know I'm competing with Miss Thornberry," Jordan said.

"Well, only briefly hear her yelling, but you quickly drown her out," Blue said and kissed her on the side of the face.

She giggled. "Good colt."

"You two are shameless," Charlotte said from the corner where she was still using her wings to flip through security files and footage on a tablet.

Jackie grabbed some crackers and started nibbling at them. "I might be a bad daughter for saying this, but I'm glad you are taking her. Now, I don't have to deal with her. I feel like crying every time I'm near her now. It hurts too much talking to her, trying to reason with her, and knowing that senile people can't be reasoned with. Then, every once and a while, she seems like all the fog has cleared away, and she's lucid, and that hurts more because I know it won't last, and it reminds me more about what's lost."

Jordan sighed. She then lit her horn and poured herself a glass of brandy, then took a small sip, just a small one.

"I wonder if there's anything in Sunset Blessing's library that can help," she said as she levitated her glass back down to the table.

Charlotte looked up from the tablet. "You can't seriously be thinking about digging through Grandma's research for a solution. That stuff's dangerous, and I doubt there's anything to help anyway. If Grandma could cure diseases of the mind, she'd have cured her own."

Jordan levitated up her glass and took another small sip before setting it back down. "I know. I'm just musing. I'm sitting on the biggest trove of magical knowledge on Earth. It makes me want to believe in miracles." She sighed and smiled. "You know, this is the first time we've all been together without a crisis since my eighteenth birthday. We're just missing Arachne, Moon, and Robby to get the whole gang together."

"Robby would be nice, maybe my bro, but my sister can stay far away," Charlotte said as she set the tablet down and left her stool.

"Harsh thing to say about your twin," Blue said as Charlotte climbed onto the bench beside Jackie.

"She's my twin, and I'll always love her. You have no idea how big a bond there is between twins," Charlotte said as she poured herself a glass. "Did you know twins are even closer with ponies than humans? We're bound by magic. I got hurt back when I was in boot camp. It was fairly serious and all my fault because I was showing off. I was better than those other recruits, but even I had limits. She knew immediately that it happened, not because anyone told her, but because of our bond. She was practically beating down the fort's gates to get to me after that. Tempest and Crystal had to literally haul her away together. She's tough, but not tough enough to take them both on at once by herself; at least she wasn't back then."

"Arachne trying to break into a military base because she was worried about you? I never knew that happened," Jackie said.

Charlotte nodded. "The bond between twins is strong. We snap and snarl at one another every chance we can get these days, but if she were badly hurt, I would know, and I'd be rushing to be by her side. I just don't like her. She's a power-hungry bitch with no moral compass who doesn't care who she hurts on her rise to the top."

Jessie sat up with a groan. "Ow, my head. Why didn't you stop me from drinking half the bottle?"

"You seemed determined. I'm surprised you only drank half," Jordan replied.

Jessie held her head. "Why couldn't I have inherited an earth pony constitution?"

"Get some water and eat some crackers. You'll be feeling better in no time," Blue instructed. He then lit his horn and levitated a glass over to the sink, turned the tap on, and filled it. He then levitated the glass over to the table and put it in front of Jessie. The partial woman broke up some crackers and stuffed them in her mouth before taking a sip.

"Speaking of all that knowledge you are sitting on top of," Jessie said slowly. "I wanted to know if you might consider checking on something as a favor to me."

Jordan raised an eyebrow. "What do you want with spells? I know Sunset Blessing had some spells designed for magic objects, but those materials are extremely cost-prohibitive."

Jessie rubbed her head and looked pleadingly at Jordan. "Rehumanization spell, for my son, not me. He's getting older and getting to the point where he can make those kinds of choices. I wanted to start looking into it, and I'd rather have a friend do it than have total strangers work on him. It's also safer; with Sunset's laboratory helping you, you can't make any mistakes.

"Has he expressed that human is the way he wants to go?" Jackie asked. "He could still want to go pony. Don't tell me you've been so long without your hooves that you are pushing him to be human."

"And it's technically Jordan's workshop now, isn't it?" Charlotte asked. "Maybe it needs some grand and impressive name to inspire awe, like Charlotte's Sphere."

"Charlotte's Sphere?" Blue asked with a raised eyebrow. "You admit it's now my wife's workshop, and you want to name it after yourself?"

Charlotte raised her muzzle high. "Just spitballing ideas. I mean, Grandma's original name was Charlotte, and there are several notable Charlottes in the family, heh."

"And here I thought you were the twin without the vanity," Jackie chuckled.

Charlotte sniffed. "I humbly say I'm the better twin."

"We're not calling it that," Jordan said flatly.

Jessie drank some more water. "Anyway, I'm not pushing anything. If he chooses to be a pony, I will give him just as much support and with just as much enthusiasm. Technically, I would be giving him more support because then I have to make arrangements to go to Equestria, which you can't do quickly unless you're super rich. I'm well-off, but not that well-off, and I don't want to go begging Wild Growth for a favor that involves tons of cash. I want either option to happen as quickly as possible when he makes a choice, and having it done here is the quickest option for the human option."

"What's the rush?" Charlotte asked. "You might not be pushing him to be human, but it sounds like you're about to start pressuring him into making a choice. "

Jessie sat for a few seconds, then shook her head. "You never know what tomorrow will bring. We could all be gone before you know it, and I want him to have at least a little time promised without any discomfort."

They all looked at one another before looking back at Jessie.

Charlotte was the one who said what they were all thinking. "Jessie, we've all been friends since we were small foals. We went through the Cataclysm together. We know you've been working for my mother and the other Dreamwardens for almost as long, and we don't buy for a second that you really quit. We're your best friends; level with us. How soon are the Devourers getting here?"

Jessie shook her head. "I don-"

Charlotte hit her hoof against the tabletop. "We might not be geniuses like you, but don't you look down on us and treat us like we're idiots. We've known you for years; we've all guessed what you've been working on. When you worry about the future, you only worry about one thing. We know how to keep a secret, so tell us."

Jessie stared upward. "My head hurts, and I'm not confident the alcohol is to blame." She lowered her gaze and looked at Charlotte. "I did quit, so my information is outdated, but we don't have much time, less than a year. Some defenses have been prepared. The fleet should have already been launched."

"And what are our chances of surviving?" Jordan asked, feeling a tightness in her chest.

Jessie gulped. "My information is out of date. I'm missing a lot of data. I can't give a proper estimate."

"Give us a vague guess based on your out-of-date information," Charlotte said in a near growl.

"Charlotte, Jessie's our friend. Stop treating her this way," Jackie scolded.

Blue looked around worriedly. "Am I the only one totally confused about what's happening here? Jordan, can you explain this? I don't understand."

Jordan glanced at her husband and then back at her best friend. "I'll explain in a moment, but first, Jessie, please, give us an estimate. Are we going to survive this?"

Jessie looked at her hopelessly. "Based on my old information, which I must again clarify is out of date, I'd put it in the forty to forty-five percent chance of Earth surviving and a ninety-two to ninety-seven percent chance Equestria survives."

"That's a majority chance we die!" Charlotte yelled.

Jessie gave her a stern look. "It's a better chance than any world has ever had. Even if we win, a great many will die. Their sacrifice is…logical, but…I couldn't be a part of it. I can't knowingly tell people to die, no matter how many they may save. That's why I quit."

"How? How will they die?" Jackie asked. "Who will die?"

Jessie grabbed the bottle and took a chug straight from it before putting it down, empty. "Sunset Blessing designed part of the defense where at least half of those who will die will participate. I'm sure it is buried in her records somewhere. Jordan can find it." She stood up shakily. "But I'm going to go home now. I swore I would never tell the details, and I won't. Find them yourselves."

Jordan hopped to her hooves and lit her horn, grabbing Jessie and restraining her. "You aren't going anywhere in your condition except to bed. I'm not having you drive out of here drunk and die in some car crash. At least I understand what the hell's been going on with you lately."

Charlotte growled and settled down."She's Dreamwarden contract sealed. We aren't getting any more out of her. It is a wonder we got that much. She had to exploit every loophole just to tell us that much. Yeah, get her to bed. I can find her son in a bit and tell him he's having a sleepover."

"Jordan, I know the extended family on your side is…unusual. You warned me of that before we got married. I got a big lesson in that when we got this place, but what is going on?" Blue asked, practically shaking.

Jordan looked at him and sighed. "The Devourers aren't some old pony's tale. They're real, and they are coming, apparently within the next year. We realized Jessie was figuring out where they were a long time ago. The Dreamwardens ran her ragged doing math for them for years. Beyond that, you now know as much as the rest of us."

"For now," Jackie cut in. "Sis, like it or not, you're the Mistress of Wabash Manor, the biggest collection of magical secrets in the world, possibly anywhere. Jessie thinks the truth about everything is in the records here. You're the only pony with access to those records. She said people were going to die, even if we win. You have to find out what's going on."

Jordan stared at the table. "What will it do for us to know? I'm sure if there was a better way, they'd be doing it."

Jackie stood on the table and stared down at her, wings outspread. "Except for Charlotte, we all have foals. You heard Jessie; she's pushing her kid to choose because she's afraid that he's going to die a partial without getting to experience a life where he isn't hunched over so he barely walk or going around in a wheelchair. Jessie would never push her kid about that if he weren't ready, and she'd never get irresponsibly drunk like this, but she's doing both. That means she's terrified. I want my foals to live, and if there is anything in those records that can help me better secure that, I want to know, and I'm sure you do too. I'm appealing to you as your sister and a mother; please, look."

Jordan released her friend from the magical grip, and Jessie briefly stumbled in her new freedom before grabbing the table to stabilize herself. Jordan sighed.

"Blue, can you tuck the foals into bed without me?" she said quietly.

"Are you actually going to go digging into Sunset Blessing's secrets?" Blue asked.

She looked him in the eyes. "I don't want to, but we need to know. I don't want us or our kids to be in danger."

He looked ready to object. She understood. Sunset Blessing's library was filled with all kinds of knowledge ponies shouldn't know. Dangerous spells that could do unspeakable things in the wrong hooves and no shortage of spells were meant to harm others– the government had contracted Sunset Blessing to weaponize magic back when she ruled Riverview. That mare had a twisted imagination when it came to hurting others. Jordan felt like her soul might be stained just knowing those spells, but buried in all that was the information they needed.

He looked away. "Yeah, I'll tuck them in, just don't stay up too late or try casting anything."

She kissed him. "I'll be in bed by midnight, and I will try to read as little as possible. If what I read isn't relevant to what I'm looking for, I'll move on to the next thing. I love you."

"Love you too," he said and kissed her again.

Charlotte stepped towards the door. "I think I'll get going. If the end of the world is coming, I want to spend all the time I can with my brother, sister, and all my nieces and nephews. On the bright side, I don't have any spouse or kids of my own to worry over. Maybe I should write my mom and mama a letter."

Jackie got down to the floor. "We were going to spend the night anyway. I'll get Jessie to bed, then go to the rec room to spend some time with my hubby and kids. He's probably ready for a little help dealing with them. I don't know what I'm going to tell him. Good luck, Jor."

Jordan walked over and hugged her sister. "Thanks, sis."

She then looked at her best friend, who was still supporting herself against the table. She hated seeing her like this. Wild Growth was the hero of the Cataclysm to everyone else, but Jessie had been Jordan's hero that day. "Jessie, get some sleep. We'll talk tomorrow when you're sober. I might need your help understanding some things if I find them. Jackie will make sure your son doesn't know you got drunk."

"Sunset's got a spell that takes care of hangovers," Jessie said with a weak smile.

Jordan smiled back at her. "I'll see if I can find that one. Seems like a handy spell. Although, I can guess why that never got released to the public. Got to keep all your consequences for getting drunk, or everyone will get drunk."

Jessie stopped smiling. "When the world learns the truth, we will have bigger problems than people getting drunk."

Jordan suddenly felt much better about having walls around the property. There'd be riots. There'd be people trying to break into the property, not seeking revenge against Sunset Blessing but hoping that the manor held some secret that could save them.

It was time to find out if anything could save them.

Chapter 1.1: Charlotte

Author's Note

Help with backstory is given with this helpful link here:

Backstory Aid

Chapter 1.1: Charlotte

There were many morbid things a person could witness. Watching your sister dig her own grave was undoubtedly up there on that list.

Charlotte stepped to the side quickly, bumping into a tent post as the mound of soil between her and the hole grew slightly larger.

"Hey! Don't rock the tent! You'll bring the damned thing down," Andrea shouted at her, not breaking her rhythm in shoveling.

Charlotte used a hand to steady the pole and looked at the semi-opaque blue canvas walls. "The tent's fine. Don't you think you should take a break? It's not right that you're doing this. Someone else can do it. Don't torture yourself like this."

"It's perfectly right! She's me! Who else should bury her?"

Charlotte balled up her fists and stomped a foot against the ground. "It's not natural!"

Her eldest sister looked up out of the hole and then adjusted her emerald earrings, causing her to shrink down to her human form, climbed out of her grave, and adjusted her earrings again, so she was standing at the full height of her natural form, towering over Charlotte with four legs, two arms, and crystalline skin and hair.

Andrea locked eyes with her, staring her down. "When has anything about us been natural?"

Charlotte took a few more steps back, tripped over Andrea's pile of clothes, and landed hard on her ass. "Ow! Don't try to intimidate me just because you're in a bad mood! You shouldn't be in that form; someone could see your shadow and ask questions."

Her sister scowled and adjusted her earrings again, shifting to human form; she was stark naked, but she wasn't big and intimidating anymore.

"You'll never understand what it's like," Andrea whispered. "Your other you is practically fucking immortal, so you'll never have to watch her die. You're naturally human and don't have to hide what you really are. You don't have any right to talk to me about what's natural. You don't have to ever deal with any of this shit. Get out of this tent, and let me finish digging this grave."

Without waiting for an answer, Andrea turned her back, adjusted her earrings again, so she was once again a crystalline centaur, and climbed back down in the hole.

Charlotte got up, dusted her pants off, and raised a one-finger salute towards the hole. She'd tried. No one could say she didn't try to talk sense into her big sister. She didn't know why it had to be her to try anyway. The whole family was here for the funeral; there was no shortage of other choices. They didn't want to have to be the one to confront the giant emotionally unstable centaur, and Charlotte worked as a sacrifice.

"And Sunset isn't immortal!" she shouted at the hole.

"Practically immortal! She'll probably outlive your dumbass! The point stands, you don't get to see your older self die like the rest of us!" Andrea shouted back.

Charlotte picked up a hard clump of dirt from the pile and chucked it in the hole. As soon as she heard the accompanying cry of pain, she knew she was in deep trouble and quickly exited the tent flap before her sister could come out and wring her neck.

Once outside, she took a deep breath and looked up at the clear blue sky, hating it. The sky had no right to be so cheerful looking on the day of a funeral. It should be gray, not bright and pleasant. It should be cold, not warm enough to go around in a short-sleeved shirt. This entire day was wrong.

She looked to the side, seeing the graves for Dry Soil, Hook Line, and Legal Brief. This place was becoming a regular cemetery. How many people could be buried on a property before someone threw a fit about it? This was Wabash Manor; the City of Denver didn't ask questions and tried to forget it was here, so maybe a lot. Would she be buried here one day?

As she turned to head towards the house, she spotted her other sister sitting off to the side, under a tree, with an empty champagne glass beside her. Charlotte diverted course and went to her sister instead.

"Were you sitting here watching the entire time?" Charlotte demanded as she got close to Kristin.

Kristin took a drag from her vape pen and let out a plume. "Yep. I'm guessing you didn't get her to stop."

Charlotte kicked at the grass. "No, I didn't. You could have come and helped."

"Do you honestly think me being there would have helped at all?" Kristin asked.

"No," Charlotte conceded. She held out a hand to her sister. "Can I get a hit off that thing?"

Kristin shook her head. "Nope. Get your own. Mom would pitch a fit if she knew I had let you."

"Who cares?" Charlotte countered.

"Me, who doesn't want to get yelled at during a funeral. I'm not stirring up any more drama than there already is, no matter how small."

Charlotte shook her head and considered saying something about Kristin being a grown adult who shouldn't have to worry about that but decided that it wasn't worth it. "Whatever. So how is other you doing? Why are you out here if you aren't here to help your eighteen-year-old sister try to baby your older sister?"

"You won't be eighteen till next month," Kristin replied.

"I'm close enough!"

"Not there yet, though," Kristin tiredly replied. "Anyway, I needed to get away from Amicus for a bit, away from everyone in there, to tell the truth, but mainly her. You know how she gets. I don't know how we're the same person sometimes. It isn't as bad as when Brief passed away, but she's going on and on about how she's the eldest now, how it will be her time next, and telling me that I don't need to dig her grave. Then she breaks down crying about Andri again."

"You aren't going to dig her grave when that time comes, are you?" Charlotte asked, only slightly worried. It was bad enough watching Andrea do that.

Kristin waved the question away. "Oh no, I'm not going to have a psycho break like Andrea when the other me dies. Amicus has plenty of earth pony sons and grandfoals who're more than capable of doing it. I'm not about to bury myself. It's too creepy."

Charlotte rubbed the back of her head. "Hey, um, do you think I don't get you and Andrea because my other me is…you know?"

"I don't know. How much can any of us really understand what it's like for the others?" Kristin asked with a shrug. "You and Andrea are at least like your other selves, personality-wise, that is. I'm nothing like my other me. Andrea feels like she is burying herself, but I don't think I'll feel the same way when Amicus dies. I'll be sad, sure. Amicus is nice and loving. Who wouldn't bawl their eyes out if she died? However, Amicus and I are too different to feel like she's me. She's just a nice old pony."

Charlotte crossed her arms and spit. "You're wrong. I'm nothing like Sunset."

Kristin chuckled. "You keep telling yourself that. Anyone who has to deal with both of you for long sees the similarity. Speaking of her, she hasn't put in an appearance yet. Maybe you should fetch her. She is the preacher, and we kinda need her for a funeral."

"Are you trying to dump more stuff on me?" Charlotte snapped in frustration.

"You are one of the few people that can go to her without having to ask permission. If she's having issues, you're probably the best one to talk to her."

"I can name at least four or five better people off the top of my head," Charlotte countered, then gave a sad shake of her head. "Fine, I'll do it, but only if you go back in there and deal with Amicus. She needs you."

Kristin smiled knowingly. "There it is."

Charlotte gritted her teeth. "There what is?"

Kristin stood up, grabbing the empty glass as she did. "One of the many similarities between you and Sunset, but you don't want to hear it. So, I'll go help comfort Amicus, and you go deal with the preacher."

Charlotte watched her sister walk back towards the front door of the mansion. What was Kristin being cryptic about? It didn't matter. There was another task to do, and it was just as well, anything to keep herself busy, so she didn't have to think about all this crap.

It was time to go back into the house and the crowds of mourners.

It was odd, having so many humans in the house. Most of the family were ponies, but Andri was the only pony in her line. All her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were human. Most of them had never come to Wabash Manor before. They were here to mourn Andri, but they were also trying to take advantage of the opportunity to see what was hidden in the infamous seat of the rarely seen Sunset Blessing. It was probably only Andri's elderly direct children who even cared about Andri. They didn't even know about Andrea digging the grave outside. The only Andrea they knew was in a coffin waiting to be buried. Charlotte didn't want to deal with any of them— parasites.

She stepped into the foyer and was almost immediately confronted by her parents.

"Did you convince Andrea to stop?" her mom asked in a hopeful tone.

Charlotte shook her head. "No, I just made her mad at me."

Her mom's face fell. "She shouldn't do this to herself. It's not healthy."

"I know, but she's going to do what she wants," Charlotte replied, feeling bad that she had disappointed her parents. She needed to escape this quick. "Has Sunset come down?"

Her dad shook his head. "There's been no sign of her. Are you going to check on her too?"

"Call me the sacrificial lamb," Charlotte replied as she headed towards the stairs with her arms raised dramatically. Then she winced. That sounded like something Sunset would say, and that irked her. They were not the same.

As she was reaching the top of the stairs, she began to think that this would be another failure on her part. The manor guards were standing there, blocking her way, and they didn't seem to care that on any typical day, she would be welcome upstairs.

That was until a red unicorn stallion with a purple mane walked by. "Let her through. Auntie is expecting her."

Sunset was expecting her? She doubted it unless Sunset had mind-reading powers Charlotte was unaware of, and even if she did, Sunset wouldn't be allowed to use such powers. There was probably just a shortlist of people that were allowed through, and Charlotte just happened to be privileged enough to be on that list. Yippee, didn't she feel special? She was allowed to talk to herself.

She walked by the guards into the second-floor hallway but stopped short when she saw a grey pony with a green mane and webbed wings sitting alone in the hallway looking at her.

"I wasn't aware you were here," Charlotte said dryly to her other self's eldest daughter. Phobia could have told Sunset to come down. Sunset would listen to Phobia, but if Phobia was going to try, she would have already done so.

Phobia gave an unconcerned flap of her wings. "Andrea was my aunt, and I am here to mourn her passing. I also have some business with my mother to conduct, or rather, I am acting as an intermediary for someone to conduct business with my mother."

"During a funeral?" Charlotte asked, partially shocked, partially disgusted.

"It was a convenient excuse to come by. I believe they are almost finished," Phobia replied. "How goes your magic training? Is there anything new to report?"

Charlotte gripped her pants leg and squeezed. "You'd know if there was."

"Yes, but it is always polite to ask," Phobia said. "Please, continue to my mother's office. I don't think she cares if you walk in to find her selling a corpse to my friend."

"Corpse?! She's selling Andri?!"

"Don't worry; it's the one that she had impaled on a pike outside for the last month, not Andrea," Phobia said with a grimace. "That stallion who murdered the three guards at the gate before my mother ended him."

Charlotte blinked. "Oh… I had noticed it was gone. I thought she was trying to make the place more hospitable since she was having so much company today, or, better yet, she had just come to her senses and realized that was barbaric."

"It was as good a time as any to do away with it. My understanding was the city ordered to have it removed or else. They let her get away with a lot, but dead bodies on display went too far," Phobia said. "However, with it no longer being maintained against decay by my mother's spells, the need to have it transferred was fairly urgent; hence the business deal is going down now."

"You're all insane," Charlotte stated firmly.

Phobia raised an eyebrow. "Says the girl who was numb to the fact she walked past an impaled pony every day for the last month like it was nothing but another decoration instead of a warning."

Charlotte gave the pony a long look. "You're getting macabre in your old age. And I'll have you know; I shuttered every time I saw it. It was nuts that she did that!"

"Pragmatic, I would say," Phobia said, and she watched as a young, nervous-looking, brown stallion exited out of Sunset's office. "There's Moses; business is complete. I will see you at the funeral; I'm going to keep my distance from the crowds till then. Take care of yourself, young Charlotte."

She watched the two walk off and then stormed into Sunset's office.

"I know I didn't say anything before, but I want you to know, that stunt with the dead pony was sick!" she yelled.

The red unicorn mare sitting at the desk looked up from the notes she was making. "Hello to you too, child. As for that murderer, I had to conduct three funeral services in the last month and tell three families that their loved ones weren't coming home. Killing ponies when they try to kill me doesn't seem to be working to deter more from coming; I felt a more direct statement needed to be made."

"You could have had a news conference or something instead," Charlotte muttered.

"And endanger the reporters when someone inevitably tries to nail me there?" Sunset asked, sounding offended. "I think not. The story about what I did circulated well enough before I pulled him down. It ran on every national news outlet. The message has been sent. Anyone who tries to hurt me, the people on this property, or any other family of mine, will find their life forfeit. I'm not playing nice anymore. This has gone on for far too long, and the government is too ineffective to prevent further attacks."

And people said she and Sunset were the same person; there was no way.

"Anyway, you're running late, child," Sunset continued.

"Late? You're the one who hasn't put in an appearance downstairs," Charlotte countered.

"Our weekly magic session was scheduled for two hours ago," Sunset reminded her.

Charlotte gaped at the absurdity. "Your sister is lying in a coffin downstairs. You can't seriously expect us to do our normal schedule."

Sunset gave her a level look. "Would you rather be dealing with trying to comfort the heartbroken or fend off the carrion eaters who dare call themselves Andrea's grandchildren?"

"Parasites," Charlotte grumbled without thinking.

"Parasites feed on the living, child, those bastards down there are trying to feed off the name of my dead sister. They're family in name only, and they can wait until I'm ready to conduct the service to catch a glimpse of me."

"What about the rest of us who do care, or Andrea's kids?" Charlotte asked. "Don't we all deserve some time?"

"I have been spending time with each of you privately since Andrea passed. They don't need me right now. I can also see from my window that your Andrea has not yet finished digging, so the body is not yet ready to be buried. Don't make me have to look at my dead sister's face more than I have to. Let me work and focus on other things instead of being forced to confront the mortality of my loved ones. Let me mourn in my way in my time. I don't want to break down crying during the service."

Charlotte stood quietly for a few seconds, then went and took a seat on a nearby stool. "Well, I'm not going back down there without you."

Sunset snorted. "I didn't expect you to. I have scryed and seen you. You've been keeping busy doing the things no one else wants to do. I'm not the only one looking for a distraction from the pain. So, shall we begin your magic session?"

"Whatever you want. Not like it will be any different than other sessions," Charlotte spat.

"Perhaps," Sunset conceded as she left her seat and walked in front of Charlotte. "Begin concentrating; focus on your power. Let's see if we can get it to do something for once or if you will fail again."

Charlotte wanted to kick the unicorn for rubbing that in. She didn't care if Sunset was upset about her sister; that was out of line. Years of these sessions, nothing had ever happened other than giving herself a headache. She would probably die being remembered by Sunset only as the pale imitation of herself who always disappointed. When Charlotte was young, she had dreamed of being a great mage. Sunset Blessing was a great mage, and she was a younger version of the pony, so that meant she had to be great too, right? Great big failure. Her parents wondered why she got so bitter. They didn't have to live in the shadow of this unicorn; their other selves had been simple earth ponies before they passed away.

"By the way," Sunset said, casually flicking her tail as Charlotte tried to concentrate. "I'm going to be offering your sister a job. Security here went downhill when my Andrea got sick and could no longer monitor it. I think I might be best served trying again with the younger model."

"Andrea—"

"Don't speak, child, concentrate," Sunset snapped. "I'll talk, and you'll be the obedient girl who keeps her maw shut. You can voice your displeasure at anything I say after you inevitably fail."

What the fuck! Sunset was rarely nice during these sessions, but she was laying the nastiness on hard right now. It was probably because of the funeral, and the unicorn was lashing out because she didn't have anywhere else to lash out, but that was no excuse! She wasn't the only one hurting!

"I won't start her off as head of security; she doesn't have the experience for that. She can act as a bodyguard to start. Someone who can take a bullet."

Charlotte gripped her hands together so hard they hurt. It felt like she might draw blood if she gripped any tighter. Was Sunset trying to get a rise out of her? Watch her fail again so she could mock her for it? All because Sunset wanted to hurt someone because her sister was dead, and there was no one to blame or hurt for it? Screw her; Charlotte wasn't going to give the unicorn that. She clamped her mouth shut.

"Your new school year is starting soon, senior year, that's an important one. Are you planning on doing better than your regular mediocre performance this year?" Sunset asked. "At your age, I might have been going through the whole tragic goth phase, but I still made straight A's, and I was in both the band and the debate team. This is your only extracurricular activity to worry about, and you still don't keep your grades up."

Yeah, Sunset was definitely trying to get a reaction.

Sunset turned and looked her in the eyes. "I mean, I know you aren't dumb. You're me, after all. That means you must be lazy instead. I didn't save you from your timeline to let you be a worthless couch potato. Do you think I won't let you fall flat on your ass just because you're an alternate version of me? Think again, child, if you can muster the effort to do that much! You fail because you don't apply yourself."

Charlotte squeezed her eyes closed as she started to cry. She knew this was all some tactic on the unicorn's behalf, but it still hurt. Nobody knew a person as well as themselves, and Sunset knew every last hurtful thing that could be said.

"At least you'll avoid one mistake of mine," Sunset said with a sigh. "My first year of college, I was sexually confused and felt the need to prove I was straight, and I went and got pregnant and chose to have an abortion. You might be just as sexually confused, but I doubt you'll be going to college to make that mistake, not that anyone would touch a loser like you in any case. Congratulations, your failure to live up to me amounts to something."

The stool tumbled away as Charlotte jolted to her feet and slammed her foot down. She leveled her gaze on her other self and tried to bring her rage under control.

Sunset wasn't looking at her; she was looking at something on the far side of the room.

"Well, if I knew that getting under your skin would bear fruit, I would have done it a long time ago. Turn your head and look."

That was enough to snap her out of her fury. She turned and gasped as she caught sight of what had appeared.

It was a swirling two-dimensional vortex in different shades of grey. It was round and maybe three meters in diameter. It didn't seem to be sucking air in or blowing air out. It was just swirling in place.

"I actually did something with my magic," Charlotte said in wonder. Then her eyes went wide as she looked at the thing. "Oh crap, is the house going to explode or something?"

"I doubt the house will explode," Sunset said in a flat tone.

"What is it?" Charlotte asked as she stepped towards her creation.

Sunset stepped in front of her. "A portal, although not like any I have ever seen. Keep your distance."

Charlotte took a step back. "A portal to where? Did I really make it? My magic never does anything!"

"I certainly didn't make it, and I have no idea where," Sunset answered as she examined the portal. "It's already shrinking. You aren't maintaining it."

"Sorry, I don't know how!" Charlotte shouted.

Sunset shook her head and waved a dismissive hoof. "I don't expect you to. Amazingly, it's able to operate without your power maintaining it. It's a portal unlike any other. You've done something special, child."

Charlotte snorted in contempt. "Oh, now I'm special."

"I hope you didn't take my barbs too seriously," Sunset said apologetically. "I didn't mean most of it— although I do wish you applied yourself a bit more in school. I figured you were already in a bad mood, and strong emotions can help with casting, so I pushed your buttons."

"I figured as much, but you still almost got yourself kicked in the flank," Charlotte replied. "You didn't have to make up that entire story about the abortion."

"Smart girl, but I didn't make that up. Keep that story to yourself, and don't try to emulate me on that one. You're much too wise for that," Sunset replied absently. That was surprising, but at least she got a compliment out of it.

The portal was shrinking rapidly. It was already half the size it was when she first looked. There was no sound coming from it, no light, no smell. It seemed like it was out of place with reality itself.

Sunset stepped back and lit her horn. "Get to cover. I will try to send my magic into it to probe, and I don't know what will happen. I don't want you to get hurt. I'll be shielding the full room, just in case there's an explosion."

Charlotte hid behind the desk quickly. "Explosion?! You’re telling me it could explode?!"

"I don't honestly know. That's why I'm having you take cover while I shield the room," Sunset answered.

"Why would you poke your magic into it if that was even a possibility?" Charlotte asked.

"I don't know when you'll be able to do this again, and I don't have other options to study it. Sometimes you have to jab something with a proverbial stick."

Charlotte ducked down lower. She thought it many times before, but she thought it again; her other self was nuts.

Sunset turned to face the portal, which was now down to less than a meter in diameter. A faint blue glow covered the walls and floor, indicating the shield she had put up around the room. The desk Charlotte was sheltering behind began to glow with the same light to give her extra protection. A final glow surrounded Sunset herself before the great mage of Wabash Manor focused her full attention on the swirling grey vortex.

However, she was unable to stick her magic into the portal before something else came out.

The unicorn yelped as a tangerine orange shape barreled out of the portal, slamming onto the floor. Charlotte had only time to register it was a living thing before it was up and trying to run away. This was a short-lived effort. Sunset Blessing was quick on the recovery and seized whatever it was in her magic.

"Don't kill it!" Charlotte yelled as she sprang to her feet.

Sunset glanced back at her with a disgusted look. "I didn't intend to. I've been attacked enough times to know the difference between an attack and someone trying to run away in terror."

Charlotte came up beside the unicorn and looked at what had been captured. "Is that a pony?"

"Ponies aren't bipedal, and ponies don't have ears that big or trunks," Sunset answered.

"An elephant?" Charlotte asked in disbelief.

"Elephants don't come in orange, don't walk on two legs, aren't furry, and don't have cutie marks on their bellies," Sunset corrected.

That was true, and she was just now noticing the mark on its belly, a pair of hearts with a mirror in between them. Something about the creature was familiar, despite definitely not being anything she knew of on Earth or Equestria.

"Is…is that a Care Bear?"

Sunset gave her yet another look that screamed, 'how stupid are you?'. "Don't be ridiculous. While it might resemble some child's toy, I—"

"Please, good sirs, have mercy! Don't turn me over to the Care Bears! I just got away!" the tangerine elephant pleaded.

What the hell…?

Chapter 1.13: Putting a Coat of Paint on It

"Ow! Mom! You're pulling too hard!" Charlotte whined before she could catch herself.

Her mom immediately released some pressure from her brush pull. "Sorry, baby."

Charlotte gritted her teeth at being called that nickname but didn't protest. Her Mom had been barely holding it together the last few weeks since Kristin's death, and it was best not to say too much that could upset her. It was walking on eggshells, but Charlotte could manage. Her own crying fits were less frequent now, but they still came at unexpected moments.

"You're going to look so cute with your mane all braided," Andrea said with a smirk from where she stood in the corner.

"Yes, she is," their mom confirmed, sounding slightly more upbeat than a moment ago. Charlotte bit off her retort about not needing to be cute, not wanting to hurt her mom's feelings.

She looked at her sister, who, for the first time ever, was wearing clothes other than a t-shirt while in centaur form. It was like a skirt, except it covered all her equine parts and hung halfway down her legs, with a slit in the back for her tail to hang out. Her sister's chest was bare, but that didn't matter— Andrea was more equine in that respect and didn't have breasts up there; her mammaries were down below. She'd done something to her fur around her torso that made it even more shiny than usual. Even the ordinarily crystalline-looking skin above, along with her hair and tail, looked more glistening than they typically did.

"You look nice, by the way," Charlotte mumbled to her sister.

"She does look lovely," their mom agreed, still brushing slightly too hard, but it was bearable.

Andrea's blushed, which made her crystalline cheeks look like rubies. "Thank you very much."

This was the happiest Charlotte had seen her sister in a long while. Andrea was going to get to be her authentic self while in Equestria. Charlotte wasn't annoyed she didn't get to enjoy the same luxury. What was annoying was she still had to go to school! Even worse, she had to go to something called magic kindergarten. Kindergarten! She thought they were kidding until they didn't back down about it. She would be eighteen in less than a week, and she was going to kindergarten. She could die of embarrassment. At least they assured her that it was only temporary until she got fully up to speed with her unicorn magic, and then she could be promoted to more normal classes for her age— at least in terms of magic classes. She might be in remedial classes for subjects like history all year long.

Not that it was any sure thing she would need those magic classes or history classes in the long run. She still was undecided about permanent transformation. She was going to be wearing Sunset's necklace at all times that she wasn't asleep or wasn't being directly supervised by approved ponies. Equestria wasn't any happier than Earth was about the idea of her randomly opening portals to who knew where, but it was still only temporary.

Plus, she was still supposed to do practice sessions with her magic with Sunset. That was actually grating, because after studying the bears' armlets, Sunset now understood Charlotte's magic better than Charlotte did herself, and could replicate the spell. So much for having her own unique thing. Sunset might not intend to, but she never failed to make Charlotte feel inferior. Charlotte wasn't an idiot, but she was jealous she couldn't just put pieces together to figure out magic like her other self could. She tried, and Jordan had complimented her excellent progress back when she was first figuring out how to use her horn, but Sunset had an advantage other than just experience. Sunset had her mark, which enhanced her ability to put things together. Charlotte didn't have a mark, and the necklace wouldn't allow her to get one. Without the cutie mark, she really was the lesser copy.

"We need to hurry with this braiding," their mom fussed as she worked on Charlotte's mane. "Why is your mane so much longer than Sunset's?"

Charlotte shrugged. "I guess she cuts hers short to be less maintenance, but I like the long look.. Not really thrilled with getting it braided, to tell the truth, but I know this is a big deal." The longer mane was another way to distinguish herself from Sunset.

"I'd help braid, but bending down that low is problematic for me while wearing this thing. It has this strap underneath that digs into my udders if I try to bend down. Sorry, sis," Andrea said apologetically. It sounded legitimate.

It figured that the tailor that had worked on Andrea's 'dress' had screwed something up. The mare had spent most of the time just staring in disbelief at Andrea. The same mare had worked on Charlotte's dress and did a much better job. Why it was so much more complicated to do a centaur dress left Charlotte clueless. Most of the body parts were the same, it shouldn't be that hard.

"Almost done," their mom said. "Then I can help you get your dress on. We'll be ready in time."

"Mom, I can get the dress on by myself, but I'm going to need help with the makeup. I'll poke my eye out if I try to do it myself."

"Nah," Andrea said. "Pony eyes are pretty tough, but you might make it all red and irritated."

"I was speaking figuratively," Charlotte grumbled.

The door opened and Empathy walked in and shut it behind him before looking at Charlotte and tooting his trunk in adoration. "Miss Charlotte, you look very pretty! So do you, Miss Andrea, and Miss Wendy."

"Thanks, Empathy, but aren't you supposed to be watching Amicus?" Charlotte asked.

"Miss Ami needed to go potty," Empathy said, looking flustered. He chose odd things to get flustered about. Taking a piss or crap was extremely taboo for him, and he avoided standing near where someone was going to the bathroom. He didn't ever go to the bathroom himself, in fact, he didn't seem to have any orificices or methods down low for expelling waste or for procreation, even though he had to have some method to do those things; they were essential functions of life. Charlotte hadn't mustered the courage to ask exactly how he managed to do them. It seemed too personal to ask. He still farted…somehow…but Charlotte had no idea where it came out. Sunset had practically dissected a bear, she might know.

"Did she eat?" Andrea asked.

Empathy nodded quickly. "Yes, I made sure she finished her whole bowl of oatmeal. She ate it all like a good pony!"

"Good. She's been losing weight. She needs to eat more. I don't want to bury another family member," Andrea worriedly said.

"We've had enough of that," her mom agreed, voice catching at the end. She did a harder yank, but Charlotte grit her teeth through it and didn't say anything.

Amicus had made the surprise decision to go to Equestria with them. She had mainly been despondent the last few weeks. Losing her sister, her nephew, and her other self within a week of each other had hit her exceedingly hard. It was three of the four closest people to her, other than Sunset. After that, Amicus said she didn't want to be in the manor anymore, and she didn't want to be a burden to her foals or grandfoals by moving in with them. Equestria was somewhere to just get away, with no reminders of what she had lost.

In fact, it seemed no one wanted to be at Wabash Manor, and that had been a problem for Sunset, because someone in the family needed to take it over since her workshop was still there and needed to be watched over. None of Sunset's adopted foals wanted the place where their brother died. Phobia retired to Equestria, so she wasn't even on the planet. Out of Sunset's grandfoals, Martinez gave a flat and direct no to the question. Nightmare Moon was considered too unstable in his relationships with mares for Sunset to risk giving it to him and then having him lose it in some court case with a disgruntled lover. Arachne was someone Sunset didn't trust to be near her workshop. Drizzle objected on the same grounds as her mother and remaining uncles. And all the remaining grandfoals and great-grandfoals were young kids or teens.

So to the shock of everyone, Sunset had given it to Jordan, who was probably the most shocked of all. People had expected Sunset to start looking at her various nieces and nephews for an option, but Jordan wasn't even a blood relative. She was Sunset's ex-husband's daughter from his second wife. Sunset's reasoning was that she preferred a unicorn to have it, just in case something from her workshop was needed, and there weren't any unicorns in the family who wanted the manor. Jordan was effectively family as far as the old mare was concerned, and she liked the idea of the manor being filled with the laughter of foals again. She'd also left seventy percent of all ongoing royalties from her book sales to Jordan to pay the house bills and property taxes. The remaining thirty percent went to Méng's widow. The workshop had been sealed and locked, with a magical combination that Sunset shared only with Jordan and Shǔguāng.

Now they were in Equestria. They had been here two days, but the royals were just getting around to publically welcoming Sunset Blessing to Equestria— apparently there had been some last-minute scheduling issue. They were very busy trying to quietly make preparations to receive refugees. That was understandable, but it was going to turn this entire thing into a bigger formal affair, by doing it during a gala that had already been scheduled for today. They'd also be announcing Sunset's upcoming appointment as the new headmare of The School of Gifted Unicorns in Canterlot. Sunset's reputation as a mage might not be well known to the general Equestrian population, but it was well known in Equestrian academic circles. Still, heads were going to probably spin that the princesses were putting an Earthling in charge of their most prestigious school.

Add to that fact that Sunset had already privately stated that there were going to be changes in the admissions process that would favor lower-class unicorns with talent over nobles with lots of donations and it was fixing to be a very big uproar. That wasn't even counting her plans to allow kirins to enroll. Charlotte was actually looking forward to seeing the nobles react. She'd get her chance since she and Andrea had been added to the guest list as well. Andrea was coming as 'somepony everypony should know', which translated better as 'someone to gossip about', and Charlotte was coming as a close member of Sunset's family, although how exactly she was related was left vague. The guests were probably going to assume her to be Sunset's daughter or granddaughter; she looked the part.

She turned her attention back to Empathy. "Can you go check on Amicus again, please? She shouldn't be left by herself for too long. She's not right in the head right now."

He nodded and hurried back to the door. "Yes, Miss Charlotte!"

He left the room in such a hurry he nearly knocked over one of the ponies on the hotel staff. The pony gave him an annoyed look, but didn't stop to gape. After two days, the staff and the ponies who worked and lived near the hotel had gotten used to seeing him, and while he had attracted stares at first, now they barely paid him much attention. Andrea got more stares when she went out and about. The issue was more her height than her strange appearance. She was extremely tall by human standards, which was all the more tall compared to a pony, but even those stares were dying down now, and ponies weren't frightened by the big crystal centaur. Strange creatures were not unheard of in the Crystal Empire, and as long as the strange creatures weren't hostile, ponies seemed to lose interest after the initial round of gossip had run its course. Luckily, the hotel they were staying at had reasonably tall doors and ceilings— they said they sometimes had to accommodate medium-sized dragons and had mentioned yaks could jump surprisingly high when they really got into stomping. Yaks got away with stomping loudly because 'Yaks best tippers!'

"All finished!" their mom announced happily. Charlotte looked herself over in the mirror. The braid did look nice, she supposed, and her tail had been curled earlier, giving her an exquisite look. Still, it was a little much for her tastes, but it was just for today.

She focused on the dress that was hanging in the closet and lit her horn, levitating it to herself. The dress kind of wrapped around her instead of having to go on over her head, so she didn't have to mess up the braiding her mother had just put so much effort into. She had to watch herself put it on in the mirror, since she wasn't very good at manipulating things she couldn't see, which annoyed her, since Sunset seemed to be able to move things around without ever looking at them. Her mom helped her with getting her tail through the slit in the dress and straightening the dress out, but in seemingly no time, she was dressed.

Next came the makeup, which her mother applied with extreme care. It wasn't a lot, just eyeliner, mascara, and purple lipstick (the color stood out better since her fur was red, but the purple matched her mane well). Charlotte wasn't adept at applying this stuff even when she was human, and trying to manipulate such small objects with her horn using the amount of care needed to apply them correctly was entirely beyond her skill.

The door opened again, and Sunset marched in. She was wearing a simple black silk dress but had forgone any other accessories. Her mane and tail were the same as ever. She hadn't put on any makeup or jewelry. She hadn't even made an attempt to conceal her neck scar with a scarf or something. Truthfully, it was actually surprising she went so far as to put a dress on, and Charlotte wondered if one of the princesses had pressured her to do at least that much. Sunset might have listened to Luna. Charlotte only met Luna once or twice in passing, but she knew the alicorn was one of the few ponies who could convince Sunset to do anything she didn't want to do.

"The carriage is here. Are you about done?" Sunset asked.

"Almost," Charlotte answered, trying not to shut her eye as her mother worked around it.

"Um…how big is this carriage?" Andrea asked.

"Small enough that I will have to shrink you down to fit in," Sunset replied.

Their mother paused and looked at Sunset. "You can do that?"

Sunset snorted. "I wouldn't have said so if I couldn't. Unless she wants to give the carriage ponies a break and haul the thing herself. She's strong enough."

"As long as it is a temporary thing for just the ride, I'll accept being shrunk," Andrea said nervously. "How small are we talking about?"

"Pony-sized, unless you make me angry. Then I might shrink you down to the size of a puppy," Sunset said, grinning.

"I'll be on good behavior," Andrea said hurriedly.

Sunset expression softened as she turned her attention to their mother. "Take Amicus out somewhere. I don't care where. It can be shopping or to the park. Just make sure she gets out. She'll get even more depressed if she doesn't get out."

Charlotte's eyes went wide as she anticipated an issue. "Hey! Maybe we should let her stay in for tonight. I can go out with her tomorrow."

"Why?" Sunset questioned with a raised brow.

How to answer this? She didn't know how to dance around it. "Mom and Amicus might not be the best mix to be with each other right now."

Their mom started tearing up and Charlotte knew she'd screwed up by mentioning it.

Sunset still seemed befuddled. "Why would…" The light of realization hit her eyes, and her expression immediately shifted to a mix of embarrassment and shame. "Oh…I hadn't given that thought. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. You are right, that was thoughtless of me. Just make sure the elephant stays stuck to her like glue. We'll try not to be out too late."

"Thank you," their mom whispered. "I'm sorry. It's just…she's…I just can't right now."

Andrea placed a hand on their mom's shoulder. She looked like she wanted to give her a hug, but the size difference made it too difficult. "We understand. Hey, you did a really good job on Charlotte's braid and make up. She looks gorgeous."

"She does," Sunset quietly said, not even bothering to look. She took a deep breath. "Let's get moving before we all start crying. It wouldn't do to mess up the girls' makeup with tears."