A Series of Continuous Events

As they walked into Celestia's room, Light was pleasantly surprised to find another Pony visiting the Princess, carrying a vase, filled to the brim with a collection of beautifully coloured flowers, which gave off a wonderful scent that filled the room. After placing down the vase, they turned around and noticed Light walking through the door and greet the two.

Celestia greeted the Kirin as they walked in, and the visiting Pegasus smiled, and walked over to introduce themselves to Light. After a short conversation, the Pegasus said they unfortunately couldn't stay, and wished Celestia and Light a pleasant day before exiting her room. Light made a mental note to try to get to know the hasty Pegasus better, whenever they may meet again.

Moving over to Celestia's bedside, Light mentioned that tomorrow evening, the Royal Orchestra would perform at the Palace again, for while they had planned to play songs to honour the Princesses in particular, they were interrupted at the Gala. Still, they wanted to perform the songs, and hoped Celestia would be fit enough to join them at the Palace.

Adding to this, Light mentioned that just a bit ago, Rain and their friends came across a Pegasus friend of theirs, who wanted to know if they could perform their routine at the celebrations. Celestia smiled and chuckled weakly, before sharply inhaling and flinching. Tears formed in her eyes, but whether due to pain or sadness, Light did not know.

Celestia told Light that the damage appeared to be more severe than originally thought. She would have to spend more time in the Centre until her strength returned enough to be sent home, and even then, she would have to take it easy. Leaving the Centre so soon, even if just for one evening, would be very unwise.

Though a voice in the back of their mind said no, Light turned to grab the vial from their bag, leaving out the part of meeting Boom and getting the vial and message via Banana. Though they did not know what the effect would be, Light, concerned for the Princess' health and safety, handed Celestia the flask and said that the medicine should help return her strength.

Though Celestia was dubious, they trusted the Kirin's judgment, and grabbed a spoon to take a little bit of the liquid. Using their magic, Light very carefully poured out the liquid, making sure to not waste a single drop, and hovered the spoonful over to Celestia, who delicately drank the it.

For a moment, nothing much happened, though she did note the medicine tasted like a strange combination of liquorice and metal. Thinking Boom's vial of medicine was a bust, Light placed it back in their bag, when Celestia said she felt warmer, and that she felt the pain near her lungs was diminishing. Light rubbed their eyes, thinking the Solar Princess was glowing.

Shortly after, Celestia took a deep breath and smiled, feeling the pain had completely disappeared. As she called for the Doctor, she pulled Light in for a hug, thanking them for everything they had done to help her, to which Light replied they would have done so for anyone, and that they were glad she was feeling better.

The Doctor entered a little while later and was dumbfounded at Celestia's rapid recovery. Celestia, still embracing the Kirin, asked if she could leave, as she was feeling very well, to which the Doctor replied they would need to be absolutely certain she had fully recovered, and headed out to prepare some tests.

Finally releasing Light, Celestia smiled and asked:

"How can I ever repay you?"

"If you can, pay it forward. The World will be a better place because of it."

Light continued, saying they hoped the Centre could figure out what this medicine truly is, for with this healing power, it could help heal even those with the greatest injuries, as they took the flask and waited for the Doctor to return.

A little while later, the Doctor walked in again, saying that she had spoken with other Doctors in the Centre. The news of Celestia's rapid recovery was nearly unheard of, and with the severity of the injuries she had sustained, she would have had to remain in the Medical Centre for much longer to heal fully.

Celestia said Light had helped her, possessing an unusual potion that healed all her injuries with just a spoonful of the tonic. Light showed the vial to the Doctor and asked for a container to put the liquid in, though they made it clear that they wanted to keep a small amount for themselves, in case of dire emergency.

The Doctor obliged, and thanked the Kirin for their cooperation, saying that she would send the liquid to be studied and analysed. With the tonic's potency, many folks could benefit immensely from its healing power. Before the Doctor left, she mentioned again that Celestia would have to remain for a little while longer, to be absolutely certain she was fully healed.

Celestia agreed, and asked the Doctor if she would be allowed to return in time for a special celebration at the castle, tomorrow evening. The Doctor eased her worries and said that the last examinations would not take very long, and first thing in the morning, she would be allowed to leave the hospital.

Overjoyed at this news, Celestia and Light lovingly embraced each other, for this news was exactly what they had hoped for. Light said they would head out and bring the good news to all their friends, Luna included - she would be the first one to visit, in fact. Celestia smiled warmly and sent the Kirin on their way, as they took a seat and took a deep breath, elated that her pain had subsided, and hoping that the medicine could help many more folks.

Bursting with happiness and energy, Light flew out of the Centre and headed straight towards the Palace, as they knew Eclipse and Luna would be there. On the way there, they quickly stopped by Violin's house, to place down their backpack and to greet Harvest, Decaf, and Banana and Caff - who had arrived home a short while ago - to tell them the good news of the Princess' swift recovery.

Many cheers erupted from the house, and Light asked the group to tell the good news to Violin, Rain, Cherry and Green as well when they got home. Trotting along, Light quickly reached the Palace and asked to see Luna and Eclipse. Though their entry was denied momentarily, the Princess of the Night herself appeared and asked the guards to let the Kirin through, seeing they were ecstatic about something.

Before Luna had a chance to speak again, Light told her all about Celestia's recovery, and that the celebrations tomorrow could go through in their entirety, now with even more festivities as Celestia would be fully healed and able to attend. Tears formed in Luna's eyes as a bright smile grew on her face, and she gently embraced Light, quietly whispering 'Thank you.' in a quivering voice, happy beyond words at the news.

Embracing the Princess in a loving hug, Light felt Luna sink through her legs, the wave of emotions at the good news being too much for her at the moment. As Luna wiped away her tears and got back to her feet, Solar and Twilight walked by, and, hearing the news, flew around in an elegant dance and a flurry of impressive moves, barely able to contain their energy.

Luna cleared her throat and stood tall, putting up her regal façade again, and thanked the Kirin for their assistance and their service to the Royal Sisters. Light replied, in a similar, yet slightly sarcastic tone:

'It was an honour and my privilege, your Highness', and in a quieter voice, said: 'Will you join us for dinner tonight?'

After Light broke character and chuckled at themselves, Luna shyly giggled and accepted their invitation. As she still had business at the Palace, she would join them later, though she did not know where dinner would be held. Eclipse, standing close by, said that they'd join Light to their place of residence, and would return to pick up Luna for dinner later that day, to which the Princess agreed.

Light and Eclipse set out from the Palace, waving goodbye to Luna as they headed off. A little while later, the two entered Violin's house, finding almost the whole group helping to set up dinner. Looking around, Light realised that Violin himself was not yet present, and quickly headed out to meet him at the theatre.

Arriving shortly after setting out, Light entered the theatre, looking for Violin, whom they found with the Royal Orchestra in one of the main Halls, evidently having finished their rehearsals only a few moments ago. Violin noticed Light walking through the door and walked over to greet them, and engaged in pleasant conversation with the Kirin.

Light told him they had quite the busy day after leaving the restaurant, talking about Celestia's recovery, and that she would be allowed to leave the Medical Centre tomorrow. A smile grew onto Violin's face as he confirmed the fact that the celebrations tomorrow evening were now a guarantee, and turned to the rest of the Orchestra to tell them the news.

Many cheers erupted from all the musicians and the Conductor, filling the halls with a brilliant wave of positive voices. Light continued, saying that they invited Luna to dinner that evening, having just come from the Palace and from home, picking up Eclipse along the way. At home, dinner was being prepared, and they had come to pick Violin up from their rehearsals.

Violin thanked Light for their kind gesture and all their help, and the two headed out to home. When they arrived, Light breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that dinner had not yet started. Decaf, who was quietly reading a book on the couch, told Light and Violin that Eclipse had just left to pick up Luna, and would return shortly.

Planning to head to bed shortly after dinner, Light took their bag upstairs and unpacked, finding the book of Ancient Tales they had planned to read that day. Boom had asked them to do so, having placed a few notes at chapters of interest, but repeating his request when Light, Banana and Caff met him today outside of the city. What was written in the chapters must be important.

To make sure they would not forget to read the book, Light placed it, opened to one of the marked chapters, on their bed, and headed downstairs. For the amount of guests that were present, the table alone was not large enough, so the couch and coffee table were going to be used as well. As Light started helping place down the cutlery and plates, Eclipse and Luna entered, and were happily greeted by everyone who was present.

Dinner was absolutely delicious, thanks to everyone involved, especially Caff, Decaf and Harvest, who had spent the afternoon baking delicious loaves of bread and cooking a feast worthy of royalty. Luna herself asked for the recipes to all that they had prepared, from the bread to the homemade toppings, the soup and salad too.

After dinner, Light started the washing up, being helped by Rain, Cherry and Green, as Banana moved the dishes to the kitchen. While they were clearing up, Luna and Eclipse headed to the Palace, having received the recipes from Decaf before they left, and Harvest, Caff and Decaf headed to bed earlier - exhausted, in a good way, after an afternoon of baking a delicious meal.

After everything had been cleared up, Light bade everyone goodnight and retreated to their room. Moving to their bed, they took the book and said quietly to themselves:

"What did you want me to see, Boom? What could be so important that requires all this mystery and sneaking around?"

And they began reading the first marked chapter: "the Fields of the Forgotten Folk".

Light grabbed a glass of water, made themselves comfortable, and started reading the book. They had read a few extracts from other chapters in the book, such as the 'Valley of Nameless Things', a place where strange and terrifying beings dwelled, eons ago. Other chapters included 'The Shadows of the Mountain of Fire', and 'The Battle for the Dead City', which was another chapter that Boom had marked for Light to read.

Save for minor corrections by those who came after, the chapters were all written by a researcher from thousands of years ago, about tales of old. Were it not for this researcher, many stories and legends from the Ancient Days would have been lost to time. The story that Boom had marked first tells of a horrifyingly powerful foe, that none know the name of.

"The story of The Fields of the Forgotten Folk. The grounds upon which innumerable battles were fought, between an unknown enemy, and most races of creatures that are presently known. Yaks, Griffons, even Changelings and Abyssinians. Ponykind had not yet united under one banner when these battles were fought, and whether these races even knew of each other, no tale tells."

"Whether in close quarters, using blade and shield, or from far away using magic spells, spears and bows and arrows, anything that these beings faced, they overcame, evidently without so much as a scratch. Yet, after the battle was over, no evidence remained of their presence, save for accounts of the survivors about their ferocity, the only way to attribute these battles to this unknown foe."

"The survivors, lucky enough to withstand the rage and brutality from the enemy they faced, tell of creatures of monstrous strength and power. Able to take on leagues of well-trained soldiers on their own, none ever managed to defeat these foes. Taking into consideration their strength, if ever one of these beings was defeated, there would be many accounts, yet there are none."

"If any tried to follow these beings to whence they came, they were quickly stopped. Many who followed never returned, but whether they got lost or were attacked by these beings as they retreated, we do not know. Any who did return would not speak of their struggles, and would take their experiences to the grave."

"Few well-documented accounts exist of these beings, for the fear they instilled into the hearts of their foes, and the memories of confrontations on the battlefield, prevented many from telling or writing their story, not wishing to relive the horrors they experienced. Descriptions, most likely biased against them, described these beings as made of shadow, and flame."

The descriptions of these beings, the image they created in Light's mind, were absolutely harrowing. Beings of immense power, made of light and darkness, fire and shade, and able to destroy cities, by themselves, without a scratch? A chill ran up their spine, and they felt something in the back of their head, yet, when Light turned around, they saw only shadows.

The author continued: "Over the eons, many stories were lost. Whether these were stories from those who survived their fight with these beings, untold, who never dared speak ill of those they faced, or purposefully destroyed accounts, the fear conjured by these beings became too much to bear, even when read in script."

"Similar to the Nameless Things, none knew where they came from, nor where they went. Eons have gone by, and none have seen nor heard of any race like the Forgotten Folk since the Days of Old and the battles they fought on the Fields that now hold their names. With their power, none could have challenged them, and the lands would have fallen, as they have done many times before."

"And yet, for all the horrifying devastation they caused, they might actually not have been as evil as they have been made out to be."

"Sorting through this history has been a gruelling task, as many descriptions and depictions are too awful to bear witness to. Very few descriptions of all of these creatures, wherever they may be, if there even are any still around, have been anything other than fear-fueled nightmares. Made of shadow and fire, with razor sharp fangs, and quicker than the eye can see."

"These beings were powerful, and seemed as if they had no hearts to speak of. Reports from countless battles fought against these creatures describe them as such; merciless, violent, and hostile to anything that may stand in their way. One report says: it does not matter what you try to do. It will find you, and it will ruin you."

"However" the author noted, "these depictions might not be true."

After reading the last extract, Light was dumbfounded. How could things end up alright when so much bad has happened? How could these creatures, merciless in their attacks, seemingly limitless in their power, ever be good? Dreading what the author might write next, they tried to calm their nerves and drank some water, carefully turned the page, and began reading the next part.

"Strangely enough, though these beings possessed incredible strength, and seemed to be like wild creatures, indiscriminate in their attacks, they did appear to think, to feel, to possess morals. It is very much possible that these beings were sentient, and possessed far greater intelligence than the brutal, mindless monsters they have been made out to be."

"Although many accounts we have show them as such, there are others that show something else entirely. Mercy, support, protection and healing too. In fact, many accounts say these beings showed kindness, mercy and honour, sometimes even more than those they faced on the battlefields, now collectively known as the Fields of the Forgotten Folk."

"If one was unable to defend themselves, they were not in danger. None who were unable to fight were ever attacked, be it an elder, an injured soldier, or a child, all were shown mercy. Evidently, their speed and ferocity were to finish the battle as quickly as possible, to prevent further harm coming to those who do not deserve it."

"More accounts mention the presence and assistance of neutral parties, such as Healers to help the injured, or Couriers to take away messages and injured by wagon. Any time these groups were present, they were guarded from afar, by beings cloaked in, or composed of, shadows. Not one of these reports has ever mentioned the Forgotten Folk in a bad light. "

"Even in the worst of cases, when neither Healer nor Courier is able to reach an injured, the Forgotten Folk took them in and took care of them. Later, the injured would miraculously return in the night, appearing as if stepping out of a shadow, with many of their injuries gone. The healing power the Folk hold is a secret we may never unravel."

"Just like with the Guardians surrounding the Valley of Nameless Things, we many never know more about them than what others have said. In every story, there is an element of truth. Perhaps these beings were bad, perhaps they were not. Perhaps, even, they were like any other being, capable of many things, both good and evil."

"It's a shame, to be remembered only for evil, and to have your name and history forgotten, erased. But I will write, and I will remember."

Amazed and confused about what they had just read, Light closed the book and placed it down beside them. They took a deep breath as they stared out in front of them, trying to make sense of it all. This was a story that Boom thought was important for some reason, but how could it be so? They could not find any connection to what they had been searching for.

Nothing mentioning the catacombs under Banana Park, only stories from a bygone age. Battles fought by and against an immensely powerful foe, one that Light hoped they never would have to face. With a tickling feeling in the back of their mind, they headed to bed, hoping beyond everything that the beings the author described would not enter their dreams as they slept.

Awaking late the following morning, Light stumbled out of bed. Their hair was a mess, and with bags under their eyes, they did not look well. They had slept poorly, worrying about a great many things, in particular, the Forgotten Folk in the story Boom had persuaded them to read. Attempting to fix their hair, they shook their head like a wet dog, and headed downstairs afterwards.

Downstairs, the group had already woken up and had started breakfast. Light found Luna and Eclipse had returned from the Palace to visit, and Rain, Cherry and Green were casually chatting in the back garden over a cup of tea, with another Pegasus they did not recognise. They headed into the kitchen, where they found Banana and Caff enthusiastically mixing batter, and accidentally startled them with their appearance.

Caff managed to keep steady as the small stool she stood on wobbled, nearly dropping the mixing bowl with batter as they balanced themselves. Light chuckled and offered their assistance to the two bakers, who politely declined their offer, as Caff handed them a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Light thanked the two and sleepily asked what the plans for the morning were.

Banana replied that, as Light had confirmed yesterday, Celestia could leave the Medical Centre in the morning, and after breakfast, everyone would head out to meet her. After this, they would all head to the Palace and make preparations for the celebrations of the day. Harvest, Caff and Decaf, and Banana had prepared breakfast together, and Violin had headed out earlier to meet the Orchestra.

For the moment, Banana told Light to take a seat and to have their coffee, as they appeared very tired, which Caff asked about. Light replied they had read the chapter Boom had pointed out in the book of Ancient Tales, and did not sleep well because of it. They had left the book upstairs in their room, and were thinking about whether or not to take it with them.

Giving Light a bittersweet smile, Banana embraced the Kirin, who gently hugged him in return. Light smiled, and after their embrace, thanked the small Unicorn and the brown Pegasus for their support, and the coffee, and headed back to the living room. Banana and Caff looked at each other, worried for their friend, nigh powerless to do anything other than be there for them.

Light took a seat on the couch next to Decaf, whom they greeted as they sat down. The coffee that Caff had brewed tasted wonderfully, and Light made sure to savour every sip. After they finished their coffee, Rain walked over to the Kirin and introduced them to their Pegasus friend, Starshine Nova, who would be joining them to the Palace to perform a special routine.

With the limited energy they could muster, they greeted Starshine with a smile, and said:

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am very much looking forward to your performance this afternoon, and I wish you the best of luck!"

After saying this, they moved back to the table and began breakfast, anticipating the day ahead of them requiring them to use a lot of energy.

Though the room was rather crowded, and loud conversations were happening all around, Light managed to enjoy their breakfast, consisting of fresh bread with some toppings, juice and a cup of tea. Harvest, Caff and Decaf, and Banana were brilliant bakers, and everybody was very appreciative of their skills in the kitchen, always managing to make amazing meals for many Ponies.

After Light finished their breakfast, and had helped to clean up and put away the tableware, they headed upstairs to grab their bag. In their room, they remembered the book of Ancient Tales they had read the night before, still debating in their mind whether or not to take it with them. Cursing themselves for their curiosity, they placed the book in their bag, and headed back down.

Though Light was somewhat struggling to stay awake, they felt more sleepy than tired, and planned to take a nap in the afternoon to try and get some better sleep. As they got ready, the rest of the group was preparing to head out as well. Celestia would leave the Centre within the next few hours, and as they had promised her, the group planned to meet her as she left.

Afterwards, they would collectively head to the Palace where the setup for the celebrations were underway already. Violin had left earlier in the morning to the theatre, and if everything went well, the Royal Orchestra would be present at the Palace already, busy with their setup. When everyone was ready, the group left to head towards the Medical Centre.

The group arrived a little while later and took a seat in the foyer. Light headed to the café, intending to purchase a cup of coffee, which they hoped would help them stay awake longer. When they entered, the lady behind the counter recognised the Kirin, and after they asked them how they were doing, they wondered if Light found out what the note they had gotten meant.

Light replied that it's a long and complicated story, but in the end, they met the Pony who had left the note, who gave them more cryptic clues and strange paths to follow, neither of which had, thusfar, lead to anything of use. The lady replied that all would end up alright in due time, and prepared their cup of coffee.

Thanking the lady, Light turned to head out of the café. When they got back, Light realised they had forgotten to ask if anyone else wanted a drink. They placed down their drink and asked the rest of the group if they wanted anything, and Light got many requests for various drinks, both hot and cold.

They made a note of all that the group wanted and headed to the café again, where they placed the order for the group. It would take a little while, so Light took a seat at the counter and chatted a bit with the kind lady as she prepared the drinks for the group. As they were talking, they started smelling a strange scent. One that they, unfortunately, both recognised.

Light got up to look around as the lady opened the doors and windows, trying to get the stench out. The smell of ash and smoke, as if something was burning, the same smell as they had smelled the day before. It was very potent, yet there was nobody else in the room, besides Light and the lady, which confused them. Where could it be coming from?

Light apologised to the lady for the behaviour of their associate, for his continued chaotic antics were not appreciated. As the lady started spraying air freshener around, Light walked around the room, trying to find him. Realising the smell came from the air conditioning, Light ran upstairs where they found Boom on the roof. In a fiery tone, they asked him:

"To be honest, I'm quite surprised you're back in town after the stunt you pulled. What is it this time?"

The Green Unicorn standing across from them asked them to wait, as he scooped another spoonful of fine grey powder from a bowl, whereafter he told them he was surprised nopony had yet revealed themselves as a villain, as it was par for the course most of the time.

Light took a moment to try and find their words, but they only managed to stumble over them. "Is that...? Are you... What...?" They remembered Boom's chaotic nature, and put his actions aside, after which they tried to shift their focus on what he said, rather than his current actions, which required a lot of energy, which, unfortunately, they did not have a lot of.

"Someone revealing themselves as a villain? And it's 'par for the course'? How many times has this even happened?" Light asked incredulously, developing a headache because of the confusing mess of information that Boom had just told them. The green Unicorn just kept on eating spoonfuls of gunpowder at a time, and Light could not believe their eyes.

The smell of Boom himself and the gunpowder was foul, and filled the area, even entering the ventilation system that ran throughout the Centre. Light, in an exhausted tone, sighed loudly and asked Boom to get off of the roof and talk with them, in private, downstairs. Though the group was present, Light would tell them that they'd be back in a moment after finishing business with Boom.

As they headed downstairs, Light told Boom that they would make a detour by the café as Boom headed outside, to grab the drinks and snacks for the group, and to grab their coffee - as they would most definitely need it. Downstairs, the putrid odor was still in the area, but fortunately, the opened windows and doors helped alleviate the unpleasantness somewhat.

Light stopped by the café where the refreshments for the group had been prepared by the lady behind the counter. Light once again apologised for Boom's behaviour, and told them it wouldn't happen again. They also mentioned the smell would lift soon as they were taking their associate outside to have a stern conversation.

The kind lady thanked the Kirin for their help and their honesty, and waved Light goodbye as they headed back to the group. In the lounge, Light placed down the refreshments for the group and grabbed their own drink, and told them they would be right back - they needed to take care of some business first. From their defeated expression, the group could figure out what the business was.

Light headed outside, holding back their frustrations, not only because they wanted to avoid turning Nirik, but also because they had little energy to spare. Walking around the corner to a small alleyway next to the Centre, Boom walked up to them, but before speaking, he looked past the Kirin and hid behind a number of rubbish bins.

As Boom dove away, Light turned around and noticed the host of Royal Guards move past them, who looked in their direction as they trotted past. Light slowly and gracefully nodded their head in respect, whereafter the Guards nodded back. Two of the Guards walked over to Light and struck up a conversation, recognising the Kirin as the one who had helped get the Princess to the Centre.

The older Guard told them the watch had been increased in case the intruding Unicorn should return, especially now that the Princess was about to leave the Centre to head back to the Palace, her injuries having been miraculously restored. The younger Guard looked down in shame, as they shyly said they thought they failed at their duty. Light gently took their hoof and said:

"And still, you selflessly protect the Princess and the City. You couldn't have known. Nobody could have. Everyone, including you, did their best, and helped in whatever way you could. And that is an encouraging thought."

Somehow not realising Light was still speaking with the Guards, he whispered to Light from behind the rubbish bins, asking them whether anyone saw him, before he dove away when his eyes fell upon the pair of Guards.

To Light's dismay, his so-called whisper was loud enough for both Light and the Guards to hear. Light let go of the young Guard's hoof, closed their eyes, and took a deep sigh. They put their hoof to their face, as the younger Guard tried to walk past them, before they were stopped by Light, who gave them a worn-out look, while shaking their head.

The older Guard looked at Light with a concerned expression, and asked them what they were doing before they stepped towards the Kirin. Light replied that it was an unfortunate meeting with someone who was costing them a lot of energy. They had business with him, which they wanted to finish as quickly as possible.

The Guards were silent for a moment. After looking at the Kirin's defeated expression, they smiled and bade them good luck in finishing their business. Light smiled weakly and thanked the Guards, who turned around, heading back to the host. Light looked back and saw Boom's amber and ruby coloured eyes poke out from behind the rubbish bins.

Before moving on, the Guards asked Light if they would be at the celebrations today, which Light confirmed. The Guards wished them the best, and hoped they would meet again later. Light waved the Guards goodbye, and as they trotted along, the younger Guard turned around to give the Kirin a smile, mouthing "Thank you", after which he turned back and headed off.

When the Guards were away, Boom reappeared, confused and surprised at Light, asking how they managed to do that. "Do... what?" Light asked, to which Boom replied "Making them bugger off without threatening them, of course! What else, mate?" Light looked down and sighed, and whispered to themselves that this explained some things, before turning back to Boom.

Light took a deep breath, but before speaking, they took a moment to think, putting aside most of the thoughts racing through their mind at the moment. They exhaled, finished their drink, and put aside the cup. They asked Boom why he came back, and what he wanted to talk about, for there must have been a reason for his return to the city.

"Well", Boom started with a smirk, "I heard there was going to be a special celebration today? That's one thing, at least." Light groaned and confirmed: "Yes, there is another celebration after the disaster at the Gala that you caused. Celestia was healed, the Royal Orchestra wanted to perform a set of special songs, and a couple of new friends would be present as well."

"But I don't think you should come", Light continued, "for your own safety, and for everyone else's, too. You said you're not welcome in the city, so please, stay away. Whatever gift you may have for me, whatever new information you may have, just... send a note, or a proper letter, and I'll meet you elsewhere. For now... just go."

"O-oh... okay...", Boom could only say, as his smirk quickly disappeared from his face, and his expression quickly turned sour. His eyes fell and his posture sank, as if all energy had left him. Though Light hated to see anyone in such a state, with the risk that Boom could pose, they figured this was the best thing to do, and turned back towards the Medical Centre.

Before turning the corner, Light looked back at Boom one more time, and they thought they could see tears forming in his eyes. Remembering the sight of his old eyes, Light turned back to Boom and gently embraced him, and saying:

"You're better than this. You can do better, and be better, I know you can. But you're too dangerous to be around for now. I'm sorry. I truly, truly am."

After these words, Light let go of Boom, and headed back to the hospital, hearing Boom quietly sob behind them as they turned the corner.