Their Names Across The Multiverse

Ding

Miro was still flicking her stump arm like she was trying to summon something, but she stopped when she heard the elevator reach the next floor.

"I guess we made it to the next floor, huh?"

She pulled her gun out, ready to face whatever was on the floor, but Brigitte stopped her.

"Hey, kid, take it easy. We never had to fight the moment we stepped out, okay?" She turned to the others, looking mad like a mother upset at their kids. "But we do have a bad habit of getting separated! DON'T WE? HUH!?"

Those who allowed them to be separated didn't respond, all looking ashamed, embarrassed, and nervous.

"I swear. This group is always running off on their own."

"It's not our fault that the floor keeps separating us," complained AJ, who scratched the back of her head.

Brigitte didn't care. "Don't go out there with guns blazing and running off. Got it?"

Miro put away her gun and nodded in agreement. Brigitte smiled and waited for the doors to open. Finally, they all could see what looked like a school, but they could also see the wooden ceiling above, along with the wooden animal life. Unlike the other floors, they could see a sun in the sky, but it was odd that they could see bright stars glowing.

They all stepped out but noticed they were in the middle of a track and field. Soon, the elevator and the pillar that had it inside just vanished. When it disappeared, they could see two figures in the bleachers. They could see an ordinary girl(to those that are anthro), but they could see her hiding behind someone, which was very odd to many—a unicorn but looking like an animal.

The unicorn waved at them and was smiling as she spoke. "Yo! We have been for ya! Nice to meet ya!" She was about to run over to them, but the girl behind them stopped her as she was shaking with fear and holding on to her for dear life. "Oh, come on, Hikari. Remember what those two told us? They are friendly." She turned her attention to the group. "Hey, guys, don't worry. We won't hurt you, but you have to promise not to hurt us, alright? Hikari here is a little shy and scared of what's going on. Can't blame her, of course."

The group looked at each other. Brigitte turned her attention back to the two.

"You two are the only ones on this floor?"

"Yep! You guys are looking for those who came to this..." she huffed, still not believing it herself, until she looked at Hikari, who looked so worried. "This vast tree, right? To help some kids at the very top."

"Well, it looks like we found them," said Brigitte, moving her wheelchair to them. "I guess they are safe."

Everyone followed her, but T2 got closer to Brigitte and lowered her head so she could hear her better.

"You sure this isn't a trap? The... weird-looking girl said something about talking to others. Isn't that weird? That could mean anything."

"T2, I know that, but you got to admit something. Some of these floor monsters haven't been attacking us. Like the pink balloon? It stopped the machine from attacking us, and Nono said how that shadow monster stopped attacking and spared her life. Plus." she eyed her. "You said you and Violet saw someone before the elevators appeared. Plus, what we saw before we left the last floor, I get a feeling the tree itself is now helping us. It could be the same with this floor. Remember, up to now, we only found one person, not two. Besides..." she turned her attention to the two girls before them. "They look like they are still teenagers but going into college. They wouldn't hurt a fly."

T2 sighed. "Alright, whatever." This made Brigitte smile.

The group finally reached the two girls. Brigitte asked many questions, but the unicorn was the only one who answered.

"My name is Elly. Nice to meet ya!" she reached out her hoof for a hoof shake, which Brigitte shook.

"Elly, huh? Well, my name is Brigitte. Nice to meet you and see you aren't afraid of us."

"Why should I be? You all look pretty friendly." she let go of the hoof shake and returned to answering the questions. "Right, let's see...oh yeah! Like I said, this is Hikari. She was one of my classmates back in Yamaku Academy...well, not in my universe..." She shook her head in disbelief about the whole multiverse being real. "Still not used to that. Like, my Hikari has a pink mane and is a yellow Pegasus. Not a unicorn and not walking on two legs." She turned to the group. "Man! Just looking at you all makes me feel crazy! Being told that the multiverse is a real thing! I was told in one universe that I'm called Emi, not Elly. She also lost her legs and walked on two legs. The same way, crazy, right? I wonder if she's doing alright. I know I am!"

"Pretty cheerful, isn't she?" Miro said, still flicking her stump arm and losing hope as her Devil Breaker wouldn't appear.

Brigitte moved her wheelchair and parked it near the bleachers. Soon, everyone joined her as they continued their talks and introduced themselves to the group's new members.

"Who told you?" questioned Brigitte, petting Artemis on her head as she sat in her mother's lap and yawning.

Elly tried to sit beside her, but Hikari didn't let her go. She gave up and answered. "Some weird-looking creatures. What's weird is that they sounded like us. See, I woke up here and met one of them. Hikari woke up in the school's library and met one of them. They explained how they and others are living immune systems to fight against the invading foreign bodies that enter this tree. They are made to kill on sight whatever is hurting the tree."

AJ placed her hand on her chin. "Wait, is we being here causing damage to the tree?" She looked up, looking at the wooden ceiling. "Wait, what kind of tree are we in anyway?"

Elly answered that question. "She told me that we are in the prime universe, well more the outside of it. See what she said: the prime universe is in the center as it creates a tree-like surface. The branches are different universes that break off from the prime universe, where different outcomes and stuff can happen. Some of our universes also crossover with other trees in the prime forest. It could mean three things where two branches meet and create a crossover universe. It could be that both universes meet or share the same universe." She started to run in place, feeling excited. "It's all so amazing! The multiverse is real!"

Birgitte couldn't help but laugh at her cheerfulness. "Well, that is nice, but what was the third thing?"

Elly stopped and blushed. "R-Right! The third thing that could happen is that both universes will blend as one. Sharing both universe themes." She started to do warm-ups while Hikari stood up and looked scared and awkward at everyone. "Anyway, she told me whatever is hurting the tree can't continue to do so. The tree will die along with the prime universe. No prime universe, no-"

"Multiverse. No more multiverse for this prime universe, right?" finished Twilight, joining the conversation.

Twilight and her group teleported down and watched Brigitte's group say the same thing she pointed out. Twilight always knew she wasn't ever the prime version of herself, as she had expected when she met Prime Discord, who appeared to them ten years ago when they saved the twins.

"Still, since we are all still here, it means Spark and the folks she gathered stopped Fayth from using the dark energy to open the way to that golden tree." Twilight turned back to the group and returned to listening to them.

Brigitte was deeply thinking about what she had heard. She slowly eyed everyone, and her guess why they were chosen was even more noticeable. Then, she looked at Hikari; what seemed the right side of her body was covered in burn scars. Twilight stepped forward and also thought the same thing.

"With the other group, they were folks who had suffered a significant loss but overcame it. But with this group, it has more to do with..." whispered Twilight, realizing there might be another group of kids at the top.

"I don't want to be rude, Elly. But how did you lose your legs?" asked Brigitte, feeling a little guilty for asking.

Elly happy and cheerful face turned into a sad one. "Eight years ago, at the age of eleven, I was in a fatal car accident that robbed not only of my legs but also of my father. It took a year to recover and to use..." Her cheerful expression returned. "These bad girls here!" She showed off her prostheses legs, doing a little poses with them.

"I see..." whispered Brigitte before she turned to Hikari, who looked worried as she used her hand to cover half of her face. She was hiding her burn scars. "Before I ask, please know I'm deeply sorry, and you don't have to tell me. I'm only asking this because I feel we are all connected somehow." She could hear the others asking what she meant by that, but Brigitte stayed focused on Hikari, who was still covering her face. "How did you get those scars?"

Hikari didn't say anything, but she could see Elly comforting her. "You don't have to tell her, Hikari. It's like what Brigitte said; you don't have to tell her if you are-"

"I'll tell her..." Hikari said shyly, lowering her hand and looking at the burn scars. "He helped me to see there is no reason to be afraid. Not as long as he was at my side." She held her hand on her chest. "Even if he isn't here. He will always be with me, in my heart."

Elly smiled and nodded with a blush. "Right, he is that kind of caring person, right? Even in your universe."

Hikari smiled at Elly and looked over at Brigitte.

"Ten years ago...during the night of my birthday, there was a fire as we slept. When my mother awakened, she shielded me from the raging flames, but..." She breathed in and rolled up her jacket's sleeve, showing the scars on her whole arm. She then lifted her shirt, revealing half of her torso had burn scars. "Half side of my body was burned, as you can see." She lowered it and could see how regretful Brigitte looked. "But I survived. My parents didn't..." She wanted to cry, but she shook her head and smiled. "I met someone who I thought saw me as someone who needed to be taken care of. Something that was broken and a burden, but he saw me as someone he loved and recognized my strength." She started to cry a bit. "I wanted to be treated generally like any other person. That my scars, mentally and physically, didn't matter, that I was someone worth loving and that I had the strength to continue. He finally saw that in me and lowered his walls, showing off his scars and fears. Together, we grew stronger. Now, I am not afraid, not with him." She cried, smiling. "I'm not scared as long as I'm with him."

Twilight and Brigitte could only smile at her story. But they could see Elly having a soft smile on her face. Elly grabbed Hikari's hand, causing the shy unicorn girl to look at her.

"Man, I really wish he picked you than me in my universe, Hikari. He sounded like he helped you a ton, but you also helped him just as much." Elly closed her eyes, smirking as she remembered how he helped her. "After what happened to me, I kept anyone who got to know me close but far away. I didn't want anyone to be ripped away from me again." Her cheerful expression became a sad one. "I lost the things I treasured the most, and I didn't want to lose anymore...until..." Her cheerful smile returned. "I met him. He always supported and cared about me as we got closer. Even when..." She became so regretful. "When I yelled at him when he asked my mother what was wrong with me, I thought she broke my promise, but he assured me that she didn't and left, saying he was causing more problems if he stayed. That's how much he loved and cared about me. He knew when to give me space." Elly was crying.

"Elly..."

Elly shook her head. "I'm fine, Hikari. I just..." she opened her eyes and smiled at her. "I'm stubborn, way too stubborn for my own good. So much so that I didn't notice I was about to lose someone again, but this time, it was because of my own actions. I was half-heartedly trying to break up with him, but he told me he wouldn't stop trying to help me, not even if we broke up, because he cared about me too much. I asked him why. Why was he trying so hard? He told me... he told me that he..." She stopped, crying again.

Hikari lowered herself to Elly, hugging her.

"Because he loves you, right?" she said softly, smiling.

Elly stopped crying and nodded, returning the hug. "Right..." She breaks the hug, her expression filled with determination and strength. "Because of him, who I couldn't keep at a distance anymore, I resolved to stop worrying about the future because there's nothing you can do about it. I realized if I'm going to live in the moment, I don't need to do it alone! If someone who deeply loves and cares about you is by your side, you can face the future together. As long they are around."

"Everything will be okay." Hakari finished, and Elly nodded.

Elly turned to the group and was smiling again.

"You can't be sure, but that's the point!" Elly said happily.

Hikari couldn't help but laugh at how energetic and optimistic she was. She was indeed the Elly she knew from her own universe.

Twilight and Brigitte smiled and nodded. Twilight turned to Brigitte's group, who were smiling, but she started looking at them closer. She began to realize why Spark had chosen this colorful group of characters.

"Now, I get it," Brigitte said, turning Twilight to her. Brigitte turned to the others, smiling. "That's why we were chosen. We all share something in common."

"Share something in common?" said Nono, wondering what she meant by that.

Brigitte nodded and explained herself. "At first, I thought it was how we all share something, and that was being disabled—missing parts of our body but also how it affects us." She looked over to Hakari and Elly. But meeting these two shows me that's not the real reason." She turned back to the others. "The real reason is how we overcame that obstacle and moved on. We all learned how to continue with life after losing something. After losing someone or something dear to us, we learned to accept the pain, live with it, and move on, no matter the obstacles." She then looked up at the sky, seeing the sun and stars shining brighter. "That machine asked us to help those kids remember something. Even without wings, they can still fly." She closed her eyes, remembering her past. "Those kids. They lost what made them who they are, and if they don't remember what made them happy, how can they fly again?" She opened her eyes, smiling at her group. "And we are the ones who are going to help them."

Brigitte's group smiled and nodded, agreeing with her. Twilight smiled as well, now knowing who was waiting at the top of the tree. It wasn't just a younger or human version of herself; it was also her version. She returns her attention to the group, seeing them talking. Twilight listened to each one.

Nono, who was sitting next to Violet, asked her a question. "Ms. Violet, you said you were a tool, a weapon like me, right?" She could see Violet turning to her now. "You were able to live a peaceful life after all that...how? How were you able to live peacefully?"

Violet smiled at her and looked at both adamantine silver prosthesis hands, flexing them and then closing her hands together with a smile.

"Because of the Major. His love for me allowed me to step out of that world and into a better one. It was one where I learned about feelings and, most importantly, what love is." She placed her hands over her chest. "But not just the Major but others too. The president of the postal company that I work for told me something. You're going to learn a lot of things. But it might be easier to keep living if you didn't learn them or if you didn't know them. You don’t realize your body is on fire and burning up because of the things you did. You’ll understand one day. And then you’ll realize for the first time that you have many burns."

"What did they mean by that?" Nono asked, and Violet looked up at the sky.

"There's so much hardship in this world, and you must experience it yourself as you keep living, even if it means getting hurt." She continued. "I didn't know the pain I created, and that's how I lived until I met the Major." She closed her eyes, thinking back to those days. "But once I understood love, the pain I created for others by taking away their loved ones in the war, that's when I started to see the burns I have. The regrets I must now carry with me. That's why I'll use what's left of me to make things right." She looked back at Nono, giving her a kind and sweet smile. "Everything I've done so far has sparked a flame that is now burning me up. It isn't pain this time but happiness. Seeing the good things I have done for others as I helped them write their words into a letter." She looked down and saw her adamantine silver hands and held them tight. "These hands have caused so much destruction, and now, these same hands are used to give life, giving people hope and happiness. As long as I keep doing that, I can live the life the Major always wanted me to have."

Nono smiled big and looked down at Violet's metal hands. She wanted to hold them, but since she had lost her limbs, she did the second-best thing she could.

"Huh?" Violet was surprised to see Nono dropping her head onto her hands, hurting herself when she landed, as the soft whimpering she did. "Nono?"

"I'm okay..." Nono moved her body, allowing her head to move and look at Violet, but she had tears. "Thank you, Violet. I'll be like you! When I return home, I'll help others just like you did!" she smiled. "And the first person I want to help and understand is Lucie! Like I believe she's hurting inside because she is alone..." She shook her head, correcting herself. "No, she isn't alone but doesn't have someone to relate to, like herself. I'll help her, and I'll make her happy! Make her smile!"

Violet smiled at Nono, holding her and gently rubbing her cheek.

"I'm sure you will, Nono."

Twilight watched them and felt hope for them. She turned to those sitting at the highest part of the bleachers. AJ was watching Miro, still trying to summon her Breakers, but still had no luck.

"Damn it, I better ask AJ if she can somehow make a Breaker travel across the universe..." sighed Miro, but she could see AJ looking at her. "Oh, not you, AJ, another AJ...um, my AJ."

AJ smiled at her and pointed to Miro's stump. "I understand, but I take it my other universe self is the one who created your arm."

Miro looked down at the stump and smiled. "Yeah, she was a huge help and did a great job making it."

"She really did." AJ smiled and looked at her own automail arm. "I know she and my Rare will be great friends since Rare is the one who built my automail prosthesis. I bet those two will get along well."

Miro giggled and nodded. "Definitely. My AJ sees herself as an art craftswoman or whatever she's talking about. I don't think she will have trouble getting along with another craftswoman like herself. Looking at your prosthesis arm and leg, I can tell your friend put a lot of care and thought into building it."

"I bet she did, but enough about them." AJ points at Miro's stump. "What happened to you, Miro? How did you lose your arm anyway?"

Miro held her stump and sighed. She explained what had happened, and when she was done, she could see AJ blinking a few times.

"...your mother sounds like a deadbeat asshole."

This made Miro to chuckle. "I guess she is. Isn't she? What about you?"

AJ explained how she lost her limbs and that the quest with her younger sister was on. Now, it was Miro's turn to blink a few times.

"Damn, that's some awful shit, buddy. I hope you can get your sister's body back, same with your limbs."

AJ chucked and thanked her. She watched Miro, still trying to summon a new arm, but soon something surprised the two; she could summon one...only the hand to start pumping up and down.

This made AJ laugh while Miro cursed at her own AJ for creating the massage arm for Kyrie and was bright red in the face.

Twilight laughed and turned to the track, seeing Elly, Hikari, and T2 talking.

"This is stupid..." whispered T2, doing a warm-up as she followed Elly's movements.

Elly kept stretching but looked at her. "Hey, you cannot talk while doing the stretches. I don't want you to tear a muscle."

"Elly, I'm not human," T2 replied, which made Elly glare at her.

"It doesn't matter if you are or aren't! You can still hurt yourself if you are not careful. You did ask me to help you, and that's what I will do, whether you like it or not."

"Sheesh, what a hardass. I just wanted to understand why humans did these kinds of things. I did not want to participate in these things. All it is is pointless."

Elly stopped and looked at T2.

"T2, listen, you may not be human, but you're still alive! You wanted to know how humans keep their bodies healthy and perfect, right?" she said as she looked over T2's damaged and much-needed repair body.

T2 looked away and didn't answer, but Elly knew.

"Listen, if you want me to help you, you must be prepared to do the same thing I do. Okay?"

"Whatever," said T2, but Elly knew she was saying yes.

She resumed stretching while Hakari started to worry. She could see Elly seemed to be struggling in her stretches.

"Elly, are you okay?" asked Hikari.

Elly nodded. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

Hikari was not convinced and walked up to her. She stood in front of her.

"You aren't. Let me see the stumps of your legs. I think they might need a check-up."

Elly tried to argue, but she was struggling as if she were in pain. T2 stopped with her stretches and glared at her like cold daggers, finally making Elly agree.

"Alright, alright...I might be overdoing it..." She sat down and removed her prosthesis legs, showing early signs of skin infection due to overuse of her prosthesis. She could see how worried Hakari was; the same was true for T2. She explained herself. "In my universe, I heard recruitment scouts were looking for new athletes, and I was excited. I was hoping I would get in. If I got in, I would get a chance to show the world that a disabled athlete like myself can compete with the best athletes. He told me not to overdo it, but this was once a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I wanted to take the chance. But now..." she sighed. "I overdid it."

"You did," said Hikari, making Elly frown.

Hikari continued. "But that's the good thing about you." Elly raised an eyebrow. "You don't let anything stop you because that's you."

Elly blinked a few times and smiled.

"Yeah, you are right, Hikari."

T2 said nothing but watched as Hakari checked on Elly's legs.

"But simultaneously, you cannot go too far," said Hikari.

Elly's ears flopped down. "I know. I have difficulty knowing when I have gone too far," admitted Elly, and Hakari smiled at her.

"You know, he's going to be very upset with you when you return home and see how you are."

Elly chuckled, knowing who Hakari was referring to.

"Yeah, he's going to be furious." She waved her hoof in a circle. He'll tell me how much of an idiot and how dumb I am for doing something so stupid."

"No shit," replied T2 in a cold tone, making Elly flinched with a nervous smile. "'Listen, if you want me to help you.' Didn't you say that to me?" She approached Elly and smacked her behind the head, causing the poor unicorn to yelp.

"Hey! That hurt!" complained Elly, rubbing the spot that had been hit.

"Dumbass. Take your own damn advice. Listen to others if you have a goal or a dream to reach. Let them help you. If not, what will happen when you cannot continue moving forward, or worse, your dream is within your grasp and you cannot reach it?"

Elly had nothing to say, and T2 didn't wait for an answer. She turned around and continued her stretches.
"Let's get this over with."

Elly was rubbing the spot where she had been smacked, and Hikari was trying to suppress her laughter. Elly took notice and smiled. She let Hakari hold on to her prosthesis legs as she rolled over to T2 and started to correct her on her stretches.

Twilight smiled at them and turned to watch Hakari return to the bleachers and sit next to Brigitte, who just put her daughter to sleep. Brigitte softly petted her sleeping daughter and looked at Hakari as if she wanted to say something but didn't know how to bring it up.

Hakari noticed this. "Do you want to ask me something, Brigitte?"

Brigitte blinked a few times and turned to Hakari. "Uh, yeah, I just wanted to say sorry. About before, making you talk about your scars. Sorry, kid, I hope I didn't open any wounds."

Hakari smiled. "It's fine. It doesn't bother me anymore." She lifted her arm, showing her the burn scars. "These are reminders that I have been through hell and came out stronger." She felt her damaged skin. "Like I always wanted to do from the start. Thanks to him, showing me his scars and lowering his walls, allowing me to see him. He made me realize there's nothing wrong with showing your scars to the world. Showing your flaws. It just shows everyone that you can stand up and keep moving forward."

Brigitte felt somewhat better but still felt guilty for asking her something so personal.

"Well, an eye for an eye. Then it's only fair I do the same. Ask me anything you want."

Hakari bowed, refusing to ask her any questions.

"No, it's fine, Brigitte. I don't want to ask anything."

"Really? Come on, kid, just a little question, and then we'll call it even," said Brigitte, tipping her make-believe cowboy hat.
Hakari was still unsure, but Brigitte's behavior suggested she wanted her to ask her a question.

"If that's what you want, Brigitte..." She didn't know what to say, but she looked down at the one named Artemis and how she called Brigitte her mom. "Do you have more kids? Like a son or daughter?"

Brigitte raised her eyebrows, not expecting such a question.

"Huh? Sure do, Artemis older sister-"

Hakari shook her head, correcting herself on what she meant. "No, I mean, kids. A kid...sorry if that sounded...mean."

Brigitte's expression changed to a painful one. "Ah, I understand now. It's okay." Brigitte looked at Artemis as she was still sound asleep. "I did when I was younger. I had a husband before I ever met Terra. See, I don't have a great past. I did things I'm not proud of but was given a second chance." She opened her black jacket and pulled out a badge. A Marshal badge. "My past so burdened me that I felt I shouldn't have worn that badge." She smiled as she slowly turned it. "But he told me it was time to let all that go and move on, not just for me but for our son. He was right. I wanted my son to grow up being proud of his mother; I wanted to be the kind of person he can look up to." She clutched her hand, holding her badge. Hakari could see the pain in Brigitte's face.

"...you lost your son, didn't you?" whispered Hakari.

"Yeah...he died when he was eight. My boy showed signs of being gifted, and the Empire wanted to enroll him in a program. My husband wanted him to go, but I refused. He believed our boy could help people rather than stay on some backwater planet, but I beg to differ. This was his home, and I knew how the Empire could be. He told me our son could have the kind of life I had never dreamt of since I grew up as a poor girl on the backwater planet." she opened her hand, seeing her badge again. "Also told me I shouldn't let my fear strangle his potential. He shouldn't have to pay for mistakes I couldn't let go of..." She set down the badge near her sleeping daughter. "He was right...so I let my son go...only to learn a week later that the ship that was carrying him to the Empire's homeworld was in an accident and crashed...my boy was gone, and my husband blamed himself for it." She softly touched the badge, not wanting to see it. "The grief killed him, and I lost my family. I have seen good lives wasted and lost people I care about. But I miss those two the most."

Hakari frowned and didn't know what to say but could see Brigitte smiling at her, wiping a tear away.

"Sorry, kid, it hurts, but it feels nice for someone to ask me about my loss." She took her badge and flipped it like a coin repeatedly. "But I put that past to rest a long time ago. Holding on to something that wasn't your fault, but you think it is, is the worst feeling in the world. The best thing you can do is let go of it." She caught her badge and pinned it on her jacket. "You need to keep moving forward. Not looking back."

"Yeah...I'm the same." Hakari looked up to the sky. "I lost my parents in that fire, and at first, I blamed myself for it somehow, but not anymore as I grew older. I wanted to be stronger and move on from the past, not holding on to it. So that's why I'm here, Brigitte."

Brigitte smirked. "So am I, kid, so am I." She ruffled Hakari's hair, and the two started to talk about everyday things. "So, you're 19, huh? Going to college?" Hakari nodded. "Good! So, what about that boy? Thinking of starting a family with him?"

Hakari became red in the face and lowered her hat, trying to hide her blush. She struggled to answer her.

"W-Well, uh, I-I mean, we are dating, and I want to start a family with him. H-He has a good job, and we live together. W-We have a small apartment."

Brigitte laughed at her embarrassment. "Easy there, kid. I was joking." She saw Hakari sigh, clearly relieved. "But seriously, you need to talk long with him about how serious you two are."

Hakari lowered her head and fidgeted her fingers. "Yeah...I will."

Twilight closed her eyes, nodding at what she was seeing. "You picked the correct folks to help those kids, Spark. You must have visited their universe at some point or something." She opened her eyes and noticed something about the group. "What is the best way to help the versions of Dash and me? By getting a version of our friends who went through the same problems as them. To have a different perspective on how to move forward."

Twilight's group walked up to her. Night Luna spoke up. "We need to get going," she pointed, showing the Element of Magic exiting the memory as it passed through nothing and disappeared.

"Right."

As Twilight and her group started to walk off, Brigitte's group saw a pillar in the middle of the tracks and field. Soon, the elevator appeared and opened.

"Well, we better hurry off. I have a bad feeling about the next floor." Brigitte admitted as she watched her group walk off while T2 stayed with Brigitte.

"Bad feeling? Like what kind of feeling? Bad as in you are not looking forward to the next floor, or bad, like a gut feeling, or a sense that something terrible is about to happen?" asked T2, walking alongside their leader.

"The latter, T2. I have a gut feeling that the next floor will be the worst one," admitted Brigitte.

"Great."

"Yep."

The two entered, and the door closed shut.

Twilight and her group walked out of the memory and could see the Element of Magic heading and entered another memory bubble. They also entered the memory and found where Snake and her group were. Time was frozen again as Twilight saw Brigitte shooting the mist creature.

"So, this is where both groups finally meet up? I wonder what's going to happen now?"

Time started up, and the color returned. Both group leaders spoke to each other.

"Who are you?" Snake asked, getting closer to Brigitte, who had just exited the elevator with her group.

Brigitte spun her handgun and put it away. She smiled. "Just like you and your group, we're here to help some kids at the top of this tree."

They all turned to the locked door, which started to glow with different colors. It showed signs of opening, but they could hear a voice before they could start moving.

"...friends..."

Everyone looked back and could see the Mist creature standing back up, her head wound healed. As the group was ready for a fight, something else came. The floor behind the monster was destroyed, and something landed next to it.

Snake took out her handgun and asked Brigitte a simple question. "You also have a creature following you?"

Brigitte aimed her handgun at the machine, but it changed again and looked even more monstrous. "Yeah, we have the same problem..."

"FLY!"

End of Chapter 25