Twilight Velvet wasn't sure what to think when her future daughter-in-law called her up out of the blue. Sure, she and Night Light had agreed to register as a potential foster family in the system, but she hadn't expected such an unconventional addition to their household. If anything, she believed that a social worker would have contacted her or her husband and set up a meeting first. She never could have expected this.

Ever since Twilight Sparkle entered middle school, and Shining Armour moved into an apartment with Cadance, Velvet and Nighty felt the nest was a little empty. Yet they were getting up to that age where fertility rates were lower. Instead of bringing new life into the world, they decided they'd find a life in the world in need of love; why not when you have a surplus? This was definitely a kid who needed a lot of tender, loving care.

The first thing Velvet thought upon seeing the girl named Eventide Construct was confusion. On the very surface, this was a girl who looked no older than fourteen or fifteen, and although her clothes were in a state of disrepair that came from constant use, she didn't look like she'd expect a homeless youth to look. While her hair was a mess, her skin was clean, her clothes weren't completely filthy, and it was clear she was doing her best to take care of herself.

Looking a bit deeper, though, and she could make out plenty of things about Eventide that were worrying. She was covered in healed scratches, and there were bags under her eyes. Then there was the way she seemed to be taking in every bit of her environment—chiefly the exits—even as she just was sitting down. It almost seemed like something she might not even have been aware she was doing... and then she noticed the scar.

Who could have done such a thing?

Then came the moment when the girl 'spoke' with her for the first time. Many things stuck out to Velvet. First and foremost, she was excessively polite and formal, with an undertone of low self-worth, as though she thought herself a burden. The second thing to stand out was her penmanship; how many youths these days actually used cursive by choice? Finally, a word choice stuck out to her: berth. Did she spend time on a boat?

The conversations to follow still didn't help her get a good picture of what she was dealing with. There were things that worried her, such as the implication that men had been making passes at her, but also several things that impressed her. It was clear that she had a decently defined sense of justice, despite everything she'd been through. Despite the inferred self-esteem issues, she was still confident enough to step up and put herself in danger for others.

Probably the most perplexing thing was, after receiving several insightful questions, having to explain the concept of a firearm and getting shot to her. There were times where Eventide seemed far older than she looked, but this was one of the first hints at the fact that she was incredibly naive. Unless she were living with some uncontacted aboriginal tribe for most of her life, it wouldn't make sense for her to have no prior exposure to guns. It definitely led credence to the Cadance's assertion that there might be a degree of amnesia or repressed memory.

Then, when she heard the door to the spare bedroom close, she intended to check in with the girl. Yet, the moment she opened the door she was surprised to find the young girl fast asleep in the fetal position, having never turned off the lights. The poor thing hadn't even gotten under the covers, and had instead climbed atop the covers and hugged the pillow like her life depended on it. Pulling the comforter over her was the least Velvet felt like she could do.

Like this, she hardly looks like the sort of person who could get into a fight with a mobster.

The coming morning was full of surprises for Velvet. First and foremost, she'd been concerned about making sure Twilight and Eventide's first meeting was smooth. Even if she was doing better lately, Twilight's anxiety, especially around new people, could make things difficult. She unfortunately hadn't accounted for her biological daughter's sleep schedule—or lack thereof—nor the unknown that was her potential foster daughter's own somnial habits.

Luckily, the unscheduled introduction seemed to go well enough. It was worth noting, however that Spike completely ignored Eventide, instead rushing to her daughter. If he was in work mode and trying to comfort her, it likely meant that the initial meeting had been stressful and that some anxiety resided; otherwise, he would likely have been all over Eventide.

Still, it was good to see the girls getting along. Given Twilight's past issues and limited pool of friends, Velvet expected to see her being rather standoffish with Eventide. Instead, they seemed to be in as animated a discussion as could be had when one party was mute. Even more surprising was the offer to try and set up an alternative communication method with a tablet. I wonder what she did to catch Twilight's interest?

The trip to the mall was honestly closer to what she expected. In a crowded shopping centre and all of the shops, the poor girl was sticking to her like glue. It was as though she was uncomfortable surrounded by all those other people, and worried someone would say or do something. She was pretty certain that if she'd asked Eventide if she wanted to hold her hand so they wouldn't get separated, she'd done so without pause.

It broke her heart seeing the guilt on the kid's face every time she bought anything for her, as well. It's as if she's not used to anyone taking care of her, which... probably isn't all that far from the case now that I think about it. Then again, the discussion last night lingered in her mind. Eventide never did answer the question about conditions being changed on her, so was it possible that she was still looking for the angle?

She seemed fascinated by the iconography machine, though.

When they met Cadance at the Book Star Café, she got to see another side of Eventide. Despite her personal style, when she got to work on all of the tests, she attacked with the air of an office-worker used to filling out stacks of paperwork... and working through their lunch break. I—she's ambidextrous? And look at the way she set aside her food! There's no way she hasn't done this sort of thing before.

By the end of the day, she found herself lingering on one question. What sort of life have you lived, Eventide Construct?

For Twilight Velvet, the next several days felt like they were going by way too quickly. Despite working from home as an editor for several famous authors—A. K. Yearling included—she regularly checked in on Eventide throughout the day. It was quickly apparent that the girl was studious like Twilight, but at the same time, there was a clear restlessness to her. More than once, she'd gone to check in on her charge only to find her in the back yard, reading something on the tablet as she did some form of exercise.

Each evening since the two met, her daughter and Eventide would end up watching those Japanese cartoons Twilight liked. Velvet was glad the two had something they could bond over, although she found the girl's newfound fascination with guns to be... unusual. Sure, if she went into law enforcement, she'd probably have a lot of exposure to firearms, but that was a long ways off. Is it a healthy interest, is probably a more important concern.

Getting Eventide to put on weight, on the other hand, was going to be more of a challenge than she expected. Much as she'd suspected, Dr. Zecora confirmed that her soon-to-be foster daughter was underweight and may have had her growth stunted. Normally, she wouldn't expect getting a teenager to put on weight to be a problem, but the girl's dietary choices and activity level were likely going to cause issues... Especially since she only drank coffee in the morning, and was inconsistent with eating lunch.

That wasn't even getting into the fact that Eventide couldn't answer when Zecora asked when she last had her period. It seemed to be more from a lack of understanding of the term, but even when the doctor clarified that she was talking about her menstrual cycle, the girl only shrugged. Although she expected Eventide's inquisitive side would probably make her look it up when they got home, she was already preparing to deal with 'the scare' all over again.

Unfortunately, they couldn't get everything they wanted done in that one visit. The mandatory vaccinations were taken care of, but her blood allergy and blood typing tests wouldn't come back for a few days. She trusted Zecora would contact her as soon as possible if there were any problems, but until then, she'd just have to play it safe with cooking.

The biggest surprise was during Eventide's sit-down with Principal Cinch today. The reaction she had to Cinch's secretary was nowhere near what she'd been expecting. So far, in public settings the girl had been withdrawn, choosing to stick close to Velvet and not really advocating for herself. This was the first time she'd actually seen the fire in the girl that led her to beating a gang member, but this was more than just that. Like a switch had been flipped, Eventide showed a cold demeanour, and it was akin to watching a cat play with a mouse. While it might have won over Cinch, it only made her all the more worried, because it went as quick as it came, returning to her more friendly persona upon meeting Twilight's friend, Starlight.

It was the topic of discussion with Cadance the moment Eventide went on her tour with Starlight. "The interaction with Abacus and Willow certainly wasn't what I was expecting," Cadance quietly admitted as the door shut behind Eventide.She folded her hands on the desk in front of her and then leaned forward. "Has she at all behaved like that since she's been with you?"

Velvet shook her head, glancing over her shoulder at the door. "No, that was the first time I've seen anything like that from her," she responded. "She was like a completely different person back there. The lack of tone with that computer voice didn't help either." Running a hand through her hair, the woman let out a sigh. "It was like she was used to playing those exact same mind games, and she was taking pleasure in putting them off their game. I didn't even know that she'd been looking into the Americans with Disabilities Act. It reminded me of a sociopath I went to college with."

The school's dean just propped her head up on one hand. "I don't think she's a sociopath, Mom," she murmured, tracing out her emblem's shape on the table with a fingertip. "Everything she's said about wanting to help others and protect others, was genuine, and those emotions were real." Ticking filled the silence, ever spurred on by the wall clock and the passage of time. "No, I'm more concerned she might have dissociated."

A pit formed in her stomach; it was one thing dealing with amnesia, but if the girl was beyond that, it might be more than Velvet and Nighty could handle. "You think there might be more to what you mentioned on the phone the night you brought her to me?" Velvet asked. "That her mention of memories that couldn't be possibly real might be a result of dissociating in response to some sort of trauma?"

"It's possible," Cady answered with a sigh. "At this point, I think the best thing we can do is be there for her. We can watch her behaviour, define what's normal for her, and watch out for the warning signs of dissociation. Once she feels she can trust us and open up, we can look into possibly getting her therapy."

When Shining Armour pulled into the driveway of his childhood home, he was unsurprised to find his mother already waiting for him on the porch. Not three hours ago, he'd gotten a frantic phone call from her saying that the stray she'd taken in at Cady's behest had been tased and arrested for no reason while out walking Spike. She even had security footage with audio showing the entire event. She also forwarded him a copy she'd gotten from the homeowner whose house Eventide had been arrested in front of.

Since then, he'd been hitting every station house in the city in search of her. To say he was pissed about the whole thing was an understatement. Everyone else in his family seemed to like the girl, and he regretted that work kept him from meeting her sooner; this was hardly how he wanted to meet her, and he imagined that she probably felt the same.

Then of course there were the countless procedural and civil rights violations that Doughnut Quota had inflicted upon the girl. Mom had likely already gotten in touch with the family lawyer, and since this was such an open and shut case, the department was likely gonna have to settle. He was probably even gonna see some blowback because of this, but he put that more on the moron who was far from his patrol route and tased a girl who wouldn't be sixteen for another month.

As he put down the motorbike's kickstand, his mother rushed over. "Thank god you found her," Mom exclaimed, her anxiety clear as day. As she looked over the girl behind him, her arms still wrapped around his front, the woman's expression softened. Hell, she even giggled. "Looks like the sandman found her, too." Her eyes returned to meet his. "How did she seem when you found her?"

He turned his head to try and peer over his shoulder at the girl using his back as a bed. The memory of the girl huddled in the corner of the cell, and her tear-streaked face, rushed to the forefront of his mind. Then he remembered the shy way she got his attention after changing. "She looked scared and embarrassed, but that's to be expected," he remarked. It was a far cry from the girl now nestled against his back. He couldn't see her face, but based on the soft expression on his mother's face, he imagined she looked quite peaceful. "Not that I imagine that she's gonna let this get to her. She said she wasn't gonna let this scare her off, and that it would take 'more than a dirty beat-cop'."

He tried to get off his motorcycle, but upon trying to move, Eventide's hands tightly clutched at the leather of his jacket. "Now, how are we gonna get you inside?" he quietly asked his sleeping hanger-on. Looking at his mother, he grinned sheepishly. "A little help here? Even if it's just getting her arms around my neck, it'll be easier to carry her in."

Twilight Velvet did so without a word, quietly removing the helmet and lowering the goggles from the girl's face before managing to get her to move her arms. When she opened the door and led him up the stairs, he saw his little sister standing in her bedroom door, tiredly rubbing at her eyes. He smiled and held one finger up to his lips to shush her. Even Twily looked relieved upon seeing the sleeping form of Eventide.

"Wow," he whispered upon being let into Eventide's room. His eyes took in every surface, noting just how clean everything was. It was completely undecorated, although that was expected given that she'd only been there for under a week. How the bed was made reminded him of a hospital, and only the presence of the tablet charging quietly on the bedside table indicated that he was even in a room that someone lived in. "I don't think even Twily keeps her room this clean."

Once she helped him get Eventide into bed and under the covers, his mother gave him an apologetic look. "By the way, I had to cancel tomorrow night's Pad Thai plan," she explained, shutting off the lights as she led him back into the hall. "While we were waiting for news, Dr. Zecora called and informed me that Eventide tested positive for a peanut allergy..."

In a small apartment in Detroit, a woman was awoken by a loud notification on her phone. She groaned as she reached out from beneath her covers and grabbed for her glasses and the device whilst its display still lit the room. Upon donning her glasses and seeing the time—2:15 in the morning—she growled. On the screen, her custom email app's push notification proudly announced a priority email.

Who could possibly send an urgent email so late?

She quickly entered her pin and opened the app.

Subject: [Priority] Your Cold Case
From: Null
Hey, Agent S. Sorry for the rude wake-up, but you made it quite clear that you didn't care what time of day it was when it came to this sort of information. One of my crawlers picked up some new data on a living Jane Doe in police systems in Canterlot, California. I dunno if their systems malfunctioned when scanning her prints, or if there's some sort of anomaly, but aside from a strange mirroring, there's a 98.6% certainty that these prints match the one from the missing person's file you gave me, but I figured you'd definitely be interested in this. I know how much you've been obsessing over this case.

I took the initiative and pulled the file and attached it for you, as well as a fingerprint comparison my system threw together. I dunno if this is actually the person you've been looking for, but it's worth pointing out that she was released into the custody of a CCPD detective a few hours after intake. I attached his file too, just to be safe.

Your digital detective,
Null

Hope blossomed in her chest as she opened the first file attached to the email. She'd been looking for any sort of closure in this case for almost a decade now, and if she was really alive... That hope quickly fell into confusion as she looked at the file. None of this makes sense... She was nearly twenty-eight when she went missing, and this is just a kid. At the same time, though, she couldn't deny the resemblance.

It was almost uncanny how much this girl resembled her, especially when she was a teenager. The eyes and hair were the same , and she was wearing a shirt with part of an emblem shown. There's no doubt. That's definitely her emblem... But is that a scar on her neck? Even without the graphic comparison Null attached, highlighting the print matches, her sharp eyes could easily pick out that it was a nearly perfect match from memory.

Internally, she sighed. She'd attempt to bring it up with her bosses in the agency, but if it came down to it, she was ready to take some time off to visit Canterlot. Her department didn't usually investigate missing persons cases like this, but given that this person had been missing for almost a decade, only for a younger body-double to suddenly show up, she was sure it wouldn't take much to convince the Paranormal Observation, Neutralisation and Investigation agency heads to let her loose on that city. It was already on their radar after two anomalous energy spikes within a month of one another.

After composing a message of thanks to the agency's IT bloodhound, she immediately began thinking of how she was gonna convince her bosses to send her and not someone like Agent T. T didn't do well with kids, and the only other agents not currently out on assignment were more geared towards neutralisation rather than investigating or observing. You don't send the kill team for a little girl without investigating and observing, first.

Just before she drifted off to sleep, she found herself asking the real question. Is that really you... Cantata?

Author's Note

The end of Arc 1.
Next chapter, will be Chapter 9: Welcome to Crystal Prep Academy – Pt. 2