CRBA, Episode 23: The Story in Your Eyes

Care Root’s Bizarre Adventure, Episode 23: The Story In Your Eyes

>Be Twilight, in Adagio’s body.
>The air screams around you for a second as the portal they were building falters.
>Your hand is halfway into Sonata’s shoulderblades, blaring her inner soundtrack in her head.
>She hasn’t turned around to acknowledge you.
>To be honest, you were really, really hoping to switch bodies with her.
>From there, Anonymous would be easy work.
>But there’s something about the rules here that depends on what he wants.
>You can’t take out Sonata’s soul with his power any more than Care can have a good future.
>A moment later and a blinding light flashes through, easily the length of the dome.
>Your heart stops as you realize that Care might have escaped.
>But no, he didn’t.
>This is another Stand, you’d be able to tell just by touching it if you weren’t so busy.
>The light forms edges and vertices, or else your eyes stop watering at it.
>Then it cools down, and turns into a building around you, a room.
>This is the Sham Factory, a door away from the main hallway if you remember the schematics.
>For another moment your mind stumbles, and you wonder if this really is Care, if he might be developing some secondary ability you hadn’t anticipated.
>But then you remember that’s not possible.
>Capitalize on the distraction, now!
>Another twist, and you can really feel Anonymous tugging at your soul now, but you dig in as deep as you can.
>Grab as much as possible…
>And pull!
>As you move back, the gems shudder, casting warm light on the walls.
>And then, shuddering herself, she falls to her knees and stares ahead of herself, uncomprehending.
>Her eyes are still red, expressionless, but her head turns and tries to take in what’s happened.
>You could’ve shut off her Stand like Aria’s, but it would be useless.
>Hurting her wouldn’t have done anyone any good either.
>But you could still affect her memories.
>Normally ｢Midnight Special｣ only left a person in a dazed state as part of its activaiton.
>The brain smoothed over whatever happened, and so no one remembered being stuck in the side with an arrow and given magical abilities.
>But lately, it’s become more and more useful to induce that state yourself.
>You could never lose an argument, provided no one could see a clock in the room, and their minds helped square that without your influence.
>So now you’ve turned it up as high as it’ll go.
>Sonata should’ve lost a few days by now, which means--
>The remaining ghosts light up the area with a green glow of their own as they surround her again.
>They coalesce around her head, and they capture her attention - some childlike “huhm?”
>And then, in front of her, a dozen combine, losing their definition into each other.
>The mass of ectoplasmic putty takes a shape, separating into limbs, and becomes the outline of a kneeling man.
>Sonata sees it, and then the gems start to spin in orbit around her again.
>Two of them.
>You can feel the energy of the third one running through your body in a way you weren’t expecting.
>It was like getting better from being sick, a rapturous return to the status quo.
>You feel the wound in Adagio’s neck, and become aware that you can close it.
>Just a little effort, some concentration...
>A second cloud of the ghosts appears around Anonymous.
>His twitching, half-comatose body glows a slimy green color of its own, and suddenly he’s lifted upwards, on his feet without any of his limbs pushing him off the ground.
>Sonata’s touched to the simulacrum, forehead to forehead, and takes no notice of you.
>But Anonymous is staring directly at you with angry, haggard eyes.
>His legs don’t give way under him.
>You need to recuperate and press your advantage.
>But there’s only one place to do that at this point.
>Not waiting for him to take the first move, you turn and dart out of the cone of red and green light.
>If you were a regular human, you might have expected that you’d wound up inside of this factory due to teleportation, or something similar.
>But you’ve done more than your fair share of teleportation spells.
>Navigating by memory alone isn’t easy, but you know you’re heading in roughly the right direction.
>Out into the hallway, clutching the gem to smother the light, the shipping container should be--
>In the looming darkness, there’s nothing.
>You move further ahead, hoping to find it just past your horizon.
>Your feet stamp on something metallic, sending it scattering across the floor.
>What’s--
>It sounds like...
>Loose change?

>Be Scootaloo.
>Factory, you’re inside the factory.
>And you’re not alone, which means that at least these three extra people came with you.
>Maybe other people, too.
>You have to assume that Twilight and Sonata are all still here.
>And you still have ｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣, although it’ll take a few seconds of concentration to activate it.
>Quick, you run out into the darkness, away from Sour and your former friends.
>Whatever’s going on now, priorities are the same.
>You hope they can’t hear the loudspeaker noise of your footsteps kicking off the ground.
>What you need is to find an exit, or to find where Twilight went, or…
>Yes, call for backup!
>If someone shows up, it’s still enough to make a difference.
>You trained and prepared, you gave up your ability to have normal friends or do what you like - and you were staked out here for hours with-!
>You--
>You lost both of your best friends in the world!
>That facts drops the floor out from under you and tightens inside your chest.
>That’s--
>That’s enough to give up for one day!
>A wall appears in front of you in the dark.
>Whatever you do, don’t freeze.
>You turn hard to the right as fast as you can, running further down.
>In the blur of motion behind you - the two zombie Crusaders.
>Your heart picks up.
>But, thankfully, you’ve been running track since second grade!
>Out of the three Crusaders, you’re clearly the most athletic.
>You race ahead into the dark, looking for some kind of door or opening.
>You never really realized how easy it was to get lost in a place like this.
>Right now you’re like a kid blindfolded and spun around seven times before they try to hit the--
>A sudden cracking weight on your shoulders, like a dozen thick blankets, and you trip.
>You sprawl out onto the ground, catching yourself with your hands.
>A second later, a kick comes at your side, sharp and well-delivered.
>It’s Sweetie.
>How did they catch up?
>Apple Bloom’s holding you down with her whole body weight, pressing you into the metal - and she does farm-work for fun.
>Another kick, this time to the side of your head, and your teeth rattle.
>They want to force you to do what the real Sweetie and Apple Bloom did, but…
>Somehow, they don’t have Stands.
>After a moment, you realize they couldn’t have any.
>If they were Stand users, they’d have grabbed onto you through ｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣, the same way two of you could keep the other one from running off.
>And now that you’ve been forced to sit still in the darkness, your vision’s resolving.
>In front of you, to the left, along the wall - there’s something sticking out.
>The nearest big metal rectangle - jutting out of the wall.
>Somehow the factory merged with your last location!
>Whatever Anonymous is doing, you don’t want to test him on it.
>But that could be your exit - a tunnel straight through the wall!
>You claw your way forward, but Sweetie stomps on your hand.
>As you feel the bones groaning, she places a boot on your head and crosses her arms.
>And then there’s only the sound of steady footsteps, coming in your direction.
>You look over, and -
>Sour Sweet, maybe the toughest of the Shadowbolts.
>Her eyes are glowing a faint red, and her body’s outlined in a green aura, just like the rest of you.
>That must be how they were tracking your movements!
>Over her hovers ｢Message Man｣.
>She’s not in range yet, you have a few more seconds to contemplate your fate.
>With one leg keeping your face pressed into the floor, Sweetie doesn’t anticipate the punch to her other knee.
>Bloom might be strong, but she definitely isn’t!
>She staggers for a moment, and you grab the leg that used to be on your head, turning it.
>She falls like a sack of potatoes, and as far as you’re concerned she stops existing.
>Next - Bloom.
>You claw your way forward a little, then a little more, moving in bursts.
>She only holds on tighter - but now you can kick her.
>You dig your heel into her chest, and she doesn’t respond to you.
>Whatever’s riding her is strong enough not to care about a weak injury like that, being a ghost and all.
>But then you roll, and you’re free.
>As you jump to your feet, you catch a glimpse of the surprise on Bloom’s face.
>She’d forgotten that she needed to breathe.
>You scramble and then sprint, getting yourself far away from ｢Message Man｣.
>You really wish you’d taken those jujitsu lessons now.
>But you make it!
>The only one that’s locked in the whole yard is the one that was holding Twilight.
>You pull at the door, and it swings reluctantly out for you.
>Footsteps pound at the floor, seconds away.
>And past the door, too late, you see -
>The wall.
>It just passes through the container unbroken, intersecting the same space.
>You’re not getting through.
>Not without using your Stand.
>One of the green blurs from behind you solidifies back into a person.
>Sweetie Belle comes out of the dark, charging at you faster than you’ve ever seen her.
>It’s like… seeing someone else take the controller from her and do it better.
>But she looks righteously angry now.
>You retreat around the door and try to swing it shut.
>From the feeling and the clang, you realize she’s thrown herself against the other side.
>You don’t give up your position!
>Both of your hands stay locked on this door, like they’re superglued to it!
>You sweat with concentration.
>Suddenly the other door flies off of its hinges, clanging against the wall behind you.
>｢Message Man｣’s black fist hangs in the air, the judge of your fate.
>And beside it Sour Sweet, calmer than ever.
>With one last breath in, you shout.
“｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣!”
>And you feel it, all coming from inside you like turning a handcrank instead of using a battery.
>But it still works, flowing through the whole box, even through the wall.
>You make your change, the one you’ve been focusing on channeling through this door.
>And at the same time, almost like needing to vomit, you feel something tugging at you from all sides.
>Then - you’re outside of your own body.
>You can look back at yourself for a moment, once you’re oriented.
>You’re just standing there, staring off into space, frozen at the moment of the feeling.
>The door hangs open.
>But no one comes inside.
>You can even see a ghost hanging outside, moving past the entrance like some kind of piranha.
>It would’ve taken you over, if you hadn’t made it impossible for Anonymous or ｢Nowhere Man｣ to enter.
>Your body’s own green glow fades away, and suddenly you’re back inside your own head.
>You shake it, and step back from the door.
>Outside, Sour, Sweetie and Apple Bloom are all waiting for you.
>Your friends’ eyes are hateful, but Sour frowns and waits patiently.
>Ignoring them, you pull out your phone.
>After a few seconds, you destroy the possibility of not being answered.
>Using ｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣ alone drains you in a way you didn’t expect, but you don’t have a choice.
>There’s a lot it’s going to need to do to ensure your victory.


>Be Care, a couple minutes ago.
>Sitting at the edge of suffocation, with Midnight Sparkle looking down at you.
>Images of Derpy race through your mind, but as your interloper reaches out in your mind--
>Nothing.
>Under the shield of light, nothing.
>You used your Stand to obscure the view.
>All of the lights have disappeared, even though you can feel them, faintly.
>She reels back, hissing.
>It worked.
>And now you just have to let…
>Let go...
>Your body wants to make some kind of rasping rattling final show, but you don’t have the air..
>Drowning on dry land.
>Something cuts through the ringing in your ears.
>”｢｣!”
>And then something blurs over and lands a punch on Midnight’s face.
>She cracks out of the air, and your vision becomes fixed.
>Someone’s standing over you now, someone else...
>More blue and grey than...
>Whuh?
>It draws closer to you.
>And then everything goes dark.
>You open your eyes without opening them, and you’re floating upwards.
>Outside of your body...
>For a moment, there’s a fluttering of starlight around you.
>The rest of the world darkens, and the stars resolve themselves.
>Lights, like human-sized fireflies.
>They float around you, whatever you are now.
>And then resolve themselves - or maybe the right senses wake up again.
>You can see them - moments and events, playing out around you.
>Not like video, clouds of sensory experience floating past you.
>Almost all of them featuring her.
>Others appear, Silver.
>Golden.
>Even others.
>Children seen from high up, glancing down from a ledge of ages.
>Long dances and dates and parties and nights in.
>It’s everything you lost.
>You float through it, an afterlife stitched together from what could have been.
>This is almost what she deserved.
>The realization strikes you like a light turning on in a dark room, she’s not here.
>These images and potentials are what you took away from her.
>Dernier Piege is back out there, somewhere.
>You see her, in dozens of periods of her life, growing old with you, dying well.
>But she’s not here with you.
>You feel out with the same instincts as you used to, and the connection to her’s wavering.
>She doesn’t know your dead, of course she doesn’t.
>It’s only once she understands it that the whole thing crashes down.
>Everything’s always depended on her, even more than on you.
>And now, this is the last bit of electricity before the system shuts off, a look behind the curtain to see what you could’ve won.
>You float, paralyzed.
>The feeling flickers up in your mind, something you’d whisper if you had a mouth.
>All of this is worthless.
>This is the scrap pile of your life, but she’s not in it.
>Not really.
>Floating along the edges like Pluto are the massive moments, the ones you’ve already destroyed for the sake of her.
>None of these matter more than her as she is now, alive, somewhere out there.
>Not even all of them together.
>Even if your Stand didn’t exist, she would still have a life to lead.
>Derpy is more important than these moments.
>You turn away from them, trying to think of her in the present.
>Your memories together.
>They’re...
>Pulling at you, at muscles you don’t have any more.
>Sparks in the system, guttering.
>And then, you wink out.


>Be Care.
>Your eyes shoot open and you gasp for air on the cold hard floor as it presses into your back and your eyes swim and you have to roll over and start coughing and gagging.
>Your throat.
>Ach, your - your throat.
>Hands at your neck, swallowing, breath regulating.
>Your windpipe’s unsmashed.
>Derpy.
>Where is she?
>You know her, she can’t be very far from you, she wouldn’t stay out of the fray if you were in danger.
>You gather ｢Timbuk Three｣ in your mind, and nothing’s grabbing at it.
>And then curl and roll around, thinking of some way around Midnight.
>Now that she knows you’ll be willing to die, she-
>Mr. Rich is standing over you, looking a little concerned.
>Where’s Midnight?
>Slumped against the wall is… Twilight.
>Not anything dangerous, just the real version of Twilight.
>She looks a little undernourished, and the pallor of her skin makes it seem a lighter lilac than the one from Equestria.
>Her eyes are closed and her mouth is open, but she’s breathing.
>Then you realize you can see around yourself - you’re not inside of the box any longer.
>You’re sitting on a pile of thick silvery coins, which explains that, but the larger cavernous expanse draws your attention away from the floor.
>You’re...
>In the factory.
>Your eyes flicker back to Twilight and Mr. Rich, just to make sure that they don’t disappear.
>Then you reach out and feel for your lights again, pulling away the mask.
>Yes, ｢Timbuk Three｣ is real, and you’re alive, and you’re in the factory.
>You look back up at Mr. Rich, and he raises an eyebrow, looking just as lost as you are.
>You blink at him, the fingers of one hand still on your throat.
“New windpipe?”

>Be Trixie.
>You had no idea that Silver could do anything like that.
>Of course, you’ve had some experience with incredible and awe-inspiring feats of magic, but a whole building?!
>She rushes on ahead, keeping pace with Derpy, while the rest of you keep your eyes peeled.
>Sunset’s right behind them, with you and Diamond apparently bringing up the rear.
>There’s no easy source of light inside, and you can’t hear the singing either.
>Mostly you keep your eyes on Sunset.
>There’s no way that you’d let anyone actually reach the destination in her position.
>You would’ve voted just to kick her out of the car, if she hadn’t made herself so painfully indispensable.
>After a minute, Derpy stops ahead and holds an arm out to stop the rest of you.
>There’s a car there, and standing next to it - no, connected to the door - is Twilight.
>She’s standing slack against it, with some kind of collar locked around her neck!
>You move ahead, feeling out the collar with ｢Abracadabra｣.
>Is there a weak point you can…?
>You feel something cold seize up inside of yourself, like coolant in your organs.
>Doubling over, you push against whatever it is affecting you.
>Twilight was always a little suspicious to you - you can tell by being near her that she’s hiding something.
>But this can’t just be her - it’s something to do with the dome around you.
>You use ｢Abracadabra｣ to move to the other side of the car, hoping that maybe you can distance yourself from - no.
>An ice-bath washes down your back, making your shoulders seize up.
>And then you’re spinning outside your own body, having some kind of transcendent experience.
>Not a very opportune moment.
>You’re under the effect of something, if you can just...
>With a little effort, you right yourself and get a look at your own form.
>And at the same time, almost on cue, a green ghost comes out of one of the walls.
>This is definitely Anonymous, somehow.
>He wasn’t in the factory, as far as you know, but he must still be involved with the Sirens.
>Your theory’s confirmed when you see past your own body - the purple one, Blaze, lies unconscious in the backseat of the car.
>Sonata brought her sisters along, but Adagio’s not with them, and Anonymous is doing something you don’t understand.
>Maybe something on the level of bringing a whole building into existence from a piece of rubble.
>The ghost makes a beeline for your body, like it’s going to possess you.
>Can they do that?
>You’re not going to take chances; Trixie is far too unique to ever be possessed by anything.
>Pushing your willpower into ｢Abracadabra｣, you push that ghost away from your momentarily slackjawed form.
>Silver’s already running, firing a bolt of her Stand’s power at it and dropping some piece of bric-a-brac to the ground below her.
>It’s disoriented enough by your Stand that it gets skewered by the energy, and disintegrates like a bad mirage.
>The impact kicks up a cloud of dust, removing your friends from view for a moment.
>Next, you look at your -
>The lights go off in your mind for a second.
>-body, what was that?
>You suddenly feel sluggish and weak, even for some free-floating OBE dreamer.
>Quietly you draw yourself towards your own body.
>It takes an effort to travel in a conscious direction now.
>You feel like you should just hang in the air, like you’re going to petrify into some bright sapphire gemstone all your own.
>Parts of yourself wisp behind you, like bits of an ember going out.
>In the distance you can almost hear a phone ringing.
>Come on...
>You can’t feel your heartbeat right now, and your panic is purely intellectual - but you hold onto it.
>Get to that sparkling blue shore!
>You touch the edge of your own cheek, and…

>Be Anon.
>You lurch and try to control your body.
>Everything feels leaky, but you’re not feeling sick or anything.
>You’re like a cup with too much in it.
>We’re close.
>You turn the corner and head after Adagio - you can feel her soul, and her magic.
>The gem in her hand, actually Aria’s.
>You almost had your portal open, you were just barely going to do this without destroying everything.
>But now you haven’t even been given a choice.
>I should tell you why my eyes are different, just before we go through.
>Your other body sits with Sonata and tries to calm her.
>She’ll need her strength to sing you a pathway, even if you have all the fuel you’d need.
>Nobody can use a Stand without your say-so, you can feel it in your gut.
>If you just sat back and drew your defenses a little tighter, you’d eventually expand your influence and take over the world.
>Not like you’d stick around for the kind of shithole that would make.
>It’s not a very interesting story, though.
>She giggles to herself a little.
>Just start -
”Just start up the song while I get my hands on the last stone.”
>One body whispers to her, while your main one mutters it in the middle of the hallway to nobody.
>Your ghosts in the walls lead you along down the hallway.
>She’s down this way.
>That wasn’t my sister, Nonny.
>You think about that.
>She couldn’t be mistaken, could she?
>No, you’re not going to stop trusting her.
>Whatever she says, you should follow!
>You head further down the hallway, trying to sniff out any tricks.
>If it wasn’t Adagio, then someone else was inside her body...
>Ah, Twilight.
>She was the first thing you noticed consciously, after the feeling of giving birth to a fuckton of ghosts started to become normal.
>You knew she was dangerous, but if she figured out your new powers and how to fool them that quickly...
>The ghosts are still bursting from your skin now, leaving a breadcrumb trail until they dart off into the walls to make sure things go according to plan.
>Whoever walled everyone in is an idiot - you don’t need to see people to find them at this point.
>And it’s not like there’s some exit plan for them.
>They can play keep-away and be stepped on, or they can give up and let the portal be opened.
>I wasn’t always… like this.
>Speaking of that, you finally come up on her.
>Twilight’s standing there, looking out through Adagio’s eyes.
>And further down, there are other people, coming this way.
>Some kind of backup?
>You guessed that this building was a way of disrupting your barrier somehow, but it was kind of irrelevant.
>Further out in the building, you can feel the Shadowbolt and the two… two Crusaders.
>They’re all just standing together looking at a wall.
>With a thought you bring them back into the fray, a little disappointed that they’re not as autonomous as you were hoping.
>It was a thousand years ago, or maybe even longer, and I was just a girl somewhere.
>The rest of your ghosts are drawing mostly towards the newcomers, who are doing their absolute best to do a sitting duck impression in one location.
>Just cut the shit and grab the gem.
>I don’t even remember where it all was, or who my mom was.
>But then these two girls came into town...


>One was always smiling, and the other always frowned, and they needed somewhere to stay.
>They’d been traveling for years.
>And they had these dark eyes, darker than anybody’s.
>When they came to us, they needed a place to stay, and we took them in.
>I think it was us…
>I liked them a lot, but nobody else did.
>They were easy to talk to.
>They didn’t really sleep that much, or eat anything, and everyone kept away from them.
>But they had these necklaces...
>And then one night they went outside, while we were all supposed to be asleep, and they started singing...


>Be Care.
>Between the two of you, you’ve figured out some of what must have happened.
>Mr. Rich came here before you and found Midnight Sparkle, but he got overtaken and knocked out.
>He woke up when she was trying to drain all of your power, and managed to knock her out with some elephant tranquilizers.
>For your part, you knew some of Twilight’s plan, and that meant that you should expect Sunset to show up any minute.
>And you also knew that something must have gone wrong with them outside of your influence, although you couldn’t guess what.
>Plus Mr. Rich gave you a useful warning about what happened when he used his Stand to turn the shipping container into money.
>So you’re going without any flashlights or beacons until you really need them.
>You’re both in one of the main corridors, maybe the entryway, and you’ve been trying to navigate your way out,
>Unfortunately you just wound up going to the conference room.
>Mr. Rich’s phone’s on the fritz, or it would tell you where the Shadowbolts and your friends are.
>Even the machine Twilight had made to detect the gems was detecting them every few feet.
“As soon as we can get them, we just need to get out of range of whatever’s going on, and then I’ll gather everyone up.”
>Plenty of hiccups, but things are still going according to your (sort-of) plan.
>”Do you know if Diamond’s alright?”
>You think.
“She should still be with Derpy and the others, and she was safe the last time I saw her.”
>Neither of which is a yes.
>He processes that and nods, once, looking at the ground.
>”I worry about her a lot, now. How she’ll do without me... There’s no manual for having kids, son.”
>He says, and then straightens up, as if it had never happened.
>You put on a brave face yourself.
“Both of you are going to be fine. If worst comes to worst, I’ll just turn myself in and let them use me as a battery. Nobody’s going to negotiate with that.”
>He smiles, but it’s a thin, sad one.
>”Make sure she knows that I love her, Mr. Root. Especially if I don’t get a chance to tell her myself, I’ll always love her.”
“Y-yeah, of course I will. But...”
>You cough to clear your throat.
“But we’re both going to make it. No one else is going to die for my sake today.”
>You put as much emphasis into those words as you can, for both of you.
>Twilight moans in her sleep and lashes out with an arm, narrowly missing Mr. Rich’s head.
>He’s carrying her with you, slung over his back, and bearing the weight a lot better than you.
>You had no clue he was that strong, although she might have been a little lighter than normal.
>You realize, curiously, that you really know nothing about Mr. Rich.
>He stops, and she cries out again.
>You have to turn to her to make sure that she’s really asleep.
>Her eyes are closed, but something light-blue flashes and steams under the eyelids, lighting up a scant foot of floor in each direction.
>She doesn’t make any threatening moves.
>And then you stop too.
>Ahead of you are three silhouettes, glowing their own faint greens.
>One tall, two short, standing stock-still.
>You almost light up the area to get a better look at them, but you catch yourself.
>They stand frozen, like cardboard cutouts.
>And then they come running for you - and you’re the frozen one.
>Hand to hand combat’s no good, your Stand’s useless, Mr. RIch is carrying Twilight...
>The Shadowbolt who harassed Derpy and Golden makes it to you first.
>It takes a moment for you to see her Stand in the dark, and then you don’t have a choice.
>｢Timbuk-｣
>A firm hand shoves you out of the way.
>Mr. Rich--
>”｢Johnny Cash｣!”
>He puts the hand out, and Sour suddenly just… halts.
>She spits out a mouthful of paper bills, and then wobbles and falls to her knees.
>Mr. Rich stands there and watches her.
>”A pint of blood is worth about one hundred and thirty dollars. A girl your age has about nine pints total, and after you lose three your body gives out under you. Give up.”
>She snarls, and ｢Message Man｣ thrashes out a fist for him.
>He goes flying backwards, knocked off his feet like a ragdoll.
>The cogs turn in your head - he just used a Stand, there’s some kind of lapse in what’s happening!
>You reach out with ｢Timbuk Three｣ and catch him.
>And then something cold snakes down your spine.
>Two of the Crusaders come rushing toward you, at the same time Sour turns limp on the ground.
>Apple Bloom tackles you, grabbing around your torso.
>And suddenly your body moves without you.
>Your awareness slides out of yourself, and in a stab of panic you remember what Mr. Rich told you.
>Don’t worry about it, just keep an eye out for the next -
>Yes, a ghost comes out of the wall and floats towards your empty body.
>It’ll get there ahead of you.
>But then, in a swirl of dust motes, it bursts from the inside.
>In a little pop of light, it’s gone.
>｢Timbuk Three｣ doesn’t have any miniscule moments left to use up.
>Sweetie Belle reaches up to crush you - but there’s something different about her.
>Her face is twisted, angry, mean-spirited.
>It looks almost… inhuman.
>And then her hand closes around the blinking light of your… soul?
>Doesn’t matter.
>Another light breaks, and then her hand heats up.
>But she doesn’t move.
>You’re burning her skin, but she doesn’t react.
>Is she impervious to pain?
>A vice made of light forces her fingers apart, and then a fist pushes her away.
>You flicker for a moment, and it’s like the entire world’s disappeared around you.
>But you still have a connection to Derpy, and you still have the lights, and she’s forced back.
>With a tether to the rest of yourself, you reel your soul back into your body.

>Be Care.
>You jolt - it feels like you’ve lost time.
>You remember Mr. Rich’s words, and feel the light burning inside of you.
>Apparently, you must have used your Stand to fend off the Crusaders.
>Yes, there’s a tether to… something inside of you.
>Your soul?
>It must be something like that.
>And judging by the size, you have another minute and a half to keep going.
>You try to reach with ｢Timbuk Three｣ like you did with your own soul, tethering it to something inside of the two Crusaders.
>It connects, and the visuals flash in your retinas.
>Two ghosts, just like Anonymous’.
>The girls are frozen, and with a twist of your thoughts - they implode.
>Apple Bloom’s arms go slack around you, and you push her back.
>She stumbles, and then she and Sweetie both crumple to the floor.
>You watch them, and... they’re not breathing.
>At all.
>You stand there, watching them, until your light runs out.

>And the way they sang, it gave everyone bad dreams.
>During the day people started to like them more.
>But it was like, like no one could get along with each other.
>The little arguments people have all the time started turning really mean.
>It took a few days for people to really start getting angry, but you know how they are.
>Then there were a lot of people with broken bones getting sent to the hospital.
>Were there hospitals back then?
>I don’t remember.
>But I didn’t get angry at people or anything.
>And I saw them singing at night, sometimes.
>One time I asked them about it, and then they went to another room and argued about it.
>Adagio was always so happy back then.
>She really thought she’d be going home soon, if she just worked hard enough.
>And Aria...
>She’s gotten so hopeless now.
>She was always a jerk, but it was different then.
>I don’t know how to explain it.
>But after a while they talked to me.
>They’d never really had someone to tell stories to.
>So they told me all about a far off land called Equestria, and the evil wizard who had controlled it, and being thrown out of their home.
>They said they were princesses in a different land, with only a little bit of magic to help them.
>And at about the same time, people started going missing.

>Be Derpy.
>As the dust clears, Trixie’s still standing, on the far end of the car.
>Silver, on the other hand, is running towards you.
>She ducks behind your legs, genuinely frightened.
>You don’t remember the last time she did something like that, but you think you see why.
>Further down the hallway two people are facing each other, one a silhouette and the other glowing a bright green.
>It’s Anonymous, you’re almost certain just by the feeling in the air.
>Sunset has her phone to her ear, listening intently and frowning.
>And Twilight’s blinking, now, looking around.
>She gasps for a moment, like she woke up from a nightmare.
>”Derpy, wh- What’s going on?! How am I - what?!”
>Twilight says, her eyes wide as she struggles against the strange metal collar around her neck.
“It’s alright, Twilight. Sonata kidnapped--”
>”N-no, I’m not Twilight! I’m-”
>Silver’s voice cuts in.
>”Anonymous is coming this way, we have to go!”
>She’s terrified.
>Twilight’s looks at Silver behind you and her mouth falls open.
>Something doesn’t make sense on top of that.
>She was laid out on the floor before she got taken here, but now doesn’t have any scratches or bruises at all.
>”No, Derpy, I’m Silver, your sister! I swear! I don’t-”
>Silver cries out behind you.
>As you wheel around, you see Sunset, lifting her up in a chokehold.
>Her head’s tilted to one side, pressing the phone into her shoulder.
>Then her eyes turn to you.
>”Before you kill me, this isn't Silver. Anonymous got a power upgrade, and he’s switching people’s souls when they use Stands. Right now Adagio was switched with Twilight, and she probably made some dust with her Stand so she could switch with Silver.”
>Silver kicks her in the stomach, but she doesn’t let go.
>”She’s - she’s right!”
>Twilight says, sounding close to tears.
>But something in your mind turns.
>Twilight was always close to Sunset, and reluctant to fight her.
>She came all this way and somehow wasn’t under the sirens’ control.
>And now, suddenly, there’s some reason why your own sister shouldn’t be trusted and these two should be?
>It’s a long shot, but what if they were really on the same side, working together to fool you this whole time?
>Your hands clench into fists, and something snaps.
“You’ll have to try better than that! ｢Spinal Tap｣!”
>Diamond rushes over to say something, but doesn’t make it in time.
>And suddenly --
>Huh.
>Sunset and Silver both look up at you.
>Sunset’s face is calm, and Silver squirms some more, looking horrified.
>”This should prove it to you. It has no effect at all on the Sirens.”
>She says, and puts a hand to Silver’s head.
>”｢Boulevard of Broken Dreams｣.”
>After a moment... nothing happens.
>Then something comes out of the wall, rushing towards the point you just left.
>In this state it’s hard to see - everything a little closer together and squashed.
>You realize that you’re not compensating for your eye any longer.
>And then the ghost appears.
>It swims out of the wall, coming for your body.
>And then a bunch of rubble flies off of the ground and turns into a miniature dust storm.
>Just like what Suns-
>The ghost fries, caught by Stand energy, and then a golden light passes you by as you hang in the air.
>It drifts almost carefree, like a flower in the wind, right inside of you.
>Derpy opens her eyes and runs into the dust.
>Then you notice the swirl of other ghosts.
>Dozens come out of the walls, now, heading for Silver’s slackened body.
>Sunset turns around in time to see them, still holding your sister off the ground.
>”Scoot, we’ve got a problem.”


>Be Anon.
>Twilight stands there, looking out through Adagio’s eyes.
>Watching you watching her.
>She can’t talk, but she stands there with her arms folded.
>You can’t attack her.
>Yeah, you remember the arrow.
>It’s lodged somewhere in your ribcage right now, a dull ache.
>You can’t take it out of your body without ruining all of this, which is yet another pain in the ass.
>I didn’t worry at first, because I didn’t know that many people.
>It’s okay, Nata…
>Whatever’s in your past...
“You’re not going anywhere.”
>Twilight doesn’t disagree, standing there like a smug statue.
>From her perspective, both of you are in a stalemate.
>A dozen ghosts rise out of the floor and swoop around her.
>She pulls the hand holding the gem up to her chest.
>And then she starts… humming.
>But after a while I was one of the only people left, and they had to decide what to do with me...
>There’s not much of a tune to it at first, more like a kind of coughing sound.
>But she’s got experience with magical singing, and she’s in the body of a siren.
>And the gem starts glowing anyway.
>A bright, angry red - and her voice starts to return to her.
>No!
>Fuck that!
>FUCK THAT!
>Your ghosts reach into her from a dozen points and stifle her biology.
>She gets disrupted, and then -
>Hrk!
>You can feel the arrow burning inside of you.
>You have to release them!
>But first, the gem!
>You rush forward for the gem, but then -
>Further back, running this way - the brat’s older sister.
>The one that’s still breathing.
>She’s not running at top speed, but she’s heading right for you.
>And as you concentrate through your ghosts...
>Someone had been chasing both of them, but I didn’t know that until later.
>Yes, down there are both of them, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
>Just in the entryway, just like before.
>Are they mocking you?!
>No, worse than that!
>They’ve come to stop what you’ve worked for!
>No matter what you do in this world, it will always have a wrench thrown in it by these fucking children!
>And that moment of anger is too much, you realize just too late.
>Cross-eyed isn’t running at you, she’s coming for Twilight, who looks like Adagio.
>Depending on which one she thinks you’re fighting, she might even be trying to help you.
>But your ghosts know that you won’t sustain your ｢Heart of Nowhere｣ if they stay lodged in her.
>The town started to fall apart, and I got a feeling they were the ones who were really behind it.
>They move out on their own, without your commanding them.
>And in that instant Twilight spins to meet Care’s girlfriend halfway.
>With a snap of her arm, the two touch.
>And a wall of darkness appears between you and them, deeper than even your enhanced senses can pierce.
>You send out a barrage of ghosts, looking to freeze both of them.
>But when it clears, cross-eyed is gone.
>Your ghosts have halted Adagio’s body again, and nothing happens to you.
>But she still has the gem.
>You reach over and grab for it, concentrating on your bond to Sonata.
>And they started getting ready to leave, because they had other places to be.
>They told me bad luck followed them everywhere, and people fought.
>It was a curse that had been forced on them when they were very little.
>Your hand closes around the gem, its red glow cast into your palm.
>And then...
>It turns into a pile of rubble.
>You seethe for a moment, letting your arm shake.
>On the last day they were there, a group of people in hoods showed up asking about them.
>They had weapons, and they went from house to house asking about if anything strange had been happening.
>Some of the people who went missing came back out of the forest, and their eyes were red.
>And the people in the cloaks killed them, all of them.
>They started attacking anyone who wouldn’t help them find the witches they were looking for.
>I tried to help them get away, and they asked me why, and I said I was doing it because they were my friends.
>I was never the brightest, and maybe they’d done a lot of bad things for where I lived, but that was life.
>There were wars when I was little, so I didn’t care so much.
>And, I guess, I really just liked their singing a lot.
>You spread your ghosts through the building, saturating the walls.
>Your own body blurs behind the sheer force of ethereal energy you’re bringing into the world.
>They’re not going to keep you away.
>You’ll fill this entire dome with ghosts if that’s what it takes!
>And then, without any warning, the building explodes.


>I tried to help them escape into the woods.
>I used to play there all the time, so I knew how to get in deeper than most people went.
>But they followed us, and they caught me.
>And they thought I was one of them, and I was doing all of this stuff with them, and burning down towns everywhere.
>They were going to kill both of my friends, and…
>And they weren’t scared, but
>I don’t remember, I threw myself in front of them.
>Or maybe they just went for me first.
>It hurt, a lot.
>It was the last time anything really hurt for me, at least like that.
>I don’t remember a lot after that.
>They picked me up, and I felt like I was floating through the forest.
>I thought they were going to make me one of their red-eyed monsters.
>They took me to a stream once, to get the blood out.
>And then on the other end of the forest, in a barn I’d never seen before, they did something to me.
>They gave me their last...
>I’m sorry, it’s just...
>There had been three of them, all sisters.
>And one of them didn’t make it, and they kept her gem.
>And when I woke up, I had it, and I was with them, and nothing bad could ever happen to me.
>And Adagio’s eyes weren’t as dark, they were bright like mine, and she said, she-
>She said it was because she had to give up some of her own magic to save me, and make me like she was.
>And, and that’s why it’s so funny.
>Because now we might really be going back where they came from, but I’ve never even seen it before.
>And that’s why I can’t just leave them behind.
>It’s their dream that I have to achieve, even if we’re fighting with each other.
>That’s why this...
>This means so much to me, Nonny.
>I didn’t want to tell you until we got this far, I was worried you’d change your mind, but...
>...
>Nonny?


>Be Scootaloo.
>Metal rain pelts the container from the outside, and suddenly you can see the sky again through the busted door.
>It’s red and black, roiling, but still brighter than being in a lightless abandoned building.
>And then you see the coins falling out of the air, showering the ground.
>That’s-
>Diamond’s dad’s ability!
”Tell Mr. Rich to press the advantage!”
>You say into your phone, and then peer out across the landscape.
>Still a bunch of containers, some gravel, a fence in the distance with the green wall undulating outside of it.
>But, actually, nothing’s that different.
>In fact, you can see a few of the ghosts still left, being shredded by the coins.
>So the currency his Stand makes counts as part of it!
>”He’s not with us.”
>Sunset’s voice comes back worried through the ruckus on the other end of the phone.
>He’s not-
>You turn that over in your mind, and then you catch a glimpse of movement outside.
>Your heart leaps as you see your former friends, before you really register what exactly you’re seeing.
>Care’s carrying them, struggling under the weight.
>He’s smart enough to not be using his Stand, assuming that’s really him.
>”Most of them scattered after… whatever that was. But - is that Anonymous?”
>There’s mechanical noises on the other end of the line, something sparking and the rustle of the phone being moved around.
>And then Care notices you, looking out from the one container that’s different from all of the others.
>He doesn’t react to you, but he turns in your direction and tromps through the coinage.
>You step backwards, deeper into your makeshift bunker.
>It’s still in one piece, even after the wall moving through it got removed, and it’s your only protection against Anonymous or anything plugged into his ability.
>｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣ is almost used up just trying to change the wider destiny of the area.
>You destined yourself not to see any of the people you could think of approach your container under the control of one of the sirens.
>And then some other, less obvious ones, like seeing everything blow up or having Twilight die, or the portal being opened and sucking up the whole yard.
>When it was at full power, your Stand could almost see all of the possibilities, but now you’re just guessing.
>Why didn’t the three of you lace every inch of this place with your ability, just to stop any of this ever happening?
>You just followed your orders, because you didn’t trust yourself to see as far as Twilight did.
>Or maybe because you didn’t want to be the reason her plans were ruined.
>It was only at the end that you changed things, by keeping your best friends in the loop and trying to keep Care out of the fight, and by then it was too late.
>You swallow and stand still as he approaches, trying to make out the green glow in the sudden brightness of the stormy outdoors.
>Whatever’s happening on the other end, Sunset’s hung up.
>And he reaches the lip of the container, and hovers there for a moment.
>Then, he kneels down.
>Sweetie and Bloom make it across, and stay limp and unmoving.
>He closed their eyes, but their mouths hang open in a way that chills you.
>You look up at him as he stands up again, stretching out his back.
>And finally, standing on the edge, he says something.
>”Your Stand was shared between all three of you, right?”
>You nod up at him.
>”Can you still bring it up?”
>You nod again, and ｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣ appears next to you.
>It looks docile compared to its full form, barely the height of your scooter.
>He puts a hand out to stop you, but then nothing happens.
“Anonymous’s power can’t come in here.”
>You explain.
>He frowns at that, and suddenly he looks like a surgeon.
>”Okay, then I can’t put this off.”
>And he steps inside, and puts a hand onto your Stand.
>His eyes shut, hard, and his own appears with its hands inside of yours.
>You feel warm in the same way you were cold before.
>And then it spreads, outwards.
>Maybe there’s not a good word for it, or maybe you’re just not eggheaded enough to know it.
>But it moves out like a crack on a windshield or a fracture on a bone.
>For a second you think you’re being attacked, and you accept it.
>But there’s no pain, no loss of your ability, nothing you’ve been warned that Care can do.
>And then he takes a step back, and ｢Timbuk Three｣ and your Stand and even you move with him.
>It takes you a moment to realize you’re standing next to the bodies of your friends, on the edge of the-
>Shit!
>You stumble backwards in your mind, but your body doesn’t move.
>And you feel the cold washing over you, overdue.
>The warmth washes out and goes somewhere else.
>Is this really how it’s going to end for you?
>Your body can’t move, you’re as frozen and cold as Sweetie and Apple Bloom.
>”Care!”
>You hear another voice, and the sound swims in the air.
>Someone else rushes over - you try to clear your vision, it feels like you’re holding your breath and you can’t manage it.
>Derpy, his girlfriend.
>Silver Spoon’s big sister.
>You got warned about her too, but she doesn’t seem to notice you, she just rushes for him.
>”Care, everyone’s in trouble! We need to-”
>He holds up a hand to stop her.
>His eyes are still closed, and suddenly something in your ribcage beats alongside your heart.
>Lights dance in your eyes even with them open.
>The clouds gather tighter overhead.
>And then...
>Your Stand feels like it’s the right size again, the original size.
>｢Timbuk Three｣ moves through it, waking it up, and then trailing off of it completely.
>You get goosebumps.
>”Care, I’m so glad you’re alright! We need to get to Sonata and stop her before Anonymous destroys everything!”
>Care grunts for a moment.
>You don’t know what he’s even doing at this point.
>But he tries to answer her.
>”Can’t - go yet. Have to - keep - my word!”
>The warmth spreads back up through your Stand, this time much faster, and it blasts off of it in all directions.
>Your body jerks as you realize what’s happening.
>Your friends…!
>｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣ is glowing ahead of you, larger than life, looking down at both of them.
>And outside of it, caught in the waves of light bursting off of it...
>Two spinning, broken-up clouds.
>A little smushed-looking, but still together.
>The light grabs them like a fishing line and pulls them into your Stand.
>”It’s not safe to use your Stand, Care!’
>Derpy says, with her hands on his shoulders, trying to get his attention.
>”We need to get the gems together and get out of here, there’s no time for anything else!”
>He grits his teeth, and his shoulders heave.
>”I have - have to - save them!”
>And then the pull lashes both of them into your Stand.
>｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣ swells, blindingly bright, and then disappears.
>Care stands there for a moment and opens his eyes, watching ｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣ fade away.
>Derpy watches it silently herself.
>”Did you just…”
>At your feet, after a moment, eyes swivel under eyelids.
>Limbs jerk.
>And your two best friends start breathing again.
>Something crawls halfway up your throat and sticks there.
>Roll with it.
>You look up at Derpy’s dumbfounded face.
”This container’s safe against ｢Nowhere Man｣. Come in and-”
>Care stumbles inside, ｢Timbuk Three｣ gently pushing your friends into sitting positions at the walls.
>They’re still out, for now.
>Derpy follows after him, a second later.
>He leans against the inner wall for a second, blinking a few times.
>”Who are you really?”
>He asks, turning his head to Derpy as she steps across the threshold.
>She hesitates, and he continues.
>”Because if you’re just not telling me because you don’t want to spook me, that’s one thing. But if you’re one of the Sirens or a random ghost or something, you’re going to regret it.”
>Derpy blinks back at him.
>”Care, I’m not… I...”
>”I can feel the connection between myself and Derpy, and it’s not here. If she’s in trouble right now, you’re going to regret it.”
>You tense up, and then Derpy puts her hands up.
>”It’s… i-it’s me, Care!”
>His eyes shoot open.
>”How did you stop Fido killing me?”
>She hesitates again, and then he steps forward.
>He’s almost pinned her to the wall.
>She presses herself against the wall and puts out a hand to push him away.
>And then...
>It goes right into him.
>Twilight!
>He freezes, and then ｢Timbuk Three｣ appears behind him, back stiffening like his.
>And the container starts moving.
>You lurch, losing your balance, and almost hit the wall.
>”Sorry, Scootaloo. Just hold on, it’ll all be over in a minute.”
>Twilight says with Derpy’s voice.
>The whole container lifts into the air and rotates, a virtual map split in half flickering in front of both of her eyes at once.
>Care shakes, but he can’t stop her.
>His face is a mask of pain, the look of a person trying to pull their leg out from under a boulder.
>And then it repositions itself, and you remember being on those spinning things in playgrounds, and - hrk -
>The whole thing shoots forward.
”What’s going to happen now?”
>You ask, running back and forth in the tight space to keep your friends in check.
>Twilight smiles.
>”We’re going to open the portal. First we have to have a hostage, to make Anonymous turn off his power, but then it’ll be open and this will all be finished.”
>The container drops out of the sky, and in the whoosh of air she grunts and twists her hand in deeper.
>Care’s body seizes for a second.
>And then you’re airborne again.
>Speaking through her own concentration, she goes on.
>”I’ll need you to find out where Midnight went to while I keep Sonata under and negotiate with Anonymous. Everyone will snap back to the right body after that, and all the ghosts will disappear.”
>You all swing a little to the right, and then Twilight readjusts the course.
>”But if this doesn’t work, we’ll just have to pull her in and combine the gems the hard way...”
“You mean, you’ll have to finish him off?”
>She nods, her own eyes closed now.
>Her world shrinks down to just her hands inside of his chest, forcing him to move.
>”That’s going to happen either way now… Change of plans, you should restrain him while I look for Midnight. Getting Anonymous squared away is still top priority, but we just need a little extra… push…”
>Her voice trails off as she adjusts course again, fighting Care each step of the way.
>And then she opens her eyes, and looks at Derpy’s arms in shock.
>They’re being pulled out of Care’s body, shaking.
>She tries to push against it at the same time as she looks up.
>｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣ hovers over Care’s shoulders, reaching over both of them and gripping her at the elbows.
>You have to be careful not to break Derpy’s arms, and you don’t know exactly how much they can take.
>But she’s resisting you, struggling against your Stand.
>She looks at you with one eye, bewildered, and you feel like scum.
>”What are you--”
>She bites down on the rest of that sentence, pushing her weight against the wall.
“There’s… there’s got to be another way!”
>You say, and you feel more and more childish.
>｢Timbuk Three｣ coats her arms in an armor of light, and you feel your hands start to burn.
>”I’m not doing this - because I want to!”
>Twilight pushes against you, and it’s suddenly hard to hold your ground.
>”Things have to be different. Just take Anonymous out of the picture next - time. Once the Dazzlings aren’t a threat things can go the way we - STOP IT!”
>She snaps at you as you push back again, putting on a little more pressure.
“We shouldn’t have done it this way!”
>You say, pressing against her.
>”There wasn’t a CHOICE!”
>｢Timbuk Three｣ appears in front of you, kicking.
>But its leg pauses in front of your face.
>You did think to make sure that Care’s Stand wouldn’t attack you in here.
>”Do you want Sunset to die here, after everything we had to do?! Are you trying to force me to make that decision again after everything we all did to work around it?!”
>Twilight says, shaking and glaring at you with furious, tearful eyes.
“I don’t want Sunset or Care to die! This is the only timeline where he gets to be happy and Derpy gets to live! If you want the other universes to start trying this, you have to do better NOW!”
>You shout back, and tear one of her hands out of him.
>She lowers her head as you focus on the other one.
>”Alright, Scootaloo… I’m sorry that I made you take on the same burden I had to. There are things that shouldn’t be forced onto kids.”
>You catch a glimpse of her face as you push against the barriers of light.
>Her head’s raised, and there’s a scalpel of blue light pressed at the center of her throat.
>No, Derpy’s throat.
>She...
>She looks down at you for a moment, silently, and then speaks in a calm voice.
>”Derpy is still in another body, so ｢Timbuk Three｣ can hurt this one, but after that you’ll have to choose between letting ｢Heart of Nowhere｣ exist forever or losing her in every universe.”
>You stand there, watching her eyes cut through you.
>｢Steam Powered Giraffe｣ freezes, holding her hand halfway out of Care’s body.
>You teeter on the edge, unable to go through with it or give up completely.
>She reads your eyes.
>”I’m not bluffing you. I won’t let Sunset die again, not after all of this. I won’t treat that like a price that can’t be negotiated!”
>And you know that she’s not bluffing.
>She’s the Princess of Friendship.
>You swore to be loyal to her, to help her save Sunset Shimmer and Equestria at the same time instead of one or the other.
>You made yourself a part of something bigger, that was sometimes messy.
>A first draft of something greater, further down the road.
>And here you are, at the other end of the prototype, with her staring you down.
>Her eyes lock with you, and you sweat.
>You really, really want to go home.


>Be Derpy, in Silver’s body.
>It took a little time for them to explain why this happened to you.
>At the crucial moment, Sunset pushed her body forward to meet your soul.
>A little afterwards the walls disappeared, and the ghosts dwindled severely, which should be a good thing.
>Mr. Rich is here, somehow, even though you couldn’t see him after the factory was decimated.
>Diamond’s still in shock about him being here - he wasn’t even at the house when you were fighting against the Dazzlings.
>Didn’t he leave for something, is he the calvary?
>You might be able to trace this back, given enough time.
>If you could stop thinking for five seconds about how Adagio is apparently joyriding your body.
>All of you have piled into the car, but Sunset’s driving.
>The ghosts have drifted into the car instead of attacking you directly, now that most of them are gone.
>And yes, that’s Anonymous.
>He’s a fair distance away, looking like a green fingerprint smudge on the windshield.
>Overhead the sky’s storming, and he glows intense underneath of it, sparking ghosts like moths around an electric light.
>All of the ones that move away are going in one direction.
>Towards the source of the red glow closer to the center.
>It takes a little examination to realize it, but he’s not facing you.
>In fact, he’s moving slightly away from all of you.
>You were worried that he’d come directly for you - especially your sister and Diamond.
>Silver’s still stuck in Twilight’s body, but the collar and chain disintegrated and turned into rubble a minute ago.
>Adagio’s body still stands further ahead, frozen in place.
>Did she switch back into it, or is that someone else, like Twilight?
>If you were a siren in this situation, you’d make a beeline directly for Care.
>And it might work!
>Getting into this car at first you were pressed into the unconscious body of Aria Blaze, and you had to hope against hope that she was really going to go on being out cold.
>Then Silver came around to the far door and pulled her out.
>She’s lying on the ground unceremoniously now, like someone sleeping in an awkward position..
>How she was doing that with Twilight’s body escaped you, but there’s no visible damage on her body.
>In fact, on closer inspection, it seems like there’s nothing wrong with her at all!
>Then you realize.
>For Adagio to have switched with her in the first place, she would have to have a Stand.
>Which means she must have developed one somehow in between leaving the factory and winding up here!
>Trixie had to hotwire this thing without using hers, which she complained about.
>Sunset wanted to drive it alone because there’d be less risk of anyone getting hurt, but there’s no way you’d just hand over the only means of transportation to her.
>Not that it’ll actually start running yet.
>It’s full of ghosts, after all.
>Which is where coordination comes into the picture.
>Trixie looks over at Sunset, who grips the wheel.
>Sunset nods, and looks in the backseat at all of you.
>You’re strapped in.
>And as you meet her eyes in the rearview, you notice something.
>it takes a moment to twist around and look out of the back window, but -
>No.
>No, you’re not imagining it, you’re not that lucky.
>The dome is closer than it was before.
>He’s contracting it!
>”｢Abracadabra｣!”
>Trixie lurches the entire car forward, and suddenly a half-dozen ghosts are floating over the road looking stupid.
>Her soul hovers back there with them, and all of you jump even further away.
>Then the car sparks to life, and Sunset steps on it.
>It thrums around you, and then you’re off.


>Be Anonymous.
>Things are getting way more hectic than they have any right to.
>Nata’s safe, and Adagio’s contained - you’re pretty sure Twilight’s still inside her.
>But Care hasn’t resurfaced yet, and neither has his girlfriend.
>Where?
>You thought at first that you just weren’t searching enough area.
>But no, you’ve replenished enough of your ghosts in the minute following the explosion.
>They’ve been passing underground and through all of the containers!
>Damn it, where are they hiding?!
>You choose not to waste more resources.
>A thought, and you curb the tide of ghosts in the barrier you set up.
>It takes a moment to get them started, but then they start drawing their way closer to you.
>Another thought, because you’re not retarded, and the center moves to Sonata.
>Wherever they are, as soon as it touches them, the gem will be yours.
>Then you can burn off all of these ghosts and get home.
>Back where, where she’s supposed to be!
>Your body dully registers two impacts, and you come to.
>You have enough time to look at the clips puncturing your dress-shirt, and the thin silverish lines dangling away, before the taser activates.
>Following the lines with your eyes, you see…
>None other than Diamond Tiara’s father, Filthy Rich.
>You can only place him by the suit.
>Of course he’d be here somehow, why wouldn’t he be?
>He’s got something slung over his back, another person you weren’t expecting.
>Twilight, but with a change of clothes.
>The real one, then.
>You put the imminent questions out of your mind, and watch his face as he realizing tasing you isn’t going to work.
>Why on earth would a girl with a Stand pull her father into this battle with her?
>The answer’s only too obvious.
>Daddy’s little girl couldn’t possibly fight for herself, even given every advantage.
>You’re surprised he doesn’t have a SWAT team behind him.
>Maybe they’re just assembled outside.
>At any rate, you’ve come to an important decision.
>You’re going to let ｢Heart of Nowhere｣ keep running before you go through the portal.
>You’ll just draw it in and exhaust any tricks or plans they have until they’re all dead.
>Just so they can’t tell themselves they chased you off, somehow.
>Just so you never have to think about them on the other side of the divide ever again.
>Speaking of that...
>No, Equestrian Twilight’s still evading you somehow.
>You try to maintain your patience, and fight down the nightmare idea that they’ve already escaped somehow.
>You’ve adjusted for that the last time a hole was blown in your defenses.
>If someone tries to leave the barrier, you’ll be able to tell this time.
>Filthy drops the taser, and reaches in his pocket with his free hand.
>Twilight stays unconscious on his shoulder.
>Then three ghosts reach up from the ground and clutch at his legs.
>He doesn’t respond any more than you did to the voltage.
>But… but you could disrupt the electricity!
>You watch him as he pulls out a pistol.
“You have some kind of a Stand, don’t you?”
>He doesn’t answer, just aiming at you and firing.
>The bullet pierces through your arm painlessly.
>He really doesn’t get what’s going on here, does he?
>Another bullet through your other arm, and still no reaction from you.
>You wait a second for him to figure it out, but he looks just as set and determined.
>Things aren’t going to get any easier for him now.
>If he has a Stand, or if Twilight forced one on him just now, he probably doesn’t know how to use it.
>But if he does, and he’s very good at it...
>A whirlwind of green rises out of the ground and covers him completely, head-to-toe.
>You focus on disrupting his Stand, and his spiritual energy in particular.
>And then you hear the squeal of tires coming up behind you.
>You turn your hea-
>The car you rode in on smashes into you.
>Your body ragdolls under you, and you go up over the windshield in a grotesque flip.
>Bones should break under the contortion, but that’s obviously no issue for you.
>Your body gives you no great shout of pain - in fact, you’re already looking for the next moment of action.
>A cloud of ghosts trails out from behind yourself as you fly, like a light trail.
>They hover in the air for a moment, a ribbon of afterimages, and as the car touches them it goes completely dead.
>Next your vision switches to Sonata.
>As much of your little army floats around her as possible, keeping watch.
>No sign of Care or his girlfriend.
>Again, you remind yourself there’s no way they could have escaped undetected.
>Care could blow a hole in your defenses, sure, he could probably walk on the sun if he wanted it hard enough.
>But he couldn’t do it undetected.
>Besides, he has none of the gems.
>Anyone who wants to not be trapped in this thing while you go to Equestria will have to come after her or you.
>And it’s not like anyone still on the field can’t figure out where you are.
>So why the secrecy?
>Your Stand manipulates your limbs for you, stiffening them into the right positions for impact.
>You stick the landing, sliding only another foot away.
>Then, like destiny, the car stalls as it continues moving toward Filthy, still stuck inside a cloud of ghosts himself.
>Two birds, one stone.
>You send another healthy-sized swarm after the passengers, just to make faster work of them.
>Then you turn away and concentrate on pulling your barrier much closer together.
>You’re fighting new instincts, there, the desire to expand your own power outwards.
>But the smaller it gets, the faster you can fill it up completely.
>That should end any lingering panics about people escaping unseen.
>And if it doesn’t, and somehow they did-
>Something disturbs you for a moment.
>Like a magnet forcing you away.
>And then - you can’t feel Sonata any longer.
>You try to focus, but you don’t have eyes on the ground.
>All of your ghosts there are gone!
>This is their move - you turn and rise up to get a better look across the field of metal rectangles.
>There’s a new one, where she’s supposed to be.
>It’s sticking straight up, off of the ground, and it looks like you could kick it over easily.
>Sonata could strong-arm her way out of it if she had to, or else control the people inside.
>More of your personal army are already rising out of the ground to swarm it, but...
>They can’t pierce the metal.
>Even coming up from directly underneath of it, they can’t get inside.
>There’s some kind of barrier there, something that makes the inside of that container its own separate world.
>You’re about to manifest yourself closer to it when you see a shimmering in the air.
>A haze, like a mirage in a desert, and suddenly the image is clear.
>Twilight, standing in the air with you.
>She’s just an image, looking at you neutrally.
>”I have all three gems now, and Sonata Dusk.”
>She waits for some response.
>What is this, gloating?
>You don’t give her the satisfaction, thinking of what else you can do.
>Yes, you’ll get the ghosts inside the car to co-opt the passengers and bust the container down with them!
>You bet a human body can apply enough force to punch through thin metal, so long as bodily damage doesn’t register.
>”You probably think that because she’s immortal, and can’t feel real pain, this is meaningless. But so that we can negotiate, I’ll tell you.”
>Her expression is grim, hard, trying to be intimidating.
>’If you don’t surrender to me, then I’m going to burn out her Stand, take away all of her memories of you, and remove her voice just like Adagio’s. These three gems and my ｢Midnight Special｣ will let me do that.”
>She holds up all three of the gemstones in her hands, pulsing brightly.
>You regard them for a moment, and then laugh.
“You think I’ll believe whatever you show me? Sonata’s stronger than that!”
>Twilight lowers them again, and before she can say anything else you go on.
“Besides, you’re not in your own body, are you? If you do anything to her, no matter what it is, I’ll just wait for you to come out of hiding and annihilate you as slowly as I can fucking stand to.”
>She hovers there with you for a moment.
>”I thought you’d say something like that.”
>For a moment, your vision flashes, and you see the inside of the container.
>Sonata’s on her knees, a lance of light piercing through her chest.
>Care’s head is tilted back, subsumed by his own power.
>One of the shithead kids, the orange one, stands and watches.
>The other two lay beside her, you can’t remember if your Stand got to them or not.
>And Twilight, in the cross-eyed girl’s body, looks at you calmly.
>Then, just as fast, it’s gone, and you’re alone with her above everything again.
>”On top of everything I just told you, I can destine her not to be saved by you. And then fly her through your dome to some far-away place, with none of her memories, to live a completely new life without you. She’ll never see you, or the gems, or her sisters, or Equestria.”
>You grit your teeth.
>She looks so mock-sad about all of it, too.
>But a thought, a damning thought, comes to you.
>What would Sonata do, if you were in each others’ positions?
>The question hangs for a moment, and then you slacken.
”What is it you want?”
>She doesn’t smile, or lord her victory over you.
>Her expression doesn’t change at all.
>But even if she feels bad about it, she still gave the love of your life that death-Stand.
>She still damaged Sonata’s sort-of family so badly that you had to help her escape it.
>You can’t bow down to that, not with all of the power you have!
>There must be something...
>There HAS TO BE something!
>”My terms are simple. I’m going to open another portal, using your Stand and her gems for fuel, and once it’s stabilized I’ll bring you through with me. The Equestrian idea of justice isn’t the same as it was a thousand years ago, and maybe there’s something I can do for both of you.”
>You listen to her carefully.
>No promises.
>In fact, there’s really no way to know if she means what she’s saying at all.
>Losing your Stand might kill you, and losing the gems forever...
>You have no idea.
>But what you say is...
”Plus Aria and Adagio. They have to come with us.”
>It’s what she wants, what she needs to have more than anything...
>Twilight’s mouth sets into a line, but after a moment she nods.
>”I’ll agree to that. Just gather them together before you go through, and bring Sunset Shimmer with you when you do it.”
>Sunset?
>Yes, she was driving the car - this is just a way to clean out all of the immortals, isn’t it?
>”You’ll also need to cancel your Stand effect and let me return to my original body, just before we go through.”
>You don’t know if you can do that.
>None of this is about conscious control, there’s too much to worry about.
>It’s only when you let go and help the power along that it works out.
“I’ll think about it.”
>”Then start already! This connection’s not going to last much longer!”
>She says, and then snaps out of existence.
>You hate her guts, but you can worry about that once things are different.
>Maybe measly humans are invincible and immortal in her world.
>Besides which, you can tell the energy making up the portal to disperse whenever you want - it’s your creation, after all.
>The ghosts swarm outwards towards the container, and swirl around each other.
>You can feel the thrum of the gemstones through them, even if you can’t hear the singing.
>You try not to imagine her being scared there, forced to go through with it.
>It’s okay, Nata.
>It’s all going to be okay.
>No matter what complicates things at the last second, even someone like you can make it work out.
>And even accounting for the giant box muting most of the magic, after enough rubbing sticks and stones together, there’s a spark.
>Something’s different this time - it’s being set up in a more complex, expensive way.
>Maybe it’s the difference in making it permanent, or maybe she just wants a specific location.
>More and more of your ghosts have to draw towards the swirl, moving in uncontrollable waves.
>Swiss cheese holes appear in the surface of your barrier, but there’s no helping it.
>Overhead, the sky can’t decide if it wants to clear up or not.
>Voices shout from around you.
>And the portal shimmers into existence as a turbulent, roiling spiral of energy.
>It rolls faster and faster, churning magic and energy.
>And then settles.
>You can almost see something through it.
>The promise of a better world.
>The prom-
>”｢Pink, Act 2｣!”

>Be Anon.
>The ghosts swarm outwards towards the container, and - no.
>What just happened, are you repeating yourself?
>Is your power still working?
>Nothing you just did seems to have registered - everything’s back in its proper place.
>You look to the ground, and standing there, looking back up at you indignantly, is Diamond Tiara.
>Then, without warning, her soul drifts out of her body, and a ghost swoops in to claim her.
>It was like some final “fuck you”, but don’t you dare underestimate it.
>Your eyes swoop to the car, and you see that it’s collided with a stack of mattresses.
>Worse, there’s not a ghost in it.
>After a second the car’s disintegrated by ｢Tin Cup Chalice｣, and you can see the people lying on the ground around it.
>Twilight’s body is empty, with Silver Spoon’s soul hovering over it, getting weaker with each use of her Stand.
>Silver’s body is weak, clutching at the earth itself, and Sunset’s getting to her feet.
>But what makes your blood boil isn’t any of them.
>The cloud of ghosts you put around Filthy is still there, swarming like an army of gnats, and there he fucking is standing outside of it.
>That shouldn’t be possible.
>He sets the girl on his shoulder down and runs for Diamond’s soul.
>No.
>No!
>You won’t let someone like her be saved!
>A complicated command pushes through the ranks of your army.
>Whoever’s in Silver’s body pulls their head up enough to see what’s happening, and they look bewildered for a moment.
>Then a ghost crawls into them, and they stop being able to move.
>Part of your Stand now is about making other people into ghosts themselves, maybe even blurring the line between this world and the next.
>But you realized maybe that’s the issue.
>If you just deny the ghostliness of the people being slowly converted, you can disrupt them better.
>No attacks, no movements, and definitely no last second Stands.
>You can feel that there are other people arriving on the outskirts, but none of them are punching through the barrier.
>And there’s no way you’re letting anyone’s calvary come in here.
>Filthy Rich closes in on Diamond’s body and throws out a hand.
>A giant coiled spring appears under her back, and she flies up into the air.
>Through her own soul - and then she jerks back to life in mid-air.
>He puts out his arms to catch her, and in the intense detail of your perception you want to puke.
>Fuck all of that daddy’s little girl shit.
>He has to stop moving to catch her, and dozen ghosts catch up to him.
>Combined, they’re nearly larger than he is, and he’s about to lose his soul anyway.
>And Diamond Tiara has to watch, completely helpless, while her dad--
>Catches her, and sets her on her feet.
>He’s got ghosts leaking from his eyeballs and he’s still fucking talking!
>Then it hits you, like an ice-pick through the chest.
>Is it really that simple?
>You feel out for it, and… yes, you’re just an idiot.
>You don’t know how it happened, but he must’ve died a little before you and everyone else showed up.
>A wave of your hand, and you reassert your control of his ghost, booting it from his body.
>It wavers between being a soul and turning completely green and bloated.
>And then, holding on to it in particular, you shred it into little pieces.
>Diamond stands there and watches, unable to do anything.
>Whatever her magic extra bullshit superpower was, she has to watch as her dad disintegrates.
>You savor the look of shock on her face.
>”What’s happening?”
>Twilight asks, suddenly next to you again.
>You turn away from Diamond as the ghosts swarm to her again.
>Sunset’s down, Diamond’s down, Silver’s body is down, and everyone else is outside of their bodies.
“Just had to take care of a couple of-”
>”You need to concentrate! The portal’s destabilizing!”
>What?
>You refocus on it - and it’s losing energy!
>Something between Sonata’s song and your infinite supply of ghosts stops working.
>You can’t see through it.
>Your eyes dart to all of the people still on the ground, looking for any sudden movements.
>And then she collides with you.
>Something you’ve never seen before, a mass of blue and purple that hits you like a train.
>Your body still isn’t registering anything, but she knocks you out of the sky.
>And as you fall, you can see the intense magic flowing around her.
>And the syringe at an odd angle sticking out of her neck, as it explodes into a small rain of glass.
>Probably adrenaline.
>Twilight shouts something you can’t hear, maybe to you and maybe to her counterpart.
>Then your ghosts are already on the interloper, and your body’s rolling away without your needing to worry about it.
>But she swoops down through all of them!
>No, worse!
>She doesn’t even have a green outline - she’s completely unaffected by you!
>She draws closer and another wave of ghosts appears, this time without your conscious choice.
>You back away a little further automatically, moving like some kind of caged animal.
>You’re no one’s prey!
>If you can just focus on reformi-
>Behind you, ｢Tin Cup Chalice｣ disintegrates the car, and you’re blown forward again.
>She grips your head between her hands, holding you still.
>Filthy Rich’s possessed body swings for her, trying its best to free you.
>But as soon as the fist makes contact, it crumples to the ground, dead as a doornail.
>And then you realize the magnitude of how fucked you are.
>You try to lash out with a fist, or a leg, just to beat her off of yourself and make a little space.
>Unfortunately, your arms don’t move.
>There are bullet holes in them.
>And your legs are still broken.
>After a moment the pain washes back over you, almost hard enough to knock you out.
>She’s almost cradling you now, as your vision swims and your muscles seize up, remembering that they exist.
>A tower of ghosts spirals its way into her back as she holds you.
>Nata...
>Where are you?!
>Why-
>Why couldn’t we protect each other?
>You finally crack out a leg at her - landing in her stomach.
>It feels like your bones being ground to dust, and she doesn’t respond.
>The aura around her only glows brighter with time.
>You can’t penetrate it.
>After all of this, everything you had to go through, everyone you had to turn your back on...
>Absurdly, for a moment, you miss your family.
>Didn’t you have a sister?
>Sonata made it all seem so much less real, but...
>But she’s going to be gone forever soon.
>All you can think of is her, voiceless and lost, like an abandoned child in some city on the other side of the world.
>And all for some shitty power play.
>Darkness creeps in through your vision like a root system, or veins and ventricles.
>It pulses, and fills everything you see.
>Overhead, the sky clears.


>Be Derpy.
>You’re laying on the ground in Silver’s body one second, half of your plans utterly broken.
>And the next, here you are.
>For the first time you go from being cold to warm without any change in-between.
>And you can see in this darkness without your eyes adjusting.
>You’re in the right body, which means - somehow - maybe all of this is over.
>To one side are… the Crusaders, with only Scootaloo up and mobile.
>But on the other, the unconscious body of Sonata, and then Care.
>He’s on his knees, trembling and staring into space.
>You kneel down for him, leaning into a hug - but the shields of light come up again.
>”It won’t work.”
>Scootaloo says, nervously, standing up from where she’s leaning against the wall..
>This is a tight, narrow space, and you realize belatedly that the container’s been turned on its side.
>You look her in the eye, waiting for some sneak attack.
“Does he still…?”
>”I… I don’t know.”
”Care.”
>You want to grab his shoulders and shake him awake, but he stays dazed.
“Care, there are two Twilight Sparkles. I think she has something to do with-”
>Scootaloo interrupts you.
>”She does. She’s the one behind... all of this.”
>That means, if she returned to her original body...
>She’s with Silver and the others.
“We have to get out of here.”
>You say, turning to Scootaloo.
>”I can turn us back right-side-up, but I can’t secure him.”
>She says, looking past you at your boyfriend.
>And then, from the jagged feeling against your palm, you realize what you’re holding.
>Two of the gems.
>You look at your other hand, and - yes, there’s the other one!
>You’re holding all of them again!
>Back… back where you started.
>You come as close to Care as his Stand will let you.
>As long as the barriers exist, ｢Timbuk Three｣ must still have power, right?
>You hold the gems out, waving them gently in front of his eyes like an amateur hypnotist.
“Care. We have all three of them now. We’ve finally done it, we just have to take the last step and it’ll be-”
>You hear a gurgle, and something a few notes wetter than a growl.
>It comes from underneath you, and there’s Sonata, looking up at you over her shoulder.
>Her eyes are red and swollen, and her gaze burns with accusation.
“-done.”

>Be Twilight.
>You’re back in your real body, which is good and bad.
>Sunset’s getting off of the ground at the same time you are, and you lock eyes.
>Everyone knows.
>She rushes for a piece of detritus on the ground - ah, ｢Tin Cup Chalice｣.
>And as she kicks it out of the way, the car it was destroying stays whole.
>In the distance, the dome around the area’s been destroyed.
>You recognize the bright yellow of ｢Party Rock｣ waiting patiently for you.
>”I already called the Rainbooms.”
>Sunset says to you, while everyone else is still struggling to their feet.
>The time for uninterrupted action is limited.
>But you can see your other self, lying on the ground next to Anonymous.
>She’s reverted back to her human form, muscles cramping and seizing with the energy she’s holding.
>At this point it’ll have to be enough.
>As long as you...
>No, you don’t have the gems.
>It’s alright, Twilight, just come up with a different plan.
>The next goal are the gems.
>Care’s going to be lucky if he has much left to give, but you’ll have to gauge that when you see him.
>You pick up your human self, and next to you, Silver Spoon reaches out for her friend.
>Diamond’s standing up, eyes locked to the sight of…
>Oh.
>She’s sobbing, shoulders heaving.
>The car’s nearby, and after a couple steps you can put her into the backseat.
>Sunset’s already in the driver’s, and she’s ready to move.
>You look back over your shoulder at the two girls.
>They’re good… good friends.
>They’ll support each other.
>Maybe when you’re finished with all of this...
>You stop thinking about it and climb in.
>Sunset starts the car again.
>There’s someone else here - Trixie.
>You take your opportunity, and call up ｢Midnight Special｣.
>The arrow appears in your hand, completely refreshing, like getting use of a limb back.
>Maybe this is how Rainbow feels whenever her wings heal after an accident.
>You point it at Trixie, and concentrate.
>｢Abracadabra｣ activates, and then she’s outside of the car, falling over before she’s completely awake.
>And then the car jumps forward a good fifty yards.
>All the wreckage of these events are firmly in the mirror, and then she steps on it.
>You’re thankful she knows how to operate these things.
“We need to get to the upright one. Care and the gems are both inside.”
>And the Crusaders, if you can salvage them…
>”Are we bringing him with us?”
>If it’s possible.
“I don’t know. He might not have anything left to give.”
>She swerves around another container.
>”Then he’ll be out of the equation, at least.”
>You don’t say anything.
>Your other self begins to stir.
>There aren’t any scratches on her, but as the aura rises up you turn the arrow on her and help dampen it down.
>Not until the time’s right.
>You need a little more, or else she’ll burn out trying to open the portal.
>She’s full to the brim with power, enough to make up for what you had to sacrifice in Care...
>Something hits the car.
>Sunset swerves for a moment, and everything’s in motion.
>There’s a shape on the hood of the car.
>After a second it resolves itself into a person.
>A girl, young- no...
>Standing there, with her yellow jacket flapping around herself and her face cold and stony, is Diamond Tiara.
>She mouths something while Sunset tries to regain her balance, and then a pink shape fills the outside world.
>Like neurons in the brain, clouds of pink clustered together with fleshy daisy-chaining cords.
>It wraps into the front of the car, buckling the hood.
>The internal machinery squeals, belts coming undone and oil fountaining.
>Then the windshield smashes under that thick, wet, alien presence, and a hail of glass flutters through the car.
>You throw your body over your human self, ignoring the brushing of the glass against your skin.
>And then the car judders to a halt, and you slam your shoulder into the seat in front of you.
>The Stand retracts, slithering.
>You can hear Diamond now, over the chugging sounds in the belly of this machine.
>”-et away with it, but that’s it.”
>She steps back, and jumps off of the car, landing directly in front of it.
>Just behind her, you can make out a shipping container moving - in the final stages of righting itself.
>”This is the end for you. Care’s going to destroy the gems now, and until he does, I’m not giving you another step.”

｢To Be Continued｣

Stand: [spoiler]｢Pink Act 3｣[/spoiler]
User: [spoiler]Diamond Tiara[/spoiler]
Ability: ???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc6U_PbaJZ8
[Johnny Cash - The World is Gonna Fall]