Big Brother Shining Armor: Thank You For Rewinding

Big Brother Shining Armor100th Thread Special
THANK YOU FOR REWINDING

>Be Twilight’s Big Brother, Shining Armor
“Someone oughta shut this place down.”
>You frown up at the neon red sign as it flashes the name of your former employer
>Joe’s Tavern, a crappy little watering hole that you blew a few years of your life away working in
>In a way, you’re pretty happy you got fired
>You hated this fucking place
>Hell, if you had everything your way you probably would’ve torched this place like Bulk torched Zap’s strip joint
“Ah shit, Bulk…”
>You rub a hand over your face as memories of your former partner-in-crime rush back to you
“Alright enough of that!”
>This was supposed to be your night
>Your sister was getting worried about you
>Funny, considering how freaked out you always were about her these days
>Even after the two of you finally dealt with Indigo and after all the… changes she underwent, you couldn’t help but worry about her safety more than ever
>Still, you promised her you’d try to relax tonight
>So you decided you’d go out and grab a drink to clear your head a little, then you’d come home for Twilight Time!
“Hell yeah."
>You grin to yourself as you take a quick look through the alley way
>No cars parked, place is probably deserted
>More importantly, you don’t see Joe’s car
>Cracking a smile, you stroll up to the front door and let yourself in
>Immediately, you're greeted by a familiar face, one that goes from its usual disgruntled scowl to a rather bright smile
>”Hey Shining!”
>Your raise up your hand and wave as you approach the bar
>Wearing a somewhat ragged black sweater, one that seems a bit small around her chest, stands a girl who’s only about as old as your little sister
>Her eyes light up behind her pair of thick black rimmed glasses as you take a seat in front of her at the counter
“Hi Moony.  How ya been?”
>”Better!  A lot better!”


>She seems to be in a bubblier mood than usual
>Is she just happy to see you, or…
>”I’ve got really great news!”
“Oh?  What’s up?”
>She stands as tall as she can and leans over the counter toward you with that energized grin
>”My father FINALLY got a new job!  He starts tomorrow, and this is my last night in this fucking shithole!”
“He did?   That’s fantastic!”
>She hops back and grins as she puts her hands on her hips
>”How could you stand this place?  Joe’s the biggest asshole I’ve ever met, and he’s always giving me this creepy look.  Ugggh!”
>Your smile crumbles apart
“Creepy look?  What kind of look?”
>Her smile starts to fall as well
>”Oh you know… it’s nothing, I’m going to be out of here tomorrow anyway.”
“Hey, he never made you… you never had to—“
>”God no.”
>She exhales a puff of hot air as she turns her nose up to you
>”As if!  I’m not THAT desperate.”
>You chuckle at her
>Considering what she was willing to do to make some cash before, you couldn’t honestly know for certain if she was that desperate or not
>Still, as you’ve come to known her you’ve realized that she’s a lot tougher than she looks
>She’s got a lot of pride in her, it’s pretty impressive
“Well good.  I’d hate to hear that something like that happened to you here, especially after I got you this shitty job.”
>”Yeah…”
>She looks away and rubs the side of her arm
>”I uhh, I really owe you one.  You and Cadence, I don’t know what would have happened to me if… i-if—“
“Don’t worry about it.”
>She lifts her head up and smiles back at you
“Now, how about a drink?”
>”Sure!  I’ve gotten pretty good at this, what do you want?”
“Just a beer is nice.”
>”Coming right up!”


>She places a big frothing mug of beer down on the counter as you lean back into your chair and glance over the place
>Looks like as much of a hole in the wall as you remember it
“Thanks!”
>You peer at Moondancer over your mug as you begin to gulp it down
>Lowering it back onto the counter, you sigh contentedly and ask her something that’s been on your mind for a while
“So, I haven’t really seen or heard much from you at all since… well, since you came to see Twilight in the hospital.”
>”y-Yeah, that was a pretty crazy day.”
>She places a hand behind her neck and cracks a somewhat nervous smile
>”How the Hell did you do any of that?”
“Any of what?”
>She knits her brow as she leans against the counter and speaks just above a whisper
>”You know?!  You KILLED five guys!  How the fuck did you, i-I mean…”
>Raising your mug back up to your lips, you sip your drink as you wrack through your thoughts
>You suppose that day was when the shit really hit the fan
>The more you think about it, the happier you are that Moondancer kind of fell out of the picture
>You don’t even want to think about how much danger she could have been in if she was around for any of the shit that went down after that
“Yeah, well… I guess you could say I was kind of prepared for something like that to happen.”
>”What?  You were preparing for something like that!?”
>You look down at the mug in your grasp and chuckle a little
“Heh, yeah.  Kind of paranoid right?  I guess I’m just always expecting the worst…”
>She frowns as you go through more of your beer
>”I wouldn’t put it like that.  If it wasn’t for you, then—"
>Moondancer’s eyes drift up from you as the front door to the bar opens up


>You don’t look behind you as you hear multiple footsteps shuffle in, but you do see Moondancer’s eyes widen slightly
>Unsubtle mutterings roll over to you as you hunch over the counter with your beer
>Amongst their hushed speech, you hear something above it all
>”++++… Rust Bucket—++++”
>You scowl as the mug in your hand shakes a bit
“Son of a bitch.”
>Turning around in your seat, you look upon them
>A tall and broad shouldered man wearing a dark suit and matching longcoat steps inside, flanked by six other similarly dressed men
>His face is distinguished by the muttonchops on the sides of his head, his bad teeth, and his fierce glare that seems to be directed right at you
>He strides forward several steps with his men following right behind him
>”You’ve got a lot of balls walking on my turf Rust Bucket.”
>Your eyes narrow as you stare back at him
>Have you seen this guy before?
>You don’t remember pissing this guy off
“Stepping on your turf?  I've lived here for two years.”
>He halts a few steps away, his fists clenched by his sides
>”Do you have ANY idea who I am?!”
“… nooooo.  No I don’t.”
>He looks like he’s about ready to explode
>This… could be bad
>One of his cronies steps forward
>”This is Boss Torch, and he runs this neighborhood!”
“Boss Torch?”
>Maybe that asshole Sugardowner knows this guy?
>He huffs at you as he steps in closer
“Garble was one of my top business associates.  One of the best!”
“… Who?”
>Your eyes widen as Torch reaches forward and grasps you by your coat, pulling you out of your chair and onto your feet
>“You blasted his brains out with a shotgun.”
“Oh.  OH!”
>You stare back at him wide-eyed with a look of shock
>Then your surprise gives way to resentment
>He was the one
>The man who came after Twiley, almost a whole month ago at the hospital
>Gritting your own teeth at the towering gangster, you spit back
“I’m glad he’s dead.”

>Your body practically flies back against the counter as Torch hits you like a freight train, his fist colliding with your face
>”Oh my God!”
>You glance back at Moondancer as she recoils in terror
>Raising a hand up to your busted lip, you then glare back at Torch and his men
>He hits almost as hard as Bulk
>”SHINING ARMOR YOU SACK OF SHIT!”
“Oh fuck me.”
>Out from the back room strides in your old boss Joe
>”You’ve got a lotta BALLS coming back here!”
>He stomps toward you, shoving his way past Torch to grab you by your coat
>Joe seems to have a big scar on his forehead from when you brained him with a shot glass
>"You think you can just walk back in here with your friends and act like you’re hot shit!  WELL FUCK YOU!”
>You glower at him as his bad breath hits you in the face
“Does it look like I’m throwing a fucking party Joe?”
>”SHUT UP!"
>He looks like he’s about ready to blow too
>”Moondancer!”
>He glares up at the horror-stricken young girl
>”Call the fucking cops!”
“No!”
>Like flipping a switch, Torch and all six of his men tear pistols out of their longcoats and aim them at you, Joe, and Moondancer
>”HOLY SHIT!”
“God dammnit!”
>Joe let’s go of you and raises his hands up in the air
“Hey HEY!  It’s me  you want right!?  Don’t—“
>”You’re all fucking dead now!  Johnny, grab the bitch.”
>One of Torch’s men steps forward toward the bar, right toward Moondancer
>”s-Stay the fuck back!”
>You stand tall as Moondancer shrinks behind you
“Johnny, you put your hand on her and I’ll fucking break it."
>He snorts as he walks up with his gun aimed right at your head
>”You’re so full of—“
>Swiping forward, you grasp hold of the gun by it’s barrel
>With the barrel pinned shut, you yank him forward and slam your other fist into his jaw
>”BLEEUGH!”
>He crumples to the ground as you fumble with his gun in your hands toward Torch
>”Waste him!”


>Your jerk the gun forward at Torch as he and all his thugs raise their own guns
>Just like that, the bar explodes with gunfire
>Everything becomes awash in chaos as you fire again and again while searing pain ripples across your entire body
>You are tossed back once more into the bar as you shout in pain and anger
ARRRRRRGHH!!!”
>Amidst your own scream, you hear Moondancer cry out as bottles of booze explode and bullets ripple through wood and flesh
>It just goes on, and on and on… and then, there is silence
>You stare forward over your smoking gun at the carnage
>”No FUCKING way...”
>Splayed out on the ground, a bloodied Torch scrambles back over the bodies of his dead men
>He aims his spent handgun up at you, futilely firing at you while crawling away
>”WHY WON’T YOU DIE!?”
>Without hesitation, you aim the gun down at him and squeeze the trigger
>A bullet bursts out and pierces through his sternum
>His eyes go wide as he lets out one last gasp and rolls over dead, facedown in a pile of blood
>You let your empty mag fall from your pistol before finally exhaling
>Your insides are on fire
>You let your gun clatter to the ground and you take a good look at yourself
>Blood pours down your chest through over perhaps a dozen bullet holes, drenching your entire body
“ffffff-FUUUCK! AAAAAHHH!”
>You double over as you clench your arms around your stomach, almost as if to keep your guts from spilling out
>Twisting around, you collapse against the bar counter
>With one hand grasping your wounds, you make a fist with the other and begin banging it against the counter
>You fucked up
>There’s no way you would have let these punks get the drop on you like this before
>And now…


>You open your eyes, and see that your vision has gone red
>Gritting through your teeth, you can feel newly grown fangs piercing out of your mouth
>Snarling in rage, you smash your fist against the counter once more
>This time you punch straight through the wood
“NO!”
>Tearing your head back up, you glare downwards and gasp
“Got to—GOTTA GET A GRIP!”
>Breathe in
>Breathe out
>BREATHE IN
>…
>…
>…
>Breathe out
“Ahhhhhhh.”
>Just like how Cadence used to teach Twiley
>Your vision is normal again, and as you lick your tongue over your teeth you realize your fangs have receded
>“s-s-s-Shining?”
“Hm?!”
>You look up and twist your head about, only to realize that the voice calling for you is below
>Leaning over the counter, you see Moondancer shivering on the floor
>”i-Is it over?”
“… Yeah, it’s over now.”
>Crawling up back to her feet, her eyes widen once more as she gazes out at the grisly scene
“Fuck! Don’t look at— Ugh….”
>Too late
>Her hand rises up to her mouth as she freezes up once again
>You sigh before pulling up a new stool
>Glancing down to your side, you see that Joe is also dead
“… OK.”


>About a minute or two passes in silence as you sit at the bar
>Neither you nor Moondancer say a single word
>You’re still in a lot of pain
>If you had just let yourself go nuts, you imagine these bullet wounds would hurt a lot less right now
>Then again, would Moondancer have been safe if that happened?
“Fuck it.”
>You reach over and grab your half-empty mug of beer, slowly taking a swill as Moondancer continues to stare at you
>”How do you keep doing this!?”
>You look up at her as you set your drink down
“I kind of cheated this time.”
>”What?”
>Placing the mug aside, you wring your hands together as you try to collect your thoughts
“When you hung out with my sister, did she ever tell you anything about… Energy X?”
>Her terrified expression shifts to one of confusion before finally resettling into a scowl
>You smirk a little at that
>If she’s pissed as usual, then maybe she’s not too traumatized
>"What the Hell is that?”
“It’s uhhh, huh.  Shit, Twi could really explain this a whole lot better than I could.”
>You run a hand through your hair
>The pain is starting to fade by now, and you’re beginning to think a lot straighter
“You know what, maybe I better go ho—“
>Your chest vibrates
>You shudder as you grasp the amulet hanging under your shirt
“Ah crap!”
>Jumping back onto your feet, you pull out Twilight’s greatest, and most terrifying, invention
>A device designed to detect, and capture, sources of this strange otherworldly power
>The same power that’s now coursing through your veins
>”What is that?  What’s going on!?”
>You peer back and forth between an incredulous Moondancer and the shaking Morning Star
“Something crazy.”


>You clench the device tightly as it vibrates even harder
>Your eyes fall upon the flashing light at the edge of it, pointing at it’s source like a compass
>Then you hear feet shuffling as a figure rises up from the ground
>A man with a broken jaw stares at you with a cold blank stare
“Johnny?”
>”…”
>The Morning Star acts as if it’s purposely trying to shake it’s bolts loose
“What the fuck are you supposed to be?”
>A loud *pop!* resounds as Johnny’s jaw realigns
>”I miss my mother.”
>Johnny speaks with a low drone-like voice as he continues to gaze upon you with soulless eyes
“Come again?”
>”SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!”
>HIs jaw opens up wide as a deafening screech thunders out from him
>Under the cacophony of his pained wail, you hear the sound of bones creaking and flames alighting
>Before your very eyes, Johnny’s flesh disintegrates amidst a sickly green blaze of fire
“MOONDANCER GET OUT OF HERE!”
>Out from the blaze pounces a jet black figure
>It’s body is like that of a man, except his face is distorted with large glowing green eyes and it possesses a maw loaded with sharp shark-like teeth
>It’s claws grasp ahold of you before you can dodge out of the way and pierce into your shoulders as he pins you against the counter
>”SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!”
>You stare up in horror as it opens it’s massive jaw and reaches down for your throat


>Thinking fast, you jam one hand around it’s throat and hold it back as best you can while reaching for your mug
>Grasping hold of it, you glower fiercely back into it’s predatory gaze
“DRINK UP ASSHOLE!”
>The mug crashes into the monster’s face as it recoils in shock
>Shoving your weight forward, you charge ahead with the creature’s throat held tightly in your iron grip
>Knocking a bar stool and a table aside, you tackle it against a billiards table
>Suddenly, insect-like wings sprout from it’s back as it desperately tries to fly away to freedom
>You’re not nearly finished with it yet
>Reaching aside with your free hand, you grab a random billiards ball
>Out of the corner of your eye, you see that you managed to grab the black 8 Ball
>Fancy that
>You smash the 8 Ball into the monster’s face, spraying green blood over the table
>Raising it up high again, you slam it down once more, knocking several of it’s fangs out
>With a snarl that could easily rival the creature’s terrible screech, you bring the 8 Ball up high yet again and crash it down as hard as you possibly can
>The 8 Ball crumbles to pieces against its face as it ceases struggling
>It’s wings flap rapidly for a few more seconds before it falls limp against the table like the rest of it’s body
>Letting go of it, you step back and look upon your handiwork
“It’s just like the creature back in the woods.  The one that looked just like Cadence…”
>Your hands grip into fists as you take a step back and glare intensely at the slain monster
“CHANGELINGS!”
>The Morning Star starts to shake again
SPOILER>”SCREEEEEEEE!” SPOILER



>With a loud crash, a black and green blur flies through the window
>You hit the deck as it flies over and lands on the wall
>Staring down at you, it open it’s wide maw as drool drips down
>As you stare back at it, a nagging thought creeps into your head
>This was supposed to be your night off
“I didn’t even finish my fucking drink.”
>The Changeling’s wings flutter as it opens it’s mouth and screeches
>A deafening *BANG!* cuts it off
>Your eyes widen as the Changeling falls to the ground with a sickening thud, along with bits of plaster and glass
>”Owww!”
>Picking yourself up off the ground, you glance over to the bar and see an incensed Moondancer rubbing her shoulder
“Moony?”
>Cautiously stepping back to the bar, you look down at the floor and spot a sawed off shotgun lying on the ground
>Now it was your turn to ask questions
“Where did you—?”
>”j-Joe just go it a little while ago.  He said the neighborhood was going to Hell, so he got that thing and shoved it under the counter.”
“Going to Hell?”
>You mumble those odd choice of words to yourself as you glance down at what’s left of Joe
>”What WERE those things?”
“You ever hear of Changelings or Skinwalkers or anything like that?”
>”y-Yeah, I guess I read about those here or there.”
“Well, there ya go.”
>Moondancer frowns at you as she continues to grasp her shoulder
>”That’s bullshit.”
“You’re telling me.”


>You pick up the shotgun and examine it
>Double-Barrelled twelve gauge with a wooden finish
>Just like Applejack’s, except this one’s barrel has been sawed down as much as possible
>Very illegal, like pretty much everything else about this place from the various health code and fire safety violations to the sixteen year old bartender
>”So, what now?”
>You remain silent as you look the gun over and try to think through this unlikely turn of events
>”I think that screeching shit was it trying to call for help.”
“Huh?”
>Moondancer crosses her arms over her ample chest as she steps up to you
>”Think about it.  The first one cries out really loud and less than a minute later another one comes over.  Then it starts screeching next as soon as it sees you.”
“That… makes sense.”
>”They look like insects too.  I bet you that’s how they communicate in general.”
>You nod your head at her
>She’s surprisingly very well collected all things considered
>Maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad having her as part of the gang earlier after all?
>You’re learning time and again that the girls in your life are a lot tougher than they look
“Alright then.  Let’s get moving before more show up.”
>”Hm?  Moving where?”
>You walk past her up to an unbroken window
>Wiping the dust aside, you glance down the street
“My apartment is just a couple blocks from here.  Before we think of anything else, let’s at least get out of here and hole up somewhere safer.”
>She nods her head as she joins your side
>The streets are dark and seemingly devoid of life, but you swear you can hear that damn screech echoing over to you both
“Stay close OK?”
>”n-No problem.”
“Hey Moony?”
>”Yeah?”
“I swear one of these days we’ll sit down together and have a pleasant and boring time together."
>She rolls her eyes at you as you crack a small grin and walk out the door


>The streets are as silent as the grave as you lead Moondancer down them toward your apartment
>Not a single sign of life, as if you and her were the only people left in town
>With eyes trained on the skies, you rush over with one hand clenching the sawed-off under your jacket and another hand firmly in Moondancer’s grasp
>After a few intense minutes, the two of you finally reach the complex
>The door is tossed open as you barrel inside with your young friend in tow
“OK…”
>You can hear her breathe heavily, and when you look down you spot a single bead of sweat running down her cheek
“… that went well.”
>”y-Yeah.  Was really expecting another jumpscare or two out of that.”
“Ha!  That’s one way of putting it.”
>You give her a smile as you walk over to the stairwell
“My place is at the top, floor five.  No elevator though, so if you need a—“
>”Shining?”
“Yeah?”
>”You can let go now.”
“Huh?”
>You look down and realize that the two of you are still holding hands
>Slackening your grip, you watch as Moondancer yanks her hand back and stuffs it into her sleeve while looking away with a small blush
>”I’m fine.  Let’s just keep moving.”
>You raise up a hand and stop her before she can begin the ascent
“I’ll lead the way, you watch our back.”
>Moondancer gives you a small frown as she nods her head
>The wooden steps creak as you begin the climb upwards, ready to yank out the gun in your coat at a moment’s notice
>Thankfully, you both manage to reach your floor without any more surprises
“Alright, just around the corner here…”


>Walking down the narrow hallway, you come to a stop before your room
>Fumbling the keys out of your pocket, you let out a small sigh of relief as you reach down and—
“…”
>It’s open
>The small slip of paper you had previously stuck in the doorway has fallen to the floor, and you can see that it has been left open just a small crack
>Glancing up, you stare at Moondancer who silently gazes back and forth between you and the door
>You place the keys back into your pocket and motion for her to follow you down the hall
>When you come to a stop back near the stairwell, she whispers
>”What was that about?”
“I think someone’s broken in.”
>Her eyes widen slightly as she looks past you down at your room
>You grumble to yourself as you lean against the wall
>Ever since your father was hospitalized, you’ve been pretty much living with Twilight back at the house you grew up in
>In fact, it had been weeks since you last even set foot in your old apartment
>Could it have been burglarized?
>Perhaps a vagrant just forced his way in while you were gone?
>Or… it could have been a lot worse
>”Ack!”
“Hm?  What’s wrong now?"
>"What’s up with that nasty smell?”
“That smell?”
>You sniff the air
>This hallway smells like it normally does
“Oh wait.  Yeah, that’s just my neighbor.  The lady I share this floor with who lives down the hall.  She…”
>Your words trail off as you suddenly get an idea

>You march down the hallway past your own room and up to your neighbor’s
>Raising up a fist, you knock several times and wait
>You can hear some faint music coming from inside
>Some kind of chill rock ballad, sounds familiar too
>You absently hum the tune to yourself, only to stop as you hear shuffling from behind the door
>”Uhhh hello?”
“Uh, hi there!  It’s Shining Armor, you’re neighbor?”
>”Who!?”
“Your next-door neighbor!  Shining Armor!"
>More shuffling is heard from beyond the door while you and Moondancer trade odd glances
>Then the door cracks open, just enough for a face to peer out, while a chain lock continues to hold it against the frame
>You grimace as a waft of smoke rolls over you from inside
>”Like, hello?”
>She lazily looks the two of you over with a blank stare
“Hey there…"
>As you struggle to remember her name, you get a good look at her tanned face and the long red dreadlocks that drape her head
>”Shining Armor… Shining Armor… Ohhhh!”
>Her empty gaze gives way to a warm grin
>”You’re the Dude!”
“I’m the Dude?”
>She shuts the door and opens it back up, revealing the rest of her body
>Your neighbor is wearing a tie dye t-shirt with the sleeves torn off, which shows her somewhat muscular arms, as well as a pair of faded blue jeans, distinguished with several holes and a few small splashes of paint here and there
>”Haven’t seen you in a while man.  Like, who’s your little friend there?”
“Oh uh, this is Moondancer.”
>Moony looks your neighbor over and slowly offers her hand out to her
>”Nice to meet you?”
>”That’s a really pretty name.  Mine’s Treehugger”


>You nervously glance over your shoulder at the door to your room that lies down the hall
“Hey Treehugger, can we come in for a second?”
>”Sure Dude, come on in.”
>She waves the two of you inside and shuts the door
>Her place is surprisingly clean and neat
>By your standards anyway
>”Can I get you guys some tea?”
“Nah, I’m—“
>”I could really use some tea.”
>Treehugger smiles at Moondancer before turning her back on you both and walking down her front hall
>Moondancer follows after her while you slip the shotgun out of your coat and covertly slip it into an umbrella rack
>Following behind Moony, you arrive into her kitchen as Treehugger fills a pot with water
”Sorry to barge in like this, but—“
>”Oh no, it’s totally cool.  I’ve never had you over before have I?”
“I don’t think so, no.”
>”Isn’t that weird?  We’ve lived next to each other for years now.  I mean, what’s up with that?  No need to shut ourselves in and all.  Like, make yourselves at home.”
>She’s being pretty welcoming all things considered
>Unfortunately, this hospitality came at a really bad time
>Walking up by her side, you lean against the counter as you ask
“Have you noticed anything strange going on?  Like any people you don’t recognize coming by my room or something?”
>She glances up at you and the two of you lock eyes while she flips the stove on
>”Well, I honestly thought you moved out man.  I haven’t seen you or anyone else come by lately, but I’ve heard things, and ‘felt’ things…”
“Felt things?”


>Treehugger’s warm smile slowly fades away as she places the pot on the stove
>”Hey Shining, I gotta ask man… are you doing alright?”
>That’s a question you really don't want to answer right now
“I’m fine.”
>”You really don’t look so fine.”
>The room falls silent as the two of you stare each other down
“What do I look like?”
>”You look like someone puked all over your Aura.”
“Puked all over my what?”
>Treehugger takes a step closer to you, almost causing you to recoil backwards as she scrutinizes you with her lazy stare
>It’s almost like she’s looking right through you
>”Your Aura man.  You know, your inner spirit.  The Meta-physical side.  Your SOUL Dude!  There’s something… wrong with it.”
>Your heart begins to beat faster as Treehugger’s eyes suddenly narrow
>Then suddenly, she looks away from you and back at Moondancer who sits uncomfortably while watching you both
>After looking back and forth between the two of you, Treehugger’s stare softens
>”I guess it’s alright though.  You’re still definitely ‘you’ right now, so it’s all good.”
“t-Thanks?”
>She turns around and goes back to her stove
>You see Moondancer mouth the words ‘What the Fuck?’ out of the corner of your eye
>Whatever the fuck that was, you don’t want to deal with it right now
>Not when you’ve already got one problem on your hands
“So yeah, my room?  You said—“
>”There’s definitely something really gnarly going on in there, but I can’t really say what.”
>You exhale as you scratch the back of your head
“Well, I guess I’m going to have to go take a look.”

>”I really don’t know if that’s such a good idea Dude.”
>You step away from Treehugger and head toward her front door
>”Shining wait up!”
>Moondancer hops up from the table and blocks your way
>”You’re really going to go in there alone?!  What if there are more of those THINGS out there!?”
>After exhaling a sigh, you give Moony as confident a smile as you can muster
>You reach for the amulet around your neck and fish it out of your shirt
“If there were, the Morning Star would have detected them.  As it reads right now, this whole building should be clean.”
>”r-Really?”
“Well, yeah.”
>The building should be clean
>That being said though, it didn’t really detect that first Changeling until it revealed itself, and the second Changeling wasn’t detected until it was almost too late
>It seems likely that these monsters are a bit harder for the Morning Star to trace, for whatever reason
“I’m just going to give my place a once-over.  I’ll be right back in about five minutes tops. OK?”
>”o-Ok…  I think this is a bad idea too.  Just be quick OK!?”
>Moondancer frowns and turns her gaze toward the ground with a huff
>Seeing her react like this is more than enough to wipe your own smile away
>She really does look a lot like Twiley, doesn’t she?
“I’ll be back before you know it.”
>Moondancer’s eyes widen as you pat her shoulder
“Save me a cup of tea.”
>”y-Yeah, sure.”
>Turning away from her, you walk out of the kitchen and down the hallway
>As you approach the front door, you reach for the shotgun lying in the umbrella rack
>”Hey Dude.”
“Shit.”
>You look over your shoulder at Treehugger as you pull the sawed-off out of the rack
>”Remember man, five minutes.”
>She… doesn’t really so much as bat an eyelash at your gun
“Gotcha…”


>You can feel Treehugger’s eyes stick on you, likely giving you that same strange faraway look, as you walk down the hallway to your own room
>Gripping the radar hanging from your neck in one hand, you raise your sawed-off with the other and lightly push the ajar door open
>You cautiously take a few steps inside and lay eyes upon your home
>Everything looks pretty much how you remember leaving it
>Then you feel a cold breeze wash over you, causing your eyes to dart to your window
>It’s been smashed open, with a myriad of broken glass shards lying on your carpet beside it
“Hmph.”
>You walk over, crunching glass beneath your boots as you stand before the gaping hole
>It’s quite a view from up here, with the lights of skyscrapers downtown shining bright in the distance
“Guess I should have put bars on these windows after all.”
>After sticking your head out and making sure no one was hanging on the walls outside, you  turn toward your living room and scan it over
>Nothing
>You then step over into the adjacent kitchen and readily see that all is well
>Everything pretty much how you left it
>Nothing appears stolen or vandalized, and the intruder or intruders clearly came in through your fifth story window
>You’re convinced the Changelings are behind this, but for what purpose?
>You sigh before walking down your dark hallway to your room
>At this point, you’re becoming much more nervous that you’ve found nothing at all
>Then you open the door to your room
“Aw CHRIST!”
>At the center of your bedroom lies a large Pentagram written in white chalk
“No.”
>Various burnt out candles lining around it
“NO.”
>Also, there appears to be a Ouija Board lying on your dresser next to a human skull
“WHAT HAVE YOU FREAKS BEEN DOING IN MY HOUSE!?”
>The Morning Star begins to vibrate


>Your jerk your shotgun up and pull the amulet out of your shirt to scan the room
>Straining your ears, you swear you begin to hear what sounds like skittering
>You gaze up at the rafters of your ceiling, indadvertedly causing your radar to shake even more
>It’s a good thing only the roof is above you
>Raising your shotgun up, you slowly steady your hand as you identify the source of the noise
>The skittering suddenly stops
“…”
>You squeeze the trigger
>A booming blast blows through your ceiling, accompanied by a sharp screech
>Suddenly a black insect-like creature crashes onto your floor along with plenty of fiberglass and dust
“Found you.”
>The creature’s green blood stains your floor as it slowly crawls away
>You can’t help but recoil a little at the sight of it’s broken body sliding across the floor
>For a moment, you consider firing off another shot and putting it out of its misery
>Before you can even line up your shot, it tosses itself on it’s back and collapses
>Dead
“… Huh.”
>The Morning Star doesn’t detect anything else right now
“Was that the last one?”
>That was incredibly easy
“Heh, I guess I will be back in time for tea.”
>Tapping the smoking shotgun up on your shoulder, you turn away for the front door
>Only to come to an immediate stop
>It was dying, and it chose to crawl over away from you
>When it finally stopped, it was lying pretty much in the center of the room
>Right on top of the Pentagram
“Aw Hell.”


>You twist back and gawk as the pentagram on your floor begins to light up
>Your entire room becomes encased in an eerie green glow as lights all over your apartment flicker
>The Changeling is standing back up
“Oh fuck no!”
>You take aim and blast it
>It’s body jerks back, spraying the ground beside it with green blood
>Staring at you with it’s wide green eyes, you watch as it’s face twists into a snarl
>It looks like shooting it has only pissed it off more
>”SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”
>It’s body begins to grow taller as it’s exo-skeleton twists to accompany it’s expanding body
>Then, as the lights flicker more rapidly, a bright flash of light blinds you as an otherworld green orb appears above the Changeling
>Taking a step back, you open up your gun and tear the spent shells out
“That’s new!"
>As soon as you’ve reloaded it, you manage to wrench your eyes back open
>You’re greeted by the sight of a towering Changeling with black chitlin skin that almost resembles a suit of armor
>It’s green eyes narrow as your own eyes widen
>”DIE!”
>He grabs you by the throat and lifts you off your feet
>Before you can register what is going on, the wind get’s knocked out of you as it slams you through your wall
>Smashing wood and plaster about, you then find yourself being thrown through the air as it tosses you like a rag doll down your hallway
>You land on your back in the middle of your living room as you desperately try to shrug off the dizziness
“h-Holy s—*hack!*”
>Shoving yourself up to one knee, you glare back down the hallway as a fierce wind billows back from your room
>The monster stares you down while standing outside your flashing room
>To your horror, several more Changelings join it’s side

>Fighting through the pain, you grit your teeth as you glare down the shaking hallway at the growing swarm
“Alright, FINE!  You want a fight!?”
>You aim your shotgun down the hall as you beckon them
“COME GET SOME!”
>A chorus of screeches shouts after you as the Changelings charge down your hallway
>Taking aim, you open fire
*BOOM!*
>One Changeling’s head explodes, sending chunks of black chitlin and green blood spraying all over
>The one charging behind it then takes to the air and zooms toward you
>It nearly reaches you with its sickly claws when you raise your shotgun once more
*BOOM!*
>You duck your head to the side as it swirls past you and smacks against the wall, falling to the ground in a bloody heap
>There’s no time to reload when the next one flies up as well
>You gaze into it’s sharp maw as it closes in
>”SCR—!”
“HRAARGH!”
>Slamming the butt of your shotgun up, you hear it’s exterior crack as you bash it’s head in
>The Changeling falls limp to the ground, and with a mindless ferocity it’s buddy flies up over it
>Searing pain shoots through your arm as it sinks its fangs into your forearm
“AAAAAHHH!!!"
>Then suddenly, your vision goes red
>You drop the shotgun and grab the Changeling by it’s throat, gripping him as tightly as possible
>It releases it’s hold on you as you hold it’s frenzied body up high
>Charging across your living room, you quickly close the distance to your TV set as it erratically switches channels
“EAT THIS!”
>The man on the TV laughingly exclaims how he’d buy that for a dollar just before you throttle the Changeling through the screen
“ARGH!”
>Twisting around in a huff, you once again come face to face with the massive Changeling as it strides into your living room


>Without missing a beat, you eagerly pounce on your new foe
>Catching it off guard, you slam it as hard as you can in the gut
>It staggers back as you dent it’s sternum with a punch
>Your hand feels like it just hit concrete
>”MY NAME IS LEGION!”
>You gasp in pain as it rakes its claws over your chest with enough force to send you sprawling to the ground
>Stopping your fall with one knee, you attempt to force yourself back up only for it to grapple you
>Its claws dig into your shoulders as it pins you in place
>”FOR WE ARE MANY!”
>As it’s claws sink into you, jolting your body more and more with incredible pain, you feel your fear and anger begin to boil over
>You’re not about to let what was supposed to be your night off end like this
>A low growl comes out of you as you glare up into it’s glowing green eyes
>”AND YOU ARE ONLY ONE!”
“I’m going to tear you to PIECES!”
>You slowly start to rise up
>That’s when you hear it
>A little voice crying out in the back of your head
SPOILER “Gotta get a Grip!” SPOILER
SPOILER “GOTTA GET A GRIP!” SPOILER
>Your body shakes as you struggle against Legion
>Shutting your eyes, you slowly begin to realize that you might die here
>Unless you lose it
“I. CAN’T. —“
>”ARRRRRRRRGH!!!!”
>You glance up as Legion’s grip slackens
>Your foe’s eyes glow more brightly as it’s back arches straighter
>Standing behind it, stands a familiar looking tanned skin woman with long red dreadlocks draping her head
>She stands behind Legion as she flexes her arms and forces a machete through it’s back
>“It’s been WAY more than five minutes!”


>Staring up in shock at Treehugger’s sudden arrival, you can only gawk at first as she digs her blade deeper into Legion’s back
>Then, as you feel his grip on you weaken even further, you rise up to your feet
>Shoving your weight into him, you force him back as the machete pierces completely through his chest
>”WRRRRRYYY!!!”
>Taking hold of him by his sides, you toss Legion into the wall against the service flag you had hung as he slumps to the ground
>“Yo Dude, catch!”
>Glancing back at Treehugger, you raise up a hand and catch the sawed-off shotgun
“Thanks."
>Tearing it open once more, you throw the empty shells aside as Legion writhes in agony on the ground
“My name is Shining Armor, and this is Treehugger.”
>You shove two new shells in while Legion bares his fangs at you both
“There’s only two of us.”
>It’s growling ceases as you lower the shotgun to its face
“And you’re all fucked.”
*BOOM!*
>What’s left of Legion falls still as you step back by Treehugger’s side
>”Groovy.”
>A small cooing noise draws your attention back to the hallway
>About a dozen or so Changelings look to be packed together, all of them staring back at the two of you
>It’s hard to tell with their bestial insect-like faces, but something in their eyes tells you…
“They’re afraid.”
>Treehugger scoops down and wrenches her machete free
>”You’re lucky this kind of stuff doesn’t phase me anymore Dude.  Otherwise I might be afraid too.”
>The two of you lock eyes together
>She still has that same lazy look to her gaze, but you swear you also see something a little more fiery in those eyes now
“Let’s go.”
>The two of you charge the remaining Changelings as your gun blazes and bashes while her machete slices and slashes
>They never stood a chance


>About an hour later finds you lying in the passenger seat of Treehugger’s van, surprisingly sore even with the power of Energy X keeping you going
>Moondancer sits by your side, just barely awake, as Treehugger drives the three of you along
>”Hey Shining?”
>You shift slightly in your seat toward Moony as she leans up
>”It was nice seeing you again.”
“… it was nice seeing you too.”
>The van falls quiet once again for a few more moments as you struggle to come up with something to break this awkward silence
“So uhh, were you going to pay Twi a visit some time?”
>”Hm?”
>She looks like she’s ready to pass out here and now
“Things have been kind of rough on her lately, and I know she’d love to see you again.”
>”Oh yeah.  That would be the best… maybe she can tell me more about this Energy X crap too.  I really think I’d like a little myself.”
>You glance up at Treehugger, who shakes her head a bit before pulling over on the street
>”Like, this is the place right?”
>Moondancer perks her head up and slides over you to the door
>”See you around…”
“You take care.”
>She gives you one last quick hug before dropping out and walking into her house
>A large part of you is immensely grateful that she made it out in one piece
>Moondancer’s a tough little girl
>”Crazy night, huh man?”
>Treehugger’s talking to you with something of a livelier tone now
>As if she had finally started to wake up
>Or sober up…
“Yeah, you could say that.”
>You sigh as you lean your face against the window
“Thanks again for the backup.”
>”Don’t sweat it.  I totally had this feeling you were going to have trouble, and when I started feeling all those nasty Auras next door I knew I had to help out.”
>Your eyes drift down to her legs, where a pouch holding a machete sits
“You were pretty amazing.”
>”Thanks, you were pretty… spooky.”
>You sigh
>”Nah, I mean like in a totally Radical way!  I was wrong about you…”

>Treehugger glances over at you with that hazy smile of hers
>“When I first saw you tonight, I really didn’t know what to think. You looked really messed up, but I knew you were still the Dude from before.”
>You frown at her as you fold your arms over your chest
“Why do you keep calling me that?”
>She chuckles a little, perhaps amused by your display
>”You just got this thing about you man.  Like, you’re ‘the guy’, you know?”
“I…. guess?”
>You can’t really follow a lot of what Treehugger says, but she does seem kind of wise in a way
>With all this talk of auras and spirits, maybe she'd know how you could get a better grip on these powers?
“I think if you didn’t help me when you did, things could have gone a lot worse.  I’m kind of worried that one of these days I’m going to get too riled up and hurt myself, or someone I really care about.”
>Treehugger’s smile fades as she stares at you more closely with another faraway look
>”Yeah, I get what you’re saying.”
“Well, do you think there’s something I could do to help make sure I stay in control?”
>”If I were you, I’d just get rid of powers altogether.”
>You shake your head
“There’s too much shit always going down in my life now.  I need to be like this to survive.”
>Treehugger leans back into her seat further as she ponders over your state
>”Well, in that case, I’d suggest at least taking it easier for a while.  Make sure you’re chill, so that when you gotta use your powers again you’ll have a clear mind and a tranquil spirit.  You have to find a balance my Dude.”
“How do I do that?”
>”Heh, by relaxing.”
>You scratch the back of your head as you stare out the car window
“That’s what I was trying to do all night…”
>After everything you went through, you don’t know how you could just sit back and relax now
>”Maybe I can help.”


>Treehugger’s van finally pulls to a stop out in the country, where the two of you have left the lights of the city far behind
>You crawl out of your seat and follow her into the back
>It’s a lot comfier than it looked at first, with various rugs and blankets and pillows lying about
>She reaches inside one such pillowcase and brandishes her little gift to you
>“Here Dude, I rolled it up myself.”
>Treehugger drops a joint into your hand
>You scowl down at it as you take a seat on one of her pillows
“Weed isn’t really my thing…”
>”Have you ever like, tried it?”
“Just once or twice, back when I was in the army.  Didn’t really have much of an effect on me.”
>She chuckles at you
>”This ought to have an effect.  Trust me.”
>You continue to glumly eye the blunt as you hold it in your palm
>”I bet you’ll like it a lot better than all those cigarettes you smoke.”
“Hey I don’t smoke cigarettes… that often.”
>She chuckles as she leans back against the wall
>”No offense Dude, but you stink up the whole hallway with that stuff.”
“Excuse me?!”
>Treehugger’s smile gains a sly hint to itself as you gawk at her
>”Hey man, don’t get started like that.  We’re here to chill out remember?”
“HA!  Yeah right…”
>You tear a lighter out of your pocket and bring it up to your joint
>”Hang on a sec.”
>She fishes through her pocket as well and takes out a pack of matches
>”I get the vibe that you’d take the hit better if I lit you up with a match.”
>You’re not sure at all what difference that makes, but she’s apparently the guru on this kind of crap
“Alright, light me up.”
>Popping the blunt into your mouth, you lean forward as Treehugger strikes a match on the floor and get’s you started
>”Breathe in Dude.”


>You take as long a drag on your first hit as you can
>The internal clock in your head starts ticking
>1, 2, 3, 4, 5… 6—“
“ack!”
>Treehugger snickers at you as you cough up a cloud of smoke
>”You don’t have to hold it in that long man.”
>You beat your chest as you shake your head
“y-Yeah, I was just…. you know.”
>She slowly nods her head before stretching out her arms
>Her eyes close shut as she lightly inhales the second hand smoke
>“Smells like Autumn.  Righteous.”
>With that, she stretches her arms up and limply falls on her side atop a pillow
“I don’t feel anything yet.”
>”It takes some time.  Just relax and let it build up.  It’s coming.”
“Right…”
>You take another long drag, but only hold it in for about three seconds this time before letting it out
“You sure no one will find us out here?  Don’t the cops patrol this road at—“
>”I’ve never gotten caught on this road.  It’s cool brother.”
>Your body freezes up for a brief moment
“Brother…”
>You look down and gaze at the Morning Star hanging from your neck
“Shoot, hm?”
>Your eyes slowly widen as Treehugger lifts the necklace away from you
“What are you doing?”
>”This is the thing you used to track those Changelings right?”
>You grimace at her as you nod your head
>”If you learned to open up your Third Eye, you could do it naturally like me.”
“My Third Eye?  How the Hell do I do that?”
>She tilts her head and hums to herself as she gazes wistfully at the Morning Star
>”I could like, give you some prescriptions.”
>Her mouth curls back up into a lazy smile
“Prescriptions?"
>Another chuckle rolls out of her, only this time you find yourself laughing with her
“Since when are you a doctor?”
>”Since I found you I guess."


>For a few minutes, you just sit and watch as the Morning Star drifts back and forth through the air
>It’s a little mesmerizing to watch, especially as the van becomes hazier in the growing smoke
>It’s kind of relaxing
>You guess you could see how—
“Huh?”
>”Hm?”
>The two of you lock eyes with each other
>Her eyes have this grayish hue to them
>They're kind of pretty, makes her look… wise
>The Greek Goddess Athena had gray eyes
>…
>Where the fuck did you learn that from?
>Hang on
>Why do her eyes seem a little brighter now?
>Did they just change colors?
>WHY ARE THERE THREE OF THEM!?
“Whoa.  WHOA!”
>Treehugger’s eyes widen slightly, save for the third one, as you crawl up to your feet
>”Uhhh, are you feeling it now Dude?”
“TREEHUGGER THIS ISN’T WEED!”
>”I never said it was.”
>You drop the blunt on the carpet as your entire body begins to shake
>The smoke emitting from the lit joint looks sparkly
>Like stardust
>Everyone and everything was originally stardust right?
>Where the fuck did you learn that?
>Twilight had to have told you that one, right?
“w-What the fuck!?  I didn’t sign up for this!”
>”Man, you look really tense right now.”
“I need to get a grip.”
>”You need to relax.  Dude, relaaaaax.”
“s-Shit, where’s my gun?  I— ah!”
>You’re not sure how she moved so fast, but Treehugger suddenly got behind you
>Her hands press into your back
>”You seem really tense back here too.”
“w-Wow…”
>Her hands knead through your shirt and dig into your muscles
>In a way, it hurts a little, but It’s a damn good pain
>It’s like she’s caressing your muscles without touching the rest of you at all
>”Here, take off your shirt.”


>You continue to do as she says, lifting your tattered shirt over your head and tossing it aside
>”Cool.  Let me know if this hurts at all and I’ll stop, OK?”
>You nod your head as she returns to working on your backside
>Your body flinches a little on reflex, but you don’t speak up
>You could sit here like this for hours
>With the way time seems to be passing right now, it might as well have been that long
>Then, after feeling her touch disappear, you let out a long sigh and lean back
>You hope to crash on a pillow, but instead your head ends up falling into her lap
>This suits you just fine
>”Man, you should smile more often.”
>You stare up at her as the joint hangs limply from her mouth
>She lightly brushes a hand through your hair while taking a drag
>When she takes the joint away and breathes out, you’re reminded of what she said earlier about it smelling like Autumn
>Though your focus is less on that than it is on her
“Summer.”
>”What?”
“You look like Summer.  That smile of yours is all hazy and warm, like a Summer day.”
>Treehugger chuckles down at you
>”Are you like, a poet Dude?”
“Hell no, I just call it like I see it.  Right now, I see a bright happy Summer… with three eyes.”
>Her smile grows brighter as she scratches the side of your head
>”Want some music?”
“Sure.”
>She carefully crawls away from you to her radio, letting your head drop against a pillow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLV4_xaYynY
>As the song starts, you feel a jolt go through your body
>You sit up as if you were awakening from a deep sleep
>”Up already Dude?”
“Yeah…”
>Rising up to your feet, you find yourself wrapping your arms around her waist
>It feels like it’s getting hotter in here, like you’ve gotten closer to the Sun, as she looks into you with that radiant smile
>”You should really smile more often.”
“You should smile forever.”
>With that, the two of you embrace each other
>The rest is like a dream


>A few hours later finds you stumbling up to the front door of your old place
>You resist the urge to smash through the front door, instead choosing to fumble with your keys for a good five minutes with you chortling all the while
>After finally opening the door, you stomp inside
“Heeeey Spike.”
>Your dog lifts his head up to stare at you a moment before resting it back down and returning to sleeping
>Forcing your way up the steps, you come to an abrupt stop in front of a special little someone’s door
>Throwing it open, you stagger into the room and plop your rear onto the bed
“Twiley, hey little Twiley!”
>You hear a soft muttering as a small figure stirs under the sheets
>”w-Wha—?  Shiney, you’re home?”
“Ready for Twilight Time?”
>She rises up to a sitting position and flips on the lamp by her bedside
>With her hair down and her glasses off, she’s almost like a completely different person
>”Shiney, it’s one in the morning.  i-I have to go to school tomorrow—“
“No you don’t.”
>She rubs her eyes a bit as she struggles to wake up
>”I don’t?”
“Nope!  So what do you want to watch first?”
>She gives you a blank stare for a few seconds, before it gives way to a grin
>”You can pick something out this time.  Can you make us popcorn the special way too?”
>You’re delighted to see her finally wake up as she reaches for and dons her glasses
“Sure I can!”
>Hopping up to your feet, you walk over to her closet and fish through an old cardboard box
>”Shining, what’s up with that tie dye shirt you’re wearing?”
>You come to an abrupt stop and look down at yourself
>You’re wearing a bright tie dye shirt now, one that’s easily a size or two too small for you
>Snickering to yourself, you mutter back to Twilight
“I’ll tell you later…”
>A vibration in your pocket draws your attention to your phone
>Looks like you got a text message from someone called ‘Child of the Sun’


>'Hey Dude, you totally forgot your crazy medallion.'
‘Yeah, and you forgot your shirt.’
>She sends a single smiley face your way before you pocket your phone
>Back to the task at hand
>You know EXACTLY what you two are watching tonight
“Hey Twiley…”
>”Yeah Shiney?”
>You step forward into the light with a VHS copy of Starship Troopers in your grasp
“The only good bug is a dead bug!”