Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
2015
Today's Horoscope (Virgo): As the New Year approaches, reflect on endings and beginnings.
Morning
There are only a few days left of winter break...the second semester begins on Monday.
Rarity's birthday is on Saturday.
Daytime
Everybody's doing their own thing today. Sonata has a physical therapy session and won't be back until evening.
Cadance, Twilight, Pinkie, and I gather in the secret headquarters. "So...three days until the next attack," Twilight says.
"Rarity's rented a hall for her party," Pinkie says. "She wants a really big Sweet Sixteen thing."
"We're all invited, right?" I ask.
"Of course! She's sending the invites out tomorrow."
"Well, that'll make this easier," Cadance says. "Rainbow Dash'll be back in time, right?"
"Friday," I say. "Her dad's coming by for New Year's."
"Well, good," Cadance says. "So we'll all be where we need to be..." She frowns. "Assuming Rarity's attacked during the party."
We all share a nervous glance. If Rarity's attacked when we're not nearby...
"Pinkie can find something to do near wherever Rarity is all day on Saturday," I suggest. "Twi and I won't be free until later in the day, because Twi's parents are going back home Saturday morning..."
"I don't like this," Cadance says. "If we're all scattered all over Canterlot..."
"Rarity's still going to have to be alone when Zodiac takes her though, right?" Twilight says. "I mean, alone except for anybody else who knows about Zodiac?" She looks around at all of us. "The only targets that haven't been completely alone so far were Pinkie and Rainbow..."
"That's right," Pinkie says. "You two were with me when I was attacked, and me and Twi-Twi were with Rainbow when her turn came!"
"Hmm..." Cadance frowns. "That does seem to be the case..." She sighs. "But we can't make assumptions. We don't know for sure it works that way."
"We just need to be really careful and alert," I say. "Ready to move at a second's notice."
"Cadance, what's your Persona's range?" Twilight asks. "If we are all scattered when Rarity's attacked, will you be able to guide us all to her?"
"I'm not sure," Cadance says. "The farthest away I've ever sensed a Zodiac Shadow was three miles. It...was over quickly." She closes her eyes.
"I'll glue myself to Rarity's butt then," Pinkie says. "We'll just see the Shadow get her alone then."
"Where the hell is everybody?" we hear from the hall. It's Shining Armor.
"Crap!" Twilight says, eyes wide.
The door starts to open. If Coach catches the four of us in here, there's no way we can explain it.
I pull out my phone...
Zodiac
"What the HELL, Flash?" Cadance demands as Zodiac forms around us.
"Did you really want Coach finding all of us in a vacant room?"
"Well, no, but—!"
"Flash..." Twilight says. "Time isn't passing outside Zodiac. This...this won't help us..."
My phone rings. It's Rainbow. I put her on speaker.
"What's goin' on?" Rainbow asks. "Is there an attack?"
"No, everything's fine," I say. "Sorry about this. We'll all be back in the real world soon enough. Just stay put. Don't move an inch."
"Wanna tell me what's goin' on?"
"Not right now. See you Friday." I hang up. I walk over to the door and open it. The hall stands on the other side, red and black and empty.
"Oh," Twilight says sheepishly. "Yeah, that...that would help..."
"Everybody spread out," Cadance says. "I'll stay put here. If Shining Armor finds one of us here, he won't go looking for everybody else. I'll give you all the signal to exit."
"Wait a sec," I say. "Scan for Shadows. Just in case."
Cadance nods. "PERSONA!"
Aphrodite appears. A tense moment passes.
//Nothing inside the dorm,// Cadance says. //Don't take too long getting spread out, though. Who knows whether or not Eris is nearby.//
"Or that thing," Pinkie says.
We spend five minutes spreading out around the dorm as though we're playing hide-and-seek. //Okay, I think that's good,// Cadance says. //Everybody exit Zodiac now.//
We all return to the real world, then regroup in the lounge...minus Cadance, and I don't really want to know what she's doing up there with Coach.
Evening
Everybody is spread out doing their own thing. I'm in my room, practicing my guitar.
There's a knock at the door. "Come in."
Sonata walks in.
"Should you be up walking around?"
She shrugs, then appropriates my desk chair. She gestures to my guitar.
"I'm sorry, was I disturbing you?"
She shakes her head.
"You wanted to listen to me play?"
She nods.
"Okay." I play for a little while. Sonata sits and listens, eyes closed, swaying back and forth.
After a little while, I stop and set the guitar aside, stretching. Sonata pulls out her phone and fiddles with it, then hands it to me. Curious, I take a look.
There's a video...it's Sonata and her sisters.
They're singing...
It's beautiful. Almost hypnotic.
"I didn't know you sang," I say.
Sonata sighs.
"This is...amazing." I listen a little while longer, then hand it back to Sonata. "You really love singing, don't you?"
She nods. Tears are starting to leak from her eyes.
For a brief, horrible moment, I picture what my life would be like if my hands were crushed and I couldn't play guitar ever again...
"Sonata..." I grab a tissue and wipe her eyes, then help her to her feet and guide her back to her room. "Any time you want to listen to me play, just let me know, okay?"
Sonata smiles. She grabs her tablet off her bed.
Thank you.
The Broken Bird Social Link of the Death Arcana has reached rank 2!
Your power to create Personas of the Death Arcana has grown!
Tomorrow's New Year's Eve...
I decide I've practiced enough for today, and read until I'm ready to sleep.