Chapter 9: The Golden Man

Part 1 of 2: The Great Nation of Hypocrisy

March 10th, 2016

Tara was startled out of her nightmare by a rather sudden flash. She nearly sat upright and banged her head on the ceiling of her bunk, but managed to stop herself at the last minute. She breathed heavily, looking around the dark room in a panic. However, nothing was out of the ordinary. She was still in the middle bunk on the left wall, with Pinky murmuring in her sleep from above, and AJ resting comfortably below. Tara regained her composure, and lied further back on her pillow, trying to lull herself back into her dreams.

But every time she closed her eyes, she only saw sharp fangs dripping with blood, and people begging for their lives. She knew it would be impossible to return to sleep, for the nightmare would haunt her again. She was trying her hardest to cope with the loss, but it becoming unbearable. Every waking moment, she felt nothing but emptiness. It was nearly three weeks since she discovered that Cadence and Samuel had died, but nothing was getting better. She expected this, of course; she knew the healing process would be long and grueling. Yet despite the constant talks with her friends, and the tasks to occupy her thoughts, she just kept falling down the vast pit of despair.

Tara rolled over to face the bunks opposite to her. Her plan was simple: talk to Fiona. If Tara was to be completely honest with herself, talking to Fiona about such personal matters was jarring. It was a combination of things that made it this way. However, the primary problem was not just that she was opening up most of her deepest thoughts to her friend; it was that that friend happened to have a crush on her (which, despite Fiona's constant reassurance that it was stupid wishful thinking, and therefore just a phase, Tara was almost positive that Fiona still harbored strong romantic feelings).

But despite this, speaking to Fiona about such problems was very much relieving, and rather simplistic to accomplish. Fiona would never lie to her about her opinions on such matters, and acted in a very sweet manner about everything, no matter how emotional Tara got at times. On top of this, Fiona happened to get very little sleep during the nights, so she was always awake and ready to talk whenever Tara awoke in the middle of the night. No one ever heard them during this time, and Tara felt no pressure of being judged or embarrassed, so the process continued for many days.

However, as Tara opened her mouth to say something, she noticed with shock something incredibly rare in the base of Camelot: Fiona was sleeping soundly. Tara groaned to herself. She couldn't possibly force Fiona to get up so that she could listen to her rattle on about her nightmares, and rob the shy girl of the very little sleep she was able to achieve. She may have done several harsh things in her life, but she would never stoop to that level.

So instead, Tara carefully swung her legs over the side of the bunk, hopped to the ground, and tiptoed out of the room. The halls of Camelot were dark and abandoned, but Tara didn't feel afraid. The place was practically home to her, and it was probably one of the safest places on Earth to be in. But it was loneliness that affected Tara so badly. There was no one to talk to, and so, she had to deal with everything herself for the next few hours. But how would she pass the time? The answer came to her as she reached a dead-end in the halls. Making a one hundred and eighty-degree turn, she went to the training room, and decided that it would be best to train herself for any future assignments to come.

Tara entered the pitch black chamber, and flipped on the lights. The room filled with light, as Tara quickly covered her eyes with her hands, and rubbed them viciously. Everything was just as she had left it; the guns were stocked with ammunition, the cardboard cutouts had been replaced, and the track had been scrubbed clean. Tara, still partially blinded, made her way over to the wall, where her sword was suspended in its beautiful casing. Tara stumbled briefly on her way to the sword, and then rubbed her eyes more to clear up her vision. However, she was suddenly interrupted by a southern voice.

"Tara, what the hell are ya doin'?" AJ called out, making Tara jump out of her skin in shock. Tara yelped, and then allowed her eyes to scan the room. AJ was still in her pajamas as she sat on the edge of the pool, waving her feet about in the cool water. Her hair was loose and messy, her clothes were bunched up, and she wasn't even wearing her prized hat at the time. Tara soon realized that, clearly, AJ did not expect any other company.

"Jeez, AJ, you scared me," Tara said, trying to regain her composure.

"Let me guess," AJ said, not seeming to take any offense to the sudden intrusion. "Ya couldn't sleep either?"

"Yeah," Tara said, scratching the back of her head. "I… just needed to take my mind off of things."

"Ya wanna talk about it?" AJ asked, motioning Tara to sit beside her. Tara sighed, and calmly walked over to the pool. She dipped her legs into the water, which felt very soothing to her.

"I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in weeks," Tara mentioned, gazing off into the ripples she was causing in the water.

"Losing someone close will do that to ya," AJ sighed. "Trust me, yer gonna have nightmares for a while."

"But it does actually get better, right?" Tara asked hopefully.

"Sure it does," AJ responded. "I mean, you're gonna have a hard time thinking about it now, but when ya get older, you'll only remember everything that was pleasant."

"Is that what happened to you?" Tara asked. AJ didn't say anything, making Tara feel instantly bad. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to be intrusive."

"No, it's alright," AJ said with a smirk. "To be honest, I barely remember my life before I came here. I know I had a family, and I know what their faces looked like, but aside from that, Mac was all the family I ever really had."

"Who's Mac?" Tara asked, confused.

"I'll tell ya about it later," AJ said, rising from the floor. She offered a hand, which Tara took, hoisting her off of the ground. "Now, ya said ya wanted to train. So, we might as well get some time in while we're at it."

"Alright," Tara said, following AJ to an empty part of the training room. However, AJ looked confused by her friend's actions.

"What are ya doin'?" AJ asked. "Get yer sword. We're gonna spar."

"Wait, what?" Tara asked, surprised. "You want me to use my sword against you? Without a weapon?"

"Yep," AJ said simply.

"But, what if hurt you?" Tara said, growing concerned by AJ's seemingly thoughtless actions.

"Tara, you're forgetting something," AJ replied with a smirk. "No matter how many fancy tricks you can do with yer little sword, I can do ten times more with my bare hands. Really, I'm being unfair to you. If ya want a real fight, grab a gun."

Tara had no idea why she didn't object further. After all, AJ wasn't known for having the best foresight in the world, and had a tendency to make incredibly poor and rushed decisions. However, that unmistakable air of confidence came about once more, which made Tara feel extremely confident in her friend's judgment. So, without any further conversation, Tara turned towards the wall, and extended her arms. The sword case rumbled on its shelf for a moment, before flying off towards Tara's outstretched arms. She expertly caught the casing, placed it on the ground, took out the sheath, and unveiled the katana.

"I think ya might be getting better with your powers," AJ said sarcastically.

"I've been training to get things out of my mind," Tara admitted, taking a fighting stance. "Practicing moving things around has taken up the majority of my time."

"How well ya think that's gonna help you in this fight?" AJ said, putting up her hands in defense.

"We'll see," Tara said with a smirk. The two girls circled each other, each waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. So far, Tara was actually having a good time; her concerns were placed in the back of her mind, as she focused on what line of banter to spout next. AJ kept low to the ground, biding her time for Tara to make the first move. For several minutes, the dance continued in dense silence.

Then, Tara lunged.

__________

"How did you bruise your shoulder so badly?" Fiona asked again, massaging the black and blue flesh.

"Me and AJ had a sparring match last night," Tara said with a groan. She and Fiona sat side-by-side in the training room, watching Dash race AJ around the track. Tara winced in pain as Fiona continued to tenderly rub her shoulder, trying to soothe away the pain.

"Your entire arm is bruised up. So are your legs," Fiona commented, concerned. "What did she do to you?"

"A lot of flips and grapples. Ow! Not there!" Tara yelped as Fiona applied pressure to her bruised left shin.

"Why were you fighting her?" Fiona asked, examining Tara's injuries further.

"I woke up last night, and needed to get my mind off of things," Tara claimed.

"You know," Fiona said. "You could have just talked to me about it."

"You were asleep, and you're never asleep," Tara said, wincing again. "Besides, I actually learned some new things last night."

"But your all sore now," Fiona said back. "You could hardly put any of those new things to use."

"Don't judge me," Tara said, teasingly. Fiona sighed happily, and went back to examining Tara's right knee, which was starting to show signs of swelling. Meanwhile, Dash managed to defeat AJ in the race around the track, despite giving AJ a several second head start.

"I am the winner!" Dash shouted in victory, thrusting her hands in the air. "All of those before me must bow and suck my giant cock of supremacy!"

"The only reason ya won was because ya cheated," AJ said, annoyed.

"That's bullshit; I win!" Dash said, shrugging of AJ's claims.

"I'm serious," AJ said. "Ya gave yourself a speed boost right at the very end of the race. I saw it with my own eyes."

"Prove it, bitch," Dash said, suddenly getting defensive.

"Okay then," said AJ with a smirk of confidence. She pointed at Dash's forehead. "You're sweating."

It was true; a thin sheet of sweat was glossed over Dash's skin, and, on top of this, she also seemed to be out of breath.

"Fuck you," Dash snapped. In a mocking tone, she put on her best southern accent (which, in actuality, was not very good). "Look at Dash! She's sweatin' more than a rabbit in a barrel of hot sauce. She must be cheatin', cuz I'm a southern bell, and I'm always right."

"I don't sound like that," AJ said, offended. "No one from anywhere sounds like that. Secondly, ya did too cheat. Ya said no powers, and ya used powers. That's cheatin'."

"Could you two find something else to be pointlessly talking about?" Tara called out. The two girls stopped bickering with each other, and begrudgingly walked towards opposite ends of the training room. Dash walked over to the shooting range to let off some steam, while AJ marched out of the room to get herself a beverage. However, on the way out the door, she was nearly knocked over a very excited Pinky, who practically bounced her way throughout the room.

"WE'RE GOING ON A VACATION!" Pinky promptly declared, skipping about merrily. In her hands was a yellow pamphlet, which Pinky held close ot her chest as she jumped about the room.

"Pinky, what are you talking about?" Dash asked, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"Va-caaaa-tion! Va-caaaa-tion!" Pinky sang happily, as Rachel entered into the room.

"Pinky, did you tell them?" Rachel questioned, staring into empty space. "…..she didn't say anything, did she?"

"She's kinda just been…" Tara said, watching Pinky prance around the room. "Celebrating. What's actually going on?"

"WHY AREN"T YOU GUYS MORE EXCITED?!" Pinky shouted in confusion. "WE"RE GOING ON-"

"A mission," Rachel interrupted, walking over towards the seats. She found a seat next to Fiona, and lowered herself down upon it. "An actual assignment, which is something we surely haven't had in a while."

"Like something that the government wants us to do?" Tara asked.

"Yes, for a change," Rachel said with a sigh.

"WHY AREN'T YOU GUYS SCREAMING IN JOY?!" Pinky yelled, almost distraught.

"Would you just tell us where we're going?" Dash asked in frustration. "Stop fucking procrastinating, already."

Pinky groaned, and handed the pamphlet over to Tara, before celebrating once again. Tara's eyes widened in shock.

"This is the Daltenoss Royal Family Estate," Tara said in amazement. Fiona leaned over to see the image in had Tara in such shock. On the pamphlet were several pictures for a tourist site, and displayed exotic scenery. There were three of these in total, each on its own separate page; the first was a large, luscious tropical forest, which stretched on almost endlessly. The second image was of a white-water waterfall, which cascaded over a tall, rocky cliffside. The third image, however, held Tara's attention. It was of a stone castle that resided on the edge of a cliff, looking out over the forest. The castle looked to be hundreds of years old, but had an elegance about it that made it appear timeless. While Fiona was never much for ancient history, she had to admit that the castle itself looked absolutely gorgeous.

"I know, right?" Rachel said happily, never turning her head towards the others. "I mean, I knew that we could go on missions all around the world, but I never thought the Daltenoss' castle would be one of them."

"What the fuck is the Daltenoss' castle?" Dash asked, instantly appearing over Tara's shoulder. "Is that thing supposed to be impressive?"

"Patricia, Rachel, stop running off!" Celestia barged into the room with an annoyed look on her face. "I don't give mission briefings for you to take my things and run off with them."

"Sorry, I couldn't keep track of her," Rachel said hastily, motioning to where Pinky was running about and shouting for joy.

"I don't blame you," Celestia moaned. She turned to the rest of the girls. "New assignment, ladies. The six of you are going to be attending a ball at the Daltenoss Royal Family Estate in northern Vitrumia. Your bags have been packed already, and so has your gear."

"Wow, that's an honor," Fiona said happily.

"That's amazing," Tara said with glee.

"Are you kidding? That's super wonderfully, amazingly, incredibly FANTASTIC!" Pinky shouted while twirling around in a circle. However, counter to all of the excitement, Dash simply stood in place, feeling very confused.

"Does someone who's mildly intelligent wanna tell me what the fuck we're doing and where the fuck we're going?" Dash said with a sneer.

"Dash, don't you remember all that stuff about that massive civil war in Africa that took place a few years ago?" Tara asked. "There was all that violence and bloodshed?"

"You give me too much credit, Spark," Dash said with a sigh.

"Vitrumia was the result of that," Tara stated, recalling the massive controversy over United States involvement that it happened to cause. "They're a small island country off the west coast of Africa, and they have the fifth most natural mineral resources in the world."

"They were called the 'Crystal Empire', remember?" Fiona chimed in. "They're who Brian Hammonick outsourced most of this country's fuel to, because we're close trading partners."

"I don't remember any of that," Dash said truthfully, tapping her temple with her index finger.

"You were there," Tara said with a groan. "There was this whole massive conspiracy you helped uncover, and then we cut off a guy's head."

"Oh yeah, I remember now," Dash said distastefully. "Why do we need to be involved with this again?"

"Because we need you girls to go there," Celestia reminded. "Look, this ball is being held because they are celebrating how Vitrumia has expanded its reach to other nations. WMH Enterprises is going to be there, and since we need help representing the United States, you're going too."

"I'm sorry, but," Dash interrupted. "Aren't we supposed to fight terrorists, and not go on public rep. missions? Why are we even here again?"

"Dash, stop complaining, will you?" Tara said, annoyed. "We spent three months in a tight cabin in the Russian mountains; I, for one, wouldn't mind a fun trip to Vitrumia for once."

"I'm sure it'll all be fine, Dash," Fiona reassured.

"Yeah, stop being so grumpy," Pinky said, placing her hands on her hips. "This is supposed to be fun."

"Actually, this is strict business," Celestia said. "In all honesty, it is crucial that you don't do anything to start an international incident. Hell, the last thing we need is for the world to find out that you were even there. We've arranged a private jet for you to take. You'll be heading out first thing tomorrow. Good luck."

Celestia turned around, and left the room, just as AJ returned while holding a half-full cup of orange juice.

"So, what'd I miss?" AJ asked, taking a sip of her beverage.

"Foreign mission," Tara said simply. "We're going to a formal event in Vitrumia. We need to be on our best behavior."

"Cool," AJ responded, taking another sip of her drink. She walked over to the weights, put her cup to the floor, and started to exercise. The rest of the girls sat about, with the exception of Pinky, who was still extremely hyper and skipping around the track. Suddenly, Dash froze in panic.

"Wait…" she said, absolutely horrified. "Did she just say we had to go to a ball?"

__________

March 12th, 2016

The plane flight was entirely uneventful. While normally the girls would kill for some time without anything life-threatening occurring, they had to admit that fourteen hours of sitting on a jet was not ideal. There was truly very little for them to actually do. They couldn't get any training done, they couldn't practice their powers, and they couldn't remain seated for the whole flight, as their anxiety built up over time. The jet that had been provided for them was, in fact, spectacular, with plenty of room to walk about, a flat-screen television, and two personal stewardesses by the names of Lyra and Bonnie, who always stood by at attention.

However, none of these could keep the girls occupied for such a long period of time, and so, most of their efforts were spent either watching movies, or discussing the nation of Vitrumia.

Vitrumia itself is subject to a lengthy, complex history. A series of violent civil wars erupted in 2009 over a twenty-mile island located off the coast of Angola, which was known to be heavily packed in mineral resources. The island itself, despite mostly being forest, contained an incredible amount of gold, diamond, coal, oil, and other such valuables, making it the subject of international controversy. Eventually, the chaotic wars were brought to a close, with a monarchy being set up by the natives of the island. Trade partnerships were instantly established, and for six years, the "Crystal Empire" stayed a popular tourist locale.

But none of the stories of massacres and executions could keep Dash from falling asleep during Tara's lengthy, drawn-out historical recap. Every time she dosed off, AJ would ask for a beverage from Bonnie, which she would splash on Dash's face. However, drowsiness overcame all senses of normalcy after eight hours of nonstop flying, which led the girls to their slumber for the night. When they did finally awake, they couldn't help but feel relieved that they were in the process of landing in Virtumia.

The airport itself was almost uncomfortably located on the edge of the island. From the window of her seat, Tara could see that the landing zone was cut into the forest itself, and it was either surrounded by trees or by the ocean. The feelings of excitement grew exponentially in the aircraft. The next few minutes seemed to pass by at a painfully slow rate as the plane landed, crawled to a halt, and was processed for approval.

At long last, the doors finally opened, revealing the sunset on the beautiful island nation. It was truly a sight to behold; the deep hues of pink and orange cascading over the deep blue ocean, reflecting off of the waves as they gently crashed into the rocky shore line. The chirping of indigenous birds flying overhead filled the misty air, which was scented heavily with the smell of salt-water. A gentle breeze brushed past, blowing past the girls and deep into the forest.

Unfortunately, the girls could hardly appreciate the scene for more than a moment, as a limousine pulled up to the jet, and they were whisked away to the forest. A single paved route was present, which the driver of the limo followed with expert precision, while the P.O.N.Y's chatted away in the back.

"This is incredible," Tara said, her enthusiasm clear. "We're actually in Vitrumia, getting a ride in a fancy limo."

"I've seen fancier," Dash commented, not as amused by the entire ordeal. However, her bitterness was mostly ignored, as Tara continued to speak in a very excited tone.

"This is great," she spoke to herself, practically squealing in joy. "So much history is here. So many exotic places, and ancient castles, and political history, and, just…oooooh."

"Jesus, Spark, your acting like a fangirl," Dash said with a sneer. "I don't think I've ever seen you this fucking happy about anything."

"You have no idea how big of a deal this is, Dash," Tara said, her mood unchanged. "I mean, we're in one of the greatest places on Earth right now. Everyone else is excited about this. Right, Fiona?"

Tara turned to her friend, but received no answer, as Fiona had her face pressed right up against the window, examining the forest closely with a large grin.

"Oh man, the different animals that live here," Fiona said to herself in a dream-like state. "One of the most diverse wildlife reserves is right here. The types of creatures that lives in this forest…"

Fiona trailed off into quiet murmurs underneath her breath, as she scanned the environment from signs of life. Meanwhile, her excitement seemed to spread, as Rachel and Pinky were also practically shaking from excitement.

"A royal ball," Rachel said to Pinky. "Holy shit, we're attending a royal ball. An actual royal ball with the high society types. That's a dream come true for anyone."

"Imagine the food they have there," Pinky said, nearly drooling. "Mmmm. They have to serve the guests well, right?"

"Think beyond the food, Pinky," Rachel said, slightly annoyed. "There's going to be everything a young lady can dream of there. Elegance, class, sophistication, princes."

"I thought you were all big on science?" Pinky said, confused.

"I am," Rachel said. "But when you pretend to like something for a prolonged period of time, it starts to grow on you. Besides, just because I'm a science girl, it doesn't mean I can't like big, fancy events."

"And the food they serve at the events," Pinky added. Soon, the two girls got into an argument over the fundamentals of enjoying formal gatherings, making Dash feel very frustrated over, what she felt to be, a lack of common sense. However, the rebellious youth managed to find some solace in the fact that AJ remained as calm and collected as usual, leaning back in her seat with her hat tipped over her eyes, and her hands resting behind her head.

"So, AJ…" Dash said, trying to start a normal conversation. "Since you and I are the only sane ones here, how do you feel about this whole fucking mess?"

"It's just another mission," AJ simply claimed. "I'd rather take it than be shot at. What are you so upset about?"

"AJ, take a look at me," Dash said, pointing to her own face. "Do I look like someone who enjoys going to formal gatherings?"

"No," AJ replied. "But you also don't look like someone who would keep a stuffed animal of a turtle anywhere near her."

"You know what, AJ?" Dash said, coldly. "I really hope that, someday, you'll get some weird-ass STD that will make your vulva fall off, and make you profusely bleed out of your asshole. And then die. I forgot that part."

Soon, the car ride ended, as the girls finally got a look at the grand vista before them. From an opening through the tree line, a massive stone castle became visible, towering over the land. The Daltenoss Royal Family Estate was built on the edge of a rocky cliff, which drops down over 200 feet to the forest below. The Estate's prestigious positioning gave the impression that it was substantially more important than everything else around it. It certainly seemed that way to the girls, as they rapidly drove up a steady incline with wonder and amazement.

It took almost too long before they were able to get out of their vehicle, and walk inside of the almost intimidating structure. The main hall, where the ball would take place, took their breath away. The floor was covered in a silky, red carpet, and the walls were a deep gold, which extended to the ceiling. Thirty-five yards away, directly in front of the main entrance, was a long, wide staircase, covered in the same red carpeting. The staircase split into two halves, each parallel to each other, before looping back around, and leading to an upper area directly above the main hall. Eight gold pillars supported the upper structure, stretching up into the ceiling in beautiful radiance.

"Wait," Tara said, pausing briefly in complete shock. "Are we… are we actually staying here for the night?"

"Three nights," chimed a man in a suit from the doorway, who was carrying several bags of luggage. "We'll escort you to your chambers. Enjoy your expenses-free stay at the Daltenoss Estate."

Tara couldn't help herself from squealing again. She felt almost embarrassed by the action; she always figured it was something usually some by teenage girls freaking out over seeing a poster of their favorite boy band. However, her excitement overcame her, and she needed to release some form of her excess energy, or else she would burst.

It only got worse as Tara and the others were guided up the steps. Tara was led through many halls in a daze that she could barely remember them. The halls of the estate were numerous; Tara had forgotten how big the place actually was. However, despite the age of the building surrounding them, and the amount of hallways that needed to be accounted for, everything looked gorgeous. The walls alternated between lovely shades of cyan, gold, and crimson. The portraits changed from family photos to royal statures. The carpet was either violet or dark blue, yet always soft. The closest thing any of the girls could compare it to was being inside of the castle from Cinderella, only it was far better.

It was real.

Eventually, after several flights of stairs and seemingly endless wonder, the girls were brought to a halt before two doors, located across from one another. The escort left them alone, and with a shaky hand, Tara opened one of the doors. Up until this point, Tara was quite sure that she had witnessed the most astounding décor in the entire world. However, within a half of a second of opening the door, she found herself to be mistaken.

The suites in which the girls had to stay were, like the rest of the castle, beyond wonderful. The room contained three separate bedrooms (each with king-sized beds), a fully-equipped kitchen, a seventy-two inch 3D television in front of a full living-room set, a Jacuzzi, and, to what Pinky considered more important than anything, a fully-stocked refrigerator. It didn't take long before the group had fractured into pieces to explore the suite.

"Damn, these beds are comfy!" AJ called out, relaxing on the velvet sheets.

"This toilet is made of, like, silver, or something!" Dash announced. "Shit, how much money do these guys have?"

"Fiona, what exactly am I grabbing a hold of?" Rachel asked her friend, who was standing nearby. "It feels really soft and fuzzy."

"It's some kind of blanket," Fiona commented, examining the fine material. However, she quickly shuddered, and tossed the item to the ground. "Ugh, I think it's leopard fur."

"THEY HAVE CHEESES!" Pinky screamed in joy, her upper body becoming lost inside of the fridge. "They have cheddar, and mozzarella, and a whole bunch of cheeses I never even heard of! This place is the best!"

"Tara, what do you think of this?" Fiona said, still in a state of wonder. However, her friend did not answer, causing her to become mildly concerned. "Tara?"

"Huh?" Tara said, trying to shake herself out of a daze. "Oh, it's great. Just great."

"You know," Dash chimed in. "I think this may be the fanciest place I've ever been in. I mean, I've only lived in shitty houses and underground, top-secret government bases, but still, this place takes the prize. So, who's gonna sleep where."

"I aint leaving this bed!" AJ called out from one of the bedrooms.

"I aint leaving this fridge!" Pinky shouted as well. With a sigh, Tara sat down on the couch in the center of the room.

"I'll stay here, I guess," Tara said, feeling the softness of the couch beneath her. Dash groaned.

"Fine, then," Dash said, irritated. She motioned towards Fiona and Rachel. "Come on, you fuckheads. Let's get to the other room; I'm fucking exhausted."

"Maybe that's not such a bad idea," Fiona said, trying to avoid looking at the fur blanket on the floor. "Hopefully, not all of the rooms have animal pelts."

Fiona wrapped her arm around Rachel's so he could act as a guide, and then followed the rainbow-haired girl into the other suite. Being so caught up in the magic of the location, the girls had completely forgotten how late it actually was in the day. With the others gone, Tara fully lied down on the couch. Despite the constant cheers of Pinky from just a few feet away, Tara's eyes grew heavy, and soon, she was whisked off into a peaceful sleep.

__________

"They're here," The Unknown stated, as he paced back and forth behind the throne.

"I know they're here," Sombra said with a grunt. "The King knows all of the doings in his home."

"Are you sure you're ready for them?" The Unknown asked cautiously. "This needs to go smoothly. It's the last big step in our plan, and if we're going to make it work, you need to make sure they don't suspect anything."

"They don't have the slightest clue what's going on here," Sombra said, growing annoyed. "Stop questioning me; I get things done."

"I'm just making sure," The Unknown said with a sigh. "You seem a little on edge."

"Why wouldn't I be on edge?" Sombra asked, leaning back on his throne. "These girls have been the only problem we seem to face. There used to be five of us, and now, it's just you and me. I have a reason to be slightly suspicious."

"Don't be, Sombra," said the faceless man, leaning over the throne to get near Sombra's ear. "You have nothing to fear. Just let events play out like they may, and all will be fine. And then, everything we hope to achieve will finally be within our grasp."

"You better be right," Sombra grumbled, never looking at his boss.

Or else you will be sorry, he thought.

__________

March 13th, 2016

The ball was rapidly approaching. From what Fiona had heard, her friends were not the only ones taking residence in the castle for the night. Apparently (and she had no way of confirming this herself) all of the attendees had rooms to sleep in for the duration of the evening. While this did slightly hamper the experience, it was not a tremendous worry.

What was a worry was the amount of preparation that she had to go through to get ready for such a formal event. In the many suitcases that Celestia had sent their way, six dresses were neatly packed, each complete with a handful of accessories. Upon first examination, Fiona seemed to be taken aback by how beautiful the gowns were. They resembled, like the rest of the castle, more like something out of a fairy tale than anything else. However, after further research, Fiona discovered how painstaking it was to fit into the dresses themselves. Dash herself had never even bothered to look into her suitcase, instead opting to take the entire object and drag it into the bathroom. Fiona thought that, at the very least, that that would remove some worry from the entire ordeal of changing.

However, Fiona found herself in the uncomfortable position of having to assist Rachel in getting dressed, as well.

"Come on, Fiona. It's like a dream come true," Rachel said with a smile, trying to ease the growing tension.

"I'm not used to dressing other people," Fiona said, nervously holding up Rachel's dress. "It's kind of awkward and- Do you have to take off your shirt?!"

Fiona blushed heavily as the Brit removed her T-shirt. The animal lover felt extremely relieved that Rachel had her back turned, and was still fortunately wearing a bra, otherwise the situation would become unbelievably uncomfortable.

"Hey, this isn't exactly fine for me either," Rachel claimed, quickly taking off her capris as well. "I'm just trying to get this over with; maybe act professionally about it. Now, come on! Put that dress on me."

"Uh, Rachel," Fiona said, her face beet-red. "It's, uh, strapless."

For fuck's sake, Rachel thought with a groan, unclasping her bra as well. She threw the now worthless article of clothing to the floor, and then extended her arms outwards, prompting Fiona to commence with her actions.

After a few painful minutes of awkward touching, struggling and squeezing, Fiona was able to force the dress onto her friend, and tie it up in the back. Rachel finally turned around, and at last, Fiona could actually see the gown in action. The dress itself was pure white, with a deep violet stripe running down Rachel's right side. The dress was low-cut, exposing what Fiona thought was far too much of the foreigner's cleavage to the open air, and hugged the body very tightly, so much so that it was almost difficult for the British girl to breathe. The bottom of the dress was ruffled, and halted just a half of an inch above the floor. Rachel, growing annoyed by the utter silence in the room, groaned and gave a quick twirl, her arms outstretched.

"Well?" Rachel said, placing her hands on her hips. "Spit it out; how do I look?"

"Uh… great?" Fiona said, trying to find the right words to describe the perfect nature of Rachel Germain. However, she found that "great" was substantial enough, and she decided to stick with it.

At this time, Fiona decided to get changed herself, as it was far overdue, and quickly put on her own outfit. Unfortunately, this experience was rather awkward as well, as Rachel happened to be directly staring at Fiona the entire time with two blank, glass eyes. She knew that she wasn't actually being stared at, but it was still rather unnerving. Fiona's dress was a shade of yellow caught between maize and jasmine, and it (much to her relief) covered much more of her body than Rachel's gown did. However, she was somewhat saddened to learn that the thick straps wrapped around her neck instead of her shoulders, exposing her tattooed back. However, the dress seemed to be much more appropriate than her counterpart's, and that was good enough for her. Not to mention, a floral pattern ran along the bottom of the dress itself, adding an extra dash of beauty.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" cried Dash from the bathroom.

"Dash, are you alright?" Rachel asked.

"THAT MOTHERFUCKING BITCH!" Dash yelled again. "IS THIS HER IDEA OF A SICK FUCKING JOKE!?"

"Dash, what's going on?" Fiona called, concerned.

"This is so unfair!" Dash complained. "How am I supposed to wear this?"

"Come out of the bathroom," Fiona instructed. "Tell us what's wrong."

"This is what's wrong," Dash said, as she opened the door. Fiona could hardly believe her eyes. Standing in the doorway, with her arms crossed angrily and a nasty scowl on her face, was Dash in a cyan, sequin-covered, sparkly dress. As if this weren't enough for Fiona to take in, the makeshift of the dress itself was astounding. The dress was not only very low in cut, but also stopped not halfway down Dash's thigh, making Dash more exposed than Rachel was. Unfortunately, Dash's body did not appear to be made for ball gowns; her more muscular structure did not compliment the dress at all, and combined with her under-average height and her flatter assets, she appeared almost as if she were to burst out of the gown entirely.

Rachel simply stared ahead with a blank and confused expression on her face, while Fiona had to quickly cover her mouth to prevent herself from bursting into an incredibly inappropriate fit of giggles.

"It's not that bad, Dash," Fiona said, although she could barely get the words out without laughing, and she was grinning like mad.

"I look like a fucking prostitute," Dash groaned, resting her hand on her head. "I feel like a fucking prostitute. I can't believe Celestia would pack me that."

"Are you sure Celestia packed you, well, whatever it is you're talking about?" Rachel asked, slightly annoyed that she still had no idea what the problem actually was.

"It was in my bag, so yeah," Dash replied with a sneer. "That bitch has some fucked up sense of humor. How does anyone wear this kind of shit? Talkin' to you, Rachel."

"I wore outfits with elegance and class," Rachel said defensively. "From the sound of it, you're dressed like a whore."

"I really am," Dash said, examining her outfit with a repulsed look on her face. "Hey, Fiona, think you can make me look less… slutty?"

"I'll try to make you look better," Fiona responded, managing to get herself under control. With a sigh, she went back to work, applying the necessary accessories to not just herself, but her two friends as well. The task wasn't easy, as Fiona rarely wore makeup herself, and the others were unable to provide much help (except for Rachel, who was, somehow, able to judge how much makeup she was applying to her face, and simply needed to be handed the correct objects). However, after thirty-five minutes, the girls were decked out with glamorous hairstyles, stunning makeup, and a plethora of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, and Fiona felt as if she had just climbed Mount Everest.

"Wow, girl, you actually didn't suck for once," Dash said, looking at herself in the mirror. Fiona had managed to provide her with a makeshift cover-up, which, when coupled with the rest of the jewelry and makeup, actually made Dash look rather attractive. The miscreant didn't feel any happier about having to go to the ball in the first place, and she hated giving off the impression of someone prissy and dimwitted (for she figured no one else could possibly enjoy such an event), but she also supposed that it was an improvement, nonetheless.

However, she rarely had time to mull over her thoughts before Fiona rushed her into a pair of slippers, handed Rachel her cane, and rushed the girls out the door.

"We gotta get moving," Fiona said, dragging the girls out of their luxurious suite. The door locked with a satisfying click behind them, as she knocked thrice on the opposite door. "Are you girls ready in there?"

Fiona was greeted with an annoyed AJ, who suddenly yanked Fiona into the room with great force, making the shy girl stumble to the ground. AJ was wearing a bright orange gown made entirely of lace, which hung off of her right shoulder. AJ's hair was braided, and fell in front of her left shoulder, where it dangled back and forth. The Stetson was surprisingly missing, as, without a doubt, Tara had forced her to keep it off for the duration of the evening.

Yet, that was not the source of AJ's disappointment, as she gestured over to the fridge, where Pinky was buried inside of the cold chamber.

"Can ya help me drag her outta there?" AJ said. Fiona stammered about, unsure of what to do, before Dash marched angrily into the room, and pulled Fiona to her feet. AJ examined Dash for a few moments, before adding in, "What the fuck happened to ya? I can't tell whether you're wearing too much or too little."

Dash only answered in a grunt as she walked over to Pinky, grabbed onto her shoulders, and chucked her to the floor. Pinky gagged on a piece of chocolate in her mouth, and grasped her throat. However, the threat hardly lasted as, with a quick smack to the back, the blonde was able to hack up the sweet treat.

"Whoa, thanks, AJ," Pinky said, her grin unusually large for someone who was choking to death a mere few seconds ago. While Celestia did somewhat anger Dash with her dress selection, she got Pinky down perfectly. As such, Pinky wore, as usual, pink. She had a black sash around her waist, but aside from that, the puffy gown that she wore was entirely pink, and was only complemented with either pink makeup, or jewelry with pinky gemstones within.

"Are we actually going now?" Rachel asked, peering her head into the room.

"One second!" a voice called out from the bathroom. "I can't get the stupid makeup on right."

"Spark, if you want to get off before going to the ball, you don't have to lie about it!" Dash called back.

"I'm almost done!" Tara swore. "One last touch, and… finished!"

Tara Sullivan had never been called "beautiful" before. She had been called "genius", and "brilliant", and "marvelously intelligent", but never "pretty", or "stunning" or gorgeous. She had never thought herself as such, and for the most part, she never really cared; it just wasn't her style of life. She thought that she could simply focus on her academics, and let the views of others be cast aside. It was the reason why Tara never put makeup on unless it was absolutely necessary; she refused to let it dictate her life. However, deep down, she couldn't help but desire one moment in the sun; to be treated like a beautiful young woman instead of a nerdy little girl. She had no desire to be like this, but it came about anyway, like some primal instinct buried deep inside of her subconscious. Perhaps, she figured, it was something that every girl sought to achieve; being raised on princess stories would do it. But for Tara, she gradually decided that it would never come, and she thought she would be contempt with that; her chance at shining like a star had long passed, and she could move on.

But now, for this one moment, Tara Sullivan was shining brighter than any star in the cosmos.

From the instant that she walked out of the bathroom, she was greeted with four mouths hung open in complete and utter shock. The individual before them didn't even resemble Tara, or at least, that was what it seemed like. Her skin shown with a deep radiance that had never been seen in their leader before. Her long, flowing violet gown gave shape to a figure that was almost heavenly in construction. Her arms were covered in long, lacey sleeves that looked like they were ripped directly from a fairy tale. Her hair was tied up neatly in a bun, leaving just four strands of pink hair to fall in front of her face in a most stunning manner. Around her neck was a golden pendant in the shape of a star, made of .24 carat diamond. Truly, if none of the girls had never known her before this incident, they might have sworn she was a goddess.

However, Tara, seemingly unaware of such attentions, adjusted one of her long, silk gloves, and started to go over the mission.

"Okay, we need to come into contact with Brian Hammonick," she announced, not noticing that she was not being listened to. "We need to make sure everything goes over smoothly, and no one gets hurt, so everyone needs to be on their absolute bes-" Tara glanced up, and paused. "Why is everybody staring at me? Did I smear the lipstick, or something?"

"I honestly don't know," Rachel spoke, very frustrated. "Because, apparently, NO ONE IS GOING TO SAY WHAT'S GOING ON! I CANT SEE, SO SOME COOPERATION WOULD BE HELPFUL!"

The screaming knocked Dash out of her stupor, although she was still quite amazed to say the least.

"What. The. Fuck?" Dash said, unblinking. "Did you and Rachel switch place or something when that MACER Device went off? Because… I… I just can't… huh?"

"You, uh, look great, Tara," AJ said, trying regain her composure.

"Then let's go!" Tara said, moving quickly to the door (or as quickly as she could manage in high heels). "We're already late as it is."

"Yeah, we're going to a party!" Pinky suddenly yelled in celebration, jumping in the air. The girls left the room, with the exception of Fiona, who was still in a trance, staring directly at the wall with a completely stunned look on her face.

"Fiona, come on!" Tara called, popping her head briefly back into the room. Fiona shook her own head, coughed, and then followed her friends out of the room, and down the halls, as they made their way towards the ball.

The main gathering point itself was located in the main entrance hall and its upper chamber. Much to the girls' surprise, by the time that they had arrived, hundreds of people were already present. Tara sighed; the last thing she liked was being late for something, especially when it was something of such massive importance. Still, she believed that the situation was quite redeemable, and focused her attention on finding her target. She turned around to give another crucial reminder to her team.

Except, her team wasn't there. They had scattered like cockroaches, each running off to something that they found far more exciting.

Pinky, for one, had managed to run halfway across the upper floor, weave her way through many suited figures, and was now standing in front of a long refreshment table. Pinky was in total bliss; she had never seen so many different types of food in her life. She thought that she had something important to be doing, but she couldn't remember what it was; food clouded her mind. She also thought that she was supposed to be acting "lady-like", but when faced with such a wide arrange of treats, she could not be certain. It hardly mattered anyway; when Pinky Patrikson saw exotic food, it was a necessity to eat it. As such, the people around her with quite surprised when a teenage girl in a bright pink dress lunged towards a piece of cake like a deranged hyena.

But that was only one such example of misconduct. The girls stayed at the ball for several hours, getting caught up in a large variety of events. Tara had managed to locate Brian Hammonick rather early on, and had talked to him greatly. She had heard that he was much nicer than his father George was known to be, and after such a personal experience, she could certainly confirm the rumor. It wasn't just that he was younger and sweeter; he seemed to have an aura of honesty about him, which made their conversation far more enjoyable.

"And so, I truly hope that everything works out alright," Brian said, taking a bite of a pastry hors d'oeuvre. "And I'm terribly sorry for any inconveniences you had to go through."

"Thank you," Tara said happily. "This is going a lot smoother than I thought."

"Well, I try to be much more reasonable than my father was," Brian said with a shrug. "Tell me, how old are you again?"

"Eighteen," Tara replied. "Well, nineteen in about thirty days."

"How did you end up working for the government?" Brian asked with a laugh. "That's ridiculous!"

"It's a long story," Tara answered.

"Well," Brian spoke honestly. "I do hope that the USA continues to have more young people involved. It's great to listen to the modern era."

Far away from the political conversation, Fiona sat by one of the large, glass windows, gazing outside into the endless forest mass. She wasn't a very social person, so large formal gatherings with a lot of judgmental people in a very confined space weren't exactly her forte. She felt very fortunate that no one happened to be standing near the window, as it gave her a nice little box to sit in and think. Fiona never took her eyes off of the window; she was drawn by the curiosity of what lied in the trees. She wished that she could step outside into the open air, and be surrounded by the wonderful creatures that nature had to offer. However, the moon was already out and shining brightly, and while her curiosity drove her outside, her fear kept her within the castle walls.

"Miss Samswell, I presume," said a deep voice from behind her. Fiona nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden sound. She quickly calmed herself down, and turned to face the strange man standing behind her.

The man before her wore a suit, like all of the other gentlemen present for the evening. However, unlike the others, his suit was navy blue, and his tie was silver. The man stood at an imposing six and a half feet tall, and he seemed to be quite aware that he towered over almost everybody else in the room. His face was clean and well kempt, although his jet black hair was long and messy, running to his shoulders in a black mop. His eyes were like that of a hawk, always piercing through everything in sight in a hazel gaze. Wrapped around each arm was a woman, both blonde and wearing outfits that left shocking little to the imagination. He spoke in a very serious, deep tone, as if everyone who had heard something coming from his lips had been blessed.

"You are Miss Fiona Samswell, correct?" the man asked again. Fiona gulped.

"Uh, yes," she said nervously. She couldn't put her finger on it, but the man before her seemed incredibly terrifying. "How do you know who I am?"

"I saw the wings," the man responded, gesturing to Fiona's back. She quickly glanced at her own backside, taking note of the blue wings which were grafted onto her skin.

"Do I know you?" Fiona said, terror ever present in her voice. The man cracked a smile.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said, taking a very slight bow. "My name is Mortimer Leu'Fray. I am the advisor of the imports and exports for all of Vitrumia. Pleasure to meet you."

"Uh, same," Fiona said, giving a small wave. "So, how do you-"

"Let's cut to the chase, Miss Samswell," Mortimer said. "I represent some powerful people in this world. People who plan to do some rather amazing things for the progression of humanity. We believe that you have certain... talents that would be quite useful to us."

"What do you do?" Fiona asked, still quizzical about the entire ordeal.

"We do what is best for the world," Mortimer stated. "We would be greatly honored if you would help our cause. See, we at P.U-"

"Hey, Fiona!" Dash suddenly waltzed over to the two, and wrapped her arm around Fiona's shoulder. "This shit-muncher isn't bothering you or anything, is he?"

"Oh, no, he just-" Fiona tried to explain the situation, but was cut off when Mortimer held out his palm. In truth, Fiona was somewhat glad that Dash happened to stop by. Her conversation with Leu'Fray had been an uncomfortable one, and she was very thankful to have someone by her side, especially someone who knew how to protect herself.

"No need to apologize for Miss Dawson's actions," Mortimer claimed. "We can always continue this talk on a later date. Remember, Miss Samswell, you can always find refuge with us."

With that, Mortimer Leu'Fray left the two alone, leaving them not only slightly scared, but also extremely confused.

"Who the fuck was that?" Dash said, removing her arm from her friend's shoulder. "Some guy you blew back in high school?"

"I have no idea who that was," Fiona responded with honesty. "He just walked up to me, and started talking. He even knew our names. Creepy."

"Meh, I can take him," Dash him, pounding her chest in pride. "I'd wrangle him like a fucking bull."

"Well, thanks for coming over here," Fiona said with a smile. "It really helped."

"Well, you know," Dash said, pretending to be humble. "I needed someone to talk to. Spark's getting all "boring, cooperate conservative" over there, Pinky's trying to rupture her stomach, and I don't know where the fuck the "crazy accents" have gone."

However, as Fiona scanned her eyes around the room, she quickly found a point of interest. In the corner of the room, right by the stairs, a large crowd of men was forming, all circled around one object. It didn't take Fiona long to figure out what had attracted all of their attention. She led Dash towards the object, slowly making her way through the crowd of people. For every time that she apologized for squeezing past someone, there was another instance where Dash responded with a series of swears and complaints. This proved to be the case even more so when they finally arrived at the crowd of extremely excited men, and had to push their way to the front of the group.

As Fiona expected, standing alone in the midst of the group was Rachel, who was smiling happily as she twirled about and constantly teased. Objects were handed her way constantly, and she accepted each one with resounding pleasure. What Fiona did not expect was how smoothly Rachel was acting to everyone. She accepted each object that was thrust in front of her face without any difficulty, and she moved around with such ease without her white cane that she didn't even seem like she was blind anymore.

"Rachel, what's going on?" Fiona asked to her friend, who continued to smile brightly.

"OhhelloFionagreattoseeyoupleasurethatyoustoppedby," Rachel quickly said in a continuous flow.

"What the fuck happened to you?" Dash asked, very confused by Rachel's extremely pleased and almost hyper nature.

"Nothingnothingswrongeverything'sfineI'mfinethanksforasking," Rachel said again, her words once more in a blur. At this time, Fiona noticed something else odd about the Brit. Rachel's fingers appeared to be twitching uncontrollably, and her foot tapped on the ground at a very rapid pace.

"Rachel, what did you do?" she asked, concerned. Leaning over to her friend, Rachel spoke in a hushed voice from behind her perfect smile.

"IgavemyselfanadrenalineshotbeforeIcamehere," Rachel confessed, her fingers still twitching.

"Is that safe?" Fiona was now very worried about her friend's wellbeing.

"Notreallyno," Rachel said honestly, keeping her voice down. "InfactitwasreallystupidtodobutIcouldn'tjustwalkaroundwithoutseeing anythingitwassomethingIneededtodo."

"You're fucking insane," Dash said in disbelief.

"Andyoulooklikeahooker," Rachel said, her smile still bright as vibrant as ever.

"Rachel!" Fiona said, shocked.

"Sorrythatwasmean," Rachel said, accepting a large gem from one of the surrounding males, who had been so caught up on the physical beauty of the young women that they hadn't noticed a word she had said.

"I think you might need to lie down, or something," Fiona suggested.

"Nonsensekeepthepartyalivecantstopnow," Rachel stated.

As the girls went about their talking, AJ, who had mostly stayed by the wall the entire ball, now made her way over to Tara. AJ had no personal feelings about the ball itself; it was what it was. She never had any love of high society life like Rachel, or any deep seeded hatred like Dash. She just saw it as what it was: a ball. Still, she couldn't help but see the artificiality surrounding the entire event. So many people gathering in one place to celebrate how much more successful they were than everyone else. She didn't think of it any more than that, and she didn't lean towards one side or another, but it was just what she was able to observe.

Yet that was not the only thing that put AJ off about the evening. She didn't know why, but she felt as if she were being watched; as if some ghostly presence kept its gaze upon her and would never let go. No matter how hard she tried to fight this feeling, it would not go away. It certainly was not making he feel any more comfortable, so she needed a distraction to get herself away from it.

Luckily, her friend would make due.

Tara had just finished her conversation with Brian Hammonick when AJ arrived. She was also currently in the process of chewing a meaty hors d'oeuvre, and AJ's sudden greeting nearly made her choke.

"Tara, can we talk?" AJ said rather loudly. Once Tara found the strength to swallow the remainder of her meal, she talked to her friend.

"Sure thing," Tara said happily. "How are you enjoying the ball? Pretty cool, huh?"

"It's alright," AJ said, glancing around her. "Just aint somethin' I'm into."

Tara was shocked.

"Really?" Tara said. "How can you not be impressed by all of this? This place is incredible."

"It feels off, though," AJ said, shifting her shoulders. "I don't know what it is, but this whole thing just doesn't sit right with me."

"AJ, I think you might just be a little stressed out," Tara said.

"Hold on a second," AJ said in disbelief. "You're calling me stressed out?"

"I'm just saying," Tara said defensively. "You're not used to big events like this. You don't get to experience things like this much, so you're still in a military mindset. Just relax, and enjoy this. Your name is 'Balle', after all."

"I can't help it if I feel like something's wrong," AJ said sternly. "If I learned anythin' over the past thirteen years of my life, it's that I gotta trust my instincts on these kinda things. And right now, my instincts are tellin' me that somethin' just aint right."

"AJ," Tara said calmly, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Nothing is going on here."

"I think you should listen to your friend," said someone from behind Tara's back, who she pleasantly rotated to face.

"Why thank you, si- Whoa…" Tara stopped moving her lips, and leaned her head back to look at the person who greeted her. The man who now stood before her was well over seven feet tall; his lean body hovering over all around him. His skin was the color of coffee, and his eyes were the color of the ocean. Long dreadlocks hung over his face, and his beard, which rested solely beneath his chin, was strung into segments as well, which dangled several inches below his face. His face was round, and looked very pleasant. Underneath his right eye was a tattoo of a half-circle, which ran underneath his eyelid, and extending from it were three triangles, each pointed downwards at forty-five degree angles from one another. This man, like the others, wore a suit, although it was entirely black, and had a golden pin attached to the front of the jacket.

"You're, uh, really tall," Tara said in shock. She quickly covered her mouth, realizing that she wasn't supposed to be saying such things at all. However, the man laughed a hearty laugh, showing no ill feelings.

"Yes, I suppose I am," the man said with a smile. "My name is Quincius Daltenoss. And you girls are the lovely young ladies that were sent to my castle, yes?"

Tara immediately felt dumbstruck. She had heard the name of Quincius Daltenoss before, and now that she realized who she was talking to, she felt like a complete fool.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry," Tara said, quickly taking a curtsy. "I didn't realize who I was talking to." Tara paused, and then whispered to AJ harshly. "AJ, bow, now."

However, AJ remained unimpressed.

"You're the owner of the castle?" AJ asked in a casual manner. Tara felt extremely agitated; this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to talk to royalty, and AJ was messing everything up. But yet again, Quincius did not seem to mind at all.

"Actually, that would be my father," Quincius said, looking around the room. "But, in a way, yes. I do own this place. Also, you can stop bowing, miss." Tara hopped back to an upright position, letting loose a nervous laugh.

"It's really an honor to meet you, your highness," Tara said.

"Just 'Quincius' is fine," the prince said with humility. "But actually, it is much more of an honor to meet you. I have heard many things that you have accomplished. It is really quite outstanding for someone at such a young age."

"Thank you so much, sir," Tara said with a genuine smile. "That's really incredible to hear."

"Yes," Quincius said, although his expression saddened. "Look, what were you told when you were instructed to come here?"

"Our mission is to ensure that relations stay strong between our two countries," AJ informed.

"That's what I was hoping for," Quincius said. He looked around nervously for a few moments, before getting down on one knee, so that he was eye level with the girls. He leaned in close to Tara, and spoke in a hushed voice. "I need your help with something. Something very important."

"What is it?" Tara asked, confused. Quincius sighed.

"Over the past several years," Quincius explained. "My father has been mandating the selling of natural resources in Virtumia. He's always been very secretive about his work; he never tells me anything. But recently, I managed to check through his files, and I made a very startling discovery."

"What'd ya find?" AJ, curiously.

"I think," Quincius said, clearly distraught. He kept his voice low. "I think my father is working with a terrorist."

The news was shocking. Tara especially was baffled by the news. It wasn't something that she understood. She was in Virtumia. Wasn't this supposed to be a safe haven, where all worries were taken care of, and the seeds of corruption were washed away? How could a man in charge of so much beauty negotiate with someone so horrible?

"Do you know who it is that he's been talking to?" AJ asked, staying calm.

"I wouldn't know," Quincius said, shaking his head. "I think I saw him once, but-"

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" A man called out from the steps. "Introducing your generous benefactor, King Klius Daltenoss!"

"Meet in the hall outside of your rooms in five minutes," Quincius said, rising to his feet. "I'll explain the rest there."

Quincius walked away in a very formal manner, acting like he had not just revealed information that made Tara feel sick to her stomach. If Quincius was right, then that meant that her host could be supporting a massive destructive plan, which could result in the deaths of untold numbers of innocent lives. Worse, if King Klius was working with who she thought he was working for, then the little vacation she was on was about to become much more brutal.

Her thoughts were broken when AJ nudged her in the elbow, and motioned her to sneak through the crowd. As the two girls stealthily made their way through the crowd, Tara noticed that all of the attention in the room was directed towards a man standing on the steps.

Klius Daltenoss was not as tall as his son, but he was certainly more imposing, with a stern jaw, stern eyes, and a stern scowl, which seemed permanently attached to his face. His robes were much more elegant than anyone else's in the entire castle; his clothes were velvet, silk, and fur, each making up a different segment of his royal ensemble. Despite his serious expression, Tara had no doubt that he was rather full of himself, and enjoyed dressing up as much as possible. Atop his head was a golden crown that was covered with rubies, diamonds, and other such gems.

With a deep, booming voice equivalent to that of his son's, Klius Daltenoss addressed the crowd.

"Welcome, everyone!" Klius declared. "I take it that you have been enjoying the services. I am glad; not because I get to enjoy a wonderful ball, but because of the fantastic work we've done over the past several years, and all of the partnerships we made."

The audience clapped.

"I have built Vitrumia to be the world's finest in the exporting of raw materials," Klius continued. "And to all of the great nations that have supported me throughout this time, thank you. Thank you. Without your help, none of this would have been possible at all, and my dreams could never become reality."

Bullshit, AJ thought as she snuck down one of the many hallways. She couldn't help herself from thinking negatively about the king. After all, considering that he was most likely assisting a terrorist operation, she had very good reasons not to trust him. But she felt that even if he had not been involved in any sort of violent incident, she was certain that he would still be hated. To her, he seemed like a liar and a cheat, and those were the types of people she despised.

By the time that she and Tara had managed to locate an elevator, dodge the guards and sneak back to their rooms, Quincius had already arrived, and was waiting patiently.

"Good, you showed up," he said happily.

"We can't miss this," Tara said, still somewhat saddened. "So, what do you know?"

"Well, I few weeks ago," Quincius said. "I decided to check over some files of my father's work, seeing as how I'm supposed to take over control of the state. But when I was searching, I found documents regarding the exports of classified materials to a part of the eastern United States. I was very confused by this, as I knew that all exports needed to be documented publicly on what leaves the island. But when I went to confront my father about it, he told me that it was not important, and I needed to leave. There was this man he was talking to, who looked absolutely horrifying."

"What did he look like?" Tara asked. Quincius racked his brain to remember.

"He had on this black sports coat, and this black hat as well," Quincius said. "But his whole head was covered by this white cloth; I couldn't see his face at all.

"Oh shit," AJ muttered under her breath. The description was all too familiar to her. She could clearly see the same man, just as described, staring her down in an abandoned restaurant just a few months earlier.

"It's him, isn't it?" Tara said, grasping the gravity of the situation.

"Yeah, it's him," AJ said with a mixture of disappointment and fear. "Quincius, do you know why you father would partner with a terrorist?"

Quincius remained silent for a moment.

"Are either of you girls familiar with my religion?" Quincius asked. Both girls shook their heads.

"What does that got to do with any of this?" AJ asked.

"Well," Quincius said, taking a sigh. "Back when natives inhabited this island thousands of years ago, they invented a belief of gods and the afterlife that explained the concept of the universe. In their original language, the word, "Sombra" means god. One of the more famous stories goes about like this: DiSombra, god of wealth, was tired of the other gods treating him like a mere child. So, he devised a plan to put himself up above the others. He started to offer the other Sombras portions of his wealth in exchange for pieces of their souls. Once each Sombra gave away a piece of their soul, they thought that they would be happy. But since DiSombra owned a portion of their soul, a portion given out of lust for wealth, he could make them do whatever he wanted. For a brief time, he became king of the gods, but became bored with his power. Out of boredom, he placed all of the money-hungry souls into a box, and sent it out onto the world. The other Sombras had their free will back, but constantly hungered for their souls back, and searched all over the world for it. But they were never found. The legend says that the souls hunger for a host, and if they infect a body, that person becomes overcome with lust for money. This was how greed came about to the earth."

"But what does this have to do with Klius?' AJ asked, growing impatient.

"My father obsessed over that story for all of his life," Quincius explained. "He retold it to me every night before I went to bed. I can't be sure why he's doing what he's doing, but I think that he wants to be just like DiSombra; let others greed rot themselves out, so he can become king of the world; king of the gods. I don't really know, but that's the best explanation I can think of."

"And your father has just been partnering with this man, on and off, for years?" Tara asked.

Quincius shook his head.

"You could hardly say that it occurs in intervals," he said. "In fact, every time my father has a 'private meeting', the two of them sit together and talk for hours. This happens all the time. Actually, now that I think about it… they had a meeting together yesterday."

The two P.O.N.Y's mulled over the situation. Things looked bad. From what they heard, one of the richest, most powerful men in the world was supplying a major terrorist threat with something, and it could not possibly be any good. Worse, nothing could be done to the man without sparking an international incident, which meant that Klius Daltenoss was practically untouchable. But even worse than that was one incredibly glaring fact, which both excited and shook the girls to their very core; which was so unbelievable, that they weren't sure whether it was a dream come true, or a nightmare come to life.

The Unknown was in Vitrumia.

To Be Continued...