The moment they were in her quarters, Chrysalis leveled a look at Sunset. "Want to tell us what the hell happened down there? Because I don't appreciate being controlled into staying put by my subordinate using dangerous magic on me." She grimaced. "I never expected to have to say that with a straight face either."

"Was this part of the possible corruption you and Twilight discussed in relation to your Blood Magic?" Tygan asked.

"I-I don't know if it was the Blood Magic…" Sunset said, wrapping her arms around herself. "I was just… so angry! I reached out and… the Element reacted." She bit her lip. "I think, because of the nature of the Element of Magic, and its connection to Twilight, it might have let me—"

"Wait. Let you?" Shen asked. She had joined them on the way to the Commander's Quarters, when she had overheard Michael babbling about being attacked by a monster. "Is it… alive?"

Sunset shrugged. "Not… in the sense you're thinking, but I think that… on some level, whatever dictates the Element's actions was also frustrated with Mic—that asshole." She shook her head.

"In any case," she continued, "I was angry. And when I felt a source of magic, I instinctively reached out, and the magic flooded me." She looked down, feeling embarrassed. "All of a sudden, I could do everything without fearing of overusing my own energy… It was almost like being back home." She gulped. "But even when I used the Blood Magic in Equestria, I didn't… transform. Into anything."

"I see..." Tygan pondered this for a moment. "There are many factors affecting this issue, from a possible limitation on who can truly access the Element's power, to Lt. Shimmer's possible misuse of its properties, whether as intended by the artifact or not.

"Until we bring back Twilight I can't know for sure, but it appears that these unintended transformative powers do not have a positive effect on Sunset." He adjusted his glasses. "I advise caution as to the usage of the artifact, if complete avoidance can't be helped."

Chrysalis sighed. "That might not be possible. There might come a time where we'll need to use it. Tygan, you… and Twilight, when we get her back, need to get on it. The Council Man has already sent me the coordinates for our next objective and we have started engaging the local resistance. We need all the advantages we can get."

Sunset shuddered. "I'd… rather avoid it for now." She glanced at the location where it was supposedly hidden. A not-so-deep part of her wanted to connect to it again. To feel the magic burning through her veins and making her feel so… complete. So powerful! In utmost control. It was almost a physical need—she wanted it. She wanted it so bad…

"Either way, we don't have time to ponder at this time," Chrysalis said. "I want Menace on this right now. Annette, you're going with them." She started pacing. "We're splitting the team in two to avoid any possibility of ADVENT spiriting Twilight away through the most obvious means."

She pulled up a rendering of the building. "We know from what she told us that most of the buildings she could see were shorter than the room she was in… so we'll assume she's around the middle. Whichever team finds her first, will cover and protect her and Kevin until the others arrive, then start advancing up. The pickup will be at the top of the building.

"At first glance we can tell their options are limited, and given that our traitor knew nothing, and they are unaware of Twilight's unusual method of communication, they will not expect such a quick response."

"The schematics of the building show that the power supply is in a secure room right under the first floor," Shen spoke up, touching the lower part of the building and lighting it red. "It's fairly standard ADVENT tech… this building was never intended to be used as a secure facility, although I am really not surprised ADVENT has prison cells in almost all of their structures."

"It is a rather unsettling practice," Tygan agreed.

"Anyway, the ground team can simply drop a couple of EMP explosives down the elevator shaft and that will disable the whole building's electric grid… and the emergency systems can be activated from the security office on the first floor. If we time it right, it will lock down the ground floor and prevent the access of additional troops for quite some time."

"Eliminating the enemy is secondary to getting our people out," she added, looking at Sunset straight in the eye. "No matter how pissed off we are."

"Right," Sunset said.

"Good," Chrysalis said, holding Sunset's eyes with her own for a moment longer before turning around. "Go get yourself and your team ready, you leave immediately once you're done. We'll finalize the strategy on the flight."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Twilight now sat on her cell bed with more confidence, although she was trying not to show it. As far as she knew, magical conversations like the one she had with Sunset were untraceable. But she didn't want to reveal her hoof to her captors… the Assassin would notice something immediately if she came again to visit her.

Kevin had stopped breathing hard at some point too. Whatever ADVENT had done, it seemed to have worked. They had taken them both prisoner, but it wasn't clear why… could it be that the Assassin didn't believe Twilight would know much?

She shook her head, her thoughts darkening. If Starswirl himself had fought the Assassin and the other Chosen, then they couldn't have been anything but evil… but even so, the thought that creatures such as these could possibly come from her world baffled her.

Not since the Windigos had she ever heard of creatures so evil, and Starswirl had fought a lot of them. What did the old legends say? Sirens? Dragon-wights? Demonic Minotaurs?

Twilight sighed. It could be any of those, and more… she never thought she would actually agree with the human's tendency to try and… what's the word Tygan used? Terminate? Maybe… maybe Starswirl should have… killed…

Twilight shook her head. She couldn't. She knew she was part of the war now, but… she could never wish that upon another.

"And how is my little pony today?" The Assassin's sudden appearance drew a gasp from Twilight, and she stood up in surprise, staring at the woman.

"Um…"

"Well?" The assassin smiled.

"I…" Twilight gulped. Despite everything… this creature came from her home. "I'm Twilight Sparkle."

The Assassin blinked in surprise. "What?"

"My name. It's—"

"I know that's your name, pony!" The Assassin hissed, walking up to the glass separator and glaring at her. "What I want to know is what you're planning!"

Twilight winced. Right now pretending to not be so sure of herself wasn't much of a problem. "I… was just thinking… we're both Equestrians and—"

"Silence!" The Assassin snapped. "I am not! Neither I nor my sist—" she cut herself, hissing in anger. "I belong to the Elders now. Everything that was me before has been erased."

Twilight gulped. "Um… what about that gem?"

The Assassin straightened up, mouth tightly shut.

"I-I just... " Twilight licked her lips. "I'm not trying to make you angry… but… I just, I don't know what you could have possibly done to-to deserve…" she motioned at the Assassin. Twilight looked down and away. "Maybe that's why you hate us ponies… me… maybe that's why you hate humanity and joined ADVENT…"

The Assassin snorted. "I worked for the Elders before ADVENT even existed, this was my reward!"

Twilight nodded, still not looking up. "I'm sorry."

The assassin slammed her fist on the glass. "Don't pity me pony!"

"I-I have to say something!" Twilight cried, looking up. "I-I can't hate you! Not-not after hearing what you—how you came to be here… why did Starswirl do this to you? Why did he throw you out of our world? Away from your family? Friends?"

"I wasn't cast alone," The Assassin hissed. "My sisters were with me."

Twilight flinched. "I'm sorry… you shouldn't have been… sent away. I wish I could have been there, if only to offer an alternative."

The Assassin was silent for a moment, looking to the side. "Like what?"

"Friendship."

The Assassin snorted. "Ridiculous."

"No! It isn't!" Twilight insisted, looking up. "Friendship turned Nightmare Moon back into Luna! Friendship allowed Discord to be free! It stopped King Sombra!"

That stopped the Assassin's laugh. She glanced at her. "King Sombra, you say? Discord and Nightmare Moon? You would have tried to befriend us?"

"At least… tried to find common ground!" Twilight offered. "You couldn't have done any worse than Nightmare Moon and Discord!"

"Stupid pony," The Assassin said, although there was less strength to her words. "Your species was our food. We lured the worst out of you with songs and we feasted on your corpses." She snorted. "What friendship could bloom from that? What common ground can a meal find with the creature it is served to?"

"Something!" Twilight cried. "Anything! We would have found a peaceful way to solve our differences if we tried! You didn't need to be exiled away from everything you knew! I know who you were now… siren."

The Assassin took a sharp breath.

"I studied everything… everything I could. I've learned so much about other species thanks to my friends… there's nothing that's insurmountable! One of my best friends has a griffon "friend" and she—"

"Did you just... air quote?"

"...and she eats meat. Other creatures we know do it to. We are still able to coexist!" Twilight continued, ignoring the Assassin's question.

The Assassin snorted, then walked away, fading into invisibility, leaving Twilight alone.

"I want to go with you."

Sunset looked up and shook her head, finishing strapping on her inherited armor. "Not happening."

Alejandra gritted her teeth. "I just watched my whole team die!" She paced in the changing room, where Jane was sliding her leather jacket on top of her armor. Sunset had to admit, it looked… kinda cool.

"That is part of the problem," Sunset said. "You're exhausted. Your mind is not going to be in the game. This is not a mission where rookies can survive, Acevedo, just one mistake will not only cost your life, but put at risk everyone else."

"I-I just…" Alejandra sat down. "They're my friends… I saw the others die and I couldn't do anything."

"You didn't panic," Elena said from where she had already finished getting ready. "You kept your cool and followed orders." She nodded at Alejandra. "You'll be getting much better in the future, but sometimes you need to let others step in."

"But you're not with us," Sunset added. "When you have rested, you need to deal with your loss somehow and we'll support you, but this mission rides with too much baggage for this…" her eyes narrowed. "And something important waits for you, Twilight and Kevin later on. You'll need to be ready."

"But—" Alejandra yawned and swayed.

Sunset blinked in surprise when the rookie sat down and was soon snoring away.

"She needs rest and calming dreams," Laetitia said. Next to her Annette smirked.

Sunset shook her head, but stood up. "Alright, if we're all ready, let's get going."

They were joined by Mox, who was waiting outside the changing room, and the group made their way down to the hangar. As she approached, Sunset couldn't believe what Bradford had in his hands. "Is that—"

"You might need every advantage you can get," Bradford said. "The Commander wants you to take it for now."

Sunset gulped, but nodded, taking the package.

"Be careful out there," Bradford said as the group boarded the plane.

"We've got this." Sunset smiled down at him from the ramp. "We'll bring them back."