The fires of summoning enveloping Gem, Comfort. Three, and Thirteen fade away, leaving them all standing in the kitchen of Gem’s Canterlot house. It’s pitch black, which isn’t a big deal to any of them, and they can’t hear anything. That lasts only a second before the door swings open and Harriet pushes through, barely fitting into the frame.

“You’re back!” she exclaims, not bothered by the darkness as well, “How did it go? The sun isn’t shining, so I’m guessing Three’s request didn’t go as planned.”

“Did everyone overhear us?” Thirteen sighs.

“Pretty much,” Gem nods, “How long have we been gone?”

“Six hours, give or take.”

“Huh, didn’t feel like it,” Gem shrugs, “Aaanyway, Three, Thirteen, go wake Magpie up. We’re done here so the sooner we get going the better.”

“Why us?” asks Thirteen, “He’s unpleasant enough already. Maybe it would be better if someone whom he likes was the one shaking him awake.”

“I need to sort something out with Comfort here before we leave. Harriet, I’ve got supplies in the cellar like I did inside my hideout in the Crystal Empire. Go get those, will you?”

“Sure thing,” Harriet nods and walks off.

“Three?” Thirteen looks down at the drone pursing his lips and staring at nothing, “You okay?”

“Hmm, what?” he shakes his head, “Sorry, I was just thinking about Flow’s story. Yeah, let’s go wake up mister grumpy.”

Without further discussion he simply walks outside, followed by Thirteen. When everyone is out of earshot, Comfort pulls up a chair and sits down.

“Alright, honey, what do you need from me?”

“A favor. Something I don’t know you can even do,” Gem sighs.

“Now now, I know you better than even your dad so just say it.”

“I’m not entirely sure how to go about it but I’ll figure out the details on the road to Manehattan. I think I’m about to do something really stupid, Comfort, and I might need you to get me out if things go wrong.”

“Stupid doesn’t sound like you.”

“Stupid times require stupid measures, I guess,” Gem sighs.

“And this stupid measure will get you into a situation even your extensive abilities won’t get you out of?”

“There’s a possibility that I won’t get a chance to do anything before-”

“Before Celestia vaporizes you,” Comfort smirks at Gem who doesn’t look at all surprised that her mentor got it right in one.

“You see right through me like always. I can’t let Flow’s-”

“His name is Blazing Light, don’t forget. It’s a name that should get you an audience with Luna but you have to keep it a secret from Celestia. We met briefly and I knew a tiny fraction of his story already from Scream and Joy.”

“So you think everything he said was true?”

“In general, unapologetic ponies don’t see a reason to lie and I believe that he was in a position where he didn’t think he had a choice,” Comfort sighs, “Celestia won’t see it that way and that’s why you have to avoid her at all cost.”

“I intend to. I want to speak to Luna and maybe Twilight but my only reliable contact is Prominence.”

“I can see the problem, though I think you’re forgetting someone.”

“I’m listening,” Gem tilts her head.

“I might be wrong since we didn’t have time to properly talk about everything that’s happened during last year but didn’t you spend a lot of time with Luna’s son?”

“Starry Night?” Gem raises an eyebrow, “I did consider him but Fl- Blazing killed his best friend and low-key love interest. It’s a coin toss whether or not he would immediately report me to Sunbutt. I don’t like that kind of uncertainty. Unlike him, Promi will help me. The key problem is whether or not she can keep it secret from her creator.”

“So, in the case of unexpected vaporization by the alicorn of the currently nonexistent Sun you want me to summon myself into the real world and save you.”

“Would you?” Gem smirks.

“I’m not sure if it’s even possible, really. Demons can’t enter Equus just anywhere, be happy about that. We need fixed points, rituals, all that jazz.”

Gem sighs.

“Not saying it’s impossible, though,” Comfort winks at her, “We’d just need some preparation. Say what, after you return here and before you go get yourself nuked in the castle, summon me and we’ll spend some time together, okay?”

“Anything that helps me make things better and stay alive in the meantime,” Gem smiles with relief.

“What about the two dummies, though?” Comfort nods to the ceiling, “Leaving them alone can’t be the best idea.”

Gem’s smile fades instantly.

“I don’t know where dad is and we don’t have the option to return to the Crystal Empire to follow the dwarven marks they’re leaving behind. Besides, the Crystal Guards must be already looking for them. I don’t have time to do everything while the world is freezing over,” Gem grits her teeth and lets out a helpless huff, “No, I can’t go with them. No matter what they think about Magpie, he’ll take care of them if I ask him to. Besides, some backwater hole like Windy might be the safest place in the world right now. Griffons despise changelings, I know, but if there’s someone who can find safety among them then it’s Three. Hole, it’s about fifty-fifty whether Three’s going to have it easier with griffons than a fully corrupted Harriet both with the general population as well as her own father. From what I heard, most dragon parenting consists of not accidentally sitting on their young.”

“Well,” Comfort looks at the ceiling, “Three isn’t the one I’m worried about. I think all of you other than boss himself have been underestimating him since day one. Thirteen, on the other hole...”

Gem shakes her head.

“There’s something about her I haven’t felt from any other changeling. Few of the things Three told me about her in his erratic way don’t add up.”

“In what way?” Comfort raises an eyebrow.

“I wish I knew,” Gem sighs, “I’d like to see her under pressure but this isn’t the time to go testing her. We have bigger things to worry about.”

“Agreed,” Comfort nods, “So, if that’s all then I should get on researching how to summon myself into the real world.”

“Thanks,” Gem gives the succubus a soft smile.

“No problem,” Comfort winks at her, “What sort of a mentor would I be if I’d let my best pupil whose skill has outgrown mine get vaporized?”

“A classic, old-school changeling one?” Gem’s smile turns into a smirk.

“Oh shush!” Comfort disappears with a laugh and a burst of pink fire.

It’s been six days and, just like during the trip to Canterlot, the group has been avoiding the main road while still remaining within earshot. For changelings, it meant safe distance from anyone using the only properly maintained connection between the two major settlements. Gem has been worrying about aggressive Corrupted but so far it seemed that the cold, darkness, Harriet’s presence, and her own anti-scent potions were enough of a deterrent from any assault. However, this close to Manehattan there’s always the possibility of encountering corrupted griffons and those feral bastards go for meat no matter what.

“What’s wrong, miss Harriet?” asks Three when he hears a rustle as Harriet’s back tentacles snap to life and start wiggling wildly.

“I’m so hungry all of a sudden...” croaks Harriet, staring upwards into the pitch blackness, “Something smells delicious from up there.”

Gem stops, looks at the mare, and realization dawns on her face.

“You’ve never had a wild corrupted berry, have you? Only the synthetic ones.”

Harriet nods.

“And not even that since...” her stomach grumbles, “Emperor’s talons, was the last time really after we returned from Zebrica? I had no idea Corrupted could even survive without those for so long,” she sniffs the air, finds the correct tree in the vicinity, digs her claws into it, and manages to get several pony lengths up before her head spins and she drops like a rock, “Oof!”

She stands back up, unharmed, and sighs.

“Is it that hoof-sized, black ball thingy up there?” asks Three, his wings already buzzing as he’s flying straight up.

“Wait!” Gem calls out too late.

“Wh- yaah!” Three only manages to squeak as two tentacles shoot out of the nearby undergrowth and drag him instantly down from the air.

Magpie facetalons, Gem sighs, but Harriet and Thirteen rush immediately towards a black bush with a spider web-like structure of tendrils the entirety of which has snapped around Three, leaving him unable to do more than squirm.

“Are you okay?!” Thirteen glances back at the two ‘adults’ in the back who don’t seem in too much of a hurry.

“I’m being out-hugged by a bush!” complains Three who has stopped trying in vain to free himself and in turn the flytrap stopped tightening up.

“Leave this to me,” Harriet nods at Thirteen, grabs the nearest tendril, heaves, and rips it in half. With the amount now wrapping Three up like a mummy, it’s going to take a while even with her strength, claws, and teeth.

Thirteen steps away, scratches her head, smirks to herself, grows claws on all her legs, and starts climbing up the tree with glacial slowness.

Magpie rolls his eyes but this time Gem taps his shoulder and shakes her head.

“As long as she’s not flying around, she won’t trigger any more traps. Let her,” she whispers.

Few minutes later, Thirteen drops the berry to Gem, jumps down herself, and Harriet is carefully sniffing freshly released Three.

“Does something smell weird here?” Three runs around in a circle in the way of a dog chasing its tail.

“You,” Harriet presses her muzzle against his neck, “Stop it! But it’s not weird, it’s sweet. I want to-” she loses control and licks Three from the neck to his chin.

“Hey!” Thirteen pouts, mentally adding to herself, “I wanted to do that...”

“Sorry,” Harriet blinks and backs off, “I just couldn’t control myself.”

“It’s the flytrap pheromones,” explains Gem, reaching into her backpack and tossing Three a small, soft brick, “Thirteen, help Three clean up or we’ll be attracting every Corrupted from here to Manehattan. Flytraps aren’t dangerous on their own but since they’re almost impossible to escape and let out clouds of scent that draw Corrupted in you’re pretty much done if you’re caught on your own. Here, bon appetit,” she tosses the berry to Harriet who starts salivating and immediately swallows the hoof-sized ball whole.

Her ears twitch as she hears a distant whisper of something scratching against the bark of a tree.

“New plan,” she says, “Three, get on Thirteen’s back and clean up there. We’re leaving! Harriet?”

“Huh?” the mare snaps out of a trance induced by an unbelievable surge of power and fullness running through her whole body, “What?”

“Corrupted are on the way. We need to go!”

“Huh?” Harriet grins as she concentrates on the tiny tremors spreading through the tainted ground, “Three Hunters? Hah! We’re not running from just three Hunters!”

She has no idea where that confidence is coming from but just the raw amount of power…

She charges through the trees into darkness.

Moments later, a roar- no, a physical manifestation of acoustic brutality cleaves the air like a battleaxe. It’s followed by panicked whimpers, cracking of trees, and finally - silence.

Magpie grips the handle of his mace tighter as Harriet steps into vision again, looks at her jaw-dropped companions, nervously scratches her head, and says:

“Well, umm, that was a bit more effective than I thought. We can camp out here if we want, I’m sure nothing will be going this way for some time.”

“Well, I ain’t sleeping after that,” comments Magpie, his statement supported by Thirteen’s vigorous nodding.

“Sorry,” Harriet withers a little.

“It’s just adrenaline,” Gem shrugs, shooting a quick glare at the griffon, “Besides, we can use this to get to Manehattan sooner. Any objections?”

“Nu-uh,” Three shakes his head while rubbing himself off with Gem’s soap.

The decision turns out to be unanimous and the group resume walking.

“Hey, miss Gem?” Harriet speaks up out of nowhere.

“Yeah?”

“Mind speaking in private for a while?”

“Yeah, sure,” Gem lets Three and Thirteen pass her, slowing down until Magpie’s headlamp is only a dot ahead, “What’s bothering you?”

Harriet doesn’t try to pretend at all.

“You know how you told us everything this... Flow told you in Tartarus. I’ve been mulling over it and I can’t understand one thing.”

“You’re a lucky pony then,” Gem frowns, “I couldn’t understand the context of quite a lot of things Blazing said.”

“Well duh,” Harriet rolls her eyes, “You’re thinking about those big things on the world-ending scale. I just… I just don’t understand why my mom’s name had to appear on the wall of names in Manehattan. Why did she have to die?”

“She didn’t,” Gem sighs, “That’s the point, isn’t it? It would be great if there was some huge answer, that she was crucial to Blazing’s plan and had to be killed, anything. But there isn’t any. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time and had the courage to stand up against what she perceived to be evil. Imagine the medics and support personnel who were on the northern coast of Zebrica helping refugees and died in the blast of Celestia’s destabilized spell. They weren’t in the way, they weren’t main targets, and yet they fueled Blazing’s power to do all this,” she points at the sky. It’s completely obscured by the canopies but since everything is pitch black anyway it doesn’t really matter.

Harriet hangs her head low.

“I wish I had something good to tell dad if I see him again...”

“When you see him again, Harriet,” Gem nuzzles Harriet’s cheek, “At least you saw your mom’s name on the wall, which means Blazing took the time to find out who she was and at least at the time he did regret it. Now… I don’t think he’s entirely sane and, honestly, I’d be incredibly suspicious of anyone who would be after so much pressure.”

“Do you sympathize with him?” asks Harriet carefully.

“I’m old, Harriet, and I’ve been through a lot. Likely through much more than my entire hive or most living changelings combined. I don’t agree with what he did but it’s easy to object when you’re not part of the situation. I have my hive, my fortune, my friends, I even had a lover in the Crystal Empire during the early onset of corruption. Other than dad, I think I could eventually replace anyone in my life in case something terrible happened and go on with my life while treasuring their memory. In Blazing, I saw someone who didn’t have any of that nor a chance to regain it and had to fight everything and everyone for so long to retain the few creatures he had left,” Gem shakes her head, “I consider myself smart enough to understand when I’m not smart enough to understand. I‘m not helping, am I?”

“You are, miss Gem,” Harriet forces a smile, “I just thought that after all I’ve gone through I’d have some answers and certainty. Instead, I still feel in way over my head just the same as when I first stepped out of Windy to track the dragonslayers with only a bag of haphazardly gathered supplies and a cast iron pan.”

“This is a situation in which everyone is in way over their head,” Gem chuckles, “And I think we have the best role model for such an event here with us, someone who has inspired me for a very long time.”

“Huh?”

“Nevermind. Just do what little good you can, Harriet. It won’t make things worse.”

“Simple enough.”

“Simple? Yes. Sticking to it no matter the circumstances? Definitely not easy.”

“I guess our best role model for sticking to a plan no matter what it leads to is sitting in Tartarus right now.”

“Way to ruin my point, Harriet.”

The Corrupted sticks two of her tongues out at Gem with a wink and picks up the pace to catch up with the others.