Providence, Somewhere

The Secrets That We Keep

"This is why I fight the Distortion," Zelda recalled Ashi saying. She was going through the pamphlets Eclipsa had given her the next day, deciding on a house style.

"I easily disagree with Sally, but I'd rather the kids sit this one out. Marinette is just fine sitting it out, she says, but then there's kids like Becky and Fink. They're not equipped to fight a war, and so young, too."

It was a sentiment Zelda seemed to agree with all too well, what with the legends she was familiar with talking about one of the heroes of time being a child at the time of being chosen.

But maybe it was worth talking to Sally about it. Maybe Sally had a perspective that Ashi hadn't considered. Only, she didn't really know who Sally was.

The knocking on her door distracted her as she eyed a more traditional, suburban home. Opening the door, she saw Sunset Shimmer with some food in hand. Next to her was the girl in pink, standing with a cane to support her.

"Hope you don't mind, but I brought over Aelita," Sunset said. "We need to talk about how we'll break the news to Eclipsa about Mellori."

"Come in, then," Zelda replied, leading them inside.

"Checking out the different home types?" Sunset asked, setting down the bag of food near the miscellany. "Anyway, I hope everyone's okay with pancakes."

"Any suggestions? I'm afraid I'm rather lost on which to pick."

Sunset pulled out the trays, one by one. "I live in a suburban. If you want, you can stay in one of those unless it gets lonesome for you. Then you can become roommates with someone. Or you can get placed with someone."

"You mean similar to Marinette and Ashi's arrangement?"

"Yeah," Aelita interjected, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Us older kids tend to stay with the younger ones, if not to make sure they don't end up in trouble."

Sunset handed Zelda her tray. "You still have time to decide with Eclipsa, provided this news doesn't break her first."

Zelda sat next to Aelita, who was also handed a tray. "Speaking of, what will we tell her? Should it be the exact line of events, Sunset?"

Sunset sat down on the chair. "The original plan was that Aelita come with us to reiterate what she saw and confirm that yes, the Underground Lab got compromised."

"And from my understanding," Aelita interjected once more. "Mellori was taken, too."

"Yeah. Can't blame her; she was feeling rather useless without her magic."

The rest of breakfast seemed to continue on without much chatter. Everyone knew what they needed to do, and no one was willing to talk each other out of it. It felt rather tense.

"Aelita?" Zelda asked. "How are you feeling since it happened?"

Aelita hesitated. "I wish I could've done more. If only I could've dragged her out. She would still be here."

"I see." Zelda embraced Aelita, taking her empty tray.

"She's just a bit stubborn, is all. But honestly, this was the most stubborn she's ever been. She's not one to simply jump into a hazard like that."

"You're saying she put herself in danger on purpose?" Sunset asked.

"Where did you end up when you escaped?" Zelda asked.

Aelita hesitated once more, thinking, but then gasped. "It led to the outskirts. Very close to where we shouldn't be."

"That was way far away," Sunset noted, pulling out her phone. "We entered through the town's manhole, and we fled through the manhole closest to Ashi's lookout tower. Which means the manhole you fled through... oh."