Their journey began in silence, just the sound of their hoofsteps as they went along the mountains of Crystal's Empire, but Solar Ignis ended up speaking.

- So you're a vampire...?

- Yeah... Emoshy breathed, her gaze on the ground. I had never dared to talk about it - I was little, I was too scared - and after all these murders...

- I understand. assured the fire unicorn, her tone calm and sincere.

Another silence, awkward and heavy. The sound of their hooves reflected their thoughts, uncertain and swift.

- ...But, given that you were planning to live in Equestria, couldn't you have pledged your allegiance to the princesses to become a bat pony ? Solar asked, slightly confused. Is it because of respect for your queen that you didn't?

The vampire pegasus suppressed a faint laugh; despite all the years that the bat ponies lived with them, the ponies of Equestria hadn't even thought of considering the transformation process more than that.

- It cannot be activated until you are mature enough, around 18, I imagine that the magical forces have done everything to keep it a choice where you have time to think about she explained, hoping it was clear enough. So no, this situation, unfortunately, could not be prevented, not like this.

Another silence, shorter this time. A simple silence to find their words, to know how to continue this conversation.

- So, Cha-Shadow... she breathed uncertainly. What did she do to you to end up killing Apple Wolf ?

Emoshy sighed; she would have liked not to have to talk about it, at least not with a pony like the beautiful unicorn with the fire mane... But she had to talk about it, to have nothing to hide and to help find Shadow.

- She... I have dissociative identity disorder and she appeared to me as an alter. explained the vampire pegasus, trying to hide her pain. ...She made us believe she was a part of us, she used me... she used us.

She felt like she was exaggerating, she was the idiot who had believed her after all. She had already lived too much as a child, and she apparently hadn't learned anything from it.

- You're not exaggerating, Emo'... Concern soothed, softly. She really hurt us all.

- And it wasn't your fault. Glow added reassuringly. Neither of us knew she wanted to manipulate us.

Solar looked shocked at the information - as if disappointed with Shadow, but also thoughtful - then she nodded and her expression turned cold.

- It's a weird reaction... Concern remarked in confusion.

- Maybe she was just shocked by my DID. Emoshy thought simply, seeing no further.

- It's not that surprising. the fire unicorn declared, her expression not reflecting her words. She's the one who killed our goddess after all.

- She... What ?!

- Yes, her name was never mentioned during our lessons on the goddess Harmonica but she was her murderer. she huffed, her tone empty.

- But her murderer was her adopted daughter "created by evil", how...? Emoshy asked, her information changing her outlook a lot.

She couldn't help but think of the vampire princess and compare the two, which worried her a bit for the future.

The vampire queen, Nightmare Moon, was "the evil" in Equestria and her daughter could become like this Charism ... After all, as Emoshy had learned in school, history tends to repeat itself.

- ...She was adopted by the goddess because she had... She had pretended to be nice to gain her trust. Solar said, his face stoic and her voice empty of emotion. Then she killed her without even a bit of remorse and fled into what has become your kingdom.

Emoshy pouted; she didn't know why but, even trying her best to believe this story, something was wrong.

Maybe it was something in that empty tone, her gut feeling told her that she was hiding something - or maybe it was that she was sharing control with Fib, she wasn't sure - or maybe was it her detachment as she spoke ?

Solar didn't seem to believe her story herself, her words didn't seem to show it anyway, and it was all very strange...

- அவள் என்னிடம் பொய் சொல்கிறாள், அவளெ அவளெய் நம்புரலா என்று தெரியவில்லை. she whispered, thinking out loud.

- Uhm ... what did you say? Solar asked, luckily not knowing Vampil.

- Oh sorry, I asked how you know all this. Emoshy lied instinctively.

Solar's face contorted in a series of emotions but became stoic again before Emoshy had time to make out anything. The fiery mane unicorn then stared at the ground with a serious expression, as if it was the cause of all her problems.

Emoshy felt like she shared control with Concern in addition to Fib, so she was having a little trouble knowing where her thoughts ended and theirs began, but she was sure of one thing: what Solar was going to say was nothing but another half-truth.

- ...I have a book about it.

Of course, she had one, Emoshy had absolutely no doubts. But that didn't explain how she had found it, how she had known that it was not just a legend and especially why she spoke about it as if a memory so painful that one tried to remain apathetic to forget it, in vain.

- Emo-... a voice began, either Fib's or Concern's, but Emoshy spoke first.

- I have the impression that something is wrong... she said, her tone accusatory. That parts are missing.

- You don't need to know more. Solar said, on the defensive.

- Come on Solar, how can we find Shadow if we don't trust each other ? Emoshy insisted, almost whining.

- Oh, because you told me everything about you ? the unicorn asked, his fiery mane burning hotter. No lies or secrets ?

- Uh... I-I...

- ...Excuse me, sincerely. Solar sighed, lowering her head. I didn't mean to say it violently, you have every right not to be comfortable regarding your personal life; it may not be visible, but this situation makes me nervous...

- O-oh, that's okay. Emoshy assured, embarrassed too.

- I'm not comfortable regarding Shadow at the moment, what I know is serious and I don't want you to think I'm crazy... confessed the fire unicorn, before looking again at the vampire pegasus. But I hope that we can soon be able to talk about it, that we can trust each other.

Emoshy smiled; this conversation seemed to make her feel different, more mature. Something in her had changed, something for the better, a kind of harmony.

- I hope so too.