Dulcie wasn't holding a ball. It was too soft and flat and it scrunched up between her fingers like cloth. And her eyes weren't open, they were closed, so she couldn't even see what she was holding. She cracked her eyelids, peeking out cautiously.

Her heart hit her ribs so hard that something must have broken. It was like when she heard Vivi talking with Lewis' voice and using ghosts, and knowing that because Vivi worked with ghosts she must have found Lewis somehow. And then getting hugged by Vivi, but it was really her brother.

This time it was really really her brother, and he was holding her like he did when she had nightmares about killing hundreds of people with her voice or turning into some horrible featherbacked monstrosity and being driven out of the city with torches and pitchforks. His face was sadder than usual, and his eyes didn't look normal, and his hair swayed and flickered a little like fire, but it was him.

He wasn't looking at her yet. She reared up, wrapping her arms around his neck fiercely. He started, and for a moment he vanished. She slipped a fraction before he caught her, reforming in the space of a blink.

"Sorry! Sorry, Dulcie. Are you okay?"

She squeezed tighter.

"Hey." He settled himself, rocking slowly. "Hey, it's gonna be okay."

She wasn't afraid of what was going to happen. At least, not right then. She just hadn't seen him in so long, but she couldn't get the words out.

Someone cleared a throat and Dulcie lifted her head. Arthur stood in the doorway, a sodden towel hanging around his neck and his hair hanging limp in a shaggy mop around his face. The last time she'd seen him with wet hair, they'd all been playing in the yard and he'd been chasing Lewis with the hose.

"Thanks for the shower." Arthur ran a hand through his hair. "And dealing with my clothes." He put on a grin that didn't work very well. "Can't meet a goddess covered in mud, right?"

Lewis watched him, saying nothing.

The grin went away. "Yeah. Well. How's the patient?"

Lewis' head swiveled around to glance behind him, and following his gaze, Dulcie saw the unicorn princess-Chloe.

There was a very small glow around her and she looked just like she did in Dulcie's dream. Except her horn wasn't long and straight like in the dream. It was small, maybe as long as Dulcie's hand, and it twisted a little to the side.

"Probably awake any minute," Lewis answered. "The light's been dying down for the last hour. The hole closed up completely, I'll take that as a good sign."

Arthur sighed. "Pretty sure I'm the last person she's going to want to deal with when she wakes up."

Vivi's voice piped up from across the room, where Lewis had been staring earlier. "You think she'll know?"

"Undoubtedly." Arthur fiddled with the towel ends. "There's different levels of perception, and it's not as visual as the curses, but I'm probably giving off a million signals that can be read by the right creatures."

Lewis' eyes shifted back to Arthur. "What do you mean 'not as visual as the curses'?"

"Something I haven't gotten around to telling you. I see it on you." He gestured at Lewis and Dulcie. "Lew, you've got thorny vines strung tight out of… well." He passed a hand briefly over his own stomach, averting his eyes. "Aji's got flowering creepers around her neck and hands."

A form shifted nearby, and Dulcie caught sight of Aji. Her sister hunched over, close to Lewis, but not quite touching, now gripping one wrist like she wanted to break it off.

"Dulcie's are like chains between her wrists and feet, but no flowers yet. Blooming or thorns seems to signify a fulfilled curse as best as I can tell." He lifted his own arms, his mouth quirking. "With some exceptions."

"What do you see, Squire?" Vivi asked.

"I'm covered with the stuff. Mrs. Pepper said something about it way back when I was still trying to figure it out. I'm not cursed, but the curse has been using me every step of the way, so I'm drawn in. I doubt mine will bloom." He lowered his arms. "Can't even imagine what hers looks like, but I guess I'll find out."

"Is Vivi clear?" Lewis blurted.

"Yeah, Lew. I thought I saw it on her when you had her possessed, but it was just you. Nothing's touching her now."

Lewis' shoulders loosened.

And then room darkened.

…...

Arthur watched the last of the glow fade, impassive. Chloe moaned and Vivi was on her feet, halfway across the room by the time the great hooves began digging into bedding. "What-what's happening to me?"

Lewis dove out of the way, Dulcie firmly clutched to his chest, as Chloe's front hooves hit the ground. Grabbing Aji's arm, he dragged her several feet away.

"Vivi-chan!" Relief overtook the panic in Chloe's voice. But as Vivi's hands came up to Chloe's muzzle, she jerked back. "No, what is this? Why?" Chloe whimpered, craning her neck to look back at her body. "Why? I didn't mean it, Vivi-chan, I didn't mean it about being a magical girl! I mean, maybe I did, but not like this!"

Arthur kept still. No sense in drawing Chloe's attention and eliciting further panic, but he kept a close eye. Her front hooves kept lifting up and hitting the ground again in little motions of distress, and her back hooves dug into the bed as she tried to leave it. She wasn't familiar with this body anymore, and if she wasn't careful, she might hurt Vivi.

He wouldn't step in unless he had to. He hoped he didn't have to.

Vivi caught Chloe's muzzle in her hands, keeping them there even as the great head jerked and shook from side to side, like Chloe was trying to shake free of something. "It's just a dream. Just a dream. Right, Vivi-chan?"

Vivi didn't answer, keeping her hands on Chloe's muzzle, occasionally standing on tiptoe to do so. Her wounds had healed up, he noted. Only light scars remained where Kay had swiped her across the face. She probably didn't need the bandages on her arms anymore, either.

"This is no dream."

Surprised, Arthur shot a look at Mystery. The kitsune leaned against a wardrobe, standing in human form, arms folded across his chest. "This is very real, as is what happened to you."

Chloe struggled to drag her hindquarters off the bed, her forelegs wobbly.

"I think you'll find muscle memory will kick in shortly. This isn't the first time you've walked on four legs."

"What are you talking about?" Chloe panted. "This isn't real, this is just a dream. I'm dreaming this because of that bedtime story Duet was telling me."

Arthur closed his eyes. So, Duet had confessed before the end.

"The story was real, Chloe." Mystery crossed over to stand behind Vivi. "Do you remember me?"

Chloe stopped for a moment, studying him. "You're…" Chloe shied hard, backing up until she was practically back on the bed.

Dropping to one knee, Mystery bent his back and bowed his head. "I want to apologize for my attack," he murmured. "I did not understand what had happened."

Chloe whimpered. "I don't know what you're talking about! I don't know what any of this is. Where am I? Why am I really a magical…" She looked back at herself. "Horse?"

Arthur swallowed a laugh. Close enough.

"And why are you sorry now when you weren't? And Vivi-chan, how did you find me? Where's Duet? Who's-" she gasped, her eyes going wide. "Vivi-chan…" She had locked onto Lewis.

Lewis lowered Dulcie to the ground, straightened himself, and took a few tentative steps forward. "Hi, Chloe. Remember me?"

Chloe let out an ear-shattering shriek. "Ahhhhhh Vivi-chan! It's just like Tokyo Magnitude 8.0! You're being escorted by the ghost of someone who knows you're not ready to let go yet, sugoi! You are so lucky!"

Arthur lost it. He couldn't help himself. The fact was, the unicorn spouting anime references was the sanest thing in the room, and that tickled him. After all they'd been through, they might as well be in the middle of an anime, and of course Chloe would be the perfect guide. He wasn't shocked that she didn't remember Lewis, though. Duet had done his work too well. Besides, Lewis didn't look anything like the child she'd seen him as in captivity.

"Vivi-chan!" The shriek changed pitch and intensity, and Arthur's laughter died. She'd noticed him. He braced himself to start explaining before she hit hysterical levels.

"It's okay, Chloe." Lewis held up his hands placatingly. "It isn't what you think."

"He's! He's! He's!" Chloe was fully off the bed and fetched up against the wall, pressing against it as if she could blend into the cheerful pink wallpaper.

"He's Arthur." Lewis' tone was firm. "You know Arthur. It's still Arthur."

"But!"

"I know. I can tell you what's going on, but he's not going to hurt you."

Arthur stared up at Lewis' back. He was very nearly at a loss for words.

"Actually, Lewis, it may be best if Vivi and I speak with her." Mystery had risen from the ground. "There are some things I need to discuss with her, and with Vivi specifically."

Arthur blinked. Was Mystery going to own up to his secrets to Vivi? His gut unclenched a little. So many secrets coming to light, and they were all talking to each other. He could almost believe they could make a functional team.

If he wasn't leaving shortly, of course.

"Good idea, Mystery. Lew? You, me, and your sisters need to talk." He gave an approving nod to Mystery. "We'll catch up with you later."

"Not too much later, okay?" Vivi put a hand on Chloe's neck. "I'm pretty famished, and it'd be great to have some grub soon."

A smile spread across Lewis' face. "That would be my department. The Deadbeats will come get you when we're ready."

"Maybe not a great idea, Lew." Arthur eyed Chloe. "Some of us have been around them in really unpleasant ways recently."

"Ah… we'll find you," Lewis amended.

Arthur entered the room fully and stepped away from the door, allowing for a good deal of distance when Vivi led Chloe, stumbling over her hooves, through the door. Mystery met Arthur's eyes for a moment, before ducking his head and following behind.

"Now." Arthur turned to the others. "Who's ready to plan our Hail Mary pass?"

….

Note: Chapter title excerpted from Any Other Way by We The Kings.